https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/

Name: Sandra Flores Gheno
Age: 49
Location: Mexico City

What was your first thought when you learned about the Coaching & Training Women Academy and the Pre- & Postnatal Coaching Certification?
The first word that crossed my mind was Wow! I felt it was an opportunity to learn more and improve what I am already doing now. I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the existence of an Academy specializing in training for women and even more a Certification in Pre & Postnatal fitness care.

I thought that if I got certified, I could provide a better service and also help future mothers to continue training in a safe way.

What do you do?
I have a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Sciences, I am a Pilates trainer, Yumeiho therapist, PNL2, OTC and I am currently doing the GGS-1 certification.

For the last 15 years I have been helping women over 40 years of age to create better posture habits that allow them to maintain a healthy back and spine, so they can perform and enjoy any preferred physical activity and share those moments with their loved ones.

What else do you do?
I love spending the weekends with my 10-year-old son, going to the movies or amusement parks. He’s a thrill-seeker and I’m his adventure partner! But, I also enjoy going to a small restaurant for breakfast or just go for a dessert!

I like to take pictures, traveling and listen to music from the 80’s.

Best compliment you’ve received lately:
“You were my motivation for having a blood test”.

I have a client who recently discovered that she has very severe anemia. For some time, she had been feeling weak, without energy and she attributed this to the excess of work.

In our last class before the holiday period, I mentioned to her that I would go for my annual blood test because I wanted to know how my year had ended and how the new one would begin. That way I would know what habits I should improve or keep. I told her that I personally thought it was good to have an annual check-up, but that it was also worth doing it twice a year. She gave me that compliment when we returned to classes in January.

Favorite way to treat yourself: 
I like to go shopping for new clothes or something nice for me.

Favorite quote:  

“There are only two days in the year when nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday and the other is called Tomorrow. Today is the right day to love, grow and above all live.” — 14^th Dalai Lama

Three words that best describe you: 
Leadership. Integrity. Determination.

Favorite book:
It’s a bit difficult to decide which book is my favorite, but I recently read The Art of Happiness at Work, by the 14^th Dalai Lama and liked it a lot.

What inspires and motivates you?  

I am inspired by successful and courageous women. Women who face their fears and move forward. Women who — instead of avoiding problems — seek solutions, alternatives and do not hesitate to ask for help from someone to solve what they need to solve.

Helping others motivates me. But learning how to help those who need the most, motivates me even more.

Describe a typical day in your life, from waking up to bedtime:
I get up at 6:15 a.m. Together with my husband and son, we have breakfast and get ready to leave at 7:15. My working schedule at my Pilates studio covers two shifts. Mornings from 7:30 a.m to 1:15 p.m. and afternoons from 5 p.m. to max 8:30 p.m.

At lunch time, between 1:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m., I have enough time to return to my apartment, prepare food, and eat with my family. When I finish, I review homework with my son and prepare to go out for the afternoon sessions.

Before going to bed, I do a 15-minute exercise routine, take a shower and study between 40 and 60 minutes. Then, rest!

What event(s) or situation(s) in your life lead you to enroll in the CPPC?
Around 10 years ago, I had two clients who were in their 2nd trimester of pregnancy. I prepared a very basic Pilates program for them and they continued exercising till their delivery. However, in 2017, another client became pregnant and I realized I was out of practice. With authorization from her doctor, we started a routine of Pilates exercises.

Fortunately, I came across the Moms Gone Strong manual in April 2017 and I acquired it immediately. It worked great for us and even though my specialty is Pilates, the program that was described in the manual helped me a lot. When the CPPC was announced in September of that same year, I did not think twice.

I felt that I needed to do this certification to be able not only to provide a better service to my clients, but to feel confident about what I was doing and even more, why I was doing it.

How would you describe your pre- and postnatal knowledge before taking CPPC?
I had a very basic knowledge and I could say that, up to a certain point, it was incorrect.During my certification as a Pilates instructor, the subject of working with pregnant moms was not very well covered. The scope was limited to working with them only in the second trimester.

We were not advised to work with them during the first trimester because it was believed to be very dangerous, especially in the case of a first-time mother. It was also believed that exercising during the third trimester would be very uncomfortable for the mother and it was preferable to avoid it in order not to induce unwanted labor.

Mistake — I was wrong!

I realized that as long as I rely on a network of appropriate health care professionals, I can use the knowledge I acquired during my certification and my knowledge of my clients to help them feel physically well during pregnancy, and even enjoy it!

The best is that it does not end here. The postnatal period also requires attention and this area was completely new to me.

Why do you think learning the information that’s included in the CPPC is so important to your profession?
Because as a Pilates instructor, it puts me one step ahead. In addition, concepts such as pelvic floor and diastasis recti — common in Pilates terminology — are handled in much more detail and depth in the CPPC.

What’s been the best part about going through the CPPC?
Definitely the case studies! They helped visualize how I could improve to reach the same level of sensitivity to understand each of my clients.

Now that you’re an official Certified Pre- & Postnatal Coach, what impact are you hoping to have?
I feel there is a lack of information out there and many moms do not know how to take care of themselves before, during and after their pregnancy.

I feel that the information shared with moms should not be limited towards child care, but also how to take care of themselves, how to identify certain signs that indicate something may not be right or normal either.

For example, it is very common for some doctors to say that it’s normal for women, during pregnancy and the postpartum period, to unconsciously produce small amounts of urine when they perform simple muscular efforts such as jumping, laughing, running, etc. and there is nothing that can be done about it.

Completely false! And yet there are many moms who do not know that they can strengthen their pelvic floor and continue to have a normal life!

What effect has your new Certification had on your business so far?
My clients look for me when they know they are pregnant or recommend me to their friends. I have a client who has been with me for one year already. She knew I was doing this certification. When she got pregnant in the middle of last year, she did not hesitate to tell me. She has a special condition because she has Lupus.

Fortunately, I felt very confident in what I had to do. There was communication with her doctors and her pregnancy went wonderfully! Her delivery went well, she has a beautiful baby and she feels incredibly good!

How has your thinking about pre- and postnatal care changed since completing the CPPC?
For me, the change was very significant. With each chapter I studied, I reflected on my own pregnancy and I learnt many things I did not know back then. I feel that my pregnancy could have been less fearful and the postpartum period easier if I’d known what I know now.

My way of thinking took a 180-degree turn. As a mom, you focus on caring for your child and you push yourself away. It seems that society agrees with that approach too. But it should not be like that.

As women we should love and take care of ourselves. We should convince ourselves that if we are well, our children and loved ones will also be OK.

What would you say to someone who’s on the fence about enrolling?
I think I would first ask “why not?”  If your goal is to:

1. Have information based on science, not myths.
2. Learn from professionals with experience in the subject.
3. Have a support group who can direct you when you have doubts.
4. Get learning materials of excellent quality and be able to study at your own pace, in a flexible program where you choose what days and how much time you can devote to study.
5. Learn the true coaching skills that will allow you to give not only a professional service, but a “personal” one as well driven by ​the compassion to understand your clients.

Then don’t think twice: this is the way!

You can learn more about Sandra on her website and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The post Coaching & Training Women Academy Spotlight: Sandra Flores Gheno appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

Strength is the ability to overcome resistance and the capacity to endure external force. Life is a revolving door of resistance and pressure. Despite the delusions of a safe-space culture, this is inevitable and necessary. Fulfilled people find strength from the resistance. They adapt, grow, and are made into a greater version. Others feel victimized that the world didn’t acquiesce their narrow, ego-centric wants.

