Embrace Your Real

Hey hey beautiful human!

Let me ask you something. Were you ever taught that more cardio means better results, soreness means your workout counts, eating less is the fastest way to change your body, pain means progress, or you need a gym to get a real workout?

If so, you are definitely not alone. A lot of us built our early fitness routines around these rules because they sounded disciplined, serious, and like the "right" way to get results. And when they did not work, we usually blamed ourselves instead of questioning the advice.

But here is the truth: some of the fitness rules we were handed were never actually helping us. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm breaking down five outdated fitness beliefs, what we now know actually works, and how letting go of these rules can help you train smarter, fuel better, recover well, and finally make progress that lasts.

What's Discussed:

• Why more cardio does not automatically lead to better body composition results

• Why soreness is not the best way to measure whether a workout was effective

• How under-eating can work against your metabolism, muscle, energy, and long-term progress

• Why "no pain, no gain" can lead to injury, burnout, and inconsistent results

• Why you do not need a gym to build real strength when you have a smart, progressive dumbbell plan

• How to let go of the rules that keep you stuck and start focusing on what actually moves your body forward

Working hard without seeing the results match your effort usually means it is time to look at the rules behind your routine. This episode will help you spot the outdated fitness beliefs you may still be following and replace them with an approach that actually supports your body.

For a structured strength plan that takes the guesswork out of your workouts, the Movement With Julie app is there for you. You'll get new workouts every week, how-to videos for every exercise, 30-minute and 60-minute options, and a plan you can follow at home or in the gym. Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started.

And if nutrition is where you feel stuck, Macro Counting Made Simple will help you understand how to fuel your body instead of constantly trying to eat less.

If you loved this episode, you'll also love Episode 636: 5 Fitness Habits That Are Secretly Sabotaging Your Results. It is the perfect follow-up if you are ready to spot the habits that may be keeping you stuck and replace them with habits that actually support your goals.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

• Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie

• Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/

• Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/

• Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Bathing suit shopping can bring up a lot more feelings than it should. You walk in looking for something cute for summer, and suddenly one tiny piece of fabric has you questioning your body, your confidence, and whether you even want to go to the pool anymore.

But please hear this: your body is not the problem. Bathing suits are just hard to find sometimes. They have to fit your chest, hips, butt, torso, thighs, waist, rib cage, and everything in between, so of course the process can feel frustrating.

In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm sharing nine practical tips to help make bathing suit shopping feel less dramatic, less defeating, and a whole lot more doable. From ignoring trends and buying the size that actually fits to choosing the right support, cover-ups, and try-on environment, this episode will help you find a suit that lets you enjoy your summer instead of obsessing over every little adjustment.

What's Discussed:

• Why bathing suit shopping feels hard for so many women, regardless of body shape or confidence level

• How a cute cover-up can help you feel more styled, supported, and at ease

• Why you should shop for the support your body actually needs instead of what looks cute on the hanger

• How trying suits on at home can save you from the dressing room spiral

• Why asking another woman where she got her swimsuit can be one of the best shopping hacks

• How to tell whether a suit gives you freedom or turns into a full-time adjustment job

• Why the most important thing you can do after putting your suit on is focus on the day, not the suit

If bathing suit shopping usually leaves you feeling defeated, this episode is your reminder that the perfect suit is not the one that makes your body look like someone else's. It is the one that lets you move, swim, laugh, eat, chase your kids, sit in the sun, take photos, and actually be part of your summer.

If you loved this episode, I know you'll also love Episode 621: My Best Tips for Feeling Confident in Your Body. It will help you keep building the kind of confidence that lets you show up for your life, even on the days when your body image feels loud.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

• Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie

• Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/

• Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/

Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human!

Most of us have been told to stop comparing ourselves to other people, and honestly, that advice sounds good until you remember that your brain does not really work that way. You can tell yourself to stay in your own lane, but then you open your phone, see someone else's body, progress, or routine, and suddenly your brain is already measuring before you even meant to.

