If you’re new to Love Sweat Fitness and just scroll through my Instagram or watch my YouTube videos, you might not know my story. You may think I’m just “one of those girls who has always been fit and healthy.” From the outside I have a whole lot of energy, make you seriously sweat without any equipment and look nice and toned. You think, “there is no way she could have hypothyroidism, have struggled with weight, or have had a 45 pound weight loss transformation,” right?
Where it began…
I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism at age 11 and for as long as I can remember (at least since middle school) I struggled with my weight and self-confidence. By the time I was in high school yo-yo dieting was part of my “normal” routine. Name a fad diet, I tried it, and nothing worked long term. In college my freshman 15 turned into the senior 45 and the cycle continued. My lack of self-confidence continued to grow and I eventually found myself not just overweight, but completely unhealthy mentally and physically.
Where it all changed…
My “aha!” moment came after convo with my dad who reminded me I was beautiful, loved, and worth it. I was worth the pain I would have to go through to address the root of the unhealthy habits I had created. I was worthy of self-love, self-respect and true happiness. After a lot of tears, I realized I was the only person who could change the way I thought about myself and that’s when my entire world changed.
For years I had allowed my hypothyroidism to be a crutch. An excuse for why I didn’t have energy and couldn’t lose weight. So, for the first time ever, instead of focusing the things I couldn’t do, I focused on all the things I could do to feel better. I had always set huge goals like “Lose 25lbs” then wouldn’t which led to me feeling like a failure. It was no way to live.
This time, I didn’t focus on my weight, but instead chose to focus on feeling good and I set small micro goals to make it happen. Those little things I could do each day to feel better from the inside out. For me, it was walking or doing body weight exercises in my room for at least ten minutes a day and fueling my body with foods that didn’t leave me feeling like garbage.
When you start small you have more reasons to celebrate all along the way! That’s what helped me stay encouraged and motivated to keep moving forward. It may have only been ten minutes a day, but I was so proud of the progress I was making inside and out.
Staying motivated…
Those small victories are what allowed me finally say good-bye to extreme diets and routines and truly change my lifestyle. I learned to love myself and treat my body like the amazing gift it is. My 10 minutes a day slowly turned into 20, 30, and sometimes even 45 minutes! And BONUS – I had a 45 pound weight loss transformation as a result of that new lifestyle!
Through it all I developed a deep passion for helping other women understand that they deserve to have a healthy, happy, hot body and live their best lives too! I knew the emotional pain I had gone through all those years and knew I needed to help other women avoid that at all cost and that’s when Love Sweat Fitness was born.
Two years after my own weight loss, I became a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor and started sharing my story, workouts and tips on Instagram. I created meal plans based on how I learned to nourish my body so I could reach my goals and still have fun!
Now we have over one million women a part of #TeamLSF who have all come together to support one another each day in their own journeys and thousands of women who have also had major transformations of their own!
It’s been almost ten years since I lost the weight, but through the years I’ve realized, it’s less about what you loose during your transformation and more about what you gain. Confidence, self love, self respect. These are all things I was lacking. They don’t magically happen as soon as you loose weight, but the physical and emotional hurdles you have to jump over throughout your journey change you. They force you to grow in ways you never expected and leave you stronger than before.
No matter where you’re at in your journey remember this:
“You already have everything you need to create the life you want and make real change. It all starts with believing YOU ARE WORTH IT!“
Hi friends! How’s the day going so far? I hope you’re having a good morning. I’m working on getting a barre video edited – it will be up in the am!- and catching up on chores before heading out to the pool with the crew. I can’t believe that it’s the last day of June already and that the 4th will be here this weekend. Last year, we had an amazing time in San Diego with friends and stayed at the cutest Airbnb.
July 4th is undoubtedly going to be on the weird side this year, but we’re still looking for ways to make it fun and festive. We’ll probably hit up the pool, grill for dinner, and do sparklers in the front yard.
