How To Build Muscle Faster (One Underrated Technique)

by Cori Lefkowith | Nov 11, 2024 | Blog, Exercises, Workouts

You’ve got to embrace being uncomfortable and really challenging yourself with exercises if you want to build muscle, especially the longer you’ve been working out.

And this doesn’t mean just feeling like you worked hard and that the reps and sets you did felt challenging.

It means even sometimes FAILING to do the variation or weight you selected for the reps or sets assigned.

Because too often we just stop when it feels hard enough instead of truly PROVING it was hard enough with having to stop.

That’s why I want to share this simple, but oh so effective workout tip to accelerate your muscle and strength gains and truly push that progression and challenge in movements safely!

And that tip is….

Use Rest-Pause Training Technique!

Rest-Pause Training Technique is an amazing way to lift heavier and use harder variations of moves to really challenge yourself and build muscle, especially if you feel like its gotten harder with age or even menopause!

And this technique can be used no matter your fitness level.

To help you implement this amazing workout tips, I want to break down what the Rest-Pause Training Technique is, why it works and 3 main ways you can use it to build muscle faster with your current workout routines even.

First, what is Rest-Pause Training Technique and why does it work?

With this workout approach, you are going to use mini breaks to get out the total reps you want.

Because the rest is only 15-30 seconds, you’re basically not allowing your body to near recover BUT also allowing yourself to recover just enough you can do a few more reps with the same variation or load.

This helps you ultimately do more reps with a weight or exercise variation you really can’t do that many reps straight with had you tried.

This is what allows you to do a more challenging variation of a move but also create more training volume.

This push and challenge to really work muscles is what drives growth!

It works because you are basically helping yourself do 10 reps with a weight you couldn’t truly do 10 straight reps with.

The magic is in that very short rest you’re using between reps to get out more quality movement but in less time than if you took a full rest between rounds.

You can almost think of it as using the short rest to work past failure.

Where you normally would stop to rest for the next round or have to lower weights, instead your taking a short rest your body doesn’t fully register as rest, to do reps you can’t normally do!

And you can use this short break and bonus reps in a 3 different ways to see amazing results and really challenge yourself with your strength training…

First, is the Basic Rest-Pause Technique.

To use this approach in the most basic way, even with almost any exercise you have currently in your workout, you’ll want to consider the rep range you want to hit.

So if your sumo squat in your workout is for 8-12 reps, you’re going to pick a weight for those squats you will probably want to, or have to, stop at 6-7 reps with.

You’ll then perform those 6-7 reps and rest 15-30 seconds before seeing how many more you can get to get in that 8-12 rep range.

If you find you’re doing 6-7 reps in your first little mini set and then able to get 12 total reps after the short rest, you may consider shorting the rest further or even going heavier until you can just hit 8 reps or the bottom of that rep range.

Both of these can allow you to advance the exercise as you slowly can get out more reps in a row.

Once you can use that weight, or exercise variation, to get the 8-12 reps straight, you may decide it is time again to increase weight and use rest-pause technique to progress further.

This basic rest-pause technique is great to use with any lifts in your workout where you’re even stuck between weights and can’t yet fully go heavier or as a way to correct imbalances, especially using even the rest to get out all the reps on your weaker side!

The second way to use this technique is as Cluster Sets.

With the Cluster Set approach, you’ll set a total number of reps you want to do and then select an exercise variation or resistance you know you can only do no more than a third of the reps straight with.

So if you want to do 10 reps, you’ll select an exercise or weight that you can do about 2-3 reps with.

You’ll perform these 2-3 rep mini sets, with 10-30 seconds of rest between them until all 10 reps are complete. Then you’ll fully rest between the next round.

But unlike the basic rest-pause design, where you will only pause ONCE, with Cluster Sets, you have a specific number of total reps, not a range, and you’ll often use multiple pauses and mini sets to hit your total.

Once you can do more than the top reps in your mini set, you’ll want to progress the move.

Cluster sets are a great tool to use for a big heavy compound lift, or exercise like the pull up or push up, you want to progress strength in to build muscle.

They allow you to go very heavy but still get in more volume or total reps!

The third use of this training technique is in the Ladder Rest-Pause set up.

This is a very strategically designed rep layout using mini rests to really boost the total work you can do with an exercise and weight.

With this design you will use descending reps so reps that go from higher to lower with mini rest between these rounds before a longer rest and repeat.

The rest can ALSO decrease in length as the reps go down.

An example of this may be the 10-7-3-1 workout design.

With this design, you’ll pick a weight you can basically do the full 10 reps with and maybe even 11 or 12 with, especially to start.

You’ll then do your 10 reps, rest 10 seconds. And then perform 7 reps.

You’ll then rest 7 seconds.

And then do 3 reps, rest 3 seconds and finally a single rep before a longer break to then repeat the series.
You’re going to end up being able to do 21 reps with a weight or exercise you could usually only do for about 10-12 reps.

And the very short rest and dropping down in reps with each round is what helps you get out that quality of work for more volume.

You don’t have to use those specific reps or rest, but you do want reps to decrease over the rounds and dramatically at the end, while including no more than 15-20 seconds of rest.

You also want to do only 3-5 drops down in reps for the ladder.

