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From EXCUSES to RESULTS – 4 Ways to Overcome Workout Roadblocks

From EXCUSES to RESULTS – 4 Ways to Overcome Workout Roadblocks

by | Mar 12, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Functional Fitness, Workouts

Do I really need to workout today? I have been pretty busy. And it is a little cold outside. And I think I did enough last week. And there will probably be traffic on the way to gym and it will probably be busy…

We’ve all done it…made those excuses not to workout. And one day becomes two, becomes 3 becomes 10….

But in this video I’ll share how you can STOP making these 4 excuses not to exercise and instead create a sustainable routine you not only enjoy but that helps you get results while fitting your lifestyle!

I’ll even share a 10 minute full body workout at the end you can do anywhere with no equipment.

Hey guys, it’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you move, feel and look your best at any and every age.

So let’s talk about excuses because we’ve all made them at one point or another.

The thing about excuses is….they’re VALID…at least to some extent. 

They stem from what we value and therefore prioritize in our lives. 

But if we want a new and better result, not only do our priorities potentially need to shift, BUT we also have to OWN the priorities we aren’t willing to adjust so we can work around them.

Because many of our priorities, like our job or family life, are probably never going to change and we don’t necessarily want them to. 

So we’re not just going to magically have more time or energy tomorrow. 

Which means we have to own those priorities and plan around them.

And that’s why in this video, I wanted to share 4 common exercise excuses and how you can overcome them to see the amazing results you want with a plan realistic for your lifestyle! 

Excuse #1: I’m too old.

The stinky but simple truth of the matter is…Being alive means getting older by the second.

You can’t stop it.

Therefore you’ve got to accept it and do what you can to keep moving forward. 

Our age doesn’t really dictate what we can or cannot do. 

And the more we stop doing things, the quicker we actually feel and move and look older. 

While you may be thinking, “But I have all of these aches and pains! I don’t recover as fast as when I was younger…” 

The simple fact is so many of these things aren’t actually due to age.

Yes, they’ve accumulated over time and the older we are, often the more we’ve allowed them to build up.

But they are often tied to improper diet and exercise practices or accidents we’ve had earlier on. 

Things that could add up at any age if we don’t address.

So while age may feel like an excuse, it is actually an excuse to focus even more on how you’re training.

There is no time like the present to start training to move and feel your best.

Don’t skip the prehab work. Learn to control those movement patterns so you don’t get injured. 

Regress to progress and build up starting with the moves you can do without any aches and pains.

But realize that using age as an excuse will only cause you to age faster over doing what you can to build muscle, look lean and improve your movement patterns to avoid injury!

Excuse #2: I don’t have enough time because of (insert anything here).

Family, work, school, life… 

You probably will NEVER have enough time to do everything you want to do. 

That’s life.

This isn’t a bad thing.

But we need to take ownership of our priorities and plan around them.

If with family life and work and travel and everything else going on….you have 10 minutes to train? Use that 10 minutes. 

Design a workout that matches the time you realistically have.

As much as you may be thinking, “What can 10 minutes do?”

That’s 10 more minutes you took than you would have otherwise.

Something is better than nothing not only because of that 10 minutes but because of the momentum it can build.

Plus, 10 minutes adds up over the weeks and months.

And often, it leads to us WANTING to do more over finding an excuse not to train. It gets us in the habit and mindset. So 10 minutes becomes 15 or even 20. And 1 or 2 days becomes 3 or 4. 

Stop sabotaging yourself by trying to force some ideal schedule you saw a fitness competitor doing and instead design for the time YOU have. That’s what will lead to consistency and results.

And if you need that quick 10 minute burner, you’ll love the one I’ll share that even addresses excuse #4! 

Excuse #3: I’ve got aches and pains and injuries!

Injuries are the worst.

And often we do need to adapt our training around them. 

But they aren’t an excuse to not move or exercise at all. 

Often there are so many ways to modify around aches and pains.

And your exact injury may dictate which modifications you need.

For some a shoulder injury may mean no push ups or pressing at all.

For others, it may mean just modifying off an incline for push ups or using lighter bands to do a chest press. 

Even if you have an ankle injury and can’t stand to train, you can do so many seated upper body exercises and even mini band moves to target parts or your lower body. 

It may not be your ideal, but it will keep you in the habit and routine and can even help you recover quicker because of the anabolic hormonal environment you are creating by continuing to train.

You can even do some unilateral exercises on the unaffected side to help you retain lean muscle even while your training intensity may be lower. 

Plus, resting an injury, while it may be necessary, doesn’t correct the movement compensations and overload that resulted in the issue.

Using this time you have to take the step back to address those mobility restrictions and areas of weakness can help you come back stronger. 

While you don’t want to push through the pain and ultimately make things worse through even compensating, having an injury shouldn’t hold you back from staying active in some way, shape or form!

Even walking may be meeting yourself where you are at to stay in the routine!

The more you do, the more you do and we don’t want to lose that momentum forward. 

Excuse #4: I can’t go to the gym.

But I have to train at home. 

I don’t have time to make it to the gym. 

I travel and only have a hotel room with very little space.

I don’t have any equipment… 

Not having access to a gym is not a reason not to train.

