In this blog post, we’re breaking down the latest episode of Black Iron Radio, where coaches Ryann, Christin, and Maggie tackle one of the most common (and misunderstood) parts of the nutrition journey: cravings. From stress snacking and PMS cravings to navigating office treats and nighttime munchies, this conversation explores why cravings happen and how to manage them without guilt or deprivation. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the all-or-nothing cycle or wondered how to handle cravings without blowing your progress, this episode is packed with practical tips, mindset shifts, and a whole lot of real talk.

Your menstrual cycle can influence everything from your energy levels to your food cravings—and it’s completely normal. In this blog post, Coach Jess Saxon breaks down how each week of your cycle may impact your mood, sleep, and appetite, and why understanding these shifts can help you feel more in control. If you’ve ever felt off and wondered why, this guide will help you recognize patterns and make a plan that supports you all month long.

In this blog post, we’re diving into highlights from our latest episode of Black Iron Radio, where coaches Lauren, Chelsea, and Brooke explore why baking is about so much more than just making treats. From family traditions and freezer-friendly hacks to ditching food guilt and finding joy in the process, this episode is a reminder that baking can be nourishing in more ways than one. Whether you’re baking sourdough from scratch or just enjoying the meditative rhythm of scooping cookie dough, this conversation is a celebration of creativity, connection, and slowing down.

In this blog post, we’re breaking down key insights from our latest Black Iron Radio episode, where coaches Morgan, Joyce, and Acacia dive into the concepts of body positivity and body neutrality—what they mean, how they differ, and why each approach can serve a different purpose in someone’s body image journey. They explore everything from how these movements have evolved, to the pressures of toxic positivity, to finding peace with your body through neutrality. Whether you’re working through body image struggles yourself or supporting someone else, this conversation offers thoughtful perspectives and practical mindset shifts that can help create more freedom and flexibility around food, fitness, and self-image.

In this blog post, we’re breaking down the biggest takeaways from our latest Black Iron Radio episode all about alcohol—specifically, how to drink less (or not at all) and still feel like yourself. Whether you’re sober-curious, trying to cut back, or just wondering if alcohol is getting in the way of your goals, this conversation is packed with practical advice and honest reflections. Coaches Ryann, Amanda, and Chloe share their personal experiences with drinking less, the science behind alcohol’s effects on your body and mind, and how to navigate social situations without the booze.

In this blog post, we’re diving into key takeaways from our latest podcast episode on food guilt. We break down the conversation with actionable strategies to help you shift your mindset, break free from guilt, and develop a healthier relationship with food. If this resonates with you, be sure to check out the full episode for an even more in-depth discussion!

In this blog post, we’re expanding on key takeaways from our latest podcast episode on stress management. We break down the conversation with actionable insights on handling stress through nutrition, recovery, and mindset shifts. If this resonates with you, be sure to check out the full episode for even more in-depth discussion!

Tracking macros is a powerful tool for understanding nutrition and achieving specific performance and body composition goals. However, it isn’t something that needs to be done forever. In this post, we’ll explore the benefits of macro tracking, the skills it teaches, and how to smoothly transition to a macro-free approach when you’re ready.

Struggling with emotional eating? You’re not alone. Learn how emotional eating works, why we turn to food for comfort, and practical steps you can take to break the cycle and build healthier coping habits. Discover how to create a balanced relationship with food while still enjoying what you love.

Social media can be a double-edged sword—while it connects us, it also distorts our perception of body image. Discover how to navigate this digital landscape and protect your mental health by embracing a more positive relationship with your body.

Using the term ‘cheat meal’ can create an unhealthy relationship with food, leading to guilt and an all-or-nothing mindset. Learn how adopting a more flexible approach to eating can help you enjoy your favorite foods without the need for ‘cheating.’

Looking back on my journey, I can pinpoint several transformative shifts that allowed me to reclaim control over my relationship with food. Each change didn't happen overnight, but was a gradual process of learning, unlearning, and healing. Having a coach by my side was invaluable, providing the guidance, support, and perspective I needed to navigate these complexities.

I was really struggling with something recently, and after doing my check-ins with my clients that day, I realized that so many of you guys struggle with the same thing.

I think it's easy to forget that coaching should be a 2-way street. Yes, there is a level of trust and respect that should go into the relationship you have with your coach, but to get everything you can from your experience and investment, there should always be an active conversation going. So what does this mean for clients?

When we start making nutrition changes, I think we all start looking for “progress”, and that’s fair! Progress photos and measurements are so useful, but we CANNOT overlook our mental progress. We can't only feel good about ourselves when we’re eating all the “right” foods, or when we’ve seen progress in the form of a smaller waist. If we’re solely focused on eating “healthy” and “good” foods all of the time, and then hate ourselves the second we eat something “unhealthy,” I’d argue that’s not very healthy at all.

I read this quote the other day, “If you’re gonna quit, then quit on a good day” and that hit.

Can you imagine how many people wouldn’t give up on themselves if they utilized this statement more often

If things are going good, you're “winning”, it’s easy, results are showing, we aren’t often giving up, or running to something different.

When we’re stuck, frustrated, have a bad day, lose, our thoughts can often lead us to wanting to quit, give up, change, think something is wrong. Cuz to be honest it’s hard.

It is really common to see clients mention in the first few weeks or months of working with a nutrition coach that they’re disappointed when they see the scale go up.

From experience, many clients come to a nutrition coach chronically dieting, eating in a caloric deficit, or undereating for longer than 3-6 months. It is imperative that they reverse diet back up to at LEAST their maintenance calories and spend at least 3-6 months eating enough food to boost their metabolic rate. This will allow them to lose more weight effectively in the future. Your metabolism slows down when you eat lower calories, so as calories increase, your metabolism should increase as well.

I had a friend ask me this question the other day and it led me to understand that most of us really want weight loss to happen as fast as possible. But in order to lose weight quickly, it’s often not going to happen in what I would consider a “healthy” way.

There are so many “diets” out there that have you restrict so many calories that you no longer have the energy to exercise; high fat, no carb, meal replacements, you name it, it’s out there. And about 95% of the time my clients tell me they have tried some, if not all of these kinds of diets. They come to me worn out from it all.

My face when a client says they are upset they “only” lost half a pound this week 😡

The toughest part about being a nutrition coach is getting clients to buy in on a few ideas.

Look, I know I JUST said I want you to be bored. But I also want you to have fun!

For some people, it’s hard to find joy in the grind of the process even if they know deep down it’s worth it. If you can trick yourself into enjoying the tedious need-to-dos, the odds of sticking with lifestyle changes, reaching your goals, & maintaining progress long term are much greater.

How can you reframe or remix the boring stuff to feel fresh & fun?