Can’t back squat? Try these front-loaded squats instead.

I lost 70 lbs and built strength using traditional barbell exercises like conventional deadlifting, bench pressing, overhead pressing and back squats. I loved this training style and assumed my clients would too.

However, I quickly learned that barbell lifting is not a good fit for many people. I was blessed with good mobility and no past injuries, but many of my clients were not so lucky. Forcing clients to use the barbell led to frustration for everyone. I began to experiment with other ways to load all my primary movements.

Since my first year as a trainer, I’ve become much more conservative about programming barbell exercises. The barbell exercise I program least frequently is the back squat.

Back squatting is touted as the holy grail of lower body training, but it’s not a good fit for most people. You need lots of core strength and good upper back and shoulder mobility to hold a bar on your back; in my experience, few people possess all three of these. This means it’s incredibly easy to slip into bad habits and squat with poor form. Additionally, because you can naturally support more weight on your back, people frequently overdo the weight. This can lead to breakdown of form and injuries, especially in the knees, shoulders, and lower back.

If you can’t back squat, what should you do instead? Front-loaded squats are the solution. Holding a weight in front of you forces you to use your core, back, and other stabilizing muscles just to stay upright as you squat. Keeping your arms in front of you reduces the mobility demands on your upper body, making it easier to use proper form and maintain good posture. Front squats are self-limiting and prevent you from using more weight than you can truly manage. Training intensely with less weight means you’ll get stronger without the excessive wear and tear on your joints.

I’ve listed my four favorite front squat variations below.

Goblet Squat

Goblet squats are the first weighted squat I introduce with all my clients. They are easy to perform and versatile. Even the strongest trainees who have used a barbell for years can benefit from heavy or high rep goblet squatting.

All you need to perform a goblet squat is a single dumbbell or kettlebell. Keep the weight tight against your chest throughout the movement. If you’re holding a kettlebell, try to rip the handle apart in your hands. If you’re holding a dumbbell, try to squish the weight between your hands. These cues will help you maintain upper body and core tension, which will allow you to squat more weight with better form.

Because it doesn’t require much equipment, goblet squatting is a great option for people who frequently travel or train at a bare bones gym. Unfortunately, these gyms can limit stronger trainees if they only have dumbbells up to 50-75 lbs. If you find yourself in this situation and want to make your goblet squats more challenging, try using one of the following intensity techniques:

Add more reps: If you’ve never performed 20 rep sets of squats, you’re in for a treat.
1.5 reps: Squat all the way down, come halfway up, go all the way down, and then come all the way up. That’s one rep.
Eccentric focus squats: Go really slow on the way down and stand up explosively. Start with a three second descent, but feel free to challenge yourself with even longer times.
Pause squats: Add a pause in the bottom of your squat. Start with three seconds and add time to increase the difficulty. Be sure to maintain tension and good posture during the pause.

Double front rack kettlebell squats

Double front rack kettlebell squats are another easily accessible front squat variation. I often use these as a progression for clients who have a good grasp of goblet squats but still aren’t ready for a barbell. They also work well later in the workout as a vehicle for extra volume and endurance work. You’ll need access to multiple pairs of kettlebells of increasing weights to progress this exercise, so it won’t be a good fit for readers who train at standard commercial gyms.

To perform this exercise, rack a kettlebell in each arm. Aim to keep your forearm and wrists vertical like a rocket ship about to launch. Holding weights in the front rack provides a great additional challenge for your core, upper back, and shoulders. Check out this video to learn more about the front rack position.

Zercher squats

Zercher squats require you to hold a barbell in your elbow pits. Zerchers may seem awkward at first, but many of my clients love them and claim they feel great on their joints. I’ve helped numerous clients successfully Zercher squat even when all other barbell squats were painful. If you want to return to barbell squatting after struggling in the past, or if your upper body mobility prevents you from front or back squatting, give Zerchers a try.

To perform Zercher squats, set up a barbell in a power rack just below your elbows. Most people like using a bar pad or towels wrapped around the bar, especially as the weight gets heavier. Place your feet directly under the bar and slide the bar into your elbow pits. Point your knuckles toward the ceiling, make a fist, and keep your arms pulled as tight to your chest as you can. Maintain this position as you unrack the bar, complete your set, and return the bar to the rack.

Barbell front squats

We’ve finally come to my personal favorite squat variation, the barbell front squat. Front squats aren’t for everyone: they still require a good amount of upper body mobility and core strength and can be unpleasant for those with sensitive skin or boney shoulders. If you can’t perform these without pain or discomfort, stick with one of the earlier squat variations.

There are three ways to hold the barbell during front squats. The traditional clean grip setup only works if you have great upper back, shoulder, and wrist mobility. If you’re too tight, try using a crossed-arm setup or lifting straps to help you secure the bar. Check out the video below to see each of these methods in action.

During 2018, I substituted front squatting for all my barbell back squatting. I love that I can challenge myself with heavy loads without straining my shoulders, lower back or knees, like I sometimes did when back squatting. In addition, because I’m holding the bar in front of my body, I have to be much more diligent about moving well and activating the right muscles. Since I made this switch I’ve noticed less shoulder and knee pain, more muscle definition in my legs, and a dramatic improvement in my squat form.

Unless you’re a competitive powerlifter, you don’t have to include barbell back squats in your workouts. If you love back squats and they feel great, keep doing what you’re doing. However, if you can’t seem to use good form or if back squatting leaves you feeling beat up, it’s time to try something new. Work your way through this progression or use a mix of all four front-loaded squat variations. You can build impressive levels of strength, muscle, and endurance in your lower body without ever putting a bar on your back.

Are squats still giving you trouble? Check out this blog post I wrote to troubleshoot common squat mistakes.

And if you really want to take your squat (and deadlift) training to the next level, you need to download your FREE copy of my mini ebook Squat and Deadlift School below.

I share my favorite form tips, troubleshoot common problems, and provide progressions to help you work toward (or supplement) barbell training.

I’m confident both novice and experienced lifters can use the book and accompanying videos to take their training to the next level.

November 13, 2018

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Grocery Shopping

I didn’t learn to cook until I moved into my first apartment the summer after my freshman year of college. I was incredibly excited to enjoy my newfound independence, which included preparing my own meals. I could no longer rely on my mom or the Northwestern dining hall for food. Around the same time, I decided I wanted to dramatically change my eating habits to lose weight and improve my health. With these two goals in mind, I headed to Jewel for my first solo grocery store trip.

