TAKE ACTION
a
M
TAKE ACTION
Why You Should STOP Counting Calories (And What To Do Instead)

Why You Should STOP Counting Calories (And What To Do Instead)

by | Jan 2, 2022 | Blog, Diet

I know you’re hoping I’m going to tell you that you can stop tracking your food, but I’m sorry…if you want the best results?

You need to accurately know what you’re consume.

And most of us are really bad at estimating portion sizes and accurately remembering what we’ve eaten. Especially when we are first making a lifestyle change.

What is measured, can be managed.

If you don’t have data, you don’t know what to adjust.

It can make you feel like nothing is working without knowing exactly what to adjust.

When you track, you can make small changes based on what you’re ACTUALLY doing instead of guessing and feeling like you’re throwing spaghetti at a wall hoping something sticks.

However, I do think that a focus solely on calories in vs calories out when we track doesn’t yield the best results nor does it teach us to properly fuel our bodies for long term success.

Trust me…I’ve been down the calorie counting road.

It left me always feeling like I was starving and constantly trying to cut calories lower when my weight loss results stalled.

It led to me constantly yo-yo dieting because I didn’t truly understand the breakdown of my food and how to create a balance and a true change.

I’d create the deficit, lose weight, then increase my calories and regain what I’d lost.

And even when I lost weight, I never achieve the body recomposition results I wanted. I’d get skinny but never look leaner.

So if you want to feel fueled while also achieving amazing body recomposition results what should you be doing instead?

You should be tracking MACROS.

Now I know you’re probably thinking, “Hold up…Isn’t that the same thing as tracking calories?”

And while yes, by dialing in your macros, you will also impact your calorie intake, it honestly isn’t the same thing at all.

Purely counting calories puts the emphasis simply on calories in vs calories out over the QUALITY of those calories.

And the learning process to actually looking at the breakdown of your food is what yields LASTING results.

It’s amazing how much the amount of proteins, carbs and fats you consume can dramatically impact how fueled you feel and the results you get FROM THE SAME CALORIE INTAKE.

And it’s because we’ve also all fallen victim to the “calories are created equal” line.

While this line is a complete oversimplification of things and I know someone’s now going to say, “Calories actually are all created equal because they are a unit of measurement so one calorie equals one calorie…

The point of that statement is that purely counting calories isn’t taking into account the impact each macro, and even our food quality overall, can have on the results we get.

And that by changing the macros of those 100 calories, we can dramatically change how we feel and our long-term adherence.

The types of foods, and macros we consume impact how full we feel, but they can also impact our performance, recovery and overall hormonal balance.

Increasing your protein intake can increase satiety and help you feel fuller between meals.

And whether you’re plant based or an omnivore, increasing your protein is a key place to start.

Not only can it help keep you feeling fuller, but by increasing your protein you can help yourself build and retain lean muscle even while losing fat.

So if you’ve ever been told you can’t lose fat as you build muscle?

That’s just not the case. It’s just a process that requires us to be patient and track…something we don’t like to do.

And while I know carbs are often demonized in our current dieting world where Keto is all the rage, simply cutting carbs for some may not only hold them back from achieving the aesthetic results they want, as carbs can create an anabolic environment ideal for muscle growth, but also negatively impact their performance.

If you’re trying to train for an endurance sport while also trying to lose fat, you want to be conscious of the macros you’re consuming to make sure to get adequate protein to protect your lean muscle mass, as endurance training can be catabolic to muscle tissue, while also getting enough carbs for that instant fuel to perform.

Simply treating a calorie as a calorie could be why you always feel like you’re starving when training while also not losing any weight!

And simply treating all calories as if they are equal also ignores the differing thermic impact of not only each macro but also of processed vs unprocessed calories.

Each macro requires a different amount of energy to be digested and utilized, which isn’t taken into account when we just focus on calories in vs calories out.

Studies have shown protein actually has a thermogenic effect 5 times greater than carbs or fat!

