Whole 30 Challenge: Chantal Ergh

"Whole9 is a community focused on health, fitness, balance and sanity, all built on a foundation of real food and healthy nutritional habits." (Whole 9 website) CrossFit Akron athletes put their bodies to the test for 30 days. We've had nothing but success. Here are the stories to prove it.  Please vote at the top of the page for the winner. 




"Chantal Ergh March 24, 2011

It was roughly February 10th. Josh and Brian were telling me all about this great

food challenge they were starting up and suggested I check it out. I will be honest,

I was pretty skeptical. I've tried Weight Watchers, Hydroxycut, The Zone, Adkins,

The Six-Week Body Makeover, counting calories, etc... I am sure you get the idea,

I've pretty much tried it all. Over the last 2-3 years I have put on 25-30ish lbs.

And have had NO luck getting it off. (because luck is what gets the pounds off,

right?) I decided that it was my age (I am pushing 40 you know!) and my metabolism

is slowing down. I could probably put down a few other excuses I've used, but will

spare you the sob story.

I sat down on the box jump with the Whole9 Nutrition Guide. I quickly skimmed it

once and thought, really Chantal, what is different this time? Are you just kidding

yourself and wasting 30 bucks? I closed the guide and couldn't help listening to

everyone talk about it. I opened it up and began READING it. It made sense, but

really most of them do. Then I read, no Diet Coke, no red wine?? Not a chance. But

just to humor myself, I read on. 

I then got to the tough love part. “It is not hard. Don't you dare tell us this is

hard. Giving up heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard.” OUCH.

I am 39 years old. I am at least thirty pounds overweight. I am on blood pressure

medication. I am on acid reflux medication. My brother died at 46 fighting cancer.

THAT WAS HARD. And if he could have another chance, he would change so many things

so that he could watch his children grow up. DAMN IT, THIS IS NOT HARD. I CAN DO

THIS. I WILL NOT BE 40 AND FAT! I will be 40 and healthy. I will take the

opportunity, the challenge to change my life because my big brother can't.

Those words did it for me. “This is not hard.”

I haven't had a diet coke (AKA poison) in thirty-some days. After my 30 days, I

celebrated with some wine but went right back “on the wagon”. I have been spot on

other than my “celebration”. 

So, what changed over the course of my 30 days? I lost 12 lbs, 3-6% body fat (I

can't remember what Brian said). I have gone down a pant size. I no longer take

medication for acid reflux. My blood pressure medication has been halved. I have an appointment in 3 weeks to see if I can go completely off my blood pressure

medication.

How do I feel? FANTASTIC! I have so much energy! On days that I could take a nap and USED to take a nap...I simply can not. I have too much energy to sleep! I just feel good. So good, that I promised a friend I would do the 30 Challenge with her.

Because, you know what I learned after 30 days? This really isn't hard. It is life

changing. And it is exactly what I needed."

Chantal Ergh