CrossFit Games Nutrition: My Specific Changes and Recommendations

Just as CrossFit based training requires a balance of technique and intensity, I believe that CrossFit based nutrition often requires a balance of strictness and functionality. I am sure most athletes know that their performance would increase if they ate only Paleo based quality foods with the precision of modified Zone blocks to meet their needs. However, most athletes do not eat this way and many have never even tried this approach for a consistent amount of time. The most common reason that many athletes do not embrace this approach is because it is not perceived to be functional for them. In other words, it does not fit into their lifestyle and/or the benefits from implementing this are not perceived to outweigh the sacrifices it takes to carry it out.

What Are You Willing to Do?

I see so many athletes who are willing to go through two or even three grueling workouts a day, and who will spend $300 to $500 per month on the best perceived supplementation. However, they are unwilling to go to sleep one hour earlier or spend three to four hours per week on meal preparation. I truly believe that the majority of your progress will be made outside the gym with proper nutrition, sleep, and lifestyle.

I find that it is also important that you like what you are eating and that your diet, within reason, is geared more towards foods that you enjoy. So many people think that eating well means only plain and boring foods. One of the largest benefits that I offer to my clients is simply showing them new creative meals that are healthy, easy, and taste great. There is a fine line between forcing someone to go strict Paleo and still allowing some dairy, oatmeal, occasional gluten free grains, and natural peanut butter. I would rather transition them to an overall healthier diet and allow these foods initially to help with compliance and increase the likelihood of long-term success. However, I continue to see the best long-term results with strict Paleo compliance and the goal is to move toward this as fast as possible.

I personally eat a strict Paleo diet with the occasional exception of consuming natural peanut butter and raw milk. A large part of my advice is based around what is functional and what people will stick to. My recommendations for the CrossFit Games athlete must be functional for other reasons as well. The majority of athletes were staying in hotels without a kitchen and limited, if any, refrigerator space. They were also forced to spend a large part of their day at the venue, so meals and snacks must be portable and able to be kept in a cooler. With these circumstances in mind, my recommendations in this article would alter slightly if an athlete had access to a full kitchen on a daily basis.

Food Quality

An important topic that is often overlooked in all of our talks and debates on nutrition is food quality. One thing to keep in mind is that organic or natural foods do not mean that they are necessarily healthy. The best example of this is grass fed beef. Even if you buy high end organic beef from Whole Foods, the animal was not healthy if it was not grass fed. Cows were not meant to eat grains, and even if the grains are organic, they will still be sick. If the cows are sick, the fat in the meat you are consuming will carry many of the toxins from this animal. I believe that this subject is often overlooked and we need to educate ourselves on the importance of food quality. In many nutritional circles food quality takes a back seat to quantity and ratios. In my opinion this is a huge mistake and contributes to many of the long term health issues that so many of us are faced with. It can hinder elite athletes or average dieters just trying to lose some weight.

My Specific Meals:

These meals are not all strict Paleo, but they are functional, taste good, and have worked very well for my clients. These meals were some of the best options under the circumstances. As previously mentioned, all of the meals needed to be easily transferred, last for 3-4 days in a cooler, and be fairly easy to eat on the go. Due to the fact that you do not know exactly when your heat is going to compete, it is extremely important to have multiple options for each meal. You also are unaware of the timing for the next event and even how many events there will be in a single day. This format changed my recommended approach in several ways, and made things especially difficult for post workout nutrition.

In general post workout is the time to replenish glycogen storage and bring in a larger amount of carbohydrates. However, in my opinion things change when you have another workout to compete in within hours. Glycogen loading will generally help with recovery, but will also hault your body’s natural growth hormone output, and cause more rapid changes in blood sugar. These blood sugar changes will affect energy, focus, mood, and performance. This factor makes it even more important to stabilize blood sugar and depend more on fat stores for energy. This is a process that must start weeks or even months before the competition. Fat has always been the most efficient source of energy and you must alter your diet to train your body to use fat as the primary energy source.

