First Steps to Better Nutrition
So you’ve been consistently attending CrossFit and seeing progress. What’s the next step in your fitness journey? Depends on you, but for most it’s dial in nutrition. Improved nutrition will yield better energy, better body composition, better blood work, and better fitness results.
Where to start? Here’s our simple nutrition heirarchy. Check one box, get consistent with it, then move on to the next:
1 - Cook. Start by learning 2-3 basic dishes that include protein and vegetables. Two easy examples: Overnight Oats and No Sugar No Carb Tikka Masala.
Here’s the recipe for overnight oats. And for Tikka Masala, buy boneless chicken thighs or breasts, broccoli, and a no-sugar Thai/indian/Vietnamese sauce from the international aisle. I recommend this sauce. Season chicken, sear chicken, apply sauce, throw in broccoli and cover until chicken falling apart. Can add a bit of unsweetened coconut milk or chicken broth if you need more liquid. That’s the whole thing, it takes 5 minutes of work and 30-40 minutes of simmering. You can serve with rice, but that’s extra work (and we’ll talk about carbs later.)
If I can make this meal while I watch my 2 year old, you’ve got no excuses!
2 - Protein UP. Protein helps build muscle and recover from exercise. It helps you feel full, and has a “thermic” effect in that it takes calories to digest. Moreover, even with folks wanting weight loss, the first step is rarely restriction. Every study ever done on diet shows that in the long run they fail. That’s because restriction in the face of abundance is a facade… it won’t last. You need to add things IN. In particular, add .7g/lb of bodyweight per day (or target bodyweight).
Think your close to that target? I recommend tracking protein for a week or two. Most who think they’re getting enough protein aren’t.
3 - Manipulate Carbs. There’s no getting around it… overabundance of carbs will cause the body to build stores of fat. But notice I didn’t say “cut carbs out completely” If you go no carb and your brain breaks, see point 2. Restriction is HARD. If you go no carb and can’t perform or recover, see point 2. Restriction is HARD.
So what’s the answer? Aim to limit carbs, but prepared to lower them or raise them. I like lots of carbs with breakfast (oatmeal) and some carbs with lunch (an apple), then I skip carbs at dinner, since I don’t really need the immediate energy. My favorite tip: if you want carbs, ask yourself if you would eat a serving of your favorite protein. If I won’t eat a (bunless) hamburger, chances are I’m just bored and looking at food/carbs for entertainment.
But be prepared to add a few carbs if your performance tanks or you’re genuinely unhappy.
Treat added and liquid sugar as the devil, and be very skeptical of dense sources of sugar like tropical fruits.
It’s a journey, and if you’ve had dense carbs at every meal for 35 years, it will likely take a few years for you to become comfortable skipping them.
All in all, the goal is to build sustainable habits around cooking, protein, and limited carbs. I could have said “eat less,” but limiting calories only works in the short term. A long term caloric deficit is not a sustainable project.
Remember to consider our personal training program if you’re struggling with the details! If your attempts at change never stick, we can help!
