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8 Odd Weight Loss Tips I Wish I Knew Sooner 

8 Odd Weight Loss Tips I Wish I Knew Sooner 

by | Jul 10, 2022 | Blog, Diet, Exercises

The secret to results is to be goldilocks and look for the thing that is “just right.”

And the best way to get that “just right” plan for ourselves, is to create it. We need to find that combination of what is RIGHT and what we can do CONSISTENTLY.

That sweet spot is where the magic happens.

Because what is “right” won’t pay off if we can’t repeat those habits consistently. Just like doing the wrong things consistently will only lead to trouble.

But to find what is right for us, we need to step away from seeking some perfect plan or getting caught up in some ideals of perfection when it comes to our training and nutrition.

It’s why I wanted to share 8 tips I’ve discovered really make the difference in creating that just right plan for you…tips that many people won’t like because they don’t promote clean eating ideals or even the no pain no gain mentality that is so popular!

Tip 1: Sometimes it’s better to just give into the cravings over fighting them.

We often waste a ton of effort fighting what we want. And while achieving results DOES mean some sacrifice, too often we just deplete our self control by constantly restricting.

Sometimes it is better to just give in, satisfy a craving and move forward. Often we feel better with our overall plan and less restricted and more willing to stick with things when we also get to include foods we really love and crave.

Sometimes indulging is what we need to be able to stay consistent, strike a lifestyle balance and stay on track.

Too often in our attempt to avoid the thing we want we end up eating more in the end or we end up eating things that honestly are just as bad. And on top of that we ultimately only eventually give in, which because we’ve felt so restricted, can lead to overeating the thing we initially wanted anyway.

Sometimes just preemptively having that thing can help us find a better balance and avoid that binge cycle!

Tip 2: Drink your diet drink.

Fake sweeteners have become super demonized. And while the data really doesn’t support that demonization, I’m not going to tell you that diet drinks are healthy.

However, I do feel like they can also be key to us creating something sustainable that we ENJOY.

Honestly, sometimes when you want something sweet or you want something to satisfy a craving, swapping in that diet drink can help us strike a balance. Having that diet soda may actually help you stay more consistent and be healthier overall. Too often we get caught up in the “one bad thing” instead of seeing the overall healthier balance it can help us create.

It may help you avoid other unhealthy foods and “cost” you less overall.

It may be the way you start to even transition yourself off of sugar filled drinks.

It’s all about small improvements and finding our balance.

So don’t fear sometimes swapping one not so ideal thing for something that makes an improvement in your life even if it isn’t yet “perfect.”

Also we have to find our balance. If a diet soda keeps you overall consistent, that vice may be what you need to actually hit that 80/20 balance not just for a few days or months but for YEARS…

Tip 3: Plan in meals out.

Often when we start a new diet we avoid going out because it isn’t as easy to stay on track.

But this can also backfire and make us always feel like that person on a diet. It’s what can lead to us becoming even burnt out with the changes.

If you enjoy meals out, plan them in. If you need the break with cooking, plan in your favorite restaurant meals.

Find ways to work in things you love, even planning in those meals out first to adjust the rest of your day around.

And then just log the best you can. Sure it may not be perfect, but logging as consistently as you can is key. And then watch how that meal impacts you. If you’re not seeing results, you can always adjust. You can always make swaps to dishes to more easily hit your macros.

Or you can even find new restaurants that list out nutritional info to make grabbing lunch on the go easier.

But don’t avoid habits and routines you love. Find ways to work them in.

Because completely cutting out habits and routines we enjoy ultimately derails us just to try to be perfect short term. But we need to be careful with that all or nothing attitude.

We need to remember that long-term consistency is key!

Tip 4: Want fast results? Be ready to sacrifice.

We all want to hear it will be easy to see results. And while we can definitely see results by making fewer changes to start, the faster we want to see results, the more we have to embrace some sacrifice and focus more on perfection in those new habits.

Basically the faster we want results, the more dedicated to the changes and the harder we have to be willing to push, especially to start.

And too often I think we gloss over this fact. We try to make things sound as easy for ourselves as possible, but I think this sets us up for failure because we then aren’t prepared for the challenges that pop up.

It does take more perfection short term and more sacrifice short term, the quicker we want to see dramatic changes and the further we are from our goal. Also the longer we’ve been in our current situation and the more we have working against us, the more we have to OVERCORRECT to start.

But we have to remember we have to base these changes on a solid foundation of those basics so that we can steer back to sustainable as we reach our goals.

It’s why macros and designing clear workout progressions are key. These fundamentals allow us to create sustainable habits even if we do more of a cut to start or shift into more of a muscle gaining phase. These fundamentals don’t change even as we transition into maintenance even if their exact implementation adjusts with time.

