Are you new to training and want to make sure your discipline in the kitchen matches up to your dedication in the gym?
Have you been training for a while and are struggling to see the results that you would like?
Are your workouts leaving you exhausted and do you feel like your body is not properly repairing itself?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then get ready to dive in as we learn how to make wise dietary choices that will have a positive impact on both your performance and physique.
It has been said that “Fitness is 80 percent nutrition” and “you can’t out train a bad diet.” These two statements speak some major truth to the importance of what you put into your body.
It is no secret that there has been a major rise in the incidence of overweight and obese individuals worldwide in the past 30 years. A major cause of these issues (and the abounding health problems that are a byproduct of them) is the increase of processed foods (foods that are not made of whole foods, contain large amounts of corn, sugar, and preservatives) in the average diet. One of the first things that should be considered when overhauling your diet should be the removal of these unnatural foods (chips, crackers, cereals, breads, cookies, sugar, white flour, etc.). Look to add more healthy options (aka- real or whole foods) such as vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins to your diet.
Real food is perishable. Consider making whole food choices as you shop. One good rule of thumb is to shop around the outside of the grocery store, as that is where most stores have unprocessed fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, and dairy. The aisles tend to be a little more risky with more processed foods with long shelf lives being stored there.
Now that we have established what real foods are, let’s talk about what the average individual should eat to make sure fitness goals are reached. CrossFit recommends food intake based on the Zone Diet, and encourages athletes to “eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar.” According to this diet, a healthy plate should include 1/3 lean protein and 2/3 healthy carbohydrates with a small amount of healthy monounsaturated fats. Nutritional density – the amount of calories compared to the nutrients in the food – should be considered when choosing foods as we should strive to eat foods that will have a substantial nutritional impact on our bodies.
Lean Protein. Lean proteins have relatively low fat content, examples are lean beef, eggs, low fat dairy, skinless chicken breast, skinless turkey, and salmon. These foods contribute to your body’s ability to repair itself and can help you maintain lean muscle mass.
Healthy Carbohydrates. Healthy carbs include non-starchy vegetables (examples include: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, zucchini) and low glycemic fruits (examples include: cherries, pears, apples, oranges, plums, strawberries). Starchy vegetables such as beans, corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes can still be eaten, but should be used sparingly. Unhealthy carbohydrates such as sugar and white breads should be avoided as much as possible. It is important to remember that carbs are not the enemy since carbs are where we get our main source of energy for our workouts, but we want to make sure we are ingesting carbs that are not going to have zero nutritional value.
Healthy Monounsaturated Fats. These foods are heart healthy in moderation and include olive oil, avocados, and nuts.
By changing your diet to consist of more real, whole foods I guarantee your body is going to feel better. Additionally, focusing on eliminating unhealthy carbohydrates and adding healthy carbs and lean proteins with healthy fats will enable you to see your body transform!
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By Allison Edwards