I did the craziest thing!

 

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I can’t believe I’m  wrapping up the #joyinthejourney series. Like I said in an earlier email, I almost chickened out and didn’t write this series. I’m glad I did and have no regrets sharing some super vulnerable things I’ve been struggling with.

In a recent presentation I spoke at for female entrepreneurs, I shared how none of us want to put the spotlight on our screw ups, insecurities and vulnerabilities. We want to always look like we’ve got it all together. And guess what? Nobody does. Speaking from the fitness side of things you will will rarely see a fitness professional\personal trainer show or talk about shitty workouts, body image personal struggles or imperfect meals. Again nobody is perfect.

I have found over the last few years of embracing being more transparent has improved so many aspects of my life and relationships, business and personal.

Ok, now for that crazy thing I did.  

I started doing lots of reflecting while we were on vacation in the beginning of November about the events of the past few years.  

2013-2017 was tough [AF} for me. And guess what? I survived them :)-

So I decided to get my first tattoo to represent the ‘STRENGTH’ that I’ve cultivated over the last several years. You can see a pic of my tattoo HERE!  Forza means strength in Italian. I’ve always loved tattoos on other people but never felt that there was anything that meaningful that I wanted permanently on my body. There you have it 🙂

The biggest insight I’ve come to realize more than ever this past year is this.

Our MINDSET is the most powerful factor in whether we are successful or not. And when I say successful I’m talking about every single aspect of our life. Weight loss, muscle gain, overcoming emotional eating, consistency in habits, relationships, work, injury recovery. I could go on and on.

 

And a few more insights that I think will resonate with you:

Never say never.

You can miss a lot of workouts and your body will not fall apart and you won’t die.

Being consistent with nutrition will trump perfection every time.

The way we look at food has a bigger impact on our results more than what we are actually eating. I know that’s a hard one for us to wrap our head around but it’s so true.

Be kind to our body.  Pushing ourselves is not the best way achieve results.

We’ve got to stop focusing on all the things that we can’t do, don’t like doing or all the things that stress us out and start focusing on all the things that make us feel good, and that have us thriving everyday. Again, this goes back to the mindset piece of it.

I’ve saved the best and maybe the most important one (behind mindset) for last. MUSCLE IS EVERYTHING!

I can’t stress this enough to you. Increasing and being able to maintain our lean muscle mass especially as we age is the best thing we can do for our body. Not only are muscles sexy and gives us the lean, toned, tight, sculpted look we desire for our body, it helps us have a healthy metabolism, a strong and highly  functioning body and helps with injury prevention.

I can tell you first hand that after years of working hard to build muscle (and it’s not as easy as most think) and now losing much of it this past year from inactivity has had a huge impact on me and my body. Though my scale weight is basically the same my body composition is very different, my pants are tighter, I have more cellulite and softer all around even though the scale did not go up.

But the strange part of this is that I’ve learned to love and embrace my body even more, imperfections and all.

Working with women between the age of 38-55 all clients initially tell me that as the years go on they notice a change in their body composition. Feeling flabby, soft , weight gain, a wider midsection,and have an increase in cellulite. This occurs because of the decline in muscle mass as we age. And the saying goes true, if you don’t use it you lose it. One more random factoid. All of my clients that starting lifting weights prior or at the beginning on menopause have had less symptoms, weight gain and negative body changes than those that didn’t.

If you are not currently lifting weights go do it! Doesn’t matter if your goal is fat loss or not. Just do it!

 

If you are lifting weights a little bit, start lifting more!!

 

If you are lifting on the regular , keep going and keep challenging yourself!

 

This thing called a fitness journey is for life. It will ebb and flow. It will feel great and then it will suck. We will make progress and then we won’t for a while. If we’re going to be in to for the long haul we must:

 

  1. Take the right actions towards our goals every single day. Make moves, big or small.
  2. Stop allowing perfection to keep us from achieving the thing that we want the most.

