The Factory Bloomington-Normal

Group Training, Personal Training, Athlete Training and Nutrition

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Fuel Your Training: How What You Eat Impacts Your Performance

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“I just didn’t have it today.”

As coaches, we hear this all the time. Maybe you’ve said it yourself after a workout that felt harder than it should have. The weights felt heavier. Your conditioning wasn’t where you expected it to be. You struggled to focus or found yourself running out of energy halfway through class.

Sometimes there are obvious reasons. Maybe you didn’t sleep well the night before, you’ve been carrying extra stress, or you’re fighting off the start of a cold.

But there’s another factor that’s often overlooked.

Did you give your body the fuel it needed before you asked it to perform?

At The Factory, we spend a lot of time talking about training, recovery, and consistency. Nutrition is an important part of that conversation, not because we believe everyone needs a perfect diet, but because your body needs fuel to get the most out of the work you’re already putting in.

The reality is this: your workout doesn’t begin when the warm-up starts. It begins with how you prepare your body beforehand.

Think of Your Body Like a Vehicle

Imagine leaving for a long road trip with your gas light already on.

Could you still make it down the road? Probably.

Would it be the smoothest or most reliable trip? Probably not.

Your body works much the same way.

Every workout requires energy. Whether you’re lifting weights, running intervals, playing soccer, preparing for volleyball season, or taking a group fitness class after work, your body needs fuel to meet the demands you’re placing on it.

That doesn’t mean you need to overcomplicate nutrition or obsess over every meal. It simply means recognizing that what you eat before training has a direct impact on how you’re able to perform during training.

The Four Players on Your Performance Team

Performance nutrition doesn’t have to be confusing. Think of it as four teammates, each with a different role.

Carbohydrates provide your body’s primary source of energy for moderate- and high-intensity exercise. During strength training, sprinting, interval workouts, and most sports, your muscles rely heavily on stored carbohydrates—called glycogen—to produce energy quickly.

Protein helps repair and rebuild muscle tissue after training. Every workout creates an opportunity for your body to adapt, and protein provides the building blocks that support that process.

Healthy fats contribute to hormone production, overall health, and provide energy during lower-intensity activity and throughout the day.

Fluids and electrolytes help regulate body temperature, maintain performance, and replace what is lost through sweat.

None of these nutrients work in isolation. Together, they help your body perform, recover, and adapt to training over time.

Not Every Tough Workout Is About Motivation

It’s easy to assume a difficult workout means you’ve lost motivation or aren’t making progress.

Sometimes that’s true.

More often, though, your body is simply responding to everything you’ve asked of it before you walked through the gym doors.

How did you sleep?

Have you been stressed?

Are you hydrated?

Did you eat enough today?

The workout itself is only one piece of the performance equation. Every decision you make leading up to training influences how your body responds once the workout begins.

That’s why two workouts that look identical on paper can feel completely different.

What Does the Research Say About Training Fasted?

Social media has made fasted workouts a popular topic. You’ve probably heard claims that exercising on an empty stomach burns more fat or leads to better results.

Like many topics in nutrition, the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no.

Research does show that training without eating beforehand increases the percentage of fat your body uses for fuel during that workout. However, current evidence has not consistently shown that fasted training leads to greater long-term fat loss when overall calorie intake is the same.

More importantly, moderate- and high-intensity exercise relies heavily on carbohydrates for energy.

For most individuals performing activities like strength training, CrossFit®, HYROX, interval training, recreational sports, or competitive athletics, consuming carbohydrates before exercise supports higher-quality performance and helps maintain training intensity throughout the session.

That doesn’t mean every workout requires a full meal beforehand. It simply means your body generally performs better when it has access to the fuel it needs.

There are exceptions. Some experienced endurance athletes intentionally complete certain lower-intensity sessions with reduced carbohydrate availability as part of a carefully structured training plan. These strategies are designed for very specific adaptations and are not intended to be everyday recommendations for the average athlete or fitness enthusiast.

For most people, showing up fueled allows them to train with greater quality—and higher-quality training is what drives long-term progress.

Timing Matters More Than Perfection

One of the most common questions we hear is:

“What should I eat before I work out?”

