Top performing athletes understand pretty well that nutrition is important if they are to gain a competitive edge over their peers. Through proper and well-planned nutrition, athletes can meet their goals whatever they are. In the 80/20 diet rule, it’s said that body fitness and optimal health is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise. This rubber stamps the importance of diet not only in sports performance but also in our lives as a whole. That said, there are certain foods you should as an athlete. This is because they derail your CrossFit workout performance and set you back. Among these foods include: Diet Soda Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners which have no health benefits to the body. A study was done by Purdue University revealed that consuming artificial sweeteners through drinks such as diet soda can expose your body to health risks and weight gain. Also, these sweeteners are more or less like tricksters to the body because they trick it into thinking that you have taken lots of food thus making it produce insulin for fat storage. Canned Soup The convenience that comes with canned soup makes it a favorite of most people including athletes. However, the bad news is these soups are highly processed and loaded with sodium which takes a toll on your health. Even though the body needs sodium to function well, excessive intake of this mineral through canned soups can have a severe effect on your blood pressure levels. You can opt for homemade soups instead. Rice Cakes Despite the long-held belief that rice cakes are good for snacking, nutritionally speaking, they are empty. These little crunchy snacks will severely affect your blood pressure, and their low-calorie count doesn’t even help in giving you the much-needed energy to fuel your workouts. The glycemic index of rice cakes is 91 which is closer to that of pure glucose which is 100. Foods that are high in glycemic index put your body at risk of developing insulin resistance type 2 diabetes and elevated sugar levels. Sugary Cereals Athletes may be active, but that doesn’t give them the leeway to consume sugary foods including sugary cereals. This is because including these foods in your CrossFit diet spikes insulin levels which in turn prime your body to store more fat. This stresses the body and lowers your overall performance. Intake of sugary cereals raises your blood sugar levels which fall afterward making your body yearn for more sugary foods thereby snowballing your health into a much bigger and unmanageable crisis. White Bread White bread may be popular, but its nutritional content is wanting. This is because the white flour used in making the bread is stripped off its nutrients including fiber, essential Vitamin B, and wheat germ. This leaves behind a processed food product which raises insulin levels when consumed. This is dangerous for an athlete because the dips in energy and the weight gain contributed by white bread can severely affect your CrossFit training schedule. Other foods athletes should put on their must-avoid list include microwave popcorn, granola, alcohol, nutrition bars, pasta, bottled salad dressing, packed deli meat, and pretzels. Instead of craving for these foods, they should look for their healthy alternatives.

When growing up, most of us were admonished by our parents because of posture. If you ever heard words such as don’t slouch, sit up straight, and such like other words directed at you, there must have been a problem. While many of us didn’t like the reprimands, the truth is, our parents didn’t like the manner in which we were either sitting or standing. Poor posture has lots of implications, and whether our parents knew all of them or not, they had our best interest at heart. Understanding Good Posture Posture refers to the positioning and alignment of the body concerning the force of gravity. Whether you are standing, lying down, or sitting on a mat in the CrossFit gym, gravity exerts a force on our muscles, joints, and ligaments. Good posture enables us to distribute the force of gravity all over our body so that no single structure is overstressed. When exercising in weight training, posture will affect how you run, jump, walk, and lift weights. This, in turn, will give you good balance, flexibility, and ease of movement. Apart from that, the following are some other benefits of good posture in and out of the gym. Better and More Confident Image At times, all you need is just self-confidence. If you slump over, the image you portray to those around you whether they are your CrossFit colleagues or even the folks in your neighborhood is that of a defeated soul. At all times, you need to stand tall, and this can be achieved through a good posture. The first thing your CrossFit trainer will work on with you in the gym is posture and form. This is because they are important for your CrossFit training. Helps in Breathing The slouching position affects the depth and ease of breathing. When working out, breathing is a critical process that gives you an exchange of air and keeps you going through reps. People who are comfortable in the slouching position may have difficulty sitting up straight because when they do, their frontal muscles end up being over shortened and tightened which affects the breathing volume. Enhanced Digestion and Circulation You may not believe it, but your digestion system hugely depends on your posture. With the right posture, your internal organs assume their rightful position without any compulsion or compression. This helps in the normal flow and functioning of the gastrointestinal system. If there is one aspect you cannot forego in CrossFit is poor digestion. It doesn’t matter how healthy your CrossFit diet is, but without proper digestion, it will be countless. Helps Your Joints and Muscle Assuming the right posture aligns your bones and joints thereby allowing your muscles to work properly. Bad posture increases wearing of joint surfaces which if not checked can cause degenerative arthritis as well as joint pain. Having good posture reduces the stress meted to the ligaments which hold the spinal joints, and this minimizes chances of injury. Also, correct posture is directly related to a healthy spine. Though posture seems a simple concept, it is responsible for holding together lots of intricate structures in the spine and keeping them healthy.  

