TAKE ACTION
a
M
TAKE ACTION
Creatine Benefits and Side Effects (+7 High Creatine Foods)

Creatine Benefits and Side Effects (+7 High Creatine Foods)

by | Sep 14, 2025 | Blog, Diet

Creatine is trendy right now and not without good reason.

Research has shown some amazing benefits to help us feel our most fabulous both physically and mentally as we get older.

And while getting a creatine supplement may be an easy way to boost your creatine intake, you first want to prioritize natural sources of creatine as they contain other amazing micronutrient benefits not to mention often help us also boost our protein intake.

WIN WIN WIN!

That’s why in this video I want to touch on some of the benefits of creatine and help you determine if it may be right for you as well as touch on 7 amazing natural sources to boost your creatine intake!

But first a question I often get asked…Will creatine make me bulky?

The short answer is NO.

I know when many of us hear “creatine” we think about gaining muscle and body building.

But creatine’s benefits go far beyond gaining muscle.

And too often creatine isn’t prioritized by the populations that need it the most.

Women especially can fear it will make them bulky and they may be the ones that can reap the most benefit, especially as they get older.

So while I will touch on why we can see the scale go up with creatine, it will not turn you into the hulk.

And because of creatine’s popularity, it’s been studied extensively and is one of the more researched supplements out there.

So the good part is quality creatine is safe for use by just about everyone.

Now what is creatine?

Creatine is a mixture of 3 important amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine and does exist naturally within our bodies.

The supplement is often a flavorless powder that you mix with water.

Creatine can also be consumed in our diet through high protein animal-based foods such as red meat, chicken and fish.

So if you’re a plant-based eater, you may consider a supplement.

I’ll go over not only 7 high creatine foods shortly but also touch on how to properly supplement.

But before that, why would you consider focusing on increasing your creatine?

What are the benefits of focusing on creatine?

While it has been proven to help with gaining muscle and boosting performance, there are lots of health benefits that aren’t as frequently discussed by the “bros” in the gym.

Creatine can help:

  • Increase strength and power
  • Increase work capacity
  • Help improve body composition (lower body fat)
  • Reduce the amount of muscle mass lost as we get older
  • Reduce bone loss significantly
  • Improve signs of depression
  • Reduce fatigue
  • Improve metabolic health
  • Improved brain functioning

To dive into each of these benefits a bit more…

Creatine can improve strength and power because it serves as an energy reserve for the body during short, intense bouts of exercise.

It literally increases energy levels in your muscles by increasing phosphocreatine, which leads to an increase in ATP production.

And ATP is the energy supply you need to work harder and increase your strength and power output.

It can also increase your work capacity, which means you can get more work done in less time to get more out of your workouts (and maybe even not have them feel as hard)!

Because your power and strength and work capacity see improvements with creatine, you can train harder to see greater muscle gains and therefore better body composition changes.

One study found an extra 2-4 pounds of muscle gained during 4-12 weeks of training.

And interestingly too, men tend to see bigger increases in lean body weight gains while women don’t see a statistically significant weight gain.

Actually women may see more body fat LOST from creatine supplementation.

So that fear ladies that creatine may make you bulky!?…well it may actually do the opposite!

Because creatine can improve muscle growth and strength, it also helps us retain lean muscle as we get older AND stay stronger.

This muscle retention due to creatine supplementation may also be why it can help prevent bone loss as we get older.

BUT it is key that the creatine supplementation is combined with weight training if we want to see results.

Creatine can also help lower levels of depression by improving levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.

And for proper brain functioning, creatine supplementation can also be especially valuable for vegans and vegetarians who may not get enough in their diet alone.

Now, I want to hit on some of the potential downsides and why you may see that scale go up when starting creatine to help you determine if focusing on creatine is right for you…

You may see the scale increase when starting creatine because you’ll gain WATER WEIGHT.

This is actually part of the process that HELPS you gain muscle and fuels your workouts.

NOTE I didn’t say you’d gain fat…just weight on the scale…

So if you are going to be bothered by the weight on the scale and fluctuations due to water weight, this supplement may not be right for you.

Another common fear with creatine use is whether or not it will negatively impact the kidneys.

Studies have refuted this although if you do have kidney issues, it may be best to avoid supplementing with creatine.

Same goes for the fear that creatine may cause diarrhea or cramping.

While this is not common, you will just want to watch for stomach issues and watch your water intake. Consider increasing your water intake to 70% of your bodyweight (in pounds) in ounces.

You may also want to avoid a loading period if you do tend to have stomach issues and are sensitive and easily bloat.

This is also why first focusing on these 7 natural creatine sources I’ll go over can be key.

Not to mention if you are focusing on these 7 sources and eating a high protein diet, you may just simply not find it worth the money to supplement further!

It is also very important to note that NOT ALL CREATINE SUPPLEMENTS ARE CREATED EQUAL!

Creatine Monohydrate is the most studied so may be the one to go with.

And watch for any “energy” boosts added to your supplement that could cause issues.

So now the big question…should you focus on boosting your creatine or supplementing with it?

If you are a vegan or vegetarian, I would definitely consider a creatine supplement if gaining muscle is part of your goal and you struggle to increase dietary protein.

Also, if you are training hard but struggling to gain muscle or have found your workouts suffering, maybe even from being in a calorie deficit, creatine supplementation may help.

For older adults looking to prevent muscle loss and stay young and healthy, creatine may be the boost you need as well.

It can also be key for women in perimenopause and menopause looking to improve their mood, alleviate brain fog and even reduce fatigue.

Studies have shown some amazing benefits of creatine for our mental health and cognitive functioning.

If you are looking to lose weight though, I would not necessarily recommend spending money on creatine.

While it can help with fat loss, it won’t make as much of a difference and the “bloat” that can be associated with it may slow the results you see and be discouraging.

So now how can you increase your creatine intake naturally?

