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How To Get Abs (For the First Time)

How To Get Abs (For the First Time)

by | Jun 6, 2023 | Blog, Diet

So you want to see your abs…Here’s what you need to know.

I’m going to tell you right now that often the first time you attempt to get leanlean
the process is often more difficult than you’d expect.

There are going to be mistakes, frustrations and it’s going to take a lot longer than you’d like because your body will fight against you.

Our body, just like our minds, doesn’t like change and will resist it.

Sounds fabulous, right?!

But honestly, as much as we like to try not to focus on the negative,

I think it is key we face the obstacles and struggles going in so we are prepared for them.

Too often we try to ignore that there will be challenges and that ultimately sets us up for failure.

So I want to share 5 things to be aware of in the process of trying to reach a new level of leanness you’ve never achieved before so you can be prepared to stick with the process!

But before I dive into those tips, I just want to remind you of the importance of MACROS for body recomp.

Macros matter most when we are really trying to lose that last little bit and do everything we can to preserve our lean muscle mass while losing fat. 

You need to focus on increasing your protein, but you also can’t fear carbs the more active you are. 

Your body will need the instant fuel.

And by cycling macros every couple of weeks, you can also help give yourself a wider diversity of foods, maintain a better hormonal balance and even MENTALLY feel more in control and motivated to keep moving forward because you have little mini “end dates” and points at which you know you get a little shift! 

Now, here are 5 things you need to know about getting abs for the first time…

#1: Realize you may feel like you look worse before you look better.

Often the areas we most want to change are the LAST to go. 

And often in the process of even losing off of other areas, the areas we want to change that haven’t look BIGGER and worse.

Not to mention, fat loss and body recomp are a slow process. Especially toward the end, results can feel like they aren’t happening when things are building and changing.

This is why it is key we use more than the scale. 

Use pictures of a ton of different angles NOT just the areas you want to lose so you can see fat coming off of other places.

Use measurements to track changes. 

And then even focus on tracking your consistency so you can trust in the process.

But realize that things will be coming off at a snails pace and you may even at times look SOFTER in the process.

You may have times where the scale doesn’t change…doesn’t change…doesn’t change…then BAM! It drops dramatically.

It wasn’t just the eating right around it that did it. 

You’d probably been losing fat slowly over time.

However, you didn’t lose until you dropped the water weight being stored in your fat cells. 

Which may have even been why you looked SOFTER for a bit!

One common time you can look softer is if you have been slightly lower carb. 

YUP!

So often we fear carbs BUT you can sometimes need to add them in to lose water weight. 

This phenomenon is known as the Whoosh Effect. And while the science on it is limited, it is something we’ve seen happen time and time again.

The hypothesis as to why this happens goes back to our body not liking to lose weight. 

We each have fat cells and the size of these fat cells change as we gain weight, increasing in size, or lose weight, shrinking in size. 

Fat cells are filled with triglycerides, which will be used as energy for the rest of your body. 

Working out, being in a calorie deficit, all make your body need to call on these stores to fuel. 

You’d think this would mean steady decreases as you draw from these stores during your diet. 

But instead, water is often stored in these fat cells as your body tries to maintain your current weight and avoid depletion of its energy stores. 

They store water to anticipate more fat filling them soon. 

So because of this water storage, your weight plateaus even though you are technically losing fat. 

And often it’s why we can feel like we look extra soft and squishy during the fat loss process at times. We will see this especially around our middle or thighs. It’s why you can hit dead zones where you feel you look WORSE even.

Then BAM! We get that Whoosh Effect and you wake up the next day and your body has let go of the stored water!

And often the cause of this water release comes from kicking our body out of the deficit temporarily so it no longer feels like it is “starving” and in need of holding on to the water weight to keep those fat stores ready to be filled! 

It’s why we may see this release after a cheat meal or day or even a carb refeed where our energy stores are “refilled” even if we still keep ourselves in the overall deficit for the week. 

But it’s why sticking with the process despite not seeing results immediately is so key!

#2: Know your whyS and set a motivational deadline.

The closer you get to your goal, the more cravings will probably have increased and your mind will work against you. 

You’ll want to eat. You’ve been in a long, consistent deficit and there are probably foods you’ve cut out for a period of time because they weren’t easy to work into your macros.

