A blog to help you optimize your full-body and life performance

It seems like phrases like "stay hydrated" and "drink plenty of water" are some of the lowest-hanging fruit when it comes to health and wellness advice. But what does that really mean? What qualifies as "plenty?" And how can we make sure that we are, in fact, hydrated?

Spring is here, and that means race season is in full swing; after months of enduring winter training, it's finally time to put your hard work to the test! Whether you're looking for a better result the next time you toe the line, an edge over the competition, or even a shiny new PR, your biomarkers can make all the difference. Here's how some of the key markers we test can help you have your healthiest and strongest race season yet.

Summer is right around the corner meaning warmer days and more training miles logged outdoors in the sunshine. Whether you love or hate training and racing in the heat, grabbing sports drinks to rehydrate and replenish is a must. As more people choose to add endurance racing to their list of hobbies, sports nutrition research has continued to grow. With more options on the market today it can feel overwhelming to figure out which sports drink is right for you and when you should be adding it into your training plan. Here we'll guide you on what to look for in a sports drink and when you'll see the benefits in your training and recovery.

Humans are diurnal animals, meaning we work during the day, and sleep and restore (both physically and mentally) at night. But things like technology, long work days, and even light bulbs have drastically expanded what we consider ‘waking hours’ compared to those of our evolutionary ancestors. For most of history, when the sun went down, our bodies knew it was time for bed. But now, most of us couldn't possibly imagine sacrificing those extra few hours between sunset and bedtime!

So if we're not relying on light as a cue for day and night, what do we use? Well, the overwhelming answer is food! The first bite or sip of anything other than water in the morning kicks your metabolism into gear for the day ahead. But recent research shows that hacking this system by limiting how often we eat can improve multiple different facets of health. Here's how to biohack your body clock.

It’s that time of the year again; the days are shorter, colder, and while many athletes may welcome the time of rest, others struggle without their regular training routine. Most athletes ‘off-season’ time settles in and while you may miss working toward that athletic goal during this time, let us help you make the most of the off season to set yourself up for an even better year of racing in the new year!

At InsideTracker we believe that eating is training. Eating is not only critical for workout fueling, but also for post endurance training recovery. Beyond what our biomarkers tell us, we recognize that it is important to eat to support training sessions and the recovery process in between.

This brings us to one of the most frequently asked questions sports dietitians hear, especially from those in the endurance sports world: "What should I be eating before and after my workouts?"

Weekend warriors of the endurance sports world: those who take on epic mental and physical challenges while holding down demanding jobs, raising families, and crushing all other aspects of daily life. Scrolling through social media it's not unusual to wonder how they do it but more importantly, how they do it while maintaining a healthy balance of family, work, and play. We caught up with some of these all-around rockstars to get some tips, tricks, and other pieces of advice for those looking to take on big goals and challenges in their free time.

Known to be one of the most grueling tests of endurance and the oldest 100-mile trail race in the world, the historical Western States 100 is set on technical trails and terrain from Squaw Valley to Auburn, California. As the countdown to race day continues, we had the opportunity to chat with a few athletes about how they’ve used InsideTracker to help get them to the start line prepared to tackle 18,000 feet of ascent and 23,000 feet of descent over 100.2 miles... all in (mostly) one day.

Growing older is often met with acceptance, however, what if we took aging as an opportunity to continue to create our best self? In a fast-paced world, we tend to overlook the small things that will have a significant impact on our future self, especially when it comes to our health and wellness.

I sat down with someone who not only always seems to juggle what life throws at her, but surpasses her expectations. Meet my mom, Lisa Beaser, who has been using InsideTracker to help improve her training and to optimize her overall health.