H2F, the Army's Holistic Health and Fitness System, treats soldier readiness as five linked domains: physical, nutritional, mental, spiritual and sleep readiness. Its doctrine is Field Manual 7-22, published on October 1, 2020. The nutrition domain asks soldiers to build a healthy everyday eating pattern first, then fuel and recover around training and missions. A Mediterranean-style plate fits that guidance closely.
What is H2F in the Army?
H2F was written into FM 7-22 in October 2020. The Army described it as "the framework to encompass all aspects of human performance." It also folded older campaigns such as the Performance Triad and Go for Green into one system (Army.mil, 2020).
FM 7-22 says that for most of its history the Army used "an industrial-scale approach" to train its formations. H2F shifts the focus to the individual soldier (FM 7-22, 2020). Its stated goal is soldier readiness, met "when training in the five domains of H2F is optimized."
What are the five domains of H2F?
FM 7-22 chapter 3 defines each domain. The wording below is condensed from the manual.
| Domain | How FM 7-22 defines it |
|---|---|
| Physical readiness | The ability to meet the physical demands of any duty or combat position, move lethally, accomplish the mission and come home healthy. |
| Nutritional readiness | The ability to recognize, select and consume the food and drink needed for the physical and nonphysical demands of any position. |
| Mental readiness | The ability to meet mental demands and adapt successfully in the presence of extreme risk and adversity. |
| Spiritual readiness | The ability to maintain the beliefs, principles and values that support a person in times of stress, hardship and tragedy. |
| Sleep readiness | The ability to recognize and use the sleep principles and behaviors that support optimal brain function. |
The manual stresses that the domains overlap. Nutritional readiness "intertwines with the other readiness domains," supporting and supported by physical, mental, spiritual and sleep readiness.
What does the H2F nutrition domain say?
FM 7-22 chapter 8 frames Army nutrition in three parts:
- Proactive (foundational) nutrition. The everyday diet, aimed at baseline health and immune function.
- Active (operational) nutrition. Fueling before, during and after training, missions and harsh environments.
- Reactive (therapeutic) nutrition. Diet as part of treatment and rehabilitation after illness or injury.
The foundation comes first. The manual says soldiers can benefit by eating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, dairy and fish. It advises less processed grains, added sugars and processed meats. It bases the soldier's baseline eating pattern on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Key daily limits in FM 7-22:
- Added sugars under 10% of daily calories
- Saturated fat under 10% of daily calories
- Sodium under 2,300 mg per day
- If drinking alcohol, up to one drink a day for women and two for men
On fats, the manual favors "oils high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats." It names olive oil among common plant oils. It notes that coconut, palm and palm kernel oils are excluded from the oils group because they are higher in saturated fat.
What does H2F say about fueling for training?
The active-nutrition guidance in FM 7-22 is specific:
| Timing | FM 7-22 guidance |
|---|---|
| 1–4 hours before | A meal with 1–4 g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight |
| Early morning, no time for a meal | About 30 g of easily digested carbohydrate one hour before, such as a banana |
| During exercise over 60 minutes | Carbohydrate to maintain blood glucose; 30–60 g per hour for 1–2.5 hours of work |
| Within 30–60 minutes after | 50–100 g of carbohydrate plus 15–25 g of high-quality protein |
| Building lean mass | 1.2–2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight per day |
Hydration matters too. FM 7-22 notes that losing less than 1% of body weight in fluid can slightly impair thinking. A 2% loss affects mental function, mood and energy more severely. It also says soldiers should practice nutrient timing in training, not try something new right before an ACFT.
Who delivers H2F nutrition support?
H2F Performance Teams are embedded in brigades. They include physical therapists, strength coaches, cognitive performance specialists, occupational therapists, registered dietitians and athletic trainers. H2F Area Support Teams cover smaller or dispersed units without their own team.
An August 2026 Army update reported 49 Performance Teams and one Area Support Team fielded from FY21 to FY24. None were fielded in FY25 because of a civilian hiring freeze. Including FY25–26 fielding, it counted 90 Performance Teams and two Area Support Teams fielded or in process (Army.mil, 2026). If your unit has a dietitian, that is the person to see for an individual plan.
How can a soldier apply Mediterranean-style eating within H2F?
A Mediterranean-style pattern is built on vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, fish, nuts and olive oil. It goes light on processed meat and added sugar. That lines up with nearly every point in the FM 7-22 foundation.
| FM 7-22 guidance | Mediterranean-style way to do it |
|---|---|
| Oils high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats | Use extra virgin olive oil as the main cooking and dressing fat |
| At least 8 oz of seafood per week | Fish twice a week, such as baked fish with lemon and olive oil |
| Vegetables from all subgroups, including legumes | Bean, lentil or chickpea dishes several times a week |
| Half of grains whole | Whole-grain bread, bulgur, brown rice or oats |
| Nuts in small portions, replacing other protein | A small handful of unsalted nuts instead of jerky or chips |
| Limit processed meats | Choose fresh chicken, fish or eggs over hot dogs, salami and bacon |
| Half the plate fruit and vegetables | A large salad or cooked greens at most meals |
The research behind this pattern is strong, though not in soldiers. In the PREDIMED trial, 7,447 Spanish adults aged 55 to 80 at high cardiovascular risk were assigned to one of three diets. People assigned to a Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil had fewer major cardiovascular events than the reduced-fat control group: 3.8% versus 4.4% (Estruch, 2018).
A closer match to tactical work comes from 780 career firefighters in the US Midwest. Those whose diets were closer to a Mediterranean pattern had lower odds of recent weight gain and of metabolic syndrome components (Yang, 2014). That study was cross-sectional, so it shows an association only.
Practical starting points for barracks or home:
- Keep a bottle of extra virgin olive oil and canned beans on hand. Both last.
- Batch-cook a grain, a bean dish and a tray of roasted vegetables on the weekend.
- Use a simple sauce like ladolemono to make fish or chicken easy.
- Pack a chicken pasta salad for long training days.
For more on the pattern itself, read the Mediterranean diet and olive oil. For the wider tactical picture, see nutrition for tactical athletes.
What does H2F say about supplements?
FM 7-22 warns that supplements "target our human desire for health and performance shortcuts." It names dietitians, sports dietetics specialists, healthcare providers and pharmacists as the best sources of advice. It directs soldiers to Operation Supplement Safety (opss.org) and to look for third-party certification seals. Food remains the foundation of the nutrition domain.
The EU allows one health claim for olive oil polyphenols: they contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. The effect is obtained with a daily intake of 20 g of olive oil containing at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives. Pomoni's Greek early-harvest olive oil measured 635 mg/kg total polyphenols by HPLC.
Sources
- Headquarters, Department of the Army. FM 7-22, Holistic Health and Fitness. October 1, 2020. PDF (also on armypubs.army.mil)
- U.S. Army. Holistic health added to Army fitness doctrine. Army.mil. September 30, 2020. army.mil
- McCraney M. H2F System Update (Organization): Manning H2F for the Total Force. Army.mil. August 24, 2026. army.mil
- Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvadó J, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts. New England Journal of Medicine. 2018;378(25):e34. doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1800389
- Yang J, Farioli A, Korre M, Kales SN. Modified Mediterranean diet score and cardiovascular risk in a North American working population. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(2):e87539. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0087539
- European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims. 2012. eur-lex.europa.eu
