I’ve been getting a lot of questions from folks on how I dropped the weight for the IC body fat challenge, so I wrote up most of what I did over the last two months.

Back story

No story is complete without context, so let me give you a brief recent history. I’m 44 years old and just a scosh under 5′ 10″. For most of my adult life I’ve been overweight at somewhere north of 185 lbs. As far as BMI goes this is squarely in the middle of the “overweight” category.

"A lot of people commented on why I wanted to do the body fat challenge as I wasn't heavy to begin with. Well I was, you just never saw me then!" -Gunther

Exactly, three years ago this week, I made a commitment to ride my bicycle to work everyday (about 10-12 miles R/T). That first year I dropped over 25 lbs without changing anything else. Two years ago next month, I started the IC 0700 boot camp MWF and traded a bunch of fat for muscle and lost another 6 lbs to put me somewhere around 154 on most days.

At the start of the challenge in February (seems so long ago) I was still carrying a holiday paunch at 159 lbs with a pretty good BF of 15.2% (norm for me has been 12ish since joining IC).  A lot of people commented on why I wanted to do the body fat challenge as I wasn’t heavy to begin with.  Well I was, you just never saw me then! I also felt like there were a bunch of healthy habits out there that I was ignoring by exercising a ton to compensate for my regular not-so-healthy habits. What would a truly “healthy” me look like? Here’s what I did to find out.

Month One

On the food front I started by doing the following: research! What did the last BF contenders do. I discovered the TT Path and implemented it all the way; I dropped all foods with sugar in them and anything with flour (even whole wheat), focusing on good whole grains like brown and red rice, beans, lentils, salads, greens, nuts (almonds, almonds, almonds!), dried and fresh fruit, nonfat yogurt, etc. No bread, no pasta, no muffins, no croissants, no cookies, no bagels, no chocolate, no ice cream, no exceptions.

Since my son has both Type 1 diabetes and is celiac (gluten/wheat allergy), this menu really works well for our family. Not overly carby and not the spikey carbs with a high glycemic index.  Whole grains and beans make good protein combinations and keep your body steady-as-he-goes after meals.  I also cut out second portions of anything and avoided fats as much as possible. Hardest part? Cutting back to low fat lattes! Oh, no! (I’m almost used to them now). Of course I didn’t hold my family hostage to the challenge at all, but there was spill over that everyone took part in. I also got tremendous support from my wife in planning good meals for all at the table.

A typical eating day for me looked like:

* green tea before IC with 1/2 a banana
* Protein/recovery shake after boot camp (2 cups nonfat milk, 2 scoops TJ’s MET-Rx vanilla protein powder, 1 scoop Endurox R4 orange).
* Breakfast on non-IC days was nonfat yogurt, berries and slivered almonds
* Nuts and a piece of fruit mid-morning.
* Green salad (TJ’s pre-made salad was a good cheat), bean soup, or lentil salad for lunch.
* More fruit and nuts in the afternoon.
* Rice & beans with greens for dinner, or salad with chicken breast, or greens and a small steak. No second helpings.
* For dessert: a cup or two of fruity non-caffeinated tea helped to quell the post dinner cravings

The first 2 1/2 weeks were the most difficult. For one, the lower blood sugars made me run a low grade headache, so I was a bit testy (apologies to all!). Secondly, my stomach was still used to larger meals, so I didn’t feel as satisfied. In week 3 I hit my stride, though, and the new eating regime became more than satisfying.

"For me, the key to burning calories has been combining exercise with function. Ride your bike or walk everywhere: shopping, pick-up/drop-off, work, play dates, hardware store, always, rain or shine, no excuses." -Gunther

In addition to boot camp, I would take a 2-4 mile walk at lunch, usually with a co-worker to do an errand or something. On non-IC days, I would typically extend my morning commute to 16-20 miles by riding the Bay Trail before work. This is an awesome, local, no-traffic resource that is great for riding/running.  For me, the key to burning calories has been combining exercise with function.  Ride your bike or walk everywhere: shopping, pick-up/drop-off, work, play dates, hardware store, always, rain or shine, no excuses. And there was a lot of rain! On the weekends I would try and shoot for a mountain bike ride just to mix things up a bit, or maybe a road ride with a friend. Also bike down to 4th Street with the family or walk the mile to Solano Ave or the Plaza for something or another.

At the end of the first month I was  down about 8 lbs to 151 and 12.3%  BF.