For today’s post, I wanted to share some healthy and fun meal ideas for the weekend. If you have any staples you love or recipes you’re trying out, please leave them in the comments section below! I’m always looking for summer meal faves.
Healthy 4th of July recipe ideas
Entrees:
The best pasta salad ever! Seriously, it’s SO good and one of the most popular recipes on the blog. To amp up the protein content, you could absolutely add grilled chicken or chickpeas.
Sharing the details on how to train for a half marathon and keep up a running routine while making time for strength training.
Hi friends! Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Since so many of my friends are taking advantage of outdoor workouts and planning fall physical or virtual races, I wanted to re-share this post about a somewhat tricky topic: training for a half marathon while strength training.
I think it’s SO important to complement your running with some type of strength training. It can help to strengthen and protect your muscles, particularly the ones surrounding your knee and hips, to help you run faster and more safely. It’s very common for runners to get injured during training because they push it too hard and don’t train efficiently. It’s very easy to overtrain, especially with the myriad of “training plans” that are out there.
When a good friend reached out about getting injured during her beginner’s half marathon plan, I took a look at it for probably 3 seconds before saying,
“That’s too much running.”
Of course, if you’re used to running and do it daily, it’s NBD to slowly increase mileage and keep running almost every day. If you’re an elite runner, of course you’re running a lot! If you’re a beginner or novice runner, it doesn’t make a lot of sense from going to “a few miles every few days” to “6 miles one day, speed intervals the next, 3 miles after that, and a 50-minute run the day after that.” It’s too much.
When you’re a beginning runner, you need to be strategic about how often you’re running (and the purpose of each run!) in addition to strength training or cross training to prevent injury and improve strength.
Please keep in mind that I’m NOT a running coach. I’m a certified personal trainer and weight loss specialist who has run a handful of half marathons. Some of them were great, some of them were roadkill. (Thankfully as time went on, I learned what worked for me and what would help me PR. In my case, it was only 2 strategic runs per week in addition to the classes I was teaching and my own strength workouts.) If you need a specific training plans for your needs, please reach out to a running coach near you, or hit up my friends Teri or Janae and see who they recommend!
I took the plan my friend sent me and tweaked it. I eliminated a couple of run days – instead of running 5-6 times a week, it’s 3-4 – and added in strength training workouts that I’ll post below.
Spoiler alert: she followed this plan exactly as written (a couple missed days because life) and ran a sub-2 hour half marathon! YESSSS!
For the HIIT training, you’ll do 30 seconds of sprints and 30 seconds of rest for 15 minutes total. For your hill days, you’ll focus on adding resistance to really challenge your hamstring, core, and glutes.
In a time crunch? Eliminate the Monday 2 mile easy run or the bonus training on Tuesday.
Want to take a class? Add in spinning or another cardio class you love (dance, kickboxing, step) for cross training on Fridays, or try taking a barre workout on Tuesdays for your leg day. You can also skip upper body on Tuesday (only easy run) and do an Orangetheory workout on Tuesday. Please let me know if you need help shuffling things around! Instead of ADDING in more times and classes, see what you can swap for maximum effectiveness.
Strength training and half marathon plan:
These workouts use basic (but efficient) strength training moves. If you haven’t lifted weights regularly, I would make a personal training appointment to make sure your form is on point before venturing into strength training on your own. (The goal here is to keep you injury-free!) As always, talk with a doctor before making any fitness changes.
Okay, can we talk about having muscle soreness after a workout for a minute? I have a love-hate thing here. On the one hand, I love being sore after a good, hard workout like this one with booty bands or this one (sooo good!) It’s super satisfying to literally feel my muscles building themselves.
On the other, I get bummed when I’m so sore that getting my sweat on sounds extra hard. I’m definitely all for working out through some slight soreness, especially if you’re targeting a different muscle group. But sometimes, the extra ache can be enough to make me want to slow my roll.
But it’s swimsuit season, babes! And you’ve all worked so hard to make so much progress. A little muscle soreness after a workout should never stand in our way. So here are my top five fave ways to reduce muscle soreness — and fast!
