Redefining Strength Fitness Hacks

As much as we can become scale obsessed, wanting to see that number go down, what we TRULY want is fat loss.I mean would you honestly care what that scale said if you loved how your arms looked in that tank top or fit back into your “skinny jeans?”NOPE! You wouldn’t.And I can tell you from personal experience, fat loss doesn’t always mean losing weight on that scale. It can actually mean your weight doesn’t change at all as you lose fat but gain and retain lean muscle.So in the end?You look leaner but you haven’t lost any weight.I mention all of this because I think so often we strive for faster results on the scale or greater weight loss and ultimately hold ourselves back from true body recomposition.We do these extremes that don’t help us retain lean muscle and even cause us to lose it. And then after maybe seeing some fast weight loss results from extreme deprivation that depletes our muscles of glycogen, causes us to lose water weight and maybe some fat but also muscle, we just end up regaining the weight

Results Aren't Happening Fast Enough! HELP!I don’t care who you are or how much you know…Results never happen fast enough.And the even worse part?Often not only do results not happen fast enough but progress is NEVER linear.I bring this up because I know we are all guilty of wanting more.Of considering going to more extremes or doing more to try to get things to happen faster.Or on the flip side…of getting so frustrated we give up.Which really if you think about it is super stupid considering giving up for sure isn’t going to get us results faster.But well, it’s still tempting none the less out of frustration.Honestly, often really the issue is we simply haven’t given our results enough time to build.While I know we become afraid that we’re repeating the same thing hoping for a different result, or sticking with something that won’t work?Often it’s really just that we haven’t done it long enough. We can’t out exercise or out diet time.So what can you do to help yourself trust the process a bit more? Be w

The easiest path, the intuitive path and the RIGHT path? Aren’t usually one in the same.I shared this story in this video I did for my one on one coaching clients and I thought it was so relevant after seeing some comments in my Facebook group over the weekend, I wanted to share it with all of you…You know those bug zappers…You’d be sitting out there and just hear pop! Pop! Bug after bug would fly into them even though they saw their friend bugs dying. Why did they keep flying into the zappers even though they knew it would lead to their demise?!Well…the obvious answer is…because they’re dumb bugs. But honestly, if you look at how we often approach change? Our instincts really aren’t any different than those silly bugs. We too do things we know we shouldn’t because they are INSTINCTUAL….and…well…EASY! We take the path of least resistance even when we have evidence it isn’t good for us. Our instincts don’t always guide us toward the best outcomes. As one of my clients told me one day, “My instinct is to eat ic

EVERYONE has doubts, fears, times of insecurity. We all need reassurance at points. Feel down about our progress. We all have a better and worse.I know it can seem like someone else has all of the answers, never has a moment’s doubt about themselves. But I’m sorry.We’re human.Pobody’s Nerfect.I was musing over this the other day when one of my coaching clients was talking about feeling down about her recent progress. Talking about how she still sees the areas she really wants to change.And I said I totally get it.Cause we were on a zoom call I could see her fascial expression of, “Uh huh.”You will always want to improve something. It’s human nature.Even if you reach the goal you think will make all the difference, even if you really like your results, you’re still going to have better and worse days. You’re still going to have times you wish you could change or improve something.You’re still emotionally human and have those insecurities.Being happy all of the time. Feeling perfect? It just doesn’t exist.I mea

Movement is medicine.Now I’m not saying that if you have an injury to just keep pushing through, but too often we simply do NOTHING.Then after some time off, we jump right back into what we were doing and wonder why we end up injured again. Why nothing changed.And it’s because we never addressed what lead to the injury in the first place. We never addressed postural distortions, compensations and imbalances that lead to overload. We never addressed the mobility restrictions and muscle weakness.If we want to move and feel better? We need to train our bodies to know how to move well. And that means returning to basics and focusing on that prehab work.If we want to see a change? We have to make a change.And simply resting changes nothing.So if you’re injured what can you do to help prevent future issues and even get to still train?Address the rehab work you need. Seeing someone is good if this isn’t just a minor ache or pain. But even with those, you need to include the proper prehab work. Like if your wrists hu

While we want to work toward a new and improved version of ourselves, we have to remember…IT’S STILL US.Same flaws. Same struggles. Same reactions to things like restriction.So we need to remember who and want we are to address our needs and goals as we work to create changes. We can’t go in thinking all of the sudden everything is just going to change because it is a new year.I actually think this is often why our resolutions fail.We aren’t basing how we do things off our “old” self.So I wanted to share some tips to help you create a realistic program for yourself to start moving forward toward that new and improved you.1. Assess thy self. Are you really an all or nothing person or does the slightest sign of restriction send you running for that food you now can’t have. If you KNOW YOURSELF, you can design a plan around this. You may be that person that cuts out everything at once. Or you may be that person that needs to make changes slowly. Don’t force a plan that doesn’t fit who you are.2. Celebrate habit