Month Two

At this point I felt like I was hitting a plateau at the 150 lb mark.  What’s left?  I’m eating so healthily and not too much. What’s that? What am I drinking? It was Don from 0700 who told me he stopped drinking alcohol at the beginning of the challenge. I thought, “Ouch, this is going to be hard”; first I have to resist the peer pressure about food: “Gunther, have some ice cream. I made it from scratch!”, “Gunther, have some birthday cake”, “Would you like something from the pastry cabinet to go with that low fat latte?” Try baking a fresh loaf of excellent gluten-free bread and resist buttering a slice off the end while it’s still hot. Or, one of the hardest days, when I had to pick-up three boxes of bagels in the rain, ride them to work, set them up with cream cheese for my work mates and then just walk away.Now I would have to resist the bev, too? Hmmmmmm.

So I quite the booze. My own private Lent. No wine, no beer, no cocktails, no excuses. Guess what happened? Nothing for a week and then the ponds began to melt off. About 3/4 lb a day until I got down to around 145, blowing past my original stretch goal of 149. At 145 I thought I was a doner, but the habits were just solid now and magically a few more pounds dropped in the last week before the weigh-in. I say magically because I had got to the point where I was eating almost constantly (my desk drawer at work was brimming with healthy snacks), yet still losing weight. My co-workers laughed because there was a constant crunching sound coming from my cube. I also got some great recipes going this month like the lentil salad I copied from the Pasta Shop on 4th street.  Or whizzed white beans (like faux mashed potatoes) topped with grilled asparagus and seared scallops.  Eat that and tell me I suffered on this “diet”!

Take-Aways

"You can't make excuses for skipping exercise and you can't use food and alcohol as a reward for a tough day or a job well done." -Gunther

What I learned is that everything you already knew works when it comes to losing weight, you just have to do it (“Let’s do it, people!” isn’t that what Steve always says?). You’ve got to get exercise every day, you’ve got to eat vegetables, fruits and nuts. You’ve got to avoid processed foods and sugar and flour. You can’t make excuses for skipping exercise and you can’t use food and alcohol as a reward for a tough day or a job well done. Tom R. from 0700 (isn’t 0700 great?!) put it like this: “There’s an excuse switch in your head and you just have to flip it OFF”. Watch out for Tom, because he will put an idea in your head and then every time you try and get around a good habit, you’ll hear his voice on your shoulder: “How can you put that in your body after working out so hard at the Ice Chamber?” Thanks for that, Tom.

I Can’t Because

As I shed the pounds I got a lot of questions from folks about what I was doing. Almost everyone would start to listen to the regime and then interrupt me with a, “Oh, you see I can’t do that because…” and then the excuse switch flips to ON: “I can’t ride because, it’s too cold/dark/rainy/I have a doctor’s appointment/I have to leave early/etc”. “I had to eat that bread on the table. it was free”, “I can’t just order a salad”, “I can’t give up my wine because I’m so stressed”. “I can’t walk at lunch because there’s no where to walk where I work”. “I can’t ride/walk because I have the kids.” Man! I can’t because is THE phrase you need to avoid if you want to change. You need to find a way: swim, don’t bike, walk, don’t run, just find the exercise path that works and stay on it and watch those simple carbs that don’t come from fruits. That’s it. And, of course, flip the switch to OFF.

Moving Forward

Will I keep this super-low BF and weight? Hell no!  I’m too skinny! But, oddly enough, my new BMI is, according to standards, squarely in the middle of the “normal” range. Still, I think it’s too skinny, so unless I get that TV role that puts another 10 lbs on, I’ll probably let myself drift up to 150. Regardless, the great thing about how the ICBF challenge was laid out is that it was over such an extended period that I think I’ve acquired some good habits that I will hang on to throughout the year. Bonus: Losing 18 lbs has turned my steel road bike into it’s carbon fiber equivalent, so I’ll have a lot less weight to take with me when I ride 100 miles for my favorite cause next month!

Thank you Ice Chamber and thanks to everyone in Team 0700 for the support and good times! YTB.

G out

"Take your mind off of the numbers and focus on the elegance of your execution." -Maya

Australia’s 1st Master of Sport, Emily Friedel interviews Maya about motherhood, double jerks for women, and the history of the ICKB Girls:

You are a mother, as is one of your team members, how have you guys achieved such a high level of lifting with so much else going on in your lives?

