CrossFit Games Champ Mat Fraser Shares His Secrets On Staying Fit And Motivated

Mathew Fraser is proof hard work truly pays off. He first earned the title of “Fittest Man on Earth” back at the 2016 and 2017 CrossFit Games after taking back-to-back second-place finishes in 2014 and 2015. (Fraser backed up his 2016 title with a historic victory in 2016, winning by the largest margin of victory in Games History beating his own mark he set the year prior).

We caught up recently with the Vermont native to learn his secrets to staying fit, focused and motivated along with how it feels to win his fourth CrossFit Games title.

Photo Credit: KLG PRPhoto Credit: KLG PR

Congratulations on bringing home your fourth CrossFit Games championship title. How does it feel?

Thank you. There’s obviously a huge sense of pride. It is basically what my entire life revolved around the last six years, so it’s kind of a pat on the back.

After you took home two back-to-back second place wins in 2014 and 2015, how did you change your approach to fitness to gain your first win in 2016?

In 2014, I was so new, I didn’t know what I was doing. In 2015, I didn’t buy into the idea that training continues when you leave the gym. It was sporadic like my sleep schedule and diet. I was trying to prove that even though I got eight hours of sleep either between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. or 2 to 10 a.m., it didn’t matter. When I was going into 2016, I took out any “what ifs” and wanted to be prepared to make it or live my life in peace knowing it wasn’t in the cards for me. Every decision I made was geared toward training.

Take us through a typical day in the life of the “Fittest Man on Earth” when it comes to diet and fitness.

On a typical training day, I am up at 8 a.m. When in season, my fiance Sammy has breakfast ready for me. Then I answer calls, texts, emails, do some stretches and head to the gym. I am there for about three hours and then come home and Sammy has lunch. Then I do some more stetches and roll outs and do some quad lifting in my home gym. I wrap that up in about two hours then do some more rolls and stretches. At night, all electronics are off between 9:30 and 10 p.m. I read in bed, watch Netflix, or make lists reminding myself of things I need to do. Then I get about nine or 10 hours of sleep.

Can you share some of your secrets to staying motivated and fit?

It’s not any secret formula. One thing I do stems from the 2015 season. I think about what story I want to tell when I’m 40. Was it that I participated, but didn’t win or tell with pride that I dedicated my life and won a lot. After 2015, I had to come to terms that I may never win, but that wasn’t the story I wanted to tell. I break each day down to setting daily micro goals.

Do you think it is OK to have a cheat day?

I’m not a big fan of cheat days where you indulge and binge on everything. I never tell myself that it’s not OK to do those things. I make tiny changes one piece at a time until that change becomes the new normal and then make another thing better. If I have a sweet tooth at night, I’ll have a little something. I try to keep everything in moderation and keep making changes until they appear normal.

You were recently in Boston to host a CrossFit class with Tia Clair Toomey and Brooke Wells in partnership with beam CBD. How did that opportunity come about?

I am in Vermont and had been to CrossFit Southie a handful of times before so when they approached me, I was excited to be a part of it.