High turnover is one of the biggest challenges facing the home health industry. Between staff shortages and fierce competition from hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare employers, home health providers struggle with both recruiting new employees and retaining existing ones.
Are you waking up for a run but still feeling heavy or sore from the last one? You might be skipping the key steps that allow your legs to properly recover in time for each new training session. You’re not alone; these are common mistakes that even the most elite runners take extra care to avoid to ensure they feel peppy in time for their next run.
If you’re trying to build mileage, only increase your run volume by about 10 per cent each week. When it comes to intensity, make sure your workouts feel relatively comfortable before ramping them up. Avoid increasing intensity and mileage simultaneously, as this can lead to injury.
While the recommended water intake is 3.7 L per day for men and 2.7 L for women, which includes both beverages and food, you might need more if you exercise, sweat a lot or live in a hot climate. Try carrying a water bottle with you throughout the day or consuming more foods with high water content, such as watermelon, cucumbers, berries, celery or spinach.
A foam rolling and stretching routine is important for increasing flexibility, releasing muscle tension and reducing soreness after a workout. But keep in mind, it’s easy to overdo it. Only roll and stretch after your body is warmed up to avoid injuring or straining the tissues, and keep it brief; only roll or stretch each major muscle group for 60 seconds.
Balancing work or school with training is difficult, but you won’t reach your full athletic potential if you aren’t getting adequate sleep, since that’s when training adaptations take hold (not while you’re working out). For optimal recovery and performance, aim for at least eight hours of sleep per night.
If your running shoes are old, the foam in the soles will no longer absorb impact, leading to increased stress on your feet and joints. This can leave your legs feeling more sore than usual and could lead to injury.
To facilitate recovery, it’s not only important to eat within 30 minutes of completing a run or workout, it’s also crucial to consume the right foods. Focus on high-protein foods with carbohydrates to allow your body to build muscle and replenish its energy stores.
It’s important to balance lifestyle and running, but keep in mind that alcohol, even if consumed after a workout, can impede recovery. Alcohol makes you dehydrated, can affect your deep sleep and can slow your muscles’ ability to adapt and repair themselves after a tough workout.
Your gut does more than just digest food—it plays a critical role in your overall health. It affects everything from immunity and metabolism to mental well-being. When your gut is in balance, you experience smooth digestion, stable energy levels, and a strong immune system. However, an unhealthy gut can trigger a wide range of symptoms that extend beyond digestive issues.
Many people suffer from gastrointestinal problems without realizing they are linked to their gut health. Symptoms like bloating, fatigue, brain fog, and skin issues can be a sign of an imbalanced gut microbiome or poor digestion. Recognizing these symptoms early can help prevent chronic stomach diseases and improve overall well-being.
So, how do you know if your gut is in trouble? This article will explore 10 signs of an unhealthy gut, explain why gut health matters, and provide insights into why maintaining gut balance is essential for long-term health.
Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These microorganisms are collectively known as the gut microbiome. A healthy gut maintains a balance between good and bad bacteria. It ensures smooth digestion, proper nutrient absorption, and immune function.
However, a disruption in this balance can lead to GI problems. It can affect various systems in the body. The reasons for this disruption can be poor diet, stress, antibiotics, or lack of fiber. The imbalance, also known as gut dysbiosis, is linked to digestive issues, inflammation, and weakened immunity.
A healthy gut supports:
When gut flora is disrupted, the body begins to show warning signs, signaling the need for intervention.
Your gastrointestinal system does much more than break down food. It has a direct influence on overall health. The gut produces essential vitamins, hormones, and neurotransmitters, which affect multiple aspects of the body, from the immune system to brain function.
A compromised gut can lead to digestive ailments, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), acid reflux, and food intolerances. However, gut imbalance does not only cause stomach problems symptoms—it can impact energy levels, skin health, and even mood stability.
Understanding the signs of an unhealthy gut allows you to take proactive steps toward better digestion, immunity, and overall well-being.
Your gut is a complex system that influences digestion, immunity, and even brain function. When your gut microbiome is imbalanced, your body starts sending warning signals. While stomach issues symptoms like bloating and indigestion are apparent indicators, an unhealthy gut can also manifest in ways you might not expect.
Below are 10 signs of an unhealthy gut, explained in detail, along with their impact on overall health. If you notice any of these digestive problems symptoms frequently, it may be time to take action.
Bloating and excessive gas are among the most common signs of gastrointestinal problems. While occasional bloating is normal after eating certain foods, persistent bloating can indicate gut dysbiosis. It is an imbalance in the gut microbiome.
The gut contains both beneficial and harmful bacteria. When the balance is disrupted, harmful bacteria ferment undigested food and produce excessive gas. This fermentation process can also lead to poor digestion symptoms, including stomach discomfort and irregular bowel movements. Additionally, conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) are often linked to chronic bloating and gas.
A healthy gut promotes regular bowel movements. It ensures that your body expels waste efficiently. However, digestive issues like chronic constipation or diarrhea suggest that your gut bacteria balance is off.
Constipation occurs when the gut’s movement slows. It often results from a lack of fiber, dehydration, or an unhealthy gut microbiome. On the other hand, diarrhea can result from gut infections, food intolerances, or increased inflammation in the gut lining. Individuals with IBS or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) frequently experience both symptoms, alternating between constipation and diarrhea.
If you find that certain foods consistently cause bloating, stomach pain, or diarrhea, your gut may be struggling to digest them. Food intolerances are not the same as allergies. However, they indicate that your gut lacks the necessary enzymes or microbiota diversity to process certain foods properly.
The gut microbiome plays a vital role in breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. When gut flora is disrupted, digestion becomes inefficient. It leads to signs of stomach problems in adults, such as bloating, nausea, or discomfort after consuming dairy, gluten, or certain carbohydrates. Lactose intolerance and gluten sensitivity are typical examples of food intolerances linked to poor gut health.
Do you feel constantly tired despite getting enough sleep? Your gut health could be the culprit. The gut plays a critical role in energy production by breaking down food and absorbing essential nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and magnesium. If the gut is inflamed or compromised, nutrient absorption becomes inefficient, leading to chronic fatigue.
Moreover, poor gut health is linked to chronic inflammation, which increases oxidative stress in the body. That makes you feel sluggish. Conditions such as leaky gut syndrome can also contribute to gut health and fatigue. It prevents your body from absorbing key nutrients required for energy production.
An unhealthy gut can trigger intense cravings for sugar and processed foods. It happens because bad gut bacteria and yeast (like Candida) thrive on sugar. They influence your brain to seek more of it.
Research shows that gut dysbiosis can interfere with hunger hormones, making sugar cravings stronger. A diet high in sugar, in turn, fuels the growth of harmful bacteria. It creates a cycle of gut imbalance. If you find yourself craving sweets excessively, it could be a sign that your gut microbiome is out of sync.
