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Nutrition Ashley Beaver Nutrition Ashley Beaver

So You Want to Start Tracking Macros

In this blog post, we’re breaking down the latest episode of Black Iron Radio, where coaches Maggie, Morgan, and Ryann walk through one of the most foundational tools in the nutrition world: tracking macros. Whether you’re brand new to it or just trying to clean up your approach, this conversation covers what macros actually are, why tracking them matters, and how to use them without letting perfectionism or pressure take over. If you’ve been curious about macros—or overwhelmed by them—this episode offers a straightforward, flexible, and mindset-first approach.

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Nutrition Ashley Beaver Nutrition Ashley Beaver

So You Want to Consistently Hit Your Protein Goal

In this blog post, we’re unpacking key takeaways from our latest episode of Black Iron Radio, where coaches Maggie, Brooke, and Christin dig into the real-life strategies that help people consistently hit their protein goals. They cover everything from front-loading your day with a solid breakfast to building a go-to snack routine, plus practical tips for travel, busy weeks, and staying out of the last-minute scramble. Whether you’re working toward performance goals or just trying to build more structure into your day, this episode will help you level up your approach—without relying on bland chicken breast and protein shakes.

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Nutrition Ashley Beaver Nutrition Ashley Beaver

The Power of Committing to Weighing Your Food

Have you ever considered the benefits of committing to weighing your food? Whether you're looking to shed a few pounds, gain muscle, or simply develop healthier eating habits, precision in your nutrition can be a game-changer. While it may seem like a daunting task, weighing your food can yield remarkable advantages, especially when combined with regular exercise.

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Recipes Ashley Beaver Recipes Ashley Beaver

Easy High Protein Chicken & Pasta Cucumber Ranch Salad

My philosophy is there are no rules with salad!! If you enjoy it together, put it in there! Salads don’t need to be iceberg lettuce, cabbage and unripe tomatoes if you don’t want them to be. You are the master of your salad so go forth Padawan and make salads the way YOU want to make them.

This salad is PACKED with some of my favorite items and full of flavor but not just that it has over 50g of protein and a huge punch of potassium!

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Nutrition, Recipes Ashley Beaver Nutrition, Recipes Ashley Beaver

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, Fitness Ashley Beaver Nutrition, Fitness Ashley Beaver

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 Ashley Beaver Nutrition Ashley Beaver

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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Recipes Ashley Beaver Recipes Ashley Beaver

High Protein Chicken Pad Thai

Who doesn’t love Chicken Pad Thai? I know I do. With a boost in the amount of chicken you use and a store bought sauce, this one is simple and can help with getting your protein in for the day.

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Recipes Ashley Beaver Recipes Ashley Beaver

Greek Chicken Bowl

Need something quick for your meal prep this week? Coach Maggie’s got you! You can pile in all the veggies or keep it simple. Lots of ways to adjust this recipe for your needs!

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Nutrition, Fitness Ashley Beaver Nutrition, Fitness Ashley Beaver

The best time of day to eat for maximizing performance & fat loss

Nutrient timing is generally discussed in relation to two things: the circadian rhythm, which are your natural internal processes that ebb and flow, and repeat every 24 hours or so; and timing around training sessions. In this article, I will discuss how each of those can affect weight/fat loss, and then separately discuss performance implications.

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Recipes Ashley Beaver Recipes Ashley Beaver

Air Fried Tuna Steaks

Frozen tuna steaks in the air fryer that turn out perfect?! YES, PLEASE!

I’ve been craving some fish and I found some quality frozen wild-caught tuna at the store which sounded perfect with some green beans and rice for lunch.

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Nutrition Ashley Beaver Nutrition Ashley Beaver

Want to lose fat and keep it off?

We know the statistics. The majority of our clients come to us with fat loss as their main goal. Before joining Black Iron Nutrition, many have tried every diet under the sun. Keto. Paleo. Intermittent Fasting. Carnivore. Vegan. Vegetarian. They’ve tried other nutrition companies – and have found themselves on dangerously low calories. And while we won’t deny that they saw results initially – they weren’t able to sustain their results in the long-term. Many end up right back where they started.

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Recipes Ashley Beaver Recipes Ashley Beaver

Vegan Ragu Bolognese

As the nights get longer and colder, we often turn to hearty dishes to warm our bodies and souls. This vegan twist on a classic ragu bolognese is the perfect recipe for cold winter weekends.

Packed to the brim with vitamins and fiber, it's so deep and rich and savory, you’ll be surprised there’s no meat, and even more surprised at how macro friendly it is.

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Nutrition Ashley Beaver Nutrition Ashley Beaver

New to tracking macros?

Overwhelmed by all of the nutrition information out there?

Do you find yourself constantly giving up because you find dieting to be too stressful and complicated?

We understand! There is a seemingly endless amount of advice out there when it comes to nutrition – as well as a lot of conflicting information.

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Mindset, Nutrition Ashley Beaver Mindset, Nutrition Ashley Beaver

How to achieve your ideal body

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.

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Nutrition Ashley Beaver Nutrition Ashley Beaver

Simple meal prep tips to make tracking easy

The thing about nutrition is that every meal doesn’t have to be complicated or a masterpiece. Keeping things simple makes each day almost effortless when it comes to cooking.

I tell all of my clients when they’re starting out to keep it simple.

Here’s what I recommend for building your meals:

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