Peak Performance And Good Nutrition

In 2015, Mat Fraser finished second in the Crossfit Games, which are designed to seek out the fittest of the fit, for the second year in a row. In 2016, he crushed the competition, winning by nearly two hundred points. He attributed his dominance in part to a change in nutrition, admitting to Men’s Journal that he hadn’t had the best of diets in prior years. While that wasn’t the only key to his success, it is something that all of us who work out recreationally can change to help us achieve peak performance in whatever it is that we want to do. Here are three simple steps you can take to help you make your food fuel your goals in a more effective way:

Go green. Most Americans do not consume enough vegetables, and leafy green vegetables in particular. Broccoli, kale, argula, asparagus, lettuce and spinach all contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They have very few calories, so you can eat lots!

Go lean. Be thoughtful in your meat selection. Choose cuts of meat that are ninety percent lean or leaner. Even a five percent difference in fat content can make a big difference in the calories that you are consuming. Consider fish as well, as most varieties, especially of white fish, are very low in fat.

Go clean. Choose single ingredient products that don’t come in boxes or cans. Usually, you will find these products on the exterior of the grocery store rather than in the center aisles. Most things that are packaged or processed have little nutritional value.

Try implementing one of these steps for a couple of weeks, then add another for two more weeks, then the third. Most people feel and perform better with these few small dietary changes.