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MINI CUTS – The Smartest Way To Lose Fat Quickly

MINI CUTS – The Smartest Way To Lose Fat Quickly

by | Jul 13, 2025 | Blog, Diet

Want to look leaner and always feel fabulous for that big event or vacation?

Well I’m going to share how you can actually accomplish this and stay leaner all year around.

And it’s not a cleanse or detox. It’s not a magic pill…

The secret is MINI CUTS.

In this video I’m going to explain what mini cuts are, why and when to use them and how to design your own.

Because they are the perfect way to kickstart your fat loss progress when you’ve hit a plateau or even when you want your muscle definition extra on point to feel your most fabulous.

Now a word of warning…

Mini cuts are NOT sustainable.

They’re not easy or fun.

They’re not the time you include the foods you love or strike a lifestyle balance.

They’re intensive and restrictive with a purpose.

You’re going to feel hungry. You’re going to feel a bit fatigued.

They aren’t meant to be done long term but as that quick fat loss phase that really pushes you to that next level of body recomp.

And they’re done for 1-2 weeks, 3-4 max.

While they can be amazing for that fast progress, doing them longer than a month will sabotage your success and backfire.

Their magic is in their short duration.

But if you need to see that quick progress on the scale for motivation…

Want to strike a balance around vacation and even to feel extra fabulous in your swim suit…

Or want to lose a bit of fluff you’ve put on after focusing on a muscle building phase for a bit…

Mini cuts are the perfect way to strike a balance.

And before I go into how to do one I want to touch on WHEN to use them.

I do NOT recommend using a mini cut if you’ve already been in a calorie deficit especially for an extended period of time.

Slashing your calories lower when you’ve already been in a deficit can lead to metabolic adaptations.

If you’ve been in a calorie deficit for a few months, consider a diet break BEFORE using a mini cut.

This is also why mini cuts can be great even after a vacation when you may have been eating more at maintenance and with more relaxed macros.

This is also why mini cuts are great during a maintenance or muscle building phase for that little extra shred to stay leaner overall.

But ideally you are using a mini cut after eating at maintenance at least for 1-2 weeks.

And you will even want to build BACK to maintenance after a mini cut for a couple of weeks before returning to your regular calorie deficit.

Now how do you determine what calories and macros to use for a mini cut?

You are going to use an “extreme” deficit and intensive, high protein macro ratios for 7-14 days ideally, but you can use them 21-30 days max. Just note that longer isn’t always better.

For this short timeframe, you want to push your calorie deficit without going past the point of diminishing returns.

That means you want to consider cutting 300-500 off your maintenance calorie level.

If you aren’t fully sure where maintenance is for you and you have more weight to lose, multiply your goal bodyweight by 10.

If you are leaner already and extremely active, this may be more like 11-12 x current bodyweight.

You will then want to cycle macros every week, using 2 ratios over your 2 weeks.

While these ratios may vary slightly based on your activity level and needs, you want to use ratios that are about 45-50% protein.

Two common ones I use are:
45% protein, 25% carbs, 30% fat
50% protein, 30% carbs, 20% fat

This keeps protein extremely high but helps avoid any hormonal issues during this quick sprint by cycling fat and carbs slightly up and down.

These ratios are extreme. It’s part of why you are NOT using this long term.

Carbs and fat are not evil but for fast body recomp, keeping protein this high while pushing the calorie deficit works magic.

Preserve lean muscle as you lose fat.

It’s a huge win but NOT a fun diet to do.

So pick one ratio after setting your calories to start with and use that for 7 days. Then switch to the other for the second week.

You may notice a huge drop not until the end of the mini cut or even once you actually finish it and start bumping calories back up.

To return to higher calories, add 100 calories to your daily total and increase each week as you cycle your protein down to 30-40%.

Now a few more tips to make this work so you go in 100% prepared for the challenges and see the results you want from this quick fat loss protocol…

#1: You have to be precise.

You can’t allow for 1% deviations. You can’t excuse fluctuations day to day.

You want to be within 5 grams of your macro numbers DAILY and no more than 50 calories plus or minus.

This precision is key.

It may be a good time to really meal prep, keep prep simple and NOT plan in meals out.

Precision really is key.

Again, this is NOT a time to focus on sustainability or balance. It is a time to go all in so you can then go back to more of a fat loss lifestyle balance after or even return to maintenance.

#2: Plan ahead.

These ratios aren’t easy. Precision is key. And you’re going to be hungry.

So you need to plan ahead to help yourself navigate the challenges.

Plan more carbs around your workouts and even if you usually train fasted, consider a small snack prior so you aren’t starving after.

This also helps you protect your lean muscle during this quick protocol.

But plan ahead to make sure you’re getting a balance and not getting to the point of being so hungry you cave and overeat.

#3: Be boring and focus on high volume meals.

While you may love diversity in your meals, now is probably not the time to make meal prep more complicated. It only makes things more challenging.

And studies have even shown that reducing food diversity during a fat loss phase can help cut back on cravings.

You don’t necessarily want more of the boring foods you have to eat. While adding in more diversity can make you want more of…well different things.

So consider simplifying meal prep and really focus on those low calorie foods that fill your plate and make you feel fuller.

