Update: MFP group invites are currently having issues.  Please request group membership explicitly and I will add you after i get the request.

Portions of this post Compliments of our brothers from Area 51.

We are kicking of a Fall Detox/Fuel Challenge for the PAX of TheFort. The goals for this challenge are:

1. Increased awareness of Nutrition
2. Increased brotherhood with the PAX in on the challenge
3. Increased focus on discipline

It will run from Wednesday October 15th – November 26th… conveniently completed before Thanksgiving.

The following URL will give you a little background if you’d like to see the original post on how detox started and it’s reasoning: http://f3nation.com/2012/12/28/six-week-challenge-detox-cleanse/ 

Base Program

The Challenge will give you a chance to test yourself with the support of your fellow men of F3. And maybe after 6 weeks, you will stick to the plan (or much of it) in order to live a healthier lifestyle. The program will have a base list of items that are prohibited during the six weeks as follows:

• No Fried Food
• No Fast Food (inc. Pizza)
• No processed snacks like Potato Chips, Candy Bars, Etc. (a post will be coming with good alternatives)
• No Dessert
• No Sodas or Sweet Tea
• No Cheeses (including shredded, feta, or slices. Get it off your sandwiches and salads)(Cottage cheese will be allowed)
• No Cream Based Sauces/Dressings (This Includes Fat Free Options for Ranch, Caesar, Alfredo, Etc.)

This leaves many food and drink items available – no one will go hungry! Just eat/drink better.

You will receive ONE free pass per week – this could be a steak dinner, a pizza, etc. – no carryovers though, the pass can only be used that week – try to use your weekly pass in moderation.

And just so you can plan ahead with groceries, here are the cumulative challenges:

Week 2 (and on) – No Red Meat
Week 3 (and on) – No Breads
Week 4 (and on) – No Pork
Week 5 (and on) – No White Starches (Potatoes, Pastas, White Rice. We’ll talk about substitutes)
Week 6 – No Dairy or Things Cooked in Butter

Here is a Survivors Guide to the Six-Week Challenge posted by TigerRag a while back:

http://f3nation.com/2012/12/31/six-week-challenge-week-one-survival-guide/

A few added twists to this iteration of the challenge:

1. We will be kicking off the challenge the day before (Oct 14th) with a 2nd F event from 1900-2100 at Towne Tavern.
2. We will be scheduling trips to other AO’s in different regions (e.g. Charlotte, Rock Hill, etc) and perhaps even trying to make sure we post together at the same AO around once a week. This is to both branch out in the F3 nation and build solidarity with other PAX in the group but also to provide encouragement as a team to the newer locations.
3. I will foot the $50 gift card to whomever loses the highest % weight over the 6 weeks to the dining establishment of their choice, so there is additional incentive to stick with it. The one request of YHC is that the winner choose a good place for us to gather for a closing 2nd F event to enjoy a beer or three.

Here’s how we’ll be tracking for accountability/encouragement from the participants:

1. On October 15th post your starting weight in the comments of this page. You have time to buy a home scale or find out where the one at your gym is. On the pending November 26 backblast post, you will post your weight using the same scale. This requires honesty and consistency. If you want to weigh yourself in the buff (don’t tell us) just do it both times. Same if it’s in underwear and t-shirt, swim trunks, etc. Having a scale also helps track progress along the way but is not the ultimate measure of health. You will need to post your weight on both posts. You will also track your weight on the My Fitness Pal page.
2. Sign up for My Fitness Pal and download the app if you have not done so already (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ ).  Enter in all of your information including starting weight. This will factor into your suggested daily calorie consumption. Send me (Gears) your MFP id so I can invite you to the group. You can reach me via twitter (@vinsonizer) or simply put the id in the comments below.  If you didn’t have enough options, you can just go to the following URL and request group membership: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100013-f3thefort
3. Track your exercise and calories on My Fitness Pal. If you are the winner, guys may want to go back and see how you did it. The app allows you to scan bar codes, enter in recipes and ingredients to determine calories, and already has a robust library of foods from restaurants and grocery stores.  You can also enter in weight goals and it will help provide daily calorie count, protein, carb and fat limits. You gain higher limits to stay on track with your goals by entering in your workouts. Participation on My Fitness Pal will be a requirement to win the gift certificate because of this. It does not have to be 100%, but we should see three meals a day + snacks at least five times a week. You can also add recipes there that will greatly help out guys who are checking to see how you did it.
4. The guy with highest body weight loss percentage between the October 15th post and the November 26th post, who has participated with all of the above, will win the gift certificate.

One last comment to reiterate the above: If you are moved to do so, please view this as an opportunity to exercise not only physical/mental discipline, but also spiritual discipline. Any type of fast can be leveraged as a catalyst for prayer and worship, allowing the limiting of the desires of the flesh to remind us of our dependence on SkyQ. My personal hope is that this will be fruitful in all the self-dimensions of our personal lives: Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind.

If you are ready to go, comment below