Diets, diets, diets! How many times over the course of our lives have we learned of a new diet or the hottest weight loss trend? The coaches at CrossFit BluePrint can name at least 50 off the top of our heads. Lets start off with the word “DIET.” If you notice carefully, the first three letters in that word are “D I E.” Personally I do not want to have anything to do with a word that has die in it. So from this point on, lets throw everything you know about “diets” away and lets start to talk about a proper nutrition program.
Through popular media and USDA regulation eating nutritiously has been drastically changed in the last 80 years from how we have been eating since caveman times. Before the invention of microwaves, preservatives and instand foods, our grandparents would go to market and buy lean cuts of meat, vegetables and what ever fruit was seasonally available, their nutrition was simple and obesity was almost none existent.
I am not going to make this a history lesson, however the point I am trying to make is that proper nutrition is simple and uncomplicated. At CrossFit BluePrint we follow two nutrition programs. These two programs are the Paleolithic Nutrition Program and the Zone Nutrition Program.
The first step to a proper nutrition program involves eating quality foods.
Quality
The Paleolithic or caveman way of eating simply states that you only eat what you can hunt, fish, pick off a tree or pull out of the ground. If it takes more physical energy to catch and cook it we do not eat it. The great thing about eating this way is you can eat as much lean proteins and vegetables as you desire, fruits when they are available and nuts and seeds sparingly, zero starches and sugars. With this way of eating you can balance blood sugar levels and avoid those massive insulin spikes that occur in the modern American diet.
Quantity
The Paleo way of eating is simple and extremely effective in leading a life of well being. At CrossFit BluePrint wellness is not good enough. The same way we strive for record breaking performance from our athletes, we demand a higher level of health as well. The way to get to this next level of health is through the Zone nutrition program.
The Zone nutrition program was created by biochemist Dr. Barry Sears. All the men in Dr. Sears family had died of some kind of heart ailment before the age of 47 so he decided from a young age that he was not going to be another statistic. Out of neccesity the Zone Nutrition program was born. At the heart of this program is the the macronutrient ratios. The Zone program reccommends 40% of calories come from carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat. The hormonal response to this way of eating is controlled insulin levels through out the day that lead to a fit lifestyle.
The Zone nutrition program is split into blocks. To learn more about blocks, your blocks requirements and sample meals plans I recommend you read CrossFit Journal 21.
Quality & Quantity
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Our nutrition programs are constantly reviewed and scrutinized to make sure they are the absolute best way to eat for health and performance. If you would like more information about our nutrition programs or becoming a CrossFit BluePrint athlete, click here.
