Before we talk about what CrossFit nutrition is, it’s essential to know that it isn’t merely a set of exercise routines or a specific training routine. CrossFit has helped many people reinvent their lifestyle entirely. Not only has it changed the way they look and feel, but helped them transition to a healthier lifestyle and eating pattern.
This transformative lifestyle involves following a specific diet, and it's a crucial aspect of your training. The foods you eat will determine whether your body has sufficient fuel for workouts as well as recovery post your workouts. The right foods also help you achieve your ideal weight and health goals. There are many theories and concepts surrounding nutrition for CrossFitters.
About CrossFit Nutrition
You will hear terms like Paleo Diet, Restrictive Diet, etc. being discussed when there is talk about CrossFit nutrition. When it comes to health, exercise, and diet, there is no one size fits all. The recommendation you follow would be based on your current health, lifestyle, experience, physique, and goals. Some of the CrossFit diets that people follow include:
- The Zone Diet
- The Paleo Diet
- Intermittent Fasting
- Intermittent Fasting resources
- Ketogenic Diet – The Keto Diet
- Macro tracking – Flexible Dieting
- The Primal Blueprint
- Slow Carb Diet - SCD
Since there are so many different diets, we are discussing the middle ground here. These recommendations are easy and safe for everyone to follow as a starting point. Having this information will help you structure a personalized CrossFit diet plan based on your specific needs.
Guidelines For A Balanced Crossfit Diet
The diet you decide to follow needs to help you cover your nutrition needs. With this in view, the diet plan you opt for should be designed with these things in perspective:
- Meets Your Calorie Needs–If you work out at the gym regularly, you would need to consume more calories compared to someone that doesn’t exercise at all. Not consuming sufficient calories may help you lose some weight. However, ultimately, you will plateau and feel a dip in energy levels too.
- The Right Balance of Micronutrients-Mix-and-match your nutrients until you find the right balance of proteins, fats, and carbs to help boost performance.
- Adequate Micronutrient Intake- Make sure you consume sufficient minerals and vitamins to help your body stay healthy and function well.
- Balanced To Promote Sustainability- You need to adopt a dietary approach that accounts for your lifestyle. It should give you opportunities to enjoy yourself occasionally and reap the rewards of all the efforts you put into being fit.
Without this, you will find that eating becomes a miserable experience. It also means you will not be able to sustain it long enough, making it challenging to achieve long-term fitness. The right diet always allows for cheat days and occasional treats.
Crossfit Diet - For Competition Crossfit or Fitness?
Depending on your individual experience, your diet needs to take into account goals such as better performance, weight loss, qualifying for a fitness competition, and more. The diet you follow will also depend on your level of involvement with CrossFit.
An athlete who is into competitive CrossFit needs to consume more calories. Competitive athletes will likely need far more carbohydrates compared to an average gym-goer as well. For example, an athlete who uses MisFit athletics, CrossFit Invictus, or a similar competitive program, will typically train for a minimum of 7.5 hours/week. They would need a different approach than someone doing CrossFit only three to four times per week.
The key is- the more you train, the more calories you will need. These are just some of the things that need to be kept in mind while deciding which CrossFitdiet works for you.