So maybe the goal is not to stop comparing completely. Maybe the goal is to stop comparing yourself to people whose full story you do not know, and start comparing yourself to the one person you actually have enough context for: you.

In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm breaking down why comparison is not always the enemy, how to tell when it is helping versus hurting you, and how to look back at your own progress without turning it into a shame spiral.

What's Discussed:

• Why comparison is a natural brain function, not a personal flaw

• Why external comparison usually leaves you feeling worse

• How your brain compares your behind-the-scenes to someone else's highlight reel

• Why your past self can become either a source of shame or a record of growth

• How to compare yourself to yourself in a way that is specific, honest, and forward-moving

• Why tracking your progress can build confidence when you use it as evidence, not judgment

If you loved this episode, you'll also love: Episode 540: Why Beating Yourself Up Isn't Helping You Reach Your Goals. It pairs perfectly with this conversation because it helps you stop turning progress into another reason to judge yourself and start using it as something that supports you.

Ready to have every 30-minute session pre-planned, pre-programmed, and built around exactly this structure? Head to movementwithjulie.com and get started inside the Movement With Julie app.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

• Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie

• Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/

• Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/

Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human!

Summer has a way of making us feel a little more aware of our bodies than usual. The swimsuits, the pool days, the photos, the warmer weather, and being around other bodies can bring up thoughts you may not have been dealing with the rest of the year.

And even if you have been showing up for yourself, working on your relationship with your body, and trying to feel more confident, summer can still catch you off guard.

In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm sharing three honest reminders I want you to carry with you this season. There are no strategies or action steps in this one. Just the words I want you to come back to when your body image feels loud, when comparison starts creeping in, or when you feel tempted to sit out of your own life because you do not feel your best.

What's Discussed:

• Why swimsuit season can bring up body image struggles, even when you have done a lot of inner work

• Why the people who love you are not focused on the things you are picking apart

• How to remember what you bring to the room beyond how you look

• Why your body deserves grace after everything it has carried you through this year

• How summer can make comparison feel louder and less fair

• Why comparing your real life to someone else's curated moment will never give you the full truth

• How to let the authentic version of you show up, get in the photo, get in the water, and enjoy your life now

If summer has been making you feel more self-conscious than confident, this episode is your reminder that you do not have to wait for some future version of yourself to enjoy the season you are already in. You are allowed to show up, be present, and make memories in the body you have today.

If you have been wanting a place where you can feel strong, capable, and supported by women who understand what it is like to keep showing up in real life, head to movementwithjulie.com and get started inside the Movement With Julie app.

If you loved this episode, you'll also love Episode 628: 4 Ways to Talk to Yourself Like Someone You Actually Love. It will help you keep practicing the kind of inner dialogue that supports you, especially on the days when body image feels hard and you need to come back to a more loving way of speaking to yourself.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

• Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie

• Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/

• Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/

• Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Summer always sounds fun until your routine suddenly disappears. The kids are home more, weekends fill up fast, vacations happen, BBQs are on the calendar, pool days run long, and somehow your workouts, protein, steps, water, and goals start feeling like way too much to keep up with.

And when life gets busy like that, it is so easy to think, "Well, I guess I'll just start over when things calm down."

But I do not want summer to become the season where you feel like you are either doing everything perfectly or doing nothing at all. You do not need a perfect routine to keep taking care of yourself. You just need a simple baseline you can come back to when life feels full.

In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm sharing the minimal effective dose for your workouts and nutrition when summer gets chaotic. I'll walk you through the few habits that matter most so you can keep showing up, maintain your strength, support your energy, and stay connected to your goals without turning your health into another full-time job.

What's Discussed:

• Why summer is the perfect time to focus on a realistic baseline instead of chasing perfection

• How two dumbbell workouts a week can still help you stay strong when your schedule is packed

• Why protein should be your first focus when meals feel random or unpredictable

• Why 7,000 steps a day can be a more doable movement goal during busy seasons

• How to add more daily movement without turning everything into a formal workout

• Why hydration needs extra attention when heat, travel, and summer activities pick up

If summer usually makes you feel like your goals are slipping away, this episode will help you find a better middle ground. You'll learn how to simplify, stay consistent, and keep promises to yourself in a way that actually fits your real life.

