fat loss tips Archives Page 2 of 10

What I Wish I Knew About Protein Sooner (The 20g Myth And More!)

by Cori Lefkowith | Jun 2, 2024 | Blog, Diet

Think protein is just for bodybuilders?

Think again.

Focus on increasing protein may be even more important if you’re…

Female
Over the age of 30
Training hard
Looking to lose weight
Looking to lose fat
Looking to gain muscle
Looking to stay functionally stronger
Looking to stay energized and recover faster
Looking to age well and stay mentally with it…

Basically protein is honestly even more key for those of us looking to feel, look and move our best at any and every age.

Yet many of us struggle with not only increasing protein, but wanting to increase it.

Too often we even search out anything we can to tell us we DON’T have to make a change.

But honestly, this desire to not make a change is what keeps us stuck.

And so often our unwillingness to embrace increasing protein, especially as we get older, is what keeps us from ever seeing the results we want.

We keep searching for a way around the hard change of increasing protein ultimately to never see any of our hard work pay off.

That’s why I wanted to share some things I wish I’d personally known earlier on about protein and dispel some common protein myths and highlight HOW it helps.

Because when we truly understand the WHY behind the habit changes, we are more willing to embrace hard habit shifts.

What we value, we prioritize.

And we value things more when we truly understand the benefit and purpose behind the changes.

So that’s why I want to highlight why increasing your protein is something you should value.

Starting with the fact that it isn’t just essential for our aesthetic goals.

This ties into a myth we often also hear that gives us an excuse NOT to eat more protein…

And this myth is “You can only utilize 20-30 grams of protein in a meal.”

I’ve heard this myth repeated in a variety of ways, arguing that eating more protein during your day will only “go to waste.”

But this amount is just the amount that our body can use in a single sitting for muscle protein synthesis.

However, when you eat protein, all those amino acids aren’t just going to your muscles.

Only a very small portion of that 20-30 grams you’re consuming is actually being used in that way.

Because proteins make up EVERY tissue in our body.

Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage and skin.

And it’s involved in so many bodily functions including cellular repair.

So if you’re only eating 20-30 grams your muscles aren’t fully getting the maximal amount they can use.

Not to mention the studies done on this “ideal” protein intake don’t take into account that mixed macro meals, aka adding carbs or fats with the protein, can impact the rate of digestion.

They also don’t take into account that as we get older, we don’t utilize protein as efficiently.

This makes increasing our intake per meal even more key.

Consuming less in a meal when we are younger is something we can “get away with” because of the more optimal hormonal environment we have.

As we get older, we need more protein to elicit that same muscle building response.

Again…more protein is better.

And a recent study has even shown that consuming 100 grams of protein at a meal not only lead to BETTER muscle protein synthesis but didn’t go to waste.

So if you’ve been trying to tell yourself you didn’t need to eat more protein because it would only be wasted, think again.

And not to harp on this, but it’s probably one of the biggest reasons I push my clients to be so protein centric, but I want them to define how they age.

There is no denying our body changes with age. But we truly are in control of defining how we age.

And so much of what we just write off as getting older, is within our power to change and control.

Feel like you’re losing muscle?

Feel like you’re losing strength?

Feel like you’re not recovering as quickly?

Worried about falls and fractures and your bone health?

Seeing negative changes in your health, including an increase in your blood pressure during menopause?

Or are you frustrated because you’re metabolism is slowing down and you’re seeing the weight creep on no matter what you do as you even slash your calories lower and lower?

What if I told you focusing on protein may be the simplest solution to addressing these things you’ve written off as just getting older?!

Protein honestly is the fountain of youth we don’t often truly recognize.

Now if you want to focus on building muscle and strength, your workouts and challenging yourself with your training is key.

But so often we see the results we deserve from our hard work in the gym paying off because our fueling doesn’t match.

You can only train as hard as you recover from. And to recover, your body needs protein.

So if you want to stay functionally fit and strong as you get older, you can’t avoid increasing your protein.

And by building and retaining more lean muscle as you get older, when so often we see a decline in muscle with age, you’ll also help keep your metabolic rate higher.

Not to mention the thermic effect, or the energy required for the metabolism of food, of digesting protein itself is higher.

This means more calories burned without us doing anything differently!

And if we want to lose fat, increasing our protein not only helps with this process but helps us avoid losing more muscle, which we are at increased risk for losing already as we get older.

AKA by focusing on protein we improve our metabolic health and body recomp to be any age and freaking lean and strong!

But again, protein isn’t just about rocking those aesthetic results…

It is also key for our health as we get older.

It can help keep our bones strong and avoid fractures, and lower our risk of osteoporosis.

And it can even help lower our blood pressure, which is key especially during menopause when we can see our risk for cardiovascular disease rise.

Now I do want to touch on protein and “risk.” Because this is something I wish I’d realized sooner…

Protein is honestly the least risky food to include if you want to see fabulous body recomp and your hard work in the gym pay off.

And I wish I’d known this sooner because it would have helped me get leaner and stronger faster.

Of course there is too much of even a good thing…

And specific health concerns like kidney disease may mean that a lower amount of protein is key for you, although there are some interesting new studies even debating this exact amount…

But for anyone with healthy kidneys who focuses on quality fueling and hydration, higher protein intakes will NOT have a negative impact.

But I mention “risk” also because increasing our protein intake helps us see results in a much easier way.