 

Currently I’m still seeking more holistic approaches to help my back\hip pain and will not quit until I am 1000% back to my old self. I’ve started practicing hot yoga in early fall and have been loving it. Can’t believe I’m saying that. I take two hot yoga classes a week and try to lift weights two-three times per week. I just have to listen to my body. Far from my workout routine a few years ago but I will get there. Slow and steady 🙂

 

Before you go I’ve got some fun ideas swirling around in my head that I want to share with you 🙂

 

I’m considering hosting a quickie fitness and nutrition mastermind course before spring time hits. Would you be interested in something like that?

 

And  I’m thinking about starting a new hashtag #fitfor40 and sharing my journey in my new closed Fitness Facebook group- Body By Design Fit Tribe. I would be documenting my mini transformation journey up until my 40th birthday at the end of October. YIKES! I can’t believe those words are coming out of my mouth.

I would love for you to be a part of it and could use the extra support and accountability along the way 🙂

Got questions, comments, or just want to share a struggle you’re currently going through? I would love to know and hash it out with you!

Thank you for allowing me to take up some space in your life. I’m super grateful for that!

XO, Jenn

HELP!! I Need To Learn How To Lift Weights!!

 

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Have you ever walked into the weight room and felt intimidated or just not sure what to do? If you are shaking your head YES you are not alone!!

Many of my clients come to me with a goal of fat loss and are looking for changes in their physique and have told me that they walk into a gym and don’t know what to do, how much to lift, how many reps or sets to help them achieve the goal that they are after.

The other day my online client Jill posted a sweaty very muscle-y (I made that word up) :)- selfie of herself post workout. Many of her friends were blown away at how amazing her arms looked and rightfully so. She looks incredible and has puts lots of dedication to her training and nutrition since joining my boot camp Summer Shred.

But I noticed this comment in the thread.

Friend: I feel so awkward and always just stick to cardio

Jill replied: It has been a serious game changer as I did not know what to do with weights

She’s right! When Jill first started working with me she said she dabbled in the weight area doing random exercises, would hop on the cardio machines and try various fad diets until she couldn’t stand it anymore and would quit and never see the results she was really after.

I even had a client from Strong and Sculpted Phase 1 online boot camp tell me during her check-in that she was excited to walk into the weight area for the first time ever and felt like she knows what she’s doing. #winning

That’s why having a results driven training plan that implements all the important training variables such as intensity, volume, proper form, tempo, exercise selection and adequate recovery is the key to seeing results.

This is one of the reasons I started expanding my training business online and created online group boot camps so I could help solve this problem and help so many more women finally see results for their efforts. Oh and not to mention they are super fun too!!

Speaking of boot camps…Registration is officially open for my Brand New Online Program called Lift To Get Lean-Carb Cycling Boot Camp!!

Lift To Get Lean starts Jan 9th and I would love for you to be a part of it!!

If your goal in 2017 is to see amazing results in your physique, have increased energy and confidence, feel in control of your nutrition and love the way your clothes fit from a solid then this is the program for you!!  I strongly believe a well designed strength training program paired with effective and easy to implement nutrition strategies: a macronutrient based approach, nutrient timing and carb cycling really dials things in and accelerate your results!!

This high level ,very fun and effective six week boot camp includes:

Six weeks of fat burning-muscle sculpting workouts (3 strength, 2 HIIT workouts) updated weekly so you progress in your workouts and see real results!! Personalized training app, workouts calendar, daily reminders, progress tracking and more.

Video training series teaching you how to use carb cycling for the physique you desire, eating the right amount of calorie\macronutrients for you goals, and hybrid methods of food tracking to take the stress out of your nutrition.

Actionable PDF’s with recipes and sample menu’s

Very active and supportive private facebook community with daily actionable deliverables and daily check-in’s

You can sign up right here or

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Fill out the contact form for more info about the program!srp_0047-copy

Talk Soon!