I had been to grocery stores plenty of times before. However, I never had to buy all my own food and so I had no idea what I needed to feed myself for an entire week. During my first time at the store, I spent over an hour wandering around trying to figure out what to buy. I spent way too much money and bought tons of food I didn’t need. I also forgot some essential items and ended up having to return to the store later in the week to fill in the gaps. The whole process was overwhelming, frustrating, and totally inefficient.

Over time, I managed to develop a grocery store routine that was both efficient and enjoyable. Now I actually look forward to going to grocery store. My weekly trips take around 30-45 minutes depending on when I go. I usually spend between $40-60 to feed myself for the entire week and I rarely throw away rotten or unused food. So how did I make the switch from slow, frustrated shopper to grocery store pro? Keep reading to learn the tips, tricks, and strategies that made the biggest difference for me.

Grocery shopping: Much less scary than nuclear war

Have a plan.

If you’re new to grocery shopping, it’s essential to have a plan of attack. Showing up without a shopping list leaves you vulnerable to impulse purchases and almost guarantees you will forget crucial items. You’ll likely waste tons of time making decisions at the store which could have been made more efficiently in the comfort of your kitchen.

Start by making a list of all the ingredients you need for the week. If you’re a novice cook, it’s helpful to do some meal planning ahead of time. Write down exact quantities of fresh produce and meat you need to avoid food waste. If you’re trying out a new recipe, be sure to list the ingredients you don’t have on hand.

As you become more experienced in the kitchen and at the grocery store, you don’t necessarily need to make a detailed list every time you go the store. Instead, you can establish a plan like my current strategy:

Each week, I buy more or less the same quantity of fresh fruits and veggies. Since I use meal templates for breakfast and lunch, I know I’ll be able to eat a certain number of each item during the week no matter what. The exact fruits and veggies I buy depend on the season and what’s on sale. For example, although I always buy at least 10 fruits to have with two meals per day, I may buy apples in the fall and berries in the summer. I know I’ll eat about three bell peppers each week, but I buy different colors week to week depending on what’s cheapest.
I’ll try to buy proteins that are on sale. Because I rotate between 5-10 different dinner meal templates, I decide what to cook during the week based on what I buy.
Before I go to the store each week, I do a quick survey of my fridge and pantry. Do I need to replace any cans I used last week? Am I running low on staples like rice, olive oil, spices, or hot sauce? I’ll jot down the items which need to be replaced so I won’t forget them at the store.

Read More: Master Meal Prep

Strategy inside the store

Once you’ve created your list (or plan), it’s time to go the store. Two important tricks can help you buy only what you need and avoid overwhelm:

First, don’t go to the grocery store on an empty stomach. This is especially important if you’re prone to buying junk food. Instead, schedule your shopping tips right after a meal. If you haven’t eaten in a while, grab a small snack to take the edge off your hunger before you head to the store.

Second, stick to the perimeter of the store. Almost all of the healthy foods, including fresh fruits and veggies, meat and fish, eggs, and dairy products, are located around the outside edges of the store. When you do venture into the aisles, make sure it’s only for items on your list or to replace pantry staples. Avoid any aisles that house problem foods for you, such as the chip and candy aisles.

grocery store healthy eating

Develop a routine.

In addition to planning what to buy at the store, it’s helpful to plan when you’ll do your shopping. It’s easier to build new habits when you keep as many variables the same as possible. We are much more likely to make changes when they fit within the context of our existing routines.

If you’re struggling to go to the grocery store on a regular basis, try setting aside a designated day and time for shopping. Weekends work best for most people, but pick whatever time makes the most sense with your schedule. There are definitely advantages to going to the store at off hours: it will be less crowded and you may find extra discounts on meat and produce.

You may also experience more success if you make several smaller trips per week. This can help reduce food waste, especially if you’re only shopping for one or two people. I typically do one big grocery store run on Sundays and one smaller run Friday night to fill in any gaps for the weekend. Experiment to find what works best for you, then stick with it for several weeks to build the habit.

If your biggest concern is time, pick the grocery store most convenient to where you live or work. If you have more time but want to save money or find the best quality food, do some research and try out different stores in your area. You can read more about how switching grocery stores helped me save thousands of dollars on food every year at this link.

Know when to outsource.

Even if you utilize all of the above tips and tricks, you may still dislike grocery shopping or find it simply doesn’t fit in your busy schedule. There’s nothing wrong with hiring a meal or grocery delivery service as opposed to going to the store yourself. Outsourcing your shopping is a great option if you value your time more than your money.

For a small extra fee, you can hire a company like Peapod or Instacart to delivery your weekly grocery haul directly to your house. If you want to do even less work, a meal delivery service (like Sun Basket, Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, or Green Chef) will send you recipes and the exact quantities of ingredients you need for your meals. Meal delivery services range from sending raw ingredients you assemble and cook, to sending you fully cooked meals you can just pop in the microwave.

Ask your friends which services they’ve tried and shop around for different options online. If you’re unsure whether a service is a good option for you, start with just a few meals per week. Plenty of my friends and clients outsource some of their weekly meals and do a small grocery store trip for everything else.

meal delivery service — You can get a big box of fresh food delivered directly to your door.

Putting it all together

Learning to cook for myself was one of the best things I ever did for my overall health and wellbeing. But in order to prepare healthy meals at home, I had to go to the grocery store. Once I learned how to reduce waste, spend less money, and get in and out of the store in less time, grocery shopping became a much more enjoyable experience. You can experience a similar change if you follow the steps outlined above.

If you want more help figuring out how to put together easy home cooked meals, you should grab your free copy of Eleven Easy Meal Templates. I put together this PDF guide to share my go-to meals and demonstrate just how easy it can be to prepare healthy and delicious meals even with minimal cooking experience. Sign up using the box below.

October 30, 2018January 21, 2020

You Should Care About Getting Strong

I’m on a mission to help everyone I work with get strong.

Getting strong is not the first goal most people mention when they come to see me. Lots of people want to lose weight and get lean. Others want to increase energy, return to training after rehabbing an injury, get through the day with less pain, or simply develop a consistent exercise routine.

Although I always prioritize the individual client’s goal, the vast majority of their plans are centered around building strength. Over the years, I’ve seen that getting strong helps people achieve just about any health and fitness goal.

If you’re weak, it’s tough to handle the intensity or volume of workouts necessary to noticeably change your body. Getting stronger helps you increase your energy levels because you won’t get so exhausted performing daily tasks. Strong bodies recover faster from injuries and are less likely to experience pain in the future. And getting stronger helps with consistency because it’s fun and empowering to see all of the amazing things your body can do when you start regularly lifting heavy stuff.

