CollectiveFit

Why Cardio Matters

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 17:25:03 GMT

And Why Skipping It Is A Mistake

If you spend any time in the fitness space lately, you’ve probably noticed a trend. A lot of coaches are telling people to skip cardio.

The message is simple:

Lift weights. Build muscle. Forget cardio.

Some even go as far as saying things like, “Fuck Cardio.”

I understand where this idea comes from.

Many people hate cardio.

Running on a treadmill for an hour sounds miserable to most people.

And yes—strength training is incredibly important. Especially as we age.

But eliminating cardio completely?

That’s a mistake.

Because when you remove cardio from your training, you’re ignoring one of the most important components of long-term health.

Strength Training Is Essential — But It’s Not Everything

As we age, resistance training becomes critical. Lifting weights helps maintain muscle mass, improve insulin sensitivity, strengthen bones, and support hormonal health. Muscle is protective as we get older.

It supports metabolism.

It supports joint stability.

It helps maintain independence later in life.

This is why any serious fitness program should include strength training.

But focusing only on lifting weights and ignoring cardiovascular training misses a major piece of the puzzle.

Strength builds muscle.

Cardio builds your heart and lungs.

And real health requires both.

VO₂ Max: One of the Strongest Predictors of Longevity

One of the biggest reasons cardio matters is something called VO₂ max.

VO₂ max measures how efficiently your body uses oxygen during exercise.

In simple terms, it reflects the capacity of your heart, lungs, and muscles to work together.

Why does this matter?

Because research consistently shows that VO₂ max is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health and mortality. People with higher cardiovascular fitness tend to live longer and experience fewer chronic diseases.

This includes lower risk of:

Heart disease

Stroke

Metabolic disease

All-cause mortality

In other words, your cardiovascular fitness matters—a lot.

And the only way to improve it is through some form of conditioning or cardio.

The Problem With “No Cardio” Fitness Programs

The idea of skipping cardio completely usually comes from two places.

First, many people associate cardio with long, slow, boring workouts.

Second, some bodybuilding-style programs prioritize maximizing muscle growth.

In that context, excessive cardio can sometimes interfere with recovery or muscle gain.

But this doesn’t mean cardio should be eliminated. It simply means it should be programmed intelligently.

The goal isn’t endless hours of cardio.

The goal is building cardiovascular capacity without compromising strength training.

And that balance is entirely possible.

The Bottom Line

You technically don’t need to do cardio.

Just like you technically don’t need to exercise at all.

But if you care about long-term health, performance, and longevity?

You probably should.

Strength training builds muscle.

Cardio strengthens your heart and lungs.

Together, they create a foundation for lasting health.

So before you follow another fitness trend telling you to skip cardio, take a step back.

Ask yourself what you’re really training for.

If the answer includes health, longevity, and real fitness…

Then cardio deserves a place in your program.

Earn Your Intensity

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 21:24:00 GMT

do you meet the standard?

Earn Your Intensity.

What does that really mean? The word earn can sound harsh—like we’re telling someone they don’t deserve something. But in CrossFit, “earning your intensity” is about respecting the process. It’s built on the foundation we always come back to: technique first, consistency second, and intensity last.

If you focus on improving your technique and applying it consistently, then over time you truly earn the right to add intensity. And here, I’m speaking specifically about heavy lifting. Cardio has its own demands, but let’s stay with lifting for now.

Take the back squat as an example. If you haven’t mastered a solid air squat—chest tall, hips below parallel, knees tracking properly—why would you expect to move heavy weight safely? If you can’t do the basics well, you haven’t yet earned the right to go heavy.

When I say earn the right, it’s not about me telling you what you can or can’t do. You’re an adult. It’s really a question: has your technique and consistency prepared your body for the demands of heavier loads? Has your strength and mobility built up enough to handle the position safely?

If not, then the smartest path forward is simple: refine your squat. Keep working at lower intensities on both strength days and in workouts.

That way, you’ll improve movement quality, break old habits, and address mobility limitations. Sometimes it’s not a lack of strength—it’s just that you’ve gotten comfortable with “your version” of the squat instead of chasing a better one.