Protein takes the most energy to digest with about 20-30% of the total calories in protein eaten going to digesting it. Then carbs take about 5-10% while fats take 0-3%.

That’s why you can feel so different on the same calorie intake based on the macros you’re consuming!

And then even how you dial in those macros can make a difference.

I know we all see those crazy food concoctions with hashtags about “if it fits your macros” and I’m a big believer in finding balance and working in those foods I love that I know aren’t as healthy for me because it helps me create a sustainable lifestyle balance right for me…

BUT when you track macros, while nothing is off limits, you’ll also find that often your food quality improves.

Not only are you able to include a diversity of foods to get vitamins and minerals from a variety of sources instead of following a restrictive list that can often come with a focus on “clean eating,” but you really aren’t able to just eat crap and hit your ratios.

While those posts may show crazy foods people work in, what you aren’t seeing is that lean protein and veggie meal they’re also eating to make it work.

And that balance not only allows for long-term adherence but can help you slowly focus more and more on whole natural foods even if your diet isn’t as focused on them currently.

By including more whole natural foods in your diet, you’ll consume more nutrient dense foods which will not only benefit you health wise, but also make you feel fuller.

Processed foods because of the caloric density easily lead to overeating. Not to mention because they are hyperpatable you tend to just want…well…more of them even when you ARE full.

Not to mention, processed foods have a lower thermic effect.

A study which actually just used two basic cheese sandwiches, showed that by simply even using a more natural cheese and whole grain bread made a difference in the thermic effect.

So even if these sandwiches both have the same technical calorie intake, because one has a higher thermic effect, your ultimate energy balance will be different.

SUMMARY:

This is why we can’t just focus on calories in vs calories out but instead need to track our macros!

You may be surprised by how changing up your macros, without even adjusting your calories to start, can get you moving forward to feeling fueled while achieving the lean, strong body you’ve always wanted.

And by taking the time to truly learn about the make up of your foods, you’ll be able to adjust over time as your needs and goals change.

Because maintaining your results can’t mean just going back to what you were doing before!

Learn More…

–> The Macro Counting Guide To Fat Loss

FHP 351 – New Year, Same Old You?

FHP 351 – New Year, Same Old You?

by | Dec 28, 2021 | podcast

Well I’m about to give you a dose of reality.

It’s a new year…but it’s still the same old YOU.

So often I know we go in feeling like everything is just going to change because it’s this magical new year.

And then…well…nothing does.

Because we are still us.

We’re still looking at the same thing from the same angle. We’re still expecting dramatic results while often falling back into the same old habits we repeat each year…

It’s a cycle I’ve seen happen time and time again…it’s one of extreme restriction…followed by rebellion…followed by little habits sliding until we are not only back where we started and frustrated or even worse off than were we were coming into the New Year.

It’s why slowly over the years the weight creeps on (or the injuries add up) and we then wonder why it’s so hard to dig ourselves out of the hole.

And then we blame our “age” when it really isn’t that number that makes the difference…

Let’s face it…

A. We get less active often as we get older. Desk jobs, car commutes…too many of us don’t move enough during the day, especially now with so many of us working from home.

And B. We repeat this horrible holiday weight gain cycle that creates metabolic adaptions that make it harder and harder to lose the weight we gain over the years.

That’s why I wanted to highlight exactly how the weight gain happens with this cycle…

Over the holidays, many of us gain weight.

Let’s just say it’s even 5lbs that we gain between inconsistent workouts and all the partying and holiday fun.

We feel blah about it and decide to do something in the New Year.

Heck we may have even let a few of those pounds creep on because we knew we were going to “diet” in the New Year anyway.

So we go into the New Year up 5lbs.

We then are super motivated to make a change so we slash our calories super low, train harder, restrict the foods we love…all to lose the weight as fast as possible.

We do those oh so tempting fad diets…or fad diets disguised far too often as “lifestyles.”

And we do lose the 5lbs.

