Recently, due to the Zones Cave Month, I have been doing a little research. I read the book , “ Why we get fat” by Gary Taubes. It is an interesting take on nutritional science and where it seems to be heading. When I first started at the Zone, I read The Zone Diet by Barry Sears. These books have definitely opened my eyes to nutrition research and eating, something I had never thought about much. There is a wealth of literature based around nutrition with lots of valuable take home messages.
QOD: What nutrition-focused literature have you read lately? What were the take home messages? Has it changed the way you eat?
The reason I have largely avoided looking into nutrition is it is something people get passionate and defensive about. People like saying that you are wrong and I am right, but that is not the reason for the discussion here. It is to share information so that people can research more and decided what they believe and why.
To that end, I also wanted to promote the Zone Library. We currently have a limited supply of books, but they have been well received and been taken out frequently. If you have something you would like to share, bring it down, label it and put it in the library. This is a great way for people to be able share knowledge with each other!
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Today`s Workout:
Buy In – 5×5 shoulder press
- Increase weight each set
- If you are feeling fresh, go for a 1RM if time allows
WOD – “Dumbbell Bear”
15 min AMRAP
one round =
- 5 deadlifts
- 5 hang power cleans
- 5 thrusters
* use approx 45% bodyweight for dumbbell weight (combined)
Zone 3: scale to weight to 35%
Zone 2: Scale rounds to 4 reps each
Zone 1: scale weight as needed
Cash Out – MWOD
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZaiBeNrsfQ&feature=player_embedded’]
I'm in an exercise nutrition course this term, and have browsed a few articles/ textbook chapters. It definitely seems like CrossFit has generally taken a counter-stance to the traditional prescription of carbs for fuel. For health and wellness, this seems wise, as it leads to an elimination of many processed "empty" foods from the diet, and gets the body eating its own fat stores. However, when striving for elite performance, it is hard to deny the evidence that suggests extra carbs are the key to maintainging energy and output.
This has not changed the way I eat. I generally follow the see-food diet…
Totally agree. In some of the running literature that I've read it discusses how running at high intensity (much like crossfitting at high intensity) your body is burning mostly carbs, and a small amount of fat (80% / 20%). If you don't have enough carbs, then your body will burn fat no problem, but it is not as efficient and it takes more oxygen, so as a result your performance will suffer. This doesn't really apply to short workouts, but in longer metcons this can certainly be a factor.
Mark Sisson would agree with you – marksdailyapple.com – and he would also argue that distance running and any other 'chronic cardio' activity is damaging to your health. I think he also says that you can train your body to use fat 'ketosis' for fuel for maintaining energy output.
So, if you have limited amounts of carbs available (carb depleted), how quickly/efficiently can your body start using fat when you start an activity?
During heavy weeks of running (140+km at aerobic pace), I go through 300g bars of dark chocolate like water but can also end up looking like a skinny, fat guy and be prone to colds.
at the risk of merely repeating what people far wiser than me have said before… the whole "paleo" approach for me comes down to choosing quality foods (though i guess it might promote a view of what quality foods are). after deciding to prioritize consumption of quality foods, the protein/carb/fat ratios are going to be completely dependant on who you are and what your goals are. as scoots alludes to above, for many a low carb approach is a great path to health. but for people looking to get strong or training as hard as scoota, getting your carbs from broccoli may not be enough.
Which brings me to the QOD: here is a good article about carbs: http://www.70sbig.com/blog/2011/03/why-you-need-c…
Obviously this is directed at a specific population but the overall point is you should all be tracking your food, employing a non-biased approach, and seeing what works and what doesn't. After regionals last year i started crushing carbs and am all the better for it.
Interesting article. I havn't read it anywhere, so this might be my brand new theory. But if high level training requires periodization in what you are doing physically, I'm thinking that there might be a benefit from eating habit being periodized.
Still a work in progress, but as the article states that insulin is required for growth. However what they don't talk about is insulin resistance, too much of it and your body starts to ignor that it's there. Maybe eating high carb in the summer then eating low carb in the winter and hibernating a bit could have some positive overall benefits?
Either way, if you havn't tried something then you don't know if there will be benefits for you.
I agree with both posts above. it is really hard to say which diet is tops. usually it is best to try out a bunch and see which works best for your body/type.
Im with scoots on the see-food diet but i also picked up the precision nutrition pack with the gourmet nutrition books, So I'm digging through all the recipes in there. Like any program Some good some bad.
Thank you Wise Men… you make me feel better about my carb intake and for that (and many other reasons) I <3 you!