By: Greyson Gilbert*
The pursuit of fitness has to begin with a
goal. For Military Service Members, the ultimate goal is to successfully
complete the mission—whatever that might be. For most people, that mission
probably demands a certain level of physical fitness to match their performance
needs. This includes passing the fitness test and being held accountable for body-composition
standards. Physical training and exercise are huge pieces of the overall
mission puzzle. But nutrition is an equally important Total Force Fitness
domain for physical—and mental—performance optimization.
A professor once told me that the science
of nutrition is as much psychology as it is biology because optimizing nutritional
health is all about understanding behavior—the difference between knowing what
quality food is and making the right choices. People have different
tastes, cultural backgrounds, food histories, and performance goals.
My various objectives, or competitions,
I’ve participated in—Crossfit, powerlifting, Ironman, bike racing, etc.—have
demanded different body weights and compositions for optimal performance.
Through nutrition manipulation, I’ve gained and lost significant amounts of
weight throughout the various training seasons—sometimes gaining or losing up
to 30 lbs at a time. Recently, for powerlifting, I gained weight and saw my
strength increase—I also saw my cardiovascular performance decrease
significantly. When I accomplished those goals, I decided to lose some weight,
and I committed myself to endurance and Ironman triathlon.
Coming from a strength background, I began
to feel the pressure to drop weight. Through a specific nutrition strategy
(and training), I lost weight fast—too fast, in fact. At my peak, I found that
caloric restriction had brought me from a standard 190 lbs to 165 lbs in a
short few months.
Although I looked in
the mirror and felt like I was becoming a real triathlete, I saw
my performance gains plateau. I felt I was doing everything right, but why
did I feel tired all the time? By re-evaluating my fueling strategies and overall performance
goals, I realized I needed to make a change.
The crux of the
problem was this: Was my goal the appearance
of high performance, or was my goal to actually perform at the highest
level I could?
Endurance athletes tend to be lean. I could
get into the science of power-to-weight ratio, but if you look at this year’s
Ironman Kona World Championship field of competitors, it’s obvious when
you see how lean they are: For elite
competitors, body composition isn’t the goal of training and nutrition, but
rather the consequence. When your focus is on performing at your best—whatever
your fitness goal might be—your appearance will come as a result.
It’s important to
remember that everyone is different, and every body is unique.
Appearance doesn’t
define ability. Who cares whether you’re 10% or 15% body fat if you feel
great, your personal performance improves, and you have a healthy relationship
with food, training, and your friends and family? More importantly, what
constitutes a healthy relationship with food and training? These are the
questions you should ask yourself.
It can be highly useful to track calories
or macronutrients—proteins, fats, and carbs—but it’s important to understand
and listen to your body. When you have hard training days, it’s vital to refuel
adequately for recovery to prepare for the next one. Above all, eat with
intention, and choose quality foods in the right amounts—all of which contribute
to mission readiness. Feeling good, being able to recover and perform well,
and maintaining a healthy body weight are all crucial to human performance
optimization (HPO).
Before Ironman race time, by being honest
with myself, I was able to change my behavior and recover better from my
workouts by gaining a bit of weight. I got over my injuries quicker, trained
effectively again, and then was able to perform at my best. Sure, I didn’t
feel as lean as I once had, but I began to perform better with a few extra
pounds on me. When I reframed my goals—to pursue fitness, not just the
appearance of fitness—I saw everything improve. Now I can approach my upcoming
races with a new mindset.
So, when it comes to preparing for a
fitness goal, keep your goal in mind—the performance part—and let your appearance
come as a side benefit of your fitness.
For more information on tactical nutrition strategies, visit HPRC's website.
For more personal information, contact a Registered Dieitian (RD), or Ask
the Experts at HPRC.
About the Author
Disclosure: *The opinions and assertions expressed herein
are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of
USU or DoD. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the
author and do not reflect the views, opinions, or policies of The Henry M.
Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Mention of
trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement
by the U.S. Government. The author has no financial interests or relationships
to disclose.
