Embarking on a journey to shed unwanted body fat is an empowering decision, but without a strategic plan, progress can be slow and frustrating. One highly effective approach is tracking macros. It's what worked for me in my fat loss journey, and I've been able to help dozens of other people using this strategy, as well.

In strength training, certain exercises stand out as foundational pillars, capable of transforming your physique and enhancing overall strength. These are referred to as the "Big Five Lifts" - fundamental movements that form the cornerstone of an effective fitness regimen.

Embarking on a health journey requires more than just pumping iron and counting calories; it's about educating yourself, staying motivated, and building sustainable habits. There's more to the phrase "You are what you eat" -- I believe "You are what/who you surround yourself with."

You've worked hard to sustain a calorie deficit to lose body fat and you're wondering how to transition into the next step? Should you take "diet breaks"? When is it time to stop actively trying to lose body fat and transition into maintaining your weight?

Maintaining a healthy heart involves a combination of proper nutrition and regular exercise. Here are a few tips to keep your heart in top shape, ensuring it continues to beat strong for years to come:

Are you putting in the effort at the gym but not seeing the gains you desire? The secret may lie in progressive overload – the key to muscle growth and strength development. But how do you know if you're lifting heavy enough to trigger progress?

Fats often get a bad rap in the world of nutrition, but they play a crucial role in maintaining overall health. In the 90s, there was a huge push toward cutting fats from your diet, with a surge of no-fat and low-fat foods. But our bodies need fats for fuel.

Carbohydrates (carbs) are the powerhouse of energy for your body. They are one of the three macronutrients, alongside proteins and fats, constituting a fundamental component of a balanced diet.

Striving to live a healthy, long life? While genetics play a role, lifestyle choices, particularly in fitness and nutrition, can significantly impact our lifespan. Current life expectancy rates in the U.S. (as of 2021) are 79.1 years for women and 73.2 years for men.

Lots of folks rely on non-nutritive sweeteners as a substitute for traditional sugars. These sugar alternatives, often viewed as a guilt-free way to satisfy a sweet tooth, come in various forms. Are they a safe and effective choice? Let's dig into the research.

Food noise is a distracting preoccupation with food that can result in an unhealthy relationship with food. Have you ever found yourself eating a meal and already thinking about the next meal? Or thinking about a food so intensely that you can't stop thinking about it until satisfying that craving itch? That's food noise.

There may be lots of reasons people make resolutions, but the idea to "start fresh" is wired into our thinking. It's called the "fresh start effect". We tend to think of our lives as chapters in a book, rather than a fluid, continual timeline.

BMI has become a controversial topic in the health and wellness space, and for good reason. I'll share a quick breakdown on what it is, why it was created, and whether or not you should pay any attention to it.

We're deep into "the holiday season." I thought it would be fun to share gift ideas with a fitness and nutrition flare. Add these gifts to your personal wish list to help keep you moving toward your goals, or share these gifts with loved ones.

If you've worked with a trainer before, or if you're experienced with strength training but aren't sure how to put together a comprehensive program for yourself, then this content is for you! I'll walk you through some of the basic tips for designing your own program.

Throughout our fitness and nutrition journey, we will inevitably have bumps in the road, times when your goals get pushed aside because life intrudes (how rude!), we get distracted, suffer an injury, or it's just Thanksgiving and you go HARD on the leftovers for days.

The holidays are filled with festive parties, family time, cozy pajamas... and FOOD, lots of food! It can feel overwhelming this time of year to prioritize your health when there are so many treat temptations and when out-of-routine events are competing for your time.

Also called "time-restricted feeding", it's a strategy of eating with specific eating and fasting periods within a day. One popular example is a 16:8 fasting:feeding approach, in which a person does not consume any calories for 16 hours a day and only eats within 8 hours of the day.

The reality is we ALL have busy lives, and at times that busy meter ticks up, up, up until it becomes challenging to do the workouts and meal planning that we want to do to adhere to our goals. In no particular order, here are a few suggestions to ensure your health gets the attention it very much deserves, even when you are busy:

What is "progressive overload?" It refers to adding positive stress to your workouts over time so your body continually adapts. It could be adding more weight, reps, or sets to your lifts. It could also mean getting better at your lifting form, increasing the duration of your workouts, or increasing time under tension. It's how we get stronger!