XO, Jenn

My New Favorite Breakfast+Food Prep Tips

 

 

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Do you tend to get tired of the same meals over and over again? This is not uncommon and I can certainly get stuck on a favorite meal and will eat it if for weeks or even months until I get sick of it! Sounds familiar?

I wanted to share my new favorite breakfast to give you an new idea so you can spice up your meals especially breakfast since that’s the meal that seems to have less variety than lunch and dinner.

Bison Breakfast Bowl

2oz Bison meat

1 egg+3 whites

1\2 cup riced cauliflower

I did a Facebook live the other day showing how I made this and shared a few food prep hacks if you want to check that out.

A little fun fact about me-I like to eat all of my meals in a bowl with a spoon. #nojudgies 🙂

I encourage making protein a priority in all of my meals\snacks, but a girl can only eat so much chicken. So I recently decided to try Grass Fed Bison and have loved it ever since. I purchase mine at Costco but I’m sure you can find it at other stores too.Bison is a super healthy, high protein, low fat meat. It also has lots of other health benefits including a healthy dose of Omega 3’s, has an abundance of CLA’s (which is a fat blocker) and aids in the risks of metabolic disorders and cancer and also contains selenium which has been know to improve mood.

This may be a little TMI but it also has improved my digestion (but this has never been a problem for me) and that’s never a bad thing 🙂

Another reason why I have been loving this breakfast is that is keeps me full and satisfied for hours!! About a year ago I started eating a lower carb-higher protein-moderate fat breakfast and it not only has kept me fuller longer than my Protein Pancake breakfast but it helped with my cravings the rest of the day. Not that there is anything wrong with carbs, in fact I am a big fan of them. But sometimes switching up the nutrient timing of certain foods has an effect on their hunger, energy and cravings.This is just one of the strategies I use quite a bit in my online boot camps!!

Speaking of, I am in the beginning stages of programming a new online boot camp for Jan 2017. I’m so pumped!!

Whenever I coach my clients whether that are in-person or online I always delve deep into their nutritional habits. My goal is to help them with developing new nutrition strategies and come up with a meal plan that keeps them satiated and most importantly making sure what they are eating provides them results with no deprivation!!

Let me know if you make this Bison Breakfast Bowl and how you like it!

XO, Jenn

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Should You Hire A Coach? I did!

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I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I sure did and spent lots of QT with friends and family and even had a few special visits from two of my friends\online clients!! Oh, and lots of apple pie was consumed. But it’s all gone now. Thanks goodness!!!

Today I wanted to touch on the subject of hiring a coach. Of course I think that hiring a coach is important and sometimes necessary to get to where we want to be. Or maybe you just need to spice up your current routine or you might have hit a plateau and need to take things in a different direction. I could go on and on about the benefits of hiring a coach/trainer.

I think it’s so crucial that I have actually worked with two coaches this past year. Yup! two of them. Early in the spring I knew I wanted to grow my online business and have the ability to reach out and help more women ‘Find Their Fit’. I can write and execute a training and nutrition program like nobody’s business and it’s actually one of the things I love most about my job. I had hit a wall and felt like I was spending too much time and energy on the wrong things and needed some guidance and direction.Plus I am soooo not a techy person and that’s where hiring a professional saved the day and my sanity :)-

I also hired my own online personal trainer this past summer. I needed a kick in the pants and wanted to change up my current training and nutrition plan and reached out to an online trainer who shared my same philosophy of fitness and nutrition. Again I train clients in person and write programs all day long for online clients so when it came to writing one for myself I was at a loss. Plus I was slacking a bit and needed the extra accountability. See, it even happens to us trainers 🙂 I would still be working with her today but during our time working together my back injury reared it’s ugly head , and well you know that whole story 😦

Both of my coaches motivated me and pushed me way out of my comfort zone and that’s what a good coach should always do. You know what? I have truly seen amazing growth in both my business and health and fitness. So worth it!!

Have you worked with or are currently working with a coach? I would love to know about your experience!!

XO, Jenn

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Client Spotlight-Brenda

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I love featuring and bragging about my sweet and hard working clients because they deserve it! Her story will inspire!!