Ready to have your workouts planned for you so you can stay consistent without guessing what to do next? Head to movementwithjulie.com and get started inside the Movement With Julie app.

If nutrition feels confusing, especially when your summer schedule is all over the place, Macro Counting Made Simple will help you understand your protein, carbs, and fats so you can fuel your body with more confidence and less stress.

If you loved this episode, you'll also love Episode 640: Why Summer Is Actually the Best Time to Start Counting Macros. It will help you see why summer does not have to pull you away from your goals, and how macro counting can actually give you more flexibility when life feels full.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

• Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie

• Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/

• Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/

Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human!

Have you ever noticed how something that started as taking care of yourself slowly turned into something that feels heavy? You still want to work out, you still want to eat well and you still care about your health. But somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling good and started feeling like pressure. Like something you have to keep up with, something you are constantly falling behind on, something that quietly makes you feel like you are not doing enough.

And when it starts to feel like that, it makes sense why it becomes harder to show up. Not because you do not care, but because it no longer feels like something that is actually taking care of you.

In this bonus episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm walking you through what usually causes that shift, and how to bring your health back to something that feels supportive, sustainable, and actually good to show up for again.

What's Discussed:

• Why health habits stop feeling like self-care and start feeling like pressure

• How chasing outcomes like weight or numbers can disconnect you from how you actually feel

• Why working out from a place of punishment changes your entire relationship with movement

• How joy plays a bigger role in consistency than most women realize

• Why routines that do not fit your real life are the fastest way to burn out

• How small shifts in intention can make your habits feel like something you want to return to

If you loved this episode, you'll also love: Episode 540: Why Beating Yourself Up Isn't Helping You Reach Your Goals. It pairs perfectly with this conversation and helps you approach your goals from a more supportive place.

Ready to have every 30-minute session pre-planned, pre-programmed, and built around exactly this structure? Head to movementwithjulie.com and get started inside the Movement With Julie app.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

• Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie

• Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/

• Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/

Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human!

There is nothing more frustrating than doing the workout, checking off every set, and still wondering if the right muscles even got the message. You feel tired, you know you worked hard, but your glutes are quiet after glute day, your arms take over on back day, and suddenly the issue is not whether you are consistent. It is whether the effort you are putting in is actually going where you think it is.

What most women do in that moment is assume they need to do more. More weight, more exercises, more intensity. But the missing piece is usually not more effort. It is where that effort is actually going.

Not sure how to tell the difference between a workout that simply made you tired and a workout that actually trained the muscle you wanted to build? In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm breaking down what the mind-muscle connection is, why it changes the way your body responds to training, and the simple cues you can use in your next workout to finally feel the muscles you are trying to build.

What's Discussed:

• Why moving the weight does not always mean you are training the muscle you think you are

• How your body finds the easiest way through a movement and lets stronger muscles take over

• Why glute exercises can turn into quad or lower-back work without you realizing it

• Why going heavier can sometimes make the connection worse, not better

• How slowing down each rep helps you keep tension where it belongs

• Why visualization, touch, and simple cues can help your brain find the target muscle

If you loved this episode, you'll also love: 7 Reasons You've Stopped Seeing Results After Years of Training because it builds on this exact problem and helps you understand what else might be keeping your progress stuck even when you are doing the work.

Ready to have every 30-minute session pre-planned, pre-programmed, and built around exactly this structure? Head to movementwithjulie.com and get started inside the Movement With Julie app.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

• Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie

• Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/

• Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/

Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human!

Most women know they need rest days, but a lot of them have never been taught what a rest day is actually supposed to do. So they skip the workout, sit on the couch, scroll for hours, stay up too late, maybe eat less because they "did not earn it," and then come back to training still tired, still flat, and confused about why they do not feel recovered.

That is the difference between simply not working out and actually recovering. One gives your body a break from training, but the other gives your body the sleep, fuel, gentle movement, and mental space it needs to repair, rebuild, and come back stronger.

