I gave a talk today titled Strong Women Lift and I forgot to mention a really important tag line.

More often than not, I’d say 99% of the time, a potential client comes in, and she wants to lose weight. She wants to shrink and be less – less body fat that is, less in size.

Working toward shrinking can be a necessary goal, after all, we know the dangers of being overweight/over-fat and obese/severely over-fat….fat tissue is not benign, so it is an important goal.

However, it can get very tiresome to constantly be exercising with the only goal of shrinking and women often lose the motivation to keep going.

How do you beat this?

You change how you approach your training sessions.

You think about your workouts and your training sessions as that of a way to grow, expand, be more…Get Stronger! (wink, wink to my long time clients.)

Imagine every time you wake up and you are getting your workout clothes on you think “I’m going to get stronger today!”

Is that empowering, or what? I tell you, it is!

Knowing that every training session enables you to stand taller, move better, carry more, move heavier things, climb mountains or stairs easier, lift your kids or grandkids or your golf bag is an amazing feeling and it makes your workouts more productive and takes that draining feeling of “I have to do this to lose weight” away, replacing it with “I can’t wait to do this!”

If you aren’t strength training now, make a plan, get some help to do it right, but start sooner rather than later.

You will not regret becoming more!

Today is the day…National Quitting Day!

It’s nothing to be excited about, but the reality is that most people who set health and fitness goals for their New Year Resolution are going to quit today.

It’s rather sad that they gave themselves less than 20 days to have a significantly better life.

If you are one of the majority who thought today would be your last day to get up early and exercise, the last time to plan your meals, the last time you’ll skip the after work wine….STOP. Don’t be a statistic of National Quitters Day.

There’s a good chance you’re feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by all the new changes you’ve made and you feel like it’s impossible to keep up.

You’re probably right.

Most likely, you did set yourself up for failure because you tried to institute too many things at once.

Your brain is probably about to explode with all of changes you’ve made so it’s easier just to give up, give in and claim that you’re not “meant to be” healthy or fit or strong or age well, etc. , etc.

It’s a lie. You ARE meant to be healthy and fit and strong.

What you are not meant to be is overweight, weak, and unhealthy.

Don’t get mad at me because I am not condemning you. Far from it. I want to help you because I know, from personal experience, how hard it is to make these changes.

Instead of quitting, break down your goals into smaller action steps.

Perhaps you start with :

• planning out three healthy dinners per week, instead of seven
• meeting a friend for a workout twice per week instead of five
• eat breakfast five mornings instead of seven
• have wine only three nights instead of seven
• going to bed 30 minutes early instead of two hours earlier

Once you conquer on habit change, move on to the next.

Don’t quit. Keep moving forward, one step at a time. You can do it!

So you don’t exercise at all or you are inconsistent and go on for a few months (or days) and then you are off for the same period of time.

There’s also a good chance that you don’t have time to live at the gym anymore – you’re in a season of life that requires you to take care of other people and other responsibilities so your life is probably pretty stressful.

I just wanted to remind you that, in addition to all of the physical benefits of regular exercise like weight loss/weight maintenance, improved immunity, increased strength, etc. REGULAR exercise is also a huge stress reliever.

If you are feeling pent up, find that you are always going to the kitchen even when you’re not hungry, short tempered, can’t sleep well, drinking every evening to “unwind” those are signs that you have high levels of stress and you are not managing it well.

The solution (at least in part) = exercise.

What are some options for you:

• Go outside for a walk
• Lift weights
• Mini-Yoga session
• Gentle, informal stretching session
• Push-ups at your desk or kitchen counter
• Run up and down your stairs

Don’t over complicate things and talk yourself out of being active.

You NEED to be active. The human body requires movement – pick something and just do it.

So you’re not seeing the results you are expecting from your workouts?

It’s very likely not your exercise program.

How’s the rest of your life? Let’s start here.

1. How’s your sleep? Do you sleep long enough, restful enough? Sleep will fix 99% of all your problems.

2. Are you drinking 1/2 your body weight in ounces of plain water daily? Disease has origins in chronic dehydration.

3. Are you breathing properly or taking some time daily to do some focused breathing? One benefit is regulation of your parasympathetic nervous system – your rest and digest system.

4. What do you eat on a regular basis? Whole foods or sugar and processed oil laden foods? You know which is better. Follow your gut.