My client Brenda is starting Week 4 of my online boot camp Strong and Sculpted Phase 2. It’s been a pleasure working with her and so proud of her progres which she will tell you about in a second. Like many of my clients in-person and online she was frustrated with her progress despite all of the hard work and effort she was putting into her training and nutrition.

She was a little shy about sharing her progress pics which is totally understandable, but trust me when I tell you her progress is amaze!!

Her story:  I had been working out with a personal trainer for a year and a half 2x a week before I started working with Jenn. Prior to that I had been a walker for years. I had gradually gained weight and wanted to feel confident about my body. I accomplished my weight goal by dieting and have struggled to stay within my goal weight as dieting is not something we can do everyday. I heard about Jenn from my daughter. I was impressed with her nutrition goals and weight loss. She told me about Jenn’s online boot camp and felt like this was perfect fit for me. I had begun to feel like my previous trainer’s plans were not right for me anymore. I also was looking for realistic guidance with my nutrition with the goals of trying to lose body fat particularly in my mid-section.

I love the flexibility and ease of her online boot camp and can workout on my schedule. I love having a training plan where the exercises are demonstrated for me and are all planned out. I am easily bored and I like how you change up the workouts continually, and how they progress in difficulty. I also like how I don’t have to have a ton of equipment to workout.

What I love most is Jenn’s passion for helping women thrive  to be the best they can be through exercise and nutrition. I enjoy her professionalism and commitment to each client whether they are in person one on one or online in a boot camp. I appreciate her encouragement and ability to see women in the real world.   

I am so excited that I can now do push ups without knee assistance, have doubled the amount of weight I use to lift weights, plan ahead with food preparation, and have learned that my good eating decisions are cumulative. I love that my body has changed and thrilled the way that my clothes fit.

 

XO, Jenn

 

But I Only Lost 5 Pounds…WTF???

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Has this ever happened to you? You embark on a new training program, join a gym or new fitness class or maybe even start a new nutrition program. It’s time for your first assessment and you’re totally pumped! You hop on the scale and to your disappointment you ONLY lost five pounds? If you said yes you are not alone.

In fact I hear this statement from clients, friends or even a new acquaintance when discussing their progress and it makes me downright sad!!

Let me say this…five pounds of fat loss is a big deal! Anyone can severely cut calories, drop carbs and add some exercise to the mix and drop five pounds in a matter of days, but is it sustainable and long term? Probably not. I won’t get to sciencey in this post but to lose a pound of fat a calorie deficit must be present of about 3500 calories. That’s nothing to sneeze at. It can be done from diet alone or to me the best combo is from strength training + a solid and sustainable nutrition plan.  

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My Rockstar online client Jill

I am so passionate about helping women get the results they are after, feel stronger, confident and more energetic so when I hear statements like-I’ve only lost five pounds!@$#@ even though the person has lost weight, created new ‘good habits’ and have improved their quality of life, that darn blinking number on the scale trumps the non scale victories every single time.  

That’s why I believe it’s crucial to focus on non-scale victories which all boils down to this- practicing habits on a daily basis that make you feel good and get you closer towards your goals, which I believe are way more important than the number on the scale. Regardless if you have 10 or 100 pounds to lose, the fact the anyone loses five pounds is a big deal!!

The majority of my clients, in person and online are looking for fat loss and body composition changes like toning up aka building muscle 🙂 But most have tried the yo-yo diet, diet pills, or more extreme programs for weight loss. They can usually hang in there a bit but eventually the restriction, extreme commitment and deprivation is too great that they end up quitting and rightfully so!!

After working with hundreds of women over the years and having my own personal transformation-which you can read about here if you are interested 🙂 I totally get it!!

To wrap things up here’s some truth talk…

The slower the fat loss the longer it will be kept off and maintained.

If you are seriously looking for fat loss, improved health or body comp changes you have to get in the mindset that this is a lifestyle change, not just a 30 day quick fix.