A high protein diet is the only diet shown to help you gain lean muscle in a deficit and even avoid gaining unwanted fat while in a calorie surplus.

It gives you wiggle room in your calorie intake to still see results.

Not to mention, it can help you eat more and feel fueled while still seeing body recomp.

And being able to eat more will help you keep your metabolic rate higher and create a more sustainable calorie intake that doesn’t leave you feeling starving and deprived.

Not to mention, protein does improve our health, reducing our risk of so many health concerns…yet too often we only focus on the negatives it may have for specific populations.

But honestly, almost every healthy food can have a negative impact if not consumed based on what we need!

And there are also so many MICROnutrients in protein sources we don’t often realize and value.

We talk about getting more fruits and vegetables, which are 100% key…

But we don’t recognize that protein sources offer a diversity of vitamins and minerals that are essential as well.

And many found in protein sources aren’t available in other sources in the same form such as Vitamin A (Retinol), B12, Carnitine, Carnosine, Creatine, D3, DHA, EPA, Heme Iron, and Taurine.

These things are essential to optimal health.

So not only is protein essential as a macro, but it packs a micronutrient punch!

Now if you’re like “Ok Cori, I’m sold on increasing protein…But it’s just so hard! I’d like to, but how!?”

I’ll tell you…I get it.

We’re used to consuming foods in the portions we are currently eating.

And to change our macro split, we have to adjust those portion sizes which often means planning ahead.

Because otherwise we are just going to do what we’ve always done…and we’ve always not eaten more protein!

I also think we often simply get overwhelmed with the idea which makes our brain freak out and not think in terms of small adjustments.

Or we make changes to hit a number without focusing still on making it ENJOYABLE.

We go straight to the chicken and broccoli or force ourselves to choke down a protein shake we hate.

Instead our goal should be to consider ways we may ENJOY adding more protein.

When we are excited to do something, when it is enjoyable over a chore, we are more likely to truly embrace the habit change.

We need to feel like, and remember it is our choice, not something we HAVE to do.

Yes a protein supplement or bar can be used, but that is too often what we jump to.

And we want the benefits that whole, natural proteins provide.

So instead, try looking up dishes you may enjoy that have more protein.

Or take a day of meals you already love and search for small tweaks.

Massive changes aren’t made overnight.

But one small adjustment that you can build on will add up.

So even take your meals today and see where you can make one change to increase your protein.

Can you add an ounce more chicken?

Sprinkle nutritional yeast on something?

Swap greek yogurt of sour cream?

Those grams add up!

And this is something key I wished I’d found when I first sought to add more protein because it would have made the process so much easier to see the results I wanted sooner!

Focus on those small changes and really seek to understand the why behind the habit swaps you’re looking to make, like increasing protein.

It can help you truly value the changes to make them easier so you can see the results you deserve.

Because if you’re looking to move, feel and look your best till your final day on this planet, increasing your protein is the magical habit change that most of us avoid making but that truly makes all of our hard work add up!

Ready to dial in your diet to match your workouts and help you build your leanest, strongest body ever?

Learn more about my Metabolic Shred!

How To Increase Your Metabolism (At Any Age)

by Cori Lefkowith | May 19, 2024 | Blog, Diet

Ok let’s get one thing straight – you haven’t killed your metabolism. It isn’t broken even.

It’s adapted.

I want to explain why our metabolism adapts and even strategies you can use to make this work to your advantage.

And just to be clear…your age is not an excuse.

While yes it can feel harder to make changes as we get older, a big part of that is simply the fact we’ve ignored many of these other factors for so long and previous dieting and training practices are catching up with us now!

So first…why does your metabolism adapt?

Our metabolism isn’t a stagnant thing.

Changes in our lifestyle and changes in our lifestyle can have a huge impact on it – from how we fuel to how active we are.

That’s why we have to be conscious of how we approach losing weight, especially if we want to see amazing and LASTING body recomp.

Because so often in search of faster results, and more dramatic changes on the scale, we implement habits that have a NEGATIVE impact on our metabolic health.

While we do need a calorie deficit to lose weight, creating too big a deficit will backfire.

Yet this is so often what we’ve always done.

If calories in vs. calories out is our main focus for weight loss, we almost assume going lower is better.

But it’s not.

Yes, it may be nice to see that scale change quickly, but dropping our calories extremely low changes how our body functions.

Metabolic adaptations occur and our metabolism slows to try to regulate energy expenditure to match energy intake.

Less energy coming in, your body makes sure survival functions are covered first.

This can mean we may find ourselves having less energy to get up and move around extra.

We may find we fidget less.

We may even see our workout performance decline.

Your body will slow down, or reduce, any processes that burn energy it doesn’t feel it has coming in…

And this can also mean muscle being lost.

Muscle is metabolically costly. It requires more energy to be maintained.

Whereas, our fat stores are more pure fuel for our body.

When energy is in short supply, our body is going to do what it can to conserve.

Less muscle means less energy needed to survive.

That is why we can not only struggle to build muscle in an extreme deficit even though we’re trying to train hard, but we can even LOSE muscle.

And oddly enough, the harder we train to try to see the results, the more we may be making that deficit even more extreme…fighting against any muscle building efforts further.

So while yes, a calorie deficit is key…

Slashing our calories lower to try to see results faster started the snowball of metabolic adaptations…

Adaptations you may find accumulate more and more as you get older.

And this is why we start blaming our age for the metabolic slowdown.

