Crossfit Norwest, Raw strength and conditioning and Barefoot Evolution Discussion Forum

[adrian]

Was reading this today http://www.crossfitrva.com/1752/wod-6609/ and think I really need to get strict on my diet. Probably paleo/zone for me I reckon. Just going to have to plan it.

Start date 22/6/09

[Rob]

Pretty interesting article there Adrian. I used to think you could eat what you wanted as long as you trained hard. That is not the case. I then changed my diet to what I thought was healthy. I smashed rice pasta chicken and tuna. Had massive amounts of carbs and little or no fat.

Since tuning in on my diet and switching to zone kind of I noticed an increase in my performance. I have been doing zone with 4 times fat now for 6 weeks and I think I have gotten stronger and faster. I now look at my food as fuel as opposed to food although I still make it taste nice, well for me anyway.

[Dan]

I still make it taste nice, well for me anyway.

Milo, strawberry yoghurt???

[Rob]

yeah that was a bad yogurt

[Rob]

With different people trying different versions of the zone I was just looking at developing this thread to see how peoples performance has changed (note not improved or decreased) just changed in relation to your new diet.

[Kate (K-Train) Leal]

Since begining my new sports modelling diet (from bas - prestons xfit owner) I have noticed that I am extremely energetic more than usual training twice a day and my brain is going a million miles an hour coming up with sooooo many ideas I can bearly keep up with myself. The only down side is that I find it hard to sleep and wake up and need to write things down so I dont forget something important that I might think of in the night. Its not that im eating too close to bedtime either and the last meal is protein and fat enriched so im not high on sugar or anything. I get up at 430am everyday except the weekends about 7 or 8 and go to bed around 1030pm, but still dont feel tired. Im worried Im going to burn out even though I feel good cause im not really sleeping in these hours, but still wake up ready for action. I have been on this diet for almost 3 weeks and have lost 3kgs (which is no suprise after my thailand trip - arrived back in sydney with a pad thai baby tummy). Any advice or suggesitons?

[Dan]

A reduced carb diet tends to increase ones energy, plus you have the added effect of not wrestling with insulin spikes - that you especially get when your on the pad thai diet...

You have also tuned in by making sure your body has all its required macronutrients - which has awesome hormonal benefits and is likely why you feel good.

Having seen this diet from Bas, I will say that its not good for you for many reasons.
1. Food quality is poor. Very poor.
2. There is no variety which will set you up to fail in the long term, as well as health issues associated with eating the same rubbish day in day out.
3. Its not exactly practical.

You also say you have lost 3 kg but you put this on by eating poor overseas, so its not exactly a huge improvement. Weight is not a good measure really of anything except for when we are attempting 2*BW Deadlifts....

Your workout performances have also been suffering compared to last year. This can be a combination of many things, lethargy from your holiday (ie not training), poor diet then a transition to a better (less poor) diet, or simply there is not enough fuel to function. I would say the last one is most likely whats going on.

You cant live of baby food, grain, deli turkey, and an odd handful of blueberries, let alone thrive.

I think your right, you may soon burnout Kate, you should be looking at transitioning more to better food choices and more of it. You can do your crazy zone thing a whole lot better if you have your head set on it, with better food.

Long term, a bit more sleep would be good as well, but it might not be practical for you.

As a side note, my opinion only, this is why I am anti Zone. Zone makes you lazy with regards to food quality.
Ask Rob, he ate the same damn frozen veges when he was on the zone, you eat the same crap every day, Deli turkey, baby food etc etc. Its not good for you.

Food quality should be first and foremost and not food ratios.

Weighing and measuring everthing just sets you up to take shortcuts, like cups of the same frozen veges, and baby food - you start looking for easy options to get your carb block or whatever.

And if you believe in the Paleo approach, and its logic, its impossible to imagine our caveman ancestors eating macronutrients in correct ratios....its very easy to imagine them eating quality food however.