|
Tired of losing and regaining the same weight over and over? Learn how to break free from the diet-lose-regain cycle by focusing on simple, sustainable habits that support fat loss, confidence, and strength, without giving up your favorite foods.
If you’ve ever said, “I know what to do, I just can’t stay consistent,” this is for you. Most women I talk to have tried everything. . . keto, low-carb, fasting, cutting out sugar — and yet they still feel stuck in the same cycle: ➡️ Diet hard. ➡️ Lose some weight. ➡️ Burn out. ➡️ Regain it all (and usually more). If that sounds familiar, I want you to know this: it’s not your fault. You’ve been taught to chase short-term results instead of building long-term habits. The truth is, your body doesn’t fail you. The method fails you. Why Quick-Fix Diets Keep You Stuck The problem with most diets is that they rely on restriction, eat as little as possible, move as much as possible, and somehow expect your body to cooperate. Here’s what really happens:
The Habit-First Approach That Actually Works If you want to lose fat and keep it off, it’s not about eating perfectly or doing more cardio. It’s about creating daily habits that make healthy choices automatic. At Phoenix Rising, we teach women to focus on addition before restriction, meaning we add in the right things before we ever take anything away. This shift builds confidence, balance, and sustainability, the opposite of crash dieting. 5 Habits That Create Real, Lasting Fat Loss 1. Prioritize Protein at Every Meal Protein isn’t just for bodybuilders, it’s essential for women who want to lose fat, build tone, and stay full. It helps preserve muscle, boost metabolism, and control hunger. ✨ Try this: Start your day with 25–30g of protein. Eggs, Greek yogurt, or a shake. You’ll feel fuller, have fewer cravings, and start your morning on track. 2. Strength Train (Even 2–3x a Week) Muscle is the engine that burns calories 24/7. Yet most women avoid lifting weights out of fear of “getting bulky.” In reality, strength training sculpts your body and supports your metabolism long-term. ✨ Try this: Swap one cardio day for a full-body strength session or join a RISE Strength & Mobility class where we blend strength, core, and mobility for a balanced workout. 3. Ditch the All-or-Nothing Mindset You don’t need to be perfect to see results, you just need to be consistent enough. Missing a workout or eating pizza doesn’t “ruin” anything unless you quit after. ✨ Try this: When life gets busy, do the minimum effective dose. Ten minutes of movement > none. A balanced dinner after a rough day > giving up until Monday. 4. Plan Ahead (Without Tracking Forever) Most people don’t fail because they lack willpower, they fail because they don’t have a plan. ✨ Try this: Spend 10 minutes on Sunday writing down:
5. Find Accountability and Support Trying to do it all alone is the fastest way to burn out. We all need community, people who remind us why we started and keep us moving when motivation fades. ✨ Try this: Surround yourself with others who are on the same journey. In my Phoenix Rising community, women thrive because they’re supported. Not shamed. Sustainable Fat Loss Isn’t Sexy, But It Works You won’t lose 10lbs in a week, but you’ll gain something better: freedom. Freedom from guilt, from starting over every Monday, from fearing food or failure. Because when you focus on habits instead of hype, results stop being temporary. You’ll build strength, energy, and confidence and that lasts far beyond any diet. Ready to Stop Starting Over? If you’re tired of doing this alone, my Phoenix Rising coaching program can help you build the habits that make fat loss simple and sustainable. No extremes, no guilt, no endless cardio. 👉 Book your free discovery call and let’s create your personalized plan together.
0 Comments
Summer distractions don’t have to derail your goals.
