Last updated: 12 – 2 – 2026
Thegains101.com is committed to publishing content that is accurate, trustworthy, and genuinely useful. This Editorial Policy explains how recipes are developed and tested, how nutrition information is calculated, how we handle sponsored content and affiliate relationships, and what standards every piece of content on this site must meet before it goes live.
If you ever have a question about how a specific piece of content was created, you can reach us through the contact page.
Who Creates the Content
Every recipe on Thegains101.com is developed, tested, and written by Daisy Hartmann, RDN. Daisy holds a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Ohio State University, a Culinary Arts Certificate from Austin Community College, and is a credentialed Registered Dietitian Nutritionist through the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
Supporting content, including nutrition guides, protein resources, and educational articles, is researched and written by Daisy or reviewed by her before publication. No content goes live on this site without her direct involvement and approval.
Thegains101 currently works with a small team that includes a food photography assistant and a content editor. Team members support the production process but do not independently publish content. The voice, nutrition guidance, and editorial judgment on this site are always Daisy’s.
How Recipes Are Developed
The Development Process
Every recipe published on Thegains101.com goes through a structured development process before it earns a place on the site.
It starts with an idea rooted in a real need: a gap in the high-protein recipe space, a reader request, a client question, or a cooking problem worth solving. From there, Daisy drafts an initial version based on flavor principles, protein targets, and ingredient accessibility.
The recipe is then cooked in full, at least twice, before any writing begins. Most recipes go through three or more test rounds. Notes are taken on each attempt: what worked, what failed, what changed between versions. The final published recipe is the version that consistently produced the best result.
The Tuesday Night Test
Every recipe must pass what Daisy calls the Tuesday Night Test: would a real person actually make this on a weeknight, after a long day, with limited time and no specialty ingredients? If the answer is no, the recipe does not publish in its current form.
This test shapes ingredient selection (everything must be available at a standard grocery store), cook time (weeknight recipes must be achievable in 45 minutes or less), and complexity (no steps that require professional equipment or technique unless clearly labeled).
Photography
All food photography on Thegains101.com is original. We do not use stock photography. Photos are taken by Daisy or under her direct supervision in her dedicated studio kitchen in South Austin. Images are edited using custom Lightroom presets to ensure consistency in warmth, brightness, and color across the site. No filters or editing techniques are used that misrepresent the appearance of the finished dish.
How Nutrition Information Is Calculated
Our Method
Nutrition information for every recipe on Thegains101.com is calculated using Cronometer, a professional-grade nutrition tracking tool. Values are entered ingredient by ingredient based on the exact quantities used in the recipe, then divided by the number of servings.
Daisy manually reviews all nutrition outputs before they are published. If a value looks off, she recalculates from scratch.
What the Numbers Represent
The nutrition figures on this site are estimates. They reflect the ingredients and quantities listed in the recipe as written. Actual values may vary depending on the specific brands you use, how you measure ingredients, natural variation in whole foods, and any substitutions you make.
Nutrition information is provided as a helpful reference, not as a clinical prescription. If you are managing a medical condition that requires precise nutrition tracking, please work with a registered dietitian who can provide individualized guidance.
Optional Ingredients
Nutrition estimates do not include optional ingredients, garnishes, or serving suggestions listed separately in the recipe. When a recipe offers multiple variations, the nutrition information reflects the base version as written.
Our Standards for Nutrition Claims
Evidence-Based Only
Any specific nutrition claim made on this site, such as statements about the role of protein in satiety, muscle protein synthesis, or weight management, must be supported by published peer-reviewed research. We link to source studies directly within the content so you can review the evidence yourself.
We do not make claims based on trends, popular opinion, or marketing language. If the science on a topic is mixed or evolving, we say so clearly.
Scope of Practice
Daisy Hartmann operates within the established scope of practice for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists as defined by the Commission on Dietetic Registration and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Content on this site does not constitute medical advice or individualized clinical nutrition counseling.
Where content touches on topics that warrant professional guidance (such as nutrition during pregnancy, eating disorder recovery, or disease-specific dietary management), we say so explicitly and encourage readers to consult a qualified healthcare provider.
Language We Do Not Use
Thegains101.com does not use diet culture language. You will not find the words “guilt-free,” “clean,” “detox,” “cheat meal,” “slimming,” or “sinful” anywhere on this site. We do not use before-and-after framing, body shaming language, or content that frames any food as morally loaded.
Macros are information, not a moral grade. We present them clearly and let you decide what to do with them.
How We Handle Updates and Corrections
Recipe Updates
Recipes on Thegains101.com are reviewed periodically and updated when we find a way to improve the result, when an ingredient becomes difficult to source, or when reader feedback reveals a consistent issue. When a recipe is updated, the date at the top of the post is revised to reflect the most recent version.
Nutrition Updates
If a nutrition calculation is found to be materially inaccurate, we correct it promptly and note the correction at the bottom of the post. We do not quietly edit nutrition figures without disclosure.
Factual Corrections
If a factual error is identified in any piece of content on this site, we correct it as quickly as possible and note that a correction was made. We take accuracy seriously and do not remove or hide corrections.
Affiliate Links and Sponsored Content
Affiliate Links
Thegains101.com participates in affiliate programs including Amazon Associates, ShareASale, Impact, Thrive Market, Cronometer, and RxBar. When you purchase through an affiliate link on this site, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Affiliate links are disclosed in the introduction of every post that contains them and in the site footer. We only recommend products that Daisy personally uses in her own kitchen or has evaluated and found genuinely useful. Affiliate relationships do not influence which products we recommend or how we write about them.
Sponsored Content
This site occasionally publishes content in partnership with brands. All sponsored content is clearly labeled at the top of the post. Sponsored posts must meet the same editorial standards as all other content on this site: the recipe must be genuinely good, the nutrition information must be accurate, and the content must provide real value to the reader.
Daisy does not accept partnerships with brands whose products she would not personally use or recommend. Brand partners do not have editorial control over how their products are described or presented. Final editorial decisions are always Daisy’s.
What Sponsorship Does Not Affect
Sponsored relationships do not influence recipe development, nutrition guidance, product rankings in roundup posts, or any other editorial content on this site. If a sponsored product is compared to alternatives in a roundup or guide, it is evaluated on the same criteria as every other product.
Internal Linking and SEO
Thegains101.com uses internal links to help readers find related content and to help search engines understand the structure of the site. Internal links are chosen based on relevance to the reader, not for SEO manipulation. We do not participate in link schemes, paid link placements, or any practice that violates Google’s webmaster guidelines.
All SEO optimization on this site is focused on making high-quality content easier to find for people who are genuinely looking for it.
Reader Submissions and Testimonials
Reader success stories and testimonials published on this site are shared with the explicit permission of the reader. We do not edit testimonials to misrepresent the reader’s experience. Individual results will vary, and testimonials are not intended to imply that every reader will achieve the same outcome.
Contacting Us About This Policy
If you have a question about how a specific piece of content was created, if you believe you have found a factual error, or if you have a concern about any content on this site, please contact us through the contact page at Thegains101.com. We take all feedback seriously and will respond within 3 to 5 business days.
Thegains101.com Operated by Daisy Hartmann, RDN Austin, Texas, USA