The better question is:

“How much time do I have before I work out?”

If you have two to three hours, a balanced meal containing carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats is a great option.

If you have about an hour, choose a lighter meal or snack that emphasizes carbohydrates with a moderate amount of protein.

If you’re heading straight from work or school and only have 30 minutes or less, keep it simple. A banana, applesauce, toast with honey, pretzels, or a few dates can provide easily digested carbohydrates without sitting heavily in your stomach.

If you’re training in hot conditions, exercising for an extended period, or know you’re someone who sweats heavily, pair your pre-workout snack with water and an electrolyte beverage to help replace fluids and sodium lost through sweat. Coconut water can also be a refreshing option for lighter training sessions, though it naturally contains less sodium than most electrolyte beverages.

There isn’t one perfect pre-workout meal.

The best option is one that provides energy, agrees with your stomach, and fits consistently into your schedule.

(We’ll also be sharing a quick-reference guide on our social media with pre-workout snack ideas based on how much time you have before training.)

Coach’s Corner

One of the biggest misconceptions we see is people assuming they had a “bad workout” because they suddenly lost motivation or got weaker overnight.

Before jumping to that conclusion, ask yourself a few simple questions:

  • Did I eat enough today?
  • Am I hydrated?
  • How did I sleep last night?
  • Am I carrying more stress than usual?

Sometimes your body isn’t telling you to work harder.

It’s telling you it needs more support.

Consistency Wins

Performance nutrition isn’t about eating perfectly.

It’s about consistently giving your body the resources it needs to perform, recover, and improve.

Some days you’ll have time to prepare a balanced meal before training. Other days you’ll be grabbing a quick snack on your way to the gym. Both can fit within a healthy approach to fueling your body.

The goal isn’t perfection.

The goal is preparing your body well enough that each workout has the opportunity to produce the results you’re working so hard to achieve.

The Bottom Line

At The Factory, we believe every workout has a purpose.

Whether your goal is making the varsity team, preparing for your next HYROX race, building strength, improving your health, or simply having enough energy to keep up with your kids, your nutrition should support that goal.

You don’t need expensive supplements, a complicated meal plan, or to eat perfectly. You simply need to remember that your body performs best when it’s adequately fueled.

Your workout doesn’t start when class begins. It starts with how you prepare for it.

References

Burke LM, Hawley JA, Wong SHS, Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrates for Training and Competition. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2011;29(Suppl 1):S17-S27.

International Society of Sports Nutrition. Position Stand: Nutrition Strategies for Exercise Performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2025.

Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2016;116(3):501-528.

Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, et al. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2007;39(2):377-390.

A Week in the Life of a Strong, Busy Parent

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There’s a common myth in fitness that to “do it right,” you need huge blocks of free time, perfect sleep, and a life that isn’t constantly interrupted by emails, school drop-off, and kids’ sports schedules.

Most of our members live in a very different reality.

So instead of talking in theory, let’s step into the week of someone who looks a lot like many people in our community: a 42-year-old parent with a full-time job, two school-age kids, and a desire to feel strong and calm, without turning fitness into a second career.

We’ll call her Alex.

Meet Alex

Alex works Monday through Friday, roughly 8:30–5:00. She has:

  • Two kids (9 and 12) with school, homework, and sports practices
  • A commute that can be anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic (and construction)!
  • A partner who also works full-time
  • A body that’s starting to feel the difference between 25 and 42: tight hips, occasional low-back grumbles, low energy in the afternoons

Her goals are simple and honest:

  • Feel strong and capable
  • Have fewer random aches and pains
  • Feel calmer and less overwhelmed
  • Keep up with her kids now and her life 10, 20 years from now

Like many of our members, Alex gets to The Factory 3–4 times per week, mixing coached classes with open gym. She layers in yoga or yoga sculpt at The Remedy, plus walking and “movement snacks” that fit around a real family schedule.

Here’s what that actually looks like.

Monday: Setting the Tone

6:15 a.m.
Alarm. Enough time to sip some coffee, pack lunches, and get the kids moving toward the door.

7:30–8:15 a.m.
School drop-off. It’s mostly car line and traffic. This is not workout time. Alex uses it to mentally plan her day instead of putting pressure on herself to “maximize” every second.

