Ninja Camp Day 5: Trust yourself

Last night I gave a talk to the Ninja Camp ladies about the basics of sports nutrition. They didn’t fall asleep, which is awesome especially considering that it started at 9 pm after a full day of getting our asses kicked.

In the talk I discussed the issue of observing your own body and using this evidence to assess the quality of your nutrition program. Afterwards, a woman came up to me and asked about her eating habits. She’d been eating low carb/high fat and feeling fantastic both mentally and physically, but was concerned because she’d read conflicting advice about whether one “needs” carbs or “should” regularly refeed.

So I asked her two questions:

1. How do you feel?

2. Are you accomplishing your goals?

The responses:

1. Fabulous.

2. Yes, absolutely! She could train for 4 hours and not feel fatigued, and she’d lost 15 lbs.

That is all the evidence anyone should need. Good nutrition that is right for your body will make you feel great. It will help you recover and perform your best. It will keep your moods on an even keel. Based on the available evidence, this was the right choice for her.

There is no one-size-fits-all nutrition prescription. People vary widely in their ability to tolerate and benefit from particular nutrients — particularly carbohydrates. Use evidence and observation to make your decisions about your body. You know your body better than anyone else.

Stop and ask yourself right now:

1. How do I feel?

2. Am I accomplishing my goals?

If you don’t like the answers, you need to make changes. If your answers are like this woman’s, then keep on truckin’!