Lindsay Benson
Lindsay Benson is our resident dietician. You can find her amazing recipes over at Lean Bean Nutrition.
How did you get into the sport?
I was introduced to Crossfit by a follower (now a close friend) of LeanBean in April 2015.
I have always been a competitive athlete - from the tiny age of 7, I was a national butterfly swimming competitor and committed 2-4 hours daily to training.
Once I completed my first degree (BSc Sport and Exercise Science), I gave up swimming. This was one of the hardest decisions, and felt like a massive life change. On a plus note, I no longer had a lingering smell of chlorine attached to me!
I then focused on my career to become a dietitian, and work took priority over training. Training mainly consisted of running after work to help burn some energy.
I started my second degree up in Chester, BSc Nutrition and Dietetics, and i joined the local gym. This was my first insight into weight training, I didn't really have a clue what i was doing.
I made some friends and started training regularly - signed up to a photoshoot and decided to take part in my first body building contest (Body Fitness UKBFF). I competed in the September qualifier and made the selection for British finals, in which I placed 6th.
I realised quickly that body building was not for me. I love training hard, and felt that on the lead up to shows the emphasis lay predominantly on the diet.... and I kinda enjoy my food too much!
I was then invited to a CrossFit session... Instantly hooked. It's a sport that is so easy to become addicted to; the gruelling workouts, the strength training (which I love the most), the social and community aspects.
What are your proudest achievements to date?
It's only just the beginning. I started in the summer of 2015, with the aim to start competing (in time). I am not currently putting any pressure on myself to compete at any sort of high standard at the moment. I still feel very new to the sport and I am still very much in the learning phase, in particular with gymnastics.
But in time, yes! I want to compete at the highest possible level.
In terms of other achievements, competing at Nationals for swimming.
Creating my blog LeanBeanNutrition and attending the Cosmo and UK blog awards.
Also, having my paper on Omega-3 Supplementation in athletes published.
What are your goals for 2016?
Sports goals:
- Improve my gymnastics (and finally get those double under),
- Clean and Jerk 90kg,
- Deadlift 150kg, Back squat 130kg, Front squat 120kg.
LeanBean Goals:
- Nutrition workshops
- New ebook
- Diet plans
- More blog awards
What's your favourite WOD/movement?
If i was to have a LeanBean WOD, it would either be a gassy one or a heavy one! The gassy one would entail:
- Burpees
- OHS
- Rowing
The heavy one would entail:
- Max squat (back/ front/ OHS)
- Max deadlift
What's your least favourite WOD/movement?
Double unders.... just hasn't clicked.
What's the best piece of advice you have to give others?
The key is not the will to win... Everyone has that within them. It is the will to prepare to win that's important. Knowing, and listening to, your body in terms of physical fitness, mental state and nutritional intake.
Have you got any competitions planned this year?
I love a team comp! I've got:
- Inferno with KitBox Athlete Rhian Pearson
- Rep it Out with Beth Hoggarth
- Wild West Summer: Jenny Swallow, Shane Williams and Alex Evans
... and Rainhill in summer as an individual.
What are your gym kit essentials?
Always socks to match my outfit. Or not, sometimes i rock the odd socks!
Currently in my gym bag
- Just Jaw grips
- Inov-8 Fast Lift (best pair of lifters I've owned to date)
- Liquid chalk
- Tape
- KitBox Training Dairy
- Physio Balls
- Supplements
Get some of Lindsay's essentials here:
- Stance socks - matching or not, your choice!
- Inov8 Fastlifts
- Training Diaries
- Fitness Supplements
