CrossFit tops the list when it comes to efficient, effective, and calorie-torching workouts. There are two main building blocks to CrossFit success. The first component is the high-intensity gym regimen, and the other component is CrossFit diet. Because of the intensity of workouts, the body system requires combinations of nutrients that stabilize the sugar levels and gives you the energy to sustain your workouts. As a rule of thumb, CrossFitters should target approximately a gram of protein for every kilogram of their bodyweight. This means a person weighing 130 pounds should take between 65 grams and 100 grams of protein depending on their sex. Apart from protein, there are lots of other important foods that you should include as part of your CrossFit diet if you want to sustain weight loss and sculpt your muscles. The following are some of the must-eat foods. Lentils As a CrossFitter, it is important to keep your protein intake at about 30% of your daily calories. The reason why lentils are a super food is that they add 9 grams of protein for every half a cup. They are also loaded with fiber. You can try lentil in chili recipes and even soups. Coconut Oil Coconut oil is mainly used in skin and hair treatments to give people shinier hair and healthy, smooth skins. However, slipping coconut oil into your diet can give you an excellent fuel source to enable you power through your workouts. Despite being a saturated fat, coconut oil has medium chain fatty acids which can be easily absorbed in the small intestine therefore not necessitating that it goes through the full digestive process. What this means is that coconut oil gives you increased energy in a much faster way compared to other forms of fat. The fatty acids are then converted into an immediate source of energy by the liver. The beauty of coconut oil is that it is sugar and carbohydrate free. Banana and Whey Protein Smoothie After your CrossFit workout, your body needs to refuel to optimize recovery and replenish the depleted glycogen stores. At this time, your body system craves for fast absorbing carbohydrates such as those found in berries and bananas as well as quick-to-absorb protein like the one found in whey. Ensure the whey protein powder you take is clean and not just a combination of ingredients and additives. Nuts and Seeds Seeds and nuts are packed with a whole lot of nutrients and the all-important omega three fatty acids which will help in refueling your body for recovery after an intensive CrossFit session. Nuts and seeds are among the most calorie dense foods. You can take them as a snack or include them in preparing your smoothie. Sweet Potatoes This is a nutrition powerhouse for any athlete and more so for CrossFitters. Your body system needs a boost of energy, and this can be obtained from functional carbs. Once the carbs are digested, they are stored in your liver and muscles from which the body accesses them for energy production to help you in your workout. Sweet potatoes are one of the best ways to fuel your CrossFit daily workouts because they are complex carbs and as such, they are slow releasing. They are also rich in vitamin B6 to help you in stress management. Other foods include eggs, brown rice, almond butter, and oatmeal. A diet full of these doesn’t lack in potential to energize your system for workouts.

It doesn’t matter whether you are a seasoned CrossFit athlete or a newbie, following the best CrossFit diet is always recommended especially for high-intensity activities. If your diet is falling away from the recommended point, chances are your performance will be jeopardized and the results you hope for will not be attained. We all know that CrossFit is such a demanding activity which can easily take a toll on your body. If you are the type that does CrossFit 5 times a week, you will need plenty of protein, calories, and micronutrients. If you are so much into weight loss, low carb or calorie restricted CrossFit diet will make your performance suffer. To lay a solid foundation, you are supposed to commit to eating real food. Since you can get away with the consumption of processed food, it is highly discouraged that you should go this way. Processed foods are nutrient poor and they bring in an instance of addiction. When you talk about real food, you mean those that will help you pack nutrients and distance you from any inflammatory instances. Calorie Composition Calories not only fuel your CrossFit workouts but also play a central role in repair and growth of body tissues. If you are planning to pack on lean muscle mass, you should take enough calories for energy. There has been a lot of contention around the issue of micromanaging eating. Tracking and counting are very important, but truly speaking, it is not fun at all. There are separate arguments that the body system has its internal calculator which is more responsive and accurate than any calorie count system. However, you must have the ability to listen to your body and the signaling powers. If you carefully listen to your body and give it whatever it is asking for, you will find yourself eating the appropriate calorie amounts. As the CrossFit workload increases, your hunger will also increase. Carbs Composition Depending on whether you are good at listening to your body, experts are of the idea that at the beginning you should not look at the carb counts on your foods. In the same manner, you tailor your calorie numbers top consume based on the hunger signals; you can also tailor the carbs you eat to your CrossFit performance. Among the symptoms that point to a low level of carbs in your body include poor sleep, lack of explosiveness CrossFit workout program, and general sluggishness. There isn’t a one-fits-all carbs intake because only your body system knows what it needs. Protein Quantity The debate on the amount of protein one can have received attention from different quarters each coming up with their recommendations. To keep your intake simple, prioritize proteins and adjust your fat or carb intake. When doing lots of demanding activity, you need to increase the carb levels and reduce body fat. Eating is instinctual for every person, but there is a special mind-body disconnect experienced by a majority of people. Learning how to eat instinctually and committing to real food can make a powerful force from within you.

