New aspects of any training regime are often the most challenging, but this time, it is by far the MOST challenging part of my routine. Point blank, I suck at nutrition, but I am working on it. This whole "nutrition" kick started for me sometime around the end of March/early April. When Hannah and I signed up for #4#, I wanted to make sure that I actually weighed in at the correct weight (if I weighed in heavier, I'd have to lift more - and who wants to do that?!) so I began to pay attention. During this time, I was training harder, and reading about how to eat as an athlete. I kept stumbling across this CrossFit "pyramid" and the base of it was nutrition. I'd heard it, I just hadn't really bought into it, nor had I really been coached on it extensively. It can be mentioned and drilled into my head, but until it is written on the white board, it seemed like an afterthought and a fleeting conversation topic that I'd go back to later.
I've always been a complete creature of habit: I wake up at the same time, eat the same things, drive the same route, etc This applies to my life as well as to my training, obviously. And, as I've said before, if I want something to be different I have to start doing something differently; this time it is eating.
After a lot of research about paleo, I've decided paleo isn't necessarily for me at this point in my life, but I am focusing more on the "zone diet," which is a 40-30-30-esque protein/carb/fat balance diet. (http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/cfjissue21_May04.pdf). The zone diet is a pain in the rear at first, you actually have to weigh your food. I bought a $19.99 food scale at Bed Bath and Beyond, but I've learned that you actually really only have to weight your food for about 2 weeks until you can pretty accurately eye-ball it. This diet works well for me since I have absolutely no issue eating the same thing all the time.
The first thing I learned from weighing my food was that I WAS NOT EATING ENOUGH. At first, I thought it was ridiculous that I couldn't be eating enough considering most 20-something females are going out of their way not to eat "too much." I was a little paranoid about it at first because regardless of how much I train or how much I read, I still fear "extra weight." Could I trust the numbers and the math and the science (this question is being asked by an engineer....)?
As always (when it comes to quantitative or scientific proof), the answer is "yes."
Suddenly in mid-May, my 1rm's went up for EVERY one of my lifts. I started doing full WODs with a weight that I had maxed on it April. I did the MU. I mentioned this to my coach, and he asked what changed. Honestly, until about a week ago, I didn't know... and I told him that at the time.
This week it dawned on me - it's because I'm eating more and I'm eating better. When I told him, he laughed at me and said "well yeah, if you want to lift more, you have to eat more." Although not surprising logic, it was to me until now. In fact, I can recall doing workouts with my stomach growling. Now, I go all day without a single rumble thanks to the alterations in my diet.
As a final note, I'd like to say that I abhor eating. However, let me quickly elaborate. I do not hate the act of eating something awesome, but I hate thinking about what to eat, planning what to eat, preparing my food, eating it alone, and cleaning it up. This whole nutrition thing is not only a planning process, but it is a chore. However, as I look at the building blocks of strength, stamina, and health, I realize that nutrition is the foundation. That damn pyramid is right. I just needed some proof, and now I feel like I'm on track to adding this piece to my puzzle so that I can continue building.
Nutrition. What a pain. But definitely something to keep watching.
Now I just need to get my body fat measured (accurately) and see if I can make changes to my composition based solely on my eating habits.
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