If I could start CrossFit all over again, I would have put 10x the effort into learning about food, as I had put into thrusters.
Don’t misunderstand me; I learned a lot about food early on. Like, how many Reeses cups can I eat before googling “actual cases of peanut butter addiction.” Or if eating an oreo right before a deadlift would result in a PR…it doesn’t, but it makes for a delicious lifting session.
I also learned how to get lean and add muscle, but honestly, I didn’t apply it to myself because I was already one of the top athletes in my area. I had a serious case of “big fish syndrome.” Which, is not real, I made it up, don’t google it.
Thinking like that, led me only to do just enough and eat well enough to get by and still be relatively good at CrossFit. Who knows what I could have done if I used nutrition to build the best version of myself.
Here’s why I would do it differently.
Vanity
“You probably think this post is about you.”
In my decade of doing CrossFit, I have only had abs for about two years. But more importantly, I only performed and felt my best, inside and outside the gym, for those two years. For the remaining eight years, I was in good shape about 95% of the time, and un-happy/unhealthy about 5% of the time.
Crossfit made me stronger, faster and gave me better endurance, but doing burpees and squats does not make you happy with your body image. That requires either changing your body composition through food (let’s drop fat and put on muscle!) or changing your mind about how you view yourself or both, preferably.
It also helps to initiate healthy self-talk, and positive thought patterns sustained over time. #ifyouwantsomehelpIknowsomeone
Self Confidence
“Hey, look! I can do it!”
The increased ability to move heavy things, fast, does wonders for your self-esteem. Why do you think we are so big on celebrating PRs? If we are strong and capable enough to learn to do hard physical things, that leaves the great wild west of learning to do hard mental things like self-control, preparation, and kicking our B.S. self-destructive habits.
There’s not only just a positive change in our health and body composition that comes through mastering food. There is a huge boost in self-confidence and pride that comes with finally being and feeling in control.
Performance
“…Feedback, Revision” …https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROgR3nK6ayk
If you want to run 400m without being exhausted, you can spend a year doing running drills. (You probably won’t because well, they’re boring, and you do CrossFit because you hate boring stuff). You can conversely spend six weeks dropping bodyfat and fueling well. You won’t just crush runs, and metcons, you’ll feel amazing while you do it.
My 1000m row PR was 3:37 at the beginning of August. After I finished, I fell off the rower, and the world ended shortly after.
I’ve since dropped 9 lbs and 3% body fat by eating really good stuff in the right amounts, almost all of the time since then.
My 1K PR on last Sunday’s workout was 3:27. I stepped off the rower and jogged outside… away from the class… where I felt like the world was ending, but it didn’t. I took some breaths and did 26 more minutes of hard training.
That’s some Harry Potter or Gandalf shit, right there.
The Feelz
If for no other reason to build your skills in nutrition, consider this.
It feels really F*cking good to walk around knowing you’re capable.
It makes me feel really good to watch clients walk around with a little more swagger because they feel it and see it in themselves.
I wish I spent eight years looking, performing, and feeling my best instead of 2.
I make better decisions in daily life. I’m less moody and depressed. I drink less and sleep more. I can enjoy things I wasn’t able to enjoy before I took better care of myself.
Who knows where I would be now if I had done that. Let’s see where I end up, now that I am.
Nutrition 1st.