But using any of these 3 variations of Rest-Pause Technique, you can really challenge yourself in your workouts to accelerate those muscle gains!

Want more amazing workouts to help you build your leanest, strongest body ever?

–> Check Out My Dynamic Strength Program

FHP 659 – Stress Proof Your Diet

by Cori Lefkowith | Nov 5, 2024 | podcast

LISTEN HERE

WATCH HERE

TRANSCRIPT

OPEN TRANSCRIPT

Cori (00:00):
Hey guys, this is Cori from Redefining Strength. Welcome to the Fitness Hacks Podcast. This is the show where I share all my free workout and nutrition tips. I’m not going to ever fill this episode with sponsorships or ask you to buy anything. All I ask in return is if you’re enjoying the podcast to leave a review or leave a five star rating, or even better share it with somebody you think it might help. This will only take a few minutes and would mean the world to me and possibly change the life of someone. So let’s jump right in. Stress and your diet. When we think about stress and we think about our nutrition, often we think about the things we do or do not eat out of stress. But our diet can not only be impacted by stress, but also impact the stress levels we feel. And I’m super excited to dive into all this today with Andrea. Andrea, thank you so much for joining me today.

Andrea (00:49):
Thank you. I’m super excited to be here as

Cori (00:50):
Well. So let’s talk about stress in your diet. What is the impact stress can have on our diet and what impact can our diet have on our stress?

Andrea (01:00):
Sure. So nutrition plays a role in managing and reducing stress. The relationship between diet and stress are mutual. Not only can stress influence our eating habits, but you can also impact your stress levels and the different foods and the way your body reacts to stress as well.

Cori (01:17):
Now, I think a lot of us are a little bit more familiar with the impact that stress can have on our diet, whether we eat out of stress and some foods that are more comforting than they are nutritious or even having stress impact us in a way that we don’t eat. Can you talk a little bit about why we even turn to specific things? Often when we are stressed,

Andrea (01:37):
So when we’re stressed, we’re looking for something to self-soothe. So we want to make sure that we’re trying to find a way to make ourselves feel better. Either we go in and we hide or we go out and we eat something. So we’re trying to self-soothe. So it’s just innate way for us to make ourselves feel better when we have a reaction. Either we’re nervous, we’re anxious, or we’re stressed, so we turn to something that’s going to make us feel better. And food being one of the things that help us, makes us feel better.

Cori (02:05):
And a lot of us can even think of when we’re talking about stress, like those foods we turn to. I know I’m a desserts person, a sweetss person, so I turn to those things. Why do you think that we often turn to specific foods when we are stressed to help ourselves, comfort ourselves?

Andrea (02:20):
Sure. So we’re looking for that increase in mood, that increase in feeling better in that sense. So a lot of times, like you said, you turn to desserts, candies, and cookies. Those can lead to rapid increases in blood sugar, but also rapid drops in blood sugar, and that causes our mood sinks to go up or down, but it also can cause our stress. And then on the other setting cause inflammation as well, which negatively impacts our stress too. Sometimes we also turn to caffeine or alcohol. A lot of times where I’m really stressed out, I’m going to turn to, I’m going to have a glass of wine. Yes, that makes us feel better at first. It helps us relax, but then it also disrupts our sleep, which in wins in a long time can increase our stress levels as well.

Cori (03:02):
It’s kind of interesting to think about, but we turn to these things out of comfort and then in comforting ourselves momentarily, we actually create more stress for ourselves or a lack of sleep, which creates stressors. Another way, inflammation. That is a stress around our body. So it’s like we turn to sugar, we turn to alcohol, we turn to caffeine, all these things that ultimately negatively impact us and keep us stuck in that cycle. And it’s something that I think we’re all prone to. And it’s not just those foods, right? It’s even processed foods that we can turn to. What impact do they have in then? How can we break the cycle?

Andrea (03:37):
Sure. So the impact specifically for processed foods, there’s a lot of diets high in processed foods, but they’re going to lack those essential nutrients and leading to deficiencies, which then can often turn increase our moods, affect our moods and our stress levels. A lot of additives and processed foods like food colorings, MSG also have an impact on our mood as well as our cognitive function. But to break that cycle, that’s where it’s a little hard because this is a habit that we’ve always done. So when we need to recognize that it is a habit, but also we have to take a step back and realize what are the other things that we can do to relieve stress? Is it going for a walk? Is it doing deep breathing? Is it journaling? Is it something that we don’t have to turn towards food or can we get those bad? Not those bad. Can we get those foods out of the house, out of sight, out of mind, and maybe turn to something that might be a little bit more helpful in terms of how to deal with stress.

Cori (04:31):
It’s hard though to break those patterns and behaviors. And I think the first step is giving ourselves grace when we do repeat that stress eating pattern that we’ve always fallen into, but then step back and recognize why it’s occurring, what stresses led up to it. And then I love those replacement behaviors. Sometimes it is simply removing something from our environment. Sometimes it’s saying, Hey, when I walked this cabinet, instead of going right for the thing in there, I have to go take a walk around the neighborhood, or I have to go do my workout, I have to do something else before. And if I still want it, then I can even work it in. And even sometimes saying, Hey, I can work this in and if I want, can help us alleviate any feelings of guilt which might contribute to us than eating out stress and even feeling worse from it. But not only are there replacement behaviors, there are nutritional strategies we can implement or things we can focus on in our nutrition to help us not only not eat those things out of stress, but better manage our stress levels. What are some things we can start to focus on if we are finding ourselves stressed or wanting to repeat that same pattern in terms of adjusting our diet?

