Ashley Cates

Detox & Destress Gift Guide

SLEEP & DESTRESS CBD

This has been a game changer for me to have better sleep! Helps with falling and staying asleep! Save with code MACROS. Their DeStress blend I have in my daily coffee to help balance the caffeine/adrenaline spike.

SHOWER WATER FILTE R

Great for cleaning hair and skin with clean filtered water!

CLEAN TOOTHPASTE & MOUTHWASH

Non Toxic and enamel safe!

HONEY STICKS

The best sweetener to add to coffee, tea, and yogurt, and I love how these are pre-portioned and easy to travel!

BEEF ORGAN COMPLEX

Rich in nourishing B Vitamins for help with gut balance as well as hair, skin, and nails! And doesn’t taste like anything 😉

SEEDS FOR SEED CYCLING

To help with estrogen detox and balancing female hormones for smoother periods!

WINE FILTER

Removes sulfites for cleaner wine that will less likely leave a headache!

CASTOR OIL

Helps with liver detox when applied to skin as a castor oil pack (more below)

CASTOR OIL PACK WRAP

Helps with liver detox! I do this monthly.

CREAM OF TARTAR

A easy way to add potassium to smoothies for more balanced minerals and less stress.

MAGNESIUM

I love having this anti-stress supplement 1 hour before bed!

Please note that all opinions are my own and featured brands are ones I personally like and support. This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program where I earn advertising fess by linking to amazon.com

Why Macro Balanced Nutrition is best for Weight Loss & Health Goals

I want to focus on how we can fuel our bodies with balance by embracing Macro Balanced Nutrition and I want to explain why it’s better for not just weight loss but also overall health compared to doing Low Carb or Low Fat loss strategies.

So first, I want to give a quick explanation to why following Low Carb or Low Fat diet without necessarily tracking macros can work for weight loss initially. And this is because it’s not that mixing Carbs and Fats lead exactly to weight gain, but it’s that typically foods that are high in Carbs and Fats are also typically very calorie dense for a small amount of food, so if you avoid Carbs or Fats then you’ll likely be avoiding high calorie foods which can likely put you in a calorie deficit that can lead to weight loss. And because being in a Calorie Deficit is the #1 rule for weight loss, this is why in the short term Low Carb or Low Fat diets can work.

BUT typically these type of restrictive diets are not sustainable long-term, which is why so many people that lose weight trying to do Low Carb or Low Fat, end up not being able to keep the weight off because once they finish that diet they go back to how they were eating previously and the weight comes back on😣

Nothing was learned for a balanced life to keep results. We can’t/likely won’t enjoy completely cutting out Carbs and Fats for good.

Short term strategies can’t lead to long term results!

And also, our bodies NEED BOTH Carbs and Fats for health! Each Macronutrient (Protein, Carbs, and Fats) has a very important role for our bodies! Depriving our bodies of one won’t lead to feeling balanced or fueling the best Long Term Fat Loss Results!

Macro Balanced Nutrition for weight loss is superior because it’s giving your body the nutrients it needs to thrive AND you’re actually learning how to fuel yourself with ALL FOODS! This will lead to making results while learning how you can keep them!
Macro Balance nutrition for weight loss teaches you habits and basic information about nutrition that you can keep for life so that you can be knowledgeable on how you can properly fuel yourself and lose the weight for good!
BOTTOM LINE: When you learn about Macros, you have the knowledge to KEEP your results LONG TERM! You’re also properly fueling your body to get lean without restrictions! And while I know Tracking Macros can seem overwhelming at first, the lifelong lessons you can learn about food while you get lean with a few months tracking I think is 10000% worth the effort!
Here’s a few posts I have on why Macro Balanced Nutrition works for weight loss:
MACRO MENTALITY VS DIET MENTALITY
COUNTING CALORIES VS TRACKING MACROS
REALISTIC FAT LOSS PLAN FOR LONG TERM RESULTS
YOUR SWEET TOOTH ISN’T RUINING YOUR PROGRESS, YOUR RESTRICTION IS
MACRO BALANCED FAT LOSS FOODS
ARE ALL CALORIES THE SAME?

If you need more specific guidance on how you can use Macro Balanced Nutrition to reach your fitness goals, I’d LOVE to help! Check out my Online Programs & Coaching Packages to work with me on a Custom Plan for your Balanced Lean Body goals😘💖💪

Nutrition Levels of Importance

What’s the MOST important to focus on nutrition wise for your fat loss goals?🤔

I want to note that I didn’t come up w/ this concept (1st I believe is by @helms3dmj ) but I made this image to help show what’s most & least important for you to follow nutrition wise in order to stay on track w/ your goals!😃💪😘

The base of the pyramid (notice it’s the largest part) is the MOST important part because being in a calorie deficit plus getting in enough protein (.7-1g/lb) & water (1/2 body weight in oz) to help with digesting & shuffling nutrients into the cells, will optimize muscle growth & fat burn💪

Ex: 150 lb person can have a protein goal of 105-150g and a water goal of 75 oz.

