Calisthenics nutrition can be a tricky business. Pre-workout nutrition, post-workout nutrition, peri-workout nutrition, carbs, fats, proteins, macros, starches versus sugars; the list goes on. Luckily for you, we’ve got one simple tip to help you cut through the noise and get straight to better results!
The amount of information available can seem overwhelming but, actually, maybe it doesn’t have to be. After all, a lot of the advice out there comes from either scientific research that only applies in very narrow or specific circumstances, or worse from supplement companies who have a vested interest in our being confused about proper nutrition. If you want to test this, walk into a nutrition or supplement store, confess to the salesperson that you don’t know exactly what you need and watch his eyes light up as he begins selling you everything that no one else wants to buy!
With calisthenics and bodyweight training, we often take a more natural, more free approach to our training. This is encouraged by the lack of excessive equipment and options for traditional linear progression; we have to substitute the ability to really feel our bodies. So how about we do the same with our approach to nutrition?
A note of caution; when we use the word ‘natural’, we do not necessarily mean as it appears on the packaging of various foods. There are plenty of things that are both natural and really quite bad for you. And there are plenty more that are highly unnatural but which can have a place in a healthy lifestyle, even quite a prominent role.
What we mean by natural is what your body wants. By acting naturally we don’t mean choosing the carrot salad every time, but choosing what your body tells you to, even if it seems counter-intuitive.
So, eating naturally is the first step. To make sure you don’t have too many food cravings left over from bad former habits, it can be helpful to do a ‘detox’ of sorts. This is nothing mystical and requires no potions, powders or pills. Just stop eating crap for two (preferably three) weeks or so. Be strict about it.
You know what you shouldn’t eat, so just commit to it for a few weeks. Drink lots of water, don’t drink anything else, unless you have a pretty serious coffee or tea habit. This will be enough to break any bad habits that would prevent intuitive eating working for you.
After this, eat what you want, when you want to. That’s it. If your cravings are ‘reset’ and you are moving around in a natural, enjoyable, and healthy way, you will eat in a natural, enjoyable and healthy way, without having to think too much about it.
Don’t believe us? Try it, we dare you!
This method completely eliminates crutches and confusions. It’s all on you, but it’s all straightforward. You want it? Eat it. Just take a minute before you choose anything to ask yourself if you really want it, or if it’s a reflexive twitch of old habits.
If you want it, go for it. If not, don’t make yourself eat it just because it’s there or someone told you too. Basically, it’s all on you, so do what you want.