Andrea (05:30):
Sure, there’s five nutrients that we want to look for, specifically complex carbohydrates like whole grains. They increase the availability of tryptophan. Tryptophan is in the brain, which is converted to serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, and serotonin helps us increase our mood and our relaxation. And then on the other side of that protein, protein amino acids are precursors to the neurotransmitters which we just tryptophans in Turkey, chicken, dairy, those types of things. And those are the precursors to serotonin, which then again leads to increased mood and relaxation. There’s also healthy fats. Omega threes specifically found in fish, flax seed, walnuts. They’re crucial for your brain health and they can help reduce inflammation and stress. And then there’s a couple of vitamins and minerals that we really want to focus on. One being vitamin B, it’s essential for energy production in our brain. You can get that in whole grains, meats, day, eggs and dairy.

(06:33):
But then also magnesium, which Michelle talked about a couple of weeks ago, helps regulate our cortisol and helps promote relaxation. We can get those in dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains as well. And then vitamin C, which helps support our adrenal functions, right? That’s where we kind of really feel that lull when we’re really stressed out, really feel that fatigue. So to reduce that, we can eat our citrus fruits like oranges, strawberries, bell peppers and broccoli. Those will really help bring those vitamin C levels up. And the last but not least, we can’t forget our antioxidants, berries, nuts, dark chocolate. Who doesn’t want dark chocolate when you have that craving for dark chocolate or something sweet rh not turned to dark chocolate and some raspberries. You’re getting both antioxidants in both and it’s a great snack. But that’s going to help combat our oxidative stretch, which can contribute to anxiety and depression.

(07:22):
So those are a couple of foods that we really, really want to focus on, but we also then can turn to some different patterns focusing on nutrient dense foods like fruits, vegetables, more whole foods, right? We want to get more from the source, more out of the original source. And then balanced meals, really eating at a regular time every day, every couple hours because we all know when our blood sugar gets low, we become that really hangry person and we’re going to be really irritable and really stressed. And so why not get onto a balanced plan where you’re eating every couple hours, but eating balanced meals to prevent blood sugar fluctuations, reduce stress and anxiety as well.

Cori (08:02):
Really by addressing some of these things in our diet, we can help prevent stress levels from rising even more in the first place. But we can even think of some of these things as the replacement for the more processed foods we might grab. If you’re craving something salty, go for those nuts, get those healthy fats. If you’re craving something sweet, go for the dark chocolate and maybe berries even mix in a Greek yogurt parfait to get that protein. We can think about using some of these things to not only replace the more or the less macro friendly things we would have that would bring us into this negative cycle of feeling guilty then for eating, which takes us down the spiral, but we can also help alleviate future stress. And I do love that you mention the meal timing as well, because I think a lot of times we know when we’re going to have a stressful time period of life.

(08:43):
We know when life is going to be shifting slightly, whether it’s priorities with work or kids going back to school or whatever it is. And so proactively we can even consider, hey, what are my stress levels going to be? How can I make sure that I’m not getting hangry or not feeling so deprived? And how can I create that interval or eating schedule that will help me stay consistent and get in those nutrient dense foods? If you’re working with somebody who is going to be having a stressful period, what sort of recommendations do you make for them? Andrea to, I’m going to call you Michelle from the magnesium, but Andrea, all the good nutritional things, dietician approved, but what strategy would you sort of implement with them to make sure that they’re getting ahead of things? Because I think the more we plan for those times where we would usually eat out of stress, the better off we’re going to be

Andrea (09:32):
100%. And it’s all about planning and setting yourself up for success. The kids are going back to school, right? It’s a change for you. It’s a change for them. It’s a huge new season in your life. So why not pre-plan for it and try and set yourself up for success, but also have grace because those moments of stress are going to happen working in some of those foods that you know that are going to be a feel good food for you. So maybe pack your meal, packing your lunch for the day when you’re going back to work. Maybe you’re a teacher going back to work and it’s the first week of school. It’s a little stressful, but setting yourself up for success, maybe putting in kind bars that have a little bit of dark chocolate and some nuts in there that’ll help you with that sweet craving when you’re stressed that you know can grab to.

(10:15):
But making sure you’re eating those snacks throughout the day. Maybe limiting your sugar intake or limiting your caffeine intake because there’s that fine line when we’re feeling a little bit tired, we gravitate towards caffeine to pers up, but then if we go too far, we’re going to get a little anxious. So making sure that we’re limiting our caffeine intake. And we forgot one specifically about staying hydrated throughout the day. Staying hydrated throughout the day is super, super important for your energy levels to help you feel full, to help you fiber go through all these different things that we’re looking for that can help our cognitive function. But setting yourself up for success on those days when you know you can preplan, maybe do some ingredient prep, but also just try and do what you think is best, that 1% difference than the day before. And actually get yourself into that normal schedule.

