What is good nutrition? And why you should care.
Nutrition is the foundation of the CrossFit hierarchy of development. Good nutrition is the largest component of this hierarchy and is the foundation on which you build your health and fitness.
But nutrition is often the part we pay the least attention to.
So what is good nutrition? While nutrition is a very personal and individual prescription, there are a few points of commonality across the many different and valid nutrition frameworks.
Good nutrition takes care of energy balance
Energy balance is one of the bigger pieces of the good nutrition puzzle. Simply put, if the energy you expend during the day is less than the energy you are putting in then you are likely to gain weight. And carrying extra weight contributes to a decrease in your overall wellness.
Good nutrition makes you feel good and perform better. And look good naked.
How does your current nutrition approach make you feel? Have your PB’s improved, are you any closer to achieving your physical goals? Do you feel energetic and are you keeping up with your family? Or does your body ache and pain and feel old? These are all factors that are impacted by the food we eat. Looking good naked is of course also a positive side effect of healthy eating habits.
Good nutrition helps you overcome obstacles
Obstacles include a negative approach and mind-set around food. Or unsupportive family and friends, and an environment that makes a healthy lifestyle challenging. The genes you inherited are also a potential obstacle, but just because your family have chronic lifestyle conditions doesn’t mean you have to suffer the same fate. The food you eat and your environment all play a role in how your genes express themselves.
Good nutrition sends a message
Each time you eat is an opportunity to take a step towards good health. Or towards disease. Food is not only fuel but information. It sends a message to your cells and organ systems and the quality and quantity of that food determines the messages that get sent.
Nutrition is never a one-size-fits all approach. What works for your buddy at the gym won’t necessarily work for you. And trial and error is often how we figure out what works for us and what doesn’t. However, having a good understanding of nutrition makes it that much easier to decide what information is sound and worth listening to.
The CrossFit Jozi Introduction to Nutrition session is a complimentary one-hour consultation where we look at how you are currently eating and where we can make simple but effective improvements. Get in touch and let’s get working on building your foundation to improved health and fitness!