Approximately 70% of the immune system resides in the gut. That makes it a crucial defense system against infections and illnesses. A gut imbalance can weaken your immune response. Hence, it can make you more susceptible to colds, infections, and allergies.
When the gut is unhealthy, it can no longer properly regulate inflammation or prevent harmful pathogens from entering the bloodstream. It can lead to chronic inflammation, autoimmune conditions, and increased susceptibility to seasonal illnesses.
The gut-skin axis connects your digestive health with skin health. If your gut is inflamed, it can trigger skin issues like acne, eczema, rosacea, or unexplained rashes.
Gut imbalances increase inflammatory markers in the bloodstream, which can lead to breakouts and skin irritation. Studies suggest that individuals with chronic skin conditions often have imbalanced gut flora and an overgrowth of harmful bacteria.
A healthy gut plays a crucial role in metabolism and weight regulation. When bad gut bacteria dominate, they affect how the body stores fat and processes nutrients.
Disruptions in gut hormones (like leptin and ghrelin) can lead to increased appetite, poor blood sugar control, and weight gain. On the other hand, some individuals may experience unexplained weight loss due to malabsorption issues.
If you are deficient in key nutrients like iron, vitamin D, or B12, it may indicate gut absorption issues. The gut is responsible for extracting essential nutrients from food, and when compromised, it leads to deficiencies even if your diet is balanced.
Conditions like IBD, Crohn’s disease, or Celiac disease are commonly linked to malabsorption and nutritional imbalances.
Your gut produces neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which influence mood, sleep, and mental health. When the gut microbiome is imbalanced, anxiety, depression, and insomnia can arise.
Research suggests that individuals with gut dysbiosis are more likely to experience mood disorders, stress sensitivity, and sleep disturbances.
An unhealthy gut does not develop overnight. Several factors contribute to gut imbalances, and most of them stem from lifestyle choices, diet, and environmental factors. Understanding these causes can help you take preventive steps and restore gut health effectively.
A diet high in processed foods, refined sugars, and unhealthy fats disrupts the gut microbiome. Excessive consumption of sugar, artificial sweeteners, and additives feeds harmful bacteria while reducing the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. This imbalance can trigger digestive issues, inflammation, and poor nutrient absorption.
Stress has a direct impact on gut health. When stress levels rise, cortisol levels increase, which can negatively affect digestion, slow metabolism, and weaken the gut lining. Chronic stress can lead to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammation, and increased gut permeability (leaky gut syndrome). Similarly, poor sleep disrupts gut bacteria balance, leading to fatigue, weight gain, and digestive problems symptoms.
Antibiotics, while effective against infections, can wipe out both harmful and beneficial bacteria in the gut. This imbalance can make it difficult for the gut to recover and restore its natural bacterial diversity. Additionally, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), birth control pills, and acid reducers can disrupt gut health by affecting microbiota composition.
Fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. A low-fiber diet deprives good gut bacteria of the nutrients they need to thrive. Prebiotics (found in bananas, onions, and whole grains) serve as food for beneficial bacteria. These foods promote a balanced gut environment. Without fiber, gut bacteria diversity decreases, leading to digestive problems and slow metabolism.
Alcohol, especially in large quantities, disrupts gut flora. It leads to an increase in bad gut bacteria and gut inflammation. Chronic alcohol use is linked to leaky gut syndrome, poor digestion, and increased risk of gastrointestinal problems.
A lack of physical activity negatively affects gut health by reducing the diversity of gut bacteria. Studies suggest that regular exercise improves gut flora composition, enhances digestion, and reduces symptoms of gastrointestinal problems.
Exposure to pesticides, chemicals, and heavy metals can negatively impact the gut microbiome. These toxins can alter gut bacteria composition and weaken gut barrier function. It leads to increased inflammation, stomach diseases, and digestive ailments.
Improving gut health is not just about avoiding harmful habits; it is also about making sustainable changes to promote a balanced gut microbiome. Below are practical and science-backed ways to restore and maintain gut health.
Eating fiber-rich foods supports gut bacteria diversity. Include whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables in your diet to promote healthy digestion and reduce symptoms of digestive issues.
Probiotics introduce beneficial bacteria into the gut, helping restore balance. Foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso contain natural probiotics that support digestion and strengthen the immune system.
Prebiotics feed good gut bacteria, ensuring their survival. Include foods like garlic, onions, asparagus, bananas, and oats to nourish your gut flora.
Drinking enough water aids digestion and supports gut motility. It prevents constipation and other signs of poor digestion.
Cutting down on sugar, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods helps prevent the overgrowth of bad gut bacteria. It reduces inflammation and gut distress.
Practicing meditation, deep breathing, and physical activity can lower stress levels, which helps in reducing symptoms of gastrointestinal problems.
Poor sleep affects the gut microbiome. It leads to stomach issues, symptoms, and metabolic imbalances. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
Regular physical activity promotes gut bacteria diversity. Incorporating moderate exercises like walking, cycling, or yoga can improve gut function.
Only take antibiotics and NSAIDs when necessary, as they disrupt gut microbiota balance. If you must take them, consider adding probiotic supplements to restore gut health.
Your gut health is a direct reflection of your overall lifestyle and dietary choices. Every meal, every night of quality sleep, and every stress-free moment contributes to a stronger and healthier gut. If you experience persistent digestive issues, skin problems, or unexplained fatigue, it is time to pay attention to your gut microbiome. Small but consistent changes like eating gut-friendly foods, exercising regularly, and managing stress can make a huge difference. A balanced gut is a necessity for optimal health.
Your gut is the foundation of your overall well-being, and recognizing the 10 signs of an unhealthy gut is the first step in restoring balance. Digestive issues, fatigue, weakened immunity, and skin problems often point to an imbalanced gut microbiome. However, improving gut health is entirely possible through dietary adjustments, lifestyle changes, and stress management.
For a structured approach to gut health and overall fitness, explore Healthify AI Plans by HealthifyMe. These AI plans, customized under the supervision of health experts, bring together top nutritionists and health coaches—all from the comfort of your home. Pairing a healthy diet with regular movement is the key to a resilient gut and a healthier you.
A: Frequent bloating, irregular bowel movements, food intolerances, and unexplained fatigue may indicate digestive problems. If these symptoms persist, consult a doctor for a proper diagnosis and the possibility of gastrointestinal issues.
A: Yes, chronic stress increases cortisol levels, which disrupts gut bacteria balance and weakens digestion. It can lead to constipation, diarrhea, and gut inflammation.
A: A healthy gut thrives on fiber-rich foods, prebiotics (bananas, oats, garlic), probiotics (yogurt, kimchi), and fermented foods. Reducing processed foods and sugar also helps maintain gut health.
A: The gut and brain are connected through the gut-brain axis. An imbalanced gut can influence mood, stress levels, and mental clarity, increasing the risk of anxiety and depression.
