Nutrition can make or break your 26.3 performance. We're breaking down exactly what to eat based on when you're hitting the workout, plus tips from Coach Kelly on mindset, strategy, and why sleep matters more than you think.

Coach Sam's Balanced Smoothie Bowl is a go-to lighter lunch option that still delivers on all three macronutrients plus 8g of fiber to keep you satisfied. Toppings are fully customizable so it’s easy to adjust to fit your specific needs. Need lower fat? Take the peanut butter out or swap for a PB2 or honey drizzle. Need lower carb? Aim to get the majority of your carbs here from the base, and swap the granola/bananas out for some crushed pistachios or almonds. Make it yours and get creative.

Habits are not built through more pressure, more guilt, or a bigger all-or-nothing plan. They stick when they actually fit into your life. In this post we dig into why so many habits fall apart after a week or two, and what it really takes to make change sustainable. We cover the difference between intensity and consistency, how identity and self-talk shape behavior, why environment matters more than people think, and how to stop treating every missed day like a full derailment. There's also a lot here on starting smaller, tracking progress in a simple way, and building habits that feel doable enough to repeat. This one is a good reminder that long-term progress usually comes from boring little reps done over and over again, not one big burst of motivation.

Nutrition coaching can be incredibly helpful, but it has limits. This post breaks down scope of practice: what nutrition coaches can do, what we can't do, and why those boundaries exist in the first place. We walk through how Black Iron coaches support clients through nutrition education, behavior change, and lifestyle habits, while also recognizing when something falls outside the role of a coach. Topics include the differences between dietitians, nutritionists, and coaches, how state regulations shape what different credentials allow, and why working within those boundaries protects both clients and professionals. We also cover the warning signs coaches watch for: medical concerns, signs of disordered eating, psychological red flags, or expectations built around extreme diets and quick fixes. Sometimes these situations simply require collaboration with other professionals. Other times they mean referring someone to a medical provider or therapist who can better support what they're dealing with. Scope of practice is about making sure people get the right support from the right professionals so their health, safety, and long-term progress come first.

The Open is here, and fueling strategy can make or break your performance. This guide breaks down exactly how to eat for 26.2 based on your projected finish time, when you're training, and whether you're scaling or going for the full workout. From pre-workout carb timing to post-workout recovery meals, the Black Iron Performance Team covers what you need to know to show up prepared and perform your best.

Cooking more at home is one of the most common goals in nutrition coaching, and one of the most resisted. The problem usually isn't knowing what to eat. It's the execution: planning, shopping, prepping, and actually doing it during a busy week. We break down how to make home cooking realistic and sustainable, including how to simplify your process, build repeatable meal structures, and stop treating every meal like a culinary event. You don't have to love cooking. You just need a system that works.

Beef and broccoli is one of those meals that’s simple, reliable, and easy to make in bigger batches for the week. This version from coach Ryann uses a quick marinade and a simple pan sauce to recreate the takeout classic with ingredients you likely already have on hand. It’s a great option when you want something flavorful and satisfying without overcomplicating dinner.

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) is what happens when an athlete's energy intake doesn't match the demands of their training and life. It's not just about missing periods or being "too lean." Chronic low energy availability can suppress hormones, reduce bone mineral density, alter thyroid function, impair recovery, and decrease performance. What was once labeled the Female Athlete Triad was expanded in 2014 to reflect what research made clear: this affects all genders and multiple physiological systems.

In this post we unpack how RED-S develops over time, why it's easy to normalize in competitive environments, and the patterns coaches and athletes should be paying attention to. They discuss weight-class and aesthetic sports, repeated fat loss phases, carbohydrate availability, stress load, and how to align nutrition with training cycles without compromising long-term health. If you care about performance that lasts, this conversation is foundational.

You don't have to love your body every second of every day to have a healthy relationship with it. This post unpacks what body image actually is, why it can shift by the hour, and why forced positivity often makes things worse. We revisit the body positivity wave of 2020, make the case for body neutrality as a more sustainable place to land, and walk through the ways social media, diet culture, unsolicited comments, and comparison quietly keep negative body image cycles running. We also get into body checking, the "I'll be happy when..." trap, how stress, sleep, and hormones can magnify bad body image days, and why chasing an old version of yourself rarely delivers what you think it will. Bad body image days are rarely about your body in the first place.

It’s Open season!! The most WONDERFUL time of the year. Three weeks. Three workouts. No idea what’s coming! Isn’t that so fun? 

