Tag: muscle centric

Fitness Tips

How Turning My Focus To Building Muscle Changed Everything

melaniewalessustainableliving

When I was a teen and in my 20’s I lost and gained weight more times than I can count.  Each time I repeated the cycle I regained even more weight.  I felt hopeless and broken as I tried to do what I thought worked.  Restrictive diets and lots of cardio.  Always with the focus on weight loss. 

What changed?  I had to switch the paradigm in my mind and habits that had me focused on weight loss.  Instead I had to focus my mind and habits on BUILDING MUSCLE. 

Eating for muscle, training for muscle, sleeping for muscle, hydrating for muscle, reducing stress and recovering for muscle. 

When I focused on muscle.👉 I lost fat, built strength, increased my endurance and drastically improved my overall health markers: blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose management, and triglycerides. 

To go on an empowering fitness journey I suggest this. Rather than focusing on losing weight, adjust your perspective and start focusing on building muscle.

The habits and behaviors needed to build healthy skeletal muscle will yield incredible results not only physique development but in overall health including:

  1. Better Blood Sugar Regulation
  2. Improved Hunger Management 
  3. Increased Mobility
  4. Stronger Bones
  5. And last but not least, Increased Survivability Against Nearly Every Disease!

It does not mean that the process is easy and will happen without effort. 

But those efforts, WORTH IT! 

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey to lose fat, build muscle, and get stronger check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website. With my 1 on 1 online fitness coaching service I take out the guess work and create customized activity and nutrition plans for your unique needs and goals while providing support, accountability and education for ongoing success. That way you can start taking action to get the epic and long lasting benefits of improved muscle health.

See my client testimonials.

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

Find loads of high protein and lean muscle building recipes in my E Cookbooks perfect for meal prep and beyond.  Build muscle and lose fat for your long term health one delicious bite at a time.

Click below for details. 

https://melaniewales-sustainableliving.com/shop-cookbook/

Fitness Tips

Exercise Snacks: How To Include More Exercise Into A Busy Day

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black skip rope
Photo by Dom J on Pexels.com

Any amount of exercise is always better than nothing at all.  By utilizing “Exercise Snacks” you can ensure you are getting something in every day no matter how busy you are.

Don’t be discouraged. You do not need to skip exercising entirely if you are busy and can’t dedicate 30-60 minutes to get in a workout.

You can do short bursts of various exercises for only 60 seconds at a time.  

Even 4-5 bouts of 60 seconds of simple exercises sprinkled throughout the day such as

  1. Bodyweight squats 
  2. Jumping jacks
  3. Push ups
  4. Briskly walking upstairs
  5. Jogging in place etc…

will promote your fitness and health.  

Not only do you receive benefits such as

  1. Improved cognitive function
  2. Improved cardiorespiratory fitness
  3. Improved metabolism

Including regular movement and exercise can become a more normal (and less daunting) part of your everyday life.  

Rethink the potential of your day.

 It’s Just 1 Minute. 

Ready. 

Set. 

Go!

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.

See my client testimonials.

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

To learn more about the science of exercise snacks (and much more) check out this great Found My Fitness Podcast Episode by Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D. interviewing Dr. Martin Gibala, Ph.D.

Fitness Tips

Secrets To Losing Weight and Keeping It Off For Good

melaniewalessustainableliving

8 years between these pictures.  You want to know the secrets to losing weight and keeping it off for good?  

Well… there are no secrets.

No magic diet, or pill you can take to make the body fat melt off.  

It takes consistent WORK.  It takes changing bad habits for good.  

It takes realizing habits you thought were good really aren’t if you are not seeing results.  

It takes prioritizing your long term health over your short term wants every single day.  

It takes falling in love with the process.  

It takes a radical mindset shift, determination, and good information to help you along the way.  

3 helpful tips to get you going on your Sustainable Living fitness journey.

  1. Be Patient. Sustainable results are slow going.  If the process was quick and easy we would all be walking around in our dream bodies.  Losing 2-4 pounds a month is amazing progress!  
  2. Be Realistic. Set daily goals that you can actually achieve.  If you haven’t exercised in months, don’t expect to hit it hard from the start, training 6 days a week and an hour everyday.  This will burn you out.  Daily walks and a couple 30 minute full body workouts per week are a great start. 
  3. Celebrate your daily wins!  Big and small.  If you make a mistake or fall off track, that’s okay.  Learning how to lose weight and keep it off is a skill.  It takes practice.  Don’t beat yourself up.  Be kind and keep going NOW.