Over time, we’ve repeated this yo-yo dieting cycle…

Slash our calories lower and burn more calories in our training.

So we lose fast on the scale.

But we ultimately lose just as much muscle as fat.

Slowing our metabolic rate.

And in the process creating hormonal imbalances which only make matters worse.

Then ultimately we can’t sustain the severe restriction and training regime, so we regain the weight.

But when we regain the weight, we aren’t doing so in a healthy way to rebuild muscle.

Instead we’re defaulting back into bad habits.

All that weight we then gain only makes our body composition worse as we put on fat.

This leads to us even potentially putting on more weight as our body has learned to function better off of the lower calories AND we’ve lost muscle.

So the next time we go to diet down, not only is the process HARDER but our metabolic rate may be slower and may only further adapt as we implement those same dieting practices!

And this is why it can feel like it as we get older it gets harder and harder.

Not to mention, as most of us get older…we aren’t as active.

So lower activity levels on average coupled with improper dieting practices and this yo-yo dieting cycle…

Of course it feels like it gets harder and our metabolism is slower than ever.

Now I do want to mention…age DOES have an impact.

Because while too often we just blame our age and write ourselves off because of it, there are things we WILL need to address with how we train and fuel if we want to see results NO MATTER our age…

As we get older, we aren’t able to utilize protein as efficiently and muscle gains are slower.

Our hormonal environment isn’t as optimal as it once was for muscle growth.

And less muscle as we get older DOES mean a slower metabolism.

BUT again…our metabolism is constantly adjusting…

So as much as our previous dieting practices have had an impact negatively…we can also CHANGE them to not only address our changing needs as we get older but also REVERSE the adaptations we’ve created with previous dieting attempts…

So…How can you use the fact that your metabolism adjusts to your advantage?

Because at any point we can improve our metabolic health and increase our metabolic rate by changing how we fuel and train!

We can eat to be energized and want to move more.

This means NOT starving ourselves as we try to train harder.

We can properly fuel our training as our workouts focus on building lean muscle.

This means we need to stop seeing our workouts as a chance to burn more calories and instead focus on building muscle.

We need to challenge ourselves with our lifts. We need to not just fall into doing more. And we need to focus on that protein.

This will lead to us increasing our muscle mass to burn more calories at rest. AKA raise our resting metabolic rate!

The more we focus on these habits to increase our metabolic rate, the more we will find we are able to lose fat and KEEP IT OFF.

We will look leaner and FEEL BETTER because we are actually FUELING our body to function optimally…

And this can be done at ANY age.

While yes, we don’t utilize protein as efficiently or have that same anabolic environment for muscle growth as naturally, just RECOGNIZING this, we can account for it.

We can focus more on strength training and truly challenging ourselves.

And we can be even more conscious about a small calorie deficit after retraining ourselves first potentially to eat more.

Not to mention, we can emphasize MORE PROTEIN. As by just getting MORE we can create that same muscle protein synthesis we had with less when our hormones were at more “optimal” levels.

But as much as this all sounds fabulous….

I’m going to warn you…

This process of addressing metabolic adaptations takes time…

There are no magic metabolic foods or moves we need to be including.

Honestly, the process of addressing metabolic adaptations is often even FRUSTRATING.

It’s hard mentally because it usually requires us to do the OPPOSITE of what we’ve always done…

And often we feel like we’re LOSING PROGRESS when first making the necessary dietary changes.

Yup.

Especially if you want to see the scale go DOWN….in the process of helping improve your metabolic healthy, you may first have to embrace the scale GOING UP.

Your body doesn’t like change…even when it is good for it.

So increasing your calories to truly fuel that muscle growth and increase your metabolism may mean seeing the scale increase.

This isn’t just that glycogen stores are being filled from a depleted state…

It’s partly because your body has learned to function on LESS.

So this extra energy to start is viewed as extra you don’t need and will be stored.

That’s why slowly increasing your calories from your deficit just 50-100 slowly over the weeks is key.

This helps restore hormonal balance.

And as you do this, you need to focus on PROTEIN.

This can help you avoid gaining unwanted fat as much as possible as you increase your calories.

And it can pay off because extra as we get older because we need more protein to create that same anabolic, muscle building response we had when we were younger.

And then, even as you see the scale increase, you can’t fear increasing calories.

Which will probably be the OPPOSITE of what you first want to do when seeking to lose weight.

As you build lean muscle, from proper fueling and strength training, your energy demands will increase.

Aka your metabolic rate will increase!

And then you’ll need to eat more to maintain it.

What once may have been enough, then becomes a deficit.

Now you may be wondering…But how do I know I’m not just gaining a ton of fat?!

This is where stepping off the scale and measuring may be key!

As muscle is being built, you will see inches being lost before the scale starts to trend downward.

And while frustrating, acknowledging this and accepting this…and embracing the long term habits…will ultimately pay off.

Because if you do have more weight to lose, the scale WILL start to change.

But it takes time.

Yup…patience…that thing none of us want to have is key.

So if you’ve worried your metabolism is dead…

It’s not.

You haven’t killed it.

And metabolic adaptations…heck you even saying you just have always have had a slow metabolism…

Can be changed at any and every age.

But you DO need to avoid extreme calorie deficits, focus on protein and build that lean muscle with your workouts!

And if you’ve found yourself repeating the same horrible yo-yo dieting cycle, the only way out of it is to make a change and realize your results may go backward before that recomp starts happening!

