Self Care Simplified

As we continue to explore the uniqueness of our own individual body types, we come next to the Mesomorph Body Type. 

A Mesomorph is naturally muscular and compact. Think of soccer players, bodybuilders and sprinters. They pack on muscle easily, have a relatively easy time controlling body fat levels, have a medium to large bone structure and tend to be naturally strong. When they slim down, their muscles really “pop”. 

On today's episode we'll talk about:

• Healthy vs. Unhealthy Meso's
• Why some meso's falsely assume they're an Endomorph
• The one nutrition component that can be manipulated to maximize a meso's body
• Training styles that meso's truly excel at
• The aspect of fitness that meso's should never neglect
• The ecto-meso hybrid and the endo-meso hybrid

My hope with uncovering and learning the different body types is that as you learn the specific ways that we’ve all been created uniquely, that you’ll learn to love your own body more…for its strengths and specific abilities.

Resources from this episode:

BRAND NEW! Mesomorph Meal Plan (Four full weeks!) 

Article: Eating Right For Your Body Type

Article: Embracing Your Design 

There's something in us that craves to be understood...to be known for what makes us different and unique. It's why we flock to personality and, more recently, DNA testing. We delight in knowing that God created us with a specific design. 

In these next 3 episodes we'll be exploring the different "somatotypes" and learning more about how we all bear God's likeness in a unique and beautiful way. 

On today's episode, you'll learn all about the Ectomorph Body Type. An Ectomorph is naturally slender with thin limbs. They excel at endurance sports, but often struggle to build muscle mass and feel truly strong. 

You're going to hear about healthy vs. unhealthy ectomorphs, ectomorph hybrids, and how to eat and train as an ectomorph to maximize your unique potential.

There's more to life than getting really healthy and fit! (Which sounds funny coming from a fitness pro...) But we can easily get obsessed without realizing it, especially when we want to see progress. Unfortunately, constant obsession with workouts (and food!) borders on idolatry. There's a better way to get in fantastic shape without ruining your body and heart in the process. 

On this episode, we're taking a closer look at what workout obsession, in particular, looks like. I'm giving you clues that might show you that you're in too deep. 

I'm sharing with you my own past mistakes with obsession and how it physically damaged my body. 

You'll also get a full explanation of a balanced workout plan for those that still like to workout 5-6 days a week, but don't want to over-train. Also, great info for runners! 

Resources from this episode:

• Exodus 20:3-6
• Galatians 4:8
• Basic Elements of Program Design (article) 

At the end of the episode, YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

• From Katie (42:00) - "Do you think tracking your macros is a good thing or not? Or do you think not tracking and learning how to eat intuitively is better?" 
• From Rachel (44:35) - "I’ve already dropped some weight (after having my three beautiful babies) and am down two sizes (yay!), but I’m stuck on my love handles. Biggest insecurity. Best way to get rid of them?"

This episode might ruffle your feathers. With our beliefs about food, we can become very passionate and easily offended. Far more than our exercise beliefs. Food is very personal, and often we have reached certain conclusions about it that make us feel safe and happy. But if what you're believing might not be entirely accurate, wouldn't you want to know? 

On today's show, Scott and I are tackling some pretty big myths and trends in the health and nutrition industry:

1. If you really want to dial in your nutrition, you need to count calories. 
2. Detoxing and cleansing are effective methods of getting healthier. 
3. Organic foods are healthier for you than conventional foods. 
4. You need supplements to be truly healthy. 
5. Eating healthy is expensive. 

If you passionately disagree with us, that's ok! But hopefully, you will feel less stressed and living in fear about eating healthy food, and develop a more relaxed and balanced approach to good nutrition. 

Extra Resources: 

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/problem-with-calorie-counting-calories-in

https://examine.com/nutrition/do-you-need-to-detox/ 

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/are-detox-diets-good-for-you 

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2012/09/little-evidence-of-health-benefits-from-organic-foods-study-finds.html?fbclid=IwAR3QhJw45jXCMzfKXRsIvuj6KRBTz1fU_-p5IFcWeKR1ib5TahEFa4ivX2o 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-08-11-fo-25842-story.html?fbclid=IwAR0iPlOhseCW9Qw_nQTWs3C-ZFao0ojRemIkvpZPGjaJ_NWofJRIPxiAljw  

I feel like an entire podcast show could be dedicated to busting fitness and nutrition myths. There are millions of opinions and ideas on how to get healthy and fit, and I’d say that more than half of them are flat out wrong. 

On today's episode, my co-host Scott and I are breaking down 6 of the biggest exercises myths so you can decipher fact from fiction. 

Myth #1: You can Spot Train, or choose specific exercises to target trouble spots.

Myth #2: Doing more cardio is the best solution for weight loss.

Myth #3: Lifting weights and strength training will make you bulky and super muscular.

Myth #4: If you want to be lean and toned, you need to do light weights with high reps vs. heavy weights, low reps.

Myth #5: If you want good abs, crunches & sit-ups are the best exercises to do.

