“I worried that if I stopped tracking macros, I would lose my physique.”

After years of careful macro tracking, Dr. Fundaro finally admitted to herself that the method no longer worked for her. Yet she was afraid to give it up.

If anyone should feel confident in their food choices, it would be Dr. Gabrielle Fundaro. After all, Dr. Fundaro has a PhD in Human Nutrition, a decade-plus of nutrition coaching experience, and six powerlifting competitions under her belt.

Yet, when she was really honest with herself, Dr. Fundaro realized that she felt far from confident around food. For years, she’d used macro counting as a way to stay “on track” with her eating.

And it worked… until it didn’t.

After years of macro tracking, Dr. Fundaro was tired of the whole thing. She was tired of making sure her macros were perfectly in balance. She was sick of not being able to just pick whatever she wanted off a menu and enjoy the meal, trusting that her health and physique wouldn’t go sideways as a result.

Yet the idea of not tracking freaked her out. Every time she quit tracking, she worried:

“What if I don’t eat enough protein, and lose all my muscle?”

“What if I overeat and gain fat?”

“What if I have no idea how to fuel myself without tracking macros? And what does that say about me as an expert in the field of nutrition?”

The more Dr. Fundaro wrestled with macro tracking, the more she wanted to find an alternative.

Something that would support her nutritional goals while also giving her a sense of freedom and peace around food.

Calorie counting wouldn’t do it. That was just as restrictive as counting macros—maybe more.

Intuitive eating didn’t seem like a good fit either. Intuitive eating relies heavily on a person’s ability to tune into internal hunger and fullness cues to guide food choices and amounts. After years of relying on external cues (like her macro targets), Dr. Fundaro didn’t feel trusting enough of her own instincts; she wanted more structure.

Meanwhile, at the gym, Dr. Fundaro began lifting based on the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale—a framework that helps individuals quantify the amount of effort they’re putting into a given movement or activity. It’s considered a valuable tool to help people train safely and effectively according to their ability and goals. (More on that soon.)

While using the RPE scale in her training, Dr. Fundaro found she was both getting stronger and recovering better. There was something to this combination of structure and intuition that just worked.

And then, it dawned on Dr. Fundaro like the apple hit Sir Isaac Newton on the head:

If Rate of Perceived Exertion could help her train better, couldn’t a similar framework help her eat better?

With that, the RPE-Eating Scale was born.

Dr. Fundaro has since used this alternative method to help herself and her clients regain confidence and self-trust around food; improve nutritional awareness and competence; and free themselves from food tracking.

(Yup, Dr. Fundaro finally trusts her eating choices—no macro tracker in sight.)

In this article, you’ll learn how she did it, plus:

• What the RPE-Eating scale is
• How to practice RPE-Eating
• How to use RPE-Eating for weight loss or gain
• Whether RPE-Eating is right for you or your clients
• What to keep in mind if you’re skeptical of the concept

What is RPE-Eating?

Invented by Gunnar Borg in the 1960’s, Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a scale that’s used to measure an individual’s perceived level of effort or exertion during exercise.

Though Borg’s RPE uses a scale that goes from 6 to 20, many modern scales use a 0 to 10 range (which is the range that Dr. Fundaro adapted for her RPE-Eating scale).

Here’s the RPE scale used in fitness.

Rating	Perceived Exertion Level
0	No exertion, at rest
1	Very light
2-3	Light
4-5	Moderate, somewhat hard
6-7	High, vigorous
8-9	Very hard
10	Maximum effort, highest possible

Originally used in physiotherapy settings, the scale is now frequently used in fitness training.

For example, powerlifters might use it to choose how heavy they want to go during a training session. Or, pregnant women might use it to ensure they aren’t over-exerting themselves during a fitness class or strength training session.

Because human experience is highly subjective and individual, the scale allows the exerciser to judge how hard they’re working for themselves. A coach can provide a general guideline, such as “aim for a 7/10 this set,” but it’s up to the client to determine exactly what that means for them.

Dr. Fundaro had used the scale many times with herself, and clients. She always appreciated the sense of autonomy it gave her clients, while still providing some structure.

So, she decided to take the same 1-10 scale and its principles, and apply it to eating.

Here’s what the RPE-Eating Scale looks like:

The goal with RPE-Eating is similar to RPE when training: Develop the skills to determine what is sufficient for you, without having to rely on other external metrics (such as apps or trackers).

How to practice RPE-Eating

If you’ve ever practiced RPE-training, you’ll know it takes some time to get used to. RPE-Eating is the same.

Don’t expect to be in lockstep with all of your body’s internal cues at first, especially if you’ve been ignoring them for a long time.

With this in mind, apply the steps below to practice the RPE-Eating process.

Step #1: Get clear on your goals.

RPE-Eating is not just another diet.

“It’s not about aiming to change your body,” Dr. Fundaro explains. “It’s not about feeling more control over your diet. Nor is it about feeling like you’re eating the ‘optimal’ diet.”

If your priority is maintaining a specific physique (such as staying ultra lean) or changing your body (building muscle or losing fat), this method can be adapted for that, though it isn’t the most efficient one to use.

Instead, RPE-Eating is about sensing into what your body needs and giving yourself appropriate nourishment—while building inner trust and confidence along the way.

“You have to trust that you’ll be able to nourish your body, and that you’ll be okay even though things may change in your body,” says Dr. Fundaro.

Admittedly, this can be challenging to do. It can also be difficult to let go of the expectation that you’ll hit the “right” macros at every meal—which RPE-Eating isn’t specifically designed to do.

However, if your goal is to build more self-trust, RPE-Eating can be a great tool to help you do that.

Step #2: Practice identifying your hunger cues

Before we explore this step, let’s distinguish between two motivators for eating.

First, there’s hunger. Hunger occurs when physical cues in your body (like a general sense of emptiness or rumbling in your stomach, or lightheadedness) tells you that you require energy—known to us mortals as food.

Then, there’s appetite. Appetite is our desire or interest in eating. It can stay peaked even after hunger is quelled, especially if something looks or tastes especially delicious—like a warm, gooey cookie offered after dinner that you feel you have to try, even though you’re technically full.

While it’s normal to eat for both hunger and appetite drives, the two can become mixed up. Especially if we have a history of dieting and tracking food.

The RPE-Eating scale helps you tap back into those true physical hunger cues, and learn the difference between hunger and appetite.

To put this in practice, try this before your next meal:

Using the RPE-Eating scale mentioned above, identify your current level of hunger. Record the number on paper or the notes app on your phone.

Then, eat your meal with as much presence as possible. (Note: This in itself takes practice. It can help to limit distractions, such as eating at the table rather than in front of the TV, and focusing on the flavors and textures of the food you’re eating, and how you feel eating it.)

About halfway through the meal, check in again. Based on the scale, how hungry are you now? As before, record the number.

If you’re still hungry, finish your meal. When you’re finished, repeat the same process, writing down where you are on the scale.

Once you’re done, take a minute and tune into what your body feels like. What does it feel like to be full? “Download” that feeling into your mind and internalize it in your body, as if you’re updating your phone with the latest software.

Repeat this for as many meals as you can. Aim to do it for one meal a day for a week or so, or for as long as feels good to you. Don’t worry if you forget: simply repeat the practice when you can.

The more you practice this, the better you’ll become at being attuned with your actual hunger cues. With time, you’ll likely find you develop more trust in your internal compass than what the latest diet tracker says for your needs.

(For more on fully-tuned-in, mindful eating, read: The benefits of slow eating.)

Step #3: Get to know your non-hunger triggers

Have you ever come home after a super stressful day and you’ve basically thrown yourself onto a bag of chips or a carton of ice cream?

We might like to imagine ourselves eating every meal mindfully, using the RPE- Eating system to a tee, but life rarely works like that.

Chances are, there are certain situations that trigger you to eat more quickly, mindlessly, and beyond the point of hunger.

That’s okay.

Dr. Fundaro’s suggestion? Aim to become more aware of the situations that cause you to overeat in the first place.

To do this, you can practice something we use in PN Coaching: Notice and name.

When you find yourself scarfing down food faster than you can blink, simply try to notice what’s going on.

Can you name a feeling—such as anxiety, or sadness?

Can you identify a situation or moment that happened before you started eating—say, an argument with your teenager, or a nasty email from your boss?

Once you’ve identified the feeling, event, or person that’s triggered you to eat compulsively, see if you can also identify what you might really be needing or desiring.

Eating for comfort is normal. However, if it’s the only coping method we have, it can cause more problems than it solves in the long run.

When you find yourself with an urge to eat mindlessly, consider what non-food coping mechanisms might help you feel better. That could be 10 minutes away from your computer to close your eyes and breathe, a walk outside, or a quick call to a friend to rant—or just talk about something completely unrelated.

Getting to know your non-hunger eating triggers—plus widening your repertoire of self-soothing methods—is just as valuable as getting to know your hunger cues. Over time, this awareness will allow you to eat with more intention.

Step #4: Eat for satiety AND satisfaction

Even when you’re “adequately fueled” from a physical perspective, you might still feel unsatisfied from an emotional perspective.

That’s because, according to the RPE-Eating framework, eating should fulfill two criteria:

Satiety describes the physical sensation of being full; your calorie or fuel needs are met.

Satisfaction describes a more holistic feeling of being nourished; your calorie needs are met, but your meal also felt pleasurable.

If you ate to satiety only, your calorie needs might be met and your physical hunger quelled, but you might still feel unsatisfied—maybe because chocolate is on your “don’t” list, and even though you’ve eaten everything else in your kitchen that isn’t chocolate, nothing quite “hit the spot.”

In other words, you can eat to satiety at every meal, yet still be “restricting” foods.

You may not be restricting calories per se, but you may have banned entire food groups—baked goods, pizza, or whatever else curls your toes. This can lead to a feeling of constantly needing to police yourself, and doesn’t leave much room for the flexibility and spontaneity that real-life (enjoyable) eating requires.

(Plus, avoiding particular foods tends to work like a pendulum: restrict now; binge later. If you want to learn how to stop those wild swings, read: How to eat junk food: A guide for conflicted humans)

Satisfaction is a key part of eating.

After all, humans don’t just eat for adequate nutrients and energy. We eat for other reasons too: pleasure, novelty, tradition, community, enjoyment.

So, to take your RPE-Eating to the next level, Dr. Fundaro recommends trying it with meals and foods you genuinely enjoy.

If any foods or meals have been “off-limits,” try eating them using the RPE technique. (Macaroni and cheese, anyone?)

Practice using the scale with a variety of meals (including those you may have restricted previously), and notice how you feel over time.

With experience, you’ll get to know what it feels like to adequately fuel yourself with a variety of foods—including those you genuinely enjoy.

How to use RPE- Eating for weight loss or weight gain

According to Dr. Fundaro, the best way to use RPE-Eating is in a weight-neutral setting.

While it could be used for weight modification, she doesn’t recommend treating it as another way to hit your macros or “goal weight.”

“I’m not anti-weight modification,” Dr. Fundaro explains. “I’m pro safe weight modification. I compare weight loss to contact sports. There are inherent risks but they can be mitigated through best practices.”

Dr. Fundaro elaborates: “Since RPE-Eating removes macro-tracking, which can increase risk of disordered eating in some people, and relies on biofeedback and non-hunger triggers, RPE-Eating provides a safety net that macro-tracking alone doesn’t provide.”

But if you do want to use RPE-Eating for intentional weight change, what should you do?

Dr. Fundaro recommends aiming to hover around the ranges that support your goal.

(As a reminder, a 1 to 3 on the RPE-Eating scale is categorized as “inadequate fuel; a 4 to 7 is categorized as “adequate fuel”; and a 8 to 10 is categorized as “excess fuel.”)

If the goal is weight gain, you’ll likely aim to eat within the 7 to 8 range for most of your meals.

If the goal is weight loss, you’ll likely aim to eat within the 4 to 5 range for most of your meals.

A key thing to remember is that you would never use RPE-Eating for extreme weight-modification such as for a bodybuilding competition. “That would be like using physio exercises to prepare for a powerlifting competition.” In other words, it’s not the right tool for the job.

Hold up, bro: Isn’t this just feelings over facts?

If you’re skeptical and think this is just eating “based on your feelings,” keep in mind that RPE was once laughed at by lifters, too.

These days, RPE and autoregulation are widely accepted in gym culture and have been studied as a valid method for managing and guiding your training. ¹

RPE isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty accurate and incredibly convenient. A lot more convenient than, say, using a velocity loss tracker for every set. ^{2 3}

And while it might seem like it’s all feelings-based, the RPE scale is actually built around practicing the skill of interoceptive awareness—the awareness of internal sensations in your body.

The better you get at the skill of interoceptive awareness, the more you’ll be able to use that awareness to make informed decisions about your training.

RPE-Eating is similar: It builds the skill of sensing into your own body, and lets your internal sensations guide your decisions.

Similar to how the bar slowing down on a squat would indicate you’re getting closer to failure, experiencing the absence of hunger at the end of your meal would indicate you’re closer to being full.

Instead of tracking your glucose levels to validate your perceived hunger, you use internal cues that correlate with lowered blood sugar and coincide with hunger.

And, let’s be real: Being mindful of stomach grumbling or general hunger pangs is much more convenient and accessible than tracking glucose readings.

This process will not be perfect. You may undereat or overeat at first. But over time, with practice, you’ll build the core skills of RPE-Eating.

Are there downsides to RPE-Eating?

While this tool can be helpful, it’s just a tool. A screwdriver is great, but it isn’t useful when you need a hammer.

RPE-Eating can be great for helping you become more aware of your internal hunger cues and build a better relationship with food along the way.

It can also be more laborious. It requires paying real attention to your feelings (physical and emotional), and reflecting on them.

This can be difficult for anyone—but especially people who aren’t able to sit at the table and have a leisurely meal, like parents with small kids, or people with work schedules that require eating on-the-go.

If this is you, just use RPE-Eating when it does work for you—or simply pick and choose specific steps to use in isolation. For example, maybe you try RPE-Eating on the occasional quiet lunch break. Or, maybe you focus solely on developing your awareness of hunger and fullness cues, without trying to change anything else.

If you’ve been tracking macros for a long time, it can be hard to stop.

Tracking macros isn’t inherently bad. It can actually be a helpful tool to teach you more about nutrition. But it’s also not something most people want to do for the rest of their lives.

The problem is, if you’ve depended on tracking your food intake, stopping can feel scary.

In these cases, RPE-Eating can be used as a kind of off-ramp to help transition away from rigid and restrictive macro tracking.

(It can also help loosen the compulsion to “always finish your plate.” Though macros tracking and habitual plate-cleaning may sound different, they’re actually similar: both rely on external cues—such as macro targets or what’s served on your plate—to determine when you’re “done.”)

RPE-Eating won’t take away all the scary feelings that may come with changing ingrained ways of eating.

However, it can provide some structure and language to help you, or your clients, eat with less fear, less stress, and a bit more confidence.

“The goal,” says Dr. Fundaro, “is to know that you’re nourishing yourself—and you don’t need a food tracker to do that.”

jQuery(document).ready(function(){
jQuery(“#references_link”).click(function(){
jQuery(“#references_holder”).show();
jQuery(“#references_link”).parent().hide();
});
});

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

The post How to stop tracking macros and trust yourself around food appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

“I worried that if I stopped tracking macros, I would lose my physique.”

After years of careful macro tracking, Dr. Fundaro finally admitted to herself that the method no longer worked for her. Yet she was afraid to give it up.

If anyone should feel confident in their food choices, it would be Dr. Gabrielle Fundaro. After all, Dr. Fundaro has a PhD in Human Nutrition, a decade-plus of nutrition coaching experience, and six powerlifting competitions under her belt.

Yet, when she was really honest with herself, Dr. Fundaro realized that she felt far from confident around food. For years, she’d used macro counting as a way to stay “on track” with her eating.

And it worked… until it didn’t.

After years of macro tracking, Dr. Fundaro was tired of the whole thing. She was tired of making sure her macros were perfectly in balance. She was sick of not being able to just pick whatever she wanted off a menu and enjoy the meal, trusting that her health and physique wouldn’t go sideways as a result.

Yet the idea of not tracking freaked her out. Every time she quit tracking, she worried:

“What if I don’t eat enough protein, and lose all my muscle?”

“What if I overeat and gain fat?”

“What if I have no idea how to fuel myself without tracking macros? And what does that say about me as an expert in the field of nutrition?”

The more Dr. Fundaro wrestled with macro tracking, the more she wanted to find an alternative.

Something that would support her nutritional goals while also giving her a sense of freedom and peace around food.

Calorie counting wouldn’t do it. That was just as restrictive as counting macros—maybe more.

Intuitive eating didn’t seem like a good fit either. Intuitive eating relies heavily on a person’s ability to tune into internal hunger and fullness cues to guide food choices and amounts. After years of relying on external cues (like her macro targets), Dr. Fundaro didn’t feel trusting enough of her own instincts; she wanted more structure.

Meanwhile, at the gym, Dr. Fundaro began lifting based on the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale—a framework that helps individuals quantify the amount of effort they’re putting into a given movement or activity. It’s considered a valuable tool to help people train safely and effectively according to their ability and goals. (More on that soon.)

While using the RPE scale in her training, Dr. Fundaro found she was both getting stronger and recovering better. There was something to this combination of structure and intuition that just worked.

And then, it dawned on Dr. Fundaro like the apple hit Sir Isaac Newton on the head:

If Rate of Perceived Exertion could help her train better, couldn’t a similar framework help her eat better?

With that, the RPE-Eating Scale was born.

Dr. Fundaro has since used this alternative method to help herself and her clients regain confidence and self-trust around food; improve nutritional awareness and competence; and free themselves from food tracking.

(Yup, Dr. Fundaro finally trusts her eating choices—no macro tracker in sight.)

In this article, you’ll learn how she did it, plus:

• What the RPE-Eating scale is
• How to practice RPE-Eating
• How to use RPE-Eating for weight loss or gain
• Whether RPE-Eating is right for you or your clients
• What to keep in mind if you’re skeptical of the concept

What is RPE-Eating?

Invented by Gunnar Borg in the 1960’s, Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a scale that’s used to measure an individual’s perceived level of effort or exertion during exercise.

Though Borg’s RPE uses a scale that goes from 6 to 20, many modern scales use a 0 to 10 range (which is the range that Dr. Fundaro adapted for her RPE-Eating scale).

Here’s the RPE scale used in fitness.

Rating	Perceived Exertion Level
0	No exertion, at rest
1	Very light
2-3	Light
4-5	Moderate, somewhat hard
6-7	High, vigorous
8-9	Very hard
10	Maximum effort, highest possible

Originally used in physiotherapy settings, the scale is now frequently used in fitness training.

For example, powerlifters might use it to choose how heavy they want to go during a training session. Or, pregnant women might use it to ensure they aren’t over-exerting themselves during a fitness class or strength training session.

Because human experience is highly subjective and individual, the scale allows the exerciser to judge how hard they’re working for themselves. A coach can provide a general guideline, such as “aim for a 7/10 this set,” but it’s up to the client to determine exactly what that means for them.

Dr. Fundaro had used the scale many times with herself, and clients. She always appreciated the sense of autonomy it gave her clients, while still providing some structure.

So, she decided to take the same 1-10 scale and its principles, and apply it to eating.

Here’s what the RPE-Eating Scale looks like:

The goal with RPE-Eating is similar to RPE when training: Develop the skills to determine what is sufficient for you, without having to rely on other external metrics (such as apps or trackers).

How to practice RPE-Eating

If you’ve ever practiced RPE-training, you’ll know it takes some time to get used to. RPE-Eating is the same.

Don’t expect to be in lockstep with all of your body’s internal cues at first, especially if you’ve been ignoring them for a long time.

With this in mind, apply the steps below to practice the RPE-Eating process.

Step #1: Get clear on your goals.

RPE-Eating is not just another diet.

“It’s not about aiming to change your body,” Dr. Fundaro explains. “It’s not about feeling more control over your diet. Nor is it about feeling like you’re eating the ‘optimal’ diet.”

If your priority is maintaining a specific physique (such as staying ultra lean) or changing your body (building muscle or losing fat), this method can be adapted for that, though it isn’t the most efficient one to use.

Instead, RPE-Eating is about sensing into what your body needs and giving yourself appropriate nourishment—while building inner trust and confidence along the way.

“You have to trust that you’ll be able to nourish your body, and that you’ll be okay even though things may change in your body,” says Dr. Fundaro.

Admittedly, this can be challenging to do. It can also be difficult to let go of the expectation that you’ll hit the “right” macros at every meal—which RPE-Eating isn’t specifically designed to do.

However, if your goal is to build more self-trust, RPE-Eating can be a great tool to help you do that.

Step #2: Practice identifying your hunger cues

Before we explore this step, let’s distinguish between two motivators for eating.

First, there’s hunger. Hunger occurs when physical cues in your body (like a general sense of emptiness or rumbling in your stomach, or lightheadedness) tells you that you require energy—known to us mortals as food.

Then, there’s appetite. Appetite is our desire or interest in eating. It can stay peaked even after hunger is quelled, especially if something looks or tastes especially delicious—like a warm, gooey cookie offered after dinner that you feel you have to try, even though you’re technically full.

While it’s normal to eat for both hunger and appetite drives, the two can become mixed up. Especially if we have a history of dieting and tracking food.

The RPE-Eating scale helps you tap back into those true physical hunger cues, and learn the difference between hunger and appetite.

To put this in practice, try this before your next meal:

Using the RPE-Eating scale mentioned above, identify your current level of hunger. Record the number on paper or the notes app on your phone.

Then, eat your meal with as much presence as possible. (Note: This in itself takes practice. It can help to limit distractions, such as eating at the table rather than in front of the TV, and focusing on the flavors and textures of the food you’re eating, and how you feel eating it.)

About halfway through the meal, check in again. Based on the scale, how hungry are you now? As before, record the number.

If you’re still hungry, finish your meal. When you’re finished, repeat the same process, writing down where you are on the scale.

Once you’re done, take a minute and tune into what your body feels like. What does it feel like to be full? “Download” that feeling into your mind and internalize it in your body, as if you’re updating your phone with the latest software.

Repeat this for as many meals as you can. Aim to do it for one meal a day for a week or so, or for as long as feels good to you. Don’t worry if you forget: simply repeat the practice when you can.

The more you practice this, the better you’ll become at being attuned with your actual hunger cues. With time, you’ll likely find you develop more trust in your internal compass than what the latest diet tracker says for your needs.

(For more on fully-tuned-in, mindful eating, read: The benefits of slow eating.)

Step #3: Get to know your non-hunger triggers

Have you ever come home after a super stressful day and you’ve basically thrown yourself onto a bag of chips or a carton of ice cream?

We might like to imagine ourselves eating every meal mindfully, using the RPE- Eating system to a tee, but life rarely works like that.

Chances are, there are certain situations that trigger you to eat more quickly, mindlessly, and beyond the point of hunger.

That’s okay.

Dr. Fundaro’s suggestion? Aim to become more aware of the situations that cause you to overeat in the first place.

To do this, you can practice something we use in PN Coaching: Notice and name.

When you find yourself scarfing down food faster than you can blink, simply try to notice what’s going on.

Can you name a feeling—such as anxiety, or sadness?

Can you identify a situation or moment that happened before you started eating—say, an argument with your teenager, or a nasty email from your boss?

Once you’ve identified the feeling, event, or person that’s triggered you to eat compulsively, see if you can also identify what you might really be needing or desiring.

Eating for comfort is normal. However, if it’s the only coping method we have, it can cause more problems than it solves in the long run.

When you find yourself with an urge to eat mindlessly, consider what non-food coping mechanisms might help you feel better. That could be 10 minutes away from your computer to close your eyes and breathe, a walk outside, or a quick call to a friend to rant—or just talk about something completely unrelated.

Getting to know your non-hunger eating triggers—plus widening your repertoire of self-soothing methods—is just as valuable as getting to know your hunger cues. Over time, this awareness will allow you to eat with more intention.

Step #4: Eat for satiety AND satisfaction

Even when you’re “adequately fueled” from a physical perspective, you might still feel unsatisfied from an emotional perspective.

That’s because, according to the RPE-Eating framework, eating should fulfill two criteria:

Satiety describes the physical sensation of being full; your calorie or fuel needs are met.

Satisfaction describes a more holistic feeling of being nourished; your calorie needs are met, but your meal also felt pleasurable.

If you ate to satiety only, your calorie needs might be met and your physical hunger quelled, but you might still feel unsatisfied—maybe because chocolate is on your “don’t” list, and even though you’ve eaten everything else in your kitchen that isn’t chocolate, nothing quite “hit the spot.”

In other words, you can eat to satiety at every meal, yet still be “restricting” foods.

You may not be restricting calories per se, but you may have banned entire food groups—baked goods, pizza, or whatever else curls your toes. This can lead to a feeling of constantly needing to police yourself, and doesn’t leave much room for the flexibility and spontaneity that real-life (enjoyable) eating requires.

(Plus, avoiding particular foods tends to work like a pendulum: restrict now; binge later. If you want to learn how to stop those wild swings, read: How to eat junk food: A guide for conflicted humans)

Satisfaction is a key part of eating.

After all, humans don’t just eat for adequate nutrients and energy. We eat for other reasons too: pleasure, novelty, tradition, community, enjoyment.

So, to take your RPE-Eating to the next level, Dr. Fundaro recommends trying it with meals and foods you genuinely enjoy.

If any foods or meals have been “off-limits,” try eating them using the RPE technique. (Macaroni and cheese, anyone?)

Practice using the scale with a variety of meals (including those you may have restricted previously), and notice how you feel over time.

With experience, you’ll get to know what it feels like to adequately fuel yourself with a variety of foods—including those you genuinely enjoy.

How to use RPE- Eating for weight loss or weight gain

According to Dr. Fundaro, the best way to use RPE-Eating is in a weight-neutral setting.

While it could be used for weight modification, she doesn’t recommend treating it as another way to hit your macros or “goal weight.”

“I’m not anti-weight modification,” Dr. Fundaro explains. “I’m pro safe weight modification. I compare weight loss to contact sports. There are inherent risks but they can be mitigated through best practices.”

Dr. Fundaro elaborates: “Since RPE-Eating removes macro-tracking, which can increase risk of disordered eating in some people, and relies on biofeedback and non-hunger triggers, RPE-Eating provides a safety net that macro-tracking alone doesn’t provide.”

But if you do want to use RPE-Eating for intentional weight change, what should you do?

Dr. Fundaro recommends aiming to hover around the ranges that support your goal.

(As a reminder, a 1 to 3 on the RPE-Eating scale is categorized as “inadequate fuel; a 4 to 7 is categorized as “adequate fuel”; and a 8 to 10 is categorized as “excess fuel.”)

If the goal is weight gain, you’ll likely aim to eat within the 7 to 8 range for most of your meals.

If the goal is weight loss, you’ll likely aim to eat within the 4 to 5 range for most of your meals.

A key thing to remember is that you would never use RPE-Eating for extreme weight-modification such as for a bodybuilding competition. “That would be like using physio exercises to prepare for a powerlifting competition.” In other words, it’s not the right tool for the job.

Hold up, bro: Isn’t this just feelings over facts?

If you’re skeptical and think this is just eating “based on your feelings,” keep in mind that RPE was once laughed at by lifters, too.

These days, RPE and autoregulation are widely accepted in gym culture and have been studied as a valid method for managing and guiding your training. ¹

RPE isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty accurate and incredibly convenient. A lot more convenient than, say, using a velocity loss tracker for every set. ^{2 3}

And while it might seem like it’s all feelings-based, the RPE scale is actually built around practicing the skill of interoceptive awareness—the awareness of internal sensations in your body.

The better you get at the skill of interoceptive awareness, the more you’ll be able to use that awareness to make informed decisions about your training.

RPE-Eating is similar: It builds the skill of sensing into your own body, and lets your internal sensations guide your decisions.

Similar to how the bar slowing down on a squat would indicate you’re getting closer to failure, experiencing the absence of hunger at the end of your meal would indicate you’re closer to being full.

Instead of tracking your glucose levels to validate your perceived hunger, you use internal cues that correlate with lowered blood sugar and coincide with hunger.

And, let’s be real: Being mindful of stomach grumbling or general hunger pangs is much more convenient and accessible than tracking glucose readings.

This process will not be perfect. You may undereat or overeat at first. But over time, with practice, you’ll build the core skills of RPE-Eating.

Are there downsides to RPE-Eating?

While this tool can be helpful, it’s just a tool. A screwdriver is great, but it isn’t useful when you need a hammer.

RPE-Eating can be great for helping you become more aware of your internal hunger cues and build a better relationship with food along the way.

It can also be more laborious. It requires paying real attention to your feelings (physical and emotional), and reflecting on them.

This can be difficult for anyone—but especially people who aren’t able to sit at the table and have a leisurely meal, like parents with small kids, or people with work schedules that require eating on-the-go.

If this is you, just use RPE-Eating when it does work for you—or simply pick and choose specific steps to use in isolation. For example, maybe you try RPE-Eating on the occasional quiet lunch break. Or, maybe you focus solely on developing your awareness of hunger and fullness cues, without trying to change anything else.

If you’ve been tracking macros for a long time, it can be hard to stop.

Tracking macros isn’t inherently bad. It can actually be a helpful tool to teach you more about nutrition. But it’s also not something most people want to do for the rest of their lives.

The problem is, if you’ve depended on tracking your food intake, stopping can feel scary.

In these cases, RPE-Eating can be used as a kind of off-ramp to help transition away from rigid and restrictive macro tracking.