*If you need help with setting up your Protein/Macros, I’d love to help you with a Custom Macro Calculation!

Second most important is hitting carb, fat, & fiber goals. Interchanging carbs & fats based on preference is likely fine if it helps keep you consistent for your overall calorie goal👌And fiber is SO important because it helps w/ keeping us satiated & also digesting what we’re eating👍

Third most important thing is micronutrients, which can be good to hone in on if we’re not feeling our best & maybe need to adjust getting in more of a certain micro to help with more hormonal balance. (Note: this is levels of importance for fitness goals but micros are VERY important for health!)

Fourth most important thing is nutrient timing, this can be good to look at if hunger & digestion are off or if you’re having trouble feeling fueled or recovering from workouts.

Least important is supplements, because in my opinion most are a waste of money when you can get nutrients from food (here’s a blog on what supplements I think are worth it 😉) I don’t really consider protein powder a supplement as it has calories so I consider it a food. But I don’t recommend pre-workouts if you can just have coffee or BCAAs if you are getting in adequate amounts of protein elsewhere. The only time I will recommend supps is if everything is on point (macros, micros, workouts, etc.) & someone is not progressing, this may mean they need supplements that help w/ stress or digestion to get the body optimal for fat loss👌

I’ve seen many stress over supps or nutrient timing without having their Macros even in check! My recommendation is to set a good foundation with the bottom & work your way up as you can/need to💪😘

Did you find this post helpful? Comment below or contact me

Struggling to meet your fitness goals and want guidance with macros/nutrition and/or personal training from me, a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist? Check out my Coaching Services which range from me just setting up macros and training programs to macros with meal ideas to more in-depth 1:1 coaching that involves weekly check-ins with optional phone calls.

*This post was created by Ashley Cates who is not a Registered Dietician or a Medical Professional, nothing said should be taken as medical advice or replace any advice given by a Physician. This information does not in any way intend to diagnose or treat any health condition/disorder. The information provided is based on Ashley’s education and experience.

NASM 2020 Optima Personal Training and Nutrition Coaching Conference Big Takeaways

This past week I had the pleasure to attend (virtually) the annual National Academy of Sports Medicine(NASM) Optima Conference and take classes focused on training, nutrition, and health! NASM is the organization I have my education which makes me a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and what I have built my coaching and the Sweat, Love, and Macros brand on! I’m happy to continue to learn and grow and (most importantly) SHARE what I think the MOST IMPORTANT and applicable things are for YOU to reach your fitness and health goals!

Below I share my big takeaways and have also linked the presenters information if you want to go check them out yourself! And if you have any questions on these notes or need guidance on your own fitness journey then please feel free to email me 🙂

Favorably Altering Body Composition

Nutrition can change the body faster than exercise. If nutrition isn’t honed in, making body comp progress will be harder.

If in muscle building phase and you ‘re also gaining body fat, instead of cutting calories if body fat is happening, add in aerobic work.

You can maximize muscle building with proper diet, training, and adding in Creatine can be safe and aid in muscle building.

What’s my intent as a coach for training? To help clients gain strength & lose fat so that they enjoy their life feeling feeling powerful

It’s important to make sure you’re maximizing your health for muscle building and fat loss, you can’t be effective if you’re always sick or injured from under eating and over training. Eating enough and training smart will always be optimal for results.

Vitamins everyone should take: C, D, Calcium, and omega 3. A Mutlivitamin can have all of these.

Vitamins are especially needed for lower calories or those excluding food types like on keto or those who practice vegan or vegetarian or dairy free nutrition strategies.

Presentation by Neal Spruce owner of DotFit. https://www.dotfit.com/category-cid-508.html

Training women over 40

Preserving muscle mass is important. If you’re not building it, you’re losing it after 35 (leads to slower metabolism which will make fat loss much harder)

It’s important to focus on balance for those newer to training. Using bosu balls or single leg or arm workouts with lower weights to improve balance and core strength can be a great strategy.

Machines can be easier for those who are more frail.

Pelvic floor strength can help with wanting to drink with more water so there’s no accidents.

Presentation by Keli Roberts. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keli.robertsfitpro/

Diet Breaks & Re-feeds

Protein should be high because it has the highest TEF (Thermic Effect of Food) meaning that it takes more energy for the body burn through Protein so we burn more calories digesting Protein compared to Carbs and Fats.

TEF goes down with less food/calories.

Leptin is the satiety hormone (it lowers in weight loss which builds up hunger, this is why taking diet breaks & re-feeds can be effective for long term weight loss strategies)

Ghrelin is hunger hormone, it gets a bad rap but is a sign of healthy hormones.