As much as you may think you want abs, well, just getting abs for the sake of…well…getting abs won’t keep you truly motivated for long.

Especially when your friends ask you to go out for happy hour after a long and stressful week. 

But precision is key. 

And especially if you’re pushing yourself to a level of leanness you’ve never been able to achieve before, you’re going to have to be ready to sacrifice. 

That’s why you need not only a why but WHYS and a deadline to keep you motivated.

I’d wanted to achieve a six pack for years before I did.

What finally got me to actually commit was setting a photoshoot, announcing it to all of my clients and wanting to be able to create a nutritional program to help clients no matter their goals. But I felt I couldn’t talk about getting lean if I didn’t personally know the struggles. 

So having that hard photoshoot deadline, public “pressure” and accountability and even a big investment of money in the process, helped me stay consistent when I 100% wanted to quit. 

Thankfully I’ve now learned a ton to make the process easier for myself and clients and even know how to maintain so my set point is lower, BUT that outside accountability and motivation beyond just wanting abs made all the difference.

So give yourself no way to wiggle out of your goal if you want to succeed!

#3: Plan ahead…With EVERYTHING.

You can’t be guesstimating. You can’t not track a bite of food.

You can’t be skipping random workouts or randomly stringing routines together based on how you’re feeling that day. 

You need to have everything planned out. Planning . 

A clear plan of action gives us added accountability and motivation to stay the course. It also allows us to make more accurate adjustments based on how we are progressing. 

It let us see what truly works, and what doesn’t.

Planning ahead also removes a lot of the stress involved in the precision required.

It’s hard in the moment, when you’re hungry or tired or stressed from a long day to figure out what workout to do or what to eat.

Because, often you don’t want to do what you know you should in those situations.

It’s why planning ahead, having meal prep frozen or having fast restaurant go-to options is so key. It takes the thought and guesswork out of it. 

It even takes the stress and emotion and CRAVINGS out of it.

The food is there. You know what you have to eat. 

Even already logging it in your food tracker adds accountability and makes things easier so you aren’t just having to track as you go! 

And by having your workout pre-planned, you are making sure you’re progressing. You’re not just doing what you feel like, as your energy at times may dip as you adjust and tweak ratios and calories. 

It’s easy when we are tired to slack. But everything in your programming needs to work as a cohesive system. Your macros are based on your training and visa versa. So both need to go together.

You can also see if your performance is truly decline because you have that clear progression you repeat to compare and track numbers against.

Data is key to helping you achieve results as efficiently as possible as well! 

#4: Find ways to move more.

By being in an extended deficit to lose that last little bit of stubborn fat, your body is going to find ways to conserve energy.

That means you’re going to naturally fidget less and want to move less. 

You want to be conscious of this and do little things to keep your NEAT or non-exercise activity thermogenesis higher. 

You want to burn more calories during your normal day.

This does NOT mean making your gym sessions longer. It does NOT mean even doing 2-a days. 

It just means being conscious to move more.

Too often we try to train harder or length out our training sessions which actually leads to less results and more metabolic adaptations.

Plus, the quality of these training sessions often decreases and we end up doing a lot of wasted volume we can’t recover from. This actually ends up diminishing our returns. 

Plus when we train harder as we try to cut calories lower, the deficit we are in grows. 

And our body fights that weight loss for survival purposes. 

This trying to do more in our training could actually lead to more metabolic adaptations and muscle loss instead of aiding our weight loss process. 

And I know we often think, well I won’t lift more, I’ll just add in even a quick HIIT training session.

But just recognize, these intense sessions can deplete our glycogen stores and actually sometimes even make us hungrier. Plus they can add more to our fatigue. 

This is why walking can be such a great thing to add in. 

It doesn’t detract from our energy for future training sessions. And it is low intensity so we can do more of it without causing further cravings. 

It can also really assist in fat loss, especially when included after workouts that have targeted our stubborn areas to increase blood flow to those areas and mobilize more fatty acids to be utilized.

So be conscious of when you start to feel like doing less to not fall into the couch but still include some fun activities over the week to move more! 

#5: Progress will feel slow. Your body will fight you.

I know I slightly mentioned this already, but I think it’s key we oversell the negative to ourselves so we stick with things when we want to quit and challenges arise.