Lots of veggies, low carb fruits like berries, lean proteins and such are key. The more bites you get, the more you’ll find you stay satisfied while in this intensive deficit!

#4: Don’t do this if you aren’t ready to track macros meticulously.

If you’re not a macros math person already, don’t force yourself to start with one of the hardest macro protocols out there.

This mini cut works best if you are super comfortable adjusting and hitting macros meticulously and not going to be frustrated figuring out what fits.

These ratios are HARD. They don’t allow for a ton of fun foods or flexibility.

And precision is key.

So if you aren’t an advanced macro tracker, this may not be the place you start.

Don’t set yourself up for failure trying to force something not realistic for your lifestyle…yet.

If you’re looking to take your results to that next level, or simply want to feel extra fabulous for a big event, consider implementing this advanced macros technique.

It’s a great way to strike balance over your year especially around times you may be more lax to avoid falling back into the yo-yo dieting cycle!

Not everything we do is meant to be a lifestyle but through adjusting as we go we can overall create an amazing balance!

Want a plan to help you rock a 14-Day Mini Cut? Check out this amazing special on my Mini Cut Challenge!

–> LEARN MORE

7 Things I Wish I Knew About Eating More Protein

7 Things I Wish I Knew About Eating More Protein

by | Jun 22, 2025 | Blog, Diet

Changing your portions is hard. You can’t just eat meals the way you’ve always eaten. That does require some planning ahead to start.

And protein isn’t often the thing we just have lying around or want to snack on.

That’s why these 7 tips can help you start to adjust your macros, increase your protein and all while meeting yourself where you are at to still include meals and foods you enjoy!

Because the more foreign a change feels to start, the more resistant to repeating it we’ll be.

That’s why tip number 1 and where I like to start with increasing protein is simply to add an ounce of the current protein I’m eating.

If I want BBQ chicken and fries for dinner? Instead of feeling like I can’t have a meal I love, I add an extra ounce of chicken.

Small changes made this way lower our resistance to the change in general. And they add up.

Too often we do these massive overhauls over seeing the tweaks we can make.

So at your next meal, take your current protein and add an ounce.

Doing this to multiple meals in a day may surprise you by how much it adds up.

From there, you may find it easier to make bigger changes and even find new recipes that increase your protein intake!

But increasing protein doesn’t mean having to cut out dishes you enjoy!

Small changes to other ingredients in your meals can also help you boost protein.

That’s why tip #2 is to Protein-ify those carbs!

Swap your normal pasta for edamame or lentil pasta. Swap quinoa for rice. Try even buckwheat noodles.

You’ll be amazed by how many options there are to sneak in protein to other components of your dish to boost your amino acid intake, while even getting in other micronutrients.

And you can find swaps that allow you to still enjoy recipes you love, and that your family won’t mind even, while hitting your macros.

Even swapping your normal bread for something like an Ezekiel Bread made from sprouted whole grains and legumes can boost your protein as well as your fiber (win win in my opinion).

And again, you can still enjoy the meal you love to create lasting changes.

You can also sneak in those extra grams while boosting your micros and the flavor of your meals with tip #3…

Use protein sprinkles and seasonings.

No I’m not talking about some fake processed protein powder seasoning…I’m talking about things like nutritional yeast, parmesan cheese and even hemp, flax and chia seeds.

These things are easy to throw in so many dishes and use in different ways. And while small protein increases, they add up.

And they often pack in more micronutrients while adding flavor and diversity to our diet. All of which only help us create lasting changes while improving our health and results.

Nutritional yeast can be great to season your main protein source and add a cheesy flavor while being plant-based.

Parmesan cheese adds that cheesy flavor while adding that bit of salt as well.

And chia, flax and hemp seeds are great to add to smoothies or even salads for a nutty flavor and amazing fiber and healthy fat boost too.

Don’t ignore the value that those grams can have.

And then don’t write off dairy either.

If you’re lactose intolerant, this tip may not be your go-to, but you may also be surprised by how many lactose-free options there now are for you too!

So yes, tip #4 is to boost your protein by using dairy!

Things like too good cottage cheese not only come in lactose-free options, but they pack a protein punch while also helping us keep our gut healthy with probiotics.

Cottage cheese and even things like greek yogurt can be used in both savor dips or dishes but also sweet treats.
The options to use these dairy products, and even have individual serving packs to grab and go, make them a great way to easily bump your protein, especially for snacks.

I know personally I love making dips with them for veggies to snack on or even a sweet cheesecake type dip for fruit.

But use dairy to your advantage as it can often be easily combined with other protein sources as well to increase your intake without boredom!

Which brings me to tip #5: Double up that protein at meals.

By doubling up, I’m not saying to double your current source of protein at a meal and eat 8 ounces instead of 4.

That’s what creates protein fatigue and us hating having to increase our protein.

What I mean by doubling up is focusing on two different protein sources at a meal.

Like take adding in dairy to a dish. Combine that cottage cheese with hardboiled eggs and mustard for a high protein egg salad you can eat with pita chips or as a sandwich.

Or if you’re making an omelet? Add shrimp AND steak.

That even helps you get more protein with 3 different types so you don’t feel like you’re just chowing down on the same boring thing!

Think about ways you can split the amount you need between multiple protein sources to avoid that protein fatigue and allow you to add ounces more easily.

