Ask a Coach: What Are the Most Common Ways You Introduce Your Members to the Importance of CrossFit’s Nutrition Recommendations?

On the first day of our Foundations session, we share an abbreviated version of the “What is CrossFit?” lecture from the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course. We have been doing this since I started my affiliate in 2008. Right from the beginning, we emphasize that nutrition is the base of the pyramid and introduce it as a key part of the CrossFit methodology.

After this introduction, I ask people various questions about their nutrition, such as: 

• Are you currently following a nutritional protocol? 
• Is there a style of eating you prefer? 
• Are you looking for help? 

These questions give me a sense of their thoughts and priorities and if they are open to the discussion. Some people can’t wait to dive in on this. Others make it clear they aren’t interested in it. If that’s the case, one-on-one nutrition talks with this person may be an off-limits topic we must tread carefully toward for the time being. Over time, we can see where we can fit in to help them meet their goals. There is no need to rush into this if it is too much for the athlete to handle or if there is a negative association with nutrition. I hope that over their time in the gym, we will be able to have good conversations around nutrition. 

We’ve done group challenges in various ways with the goal of educating our athletes about nutrition. I used to deliver a “Nutrition 101” seminar in person, and then I just took the time to record it and put it into an online course format for them to dig into. Every new athlete can take our two-hour online “Nutrition 101” course when it works for them. They can access it through our website or our app at any time. If you are reading this and are interested, you can access this course through our nutrition website here.

The course discusses the simple foundational principles of nutrition that I want everyone to be aware of: the basics of calories, macronutrients, deciphering between high-quality and low-quality foods, etc. This gives everyone the same base of knowledge from which to work. From there, we make nutrition a general part of the daily conversation in our classes, whether we talk about what we’re cooking, holiday food traditions, new recipes, what’s for dinner, etc. 

These strategies are simple to implement but have worked wonders for us because discussions about nutrition have become part of the natural culture of our gym!

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About the Author

Jocelyn Rylee (CF-L4) and her husband David founded CrossFit BRIO in 2008, starting in a modest 1500 sq ft space and focusing on personal training. Her dedication to excellence has also earned her a position on CrossFit LLC’s Level 1 Seminar Staff, a role that allows her to share her passion and expertise with aspiring coaches. Jocelyn holds specialties in Endurance, Gymnastics, Competition, and Weightlifting and is also a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. As a Level 2 Olympic Weightlifting Coach and a Level 3 referee, she has been deeply involved in the sport, even serving as a board member of the Saskatchewan Weightlifting Association for five years. Her achievements include being Saskatchewan’s top-ranked female Olympic Weightlifter from 2012 to 2015, during which she held provincial records in the Snatch, Clean & Jerk, and Total in her weight class. With an MS in Human Nutrition, Jocelyn loves sharing her knowledge on nutrition and performance through her blog and Instagram as “The Keto Athlete,” where she delves into the science of nutrition and its impact on athletic performance.