“…I think kettlebell fitness, as opposed to sport, is far more compatible with my lifestyle right now, but I got into the competitive aspect of this long before I knew what I was up against as a mother (our son was only 10 months old when we first started competing).  The only reason I didn’t give up after a series of disappointments and failed attempts on the platform is because Steve, Jess, Sara, and Surya wouldn’t let me…”

READ the FULL interview HERE

Here is a wonderfully informative  interview Maya conducted with our great friend Catherine Imes.  In her most extensive interview to date,  Cate discusses the importance of proper lifting and fixation, coaching perspectives, and… her favorite T-Shirt.  This is a must-read for both enthusiasts and competitors alike.  Enjoy!

Best,

Steven

"...quantifying my progress helps me to stay motivated. I only wish I had started exercising smarter earlier."

I have a long history of joining gyms in every place I have ever lived.  I was that person robotically going through the motions of circuit training, reading magazines with my IPod on the treadmill, but never trying hard or even breaking a sweat. Three years ago, with a change to longer school days for my three kids, time became available to commit to a serious exercise program, and I went in search of something to motivate me to improve my fitness.

I joined the Ice Chamber one day in 2007, and it has honestly been one of the best things I have ever done.

I have always been pretty lazy but pretty thin, but by age 45, the bathroom scale had been creeping upwards about a pound a year since 40, and, with 31% BF, I knew I really needed to make some changes to stop this trend. And I was weak. On my very first day of Boot Camp, I failed to complete even one push-up and barely made it back from a single lap to the Bridal Store. But even with my feeble debut performance, I felt inspired, motivated, and welcomed into the supportive, inclusive, and pleasantly low-key environment created by Steve, Maya, and Jess.

"I show up three times a week and do whatever the person with the microphone tells me to do, no matter what. This consistency has paid off."

Although I continue to be awed and entertained by the athletic feats of the super-jocky and younger members of the gym (you know who you are), I have never ever felt out of place or intimidated there, even when I am the slowest member of a team. I have never been a “joiner”, and admit to being slightly cranky in the mornings, but surprisingly, I love and am truly addicted to my morning Boot Camp routine. So weird!

So, unless I am on the rare vacation or work trip, I show up three times a week and do whatever the person with the microphone tells me to do, no matter what. This consistency has paid off.

So now for the numbers. While I have cut back on baguettes, without making huge changes to my diet, (which by any standards includes too much red meat, cream, wine, and good restaurants meals), since joining the IC, I have lost over 10 pounds and am (usually) down in the 25% range for BF. I am the first in line for those stats each Friday, because for me, quantifying my progress helps me to stay motivated. I only wish I had started exercising smarter earlier.

So, I am writing this to thank the Ice Chamber owners, trainers and fellow members for all their support. And thanks especially for the funk and that morning coffee with half & half!

Trish
Team 0900

The only wrist wrap designed for Kettlebell Lifting

Master of Sport, Dr. Scott Helsley, wrote a great review of the Kettle Guard, an ICKB Girls innovation.

“The Kettle Guards are a big improvement over both the simple wrist bands and wraps… I did my long cycle set and then I used them for a strongman set of jerks and cleans with the 40kg bell at the AKC booth.  I also used them at home in similar sets with 48 and 53kg bells…”

READ MORE

Mom + child = typical scene at the IC

Children are more likely to be physically active when their parents provide the example.  Lydia is no exception; these days her mama, Sally M., is the one trying to keep up!

Foreste Peterson

Check out IC athlete Foreste Peterson‘s incredible stats this year:

Top 3 in the U.S.

"Let your pregnancy and your child be a part of your unique, fit lifestyle!" -Dr. AmandaÂ

Age: 35

Profession: Physician, Researcher, Administrator

Children: age 3 and 5 1/2

Favorite workout song of the week: -still love Paper Planes by MIA

Athletic gear you can’t live without: -black Lululemon headband

Maya: Many people at the IC know you as an incredibly dedicated and hard working bootcamper, but can you tell us more about your athletic background?

Dr. Amanda: I love our 6am bootcamp.  I started 11 months ago and can’t turn back… I also run 2 days per week and occasionally sneak onto the elliptical in the garage.  In terms of the past, I have been involved in sports forever.  I played organized soccer from ages 4-20 and started running at age 12.  I ran Varsity track in high school and college and was an Academic All American.  Now I’m just a weekend warrior, but the IC gives me a chance to conjure up some of the old intensity.

Maya: What is your professional area of expertise?

Dr. Amanda: Obstetrics and Gynecology (clinical), Peripartum depression, minimally invasive surgery, family planning and fibroids (research)

Maya: Is it okay for an active woman interested in becoming pregnant to continue exercising?  If so, are there any precautions to keep in mind?

