Richard, a client at Cut and Conquer, shares his fitness journey since joining Cut & Conquer and the obstacles he previously faced with under-eating, over training, and working shift-work.

The conversation dives into how shifting his mindset around training to focus on quality over quantity, and embracing recovery for improved performance has not only transformed Richard’s physique, but changed his overall approach to fitness.

Topics Discussed:

• Nutrition strategies for shift worker with limited food options
• Focusing on quality over quantity in training.
• The role of sleep in optimizing progress during shift work
• Proper nutrition and eating enough food to support weight loss and or muscle growth
• Dealing with instant gratification and the desire for quick progress.
• Tracking and controlling nutrition for specific goals.
• Overcoming fitness shaming and judgment

Memorable Quotes:

• “Fitness is a journey and that journey from being a 20 year old construction worker where I could eat where I wanted and do whatever I wanted and I still look good. To an office worker at 40 years old, you can't do the same things you did and expect the same results to happen.”
• “I've seen more growth out of this system that doing my ego-lift bro splits”
• “The fat that I could not get rid of was because of what I was doing to myself. I was doing too much work with not enough food.”
• “The longer you wait, the harder it gets. There's no doubt about that in my mind.”

Chapters

• Introduction and Background (00:00)
• Fitness Challenges associated with Shift Work (04:15)
• Mindset Shifts and Overcoming Misconceptions (07:30)
• Prioritizing Recovery and Sleep (13:26)
• Letting go of “ego-lifting” and “bro splits” (19:38)
• Richard’s experience working with the Cut & Conquer team (21:25)
• Challenges in the Fitness Industry: Gym Intimidation and Food Shaming (27:03)
• The Significance of Nutrition and Tracking Food Intake (31:06)

Christina's Instagram: @knifina

Cut & Conquer Coaching Application: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application

Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever feel like no matter how FEW calories you eat, you just can’t lose weight? Christina and Ramzia discuss the impact of chronic undereating on weight loss, muscle growth, metabolic health, and hormone balance.

They debunk the concept of starvation mode and explain the physiological reason why it can feel as if the “less you eat, the more weight you gain.”

The conversation highlights the need to re-learn your hunger cues, prioritize sleep, and avoid extreme pro-longed calorie restriction for easier weight loss and improved overall health.

They also provide tips for including more nutrient-dense foods in your diet, tracking food intake, stimulating appetite, and the importance of reverse dieting.

In this episode, they discuss:

• The negative effects of malnourishment on weight loss, muscle growth, metabolism, and hormones.
• What is metabolic down-regulation, and how to know if this is happening to you
• Symptoms of under-eating such as hair loss, irregular menstrual cycles, loss of appetite and more
• Starvation mode is a highly misunderstood concept
• Eating more food can actually lead to more weight loss and a leaner physique in the long run
• Reverse dieting takes time and requires a shift in mindset and self-image
• How to set a consistent eating schedule and track food intake

Memorable Quotes:

"You don't understand how much you're suffering until you start feeling normal."

"Metabolic down regulation refers to the reduction in your metabolic rate as a response to prolonged calorie restriction."

“Your body doesn't quite trust you yet because you haven't been feeding it for so long.”

"Sometimes you have to accept that you're probably not going to lose weight."

Links Mentioned:

Christina's Instagram: @knifina

Ramzia’s Instagram: @fitwramzia

Cut & Conquer Coaching Application: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application 

Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicky, an elite client at Cut and Conquer, shares her journey of overcoming health challenges and transforming her mindset and lifestyle.

She discusses her battle with health issues, significant movement restrictions, dealing with divorce, and the impact that stress and weight gain was having on her physical and mental well-being. 

We dive into Nicky’s story, the ups, the downs, and the steps she is taking with Cut & Conquer to continue to improve her health and prevent the potential onset of MS.

Nicky shares her experience working with Cut & Conquer and emphasizes the team’s commitment to finding modifications and making adjustments to accommodate her limitations. 

She highlights the value of having a professional support system and being open to asking for help. She also expresses her appreciation for not just the coaches but the other clients in the Cut and Conquer community and the positive impact they have had on her journey. 

