The key for me is nutrient timing. Fat loss comes from what and how much you eat. To be able to perform in crossfit, you need energy. So, how do we get good energy balance (and a slight deficit)? By timing when we eat what.

It is different for each person based on what you like to eat, when you workout, etc. I've found the easiest way to manage it is to look at food and burn over a week versus a day. I'll fuel up (over eat) on training days and cut way back (except protein) on non-training days. Over the week, I come out with a slight deficit.

I did have to cut back a little but I was doing 5-6 days a week and now I do 4. It allows me to have more days in a deficit and much needed rest. Once my bf% is below 30% though I will probably step it up a notch again.

I'm doing Eat to Perform

Hi, I've been doing Crossfit for about 3 months now. When I first started I was heavily into Paleo and I found that I was eating as much as I wanted as long as it was paleo and I wasn't watching any portion control. So I was following paleo similar to Atkins in the sense that I was expecting to be able to eat as much as I wanted and lose weight which wasn't the case at all. I felt great but didn't like the fact that I was training hard and not losing any weight so I decided to come back onto my fitness pal to track calories. After a month of tracking calories I've lost about 1.2 kg and whilst I still have some Paleo meals I'm just trying to eat healthy and balanced and including carbs like potatoes slice of bread here and there. My verdict is is that it comes down to calories in vs calories out of the end of the day. Perhaps if I was eating paleo and tracking the calories I would've lost weight however for me the point of eating paleo was to not track calories. I have now realised that the only thing that actually works for me is tracking calories.

I agree, Inkralet--I need more carbs than most (it seems) for me to have good energy for workouts, but when ETP gave me a macro list (WoD days: C=245g, F=65g, P=135...about 2100 calories/day) they told me I should keep these the same, just cut the carbs by 100g on rest days. I cannot cut them that low! haha...So I just aim for cutting them to 200 on rest days and losing fat slower, and it's working really well for me. I still have energy, I'm not hungry, and hopefully I'm building the muscle mass that I want to build. But it's too early to tell...the upcoming strength cycle we're in will tell me though... :-)

lostalykat wrote: »

So after kidding myself thinking I could lose the weight without measuring/tracking my food I am back. I do crossfit anywhere from 2-4 times a week and I try to walk/jog a few days a week as well. I have heard that cutting back on crossfit will get me smaller faster but I don't want to sacrifice that, I love crossfit too much. I would love any tips crossfitters have on how they lost fat and kept up crossfit. Thanks!

I initially used CrossFit because I was bored at the local gym. It was exactly what I needed and changed things for me. However, as someone who based his success of the the number that was on the scale, it took some getting used to when the increases came. Now I gauge my success on how my clothes fit, how a feel, how I look and what I can now do. It also has provided me with a great deal of nutritional information that has helped me balance out my diet and fuel my body. I now use CrossFit as my primary strength program for all phases of my triathlon training.

If you want to get "smaller", you will need to refine your diet, focus on nutrition and increase your cardio outside of the world of Crossfit. *Tip: We formed a running group with some crossfitters at our box and compete in several 5ks and some half-marthons each year as a team.

Stick with it and Good Luck !!!

StartingOverStephanie wrote: »

Eat To Perform and CF go SO well together!!

Totally!

MDLNH wrote: »

lostalykat wrote: »

So after kidding myself thinking I could lose the weight without measuring/tracking my food I am back. I do crossfit anywhere from 2-4 times a week and I try to walk/jog a few days a week as well. I have heard that cutting back on crossfit will get me smaller faster but I don't want to sacrifice that, I love crossfit too much. I would love any tips crossfitters have on how they lost fat and kept up crossfit. Thanks!

I initially used CrossFit because I was bored at the local gym. It was exactly what I needed and changed things for me. However, as someone who based his success of the the number that was on the scale, it took some getting used to when the increases came. Now I gauge my success on how my clothes fit, how a feel, how I look and what I can now do. It also has provided me with a great deal of nutritional information that has helped me balance out my diet and fuel my body. I now use CrossFit as my primary strength program for all phases of my triathlon training.

If you want to get "smaller", you will need to refine your diet, focus on nutrition and increase your cardio outside of the world of Crossfit. *Tip: We formed a running group with some crossfitters at our box and compete in several 5ks and some half-marthons each year as a team.

Stick with it and Good Luck !!!

Love the idea of a running club!

bethlivi wrote: »

Yeah, ETP suggested more days in calorie deficit if I wanted to lose more body fat (so 3-4rest days per week), but I was doing that anyways.

I was going to mention this too. I suspect the trick is making the most of the off days, but I've been trying to do ETP and struggling with this, partially because I only have one off day per week usually (extra cardio stuff on non-CF days, because I'm training for a tri) and partially because it's been really hard for me to wrap my head around eating less on off days after being used to the TDEE method.

That said, I've noticed positive changes in my body despite the scale weight staying the same, so I'm reasonably happy so far. I'm good with my current weight if I can reduce my body fat percentage/gain strength.

Yeah, I've also found that when I at least try to hit my macros, my composition of food is just better for leaning out. WHen I was focused on calories, I was basically eating what I wanted so long as it fit my TDEE numbers--now instead of that, I worry about eating plenty of protein and keeping my sugars to a certain level, etc. I've never done that before. I definitely don't hit my off-day targets like I"m supposed to (I'm still probably 50-75 carbs higher on those days than they suggest), but I still have lost 2 pounds in the past 3 weeks without changing my workout schedule, and without losing energy/strength. I haven't lost any weight on the scale in months! Crazy. I'm a total convert. haha