Dr. Amanda: Absolutely- however, if one is losing body mass such that she is anovulatory (doesn’t have periods) she may need to slow down so that her eggs can be released.

Maya: What are 5 reasons women should prioritize prenatal exercise?

Dr. Amanda:

1. Women who exercise during pregnancy manage pain better in labor

2. Women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to influence their partners and children to exercise thus creating a healthier society

3. There is life after pregnancy and women who exercise will regain their physical fitness more rapidly

4. Women who exercise during pregnancy will be at decreased risk for peripartum depression

5. Exercise is a great way to handle some of the hormonal changes of pregnancy

"There is life after pregnancy and women who exercise will regain their physical fitness more rapidly." -Dr. Amanda

Maya: In terms of exercise prescription, is it safe for pregnant women to do body weight exercises like push-ups, squats, and lunges?

Dr. Amanda: Listen to your body (and your doctor!)  For a LOW RISK pregnancy, as long as there is no abdominal trauma, most exercises are fine.  However, joints are more loose during pregnancy so be careful with technique esp regarding hips and knees.

Maya: Set the record straight on prenatal crunches and sit-ups…

Dr. Amanda: If you can do it reasonably comfortably go for it until about 24-28 weeks.  Thereafter, the weight of the uterus on the blood vessels in the back of the abdomen are too heavy and can compress them.

Maya: Is it safe for pregnant women to use external weights like dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells?

Dr. Amanda: Yes, but use lighter weights.  The joints and back are more fragile during pregnancy and can be easily injured.  If you aren’t straining your back or pelvis, it is fine.  If it starts to hurt those areas, it’s too much.

Maya: Are there any prenatal exercise no-nos women and their trainers should be aware of?

Dr. Amanda: Avoid any flat on the back floor exercises after 28 weeks.  Avoid exercises that puts the abdomen at risk for trauma.  Stop if it hurts (burn is ok:) If you are having more than 4 Braxton Hicks contractions in an hour slow down and hydrate.  Heart rate should max at 15% below normal rate (American College of OBGyn says 140 bpm max, but that doesn’t take into account fit women)– just don’t get to the point of huffing and puffing.

Maya: What are three things you wish every pregnant woman knew about health and fitness?

"Women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to influence their partners and children to exercise thus creating a healthier society." -Dr. Amanda

Dr. Amanda:

1. Exercise does not cause miscarriage or preterm labor

2. Exercise will improve your birth experience– labor and recovery

3. If exercise is important to you, don’t stop– you are bringing a child into the world in part because you think you (and your partner) have something good going on to share with the world.  Let your pregnancy and your child be a part of your unique, fit lifestyle!

Maya: You recently teamed-up with Aubrey Wade RN, MSN to create “My Pregnancy – Pocket Guide” in order to provide convenient prenatal health, labor/delivery, and fitness advice.  Can you tell us more about this special project?

Dr. Amanda: In the lay pregnancy literature there really was a gap.  There was nothing on the market that was concise, wellness focused, family inclusive, and medically accurate.  We are very pleased with our end product.  We hope that women will slip this into their purse, make notes on it on their BART commute, and bring it to their appointments.  My favorite section is the medical-ese dictionary– it is so important that women know what the heck we are talking about!

For the first time in his Kettlebell Sport career, Valery opens up about his childhood, his most significant achievements, the WKC rank system, and the five greatest kettlebell lifters of all time.  Maya shares the most extensive and in-depth interview of Valery Fedorenko to date…

“I clearly understood that I had to decide whether to go party, have fun OR go train.  I decided that first I had to become somebody.  I needed to get some titles and keep working hard.  After that, maybe, I figured I could have more fun, but I never worried about that really.  To get somewhere in life, to be Champion for example, I knew I had to pay the price…”  -VF

Click HERE to READ the FULL interview!

3 months into IC Boot Camp / One year later

To kick off our next Fat Loss Challenge of 2010, we are featuring the incredible transformation of Karen King to get you motivated.  In a candid interview with Maya, she opens up about what it took to lose 40 pounds without going on a strict diet or beating herself up over numbers on the scale.  How did she do it and make front page news on Athleta?

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Back by popular demand, here are the NEW IC Challenges for 2010:

-60 Day Fat Loss Challenge: member with greatest percentage lost receives six months of Bootcamp!

-Performance Challenge: member with greatest number of repetitions of squats, push-ups, and sit-ups receives one month of Flex Access!

Registration details will be announced in class this week.  IC Challenges start on February 1st!