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5 Diet Changes to Boost Performance
Small changes with long-term impact
Instead of praising all the “superfoods” we have these days, here are five small changes you can make to your diet that will have a huge effect on your exercise performance over time.
Don’t expect anything fancy. Chances are you have most likely heard these before… but did you actually give them a try and stick to them for longer than 3 days?
Let’s implement one each week and make sure all focus on that week is this little habit that, over the long run, will make a big difference in how you eat.
No magic pills, just good habits
We all want that magic pill that will make us super healthy just by looking at it. Unfortunately, there is no such thing!
The closest we can get are products that are proven to boost your sports performance. The amount you will have to take to see any results are not realistic and most if it is just marketing.
Instead of pouring your money down the drain, start by implementing some easy habits. All it’ll cost you is some effort and motivation.
5 Eating Habits to Improve Sports Performance
#1 Eat slowly
No matter what you eat, when you eat, where you eat or who you’re eating with – eat slowly! It’s that simple… or is it?
For me personally this is super hard and I really need to force myself to slow down. I came up with the following steps that I try to follow every day until I won’t have to think about it anymore:
· Add 5-10 minutes to each meal
· Sit down to enjoy the meal
· Put utensils down between bites
· Take a breath between bites
· Don’t eat in your car – find a nice setting
· Remove distractions like your phone or TV
The most important thing is to set aside enough time to eat. Make enjoying your meal a conscious and deliberate act that’s a well-earned break from your busy day! It doesn’t have to be something you squeeze in between other things.
It takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to signal the brain and let it know you’re full. Slowing down helps your body do its job!
By eating slowly you’ll also digest your food better, feel more relaxed and more satisfied.
#2 Eat until you’re 80% full
“80% full” is not a specific number, but rather an idea: Eating until “just satisfied” or “no longer hungry” but not full or stuffed.
This will teach appetite awareness, building intuitive understanding and control of hunger/fullness. Over time, you will learn to sense hunger and satiety cues properly, as well as distinguish physical hunger from cravings.
It may sound simple to understand but can be quite hard. To get the feeling right, try to eat once 100% full and maybe even 120% to realise what the difference is.
At first, you will not be able to feel hunger or fullness, or any stomach cues. Keep learning and paying attention to any signs to your physical hungry or full, such as:
Hunger cues
· ‘Hunger headache’
· Feeling light-headed or ‘spaced out’
· Being ‘hangry (hungry + angry)
· Growling or empty-feeling stomach
Over-full cues (ate too much)
· Feeling stuffed / bloated
· Heartburn
· Feeling nauseated or gassy
· Feeling heavy and sluggish
Satiety cues (ate just enough)
· Feeling energized and no longer hungry
· Feeling generally satisfied
· Feeling like you could get up and do something(such as going for a walk)
#3 Add an extra portion of vegetables to each meal
Eating more colourful fruit and vegetables improves nutritional quality. It will bring more variety to your meals and helps feeling more satisfied because of the fibre. Adding more food will feel a lot nicer than taking it away!
The best way to do this is by ‘eating the rainbow’ – mix up the veggies you eat so that you have multiple colours on your plate. Vegetables of the same colour often have the same kinds of nutrients, so a wide variety of colours ensures you’re getting a more balanced meal.
Write down the vegetables you like to eat and check how variated your taste is. If you realise your plate is mostly just green vegetables, next time you go to the supermarket spend 5 min on finding some different colours like carrot, cauliflower, red onion, butternut squash, red cabbage… be creative and try something new!
When going out for lunch or dinner always ask for a portion of roasted vegetables or a salad on the side.
Kickstart this habit by adding 1 colourful fruit or vegetable to each meal. 1 serving of vegetables is about the size of a fist.
#4 Cut out refined sugar and make smart carb choices
Cutting out sugar doesn’t mean you can’t have any carbs! Almost everyone will benefit from having some carbohydrates in their diet. Go for “smart carbs” which are slower-digesting, higher-fibre and nutrient-rich.
These include such foods as:
· Whole grains (brown or wild rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, etc.)
· Beans and legumes
· Fruits and starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas and plantains, etc.)
Low carb isn’t always ideal when doing CrossFit or high intensity training. Most people look, feel, and perform better with some carbs in their diet, even if they’re trying to lose weight/fat.
So, remember not all carbs are created equal: “smart carbs” are a great nutritional choice and not the same thing as processed sugars!
Serving size is approximately 1 cupped handful/meal for women and 1-2 cupped handfuls for men. Although the portion size may change when activity levels go up. When you feel you're not recovering from your training sessions and feel low on energy you may have to up your carbs.
#5 Drink only calorie-free beverages
It’s easy to take in a lot of unwanted calories with drinks. Most drinks don’t offer many nutrients or add value to our bodies. Drinking only calorie free beverages (such as water), we can automatically improve our nutrition and cut out excess energy intake.
Try out the following challenge:
ONLY DRINK CALORIE FREE DRINKS FOR 2 WEEKS!!
Gather data and see what happens! Start by looking at what you currently drink, and where you need to substitute or change your choice.
