DIRECTOR OF PERFORMANCE NUTRITION | COACH
AMANDA MAY
she/her
Coaching Experience: 8 years
I love working with athletes of all kinds! As a Hybrid athlete myself, I especially love working with people who love to chase goals across the endurance and strength spectrums. As a coach, I am passionate about helping people to realize their capabilities and to challenge their own self-limiting beliefs. My client’s goals are important to me, as is their systemic and mental health, quality of life, and relationship with their nutrition. My primary focus is on helping people to feel confident in how to sustainably fuel their bodies; when we feel great and treat our bodies with love and respect, the athletic and/or aesthetic results usually follow! Most importantly, I love working with people who have a growth mindset; people who are willing to learn, ask questions, and stay engaged in their own process. If you’re not looking for quick fixes and are willing to be patient, consistent, and actually build the skills that make healthy habits sustainable, we’re probably going to work well together!
Hi, I’m Amanda
I was born and raised in the Milwaukee, WI, area. I spent most of my young life as a competitive swimmer and dancer, dabbling in lots of other sports along the way. My swimming career was cut short in college when I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis after months of declining health. At the time, I was told that she would likely never be able to compete in athletics again, which I was absolutely not willing to accept! From there, I took a whole-body, holistic approach to my treatment. While this time period was challenging in so many ways, it really set the stage for how I approach both my own nutritional and training habits and those that I focus on with my clients now. Over time was able to greatly reduce the amount of medication I needed, while working my way back to being able to call myself an “athlete”.
After college, I was introduced to a CrossFit gym and weight training for the first time. I was fortunate to join a gym in Milwaukee that happened to house the premier Weightlifting Club in Wisconsin, and I immediately fell in love with Olympic Weightlifting. Since 2015, I’ve learned to navigate balancing my health condition with training, nutrition, and recovery, and have been able to qualify for National Meets, set some state records, and have expanded my focus from strength sports back into the endurance space. I currently follow a hybrid approach to strength and endurance training, and my main competition focus is triathlon; 70.3 (Half Ironman) is my favorite distance to race.
Outside of the gym, I love to travel and backpack. I love getting lost in the mountains whenever possible! I believe strongly in balancing specific athletic goals with having a life out in the real world. There are few things that a little Vitamin D and alone time with nature (and my husband, AJ, and my dog, Fletcher) can’t solve.
who I LOVE WORKING WITh
I love working with ambitious, curious people who want to get better at what they do without sacrificing their health or quality of life. Whether you’re training for a specific event or chasing a performance goal, building strength and endurance simply because you want to see what you’re capable of, or just trying to feel like a healthier and more capable human, I’m here for the people who want to understand the why behind what they’re doing and build systems that actually work in real life.
✔️ Hybrid, multisport, endurance or strength-focused athletes who want nutrition and lifestyle strategies that can evolve with their training rather than constantly starting over every time their goals or training phase changes
✔️ Outdoor athletes pursuing multi-day or high altitude goals
✔️ Athletes who want to maximize performance while still supporting recovery, health, longevity, and everything else that matters outside of training
✔️ Athletes navigating autoimmune or other health considerations who want to find a sustainable way to support their health while still pursuing their goals
CREDENTIALS & certs
NUTRITION CERTIFICATIONS
Precision Nutrition L1
NASM Sports Nutrition Certification
Cellular & Molecular Biology Major; Nutrition Minor
PN Sleep, Stress Management, & Recovery (in progress)
OTHER CERTIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
USAW L1 (4+ years coaching experience)
Collegiate Level Swimmer
National Qualifying Weightlifter & State Record Holder
USAT National Level Triathlete
OTHER RANDOM stuff about me
FUN FACT
I’ve traveled to almost 50 countries but I stopped counting when I started revisiting the some of same ones multiple times. My favorite country in the world is Nepal, for so many reasons! I’ll go back any time I get the chance, and it’s my dream to backpack with my husband and our kids (fingers crossed!) there someday.
NON-FITNESS HOBBY
While I have major imposter syndrome, I have always enjoyed creating art to and have had a little side-hustle as a commissioned artist since college. I mostly do abstract, multi-media pieces and love to work on large scale pieces.
FAVORITE THINGS
My husband, my dog and all dogs, laughing with family and friends, waterfalls, mountains, pretty skies / clouds, ice cream (and really sweet treats of any kind), long walks, reading, a cheeseburger with the works, traveling, a good night of sleep in fresh sheets, college sports, athleisure sets, road trips, coffee in the morning, a Diet A&W at night.
WHAT MY CLIENTS ARE SAYING
Kayla Hannon
“I first worked with Amanda on my marathon training last year, and when I signed up for my first Ironman, I knew I wanted her back in my corner. She taught me how to fuel properly on the bike and run, and made sure I was hitting the right macros daily to support big training days. What I value most is that she really understands my goals as an athlete while also recognizing that I’m balancing work, training, and a social life... My ‘dream’ goal was to go sub-15 hours, and I crossed the line in 13:34!”
Andre Sanchez
“Black Iron Nutrition took my athletic performance, as a weightlifter, to the next level. The amount of attention to detail and refining what I thought would be ‘enough’ completely enhanced my ability to perform at a lower body weight. I never imagined moving the weights I did at 72kg body weight, while at 67kg bodyweight. The cherry on top of everything was hitting PRs across the board while making weight casually for Nationals. Words can not explain the amount of gratitude I have for Amanda!”
Alison Helig
“I’ve been in both Performance and Lifestyle Nutrition Coaching, running ultramarathons while lifting heavy shit along the way, and Amanda has been right there with me, ready to help me pivot and adjust as needed when my training or life demanded it... I’m fueling better now than I ever have before. I’m a strength and nutrition coach myself, but staying with Amanda for two years through training cycles and off-seasons has made me feel well-supported.”
Rebecca Allen
“I can’t say enough good things about Black Iron, both the training and the nutrition coaching, but I especially want to rave about my coach, Amanda. She knows when to push, and she knows when to pull back. She’s encouraging and inspirational, not to mention patient. I’ve learned so much working with her, about nutrition, fitness, and myself. Because of her coaching, I’ve set and accomplished fitness goals that once seemed impossible to me.”
MY FAVORITE EPISODES OF BLACK IRON RADIO