We’re almost ready for them if we do make ourselves aware early on.

PLUS, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the same reason progress is slow…

The longer you’ve been above the weight or leanness level you want to be at, the harder it will be to reach that new point. 

Your body doesn’t like change. It wants to maintain balance and balance to it is where you’ve currently been at, especially if you’ve been at that weight for awhile. 

Your body will do what it can to stay there.

The positive part of this is that, once you get lean and start to transition into maintenance practices, it becomes easier and easier over time to maintain a leaner physique. 

But the initial getting there is often not easy. 

Progress will be slow. And this is actually a good thing.

When we try to see dramatic results, often we aren’t really losing more fat.

Often we are simply losing water weight and glycogen that’s been stored.

Plus, the faster we attempt to lose weight, the more we often lose muscle and not just fat.

Muscle is metabolically more costly to maintain. 

So when our body is in a deficit and looking to conserve energy, it will use muscle as fuel. 

That not only provides the energy it thinks it needs, but it also helps it conserve energy overall. 

So embrace the slow process.

The easiest way to do this is by focusing on those daily habits as goals themselves.

Put your focus on doing what you know will lead to results. Celebrate the consistency in those habits as wins.

That will help you stay focused on the actions that will build toward results.

SUMMARY:

These 5 things are key to be aware when you commit to a program to get abs for the first time.

The process will be slower than you’d like, and your mind and body will fight against you as you seek to achieve something you’ve never done before. 

But remember, maintaining gets EASIER!

Just focus on those daily habits and don’t freak out and do more when results are slow!

Ready to see the results you deserve? Learn more about my 1:1 Coaching:

–> Redefining Strength’s 1:1 Online Coaching

 

How To Get Lean & STAY Lean For Life (6 Tips)

How To Get Lean & STAY Lean For Life (6 Tips)

by | May 28, 2023 | Blog, Diet

Let’s be real here….

You want to be lean and strong to perform your best for the rest of your life.

Falling into old habits is the quickest way to lose your progress.

You need to create a lifestyle built off of habits you can maintain.

That’s why these 6 nutrition rules are key to staying lean and strong for life!

Rule #1: Don’t Ignore Your Gut Health.

Very rarely is gut health the first thing that comes to mind when you think about staying lean.

But if our gut microbiome is healthy, the rest of our body will function optimally. 

It helps reduce inflammation, keeps our metabolic rate higher to burn more fat, and helps reduce cravings.

An increase in “bad” bacteria has been shown to trigger an overproduction of insulin, leading to insulin resistance, which causes your body to stop burning fat and start storing it. 

The more insulin sensitive you are, the more likely it is that you’ll have a leaner body due to insulin’s anabolic properties — replenishing fuel stores while reducing the rate of protein degradation or breakdown.

Taking care of our gut health can actually help us feel fuller and balance our appetite. 

When the bacteria in our gut ferments fiber, it releases leptin which can help suppress appetite and help us feel more satisfied.

Aim to consume 25-30 grams of fiber per day and consume foods rich in probiotics and prebiotics, like yogurt, fermented foods, garlic, potatoes, bananas, and legumes. 

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is also important, as research shows that consuming at least 30 different types of plants per week can lead to a stronger and more diverse gut microbiome.

So have some fun with that meal prep over the week for great tasting dishes and a lean, strong body! 

Rule #2: Don’t Diet Forever.

If you’re still thinking of your dietary changes as something you’re doing until x date, you’re never going to actually create lifestyle changes you can maintain long-term.

You can’t maintain habits you hate for long.

If you feel restricted and hungry and deprived, at some point your willpower is going to run out. 

Find new ways to do the minimum if you want to create baseline habits that keep you consistent.

This is how you maintain the results you’ve built.

An easy way to do this is to pick a calorie range and a protein minimum. 

By having these clear guidelines, we can make sure we are allowing 012 – guidelines ourselves to enjoy the foods we love with guidelines to keep us in check! 

Life is unpredictable and there may be times when our priorities change.

It’s okay to reassess and adjust your approach.

Whether you’re juggling a busy work schedule or taking care of a new family, you can still make changes to your nutrition by constantly assessing your priorities and setting boundaries with tracking. 

Rule #3: Fuel Your Training.