You don’t need to put multiple plates on the bar – or even lift bars at all – to experience these benefits. Strength is relative to each person. What’s heavy for my clients in their mid twenties looks very different than what’s heavy for my clients in their sixties. But no matter your age or how long you’ve been working out, everyone can get stronger in their own way.

If you’re not convinced that getting strong matters for you, please read on.

Getting stronger improves every other physical quality.

Are you interested becoming more powerful to help you dominate your rec sports or golf game? Getting stronger helps with this.

Are you a runner or triathlete trying to shave minutes off your best race time? Building physical strength is one of the best ways to do it.

Many new clients want to increase their flexibility. In many cases I find they actually lack strength and neuromuscular control, not range of motion. Once I get them on a well-rounded strength training program, their flexibility almost always increases without any extra stretching or foam rolling.

Talk to any great strength and conditioning coach for young athletes and they’ll tell you they prioritize building strength over just about anything else. This is because getting stronger elevates all other physical qualities including speed, agility, conditioning, power, and mobility and flexibility.

Trying to improve any of these skills with a weak client or athlete is a recipe for lackluster results or potential injury. Strength is the base upon which everything else is built.

strong runner race weight lifting — Getting stronger has helped my marathon runners set big PRs.

Getting stronger can help you feel better and reduce the risk of future pain and injuries.

These days, it’s rare to meet a new client who doesn’t suffer from some kind of joint or muscle pain. Knee pain, shoulder pain, and low back pain are the most common, but I’ve seen just about every imaginable combination of pain and injuries in the hundreds of clients I’ve worked with over the years.

If a client is dealing with persistent or intense pain, I always refer them out to a physical therapist or physician. But many people just need to improve their movement quality, add in more regular exercise, and build some strength.

I can’t tell you how many clients have dramatically decreased their pain levels just by consistently following a safe, smart, strength-focused training program. The quality of life increase you could experience if you start lifting weights cannot be overstated. You’re also much less likely to injure yourself in the future when you learn how to control your body and counteract hours of sitting or repetitive movements.

Getting stronger makes daily life much easier.

A couple years after I started lifting, I began to notice some surprising changes. I was able to move with ease, control, and confidence no matter what I was doing. As someone who used to always feel slow, clumsy, and weak, this was a huge change in the way I carried myself and showed up in the world. This transformation happened because I was getting stronger and building a new and powerful connection with my body.

I notice my quads and glutes engaging as I bike or climb stairs. I feel my arms, back, and core muscles turn on when I’m carrying grocery bags in from the car. I know which muscles to fire when I’m attempting to safely pick up a heavy box from the floor. After years of strength training and building these mind-muscle connections, I now feel strong doing just about everything. I use the movements I practice in the gym to aid the movements I do in my daily life.

There are so many daily tasks that get easier when you’re strong. Here are just a few common examples:

Lifting a heavy suitcase into an overhead bin on a plane.
Carrying all your groceries in one trip. Bonus points if you have to walk up multiple flights of stairs like I do.
Carrying kids or pets. They can both be quite heavy!
Moving heavy boxes or furniture
Climbing flights of stairs

strong strength muscle women lifting training — Being strong feels awesome.

What to do next

You can’t know all of the positive benefits getting strong will have on your life until you try. Here are a few resources I’ve put together to help you get started on your strength training quest:

I’m New to the Weight Room. Where Should I Start?

Just Getting Back in the Gym? Start Here.

Design a More Efficient Workout

5 Ways to Lift More Weight

Strength Training for Special Populations:

Why Musicians Need Strength Training

What Runners Must Know About Strength Training

Squats and deadlifts are two of the best exercises for building strength. If you want to get better at these great lifts, you need to download your free copy of my ebook Squat and Deadlift school.

I share my favorite form tips, troubleshoot common problems, and provide progressions to help you work toward (or supplement) barbell training.

I’m confident both novice and experienced lifters can use the book and accompanying videos to take their training to the next level.

October 16, 2018April 18, 2019

Why Musicians Need Strength Training

Before I began working in fitness, I had a past life as a classical musician. I spent over a decade practicing, rehearsing and immersing myself in the world of orchestral brass playing.

Physical activity was an essential part of studio life in Michael Mulcahy’s trombone studio at Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music. Professor Mulcahy, an avid swimmer, would have everyone in studio class explain what exercise we planned to do each week. During my four years at Northwestern, at least five people in our studio (including myself) lost a substantial amount of weight and got in great shape. My classmates used to joke that we were on a mission to become the fittest trombone studio in the country.

strong musician trombone strength training — Me and some of my NU classmates

Professor Mulcahy’s emphasis on physical fitness was a crucial part of his successful studio. But I want to take his message a step further and explain why musicians not only need exercise in general, they need strength training in particular.

What do I know about this subject? I noticed substantial improvements in my own playing when I lost weight and started lifting weights on a regular basis. I’ve also worked directly with many musicians. My very first training job was working with more than 20 of my Bienen School of Music classmates during my final year at Northwestern. I’ve also trained a number of musicians in person and online since I became a full-time trainer.

Isn’t Strength Training Bad for Musicians?

When I was immersed in the music world, I would sometimes hear that strength training was “bad” for musicians. I was skeptical of these notions back then and now, after working for almost 5 years in the fitness industry, I can explain why they are inaccurate. Here are a few myths and then the facts:

Strength training will diminish the fine motor control I need to play my instrument.

The image of the clumsy, bulky meathead is persistent in popular culture. In my experience, strength training often has the opposite effect. If you spend several months following a smart, structured, and safe training program, your body awareness will increase dramatically. You will have greater mastery over your nervous system and more control over the way you move. This will enhance, not take away from, your technical skills.

Strength training will make me big and bulky, which will negatively affect my performance.

Getting big or adding muscle doesn’t happen by accident. It requires many months (and years) of consistent hard work coupled with plenty of extra calories. Following a simple strength training program centered around basic compound movements will not add substantial size to your body if you aren’t eating enough calories to build lots of muscle.

An ideal training program is designed to improve your overall movement quality. This means including mobility work, choosing appropriate exercises for your body and your goals, and using loading schemes and modalities which feel good. If you do these things consistently, you will feel and move better, not worse.

Cardio is good enough.