We have to remember that what it takes to reach a goal will NOT be the same thing we have to do to maintain it!

Tip 5: The longer you’ve struggled, the longer you’ll struggle….sorry this is just a reality.

If you just gained the weight recently and haven’t had it on for long, if you’ve done a diet or workout plan before and see results, you’re going to see faster results this time through. You know the pain, your body also isn’t content where it is, and so your body will respond quicker.

It’s why it isn’t really fair to compare your results to someone who just gained a few pounds over the holidays if you’ve been up in weight for years. It’s why you can’t base your results on that of a trainer or bodybuilder who gains and loses weight all of the time.

The longer you’ve had the weight on, the less you’re familiar with what you need to do, the HARDER it will be to really get the ball rolling.

So if you’re struggling with taking on a new challenge, if you’ve struggled with hormonal changes and with weight that has been on a very long time, get ready to really grind it out without seeing the progress you so desperately crave to start.

Realize it WILL be harder for you.

So set habit goals to give yourself daily things to focus on. It’s key to really create those changes that build toward the long-term results we want. And track those habits as you implement to celebrate those as wins because you have to find a way to embrace the process.

Tip 6: Stop feeling guilty.

I mean this in so many ways, but we’ve got to stop the guilt if we want to truly change our lifestyle. We are human. We’re never going to be perfect.

Don’t feel guilty if you want to fit something into your macros that isn’t healthy. Don’t feel guilty for a skipped workout. Don’t feel guilty for a day not going as planned or eating out of stress.

Often these things don’t derail us, it’s the guilt that changes our habits and mindsets for days after that adds up.

So focus on what you can always do to move forward. Focus on meeting yourself where you are at. Focus on 1% improvements and seeing everything as a learning process!

But stop sabotaging yourself by making yourself feel guilty for being HUMAN.

Tip 7: Stop trying to just exercise for longer.

Focusing on making your workouts longer is a waste of time. Period.

The only reason your workout should get longer is because you’re training for a specific competition or your rest times have to be ridiculously long for max attempt lifts.

Honestly, too often we make our workouts longer and just waste a lot of time and effort. It often also leads to us being extra tired and burnt out and hungry which ultimately leads to hormonal issues, metabolic adaptations and cravings that backfire and sabotage us.

So often us trying to train more as we eat less is what sabotages our weight loss efforts and makes us feel like we just don’t have self control.

It’s also what leads to more metabolic adaptations so we can feel like we aren’t losing while starving ourselves. Our body fights against what it sees as starvation.

So stop just trying to do MORE.

Use your training to build muscle and move well. Focus on using the time you realistically have to train wisely!

Tip 8: Don’t turn strength workouts just into cardio.

Too often we seek just to feel worked from our workouts. To be tired and burn a ton of calories.

But this is why we can feel our programs are unsustainable and we get skinny without looking leaner. It’s what can hold us back from actually seeing the body recomp we want, and getting the lean arms or toned abs we desire.

Because cardio doesn’t build muscle and can even be catabolic to it. It can ultimately make us look softer especially if we are in that calorie deficit to lose weight.

So when you do strength work, don’t fear rest. Don’t feel like you have to be destroyed and out of breath every single workout. Track your numbers and focus on progressive overload! Focus on lifting more and really challenging those muscles so they are forced to repair and rebuild stronger!

SUMMARY:

As tempting as it is to do more, to strive for perfection in our diet and workouts, results really come from 1% improvements and meeting ourselves where we are at!

You need to find the “right things” that you can truly be consistent with long term!

Set yourself up for success. Get the coaching and support you need to learn how to rock those results no matter your age…

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FHP 427 – We Make Things IMPOSSIBLE

FHP 427 – We Make Things IMPOSSIBLE

by | Jul 4, 2022 | podcast

Yup you heard that right. We make things impossible because we tell ourselves they aren’t possible.

And guess what?

Sure…everything isn’t possible…nor we will achieve that goal in the same way someone else has even if we get there.

Getting abs for you may be different than for me.

We of course all have genetic limitations and pre-dispositions.

But to just say you can’t get abs…well why not still strive for YOUR version of your leanest physique?

Why just say you can’t have that exact thing and give up?

Seriously then what is the option?!

So often if we believe we can’t have something we just don’t even try!

But we’ve got to stop telling ourselves we can’t if we want to move forward.

Life is about constantly growing and improving. That is the fun in it.

And I do truly believe that too often we write ourselves off.

I didn’t think I could get abs!

I didn’t think I could deadlift 310 pounds.

