Monday, October 29th, 2012

Athletes,

With the open roughly 3 ½ months away, now is the time to start focusing on the foundation of what will help you succeed in the 2013 CrossFit Open.  The first thing that needs to be addressed is nutrition.

Whatever nutritional model you follow; Paleo or Zone, it’s time to start tightening things up and finding out what feeds your best performance.   One common misconception for the Paleo dieter is not enough carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are your fuel for high intensity anaerobic (without oxygen) exercise, so it is important to make sure you get enough of them to fuel your high intensity workouts. The best times are 2-3 hours before exercise and immediately after. 

Try to get the proper ratio of carbohydrates and protein, 3 parts good carbs; 2 parts protein right after the workout.  A sample post-workout meal would be a whey protein shake with 20-30 grams of protein and a large apple.  Avoid any refined or processed sources. One thing to remember is that a small amount can make a huge difference so if you choose to increase your intake, do so in small amounts to get that extra energy without gaining any extra fat mass.

Lastly, everyone is different so see what works the best for you and stick to it.  We all have lofty goals.  Our Box barely missed qualifying for Regionals.  The only way to change that is with great individual efforts during the Open.

Remember, YOU CAN'T OUTWORK A BAD DIET.  It will catch you somewhere.  We're in this as a team and everybody needs to have the confidence that the person next to them is working just as hard.  So, don't give up what you want in the long run for what you want at the moment.