It is time to refine your CrossFit nutrition by committing to eat quality foods which will take your training to a higher level. The reason why each fitness food you choose is important is that you cannot substitute quality nutrition. What you eat largely depend on your lifestyle, your biology, training, and your goals. That notwithstanding, the cardinal principle is to respect your body and consume only the best quality of foods. To build a nutritional framework for success, follow and implement the simplest rule of meal prepping and including some form of protein in your breakfast meal. Below are five types of foods that will help in perfecting your CrossFit diet. Coconut Oil All CrossFitters should consider adding coconut oil to their diet. There are lots of benefits associated with this easily available food. For instance, it increases your energy levels, enhances fat burning, lowers oxidative stress, improves cognitive function, improves digestion, and lowers inflammation. If you are a vegan, an athlete on a low carbohydrate diet, or one who trains early in the morning, you have every reason to make coconut oil part of your daily diet. Coconut oil has medium chain triglycerides which are saturated fats. They are metabolized on a different path from that of other saturated fats. They form a more rapid source of energy. Bio Protein This is an ideal fuel to take after your workout of the day. Bio proteins play a key role in replenishing your muscles and optimizing recovery. There are many reasons why it forms a perfect inclusion into your breakfast meal. It boosts neurotransmitter production, satiates hunger, provides amino acids which are the building blocks of muscle, and stabilizes your energy levels. Nuts and Berries When you are on an intense training schedule, you should have some nuts and berries to give you the support you need. Nuts are usually packed with important nutrients and essential fats and can serve as a perfect snack. Berries are packed with vitamins, anthocyanins, fiber, and polyphenols. Protein Porridge Any CrossFitter looking for a perfect start to a morning should consider adding protein porridge to their diet. It is a great tasting snack that can enhance your daily protein intake. This contributes to the growth as well as maintenance of muscle mass. Depending on the brand, you will have different nutritional quantities per serving, but the nutritional profile contains energy, fat, carbohydrates, protein, and a bit of salt. Chia Seeds The beauty of this super food is its flexibility. You can easily throw in chia seeds into your smoothie, morning yogurt, or a fruit salad. It has lots of health benefits amongst them anti-oxygens which prevents muscle soreness and inflammation, protein for muscle growth, and nutrients that boost concentration. When designing your CrossFit diet, be simple and include foods that you can easily find around. Ensure the nutritional basics are met and always go for the best possible quality.

According to research, 20% of people suffer from one kind of knee pain or the other. This percentage may be higher within the weightlifting population. There are many causes of knee pain some of which include misalignment, osteoarthritis, and IT band issues among others. Irrespective of the cause, knee pain can seriously hinder your CrossFit workout gains. Apart from that, knee pain also causes problems in movement patterns because your body unconsciously starts avoiding hurting movements. This is what ultimately opens the door to more knee-related problems. Collagen and Why It is Important Collagen is one of the main building blocks of body tissues which include the knee. It also happens to be the most abundant protein type within your body system and can be found in hair, muscles, skin, and your knees. Collagen is more or less like a scaffold which holds things together. Your body system generates its collagen, but you can also source it from outside from supplements and bone broth. The reason why collagen has not been a problem in the past is that our lifestyle consisted of eating connective tissues and bones of wild game as well as drinking bone broth. If you do not have access or for some reason cannot slurp broth or gnaw bones, you can go for collagen supplements. Research again indicates that people who supplement with collagen such as collagen peptides experience a faster reduction in athletic-related knee pain. You can get collagen peptides from health food stores or even in online stores and add it to your CrossFit diet plan. The recommended intake is about 20 grams per serving, and if you can have this once per day, then you will be sorted. The side effects of collagen supplementation in your CrossFit diet include thicker hair and nails and better digestion among others. Since collagen doesn’t easily melt, it is important to blend it with your protein shake or stir it in hot drinks. It is also advisable that you take it before bed. This is because it is loaded with amino acid known as glycine which can make you sleepy. Since collagen is categorized as an incomplete protein, it doesn’t have all the necessary amino acids to give you the gains you need. This is why you should not count it as part of your daily protein goals in your CrossFit training. There you go! If you can’t handle the knee pain anymore, think about this protein supplement, and your struggles could be over.