A: Yes, you can improve gut health by eating fiber-rich foods, reducing processed foods, staying hydrated, and managing stress. Probiotics help, but they are not the only solution for ailments of the digestive system.
A: About 70% of the immune system resides in the gut. An unhealthy gut weakens immunity. That makes you prone to infections, inflammation, and autoimmune disorders.
A: If you experience persistent bloating, chronic constipation, unexplained weight loss, skin problems, or fatigue, consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.
1. ‘Gut health’: a new objective in medicine?
2. The Impact of Diet and Lifestyle on Gut Microbiota and Human Health
3. Role of Dietary Nutrients in the Modulation of Gut Microbiota: A Narrative Review
5. Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans.
7. Symptoms & Causes of Diarrhea
8. Mechanisms by which gut microorganisms influence food sensitivities
10. Brain–gut–microbiome interactions in obesity and food addiction
11. Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the Gut Microbiome: A Comprehensive Review
12. A primary care approach to abdominal pain in adults
14. Micronutrient deficiencies in inflammatory bowel disease.
15. Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans.
16. The Impact of Diet and Lifestyle on Gut Microbiota and Human Health
La administración Trump publicó el lunes 10 de marzo su primer conjunto importante de cambios propuestos a la Ley de Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio (ACA). Funcionarios federales dicen que tienen como objetivo acabar con el fraude en el programa. Pero expertos aseguran que dificultará la inscripción, lo que terminará logrando que muchos consumidores no busquen cobertura.
Los detalles se dieron a conocer después que un borrador de la propuesta se hiciera público inadvertidamente.
Alrededor de 24 millones de estadounidenses se inscribieron en planes médicos para 2025 en los mercados de seguros de salud establecidos por ACA, conocida popularmente como Obamacare.
El gobierno de Biden logró niveles récord de inscripción después de aumentar los subsidios para pagar las primas para muchas personas de bajos ingresos, lo que resultó en reducir el costo mensual de algunos planes a literalmente $0.
También facilitó que algunas personas de ingresos muy bajos se inscribieran en cualquier momento del año, en lugar de esperar al período de inscripción cada otoño.
Pero el año pasado, el programa se vio afectado por inscripciones fraudulentas, lo que hizo que los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y& Medicaid (CMS) recibieran cerca de 274.000 quejas de consumidores, hasta agosto, la mayoría centradas en agentes de seguros deshonestos y otros actores de dudosa moralidad.
La administración Trump dijo en el comunicado del lunes que las nuevas regulaciones incluyen “pasos críticos y necesarios para proteger a las personas de ser inscritas en la cobertura del mercado sin su conocimiento o consentimiento, promover mercados de seguros de salud estables y asequibles, y garantizar que el dinero de los contribuyentes financie la asistencia financiera solo para las personas a las que ACA debe apoyar”.
Pero expertos en políticas dijeron que estos cambios impondrán nuevas cargas de papeleo que probablemente obstaculicen la inscripción.
“Bajo esta bandera de intentar acabar con las malas acciones de algunos corredores de seguros, están penalizando a los consumidores, particularmente a los de bajos ingresos, con requisitos más onerosos y más límites a su acceso a la cobertura”, dijo Sabrina Corlette, profesora de investigación y codirectora del Centro de Reformas de Seguros de Salud en la Universidad de Georgetown.
Entre otros nuevos requisitos, los consumidores tendrían que proporcionar al momento de inscribirse más información que demuestre su elegibilidad para períodos de inscripción especiales y para calificar para recibir subsidios.
La regulación también acortaría un mes el período de inscripción anual. Y toca temas sociales, limitando la elegibilidad de los “Dreamers” (el nombre dado a los inmigrantes que fueron traídos sin papeles al país cuando eran niños), en base en propuestas nunca aprobadas en el Congreso llamadas DREAM Act.
La propuesta eliminaría la oportunidad de poder inscribirse en cualquiera momento del año para personas con ingresos muy bajos. Pero también establecería nuevos requisitos para los períodos de inscripción especiales restantes, que permiten a las personas inscribirse después de experimentar eventos de vida importantes, como cuando sus ingresos cambian, pierden su cobertura basada en el trabajo o se divorcian, se casan o se mudan. Ahora tendrían que proporcionar más evidencia de su elegibilidad al presentar la solicitud en esas situaciones especiales.
A las personas que se reinscriban automáticamente en planes de primas cero durante el período de inscripción regular se les cobraría un pequeño pago mensual hasta que confirmen o actualicen su información.
Según la propuesta, los mercados de ACA tendrían que buscar datos adicionales de los consumidores, incluidos los trabajadores autónomos o por encargo, que estiman sus ingresos para el año siguiente pero no tienen datos de declaraciones de impuestos presentados ante el IRS para años anteriores.
El año pasado, la administración Biden implementó cambios para reducir las inscripciones fraudulentas, entre ellos, la exigencia de llamadas tripartitas entre los corredores de seguros, sus clientes y el mercado de seguros federal, cuidadodesalud.gov, cuando se realizaban ciertas inscripciones o cambios en la cobertura.
Algunos de los cambios propuestos por el gobierno de Trump podrían ayudar a advertir a ciertos consumidores de que han sido inscritos sin saberlo en un plan de ACA, como el requisito de que algunos clientes, incluso en los planes menos costosos, reciban una pequeña factura de sus primas mensuales.
Sin embargo, el papeleo adicional y otros requisitos de elegibilidad “probablemente tendrán un efecto en bajar la inscripción”, dijo Cynthia Cox, vicepresidenta y directora del Programa sobre ACA en KFF, una organización sin fines de lucro de información de salud que incluye a KFF Health News.
“Parte de eso podría proteger a los inscritos que se inscribieron de manera fraudulenta o que no se dan cuenta de que todavía están inscritos”, agregó Cox.
Aun así, podría resultar difícil para algunas personas si no pueden documentar un cambio esperado en los ingresos. “Pueden tener una reclamación legítima, pero que les resulta difícil demostrarlo”, dijo Cox.
El período anual de inscripción abierta finalizaría el 15 de diciembre, un mes antes que este año. Esa ventana anual es cuando la mayoría de las personas se inscriben y tiene como objetivo evitar que las personas esperen hasta enfermarse para inscribirse, una medida que ayuda a frenar el aumento de las primas.
La propuesta de Trump también impacta en cuestiones sociales.
Revertiría la política de la administración Biden que permite a los Dreamers calificar para la cobertura subsidiada de ACA. Esa decisión está siendo desafiada en los tribunales, en una demanda presentada por 19 estados que buscan revocarla.
También bajo la propuesta de Trump, la atención de afirmación de género no se consideraría parte de los “beneficios de salud esenciales” que todos los planes deben cubrir.
