I’ve come to realize… People take their chili very seriously. If you are a chili connoisseur, I apologize if this chili with beans offends you. But it makes my mouth and stomach extremely happy, so screw the rules!

Last week Krissy and I got together in Reno to create content for BIN and that always means time spent in the kitchen coming up with new recipes to share! While we were getting our grocery list ready for dinner we knew we had to add something sweet to the list for dessert. After some brainstorming, Krissy mentioned that she'd had this dessert in Iceland made with skyr, whipped cream, and jam. It sounded incredible (now have to plan a trip to Iceland to try this delicious treat) and it became the inspiration for our dessert. We made this two nights in a row, once with whipped cream and once with fat-free Cool Whip. The whipped cream version adds fat and reduces carbs so do what works best for you!

I felt it was time that I wrote something more personal. I think I have avoided delving too deep because of the shame that is attached to food addiction, emotional eating, binging, etc. It wasn’t until fairly recently that I was able to pinpoint exactly how I defined my own emotional eating behavior. I once sought the help of a therapist for this very issue. Why do I eat when I’m not hungry? I was met with amateur-hour suggestions. Eat off a red plate, drink water before meals, “I’ll fill a prescription for an appetite suppressant.”

Need help eating out?! We’ve got you covered…

Let's talk about stress. We’re all pretty familiar with it. As adults stress becomes a part of our life. We have responsibilities and deadlines to attend to. Although we often think of stress as a bad thing, in small doses, it’s actually quite beneficial. It motivates us to meet those deadlines at work, finish a school project, stick to our diet, or get to the gym first thing in the morning. But sometimes, stress becomes overwhelming. It accumulates and eventually, we can’t take it anymore. This build-up and constant stress is the kind that’s harmful to our health. This is the type of stress we want to talk about.

Problem-solving has many layers. You’re here and I’m here because we have a problem that we’ve yet to solve on our own. We’re here because we need help. There’s nothing wrong with needing help. Everyone needs help with something in their lives at some point. As you start to outline the things you need or the actions you need to take to solve a problem, it may take a bit to get going. But at some point, it starts to build like a classic cartoon snowball rolling down a hill. Here is a sample list of things or actions you’ve likely done as you started your journey with BIN to solve this problem.

What’s my go-to protein source? Tofu! Tofu is packed with protein, it has several health benefits and it’s extremely versatile. Here is one of my favorite ways to make tofu. This recipe is also great for anyone who wants to incorporate a meatless Monday into their week!

I get asked a lot about pre and post-workout nutrition. Nutrient timing if you will. We understand the importance of it as athletes. Eating sufficient amounts of carbohydrates before and after we workout helps with our performance and recovery. Pre and post-workout foods certainly don't need to be complicated. Carbs, carbs carbs. Okay and some protein too. But our bodies need glycogen. And since I love to bake, I decided to work on a high carb, low-fat breakfast muffin that I could grab on my way to the gym either to eat in the car or save for right after my workout. Regardless of which snack you're needing, this one should do the job!

Tex-Mex and American Mexican food was not part of my childhood. My parents were not a fan of it. Weird I know. The closest thing I got to Mexican food was the pre-packaged hard shell Ortega meal kits. They had bright yellow cheese, taco seasoning packets, and this watery red salsa/hot sauce packets. It was delicious! I could easily take down 5 or 10 tacos. I was a growing boy and needed lots of fuel ok! We rarely had this treatment as it was an expensive item for our family. It took a few meal kits to provide one meal. It was a once in a while treat that I truly enjoyed. This was my entry point. I had no idea there was so much more to the cuisine.

When you’re in a deficit liquid calories can be a killer. I’ve removed pretty much all liquid calories from my daily meals. Which means protein shakes are no longer in the rotation. I needed a way to add more protein to my day instead of eating more steak or chicken. Don’t get me wrong, I love steak but ya know its expensive and I need some variety. Enter protein yogurt.

Check out this video How To Be Successful With Tracking Macros.

As a business owner, I understand all too well what the December lull does for the coaching industry. If you aren’t selling something that can be given as a gift, your service or business is the first thing cut from a client’s budget this time of year, as gifts and travel expenses take precedent. I’m looking at you, online coaches. This is something most online coaches deal with, as it happens when you own a business that provides an “unnecessary” service. I am here to hopefully offer some words of wisdom to help your coaching business in the long term, as I for one think it is important to be sensitive this time of year.

We decided to have a pumpkin recipe challenge at work with our Black Iron Nutrition clients. I was excited and up for the challenge. I decided I wanted to make a high protein pumpkin bar. We got all kinds of healthy delicious ingredients, and then Krissy and I went to work in the kitchen trying to develop the perfect fall treat.

If your nutrition is a priority of yours (and I'm sure it is or you probably wouldn't be reading this) then I hope this list comes in handy. Whether you travel for work or pleasure and whether you're on a road trip or flying somewhere far away, having a plan is key.

The easiest way to stay on track with your diet is to plan ahead and meal prep. It's simple. If you have good healthy food cooked and ready to eat, you're more likely to stay on track. Has lunchtime ever rolled around and you forgot to pack food, so you wind up at a restaurant trying to make a healthy choice, only to get more food than you need or food that's cooked in too much oil, or loaded with dressing? Sure you can eat out and still eat healthy, but in the long run, packing your lunches and planning your dinners is going to help you achieve your goals a lot faster (and save you money).