You don't have to look very hard to see the ‘clean eating’ message all over social media and the internet. While I believe the intention of this movement isn't to create harm, it is problematic in so many more ways that people understand.
If You Want To Stop Making Low Energy Food Swaps, You Should:
Why ‘Clean Eating’ May Not Be for You
If you are an active person and are not fueling your body with the energy needed to complete your chosen activity, you are doing a disservice to your body.
Creating an energy deficit for yourself can happen easily when you are not giving your body the carbohydrates and fats it needs to perform at peak capacity. While nobody is saying that vegetables are bad, it takes more than just vegetables to fuel your body the way it requires. Figuring out the right combination of foods that work for you is the only way to fuel your body the way it should be fueled.
Fuelling Your Body the Right Way
By being mindful of the old habits that you are still engaging with, you can start to change your mindset and routine to eat in relation to the intensity and volume of your training.
The good news is there is a middle ground to develop awareness, a framework, best practices, and science-based information to fuel yourself for your activity in a way that does not consume your whole life. It doesn't need to be complicated; it just takes some learning and unlearning to see the results you have been looking for.
Are you ready to stop counting calories and start eating in a way that is both healthy, but also non-restrictive? Share how you are working to fuel your body the right way for you with me in the comments on the episode page.
Quotes
“This is a very common issue that is facing people who are active and working out and lifting weights and challenging themselves and asking their bodies to do fun and hard things. And it really has to do with an element of fueling and energy intake that not a lot of people talk about or are aware of.” (2:49)
“You don't intend to do these low energy substitutions or really low carb substitutions, but it is kind of a holdover from your old habits and ways of looking at food.” (11:31)
“Vegetables are not bad, vegetables are amazing. Fibre, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, delicious! But they are usually much lower in energy.” (16:40)
“I went on to be on a team at CrossFit Regionals in 2013 and really had one of what I would consider the Top 5 athletic performances of my life; it was amazing. It was such night and day contrast from where I had been just a few months earlier because I really started to eat enough, and I didn't go out and count every single thing I was eating.” (24:38)
“I want you to experience how amazing it feels, how powerful and strong and badass you feel when you are properly fueled up and recovered, and you can go out there and do hard things.” (30:26)
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LTYB 352: Energy Flux and Fueling for Athletes with Jamie Scott
LTYB 353: Fueling Best Practices for Active People with Jamie Scott
LTYB 350: Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport
When a woman has a child, society forces immediate pressure on her to get her ‘pre-baby body back’. These conversations can be difficult to navigate, and it takes some adapting to learn how to embrace your new body and a new phase of life. If you are struggling to understand how to welcome strength into your life as a new mom, this is the episode for you.
If You Want To Have A More Body Neutral Approach to Movement, You Should:
Movement and Mindset for Mothers
Dara Bergeron is a veteran trainer and movement educator specializing in body-neutral movement and mindset for mothers. Through her coaching and online programs, Dara teaches women how to weed diet culture from their movement ethic and parent themselves around exercise, focusing on functional strength, mobility, and core & pelvic floor awareness.
Taking Back Your Worth
For many women, giving birth is the first time they feel their physical appearance compromises their value. Who can blame them when the patriarchy and society place a premium on your ability to procreate and how you look. Dara is on a mission to disrupt this mentality and help moms focus on bringing back parts of their identity that have nothing to do with either of those things. By reconnecting with other parts of your identity and discovering who you are outside of motherhood, the importance of your appearance begins to shrink, and in turn, you can stop wishing you had a different body and start enjoying the one you have.
Mom Bod Love
Being a mom requires a lot of physical labor. Mom bods have to be ready at a moment’s notice to jump into action when needed. This is why it is so important to use movement and strength training exercises to prepare yourself and avoid injury.
You don’t have to spend hours at the gym to achieve this either. All it takes is understanding how and why your movements matter and finding a set of exercises that work for you, your pelvic floor, and your symptoms. By creating movement patterns that work for your schedule and your new body, you can include a more well-rounded version of fitness in your life and get back to doing what you love most.
Are you ready to embrace your mom bod? Share which of Dara’s tips you are going to try with me in the comments on the episode page.
Quotes
“I just decided that I wasn’t okay being on the side of the line that was encouraging bounce-back culture and postpartum fat loss and that sort of thing. So I began shifting my own focus and my own fitness and how I worked with clients to a more body neutral approach.” (6:39)
“There is so much more to us than just that we can procreate and that we look a certain way.” (17:02)
“There is some real physical labor that a ‘mom bod’ has to be prepared to do, and it doesn’t always come up at a time when we are prepared or thinking about it. So my belief is when we are engaging in smart strength and mobility and core and pelvic floor connection work, then we are going to be prepared for those things. And it also allows us to be better parents and more active and confident parents.” (21:02)
“It can feel a little weird to think about treating that area with a professional or working with a coach on that area, but as with all aspects of your health and your body, it’s not just about the pelvic floor.” (29:13)
“The sensation of connection to the pelvic floor is feasible for everyone. And dealing with symptoms is feasible for everyone. It’s just about how you create the routine for you and the patterns and cues for you that help you feel confident.” (32:19)
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LTYB 334: How Strong Women Can Lift Eachother Up with Molly Galbraith
LTYB 262: How To See The Value Outside Your Body & Overcome Self-Doubt with Summer Innanen
How likely are you to try something completely new when it comes to movement? Trying something new can be scary, but the benefits you get from incorporating movement into your daily routine and trying new things may surprise you.