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http://www.thealternativedaily.com/

In 2012, ABC News disclosed the details of how lean finely textured beef ( LFTB) from Beef Products Inc. (BPI) was made.The exposed processed involved collecting scraps and trimmings of meat found close to the cowhide (which has maximum exposure to feces), simmering it, separating tissue and fat in a centrifuge, and spraying the resulting […]

Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

“This is why we do this.”

When I heard Jennifer’s story, I knew I had to share it.

She’s a member of the Nerd Fitness community who for years struggled with things most of us can relate to:

• Seeking comfort in sugary foods and alcohol.
• A lack of energy and all around feeling of fatigue.
• An eating disorder as a teenager that created an unhealthy relationship with food.
• Not knowing her next step towards a healthier lifestyle.

Jennifer found herself stuck in this pattern until rock bottom presented itself: divorce.

When bad times strike, it becomes easy to slip further into bad habits and vices.

Jennifer knew this and realized she had to turn her life around.

Six months ago, she did just that.

Today, Jennifer loves strength training and is the strongest she’s ever been. She changed her views on food and nutrition and is no longer intimidated by the kitchen. Jennifer recently completed her first 8k, something she couldn’t have dreamed of doing before.

And oh, Jennifer just came back from an epic photography trip where her new found stamina and strength allowed her to hike mountains to capture some awesome shots:

That’s her!

I’m honored that Jennifer has been a member of our 1-on-1 Online Coaching program since August, and has used our guidance to level up her life!

While strength training and getting comfortable in the kitchen are important, the real success for Jennifer has been with her mindset. She knows she can’t change everything at once and is using one small change to spring into another change and then another, using each as a stepping stone to the next.

This new frame of mind is something we can all learn from.

It’s how Jennifer was able to transform so quickly and lose 20 pounds in a healthy, sustainable way. While it seems like changing everything at once is the quickest way to success, it’s often too stressful and thus abandoned.

However, if you do what Jennifer did, and start with one simple habit like a food journal – it can start improving other areas of your life too.

You don’t need to hear it from me though…

Let’s bring in Jennifer!

HOW JENNIFER THE PHOTOGRAPHER LOST 20 POUNDS AND LEVELED UP HER LIFE

STEVE: Hi Jennifer! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me.

I’d love to hear from you about your past – can you describe a normal day for you before you joined NF Coaching?

JENNIFER: My day was pretty random, with no real set schedule. It would be hard for me to get up in the morning, and then I’d have an unhealthy breakfast – the American South is full of delicious things like biscuits and fried foods. Later in the day, I’d often find myself needing to take a long nap.

Looking back, I did not have any sort of set schedule and spent my days with a foggy brain and zero energy.

STEVE: I hear ya. A super carb heavy and sugary breakfast can send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster for the day. Sometimes a nap is the only way off of it.

What changed? What made you invest in yourself by joining Nerd Fitness Coaching last summer?

JENNIFER: I had a really horrific divorce and hit an all time low. I moved out of my home in Seattle, WA, back to my hometown in North Carolina. Sometimes you just have to escape your surroundings.

I found myself comforting with sugary foods and alcohol. You know, totally healthy antidepressants.

This really started to take a toll on my body.

I had a moment of clarity then, as I realized I just didn’t have enough knowledge or drive to make changes on my own. I’m a believer in the “spoon theory,” which is a metaphor you see around the internet, which helps explain the limited amount of energy we face.

Imagine having twelve spoons handed to you each morning. Every task or difficult scenario takes a spoon from you. Often at the end of the day, you have no more “spoons” to give.

I knew I’d be much more successful with a routine that didn’t require any “spoons” to get to the gym. Instead, I could just start with workouts from home.

It was right about then I decided to give the Nerd Fitness Coaching program a try. I decided I wanted to be told exactly what to do, which again would require less “spoons” from me.

STEVE: I love the analogy of “spoons!” We’ve talked here in the past that willpower can be a finite resource for many. By the end of the day, you really can just be drained. Our philosophy on the subject matches your thoughts on spoon theory. That’s why we always encourage people to design systems that have the least amount of friction and require the least amount of willpower, or “spoons.”

I’m glad you realized this and wanted to create a system where you could start working out from home. You can grow the practice into a gym routine (or not) later. The important thing is finding a system that allows you to start TODAY.

You’ve been with coach Evan now for six months. Can you talk to me a little bit about what he had you do?

JENNIFER: Evan started me out just counting calories, learning about the foods I ate, and getting used to comfortably logging my meals.

I had an eating disorder as a teenager. Hyper-focusing on everything I was eating and logging it all was really starting to trigger a lot of anxiety and bad memories in the beginning.

But I told Evan all of this at our first meeting and he has been very good about helping me completely turn my perspective around about tracking my meals. He told me not to have any judgment about what I was eating, and to view the practice as a scientist collecting data.

That perspective helped (Steve’s note: woo! Science rules!)

For exercise, Evan started me out just taking a walk every day, followed shortly by some basic bodyweight exercises. At first, these were really tough, because I was really out of shape to start. I’d end most sessions a sweaty exhausted mess on the floor.

Then Evan added in more dumbbell exercises (I have a small set at home and borrowed a bench from my family) and I instantly fell in love with those exercises! Evan made sure to add more of those into my routine as well.

STEVE: That’s great to hear Jennifer. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of strength training.

What’s your routine like now? What else is Evan having you do?

JENNIFER: 5 months in, I’m even more of an avid walker. I walk daily, sometimes over 5 miles, or sometimes shorter if my walking buddies bail on me.

Total flakes (j/k, I love you guys).

I do strength training 3 days a week with a combination of bodyweight and dumbbell exercises.

We just introduced some yoga routines to both help with stress relief and to help with stretching and mobility. I have had some issues with cranky muscles and joints on occasion, which yoga is helping with.

The whole experience has been crazy to me.

I’ve gotten to the point where I enjoy some kind of physical activity every day of the week.  

And fell IN LOVE with lifting weights.

It is damn satisfying to see myself becoming a chick with “guns.”

At this point, I have bigger biceps than my father and brother, haha. I am loving every second of that. It feels so good to be strong and be able to handle things on my own.

As a female, that is even more important to me because society is pretty much built around telling us women that we can’t be strong enough and we cannot do things on our own. I am fed up with that cultural stereotype!

As an aside, prior to joining NF Coaching, I was greatly inspired by Staci’s story and transformation. I like to think I’m following in her footsteps.

STEVE: Yes! I love it. I think everyone should follow a strength training practice: man, woman, child, grandparent, self-aware robot… all of them! I’m really glad you found this new passion.

Also, I’m glad you found inspiration from Staci! Many a rebel around here have also changed their lives after reading about Staci.

You sent over some awesome pics of a recent trip in Scotland. Can you talk to me a little bit about that?

JENNIFER: It was my goal in 2018 to do a hiking trip in Scotland. With Evan’s help, I got enough strength and endurance to do exactly that!

I went on a photography workshop on the Isle of Skye and completed the most difficult hike I have ever done up to a rock structure called the Old Man of Storr. It was one of the proudest moments of my life. I couldn’t have done it without Evan’s help. So I am quite grateful.

I wanted to be able to do the mountain hikes with all my heavy camera gear on my back, without being assigned to the group of folks who couldn’t do as much. I knew I was in no shape to do it originally.

However, Evan and I created a plan, executed it, and boom! Up the mountain I went.

I can do so many cool things with my body that I wasn’t able to do 5 months ago! I power walked my first 8k about a month after starting with Evan. It was hard but I had built the endurance from walking every single day before it.

STEVE: I think it’s so great that you worked towards a goal and then hit it. I often encourage people to try and build up strength for an event. Something like a marathon, a ski trip, or in your case a photography workshop on the top of a mountain.

