Tag: online personal training

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/

Fit Recipes!, Fitness Tips

Great On The Go High Protein Meal Ideas

melaniewalessustainableliving

We should get at least 30g of high quality protein in each of our meals even when we are on the go.  Next are 3 high protein meal ideas that are great options even on the busiest of days to help you reach your protein goals and help you stick to your daily nutritional goals.  

This post is inspired by my recent family medical emergency and are the exact meals I used to keep my highly stressed and sleep deprived brain and body functional as I cared for my daughter during her hospital stay.  (Update: She is now fully recovered!!!)

  1. Pack 2 scoops of protein powder and an apple or banana.  Simply mix the protein powder in water, a coffee, or other preferred beverage while out and about.  Add in a whole piece of fruit for convenience, fiber, and increased satiety.  Very quick and easy to pack when you are rushing out the door.  
  2. Make a “yummy bowl.”  This yogurt and fruit bowl is my favorite on the go option!  (In my 2nd cookbook I call it the Overnight Dessert Recovery Bowl because I generally make it for my evening dessert) For ease at my house, I refer to it as my “yummy bowl”.  It’s super easy to make and bring in a cooler. See below for a screen shot of the full recipe direct from my e cookbook.   
  3. Buy the best high protein options you can find.  Sometimes we don’t have time to pack or an emergency occurs and there is no other choice.  Read labels and opt for prepared foods that are high in protein and lower in fat such as greek yogurt, a turkey sandwich wrap, and Fair Life Core Power high protein milk.  Add in a piece of whole fruit for more low calorie volume and satiety instead of opting for a side of chips or a cookie.  

You have choices.  Eating like crap never helps you feel better.  

Whatever the day brings you can make the choice that aligns you with your long term goals and helps you feel your best.

Prioritize your health and well being and let the excuse of being “too busy” go.

Getting and staying fit is always worth the effort.  

Screenshot from my E Cookbook “The Art Of Meal Prep For Sustainable Living Volume 2”

Need some more fun and delicious recipes to help you reach your goals? My e- cookbooks are available! Click below for details. 

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

Find the Overnight Dessert Recovery Bowl in Volume 2 as well as many more delicious and macro friendly recipes for bulk prep, quick prep, sweets and snacks prep and so much more.

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

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

Fitness Tips

Find Your Turning Point Now

melaniewalessustainableliving

Earlier in my life I attempted to lose weight more times than I can count. 

During an attempt I took up swimming.  I had recently hurt my knee after a fall down my back garden steps.  Swimming was a good fit because it allowed for movement while not aggravating my knee injury.  

I started feeling better.  I started feeling proud of myself.  

Then I shared with someone how I’d taken up swimming and how I was focusing on losing weight again.  This individual promptly told me that swimming was not going to help me lose weight.  Great that it was helping me feel better, but not to get my hopes up for weight loss.

This conversation was devastating.  I lost my drive to go swimming.  I allowed it to set me back on my fitness journey for many years to follow. 

Recently I’ve been sharing simple ways you can start to incorporate healthier habits into your daily routine.  This is because getting started with something and then to BUILD off of that initial momentum is crucial. 

We all have to start somewhere. We also need to believe ALL our efforts are worth it.  Because they are.

Could our efforts be optimized and maximized?  Of course!  That’s what I do as a coach for my clients.  I help my clients optimize their time and efforts so they can achieve amazing and long term results.  

But, building a base of healthy habits through small daily actions and believing it’s worth it to do so creates both momentum and confidence to remain consistent. 

Consistency is key for progress.

My turning point came after having my daughter.  With an infant to care for I had to find ways to incorporate my health goals into my busy days.  I had to get creative to make it work.  I also started to believe in my efforts again no matter how small they were.

From 2016-2017, in less than ideal conditions, I managed to lose 40 lbs during my first year postpartum. 

The momentum I created then still carries me through today.  Sure, by deepening my education and experience I have learned how to optimize and maximize my efforts to take my results and that of my clients to the next level.  

But never underestimate the power of ALL of your efforts towards a healthier version of you.  Don’t be discouraged.  Keep going.  You’ve got this!

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

Mindset Tips: How To Stay On Track Even When It Gets Hard

melaniewalessustainableliving
barbell on the floor
Photo by Leon Ardho on Pexels.com

“What can I do today that adds value to me tomorrow.”

It’s easy to succumb to short term convenience and comforts when we are tired, hungry, stressed or overwhelmed.  Especially at the end of a long day or week.  

Most of us do not deviate from our action plan when things are easy.  We veer off track when things get hard, inconvenient, or require more effort than we expect.  

When this inevitably happens.  Shift your mindset and REMEMBER that your long term goals are valuable and hold a greater purpose than how you feel in this fleeting moment.  

Stay true to what you know you should do.  Keep the promises you made to yourself.  Your tomorrow self will thank you that you persevered today.   

Every week I have the opportunity to hear how my 1 on 1 clients stay consistent to their long term goals despite their circumstances and about the rewards and benefits they see because of their previous consistency.

We call these Non Scale Victories and I have all my clients share at least one with me each check in.    

Next are a few non scale victories that were shared with me recently.

  1. Eating well and nailing their full body resistance workouts while on full time kid duty and a husband out of town.  This includes a very active, nap skipping toddler!
  2. Keeping to their nutritional goals despite the stress of moving halfway around the world, starting a new job, finding a car, and a new home.  
  3. Getting to play in the snow and keep up with their kid for sled riding.
  4. Having someone comment about how buff their arms are now.
  5. Seeing noticeable quad growth while waist measurements stay the same.  Lean Gains!

We all lead full and busy lives.  

It’s easy to get lost in the chaos of the moment.

Hold strong.

We are all more capable and resilient than we realize.

On your own fitness journey pay attention to your many non scale victories.

Victories such as:

  • Increased strength, endurance and mobility
  • Increased self confidence and self efficacy 
  • Less anxiety around food
  • Better Sleep
  • More ability to cope with negative stressors and less overall stress 
  • More energy for daily tasks
  • Less joint and muscle aches or pains  

Allow these victories to help you remember that making your fitness a priority is always 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