Here is a look at the specific meals that I used with Tommy Hackenbrook at the 2010 CrossFit Games:

Blueberry Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes- This recipe is very easy for breakfast and you can eat them cold or warmed up. Each serving contained approximately 40 grams of protein, 30 grams of fat, and 30 grams of carbohydrate split between blueberries and oatmeal.

Homemade Protein Bars/Muffins- My homemade protein bars were an ideal snack in between meals and workouts. They have more substance and real food than protein drinks and allow for a large amount of fat from coconut products and eggs. Each bar has approximately 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein, and 6 grams of carbohydrates. This was an ideal way for Tommy to keep his fat stores up throughout the weekend using a snack that is more easily digested than red meat and a better nutrition source than just supplement drinks.

Tuna Cups- This is a very functional meal used post workout of the final workout of the day. It was a relatively easy way to keep some variety, bring in fat, protein, and a larger amount of carbohydrates.

Grass Fed Beef Patties, Mixed Vegetables and Yams- This was the typical dinner consumed in the evening after all workouts were completed. Through the course of the weekend this was usually the largest meal and was consumed to satiety. In general this portion size would have been too large, but it was allowed for the weekend to fuel the grueling course of events.

Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil, Hard Boiled Eggs, Mixed Nuts, and Almond Butter- These snacks were used throughout the weekend to keep fat stores up and consume enough calories. Coconut milk and coconut oil were consumed daily in between and before workouts to help maintain blood sugar and offer quick accessible fuel without consuming additional sugars.

Recovery Drinks, Mixed Berries, Banana, and Protein Powder- These meals or snacks were primarily used to make recovery drinks following the last workout of the day, post workout when the next workout was a minimum of three hours away, or as a snack before bed.

*See the recipe section on my blog for recipe details. The meals above were modified from the original recipes for increased fat and protein intake.

Tommy’s Take on the Weekend

In discussing the weekend with Tommy Hackenbruck, he was very pleased with his performance and overall preparation. With the 2010 CrossFit Games having a larger emphasis on skills and gymnastics, Tommy was very happy with his Top 10 finish. As Sunday came around many of the athletes were extremely exhausted and absolutely drained. Due to Tommy’s overall preparation, training, and nutrition he felt very good on Sunday and was actually hoping for one more event, while many of the athletes had nothing left in their tank.

Overall, several of these small changes allowed Tommy to perform at an optimal level and increase his ability to perform at a high level as the weekend went on. In Tommy’s opinion, the following nutritional changes were key to his overall level of preparedness for the 2010 CrossFit Games:

Just getting enough fuel- He had access to a variety of snacks constantly without having to even think about meal preparation or leaving the venue to get food.
Increasing fat intake- The increased fat intake led to better energy, more consistent blood sugars, and increased overall performance over the course of nine events. Through training and the weekend, the sources of fat were also altered. Tommy increased his consumption of red meat from grass fed beef, added coconut milk and coconut oil, ate more avocados, and lowered his intake of nuts.
Controlling cravings- This was done by way of increasing fat intake, lowering sugar and fruit intake, and changing the source of fat at meals.
Eliminate Dairy- The final step was to eliminate dairy completely and lower grains to only occasional oatmeal.

Mark’s Daily Apple on Zone:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/whats-wrong-zone-diet/

CrossFit Games Nutrition: Part 1 Eliminate Variables

I recently had the opportunity to work with my friend and client, Tommy Hackenbruck, as he prepared for the 2010 CrossFit Games. I have been familiar with the CrossFit Community for about three years as I have enjoyed following the Cross Fit Journal and main site. However, it was not until March of 2010 when I began training at UTE CrossFit, that I really became fascinated with the sport, culture and lifestyle of CrossFit.


If you follow CrossFit, then you are well aware of the emphasis that these athletes and the Community as a whole place on nutrition. Just as there is not one specific way to train for the CrossFit Games, there is certainly not one specific diet that works either. However, as I sat in the locker room and observed a group of the most elite, focused, and strong willed athletes in the world, my mind raced with questions.


These athletes have sacrificed so much over the last six to nine months of their lives to be in this position. There is no season, no next weekend, and not even next month. They train primarily for one event a year and must live with their success or disappointment for an entire year before given a second chance to do better or prove that they were worthy of their current finish. Certain workouts favor certain types of athletes and after the 2010 Cross Fit Games, we have never been more aware of the fact that CrossFit is not fair and anything can happen.