Research shows that all people can from benefit from some kind of regular strength training routine. Lifting weights provides benefits you simply can’t get from other forms of exercise, including increased bone density, development of different energy systems, and increased physical strength. You may think you don’t need these things, but they go a long way toward making your everyday life – and your playing – more comfortable and less exhausting. Getting stronger makes everything else easier and this also applies to playing your instrument (as I will discuss more below).

overweight musician trombone strength training — Before I started lifting weights, I had much more difficulty moving and playing my instrument for long periods of time.

Benefits of Strength Training for Musicians

Now that I’ve cleared up these common misconceptions and explained some of the positives of strength training for musicians, let’s take a look at some additional benefits.

Improved Posture

Posture is at the core of good technique for all musicians. If you can’t maintain good posture, your playing suffers. This is true for both wind instrumentalists, who depend on easy breathing, as well as string players and percussionists, whose performance is more physical.

Poor posture doesn’t just keep you from sounding your best, it can lead to nagging aches and pains. Before I lost weight, I used to experience excruciating lower back pain after sitting in long rehearsals. When I started getting stronger, my back pain all but disappeared. This was a huge game changer for me and made long rehearsals and performances much more enjoyable.

What musician wouldn’t want to comfortably play for longer periods of time? With a smart strength training regimen, you can build the physical foundation for more solid posture and see significant benefits in your own playing.

To improve your posture, include plenty of anti-movement core exercises in your workouts. You should also spend time specifically building a strong back. Pay particular attention to your upper back using exercises like face pulls.

Counteract Repetitive Motions

Repetitive movements are required to play most instruments. If you don’t do anything to counteract these movements on a regular basis, you can end up with a nasty case of tendonitis or other overuse issues.

Here are a few tips to help you stay strong and balanced:

Always perform a dynamic warmup before exercising. If you feel particularly tight and stiff when you wake up, perform some of these drills before your morning practice session or rehearsal.
Focus on compound movements that use lots of muscles and joints (squat, hip hinge, push, pull, loaded carry). You may want to avoid isolation exercises that only focus on one joint, especially in the upper body (curls, tricep exercises, shoulder raises, etc.).
Musicians may want to prioritize core training and back training. These two areas have the biggest payoff to help you feel and play your best.
If you have shoulder issues, be cautious about overdoing pressing exercises. Ask yourself whether or not you need to do overhead pressing movements. If you’re going to bench press, learn to pack your shoulders. On all other pressing movements, practice reaching and don’t allow yourself to shrug.
Skip any exercise that hurts. Do not train through pain.
Use a full range of motion whenever possible. If you’re struggling to own a particular range of motion, add in some CARs in between sets of strength exercises. Check out this great article from my friend Tommy to learn more about CARs.

Increased Focus, More Energy, Better Sleep

During my freshman year of college, before I started exercising on a regular basis, I had a serious energy management problem. I got plenty of sleep each night but I still felt exhausted during the day. I used to drink three cups of coffee in the dining hall at lunch just so I could stay awake during my afternoon seminar. I also frequently found myself dozing off during long rehearsals. As you might imagine, this was problematic to my musical development.

The first thing I noticed when I added regular exercise into my routine was a dramatic increase in my energy levels. I no longer needed my lunchtime coffee just to stay awake during the afternoon. I fell asleep easier and woke up feeling refreshed. All of this led to much more focused practice sessions throughout the day.

Regular cardio and strength training sessions will help you sleep better and have more energy and focus during the day. These benefits alone can make a dramatic positive impact on your playing.

Mental Parallels to Music

One of the more subtle benefits to strength training is the helpful analogue it provides to your musical journey. Just like improving your playing, getting stronger is a long game. To keep seeing improvements you have to be consistent, focused, patient, and curious about the way your body works. There are endless parallels between refining your physical skills in the weight room and refining your musical skills in the practice room.

It’s healthy to have hobbies outside of music, and it’s an added bonus when those hobbies help you grow as a performer. I found strength training to be a fun and fulfilling release. I loved pushing myself out of my comfort zone and seeing my physical and mental growth in the weight room. I loved then taking these wins with me to become a stronger, more relaxed, and more confident musician.

What to Do Next

I hope I’ve convinced you to give strength training a shot. Here are a few additional resources to help you get started:

Design a More Efficient Workout

I’m New to the Weight Room. Where Should I Start?

Just Getting Back in the Gym? Start Here.

If you want more specific guidance, please fill out an application for my online training program. Together, we will work to create a fitness program tailored to your individual experience, goals, and resources. I’ve worked with dozens of musicians and have a proven track record of helping performers of all kinds feel better so they can perform better.

October 9, 2018April 23, 2019

Why Motivation Doesn’t Work (and What to Do Instead)

What is motivation exactly?

At some point, we’ve all been fired up to work out:

Perhaps you watched an inspiring video and you’re excited to hit the gym.
If you just signed up for a race or purchased a new training program, you may feel eager to start your new workouts.
Maybe you’re one of the millions of people who, upon reflecting about the last year, feel a strong push to make changes on January 2.
Motivation can also come from a negative experience, like not being able to button your favorite pair of jeans.

Many of us prefer to be in the right mood before we work out. If we “don’t feel like it,” we may not go to the gym today. Sometimes, when we don’t want to work out but know we should, we search for a bit of inspiration. If we can just find the right video, story, or transformation photo, then we will find the energy to drag our butts to the gym.

The problem with relying on motivation is that motivation is fleeting. It’s a feeling, and feelings come and go. Allowing our actions to be dictated by our feelings gets us into all kinds of trouble because we can’t truly control our feelings, only our responses to those feelings.

We need some way to ensure action even when we are dealing with a negative emotion or lack a positive one.

If you constantly seek motivation, the things that once inspired you will eventually lose their effectiveness. Those videos of impressive physical feats, tear-jerker personal posts, or jaw-dropping before and after photos? Eh, not doing it for you anymore. Now you have to keep chasing some new and novel source of motivation. Eventually you become numb to all of this stuff and still don’t feel like going to the gym.

Motivation feels good in the moment, but it can be counterproductive to long term success. We start to crave this good feeling and associate it with working out. On days we don’t feel motivated, inspired, or energized, it is even harder to drag ourselves to the gym.

motivation doesn't work exercise momentum — You shouldn’t always expect to feel like this.

The solution? Use momentum

Think back to your high school physics class when you learned about inertia. Inertia is a property of matter that states that a body in motion tends to stay in motion, while a body at rest tends to stay at rest. This has many implications beyond its literal scientific application.

Getting started is always the hardest part of making a change. Once you’ve gotten the ball rolling, you’ll have a much easier time sticking with your new routine.