Because it can be hard to trust the process, having that outside perspective and guidance can be key.

To help you address metabolic adaptations and see the results you deserve, check out my 1:1 Coaching.

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The ONLY 10 Things That Matter For Fat Loss

by Cori Lefkowith | Apr 21, 2024 | Blog, Diet, Exercises

There is an OVERWHELMING amount of opinions out there about the best ways to lose fat and keep it off.

And these different opinions are honestly OPPORTUNITIES for us to create the plan that meets us where we are at –

Because one size doesn’t fit all.

We just have to avoid becoming overwhelmed by all the options.

Or allow ourselves to get distracted when we do have a plan in place.

That’s why I wanted to share 10 fundamentals principles that are really what matter for fat loss, no matter your exact dietary preference, preferred training methods or lifestyle!

And these things hold true no matter our age and can even set us up to be leaner and stronger till our final day on this planet, the earlier we embrace them!

So…first…

#1: Simplify then diversify.

The less you have to focus on, the more focus each change gets.

While you may want to include a diversity of foods, restaurants, training techniques and tools into your routines, start simple!

You get good at what you consistently do. And this allows you to get consistent with a few key things.

It also allows you to avoid overwhelming yourself with so many options or variables all at once.

Once you get set meals dialed in, feel comfortable with specific movement patterns, you can then begin to add in diversity so you don’t get bored.

But first dial things back and focus on a few basics to build off of!

#2: Your goal can’t only be fat loss.

Fat loss is slow.

And it should be if you want to truly see muscle definition and lose fat without losing muscle.

But because results are slow, because we will hit plateaus, the more we only focus on one measure of success – fat loss – the more likely we are to get frustrated and give up when we don’t see progress week after week.

And guess what?

Progress won’t be linear…which is why we so often give up when results are snowballing.

This causes us to be stuck in this horrible cycle of never really getting closer to our goal or maintaining the results we worked so hard for.

So if you truly want to achieve lasting body recomp, you need to find other ways to measure success and know your habits are working.

Even set a goal of measuring success by how consistently you simply implement the boring basic habits daily!

If you do those things daily and can mark off that win daily, results are GOING to snowball!

#3: Track. Track and oh yea….TRACK.

What gets measured, gets managed.

The more accurate the picture of what we are doing, the smaller and more meaningful the adjustments we can make.

And we don’t end up throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

Too often we don’t track so we guess at what is and isn’t working.

This can lead to us stopping a habit that is building results just because we don’t realize something else is holding us back and needs to be adjusted.

It can also make us feel like we are constantly having to do these massive overhauls, creating unsustainable habits and lifestyles over a small adjustment that could have been the missing 1%.

So track your food to understand what adjustments you need.

Track your workouts to see your progress and adjust.

Track how you feel with different meal timings.

Or if foods cause changes in your energy or bloat.

But track to see the impact lifestyle practices are having so you have the power to truly adjust and fuel to feel and look your best!

#4: Stop saying you “can’t have” something.

“You can’t have that cookie.”

The second I tell myself I can’t have it, I want it even more.

Even if I didn’t want it before.

Telling yourself something is off limits makes you feel restricted.

It also takes away the feeling of control that you truly have over your actions.

Because truly, it’s not that you can’t have something…It’s that you’re CHOOSING not to.

When we’re working to lose fat, we may choose to cut things out at times. Even things we eventually want to include.

But this is a CHOICE to work toward our goals.

And we have to remember at another time we can CHOOSE to take a different action.

Because what you do to reach a goal is not what you do to maintain it.

But our mindset around new and different actions will impact whether or not we embrace the changes long enough to see results.

So stop saying you can’t have something and remember you are just CHOOSING whether to include or exclude it right now.

#5: Move more.

I didn’t say workout more.

I didn’t say workout harder.

I said move more.

Too often we put an emphasis on eating less or trying to burn more calories in our workouts, but there is another way to help ourselves see better fat loss and create an optimal calorie deficit…

And that is by simply moving more.

Being a bit more active throughout the day helps keep our metabolic rate higher and in a way that doesn’t really just stress our body more.

Go for a walk daily, even just 10 minutes.

Get up and stretch throughout the day.

Make yourself walk to get water.

By being more active not only do we keep our metabolism healthy but we also often feel better, making it easier to stick with the other habit changes we need to see results snowball!

It can even make it easier to not just reach for that extra snack on the weekend while watching TV at night because we aren’t just being a slug on the couch watching netflix at every opportunity!

#6: Emphasize recovery.

We can only train as hard as we can recover from.

Losing fat and the workout and dieting practices that help us achieve this goal are stressful on our body.

New habits and changes are hard on us mentally.

We need to embrace this.

But we realize we can’t just constantly willpower our way through.

This often leads to us working really hard to see diminishing returns.

It’s why we get burned out.

This is why we need to not only focus on improving our recovery weekly, but we also need to consider recovery weeks in our training and diet breaks.

Don’t ignore the importance of your sleep, hydration and even the quality of your food to help your body recover.

Don’t try to make every workout every day the same intensity and make sure you’re cycling areas worked over the week.

Recovery doesn’t just means days off.

It means the other habits we are doing to help get our body the tools it needs to repair and rebuild.

It also means even addressing mental burnout through owning our motivation will fade and we have other priorities in life that sometimes need to take precedent to create plans that really help us stay consistent!