(It can also help loosen the compulsion to “always finish your plate.” Though macros tracking and habitual plate-cleaning may sound different, they’re actually similar: both rely on external cues—such as macro targets or what’s served on your plate—to determine when you’re “done.”)

RPE-Eating won’t take away all the scary feelings that may come with changing ingrained ways of eating.

However, it can provide some structure and language to help you, or your clients, eat with less fear, less stress, and a bit more confidence.

“The goal,” says Dr. Fundaro, “is to know that you’re nourishing yourself—and you don’t need a food tracker to do that.”

jQuery(document).ready(function(){
jQuery(“#references_link”).click(function(){
jQuery(“#references_holder”).show();
jQuery(“#references_link”).parent().hide();
});
});

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

The post Private: How to stop tracking macros and trust yourself around food appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD and Helen Kollias, PhD

---

It’s like my thoughts were under a pile of garbage.

On a Friday night, as my husband and I tried to figure out where to eat, a typical conversation would go like this:

Me: Do you want to go to that restaurant?

Him: What restaurant?

Me: I can’t think of the name. We’ve eaten there before. It’s that place with the peanut shells on the floor? It’s next to… You know… It’s on that road where we used to take the dog to the vet. Do you know the one I’m talking about??

It was as if certain details got lost in a pile of sludge in the deep recesses of my brain. Then, hours later, the details would escape, and I’d shout into an empty room…

“Texas Roadhouse!”

Sludginess with proper nouns is typical for people who are middle-aged and beyond.

However, what seemed to be happening to me, increasingly in my late 40s and early 50s, felt far from typical.

Not only could I never seem to spit out the names of various restaurants or people or books or movies or so many other things, but my brain was also pooping out during the workday.

I’d sit in front of my computer screen, stare at a document, and will myself to do something constructive with my fingertips. Everything seemed hazy, like those first few moments in the morning when you’re awake enough to turn off the alarm but too sleepy to do basic math.

I had my good moments, usually in the morning, when I attempted to pack eight hours of writing into the two or three hours I possessed mental clarity.

On my worst days, however, I awoke with a haze I never managed to shake. Work was a non-starter. Nor did I have enough bandwidth to read, or do much of anything, really.

I sought medical advice.

Three healthcare professionals recommended antidepressants. I tried one, and felt even worse. I tried another. I tried yet another at a higher dose. Still, I felt like a zombie. Another professional gave me a sleeping pill. It left me feeling even more drugged.

Someone tested my thyroid. There was nothing wrong with it. Nor was I anemic. I tried supplements, mushroom coffee, and just about any product with the word “think” somewhere on its label.

Finally, after nearly two years of seeing a revolving door of doctors, I made an appointment with a gynecologist for my yearly exam. I mentioned vaginal dryness. That information triggered her to ask a string of questions that had nothing to do with my undercarriage. How was my sleep? Mood? Energy levels? Was I experiencing hot flashes? How about brain fog?

“Funny you should mention brain fog,” I said in my usual hazy monotone. “I feel like I’m barely alive.”

By the end of the visit, I understood that I’d likely never had depression.

What I “had” was menopause.

My gynecologist sent me home with prescriptions for estradiol and progesterone.

Within days, it was as if someone had flipped a switch.

I could think again. I could type words again. I could follow conversations. I could work past noon.

And, for the first time in years, I could sleep more than two hours without waking.

Now, menopause isn’t a medical condition.

Nor is it a disease.

Instead, like puberty, it’s a life stage—a transitional moment to be precise.

Once you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a period, you’ve reached menopause. And from that moment onwards, you’re officially “postmenopausal.”

As women approach this transitional moment, hormone levels fluctuate and fall, triggering dozens of symptoms. Weight gain and reduced sex drive get a lot of attention.

However, during and after menopause, roughly 40 percent of women report increased irritability, mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, and trouble concentrating, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.^{1 2} As the following image shows, it’s also one of the most vulnerable times in a woman’s life to develop depression,³ particularly if they’ve struggled in the past with it before.

Before starting hormones, I often found myself sobbing for no reason. Other times, the world’s stimuli felt too… stimulating.

Normal everyday sounds—like the buzz of traffic or people at the mall—literally hurt. I was jumpy and irritable and felt anxious about situations that had never bothered me in the past, such as driving over bridges or through construction.

It’s not completely clear what drives these cognitive and emotional symptoms.

Fluctuating hormone levels likely play a role, as do typical age-related changes in the brain.

In addition, during this stage of life, women often deal with several issues that siphon cognitive capacity faster than a thirsty vampire drains a carotid.

During their 40s and 50s, for example, many women have reached the peak of their careers, with responsibilities that follow them home and keep them up at night. They may also be parenting angst-filled teens, caring for aging parents, adjusting to an empty nest, questioning their marriage, or trying to wrap their bank account around the latest statement from the college bursar or hospital billing department.

However, one of the lesser-known and talked about triggers for cognitive discontent has nothing to do with aging or life stress and everything to do with that hallmark menopausal symptom: the hot flash.

Anatomy of a hot flash

Hot flashes, which happen during the day, and night sweats, which occur at night, fall under the category of vasomotor symptoms. (The word “vasomotor” refers to the constriction or dilation of blood vessels which, in turn, can influence everything from blood pressure to sweating.)

During a hot flash or night sweat, norepinephrine and cortisol levels rise. Blood vessels dilate in an attempt to shed heat. Blood pressure and heart rate increase.

Depending on the severity of the hot flash, your skin might redden as sensations of warmth spread through your face, neck, and chest.

You might sweat, experience heart palpitations, or feel anxious, tired, or faint.⁴

It’s not entirely clear why hot flashes crop up around menopause.

According to one theory, falling estrogen levels affect the hypothalamus, the area of the brain involved in temperature regulation. The brain’s internal thermostat gets wonky and occasionally thinks your body is too hot or cold (when it’s not).

How vasomotor symptoms change the brain

For many years, experts thought of vasomotor symptoms as mere inconveniences or sources of embarrassment.

(To be honest, so did I. During all of those fruitless visits to various healthcare professionals, it never occurred to me to mention them.)

However, an increasing body of research has revealed that hot flashes may do more than make us uncomfortable or force us to change our sheets in the middle of the night.

They may also affect our blood vessels and brains—and not for the better.⁵ For this reason, an increasing number of experts now consider vasomotor symptoms to be a treatable medical condition.^{6 7 8}

Hot flashes and brain lesions

In one study, researchers asked 226 women to wear monitors that tracked when they were experiencing a hot flash. The women also underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), filled out sleep diaries, and wore smartwatches that recorded how often they woke at night.⁹

As researchers looked at the brain images obtained from women who experienced the most hot flashes, they noticed an abundance of patchy areas called whole-brain white matter intensities.

These lesions were once thought of as a typical consequence of aging. However, neuroscientists now believe that the presence of whole-brain white matter intensities is predictive of future cognitive decline.

People with an abundance of these brain lesions are twice as likely to get diagnosed with dementia and three times as likely to have a future stroke.¹⁰

The blood vessel connection

It’s thought that the increased presence of whole-brain white matter intensities may stem, in part, from changes taking place in the blood vessels that feed the brain.

A three-year study of 492 women supports that theory. It determined that women who experienced frequent hot flashes also tended to experience unhealthy changes in their blood vessels, such as an inability to dilate to accommodate increased blood flow.¹¹

Other research has linked frequent hot flashes with increases in the following:

• Thickening in the carotid arteries that supply blood to the brain, face, and neck¹²
• Body fat
• Total and LDL cholesterol
• Insulin resistance^{13 14 15 16}

The sleep connection

In addition to directly affecting the blood vessels, frequent hot flashes may also affect the brain by disturbing sleep.¹⁷

Interestingly, many women don’t necessarily know that hot flashes are disturbing their sleep.

They may instead—as I did—assume they have insomnia or sleep apnea.

That’s because night sweats aren’t always sweaty.

By the time a surge in cortisol and norepinephrine jolts a woman awake, the hotness of the flash may have dissipated. So, it can feel as if she’s repeatedly waking, over and over and over again, for no discernable reason.

These frequent awakenings may interfere with the brain’s ability to consolidate memories, metabolize toxins, and store all the names, dates, and facts one encounters daily.

It can also lead to lost connectivity in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that’s important for learning and memory.

Sleep loss also means the amygdala, a part of the brain involved in emotion, becomes more reactive, causing people to feel more easily stressed, anxious, irritable, frustrated, or enraged.^{18 19}

All of these brain changes can set in after just days to a week of lost sleep. So, imagine what happens when you’ve been waking over and over again—for years.

Why it can be hard to get help

To diagnose depression, healthcare professionals use a tool called the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) depression scale. If you check off four of the nine symptoms on the scale, you’re considered depressed.

However, four of the symptoms on the checklist also overlap with the symptoms of menopause-related sleep deprivation:

• Little interest or pleasure in doing things
• Trouble falling or staying asleep
• Feeling tired or having little energy
• Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television

Check off those four items, and you might be diagnosed with depression, even if what’s really ailing you is the battle with sleep you’ve been waging since you turned 47.

A lack of menopause-specific training

Another problem: On surveys, 80 percent of medical residents admit they feel “barely comfortable” talking about menopause.²⁰ In addition, few residency programs—including ob-gyn residency programs—offer training in it.²¹

Given the above, it’s no wonder so many healthcare professionals never think to ask about hot flashes or sleep disturbances when people like me show up complaining of fatigue, lack of gumption, and an inability to focus.

In addition, even when it’s clear that vasomotor symptoms are leading to cognitive and emotional symptoms, many healthcare professionals still shy away from prescribing menopausal hormone therapy (also called hormone replacement therapy, or HRT), often telling women that supplemental hormones are “not safe” or “too risky.”

These professionals are practicing what Michigan-based menopause-trained gynecologist Jerrold H. Weinberg, MD, calls “defensive medicine.”

“It’s one of the first reflexes doctors have when they recommend a treatment,” says Dr. Weinberg. “They worry they’re going to get sued.”

What the research actually says about hormone therapy

These worries are based on research done several decades ago that linked the use of certain types of hormones with a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer or stroke.²²

However, according to more recent research, that small increased risk seems to depend on several other factors, such as age, dose, the type of hormonal preparation, and the duration of hormone use.^{23 24}

As long as you’re younger than 60 and have been postmenopausal for fewer than 10 years, many experts now say the benefits outweigh the risks for women with moderate to severe menopausal symptoms.²⁵

It’s also counterbalanced by health benefits such as reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or osteoporosis, says Dr. Weinberg, who confirms the health benefits of menopause hormone therapy far outweigh the risks for most women.

Because some antidepressants can lift mood, improve sleep, and reduce hot flashes, some healthcare professionals turn to them instead of menopause hormone therapy. As with any medicine, antidepressants have their own list of side effects. However, for someone practicing defensive medicine, they often seem like a safer bet, says Dr. Weinberg.^{26 27 28}

How to advocate for your health

If you or your client are on what seems like a never-ending quest to find a healthcare professional who understands menopause, use the following advice from Dr. Weinberg and Helen Kollias, PhD, an expert on physiology and molecular biology and science advisor at Precision Nutrition and Girls Gone Strong.

Seek care from a menopause-trained health professional.

Usually, these professionals list this training and interest in their bio. For example, they might list “menopause” as an area of focus.

You can also search this database for practitioners who have earned a certification from the Menopause Society.

Document your symptoms.

Write them down. That way, if you feel foggy or nervous during your appointment, you can lean on your notes.

This information can also help you judge whether MHT or another medicine is working. Based on your symptom data, you and your healthcare professional may decide to switch to a different medicine or change your dose.

Consider tracking:

• How often you get hot flashes
• The number of hours in a typical day you find yourself battling brain fog
• How often you experience fatigue, anxiety, rage, or some other symptom
• How often you wake up at night

Be as specific as you can during your appointment.

Saying something like “I don’t sleep well,” is less likely to get you the right kind of help than saying, “During the past seven days, I’ve only gotten four uninterrupted hours once. I wake, on average, five times a night. On a typical night, my longest stretch of sleep is three hours.”

If you use a smartwatch, come ready to fire up your health app, so your healthcare professional can see the data.

Talk about the pros and cons of treatment.

There’s a concept in medicine known as “shared decision-making.” Part of that process involves frank discussions about the benefits and risks of a given treatment. Then, patients and clinicians work together to make decisions based on those benefits and risks.

Many healthcare networks encourage clinicians to use shared decision-making, as it seems to reduce patient complaints as well as malpractice lawsuits.^{29 30}

For this reason, shared decision-making can help shift a healthcare professional out of the “defensive medicine” mindset.

You might ask questions like:

• “I’m interested in seeing if menopausal hormone therapy might be helpful. Could we discuss if I’m a good candidate?”
• “I’ve read that menopausal hormone therapy could slightly increase my risk of breast cancer. Could you help me understand my personal breast cancer risk based on my family history, age, body weight, and lifestyle?”
• “Osteoporosis runs in my family, as does dementia. I’ve heard that menopausal hormone therapy might help to reduce the risk for both, in addition to helping me sleep. Could you help me weigh the pros and cons?”

How to improve mental and emotional health during menopause: 9 lifestyle strategies

The lifestyle habits that improve mental and emotional health during menopause aren’t terribly different from the lifestyle habits that improve overall health—for any person, at any stage of life.

Other than avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and spicy or hot foods, there’s no special diet for people with vasomotor symptoms. (And by the way, tofu and other soy products don’t seem to help with vasomotor symptoms as much as once thought³⁰—though they’re still nutritious.)

Strategy #1: Lean into fundamental health strategies.

Healthy behaviors don’t necessarily change during middle age.

Nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep, social connectedness, and a sense of purpose matter just as much during the menopausal transition as they do when we’re younger. However, these fundamentals are even more important to dial in as life progresses.

So consider:

• Are you setting aside enough time for sleep and rest?
• Are you physically active?
• Are you eating a diet that’s mostly minimally processed and full of brightly colored produce, healthy fats, lean protein, fibrous vegetables, and legumes?
• Do you regularly connect with other humans in ways that help you buffer stress and feel supported?
• Do you find ways to experience awe, joy, curiosity, peace, and purpose?

If you answered “no” to some or all of those questions, consider why that is. What’s stopping you? How might you remove barriers or shore up support to make those fundamentals easier?

Strategy #2: Experiment with creatine.

In addition to helping to blunt age- and hormone-related losses in muscle and bone mass, creatine may also help bolster mood and brain function while reducing mental fatigue.

It also seems to counter some of the negative effects of sleep deprivation. ^{32 33} Research shows a daily dose of 5 to 7 grams of creatine monohydrate is effective.

Strategy #3: Get regular about light exposure.

In addition to helping you feel alert, sunlight helps to set the internal clock in your brain that makes you sleepy at night and spunky in the morning. Morning and late afternoon light exposure seem particularly potent.

In a study of 103 people, exposure to morning sunlight predicted better sleep quality the following night. When people spent time outdoors in the mornings, they fell asleep more quickly, slept longer, and experienced fewer awakenings the following evening.³⁴

Sunlight may also improve mood and concentration.³⁵

Strategy #4: Go easier at the gym.

If you’re already worn out, long, intense exercise sessions will likely make you feel worse.

For one, injuries crop up much more easily at middle age than during our 20s and 30s. In addition, it takes longer to recover between sessions.³⁶

String too many overly zealous workouts too close together, and you’ll not only likely start to feel achy but also more irritable, tense, and tired.

However, much like a cold shower, short bursts of exercise may help you to feel alert during the day.

If you’re falling asleep at your desk, encourage yourself to take short movement breaks such as a 5- or 10-minute walk outdoors or a quick set of pushups or squats.

In addition, you may find gentle exercise—such as yoga or stretching—helps you relax before bed. Just don’t make it too intense, or you’ll trigger a release of adrenaline.

Whenever you exercise, tune into how your body feels, especially after a particularly bad night of sleep.

We’re not saying you should never exercise vigorously or try to beat your lifting PRs. However, depending on your sleep and recovery, you might want to pare things back, especially if you’ve traditionally hit the gym hard.

You can still do intense sessions—just balance them out with more moderate sessions, as well as proportionate recovery.

Depending on how you feel, you might decide to go all out, as usual.

However, you might also decide to do a zone 2 training session instead of an intense run. Or, if you’re resistance training, you might still do your planned session, but reduce the number of sets, reps, or volume lifted.

Strategy #5: Investigate Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).

This research-based therapy for insomnia can help you develop skills and mental reframes that encourage sound sleep.

For example, a CBT-I therapist will help you develop the skill of getting up at the same time every day, regardless of how badly you slept (or didn’t sleep) the night before.

(Read more: Three CBT-I skills that can transform how you sleep.)

Strategy #6: Get real about stress.

You may not have the energy (or desire) to do everything you did when you were younger. (When you were 36, your daily checklist defied time and space.)

As a result, you might benefit from looking critically at your current responsibilities to see which ones you can shrink or downsize. For several days, track how you spend your time and bandwidth. Then, analyze your data.

Ask yourself:

• Is this how you truly want to spend your time and energy?
• Does your current schedule allow you to rest, recover, and tend to your own needs? Or, do you spend nearly all of your time and energy caring for and providing for others?
• What changes could you make to prioritize rest and recovery?

If you’re a coach, use the Wheel of Stress Assessment to help clients identify different dimensions of their life that might be draining their mental and emotional capacity. (When you know specifically where your stress is coming from, you have a better chance of resolving it.)

If it’s demands from other people that prevent you from prioritizing self-care and recovery, you might like to read: How saying “no” can seriously change your life.

Strategy #7: Experiment with cooling technology.

You might find you sleep better and experience fewer night sweats if you sleep in a cooler environment.

Try turning down the thermostat a couple of degrees, using a fan, or investing in an electric cooling mattress pad.

Strategy #8: Take frequent breaks.

When you feel the fog take over your brain, it’s not likely you’ll be doing “your best work” anyway.

So, for a block of time—say, 20 minutes—permit yourself to do nothing. You might:

• Relax with a cold beverage
• Cuddle with a pet
• Gaze out a window
• Sit outdoors while listening to the birds
• Call a friend

If you need a quick “refresh,” you can also try a 5-minute mind-body scan.

Get your body into a comfortable position. For example, you might use the yoga “legs up the wall” pose or lie down and place a pillow under your knees.

Then, close your eyes and bring your attention to physical sensations in your body. Start at your head, and work your way down to your toes.

Don’t judge or rush to change anything. Just observe, like a scientist. You can also scan your mind, for example, by noticing thoughts.

When you’ve completed the scan, consider:

• What are you feeling physically?
• What are you feeling emotionally?
• What are you thinking?

You don’t have to “do” anything with the information you uncover, just notice.

Strategy #9: Follow a diet that promotes healthy circulation.

The foods that protect the blood vessels around your heart can also protect the blood vessels in your brain.

For example, both the MIND and Mediterranean diets are associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and depression.^{37 38} These eating patterns are rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, olives, beans, fish, and other minimally-processed whole foods.

In addition, nitrate-rich foods like beets and dark, leafy greens may help to dilate blood vessels, temporarily improving memory by helping more blood to reach the brain.^{39 40}

(For more on how our diet can support brain function and emotional regulation, read: Nutrition and mental health: What (and how) to eat)

The upside of menopause

It’s frustrating when you feel like you can’t do it all.

Believe me. I know.

However, this stage of life presents a hidden opportunity, forcing you to re-evaluate what’s most important.

Before going on hormones, as my ability to type coherent words and phrases diminished, I was forced to ask an important question:

Do I really need to be doing this?

It was more of an existential question than a career-related one, and it allowed me to reassess how I wanted to spend my limited mental resources.

Given that I was self-employed, I didn’t actually need to be working eight hours a day. That was a gift, wasn’t it?

Maybe I also didn’t need to cook dinner six nights out of seven. Maybe the recipes I chose could be simplified, too.

Finally, maybe saying “no” a lot more often and without regret would allow me to continue to say yes to the things that mattered most.

Things like visiting my aging parents.

And picking up the phone whenever my kid called from college.

Or meeting a friend for a meandering walk around town.

Thanks to the hormones and life tweaks, I now have energy again. I’m also clear-headed most of the time. However, I still tend to end my work day around 3 p.m.

Why?

Because I can, and I want to.

jQuery(document).ready(function(){
jQuery(“#references_link”).click(function(){
jQuery(“#references_holder”).show();
jQuery(“#references_link”).parent().hide();
});
});

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

The post Menopause and mental health: The science of the menopausal brain appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

“I work with coaches and other people who know too much.”

Kate Solovieva is a former professor of psychology, a PN master coach, and PN’s director of community engagement.

And the above quote has become one of her taglines.

Though Coach Kate has coached thousands of “regular” clients, her specialty is coaching other coaches.

Through her work as an instructor with PN’s Level 2 Master Health Coaching Certification, a facilitator for PN’s private online coaching communities, and a coach in her own private practice, she gets a front-row view of all the questions and challenges both new and seasoned coaches have.

Coach Kate knows what other coaches are up to.

She’s seen the victories and the blunders of thousands of coaches, and today, she’ll share three common mistakes she sees them making.

If there’s anything Coach Kate wants, it’s to see her peers achieve wild success, so her hope with this article is to help coaches:

• Stop feeling paralyzed by insecurity and doubt—and start growing their business
• Learn to see their clients more objectively, so they can best serve their needs and goals
• Clearly identify their responsibilities as a coach (hint: they’re’ not what many coaches think they are)
• Harness their natural passion and investment in a client’s success—without burning themselves out

We’ll cover three common coaching mistakes, plus the solutions to overcome them. Let’s get into it.

Coaching mistake #1: Focusing on coaching instead of selling

Coach Kate describes a coaching business as a three-legged stool.

• There’s the coaching leg (which is your skills and knowledge as a coach),
• A selling leg (which is your ability to market and attract a flow of clients), and
• An administrative leg (which includes how clients book appointments, make payments, and other organizing tools and systems).

“The vast majority of folks who get into coaching start with the coaching leg,” says Kate.

“They want to become the best coach they can be, which is amazing. However, to become the best coach you can be, information and theory only get you so far.”

As Kate says, “You cannot become the best coach you can be in a vacuum, talking to yourself in your office.”

Which is why she suggests challenging the desire many coaches have to wait until their knowledge is “complete.”

Instead, she suggests, just start selling.

Why?

Coaches who start selling sooner also get to start coaching sooner.

Over time, they’ll have an advantage over the coaches who want to be “the BEST coach they can be” by getting 12 certifications before selling their services.

Meanwhile, the coach who “doesn’t really know what they’re doing” but has started practicing anyway will begin building their business and their coaching experience—and likely improve their odds of overall success.

Solution: Remember to show up as a COACH, not an EXPERT

There’s a natural inclination among aspiring coaches who want to do a good job to get those 12 certifications before they start coaching.

“Sometimes we hold on to this hope that we’ll get to a point where we feel confident enough at fielding any question that ever comes our way,” Kate says.

Because as every coach knows, when you start telling people what you do, they’ll have questions. And often, they’ll have questions you can’t answer, and that can feel uncomfortable… mortifying even.

(You’re supposed to be the expert, right??)

According to Coach Kate, the above belief—that you’re supposed to be an authority with all the answers—is based on an erroneous assumption.

“When I show up to a coaching conversation, my role is not ‘the expert,’” she says.

Yes, coaches have to show up to client interactions with a baseline of nutrition knowledge. (For example, if a client asks you about good sources of protein, you should be able to list some.)

But coaches don’t have to show up with a prepared lecture, or encyclopedic knowledge of nutrition minutia or biochemistry. (You don’t have to feel bad if you can’t recall the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 in flax oil, or all the steps in the Krebs cycle that produces ATP.)

Even when you know the answer, Kate suggests that not answering right away can actually be more productive.

“If a client asks you about seed oils, you can simply say, ‘That’s a great question. I can get you some information on that if you’d like, but I’m curious, why do you ask?’”

While the expert might respond with a summary of the latest research on seed oil processing and its health effects, the coach will strive to learn more about why the question is meaningful to the client.

For example, after inquiring further, you may learn that your client heard about seed oils from their friend Susan, who changed the fat sources in her diet and lost ten pounds. And the client is curious to see if they might also lose ten pounds if they eliminate seed oils.

With this kind of response, you learn more about what the client is really after (a weight loss solution), which ultimately helps direct you to more effective strategies (which probably have nothing to do with seed oils).

Takeaway nugget:

Coaches should have a firm understanding of fitness and nutrition principles.

However, clients often don’t need more information; they need coaching.

When a client asks you a question, consider whether the answer will help them take action.

If it will, offer them what you know. (If you don’t know the answer, you can simply say, “I’m happy to find more information about that for you.”)

If it won’t, consider turning their question into a coaching opportunity. Ask, “Can you tell me why you’re curious about that?” Their answers will likely lead you to a more productive conversation.

Coaching mistake #2: Assuming your clients are exactly like you

Now, maybe it sounds obvious that clients aren’t just clones of us.

That said, especially when we feel all warm and vibe-y with our clients, it can be easy to forget in the moment.

For example, maybe you’re someone who…

• Tracks macros, and feels it’s relatively simple and effective. So you assume this approach will work on most clients (even though many will find it triggering and overwhelmingly complicated).
• Coaches virtually, so your clients are all over the world. You might recommend meeting certain protein targets, without considering that in some communities, protein dense foods might either be hard to access, prohibitively expensive, or both.
• Prioritizes fitness. And for the life of you, you can’t understand why your client would skip a lunch workout because she doesn’t want to mess up her hair and makeup in the middle of a work day.

If you’re a coach, you probably went into this line of work because you value nutrition, exercise, and overall health. And often, we assume our clients hold these same values. But the truth is, that’s not always the case.

Says Kate:

“There’s nothing inherently superior about valuing your health. If you do, yes, you’ll probably experience better health and live longer. But not everyone shares those values. That’s a tough one to swallow.”

Of course, without seeing your clients for the unique people they are—with their own individual preferences, values, and goals—you may find yourself suggesting behaviors that aren’t possible for them, or striving for goals that aren’t meaningful to them.

Over time, this becomes frustrating for your clients and you: They feel like you don’t “get” them, and you feel like a “bad” coach.

Solution: Get a clear picture of the client’s baseline—and determine what actions they’re ready, willing, and able to take

The opposite of assuming (often unconsciously) that clients are like you is, well, assuming nothing.

As best as you can, check your biases and assumptions at the door, and approach each client session with an open, curious mind.

Ask questions, such as:

“What inspired you—or pushed you—to come in today?”

And:

“Why is that goal meaningful to you?”

And:

“What skills do you have today that might help you achieve your goal? What skills do you feel you might be missing?”

Listen.

Withholding assumptions can be particularly difficult when clients share some obvious similarities with you. (Perhaps they’re also a single mom, or they’re also training for a triathlon, or they’re also a cancer survivor.)

But even when clients share similar experiences or goals, their biology, social context, personal history, and many other factors can make their “similar” experiences, in fact, totally different.

Coach Kate says in these cases, you can show that you relate to them, while also inviting them to describe their own experience. She suggests using the following question:

“I know what [insert shared experience] has been like for me, but what has [insert shared experience] been like for you?”

Once you have a clear picture of a client’s values, priorities, and reasons for change, you can assess which actions they’re ready, willing, and able to take. (Again, don’t make assumptions here. Just because you find meal prep quick and easy, doesn’t mean your client will.)

If you want to go through this exercise with your client on paper, use our Ready, Willing, and Able Worksheet.

Takeaway nugget:

Remember that clients:

• Aren’t always motivated by the same things as you (for example, they might care more about their next lab test results than how they look in a swimsuit)
• Don’t always enjoy—or hate—the same things (just because you love long sessions of steady state cardio, doesn’t mean they will… or vice versa)
• Don’t always share your values (as mentioned above, not all clients value health above all else; they may instead value pleasure, spontaneity, or something else)

Get to know your unique client, their specific goals, and what actions they can realistically execute (and maybe even get excited about).

Coaching mistake #3: Getting too attached to client results

This is, actually, very natural.

“There’s a reason we go into coaching. It’s because we care and we want to help clients. We want to see them succeed,” says Coach Kate.

But caring can be a double-edged sword.

“With our clients, we carefully decide on the habits and behaviors that need to occur… And then they walk off and either do the thing or don’t do the thing. That’s brutal.”

No matter how sound and foolproof your advice is, how well-thought out your plan, how much you care, ultimately, you have no control over whether a client executes it, and gets results.

Naturally, as a coach, you might feel frustrated, even heartbroken when clients don’t do what they say they’ll do, or when they’re not seeing the outcomes they were hoping to see.

However, according to Kate, this isn’t something coaches should try to avoid completely. It’s part of the job, and it’s often a sign that your work has meaning to you. (It’s a good thing.)

“However, I think there’s a point there where we can start caring more than the client themselves,” she says.

And that’s precisely where to draw to the line.

At PN, we often say that “care units” are the currency of coaching.

Care units are how much time, energy, attention, authenticity, and true “heart” you can bring to helping, serving, and caring about your clients.

Your client also has a certain amount of care units.

How much time, energy, attention, authenticity, and “heart” can they bring to their own change and growth projects?

(Most of the time, not that much. Which is totally normal.)

Our advice: Care one care unit less than your client does.

How do you do that? One approach…

Solution: Clearly separate client and coach responsibilities

So, how do we maintain an appropriate level of emotional investment—but also help clients stay on track?

“This is where I really like to get really clear on what my role is as a coach,” Coach Kate says.