11:30–12:30 p.m. – Lunchtime at The Factory
Alex has blocked this time on her calendar as a recurring appointment, just like a meeting.

She doesn’t overthink the programming. She shows up for a coached group class, moves her body, gets a solid full-body session in, and is back at her desk with enough time to eat.

Evening: Kid Shuttle + Small Win
After work it’s homework, dinner, and driving to practice. While she’s parked waiting in the pickup line, she steps out of the car for 5–10 minutes of walking along the sidewalk. Nothing fancy, just a little circulation and fresh air before the evening chaos.

Total “exercise time” Monday: about an hour.
Total disruption to an already full day: minimal.

Tuesday: Movement Snacks and a Lighter Day

Tuesdays are heavy on meetings, so Alex doesn’t try to squeeze in a full workout at The Factory. Instead, she leans on tiny, repeatable habits during the workday.

Desk “movement snacks” (3–5 minutes each):

  • Mid-morning: a quick stretch break for her hips and chest
  • Mid-afternoon: a few simple spine and neck movements to undo computer posture

She might only move for a total of 10 minutes, but by late afternoon her back feels noticeably better than it used to when she sat still all day.

If the kids have sports that night, her only “workout” may be walking the sidelines for a few minutes or doing a couple of stretches before bed. That’s okay. Not every day has to be big.

Wednesday: Lunchtime, Round Two

By midweek, life is usually a little frayed at the edges. This is why Wednesday is non-negotiable Factory day for Alex.

11:30–12:30 p.m. – The Factory Blocked Off Again

The same calendar rule applies: this is an appointment with herself.

She shows up, follows the coached class, and lets that hour be about her body instead of her inbox. Some weeks she pushes a bit heavier; other weeks, she simply moves and leaves with more energy than she came in with.

Evening:
Kids have practice again. This time, Alex stays in the car but takes a few minutes to stretch her hips and shoulders instead of scrolling. Nothing elaborate, just enough to take the edge off.

Thursday: The Day That Goes Sideways

Every week has one.

On Thursday, a late-night email turned into an early-morning problem. One kid forgot a project, there’s an unexpected meeting, and by mid-afternoon, her plan to hit a third weekday class at The Factory is clearly not happening.

Instead of calling the day a total loss, Alex has a “Plan B” rule:

If Plan A falls apart, do the 10-minute version.

So:

  • At lunch, she walks the hallways or around the block for 10 brisk minutes to clear her head.
  • Before bed, she does a 5-minute floor routine: a couple of familiar stretches and a few slow, deep breaths.

Is it the same as a full workout? No.
Does it keep her body and brain in the game? Absolutely.

She also makes a mental note: Sunday open gym is now her makeup day.

Friday: Early Morning Reset (Yoga Sculpt)

By Friday, Alex wants to move, but her brain is tired of making decisions. This is where scheduled classes shine.

6:00–6:45 a.m. – Yoga Sculpt at The Remedy

She signed up earlier in the week, so it’s already on the calendar. She gets up a bit earlier, rolls out of bed, and heads to class before the rest of the house is fully awake.

Yoga sculpt gives her:

  • A chance to use her strength in a different way
  • Flow-based movement that loosens up tight spots from the week
  • A mental reset before emails, car lines, and meetings begin

By the time she’s back home, she’s already checked “movement” off for the day and can step into her work and parenting roles feeling more grounded.

Saturday: Active Family Time + Flexibility

Weekends look different every time, but Alex aims for movement that doesn’t feel like a chore.

If the family has a slower morning, she might:

  • Bring the kids to The Factory and let them hang out while she does an open gym session, or Hyrox, or
  • Go for a family walk or bike ride, or
  • Play at the park instead of just sitting on the bench

If sports dominate Saturday, she focuses on being a little more active around the fields, walking, tossing a ball, stretching on the sidelines.

Saturday is her flex day: if she’s already hit three Factory visits, she might skip the gym and keep things easy. If she’s at two, she might pop in for a short open gym session to round out the week.

Sunday: Makeup Day and Gentle Reset

Because Thursday’s class didn’t happen, Sunday becomes Alex’s makeup day.

