Zone Chronicles: Aja Barto

By Pat Sherwood and Aja Barto

In Athletes, CrossFit, HD Videos, Nutrition

May 01, 2012

At 6 foot 5 and 225 lb., Aja Barto is one of the largest CrossFit competitors.

So what does such a big man eat?

HQ trainer Pat Sherwood does a mini Q&A with the athlete from the South Central Region to find out. Barto says he begins his day by drinking two glasses of water. That’s followed by a breakfast of champions: four to five eggs, three to four pieces of some sort of bacon, an avocado and three or four clementines.

“My breakfast is usually pretty giant because I know that’s going to set my day right,” Barto says while at a competitor seminar at CrossFit Park City.

He also throws in some protein powder, as well as glucose and maltodextrin powder.

“I’m pretty good with staying on track and kind of staying honest with myself,” he says. “But if I do deviate … I go toward the 70 percent-plus dark chocolate. I’m talkin’ ’bout probably two bars at a time.”

Barto’s diet seems to have worked: he recently qualified for the Reebok CrossFit Games for the second straight year and is the only man so far to snatch 295 lb. in Workout 5.

6min 27sec

HD file size: 118 MB
SD wmv file size: 77 MB
SD mov file size: 37 MB

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Additional audio: CrossFit Radio Episode 178 by Justin Judkins, published June 29, 2011.

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13 Comments on “Zone Chronicles: Aja Barto”

wrote …

HES A BEAST!!!!! 295lbs!!!!!! freaking kidding me!!!!

wrote …

keep these zone chronicles coming! i love em

wrote …

I just got back from South Central Regionals and major props to Aja. He absolutely killed the snatch ladder and made 295# look easy!!! Best of luck at the games.

wrote …

Nice interview. What's his day job?

wrote …

What does he say about glucose with his protein shakes ?

wrote …

@Brad, I just use some simple glucose (maltodextrin powder) in my post workout Progenex shakes to replenish my glycogen levels.

wrote …

@Aja, Oh okay cool thanks for your response!

wrote …

I personally LOVE eating eggs. I thought we needed to be 'careful' eating more than 1 egg per day due to cholesterol. ? Does anyone have any true research on this?

wrote …

Aja is the man! I'm a huge fan.

Kick ass at the Games!
Pat

wrote …

Aja = Total Stud. Pancetta ("c" is pronounced "ch") is the Italian bacon. mmmm....

wrote …

Aja,

Your rowing numbers must be fantastic. Care to share your 500, 2000, and 5k PRs?

As a taller CFer, you've taken away all my excuses!

Hil

wrote …

Aja, awesome snatch! Lift big, eat big. Let's do lunch.

wrote …

Love the Zone Chronicles! It get's easier to stick to a good diet when others lead by example.