I pay attention to my diet to be a healthier gymnast, but I'm not obsessive over it.
Just like keeping a healthy diet is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating the right foods is just as important for getting the most out of your workout.
All athletes would be better if they eat better. Junk in equals Junk out.
The diet for climbing all the time isn't really different from the diet for living. It's not like cardio sports where you're burning a bajillion calories every day.
As an athlete, the most important thing is the protein that you eat and the things that you put into your body. Without that, it's very hard to function throughout the day.
A lot of people who do CrossFit eat a strict paleo diet, but I don't subscribe to any specific way of eating. If you burn enough calories, you don't need to.
I definitely eat carbs. I repeat: I do eat carbs. I'm just selective on which carbs I eat and when. I won't eat things like pasta and bread at night, but in terms of fueling a workout and recovering from one, carbs are great.
Post-workout, I eat a protein-rich snack, like egg whites or chana, chicken, fish with some greens.
I stay away from big chunks of carbs and try to keep it lean, even when I'm competing.