But just remember recovery isn’t just about time off from your workouts…it’s about the things you do to fuel that repair and give your body a chance to rebuild!

#7: Set dietary progressions.

We set workout progressions and change things up.

We don’t expect to do one workout program forever.

We do different training progressions over the months and years.

Yet when it comes to our diet we almost take a “set it and forget it” approach.

And then we wonder why we plateau. We wonder why we get bored!

So we want to use this desire for change or variety strategically to our advantage.

That’s why you want to set dietary progressions or what I call macro cycling.

This isn’t done daily like carb cycling.

It’s done every 2-4 weeks, especially with changes in workout progressions or activity level in general, where I’ll have clients adjust macro ratios they’re using.

It is often small tweaks, but this can help shift energy sources to avoid plateaus, address activity level changes and even simply give us the opportunity to include new foods.

Mentally sometimes we need the diversity but simplified into just a few new things.

This cycling may put us slightly lower carb or higher carb to use the best of both worlds while keeping us from chasing a new fad diet or quick fix.

We not only have “end dates” to keep us motivated but we give ourselves checkpoints where we can trust in the process knowing we can make a change at that time.

It gives us the ability to do something “new” but with a focus on the fundamentals.

#8: Challenge yourself.

Workouts should be hard. They should be uncomfortable.

If you don’t challenge yourself, you’re not forcing your body to adapt and grow stronger.

You’re not going to improve your cardiovascular health or see improvements in your ability to run or cycle further faster.

Exercise is a STRESS on the body.

But a good one.

Your body becomes fitter by overcoming the stress.

So challenge yourself to create that good stress BUT…make sure you’re not slacking on tip #6.

You can only train as hard as you can recover from.

And you want that weekly progression to be able to track how things are going to see if you are hitting that point where you may need a break or change up to keep moving forward!

#9: Embrace the suck.

Success is struggle.

Change is hard.

As much as we want to create sustainable habit swaps and really focus on that habit build, not everything we will have to do to reach a goal will feel good or easy.

There is a downside to every upside.

But the more we embrace the hard and push through it to start, the more we often realize the downsides really aren’t that bad.

They were just different.

Sustainable often doesn’t mean easy to start.

But consider how many times you’ve even said to yourself, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?!”

Well it was probably because you weren’t fully ready to embrace the suck and defaulted back into what you’ve always done which IS what felt comfortable.

So if you want a new and better result, suck it up buttercup!

#10: Have an exit strategy.

You aren’t going to do one thing forever.

Your body, needs and lifestyle are constantly changing. Your motivation will ebb and flow.

Along your journey to your ideal body recomp, you won’t approach your goals with exactly the same systems the entire time.

Sometimes you may be more motivated to implement more intensive practices to see results faster.

You’ll cut out that weekly margarita on date night.

You’ll not have that extra cookie.

But at other times, you’ll want to add those things in.

The key is realizing that you are CHOOSING to implement certain habits and that you can work these things in when needed at another point.

But that’s why it is key you have an exit strategy.

You need to assess what a realistic lifestyle truly is for you at different times of year and even as you reach your goal.

Because maintaining your results means a shift in habits from your fat loss phase..

You don’t just simply stay in a calorie deficit forever…

But you also don’t go back to what old habits you were doing before.

This is why we need to constantly be assessing and reassessing and considering even what’s up next and how we can “exit” from our currently plan without just falling back into patterns that will sabotage us!

Stay focused on those fundamentals and always focus on what YOUR lifestyle actually looks like to make adjustments.

And then don’t get distracted by all of the options out there. See the opportunity they offer while focusing on these principles!

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5 Tips to Burn Fat (NOT MUSCLE!)

by Cori Lefkowith | Apr 7, 2024 | Blog, Diet, Exercises

If you feel lost as to what to do and like your hard work in the gym isn’t showing, I want to help you avoid common body recomp mistakes with 5 tips to dial in your workouts and your diet to help you lose fat NOT muscle!

The first key component for fat loss is adjusting your diet to not only fuel your training but better help you recover from it.

Because we can only train as hard as we can recover from!

And our nutrition is a key component of our recovery!

Now…this tip is one most of us know we should be doing…yet we often try to find a reason NOT to do…

It’s why I really want to take a second to explain the WHY behind it.

While we often just want to know WHAT to do….

Knowing the what without the why doesn’t help us truly embrace the changes, especially when we don’t…well….like them to some extent.

So what is probably the most important thing we can be focusing on nutrition wise if we want fabulous body recomp no matter our age?

Increasing our protein!

You’ve heard me harp on this before, but that’s why I want to really focus on WHY higher protein is so key.

First reason why protein is key…It’s the building blocks of muscle.

By increasing our protein, especially when in a calorie deficit, we are making sure we’re getting our muscles the fuel they need to repair and rebuild from our hard training sessions.

If we aren’t getting our muscles what they need, we risk losing more muscle as we try to lose fat, especially the harder we train and the more cardio we include.

And we want that muscle!

Building and retaining lean muscle helps us look more defined as we lose fat.

It also helps us avoid metabolic adaptations to burn more calories at rest.

And when we are getting our body the fuel it needs to truly repair from our workouts, we are preventing the catabolic environment that can often occur during a fat loss phase, leading to us losing not only fat but ALSO muscle.

Now you may have heard that you can only use about 20-30 grams in a meal for muscle protein synthesis.

And tried to use this as an excuse to not eat higher protein.

But protein isn’t just used for building muscle….we are literally made up of protein.