Diet refeed 1-2 days at maintenance with the other 5-6 days being in a calorie deficit. I call this the “5/2” split with my clients and I talk about it more here! https://www.instagram.com/p/CGVdt-DjQrw/

Diet breaks for 2 weeks at maintenance and 2 weeks at deficit

Best to increase carbs on higher days

Presentation by Dr. Guillermo Escalante. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorgfit/

Diabetes Prevention

1/2 the US population will be obese by the year 2030. Obesity is the highest factor becoming type 2 diabetic

How did we get here: Inactive (convenience) + Processed foods (highly palatable)

Holistic health can help change this

Poor sleep can increase hunger (Get sleep help here 😉 https://sweatloveandmacros.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sleep-tips.pdf )

1 bout of exercise every 72 hours can help improve blood glucose levels.

Simplifying nutrition with focus on moderation and not restriction to avoid yo-yo dieting and giving up.

Achieving optimal blood glucose concentrations is “easy” by just focusing on:

-be active at least 30 minutes in 72 hours (every other day best)

-Good sleep and stress reduction

-change construct of food, moderate not restrict carbs, table sugars and added sugars should be kept an eye on, more protein and healthy fats

Wiser choices can lead to a healthy lifestyle and lead to a better future.

People need to be proud of every effort and step made, and use it as momentum to push forward for more progress!

Presentation by Tony Ricci. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightshape_ricci/

Exercise, Stress, Hormones and Inflammation

Stressors in life can manifest itself through anything. Having small dose of stress to adapt (like in exercise) can be good, but the inability to recover from stress is our demise. We are too constantly stressed in modern life.

Stress leads to us reacting with fight or flight stress response. Blood clots faster under fight or flight stress response, it is a defense mechanism for if we’re hurt & bleeding, but terrifying for “normal” stresses.

We also increase bladder glands when stressed.

Overtraining and not allowing enough recovery leads to lessened immunity.

Men have more visceral fat which is why they have higher likelihood of heart disease

We’re too stressed so unable to adapt. If you’re chronically stressed and inactive, fat gain will be easier.

Visceral fat can increase inflammation to lead to heart disease

Cortisol and stress in small bouts is healthy, allowing us to recover is healthy.

Appropriate stress must have also appropriate recovery. Deloads and proper sleep are important. (Learn about deloads here: https://www.instagram.com/p/By1XcogjnxE/ )

Presentation by Fabio Comana. NASM bio: https://blog.nasm.org/author/fabio-comana

Nutrition for Cognitive Optimization

Sleep is the one time during the day that we can rest our brains to rebuild cells.

Refined carbs cause quick rush for insulin spike which leads to brain fog and breaking down cells quickly (not bad in moderation). More inflammation in the brain is bad because it breaks down brain cells.

Brain is 60% fat, replenish with omega 3’s

Omega 3’s slows down aging of the brain.

Omega 6’s are common which is why we have to be proactive with omega 3’s

Arthritis and inflammation can come down from omega 3’s

Choline in eggs is great! Runny eggs can have better choline transmission

Presentation by Michelle Ricker, RDN. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellericker/

Dietary Strategies for Cardiovascular Health

Reducing sodium doesn’t matter much unless you already have cardiovascular disease

Minimize processed red meat (pepperoni, deli meat, sausage) Go for unprocessed red meat (lean steak, wild game )

Optimal protein is fish like high fatty fish omega-3 fish like salmon or tuna.

Many nutrition strategies can fall into these categories for minimizing cardio vascular disease with the focus being to get to a healthy body weight and include veggies and lean protein.

Presentation by Brad Dieter. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brad.dieter/

Other Fast Fat Loss Facts

Keeping the weight off: NEAT is important! Helps SO much with keeping lost weight off, less energy and body mass means we burn lesss calories. Reverse dieting is not the rule if neat is not bumped up too. meaning more daily movement

Optimal Protein is 1g/ lb of body weight BUT if it’s not enjoyable then ranging from .7-1g if ok

Sleep Science: sleep is SO important, rec is 7-9 hours but some can do less and be ok if they have high quality sleep,

Poor sleep can hinder fat loss when it leads to: altered glucose control, lower testosterone, abnormal cortisol release

Did you find this post helpful? Comment below or contact me

Do you feel like you need support in order reach your fitness goals with balance? Having an outside perspective to keep you focused on the big picture of health and fitness (which is WAY more than just the scale) can be extremely helpful and it’s actually one my most rewarding passions to help women with this!

Check out my 1:1 coaching services to work with me on making fitness work with your life instead of consuming your life. Finally drop the “All or Nothing” Mentality and learn to be strong and balanced for life!

