Matt’s Transformation: More Than Just a Workout at CFR

Your palms are sweaty (knees weak, arms are heavy... ope, sidetracked...). Your stomach’s fluttering like a hummingbird after a triple espresso. You’ve stared at the WOD list five times—and you’re still not sure if you’re more excited or about to hurl. Welcome to your first CrossFit competition. It’s a beautiful chaos—a swirling mix of barbells, adrenaline, chalk clouds, and nerves held together by neon shoes and community spirit. If you’ve never done one before, don’t worry. This post is your unofficial prep guide: equal parts pep talk, checklist, and secret decoder ring for surviving (and thriving) on comp day. Let’s dive in. #1: Sign Up With a Teammate (Even If You’re the One Who Drags Them There) You know what makes heavy lifts and high-volume burpees feel slightly less awful? Shared suffering. Doing your first comp with a partner—or even just having a gym buddy there to warm up, cool down, and nervously re-check the heat schedule with—makes the whole thing feel more like a field trip and less like a math final. - Accountability keeps you committed. - Shared wins (and fails) are better with company. - You’ll always have someone to hold your phone and take that victorious sweaty selfie. #2: Ask Your Coach for the Inside Scoop Your coach isn’t just there to yell “jump!” at you mid-clean. They’re a walking encyclopedia of comp wisdom , and they’ve seen it all—athletes forget their shoes, hit PRs mid-wod, and cry tears of joy (and quad cramps). Before game day, ask for help with: - Movement standards and how to prep for them - Strategy for pacing, transitions, and mindset - Tips for specific comp workouts if they’re released early Pro tip: Coaches love it when athletes take initiative. Show up with questions, and you’ll leave with confidence. #3: Keep Your Fuel Familiar (Don’t Eat Like a Pinterest Board) Comp day is not the time to experiment with that new beet-spirulina energy gel or your cousin’s homemade protein muffins. You want predictable, dependable fuel that won’t turn your stomach into a blender. - Eat the same breakfast you’ve trained on. - Bring carb-based snacks like bananas, rice cakes, or gummy bears. - Sip water with electrolytes, not mystery “performance” drinks with 87 ingredients. Think: “Would I eat this before Murph?” If the answer is no, leave it at home. #4: Pack Like You’re Going to the Fitness Olympics (Because You Kinda Are) Packing your comp bag should feel like a ritual. It’s not just about gear, it’s about peace of mind. A well-packed bag = fewer meltdowns and more focus. Here’s your comp-day survival kit: - Multiple outfits (you’ll sweat through the first two) - Snacks (see above: not your coworker’s weird homemade bars) - Water + electrolytes - Foam roller, lacrosse ball, or mobility toys - Headphones for zoning out - Flip flops or slides (give your feet a break between events) - Emergency extras: hair ties, tape, extra socks, deodorant, baby wipes Bonus item: A small towel to cry into or wave victoriously like a flag of sweaty glory. #5: Break the Day Into Bite-Sized Wins The comp might have three or four events. Each one has its own vibe, its own chaos. Instead of fixating on the entire day like an anxiety buffet, zoom in. - Focus on your warm-up and approach for just the next event. - After it’s done, reflect: What went well? What would I do differently? - Shake it off. Move on. You’re 1/3 of the way there. Repeat. The athletes who enjoy comps most are the ones who embrace each event like its own mini adventure, not the ones glued to the leaderboard after every round. #6: Soak Up the Vibe, It’s Part of the Magic CrossFit competitions are part fitness circus, part family reunion. You’ll see PRs. You’ll see tears. You’ll see toddlers in lifter onesies and 65-year-olds throwing down like it’s nothing. Smile. High five. Take it all in. You’ll remember: - The stranger who cheered you on during your last 10 wall balls - The DJ who played your pump-up song at the exact right time - The volunteer who counted every single rep and didn’t flinch at your death stare These little moments? They’re the real trophies. #7: Reflect Before You Scroll When the last event ends and the adrenaline fades, don’t rush straight to social media or start dissecting your performance on the drive home. Instead, take 10 minutes to journal: - What did you learn about yourself? - What surprised you? - What are you proud of? Maybe you blew your expectations out of the water. Maybe you stumbled, adapted, and kept going. Either way, you did the hard thing. Reminder: No matter how you placed, you’re already ahead of 99% of the population just by signing up. Final Thoughts: You Only Get One First Time Your first CrossFit competition is like a first date with intensity; it’s awkward, thrilling, messy, and exhilarating all at once. You’ll probably overpack, overthink, and under-eat. But you’ll also walk away prouder, stronger, and a little more addicted to the chaos. Helpful Tip: Want to feel extra prepared? Ask your coach if you can do a mock comp workout during Open Gym. Simulating the event will give you clarity and confidence before the real thing. So go ahead. Sign up. Pack your snacks. Trust your training. And most importantly? Have fun. You earned this.

