Name: Ian Moses

Age: 45

 

Occupation: Ambulance Service Senior Manager

 

Can you give us a brief description of your

Exercise and training history before
you started CrossFit?

I have had several tries at getting fit over the last 25 years or so since leaving school, but have struggled to stay at it consistently.

My job as a paramedic used to keep me quite active, but sine becoming a ‘desk jockey’ I have needed to do proper exercise, as I am prone to easily gaining weight.

I joined David Lloyd in 2007, and became a regular attendee there, doing mostly cardio related exercise, especially spin. This kept my fitness good, and in 2011 I started doing distance running as a personal challenge, entering several half marathons, doing better each time, which for a bigger guy like me was a big achievement. I have never been built for speed or long distance stuff, I was always a better sprinter, but I got into running and challenged myself a lot to get better at it.

Late in 2013 I took on a very busy and challenging new job which led to me working long hours and sacrificing my exercise due to having no time. This caused my weight to go up, which frustrated me.

In Januaty 2014 I resolved to get fitter as a means of managing stresses, and losing some weight. I started back at DL and worked hard on my fitness, which worked to an extent, but I found that I reached a plateau around April /May, where my weight loss stalled, even though I felt I was working harder at it than ever.

 

What made you Start CrossFit?

 

Pester power!

I have Known Jon and Jen as instructors and friends for a number of years. Jon pestered me to try his CrossFit gym. I was reluctant at first, as I was already paying one gym membership, but went along to a few of their pay as you go taster sessions in early May 2014. I was immediately impressed by the quality of the training, and the great team atmosphere. I had been used to group exercise at DL, but this felt more homely in a way, which I liked.

I did a few weeks of taster sessions and then took the plunge, enrolling on the full exercise and nutrition plan.

 

Give us a typical example of your Diet

before you started CrossFit?

 

I was generally following a weight watchers plan (pro-points) when I joined CrossFit Widnes. I was counting calories or points and exercising maybe 3 or 4 times a week, mostly just spinning, or spinning and weights sessions back to back. I was indulging in ‘treats’, and on reflection, eating a lot of carbs, having breakfast cereal every day, sandwiches for lunch every day and pasta / potatoes every evening.

My diet was aiming to get me to around 2,300 calories per day

 

What do you eat in one day now?

 

Following the nutrition plan, I have settled into a low carbs, high protein diet, which suits me really well.

I have a 4 egg omelette for breakfast most days. I have a snack of nuts and dried fruit mid moring, then a big salad for lunch, with a source of protein, tuna, chicken, salmon etc. I have a banana mid afternoon if needed, or sometimes ryvita and low fat cottacge cheese in the afternoon .

I have protein shake before gym, and after gym.

I have a source of protein – steak, fish, chicken for evening meal, with lots of veg. I occasionally have sweet potato, but mostly just have extra carrots and broccoli.

My calorie intake now is around 3000 per day.

 

How many times per week do you do CrossFit?

4 on average.

 

What do you like most about CrossFit and
in particular CrossFit Widnes?

 

The first thing is the people and the atmosphere. Everyone pushes eachother to work harder and enjoy the classes

Secondly is the quality of the coaching. There is never any skimping on time spent coaching form and safety. This drives personal improvement through doing the exercises right.

Thirdly is the variety of training. No two days are ever the same, and the exercises planned always challenge you in terms of your strength and cardio endurance.

Fourthly, there are no big egos in the place – there are some individuals who are better at it than others, but there is no showing off, and nobody feels intimidated. Jon and Jen take time  as well to scale every exercise so that everyone can work to their personal full potential and feel that they have done their very best.

Finally, everyone  has their efforts celebrated, we all post our personal scores, and its up to you whether you want to be personally competitive. Importantly though, you can be competitive with yourself, challenging your own progress and celebrating improvements.

 

Why would you choose to Train with CrossFit Widnes
instead of a much more luxurious Globo Gym?

 

This was one of the factors that originally stopped me going to CrossFit, as I was spoiled by nice changing rooms, showers, lounge areas and café bars at DL.

The difference in what you outwardly get for your money can be a put off, but what I would say is that whilst you get less of the ‘nice to haves’, you get far more of the ‘must haves’ – in other words yo0u are buying a personally tailored, personally coached quality product.

 

What advice would you give someone who was thinking of

trying CrossFit?

 

Do it. It is hard, but nothing worth doing is easy. Try it and stick at it. You will be amazed at how quickly your fitness will improve.

 

 

What top 3 tips would you give someone who was
starting out in CrossFit for the first time in your opinion?

 

1.       Ease yourself in, learn the exercises and get your form right –that takes time, I am still learning!

2.       Get your diet right, stop commercial diets, stop counting calories and just eat clean. Your energy levels go up and you’ll want to work harder

3.       Enjoy it – let yourself go a bit, shout each other on, be part of the atmosphere.

 

Quick Fire Round:

 

Favourite Exercise: Dead Lift

 

Favourite CrossFit benchmark WOD: Cindy

 

Favourite Food: Scrambled egg and bacon for breakfast

 

Favourite Cheat Meal: A good quality burger

 

Favourite music to motivate you: Uplifting House / Trance / Dance mixes – and sometimes a bit of cheesy 80’s pop

 

Bragging Rights:

 

Deadlift- 1RM- 160kg

Push Press 1RM 90kg

Back Squat 1RM 115kg

Bench Press 5RM 100kg

Rowing – 150m sprint 23.7secs

Rowing O’Neill test- 1120 metres

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