By focusing on technique first, two things will happen: you’ll get stronger, and you’ll reduce your risk of injury. That’s why it’s worth taking the time to earn your intensity.

So the next time you approach a heavy lift, remember—it’s not about how much weight you want to put on the bar. It’s about what you’ve earned through consistent, quality movement.

Why Diets Fail Without Consistency and Accountability

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 17:49:06 GMT

How a Nutrition Coach Can Help.

Every year, millions of people start a new diet full of determination to lose weight and get healthy. Yet research shows that 80–95% of dieters regain the weight within 12 months. Why do most diets fail? It’s not simply lack of willpower—it’s a lack of consistency, accountability, and proper nutrition planning.

In this post, we’ll explore the science behind why diets fail, why working with a nutrition coach improves success rates, and how understanding calories and macros can finally help you achieve lasting fat loss.

Why Diets Fail Without Consistency

Many diets start strong but quickly fade because they rely on short-term, restrictive approaches that aren’t sustainable. Crash dieting slows your metabolism, causes intense cravings, and often leads to regaining even more weight than before.

Studies show that consistency—not perfection—is the key to fat loss . Small, repeatable habits like balanced meals, portion control, and regular check-ins outperform strict “all-or-nothing” dieting. Without structure and support, most people fall back into old eating patterns.

The Role of Accountability in Successful Fat Loss

A 2016 study published in Obesity found that people who had regular coaching check-ins were 65% more likely to maintain weight loss than those who tried to do it alone. Accountability works because:

You have someone tracking progress and adjusting your plan
Motivation stays high even when willpower dips
A coach helps you navigate challenges like social events or busy schedules

Accountability isn’t just about reminders—it’s about having a partner who ensures you follow through on your goals long enough for habits to take hold.

Why Working With a Nutrition Coach Gets Better Results

A skilled nutrition coach doesn’t just hand you a meal plan. They:

Teach Habit-Based Nutrition: Sustainable change happens through small, consistent habits, not drastic diets.
Customize Plans: Every client’s needs, lifestyle, and metabolism are different. A coach adjusts your plan based on your progress.
Provide Ongoing Support: Regular check-ins keep you focused and help you overcome obstacles that would otherwise derail progress.

Calories Matter—But Macros Matter More

Most people know that weight loss depends on calories in vs. calories out. But the quality of those calories matters just as much as the quantity .

Protein: Preserves lean muscle while losing fat (recommended 0.7–1.0g per lb of body weight).
Carbohydrates: Provide energy for workouts and daily activity.
Fats: Essential for hormones and feeling full but should be balanced to avoid excess calories.

Weighing and measuring food helps build awareness of portions and ensures you’re hitting the right macro targets. Research shows that people who track their intake lose up to twice as much weight as those who don’t.

Final Thoughts

Diets don’t fail because you’re not trying hard enough—they fail because they lack the structure, accountability, and understanding of proper nutrition needed for lasting success.

Working with a nutrition coach gives you the tools to stay consistent, build sustainable habits, and master the balance of calories and macros for long-term fat loss.

The Power Of Choice

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 21:06:56 GMT

The real question is: how do you stay motivated to keep pushing forward?

The book Smarter, Faster, Better breaks down motivation into one key principle: self-determination. The more control you have over your decisions, the more drive you will have to follow through.

Studies show that people are far more likely to complete difficult tasks when they see them as a choice rather than a command. When you connect your actions—whether it’s a workout, eating more protein, or skipping junk food—to a bigger goal, everything becomes easier.

This program has been about taking control. You made the choice to prioritize your health, eat well, and train with intention. Keep asking yourself why—why did you start? Why does it matter? The more you connect your daily habits to a larger purpose, the easier they are to sustain.

CONSISTENCY WINS

Forget perfection. The goal is to get it right most of the time. The difference between someone who sticks to their plan 100% and someone who hits 80-90%? Barely noticeable results—but a massive difference in sustainability.

That’s why you need a system that works for your life:

The 80/20 Rule – Stick to whole, nutritious foods 80-90% of the time, and allow 10-20% flexibility for social events, favourite meals, or just enjoying life.

That’s 2-4 relaxed meals per week—so use them wisely.

Make healthy eating easier than unhealthy eating – Set up your environment for success.

