Similar to a calisthenics workout, the ideal calisthenics diet is based on foundational principles of nutrition. In other words, simple and back-to-basics choices regarding what to eat.
A calisthenics diet can be easy to follow, doesn’t require absurdly expensive foods or niche supplements, and it can make a world of difference in your performance and recovery. Let’s take a look at some of the general recommendations for the best diet for calisthenics.
If you're looking to learn everything you can about calisthenics, check out our beginner's guide.
The Quality of Your Food Matters
There’s been a longstanding argument that it doesn’t matter what you eat, so long as you burn more calories than you consume each day.
One Kansas State University professor took this so far as to eat nothing but the popular junk food, Twinkies, for two months. People were shocked when he lost 27 pounds during this time. Not surprisingly, his experiment only solidified the idea that calorie quantity is more important than calorie quality.
Thankfully, this idea is beginning to change as more studies are proving just the opposite. One study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the quality of the food you eat is more important for weight loss than total caloric intake.
Researchers found that over the course of a four-year period, the following foods were most associated with weight gain: potato chips, potatoes, sugar-sweetened beverages, unprocessed red meats, and processed meats. Just the opposite was true with vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, and yogurt.
Eliminate First, then Replace
Before you stockpile your fridge with vegetables and fruits, you’ll want to take a step back to eliminate a problem food then consciously choosing its replacement.
This eliminate-then-replace method works so well because you are mindfully identifying bad foods then selecting the right choice. This isn’t an absent-minded task. It requires your full attention so take your time with this. You’re cultivating good food habits here.
To give you a hand, here’s a list of foods to avoid:
Highly Processed Foods: Snack foods such as chips, pretzels, and popular junk foods. An easy-to-follow idea is that if it comes in a box and it’s surrounded by unhealthy items at the grocery store, you can probably put it back.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Sweet beverages such as soda and iced tea are obviously harmful to your health. But there are “healthy” products that are just as bad. Avoid commercialized fruit juices. They are high in sugar and contain no real nutrition. Kombucha and kefir are okay.
Refined Grains: Check the label of the bread you’re buying. If it’s overly processed and refined such as with a loaf of white bread, put it back. Look for 100% whole grain or whole wheat bread.
Refined Sugars: This will eliminate all of the commercialized candy that you see as you’re checking out at the grocery store. Candy, chocolate bars, and any other junk foods should be avoided.
High-Glycemic Foods: There’s plenty of overlap here, but you’ll want to avoid foods that are considered “high glycemic.” This means they will sharply spike your blood sugar, leaving you with a crash afterward. Sugary sodas, white potatoes, and candy are all great examples.
Trans-Fats: Another reason to avoid processed snack foods is trans-fat. This overly processed, man-made fat is used to extend shelf life, but it’s incredibly bad for your cholesterol and heart health.
Choose the Right Macronutrients
Now that you know what to avoid, let’s talk about some things to consider adding into your diet (once you’ve eliminated those potentially unhealthy options). You’ll want to focus the bulk of your diet on whole foods or those that are natural and minimally processed. Here’s a list of foods that you should consider when going grocery shopping:
Lean Proteins:
Poultry: Chicken breast, turkey breast, eggs, and egg whites Meat: Lean porkchops, grass-fed beef, and grass-fed elk Dairy: Greek yogurt, kefir, and grass-fed milk
Healthy Fats:
Oils: Coconut oil, avocado oil, and walnut oil Seafood (Also contains plenty of protein): Salmon, tuna, and sardines Seeds: Hemp, chia, and pumpkin Nuts: Walnuts, Brazil, and pistachios
Complex Carbohydrates:
Whole grains: 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread, and brown or black rice Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, and kale Legumes: Peas, chickpeas, and lentils
Know Your Portion Sizes
Your kitchen is rid of unhealthy foods and it is packed with healthy options. You have plenty to choose from, but you might be a bit uncertain as to how much you should have. Here’s are some simple portion size recommendations to follow when serving yourself:
Vegetables: This should be the bulk of your plate. Give yourself about two cups or two fistfuls of vegetables. The veggies will take up half of your plate.
Protein: For a protein serving, you’ll want around three or four ounces, depending on your activity level. This is about the size of a deck of cards or a quarter of your plate.
Healthy Carbohydrates: Another quarter of your plate can be dedicated to healthy carbohydrate choices such as brown rice. Be sure to check a recommended serving size on the package.