We are all creatures of habit, and habit can work for or against us. The choice is up to you. Make a realistic plan and don’t allow yourself to give up as you wade through the challenging first steps. Put your gym time on your calendar as an important meeting that cannot be skipped. After a couple weeks of practicing and keeping your commitments, your new habits and routines will start to become more automatic.

Momentum helps keep us going so we don’t skip the gym just because we aren’t feeling it. We may not feel inspired to work out, but we go anyway because we’ve been doing so well and don’t want to stop. This is the power of building momentum – the positive effects of your own actions take the place of fickle and fleeting feelings of motivation.

Our core identities start to change as we build momentum. When we consistently keep our commitments, we begin to look at ourselves in a different light. Instead of being a person who always skips the gym, we gradually become a person who never misses a workout. You can accelerate this process by deciding to live as if you’re already the person you want to become. Ask yourself, “what would a fit person do in this situation?” “If I never struggled to stick to an exercise routine, what decisions would I make today?” Then act accordingly.

What to do when motivation doesn’t strike

Here’s my quick and easy advice for what to do when you don’t feel motivated to go the gym: do it anyway.

Each time you show up you build positive momentum, making it less and less likely you’ll skip workouts in the future. The majority of your workouts will feel pretty mediocre, and that’s perfectly ok. Just show up and do the best you can.

There are, of course, legitimate reasons to skip a workout. If you’re sick, it’s in everyone’s best interest for you to stay home. Emergencies, last-minute meetings, and unavoidable changes of plans happen. However, when you find yourself about to skip the gym, honestly consider whether you have a real reason not to train or if you’re just feeling uninspired. Consistency trumps everything else in the long run. It may seem harmless to skip a workout when you’re feeling lazy, but over time skipping chips away at your results.

If you find you are consistently unmotivated, you may need to reassess your training. Many people feel pressured to chase goals which don’t resonate with them or align with their values. Sit down and think about what is truly important to you. If your current workouts aren’t getting you where you want to go, it may be time to change course. Make sure your workout program is realistic and appropriate for your schedule and your fitness level.

If you’re still struggling to stick to a training routine, find some extra accountability. It’s much harder to bail on the gym when a trainer or workout buddy is there waiting for you.

Lastly, make sure you’re spending plenty of time doing things you like. Training should ultimately be fun and enjoyable on some level. If you don’t enjoy your workouts, you won’t stick with them for long.

If you want more tools, tips, and strategies to help you dominate your health and fitness goals, sign up for my email list here. I’ll send you my 4C System, a free 5-day email course teaching you to become a more consistent exerciser (without overly relying on motivation).

October 2, 2018June 22, 2021

How I Learned to Cook (And You Can Too)

When I moved into my first apartment just after my freshman year of college, I had no idea how to cook. Most of the food I had prepared up to that point in my life was made in a microwave. My idea of grocery shopping included buying bags of chips, instant oatmeal and maybe the odd piece of fruit.

Moving into my apartment also coincided with the start of my weight loss journey. I not only needed to prepare more of my own food because I no longer had access to a dining hall, I also wanted to learn how to make healthy meals.

I had no idea where to start, so I walked to a local used bookstore and browsed the cookbook section until I found something that seemed easy enough for a novice cook. I took the book home, read the appendices in the back, and started trying some simple recipes. I slowly started to learn what I liked and became more efficient.

During the years since this first foray into cooking, I’ve gained competence in the kitchen. I now enjoy preparing food and trying out new recipes. I’ve even hosted dinner parties where I cooked nicer meals for larger groups of people.

Learning to cook has also been an invaluable skill in my journey to lose weight and keep it off. I have much more control over the quantity and quality of food I’m putting into my body because I prepare most of it myself.

In this week’s blog post, I want to share the four strategies which helped me the most when I was first learning how to cook. I know many busy people struggle to cook meals they actually like to eat. After reading this, I hope you have the tools you need to make more healthy and delicious food at home.

Learn Basic Cooking Techniques

In order to cook with ease, you need a solid grasp of certain essential kitchen skills. No one likes to fumble around the kitchen because it takes them forever to chop vegetables or figure out the best way to cook a certain type of meat.

I recommend starting with basic knife skills. Next, learn techniques like steaming, roasting, sautéing, and grilling. With these basic skills, you can prepare almost any simple meal. You can also invest in a few kitchen appliances to make cooking easier.

YouTube is a fantastic place to learn any unfamiliar cooking techniques. The Kitchn also has a 20-day email course teaching you about kitchen basics.

knife skills cutting board home cooking — Chopping veggies is one of the most time-consuming parts of cooking. Learning basic knife skills makes it much easier.

Use Recipes and Templates

As I mentioned in the intro, I learned to cook using a cookbook. These days, you don’t even need to purchase a cookbook because there are so many great free resources online. Start with recipes requiring just a few ingredients and minimal hands-on time. Many online recipes tell you exactly how long they take at the top of the page. If the ingredients list includes too many unfamiliar items, look for something else.

Although I don’t follow a paleo diet, I find lots of healthy recipes on paleo cooking blogs. These recipes focus largely on protein and veggies and many are quite easy to make. Avoid recipes that try to recreate complicated dishes using paleo ingredients.

Once you get a bit more comfortable in the kitchen, you can develop some flexible, go-to meals you can make with whatever you have on hand. I call these templates and use them for most of my meals these days. Recipes are great, but they can handicap you if you’re not able to put together meals without them. My personal favorite templates are scrambled eggs with veggies, salads, and stir frys.

homemade salad healthy lunch — I make a salad every day for lunch. The beauty of meal templates is you can change textures and flavors without changing the entire meal.

Stock Your Kitchen

It’s tough to cook at home if you’re purchasing every ingredient you need each week. Build up a supply of basic oils, spices, and acids. If you don’t have much at your house right now, start by grabbing one or two new items each week. Over time, you’ll pick up all the things you’ll need on a regular basis.

Here’s a list of some of the kitchen staples I use most often:

Oils

Olive oil

Coconut oil

Avocado oil

Spices

Chinese five spice powder (great for making stir frys)

Chili powder

Cinnamon

Cumin

Curry Powder

Dill

Garam Masala (great for making Indian food)

Ginger

Granulated garlic

Ground black pepper

Kosher salt

Lemon pepper

Old Bay (great for seasoning seafood)

Oregano

Paprika

Steak seasonings – Montreal, Chicago, Mesquite

Whole dried bay leaves (great for soups)

Acids

Lemon juice

Lime juice

Apple cider vinegar

Balsamic vinegar

pantry spices home cook — A shot of my pantry in my old apartment. Notice the top rack of spices and the bottom rack of oils and acids.

