“How I started thinking differently about food” – Coach Helen
When I first started doing CrossFit, weight loss was my main goal. In the beginning, I focused solely on making the gym part of my routine. It was such a huge change for me, and I didn’t think I could manage trying to alter my diet as well – it felt too overwhelming.
Once working out had become non-negotiable for me, I decided it was time to work on cleaning up my nutrition. My weight loss had plateaued, and I realized I could no longer try to out train a bad diet.
When it came to nutrition, I thought it would take a massive overhaul to see any results. But just like in the gym, it hasn’t been about one huge effort—it’s been about small, steady choices repeated over time.
To my surprise, I discovered I actually wasn’t eating enough. I used to grab a muffin on my way out the door, only to be starving an hour later but be too busy to eat. When the hunger became too big to ignore, I would reach for anything to fill the void… often fast food: high carb, high fat. I felt horrible during workouts, I was often sluggish in the afternoon, and would need a nap after work to make it to bedtime.
The first thing I learned is that you don’t have to completely change the way you eat to start making a difference. It’s a lot like pushing through a tough workout. You don’t power through it with one rep – you chip away, set after set, until you get the job done. Nutrition works the same way: each mindful choice that you make is a rep toward your goal. One on its own might not seem like much, but stacked together, they build progress you can see and feel.
I started simple. Step one was to have protein at every meal and snack. Instead of a muffin, I now begin my mornings with eggs or another protein source that keep me fueled and full for hours. When sweet cravings hit, high protein Greek yogurt with fruit and a little granola satisfies me without sending me on a sugar crash.
Step two was to try and be more mindful about my food. How will eating this make me feel? Will it fuel my workout? Why am I choosing it? Could I make a different choice instead? I also started listening to my body. Feeding it when it felt hungry, and stopping eating when I felt comfortably full – even if that meant not cleaning my plate.
I also leaned on simple swaps— bulking up a smaller serving of pasta with spaghetti squash, using Greek yogurt or whipped cottage cheese instead of mayo and sour cream, using egg whites in place of whole eggs — and those small adjustments have made a big difference. Drinking water steadily throughout the day also helps to curb those impulses to snack.
If you are trying to work towards better nutrition habits, the best piece of advice I can offer you is this: it’s not about perfection. Life will happen, cravings will happen, there will always be a better choice you could have made. Results and habits don’t happen overnight, and everyone has to start somewhere. Be kind to yourself. Take each moment, each decision, each meal as it comes. Just like in your fitness journey – It’s about showing up, doing the little things, and trusting that consistency will get you where you want to go.