(11:04):
See what worked for you, see what didn’t work for you. At the end of the day. Assess your stress levels. How am I feeling? What if I went for a walk? Is this going to make me feel better? Yes, I really want that candy bar. Okay, what if I went for a walk and thought about maybe listen to a podcast and I come back, do I still want that candy bar? Why don’t I have half today and maybe have the other half tomorrow if I still need it? I’m not going to say that you can’t have that food that you want, but just work it into your schedule and making sure, okay, I’m going to go for a walk, I’m going to eat an apple, and if I still want it, then have it because you’re going to eat five different things to get to that craving anyway. So planning your success throughout the day, but using those different techniques, breathing, journaling, maybe reading a book or gardening, going for a walk, drinking water before you go for the candy bar, just trying to milk yourself out of that knee-jerk reaction so that way you’re not going for it all the way and analyze, do I really need it? Do I not? What could I do differently? And just having that little conversation with yourself really helps you step into that other fork in the road in that different direction to change that habit.

Cori (12:06):
It really is that self-awareness and that little pause to reflect that makes the difference, because it’s not bad to have something we’re craving. It’s not bad to say, I do want some caffeine. I do want my glass of wine. I do want my processed food. But you want to strike that balance and also not have it be something you just default into and repeat that same cycle. Creating more stress, more guilt, not seeing the results you want, snowball. It’s why tracking to even work those things in so that you don’t feel restricted can be key. And it is why taking that time to have that water and then say, what do I really want? Because as you pointed out, if you keep trying to willpower your way through cravings that you truly want something, ultimately, often we end up still eating it and we’ve eaten five other things in the meantime, or we go overboard with it because we feel so guilty and we take that flat tire and then go slash the other three tires. So it is about really assessing what you want and just trying to break the instant pattern of going to that comfort food to help alleviate your stress over saying, what do I really want? What is my balance? So in summarizing all these tips for people, if you were to give them sort of a checklist of here’s how to navigate stress a little bit better through your nutrition, what would that be?

Andrea (13:16):
I would start off with eating balanced meals, making sure you have everything representative in your plate, your protein, your carbohydrates, your fruits and vegetables, your fats, healthy fats as well. And then try not to skip meals. Try to make sure you’re packing healthy snacks. And apple’s really portable oranges are super poor bananas. Those kinds of things are really portable throughout the day. Carrot sticks, just if you want something crunchy. So setting yourself up so you’re not skipping those meals and keeping that blood sugar at a consistent level. And then of course, limiting the sugary snacks and the caffeine, like you said, go ahead and have that coffee, but maybe have a latte with almond milk instead of the vanilla with it, or whatever it might be. But enjoying that, but at a different level, maybe having a herbal tea instead. Staying hydrated is the number one thing that I really want to drive home, because that will definitely help you feel full, but it’ll help with your digestion as well.

(14:14):
And then mindful eating, I think this is the hardest one, but mindful eating, being self-aware of where you’re at throughout the day can help you reduce stress and think about different options that you could do differently next time. And of course, stress is going to happen. Stress is always there, waiting for you. What worked for one day might not work for the next day, but really having that self-awareness of saying, okay, I did this yesterday. It worked. I’m going to try it again and see if it works. And pretty soon you’ll notice that that habit is going to be changing and you’re going to go in a different direction.

Cori (14:44):
It’s trying to change those mindsets, the environment that we’re in, trying to break that instant response so that we can actually pause to assess what we want. I think that’s so key and so important to really highlight in that yes, you’re trying to get that protein, yes, you’re trying to eliminate processed foods, but a lot of it is just making sure that you are truly consuming something that you want striking your balance and not creating more guilt or more stress around the decisions you’ve made, but actually trying to move forward to feel and fuel your best. Thanks for listening to the Fitness Hack Podcast. Again, this is the place where I share all my free workout nutrition tips. I’m never going to run sponsorships or ask you to buy anything. All I ask in return is if you’re enjoying the podcast to leave a rating, review or share it with someone you think it might help. This will only take a few minutes, and it would mean the world to me and possibly change the life of someone.

*Please Note: this transcript is auto-generated and there may be some errors in the transcript

10 High PROTEIN Foods I Wish I Started Eating Sooner

by Cori Lefkowith | Nov 3, 2024 | Blog, Diet

I’m not going to waste your time in the video going over the obvious protein foods – chicken, beef, pork, fish, shellfish, seitan, tempeh, eggs, greek yogurt, protein powders…

Instead, I want to highlight all the foods we often don’t think about that are higher in protein and can be great ways to increase our intake while making meals delicious and helping us avoid that protein fatigue we can sometimes suffer from.

Not all of these may be right for you, but see the opportunity in the options to explore!

We have to remember that through diversity we can see results, get more nutritional benefits and even enjoy our meals and make those grams add up!

The first two foods I want to mention are both forms of dairy but not the common ones we go to.

Often we think cottage cheese and greek yogurt as protein boosting dairy products.

But Fairlife Milk and some forms of cheese like Parmesan Cheese can boost our protein intake more than we realize while making dishes more delicious.

And the best part is, we can select different options based on our macros even, going higher or lower fat as needed with both.

Fairlife Milk is a higher protein milk option, and lactose free if you were about to write off all these dairy options, that can add 13 grams of protein to your day.

