By Kerry, Owner & Head Coach, CrossFit Arvada
Let me tell you about the most common conversation I have with members who are doing everything right and still not seeing the results they expected.
They’re showing up three, four, five days a week. They’re sleeping better. They’re following along with our recovery tips. They’re working hard. And they look at me a little puzzled and say: “Kerry, why do I still feel so tired? Why isn’t my body changing?”
I already know the answer. I’ve known it for years — both as a nurse and as a coach.
They’re not eating enough. Or they’re not eating the right things. Usually both.
The Thing Nobody Wants to Hear
Here’s the uncomfortable truth the fitness industry doesn’t say loudly enough: you cannot out-train a bad diet.
You can show up every single day. You can push harder than anyone in the class. You can follow every coaching cue perfectly. And if you go home and undereat, skip protein, or run on caffeine and crackers — your body has nothing to rebuild with.
Remember what I said in my last post? The workout is the stimulus. Recovery is where the progress happens. Well, nutrition is the raw material your body uses to do that recovery work. Take away the raw material and the whole system stalls.
I watched this play out in nursing for years before I ever owned a gym. Patients recovering from surgery, illness, or injury who were well-nourished healed faster, felt better sooner, and bounced back stronger than those who weren’t. Food is not separate from your health. Food is your health.
Why Nutrition Gets More Important As You Age
This is the part I really want you to sit with, especially if you’re in your 40s, 50s, or 60s.
When we’re younger, our bodies are more forgiving. We can skip meals, eat whatever, recover on not enough, and still make progress. That window closes gradually as we age — and most people don’t realize it’s happening until they’re frustrated and confused.
As we get older, a few critical things shift:
Our bodies become less efficient at absorbing and using the protein we eat. This means we actually need more protein as we age to achieve the same muscle-building and repair effect that less protein gave us at 30. Most people over 50 are dramatically under-eating protein — and they wonder why they feel soft, tired, and aren’t seeing the strength gains their work in the gym deserves.
Our metabolism changes. Not in the dramatic, hopeless way the diet industry wants you to believe — but in real, manageable ways that respond well to eating more intentionally and consistently.
Hormonal shifts, especially for women going through perimenopause and menopause, change how our bodies store fat, build muscle, and use energy. The single most evidence-backed way to support your body through those changes? Strength training — which we do — and adequate protein intake. The two work together. You can’t have one without the other and expect the full benefit.
Let’s Talk About Protein — The One Thing That Changes Everything
I’m going to spend some time here because protein is the most under-consumed, most misunderstood macronutrient for active adults over 40. And getting it right will change how you feel, how you perform, and how quickly you see results from the work you’re putting in.
How much do you actually need?
The old recommended daily allowance for protein was set for sedentary people. If you are doing CrossFit three to five days a week, you need significantly more. A good target for active adults is 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. For a 150-pound woman, that’s 105–150 grams of protein daily. For most people, that feels like a lot — because most people are nowhere near it.
Why does it matter so much?
Protein is what your muscles use to repair and rebuild after a workout. Without enough of it, your body literally cannot do the job you’re asking it to do. It also keeps you fuller longer, helps stabilize blood sugar, and supports the hormonal balance that becomes increasingly important as we age.
When does timing matter?
Getting protein within 30–60 minutes after a workout is genuinely useful — this is when your muscles are most receptive to using it. But the bigger picture is spreading your protein intake across the whole day. Three meals with meaningful protein each beats one big protein-heavy dinner every time.
High-Protein Foods That Actually Work in Real Life
I’m not here to give you a strict meal plan — that’s a job for a registered dietitian, and if you want one, I can point you in the right direction. But I can give you real, practical protein sources that work for busy adults, because that’s what our members actually need.
Animal proteins (the most complete sources): Eggs are one of the most perfect foods for active adults — easy, affordable, and highly bioavailable. Two eggs give you about 12 grams. Chicken breast, ground turkey, canned tuna, salmon, Greek yogurt (plain, full-fat), cottage cheese, and lean beef are all workhorses. A 6-ounce chicken breast runs about 50 grams of protein on its own.
Dairy-based easy wins: Plain Greek yogurt with 15–20 grams per cup is one of the easiest protein hits you can add to your morning. Cottage cheese — which I know has a reputation — is genuinely excellent with 25 grams per cup and takes on the flavor of whatever you pair it with. String cheese and hard-boiled eggs are perfect between-meal options.