You may be surprised by how hard it felt to eat 4 ounces of the same protein but how easy it is to get 6 ounces at a time when you only have to eat 3 of each!

And then embrace the different forms of protein and cuts of meat you have available to you. 

Have you ever felt like every time you try to increase your protein your fat goes up to?

This is where looking at the opportunity in different cuts of meat can help!

Chicken breast vs chicken thigh has very different macros. Even the type of ground chicken you can get can vary.

Ground beef can be everything from 80% lean to 96% lean.

This is opportunity! You can still include proteins you like whether you vary the cut fully or even combine two different options.

Knowing that different proteins have different ratios of fat to protein, you could combine a fattier cut of steak or chicken with shrimp to overall balance out fat.

Or you may swap your usual ground beef for a lower fat option at times.

The key is you can find different cuts that work for you. Even with seafood.

Want more fat and love fish? Try salmon. But want to lower your fat? Try cod.

See the options in different types of similar proteins by learning more about the different cuts to use that to your advantage.

And that last but not least, tip #7: Eat it early!

I don’t know about you, but I love my dessert. And I’m sorry, ounces of chicken doesn’t count.

I make sure I’ve planned in my favorite carb and fat heavy treat to the end of my day and gotten my protein in early.

What really helps with this too is getting a bigger portion at breakfast or lunch.

Whether it’s starting my day with a greek yogurt parfait and even a coffee protein shake or omelet, I’m getting 30-40 grams in that first meal.

The more you plan to get in more protein earlier, the less behind you feel and the more flexibility you give yourself later.

This allows you to easily include meals you truly want and enjoy, especially if they’re meals with the family that may be out at restaurants or more carb and fat heavy.

This allows you more wiggle room and less stress when you aren’t fully in control of what you’re eating later in the day!

Planning ahead gives us the power to create that lifestyle balance while also reaching our goals.

So don’t leave yourself a chunk of plain protein to have to eat at the end of the day.

Plan it in first!

And use all 7 of these tips to meet yourself where you are at and make sustainable changes that allow you to increase your protein, adjust your portions and reach your goals!

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

–> LEARN MORE

Tracking Macros for Fat Loss (10 Tips That Make it EASY)

Tracking Macros for Fat Loss (10 Tips That Make it EASY)

by | Jun 8, 2025 | Blog, Diet

Tracking macros is tedious. It’s boring and can definitely feel overwhelming to start.

But it is also the most effective way to understand your diet and be able to adjust based on your needs and goals.

What gets measured gets managed.

That’s why I wanted to share 10 macro hacks that have helped me track more easily to see the results I wanted over the last decade.

These tips have saved my butt over the years when I’ve wanted to give up.

They’re how I’ve gotten consistent and stayed consistent with my nutrition to get leaner and stronger and feel my most fabulous!

So Tip #1: Plan in what you want FIRST!

Usually when we think about making a change to our diet, we think about what we need to cut out.

Often that’s the thing we love most.

This is why we keep going ON a diet to only FALL OFF our diet.

We restrict over finding balance.

When I changed my approach to include the thing I wanted, especially to start, I found changes were easier to embrace.

I then realized if I did cut something out, it was fully my CHOICE.

I didn’t feel deprived and I could strike a balance.

So plan in something you love then work backward to plan in other meals around it.

You’ll be amazed at the balance you can strike and how changes don’t have to feel like choosing between results and enjoying life.

Tip #2: Track without changes.

This tip also helps you find a true lifestyle balance and evolve your diet over time to match your needs and goals even as they change.

Because there is no one single ideal ratio or calorie intake.
Too often we also try to force dietary changes that don’t even seem to be in the same galaxy as what we are used to, which makes them feel even more impossible to hit.

So instead of trying to shoot for some goal ideal, focus on tracking what you’re currently doing to then adjust.

But even just tracking alone creates some accountability and often makes us realize some easy changes we even WANT to make.

It shifts our mindset about tracking to make it feel more doable as well.

It makes tracking not about restriction but just about understanding.

And once we know where we are starting from, we can then adjust!

Tip #3: Buy frozen and canned ingredients.

Frozen and canned goods can be clean ingredients that don’t spoil. Just look for quality brands.

Frozen fruits and veggies are even often picked at the peak of ripeness so super nutrient dense.

And they don’t go bad so we can slightly over buy to never run out.

Knowing you always have staples you can quickly even heat in the microwave makes it easy to have pre-planned options that you can go to in a pinch or when short on time.

They even make for quick meal prep on the busiest of busy days.

So buy things that are always there for you and have go-to recipes for them to bust your own excuses of you don’t have healthy foods on hand or something to quickly grab!

Tip #4: Bulk prep single ingredients.

Bulk meal prep also helps you always have something on hand.

But too often we see meal prep as only fully prepped boring meals we repeat daily for an entire week…

And too often we end up not wanting to eat what we made and sabotaging ourselves going off plan.

Instead of prepping full meals, bulk prep basic ingredients.

Bake a ton of chicken breast or another protein to have on hand.

Make it simply seasoned so you can add sauces and other things to it based on what you want that day.

Then set a grocery list to have other staples to add diversity.

Maybe you put it one day with frozen sweet potatoes you have and broccoli.

Or you prep it into tacos with the corn tortillas you have.

