“Being both a physician and middle-age athlete, I have seen the challenges and benefits of achieving and maintaining a high performance nutrition plan from all angles.
As a physician, our counsel in the medical realm is limited. Our focus has more and more gravitated towards pharmaceutical band-aides, and our recommendations and guidance are often tied to studies that have not yet appreciated the benefits of many nutrition plans adopted by high performing individuals.
As a middle-age athlete, I appreciated first hand the priority good nutrition takes in being able to break through in my age.
I was static and not making any progress for years until I joined The Dan Plan. While on The Dan Plan, I lost 30lbs bringing me back to my college weight, and after struggling for years to break 200lbs.
I was able PR in all triathlon distances by dozens of minutes, and I was able to break 12 hours in a full distance IronMan… something I thought unimaginable just a couple years ago.
The Dan Plan achieved this not just through a user friendly and flexible road map of choosing the right foods and proportions, but through a comprehensive support and guidance addressing influences on nutrition and compliance.
The Dan Plan offers something a diet book, journal, or podcast can never offer: A supportive team there to help trouble shoot your cravings, rebounds, and stagnation so that you can truly hit the results you intended!”
“When I joined A1A eight years ago I had never truly exercised before.
I got out of Physical Education class in school ever opportunity I could and when getting to my heaviest weight after my first two children were born.
I joined a step class that I went to for the absolute minimum three days a week. I felt this was the number of classes necessary to loose the weight, and it worked.
Once the weight was off I stopped going altogether.
After my third child was born I joined A1A, still showing up was a battle.
At some point – after having my fourth child I realized the extent that exercise was making me a healthier person.
In addition I truly enjoyed the great community and coaches I was getting stronger with and like magic my worst place became my happy place.
Still the food was a constant issue, I’d show up at the gym in the morning and then binge eat in my pantry at night.
When Dan started his nutrition program, yet to be named The Dan Plan, I hopped on board I knew it was time for an overall change.
I stayed on plan for 14 weeks straight and was easily in the best shape of my life!
So naturally I figured I could have my cake and eat it too. That was the start of a very bumpy road filled with many times of falling off the wagon and getting back on.
During that time I have to say my worst was never as bad, I kept getting back up and starting again.
After a year and a half of many ups, downs, and day one phase one, I realized something. As great as it was to be in shape, lean and fit and it felt amazing don’t get me wrong.
There was a huge advantage I needed to focus on more. The anti-inflammatory, sugar free, nutrient balanced, clean way of eating we call “The Dan Plan” was helping me sleep better and most importantly brought down my anxiety levels by at least 40%.
It wasn’t only about the physical aspect anymore or about the fact that on The Dan Plan my pull ups are better because I feel physically lighter. The fact was I am stronger and lighter mentally as well – with more energy and presence of mind to be a parent, wife and overall stronger person.
Truth time, today I am on week 3 of phase one and there are many moments I am Hangry and just wanna grab my kids cookies out of their hands.
The Journey is one that doesn’t end, it’s a day to day decision to be better, stronger and healthier in every way. Sometimes that I feel like “oh yeah I so have this” and others I hate everyone who eats cookies, yes phase 4 people even you.
Either way it’s worth every second when I remind myself that I am sleeping at night without 1,000 anxieties or Cocoa Pebbles calling my name.
The muscle up progression doesn’t hurt either 😉 Phase 2 I’m coming for you!”
Cedric has been a gym member CrossFit A1A for a while now, but just recently decided to up his game by overhauling his nutrition with The Dan Plan Diet.
He was not overweight when he started, but wanted to add muscle and see his abs.
I started CrossFit 305 in May of 2010 (yup almost 9 yrs ago).
I had taken 9 months off from September 2017 to May of 2018 due to a difficult time for me and I also had some injuries I was trying to heal.
I started to think CrossFit wasn’t for me anymore but I missed the people and workouts every day I didn’t go during those 9 months and I was very depressed at my weight gain and how sluggish I felt.
I decided to rejoin in May of 2018 going very slowly as I was very out of shape and I still had injuries. I was looking for a nutritionist and talked to Dan about it and he told me to use his Dan Plan.
I thought to myself why not and began it in July 3rd 2018. I did the Dan plan for 7 weeks and lost 11 pounds.
It is now March 2019 and I am 30 pounds lighter and getting very strong again.
I can now do 8 strict pull-ups in a row (goal is 10) and a ton of other stuff again and my stamina is getting better and I keep getting stronger little by little.
I look forward to continuing my journey of losing more body fat and getting fitter and stronger.
A big thank you to Jeff Costomiris for being one of the nicest coaches ever and pushing me when I don’t think I have it in me……I love our CrossFit 305 family.
I’m 43. The realization that these physical gifts I’m allowed won’t last forever is starting to set in.
I no longer feel the need to get into weightlifting wars with kids 15 years my junior, but I’ll still push to beat ’em in a good conditioning test.
My day to day training, loading & intensity has gotten smarter, I’m not laying on my back at the end of every workout, frothing at the mouth; and I feel better for it.
A typical week will look something like: Monday – Max effort Tuesday – 75-80% Wednesday 60% Thursday – Recovery pace or rest Friday – Hard effort Saturday – Play with kids and maybe run Sunday – Rest and relax
Previously, those would have all said Max effort.
The idea is this: exercise enough to feel good all of the time. If you’re constantly sore and beat up, ask yourself why. Why do you need to push to the point of failure – always. Is it a psychological need? If so, maybe there’s a way to meet that need at a lower intensity.
Instead of focusing on failure and falling on the floor, focus on breathing & technique. Take yourself to that same spot, but use a different skill set to get there. Use certain workouts as an opportunity to refine movements, to understand pace.Just breathe and get your heart rate up, get a little synovial fluid running through the old knees and elbows.
At the end of the day, my biggest concern for my gym members and myself is being able to move well for the long haul. I look at a few 70-80 year olds I know as examples. They eat well, they exercise regularly and they seem to enjoy life because of it.
It seems to me that the next 40-50 years will be all about the decisions I make now, and the consistency with which I implement them.
You may enjoy smashing yourself into the ground every day, and that’s ok for you…if that’s ok for you.
I have found better overall performance (MetCons, 5k’s, running with kids, playing tag and sports, etc.) from a little less volume, picking my battles and listening to my body.
I have also found better balance and a more fulfilling training week without having to compete every day.
I certainly still pick my spots, and likely always will…I just don’t try to over-pick or over-expect or over-exert.