“Because if you are very, very clear on what your role is as a coach, then you can sort of go through the list, and check in with yourself: ‘Did I show up? Did I follow up? Did I coach this person to the best of my ability?’”

For example, as a coach, it’s reasonable to be responsible for:

• Providing guidelines for how to reach out (to ask questions or book appointments) as well as setting expectations for your response times
• Weekly check-ins with clients via email, text, or phone, to assess progress or troubleshoot obstacles
• “Life-proofing” a program as much as possible, by proactively discussing obstacles that could arise in the future, and brainstorming realistic, flexible solutions

Meanwhile, the client is responsible for:

• Whether or not they respond to your check-ins
• Whether or not they actually DO the agreed upon fitness, nutrition, or lifestyle practices that are likely to get them to their goal
• How much they reveal during coaching sessions (for example, whether or not they tell you if they’re struggling with stress eating, or some other issue that makes it hard to stick to the plan)

Ideally, clearly delineating these responsibilities should happen early in the coaching relationship. Some coaches prefer to have an open discussion, while others have actual contracts that outline coach deliverables and client expectations.

This early communication can also be a way of vetting coach-client “fit.”

“When I’m having that initial conversation with a prospective client, I can ask, ‘What does accountability look like to you?’ If the client replies, ‘Well, I want you to text me every morning and night, and I want you to make sure I’ve done my workout, and also ship groceries to my house,’ then I will be the one to say, ‘I don’t think this is a good fit.’”

Coach Kate says this kind of early clarity can also prevent coach-client friction in the future.

Clear boundaries and expectations at the outset means clients are less likely to be disappointed if they assumed their coach was going to “take on” more, and coaches are less likely to burn out from shouldering more than they should.

It even protects the coach-client relationship in extreme (though not uncommon) situations such as when a client “ghosts” before a paid contract is over.

“When somebody doesn’t reply to me, I don’t take it personally. It’s not their job to reply, but it is my job to check in,” Coach Kate says.

“If I don’t hear back, I just check in on Monday, and then again on Monday. And again, and again, and again—trying all the contact methods they’ve provided me—until their coaching contract is over. If we get to that point, they’ll get an email from me saying, ‘Hey, I hope everything’s okay. My door is always open. I hope you’re doing well.’”

Takeaway nugget:

Make a list—either for your own reference, or to include in a contract that new clients have to sign—of the accountabilities you have as a coach.

(Hint: These are usually specific actions, like “Text, email, or phone once a week to check in” or “Host monthly virtual lectures on various nutrition topics for group clients.”)

Make sure to have a conversation about expectations and responsibilities with all clients, ideally before beginning to work together, or at least in the first session.

Bonus mistake: Forgetting to give yourself a pat on the back

It’s maybe not the most “coach-y” way to write an article: Point out a list of your mistakes, then hand you solutions to deal with them.

But if you’ve made the above “mistakes,” we want you to hear it from us:

We’re proud of you.

If you’ve gotten sidetracked by the above, it’s likely because you really care. And that’s never going to be a mistake; it’s a strength.

That said, although these “mistakes” are completely normal, and most coaches make them, they can limit your potential as a coach, and as a business.

And we want to see you succeed.

(If you liked this article and want to learn more, listen to the full episode of the Coaches Compass podcast, where the interview with Coach Kate Solovieva was originally conducted.)

In our elite mentorship program, you’ll get personal guidance from our industry-leading coaches—and be able to confidently deliver world-class results for clients of all backgrounds, lifestyles, and needs. Join the top 1% of coaches.

“I skyrocketed my coaching skills and confidence…My impostor syndrome is gone!”
– Katya Mohsen, PN Certified Master Health Coach

If you’re ready to level up your coaching skills and feel confident you can guide any client to a lasting health transformation, we’ve got some big news for you:

In April 2025, we’ll open registration for the next cohort of the PN Master Health Coaching Certification, the industry’s most respected practice-based mentorship.

“You cannot be a health or fitness coach without having the tools and techniques that this program brings. It’s a whole different level.”
– Katya Mohsen, Lisa Bernier, PN Certified Master Health Coach

Inside the Master Health Coaching Certification, you’ll learn a skill set and be able to earn a credential that will distinguish you as an elite coach:

The ability to use behavior change psychology to help any client achieve sustainable, meaningful change. And the credential of being a Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach.

“This program does an absolutely phenomenal job of addressing how to affect behavior change…something that’s sorely missing in most people’s practices.”
– Jeb Stuart Johnson, Founder of Food On The Mind, PN Certified Master Health Coach

It’s the only program in the world where you’ll learn the secrets of behavior change psychology through live mentorship.

Because, while knowing the science of nutrition and fitness is important, it’s not enough. In order to actually create change, you need a deep understanding of behavior change psychology.

We’ve applied this understanding with our coaching programs to help over 150,000 clients achieve lasting health transformations—something nobody else can say.

And now, we’re ready to share our hard-earned wisdom with you.

“This program taught me how to be a better coach and retain clients longer. Before, I had clients staying for a month. Now, it’s six, nine months, even a year.”
– Jeff Grogan, PN Certified Master Health Coach

Through real-world coaching scenarios, hands-on assignments, and mentoring sessions with PN’s industry-leading Master Health Coaches, you’ll learn how to prioritize a client’s challenges, help them remove obstacles holding them back, and how to create unique, actionable coaching plans for every client, addressing their:

• Sleep
• Stress management
• Mental health
• Emotional wellbeing
• Recovery
• Diet
• Exercise

This mentorship program is where the world’s best coaches come to take the next steps in their careers.

At the end of your 20-week program, you’ll be a Master Health Coach—confident in your ability to guide any client towards a meaningful, lasting health transformation.

“I now have more knowledge, more confidence and more skill. My clients stay longer and experience better results.”
– Jonny Landels, Founder of Next Step Nutrition, PN Certified Master Health Coach

After joining, you’ll:

• Help any client achieve sustainable, meaningful change by leveraging behavior-change psychology.
• Eliminate impostor syndrome and feel more confident in your skills than ever before by integrating proven methods used by the world’s top health and well-being coaches into your coaching practice.
• Become an authority in the health and well-being space. As you learn from PN’s industry-leading coaches and network with some of the sharpest minds in the industry, you’ll build the confidence to share your expertise with anyone, anytime.
• Make more money and achieve financial freedom. Whether you decide to take on the full-time role of “health coach”, or you want to expand on your current work as a health and well-being professional, health coaching is a great way to help more people.

Enrollment is currently closed. Doors will open again in April 2025.

If you’re interested, or just want more information, you should strongly consider signing up for the free no-obligation waitlist below.

And by joining the free Waitlist, you’ll get our best price, exclusive perks, and early access when registration opens.

• Pay less than everyone else. Get our biggest discount off the general public price when you sign up for the waitlist.
• Sign up 10 days before the general public. We only open the PN Master Health Coaching Certification a few times per year. Due to high demand, we expect it to sell out fast. But when you sign up for the waitlist, we’ll give you the opportunity to register 10 days before anyone else.
• Receive our free Enrollment Packet—with success stories, details on Board Certification, info on curriculum, and much more

The post Three mistakes health coaches make—and the immediately actionable solutions to fix them appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

“I just bought a new BPA-free tupperware set.”

This comment, coming from my friend Anna, caught me off guard.

Anna’s a highly competent law professional. She’s a critical thinker and she fights in the heavyweight division when it comes to cutting through BS.

But the Anna I knew was falling into some painful traps that seemed to be bypassing her inner hawk-like skeptic.

She’s wanted to lose around 15lbs for some time now and came to me to share how stuck she was feeling in this goal.

She brought up an avenue she was exploring: the new BPA-free tupperware set.

“Interesting. What inspired you to focus on that?” I asked.

“Well, I’ve been reading about how microplastics in food containers can mess up our hormones and cause weight gain,” she said.

I squinted.

To backtrack, this is right after she told me how she’d been struggling to be consistent at the gym, had been relying on takeout too often, and had been sacrificing boring old sleep for adrenaline-inducing doom scrolling.

So I asked:

“What about trying to get more consistent with your workouts, or prepping more homemade meals during the week?”

And Anna said:

“Yeah, but I’ve tried that a thousand times. If it were that simple, it would have worked already.”

We’ve all done this before.

Ignored or delayed those hard-but-worthwhile habit changes in favor of some ultra-specific, niche magic bullet that’s supposed to “change everything.”

Spent hours of research on the ultimate, most optimal workout instead of devoting those hours to just doing the basic workout you already know how to do.

Waited to feel more inspired, motivated, or just less busy.

Why do we do this?

Buying new gear or a popular supplement feels like making progress.

Consuming YouTube videos or articles about stuff you can change feels like you’re doing something.

And waiting until the “right time” feels, well, right.

Except, nothing actually changes until we take real, consistent action.

We’re clever, us humans. And we’ve come up with lots of sneaky ways to avoid the basic, unsexy, difficult actions we need to take that actually drive change.

In this article, we’ll explore how to take an honest and compassionate look at why you might be distracting yourself from taking impactful action.

You’ll learn:

• What the most impactful health habits actually are
• Three common barriers to making sustainable progress
• A 4-step process you can apply to start taking positive, productive action
• How to keep yourself consistent—and achieve your goals

The stuff you know you should do (but probably aren’t doing consistently)

We all know what those basic, fundamental health habits are:

Exercising, ideally 30 minutes a day, putting in moderate-to-vigorous amounts of effort, with a mix of aerobic and resistance training.

Eating mostly nutritious, minimally-processed foods. If 80 percent of your diet comes from whole or minimally-processed foods, you’re doing an excellent job. (Translation: “Perfection” isn’t required; pizza can be part of a healthy diet.)

Eating enough protein to support muscle mass, appetite regulation, and body recomposition goals, if you have them. Aim for about 1.2 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (for most people, this adds up to about 4-6 palm-sized portions of lean protein per day).

Prioritizing getting seven to eight hours of quality sleep. You can’t always control how well you sleep, but having some wind-down time before bed can help, as can waking up at the same time every day.

Avoiding or at least reducing excessive consumption of alcohol or drugs, including cigarettes. No fun, we know. But it’s for a good cause.

Easily, we could add stuff like prioritizing positive, nurturing social relationships, managing stress, and probably others, but just the above list is uncommonly met.

In fact, only six percent of Americans perform all five of the following basic health behaviors:¹

• Meet physical activity recommendations
• Don’t smoke
• Consume alcohol in moderation (or not at all)
• Sleep at least seven hours
• Maintain a “normal” BMI

If you’re doing the math, that means close to 94 percent of Americans aren’t doing the basics.

Yet, these foundational behaviors also help us achieve a long list of common goals, whether that’s reaching a healthy weight, improving athletic ability, or just living a longer, healthier life.

So why do we struggle so much to do them?

Here are three common barriers we see among clients (and coaches!), plus potential solutions to overcome them.

Basics Barrier #1: You have ambition overload.

Maybe you’ve decided you want to be healthier. So you declare that, starting Monday, you’re going to exercise for an hour everyday and “eat clean” at every meal and sleep eight hours every night.

(Currently, you don’t have a regular exercise habit, don’t particularly like vegetables, and regularly stay up past midnight.)

Now, let’s be honest: You’re asking yourself to change a lot of stuff at once.

And the last time you created an elaborate plan for overhauling your life…

… Did it work?

Probably not.

(And that’s okay.)

When we feel frustrated or stuck in our current situation, making a plan filled with idealistic dreams can provide us temporary relief.

And our brain has several (normal) cognitive biases that prevent us from judging the future accurately.

We often think we’ll have more time, energy, attention, and motivation in the future than we really do.^{2 3 4 5}

There’s a powerful, instantaneous comfort that comes with overloading our future self. (Because after all, we won’t start the plan until Monday.)

The problem with this is:

Big, complex plans often don’t fit into our already busy, complex lives.

We under-estimate how many smaller tasks are hidden in the bigger plans.

When we (almost inevitably) are unable to execute these ambitious goals, we blame ourselves, our personality traits, our “willpower” or “discipline,” and build a pitiable story about how we “struggle with consistency.” Or how living this way is “impossible”.

Then, sadly, we fulfill that prophecy.

Basics Barrier #2: You think only hardcore, “industry-secret,” or “cutting-edge” stuff works.

This barrier comes from the following common belief:

“If getting healthy just took eating, sleeping, and exercising moderately well, then everyone would be healthy.”

Because everyone knows they should eat their vegetables, get seven to eight hours of sleep per night, and stay active, right?

(We’d agree.)

But let’s go back to the previously mentioned statistic:

Only 6 percent of Americans are consistently performing the most basic health and fitness behaviors.

If we add on slightly more advanced—but still very basic—behaviors like eating five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, optimizing protein intake, and effectively managing stress, that number would shrink significantly.

So, the first thing is to believe that these simple behaviors work. Because they do. It’s just that most people (probably close to 99 percent of us) are not doing them all simultaneously and consistently.

The second thing is to accept that these simple behaviors are a little bit boring. Because they are. Part of the reason we’re attracted to new diets or “magical” supplements is because we just want something more interesting to try.

That’s especially true if we’ve already sort of tried the “eat more vegetables” thing and it didn’t “work” for us in the way we expected.

With something new and cutting-edge, there’s also the possibility of a new outcome, a new us.

And of course, that’s incredibly appealing.

Thing is, most hardcore, “industry secret,” or “cutting edge” tools and strategies are, respectively: unsustainable, inaccessible, or ineffective (or unproven).

They’ll take your effort, your time, and often your money, but without giving you a good return on your investment—all the while distracting you from the stuff that actually works.

Basics Barrier #3: You think your efforts (and your results) have to be perfect.

Another lie in the health and fitness industry is that you have to be “perfect” to maintain great health. You know, eat only organic salads and chia seeds, be able to run a marathon, and wake up at 5 am every day to meditate and write in your gratitude journal.

The truth is, perfection definitely isn’t required.

Depending on how you look at this, this could be a relief to hear, or a disappointment.

On the one hand, it’s nice to know that you don’t have to have it “all together” to be healthy—even above-average healthy.

On the other hand, many of us pursue better health with the belief that our optimal or even “perfect” self will one day, with the right plan or routine, be attainable.

But “perfect” health is an illusion.

Humans, even exceptionally healthy ones, get sick, get weird rashes, have digestive problems, need reading glasses, get into slumps, or just otherwise have a series of bad days.

None of us are “safe” from those life events, and accepting that can feel a little… vulnerable.

It’s much more comfortable to believe that if you just take this powdered algae supplement, or follow this specific morning routine, you’ll be immune to any kind of painful human experience.

The irony is, to achieve your realistic “best self,” you probably have to accommodate your “worst self” too. You know, the one who’d rather watch another episode of Love is Blind than work out, or eat a party-size bag of Doritos and call it dinner.

Because life happens.

Work gets busy.

Or your kid goes through a “phase.”

Or it’s pie season.

Any number of obstacles, distractions, and competing demands make it impossible for perfection to be maintained with any kind of consistency.

Which is why we need to let go of the illusion that a “perfect” self exists—the one who always has the energy, will, and option to make the ideal choice—and support what our real self wants and needs.

We’ve got four steps below to help you.

4 steps to start taking effective (and realistic) action

Now that we know what’s potentially getting in the way of taking productive action, here are four steps to get unstuck.

Step #1: Explore the why before the how.

Before you (or a client) start undertaking something you want to change, it’s helpful to understand your deeper motivations first.

Do a little investigating by asking questions like:

• What about this change is important to you?
• How serious or pressing is this for you?
• Why not continue doing what you’re already doing?

You can also go through one of our favorite motivation-mining exercises, The 5 Whys.

When you know why you want to change something, and you’re clear on the consequences of not taking action, you’ll be more likely to feel that deeper, more sustaining push to keep going, even when things get tough.

Step #2: Prioritize the most effective actions.

We can do all the things!! Really!! We just can’t do all the things… all at once.

Effective change means being able to realistically:

• Identify all the tasks, trade-offs, and commitments involved
• Prioritize what matters for the results you want
• Figure out what to do first

What are the essentials in relation to your goal? Regardless of all goals, they likely include a movement practice, a nutrition practice, and/or a recovery practice.

If you want some guidance on how to select the most effective action for your goal, check out our Skills, Practices, and Daily Actions Cheat Sheet.

Here’s how to use it:

Start with the domain you’re most interested in improving (such as “Nutrition” or “Stress”).

Then, get specific about what skill within that domain you’d like to improve (for example, “Eat well intuitively”), plus the practice that most appeals to you within that skill (say, “Eat to satisfied”).

Lastly, choose a daily action from the list of examples under your chosen practice. (For example, “Record hunger and fullness levels at the start and end of meals.”)

Once you choose your action, make it work for you by following step 3, below.

Step #3: Make sure you can take action, even on your worst day.

“I like to challenge a client to set a pathetic goal. If it’s so pathetic, then obviously you can do it, right?” says Kate Solovieva, PN Super Coach and Director of Community Engagement.

Sound inspiring?

Maybe not.

But if you’ve been struggling with consistency, it’s exactly where to start.

Ask yourself:

• What can I do on my absolutely worst day where everything goes wrong? How much time, effort, or enthusiasm will I realistically have?

Five minutes of walking? 10 push-ups? One extra portion of veggies? Three conscious deep breaths before every meal? Nothing is too small; it just has to be something.

Now you’ve got your floor.

Then ask yourself:

• What can I do on my best day, when I feel on top of the world and circumstances are on my side? How much time, effort, or enthusiasm will I realistically have?

One-hour of all-out effort at the gym? Two hours of meal prep that will feed you and your family for the next three days? A 45-minute guided meditation?

This is your ceiling.

Now that you’ve identified your “floor” and your “ceiling,” you’ve defined a flexible range of actions that can adapt to your fluctuating, unpredictable, real life.

But applying this range requires a paradigm shift:

Your health habits aren’t an “on” or “off” switch; they’re on a dial.

When life is sweet and smooth, you can turn your exercise, nutrition, and sleep dials way up—if you want. Bust through your PRs at the gym, eat all the arugula, meditate like a monk.

But if life gets nuts, you don’t have to switch off completely.

Just turn the dial down a little.

The below is a visual representation of how this might work for exercise, but you can apply this same thinking to your nutrition, sleep, stress management, or whatever you’re working on.

The important part: Even if you do your “floor” or “dial level 1” action—even if it’s for days on end—it still “counts.”

You still get the gold star.

Doing the bare minimum isn’t failing.

It’s succeeding, in the context of a real, messy, beautiful life.

Step #4: Create an ecosystem that supports you.

Health and fitness professionals often forget how different their lives are from their clients.

For example, many coaches work at gyms, enjoy being physically active, and hang out with other active people. Exercising regularly is almost easier to do than not do, because, as Coach Kate says, “they’ve built a life that makes that habit seamless.”

So if you want to make your health goals more likely, Coach Kate offers this advice:

“Build an ecosystem that makes failing nearly impossible.”

When they want to make a change, many people assume that good intentions and willpower will be enough to carry them through. (And when they fail, naturally, they blame themselves for being “bad” or “weak.”)

We often forget about the context and environment that shapes our behaviors—making certain actions more likely or less likely to occur.

A recent review from Nature Reviews Psychology ranked different behavior change strategies and found that access was the number one influencer of people’s behaviors. (People who lived in neighborhoods with affordable grocers close by ate better, just like people who had to drive a long distance to the closest gym were less likely to exercise.⁶)

Not everyone can change neighborhoods, but most people have some degree of control over their more immediate environments, and can leverage this power to shape desired behaviors.

One example is the “kitchen makeover,” where you make sure foods you want to eat are washed, prepped, and at the front of the fridge, ready to eat on a whim. Meanwhile, foods that don’t support your goals get tossed, or relegated to the highest cupboard. (When you need a stepladder from the basement to reach the cookies, you might find you eat them less.)

(If you want to try it out, check out our Kitchen Set-up Assessment worksheet.)

Think about the goal you want to achieve, and the behaviors that support it. Then, evaluate how you might make small changes to your environment by:

• Using a trigger: Sometimes called a “cue” or a “prompt,” a trigger is simply a reminder to do a desired action. For example, you might block the door of your home office with a kettlebell, reminding you that, every time you leave or enter the office, you have to do ten kettlebell swings. If you’re trying to cut down on mindless phone time, you can install an app that reminds you to shut things down after 20 minutes on social media.
• Decreasing “friction”: Supermarkets put candy next to the checkout, making it easy to slip that chocolate bar into your cart while you’re standing in line, likely bored and hungry. You can be equally sneaky about encouraging positive behaviors too, such as putting fruit on your counter, ready for a quick snack, or packing your gym bag the night before, so it’s ready to grab on your way out the door before you change your mind.
• Constraining available options: Whether it’s deleting time-sucking apps off your phone, removing foods you know you lose control around from your kitchen, or heck, creating a capsule wardrobe so you waste less time in the morning getting dressed, constraint can actually free up a lot of time, brain power, and energy.

Invest your energy building the ecosystem that nudges you to make desired actions the obvious choice. This requires a little more work on the front end, but the payoff will be greater for less overall work.

Embrace C+ effort.

If you’re a perfectionist, or a former straight-A student, that line hurt to read.

(Don’t worry. This C+ won’t result in your parents telling you that they’re disappointed.)

But what all of the above barriers and solutions have in common, is that they recognize and work with our inherent imperfection.

None of us is perfect, and expecting as much often results in failure (or at best, short bursts of success, followed by a crash).

Adopt an attitude of compassion and acceptance towards your human self—who’s most likely trying their hardest—and work with your vulnerabilities, instead of constantly expecting yourself to grit your teeth against them.

There will be times you’re getting “A’s” in fitness. That’s awesome. And you also don’t need to aim for C+. Just don’t think of yourself as a failure when you have to dial it down.

Living a healthy, meaningful life means constantly striving to do our best—while also allowing for flexibility, mistakes, and bad days (or seasons).

You’ll be surprised at how much better “good enough” is than nothing. Especially in the long run.

jQuery(document).ready(function(){
jQuery(“#references_link”).click(function(){
jQuery(“#references_holder”).show();
jQuery(“#references_link”).parent().hide();
});
});

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

You can help people build sustainable nutrition and lifestyle habits that will significantly improve their physical and mental health—while you make a great living doing what you love. We’ll show you how.

If you’d like to learn more, consider the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification.

The post How to overcome barriers to better health appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Helen Kollias, PhD and Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD

---

At some point in my mid-40s, the scale started climbing.

A pound or two turned into five, then 10, then 20.

It seemed as if I was doing all the right things: Eating less, moving more, rinse, repeat. Yet, the harder I worked, the less the scale seemed to respond.

Had perimenopause destroyed my metabolism?

It sure felt like it.

However, after asking my doctor to run a series of tests, I learned that my metabolism was, in fact, fine. Instead, like the vast majority of midlife women, the true causes of my weight gain stemmed from several subtle issues that I would have sworn, at the time, didn’t apply to me.

If, like me, you or your client are currently stuck in what feels like an eat less, gain more cycle, this article is here to help.

In this story, you’ll discover:

• Several reasons women gain weight at midlife that have nothing to do with a “slower metabolism”
• Why intense exercise and strict diets can backfire after menopause
• 11 crafty ways to get a handle on midlife weight gain

First, what is menopause?

Many women refer to midlife hot flashes and inconsistent menstruation as “being in menopause” or “menopausal.”

However, menopause isn’t a phase as much as a transitional moment that separates menstruation from non-menstruation.

Once you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a period, you’ve reached menopause. For most people, that moment arrives somewhere between ages 46 and 56.

The hot-and-dewy months and years leading up to that 12th missed period are technically known as “perimenopause.” 

Perimenopause means “around menopause.”

Some people refer to this time as the menopause transition. This is when estrogen levels fluctuate. Menstrual cycles lengthen and shorten and, at times, disappear, only to return a few months later. For many people, this marks the beginning of symptoms like hot flashes, sleep issues, vaginal dryness, mood changes, and, yes, creeping weight gain.

(For a thorough overview of the many changes that can happen during this time, read: ‘What’s happening to my body!?’ 6 lifestyle strategies to try after menopause)

How much weight do women gain during menopause?

Many women think of menopause and weight gain the same way many young parents think of two-year-olds and tantrums: Inevitable.

However, not all women gain weight during the menopause transition, explains Helen Kollias, PhD, who is an expert on physiology and molecular biology, and a science advisor at Precision Nutrition and Girls Gone Strong.

On average, in the West, women gain four to six pounds during the three-and-a-half years of perimenopause, or about one to two pounds a year.^{1 2}

That’s double the rate of weight gain in pre-menopausal women, though it’s roughly the same amount men gain at midlife, notes Dr. Kollias.

In other words, the menopause transition may not be solely to blame for those extra pounds on the scale. Aging may play a significant role, as we explore below.

The real reasons the scale climbs

Several factors conspire to add pounds to your frame during the menopause transition.

You’re not sleeping as well.

Maybe this sounds familiar: You wake repeatedly with sweat pooling under your breasts and sheets that are uncomfortably damp (or soaked).

Even if you don’t have night sweats, plenty of other issues might keep you awake.

First, there’s worry—over aging parents, teenagers with car keys, money needed to replace that leaking roof, some strange bodily sensation you’re worried might be cancer, the colonoscopy or mammogram you don’t want to schedule but also don’t not want to schedule, the sex you’re not having, and so many others.

Plus, if you’re like me and you have osteoarthritis in multiple joints, your body hurts. Or your skin might itch. Or your legs are restless. Or you’re bloated.^{3 4 5 6}

My point: Problems that make sleep uncomfortable can multiply with age.

Because of this, I’ll sometimes wake four or more times a night, as the red sections of this readout from my smartwatch show.

These bad nights often set up a vicious cycle:

The following day, I feel as if I’m two inhales away from death. So, I keep myself going with caffeine, which makes the next night just as bad or worse.

Lack of sleep indirectly adds pounds to your frame in several ways:

• When you’re sleep-deprived, it’s harder to cope with negative emotions, which may mean you turn to food for solace.
• In addition, your decision-making gets compromised, so it’s harder to choose an apple when a chocolate chip cookie is also available.
• Plus, sleep deprivation intensify both appetite and cravings (which we’ll discuss more in the next section)

(Want to get a handle on some of the sleep challenges unique to this transition? Check out: How menopause affects sleep, and what you can do about it)

You’re hungry, and not for celery.

True story: When I was in my early 30s, someone once told me about her intense cravings, and I thought, “Cravings? What are those exactly?”

(Don’t hate me.)

Those days now feel foreign to me. Post-menopause, I spend most of my morning wondering how soon I can eat lunch, what I might have for lunch, whether it’s okay to have a snack now, and, if so, what it should be.

After lunch, I go on to spend the afternoon thinking about dinner.

It’s as if my appetite never flips off.

For the longest time, I thought something was wrong with my brain or metabolism.

It didn’t occur to me that the increased hunger, appetite, and cravings likely stemmed from my repeated awakenings each night.

Until I checked out the research.

In one study, people who were sleep-deprived reported higher levels of hunger and a stronger desire to eat. When provided access to snacks, they consumed twice as much fat compared to days when they weren’t sleep-deprived.⁷

In another study, when healthy, young study participants slept four hours a night, they consumed 350 more calories the following day.⁸

You’re moving less.

As humans age, we develop chronic low-grade inflammation and weakened immune function. When combined with the crummy sleep we mentioned earlier, along with other biological changes, this can interfere with the body’s ability to recover from intense exercise.

The result: If you do too many vigorous workouts too close together, you’ll start to feel run down, sore, and unmotivated.^{12 13 14}

Other issues that crop up around midlife can also interfere with movement, like chronic injuries or joint pain.

(A personal example: Due to osteoarthritis in my feet and spine, I switched from running to walking. This is easier on my body, but isn’t as efficient at burning calories.)

Finally, due to those pesky time-sucks known as full-time jobs and caregiving responsibilities, you might not be as active in your 40s and 50s as you were during your 20s. Plus, over the past few decades, multiple inventions (hello, binge-watching) have conspired to keep people on the couch and off our feet.

So, can you blame your hormones for anything?

Other than messing with your sleep which, in turn, messes with your appetite and energy levels, fluctuating estrogen and progesterone likely aren’t behind your extra pounds—at least, not directly.

If they were, menopause hormone therapy would help people stop or reverse weight gain. (It doesn’t.¹⁵⁾

However, shifting hormonal levels are responsible for where those extra pounds appear on your body. As estrogen levels drop, body fat tends to migrate away from the thighs and hips and toward the abdomen, even if you don’t gain weight

Old tactics may stop working after menopause

The “Rocky” weight loss method was my go-to when I was younger.

Whenever I wanted to drop a few pounds, I imagined I was a character in one of those “couch potato gets super fit” movies.

In addition to walking and running, I embraced the sweat-til-you-vomit workout du jour. (Remember Tae Bo?) I also cut out foods, food groups, or entire macronutrients. A couple of times a week, I skipped lunch or dinner.

It worked.

Until, of course, it didn’t.

Now, whenever I push too hard in the gym, I either get injured or feel so unbelievably tired that I must take four days off from all forms of movement. If I try to do anything extreme with my diet, I eventually eat every crunchy or sweet thing I can find, including stale crackers.

For these reasons, after midlife and beyond, the countermeasures for weight gain aren’t strict diets (looking at you, intermittent fasting) or barfy workouts.

Instead, to limit weight gain after menopause, you need to get wise about finding ways to tip calorie balance in your favor without triggering overpowering hunger, cravings, and fatigue.

Regardless of age or stage, fundamental nutrition and fitness strategies still apply—and work.