This year was definitely….interesting. And there is a lot we can learn from the challenges to help us move forward and get even better results in 2021!Here are some key takeaways and tips to help you rock your goals and learn from the past.You can’t control what you can’t controlSomething is better than nothingDon’t delay, start today! There will be ups and downs, but our goal is to make the lows less low.Don’t try to go it alone.What are the biggest lessons you learned in 2020? Comment below!The video version of this episode is live on youtube!

With any goal comes sacrifice.Plain and simple.And the more "elite" the level you want to reach? The more sacrifices you'll probably have to make.Especially if you want results faster.While of course we can't out work time to some extent, the more we want results...well...now...the more sacrifices we will have to make.Versus the longer we are willing to commit to the process?Well the less "perfect" you often need to be because you are willing to be in it for the long haul.And consistency goes a long way when we give it time.However, while we may not have to be as "perfect," we then do need to sacrifice more "time."There is always a "catch." ;-)But, anyway, I bring this up because I think too often we set ourselves up for failure when it comes to reaching our goals because we aren't willing to endure the sacrifices.We don't face them before getting started.Instead we look for a magic pill. A quick and easy fix.And the second we hit that diff

"I'm too old."I call BS on this. Do our goals change?Yup.Does our body change?Yup.But so much of what we state that we are too old for, we actually need to be doing more of.We also have to remember that fitness is always about ability.Our needs and goals do change. And they always will over time, But more importantly, we have to recognize that lifestyle factors add up. And the longer we ignore them the more they can build up to create overload.And that is the real issue.Not our age.Those lifestyle factors, and how we address them, may make us feel old at 25. Or not old at 105.Think of your body like a plate.There may be no cracks in the plate to start. But through a lack of attention to proper movements, or prehab….and constantly sitting hunched over textbooks and at computers….well…we start to build cracks in that plate.But as we are creating cracks in this plate, we’re also stacking more and more stuff on it.We’re training harder without warming up. We’re not sleeping well. We’re drinking. Ea

Change requires change no matter how you look at itAnd often the changes we need the most?Well they're uncomfortable.Changes that make us uncomfortable don't feel sustainable. They feel so against everything we've been doing we find excuses not to make them.We even find ways to try to VALIDATE not doing them.We waste time putting up more mental barriers against the changes instead of just trying them, truly testing the changes by committing to them 100%, and seeing it as an experiment to gain a better understanding of our body.Often those uncomfortable changes are necessary to achieve a new and better result.Often those changes we least want to make, are the ones we need the most.And once we actually mentally GET ON BOARD with the changes? Once we stop trying to find reasons NOT to do it?Well we realize it isn't actually that hard after all.That NEW becomes habit.And amazingly sometimes we even think after awhile, "How was I not doing this before?!It is in our nature not to want to ch

Something is better than nothing and often it is the habits we still want to be consistent with.But also recognizing at times you need even just a MENTAL break can be key.You have 300 other days of the year to dial things in. Focus on your consistency around the holidays.Go in with a plan. How are you going to get back to it after? Meal prep before? Have healthy options on hand?Stay active! It may not be your usual workouts but find ways to stay active.The video version of this episode is live on youtube!

Every move is an assessmentWe constantly need to assess and reassess what we feel working and how we are moving.Because things add up from our daily postures and new injuries impact things.Even different variations included in a new progression can fatigue and affect things.That’s why I utilize these 4 techniques to help me get more out of my training and use each move as a chance to assess and learn.Use video.Use both internal and external feedback.Change your prehabAdjust your exercise variations.The video version of this episode is live on youtube!

Progress…we have this vision of this straight line forward.When in reality it’s this super curvy all over the place line that eventually moves “forward.”And we all “know” progress is never linear.Yet we all too often expect it to be.We get upset at even the slightest set back or plateau.We get upset at maintaining the amazing results we’ve already made.And when we get frustrated?We don’t keep moving forward. Nope we do things that are SURE to set us back.And I think part of this comes from how we even measure progress.We measure it only in terms of our overall, ultimate goal.And we never take that step back each week to reflect.It’s why I like to do weekly goal check ins with my one on one clients.What did we do well this week? YUP! Recognizing the sometimes even super small habit changes that happened.Because that consistency is PROGRESS.What maybe didn’t you do well this week?Because guess what?Recognizing those mistakes or slight deviations? Well that self-awareness we can gain from that is progress.And al

