“Eat lean meats, fish, fresh vegetables, some fruit, little starch and no sugar”
Nutrition is the very base of the Hierarchy of development, no matter if your goal is supreme performance, fat loss/ lean body mass gain or longevity of life and disease prevention. Nutrition is the core foundation which all else is built upon. Food should be seen as our source of fuel and our “drug” for optimal health. We recommend the Paleolithic model and then move to accuracy with distribution of Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats using the Zone as a starting point. Everybody is unique and everybody needs their diet to work for them. It shouldn’t feel like a chore to eat right, but a chore not to.
The one underlying factor these diets have in common are their restriction of processed complex carbohydrates and starchy foods such as grains, pastas, cereals and potatoes and sugar. The over consumption of these produce products have caused a scary increase of obesity, chronic disease such as type 2 Diabetes and heart disease in our country. The food pyramid has long steered us in the wrong direction, based on ‘junk science’ as described in the scientific journalistic work: Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health: by Gary Taubes
The other noticible similiarity is that the bulk of intake comes from lean meats, fish, vegatables, fruit and essential (monounsaturated) fats high in omega 3 fatty acid. When we stick to these basic rules, we can’t go wrong. Next time you travel to the grocery store, stay to the perimeter as this is usually where the foods we want to consume are located.
Finally, diet is such a unique design to each of us; my diet may be great for me but not the best for others. Use our recommendations, listen to your body and finely adjust to fully optimize your nutritional intake for best results, health and performance.
*Courtesy of Beachside CrossFit
CROSSFIT NUTRITION
The CrossFit dietary prescription is as follows:
Protein should be lean and varied and account for about 30% of your total caloric load.
Carbohydrates should be predominantly low-glycemic and account for about 40% of your total caloric load.
Fat should be predominantly monounsaturated and account for about 30% of your total caloric load.
What Should I Eat?
In plain language, base your diet on garden vegetables, especially greens, lean meats, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar. That's about as simple as we can get. Many have observed that keeping your grocery cart to the perimeter of the grocery store while avoiding the aisles is a great way to protect your health. Food is perishable. The stuff with long shelf life is all suspect. If you follow these simple guidelines you will benefit from nearly all that can be achieved through nutrition.
The Caveman or Paleolithic Model for Nutrition
Modern diets are ill suited for our genetic composition. Evolution has not kept pace with advances in agriculture and food processing resulting in a plague of health problems for modern man. Coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity and psychological dysfunction have all been scientifically linked to a diet too high in refined or processed carbohydrate. Search "Google" for Paleolithic nutrition, or diet. The return is extensive, compelling, and fascinating. The Caveman model is perfectly consistent with the CrossFit prescription.
What Foods Should I Avoid?
Excessive consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates is the primary culprit in nutritionally caused health problems. High glycemic carbohydrates are those that raise blood sugar too rapidly. They include rice, bread, candy, potato, sweets, sodas, and most processed carbohydrates. Processing can include bleaching, baking, grinding, and refining. Processing of carbohydrates greatly increases their glycemic index, a measure of their propensity to elevate blood sugar.
What is the Problem with High-Glycemic Carbohydrates?
The problem with high-glycemic carbohydrates is that they give an inordinate insulin response. Insulin is an essential hormone for life, yet acute, chronic elevation of insulin leads to hyperinsulinism, which has been positively linked to obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, blood pressure, mood dysfunction and a Pandora's box of disease and disability. Research "hyperinsulinism" on the Internet. There's a gold mine of information pertinent to your health available there. The CrossFit prescription is a low-glycemic diet and consequently severely blunts the insulin response.
Current research strongly supports the link between caloric restriction and an increased life expectancy. The incidence of cancers and heart disease sharply decline with a diet that is carefully limited in controlling caloric intake. “Caloric Restriction” is another fruitful area for Internet search. The CrossFit prescription is consistent with this research.
The CrossFit prescription allows a reduced caloric intake and yet still provides ample nutrition for rigorous activity.
*Courtesy of Crossfit Inc