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Strength training is a superior way to boost the metabolism aka increase your RMR (resting metabolic rate) has a positive effect on key hormones regarding fat loss such as improved insulin sensitivity, and is essential for creating a leaner and tighter physique, and increased energy expenditure much longer than traditional steady state cardio. Plus strength training during a caloric deficit during a fat loss phase helps maintain the muscle you already have.

A calorie deficit is required but don’t cut too much. This can cause your metabolic rate to drop to compensate for the lack of calories as this has a negative effective on the hormones, leptin and ghrelin which control hunger and satiation.

The steps that you take towards fat loss should enhance your life! I’m not saying fat loss is a walk in the park, some changes and restriction need to happen but it doesn’t need to feel terrible, and if it does it’s means it time to step back and take a new approach!!

Ps- I have a few spots open in my one-on-one online coaching program. If you are interested in embarking on an effective training+nutrition program that delivers results I would love to work with you and help you reach your goals in a safe, fun and effective manner!! Fill out the contact form for more details and I will get back to you right away!!

XO, Jenn

 

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Exercise Is A Gift, Not A Punishment

 

JP2-5821.jpgLast week my client walked into the gym feeling tired, sluggish and unmotivated. She hadn’t worked out in over two weeks and had returned from her busy trip late the night before. But as she does, she walked in ready to give it all she had with no excuses.

Though all of my clients follow an individualized training program that’s pre-planned for them I have no issue with adjusting a workout based on my clients sleep, stress levels or just how they feel that day. But in this situation I knew that Karen would want a kick in the pants. So after a thorough warm-up and us catching up on life, as we do she proceeded to crush her Trap Bar Deadlifts for her body weight which was a new ‘PR” for her!!! She walked out of my training studio refreshed and beaming from ear to ear.

A few hours later she sent me this text message: Thanks again!! I had been feeling so down about not getting in my regular workouts and not feeling in shape. This morning’s workout boosted me up and made me realize I CAN get back on track!! Now I was beaming from ear to ear for the rest of the day :))))

In fact, a few days ago on Instagram I talked about motivation and why it’s super important to focus on the positive feelings that exercise of any kind provides us. Keeping the focus on the ‘good feelings’ will be a steady stream of motivation to tap into on the days we really don’t feel like it.

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I can honestly say that going through back surgery and arriving at the 12 week post-op mark tomorrow has made me really reflecting how exercise is such a blessing. Not that I didn’t realize it before, but truly appreciate it even more and think of it as a gift that is truly precious to all of us.

Mainstream media can certainly portray exercise as a torturous event that has to be done to the point of exhaustion with unbearable discomfort. The harder and longer the session the better. This is soooo far from the truth!!!

I actually overheard a woman on the recumbent bike next to me at physical therapy a few weeks ago talking about wanting to see how many calories she burned warming up and related that to burning off some of the donut she ate for breakfast.

Or jumping on the elliptical early in the morning to burn off the nightly bowl of ice cream.

Being afraid to stop running in fear of weight gain even though the person didn’t enjoy running.

Maybe using exercise to be “able to eat”

Or the talk about how many burpees we would have to do to work off our Thanksgiving dinner.

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This is a topic we visit in my online boot camps. The backbone of all of my programs closely intertwine training+sustainable nutrition strategies to fuel my clients bodies to provide a steady stream of energy throughout the day and during their workouts while dropping bf, losing inches,increasing muscle tone and feeling no guilt about the food they eat!!

Guess what? I’ve opened up registration for my Holiday Shred Carb Cycling Boot Camp yesterday. This highly fun and effective four week program will be easy to implement into a busy lifestyle along with weekly actionable deliverables, accountability, motivation and private weekly check-in’s to ensure amazing  progress!!

This program is being offered at the very discounted holiday rate for all of this very effective workout + nutrition guidance and four weeks of ongoing coaching. Basically less than the cost of two personal training session!!

Prep week for this program starts the week of the 21st!!. Let’s make this holiday season your best one yet!!