With the holidays approaching, I begin to hear, the excuses as to why this isn’t the right time to start the program.Well guess what?Because of all of those exact same reasons, because it is the holiday season, it is EXACTLY the reason to start something. We can’t just keep saying “I’ll start tomorrow!”I actually mentioned the term I use to describe our behavior during the holidays when it comes to fitness in an email the other day as WINDOW SHOPPING.We make the excuse that it isn’t the right time.But no time is the right time.And what ends up happening when we have that perspective is we dig ourselves a hole we then have to climb out of.At some point what we just have to decide is that TODAY IS THE DAY.So what can we do to get started when it’s not the right time instead of saying I’ll start tomorrow?Be realistic.Focus on maintaining.See it as a time to experiment.Downshift your habits - if you usually track, try being less rigid with it. Try working in holiday treats. Focus less on quality and more on consi

I get asked all of the timing about what meal timing is best.Should I fast?Do I need to eat 6 small meals a day?Do I need to eat before I workout?What’s key to eat post workout?When is too late to eat?There are so many concerns around meal timing, that I wanted to address 4 of the most common myths I hear…Eating late at night leads to weight gain.If you eat too much protein at one meal you won’t use it.You need to eat X amount of meals to see results.You need to eat pre-workout.The video version of this episode is live on youtube!

Whether we succeed or we fail, ultimately?Well ultimately we are to blame.However, it isn’t easy to accept that we are at fault.It’s way easier to blame outside factors…We didn’t have enough time.The plan was flawed.Work or life obligations got in the way.But guess what?It’s still your fault no matter how “real” or valid the excuses are.And that should actually be a positive thing if we truly want to make a change.Because it then means that ultimately YOU are in CONTROL.When we blame outside forces, we give them the power.We give them power, because we don’t want to be at fault.It sucks admitting you failed.It’s hard to realize we sucked at something. Or didn’t stick to the plan.It’s suck to admit we have a weakness.But when you admit it’s your own flaw?You also gain control of your future.You then have the power to CHANGE your situation.That control, and the acceptance of your failures, is what ultimately leads to your success.Those that succeed honestly often don’t really have a better plan. They didn’t hav

When we’re first starting out with a new training routine, first getting into exercise or even starting out after injury, it can be so hard to know exactly where to start and how hard to push.We often also are super motivated and end up pushing too hard too fast.We have to remember that the most important key to getting started and truly creating a routine is CONSISTENCY.And that means building a strong foundation and focusing on sustainable habits we can repeat week after week!That’s why I want to share these 3 common training mistakes I see when someone is first starting out and what you can do to avoid them!The video version of this episode is live on youtube!

3 Secrets I’ve Learned That Make The DifferenceYour Pain Tolerance will dictate how far you can go.When you want to stop? You need to KEEP GOING.You are selling yourself short if you pride yourself on being a lone wolf. The video version of this episode is live on youtube!

Dooming yourself with doubt.We question the change and try to pick apart the ways it won’t work because….let’s face it…we’re scared and it’s a change.But when you start to instill doubt before you’ve even tested something?Well you’re dooming yourself to fail.Because so much of our success is because of our MINDSET. Our willingness to trust the process.Our willingness to try.And when we doubt something? We doom it because our mindset won’t support the change. Here are some tips to help you avoid dooming yourself to fail by doubting…Learn the WHY behind the programming. Often when we see the reasons WHY something is being implemented, we are willing to give it a shot. So if there are workout designs or moves you are “afraid of?” Learn why they are being used. Often that reasoning and seeing the purpose can help us trust to test them out even when things feel strange.Set a plan in place with an end date. I think often when we give ourselves an end date to reassess, we are more willing to give something a 100% ef

I think we’ve all been guilty of this - getting close to our goals, wanting to celebrate, see how far we can push things.Heck sometimes we are just tired of being diligent. We only have a set amount of willpower and self control.So even if we’ve enjoyed something, it doesn’t mean at times we don’t want to “buck” the system. Sleep in late. Skip the workout. Not track our food.So what do you do when you’re finding that you’re SOOOO close to your goal yet oddly wanting to sabotage your own results by doing things you know you…well…shouldn’t?!Here are a few tips to help you through the self sabotage.Realize it happens. We are only human. We do have other stressors. There will be ups and downs. And at those times, recognize that even if we are close, sometimes we do need a break. Do a de-load workout week. Set a diet break. Do a calculated “rest” period to reset physically and mentally.Assess what triggers you to plan better even for the future when it happens. Is it that you start to feel restricted? Is it that y