It gives you something to shoot for, something to motivate you to work out when it seems so much easier to skip it. I’m glad you created a goal for yourself, made a plan with your coach, and then nailed it!

Your physical appearance has changed. What else has changed about you?

JENNIFER: I’ve had vast improvements in my posture which I think in turn has improved my self-confidence.

There’s something about standing straight and tall with your shoulders back that makes you feel a bit like a badass. Someone who can conquer anything the day will throw at you.

I’ve also battled depression for most of my adult life. And while it by no means is cured, the severity of it has been lessened by the daily physical activity and improved nutrition.

All around, today I have the general ability to do more things because I have more energy and focus than I used to.

I still have days when I get overly stressed out and go a bit off the rails with my nutrition and make unhealthy choices. However, I appreciate Nerd Fitness for the “never twice in a row” mindset. It keeps me from feeling like an utter failure if I have a day with too much pizza or delicious cake or something. I just know the next day, it’s time for me to get back on track.

STEVE: That’s so cool! I’m happy “never twice in a row” resonated with you. I think it’s an important tool for preventing bad habits from developing. When people slip up (and we all slip up), it can become so easy to continue. Having a motto that stops this trend from continuing is a game-changer. I’m proud of you Jennifer.  

You mentioned a need to adjust your relationship with food. Can you talk to me a little bit about that? What’s your nutrition strategy like now?

JENNIFER: I’m proud to say I’ve changed my relationship with food. I’ve always used food as a comfort. Knowing this, I was really nervous about even just logging my food. Looking back though, it was such an important first step.

Tracking everything I was eating was eye-opening.

It helped me see what I was putting into my body, which gave me more confidence and determination in the kitchen. As of today, I’ve conquered cooking all kinds of foods, founds healthy recipes I enjoy, and am beginning to work on meal prep. Evan has a strategy for me to plan ahead on food preparation.

Healthy eating really has been a game changer. I am much more clear-headed today than I was six months ago, and I credit nutrition as a huge reason why.

I don’t really follow Paleo or anything like that.

Coach Evan has introduced me more into a “If It Fits Your Macros” style of eating. He really hammered in the thought that I had to eat protein with every meal.

I’ve also drastically reduced my sugar and alcohol consumption, although I’ll still indulge from time to time. Going back to “If It Fits Your Macros,” if I know I’m going to be eating dessert or having some drinks, I’ll plan for it and reduce my calories and carbs beforehand. Again though, I’m doing this less and less. I actually prefer healthier foods now, to be honest.

STEVE: That’s great to hear you say that. We here at Nerd Fitness continuously remind everyone that 80-90% of the weight loss comes down to nutrition. Not only that, but REAL food just makes you feel better. Which will give you more energy to workout. I’m glad that Evan has helped you see a plate of food differently.

What are you still working on? What new habits are you trying to develop?

JENNIFER: I am still establishing a fixed routine for sleeping and waking up, which is definitely something that has been a struggle to do. I have seen improvements though.

I’ve created a pretty solid breakfast routine, prioritizing protein. Oftentimes it’ll be cottage cheese, which I never realized I’d like!

I also have a glass of water upon waking up, which has been a good change.  

Earlier I mentioned I started doing yoga. I’m experimenting with doing it first thing in the morning.

My biggest challenge for creating a successful morning routine is going to bed on time. I would say this is still a work in progress. One habit at a time.

STEVE: Getting to bed on time can be such a critical step. I’ve struggled with being a “morning person” myself, but it really is worth pursuing the routine. Keep at it, Jennifer!

Do you have any words of advice for somebody who hasn’t invested in any program and can’t seem to make any progress?

JENNIFER: Don’t fall into the perfectionistic trap that I did and feel like you have to do ALL the things at once or you are a total failure. No human can dive into deep water before learning to swim.

Trying to do that is like taking a starter character in World of Warcraft and heading straight to a high-level dungeon: you’ll get trampled.

If you cannot commit to a program or feel overwhelmed that’s completely okay. Start small. Pick a small change and stick to that and build onto that routine once you’ve gotten comfortable. This way you slowly mold yourself into the person you want to be.  

I loved RPGs and grew up during the NES and SNES era and building good habits and getting healthy feels exactly like those games in a way. You don’t start at level 99,999 doing max damage to everything. You level up from the beginning and gain spells and abilities along the way and your character slowly evolves into the one you want it to be.

I think the Nerd Fitness “Level Up Your Life” motto is incredibly accurate.

Great change is made by accomplishing many smaller changes. And you’re so much less likely to become discouraged and just rage-quit if you go about change this way.

STEVE: That’s amazing Jennifer. You nailed the whole philosophy on “Level Up Your Life.” Start small, and before you know it you’re a top-level mage slaying dragons with ice spells. Or in your case, climbing up mountains.

Alright, one last question: you’ve already used some of our language, but what makes you a nerd?

JENNIFER: I consider myself a multi-dimensional nerd! If that’s not a phrase I am deeming it thus. I’ve loved video games since I was very small. Loved all the NES and Mario games, as well as the Zelda series and RPGs like Chrono Trigger and the Final Fantasy series.

I’ve played World of Warcraft with an awesome guild of all women for over 10 years.

Shout out to Daughters of the Alliance!

Comics are also a love. My absolute favorite is Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, and pretty much anything else he or David Mack have been involved in. I pretty much love all things nerdy.

STEVE: I do love me some Neil Gaiman too – I actually have Vol 1 of Sandman sitting on my coffee table! Thank you for taking the time to speak with me, Jennifer! All the best!

THE SIX KEYS TO JENNIFER’S WEIGHT LOSS AND LEVEL UP SUCCESS!

In speaking with Jennifer, I realized she had a few great traits which helped her succeed.

Lots of people embark on a fitness journey. Unfortunately, many of them are exactly where they started six months later.

Jennifer is different. In half a year, she’s changed her relationship with food, begun strength training, and has taken an epic trip.

After a rough patch, she used hitting rock bottom to turn her life around.

In speaking with her, and analyzing her choices and decisions, I think there are six traits that set Jennifer apart.

Here’s what we can learn from Jennifer’s success:

#1) JENNIFER STOPPED RELYING ON WILLPOWER

I love Jennifer’s “spoon” analogy. She knew she only had so much energy, only so much willpower, to get things done. So she sought a system that would require the least amount from her:

Instead of buying a gym membership she would never use, she started working out from her home.

Jennifer started with simple bodyweight exercises, a solid strategy to build momentum

Once she got a little more comfortable from working out at home, she starting using dumbbells and a bench press that she had access to. Again, all from home.

Working out and going to the gym are not tied together. If you have limited experience and/or motivation, start by doing simple bodyweight exercises at home. This is what Jennifer did!

Second, know that working out gives you more energy. Which can help give you more willpower. Which can help you embark on other habits like cooking or meal prep.

If you want to head to a gym for exercise, great! I do. However, if you have a hard time motivating yourself to leave the house, it doesn’t have to be the only option.

Starting small requires less willpower, which can help make your actions more likely to become routine.

#2) JENNIFER INVESTED IN HERSELF AND ASKED FOR HELP

Continuing on the theme of limited willpower, Jennifer knew she needed to do things differently. She saw herself with destructive habits that needed to be changed.

Doing it alone seemed impossible. It was hard enough for Jennifer to get out of bed and face the day. She knew that creating a plan and then sticking with it would require a lot of energy. Energy and willpower she was already having trouble coming up with.

So she asked for help. Jennifer wanted “Someone in MY corner to help cheer me on and guide me into a better way of living.” I’m proud that she reached out to us for that someone, and that she made a connection with her NF Coach, Evan.