Healthy Fat: Sometimes, a healthy fat will come in the form of your protein such as when eating fatty fish like salmon or tuna. You can also use a healthy fat as a topping such as with a quarter of an avocado or one tablespoon of coconut oil.
Pre-, Intra-, and Post-Workout Nutrition
What you eat before, during, and after your calisthenics workout can support better performance and kickstart recovery. Here are a few tips on how to eat around your workouts:
Pre-Workout Meal: I recommend eating a small meal about three hours before your workout. Think of it as fuel in the tank. Focus on a lean protein (e.g., chicken breast), complex carbs (e.g., broccoli), and a small amount of healthy fats (e.g., MCT oil in coffee).
Intra-Workout Meal: I don’t recommend eating any solid food during a workout because your body is too busy to focus on proper digestion. With that said, I’d recommend an electrolyte-based drink such as a sports drink (e.g., Gatorade or Powerade). You can also consider a branched-chain amino acid supplement or a nitric oxide-boosting supplement such as citrulline malate.
Post-Workout Meal: After your workout, you want to focus on a meal that is high in lean protein and simple carbohydrates. Save the fats for later because your body needs instant nutrition for muscle repair and fat takes too long to digest. A whey protein shake is ideal for a post-workout meal, but something like a lean pork chop and white rice is also good.
Intermittent Fasting
If you’re interested in losing weight, improving muscle recovery, or increasing longevity, consider implementing an intermittent fasting feeding schedule.
This is where you abstain from eating food or calorie-based beverages for 16 hours, followed by an eight-hour feeding window. Most people begin the fast at 8 p.m. and begin the feeding window at 12 p.m. the next day.
Pairing this with a good calisthenic core workout will put you on the path towards shredded abs and obliques, low body fat, and along with it, a six-pack.
Best Diet for Calisthenics to Consider
While there’s no need to follow a specific diet – following the principles listed above is enough – some diets will work better for some people. Here are a few diets to consider if you are sensitive to certain foods or want to achieve a specific goal like weight loss or longevity.
Keto Calisthenics Diet
Studies show that the ketogenic diet is ideal for weight loss, promoting a high level of fat burning while preserving muscle mass. Some experts also suggest that it is useful in reducing risk for certain diseases.
Paleo Calisthenics Diet
Nicknamed the Paleo Diet, this is a whole food and natural way of eating based on what some people believe our ancestors may have eaten. The primary goal is to eliminate anything processed or unavailable to primitive man such as whole grains.
Studies show that the Paleo Diet can help with weight loss, building muscle, and performance enhancement. It is a clean way of eating that isn’t too different from the recommendations above and it would be ideal for any level of fitness or dietary experience.
Plant-Based Calisthenics Diet
Studies show that there is a growing body of evidence suggesting those following a Western diet should increase the intake of plant-based foods and decrease the intake of red meat and animal-based proteins. Doing so can help reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases.
A vegetarian or vegan diet is appropriate for a calisthenics workout program; however, it’s important to be mindful of getting the vitamins and minerals that are present in meat. If you’re going to switch to a vegan or vegetarian way of eating, be sure to supplement the following:
Zinc B-vitamins
Full-spectrum of essential amino acids
Vitamin D3 (preferably with K2)
Omega 3 fatty acids
Iron
Will You Start a Calisthenics Diet?
What tips from above will you start to use in your day-to-day meal planning? Do you follow a different diet? Which one is it? Let me know in the comment below.
References
Mozaffarian D, Hao T, Rimm EB, Willett WC, Hu FB. Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term weight gain in women and men. N Engl J Med. 2011 Jun 23;364(25):2392-404. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1014296.
Dashti HM, Mathew TC, Hussein T, et al. Long-term effects of a ketogenic diet in obese patients. Exp Clin Cardiol. 2004;9(3):200–205.
Ryberg M, Sandberg S, Mellberg C, Stegle O, Lindahl B, Larsson C, Hauksson J, Olsson T. A
Palaeolithic-type diet causes strong tissue-specific effects on ectopic fat deposition in obese postmenopausal women. J Intern Med. 2013 Jul;274(1):67-76. doi: 10.1111/joim.12048. Epub 2013 Mar 11.
Medawar, E., Huhn, S., Villringer, A. et al. The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review. Transl Psychiatry 9, 226 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-019-0552-0.
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