Plan meals, batch cook, and keep real food within reach.

Control your home environment – Don’t bring temptations into your house. You can indulge occasionally, but don’t make it a daily battle.

The key to long-term success isn’t willpower—it’s systems. Set yourself up to win. Stay consistent, keep it simple, and take control of your choices. You’ve got this.

Why Sticking To The Stimulus Matters - A Coach's View

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:28:36 GMT

As a CrossFit coach, I see it every day: athletes, from beginners to seasoned members, show up ready to push their limits. My role isn’t just to lead them through the workout; it’s to help them get the most out of each session by sticking to the intended stimulus. This isn't about holding them back—it's about guiding them toward the results they’re working for.

Maximizing Results

In every workout, there’s a reason behind every weight, rep count, and movement selection. If today’s WOD (Workout of the Day) is designed as a high-intensity sprint, the goal is to keep the heart rate elevated and the movement fast-paced. I'll see some athletes eager to load up the barbell, but I know that going too heavy will turn the workout into something slower and strength-based, losing that cardiovascular punch. My job is to remind them that scaling weight or movements when needed will actually help them hit the intensity we’re aiming for.

Preventing Overtraining and Injuries

I want my athletes to push hard, but not at the cost of injury. The stimulus is there for a reason—to create balance and prevent burnout. It can be tempting to load up on weights even when the workout is meant to be lighter, but I explain that there's no benefit in taking unnecessary risks. I keep an eye on form, encourage proper scaling, and help them understand that it’s okay to follow a high-rep workout with lighter loads. The goal is to keep coming back, day after day, without injury.

Building Consistency and Discipline

There’s a certain discipline required in CrossFit, and sticking to the stimulus teaches athletes consistency. It’s not always about going heavier or faster; sometimes, it’s about pacing correctly or scaling back. I remind my athletes that every workout doesn't have to be a PR. The program works over time, and by sticking to it, they’ll build the fitness and strength they're aiming for.

Supporting Proper Recovery

I’m constantly balancing intensity with recovery in my programming. High-intensity workouts are meant to be balanced with lower-intensity or recovery days. When an athlete disregards the intended stimulus and constantly pushes past it, they end up fatigued, risking injury, and often feeling frustrated at slower progress. Recovery is part of the equation, and I encourage everyone to trust the design of the program, knowing that rest days are just as crucial as training days.

Enhancing Mental Toughness

Training smart builds not only physical but also mental toughness. It’s hard for many to scale or hold back when they feel capable of more. But respecting the stimulus teaches them to be smart about their goals. When they show that discipline, they’re strengthening their mental resolve, learning to work with the program rather than against it.

How I Help My Athletes Stick to the Stimulus

As a coach, I take time to explain the "why" behind each workout, guiding everyone toward the intended stimulus. Here’s what I focus on:

Listening and Guiding : I’m here to offer tips on scaling, pacing, and form. Sometimes, all an athlete needs is a reminder or adjustment.
Promoting Realistic Scaling : Scaling isn't a weakness—it’s the best way to ensure the right stimulus. I encourage members to modify as needed to hit the workout goals, keeping intensity where it should be.
Understanding Each Athlete’s Level : Every person is on their own journey, and it’s not about chasing someone else’s numbers. I help athletes stay focused on where they are and where they want to be, offering suggestions that align with their current fitness level.
Using Appropriate Equipment : I suggest the right weights and equipment to help members stay within the intended stimulus. Sometimes it’s as simple as swapping out a kettlebell or adjusting rower resistance.

Most of the time, I encourage athletes to stick to the stimulus of the workout as planned. However, there are times I’ll encourage an athlete to add more weight or push harder—especially if I feel they’re underestimating their capability or have been stuck in a pattern of over-scaling workouts. Knowing when to push and when to hold back is a big part of effective coaching, helping each athlete to find and challenge their own limits responsibly. When they trust the process, I know they’re set for long-term success.

Starting CrossFit: What You Need to Know

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 17:46:00 GMT

Starting something new can be intimidating—especially when it involves intense workouts. But CrossFit isn’t about being the fittest person in the room; it’s about becoming your personal best. At CollectiveFit, we believe CrossFit is for everyone, regardless of where you’re starting. Here’s everything you need to know to take the leap and join our community!

