Nutritional Performance Supplementation

 Athletes often turn to supplements to improve their performance. Because there are so many confusing choices, some good, some bad, CCF is dedicated to taking the guesswork out of your buying decisions.  We have partnered with Metagenics, a provider of some of the highest quality performance supplements on the market and have also engaged Robert Flores MD, as a medical consultant. Dr. Flores has a sports medicine background and an undergraduate degree in chemistry. He is helping us structure the protocols for pre and post workout nutrition, as well as guidelines for those with other special nutritional needs such as pre-diabetes, weight loss, etc.

Getting Started

Some of the most common goals in the gym include:

• Lose fat
• Build muscle
• Lose fat AND build muscle
• Increase strength
• Improve performance
• Be healthy

In order to achieve these goals it is necessary to build a nutritional foundation that is based upon good eating habits. It is most important to eat the right total amounts of calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates each day. Your total daily caloric and nutrient consumption, combined with the quality of your food sources, will allow you to achieve a well-balanced diet primarily through your food intake.

Due to the intense nature of CrossFit workouts, or as a consequence of a weight loss diet, it may be in your best interest to supplement certain key nutrients and minerals so you can achieve your goals quickly, effectively and safely.

Pre and Post Workout Nutrition

Once you ensure your overall nutrition is balanced and your totals are right for the day, you should focus on the meals directly surrounding your workouts as an influencing factor for maximizing results.

What you eat before exercise is critical for fueling the workout itself. It should contain a balance of protein, carbohydrates and minerals that will help to ensure maximum performance throughout the workout. Your pre-workout nutrition is derived from the last meal you ate before your workout. Pre-workout nutrition may come through your food intake or from a supplement. It is important that you start your workout in proper nutritional balance so you avoid issues such as hypoglycemia or low levels of key minerals such as potassium which can cause muscle cramping, increased fatigue and lightheadedness.

We recommend Core Therapies Pre-Fuel Whey^TM or Core Therapies Pre-Fuel Rice^TM formula as a high quality meal supplement that can be used for convenience or as a substitution when solid food is not readily available.  Pre-Fuel Whey/Rice^TM is a high protein, low-glycemic-index meal replacement that will help control blood sugar levels and prepare your body for the workout.

Similar to your pre-workout nutrition choices, what you eat after your workout is key to optimizing the recovery and rebuilding process. Through your food choices, you are ensuring your body has the nutrients it needs to fully prepare for and recover from exercise, as well as increase muscle mass by:

• Replenishing muscle glycogen that was depleted during the workout
• Increasing muscle protein synthesis
• Reducing muscle soreness and fatigue
• Avoiding glycemic spikes

Your post-workout meal needs to contain the right balance of protein and carbohydrates in some form within 30 minutes following your workout.  Liquid meals, premeasured in a shaker, are simple, convenient and just as effective as solid food that contain quality protein and a glycemic source.

We recommend a blend of three products, Core Therapies Perform & Recover^TM, Core Therapies Complete Protein^TM and Core Therapies Muscle Relief^TM.  Peform & Recover^TM is an easy-to-digest energy drink mix developed for use after high intensity exercise.  It contains a blend of amino acids, glucose and fructose providing an excellent source of metabolic fuel to the muscles and other tissue.  Complete Protein^TMis a high quality, low-fat, low-carb whey or rice powder that provides easy to absorb forms of protein and amino acids that support the repair of muscles that were damaged or stressed during the workout.  Muscle Relief^TM contains a blend of vitamins, minerals and amino acids that help to minimize soft tissue or muscle tenderness and discomfort.

What you use for your pre and post workout meals is a personal choice. Whether you choose solid food or liquid supplements, the most important factors are that you choose quality sources and you find the right balance to achieve your individual goals.

In addition, we want you to improve lipid ratios which decrease risk of heart disease.  Research suggests that foods high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids reduce the risk for coronary heart disease.  These fatty acids are found in marine and fish oils.  They may be included in your nutrition plan through consumption of solid foods or by consuming a high quality supplement.  If you choose to use a supplement we recommend Core Therapies Pure Omega^TM a lemon-flavored softgel containing 720mg of omega-3 essential fatty acids from cold-water fish.

Making Sound Decisions

How you build your nutrition plan is based primarily upon individual goals and personal decision. At CoreCrossfit we believe the best way to start is through a well-balanced diet based on good food selection. We do believe, in many instances, it is appropriate to supplement your solid food choices with products that are safe and pure. This will help you accommodate for gaps in nutrition and reach your individual goals faster.

We offer a variety of resources such as health coaching, nutrition programs and a high quality line of supplements that are all easily accessible through the staff at the gym.

Curious About Pre & Post Workout Nutrition?

Athletes often look for alternative nutrition to perform at their best. Performance supplements are widely available, and as you probably already know, there are  some good and many unnecessary products on the market.  CCF is dedicated to taking the guesswork out of the buying decsion by partnering with Metagenics, a provider of some of the highest quality performance supplements on the market.  We have also engaged Dr. Robert Flores, as a medical consultant.  Dr. Flores has a sports medicine background and a undergraduate degree in chemistry. He is helping us structure the protocols for pre and post workout nutrition, as well as guidelines for those with other special nutritional needs such pre-diabetes, weight loss, etc.

