One thing I wish more people would understand is that off program meals are actually a part of what being on program long term actually means! It's so much less about 'on and off' 'good or bad' and so much more about 'how do i fit things like social occasions into my overall health and fitness approach?'. Hopefully this video makes it a bit more clear that it's so much less about the meal itself, and so much more about not letting one big meal dictate a whole week going sideways. The response is far more important than the event.

Forget perfect. When starting to prep your own meals, one of the biggest pitfalls can usually be aiming for too much creativity and flair, when all you really need is basic sustenance to get you through the day. What do you find the hardest part about meal prep? Is it the knowing what to do, or simply finding hte time to just do it?

For those who are interested - my fave article this week (co-authored by a CrossFit Blackburn Alumni!): Iron deficiency, supplementation, and sports performance in female athletes: A systematic review For those who don't want to decipher an academic paper and just want the key takeaways: - Iron deficiency reduces aerobic capacity by 3%-4% BUT you can IMPROVE performance by 2%-20% with supplementation!! - Iron deficiency has similar impacts on explosive strength, but supplementation has wider ranging effects (i.e there more variability between individuals - more research needed). Kat’s Notes: - BEING IN RANGE ON BLOODWORK (i.e Ferritin levels of 30-50) is INSUFFCIENT to achieve top athletic results. ALL women who are undertaking any sort of athletic pursuits should aim for a MINIMUM ferritin level of 50. Your doctor might tell you your iron levels are 'normal' but you're still leaving gains on the table - I recommend testing iron / ferritin levels 2x / year in athletic females Nutritional Interventions to boost iron levels include: - Increase quality red meat intake (duh) – grass finished meat has better bioavailability - Eat your non-heme iron sources (leafy greens, beans, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds) with a vitamin C rich food (oranges, strawberries) - Cook in cast iron - Consider including a bit of organ meat on occasion or freeze dried forms When's the last time you had your iron levels checked?!