Learn 5 simple, realistic ways to reset your fitness and nutrition this fall so you can feel confident heading into the holidays. Summer tends to fly by in a blur of travel, cookouts, and busy schedules. If you feel like you didn’t make the progress you wanted these past few months, you’re not alone. The good news? September is the perfect time to reset, refocus, and commit to simple habits that will carry you through the holidays feeling stronger, healthier, and more confident. Here are five actionable steps you can start today: 1. Rebuild Your Routine With Small Wins Don’t feel like you need to “go all in” right away. Instead, start by picking one or two healthy habits you know you can stick to — like walking 10 minutes after lunch or hitting your protein target at breakfast. Small wins create momentum and consistency, which matters more than perfection. 2. Prioritize Strength Training Over Endless Cardio If fat loss and confidence are your goals, resistance training should be your foundation. Even two to three sessions per week can make a big difference in metabolism, strength, and energy. Plus, building muscle helps your body burn more calories at rest. 3. Fuel Your Body (Don’t Starve It) Skipping meals or cutting calories too hard usually backfires — leaving you hungry, tired, and more likely to binge later. Instead, focus on eating enough lean protein, fiber-rich carbs, and healthy fats to fuel your day. Balanced meals keep blood sugar stable and make fat loss sustainable. 4. Get Back to Basics With Sleep & Stress It’s easy to overlook, but your sleep quality and stress levels play a massive role in fat loss and overall health. Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep and carve out even 5 minutes for deep breathing, journaling, or stretching. You’ll notice a difference in energy and cravings almost immediately. 5. Set a “Mini Goal” Before the Holidays Rather than thinking about everything you want to achieve, pick a short-term goal to aim for between now and Thanksgiving. Maybe it’s losing 5 pounds, increasing your squat weight, or simply fitting into your favorite jeans more comfortably. Short deadlines keep motivation high. ✅ Remember: Fall is a fresh start, not a punishment for summer. You don’t need to overhaul your life to see results — just focus on consistency with the basics. If you’re ready for accountability and a clear plan, I can help you simplify the process and finally reach your goals without restriction or burnout. Book a free discovery call here → Coach KayliNASM Certified Personal Trainer and NCI Certified Nutrition Coach specializing in women’s health, fat loss, and mindset transformation. Summer is almost here—and if you’re like most women I coach, you’re probably feeling a little pressure to "get it together" before the season hits full swing. Maybe you’ve tried to start over more times than you can count. You’ve done the crazy cardio routines, skipped meals, cut carbs, and downloaded another free challenge hoping this time it will stick.
But let me tell you something powerful: It’s not too late. You don’t need to be perfect. And you definitely don’t need to punish your body to feel confident this summer. The next 90 days can look and feel completely different—not because you finally found the "magic fix," but because you focused on what actually works. Let’s break it down. Why Most Fat Loss Plans Don’t Work (And What to Do Instead) The biggest mistake I see women make this time of year? They go all in.
What works? Building a sustainable system of habits you can actually stick with—even on a busy Tuesday or a low-energy weekend. 5 Things You Can Start Doing Today These are simple. They’re doable. And most importantly, they work. 1. Pick Your BAMs (Bare Ass Minimums) These are the 4 daily non-negotiables I teach in my Phoenix Rising program:
2. Choose 3 Autopilot Breakfasts + 3 Autopilot Lunches Don’t play macro Tetris every night. Instead, create a simple meal rotation that hits your protein and fiber goals without making you think too hard. Not sure how? I’ve got a free plug-and-play guide you can download right [here]. 3. Lift Something Heavy Twice a Week Cardio won’t shape your body—strength training will. You don’t need hours in the gym. Just commit to moving your body with resistance a couple times a week. Your metabolism and your future self will thank you. 4. Focus on MORE, Not Less Instead of obsessing over what to cut, focus on what to add:
5. Track Your Wins (Not Just Your Weight) You are not a number on a scale. Track your strength. Your energy. Your consistency. Your confidence. Because those are the things that stick when the scale fluctuates. If You Start Now, You’ll Be So Glad You Did Imagine where you could be 90 days from now if you stopped overcomplicating the process and just focused on the right things. You could:
Something New Is Coming... I’m getting ready to launch my brand-new Phoenix Rising Group Coaching Community before the end of this month—and it’s built just for women like you:
More details are coming soon—but if your gut says this could be the thing that finally sticks, stay close. This summer? We rise. ✨ Ready to simplify your next 90 days? Start with your BAMs today, and watch what happens. You in? By Coach KayliLosing weight in your 40s feels different than it did in your 20s and 30s—because it is! Many women notice that the strategies they once relied on (eating less, doing more cardio, skipping meals) no longer work. In fact, they often backfire, leading to stalled progress, low energy, and frustration.
