People often ask, "What makes a good diet?" or, "What diet will maximise my performance?" According to Glassman, founder of CrossFit, nutrition lays the molecular foundations for overall health and fitness. To build a solid foundation, CrossFit promotes the Paleo/Paleolithic diet. The Paleo diet is pretty simple, eat as our Paleolithic ancestors did, this means consuming plenty of lean meats, eggs, vegetables, fish, berries, and good fats, and avoiding grains, legumes, dairy and processed/artificial foods. The diet is based on the idea that our ancestors evolved for millions of years before reaching the Neolithic period, during which the agricultural revolution, i.e. farming and other advancements radically changed the human diet to the detriment of our health. Diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity and a number of other health issues have all been scientifically linked to a diet too high in refined or processed carbohydrate which is not suited to our genetic composition.
In terms of performance, the diet fullfills all the nutritional needs of an athlete to enhance output whilst maintaining a reduced caloric intake. By consuming the raw, natural foods of the diet, CrossFit athletes are eliminating processed and refined carbs that have been linked to lifestyle diseases, while also controling insulin and hormone levels to improve overall athletic performance.
If you wish to learn more, an abundance of information exists on the Paleo diet, however the most reader friendly look at this diet comes from Rob Wolf's, 'The Paleo Solution.' Why don't you try the Paleo diet for thirty days and see what happens...