It can make delicious smoothies and protein shakes, overnight oatmeals and even sauces for pasta dishes.

It can even be swapped into baked goods to add a protein bump to your favorite dessert to make it more macro friendly!

Cheeses are another great way to add flavor and protein, although you do have to be conscious that many cheeses can really pack a fat content punch.

But the great thing is you can often find lower fat variations and options if you need to hit your macros.

Options like parmesan cheese, swiss cheese, fat-free feta cheese can all be great. Honestly, things like parmesan cheese are basically protein salt.

It adds a ton of flavor without a huge impact on your macros.

And for snacks things like babybel cheese can be amazing to grab and go!

They can even make for a great snack plate with all-natural sliced deli meat, veggies with a greek yogurt dip!

A third food that can boost protein easily while adding flavor, and honestly is very similar to parmesan cheese as more of a salt or seasoning BUT great if you are plant-based too is, Nutritional Yeast.

You can sprinkle this on almost anything you want to add a cheesy flavor too and bump your protein by 5-10 grams. Sprinkle it on popcorn, mix it into greek yogurt, season your tofu or chicken with it.

Those grams can add up and help us prevent our meals from feeling bland or boring!

The fourth and next item I’d recommend adding to your grocery list to boost your protein intake is Non-Traditional Pastas things like – Chickpea pasta, Buckwheat pasta, even brands of mac and cheese like Goodles.

Too often we feel that we have to eliminate all carbs from our diet to increase our protein intake.

And this ultimately stops us from ever truly making lasting changes because we feel restricted and like we can’t enjoy the meals we love.

Instead of cutting out pasta, swap your traditional pastas for these higher protein variations. And many even pack in more vitamins and minerals to help!

Brands like Goodles are great if you’re plant-based and looking to bump protein. They are chalk full of amino acids and veggies!

You can have your pasta and hit your protein.

And to even combine a few of these tips and make this a killer protein combo, make your pasta sauce with Fairlife milk, chop up some chicken or tempeh to add in that you’ve seasoned with nutritional yeast and sprinkle on some parmesan cheese!

My 5th go to high protein food, that honestly has now become a grocery list staple for me, is egg white.

I love whole eggs and the yolk has nutritional value. I’m not saying to cut that out.

BUT having just egg whites to add into things, can often provide the protein boost we need with no added fat.

Egg whites are really easy to hide in dishes without changing the flavor but adding protein.

They can be good in stir-fries or fried rice.

They can be added to an omelet with even a full egg to bump protein.

They can also be used to bake your favorite dessert, or a breakfast oatmeal bake, lowering the fat of the baked good while keeping protein up!

If you’re a sweet treat person like me, even using them for a low calorie meringue cookie could help you stay on track and consistent while getting your fix!

They can also be used for savory dishes to make a crepe-like vehicle to roll veggies and hummus in or even to use as a sandwich wrap!

The 6th food, and it can be gotten fresh or frozen, is Edamame.

Whether you need a quick snack on the go and eat them with just salt or add them to a salad or stir-fry, edamame are a great protein boost.

One serving, or 85g, gets you 9 grams of protein and adds a great taste and texture to meals.

They are easy to combine with other protein sources as well to help you boost protein without getting bored just adding another ounce of chicken you have to chew!

And edamame also can be blended into a great guacamole or hummus substitute and used on veggies as well. It can even be a great spread for sandwiches to boost protein too!

And since sandwiches are an easy, on the go meal option, I think it is key we steer into how we like to prep and eat. This makes this 7th food a key staple to add that we often omit from our grocery list – Sliced Deli Meat.

Deli meats have gotten a bad rap. But not all sliced deli meats are highly processed bologna.

There are natural turkey and chicken slices. Great smoked salmon options. And I’d even add to this list cooked cocktail shrimp as an option.

But there are lost of all natural, pre-cooked and sliced proteins that can be easy to eat on their own as snacks or added to sandwiches and salads.

You can add them to omelets or egg cups too to make use of those egg whites as well!

They save on prep time and truly are portable. Plus, they are very easy to use with family meal prep lunches too!

Another very portal protein snack that I think is a must have especially if you travel a ton for work or are constantly shuttling kids from activity to activity is grocery list item number 8 – jerky.

No refrigeration and you can leave it in your purse or desk drawer, jerky is easy to always have on hand and stocked in your cabinet when you’re in a pinch.

But just like deli meat it has gotten a bad name and demonized as being too high in sodium and processed.

However, there are so many all natural options now and even plant-based alternatives jerkies. You can easily find everything from turkey to beef to fish made into jerky. And there are even lower sodium options.

But having this item on hand may be just what you need on a busy day to stick with your dietary changes and not go off plan.

Too often when we don’t have something macro friendly easily available, we reach for comfort foods or foods we shouldn’t and then we let one little deviation become 10.

So stocking your cabinet with a variety of jerkies and keeping them handy just in case can really help!

Pair that with some veggies and greek yogurt and you’ve got a great little snack too that’s high in protein!

Item number 9 is a very well known plant-based protein source, and one I could have listed at the start of the video but didn’t, because I wanted to highlight the different uses it can have whether or not you are plant-based.

And this high protein option is Tofu.