The good news? Weight loss in your 40s is absolutely possible—you just need the right approach that supports your metabolism rather than wrecking it. Here’s how you can lose fat, build strength, and feel amazing without extreme dieting. Why Losing Weight Feels Harder After 40Many women believe that weight gain in their 40s is just an unavoidable part of aging, but that’s not entirely true. The real reasons fat loss feels harder include: ✅ Hormonal Changes: Estrogen and progesterone start to fluctuate, affecting how your body stores fat—often leading to more accumulation around the midsection. ✅ Muscle Loss: If you aren’t actively working to maintain or build muscle, your body naturally loses it over time, slowing your metabolism. ✅ Higher Stress Levels: Busy careers, family responsibilities, and less time for self-care lead to higher cortisol levels, which can contribute to fat storage. ✅ Slower Recovery: Your body doesn’t bounce back as quickly, making excessive exercise and undereating even more harmful. So what’s the solution? Instead of chasing quick fixes, you need a sustainable, metabolism-friendly approach. 5 Steps to Losing Weight Without Damaging Your Metabolism 1. Prioritize Protein for Fat Loss and Muscle Retention. Protein is non-negotiable if you want to lose fat without losing muscle. It helps keep you full, supports muscle maintenance, and even has a thermic effect—meaning your body burns more calories digesting it. 💡 Goal: Aim for 0.7-1g of protein per pound of body weight daily. 🔹 Simple ways to hit your protein target:
2. Strength Train to Keep Your Metabolism High If you’re relying solely on cardio to lose weight, you’re missing a key piece of the puzzle. Strength training helps you build and preserve muscle, which keeps your metabolism fast and prevents that dreaded “skinny fat” look. 💡 Goal: Train 3-4x per week, focusing on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts, bench presses, and pull-ups. 🔹 Strength training benefits:
One of the biggest mistakes women make in their 40s is eating too little. Severely cutting calories might lead to weight loss at first, but it also causes muscle loss, slows your metabolism, and increases cravings, making long-term fat loss nearly impossible. 💡 Solution: Instead of eating as little as possible, focus on eating enough to fuel your workouts and recovery. A reasonable calorie deficit (200-500 calories below maintenance) is plenty to see steady fat loss. 🔹 How to know if you’re eating too little:
Cardio is great for heart health, but excessive cardio can increase stress hormones, break down muscle, and slow your metabolism. 💡 Goal: Instead of spending hours on the treadmill, aim for 2-3 days of cardio per week and make it intentional—think brisk walks, incline treadmill work, or short HIIT sessions. 🔹 Best cardio options for fat loss:
💡 Solution: Create habits that reduce stress and improve recovery. 🔹 Simple stress-reducing habits:
If your goal is to lose weight in your 40s and beyond, the old ways of dieting and endless cardio won’t cut it. Instead, focus on building muscle, eating enough protein, and managing stress. By following these steps, you won’t just lose weight—you’ll feel stronger, have more energy, and create a body that looks and feels incredible for years to come. 🚀 Ready to lose fat and get strong without the diet rollercoaster? Stay tuned—I have something coming soon that will help you get there! 💪🔥 As the New Year kicks off, many of us are setting health and fitness goals. For those looking to lose weight or build muscle, one question often comes up: "How can I speed up my metabolism?" While the idea of revving up your metabolism sounds great, it’s essential to separate fact from fiction and focus on strategies that truly work. In this blog post, we’ll bust common myths about metabolism and provide actionable steps to help you support your metabolism for lasting results. What Is Metabolism? Your metabolism is the process your body uses to convert food into energy. It’s not a single organ or system but a series of chemical reactions that keep you alive and functioning. The speed of your metabolism—your metabolic rate—is influenced by several factors, including:
Myth-Busting: What Won’t Speed Up Your Metabolism! Before diving into what works, let’s dispel some common misconceptions:
5 Proven Ways to Support Your Metabolism 1. Build and Maintain Muscle: Resistance training is one of the most effective ways to increase your resting metabolic rate. Muscle tissue requires more energy to maintain than fat, meaning you burn more calories even when at rest. Aim for at least 2-3 strength training sessions per week. Action Step: Start incorporating compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses to build muscle. 2. Prioritize Protein in Every Meal: Protein has the highest thermic effect of food (TEF), meaning your body burns more calories digesting protein compared to carbs or fat. Protein also helps preserve muscle mass during weight loss. Action Step: Include a source of protein (e.g., chicken, fish, tofu, eggs, or Greek yogurt) with every meal and snack. 