What Should I Eat?
From CrossFit Inc: In plain language, base your diet on garden vegetables, especially greens, lean meats, nuts and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. That's about as simple as we can get. Many have observed that keeping your grocery cart to the perimeter of the grocery store while avoiding the aisles is a great way to protect your health. Food is perishable. The stuff with long shelf life is all suspect. If you follow these simple guidelines you will benefit from nearly all that can be achieved through nutrition.
If you're a long way off from eating in the zone, start out with ADDING the good foods and it will help immensely with ELIMINATING the bad foods later. Many people get started the opposite way and fail on a diet right away.
If you're a long way off from eating in the zone, start out with ADDING the good foods and it will help immensely with ELIMINATING the bad foods later. Many people get started the opposite way and fail on a diet right away.
Get in The Zone
The recommended diet plan for CrossFit athletes is The Zone Diet. It was developed by Dr. Barry Sears to reverse cellular inflammation, which 90% of Americans have high levels of, and can lead to weight gain, disease, and minimizes physical performance.
CFRx is here to help you simplify and stay motivated on the Zone Diet. Stay tuned for "In The Zone" challenges at CFRx, as we continue to reiterate the importance of a healthy diet to coincide with your CrossFit routine. Notice we said "coincide", and not "supplement". If you're truly serious about your fitness goals, you must be serious about both diet and exercise.
CFRx is here to help you simplify and stay motivated on the Zone Diet. Stay tuned for "In The Zone" challenges at CFRx, as we continue to reiterate the importance of a healthy diet to coincide with your CrossFit routine. Notice we said "coincide", and not "supplement". If you're truly serious about your fitness goals, you must be serious about both diet and exercise.
Easy Meal Log
| ZoneDiet.com Food Journal |
Zone Diet Principles
Balanced Nutrition: Each meal should maintain the 40-30-30 ratio for carbs/protein/fat.
Use the 'Block' system to help measure and stay on track with the 40-30-30 ratio.
A block is 7g of protein, 9g of carbohydrates, and 1.5g of fats.
Eat 5 times per day. 3 balanced meals, 2 snacks.
Don't let more than 5 hours pass without eating.
Target calorie intake should be 500 for meals and 100 for snacks.
Drink 8 glasses of water each day.
Use the 'Block' system to help measure and stay on track with the 40-30-30 ratio.
A block is 7g of protein, 9g of carbohydrates, and 1.5g of fats.
Eat 5 times per day. 3 balanced meals, 2 snacks.
Don't let more than 5 hours pass without eating.
Target calorie intake should be 500 for meals and 100 for snacks.
Drink 8 glasses of water each day.
More on Blocks
What is a block?
A block is a unit of measure used to simplify the process of making balanced meals.
7 grams of protein = 1 block of protein
9 grams of carbohydrate = 1 block of carbohydrate
1.5 grams of fat = 1 block of fat (There is an assumption that there is about 1.5 grams of fat in each block of protein, so the total amount of fat needed per 1 block meal is 3 grams.)
The meal plan file below is a great starter guide to learn about blocks:
1.) Find your body type to determine your block requirement
2.) Take a look at the block chart to see how much of some common foods are equal to one block
3.) View your respective meal plans to get an idea of how meals are constructed
A block is a unit of measure used to simplify the process of making balanced meals.
7 grams of protein = 1 block of protein
9 grams of carbohydrate = 1 block of carbohydrate
1.5 grams of fat = 1 block of fat (There is an assumption that there is about 1.5 grams of fat in each block of protein, so the total amount of fat needed per 1 block meal is 3 grams.)
The meal plan file below is a great starter guide to learn about blocks:
1.) Find your body type to determine your block requirement
2.) Take a look at the block chart to see how much of some common foods are equal to one block
3.) View your respective meal plans to get an idea of how meals are constructed
CrossFit Nutrition Starter Guide
| CrossFit Nutrition Starter Guide |
Protein/Fat/Carb Block Chart
Unfavorable Carbs Block Chart
What Foods Should I Avoid and Why?
From CrossFit Inc: Excessive consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates is the primary culprit in nutritionally caused health problems. High glycemic carbohydrates are those that raise blood sugar too rapidly. They include rice, bread, candy, potato, sweets, sodas, and most processed carbohydrates. Processing can include bleaching, baking, grinding, and refining. Processing of carbohydrates greatly increases their glycemic index, a measure of their propensity to elevate blood sugar.
The problem with high-glycemic carbohydrates is that they give an inordinate insulin response. Insulin is an essential hormone for life, yet acute, chronic elevation of insulin leads to hyperinsulinism, which has been positively linked to obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, blood pressure, mood dysfunction and a Pandora's box of disease and disability. Research "hyperinsulinism" on the Internet. There's a gold mine of information pertinent to your health available there. The CrossFit prescription is a low-glycemic diet and consequently severely blunts the insulin response.
The problem with high-glycemic carbohydrates is that they give an inordinate insulin response. Insulin is an essential hormone for life, yet acute, chronic elevation of insulin leads to hyperinsulinism, which has been positively linked to obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, blood pressure, mood dysfunction and a Pandora's box of disease and disability. Research "hyperinsulinism" on the Internet. There's a gold mine of information pertinent to your health available there. The CrossFit prescription is a low-glycemic diet and consequently severely blunts the insulin response.
More on the Glycemic Index
| Glycemic Index |
Glycemic Food List Examples - Buy as many foods from the low-gylcemic category
Eating Out
Here are two guides that give some practical advice on how to stay in the zone while eating out:
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In addition to shopping for groceries based on the low-glycemic index and using the advice for dining out, please also visit our RECIPES page, which is updated frequently with zone-friendly meals.
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Further Reading
Pick up these books by Dr. Barry Sears for a more detailed look at The Zone Diet.
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