#007: CrossFit Competition Nutrition

Show Notes

What does Peri-Competition Nutrition mean?

Peri – prefix meaning “around” (Includes pre, during, post)

Nutrition – Anything you put into your mouth: food, water, supplement

Performance & Health

The vast majority of the time performance & health go hand-in-hand.  Competition is not one of those times.

Training & Competing similar to Health & Performance

• Training & Health: Listen to your body, longevity and sustainability are key, don’t “game” workouts, eat real food (natural source of micronutrients, phytochemicals, pre & probiotics, etc.)

• Competing & Performance: Win at all costs, “game” workouts, create shortcuts, prioritize macronutrients & fueling demands

Macronutrient Demands

Carbohydrates: Preferred Fuel Source for Intense Activity (side note on creatine)

Protein: Provides the “building blocks” needed to rebuild damaged tissues

Fat: Fuel source during rest & low level activity, synthesis of hormones, absorption of nutrients

Prior Nutrition

(1-3 Days Prior to Competition)

• Eat the same foods you typically do. “Nothing New on Race Day” 
• Weight & Body Composition manipulation is finished.
• Consider upping carb intake slightly, coinciding with a decrease in activity (aka. peak).
• Maintain same water intake, while activity level decreases
• Create a shopping list: foods, drinks, supplements
• Write in accordance with a time of consumption
• Bring extras & alternative options

Pre-Workout

(The Morning of the Competition)

3-5 Hours before: Last Regular Meal

Things to avoid…
• Heavy, fatty foods (e.g. Sausage)
• Foods high in fiber (potential for GI distress)
• More or less caffeine than normal

30-60 minutes: Snack

• low fat, high carb

You might skip this meal if…
…you are very nervous
…you are (pre)diabetic or hypoglycemic
…you have a sensitive stomach / get nauseous

Intra-Workout

Short Events (<45 minutes)

Consume nothing.

Long Events (45 minutes – 3+ Hours) 

This will be either 0 or 1 events, nearly always cyclical.
Substrate could be a limiter (run out of carbs & ‘bonk’)

Primarily Drink: Goal is to replace what you are losing as closely as possible without creating GI distress

• Water + Sugar (Carbs) + Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Bicarbonate, Chloride)

• There are correct ratios here, and some electrolytes if overdone can create GI issues

You can get them in tablet form. Personally, I know some of my athletes use Nuun Sports Tablets.

Eat: Things that are easy to chew and that digest quickly & are mainly carb-based (e.g. GU Gels Packets, Honey, Molasses, Cliff Bar, Part of a Banana, Grapes, etc.)

How much and what type of drink & food you can tolerate will be determined by the activity being completed & bodily orientation: running, swimming, biking, rowing, mixed modal, etc.

Post-Workout

This goes for after workouts of all durations.

[10-30 minutes after]

Anabolic Window [“Window of Gains”]
• Increased Bloodflow and therefore Delivery

Carbs & Protein (Approximately 3:1)
• Possibly include: Creatine, Electrolytes, MCT

[1-2 hours after]

If you have another event… Pre-workout meal (see above)

If you are done for the day… Full meal where you get in a mix of macros (including fat)

How things change for a Multi-Day Competition

1. Fueling becomes even more important
2. Getting regular meals between events is important (that include fat): but still digestible
3. Eating “real food” more often as the body can tolerate it

Common Mistakes

1. Too much supplementation
2. Too much protein, Too little carbs 
3. Changing things up on game day
4. Not Shifting State Post Workout (read below)

Related Read: How Nervous System States Impact Nutrition