#1: Give yourself a massage
There’s just something about a massage, right? It feels soooo good. But I’ve always hated self-massage because it’s just not as relaxing. Or, at least, I used to — until I found something super cool.
For starters, this thing is so versatile and easy-to-use. It’s cordless, so I can give my sore muscles some love anywhere I want, like chilling on the couch. And it’s got four different attachment heads and variable intensity so you can really target muscle groups with what they need. Plus, the long handle and the spine attachment are a GAME CHANGER for sore back muscles.
Seriously, if you’re looking for a way to treat yourself, this massager is it.
#2: Do some relaxed stretching
If your muscles are sore, they’re crying out for some TLC. And you can give it to them in the form of stretching. This is a great way to move your body on rest days.
I’ve got some stretching routines you can follow. This one gives you a full-body stretch, while this one is awesome for relaxing your body and your mind. Plus, there are TONS of amazing stretching videos for you in the LSF App!
I’d also encourage you to explore what your body needs. If one particular area is sore, try different stretches until you find what gives you relief. Listening to your body like this is a great way to give it the love and attention it needs.
#3: Ice, ice, baby
Muscle soreness is one thing. It’s a sign your muscles are rebuilding. But if you notice any inflammation — or swelling — it’s a sign you’ve gone too hard. Take it easy on that area, for sure.
And to bring any inflammation down, ice the area. I know ice can feel pretty intense. I recommend wrapping your ice pack in a tea towel to ease yourself in. Because, seriously, ice can be a huge part of treating a wide range of injuries.
#4: Heat it up
Ice is great if you’ve strained yourself too much. But heat is ideal if you want to support your muscles in their normal recovery period — plus it feels good!
When you apply heat, whether you use a heating pad or take a hot bath, you cause blood vessels in the area to dilate. This improves blood flow, which helps bring a flood of nutrients and oxygen to the area. In short, heat’s a great tool to help yourself ease soreness and support recovery.
#5: Plan your meals wisely
You already know that what you put into your body fuels it. So don’t forget that mealtime can be a powerful tool to help yourself get past muscle soreness after a workout faster. Include lots of anti-inflammatory foods in your meals and snacks when you’re feeling achy.
Also, don’t forget to drink plenty of water with and between meals. When you’re dehydrated, muscle soreness is more painful. Drinking lots of water helps to flush toxins so you can feel 100% faster.
Don’t let soreness stop you, babe! Use these tips to keep on your grind, pain-free!
Of all the ways you can easily become confused by what foods are “healthy,” the most common is the cruelest. The diet industry loves to take a concept that you understand on a basic level, and then twist science to make it seem that certain foods are dangerous to your health.
The manipulation of fear pushes you towards more restrictive diets, “requires” you to waste money on tests that only heighten your fear (unnecessary), and this forces behavioral changes that are unnatural to your preferences and, oftentimes, just lead to more frustration and failure.
This is exactly what has happened with the “alkaline diet,” or any dietary suggestions that make you worry about the alkalinity or acidity of a food.
Before you shift your diet based on the pH levels of foods or spend extra money to have a more alkaline-based diet (yeah, we’re looking at you alkaline water), let’s clear the air on what’s happening in your body and what really matters for your health.
Acid Diet vs. Alkaline Diet
In order for all of this to make sense, here’s a quick refresher that explains why people are even concerned with the acidity or alkalinity of the foods you eat.
Your body has a pH level that establishes whether something is acid, neutral, or basic (AKA more alkaline heavy). Your pH balance runs on a 14 point scale, with 0-6.9 being acidic, 7 is neutral, and anything above a “7” is basic.
When your body is balanced, it’s able to use vitamins and minerals more effectively. And, there’s a growing belief that cancers thrive in an acidic environment.
Therefore, there’s an assumption that following an alkaline diet will reduce the acidic environment of your body and keep you safe.