Dealing with Internal & External Body Shame

“She’s too chubby to be giving weight loss advice”
This is the gist of body shaming comments that were said for this photo. And to be honest, I think that all Personal Trainers in general have a somewhat fear that they need to look a certain way to be taken seriously (regardless of education & experience) so reading that definitely stung…

There was a thread of comments in a post I did with this photo, between two women body shaming me which turned into a conversation of “thin is more glorified in society than fit, so I don’t want to be fit” and then eventually to one of them saying “eating disorders are healthy because they help people become thin”. As soon as I read that, I deleted and blocked those women. Because it’s one thing to be attacking me but to be promoting eating disorders on my page (that’s focused on overall health and fitness balance), is NOT ok! And I don’t know who could have read that and maybe took it seriously…

I (of course) went on these women’s pages and saw that they didn’t follow me (meaning they were “trolling”) and that they were quite thin. And I’m not trying to body shame them for being thin, but recognizing that they have different lifestyles and ideals from me was the first step for me to try to work through why I didn’t need to be SO affected by their comments!

I can admit that maybe these comments aren’t that bad (and part of me feels silly to be even talking about this because I’ve seen other comments not directed towards me that are much worse) but the fact that I was questioning my overall value because of a comment on my body made me REALLY stop and think how disgusting and even debilitating body shaming can be… which is why I want to talk about how we can handle and move forward in a positive way from BOTH internal and external body shame.

Because I think to deal with external body shame, we first have to deal with it internally.

Which to be honest, I have fought through SO MUCH internal body shame over the past few years that I think I was surprised that I was so affected by these women’s comments…which actually kind of brings me full circle because in 2016 I was the one who thought that “thin”/smallest was best, which is a mindset I have worked hard to disprove with my clients and also through my content. And this is the mindset these women are in currently.

See, in 2016, I drastically lost 40 lbs of weight through extreme dieting and over exercising. I thought my worth was in this perception of being “clean” and “hard core” and “thin”…but then I was so self conscious about my body and in guilt all of the time because I binging. I remember thinking that weight loss was what drove body confidence, but it doesn’t. And I talk more about that here.

But ultimately I learned that nourishing and strengthening my body allowed me to feel good and strong which lead to WAY more body confidence than when I was trying to starve and overwork myself. Learning this changed EVERYTHING for me in becoming lean without extremes and that I could actually eat the foods I love without guilt and while still being fit! Which is EXACTLY what I talk about in the the post with the picture above! LOL

I mention in the post that “I could probably be more “shredded” if I cared, but I love my lifestyle of balanced nutrition, strength training 4 days a week, spending time w/ my loved ones, & also giving a lot of my energy to my clients to be their most healthy/fit/balanced❤️💪” and you CAN be fit with cellulite and stretch marks and that the spectrum of “fit” comes down more to habits while being in a healthy BF% and BMI range vs meeting a certain ideal… which of course we will NEVER meet everyone’s ideal which is why we have to focus on feeling good for ourselves, in ourselves<3

So that’s my kind of rant on what happened but I want to give some practical advice on how we can all deal with any internal or external body shamers because we deserve to move past these types of negative mindsets so that our bodies can thrive and our lives can shine!

So here’s 3 quick mantras/reminders for us to remember when we feel challenged by body shame:

1) I am more than my body. My true friends and family do not love me for my body because they know my worth is deeper than my appearance.

2) My body image is controlled by thoughts vs reality. Negative thoughts don’t make something real. We can see something that maybe doesn’t fit society’s “ideal” of beauty and make that question our self worth, but the truth is our body image should come from the way we are treating our bodies. Meaning we can feel good, healthy, and lean (regardless of how we look/what we weigh) when we are focusing on self care of making sure we’re eating balanced and moving in ways we enjoy! Our lowest weight isn’t probably our healthiest weight. (I’ve gained 10 lbs since my lowest weight but I feel SO much more body confident because I can truly love, nourish, and respect my body at this weight vs when I felt weak and deprived.)

3) Others/Society’s Standards of Beauty do not matter and they often reflect other’s own insecurities. This is easier said than believed but I have been saying it to myself often and it helps. And also, I think just recognizing that there are people with hate or hurt in their hearts and them showing that, makes them look bad…not you. Again, easier said than believe but something I’ve been telling myself.

Ultimately though, for me getting through internal and external body shame has come down to me doing A LOT OF WORK internally and with God to have body peace, grace, and acceptance. I can recognize that I am made by Him and He does not make mistakes. And I can be grateful for this test to bring me back to Him to share His powerful love that can conquer ALL of our insecurities and doubts. We are worthy and enough.

And I feel so incredibly blessed to know that is it is only through my confidence WITH HIM that I feel like I can help women become confident and balanced in themselves <33 Because even though there is hatred or certain world views in others hearts that can still sting, God will ALWAYS tell us we’re worthy <33

Did you find this post helpful? Comment below or contact me

Check out my 1:1 coaching services to work with me on making fitness work with your life instead of consuming your life. Find out how to fall in love with the process of getting stronger and lean without sacrificing your mental or physical health!

Plant Based Diets Course Big Takeaways

As a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, we are required to take Continuing Education Courses so that we can stay up to date on Fitness Science to best serve our clients which I LOVE! I recently just finished a “Plant Based Diets” Course and I wanted to share my big takeaway with you!

*Note: all information shared here is paraphrased or content/images directly taken from the National Academy of Sports Medicine “Plant Based Diets” Course and is being shared with the intent to help and educate.

