What if this holiday season was different?
What if we made a handful of better decisions and purposefully avoided some common mistakes this season?
What if we entered 2020 feeling content and at peace with our bodies, rather than feeling in need of a drastic health overhaul?

On this episode, we're tackling 8 common nutrition and mindset mistakes we make during the holidays, from mindless overeating to not employing the "sample technique" or the "half your plate veggies" technique. 

I want us to really examine the things that lead us to that point of holiday misery and to see if there is a way to be healthy but not have a lame holiday season! 

Our actions and choices this time of year can sometimes leave us feeling more miserable and downcast about our bodies than any other time of year. My prayer is for all of your negative and self-loathing thoughts that you have about your body to shatter and disappear, so you can finally enjoy your body and feel at peace in it, especially during the holidays. The action steps in this episode will be so helpful! 

Resources from this episode: 

• The Strong Mommas Coaching Program! Registration opens December 1-12!! ​

Not liking our bodies, or having a negative body image, is so common that we usually don't give it much thought. "It's no big deal...everyone thinks this way." However, thinking negatively about your body can feel like it's rotting your soul, if left to its own devices. 

I know that one of your deepest desires is to get to a place where you don’t have anything negative to say about your body...where you can be wonderfully content, and grateful, and actually like your body. 

​The good news is that it's possible, and you don't even have to wait until you reach your goals!

On this episode, Scott and I discuss the 3 Big Negative Thought Patterns and the 9 Strategies for getting past them. By the end of this episode, you'll feel equipped to take charge of your mindset better and you'll feel hopeful that you can actually like your body after all. 


Resources from this episode: 

• Strong Mommas Coaching Program - It's back!!! Registration opens 12/1/19-12/12/19
• Couch to Strong Momma 8-week training program
• Psalm 139:14
• Psalm 119:73
• Isaiah 44:24
• Deuteronomy 7:6
• Galatians 4:7
• Philippians 2:3-4
• Mark 12:31
• 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

​We all crave to be supported, especially by the ones we love the most. But we don't often get this luxury. Usually, we're trying to make healthy choices in an environment that may not be very conducive to our success. More often than not, our own home and family members can feel like the biggest obstacles standing between us and our goals.

And not only that, but we truly desire for our family members to jump on board and make the same healthy changes with us! Isn't that ideal?? 

On this episode, Scott and I chat about having the right attitude with our health and fitness journey, and how you can be a powerful influence in your home without being aggressive or forceful. 

We talk about the do's and don'ts for when your family isn't on board with you: phrases you should and should not say, how to ask for their support with humility, and how to stay focused on the things you CAN change, not the things you can't. 

Resources from this episode:

• Couch to Strong Momma 8-Week Beginner Program 
• 1 Peter 3:1-4  

You want details?! I'm giving you details. And lots of them!!

So, how does your menstrual cycle affect your eating habits, your hunger, and your cravings? How does it affect your ability to workout hard and get the most from your training sessions? And how does it affect your mood and enthusiasm? 

The truth is that your menstrual cycle can impact just about everything, so it's foolish to ignore it and not plan for it effectively.

​On this episode, we're going to chat all about the menstrual cycle. You'll learn that there are reasonable explanations and solutions for something that can feel so completely unreasonable at times.

You'll learn about:

• the main phases of our cycle and the primary hormones that are in play,
• the specific effect those hormones have on our hunger, cravings, energy, and mood,
• how to be more prepared with your nutrition,
• and how to organize your month of workouts around your cycle.

We'll also briefly talk about not having a regular menstrual cycle and what that might be indicating for you. 
​
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Couch to Strong Momma 8-Week Beginner Program available now!! 
• (Article from Girls Gone Strong) Menstrual Matters: How your cycle may affect your training

How can we become more consistent with our eating and exercise habits? Because clearly, consistency is crucial for achieving our goals. If we approach our "consistency" from the perspective of “faithfulness”, we can see that this is as much a quality and maturity of personal character as much as it is about habit choices. 

On this episode, we'll see that as we're being refined to look more like Christ, it must include the area of faithfulness...being true to our word and doing what we say we're going to do. This requires humility, clarity, and lots of prayer.

And it requires learning how to persevere through trials and hardships. 
We're going to address the pitfalls of having the "all-or-nothing" or perfectionism mindset, and why this holds us back more than anything else.

​And then we'll chat all about: 

• How to set realistic expectations for yourself
• Creating backup plans
• Predicting the curveballs
• Having layers of accountability

Your Questions Answered:
At the end of the episode I'll be answering your questions! 

1. From Victoria - (40:12) How should I sync my workouts with my menstrual cycle?
2. From Kait - (46:10) Do you have any tips for getting toddlers to eat healthier? To eat veggies?

Resources from this episode:

• 2 Corinthians 3:18
• Ephesians 4:22-24
• Matthew 5:37
• Romans 5:1-5
• Isaiah 41:10

Are weight loss plateaus inevitable? Are they predictable? Is there a way to avoid them? And what's the best way to bust through a plateau when it happens? That's what we're talking all about on today's episode! 

When we’re talking about a plateau, we’re usually referring to a stall out in body composition changes, even when our habits are still on point. It can feel like all the things that worked in the beginning to create progress aren't working anymore. What in the world?!

In this episode, you're going to learn all about the metabolism, we're going to talk about the concept of "calories-in-calories-out", and we'll discuss metabolic compensation. 

