CrossFit is a transformative lifestyle. It consists of a system of exercises prescriptions powered by customized CrossFit nutrition. The intensity of the workouts requires that you have a diet that can power you through and help you recover. Many experts and nutritionists provide suggestions on the nutrition profile and healthy diet. However, the expert's advice and the nature of your diet depend only on your goal, physique, current health, lifestyle, and experiences. Nevertheless, the best approach is to go with the standard diet and to deactivate the necessary things to achieve your specific goals. CrossFit Nutrition Guidelines Generally, CrossFit diet guidelines stipulate that you should have a macronutrient split of carbohydrates, protein, and fat in proportions of 40%, 30%, and 30% respectively. The foods you should focus on are fresh fruits, whole foods, vegetables, and lean proteins. Even if you are a fan of processed foods, avoid them in your CrossFit journey. The Zone Diet   This diet structure offers the required carbohydrates for energy, protein to maintain and build the body, and fats to help you with nervous and hormonal systems. There is so much nutrition in the zone diet, but the overall goal of this diet is to help you consume a balance of nutrients. Paleo Diet This diet structure focuses more on whole foods as your body system is not designed to consume the processed foods. Instead, the body thrives on natural foods, which have been a source of nutrition for thousands of years.  Therefore the paleo diet primarily comprises plants and animal products. The Problem of High Glycemic Carbohydrates Glycemic index refers to the insulin response to foods. Compared to carbohydrates, fats and proteins naturally have a low glycemic index.  However, simple carbs have a high glycemic index because they can be easily broken into sugars, therefore, causing a spike in insulin level. The focus of CrossFit nutrition is on low glycemic index carbohydrates such as whole grains and fibrous vegetables. This class of carbohydrates is absorbed slowly into the body thereby causing a moderate insulin response that the body can tolerate. CrossFit Diet for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain Since overweight people have higher insulin resistance, it makes most of the carbohydrates consumed to be stored as fat. So, if you want to lose weight, make sure that your diet is low on carbohydrates. In a low carb diet, the absorption rate of protein and fats is slower than other nutrients. This makes you feel fuller for longer. The result is that you will be able to repress your hunger hormones and will not be eating as much. If you want to build muscle and increase your performance, lower your fat intake, and increase your carbohydrate and protein consumption. Even though low fat isn’t healthy to a CrossFitter, combining it with high-calorie levels will help you enhance the muscle mass and performance. Concerning nutrient timing, ensure you get carbohydrates and protein immediately after your workout. If you are already muscular and lean, your insulin sensitivity will be high at this time. This also means that the nutrients you will consume will get shuttled to the muscle cells for recovery. Lastly, the call is still to avoid processed foods and high glycemic carbs in your CrossFit nutrition.    
KUNAL JHAVERI | 03 Aug 18
Your days may consist of running to and from work, cleaning up the house, taking care of family, and maybe slipping in some social time with your friends and you may feel like there’s no time to exercise. Even if you can make time for the CrossFit gym program, the idea of getting sweaty and working so hard might make you want to slip even further into your couch cushions. If that’s the case, there’s a good chance you could be out of shape and have a difficult time performing even the simplest of physical fitness tests. Here are 5 major signs discussed by some experts following CrossFit workouts, that you should kick your daily activity level up a notch because you’re probably not as in shape as you think you might be. You are unable to do push-ups Push-ups are a good test of your physical fitness, as one is able to utilize the muscles in their backs, shoulders, arms, and core. To perform a perfect push-up, you must be able to lower yourself with your arms tucked close to your body before pushing yourself back up. Although this is a tough exercise, anyone who is physically fit should be able to knock out at least a few push-ups. If you’re struggling to perform a couple of push-ups, then according to CrossFit training programme, you can start with your knees on the ground and as you get stronger, you can adjust the move to your fitness level. Don’t give up, they get easier with time. Your heart rate takes a long time to slow down When you’re exercising, your heart beats faster to pump the needed oxygen throughout your body faster. Your heart rate could be anywhere between 140 and 190 beats per minute, depending on your age, when you’re considerably exerting yourself.  