Dr. Flores will work closely with Tom, Bryon, the coaching staff, as well as nutritionist, Jenn Jackson, to get easy to understand quality information to all of you.  Join us Tuesday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m. at CCF for our initial session on Pre/Post Workout Nutrition Supplementation.  The session is free to all CoreCrossFit clients.

The Importance of Your Post-Workout Snack

Did you know that consuming a snack high in protein following your workout helps to promote muscle repair and can lessen belly fat?  Exercise activates cortisol, a stress hormone that helps you get the energy you need to push through those challenging CrossFit workouts.  The downside of Cortisol though, is that when it lingers in your body following a workout it inhibits the muscle repair process and alters your metabolism so that your body stores more calories as fat (often in the abdominal area). Protein acts as the Cortisol antidote and provides the amino acids necessary to rebuild muscle tissue that is damaged during intense exercise.  Consuming quality protein within 30 minutes of your workout will prevent these effects.  The quality protein source will differ for all of us, but choose wisely.  Whey protein beverages, egg whites, eggs, turkey and chicken breast, tuna, sardines and salmon are all excellent choices.

Detox Your Way to Looking, Feeling and Performing Better!

Nutritionist, Jenn Jackson, led our first crew of CoreCrossFitters through a 14 day cleanse process that began in early February.  The feedback has been very positive.  Participants reported improved energy, less joint swelling, diminished aches and pains, etc.  As an added bonus, pretty much everyone lost weight as well as noted a much improved focus upon nutrition in general.  Dave Palmer shared this:

We have decided to offer the program again with a few small changes.  We are going to work with a nutritional supplement company, Metagenics, for the detox supplements and each participant will baseline their beginning body composition before the cleanse begins using a process called Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA).  BIA measures your body fat in relation to lean body mass.  A second BIA analysis will be conducted two or three weeks post-cleanse.  The BIA will allow us to measure your progress as you work toward improving your health.  The cleanse process will last for 10 days.  Total cost for the cleanse, the detox supplements and the BIA is $199.  Contact the front desk to sign-up at 602-254-5301.

So who needs a detoxification cleanse anyway?

Many cultures around the world have long believed that toxins accumulate in the body and can be an underlying cause of a variety of health problems. For centuries, different therapies have been used to “cleanse” or detoxify, from simple water fasts to sometimes elaborate regimens of bowel cleansing, steams, and saunas. Western medicine ignored or criticized these techniques for years, but has finally started to recognize detoxification as a vital body process. Research has substantiated that an individual’s ability to detoxify substances to which they are exposed varies tremendously, and the body’s capacity to detoxify these substances is of critical importance to overall health. In our industrialized world, we produce more and more potentially toxic compounds that find their way into the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. The body must rid itself of these dangerous substances by transforming and then excreting them through the lungs, skin, kidneys, and bowels. Unfortunately, not all of them get excreted efficiently—some are circulated back into the bloodstream and others are stored in various body tissues such as fat tissue. This is in part due to the increasing levels of toxins we are exposed to, and may be exacerbated by a lack of nutrients needed to fuel the detoxification process. Over the years toxins can build up in fat, joints, the brain, and various other tissues, potentially leading to a variety of health issues.

A detoxification program supports the pathways in the body that help to reduce toxic burden.  It includes recommended foods and beverages that contain the nutrients needed to help the body eliminate unwanted chemicals.  We use a supplemental food product, mixed as a shake with fruit, that have been proven to assist the body with detoxification.  It does this by providing the nturient that the liver uses to help remove toxins as well as by revving up the body’s natural chelating agent that binds to toxins and allows for their elimination.

Jenn’s Super Healthy Cleanse Starts February 6!

The Kick-off Meeting is Saturday, February 4 at Noon (at CCF).  The cost is $125 for CoreCrossFit members.

This is not about dieting or losing a ton of weight (though you may lose a few pounds!).  It is about getting back to the basics and learning to incorporate as many whole foods into your diet as possible. 

A great way to jump-start a new nutrition program or simply to “dial-in” your current regimen, is through the process of cleansing which rids your body of toxins coming from excessive caffeine, dairy, bread, sodas, artificial sweeteners and processed foods.  Many people cleanse because they feel uncomfortable in some way – they may have aches and pains, carry excess weight, experience major cravings or have digestive problems like bloating, gas or constipation.  Some people simply want to feel better, have more energy or get a jump-start on a healthier lifestyle.

It does not matter what motivates you.  What is important is that you are ready to make a change now. 

As a participant in Jenn’s Super Simple Cleanse you will:

• Receive and follow a seven-day pre-cleanse program designed to eliminate behaviors and foods that interfere with metabolism.
•  Be guided through a seven-day cleanse resulting in reduced inflammation and toxicity and a noticeable slimming down of your face and body; better sleep, more energy; improved skin; decreased joint pain; and enhanced elimination.
•  Be given Magnesium supplements, Senna capsules and rice protein powder that you will use during cleanse.
•  Participate in two group meetings, receive daily email updates and coaching throughout the two-week process.

Once the cleanse is over, you will receive guidance on incorporating healthy foods that you enjoy back into your diet while paying close attention to any dietary sensitivities.

Regular cleansing helps to transfer healthy habits into regular routine.  We are confident that once you discover how terrific you could feel just by eating properly, you will be motivated to change your habits for good!

Email ali@corecrossfit.com or call the front desk at 602-254-5301 to sign-up.  If you have questions or want more information contact Kim at kim@corecrossfit.com or Jenn at jj@pureheartandsoul.com.