Según una sección de preguntas frecuentes que acompañó al comunicado de prensa inicial de las regulaciones propuestas, la disposición podría “llevar a mayores gastos de bolsillo para las personas que requieren servicios de modificación de rasgos sexuales, ya que podrían necesitar buscar planes que ofrezcan esta coberturas, como un plan sin beneficios esenciales o pagar los servicios de su bolsillo”.
Como regla propuesta, las medidas ahora enfrentan un período de comentarios públicos y una posible revisión antes de finalizarse.
“Nada de esto entrará en vigencia de inmediato”, dijo Katie Keith, directora del Centro de Política y Derecho de Salud en la Universidad de Georgetown. “La pregunta es cuánto se aplicará en 2025 en comparación con 2026”.
En las preguntas frecuentes se reconoció que algunos de los cambios propuestos, incluida la eliminación de la inscripción durante todo el año para las personas de ingresos muy bajos, “puede aumentar la carga administrativa para los consumidores asociada con los procesos de inscripción y verificación o podrían disuadir a algunas personas de bajos ingresos elegibles de inscribirse”.
Pero, continuó, “creemos que mejorar la integridad del programa y reducir las inscripciones indebidas supera estos posibles impactos en el acceso a la cobertura”.
Algunos legisladores y grupos conservadores han señalado las preocupaciones sobre la inscripción no autorizada y el papel que podrían tener los subsidios o los períodos de inscripción de ACA en que este problema se agudizara.
Por ejemplo, el Paragon Health Institute, de tendencia derechista, publicó un informe en junio que, entre otras cosas, pedía que se revirtiera la expansión del período de inscripción especial para personas de bajos ingresos que impulsó la administración Biden.
“Hay cantidades sustanciales de fraude y despilfarro en los mercados de ACA y la administración Biden siguió la estrategia de inscripción a cualquier costo y fue tolerante con el despilfarro, el fraude y el abuso”, dijo Brian Blase, ex asistente de salud durante la primera presidencia de Trump, quien es presidente del Paragon Health Institute y tiene influencia dentro de la actual administración Trump.
“Es evidente que se necesita un enfoque diferente para proteger a los inscritos legítimos y a los contribuyentes”, concluyó Blase.
M&F previously reported that Arnold Schwarzenegger had courted controversy at his classic bodybuilding show this year during commentary, by labeling the board shorts worn in the Mens Physique Division as “bogus.” Now the trophy winner Ali Bilal has responded and unlike The Terminator star, it seems he won’t be back.
“It’s been 5 days since I won the show, and if you ask me how I feel, if I’m happy with the win, of course I am,” said Bilal in a heartfelt video posted to his 1.3 million Instagram followers on March 8, 2025. “But it’s just (given) me a bit of mixed feelings, the show, because everything I see on social media, everything that’s going on, like Arnold saying on show day that Men’s Physique was (a) stupid division and I don’t know why the IFBB created it, it just killed the whole happy vibes for me, I don’t know why. So, I have decided this was my last ever Arnold Classic. I’m not going to go to a show where my division, where I get treated with disrespect.”
Ali Bilal is an immensely popular Afghanistan-born bodybuilder and was the winner of the 2025 Arnold Classic Mens Physique title. In 2024, he was runner-up at the Mr Olympia competition to Ryan Terry. As one of the flag bearers for his division, Bilal has taken umbrage to Arnold’s dismissal of his division.
Schwarzenegger’s most recent negativity towards the Mens Physique Division went down during the 2025 Arnold Classic live stream, when he criticized the group during commentary on the show for wearing longer shorts than those in the Open or Classic ranks. “The interesting thing is they also have really well-developed thighs — a lot of these guys — so I don’t know why they make them wear those long shorts,” he said. “For me, that’s bogus.”
Bilal has not only taken issue with Arnold’s attitude, but his prize money to boot. “I don’t think it’s fair that (the) Open Division get $500,000, Classic gets 60K, and the Mens Physique Division only get $10,000. It’s not fair. We prep as hard as the classic guys or the open guys, we train as hard, bring good conditioning, bring good physique. If you just go to (the) Middle East, or whatever Asian countries, if you see how popular Mens Physique is, it’s crazy.”
He continues: “It brings so much money. Just see my reach. You know, when I post a video, or some Open guy posts a video, nothing against anyone, it gets a crazy reach. It’s a very, very popular division.” Bilal believes that in contrast, he has been treated with respect at other big shows. “Imagine you prepping for 16-weeks and then you go to a show and then someone tell(s) you, ‘Oh, who invited you here? We don’t even like you’. It doesn’t feel good I think.”
Balal further confirmed his intentions to not be back at the Arnold Classic in his accompanying caption, taking issue with the fact that Schwarzenegger used the word “bogus” to describe Men’s Physique. “If they really wanted to see legs, they should have invited the (212 Division) instead of Mens Physique,” he wrote. “I wasn’t even planning to do the show in the first place, but the team reached out to me asking me to compete. In return we get disrespected for $25000. I felt like I needed to come out and highlight this, since I won the show and no one else would speak their mind.”
The prize money for Mens Physique at the 2024 Olympia was also well below that of the Open and Classic Divisions but clocked in at $50,000, double that of The Arnold Classic. Bilal’s fans were quick to support their outspoken hero. “This is a bold stance only a few can take,” wrote one follower. He was also backed up by notable bodybuilders including Erin Banks. “My last year as well,” he wrote. “They have to do better.” M&F will keep you up to date as the story develops.
In early October 2024, I headed to China to run the Ultra Gobi 400k for the second time. This 250-mile (400-kilometer) run is a self-supported, self-navigated, non-stop race through the Gobi Desert of north-central China’s Gansu province.
I would have 142 hours to navigate to the 28 checkpoints (which supplied ambient-temperature water only) and 10 rest points (offering ambient and hot water, heated communal tents, and our drop boxes). There were no crews or pacers at the race. With sufficient training and lots of logistical preparation, partly informed by an article I wrote much like this one after I ran the 2015 edition of this event, I finished in just under 69 hours, winning the men’s race and setting a men’s race record.
The following are my thoughts on various logistical aspects of the race, including gear, nutrition, hydration, and sleep. To be sure, this is a geeky, detail-oriented article. It’s not for everyone, but it’ll surely find a few fans out there among those considering their own ultra-long race.
For a narrative look at my experience at this event, you can read my full race report, A Lifetime of Learning, Lived in Three Days: Bryon Powell’s 2024 Ultra Gobi 400k Report.
Me and my pack. Photo: Daniel Keppler
A beautiful stretch of road high up on the second afternoon. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
So, in my full narrative on the 2024 Ultra Gobi, I think I did an ok job of explaining some of the internal reasons why I thought I ran the best ultra of my life, but maybe not so much from looking at external measures. Plus I missed a few internal ones as well. So, here are a couple more explicit reasons why I was so proud of that performance.
