Instagram female fitness models are the most popular and in-demand models globally. They are often rugged and toned, but more than that, they’re beautiful. As such, there’s a lot of demand for IG female fitness models to stay fit to keep maintaining their physical appearance.
Maintaining the perfect physique is a big challenge for female fitness models. They have to work hard at the gym and diet rigorously to achieve their perfect bodies and looks. It is why many male fitness models take these very seriously and will employ any means necessary to stay in shape.
As female models, they faced so many challenges in society. So many hateful things were thrown at them that they had to carry with them the rest of their lives. But they can overcome all these challenges through perseverance and hard work.
This article will explain the top 25 hot Instagram female fitness models globally. This article will give all the top female fitness Instagram models list and some about their struggle and how they achieved their fame and attained the perfect body.
Top 25 Female Fitness Models List
Here some a list of the Instagram top hot female fitness models of 2022-2023. They are all so hot, fit, and healthy.
1. Michelle Lewin – @michelle_lewin
Michelle Lewin is the topmost female model in the fitness industry. She starts working in a local clinic in Venezuela.
Michelle Lewin is a social media influencer. She has over 14m followers on Instagram and a high reach in other social media profiles. She was recognized as Miss Worldwide everywhere Miami, Canberra or Moscow, Cairo, etc. She is also famous for being a fitness instructor, bodybuilder, bikini model.
2. Jen Selter – @jenselter
Jen Selter is a famous fitness model from America. She had a significant 12.6m on Instagram. she born on August 8th, 1993, in Roslyn, New York, U.S.
Jen was before known as BELFIE (a butt selfie) but became known as #Seltering. She works as a social media influencer who has developed a large fan base on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. she started it by posting her fitness workout photos on Instagram and motivating others to be fit and strong.
3. Eva Andressa – @eva_andressa
Eva Andressa is the topmost fitness model from Brazil and lives in Miami. She was born on December 19mber, 1984, in Curitiba, State of Paraná, Brazil. She has a height of 1.63 meters. And got a massive amount of followers, more than 6M.
She has a recognized figure in the fitness community. Her determination and struggle made her become a successful model. She was 18 years old and slim with no knowledge of building a fit physique when her starting point. After meeting with her husband, an athlete, she attained significant progress with the knowledge. After a short time, she was able to gain an attractive, fit figure.
4. Sommer Ray – @sommerray
Sommer Ray is a hot female fitness model from the USA. She was born September 15th, 1996 in Larkspur, Colorado, and the United States. She has an attractive height of 1.7m.
She has a massive amount of followers on Instagram, more than 26.8+m. She is recognized among her fans for her fit physique, sensual photoshoots, and healthy lifestyle. And the fitness model is also an entrepreneur; she started her own company at the age of 24. Now she started her new brand named IMARAÏS BEAUTY.
5. Emily Skye – @emilyskyefit
Emily Skye is a famous fitness with 2M Instagram followers; a model from Australia. she is an influencer. Her fitness training is much more important for being happy and mentally strong than gaining abs and considerable weight.
She was depressed about her lousy physique and poor weight back in the past. But she becomes happy when she can change her body. She is also a fitness trainer and an entrepreneur in Australia. She does it all herself, even distributing her branded products.
6. Karina Elle Lisenbee – @karinaelle
Karina Elle Lisenbee is a topmost Instagram hot female fitness model and a former cheerleader. She is an in-demand fitness model in the country.
She was A professional runner for most of her life; being a runner, she doesn’t need to do hard work for fitness. She used to perform as a fitness instructor from her college days. The love for physical exercise become grown with that time.
After college, she used to do workouts in her free time; and started competing in bikini shows. Overtime became the topmost female athlete in the sport of Bikini Modelling. In 2014, she competed for her first major competition, placed first, and won the overall title.
7. Julia Vins | Muscle Barbie – @julia_vins
Julia is born on May 1, 1996, in Engels, Russia. She is known as Muscle Barbie for her muscular body and barbie appearance. She is a bodybuilder and a powerlifter. She is an independent fitness model.
Having over million followers on Instagram. She is recognized as the most honored bodybuilder on Instagram and the most beautiful female athlete on Instagram. She started training before 15. She became famous for her impressive muscle physique. Her lithe appearance suggests that both bodybuilding and beauty can work together intensely.
8. Taneth Gimenez – @taneth.fit
Taneth Gimenez disproves the conjecture that mothers cannot maintain a good physique. she was born on 08/05/92 currently living in Miami; Taneth has been a fitness frick from a young age.
She started her transformation journey after becoming a mother; at that time, she used to maintain a poor diet and unhealthy life. Later becoming a parent, she thought to change herself, start proper training, and change her food habits.
9. ANLLELA SAGRA – @anllela_sagra
Anllela Sagra is the topmost hot model globally. She got more than 13.8m followers on her Instagram profile; she is known for her bikini photoshoots.
She was born on October 6, 1993, in Colombia; and is famous as a female fitness model, trainer, bodybuilder, and social media influencer. She owns the most influential physique in her industry.
In the beginning, she was so slim, but she worked hard to achieve a better physique. After that, she started attending fitness competitions and became a big fan worldwide.
10. Nata Lee – @natalee.007
Nata Lee has been determined as a hot Instagram fitness model in recent days.
Nata Lee was born in 1999 and has lived most of her life in Moscow.
She is a hot and sexy model from Russia. She is recognized for her bold and sexy pictures on her Instagram account. She possesses a super-hot stunning body with impressive body skills. She has an immense number of followers on her Instagram profile, with more than 6.9m followers worldwide.
11. Dolly Castro Chavez – @missdollycastro
Dolly Castro Chavez is an Instagram hot model, entrepreneur, and social media celebrity. She has wanted to become a fitness model since her childhood. She was born on July 14, 1984, in Managua, Nicaragua.
She moved to Miami for a better career in the fitness industry. After getting to Miami, she works hard to become a fitness enthusiast. As a hot Instagram model, she became famous among her fans from all over the world; she has millions of followers on her account.
12. Bella Araujo – @bellaaraujois
Bella Araujo is an Instagram model from Manaus. She was born on January 30, 1991, in her hometown, Manaus, Brazil. She has more than 3.6m followers in her Instagram account and huge money by only uploading her hot pictures or videos.
13. Colleen Fotsch – @colleenfotsch
Colleen Fotsch is a professional bodybuilder from American. She is presently the trainer of NorCal Crossfit.
She was born in 1990 in North Carolina. She grew up to become an athlete and swimmer. Moving on, she chooses bodybuilding as a career over swimming. She began her career as a Cross Fit athlete in 2014. She has consecutively won five National Championships.
14. Anna Nystrom – @annanystrom
Anna Nystrom was born on January 17, 1993, in Stockholm, Sweden. She is famous for her work as a fitness model due to her popularity account on Instagram.
Anna desires to become a model, but her life around 2013 started going to the gym and starting slowly. However, once she started to see the benefits of going to the gym, she became more devoted. Now, her goal is to make her body look precisely how she wants it.
15. Coach Mia – @missmiafit
On October 11, 1987, Coach Mia was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is Danish, an entrepreneur, and a fitness model. She is renowned for her beautiful figure and likable character.
Mia has an attractive appearance and personality. She is 5′ 7″ in height and weighs over 80 kilograms. In addition to her gorgeous figure, she has blond hair and brown eyes.
16. Clara Felicia Lindblom – @clara_lindblom
Clara Felicia Lindblom is the hottest model on Instagram. She was born on January 10, 1991, in Sweden. She has a vast fan following on Instagram.
Clara Felicia Lindblom is known as the hottest model from Sweden. She gained popularity in 2014 after she joined Instagram. She gets millions of likes for every picture that she posts on Instagram.
17. Bakhar Nabieva – @bakharnabieva
Bakhar Nabieva is one of the topmost fitness models and bodybuilders. She is recognized as a “Mi” s Iron Bum”. She was born on April 8, 1994 in Mingachevir, Azerbaijan. And now living in Miami, Florida, United States.
One cannot help but not observe her large dark eyes in her social media photos. The model’s natural eye colour is brown, but she wears black lenses.
18. Carriejune Anne Bowlby – @misscarriejune
Carrie June Anne Bowlby is a famous Instagram star. She was inborn on February 7, 1996, in the United States of America. Carrie June Anne Bowlby is a fitness instructor, model and influencer on Instagram.
She’s seen as one of the world’s most influential personalities on the social media platform. Her Instagram account has over 1.8 million followers and growing.
19. Aline Barreto – @alinebarreto_oficial
Alina is a famous fitness bodybuilder and a member of the International Federation of Bodybuilding. She was inborn on July 28, 1985, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
She is also a fitness model and athlete. She shares her modeling shots and fitness-related content with food and exercise strategies on her Instagram account.
20. Sonia Isaza – @niaisazaoficial
Sonia Isaza was inborn on September 24, 1988. She’s a fitness model, bodybuilder, and social media sensation known for her fitness and resemblance to actor Dolph Lundgren.
Sonia Isaza is from Pereira, Colombia and has a fantastic physique. She is a gym addict and a fitness lover with more than 2.2 million Instagram followers.
21. Megha Karpe – @megha_karpe
Megha Karpe is an Indian fitness model and TikTok star with vast followers on Instagram. She was born on April 11 1994, in, Mumbai India. She has massive followers on her social media and uploads fashionable photos on TikTok.
22. Carolinne Hobo – @carohobo
Carolinne Hobo is a fitness bodybuilder and fitness model; competing in diversified physical competitions. She also has a vast amount of Instagram followers. She’s well-known for sharing her modeling work and lifestyle photos on social media profiles.
23. Bruna Camile | Treinadora – @fitcamile
Bruna Camile is a well-known Instagram Star born in Brazil on April 2, 1997.
She is also has a vast amount of followers in her Instagram account.
She is a Brazilian social media star and bodybuilder. Her beauty and fitness portraits have amassed her mega-following on Instagram.
24. Yineth Medina – @yineth_fit_
Yineth Medina is very famous among hot fitness Instagram models. She loves to share her daily lifestyle and activities through her official Instagram account. She has vast followers from all over the world. She was born on 14 Dec 1994 in Colombia.
25. Kayna Rengifo – @karyrengifo17
Kayna Rengifo is a popular fitness model in the fitness industry. She was born June 17 in Colombia. She begins her career as a fitness model from her country of origin, Colombia Kayna Rengifo has gained popularity for the way she looks. She has a vast amount of followers on her Instagram account.
Conclusion
The above article is all about the top 25 hottest Instagram fitness models. In this article, we have added different Instagram fitness model lists, and there are many more. So kindly comment below if our article has inspired you to go on the Internet waste helpful for you.