If You Are Ready To Start Moving More, You Should:
Finding Your Purpose Through Movement
Nicole Tsong, bestselling author of 24 Ways to Move More and America’s Work-LIfe Balance coach, helps high-achievers use movement to connect to themselves and their purpose. The founder of Nicole Tsong Coaching, she reached hundreds of thousands of readers as the former Fit for Life columnist for The Seattle Times. She is the creator of the Clear Calling Method, which helps women create true work/life balance to discover their calling.
She is an award-winning journalist and, for three years, taught yoga at the White House Easter Egg Roll during the Obama administration. She has been featured on New Day NW on KING-5 TV in Seattle, in The Seattle Times, and reached thousands of people as a speaker with the Seattle Public Library, Elliott Bay Bookstore, and King County Library System. Today she is here to tell us about the 300+ activities that she has tried and explore why we should all be trying new things when it comes to movement.
Becoming Okay With Being Bad
Nicole has had many different careers that brought her to the place she is in today. From journalist to yoga instructor to coach, Nicole uses movement to help herself and others understand their purpose. Your body was designed to move, but we live in a culture that tells us it is hard and needs to be forced. While Nicole has always loved movement, her assignment to try a new movement activity resulted in trying over 300+ practices, showing her how strong she is both physically and mentally.
The Power Waits Outside Your Comfort Zone
From tap dancing to climbing trees, the resilience Nicole found through movement brings a unique perspective to the world of fitness. Trying new things can help you connect to your body and give you the confidence to try new things.
Nicole is a testament to the energy and creativity that comes from putting yourself out of your comfort zone and integrating movement into your life, not just your time at the gym. Don’t be afraid to try something new, even if you may be bad at it. The second time around, you will already be better.
Are you ready to step outside your comfort zone and experience new forms of movement? Share what activity you have always wanted to try but were too scared to, with me in the comments section of the episode page.
Quotes
“I also knew that if I didn't do it, there would be an even greater cost.” (6:40)
“We came up with the idea of trying new things every week. And I thought, ‘how am I going to get through a year? This is a lot.’. And I ended up doing it for six years and trying 300+ activities by the end of the column.” (12:22)
“That’s really what the book is about, 24 Ways To Move More, is really to inspire people to see movement as a joyful and fun thing versus a weight or a burden or something you have to do.” (14:09)
“You can ask for help. And help is actually really important, but we are trained to not ask for help.” (22:15)
“Movement helps you get out of that mental space and back into grounding so that you can then feel like yourself again. And then you can actually talk about clarity and purpose and really doing the kind of work you are passionate about in your life, serving your family in a bigger way, and reconnecting inward as best as you can.” (33:00)
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24 Ways to Move More: Monthly Inspiration for Health and Movement by Nicole Tsong
3 Ways Movement Helps You Discover Your Calling Download
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LTYB 303: Stop Earning and Burning Your Food Through Movement (Intuitive Eating Principle 9)
Sleep can be a touchy subject. While everyone needs sleep in order to function properly, it is especially important for those of us who are more physically active. Not only does sleep help in the recovery process, but it also has many additional benefits. If you want to get more restful sleep, this episode is filled with tips so that you can get the best sleep possible for both your mind and your muscle health.
If You Want To Get More Restful Sleep, You Should:
Revenge Bedtime Procrastination
Have you ever found yourself staying up late just because you know you can? This is called revenge bedtime procrastination, and it happens to the best of us. Even though we know that we need to get more sleep, we use this late-night time as an escape or act of freedom, but it is actually doing our bodies more harm than good. By understanding the things that are underlying your revenge bed procrastination, you can make changes in your daily life, bedtime routine, and sleep hygiene to give your body the proper amount of sleep needed.
The Importance of Sleep
So, why is sleep so important? Sleep not only helps with our mental function and energy levels but also plays a huge role in our muscle recovery as active individuals.
Your body needs a proper amount of sleep to operate properly, both mentally and physically, which is why it is so important to prioritize your sleep routine. While everyone's schedules are different, I have found 5 of the best ways for anyone to get better sleep and am sharing them with you today.
Who do you know who could benefit from my top 5 sleep tips? Share this episode with them and tag me in the comments section of the episode page.
Quotes
“Sometimes when you get used to sleep deprivation, you kind of learn to manage, and sometimes you forget how good it feels to be properly rested.” (6:57)
“We need sleep no matter if we are exercising or not. But if you are someone who is highly physically active, then sleep is part of your recovery strategy.” (9:52)
“No matter what you decide, you get to choose your routine. It could include so many different things.” (16:55)
“What, if anything, in your schedule, is within your power to make a change about?” (18:46)
“We talked about revenge bedtime procrastination, what is and why it happens. We made a connection to recovery and training and why if you are someone who is working out, etc., it's really important that you make sleep part of your recovery strategy.” (25:09)
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I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!
Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative
LTYB 342: Fitness Trackers and Listening to Your Body