Honestly, especially if you’re just starting out or starting back, you may be better off training at home using just your own bodyweight! 

This can help you dial in and master those fundamentals and even save you the time of a drive to a gym so you can spend it on training instead.

Do not underestimate how amazing bodyweight workouts can be no matter our fitness level. 

Even if you’re more advanced, you can create progression by changing the range of motion on moves, adjusting tempos, creating more instability through unilateral exercises and even through how you design your workouts and the volume you include. 

Use what you’ve got because something is better than nothing and can help you build that solid foundation!

And if you’ve said “I can’t go to the gym” because you’re embarrassed or nervous about going to the gym?

Don’t be!

I know that is easier said than done, BUT hiring a coach can help you have that security to learn with direction. They can be your guide to a new place. 

(SHAMELESS PLUG for my coaching…Schedule A Consult!)

Also just recognize that change and a new environment can be intimidating so find ways to help yourself ease in even if you start by training at home to gain more confidence in your movements and get in a routine first! 

If you’ve found yourself making these excuses, here’s a great workout you can try this week.

No equipment is required and I’ll share one modification although there are so many little variations you can make to tweak it to fit your needs and goals

The Bodyweight Burner

Set a timer for 10 minutes and complete as many rounds through the circuit as you can. Rest only as needed and try to beat the number of reps or the variations of moves you used next time through!

Circuit:
5-10 reps per side Airborne Lunge
5-10 reps per side Single Arm Doorway Row
5-10 reps per side Side Lunge With Pulse
5-10 reps per side Side Lunge With Pulse

If you have weights or bands, you can always swap in moves using those! 

Workouts don’t have to be long or complicated to produce results and create those healthy sustainable routines.

Especially starting out, to overcome those excuses, recognize that less is more! You can always add as you feel comfortable!

And if you’re looking to prove that age is just a number and that fitness is about ability, check out my How To Build Muscle At Any Age (7 Tips) video next!

–> How To Build Muscle At Any Age (7 Tips)

And another helpful video on building muscle with bodyweight training:

–> How To Build Muscle Faster WITHOUT Weights

100 Calorie Hacks To Lose Fat Faster (Try these 10 Tips!)

100 Calorie Hacks To Lose Fat Faster (Try these 10 Tips!)

by | Feb 20, 2023 | Blog, Diet

You want to cut your calories a bit to lose some weight…

But you’re sick of feeling miserable and like you’re constantly giving up the foods you love to see results.

In this video I’m going to show you 10 ways to easily cut 100 calories or more from your diet without feeling like you’re missing out on the foods you love! 

Hey guys! It’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you create sustainable lifestyle changes to move, feel and look your best!

I know trying to create that calorie deficit can make us feel like we can’t enjoy the foods we love, or that our meals have to be bland and boring, but this restriction is often what also sabotages true lifestyle habit changes. 

That’s why I wanted to share 10 ways you can easily cut 100 calories from your day without having to restrict foods you enjoy or choke down ones you can’t stand.

And the 10th tip is the perfect way to include ALL of the foods you love while seeing better results faster! 

Tip #1 to help you cut back on calories is to make small swaps to recipes and ingredients. 

I see this tip shared frequently to help people reduce their calorie intake…which is why I want to make you aware of a common trap we fall into…

We make swaps that make meals taste…disgusting.

They FEEL like diet meals and aren’t like the originals at all! 

And that’s basically as bad as cutting out the food completely…if not worse!

Now what swaps you enjoy or dislike is very personal.

For me, as much as I even like cauliflower, cauliflower rice is NOT the same as rice in my burrito bowl. 

On the other hand, I have no problem using egg whites over real eggs on my breakfast sandwich. 

I have no problem feeling satisfied with a bowl of popcorn instead of chips.

Or I’m fine to use oil spray or even chicken or vegetable broth to cook in over adding tablespoons of oil to the pan.

The key is finding your balance to make meals more calorie friendly while still being enjoyable.

Try adding in greek yogurt over cream to a sauce. Or in baked goods, swap in applesauce for oil!

But find swaps that don’t make you feel like you’re choking down “diet food.”

Tip #2: Is to get pre-portioned snacks or individually wrapped treats.

Think about having that whole pan of rice krispie treats on your counter

Once it has been cut into, it’s there. And you can cut any size you want.

It’s easy to end up eating more than we wanted and more than we should at that time. 

That’s why buying pre-portioned snacks and treats can be helpful to start. 

It gives us a cut off and a premeasured portion to help us stay on track.

Consider even getting cereals, individual oatmeal packs and snacks in the 100 calorie or individual serving bags!

If you can’t find what you need already portioned out, you can make your own dishes and portion them out immediately so there is that set amount only available.

Tip #3: Make your favorite meals and snacks at home!

If you love going out, don’t avoid restaurants when trying to make changes. There are plenty of healthy options out.

However, if there are calorie dense foods you love that you CAN make at home, you’re going to cut out a ton of calories just through those homemade variations. 

You can choose what swaps to make, adjust the portion of ingredients or even completely remove things that won’t impact the taste for you but may add to the calories!

Try baking chips or french fries. 

Even make them in the air fryer. Little to no oil will cut back on calories and you can season them to your liking and make only the portion you want to eat. 