But the habits aren’t sustainable. And over the Summer, with travel and vacations, we regain one to two of those pounds we lost.

We just couldn’t keep cutting out everything we loved and training so much.

So with these 2lbs on, we go into the next holiday season.

And again….

We gain the holiday 5.

But this year going into the New Year, we are now up 7lbs.

Again we are motivated in the New Year to make a change and we go after that quick fix.

But this time, we only lose 5 of the 7lbs.

We go into the rest of the year already up two. And over the Summer, we again gain 1 pound.

This next holiday season we’re now up 3lbs to start.

And if we gain that same holiday 5, we’re now up 8lbs to start the next year!

Slowly over time those pounds creep on while we’re even working SUPER FREAKING HARD each year to get them off.

It’s frustrating as all get out!

And each year the struggle becomes harder and harder because we’ve not only had the weight on for longer, but our previous dieting practices to get the weight off as quickly as possible have now BACKFIRED.

In trying to lose weight quickly, we’ve lost muscle mass. Muscle we don’t regain when we regain the weight.

And that means often our body composition becomes worse and worse each time we regain the weight.

This also means metabolic adaptations.

Our body adjusts so that it actually burns less fuel at rest. This means we have to keep cutting calories lower and lower to lose as we’ve even trained our bodies’ to NEED LESS.

This only leads to us often more easily regaining the weight, not to mention creating hormonal imbalances that make it harder and harder to lose again.

On top of all of this, the longer we have the weight on, the more our bodies don’t want to lose it!

Our body wants to maintain balance.

And whatever weight we have been at for longer is NORMAL to it. It doesn’t want to change from that so it fights more and more against the changes to maintain balance.

It’s why the weight seems to take longer and longer to come off.

With all of this, it totally makes sense why things just are so freaking frustrating and become more and more frustrating over the years.

But NOW is the time to stop this cycle.

Learn how to create sustainable habits and achieve the lasting results you want.

Because who really wants to work super hard for results that last a week or a month?

HECK NO.

We want results that last for years, that truly do last the rest of our life.

So this year, take this step back to see this cycle.

Don’t start this New Year with unsustainable habits. Create habits that will last

Why You’re Not Losing Fat (3 Step Plan)

Why You’re Not Losing Fat (3 Step Plan)

by | Dec 26, 2021 | Blog, Diet

Are you being honest with yourself?

It’s not that we intentionally “lie” to ourselves about things, but all too often we are looking back at our habits with rose colored glasses.

We miss the inconsistencies.

We let hard work be mistaken for training with purpose.

We’ve focused on doing MORE over following a strategically designed plan and systems.

As much as we want there to be a magic pill, there isn’t one.

And there is no one magical move, magic macro ratio, magic ANYTHING that is going to give us instant results.

That’s why I wanted to share with you the main reason I feel we so often don’t see the results we want and how to overcome it, but I do just first want to remind you how important it is we take that step back to honestly assess.

It’s easy to get caught up in how we “feel” we are doing.

But feelings aren’t data.

Especially because we CAN actually be working really hard and not seeing the results we want.

Working harder though doesn’t translate always into CONSISTENCY with that hard work though.

Too often we are “good all week” only to end up falling off on the weekends.

And that inconsistency can really add up.

One day can throw you out of a deficit if you’ve been trying to create a smaller deficit throughout the week.

Missed workouts, when you’ve DESIGNED for a specific schedule, can really add up.

We need to be honest with ourselves and our implementation of systems.

It’s why tracking to give us that outside perspective can be key.

This honest assessment can also help us stick with our plan for long enough for results to add up.

Because simply not sticking with something for long enough is truly why we most often don’t see the results we want!

We simply can’t out exercise or out diet time.

And so often we give up on a plan or program before we’ve truly given results time to build.

Sometimes we’ve even seen results but don’t feel like they are happening fast enough so go in search of another, faster, fix.

And this constant hopping from thing to thing is what prevents results from snowballing.

