“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
Michael Pollan sums up how to eat with these words and makes it sound so simple. So why doesn’t it feel simple?
I would argue that eating well is simple, but it’s not easy. The cards are stacked against us when it comes to clean nutrition. Just like many CrossFit workouts, the task is pretty straightforward: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Push. Pull. Squat. Simple.
Doing these things well, however, takes hard work, discipline, and means getting uncomfortable. In CrossFit, after we break through the initial conditioning, and the frustrations that come along with learning new skills, we develop a solid foundation. Once that foundation is in place, we can continue to build upon it.
Nutrition functions in a very similar way. Three years ago, I was working out consistently and loving it, but eventually hit a plateau with results. I hired a nutrition coach who taught me to build that foundation. My diet was great compared to most people, but I didn’t have a clear understanding of how to nail down the details. I was overwhelmed by all the options.
Having someone listen to my goals and give me concrete steps for how to achieve them was invaluable, and I continue to benefit from having gone through that process. The coaching also brought some unexpected reality checks. I realized strength hadn’t been keeping me from strict pull-ups…those extra 10 pounds were. Pull-ups, and just about everything else in the gym, became a lot easier when my body composition changed.
Many of us spend 1 hour or less doing physical activity on a typical day. During the other 23 hours, we make at least 200 decisions related to food and drink. There is no way exercise can override the choices we make about nutrition. We certainly can’t out-exercise a bad diet, and our workouts are only as good as the sources that fuel them.
I am so privileged to now have the opportunity to offer nutrition coaching at Second Wind. If you’re ready to dig deeper when it comes to your fitness goals and well-being, let’s work together.
I won’t tell you that it’s easy. But we will simplify the process to create habits that can be sustained long-term.
If you’re interested or have any questions, find me at the gym or email morgan@secondwindcrossfit.com.
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