NUTRITION GUIDE

BY

A STEP-BY-STEP guide to living a healthy lifestyle,

looking beach ready, and conquering any course.
TOUGH MUddER
NUTRITION GUIDE
BY

If you’re reading this, it means you’re willing to take on a

challenge. And if an obstacle comes your way, you’ll figure out
how to get over it, under it, or around it.

Luckily, figuring out how to eat right doesn’t need to be one of those
obstacles. We’ve created this Tough Mudder Nutrition Guide to
make the dietary part of training easy. Here, you’ll find tips, tricks,
and food lists that’ll get the job done in a delicious, healthy, and
satisfying way.

And if you’re looking for a more detailed plan, check out Openfit.
Not only will the T-Minus 30™ training program get you in Tough
Mudder shape in just 30 days, but you’ll also find an Openfit
Nutrition Plan tailored for your needs and goals, as well as
instruction on exactly how to eat in the days leading up to
your event.

You see? It turns out eating right isn’t the obstacle that you thought
it was!

You got this!

 1. START WITH A CLEAN SLATE
Open your kitchen cabinets and refrigerator and take a good, long,
hard look at what’s there. How much of it is loaded with sugar and
ultra-processed junk? Ditch the sweet and salty snacks and any
food that isn’t going to help you reach your goals. Donate them to
your local food pantry.

2. SET A GOAL
Whether your goal is to start living a healthier lifestyle or chisel
the six pack of your dreams, it’s important to have a specific goal
in mind that’s realistic to keep yourself accountable.

3. PREPARE YOUR OWN MEALS

6 STEPS TO CLEANING
Quit using GrubHub as your personal assistant. Master a handful
of healthy go-to meals, quit eating junk food, and stay consistent.
Not only will your body thank you, your wallet will too.

UP YOUR DIET 4. BALANCE YOUR PLATE

Make sure every meal contains a combination of protein, fruits,
veggies, other healthy carbs, and healthy fats. For a little help on
how to do this, turn the page.

5. EAT 3 TO 5 TIMES A DAY

If you’re doing intermittent fasting, grazing, or another dietary
method and things are under control, carry on. But if you need
help with overeating, try sticking to breakfast, lunch, and dinner
with one or two small snacks between as needed. Once you’ve
finished dinner, be done for the day!

6. CREATE YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY TEAM

If you’re doing your Tough Mudder with friends, look to your
peeps for support with your eating. Review each other’s diets. Call
each other when the wheels start falling off. And get together for
healthy team meals, including your victory feed when it’s all done.
 THE EYEBALL METHOD

PROTEIN:
3oz of lean meat/fish/pork =
the length and thickness of the palm of your hand

THE CLEAN EATING

CHECK LIST HEALTHY CARBS:
1 cup of cooked rice or potatoes =
the size of your fist

You don’t have to have a perfect diet to stay

healthy and get strong, but the cleaner you eat, the
better off you’ll be. Generally, if about 80% of your
diet comes from these whole, clean, minimally- FRUIT:
processed foods, you’re in great shape! 1 cup chopped watermelon or whole apple = the size of your fist.

These lists show you some of the foods that can

help you get it right—and the Eyeball Method
will show you how much of those foods to eat.
When portioning out your meal, use the estimated VEGGIES:
guidelines on this chart. Eat as much as you want! But if you really need a guide,
go with two cups or two fists.

HEALTHY FATS:
2 Tbsp of whole nuts, nut butter, avocado or olives = the length
of two thumbs. 1 Tbsp. of oils = the length of one thumb.
CLEAN EATING CHECK LIST
You too can grocery shop like a pro. Quit wandering the aisles and stick to the perimeter where the least processed foods are.
TIP: DON’T GROCERY SHOP WHILE HUNGRY.

PROTEIN HEALTHY CARBS

Tell me more about protein! Tell me more about carbs!
Like much of your body, your muscles are primarily made of protein. Ignore the bad press! There’s nothing wrong with carbs if you are
Your workouts break down those muscles, so it’s important to have plenty choosing whole foods and avoiding ultra-processed carbs! They’re a
of protein in your diet to help build them back up, stronger. All kinds of great source of fuel, along with fiber, protein, and various other nutrients.
foods contain protein, including vegetables, nuts, beans, and grains, but That said, the calories can add up quickly, so moderation matters. Don’t
here are some of protein greatest hits. forget the Eyeball Method when serving up the ‘taters!

How do I prepare it? How do I prepare them?

When it comes to meat, fish, tofu, and tempeh, try to minimize the oil and There are a million ways to prepare carbs. Just avoid added sugar
grease. Grilling, baking, steaming, and broiling are good options. Sautéing and butter, don’t fry anything, and stay away from unhealthy cream or
with a tiny amount of oil is okay. Stay away from frying! sugar-based sauces.

For Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, avoid adding sugary stuff like jelly, Potato
jam, honey, and, yes, sugar. Sweet Potato
Rice (Brown or Wild)
Eggs Unflavored Oatmeal
Chicken Quinoa
Fish Sprouted Grain Bread
Greek Yogurt (plain, 2%) Whole-wheat Wrap/Tortilla
Turkey Whole-wheat Pasta
Protein Powder (especially OPENFIT RECOVERY)
®
Whole-grain Cereal (no more than 6 grams of sugar per serving)
Tofu Beans (kidney, black, garbanzo, white, lima, etc.)
Tempeh Peas
Pork Lentils
Cottage Cheese (plain, 2%)
CLEAN EATING CHECK LIST
You too can grocery shop like a pro. Quit wandering the aisles and stick to the perimeter where the least processed foods are.
TIP: DON’T GROCERY SHOP WHILE HUNGRY.