In this episode, they discuss:

• Nicky’s health struggles and overcoming them working with Cut & Conquer
• Listening to her body pains and adapting her workouts by finding substitutes for exercises that cause pain
• Shifting her perspective to embrace imperfection and focusing on momentum over perfection
• Importance of mental health, self-care, asking for help, gratitude journaling, and resilience through challenges
• Benefits of personalized coaching and community support
• Appreciation for Ramzia's personalized coaching style and feeling supported vs judged
• Nicky's advice to people struggling with their health

Memorable Quotes:

“I actually have no cartilage in my knees. So squatting, bending, stairs, literally anything where the knee moves, it's just bone on bone.”

“Last April, I had a scare and thought I was having a stroke– and my health just kind of kept going downhill from there, on top of injuries they also found some abnormalities in my brain. I didn't really realize until I started with Cut and Conquer how much weight I had actually gained too.” 

"I'm still trying to move my body to make everything, brain, body, and everything feel good."

"You don't have to rush it. You're not going to lose 20 pounds overnight."

"You can't lose if you just keep showing up."

“It helps having a community and people who actually listen to you when you're saying, this isn't working, can you help me find something different? And that's why I love working with you guys.”

Links Mentioned:

Christina's Instagram: @knifina

Nicky’s Instagram: @nickyjm88

Nicky’s Arts & Crafts Business @knotsandthingsbynk

Ramzia’s Instagram: @fitwramzia

Cut & Conquer Coaching Application: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application 

Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/ 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever feel like something is missing with your fitness classes? You are showing up, sweating it out, but not really seeing changes in your body?

In this episode, Christina and Ramzia discuss the consequences of random fitness classes or workout sessions that have no rhyme or reason behind them. They touch on things such as elevated cortisol, under recovery, increased appetite, overeating, and lack of periodization.

They explore the benefits of online coaching, including customization, goal alignment, and the importance of mindset; while discussing the limitations of fitness classes in achieving specific body transformation goals as well as injury prevention for unique circumstances.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Christina and Ramzia’s transition from in-person training to online coaching
• Why fitness classes are not effective for specific body transformation goals
• The importance of aligned nutrition is achieving fat loss and muscle growth
• Health benefits of mobility and flexibility work
• The importance of teaching clients how to think and become self-accountable
• Christina gives a shout out to in-person trainer: Jeff Ingram
• Who may benefit from fitness classes and 1:1 personal training
• What to look for in a quality coaching program
• What questions to ask when searching for a coach
• Different phases of fitness, such as cutting fat, reverse dieting and building muscle

Memorable Quotes:

“If you are relying on a fitness class to transform your physique, good f*cking luck.”

"There is a way to do less and achieve more."

“One of the most powerful tools you can give someone is teaching them how to think”

“Why I love Cut and Conquer and why I love online coaching is because we're not just pushing them to lift heavier but we're teaching core values that they're gonna take with them forever.”

Links Mentioned: 

Christina's Instagram: @knifina

Ramzia's Instagram: @fitwramzia

Coaching Application: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application

Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina sits down with Kate Arnold, a client who has been working with Cut and Conquer for over a year. Kate shares her journey with PCOS, struggles with nutrition and body image, and the progress she’s made working with her coach at Cut and Conquer.

They also discuss Kate’s journey with body recomposition, mindset, and her experience with PCOS.

Their conversion also dives into the toxicity of diet culture – Kate shares her past struggles with disordered eating and the mindset shift she experienced through working with Cut and Conquer.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Kate’s struggles with disordered eating and restrictive dieting
• Working smarter instead of just working harder
• The challenges of navigating PCOS
• Common misconceptions surrounding nutrition for hormonal issues.
• Different phases of fitness, such as cutting, building, and reverse dieting
• Cut & Conquer’s approach to coaching and the emphasis on fitness education for clients
• Kate’s passion for running and her goal to be the healthiest version of herself.
• The importance of having a knowledgeable coach and a supportive fitness community.
• Kate’s real estate services and how to connect with her if you are looking to buy or sell a home

Memorable Quotes:

“I came for the fat loss, but I stayed for the mindset.”

