When following a CrossFit training regimen, your diet is as crucial as the workout itself. You will have to adjust your diet depending on your fitness goals. For instance, you will have to add food items to your diet plan that help you lose fat if you perform CrossFit workouts for weight loss.
Having that said, even the most intense workout sessions won’t help you lose fat if your diet is not compatible with your weight loss goals. Also, your diet contributes significantly to the way you feel in the gym.
This article tends to cover all your bases regarding CrossFit nutrition for fat loss. Here, we will discuss a couple of helpful fat loss diet plans in this regard. We will also discuss some foods whose consumption may prove counterproductive.
What Is A Good Fat Loss Diet For CrossFit?
The diet plan to boost your fat loss effort through CrossFit workouts is not like any fat loss diet plan. Even if you commit to a ketogenic or paleo diet plan, you have to make sure that you get an optimum supply of energising nutrients to keep your energy levels higher before and after intense workouts.
More specifically, you have to monitor your macronutrient intake. These nutrients make up the foods we eat. Three main categories of macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Traditionally, people tend to stay away from fats and carbs when following a diet for fat loss. While this approach may deliver some results in normal circumstances, doing the same can prove harmful if you are committed to a physical activity regimen, such as CrossFit.
To put it simply, even if you are exercising for fat loss, you will have to get some carbs and fats to keep your body energised during a workout session. This is why you have to pay attention to macronutrients to get. Also, you have to pay attention to the source of macronutrients you get. For instance, getting fats from eggs is not the same as getting them from a Chocolate Bar.
CrossFit Nutrition Guidelines for Weight Loss
While an online search may bring forward several diet suggestions to consider with a CrossFit regimen, the true answer to your concerns lies in trying and testing. Therefore, you have to try different diet plans until you find the one that meets your requirements.
Now, we will discuss two of the most popular fat loss diet plans that can help boost your weight loss efforts with a CrossFit workout.
Ketogenic Diet
Informally referred to as keto, the ketogenic diet is known well for its weight loss benefits. Moreover, you will get even better results if you combine this diet plan with a CrossFit workout regimen.
This diet plan is specifically beneficial for individuals coming to a CrossFit workout regimen with some pre-existing metabolic or health issues. Moreover, a ketogenic diet can help overcome the impact of some chronic illnesses, including type-2 diabetes. As a result, individuals get more energy, which undoubtedly comes in handy during the workout.
Some most considerable benefits of the Ketogenic diet are as follows.
- Keto can help lose weight significantly.
- Due to the presence of many antioxidant foods, a ketogenic diet is anti-inflammatory by nature. This diet may even fight the inflammatory impact of diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
- A ketogenic diet is a good source of fiber and protein, which are essential nutrients to promote muscle building and satiety after meals.
- People living in ketosis generally report having more energy than when eating carbs.
Also, a four-week study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2019 demonstrates the weight loss benefits of the keto diet for CrossFit-trained athletes.
However, it is crucial to assess your requirements thoroughly before committing to this dietary regimen. Remember, you will still need calories and carbs as energy sources to boost your workout sessions. Therefore, keto may not be the right approach if you already suffer from a deficiency of carb-related energy.
Paleo Diet
Paleo is a recommended CrossFit nutrition plan due to its ability to energise your body for the most intense workouts, according to a 2014 study. Interestingly, this dietary plan is very close to the nutrition Greg Glassman’s nutrition prescription published in the 2002 CrossFit Journal article “What Is Fitness?”
The types of foods in a Paleo diet act like catalysts for weight loss in many CrossFit-trained athletes and enthusiasts.
Nonetheless, you may need to add some starchy vegetables to increase your carbohydrate intake if you plan to train a bit harder than usual.
The Worst Foods for CrossFit-Trained People
Eating highly processed foods will nullify CrossFit workout effects almost instantly. We understand that craving for foods may emerge strong right after the workout, but you have to make sure to avoid eating anything that makes your fitness goals unachievable.
Remember, your body needs clean fuel when you engage in a gym workout. Therefore, your diet must consist of highly nutritious and digestible foods that become a part of your body without stressing out your gut.
If you are not sure what foods to eat and what to avoid, contact a nutritionist to discuss your fitness regimen. They will suggest the best dietary options based on your body's requirements.
Bottom Line
Since there are no hard and fast rules regarding which foods you should eat to support your CrossFit weight loss regimen, the guide mentioned above should help you get your bases covered. Having that said, you have to do a little assessment to find the best nutrition plan to support your fitness goals. Sometimes eating a balanced diet following the 80:20 principle can be just as effective without the pressures of a strict diet plan allowing your more flexibility in your day to day nutrition.
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