It’s okay to ask for help! Knowing what to do, how to do it, and how to tell if it’s working requires a lot of energy. Some can do it alone. But many can’t. Asking for help, and then being willing to invest in that help can be a life-changing decision. Jennifer knew this and was willing to take the step to hire someone to create a plan and help her execute it.

I’ve had an online coach myself for 4 years and it has changed my life.

#3) JENNIFER HAD DRAGONS TO SLAY

I love that Jennifer planned a photography workshop in Scotland that required some physical strength and endurance. Hiking up a mountain with camera equipment isn’t easy, and Jennifer knew she’d have to train if she was going to make it.

So she asked for help, developed a plan on how to do it, and followed the plan. And boom! She was able to hike up her equipment for her class.

Having a goal gave Jennifer her “Big Why.”

When Jennifer started logging her food, it gave her anxiety. When she first started working out, she would be exhausted. When her walking buddies bailed on her, she went anyway.

Jennifer did these things because she knew they were part of a plan to get her up the Old Man of Storr in Scotland. Without doing the work, she would never get to the top. She would have to be part of the group that stuck to the sidelines.

Having a goal can provide the “Big Why.” When things get tough (and they will get tough), knowing “why” you are working hard can make all the difference.

Perhaps you want to go skiing with your kids and don’t want to be exhausted halfway through. Maybe there’s a marathon your friends are doing, and you want to go with them. Perhaps it’s practicing pull-ups so you can go tag along with your spouse who loves rock climbing.

Having a “Big Why” can be the key to making or breaking a fitness journey. And what happens after you slay a dragon? You go find a bigger dragon!

4#) JENNIFER STARTED HER JOURNEY WITH SMALL STEPS

Jennifer began with two small habits that most people can start today:

• Jennifer started logging her food.
• Jennifer started taking a daily walk.

We often advise people to pick a small habit they can imagine sticking with permanently. Once this becomes part of a normal routine, they can think about picking another.

This can be better than planning on “Going full Paleo, start rock climbing, and beginning a ballroom dancing practice.” If you don’t do any of these things currently, it could be very tough to start doing them all at once.

And we all know temporary changes produce temporary results. We want results that last!

That’s why Coach Evan had Jennifer start with small changes she could actually sustain.

For nutrition changes, Evan just had Jennifer track her food.

No judgment. No “eat this, not that.”

Just a log of everything she was consuming. Once Jennifer got comfortable doing this, and only once Jennifer became comfortable doing this, did Evan start to make recommendations for adjustments.

Jennifer also started small with exercises: just a walk.

Walking is a great start for a fitness journey (it’s also a great way to get to Mordor). It’ll get your heart rate up and your muscles moving, and it’s something you can do around your neighborhood. Even just a five-minute walk is a great start. Once you get in the habit of that, you can make take it to 10 minutes or even a full mile. If you start this way, eventually you can be like Jennifer and crush miles each and every day.

After you get in the habit of walking, you can switch to picking up some weights every other day. The habit of walking is easy to adapt to another exercise practice, like strength training.

“Instead of my 2pm walk, it’s now my 2pm bench press time.”

Be like Jennifer and start small. Once the habit is built, you can work to grow it from there.

5#) JENNIFER PLANNED ON WHAT TO DO WHEN SHE FELL DOWN

It brought a smile to my face when I heard Jennifer say “never two in a row.”

It’s a great frame of mind to keep.

Things will come up. You will miss a workout. You will have some beers and eat pizza. You will sleep in and miss your walking groups AM meeting. Your kid will get sick.

When you miss these things consistently, you start creating bad habits. And what you do most of the time is how you create a healthy life.

Missing one workout is okay. Missing two is bad because then it’s really easy to miss three.

Eating pizza is fine. But “once and a while” can quickly become an “everyday” thing. Continue this for too long and then you’re just living off pizza!

“Never two in a row” provides a framework for making sure bad habits don’t develop:

• “If I miss today’s workout, there is no way I’m missing tomorrow’s.”
• “If I eat pizza tonight, it’s eggs and a little bit of fruit in the morning.”

Create a mindset of stopping these things before they get out of hand. Be like Jennifer and create a plan on what to do when you inevitable stray from the path.

6#) JENNIFER IS HAVING FUN ALONG THE WAY

Jennifer considers herself a work in progress. When you think about it, we’re all works in progress!  She knows this. But she is having fun now, which makes the days ahead seem sustainable.

We are not on a month-long journey. We are in this for the rest of our lives. To make sure we stick with it, we need to have fun! And as I say in this video: we stop thinking in terms of “weeks and months,” and instead start thinking in terms of “days and years”

Jennifer legitimately loves strength training. You can tell she’s looking forward to one day doing pull-ups.

Jennifer likes eating nutritious food and loves how much energy she derives from those meals.

My favorite part: she views where she’s at as an experiment. She highlights this when she talks about her morning routine and yoga. She’s still not sure how to get the AM just right and thinks a little yoga in the morning might help. She’ll try it to see if it works. If it doesn’t, she’ll try something else.

IN SIX MONTHS, CAN YOU TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND LIKE JENNIFER?

All of us will hit tough spots in life.

Maybe it’s losing a job. Perhaps it’s a sick family member. Or a child that’s struggling in school.

For Jennifer, it was a nasty divorce. At first, she coped in the ways many of us cope: food and alcohol.

Jennifer decided this couldn’t continue. So she sought help. And in six months time, Jennifer has leveled up her life. She can pursue her passion for photography and not be afraid of the literal mountain ahead. She knows the shot at the top of the climb, is not only worth it, but doable.

Where will you be six months from now?

It’s enough time to build some great healthy habits as Jennifer did. However, it’s also a short enough time which can fly by if you’re not looking.

If you’re standing in the same place you were six months ago, think about what you can learn from Jennifer:

• Don’t rely on willpower, build systems. Take the path of least resistance. Instead of starting with an hour-long workout program at the gym, start with exercises you can do at home.
• Ask for help. You are not the first person who has tried to get fit. It’s okay to reach out to those who’ve had success, or those who have helped others. You don’t have to do this alone.
• Have a goal. A “Big Why” can be critical when things get tough. When everyone is ordering pizza, or the gym seems so far away, having a goal can help you remember why you are putting in all the work.
• Start small. Don’t try and change every aspect of your life tomorrow. Some can handle this approach, but most can’t. Adopt one habit you can see yourself sticking with and grow it from there.
• Plan for failure. Things will come up. Having a motto like “never two in a row” can help prevent one instance of a slip up into turning into a reoccurring habit.
• Have fun. Getting fit is not a 30-day experiment. It really is about a lifestyle. Pick and choose things you have fun doing. This will help ensure your new habits are sustainable.

If you relate to Jennifer and find yourself in a tough spot, we can help you turn it around.

Depending on your current situation, our 1-on-1 NF Coaching Program might be just what you need. We help people everyday complete life overhauls.

If you’re trying to get in shape, searching for a new way of eating, or want help developing a strength training practice, we know exactly how to get you there. You can learn more by clicking on the big box below and scheduling a free call with our team!

The next six months will come and go no matter what you do today.

I’d love it if half a year from now, you tell me Jennifer’s story was something you related to. Which inspired you to make some changes.

You started walking every day. You began a food journal. You finally decided to ask for help.

As always, if you do need somewhere to go for help, you know Nerd Fitness will be here.

For the Rebellion!

-Steve

PS: I want to give a special shout out to Jennifer’s Coach Evan, who has been the Dumbledore to her Hermione over these past 6 months. And I’m proud of Jennifer’s success and can’t wait to see what she does next.

If you are somebody that wants to have your own Yoda guiding you in the ways of the Force, check out or 1-on-1 coaching program, and I could be sharing YOUR story six months from now!