3. Stay Consistently Active: While exercise is essential, non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) also plays a huge role in calorie burn. This includes all the movement you do outside of workouts, such as walking, cleaning, or even fidgeting. Action Step: Set a daily step goal, such as 8,000-10,000 steps, to increase your overall activity level. 4. Don’t Skimp on Sleep: Poor sleep disrupts hormones that regulate hunger and metabolism, such as leptin and ghrelin. Chronic sleep deprivation can make weight management more challenging. Action Step: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night and establish a consistent sleep schedule. 5. Fuel Your Body Consistently: Under-eating can cause your metabolism to slow down over time as your body tries to conserve energy. Ensure you’re eating enough calories to support your activity level and goals. Action Step: Work with a coach or use a calorie-tracking app to determine the right caloric intake for you. Kickstart Your 2025 Metabolism Goals The start of a new year is the perfect time to take control of your health and set yourself up for success. By focusing on building muscle, eating enough protein, staying active, prioritizing sleep, and fueling your body properly, you can create a lifestyle that supports a healthy metabolism—no gimmicks needed. If you’re ready to start the year strong and want expert guidance, let me help you achieve your goals! I specialize in helping women in their 30s-50s regain confidence, build strength, and simplify fat loss with sustainable methods. Let’s work together to make 2025 your healthiest year yet. Click below to learn more about my personalized coaching programs! By Coach KayliHow to Feel Full and Satisfied From Your Meals
We’ve all been there—trying to follow an eating plan perfectly, only to still feel hungry which leads to overeating. Feeling full and satisfied from your meals is crucial for weight management, as it helps prevent overeating and reduces the temptation to snack on unhealthy foods. But how can you achieve that sense of satisfaction without overindulging? This blog article explores:
Recognizing true fullnessMany of us have trouble recognizing when we’re truly full, often continuing to eat past the point of satisfaction. Understanding what feeling full actually means can be surprisingly tricky, as many of us have lost touch with our body’s natural satiety signals due to stress, busy schedules, or ingrained eating habits. True fullness should feel like a comfortable satisfaction, where hunger is gone, and you feel energized without being overly full or bloated. However, many people struggle to feel this way after their meals and are never truly satisfied. Achieving a sense of fullness and satisfaction involves two main factors: nutrition and eating habits. Nutrition and fullnessEver wonder why some big meals leave you feeling satisfied and energized while others leave you still hungry or sluggish? Feeling full and satisfied from your meals is not just about how much you eat, but also the quality and nutrition of your food. Here are our top tips to feel full and satisfied from your meals. Focus on protein Protein is powerful when it comes to managing hunger levels. It promotes satiety by releasing hormones that signal to your brain that you are full and satisfied. High-protein foods like lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, and Greek yogurt are particularly effective at keeping you feeling full longer. Including a source of protein in every meal and snack helps maintain a sense of fullness throughout the day, preventing overeating and supporting balanced energy levels. Balance your macros Eating a mix of protein, fats, and carbohydrates in each meal is key to feeling full and satisfied. Each of these macronutrients plays a unique role in promoting satiety and sustaining energy levels. For example, if you have just a plain bagel for breakfast, you might feel hungry again soon. But if you choose whole-grain toast topped with avocado, a scrambled egg, and a side of berries, you’re getting a balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. This balanced meal will keep you feeling fuller and more energized for longer. Choose whole foods Opting for whole, unprocessed foods can make a big difference in how full and satisfied you feel. Whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, are rich in essential nutrients and fiber that promote satiety and help you feel fuller for longer. On the other hand, processed foods, such as chips, cookies, and sugary snacks, are often engineered to be hyper-palatable, making them hard to stop eating. These foods are typically high in empty calories and low in nutrients, leading to overeating without ever feeling truly satisfied. Eating habits and fullnessYou might be wondering how your eating habits could impact your fullness and satisfaction from your meals. On top of what you eat, how and when you eat can also significantly impact your sense of satiety. Let’s explore how small changes can make a big difference. Mindful eating Mindful eating can greatly impact how full and satisfied you feel after a meal. By eating slowly, you give your body the necessary time to recognize