Day 6!

Balancing Those Macros
By Coach Laura

I cannot tell you guys how pumped I am to see that you are so on-board with the Fuel Challenge. Keep up the investigating, planning, and learning. Though this challenge only lasts a month, the benefits and education you'll gain will last a lifetime! And you know you always have us coaches (even after the challenge is done) to come to with questions or feedback or to help you stay accountable.

Now I have seen quite a few meal posts that, while they awesomely stay within the boundaries of the challenge, could stand to be a bit more balanced in the MACRONUTRIENTS that make up each meal. Some people have stated they feel hungry throughout the day or maybe a bit fatigued in workouts, and the culprit might be (and most likely is) the diet change. You have removed a lot of things that your body has become accustomed to eating, and it will go through a bit of a withdrawal period when those things are taken away. There is a way to combat this, and it doesn't involve adding back in sugar! What it does involve, though, balancing the macronutrients of every single meal in order to keep your insulin levels steady, that metabolism going strong, and your energy up ALL DAY LONG. I'm not kidding…

Now don't worry, I am not going to tell you to weigh or measure your food. You have already taken a HUGE step by making the choice to clean up your diet. What I am going to do, though, is help you balance each meal. Every meal should have a balance of PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATE, and FAT. One equal serving of each would be about 9 g of CARB, 7 g of PRO, and 1.5 g of FAT. We don't need to worry too much about the numbers, but rather think about the balancing act. So every time you prepare a meal, be sure you have each of these macros on your plate or in your blender. Now let's talk about some examples of each that fall within the guidelines. The first question I often get is, "what carbs can I eat if I can't have grains?". Easy… veggies! Vegetables are, in fact a source of carbs, and they should make up the majority of your carb intake, aside from the fruit you eat. Try and reserve fruit for first thing in the morning to refuel all that has been used up while you sleep and for immediately after workouts when you have to refuel. Proteins should be made up of high quality, lean meats (grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, etc.) and eggs. Animal proteins are, by far, the best source you can have, and the only one that will refuel your muscles post-workout. Now, fats will be nuts, avocado, and healthy oils, such as olive oil and coconut oil. Remember that though nuts have protein, they are a BETTER source of fat, so they count as a fat (NOT BOTH). Same goes for eggs - though they have healthy fats in the yokes (eat the yokes, by the way), they only count as a protein (NOT BOTH).

The key thing here is balance, and with this balance comes sustained energy all day long with no insulin spikes and drops. With more energy, comes better performance, and voila! We have the WHOLE CROSSFIT PACKAGE! You'll be ready to come in and destroy those WODS. Now I know this is a TON of info, but just trust me, and try it for the next week. You'll feel better! If you have questions, feel free to shoot me an email at laura@norcalcrossfit.com or post on the Facebook group page! I'm sure someone has the same question. Below are also some sources from the CrossFit Journal and others to help with your journey! Keep it up guys! You're making me proud :)

CrossFit Journal Article 21 on the "zone diet" and typical portion sizes

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

CrossFit Journal Article on Balancing MACROS

http://journal.crossfit.com/2009/10/crossfit-northern-ireland-dr-michael-ray-on-macronutrients.tpl