I didn’t think I could get a tennis scholarship to a Division I team and play.

I didn’t think I could start a business and go out on my own.

Heck I didn’t think I could be that person in front of the camera!

But I also didn’t not try.

There will always be a DOUBT that you can’t do something, but while I didn’t necessarily know it was possible until it was, I believed in the opportunity.

I believed that there was no point not to try.

And I think that’s the key, realizing the alternative.

Which the alternative is to just give up, never move forward, never improve.

Is that really what we want?

Any time I’m presented with these situations I like to reflect on what I do, what I’ve seen successful clients do, to share tips…and here are 3 mindset shifts I think are key to putting ourselves out there and seeing what is possible.

#1: So What If It Isn’t The Same?

If you have loose skin, your abs may not look like that Inspo picture you have.

But guess what? Almost no ones abs look exactly like someone else’s.

Our lifestyle and previous habits and scars are all there.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t have YOUR best looking abs.

We need to shift our mindset to saying we want this as it pertains to OUR best selves in that area.

Whether it is an aesthetic goal or performance goal we need to see that “ideal” as us achieving it in our own version.

This drives us forward.

Maybe you’ll never deadlift 400lbs. Maybe you’ll never be an elite marathoner.

But why not say you want to reach the elite level that YOU can?

We can always be our healthiest, fittest, happiest selves. But we need to remember that our journey and our ultimate win WILL look different than someone else.

#2: Possible ALWAYS Seems Impossible…Until You Get There

If you’ve never achieved something before, you don’t know how to get there.

It’s also why I hate those fit to fat to fit again things…so difference when you know how to do something or your body even wants to get back to that point.

But honestly, over your entire journey to results, you don’t fully know if you’ll get there until you do.

It’s why celebrating the habits, remembering why we started and then recognizing the wins along the way are key.

It’s why you also have to see everything as an EXPERIENCE.

Life is meant to be LIVED. What experiences do you want out of it?

What ways would you like to improve?

Because even if you don’t “get there” isn’t it fabulous to see the growth? To know you moved forward? To know you’ve learned?

Heck to even know you tried?!

I never want a regret because I didn’t at least TRY at something.

So just remember it will be impossible till you prove it is possible!

#3: What’s The Alternative?

This might sound weird, but when I doubt myself, when I consider not doing something, I always think…

“What’s the alternative?”

And often I realize the alternative is keeping myself stuck. Keeping myself in a situation I do NOT like.

Not seeing what I CAN actually achieve.

Really if we aren’t choosing to try for a goal, often we aren’t allowing ourselves to grow.

And who doesn’t want to learn and improve and grow?

Who keeps wanting to be frustrated feeling like they’re stuck?

So if you’re scared to get started, if your scared of failing…which there is always a chance you will, think about the alternative of never trying.

There is the saying, you never regret the workout you did…Well I honestly think that applies to most goals we work toward even if we “failed.”

Most of the time we don’t regret TRYING. We feel good for it.

Strength comes from overcoming things. Growth comes from stepping outside our comfort zone.

Don’t fear failure.

Realize it is a part of success.

And realize honestly that the alternative of not at least TRYING to reach something we think MAY be impossible is staying stuck and believing it will never be possible.

I don’t know about you, but that gives me FOMO!

Lose An Extra Pound Per Week Without Changing Your Current Diet Or Workout Routine

Lose An Extra Pound Per Week Without Changing Your Current Diet Or Workout Routine

by | Jul 3, 2022 | Blog, Exercises

Want to lose weight but not sure where to start? Feeling intimidated by tracking macros? Feel like you’re already training hard but not seeing results?

Because making changes, and getting started, is the hardest part, I wanted to share how you can build that momentum to see results with a very small tweak to your current lifestyle.

We have to remember that the more we do, the more we do. And this can mean that a positive habit change can lead to more positive habit changes…or inaction can lead to more in action.

So what easy thing can you start doing today to get better weight loss results?

Think about why weight loss occurs…

Because we create that calorie deficit.

You can create, or increase that deficit in two ways…

1: You can cut your calories lower.

This works to a certain extent, but too great a deficit created this way can cause metabolic adaptations and hormonal imbalances.

Not to mention, dietary changes are the hardest for most of us to start.

And if we’re already in a deficit, the thought of eating less may be a struggle and backfire.

So instead you can try way number 2 to create a deficit and do more exercise or activity.

2: Exercise more.

The problem with this is your body adapts. And you can’t just keep adding on more and more and harder and harder training. You’ll end up burnt out and injured.

You can’t out exercise your diet.

