As promised, this is blog 3 of 3 breaking down CrossFit’s definition of "constantly varied, functional movements executed at high or relative intensity.” And trust me, there’s so much more to say about CrossFit methodology, but more importantly, we need to discuss the role of nutrition and its importance to our culture.
When Lauren and I first found CrossFit in 2007, CrossFit wasn't just about exercising intensely and functional movements; it was about pursuing a higher standard of health and wellness. We fell in love with the simplicity and effectiveness of CrossFit. It was super gritty and raw, bringing us closer to like-minded individuals. When I became a coach, it became my mission to spread the gospel, so here it is:
There's a famous infographic floating around in our old literature called the Sickness-Wellness-Fitness Continuum. It reminds me of CrossFit’s original intentions: to improve everyone’s blood pressure, body fat levels, bone density, lower triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, glycated hemoglobin, muscle mass, etc…this was the definition of wellness. CrossFit used both The Paleo Diet and The Zone as their primary instruments. I’ll save the nutrition talk for a later blog, but everyone in our community was on board.
Nutrition was always part of the conversation at every seminar, gym, and affiliate summit. Somewhere along the way, this message took a back seat to performance. Greg Glassman never meant for this to happen. In fact, nutrition was always the foundation of our fitness hierarchy.
Proper nutrition in conjunction with high-intensity functional movements was the secret sauce. That’s what convinced me to quit my job at 30 and open up a box—a decision I've never regretted.
When I think back to our early SCF days, many of you remember the constant buzz surrounding nutrition. We held annual nutrition talks, shared recipes, had private Facebook groups, and held each other accountable. It was extreme, but these dietary principles were revolutionary and empowering and affected positive change. Although we're no longer dogmatic about nutrition, I certainly believe you can't out-train a bad diet.
I feel it’s imperative that we all stay focused on what’s important regarding health. Yes, we want to run faster, lift more, crush every workout, and look glamorous on the weekends, but the truth is, nutrition needs to be the foundation of fitness if you ever want to see gains inside and outside the gym.
Let's get back to the basics Shoreline CrossFit, and keep killing it!
.jpg)
