The Truth About Nutrition for Selection Prep

A Note on the Holidays:

First off, it’s the holiday season, and I want to wish you and yours the very best.

If you’ve been training hard this past year-or even just the past few months-this is the time to give yourself a well-deserved deload. When you train with intensity and are consistently pushing yourself, it’s easy to overlook how quickly fatigue builds up.

Here’s my advice: Take a few or several days off next week. Relax. Enjoy the break.

You won’t lose any gains, and you’ll come back hungry to train on Monday.

Table of Contents

• A Note on the Holidays:
• Let’s Talk About Performance Nutrition
  • Eating for Optimal Digestion and Performance
  • Eating for Optimal Body Composition
• What About Counting Macros?
• So, To Recap:

Let’s Talk About Performance Nutrition

When it comes to training, let’s make one thing clear: The purpose of nutrition is to optimize performance.

I’m not here to push any particular diet, and I do not care whether you lean towards carnivore, veganism, intermittent fasting, or something else entirely. Those are (or at least should be) different paths to the same goal. As a coach, I’m diet and food-agnostic.

But here’s what we need to agree on:

If your current nutrition is holding your performance back, it’s time for a change.

To figure out whether your nutrition is working for you or against you, I like to evaluate it through two lenses:

1. Do you digest food well and perform well?
2. Are you at an optimal body composition for performance?

Eating for Optimal Digestion and Performance

Let’s talk digestion first. Many people don’t realize how much poor digestion can affect their performance. If you’re constantly feeling bloated, spending too much time in the restroom, or dreading a hard run or squat session because your stomach feels off, you need to look at your diet.

Some common culprits:

• Lactose intolerance: Many people don’t process dairy well.
• Food volume: Even “clean” foods like oatmeal or rice can cause bloating and a sloshing feeling in your stomach before or during runs because they expand with water in your stomach.

Keep in mind, though. This is all individual. If you eat oats before your morning run and feel great, keep doing it. Some are just more sensitive than others. Ochocinco has said he ate McDonald’s on game day, and DK Metcalf apparently just eats candy.

Guess what, though – there’s a 99% chance if you eat like that, your performance will tank. So, the goal is to figure out what works for you and remove anything holding you back.

Eating for Optimal Body Composition

If you’re well-versed in my writing, you know how body composition is correlated with selection success, both at BUD/S and SFAS.

Lower body fat percentages are correlated with higher selection rates at SFAS

Here’s an example that illustrates how:

• If you’re 190 lbs at 22% body fat, you’re carrying around 10+ lbs of unnecessary “dead weight.” Now imagine cutting down to 16% body fat-you’d be 11lbs lighter, faster, and more efficient on your feet.

This doesn’t mean the lower your body fat is, the better. But it does mean you should think critically about whether your current body composition is helping or hindering your performance.

What’s True for Everyone?

When it comes to training, I am more comfortable making generalizations. With nutrition, I make far fewer. That said, here are three things that I recommend for everyone training for selection.

1. Eat Enough Protein:
   • Aim for about 80% of your body weight in grams of protein per day. Or, another target I like is to have protein at least three times throughout the day.
2. Avoid Constant Hunger
   • If you’re constantly hungry, it’s likely because you’re not eating enough calories or you’re eating foods that are low in volume and too calorically dense to satiate you. Think about it – 3lbs of chicken breast is calorically the equivalent of a Big Mac, large fry, and coke. The foods you choose affect satiety.
3. Avoid Feeling Constantly Stuffed:
   • If you’re constantly full, you’re either eating too much or should eat foods that are more calorically dense. Simple changes like swapping lean foods like chicken breast for more calorically dense options like red meat will make a big difference.

This table outlines how calorically dense foods are

What About Counting Macros?

If you come from a bodybuilding background, you’ve probably counted macros. It’s the most effective way to achieve a desired body composition. But I’ve also seen guys get carried away-obsessing over numbers, becoming overly food-focused, and missing the bigger picture.

If counting macros works for you, do it. But don’t think it’s necessary to achieve your goals.

At selection, performance is what matters. No one cares how “aesthetic” you look, what your macros are, or what diet you do. Performance is what matters.

So, To Recap:

1. Fuel your training.
   • Focus on foods that digest well and provide energy.
2. Support your body composition.
   • Your diet should help you achieve and maintain a body composition that enhances your training.

Nutrition should not be complex or fancy. You should enjoy the foods you eat. You should feel energized for your training, and you should not feel restricted or focused. You’re giving training your all each day – make sure your nutrition is doing its job to fuel your performance.

Note – I will be opening two spots for coaching on April 1.
👉 You can apply here