Have you just completed an early morning CrossFit workout and you are feeling somewhat tired, sweaty, and very hungry? Well, this is a common feeling after you give your morning exercise everything you have. At the back of this, all is the awesome feeling of successful training. To come back to your normal self, you need to bring in your post-workout recovery nutrition. Consuming carbohydrate and protein is important after a physical exercise because it boosts your recovery and makes it a lot quicker. The quality of the breakfast needs to be up to scratch if you are to benefit fully. Training in the morning is excellent because it takes your body through a cycle of energy combustion without much food to accompany the process. Because of this, immediately after you must replenish the little your body had before the CrossFit workout. As a rule of thumb, get at least 0.6 grams per kilogram of bodyweight of protein into your post-workout meal. This means if you are 75 grams in bodyweight, you should then take 45 grams of protein. Below are three breakfast recipes that are delicious, healthy, and full of nutrients which you may want to include into your post-workout meal. Magic Smoothies Smoothies are fun because they are easy to make, hydrating, nutritious, delicious, and easy for your body to digest. You have plenty of options, and you can always do a mix and match of your favorite ingredients as long as you maintain the needed nutritional profile. In your recipe, you can include frozen blueberries, bananas, almond milk, coconut milk, a handful of seeds and nuts, vegan protein, and some ice cubes. The advantage of vegan protein is that it forms key building blocks for body restoration and it is easy to digest. On the other hand, coconut and almond milk are excellent sources of healthy saturated fats which you will certainly need to power you through your CrossFit challenge. The Omelet of Champions This is again easy to prepare and contains loads of protein. To make your omelet truly unique, enrich it with nutritional powerhouses by combining tomatoes, courgettes, tofu, eggs, spinach, avocado, raw vegetable salad, and if you can, strawberries. Protein Pancakes Pancakes can be a healthy meal if only you pick healthy ingredients. For instance, instead of the regular flour, use rice or bucket wheat flour. You could also replace part of your flour with protein powder scoops. To make your pancake, put together eggs, flour, water, and some milk. If you want your pancakes to be thinner, ensure your mixture is also thin. When your pancakes are ready, feel free to serve them with frozen berry, Greek yogurt, or a smoothie of your choice. The key element to a post-workout recovery CrossFit diet is that it should contain all the nutrients required to balance the meal. Don’t trade anything for the quality and sufficiency of the nutrients.

From the efforts expended in capturing caloric expenditures, it is clear everyone would want to know how much they eat in terms of CrossFit nutrition. However, there are lots of methods and calculators developed that are meant to help in this, and to some extent, they can become confusing. When you get disparate estimates from different scales, you may wonder which category you fall into. The good thing is that they are all estimates and as such don’t define the real you. In order to determine the optimal food amount for your health and CrossFit workout performance, you should start weighing and measuring everything you eat. Caloric Estimates The total calories you burn on any day is known as total energy expenditure. It includes your thermic effect of feeding which simply means the calories you burn when eating food, what you burn when walking around say from the house to the box and the basal metabolic rate which are the calories you burn when the body is at rest. Lots of online calculators use one or the other of the various acceptable forms of basal metabolic rate equations. They depend on a conglomerate of variables such as age, height, and mass. Unfortunately, genetic factors which have been shown to result in individual variations are not factored in by these calculators hence the output is only, but an estimate. Multipliers usually calculate the exercise and non-exercise associated expenditure. For instance, moderately active may be assigned the multiplier 1.5. Alternatively, the calories expended in the various activities in a typical day may be summed up. As a rule of thumb, the thermic effect of feeding is taken to be about 10% of the total calories in CrossFit nutrition. The Best Estimate The best approach kind of ignores the above estimates. It proposes that you track your food intake for about 3 days, these days must represent an accurate composition of your typical diet. The goal for the 3 days is to record as honestly as possible what you eat on a regular basis. The consistency of the calorie totals from one day to the next will enable you to get your baseline number. If you find the numbers varying widely, say over 500 calories, it is advisable that you continue tracking for about a week so as to get a representative total for your typical day. Focus on the Macronutrients One of the reasons why CrossFit nutrition such as the zone diet is gaining popularity is because of the way it breaks down the calories. It clearly states that 40% of the calorie intake should be from carbohydrates, 30% from fat, and the remaining 30% from protein. This composition contains enough carbohydrates to sustain high-intensity activities, enough protein to support your quest for lean mass, and sufficient fat to help in body activity and recovery. In view of the foregoing discussion, the bottom line is, your caloric total should be consistent. By consistency, it is meant that it should be within 50 calories of the target goal per day.