You can find out all the deets HERE!! 

One more thing before I end this rant.

Unfortunately exercise has been closely intertwined with ‘working off’ the food we consume. This mindset is a bit tilted and perpetuates the idea that exercise is used as a punishment for enjoying the food eat, and I must say that I am in the camp that food should be enjoyed!! #HOLLA

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I believe we should always move,sweat, and train in a way that provides us energy, enjoyment, strength and confidence.

 

XO, Jenn

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How To Lose Body Fat And Not Feel Deprived

 

 

How’s your week been? This week has flown by for me. The weather is beautiful and I’m looking forward to a few long walks at the park, visiting good friends for dinner and preparing for my next photoshoot!! I’m so darn pumped. My sweet client Stephanie is a photographer and when I approached her about some new pics she was so excited!! Oh, and when I say prep I mean figuring out what to wear and researching some fun ideas for the shoot because there will be some wine and pizza in my future this weekend! Can’t wait to share the pic with you guys 🙂
Have you ever started a diet and felt totally motivated and ready to make some changes? You just know that this time is it and you are finally going to see the results you have been after. Maybe it’s a diet from a recent magazine article, or the latest and greatest 30 day program or you finally decide to try the detox your friend has done and lost 10 pounds in 5 days. If you said YES to any one this you are not alone.

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In fact many of my clients come to me with a very similar story. As a fitness and nutrition coach I pride myself on coaching my clients and creating nutrition programs for them that are enjoyable, doable and provide them satisfying long lasting results!! I personally don’t believe in meal plans or telling my clients what they should or should not eat and believe in giving my client autonomy in their programs because they have to implement the strategies that work best for them on a daily basis! #wordtoyamotha

In my experience people associate diet and exercise with the feelings of deprivation, hunger, struggle and just down right hard. If you have or are currently experiencing any of these feelings please stop what you are doing right now!! 

We are all very unique individuals and have a unique physiology, so for me to tell all of my clients to eat the same things would be terribly wrong not only to my professional values but to my clients success!!
So today we are going to talk about some strategies to lose bodyfat and not feel deprived and the focus being on nutrition. I’m going to discuss the exercise part of the equation real soon 🙂

 

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Compliance. If a nutrition plan is too restrictive, and has you feeling like everyday is struggle to shove some food you dislike down at each meal and is leaving you feeling hungry  and pissed off than this is not the diet for you. If a nutrition plan is enjoyable and feels like it can be maintained for a long time than we are more likely to be compliant and this leads to long term nutrition adherence. #success

 

 Eat larger meals. Have you ever heard that you have to eat 5-6 smaller meals a day to lose weight and  boost your metabolism? It’s a bunch of bologna. I’m not saying this strategy can’t work but eating tiny meals every few hours is like a tease and in my opinion over the course of the day will leave you even hungrier with a tendency to overeat by the end of the day. Try eating three to four moderate-larger meals a day.
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Add volume to your meals. By adding volume to your meals by increasing the size of your meals-see tip #2 and by increasing the volume of your meals by the way of veggies will help with satisfaction plus allowing us to meet our daily quota of veggies by adding fiber, vitamins and  minerals. I always recommend that my clients eat 1-2 servings of veggies per meal. If that’s seem to difficult to do you can try adding some frozen leafy greens to your protein smoothie or eat a #BAS (big ass salad) everyday to bump up your daily quota of veggies.

Ps- I share a ton of my meals and meal prep over on IG stories in case you were needing some meal inspiration 🙂

  1. Carb cycling. Carb cycling is a method where periods of higher and lower carbohydrate intake varies with training intensity. But other factors include, diet history, goals, level of fitness and training program, height, weight, activity level, etc to establish an effective carb cycling program.

There a many other factors that go into a solid nutrition plan like getting enough protein, fats and the right amount of carbohydrates in your diet, as well as meal split and nutrient timing but for today we are sticking to some of the basics.