So that 20-30 grams you’re eating, isn’t just going to cover your muscle needs. It’s being used for other body functions as well.

And as we get older, we also aren’t as able to utilize protein as efficiently.

So the harder you’re training as you’re trying to see body recomp, especially as you get older, your protein needs increase.

Second, protein makes the fat loss process easier not only because of it’s muscle building benefits but also because of it’s thermic effect and satiating effect.

Higher protein diets have been shown to increase satiety, partly because they even help you create higher volume meals.

And higher protein diets also lead to a daily higher calorie burn because it requires more energy to digest protein than the other macros.

So you can feel fuller with technically a higher calorie intake, and ultimately create a bit more of a deficit through the fact your body has to work harder to turn that protein into the fuel you need!

Not to mention…it’s way easier to create and maintain your calorie deficit with higher protein for many people.

We just don’t want to eat more of the protein than we have to so we are less likely to overeat!

And if you do happen to overeat your calories, high protein diets are the only diet shown to help you avoid gaining unwanted fat with a slight calorie surplus.

High protein diets give you that extra wiggle room!

With increasing your protein, and the extra flexibility it can give you in your calorie intake, you also want to fight to keep your calories as close to your current maintenance as possible.

Creating a SMALL calorie deficit is key if you want to lose fat and not muscle.

Our body doesn’t like change.

The more we can adjust from what we’re currently doing, the better as our body won’t rebel as much.

And if you are currently under eating protein, you may even keep your calories where they are at as you increase your protein first.

Because even by increasing protein, due to the thermic effect, you could put yourself into a slight deficit.

With also building muscle from your training because you are eating enough calories for muscle growth, you may then find what was your maintenance is now a small deficit.

So with calories, fewer isn’t better.

Extreme deficits put us at more risk for muscle being lost NOT better or faster fat loss results.

And this can lead to us looking softer and needing to slash our calories lower and lower to see further progress.

Keep your calories as high as you can, first changing protein levels.

Then consider even starting by subtracting 100-200 calories from what you’re consuming CURRENTLY to create that deficit.

These diet changes then need to be paired with your workouts strategically.

Especially the harder you train, the more you need to avoid extreme deficits while focusing on increasing protein.

And you want to make sure your workouts are designed with a focus on muscle.

Yes, muscle.

Even if your goal is fat loss.

This makes sure you’re retaining lean muscle while in a deficit to lose fat as efficiently as possible.

And KEEP IT OFF.

Now, there are lots of workout designs that can work.

But your focus when you design your workouts is on how you can lift more quality loads during your session.

Too often we try to add more quantity, more training volume.

Instead we want to focus on the QUALITY of the volume we are doing.

Not only does this help us get more out of short sessions, but it truly challenges our muscles with the intensity and progression they need to be forced to adapt and grow stronger.

More reps and sets, more volume, can just lead to training we don’t recover from without actually pushing us to the extent we need to create that stimulus for growth.

We need more quality loads lifted over the session.

That’s where cluster sets can be a great technique to use.

If you’re struggling with going heavier, only able to do a few reps with your current weight in a row…

Or even slightly fear your form breaking down as you begin to lift heavier so hesitate…

Cluster sets can be a great technique to use.

They can help you get out 8 reps with a weight you would only usually be able to use for 4 or even 5 reps. That’s a lot more weight lifted over the workout! And it’s all because you broke down those 8 reps into mini sets.

With cluster sets, you are breaking up your traditional set of 8 reps, mini sets of 2 or 3 in a row, with just 10-30 seconds of rest between those mini sets, before you rest longer and do another round.

Because you are only performing 2 or 3 reps before the short rest, you will find you can use more weight for the full 8 reps than you would have been able to if you had tried to just do 8 in a row.

Using this technique to lift more weight for quality reps will lead to faster muscle growth in a safer way and us losing fat NOT our muscle!

It’s a great way to really create the needed stress and stimulus for muscle growth even as we get older and don’t have the same anabolic hormonal environment we did when we were younger.

But no matter what techniques you include, and especially the more advanced an exerciser you are, the more you have to really focus on pushing yourself in your training sessions.

This doesn’t just mean adding more loads.

It means creating progression in different ways.

And one way we often don’t discuss as a way to create progression in our training is exercise order!

The order of the exercises we include can have a huge impact.

Ever become aware of how much a muscle is actually working in a move because of another exercise you recently started including before it?

That can be used to your advantage!

Include an isolation move before a compound lift and you can use “pre-exhaust” or pre-fatigue technique to your advantage.

You may find you better activate the muscle you targeted with the isolation move in your following compound lift for more quality of movement.

Or that you are able to fatigue the prime mover in your compound lift with lighter loads and better quality of movement.

If however fatiguing the muscle with the pre-haust technique leads to you compensating, you may find that using an isolation move right AFTER a compound lift works for you better.

This post-exhaust training technique can be a great way to push a muscle past failure.

You’ll do the compound lift to fatigue, compound then use an isolation move to further target a muscle involved in the lift to work to failure.

You can also use BOTH techniques over progressions, especially to help you both take muscles past fatigue but also fully fatigue prime movers that usually won’t hit failure with a compound move because you’re usually limited by smaller, weaker muscles fatiguing first!

But they are both great ways to progress and create that stimulus for muscle growth without just focusing on adding more weight!

Then remember, we can only train as hard as we recover from.