What exactly is a Plant Based diet? Are there different types?

While Plant Based diets are primarily Plants though don’t need to be 100% Plants! Plant Based diet options could be:

Vegan: All Plants, no animal products.

Raw Vegan: All Plants, no animal products, no cooked plants.

Vegetarian: Plant based & restricts animal meat

Pescatarian: Plant based that induces fish, eggs, & dairy

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: Plant based that restricts all animal products but daily & eggs

Ovo-vegetarian: Plant based that restricts all animal products but eggs.

Lacto-vegetarian: Plant based that restricts all animal products but dairy.

Flexitarian: Plant Based with occasional fish or meat

What are the Potential Side Affects from Plant Based Diets?

There are some nutrient deficiencies which can include being low in:

B12

Choline

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Iron

B12, Omega 3’s, & Iron are recommended for supplementation whereas choline deficiencies “are not well-understood and there is little research on exactly how this might affect individuals who follow plant-based diets and whether or not supplementation provides meaningful benefits (Sanders, Ellis, & Dickerson, 1978).”

Pros though are that Plant Based Diets are “often much higher in vitamin C, folate, fiber, and vitamin E.”

Can Athletes thrive on a Plant Based Diet?

Of course! But something to consider is that they are getting adequate calories to fuel their activity! This means making sure to get in enough carbs and protein to fuel training and recovery. Plant Based protein sources are: tofu, tempeh, edamame, lentils, beans, chickpeas

Is Soy Bad?

While I have had some clients have to actual cycle out of being vegan/vegetarian because of too much soy, the research is actually not conclusive that have a large amount of soy is detrimental to your health. I’m going to insert a direct recap about this from my course as I think it’s the most easily explained 😉

“One of the most common myths or misconceptions surrounding plant-based diets is that many plant-based diets are high in soy and phytoestrogens, which may have negative health effects due to their potential hormone-disrupting capacities. First, there is some evidence to suggest that individuals who follow a plant-based diet, especially those who follow a vegan-diet, are exposed to more phytoestrogens; however, the actual amount is not alarmingly higher (Tordjman et al., 2016; Clarke et al., 2003). Furthermore, the true risks associated with soy and phytoestrogens derives from actual food are relatively small, and, in some cases, they may provide risk reduction for some diseases and minor risk increases for others. In one example, soy intake is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in women but may lower test hormones, such as testosterone in men (Bahrom & Idris, 2016; Nagata, Inaba, Kawakami, Kakizoe, & Shimizu, 2000). Currently, based on our understanding, it appears that the risks from consuming too much soy or other phytoestrogens is limited among people who adopt plant-based diets.”

Are Plant based diets more effective for weight loss?

The BIG question! While it can feel “easier” to lose weight while following a plant based diet because plants are lower calorie so they’re more filling.

When calories are accounted for and participants are in an energy(calorie) deficit, dieting while eating meat or not had no significant impact on weight loss. Meaning sticking with a calorie deficit that works for YOU is what matters most for weight loss.

With that, I think all can benefit by having a lot of plants in their diets for their nutrients and satiety as they’re packed with fiber! Having 1-2 servings at each meal along with other foods that fuel you and your goals is great way for the body to thrive!

If you need help determining what your calorie needs need to be (whether you’re following a plant based diet or not 😉 ) Be sure to E-Mail me about your goals as I could LOVE to help!

Healthy Sleep Helpers!

Here’s my favorite tools for getting better sleep! Click the Pic to view the product on Amazon!

SLEEP CBD

This has been a game changer for me to have better sleep! Helps with falling and staying asleep! Save with code MACROS

BLUE BLOCKER GLASSES

Great for helping your brain recognize it’s time to sleep! We’re always in light or looking at light so it can be hard for our bodies to know when it’s night time, if you can’t put your screens away, then wearing blue blocker glasses 2-3 hours before you want to sleep can be SO helpful!

NOISY FAN

Help add some “white noise” & keep yourself cool!

STANDING HEATER

Help add some “white noise” & keep yourself warm! There’s a timer on this one so you can always have it set to shut off so your room doesn’t get too warm 😉

EYEMASK

Great for if you’re more comfortable with having some light on in the room, this can help your eyes/body really embrace it’s nighttime & time for sleep 🙂

BLACK OUT CURTAINS

Great for if you’re a shift worker, for whenever you need a nap, or if it gets light in your room early in the morning & you want to sleep a bit longer.

EAR PLUGS

Great for blocking out noise for when trying to fall asleep or to stay asleep through the early morning if you have family members or neighbors that get up before you 😉

MAGNESIUM

I love having this anti-stress supplement 1 hour before bed!

WEIGHTED BLANKET

Helps with feeling more secure for better sleep!

LIGHT ALARM

Helps with waking without having to have a stressful alarm!

