The CHALKBOX Change Challenge of Autumn 2019!! What a 6 weeks it was!! 

Aim of the challenge: To use nutrition to support the performance and/or body composition goals of participants!

How? Using a personalized nutrition recommendation, our aim was to build sustainable, practical and enjoyable habits to progress participants to their goals far beyond just these six weeks. And to do this with the support of a nutrition coach (me!), and the fellow Change Challengers … plus a bit of friendly competition (points were at stake, and points mean prizes!). 

And how did it go?! Well, all I can say is that my goodness I was impressed! So many Challengers threw themselves in heart and soul: keeping their daily food diaries, implementing the feedback I gave them on their diets each week, and reflecting on their dietary successes and challenges throughout. And the results showed! From better performance in training, to avoiding the mid-afternoon energy slump, to weight loss and muscle building. And importantly, with habits having been built that are hopefully maintained well into the future … when a diet is practical and enjoyable, it is sustainable!

Testimonials: What did participants actually think?! …

“I have been doing the change challenge for 4 weeks now and can’t recommend it enough. It has motivated me to make the changes I knew I needed to in my nutrition and the impact has been huge! I feel significantly less tired than I did before, am performing better in training, recovering faster and generally feeling more positive. By week four the physical changes are starting to show, which is great but the best part is how energized I feel now I’m following the right plan for me. The plan Sinead puts together is straightforward and easy to follow, you’re not expected to get everything right from day one, Sinead gives you one or two changes each week that are easy to implement so you start forming better habits without feeling like you’re taking too much on. She’s got great ideas to help keep you on track and the solutions she gives are extremely practical. Sinead is very knowledgeable and forthcoming with information, she’ll reply to any and every question you might have and will do so really quickly as well! Often with nutrition plans, you can sometimes feel you are being restricted or missing out, this is absolutely not Sinead’s approach! She wants you to enjoy the food you’re eating while making sure you are supporting the goals you have for yourself. Sinead genuinely wants to help people form long-term nutritional changes that work for them and their busy schedules! The change challenge is a great way to get motivated, track what you’re doing, see where you’re at and make realistic changes with the right support behind you.”

[ChalkBox Coach, with the goal to use nutrition to more effectively support strength and power performance, and recovery] 

“For me, the best thing has been how much I get to eat! It can be tricky making the right choices at first, but when you get the hang of what foods work for your plan the amount of choice is great! … I also love how positive Sinead Roberts is! In the weekly feedback she's honest and highlights things to improve, but never makes me feel guilty about my choices, even when I've been on holiday and am eating all 'wrong', she never tells me I'm wrong! There's a positive side to everything she says” 

[ChalkBox member, with the goal to use nutrition to support CrossFit performance]

“The challenge has helped me stay focused, helped me lose a few bad habits and really look at what I’m eating and why. Along with getting me to drink much more water. It’s been great. Sinead is so helpful and makes it all really easy to get to grips with.” 

[ChalkBox member, with the goal of losing body fat and building healthy eating habits]

“Over halfway through the challenge and I am feeling so much better. I have lost weight and have more energy so I believe my PT sessions have really improved (you can ask Mel!!). Whilst I thought the daily food logging would be a pain, it hasn’t been as it helps you understand what you are eating as well as the portion sizes. Sinead offers good empathy and support each week and it has certainly readied me for a sustainable future of watching what I eat. I would recommend without hesitation to anyone.” 

[ChalkBox member, with weight loss goals]