In sports, the success of an athlete is determined by numbers of factors, some of which include motivation, training, talent, resistance to injury among others. This means accomplished athletes need to pay keen attention to every factor that influences their Cross Training Athletes performance. Nutrition is a key element in the preparation of an athlete for any competition as well as routine training. The foods athletes choose affect performance directly hence they need to be aware of their nutritional strategies and the foods that will help them meet their goals. In order to have a broad and comprehensive understanding of nutrition as it pertains to athletes, the discussion below has been divided into different topical issues. Food Groups There are three main food groups that athletes should include in their diet; energy giving foods, proteins as well as vitamins and minerals. The energy requirements of an athlete can be broken down into several components including energy for baseline metabolic needs, energy for growth as well as energy for physical activity. In order to meet the energy that is needed for all these processes,  therefore, athletes’ diet must contain sufficient energy giving foods. Athletes require carbohydrates for training and recovery as well as for energy during competitions. The protein requirements depend on the type of exercises and sport the athlete is engaged in. For instance, in strength training, dietary proteins help in enabling the muscles to synthesize certain proteins required to enhance performance. The contribution of proteins in the manufacture of new tissue, repair of worn out tissue and regulating metabolism and the immune system through hormones is critical. Cross Training Athletes should include a high-quality protein diet soon after Cross Training Athletes exercise to help in muscle protein synthesis. Vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals help the body in regulating metabolic processes by acting as enzyme co-factors. Some vitamins such as E and K have antioxidant properties which help in mopping up excess radicals hence reducing inflammation during exercises and competitions. Nutritional Needs of Special Populations In athletics, the needs of young athletes and female athletes vary nutrition-wise depending on whether they are training or in active competition. The diet needs of young athletes must be observed both before and during competitions so as to minimize gastrointestinal upsets and dehydration. Avoiding solid foods for about 2 to 3 hours before competition helps, however, the intake of fluids should be encouraged throughout. Because of active growth and the effects of adolescence, young athletes must be given the necessary nutritional support which includes energy, protein and vitamin intake. Female athletes have lower energy requirements because of their low muscle mass and body mass as well as a lighter training load. Their diets should contain lots of iron and less of fats. Types of Workouts Depending on the type of training an athlete is participating in, their Cross Training Athletes  diet intake changes. For instance, strength training which includes bodybuilding, powerlifting, throwing events, as well as weightlifting, requires a high intake of energy giving foods and adequate high-quality proteins. Power sports which include rowing, swimming, kayaking and track cycling requires moderate to high levels of carbohydrates intake, sufficient fluids, and high-quality proteins. Endurance sports including triathlon, marathon and road cycling requires athletes to have the ability to sustain performance over long periods. The diet here should be rich in carbohydrates to fuel the training phrase, fluids to prevent dehydration as well as high-quality proteins to promote muscle adaptation. In addition to the above sports, special consideration should also be made for aesthetic and weight class training such as gymnastics, figure skating, combative sports, and diving. Carbohydrates help athletes in this category to meet the energy needs for training and competition while fluids help to prevent dehydration.