That unpredictability is part of the fun, but it’s also where people start overthinking their nutrition. Let’s not do that this year! We are here to help! 

This is an incredibly easy yet delicious pot roast. Short on time? This meal cooks itself. Family friendly as it has an easy flavor everyone can agree on. Pairs perfectly with roasted sweet or red potatoes. Also delicious over rice.

For some people, six hours of sleep is a huge win despite the 7-9 hour guideline. In this post we dig into why sleep duration guidelines exist, what chronic low sleep is linked to (from mood and performance to long-term cognitive health), and why "I've always slept bad" isn't the same as "this isn't affecting me." Then we get practical: how to work with six hours instead of obsessing over eight, why quality often matters more than quantity, and how nutrition, training, and stress quietly impact sleep. We also cover when it's time to go beyond habit tweaks and involve a sleep study or medical support. No shame, no sleep virtue signaling. Just a nuanced conversation about protecting your health when perfect sleep isn't on the table.

This is a delicious way to spice up your weekly lunches! A simple batch prep to have you set up for success while also looking forward to your meals. This recipe leaves your chicken anything but dry and boring. Pairs great with rice, or throw together a wrap, heck even great to eat plain if needing a protein forward snack.

If you feel like you "have it together" Monday through Thursday but chaos starts on Friday night, this post is for you. Weekend overeating isn't a willpower problem. It's a pattern driven by psychology, physiology, stress, sleep, and the way most of us are wired to treat the weekend as a reward for surviving the week. We break down why saving all the fun for the weekend backfires, how calorie cycling can reinforce all-or-nothing habits, and what you can actually do to carry some structure into your weekend without turning your life into a rigid food rulebook. The goal isn't perfect weekends. It's fewer extreme swings, less guilt, and waking up Monday feeling steady instead of behind.

Exercise doesn't have to mean a 60-minute workout, a perfect program, or an all-or-nothing mindset. Exercise snacks are small bouts of movement sprinkled throughout your day, and emerging research shows they can improve glucose control, cardiovascular fitness, and overall metabolic health, even when total time is low. You'll find real-life examples of how to stack movement into busy schedules, from desk jobs to parenting to travel days, plus why frequency often matters more than duration when it comes to baseline health. We also unpack the psychological upside: better focus, steadier energy, reduced cognitive fatigue, and a lower barrier to getting started. If you've been waiting for the "perfect" time to commit to a program, this is your reminder that movement doesn't have to be complicated to be effective. Fitness can fit into your life, not compete with it.

This savory breakfast couscous bowl is perfect for busy mornings, camping trips, or fueling up before a long hike. Coach Whitney makes it while car camping in the backcountry because it’s simple, nourishing, and built to fuel long days outside. With a good balance of carbs, protein, fiber, and healthy fats, it keeps you full and energized for hours. Minimal prep, simple ingredients, and easy to scale whether you’re cooking in your kitchen or over a camp stove.

Wearable data is everywhere, but what do those numbers actually mean? This post breaks down heart rate variability, sleep metrics, and recovery scores: what they're measuring (and what they're not), why trends matter more than single-day numbers, and how lifestyle factors like stress, sleep, and alcohol can shift your data. Learn how to use wearable data to train smarter and recover better without letting it run your life or create more anxiety than insight.

Social connection doesn't get tracked like steps or macros, but it's just as important for your health. Loneliness affects your nervous system, stress hormones, inflammation, and long-term health outcomes. Being constantly online doesn't mean you're actually connected. Learn why your brain interprets isolation as a threat, how safe relationships support recovery and stress regulation, and what connection looks like when "being social" feels draining. For anyone doing everything right with training and nutrition but still feeling flat or chronically stressed.

The thing about eggplant is you either love it or you hate it. The second thing is that it’s incredibly easy to mess up. When it’s done right though? Crispy, tender, and absolutely worth the effort. This sandwich hits all the comfort-food notes. Crispy air-fried eggplant, saucy chicken, and melty mozzarella. What’s not to love? Unless you’re an eggplant hater (hi, Krissy).

Thinking about competing in Hyrox or CrossFit for the first time? Both sports have become increasingly popular because you don't need to be elite to compete, and the communities are incredibly welcoming. We're breaking down the key differences between these sports, the mindset shifts you need when going from working out to training to compete, and the most common first-timer mistake. We're also covering nutrition strategy, including how fueling differs between the two sports, why your best competition physique is the one you perform best in, and the importance of practicing game day nutrition. The goal of your first competition is simple: learn, finish proud, and walk away feeling more confident than when you started.