What changes after menopause is how you tackle these fundamentals.

Experiment your way to better results

The best menopause plan will look different for each person.

That’s why experiments are so important.

Precision Nutrition coaches often use experiments to help clients discover essential clues about what they need (and don’t need) to reach their goals. Based on the results you get from each experiment, you can make tiny tweaks, test them, and decide whether they work for you—until you find something that does work for you.

How to run an experiment

Health experiments are no different from the scientific method you learned about in middle school.

• Choose a question to answer, such as, “Would I feel less munchy at night if I ate a protein-rich snack every afternoon?”
• Run an experiment to test your question. In the above example, you’d track your hunger and cravings before adding the snack—to get a baseline—and then continue to track them for a couple weeks after adding the snack.
• Assess what you learned. Did your ratings of hunger and cravings drop? Remain the same? Go up? What about your actual nighttime food consumption? This information can help you determine your next steps.

Below are 11 experiments worth trying during and after menopause. We’ve separated them into three categories: sleep, hunger, and energy.

(And if those 11 options aren’t enough, we’ve got more ideas here: Three diet experiments that can change your eating habits)

Experiments for improved sleep

Below, you’ll find a mere smidge of the many sleep tweaks you can try and test. For more ideas on potential sleep experiments, check out our 14-day-sleep plan and story about cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia.

Experiment #1: Reset your body’s circadian clock

As you age, your body starts to behave like an old clock that continually runs slow.

Even if you used to be a morning person, you might wake groggy, as if your body doesn’t know it’s morning. Or, your body might tell you “time for bed” at weird times, like the middle of the afternoon. Then, after spending several hours fighting the urge to nod off during work meetings, you find that, when it actually is bedtime, you’re staring at the ceiling in the dark.

This is why it’s helpful to experiment with zeitgebers, which are environmental and behavioral time cues that help to set your body’s internal circadian clock.

These experiments might include the following:

• Get up at the same time every day, regardless of how you slept the night before.
• Spend 10-20 minutes in the sunlight as soon as possible after you wake.
• Take a cold shower at the same time each morning or a hot shower or bath at the same time each evening.
• Get outside frequently during the day, especially whenever you feel sleepy.
• Exercise at the same time daily. Try first thing in the morning or 4 to 6 hours before bed. Bonus points if you do it outdoors.
• Eat meals, especially breakfast, at the same time every day.

Experiment #2: Remove “I’m uncomfortable” from your sleep vocabulary

How you run this experiment will depend on what’s causing discomfort. We’ve listed a few possibilities below.

• If you tend to wake feeling uncomfortably hot: Experiment with cooling technology. This might range from the very affordable, such as turning the thermostat a degree or two cooler or using a fan, to the more expensive, such as cooling electric mattress pads.
• If you wake feeling bloated: If you’re constipated, try some prunes, a small daily serving of beans, a little psyllium fiber, or just extra water to get things moving. Or, you might try consuming a smaller meal or avoiding fatty foods in the evening.
• If an uncomfortable “I need to move” sensation creeps into your legs at night: Talk to your doctor about restless legs syndrome, a condition that tends to worsen with age and/or iron deficiency. A physician may also give you ideas to cope if itchy skin or joint pain is keeping you up.

Experiment #3: Time caffeine strategically

We know we’re almost picking a fight with this suggestion. However, it’s worth investigating, especially if you consume caffeine in the afternoon or evening.

If you’re like most people, it will take your body about five hours to clear half the caffeine from your system. That means about half of your 4 p.m. latte is still energizing your system at 9 p.m.

But here’s the thing: Some people metabolize caffeine much more slowly than others, taking roughly twice as long to clear it from their bloodstream.¹⁶

Interestingly, even if you had no issues with caffeine when you were younger, you might have issues now, as caffeine clearance tends to slow over time.¹⁷

To see if caffeine is a problem, you’ve got a couple of options.

• Try slowly shifting your consumption earlier by 30 to 60 minutes. (If you usually have your last coffee at 4 p.m., cut yourself off at 3 p.m., then 2 p.m., then 1 p.m., then noon.)
• Switch to a lower caffeine source. (Try a bean blend that’s half decaffeinated. Or, you could switch to a lower-caffeine beverage such as green tea or maté.)

(Yet more solutions to common problems: The five top reasons you can’t sleep)

Experiments to reign in hunger

The tactics below likely won’t surprise you. After all, they form the bedrock for solid nutrition and good overall health.

However, before you disregard them with a “been there, done that!” consider: How many of the below are you actually doing consistently?

Experiment #1: Add a protein serving

It may seem counterintuitive to add a serving of food to your meals when you’re trying to eat less.

However, this one tactic may help reign in appetite and hunger.

Protein takes longer to digest than does carbohydrate or fat, so it helps you feel full and satisfied for longer.

In addition, you may find, as I did, that you’re not consuming anywhere near as much protein as you think. (Find out how much you need here: ‘How much protein should I eat?’ Choose the right amount for fat loss, muscle, and health)

Try one or both of the following:

• Consume at least 1 to 2 portions of lean protein at every single meal
• Prioritize snacks that contain protein—hard-boiled eggs, turkey sausage links, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese—instead sweets or chips.

Experiment #2: Choose high-fiber carbohydrates over lower-fiber ones

Fibrous plant foods can help fill you up with fewer calories.

To see the difference, you might monitor how you feel after consuming a near-zero-fiber food, such as your favorite assortment of snack chips. The following day, when it’s time for the same snack or side dish, opt for something with more fiber, such as roasted nuts, a side of beans, a salad, or a piece of fruit. Notice how the fiber-rich option affects your appetite and hunger for the next few hours.

Another experiment worth trying: Include one to two portions of produce with every meal you consume. Track your sensations of hunger to see if they make a dent.

Experiment #3: Log between-meal indulgences

You may be reaching for more snacky foods and beverages than you realize.

These foods don’t need to be 100 percent off-limits; you just want to be intentional about your consumption and portion sizes.

For a couple of weeks, keep track of alcohol, sweets, and treats that you eat between intentional meals and snacks.

Review your notes at the end of each day to see if these more impulsive or less mindful eating episodes align with your memory of what and how much you consumed.

Experiment #4: Move after meals

Increased inflammation coupled with decreased muscle mass, among other factors, leads many people to become more insulin-resistant with age.¹⁸ Cells don’t respond as readily to the hormone, which means more glucose stays in the bloodstream rather than entering cells that can use it for energy.

Through a complex set of mechanisms, this can drive up hunger and overall appetite.

Consuming protein- and fiber-rich meals will help, as we mentioned earlier.

So will movement. Walking for as little as two minutes after meals can help your body process the carbohydrates you consumed, improving blood sugar levels, finds research.^{19 20}

In addition, by removing yourself from your kitchen, you create a habit that helps to psychologically shift you away from “eating” and over to “the kitchen is closed.”

Experiments for more energy

To address midlife brain fog and fatigue, you’ll want to do all you can to encourage good sleep. In addition, see if the below suggestions make a difference.

Experiment #1: Prioritize strength training over intense cardio

This was a hard lesson for me because I love intense cardio.

However, now in my 50s, if I try to fit in two weekly strength training sessions and two weekly spin sessions, I feel drugged—as if someone spiked my coffee with tranquilizers.

When my Precision Nutrition health coach suggested I dial back on the cardio for a couple of weeks, I won’t lie. I thought about firing her.

But then I took her advice and rediscovered what it felt like to be alert.

Don’t get me wrong: I still do cardio. But I’m smart about it. I now know that I can’t do everything, at peak intensity, and expect to feel rested and alert daily. There’s a balance.

Strength training is increasingly important at midlife to protect bone strength and maintain muscle mass. Aim for at least two weekly sessions. Then, fit in cardio around those sessions.

If you feel worn out, experiment with doing low- or moderate-intensity cardio (like brisk walking, slow cycling, or swimming) over higher-intensity cardio (like an hour-long spin class).

Or, if you love higher intensities, keep doing them, but shorten your duration.

Or, just save those vigorous sessions for when you got great sleep the night before.

Experiment #2: Try active recovery

Active recovery can help increase blood circulation and the removal of waste products that may have built up in your muscles during intense exercise sessions.²¹

This can include light activities such as walking, swimming, yoga, or stretching. You can also try massage, foam rolling, or a long, hot bath.

Experiment #3: Consider creatine

Lots of folks think of creatine monohydrate as something people take to get jacked.

However, more and more evidence points to creatine’s benefits for people in midlife and beyond.

The supplement may be especially helpful for muscle recovery.

In research that pooled the data from 23 studies, study participants who took creatine experienced fewer indicators of muscle damage 48 to 90 hours after intense training than participants who didn’t supplement.²²

The supplement may also help you to think clearly, especially after a bad night of sleep, finds other research.²³

Finally, by promoting cellular energy throughout the body (including the brain), creatine may help to blunt fatigue and boost mood.^{24 25}

A daily dose of three to five grams works for most people.

The winning midlife mindset

There’s one final experiment that I want to tell you about.

It has to do with embracing a mindset of acceptance.

Think back to other difficult phases of your life. For me, parenting an infant with colic comes to mind. Gosh, I was so tired back then that I likely would have forked over my entire 401k in exchange for one solid night of sleep.

However, I knew that the stage was temporary. That knowledge helped to keep me going.

Midlife can be similar.

You likely won’t weigh at 55 what you did at 25. That’s okay. However, the night sweats, brain fog, and fatigue are all fleeting. You will eventually establish a new normal.

In the meantime, see if you can accept that your body may look and feel different now. Shift your focus away from trying to look and feel like your younger self and toward consistently embracing new behaviors that will help you age with strength, vitality, and contentment.

After all, you have much more control over your behavior than the number on the scale.

jQuery(document).ready(function(){
jQuery(“#references_link”).click(function(){
jQuery(“#references_holder”).show();
jQuery(“#references_link”).parent().hide();
});
});

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

You can help people build sustainable nutrition and lifestyle habits that will significantly improve their physical and mental health—while you make a great living doing what you love. We’ll show you how.

If you’d like to learn more, consider the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification.

The post Weight gain and menopause: It’s not in your head (but it might not be caused by what you think) appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Denise Asafu-Adjei, M.D., MPH

---

A few years back, PN co-founder John Berardi, PhD, posted a shirtless photo of himself on his 47th birthday.

He called it his “anti-regress pic” and thanked 30 years of squats, deadlifts, presses, and chin-ups—among other exercises—for his chiseled six-pack, pumped chest, and bulging biceps.

The question many commenters posed:

“Are you on testosterone?”

Dr. Berardi explained in a follow-up post that while he wasn’t against testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for people who needed it, he himself was not on this therapy, and his testosterone levels were boringly “normal.” He also offered some thought-provoking ideas about testosterone and aging.Dr. Berardi’s take is the opposite of what you generally hear, especially these days when…

• The mainstream opinion seems to be that declining testosterone is a harbinger of aging, frailty, and impotence—not to mention a threat to masculinity.
• Increasing numbers of middle-aged men are ditching traditional medical checkups for men’s-focused telehealth clinics that specialize in testosterone enhancement.¹
• Reddit communities have popped up solely to obsess over neuroscientist Andrew Huberman’s supplement recommendations for optimizing testosterone.
• Media outlets pump out story after story about “testosterone boosting” foods to eat and “testosterone lowering” foods to avoid.

Whether you’re a coach who fields the “How do I optimize testosterone?” question from clients—or just a regular dude hoping to age well—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused by the conflicting information.

Are declining testosterone levels normal?

Do testosterone-boosting supplement regimens actually work?

Who benefits from testosterone therapy—and who doesn’t?

In this story, we’ll explore those questions and more.

What is testosterone?

Secreted by the testes, testosterone is the sex hormone responsible for male sexual characteristics such as big muscles, deep voices, and hairy chests. It’s a chemical messenger that plays a key role in various processes throughout the body, including sperm production and bone density.

(In women, who also need testosterone to keep various processes humming, testosterone is secreted by the ovaries and adrenal glands. Their bodies just make much less of it; about 10 to 20 times less than men.)

Possibly because of its relationship with muscle growth and sex drive, a lot of cisgender men think of testosterone in binary terms, with lower testosterone being bad and higher testosterone being good.

However, it’s more accurate to think of the relationship between testosterone and health as a continuum that goes from too low (problematic) to too high (also problematic), with the healthy range falling between the two extremes, says Denise Asafu-Adjei, MD, MPH, urologist, men’s health expert, and assistant professor of urology at Loyola University Chicago-Stritch School of Medicine.

As the chart below shows, the dangers of extremely low testosterone are similar to the risks of extremely high amounts (typically only achievable with the use of anabolic steroids).

Problems associated with extremely LOW testosterone	Problems associated with extremely HIGH testosterone
Brittle bones Reduced body and facial hair Loss of muscle mass Low libido (sex drive) Shrunken testicles Erectile dysfunction Low sperm count Gynecomastia (increased breast tissue) Irritability Poor concentration Fatigue Depression	Blood clots Heart damage High blood pressure Shrunken testicles Low sperm count Enlarged prostate Acne Fluid retention Increased appetite Insomnia Headaches Irritability Mood swings Impaired judgment

Low testosterone vs. lower testosterone

Testosterone levels naturally ebb with age, with most men losing about 1 to 2 percent annually starting around age 40. By age 75, most men have 30 percent less of the hormone than they did at age 25.²

(Fun fact: Between ages 25 and 80, men can expect their testicles to shrink 15 percent.³)

However, age-related drops in testosterone are not the same thing as “low testosterone.”

Hypogonadism is the medical term for low testosterone levels, and it affects about 35 percent of men older than 45 and 30 to 50 percent of men who have obesity or type 2 diabetes, according to the Endocrine Society, one of the professional public health organizations that sets hypogonadism treatment guidelines.

Not only can overly low testosterone make you feel fatigued and do a serious number on your sex drive, but it can also harm your bone and cardiovascular health, says Dr. Asafu-Adjei.

“You need testosterone for good bone strength,” says Dr. Asafu-Adjei. “As you get older, you’re already dealing with weaker bones, so having lowered testosterone isn’t going to help.”

Alternatively, bringing levels up to normal seems to offer cardiovascular benefits, she says. (The big caveat here is up to normal—not far above it.)

The importance of referring out

What if you or your client have most of the hallmark symptoms of hypogonadism but still have blood levels of testosterone in the normal range?

“Many men over 30 who feel down or low energy will now automatically blame their testosterone,” says Dr. Asafu-Adjei. “Their symptoms might be related to testosterone, but they also could be related to not sleeping, stress, or some other factor.”

That’s why seeing a healthcare professional specializing in men’s health and testosterone management is so important.

Such a physician can screen you or your client for dozens of other problems (like stress and poor sleep) and conditions (like diabetes, obesity, or sleep apnea) that either mimic the symptoms of hypogonadism or interfere with the production or signaling of testosterone.

In other words, supplemental testosterone is the answer for some men with symptoms of hypogonadism, but not all of them. An extensive workup is required.

“There are overlapping symptoms with low testosterone as well as a lot of nuances around hormone treatment,” says Dr. Asafu-Adjei.

“For example, outside of your total testosterone, we also look at your testosterone-to-estrogen ratio and other related hormones. That’s why it’s so important to go to someone who knows what they’re doing. They’ll take a deeper dive to figure out the root of the problem.”

So, if you specialize in coaching middle-aged and older men, get a urologist or endocrinologist in your referral network.

7 evidence-based ways to optimize testosterone… naturally

On the Internet, if you look for ways to boost testosterone through lifestyle, you’ll quickly become inundated with supplement recommendations and lists of T-boosting and T-harming foods.

However, research-supported ways to optimize testosterone generally center on the fundamental dietary and lifestyle measures you’ve long heard are good for you.

They include the following:

Testosterone optimizer #1: Make sure you’re eating enough.

Your body prioritizes thinking (your brain) and movement (your muscles) above sex (your reproductive organs).

Think about it this way: If there was a famine, the last thing you’d need is another mouth to feed.

So, when you chronically burn more calories than you consume, hormone levels generally drop. (This is true in both men and women.)

“A lot of men in their 20s and 30s come to me about their low testosterone levels and their low testosterone symptoms,” says Dr. Berardi. “These are mostly guys who prioritize exercise. They work out a lot and watch what they eat. In other words, they are men experiencing mid- to long-term negative energy balance.”

Dr. Berardi’s advice is often not what men expect.

If their eating and exercise routines suggest they’re in a chronic negative energy situation, he simply recommends they eat an extra healthy snack or two a day.

“In situations like this, adding a couple hundred extra calories of high-quality protein and carbohydrate often fixes everything,” he says.

Those added calories could come from a couple scoops of whey protein mixed in milk with a nut butter and banana sandwich on the side, he says.

Another favorite snack of Dr. Berardi’s: A bowl of steel-cut oats with protein powder, cacao powder, dates, raw nuts, and nut butter.

Keep in mind: Eating too much (and gaining fat) can also affect testosterone, as we’ll cover soon. Use our FREE nutrition calculator to ensure you’re consuming the right amount of calories and nutrients to support hormone production.

Testosterone optimizer #2: Prioritize sleep.

Testosterone production has its own circadian rhythm: It’s higher in the morning and lower at the end of the day.

As you sleep, levels rise again, peaking during your first segment of rapid eye movement. This may explain why various sleep disorders—including sleep apnea—are associated with testosterone deficiency.⁷

A handful of small studies have looked at what happens to hormone levels when men skimp on sleep.⁸ In one of these studies, participants slept just five hours a night for eight days, resulting in a 10 to 15 percent drop in daytime testosterone levels. ⁹

The right amount of sleep varies from one person to another. However, if you routinely get fewer than seven hours and wake feeling exhausted, it’s a good bet you’re not getting enough. If you wake unrefreshed or struggle to sleep soundly, our 14-day sleep plan can help.

Testosterone optimizer #3: Maintain healthy body fat levels.

Body fat secretes aromatase, an enzyme that can convert some testosterone into estrogen.

According to some research, men categorized as overweight or obese tend to have slightly higher levels of estrogen, as well as the stress hormone cortisol. ^{10 11}

More research is needed to know whether these slightly higher estrogen levels are enough to contribute to hypogonadism.

In the meantime, however, a healthy body composition is vital for overall good health and may also help to optimize testosterone.

Keep in mind, as we said above, that too little body fat can also negatively affect testosterone levels. To ensure your body fat levels are in the optimal zone, use our FREE body fat calculator.

Testosterone optimizer #4: Get moving.

Regular exercise is associated with elevations in testosterone. It can also help you sleep more restfully and keep body fat in check.

Resistance training offers more of a testosterone boost than endurance exercise. (Two to three sessions a week is a great benchmark.)

However, endurance exercise can also help, providing you exercise at the right intensity, finds research. (That’s 30 minutes of rigorous activity, four to five times a week.¹²)

Overtraining without enough recovery can lead to the opposite effect though, potentially causing gains to plateau and suppressing testosterone.¹³

(See our FREE exercise library for 400+ expert how-to videos and a 14-day at-home workout program.)

Testosterone optimizer #5: Consume a well-rounded, healthy diet.

In addition to helping you avoid nutrient deficiencies that can drive down testosterone levels, a healthy diet protects your blood vessels.

That’s crucial for getting erections.

A study of 21,469 men found that those who consumed foods consistent with the Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of developing erectile dysfunction over ten years compared to men who didn’t follow the diet.¹⁴

“Mediterranean diets are also known to promote heart health,” says Dr. Asafu-Adjei.

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, and healthy fats from foods like olive oil, eggs, and fatty fish. It de-emphasizes red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, and sodium.

However, eating patterns that center on minimally processed whole foods likely offer the same benefits.

Many fruits, veggies, and other minimally processed whole foods are rich sources of flavonoids, a plant chemical that helps to improve blood flow and testosterone production.

(This visual eating guide can help you choose the best foods for your body.)

Testosterone optimizer #6: Avoid chronic emotional stress.

When you’re under stress, your body produces cortisol and other hormones that prepare you to fight, flee, or freeze. As these stress hormones flood your body, they suppress the production of reproductive hormones like testosterone.¹⁵

This high-cortisol, low-testosterone phenomenon is a likely consequence of millions of years of evolution.

Early humans who were more interested in mating than fleeing from sharp-clawed wild animals didn’t usually live long enough to pass their genes to the next generation.

However, not all short-term stressors dampen testosterone. Some can raise it temporarily, including exam stress or exercise.¹⁶

So, aim for the stress sweet spot where you feel energized and engaged with life but not so busy and harried that you have no time to relax, sleep, or enjoy life.

(Learn more: How to tell the difference between good stress and bad stress.)

Testosterone optimizer #7: Prevent zinc deficiency.

As a certified health coach, it’s out of your scope of practice to recommend supplements to treat a condition like hypogonadism.

In addition, the boost someone might get from a supplement pales in comparison to the six pieces of advice above, or to testosterone therapy.

With that important caveat out of the way…

There is a correlation between low zinc intake and low testosterone levels.^{17 18}

However, to benefit from supplementation, someone must truly be deficient in the mineral. Simply topping off someone’s already adequate zinc stores likely won’t lead to a testosterone boost, and may even cause harm.

Checking for and treating a mineral deficiency requires the expertise of someone trained in medical nutrition therapy. If you lack this training, encourage clients with low testosterone to talk to their healthcare professionals about whether a zinc supplement might help.

Use the Deep Health lens

Let’s circle back to Dr. Berardi’s hypothesis, first mentioned at the beginning of this story:

Some evolutionary biologists have indeed theorized that men evolved to have higher testosterone levels when they’re younger (to encourage mating) and lower levels when they’re older (to encourage parenting).¹⁹

However, this is more of a theory than a certainty.

What we can say with certainty is this: There’s no one-size-fits-all protocol for healthy testosterone levels.

When testosterone drops after middle age, some men feel lousy.

Even when they do everything right in the lifestyle department—exercising, eating a healthy diet, sleeping enough, and so on—they’re unable to raise testosterone into the normal range. For these men, a healthcare professional, thorough evaluation, and, if warranted, testosterone therapy can be life-changing.

At the same time, plenty of other men continue to thrive well into (and past!) middle age.

Sure, they may be unable to pack on muscle like they used to. But, if they’re paying attention, suggests Dr. Berardi, they might notice other pluses. Maybe they’re more patient, nurturing, and empathetic, for example.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’d be very unhappy with an inappropriate or clinically significant lowering of my hormone levels,” says Dr. Berardi. “However, if I can stay in the normal range and symptom-free with good lifestyle practices, I don’t think I have too much to worry about.”

Dr. Berardi recently turned 50.

“I’m at this stage where I see an interesting fork in the road,” he said.

“Will I gracefully accept aging and see this as a new season—or will I fight against it? I could color my hair, do hair transplants, top up my T levels, and get Botox injections. Or I could accept that there will be some eventual decline and ask, ‘What am I getting in return?’”

jQuery(document).ready(function(){
jQuery(“#references_link”).click(function(){
jQuery(“#references_holder”).show();
jQuery(“#references_link”).parent().hide();
});
});

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

You can help people build sustainable nutrition and lifestyle habits that will significantly improve their physical and mental health—while you make a great living doing what you love. We’ll show you how.

If you’d like to learn more, consider the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification.

The post The REAL way to optimize testosterone appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

I was 13 when I went on my first diet.

I had been struggling with my weight for about six years, and my obsession with how I looked was starting to dominate my life.

I only had two to three shirts that I felt comfortable in. The only thing that mattered was that they didn’t make me “feel fat.” Even those chosen shirts were always under my West 49 sweater, for extra coverage.

The cherry on top of this presentation was my slouched shoulders—a defense mechanism to protect against exposing my “man boobs,” the body part that had dynastic reign for being my biggest insecurity.

The way I viewed my body governed my self-worth.

I felt that my body held me back from enjoying countless moments of my life, and by the ripe age of 13, I decided I was sick of it.

I figured the only way I could change this purgatory was by changing my body.

I started exercising three to four times a day. For my first two meals a day, I drank a sludge of water mixed with “weight loss smoothie powder” (really just a glorified protein shake). Whenever I “cheated,” I punished myself the next day by eating even less or exercising even more.

In about 5 months, I lost 60 lbs. One third of my body weight to be exact.

This was how I spent the summer transitioning from elementary school to high school. Counting calories over making memories.

To no surprise, this was met with endless praise. And it felt good. Scratch that, it felt incredible.

I had experienced both sides now: One where I felt valueless because I was in a fatter body, and one where I felt accepted and prized because I was in a thinner body.

In another version of this story, I might’ve learned something from my newly widened perspective: I might’ve gained empathy, seeing the unfair stigma projected at people in larger bodies. I might’ve gained bravery, advocating for more body acceptance, regardless of someone’s size.

But instead, I participated in the problem.

I built up the identity of being a “former fat person” who is proof that “anybody can lose weight.”

However, as this script typically goes, over the next few years, I gained a lot of the weight back.

This sent me into a depression. I felt like I had lost my value; like I had won the lottery and blew through my fortune.

That was the pattern I repeated for almost 15 years.

Until I stumbled on something called “body neutrality.”

For me, adopting a more body-neutral approach created a paradigm shift—it offered a way to uncouple my appearance with my happiness. It also caused me to ask some deep questions about my body, and the kind of life I wanted.

Questions like:

“Do I want my self worth to be defined by my external appearance?”

“Do I want to continue this cycle—and potentially pass it on to any future kids I might have?”

“What would my life look like if I fought to value myself for who I am as opposed to what I look like?”

My answers weren’t immediately clear. But body neutrality created an opportunity to step off the hamster wheel of chasing aesthetic goals—and finally, truly reflect.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the process of adopting a more body neutral approach to your own self image and self-care.

You’ll learn:

• What body neutrality is
• How to think about your body and your health—in a way that isn’t dependent on appearance
• Five actionable, body neutral strategies you can apply today—if you want to stop letting your weight, size, or shape dictate your happiness

Let’s begin.

What is body neutrality?

Body neutrality is a mindset that encourages you to value how your body functions and feels over how it looks. This perspective helps you develop self-acceptance, while still working to care for yourself in ways that promote overall health.

In practice, this looks like:

You exercise and eat nutritiously—not because it makes you look a certain way—but because it makes you feel good.

You still have treats (because life is too short to be deprived of pizza!) but you don’t eat them to excess because they don’t make you feel the best, physically.

You wear clothes and celebrate your appearance in ways that feel authentic, but how you “display” yourself isn’t the foundation of your self-worth.

You don’t always love all aspects of your body, but you don’t let that stop you from enjoying your life; Improving your appearance doesn’t “earn” you the right to be happy.

You might still care about how you look, but you broaden your self-concept so it also includes your values and your inherent worthiness as a human.

I value seeing friends and family. I value playing rec sports. I value new experiences.

When I’ve been heavier, I’ve neglected these things in favor of isolating myself.

“I’ll do them again when I lose weight” is something I’ve uttered to myself more times than I can count.

Body neutrality helped me realize I still deserved these things—no matter how I looked.

Everyone can benefit from body neutrality.

Body neutrality isn’t just for people in larger, or otherwise marginalized bodies.

It’s also useful for people with “ideal bodies,” who’ve been the recipients of validation and privilege because of the way they look.

“I’ve worked with clients who are fairly satisfied with their appearance, but they still struggle with their body image because their self-worth relies on it,” says Shannon Beer, registered nutritionist and body image coach.

People with idealized bodies sometimes aren’t living the life they want either, because they have to exhaust their energy to maintain an image of “perfection.”

(If you want to know what kind of sacrifices it takes to meet those “ideal” standards, check out: The cost of getting lean: Is it really worth the trade-off?)

“The ‘meh’ is the magic.”

That’s a quote from Jessi Kneeland, body neutrality coach and author of Body Neutral: A Revolutionary Guide to Overcoming Body Image Issues, when they sat down with some PN coaches to talk about body-neutrality.

(Want to listen in on the whole conversation? Watch it here: PN Coaches discuss body neutrality and negative self-talk)

The goal with body neutrality isn’t to love your body and all of its parts all of the time. Nor is it to be so toxically positive that you ignore real—and sometimes negative—feelings about your body.

That just isn’t realistic for most people.

Instead, an underrated goal is to feel sort of… meh.

You’re not overly glorifying or criticizing your body; its appearance just doesn’t hold that much importance.

In practice, you may love certain parts about your body—but also feel ambivalent or mildly negative about other parts.

For example, you may see your stomach and feel ashamed because you don’t like what you see.

This feeling is uncomfortable, but it’s not “right” or “wrong.” You just don’t want that feeling to dictate your behavior. (Such as seeing your stomach and then saying, “Alright, I’m not going out tonight,” or, “Diet starts tomorrow!”)

To give you a personal example:

As a dude living in North America, I feel pretty ‘meh’ about being 5’9” tall.

Would I love to be 6’2”?

Sure.

But I’m not 6’2”—and I can’t change that. My height won’t ruin my day and I surely won’t be depriving myself from the things I enjoy most in this life because of it.

5 things you can do today to be more body neutral

Congratulations: Just setting the intention to step away from an appearance-centric approach to health and fitness is a great start.

But, ultimately, it’s only action that creates deep, lasting change.

So, here are five tangible strategies you can work on immediately to develop a more body neutral approach.

Strategy #1: Do the things you love today.

Stop waiting to achieve the “ideal” body in order to be able to enjoy your life, and start doing more of what you love now.

Start with something easy that you tend to stop yourself from doing when you feel insecure about your appearance.

When I was in my worst spots, I stayed inside too much—even though I love being outside. It might sound silly but even reading outdoors in nice weather was helpful for me.