I wanted to mention Tofu as a great grocery list item because it can not only be added to stir fries and fried rices and so much else even with chicken or beef or shrimp to prevent protein fatigue and add another flavor and texture, but also because it can be used as a protein source in sweet treats like smoothies and baked goods as well.

I see it so often only used by plant-based clients or in savory dishes I did want to highlight it more.

Especially because often when we make dietary changes, we cut out things we love instead of seeing ways to tweak and swap to make things fit.

And especially with protein we can feel more restricted and feel like our desserts have to go.

But tofu can be a great way to bump protein and make delicious cakes, mousses and even ice creams.

It can also be a great add to smoothies if you can’t have dairy or don’t enjoy protein powders!

And the 10th and final grocery list item I want to mention to boost your protein is hemp seeds.

I want to mention hemp seeds because they often are underutilized compared to chia or flax seeds but with similar benefits.

And while we may be focused on boosting protein, we also want to get in all the nutrient diversity we can. And hemp seeds are a great way to boost those micros and pack in a ton of antioxidants.

They can be sprinkled on salads, made into pestos or even added to smoothies. They are a great alternative to flax or chia seeds with more protein per tbsp.

And like with all of these items, they can help us add flavor to our meals and boost our protein without dishes becoming bland or boring or getting that protein fatigue.

Even just picking one or two of these items to add to your grocery list can help you start increasing your protein intake this week.

Love to hear your ideas to even COMBINE a few of these for amazing protein packed snacks and dishes in the comments and I’ll share a few of my favorite recipes as well!

–> Download The Free Recipe Guide

The BEST Lat Exercises You’re Not Doing

by Cori Lefkowith | Oct 27, 2024 | Blog, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Pull Ups

Don’t get me wrong, I love pull ups…

I love being able to lift heavier loads with the traditional lat pull down…

And both are FABULOUS exercises to target your lats.

But so often we find one move we deem “BEST” and then ignore the opportunity in other options out there. Yet diversity is key, especially over the course of our weekly workout schedule.

This diversity of movement can help us see better strength and muscle gains faster. Because creating progression in our workouts isn’t just about adding weight or doing a directly “harder” exercise variation all of the time…

Sometimes it is about doing the same but different to target those weak links even.

And that is why I want to share a lat exercise I feel is underutilized and underrated and one you should be including in your back and lat workouts…

It is the side seated single arm lat pulldown.

It’s a mouthful to say, but this move is deceptively challenging and a great way to really target those lats while correcting any strength imbalances we may have between sides!

And it really forces you to take the ego out of things and lighten the load to isolate not only each side but that lat.

I’ll go over how to do this amazing move, why it is so beneficial and even how you can adjust it to fit your needs and goals, as well as a home alternative you can try!

So first, how do you do this amazing move and why is this exercise so beneficial?

I love the cable variation of this exercise although you can use a traditional lat pulldown machine with a single handle or even a resistance band anchored overhead.

You’ll also need a bench, and ideally an incline bench you can relax your side against as you set up gripping the cable in the hand furthest from the machine.

The incline bench allows you to fully eliminate any extra movement or assistance from any other area of your body so you are forced to be fully stabilized and engage that lat to power the pull down into your side.
It truly helps you isolate the lat and may force you to have to go lighter than you’d think to start.

And because you are only pulling on each side independently, your stronger side can’t compensate for your weaker side.

The stretch to reach up overhead, elongates the muscle under load and makes you work the pull through a bigger range of motion, which has been shown to be amazing for improving those strength and muscle gains.

You’ll also find you can really work on that shoulder blade, or scapular, movement, which not only works your back incredibly well to build strength but will even help you improve your pull ups while avoiding neck, shoulder and even elbow pain.

To do this lat pull down, let your shoulder rise as you reach up overhead and stretch your lats, elevating your shoulder blade then drive your elbow down into your side as you pull to feel your shoulder blade move down and back toward your spine.

This stretch and the lateral lat pull that prevents your elbows from flaring targets the lats even better than the traditional wide grip overhand lat pulldown.

You’ll be amazed at how much you really feel it down the sides of your back even while going lighter than you would usually for the two handed lat pulldown!

It’s a killer accessory exercise even for the pull ups if you’re working to improve them while building strength and tone in your back!

Now there are a few variations of this exercise you can do if you are limited on equipment.

The great part is, even this basic variation I’ve gone over already can really be adjusted to any fitness level based on the weight you start with.

And as I mentioned, you can swap a cable for a band or even use the traditional lat pulldown machine with a single handle.

To use the machine, you’ll just sit sideways on the seat.

This version or even a cable or resistance band variation done without the incline bench are all still amazing, but they just don’t create the same stability or isolation that leaning against the incline bench does.

So be conscious that you may want to move your torso more.

While this can allow you to exaggerate the stretch, it can also allow you to compensate and use other muscles, such as even using your obliques more to crunch down or even seeking out mobility from lateral movement of your pelvis.

And while a bonus side crunch for a bit of extra oblique work isn’t bad, and can help you get that full tuck of your elbow in, you want to be careful you don’t turn this into ONLY an oblique exercise.

If you don’t have a bench and are using a band even at home, you can sit on the ground or even perform the move half kneeling.

Half kneeling will again give you more room to move around and may allow you to go heavier than fully seated on the ground will allow you to do. Neither is better or worse, just different.

