The Total Nutrition Makeover

CrossFit OC3 got a total nutrition makeover this past weekend! We introduced our new nutritionist, Laurie Busching, RDN, LD of Laurie Busching Nutrition, and meal prepper, Gerard Gaona of Stackdfit Meals. We are pretty excited about the value these two bring to our members!

Weight: Move It and Lose It

We talk about moving weight a lot – we love the barbell – but it’s also time to have “the talk” about losing weight. We have always believed – and always will – that putting in hard work at the gym, and especially working on FUNCTIONAL and CONSTANTLY VARIED movements is important and necessary. But health doesn’t necessarily start (or stop) there. We believe it starts with how you fuel (or drain) your body. Ask Dr. Freedhoff, and he’ll tell you,

“[W]hen it comes to energy balance, what you eat matters a hell of a lot more than how much you exercise, regardless of how exercise contributes to energy balance. It also means that you’re not likely to be able to outrun your forks.

Of course, no one should take this as a license not to exercise, as exercise is probably the single most important modifiable determinant of your health. Putting this another way, you lose weight in the kitchen, you gain health in the gym.”

Working out and eating right are factors that are within our control. Some things, like aging, are outside of our control but, through our choices, we can empower ourselves to take certain matters into our own hands.

Aging: Friend or Foe

A number of things change as we age, including our metabolisms. Starting in our mid-twenties, our total body fat starts to increase, our muscle mass begins its descent and we slowly lose the ability to eat to our heart’s content and just “burn it off.” It’s true that muscles burn more calories, so if our diets don’t evolve with our declining levels of activity, then it stands to reason that we might not befriend the scale like we once did. In fact, it makes some of us want to break up with that thing!

But, don’t take it out on the scale! A lower basal metabolic rate (BMR) is at least partly to blame. Not for our choices (sorry, those are still on us), but for the need to put in more work in order to look and FEEL as good as we once did. Your BMR is the number of calories needed to fuel you each day. A typical person will work out less (or be less active in general) but eat the same or more in his or her older years, which is often what leads to weight gain.

Women have the added challenge of a decreased BMR thanks to menopause. Muscle mass decreases as the ovaries stop producing estrogen, which causes women to gain extra fat – typically in the abdomen – even without adding calories. However, we don’t have to surrender our youthfulness; instead, we take the challenge (as CrossFitteres do) and figure out how to work with the aging process rather than against it. Sorry, not sorry, AGE.

Nutrition: Coaching + Fueling

Enter Laurie and Gerard to help you sort through all of this complicated madness. This blog has only scratched the surface of the inner workings of the human body. Laurie can help you understand what’s happening and why, and Gerard can provide you the nutritious, organic meals to keep you on track. Laurie works with clients in a number of ways (weekly vs. monthly check-ins, in person coaching vs. remote support). She teaches you how to reach your goals using the proper fuel for your body, while still being able to enjoy the foods you love, minus the guilt. Gerard’s meals are affordable and delivered to your door (work or home)! No grocery shopping, no dirty dishes.

As a reminder, CrossFit OC3 will host our next TNT – Total Nutrition Takeover – in January, led by Laurie. This is a 7-8 week long program designed to be continued in your real life for your overall health. Participants track sleep, water intake, food quality and exercise to curate a healthier lifestyle that works for them. We don’t recommend waiting, though. Start now! Start with something simple, such as eliminating pop or refined sugar. Take small steps or go all in, just know it’s up to you!

That is the great news. We can actually take control of our own health! In fact, we are really the only ones who can, but we don’t have to do it alone. You have a couple of health experts paired with a built-in support system at the gym. Maybe you are tired of feeling sluggish or ready to drop your belly fat. Or you may just want to have more energy, prevent disease or any number of benefits tied to fueling your body (rather than draining it). It’s more accessible than ever to be the best version of yourself for everyone in your life who depends on you. So, when will it be your turn to give your health and wellness a total nutrition makeover?