“PCOS requires a proper strategy to lose fat while being mindful and healthy.”

“When I signed up for this program, I thought maybe I would work with you guys for three months and lose some fat and gain some knowledge and then move on and be on my way. I really didn’t realize that I was going to dive so deep into myself and my practices. The learning has been fascinating. I love that aspect of it.”

Links Mentioned: 

Christina's Instagram: @knifina

Kate’s Instagram: @katearnoldymm

Cut & Conquer Coaching Application: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application

Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s a darker, grittier side of fitness that nobody is talking about.

In today’s episode, Christina and Ramzia break down how fitness is not always healthy and there is a dark side to the industry. 

They share their personal experiences with feeling insecure about their bodies and the constant pressure to look a certain way as leaders in the industry.

They also discuss body image, comparing oneself to past versions, and the cycle of “never feeling satisfied” that often leads to unhealthy practices such as extreme dieting and overtraining.

Tune in to discover the importance of finding a sustainable approach to fitness.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00] - Intro

[01:28] - Congrats to Ramzia for finishing her degree

[05:01] - Ramzia’s experience with the pressure to look a certain way

[08:36] - Christina’s struggles with body image issues from a young age

[09:51] - Societal pressure to meet unrealistic beauty standards

[14:12] - The challenges of fitness mindset

[15:53] - Common fitness misconceptions

[17:26] - Unsustainable fitness practices

[20:45] - Finding the right approach for you

[23:47] - Christina’s struggles with body image after competing

[25:29] - The ongoing cycle of self-criticism 

[27:21] - Take setbacks as learning experiences and focus on moving forward

[29:31] - Set micro-level milestones

[31:19] - Mental hack for starting an unwanted task

[33:29] - Imposter syndrome and pressure in the coaching industry

[37:38] - Setbacks are actually valuable for growth

[40:13] - Fitness shaming

[43:10] - A funny story about Brendon

[45:38] - Wrap-up

Memorable Quotes:

“Fitness is presented as being healthy and being so constructive...but there’s also some pretty shady shit that happens in this industry.”

“When you don’t feel like doing something, just start doing anything that’s a little bit similar to that thing. And it’s a lot easier to segue into that thing.”

“If you keep waiting for the perfect time, the perfect body, the perfect life, you’re never going to start.”

“One of the most valuable things that can happen in a fitness journey is to have a setback. Because if you never encounter a setback, you have no idea how to deal with it.”

Links Mentioned: 

Christina's Instagram: @knifina

Ramzia's Instagram: @fitwramzia

Coaching Application: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application

Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you confused about whether you should cut or bulk first in your fitness journey? Christina is here to help you navigate that. She talks about cutting (losing weight) and bulking phases of the fitness journey and shares the benefits and drawbacks of first focusing on losing fat or building muscle. Christina also provides tips and questions you need to ask yourself to determine the best approach for you according to your fitness goals.

In this episode, Christina discusses:

• Should you focus on losing fat or building muscle for your fitness goals
• The importance of nutrition for weight loss and muscle growth
• Cutting (losing weight) and bulking phases of fitness journey
• Upcoming free fitness challenge by Cut & Conquer Fitness
• Pros and cons of cutting vs. bulking phases
• Bulking doesn’t always mean getting big and bulky – it can simply mean building your metabolism 
• Factors to consider when you’re deciding if it’s time to cut or build muscle
• Some misconceptions about fitness and weight loss on social media
• Tips and questions to ask yourself for setting fitness goals and choosing the right plan

Listen to EP81: How to Eat for Weight Loss Without Wrecking Your Metabolism

Memorable Quotes:

“The only thing that really determines whether you are losing weight or gaining muscle is your nutrition.”

Links Mentioned: 

Christina's Instagram: @knifina 

Coaching Application: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application 

Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You know what? When it comes to calories, one size does NOT fit all! In this episode, Christina tells you how to determine how many calories you should be eating. She explains the complexity of calorie intake, provides the key factors to consider when planning your calorie intake goals, and debunks common myths around calorie formulas.