Try a homemade sundae with halo top and adjust the toppings based on what you like, maybe even swapping in some fresh fruit for a sugary fruit sauce. 

But have fun even testing out how you can make variations at home that pack less of a calorie punch!

Tip #4: Don’t wait to eat till you’re starving! 

The hungrier we get, the more our portions tend to expand at our next meal. 

Not to mention we even tend to eat things we aren’t craving or snack on whatever is available.

We end up consuming more calories than we need simply because we got too hungry before we ate. 

Whether you fast and eat one big meal or choose to eat 6 small meals a day, make sure you aren’t going into your meal so hungry you end up eating a bigger portion than you really need.

Consider even drinking some water BEFORE you eat if you have unintentionally gotten to the point of feeling like you could eat anything in sight! 

Even if it is just a handful more to tide us over for a bit longer, those calories we munch on when we’re too hungry to care add up!

Tip #5: Pay attention to the cut of protein you consume. 

Many of us have heard that we should increase our protein intake when we want to lose weight. 

And we should.

HOWEVER, if we aren’t careful, increasing protein can also dramatically increase our calorie intake.

That’s why we want to pay attention to the cuts of meat or types of protein we’re including. 

Now that doesn’t mean you have to cut out your red meat if you love it.

But on your burger, try swapping 85% ground beef for 90 or 93% lean ground beef. 

Or if you’re plant based, maybe swap in some tofu for tempeh to cut back on those calories.

Little swaps to the cut or type of protein add up! 

But be aware that something being advertised as “healthy” or lower calorie, it’s always what it seems!

Note the portion for those calories as you may end up buying turkey bacon only to realize that the portion is smaller than real bacon which is the only reason for the difference! 

Tip #6: Pack in the spices!

No one wants to choke down bland and boring food. 

If we’re cutting fat we want our food to taste amazing

So as you’re adjusting your nutrition, don’t slack on the flavor.

Pack in those spices to dishes so they taste amazing and you don’t feel like you’re missing out as you make swaps and tweaks to recipes. 

You may even find you can eliminate adding more sauce and therefore more calories from meals by packing in more of a flavor punch with seasoning. 

You may find a simple dollop of greek yogurt with ranch seasoning replaces your high calorie dressing. 

Or that extra garlic cooked in the air fryer with your crispy brussel sprouts makes them a dish the entire family loves!

Tip #7: Avoid eating on the go. 

It’s inevitable that sometimes we WILL need to eat on the go. 

But the more we can avoid it, the more we can make sure we’re not mindlessly eating or only consuming very calorically dense, easy to carry bars and snacks that don’t help us feel full or satisfied.

Protein bars and even nuts, while convenient and not bad to include, are calorically very dense and NOT very filling. 

So you just want to be aware of this when you are trying to cut out calories.

Instead try to pause for a meal when you can and consume something with more bites. 

Or if you do need to eat on the go, think about nutrient-dense smoothies that you can keep lower in calories. Adding in low calorie fruits and veggies along with even a protein powder for that boost!

Tip #8: Adjust your portion by just a little.

A little goes a long way.

Small changes add up and give us the ability to slowly adjust our lifestyle without feeling like we’re missing out.

Yet so often we just cut out anything we know isn’t “good.”

Which ultimately leads to us wanting it even more and eventually giving in to the cravings. 

Instead of cutting things out, adjust the portion.

Love your morning oatmeal? Try ½ a cup over ¾ of a cup. 

Want your after dinner chocolate? Try getting a mini individually wrapped smaller size! 

You may find there are adjustments you can more easily make and those that aren’t as satisfying so focus on the smaller tweaks that don’t make you crave more to start!

Tip #9: Simply READ LABELS. 

Many of the same foods have different nutritional breakdowns. Some of which vary more than others.

For instance, you can find greek yogurts that range from 80 calories to 170 for about the same individual serving size. 

Even breads and sauces that seem like the exact same thing can vary enough to add up over the day.

Even the same types of FRUIT vary with Fuji being more calories than McIntosh. 

So don’t be afraid to compare labels or nutritional breakdowns of foods! 

It goes back to those small swaps!

Plus, you may find an ingredient that you like even better that fits your macros and your calories even more.

And finally Tip #10…the secret to cutting back on your calories while eating all of the foods you love… 

Measure your food! So often we can simply cut out a few calories by actually measuring portions over eyeballing them! 

It is easy to allow those portion sizes to become bigger and bigger, especially the hungrier we are or the more we want something. 

Not to mention, by measuring out things, we become more conscious of, and even avoid, mindless snacking.

Those bites, licks and nibbles add up! 

So measure and track your food.

It is not only accountability and eye opening, but it can help you make those other little changes to easily cut back on calories without restricting the foods you love or missing out! 

Often making changes to see results is about making the smallest change we can so we can keep replicating the habits consistently without continually draining our willpower.

Focus on starting with just 1 of these tips today!

And if you’re struggling to lose fat, check out these 2 tips next…

–> 2 Tips For Faster Fat Loss

 

7 Secrets Of A 92 year Old Fitness Trainer (Be Strong at ANY Age)

7 Secrets Of A 92 year Old Fitness Trainer (Be Strong at ANY Age)

by | Feb 12, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Functional Fitness

Blaming your age for not being able to lose weight, gain muscle or simply move better?

