CrossFit Undeniable

Helping you thrive into your 90’s and beyond

Coach's Notes

A Real-Life Example of How Small Changes Can Add Up Big

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Ben Bergeron is a bit of a celebrity in the CrossFit space. He’s the owner of CrossFit New England, but he’s more known for training elite athletes like CrossFit Games champion Katrin Davidsdotter and running the programming over at CompTrain.

On a recent podcast, he broke down a typical day of eating for someone that might seem to be eating healthy.

How familiar does this look?

  • Breakfast – 2 cups of Kashi cereal with skim milk and iced mocha coffee from Starbucks
  • Mid-morning Snack – Fat-free yogurt
  • Lunch – Turkey on whole wheat plus a smoothie from Panera Bread
  • Afternoon Snack – Nutri-grain Bar
  • Dinner – Burrito bowl with chicken, lettuce, beans, rice, cheese, and sour cream plus chips and salsa

As an outsider looking in, that’s fairly healthy right? There eating whole wheat, opting for fat-free yogurt, etc.

That’s a total of 2,720 calories with a grand total of 392 grams of carbohydrates. You’re also likely short of protein and pretty far over on sugar. To put this in perspective, Katrin (CrossFit Games champion and athlete that works out 2-3x per day) is eating in the mid-200s for carbohydrates.

Let’s see how we can drastically improve the day with a few small changes.

Improve the day with a few small tweaks

How Long Before I Start Seeing Results?

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When anyone new walks through the doors at CrossFit Undeniable, they’re usually ready to go. Regardless of whether they want to tackle a marathon, lose a few pounds, or hit a new PR, they’re ready to get started now.

If you’ve ever worked towards a big goal, you can probably identify with that feeling right? Once you set your mind on losing weight, for example, you start weighing yourself every morning excited for that scale to start clicking down. Or, you try a pull-up every day excited for the day when your chin creeps over the bar.

You also probably know that’s not quite how it works.

Big goals take time to achieve! You don’t wake up one morning 20 lbs lighter. You put in week after week of hard work and follow a nutrition plan. Then, you wake up one week 2 lbs lighter. Rinse and repeat.

A coach is responsible for channeling that excitement and motivation into a sustainable path towards achieving a goal – whatever that goal might be.

One of the most common questions we get with new folks starting out is:

How long before I can expect to start seeing results?

Here’s our advice on correctly setting your expectations for knocking your goal out of the park.

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Meet Our Members: Gina

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Everyone remembers their first CrossFit workout. For me, I remember it was a mixture of burpees and running. By the end, I had my hands on my knees doubled over for what felt like an eternity trying to catch my breath.

Gina remembers her first CrossFit workout well and the impression it left on her.

My first impression was, “Wow I am really in bad shape!” I honestly wasn’t sure if it was for me because I thought I was going to pass out after 12 minutes during Fundamentals.

The first workout signaled to Gina that she had work to do.

Afterwards, she chatted with Zach about the goals she had—losing weight and improving her overall health.

The first coach I met was Zach, and he was very honest with me. I appreciated that. He told me it was not going to be easy and not to get discouraged. He told me I might not lose any weight for a while. As much as I hated to hear that, I knew it was true.

Losing weight can be really tough and frustrating! Even if you add in a new workout program and flip your diet, it can take some time before you start seeing the pounds falling off. Your body also gets busy building muscle, which can influence your appearance without a big chance in the number on the scale.

Our coaches are there to encourage members and educate them on how to get to their goals while also setting realistic expectations. You can do it, but no, it won’t be easy. It takes hard work!

Hard work is exactly what Gina is putting in.

My biggest accomplishment was going from the 3 Days/Week Membership to Unlimited. Zach told me to start with 3 days a week to see how I felt and go from there.

I went 3 days including Saturday for a few months, and then I was ready to upgrade and make CrossFit Undeniable part of my everyday routine rather than just seeing it as working out 3-4 days a week. I gradually increased to 4-5 days a week then 5-6 days a week and I really see a change in myself overall.

That’s what we love to see. Start with something manageable. Experience some success. Build some habits. Then, increase to 5-6 days per week—start following “the process.”

Gina has seen some remarkable results already! She has been incredibly consistent with her workouts, and she committed to learning more about nutrition last year during our nutrition challenge.

I have more energy, and I am happy when I look in the mirror!

That’s what we like to hear!

Way to go, Gina. It’s been amazing to see you progress from Fundamentals to where you are now. Kudos to you for staying so consistent. The hard work is paying off!

What Did You Learn From the CrossFit Open?

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Each year during the CrossFit Open, we’re put through five different workouts designed to test various elements of your fitness, and each year, I walk away learning something about myself.

In 2016, I learned that I needed to work on overhead walking lunges. Holding a 95# barbell overhead was well…devastating.

In 2017, I learned I should work more on handstand push-ups. I learned that again in 2018 (sometimes it takes twice to learn your lesson?).

The first CrossFit Open of 2019 is now over, and I was reflecting back on what I learned this year. What should I work on before October? Which areas in my (long) list of weaknesses deserve some extra attention?