Prayer flags amidst a high valley and even higher mountains on the second afternoon. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
In this section, I discuss all the gear that I carried during the race, whether or not I used it. Unlike my 2015 Ultra Gobi race report, I won’t list the gear that was packed in drop boxes, but that I didn’t use. All things considered, the gear I used at Ultra Gobi 2024 worked really well, and I’d use most of it again if I went back!
I appreciated this easy-to-follow mandatory equipment guide at check-in. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Shoes
Nike Pegasus 41 – I used one pair of road shoes for the entire 245 miles of the race. I had at least six shoe changes available – one in each of the race’s six drop boxes, some of which could be accessed twice, but I chose to stick with the evil I knew as opposed to the evil I didn’t. I started in these road shoes that I’d barely ever used before as there were nine miles or so that I chose to run on asphalt out of the gate. At the first possible shoe change, they were still working well, so I went with them. Over time, I did get some of the heel rim blisters that plague me in longer ultras, but I managed to treat them as they came up, and I trimmed the outer edges of both insoles about halfway through the race. The balls of both feet did get a bit sore late in the race, but not to any level that became an issue. I’m intrigued to try the Nike Pegasus Plus that doesn’t have a separate air pod in the middle of the forefoot to see if those work even better.
If I ran Ultra Gobi again without the course looking all that different in terms of terrain, I’d likely wear another pair of middle-of-the-road, everyday road shoes again. I would pre-trim the edges of the insoles and experiment with some low-friction Engo patches, but they’d be my go-to. I’d likely bring two fresh pairs to possibly swap into, with an identical pair at halfway and a pair a half size up a bit later down the course. I’d also pack a lighter, quick-draining pair of road shoes if I ran a future course with repeated river crossings during a relatively discrete section.
My Nike Pegasus 41s and Drymax Hot Weather Run socks after the race. I’m still running in that pair of Peg 41s five months later. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Apparel
Patagonia Strider Pro 5” Shorts – I’d almost certainly wear these again. They’re my everyday running short as it is. The liner and outer fabric continue to work well and feel comfortable after days of continuous use, and I both like and am used to the various pockets found on the shorts. I did change into a clean pair later in the race. Next time, I’d plan to swap shorts twice, as a fresh, clean pair does feel amazing, and is no knock against the shorts themselves.
Heading off the start line in Paragonia Strider Pro shorts amidst a sea of tights. Photo: Daniel Keppler
Mountain Hardwear Way2Cool Short Sleeve Shirt – I wore the same shirt from around 2012 for the entire race. I wore the same shirt at Ultra Gobi 2015. I’d wear it again. As I did this time, I packed an extra for a late race change and would consider doing so again. How is this still the best running shirt I’ve ever worn nearly a decade and a half later?!
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hooded Jacket – From the same era as the shirt above, it remains my favorite jacket of all time. Why? It’s ultralight and yet not clammy or crinkly as some other ultralight wind jackets tend to be.
iRunFar Headsweats Hat – A simple, it-just-works hat that’s older than the two items listed above. Newer isn’t always better, but I’ve always got my eyes open for an ultralight, airy hat in a light color with a full brim.
That iRunFar Headsweats hat has seen some things over the past decade and a half! Photo courtesy of race.
Drymax Hot Weather Running 1/4 Crew – I’m not sure how many pairs I brought, but more than a dozen. I think I changed my socks at nine of the 10 rest points, with the lone exception being the final rest point. These socks release perspiration, dry quickly, and generally aren’t a blister-causer for me. They’re lightweight and hold up just fine under these conditions. I’d 100% do the same thing if the course was similar in the future. My only change would be to pre-wear every pair, as I used mostly brand-new socks. One new pair had a little extra material in the toe of one sock, and that led to blisters on the end of two toes. Had I noticed and cut out the extra material on an earlier run, it would have been no problem at all.
About to get my Drymax Hot Weather Run socks wet in a river crossing. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Montbell Tachyon Pants – While pants aren’t mandatory gear, I threw these ultralight wind pants on every night during Ultra Gobi. I wore their predecessor in the 2015 edition, too. You won’t win any fashion awards in these pants, but they’re amazing.
The North Face FlashDry Liner Gloves and Montbell U.L. Shell Gloves – In retrospect, I think I could get away with just the Montbell gloves throughout.
Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Jacket – An 800-fill or higher down jacket was part of the mandatory kit. I wore it at the high elevations on Night 2 when temperatures dipped below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 Celsius) and in the later hours of the last night. This puffy was more than capable and, as it’s ridiculously light, I can’t imagine bringing any other puffy.
Smartwool Beanie – A cut-down-to-single-layer Smartwool beanie passed gear check. I certainly used it along with my regular hat on Night 2. I don’t think I used it the other two nights, when just a regular hat or that plus a single-layer hood were enough to keep me warm.
Columbia/Montrail Titan Ultra Half Zip – This lightweight half-zip has been on many adventures with me going back to at least 2016. I picked it up on the last night, maybe at the final rest point. It performed well, and I’ve yet to find a lighter long sleeve, half-zip shirt.
The top half of my kit during the second afternoon of Ultra Gobi 2024. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Other Gear
Raidlight Revolutiv 24 pack – It was an easy choice to bring it to Ultra Gobi 2024. There’s more than ample rear storage capacity with all the pockets I need up front for easy-access items. The pack rides incredibly well with the light-to-moderate loads one would have for Ultra Gobi and it’s reasonably breathable and not too hot. I did pare a bit of weight off before the race and rigged up a pole system on the bottom, as I never intended to use the mandatory poles.
I had tons of space leftover in my Raidlight Revolutiv 24 pack, but the large size of the sleeping bag prevented using a smaller pack. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
iPhone 16 Pro – I upgraded my phone ahead of this trip. My iPhone is my navigation device, audio entertainment device, voice note taker, and, importantly, my camera … as I took 1,300 photos during the event. The phone worked great and took wonderful photos. Half a year in, I’m still not sure I prefer the 5x camera over the old 3x one. I had a pair of wired Apple sport headphones with me and a couple of cheap backups in my drop boxes.
Coros Vertix 2 – I’ve had this watch for a bunch of years, but it keeps on ticking. I’d have preemptively replaced the battery by now, but batteries just aren’t replaceable in most modern smartwatches and I was reassured that the maximum battery life would be just fine for even a full-time limit (142 hours) Ultra Gobi. I did switch to single-band GPS-only satellites, made other battery-saving moves, and did put a charger or two in drop boxes, I ended Ultra Gobi with a full 50% left on the watch battery and it was still at 43% a full 3.5 days and three short runs after the race. Hot damn!
I didn’t know … or at least recall knowing that I could reconfigure the Vertix screens until recently. I’m sure glad I did! I was happy not to have total time or distance on my watch, and to generally have the watch screens set up as I like. Speaking of which, I should take photos of the screens in case I ever have to rebuild the settings.