You know the scene: You’re standing in the kitchen with one sock on, a half-packed lunchbox in one hand, and a sticky granola bar wrapper in the other. You haven’t eaten anything besides your kid’s leftover waffle crust, and it’s already 11:00 AM. Welcome to Parent Survival Mode , where meals are accidental, caffeine is intravenous, and your child’s snack stash becomes your primary food group. But here’s the twist— you don’t have to live this way. What if your snacks worked for you instead of being whatever's left at the bottom of a car seat? What if they fueled you with the same intention you put into your workouts, your job, or your parenting? Let’s talk about smart snacking —specifically for busy parents who want to feel strong, clear-headed, and just a little less like a feral raccoon rifling through a pantry at 8 PM. Why Your Snacks Matter (Even When You Don’t Have Time to Breathe) It’s easy to dismiss snacks as optional or indulgent—something for the bored or bougie. But here’s the truth: snacks are survival tools , especially when life moves like a runaway stroller on a downhill sidewalk. Without planned snacks, you’re more likely to: - Skip meals altogether (hello, blood sugar crash). - Binge later on foods that make you feel like a swamp troll. - Nibble mindlessly on whatever is nearby (looking at you, cheese crackers shaped like aquatic animals). And when that happens, everything suffers: - Your energy tanks , so you rely on more caffeine. - Your mood nosedives , which doesn’t help during toddler tantrum #4. - Your progress stalls , whether you’re trying to build muscle, lose fat, or just feel better in your own skin. You don’t need a gourmet charcuterie board. You need snack ammo —quick, deliberate bites that work like miniature pit stops on your road to strength and sanity. Pain Point #1: Skipping and Crashing Let’s say you’re too busy for breakfast, too distracted for lunch, and by 3 PM your body is issuing a Code Red. You grab a “snack,” which in reality is a desperate mix of: - Fruit snacks that were meant for your kid. - A rogue granola bar from the glove compartment. - Coffee. So much coffee. Your body doesn't thank you for this. In fact, it responds by sending in hunger hormones like a SWAT team, preparing to storm the pantry at night. Here’s the kicker: skipping snacks doesn’t save you calories—it just postpones your hunger until it’s out of control. Instead, well-timed smart snacks can: - Stabilize your energy so you don’t crash mid-afternoon. - Regulate hunger so meals are more balanced. - Support your goals , from fat loss to performance. Pain Point #2: Stealing From Your Kids If your go-to snack was originally purchased for someone under the age of 8, we’ve got a problem. You know the ones: - Puffs that melt in your mouth like sadness. - Crackers so cute you feel guilty biting their little faces. - Juice boxes that taste like sugar water and childhood. Here’s the thing— those snacks are built for tiny bodies and fast metabolisms. They’re not evil, but they won’t keep an adult human with goals full, focused, or fueled. You need grown-up snacks. That doesn’t mean boring. It means: - Higher protein to support muscle and satiety. - Healthy fats and fiber to stabilize blood sugar. - Food that gives more than just a moment of pleasure. The “Protein + Produce” Snack Formula Forget complicated macros or 47-step recipes. You only need one golden rule: Protein + Produce = A Snack That Works This combo hits all the right notes: ✅ Fast ✅ Satisfying ✅ Balances blood sugar ✅ Easy to prep ✅ Supports strength, energy, and fat loss Some easy ideas: - Hard-boiled eggs + apple slices - Greek yogurt + blueberries - Jerky + baby carrots - Cottage cheese + cherry tomatoes - Turkey roll-ups + cucumber spears - Protein shake + a banana And if you're feeling wild: - Rice cake + almond butter + strawberries - Hummus + red pepper strips + a sprinkle of hemp seeds The Snack Stash Strategy Busy parents need more than good intentions—they need snacks they don’t have to think about . Here’s how to make it happen: 1. Build a Grab-and-Go Bin Use a small bin in your fridge or pantry to store: - Cheese sticks - Protein bars - Washed fruit - Mini packs of nuts or trail mix - Pre-portioned leftovers 2. Stash Snacks in Your Car/Bag Life happens in transit. Keep extras in: - A cooler bag - Your gym bag - The glove box (avoid anything that melts!) 3. Make a Sunday Snack Prep Habit While dinner is cooking, pack 3-4 snack combos into containers. Boom, done. Wrap-Up: Strong Parents Snack Smart Here’s the truth: Smart snacking isn’t extra, it’s essential. It’s the difference between ending your day with energy vs. collapsing into the couch like an exhausted raisin. It’s how you stay consistent with your goals without sacrificing convenience or joy. Helpful tip: If you do one thing this week, prep 3 balanced snacks ahead of time. Write them down. Pack them up. Place them where you can’t miss them. Your future self—the one who isn’t eating stale crackers out of a car seat—will thank you. P.S. You don’t have to be perfect. Just don’t let “I’m too busy” become your default setting. You’re already showing up for everyone else. This is one tiny way to show up for you .