And while we have to go lighter the more we isolate, the more every ounce of work is being done by the muscles we want to target! And seated on the ground, you’ll be surprised by how much your core is firing to keep you balanced!

I also want to mention a version of this movement pattern you can do at home with just a towel if you don’t really have access to equipment.

It’s called Lying Side Slides.

You can use a slider or towel on hardwood floors or a paper plate on carpet. But you’ll lie on your side with your knees bent and hand on the slider overhead.

You will then pull down on the slider to sit up, feeling your lat power the pull.

This version really cuts out any potential bicep engagement because it is a straight arm pull down, but you do have to be careful not to turn it into an oblique crunch.

But using any of these variations, you can really target each side of your back independently to work those lats.

Just remember that it isn’t just about creating progression in your workouts in just one way! Postures and different positions for movements can really help us target different aspects of muscles to our advantage.

This diversity is so key and helps us strengthen weak links through really isolating the muscles we want to work in different ways!

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10 Unique Healthy Habits I Wish I Knew Sooner

by Cori Lefkowith | Oct 20, 2024 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Mindset

I’m not even going to waste your time with an intro…Here are 10 Unique Healthy Habits I Wish I’d Started Earlier….

Habit #1: Stop labeling foods as good and bad.

I pressured myself to eat clean…in a whole host of different variations for the longest time and sabotaged my own success.

And every time I went on another diet that cut out some “bad” food, I would ultimately be consistent for 30 days or 6 weeks, see some results, then feel so deprived and restricted I would ultimately fall off.

And then I’d feel guilty.

So of course, since I’d already ruined the day or week, I’d eat everything bad for me possible to only have to “start over Monday.”

Then Monday would come and I’d restrict again.

But this labeling of foods as good or bad stopped me from finding balance. And it ultimately led to me eating more foods not as nutrient dense over the long term.

Not to mention it stopped me from seeing results.

Now instead, I focus on an 80/20 balance. I work in foods I love 20% of the time and fully enjoy them. Then focus on whole natural foods 80% of the time.

I never now feel guilty and realize if I don’t include something it is my CHOICE, not something I have to do to hit someone else’s arbitrary standards of clean eating!

Habit #2: Reflection breaks.

I’m a do’er. I get something I want accomplished and I just want to get to taking action.

But this approach leads to a lot of wasted time and energy and often a lot of frustration as we work harder without moving forward.

It’s why I think it is so key we realize the importance of reflection breaks.

Times we step back and actually look at our habits, how we’re truly implementing them and then assess our progress.

Because often we are doing a lot of things we don’t need to be doing and not paying attention enough to the habits we do need to be focusing on.

We’re letting little deviations in our nutrition creep in. Ignoring missed workouts. While putting a lot and time and energy into other things that aren’t as essential.

But honest reflection can help us notice a gap between what we say we want and what we’re doing.

And even help us assess what we’re actually optimizing our habits and lifestyle for.

Because we won’t stumble our way into results. We have to be clear on where and what we’re spending our time on and why!

Habit #3: Set end dates.

Any time I create a plan, I set an end date. This also helps me take time to reflect, making that second habit easier.

And not only do end dates give us that time to reassess and adjust but they help us embrace and trust the process when trying new things.

We know there is a point we can make a change if things aren’t working.

End dates also give us motivation to start now. It’s easy to say, “I’ll start tomorrow.” when there is no deadline.

It’s also easy to feel overwhelmed by the idea of FOREVER.

We honestly get BORED with that idea.

We want to test out new workouts. We want to try new foods. We like searching for some improvement.

Instead of shying away from that, set those end dates to give yourself the opportunity to make tweaks and still have fun testing out new things while keeping yourself focused.

Habit #4: Cycling macros every few WEEKS.

I tried carb cycling, variations of daily cycling of macros and calories.

I tried sticking to one thing for months upon months.

The first led to my energy being all over the place and frustration trying to hit different numbers while prepping different foods daily.

It was too much work. Made me feel sluggish.

And it made it so hard to know what was and wasn’t working.

When I switched to sticking with one thing for extended periods, I found I got bored. Results weren’t as fast.

And if my workouts or activity level shifted, I found myself either starving at times or even gaining fat because my fueling didn’t match.

That’s why I began cycling every 2-3 weeks most consistently with small changes over cycles.

It allowed me to simplify meal prep. Keep my energy consistent. Adjust with changes in my workouts. Use different macro ratios to work toward different goals.

And I could even use the ratios to build better off of each other to take advantage of the different impact going lower carb after higher carb or higher carb after lower carb could have on body recomp goals!

It was my balance of diversity with consistency.

And without being too complicated or requiring the extreme precision cycling daily, like carb cycling, required!

Finding my balance of diversity with consistency was key for me not only with my diet but also with my workouts.

Habit #5: Repeating a weekly workout progression.

It’s easy to want to jump around. Or even want to repeat things because they are comfortable.

But you need a balance of both and repeating workouts is key to creating progression.

It’s hard to track progress when there is no clear build and every workout, every day of every week is a bit different.

If you do pull ups one week on Tuesday when your back hasn’t been worked that week you may get out 10 pull ups in a row versus if you did them on Friday of the next week after doing rows on Wednesday, you may find you struggle to get 6.

