Eat real food, not too much, mostly plants, some fruit, little starch, no sugar!

The CrossFit website generally recommends a diet that emphasizes whole foods, with a focus on meat, vegetables, nuts, seeds, some fruit, and little starch. More specific CrossFit dietary recommendations are based on the Zone Diet, which was developed over 30 years ago by Barry Sears, a biochemist and author of The Zone.

The diet is designed to control blood sugar and minimize inflammation, which may curb hunger and reduce your risk of chronic diseases, such as obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Reducing inflammation may also bolster recovery from workouts.

To plan a balanced, Zone- and CrossFit-friendly meal, divide your plate into thirds and fill it with:

• 1/3 lean protein: Options include skinless chicken breast, fish, lean beef and low-fat dairy.
• 2/3 healthy carbs: Emphasize colorful, non-starchy vegetables and fruits with a low glycemic index (GI).
• A small amount of healthy monounsaturated fat: Olive oil, avocados and nuts are a few options.

The CrossFit website recommends you try the Zone Diet for four weeks, then tweak it based on your needs.

The recommendation to limit sugar and starch is based on the idea that these types of foods can contribute to weight gain and other health problems. Instead, CrossFit recommends that athletes focus on eating whole, nutrient-dense foods that will provide them with the energy and nutrients they need to support their exercise routine, without excess body fat.

Let's break it down just a little...

Eat real food

Did what you're eating at one time breathe, walk or live in any capacity? If the answer is yes, continue to eat, if not, reconsider. Another way to think about this is, when you're at the grocery store, did you pick that up at the perimeter of the store? Typically the items that we should be consuming do not live down the isles, but live outside the isles in the produce, meats and dairy sections of the store.

Not too much

Consume only what you need to consume to fuel you're daily activity and fitness levels. Do not over, or under consume.

Mostly plants, some fruit

When in doubt, stick to plants. Fruit is good, but can be packed with sugar, which we are trying to stay away from. When eating plants, get yourself a variety... eat the rainbow.

Little starch

Some starches are good, but as Americans, we tend to over consume our starches.

No Sugar

No sugar... and that's 0%, none, not at all, not any. Check the labels on your food items and cut the sugar 100%. Don't take ANY in.

This is our simple nutrition plan. Don't over complicate it. Don't make it difficulty by tracking everything that you consume all the time. Don't center your life around focusing on your diet. Keep it simple, keep it consistent.

If you want to see drastic results in your fitness levels, eat real food, not too much, mostly plans, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.

http://journal.crossfit.com/2004/05/zone-meal-plans-crossfit-journ.tpl

‍