People who recommend eating a more “alkaline diet” will suggest that acidic foods change the pH of your blood and increase your risk for disease.
This is simply not true and here’s why: Your blood pH is tightly regulated so it stays between 7.35 and 7.45, which is slightly alkaline (1 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and 14 is alkaline).
No food can lower or raise blood pH. (Let that sink in as the first sign that any acid/alkaline diet suggestions are scare tactics based on bad science.)
To be clear: food cannot change the pH of your blood.
There are many systems in place to prevent that from happening. If the pH of your blood changes, that means you’re in critical health danger. So, the belief that eating an acidic diet will change blood in a way that causes a life-threatening disease (like cancer) isn’t real.
Now, some people will confuse you by having you test your urine when you eat certain foods. If you do this, it’s likely that you’ll see pH changes. But, looking at your urine as an indicator of acid levels in your body is very misleading.
That’s because your stomach is very acidic due to the fact that it helps break down food. So, if you eat acidic food, once it passes through your stomach, naturally, you will excrete acid. This does not mean that your body is in any sort of danger or out of balance.
Furthermore, a blood pH below 7.35 is known as metabolic acidosis, while alkalosis refers to a blood pH above 7.45. Either case is cause for serious concern and requires immediate medical attention. It’s not like you’d eat meat, change your pH level, and have issues without knowing.
If the pH level of your blood changes, you will know and you’ll likely feel very sick.
That’s not to say that eating some acidic foods won’t have consequences, but it’s a bait-and-switch rationale. Added sugars and refined starches are problematic not because they are “acid-forming,” but because they are minimally nutritious, raise biomarkers for heart disease, and can wreak havoc on our blood sugar levels.
Is an Alkaline Diet Better?
While there’s no need to test or worry about the acidity or alkalinity of your urine, there are other reasons to eat a more alkaline diet — and all of those reasons have nothing to do with testing pH levels.
Many of the world’s healthiest foods just happen to be alkaline.
Alkaline foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Eating those foods is a good idea, in general, but that doesn’t mean you need to stay away from acidic foods (like meat and eggs), and there’s no evidence that the acidity of your diet will bring on disease.
And don’t just take our word for it. According to resources from the American Institute for Cancer Research: “Altering the cell environment of the human body to create a less-acidic, less-cancer-friendly environment is virtually impossible.”
If you’re thinking about buying alkaline water, please save your money. You can read all about why in this article from The New York Times.
But, if you want to eat more alkaline foods, do so without worrying about the pH and simply because they are good options that fit into your dietary preferences.
Have questions? Share them in the comments below.
And if you’re sick and tired of the diet industry misleading you, the hands-on support of our online coaching program may be right for you. Every client is assigned two coaches — one for nutrition and one for fitness. Find out more here.
Did you hear the amazing news?! Summer Shape Up is launched and you can officially sign up!!! Join us for 8 weeks of workouts, self care, recipes, tips and tricks and sooo much more! We can’t wait to see all of your incredible transformations after the 8 weeks. Join us, tell a friend, and let’s do this babe! Sign up HERE!!
Plus, did you see the INSANE SSU giveaway?! This is one of the best ones yet, and there isn’t just one prize for one babe, which means more chances for you to win! Check out the giveaway deets here!
Access the Free Daily 10 in the LSF app! Download on your itunes or google play stores.
#LSFFeelinYourselfFriday: Happy Fri-YAY! Go for a walk outside today and be sure to stop and smell the roses!
We’re sooo excited for Summer Shape Up and to sweat it out with you babes for 8 weeks! Check out this brand new blog post on all of the deets on the challenge and what you need to know if you have any questions!
#LSFRollCall Happy National Bikini day! Throw on your favorite bikini and dance it out!
Summer mood board vibes!
This Summer might be a little different than others, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be the best Summer EVER! We’ve put together everything you need to know on how to create your own Summer paradise right at your home, along with help from some of the babes of #TeamLSF! Check out the how too here!
