Nutrition
What is a block?
A block is a unit of macronutrients made up of 3 sub-blocks. The first is 7 grams of protein (about an ounce of meat), the second is 9 grams of carbohydrate (half an apple), and the third is 1.5 gram of fat (3 almonds). It is assumed that you will get 1.5 grams of fat out of every protein block as well – so if you eat some protein that is “fat free” make sure you factor that in to your fat blocks.
How many blocks should I eat?
On average your block prescription should equal about 10% of your lean body mass. Take me for example, I weight approximately 155 pounds with about 10% body fat. If I take 10% of my lean body mass, I come up with 14 blocks per day.
Is there any leeway?
I usually end up with around 10 – 14 blocks a day. I also tend to eat a higher amount of protein and fat blocks with a lower amount of carbohydrate blocks. My average day is somewhere around 16 blocks of protein, 10 blocks of carbohydrates, and 20 blocks of fat. Feel free to pick times to eat that are convenient for you, but make sure that no more than 5 hours passes in between meals.
Why nutrition?
If you have been performing the WOD with us at least 3 times a week for a few months and aren’t where you want to be by aesthetic or performance standards - it IS because of your nutrition. No maybe about it. We must start thinking of food as fuel. Eat for purpose, not pleasure. Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels.
Cheating
What I’m looking for is 80% out of you guys. There are a few options here – 1) Eat strict 6 days out of the week and eat whatever you want on the 7th day. This is fine, just make sure you are strict the other 6 days. 2) Eat strict 4/5 meals of every day, 7 days a week.
I’m not after making you guys slaves to your diet. If you go to A BBQ, I don’t expect you to eat salad. Live your life, have fun, eat what you want on special occasions. The rest of the week though, it’s time to work. Bring the same intensity to your nutrition that you bring to your workouts and we’ll be developing fire breathers here in no time.
An Average Day
Breakfast – 3 eggs, 1 apple, 9 almonds
Lunch – 4 oz. meat, 1 orange, 9 almonds
Snack – 2 oz. meat, 7 cherries, 9 almonds
Dinner – 4 oz. meat, 2 cups green beans, 12 olives
Snack – 2 oz. meat, 1 apple, 15 almonds
Protein – 15
Carbohydrate – 9
Fat – 20
Last Words
There are obviously many different foods you can do this with, I recommend you stay as natural as possible. Lean meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, no sugar. Keep in mind that you need to track all intake - including whatever may be in what you drink. For a block chart (list of foods and associated value of macronutrients) feel free to download CrossFit Journal Issue #21 – it is 100% free. Watch the unfavorable carbohydrates – quantity is crucial with these.
Time to cowboy up folks.
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