With all of the accepted Cross Fit variables in mind, why would you allow your diet to be added to the list? You only have approximately 48 hours to show the world how hard you have worked for the past year. By the time these athletes stepped into the Home Depot Center all of their training was over. Mental toughness, determination, heart, desire, and athletic ability were not going to change in the next 48 hours, but poor diet could drastically hinder performance. Many experts would agree that there was only a small group of men and women who had a likely chance to place in the top three. Assuming all athletes were able to avoid injury and took the proper measures to get adequate sleep, there is no variable left that is more important than nutrition!


Nutrition is the ultimate legal drug that can make or break your performance, drastically improve recovery, and give you the added mental clarity and focus needed to get through nine grueling events in 48 hours. I thought that the most elite athletes in the CrossFit Community knew all of this and would take every possible measure to eliminate the most important remaining variable of nutrition.


Common Mistakes Athletes Make


Did I mention that my mind was racing? I saw some of the same athletes that we hold up on a pedestal as “CrossFit Celebrities” making huge mistakes! I do not care who you are or how much God given talent that you have, there is far too much research to prove that nutrition does make a difference. I also think it is fair to make the assumption that all competitive CrossFit athletes know this. So why would you possibly make so many sacrifices to get to the CrossFit Games and then not take every possible precaution to have optimal nutrition during the competition?

I don’t know the answer to this, and I do not know what every single athlete consumed throughout the weekend. There were a number of athletes who seemed to have their nutrition completely locked in. However, the four largest mistakes that I commonly observed were:


1. I was surprised that every athlete did not have a large cooler with multiple meal options and snacks based around pre and post workout needs. Most athletes had a bag of snacks and recovery type drinks. There were also some snacks provided for the athletes. The paleo snacks were a good choice, but there was a soy and almond milk drink that was garbage and way too many people were drinking. I was also shocked to see a number of athletes eating “Poison Bars” full of chemicals, sugar, and even well hidden saturated and trans fats.


2. I noticed an overuse of supplementation and a significant lack of real whole foods. Too many athletes were living on recovery drinks and not eating enough real meals. The majority of these drinks have too much sugar and nowhere near enough fat in them. There is definitely a time and place for these supplements throughout the weekend, but they will not have the lasting nutritional value of real whole foods. Protein and recovery drinks are great tools for fast absorbing nutrients, but they can never replace real food.


3. There were way too many high glycemic fruits and other starches being consumed in between workouts without enough fat and protein. I understand the theory of glycogen loading for recovery. However, I disagree with eating high amounts of sugar when you are competing multiple times in a day. Consuming these foods is going to create spikes and crashes in your blood sugar that you will be fighting for the rest of the day. The exact workout times are unknown and often change from the time announced. This makes it impossible to control blood sugar and avoid potential crashes right before or during a workout. In general, and especially in this format, sugar is absolutely not your best source of fuel. Also, irregular blood glucose levels will cause you to crash, trigger unwanted hormonal responses, hinder your performance, and without a doubt cause mental and emotional fatigue above and beyond the extreme stress of the event itself.


4. I did not see enough fat being consumed. In general, I strongly believe that the optimal source of energy is from fat. Fat is far more efficient than sugar and will help regulate blood glucose levels throughout multiple long days of competition. Throughout the grueling series of workouts your glycogen levels will be depleted and your body will shift toward needing your fat stores for energy. I coach all of the athletes that I work with to train their body to burn fat as their primary source of energy. This transition is done far before competition, and will also help reduce inflammation, improve recovery, increase mental and emotional stability, and most importantly improve energy and athletic performance.


Some of my observations and critiques may seem simplistic and general. However, I promise you that I have never met one athlete who has not made improvement in athletic performance after implementing these simple practices into their nutritional preparation.


