Nutrition Mistakes Holding You Back in CrossFit and Weightlifting

Unlock your full athletic potential with smart, intentional nutrition.

When it comes to performance in CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting, every rep, every lift, and every second counts. Yet, many athletes unknowingly sabotage their progress by making critical nutrition mistakes. Whether you're chasing PRs, improving endurance, or refining technique, proper nutrition is just as important as your training program.

Here are the biggest nutrition mistakes that could be holding you back—and how to fix them.

Strong training starts with strong nutrition.

1. Trying to Out-Supplement Poor Nutrition and Lifestyle Choices

Many athletes turn to supplements, hoping for a magic fix to enhance performance. While supplements can be beneficial, they should never replace a solid nutritional foundation. If you’re not consuming enough protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, no amount of pre-workout, BCAAs, or protein powder will compensate for it.

Fix it: Prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods before adding supplements. Ensure you’re hitting your macronutrient needs with real food sources and addressing lifestyle factors like sleep and hydration first.

2. Poor Sleep Hygiene

Recovery isn’t just about foam rolling and contrast baths—your sleep quality has a direct impact on strength, endurance, and muscle recovery. Poor sleep habits, such as inconsistent bedtimes, excessive screen time before bed, or relying on caffeine too late in the day, can increase cortisol levels and hinder performance.

Fix it: Aim for at least 7-9 hours of quality sleep. Create a nighttime routine that includes reducing blue light exposure, maintaining a cool and dark sleep environment, and cutting off caffeine intake at least 6 hours before bed.

3. Not Eating Enough—Especially Carbs

Carbohydrates are your body’s primary fuel source for high-intensity exercise like weightlifting and CrossFit. Many athletes under-eat carbs due to outdated fears about weight gain or a misunderstanding of their role in performance.

Fix it: Prioritize complex carbs such as rice, potatoes, oats, and fruits. If your workouts feel sluggish or you struggle with recovery, consider increasing your carb intake, especially around training sessions.

If you are lifting heavy, eating enough and sleeping well should be your first priority.

4. Poor Meal Timing

What you eat—and when you eat—matters. If you’re training fasted, skipping post-workout meals, or not spacing out protein intake, you could be slowing down muscle growth, recovery, and energy availability.

Fix it: Fuel up with a balanced meal or snack 1-2 hours before training, and make sure to replenish with protein and carbs within an hour after training. Spreading protein intake evenly throughout the day can also enhance muscle protein synthesis.

5. Undereating on Rest Days

Some athletes drastically cut calories on rest days, fearing that eating too much when not training will lead to weight gain. However, your body still needs fuel to recover and rebuild muscle tissue.

Fix it: View rest days as an opportunity to optimize recovery rather than cut calories. Maintain a well-balanced diet with enough protein and quality carbs to support muscle repair and glycogen replenishment.

The best athletes don’t just train hard; they eat, sleep, and recover just as intentionally.

6. Missing Key Micronutrients

Athletes focus heavily on macronutrients but often overlook micronutrients that play a vital role in performance and recovery. Iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D deficiencies can lead to fatigue, weakened immunity, and poor muscle function.

Fix it: Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds in your diet to cover essential micronutrient needs.

7. Neglecting Hydration

Dehydration can significantly impair performance, cause muscle cramps, and reduce endurance. Many athletes don’t drink enough water or fail to replenish electrolytes lost through sweat.

Fix it: Aim for at least half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water per day, and more if training in hot or humid conditions. Add electrolytes through whole food sources like bananas, avocados, and salt, or use an electrolyte supplement when needed.

Final Thoughts

Dialing in your nutrition isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency. If you’re serious about improving your performance in CrossFit or Olympic weightlifting, addressing these common mistakes can make all the difference.

Ready to take it to the next level but not sure how? I help athletes dial in their nutrition so they can focus more on their sport and feel less confusion around nutrition. Let’s build a strategy that works for you.

Hi, I’m Katie!

I work with competitive, high performance Olympic Weightlifters. Over the years, I’ve helped hundreds of athletes make weight with ease while performing at the elite level.

I know that each weigh-in is unique and generic advice simply does not cut it.

If you want to make weight easily, lift your best, and compete for the long run, let’s talk. Hit the button below to schedule a call. This is not a sales pitch, it’s simply an opportunity to see if you and I would be a good fit in working together.