Or you put it in a burrito bowl or stir fry.

But you can easily have some sides and sauces on hand to add diversity while simplifying meal prep to have something quick always on hand!

Tip #5: Plan in protein first.

I mentioned bulk prepping protein on it’s own specifically too because protein truly is key. And increasing protein is often the hardest part.

But the more you have it prepped and even planned into your day first, knowing what portions you would need at each meal to rock your macros, the more quickly you will feel successful with macros and the easier you will find balance.

Around those portions you can then tweak your carbs and fats to build out different recipes.

And you may even find that at times you only focus on a protein goal and calorie cap.

This minimalist approach can lead to you ultimately tracking more consistently even through busy or stressful times when you usually wouldn’t track at all…and often turn to some self sabotage with your diet!

Tip #6: Tweak before you freak!

There will be days you don’t plan well.

Days you forget your meal prep.

End up going out to lunch with friends.

Have that random event or party pop up.

And all of a sudden, your macros are a bit out of whack.

Don’t freak…tweak!

Adjust later meals to see how you can still get close over feeling like you’ve ruined the day.

That’s where even that bulk protein prep can come in handy to tweak your carbs and fat around it with different dish ideas.

Maybe even adjust your expectations and only focus on your protein and calories if your carbs and fats will be off to still hit a minimum.

Heck even just log it and stay within calories for the accountability and later go back and adjust the day to see how you could work something like that in in the future to have a game plan for next time.

But no matter what, don’t feel guilty.

Learn from it and use it as an opportunity to tweak and adjust and see what you can do.

Even if you don’t end up exactly hitting your macros, the feeling of you adjusted to do what you could often is enough to keep you on track, consistent and in the frame of mind to move forward over sabotaging yourself with guilt!

Tip #7: Get creative!

When we think “eat healthy,” “count macros,” often we think BORING FOOD.

But that doesn’t have to be the case at all.

We don’t have to be chowing down on chicken and broccoli as our family enjoys a delicious meal.

Instead have some fun being creative thinking about meals and events you enjoy.

Want to make a taco dinner for your family? Why not make it a build your own taco bar? That way you can measure out exactly what you need while all enjoying a fun dinner together?

Or always have pizza on Friday night?

Instead of avoiding it, why not try a make your own? Or why not adjust your meals earlier to be lower in calorie and higher in protein so you can have a slice or two even with a side salad?

Instead of just restricting, get creative in how you can also enjoy things even if the exact way you do things evolves.

Even find fun new ways to involve in cooking new recipes that work for all of you.

Or even enjoy dinners out by planning them in first like I recommended with tip #1!

But see opportunity in something new over focusing on how what you used to do doesn’t work in exactly the same way!

Tip #8: Find restaurants to pre-log.

Like going out to dinner? Don’t always want to cook? Have some friends you just seem to always be eating out with?

Instead of feeling like the person always on a diet or like you can’t go out to eat and always have to cook, instead find some staple places you can plan around with dishes you enjoy.

Many restaurants have nutritional information now on their websites. And for those that don’t, look up a common recipe with macros for the dish you want and enter that so you can work backward around it to plan your day.

But the more you have some things already mapped in and even dishes at restaurants you know you can make work, the more you’ll see the freedom tracking can provide while also holding you accountable and moving forward toward your goals.

No it may not be exact, but the more you do consistently, the more you can adjust and tweak.

So if you love Mexican food but go to different restaurants, find a staple dish you enjoy, like chicken fajitas, and a recipe with macros to use to log.

That way you can have a game plan and even have restaurants to suggest when friends want to go out for dinner!

While it may not be as precise as eating at home, the consistency of it will add up but also allow you to find a balance long term.

Too often we don’t find what we can do for long enough for results to snowball.

We just try to out restrict ourselves which is why we always end up regaining the weight and more!

You can’t sprint to start a marathon or you’ll potentially sabotage yourself from ever finishing!

Tip #9: Make leftovers.

Leftovers can not only simplify tracking as that dish can be saved for quick logging next time, but leftovers are also a great way to have meal prep always on hand.

Now if you don’t like eating the same thing multiple days in a row, you can still use leftovers to your advantage – just find ones that freeze well.

I love freezing meals to save for when I know I’ll be super busy even a week later and potentially want the dish again.

You can even prep your meals so your leftovers aren’t saved as just one meal but individual ingredients to repurpose in different ways.

Making that stir fry for dinner, prep ingredients, with leftover portions separately, to throw together all at the end. That way you can even freeze the cooked chicken or sliced vegetables in separate containers to use in different ways next time.

But if you’re cooking, make extra! It can make hitting your macros easier and keep you on track even during busy times!

Tip #10: Give yourself fun challenges.

Hitting your macros can get boring after awhile…which is funny since it can be so overwhelming to start.

We also don’t really do well with the idea of doing the same thing forever.

We get the itch for new or better.

So as you track, give yourself other little areas to focus on.

Maybe you try to include more fruit and vegetable diversity.

Or you focus on fiber more.

Or you focus on different micros.

Or maybe you focus on better food quality one week or working in more foods you love the next even if they aren’t as healthy.

All of this creates balance and enjoyment.

Maybe one week you challenge yourself to make all new recipes while the next you see how lazy you can be with meal prep.