I came up with three things:

  1. Strict handstand push-ups because I’m certain this will always be a weakness of mine.
  2. Toes-to-bar because while I can do them, the volume really caught me in 19.2.
  3. Butterfly chest-to-bar pull-ups because finishing 19.5 would’ve been oh-so-sweet.
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A Quick Primer on Insulin (and How It Impacts Body Fat)

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Before we get started talking about insulin, I’ll share a quick story.

A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a friend of mine that just happens to be a doctor. We were talking about Type II diabetes and how it’s a condition that can largely be reversed in most cases through diet and exercise. He’s worked with many Type II diabetics in the past, prescribing them medication and sending them away with some pamphlets and the disclaimer that they should “exercise more and eat better.”

Even he recognizes that this is a flawed approach. At best, his patients are going to take their medication and get their blood sugar under control. In most cases, they don’t change their diet or start exercising more. They spiral even further down a bad rabbit hole.

Ultimately, doctors often don’t have the time to educate each patient on the ins and outs of their condition. Their goal is to treat the disease, which they often do through prescribing medication.

Our goal at CrossFit Undeniable is to build a kickass community of healthy, happy individuals that can thrive into their 90’s and beyond. In order to do that, we try to arm everyone with basic information about their health and fitness, playing some small role in improving the health landscape around us.

So, with that in mind, we’ll start publishing more blog posts that I’ll call “Cornerstones” – topics that everyone should know the basics about. First up, insulin.

A little over a year ago, we published a book review of Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes. He argues that we don’t get fat because of the two main culprits often cited – eating too much and moving too little. At least, those aren’t the root causes.

Instead, he points a big finger at insulin as the primary culprit:

The bottom line is something that’s been known and ignored for almost 40 years the one thing we absolutely have to do if we want to get leaner if we want to get fat out of our fat tissue and burn it, is to lower our insulin levels and to secrete less insulin to begin with.


You’ve probably heard of insulin as it relates to Type I and II diabetes, but you might not know how it works (or even what it is). Here’s a quick primer.

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Here’s What Strong Looks Like (Part 2)

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The Clean and Jerk and Snatch – collectively known as the Olympic lifts – might just be the most frustrating exercises on the planet.

There’s about a million little things to master and even when you do 99% of them correctly, there’s still a chance you might miss the lift!

In January, we ran a three-hour clinic all around the Clean and Jerk and Snatch. Participants practiced drill after drill to reinforce proper technique and positioning. Following the clinic, we had a six-week Olympic Lifting class that met three times a week to work on the lifts and (hopefully) blow their personal records out of the water.

In our traditional CrossFit classes, we utilize Olympic Lifts and even work on technique. Throughout the Olympic Lifting cycle though, participants dove deep on fine-tuning their technique and practicing accessory lifts to help them improve. Participants had heavy snatch pulls, strict presses from a jerk stance, and many other variations they might not have seen before to look forward to.

For example, to drill down on shoulder stability and overhead position, we introduced Sotts Press, a devilish exercise where you essentially do a shoulder press with a snatch grip…while in the bottom of a squat. It’s the fourth exercise here, and it’s taxing to say the least:

After six weeks, we retested their max lifts. Every single person PRd at least one of their lifts!

Ring that PR bell!

I want to give a huge kudos to everyone that participated in the Olympic Lifting cycle. They worked their tails off, and it showed! Everyone improved their technique and have some new personal records to show for it.

Way to go y’all! You #crushedit.

There’s No Shame in Scaling

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I was listening to the Pursuing Health podcast hosted by former CrossFit Games athlete Julie Foucher recently. She was chatting with another CrossFit Games athlete, Amanda Barnhart.

The conversation was pretty wide-ranging covering everything from overcoming injury, a typical day of training and nutrition, and what it’s like going through Physical Therapy school while training full-time in CrossFit.

Related to that last piece, she spoke briefly about injuries in CrossFit and how often times, they’re related to ego – you lift too much too fast or attempt a weight you’re not prepared for. She went on to talk about scaling:

Rx means nothing if you’re just trying to be healthy.

Amanda Barnhart

We’ve talked about the benefits of scaling before, but it’s worth a quick refresher – especially since we’re less than a week out from the CrossFit Open (which starts this Thur/Fri!).

It’s All About the Stimulus

Last year, I remember 18.4. It was an Open workout that involved one of my least favorite movements – handstands.

I’m already pretty weak at handstand push-ups, but the standards were also pretty tough. I got through the 21 deadlifts and then spent the remaining time trying to chip away at the 21 handstand push-ups. In the 9-minute workout, I didn’t move beyond the first two exercises.

I came back that evening and attempted the scaled version, which utilize hand-release push-ups instead of handstand push-ups and bear crawls in place of handstand walks (another nemesis). I managed to make it through the entire workout under the time cap.

When I attempted the Rx version of the workout, yes, it was a challenge, but I also didn’t really feel like I got a great workout in. I spent the majority of the time trying to kick up against the wall again. When I attempted the scaled version, I left feeling sweaty, tired, and like I had put out a great effort.