Whether you are new to strength training or a seasoned lifter, progressive overload is two common words you have probably heard before. But what do they really mean, and how can you apply them both as a lifter and as a coach? If you are feeling stuck because you are not seeing the gains you are hoping for in your programming, progressive overload could be the puzzle piece you still need to include.
Click play to listen right on this page, no app is needed:
If you are interested in progressive overload, you should:
Work with a coach or find a strength training plan that is custom to you
Gradually build up strength and vary your movements to build your adaptation ability
Remember that this is a great investment in your health if you are honest with yourself
The Key to Long-Term Strength Gains
You see relatively continuous improvement by gradually tweaking the dials of your training and the demands placed on your body over time. If you fail to challenge your body, you will fail to adapt. One of the hardest and most important things you can do is advance your lifting in a way that makes the most of your time and moves you in the right direction. The key is having a plan for your lifting that saves you time and worry when you get into the gym.
Know Why It Matters
Training, coaching, lifting, and recovering are a science and an art. But to really see results, it takes new challenges and an understanding of one’s motivation behind the movements.
Increasing weights or adding more reps, paying attention to rest time, and utilizing different exercises and tempos are all key components to seeing the results you are hoping for. Patience and repetition are the basis of long-term strength training; all you need is the right program!
What role does progressive overload play in your strength training program? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
In This Episode
What is progressive overload, and what does it mean (2:25)
Breaking down the science of adaptation and general adaptation syndrome (13:20)
How to apply progressive overload in your strength training program (20:26)
Common pitfalls when learning how to manage your progress over time (32:35)
Best practice advice for those who want to integrate progressive overload into their strength training program (43:05)
Quotes
“When it comes to your strength training, progressive overload is the cornerstone that guides, the guiding principle that steers your training program and training plan.” (2:56)
“To put this into common words, we need a stressor, that’s our training, and we need recovery, which is where we finally experience that adaptation.” (15:56)
“Training is a science and an art. Coaching is a science and an art. Implementing this is a science and an art, and getting to know yourself and/or your clients is really important. (22:37)
“We need to pump the breaks a bit, and find a way to keep you moving forward without accelerating things to the point where you can’t recover.” (34:17)
“If you have been lifting the same weights for months and months and months on end, it is time, my friend, you have got to move up in weight.” (39:25)
Progressive Overload: How to Keep Getting Stronger Transcript
Steph Gaudreau
When it comes to strength training programs, it is so common to hear two words, progressive overload. What the heck does that even mean? And how do you apply the concept of progressive overload to either your own training or if you’re working with a coach, to understand what your coach is asking you to do? That’s what we’re going to be covering on this episode of the Fuel Your Strength podcast. Thanks for being with me. I appreciate it so much, and I can’t wait to talk about this concept with you, because we throw this term around a lot, those of us who are coaches or trainers or out there on the interwebs helping you to get stronger, or maybe you’re working with us in one of our programs, but quite frankly, it sounds mysterious, but it shouldn’t be. So let’s break it down on this episode for you today so you feel confident in what you’re doing in the gym.
If you’re an athletic 40-something woman who loves lifting weights, challenging yourself, and doing hard shit. The Fuel Your Strength podcast is for you, you’ll learn how to eat, train, and recover smarter so you build strength and muscle, have more energy, and perform better in and out of the gym. I’m strength nutrition strategist and weight-lifting coach, Steph Gaudreau, the Fuel Your Strength podcast dives into evidence-based strategies for nutrition, training, and recovery and why, once you’re approaching your 40s and beyond, you need to do things a little differently than you did in your 20s. We’re here to challenge the limiting industry narratives about what women can and should do in training and beyond. If that sounds good, hit subscribe on your favorite podcast app. And let’s go!
Now, before we go any further, if you enjoy the content of this podcast, please do me a massive favor. Hit Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, whether that’s your favorite audio streaming platform or over on YouTube, and while you’re there ringing the bell for more notifications, would be so grateful for you to take that step. Okay? So what is progressive overload? And what does it mean? That’s what we’re going to be talking about first in this episode when it comes to your strength training, and I’m going to going to use strength training here to mean actual strength development, or also muscle hypertrophy or muscle growth.
Just know that I’m going to call both of those things strength training, just to make it as easy as possible when it comes to strength training, progressive over overload is really the cornerstone that guides. It’s like the guiding principle that steers your training program, your training plan, whatever you’re using to get into the gym, to guide you in your pursuit of strength development, maybe you’re working on some power development as well muscle growth, which we also call hypertrophy, as I just mentioned now, a lot of my clients, when they first come to work with me, in strong with staff, have been doing some kind of resistance training in the past, whether they’ve worked out In a gym on their own, or maybe they’re following something like a popular fitness app that has on-demand classes, and inevitably, at some point, they end up hitting a bit of a wall or really experiencing a pretty long plateau.
Oftentimes, this doesn’t happen right away, especially if you’re in the first few months of really picking up some weights and doing some resistance training. Quite often times we have those novice gains, which we all love. Couldn’t we go back to the days of novice gains? Because you just see so much growth so quickly in your strength and in your muscle, but inevitably, if you’re following a program, or you’re kind of making things up as you go along, a program that doesn’t have progressive overload, you might notice that the gains that you were experiencing before start to taper off. So I’m thinking of tons of my clients who are a bit frustrated that they had been doing workouts along with an app, they were seeing some kind of benefit, and inevitably, they’re not seeing much progress anymore.
So they come in and start lifting with Strong With Steph, and we take them through progressive overload without having to plan it themselves and start to see things moving again. Whether they’re adding more weight to the bar, they’re picking up heavier dumbbells after a few months, maybe they’re seeing a little bit more muscle definition and so on and so forth. So that’s really what we want to see, and it’s so common. So if you’re in that bit of a stuck place right now, just know that you’re not alone. So today, what we’re going to dive into a little bit deeper, is what is progressive overload in terms of how you would manipulate it inside of a training program. Am, what is the general adaptation syndrome that this is based on? And then we’ll give you some application points that you can think about and how to really see what your progress is looking like over time.
Okay, so really, what is this concept? All right, what is progressive overload? Essentially, in a nutshell, it means gradually tweaking the knobs, the dials of your training, the demands that are being placed on your body over time to see relatively continuous improvement. Now, why do I say relatively? Because again, if you’re in that beginner, novice phase, it’s like every time you get into the gym, you’re picking up heavier and heavier weights. It seems like at some point you’re going to get to a level of experience where you’re really fighting for those increases, but we still shouldn’t be seeing really long periods of time where you’re plateauing, especially if you’re on a well-designed program. So why this matters is that we have to continue to challenge our bodies, or else we’re going to fail to adapt, and that failure to adapt just means we’re not going to see improvements with strength and or muscle growth.
Now you might be in a period of maintenance, and maybe you’re not pushing super hard in one of these areas. I’m thinking about some of my clients who are fellow jujitsu players, maybe they’re in competition season, much like I just came out of comp season in the summer, and I was getting into the gym really kind of pushing hard, but then right as I got up to competing, I had to back off a little bit. I have some clients who are cyclists, who are triathletes, runners, and depending on if they’re competing or not, especially sometimes we have to pull them back a little bit, and they’re kind of in a season of maintenance. But ultimately, we don’t want you to stay in a period where you’re not seeing improvements.
Everything is kind of level you’re on that plateau. Or what will happen if we’re not applying enough stress to the body, and then you’re recovering from that over time is you can see things start to drop off. Now, exactly what you can get away with in terms of how little you can do and maintain is a little bit personal, and some of it has to do with how long you’ve been training, potentially how hard you’re pushing in those minimal sessions that you might have in the gym throughout your week. It is possible, there’s some really interesting research that kind of hints at what is the most minimal work you can do in the gym and maintain but if you’re in a period of time, which is like a lot of my clients, where you’re realizing you’re in your 40s, or you’re older than that, and time is of the essence because we’re starting to really notice drop offs in strength, in muscle mass, and you know that you’ve got to go into a bit of a building season then really taking a look at progressive overload and how it factors into your program, or is it time to get a program that uses progressive overload could be really important.
In other words, we don’t want you to linger in the season of maintenance for too long, such that you start to see the opposite, because we know if muscle isn’t growing, or we’re kind of maintaining the status quo, then muscle is going to shrink. That’s called atrophy. So as we’re aging, right? We know we could lose three to 8% of our muscle mass more quickly as we start to age into older decades, of course, but that loss can start as early as our 30s, maybe even a little bit sooner, if we’re highly inactive. So the best way to counteract that is to get into the gym and start training. So there’s good news there, but also looking at things like bone density, super, super important bone strength overall, as we are aging through the menopause transition, and we come out the other side, which is where we start to see really quick losses in muscle mass and bone density. So we can start to counteract that.
So if you’re in your 40s, especially now is the time, my friends, I’m right there with you. I’m 45 as of the time of recording this podcast. So now there’s there’s no better time than now. There’s no better time than the present. And of course, you can also use the principle, excuse me, a progressive overload for things like endurance training as well. Even though I’m mentioning them here in the context of strength training. So we want to have progressive overload. Whether you’re a beginner, you’re an intermediate, you’re advanced in your lifting. I know sometimes one of the hardest things to do is to actually get started with lifting. If you’re really a beginner, I recommend my dynamic dumbbells program.
You can check that out, and we’ll put a link for that in the show notes and in the caption on YouTube if you’re just starting out. Sometimes people think, you know, I have to get in shape to get in shape. Why do I need to follow a program? And certainly, we want to sort of lower the barrier to entry here, right? We don’t want to make things too complex, too hard, and we don’t want the workouts to be too long. We want them to be approachable enough where you can execute and build success, especially at the beginning. So. Yeah, even better, can you go and lift with somebody in person? That’s my number one recommendation, which surprises a lot of people because I have online strength programs. But if you can go and lift with somebody in person, even for a few sessions with a trainer in person, you’re going to glean so much from working with that person.
So even if you’re a beginner, I know the tendency is to say, well, I’ll just do whatever, maybe at the first couple weeks. But beyond that, let’s make the most of your time, and let’s keep you moving in the right direction. So even if you’re just starting out, having a plan for your lifting is going to save you a lot of worry or just overwhelm when you get into the gym and think, I don’t know what to do today. So, you know, maybe you don’t do anything, maybe you just kind of walk on the treadmill. Nothing wrong with walking on the treadmill, but if you had intentions to lift having a plan is going to help you make the best use of your time and make sure that you are balancing your training well across your week.
For example, I had somebody on social media who asked me if it was a good idea to do Bulgarian split squats five times a week. And she’s being serious like she just didn’t understand how training works in terms of maybe that unilateral bias lower body exercise we would want to spread out our lower body work, either in a particular split or spread it out across the week. But we need to, we need to give those legs time to rest and recover. So certainly, doing the same exercise five times a week might not be the best way to divvy up your training, and we’re going to go through that in some upcoming podcast episodes where I’m going to talk specifically about different elements of a well-rounded strength training program, especially if you’re over 40, which is most of you listening to this probably.