The key is finding ways to make things fun, mix things up and even address what you mentally need at that time.

Our lifestyle is always shifting, evolving our diet to match can be key.

Don’t push a ton of effort to meal prep if you’re worn out because work is busy. See the opportunity here in challenging yourself to find more restaurant dishes you enjoy that can work!

Or if you’re really into holiday baking, how can you work that in?

But create challenges that make you even enjoy tracking more or give you another focus to have fun with!

Tracking macros gives us the power to adjust and fuel to feel our best, but we have to see opportunity in it over just focusing on the obstacles.

Use these 10 tips to help you embrace counting macros and see those results snowball!

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

–> LEARN MORE

Do You Stay This Lean Year Round?

Do You Stay This Lean Year Round?

by | Jun 1, 2025 | Blog, Diet

“Do you stay this lean year around?”

I’ve gotten asked this question and I want to set the record straight…

Yes and no.

Like any person, my motivation, my goals, my schedule and life all evolve. So there is an ebb and flow.

You can see in my videos shifts leaner and less lean at different times of year and even as I experiment with different techniques and macros.

BUT over the years, I’ve gotten leaner and stayed leaner.

It’s not from more discipline. Or better perfection.

It’s actually from trying to work less hard and instead constantly seek to evolve and meet myself where I’m at for balance.

I’ve focused on consistency with that long-term viewpoint.

And the longer you maintain, the easier it gets.

So what I’m doing now, isn’t what I did to start maintaining. And it’s not even what I did to get to this point.

What you do to reach your goal is not what you do to maintain it, but you also can’t go back to old habits.

I mention this because too often we copy just what someone who’s been maintaining their goal is doing over starting back at the beginning of the journey.

We miss all the steps that built to this point and don’t recognize how long it takes to make habit changes and have those changes stick.

That’s why I want to share the 3 fundamental facts I’ve learned that will help you stop repeating the yo-yo dieting cycle and maintain your results consistently forever.

And the first fact is that true and lasting changes DON’T always feel sustainable to start.

Because guess what?

They aren’t what you do forever!

It takes 3–4 months to build a habit. You’re practicing till you get it right.

Then it takes 16–18 months to build a lifestyle. You’re practicing till you can’t get it wrong.

Finally, it takes 3–4 years to transform your identity. You’re practicing till it’s part of who you are!

Do you remember learning to brush your teeth daily?

Potentially not at this point, BUT at some time, you had to be reminded to do it. It didn’t feel sustainable.

Thankfully we are parented into that habit and have no choice in most cases.

And at sometime it just becomes so routine and a part of our environment, we just keep doing it.

It is a boring basic we don’t even notice.

Over time, other lifestyle changes become that way too.

You may not always when you’re tired WANT to brush your teeth, but you do.

Over time, those other healthy eating and training practices will become the same way but we have to recognize they won’t feel that way to start.

Because what we do to lose fat or gain muscle may be more intensive than what we have to do to maintain it, especially the longer we’ve been at that point.

I have way more food flexibility and workout freedom now than I did when I first got leaner because my body now wants to STAY at this set point.

Just like your body doesn’t want to lose right now because it wants to stay at its current set point!

This evolution is also really fundamental fact number 2 is…

Maintaining and building a lifestyle isn’t a set it and forget it thing.

You aren’t doing one thing forever.

Have you ever started a new program and thought some version of, “This is amazing! It can be a lifestyle!”

Only to then become frustrated with yourself and feel like you just don’t have the willpower to see results when you can’t ultimately maintain it?

This is because one thing doesn’t work forever. And we should be evolving our habits over not only the years but the course of the seasons.

Your lifestyle probably looks different right at the start of the New Year than it does during the Summer or even the Holidays.

Family obligations, work and travel may impact different seasons in different ways.

Your 6 day a week training schedule that is perfect from January till even June may not fit with your Summer vacation plans or all of the Holiday fun.

Yet so often we try to enforce the same standards on ourselves all year around and this is ultimately what sabotages us.

Instead, seek to meet yourself where you are at.

Embrace evolution in those habits to keep doing something.

Because what may feel like doing less is often the consistency we need to keep moving forward.

It’s also often a lot MORE than we would have done otherwise.

Too often when we can’t do everything perfectly, we do nothing.

And that nothing is what creates the starting over again in the New Year cycle.

With making changes don’t think that the thing you start has to be THE THING. Honestly, that probably means you’re falling for another fad you’ll fall off of.

Instead approach making changes like getting to design your dream home.

Create a solid foundation and structure learning about the fundamentals and boring basics.

Then see those fun adjustments in moves or foods you include or even exact training schedule and macros as the decorations you get to put in your house.

Those may evolve BUT the house structure, focusing on tracking your food and a workout progression, will be that outline you can adjust within to always be moving forward!

And third and final fact…and probably hardest of them all to embrace is that…

Mindset matters most.

There is no perfect macro ratio. No magic workout plan.

And over the course of your life, you’re going to use a variety of both as you not only have fun, experiment but also work toward different specific goals and focuses while working to build your leanest, strongest body at every age.

What matters is your mindset behind everything.

Because so often it isn’t that we don’t have the tools or tactics…

It’s that we sabotage ourselves with unrealistic expectations – wanting results too fast, making ourselves feel guilty for not being perfect or trying to force somebody else’s ideals on ourselves.