In order to lose some pounds and build muscle mass, you need a diet low in carbs but high in proteins to sustain the growth of lean muscles. The importance of a high-protein CrossFit diet in weight loss has been the subject of debate because some researchers argue that these diets don’t work. Most Americans get 10 to 30% of their calorie needs from protein diets. The rest comes from animal proteins including cheese, meat, and eggs. How High-Protein Diets Work? When you cut out carbohydrates intake, your weight loss is much faster because you also lose water. With no extra carbs, the body slowly begins to burn more fat for fuel. In many individuals, this may lead to a condition known as ketosis that makes you feel less hungry hence lower chances of eating more. When setting a high-protein CrossFit nutrition plan, you should ensure the diet is low in fat and brings together some carbs. Ensure you avoid extreme high-protein diets containing huge helpings of fatty meals and not much of grains and vegetables. Some of the suggested foods in protein diets include: Lean Beef  A nice juicy steak has less of fat and more of proteins. According to research, lean beef contains almost half of the proteins you need as well as 10 other essential nutrients. It makes you feel fuller for longer and gives you the power to sustain activity and manage your weight. Apart from this, lean beef has iron and B vitamins that assist in the building of muscles and fueling an active lifestyle. Pork Just like lean beef, pork has plenty of protein and less of fat as long as you buy the right type. Top loin, tenderloin, sirloin steak, rib chops and shoulder blade steaks are much leaner and will give you all these nutritional benefits. Pork is a rich source of niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, phosphorous, vitamin B6, zinc and potassium. These nutrients have a significant impact on your body health as an athlete and help in the absorption of other nutrients. Fish Fish such as tuna and salmon contain omega 3 fatty acids which are invaluable to cardiac health. Being white meat, fish provides a healthy source of protein while keeping the fat level at a bare minimum. Soy Eating about 25 grams of soy protein on a daily basis can help lower the bad cholesterol. As an athlete, cholesterol levels can impede your CrossFit training performance by hindering the activity of the heart and blood circulation. For vegetarian athletes, soy can be an important source of proteins. In addition to the above foods, an athlete can benefit from low-cost proteins which include beans and low-fat dairy. For maximum effectiveness of protein diets, ensure you include fruits, veggies, and whole grains.

Carbohydrates are the backbone of sports nutrition. Endurance athletes around the world consume foods rich in carbohydrates to give them the energy to sustain their training over long periods. During CrossFit training, the muscles need fuel, and your brain needs the energy to maintain the focus throughout the training. In many types of sports, low carbohydrates intake is the major cause of fatigue and low performance. Carbohydrate Intake Patterns for Athletes The carbohydrates needs of athletes are tied closely to their muscle fuel costs imposed by the training intensity. Since the training load changes from one day to the next and at different points in the careers of the athletes, the dietary intake of carbohydrates ought to change also in response to the rise and fall in muscle fuel needs. Instead of having a fixed carbohydrate intake target, you should fine tune it to fit your energy budget. Athletes should also target days when they are training hard at high intensity to ensure they have adequate glycogen (muscle carbohydrates) store to fuel their training goals. One of the greatest suggestions to help you monitor your carbohydrate intake is to track your muscle fuel needs to include additional carbohydrate-rich foods in meals and snacks before or after a CrossFit workout. As the training needs increase, your carbohydrate intake should also increase proportionally. Carbohydrates intake targets should be provided in grams relative to the body mass of the athlete instead of a percentage of the total energy intake. The Training Load versus Carbohydrates Intake As pointed above, your training load should determine your level of carbohydrates intake. A light training load characterized by skill-based or low-intensity activities should be supported by 3 to 5 grams of carbohydrates intake per kilogram of body mass. Moderate exercise programs lasting about an hour a day should be supported by 5 to 7 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body mass per day. Endurance programs which include 3 to 5 hours per day of high-intensity training should be supported by 6 to 10 grams per kilogram of body mass per day. As for the very high training loads, the carbohydrates intake should be upped to 8 to 12 grams per kilogram of body mass to support the extreme commitment of high-intensity exercise. Many athletes train with low carbohydrate availability particularly when they do their training in the morning without breakfast or when they engage in a long workout without access to sports drinks or foods. When the exercise intensity is low, this may not be a problem. However, when they train more than once every day in closely spaced sessions, CrossFit diet sufficient in carbohydrates is needed to enhance the speed of recovery.

