Eating for Performance with CrossFit Games Athlete Scott Panchik

Eating for performance is essential for athletic success, especially at the highest levels of CrossFit competition. Athletes who train for and compete in the CrossFit Games keep their body guessing by training differently every single day because they only find out the events in their competitions on the day of. Scott Panchik has qualified for the CrossFit Games for 10 years and continues to improve each year over the last decade. CrossFit is an ever-evolving and unpredictable sport, and Scott has continually met the challenge to be among the fittest athletes in the world. Due to the unpredictability of the sport, Panchik knows the importance of proper fuel, understanding exactly what he needs to eat in order to perform. “I need an arsenal of fuel and nutrition. I need to be able to rely on my nutrition to power my body through whatever I throw at it, from daily workouts to CrossFit Games Championship competitions."

 

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Core CrossFit Nutrition Principles Scott’s interest in health, nutrition and eating for performance started in school as he became a Health and P.E. teacher. He loves working with kids and wanted to learn everything he could about being a healthy individual, to inspire a generation of students to be active and healthy. Here are some of his healthy habits:

• Focus on a balanced diet and avoid preservative-laden foods that can sit on the shelf for a long period of time. His suggestion? “I stick to the perimeter of the grocery store and reach for fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish and stay away from packaged goods.”
• Prioritize vegetables in every meal. “I used to say that greens were rabbit food,” Scott jokes, “but now I really prioritize vegetables as a foundation of a well-balanced diet.” He tries to limit his caffeine intake to one or two cups of coffee a day.
• Fuel for workouts is critical. He used to rely on caffeine-filled energy drinks, but realized he was lacking calories (and thus energy) and not performing at his best. Now, he uses UCAN and doesn’t need energy drinks any more. Scott continues to place at the top of many CrossFit competitions fueled by UCAN Energy: “I’ll use UCAN for the rest of my life - it’s a game changer for me.”
• Indulge occasionally - Scott's choice is some high quality pizza and ice cream for a treat, but for the most part he stays away from sugar. By adding in treats here and there, heprevents himself from bingeing on his cravings.

 

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Understanding the Importance of Eating for Performance “My nutrition ‘ah-ha’ moment came a few years into competing,” says Scott. Once he started eating well, he realized that when he went back to his indulgences, they didn’t make him feel good. Scott says that when you are more intune with the way healthy meals make your body feel, you’ll absolutely notice a difference once you fuel improperly. You can become lethargic and tired, and your athletic performance will definitely suffer. Scott has been competing for 10 years, and each year he evaluates what he needs to do to become better each year. His CrossFit nutrition principles, his training regimen, and his recovery techniques adapt as he ages and continues to compete. “When I was 23, I was able to get away with crappy nutrition. Now I look back on those years, and I am confident moving forward knowing that my nutrition is allowing me to keep up with an evolving sport, and get better - faster - stronger... every year.” The right training routine, nutrition, and supportive team allow Scott to be great and evolve as CrossFit does. Longevity is his #1 priority, and Scott has the dedication to find even more success as the years go on. Get a detailed breakdown of Scott Panchik's daily CrossFit diet plan for longevity.

 

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