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The majority of people who walk through our doors aren’t chasing six packs, they are chasing health. They usually come in asking abut
At Showdown Training Club, the home of CrossFit Showdown, we track metrics like such as weight, body fat percentage, and skeletal mass with our InBody machine.
There are things that are beyond our scope as coaches, such as A1C, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
While many doctors prescribe medication or supplements to help manage these numbers, we believe in exercise, fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle changes.
In this blog post, we’ll share how you can use strength training and nutrition to improve your A1C and overall health through the success story of one of our clients, Eli.
After a routine doctor’s visit, Eli was told his A1C, cholesterol, and blood pressure were all trending in the wrong direction. His doctor recommended exercise, nutrition changes, and supplements to improve his numbers.
Like many busy adults, Eli had spent years putting work and family first, while fitness and nutrition took a backseat.
This wasn’t about looking better- this was about living longer, having more energy to play with his kids, and avoiding a health preventable health scare.
We wanted to get Eli results as fast and safely as possible.
We made a plan to train 3-4x per week one-on-one for 3 months.
Each session focused primarily on strength training with some short, cardio-style “CrossFit” workouts mixed in for conditioning.
After three months of consistent training and nutrition changes, cutting out bread, rice and pasta, minimal alcohol, and no sugar, Eli’s health metrics looked totally different.
His bloodwork improved across the board, his energy skyrocketed, and he was back to playing with his kids without feeling exhausted.
There was no “luck” or pill that saved him. It was consistency, little changes, and daily action towards a larger goal.
These three numbers are your body’s dashboard lights.
They are a direct reflection of your lifestyle choices that tell you how much stress you are putting on your heart, blood vessels, and metabolism.
Anything consistently higher puts extra strain on your arteries and heart.
Resistance training helps your body use glucose (sugar) more efficiently, increases lean muscle, and helps you burn more calories. These 3 things combined, will help lower your A1C and blood pressure.
Focus on full-body workouts, big compound lifts like back squats, deadlifts, presses, and clean and jerks.
Aim to be consistent, not perfect. Think, 4 days per week for 52 weeks straight.
Instead of tracking macros and counting calories, follow these principles:
Don’t do it alone. Get someone to help you. Whether it be a coach, friend, or family member. You need someone who cares about you and your health.
We build accountability through scheduled sessions, text check-ins, and monthly goal reviews.
Reading blogs and gaining information is great.
It does you nothing if you don’t put it into action.
Get out there and do your daily workout, prep some high-protein meals with fruits and veggies, and get someone to hold you accountable.
If you don’t have someone, that’s what we are here for. Book a free no-sweat intro to learn how we can help.
Chat with a coach to learn more about what program will fit your lifestyle and your goals.
