How to track Crossfit?

I do crossfit and base everything off of energy levels, body weight. I also monitor muscle definition for body fat purposes. You will need to fuel your body properly or you will begin to burn out quickly. Depending on how many times a week you are WOD'ing you can probably get by with more carbs too.

Find your maintenance cals. Then adjust Macros from there depending on your fitness goals.

There really is no good way to track crossfit because the workouts and intensity vary so much. You will have to be on point with tracking everything so you can get it dialed in.

I used to use circuit training but adjust the calories just as a guestimate, based on the difficulty of the metcon, i.e. if it was more strength work than cardio (max cals on bike or rower, 400 m runs and box jumps, etc.). I had a friend that went with me too that was the same weight/height that wore a heart rate monitor too so that helped. I'd usually burn between 250-500 calories a day depending on the class!

embids wrote: »

rybo wrote: »

psuLemon wrote: »

If you are consistently doing it, I'd considering switching to the TDEE method so you won't have to worry about eating back exercise calories. Because in all reality, it's rather difficult to know what you are burning.

This is my suggestion too. Actually, I'd suggest this for any person doing consistent exercise.

Thanks for your input guys!
This might be a silly question, but what is the TDEE method? @rybo

The TDEE method or Total Daily Energy Expenditure (also referred as EE or TEE) is a method of calculating total expenditure to incorporate all aspects of the energy balance equation; Basal metabolic rate (BMR: calories burned through metabolic processes) + Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT: calories burned through non exercise daily activities) + Thermal Effect of Food (TEF: calories burned through digestion) + Thermal Effect of Activity (TEA: calories burned through intentional exercise).

With a TDEE calculator, it estimates your total calories burned in a given day; they estimate BMR through various metabolic formulas and then use a activity multiplier. From there you'd take a reduction of calories and eat the same level every day (this way, you aren't chasing exercise calories). From there, you'd take a 15-20% reduction of that number.

Now, the key here is incorporating a feedback loop (why most people fail). This means, tracking calories for 4-6 weeks and adjusting calories based on actual results.

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html


For example: They estimate my TDEE to be 2800

If I average 2200 and lost 1.5 lbs per week (on average over 4 weeks)

So to figure out what my actual TDEE, I can use the above data.

1.5lbs/week = (3500 * 1.5) = 5250 (total deficit)
Avg daily deficit = (5250/7) = 750
Actual TDEE = 2200 + 750 = 2950


So I would then recalculate calories based on actual avg expenditure

Daily needs = 2950 * (1-.2) = 2360 (~590 calorie deficit - so just over 1 lb per week)