Summer Leaning Challenge Ends on July 2

Want to lean out in time for summer but just need a good swift kick on the pants? The Summer LEANing Challenge to the rescue! The 8-week challenge will begin on May 7 and end on July 2. Members, current On-Rampers and future On-Rampers are welcome to participate. The rules are different this year, and the prizes much greater.

Kickoff Event on Friday, May 6 at 10:00AM or Saturday, May 7 at 12:00PM

At the kickoff events, we will:

• Talk about how to tweak paleolithic-focused foods to maximize weight loss.
• Share a one-week meal plan with recipes and a shopping list.
• Answer your questions.
• And yes, take your pictures.

If you can't make it to either dates but want to participate, please contact Gina (gina [at] crossfitlongbeach [dot] com), to set up a time for you pictures and to get your handouts/guides. We also will be recording the talk and making it available online. Members can bring their roommates, family, spouses, partners to the kickoff event so that your whole household can be on board.

Your Before Photos

We will be taking front view, side view and back view at the kickoff event. Pictures will taken privately by Gina or Melissa. Men are in shorts; women are in shorts and sports bra/bikini top. We will also be weighing and measuring every participant for member documentation purposes. Only select coaches will review all challenge participant photos. They will not be made public. If you are selected as a finalist (top 5 women and top 5 men), your photos will be reviewed and voted on by LEANing challenge participants only. But, if you decide you are not comfortable with this, you may opt out that this point. Of course, it removes you from the running, but it's your decision. And, if you are selected as one of two winners, then we would like to post your pictures on our website, with your permission of course.

If you're still not sure about the pictures, check out Sarah Fergoso's before and after pictures! On her Everyday Paleo podcast, she talks about how she cried when she took her before pictures. But now, she's really happy she did it.

Last Day Photos 

After pictures will be taken at 3 different times:

• Wednesday, June 29, between 5:30 and 9:30PM (Gina)
• Friday, July 1, between 5:30 and 6:30PM (Melissa)
• Saturday, July 2, between 9:00 and 10:00AM (Gina & Melissa). We will take the same pictures: front view, side view and back view. You must take the after photos to be considered as a finalist/winner.

Winners Announced at the CFLB Summer Party on July 9

And when it's all over, we'll announce the winners and show off our new sexy beast bodies at our summer potluck party. All members, friends and family are invited. Get more info on the party here.

Challenge Rules

• You must take pictures on the first day and last day for judging purposes.
• You must maintain and submit a food log each week via Crossfit Long Beach’s Yahoo Group. You will be sent a Yahoo group invitation shortly after the kickoff. Food logs must be submitted to the Yahoo Group by midnight on July 4, 2011. No exceptions.
• You must kick in $30.00 (cash) for the prize kitty (not literally into a feline, Kimberly)
• Designated coaches will select the top 5 men and top 5-10 women whose body composition changed the most (based on pictures only, not scale weight or measurements). We will then verify that all food logs have been submitted. No 8 food logs, no finalist!
• Leaning Challenge participants will vote for the challenge winners on July 9 at the Summer Party between 1:30 and 3:00PM. Voting will take place confidentially in the CFLB office. There will be one winning male and one/two winning females.

Some Serious Prizes

• The 2-3 LEANing winners will each win half of the kitty plus one month free Unlimited membership. Winners will be chosen at the Paleo Potluck Party.
• All participants will be placed in a raffle for 2 Prizes: Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals cookbook and Sarah Fragoso’s brand new Everyday Paleo book which was released on April 25. They both are fantastic.

Quick Links to Resources

• Meal plan and shopping list
• Favorite member recipes and snack ideas as well as favorite member recipe websites
• Great 5 minute video that explains the science behind a paleolithic approach to nutrition
• Join our Facebook Group! Trina set up a Facebook group for the Challenge. Just send a Friend Request to Gina and let her know you want to join the group.