CrossFit has been around since 2000, so chances are good that you or someone you know has tried it. With its explosion into a branded fitness movement came certain beliefs about what CrossFit athletes should be eating to support their performance.
What is the truth about powering this type of high intensity treatment? Let’s look at some of the current thinking and what optimal CrossFit nutrition should really look like.
What is CrossFit?
CrossFit — short for “cross-disciplinary fitness” — is a brand-name fitness routine that took the country by storm in the early 2000s. Based in California, CrossFit-affiliated gyms began popping up everywhere, becoming one of the largest fitness chains in the world.
The CrossFit brand is marketed as an exercise philosophy as well as a competitive fitness sport based on high-intensity interval training and strength. His moves are inspired by gymnastics, powerlifting, calisthenics, strongman, plyometrics and Olympic weightlifting. Daily workouts at CrossFit gyms are known as WODs or “Workouts of the Day” and include things like burpees, kettlebells, box jumps, wall balls and jump ropes.
What does the typical CrossFit diet look like?
Many people who do CrossFit follow a Paleodiet approachso the two are often linked as they go hand in hand.
This means lean meats, vegetables, some fruits, nuts and seeds, while excluding dairy, grains, legumes, some fruits and ‘artificial’ foods. CrossFitters assume this eating pattern helps them maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of injury and support optimal athletic performance.
According to the official CrossFit website, states that participating athletes should eat “meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, little fruit, little starch and no sugar.” Additionally, while there are no specific calorie recommendations, athletes are advised to “maintain intake at levels that will support exercise but not body fat.”
In general, the CrossFit diet plan is relatively low in carbohydrates and prioritizes lean protein, healthy fats, and some whole plant foods. Although there are variations, many members of the community adhere to a carb-restricted eating pattern. Let’s talk about why this isn’t the best approach and something we don’t recommend to our CrossFit athletes.
CrossFit Nutrition Review
CrossFit is a strenuous and highly stressful form of exercise and therefore must be supported with evidence-based nutrition for athletes. It is important to provide the body with the fuel it needs to do what CrossFit requires.
The main and preferred fuel source for the body (and the brain) is carbohydrates. Unfortunately, in the last decade, carbohydrates have taken on a negative connotation as an entire nutrient category. When misconceptions about carbohydrates have infiltrated large fitness communities like CrossFit, the untruths spread like wildfire.
Rather than demonizing carbohydrates as a whole, it is important to distinguish between the types of carbohydrates that do or do not provide nutritional value and performance benefits. For example, high-quality carbohydrates include foods such as whole grains, fruits, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and legumes such as chickpeas and lentils.
Without carbohydrates, you may experience insufficient glycogen replenishment and reduced performance as you compete at high intensities. In other words, your body immediately uses up the quick sources of fuel available to it and then has no stores left to draw on when it needs it most. Under-fuelling or under-feeding leaves you with reduced energy and less ability to continue performing.
What should a CrossFit nutrition plan look like?
When designing a CrossFit nutrition plan for you, it is important to consider adequate macronutrients for this type of exercise.
Carbohydrates
You don’t need to fear carbs, especially when you’re an athlete. Although there are no specific guidelines for daily carbohydrate intake, we can consider the requirements of general strength athletes. This falls between 4-7 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. For a 180 kg athlete, this would be approximately 327-572 grams of carbohydrates per day. Carbohydrate needs increase as the training load increases.
Protein
Protein needs fall between 1.4 and 2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day in order to optimize muscle repair, recovery and growth. For a 140 kg athlete, this translates to about 89-127 grams of protein per day.
Fat
The recommended total dietary fat intake for these athletes is between 0.8 and 1 gram per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 160 kg athlete, this looks like 58-73 grams of fat per day. Prioritizing fat sources that are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as oily fish, walnuts, hemp, chia, or flaxseed can help provide both cognitive and cardiovascular health benefits.
Other Nutritional Considerations for CrossFit
People who participate in intense and high-intensity strength training activities, such as CrossFit, may also benefit from other factors related to nutrition and diet.
First, certain types of supplements may help support high activity levels as well as recovery. Some examples include:
Creatine: Creatine is a molecule synthesized in the body from amino acids such as glycine and methionine. 95% of creatine is stored in the muscles as phosphocreatine, which provides the energy to recharge ATP stores during an explosive or high-intensity workout. The can be improved focus, strength and muscle mass and support muscle recovery. The recommended daily dose for creatine is 5 grams per day as creatine monohydrate. See more at my Athlete’s Guide to Creatine.
Beta-Alanine: Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid that can boost carnosine stores in your skeletal muscles. This helps increase endurance during high-intensity exercise that generally lasts 25 minutes or less. The general recommended daily dose for beta-alanine is 2-5 grams for 8-12 weeks.
Caffeine: Caffeine is an ergogenic aid found naturally in cocoa, tea and coffee and is best known for its ability to enhance focus and alertness by stimulating the central nervous system, as well as enhancing athletic performance. Consider consuming caffeine an hour before exercise, as this is when your blood levels will peak, providing the greatest benefit to your workout. Caffeine appears to be most effective at doses of approx 3 mg/kg body weight.
Tart cherry juice: Tart cherry juice is full of polyphenols that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits for athletes. Research has found that Tart cherry can help reduce pain and markers of oxidative stress after exercise as well as speed recovery of strength. While dosages vary across studies, many use 8-12 ounces twice a day.
Another issue is the consumption of polyphenols in the diet. These are plant compounds found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, tea, dark chocolate, herbs and spices. They have been associated with improved muscle recovery and reduced inflammation, two things that often result from high-intensity workouts, possibly by acting on gut microbiome.
Proper hydration is also key to any active lifestyle, but especially one that puts the body through periods of high physical demand and stress. Additionally, as little as 2% body weight loss during a workout is defined as dehydration, and a 3% loss will significantly impair your ability to perform. To make sure you stay hydrated and prevent dehydration, carry a full water bottle with you throughout the day and during your workout.
Instead of consuming it all at once while working out, prevent dehydration by drinking water regularly as the day goes on. High-intensity athletes can also benefit from additional electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, as well as carbohydrates to replenish energy and what is lost in sweat. I have a few homemade recipes for sports drinks in my cookbook For more.
Final thoughts on CrossFit nutrition
CrossFit is extremely strenuous and requires adequate nutritional support, including adequate carbohydrate intake. If you do CrossFit, make sure you’re fueling up, staying hydrated, and consider the supplements listed above to further benefit your performance and recovery.
If you’re a CrossFit athlete and need help formulating a personalized nutrition plan to fuel your workouts, contact our team today to get on our waiting list.