Here are 7 foods starting with…

#1: Herring

Herring is one of the richest sources of creatine and a great source of protein and healthy fats.

It also contains vitamin D, selenium and iron.

And it’s rich in vitamin B12 which only enhances the benefits of creatine as it is used in many functions throughout the body, including proper brain function and healthy nerve cell maintenance.

#2: Beef

Red meat is too often demonized and all cuts are not created equal.

While it has gotten a bad reputation because of its saturated fat content, you can get leaner cuts of beef that are a great source of creatine and will help you rock your protein intake.

Beef is also rich in iron, zinc, selenium, b vitamins and phosphorus.

These nutrients help with a range of functions from energy metabolism to protecting and improving mental and thyroid health.

Beef is also rich in taurine, an antioxidant and amino acid that is important for heart and muscle function.

So don’t just write off beef but be conscious of the quality and cut that you consume!

#3: Pork

Often overlooked as an amazing protein source, pork is higher in creatine than even beef.

And like beef, pork is a great way to boost your protein with a variety of cuts to choose from that vary in fat content.

It also contains a range of micronutrients to keep our body healthy.

Unlike red meat, pork is rich in thiamine, a b vitamin that plays an essential role in energy metabolism, nervous system health and even maintaining proper muscle contractions.

#4: Salmon

A health powerhouse, salmon is a great source of creatine and protein and packed with healthy fats.

Salmon is also rich in calcium, potassium and vitamins A and B12.

This micronutrient rich protein and creatine source helps improve our heart health, brain and thyroid function, reduces inflammation and supports healthy bones and joints.

So if you’re considering creatine, before supplementing, make sure to get at least a serving of salmon in your diet every week!

#5: Red Meat

I am listing red meat separately from beef to touch on other amazing red meat sources of creatine such as bison and lamb to name two.

Too often we forget about the options and opportunities in different types of red meat and even seafood.

Including diversity in our diet can help us make sure to get the micronutrients we need while keeping our meals fun and tasty.

If you’re looking for the benefits of beef but with leaner cuts, bison may be a great option.

And if you’re looking to boost your omega-3s while consuming red meat, lamb may be your go-to.

But see opportunity in the options.

#6: Cod

Cod is another great fish source of creatine and protein but a lower fat option than salmon or herring.

It’s also a great source of b vitamins, potassium, selenium, phosphorus and vitamins C, D and E.

So while not the omega-3 packed option of salmon, this fish is micronutrient packed to support healthy aging and make you feel your most fabulous.

#7: Chicken

An amazing protein source that’s so versatile for meal prep, chicken is also a great source of creatine.

While we so often think of chicken, especially chicken breast, just as a lower calorie and lower fat protein option, it is rich in b vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and selenium.

It is also higher in tryptophan which contributes to serotonin and melatonin synthesis in the brain and can improve our mood and sleep!

By including these 7 natural sources, you get not only the benefits of creatine, but also boost your protein intake while getting micronutrients that optimize your health and support creatine’s benefits.

So while you may consider a creatine supplement, especially if you’re plant-based, don’t jump to one first if you aren’t optimizing the consumption of these foods first!

Now if you choose to supplement on top of the 7 natural sources…

You can start taking it with or without a loading phase.

If you choose to do a loading phase, you may choose to supplement with 20 grams of creatine for 5 days or even only 10 grams for 10-14 days, if you find you retain more water, or want to avoid a more sudden increase.

With the loading phase, you may want to break up the doses instead of taking all 20 grams together.

Once the loading phase is done, which is meant to fully saturate the muscles, you can drop to 2-3 grams per day.

Some people will prefer to keep their supplementation at 5 grams per day although that amount is probably not needed if you do consume red meat (actually if you eat red meat regularly, you may find creatine supplementation does little to nothing to benefit you).

Vegetarians who do not get potentially enough dietary creatine, may choose to keep their dose at 5 grams per day.

You can even choose to just supplement at 5 grams for a month and do no loading phase whatsoever.

Remember though if you do choose to use creatine, it isn’t a magic fix if your diet isn’t dialed in.

Track to see how the supplement affects you and adjust your supplementation accordingly!

Are you taking creatine? Do you focus on natural sources or do you supplement?

Dial in your diet to match your workouts and build your leanest, strongest body ever with my Metabolic Shred…

–> LEARN MORE

Why Belly Fat Is the Last to Go (And 3 Signs You’re Losing It)

Why Belly Fat Is the Last to Go (And 3 Signs You’re Losing It)

by | Sep 7, 2025 | Blog, Diet

Feel like you’re seeing some more definition in specific areas…

That you’re even getting leaner and stronger…

But that the fat around your middle just won’t budge no matter what you do?

The sucky truth?

That stubborn belly fat is often the last to go despite it being the first place we want to lose from.

And to finally lose it, we have to be consistent past the point we want to quit.

We have to recognize all the other clues success is leaving us to keep going when it feels like results aren’t building.

That’s why I want to discuss what those clues are so you don’t quit before you finally achieve results and 3 mistakes you may be making to avoid them.

But first, I do want to touch on the 2 reasons why most people don’t lose belly fat….

#1: They quit before results have had time to snowball.

And #2: They get too focused on the scale.

Basically we sabotage our own success with unrealistic expectations and wanting results to happen faster.

And when they don’t happen fast enough, we give up.

Or we then try to do more to out exercise and out diet time, which only backfires.

Trying to rush the process and see the scale change faster leads to us creating unsustainable habits that make us feel like the effort isn’t worth the outcome.

We restrict and starve ourselves. We try to spend more and more time in the gym.

And ultimately we only create habits we not only can’t keep repeating, but that also create hormonal and metabolic changes which fight against our goals even more.

We truly do sabotage ourselves mentally and physically. We are the reason we don’t end up reaching that next level of body recomp.