It’s not your age holding you back – it’s your belief in your own abilities. 

Whether you believe you can or you can’t, you’re right.

At any age, we can make a change and see better results.

Don’t believe me?

In this video I’m going to share 7 secrets to feeling, looking and moving your best based on this 92 year old fitness trainer – Takishima Mika. 

Hey guys it’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you feel, look and move your best at any and every age.

I already know what some of you are thinking, “Well she was always in shape,”

“She doesn’t have the health issues I have.”

“She doesn’t have the stress I have.”

And there is always someone who has it easier out there. But we need to focus on controlling what we can control.

That’s why I want to share these 7 secrets that trainer Takishima used to go from overweight and out of shape at 65, never having joined a gym before, to becoming a certified trainer for the first time EVER at the age of 87. 

Because if you don’t CHOOSE to make a change, no matter what life has thrown your way, you will never see the results you want!

Secret #1: Believe at any age you can make a change.

Takishima was 65 and overweight when she decided it was time to make a change. 

She wasn’t a former gym rat or athlete. 

She just realized that if she wanted to feel and move better, she had to embrace doing the uncomfortable and make those habit changes.

She could easily have found reasons not to make changes, blaming her age for her weight gain.

But instead she realized that only she had the power to make a change for herself.

At any age, we can choose to start something new. 

Will it be uncomfortable?

100% yes.

But it will also be EMPOWERING.There is no better feeling than overcoming obstacles and showing ourselves what we can do! 

Secret #2: Move every day – Use it or lose it!

Often as we get older, we start avoiding moves. 

We feel more out of shape. Aches and pains start adding up. 

So we end up moving less and cutting out so many of the movements that we actually NEED to be doing if we want to move better – even BLAMING them for causing our pain.

But our body was meant to move.

And if we don’t use that full range of motion, we lose it. 

It’s why Takishima moves every single day.

And not only does she work out, she finds ways to stay active around those sessions, even doing little things as she watches TV. 

She includes not only strength and cardio but also that mobility work.

Seeing the gym as that time to learn to control movement patterns we need to move well in every day life is key!

It’s that perfect time to work on our balance, stability and mobility so we can take on any challenges we want and move well till our final day on this earth! 

Secret #3: Focus on intentionality with your training.

Do not write a movement off. Squats aren’t bad for your knees.

Deadlifts aren’t bad for your back.

Moves aren’t evil or bad.

They just need to be implemented correctly based on our needs and goals!

Not every move is right for every person in the same variation. 

You need to be intentional with your training, which is why Takishima focus on those basics consistently.

Always work on that foundation.

Address those aches and pains and be conscious of what you feel working. Don’t just go through the motions or rush through your workouts. 

Our workouts are “practice” for moving better in every day life. 

And we have to remember, practice doesn’t make perfect if your practice isn’t perfect.

Focus on correcting compensations and imbalances in the gym so you can move well in every day life. 

Regress to progress to build up stronger so you are practicing those proper movement patterns to move well during daily life!

Secret #4: Embrace the 80/20 rule.

We get good at what we consistently do.

Yet so often we sabotage our own consistency because we try to hit some “ideal” or perfection with our diet that truly isn’t sustainable or enjoyable for US.

We try to force ourselves to do 100% instead of realizing that 80% is good enough to see results and maintain the habits LONG TERM.

Stop white knuckling your way through changes only to default back into old habits because you can’t keep suffering through restricting the foods you love. 

Embrace the 80/20 rule focusing on whole natural foods 80% of the time while including those foods you simply enjoy 20% of the time. 

Because, let’s face it, the more we feel we can’t have something, often the more we want it.

Restriction can create that obsession.

It’s why realizing you should be able to include things you want if you want them is key. 

This CHOICE makes it so much easier to create true changes.

While Takishima follows a diet rich in protein and whole natural foods with lots of fruits and veggies, she enjoys her wine and cake.

It’s all about realizing our unique balance to build a lifestyle we can truly maintain over time. 

Secret #5: Meet yourself where you are at.

You may not be where you want to be, but taking ownership of where you are currently is the key to moving forward.

The best results happen by meeting ourselves where we are at to make changes. 

So stop saying you can’t because of your injuries or hormones or age.

These are merely factors we need to account for when designing the best plan for US. 

Because there is always a way to move forward from where you are at.

Don’t try to force some ideal workout routine on yourself training 6 days a week if you aren’t even doing 1. 

Don’t try to force some restrictive clean eating plan on yourself where you have to cook elaborate recipes if you’re eating out for every meal. 

Don’t try to do burpees if you can’t walk 10 steps without getting out of breath or hurting something. 

Design based on YOUR current needs and goals.

Stop saying you’re doomed because you’re not.

One size doesn’t fit all.

What Takishima started doing isn’t the same training she is doing now. Over time she’s progressed moves and earned those harder variations while adjusting her nutrition based on what makes her feel best!

Secret #6: Never stop learning.

Life is truly one continual learning lesson. 

And the more we embrace that there is always more to learn and improve, the more we can keep growing and the better the results we will see. 

When we just say we can’t do something because of age, we’ve stopped learning and that is a surefire way to become a heck of a lot older way faster.

