DALLAS AND Melissa Hartwig, founders of the Whole9 nutritional program.
fuel [ eating for life ]
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mproved athletic performance, virtually limitless energy, effortless living? Fun and play are overlooked in our busy, modern, do-all-theweight loss—these are just a few of the benefits touted by the Paleo things culture. People are praised for never having fun, not for building Diet, a nutritional framework based on evolutionary principles. If you fun into their lives. Focusing on one or two of [the nine factors] will CrossFit, you’ve most definitely heard of it. If you’re hardcore, you’ve make you healthier, but not if it’s at the expense of all the others.” probably even tried it. Now Melissa and Dallas Hartwig, the undisputed The need for balance is certainly something Hartwig has come to power couple of Paleo, have hot-rodded the base model, creating a understand first hand. A recovering drug addict with 13 years clean, program that addresses not only nutrition but eight other life-enhancing she never set foot in a gym until the day she left rehab. “For many years, factors as well. I was the opposite of healthy and fit,” she “The “9” in Whole9 comes from the says. “When I came out of rehab, I started Fun and play are overlooked in nine factors we believe come together paying attention to what I ate and going to our busy, modern, do-all-theto create optimal health,” says Melissa the gym. Making myself healthy played a big Hartwig, certified sports nutritionist and role in staying clean.” things culture. People are praised RKC-certified kettlebell Instructor. “They After focusing on light weightlifting for never having fun, not for include nutrition, sleep, stress management, and cardio for years, Hartwig discovered building fun into their lives. healthy movement, socialization, natural kettlebell training in 2005. It radically altered environment, fun and play, personal growth, her approach to fitness and nutrition. “My and temperance.” All are equally essential. “We believe nutrition is the diet was ‘healthy’ based on what I knew then—lots of whole grains, lowfoundation of any good health and fitness-related program, but it’s not fat dairy, and fake foods with fewer calories. The full-body [kettlebell] the only factor,” she continues. workouts and compound movements quickly made me stronger, so I The Hartwigs founded the Whole9 Internet community to help anyone started eating more whole foods and protein to keep up with my new from CrossFit enthusiasts to weekend athletes to busy professionals muscles.” and stay-at-home moms achieve a healthy balance, something that’s In 2006 she met Dallas, a licensed physical therapist. “He introduced decidedly lacking in today’s society. Says Hartwig, “Those who are me to CrossFit,” says Hartwig. “I immediately embraced the idea health-conscious probably think about diet and exercise, but how many of high-intensity intervals, functional movements, and variety in realize how important a good night’s sleep is to weight loss or healthy my workouts. I also began looking into the Paleo and Zone diets to
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PHOTOS: COURTESY Of WHOLE9