What you can do to make it “a little bit better” is switching your soda drink for sparkling water if you like to have some fizz, add a slice of lemon or lime to give more flavour. Eat a piece of fruit instead of just drinking the juice, etc. - be creative!
This can be difficult, especially if you like alcohol. Experiment with it and see how you feel; after the two weeks you can decide what elements of this habit to keep in your routines.
If you like to get more help in setting new habits to a healthier life, give mea shout in the gym or email me at cb@innerfight.com
ENGINE
Double Mikko’s Triangle. We’re doubling the time and aiming to double the calories. Can you match your pace and hold on?
GYMNASTICS
Tuesday morning, we're diving into all things handstand push-ups with both strict and kipping variations, plus some fun progressions to challenge your upside-down game. Expect overhead strength work and spicy core finishers, too.
Toes-to-bar will take centre stage on Thursday evening with drills on the low bar and rig to sharpen your skills. Then we’ll move on to capacity work before wrapping it up with core and lat work to boost strength, control, and coordination.
HYROX
Build the Upper body strength you need for HYROX with a focus on sled pulls, farmers carries, push-ups (to power through your burpees), push presses (for stronger wall balls) and SkiErg conditioning.
MOBILITY
We have been quite dominant with mobility for the lower body; per request, we will stick with the flows, but make sure we hit the upper body harder this weekend. This session will be aimed towards the people that have shoulder niggles.
PURE STRENGTH
This week's pure strength session marks the start of the deadlift cycle, following high-volume RDLS. We also have some heavy box squats and volume reps to finish up on Monday. On Wednesday, we will start a paused bench press progression, incorporating some overhead presses and barbell rows as accessories.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are focusing on developing the split jerk technique. Followed by a classic complex of clean + front squat + jerk.
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email Rob Foster
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Long Ride
Our weekly endurance ride.
Please email Rob Foster for more details.
Time: 05:59 am
Location: Bottom of the Stick, Al Qudra.
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Tempo
This week will be dialling into that Tempo effort (7/10 RPE) for 8 mins blocks. You will take a 3 min recovery after each block and repeat the sequence 3x.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. This week we will be running 200s and 600s at 3km and 5km pace. We will help you identify the best pace group for your ability at the session.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
Today we have intervals in the morning and evening. We will be running1km at effort, into 4 x 400s and then back to 1km of effort. Push hard on the 400s, these should be a 9/10 RPE.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be running
10X
1min @ 9/10; 1min @ 3/10
5mins easy jog
then,
4X
4mins @ 7/10; 1min @ 1/10 (easy jog/walking)
Coffee post session at Common Grounds at 7am.
Monday:
We start the week with some single-leg deadlifts into a power clean front squat complex, followed by a leg-focused workout that is sure to set the tone for the week.
Strength:
A) Every 2:30 x 5 6/6 Single Leg Deadlift
B) Every 90secs x 5 2 power clean + 2 front squat
Conditioning:
17min AMRAP
3 Power Clean (60/40)
6 Front Squat
9 Box Jump
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, it's all about push and pull in the strength work, with pull-ups, bench press, gorilla rows, and some static overhead strength.
Strength:
A) EMOM x 6 - 15-20 sec UB kipping pull-ups
B) Alt EMOM x 10 - 8 DB Bench Press / 12 Alt Gorilla Row
C) Alt EMOM x 9 -M1 - 30 Sec Dual KB OH / 30 sec hollow hold / 30 sec arch hold/rock
Conditioning:
4 rounds for time:
16 Alt KB STOH
1 Lap Car Park Farmers Carry
10 Burpees Over KB
30 Double Unders
Wednesday:
On Wednesday, we will start with some heavy squats, followed by work on both the GHD hip extension and the GHD sit-up, and then a tough interval workout.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 6 - 3 2 2 1 1 back squat + 1 set AMRAP @ 80% of top single
B) Alt EMOM x 12 - 5/10 GHD Sit Ups / 30 sec Pallof Press L&R / 10-15 Hip Extensions
Conditioning
In a 3-minute window:
15 TTB
30 wall balls
AMRAP cal row
Rest 2 mins x 3
Thursday:
On Thursday, we have some bodybuilding in the strength work, followed by a real test of grip and capacity in the workout with high-volume dumbbell snatches.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 5 6/6 DB Strict Press
B) Alt EMOM x 9 - 30 sec banded tricep extension / 15-20 DB Lateral Raise / 15-20 Barbell Bicep Curls
Conditioning:
For time:
120 DB Hang Snatch
Every 3 mins
15/12 Cal Assualt Bike
10 Hand Release Push Ups
Friday:
Finally, we conclude the week with an awesome partner workout that combines aerobic work with strongman exercises.
Strength:
EMOM x 5 6 Sandbag Over Bar
Conditioning:
In Pairs for Time:
800m run together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
100 Cal Ski
Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
80 Cal Ski
Half Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
60 Cal Ski
Car Park Run (Together)
20 Sandbag Over Bar
40 Cal Ski
Instead of praising all the “superfoods” we have these days, here are five small changes you can make to your diet that will have a huge effect on your exercise performance over time.
Don’t expect anything fancy. Chances are you have most likely heard these before… but did you actually give them a try and stick to them for longer than 3 days?
