2020 New Year Giveaway Winners Announced!
We kicked off the year with an accountability challenge to help our clients stay motivated and excited to make their nutrition a priority in 2020. There were SO many client submissions and we’re so proud of everyone who participated and made positive mental and physical progress during the first 3 months of the New Year. The competition was stiff! Congratulations to our 2020 New Year Giveaway Winners!
First Place: C.F.
January 1, 2020 - March 25, 2020
What have you learned from this experience?
I joined BIN at the end of December 2019, with big goals and big plans for 2020. From 2017-2018, I had lost about 30 pounds, found CrossFit, and was overall a healthy individual, but in 2020 I wanted to step it up a notch by starting a new training program, and really start to focus on eating to perform. My diet was pretty good for a second-year law school student, but I lacked the knowledge to really dial in on specific aspects of my nutrition. I started working with Nicole in January, and almost immediately, it was clear that her years of experience and expertise were going to make a huge difference!
I’ve learned so much from BIN and Nicole in the last few months. Importantly, I’ve learned that big goals are more than achievable through small changes and consistency. For example, we dialed in on proper levels of protein and focused on macro consistency. Though my total calories didn’t change much from before I joined BIN, I soon realized that my body thrived on consistent macro targets and responded to these changes! I leaned out so quickly – but more importantly, crushed huge performance goals week after week at the gym. Things I considered weaknesses – like gymnastics – are slowly becoming strengths. BIN has taught me to appreciate the process in a holistic and intentional way!
I’ve also learned that in order to perform and be our best selves, we need to listen to our bodies – and this means not being afraid of carbs! I’m getting better at being able to discern when my exercise affects my hunger and deciding when to add in a high carb day. I’ve learned to trust myself, my feelings, and my hunger, and not be afraid to eat more if needed.
Finally, Nicole has taught me the importance of teamwork and accountability. She’s always there to answer questions and show support, but at the same time, is not afraid to hold me accountable when needed. There was one week where I had high sodium intake and blamed it on one specific food item I was eating – but Nicole was quick to point out that there were many different foods leading to high sodium that week. Her words were kind, but at the same time forced me to take a more honest look at myself and my habits. I believe Nicole sets a great example and has allowed me to be more honest and reflective while also being gentle and kinder to myself.
Second Place: Patricia Zulewski
January 7, 2020 - March 31, 2020
What have you learned from this experience?
I’ve been with Black Iron Nutrition for almost a year. During that time, I have gone through a cut, a six-month maintenance phase, and have started another cut. But if I’m being totally honest, the last 12 weeks are where I’ve seen the most improvement, because I finally got tired of my own bullshit.
At the beginning of the year I was frustrated. I was “doing” everything right, so why did I feel like I wasn’t getting anywhere? I bitched and got down on myself for not making the “progress” I thought I should be making. Rereading my check ins from the beginning of the year I could hear the dejected tone. I’m not sure where the line was – I don’t remember what sparked it. But one day I said to myself, “Enough is enough. This is bull and you know it. You have got to start doing what you know makes you feel good, and eating whatever just to prove that I can doesn’t help anything.”
So I took it back to square one: Preplanning my fruits and veggies, start to eliminate the foods that don’t make me feel the greatest (hello, dairy). Planning myself a nightly treat. Batch meal prepping on Sundays. I stopped dismissing my coach’s suggestions (sorry Ryann!!) and started trying to implement them just to see IF they would work (because if they did, yea team, and if they didn’t then we could figure out something together). These changes happened over a few weeks, and I will admit I am still learning. But every week my goal is to figure out what lessons I’ve learned during the week to help me find balance in all aspects of my health: nutrition, working out, stress, sleep, work, family, and everything in between. I feel like a different person from the beginning of the year: open, resilient, hardworking, and happy. And that’s a whole lot to be grateful for.
Third Place: Carina Thomas
January 2, 2020 - March 26
What have you learned from this experience?
I have been working with BIN Coach Megan since October of 2018 and it has changed my life tremendously. When I came to Megan, I was underweight, ridiculously overtraining, has tried every diet and eating protocol under the sun in order to try to "heal my digestion" (that wasn't even damaged by anything other than stress and overworking my body,) and just simply exhausted of trying so insanely hard and continuing to see my health and progress in the gym fail. Every since I started working with Megan, I have finally been able to improve so many aspects of my life and succeed in ways I never thought were possible. Now, about a year and a half later, my weight is finally steadily increasing, my strength has increased dramatically, my digestion is not a struggle in the slightest, I spend about half the amount of time in the gym as I used to, my energy is better than it has ever been, I'm not in constant pain, and I finally got a period. The most amazing thing about Megan is that she doesn't only help me with nutrition...she helps me work through the really tough emotions and anxiety that this whole process has brought up. I had to change my identity from the "super ripped and lean gym girl" to the identity I truly desire...including an outdoor adventure junkie, wilderness therapist, friend, girlfriend, and so much more. It has been an anxiety-provoking process to "lose" this body in order to fight for my health and happiness but Megan has been there for me every step of the way and made me feel SO MUCH less alone. I am still far from perfect...and maybe my progress pictures attached below don't show any tremendous PHYSICAL changes. But I can guarantee that the changes that have occurred mentally and health-wise have been incredible. I cannot say enough about how amazing my experience with Megan and BIN has been thus far, and I can't wait to see how I continue to progress as we continue to work together.