Athletics & Aesthetics: Can they Co-Exist?

I get a lot of clients, specifically CrossFit athletes, who come to me wanting to improve their physique while increasing performance. While some athletes look very lean and perform exceptionally well, only some athletes can do that. Other athletes may achieve the same body composition but cannot perform due to a lack of energy or injury from not eating enough. So, can you be lean and perform well in your sport? Like most things in nutrition and fitness: it depends.

Photo credit: Jake Hansen

Some athletes can have a very lean aesthetic while being able to excel in their sport and others can’t. A large portion of this comes down to genetics so you may need to work on body acceptance as part of your competition prep. You also need to be clear on whether your nutrition goals are more aesthetically or performance-based. For example, if you’re an athlete who needs to have slightly higher body fat to perform at the level that you want to, you may need to sacrifice some aesthetic for performance when you’re in season. That might mean doing a bit of body recomposition when you’re not competing and your training volume is a bit lower. This is generally the off-season for most CrossFit athletes. Again, the nutrition goal is to support activity levels but aesthetic goals can be achieved in this season.

When you’re clear on your goals and they mean something to you, you’re far more likely to stick with the process. It’s helpful to work with your coach to talk through feelings about your body and nutrition. Navigating nutrition and body image issues when you’re a competitive athlete can be challenging so having a supportive nutrition coach in your corner can make it a bit easier.

If you want to set yourself up for success by improving your nutrition this offseason, I’d love to work with you. Fill out the form below and I’ll be in touch!