Also training MORE can often lead to us doing more and more cardio, which is catabolic to muscle tissue and can then result in muscle mass being lost so we burn fewer calories at rest and ultimately hinder our weight loss and fat loss results.

Not to mention often trying to add in more intense training sessions can spark our appetite further, making it harder to maintain our dietary calorie deficit.

BUT there is a way you can get a bump in your calorie burn through increasing activity WITHOUT stressing your body, or increasing your appetite, further.

In a way that basically keeps your non exercise thermogenesis or the calories you burn outside of your “workouts” higher while not putting you at risk for overtraining, burnout and muscle mass loss.

This activity even has you working in that “fat burning zone” where more of the calories you burn come from fat.

This so unsexy, simple activity is WALKING.

Yup. By adding in just a little extra walking into each and every day you can easily help yourself lose more weight each week and overcome that plateau.

Even just starting with an extra 15 minute walk per day, or increasing your current step count by 2,000 steps, can really start to add up!

Walking will not add to your fatigue but it will help you increase the number of calories you burn in a day.

It won’t detract from future workouts because it won’t create fatigue.

It even mentally can help you stay on track with your nutrition because you’re not just sitting around wanting to eat or repeating the habits you’ve always done. Getting moving can help you want to do MORE of the positive lifestyle changes you are making.

It can also be easy to include in your day as you can use it as a social activity or way to wind down.

You can even break up your walks over the course of the day to fit your schedule.

But this extra movement increases your energy expenditure in a sustainable way that can help you get started losing weight or break a plateau.

It’s perfect if you’re just starting out and need that easy transition in and beneficial even if you’ve been dieting for longer.

And if you’ve been dieting for longer, not only can the addition of walking keep you moving when you tend to want to conserve energy by moving less due to lower body fat levels and an extended deficit, but it can also be used to help lose that last little bit of stubborn fat.

If you have an especially stubborn area to lose from, and are down to that last little bit, you may find that timing your walks right after a burner or session focused on these areas really makes the difference in your result!

Of course this isn’t a magic pill but it may be that final thing you need when you’re just almost at your goal!

SUMMARY:

To get the best results possible, we want to know all the tools out there we can use to create a healthy sustainable lifestyle.

And walking is an amazing way to lose an extra pound each week without making more changes to our diet or even having to change our training sessions!

So to start making a change today, think about increasing your step count by even just 2000 steps with a brisk 15 minute walk!

Ready to get the accountability and support you need to see amazing results?

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FHP 426 – Do You Value Yourself?

FHP 426 – Do You Value Yourself?

by | Jun 28, 2022 | podcast

Body acceptance…Loving your body…

I’m going to be brutally honest, I don’t think we’ll ever be 100% happy with ourselves or content.

I think it is the human condition to always want more.

BUT I also think we need to find a balance where we appreciate who and what we are flaws and all.

We need to love ourselves despite the struggles and even value ourselves potentially more because of what we’ve gone through.

Struggles do not diminish our value.

Personally I believe those life experiences enhance our worth.

But I thought this was also an interesting way of thinking about value…

If I offered you a crisp and new $20 bill right now, you’d want it.

If I crumpled that, you’d still want.

If I rubbed some dirt on it and stepped on it, you’d still want the $20.

Because the value of that bill hasn’t changed despite the dirt.

Honestly the wear and tear on the bill really doesn’t matter, it’s still $20.

We’ve got to value ourselves in the same way – we need to value ourselves despite painful conditions and failures.

We can’t degrade ourselves just because of temporary setbacks and struggles.

We need to realize all the worth we truly have.

I think when we can see our value and realize it is unchanging despite our current circumstance we can start to better achieve acceptance.

We can work to improve without being unhappy.

So how can you help yourself see your own worth?

#1: Recognize you’ll always want to improve something, but flaws don’t make you less worthy.

No matter what we achieve, we will always find something that can be better. And I think it’s key we realize this instead of feeling like we will be fulfilled, we will be valuable if we achieve something specific.

Because so often we achieve a goal to then not feel satisfied and feel even more broken because we aren’t happy having achieved what we thought would make us feel fulfilled.

So by recognizing that there will always be more we want, we can start to value the journey better.

We can start to appreciate our growth.

I think it can also help us take pressure off of achieving something specific too, ultimately making it easier to reach the goal we wanted in the first place.

To be flawed is truly human. And we will always want more growth.

Life is about the journey. We need to recognize this over putting so much value just in a destination.

Your worth isn’t about a specific outcome. It’s about how you choose to constantly learn and grow and appreciate the ride.

#2: Take time to recognize your value.

So often we deem things we don’t have as valuable over recognizing what we have.