You didn’t get weaker. The muscles were just fatigued from previous work.

You’d be able to track progress better if you repeated the same schedule and workouts weekly for a few weeks in a row.

And to keep this from becoming boring, implement diversity in your workouts over the week. Don’t just do pull ups multiple times or the same workouts multiple days in a week.

Use different types of moves and even different training techniques and workout designs and tools to create unique and fun sessions.

This combination of even different forms of progression will help you see faster results while helping you not get bored!

Habit #6: Do that prehab!

I wasn’t always the prehab or foam rolling, stretching and activation obsessed person I am today.

But injuries made me face the facts and I’m so glad I did.

Not only am I moving better with fewer aches and pains, but honestly my fat loss, muscle grains and lifting performance all improved by just committing to this system every single warm up.

And it doesn’t have to be a lot. Some days it’s barely just 5 minutes, but the consistency with that flexibility, mobility, and stability work pays off.

We get good at what we consistently do. And the more we stay consistent with this prehab work the less we have to do extra to address movement compensations and imbalance that build up.

That feeling that we used to get away with something just means we shouldn’t be trying to get away with it.

And the longer we try to avoid the prehab work, the more we’re just creating bigger issues that will sabotage us later.

So focus on that prehab work and be intentional with your training. Don’t just rush through. Don’t just think of your workouts as a chance to burn more calories.

Focus on moving well in your sessions and you’ll not only feel and move better but you will see the payoff in those aesthetic goals too!

Habit #7: Prioritize protein.

This habit was something I resisted just like prehab. But when I started prioritizing protein, I finally got to the leanness level I wanted while also FEELING my best.

I saw my workouts and strength improve as well as my recovery.

And this prioritization of protein, I know will serve me well in years to come so I can look, move and feel my best!

I think this focus on protein is essential as we don’t just want to train to look and feel good for a day…we want to feel our best till our final day on this planet!

To help myself focus more on increasing my protein, I began to log it first and build meals around the portions I needed.

I even researched different protein types to find opportunity in the options out there.

I also at first didn’t worry about my ratio of carbs to fats. I just focused on calories and protein.

This allowed me to start to learn how to increase my protein while also making meals I enjoyed.

And I stopped even just focusing on ONE protein source at a meal.

By seeing how I could use two different types of protein in a meal to hit my needs, I found I enjoyed my meals more and didn’t get that protein fatigue!

Habit #8: Embrace my laziness.

This sounds weird to say as a habit but I think it’s a key thing to point out.

Because too often with habit changes, we try to focus on hitting an “ideal.”

We don’t think about how the habits can be adjusted to realistically fit our lifestyle. And that’s often what makes habit change so hard.

We’re trying to force a habit mold.

Instead we need to think, “How can this adjustment work for me and what is one small step toward bigger changes that I can make even on my worst days?”

This focus on embracing what I call my “laziness” with things, allowed me to build healthier habits that have evolved more and more over time.

Like I buy tons of frozen veggies and fruits. I know they won’t go bad and they are easy to prep.

I’ll buy pre-cooked chicken breast. I’ll get frozen meal prep from places.

I’ll plan in restaurant meals out so I don’t have to cook.

I get canned goods.

I have 5 minute workout options or even home workout options when I just know I won’t be motivated or have the time to get to the gym.

The more we can embrace our own “laziness” or desire to not give MORE or prioritize something more, even if just not right now, the more we can actually make healthy habit swaps that add up!

Habit #9: Brain dump before bed.

Failing to plan is planning to fail.

The night before I make sure I have everything laid out for the next day.

This pre-planning, or last minute opportunity to adjust my plans, helps me make sure I have my to-do list set for the next day in a way I can accomplish the main things I need to do.

It helps me so that I’m organized in a way I’ll put first in my day the things that will get skipped if not done immediately.

It also helps me clear my mind before bed of anything that may keep me awake at night.

I don’t know about you, but if I’m not conscious to do a little brain dump of thoughts or tasks before going to bed, they’ll be spinning around my mind all night, making it hard to not only fall asleep but stay asleep.

So I use this brain dump into a list to close loops from the day to relax before bed while setting the next day up for success!

Habit #10: Take breaks.

I struggle HARD to not be doing something…like all the time.

So I honestly steered into that even with how I take breaks.

Because breaks don’t mean you aren’t doing something. They are really just a break from what we WERE doing.

So on weeks my body needs to back off the workout intensity, aka needs a break from the heavy lifting or killer cardio, I plan in things to do that are recovery.

I plan in a ton of mobility work and restorative movement. That way I don’t feel like a couch potato.

I use that time if I do shorten my workouts as an opportunity to even make other changes or habits shifts I haven’t had as much time to focus on.

I give myself a new focus while taking the break.

Because our body and mind can’t just go at 100% in the same way forever. And our priorities at times do need to shift.

And if we don’t own this, we never end up actually giving our all to anything.

We can also see our motivation completely fade and burnout hit.

It’s why sometimes even proactively scaling things back when you know priorities have shifted can be key.

So give yourself the break at times and shift your focus. It can help you feel like you’re still getting to take action but in a way that helps you stay motivated while giving your all to what you truly can!

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