The point is: It can be that small.

Find one thing you’ve deprived yourself of in the past and do it—even if it’s a small dose, regardless of how you feel. Re-teach yourself that you don’t need a certain body shape or size to allow joy into your life.

(If you want more ideas on how to stop thinking you’re simply [insert thing you think you need] away from being happy, check out: “I’ll be happier when I lose weight” is a recipe for regret. Here’s the counterintuitive solution)

Strategy #2: Set body-neutral goals.

This is a gamechanger in my coaching experience. I’ve seen clients transform their relationship with exercise when they focus more on what they can do as opposed to how they look. “I feel so much better but I haven’t lost any weight,” is a sentence I’ve heard repeatedly.

When you’re overly appearance-centered or focused on weight, you risk missing other indicators of progress—like how good you feel.

If your fitness goals tend to be aesthetic-centric, try setting a goal that has nothing to do with how you look.

This can look like:

Setting strength and performance goals in fitness (such as beating a deadlift PR, or a sprint time)

Practicing slow, mindful eating at more meals (if you usually inhale your meals in seven minutes tops, see if you can make a meal last 20 minutes, chewing your food well and savoring each bite)

Working to develop a new a skill in the gym (like your first pull-up, or a cool Olympic lift, like a clean and jerk)

None of these depend on your appearance; They’re all focused on what you can do. (And chances are, you’ll feel more empowered than ever when you start achieving them.)

Strategy #3: Curate your environment.

Take control of the parts of your environment that feed the body-image obsessed wolf. Starve that beast wherever you can.

Here are some ideas:

Unfollow social media accounts that prey on insecurity or promote unrealistic ideals. Follow more that are body-neutral, or inspire other aspects of your personality (like comedy, or crafting).

See what it’s like to reduce your exposure to your own appearance. This can look like having fewer mirrors (or covering some up for a period of time), or turning off the self-view on Zoom.

Consider ditching the scale. Most people struggle to stay “neutral” about whatever number that shows up.

Set boundaries around body talk. Some environments are rife with commentary about body hang ups or goals. If someone begins talking about their new weight loss diet or “disgusting gut,” try changing the topic, or just exit the conversation. Eventually, people will realize you’re not the right audience.

Strategy #4: Find your people.

Body neutrality won’t be the most common approach you’ll run into in the fitness world.

But, intentionally seeking out and surrounding yourself with more body neutral folks can keep you from constantly getting sucked back into an appearance-centric mindset.

There are body neutral, body positive, or HAES (health at every size) community groups all over social media and the internet, and this can be parlayed into finding local groups near you too.

Seeking out these spaces will only provide more support—and positive momentum—as you pursue a more body neutral approach.

Strategy #5: Strive for improvement, not perfection.

You don’t need to be a body-neutral icon or master. The expectation is not that you 100 percent divest from focusing on your appearance.

Body neutrality exists on a continuum.

Assess where you are right now in terms of how appearance-centric you are when it comes to health and fitness. If all your eggs are in the “aesthetics basket,” then even taking one metaphorical egg out (and say, putting it in the “gardening” basket) is progress.

Use the list of suggestions above to set some small goals, and just begin where you can.

You might always care about your appearance (maybe even more than average), but if it’s progress from where you started, you’re winning.

What life on “the other side” looks like

Even after sharing all of this, I won’t sit here and lie to you by saying I’m pure-bred body-neutral, all the time.

But I like to think I’ve grown a lot since my days of hiding out inside during “fat days.”

I’m better at doing the things I love, even when I don’t feel confident in my body.

I’m better at wearing comfortable clothing when I don’t feel good about my body— instead of cramming myself into something that’s too tight and suffering all day.

And, I’ve expanded the way I see fitness for myself and my clients, focusing more on feel and function, rather than achieving a certain look.

For me, this is progress.

Yours might look different.

Be kind to yourself, and acknowledge that you might be working through decades of programming. Body neutrality sure isn’t a quick fix, but the lasting freedom, joy, and genuine sense of self-worth it offers is worth it.

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

You can help people build sustainable nutrition and lifestyle habits that will significantly improve their physical and mental health—while you make a great living doing what you love. We’ll show you how.

If you’d like to learn more, consider the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification.

The post Too focused on how you look? Body neutrality might be your key to body image freedom appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Everyone needs a team.

As a health coach, you can become an expert in multiple areas: nutrition, behavior change psychology, fitness and athletic performance, stress management and recovery, and more.

However, no matter how many certifications you earn, you’ll invariably encounter clients with progress-blocking problems you don’t have the skills, training, expertise, or legal right to solve.

Here’s the thing…

You may not be an expert at fixing marriages, treating GERD, or counseling someone with an eating disorder, but someone else is.

Here’s where a healthy referral network comes in.

By connecting your client with such a person, you get to stay within your scope of practice, give welcome business to respected colleagues, and help your client solve their problem.

(Total. Supercoach. Move.)

All of our certification programs include sections devoted to teaching coaches how to build robust referral networks of professionals skilled at solving common client problems.

In this article, we’ll discuss how to do that—by exploring the top mistakes we see coaches make. Avoid them, and you’ll be able to refer out with confidence.

First, what’s a referral network?

A referral network is a list of supplementary professionals, businesses, and resources that benefit clients.

Your network might include local or virtual:

• Medical doctors, psychologists, registered dietitians, and other professionals with the training and credentials to help clients with problems outside of your scope of practice. (For an in-depth refresher, see our Scope of Practice worksheet.)
• Fellow health coaches and personal trainers with deep knowledge in an area outside your experience. (For example, maybe a client is interested in learning yoga, but you haven’t the faintest idea of how to salute the sun.)
• Workshops, fitness groups, webinars, food services, and other resources that support clients during their behavior change journey.

To confidently refer clients to skilled practitioners with excellent reputations, you’ll want to do some legwork. That brings us to the top mistakes to avoid.

Mistake #1: You build your network before launching your business.

For recently certified health coaches, the task “create a referral network” can double as a procrastination tool, says PN’s Director of Community Engagement Kate Solovieva.

Rather than take on clients, these coaches search for an increasing number of professionals, valiantly trying to be prepared for every potential referral situation. Yet, as much as they continue to work on it, their list is never “complete.”

That’s because…

“We can’t be prepared for everything,” says Solovieva.

The solution

Take on clients as soon as you’re certified.

Yes! That might sound scary, but the best way to figure out your “gaps” is to begin your practice, and see where your clients actually need help beyond what you can offer.

Add folks to your referral network over time as you:

• Connect with professionals on LinkedIn and other virtual networking sites
• Lean into peer networks (such as the Precision Nutrition Facebook communities)
• Mingle with members of your local Chamber of Commerce
• Chat with family, friends, and clients about professionals and resources they love
• Attend health conventions and other local events where a variety of health professionals tend to congregate
• Search for (and try out!) providers based on your own health needs

Mistake #2: You assume your referral list will cover all client needs.

As we mentioned above, you’ll never be able to anticipate every referral or client question ahead of time—and that’s okay.

This is especially true if you coach virtually with clients worldwide.

(You might know three fantastic massage therapists where you live in Toronto, Canada, but that knowledge won’t help if your client is based in Wellington, New Zealand.)

Similarly, some professionals or resources might work for some clients, but not others.

(You might, for example, know of several meal delivery options, yet none are suitable for that plant-based client who’s on a strict gluten-free diet.)

The solution

Learn how to help clients find the professionals and resources they need.

You might:

• Ask clients to describe their preferences. (Do they prefer working with a specific gender? Do they want to meet in person or online? Do they like the eagerness and creativity of a newer professional, or the “I’ve seen it all” sageness of a more seasoned pro?)
• Devote a coaching session to searching online for potential professionals and services together.
• Encourage clients to contact three practitioners, ask questions, and use what they learn to pick a winner.

Mistake #3: You let social awkwardness derail networking opportunities.

Reaching out to a stranger requires some bravery. You have to put yourself out there, explain who you are and what your motives are, and risk being ignored or turned down.

This is where many coaches get stuck, says Toni Bauer, PN’s Director of Coaching and Education Operations.

As a result, many coaches may put off the conversation.

The solution

Turn networking into a challenge. Coach Solovieva calls it “Operation 100.”

• Set a goal to contact 100 professionals over 12 months.
• Work toward your goal every week for about 20 minutes.
• Follow up with each non-responder once or twice.
• Instead of expecting a “yes” from every person you approach, understand that only about 10 percent of people will get back to you.

To ease yourself into the challenge, draft your elevator pitch, suggests Bauer.

Don’t overthink this. Your pitch doesn’t have to be a multi-page persuasive essay. Nor does it have to contain magical talking points. Just be yourself.

Mistake #4: You use dated persuasion tactics.

If you use LinkedIn, then you’ve likely been on the receiving end of old-school cold sales tactics. We’re talking direct messages from strangers who clearly haven’t read anything on your profile and know nothing about you.

These spammy messages are as welcome as a stranger who sidles up to you at a bar and says, “So, wanna come back to my place?”

We’re not here to discourage you from using cold outreach. It has a place. However, to increase your response rate, we’d like to introduce you to a rarely used technique.

The solution

Get to know people before making an online ask, suggests Coach Solovieva.

Follow them, read their content, download and consume their free resources, comment on their posts, congratulate them on career wins, and become a part of their online life.

Do that, and people will remember you. More of them will respond to your messages, too. Plus, the intel you gather by forming a relationship will help you avoid…

Mistake #5: You don’t personally vet referrals.

How do you ensure you refer clients to compassionate professionals who truly know what they’re doing?

It involves more than checking someone’s website or social media profile.

If you only look at someone’s website or social media posts, “You’re just vetting their confidence and copywriting skills,” says Solovieva. “If we’re fortunate, confidence and copywriting go hand in hand with ability, but not always.”

The solution

Try out their services. Take someone’s yoga or Zumba class. Book a massage. Ask a medical professional to look at your creaky knee.

That way, you can see the professional in action.

If you’re thinking, ‘I don’t need some of the services my clients need!’ you’ve got a couple of options:

• Offer to pay a professional to meet with you for 30 to 60 minutes so you can ask some questions, get a sense of their treatment philosophy, and chat about referring clients to them.
• Interact with people in local social networking communities like NextDoor.com. Ask group members if they’ve seen a practitioner and, if so, whether they’d recommend the person.

Mistake #6: You sell clients too hard on your referrals.

When you recommend a professional you’ve personally vetted, it’s natural to want your client to take action.

However, despite your hard work, some clients just won’t make an appointment with the professional in question—and that’s okay.

“Let your clients be adults,” says Coach Bauer.

Clients have their reasons. Maybe their insurance won’t cover the service in question. Or, maybe they decided to see someone else.

“It’s not your responsibility for the relationships to be perfect or to flourish,“ says Bauer.

A cycle of support

Some coaches fear referrals because they see them as “giving business away.”

In reality, however, when you refer clients to solid pros, your clients simply feel like you have their back. (Which means they’ll be more likely to refer friends and family to you.)

Plus, when you send business towards another respected colleague, it also puts you on their radar for a cross-referral.

It’s good for your clients, good for business, and good for your community of health pros at large.

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

You can help people build sustainable nutrition and lifestyle habits that will significantly improve their physical and mental health—while you make a great living doing what you love. We’ll show you how.

If you’d like to learn more, consider the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification.

The post How to build a referral network with confidence appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

There’s been a growing shift in the fitness, health, and wellness industry.

The promise of “immediate results” will probably never lose its sparkle.

But, as a good portion of our population (hi, Boomers!) moves into their “silver” years, conversations around optimizing lifespan (how long you live) and healthspan (how long you live with a high quality of life) are also on the rise.

People are more interested than ever in longevity, which, these days, means the combination of a long lifespan and a long healthspan. (Historically, longevity and lifespan were synonymous.)

Trending too is the concept of biological age—essentially, how “old” your cells are, determined by their health and functioning. (Compare this to chronological age, which just refers to how many years you’ve been on this planet.)

Increasingly, people want to improve their overall health—for the long haul.

Of course, the wellness market is responding to this trend with supplements, ultra-specific diet plans, I.V. therapy, cold plunges, and other fringe modalities that promise to reduce or slow biological aging.

While some of these therapies are questionable, the movement that inspired them is great; For many of us in the health and fitness industry, the shift toward holistic health and long-term wellbeing is a welcome one.

At PN, we’ve held and promoted this expanded view of health for a while now.

We call it Deep Health

Deep Health is a “whole-person, whole-life” phenomenon that involves thriving in all dimensions of the human experience.

This framework of health includes six interdependent dimensions that influence and interact with each other.

These six dimensions are:

Physical health

The one we all know best, and what people have historically thought of when thinking about health.

This is how your body feels, functions, and performs.

We measure physical health with blood work—such as your cholesterol and hormone levels and your blood pressure—as well as performance metrics like V02 max and demonstrations of strength, and subjective measures like energy and pain levels.

Emotional health

This is about feeling a full range of emotions, but having more positive than negative feelings.

You can recognize, regulate, and appropriately express your emotions directly, maturely, and honestly. You have the resilience to recover from strong emotions, and calm yourself when you become stressed, anxious, or upset.

Environmental health

This is about being and feeling safe and secure, as well as being and feeling supported by your everyday surroundings.

You have access to resources (health care, healthy food, clean air and water, nature) that support your goals and wellbeing.

Mental or cognitive health

This is related to how well you think, learn, remember, and creatively problem-solve.

Your mind is sharp, and you’re able to be your most productive and do your best thinking.

This dimension also includes your mindset, capacity for insight, and your perspective and outlook on the world.

Existential or purposeful health

Some might think of this as spiritual or soul health.

You have a deeper “why” or purpose for your life; you feel part of a “bigger picture.”

You have a strong sense of yourself and your intrinsic self-worth. You work to fulfill your purpose by choosing behaviors that align with your identity and values.

Social or relational health

This is about connecting and interacting well with others.

You develop and maintain authentic, fulfilling relationships. You have a sense of belonging, and you feel respected, “seen,” valued, and supported by others.

If you have Deep Health, it’s almost a guarantee…

You’re experiencing a life well-lived. A vibrant, thriving life that’s healthy in every sense of the word.

Not surprisingly, such a life is also statistically more likely to last longer, with more of those years being enjoyable.

(For more on Deep Health, plus how you can use the concept to transform your own—or your clients’—health, read: The “Deep Health” coaching secret)

High-impact habits to boost Deep Health (and by extension healthspan, longevity, and biological age)

While there are many things that can impact healthspan, longevity, and biological age, the following will give you the best return on investment.

These aren’t always the “sexiest” actions, nor are they likely to sound “cutting edge” (partly because they’ve been tested by time and robustly proven by decades of research).

But—if you’re looking to maximize Deep Health for as long as possible—they’re the things worth spending your time on.

The most important thing is being active.

If there’s a “magical panacea” out there, it’s exercise.

Before you start beating yourself up for not being “a gym person”…

…Any activity helps…

…At any dose.

Whether you clean your yard, vacuum, play games with your pets or kids, or just do a little walking, tell yourself, “I’m doing great!”

Because you are. These activities make a positive, measurable difference.

If you want to level up, get in a mix of aerobic or cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and stability work (like yoga, tai chi, or balance-challenging exercises).

Again, these can be in whatever amounts you can, in ways you enjoy.

For quintuple stars, aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic exercise (or 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise), plus two or more strength and stability training sessions per week. (If you do these activities with friends—bonus!—now you’re boosting social health too.)

In general, the more activity the better. (So long as you enjoy it—and your body is recovering adequately.)

A thoughtful diet—and a mindful approach to other substances—is big, too.

Rather than focus on food you “shouldn’t be eating,” center your attention on the abundance of foods that serve your health and wellbeing.

We’re talking:

• Lean proteins (which can come from animals and/or plants, like fish, chicken, tofu, eggs, tempeh, Greek yogurt)
• A rainbow of fruits and vegetables (fact: different colors provide different nutrients and benefits, so aim to eat all of the colors regularly)
• Minimally-processed carbohydrates (whole grains, beans and lentils, starchy tubers like potatoes and sweet potatoes, and winter squash)
• Healthy fats (from nuts, seeds, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, nut butters, and a little dark chocolate)

For help choosing higher-quality versions and a wide variety of the above categories, check out one of our most popular infographics: ‘What should I eat?!’ Our 3-step guide for choosing the best foods for your body

To stay hydrated, drink plenty of water. For variety, emphasize mostly zero-calorie drinks like unsweetened tea and coffee. (If you’re confused about how much fluid to drink every day, you’ll love the “pee chart” in this article: ‘How much water should I drink?’)

Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco, and if you drink alcohol, do so lightly to moderately.

And of course, getting quality sleep and regulating stress makes everything better.

Get enough quality sleep by prioritizing and protecting the time you rest.

Make your sleeping area as comfortable, quiet, and dark as possible. Figure out when you need to get to bed to get seven to eight hours of sleep, and ideally, start winding down with a relaxing bedtime ritual about half an hour to an hour before that time.

(Want to learn more about why sleep is so important—and how to get more of it? Check out our infographic: The power of sleep)

To build your emotional resilience and stress tolerance, incorporate soothing, self-regulating activities daily.

These activities are somewhat subjective (some people find it relaxing to sit and meditate, while others find it to be an opportunity for restless anxiety to boil over). However, “crowd favorites” include: breathing exercises, time in nature, various forms of self-expression (journaling, art, movement), or just a good soak in the tub.

One of the most important mindsets to adopt to help your mental and emotional health—although it can benefit all areas of life—is a growth mindset.

People with a growth mindset tend to view challenges and adversity as opportunities to grow, evolve, and learn. And turns out, this kind of perspective isn’t just good for your mental and emotional health, it boosts longevity, too.

Research shows that, compared to less optimistic individuals, those with a more positive attitude and a growth mindset about aging had a 43 percent lower risk of dying from any cause, and lived about 7.5 years longer.^{1 2}

Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of finding your people—and a purpose.

Seeking and nurturing positive, supportive relationships is one of the best things you can do for your health.

And not just for your social health. Research shows that people who are satisfied with their relationships have better emotional health,³ cognitive health,⁴ and even physical health.⁵

In fact, one of the longest studies on human health—the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which tracked participants for nearly 80 years—showed that feeling happy and satisfied in one’s relationships was one of the best predictors of overall health, happiness, and longevity.⁶

(Feel like your social health could use a boost? We’ve got three strategies to improve connection in your life, right here: Is social health the secret to total-body health?)

Having a strong sense of purpose bolsters our health and longevity too.^{7 8}

Interestingly, a sense of purpose seems to help people live longer, even when controlling for other markers of psychological well-being. So there’s something uniquely beneficial about having a strong purpose that’s different from, say, being happy.

A purpose can take time to uncover, but you can facilitate that discovery by devoting regular time to the “big questions” in life:

• Who are you, really?
• What do you want your life to be about?
• How do you want to live?
• More practically: What gets you out of bed in the morning? (Is it your family, or showing up for your clients? Or something else?)

But Deep Health isn’t just something you want to achieve—it also serves as a framework to help you make choices.

When you understand how Deep Health works, it can also help you answer the often vague and perplexing question, “How can I feel better?”

Knowing about your own Deep Health can tell you which area of your life to prioritize right now that will make the biggest impact on your overall health.

How to use Deep Health to help you prioritize next actions.

Start by assessing your current Deep Health to get a baseline status. Click on the image below to access your own free assessment.

Depending on what’s going on in your life right now, you might get a Deep Health score that looks like this:

Or like this:

Or this:

Whatever your results (and no judgment on the numbers), the distribution of your score can tell you:

• Where you’re currently thriving
• Where you have the largest opportunities for growth and improvement
• Where you might be able to make some easy improvements
• Which dimensions, if you improve them, might best help you reach (and sustain) your goals

Your personalized assessment will make some suggestions. (The below is a sample screenshot.)

But of course, it’s entirely up to you where you decide to focus, and what actions you choose to take next—if any.

Let’s walk through an example

Let’s say you’ve recently become interested in optimizing health and longevity.

You’ve been listening to podcasts, you’ve read the articles about people “reversing” their biological age, and you feel fired up about it.

You haven’t felt so passionate or inspired about your health in a long time, and you’re excited to try some of the strategies recommended in those podcasts and articles. (You want to be 27 again! At least, your cells do.)

At the beginning of this journey, let’s imagine your Deep Health looks like this:

Kind of “so-so” all around. Definitely, there’s room for improvement.

Of course, in reality, there’s infinite pathways you could take. But let’s imagine two scenarios…

Scenario A: Biohack like a beast

After seeing your Deep Health score, you decide to simply tackle everything at once:

• You subscribe to a longevity-boosting supplement program, that has you taking about 20 different tablets and powdered elixirs per day.
• You start practicing 16:8 fasting (in each 24-hour cycle, you fast for 16 hours, and eat within an 8 hour window), eating only two meals per day.
• You start eating fully plant-based, getting in tons of veggies, fruits, and legumes, and start tracking your macros meticulously.
• You incorporate four 45-minute zone 2 cardio workouts a week (you heard that’s the amount needed to see significant benefit to your mitochondria).
• You also add two 60-minute resistance training sessions a week.
• You start taking cold plunges at the gym multiple times per week, and are even considering buying a cold plunge tank for your home.

For two weeks, you feel on top of the world.

Then, not so much. (You’ve actually grown to hate that green sludgy stuff you drink every morning.)

You continue to show up anyway with a gritty determination, and for months, follow your protocol as best as you can.

You forego social events, finding yourself grouchy and irritable. (When everyone else is munching on buttery canapés, you’re counting down the hours until your next feeding window.)

Every day feels like a Sisyphean effort, and you begin to wonder what the point of all of it is. You can’t imagine doing this for the rest of your life, which you’re (now ironically) trying to extend.

Eventually, all this white-knuckling in pursuit of optimal health starts to take a toll. On you, your marriage, your social life, and your mental and emotional wellbeing. And you want to know if all of this effort and suffering are worth it.

After several grueling months, you gather some data.

Your blood work looks awesome. You’re definitely leaner. And your biological age test tells you your rate of aging has slowed and your cells have gotten younger.

You’re… winning?

You decide to reassess your Deep Health, and it looks like this:

Your physical health has gone way up, but your emotional, social, mental, and existential health have all gone down. Overall, your Deep Health is somehow worse! (Argh!)

It becomes clear to you: While your “do all the things” protocol might help you live longer—it’s definitely not helping you live better.

Scenario B: Dig deep for Deep Health

In this scenario, you take a different approach.

Seeing your Deep Health starting point, you consider that list of “high impact habits” above.

You’re not sure which one to start with though, so you take some time to think about why you’re really interested in this whole longevity thing.

What’s your deeper purpose for wanting to live a longer, healthier life?

You think about your family, and tears come to your eyes when you conjure up the thought of your children having children, and imagining yourself tumbling around with a bunch of rambunctious grandkids. You want to be healthy, strong, and capable of playing with them.

This deep purpose aligns with your identity too. You’ve always been a “family guy,” and now you add a new layer on top of that: You decide to become the kind of person who makes their health and wellbeing a priority, so they can be there for their family for as long as possible.

With this new, revised identity and a clear purpose in mind, you begin to make some changes over time.

• You focus on eating protein at most every meal, and up your fruit and vegetable game too.
• You practice self-compassion when you can’t or just don’t get in as much protein or produce as you’d like. You also work on viewing your choices on a continuum—rather than simply “good” or “bad.” This flexibility helps you feel a sense of freedom in your diet, and feels a little more realistic, long-term.
• Instead of going for the “perfect” four cardio sessions, you aim for two a week, for as long as you can fit in (which sometimes is only 20 minutes, but you do your best). Any extra sessions are a bonus.
• You’re diligent with your resistance training, but you cap them at 30-45 minutes, twice per week (occasionally you only have 20 minutes for these sessions too, but you focus on consistency over perfection).
• You begin going for outdoor walks after dinner with your partner—sometimes inviting a few neighborhood friends, too—and enjoy the deep yet fun conversations you have about work, family, and life (and, let’s be honest, some good neighborhood gossip).

After several satisfying months, you gather some data.

Your blood work has improved. You’ve leaned out a touch too. Your rate of aging has also slowed and your biological age has decreased, seemingly just as much as Scenario A.

But the biggest difference: You enjoyed this process.

You found it not only physically beneficial, but also socially enriching, mentally and emotionally enlightening, and deeply meaningful.

You reassess your Deep Health, and it looks like this:

Your physical health has gone up (though not quite as high as Scenario A), and so has your emotional, social, mental, and existential health. Your overall Deep Health is now undeniably, significantly up.

The funny thing: It didn’t even seem that hard.

Moreover, you feel more inspired and energized than ever to take even more steps to further invest in your health and wellbeing.

This is the power of Deep Health.

It’s not just about improving your biological age or increasing your healthspan (which mostly center on physical health metrics).

Striving for Deep Health means working to thrive in ALL areas of your life—not just the physical. Because no single aspect of your health functions alone.

With the push towards longevity and healthspan, and the focus on things like biological age and “biohacking” for optimal aging, it can be easy to forget that we already know the fundamentals of what it means to experience a life well lived.

The truth is, scientists don’t know everything that improves our biological age. Or even the best ways to measure it.

However, if you’re thriving in all dimensions of your health and wellbeing—in other words, achieving Deep Health—you can bet you’re doing all of the things that matter most in living a long, healthy, rewarding life.

jQuery(document).ready(function(){
jQuery(“#references_link”).click(function(){
jQuery(“#references_holder”).show();
jQuery(“#references_link”).parent().hide();
});
});

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

You can help people build sustainable nutrition and lifestyle habits that will significantly improve their physical and mental health—while you make a great living doing what you love. We’ll show you how.

If you’d like to learn more, consider the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification.

The post The PN framework that improves healthspan, longevity, and quality of life appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

If you live in a larger body, sometimes it feels like you can’t win.

If you don’t lose weight, people will criticize you for being “lazy,” “unhealthy,” or “lacking willpower.”

But if you take medication to help you, you’ll be criticized for “cheating” or “taking the easy way out,” even if you’ve tried for decades to manage your weight through diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes (sometimes extreme ones).

In this article, we’ll be talking about a highly contentious group of medicines—GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs such as semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound).

And people have lots of opinions about them.

But the opinion that matters most? Yours.

At PN, we’re medication agnostic.

We’re not here to judge whether a person should or should not take medication for weight loss. Ultimately, that’s a choice left up to you, with the guidance of your primary care physician.

Either way, we’re here to support our clients and elevate their results.

Whether you take medication or not, a coach can help you optimize nutrition and satiety with the right foods, find exercises that work with your changing body, and help you navigate the emotional ups and downs that come when you attempt to tackle a big, meaningful, long-term goal.

However, we also understand that if you’re debating the pros and cons of beginning (or continuing) medication, you might have mixed feelings.

If you’re not sure if these new medicines are right for you, we have your back. In the following article, we’ll give you the honest, science-backed information you need to make a confident decision.

You’ll learn…

• Why it’s so hard to lose (and keep off) fat
• Why taking medication isn’t “cheating,” nor is it the “easy way out”
• How GLP-1 drugs work, and the health benefits they can have (aside from weight loss)
• How to determine if you’re at a “healthy weight” (it’s not just about BMI)
• What actions you can take to minimize side effects and maximize long-term health, if you do decide to take these medications

Let’s begin.

First, why is it so hard to lose fat?

Fat loss is hard. Period.

But for some people, it’s harder still—because of environmental, genetic, physiological, social, cultural, and/or behavioral factors that work against them.

Here are a few of the contributing factors that can make fat loss so challenging.

We live in an environment that encourages a caloric surplus.

Imagine life 150 years ago, before cars and public transit were invented. To get from point A to point B, you had to walk, pedal a bicycle, or ride a horse.

Food was often in short supply, too. You had to expend calories to get it, and meals would just satisfy you (but not leave you “full”).

Today, however…

“We live in an obesogenic environment that’s filled with cheap, highly-palatable, energy-dense foods [that make overeating calories easy, often unconsciously],” says Karl Nadolsky, MD, an endocrinologist and weight loss specialist at Holland Hospital and co-host of the Docs Who Lift podcast.

“We also have countless conveniences that reduce our physical activity.”

Of course, even in such an environment, we have people in lean bodies, just as we have people who struggle to stop the scale from continuously creeping up.

Why?

Genetically, some people are more predisposed to obesity.

Some genes can lead to severe obesity at a very early age. However, those are pretty rare.

Much more common is polygenic obesity—when two or more genes work together to predispose you to weight gain, especially when you’re exposed to the obesogenic environment mentioned earlier.

People who inherit one or more of these so-called obesity genes tend to have particularly persistent “I’m hungry” and “I’m not full yet” signals, says Dr. Nadolsky.

Obesity genes also seem to cause some people to experience what’s colloquially known as “food noise.”

They feel obsessed with food, continually thinking, “What am I going to eat next? When is my next meal? Can I eat now?”

Physiologically, bodies tend to resist fat loss.

If you gain a lot of fat, the hormones in your gut, fat cells, and brain can change how you experience hunger and fullness.

“It’s like a thermostat in a house, but now it’s broken,” says Dr. Nadolsky. “So when people cut calories and weight goes down, these physiologic factors work against them.”

After losing weight, your gut may continually send out the “I’m hungry” signal, even if you’ve recently eaten, and even if you have more than enough body fat to serve as a calorie reserve. It also might take more food for you to feel full than, say, someone else who’s never been at a higher weight.

Being in a larger body often means being the recipient of fat stigma and discriminatory treatment.

Until you’ve lived in a larger body, it’s hard to believe how different the world might treat you.