PPS: Speaking of success stories…If you’ve had success with any aspect of Nerd Fitness, whether it’s our free workouts, Academy, or Coaching, email us! Send your story to contact(at)NerdFitness(dot)com and let us know so we can share your adventure with the galaxy!

PPPS: We are very grateful to Guinevere’s Mirror, who provided some epic shots of Jennifer for this article.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Research of the Week

Stimulating the vagus nerve helps PTSD.

Exercise has a stronger effect on cognitive function in older men than older women (who already had better function at baseline).

Estrogen controls type 2 diabetes.

Small teams of scientists disrupt ideas, larger teams develop ideas.

AIs are great at colluding.

If you have a family history of obesity, eat fish. Habitual intake of fatty fish limits genetically-associated weight gain.

Activated charcoal may protect your microbiome from antibiotics.

Mice who took nicotinamide riboside while nursing had smarter offspring.

To reduce liver fat, reduce ferritin. Neither red meat nor fiber have any effect.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 311: Drew Manning: Host Elle Russ chats with Drew Manning, best-selling author of Fit2Fat2Fit.

Episode 312: Keto: William Shewfelt: Power Ranger and Carnivore Shredder: Host Brad Kearns chats with William Shewfelt, who plays a Power Ranger on TV and a carnivore at meal-time.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

Media, Schmedia

The FDA recommends approval of club drug ketamine for treating depression.

Are insects disappearing?

Interesting Blog Posts

Maybe insects aren’t quite disappearing.

The Israeli paradox.

Social Notes

I gave a talk on metabolic flexibility and the Keto Reset at Natural Grocers in Colorado late last year. Here’s the video.

I’ve been playing around on Twitter lately. It’s fun. Go follow me.

Everything Else

Exercise may not be the best way to lose weight in general, but it’s great against visceral fat.

Don’t lick your chickens, like the kid in the photo.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

I’d watch this episode of Scooby Doo: Where the man dressed as a spooky stick of butter says, “And I would have induced autophagy too if it weren’t for you meddling trans-fatty acids!”

I’m not surprised: R0undup linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

I am surprised: “This suggests that the majority of the lean mass lost with dieting may be the fat-free component of adipose tissue.”

Article I’m pondering: Should we play God, actually?

This is a powerful story: The first C-section.

Question I’m Asking

Read that Israeli Paradox post up above. What other paradoxes can you name?

Recipe Corner

• Magic short ribs in the Instant Pot.
• Pumpkin soup is legit.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Feb 10 – Feb 16)

• The Definitive Guide to Chocolate – Guide to brown gold.
• Primal Reflection Point: How Are You Playing?– Well, how are you?

Comment of the Week

“By the way, Mark, the title image for all of the Weekly Link Love posts kinda looks like you’re listening to some Fats Domino–in the middle of “doin’ the Twist!” Right?? ”

– Beatles’ “Twist and Shout,” actually!

The post Weekly Link Love—Edition 16 appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

Most grow up eating Pop Tarts or Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast. It isn’t until we leave home that we realize the insanity of having dessert for breakfast. Even those cereals billed as healthy, like Cheerios and Granola, tend to be less than ideal options. Immersed in the norms of our convenience food society, we have to rethink how we design breakfast.

read more

http://www.thealternativedaily.com/

Eczema comes from the Greek word that means effervesce, bubble or boil over. Characterized by red, itchy and inflamed skin which may also be rough and leathery or oozing and crusting, eczema, this painful condition impacts over 30 million people in America. What causes eczema? Although it is not known exactly what causes eczema, researchers […]

Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

As a hardgainer who coaches other hardgainers, I like efficiency in the gym. Doing too much training and failing to spend enough time recovering is one of our biggest stumbling blocks. As such, I try to program exercises that get the most muscle building stimulus on a rep by rep basis.

read more

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Pot pies—like sloppy joes—are a comfort food classic that feeds our nostalgia as well as appetite. Meat and veggies in a creamy sauce that’s topped with a crunchy topping…what’s not to love? It might seem, however, that pot pie isn’t compatible with a Primal, let alone keto, plan. Au contraire. We’ve serving up a recipe today that turns that assumption on its head. Pot pie is no longer pie in the sky for the keto eater. Enjoy!

Time In the Kitchen: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For the Filling

• 4 slices of bacon
• 1 white or yellow onion, chopped
• 7 ounces/200 grams pre-cooked chicken (meat from approximately 3-4 chicken thighs)
• 1 carrot cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped turnip
• 2-3 cups chicken stock or bone broth
• 2 tbsp arrowroot flour

Instructions:

In a large pan with lid, saute the bacon and onion over medium heat.

Add in the carrots and mushrooms. Cook through.

Add in chicken and cover the mixture with chicken stock.

In a separate pot, stir arrowroot with a drizzle of cold water.

Add the flour mixture to the chicken, carrots and mushroom. Add frozen peas and thyme. Lower heat and cook until the sauce thickens.

Remove from heat and distribute evenly in oven-safe bowls or ramekins.

For the Crust

• 1 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp ghee

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 ºF/175 °C.

Mix all dry ingredients together.

Mix the egg and the ghee in a separate bowl.

Combine the dry and the wet ingredients together. The dough should be moist like the dough for drop biscuits.

Spread the dough evenly on the ramekins filled with the chicken and vegetable filling.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden. Put under broiler for a very short time to brown the crust at the end if desired.

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 534
• Carbs: 14.75 grams
• Fat: 39 grams
• Protein: 29 grams

The post Keto Chicken Pot Pies appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

Ladies, meet your new hero.

Men, prepare to be humbled.

My friend Staci, or Spezzy as she’s known around the Nerd Fitness community, has one of the best transformations I’ve ever seen:

• Working a sedentary desk job, Staci slowly packed on weight and ate like a typical unhealthy American. She also smoked a pack of cigarettes a day.
• She tried to get in shape doing what many people start with: she ran a lot and essentially starved herself. She dropped to an incredibly low and unhealthy weight and developed an eating disorder.
• She fell in love with barbell strength training and started lifting HEAVY weights.
• She’s now in the best shape of her life, healthier and happier than ever before, regularly competing in powerlifting meets and deadlifting 430+ pounds!
• Now in 2019, her journey continues to inspire MILLIONS around the world.

For the women out there who are scared about “getting too bulky when lifting weights,” this article is for you.

If you are intrigued about powerlifting and don’t know where to begin, this article is for you.

If you’re curious what happens to a gal who packs on 40+ lbs of muscle and starts lifting heavy weights, this article is for you.

Staci has transformed inside and out over the past 8+ years, and I want this story to inspire you to go pick up a barbell the next time you’re in a gym. It’s been a privilege to watch her journey day in and day out for those 8 years: Staci actually joined Team Nerd Fitness in a full-time capacity in 2012!

In fact, she’s now our lead female trainer in our 1-on-1 online NF Coaching Program!

Without further ado, here’s an interview/8-year-retrospective/how-to juggernaut of an article on my hero and yours, Staci Ardison!

Staci’s Origin Story: 170 Pounds and Unhappy

This is a picture of Staci back in 2009 before she decided to make some changes in her life.

Starting around age 16, she put on weight relatively steadily through high school, college, and beyond, when she reached her peak at 170 pounds in 2009 at the age of 25.

I asked her what a normal day was like before she tried to fix her health:

I’d get up at 7, go to work, have a Slim Fast shake because I never had time for breakfast. I wasn’t a big snacker but I ate a lot for my meals; I’d typically go out to eat for lunch every day and get a sub or something from D’Angelo’s or Subway, and it was never the 6″ one, it was the big one. And chips. Lots of chips. Or french fries. Getting home I’d either go out to eat with friends or plop in front of the TV playing video games for hours.

