Nutrition Challenge, Take 2

For the month of February, my gym was having a nutrition challenge. It didn't have much participation, and certainly from my posts I mentioned I was not 100% in the game. So, what did I do? Found another nutrition challenge to sign up for.

My friend works out at a different CrossFit...a fancy, well established CrossFit (actually it was the first CrossFit affiliate) anyway, she told me that her gym was running a 7 week challenge and that I was more than welcome to participate. It feels kinda weird doing something like this with another gym. Like I'm cheating on my gym or something. But then I remember that the goal is a common one- eat better, perform better. I'm in this for me.

The challenge begins on Monday, March 14th. Currently, I'm on a plane to Texas (wifi onboard!) returning March 18th. I had to go into the other gym and take my "before" pictures. No weigh in, not body composition tests, just pictures determine the winner. We also have to submit weekly food logs. The winner is determined by a panel of judges that vote on the biggest change between the before picture and the after picture. Maybe I should have read what I was wearing in the picture before going?

The nice lady at the foreign gym takes me into the bathroom with a camera-again, this should have been a red flag! We talk about the rules, she asks for my money, and then tells me to take my shirt off (I was wearing shorts). Gulp. Did I just pay someone to watch me take my shirt off? Something is backwards. So there I am, in a sports bra and short running shorts. I was not expecting this. She takes a picture from the front, the side, and back. It was over fast, but wow, had I known I would be taking my shirt off, I might have tried to do something like not eat for 2 days before, or apply self-tanner.

After pictures were over we had a 20 minute conversation (still in the bathroom reeking of bleach) about my Paleo experience. It felt so good to talk to someone who "gets" it. I told her about my weight loss and allergy cure. I told her about how good I felt. It was like therapy.

I left the foreign gym feeling pretty good. The half naked picture is really good incentive for me.