Are you ready for Summer Shape Up?! We’re so excited to kick off the challenge in just about one week! This is going to be 8 weeks of summer paradise sweating it all out together and getting that summer bod on point! We are so excited to see you babes get stronger through doing the challenge in the LSF App and keeping that nutrition on point with the Shape Up Bundle!
But to get extra pumped for the challenge, we’re doing a little warm up. Say hello to your Summer Shape Up warm up 7 Day Mini Challenge!! Complete each day of the mini challenge to get completely warmed up for SSU to start on July 6th. Psssttt…. still need to sign up?! Join us here!
Print out this 7 Day Mini Challenge and make sure to post each day on your LSF IG account using the hashtag #SSUwarmup! Let’s do this babe!
You now have a range for the amount of protein you need in a day!
I know…we just threw a lot at you.
Let’s explain some of these numbers and equations in case you want to nerd out on the details.
How Much Protein Should I Eat in a Day?
As we cover in our guideHow Much Protein Do I Need to Eat,you’re going to find all sorts of different recommendations for how much protein you should be consuming.
For example, the current international Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.4g per pound of bodyweight (0.8 g per kg of body weight).[1]
Case closed?
Nope.
In our opinion, and as pointed out by this study[2] the RDA for protein is too low and should be higher regardless of your body composition.
Our calculator actually starts you off at 0.54–0.82g per pound of bodyweight (1.2–1.8 g/kg), which tops out at over twice the level of the RDA.[3]
Another criticism of the RDA recommendation: the amount of protein you should eat is really going to be dependent on you and your goals. That’s why we had so many variables in our calculator above.
The RDA’s blanket recommendation for protein intake is oversimplified.
We’ll dive into this more with our next two sections.
One last piece of general advice: we gave you protein intake ranges from low to high. That’s because you as an individual may react to certain levels of protein differently.
So don’t take our protein recommendation as gospel!
Consider your results here as a starting point. Try one range, see how you feel, and take it up or down from there.
If you seem to do better on a certain amount of protein, don’t worry if it’s not within our range.
The protein recommendations here come from studies, and studies are based on averages. You may be an outlier, which 100% happens.
Use the results of our protein calculator as a starting point and see how you feel. This is advice we give every coaching client when we discuss protein with them.
How Much Protein Should I Eat to Build Muscle?
If you’re trying to build muscle, you’re going to want to eat enough protein to induce muscle repair and growth.
After all, protein is the building blocks of muscle tissue, so you’ll need plenty if you’re looking to bulk up or just build muscle.
How much?
If you’re of healthy weight, active, and wish to build muscle, aim for 0.64–1.09 g/lb (1.4–2.4 g/kg).[4]
There is some evidence that a higher range might be beneficial. Not so much in gaining more muscle, but to minimize fat gain during a bulking phase.[5]
As we mention in our guide, 12 Tips to Gain Weight Quickly, you might put on a little fat when eating in a caloric surplus to grow muscle.
The Beginner Bodyweight Workout. If you’re looking for an exercise routine that can be done ANYWHERE, look no further. Our beginner routine has jumpstarted many Rebels in their strength training. You’d be surprised how much muscle you can build with your own weight, a milk jug, and a sturdy table.
Build Your Own Workout Routine. After you do a workout or two, it’s time to strategize. What should you train and on what days? When should you rest? Our guide will walk you through building a complete routine.
Another option is to check out our Online Coaches Program, where a trained expert can build you a customized workout, then adjust it each month based on your progress:
How Much Protein Should I Eat to Lose Weight?
If you’re looking to lose weight, eating plenty of protein will be an important part of the equation.
Why is protein important for weight loss?
Think of it this way: protein is the only macronutrient you don’t store.[7]
Carbs are stored as muscle glycogen and blood glucose. Fat is stored as body fat. If your body needs either, it can look to its held reserves for resources.
Not so for protein.
Meaning most of the protein in your body is currently doing a job: building muscle tissue, making enzymes, strengthening bones, etc.