Myth #6: Doing more is always better (while neglecting rest and recovery)

One of the hardest challenges of life is saying no to foods that are unhealthy for you. Sometimes, resisting food temptations can feel like a daily battle. I bet you know what you should and should not be eating, but you just can’t do it on a consistent basis for some reason. Why is this so hard?!

In this episode, I'm going teach you exactly what healthy eating should look like (so there's not doubt in your mind), we'll chat about splurging vs. cheating, and then we'll unearth the ugliness of "temptations". Let's also take a look at the two most prominent instances in Scripture that deal with temptations and how the two different individuals handled them. In the end, you'll walk away with some practical tools that you can implement right away to manage your cravings better, and some spiritual guidance to battle the temptations better. 

At the end of the episode, I'm answering YOUR questions:

Cherie asked: (35:06) "How do I eat the right amount at meal/snack times?"

Jasmine asked: (38:24) "How do I figure out how much protein I should eat?" 

Resources from this episode:

• Temptation (latin - temptare): the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise... a temptation is a thing or a course of action that’s attractive.

• Genesis 3:1-7 and Luke 4:1-4
• 1 John 2:15-17
• For a Portion Control Guide click here

Summer is here! And with summer comes “vacation mode”. Unfortunately, vacation mode, or summer mode, can quickly become "digress mode". Often, when reach the end of summer, we feel terribly unhealthy and wonder "what have I done to myself!" 

In this episode, we breakdown the clear differences between making progress, maintaining where you're at, and digressing, and then what it takes to be in each of these modes. Summer might not be the optimal time for making progress, but there are clear and simple steps you can take to make sure you're not digressing! 

This is going to give you some practical workout and nutrition tips so you can still have a blast this summer and enjoy your favorite things while still maintaining a certain amount of focus on your health!

Resources from this episode:

• Here are some quick Workout Plans for all levels 
• The Strong Mommas YouTube page with more quick workout ideas
• Scripture references from the question segment: Psalm 139:13-18, Jeremiah 1:5-8, 1 Corinthians 12:11-27

This episode is the "kick in the pants" you probably need to get your act together. Today, we're talking all about motivation. How often have you said, "I know what I need to do, I'm just not motivated enough"? You're not alone. I think we all feel that having the right motivation is the key to accomplishing big things in life, especially with our fitness and nutrition. 

But should we really be relying on motivation to determine our actions? And why is it that our motivation can be really high at certain times of the year, but really low at other times? 

We're also going discuss good motivators vs. empty motivators, the kind that just don't last. Also, we'll talk about how to have good, positive influencers in your life to make sure your motivations are being appropriately encouraged. 

In this episode:

• Hebrews 12:11, 1 Samuel 16:7, Galatians 1:10, John 12:43
• Strong Hips and Core Program - FREE 2-Week Workout Download

Your Questions Answered!

1. Haley asks (32:30)- “What are some good, plant-based protein options? I know I’m supposed to be eating protein with every meal, but I’m not a huge meat-eater.” 
2. Courtney asks (34:55)- “I’m several months postpartum and I’m still getting shooting pains in my pubic symphysis with certain exercises. Is there anything in particular I should be doing for this?” 

Most moms struggle to eat well because necessity and convenience are the highest priorities. Life is too busy and overwhelming to devote any more mental energy to our eating habits! But unfortunately, we get a sense that we're messing it all up...that we should be eating better. Cue the shame and mom-guilt. 

Let's figure out how to make eating healthy foods more convenient for you as an overwhelmed mom so that you never need to feel ashamed about what you're putting in your mouth. I'll teach you 5 practical strategies that actually make sense in a busy world! 

Resources:

• 1 Corinthians 10:5 - "taking our thoughts captive" (be sure to read the previous verse, too!)
• Strong Mommas Meal Plans 

At the end of the show, your questions answered!

1. Tabatha asks: “How can I get stronger to be able to finally do real push-ups on the floor?” (33:00)
2. Emily asks: "How can I stop comparing myself to others?" (37:20)

What is it about some people that can make certain exercises look so effortless? Why do some some people seem to be so fit and move so well? We all realize that being "fit" is far more than just being really lean or ripped. There's something about the way really fit people operate their bodies. Clearly, there's so much more to good training than just picking exercises for individual body parts. What is it?!

In this episode, you'll learn all about a somewhat recent buzz in the fitness industry called "functional" training. Find out more about your body's joints, your body's movement capacity, and the best way to train in order to capitalize on the way your body was made to move. 

Stop wasting your time and energy doing sub-par workouts. Learn exactly how your body was made to move, and then train it that way!

At the end of the episode, I answer YOUR questions:

• Megan & Patricia ask: "What are you thoughts on intermittent fasting? It's seems so appealing but I assume it messes up metabolism long term?"
• Heather asks: "How do I know how much weight to choose? I’m not very familiar with weight-lifting, I want to try it based on what I’ve been learning from you, but I’m a bit nervous." 

MORE RESOURCES:

• Click here to learn more about the Strong Mommas Coaching Program! (Registration opens 5/29 for 5 days only!) 
• More on Spot Training here. 
• More on Intermittent Fasting here. 
• More on Choosing the Right Weights here.