So instead of trying to do more, instead of trying to work harder, we need to recognize the progress that is happening and embrace that most often we simply need to give our habits more time.

Yup.

We don’t need to make a change or do more. We need to just embrace the journey and keep going.

But this is hard if we are only measuring success in one way.

That’s why I wanted to share these 3 other clues success is leaving you to help you push through that dead zone – that period where it feels like nothing is happening and you want to quit.

These show you that recomp is happening even if we haven’t lost that stubborn belly fat yet and the scale isn’t changing…

CLUE #1: You’re seeing more definition in other areas.

Often the areas we want to lose from most are the last to change.

In the process though, we’re losing fat from areas we don’t care about.

So don’t only focus on the areas you want to change.

Look at your arms, legs, back, chest not just your abs.

Assess the changes you see in these other areas.

Because more definition in these other spots shows you fat is being lost, especially if the scale isn’t changing.

And if you keep going, you’ll finally lose from those stubborn areas.

You even have to recognize that, when you lose from these other areas, areas you care about may look WORSE.

Yup. You heard that right.

You may feel like you look worse in the process of leaning down.

Why?

Because you’ve lost off of areas you don’t care about which can only make the areas you haven’t lost from stand out more to you.

For example, if you’ve lost from your arms and legs while your middle hasn’t changed, you may feel like your belly even looks bigger.

But it’s not.

This is why we can’t only focus on that place we want to see fat loss from.

We need to compare other areas and the changes occurring there.

These all hint that fat loss is happening and will slowly reach the places we want to change if we keep going!

So take progress pictures from multiple angles and measurements of multiple areas of your body to watch trends over time.

CLUE #2: Your clothes fit looser in areas.

Ever feel frustrated the scale isn’t changing only to button those shorts without even realizing how much more easily they buttoned?

Or how they feel that little bit less snug?

That’s recomp happening.

The scale may not change as we’re losing fat and even building muscle.

And so often we can’t see the small changes compounding in the mirror because we look at ourselves every single day.

But overtime, those changes are adding up.

And one day it feels like things just fit differently.

Recognize those changes in how your clothing fits. That is showing you that changes are happening.

Even keep a piece of clothing that’s too tight currently to try on at points and see your progress!

CLUE #3: You’re seeing performance, sleep and health improve.

The more ways we measure success, the more ways we give ourselves to be successful.

Our habit changes for recomp pay off in so many other areas of our life. But too often we gloss over these other changes.

Don’t.

They show that your habits are optimizing how your body functions. And the better your body runs, the healthier your metabolism, the more easily recomp will happen.

So track your performance in the gym.

Watch for changes in your sleep.

Monitor those health markers.

Improvements in these other areas show you that your healthy habit changes are paying off so keep going!

Use them to help you embrace the process and see the momentum building.

Now that you know what clues to watch for, what mistakes might you be making that aren’t allowing true recomp to happen so you can lose that stubborn belly fat?

MISTAKE #1: Only focusing on calories.

Often we focus on eating less when we want to lose weight.

But this is why we lose weight yet never feel like we lose the stubborn belly fat.

It’s also why we end up feeling like we have to starve ourselves to see progress only to end up regaining the weight months later.

It’s why we can feel like our metabolism has slowed down as we’ve gotten older.

So stop focusing just on calories and start to track macros.

Macros matter most.

How we adjust the portions of protein, carbs and fats we consume helps us control more for losing fat while retaining and even building lean muscle.

Adjusting our macros help us truly fuel for metabolic health and to feel and perform our best.

Tracking can also allow us to find our balance so we don’t feel like we’re constantly starving, low energy and deprived of all of the foods we love.

Remember how I mentioned the effort doesn’t feel worth the outcome so we quit?

By tracking macros you can strike your balance and truly understand the impact your food has on your results to adjust and adapt as you progress toward your goals and your lifestyle changes.

This allows us to also find a balance that is sustainable and reduce the effort at points to meet us where we are at.

We aren’t just feeling constantly restricted like foods have to be off limits, making it easier for us to want to keep going!

MISTAKE #2: Focusing on “hard” over being intentional.

Working harder feels good to some extent. It makes us feel like we’re making progress. Like we’re more in control.

But hard work only pays off if it is done with purpose. If every ounce of effort is intentional and focused on our goals.

Yet so often we’re simply working hard and doing more without everything we’re doing having a clear intention to it.

This sabotages us, making us feel like the effort isn’t worth it. Like we don’t have the willpower or self control.

We burn ourselves out with habits we can’t maintain long-term.

And if you want to lose that stubborn belly fat, you’ve got to create habits you can do consistently for…well…ever.

This is a forever process.

That’s why at times less is more.

Yet so often we struggle to back off.

We even celebrate when we’re feeling in pain – eating less, eating cleaner, training longer and harder – while ultimately giving up because we burn out.

STOP the no pain no gain attitude.

Embrace small changes that allow you to keep going. Don’t make yourself hit that wall and want to quit.

Realize that your desire to do more is your desire to try to work time. Which simply won’t happen.

So instead realize that you only want to include things that have a specific purpose. Design everything with intention and focus on your goals.

Don’t include something just because it feels hard or because you want to try to do more and see results faster.

MISTAKE #3: Not having a clear workout progression.

No you can’t out exercise your diet. And trying to will sabotage your success.

But how we design our workouts has a huge impact on the muscle we build and how effectively we lose fat.

Our training also impacts how we need to fuel. And only when systems are dialed in together can we see the best results possible.

Too often we just randomly string together moves to make ourselves feel like we worked hard and this leaves us just feeling sore or tired – not actually moving forward building that lean muscle.

Honestly it can even make our hard work be working against us so that we just burn out.

So create a clear workout plan and schedule.

And then repeat that weekly schedule for 3-6 weeks.

While I know we want to do fun and new things, even things we like, we need that clear weekly schedule we repeat to see progression build and force our muscles to adapt and grow stronger.