Zone vs. Paleo


There are so many great references on nutrition where we can get information, and all of them were comprised by extremely intelligent professionals. Unfortunately, there is still endless debate about Zone vs. Paleo and which is better. I truly believe that you must take information from all available sources and apply different methods to your own body and make conclusions from real world experience and individual results. The Zone Blocks are a great tool to measure macronutrients, but I feel there are multiple flaws when you really examine the overall philosophy of someone entering “the zone”. We all have slightly different metabolic needs, and there has been great research to prove metabolic individuality among all humans. Therefore there can not be one general formula for individuals to actually enter “the zone”. I have found that many athletes actually see better results with lower carbohydrate intake and drastically higher fat consumption. While you can modify the zone blocks to fit an athlete’s needs, I feel that this deviates so far from the original zone prescription of 40-30-30 that it should not be called the Zone Diet at all. I also feel there must be far more scrutiny placed on the quality and types of foods one consumes to fill the prescribed macronutrient intake. For example, all carbohydrates are not the same and trigger different hormonal responses even if they have the same amount of calories or Zone Blocks.


In my opinion, the Paleo Diet is the best diet that I have ever seen. I completely agree with the prescribed foods that are acceptable by Paleo standards for optimal health, athletic performance, and long term well being. I really only have two minor modifications that I make when implementing the Paleo Diet. The first modification is that I believe there needs to be some form of measurement of your macronutrients. I do not feel weighing and measuring your food is functional or sustainable for most people, but you do need to have an approximate protein, carbohydrate, and fat measurement that you aim for at different meals. The second modification that I would make is to allow athletes to still eat some non-paleo foods as their body transitions to a strict Paleo Diet. Some examples of these foods are oatmeal, natural peanut butter, and a small amount of cottage cheese or other dairy.


I work to keep functionality a high priority, and I seek applications that can easily be implemented for success. You absolutely must listen to your body and become self-aware of how you feel and any food cravings that you have. You cannot succeed on any diet if you are having food cravings. One of the first things I do with all of the athletes that I work with is address cravings and work to eliminate them. You can completely eliminate food cravings and addictions if you have the appropriate macronutrient ratio that is optimal for your body. There are countless great diets and diet books available to us. However, there is not one specific diet or one macronutrient ratio that will work for every person. You must learn how to listen to your body and make the appropriate changes needed to achieve optimal energy, focus, emotional stability, and athletic performance.
In Part 2 of this article I will share with you my exact prescribed meals for an athlete at the CrossFit Games and show you the exact meals that I prepared for Tommy Hackenbruck.

All photos courtesy of CrossFit Inc's copyrighted photos.

Calorie Counting: Is There a Better Way?

 

Every single day people ask me questions like “What should I eat?” and “How many calories a day should I eat?” At the most basic fundamental level these could be considered really good questions. However, if you truly begin to understand the functionality of nutrition and its powerful affects on our health, these questions can be difficult to answer, and sometimes even more difficult to understand.

Calorie Counting

How many times have you heard the phrase “Calories In Calories Out”? This phrase refers to the philosophy that in order to lose weight you must burn more calories through daily exercise or activity than you consume through your daily intake of food and drink. At the absolute most basic level of nutrition this statement has some truth. Many nutrition professionals have helped people lose weight using this formula. However, there are many other variables that must be considered when calorie counting.

Have you ever thought about the fact that many obese people actually eat less calories than people who are in great shape with sculpted bodies? In my experience I find many people fighting weight issues often eat the following diet:

Breakfast: No time for breakfast, but a coffee with cream and sugar at the office.

Snack: A late morning “low fat” snack at the office which may consist of something like a bagel, granola bar, or a piece of fruit.

Lunch: A sandwich with vegetables, shaved deli meat, and low-fat mayo. A diet soda and some reduced fat potato chips.

Afternoon: Fatigue and sweet cravings usually kick in by this time, and there may be a small “cheat” by grabbing a couple pieces of candy, or other sugar filled carbohydrate.

Dinner: There is usually a long period of fasting between lunch and dinner, and then by the time they eat dinner, it is the largest meal of the day and they are craving pasta, grains, or some sort of complex carbohydrate to satisfy their hunger. This often leads to a small dessert after dinner. A few hours later it is time for bed and the largest meal of the day was just consumed and your body is trying to digest it.