Late Morning – Open Gym at The Factory

She checks the family calendar, finds a 45–60 minute window, and heads in for open gym:

  • No traffic
  • A bit more relaxed pace
  • Time to reinforce what she did in class during the week or work through a simple plan

This gives her a third or fourth session at The Factory for the week, depending on how things went.

The rest of Sunday is about resetting, not perfection:

  • A relaxed walk if the weather cooperates
  • A few minutes of gentle stretching in the evening
  • Looking at the coming week and booking her Factory classes and yoga/yoga sculpt in advance so they’re locked in like any other commitment

She starts Monday feeling prepared instead of like she’s constantly playing catch-up.

What This Week Is Not

A few things you’ll notice about Alex’s week:

  • It’s not built on willpower
  • It’s not perfect. At least one plan falls through every week.
  • It doesn’t rely on motivation magically showing up.

Instead, it leans on:

  • 3–4 weekly visits to The Factory (coached classes plus open gym) as anchors
  • Yoga or yoga sculpt on Friday mornings to support mobility, balance, and stress
  • Walking and movement snacks woven into family and work life
  • Flexible expectations and forgiving Plan Bs, plus Sunday as a built-in backup

A Template You Can Steal

Everyone’s life looks different, but many busy parents and professionals in our community can start with a similar framework:

  • 2–3 weekdays: Blocked-off classes at The Factory
  • 1 weekend day: Open gym or an extra class as a makeup / bonus session
  • Most days: 5–20 minutes of walking and/or quick movement breaks
  • When life explodes: Do the 10-minute version, not nothing

You don’t need a perfect week to become a stronger, calmer version of yourself.

VO₂max, Longevity, and the Role of Zone 2 and Strength Training

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If you wear an Apple Watch or another fitness tracker, you may have noticed a metric called VO₂max.

Most people see the number but don’t know what it means. Others assume it only matters for endurance athletes.

In reality, VO₂max is one of the most important indicators of overall health and long-term fitness.

VO₂max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise. Simply put, it measures how well your heart, lungs, and muscles work together to produce energy.

The higher your VO₂max, the greater your body’s ability to deliver oxygen to working muscles and use that oxygen efficiently.

Why VO₂max Matters

Researchers have consistently found that higher cardiorespiratory fitness is linked to lower risk of heart disease, metabolic disease, and early death. In fact, low aerobic fitness has been shown to carry risks similar to well-known factors like smoking or diabetes.

But beyond research, VO₂max also affects everyday life.

Think of it as your physical ceiling. Daily activities such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries, or walking uphill require a certain amount of energy. When your VO₂max is low, those activities take up a larger percentage of your capacity.

When your VO₂max is higher, the same tasks feel easier.

Unfortunately, aerobic fitness tends to decline with age, especially for people who are mostly sedentary. The encouraging news is that it can improve at almost any age with the right training.

How VO₂max Improves

Improving VO₂max requires changes in both the heart and the muscles.

Your heart becomes stronger and pumps more blood with each beat. At the same time, your muscles develop more mitochondria, the structures that help convert oxygen into usable energy.

Two types of training help drive these changes: steady aerobic exercise and higher-intensity intervals.

This is where Zone 2 training plays an important role.

The Importance of Zone 2 Training

Zone 2 training usually falls around 60–70% of your maximum heart rate. It should feel steady and manageable. You can still carry on a conversation, but you are clearly exercising.

Even though it doesn’t feel extremely hard, Zone 2 produces important adaptations in the body. It helps increase mitochondrial density, improve fat metabolism, and build the small blood vessels that deliver oxygen to muscles.

In simple terms, Zone 2 builds the foundation of your aerobic system.

Without that foundation, high-intensity training can feel overly stressful and less effective. Many people spend too much time exercising in a moderate “middle zone” that is too hard to recover from but not hard enough to significantly improve fitness.

Regular Zone 2 work helps build endurance while supporting recovery and overall cardiovascular health.

Zone 2 Doesn’t Have to Mean Long Cardio Sessions

One question that often comes up when people hear about Zone 2 training is whether it means spending 30–45 minutes continuously on a treadmill, bike, or rower.

