"I AM VERSUS" challenge 2014
Sooooo this post is a little late! My apologies.
IAV 2014 is in the books. This is Versus S&C's Annual 6 week performance and nutrition challenge we hold at the beginning of the year. A great way to kick off a year of new goals! This year, teams were made up of 70 Versus members, with 5 Teams headed by each of our coaches.
Congratulations to Team Killah (Kellar) for the victory!! The scores were so close we had to count 3 times just to make sure. So congrats to all the teams! All teams saw results in many ways by the end of the 6 weeks. I am especially proud of my team, Jambo's Rambos! I couldn't be more proud of all the effort put in by each of our team mates! You have all put your promises to yourself into action, congrats!
My goal for my team was by the end of the 6 weeks, have them very comfortable with "clean eating." Yes, I wanted to win, but more importantly I wanted this 6 weeks to change their eating habits FOREVER. I knew they could do the workouts and extra homework. That was sometimes fun...maybe not the sprints...or Go to Hell Tabata...but you know it will only last a certain amount of time. But the food was a whole different beast. Food would be the 24/7 battle and the one area they would need to spend the most time preparing if they wanted to be successful! This challenge's unofficial theme was "Knowing Vs. Doing." You can have all the knowledge you need, but if you don't put it into action, nothing will happen. These results are what the "action" looks like.
Read'em and weep! Team Jambo combined lost 87.4 pounds! Inches were lost and pants sizes dropped even if the number on the scale did not change. People were smashing old mile times by 1-2 minutes! Every team member improved on the retest by either beating their old times or using a heavier kettle bell or doing both! These kind of results do not happen by simply wishing for them. The whole team put up amazing effort to do their best and made HUGE improvements on their food and performance!
Transformation happened. By the time week six rolled around, we had a completely different group of people!
By the day of challenge retest, I saw a whole new group of people. These people were ready to battle the "old me." It was a take-no-prisoners type of feeling in the gym. There were some nerves, but that was just their self-doubt creeping back in for a moment, that is until they started the WOD! After each retest WOD, everyone was truly on a high of self confidence!!! Nothing feels better than pushing yourself further than you thought you could. That moment of triumph will motivate you long after that day is over. Each of our athletes can be proud of what they accomplished in six short weeks. Now they have the tools and confidence to take on the coming weeks, months, years of setting new goals and then crushing them.
To all the IAM 2014 athletes, I hope you used these 6 weeks to change your life and not go back to old habits. You now are in the "know" so keep on "doing." You know what works for your body. You know how to make the attack plan. You know there are no short cuts. Keep the momentum up and don't waste all that hard work! It is easier to keep going than it is to stop and then start again!
TEAM JAMBO STATS:
MILE TIMES: OLD/NEW
TESTER WOD: OLD/NEW
Holli Anna Munna
Mile times: 11:32/9:27
Tester: 20:46 @ 18# / retest 18:49 @ 26#
“I lost 25lbs!! I know I am not anywhere near where I want to be but I am on the right path now. Between you and Jennifer, ya’ll have encouraged me and pushed me much further than I ever thought I could go. And I just want to say thank you so much.”
Holli Anna, one word…ROCK STAR. You took on this 6 weeks from the get-go with nothing to lose but the old you and the old way of thinking! By the end of the 6 weeks you had pretty much perfect food, and a fire fueled by your results and determination to squash the old Holli Anna. I am so proud of the progress you have made not only in your performance, but your nutrition even more!
Lynn Bell
mile times: 12:04 / 9:48
Tester: 23:12 @ 18# / Retest: 18:40 @ 26#
“ A few awesome things happened at the end of the challenge…I only have one belt that isn’t too big. I ran a mile 2+ min faster. I lost 16 pounds.”
LB, since October you have shaved off 4 minutes off of your mile time! Each week you get better, faster, stronger! This challenge you fine tuned your nutrition and I am so proud of the results you achieved!! I think I see a runner in the making ;)
Davis Carothers
Mile times: 8:55/9:27
Tester: 20:34 @35# / retest 19:11 @ 35# “I lost 16 lbs during the challenge! I didn't do measurements or anything like that but I did to go buy some new shorts yesterday and I'm now down to a 36.”
Davis, being the “baller” you are I had no doubt you would crush this challenge. You nutrition is better than it has ever been! This 6 week challenge brings your total weight loss since May 2013 to 71 pounds! CONGRATS!!!!
Katie Giust
Mile times: 6:10/6:05
Tester: 13:37 @26# / retest 13:17 @35# --- Overall Time of the Day—beat the guys too!
“I was not fully on board with the challenge when I (well Coach Jamie) put my name on the board. But, I am SO thankful that I did it. I was nervous, but had to step out of my comfort zone and push myself to accomplish performance goals I did not think were possible. I walked away stronger, with a new mile time, cleaner eating habits and some new muscles that I never thought I would have!”
Katie, it is hard to believe you have only been with Versus for 18 months!!! This challenge really helped you fine-tune your nutrition and uncover some awesome lean muscle! Not to mention the lightening fast rocket that has been lit in you shoes. So freakin’ fast, its amazing!