Let’s implement one each week and make sure all focus on that week is this little habit that, over the long run, will make a big difference in how you eat.
No magic pills, just good habits
We all want that magic pill that will make us super healthy just by looking at it. Unfortunately, there is no such thing!
The closest we can get are products that are proven to boost your sports performance. The amount you will have to take to see any results are not realistic and most if it is just marketing.
Instead of pouring your money down the drain, start by implementing some easy habits. All it’ll cost you is some effort and motivation.
5 Eating Habits to Improve Sports Performance
#1 Eat slowly
No matter what you eat, when you eat, where you eat or who you’re eating with – eat slowly! It’s that simple… or is it?
For me personally this is super hard and I really need to force myself to slow down. I came up with the following steps that I try to follow every day until I won’t have to think about it anymore:
· Add 5-10 minutes to each meal
· Sit down to enjoy the meal
· Put utensils down between bites
· Take a breath between bites
· Don’t eat in your car – find a nice setting
· Remove distractions like your phone or TV
The most important thing is to set aside enough time to eat. Make enjoying your meal a conscious and deliberate act that’s a well-earned break from your busy day! It doesn’t have to be something you squeeze in between other things.
It takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to signal the brain and let it know you’re full. Slowing down helps your body do its job!
By eating slowly you’ll also digest your food better, feel more relaxed and more satisfied.
#2 Eat until you’re 80% full
“80% full” is not a specific number, but rather an idea: Eating until “just satisfied” or “no longer hungry” but not full or stuffed.
This will teach appetite awareness, building intuitive understanding and control of hunger/fullness. Over time, you will learn to sense hunger and satiety cues properly, as well as distinguish physical hunger from cravings.
It may sound simple to understand but can be quite hard. To get the feeling right, try to eat once 100% full and maybe even 120% to realise what the difference is.
At first, you will not be able to feel hunger or fullness, or any stomach cues. Keep learning and paying attention to any signs to your physical hungry or full, such as:
Hunger cues
· ‘Hunger headache’
· Feeling light-headed or ‘spaced out’
· Being ‘hangry (hungry + angry)
· Growling or empty-feeling stomach
Over-full cues (ate too much)
· Feeling stuffed / bloated
· Heartburn
· Feeling nauseated or gassy
· Feeling heavy and sluggish
Satiety cues (ate just enough)
· Feeling energized and no longer hungry
· Feeling generally satisfied
· Feeling like you could get up and do something(such as going for a walk)
#3 Add an extra portion of vegetables to each meal
Eating more colourful fruit and vegetables improves nutritional quality. It will bring more variety to your meals and helps feeling more satisfied because of the fibre. Adding more food will feel a lot nicer than taking it away!
The best way to do this is by ‘eating the rainbow’ – mix up the veggies you eat so that you have multiple colours on your plate. Vegetables of the same colour often have the same kinds of nutrients, so a wide variety of colours ensures you’re getting a more balanced meal.
Write down the vegetables you like to eat and check how variated your taste is. If you realise your plate is mostly just green vegetables, next time you go to the supermarket spend 5 min on finding some different colours like carrot, cauliflower, red onion, butternut squash, red cabbage… be creative and try something new!
When going out for lunch or dinner always ask for a portion of roasted vegetables or a salad on the side.
Kickstart this habit by adding 1 colourful fruit or vegetable to each meal. 1 serving of vegetables is about the size of a fist.
#4 Cut out refined sugar and make smart carb choices
Cutting out sugar doesn’t mean you can’t have any carbs! Almost everyone will benefit from having some carbohydrates in their diet. Go for “smart carbs” which are slower-digesting, higher-fibre and nutrient-rich.
These include such foods as:
· Whole grains (brown or wild rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, etc.)
· Beans and legumes
· Fruits and starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas and plantains, etc.)
Low carb isn’t always ideal when doing CrossFit or high intensity training. Most people look, feel, and perform better with some carbs in their diet, even if they’re trying to lose weight/fat.
So, remember not all carbs are created equal: “smart carbs” are a great nutritional choice and not the same thing as processed sugars!
Serving size is approximately 1 cupped handful/meal for women and 1-2 cupped handfuls for men. Although the portion size may change when activity levels go up. When you feel you're not recovering from your training sessions and feel low on energy you may have to up your carbs.
#5 Drink only calorie-free beverages
It’s easy to take in a lot of unwanted calories with drinks. Most drinks don’t offer many nutrients or add value to our bodies. Drinking only calorie free beverages (such as water), we can automatically improve our nutrition and cut out excess energy intake.
Try out the following challenge:
ONLY DRINK CALORIE FREE DRINKS FOR 2 WEEKS!!
Gather data and see what happens! Start by looking at what you currently drink, and where you need to substitute or change your choice.
What you can do to make it “a little bit better” is switching your soda drink for sparkling water if you like to have some fizz, add a slice of lemon or lime to give more flavour. Eat a piece of fruit instead of just drinking the juice, etc. - be creative!
This can be difficult, especially if you like alcohol. Experiment with it and see how you feel; after the two weeks you can decide what elements of this habit to keep in your routines.
