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Every year, as the CrossFit Open approaches, something changes in the gym.
People show up a little more focused.
They push a little harder.
There’s excitement… and just enough nerves to remind us that this matters.
That’s the magic of the Open.
It’s not just a worldwide competition — it’s a shared experience. A chance to test ourselves, support each other, and take an honest look at what our training has built over the past year.
We like to think of the Open as an annual check-up.
Not a judgment. Not a pass/fail test.
Just a snapshot of where you are right now.
And if the goal is to show up feeling confident and capable over the next six weeks, training alone isn’t enough.
Training Is Only Part of the Picture
Yes — we’ll train hard.
Yes — we’ll practice skills and build strength.
But how you fuel, recover, and live outside the gym will play a massive role in how you feel on the competition floor.
We’re not interested in crash diets, six-week hacks, or extreme approaches that leave you burned out by Week 3. That’s not CrossFit — and it’s not sustainable.
Instead, our focus is simple:
Eat and live in a way that helps you perform today while supporting long-term health.
Start With Real Food
Before worrying about tracking, timing, or optimization, the foundation is food quality.
Real food doesn’t come with a long ingredient list.
Real food is the ingredients.
Meat, eggs, fish, potatoes, rice, fruit, vegetables, yogurt, nuts, seeds.
Food your grandparents would recognize without squinting at a label.
These foods are naturally nutrient-dense, satisfying, and supportive of training. They help stabilize energy levels instead of sending you on the familiar rollercoaster of feeling great one minute and completely wrecked the next.
Ultra-processed foods do the opposite — quick energy followed by hard crashes, cravings, and poor recovery.
If you start prioritizing real food, most of the nutrition noise disappears.
Protein: The Cornerstone
Protein deserves special attention.
Your muscles, bones, tendons, hormones, immune system, and even your brain rely on amino acids from protein. When you recover well, sleep better, feel mentally steady, or hit a PR, protein played a role.
Most athletes under-eat protein.
A general target of 0.7–1 gram per pound of ideal bodyweight works well for many people and supports recovery, strength, lean mass, and satiety.
Build meals around high-quality protein sources like meat, eggs, fish, and dairy, and let everything else support that foundation.
Fat: Steady Energy and Hormone Health
Fat often gets overlooked, but it’s critical.
It provides long-lasting energy, supports your nervous system, and plays a major role in hormone production. Your brain, cell membranes, and eyes all rely on fat to function properly.
Under-eating fat can quietly sabotage performance, motivation, and recovery.
Stick with natural sources:
Egg yolks, full-fat dairy, meat, avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, coconuts, and fatty fish.
Avoid industrial oils when possible and keep it simple.
Carbohydrates: Fuel With Intention
Carbohydrates are your high-intensity fuel — your rocket fuel for heavy lifts, fast sprints, and late-workout pushes.
The key isn’t avoiding carbs — it’s choosing slow, whole-food sources that keep blood sugar stable.
Vegetables, fruits, potatoes, rice, beans, squash, and oats all fit well when paired with training demands.
Refined carbs enter the system too quickly, spike energy, and then crash it just as fast. Whole-food carbs digest more slowly and support consistent performance.
Do You Need to Track?
Tracking food isn’t required — but it can be incredibly useful.
Tracking teaches awareness:
- What portions actually look like
- How food choices affect training and recovery
- What helps you feel energized vs. sluggish
You don’t need perfection. You just need data.
A simple starting point for many athletes is:
- Men: ~2,500 calories
- Women: ~2,000 calories
- Split roughly 40% carbs / 30% protein / 30% fat, then adjust based on how you feel and perform.
Your nutrition is a lifelong experiment — you’re both the subject and the scientist.
Don’t Forget the Big Rocks
Some basics matter more than almost anything else:
- Water: Aim for about half your bodyweight (in pounds) in ounces per day
- Salt: Sweat losses matter — salt your food
- Micronutrients: Eat a wide variety of whole foods
- Sleep: This one is non-negotiable
Stronger muscles? Sleep.
Better mood? Sleep.
Fewer cravings? Sleep.
Better Open performance? Sleep.
Protect your sleep like it matters — because it does.
The Open Is a Celebration
The Open isn’t just about scores.
It’s about effort.
It’s about community.
It’s about discovering you’re capable of more than you thought.
When you fuel yourself well, you show up with more to give — to your workouts, your teammates, and yourself.
The next six weeks are your invitation to eat, train, recover, and live like the athlete you’re becoming.
The Open is coming.
Let’s show up ready.
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