Which was the better choice?

Obviously, we want you to challenge yourself to learn new movements, lift heavier weights, and take on more difficult progressions. On the flip side, you also need to keep your goals in mind. If the goal is health, is it more important to do Grace (30 Clean and Jerks) at the Rx weight (135/95#) in 15 minutes OR should you scale the weight to 95/65# and get it done in 5-6 minutes?

In a previous blog post, we ended with this:

Scaling isn’t anything to be ashamed of. When done appropriately, scaling is the smart choice.

Ultimately, keep in mind your end goal in doing CrossFit. We want everyone to challenge themselves and improve. If you’re goal is to compete in the Open or make the CrossFit Games, you should certainly aim for eventually doing the Rx variation.

However, for the majority of us, the goal is to simply move and be healthier. With that goal in mind, there really is no Rx weight. Tailor the workout to whatever is going to provide you with a challenging stimulus in the moment. If you’re unsure, ask a coach; that’s what they’re there for.

As we head into the CrossFit Open, keep this in mind. Scaling isn’t something to be ashamed of. It’s often the smart choice!

Commit to “The Process”

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Over the past few weeks, I’ve watched the “Killing the Fat Man: Season 2” documentary by CrossFit over on YouTube. The series follows Gary Roberts, a videographer for CrossFit, on his journey to fitness over the course of four months.

Without spoiling too much of Gary’s story, he loses 46 lbs and dramatically transforming his appearance, energy levels, and confidence. It was pretty remarkable to watch!

Towards the end of the last episode, Gary talked about his journey and the process that got him to the finish line.

If you’re out there and you want these results, literally the plan is right there. I worked out five days a week, ate clean, whole foods with meals balanced between fats, carbs, and protein.

I found Gary’s story so inspiring because it didn’t rely on a secret of any kind. He just stuck to the basics of moving regularly and eating well.

He committed to the process.

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Meet Our Members: Jesy

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To understand Jesy a bit more, you need to hear the story of her first pull-up. Back in 2016, Jesy was in a minor car accident:

I was in a minor car accident which resulted in a disc herniation in my lower back. Doctors were telling me I would likely have to have back surgery.

She continued to show up to classes on a regular basis anyway. That should tell you a lot about Jesy’s character and dedication. When it would have been easy to sit out for months, she stayed consistent and worked around her limitations.

While she worked through her injury, coaches found creative ways for her to join the class. Since she couldn’t run, she became very familiar with the rower.

Because I couldn’t run during that time, every time there was running in a workout, I was on the rower. And, every time rowing was in the workout, I was still on the rower.

Fast-forward six months (and a LOT of rowing), she’s “messing around” on the pull-up rig. And voila!

After six months of not being able to run (and therefore rowing… a LOT), I was messing around on the pull-up rig and quite unexpectedly did my first strict pull-up! I was stunned.

The funny thing was – it wasn’t because I had been working on pull-ups. It was because I showed up and was encouraged to do what I could with what I had during a time when what I had wasn’t much. It was a side effect of six months of rowing. My hard work paid off – in a very unexpected way.

Now that you know that story, I need to share another one with you. A few weeks ago, Jesy was at the Western Stock Show here in Colorado and stopped by the United States Marine Corps both for a little competition – how many pull-ups can you knock out at one time? She walked away with a free t-shirt for completing six perfect pull-ups.

Hard work does indeed pay off. Jesy definitely puts in the hard work!

The best part about CrossFit Undeniable is the community that’s willing to put in the hard work right next to you and cheer you on when it gets tough. Jesy reminisced about one such memory after a grueling WOD.

There was one workout that was particularly challenging – one of those long chipper WODs where you just want to collapse on the floor when you are done.

But on this day, in this class, the first couple people who were done came back and started doing the remainder of the workout with the people who hadn’t finished yet. Then, the next ones to finish did the same. In the end, the entire class was there, doing those last painful burpees with the person who was finishing last. I can’t even begin to describe the immense sense of support and community that day.

That sense of community is a large reason she landed at CrossFit Undeniable in the first place. She started doing CrossFit nine months before moving from Minnesota to Colorado. After trying six different boxes in the area, she and her husband (Troy, another awesome member) landed on CrossFit Undeniable.

Undeniable’s strong community was evident from the beginning. Members and coaches were welcoming and supportive. I loved the fact that people of all ages and athletic abilities were working side by side, cheering each other on.


Now, Jesy is looking to grow in a different way – as a coach.

CrossFit has made such a profound and positive difference in my life. I hope to one day be a part of that impact for others as a coach. To that end, last year I earned my CrossFit Level 1 and took a number of other CrossFit certificate courses. This year I am continuing to expand my knowledge, improve my own skills and abilities while also starting to learn and practice coaching.

It’s fun to see athletes reap the benefits of CrossFit from a physical and psychological standpoint – more strength and endurance, increased confidence, etc. It’s even more inspiring when they can create that same experience for others.

Congrats Jesy on all of your success thus far. We’re looking forward to watching how you apply the knowledge you’ve gained over the next months, years, and more!