So whether you’re a beginner, like I said, important intermediate, important whether you’re an advanced lifter, also important, and your progressive overload may get a little bit more sophisticated, especially in terms of how your programming is written, or the type of program that you gravitate toward at the end of the day, though, the concepts still remain, and we’re going to talk about those concepts here in a bit, but first, before we dive in, if you listen to this episode and you’re like, Okay, I am ready to get to work.
I want to take my strength, muscle, energy, and performance and take it up a notch. I want to take it to that next level. I want to feel like a badass, but at the same time, do it in a way that works with my physiology as an athletic woman over 40, with coaching and community support. Then go ahead and check out Strength, Nutrition, Unlocked. This is my group program. We’re going to lay out the framework for you and guide you as you implement and really customize it to all the things that you’re doing, your preferences, your likes, and the places you want to go with it. Then go ahead and get on board. You can start your process by submitting an application at StephGaudreau.com/apply.
We would love to hear from you and see you inside the program. Part two, we’re going to cover the sort of, sort of the size of adaptation. How does this actually work? This tends to be a little bit mystifying for people, and we’re going to break it down in as simple of a way as possible. Now this concept comes from something called general adaptation syndrome, which is really where we start to apply the theory, the concepts, the principles of progressive overload, but really in in terms of what’s going on with the body, we can explain it in three terms.
We’re going to focus on turning this into language that’s a little bit more applicable here in a second. So the first second. So the first stage of the general adaptation syndrome is called the alarm stage. This is sort of when your body is experiencing a new stressor, and this is where things like fatigue and sometimes soreness will come in. You’ve done some kind of exercise, you have stress to your body. Now we know that there are stress on the body. Is stress on the body, but not all stress is negative thing, especially if we provide the right kind of recovery, which happens to be the next link. So stage two is the resistance stage. This is where your body is adapting to that stressor, where you become stronger, you start to grow more muscle fiber, right? So you’re actually starting to grow your muscle tissue.
Experience hypertrophy or you become more efficient cardiovascularly, right? You’re experiencing some kind of adaptation, positive adaptation to the work you have performed in the gym with your training. And then the third stage is called the exhaustion stage. This is what happens where you’re exceeding your over your overload, or so the alarm stage is exceeding the amount of recovery. That you get, if we can put it into more common terms, and something is not being properly managed with your recovery. So there’s a mismatch between sort of stimulus and recovery, or some other elements of recovery that’s not in place.
Sometimes people think, Oh, I’m just doing too much actual work where, yes, okay, that could be possible. But a lot of times we’re looking at things like poor sleep, not supporting the body with enough nutrition, and ending up in an essential a state of low energy availability, and so on and so forth. So there could be multiple factors to consider here. Just know that we really don’t want to tip into the burnout injury over-training stage here. We want to kind of keep riding that wave of a stressor and then a recovery. So if we can put this into common words, we need a stressor, that’s our training, and we need recovery, which is where we we finally experience that adaptation.
And we’re going to cycle between those over and over again, such that over time, we will see that we experience positive increases, gains in the gym, in our training, strength wise, power wise, muscle wise, endurance wise, and so on and so forth. So it’s really important, and this is where you’ll hear people say that the gains that you’re making aren’t actually occurring in the gym itself. Now, of course, without the work that you’re doing, without the quote, unquote stressor on your body, which is where you’re doing, the reps, you’re lifting, the weights you’re doing, the thing you’re doing, the box jumps, you’re, you know, you’re doing the intervals, you’re doing all this stuff that you would do in training. We certainly need to do that right.
We need to expose the body to that stressor, but we also need the recovery from that so that those are sort of the yin and the yang, the two sides of the coin, if you will, that we’re looking at. And so if we think about how this is related to something like progressive overload, we want to continue to expose the body to more and more challenging stressors. Now we don’t do this all in one freaking day. Okay, so this is where a lot of people go wrong, especially when they don’t really have a program, or they’re a bit newer, they’re sort of trying to feel things out. And oftentimes, even if you’re more experienced, that little ego gets in the way.
And you know, maybe you make a bad call with loading on a particular day where you’re not feeling super recovered, you’re feeling kind of slow, you didn’t sleep very well, you’re just really low energy. And sometimes you can have great days on those days, but sometimes you just, you just, you know, you know, when you go in the gym and you’re feeling uncoordinated and maybe a little bit sloppy, and you’re like, ah, but I gotta, you know, gotta keep up with the person next to me, or my training partner, or what I said I was gonna do in my plan. So this is where we have to finesse things sometimes, but we need to continue to slowly, over time, move the variables of our training plan in order to continue to get the body to adapt. If the body for not challenging the body with new stressors that are going to cause adaptation, then we’re going to experience that essentially plateau after a period of time.
That could be very soon. It could take a little bit longer, depending on other factors, and then over time, if we are burnt out because we’re experiencing too much stress and not enough recovery, or where we’re kind of sliding back on some of those other factors that we talked about, sleep, nutrition, etc. This is where we start to see sometimes things will start to taper down. And if we stop training, we’ll have a period where maybe we’re able to maintain and then we start to see some drop off there as well. So if you’ve taken time off of training, this is just my loving gentle nudge to to get back in there right get back in there is really, really important. And as we’re aging, especially if I’m seeing this, even with myself, and I was talking to a very dear friend of mine today about this where we took some time off.
We went on vacation couple weeks. I didn’t lift and I was so sore when I got back in, even though I wasn’t introducing any novel exercises, they were all exercises I had been doing prior to leaving. These loads were very similar to what I had done. And in fact, the reps were a little bit lower when I came back. And I’ll tell you what, single leg RDLs, with plenty of weight, my glutes are sore, and this is two days later. So you know what I’m saying, if we can maintain, if we can even get in one session a week, if we can just kind of crawl back, get it, get back in the gym. Even if we’re reloading, essentially, just get in there. So, so, so important doesn’t have to be perfect. Just do something. It’s so much easier too.
Maintain, and then to kind of build and jump from there, and then to just completely stop. All right, so next section here, we’re going to talk about part three. We talked about, what is progressive overload? How is it related to the general adaptation syndrome, sort of that idea of stressor and recovery. And now, how do we apply it? What are the different ways that you can introduce progressive overload in a strength training programs. And I’ll tell you, it sounds simple in concept, and it really is quite simple in concept. Again, we want to continue to change the variables of our strength training plan over time. Sounds easy, but let me tell you what? When you’ve got a job, a significant other, a family, you’ve got hobbies that you like to do, you’re just trying to manage the stress and chaos of life, there is sometimes not much brain space left over by the time you get into the gym.
Even people who do this for a living, they are coaches or trainers. They are fitness professionals for a living. At the end of the day, they’re done serving their clients with their work. Sometimes get into the gym and just think, Oh my gosh. Was like, What am I going to do today? Or sitting down and having the brain space to plan that out, which is why getting a program that’s already written, whether it’s completely custom for you or it’s a templated program, saves you so much mental real estate, I’m telling you right now so many of my clients in Strong With Steph are like, I would have quit a long time ago with this, but here I am.
You know, six, nine, twelve months, eighteen months later, two years later, still lifting because they didn’t have to think about it, they just opened the app and did the workouts. So if you want to try a sample of Strong With Steph, you can get a seven-day sample over at StephGaudreau.com/workout we’ll make sure that that link also goes in the show notes and in the caption over on YouTube. All right, so how do we apply progressive overload in a program? Again, I said simple in concept, in actual, in actuality, and how we implement it can be a little we need a little finesse, right? We need a little finesse because training is a science and an art.
Coaching is a science and the art of implementing. This is a science and an art, and getting to know yourself and your clients is really important. So here are different ways that we can progressively overload and change the variables of a strength training program number one, this is probably the most obvious, or the one that you’re probably most familiar with, which is gradually increasing the weight, the load, slash the resistance that you are lifting. You are moving against gravity. You’re pushing and pulling. You’re squatting and hinging. You’re lunging and carrying, gradually increasing the weight over time is probably the most common way that people understand to progressively overload. And this gets people a little bit confused, especially when women are coming into work with me.
They’re, you know, 40 plus. Maybe they’ve been athletic previously in their life. They’ve taken some time off. They’re getting back to things, or they’re kind of just rolling on through and they’re like, Okay, so I heard I have to lift heavy, but I don’t know what that means, and of course, we’ll talk about that in a future episode. But it’s suffice to say, you don’t start off day one with a weight that’s absolutely crushing you, and you can’t lift off the ground. We start with something that is approachable, and we continue to build over time. And I will say, depending on what actual season of life that you’re in, what decade of life that you’re in, these things can really fluctuate.
So you might not be lifting as much now as you did before. Maybe you are lifting more now than you did before. I’ll tell you what. I can deadlift more now than I could when I was in my early 30s. However, I’m not squatting four times a week anymore like I was when I was Olympic lifting and competing in that sport, so my squat is not as strong as it was. You know, things will go up and down over time depending on the season. However, we’re still doing challenging weights. That’s kind of the point. The biggest problem here is, and kind of biggest pitfall, I’ll guess, is not challenging yourself with the load.
And I see this a lot, especially with a couple of camps of people, Camp One folks that lift at home. Nothing wrong with lifting at home. And in fact, Strong With Steph comes in a lite version, l, i, t, e, we call it. Was probably not a great name on my part, but it was what I could think of at the time. But the light version is strict down to equipment. It’s as minimal as you can be. And so sometimes people will only. Have a few sets of dumbbells at home. Rapidly, though, especially with lower body people find that they have outgrown those weights. So you have to, you have to, you know, level up, as they say, or find a way to introduce more load.
Oftentimes, I’ll also see people who, again, are coming from more of a self-pace, or you’re making it up on your own, I guess, or they’re following something like an app where you dip in, in and out of classes, but there’s no real progression. And so sometimes the instructor will just say, well, just pick up your medium weights, and you probably didn’t write down what you did the week before or the last time you did this particular class, maybe you forgot, and so sometimes it’s just harder to progress up in terms of load when you’re doing those styles of classes. So number one, gradually increasing the weight.
Very, very important. Number two, adding more reps or sets. Now there’s going to be a limit to what’s really feasible and advisable, and of course, there’s a giant range for things like hypertrophy training. We used to think that this was very discrete and chopped up into very nice, neat little rep ranges. Turns out, with building muscle hypertrophy, there’s more of a sliding scale here with things like reps and sets, to a degree, especially with sets, but replies, we can probably get hypertrophy with a vastly different amount of reps with strength, we’re still working in that sort of, I mean, one rep max, of course, but most people aren’t walking around doing one rep max every week in their training.