Include diversity in your movements, intensity and type of training over the course of the week so you aren’t bored.

But then repeat those same workouts while trying to progress moves week over week in some way.

Add weights. Slow down tempo. Do a harder variation. Push through another rep.

But push yourself to see progress.

Remember everything should have purpose and what gets measured gets managed.

A plan gives us a roadmap to follow and adjust off of if progress isn’t happening.

So remember to watch for the clues success is giving you and give yourself a clear plan to follow so you can be consistent and adjust when you want to quit because results aren’t happening fast enough.

And one last warning and reminder…results toward the exact goal we want will never happen fast enough.

It’s why it is so key we measure progress in multiple ways and have a clear plan in place that we can accurately measure and adjust off of!

Dial in your diet and workouts to work together with a custom plan and support to stay the course through the ups and downs…

–> Learn more about 1:1 Coaching

Train for Muscle Growth (Using The 6-12-25 Protocol)

Train for Muscle Growth (Using The 6-12-25 Protocol)

by | Aug 31, 2025 | Blog, Workouts

Before I go over what this method is, why it works so well for muscle hypertrophy, how to use this workout design, and even share a workout you can try implementing the technique, I do just want to warn you…

It may push your comfort zone in multiple ways.

You can’t fear higher reps and lighter loads. You can’t fear heavier weights and lower reps. You can’t fear isolation moves or adding rest. You can’t fear doing moves back to back. And you can’t just stick with body part workouts…

The magic of this method is in the diversity of training techniques it combines and uses to your advantage!

So what is the 6-12-25 Method?

The 6-12-25 is shorthand for the reps you will perform for three different movements all working the same area of the body.

These 3 moves will go from more compound to more isolating, honing in more and more on a single muscle to really fully fatigue.

The first move should be a super heavy compound lift that you can only do 6 reps for.

The second move should be another compound, but more accessory lift for the same area of the body that you can only perform 12 reps of with the weights you select.

Then the third move will be done for 25 reps and should be an isolation exercise that really creates that pump and burn, fully fatiguing a muscle group worked with the first two compound moves.

After completing all three moves basically back to back, you will rest 90 seconds-3 minutes before repeating the series. If fat loss is more your focus, you may rest closer to 90 seconds. But if you’re really focusing on that maximal strength and want body recomp with more of a muscle building focus, consider going heavier to have to rest 3 minutes between rounds.

Do not rest between moves in the series so that you’re fully fatiguing the area you’re targeting and even make yourself crave the full 3 minutes between rounds from fatiguing those muscles!

You will want to include no more than two 6-12-25 series in a workout. And you will want to perform about 2-4 rounds through the series before switching to the next series.

You can design either more full body workouts using this, focusing on one area in each series or you can do an hemisphere split, targeting just your lower body or upper body in a workout.

But make sure each series, and all 3 moves, are working only one area of the body, instead of alternating areas worked!

Now…Why Does The 6-12-25 Design Work So Well?

I want to share a little “nerdom” behind this design so that you can embrace all the diversity of techniques it includes and truly optimize the use of it!

This training method was popularized by Charles Poliquin but isn’t just for bodybuilders.

It’s a great training technique for any experienced exerciser looking to accelerate that muscle hypertrophy and optimize their body composition.

This method is so effective because of the combination of 3 different traditional rep ranges (maximal strength, hypertrophy and strength endurance) as well as the combination of compound and isolation movements.

By moving from a more compound to isolation exercise as the reps increase, you hone in and target a muscle to work it closer to full fatigue and true failure.

The combination of so many training techniques into one design, and the training density this method creates, leads to massive lactate spikes, increasing growth hormone production, which is why it is thought to work so well!

It’s why this method can not only lead to amazing muscle gains but even better fat loss results!

Each rep number is included for a specific purpose and done back to back without rest. So do not adjust the numbers, but seek to optimize each rep done.

With the heavy compound exercise done for 6 reps, you are really working in that maximal strength range. Consider as you progress with this design even selecting a move you have to PAUSE at 5 reps for a few seconds to complete the final one over being able to do more reps with that weight.

You never just want to stop at a rep number because it’s what the workout said. You want to feel that is all you can do.

Then with the exercise done for 12 reps, you are selecting a compound move that is a great accessory exercise to target the same muscle groups.

Unilateral, or one sided moves, that still allow you to go heavy are great to include here.

This will allow you to really utilize that hypertrophy rep range and continue to fatigue the muscles you worked in the first move.

The higher reps and slightly lower, albeit challenging loads, allow you to recruit more muscle fibers as you fatigue.

Then with the final move you are going to fully isolate a muscle group to work it fully to fatigue.

This helps build that strength endurance which will ultimately help you recover faster and do more quality of work in future workouts and progressions.

This isolation move is a great way to help you build muscle in those stubborn muscle groups, increasing your volume of work.

Make sure this move really isolates the muscle you want to target. You even want to feel that pump or burn add up at 15-20 reps so you have to pause for a second to complete all 25!

This ensures you’re recruiting more muscle fibers as the fatigue adds up to stimulate better muscle growth in those stubborn areas. Often this isolation move creates more metabolic stress, which is a key driver of muscle growth.

No matter what, no load or move should feel easy. So while the weights may be lighter for the higher reps, you should feel the fatigue adding up and not feel like you can go heavier.

And because of the combination of training techniques, this workout design is super efficient while being perfect to build those especially stubborn areas.

As tempting as it may be to feel even more worked, do not cut out rest.

Honestly, you should crave longer than the 3 minutes, if you’re truly almost seeing this as a way to push past failure with each drop in load and increase in reps and isolation.

Now that you’re sold on using the 6-12-25 workout design, how can you actually implement it?

Take a look at the schedule realistic for your lifestyle. How many days a week do you have to train?