There is that line – you never know who you’re inspiring.

But we need to take time to see what we have! To appreciate how we can inspire others and even share of ourselves to recognize what we have.

I think when we start to consider how we can help others, we can better see our worth.

So what do you have to share? What can you teach? Recognize those things to give yourself credit for all you’ve accomplished!

#3: Remember that your current situation is always temporary.

We are always able to move forward from where we are at. Even if we’ve suffered a setback and may not get back to “where we were,” we can always move forward.

Our situation is only as permanent as we allow it to be.

If you want more, choose to make changes to work toward it.

Any setback or slip up is temporary. It doesn’t impact our worth or our value.

We can always move forward and grow.

For me it’s even defining value in something I can control – aka am I letting myself stay stuck. If I’m choosing to stay stuck then there is the problem.

But my value isn’t lessened from struggle.

If anything it grows.

Diamonds become diamonds because of pressure!

Realize you can let those struggles even increase your worth!

SUMMARY:

Realize that seeing our own value is never easy. Accepting our flaws is hard.

But little setbacks and struggles don’t take away from our worth.

There is also always a way to move forward. But we’ve got to enjoy the journey knowing it will never really be done!

The Best Chest Exercise (You’re Not Doing)

The Best Chest Exercise (You’re Not Doing)

by | Jun 27, 2022 | Blog, Exercises

If it challenges you, it will change you.

Progression can be created in so many different ways, from increasing loads to changing tempos, postures of movements, ranges of motion and even by changing the types of tools we use.

For example the basic dumbbell chest fly is a staple of many chest or pec building hypertrophy workout routines.

But I find often people, in an attempt to keep progressing the move, start to compensate in terms of their form.

They end up turning the move into a straight press over a true fly as they try to increase weights past a point they can truly control.

Or if they realize they can’t control the heavier weight they start to add reps instead to progress the movement. This isn’t a bad way to create progression when you’re stuck not able to truly move to the next weight.

But what if you’re finding your ego is getting in the way and you’ve hit a point there isn’t really a clear progression?

What can you do?

This is where you can implement different techniques, including simply adding in another training tool to the equation.

You could simply swap to a banded chest fly to progress through the same but different because bands apply tension in a different way to the same movement pattern OR you could actually combine both tools.

And combining both tools is a great way to progress that standard dumbbell chest fly and even create resistance throughout the movement in a new way.

It’s why I love the Banded Dumbbell Chest Fly!

The band makes it deceptively hard, forcing you to really slow down the movement and control it.

It creates resistance in a new way while still allowing you to get the benefits of the basic dumbbell fly.

It may be that little tweak you need when you can’t just keep adding reps and aren’t truly able to move up yet with dumbbells.

It may even simply be a great way to challenge your body in a new way and bust through that strength plateau and even mix up your training just to keep things interesting!

So How Do You Do The Banded Dumbbell Chest Fly?

To do the Banded Dumbbell Chest Fly, you will need a larger loop band to hold with your dumbbells. Start light as this move is deceptively challenging.

You will want to go lighter with the dumbbells than what you use for just the dumbbell chest fly especially to start!

Hold the band in one hand and pull it across your back as you grab it in the other hand. I recommend having your weights propped up on the bench in front of you or on a rack where you can easily grab them.

Grab a weight then in each hand and lie back on the bench with the band across your upper back and weights in at your chest.

Then press the band and weights straight up from your chest toward the ceiling with the weights together.

Moving slowly fly your arms out and open at about chest height, keeping your elbows soft. However, do not turn this into a bench press. You aren’t bending and extending at the elbows but allowing yourself to move from your shoulder as you lower your arms to about parallel to the ground.

Make sure you do not shrug as you fly your arms open.

Open up your chest so your upper arms are about parallel to the ground. Move slowly to really control the band, then feel your chest muscles work to pull your hands back up and overhead toward the ceiling.

Focus on contract the pecs to really pull the weights back over the center of your chest.

Feel the band working against you as you fly your arms back together.

Then repeat the move. You want to feel a slight pec stretch as you open up your arms, while not locking out the elbows. And then you want to feel your chest really working to bring your hands back together.

Really start light to focus on a slow tempo and that control. You’ll be surprised by how much the band makes this more challenging.

Make sure as you do this move as well that you’re even aware of engaging your back to support your shoulders.

To modify you can always use just one tool instead of both combined or even do a standing chest band fly to really work on that scapular control if you struggle with engaging your back to support your shoulders!

SUMMARY:

Just remember weights and going heavier with loads is not the only way to progress a move! And sometimes small changes like using two types of resistance can be the variation we need to keep seeing results from our programming!

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