🍂 Week 2 – Iron-Rich Autumn Recipes for Strength & Energy
As fall routines settle in, your strength training shouldn’t be the only thing getting more intentional—your fueling strategy matters just as much.
In this week’s Season of Strength series, we’re focusing on iron-rich meals, training intensity, and tuning in to your internal energy gauge.
🏋️♀️ MOVE: Focus on Intensity, Not Just Volume
When people think about building strength, they often think “do more.” More sets, more reps, more exercises. But if your goal is to get stronger, the key isn’t more — it’s better.
Start by anchoring your workout with a main lift: think squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, or pull-ups. Work this lift in the 3–5 rep range at an RPE of 7 (or 3 RIR — reps in reserve). That means it should feel challenging, but you still have 2–3 solid reps left in the tank.
Then move into your accessory work in the 8–12 rep range. These movements support your main lifts, but don’t need to be pushed to failure. Use them to reinforce good movement patterns, stabilize joints, and challenge underused muscles.
📌 Pro tip: Rest longer (2–3 min) between heavy main lift sets. For accessories, 60–90 sec is plenty.
🍽️ FUEL: Build Your Bowl Around Iron
Iron is one of the most underrated strength-supporting nutrients. It helps deliver oxygen to your muscles during training, and low levels can lead to fatigue, poor recovery, and even shortness of breath during workouts.
There are two forms of iron:
Heme iron (from animal sources): more easily absorbed by the body
Non-heme iron (from plant sources): less readily absorbed, but still valuable
To maximize absorption, pair iron-rich foods with vitamin C (like citrus, tomatoes, or bell peppers). And skip coffee or tea within 60–90 minutes of your meal—they contain compounds that block iron absorption.
🥗 Iron-Rich Autumn Bowl (serves 2)
1 cup cooked quinoa or farro
6–8 oz seared skirt steak or roasted dark-meat chicken
1 cup roasted squash
1 cup roasted beets
2 cups wilted kale
2 tbsp feta cheese
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Dressing:
Whisk together juice of ½ orange, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp olive oil, pinch of salt + pepper.
👩🍳 Prep tip: Roast the squash and beets in bulk for easy lunch assembly throughout the week.
🧠 MIND: Use Your Energy as a Feedback Loop
Instead of relying on a wearable or a color-coded ring to tell you how you're doing, take a breath and simply observe yourself this week.
Do you get an energy dip after lunch?
Are your workouts leaving you feeling stronger—or drained?
Is your breathing a bit heavier during simple tasks?
These subtle signals are your body’s way of telling you what it needs. Use them as data. If you’re low on energy, revisit your iron intake. If you’re feeling strong, notice what helped get you there.
“Food is fuel—but it’s also feedback.”
🍁 This Week’s Strength Challenge:
Build your own iron-rich bowl.
Use the recipe above or create your own with these three steps:
Choose a heme iron source (dark poultry, beef, lamb, bison)
Add a vitamin C pairing
Skip tea/coffee for 90 minutes after
Then hit reply to your newsletter or DM me @thevitalitymethod — I want to see your bowl and hear how you feel!