Section 1: Demystifying CrossFit – What to Expect in Your First Class

For many, CrossFit conjures up images of people lifting heavy weights and pushing through gruelling workouts. While it’s true that CrossFit is challenging, it’s also adaptable to all fitness levels. At CollectiveFit, our coaches tailor workouts to each individual, ensuring you can safely and confidently start your journey.

Section 2: Beginner-Friendly Modifications to Make Workouts Accessible

One of the biggest myths about CrossFit is that you have to be super fit to start. In reality, our coaches provide modifications for every movement, so you can work at a level that’s right for you.

Section 3: Key Benefits of CrossFit for Total Health and Longevity

CrossFit is more than just a workout; it’s a lifestyle that supports health in all areas. Our program not only helps you build strength and endurance but also enhances your everyday quality of life.

Conclusion: Ready to Take the Leap?

Getting started is the hardest part, but once you do, you’ll wonder why you waited so long. At CollectiveFit, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, gain strength, or simply move better, CrossFit can help you reach your goals—and have fun while doing it.

Book a free intro session with us to experience the difference of CrossFit in a supportive, community-driven environment!

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Experimenting with Dietary Adjustments: A Personal Journey

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 19:20:00 GMT

As summer came to an end, following several weeks of indulgence, I decided to modify my regular eating habits to see how my body would respond to some changes. To provide some context, weight loss was not my goal. I typically maintain a steady weight of around 160 pounds throughout the year with minimal fluctuations. My body fat percentage also remains constant, usually around 7-8%, which I find easy to maintain. This stability is likely a result of focusing on nutrition daily and adhering to a consistent routine, even if I occasionally deviate. This approach has been a part of my life for over 30 years, proving that it’s possible to enjoy life while maintaining a balanced lifestyle.

My Starting Point

Normally, my diet consists of about 200 grams of carbohydrates per day, primarily from sweet potatoes, white rice, fruits, and vegetables. I consume approximately 100 grams of healthy fats daily (from sources like olive oil, grass-fed butter, and MCT oil) and maintain a protein intake of about 160 grams (from grass-fed beef, fish, eggs, and whey protein). This typically amounts to around 2,300 calories per day, depending on my workout demands.

What Did I Change?

For this experiment, I reduced my carbohydrate intake significantly. The only carbs I consumed were from a small portion of blueberries post-workout and the vegetables I ate—no tubers or rice. This brought my daily carb intake to approximately 50-60 grams. I kept my protein intake consistent, while increasing my fat intake to around 150 grams per day, resulting in a total daily calorie intake of roughly 2,190-2,240 calories. Over the course of the month, I made slight adjustments, with some days reaching up to 2,400 calories due to increased fat consumption. I also limited alcohol to 1-2 drinks on two or three occasions, except for one day when I indulged a bit more.

My Experience

During the first few days, I experienced mild headaches, which is unusual for me. However, these were quickly resolved by increasing my fluid and salt intake. My general mood and energy levels remained stable, and I did not notice any negative impact on my workouts. This was likely due to the use of stored energy or fat as fuel. To clarify, I was not aiming for a ketogenic diet ; rather, I was simply experimenting with macronutrient ratios without measuring ketone levels.

In terms of body composition, I did lose a few pounds initially, which was expected but not my objective. I quickly corrected this with calorie adjustments. My body fat percentage dropped to around 6%, which I find to be too low for my preference.

Key Takeaways

The most notable benefit I experienced was that I never felt excessively hungry and didn’t suffer from energy crashes. I believe this is due to the low carbohydrate and high-fat intake, as fats tend to be more satiating. Another significant benefit was the reduction in inflammation. I have a rotator cuff tear that often becomes inflamed, causing discomfort. This inflammation decreased dramatically during the experiment, and I felt much better overall.

Throughout the month, I maintained my usual workout routine of 5-6 sessions per week without any issues.

Conclusion

Overall, the adjustments I made to my diet yielded positive results. While I experienced some minor weight loss, the primary benefits were enhanced satiety, reduced inflammation, and sustained energy levels. This experiment has reinforced the importance of tailoring my nutrition to my body’s needs and maintaining flexibility in my approach. Now, with “Sober October” on the horizon, I look forward to exploring the effects of an alcohol-free month combined with my new dietary regimen.