Too often we sabotage our long-term success by NOT focusing on our performance while adjusting our nutrition.

We just accept low energy levels and sucky workouts. 

Because let’s face it…if we feel crappy, it impacts our nutrition choices.

Feeling strong and powerful and fast…well… it ROCKS.

If you want to maintain your aesthetic results, you need to make sure you’re fueling to be able to train the way you’d like. 

Properly fueling our training makes it so much easier to maintain our results long term! 

Fueling to build lean muscle is really the secret to being able to look leaner for the rest of our lives! 

You can’t stay in a deficit forever.

Focus on fueling your workouts to make sure you have full energy stores to perform at your best!

And if you’re doing any endurance training do NOT fear carbs! 

They are key even if you went lower carb to initially lose the weight! 

Rule #4: Set Meal Prep Staples.

You need flexibility to enjoy any of the foods you love or go out to eat if you’re in this for the long haul.

The more restricted we feel, the harder it is to stay consistent.

It’s key we have flexibility but If you want to maintain your physique for life, you need to have those meal prep staples always on hand.

Find delicious recipes you love to prep in bulk and freeze. 

Find easy canned goods or frozen foods you can always have to prep in a pinch. 

Create some go-to meals you can eat consistently that are always there for you in a pinch.

Create a few different variations of those meals like a higher and lower carb option so you can make adjustments based on other things you had that day. 

Went out to an unplanned lunch and had more carbs?

Use version B of your taco bowl and make it a taco salad instead!

Have some simple staples you always know you have on hand to make life EASY while keeping you consistent.

Rule #5: Embrace Change

Your priorities in life will shift. Your body is going to change with age

Even your lifestyle and activity level may shift season to season. 

Your routine during the holidays will be different than over the summer. 

Nothing will work forever.

So staying lean and strong for life will mean being open to constantly learning and adjusting.

You wouldn’t do the same workouts forever…so you can’t approach your diet as you’ll do the exact same thing forever either.

Don’t be afraid to adjust your macros or portions over time.

Try new foods and recipes. 

Experiment with including different supplements to help you work toward other goals or even make your lifestyle more convenient during busy days. 

Embrace that you can constantly make changes to find a balance.

Maintaining doesn’t mean you won’t fluctuate or that you won’t set goals to focus on.

It just means you have those boundaries to keep yourself in check and doing the minimum to maintain the hard work you put in to get these results in the first place! 

Rule #6: Put Protein First.

The simpler we keep things, the more sustainable the habits are.

Too many things to focus on splits our attention and with more balls up in the air, it is much easier to drop one when life does it’s best to get in the way.

Maintaining your results is about finding out the minimum you can do.

I like to think of it as a challenge to see how lazy I can get away with being.

Give yourself one focus.

Getting about 30% of your daily calories from protein will keep you dialed in enough to maintain your results.

This puts your focus on whole, natural foods and keeps your metabolism humming.

Paired with a calorie range this makes sure that you’re never getting too far off track even as you work in other foods or travel or enjoy cocktails out with friends. 

It also allows for more flexibility so you don’t constantly feel restricted or like you have too many habits to focus on repeating!

Focus on these 6 simple nutrition rules to stay lean and strong for life and don’t sabotage yourself in constantly overcomplicating things!

For more tips, join my FREE daily newsletter!

Meal Plan To Lose Fat Faster (Without Ruining Your Metabolism)

Meal Plan To Lose Fat Faster (Without Ruining Your Metabolism)

by | May 14, 2023 | Blog, Diet

Wish you could look lean whenever you wanted?

Like always be at your most fabulous for a vacation or big event?

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

The secret is MINI CUTS.

And I’m going to explain what mini cuts are and how you’ll be able to design your own by the end of this video.

What Is A Mini Cut?

Mini cuts are NOT something you do long term.

They are hard.

They are miserable. They aren’t fun. You’ll feel hungry. Your body will be a bit mad.

But the point of them is to kickstart those results.

And to feel extra fabulous for that vacation or event.

To stay lean, you can’t be in a deficit forever.

And, even if you aren’t yet at your goal, if you’ve been dieting for longer, you need to take a break at points.

Because you will hit a plateau or reach a point of diminishing returns.

