New year, next level you? I think you’ve earned it! You do the WODs, you contribute in the Crossfit community, you cheer your fellows on to their final burpees – you deserve to look, feel and perform like LeBron post-expresso. This 2016 Nutrition Challenge has your success written all over it.

Not too stringent to make you crazy, just sound and scientific enough to make you awesome. Real Food emphatic, adaptive for weight loss or bulking goals, Performance Nutritionist Carrie Hogan (Dip.ISSN, CISSN) is on hand to coach and lead you through six weeks to exceptional health, physique and performance gains.

 

So, what’s it gonna be? Here are the parameters we’ll be working on for the six weeks at Outlier and Crossfit Coronado.

Grains, beans, pulses. Begin with the contentious! If well tolerated (you know your body), a serving a day is warranted. In it’s unprocessed form, that is. Whole, unprocessed grains and pseudo-grains (quinoa, etc), the kind that take a 15-30minutes to cook up for eating, or beans, lentils, whole oats are welcome as your starch at a meal. Up to half a cup cooked. Cakes, bread, pastas, flour-based and processed carbs? We’re avoiding those for now.

So, what’s the far superior starch? Your root veggies and starchier vegetables! Winter squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, beets, turnips. Nutritionally-rich- in fiber, antioxidants, broad profiles of vitamins and minerals. Plus, you get far more volume for your calories, meaning you feel fuller when you choose them as your starch, instead of grains.

 

Green veggies and salad veggies should be the foundation of your daily munching. They are nutrient-packed, fibrous, hydrating, filling and the perfect platform for your fats and proteins. Eat them freely! It’s hard to over-do the veggies.

 

Fruit? We’re aiming for a portion a day limit. Berries excluded – they are fibrous, lower-sugar, antioxidant-rich chiefs. You’re welcome to include them!

If you want extra fruit, count it as starch in your meal, reducing your root veggies or grain portion if you’re not training a lot or bulking.

 

Nuts are easy to over-consume – they’re hyper-palatable thanks to being rich in fats. Two tablespoons a day (nut butters included) is our limit for this six weeks. Keep them fresh and raw to get the best nutrition and reduce risk of rancid fats.

 

Cooking with fats and using dressings? We’re going to aim for limiting to 1tablespoon of fats (cooking oil, nut butter, nuts, dressing) per meal. That could sub out for 1/2 a small avocado, or two rashers of good quality bacon – drain off the fat in the pan if you’re looking to drive the fat loss a little quicker.

 

Proteins (meat, fish, seafood, eggs) are best kept leaner for this challenge, especially if you’re working to drive fat loss. Keeping minced meat at 90% lean or higher is your goal. Or choosing skinless chicken and poultry, lean cuts of beef and pork (you can eyeball it pretty well)(think lean casserole beef, sirloin, pork tenderloin…) Fish and seafood are brilliant protein and easy-lean. Two eggs count as a protein serving too. Aim to eat some protein whenever you eat – this will keep your metabolism stoked, enhance satiety (fullness) and steady your blood sugar so you’re fuller for longer. Protein for the win! Eating protein consistently also helps protect you from losing more lean mass (muscle) during a weight loss program.

You can earn bonus points for eating fish more than three times a week (seafood included) or for having organ meats! Liver, kidney, heart, brain… Knock yourself out! These food are exceptionally nutritious and sadly absent in our modern chow antics.

 

Dairy confused? It works for some and not for others. If you like it, we’re keeping with one serving a day for this challenge. This is unsweetened, plain dairy. Organic is ideal, if you have yogurt, go Greek when possible. If you like cheese, keep it at a string-cheese size portion. Matchbox sized cube, or a couple tablespoons (not heaping!) grated. Be moderate.

 

What about whey protein? A-OK around your workouts and recovery. If you need to quell some sugar cravings by using a whey protein powder for some “alternative desserts”, this is usually a superior option to the sugary bomb original. Using whey incessantly as a meal replacement is not good though! Keep it integrating with real food as a “supplement”, not a constant baseline of meals.

 

So, how you can earn bonus points on this challenge? Bonus points are awarded for eating 3 different veggies a day, as well as for eating a cup more veggies a day than you usually do currently. Drinking a cup of bone broth/stock earns you a point, but only up to two a week. We know some of you can sink a lot of it!

 

Using salt-free seasonings, that are sugar-free and free from bulking agents like maltodextrin earn you points. They should include only herbs and spices. You can also earn a point for using three or more herbs and spices in cooking. When you add these to your meals, you add pure nutrition, some quality fiber and a raft of recovery-speeding, metabolism-bolstering antioxidants. Buffer stress in the body and nourish yourself with every sprinkle and shake!

 

Aim for two litres of water a day, if you can sink more – awesome! Teas, decaf coffee, flavored water (add berries, lemon, slices of cuke, mint… Get a little creative!) You get a bonus point for passing the 2L mark. If you’re sweating hard in training and need some extra salt, listen to your body, some folks definitely warrant it if they’re sweating a lot and drinking a lot.

 

Boozing and treats? Carrie has allocated two adult beverages OR sugary food items (a very moderate serving – keep it classy, relish each bite.) a week, for you to kick back with. If there’s an event in the diary or a meal out that you’d like to do relax more, this is your buffer.

 

Lifestyle factors for bonus points? You get a point for each WOD (up to 5 a week, and one a day) OR 20minute mobility session (YouTube some yoga, roll your bones out, use a therapy ball, or just stretch and breathe like you mean it!).

 

And last but not least, when all is said and done. Sleep as much as you can. Make friends with your childhood teddy, cuddle down and sink some deep REM hours each night. Most folks need 8-9hrs a night… Go for it! You feel and LOOK better for it. No question.