Because often when we don’t “feel” like things are happening, they are!

And over time those small changes build upon themselves to lead to big results.

So if the true problem is that we don’t get consistent with something and stick with it for long enough, how can we help ourselves actually commit to a plan long enough for time to work its magic?

Here are 3 tips to help you stay consistent and give results time to snowball:

#1: Give yourself end dates.

We don’t do well with “forever.”

Not only does it lead to us often not feeling motivated to get started, but it makes it easy to slack when there is nothing driving you to have a specific result by a specific time.

If you think about the times you truly were the most committed, it was when you had a big event you were working toward.

By setting those end dates we motivate ourselves to fully commit and commit until that day in time.

We can then, at that point, reassess how everything is going.

Even if you don’t have a big event you’re working toward and you know your ultimate goal will take awhile, set strategic end dates to give yourself a chance to assess how everything is going.

If you know you’re going to stick with something until that point, it will make it easier to even trust the process and not be looking to change things up before then.

#2: Set goals that aren’t just your ultimate goal and track progress toward them.

Many of us have been told we need to set habit goals. We need to celebrate completing the boring daily tasks that we know we need to do if we want to reach our ultimate goals.

But it’s hard to stay motivated by these simple tasks, especially after you do them for a week or two.

That’s why you want to set goals you know will complement your ultimate goal while being quicker to complete or see progress toward.

If you have 50lbs to lose, and you know you often struggle to stay motivated to go to the gym, set a gym performance goal.

What is one move you’d like to be able to do?

Would you like to be able to lift a certain amount? Run a certain distance? Cycle at a certain pace?

Set a performance goal that you know will motivate you to want to do the habits that will lead to faster progress toward your weight loss goals!

Then make sure to track your progress with a set plan in place!

You need to have that clear progression to know what is and isn’t working and then you want to track your progress toward your goals so you can see those changes over the week!

That progress forward will help keep you motivated to do what you know will lead to your other goals as well!

#3: Stop the all or nothing attitude.

Often in our desire to see results faster, we try to do a billion things at once.

We try to work harder and do more over finding something sustainable we can do long-term.

If you want to help yourself stick with something long enough to see results, you need to honestly assess your lifestyle, needs and goals and base your routines and habits off of them.

As unsexy as small changes are as they don’t often lead to the immediate earth-shattering results we want, they are what ultimately add up to the greatest results long-term.

Too often we overestimate how much we can accomplish short-term and underestimate what we can accomplish long-term with consistency.

So as much as you want something now, realize that attitude is what has ultimately lead to you never sticking with something long enough for results to truly snowball.

Yes you see those dramatic results, but then you also see that quick plateau or weight regain.

Find ways to make small changes based on what you’re currently doing and even at times embrace doing the minimum when you otherwise would do nothing!

Remember that it isn’t just about going full steam ahead when times are perfect, which, let’s face it, with life they often aren’t.

It’s about also finding ways to be BETTER than you would usually during the times you aren’t motivated and can’t do the perfect plan.

SUMMARY:

So often we hold ourselves back by simply not sticking with a program long enough. And then we also start to ignore the inconsistencies that happen.

Take an honest step back and reflect on what you’re doing.

Then set some end dates to constantly assess your programming and keep you motivated while allowing results to build. In each of these time frames, outline some performance goals you know will keep you consistent in those habits and working toward your ultimate weight loss goal. And then embrace doing the minimum. Be realistic instead of feeling like it has to be all or nothing.

Remember, you simply can’t out exercise or out diet time!

Eat the foods you love, train with a routine that fits YOUR busy lifestyle, and see the fabulous results you deserve…It’s that simple! (Note that doesn’t mean “easy.”)

LEARN MORE…

–> The RS Formula And 3 Pillar System

FHP 350 – Why I HATE Goal Setting

FHP 350 – Why I HATE Goal Setting

by | Dec 21, 2021 | podcast

I HATE Goal Setting

I’ve honestly never been a huge fan of traditional goal setting as I feel like it can make us very rigid in our thinking.