But most importantly, we'll chat about nutrition and exercises strategies to bust through a plateau if you suspect it's occurring. 

MORE RESOURCES: 

• Article about the Law of Metabolic Compensation by Dr. Jade Teta 
• How to Lose 4 Pounds in 4 Days by Megan Dahlman, BS, CSCS
• Leptin, Ghrelin, and Weight Loss by Helen Kollias, Ph.D.

You asked, I'll answer! This entire episode is dedicated to answering all of your questions about exercise, nutrition, and the balance and interplay of these things in our lives.

We're going to talk all about carbs, fasting, bad knees, running, how to be more consistent and setting a good example for our kids. The scope of topics we're covering on today's episode is incredible! 
​

1. (5:25) Are all carbs created equal?
2. (11:55) How do you handle nutrition goals when they differ from your spouse's?
3. (15:09) Is it ok to workout while I'm fasting, and if so, how can I strategically plan for this best?
4. (18:55) Any tips for someone with a very sedentary job and long commute?
5. (22:05) The elastic bands...what are they adding to the exercise? 
6. (24:44) What are the best workouts for someone with bad knees?
7. (26:49) I'm an Endomorph and I love to run, but it sounds like I should be lifting instead. What if I really just love to run?
8. (30:15) How do I break the inconsistency cycle, especially when I'm just not feeling into it?
9. (36:01) Where’s the best place to buy workout clothes and equipment?
10. (37:26) How can we raise our kids to have a healthy attitude about food and fitness?

Resources from this Episode: 
Strong Hips and Core Free Workout Download
Perform Better Minibands
​

​“Working out and eating healthy isn’t supposed to make you cry.” 

We've been told that self care, exercise, and good nutrition is strictly physical. It's just surface-level actions and behaviors. But then why on earth are so many of us falling apart into a ball of tears in the middle of a workout?

Whether the feelings we have are sorrow, anger, a sense of being overwhelmed, or pure rage, the fact remains: it's completely normal to come face to face with some pretty big emotions during a workout.  

This episode seeks to unravel what's going on underneath the surface when we're asked to do something extremely challenging and outside of our comfort zones. We'll stare down our pride, weaknesses, and true motivations for exercising. In the end, we're going to be called on to deny ourselves and our deepest ambitions, and adopt the ambitions and purpose of Jesus instead. 

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED! 
At the end of the episode, Megan will be answering your questions about Faith, Food, and Fitness. 

1. Lindsay asks: "Can you talk about the big exercise ball? What’s the benefit of using it, and how can I get better at it?"
2. Paula asks: "I always find myself so hungry only an hour or two after I eat. Then I start looking around for something else to eat. Any ideas?" 

More resources from this episode:

• Matthew 6:5
• Romans 3:23
• Mark 8:34-37
• 1 Peter 2:9
• Colossians 3:1-3
• 2 Timothy 1:7 
• For my favorite physioball click here

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"Let's take a deep breath and learn how to relax." 

This is going to be a marvelously relaxing, life-giving and hope-filled episode...don't miss this! If you want to be strong, healthy, maintain a good body composition, and feel your absolute best, it's nearly impossible if you don't manage your stress well. This episode is PART TWO of Stress Reality Check.

On this episode, we're taking a closer, more specific look at some effective strategies that you can begin using today that will significantly ratchet down your body's stress response and get it under control.

You're going to learn all about:

• Tips for a better sleep routine
• The trick for getting your nutrition under control without it becoming a frustrating burden
• How to breathe properly (the 5-5-8 count!)
• Creating balance throughout the week with your workouts
• The value of a supportive community that helps you lower your expectations

Resources from this episode:
Strong Mommas Coaching Program (registration opens September 5th!) 
Video of proper breathing technique 
 
And then let's get saturated in the Word!
Proverbs 3:21-26 (on sleep)
Psalm 4:8 (on sleep)
Genesis 2:7 (on breathing)
Job 33:4 (on breathing)
Ezekiel 37:6 (on breathing)
John 6:63 (on Spirit and life)
Matthew 11:28 (rest for your souls)
Isaiah 40:31 (on not growing weary)
Romans 8:38 (on security in our hope)

Coming full circle in our body typing series, we finally come to the Endomorph.

An Endomorph is naturally more broad and thick than the other body types, even at their absolute fittest. They excel at powerlifting and weightlifting in general, usually dominating the other body types at Olympic lifting competitions and even the Crossfit games. But the Endomorph has some metabolic challenges to overcome to be their healthiest and fittest self. 

On this episode, you're going to learn all about:

• Insulin response and carb tolerance,
• Why we end up with Ecto's and Meso's thinking they're an Endo instead, 
• Healthy vs. Unhealthy Endomorphs, 
• How to train and eat in order to "prime the fat-burning pump", 
• And why you might not need to know your exact body type to see real results. 

​At the end of this episode, we'll be answering these questions from some listeners:

1. "What if I don't know what my type is, but I do have some goals...what should I do?" 
2. "Is somatotyping similar to blood typing for fat loss?" 
3. "Can I still see results and have success if I don't eat and train perfectly for my body type?" 

Resources from this episode: 

• Psalm 139:14 - "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." 
• (Downloadable!) Healthy Meal Plans for each of the different body types  
• The Strong Mommas Coaching Program (registration opens back up September 1st!) 
• Article: Eating Right For Your Body Type
• Article: Embracing Your Design