Focusing on making healthful nutrition changes does not have to equal making food taste boring: let’s put the idea of needing to eat boiled chicken breast and mushy vegetables in order to successfully pursue health goals to bed once and for all! On the contrary, by ensuring that we’re actually enjoying the health-promoting foods that we’re aiming to make staples in our diets, we’re far more likely to make change sustainable and, in turn, results retainable. Whether you’re looking to liven up your protein prep, make veggies more attractive to reach for or play around with new flavor profiles, here is a list of some of our favorite ways to insert flavor from Trader Joe’s.

‘Tis the season for feeling both under the weather after a month or so of extra socializing and yearning for comforting foods, yet likely feeling a push from the temporal landmark that is the New Year as well. But who says comforting foods can’t also be goal-aligned? This chicken noodle soup recipe checks all the boxes when it comes to flavor, warmth, and nourishment and is sure to become a winter go-to to help boost your protein intake!

The rules of energy balance may seem simple on paper (with all “name brand” diets driven by hard and fast regulations operating under the same umbrella): calories in vs. calories out. Follow the guidelines, achieve results. However, without a foundational belief that we are capable of overcoming and learning from the challenges that are bound to arise in the process and are deserving of the outcomes we seek, we are bound to struggle with any real, sustainable change. A growth mindset is the key to unlocking our potential to reach any and all of our goals.

A maintenance phase is arguably the most important season of our nutrition since it’s where we can best focus on the habits that help us find harmony with our physical, mental, emotional, and social health. Without the prioritization of changing our bodies, the other aspects of our lives that we value can better be at the forefront. However, that doesn’t mean that body composition can’t remain in the periphery. The foundational habits that we develop before or alongside a focused fat loss phase, with the goal of long-term physical change, continuously support small aesthetic changes over time.

We work within a framework of tracking macros to facilitate sustainable progress and, eventually, move away from tracking completely. However, while tracking, there are some ways we can make it easier on ourselves! In this blog post, we’re sharing our favorite tracking tips as “macro coaches,” experienced trackers, and coaches who help our clients make tracking work for them.

Fulfilling a craving for a burger and fries while staying goal-aligned on any old day can be a tall order, and while we fully believe in the occasional untracked meal out, why not have the best of both worlds at home? Our tips to make your lean beef burgers juicy and sweet potato fries crispy are sure to impress you and your family!

Whether you’re a frequent flyer or only an occasional jet setter, staying goal-aligned with your nutrition during air travel can feel overwhelming with so many other aspects of your trip demanding your attention. Staying on top of your energy needs is a must though, so we’ve compiled a list of snacks you can grab at most major airports and ones you can source before your travel day and bring through TSA to help keep you fueled until you touch down at your final destination.

Whether you take it as gospel truth or just a catchy marketing slogan, chances are you’ve heard the phrase “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”  And it does seem like most people have some kind of strong opinion on breakfast — whether it’s related to its importance, overratedness, or which foods are acceptable breakfast foods.  When it comes to your nutrition goals, breakfast isn’t necessarily any more or less important than any other meal, but it can be used as an opportunity to get a headstart on your nutrition goals for the day.  

If you’ve spent any amount of time on social media, you’ve probably come across a plethora of content touting metabolism-boosting “hacks”: drinking cold water, green tea, and coffee; eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day; making your food as spicy as possible; cold plunging in ice water; wearing a weighted vest.  What’s worth implementing? What’s simply noise? Read this week’s blog to find out.

When you want something noodle-y and Asian inspired to be a vehicle for your veggies, a cold ramen noodle salad checks all the boxes. This recipe can also serve as a base for numerous additional protein, veggie, and seasoning options. The sky’s the limit!

As nutrition coaches, we have the privilege of building close relationships with our clients as we help guide them toward their goals - be those related to aesthetics or fat loss goals, performance goals, or goals of optimal health. Along the way, as we work on building a better relationship with food and our habits, we get to share parts of our stories that are relevant to our coaching styles. We’re taking time this year to share more about us, our nutrition journeys and transformations, our road to becoming nutrition coaches and educators, and the amazing clients we have the privilege of working with.