VEGGIES FRUIT
Tell me more about veggies! Tell me more about fruit!
Veggies are a fantastic source of so many great things, including vitamins, The carbohydrates you get from fruits—yes, fruits consist mostly of
minerals, phytonutrients, fiber, protein, and water. And all that fiber and carbs—give you energy for your workout (and the rest of your day),
water tend to give them a low calorie count by volume, so it’s awfully hard without the issues associated with “bad carbs.” They’re also terrific sources
to overeat veggies. of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber, and water.

How do I prepare them? How do I prepare it?

Many veggies are great raw while others work can be steamed which Raw or maybe grilled if you’re a BBQ aficionado.
works just as well. Sautéing and stir frying are okay, but deep fat frying
and breading are a no-no. (You’ve probably figured out by now that frying Apple
is a bad idea.) Banana
Blueberries
Asparagus Peppers (sweet) Kiwifruit
Beets Lettuce (all) Orange
Broccoli Spinach Pineapple
Brussels Sprouts Squash (summer) Strawberries
Cabbage Tomatoes Grapefruit
Carrots Cherries
Cauliflower Peach
Celery Plum
Green Beans Melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, etc.)
Kale
Mushrooms
CLEAN EATING CHECK LIST
You too can grocery shop like a pro. Quit wandering the aisles and stick to the perimeter where the least processed foods are.
TIP: DON’T GROCERY SHOP WHILE HUNGRY.

HEALTHY FATS FREE FOODS

Tell me more about healthy fats! Tell me more about free foods!
Fat functions as a fuel, adds structure to your cells, and transports fat- To add zing to your diet, feel free to eat as much as you want from this list!
soluble vitamins into your system. The problem is that fat is more However, if you’re going on a hot date, you might want to limit the garlic.
calorically dense, making it easy to accidently eat too much, which is
why usually a thumbs-worth for oils is a good amount. When it comes to How do I prepare them?
whole nuts, nut butter, avocado, and whole olives, you’re okay with a two Make sure to read labels to avoid added sugar and other junk.
thumb serving (You’re welcome).
Lemon and lime juice
How do I prepare them? Vinegars
As is. Just avoid added sugars when buying nuts and nut butters. Mustard
Herbs (fresh and dry)
Almonds/Almond Butter Spices
Cashews/Cashew Butter Garlic
Peanuts/Peanut Butter Hot sauce (Tabasco® or Mexican only)
Walnuts Pure Flavor extracts (vanilla, peppermint, almond, etc.)
Avocado
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Olives

Try pre-made seasoning blends with no to minimal salt and a short ingredient list. See something you can’t pronounce in
the ingredient list? Leave it on the shelf.
 CLEAN EATING DO’S AND DON’T’S
DO’S DON’T’S
DO: EAT PROTEIN DON’T: EAT TOO MANY OF THESE FOODS
Whether you’re getting it from lean meats or plant-based Ultra-processed food. Fast food and junk food. Food and drinks
powerhouses, Try for 20-25 grams of high quality protein in filled with added sugar and fat. Fried food. Read the nutrition and
every meal. Some sort of protein shake after training (like ingredients labels. If you don’t recognize most of the ingredients,
OPENFIT RECOVERY) is a good idea too to help your muscles it’s usually a good idea to pass.
recover faster, so you can train just as hard tomorrow. (Yay!)
DON’T: BECOME NUMBER OBSESSED
DO: TREAT YOURSELF (IN MODERATION) Use the general eyeballing guide to eat healthy without the added
Treats and cheat meals can help you maintain your sanity. Just technical jargon and hours spent calculating calories.
don’t forget the goals you’ve set. Again, if 80% of your diet is tight,
the other 20% can be a party. DON’T: FALL INTO OLD HABITS
Consistency is the key to seeing any results. Slowly change your
DO: LEARN TO COOK AND PREPARE YOUR OWN FOOD habits and routines one day at a time.
Once a week, research a breakfast/lunch/dinner/smoothie
recipe that you can make without having to buy too many extra DON’T: TRY IT AND QUIT
ingredients. You’ll find hundreds of them on Openfit. Was Sunday meal prep a success? Awesome. Do it again next
Sunday. Then, again the next week, and the next week, until
DO: DRINK MORE WATER forever (because this is a lifestyle, not a quick fix).
Staying hydrated doesn’t just help keep you healthy, it’s key to
results. It keeps your system functioning and helps you perform DON’T: GROCERY SHOP WHILE HUNGRY.
at your best. We recommend at least half your body weight in Hunger can lead to poor decisions when grocery shopping.
ounces every day, so if you weight 180 pounds, drink 90 ounces Before you hit the supermarket, have a little (healthy) snack so
of water. you’re not tempted to fill your cart with bags of chips and sixers
of soda.
DO: MEAL PREP
Take a few hours on the weekend to plan your meals for the week
With this information, you’re now in great shape to reach your
and pre-prepare. Stock your fridge or freezer with your pre-made
goals. But if you’d like more information, recipes or a more
foods. Make a big pot of quinoa. Wash lettuce and other veggies,
detailed nutrition plan, or if you just want to geek out on food
chop ‘em up and put them in a big bag for quick salads. Grill a
and nutrition, check out Openfit. And while you’re there, have a
few days’ worth of your favorite protein. Having all this food
look at T-Minus 30 if you really want to nail your Tough Mudder!
ready will free up the rest of your week and prevent you from
relying on junk food on days that you’re too stressed to cook.
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