We keep our brain and body young by constantly testing our limits and learning new things. 

Question even the beliefs you hold about yourself.

Seek to even prove yourself WRONG.

Because when we are wrong, that means there is room for growth and improvement.

If Takishima didn’t seek to keep learning and challenging herself, she wouldn’t be a trainer at 92. 

She even seeks to continue her education daily through exploration of new topics.

Seek to learn new moves. Test your boundaries. Challenge yourself.

This is what creates growth and keeps us younger!

Secret #7: Implement a pre-bed routine.

Most of us know how important sleep really is to our recovery and health, but it is a hard thing to change or control.

So often we slightly overlook it as we make other lifestyle changes. 

But one way to help you get more sleep and more importantly even improve the QUALITY of your sleep is to implement a pre-bed routine. 

This consistent routine is a signal that you’re getting ready for bed and can help you relax to improve the quality of your sleep.

Consider doing a short mobility routine before bed. 

The deep breathing and relaxation of the routine can help you mental and physically unwind so you aren’t stressed after a long day.

Takishima does a few stretches to help her loosen up after the day and prepare for bed. 

This habit improves the quality of her sleep and even can be great preparation for movement the next day! 

A little extra mobility work before bed not only can help you relax but it can help you recover better between sessions, which is key as we get older!

Remember that everything seems impossible until we prove it possible. Don’t doom yourself with doubt before you’ve even tried!

Test your limits.

Embrace being comfortable being uncomfortable.

Challenge yourself to really see just how much more you can achieve!

For more tips to help you move, look and feel your best, check out my 5 best Exercises for LONGEVITY (And Overall Health!) video next.

–> CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT

Can’t Lose Fat? Try These 7 Tips

Can’t Lose Fat? Try These 7 Tips

by | Jan 29, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Functional Fitness

Struggling to see the weight loss results you want and feel like your only option is to overhaul your entire lifestyle?

Well you don’t have to!

In this video I’m going to share the 7 common lifestyle habits we think we need to implement to lose weight that actually hold us back and then explain the secret to increasing your metabolic rate to becoming a fat burning machine!

Hey guys it’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you create the healthiest version of your PERSONAL lifestyle to see results. Because one size doesn’t fit all!

Losing weight means making a change to our daily habits. 

But sometimes we make changes that actually hold us back.

That’s why, in this video, I want to highlight the 7 habit changes to AVOID and what to do instead to see results while improving your metabolic health! 

Mistake #1: Cutting out the foods you love. 

What’s the first thing we think we need to do to lose weight?

RESTRICT.

For many of us, dieting means cutting things out. 

Often the first foods we eliminate are the ones we love most, but also know aren’t the healthiest for us. 

Our dessert. Or salty snack.

But by cutting these things out, we create a feeling of restriction that is also what derails us.

At some point we feel like our willpower runs out.

Because we aren’t meeting ourselves where we are at to make sustainable changes based on our personal lifestyle balance. 

So instead of cutting out your favorite food first, make an ingredient swap or portion adjustment first so you can work AROUND the foods you love. 

Even focus on what you can add in over cutting out.

Shrink your portion of rice at dinner from 1 cup to ¾. 

Do half a sandwich with a side salad to adjust your portion, lower your carbs and add in vegetables.

Sprinkle nutritional yeast on your popcorn to bump your protein and add a cheesy flavor! 

Help yourself create lasting changes by avoiding the restriction mindset!

Mistake #2 : Making yourself eat specific things. 

Do NOT force yourself to consume foods you dislike just because someone mentioned a potential health or fat burning benefit. 

That is a surefire recipe for disaster because you’ll run out of self control eventually and default back to old habits sabotaging any results you’ve built.

We can’t do one thing to achieve results then go back to old habits and expect to maintain those results.

The changes have to stick.

So, if for instance, you don’t like coffee, don’t force yourself to drink it just because someone else says it can help you lose fat faster! 

Any fat burning benefits of coffee are small and you adjust to the caffeine intake over time which means that the benefits become less with time unless you keep consuming more. 

Caffeine can have a negative impact on mood and sleep.

This is a 1% change that will make no difference if your overall nutrition and workout routine aren’t dialed in BUT may have a huge impact on whether or not you stick with your plan long term! 

Just like forcing yourself to eat a ton of vegetables or bland boring dishes because you feel guilty and want to meet someone else’s arbitrary standard of “clean eating,” will ultimately prevent you from making lasting changes.

We get good at what we consistently do and we do more of the habits we ENJOY.

So if you don’t like broccoli, don’t force it. Try other vegetables to find something you enjoy! 

Mistake #3: Design hour long workouts or 2 a day sessions.

How many times have you thought… I just don’t have time to workout?

You aren’t alone.

It’s because we see all these people losing weight training for hours a day or doing 2 a day sessions. 

But this focus on doing more often leads to a lot of wasted time and effort but holds us back from building a consistent routine and habit. 

Quality not quantity.

The best results come from designing for the time you have because then you can be consistent with them.

If you have 3 days a week and 30 minutes, design full body workouts to get in everything you need with those sessions.

That will be far better than ending up missing body part split workouts because you just don’t have the time to stay consistent! 

And as you get consistent with that routine, you may find you can work in more workouts later OR that you can maintain these habits even when life does its best to sabotage you and throw you out of your groove!