If you don’t eat enough protein, your body will turn towards your muscles for its needs.
So if you’re not careful when you’re losing weight, you could lose muscle AND fat.
Obviously, from a health and physique standpoint, this is not good.
That’s why you need to eat plenty of protein and strength train during periods of weight loss, so most of the weight you’ll lose will be fat while retaining the muscle you have.
If you’re just starting your weight-loss mission, we can help!
Here are some resources to get you going:
The 5 Rules of Weight Loss. If you’ve ever been on a diet, or are currently on a diet, give this a read. Here we discuss why people succeed with popular dieting programs and why they don’t, plus actionable steps you can take to achieve sustainable weight loss.
Start Eating Healthy Without Being Miserable. If you’re confused about healthy eating (“Should I nix carbs? Do I have to count calories?”), start here. We’ll explain how to consistently build healthy meals while still eating the foods you love. Nobody should be forced to give up pizza forever.
How Many Calories Should I Eat Every Day?We’re not going to make you count calories for the rest of your life. However, we do want you to have some awareness of the number of calories you are eating. We’ll give you a caloric range to shoot for, plus some tips on how to portion control.
You can also download a Free 10 Level Diet Guide too when you join the Rebellion and sign up in the box below:
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
Can I Eat Too Much Protein?
Now that I’ve drilled into your head that should be consuming plenty of protein, a natural question will arise:
How much protein is too much protein?
The good news here is that as long as you have healthy kidneys, you can eat a lot of protein with no ill effects.
As Examine points out in its research on protein:[8]
“Higher protein intakes seem to have no negative effects in healthy people,”**
**Of course, if you have specific kidney or medical issues with regards to protein intake, PLEASE go with your doctor’s recommendation for required protein consumption!
Check out The Ultimate Protein Shake Guide for more protein powder recommendations and recipes on how to make delicious smoothies.
Whether through whole foods or supplements, protein should be a main part of every meal you eat. It’s one of our top recommendations for being a healthy nerd.
You can always adjust up or down based on your results.
If you need any help along the way, we got you.
Here are three ways to continue your journey with Nerd Fitness.
#1) Our Online Coaching program: a coaching program for busy people to help them make better food choices, stay accountable, and get healthier, permanently.
As I said before, we teach portion control to our clients who struggle with overeating, so we’ll provide a non-judgmental expert to help you reach your goals.
You can schedule a free call with our team so we can get to know you and see if our coaching program is right for you:
#2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Have questions you need answered? Join Nerd Fitness Prime!
Nerd Fitness Prime is our premium membership program that contains live-streamed workouts with NF Coaches, a supportive online community (with many like-minded people dealing with “portion control”), group challenges, and much more!
Option #3) Join the Rebellion!We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.
Sign up in the box below to enlist and get ourRebel Starter Kit, which includes all of our “work out at home” guides, the Nerd Fitness Diet Cheat Sheet, and much more!
Get your Nerd Fitness Starter Kit
The 15 mistakes you don’t want to make.
Full guide to the most effective diet and why it works.
Complete and track your first workout today, no gym required.
Alright, I want to hear from you:
Did you calculate your protein requirements?
Do you generally consume around this target?
Have any tips or tricks for getting enough protein?
Read, “The Effects of Consuming a High Protein Diet (4.4 g/kg/d) on Body Composition in Resistance-Trained Individuals.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “A High Protein Diet (3.4 g/kg/d) Combined With a Heavy Resistance Training Program Improves Body Composition in Healthy Trained Men and Women–A Follow-Up Investigation.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “The Effects of Overfeeding on Body Composition: The Role of Macronutrient Composition – A Narrative Review.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “Optimal Intakes of Protein in the Human Diet.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “Controlled Changes in Chronic Dietary Protein Intake Do Not Change Glomerular Filtration Rate.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “Effect of Short-Term High-Protein Compared With Normal-Protein Diets on Renal Hemodynamics and Associated Variables in Healthy Young Men.” Source, PubMed.
