In the past few blogs we have been ranting on and on about the importance of nutrition, and rightfully so. It is not only the foundation of your development as an athlete, but also your number one fuel for your daily life. Although I would love to bore you with macronutrients and calorie intakes, I am not going to. We can make nutrition a tough subject that is hard to swallow, or we can make it as smooth as butter and easy to digest. It all comes down to common sense, but I think you already knew that.
[...] you need to know the capabilities and recognize the signs and common faults of your body and mind.
First thing that you need to do, is take a closer look into your fridge and kitchen cubards. How many products in there are man made or processed? And do you know what is in it? Now I'm not going to tell you to get rid of all man made and processed foods, but I want you to understand the concept of knowing what you eat. Eating real food will give you a better overview of your nutrition. Where do you find it in the supermarket? As soon as you walk in, so you can forget about it right away and start filling your grocery cart with the good stuff.
Now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk carbs. We all know someone who follows the "low carb" diet. Let's get things clear. The main purpose of carbs is to provide energy or fuel. Would you go for a long drive when the meter shows you are low on fuel? Now unlike a car, our body has the option to grab the fat reserves and if those are gone, it will have it's way at the muscular tissue. There goes your PR. The key is knowing what carbs to eat, but somehow I think you already know what I am going to say.
Big chance if you are reading this, you are one of those CrossFit fanatics who don't understand why normal people don't know what CrossFit is, so you feel the urge to educate them on a daily base. Big chance you train 3 times a week or more. You need to eat according to your training level. If you are hungry, you eat. If you feel like eating because you like the taste of it, you don't. As a CrossFitter you need to know the capabilities and recognize the signs and common faults of your body and mind.
"Eat real food, mostly plants, not to much", Michael Pollan.
Luckily for us, we live in a time where technology can help us getting a better overview of our nutrition intake. Apps like Myfittnesspal and Lifesum make it a breeze by scanning products by barcode. You don't need to worry about those macronutrient and calories, it will do that for you. I ensure you, using one of those apps will help you for the benefit.
Next to that, we at CrossFit Wildhearts are working hard on a new nutrition program called “The Kitchen Table: Food Talk” which is going to be mainly focussed on education and long term solutions.
More information about this available soon. Feel free to e-mail team@crossfitwildhearts.com for more info.