When talking about supplements, there are natural and artificial. Most of the supplements you find in stores are a balance between the two. However, for top benefits, you should go for natural supplements which can be found in organic and healthy food sources. When you include supplements in your CrossFit diet, your body gets all the inevitable substances it requires such as antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Loading with vegetables and fruits is important, but even then, you can miss out on some components of your nutrition. Supplements help in giving your body those nutrients you can’t easily get from your ordinary foods. The following are some of the supplements you should have in your nutrition mix. Maca Maca is a plant grown in Latin America especially the mountains of Peru. Botanically, it is classified as a member of the cruciferous family from which vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage are derived. The supplement is made by drying the maca roots and then grinding them into powder form. This nutrient is also available in other forms such as liquid extract and capsules. Maca roots are known for their protein and carbs content. Their fat content is low, and they contain a fair amount of fiber. In maca, you will find some essential vitamins and minerals including copper, Vitamin C, and iron. There are numerous benefits that come with maca including support for your learning ability and memory, mood enhancement, and anti-depressive effects. Spirulina This blue-green alga has a specific taste and grows naturally around the world. You can find it in Africa, Mexico, Hawaii, in salty lakes and oceans. In terms of nutrients, spirulina has vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, A, C, D, and E. in addition, you will find lots of minerals in it such as phosphorus, manganese, selenium, zinc, and sodium. With its ability to remove toxins from the blood and bind metals in your body, this antioxidant can enhance your CrossFit gym performance by reducing muscle fatigue. If you want to last longer during training and burn fat, this magic green supplement should be on your list. Wheatgrass This grass can be found in moderate climatic zones such as the US and Europe. It is available in the form of fine green powder or liquid. In terms of nutrition, wheatgrass contains vitamin A, C, E, and chlorophyll. Minerals that play a key role in the body system such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, and iron can be obtained from this supplement. The role of your immune system in giving you a good gym performance cannot be underestimated. Wheatgrass improves digestion, boosts your immune system, and enhances oxygen levels in your body. This reduces fatigue. Matcha Green Tea There is no major difference between the regular green tea and matcha tea. However, the way matcha is grown is unique. The shaded environment in which matcha green tea is grown enables it to gain higher levels of beneficial compounds including EGCG and ECG antioxidants which protect the body against free radical damage. Much like other green teas, matcha powder helps in treating depression, reducing cholesterol, blood glucose, and cancer cells. During CrossFit workout, matcha tea gives you the much-needed endurance and better muscle recovery. You cannot afford to skip this natural supplement.