When you stop, your heart rate will decrease gradually until it’s back at a normal pace. If you’re out of shape, however, it could take much longer. This means that the fitter you are, the faster you’ll recover. Your waist circumference has grown larger You should always check your waist circumference to know whether you are carrying excess body fat around your abdomen area. Coaches at CrossFit gym always work on keeping a focus on these things, although one’s amount of weight is not necessarily an indicator of one’s fitness level, carrying excess weight around your middle could mean you are not as in shape as you should be. Also, more weight around your midsection area could mean trouble for your heart, kidneys, liver, digestive organs, and pancreas. You always feel tired Taking a look at a gym, one may rush to think that those who are exerting the most energy probably feel exhausted for the remainder of their day. That’s never the case; working out regularly is the key to being alert and energized during the day. You’ll feel naturally more awake if you find time for some level of physical activity even if you can only do a quick walk during lunch. You have a high resting heart rate While it’s important to do some heart-pumping CrossFit gym exercises for your health, your heart rate while at rest should be slower. A lower heart rate usually means your ticker functions better and you’re more fit. If you feel like your heart is racing all the time, this could mean you’re quite out of shape. A normal resting heart rate for an adult should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute. An easy way to check your pulse is by placing your index and third finger on the side of your neck beneath your jawline and count the beats for a minute
KUNAL JHAVERI | 17 Jun 18
If you have been training for quite a while, it is likely that you have made some mistakes. Furthermore, the path of learning is laced with failures and successes. That said, you should aim at learning from what others have done wrong so that you can save time and energy during your CrossFit training program and put it to good use. Everyone would have wished there was a shorter way to attain their fitness goals. However, there is no simple answer or method and for those who are really after success, they must learn how to spend time under the bar as they engage their unique profile. To start you off, below are some of the things shared by experts in CrossFit gym, that you should avoid, some to think about, while others to try out. Identifying and Sticking to a Goal People with training attention deficit disorder (ADD) feel like their goals are shifting every week. In order to avoid this mistake, identify your goal and stick to it for a period of about 12 weeks and after that reassess your progress. It is very easy for you to get distracted whenever something good comes up, but with these distractions, you will never know the true value of a program and whether it is a right fit for you. Avoid a One-Size-Fits-All Approach A one-size-fits-all CrossFit workout routine would certainly make life much easier. However, this is not the case. You have to experiment and establish your weak points. Even when you are training under the best of coaches, you may struggle in figuring out the best approach for you. Some CrossFitters adopt online programs that are hyped to be working for some people. The reality is, such programs may not work for you. You need an authentic personalized workout approach to address your needs. Narrow Your Workout Choices The access to information is nearing its peak and there is a lot doing rounds. While on one side this is a blessing, looked from another angle, it can be a handicap. We tend to overthink on the type of CrossFit exercises to do instead of narrowing them down to about 4 or 5 movements and calling it a day. If we could only do this, our workouts would be so much efficient. Less is More While we appreciate that we come from backgrounds where no pain no gain is the mantra, sometimes time-capping can help. Your training sessions should be done within a certain timeframe. Training for longer in CrossFit Gym doesn’t necessarily mean that you will gain more, rather you may be stressing your system, increasing cortisol, and lowering serum testosterone levels which in the long run undermine the very goals you want to achieve. Take breaks in between. Always Be a Student No one can comfortably say they are done learning. It doesn’t matter how much you know, there will always be someone or some people who know more than you do. Look for these experts, take time to study their work, read what they have written, and if possible experiment. Successful weightlifters in the CrossFit gym are those who accept that they do not have a monopoly of knowledge.