In this bonus episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm breaking down why rest is not something you earn, why rest day guilt can quietly work against your progress, and how to make your recovery days actually support the results you are working so hard for.

What's Discussed:

• Why there is a real difference between a recovery day and just not working out

• What your body is actually doing on rest days and why it needs support to do it well

• How passive rest can leave you feeling just as tired, or even more drained, than before

• Why rest day guilt keeps your body in a stress response and works against your recovery

• How gentle movement, better sleep, and proper fueling help your body repair and rebuild

• How protecting your mental space on rest days matters just as much as the physical side

If you have ever finished a rest day and still felt off, or guilty, or like you should have done more, this episode is going to shift the way you see that part of your routine.

Ready to have every 30-minute session pre-planned, pre-programmed, and built around exactly this structure? Head to movementwithjulie.com and get started inside the Movement With Julie app.

If you loved this episode, you'll also love: Episode 413: The Importance of a Rest Day. It will help you take everything you learned here and apply it in a way that protects your results instead of quietly undermining them.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

• Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie

• Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/

• Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/

Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human!

Have you felt it lately?

You open your phone, you scroll for a few seconds, and suddenly you are looking at transformation photos, smaller bodies being praised, and a version of "progress" that feels very different from what you have been working toward. And even if a part of you knows better, there is another part that quietly wonders if you are doing something wrong.

That feeling is not random. It is what happens when the message is everywhere and it keeps finding you, even when you are not looking for it.

In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm talking about why this cultural shift is hitting so hard right now, what chasing extreme thinness actually costs a woman's body, and how to stay grounded in what you are building when the noise starts getting loud.

What's Discussed:

• Why this current "skinny trend" feels more intense than past body trends

• How constant exposure through social media changes the way we experience comparison

• The long-term impact of chronic restriction on metabolism, bone health, and overall well-being

• The mental toll of chasing a number and how it quietly takes over your life

• Why strength, nourishment, and consistency will always outlast any trend

• Simple ways to protect your mindset when comparison starts creeping in

If you loved this episode, you'll also love: Episode 540: Why Beating Yourself Up Isn't Helping You Reach Your Goals. It builds on this conversation and helps you shift out of the self-criticism that so often comes up when comparison starts creeping in.

Ready to have every 30-minute session pre-planned, pre-programmed, and built around exactly this structure? Head to movementwithjulie.com and get started inside the Movement With Julie app.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

• Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie

• Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/

• Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/

Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human!

Every summer, so many women tell themselves the same thing. They will start in September, get back on track after vacation, or wait until life feels more structured again. And honestly, it makes sense why summer feels like the wrong time to start something new, because there are BBQs, restaurant dinners, travel plans, kids at home, and days that do not follow the usual routine.

But that is exactly why summer can be the best time to start counting macros. If you can learn how to fuel your body in the middle of real life, with social meals, looser routines, and more activity already built into your days, you are not building a habit that only works when everything is perfect. You are building one that can actually last.

In this bonus episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm breaking down why the "I'll start in September" mindset keeps so many women stuck, why your body may need more fuel in summer than you realize, and how macro counting can help you feel more confident, steady, and in control without putting your life on pause.

What's Discussed:

• Why waiting until September often turns into the same cycle all over again

• Why summer activity can increase your body's need for consistent fuel

• How underfueling can show up as cravings, low energy, and workouts that feel harder than they should

• Why BBQs, vacations, and restaurant meals are not setbacks when you understand macros

• How summer gives you the chance to build consistency in real-life situations

• Why learning your numbers now can make autumn feel easier before it even begins

Ready to have every 30-minute session pre-planned, pre-programmed, and built around exactly this structure? Head to movementwithjulie.com and get started inside the Movement With Julie app.

If you loved this episode, you'll also love: Episode 542: Why Adjusting Your Macros Matters When You Increase Your Exercise. It will help you take the awareness you built here and apply it in a practical way as your training evolves.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

• Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie

• Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/

• Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/

Website: www.juliealedbetter.com