And the second we feel like we won’t hit a goal, we stop trying.

Or we realize halfway through our goals aren’t…well, aren’t what we really need or want to accomplish so we give up on doing anything.

Or we then don’t hold ourselves accountable toward the goals we should actually be working toward.

I remember one year Ryan and I said we would make a new course each month because we thought this would add value.

I quickly realized this just led to me rushing through things and didn’t actually help my clients, nor my business, more than slowing down.

More than not doing as much.

I realized I’d, yes, set a “SMART” (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Based) goal but it wasn’t very well thought out.  

The WHY wasn’t there.

It’s why I think it’s key we know the end goal we want to reach, but also find ways to be flexible in how we get there.

We need to remember the true WHY even if we sometimes aren’t even sure how we will ultimately reach that end.

We need to find ways to accept that certain experiments won’t pan out as we give ourselves some flexibility in our goals.

So while I’m all for setting goals, I think the key more than specifics is really understanding the WHY behind things.

Because so often we fail in reaching our goal because we don’t make it a priority.

We have to remember though, we prioritize what matters most to us.

If we want to reach our goals, we have to make them matter. And then, we’ll prioritize doing the things we need even when times get busy or we’re stressed out and tired.

So instead of focusing on how you’re going to even measure your goal, the timeline to complete it or even how “specific” you make it, instead focus on really diving in to why you want to accomplish this goal enough to be uncomfortable and sacrifice…and even what those obstacles will be.

If you’re looking to set some goals this year, here’s some things to consider….

#1: Why Is This Goal Important?

What is the pain in NOT having this accomplished?

Why is this goal so important you want to prioritize these habits even during tough times?

What does this goal truly mean to you beyond the obvious?

How could this goal improve OTHER areas of your life?

Basically why are the sacrifices work it (even recognizing the sacrifices you may have to make along the way)!

#2: What habits will help you move toward this goal and why do you believe these habits will get you there?

So often we pick a fad diet or quick fix and it doesn’t pan out.

It’s because we just choose the habits because they are “supposed” to work. We don’t dive into why they would work for US though.

One size doesn’t fit all and we have to be open to experimentation BUT the best way to really then figure out what works is to understand why a habit COULD work so we can then, if it doesn’t, adjust accordingly and accurately.

#3: What obstacles will stand in your way?

Face this. Acknowledge them.

By doing this you’ll be more prepared for anything that does pop up because you don’t expect the change to be easy.

Cause guess what?

It never will be!

The more we want something, often the more it feels like life tries to stop us from getting there!

#4: How will you keep yourself consistent and what end dates/check ins will you do?

Results take time and too often we simply don’t see results because we get caught up in one bad measurement, one off day, and we give up.

We also don’t stay consistent because we don’t step back to look at the overall picture and whether we are day in and day out doing the things we should.

How will you review these things and give yourself perspective?

We also don’t set other things to measure that would allow progress to build while we may not fully see the end result accumulating even though it is?

Because often we stop because we don’t “feel” like results are happening even though we are.

OR we keep going not even realizing something is off yet expect a different result.

How will you provide a guide to actually implement a program and give it time while not just allowing yourself to repeat the same mistakes expecting a different result?

SUMMARY:

If you want to set goals you’ll ultimately reach, you’ve got to be flexible in how you reach them and even when. Because nothing goes as planned.

BUT you have to have a clear vision for what you want to accomplish and why you want it.

And you need to give yourself guidelines along the way to see how you’re progressing.

This year set goals you’ll actually reach by focusing on these 4 things!

The Best Oblique Exercise (You’re Not Doing)

The Best Oblique Exercise (You’re Not Doing)

by | Dec 21, 2021 | Blog, Core, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Runner's

A few of the most common moves I see done for oblique work are the Pallof Press, side planks and teapots (love them or hate them…which is a topic for another day).

But my favorite is actually a unilateral balance challenge and bodyweight exercise.