Eat What You Like

Lots of people give up on cooking for themselves because all the food they make is bland and boring. This makes me sad because good cooking isn’t as difficult as people think. If you follow the first three steps in this blog, you’ll already be well on your way to making great tasting food at home.

One thing that’s helped me is seeking out recipes that imitate my favorite restaurant meals and styles of cooking. I love Asian and Latin food so tacos, stir frys, pho, and various Indian dishes are all in my regular dinner rotation. Think about which of your favorite foods can be adapted into relatively easy home-cooked meals. A quick google search will likely turn up dozens of food bloggers who’ve had the exact same idea and already did all the hard work (experimenting and creating the recipe) for you.

As you start to cook more of your own food, pay attention to what you like and dislike. You’re an adult and you don’t have to eat any food you don’t enjoy. This is true even if the food in question is supposedly the healthiest food on earth. There are so many options for healthy foods. Get creative and try new things. If you don’t enjoy the way you eat, you won’t be able to do it for long.

If you want more help learning to cook, check out Eleven Easy Meal Templates. This free guide shares my favorite easy, healthy, homemade meals. Sign up in the box below.

September 25, 2018October 14, 2019

Plan Ahead to Exercise and Eat Right Over the Holidays (Or Any Stressful Period)

The last few months of the year are anything but relaxing for many people. Despite the bombardment of seasonal advertisements promising joy, togetherness, and peace, this is the time of year when many of us feel the most unhappy, overwhelmed, and stressed.

As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, many people start to feel down in the dumps. Motivation to exercise and eat healthy wanes accordingly.

Additionally, holiday events and family time can create tons of extra stress. Even if you adore the holidays, you may still worry about purchasing gifts for your list, managing seasonal obligations, and making healthier choices amidst a never ending supply of drinks, sweets, and fried foods.

Regular exercise and healthy eating are often the first things to go when you’re stressed and short on time. The good news is, since you’re already aware of this risk, you can take steps ahead of time to make your life easier as you move into the fourth quarter.

Here are three steps I recommend you take now, before things get crazy:

Adjust priorities. For most people, the last quarter is a bad time to chase a fat loss goal. You will drive yourself crazy trying to avoid every tasty treat that crosses your path between October and December. Rather than setting yourself up to fail with too much restriction, change course and try to maintain your physique or use extra holiday calories to build strength or muscle.

Read more: Seasons of Lifting

Ask, “What does success look like for me?” We all have different struggles. For me, success during the holidays means avoiding binging. For you, it may mean staying consistent with your exercise regimen, even when you’re traveling. Yet another person’s vision of holiday success includes keeping their drinking under control. Determine what is most important to you so you can prioritize the behaviors and strategies that get you where you want to go.
Manage your minimums. I learned this phrase from Precision Nutrition and I think it’s especially relevant in this context. What are the bare essentials you must do to keep yourself on track? Once you’ve figured these out, direct most of your effort into knocking them out consistently. Everything else you do is just an added bonus.

Below, I share specific strategies for managing training and healthy eating during the fourth quarter (or any other period when you’re under a lot of stress). Just remember to focus on the things that matter most to you. You don’t need to do everything I’m suggesting here to stay on track this holiday season.

stressed out holidays — Don’t let this be you come October, November, and December!

How to exercise over the holidays

Do less, but do it consistently.

I’ve written about this over and over and over, but it bears repeating here: you do not need to spend hours and hours each week exercising. This is especially true if you’re just trying to maintain your current level of fitness during a period of stress. You’ll see better results by being consistent through the end of the year than you will by occasionally following the “perfect” workout plan and giving up by December.

You also don’t need a full hour for a great workout. If you only have 30, 20 or even 15 minutes to exercise, you can still do something worthwhile. When you release yourself from the need to train for long periods of time, you may actually find more time during the week for exercise.

Plan ahead.

Sit down with your calendar for the remainder of the year and determine how many workouts you can realistically commit to every single week. For most of you this will be just two or three workouts.

You should also consider the length of time that works best with your schedule. For example, if you have to train over your lunch break but can’t be away for more than an hour, you’ll do better with 20-30 minute workouts than 45 minute workouts.

Whenever possible, schedule your workouts into your calendar the same way you do with any other obligation. This helps protect your time and demonstrates to yourself you’re committed to training.

Get creative when you’re away from the gym.

Many people struggle to come up with workout ideas and inspiration when they’re away from their regular gyms. I wrote an entire article about training on the road. Check it out for lots of ideas about modifying your workouts when you’re traveling this holiday season.

How to eat healthy over the holidays

Plan ahead.

When you’re overwhelmed and stressed out, the last thing you want to do is spend precious time cooking food every single day. If you’re not already batch-cooking some of your weekly meals, now is a good time to start. Here are two approaches you can use:

Set aside a few hours on the weekend to prepare as many full meals as possible.
Prepare some items to use in multiple dishes. Make a batch of shredded chicken in the slow cooker, roast a pan of veggies, hard boil a dozen eggs, prepare a bunch of quinoa in the instant pot, etc. You could also chop up raw veggies to throw into soups, eggs, salads, and stir frys throughout the week.

Use a delivery service.

Not everyone has the time or desire to grocery shop or cook all of their meals. If this sounds like you and you have the means to hire a delivery service, you’ll save a ton of time and hassle. You can find services that send you raw ingredients, fully cooked meals, and everything in between. Do some research to decide which option makes the most sense for you.

healthy eating thanksgiving holidays christmas

Make healthier choices when eating out.

It’s unrealistic to expect to eat only healthy home-cooked meals this time of year. If you’re eating out at a restaurant, attending an event, or simply navigating the buffet at family Thanksgiving, try following these tips:

Prioritize protein and veggies and be sure to eat some with every meal.
Take just one plate of food, and try to use smaller dishes when possible.
Eat slowly and stop when you’re 80% full (not stuffed).
If you’re going to eat junkier foods (sweets, fried foods, etc.), make sure it’s something you really enjoy. Don’t eat the store-bought cookies just because they’re there.

Be mindful of alcohol.

It’s common to reach for a drink when you’re feeling stressed. However, some people lean more heavily on alcohol during the holidays than the rest of the year. Alcohol flows freely at holiday parties and family gatherings, and it’s tough to say no.