Own who you are. Own what you want.

Be true to your goals and also realize that mistakes will ALWAYS happen.

The call of our old identities, that emotional eating pattern you’d thought you’d broken…Will always pop back up and at times we least expect it.

The more we have the mindset we will always have ebbs and flows, the more we will keep moving forward through it all.

And that consistency is what keeps us rocking those results.

So even as you start your journey toward your goals, realize your goal isn’t to avoid breakdowns or failures or setbacks.

It’s to speed up the time it takes you to get back on track.

The quicker we notice we took a wrong turn and turn back, the faster we ultimately get to our destination.

So as you work to adjust your diet to fuel your goals and push hard in your workouts, make sure you’re working on your mindset and belief in yourself as well.

Make sure you’re not giving up each time you hit the hard.

Even seek to reframe those times you want to quit as even more reason to keep going.

Because often the simple fact that we have given up at that same point in the past is why we’ve been stuck.

Now I know you were hoping for some magic move or macro ratio in this video, but these are 3 simple fundamental facts that yield results.

There isn’t one magic thing.

It’s meeting ourselves where we are at and assess what we need at different points in our journey to keep moving forward.

It’s our ability to pause and reflect on how things are going and then find a way to move forward no matter what that is truly key!

Stop trying to out exercise or out diet time.

Instead realize this is a forever process!

And if you are just starting out and need where to start to adjust your diet, check out my video – The Most Annoying Nutrition Tips ( 7 Things That Actually Work) next.

5 Golden Rules To Lose Fat (Without Losing Muscle)

5 Golden Rules To Lose Fat (Without Losing Muscle)

by | May 18, 2025 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Mindset

Most of us don’t just want to lose weight – we want to lose fat.

We want to look leaner, more toned, more defined.

We want to fit back into our skinny jeans or that dress in the back of the closet we can’t bring ourselves to give away because we desperately want to wear it again…

We want body recomp. We want to lose fat without losing muscle.

In this video I’ll share the 5 Golden Rules to help you do just that so you can shed those inches and see fabulous muscle definition.

Golden Rule #1: Commit To The Change You Hate The Most.

Ever jump into a new program and change everything you’re doing dramatically at once?

Which thing are you then most likely to blame if results aren’t happening fast enough and the effort starts to feel “not worth it?”

The change you least want to make…and probably need to make the most because it is the most outside your comfort zone.

We don’t want to adjust the hard workouts we’re “enjoying.”

Or the extra fats or carbs we justify as healthy and quality food that also taste good.

No….

Instead we research why high protein is bad or not needed to resist the protein increase we’ve made.

Or we resist the reduction in cardio because we love our long runs even though we’ve heard the work against building muscle.

Or we resist the push to eat more and create a smaller calorie deficit because we fear gaining weight and slashing our calories lower is what we’ve always done…

We resist trusting the full SYSTEM. And that makes it break.

We can’t only make the changes we are comfortable with.

Honestly only being willing to make those changes we are comfortable with is what has kept us stuck.

We repeat the same changes that “work” to get to the same point where we end up falling off again to start back over.

So while you may see some initial progress staying with something familiar or seemingly easy…It’s not really working if you’re constantly looking for a new fix.

This time, embrace the hard. It means that is the change you truly need!

And one hard change most of us want to resist is Golden Rule #2: Track EVERYTHING.

Tracking is restrictive. It’s hard. It’s boring. It’s tedious. It’s annoying.

It’s obsessive.

You can FEEL this way about tracking, but we have to recognize that these are FEELINGS. And feelings and attitudes we’ve created toward a tool because of how we’ve even used it in the past.

But tracking isn’t restrictive or obsessive. It may be hard or boring or tedious or annoying to start as you’re learning, but so many things are.

And you can make it worse by repeating those feelings to yourself. Or you can choose to see the opportunity in it.

You can also recognize WHY you feel this way about it.

Have you usually turned to tracking in the past when you hated how your clothes fit or the weight you saw on the scale?

When you slashed your calories super low and cut out all the foods you love?

No wonder you don’t like tracking if that has been your experience with it!

But tracking is just you recording what you’ve done. It doesn’t have to mean cutting calories lower. It doesn’t have to mean eliminating a food group.

It can even be about adding in MORE. It can be about making sure you’re fueling well. It can help you assess even food intolerances and meal timings that help you perform better to build muscle and feel more energized.

Tracking gives us data to make accurate adjustments and SMALL ONES that truly address where we are right now. It gives you the power to strike YOUR balance…if you give it the chance.

And recognize that tracking doesn’t have to be done in one form. You can use hand portions as a guide, take pictures, log just protein and calories or do full ratios.

But if you’re sick of not feeling like anything is sustainable or you aren’t sure what is working, tracking can fix all of that.

Nothing is off limits. And you know what you’re doing to adjust.

What gets measured gets managed.

You want to stay within your budget? You track it.

Well, tracking your food helps you stay within your food budget.

Golden Rule #3: Diet for fat loss. Train for muscle.

Adjust both together and that’s where the magic happens.

Because, while most of us have heard the saying, “Abs are made in the kitchen”…

Fabulous ab definition is really REVEALED by the kitchen.

The muscle we want to show is built through progressive overload and pushing ourselves in the gym.