To work with me on your health and nutrition journey, click HERE to schedule a call!

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A Guide to Zone 2 Training:

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 18:03:00 GMT

Zone 2 training has gained significant attention in the fitness world for its profound benefits on cardiovascular health, endurance, and overall longevity. In this comprehensive guide to Zone 2 training, we’ll break down what Zone 2 training is, its benefits, and why it’s becoming a favourite among fitness enthusiasts and health professionals alike.

What is Zone 2 Training?

Zone 2 training refers to exercising at an intensity that falls within a specific heart rate zone. This zone is typically defined as 60-70% of your maximum heart rate (MHR) or a perceived exertion level where you can hold a conversation comfortably but are still challenging your cardiovascular system.

In simpler terms, Zone 2 training is a moderate-intensity workout that focuses on building aerobic endurance without pushing your body into high-intensity zones that could lead to burnout or overtraining.

Benefits of Zone 2 Training

1. Improved Cardiovascular Health

Engaging in Zone 2 training regularly can significantly improve your cardiovascular health by strengthening your heart muscle, increasing stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped per beat), and enhancing overall heart efficiency. This type of training promotes the development of new blood vessels, improving blood flow and oxygen delivery to working muscles and organs.

2. Enhanced Fat Metabolism

Zone 2 training is known for its ability to optimize fat metabolism. Exercising at this moderate intensity encourages the body to use fat as a primary fuel source, helping to reduce body fat percentage and improve body composition over time.

3. Increased Aerobic Endurance

Consistent Zone 2 training can boost your aerobic endurance by improving your body’s ability to utilize oxygen efficiently during exercise. This leads to increased stamina, reduced fatigue during prolonged activities, and better performance in endurance sports like running, cycling, and swimming.

4. Longevity and Overall Health

Research has shown that regular aerobic exercise, like Zone 2 training, is associated with increased longevity and a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. By prioritizing your cardiovascular health through Zone 2 training, you are investing in a healthier, longer life.

Incorporate it into Your Routine

Determine Your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR): To find your Zone 2 heart rate range, you’ll first need to calculate your MHR. A common formula to estimate MHR is 220 minus your age.

Calculate Your Zone 2 Range: Multiply your MHR by 0.6 (60%) and 0.7 (70%) to determine the lower and upper limits of your Zone 2 training zone.

Choose Your Activity: Whether it’s running, cycling, swimming, or walking, choose an activity you enjoy and can sustain for an extended period at your Zone 2 heart rate.

Monitor Your Heart Rate: Use a heart rate monitor or fitness tracker to ensure you’re staying within your Zone 2 range during your workouts.

Start Slow and Progress Gradually: If you’re new to Zone 2 training, begin with shorter sessions and gradually increase the duration as your fitness improves. If you want more help on this topic click here to reach out to us.

For those looking to enhance their fitness journey and optimize their health, using this guide to Zone 2 training provides a sustainable, effective approach that caters to individuals of all fitness levels. So, lace up those running shoes, hop on your bike, or dive into the pool, and start reaping the rewards of Zone 2 training today. If you want to know about Functional Fitness Training, click here to read the blog post.

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Holiday Eating

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 18:17:00 GMT

You’ve probably heard this one: “You can’t outwork a bad diet.”

It’s true. If you always eat foods that don’t match up with your fitness goals, you’re going to struggle to make progress even if you train hard.

But with some major holidays approaching, it’s worth mentioning the flip side to that saying:

One special meal isn’t going to derail your progress.

Sometimes people who work out hard and eat well get stressed near major holidays because a big family feast doesn’t fit into their plan. That’s understandable. We all want to optimize results in the gym.

But don’t stress too much if the holiday season finds you eating or drinking a little more than usual.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying you should go wild and scream “YOLO!” before over-indulging in food and drink. But it’s important to enjoy yourself and relax a little bit. In fact, many coaches believe that a little leeway from time to time makes it easier to stay on track long term.