Our clients have told us stories about being bullied at the gym, openly judged or lectured at the grocery store, and otherwise being subjected to innumerable comments and assumptions about their body shape, health, and even worth.

Even in medical settings, people with obesity are more likely to receive poor treatment.^{1, 2} Healthcare providers may overlook or downplay symptoms, attributing health concerns solely to weight. This can lead to delayed- or missed diagnoses or just plain old inadequate care.

All of this combined can add up to an incredibly pervasive and ongoing source of stress.

This stress—in addition to being socially isolating and psychologically damaging—can further contribute to increased appetite and pleasure from high-calorie foods, decreased activity, and poorer sleep quality.³

Which is why…

Taking medication isn’t an “easy way out.”

In 2013, the American Medical Association categorized obesity as a disease.

And yet, many people still don’t treat it as such, and rather consider obesity as a willpower problem, and the consequence of simply eating too much and moving too little. (The remedy: “Just try harder.”)

In reality, people with obesity have as much willpower as anyone else.

However, for them, fat loss is harder—for all the reasons mentioned above, and more.

So, just like chemotherapy or insulin isn’t “the easy way out” of cancer or type 1 diabetes, medication isn’t “the easy way out” of obesity.

Rather, medication is a tool, ideally used alongside healthy lifestyle behaviors, that can help offset some of the genetic and physiological variances that people with obesity may have, and have little individual control over otherwise.

What you need to know about GLP-1 drugs

In 2017, semaglutide (a synthentic GLP-1 agonist) was approved in the US as an antidiabetic and anti-obesity medication.

With the emergence of this class of drugs, science offered people with obesity a relatively safe and accessible way to lose weight long-term, so long as they continued the medication.

How Ozempic and other obesity medicines work

Current weight loss medications work primarily by mimicking the function of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a hormone that performs several functions:

• In the pancreas, it triggers insulin secretion, which helps regulate blood sugar (and also helps you feel full).
• In the gut, it slows gastric emptying, affecting your sensation of fullness.
• In the brain, it reduces cravings (the desire for specific foods) and food noise (intrusive thoughts about food).

In people with obesity, the body quickly breaks down endogenous (natural) GLP-1, making it less effective. As a result, it takes longer to feel full, meals offer less staying power, and food noise becomes a near-constant companion, says Dr. Nadolsky.

Semaglutide and similar medicines flood the body with synthetically made GLP-1 that lasts much longer than the GLP-1 the body produces. This long-lasting effect helps increase feelings of fullness, reduce between-meal hunger, and muffle cravings and food noise.

Interestingly, by calming down the brain’s reward center (the part of the brain that drives cravings and even addictions), these medicines may also help people reduce addictive behaviors like compulsive drinking and gambling, says Dr. Nadolsky.

Note: Newer weight loss medicines, for example tirzepatide, mimic not only GLP-1, but also another hormone called gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP). Like GLP-1, GIP also stimulates post-meal insulin secretion and reduces appetite, partly by decreasing gastrointestinal activity. Other drugs soon to come on the market, like retatrutide, mimic a third hormone, glucagon.

How effective are GLP-1 drugs?

Researchers measure a weight loss medicine’s success based on the percentage of people who reach key weight loss milestones of 5, 10, 15, or 20 percent of their weight.

These medicines are still evolving, but so far, they have shown to be quite effective:

About 86 percent of people who take GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy lose at least five percent of their body weight, with about a third of them losing more than 20 percent of their body weight.^{4, 5}

And newer generation versions of these medications—such as tirzepatide, and the not-yet-FDA-approved retatrutide—are only getting better, with up to 57 percent of people losing more than 20 percent of their body weight.^{6, 7}

How do weight loss medications compare to lifestyle interventions?

In the past, weight loss interventions have focused on lifestyle modifications like calorie or macronutrient manipulation, exercise, and sometimes counseling.

Rather than pitting lifestyle changes against weight loss medicines or surgery, it’s more helpful to think of them all as compatible players.

With lifestyle modifications and coaching, the average person can expect to lose about five to 13 percent of their body weight.

When you add FDA-approved versions of GLP-1 and other weight-loss drugs to lifestyle and coaching, average weight loss jumps up another ten percent or more. ^{8, 9, 10, 11}

Fat loss often comes with powerful health benefits

For years, the medical community has told folks that losing 5 to 10 percent of their body weight was good enough.

Partly, this message was designed to right-set people’s expectations, as few lose much more than that (and keep it off) with lifestyle changes alone.

In addition, this modest weight loss also leads to measurable health improvements. Lose 5 to 10 percent of your total weight, and you’ll start to see blood sugar, cholesterol, and pressure drop.¹²

However, losing 15 to 20 percent of your weight, as people tend to do when they combine lifestyle changes with second-generation GLP-1s, and you do much more than improve your health. You can go into remission for several health problems, including:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Fatty liver disease
• Sleep apnea

That means, by taking a GLP-1 medicine, you might be able eventually to stop taking several other drugs, says Dr. Nadolsky.

Experts suspect GLP-1s may improve health even when no weight loss occurs.

“The medicines seem to offer additive benefits beyond just weight reduction,” says Dr. Nadolsky.

Research indicates that GLP-1s may reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (heart attacks and strokes) in people with diabetes or heart disease.^{13, 14, 15} In people with diabetes, they seem to improve kidney function, too.¹⁶

The theory is that organs throughout the body have GLP-1 receptors on their cells. When the GLP-1s attach to these receptors in the kidneys and heart, they seem to protect these organs from damage.

For this reason, in 2023, the American Heart Association listed GLP-1 receptor agonists as one of the year’s top advances in cardiovascular disease.

7 strategies to make weight loss medicines more effective—and improve long-term health

Here’s what we believe:

Weight loss medicines don’t render lifestyle changes obsolete; they make them more critical.

When GLP-1 medicines muffle food noise and hunger, many find it easier to prioritize lean protein, fruits and veggies, whole grains, and other minimally processed foods. Similarly, as the scale goes down, people often feel better, so they’re more likely to embrace weight lifting and other forms of exercise.

Indeed, according to a 2024 consumer trends survey, 41 percent of GLP-1 medicine users reported that their exercise frequency increased since going on the medication. The majority of them also reported an improvement in diet quality, choosing to eat more protein, as well as fruits and vegetables.¹⁷

This is great news, because it further reinforces the idea that medication isn’t simply “the easy way out.”

(Of course, sometimes drugs are used as “the easy way out”; After going on medication, people can continue to eat poor quality food—just less of it. This increases the risk of losing critical muscle and bone, and losing less—or even no—body fat.)

When used correctly, weight loss medication is a tool that, as mentioned above, can make healthy lifestyle changes easier to accomplish, making both the drugs and the lifestyle changes more effective, and enhancing both short- and long-term success.

If you do decide to take weight loss drugs, use these strategies to get the most out of them—and preserve your long-term health.

Strategy #1: Find ways to eat nutritiously despite side effects.

The slowed stomach emptying caused by GLP-1 drugs can trigger nausea and constipation.

Fortunately, for most people, these GI woes tend to resolve within several weeks.

However, if you’re experiencing a lot of nausea, you’re not likely going to welcome salads into your life with open arms. (Think of how you feel when you have the stomach flu. A bowl of roughage doesn’t seem like it’ll “go down easy.”)

So, try to find more palatable ways to consume nutritious foods. (For example, fruits and vegetables in the form of a smoothie or pureed soup might be easier.)

Dr. Nadolsky also suggests people avoid the following common offenders:

• Big portions of any kind
• Greasy, fatty foods
• Highly processed foods
• Any strong food smells that trigger your gag reflex
• Sugar alcohols (like xylitol, erythritol, maltitol, and sorbitol, often found in diet sodas, chewing gum, and low-sugar protein bars), which can trigger diarrhea in some

Strategy #2: Prioritize strength training.

When people take GLP-1 weight loss medicines, about 30 to 40 percent of the weight they lose can come from lean mass.^{18, 19, 20}

Put another way: For every 10 pounds someone loses, about six to seven come from fat and three to four from muscle, bone, and other non-fat tissues.

However, there’s two important caveats to this statistic:

1. People with severe obesity generally have more muscle and bone mass than others. (Carrying around an extra 100+ pounds of body weight means muscles have to adapt by getting bigger and stronger.)

2. Muscle and bone loss aren’t inevitable. (As Dr. Nadolsky puts it, “Muscle loss isn’t a reason to avoid treating obesity [with medication]. It’s a reason to do more exercise.”)

To preserve muscle and bone mass, aim for at least two full-body resistance training sessions a week.

In addition, move around as much as you can. Walking and other forms of physical activity are vital for keeping metabolism healthy—and can help to move food through the gut to ease digestion.^{21, 22}

(Need inspiration for strength training? Check out our free exercise video library.)

Strategy #3: Lean into lean protein.

In addition to strength training, adequate protein consumption is vital for helping to protect muscle mass.

You can use our free macros calculator to determine the right amount of protein for you. (Spoiler: Most people will need 1 to 2 palm-sized protein portions per meal, or about 0.5 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.)

Strategy #4: Fill your plate with fruit and veggies.

Besides being good for your overall health, whole, fresh, and frozen produce fuels you with critical nutrients that can help drive down levels of inflammation.

In addition to raising your risk for disease, chronic inflammation can block protein synthesis, making it harder to maintain muscle mass.

(Didn’t know managing inflammation matters when it comes to preserving muscle? Find out more muscle-supporting strategies here: How to build muscle strength, size, and power)

Strategy #5: Choose high-fiber carbs over low-fiber carbs.

Beans, lentils, whole grains, and starchy tubers like potatoes and sweet potatoes do a better job of helping you feel full and managing blood sugar than lower-fiber, more highly processed options.

(Read more about the drawbacks—and occasional benefits—of processed foods here: Minimally processed vs. highly processed foods)

Strategy #6: Choose healthy fats.

Healthy fats can help you feel full between meals and protect your overall health.

Gravitate toward fats from whole foods like avocado, seeds, nuts, and olive oil, as well as fatty fish (which is a protein too!)—using them to replace less healthy fats from highly-processed foods (like chips or donuts).

(Not sure which fats are healthy? Use our 3-step guide for choosing the best foods for your body)

Strategy #7: Consider coaching.

It may go without saying, but the above suggestions are just the start.

(There’s also: quality sleep, social support, stress management, and more.)

While many people choose to tackle these strategies on their own, many others find that the support, guidance, and creative problem-solving that a good coach can provide makes the whole process a lot easier—not to mention more enjoyable and more likely to stick.

And that’s the real gift of coaching: A coach doesn’t just help you figure out what to eat and how to move; They help you remove barriers, build skills, and create systems and routines so that habits become so natural and automatic that it’s hard to imagine not doing them.

Then, if you do want to stop taking medication, your ingrained lifestyle habits (that coaching reinforced, and medication perhaps made easier to adopt) will make it more likely that you maintain your results.

jQuery(document).ready(function(){
jQuery(“#references_link”).click(function(){
jQuery(“#references_holder”).show();
jQuery(“#references_link”).parent().hide();
});
});

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

The post Considering (or currently taking) weight loss drugs? Here’s what you need to know appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD

---

We all make thousands of decisions every day, large and small.

What to have for breakfast. Whether or not to exercise—or when. Which project to tackle first at work. More coffee or not.

After a while, it’s only natural that decision fatigue sets in.

Decision fatigue can happen to anyone—but it’s especially disruptive when you’re trying to change old habits and make new (healthier) choices, but you lose steam by 10 AM.

Let’s take a closer look at what decision fatigue is, what causes it, and how to shake it off so you can continue to make good, intentional choices ongoing.

What is decision fatigue, anyway?

Decision fatigue refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made after a prolonged period of decision-making. Decision fatigue can also happen when faced with an overwhelming number of choices.

When working toward wellness goals, the mental exhaustion from constant decision-making can hinder your ability to make positive choices, especially in areas like exercise and nutrition. The constant evaluation of your workout schedules, meal choices, and other aspects of your lifestyle and routine can lead to decision fatigue.

Signs of decision fatigue

Decision fatigue can manifest in several ways. It might last days, weeks, or longer.

Here are six common signs that you might be experiencing it.

Sign #1: Procrastination and avoiding decisions

One of the primary signs of decision fatigue is procrastination and the tendency to avoid making choices. As decision fatigue sets in, you may find it increasingly challenging to initiate or conclude decision-making processes, leading to delays and lack of action.

Sign #2: Impulsivity

On the other hand, decision fatigue can also manifest as impulsivity. In an effort to expedite decision-making and alleviate mental strain, you may resort to impulsive choices, increasing the likelihood of taking less thoughtful actions.

Sign #3: Exhaustion

Decision fatigue often leads to mental exhaustion. You may feel tired and mentally drained, which may affect your overall cognitive functioning and energy levels.

Sign #4: Brain fog

A common symptom of decision fatigue is the sensation of “brain fog.” This mental cloudiness can hinder clarity of thought, making it difficult for individuals to focus, process information, and make wise choices.

Sign #5: Overwhelm

As decision fatigue accumulates, individuals may become easily overwhelmed by even minor choices. Tasks that would typically be manageable may seem daunting, contributing to heightened stress levels.

Sign #6: Irritability

Decision fatigue can lead to increased irritability and emotional sensitivity. The mental strain from continuous decision-making may impact an individual’s patience and tolerance, resulting in reactive emotional responses.

What causes decision fatigue?

A combination of factors can contribute to decision fatigue.

Cause #1: You’re always making decisions.

When you find yourself constantly making numerous decisions throughout the day, from choosing what to wear to deciding on work-related tasks, you may be prone to decision fatigue.

The cumulative effect of these daily choices can overwhelm your cognitive resources, making subsequent decisions more challenging.

Cause #2: You make a lot of decisions that impact other people.

Decisions that have a significant impact on others can contribute to decision fatigue.

When your choices carry weight and affect those around you, the mental burden intensifies. Balancing personal and professional responsibilities that influence others can lead to a heightened sense of responsibility and decision-related stress.

Cause #3: You make stressful or complex decisions.

Engaging in decision-making that is particularly stressful or complex can accelerate the onset of decision fatigue.

Evaluating intricate scenarios, especially under pressure, demands more cognitive resources, expediting mental exhaustion. High-stake decisions amplify the toll on your mental energy, making subsequent choices more taxing.

Cause #4: You’re experiencing a difficult or uncertain life situation.

Life situations characterized by difficulty or uncertainty can exacerbate decision fatigue.

Coping with unusually stressful challenges, whether personal or professional, consumes mental bandwidth. Navigating through uncertainty heightens decision-related stress, intensifying the impact of decision fatigue.

How does decision fatigue relate to your health and wellness?

Decisions related to diet, exercise, and overall health management can be overwhelming.

Constantly evaluating food choices, workout routines, and health-related decisions can challenge cognitive resources, exacerbating decision fatigue.

Further, when experiencing decision fatigue, your ability to make thoughtful, proactive health decisions diminishes. Fatigue may lead to impulsive choices, such as impulsive eating or skipping workouts, impacting your progress toward your goals.

How to overcome decision fatigue

Overcoming decision fatigue may not happen instantly, but by following these tips, you can significantly reduce its effect on your health and well-being.

All it takes is some careful planning and learning to let go.

Strategy #1: Remove choice from areas of your life where you can.

The intentional simplification of daily decisions not only streamlines your life but also enhances your cognitive capacity for more meaningful and impactful choices.

One approach is to establish routines to set some aspects of your daily life in stone—no decisions necessary. This deliberate structuring (such as predetermining what days/times you do your workouts) serves to reduce the ongoing need for decision-making in these areas.

Implementing routines also provides a psychological framework that turns repetitive decisions into automatic actions. For instance, adopting a regular weekly meal prep ritual.

Of course, this strategy is particularly beneficial for recurring activities, where predetermined choices can be consistently applied. This act of intentionally removing choices can give you back a sense of control and predictability in your daily life.

Strategy #2: Delegate where you can.

Whether in the workplace or at home, delegating decisions to others not only lightens your cognitive (and practical) burden but also promotes collaboration.

Distributing tasks at work fosters a sense of shared responsibility—and of course lightens your workload. By involving team members in decision-making processes, you not only benefit from diverse perspectives but also empower others to contribute their expertise.

Similarly, within the family or household, delegating responsibilities not only shares the cognitive load but also promotes a more supportive environment. This practice allows each family member to contribute their unique strengths, creating a more balanced distribution of decision-making responsibilities.

Strategy #4: Prioritize relaxation activities.

Relaxation activities are particularly effective in combating the effects of decision fatigue.

Quality sleep rejuvenates cognitive functions and replenishes mental energy. When you’re well-rested, you’re better equipped to face the challenges of decision-making.

In addition to sleep, try engaging in mindfulness practices, such as meditation or deep breathing exercises.

Exercise, too, not only promotes better sleep but also releases endorphins, which elevate mood and improve cognitive function.

Strategy #5: Manage stress and practice self-care.

Stress and decision fatigue are connected, so learning to manage the former will help alleviate symptoms of the latter.

Many of the relaxation techniques we previously mentioned are also great stress management tactics.

Try establishing a consistent self-care routine, like reading, taking a warm bath, or spending quality time with loved ones. These activities can provide a mental break and contribute to a positive mindset, which, in turn, helps prevent and reduce decision fatigue.

Strategy #6: Work with a coach.

By hiring a coach, you effectively delegate certain decisions to an expert.

By leveraging their knowledge, you not only streamline decision-making but also gain valuable insights and support on your journey to optimal health.

A health coach provides guidance on fitness, nutrition, sleep, stress, and recovery, and can design tailored plans to help you improve each of these areas.

Moreover, a health coach assists in establishing routines, contributing to the removal of unnecessary decisions from your daily life.

Working with a coach offers personalized support, helping you navigate health-related decisions while also enhancing accountability and motivation.

We’re here to help you reach your goals

At Precision Nutrition, our coaches are certified experts who can help you make positive decisions to improve your life. Decision fatigue ends with us, as every client receives a personalized, tailored plan designed to work with their personal preferences, lifestyle, and goals.

Learn more about how the coaches at Precision Nutrition can help you learn to live the healthier, more well-balanced life you deserve.

The post How to navigate decision fatigue when working toward your fitness goals appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD

---

Once you decide you want to work with a health coach, finding the right one goes beyond checking off a list of qualifications.

How do you know if you’ve found the best health coach for you? What are the qualities of a good coach besides the obvious credentials?

We’ve listed some traits to look out for when choosing a health coach.

Essentially, it all boils down to how the two of you “vibe.” You should find someone you get along with and trust, someone who seems to truly “get” you and is as invested in your success as you are.

Let’s dive deeper into what all that means.

Why is it important to find a good health coach?

A skilled health coach serves as a personalized guide.

They’ll help you achieve your goals with tailored advice, motivation, custom nutrition plans, and exercise routines designed specifically for you.

They won’t just give you generalized or generic advice about diet and exercise. This individualized approach ensures that you maximize your full potential and make the most of your fitness journey.

7 signs you’ve found a good coach

What are the qualities of a good coach?

How do you know when you’ve found one?

These seven qualities are by no means an exhaustive list, but they can help you narrow down your options.

1. They can walk you through their process.

A good health coach should possess the skill to clearly explain the steps, strategies, and milestones integral to their approach.

This not only demonstrates their expertise but also shows that they have a structured process to help you succeed.

Even more than that, they should also be able to draw on insights gained from practical experience. Articulating lessons learned from working with other clients like you shows understanding for the issues or preferences you might have. They’ve proven that they know how to address challenges similar to yours.

2. They can provide references and testimonials.

A hallmark of a good coach is their openness to share references and testimonials without hesitation. Transparency not only reflects confidence in their ability but also underscores their commitment to client satisfaction.

Ideally, these references should be from clients in your demographic with similar goals. If you have a particular injury, for example, a good coach will have testimonials from clients they’ve worked with in the past who experienced a similar injury or physical limitation. A good coach understands the value of real-world feedback and recognizes that the experiences of past clients can speak volumes.

Moreover, the ability to connect with past clients demonstrates a coach’s confidence in the relationships they’ve built. If a coach avoids providing references, that should raise concerns about their client interactions and the impact of their coaching.

Testimonials, in particular, offer insights into the tangible benefits clients have experienced under a coach’s guidance. Positive testimonials not only validate the coach’s skills but also provide you with a glimpse of the potential results you can expect.

3. They ask you questions.

A coach’s interest in your story is a reflection of their commitment to your success. They should ask you questions—lots of them. A quality coaching relationship is built on a foundation of understanding, and effective coaches recognize the importance of delving into your unique circumstances.

Rather than simply presenting a pre-packaged solution, a good coach should be genuinely interested in your “why.” They should want to understand your motivations, challenges, and specific goals. The questions they ask should help them tailor their coaching plan to your particular preferences and lifestyle.

4. They listen to you.

Another quality of a good coach is the ability to integrate your thoughts and feedback into the coaching process. Remember, this is a two-way, collaborative relationship.

Listening extends beyond the spoken word; it involves deciphering the nuances and subtleties of your communication. A good coach is attuned to not only what you say but how you say it.

A coach’s responsiveness to your feedback should foster an environment of trust. If you express concerns or suggest modifications to the plan, a good coach listens, understands, and adapts the program. This flexibility ensures that the coaching process remains dynamic, adjusting to your evolving needs and circumstances.

5. They communicate openly and often.

As we said, transparent and open communication is a two-way street. This element is fundamental to your success and includes how and when you and your coach touch base.

Effective coaches establish clear expectations regarding communication from the outset. Whether it’s setting regular check-ins, defining response times, or outlining preferred communication channels, a good coach is accessible to you and reliable in responding. You should feel comfortable reaching out, knowing that your coach is receptive to any questions or concerns you have.

6. They consider your health holistically.

Your well-being extends beyond isolated facets like exercise and nutrition. You’ll know you’ve found a good health coach when they also take into account your sleep quality, stress levels, past injuries, and exercise experience. They know how these factors work together and influence one another.

For instance, understanding your nutritional habits allows a coach to develop a diet plan that improves on your current eating habits, without being unrealistic. Acknowledging past injuries or exercise experiences informs workout routines that prioritize safety and effectiveness. The consideration of sleep patterns and stress levels further refines the approach, promoting overall well-being.

This holistic, multi-faceted view of well-being is called “Deep Health.” And when a Deep Health approach is applied, it means you’re more likely to create positive habits that affect every aspect of your life—for the long term.

7. They can adjust your program to fit your needs.

A good coach will adjust your program to fit your changing needs as you work to achieve your goals.

Whether you have specific dietary requirements, time constraints, or preferences in workout styles, a coach tailors the program to ensure it not only helps you make progress but also integrates seamlessly into your lifestyle—and can adapt as necessary.

Tips for finding a good health coach

Finding a good health coach goes beyond looking up online reviews or asking friends for recommendations (though those are good ways to get started).

Here are some more tips to keep in mind as you look for a health coach.

Identify your goals

Before seeking a coach, take a moment for introspection.

Ask yourself why you want to work with a health coach and what specific outcomes you aim to achieve.

Whether it’s weight loss, improved fitness, better sleep, or overall well-being, clarity on your objectives serves as a guiding compass in selecting the right coach.

However, it’s also okay not to have a specific goal, or if your goal is something general like, “I want to be healthier.” Helping you clarify and refine your goals is part of a health coach’s job. They can engage you in meaningful conversations to understand your aspirations, challenges, and motivations until the two of you shape a tailored plan together.

Talk to prospective health coaches

Once you’ve identified three to five potential health coaches, take time to meet with each one-on-one.

Prepare a list of questions and talking points to guide these discussions. Your questions should focus on things like their coaching philosophy, past experiences, and success stories. Understanding how their approach aligns with your goals is essential to making sure you truly “get” one another.

During these conversations, also pay attention to the coach’s communication style and demeanor. Consider whether you feel comfortable and genuinely heard during the conversation.

Day-to-day logistics are important as well. As you get to know each coach, ask them about their availability, preferred communication channels, and the structure of the coaching sessions. This will ensure a smooth and manageable collaboration.

Evaluate the “vibe”

Coaching is, at its core, a relationship-based service, and the personal connection you establish with your coach can profoundly impact your motivation and commitment to your health goals. A positive and supportive connection fosters a sense of trust, making the coaching relationship more enjoyable and effective.

However, recognize that there’s no “perfect” coach.

Instead, focus on finding a coach who’s “good enough” for you—someone whose approach aligns with your preferences and understands your unique circumstances. While there might be a coach who, on paper, seems to fit all your criteria, less tangible elements like a coach’s personality, communication style, and general energy are paramount. Trust your instincts and choose a coach with whom you genuinely connect.

We’re here to help you reach your goals

The health coaches at Precision Nutrition are experts in their fields. They take the time to understand your behavior and habits as they design a plan to fit your unique goals and lifestyle.

Our coaches don’t just give you advice about diet and exercise. They work closely with you so you can learn healthier, sustainable habits that will help you feel better long term.

Try our 1:1 coaching program now and achieve the results you deserve.

The post How to know you’ve found a good health coach appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD

---

Once you decide you want to work with a health coach, finding the right one goes beyond checking off a list of qualifications.

How do you know if you’ve found the best health coach for you? What are the qualities of a good coach besides the obvious credentials?

We’ve listed some traits to look out for when choosing a health coach.

Essentially, it all boils down to how the two of you “vibe.” You should find someone you get along with and trust, someone who seems to truly “get” you and is as invested in your success as you are.

Let’s dive deeper into what all that means.

Why is it important to find a good health coach?

A skilled health coach serves as a personalized guide.

They’ll help you achieve your goals with tailored advice, motivation, custom nutrition plans, and exercise routines designed specifically for you.

They won’t just give you generalized or generic advice about diet and exercise. This individualized approach ensures that you maximize your full potential and make the most of your fitness journey.

7 signs you’ve found a good coach

What are the qualities of a good coach?

How do you know when you’ve found one?

These seven qualities are by no means an exhaustive list, but they can help you narrow down your options.

1. They can walk you through their process.

A good health coach should possess the skill to clearly explain the steps, strategies, and milestones integral to their approach.

This not only demonstrates their expertise but also shows that they have a structured process to help you succeed.

Even more than that, they should also be able to draw on insights gained from practical experience. Articulating lessons learned from working with other clients like you shows understanding for the issues or preferences you might have. They’ve proven that they know how to address challenges similar to yours.

2. They can provide references and testimonials.

A hallmark of a good coach is their openness to share references and testimonials without hesitation. Transparency not only reflects confidence in their ability but also underscores their commitment to client satisfaction.

Ideally, these references should be from clients in your demographic with similar goals. If you have a particular injury, for example, a good coach will have testimonials from clients they’ve worked with in the past who experienced a similar injury or physical limitation. A good coach understands the value of real-world feedback and recognizes that the experiences of past clients can speak volumes.

Moreover, the ability to connect with past clients demonstrates a coach’s confidence in the relationships they’ve built. If a coach avoids providing references, that should raise concerns about their client interactions and the impact of their coaching.

Testimonials, in particular, offer insights into the tangible benefits clients have experienced under a coach’s guidance. Positive testimonials not only validate the coach’s skills but also provide you with a glimpse of the potential results you can expect.

3. They ask you questions.

A coach’s interest in your story is a reflection of their commitment to your success. They should ask you questions—lots of them. A quality coaching relationship is built on a foundation of understanding, and effective coaches recognize the importance of delving into your unique circumstances.

Rather than simply presenting a pre-packaged solution, a good coach should be genuinely interested in your “why.” They should want to understand your motivations, challenges, and specific goals. The questions they ask should help them tailor their coaching plan to your particular preferences and lifestyle.

4. They listen to you.

Another quality of a good coach is the ability to integrate your thoughts and feedback into the coaching process. Remember, this is a two-way, collaborative relationship.

Listening extends beyond the spoken word; it involves deciphering the nuances and subtleties of your communication. A good coach is attuned to not only what you say but how you say it.

A coach’s responsiveness to your feedback should foster an environment of trust. If you express concerns or suggest modifications to the plan, a good coach listens, understands, and adapts the program. This flexibility ensures that the coaching process remains dynamic, adjusting to your evolving needs and circumstances.

5. They communicate openly and often.

As we said, transparent and open communication is a two-way street. This element is fundamental to your success and includes how and when you and your coach touch base.

Effective coaches establish clear expectations regarding communication from the outset. Whether it’s setting regular check-ins, defining response times, or outlining preferred communication channels, a good coach is accessible to you and reliable in responding. You should feel comfortable reaching out, knowing that your coach is receptive to any questions or concerns you have.

6. They consider your health holistically.

Your well-being extends beyond isolated facets like exercise and nutrition. You’ll know you’ve found a good health coach when they also take into account your sleep quality, stress levels, past injuries, and exercise experience. They know how these factors work together and influence one another.

For instance, understanding your nutritional habits allows a coach to develop a diet plan that improves on your current eating habits, without being unrealistic. Acknowledging past injuries or exercise experiences informs workout routines that prioritize safety and effectiveness. The consideration of sleep patterns and stress levels further refines the approach, promoting overall well-being.

This holistic, multi-faceted view of well-being is called “Deep Health.” And when a Deep Health approach is applied, it means you’re more likely to create positive habits that affect every aspect of your life—for the long term.

7. They can adjust your program to fit your needs.

A good coach will adjust your program to fit your changing needs as you work to achieve your goals.

Whether you have specific dietary requirements, time constraints, or preferences in workout styles, a coach tailors the program to ensure it not only helps you make progress but also integrates seamlessly into your lifestyle—and can adapt as necessary.

