Achieving your goals often depends on what you do inside and outside of the gym. Most people don’t know where to start to get the nutrition they need. With all of the contradictory information on the internet, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. You can remove the guesswork by letting one of our professional nutrition coaches help you.
Using the CrossFit® methodology
When you walk in to a CrossFit® gym for the first time you may be under the illusion that you will be straight in to doing muscle ups, pistol squats, heavy Olympic lifts, however for most the reality is very different. The CrossFit® methodology of first teaching you the movement mechanics, then making sure you are able to perform movements consistently under fatigue before adding intensity is the programmes way to ensure that you progress in fashion that does not burn you out or injure you before you even get going.
When you begin to work on your nutrition the same principals can be used.
Mechanics – Counting calories and macros from day one is for most, a short road to failure. Instead, you need to slowly improve the ‘mechanics’ of your diet. This could be by removing some processed foods and replacing them with a more nutritionally dense option, it could be drinking more water or even getting more sleep to help you make better food choices.
Consistency – Many people fail to stick to changes in their diets because they don’t practice them long or often enough. Just as you shouldn’t expect to be linking ring muscle ups in week 2 of CrossFit®, you shouldn’t expect to be eating perfectly built nutritious meals in the same timeframe. The art of moving well under fatigue and the art of eating well when you have a busy, work, family and social schedule takes some time and effort.
Intensity– No CrossFit® Coach would advise you to start off by attending 5 or 6 sessions per week, instead you may start with 2 or 3 and increase this number as your body adapts. This would constitute a change in intensity. When making changes to your diet you should start by changing just a few meals per week and then adding to this over time.
It is much better for you to start CrossFit® under the watchful eye of a qualified coach. Changing your diet should be no different. If you want to avoid common pitfalls and make lasting changes to your nutrition.
Generally, the CrossFit® diet plan is relatively low in carbohydrates and prioritises lean proteins, healthy fats, and certain whole plant foods. Though there are variations, many members of the community abide by a carb-restricted diet pattern. Let’s talk about why this isn’t the best approach, and something we don’t recommend to our CrossFit athletes.