Anyway, I never doubted the accuracy of the GPS or segment distances and I generally know when the optical heart rate is near enough to be accurate or out-there enough to ignore it. That’s good enough for me.
The Coros Vertix 2 still with a 43% charge a full 3.5 days after finishing Ultra Gobi. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Raidlight Easyflask Tube 600mL and Platypus Platy 1.5L Bladder – Only in the few weeks before the race did I ever really give a water container with a straw a real test. I loved it in the scenario that I wouldn’t need to filter water. I ran with the Raidlight straw bottle with the insulation removed from the straw, and it was perfect, as the 600-milliliter container was just what I needed between checkpoints. I carried a light 1.5-liter Platypus bladder to account for the additional required 2L hydration capacity.
Nitecore NU45 Headlamp and Nitecore Carbon 6k Battery – I’ll admit to spending an inordinate amount of time figuring out my lighting and power system before the event, as I tried to think of everything from my headlamp and to battery packs, from iPhone to headphones as one complete system.
The Nitecore Carbon 6k Battery has the best energy density of any small charger I’ve ever found, it can charge a number of in-use Nitecore headlamps, and offers relatively quick USB charging. This setup did prod me to upgrade to an iPhone 16, so all my in-race electronics other than my watch were chargeable via USB-C to USB-C cables.
In training, the Nitecore NU45 Headlamp felt a bit on the heavy side and I was afraid it might give me a crick in the neck, but I never noticed the weight during the race. All in all, it was more than sufficient for low complexity navigation and most footing situations. It wasn’t my absolute favorite on some dusty doubletrack, as I found the light a little flat and it was hard to have depth perception. Still, as part of a system, it worked wonderfully and I’d have no problem choosing the light again … although I dream of any light being lighter and brighter!
Julbo Aerolite Reactiv photochromic sunglasses – For Ultra Gobi, I wanted a pair of 0-3 transition lenses that I never had to put away or stow in my pack. I wore these for the whole darn race and never gave them a second thought. Having never worn them for three-straight days, I was a bit worried that they might eventually get uncomfortable. However, they fit great throughout.
Liking what I’m seeing the photographers shooting through my Julbo Aerolites. Photo courtesy of race.
Mountain Hardwear Phantom 15F Down sleeping bag – Just two days ahead of travel, I realized I needed a warmer sleeping bag than the one I intended on bringing. This one fit the bill! It was a great bag … for the three hours during the race that I’ve used it so far.
Garmin Foretrex 801 – A piece of mandatory gear that I had no intention of using, such that I removed its wristband to save weight. I did copy the full GPX file of the suggested route onto the unit as a third navigational backup, even if I had no idea how to use it. While I never did pull up the course on the Foretrex, I did use it as a compass. On a 16-mile straight-westward bearing on a moonless night, I needed a bearing as there was no horizon point visible to fixate on. While the navigation app I used on my phone gave compass bearings, it was too slow to respond. A mile or two into this stretch, I pulled out the Foretrex and within a minute I had a very responsive compass. Boom!
My standard practice was to totally “yard sale” my drop boxes at rest points. Once I determined I didn’t need or was done with an item, it went back in the box. The system worked well, as I had to touch every object from the box before moving on, so nothing was forgotten. Photo courtesy of race volunteer.
Leki Ultralite Fx.One Superlite trekking poles – Trekking poles were required equipment for this event. I’m simply not a pole guy, especially on such a relatively flat course, so these were the lightest functional trekking poles I had at home. I had no intention of using them, and never did. I advocated against this requirement before the race and would do so again.
Huawei Mate 60 – We needed a satellite phone that would work in China as part of our mandatory equipment, so we rented these smartphones that already have satellite phone calling, a capability coming to some U.S. phones and services in the near future. I did manage to download the Strava app and add the Ultra Gobi race files to it, as my fourth redundant backup navigation system. I never turned on the phone during the race.
Other mandatory gear: medical kit, whistle, knife, blinking light – I carried a very basic medical kit, knife, whistle, and small blinking light that met race regulations for mandatory gear. I did consume a couple ibuprofen.
Drop box extras: rags, slippers, plug-in chargers, charge cords – I had a clean shop rag to clean my feet and a pair of hotel slippers in each drop box. I used the rags and some of the slippers. I almost always took my shoes and socks off immediately upon entering a rest point and it was nice to have something to wear if I had to walk to the restroom or the like. I did carry one USB-C to USB-C cable the whole way, but had various charging essentials spread out across some of the drop boxes.
My full starting kit for the 2024 Ultra Gobi. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
To start, I guestimated what camping meals I ate. Packing up after the race was a bit frantic, and I didn’t snap a photo of what meals I had left over, but I guess I ate around five.
At first blush, it looks like I did far worse in caloric consumption when compared to that of my run in 2015, at 14,729 calories in 2024 versus 19,244 in 2015. However, grossly adjusted based on time (69 hours versus 99 hours), that’s an average of 213 calories per hour in 2024 versus 194 calories per hour in 2015. I’ll take it — even if I didn’t eat the last eight hours in 2024!
Pre-race feasting (including my favorite, laziji!) in Beijing, China, with two long-time ultra friends who were randomly staying in the same hotel as me. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
All the food that I took to Ultra Gobi 2024 and what I ate.
As best as I can recall, I drank roughly a 600-milliliter flask of sports drink between every checkpoint (roughly every 10k) throughout the race along with a 500-milliliter Coca Cola every 40k and maybe a bit of extra water at some checkpoints. With the 2024 Ultra Gobi being relatively cool, this was more than enough to keep me hydrated. Indeed, I was a bit overhydrated if anything, as I must have peed 35 times in the first two days.
While you can’t really “bank” much effective hydration out there, staying topped up on hydration meant that I didn’t worry when I didn’t drink at all over more than 50k and eight hours through the night at the end of the event.
As with my go at Ultra Gobi 2015, I never supplemented with electrolyte pills and never experienced any general or leg cramping. I did generally drink electrolyte beverages between checkpoints and had a couple camping meals. With adequate training, that was more than enough to keep my electrolytes within an effective range.
Team Rehydration outside my tent post-race. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
In my first go at Ultra Gobi in 2015, I prioritized getting full nights of sleep as I wanted to maximize the fun on a huge adventure and I’d witnessed Meghan suffer from sleep monsters during the Tor des Géants a year earlier. In the end, that resulted in me sleeping the first two nights with only a short nap at the end of Night 3 through the end of the race early on Day 5.
In returning to Ultra Gobi, I knew I could theoretically save time by cutting down on my planned sleep and time that I took in the rest points in which I slept. Well, mission accomplished! I went from 24 hours spent in the three rest points in which I slept in 2015 to five hours total — sleeping or otherwise — spent in the one rest point I slept in during Ultra Gobi 2024. Indeed, I slept for only three hours, all in one go in the middle of Night 2.