If you are a vegan and you are wondering how to constitute your CrossFit diet so as to include foods that fuel performance and optimize recovery, read along for some excellent ideas. There is a myth which goes; vegans can’t expect to be strong. It seems like the two are mutually exclusive, but the reality is the opposite. Vegans can do everything their non-began counterparts can do. The only point to note is that sustaining your energy and building strength on a predominantly plant-based diet can be a little bit harder. You need some master chef skills to combine the different foods that give you the most nutrition-wise to power you through your workouts. Failure to plan out your diet opens up the possibility of reaching out to the easiest foods you can find some of which may not be as nutritious as you may want them to be. Energy is basically measuring calories which come from fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Since plant-based proteins take a different digestion path to that of animal proteins, having a diet that combines the three is extremely important. Get the best quality of food added in your CrossFit diet which can range inside your budget and also are high in nutrients. B Vitamins This vitamin powerhouse group includes the likes of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, B12, pantothenic acid, biotin, and folic acid. All these vitamins are necessary at an individual and collective level for energy processes. Folic acid, for instance, has another important role of producing red blood cells which are responsible for the transport of oxygen to the extremities of the body. Microorganisms make vitamin B12. Hence you may need to supplement or consume fortified foods. B12 plays a central role in DNA synthesis and production of red blood cells, particularly in the bone marrow. The foods to eat in order to pack all the above B vitamins are spinach, kale, bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, asparagus, steel cut oats, and beans. Iron The top task of iron in the body is to support healthy blood flow. Foods that are rich in iron prove out to be helpful in building muscle as well as availing protein particularly to the vegans. Consider adding the iron-rich foods to your CrossFit diet to improve your workout of the day performance as well as enhance your recovery post-workout. Must-Have Foods in Your Diet Your day-to-day diet as a CrossFit vegan must include certain foods. An important note here is, these foods cut across the board from CrossFit athletes to those who visit the gym occasionally due to their busy activities. The foods include: Fresh fruits such as mangoes, papaya, bananas, apples, kiwis, berries, pineapples, melon, and satsumas Vegetables and leafy greens – Include foods such as spinach, raw leaves, watercress, pumpkin/squash, and sweetcorn. Grains – Wild rice, brown rice, millet, quinoa, barley, and oats Plant proteins such as chickpeas, edamame beans, split peas, sprouted lentils, and beans. Remember to add fermented soya foods such as tamari, tofu, and tempeh. In addition, your breakfast recipes must include most if not all the food groups so that you can have a better start to your day in the CrossFit gym. If you want to snack in between meals, go for fresh fruits and raw nuts such as cashews or almonds to boost your blood sugar levels.

The fat loss game is presumed to be much simpler in that you only need to eat less in the CrossFit diet than what your body requires and it will almost switch over to fat stores for energy. The reality is that this is only part of the picture because hormonal reactions play their own role in the fat loss space. When you eat the wrong foods, you may unintentionally turn your body into a fat storage machine while you continuously feel hungry because insulin locks the glucose stores into your fat cell. Programming your body to utilize insulin much more effectively is very important because this will help improve your body composition without necessarily starving yourself. Why Insulin Sensitivity Improvement is Important When you eat a meal that has high glycemic index carbs, it makes your body to produce very high insulin amounts. According to the experts of CrossFit diet, insulin can be likened to a double-edged sword where on one side it is anabolic while on the other it is lipolytic. The anabolic side of it makes it excellent for muscle building and maintenance while the lipolytic part makes it lock glucose into fat cells thereby causing your body to have excess fat. Moderate amounts of insulin are recommended for anyone engaged in CrossFit training. However, the problem comes when your body develops a high insulin resistance, and it gets flooded with high carbohydrate, crappy diet. Cutting Out Fructose Any CrossFit athlete cannot be better off by cutting all carbs from his diet. Recent studies show that fructose, a common component of table sugar is what is responsible for insulin resistance. For you to get your way around this, try cutting out all dried fruit, table sugar, fruit juices, and always keep your fruit intake anything between 1 and 2 pieces a day. Cutting Out Trans Fats Trans fats play an inhibitive role in glucose disposal. They have also been shown to promote insulin resistance and induce abdominal obesity. The way out is to cut out anything that has hydrogenated oils or trans fats. Enhancing Omega 6 to Omega 3 Balance The delicate balance between Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids according to CrossFit diet, determines to a greater extent your overall health and specifically insulin sensitivity. Most modern diets tend to be high in Omega 6 fatty acids, but do not have as much Omega 3s. Having a good portion of fish intake, grass-fed beef and fish oil can help in readjusting the balance. Try to avoid vegetable oils such as sunflower oil, corn oil, and fried foods. Increase Your Green Tea Intake Green tea has been proven to have the capacity to divert carbs away from fat cells and towards muscle cells. This has the effect of preventing excess glucose from being dumped into your fat cells and thereafter converted to body fat. Switch to green tea and forget about your English breakfast. The last strategy is to up your cinnamon intake. Cinnamon increases cell glucose uptake and improves insulin signaling pathway within the muscles and this increases insulin sensitivity. Ensure you combine the strategies above with some strength training for outstanding CrossFit workout results.