5. How are your relationships? Toxic relationships will break your body down. Loving ones, even though they aren’t perfect, will build and grow you.

6. Do you see the sun every day without sunglasses and get into nature?  It’s life giving.

7. Addicted to your phone, work, the bad news on TV….? Get better at getting away from these.

8. Do you have a spiritual life that gives you peace?

Address these things and your workouts will “work” better.

Oh my gosh, can I relate to being hangry and having sweet cravings!

It’s really quite miserable because all you can think about is food and you aren’t living your best life if all you are concerned with is getting your next meal.

So what was going on? I most definitely was not “metabolically” flexible. In fact, 92% of Americans are NOT metabolically flexible and that means they cannot go from using glucose, to fat or ketones for energy……they are insulin RESISTANT.

Talk about an unhealthy nation! 92% is astounding!

Okay, so you get “hangry” or have cravings for sweets. What can you do?

I’ve got some tips for you, from the Glucose Goddess,  that will reduce these feelings and put you on a path to better health!

In no particular order:

• Eat a breakfast that is savory, NOT sweet. What is sweet? Oatmeal, bagels, cereal (grown-up candy in a box), sweetened yogurt, granola, BelVita breakfast biscuits, fruit, most certainly fruit juice (not a health food!)
  • • Choose protein sources as your main food – eggs, leftover dinner of chicken or beef, pork, high quality bacon (try our local farmer’s market for meaty bacon!) and veggies. Add a small pice of fruit on the side for flavor and taste. The sweet should not be the main part of your meal.
    • By doing this one thing, you will reduce a blood sugar spike by 70%…this is huge!
• Drink 1 Tbsp of vinegar in a big glass of water before your meals.
  • • By doing this you can reduce your blood sugar spike by 30%…that’s a pretty big deal, too!
• Eat your vegetables first, protein next and carbs last​
• Move your body, a.k.a. exercise. ​​
  • • • ​After your meals take a 15 minute walk, go up and down your stairs or, if you are stuck in the office, do some seated calf raises at your desk!

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Have you ever had the feeling that you’re not going to be able to stick with your fitness routine for the long haul?

At first you are going along great, you are still excited about your new self-care program and you might even think “Who is this person working out three time a week?”

Then one day, there is a hiccup. Your son/daughter needs a ride somewhere or has a dentist appointment that you made last year so instead of telling your child they have to wait an extra hour or  changing that dentist appointment, you skip training.

And a week or two later, something else comes up or you get a cold and think you can’t workout.

Soon, the thought of “I can’t stick with it” or “who was I kidding when I thought I could do this” starts to rolling around your head.

The problem isn’t your inability to “stick with it.”

The problem is a lack of trust.

A lack of trust in yourself and the decisions you’ve made.

Remember … not being able to stick with it isn’t a fact…. it’s a belief and a decision that you’ve made … and it’s something that you can change!

Last week, I went to my client’s book launch party and she was talking to the crowd, telling us how she didn’t realize that she could change her beliefs that were holding her back for so long…”Who knew? Nobody told me I didn’t have to believe every thought that came into my head!” A perfect point. (read her book On second thought, maybe I can)

One last thing on trust.

If you don’t trust yourself, maybe what you’re really saying is that you don’t trust some of the beliefs you’ve formed and the decisions you’ve made.

Change them, and watch the trust in yourself go through the roof!

Now….get back to your workouts;)

How long have you been thinking about fat loss?

For months?

For years?

For your (what seems like) entire life?

I know for years and years (what seems like my entire life) I’ve thought about fat loss.

I’ve always felt like the “chubby one” and for much of my life, my eating and exercise decisions revolved around fat loss, at least maintenance. Now, that’s not to say I have always felt like this, but I’d say very often.

I know I’m not the only one. I know many, many, many women who are in a constant thought pattern of fat loss and weight loss.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Personally, I think it keeps me in check.  I don’t deny myself of things I really want so I’m not fanatical or depressed or feel left out and I don’t spend multiple hours a day in the gym.  However, when I started thinking more about maintaining my muscle things did seem easier. My motivation was different and it was/is good.

Since having more muscle is linked to longevity and overall health (like lower incidence of diabetes, cancer and heart disease) * it’s important to continue (or begin) muscle building activity throughout your lifetime.