If you know you have a tendency to drink more than you’d like, try following one of these strategies:

Decide ahead of time how many drinks you’re going to have and stop once you hit this number. Recruit an accountability buddy at the same event to help keep you honest.
Drink a virgin drink (like soda water with lemon or coke zero) to make it seem as if you’re drinking. Some of my clients feel peer pressure to drink at work gatherings, and this strategy makes it easier to fit in with the crowd.
If you’re drinking as a response to stress, try to find alternative releases. Go for a walk, take some deep breaths, converse with a friend or loved one, read a book, exercise, meditate, take a bath, journal…the list goes on and on. Experiment to find what works for you.

With everything else, do your best.

You can’t do everything all at once. When dealing with lots of stress, your exercise and eating routines can easily fall by the wayside. It’s important to focus on the most important things and forget about anything not essential to your success.

Adjust your priorities and figure out what success looks like for you. Determine the one or two things which will make the biggest difference. Nail these as consistently as you can and do what you can to manage stress in the rest of your life, then try to relax and enjoy the season. If you prepare ahead of time, it’s much easier to thrive through a stressful period.

If you’re worried about staying in shape through the end of the year, I’ve got your back. Fill out an application for my online training program and we’ll work together to create a plan to keep you on track without losing your mind.

September 20, 2018September 20, 2018

Personal Training as a Second Career

I’m happy to share that I was recently published on a major fitness publication. The Personal Trainer Development Center is a huge website that provides education and training for fitness professionals. I’d been following their work for years when I met one of their editors, fitness writer Lou Schuler, back at The Fitness Summit in Kansas City earlier this year. Lou encouraged me to share my unique story about leaving the classical music world to become a trainer.

The post is geared toward helping other trainers make similar transitions, but I think some of you may find it interesting or valuable. I don’t often share all the details about deciding to take this scary leap. If you want to learn a bit more about me and how I got to where I am, visit the PTDC website to check out my article.

August 14, 2018August 21, 2019

How to Train Hard at a Bare Bones Commercial Gym

I fell in love with powerlifting during my first year of serious strength training. I read everything I could get my hands on from guys like Louie Simmons, Dave Tate, and Jim Wendler. I loved lifting heavy and spent lots of time at grungy, powerlifting-centric gyms. These gyms were loud, covered in chalk, and owned all kinds of cool equipment I never saw at other gyms.

powerlifter deadlifting 315 in a grungy basement gym — *Me circa 2013*

I also developed an unfortunate attitude about “hardcore” training. I believed my way of training was the best and only way to get results. I looked down on people who didn’t train for strength or, god forbid, belonged to a gym without barbells. I read articles making fun of these gyms and nodded in agreement, patting myself on the back for knowing better.

Over time, my attitude toward commercial gyms has done a complete 180. Two main factors contributed to this change. First, I started dating my boyfriend who was a longtime member of Planet Fitness. I had to stop making fun of him when I started going with him to train. I expected to see lots of ridiculous behavior from members and staff alike, but all I saw was a bunch of normal people doing their best. In my years of visiting multiple locations, I’ve never once heard the notorious lunk alarm used.

Second, the longer I worked in the fitness industry, the more I realized the value of doing what you can with what you have. Not everyone has access to a fully equipped gym. Some people can’t afford fancy gyms or travel too much to justify the cost. Some train at bare bones gyms out of convenience. Still others resonate with Planet Fitness’s marketing – their gym is a “safe space”, free of the macho swagger which is still widespread at many other gyms.

Who am I to judge the decisions people make for themselves? The most important thing is to find a workout routine that fits with your life, challenges you appropriately, and keeps you moving toward your goals. And thankfully, most people can see great results training at a bare bones commercial gym without any barbells or heavy weights. This post is all about how to have effective and challenging workouts with limited equipment.

Learn to use the tools at hand

Before we discuss how to modify your training, let’s review the equipment you will have at your disposal at a typical low budget commercial gym:

Dumbbells

Just about every gym has a set of dumbbells. These are incredibly versatile and can be used to train every movement and muscle group. Dumbbells provide a solid alternative to barbells if your gym doesn’t have the latter.

Most hotel gyms only have dumbbells up to 50lbs. At bare bones commercial gyms like Planet Fitness, dumbbells are typically capped at 75 lbs. Lack of access to heavier weights forces you to get creative with your training when you get stronger (more on this below).

Straight bars and EZ bars

Most commercial gyms have a handful of light fixed-weight bars lying around. You may be able to use these to load a variety of exercises depending on your strength.

Cable Stacks

Cable stacks are the tall towers with movable pulleys located in the center of most weight rooms. The pulleys can be set to multiple different heights and hooked up to a variety of different attachments. Most cable stacks are also attached to either seated low row and lat pulldown benches. I use cable stacks all the time with my clients, especially for pulling and core exercises.

Weight Machines

Weight machines allow you to train a particular muscle or movement. Most weight machines are single-use, meaning they can only be used to train one thing. For example, if you want to train your legs and your back on the same workout, you’ll need to use multiple weight machines.

Machines are a great choice if you’re new to lifting or out of shape. They can be problematic, however, if you try to force yourself into a machine that isn’t built well for your unique body. Be smart and never push past pain.

Smith Machines

Smith machines use attached barbells which move up and down. I recommend avoiding smith machines for traditional barbell exercises like squats, benching, and deadlifting unless you are a very experienced lifter. You can, however, use the smith machine to perform bodyweight exercises like hands-elevated push-ups, inverted rows, and even pull-ups.

I recommend doing a brain dump of all the exercises you know and use regularly for each movement or muscle group. You may be surprised just how many exercises you can do with this limited list of equipment. Keep this list on your phone or in your training notebook. Be sure to have a few alternatives in case the equipment you normally use is occupied.

What to do when you run out of weight

Perhaps the biggest challenge to effectively training at a bare bones gym is the lack of heavier weights. Below are some of my favorite strategies to increase difficulty without increasing weight.

Learn new exercises

This seems like a no brainer, but if you’re only using the same 20 exercises month after month, you can make your workouts more interesting by trying to master something new.

The pull-through is a great exercise to learn if you train at a gym without barbells.

Perform more reps at the same weight

If you’ve never tried to push yourself with high rep sets, you’re in for a big challenge. I regularly have clients who train at bare bones gyms perform sets of 20 or more squats with the heaviest weights available.

Group similar exercises together

I often program supersets with non-competitive exercises, such as pairing a dumbbell RDL with a dumbbell bench press. However, you can make exercises significantly more challenging by pairing similar exercises together in bigger sets. For example, one of my coaches used to program dumbbell RDLs, pull-throughs, and 45 degree back extensions into one giant set. Because these exercises are so similar, each exercise was more challenging than if it was performed by itself.