In this episode, Christina discusses:

• How to determine your calorie intake for weight loss and muscle gain
• Importance of factors like goals, lifestyle, etc when considering your calorie intake goals
• How food choices, metabolism, and consistent eating habits affect how calories impact fitness goals
• Factors to consider when figuring out how many calories to eat 
• Dangers of extreme dieting and the importance of strategic nutrition for maintaining results
• Eating enough protein, managing hunger, and considering food volume not just calories for weight management
• Myths about calorie formulas and salads being very healthy

Memorable Quotes:

“If your coach is good after you’ve been working together for several weeks, it’s probably not the calories that are too high or too low. It's probably your food choices.”

“You can make 1200 calories into a lot. And I mean a lot of food if you do it right, and you do it properly, and you space your meals out properly, and you're eating higher volume.”

“If you are trying to lose fat, and you are trying to look and feel better, do not cut your carbs, do not slash your carbs, or try to not eat carbs. Please do not do it. It is not smart. It is not beneficial in any way, shape, or form.”

“If you’re someone who actually wants to lose weight intentionally in a way that’s going to set you up for long-term success and actually looking and feeling better, you have to be a little more strategic than just hopping on the Keto train or just slashing your calories.”

Links Mentioned: 

Christina's Instagram: @knifina 

Coaching Application: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application 

Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After seeing mind-blowing transformations from the SHRED 2023 program and the high demand, Cut & Conquer has decided to make this summer hotter than ever with the Summer SHRED Program—a 16-week fat loss transformation program. 

Christina introduces the Summer SHRED Program and addresses common queries regarding it—what exactly can you expect from this Summer SHRED, the duration, how it differs from SHRED 2023, and more.

If you’re ready to get seriously shredded for summer, don’t wait—submit your coaching application by the DEADLINE (March 21) to secure your spot!

In this episode, Christina discusses:

• Details about the Summer SHRED program—duration, check-ins, nutrition plans, suitability for different genders, etc
• Common questions asked about the SHRED program—How much weight can you lose in this program? How long is the program? What are the workouts? What makes SHRED so effective? Can you train at home?
• Is SHRED customizable and injury-friendly? Does it help with binge eating? Can men join the program? 

Listen to episode 73 for more details on SHRED: EP73: SHRED is Back! All About Our #1 Fat Loss Program 

Memorable Quotes:

“It’s not just about the number on the scale. Fitness and weight loss are about so much more than that. It’s about how you feel, how your body looks, how you perform, and so much more.”

“I can confidently say we have never, ever in the history of, since I’ve been coaching back in 2018, we’ve never had someone successfully follow this program and not achieve a mind-blowing transformation and be very, very happy with their results.”

“If your nutrition is dialed in, your intensity is dialed in, and your intentionality is there... Whether you’re training at home or in the gym, you’re gonna see the growth that you want to see.”

Links Mentioned: 

Christina's Instagram: @knifina 

TikTok: @knifina 

Apply for SHRED Here: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application 

Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina and Brendon recently went on vacation in Mexico, and today, they share their fun in the sun and adventure stories from their trip. They share all the highlights of their trip, from the resort they stayed at to all the activities they did. One of the activities really stood out—Brendon got the opportunity to do something pretty unique. Tune in to hear about their trip and the special moment Brendon had. You won't want to miss this episode!

In this episode, they discuss:

• Their flight experience from Edmonton to Cancun and long delays at Cancun Airport customs
• Their experience staying at a luxury resort in Cancun and the pros and cons of their experience there
• Spa treatments, pools, and other services at the resort, like the 80s cover band night 
• Food and drinks they had and their favorite taco spot in Playa del Carmen
• Atmosphere and social interactions at the resort
• Their catamaran trip to Isla Mujeres, where they snorkeled and rented a golf cart to explore

Links Mentioned: 

Christina's Instagram: @knifina 

TikTok: @knifina 

Coaching Application: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application

Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.