That is certainly one way to do it, but it is not the only way.

Zone 2 is defined by your heart rate and effort level, not by the specific activity. As long as your heart rate stays in that moderate range — where you can still talk in full sentences but are clearly working — you are training your aerobic system.

For many people, this can happen during circuit-style workouts as well.

Moving through a steady rotation of exercises such as sled pushes, kettlebell carries, bodyweight movements, light resistance work, or moderate rowing can keep the heart rate elevated without pushing into very high intensity. When transitions are smooth and rest periods are short, the body can remain in a Zone 2 effort for much of the session.

This type of training can build aerobic capacity while also developing strength, coordination, and movement skill.

In other words, Zone 2 training is not limited to traditional cardio machines. It can emerge from many different training styles as long as the intensity remains controlled and sustainable.

For many people, this approach makes aerobic training more engaging and easier to maintain over time.

The Often Overlooked Role of Strength Training

While aerobic exercise is essential for improving VO₂max, strength training also plays an important supporting role.

As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass. This process, known as sarcopenia, can reduce strength, mobility, and metabolic health. When muscle mass declines, the body becomes less efficient at using oxygen and producing energy.

Resistance training helps counteract this process by maintaining and building lean muscle tissue.

Stronger muscles allow the body to perform work more efficiently. They also support joint health, improve insulin sensitivity, and help maintain metabolic function. Together, these changes support overall fitness and make aerobic training more effective.

Cardiovascular training and strength training are not competing priorities. They work together to support long-term health and performance.

VO₂max as a Measure of Capacity

Another way to think about VO₂max is as a measure of capacity.

When your aerobic capacity is low, everyday stressors take up more of your available energy. Physical activity, poor sleep, or emotional stress can feel harder to manage.

A higher VO₂max gives you more margin. Your body can handle daily demands with less strain, and recovery tends to improve.

For this reason, improving aerobic fitness is not just about exercise performance. It is about building resilience.

What This Looks Like in Practice

For most adults, a balanced approach to training works best:

  • Perform Zone 2 aerobic exercise 3–4 times per week for about 30–45 minutes.
  • Include 1–2 sessions of higher-intensity intervals each week.
  • Strength train 2–3 times per week to maintain muscle and metabolic health.
  • Prioritize sleep and recovery.

Wearable devices can provide useful feedback, but the exact VO₂max number is less important than the trend over time.

Small, consistent improvements add up.

Final Thoughts

VO₂max is not just a number on a fitness watch. It is a reflection of how well your body produces and uses energy.

Improving it does not require extreme training. In fact, much of the progress comes from consistent, moderate aerobic work combined with regular strength training.

Over time, this combination builds a stronger heart, healthier muscles, and a greater capacity to handle the physical demands of everyday life.

And that capacity is one of the most powerful investments you can make in long-term health.

Why Most People Quit the Gym (and How to Make Sure You’re Not One of Them)

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Every January, gyms fill up with good intentions—and by spring, most treadmills are gathering dust. Studies show that up to 90% of new gym members quit within three months. But here’s the truth: that’s not a motivation problem—it’s a systems problem.

Let’s break down why most people fall off track—and how to build habits that actually last.

1. “I don’t have time.”

The number-one reason people quit the gym is simple: life gets in the way. Between work, family, and the million micro-tasks of adulting, fitness often becomes the first thing to go.

But the fix isn’t finding more time—it’s protecting the time you already have.
Schedule your workouts like meetings, set realistic frequency goals (three solid sessions beat seven scattered ones), and choose a training style that fits your life instead of fighting it.

2. “I’m not seeing results.”

Few things crush motivation faster than effort without reward. Research from Psychreg found that people often quit because they “don’t feel like they’re making progress.” Usually, that’s because the goals are too vague (“get fit”) or the workouts lack structure.

Progress takes a plan. Track your workouts, take monthly photos or notes, and set measurable short-term goals—like improving your plank time or adding five pounds to your lift. Even small wins reignite consistency.

3. “The gym feels intimidating.”

If you’ve ever walked into a gym and immediately felt out of place, you’re not alone. In a recent UK study, 27% of respondents said they worry what regular gym-goers think of them, and 25% felt too embarrassed to work out at all. That intimidation factor keeps people stuck at home—or worse, caught in guilt loops that stall progress.

