Ryan Angilly

I’m down 30 pounds since starting CrossFit 5 months ago

This morning, post-workout and before breakfast, I weighed in at 30 pounds lighter than when I started CrossFit 5 months ago. I went from 249.5 down to 219.5.

A lot of people have asked about CrossFit and commented on my progress over the past few months. It’s easy to not see someone for a while and then think “OMFG WHAT AN EXTREME CHANGE!!!”

It’s not an extreme change, and I “cheat” plenty. Here’s a breakdown of what this has looked like for me in practice:

• Just over 5 months
• 93 CrossFit classes
• Started off 3x per week, and after a month upgraded to 5x/week (M T Th F Sa)
• 12 late canceled or skipped (bad Ryan!) classes
• Deadlift went from 325lbs to well over 405lbs (have done 405x3; have not maxed out)
• Went from not being able to do a pull-up to 7 or 8 strict — depending on day :)
• Can now do a handstand push up against a wall
• Went from not being to do a proper squat due to flexibility, to 335lbs back / 275lbs front / 150lbs OHS
• One trip to Vegas
• One business started
• Several ski weekends
• 6 weeks of a strict Paleo
• One Olive Garden breadstick overload
• 4 trips back East where due to traveling I ate like crap
• 4 or 5 trips to The George (at Vail) where I ate way too many nachos
• Unknown (let’s call it 20) trips to the Mountain Sun with burgers and sometimes fries
• When I buy a container of berries (blue|rasp|straw), they still tend to not make it home from the grocery store in one piece
• Several Digiornos drunkenly consumed
• New jeans. My first pair from Urban Outfitters.
• PBR pounders from West End Tavern to celebrate my new business’ first revenue :)

How have my habits changed? Nothing that insane:

• No juice for breakfast (or really ever). It used to be a staple of bfast.
• I took bagels and cheese out of breakfast. Now breakfast is mostly 4 pieces of bacon, 4-5 eggs, veggies.
• I do 6:30a classes for the most part, so I tend to get up a lot earlier.
• I now drink more wine than beer. Win with wine. I enjoy a glass of red just as much as a beer, and usually more. But if you think I’m giving up Mountain Sun’s Girl Scout Stout during Stout Month, you are out of your damn mind.
• At the grocery store, I don’t buy crackers or chips. Sometimes I’ll cave and get some kettle chips (THEY’RE SO GOOD).
• I stay away from fries, bread at restaurants, and pizza/pasta.
• I cook more, but I’m no chef. I’ve found there are lots of ways to just “throw stuff in a pan until not raw” add some dressing or hot sauce, and I’m satisfied.
• I eat what most people would consider an unsustainable amount of almonds. I roast them myself (rinse them, 4tsp of salt per pound, 400 degrees for 17 minutes).

Holistically, I look at it like this: I fuel my body with fat, protein, and veggies. Sometimes I’ll feel sluggish and purposely want to spike my blood sugar, so I’ll throw an an apple in the mix. But if I’m at a really good pizza place, for example, I’ll totally have a slice. The difference is that I look at it like an experience, not a fueling.

So yeah. That’s it. When put over the course of 150 days, it’s really nothing that requires an extreme effort or allocation of time. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out and ask!