Increase time under tension

Time under tension refers to the total amount of time you spend during a set loading your muscles and joints. Any technique that drags out a set longer than normal increases the time under tension.

Rest-pause sets, also called clusters, are a great tool to keep intensity high while doing more work. You could perform six challenging reps of an exercise, pause for 20-30 seconds, perform three reps, pause for another 20-30 seconds, and perform a final two reps to get to 10 total reps. This would allow you to use significantly heavier weight than you could for a normal set of 10.
1.5 reps force you to do 50% more work for each rep. A 1.5 rep squat has you squatting all the way down, coming up halfway, going all the way back down, and then coming all the way back up.
Ratchet sets are similar to 1.5 reps but with more steps. For example, you could do a ratchet set squat where you go all the way down, come up ¼, go all the way back down, come up ½, go all the way back down, come up ¾, go all the way down, and finally come all the way up.
Drop sets are another tool to get more out of a set. Perform a set number of reps with one weight, then drop to a lower weight and perform more reps. I usually use 2-3 drops, but you can do as many as you want.

Other considerations

I always recommend following a program. You won’t get the best possible results if you regularly show up to the gym without a plan. A good program is flexible and takes any limitations of your gym into account.

Your workouts will go more smoothly if you use equipment located in the same area. Don’t walk back and forth across the gym to perform supersets if you can avoid it. Groups of exercises which use the same equipment or only need dumbbells (which you can move anywhere) are ideal.

Keep moving. You won’t need to take as much rest if you aren’t performing heavy, neurologically demanding exercises. Reducing your rest intervals is another way to progress from week to week and increase the intensity of your workouts.

Finally, don’t neglect conditioning. Your gym may not have fancy toys like kettlebells, battle ropes, or sleds, but you can still reap the benefits of higher heart rate training. Perform intervals on cardio machines or using bodyweight exercises like squats and pushups.

Your membership to a gym without barbells isn’t an excuse for poor results. With a bit of creativity, you can continue to grow and challenge yourself in any gym setting.

If you want some help creating an effective workout for a bare bones gym, you’re in luck. I created Full45, a done-for-you program to take you through three months of strength training workouts using only the equipment found at Planet Fitness. Learn more and grab your copy at this link.

August 7, 2018October 14, 2019

Do Less to Do More

As someone who’s made a living helping people, I’ve spent a lot of time pondering why some people are able to change and others are not. My most successful clients have a few things in common:

They take ownership of their situation and truly believe in their ability to change it.
They work hard and are consistent with their training and healthy eating.
They all make small changes and transform themselves gradually.

I haven’t had a single client who attempted to make multiple major changes at once and was successful long term. Yet much of the general public still assumes this is the best and only way to lose weight, build muscle, get stronger, and improve their health.

If I’ve learned anything about the psychology of change during my five years in the fitness industry, it’s that slow and steady really does win the race. Doing less initially can actually help you do much more overall.

Why We Aren’t Good at Dramatic Changes

Many of us think we can successfully quit something cold turkey or overhaul our entire lifestyle in a matter of weeks. Unfortunately, we are almost always setting ourselves up for failure with this approach.

We can only manage a finite amount of stress at any given time. Stress comes from many different sources including your job, relationships, travel, physical activity, and health issues. Unless your work and personal lives are totally chill (and whose are), you only have a limited amount of brain power left to devote to making lifestyle changes. If you overload yourself with difficult changes, it’s only a matter of time before you burn out and quit. All of the willpower in the world will not help you if you take on more than you can handle.

I’ve also found that every restrictive diet or grueling exercise plan is accompanied by an equal reaction in the opposite direction. A couple years ago, I went on a fairly strict diet for three months. I wanted to see fast, dramatic results, and I got them. However, after I decided to relax a bit, I went through several months of near-uncontrollable binge eating. I couldn’t sustain my strict eating plan and demanding training regimen when the rest of my life became busier, and I rebounded from months of restriction and built-up stress with months of overindulgence. I ended up gaining much of my lost weight back, which was a frustrating and embarrassing experience.

One Thing at a Time

There’s a better way to move forward and improve your life, no matter what goals you’re chasing. Instead of trying to do everything all at once, focus on making just one small change at a time.

If you have a list of many changes you want to make, start by picking the one you know you can manage right now. The best changes require you to take action in some small way every single day.

You’re also better off picking pro-habits instead of anti-habits, at least at first. This means instead of saying “I won’t eat sweets after dinner,” say “I’ll eat a piece of fruit after dinner to quell my sweet tooth.” Pro-habits are more empowering than anti-habits because they give you practical tools to make better decisions.

Before you decide on a change, ask yourself how confident you are you can make this change on a scale of 1-10 (1 = no way I can do this, 10 = I can do this in my sleep). If your answer is 7 or lower, consider breaking the change down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Pick something you can actually do and don’t stretch beyond your current capabilities.

I recommend focusing on just one habit for two weeks. For fourteen days in a row, devote all your focus and energy to making this one change. Only consider adding a new habit after the two weeks are up. If after two weeks you’re still struggling with the initial habit, you have two options: keep working at it until you can nail the habit at least five days per week, or scale back the habit to something you can manage. When done correctly, over the course of many months you will successfully make multiple positive changes to your lifestyle.

1% Better

In the beginning, it may seem like making one small change at a time does very little to get you where you want to go. And it’s true that you probably won’t see tremendous progress over the course of two to four weeks. You may not even see a dramatic transformation after three months. Over the long term, however, you are much more likely to see lasting and profound changes.

If you focus on getting just 1% better every day, by the end of the year you will be 365% ahead of where you’re at right now. Think of how much better your life could be if you followed this approach consistently and trusted the process Instead of riding the neverending roller coaster of crash dieting and re-gaining weight, you’d make changes that stick. Rather than dragging yourself kicking and screaming into a new restrictive routine, you’d find ways to gradually make positive changes work with your existing lifestyle and values.

Racking up small wins is a powerful motivator for continued progress. Nailing your one habit day after day builds confidence in your ability to change. Trying to change everything about your life all at once has the opposite effect; when you inevitably get overwhelmed and have to stop your mad dash for results, you feel discouraged and start to mistakenly believe nothing you do will ever work. In reality, you need to do less in order to do more. Making fewer changes at once ultimately lets you experience more success.

If you want additional help tackling your goals, sign up for my email list using the box below. When you sign up I’ll send you my 4C System, a free 5-day email course teaching you to become a more consistent exerciser. I also send out regular tools, tips, articles, and recipes to my email list that I don’t share anywhere else.