Things worked out pretty perfectly this time around, as I was so sleepy in the final hour before reaching that rest point. About an hour after arriving at that rest point, I fell asleep with both my watch and an aid station volunteer on alert to wake me in five hours, after a planned three full sleep cycles. I did wake after one cycle and ate a couple hundred calories before returning to sleep. I woke again after the second sleep cycle and again started eating a couple hundred additional calories while fully intending to go back to sleep … but somehow I sensed that I wasn’t sleepy anymore and after just a few minutes decided it was go time. I wouldn’t think of sleeping for the remaining 25-plus hours of the race nor would I be the least bit sleepy again.
That’s 69 hours of the race, plus another five hours awake before the race with only three hours of sleep. Should the need have arisen, I was willing to take a power nap on the course that third day or, if needed, stop for a few full sleep cycles, but researching adventure-racing sleep plans paid off.
Now, I dare say, knowing that a sub-three-day finish is possible, I’d be willing to experiment with even less sleep. Is that one full sleep cycle in the middle of Night 2? Do I skip pulling out the sleeping bag and otherwise cut the time in a rest point for that sleep down by an additional hour such that it’s 2.5 hours instead of five? Do I only take a couple trail-side naps as needed late in the race? I plan to poke around and see what I can learn about how people plan sleep in a roughly three-day race.
Additional stats:
The only spot I’d sleep during Ultra Gobi 2024. The surplus People’s Liberation Army winter jackets made great pillows! Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Across all scales, things went unimaginably well for me at Ultra Gobi 2024. This list feels like it contains lighter lifts than my similar list after Ultra Gobi 2015. These are just details.
Beautiful dunes aside a checkpoint on the first afternoon. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The beauty of the golden hour in the Gobi. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
We all start with the best intentions—whether it’s exercising regularly, eating healthier, or prioritizing self-care. But let’s be real… sticking to new habits can be hard. Life gets busy, motivation fades, and before you know it, you’re back to old patterns.
So how do you create habits that actually last? The key isn’t willpower—it’s strategy. By setting yourself up for success, you can build healthy routines that feel effortless and become part of your lifestyle.
Here’s how to make your habits stick for good!
One of the biggest mistakes people make is going too big, too fast. If your goal is to work out every day, don’t start with an hour-long workout. Instead, commit to at least 10 minutes a day—something so easy you can’t say no. Once that’s locked in, build from there.
Example: Instead of saying, “I want to eat healthier,” say, “I will add a serving of veggies to my lunch every day.” Making your goals specific make it easier to follow through!
One of the easiest ways to build a new habit is to pair it with something you already do. This is called “habit stacking” and helps your new habit feel more natural.
Example:
The more effortless it feels, the more likely you are to stick with it!
If a habit feels complicated or overwhelming, you won’t stick with it. Remove obstacles so it becomes the easiest choice.
Example:
Set yourself up for success by making the habit as easy as possible.
There’s something powerful about seeing your progress—it keeps you motivated! Track in my MOVE APP or in the #GOALS PLANNER.
Even if you miss a day, don’t let it derail you. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s consistency!
Instead of just thinking about what you want to do, shift your mindset to who you want to become. When you identify with your habit, it becomes a part of you.
Example: Instead of saying, “I’m trying to work out,” say, “I am someone who moves my body every day.” When you believe in your new identity, your actions will follow.
Positive reinforcement is key! Celebrate your wins—big or small—to keep yourself motivated.
But here’s the trick: Don’t reward yourself in a way that contradicts your habit.
✅ Good reward: Bought a new yoga mat after sticking to a month of workouts.
❌ Not-so-great reward: Cheat days filled with unhealthy food and no workouts as an “reward.”
Keep your rewards aligned with your goals!
Nobody is perfect. You will miss days, and that’s okay. What matters is that you get back on track quickly instead of quitting altogether.
Building habits that stick isn’t about temporary motivation—it’s about creating a lifestyle that supports your goals. By starting small, making habits easy, and tracking progress, you can create lasting change and feel amazing while doing it!
This easy white bean salad is packed with fiber and perfect if you’re trying to eat more high-protein vegetarian meals. Serve it as a side dish or increase the portion for a light lunch.
When life gets busy, having a go-to salad recipe that’s packed with protein and fresh flavors and takes just 15 minutes to prepare is a game-changer. This White Bean Salad is exactly that—simple, satisfying, and bursting with Mediterranean- inspired ingredients. Whether you’re looking for a light lunch, a quick meal-prep option, or a flavorful side dish, this salad checks all the boxes. It’s also great for anti-inflammatory diets because it’s gluten-free and dairy free! For more bean salad recipes, try my Mediterranean Bean Salad, White Bean Caprese Salad, and Fiesta Bean Salad.
I have been getting requests for more high-protein, vegetarian recipes and thought you would love this easy salad.
If you make this healthy white bean salad recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. And be sure to join the Skinnytaste Community to see what everyone’s cooking!
Here are all the white bean salad ingredients. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
This white bean salad couldn’t be simpler! Just chop and mix everything, then enjoy! See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
This white bean salad is best eaten the same day you toss it, but it will last in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. If you want this as a meal prep lunch for 4, you can make jar salads by dividing 1/4 of the dressing and pouring the dressing on the bottom of 4 jars, followed by the beans, then the eggs, then the vegetables. Shake the jar when ready to eat. Store up to 4 days.
For more side dish ideas using beans, check out these five delicious bean recipes to inspire your next meal!
Yield: 6 servings as a side dish
Serving Size: 1 cup
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Gently mix until everything is well incorporated.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days for even more flavor.
Serving: 1 cup, Calories: 297 kcal, Carbohydrates: 38.5 g, Protein: 14.5 g, Fat: 10 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 93.5 mg, Sodium: 870 mg, Fiber: 8 g, Sugar: 5 g
It’s been almost five years since we started using Blue Apron as our primary meal plan. Here are my thoughts on a Blue Apron review, the pros and cons, and why we keep subscribing. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Blue Apron, but I have been a paying subscriber for years.
Putting a meal together night after night can often feel never ending. There are studies that show how often planning weekly meals can lead to stressed out families. Meal delivery services like Blue Apron take a load of the stress off your plate (ha!) by delivering the recipes and ingredients to your doorstep. The convenience doesn’t end there: you’ll save time not having to go grocery shopping, get the benefits of cooking at home, and have less food waste because you’ll use every ingredient in its entirety.
Blue Apron has remained my favorite meal delivery service for years. I first tried it over 10 years ago in 2014. A lot has changed since then! While it started more as a chef-inspired fancier meal experience (perfect for a date night in), these days Blue Apron is the ideal flexible meal service for all types of people.
Having used Blue Apron for so many years, here is my latest Blue Apron review post including the pros and cons and how we use it to save us lots of time! If you’re already ready to try it, get the latest promo here!