The longer and stricter we’ve been dieting, the more our body and our mind will fight against us.

That is why at points you have to shift into maintaining your results, even if you aren’t yet fully at your goal. 

During these times you want to increase your calories and focus on more balanced macro ratios.

These are a BREAK for your body and mind but ESSENTIAL if you want to see the full benefit of mini cuts.

By maintaining your results for a time, you create a new set point off of which you can build.

You can then strategically use more intensive deficits and macro breakdowns to achieve amazing results very quickly and get that extra definition whenever you want.

And these strategic deficits and intense macro breakdowns are called mini cuts.

And you’ll only use these strategically for 1-3…4 weeks max.

They are to look extra fabulous for that big event or even to overcome a plateau when you’ve been stuck.

Mini cuts are times where you are going to go to an extreme that you know is NOT sustainable but with a purpose and an exit strategy.

You are doing this built off of those key fundamentals not just doing some shake or detox fast fix.

And because the mini cuts are short, you won’t sabotage your metabolic health or feel restricted for so long you can’t get back on track after!

So…How Do You Set Your Macros And Calories For Your Own Mini Cut?

Yup. You’re going to have to track to really use these mini cuts to your advantage. Precision is key so we don’t lose muscle and focus on that recomp quickly.

We need that data to help us avoid the cut backfiring because we are going to be going to a strategic short-term extreme.

To set your calories, a good starting place is 10x goal bodyweight (which may even be your current bodyweight if you’re already lean).

This number is going to be low.

If you are super active and super lean, you may simply cut 500 off of your usual maintenance if you track consistently.

But you are pushing the most extreme deficit here for a very short term!

Then adjust your protein.

You want your protein intake between 45-50% for this mini cut.

You can then divide the rest between carbs and fat, but the more active you are and the leaner you want to be, the more you will want to keep carbs higher while dropping fat closer to 20%.

Often for a mini cut with clients I recommend something like 45% protein, 35% carbs and 20% fat.

I’ll show you how I would hit this ratio with a full day of eating at 1400 calories.

Full Day Of Eating – 45% protein, 35% carbs, 20% fat at 1400 calories

Pre-Workout:

Because my calories are low and I want to maintain my lean muscle mass, I will often train earlier in the morning after a protein shake and some coffee.

I love this morning routine and find the coffee allows me some time to wake up and gives me a bit of an energy boost while my calories are low.

The protein shake is also key so that I have those amino acids available to help me repair and rebuild from my lifting.

During my workout, I’ll consume my BCAAs.

I find because I’m in an extreme deficit and not getting “enough” of anything, these help me recover faster from my training and protect my lean muscle.

I also am very strategic during these mini cuts to focus my progressions on lifting over cardio.

Post Workout/Breakfast:

After my workout, I’ll head home and have breakfast. I generally make an egg white omelet with smoked salmon as well as oatmeal.

I love using the Everything Bagel seasoning and Melinda’s hot sauce on the omelet.

Because sauces often pack a calorie punch, hot sauces and seasonings will be your best friends to make meals still tasty so you aren’t completely miserable with your calories so low and macros being stricter.

I also love the oatmeal packets that have a bit of flavoring.

If I don’t have one, I may add my own sugar free syrup!

Lunch:

I then have lunch before I get too hungry.

The exact timing may vary based on what I’m doing, but I like to make sure I’m never starving when I next eat or I find it easier to end up wanting to overeat or eat so fast I don’t really taste it.

I also try to drink some tea or water before I eat to feel a bit fuller from the meal.

For lunch, I keep it simple, pan-searing some chicken with some frozen sweet potato chunks and broccoli.

I’ll use some sugar-free bbq sauce on my chicken as well as garlic salt on the potatoes and veggies.

Finding things that give your food flavor is key. Trader joe’s has some amazing seasonings for diversity and there are tons of sugar-free sauces to bring some fun to boring chicken!

Yes, it is more processed BUT because of the low calories and intensive macro ratio, your overall food quality will have to be high with lots of whole natural foods anyway so that 80/20 balance to not make yourself feel extra miserable is key!

And if I’m in a pinch, I often even get the Good And Gather cooked chicken to reheat. Always good to have options for when you’re on the go!

Dinner:

For dinner I love shrimp. They are easy to get frozen and basically have on hand no matter what.

