The weekend *insert dramatic music here*. So many of us can prance through the week like it's nobody's business while trying to lose weight. Nutrition is on point. Workouts are top Notch. Consistency is next level. But then it happens. The weekend hits and all of a sudden we are undoing all of the progress we made during the week and then some! Join me in this episode, as I give a bit of tough love and share TWENTY practical tips on how to navigate the weekend (and summer) in a way that will keep you in a calorie deficit and get you to your fat loss goals!

I've been getting alot of messages about what exactly my coaching program entails so I wanted to do an episode talking about my program from the perspective of someone who is rather new. For those of you debating on whether or not my program is for you, hopefully this will answer some of your questions! Join me as I chat with Vicky Struthers, a client of mine who joined Burns Fitness roughly 6 months ago. This girl came in to the group and took full advantage of all that there was to offer! Not only has she lost 17 lbs (a number that neither of us knew during the actual recording) but she has learned to prioritize nutrition to fuel her body and also has developed a love for running that she never expected. This girl took things one step at a time to create long lasting lifestyle habits and there is a joy and happiness that just radiates from her that I know is rooted in crushing her goals and gaining momentum from that!

Thank you Vicky for chatting with me this week! I hope you all enjoy getting to know this girl's story as much as I did!

Binging is something that many struggle with but little admit to how real the struggle is. Join me as I share my own journey with binging and how it was the single most difficult thing that I had to overcome to experience freedom, heal my relationship with food and experience true progress in all other facets of my health and fitness journey. I explain what binging is and talk about the spectrum that exists within it, as well as, share 5 practical Do's and Don'ts to keep in mind while trying to overcome binging and navigating through the valley that it can lead us to. Knowledge is power. I hope this episode can be one step in the right direction for you or possibly someone you know, in overcoming the despair that binging creates.

This episode is a Q&A style format from group coaching clients. I mention this in the podcast but I did not answer all questions related to binging and/or hormones and menopause because I will be dedicating entire episodes to these topics on their own in the next few weeks. So know that I haven't forgotten your questions, I'm just saving them for a later date so I can answer them in full detail!

Below are the questions that were asked and answered:

1. Strength workouts. Benefits of separate lower, upper and core specific days? You said you sometimes combine the two… any differences for body? How about doubling up and then doing it twice in the week?
2. If I have limited weights at home, will I continue to see strength gains? What can I do to maximize my effort?
3. Should the water you drink during a workout count as your ‘8’ cups? Are you not losing some water and what you drink is replenishing this?
4. To be ‘fat free’ or not to be? To be ‘sugar free’ or not to be? It seems that when one of these is low the other is pretty high…is it worth it?
5. Some research indicate that having a ‘cheat day’ will lower ghrelin levels and help with weight loss. I know you encourage BIT (built in treat) but your opinion about this?
6. How can someone who has an unhealthy lifestyle try and ‘reset’ their metabolism?
7. Should you always do a bit of cardio before a strength workout?
8. Can you just go into a stretch workout anytime without warming up?
9. You mentioned the importance of stretching. Some say you should stretch before - others say no you could hurt yourself do it in the middle or only do it after? I would like your input?
10. So you had a long day. Everything is done…kids to bed, lunches ready, whatever needed to be done is all done. You sit down to relax - how do you stop yourself from thinking about food? Don’t sit down and go to bed? Nighttime snacking is so hard to break! Yeah I can read a book but all of a sudden they talk about food lol
11. I have been reading about when it is best to eat to replenish your loss after a workout/to rebuild muscles. I know I am not a bodybuilder but still. Some say the optimum window is 20 min, others say 10min, some say you should eat before. Again coach your opinion on all this?
12. What is your opinion about diet drinks making you crave more sweets? There seems to be so many different opinions about this and I know you LOVE you Diet Pepsi.

Join me as I chat with my dear client and friend, Tara! Tara did unbelievably well when she joined my program a year and a half ago. She was an A+ student in every way and quickly saw the results of all of her hard work. She managed to lose 30 pounds just under 4 months and has since been on a journey of learning maintenance. I often warn people as they approach their goal weight about the mental battle that awaits for them once they get into maintenance. When I lost my own weight I was so narrowly focused on getting to my goal weight that I literally wasn't sure what to do once I actually got there. Tara and I chat about the unsuspecting challenges of maintenance and how we still have to be prepared to work, despite having achieved our weight goal. Maintenance is not the end of the game - it's graduating to the next level. As always, proper knowledge and preparing your mindset just makes getting to that level a whole heck of alot easier!

Join me as I chat with my fitness mentor, coach, group fitness instructor, personal trainer and friend of mine: Lynette O'Donnell. This woman has been one of the most influential people in my health and fitness journey. We met through a group fitness class, her as the instructor, me as the instructee, and somehow a beautiful friendship was formed through a common love for health and fitness. In this episode we talk about group fitness and personal training - the benefits to each and things to be mindful of as you choose someone to lead you in this way. We also talk about her top 3 do's and don't's when it comes to nutrition. We talk about balance, taking your eyes off the scale and focusing on the day to day, taking ownership over your life and to stop using excuses for why you are not attaining your goals and so so much more! I hope you can learn as much from her in this episode as I have over the years that I have known her!

The people you surround yourself with in this journey WILL influence you. So be mindful of who you are looking to for advice and direction. I count my lucky stars that I crossed paths with this beautiful soul who really helped shape my mindset into such a better and healthier place than what it was before. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. So... CAUTION! Fitness Influencers Will Influence You. Choose Wisely.

Join me as I talk to running coach, Harley Uttaro and running enthusiast, Holly Starra, about taking your running to the next level. Maybe you've completed the couch to 5k program and are not sure where to go next? Or perhaps you've been running for a while and are struggling with performance goals? This episode is all about the transition between "beginner" running to "intermediate" running. We focus on how to plan your running workouts in a strategic and SMART way! Because let's be real, once you start running (especially if you're doing it properly), you ain't gonna wanna stop!

Fit does not always equate to healthy. I understand this very deeply. In this episode I share my own story in achieving the peak of my fitness journey and how I quickly realized that it came with a cost. A cost that I am no longer willing to pay. Join me as I rant about the problem with how society views health and healthy individuals and how that creates such a demented path for us to follow as we are all on our own health and fitness journeys. I also disclose the #1 habit that will make you more happy and fulfilled as your pursue what is ACTUALLY a healthier lifestyle.

This guest is one special gal in my life. She was the first person who took a chance on me as a coach. In fact, when I wasn't even a coach at all, she asked if I could work with her daughter and little did I know that that facebook message would literally change my life forever.

Tracy has battled with her weight for most of her life but in recent years has witnessed major success in losing a total of 70 lbs. But what is far more inspiring to hear and beautiful to see is how this weight loss has given her so much more than a reduced body fat percentage. This transformation has given her back control over her life, has aloud her to be more present with those that she loves and she now feels like she is thriving like never before as a wife, mother and in her workplace as well. Her key to success? She just never quit. Join us as we discuss all of this and more.

In this episode I talk about why blood pressure is such an important measure of health to know and understand. I explain what blood pressure is and why it matters to our overall health as well as how to recognize if you have high blood pressure and what you can do to lower it. I also discuss cardiovascular health in great detail as it is one of the key factors of having healthy blood pressure. I talk about cardio zones, heart rate and how to practically plan cardio into your week in a way that is optimal for both your health and performance! There is alot to understand about cardio and heart health and I believe this is a fantastic resource to expand your knowledge on the topic!