fullness signals, helping prevent overeating. Thoroughly chewing your food aids digestion and enhances the feeling of fullness, making your meal more satisfying. Additionally, avoiding distractions like TV or smartphones allows you to focus on your meal, making it easier to recognize when you’re truly satisfied. Meal timing and frequency How often you eat plays a crucial role in how full and satisfied you feel throughout the day. Eating regular meals helps prevent extreme hunger, which can lead to overeating when you finally sit down to eat. Incorporating healthy snacks between meals can also maintain your energy levels and keep hunger at bay, ensuring you don’t overindulge during main meals. Summary Learning to recognize true fullness is the first step. Slow down and pay attention during your meals without distractions. Top Nutrition tips for fullness include:
Eating Habits to focus on:
As always I hope this was helpful. Now it’s time to take action and start implementing these steps if you're ready to transform your body & life! And if you want further guidance, take our Free Metabolism Quiz, to see if yours may be holding you back from your goals!   Welcome, ladies! Today, we're diving deep into a common obstacle many women face on their weight loss journey: being under muscled. You might be diligent with your diet, logging hours on the treadmill, yet still struggle to shed those stubborn pounds. Here's the scoop: it's time to shift our focus from just losing weight to building muscle. Let's explore why your muscle mass matters and how it impacts your weight loss goals.
Understanding the Problem: So, what exactly does it mean to be "under muscled"? In simple terms, it's having inadequate muscle mass relative to your body composition. As we age, especially between the ages of 30-50, our muscle mass naturally declines due to factors like hormonal changes, decreased activity levels, and even dietary habits. This decline in muscle mass not only affects our strength and mobility but also plays a crucial role in our ability to lose weight effectively. The Muscle-Fat Connection: Here's the kicker: muscle is a metabolically active tissue, meaning it burns calories even at rest. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which translates to more calories burned throughout the day. On the flip side, excess fat tissue does little in terms of calorie expenditure. So, if you're carrying more fat than muscle, your body becomes less efficient at burning calories, making weight loss an uphill battle. The Benefits of Building Muscle: 1. Increased Metabolism: By building muscle through resistance training, you can rev up your metabolism, making it easier to create the calorie deficit necessary for weight loss. 2. Improved Body Composition: Building muscle while losing fat leads to a leaner, more toned physique, rather than simply becoming smaller in size. 3. Enhanced Strength and Functionality: Strong muscles not only support you during workouts but also in daily activities, promoting better posture, balance, and overall vitality. How to Build Muscle and Lose Weight: 1. Strength Training: Incorporate resistance training exercises into your routine at least 2-3 times per week. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, lunges, and rows to target multiple muscle groups simultaneously. 2. Progressive Overload: Continuously challenge your muscles by gradually increasing the weight, reps, or intensity of your workouts over time. This stimulates muscle growth and prevents plateaus. 3. Balanced Nutrition: Ensure you're consuming enough protein to support muscle repair and growth, while also maintaining a slight calorie deficit to facilitate fat loss. Opt for nutrient-dense foods like lean meats, fish, eggs, legumes, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. 4. Rest and Recovery: Don't overlook the importance of rest days and quality sleep. Muscles need time to repair and grow, so prioritize recovery to avoid burnout and injury. Conclusion: Ladies, if you've been struggling to lose weight despite your best efforts, it's time to shift your focus to building muscle. Remember, it's not just about the number on the scale, but rather achieving a healthy balance of muscle and fat for long-term success. By incorporating strength training into your routine and prioritizing muscle growth, you'll not only transform your physique but also supercharge your metabolism and reclaim your confidence. Here's to becoming strong, empowered women who can conquer any challenge that comes our way! So, are you ready to say goodbye to being under muscled and hello to a stronger, leaner you? Let's do this together! Coach Kayli Blog Post By Kayli Montoya-HustonNASM Certified Personal Trainer & NCI Certified Nutrition Coach L1 and Mindset Coach Embarking on a weight loss journey can be challenging, especially when you're committed to shedding those stubborn pounds but see minimal results. If you're wondering why your body fat isn't budging, you're not alone. In this blog post, we'll explore the top 10 reasons that might be hindering your fat loss progress and provide practical solutions to overcome these obstacles.