To Supplement or Not to Supplement… That is the Question…

When it comes to fitness, Supplements can seem like a necessary thing to incorporate for progress BUT like I show in this Nutrition Levels of Importance Pyramid, supplements are really the smallest/least important part of being healthy and losing body fat. It’s important to also note the ACTUAL word supplement means “something that completes or makes an addition” meaning that it is NOT essential but something we can add in if needed.

While there are some dietary supplements that I take daily (which I’ll talk about in a bit), in general most popular Fitness Supplements that are sold as being “necessary” can maybe make a 2-4% difference but only if all other levels of Nutrition are being optimized as well! Click on the pic above to learn more about all of the Nutrition Levels of Importance.

OK, so knowing that Fitness Supplements don’t make a HUGE difference in progress, let’s get into which ones SHOULD be probably taken daily, which ones are actually WORTH the hype, and which ones are just a plain WASTE of money!

PROBABLY NECESSARY SUPPLEMENTS

MULTIVITAMIN

The “perfect diet” for optimal health is still undetermined by the World Health Organization and though the USDA has set guidelines for what vitamins and minerals we need for health, the amount of food we would need to eat may not be enjoyable or could actually lead to fat gain if over consumed. So bringing health into a real world setting, the only necessary supplement I recommend is a Daily Multivitamin.

Because while we can try our best to have a wide variety of foods to get the micronutrients we need, taking a Multivitamin can just be a safety net to make sure you ARE getting in all the micronutrients your body needs!

FISH OIL

Healthy Fats promote hormonal balance which is SO important for fat loss as well as overall health (especially for women). If you ARE able to have Fatty Fish like salmon 3 times a week then you probably don’t need this supplement, but as some may like fish or it can be pricey to have that often, opting for a Fish Oil capsule can be a good strategy.

B12, COLINE, & IRON (FOR VEGAN DIETS)

These vitamins and minerals are essential and can be lacking in vegan diets. B12 and Iron are low in plants and can’t be absorbed as well, and Coline is not made in plants at all.

SUPPLEMENTS THAT ARE WORTH IT

PROTEIN POWDER

To be honest, I consider this more of a food than a supplement but since it IS something that is used to supplement protein into a diet then I want to add it here! Protein Powder is probably my favorite supplement and one I love to really recommend to clients because it can be a tasty and sweet way to get in more protein (which a lot of people struggle with!).

I do want to note that not all protein powders are created equal and that I would recommend powders that are primarily whey protein, collagen, or pea/brown rice protein for those who don’t do dairy. Soy protein is cheap in quality and is also high in estrogen, which having too much soy often can cause imbalanced hormones.

Here’s some of my favorite ways to use Protein Powder: SMOOTHIE BOWLS , OATS & CEREAL , EASY BREAKFASTS , ICED COFFEE

With that said though, if you get enough protein elsewhere (red meat, poultry, fish dairy, eggs) then Protein Powder is totally not necessary!

CREATINE

There’s TONS of research supporting the muscle growing affects of creatine so in this sense it IS a supplement that’s worth it, BUT (like noted above) only at the point that all other Nutrition Levels of Importance are in check. Taking creatine but having calories/macros totally out of wack won’t help with balanced progress.

It’s also just important to note it’s not needed to be lean. I don’t take it but know that it is a supplement that works so I want to share it here.

MAGNESIUM/STRESS SUPPLEMENTS

Life stress or even dieting stress can lead to poor sleep and poor digestion. This can not only make us feel crappy but can hinder weight loss goals as well! Magnesium is a supplement I’ll take and recommend for when I’m experiencing stress and also poor sleep/digestion. Read more about this here!

SUPPLEMENTS THAT ARE A WASTE OF MONEY

FAT BURNERS

Typically just packed with a ton of caffeine (and who knows what else?!), this “fat loss” supplement is a horrible waste of money in my opinion. Caffeine in general DOES help block your appetite which is why fat burners can “work” for weight loss. But starving yourself for results isn’t good for your health, happiness, and will also likely lead to results that don’t last and that don’t make you feel good.

Check out my “5 Steps to Lasting Fat Loss” for REAL fat loss results that won’t have you wasting money.

PRE-WORKOUTS

Packed with sugar, artificial sweeteners, and too much caffeine, the overhyped supplement is a waste of money in my opinion. The only people I could see really benefiting from it are those you work out early in the AM and who don’t like coffee. Otherwise, I will always just have a coffee before fasted workout or eat a solid meal for more balanced fuel.

Here’s a post I have a EARLY AM PRE-WORKOUT SNACKS that could be a great source of more balanced quick energy!

MCT OIL

Get your healthy fats from REAL food! Add this oil to coffee may help blunt your appetite but wouldn’t it be WAY more delicious and fueling to eat those calories?

BCAAs

If you’re consuming enough actual food protein, then these are a complete waste of money. They’re also NOT 0 calories like they make it seem because protein has calories, and also typically full of artificial sweeteners which can cause bloat and diarrhea when consumed in excess.

ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULDN’T BE RECOMMENDED BY A DOCTOR

I’ve tried to keep this list short and to the point, but really anything not listed here I would argue does likely not have enough research to back up it’s need/effectiveness, UNLESS of course it’s recommended to you by your primary care physician.

BOTTOM LINE

Before getting too deep into if you need to add in Fitness Supplements for progress, focus on the Nutrition Levels of Importance and probably add in a multi if you’re not having one already. Adherence will be the MOST powerful tool for your health and fitness progress so focus on that before sweating the small stuff!

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Balanced Fit Babe College Tips

College can be such a tricky time for staying on top of health and fitness goals because juggling education, a social life, and possibly work also can already seem like SO much!

I know from experience that college can be a time that many gain weight because they are starting to move less because of studying and class, and maybe no longer playing sports like in High School, and with this hunger cues can get skewed and metabolisms can slow down. This plus taking into account college parties where all of the sudden drinking calories can add up plus late night eating, and off sleep can lead to weight gain too.

Basically there can be a big shift from moving less and consuming more calories when transitioning into college life which can make weight gain happen pretty easily. I received a Bachelor’s in English from California Sate University of Los Angeles and I gained a lot of weight living the “typical college life”. This was before I got into fitness and I thought I wanted to do teaching or journalism, but I’m happy I found my true passion through fitness but have my English Degree to blog and write detailed instagram captions 😉

Looking back, I can see SO many mistakes in how I was fueling my body and barely moving it and I’m happy to share with you what I’ve learned so that you can stay fit, fueled, and focused while killing it in College!

Tip 1: Adjust Nutrition to be Fueling & Satisfying vs Just Pleasurable

Eating whatever whenever and not feeling much affects from it can I think be normal when younger, but with less movement and needing proper fuel to focus on studies, shifting to Macro Balanced Meals can be SO helpful for feeling good!

But if you’re in a dorm then you likely have maybe just a small fridge and microwave which can make fueling yourself well seem impossible, BUT Babe it’s not! Here’s a bunch of easy meals and snacks to help with keeping you fueled and satisfied and are Macro Balanced to help avoid weight gain!

NO COOK MEALS, JUST NEED A REFRIGERATOR TO STORE:

V EGETARIAN GREEN GODDESS SALAD

TUNA & VEGGIE SNACK BOX

SIMPLE SANDWICH MEAL PREP

CHEF SALAD

EASY HIGH PROTEIN BREAKFASTS

CUCUMBER TUNA SANDWICH & SALAD

NO COOK “PICNIC” LUNCHES

CHILLED ZOODLE SHRIMP SALAD

EGG WHITE SALAD TOAST & EDAMAME SALAD

TURKEY SANSWICH + CHOCOLATE MEAL PREP

4 EASY NO COOK MEALS

MICROWAVE MEALS:

15 MINUTE TURKEY, SWEET POTATO, AND BRUSSELS MEAL PREP

MICROWAVE SPICY CHICKEN STUFFED SWEET POTATO

CHICKEN ZOODLE SOUP

4 MINUTE CHICKEN NOURISH BOWL

MICROWAVE MEAL PREP

MICROWAVE STUFFED SPAGHETTI SQUASH

7 MINUTE CHICKEN, VEGGIES, & RICE MEAL PREP

PROTEIN BAGELS (NEED A TOASTER)

DARK CHOCOLATE PROTEIN WAFFLES & YOGURT (NEED A TOASTER)

MACRO BALANCED SNACKS (NO COOKING REQUIRED)

SALSA GUAC W/ LOW CARB CHIPS

THE BEST WAY TO MID DAY SNACK

HIGH PROTEIN DIP W/ CHIPS

HIGH PROTEIN SWEET SNACKS

LOW CALORIE DIPS W/ VEGGIE CHIPS

HIGH PROTEIN SNACK WRAPS

TOMATO MOZARELLA GRADUATION HATS

ENJOYING CHOCOLATE

MICROWAVE DESSERTS

MICROWAVE BLUEBERRY MUG CAKE

BREAKFAST BUFFET IDEAS

MICROWAVE CHOCOLATE PROTEIN DONUTS

MICROWAVE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

PROTEIN POWDER/DRINK IDEAS

ICED LATTE COFFEE HACK

PROTEIN SMOOTHIE BOWLS (YOU CAN GRAB THE FOOD PROCESSOR I USE HERE!

CAFETERIA TIPS

And if you’re at a college with a cafeteria/buffet type of setting, here’s some tips I have for that!

For buffets, my typical suggestion is you get 2 plates: First plate is filled with just veggies and protein. Second plate is filled with carbs and fun foods. Sticking with this will I think be fueling and satisfying without going way over on calories. But since this could be buffet type of setting for every meal, then doing the first plate and maybe 1/2 or /4 plate of carbs/fun foods is a more balanced strategy.