Mistake #4: Try to burn as many calories or get as many MEPs as possible in your training sessions.

When many of us start training harder to lose weight, we get a calorie tracker or start focusing on those heart rate monitors that measure things like MEPs.

We feel this need to hit a certain calorie intake, get a certain number of meps or have our heart rate hit a certain level for our workout to be “good enough.”

But your workouts shouldn’t be about calories burned.

Workouts can help us create that calorie deficit, especially to start, but over time our body adapts.

And there also is no magic fat burning zone where we need to keep our heart rate only at this level to magically burn a ton more fat.

If our diet isn’t dialed in, we won’t be able to out exercise our nutrition for long.

Trying to out exercise your diet, may be why your metabolism has slowed and you’re now blaming your age for your weight gain.

Stop focusing on burning more calories in your workouts. 

Instead turn your focus to building muscle, whether you challenge yourself with bodyweight moves or weights. 

This will improve your metabolic rate to burn more calories at rest, but more on this after habit number 7. 

Here’s a LINK with training tips to design workouts to help you lose fat faster!

Mistake #5: Forcing a meal frequency.

Eat 6 small meals a day! No!

Do Intermittent Fasting, it’s the secret! 

No!

There are so many different meal timings and frequencies out there that people tout as the best. 

But one size doesn’t fit all.

How you schedule your meals may depend on your schedule, when you train, and even whether you prefer big meals or more snacking throughout the day. 

Many different schedules can work!

While you can for sure adjust meal timing strategically based on your progress toward your goals, and tweaks may pay off the longer you’ve had everything dialed in

don’t stress meal timing or freak out if you didn’t have your post workout protein shake within 30 minutes of training. 

Your muscles won’t just melt off.

The key is dialing in our daily portions and routines.

And then we can experiment with meal timings to see what makes us feel most energized while helping us make dietary changes sustainable.

You may find you enjoy less frequent and bigger meals to feel fuller after eating and have to prep fewer dishes. 

Or you may enjoy more frequent snacks as you are a grazer and on the go it is easier than stopping for a meal. 

The key is designing for YOUR lifestyle!

Mistake #6: Focus on being “good all week.” 

Consistency is key.

And while it can feel like you’re being consistent by being “good” all week, that weekend eating or drinking can add up more than we realize. 

While it may seem like you’re being consistent for 5 or 6 days and only off on 1 or 2, we can really throw off our weekly averages just because of those couple of days.

Especially eating out, those foods can be more calorically dense, not to mention fancy lattes and cocktails can really add up! 

We can often end up even drinking more calories than we realize! 

If you’re just starting to make changes, be conscious of how much more you’re eating on weekends as those calories could be throwing you out of the small deficit you’ve created during the week.

Even tracking what you’re currently doing when eating out or over the weekly can really show you how even just one meal can impact your weekly averages.

While focusing on consistent during each day is key, we need that consistency over weeks and even months to add up! 

If you do find that being “good all week,” leads to overeating on the weekend, consider whether you’re trying to restrict too much during the week and creating unsustainable habits.

Also take a look at what leads to the change in habits over the weekends to start making some small adjustments or plan ahead.

Maybe you try some new restaurants with healthier options for a Friday night date night or adjust your earlier meals that day to account for a dinner out and strike a balance! 

Mistake #7: We do all the habits we “should” be doing. 

Honestly, often we try to do MORE. We go 0-60 and search out all of the things we “should” be doing.

Then we implement them all at once because we want results yesterday.

But we never consider if they are realistic for us or if they truly match our lifestyle, needs and goals.

In this effort to get results as fast as possible we do all of these new things, we overwhelm ourselves with change, and then we wonder why we don’t have the willpower or self control to keep going when things come up in our life.

We need to realize that each of us will have a different lifestyle balance. And trying to force someone else’s version of healthy will sabotage us.

So focus on small changes meeting yourself where you are at. 

Before even making changes, consider tracking what you’re currently doing, from your diet to your sleep to your workouts, to make small changes that will add up!

Now what’s the secret to increasing your metabolic rate to burn more calories even at rest?

Focus less on losing weight and more on building muscle.

Muscle is the secret to losing fat faster. And no, I’m not telling you that you have to bulk up. 

But by emphasizing gaining and retaining lean muscle in your workouts, you will actually slim down faster and get the lean, toned look you want.

Because muscles is key to a healthy metabolism and gaining muscle can even increase your metabolic rate if you’ve dieted in the past causing metabolic adaptations.

Muscle means you burn more calories.

And you can build muscle at ANY age.

So don’t slash your calories super low or turn all your workouts into cardio sessions. 

Focus on building muscle and you’ll see that fat loss start to happen!

For more tips to help you boost your metabolism if you’re struggling to lose weight, check out my Can’t Lose Fat? 4 Tips To Boost Your METABOLISM video next.

–> WATCH NOW

 

 

I Quit

I Quit

by | Jan 15, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Workouts

I freaking quit.

Do you know the #1 reason why we don’t see the fat loss or muscle gains we want.

We simply, STOP doing the habits we need to.

Honestly we’ve all been guilty of giving up right before results truly have time to snowball.