Plant-based options: Lentils, black beans, chickpeas, edamame, tofu, and tempeh are all solid protein sources. They work best when combined — plant proteins are generally incomplete on their own, so pairing them (rice and beans, for example) covers all your bases.
The honest case for protein powder: I’ll be straightforward here — getting 120+ grams of protein per day from whole food alone is genuinely challenging when life is busy. A high-quality whey or plant-based protein powder is a practical tool, not a shortcut. A scoop in a morning smoothie, mixed into oatmeal, or blended with Greek yogurt can add 20–25 grams without much effort. Look for one with minimal ingredients and no artificial sweeteners if you can.
A Simple Day of Eating That Actually Supports Your Training
I’m not a nutritionist and I’m not prescribing this — but here’s what intentional fueling can look like without being complicated:
Morning: Two eggs + Greek yogurt with berries + a piece of toast. Coffee, obviously. (~35–40g protein)
Mid-morning (if hungry): String cheese or a hard-boiled egg + a handful of nuts. (~10–15g protein)
Lunch: Big salad with 5–6 oz chicken or tuna, chickpeas, avocado, olive oil. (~45–50g protein)
After workout: Protein smoothie — one scoop protein powder, frozen banana, almond butter, milk of choice. (~25–30g protein)
Dinner: Salmon or lean beef with roasted vegetables and a grain like quinoa or rice. (~40–50g protein)
That’s roughly 150–185 grams of protein in a day that doesn’t require weighing anything or following a rigid plan. It just requires a little intention.
What About Everything Else?
Protein gets the spotlight here because it’s the most impactful change most of our members can make. But a few other things matter enough to mention briefly.
Carbohydrates are not the enemy. After years of low-carb messaging, I want to be clear: if you are doing CrossFit, you need carbohydrates. They are your body’s primary fuel source for high-intensity work. Cutting them out entirely is one of the fastest ways to feel exhausted and perform poorly in class. Focus on quality — whole grains, fruit, sweet potatoes, oats — and time them around your workouts.
Hydration is under-discussed. Most people are mildly dehydrated most of the time, and it directly impacts performance, recovery, and how tired you feel. A general baseline is half your bodyweight in ounces of water per day — more on training days and in summer. If you finish a class and you have a headache by mid-afternoon, drink more water before you blame anything else.
Don’t skip meals. Especially breakfast. I know intermittent fasting is popular and for some people it works well. But for active adults over 45, going into a morning workout on empty and then skipping breakfast is one of the most reliable ways to undereat protein and over-stress your body. Fuel before you train. Fuel after.
The Nurse in Me Wants to Say One More Thing
I’ve watched people spend years — decades — at war with food. Restricting, bingeing, punishing themselves with exercise for what they ate, feeling guilty for every indulgent meal. It’s exhausting. It’s counterproductive. And it’s one of the saddest things I see when it comes to people’s relationship with their own bodies.
Food is fuel. It’s also joy. It’s also culture and family and celebration. The goal is not perfection — the goal is enough of the right things, most of the time, to support the life you’re building through your training.
At CrossFit Arvada, we talk about nutrition because it’s inseparable from the results you’re working for in class. But we will never shame anyone for what they ate last weekend. We are here to help you feel better, move better, and live longer — and eating well is a big, important part of that.
Start with protein. Get that right first. Everything else tends to fall into place when you do.
We’re Here for the Whole Picture
Fitness is more than what happens in the hour you’re with us. It’s sleep. It’s recovery. It’s how you fuel your body. It’s showing up consistently over years, not perfectly over weeks.
If you have nutrition questions, bring them to class. Our coaches are here for all of it — not just the barbell.
And if you haven’t tried us yet — your first class is free. Come in, work hard, and let’s talk about what you need to feel your best.
📍 14700 W 66th Pl #6, Arvada, CO 80004 📞 (720) 331-8891 🌐 crossfitarvada.com
Classes available mornings, evenings, and Saturdays. All fitness levels welcome.
Kerry joined CrossFit Arvada as a member on day one in 2012. She became a coach in 2015 and took over as owner in 2020. A former nurse, she brings a background in preventive health to every conversation about how food, movement, and recovery work together.
