It starts with nutrition
The foundation is food. With the right fuel, we can power our bodies properly to do what we want, whenever we want, however we want.
When we are not powering bodies properly with the right fuel, then we are not living and operating at our true potential.
Based on the Theoretical Hierarchy of Development shown in here, Nutrition is what we should prioritize before any kind of movement learning, practice, and training.
Not mentioned is sleep and recovery, which should be before Nutrition, so we will save that for next time.
On Nutrition though, as Glassman writes in that article, that we must:
"Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat."
In how elegantly it is described, we cannot go wrong by eating meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar.
By keeping that template as "clean" as possible by limiting as much processed food as possible, we not only provide the best fuel for our bodies, but we also create a hedge against chronic disease.
This is essentially how the cavemen ancestors approached their nutrition.
Keeping our intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fat (our 3 macronutrients) in balance through this approach, we have energy to power the cells of our body using carbohydrates and fat, and keep the structural integrity of our cells and larger tissues, muscles, and organs using protein and fat.
Based on a person's current state of health and fitness and where they want to go with their goals, then the ratios of the 3 macronutrients are dialed/tweaked/adjusted to their needs.
For us at ACF, where we are for the most part approaching our training to have the highest fitness level possible from year to year, which means having great health, and being Generally Physically Prepared, especially for the Unknown and Unknowable, then the general or moderate approach of eating meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar should be our approach.
Our carbohydrate intake should be primarily coming from vegetables and some fruit.
Our fat intake should be coming from nuts and seeds and meat.
Our protein intake should be coming from meat and nuts and seeds.
There is plenty of overlap and exceptions, but for the most part, we should be targeting all three macronutrients as part of our intake, and not neglecting one, or multiple ones.
To get a more in-depth look at the three macronutrients of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, take a look at this video that Dr. Andy Galpin put together.
That should give us all a general and easy way of thinking about how we should be fueling our bodies to do what we want to do, when we want, however we want, to our highest potential.
With that all in mind, what's for dinner?