Because it’s hard to trust the process when we feel like we’re working super hard, giving our plan our all, and results aren’t building as quick as we’d like.

But here’s the cold hard truth you’ve got to accept if you want to succeed…

Results NEVER happen as fast as you’d like.

There will always be ups and downs. There will always be setbacks.

Struggles are a part of success.

But that’s why I wanted to share some tips to help you get BETTER results FASTER. 

While we can’t out exercise or out diet time, and there is no magic pill, that doesn’t mean we can’t do things to help ourselves see those wins to avoid wanting to give up. 

And one of the first secrets to success is actually to slow down.

So let me share the tale of the two woodcutters to highlight the importance of slowing down….

redefining strength coaching

Two woodcutters were in a competition to see who could cut down more trees by the end of the day. The first was an experienced woodcutter older in years and the second was a younger, stronger man eager to prove his ability.

Both men set out to chopping. After about an hour or so the more experienced man paused, sat down to take a break and invited the other to join him.

The younger, stronger woodcutter replied, “No way! I’m going to keep chopping and I’m going to beat you.”

“Suit yourself,” said the experienced man.

This pattern repeated itself several times throughout the day.

Every so often the experienced man would pause his chopping to rest,

while the younger stronger woodcutter kept chopping away.

At the end of the day when the two woodcutters compared to see who had chopped more wood, the younger & stronger woodcutter was astonished to find that the older woodcutter who kept taking breaks had chopped a significantly greater amount of wood.

He said, “How is that even possible?

You spent far less time chopping than I did. I’m stronger and never once stopped cutting down trees. What is your secret?”

The experienced man said, “every time I sat down, I was sharpening my axe.” 

Hard work is key to results.

But hard work without direction, without focus, without intention, is often energy wasted.

Too often we just seek to do more in the gym. 

Restrict foods while searching for magic fat burning option… 

When really it’s about learning and dialing in those basics.

It’s even about doing the MINIMUM at times.

It’s not about effort it’s about efficiency.

Trust me if it was about EFFORT, I’d have lots of people in far better shape than me…people that train twice a day for hours a day and eat only “clean foods.”

While I sometimes do progressions that are 3 days a week and 30-40 minutes while enjoying my cocktails and desserts. 

But sometimes we need to scale back on how frequently we train, the length of our sessions or even how much we do in terms of adjusting our nutrition simply so we can stay consistent. 

Because that consistency often adds up more quickly than trying to do more in less time while burning ourselves out.

So don’t be afraid to PAUSE, assess and learn. Don’t be afraid to take time to plan.

Often by even THINKING about what we can do to consider the outcomes can save us a ton of time going in the wrong direction.

And then this even comes down to EMBRACING THE HARD.

I see it when it comes to our desire to avoid tracking.

And trust me…I get it…

I legit tried so much to avoid tracking because it seemed hard and overwhelming and tedious and boring. I even tried the potato diet.

I didn’t understand it so it felt complicated and like it wasn’t worth the effort.

But ultimately in my attempt to avoid the hard, I wasted a ton of time and effort.

I held myself back for so long avoiding the challenge of learning…and even struggling through it.

But there truly is no way around the hard.

All we can do is start by breaking things down.

What’s one small change you can make today?

Can you simply list out what you ate?

Can you start to measure out portions to see how much you’re actually consuming? 

The more we can break things down, the more we are able to make changes that don’t feel as hard, but that let us build up to fully embracing the new habits.

But just realize there is no way around that learning process if we actually want to create new habits.

And then remember, you didn’t create your current habits, lifestyles, physical conditioning overnight and you won’t get changes overnight either.

Our body and brain doesn’t like change.

It wants to maintain what it feels is normal – what it’s been TRAINED to see as instinctual and natural.

And yes I do mean TRAINED.

We get good at what we consistently do!

Our body wants to maintain your current weight and will fight the weight loss process. 

Your brain likes your current habits because they are easy. 

So as much as 3 or 4 months is a long time if you have been working to see results, consider how long you’ve actually not been at your goal.

How long you’ve been implementing other habits…

Because often when we take this step back, we realize we’re expecting basically overnight changes in comparison to how long it took us to get away from our goal.

So as tempting as it is to say “I QUIT” when results aren’t adding up as fast as we’d like, recognizing how long you’ve actually been making changes for in comparison.

And realize that this cycle, quitting right at this point is what you’ve ALWAYS done.

Results take time to snowball

Maybe you’ve only lost 1 lbs. But 1 pound will become 2, will become 4, will become, 15 will become 50…

And the more you lose and the longer you keep it off the leaner you look. 

But every time you quit, you doom yourself to keep losing and gaining the same few pounds.

Sure you’ll fluctuate as life ebbs and flows over the year and years, BUT I see my results when I focus in get better and better, not only because I’ve LEARNED as I’ve gone and focused on efficiency not effort…I’ve embraced the HARD, but also because I’ve simply stayed consistent and let time do it’s thing. 

That’s why you haven’t seen the results you want.

If you’re about to say I QUIT, double down and keep going.
make changes.

Don’t do more, just keep at those habits, learning and tweaking.

But don’t give up!

And to help you avoid making 8 of the most common weight loss mistakes I see clients making, I’m sharing those tips HERE!

