NUTRITION

Chris Masterjohn’s “How to Lose Fat Without Losing Muscle” emphasizes the importance of prioritizing fat loss while preserving lean mass during weight loss. He advises against excessive calorie restriction, recommending instead a focus on full-body resistance training, high-intensity intervals, and adequate protein intake to support muscle retention and overall health. Slow, consistent weight loss—up to 2 pounds per week—is optimal, with exercise playing a critical role in minimizing lean mass loss. Masterjohn’s findings align closely with CrossFit principles, underscoring the effectiveness of functional fitness and whole-food diets in achieving sustainable, healthy results.

Are you relying on willpower alone to stick to your health and fitness goals? This article reveals the most important strategy people overlook: shaping your physical and mental environments for success. From reorganizing your kitchen and meal prepping to crafting a workout routine and fostering a positive mindset, it’s all about creating a foundation that makes healthy choices easier and setbacks manageable. Discover actionable tips to transform your surroundings, stay consistent, and make this the year you finally achieve lasting results.

Mastering your nutrition plan starts with understanding that cravings often stem from boredom, habit, or sugar addiction—not true hunger. Build a solid foundation by consuming high-quality foods, balancing macronutrients, and following a consistent eating schedule. Address triggers like dehydration, junk food access, and lack of sleep, and embrace the slight discomfort of hunger as part of the process. If you slip up, don’t dwell—refocus with your next meal. Progress comes from consistency, not perfection, and with patience and these strategies, you can achieve your nutrition and fitness goals.

In the final article in this six-part series, we discuss how following CrossFit’s fitness and dietary guidelines not only enhances physical performance but also fortifies your body’s immune system. Protein is vital in this process, supporting immune cell production and function. High-quality animal proteins provide essential amino acids like glutamine, arginine, and cysteine, critical for immune defense and recovery. This holistic approach to health strengthens your body against chronic diseases and acute illnesses alike, making fitness a lifelong pursuit.

Part 5 of the "Primer on Protein" series focuses on the role of protein in the body’s antioxidant system. CrossFit’s nutrition prescription emphasizes protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, which provide essential amino acids that help the body build tissues, hormones, and immune cells. A key component of the body’s defense against oxidative stress, caused by free radicals, is the production of antioxidants like glutathione and melatonin. Consuming enough dietary protein supports the body's ability to fight oxidative stress, helping to protect against chronic diseases, aging, and injury while enhancing overall performance.

Part 4 of the "Primer on Protein" series focuses on the importance of dietary protein for maintaining healthy joints and connective tissues. Protein, particularly collagen, plays a crucial role in supporting tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and fascia, which enable smooth and pain-free movement. Collagen is built from amino acids like glycine and proline, found in foods such as slow-cooked meats, bone broth, and skin-on poultry or fish. Without adequate intake of these collagen-building nutrients, connective tissue can weaken, leading to joint pain, stiffness, and an increased risk of injury or osteoarthritis. By consuming protein-rich foods, we ensure strong, flexible, and resilient connective tissue, promoting long-term health and mobility.

Part 3 of the "Primer on Protein" series emphasizes the crucial role of protein in supporting mental health, alongside physical health. Protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy provide essential amino acids, such as tryptophan and tyrosine, which are vital for producing key neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Serotonin promotes a positive mood and resilience, while dopamine drives motivation and focus. A lack of these amino acids can negatively impact mental well-being, contributing to conditions like depression and anxiety. CrossFit’s nutrition prescription prioritizes high-quality protein intake to support both physical and mental health.

In Part 2 of the "Primer on Protein" series, the focus shifts to the role of dietary protein in bone health. CrossFit’s nutrition prescription highlights the importance of animal foods (meat, fish, eggs, etc.), which provide high-quality protein. Protein-rich foods, especially those cooked on the bone or containing skin, provide key amino acids necessary for bone health. Diets lacking these foods can lead to lower bone density and increased fracture risk, while high protein intake, especially in older adults, is associated with stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis.

In "World Class Fitness in 100 Words," the first prescription for achieving fitness is focused on food, not exercise, highlighting the importance of nutrition. While food provides energy, it also offers crucial building blocks for the body, like amino acids, which form proteins essential for brain, muscle, and tissue function. This series explores how dietary protein supports muscle health, which is vital for longevity and disease prevention.

Everyone who’s successful at what they do starts with the fundamentals — whether it’s learning to play piano or training for the CrossFit Games. In CrossFit, if the basic principles are never truly refined, then the distance between potential and performance will always be greater than necessary.