If you like to get more help in setting new habits to a healthier life, give mea shout in the gym or email me at cb@innerfight.com
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email Rob Foster
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Long Ride
Our weekly endurance ride.
Please email Rob Foster for more details.
Time: 05:59 am
Location: Bottom of the Stick, Al Qudra.
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Tempo
This week will be dialling into that Tempo effort (7/10 RPE) for 8 mins blocks. You will take a 3 min recovery after each block and repeat the sequence 3x.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. This week we will be running 200s and 600s at 3km and 5km pace. We will help you identify the best pace group for your ability at the session.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
Today we have intervals in the morning and evening. We will be running1km at effort, into 4 x 400s and then back to 1km of effort. Push hard on the 400s, these should be a 9/10 RPE.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be running
10X
1min @ 9/10; 1min @ 3/10
5mins easy jog
then,
4X
4mins @ 7/10; 1min @ 1/10 (easy jog/walking)
Coffee post session at Common Grounds at 7am.
Monday:
We start the week with some single-leg deadlifts into a power clean front squat complex, followed by a leg-focused workout that is sure to set the tone for the week.
Strength:
A) Every 2:30 x 5 6/6 Single Leg Deadlift
B) Every 90secs x 5 2 power clean + 2 front squat
Conditioning:
17min AMRAP
3 Power Clean (60/40)
6 Front Squat
9 Box Jump
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, it's all about push and pull in the strength work, with pull-ups, bench press, gorilla rows, and some static overhead strength.
Strength:
A) EMOM x 6 - 15-20 sec UB kipping pull-ups
B) Alt EMOM x 10 - 8 DB Bench Press / 12 Alt Gorilla Row
C) Alt EMOM x 9 -M1 - 30 Sec Dual KB OH / 30 sec hollow hold / 30 sec arch hold/rock
Conditioning:
4 rounds for time:
16 Alt KB STOH
1 Lap Car Park Farmers Carry
10 Burpees Over KB
30 Double Unders
Wednesday:
On Wednesday, we will start with some heavy squats, followed by work on both the GHD hip extension and the GHD sit-up, and then a tough interval workout.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 6 - 3 2 2 1 1 back squat + 1 set AMRAP @ 80% of top single
B) Alt EMOM x 12 - 5/10 GHD Sit Ups / 30 sec Pallof Press L&R / 10-15 Hip Extensions
Conditioning
In a 3-minute window:
15 TTB
30 wall balls
AMRAP cal row
Rest 2 mins x 3
Thursday:
On Thursday, we have some bodybuilding in the strength work, followed by a real test of grip and capacity in the workout with high-volume dumbbell snatches.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 5 6/6 DB Strict Press
B) Alt EMOM x 9 - 30 sec banded tricep extension / 15-20 DB Lateral Raise / 15-20 Barbell Bicep Curls
Conditioning:
For time:
120 DB Hang Snatch
Every 3 mins
15/12 Cal Assualt Bike
10 Hand Release Push Ups
Friday:
Finally, we conclude the week with an awesome partner workout that combines aerobic work with strongman exercises.
Strength:
EMOM x 5 6 Sandbag Over Bar
Conditioning:
In Pairs for Time:
800m run together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
100 Cal Ski
Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
80 Cal Ski
Half Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
60 Cal Ski
Car Park Run (Together)
20 Sandbag Over Bar
40 Cal Ski
ENGINE
Double Mikko’s Triangle. We’re doubling the time and aiming to double the calories. Can you match your pace and hold on?
GYMNASTICS
Tuesday morning, we're diving into all things handstand push-ups with both strict and kipping variations, plus some fun progressions to challenge your upside-down game. Expect overhead strength work and spicy core finishers, too.
Toes-to-bar will take centre stage on Thursday evening with drills on the low bar and rig to sharpen your skills. Then we’ll move on to capacity work before wrapping it up with core and lat work to boost strength, control, and coordination.
HYROX
Build the Upper body strength you need for HYROX with a focus on sled pulls, farmers carries, push-ups (to power through your burpees), push presses (for stronger wall balls) and SkiErg conditioning.
MOBILITY
We have been quite dominant with mobility for the lower body; per request, we will stick with the flows, but make sure we hit the upper body harder this weekend. This session will be aimed towards the people that have shoulder niggles.
PURE STRENGTH
This week's pure strength session marks the start of the deadlift cycle, following high-volume RDLS. We also have some heavy box squats and volume reps to finish up on Monday. On Wednesday, we will start a paused bench press progression, incorporating some overhead presses and barbell rows as accessories.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are focusing on developing the split jerk technique. Followed by a classic complex of clean + front squat + jerk.
Instead of praising all the “superfoods” we have these days, here are five small changes you can make to your diet that will have a huge effect on your exercise performance over time.
Don’t expect anything fancy. Chances are you have most likely heard these before… but did you actually give them a try and stick to them for longer than 3 days?
Let’s implement one each week and make sure all focus on that week is this little habit that, over the long run, will make a big difference in how you eat.
No magic pills, just good habits
We all want that magic pill that will make us super healthy just by looking at it. Unfortunately, there is no such thing!