Founded in 2012 in New York City, Blue Apron is a subscription-based meal kit service that delivers recipes and ingredients right to your door to cook at home. Their aim is to make healthy eating and home-cooked meals easy and fun. They strive to offer the highest quality ingredients and partner with farmers and sustainability experts to ensure we’re getting REAL food.
The process of ordering through Blue Apron is very easy and stress-free. First and foremost, make sure you subscribe using my promo link! (You’ll save $80 across the first 5 weeks of a new subscription right now.) Also know that any selection you make, you can change! Want to move from 2 to 4 person, switch your recipe types, or change how many recipes you get each week? It’s all super easy to do online or in their app. You can also easily skip a week if you are traveling or otherwise not able to cook that week.
Choose between Meal Kit Recipes and the Prepared & Ready line (Note you can now mix and match these!!).
If you want to set-and-forget your recipes and have Blue Apron choose them for you, you start by selecting a style of recipe to focus on (Chef Favorites, Family Friendly, Fast and Easy, Vegetarian, etc.) But note you can always choose your own recipes! If you forget, they will choose for you. The 15-minute meals are also consistently on our order because they save so much time with pre-cooked ingredients like pasta or meat. Blue Apron offers over 100 weekly options.
Choose between 2 and 4 servings and if you want 2, 3, 4 or 5 recipes per week. We always do the four serving and cook once, eat twice! We also do two recipes per week for a total of 4 nights of Blue Apron meals.
Once you put in all that info, the recipes and ingredients are shipped right to your door. The recipe cards are very well written and easy to follow. They’re worth hanging onto if you ever wanted to recreate a certain meal later on.
Once you’re logged in and subscribed, you can choose your recipes for each week as well as any add-ons you like for a small added cost. They offer breakfast and lunch meals, soups, desserts, and extra proteins.
Blue Apron meal kits have saved us a million hours of time. Our meal plan is predictable and consistent. Gathering recipes on the web before the grocery store run used to always be the hardest part of meal planning for me, and recipe inconsistency can make cooking a gamble. Blue Apron recipes are always so well written, and in five years I haven’t had one “not work.”
Since Blue Apron takes care of dinner, our grocery trips are just for breakfast and lunch staples. This saves us so much time since we know where all the basics are in our grocery store and can be in and out much more efficiently. No more searching for oddball ingredients. For our final night of cooking, we’ll plan one kid-friendly meal like homemade pizza or spaghetti.
I love having a plan and being able to look ahead and know what’s on the menu for each day. I divide into two chunks: prep and cook. I spend 20 minutes during the day to prep the vegetables and sauces and study the recipe, and the other 10-20 minutes at dinnertime to execute the dish. Another way we maximize Blue Apron is to order the four-serving option and have it two nights in a row. It’s the ultimate time-saver because not only do we save on cooking time, but there are fewer dishes to clean on those nights, too.
I strategically plan our schedule around the longer “cook days” versus the days we know we’ll be having the leftovers. On a leftovers night, we might have a late gym class, one of us out on the town, or kid soccer practice.
My honest opinion: Blue Apron recipes are top notch! There is always an extra layer of flavor/sauce/topping that I wouldn’t have thought to add if I were just throwing ingredients together. They are constantly adding new recipes to their collection, so we never get bored (but we do repeat our favorites sometimes!).
The portion sizes from Blue Apron are perfect for us. Often we will be able to get a 5th meal out of the 4 serving kit if Mazen likes what we’re cooking (Maybe Birch will enjoy adult food when he’s 40 🙂 ). When we have tried other meal kit companies, I did not find the portions to be so plentiful. Often there was a vegetable or carb missing. Blue Apron’s recipes are very well balanced with veggies, carbs, and protein in every recipe.
The average Blue Apron cost is $9.99 a recipe. You are paying a bit more for the convenience and no, it’s not as cheap as meal planning from bulk. But what you fork over (ha!) in dollars, you gain in hours of time. What is your time worth? For us, the service is well worth the cost. And it’s definitely cheaper than takeout and healthier than fast food.
This con is going to be unavoidable with any food subscription service. Since the ingredients come in the mail on an ice pack, there is packaging to recycle. Plus the little containers the ingredients come in. However, Blue Apron has really tried to plan this with sustainability in mind, and when packaging can be minimized and recyclable, it is. I re-use the boxes all the time for a Goodwill run or friend needing to move.
Living in Virginia, we are surrounded by local farms, vineyards, breweries, etc. And we always try to shop and eat local whenever we can to support our fellow Virginians. So ordering from Blue Apron obviously won’t allow you to shop locally. However, Blue Apron does work with small farmers and food suppliers, like Vermont Creamery, Sun Noodle, Reeves Farms, and Rumi Spice. So you can know you are still supporting small business.
A resounding YES. We’ve been using Blue Apron for years now and wouldn’t continue to be paying subscribers if it wasn’t! It has really simplified our household routines, and the new 15 minute meal option has been a game changer for making dinner even faster than if we were planning it all from scratch.
We still enjoy cooking other creative meals on our 5/6th nights, and we definitely order less takeout then we did before Blue Apron began. If there’s a Blue Apron meal in the fridge, we aren’t allow to go out, so we’ve easily saved money on takeout over time.
Check out some more of my Blue Apron blog posts and Reels!
Still not convinced? Check out this post, where Blue Apron goes head-to-head with other meal kit service companies like Hello Fresh and Green Chef.
(shorts ((still 40% off today)), long sleeve)
Curly hooked me on Aquaphor lip before my runs, and I cannot run without it now.
7 miles @ 8:22 pace with a beautiful sunrise.
It was hair and eyebrow day… She does such an amazing job and charges $85 (before tip)!?!?
Beck has been living his best life with his ears feeling better with his new ear-tubes.
I have waited way too long for these to be at my Costco.
Another Costco purchase we cannot walk past without purchasing.
I’ve had a green smoothie every day for five days in a row and I’m feeling proud of myself right about now.
It was a park kind of day with my sister and her kids.
She will always be a thrill seeker.
I am going to channel some of Skye’s determination for my race training when we get back from our trip.
We signed up for the family to take a baking class in Paris together… The last time I did this was with Sarah (who we are visiting this trip) in Thailand.
When we get home, Andrew and I will be taking a sourdough class… We once had a sourdough starter, and I am positive I messed it up day #1 (the picture below has nothing to do with sourdough, but the elephants sleeping together is so sweet).
Random Q of the day… Does anyone run in On Cloud running shoes? I haven’t since 2010 when they sent me their first version but I was thinking about trying them out again and wanted opinions! PS has the quality of my photos improved since 2010? I personally do not think so;)
Ever take any cooking or baking classes? When/where?
Question from Brooke: Do you put the milk or cereal in the bowl first?
Have a sentence of the day?
