Addressing everything SUMMER CUT - since I am starting mine.

✅WHY am I doing it?

My goal is to bring my body fat percentage down to work towards my bigger goals, which is to build muscle. 

🌟 YES, YOU CAN LOSE FAT AND BUILD MUSCLE AT THE SAME TIME 😉

✅WHAT am I doing?

12-16 weeks and the tools and strategy implemented will be what I use with my clients. 

✅HOW am I doing it?

FITNESS - training and workout schedules will stay the same

2 condition/cardio days

2 leg days

2 upper body/combo days

I will keep lifting as heavy as I can. I will also be eating HIGH PROTEIN to maintain my muscle.

NUTRITION

I have a range of calories I want to hit everyday. I say range because measuring is inaccurate and life happens, so you won't always hit the EXACT number. 

I will have higher carb days and lower carbs day - protein remains the same (High)

There will also be a healthy amount of fats, similar to my current diet, which helps in hormonal balance.

Calorie fluctuation will be base...

Not making the progress you want? Here are some sneaky concepts that could be sabotaging your efforts.

No. 1 - CONSISTENCY

 I know, I know, you have probably heard this but hear me out. To much fluctuation will effect our hormones and metabolism, so we want to create a more moderate range and keep consistent with our activity and diet. This will keep our metabolism more even in order to reach those goals - what does that mean? It means you need balance. Create a routine that you can maintain - if you go too hard with your workout routine and then stop or your calorie intake spikes and drops at an aggressive level than your body isn't getting  the consistency it needs to function in a way that is going to work for you.

No. 2 - SLEEP & STRESS

The human body needs 7-8 hrs as an adult for proper rest and recovery. If you aren't getting enough rest your body is operating at a heightened state of stress, you will feel fatigued and your body is going to want to eat more in order to functi...

The 3 areas of Wellness that attribute to our Health & Fitness journey are commonly approached incorrectly, . Lets take a look...

1. Mindset

When starting this new path we always have the best intentions of success, we want this! The mistake made here is PERFECTION - one little speed bump can send most people completely off track.

We have to go in with the mindset and an action plan, which allows for wiggle room to let "Life" happen!

Consistency is key but if you set your intentions for everything to go as planned each day, then you are setting yourself up for failure right from the start. Do not go in with an, ALL OR NOTHING mindset.   

2. Nutrition

The biggest misconception here is the amount you should be eating in a day. The first thought when someone wants to start eating healthy is, "EAT LESS" but no, no, no that is not correct at all!!

Your body has to be fuelled enough to function, if you are feeling hungry or just blah because you are limiting your food intake, th...

I want to share my own Fitness Journey to give you perspective on where my Health & Fitness Coaching comes from. To know you are not alone and that I have battled my own struggles and I am here now to help work through yours.

➡️I grew up overweight and it became a huge part of my identity, which I found held me back. Fast forward into College and I was extremely thin to an unhealthy point and everything revolved around my body - which is devastating when I think back to my mindset at that time.

➡️Following College I entered Grad School and went into a big lifestyle change, gaining 20lbs!

➡️After Grad school, I knew I reached a point that I could no longer let my excuses control me and I had to take action. So I became Certified in Group Fitness Instruction, since I was a dancer my whole life I thought this would be a great way to stay active and make a little money. It started to really help shed the weight but looking around the room, I had the urge to want to help everyone a step ...

Focus on making your diet just a little bit healthier and looking at how you can tweak the meals you are already having.

5 components to include in our thought process when making a meal:

1. Micronutrients

You want tons of this! Just think bright and colourful foods

2. Whole & Unprocessed Foods 

Look at swapping what you already eat for the healthier alternative (i.e White bread for Sprouted Whole Grain bread)

3. Protein

Make sure this is included at every meal, our body will absorb protein better when eaten in small increments through the course of the day vs. a massive serving at one meal. 

4. Calories in Check

Portion control will help with this! As well if you are following the first 3 rules, your calorie count will naturally be toned down. Using a food scale is also a very helpful tool to keep your calories in check!

5. Balanced Macros Throughout the Day

Planning ahead will help with this, for example; if you are going out for dinner that night, you can look up the men...

STOP sabotaging your progress! Don't let all your efforts towards reaching your goals work against you. Here are 3 common diet mistakes that women are making:

No. 1 Not eating enough calories

 When you don't eat enough you are actually slowing your body down and making it harder for yourself to shed the weight. Your metabolism is what burns those unwanted calories but when it isn't fuelled enough, it slows down. 

No. 2 Not paying attention to your Protein intake

 Each meal should include1/4 portion of a lean protein. It is also recommended that you spread your protein intake out throughout your entire day and don't try to cram it all in at one meal. Protein is important for every diet but especially so, if you are doing any type of strength training.

No. 3 Not getting enough Fruits and Vegetables everyday

 This should be the majority of your diet - the more colourful the better! Fruits and Vegetables get their vibrant colours from the nutrients in them, so try and make your plate...

 STOP TELLING YOURSELF YOU'RE GOING ON A DIET!

Going on a diet is never going to work because you have already decided this decision is temporary. You will go on it until you reach your goal and then be done. What do you think happens though once you come off of your regimented eating plan?

That's right! All that weight just comes back!

Instead of focusing on diets, focus on your mindset. Here are 2 tricks for that;

1. Stop making certain foods off limits - as soon as it's off limits, you want it so much more! You enter a rebellious mindset. Reframing your approach to nutrition and giving wiggle room for treats will be a much more sustainable lifestyle - not diet!

2. There are two schools of thought when changing your mind frame that need to be combined for your success.

a. Eating for Health

b. Eating for Fat loss

This is why I love providing custom plans and programs for my clients. Sustainable nutrition isn't always one size fits all because we have different goals and differ...

We all do it!  That's right and there is a biological reason for it!

Don't ignore emotional eating though, pay attention to your hunger cues and heightened states of emotion from life stress because when you feel this way, your body will look for a way to soothe any stressors. Incase you haven't guessed it FOOD is one of those soothers your body will crave. 

HOWEVER, if we understand what is happening in our bodies, it can be easier to catch ourselves - when we feel out of control, we act out of control. 

Here is a breakdown for the reasons why your body wants to emotional eat. 

Food in our brain causes a chemical release of "Happy Hormones" when we eat. So when we are stressed and cortisol is released, our body is looking for balance and so we look to food. Unfortunately the foods that give us the greatest "Happy Hormone" response are of course, JUNKY FOODS! 

Why junk food? Because it creates a hyper satisfaction that gives us a greater release of the "Happy Hormone" that will co...

That one place that drives us all crazy! That stubborn belly fat that we just can't seem to rid our waistline from!

Protein is essential to a well balanced diet, but how much do you really know about it?

Aside from an overall healthy diet, protein plays a key role in how your body repairs itself, when working towards your Fitness goals. 

A huge misconception is that meat is the only viable source of protein, plant based sources are completely underrated and forgotten about. There are protein sources in every food group!

Once you have educated yourself on all the sources of protein, there still remains the question of how much Protein do you need? Are you actually meeting that daily amount of Protein?

Living healthy and working towards your fitness goals, is best accomplished when you know the facts. What protein is, along with how and why it is beneficial to you.

After watching this introduction to Protein Pointers, CLICK HERE to check out my ebook and get even more in depth knowledge, about Protein the role it plays in your Health & Fitness and how to ensure you are getting enough.