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Donuts Don’t Equal PR’s

[vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”16654″ style=”vc_box_rounded” qode_css_animation=””][vc_single_image image=”16655″ style=”vc_box_rounded” qode_css_animation=””][vc_single_image image=”16656″ style=”vc_box_rounded” qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]Hey Ninjas,

I want to focus this months blog on how you can not out-train a bad diet. As I scroll through social media postings I see athletes brag about how they are consuming donut after donut but still have six pack abs. I am here to tell you, abs are made in the kitchen. Yes, I know, how cliché of me to say, but it’s the truth. No amount of rounds on the air dyne or endless met-cons can give you a lean physique if you continue to fuel your body with an unhealthy diet. In the real world, you ARE what you eat. Below I listed a few reasons why you cannot out-WOD a bad diet:

YOU ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

I hear a lot of people justifying eating a whole pizza because the WOD included a two mile run that day. Look, a two mile run does not burn as many calories that are in a whole pizza, not even half. I know for some of you a two miler feels like forever so in your mind you burned over 10,000 calories, but the truth is around 400-500 calories, which would be more like one piece of pizza. Let’s be honest, how many only eat ONE slice? Not many. Most people don’t realize professional or high level athletes have a little more leeway than your average gym goer when it comes to consuming cheat foods. They train hours upon hours and carry an abundance of hard earned muscle that burns a lot more calories than most of us, so therefore they can get away with eating cheat meals. But don’t be fooled, it’s not everyday, it’s more like once a week, once every other or some cases, not at all.

 

YOU WONT BE ABLE TO BE THE BEST VERSION

If you want to change your physique, it requires intense training. You won’t have the physical endurance to push through some tough wods if your diet isn’t up to par. While donuts and Pop Tarts may give you a sugar high, which you mistake as energy, they won’t fuel you to get a PR on your bench or “Fran”. Low quality foods have no purpose in our lives as athletes, none. After one has consumed junk food it adds no value to their life which will not help them achieve their goals in the gym, whether that be a PR or six pack abs. Also researched has shown a direct correlation between poor quality sleep and a bad diet. Poor sleep leads to bad performance in the gym.

 

YOU WONT WANT TO WORKOUT

Unhealthy food choices, whether it’s too much sugar, too many calories or not enough, will make you feel slow and less driven to exercise. Your diet and training regime are on a feedback loop. When you eat well, you are much more motivated to move, when you move, you are more motivated to eat better. Plus you sleep better which means you walk around less tired and irritable. It all goes together, miss one link and you won’t perform at your absolute best version of you.

 

YOU COULD GET SICK OR HURT

Low carb and low fat diets can be mentally draining and have a negative effect on heart health. Following either of the two will lead to micronutrient deficiencies and increase inflammation throughout the body, which will make you susceptible to injury. Studies have shown by not taking in enough healthy fats, you raise your chances for overuse injuries like, tendonitis or stress fractures. Furthermore, if you pair up a low carb or low fat diet with intense training, you can also lower your immune system which can lead to sickness.

 

I hope this helps sum up why you cannot out-train a bad diet. When it comes to picking foods, think high quality. Realize that your health is worth more than a donut or that vodka tonic.

 

As always, if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

 

Over and Out,

Jamie Justin

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