The closest we can get are products that are proven to boost your sports performance. The amount you will have to take to see any results are not realistic and most if it is just marketing.
Instead of pouring your money down the drain, start by implementing some easy habits. All it’ll cost you is some effort and motivation.
5 Eating Habits to Improve Sports Performance
#1 Eat slowly
No matter what you eat, when you eat, where you eat or who you’re eating with – eat slowly! It’s that simple… or is it?
For me personally this is super hard and I really need to force myself to slow down. I came up with the following steps that I try to follow every day until I won’t have to think about it anymore:
· Add 5-10 minutes to each meal
· Sit down to enjoy the meal
· Put utensils down between bites
· Take a breath between bites
· Don’t eat in your car – find a nice setting
· Remove distractions like your phone or TV
The most important thing is to set aside enough time to eat. Make enjoying your meal a conscious and deliberate act that’s a well-earned break from your busy day! It doesn’t have to be something you squeeze in between other things.
It takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to signal the brain and let it know you’re full. Slowing down helps your body do its job!
By eating slowly you’ll also digest your food better, feel more relaxed and more satisfied.
#2 Eat until you’re 80% full
“80% full” is not a specific number, but rather an idea: Eating until “just satisfied” or “no longer hungry” but not full or stuffed.
This will teach appetite awareness, building intuitive understanding and control of hunger/fullness. Over time, you will learn to sense hunger and satiety cues properly, as well as distinguish physical hunger from cravings.
It may sound simple to understand but can be quite hard. To get the feeling right, try to eat once 100% full and maybe even 120% to realise what the difference is.
At first, you will not be able to feel hunger or fullness, or any stomach cues. Keep learning and paying attention to any signs to your physical hungry or full, such as:
Hunger cues
· ‘Hunger headache’
· Feeling light-headed or ‘spaced out’
· Being ‘hangry (hungry + angry)
· Growling or empty-feeling stomach
Over-full cues (ate too much)
· Feeling stuffed / bloated
· Heartburn
· Feeling nauseated or gassy
· Feeling heavy and sluggish
Satiety cues (ate just enough)
· Feeling energized and no longer hungry
· Feeling generally satisfied
· Feeling like you could get up and do something(such as going for a walk)
#3 Add an extra portion of vegetables to each meal
Eating more colourful fruit and vegetables improves nutritional quality. It will bring more variety to your meals and helps feeling more satisfied because of the fibre. Adding more food will feel a lot nicer than taking it away!
The best way to do this is by ‘eating the rainbow’ – mix up the veggies you eat so that you have multiple colours on your plate. Vegetables of the same colour often have the same kinds of nutrients, so a wide variety of colours ensures you’re getting a more balanced meal.
Write down the vegetables you like to eat and check how variated your taste is. If you realise your plate is mostly just green vegetables, next time you go to the supermarket spend 5 min on finding some different colours like carrot, cauliflower, red onion, butternut squash, red cabbage… be creative and try something new!
When going out for lunch or dinner always ask for a portion of roasted vegetables or a salad on the side.
Kickstart this habit by adding 1 colourful fruit or vegetable to each meal. 1 serving of vegetables is about the size of a fist.
#4 Cut out refined sugar and make smart carb choices
Cutting out sugar doesn’t mean you can’t have any carbs! Almost everyone will benefit from having some carbohydrates in their diet. Go for “smart carbs” which are slower-digesting, higher-fibre and nutrient-rich.
These include such foods as:
· Whole grains (brown or wild rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, etc.)
· Beans and legumes
· Fruits and starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas and plantains, etc.)
Low carb isn’t always ideal when doing CrossFit or high intensity training. Most people look, feel, and perform better with some carbs in their diet, even if they’re trying to lose weight/fat.
So, remember not all carbs are created equal: “smart carbs” are a great nutritional choice and not the same thing as processed sugars!
Serving size is approximately 1 cupped handful/meal for women and 1-2 cupped handfuls for men. Although the portion size may change when activity levels go up. When you feel you're not recovering from your training sessions and feel low on energy you may have to up your carbs.
#5 Drink only calorie-free beverages
It’s easy to take in a lot of unwanted calories with drinks. Most drinks don’t offer many nutrients or add value to our bodies. Drinking only calorie free beverages (such as water), we can automatically improve our nutrition and cut out excess energy intake.
Try out the following challenge:
ONLY DRINK CALORIE FREE DRINKS FOR 2 WEEKS!!
Gather data and see what happens! Start by looking at what you currently drink, and where you need to substitute or change your choice.
What you can do to make it “a little bit better” is switching your soda drink for sparkling water if you like to have some fizz, add a slice of lemon or lime to give more flavour. Eat a piece of fruit instead of just drinking the juice, etc. - be creative!
This can be difficult, especially if you like alcohol. Experiment with it and see how you feel; after the two weeks you can decide what elements of this habit to keep in your routines.
