| Combining the CrossFit training methodology with a diet of meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar brings "a jet stream of adaptation," says CrossFit founder Greg Glassman. In the pyramid Glassman created, nutrition is the foundation, with met-cons, gymnastics, weightlifting and throwing, and sport following. "Each level builds on the level below it," explains Nicole Carroll, director of certification. "If your nutrition sucks, these things will not be where they could be if it were more solid." Likewise, Glassman says CrossFit favors Barry Sears' Zone Diet "because it does give me accurate and precise prescription for caloric intake and, more importantly, the exact levels of macronutrient that I can start at." Likewise, trainers and coaches can make informed decisions on how to tweak an athlete's diet for improved performance, he says. CrossFit HQ trainer Pat Sherwood says nutrition isn't an either/or aspect of training. "It's not quality or quantity. It can and it should be both." 5min 14sec |