KUNAL JHAVERI | 21 May 18
Goblet squat is a technique that has been adopted by a large number of CrossFit athletes, and it majorly involves performing squat without using a long list of cues. There are lots of benefits that are attached to this CrossFit exercise some of them including strengthening the core and toning the legs, thighs, and calves. Usually, the goblet squat is performed using kettlebell or dumbbell. If you are contemplating on incorporating this CrossFit workout into your training, the following benefits will help you quickly make up your mind. Burns Calories The goblet squat is a multiple muscle workout, and as such, it engages several muscles of your body. This simultaneously helps in making it an ideal routine and quickly burns calories which go a long way in helping you lose weight. Strengthens Your Core Ask any athlete, and he will tell you that the core muscles play a crucial role in many movements. Strengthening them helps in maintaining a good posture, and that is what goblet squats do. Compared to ab crunches, the goblet squat is much more efficient because it is a multi-utility workout. It can help you get ripped and have lean abs within a short time. Works Out Your Lower Body This exercise helps in strengthening the quads, hips, lats, calves, flexors, hamstrings, as well as the gluteal muscles. Also, it plays a key role in toning your legs and your thighs. Therefore, the goblet squat is one of the best CrossFit workouts for getting a strong body and exercising the lower part of your body. Minimizes Risks of Injuries Weak ligaments, stabilizing muscles, and connective tissues are some of the major causes of injuries. This is why the goblet squat is valued as one of the avenues to minimize the risk of injury because it strengthens your body structures and gives you a sturdy foundation that is not prone to injuries. Boosts Your Jumps Have you attempted exploding off the ground, but you realize that your vertical leap is not as high as you would have wanted it to be? The reason could be your hip strength. With goblet squats, your ability to gain power is enhanced as well as your capacity to absorb it. This enables you to jump much higher without the risk of injuries. Enhances Flexibility and Mobility When you perform this type of squat in full motion, it helps you to add muscles to the lower portion of your body. However, much more importantly, it improves the overall flexibility and mobility as well as the motion of your knees, hips, lower back, and ankles. Making this improvement in your CrossFit workout would merely reduce the chances of injury with an improvement in your performance. Builds Muscles There are lots of exercises which stimulate your total body system. The only problem is that most of them involve piling up the volume on top of dysfunction. Goblet squat introduces a rather convenient way to build muscles by allowing you to work out with heavy equipment such as a kettlebell or a dumbbell. To add to the above, making this workout one of your CrossFit gym staples, will help improve your spine position as well as minimize the space you take to workout. You do not need as much equipment when doing goblet squat.  
KUNAL JHAVERI | 22 Feb 18
Whenever you engage in something new, there tend to be many associated unknowns. Being a sport, CrossFit has its fair share of unknowns, and a learning curve CrossFitters must learn to excel in it. The variety and intensity of CrossFit exercises make the journey challenging in some way. As you gradually develop to a comfort level in CrossFit, there are certain mistakes you should try and avoid at all costs.  Taking in Too Much at a Go Irrespective of your background, don’t imagine yourself to be too strong and fit as you get into CrossFit. You may be a marathoner or a weightlifter, but as you come into CrossFit, you need to be gradual. Lifting heavy weights too fast can limit your CrossFit experience in several ways. For instance, taking in too much can shift your focus away from the technique, and this can severely impact your movements and overall progress. Also, lack of body preparation for high-intensity CrossFit workouts paired with weight can result in injury. Most gyms will work with you so that you can establish a beginning point, but you must be willing to put your heart and effort into it. Inadequate Rest The CrossFit community experience is certainly positive and so inspirational. However, you need to have limits so that you are not carried away into exercising for lengthy periods of time. In the beginning, it is important to allow your body to acclimatize with the workout environment and regimen. Not having enough rest can affect your recovery cycles because the high-intensity CrossFit workouts can take a toll on your muscles. In case you have a problem sitting down after exercise, you can decide to engage in something else such as swimming or walking. Whatever you do, ensure your sore muscles get some relaxing stretches. Egoism and Negative Attitude CrossFit athletes come from different backgrounds and as such have their own fair share of strengths and weaknesses. Performance varies from one athlete to another and from one day to the next. When exercising, you need to let your heart out and remove any negative energy from you. Working out with an ego to defend will most likely lead to a below performance. Give it your best and walk out knowing you have done your part for the day. Quitting Halfway Just like any other task, you begin with the aim of finishing and not leaving it halfway. It is important you commit not to be an elite all-star or a lifter of millions of pounds, but rather to a simple goal of starting a day with the aim of finishing successfully. How bad or good a day is, unless prompted by injury or other conditions, make it a goal to finish every workout you embark on. The greatest CrossFit challenge is in not giving up. This will enable you to make strides in your fitness and fortitude.
KUNAL JHAVERI | 23 Jun 17