The solution? Community.
Find an environment where coaches know your name, workouts are coached—not guessed, and members cheer you on instead of sizing you up. Confidence grows through familiarity. Show up often enough, and the once-scary space becomes your second home.

4. “It’s not fun anymore.”

Repetition kills enthusiasm. Studies show boredom is one of the top reasons exercisers give up. Your brain craves novelty, challenge, and variety.

If your workouts feel like Groundhog Day, shake things up. Rotate between strength, conditioning, and mobility phases. Try a challenge, a new class format, or train for something outside the gym—a HYROX, a 5K, or even just a new personal record. The more you play with your training, the longer it stays engaging.

5. “It’s not worth the money.”

When motivation dips, cost becomes an easy scapegoat. About 30% of gym members cancel because “it’s too expensive.” But the real issue is perceived value. If you’re not seeing results or enjoying the process, any price feels too high.

Flip the script. Invest in coaching, structure, and accountability—things that actually move the needle. When you’re progressing and feel supported, you stop thinking about what it costs and start realizing what you’d lose by stopping.

The Bottom Line

Most people don’t quit because they’re weak.
They quit because their environment, plan, or expectations set them up to fail.

Choose structure over chaos, community over isolation, and progress over perfection—and you’ll never have to “start over” again.

Why Deload Weeks Are the Secret to Getting Stronger (Not Weaker)

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You’ve been squatting, pressing, and pulling hard for weeks — maybe even months — steadily stacking small wins. Then suddenly, the workouts shift. The movements look different. The weights might feel lighter. The pace changes.

If you’ve ever wondered why we do this — why we intentionally pull back after periods of hard training — this is what’s known as a deload week, and it’s one of the most underrated strategies for long-term strength and performance.

What Is a Deload Week?

A deload week (or what we like to call a bridge week) is a short, intentional reduction in training volume, load, or intensity. It’s not a break — it’s a recalibration.

Think of it as giving your body and central nervous system the breathing room they need to absorb all the gains you’ve been earning. Without it, you’re more likely to plateau, burn out, or even get injured.

Why Your Body (and Brain) Need It

Hard training creates micro-tears in muscle tissue and stress within the nervous system. That stress is necessary — it’s what drives adaptation — but it also needs recovery to translate into progress.

Here’s what happens during a deload:

  • Muscle repair and growth accelerate as recovery resources are no longer competing with high training demand.
  • Tendons and ligaments get a chance to strengthen, reducing injury risk.
  • The nervous system resets, improving coordination and lifting efficiency.
  • Motivation and focus often rebound — you return to training feeling more eager and capable.

In short: You don’t get stronger from training. You get stronger from recovering after training.

How We’re Applying It This Week

This week at The Factory, we’re in a bridge week — a structured deload between programming cycles.

You’ll notice:

  • A shift in movement selection: Instead of heavy back squats, you might see goblet squats or tempo variations.
  • Varied intensity: Some days invite you to move slow and focus on control; others (like our Thursday sessions) let you push the pace based on how you’re feeling.
  • Different angles, similar targets: We’re still training the same muscle groups — just with new patterns to spark adaptation without overloading fatigue.

This mix of familiar and new not only keeps your body guessing but also primes your muscles and mind for what’s coming next.

How to Get the Most Out of Deload Week

  1. Respect the purpose. This isn’t the time to chase PRs or “make up” for missed sessions.
  2. Dial in your recovery habits. Prioritize sleep, hydration, and nutrition — especially protein intake.
  3. Focus on movement quality. Use the lighter intensity to refine your technique and body awareness.
  4. Stay consistent. Skipping deload week entirely can interrupt your rhythm. Think of it as active recovery with intention.

Why It Matters for the Long Game

Training hard is easy. Training smart is what creates longevity.

Every peak requires a valley — and deload weeks are the valley that set you up for your next climb. When done right, you’ll notice you come back stronger, move better, and feel more mentally engaged in the next cycle.

Progress doesn’t happen by pushing harder every week — it happens by knowing when to pull back, reset, and rebuild stronger.