So two to six repetitions in that neighborhood, right? And so you might fluctuate, for example, between reps, four reps, five reps, six reps, you might be doing something like a 531, where you’re doing the different reps in a different week, but you’re still working within that range, right? So we can add more reps or sets. Essentially, what we would call that is more volume. But there is going to come a point where just adding more volume for the sake of doing more volume doesn’t make a lot of sense, and it’s taking a lot of fucking time. I’ll say that much. I recently had to bump up my I’ve been working on rehabbing my elbow after a little bit of an injury at master worlds in Jiu Jitsu.
And so right now I’ve got, I’ve got 10-pound dumbbells to use, or fifteens. And the 10-15 were too much for my elbow at the time. So I was saying 10s, and sort of got to about 15. And was thinking, you know, this is still a need. It’s just not hard enough. And so Alex looked at me and said, Go to 20. Let me tell you what. When you’re doing 20 reps plus of something, and you’re used to doing three to 12 on average, depending on what you’re doing, 20 plus reps is a lot of reps. It takes a lot of time. So if you’re a time-crunched individual, you probably aren’t going to spend a lot of time doing a lot of super high repetition stuff, especially if you’re looking for hypertrophy.
But again, we’re going to talk about this in an upcoming episode number three. You can reduce the rest time. This is called density, where you’re resting for a shorter period of time. Again, there’s going to be a certain amount you can push this, I would say, the experience that a lot of people have, especially if you’re doing something like a peloton strength we’ve talked about this. Nikki Levy and I did an entire long-ass episode on this concept and why strength training, as it’s called in a lot of these programs or popular apps, isn’t actually for strength development. But a lot of times you’re familiar with very, very short rest periods, very short, 15 seconds, 45 seconds, tops.
And so depending on what you’re doing now, if you’re doing a heavy set of back squats, RPE, eight or nine sets, sets of three, you’re not gonna rest 15 seconds. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense. So there’s gonna be a certain degree to which you can slide that maybe you’re going to try to introduce a little bit more of a metabolic sort of clearing, clearing metabolites challenge to what you’re doing, and so you’re going to compact that rest period a little bit. Maybe you’re going to superset stuff so that you have less rest overall. It just depends, right? This is where sort of the the magic, the art of strength training, programming comes in, and there’s whole last courses on this. And I’ll mention Annie Miller, not because I am an affiliate of this program or anything.
I personally did her peer programming course, which is for trainers and coaches who want to do long-term programming. I just love her and adore her so much. So I’m just going to shout her out here. I’m not going to teach you how to program on these podcasts, because it’s a whole it’s a whole thing, right? But if you are a coach or trainer, go check out her program. If you want to learn how to program things past three months time, I highly recommend it. Okay, another one could be changing up the exercise. So this is another way to do progressive overload. So commonly. I’ll give you an example in Strong With Steph. If somebody is more of an, you know, late beginner, intermediate lifter, maybe they haven’t done a lot of different variations.
Sometimes we’ll start off with something like a regular split squat, maybe even the front foot elevated. So split squat, then we might move into something like a rear foot, elevated split squat, move to a single leg version of a squat, and so on and so forth. That’s just one quick example of how you could change things up. You might go front foot, elevated split squat. Wow. Say that five times fast, front foot, elevated regular split squat. You might then put the back foot up on a bench and do our favorite love-to-hate Bulgarian split squat, or rear-foot elevated split squat.
You might then move to a deficit rear foot elevated split squat, where you’re increasing the range of motion. So lots of different ways to introduce different variations in exercises, B stance, or kick-stand, is another great one if you’re looking more to transition into a more unilateral-based or sort of split stance work. So that’s just one example of how you might change the exercise selection to accomplish a harder variation or more stress on the body, which then, of course, would lead to adaptation after recovery. Okay, so those are just a few simple ways that you can change progressive overload in your program.
So we covered increasing the weight, adding more reps or sets, reducing your rest time, choosing a different exercise or exercise selection. You get the idea, right? There are others, but those are probably the most common. Oh, tempo. I’ll also just throw in there as a little honorable mention. And in strong with staff, I do program tempo to tell you the speed at which we’d like you to move, generally, especially for hypertrophy. Y’all are moving too fast. We don’t want to use momentum. We want to put that muscle under more tension.
So more time under tension, more mechanical tension. So slowing down your tempo can be super helpful, especially if you’re a beginner as well, or you’re more beginner intermediate, because you’re sort of learning where is end range for your joints as you’re moving through space, getting more comfortable with your movements and movement patterns and better movement quality. Okay, so that was part three here, like, how do we actually change progressive overload in a program? Last, but not least, how do we sort of manage your progress over time? Slash?
What are some of the common pitfalls that people see, it’s important to be patient and to have enough repetition. I still say this is sort of a little bit of a pitfall as well. This is why I stopped writing three-month strength programs. So dynamic dumbbells has been around prior to Strong With Steph coming out. And it’s really, you know, it’s kind of my, hey, if you’re a beginner or you’re like, I literally just need the shortest possible workout I can get while also being effective. That’s what that’s for. But it is only three months long so I recommend that people then transition into Strong With Steph.
But we need time and probably the biggest thing that I see when people start to follow a progressive overload program is they get really anxious about changing things up or wanting to go quicker. And we don’t want to hold you back just for the sake of holding you back or making you go too slow, but we also don’t want to accelerate you at the speed or the rate of change at which your body can’t cope with recovery. Especially when you’re over 40, and I’ll tell you increased joint sensitivity and joint pain, more rough sleep, especially for in the menopause transition, really just dealing with increased life stressors.
Midlife, I say this all the time, midlife is no fucking joke with family challenges, financial stress, the state of the world. You know, adulting hashtag, right? Adulting, it’s just a lot. It’s a lot to cope with. And so sometimes that will spill over into training where it’s like, we need to go a little bit. We just need to kind of pump the brakes a little bit and find a way to keep you moving forward without accelerating things to the point at which you can’t recover.
So patience is so important. And sometimes people want to jump ahead and do the hardest, the hardest variations of an exercise right off the bat, where, you know, maybe stability is a bit lacking, or sort of control at end range is a bit lacking, or they want to just pile on a bunch of load right away, where their form and technique, we know, there’s no such thing as perfect form and technique, but the technique really needs to improve, and is, is actually kind of a self-limiting in a way. And I’m thinking of overhead presses as an example there. But we just need patience. And it’s going to take patience to see improvements.
Normally, when people come into Strong with Steph and they’re sort of like. Looking at the rate of change. So balance work is one of the first things people notice improve. I would say, within the first couple weeks, their balance is getting way better because they’re just practicing it, making sure they’re putting in that time because it’s programs. Next, we tend to see strength come up. You know, as you’re moving through and you’re being as consistent, 70-80% consistency, as you can be, or more, that would be great. But even with 70 or 80% consistency, you can see a lot of improvement.
The third thing, the slowest thing, which is probably the most frustrating for people, is seeing muscle mass, appreciable muscle mass gain, where they’re really noticing, oh my shoulders, or oh my biceps, like, you know, this sort of thing. So the esthetic changes, which I don’t focus on in programming the way I do, but it is oftentimes something that people come in wanting, are oftentimes the slowest things to come around, especially as we’re going getting older and is just taking more time to recover.
So I’m not saying that this stuff should, this shouldn’t take you five years, but also expecting that you’re going to see this massive, dramatic transformation in less than three months, it’s a little bit or just a lot bit unrealistic. So I don’t say that to be a bit of a Debbie Downer, but I do say it to be kind of that, that realistic voice of, we need to have patience, embrace the process you’re going to invest, you need to invest at least a year to really move the needle quite a bit in most cases, unless you come in and you’re kind of in that sweet spot of, like late intermediate kind of lifter or, sorry, late, late beginner to sort of early intermediate lifter.
And you’re sort of, you’ve the pumps, pumps are primed. You’re still experiencing a little bit of that fast improvement. Right linear progression is like, whoo is taken off. It could happen that you’re seeing some pretty dramatic changes in less than a year. But I would say, give it a year. You have got to give it a year at least. It’s a great investment in your health, in your in your quality of life as well. So give it at least a year. Readjust your expectations, and I know that that’s tough when the world around us is all about the quick fix, right? So that’s important.
Next is to sort of recognize, I guess, on the flip side, recognizing when you have adapted to a certain, for example, load and you need to increase the challenge. You got to be honest with yourself. And I will, I’ll give a hat tip to you Alex, who, at this moment in time, coaches me. And Alex probably one of the first times I came in and did dead-lifts in the gym with Alex and said to me, okay, if a news crew rocked up right now and was gonna film you doing this, these deadlifts, how many more could you do? Right? And this is a concept of essentially reps in reserve, or RPE, which is the sister scale to this.
Another question he’s asked me is, okay, so imagine I’m going to give you $10,000 for every rep more that you can do. How many more reps do you have left in the tank? So this is just a quick way to check yourself, for example, with RPE or reps in reserve, and we’ll talk about that in an upcoming episode as well. But note, if you’ve been lifting the same exact weight, especially for your lower body, I’ll give a little bit of an upper body as it can be a bit of a challenge, especially with upper body pressing bench and overhead press. It’s not just you, it’s not just you. It’s hard. It’s very hard. The human body is much better at pulling than it is at pushing.
We are stronger at pulling than we are at pushing. And your upper body are your smaller muscles compared to your lower body, yay. And your shoulder muscles are smaller than your pecs, so your overhead pressing strength can sometimes take a little bit longer. Here, sometimes people need slightly smaller weight, weight divisions in between, so between a 15 and a 20. Sometimes you need a 17 and a half, if we’re talking dumbbells, for example. But if you’ve been lifting the same weights for months and months and months on end, is time, my friend, you’ve got to move up and wait right recently, I also, like to give you all stories from my real life, because I am not a perfect lifter, and I have had my fair share of ups and downs, and I have had my times where I’ve had to really reach in and challenge myself as self-coaching, and also where I’ve had to take coaching from other people.
And recently, I was doing an incline bench. I’ve been doing 35s. I took a couple of weeks off and came back, and then came in the week after that. And I thought, you know, no 35 so. Seemed okay for eight. So I said, I wonder if I could do 40. And so I picked up the 40s and did those just fine. So sometimes you had to give yourself that try it and see what happens. I’m not saying to jump up 25 pounds if you know you’re doing something that’s a an upper body exercise, for example, but try the next set of dumbbells. You might surprise yourself if the weight is moving the same speed the whole time, it doesn’t slow down in the last couple reps, if the last couple reps aren’t harder, it’s time pick up heavier weights, right?
So that’s a that’s a huge challenge that a lot of people run up against, it’s just this. It’s hard to sort of gauge. Sometimes, film yourself. Ask your coach, I’m sure they’ll give you some sound advice there. And if you’re my lifter, I’m going to tell you, you know, how did it feel? How many more reps do you feel like you have in the tank? And I don’t know what would happen if you tried the next heavier weight, another, issue for sort of managing your progress over time is, of course, rest and recovery very important. There you have to keep tabs on that very, very important. Other common pitfalls we mentioned, kind of pushing too hard too fast.