Tip 2: Making Parties & Social Events Macro Friendly

You don’t need to avoid social gatherings to be healthy! Just go into them with a mindful attitude vs All or Nothing! I think a “common” thought can be around parties to not eat all day so that you can save calories for drinking ( I used to do this) but this lead to a lot of late night eating and then feeling sick the next day which lead to more indulgent eating…which lead to a lot of weight gain.

Instead just keep it balanced! Here’s some posts I have on managing alcohol!

HOW TO BE FIT & ENJOY ALCOHOL

LOW CALORIE DRINKS

And with football and other sporting events, there’s also lots of BBQs! BBQs are actually SUPER easy to be Macro Friendly at if you have the right mindset and prep! Check out these tips 🙂

BBQ/TAILGATING TIPS

EATING OUT TIPS

Heading off campus or grabbing a quick meal on the way to class can seem hard to manage too, but check out these tips!

MINFUL EATING TIPS AT RESTAURANTS

MACRO FRIENDLY FAST FOOD LIST

Chick-Fil-A

HABIT BURGER (ALSO GOOD BURGER/SANDWICH HACKS IN GENERAL)

TACO BELL

MACRO FRIENDLY FAST FOOD STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Tip 3: Keep Active!

Focus on getting in consistent movement by going for a 10K/day step goal! And if you have time, focus on Sweating Smarter with strength training to build up your metabolism for more consistent fat loss!

If you need help with Sweating Smarter, then make sure you’re on my E-Mail List to get weekly workouts, or grab my SWEAT SMARTER AT HOME Workout program which requires just 2 pieces of equipment and can be done ANYWHERE! Meaning perfect for a dorm room workout!

And if you have access to a gym, then you might love my SWEAT SMARTER IN THE GYM Beginner program OR I do 6 WEEK CUSTOM TRAINING PROGRAMS too! Custom programs are based on your goals, how long you have to workout, and what equipment you have available!

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3 Ways to Feel Supported on Your Fitness Journey so that You Don’t Give up!

One of the main reasons I see people give up on their fitness journeys is because of lack of knowledge and lack of support. When I asked in my stories if you felt supported in your fitness journey and confident in your plan, almost half of you said no!

This made me SO sad 🙁 So I wanted to dedicate a blog focused more on how you can stick with your fitness journey so that you can reach your goals and keep your results!

While we have to put in the work to reach our goals, if we don’t have support then we will likely never get to where we want to be or it will take much longer 🙁

For some, close family and friends just don’t have the same goals, so it can sometimes even feel like they’re not wanting us to succeed. This is why sometimes getting support outside of your immediate circle can be REALLY helpful!

Here’s 3 ways you can feel supported on your fitness journey so that you can succeed:

-Hit up a fitness class or make friends at the gym. While I do believe more in individualized training being better for body composition progress, taking a weekly cardio/HIIT class can be GREAT for meeting people that have a passion for fitness and even if they’re not doing the same routine as you, just knowing you have a friendly face to catch up with each week or even share some struggles or even recipes with can be a great motivator to keep going!

And if you’re not into group fitness, if you see someone doing the same exercise/machine as you need to you can always ask them to rotate between sets and make a new friend by discussing training goals 🙂

UPDATE for 2020/2021 😉 Maybe instead of making friends at a class, you can try to get a family member, friend, or co-worker to do the same zoom class as you for you to connect in a new way! You can do it in the same space, or each at home and discuss after.

-Make a Fitness Instagram/find an online group. You don’t need to post consistently but I know many who have found SO MUCH support in having a fitness instagram where they could share recipes, workouts, and struggles, and meet others with similar journeys to them. Sometimes we can feel embarrassed or like we will annoy our immediate circle by all of the sudden sharing a lot about our fitness journeys which is why having a separate account can be great! I did the same thing when I first got into fitness!

Because having a fitness instagram can be the EASIEST way to make friends in a fitness community by following someone you can relate with and then commenting on their post asking for details or advice. A fitness journey can be a vulnerable one, and sometimes having remote friends can make it easier to talk to because they’re outside of your direct situation. Following hashtags to meet new accounts is great too!

Great Hashtags to follow: CountingMacros, IIFYMGIRLS, BalancedNutrition, StrengthforWomen, StrongOverSkinny, TrackingMacros

ALSO, finding Facebook groups in which you can connect with others that have similar goals can be great! My “Sweat, Love, & Macro Method” comes with private FB Society access so that you can feel encouraged and supported on your fitness journey! Sign up here!

-Hire a Coach. If you really feel like you are spinning your wheels with online plans that you’re not sure are for YOUR goals or you just have no idea where to start, then working with an experienced coach will propel your success so you can start getting results!

Also, I’ve worked with so many women who “know what to do” but just can’t stick with it, having me as their coach has had them finally make the progress they were after because they had the accountability and advisement to stick with their plans and then adjust when necessary for more results!

If you need help in deciding if a Coach is what you need to succeed, submit for a FREE Fat Loss Consult to let me advise what training and nutrition and possibly coaching strategy may help you best!

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