Any effective training must be accompanied by the right mix of nutrition. Much like the unpredictability of CrossFit WODs, diet also varies from one person to another. When you mention fats, people mistake them for unhealthy components which should, by all means, be withdrawn from the diet. The kind of fats which should be avoided at all costs are the trans fats. This type of fats comes in two categories: artificial and naturally occurring trans fats. Artificial trans fats are added to make food taste better. They are tempting but should be replaced with healthier meals. In the body, trans fats raise your cholesterol level which in turn enhances the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Trans fats are commonly found in foods such as pie crusts, frozen pizza, crackers, cookies, stick margarine, cakes, droughts and others. The healthiest fats are monosaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids. The former lower the bad cholesterol while the latter help in fighting inflammation, blood clotting, and high blood pressure. Healthy fats are important for cell growth and brain function. The following are some of the best sources of healthy fats. Tuna, Salmon, and other Fish Tuna and Salmon are known for their omega 3 fatty acids and healthy fats. They help in boosting cardiac health. The recommended intake is approximately 12 ounces a week. This is approximately 2 meals. The reason why the quantity is limited is, the increased intake may expose you to such substances like mercury which are often found in small amounts in seafood. Avocado A medium-sized avocado contains about 23gms of monosaturated fats. Also, it gives you about 40% of your daily fiber needs. Naturally, the avocado is cholesterol and sodium free and contains lutein which is an oxidant that protects your vision. Taking a half avocado at one time is recommended because of the high amounts of calories. Canola Oil and Olive Oil Olive oil contains polyphenols which help in fighting cancer. It also contains monosaturated fats such as oleic acid which plays a key role in strengthening the heart. Increasing the amounts of olive oil in your CrossFit diet boosts the level of serotonin in your blood, a hormone associated with satiety. On the other hand, canola oil has a healthy 2.5:1 ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids. This dietary ratio enables you to battle arthritis, cancer, and asthma more effectively. Nuts Getting a quarter cup of cashews, pecans, almonds, or pistachios gives you a good loading of healthy fats. Pistachios have carotenoids, zeaxanthin, and lutein which are important for eye health. Macadamia and cashews contain much fat, and therefore you should watch your serving. Eggs Eggs are famous for their role in lowering bad cholesterol levels. They also contain choline, a macronutrient that attacks the gene mechanism responsible for triggering the body system to store fat around the liver. Other foods containing healthy fats to include in your CrossFit nutrition are Greek yogurt, cheese, coconut butter, chia seeds, nut butter, and dark chocolate.

If you want to take your CrossFit training to the next level, you should boost up your commitment to nutrition. When it comes to fitness diet, there is no substitute for quality nutrition. Depending on your lifestyle, biology, training, and goals, what you eat will differ from one person to the next. If you respect your body enough and you want the best out of it, focus on quality. Refined Simplicity Nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated; you can keep it simple by picking the best ingredients that maximize your health and athletic performance. Take it upon yourself to strip away anything unnecessary so that you remain with the basic building blocks of nutrition. When you overcomplicate your diet, it may lead to failure. Simply, stick to your plans as long as they take you to your goals. There are 5 types of fitness foods that can help you in perfecting your nutrition. Coconut Oil Adding this to your daily nutrition will give you amazing levels of energy, help you burn fat, lower oxidative stress, improve cognitive function and digestion. If you are vegan, you have every reason to include coconut oil in your diet because it contains saturated fats which are a natural source of energy.You can blend coconut oil with matcha green tea or coffee and use it as a pre-workout drink. Alternatively, you can use the oil for cooking especially in roasting and sautéing. Bio Protein You can use this as a post-WOD fuel. After a severe workout, your body needs to recharge and maximize recovery. Bio protein is perfect for breakfast as it boosts neurotransmitter production, satiates hunger, and stabilizes energy levels. In muscle building, bioprotein supplies you with amino acids to help in the process. Nuts and Berries You can eat berries anytime, but the best timing is when you are in an intense training cycle. Nuts are packed with lots of nutrients including essential fats thus making it a perfect snack. Berries, on the other hand, contain fiber, polyphenols, and anthocyanins. They are a great addition to any CrossFit diet. Protein Porridge For a perfect start to your morning, try protein porridge. It has virtually every ingredient you are looking for to start off your training. You can add berries and nuts to form a meal that will take you through the day. Chia Seeds This is a superfood which you can easily throw into your smoothie or morning yogurt. Every athlete knows that chia seeds enhance concertation, give you a good amount of proteins, and contain anti-oxygens which are crucial in reducing inflammation and reducing muscle soreness. As always simplicity is the key to CrossFit nutrition. Using available foods, you can make your super diet that will help you power through your workouts and get that excellent performance.