You know, changing too many things all at one time, being too random, wanting too much variety, switching it up too much. And this kind of harkens back to what I talked about with having patience. We need repetition. You need some degree of repetition if you’re going to improve, and if you only ever squat once every four weeks, or once every couple of months, or things like that. You’re always changing it up, always changing it up in terms of what you’re doing is a little bit more applicable, or, I guess, acceptable, if you’re doing something like cardio and you just want a fun challenge, knock yourself out, you know, if you want to do the bike one week, and you know you’re not training for anything in particular, and next week you want to do some swimming, you’re just trying to get your heart rate up.
You know, certainly, there’s probably a little bit more wiggle room there, but this idea of always just making every workout random for strength training means we’re just not getting enough exposure to repetition and improving. So that’s another common issue that we see. So either too random or not or to not changing up enough. I know that sounds a little bit contradictory, but both of those things can happen not tracking your progress. This is a huge one. This is why inside Strong With Steph, we use an app, and in the app, you write in your results, and you can look back at your whole exercise history and see what you were doing six months ago, a year ago.
So that that day you go in the gym and you sleep the best, or life is just lifeing, or you’re just not feeling it, and you’re like, Oh, look at this. I’m never making improvements. And then you go back and actually see that, oh, I put 20 pounds on this lift since I, you know, started a few months ago. Hey, that’s a great indication of progress, right? So another sort of how do we manage progress over time, slash common pitfall, you’ve got to keep track of things.
Unless you don’t you’re not interested in making gains. If you’re in the stage where you just need to get in there and just get the habit of movement, great, that’s okay. But again, we’ve talked about at the top of this episode, why? Having a strategy, having a plan, being as consistent you know, within reason, 70 to 80% of the time, keeping track of your numbers for lifting is super important, having a record can show you where you’re making progress or not. And yes, the feeling matters. Feelings matter, but also having the stats, there is art that’s important. Okay, so in conclusion, let’s wrap this episode up.
We talked about what is progressive overload, the idea the concept of general adaptation syndrome, and what it really means for training. We talked about how to apply progressive overload in a program. What are the variables that we can change in a program? We talked about most of the main ones here in this episode, and then also talked about some common pitfalls/how do we manage progressive overload over time? I guess the final takeaway here is that long term we need to have a long-term view of strength training, especially once we’re getting into this phase of life.
And one time, somebody told me that that was really intimidating or overwhelming, and I respect that opinion, but I am going to counter by saying I don’t agree because when we need this for quality of life, we talk we’ve talked about sarcopenia on this podcast. We’ve talked about osteoporosis on this podcast, etc, etc, right? Longevity, strength, strength training, to some degree, are going to be important if you would like to. To make strides to counteract some of those things. And it’s not to be alarmist or scary or sound negative, but rather to say, hey, having a long-term outlook on your programming is great.
And by the way, having a plan so you don’t have to do this all on your own can really increase your adherence in terms of follow through, I should say consistency. I don’t love the word adherence, but consistency, your follow through, your stick to witness, right, and do so in such a way that we mitigate as much risk of injury as possible. We keep you moving forward. We help you avoid huge plateaus or periods where you’re declining in certain areas, which can ultimately affect things like your motivation to train, and we keep you moving forward.
So I hope this episode has shed some light on, at least from a coaching point of view, why, progressive overload is important, and then from a lifter’s point of view as well. So you can understand, as you’re going through your training program, whether it’s Strong With Steph, or you’re working out at a gym and your coach writes the program for you on a day-to-day, why are they asking you to do what they’re asking you to do? So you understand the rationale that is so important for adult learners to understand, and the more knowledge you have, the better, so you can understand what’s being asked of you and implement and know why it matters.
I think that’s the biggest takeaway of this episode. So stay tuned for future episodes where we’re going to be talking about the elements. Now we’ve talked about progressive overload, but we’ll be talking about the elements that I include in strong with staff, and why these things are important for us, no matter what age we are, but why they’re especially things that we really don’t want to skip out on when we’re 40 plus. So stay tuned for those future episodes, episodes coming on those topics. If you enjoyed this episode and got something from it, please hit subscribe.
It is a free way to support the show. It really does matter. Here we are nine and a half years into this podcast, and I can tell you that kind of support is just so important. I am so grateful for the time you spend listening to this show, recommending it to your friends and your loved ones for you, hitting that subscribe button, and just showing the algorithm that you like it and other people might like it too. It really is so important, and I don’t take any of that for granted, and I’m grateful for all of your support there.
And of course, if you’re ready to check out a seven-day sample of Strong With Steph, this is my 12-month progressive strength training program that is purpose-built for women over 40. You can check that out over at StephGaudreau.com/workout I’ll send you a seven-day sample, and you can see what it’s like. It’s only a snippet, but you can get it. You can get a taster, as they say, and if I can support you with nutrition and recovery and training concepts and how to weave all of it together with very close support, community, weekly coaching calls, check out, Strength, Nutrition, Unlocked. You can learn more about that over at StephGaudreau.com/apply, all right.
Thanks so much for being with me on this episode. I appreciate it so much. I will see you next time when we’re going to dive more into programming and more into the elements that are going to keep you strong and resilient as you go into your 40s and beyond, until then, you guessed it, stay strong.
Healthy Upcoming Diet Trends in 2025: As we move toward 2025, the world of nutrition is evolving rapidly. People are becoming more conscious of their health, and diet trends are shifting toward sustainable, nutrient-dense, and personalized approaches. Whether you’re looking to optimize your health, lose weight, or simply improve your overall well-being, staying on top of emerging trends can help you make informed choices. Here are five diet trends expected to make waves in 2025.
Healthy Upcoming Diet Trends in 2025: Personalized Nutrition Based on DNA and Microbiome
In 2025, one of the most exciting developments in the world of diet is the rise of personalized nutrition, where your specific dietary needs are determined based on your DNA and microbiome (the community of microorganisms living in your gut). The idea is that by analyzing your genetic makeup and gut bacteria, nutrition experts can create a tailored plan that works best for your body.
Personalized diets can help optimize metabolism, prevent chronic diseases, and improve energy levels. Companies are already offering DNA and microbiome testing kits that provide insights into how your body processes different types of foods. Based on these results, you can adjust your diet to fit your genetic profile—whether that’s focusing on certain nutrients, avoiding allergens, or enhancing digestion.
As more research is done in this area, personalized nutrition is expected to become even more accessible and refined, helping individuals take a science-backed approach to their health.
Plant-Based and Regenerative Foods
While plant-based eating has been a growing trend for several years, 2025 will see a shift toward not just plant-based diets but regenerative food systems. Regenerative agriculture focuses on farming practices that restore the health of the land, improve biodiversity, and absorb carbon from the atmosphere. This approach is not just about what you eat but how it’s produced.
As more people become concerned about the environmental impact of food production, the demand for regenerative and sustainable plant-based foods will rise. In addition to fruits, vegetables, and grains, we’ll see a growing emphasis on products made from regenerative crops like quinoa, hemp, and seaweed. These foods are not only packed with nutrients but are grown in ways that are better for the planet.
If you’re looking to eat more sustainably, expect to see more regenerative food brands and eco-friendly farming practices entering the mainstream in 2025.
Healthy Upcoming Diet Trends in 2025: Functional Foods and Beverages
In 2025, functional foods—those that offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition—will become even more popular. These foods and beverages are enriched with nutrients that can support specific areas of health, like immunity, brain function, digestion, and even mood.
Expect to see more products incorporating adaptogens, probiotics, and nootropics. Adaptogens, like ashwagandha and rhodiola, are herbs known for their ability to reduce stress and promote balance in the body. Probiotics and prebiotics, essential for gut health, are already commonly found in yogurt and kefir but will increasingly be added to a wider range of foods, such as snacks, cereals, and even pasta.
Nootropics—also known as “smart drugs”—are compounds that enhance cognitive function, and they’ll likely appear in more foods and beverages designed to boost mental clarity and focus. Look out for functional smoothies, protein bars, and even coffees that help support brain health and reduce stress.
Low-Inflammatory Diets
Chronic inflammation is linked to many health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. In 2025, low-inflammatory diets will become more mainstream, with a focus on eating foods that reduce inflammation and support overall health.
The key components of a low-inflammatory diet include foods that are rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber, while avoiding refined sugars, processed foods, and unhealthy fats. Foods such as leafy greens, berries, fatty fish like salmon, and nuts will take center stage. There will also be a growing emphasis on anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric, ginger, and garlic.
Additionally, we’ll see more people adopting diets that support a healthy gut microbiome, as emerging research continues to highlight the link between gut health and inflammation. A low-inflammatory diet can help reduce chronic pain, improve mood, and lower the risk of developing various diseases.
The Flexitarian Approach
While vegan and vegetarian diets will continue to have their place in 2025, the flexitarian diet is expected to rise in popularity. The flexitarian approach encourages eating mostly plant-based foods but allows for occasional meat consumption. It offers a more flexible and balanced way to reduce meat intake without cutting it out entirely.
This diet is ideal for people who want to reap the benefits of plant-based eating—such as improved heart health, weight management, and a reduced environmental impact—without committing fully to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Flexitarian diets will likely feature plant-forward meals, but with an emphasis on quality and sustainability, meaning more ethically sourced, grass-fed, or free-range meat and seafood when consumed.
The flexibility of the flexitarian diet makes it an attractive option for people who want to embrace healthier eating without the rigidity of strict dietary restrictions.
You won’t believe which Hollywood A-listers swapped the silver screen for the stage! While some stars like Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith have successfully transitioned between acting and music, others… not so much. Sure, it’s admirable when they chase their musical dreams, but let’s be real—sometimes, the results are more “oh no” than “encore!”
Curious to see who failed in their attempt to conquer the charts? Let’s dive in! But beware, this list might make you rethink your favorite actor’s hidden talents.
1. Florence Pugh: From “Midsommar” to YouTube Covers?
Did you know before Florence Pugh became a big-screen sensation, she dabbled in singing under the name “Flossie Rose”? Yes, you read that right! The Little Women star used to post cover songs on YouTube, from The Lumineers to Oasis.
But here’s the kicker—despite her love for music, Florence admits she never really believed in her acting potential. “I would have put money on me being a singer far more than being an actor,” she confessed. Turns out, she didn’t need to—Hollywood disagreed, and her acting career took off like wildfire.
Wait, what? Gwyneth Paltrow, a country singer? Yup, after starring in Country Strong, she took a real liking to the genre. She even performed alongside country legend Vince Gill at the 2010 CMAs!