If it is 3-4 days a week, you may design more full body workouts or even anterior/posterior workouts.

So think of workouts that include maybe a series for your back and biceps and glutes and hamstrings while another day targets your chest, shoulders and triceps and legs, but specifically quads.

If you have more like 5 or 6 days to train, you may do more of a hemisphere split, targeting lower body in one workout and upper body in another.

No matter how you break down the overall workout, each single 6-12-25 series in the session should target and hone in on one area.

And a final word of warning before I share a workout example…

This is an advanced training technique.

I mention this because you need to push for each rep and move assigned, not just go through the motions.

And you’ll be surprised by even how out of breath during the 3 moves you can get.

Mentally it can even be taxing to do another move for an area when it is already tired.

Be ready to really push yourself and not just lower loads to make it easier to make it through all three moves.

Make yourself CRAVE that rest.

And make sure all 3 moves are done back to back targeting only ONE muscle group!

Although remember you have flexibility to choose the exact stubborn area to target with that isolation move.

You may choose to target your triceps with an isolation exercise on a chest, shoulders and tricep series in one workout while doing more for your shoulders on another day!

Here’s A Workout Using This Method…

Let’s look at a posterior focused split for a workout. This would include one 6-12-25 series for your back and biceps and another for your glutes and hamstrings.

You will do 2-4 rounds per series with 90 seconds-3 minutes of rest between rounds and even between series.

POSTERIOR CHAIN 6-12-25 WORKOUT

SERIES #1:
6 reps Deadlift
12 reps per side Deficit Reverse Lunge
25 reps per side Standing Cable Kickback

SERIES #2:
6 reps Underhand Barbell Row
12 reps Lat Pulldown
25 reps Cable Bicep Curls

And one final note…

While this is an amazing design if you do have equipment and heavy weights to use, you can do this when training at home.

You still just want to find moves that challenge you for each rep amount, progressing moves with tempo, postures and stability changes.

And you may actually consider slightly more volume, making this a 10-15-25 series.

But if you’re looking to build strength, gain muscle and lose fat, try this amazing workout design in your next progression!

Try my amazing 6-12-25 Progressions in my Dynamic Strength App for 7 days FREE…

–> Try the 6-12-25 Workouts

How I Transformed My Body (5 Changes)

How I Transformed My Body (5 Changes)

by | Aug 24, 2025 | Blog, Diet

Want to get leaner, stronger and feel your most fabulous with a lifestyle you love?

Uhm HECK YES!

Sounds too good to be true though…Right?

Well the good news is…it’s 100% possible.

But it does take embracing the learning process and focusing on 5 key nutritional shifts.

Note I said SHIFTS…

Because so often to see results as fast as possible we sabotage ourselves by simply going ON a diet.

We force ourselves into a mold.

Instead of ADJUSTING our diet.

We need to truly SHIFT our nutrition to see lasting changes.

And this, while amazing when we embrace it, is a hard mindset and routine change at the start.

It oddly becomes sustainable but doesn’t feel sustainable to start.

It feels honestly…well…HARDER To do because it isn’t just a jump in and act type plan.

It’s a learn, take action, reflection and adjust type plan.

And that’s not sexy or the fad diet fast fix we want.

I say this to warn you because there is struggle to create true change. But this change will actually have all of your hard work paying off.

While it may even feel like you’re slowing down, it’s a slow down to speed up.

So do the hard thing now so it gets easier later. Because if you avoid the hard now, it will only come back to bite you later!

Now to the good stuff…

SHIFT #1: Dial In Those Macros.

You know why macros are magical? Because they allow you to not make any foods off limits and they allow you to adjust your portions as your needs and goals change.

They help you understand how you’re fueling and how your diet is impacting how you feel and look to then have the power to adjust as you need.

Notice I didn’t say a specific macro ratio with dialing in your macros or demonize any specific macronutrient.

I will tell you that protein is ALWAYS important, especially as we get older to maintain our muscle and strength and look our leanest and strongest…but our ratios will shift.

Even as we work toward one specific goal, we will need to cycle for balance.

And as you shift your goals or even get older or your lifestyle evolves, you have to be open to shifting your portions.

One size doesn’t fit all.

But the key is we understand how much protein, carbs and fats we are consuming to have the power to adjust and address our lifestyle and life stage.

So as much as you may be avoiding tracking your macros, realize you’re avoiding the hard that will fully empower you for a lasting solution to opt for something easier that will keep you stuck in the yo-yo dieting cycle, struggling to know what truly works or what changes are needed next.

Now if you’re thinking, “But I can’t track” or “Tracking is restrictive or overwhelming or too much for my lifestyle”…

I’d urge you to consider…

What is “tracking to you?”

Because maybe it’s just that your tracking method isn’t the right method for you!

SHIFT #2: Choose A Tracking Method That Suits YOUR Lifestyle.

Just like there isn’t one macro ratio right for everyone or even right for us forever, there isn’t just one form of tracking we can use.

Visual portion guides, minimalist macros, full macro ratios…I’ve not only used all of them personally based on the season I’m in, but I’ve used them with clients at different stages as well.

So often we hold ourselves back by viewing habits as having to be done in one form.

But the key is actually adjusting habits to fit what we need understanding their benefit.

And the benefit of tracking is what gets measured gets managed. When we know our accurate portions, we can truly adjust them and then see the benefits of the changes to keep tweaking.

Tracking though can be logging in an app.

It can be taking pictures of our food.

It can be just tracking protein and calories or tracking protein, carbs and fats to hit specific numbers.

We can use our hand as a visual guide to understand that we had a single palm sized portion of protein or weigh food on a scale.

And we shouldn’t limit ourselves thinking we need to track in one form forever.

You may find that in January full macro ratios work well but when you’re traveling more during the summer you need visual portions or even to just track protein and calories.

Be open to adjusting the habit of tracking to give yourself a picture of what you’re doing and hold yourself accountable but with flexibility to match your lifestyle and motivation at the time.

