Blog Takeover: Meet Ross.

As a strength professional and competitive olympic weightlifter, (no, I am not an Olympian — it’s a style of lifting), nutrition is a crucial part of my life. That being said, the aspect of my training that proves to be the most difficult, is my relationship with food.

As I rapidly approach my 30s, the way I recover carries more weight (no pun intended) as the intensity of my training. I would argue that my nutrition and relationship with food is better than it’s ever been, but that has not always been the case. 

I played soccer in college, but like many college students, nutrition was something only ever so faintly on my radar. I knew what eating healthy meant and how to do it, but that doesn’t mean it took priority. Fast forward ten years later, I understand that my performance will be a direct reflection of how quality my sleep and nutrition is. Even as I moved into the fitness space to start my career, I struggled to make nutrition a priority as the demands of hustling in New York City (and tiny ass kitchens) meant a lot of “on-the-go” meals.

So, how is my nutrition better now than it’s ever been? Quarantine. The silver lining of the global pandemic is that it forced me to slow down, take a minute, and start taking my recovery more seriously. 

Time was not the only challenge I faced when it came to nutrition. Working in the fitness space also lends itself to an incredible amount of pressure to be the epitome of health by counting macros, snacking on chicken breast and broccoli, and scoffing at baked goods. I am not that kind of fitness professional nor will I ever be. Coming to that realization and accepting it was liberating. 

Currently, I adhere to a predominantly plant-based diet, purely for ethical reasons. I spend the bulk of my time at the grocery store in the produce section. I generally prepare some sort of “base” or healthy carbohydrate on the weekend that can last me throughout the week, be it sweet potatoes, quinoa, or other healthy grains. I gravitate towards tofu, seitan, and eggs (from the farmer’s market) for protein and enjoy cooking lots of different kinds of vegetables. My strategy for my week is fairly simple, I aim for nutrient-dense carbohydrates, plant-based protein, and vegetables at every meal. On days when I know my training regimen is more intense, I add more carbohydrates to my diet. And, when I want to go get a chocolate cookie or doughnut from my favorite shop, I DO NOT hesitate! 

I know my diet sounds incredibly mundane and tiresome, but it’s not. This works for me — it’s sustainable, enjoyable, and rewarding as I watch my training numbers improve. Cooking my own food was the game changer for me. When I cooked my own food, I got to actively impact my relationship with food. I started making recipes from cook books, changing up some parts of the recipe to fit my own tastes and adhere to my plant-based preferences. It seemed daunting at its inception, but I approached cooking the same way I approached training — start slow, be consistent, and steadily progress. I started with easier recipes that I knew I could execute well and slowly increased my knowledge and repertoire around cooking. My biggest piece of advice, invest in a cast iron skillet. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t use it every single day. 

I plan on competing more in the coming years and depending on the severity/importance of those competitions, I may need to change the way I eat — weightlifting is based on weight classes and “cutting/bulking” are very real things for me. The beauty now is that my relationship with food is solid and because I have a good foundation, I can make some changes without coming unhinged. 

-Ross

you can follow Ross on instagram @big_ross91. Also, check out his gym @crossfitunionsquare. They have great content, tips, and workouts!