Fiber: The Most Underrated Habit for Energy, Digestion, and Consistency

January 18, 2026

A simple habit that supports 
energy, digestion, and long term performance.

Fiber doesn’t get much attention.

It’s not flashy. It doesn’t come in a tub or bottle. And it’s rarely the first thing people think about when trying to eat better.

But fiber quietly influences some of the biggest drivers of health and performance: digestion, energy, appetite, blood sugar, and long-term metabolic health. These are the same foundations that support strength training performance and recovery (link to Strength LAB landing page).

That’s why fiber is our third Power Block of January.

Why Fiber Matters (Beyond Digestion)



Fiber does much more than keep things moving, especially for women training consistently with strength (link to Strength LAB landing page).


Adequate fiber intake supports:

• Stable blood sugar and steadier energy

• Appetite regulation and fullness

• Gut health and microbiome diversity

• Long-term heart and metabolic health


Fiber helps slow digestion, improve nutrient absorption, and support a healthier gut environment.


All of this impacts how you feel, how you train, and how well you recover.


Fiber’s role in energy, metabolism, and long-term health is consistently emphasized by leaders in training and nutrition.


Dr. Mark Hyman highlights that fiber feeds beneficial gut bacteria, influencing inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and metabolic health. Dr. Peter Attia emphasizes fiber’s role in microbiome diversity and its connection to long-term health. Dr. Andrew Huberman explains that the gut communicates directly with the brain, influencing mood, focus, and stress resilience.

Why Fiber Is Often Low



Most people don’t intentionally avoid fiber. It just gets crowded out. Busy schedules, convenience foods, and limited food variety make it easy for fiber intake to drop even when calories are adequate.


Over time, low fiber intake can contribute to low energy, poor digestion, and inconsistent appetite regulation. This is something we see often when women come to us feeling stuck despite training hard (link to Strength LAB landing page). The goal this week isn’t to overhaul your diet.


It’s to add fiber gradually and consistently.

This Week’s Goal (Add, Don’t Restrict)



For this week, aim to:


• Meet your weekly fiber target if you already track nutrition, OR

• Add one high-fiber food to two meals per day


No tracking required.

No elimination needed.


Fiber works best when it’s added, not forced.

The Right Way to Increase Fiber


One of the biggest mistakes people make with fiber is increasing it too quickly.


Think in terms of a Fiber Ladder, moving up gradually:

• Lower fiber: berries, bananas, oats, white potatoes

• Moderate fiber: quinoa, brown rice, lentils, beans

• Higher fiber: vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach


Gradual increases allow your gut to adapt and support digestion far better than sudden spikes.

Fiber and Hydration Work Together



Fiber absorbs water.


When fiber intake increases without enough hydration, people often experience bloating or discomfort. This does not mean fiber is bad. It means hydration needs to increase alongside it. Think of fiber and hydration as a team. When both are consistent, digestion and energy tend to improve together.


This is why hydration consistency is one of our core coaching pillars.

How to Increase Fiber Without Overthinking It


Focus on simple, repeatable habits:

• Add fiber to foods you already eat

• Pair fiber with protein for better fullness and blood sugar control

• Increase slowly and hydrate consistently


Small changes done consistently work better than big changes done briefly.

For More Advanced Nutrition Folks


Research continues to link higher fiber intake to improved insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation, and greater microbiome diversity. Whole-food fiber sources like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains consistently outperform fiber supplements for most people.


Supplements can be useful in specific cases, but they should not replace a fiber-rich diet.

Common Fiber Myths


“Fiber is only about digestion.”

Fiber also impacts energy, blood sugar, appetite regulation, and metabolic health.


“Fiber supplements are just as good.”

Whole-food fiber sources provide additional nutrients and greater microbiome benefits.


“Bloating means fiber isn’t for me.”

Bloating usually means fiber was increased too quickly or hydration was too low.

Why Fiber Comes Third This Month


Protein builds the foundation.

Hydration supports fluid balance.

Fiber builds on both by supporting digestion, energy, and appetite regulation.


Stacked together, these three habits create a strong, sustainable base for training, recovery, and long-term health.


These are the same habits we coach daily inside our Strength LAB program.


Here’s to a protein-first, well-hydrated, fiber-supported week ahead.


Onward and Upward,

Kristin

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Hydration: Why It Still Matters in Winter

January 11, 2026
When people think about hydration, they usually picture hot summer workouts and heavy sweat. But winter is often when hydration habits quietly fall apart. Cold air reduces thirst signals. Indoor heating dries out the air. People tend to drink more coffee and less water. And because sweat loss is less noticeable, hydration feels less urgent — even though it still matters. That’s why hydration is our second Power Block of January.  Hydration is one of the foundational habits we coach inside our nutrition program because it directly impacts recovery, appetite regulation, and training performance. You can learn more about how our nutrition coaching works here .

Protein First: The Foundation Habit That Makes Nutrition Easier

January 3, 2026
Some people think protein is only for bodybuilders. Others assume they’re already getting enough. Many feel overwhelmed by conflicting information about how much they should be eating. The truth is much simpler. Protein isn’t about extremes or perfection. It’s about building a foundation that supports training, recovery, energy, appetite control, and long-term health. That’s why protein is our first Power Block of January. When protein intake is consistent, hydration, fiber, and even sleep tend to fall into place more naturally.

Hard Workouts Are Easy. Effective Training Takes Restraint.

By Mike Ratnofsky • December 23, 2025
Early in my coaching career, I made a mistake that many coaches make. I ignored my instincts and experience in favor of what I thought would keep people happy. I believed that if I gave members hard workouts every day, they would feel accomplished, challenged, and satisfied. At the time, I thought that was my job. What I did not realize was that I was confusing effort with effectiveness. People trusted me to help improve their fitness, their health, and their confidence. Instead, I was often delivering fatigue. I was chasing intensity instead of outcomes, and I was doing it out of fear. Fear of members getting bored. Fear of people thinking the workout was not hard enough. Fear of losing members if things felt too controlled or too restrained. Looking back, I was not doing anyone justice, including myself as a coach.Hard workouts are easy to design. You can always add more weight, more reps, more rounds, or less rest. You can always make something feel difficult. That part of coaching is not complicated. What is difficult is restraint. Effective training requires saying no more often than yes. It requires understanding that the goal of a workout is not exhaustion, but adaptation. It requires recognizing that different bodies respond differently to stress, and that long term progress depends on managing that stress appropriately. Over time, I learned that my responsibility was not to entertain people or to leave them lying on the floor after every session. My responsibility was to create a long term health and fitness plan for each individual. A roadmap that helped them become stronger, more capable, and more confident over time. That means some days are hard. Truly hard. But they are hard for a reason. They are hard because the stimulus is intentional and aligned with the goal of the day. Other days are simpler, more controlled, and often harder to execute correctly because they require patience and discipline rather than adrenaline. Today, we coach to the intent of the workout, not the ego of the moment. We do not chase weights or reps just to make something feel impressive. We use the program template as a guide. We use the plan to determine appropriate loading, pacing, and volume. The goal is to hit the intended stimulus, not to win the workout. That shift changed everything. Members stopped feeling beat up all the time. Progress became more predictable. Confidence improved because people understood why they were doing what they were doing. Training became something that supported their life instead of competing with it. Effective training takes restraint. It takes patience. It takes the willingness to do what is right instead of what is loud. That is the difference between hard workouts and real coaching. Onward and Upward Mike
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