Inadequate Caloric Deficit:
Conclusion: Identifying and addressing these roadblocks can pave the way for successful fat loss. Remember, patience and consistency are key. Consult with a qualified nutrition coach or personal trainer to personalize your approach and maximize your results. Your fitness journey is unique, and understanding these reasons can help you overcome obstacles and achieve your body fat loss goals. Welcome to 2024!
As we dive into the new year, let's focus on what really matters for fat-loss. I'm not about quick fixes or fads. It's all about practical steps you can actually stick to. This is my 9th January working in fitness, and I'm often inspired and rejuvenated by the new year too. Many people bash "resolutions," making it feel vulnerable to admit having big health goals for the new year. But you aren't alone. There are plenty of others watching this who want to improve how they look, move, and feel. The number one thing I hear from people at the beginning of each new year is their desire to lose weight, closely followed by wishes to eat "better" and "exercise more." Let’s tackle two out of these three: losing weight and eating better. These are the two things (besides maybe better sleep) that will help you feel better. So here is Tip #1 of the 10 no-nonsense strategies to help you lose fat more easily this year.
Stay strong, Coach Kayli! Here are 3 mistakes every woman over 40 needs to avoid.
Technically, these are 3 mistakes everyone who wants to improve their body composition and get leaner needs to avoid. But women are more sensitive to stress so they can't get away with as much. It's not fair but it does make sense from an evolutionary standpoint. Women are more important to the survival of our species than men. Ya know, the whole baby carrying thing. Anyway, in no particular order... Mistake #1. Fasting or "skipping breakfast" - let's first put to bed the myth that fasting is superior for fat loss. It's not. Fasting isn't even a nutrition protocol. You can fast and do keto, you can fast and track macros, you can fast and eat 10,000 calories per day. The fasting cult followers say that if you condense the feeding window, you're more likely to eat less because there's less time to eat. Certain things sound good in theory but don't hold up to real life application. Fasting is one of them. Studies show that people who fast tend to eat a lot more later in the day and it's easier for them to over indulge. They also report higher hunger and cravings. And there are certain metabolic disadvantages that can occur due to fasting. This is especially true in women over 40 who are more sensitive to stress. Cortisol is highest in the morning and fasting is a stress on the body (lack of energy coming in). During the season of life when hormonal changes are happening, it's not the time to disrupt things even further. My recommendation: wake up and eat within an hour of getting out of bed. Make it a high protein breakfast and a well balanced meal (with some carbs and fats) to reduce cortisol and keep blood sugar stable. Mistake #2. HIIT / Group Classes / Cardio - this is a dose dependent thing but based on experience in working with hundreds of women over the past decade, a lot of individuals overdo it when it comes to this style of exercise. I'm talking about OrangeTheory, F45, bootcamps, HIIT, cardio, etc. Anything where the main goal of the workout is basically a manual "calorie burn" and you often feel rewarded with a pool of sweat on the floor. Now, before you stop doing all forms of cardio, there's absolutely a time and place. Improving your cardio capacity is great for overall health. Sweating is a wonderful thing. However, it's easy to get hooked on the feeling. Or high on believing. Wait, where was I? Oh right.. too much cardio. This style of exercise is not exactly great for your metabolism or hormone health. It's a stressor like any form of exercise (increases cortisol) but it doesn't come with a metabolic advantage like lifting weights does. Because you're getting more efficient with calories each time you do that same workout or form of cardio. That means the calorie burn gets less and less. Not only that, but studies show that HIIT and cardio can drive hunger and cravings up and our bodies also subconsciously move less throughout the day to compensate for the calorie burn that occurred during the workout. My recommendation: this style of training is not great for body composition improvements. If you want to get leaner, do some form of resistance training as the foundation of your