When you’re working hard toward a goal, you’re going to get burned out.

That’s why planning in breaks is key!

And breaks are not only rest days every week, but also strategic diet breaks and recovery weeks.

This doesn’t have to mean, and honestly shouldn’t mean, just lying on the couch doing nothing.

Nor should it mean excuses completely blowing your calories and macros.

The goal of these breaks is to help you mentally and physically have a break from the grind.

It’s like refilling your gas tank.

You don’t want to end up on empty by the side of the road.

You want to pull into a gas station when the light comes on.

This allows you to keep moving forward faster.

These strategic breaks can help you from avoiding hitting burn out or letting cravings get the better of you.

So don’t fear sometimes backing off to ultimately do more!

Take time where you include more foods you love and even increase your calories out of a deficit.

Take time at points to lower your workout intensity or recharge with workouts that are new and fun and address any weak links.

Embrace even doing the minimum as you shift your priorities to come back wanting to keep working toward your goals!

But stay focused on the fundamentals and use these 5 tips to help dial in your diet and your workouts together to lose fat and NOT muscle!

The best results happen when we follow a “recipe” – a clear plan…

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25 Healthy Habits That Will Change Your Life FOREVER

by Cori Lefkowith | Mar 31, 2024 | Blog

1% unsexy habit improvements yield the sexiest and most fabulous results.

And often doing just one thing that seems almost too simple can lead to a domino effect that creates better and faster results.

If we can start with just one simple daily habit, we can often more easily and quickly stack other changes on top of it that build.

So I want to share 25 habit changes I’ve found have helped me create a sustainable lifestyle and not only achieve amazing results but MAINTAIN them now for years.

Now…I’m not recommending you do all of these, especially to start.

I would pick the one or two that feel easiest and go from there.

But you want to pick a couple that really meet you where you are at and would have a big impact without feeling overwhelming or even hard.

We want to almost sneak in those changes to let those 1% tweaks build.

As one of my fabulous coaching clients always says…

Team 1%

So here are 25 1% habit changes that will get you to your goals.

#1: Write out tomorrow’s to-do list the night before.

Plans have to change. And things have to adjust.

That’s why based on what’s happened that day, you can set your to-do list for tomorrow.

This can help you stay focused on what you need and hold yourself accountable but also address any changes that have popped up for you that week.

It also prevents you from scrambling the next day to get organized and can be a good way to clear your head and brain dump before bed!

#2: Make getting up and going mindless.

Especially when rushed in the morning, the last thing we need is to have to think about what we need!

Whether it’s packing your lunch, putting out your water bottle to drink more or laying out your workout clothing to hit the gym ASAP, make being able to get up and go easy and mindless!

#3: Put things you’ll skip first.

New habits we aren’t used to often fall by the wayside if we get busy or tired.

Not to mention, we then just often don’t remember them because they aren’t ingrained.

The more we can put new habits first, the more likely we are to do them so that changes can truly build.

#4: Link new and old routines.

As much as I love the tip I just mentioned, you can’t always do that. That’s where linking old and new routines can help.

This can use the old routine as a reminder for the new because you won’t skip it.

Like if you want to drink more water and always have a morning coffee, put your water bottle filled by your coffee machine.

Or as you cut up veggies for dinner that night, cut up extra to bag for meal prep later that week!

#5: Create staple meals.

You don’t have to be stuck eating the same thing every single day, but having some go-to staple meals you can always swap in when short on time or worn out can help you stay on track no matter what.

Even make these meals and freeze them or bulk prep them to readily have on hand.

This can also make grocery shopping easy as you know to always have these things on your list!

Not to mention those ingredients can be ones you know you can use in multiple ways!

#6: Plan and schedule grocery shopping.

It’s easy to run out of things if we don’t have a set day we shop, which can then lead to us not hitting our macros or eating according to our goals.

Knowing we have a set day, going in with a grocery list can help us make sure we also get everything we need.

So plan for that shop, at least knowing your necessities and go to items.

This can also help you avoid impulse buys due to stress that day!

And with having staple meals, you can even have this set list you bring every time!

#7: Have no spoil food options always available.

I get lazy. And tired. And stressed.

And then I can feel like even microwaving something for 5 minutes is too much effort.

That’s why having the easiest to prep items always around is key.

It also helps us stay on track if something else in our week didn’t go as planned as they can be stocked up and never spoil.

Canned chicken or tuna, frozen fruits and veggies, jerkies, nuts…all are great healthy options that can last a while and be on hand!

#8: Set visual reminders to break patterns.

It’s hard to break old habits because many we repeat unconsciously.

If there is a pattern you want to break, find a way to give yourself a visual reminder not to do it.

This can also be used to set a visual reminder TO Do something as well.

But if you find after a long day you come home and want to snack, maybe put a note on the fridge reminding you to drink water.

Or even MOVE where the snacks have normally been so you have the empty shelf as a reminder of the change.

But create a visual that knocks you out of being unconscious in repeating the habits.

#9: Set appointments with yourself.

We are less likely to skip appointments on our calendar with someone else.

Especially when we have reminders of those events. t

So set an appointment with yourself on your calendar to workout. To meal prep. To grocery shop.

This accountability and time clearly laid out helps you stick with the habits, especially when they’re new!

And it helps you find the time for them!

#10: Use a timer to fit in habits.

Often we don’t do things because we don’t have time.

So design for the time you have.

If you’ve been skipping doing extra mobility work, set a timer for even 1 minute and do something.