She even signed a record deal. So, what happened? The album never materialized, and the actress-turned-entrepreneur went back to promoting kale smoothies and crystals.
3. Joe Pesci: The Mobster with a Mic
Imagine this: It’s 1998, you’ve just watched My Cousin Vinny, and then you hear that Joe Pesci—yes, that Joe Pesci—has a new rap album out. The record was called Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You. It was… let’s say, an acquired taste.
With songs like “Take Your Love and Shove It,” the album was as wild as you’d expect. But here’s the twist—this wasn’t his first time at the mic. In the ’60s, he tried to be a pop singer. After this… experiment, Joe wisely returned to acting.
You might remember Alyssa Milano as the teenage star of Who’s the Boss?, but did you know she had a thriving pop career? There’s just one catch—it was only in Japan!
Why the international focus? Milano wasn’t keen on becoming a punchline in the U.S. “I’d much rather have it released where it’s appreciated than laughed at,” she said. And honestly, can you blame her?
5. Tom Felton: From Hogwarts to Heartstrings
When Harry Potter ended, Tom Felton didn’t just sit around waiting for his next acting gig. He picked up a guitar and started strumming. But his music career wasn’t exactly magical.
Felton released multiple EPs and even made TikTok songs like “Holding On,” but fans were… less than enchanted. One commenter even quipped, “Someone get him in a Hallmark movie quickly so he doesn’t release more music.” Ouch!
6. William Shatner: The King of Unintentional Comedy?
Buckle up, because this one’s a trip. In 1968, William Shatner released a spoken-word album called A Transformed Man. It featured a dramatic reading of Mr. Tambourine Man and a trippy cover of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Critics called it an “unintentional comedy classic.”
But that didn’t stop Shatner. He continued releasing albums for decades, collaborating with everyone from Iggy Pop to country artists. The verdict? His albums remain cult favorites, for better or worse.
7. Robert Downey Jr.: Iron Man… with a Mic?
Who would have guessed that Robert Downey Jr. once had a full-fledged music career? His debut album, The Futurist, hit shelves in 2004. Despite Iron Man’s incredible charisma, the album didn’t quite make the charts.
Critics found it “pretentious” and “dull,” but hey, at least RDJ gave it a shot! These days, he’s more content spending time with his family than writing moody ballads.
8. Scarlett Johansson: From Blockbuster to Indie Rock?
This one might surprise you. Scarlett Johansson’s love for music started way back—before she ever donned her Black Widow suit. She released Anywhere I Lay My Head in 2008, featuring covers of Tom Waits songs.
The reception? Mixed, to put it kindly. Critics either loved or loathed it, making it a polarizing record. Even so, she formed a band called The Singles in 2015, but a legal dispute cut that short.
9. Eddie Murphy: From Comedy Royalty to 80s Pop Icon?
Remember Party All the Time? If you do, you know that Eddie Murphy tried his hand at music in the ’80s. His hit song reached #2 on the Billboard charts—seriously!
But after a couple more albums that failed to replicate the same success, Murphy retreated back to his comfort zone—comedy. Even he admits, “the audience gets weirded out by it,” and frankly, he’s not wrong!
10. Bruce Willis: Die Hard on the Charts?
Long before he was jumping off buildings in Die Hard, Bruce Willis was singing the blues. His 1987 album, The Return of Bruno, even hit number 14 on the Billboard 200! Not too shabby, right?
But with follow-up albums that flopped, it’s safe to say his music career died harder than expected. These days, you’ll catch him on set, not on stage.
11. Jennifer Love Hewitt: A Teen Idol Turned Pop Star
Before she was the scream queen in I Know What You Did Last Summer, Jennifer Love Hewitt was releasing albums, starting with Love Songs in 1992. And get this—it was a hit… in Japan.
Her attempt to bring that success stateside didn’t work out quite as well. But hey, at least she gave us a ’90s classic with “How Do I Deal.” You’ve got to admire her persistence.
12. Lucy Hale: From Pretty Little Liars to Country Star?
Lucy Hale’s music dreams started long before her acting fame. As a teenager, she was even a finalist on American Juniors. She signed with Hollywood Records and released her debut country album, Road Between, in 2014.
The critics didn’t hate it, and fans seemed to love her sound. But when a tour cancellation and vocal strain derailed her plans, Lucy decided to focus on acting. Now, she’s more comfortable blending music into her acting projects than pursuing solo stardom.
Which Actor’s Musical Career Shocked You the Most?
Who knew that so many of Hollywood’s biggest names had such unexpected passions? Did any of these surprises make you question your favorite celeb’s talents? Tell us in the comments!
And if you want to see more hidden celebrity stories like this, don’t forget to share this article with your friends. You never know—maybe they’ll remember that one time Joe Pesci tried to rap!
Bottom line? When it comes to crossing over between acting and music, some stars are better off sticking to the screen. But you have to admire their guts, right?
With summer in full swing, working out in the heat can be both challenging and potentially risky if not done correctly. As temperatures rise, it’s essential to adapt your exercise routine to ensure safety and effectiveness. Personal Trainer Paul Bruce from GearHungry offers expert advice on how to stay safe while exercising in hot weather. Learn how to stay hydrated, adjust your workouts, and protect yourself from heat-related injuries, so you can enjoy a healthy and active summer.
Water in the summer? Ground-breaking The body holds an internal temperature of approximately 37C. The closer the match between the body’s internal temperature and that of the outside, the harder it is for the body to cool itself. The body can experience a spike in temperature as little as 12 minutes into a workout. If preventative action is not taken dehydration, heatstroke and fainting can ensue.
‘Dehydration impacts the way in which your body regulates heat’ says Bruce. ‘In turn, the heart rate increases to circulate blood around the body. As the heart rate increases, blood rises towards the surface of the skin in an attempt to cool the body. The higher the internal temperature, the more blood is redirected away from the working muscles and towards the skin. As blood moves away from the muscles and towards the skin’s layers, the muscles receive less oxygen. It is in this instance that the muscles will experience symptoms of fatigue’.
‘The body sweats to cool itself. Whilst this is an essential mechanism, it contributes to the loss of essential fluids’ states Bruce. ‘To avoid becoming a victim of dehydration up your water intake, even if you already drink the recommended 2 litres a day. This is the fastest way to safeguard yourself from injury. As tempting as it is to guzzle litre upon litre of water at the end of an exercise session, try to refrain from doing this as it can lead to nausea. Instead, favour taking consistent short and sharp sips of water throughout. This will steadily fuel the body and work to avoid a prolonged recovery period’.
It’s Ok, I can just spritz, right? According to Bruce, spritzing yourself with water throughout a workout session can camouflage dehydration. ‘A common practice is to pour or spritz water onto the skin when exercising, especially when partaking in the likes of cardio. It is important to be mindful of the fact that dousing the body in water only eases discomfort and does not lower our internal temperature. Consequently, the superficial cooling effect that this provides can disillusion how the body is reacting to exercising in the heat. Ensure that you frequently assess how you are feeling, how high your heart rate is and how hot you feel. It is wise to remember that although the heart rate should be high – it should not be pounding through the chest’.
Do you burn more calories in a heatwave? Performing cardio in heat may feel harder than in the cooler months however, does that mean you are burning more calories? ‘Well, yes…but it can be temporary’ says Bruce. ‘A lot of people refer to their metabolism when losing weight but are not aware of how it functions. Your metabolism is what transforms your food intake into energy. The combination of converting food to energy with oxygen provides the body with the energy it needs to function – whether that be for exercise or to support its vital functions when we are resting. The total amount of calories we burn to function is what we often refer to as our metabolism. Our metabolism works faster when we exercise in hot weather as it strives to keep the body cool. This increases the number of calories that we burn. However, it is important to remember that these effects are temporary. As the heatwave persists, we become climatized to it effects. Put simply, our body gets used to working out in such conditions and the metabolism will go back to its original workings as it would in cooler weather’.
You really need to know… According to Bruce, working out in a heatwave is not a time to strive for personal bests, especially if you are a beginner. ‘Accept that heat will impact the workout. I am a big believer that the physical effects of a workout should be secondary, especially in these times. Working out protects your mental health, boosts the immune system, and maintains endorphins. Any kind of activity that increases the heart rate is fantastic. Do not attempt to run marathons in heat if you are not used to doing so. It can pave the way to injury and impact your future progress.’
‘Do not forget to wear SPF. Park workouts are growing in popularity as is running on roads. This is fantastic, however, when the sun shines reach for the SPF.’
‘Try swapping your evening workouts for the mornings. Mornings tend to be cooler than the evenings and they are certainly less humid. If mornings are not obtainable, ensure that you avoid the hours of 12 – 3 pm when the sun is at its peak’.
‘Circuit HIIT training whilst wearing breathable fabrics is a great option if working out in the heat. Consistently taking breaks not only keeps a workout interesting but provides the time to assess how your body is reacting to the heat.
Muscle pain is not exclusive to athletes. Everyone has, probably, experienced it at least once in their lifetime. Legs sore after running. Back pain after a hiking trip to the mountains last weekend. Or maybe shoulder pain after a push up challenge with friends the other night. Any new or strenuous activity can send people looking for ways how to relieve muscle soreness in the days after.
Athletes, however, face muscle soreness on a more frequent basis than the rest of the people. They push themselves in training and racing. Frequently it can be just one interval too much or too hard that causes muscle pain the next day.
Why are my legs sore after running?
Muscle soreness is nothing more than an indicator of damage done to the muscle tissue. It results from micro-traumas caused by excessive lengthening of the muscle. The pain develops as the area around those micro tears gets inflamed. Symptoms might include:
Light swelling
Tenderness to the touch
Stiffness of the muscle or joint & reduced range of motion
Reduction of strength of the affected muscles
In the world of science it’s actually called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), because it takes a while until inflammation develops. The strongest pain generally occurs within 24 to 48 hours after an intense exercise and can last for 2 to 3 days.
After a particularly long or hard session muscle soreness can occur within hours after the exercise. Source: depositphotos
Mild muscle soreness is a normal part of training process. A certain level of stress and muscle damage is required for the body to grow stronger and supercompensate.
As the athlete becomes more trained, muscle soreness should be less frequent.
In fact, for experienced and consistent athletes muscle soreness is not a good sign. It’s a signal that body was pushed too far which requires much longer time to recover from and can have bad effect on overall endurance. So, athletes should be thinking how to prevent DOMS, instead of how to reduce DOMS.
Running with muscle soreness – good idea or not?
In sports there’s an important line to be drawn between good and bad muscle pain.
‘Good’ pain is something that’s expected and is a signal of body adapting to the workload. For example, calves hurt after running particularly long or there’s a general pain in legs after running intervals the other day. This type of soreness typically goes away within a few days and gets better with exercise as more nutrients are delivered to the affected area.