You are only one good habit away from being back on track. 

Drink a glass of water, take a 10 minute walk, or enjoy 3 deep slow breaths.  Cool.  Now you are back on track!!  Make those small efforts add up so you can lose weight AND keep it off for good!

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.

See my client testimonials.

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

Fitness Tips

Easy Fit Family Meal: Same Meal Prep 3 Different Meals

melaniewalessustainableliving

Here I share a real world example of how my family of 3 created an easy fit family meal using the same meal prepped foods (chicken, potatoes, hard boiled eggs and salad dressings, along with fresh salad veggies, spices and condiments) and created 3 different meals by making small adjustments to accommodate our own unique goals, taste preferences, and portion needs.

Do you ever feel like because the members of your household do not have the same fitness goals as you that you struggle to stay consistent with your own nutritional goals?

Or that you have to cook an entirely separate meal for yourself which can be time consuming and exhausting? 

It’s okay and completely normal to have different goals, taste preferences, and portion needs as the other members of your household.  You can still eat well without additional time and hassle and reach your fitness goals by making small adjustments.  

These meals are also pictured above.

Meal Option 1:  Roasted chicken and potatoes seasoned with sugar free BBQ sauce, mustard, hot sauce, and spices without added oils.  Big salad with light ranch dressing and a whole hard boiled egg.

Meal Option 2:  Olive oil roasted chicken and potatoes seasoned with regular BBQ sauce and spices and a mayo dipping sauce on the side.  Small salad with vinegar and olive oil dressing and a hard boiled egg yolk.

Meal Option 3: Chicken and cheese quesadilla w/ ketchup.  Sliced veggies and light ranch dressing.  Hard boiled egg white with mustard.  Olive oil roasted potatoes lightly seasoned.

Need loads of fun and delicious recipes perfect for meal prep to help you reach your goals? My e- cookbooks are available! Click below for details. 

https://melaniewales-sustainableliving.com/shop-cookbook/

Find me on Instagram for more recipes, fitness tips, and meal ideas.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

Fitness Tips

Muscle: The Underrated Key To Successful Fat Loss

melaniewalessustainableliving

When I was a teen and in my 20’s I lost and gained weight more times than I can count.  Each time I repeated the cycle I regained even more weight.  I felt hopeless and broken as I tried to do what I thought worked.  Restrictive diets and lots of cardio.  Always with the focus on weight loss.  

What changed?  I had to switch the paradigm in my mind and habits that had me focused on weight loss.  Instead I had to focus my mind and habits on BUILDING MUSCLE.  

Eating for muscle, training for muscle, sleeping for muscle, hydrating for muscle, reducing stress and recovering for muscle.  

When I focused on muscle:  I lost fat, built strength, increased my endurance and drastically improved my overall health markers: blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose management, and triglycerides.  

To go on an empowering fitness journey I suggest this. Rather than focusing on losing weight, adjust your perspective and start focusing on building muscle.

The habits and behaviors needed to build healthy skeletal muscle will yield incredible results in overall health and physique development.    

It does not mean that the process is easy and will happen without effort. 

But those efforts, WORTH IT!  

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s. 

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

Fitness Tips

My Top 5 High Fiber Carbohydrate Grocery Staples

melaniewalessustainableliving

Carbohydrate rich foods are wonderful sources of fiber, energy and micronutrients.

We should get at least 10g of fiber per 1,000 calories we eat. Keeping these high fiber low calorie carbohydrate food sources on hand will make your meals more filling and satiating.

Next are my top 5 carbohydrate sources and portions that are also high in fiber.

  1. Apples– 200g 115 calories 5g fiber
  2. Rolled Oats-40g 155 calories 4g fiber
  3. Canned Beans-130g 120 calories 4g fiber
  4. Frozen Berries-200g 110 calories 8g fiber
  5. Broccoli-200g 80 calories 5g fiber

Carbohydrate rich foods should not be confused with ultra processed highly palatable foods such as ice cream, cake, candy, cookies, chips, etc…

These foods often contain just as much fat as they do carbohydrates. They are usually low in fiber and protein and should be enjoyed in moderation.

Looking for ways to make these whole ingredient high fiber carbohydrate staples a delicious addition to your meals? My E Cookbooks are loaded with recipes and meal ideas to put these ingredients to good use. Click here to learn more about me E Cookbooks “The Art Of Meal Prep For Sustainable Living Volumes 1 and 2” dedicated to meal prep and to eating well without sacrificing enjoyment or flavor.