My favorite meal was tacos and nachos. I just asked my old roommate what I used to eat because I didn’t remember, and she said “You used to sit in front of the TV with a big plate of meat and cheese and go ‘Hm, I guess I should have some chips with this.’” On many occasions, we’d order pizza or takeout around 11PM too. On top of all of that, I used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day!

And that’s when her doctor told her that she had high cholesterol and needed to lose some weight if she wanted to live a long healthy life.

Except that she wasn’t really sure how to lose weight, so she did what most people do when they want to lose weight:

Eat way less and run way more.

She joined a gym and started doing the elliptical as much as possible (“because that’s what you do when you want to get skinny, right?”).

STACI: At first I was only able to make it 10 minutes, but eventually got up to about an hour at a time on the elliptical.

I always thought that being super skinny would make me happy, like it was the one missing piece of my life. Everything would just magically be solved if I could just be skinny.

I bought countless exercise machines for my apartment, which all ended up sitting in the corner gathering dust. I bought DDR thinking that if I could exercise in a video game, that would do it. It didn’t.

I even tried “Sweatin to the Oldies” (which, for the record, everyone should do, because it at least gets you laughing and moving). Nothing stuck.

Until I was finally ready. I can’t say what it was, but I just got up one day and said: “OK, I’m going to do this now.” I didn’t set a date ahead of time, I just woke up knowing it was time.

Along with the elliptical workouts, I joined Weight Watchers. But as I started to feel the effects of the weight loss, I got obsessed. I’d weigh myself every day; I got a scale that measured every ounce so I’d know exactly what I lost. How my day went was always based on the number that was on the scale. If I had lost weight, it was a good day. If I had gained, I was worthless and didn’t deserve to have a good day, and had to do a second elliptical session to punish myself.

Following this unhealthy plan, Staci went from 170 pounds all the way down to 110 pounds over the course of a year. And then she started to open her eyes…

STACI: I did lose the weight that I needed to lose, but instead of “finding myself” and becoming comfortable in my own skin, I ended up being LESS comfortable. Everything I did was based on appearance. I couldn’t do certain things because either my body wasn’t “ready” or I was afraid I’d gain an OUNCE back.

I started looking in the mirror and seeing 30 things that needed to change; I developed severe body dysmorphic disorder. When the elliptical and calorie restriction stopped working, I became bulimic; I was just so desperate to be thin. I was tired all the time, I had no energy to do anything even when I was sleeping 10 hours a night. The bags under my eyes were insane. I simply wasn’t getting the nutrients I needed.

It was at this point that I was dating a bodybuilder who informed me I was doing it all wrong. This got the idea in my head that there was a better way, and I started to research nutrition and strength workouts. I got a set of 5lb dumbbells and a Jillian Michaels DVD and tried doing pushups.

I remember struggling to do chest presses with the 5lb dumbbells. And I wouldn’t use weights at the gym because I was so scared of looking like a fool in front of all of the guys on the weight floor. Seriously terrified.

As I found more info on nutrition, I started questioning Weight Watchers, and finally stopped going after I asked a question on how something was healthy and he pulled the line, “we’re not trying to get healthy here, we’re just trying to lose a little weight”^[1]. I started doing more research and began my transition to eating more Paleo in April or May 2010. I upped my calorie intake to around 1,500 a day and immediately started to feel better.

Staci starts weight training, goes full Paleo, finds Nerd Fitness

On June 1st, 2010, Staci’s work office opened up a gym with free weights, and she started training. 

Because she was working out with coworkers and friends rather than random strangers, she felt comfortable giving strength training a try; she felt okay asking coworkers questions on different exercises and less self-conscious that she was doing everything wrong.

Over the next few months, from June until late August, she continued to educate herself on eating better and getting stronger:

STACI: I finished the Paleo transition in August or September, and stopped counting calories, which was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life; it’s a freedom I can’t even describe. I just ate when I was hungry. I gained weight, but I stayed the same size clothes, so what the scale said started to matter less and less. I went from 110 pounds at my lowest to around 130 pounds (both pictured above) and felt GREAT about it. My scale broke in May of that year, so I threw it away and only weigh myself probably once a month these days out of pure curiosity.

It was right around this time on her search for Paleo diet information that she stumbled across Nerd Fitness and saw an article about the Legend of Zelda (her favorite video game series too). She joined our community and continued to put her focus on strength training, and made sure she ate enough to fuel her workouts. She also sought out professional help for her eating disorder and body dysmorphic disorder.

After tons of encouragement from members of the Nerd Fitness community (including from Jon aka “KnightWatch,” now another NF coach) Staci began barbell training:

• Deadlift
• Squat
• Overhead press
• Bench press

And just focused on getting really strong with those movements!

For Staci, that first barbell encounter was electric: “When I say that the second I touched a barbell I fell in love, I’m not joking. People say to me, “Oh, it’s not healthy to lift that much….” Lifting to me is like going and playing basketball to someone else. It’s a hobby and a passion. I’m not doing it because I have to, I’m doing it because I want to. I’m simply happier on days that I deadlift.”

And that’s how Staci jumped headfirst into the world of powerlifting.

Over the following six months, she strength trained like her life depended on it, keeping track of her gains and making sure she ate enough to continue getting stronger. She learned the movements, took tips from others, and constantly checked in with the Nerd Fitness Community.

Here are her weight training stats for those first six months:

She raised her deadlift from 135 pounds to 315 pounds, added 50 pounds to her overhead press and 50 pounds to her bench press.

You’re probably wondering what happens to a woman’s figure when she goes through this transformation and puts on even more weight. Allow me to show you!

Staci Builds Muscle and Loses Fat

Believe it or not, Staci is 11 pounds heavier (142 pounds) in the picture on the right (May 2011) compared to the picture on the left (131 pounds, October 2010).

So what the hell happened?

How the heck does she look like she weighs less even though she weighs more?

She packed on muscle while getting rid of fat.

Another 2 years go by and Staci gained yet ANOTHER 8 pounds.

(AUDIBLE GASP)

Clearly now she must have gotten too “bulky,” right?

You’re probably wondering, “Why is she getting leaner but somehow also gaining weight?”

The answer is simple:

Magic.

Okay, maybe not magic. It’s time to bust the worst and most pervasive of the myths relating to women and lifting.

YOU DON’T GET BULKY LIFTING WEIGHTS:

When you strength train with very heavy weights for low numbers of repetitions, you build incredibly DENSE, tight muscle. If you are eating at a caloric deficit, you are keeping the muscle you have and burning the fat on top of the muscle.

So how did Staci gain weight, then? BECAUSE SHE WAS TRYING TO. On top of super heavy strength training, Staci was eating 3,000-4,000+ calories per day (all healthy calories, mind you) to put on the extra weight.

YES, when you lift weights, your body shape WILL change. When you work out and lift, you’ll develop a body that looks more like an athlete – which may not be the super skinny Kate Moss look, but it’s a naturally healthy look.

Which brings me back to Staci.

Although she was training in CrossFit for 2+ years (you can read about our thoughts on CrossFit here), after hitting a goal of competing at Regionals in 2012, she decided that she just LOVED lifting heavy, and switched to training on her own, focusing mainly on strength, with some fun conditioning like swimming mixed in here and there.

For the next four years, Staci continued to pick up very heavy weights, eat more calories than most men, and really focus on getting stronger.

In those four years, Staci put on about another 10 pounds.

Surely by NOW she would get too “bulky,” right?

Surely this is when the whole “women who lift weights get bulky” myth gets proven correct…right?

Hmmmm……nope!

Staci’s Training in 2019

Okay so here we are another 5 years later! What is Staci doing these days?

