Hunter McIntyre is a name familiar to anyone following HYROX in recent years. A three-time HYROX world champion and former CrossFit record-holder, McIntyre has earned a reputation as an extraordinary athlete for over a decade.
HYROX competitions test athletes with a demanding combination of cardio and strength challenges. These include sled pushes, wall balls, burpees, ski ergs, farmer’s carries, and eight one-kilometer runs. If you think a typical cardio workout is tough, HYROX takes it to a whole new level.
So, what do these athletes eat to maintain peak fitness without burning out? McIntyre says he basically eats whatever he wants.
“I don’t think people understand the difference between the average person and an elite athlete. I can eat how I want because I train so hard,” he told Men’s Journal. “A pint of ice cream, to me, is nothing as long as it fits into the numbers. At the end of the day, it’s almost like a simple math equation if you follow a plan.”
McIntyre’s diet hasn’t always been this flexible. Over the past 15 years, he has tried many diets, from a vegan plan heavy on lentils and grains to a carnivore diet consisting only of meat. His main takeaway? Nutrition doesn’t need to be complicated.
“It all comes down to this,” McIntyre said. “If I take basic numbers — for example, my body weight is 200 pounds — I multiply that by three to four for carbohydrates, about one for protein, and 0.75 for fats. If I keep that consistent throughout the week, I can eat almost anything.”
And when he says anything, he means sweets too. McIntyre calls himself a “sugar princess” because he often craves something sweet — whether it’s a spoonful of honey, an energy drink before his workout, or a full pint of ice cream. Given how many calories he burns during exercise, it’s no surprise he stays lean.
“Let’s say tomorrow is a hard workout day,” he said. “I plan a big session, and I let my workout end at the grocery store, where I get a cinnamon bun. It’s my reward. It’s not naughty — it’s necessary.”
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