Two seemingly different goals, so how do you go from one to the other?
Over the last three months, I’ve made a transition from your typical strength training split (upper and lower body twice a week), to following a structured CrossFit program that I get emailed to me on a daily basis (yes, CrossFit *gasps of horror*).
Three months in and what are my thoughts? Well firstly, you have to realise that performance isn’t fuelled by aesthetics. Visual markers of your progress (slimmer here, broader there etc.) are what keep a lot of people motivated, and making some (potentially drastic) aesthetic change is what brings most people through the gym doors in the first place. But what if you’re training for something – some sport or activity? Perhaps you’re about to grace the pitch, take to the courts, or maybe even step between the ropes. Whatever it may be, I know for a fact I could be a lot leaner than this (pictured above) – but in reality I’d also die if I jumped on an assault bike for longer than 10 seconds at a lower body fat percentage.
My diet
When I was focused purely on aesthetics, I stuck to a very high-protein and high-fat approach with minimal carbohydrates. Why? Because carbs are like caffeine, they’re not essential but they’re a bloody powerful tool. A high-fat approach was great for staying lean, but during training I’d be flagging like hell.
So, calories haven’t gone up (yet…) however I have replaced some of my fat intake with extra carbohydrates. I know what you’re thinking, but like I said, they’re powerful when used correctly. I don’t needlessly eat tons of pasta throughout the day and create blood sugar fluctuations. I consume the majority of my carbohydrates in the evening, because I train fasted the next morning. This allows me to immediately tap into my muscle glycogen stores in a fasted state when exercising.
While aesthetics don’t drive performance, I am strong believer that performance can create aesthetics. I’m very happy with my current physique, And I haven’t done a single bicep curl in months!
Side note: I do wear shirts sometimes.