Which actually brings me to SHIFT #3: Cycle Your Nutrition Over Time.

Nothing works forever.

Your body isn’t the same as it was a year ago.

Neither are your mindsets or your lifestyle or even your goals.

As things evolve, we need to be open to evolving our diet to meet ourselves where we are at right now.

This means addressing hormonal shifts, the changes we see with getting older and even changes in our training or goals.

But it also means being open to adjust with the seasons as our motivation may change as well as our priorities.

I think this last component is especially important to note…our motivation and priorities.

We often think about adjusting our diet and workouts for our goals but we never consider what is realistic for our current motivation and priorities.

Sometimes we do need to put our focus elsewhere. Sometimes our fitness goals aren’t as big a priorities as they may have been at another time.

Embracing this is key. It’s how we actually keep moving forward and ultimately make more progress.

Too often we try to force January habits on our summer or holiday seasons. And that’s why we feel like dietary changes aren’t sustainable.

We feel like we don’t have the willpower or self control needed.

When really we just haven’t owned that our diet needs to cycle.

Change up how you’re tracking. Change up the macros you’re using.

Even change up the types of foods you include.

Stop forcing some arbitrary perfect clean eating standard on yourself. That is ultimately what sabotages us more than anything.

Often I’ll embrace seasons where I’m going to work in more fun foods. But that ultimately helps me include more quality fuel over the entire year and want to make more sacrifices at other times.

Too often we don’t realize that by trying to be 100% on point for a 21 day challenge, we cause ourselves to end up at 0% for more time than we were actually “good.”

This leads to us feeling like we work really hard when really our consistency long term isn’t there in the slightest. We end up eating worse overall.

Instead if we owned what we needed, we would have been 80% consistently to be better off long-term and use those times we worked in foods we love to make us want to eat healthier at other points!

We also want to recognize that by cycling, we can match what our body needs now. Getting older doesn’t doom us to gain weight. The menopot or that weight gain around our middle during menopause isn’t just something that HAS to happen.

That’s why SHIFT #4 is Match Your Life Stage.

Too often we blame hormonal changes or even health concerns for our weight gain.

And guess what? They do have an impact.

But our diet also has an impact on the symptoms we experience.

And sometimes we’ve even caused hormonal imbalances by how we’re fueling.

So instead of just writing off your goals, control what you can control.

Adjust your diet to match your life stage.

This means shifting your macros to account for what your body needs now but also taking a look at the types of foods you’re including and your micros.

We can develop intolerances to foods as we get older or even have nutritional gaps despite eating “healthy” overall.

Sometimes we simply need more of something because of hormonal shifts, lifestyle changes or our genetics.

Sometimes we can develop intolerances to foods, like dairy during menopause, when we never had problems before.

Even healthy foods sometimes aren’t right for us if we have certain health concerns – like even broccoli may be eliminated if you’re struggling with thyroid health.

This is why SHIFT #1 and #2 are so key.

When we track macros and track in general, we can note how we feel with foods and notice the impact to make small changes that add up to help us feel our most fabulous at every age!

And finally…SHIFT #5: Prioritize Sustainability Over Restriction.

We get good at what we consistently do.

Restriction may make us see results quickly, which is why we are drawn to it as miserable as it can be.

Not to mention, we slightly equate something being “miserable” or “hard” as meaning we’re doing more so it will be better.

We equate effort and hard with more control.

But that isn’t the case. It often is what leads to us not actually making true changes to our habits and routines.

We basically just light the fuse of a bomb that will explode at some point.

This approach pushes us so far outside our comfort zone we end up getting yanked back.

Instead we need to see pushing into discomfort as slowly expanding our comfort zone.

Embrace your lifestyle and even own your mindsets and views of different habits to address them.

Recognize your priorities to work around them.

Because if we don’t own our priorities they become our excuses.

The more we build off our current lifestyle instead of trying to reinvent our lifestyle, the more we make changes that stick to see lasting results!

Slow shifts add up! Stop repeating the cycle just forcing another plan!

Dial in your diet to match your workouts and build your leanest, strongest body ever, implementing these 5 nutritional shifts, with my Metabolic Shred…

–> LEARN MORE

10 UNSEXY Tips That Will Change Your Life

10 UNSEXY Tips That Will Change Your Life

by | Aug 17, 2025 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Mindset

You want to look lean and strong and feel amazing and conquer any challenge that comes your way?

That means doing extremely unsexy, boring, basic, even tedious habits, you don’t want to do DAILY.

And I’m going to share 10 lessons I’ve learned to help you value and stay focused on the unsexy habits that lead to the sexiest of sexy results.

Starting with number 1 which is…

What you LIKE isn’t always what you NEED.

We like what is fun. What makes us feel good. What is comfortable.

This is often what we’re used to and what we’re doing currently.

But a new goal, a new phase of life, may dictate new habits that feel uncomfortable.

You have to embrace new habits to see a new result.

Success means some sacrifice.

To get a result that you like may mean doing some things you don’t enjoy as much.

You may not like brushing your teeth for example but you like not having cavities.

So step out of just seeking habits you like and instead take a look at your goals.

What is needed to be the person with those results?

Those habits you need drive you forward and often the longer we do them, the more we like them especially because they are a part of how we feel our most fabulous!

Lesson #2: You can only train as hard as you can recover from.

We talk about overtraining a ton. But a better way to truly address what is going on isn’t to think of it as just our training. Because it’s not.

We’re not overtraining so much as we’re under recovering.

We can do more in our workouts if our fueling, mobility work, sleep are all on point.

Too often we just adjust our training over taking a look at these other areas of our lifestyle.

So if you’re feeling burnt out or seeing your performance decline, start to look at how you’re recovering between sessions over just feeling like your workouts need to change.