But too often to burn more calories in our training and create that deficit to lose faster, we turn to cardio.

This only backfires, causing us to lose not only fat but also muscle.

It’s why we can see metabolic adaptations occur more quickly.

And it’s why we can feel like we’re working so hard, adjusting our diet yet not looking any leaner!

We can’t just turn our workouts into killer cardio sessions. We need to stop thinking, “I should do more cardio!”

And instead we need to think about our training as a chance to build muscle.

If you want to lose fat without losing muscle, focus on strength training and progressing moves week over week. Don’t cut out rest to feel more out of breath. Don’t just add in more to feel more worked.

Focus on truly lifting more with quality reps, even needing MORE rest between rounds to keep using harder variations and heavier loads.

That way when you dial in your macros and your diet with what I’m about to go over in Rule #4 while training to build muscle, you’ll see the best body recomp results happen even faster!

Golden Rule #4: Create DAILY Consistency.

Have you ever wondered…Should I eat less on a day off? Lower my carbs?

Stop adding more complication. Stop trying to do more. Focus on those basics.

KISS…Keep it simple, stupid.

Simple is sustainable.

Focus on that daily consistency in those habits!

The less we add complication or more variation, the easier we make it on ourselves to create a new environment and shift mindsets and habits.

The fewer changes we make at once, the more we can know the impact they have and how they are working to then adjust habits as we go.

The less we overwhelm ourselves with more to do, the more the effort feels worth the outcome!

What we do consistently we get good at. What we do consistently builds results.

You can’t know if a macro ratio or workout or meal timing works if you’re not doing the same thing weekly. You can’t build habits and routines if things are constantly shifting.

And at the most basic level, your body can’t repair and rebuild on days off if it doesn’t have the fuel. You aren’t just eating more to train hard, but to recover.

Inconsistent energy sources are what can lead to us feeling extra frustrated, confused and hangry! It also adds more precision in numbers we have to have as we cycle.

Instead, keep things simple. Allow yourself to build those daily routines and get confident in them. Then adjust.

But focus on a set macro and calorie goal you maintain for a few weeks. Plan ahead to hit those numbers. Dial in your precision with them. It will pay off.

And Golden Rule #5: What You Put First Gets Priority.

If you’re struggling to prioritize a habit change, put it first in your day.

Add protein to that first meal

Drink water when you first get up.

Do your workout before the day gets busy.

When a new habit can fall by the wayside when life gets busy or we get worn out, the best way to make sure we complete it is to do it first in the day.

That way we leave things we know we will do no matter what till later because we’ll do them anyway.

But this rule also applies to cardio vs. strength work and eve the order of exercises in your routine.

What you put first in your training gets you when you’re freshest. You’re giving a more true 100% intensity and effort.

Want to lift heavier for your glutes? Prioritize a lift for them first in your lower body workout day.

Or if you’re wanting to include some cardio because you love it while still focusing on losing fat without losing muscle?

Put your strength work first in your session and ideally first in your day if you are doing a second walk or cardio session for any reason.

That way you are freshest and can truly push hard to create that challenge to build muscle. And you can still get in movement with cardio you may put after.

Even consider timing a walk or sprint interval session at the end of workout where you work muscles near stubborn fat to help utilize mobilized fatty acids.

And don’t include steady state endurance cardio after a workout where you’re working a muscle group that you struggle to build as this can hinder those muscle gains.

But consider the order to things you include and what you need to prioritize.

While we don’t want to stress over details first, we want to note that how systems are designed together has an impact.

We need to embrace those hard changes, track how things are going and our consistency in implementation and then review all aspects of our lifestyle to make sure things complement!

Because we can lose fat without losing muscle, but it isn’t as simple as eating less or doing more cardio. It’s a strategic process and we need a clear plan to push through the hard!

Break free of the change loop keeping you stuck losing the weight only to regain it, and MORE, later…

–> Busting The Change Loop

Why You’re Building Muscle (But NOT Losing Fat)

Why You’re Building Muscle (But NOT Losing Fat)

by | Apr 27, 2025 | Blog, Diet

Why are you building muscle but not losing fat?

The simple answer is you’re rocking those strength workouts pushing hard in the gym but overeating and eating portions not in line with your goals.

We think calories surplus to build. So a bigger surplus should help things happen faster, right?

Nope. That’s not the case.

While a surplus is key if your main focus is on building muscle, just increasing your calories MORE past a point isn’t going to yield better muscle gains. And you’re going to gain fat as well.

You may even start to see your performance decline.

But eating too much isn’t the only reason we can struggle to lose fat while seeing ourselves build muscle.

You may be questioning what I just said, but yes I stated that overeating isn’t the only reason we can struggle to lose fat.

We can actually gain muscle while struggling to lose fat even in a technical calorie deficit after a period of extreme calorie restriction when we are finally trying to increase our calories.

Especially common during perimenopause and menopause when our hormones are in flux and we’ve experienced many failed dieting attempts where we’ve tried to slash our calories lower and lower.

With increasing your calories from your extreme deficit that has led to metabolic adaptations and hormonal imbalances, you are in a way creating a surplus over what your body has adapted to think it needs.

It’s downregulated processes to accommodate the lack of energy. But to restore balance, you need to increase calories. And as your body has the fuel it needs, it will seek to put on lean muscle over first losing fat.