I’ll cook them with rice and a stir-fry vegetable mix.

I’ll add in sesame oil and soy sauce and top off with sriracha because I love the spice and flavor. Adding in some garlic as well can be good to make things tasty.

Bonus if you are a spicy food person as well, capsaicin is a chemical that has been shown to increase the rate at which the body burns calories. So an extra metabolic boost is never bad while adding flavor!

Dessert:

Next is dessert. And yes, even in a cut I need my sweet treat to end the night.

I’ll usually have a greek yogurt and rice cake with peanut butter and fluff.

I often have a few brands of yogurt in the fridge to hit whatever macros and calories I need. And I have pre-planned a few rice cake variations as well.

Always key we have options we can adjust if something does pop up during the day or we are craving something specific!

I also personally have a diet soda with dinner or dessert. I find it extra satisfying and a bit filling when you know you’ve slashed your calories low strategically.

All about finding that balance so you can maintain the aesthetic you want without constantly being on a diet!

SUMMARY:

They aren’t fun. Or easy.

And they are intense.

But they are a short term pain to be able to look the way you want, whenever you want and stay leaner all year around.

Mini cuts are a great option if you need that extra kickstart or want to feel extra fabulous for an event.

Just remember you are using these short-term and strategically.

Make sure to really plan ahead as these calories are low and the macro ratios are intense!

Learn how to create YOUR lifestyle balance…

–>The 3 Phase Strategy Built For Your Body and Your Goals

Why You’re Not LOSING FAT (5 Things No One Tells You About Losing Weight)

Why You’re Not LOSING FAT (5 Things No One Tells You About Losing Weight)

by | Apr 9, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Exercises

You tried on those pants that wouldn’t button…

You stepped on the scale that showed you a number that made you want to hurl it at the wall…

So now…you’ve decided you want to lose weight.

In this video I want to share 5 things no one tells you about losing weight, but I also want to ask you one very important question first…

Is weight loss what you really want?

I ask this question because it’s key we realize that losing weight as fast as possible on the scale may actually be holding us back from seeing the fat loss results we want.

Losing weight faster doesn’t mean losing fat faster.

It actually often means the opposite.

In our desire to see quicker changes on the scale, we go to extremes which are unsustainable and only truly deplete our glycogen stores, causing us to also lose water weight. 

It’s why we may see immediate big drops in our weight.

It’s not fat being lost though.

If we do manage to maintain the extreme measures, we often then also start to lose as much muscle as we do fat.

And while some muscle loss will occur at points in your weight loss journey, you want to do everything possible to maintain as much lean muscle mass as you can!

Which actually brings me to the first thing no one tells you about losing weight…

Macros matter most.

I can feel the angry mob of calorie counters approaching who won’t listen a step further in this video…but hear me out….

Often people say it’s only about calories in vs calories out while saying you can’t build muscle and lose weight at the same time…

Which actually you can do.

But it is this calorie only focus that creates this issue and belief.

Adjusting your macros is key if you want to lose fat and not only retain lean muscle mass but BUILD it. 

Focusing solely on a calorie deficit won’t do this and could lead to more muscle being lost in the weight loss process.

Macros are so key because higher protein diets are the only ones shown to help you not only retain but even GAIN muscle while in a deficit. 

By keeping on more lean muscle as you slim down, you’ll promote more optimal hormone levels and even help keep your metabolic rate higher. 

Muscle requires more energy to be maintained.

And this higher energy expenditure daily will make it easier to ultimately lose more fat!

This focus on retaining lean muscle while trying to lose fat is even more key as we get older because it becomes harder to build and retain lean muscle, which leads to more metabolic adaptations with age. 

And creating an extreme deficit to lose weight quicker as we get older only puts us at greater risk to lose even more muscle!

So if you want to see the best results, you want to focus on those macros to fuel your training and even help yourself gain muscle as you lose fat.

Focusing on hitting that high protein tipping point, consuming 30% of your calories from protein, can help you see better fat loss results while even building muscle through a strategically created deficit based on your macro breakdown. 

The second thing no one tells you about losing weight is something none of us really want to admit…because it stinks.

I mean, who wants to be PATIENT!?

But we need to realize that results will take longer the longer we’ve been at our current weight. 