This move requires no equipment and is deceptively hard.

But if you regress to progress, and take the time to master it, it will take not only your core strength, but also your scapular, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle stability to the next level.

It’s seriously one of the most amazing compound oblique exercises out there and one of the most awkward feeling as you get your balance – The Single Arm Rotational Plank with Knee Drive.

This rotational core exercise is an amazing way to really target your obliques and abs while also working your adductors, quads, Serratus Anterior, shoulders, back…and so much more.

However it is more challenging a unilateral move than we give it credit for.

If you can’t control the advanced variation and perform it slowly, please make sure to use the modifications I mention. You don’t get better results by rushing a movement or by doing a harder variation you haven’t earned.

The best results happen when we are intentional with our exercises so we can get more out of every movement. And you want to make sure you get all of the benefits you can from this move!

So…What are the benefits of this amazing move?

With this unilateral move, if you take the time to learn to control it, you will…

  • Improve your hip and knee stability, especially strengthening those adductors and quads.
  • Work your obliques and abs with both the rotational movement and the crunch. Your abs have to work hard to actually prevent unwanted extension of your spine as you even rotate to face the ground.
  • Improve your shoulder and scapular stability strengthening both the muscles of your shoulder but also of your upper back as well as your Serratus Anterior. You’ll feel that muscle really having to work as the shoulder blade protracts during your torso rotation toward the ground.
  • Correct imbalances because of the unilateral focus so you can make sure both sides are strong and working efficiently.

You’ll also find this movement really helps you improve your mind-body connection to recruit many different muscles at once to stabilize everything. I know it can be a frustrating coordination and balance challenge to start, but that is so key for actually improving our strength gains ultimately.

The more efficient and able we are to recruit the correct muscles to stabilize, the stronger ultimately we will be so we can run faster and lift more.

And bonus, if you are a runner, this is for sure a must-do core move if you’ve ever had knee, hip or lower back aches and pains!

Now…how do you do the Single Arm Rotational Plank With Knee Drive?

To do the Single Arm Plank Rotation With Knee, set up in a side plank position from your hand with your bottom leg staggered on the ground behind your top leg. You won’t be on the inside of that front foot like a regular side plank but will actually want to place the sole of your foot on the ground.

Make sure your hand is under your shoulder as you set up and you’re engaging your back to support your shoulder so you aren’t shrugging or straining it. This is key to supporting you as you rotate.

Then lift that back leg as if kicking it back and up toward the wall behind you as you rotate your chest toward the ground to counterbalance yourself. You will reach that top hand out as if almost trying to create a line across your body from your heel to your finger tips.

You should almost feel like you’ve rotated into a front plank position as you lift and reach out.

Then pivot back into the side plank position and, as you do, tuck the knee of your extended leg and elbow of your extended arm together, slightly crunching. You’re performing a little cross body crunch as you twist. Make sure your hand is still under your shoulder so that you’re shoulder isn’t straining as you twist.

After slowly tucking the knee to the elbow and feeling yourself pivot around that shoulder, extend back out.

You will feel all the muscles around your rib cage as well as your obliques, abs, adductor and quads especially as you crunch together.

Move slowly so you can stabilize. Do not rush if you feel off balance.

How can you modify this move?

How can you adjust this move if you feel your shoulder straining or adductor or groin becoming overworked?

A first little tweak you can make to the move is touching your foot down behind you instead of lifting it up. This little touch to pause and balance in the movement may be all the modification you need to start.

If you struggle with hyper mobility, especially in your elbows, you may also choose to modify this off your forearm.

However, if you don’t feel in control of any aspect of this movement, your next modification should be off an incline. The higher the incline, the more you can reduce the resistance of the movement.

As you feel stable, you can slowly lower the incline to progress the move.

You may even find you combine the incline with the foot tap to start.

The key is making sure you’re able to properly stabilize that shoulder to really focus on those obliques working to rotate and help you stay balanced!