The CrossFit dietary prescription is as follows:
Protein should be lean and varied and
account for about 30% of your total caloric load.
Carbohydrates should be predominantly low-glycemic
and account for about 40% of your total caloric load.
Fat should be predominantly monounsaturated
and account for about 30% of your total caloric load.
Calories should be set at between .7 and
1.0 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass depending
on your activity level. The .7 figure is for moderate daily
workout loads and the 1.0 figure is for the hardcore
athlete.
What Should I Eat?
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 circumspect. If you follow
these simple guidelines you will benefit from nearly all
that can be achieved through nutrition.
The Caveman or Paleolithic Model for Nutrition
Modern diets are ill suited for our genetic composition.
Evolution has not kept pace with advances in agriculture and
food processing resulting in a plague of health problems for
modern man. Coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer,
osteoporosis, obesity and psychological dysfunction have all
been scientifically linked to a diet too high in refined or
processed carbohydrate. Search "Google" for Paleolithic
nutrition, or diet. The return is extensive, compelling, and
fascinating. The Caveman model is perfectly consistent with
the CrossFit prescription.
What Foods Should I Avoid?
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.
What is the Problem with High-Glycemic
Carbohydrates?
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 quot;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.
Caloric Restriction and Longevity
Current research strongly supports the link between caloric
restriction and an increased life expectancy. The incidence
of cancers and heart disease sharply decline with a diet
that is carefully limited in controlling caloric intake.
“Caloric Restriction” is another fruitful area for Internet
search. The CrossFit prescription is consistent with this
research.
The CrossFit prescription allows a reduced caloric intake
and yet still provides ample nutrition for rigorous
activity.