If you like to get more help in setting new habits to a healthier life, give mea shout in the gym or email me at cb@innerfight.com
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Tempo
This week will be dialling into that Tempo effort (7/10 RPE) for 8 mins blocks. You will take a 3 min recovery after each block and repeat the sequence 3x.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. This week we will be running 200s and 600s at 3km and 5km pace. We will help you identify the best pace group for your ability at the session.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
Today we have intervals in the morning and evening. We will be running1km at effort, into 4 x 400s and then back to 1km of effort. Push hard on the 400s, these should be a 9/10 RPE.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be running
10X
1min @ 9/10; 1min @ 3/10
5mins easy jog
then,
4X
4mins @ 7/10; 1min @ 1/10 (easy jog/walking)
Coffee post session at Common Grounds at 7am.
Monday:
We start the week with some single-leg deadlifts into a power clean front squat complex, followed by a leg-focused workout that is sure to set the tone for the week.
Strength:
A) Every 2:30 x 5 6/6 Single Leg Deadlift
B) Every 90secs x 5 2 power clean + 2 front squat
Conditioning:
17min AMRAP
3 Power Clean (60/40)
6 Front Squat
9 Box Jump
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, it's all about push and pull in the strength work, with pull-ups, bench press, gorilla rows, and some static overhead strength.
Strength:
A) EMOM x 6 - 15-20 sec UB kipping pull-ups
B) Alt EMOM x 10 - 8 DB Bench Press / 12 Alt Gorilla Row
C) Alt EMOM x 9 -M1 - 30 Sec Dual KB OH / 30 sec hollow hold / 30 sec arch hold/rock
Conditioning:
4 rounds for time:
16 Alt KB STOH
1 Lap Car Park Farmers Carry
10 Burpees Over KB
30 Double Unders
Wednesday:
On Wednesday, we will start with some heavy squats, followed by work on both the GHD hip extension and the GHD sit-up, and then a tough interval workout.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 6 - 3 2 2 1 1 back squat + 1 set AMRAP @ 80% of top single
B) Alt EMOM x 12 - 5/10 GHD Sit Ups / 30 sec Pallof Press L&R / 10-15 Hip Extensions
Conditioning
In a 3-minute window:
15 TTB
30 wall balls
AMRAP cal row
Rest 2 mins x 3
Thursday:
On Thursday, we have some bodybuilding in the strength work, followed by a real test of grip and capacity in the workout with high-volume dumbbell snatches.
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 5 6/6 DB Strict Press
B) Alt EMOM x 9 - 30 sec banded tricep extension / 15-20 DB Lateral Raise / 15-20 Barbell Bicep Curls
Conditioning:
For time:
120 DB Hang Snatch
Every 3 mins
15/12 Cal Assualt Bike
10 Hand Release Push Ups
Friday:
Finally, we conclude the week with an awesome partner workout that combines aerobic work with strongman exercises.
Strength:
EMOM x 5 6 Sandbag Over Bar
Conditioning:
In Pairs for Time:
800m run together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
100 Cal Ski
Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
80 Cal Ski
Half Park Run Together
20 Sandbag Over Bar
60 Cal Ski
Car Park Run (Together)
20 Sandbag Over Bar
40 Cal Ski
ENGINE
Double Mikko’s Triangle. We’re doubling the time and aiming to double the calories. Can you match your pace and hold on?
GYMNASTICS
Tuesday morning, we're diving into all things handstand push-ups with both strict and kipping variations, plus some fun progressions to challenge your upside-down game. Expect overhead strength work and spicy core finishers, too.
Toes-to-bar will take centre stage on Thursday evening with drills on the low bar and rig to sharpen your skills. Then we’ll move on to capacity work before wrapping it up with core and lat work to boost strength, control, and coordination.
HYROX
Build the Upper body strength you need for HYROX with a focus on sled pulls, farmers carries, push-ups (to power through your burpees), push presses (for stronger wall balls) and SkiErg conditioning.
MOBILITY
We have been quite dominant with mobility for the lower body; per request, we will stick with the flows, but make sure we hit the upper body harder this weekend. This session will be aimed towards the people that have shoulder niggles.
PURE STRENGTH
This week's pure strength session marks the start of the deadlift cycle, following high-volume RDLS. We also have some heavy box squats and volume reps to finish up on Monday. On Wednesday, we will start a paused bench press progression, incorporating some overhead presses and barbell rows as accessories.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are focusing on developing the split jerk technique. Followed by a classic complex of clean + front squat + jerk.
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email Rob Foster
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Long Ride
Our weekly endurance ride.
Please email Rob Foster for more details.
Time: 05:59 am
Location: Bottom of the Stick, Al Qudra.
Instead of praising all the “superfoods” we have these days, here are five small changes you can make to your diet that will have a huge effect on your exercise performance over time.
Don’t expect anything fancy. Chances are you have most likely heard these before… but did you actually give them a try and stick to them for longer than 3 days?
Let’s implement one each week and make sure all focus on that week is this little habit that, over the long run, will make a big difference in how you eat.
No magic pills, just good habits
We all want that magic pill that will make us super healthy just by looking at it. Unfortunately, there is no such thing!
The closest we can get are products that are proven to boost your sports performance. The amount you will have to take to see any results are not realistic and most if it is just marketing.
Instead of pouring your money down the drain, start by implementing some easy habits. All it’ll cost you is some effort and motivation.