workouts. Use cardio in smaller doses and be sure to pay attention to recovery, hunger, and cravings. Notice how you're impacted when you work out like that. If you're training to get better at cardio (like running a marathon or ironman etc) then you'll obviously need a much higher level of frequency. In that case, you better be prepared to fuel appropriately to counter balance the amount of stress you're putting on your body. Mistake #3. Dieting too frequently / too extremely / unsustainably - once again, this is a problem across the board but when you're more sensitive to stress, it becomes an even bigger issue. Dieting is a major stressor on the body. Consider that your results, your metabolic health, and your hormone health are all dependent on having the appropriate resources to meet the demands you place on your body. Food / energy is an important resource. Recovery is a resource. Sleep is a resource. Self-care is a resource. Dieting impacts all of the above. You're removing energy, impairing recovery, making it more difficult to get adequate sleep, and potentially sacrificing self-care. A lot of women get frustrated when they're told to basically starve themselves and then don't see progress. Why don't they see progress? Because the diet is too extreme and your body fights to preserve energy. Think about it like this.. do you really want a fast and effective metabolism when very little energy is coming in? Of course you don't. You'd starve to death quicker. So your body adapts by down regulating metabolic function, suppressing certain systems in the body like immune function, sexual function, etc. The more frequently you diet, the more stress you place on your body. The more extreme your diet is, the more of a stressor it is. The more you try to be perfect, the more unsustainable the results are. My recommendation: diet smarter, not harder. Have a dedicated fat loss phase that lasts about 12-16 weeks (the timeline will be highly dependent on the individual). Keep it very moderate and if you're going to be more aggressive, you better damn well have recovery and stress management on lock. Eat mostly high quality foods and incorporate things you love in moderation each day (or at least each week). Avoid the half in, half out approach where you kinda sorta diet but then indulge and want to keep dieting forever. Unfortunately, these 3 mistakes are insanely common. In fact, they're often all done at once. Almost daily I speak to women who are trying to fast, eat 1200 calories, and are doing a whole bunch of cardio or HIIT. When you reach that season of life when hormones are changing and sensitivity to stress is higher, it's important to focus on some foundational habits that go a long way in your overall health and body composition. Food quality should really be a primary focus. It's incredibly important for hormone health. Walking is like the gift that keeps on giving. Do it frequently. Protein is your best friend. Eat lots of it. Muscle is your metabolic gold. Preserve it. Build it. Sleep and stress management are non negotiables. If anyone gets in the way of your sleep and self-care, you have permission to Will Smith them (is that still a reference? Probably not. But I'm using it anyway). Above all else, prioritize yourself. I just spoke to someone this morning who said that she's spent 45 years of her life putting everyone else first. She said that she's always made financial decisions based on everyone else. Rarely ever herself. Finally, it clicked. She said, enough is enough. I'm worth it and I deserve to be happy and healthy. The most impactful thing she said in our conversation was... "It doesn't do anyone much good if I lack confidence in myself and feel miserable in my own body. I deserve to feel good and look good." Without a doubt. You don't have to put your own goals on hold for the sake of everyone else. Not only do you deserve to look and feel how you want but the people you care about the most deserve the best version of you. And that requires prioritizing yourself. Investing in yourself. And spending your time accordingly. If you don't know where to start, simply ask. I can always point you in the right direction. Much love, Kayli |
Call Us 620-757-9146
Home | About Us | Personal Training | Online Nutrition and Fitness Coaching | Custom Training Plans | Breakfast | Entrees | Dressings | Snacks | Blog
Phoenix Rising Podcast | Product Recommendations | Contact Me | Ascend Mobile App
Phoenix Rising Podcast | Product Recommendations | Contact Me | Ascend Mobile App
Copyright 2024 Kayli Montoya Fitness