Because one of the biggest reasons we start to feel like we’re under recovery is we aren’t fueling properly for performance or for recomp.

We’re so focused on eating less as we burn more calories that we sabotage our metabolic health.

Which brings me to lesson #3: Eat more for fat loss.

This can be a harder one to embrace as we constantly hear how weight loss is about calories in vs calories out.

Eat in a deficit to lose.

And while yes, a deficit is key, more isn’t better.

Slashing our calories lower doesn’t yield results faster.

It’s also often what leads to us quickly feeling deprived, restricted, miserable and like we don’t have the willpower to truly make lasting changes.

It’s why we may see the scale drop to start only to end up regaining more weight shortly after.

Create a small calorie deficit off of what you’re currently eating. Only even 100 calories to start.

This small change will be sustainable and while it won’t lead to the scale dropping 10lbs overnight, it will lead to you actually looking leaner and staying leaner while feeling fueled and energized.

Not to mention, you can’t stay in a calorie deficit forever!

Once you lose the weight, you do have to work to increase your calories and maintain your metabolic and muscle.

So you can’t just focus only on calories in vs out and starving yourself more.

It’s why macros really matter. Sucks but it is true.

And not only do they matter, but so often FEAR of one holds us back from making the changes we need.

Lesson #4: Don’t fear a macro.

Carbs won’t cause you to gain belly fat. Fat won’t make you fat either.

Yet too often I see one or the other of these macros demonized.

But if we fear carbs when we’re super active and slash them super low, we can not only end up feeling horrible but we can see ourselves gaining weight as our metabolism slows and we create thyroid issues.

And fearing eating enough fat can also have negative ramifications, sabotaging our hormonal health, metabolic rate and ultimately our body recomp.

We need a balance and we need to embrace that our balance with macros will shift not only as we progress toward our goals but as our body, activity level, workouts and even lifestyle evolve.

Want to build more muscle?

You may need to increase carbs from what you did to lose fat.

Going through menopause?

You may see yourself become more insulin resistant and need to increase fats.

Be open to evolution.

And that’s why Lesson #5 is Nothing is a set it and forget it lifestyle.

So often we start a diet or new program and instantly want to convince ourselves, “This is a lifestyle!”

But we won’t do one thing forever.

And while we want things to feel good and “sustainable” whenever possible to meet us where we are at, often to start changes don’t feel easy or like a lifestyle.

True changes that yield results aren’t often comfortable as we’re doing something we’ve never done.

And over time we will have to tweak and adjust further. Our body, needs, goals, lifestyle will all change therefore our diet and workouts will need to as well.

Even maintaining your results will mean adjusting your habits at times and setting little mini goals to keep you motivated.

So instead of searching for a forever fix, realize this is a forever process.

Constantly search for little ways to improve and set new goals to help yourself stay consistent with the habits.

And often when making changes it is hardest to embrace the ones that have the least obvious quick payoff…Like including that 3-part prehab process and mobility work daily.

So often we just want to get to the good stuff in our workout, especially when we’re short on time.

But a proper warm up is truly the secret to better results faster.

That’s why Lesson #6 is Do the boring mobility work DAILY.

Foam roll. Stretch. Activate.

Do this 3-part prehab process for even 5-10 minutes daily and you’ll be amazed at how much you keep those aches and pains at bay.

Too often we wait till things have added up to address them then are frustrated when we can’t train the way we want or see injuries holding us back.

The more we let the build up occur, the more we have to dig ourselves out of a hole.

Better to not dig ourselves the hole in the first place.

Prehab is better than rehab.

Do this 3-part process every warm up and even just a bonus 5-10 minutes on days off and you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel and how much you avoid sidelining yourself with aches and pains.

And if you’ve been blaming your AGE for you aches and pains?

Take a look at your mobility work.

This little bit of time committed consistently can help you move and feel your best…and even see better body recomp because you’re able to train intensely each and every session!

Then Lesson #7: Stop placing blame outside yourself.

You can’t control everything that happens.

And there will always be something you can’t do or don’t have.

There will always be life trying to get in the way.

But there is also ALWAYS a way to still move forward.

The key is accepting responsibility even when something isn’t your fault.

When we just blame our lack of results on something outside ourselves, we don’t focus on what we can still do to move forward.

Don’t have weights? You can still build muscle through other forms of progression.

Don’t have much time to meal prep? You can still find healthy restaurants or quick reheat options.

There is always a way if we focus on controlling what we can control to see opportunity in the options over just viewing everything as an obstacle.

Lesson #8: Don’t tie habits to your identity.

I mentioned in Lesson #5 that constantly tweaking and evolving is key.

This is easier said than done though as habits become routine and learned behaviors we don’t even realize we’re repeating at times.

Especially when we start to define ourselves in some of our habits and even find a community around a certain way of training or eating.

And while our habits do shape us, if we fully define ourselves by them we won’t let them shift as our body, needs or goals change.

This ultimately can lead to us feeling like we’re working super hard not to see progress…

Or we may even find ourselves sliding further and further away from our goals as we cling to what used to work.

Who we are constantly evolves. Allow your habits to change too.

Our identity shifting isn’t a bad thing – it’s growth.

And we should ALWAYS want to grow as that leads to us feeling and looking our most fabulous till our final day on this planet.

Lesson #9: Slow down to speed up.

When we want results as fast as possible, we often try to make as many changes at once as possible.

We adjust as many habits as we can.

And that’s not a bad thing.

Until life throws something at us where our best laid plans go sideways.

At times like this, often we end up doing nothing because we can’t be perfect.

But this all or nothing attitude keeps us stuck in a loop of constantly starting over to never really see progress snowball.

Instead we have to realize when inching forward is still forward.

Sometimes during busy times of year we can’t do 6 workouts in a week. Instead of doing nothing, do 3.

While this may not feel perfect, this slow down in our habits ultimately keeps us moving forward so in a month or even a year we’re way further along than we would have been otherwise!