I understand that the example above is very generalized, but it is what I see every single day. While it is most likely true that the well sculpted individuals work out more or more intensely, I believe that the more critical difference is in their respective diets.

So What Really is a "Diet?"

The diet referred to above may only consist of 1,200 to 2,000 calories per day, but they are the wrong calories, at the wrong time, creating the wrong hormonal responses. A well sculpted individual could easily consume more calories, more meals, and far more fat without gaining any weight. To better understand this, I want you to first understand why all calories are not equal.

So many people have adopted a low-fat diet with the intention of losing weight. Unfortunately, this practice generally increases the caloric intake from grains and sugars. These macronutrients can create undesired hormonal responses in your body that all start with spikes in your blood sugar and can only go downhill from there. Here is a great video by Sean Croxton of Underground Wellness to better explain the science behind this:

http://www.youtube.com/undergroundwellness#p/u/43/chXCvduiAbs

The bottom line is that your diet is most likely not as good as you think it is. Too many people are avoiding dietary fats, when they need to be avoiding sugars and starches. Essential Fatty Acids are needed for so many functions in your body, including brain function. They are “essential” because your body does not make them naturally and you must consume them through proper diet in order to achieve sufficient amounts and optimal health.

You are not losing weight because you are eating too much sugar and not enough fat. Don’t be scared of red meat and other healthy dietary fat. You need to fear over consumption of grains, dairy, white flour’s, and even too much fruit. Calories are not calories and your macronutrient ratios control your hormones. This in turn will either promote the burning or storing of fat in your body. Fat loss is all about controlling hormonal responses, therefore counting calories should not be your number one concern.

If you have any other questions or comments about calorie counting, ask me on Facebook!

Welcome CrossFit Athletes! - Preparing for Ultimate Nutrition Success in Your Kitchen (Part 2)

It is has become a widely accepted philosophy that up to 80% of your fitness and weight loss goals are actually accomplished in the kitchen and not in the gym. Have you ever noticed that you tend to see the same people working hard in the gym year after year, but unfortunately many of them do not appear to be getting the results that they deserve? It has been my observation that many of these individuals tend to spend long hours on cardio machines at the gym working hard to no avail. Does this sound familiar to you?

Whether your goal is weight loss, long term health, or athletic performance, it all starts in the kitchen. Many of us have good intentions and we truly want to make the right meal choices on a daily basis. However, we continue to set ourselves up for failure by stocking our refrigerators and pantries with the wrong foods. The first step, and quite possibly the most important, is just making sure you have access to the right foods on a daily basis.

Here are some simple and practical action steps that you can take today:

1. Eliminate Simple Sugars - Get rid of all of the sugar filled drinks, candy, and sweets that you currently have in your kitchen. Sugar is the number one culprit of poor health and poor performance. Fat has taken a bad wrap for years, but it is sugar that is damaging your health! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM)

2. Eliminate Processed Foods - Stop buying as many packaged goods as you possibly can. If your food comes in boxes and other packaging, it is most likely not good for you. When you look at the ingredients and see a long list of words that you can not pronounce, this means you are ingesting harmful things into your body that are hindering you from achieving success.

3. Limit Grains and Starches- You must make an effort to limit the amount of grains and starches that you eat. We have been incorrectly programmed to eat breads, pasta, and crackers with every meal. Yes, these foods may be “low fat” but they all convert to sugar. Sugar is what causes weight gain. Fat does not!

4. Increase Vegetables and Lower Glycemic Fruits- Make an effort to buy, wash, cut, and store as many fruits and vegetables as you possibly can. Eat vegetables and lower glycemic fruits at every meal in place of grains and starches.

5. Prepare Food in Bulk- Make it a practice to cook a variety of meals two to three times per week. It does not take much more time to increase your quantity of food once you are already making the effort to prepare food. This will drastically cut down on your daily meal prep time and assure that the proper foods are available to you on the days that you are not cooking. This will also discourage you from going out to eat when you have taken the time to prepare a nice healthy meal that is waiting right inside your refrigerator. (see recipes – You Tune link)

6. Keep Raw Nuts and Seeds Available - Keep several containers of raw nuts and seeds in your kitchen at all times. They are a great source of good fat and also contain some protein. Try to always buy them “raw” without salt and unroasted. Nuts and seeds are a great addition to salads and can be snacked on between meals if you are having food cravings.