By the way! I have a few VIP one-on-one online coaching spots open and would love to work with you to create a custom training and nutrition program that will have you feeling stronger, leaner, more confident and in control of your diet!!

 

Fill out the contact form for more details and I will get back to you as soon as possible!!

 

Happy Friday!!

XO, Jenn

Client Spotlight-Haylee’s Transformation

WOW! Can I just take a minute to brag on my rockstar client Haylee on her killer progress!!

Her transformation pics are one year apart and I could not be more proud of her!!

Haylee had lost weight in the past from running and quick fix diets but that worked only for the short term. They were not sustainable for her and she did not enjoy running and being hungry all of the time. So when we first started working together we were starting from step one. We worked on tracking and being more mindful of her nutrition, paired with bodyweight, strength and conditioning workouts 2-3 days a week. We have progressed tremendously regarding her strength over the past year and we’ve continued to make small but doable changes to her nutrition strategies and her body continues to transform!!

Haylee has not skipped a beat this entire year. Oh, and as of today she crushed her first round of trap bar deadlifts and is on her way to doing full push ups!! #BOOM

Haylee told me that she loves lifting weights and the way she eats. Her co-workouts, friends and family are always shocked that lifting weights 2-3 days a week, walking and good nutrition strategies transformed her like this.

I truly enjoy seeing her smile and positive attitude every time she steps into the gym and can’t wait to see what the next year has in store for her!!

XO, Jenn

Is Life Getting In The Way Of You Reaching Your Goals+3 Strategies To Help

 

 

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The other day one of my online clients reached out to me via text and sounded very distressed. She went on to tell me that she was moving and living somewhere else temporarily, did not have the time or access to her food like she did at home and could only take minimal equipment with her and was used to lifting heavier. My initial response was, please don’t be so hard on yourself. She has enough going on that takes precedence right now than to add this to her already high stress levels. I also suggested she just do her best for the next few weeks, be a consistent as possible and she will be back on track in a few weeks 🙂

We have actually worked together in person-in the past and being a busy working mom she has really thrived with the accountability and convenience of my online boot camps and her results have been nothing short of amazing!!

Or maybe one of these scenarios has happened to you or is happening right now:

  1. You are planning lots of travel during the holidays which can have an impact on your workout and nutrition routine.
  2. Your social life is picking up. School functions for kids, holiday parties, work and neighborhood functions etc.
  3. Your moving.
  4. You are taking care of a sick child or parent.
  5. You are injured and can’t workout.
  6. Maybe a few of the things I mentioned above has taken it’s toll on you throughout the year and it’s decreased your motivation and you’re in EFF IT mode until January 1st.

 

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Truthfully my world was rocked when I was told I would not be able to workout for several months after having back surgery. I had to let it digest for a bit as I do and come up with a plan. Allowing myself this grace and flexibility while letting my body heal from back surgery was the best thing I ever did. I am almost at the 12 week mark and will be returning to working out pretty soon 🙂 I am thinking about sharing my tips and strategies during my recovery that helped me maintain my health and physique. Would you be interested in that? Let me know!

So here are a few of my best tips to help you survive the ‘life happens’ moments:

Ps-If you want to watch the Facebook live video I did on this topic you can check it out HERE.

The best way to survive and work around these life happens moments is to tell yourself it’s ok to just ‘do your best’ right now. Life ebbs and flows and sometimes we are able to be more focused and dialed in more than other times.

It’s also a good time to take on the philosophy that something is better than nothing. A burger with no bun and a side salad is better than eating a bag of chips, a short workout is better than no workout. In the grand scheme of things being consistent is the key to longterm success.

Focus on the big rocks. Pick three things that will keep you feeling in control even though other things might be off kilter for a while. Plan to take your vitamins or supplements daily, commit to a walking 3 times a week even if that’s your only form of activity, eat protein at breakfast and let the rest of the day happen. These are just a few of the things that might be considered a  big rock to you.

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I hope this helps you 🙂

XO, Jenn

 

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