A Little About Me

This is my first attempt at a blog.. Its really for me to track my progress as I prepare for the 2010 Crossfit Games. But, I hope this information will help other chase down their goals of achieving Optimum Fitness.. Over the next few months, I will be posting my results from the Training Program that James "OPT" Fitzgerald as laid out for all who want to excel in the games to follow. I will also throw in some great/creative Paleo Meals as well as some links that I check out on a daily basis to continue to learn more about fitness, diet, and overall health.

A little bit about me... I am currently living in Naples Florida, working as a Golf Instructor at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy. Originally I'm from Pennsylvania and went to college at PSU. After a few years of living the off the college diet of fast food, liquid Carbs, and 2:00am Pizza dinners, I found my self at 240 pounds, 23% body fat at 6' and extremely out of shape.. I could barely do 20 push ups in a row and struggled for 5 pull ups. I knew I needed to make a change and fast.

I did the obvious and joined a "Global Gym" and started working with a personal trainer and tried to change my eating habits without the advice of any professionals. I did fine and actually ended up losing 40 pounds and got down to 200. I thought I was doing great.. I thought I was in shape. But I still had a gut and wasn't seeing the Body Comp changes that I was searching for.

I started searching for Diets online and came across the Paleo Diet. It changed my life and the way I look at food. During my search for diets I came across this fitness idea called Crossfit... I had the same thoughts that everyone probably has during their first glance at a crossfit workout.."What the hell am I going to get done doing PushUps, Squats, and Situps in 10 mins. My regular routine takes about 1.5 hours.. Well after doing my first WOD: 200m Run 15-12-9 reps of Air Squats, Inverted rows and Pushups in 7 MINS!! I was dead, laying on the ground trying to figure out what had just happened to me, but knowing that this was something that I wanted to feel again.. Never have I had a reaction to a workout that seemed so easy on paper but left me ruined!

That was September 21, 2009 Crossfit Redline... Today, January 23, 2010 I'm down to 175# at 7%body fat and my cardio and strength have never been higher.. Crossfit really/truly has saved my life.. I urge everyone I meet to try either crossfit or a Paleo/Zone diet. Simply because I know how I feel now and I know the results are unlike anything I have ever had in my life!

In the next few days I hope to have a list of all my past WODs or "workouts of the days" and some before & after pictures, so that you can see how this program works and that the results are real.