Tips for finding a good health coach

Finding a good health coach goes beyond looking up online reviews or asking friends for recommendations (though those are good ways to get started).

Here are some more tips to keep in mind as you look for a health coach.

Identify your goals

Before seeking a coach, take a moment for introspection.

Ask yourself why you want to work with a health coach and what specific outcomes you aim to achieve.

Whether it’s weight loss, improved fitness, better sleep, or overall well-being, clarity on your objectives serves as a guiding compass in selecting the right coach.

However, it’s also okay not to have a specific goal, or if your goal is something general like, “I want to be healthier.” Helping you clarify and refine your goals is part of a health coach’s job. They can engage you in meaningful conversations to understand your aspirations, challenges, and motivations until the two of you shape a tailored plan together.

Talk to prospective health coaches

Once you’ve identified three to five potential health coaches, take time to meet with each one-on-one.

Prepare a list of questions and talking points to guide these discussions. Your questions should focus on things like their coaching philosophy, past experiences, and success stories. Understanding how their approach aligns with your goals is essential to making sure you truly “get” one another.

During these conversations, also pay attention to the coach’s communication style and demeanor. Consider whether you feel comfortable and genuinely heard during the conversation.

Day-to-day logistics are important as well. As you get to know each coach, ask them about their availability, preferred communication channels, and the structure of the coaching sessions. This will ensure a smooth and manageable collaboration.

Evaluate the “vibe”

Coaching is, at its core, a relationship-based service, and the personal connection you establish with your coach can profoundly impact your motivation and commitment to your health goals. A positive and supportive connection fosters a sense of trust, making the coaching relationship more enjoyable and effective.

However, recognize that there’s no “perfect” coach.

Instead, focus on finding a coach who’s “good enough” for you—someone whose approach aligns with your preferences and understands your unique circumstances. While there might be a coach who, on paper, seems to fit all your criteria, less tangible elements like a coach’s personality, communication style, and general energy are paramount. Trust your instincts and choose a coach with whom you genuinely connect.

We’re here to help you reach your goals

The health coaches at Precision Nutrition are experts in their fields. They take the time to understand your behavior and habits as they design a plan to fit your unique goals and lifestyle.

Our coaches don’t just give you advice about diet and exercise. They work closely with you so you can learn healthier, sustainable habits that will help you feel better long term.

Try our 1:1 coaching program now and achieve the results you deserve.

The post Private: How to know you’ve found a good health coach appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD

---

A personalized fitness and nutrition program is the antidote to one-size-fits-all, generic advice.

If you’re tired of trying programs that just don’t fit with your lifestyle or preferences, a personalized program may be what you need to get—and stay—on track.

We’ll explore what a personalized coaching program includes, as well as the many health and wellness benefits you can enjoy when you follow one.

What does it mean to have a personalized coaching program?

In a personalized coaching program, you work with a health coach who tailors a plan to fit your unique needs.

They assess your individual goals, lifestyle, and preferences to create a program that’s designed just for you.

Personalized coaching programs often include custom nutrition and exercise plans, but they also take into account factors like your current skills, history, schedule, relationships, and stressors.

What are the benefits of individualized coaching?

Let’s take a look at what you can expect from a personalized coaching program and all the ways it can help you feel better in the long term.

Specifically targets your goals

By personalizing your plan, a dedicated health coach helps you work toward specific goals while paying careful attention to your overall well-being.

Whether your aim is weight management, stress reduction, or improved sleep, a personalized program ensures that each aspect of your routine contributes to these goals. Your coach tailors not only workouts and dietary guidelines but also considers broader lifestyle factors to holistically support your health objectives.

For instance, if weight management is your primary goal, your coach doesn’t just prescribe a generic workout routine but tailors exercises that are both effective and enjoyable for you. Simultaneously, dietary recommendations are carefully customized, taking into account your preferences and expectations.

A health coach considers all elements of your daily life—your schedule, stress tolerance, health conditions—when developing your personalized program. When a health coach takes this approach, it can help shape your daily routine so it’s aligned with your goals.

Provides personal support and attention

With personalized coaching, you’re not navigating your health journey alone. Your coach is there to provide ongoing support, helping you overcome challenges and celebrate victories.

As you work together, your coach will continue adjusting your plan to meet your needs more precisely.

Moreover, the added accountability is a major advantage of personalized nutrition coaching. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions provide an opportunity for both of you to address concerns, refine strategies, and celebrate milestones.

The individualized support and attention from a coach can increase your chances of achieving—and sustaining—your health and wellness goals.

Customized learning and teaching

In a personalized nutrition coaching program—unlike generic workout classes or mass-produced fitness programs—the teaching approach can be customized to suit your unique learning style. This customization helps you integrate information more effectively while also enjoying the process.

Perhaps in the past, you’ve experienced the frustration of feeling overwhelmed or lost in a workout class due to a mismatch in teaching styles. With a personal health coach, you have the opportunity to find someone you connect with better.

This dynamic of trust between the two of you helps you both feel confident, comfortable, and excited to work together. You can ask questions, seek clarification, and engage in meaningful discussions with your coach. They, in turn, can ask questions and clarify your needs as you progress.

Incorporates your preferences and needs

A good health coach will consider your past experiences, limitations, and current values and goals to ensure that every aspect of the program is customized to you.

Whether it’s dietary choices, favorite exercises, or scheduling constraints, your coach tailors the plan to fit organically into your life. This helps maximize the chances you’ll stick with the plan.

For instance, if you have dietary restrictions or preferences, your coach can design a personal nutrition plan that accommodates those specifications. Similarly, if you have physical limitations or aptitudes in terms of exercise, they can adapt a program to include activities that you enjoy and that align with your abilities.

Your coach will also consider your mental and emotional well-being. A good health coach will not only be trained in nutrition and fitness, but also human behavior and psychology, so they can design strategies to help you address stress, motivation, and overall recovery.

Easily adjustable

One major advantage of a personalized coaching program is the flexibility it offers, allowing you to easily adjust your plan as needed. Unlike rigid, one-size-fits-all approaches, a dedicated health coach understands that life is dynamic and what works today may need adjusting tomorrow.

This adaptability is essential for long-term success. Your coach will also help you progress at a pace that works for you so you can continue to feel challenged and motivated without pushing too hard or getting bored.

If something in your plan isn’t working as expected, your coach is there to help. Open communication with a coach you trust allows you to have candid conversations about your progress, challenges, and any necessary modifications.

For instance, if you find a particular type of exercise uncomfortable or unenjoyable, your coach can make program or movement adjustments for you. Similarly, if a dietary recommendation isn’t feasible due to budgetary constraints or simply your palate, your coach can help you explore alternative options that still support your health goals.

How to pick a health coach

Select a number of health coaches that work with people who have goals like yours, and then have one-on-one conversations with each to narrow down your options.

During these discussions, pay attention to how well they listen and understand what you’re looking for. The coach you choose should have a portfolio of happy clients in or close to your specific demographic. Their experience working with clients who have similar abilities or limitations to yours lets you know they understand your unique needs.

We’re here to help you reach your goals

The certified coaches at Precision Nutrition are experts in their field and can help you make sustainable lifestyle changes to reach your goals. You’ll not only receive customized nutrition and exercise plans, but you’ll learn the skills you need to maintain your success long-term, too.

Our coaches will delve into your personal habits so you can understand why you make the choices you do—and add positive changes to your life. Learn more about our personalized, science-based coaching program today and start your journey to a healthier, happier you.

The post The importance of personalizing your fitness and nutrition program appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD

---

From hitting a wall with your workouts to stalled weight loss, plateaus can occur at any stage.

But all that hard work hasn’t been for nothing. Plateaus, although frustrating, can be useful.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what causes them, how to push through, and when to consider embracing the plateau and shifting into maintenance mode.

What is a plateau in fitness?

A plateau refers to a period of time where you feel like you’re no longer making progress. For anyone who’s been actively pursuing fitness for a while, you know the signs: maybe you’ve stopped losing weight or gaining muscle, you’re bored by your workouts, or you’re struggling to find energy and recovery properly.

Progress isn’t linear, and the gains you make initially aren’t sustainable at the same rate indefinitely. Newcomers to health and fitness often experience rapid initial results, which they might expect to last forever.

However, as you become more seasoned, progress becomes more challenging, and you’ll inevitably hit plateaus more often.

Does a plateau only refer to your workout routine?

Plateaus can happen in any aspect of your wellness journey. Remember that “wellness” incorporates more than exercise—it’s about your whole, multidimensional health. Also called “Deep Health,” this refers to the many aspects of your lifestyle that work together to contribute to your overall well-being, including:

• Social health
• Physical health
• Emotional health
• Mental health
• Environmental health
• Existential health

While we often talk about plateaus in the context of your workout or fitness routine—you can’t increase the weight you’re deadlifting, or lose another few pounds of body fat—it’s not the only place a plateau can happen.

Sometimes working out harder might not be the answer, and you’ll have to address one of the other dimensions of your Deep Health—whether that’s working on your sleep, mindset, or supportive relationships.

Is a plateau always a bad thing?

Contrary to what you may have heard, a plateau is not inherently negative. It’s a natural and expected phase that occurs for various reasons (which we’ll cover in more detail below).

A plateau is simply your body’s way of providing valuable feedback.

A plateau may actually signify that you’ve reached a level of fitness worth preserving. In fact, learning how to navigate and sustain a plateau is a valuable skill. It ensures that you don’t lose the progress you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Just as breaking through plateaus can be essential to keep working toward your goals, mastering the art of maintaining your current state of wellness also contributes to the overall success of your health endeavors.

Ultimately, that’s many people’s long-term goal: to be able to sustain the progress they’ve made at the apex of their achievement.

Why does a plateau happen?

The more you understand why you’ve hit the plateau, the better you’ll be able to adjust your plan accordingly to move beyond it.

We’ll list seven common reasons why you might have hit a plateau, plus some initial fixes to try.

Plateau reason #1: Repetitively performing the same workout routines

A fitness plateau can happen when you stick to the same workout routine without variety. While routine helps you build habits, your body adapts to the repetitive stress, which leads to diminished returns.

To work through this plateau: Diversify your exercises, introducing new challenges that keep your muscles engaged and responsive. For example, if you’ve primarily taken cycling classes, it might be time to include some weightlifting.

Plateau reason #2: Performing ineffective training routines

Not all exercises yield the same results for everyone. If your current routine doesn’t target specific muscle groups effectively, you might hit a workout plateau.

To work through this plateau: Focus on exercises that align with your goals and provide adequate challenges. Once you’ve determined your goals, research and select workouts that specifically target the necessary muscle groups.

Plateau reason #3: Not pushing yourself hard enough (Intensity not high enough)

In fitness, intensity matters. If you’re not pushing yourself hard enough during workouts, your body won’t experience the necessary stress to prompt muscle growth.

To work through this plateau: Gradually increase the intensity of your exercises and challenge your limits without compromising safety. This could mean increasing the weight you’re lifting or the tempo at which you’re completing your exercises. Take note of the number of reps you perform and/or the pace you move through your workouts so you can measure progress over time.

Plateau reason #4: Not progressively overloading your muscles

Muscles adapt to stress over time. If you’re not progressively increasing resistance or intensity, your muscles won’t get stronger. Plateaus can occur when your workout fails to challenge your muscles beyond their current capacity.

To work through this plateau: Regularly increase the resistance or intensity to stimulate ongoing improvements.

Plateau reason #5: Training inconsistently

Keeping a consistent workout schedule is one of the keys to fitness. Irregular workout patterns can lead to plateaus as your body doesn’t receive a consistent stimulus for growth.

To work through this plateau: Establish a regular workout schedule and stick to it to maintain steady progress.

Plateau reason #6: Needing to adjust your nutrition plan

Your eating habits can also cause plateaus. If you’re experiencing persistent fatigue or energy crashes, your nutritional intake may be falling short of your body’s needs.

Your body needs certain nutrients and enough calories for peak functionality, and if it doesn’t receive those, you might not be able to perform your workouts as well.

To work through this plateau: Try to incorporate a higher proportion of nutrient dense, minimally processed foods into your diet so you get the macronutrients and micronutrients you need to achieve your goals.

Plateau reason #7: Not paying attention to other lifestyle factors

Fitness is more than just exercise. Ignoring lifestyle factors such as nutrition, sleep, and stress can contribute to plateaus. Your body needs proper fuel, recovery, and stress management to thrive.

To work through this plateau: Try to focus on incorporating high-nutrition foods into your diet, creating an atmosphere of calm before bed, or learning healthy techniques for coping with stress.

How do you know if you’ve hit a plateau?

Here are some things to look out for.

Plateau sign #1: Your workouts feel easy

When your workouts start feeling noticeably easier than they used to, it’s a strong indicator that you might be experiencing a fitness plateau. The initial challenge that once accompanied your exercises diminishes, suggesting that your body has adapted to the current routine. Pay attention to changes in perceived effort during your workouts.

Plateau sign #2: You’re not noticing progress

Lack of progress is a clear sign of a fitness plateau. If you’re not seeing improvements in strength, endurance, or other fitness parameters over an extended period, it’s time to reassess your approach. Tracking your performance and noting any stagnation can help identify when you’ve hit a plateau.

Plateau sign #3: Hitting a standstill with a particular exercise

Whether it’s running at a consistent speed, lifting heavier weights, or performing more repetitions, a plateau becomes evident when you can’t seem to push past a certain point. If you consistently struggle to make progress in a particular aspect of your fitness routine, it may be time for an adjustment.

Plateau sign #4: You’re feeling fatigued

If you’re experiencing persistent levels of tiredness, or you feel like your energy skyrockets then drops, your wellness routine—including your workout and your nutrition plan—may not be providing your body with the support and fuel it needs.

Excessive fatigue or brain fog may point to nutrient imbalances or insufficient caloric intake. On the other hand, it might indicate that you’re training too hard and not allowing your body the rest it needs. Either way, this could lead to a plateau since your body doesn’t have the resources it needs to recover and continue making progress.

How to break through a plateau

While you don’t always need to break through a plateau, it’s often worth trying.

These seven methods can help you push through if that’s what your body needs.

Or, if they don’t work, they can let you know that it’s time to shift into maintenance mode.

Plateau breakthrough #1: Upend your routine

To overcome a workout plateau, consider a radical shift in your routine.

If cardio has been your mainstay, integrate strength training to challenge your muscles in new ways.

Conversely, if you’ve been predominantly lifting weights, experiment with machines, resistance bands, or high intensity interval training to introduce variety.

Altering the type and intensity of your workouts not only targets different muscle groups but also prevents your body from acclimating to a specific routine.

Plateau breakthrough #2: Focus on nutrition

Breaking through a plateau isn’t only about changing your exercise routine—it’s about addressing all aspects of health.

Assess your nutrition to ensure it supports your fitness goals, providing the energy and nutrients your body requires.

Experiment with meal timing and frequency to optimize energy levels throughout the day, preventing slumps and cravings.

Hydration also plays an important role in performance, so make sure you’re drinking enough water daily.

Plateau breakthrough #3: Try something completely new

Introduce novelty to shake things up.

If solo workouts have been your norm, join a group fitness class for a change of pace. If the gym is your usual setting, consider engaging in a local sports league or trying a new outdoor activity over the weekend.

The unfamiliarity of a new challenge not only sparks physical adaptation but might also rekindle your motivation.

Beyond exercise, shake up your nutrition. Experiment with different foods. Try new recipes. Explore a different dietary approach. These can all provide the nutritional variety your body needs for renewed progress.

Plateau breakthrough #4: Focus on progressive overload

If your focus is on strength training, a plateau may arise when you neglect to consistently challenge your muscles. Avoid this plateau (or push through it) by gradually increasing the resistance or intensity of your exercises.

Carefully track your current lifting capacity and strategically plan increased increments of resistance.

Aim for gradual but steady progression, whether it’s adding more weight, increasing repetitions, or adjusting the intensity of your workout.

Plateau breakthrough #5: Rest, recover, repeat

Overtraining or consistently pushing your body without adequate recovery can lead to plateaus. To break through, incorporate planned periods of rest into your routine.

During rest, the body repairs and strengthens itself, allowing muscles to recover and adapt to the stress of previous workouts. This process helps you avoid burnout, reduce the risk of injury, and ultimately overcome plateaus.

Consider incorporating active recovery days, where you engage in low-intensity activities to promote circulation and flexibility without imposing excessive stress on your body.

Always listen to your body’s signals. Rest and recovery are not signs of weakness but essential components of a well-rounded fitness routine—and life.

Plateau breakthrough #6: Practice healthy sleep hygiene

While a full eight hours a night of uninterrupted sleep may not be realistic for everyone, you can take proactive measures to help yourself get a good amount of rest.

Turn off devices well before bedtime, make your room quiet, cool, and comfortable, and try to stick to a consistent sleep-wake schedule.

Helping yourself learn healthy sleep habits can help you feel better, manage your weight, reduce stress, and improve your mood—among many other benefits.

Plateau breakthrough #7: Work with a health coach

When facing a plateau, enlisting the support of a health coach can be a game-changer.

A health coach brings expertise in nutrition, exercise, anatomy, physiology, sleep, stress, and recovery to help you uncover the reasons behind your plateau and navigate potential solutions tailored to your unique situation.

A health coach specializing in exercise and movement can design a progressive and personalized workout plan, ensuring that you’re incorporating variety and addressing potential weaknesses. They can also analyze your diet to ensure it aligns with your fitness goals. They may also help you improve other lifestyle factors such as sleep, stress management, and overall well-being.

Additionally, a health coach can help you determine whether this plateau is an opportunity for a breakthrough—or a sign that it’s time to focus on maintenance.

We’re here to help you reach your goals

The coaches at Precision Nutrition can help you make sustainable lifestyle changes to reach your goals. With one of our health coaches by your side, you’ll never be left alone to figure it all out. We provide expert nutritional and wellness advice that’s customized to your goals and lifestyle.

Learn more about our 1:1 Coaching Program and find out how we can help you transform your life for the better in a sustainable, healthy way.

The post Why you might have hit a plateau with your fitness goals appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD

---

You can learn everything on your own… right?

In other words, between books and free online articles and videos, what’s the point of working with a health coach?

Well, there’s a few points…

A health coach offers unique knowledge and insights that can help you in ways you can’t necessarily get on your own. They fill in the nutritional and exercise gaps you may overlook, make sure you’re adhering to your intentions, and suggest solutions (and moral support) when you hit inevitable obstacles.

In fact, hiring a health coach may be one of the best decisions you can make for your long term wellbeing.

Keep reading to find out 11 (good) reasons to work with a health coach.

First, what is a health coach?

A health coach is a dedicated wellness expert who can help you achieve your goals.

Health coaches possess expertise based on a solid foundation in exercise science, anatomy, and physiology to craft safe and effective programs. They take into account individual requirements, capabilities, and objectives to tailor wellness plans to suit your unique needs.

Health coaches may also have nutrition expertise. They’ll delve into the dietary considerations and lifestyle factors (like stress management, sleep, and recovery) that impact your overall health.

As you attempt to make and sustain changes, your health coach can also be a valuable source of encouragement and accountability. They provide guidance, monitor progress, make adjustments as needed—so you can get the results you’ve been looking for.

11 reasons to work with a health coach

Working with a health coach can help you in numerous ways, whether you’re just starting, or need some tips or tweaks along the way.

Reason #1: You’re not seeing results.

If you’ve been putting in consistent effort without seeing results, consider the expertise of a health coach.

They bring a fresh set of eyes to your habits and routines. They’ll assess what you’re currently doing and suggest tweaks or changes to make your plan more efficient and effective.

Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of fine-tuning your approach. They’ll also help you set realistic, achievable goals, ensuring you’re on the right track.

Reason #2: You don’t know where to start.

With so much information out there, how do you know where to start? A health coach can help you make sense of all the (sometimes contradictory) advice and provide you with a clear, actionable plan.

They streamline the process, break it down into manageable steps, and offer an appropriate starting point tailored to you.

They’ll introduce you to fundamental exercises, including cardio, weight training, and flexibility training. If appropriate, they might introduce you to nutrition fundamentals, including finding the right balance of macronutrients.

A health coach takes the time to understand your specific needs, capabilities, and objectives. They’ll also ensure you’re not just going through the motions but truly understand why you’re doing what you’re doing. This helps you build a solid foundation to make gradual but definite progress.

Reason #3: You have a specific goal in mind.

If you’re focused on an objective, such as weight loss, muscle building, healthier eating, or stress management, a health coach can make a difference, helping you connect the dots between what you eat, how you move, your sleep quality, and more.

Even if you have a particular area of your life you’re striving to improve, a health coach can help you see the “big picture” view, and how often one aspect of your life is connected to and affects other aspects of your life.

That way, you can understand where to focus your energy—sleep, exercise, nutrition, relationships—to help you achieve your goal.

Reason #4: You need more structure in your wellness routine.

A health coach will create a plan that optimizes both effectiveness and efficiency.

During workouts, health coaches offer direction to ensure you exercise with precision. They provide feedback, corrections, and technique guidance to make your routine more impactful.

This also applies to nutrition. A health coach can help you learn how to incorporate foods with greater nutrient value in ways that work for you, so you’re more likely to develop healthier habits in the long-term.

Reason #5: You need someone to hold you accountable.

By scheduling regular sessions and check-ins, health coaches create a structured framework for your progress.

This significantly increases the likelihood of you adhering to your workout and nutrition intentions. Without the accountability of a scheduled session, it’s easier to skip exercise or make less nutritious food choices.

Of course, there’s always a financial and temporal investment associated with health coaching. Committing to regular sessions not only safeguards your financial investment but also reaffirms the importance of allocating time for your well-being.

Reason #6: You’re having trouble staying motivated.

In addition to accountability, your health coach serves as a source of encouragement and motivation.

They celebrate your triumphs, provide reassurance during challenging moments, and offer constructive feedback. They understand the ebb and flow of progress and help you generate the motivation needed to sustain behavior changes.

A health coach will take the time to understand your aspirations, struggles, and targets so you feel heard and valued. Having a coach to cheer you on and push you past your limits can make all the difference.

Reason #7: You need an expert resource.

Working with a health coach goes beyond achieving exercise and nutrition goals—it can be a valuable learning experience.

Certified health coaches possess a deep understanding of human physiology, body mechanics, behavior change, and nutrition science, making them a valuable resource for clients seeking comprehensive knowledge on holistic wellness.

Reason #8: You need someone to make decisions for you.

Working with a health coach offers a reprieve from the constant decision-making that comes with managing your fitness and nutrition.

The multitude of choices, from exercise routines to dietary plans, can often lead to “decision fatigue,” which can then lead to frustration. You may find it a relief to have a trusted expert guide you and help narrow your options.

Reason #9: You want to enjoy taking care of yourself.

Exercise doesn’t have to feel like a chore.

A health coach can help you find ways to move your body that are enjoyable so that you look forward to taking care of yourself.

Not all exercise suits all people, but a health coach can help you find something that works—even if you’ve never exercised before.

Reason #10: You want to learn how to take care of yourself.

If your goal is to eventually create and follow your own instincts, working with a health coach can help get you there.

As we’ve said, health coaches understand exercise, nutrition and how those two things work together to create a healthier lifestyle. By dedicating yourself to learning the wellness skills and knowledge that work for you, you’ll one day be able to sustainably take care of yourself.

Reason #11: You’re looking for long-term benefits.

Anyone can start exercising or following a fad diet.

However, a health coach will help you learn how to incorporate nutrition and movement into your life in a way that’s sustainable.

This means taking into account factors such as your age, current fitness level, goals, lifestyle, and anything else that affects your health. Long-term benefits include learning how to tend to all six aspects of Deep Health (not just what you eat and how much you exercise). Those six aspects are:

• Relational health
• Existential health
• Mental health
• Physical health
• Emotional health
• Environmental health

When you take into account your psychological well-being, your ability to focus and think clearly, how well your home and work environment supports your health, your relationships with others, and your overall sense of purpose, you’ll be more likely to create a meaningful plan—and stick with it.

We’re here to help you reach your goals

You don’t have to tackle your health journey alone.

The coaches at Precision Nutrition are experts in exercise and nutrition—as well as behavior change—and can help you reach your goals effectively and safely.

With our 1:1 Coaching Program, you’ll work with a coach who’ll tailor a nutrition and wellness plan based on your lifestyle, goals, and preferences using scientifically proven methods. With help, you’ll learn how to incorporate healthy habits into your daily lifestyle for long-term success.

The post 11 reasons to work with a health coach appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD

---

There are so many ways to track your nutritional intake.

It can seem overwhelming to pick an (accurate) method that works for you.

That’s why we’ve developed the hand portion method.

It simplifies nutrition tracking in a way that’s accessible to anyone—and can suport any of your health and fitness goals.

A breakdown: The Hand Portion Method

Precision Nutrition’s hand portion method offers an easy solution to tracking your macros, allowing you to manage your food intake without weighing, measuring, or counting calories.

The method is simple: Estimate portion sizes with your hands.

It’s not about meticulous measurements—rather, it’s about using your hand as a reliable gauge for portion sizes.

What makes the hand portion method particularly effective is its inherent alignment with your body’s proportions. Plus, the size of your adult hand remains constant, ensuring consistency in portioning.

Here’s an overview:

• Protein: Your palm determines the size of your protein portion.
• Vegetables: Your clenched fist determines the size of your veggie portion.
• Carbohydrates: Your cupped hand determines the size of your carb portion.
• Fat: Your thumb determines the size of your fat portion.

Once you have an idea of what each portion looks like, you can aim to meet your personalized daily recommended balance of portions.

How many hand portions to eat

Most people will meet their nutritional needs by eating:

• 1-2 palms of protein-dense foods at each meal
• 1-2 fists of vegetables at each meal
• 1-2 cupped handfuls of carbohydrates at most meals
• 1-2 thumbs of fat-dense foods at most meals

Depending on your goals and frame, you may need to adjust these general recommendations up or down.

Benefits of the hand portion method

When it comes to tracking macros, the hand portion method offers several benefits:

1. Accuracy with minimal effort: Our internal research shows that hand portion tracking is 95 percent as accurate as other tracking methods—but without the effort of meticulous measurement. Check out these results to see for yourself how well hand portion tracking works.
2. Can be customized to your dietary preferences: Whether you follow a Mediterranean, Paleo, vegetarian, ketogenic, or fully plant-based diet, you can apply this method.
3. Easy to manage macronutrient splits: With the hand portion method, you have the power to fine-tune your macronutrient split. Adjust the proportions of protein, carbohydrates, and fats to align precisely with your individual needs and objectives.
4. Helpful tool for estimating calorie intake: Each hand portion is equivalent to an approximate amount of protein, carbohydrates, fat—and therefore calories. For example: 1 palm protein ~ 130-145 kcal; 1 fist of veggies ~ 25 kcal; 1 cupped hand of carbs ~ 110-120 kcal; and 1 thumb fats ~ 90-100 kcal.

Assumed variety of food choices

Our hand portion system assumes a mix of high-fat, moderate-fat, and low-fat protein sources; a mix of fruit, starchy tubers, beans, and whole grains for carbs; and a mix of fat-rich whole foods (such as nuts, cheese, or avocado), blended foods (such as pesto or nut butters), and pressed oils for fats.

And, the hand portion method can be adjusted to fit individual dietary preferences.

For example, if you’re following a ketogenic diet, you can simply increase your fat intake to make up for the decrease in carbohydrates.

Examples of the hand portion method: Approximate portion sizes for each macronutrient

Here are some examples of how much you’d eat using our hand portion method.

However, these are just approximations. The actual portion sizes will depend on the size of your individual hand and your body’s needs.

For men

A palm-sized portion of protein equals about 4 ounces of cooked meat/tofu, 1 cup of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, 1 scoop of protein powder, or 2 whole eggs.

A fist-sized portion of vegetables is equivalent to about 1 cup of non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, cauliflower, or peppers.

A cupped hand of carbs is about ⅔ cup of cooked grains or legumes, 1 medium-sized fruit, or 1 medium tuber.

A thumb-sized portion of fat is around 1 tablespoon of oils, nuts, seeds, nut butter, avocados/guacamole, cheese, and dark chocolate.

For women

A palm-sized portion of protein equals about 3 ounces of cooked meat/tofu, 1 cup of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, 1 scoop of protein powder, or 2 whole eggs.

A fist-sized portion of vegetables is equivalent to about 1 cup of non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, cauliflower, or peppers.

A cupped hand of carbs is about ½ cup of cooked grains or legumes, 1 medium-sized fruit, or 1 medium tuber.

A thumb-sized portion of fat is around 1 tablespoon of oils, nuts, seeds, nut butter, avocados/guacamole, cheese, and dark chocolate.

Approximate math for macronutrient portions

For number-oriented users, based on the examples above, these are the approximate macros each of the portions provide.

Macros for men’s approximate portions:

• 1 palm of protein ~ 24 g protein, 2 g carbs, 4.5 g fat, 145 kcal
• 1 fist of veggies ~ 1.5 g protein, 5 g carbs, 0 g fat, 25 kcal
• 1 cupped hand of carbs ~ 3 g protein, 25 g carbs, 1 g fat, 120 kcal
• 1 thumb of fats ~ 2 g protein, 2 g carbs, 9 g fat, 100 kcal

Macros for women’s approximate portions:

• 1 palm of protein ~ 22 g protein, 2 g carbs, 4 g fat, 130 kcal
• 1 fist of veggies ~ 1.5 g protein, 5 g carbs, 0 g fat, 25 kcal
• 1 cupped hand of carbs ~ 3 g protein, 22 g carbs, 1 g fat, 110 kcal
• 1 thumb of fats ~ 2 g protein, 2 g carbs, 8 g fat, 90 kcal

Please remember that these are approximations.