5 Eating Habits to Improve Sports Performance
#1 Eat slowly
No matter what you eat, when you eat, where you eat or who you’re eating with – eat slowly! It’s that simple… or is it?
For me personally this is super hard and I really need to force myself to slow down. I came up with the following steps that I try to follow every day until I won’t have to think about it anymore:
· Add 5-10 minutes to each meal
· Sit down to enjoy the meal
· Put utensils down between bites
· Take a breath between bites
· Don’t eat in your car – find a nice setting
· Remove distractions like your phone or TV
The most important thing is to set aside enough time to eat. Make enjoying your meal a conscious and deliberate act that’s a well-earned break from your busy day! It doesn’t have to be something you squeeze in between other things.
It takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to signal the brain and let it know you’re full. Slowing down helps your body do its job!
By eating slowly you’ll also digest your food better, feel more relaxed and more satisfied.
#2 Eat until you’re 80% full
“80% full” is not a specific number, but rather an idea: Eating until “just satisfied” or “no longer hungry” but not full or stuffed.
This will teach appetite awareness, building intuitive understanding and control of hunger/fullness. Over time, you will learn to sense hunger and satiety cues properly, as well as distinguish physical hunger from cravings.
It may sound simple to understand but can be quite hard. To get the feeling right, try to eat once 100% full and maybe even 120% to realise what the difference is.
At first, you will not be able to feel hunger or fullness, or any stomach cues. Keep learning and paying attention to any signs to your physical hungry or full, such as:
Hunger cues
· ‘Hunger headache’
· Feeling light-headed or ‘spaced out’
· Being ‘hangry (hungry + angry)
· Growling or empty-feeling stomach
Over-full cues (ate too much)
· Feeling stuffed / bloated
· Heartburn
· Feeling nauseated or gassy
· Feeling heavy and sluggish
Satiety cues (ate just enough)
· Feeling energized and no longer hungry
· Feeling generally satisfied
· Feeling like you could get up and do something(such as going for a walk)
#3 Add an extra portion of vegetables to each meal
Eating more colourful fruit and vegetables improves nutritional quality. It will bring more variety to your meals and helps feeling more satisfied because of the fibre. Adding more food will feel a lot nicer than taking it away!
The best way to do this is by ‘eating the rainbow’ – mix up the veggies you eat so that you have multiple colours on your plate. Vegetables of the same colour often have the same kinds of nutrients, so a wide variety of colours ensures you’re getting a more balanced meal.
Write down the vegetables you like to eat and check how variated your taste is. If you realise your plate is mostly just green vegetables, next time you go to the supermarket spend 5 min on finding some different colours like carrot, cauliflower, red onion, butternut squash, red cabbage… be creative and try something new!
When going out for lunch or dinner always ask for a portion of roasted vegetables or a salad on the side.
Kickstart this habit by adding 1 colourful fruit or vegetable to each meal. 1 serving of vegetables is about the size of a fist.
#4 Cut out refined sugar and make smart carb choices
Cutting out sugar doesn’t mean you can’t have any carbs! Almost everyone will benefit from having some carbohydrates in their diet. Go for “smart carbs” which are slower-digesting, higher-fibre and nutrient-rich.
These include such foods as:
· Whole grains (brown or wild rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, etc.)
· Beans and legumes
· Fruits and starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas and plantains, etc.)
Low carb isn’t always ideal when doing CrossFit or high intensity training. Most people look, feel, and perform better with some carbs in their diet, even if they’re trying to lose weight/fat.
So, remember not all carbs are created equal: “smart carbs” are a great nutritional choice and not the same thing as processed sugars!
Serving size is approximately 1 cupped handful/meal for women and 1-2 cupped handfuls for men. Although the portion size may change when activity levels go up. When you feel you're not recovering from your training sessions and feel low on energy you may have to up your carbs.
#5 Drink only calorie-free beverages
It’s easy to take in a lot of unwanted calories with drinks. Most drinks don’t offer many nutrients or add value to our bodies. Drinking only calorie free beverages (such as water), we can automatically improve our nutrition and cut out excess energy intake.
Try out the following challenge:
ONLY DRINK CALORIE FREE DRINKS FOR 2 WEEKS!!
Gather data and see what happens! Start by looking at what you currently drink, and where you need to substitute or change your choice.
What you can do to make it “a little bit better” is switching your soda drink for sparkling water if you like to have some fizz, add a slice of lemon or lime to give more flavour. Eat a piece of fruit instead of just drinking the juice, etc. - be creative!
This can be difficult, especially if you like alcohol. Experiment with it and see how you feel; after the two weeks you can decide what elements of this habit to keep in your routines.
If you like to get more help in setting new habits to a healthier life, give mea shout in the gym or email me at cb@innerfight.com
Instead of praising all the “superfoods” we have these days, here are five small changes you can make to your diet that will have a huge effect on your exercise performance over time.
Don’t expect anything fancy. Chances are you have most likely heard these before… but did you actually give them a try and stick to them for longer than 3 days?
Let’s implement one each week and make sure all focus on that week is this little habit that, over the long run, will make a big difference in how you eat.