Did she:

• A) Did she become a yoga fanatic?
• B) Did she keep powerlifting?
• C) Did she fall in love with gymnastics?
• D) All of the above?

Spoiler alert: all of the above. Duh.

Building a solid foundation of functional strength allowed Staci to work on other skills and pick them up quickly.

I asked Staci what her overall goals are these days:

My overall goal, sport-specific aside, is to be able to do whatever I want to do whenever I want to, without warning, without my body holding me back. And by that I mean if a friend calls me tomorrow and says, “I found a secret treehouse in the middle of the woods, but we need to hike a gigantic mountain and bike 50 miles to get there,” I want to be able to say “I’m in” without hesitation. So I always want to push my body’s limits. Plus, it’s fun!

I really enjoy competing sometimes, but my main goal isn’t to be the best at one sport – I have too many goals I’m working towards!

And rather than tell you about Staci, I’d rather share some recent training videos from her exploding Instagram page:

5 strict muscle ups in a row? No problem:

A post shared by Staci Ardison (@staciardison) on Dec 29, 2017 at 10:21am PST

Deadlifting 325lbs for 8 reps? No big deal:

A post shared by Staci Ardison (@staciardison) on Dec 28, 2017 at 5:44pm PST

Pull ups on a rope? Sure, why not:

A post shared by Staci Ardison (@staciardison) on Dec 27, 2017 at 10:41am PST

Crazy yoga poses with her adorable dog Madi? But of course:

A post shared by Staci Ardison (@staciardison) on Oct 25, 2017 at 6:34pm PDT

Handstand practice for funsies? Hell yeah:

A post shared by Staci Ardison (@staciardison) on Oct 5, 2017 at 5:40pm PDT

Making a 405lb deadlift look super easy? Yup:

A post shared by Staci Ardison (@staciardison) on Sep 21, 2017 at 8:42am PDT

3 sets of 12 reps at 200lbs, no problem:

A post shared by Staci Ardison (@staciardison) on Dec 5, 2017 at 5:42pm PST

HOW STACI IS ABLE TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS:

Staci can do all of the above because she built a foundation of functional strength.

She got really strong at big movements like the squat and deadlift, and bodyweight movements like push-ups and pull-ups. She cut her body fat percentage so she wasn’t carrying around excess weight. She taught her body that being strong feels good, and learned that being strong makes her happy.

She also did a few other key things for each of these activities:

• She slowwwwwly progressed with each exercise, and had a strong foundation to start with!
• She followed very specific progressions when it comes to gymnastic rings.
• She followed a progression when it comes to handstands.
• She had a yoga routine to follow (we have a whole course starring Staci with fun yoga routines).

She also had help! Although she learned a lot on her own, Staci over the past 7 years has worked with different coaches and trainers to learn specific skills or improve her ability in certain movements or lifts, as well as help her with proper programming and periodization. After all, a coach can be a game changer and having somebody who can check your form and offer guidance is like turning on cheat codes for strength gains.

So that’s where she’s at now, but there’s a big question I haven’t answered yet: Just WHAT was she eating to fuel these workouts? After all, we know from Nerd Fitness that nutrition is 90% of the battle when it comes to strength gain and/or weight loss!

So here is her exact nutritional strategy!

Staci’s Exact Nutritional Strategy

Oh what’s that? You want to know EXACTLY how Staci eats too? Of course you do, you’re reading Nerd Fitness and you want all the nerdy specifics you can get your hands on.

Let’s start by taking a look at what Staci eat through the first few years of her transformation.

Here’s an exact week for her back in mid-2012:

• Every Sunday (or whatever works, but usually it’s Sunday) I cook a few pounds of chicken. I then portion it out and keep them in Ziploc bags. If I don’t have time for that, you can get all-natural precooked sausage (both chicken and pork) that works just as well as a “bring to work” meat.
• 5AM pre-workout: (first thing in the morning): protein shake. (nothing special). It’s not Paleo, and I love every sip of it. Then I go and work out. If I go to the gym with a full stomach, I will not leave with a full stomach.  🙂
• 7:30AM on my way to work: apple or pear.
• 9:30AM sweet potato with cinnamon. I keep them at work, and cut them up, throw it in the microwave for 5 minutes with cinnamon. Comes out amazing.
• Another protein shake somewhere in here between breakfast and lunch.
• 12PM lunch: two of the bags of chicken I precooked and a bag of the Steamfresh vegetables. The entire bag is about 3.5 servings of vegetables. My favorite is broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.
• Lunch 2: spinach salad with shrimp, red peppers, green peppers, red onion, lemon juice.
• 2-3 snacks in the afternoon. Could be one of these: Apple with almond butter, bell pepper (I eat them like apples… I’m weird), carrots (they even make carrots cut like chips), bags of chicken (yes, those bags of chicken I consider a snack as well, not just a meal), a zucchini (yes, plain, raw, uncooked), celery with almond butter and raisins, strawberries, frozen mixed berries.
• 7-8PM dinners: meat (steak, sausage, shrimp, salmon, or chicken) with some of the following: red peppers, green peppers, red onions, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower (Steamfresh bags!), and/or summer squash and zucchini.
• Every once in a while I make something awesome, like this (but really, that takes a lot of time). When I DO make something like that, I make it in bulk and will eat it for the week.

Seems like an absurd amount of food, right?

That’s because it IS an absurd amount of food. This is what Staci does day in and day out in order to gain weight so that she can lift heavier weights.

And I think you’ll agree with me that despite all of this extra work to pack on a lot of weight, the last word you would use to describe Staci’s physique these days is “bulky.”

However, Staci discovered in 2013 that she had Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease that messes with your thyroid.

This diagnosis explained a lot of the struggles she had dealing with random weight gain and anxiety, but it was something she had to address. Although it put a strain on her training, she addressed the disease with her doctor – who initially tried to treat it solely through medication – by actively tracking her nutrition and following a VERY specific type of nutritional strategy (while being monitored by her doctor).

This lead to Staci following a strict auto-immune Paleo protocol^[2] for food: meats, veggies, and berries. The autoimmune part of Paleo cuts out nuts and seeds, nightshades (tomatoes, onions, peppers), and eggs. After experimenting with this diet, Staci slowly started re-introducing foods and developed a diet that works best for her.

Now Staci eats meats, vegetables, dairy (but only whole and organic grass fed), fruits, eggs, and rice. She doesn’t eat gluten or soy anymore, no matter what. This may sound restrictive, but she really enjoys it and feels better than she’s felt in her entire life.

She also became a master batch-meal-cooker, preparing her meals for the week step-by-step.

I asked her a few other questions about her diet, specifically: “Do you miss the junk food you used to eat?”

STACI: The thing is…I don’t. Once you’re off of all of the sugar and processed foods, you don’t even think about it. I got ice cream the other day, which has always been my huge weakness, and it was so sweet that I actually had to mix it with berries and even ended up throwing some of it away.

It always bothers me when people will be like “come on, why don’t you live a little!” when I’m out to eat. I’m eating this way out of choice, because I want to. I LOVE steak, I LOVE shrimp, I LOVE broccoli – why would I eat pasta or pizza when I can have any of those? Processed food actually tastes fake to me now, and I don’t feel good afterwards. I really, truly, actually do not want it.

Now, many people would say “Isn’t it super expensive to eat only healthy food all the time? Isn’t it much easier to opt for the cheap, quick, and easy fast food?”

STACI: Sure, it can be, but I made it a priority in my budget. Batch cooking and meal prep saves a lot of money and actually makes it cheaper to eat this way. But also, to me, feeling amazing and being healthy is more important than having 1,000 channels, getting the newest gadgets, or living in the most luxurious apartment. Plus, I save A LOT of money by not going out drinking.

