Should you hire a nutrition coach? Here's how to decide
Should you hire a nutrition coach? Here's how to decide

Navigating through the overwhelming amount of nutrition advice available can be a daunting task. If you have specific goals related to body composition, weight loss, or improving your food choices, it may be time to consider hiring a nutrition coach. Working with a professional who understands the intricacies of nutrition can provide you with the guidance, accountability, and support needed to achieve sustainable success. In this article, we'll explore the reasons why hiring a nutrition coach can benefit you and help you make an informed decision about taking that next step towards a healthier and happier you.

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NutritionAshley Beavernutrition coach, Online Coaching, flexible dieting, macro tracking, diet, weight loss, diet culture, fat lossComment
Cooking Made Easy: 9 Time-Saving Tips & Strategies
Cooking Made Easy: 9 Time-Saving Tips & Strategies

We recognize that cooking can sometimes feel overwhelming and exhausting. We are here to help you make cooking easier, quicker, and more enjoyable so that you can stay focused on reaching your goals without getting burnt out by the process. In this article, we will provide you with tips and strategies to streamline your meal planning and preparation, saving you time and energy.

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Ashley Beavermeal prep, food prep, meal plan, meal planning, nutrition, flexible dieting, easy recipes, easy meal ideas, cookingComment
How to do your own research (kinda)
How to do your own research (kinda)

There are probably two types of people who clicked on this article. The first is your average person who just wants to make sense out of the conflicting and confusing information that is presented to them in the mainstream media, social media, or other sources who seem to use research to present completely contradictory views on fitness and nutrition. If this is you, maybe you were hoping to read this and come away with a fool-proof strategy that enables you to enter the correct things into Google to come away with the right answer to your fitness or nutrition question. The second kind of person, might be a graduate student who is curious how I possibly hope to condense the 6-15 credits of courses that they took, or are about to take, dealing with conducting research into a single article.  

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Nutrition, FitnessAshley Beaverresearch, diet, exercise, science, flexible dietingComment
No Prep Food Prep
No Prep Food Prep

No prep meal prep foods can be a LIFESAVER during busy weeks, traveling and weeks when you just don’t have the mental capacity to cook everything fresh.

Black Iron Nutrition coach Ryann breaks down “No Prep” food options by macro, along with some additional no prep food options specifically for fruits and vegetables. Hopefully this makes you dread meal prep a little less and gives you some more time on the weekends for FUN!

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Nutrition, RecipesAshley BeaverRyann, No Prep, easy meal prep, food prep, convenience, macros, fruit, veggies, protein, carbs, fats, recipes, flexible dieting, Tracking Macros Comments
Calories in vs Calories Out, It’s That Simple (or is it?)
Calories in vs Calories Out, It’s That Simple (or is it?)

If you have ever struggled to lose or gain weight, I guarantee you have at some point heard the advice: 

“You just need to eat more/less than you burn”

The person that typically says this kind of thing most likely also holds the belief that being overweight or having obesity is a result of pure laziness or a lack of morals. At the surface level, this advice is correct. However, it is correct in the same way that going to a football game and telling the head coach of your team “Hey pal, you just gotta score more points than the other team and you’ll win” is correct. Correct, but very unhelpful and lacks any understanding on what contributes to the scoring of points. 

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NutritionAshley Beaverweight loss, fat loss, muscle gain, gaining muscle, flexible dieting, calories, diet, dieting, exerciseComment
Your Simplified Grocery Guide
Your Simplified Grocery Guide

In this grocery guide, we have broken down everything you need to create a balanced and healthy meal plan. We suggest how many items to pick from each category, including your major macronutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, as well as micronutrient-rich fruits and veggies, quick snacks, and seasonings to add flavor to your meals.

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NutritionAshley Beavergrocery, shopping, guide, grocery store, help, flexible dieting, Black Iron Nutrition, grocery shopping, smart decisions, RyannComment
23.2 Nutrition Strategies from our Performance Team
23.2 Nutrition Strategies from our Performance Team

The secret to success here is carbs- you’re going to need all of your glycogen stores for this one, and we’re even going to try and sneak in some refueling mid-workout. For all athletes: we are again suggesting a refeed the day before you compete, but this weeks will be a bit more substantial. In addition to your daily allotment of carbs - we suggest anywhere from a 30-50% surplus of carbs to keep your muscle glycogen stores packed for the WOD.

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Nutrition, FitnessAshley Beavercrossfit, performance, nutrition, nutrient timing, carbs, workoutComment
2023 Crossfit Game Open Nutrition Strategy
2023 Crossfit Game Open Nutrition Strategy

It’s the ~Most Wonderful Time of the Year~!!! The OPEN! The Open is a celebration. It’s a time for every crossfitter to test themselves, to immerse more deeply in their community, to compete, have fun and learn some stuff. Whether you’re trying to get to the next stage, or trying to get your first muscle up or string those dubs together, we are here to help you make sure you don’t have to stress about the food side of things.

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Fitness, NutritionAshley Beaversports performance, performance goals, nutrition, dieting, nutrient timing, crossfit, crossfit gamesComment
Sleep: The missing piece in your health & fitness puzzle
Sleep: The missing piece in your health & fitness puzzle

In the world of health and fitness, there's a lot of emphasis on exercise, nutrition, and supplements. But there's one crucial factor that often gets overlooked: sleep. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that more exercise, more supplements, or a new diet plan will be the solution to your health and fitness goals. But the truth is, without enough sleep, all those efforts may be in vain.

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Nutrition, FitnessAshley BeaverMargaux, Sleep, nutrition, performance, flexible dieting, macros, hydration, habits, diet, dieting, weight loss, fat loss, muscle gainComment
Are you eating enough?
Are you eating enough?

Many people are quick to blame nagging health issues on their food habits and often rightfully so. But they’re more likely to pin it on over-eating when often the root of the issue is actually the opposite. Under-eating is VERY common. We’ve conditioned ourselves to believe that eating less  = better life. The truth is that’s not always true. I know, I KNOW, this is the opposite of what you’ve believed your whole life! Eating too little is just as unhealthy as eating too much.

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NutritionAshley Beaverundereating, diet, dieting, macros, flexible dieting, weight loss, fat loss, calorie counting, healthy habits, JoyceComment
How long does it take to lose your gains?
How long does it take to lose your gains?

Taking time off from your regular workout routine for any reason can be a challenge, and it's common to worry about losing the progress you've made in your fitness journey. Whether you're recovering from an injury, dealing with a personal issue that leaves you with less time and energy, or facing any other circumstance that makes it difficult to maintain your regular workout schedule, it's normal to be worried about months or even years of training going down the drain. But how long does it take to really for deconditioning to really set in?

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FitnessAshley BeaverChris, exercise, training, injury, progress, gainsComment