Think about how long it took for you to get into your current position.

Think about how long you haven’t been at your goal…

Often when we are considering how quickly results happen, we think about the diet we are using or the workouts we are doing.

But we never consider how much our body will fight us to maintain the balance of where it is at currently. 

Our body doesn’t like change.

It feels threatened with change. It’s part of how it protects us to survive.

So the longer you’ve had the weight on, the farther you are from your goal, the longer it will probably take for you to get there. 

Especially if it means hitting a new level of leanness you’ve never achieved before. 

So while you may look at your friend who gained 15 pounds just like you and want your results to happen just as fast, if you’ve had the weight on for a year and they just gained it during the holidays, it is probably going to come off much more quickly for them!

When mapping out your plan, realize that gaining the weight took 10 months so you’re probably not going to see it just all melt off in 10 weeks. 

Recognizing this helps give us perspective when we feel like changes aren’t happening fast enough!

The third thing no one tells you is that repeatable habits should be your focus over doing more. 

When we want to lose weight, we do turn to making habit changes…but often we make massive overhauls to our current lifestyle and habits.

Our focus is on what will get us results FASTEST. 

Not what habits can I actually REPEAT day in and day out. 

Now this doesn’t mean every habit change will feel easy. Most won’t actually feel sustainable to start.

And they won’t be fun.

Tracking your food is not fun. 

Doing the mobility work when you’re in a rush and just want to get to the meat of your workout isn’t fun. 

BUT it can be repeatable if you break things down to meet yourself where you are at.

When making changes to lose weight, start with easy to repeat habits.

Focus on those small daily changes over doing more.

This allows you to build instead of overwhelming yourself so that you give up when you just simply run out of willpower and self control.

These repeatable habits are what lead to DISCIPLINE.

So as much as these may feel small, they may feel even less than “ideal” they will allow you to get consistent. 

And what we do consistently we get good at.

If we consistently do habits that make us gain weight, we will.

If we consistently do habits that help us lose, we will.

So focus on repeatable habits that can help you build a lifestyle and see those results snowball. 

The fourth thing no one tells you, that it is key we recognize to avoid sabotaging ourselves and giving up when results are snowballing…

Is that you’ll often feel like the areas you want to change are the LAST to change. 

And even at points as you’ve made progress losing weight, they look WORSE! 

Stubborn areas are stubborn for a reason.

They often contain more of the stubborn type of fat cell and have less blood flow. 

They are often the places we gain first so will be the LAST we will lose from.

We may see all of these other areas trimming down, but not see any changes really to start from the places we care about. 

Not only is this frustrating but slimming down in some places and not others can make the areas we want to change stand out even more.

But don’t give up.

Giving up is what keeps you from finally losing from those stubborn body parts. 

Often it is pushing through and just sticking with those same old boring habits, not jumping ship in favor of some fad diet, that will finally add up.

And if you are struggling with those stubborn areas and want to learn more about what makes stubborn areas so stubborn, check out my How To Lose Stubborn Fat Video with 3 tips.

Now…The 5th and final thing no one tells you about losing weight is…

What you did to lose the weight will NOT be what you do to maintain it. 

Honestly because the dieting industry is built off of us regaining the weight we’ve lost…

A new fast fix is easier to sell you than maintenance

Maintenance isn’t sexy so it’s never discussed

But maintaining your weight loss is a learned process with its own unique challenges. 

And one of those challenges is actually being ok with a very small increase on the scale as you shift your body and habits from weight loss mode to maintaining mode.

You can’t just keep repeating what you did to lose and stay in a deficit forever, yet you also can’t go back to old habits. 

You’ve got to slowly make adjustments to your macros and calories to increase them to a maintenance level while potentially returning to a more even macro split. 

We have to remember our body, needs and goals are constantly evolving which means our diet and workout habits can’t just stay stagnant.

(At the end I’ve linked out to more free resources!)

If you’ve been only focused on losing weight fast, it’s time to change your approach. Losing weight quickly doesn’t always mean losing fat, and extreme approaches can be harmful.

By focusing on healthy habits, you can achieve lasting results that don’t have to feel overly restrictive.

More Free Resources:

–> 5 Tips To Maintain Your Results

–> 3 Step Fat loss Recipe

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