The Best Workout (You Aren’t Doing)

The Best Workout (You Aren’t Doing)

by | Dec 11, 2022 | Blog, Diet, fat loss-featured, Workouts

It can be simply overwhelming trying to figure out how to design the best workout to tone up and see those muscle gains as you lose fat.

We want to LOOK like we workout, right?!

But there are so many options out there…

How do you know which is best?

I get asked all of the time when I share a move even…

“How many reps and sets?”

And while I know this is an annoying answer, the one I always have to give is…

“Well it depends. What are your needs, goals, current training routine, other moves you’re planning to include, equipment, schedule, previous training history….”

There are lots of variables you need to consider to get the best results possible.

And while overwhelming at times, they are also all opportunity!

But because I know it can be especially frustrating to train super hard, dial in your diet and still not see those stubborn areas change, I wanted to share one of my favorite training techniques to help…

Compound Burner Sets!

I want to take you through what these amazing sets are and how to use them as well as a few examples of them so you can get started implementing them today.

And while I know it’s tempting to just jump to what to do, because many of us just want to get started, it’s key we learn the WHY behind the techniques.

This can help us always make sure we’re tweaking things to match our specific needs and goals.

So, What Are Compound Burner Sets?

They are:

  • Two moves done back to back for the same area without resting
  • NOT a superset
  • One is a compound move the other a more isolation based exercise to hone in on stubborn areas
  • One move is done more in that hypertrophy rep range with heavy loads (6-12 reps) while the other is done for higher reps in that strength endurance range with loads that still challenge you (15-25 reps)
  • Rest is about 90 seconds to 2 minutes in length between rounds
  • 2-4 rounds through each series

The theory behind them is using the post exhaust training technique.

What does this mean?

  • You are using that second move to fully exhaust a muscle group worked in that initial compound movement, which can lead to better muscle growth
  • You’re getting the benefits of using multiple rep ranges and both compound and isolation moves

This will help you build muscle and ultimately lose fat from helping increase your metabolic rate. More muscle means more calories burned at rest.

BUT to see the full benefit…You can’t ignore the importance of your diet and I’ll share something to help later on!

Tips to help you get the most out of this workout design….

This is a more advanced training technique even though it seems simple. It truly is HARDER than it looks if YOU push yourself.

You are basically trying to take a muscle close to failure and then PUSH THROUGH failure with the isolation move.

This requires you to truly try to max out with reps and not just stop at a set number because that is what was listed.

If you can easily do the top number or reps listed, add weight. If you hit the bottom of the rep range, maintain that weight until you get toward the top. 

Even use rest-pause technique for the isolation move to push through and really take that muscle even “past” fatigue!

But make sure a weight never feels light!

Record what you do to try to beat next time.

Bonus Benefits….

Not only is this an amazing training design for body recomp, but you will also see strength increases because of the compound movement and lifting heavier loads.

You’ll also see your muscular conditioning, or strength endurance, improve because of pushing past failure with the isolation move!

Warning…

To really get the full benefit of this design, be conscious you are truly pushing to failure!

And do NOT cut out rest periods!

If you haven’t earned the rest and feel like you need it, you need to advance the exercise, add heavier loads, slow down the tempo and focus more on the eccentric or add a few more reps, but don’t go above 15 for that first move!

And then realize this is an advanced technique and can lead to a point of diminishing returns if done for too long when you’re really pushing for progression.

So track those numbers to be able to switch designs after 3-6 weeks or add in a de-load or recovery week!

Now how to use this design….

These sets are often best implemented in a 4-6 days a week split, using a hemisphere or upper/lower breakdown.

HOWEVER, if you make each workout full body, you can make 3 days a week work.

For each workout, create 2-4 compound sets.

If you’re doing upper and lower splits, 3 is more than enough.

For the full body set up, you may want 4 with one being even for core specific work.

For an example, if you were to design a leg workout it may look like…

#1:
6-12 reps Barbell Back Squat To Box
15-25 reps Lean Backs

#2:
6-12 reps SLDL
15-25 reps Hamstring Seated Curls

#4:
6-12 reps Band Hip Thruster
15-25 reps Band Y Reverse Hyper

Think about your heaviest biggest lift first for that first compound move of the first set. You want the lifts you can go heaviest on first before you fatigue.

Then over the sets try to vary what is worked enough that you don’t hit a point of diminishing returns.

But you want to consider the OTHER workouts as well for that week to make sure areas are getting rest and also being worked in other days.

But especially with 4 days a week, that 2 times hitting an area is a great training frequency!

You may then include a recovery day or interval cardio session on two other days if you are training 6 days a week.

(Want more amazing workouts like this one? Check out my DYNAMIC STRENGTH program!)

SUMMARY:

If you’ve been struggling to see the body recomp results you want, give this training technique a try.

Make sure to track your results and focus on small progression each week, listening to your body and not just pushing through pain.

You want to be intentional with moves.

And as I mentioned earlier, fueling correctly is key.

But it can be hard to make certain habit changes to build muscle, especially when we fear gaining weight.

That’s why I want to share the next video you should check out if you’re looking to take your results to the next level…

Check out the link for 5 habit changes to improve your results!

–> 5 Habit Changes To Build Muscle WITHOUT Gaining Fat