Also, healthy eating doesn’t need to break the bank!

How Else Staci Changed

Sure, Staci changed physically, and her attitude changed, but how she thought about the gym changed too. 

Instead of looking at the gym as a negative thing, and how horrible it’s going to be using the boring elliptical, she changed her attitude. Now she thinks, “Hey! I get to do squats today! I wonder if I’ll hit a personal best?”

STACI: “There have been nights where I’ve actually had trouble sleeping because I’m so excited about deadlifts the next day.”

I know it sounds silly, but that little mental change really does make a big difference, especially if you keep doing it.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention something else Staci did that was really powerful: she evaluated the relationships in her life and leveled those up too. 

STACI: Most people have been super supportive, but others definitely think that I’ve gone too extreme. I learned to drown out the voices pretty early, and just do what I felt was the best for me. With diet, I remember the first few people I told about Paleo definitely were not supportive and were more worried than anything. I started telling people that certain foods just “didn’t sit well with my stomach” or that I was allergic (turns out, it was sort of true). It worked great.

Staci has also had to deal with really negative people that couldn’t deal with her healthy evolution and she had to sacrifice them (not literally!).

I’ve known Staci through nearly this entire journey because she became an active member of our community at the very beginning. Her transformation over these past 7 years has been awe-inspiring. Watching her go from shy message board poster to veteran team member and now lead female trainer at Nerd Fitness has put the biggest smile on my face.

I’m proud to call her a friend and honored to have her as a teammate.

Why Staci was successful for 8 years and Counting

When most of us reach adulthood, we usually get bigger, slower, unhealthier.

Staci bucked the trend, and instead became healthier, stronger, happier, dealt with a lot of baggage (smoking addiction, eating disorders, Hashimoto’s disease), and came out the other side a powerlifting superhero badass woman. In looking back over her journey and interacting with her practically every day for these 8 years, I can identify a few things she did that specifically aided her on her quest:

#1 SHE EDUCATED HERSELF

When Staci started her weight loss journey, she didn’t really know any better and didn’t know where to turn, so she did what she thought was right: she starved herself and spent hours and hours on treadmills and elliptical machines.

After this left her miserable and depressed, she started doing her research and finally learned how to eat properly.

Shed discovered strength training and started learning how to get stronger. She learned how to do a squat, deadlift, bench press, and other basic strength moves like push-ups.

She used 20 seconds of courage to start training in a commercial gym, quickly realizing that she had every right to train with the guys in the free weight section.

#2 SHE FOCUSED ON STRENGTH, NOT HER WEIGHT

We know that “appearance is a consequence of fitness.” Rather than worry about her weight and how it fluctuated on a daily basis, Staci threw away her scale and only focused on getting stronger. She tailored her meal plan (which is quite extensive) around getting stronger. She understood that it is ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR WOMEN TO GET TOO BULKY FROM LIFTING WEIGHTS (and “bulky” is quite subjective anyway, right?). So she simply tracked her workouts and tried to get stronger each week, knowing that her appearance would change as a result of this strength. I’d say it worked!

#3 SHE ATE RIGHT 

What you eat will be 90% of your success or failure when it comes to fitness and health. Staci tried the “eat way less food” method of weight loss, and it turned her into a sickly person with an eating disorder who struggled with 5-pound dumbbells. She got professional help to overcome her disorder, educated herself on nutrition, focused on consuming the right foods for her body, and now no longer worries about how many calories she eats. She has boundless energy, way more confidence, and is happier as a result.

When she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, she worked with her doctor to treat the problem through a strict nutritional strategy rather than just resorting to medication and pills. It required a fairly large pivot, but Staci will tell you that feeling strong and healthy is worth it.

You can read about our Paleo article here and our strategy for healthy eating.

#4 SHE TRACKED HER WORKOUTS

Staci is a nerd like you and me, which means she loves numbers and stats. You can go back through her old posts on our message boards and see exactly how much she was lifting and how she was training over the years. She tracks every one of her workouts she’s ever done, and can always refer back to them!

On weeks where she didn’t see as much success in the gym, she examined factors like diet, stress, and sleep, and made adjustments where needed to break through any plateaus.

On weeks when she didn’t feel as healthy, she could figure out what needed fixing and how to fix it. As long as the amount of weight at the end of the bar kept going up, she knew she was progressing in the right direction. In other words, “in order to crack the problem, you gotta track the problem!”

#5 SHE HAD A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT

Staci jumped headfirst into the Nerd Fitness community, asking questions about strength training, participating in our monthly challenges, and asking for support in her quest to live a healthier life. She has since joined our team, became a lead trainer for our 1-on-1 coaching program, is a huge presence in the online community for the Nerd Fitness Academy, and has made friends in gyms across the country. And thanks to this success story, she’s inspired hundreds of thousands of women to start strength training!  

#6 SHE NEVER STOPPED LEARNING AND SLAYING NEW DRAGONS

Look at Staci’s training regimen in 2019: gymnastic rings, handstands, yoga, swimming, powerlifting, bodyweight training, and Olympic lifting. In 8 years, I have seen Staci evolve and adapt her workout program dozens of times. While many people miserably run on a treadmill and go on a diet until they reach their goal weight (only to put it all back on) …Staci was different.

She understood the concept that “you never get to be done, so you might as well enjoy the journey.” Staci doesn’t HAVE to go to the gym, she GETS to go to the gym. It makes her feel alive. Learning new skills and having new goals consistently keeps her on target and working harder to live better.

You never get to be done – so don’t go on diets or follow a workout program you hate. Pick activities you love and get addicted to progress. Staci got hooked on picking up heavier and heavier weights, and now she’s hooked on seeing what her body is capable of!

In other words, what do you do after you slay a dragon? Go find a bigger one!

How to be Like Staci

“Staci is so awesome. I want to be like her when I grow up, even though I’m older than her” is something you might be saying right now.

You’re inspired and fired up and know that women can lift heavy and still look great and you want to get started. But you have no idea what you’re doing or where to begin, which is why I’m here.

HOW TO BE LIKE STACI:

STEP 1: Get started with bodyweight training by following our Beginner Bodyweight Workout Routine, until you can complete the routine completely.

STEP 2: Read our entire Strength 101 sequence, where we cover how to strength train with weights. Practice at home with a broomstick or PVC pipe to build confidence with the big movements and then…

STEP 3: Read our complete guide on how to train in a gym! Head to a gym and complete your first strength training routine!

STEP 4: Repeat and try and learn and do and mess up and pick up slightly heavier things and repeat and try and fail and succeed and learn a lot about yourself in the process. It’s the journey, not the destination; enjoy it!

Know that you’re not alone on this journey. We have a community of hundreds of thousands of people all over the world that want to help you! But we can only help you once you decide to get started.

What’s that you say? “Steve this all sounds well and good, but please I just want somebody to tell me EXACTLY what to do every day so that I have the confidence and peace of mind that I’m doing things correctly!”

Don’t worry, I got you covered there too!

IF YOU WANT TO BE TOLD EXACTLY WHAT TO DO:

• Consider our 1-on-1 coaching program where we’ll build a powerlifting and nutrition program for you based on your situation and current level of experience, with video form checks and expert guidance. It’s how Leslie, a single mom, lost 100+ pounds!
• On a bit tighter of a budget? No problem! Check out our self-paced online course, the Nerd Fitness Academy, which eases you into strength training with both bodyweight and gym routines.

I don’t care how you get started, just that you start! 

You might have to deal with jerks in a gym who think they know better, but I promise you they don’t. You have just as much a right to lift in the gym as they do, and you have as much right to use the free weights section as they do.

Go get strong, and be like Staci!

-Steve

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