Often we will not only do MORE but we will get consistent enough with even that amount that results start to snowball.

#11: Give yourself a bed time.

Saying you’ll go to bed earlier is vague and lets you make excuses. 11. excuses

And all of the sudden an hour after we had planned to go to bed, we’re actually climbing into bed.

If you want to focus on getting more sleep, give yourself a hard cut off where apps on your phone go into do not disturb and you’re making sure you’re under the covers at.

#12: Put a notepad by your bed.

I don’t know about you but the second I’m supposed to be relaxing, my brain starts running through things and trying to fix problems.

By just having my phone notepad open or a pad of paper by my bed, I feel like I relax because I know I don’t have to remember anything that’s key.

This is also though where habit #1 even helps prevent this from happening though too! You’ve already done a brain dump!

#13: Write out a habit checklist.

Maybe you’re not a checklist person BUT having that list of what we need to do build results is key.

It reminds us to do those habits daily, keeping them top of mind and reminding us when they may easily be forgotten since we aren’t used to doing them.

It is also a great way to make sure we’ve done what is needed daily when we mark them off at night.

And if you aren’t seeing results, it’s a great way to see areas for improvement to make changes over time!

#14: Plan in things you love.

Often in making habit changes, we sort of forget to include things we want and love.

Map those in first and work other habits around them.

Schedule fun things onto your calendar to plan around.

Work foods you love into your macros first.

But don’t let habit changes feel like you’re losing things about your lifestyle you enjoy!

#15: Voice the victory.

We are really good about acknowledging the things we’ve done wrong or that went wrong in the day.

We talk about them far more than the wins.

And as silly as it may feel to start, when something good happens, or you’re proud of yourself for doing a habit, say it out loud.

It helps us feel the positive that much more strongly.

#16: Buy premade.

Quality is key. But sometimes something is better than nothing. Buy premade foods when in a pinch.

Even log some ideas so if you ever are in a pinch you can grab them.

I know cocktail shrimp and premade grilled chicken can easily be grabbed from the store when I need…even if it’s fully as good as if I were to make it at home.

Same can be said even for knowing options at restaurants!

#17: Don’t be a hermit crab.

It’s easy when we want to lose fat or make a change to feel stressed and shy away from social events.

Instead go in with a plan. Work those in. Proactively organize them.

But realize that while those days may through your “perfect habits” a curveball, the consistency and balance they create long-term can pay off!

#18: Treat yo ‘self!

Don’t wait till you’re at your goal to recognize wins!

Treat yourself for those habit changes.

Honestly finding ways even weekly to treat yourself, maybe getting your nails done, going for an extra fun hike that’s more of a trip or even buying a new pair of leggings.

But make yourself see the wins in what you’re doing!

#19: Set one focus.

Even this list presents a ton of options. But the more we try to do everything at once every day or every week, the more we overwhelm ourselves.

The more we’re focused on doing one thing, and one thing well, the more quickly that change becomes part of our routine.

Set no more than 1-3 small must-dos to focus on and even acknowledge the other things you may want to change are BONUS.

Only set 3 if they are linked or super simple!

#20: Stock up on spices and sauces!

Keeping things simple is key. It helps us make changes without feeling overwhelmed.

But too often this leads to us feeling bored with our meals and meals becoming bland.

Having a ton of different spices and sauces we can use on even the same meal prepped chicken, vegetable and potato though can make meals delicious but keep prep simple!

#21: Pre-Log. Pre-Record.

Having your workout written out with even weights you plan to use…

Having your meals for the next day pre-recorded in MyFitnessPal…

These things not only make it more mindless to implement if you are stressed that day, but they also provide accountability.

It’s easier to make an excuses when NOT confronted by the habits!

#22: Plan before pressure.

The more we can plan ahead and do it before we need to, the less stressful the planning process is.

I like to have an idea of my next workout progression just as I’m even starting my current. That way I really think through things over just doing things because I need it done ASAP!

Same thing can be said for planning out meals or finding recipes!

The more you don’t need it right away the more you can enjoy the process!

#23: Protein first.

Whether you enter in protein first to work meals around or focus on protein at your breakfast, when you plan in protein first you make sure you hit your macros.

I always like to make sure my first meal has protein in it as I would much rather be left with carbs and fats for my dessert or to add to later meals.

Even starting out if that means a shake to start your day, it may help you get in the right mindset to make more changes.

#24: Use “snacks” breaks.

So I don’t even mean eat snacks here…but more that concept of using small portions of things throughout the day to your advantage to create new habits.

Use movement snack breaks, getting up to stretch.

Use meal prep snack breaks at night when you’re watching TV to even chop up some stuff or pack your bag between episodes.

But think about little quick things you can do to help alleviate having to do a lot all at once when you feel like you don’t have time!

#25: Create a WEEKLY schedule.

Not everyday will be the same. Monday may not look like Thursday.

But the more you can set a Monday schedule…

A Thursday schedule…

The more you not only give yourself things to look forward to on certain days, but the more you will find it feels like you have more time to fit in things you want to do.

And you’ll even find you don’t force habits onto days where they don’t fit but use the schedule that is actually realistic for you!

I’d love to hear which of these you found most helpful and even a 1% improvement you’ve made that has really paid off!

Create the healthiest, happiest version of your lifestyle to build your leanest, strongest body at ANY age…

Learn more about my 1:1 Online Coaching….

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