And finally the key to it all…

Lesson #10: Track track track track track.

What gets measured gets managed.

Plain and simple.

Part of tracking is having that accurate picture of what we’re doing to adjust off of so we aren’t just guessing at what is and isn’t working.

But another part of tracking is that we have to have a clear plan in place to give us direction.

When you have your GPS and roadmap laid out, you can track your progress on your journey and see where you are at.

You can see if you’ve taken a wrong turn even to help yourself get back on course quicker.

But if you have no idea of what you’re doing or where you are, you’re always basically guessing at what works.

This is what leads to us feeling like we’re working super hard to get nowhere!

Direction drives us!

And the more we track, the easier we make it to constantly evolve our goals and make the lifestyle changes we need.

So track what you’re doing and embrace that constant habit evolution to continue to learn and grow and feel your most fabulous till your final day on this planet!

Ready to build your leanest, strongest body ever and feel your most fabulous?

Schedule a coaching consultation today!

–> Learn more and apply

Forget 10,000 Steps! Here’s How Many You REALLY Need

Forget 10,000 Steps! Here’s How Many You REALLY Need

by | Aug 10, 2025 | Blog, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Workouts

A new study came out saying that you don’t need 10k steps. It says you only need 3,800. But what does this number mean and is it too good to be true?

I want to share why you may still want to build toward a 10,000 step goal and the difference between “minimums” and “optimal” when talking about recommended amounts.

I also want to discuss the different benefits at specific thresholds as you increase your steps.

Because the short answer is, no you don’t need 10,000…to survive. But 10k+ steps may still be best for your performance and fat loss goals especially.

There is always nuance to things.

Like the 3,800 steps a day goal. That is to reduce your risk of death.

But is your goal just “not dying?”

It’s like the protein RDA…

The RDA for protein is around 0.8g/kg bodyweight.

That’s just enough to prevent deficiency.

But that’s not enough to build serious muscle, especially as we get older, or optimize health.

The same thing goes for this new step goal.

That being said, that doesn’t mean 10,000 is a magic number where all your fitness goals will magically be achieved.

And you may now be thinking, “Where did the 10,000 step goal even come from? What study said that?”

Well actually there is no scientific basis for this amount.

Yup. This number we all just accepted as fact accidentally became a mainstream solid goal after the distance became popular in Japan in the 1960s.

There are two overlapping stories as to how this number came to be….

One is that 10,000 steps a day started as a successful marketing campaign in Japan to promote physical activity ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. It’s rumored the number was chosen because the Japanese character for 10,000 resembles a person walking.

The second is that the number became a more solid widespread goal in 1965 based on a Japanese pedometer company “Manpo-kei” which literally means 10,000 steps meter.

Either way, the number has no scientific basis.

However, shooting for this daily goal may have it’s benefits.

That’s why I want to discuss the different thresholds that research has found and what it means to hit each…

Let’s start with around that new recommended amount of 3,800. The 2k-4k steps a day range.

In this range research has shown a slight reduction in mortality risk and that it is “better than being sedentary.”

Note “better than being sedentary.” This is really a minimum to avoid negative health consequences.

And do you really just want to avoid bad health?

Now in the 4k-6k range we start to see a more moderate reduction in all-cause mortality.

This shows us that there are times that doing more than the “minimum” does yield better results and start to even help us thrive.

At about 7,000 steps is where we see the biggest benefit and reduction in mortality risk at about a 40-50% improvement.

But we also start to see no further specific health only benefits going over this amount.

So if we’re talking optimizing just mortality risk, this number seems to be it.

If this is the case, why go up to 10k?

Are you really just only walking to lower your risk of death?

Or do you have other fitness goals?

Are you looking to lose fat? Improve your metabolic health and increase your metabolism? Are you looking to improve your conditioning and recovery for performance goals?

For all of these reasons, 10,000 steps a day may be still be your goal.

Above 7,000 the benefits are fat loss and performance based.

Walking more will improve your endurance and cardiovascular fitness.

It will improve your insulin sensitivity to help you lose fat, which can be especially helpful during menopause for fat loss and overall health.

And, it is often that secret weapon for fat loss we don’t implement.

More steps means more calories burned daily which helps with fat loss while not beating us down like intensive training sessions or requiring us to eat less.

Also, unlike intensive training sessions, walking is less likely to increase your appetite and hunger levels while increasing your calorie expenditure.

It can even help better regulate appetite and aid in digestion.

And it can help with recovery and stress management both of which pay off for performance and fat loss goals – not to mention OUR HEALTH!

So more steps, may just be what you need to reach your goals and THRIVE.

Now if you’re looking at your step tracker thinking, “Well great. I’d love 10,000 steps but I’m barely getting 1,000 right now…”

Don’t fear!

Small changes add up!

Set a starting goal of even just 1,000 more steps. Plan in two 5 minute breaks to get up and walk around to hit it.

Challenge yourself to do that for 2-3 weeks and build from there.

As you feel good with those changes and even see other results happen, like inches being lost or changes on the scale, add more.

The more you allow yourself though to have a starting goal that’s doable, the more you’ll feel the win of success just from increasing your steps and want to do more!

Over time you can build further.

Even consider different step goals on different days! If weekends are less busy, why not shoot for more?

The key is meeting ourselves where we are at to make changes.

But also, let’s not just accept doing the minimum at time. Let’s not settle for just not dying.

Let’s seek not just to survive but thrive!

So while that new study shows us that we can improve our health even just through adding a few more minutes of movement, we don’t want to ignore the benefits that shooting for 7-10,000 steps can have for our health and our goals.

4,000 steps may keep you alive, but 10,000 could be what you need to see the recomp you’ve been dreaming of!

Optimize your workouts and your diet to build your leanest, strongest body at any age…

–> Schedule A Coaching Consultation Call