Lean muscle is involved in so many important processes for our body so building it to restore metabolic health and balance is key. And ultimately, this WILL help us lose fat and look leaner.

It can just be frustrating in the process as we see the scale increase and even clothing feels tighter as we add muscle before we lose the fat.

But there are ways to help yourself see that recomp happen faster. And I want to talk through not only the nutritional changes you need first, but also two forms of cardio that may be key.

First the nutritional changes…

It really comes down to the thing most people avoid doing…Adjusting your macros.

Yup. Macros. The non diet diet so many people avoid because it seems hard and tedious and boring.

Who wants to weigh and measure everything?!

But it’s like baking a cake, if you weigh and measure everything in the recipe, it’s going to turn out better the first time.

Macros and tracking them are your recipe for results, especially if you have a plan laid out. Weigh and measure your portions so you know what you’re truly consuming.

It even gives you the power to tweak and adjust.

The thing is, there is no way around hard changes if we want a new and better result, especially as fast as possible.

And the more we take time now to learn and truly do things precisely, the better and faster things turn out.

While you may feel you’re eating clean and healthy already, that doesn’t mean your portions are fully in line with your body, needs or goals.

Each macronutrient – the proteins, carbs and fats we consume – all impact our body in different ways.

How we adjust the portions we consume therefore has an impact.

Less active, you may need fewer carbs. More active, you may need more and not eating enough could lead to thyroid issues.

Fear fat may make you fat? Under eating fat with the increase in inflammation we see during menopause could only be making things worse.

And not eating enough protein? That may be why you’re struggling to see recomp as fast as you’d like!

Protein is more key than we realize if we want to lose fat as we put on muscle, especially as we get older as we don’t use it as efficiently.

As you retrain your body to eat more, and I say RETRAINING it for a reason as you are allowing it to adjust bodily processes to account for the fact that you do now have adequate fuel, you will want to focus on 35-40% of your calories coming from protein.

This not only fuels that muscle growth but helps you burn more calories at rest. And it isn’t as easily stored as fat.

And we have to remember that protein doesn’t just go to helping us build and repair our muscle tissue. It’s essential for our bone and brain health as well as the repair of other tissues. It has a positive impact in so many ways and can only assist in that metabolic healing and hormonal balance process.

That’s why it can help us keep seeing those muscle gains while helping us start to shift the fat when we’ve been struggling.

And if you are strategically wanting to build muscle and in that calorie surplus consciously, maintaining a protein minimum of 30% can even help you continue those muscle gains while avoiding gaining any more fluff in a surplus.

Now as important as your macros and diet are to helping you see the fat loss you want while building muscle, your workouts still really matter.

You can’t out exercise your diet, but when both your diet and your workouts work together, results are better and faster.

Strength workouts are hands down essential. They help you build that lean muscle and ultimately improve your metabolic health. They will help you look leaner long term.

But, specific forms of cardio can help in this situation where you are seeing those muscle gains, but the fat isn’t budging.

This doesn’t mean start logging those miles and turn to tons of steady state cardio. Actually avoiding this is key.

Instead you want to focus on two specific forms of cardio – SIT or sprint interval training – and walking.

First, walking…

Walking is a great de-stress which can promote optimal body composition through improving insulin sensitivity and hormonal balance and help us burn more calories at rest to improve our metabolic health while not fatiguing us for future lifting sessions.

The fact that it is low intensity and more restorative allows us to really optimize our strength workouts to get the most value from them.

Because prioritizing building muscle in our workouts is key even if we want to lose fat. And if we’re too tired to push hard in our lifting sessions, we won’t create that stimulus for muscle growth.

Now the second form of cardio that can be helpful to improve our metabolic health, especially during menopause, is SIT.

Sprint interval training can help improve hormone levels and promote muscle growth whereas steady state is catabolic to muscle tissue. It can also help us better utilize mobilized fatty acids aka assist in better fat loss.

And these sessions aren’t time-consuming or hard to include. Even just 5-10 minutes at the end of a strength day can have value.

More isn’t necessarily better either. Intensity of these short bouts is what makes them work. So adding in more would defeat the purpose.

To add in SIT, you want to use work to rest intervals of 8-30 seconds sprinting to 12-90 seconds resting. So rest does vary from half the time you sprinted up to 3 times the length you worked.

About 5-8 rounds is all that is needed with 10 rounds max being done. 2-3 times a week of SIT along with walking is an amazing addition to your lifts.

These are hard, quick bursts where you are focused on maximal effort. They should feel horrible but be over before you know it.

And don’t just think longer work and less rest is better! The combination is what helps improve your recovery, work capacity and see that body recomp magic happen!

So if you’ve been frustrated that you’ve gained muscle but not lost fat, step back to assess your current calorie intake. If you’ve gone crazy with the surplus, back it off. You’re retraining your body to eat more, don’t stop trying to bump calories.

But with both take a look at your macros. Focus on that protein! And then consider tweaking your routines to include these two forms of cardio!

It can be hard to embrace this process and KEEP GOING when it feels like results aren’t happening…That’s where having a guide and outside perspective can be ke!

–> Learn More About My 1:1 Coaching For The Custom Plan And Guidance To Help