But there’s a different type of pain. ‘Bad’ pain is something that flares up unexpectedly or just simply won’t heal fully. It can be a dull pain that doesn’t go away after a few days or it can be a sharp feeling that shows up in the middle of the run. Often, the intensity of pain is low (maybe 2-3 on a scale from 1 to 10) and many athletes brush it off as a small inconvencience. However, it’s important to pay attention to these small warning signs, because most of the running injuries are caused by overuse and begin as simple discomfort that aggravates without rest or treatment.
So, before you think about running with muscle soreness ask yourself is this soreness expected? If yes, proceed carefully – exercising or running with muscle soreness should be very gentle and aimed at recovery only, not pushing the boundaries.
14 Effective remedies for sore legs after running
When the damage is already done there are lots of ways how to reduce doms, support the body and give it everything it needs to work the magic.
Some of the measures below will help to immediately relieve muscle soreness. Other remedies are more strategic life changes that will help to reduce the overall stress placed on the body and make the body more resilient.
#1 Don’t stop exercising
When you get sore legs after running the best strategy is to do a very light and short (up to 30 minutes) activity to promote blood flow. Running with muscle soreness can sometimes be quite painful. So, it can be as simple as a brisk walk, a veeery gentle stretch or mobility work.
Movement stimulates the heart to pump more blood to the muscles. That helps to flush out waste products (like lactate) and bring in minerals and nutrients required for recovery.
#2 Re-hydrate
Water is a necessary component in the process of energy production in the muscles. Without enough water the body will slow down all its functions to preserve the limited supply of energy it has.
Drinking water also helps to flush out waste products from the body quicker, which will help to recover sore legs after running quicker.
#3 Get proper sleep
Our body is only able to repair the damage done to the muscle when it’s in the state of complete rest. That happens when we are asleep.
Deep sleep, in particular, is the most effective at rebuilding muscle tissue. That’s when the body fully relaxes and produces Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Moreover, in later stages of sleep the body goes into fasting state (no food for 8+ hours) and the HGH production is at its peak.
So, it’s not a good idea to eat a lot before bed. That will only disturb the quality of sleep and minimize production of HGH.
Berries are packed with antioxidants and there are some studies that suggest antioxidants are a good remedy how to relieve muscle soreness.
Besides that, drinking a smoothie after a hard training session may be the best thing one can do for recovery. Smoothies made of fruits, vegetables and berries provide everything that athletes need after a training session. They promote alkaline environment that reduces inflammation across the body, as well as re-stokes the supply of vitamins and minerals.
Fruits, vegetables and berries are great at minimizing inflammation across the body and reducing overall stress.
#5 Get in an ice bath or cold shower
Looking for ways how to relieve sore muscles fast? Well, the best way to treat acute inflammation is to reduce the body temperature. This works with injuries, bruises and especially sore legs after running.
The quickest way to reduce temperature is with cold exposure. For runners that can be achieved with an ice bath. The process works exactly as it sounds – fill a bath with cold water, put lots of ice there and submerge for around 15 minutes. Cold showers might provide a similar effect.
A meta analysis of 99 studies suggests that cold water immersion after strenuous exercise may reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), perceived feeling of fatigue, and inflammation. However, it looks like the water temperature should be lower than 15°C (59°F).
It may not be the most pleasant measure, but super effective.
#6 Relieve muscle soreness with compression clothes
A good way to stimulate blood flow and reduce the feeling of sore legs after running is to wear compression clothes, like socks or pants. What compression does is help to reduce swelling, so that once socks or pants are off the blood can flow better to the muscles.
Compression socks were originally invented for travelers who sit a lot in an airplane and don’t move much. At some point runners and other athletes started to use compression clothes to aid in recovery and get the same benefits.
The Resilient Athlete
A Self-Coaching Guide to Next Level Performance in Sports & Life
Are you aiming to become a resilient athlete who is able to withstand any pressure? Be able to jump on any opportunity? Take any challenge life throws at you head on?
Extra virgin olive oil has been used in traditional medicine to cure various diseases. Among its other nutritional and antioxidant benefits, it has also been proven to have a pain suppressing, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.
It has been estimated that 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil amounts to roughly 10% ibuprofen dosage for a person.
#8 Elevate your legs to relieve muscle soreness
If you’ve done a lengthy lower-body activity (a long run, cycle or even a hike), it’s a good idea to elevate your legs to let the blood flow out from the limbs. This will help to reduce the swelling and promote blood flow afterwards – a similar effect to compression clothes.
It’s not necessary to elevate your legs all the way up on a wall, though it will be more efficient. Also, you don’t need to lie like this for the whole evening – 10 minutes here and there is enough.
#9 Use essential oils
Peppermint oil, in particular, gently massaged into the muscles will give the body a cooling effect and will aid in muscle recovery. Mix just 2 drops with a regular massage oil to create a “massage mix”.
This really helps to recover from races or long workouts when there is a lot of muscle damage and soreness.
#10 Add turmeric to your diet
Curcumin – a compound found in turmeric – is high in antioxidants. On top of that it has very powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a great natural supplement to help relieve muscle soreness.
Turmeric can be taken in any form and is a great addition to a meal or a smoothie. In a fresh, powder or even tea kind of way.
#11 Don’t go crazy on protein
While the body needs protein for muscle repair, focusing too much on it puts a lot of stress on the body. It also requires a lot of energy to digest which can be better spent on recovery.
To process a protein-heavy meal the body requires acid environment. Since the natural state of our body is slightly alkaline, kidneys try to balance the acidic environment by using glutamine. This is where it gets interesting, because the body sources glutamine by breaking down our muscles.
So, by eating a protein-heavy meal we force our body to break down muscle tissue, instead of growing new one.
It’s much better to incorporate a bit of protein into every meal or snack than eat a lot in one sitting.
#12 Try a vegetarian or plant-based diet to reduce muscle soreness
Vegetarian and plant-based diets tend to be more focused on fruits, vegetables and legumes. These foods are much easier to digest, so the body spends less energy on that. Also, such meals promote alkaline environment in the body that reduces overall inflammation.
The less energy the body has to spend on digestion and dealing with inflammation, the more it can use for recovery.
Vegetarian and plant-based diets provide a high variety of vitamins and minerals that are so important for athlete’s recovery.
#13 Reduce alcohol consumption
Alcohol has a lot of different impacts on our bodies. The most important one is that it’s a toxin. And, as with any toxin, the body fights hard to process it and get rid of it.
While fighting the toxin the body doesn’t have too much energy to work on repairing muscle damage or re-stocking mineral, nutrient and water supply. So, the process of complete recovery takes much longer.
#14 Prevent muscle soreness in the first place
By far the best strategy how to relieve muscle soreness is to prevent it.
When we incur too much muscle damage and accumulate fatigue we compromise our future training sessions. It’s much better to have a consistent schedule of good training sessions than one very hard one.
So, build fitness gradually. Start slow by sticking to a consistent schedule and creating a solid aerobic base first. Make sure that the volume and intensity don’t increase too fast. Finally, include enough recovery to allow the body to gradually grow stronger.
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In this episode, Tina is joined by fellow Carrots ‘N’ Cake coaches Emma Hammond and Nichole Kreuger to explore how alcohol can exacerbate stress, practical strategies for reassessing your drinking habits, and healthier ways to relax. They also share tips for navigating holiday social events and valuable resources to support reducing alcohol consumption.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
How to align your drinking habits with your health, hormones, and weight loss goals
Why alcohol worsens stress instead of relieving it
Strategies for reassessing your drinking habits
How to shift your mindset and find healthier ways to treat yourself
Stress-relief techniques that don’t rely on alcohol
Resources to support your alcohol reduction journey
Tips for navigating social events and staying mindful during the holidays
Join Us for 12 Days of Hormone-Healthy Holidays! 🎉
Starting December 9th, tune in for daily tips to help you stay balanced, healthy, and joyful all season long! Just turn on group notifications and check back each day from 12/9–12/20 for new wellness tips, hormone-friendly recipes, and holiday hacks. This is a FREE event. Join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1671496436273074
Tina Haupert is the owner of Carrots ‘N’ Cake as well as a Certified Nutrition Coach and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P).
Tina and her team use functional testing and a personalized approach to nutrition to help women find balance within their diets while achieving their body composition goals.
Being married to a psychologist has it’s disadvantages:
I have to talk about my feelings.
All
of
the
time
There are some perks, however. Most of what “drains” me as a coach isn’t so much the x’s and o’s of writing programs or the ability to figure our what may be the root cause of someone’s shoulder pain. Those are pretty much second nature at this point in my career.
No, what drains me the most is figuring out people.
Specifically, what motivates one person to workout (and stick with it) as opposed to what makes the next person do the same?
It’s a quagmire to say the least, and often takes far too much mental gymnastics for my liking.
Before we met, anytime I worked with someone who seemingly lacked discipline or “chutzpah” to get after it in the gym…I’d often resort to some tough love.
I’d assume (s)he didn’t want it enough and my default was to question their work ethic. I wouldn’t be a dick or anything, but I also didn’t go out of my way to demonstrate much compassion or empathy.
When my wife and I started dating I’d often bring up work with her and I’d attempt to commiserate on how this client wouldn’t work hard during their session or how that client just seemed to not care about getting results or how it just really, really sucked that I had to wear pants.
I’d be all like “what the hell!?!” and then throw a chair through a window or something, and then she’d be all like…
…“you know, maybe you just need to do a better job at learning about what actually motivates people?”
And this was when I was first introduced to the Self-Determination Theory.
There’s no need to go too far into the weeds. All you need to know about SDT is that it was popularized by psychologists Edward Deci & Richard Ryan and that it revolves around…
“a macro theory of human motivation and personality that concerns people’s inherent growth tendencies and innate psychological needs. It is concerned with the motivation behind choices people make without external influence and interference. SDT focuses on the degree to which an individual’s behavior is self-motivated and self-determined.”
The three main components are:
Competence
Autonomy
Relatedness
For the sake of brevity I’m going to hone in on autonomy or the power of choice.
In short, people don’t like to be told what to do.
In the fitness industry this comes across as bit absurd given that that’s exactly why most people hire us in the first place.
However, one of the biggest changes I’ve made in my coaching philosophy – in no small part due to my wife’s nudging through the years – is working on autonomy and offering clients more choice in their programming.
It’s not only made a profound difference in helping clients stay motivated to workout, but it’s also helped to expedite their results and progress.
Here’s a few suggestions and examples.
1. Allowing Them to Choose the Main Lift of the Day
I live in a bit of a strength & conditioning bubble. Most people who start to work with me already know what they’re getting themselves into.
They’re going to lift heavy things and they’re going to listen to some EDM while doing it.
One “trick” I’ll use – especially with beginners – is to let them choose their main lift of the day. If performing some squats will fill their training love tank that day, that’s what we’ll do.