7. Buy Proper Food Storage Containers- It may sound overly simplistic, but it is very important to have adequate food storage containers ready for use at all times. You need to be able to break your bulk cooking up into multiple single meals that are stored individually in your refrigerator. This allows you to simply “grab and go” when you are in a hurry. It is also necessary to have portable protein shakers to store protein drinks. Proper food storage will simplify this process even further and help you prepare for success on a daily basis.

These simple actions will greatly improve the likelihood of your long-term success. After several weeks, I am confident that these actions will become second nature and part of your lifestyle. Making these steps part of your routine will cut down on the guess work and stress that incorporating a new diet can bring. Preparing your meals in bulk will save you time and you will also save a substantial amount of money as well. So quit making excuses and start taking action today!

Preparing For Success While Traveling

It is hard enough to eat well on a day-to-day basis when you are in the comfort of your own home, or in your normal work routine, much less when you are traveling. We have all come to accept a very fast paced and stressful lifestyle that is not conducive to healthy eating and proper nutrition. I understand that eating well takes some effort, but I want you to stop making excuses and make a small effort to prepare yourself to succeed. I want to share with you some very basic tips that can help you when you are traveling.

I have found that most people have food intentions to eat better, but they will only eat better if they have convenient access to the proper food. However, most people don’t know where to begin and they set themselves up for failure by not preparing the right foods or bringing meals with them. It is extremely difficult to eat well on the road and in airports when your only option is fast food. There are obviously some choices that are better than others, but even ‘healthy’ fast food is processed, full of chemicals, contains unhealthy grains and starches, and is full of additional ingredients that can be harmful to your body.

All you need to do is set aside two hours the day before you travel to prepare some very easy snacks that can last for several days. This short amount of time will prepare you for success and give you direct access to the best possible foods under the circumstances that travel can present. Here are five simple snacks that will help give you the best chance to succeed while traveling:

1. Raw Nuts- Raw nuts are extremely easy to transport and eat in any environment. They are a great source of good fats and they can curb your appetite in between meals. Try to get organic raw nuts that have not been salted or roasted. Mixed nuts will give you a nice variety, but almonds and walnuts are two great choices of individual nuts that you can snack on.

2. Protein Supplements- There are very few protein bars or pre-mixed drinks that are truly good for you. The majority of them contain hidden saturated fats, sugars, and chemicals. Please see the recipes on my blog for Homemade Protein Bars and several different protein drinks that you can prepare easily in your own home. Protein supplements can never replace real food, but they are always better than no food or the wrong food.

3. Tuna Cup- This is a great meal that is portable and you can easily eat on the go. It must be kept in a cooler, but it is filling and has a great macronutrient blend of protein, fats, and carbohydrates.

4. Hard Boiled Eggs- Hard boiled eggs are extremely easy to make and transport. Eggs are a great source of protein and fat. Do not be scared of the fat in the yokes. Most people need more fat in their diet for optimal energy, performance, and health. Remember, eating fat does not make you fat!

5. Fruit- Fruit is always a great snack to carry with you when you are on the go. Three of my favorite lower glycemic choices are blueberries, apples, and pears. I have several recipes on my blog for you to review. Mixing blueberries and raw mixed nuts is a great snack and so is adding natural peanut butter to an apple. It is best to add protein and fat to fruit to lessen unwanted spikes in your blood sugar.

Please consider taking the time to prepare for success when you travel. It is so easy to make excuses and get caught up eating terrible airport food because you think there is no other option. So many people get sick when they fly and they blame the air quality inside the airplane. This may be a contributing factor, but a terrible diet and less sleep are just as guilty for causing you to get sick during or after you travel. Try implementing these five snacks into your travel plans. I am confident that you will be surprised at how easy it really is, and the way you feel will greatly outweigh the short amount of time you must invest.

Here we are Preparing for Success!