Katelyn Stafford
Mile times: 9:41/8:04
Tester: 15:51 @18# / retest 15:07 @26#
Results:
Arms: .5" loss
Waist: 1" loss
Hips: 2" loss
thigh- 1.5" loss
calf-.75" loss
weight loss: 10.4 pounds
Katelyn, super impressive results!! Major inches lost only accomplished by your “by the book” approach to your eating! Any small critisim I made, you took and change it for the following week! Small tweaks in nutrition have big impact on your body composition and performance improvements, and you nailed it!
Subrina Cooper
Mile times; 13:12/ retest 11:15
Tester: 22:49 @18#/ restest 20:13 @ 26#
Results:
“I'm down about 7 pounds! My clothes are more loose and I'm down a size. What I've noticed as well as my family (husband and mom) is that I have more muscle. Of course my stamina is SO much greater! I never would have thought I could run 3 miles nonstop.”
Subrina, I have awarded you “Most Improved Food” for this 6-week challenge. I feel like you have done a complete transformation not just in your food, but your attitude as well. You were soooo not confident you could do this challenge, but now you know you smashed it! Bye bye old Subrina, hello NEW YOU! You took a chance to change your ways, as a result you put up some awesome end of challenge stats!!
Angie Vann
Mile times: 9:20/8:57
Tester: 18:28 @18# / retest 14:59 @26#
“I lost 4 pounds and inches as well. I can wear a pair of pants that were snug and now a little big! I tried foods that I probably would not have if I had not done the challenge. I liked having the homework each week! Thanks for all the encouragement and suggestions!”
Angie, my non-veggie-eater, I am so proud of your new veggie habits!!!! I know with a family it is hard to please every taste bud, but you survived the 6 weeks and even found new foods you actually like. I am so proud of you for taking a chance of food choices and expanding you menu!
Mandy Strickland
Mile times: 8:48/6:58
Tester: 18:28 @26# / retest 14:59 @26#
Mandy, you pretty much blasted that old mile and tester workout into oblivion! Simply amazing improvements! Keep fine-tuning that nutrition and you will see even more progress! That 35# KB is in your future so don’t get too comfy with that 26# ;)
Rae Herring
Mile times: 7:33/7:15
Tester: 19:41 @ 26# / retest 21:03 @ 35#
Rae, YOU ARE A BEAST. You dominated that 35# KB in the retest. I know you were unsure of yourself, but once you started I knew you were determined to finish it out! So proud of you for pushing yourself past your “so called limit!”
Jenny McRaney
Mile times: 9:54/8:41
Tester: 18:16 @18# / retest 14:42 @ 26#
So total inches/weigh lost: Arms total: 2 Waist: 1.5 Thighs total: 1 Calf total: .5 TOTAL: 5 inches lost Weight: 6 lbs lost
Jenny, you lost almost ½ a foot around your body in SIX WEEKS! AMAZING! That comes for you dedication to your nutrition and keeping consistent in all your workouts!! I am so proud of how far you have come since starting Versus. This challenge just gave you a little rev back up that you needed!
Amber Williams
Mile times: 9:54/7:52
Tester: 15:49 @ 18# / Retest 14:27 @ 26#
“I realized it didn't matter to me how much I weighed, it mattered how I felt. The challenge taught me to branch out of my comfort zone in many ways. I actually tried new healthier foods in fun ways and liked them. I started going to open gym on Saturdays and pushing myself harder than I was in the past. I found I enjoyed having the extra homeworks during the week because they kept me on track. I'm a planner by nature. Once I understood I would only be successful by planning to be it all started to click a bit more :)”
Amber, I think there is secret speed runner hiding out inside of you! Each workout you got faster and a little more confident and I think you surprised yourself! I am so happy this challenge helped you realize what you are capable of! All I have to say is, Katie better watch out! Amber will be on your heels in no time!
Holly Byrd
Mile time: 8:46/7:45
Tester: 18:13 @26# / retest 16:58 @26#
“First of all I was super proud to beat my mile time by a minute! Those terrible sprints really do work! I am doing much better with my diet. I've gotten stronger and I feel much better during my workouts! I owe it all to a great coach!”
Holly, you broke the 7-minute barrier in your new mile time!! Whoop whoop! I am so proud of you working so hard on your nutrition! Just keep at it and keep fine-tuning it! Nutrition is the key to feeling good and performing good!
Deedre Coll
Mile times: 10:27/9:23
Tester: 19:58 @18# / retest 17:42 @26#
“I beat my mile time by 1 minute, beat my tester workout by 2 minutes (with heavier KB weight), lost 3 pounds, and gained a lot of confidence!!”
Deedre, when you started this challenge I know you didn’t have a much confidence, but I think this was your turning point in your journey. By the end of the 6 weeks, you had gained a boat-load of confidence in yourself! You have pushed yourself harder in workouts than you ever have before, and your nutrition got better with every week! I am so proud of you for pushing outside your comfort zone!