No magic pills, just good habits
We all want that magic pill that will make us super healthy just by looking at it. Unfortunately, there is no such thing!
The closest we can get are products that are proven to boost your sports performance. The amount you will have to take to see any results are not realistic and most if it is just marketing.
Instead of pouring your money down the drain, start by implementing some easy habits. All it’ll cost you is some effort and motivation.
5 Eating Habits to Improve Sports Performance
#1 Eat slowly
No matter what you eat, when you eat, where you eat or who you’re eating with – eat slowly! It’s that simple… or is it?
For me personally this is super hard and I really need to force myself to slow down. I came up with the following steps that I try to follow every day until I won’t have to think about it anymore:
· Add 5-10 minutes to each meal
· Sit down to enjoy the meal
· Put utensils down between bites
· Take a breath between bites
· Don’t eat in your car – find a nice setting
· Remove distractions like your phone or TV
The most important thing is to set aside enough time to eat. Make enjoying your meal a conscious and deliberate act that’s a well-earned break from your busy day! It doesn’t have to be something you squeeze in between other things.
It takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to signal the brain and let it know you’re full. Slowing down helps your body do its job!
By eating slowly you’ll also digest your food better, feel more relaxed and more satisfied.
#2 Eat until you’re 80% full
“80% full” is not a specific number, but rather an idea: Eating until “just satisfied” or “no longer hungry” but not full or stuffed.
This will teach appetite awareness, building intuitive understanding and control of hunger/fullness. Over time, you will learn to sense hunger and satiety cues properly, as well as distinguish physical hunger from cravings.
It may sound simple to understand but can be quite hard. To get the feeling right, try to eat once 100% full and maybe even 120% to realise what the difference is.
At first, you will not be able to feel hunger or fullness, or any stomach cues. Keep learning and paying attention to any signs to your physical hungry or full, such as:
Hunger cues
· ‘Hunger headache’
· Feeling light-headed or ‘spaced out’
· Being ‘hangry (hungry + angry)
· Growling or empty-feeling stomach
Over-full cues (ate too much)
· Feeling stuffed / bloated
· Heartburn
· Feeling nauseated or gassy
· Feeling heavy and sluggish
Satiety cues (ate just enough)
· Feeling energized and no longer hungry
· Feeling generally satisfied
· Feeling like you could get up and do something(such as going for a walk)
#3 Add an extra portion of vegetables to each meal
Eating more colourful fruit and vegetables improves nutritional quality. It will bring more variety to your meals and helps feeling more satisfied because of the fibre. Adding more food will feel a lot nicer than taking it away!
The best way to do this is by ‘eating the rainbow’ – mix up the veggies you eat so that you have multiple colours on your plate. Vegetables of the same colour often have the same kinds of nutrients, so a wide variety of colours ensures you’re getting a more balanced meal.
Write down the vegetables you like to eat and check how variated your taste is. If you realise your plate is mostly just green vegetables, next time you go to the supermarket spend 5 min on finding some different colours like carrot, cauliflower, red onion, butternut squash, red cabbage… be creative and try something new!
When going out for lunch or dinner always ask for a portion of roasted vegetables or a salad on the side.
Kickstart this habit by adding 1 colourful fruit or vegetable to each meal. 1 serving of vegetables is about the size of a fist.
#4 Cut out refined sugar and make smart carb choices
Cutting out sugar doesn’t mean you can’t have any carbs! Almost everyone will benefit from having some carbohydrates in their diet. Go for “smart carbs” which are slower-digesting, higher-fibre and nutrient-rich.
These include such foods as:
· Whole grains (brown or wild rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, etc.)
· Beans and legumes
· Fruits and starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas and plantains, etc.)
Low carb isn’t always ideal when doing CrossFit or high intensity training. Most people look, feel, and perform better with some carbs in their diet, even if they’re trying to lose weight/fat.
So, remember not all carbs are created equal: “smart carbs” are a great nutritional choice and not the same thing as processed sugars!
Serving size is approximately 1 cupped handful/meal for women and 1-2 cupped handfuls for men. Although the portion size may change when activity levels go up. When you feel you're not recovering from your training sessions and feel low on energy you may have to up your carbs.
#5 Drink only calorie-free beverages
It’s easy to take in a lot of unwanted calories with drinks. Most drinks don’t offer many nutrients or add value to our bodies. Drinking only calorie free beverages (such as water), we can automatically improve our nutrition and cut out excess energy intake.
Try out the following challenge:
ONLY DRINK CALORIE FREE DRINKS FOR 2 WEEKS!!
Gather data and see what happens! Start by looking at what you currently drink, and where you need to substitute or change your choice.
What you can do to make it “a little bit better” is switching your soda drink for sparkling water if you like to have some fizz, add a slice of lemon or lime to give more flavour. Eat a piece of fruit instead of just drinking the juice, etc. - be creative!
This can be difficult, especially if you like alcohol. Experiment with it and see how you feel; after the two weeks you can decide what elements of this habit to keep in your routines.
If you like to get more help in setting new habits to a healthier life, give mea shout in the gym or email me at cb@innerfight.com
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
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