It is better to start resistance exercise when you are younger, but even the old, old can see improvements in their muscle and strength, so. of course, any woman in her 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond should be doing this type of exercise.

So I ask you: what if you thought about building muscle instead of losing fat (which would likely happen anyway)? Do you think you’d have sustained motivation? Would if feel better, emotionally, to think about building up instead of going down?

I think so. If you think it sounds better to build up, but you are not sure where to start or how to do it, join me FREE for August! See below for specials.

*https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/13/755

Women tell me they want to get “back on track” with their fitness.

But what does that really mean?

In order for someone to get “back on track,” this implies that at some point along the way, they got “off track.”

While that’s not ideal, it happens! It happened to me last October when I got sick. Before I knew it, months had passed and I hadn’t had a really good, solid lifting routine. I was exercising, but it was not being honest with myself;)

If you’ve fallen out of your routine, or like me, your workouts have not been so hot, it’s best to own it.

Come up with a simple plan to get started again, and move forward.

Don’t dwell on the past.

Don’t beat yourself up.

Ask yourself, “What is one thing I can do today in order to get back on track?”

Then, do that thing.

It doesn’t have to be a 3-hour workout…and should not be a 3-hour workout!

Do some light stretching.

Go for a walk.

Decide you’re going to drink at least 8 cups of water today or sleep 8 hours tonight.

Do 10 push-ups … 10 squats … 10 sit-ups.

You see, it doesn’t have to involve a crazy level of commitment or activity to get back on track with your fitness routine.

Start small, keep it simple, and celebrate your victories.

Before you know it, you’ll be back on track.

What hard choices did you make this weekend that brought you closer to the results you want?

If you think about it, it’s the “hard” choices that get us what we want.

When it comes to finances, relationships, fitness/health or spiritual, it is always the “uncomfortable” choices that we make consistently that brings about change.

Saving money and waiting to make that big purchase, rather than getting instant gratification by using a credit card, is not easy, but it teaches us patience and gratitude without leaving us with the heavy burden of debt on our shoulders.

Being the first to say “I’m sorry” is not easy for most people, but it brings two people closer together when said with sincerity.

Going to the gym 3x/week at 6:00 a.m. in the morning, especially as it gets colder, is not easy for most people, but when you consistently exercise and lift weights you improve your body composition, you get stronger, your immune system works better and you will likely live longer and avoid taking medicine.

Spending time reading the Bible or other faith books and/or going to church/synagogue/temple every week is not convenient, therefore not easy, for most people, but when you make that choice to go regularly, your faith builds along with deeper connections to like minded people and you become more peaceful and satisfied with your life.

Interestingly, though, those hard choices become easier and easier as time goes on and once again, you’ll have to make new, hard choices to continue your progress.

Like lifting weights..the exercise never gets easier, because when it does, you grab a heavier weight to lift.;)

One of the hardest things about getting fit is taking the first step.

For many women, fitting in an exercise session can seem like daunting change and it can feel more like an obligation rather than a joyful experience.

If you’ve experienced those feelings, but you really want a result that exercise can give you like:

better mood

healthier gut

stronger body

a healthier body

a longer, better quality life

or simply to be less achy and move better,

than take simple steps first.

Exercise is something you’ve got the rest of your life to do and so it is fine and good to start slow and simple.

Here are some ideas:

• Try going for a walk at lunch (then add in two more 10 minute walks after about a month)
• Do 10-20 squats or 10 push-ups at the counter when you are prepping dinner (then add a second set in the morning or lunchtime)
• When you wake up, before you get out of bed, do some focused breathing and then some leg stretches
  • Once you’ve got that going, add some stretches once you are standing.
• At your desk, set an alarm every hour and do 10 heel raises. This exercise seems so trivial, but it can have a positive impact on your blood glucose levels! Amazing!
• Hold a plank for 30 seconds 3x/week. Increase to 5x/week once your confidently doing it 3x​

You get the idea, but most of you won’t follow through because you don’t think it’s “good enough” or “hard enough”

but, It IS good enough…because 1. It is moving your body and 2. It is building a habit…you will build some momentum.

Try something right now  and then you can say “I did it!”

What is the alternative? You don’t exercise at all?

Instead of doing nothing, do something…it really works!