Likewise, if they want to deadlift, we’ll deadlift.
The only exercise I’ll say a hard no to is kipping pull-ups.
I’d rather them jump into a shark’s mouth.
But can you see the inherent advantage this approach provides? If you have a client who’s having a hard time with motivation or just can’t seem to get “jazzed-up” for a particular session, maybe all you need to do is give them a bit more choice.
Assuming, of course, you’re taking into consideration their goals, injury history, and ability level.
2. Choosing the Variation of a Particular Exercise
It’s squat day.
[Cue the cacophony of moans]
Admittedly, not many people – outside of the truly masochistic – draw a sense of butterfly kisses and rainbows from squat day.
That being said, another trick to employ is to allow clients to choose what variation of a particular exercise they’re going to perform that day.
Squat
Box Squat
Back Squat
Front Squat
Goblet Squat
Landmine Squat
2-KB Front Squat
There are many options; and we haven’t even discussed things like ladder sets, drop sets, rest/pause sets, or even tweaks that can be made with stance, tempo, or even utilizing speciality bars (SSB, Duffalo, Cambered, etc).
Giving clients some say on the variation they’re going to perform that day is a game changer in terms of creating more “buy in” in that session.
3. Free Time
Another tactic I use often to help increase motivation is to give clients a 5-10 minute “window” at the end of their session to do whatever they want.
Most of my male clients choose to do some additional arms or “Gun Show” work.
Most of my female clients choose to do some additional glute or “badonkadonk” work.
And, not coincidentally, most of the wizards I work with prefer to use their time pecifying their pecs.
Science.
#dumbledoreisswole
All told, this approach serves as a nice compromise. So long as the client completes what’s on their program – and does what I want them to do – I am more than happy to give him or her some free time and choose their fate at the end of the session.
If they leave with a bicep or glute pump, and are happy, I am down with that.
There’s obviously a lot more that can said here, but I’ll defer to the expert on motivation, my wife!, in this case. Her popular course, Psych Skills for Fitness Pros is now offering open enrollment at $60 off the regular price.
There’s a degree of bias here, so take this however you wish…
…but THIS is the shit most fitness pros need to be educating themselves on. Yes, it’s important to know anatomy, assessment, and the intricacies of effective program design. But what really separates the good from the great is understanding people and how to navigate the human psyche.
Click HERE, choose your preferred payment method, and enter the coupon code PSYCH24 to receive your discount.
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Craving a quick and nutritious meal? Look no further than these delicious smoothie recipes! Packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, our smoothies are designed to fuel your body and satisfy your taste buds. Whether you’re on the go or looking for a healthy breakfast option, these recipes will become your new go-to.
Let’s blend up something amazing!
You’ll also like:
Few Reasons Why I Love Smoothies
Smoothies have become a popular and convenient way to incorporate a variety of nutrients into our diets. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, these liquid meals offer numerous health benefits.
Nutrient Powerhouse
Smoothies allow you to consume a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy ingredients in a single glass. This makes it easier to meet your daily recommended intake of vitamins, minerals, and fiber (1, 2).
Digestive Health Boost
The fiber content in smoothies promotes healthy digestion and gut bacteria. Certain fruits and vegetables, such as berries and leafy greens, contain prebiotics that nourish beneficial gut microorganisms.
Energy and Focus
Many smoothie ingredients, including fruits, nuts, and seeds, provide sustained energy. The combination of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats helps stabilize blood sugar levels and improve concentration.
Weight Management
Smoothies can be a valuable tool for weight management. They can help control appetite, boost metabolism, and provide essential nutrients for weight loss or maintenance.
Convenient Nutrition
Busy lifestyles often make it challenging to consume enough fruits and vegetables. 1 Smoothies offer a quick and easy way to incorporate these nutrient-dense foods into your diet. 2
10 Healthy Smoothie Recipes
These healthy smoothie recipes are packed with protein, fiber, and essential nutrients to boost your metabolism and build lean muscle.
Each recipe can be whipped up in seconds using a powerful blender like a Vitamix. Aim for 20-30 grams of protein per smoothie to make it a satisfying meal replacement.
Customize these recipes to suit your dietary needs and enjoy the convenience of on-the-go nutrition.”
1. Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie
Looking to start your day with a healthy breakfast smoothie full of essential nutrients like vitamin C and calcium. In a single cup, you can get as much as half of your daily Vitamin C.
Serves: 2
1 cup of frozen strawberries
1/2 banana
2 tbsp sliced raw almond (other nuts like cashews, pecans, and walnuts are all excellent sources of protein, fiber, and healthy fatty acids)
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1/4 cup granola (choose an unsweetened one)
1 cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
1 cup of soy or almond milk or other non-dairy milk
Nutrition per serving: 308 calories, 9 g fat, 40 g carbs, 27 g sugar, 5g fiber, 20 g protein
2. Kale Green Smoothie
Not a fan of green smoothies? Try this green kale smoothie with pineapple. It’s incredibly refreshing and takes away the bitterness of the raw kale. It provides 29% of daily fiber and 42% of calcium, based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Serves: 2
2 cups raw kale leaves, stems removed
1/2 cup raw almond slices
1 frozen or fresh medium banana
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup pineapple pieces
2 tbsp nut butter (unsweetened)
1 cup of almond milk (or milk of choosing)
1 to 2 tsp honey, to taste
Nutrition per serving: 349 calories, 22 g fat, 31 g carbs, 16 g sugar, 7 g fiber, 13 g protein
3. Turmeric and Ginger Tropical Fruit Smoothie
Start your day with an anti-inflammatory breakfast smoothie with immune-boosting turmeric and ginger.
It’s a deliciously healthy drink full of vitamins A and C. To enjoy it as a meal replacement smoothie, add a scoop of whey or pea protein powder.
1 cup almond, cow’s, or soy milk
½ fresh or frozen banana
½ cup frozen or fresh mango chunks
1 tsp hemp seeds
½ tsp. each ground turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom
1 tsp honey
1/2 cup ice cubes
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (optional)
Nutrition per serving (without whey protein powder) :
254 calories, 10 g fat, 19 g carbs, 24 g sugar, 7 g fiber, 7 g protein
Nutrition per serving (with whey protein powder): 374 calories, 11 g fat, 44 g carbs, 25 g sugar, 8 g fiber, 31 g protein
4. Dark Chocolate Banana Smoothie
This chocolate-ly goodness is one of my favorite recipes on a healthy diet. It’s full of metabolism-boosting fiber and protein and iron-rich spinach.
With 12 g fiber in each serving, it only nets you 20g of carbs. To manage your sugar intake, be sure to use unsweetened cacao powder.
Serves: 2
1 frozen banana
1 cup raw spinach
3 Tbsp. chia seeds
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cacao powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. honey
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choosing)
2 servings of protein powder (optional)
Nutrition per serving: (without the whey protein powder)234 calories, 9 g fat, 35 g carbs, 16 g sugar, 12 g fiber, 7 g protein
Nutrition per serving: (with the whey protein powder)374 calories, 11 g fat, 40 g carbs, 18 g sugar, 13 g fiber, 32 g protein
5. Blueberry Mango Smoothie
This superfood-packed drink is one of the best smoothies for weight loss.
To start, it’s full of chia seeds which come with omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce stress hormones and decrease inflammation. It’s also packed with healthy fats from avocado to help burn off excess body fat.
Serves 2
1 cup blueberries
1 1/2 cups frozen mango
½ avocado
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp matcha powder
2 tbsp unsweetened almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter
1½ – 2 cups of coconut water
1 tsp raw honey
Nutrition per serving: 358 calories, 18 g fat, 47 g carbs, 34 g sugar, 11 g fiber, 6 g protein
6. Green Detox Smoothie
Starting your morning with a green smoothie is a great way to pack in greens like spinach into your daily nutrients.
While green juices offer from a juice bar offer convenience, making healthy green smoothies like this one at home is just as easy and fast.
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup water
1/2 green apple
1 celery stick
1/2 cucumber
2-inch ginger root
2 dates
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup ice cubes
Nutrition per serving: 297 calories, 2 g fat, 71 g carbs, 28 g sugar, 10 g fiber, 7 g protein
7. Healthy Breakfast Smoothie – Vegan
Nutritious breakfast smoothies like this can aid in healthy weight loss thanks to their mix of superfoods.
With a protein powder, it’s a great breakfast smoothie that’ll fuel you for hours. Oats are full of complex carbohydrates, metabolism-boosting protein, and fiber.
They also contain loads of nutrients like zinc and magnesium. Those minerals help lower cholesterol levels, improve your gut, and support weight loss.
1 scoop vanilla pea protein powder – check out our favorite protein powders.
1 cup almond milk
Nutrition per serving: 394 calories, 16 g fat, 32 g carbs, 8 g sugar, 8 g fiber, 34 g protein
8. Skinny Apple Pie Smoothie
If you love pies but want to stay healthy and not overloaded on sugar, this is one of the best smoothies to enjoy in place of a warm apple pie.
It’s free of added sugar and full of omega-3 healthy fats and muscle-building protein.
1 apple, chopped (any kind)
1 cup unsweetened oat milk
1/2 tbsp walnuts
1 pitted date
1 scoop vanilla pea protein powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
dash of ground powder
Nutrition per serving: 429 calories, 9 g fat, 53 g carbs, 32 g sugar, 7 g fiber, 36 g protein
9. Vitamin C Boosting Smoothie
Besides its weight-loss friendly, this vitamin C booster has a lot of good things in one drink. With orange and peach, it’s packed with a hefty dose of immune-boosting vitamin C.
Just a tablespoon of chia seeds adds omega-3 and protein. It also adds a thick, creamy texture.
1 orange
1 carrot
1/2 peach
1 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-inch ginger, peeled
1 tbsp chia seeds
Nutrition per serving: 261 calories, 8 g fat, 44 g carbs, 25 g sugar, 13 g fiber, 7 g protein
10. Blueberry Green Smoothie
If you’re looking for a healthy breakfast smoothie that can be treated as a delicious meal, this green smoothie is the one.
With antioxidant-rich blueberries, this weight loss smoothie is a great way to aid digestion and support your weight loss.
With a hefty dose of protein and fiber, morning hunger won’t come crawling back for hours. It’ll also be your first green smoothie that’s not green but purple-hued.
Nutrition per serving: 350 calories, 17 g fat, 20 g carbs, 9 g sugar, 6 g fiber, 34 g protein
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Final Take
Indulge your taste buds while nourishing your body with these delicious and healthy smoothie recipes. By incorporating these nutrient-packed blends into your daily routine, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your health and weight loss goals. Remember, consistency is key! Enjoy experimenting with different ingredients and flavors to create your own signature smoothie. Cheers to a healthier you!