All aspects of calorie and macronutrient calculations are based on averages with known error rates.

Testing the accuracy of hand portion math

In the examples below, we’ll demonstrate that using the hand portion method is 95 to 100 percent as accurate as carefully weighing, measuring, and logging everything you eat.

Example 1

Our first example individual is a female athlete who weighs 135 pounds and has 18 percent body fat. She maintains a high activity-level, engaging in two training sessions per day. This is what she consumes in a day:

1. Pre-workout @ 6 am: 16 oz of black coffee, 1 cup of plain low-fat Greek yogurt, 1 cup of chopped pineapple, 2 tbsp of chopped walnuts, 1 glass of water.
2. Workout @ 7:15-8:30 am: Sips on 16 oz of water during the training session.
3. Post-workout shake @ 9 am: 12 oz of water, 2 scoops of protein powder, 1 medium apple, 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats, 2 cups of spinach, 1 tbsp of ground flax seed, 1 tbsp of almond butter.
4. Lunch @ 12 pm: 3 oz of salmon, 1 cup of steamed mixed veggies, 1 medium sweet potato, 1 tbsp of coconut oil, 2 glasses of water.
5. Mid-afternoon snack @ 4 pm: 1 banana, 2 tbsp of natural peanut butter, 1 glass of water.
6. Workout @ 5:30-6 pm: Sips on 16 oz of water during the training session.
7. Post-workout dinner @ 7 pm: 3 oz of chopped chicken breast, 2 cups of cooked whole grain pasta, plus 2 cups of sautéed veggies with 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic and white cooking wine, 2 glasses of water.

If you compute the calories and macronutrients of this person’s intake using the USDA nutrient database, you get:

• 2672 kcal
• 170 g protein
• 264 g carbs
• 104 g fat

And if you translate this person’s intake into hand-size portion terms, you get:

• Protein = 5 palms (Greek yogurt, protein powder x 2, salmon, chicken)
• Veggies = 5 fists (spinach x 2, mixed veggies, sautéed veggies x 2)
• Carbs = 10 cupped hands (pineapple x 2, apple, oats, sweet potato, banana, pasta x 4)
• Fats = 9 thumbs (walnuts x 2, flax seed, almond butter, coconut oil, peanut butter x 2, olive oil x 2)

By multiplying those portion numbers using approximate hand-portion math for women (refer to the section above), the estimated intake is:

• 2672 kcal (precisely the same as calculating it with apps and spreadsheets)
• 166 g protein (4 g less than calculating it with apps and spreadsheets)
• 273 g carbs (9 g more than calculating it with apps and spreadsheets)
• 102 g fat (2 g less than calculating it with apps and spreadsheets)

As you can see, the difference between manually tracking and using our hand portion method is a matter of only a few small grams.

Example 2

Our second example individual is a moderately active male who weighs 210 pounds and has 17 percent body fat. This is what he consumes in a day:

1. Wake @ 5:30 am: 12 oz of black coffee
2. Breakfast @ 7 am: 4 whole eggs with a large bunch of peppers, scallions, and mushrooms cooked in a large pat of butter, placed on a whole wheat wrap, with ~1 oz cheese, 1 cupped hand of black beans, and some pico de gallo, large glass of water, 12 oz black coffee.
3. Super Shake @ 10:30 am: ~10 oz of water, 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder, 2 cups of spinach, 2 cups of frozen cherries, ~1 tablespoon cacao nibs, ~1 tablespoon of chia seeds.
4. Lunch @ 2 pm: 4 oz of turkey breast, ~⅔ cup of quinoa, 1 fist of mixed veggies, 1 apple, 2 thumbs of roasted almonds, 1-2 large glasses of water.
5. 1-2 cups of green tea @ 3-4 pm.
6. Dinner @ 6 pm: 8 oz of sirloin (lean), 2 cupped hands of roasted red potatoes with onions, 2 cups of roasted rainbow carrots, 2 tbsp of olive oil for roasting, 1 glass of wine, 1-2 large glasses of water.

If you calculate the calories and macronutrients of this person’s intake using the USDA nutrient database, you get:

• 3130 kcal
• 212 g protein
• 283 g carbs
• 111 g fat

And if you put this person’s intake into hand portion terms, you get:

• Protein = 7 palms (eggs x 2, protein powder x 2, turkey, sirloin x 2)
• Veggies = 6 fists (scallions/peppers/mushrooms/pico, spinach x 2, mixed veggies, rainbow carrots x 2)
• Carbs = 9 cupped hands (wrap, beans, cherries x 3, quinoa, apple, potato x 2)
• Fats = 8 thumbs (butter, guacamole, cacao nibs, chia seeds, almonds x 2, olive oil x 2)
• Alcohol = 1 (wine)

When you multiply those portion numbers using approximate hand-portion math for men, the estimated intake is:

• 3183 kcal (53 kcal more than calculating it with apps and spreadsheets)
• 220g protein (8 g more than calculating it with apps and spreadsheets)
• 285g carbs (2 g more than calculating it with apps and spreadsheets)
• 113g fat (2 g more than calculating it with apps and spreadsheets)

Once again, the hand portion method is nearly as accurate as manually weighing and tracking portions—and much simpler.

We can help you meet your goals

Our Ultimate Macro Calculator can help you figure out the ideal macronutrient ratio for your specific nutrition and fitness goals. From there, our hand portion method can guide you along the road to success.

The post How to do hand portion math to track your macros appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

None of us is getting any younger.

Take it from someone who’s old:

You don’t want to reach the Age of Senior Discounts with regrets about all the things you didn’t do to prepare your body and mind.

Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do, at any age.

In the following article, we’ll cover the best practices for aging well—preserving longevity, quality of life, and healthspan. They include:

• The very short list of things you should avoid.
• The much more detailed list of what you can do to get the most out of the time you have.
• The most impactful way to combine a healthy life with a happy life.

Some are easy. Some take more effort. Many are common sense. All are supported by research, some of it going back decades.

But before we get into all that, we’ll start with something more fundamental.

Why do we get old?

Despite centuries of medical breakthroughs, everyone who’s been lucky enough to get old either has died or will die.

There’s a reason no one’s been able to find a loophole.

“Virtually all of our genes, and all of our vital systems, play a role in aging,” says biochemist Charles Brenner, PhD, chair of the Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism at City of Hope National Medical Center.

Because there’s no “lone gunman”—no single gene that goes gray and takes everything else down with it—there will never be a single pill, potion, or practice to stop the process, let alone reverse it.

It doesn’t matter how much money goes into the search for an “off” switch.

“The anti-aging industry has been full of grifters for thousands of years,” Brenner says. “Overpromisers and underperformers.”

The modern roots of the industry go back to 1990, when a study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed promising results from administering human growth hormone to older men.¹

It was a small study—just 12 men received hGH, with nine comparable participants serving as a control group.

But the results “were sensationalized by the press in a number of exaggerated reports,” according to biologist Richard F. Walker, PhD.²

That was enough to jump-start an anti-aging “gold rush,” Walker wrote—one that was commercialized from the jump.

The money is bigger today, with tech billionaires investing crypt-loads of cash in life-extension startups.³

But the problem they keep running into remains the same, Brenner says:

In terms of lifespan, humans have already exceeded the intended “warranty.”

What he means is that humans evolved to satisfy five basic priorities:

• Avoid predation.
• Acquire food.
• Attract a mate.
• Together with your mate, turn food into babies.
• Make sure your babies live long enough to produce babies of their own.

If we had stopped there, we would be similar to all other animals. We would live as long as we’re reproductively capable, and then we’d expire.

But in the 300,000 generations since hominids split off from the great apes, we doubled our life expectancy.

That allowed some of our ancient ancestors to become active grandparents, which was a huge evolutionary advantage.⁴

Life expectancy doubled again in the past two centuries, thanks to breakthroughs in sanitation, nutrition, medicine, hygiene, and public safety.

And yet, despite all those gains in average lifespan, there remains a hard cap on maximum lifespan.

That’s because the aging process begins at birth and never stops.⁵

Once you get past your growth stage, your body becomes progressively less capable of repairing tissues and maintaining vital structures and functions.⁶

Two systems in particular drive the aging process.

The first is metabolism.

Your metabolic rate declines about 0.7 percent per year in your sixties and beyond. If you live to 95, your daily energy expenditure will be about 20 percent lower than it was in your late 50s.

That’s according to research from an international consortium of scientists who crunched four decades’ worth of metabolic data on thousands of participants of all ages.⁷

The problem isn’t just that elderly people lose muscle. Their remaining lean mass also burns fewer calories. That includes energy-hungry organs like the brain and liver. A slower metabolism means you’re more likely to store fat in your muscles, liver, heart, and other places it doesn’t belong.

Intramuscular fat, for example, is linked to lower strength and mobility, as well as elevated blood sugar and higher insulin resistance.⁸

The second is cognition.

With advancing age comes a long list of declining cognitive abilities:⁹

• You’ll remember things less accurately, and take longer to pull up the memories you retain.
• You’ll struggle to learn new words, and to recognize and retrieve words you already know.
• New skills will be harder to master. It will also be harder to use your current skills in complex sequences.

The combination of physical and cognitive decline means you’re less able to do what you know how to do, and less capable of adapting to your changing circumstances.

But while the process itself is inexorable, there’s a lot you can do to slow it down.

How to age well: 4 evidence-based strategies

If you asked an expert to make a list of healthy aging strategies, it would probably have two parts. You’d expect the “do this” section to be more substantial, as it is here.

But it’s on the other side of the list that you’ll find your first line of defense against physical and mental decline.

“What you don’t do is at least as important as what you do.”

That’s according to Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD, Director of Performance Nutrition for PN.

You can probably guess most of the potential life-shortening behaviors:

• Overeating
• Smoking
• Drinking to excess
• Using non-prescription drugs to excess
• Excessive unprotected sun exposure
• Inactivity

All those things—along with infectious diseases and environmental pollutants—are what Brenner calls metabolic insults.

They all stress your metabolism and make it more difficult for your body to repair itself. (That’s the focus of Brenner’s research at City of Hope.)

On the proactive side of the list, you’ll probably find aspirational targets like:

• Get a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity cardio, and do some form of resistance exercise twice a week.
• Get seven to eight hours of sleep a night.
• Maintain a “healthy” body weight, defined as a body-mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9.

The problem is, very few of us have the energy or ambition to check every item on the list. Just 6.3 percent of Americans collect the entire set, according to a 2016 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.¹⁰

So, from a public-health perspective, you could say the glass is 93.7 percent empty.

Or, from a personal perspective, you could pick and choose which practices and behaviors will have the most impact on your own health—and, by extension, give you the best chance for a long, satisfying life.

Make those your “big rocks,” the things you value most and will continue doing as long as possible.

Healthy aging strategy #1: Move more and preserve muscle.

In studies going back to the last century, participants who increased their levels of physical activity lowered their risk of dying of any cause by 15 to 40 percent.¹¹

What does that mean?

Let’s look at one study:

Starting in the late 1970s, the British Regional Heart Study recruited thousands of middle-aged men. More than 3,000 were still in contact with the researchers 20 years later. By 2016, just over half of them had died, according to public records. ¹²

Participants who told researchers they increased their activity level were 24 percent less likely to die of any cause, compared to those who reported moving less.

Those who sustained modest activity levels were 17 percent less likely to die than the low-activity group.

Studies show even more powerful benefits when participants push themselves hard enough to increase their cardiovascular fitness.

Simply moving up from the lowest level of fitness—usually the bottom 20 percent of the study population—to a higher level significantly decreased the risk of dying of any cause in the following years.¹¹

Moreover, the protective benefit of cardio fitness appears to be linear. That is, the higher your fitness level, the lower your risk of dying during any particular window of time.¹³

You don’t need to lose weight to get the benefits of fitness

If you’re among the two-thirds of Americans with a BMI of 25 or above (full disclosure: I’m with you), you can mitigate any potential weight-related disease risk through exercise and diet.

Studies show, for example, that increasing your maximum aerobic capacity (a.k.a. VO₂ max), is consistently linked to lower all-cause mortality among participants classified as overweight and obese, even when they don’t lose weight in the process.¹¹

Muscular strength and muscle mass are also correlated with a lower mortality risk.

So is resistance training—the process of trying to increase your strength and size—especially when it’s combined with cardio exercise.^14,15,16

Finally, there’s walking speed. It’s one of the least known but most powerful predictors of who’ll live the longest.^17,18 Which makes sense: Walking at a brisk pace requires a mix of muscular strength, cardio fitness, balance, and mobility.

You can make all of the above as simple as this:

“Move every day,” says Stuart Phillips, PhD, director of McMaster University’s Physical Activity Centre of Excellence, where he works closely with older adults who live near the campus in Hamilton, Ontario.

“Without daily movement, you go downhill fast.”

The specifics don’t matter nearly as much as the fact you’re doing something.

Healthy aging strategy #2: Upgrade your meal pattern.

A healthy diet, one based on minimally processed whole foods, also helps prevent many of the chronic diseases associated with aging, St. Pierre says.

Those foods include:

• A wide variety of fruits and vegetables
• Lean protein from both plant and animal sources
• High-quality carbs (whole grains, beans and legumes, and tubers)
• Fibrous fats (nuts, seeds, avocadoes) and extra-virgin olive oil and other cold-pressed oils

“The biggest thing to emphasize is the overall pattern,” he adds. “Whether you eat more carbs or more fats is a personal preference.”

Getting a variety of foods within each category is helpful. That’s especially true for fruits and vegetables. You’ll not only get an abundance of key vitamins and minerals, the water they contain will also help keep your body hydrated.

That’s important because, the older you get, the greater your risk of dehydration.

“It’s far more common in the elderly, due to medications and a reduced sense of thirst,” St. Pierre says. “And it can impact physical and mental health more profoundly in that group.”

Healthy aging strategy #3: Prioritize high-quality sleep.

Generally speaking, people who sleep less than seven or more than eight hours a night, and who go to bed and wake up at unpredictable times, are at higher risk for pretty much everything—obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and death from any cause.^20,21

Establishing a regular, consistent sleeping-and-waking routine is probably the most powerful way to improve your sleep quality. (Bonus: It also helps to start that routine before midnight.)

One of the most impactful strategies to use to encourage good sleep is to employ a nightly bedtime ritual.

Just like Pavlov’s dogs learned to salivate at the sound of a bell, your body can learn to wind down with a custom-tailored pre-sleep routine.

About 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime, wrap up any stimulating activities (working, doomscrolling, intense exercise) and switch to activities that promote physical and mental relaxation. For example, read, take a bath or shower, do a mini yoga routine, or watch a favorite show.

Dim the lights, and maybe lower the thermostat a few degrees.

If you’re the ruminating type, consider doing a “brain dump.” Take a few minutes to write out a list of whatever’s bugging you: Emails you need to send or reply to, calls you have to make, project ideas, creative thoughts, that thing you should have said to that person…

Whatever’s on your mind, get it out of your head and onto your list.

(For more advice on how to engineer an excellent night’s sleep, check out our infographic: The power of sleep)

Healthy aging strategy #4: Deepen your human connections.

There’s one more key to a long, healthy life.

It’s something you can’t get with exercise, nutrition, or sleep. It’s impervious to wealth, fame, or professional achievement.

Tech bros can’t buy it, big pharma can’t replicate it, and longevity hustlers can’t sell it.

Good relationships, it turns out, are the ultimate life hack.

That’s according to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which began in 1938 and continues today with the descendants of its original participants—Harvard undergrads (including future U.S. president John F. Kennedy) and teenage boys from underprivileged backgrounds.²²

Robert Waldinger, MD, is the study’s fourth director. In his 2015 TED talk, he said it’s this simple:

“Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.”

Participants who were most satisfied with their relationships at 50 were the healthiest at 80.

A 2016 study by Waldinger and his coauthors found that octogenarian participants who felt securely attached to their spouses—they believed they could count on them in life’s roughest moments—performed better on memory tests than those who felt less connected.²³

“Think about relationships as something akin to physical fitness,” said Marc Schulz, PhD, associate director of the Harvard study, in a recent podcast interview.

To function, they require not just time and energy. At critical moments you also need to reflect on what is and isn’t working for you and the other person. And that applies to all important relationships—family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues as well as life partners.

Put another way: If you want a longer life, it helps to have a life.

jQuery(document).ready(function(){
jQuery(“#references_link”).click(function(){
jQuery(“#references_holder”).show();
jQuery(“#references_link”).parent().hide();
});
});

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

The post How to live the longest, healthiest life possible appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1

Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD

---

“Cargo pants are back.”

This was the news that Brian St. Pierre, PN’s director of nutrition, broke when we met.

(St. Pierre, a father, found this out via his 12-year-old daughter.)

Why does this matter? Apparently, a certain type of exercise is running a parallel cycle: An old trend resurfacing as a new “it” thing.

Cardio’s back, baby.

Specifically, zone 2 cardio—also known as steady state cardio, low intensity steady state cardio (LISS), or what your treadmill may call the “fat burning zone” (more on this term later).

When I got into the fitness industry over a decade ago, cardio was at its peak of being disrespected.

“Are you trying to lose all your muscle??” the naysayers said.

St. Pierre—who’s coached top athletes in the NBA, NFL, MLB, and the NHL—remembered:

“You either did intervals, or you lifted. Maybe both. Steady state cardio was for endurance athletes only.”

Now, as steady state cardio makes its triumphant return, interval training seems to be getting tagged as overrated. (Lifting, of course, is as badass as ever.)

So, what’s the deal? Is there a “best” form of cardio? Is zone 2 exercise worthy of the hype?

In this article, you’ll find out. You’ll also learn:

• What zone 2 cardio is (and how to know when you’re “in it”)
• How much zone 2 cardio you should do per week to reap the health and fitness benefits
• How zone 2 cardio compares to other forms of exercise
• What the potential downsides of zone 2 cardio are—and how to mitigate them

Let’s get to it.

What is “zone 2 cardio,” anyway?

St. Pierre struggled to give a simple answer to this question. Not because he didn’t know, but because it’s a trickier question than you might think.

In a nutshell though:

Zone 2 cardio is sub-maximal aerobic training—meaning, aerobic exercise that’s performed below your maximum effort.

But St. Pierre offers some caveats:

“Zone 2 training could mean different things in different contexts,” he says.

“How elite athletes measure and train zone 2 is going to be different from what my mother would be doing.”

Elite endurance athletes use precise (often expensive) tools to ensure they’re in zone 2 (such as lactate meters and power meters). They strive to improve zone 2 fitness to maximize performance.

Regular people, though, tend to train in zone 2 without using gadgets—just some simple body awareness cues—with the likely goal of improving overall health.

Zone 2 cardio examples

Any intentional physical activity that feels stimulating, but still relatively easy—like you could go for an hour, or even hours—counts as zone 2 cardio work.

For example:

• Casual cycling
• Using the elliptical machine
• Hiking or walking uphill
• Rucking (walking with a weighted backpack or vest)
• Slow jogging on flat terrain
• Rowing (using a machine, or if you’re lucky, a canoe on a calm lake)

Zone 2 cardio compared to other cardiovascular “zones”

Different levels of exertion—as measured by heart rate—are categorized into five different “zones.”

(This is a common model, but here are other zone models that have seven zones. And models that are based on power rather than heart rate. See how quickly this can get complicated?)

Each zone will use different energy sources at different rates, and will have unique benefits, as the table below shows.

Zone	% of Max Heart Rate	Main Energy source*	Feels like…	Examples	Benefits
1	<60%	Fat	Comfortable; can nasal breath easily and hold a conversation	Walking or light household activities	Increases overall activity, improves blood flow
2	60-70%	Fat	Can maintain nasal breathing, but not comfortably	Light jogging, hiking, cycling, elliptical	Improves aerobic base without impeding recovery
3	70-80%	Fat and carbs	Tough to maintain a conversation; will need to start breathing heavier	Jogging or cycling at faster pace (but not sprinting)	Improves aerobic and anaerobic fitness, and lactate threshold
4	80-90%	Carbs	Huffing and puffing; might be able to get out a few words	Running, cycling or using a machine for for 1-4 minute sprints	Improves power output, VO2 max, lactate threshold, and overall athletic performance
5	>90%	Carbs	Near or at maximal effort; heart pounding and talking is impossible	Maximal sprinting	Improves VO2 max, heart rate max, and fitness at maximal levels

*Exercise intensity is the most important determinant of which energy source is used during exercise. However, the proportion of energy sources used is affected by several factors, including exercise duration, age, sex, body composition, training status, and diet.

Three big benefits of zone 2 cardio

So, why might you incorporate zone 2 cardio work into your routine (or suggest your clients do the same)?

Let’s discuss three strong arguments for jumping on this trend.

Benefit #1: It builds your aerobic base.

St. Pierre offers this analogy:

“Imagine your overall cardio fitness is a pyramid: The base is your aerobic fitness, and the top is your peak anaerobic fitness,” he says.

“If you only train the peak, the structure is top heavy; it’s not built to last.”

This is one of the biggest assets of zone 2. Training at the peaks may be fun (in a masochistic way), but it’s not the best way to build your base.

To see how this works, let’s use an example with St. Pierre’s sport of choice: Hockey

On the ice, you’ll be mostly fueled by the anaerobic system.

With a strong aerobic base, you’ll recover quickly between “sprints” on the ice while resting on the bench.

Without a good aerobic base, your body may actually stay in an anaerobic state while you’re bench-warming. This not only inhibits recovery; it also drains precious energy reserves.

(And if you burn through your reserves in the first period, those second and third periods are going to suck.)

This ability to adapt to changes in physical demands is called metabolic flexibility⁴—and zone 2 cardio is particularly good at enhancing it.

With good metabolic flexibility, your body can toggle between energy sources as needed (instead of using mostly glucose or mostly fat all the time) to power activity, leading to better endurance, power, and performance.

Benefit #2: It’s exercise that gives more than it takes.

Intense workouts are both mentally and physically draining. They also “cost” a fair bit, from a recovery perspective.

Not zone 2 exercise.

“Zone 2 cardio may even help your recovery in between sessions,” says St. Pierre. “At worst, it’s going to be recovery neutral.”

Cycling on a bike at a relatively low intensity for 45 minutes might not be the most fun, but it’ll improve your overall fitness without adding much stress or demanding recovery in the same way intervals would.

If you have time to train five hours per week, but only have the energy to train all out for two to three hours, that still leaves you with time to train—just at a lower intensity.

Many folks have an “all or nothing” mindset and get mad at themselves for not being able to train like a beast for all five hours. But you don’t need to. Three hours of intense training and two hours of low intensity training is amazing.

Benefit #3: It boosts mitochondrial health—which might help you live better, longer.

One of the promises of zone 2 is that it can improve mitochondrial health.

Better mitochondrial health means a lowered risk of many diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and cancer.⁵

Zone 2 cardio might be the most effective form of exercise to maximize mitochondrial health⁶ (though the research supporting this has participants doing many hours of zone 2 work per week).

Fortunately, all physical activity—including interval and resistance training—supports and improves mitochondrial health.^{7 8 9}

Plus, effectiveness is a spectrum. Obsessing over having “the best mitochondrial health possible” is pointless if you can’t consistently perform the amount of exercise it takes to get there.

“How do I know if I’m in zone 2?”

Understandably, many people (including your clients) will ask. There are several ways to assess if you’re in zone 2, ranging from “fancy and high-tech” to “luddite-approved.”

Tracking method #1: Gadgets

If you’re a high level endurance athlete fixated on tracking hard data, a lactate meter will be your most accurate measurement tool.

If you’re just looking to achieve better overall health and aerobic fitness, you can use a heart monitor. (Try a chest strap or a wearable wrist watch that tracks heart rate.¹⁰)

Tracking method #2: Math

If you want to use your heart rate to calculate if you’re in zone 2—which is about 60 to 70 percent of your heart rate max—you first have to figure out your max heart rate.

The simplest way to estimate your heart rate max is to take 220 and subtract your age. Calculate 60 to 70 percent of that number, and you’ll get your target zone 2 heart rate range.

For example, if you’re 42 years old:

220 – 42 = 178 beats per minute is your maximum heart rate

0.6 (or 60%) x 178 = 106.8

0.7 (or 70%) x 178 = 124.6

So, if your heart rate is between 107 and 125 beats per minute, that puts you in zone 2.

(Another common approach: Take 180, subtract your age, and that’ll give you the top of your zone 2 range.)

Of course, if you’re in that range and can’t talk, nasal breath, or focus on anything other than just… keep… going, you’ll know you’re not in zone 2.

Sometimes, the body knows best. Which brings us to…

Tracking method #3: Body awareness

Without gadgets or formulas, can tell if you’re in zone 2 if:

• You’re doing a form of cardio that requires effort—but also feel like you could perform it for an extended period of time
• You can breathe through your nose
• You can talk (but perhaps not sing very well)
• You could pay attention to a podcast, movie, or have a thoughtful conversation

As St. Pierre eloquently put it:

“When you’re done with your session, you should be able to say you could do it again if not for time and boredom.”

TL;DR: Zone 2 work shouldn’t crush you.

How much zone 2 cardio should you do per week?

The shortest (and most practical) answer: Whatever you can fit in.

If you have more time and want some specificity, the WHO and the CDC suggest between 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week.^{11 12}

Weekly, that could look like three 30 minute-sessions, two 45 minute-sessions, or one longer 90-minute session.

But don’t get bogged down by specifics. Any cardio is great if you haven’t been doing any.

How long should zone 2 cardio sessions be?

You’ll commonly hear sessions need to be at least 45 minutes.

Your aerobic system doesn’t fatigue easily during zone 2 work, so duration is somewhat important if you’re aiming to maximize adaptations.

If you go with the WHO and CDC’s guidelines, two to three 45 to 75 minute sessions of zone 2 cardio per week is pretty ideal. (Note: If you’re a competitive athlete, you’ll probably need more.)

But if you can only fit in 25 or 30 minutes a week total, it’s not pointless.

“Any amount of activity improves health, so while yes, more is better, anything you can get in will make a difference for your wellbeing,” says St. Pierre.

You may not get the maximum benefits by doing less, but you’ll experience many amazing health improvements by getting in some cardio.

Factor in your goals.

Don’t get so fixated on zone 2 that you dedicate all your workout time to it and lose the benefits you can get from other kinds of training.

And, consider your fitness priorities.

If you want to build muscle and strength, resistance training should be the focus of your training. (In other words: Don’t cut your strength workouts in half just to squeeze in ideal zone 2 training targets.)

“I hate cardio” and other barriers to zone 2 work

Have you ever seen the show Suits? It’s not the Sopranos, but it’s entertaining and full of tea.

St. Pierre hadn’t seen it—that is until he started watching it while doing zone 2 work on his bike at home.

Zone 2 training isn’t his favorite way to train. With this, he found a way to make it enjoyable.

If you hate cardio, find ways to turn down the suck.

Here are a few ways to do that.

Consume that sweet, sweet content.

Whether it’s watching a fun TV show or listening to an audiobook or podcast, you can offset the tedium of zone 2 cardio with something you enjoy.

Play.

You can also get zone 2 work with sports or various leisure activities.

Personally, I like to shoot around the basketball with my heart rate monitor on. (Yes, there will be times I’m at a higher heart rate zone than what is truly zone 2, but that’s okay. I’m not an elite endurance athlete, so precision isn’t crucial.)

Grab your frisbee, pickleball racket, or ball-of-choice, and have fun.

Make it work with your schedule—and life.

“I just don’t have the time.”

If this is your primary obstacle, incorporate zone 2 cardio in a way that supports your life.

Some examples:

• If you can, bike to commute to work. Especially in busier cities with lots of traffic, this can actually be more time efficient than driving or taking transit.
• Run your errands with a purpose. Walk briskly to the store (or around the mall), and carry your groceries if you can.
• Do domestic chores like you mean it. More laborious house work such as cutting the grass, shoveling the snow, or vacuuming—anything that takes a while and takes some effort—counts.
• Run around with other animals. Your kids and your pets are hard to keep up with, right? Make their week and chase after them at the park or local rec center. Alternatively, pull them in a wagon or take a brisk walk pushing the stroller.

If these activities don’t keep you in zone 2 the entire time, that’s okay. These are just ideas for those who simply don’t have the time for more structured cardio.

Start with less.

If 45 minutes of anything still sounds like too much, just start with 10 minutes. You can always build up from there.

Ignore what’s optimal, and integrate what’s practical.

Something is truly better than nothing. (If you’re strapped for time, remember that line.)

Another tool in the kit

Trends in the fitness industry are cyclical. (Kind of like trends in pants-with-pockets.)

Training styles will come and go. When one comes back in, remember this and temper your response. Nothing—no food, exercise, or supplement—is a magic bullet.

The zone 2 cardio trend has been awesome for re-inspiring folks (including myself and St. Pierre) to do more cardio.

It’s also been confusing to some, leaving them even more stressed about how to train “the optimal way.”

At PN, we’re less fussed about what’s theoretically optimal than what’s practically optimal. Do the best you can. Find activities you enjoy. And do those consistently.

jQuery(document).ready(function(){
jQuery(“#references_link”).click(function(){
jQuery(“#references_holder”).show();
jQuery(“#references_link”).parent().hide();
});
});

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

The post Zone 2 cardio: Flaky fitness trend or worthy pursuit? appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Source: Health1