Ever heard of the “80-20 rule” in nutrition? It’s the idea that if you eat in a way that matches your health and fitness goals 80 percent of the time, you can afford to indulge 20 percent of the time. The numbers aren’t exact, of course—but you get the idea.

Here’s the rule stated another way: More often than not, make good choices when it comes to food and beverages. And when you choose to enjoy yourself from time to time, don’t sweat it.

It’s important to avoid being rigid when it comes to food because “black-and-white thinking” can make you feel like a failure.

Consider this: “I can’t believe I had that cookie at the work party. I’m totally failing with my nutrition!”

A great coach might say, “Don’t worry about the cookie. You had two days with perfect nutrition, and that cookie isn’t going to matter in the long run. You’re still right on track!”

Some people, of course, are very rigid in all aspects of their lives. And that’s OK. But if that’s not you, don’t worry if the annual family holiday buffet is on the calendar. I want you to enjoy yourself, then get back to the gym and your normal eating plan.

Remember, if you make good choices 80 percent of the time, you’re going to accomplish your health and fitness goals.

If you’ve got some holiday feasts approaching and want to make a plan to manage “the 20 percent,” or if you just want to talk about how I can help you improve your nutrition in “the 80 percent,” let’s talk.

Send us email to book an appointment!

Coach Dave

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What Is Functional Fitness Training?

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 21:37:00 GMT

Fitness is full of buzzwords and jargon—so what is functional fitness training, and why is it important?

Here’s the answer:

Functional fitness training is used to help people become better at things they do in daily life. The movements used in this style of training are often—but not always—very similar to the movements you do every day.

For example, squats are an important functional movement because they help you rise from seated to standing. Deadlifts help you pick objects off the floor—like groceries, a kid, a pet or a box. Shoulder presses can help you put a bag of dog food on a shelf, and farmer carries can help you get the trash to the curb.

Other movements, like kettlebell swings, have significant carryover into daily life: If you learn to open your hips quickly, you’ll likely be able to hop over a puddle or run to catch the bus.

If you compare functional training to bodybuilding, the concept is even more clear.

The goal of bodybuilding is to gain muscle mass, so people use all kinds of machines, implements and movements to isolate certain muscles in training. Then they use specific sets, reps and rest intervals to encourage muscle growth. Bodybuilders are generally interested in size, tone and symmetry, not cardiovascular endurance, stamina, flexibility and so on.

One more comparison: powerlifting. Powerlifters want to become as strong as possible in just three movements. So everything they do is designed to help them move more weight in the squat, bench press and deadlift. They also use specific equipment and training plans to achieve these goals.

With functional fitness training, the goal is much more general: increased total fitness.

The 10 Functional Fitness Domains

To improve overall fitness, functional training emphasizes full-body movements, free weights rather than machines, lots of variety, and workouts of differing length and intensity.

These programs are not “random,” but they don’t look like traditional routines that call for 3 sets of 8-10 reps in every workout.

Here are four very different functional training workouts that will help you become fitter in general:

When put together in a training plan, workouts like this are designed to help people improve all these things:

With that list in front of you, you can see why someone who does functional training usually has the ability to perform well in any physical task inside or outside the gym.

A program like this can also be used to help someone lose weight or body fat, gain muscle and strength, or improve conditioning. Some people even use this style of training to improve performance in sports. It’s incredibly potent and a lot of fun.

Is Functional Training for You?

So is functional training better than other styles of training?

It depends on your specific goal. It can be very effective, and it’s incredibly enjoyable in a one-on-one setting or in a group! But if you prefer other methods or have specific goals beyond general fitness, another style of training might work better for you.

The good news: We can tell you how to train to accomplish your goals—whatever they are. We

know all the different styles of training well and can provide an exact plan that will bring success.

If you’d like to talk to us about functional training or ask us how to accomplish your goals, book a free consultation here [LINK] !

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Are Healthy Habits Enough?

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 19:22:00 GMT

Meal plans, supplements, fat-burning workout programs, cleanses, macro tracking, the keto diet and other nutrition regimes—where do you start if you want to lose weight?

Here’s the truth: The world of nutrition can be very confusing, and there are lots of too-good-to-be-true promises and outright lies. It’s no wonder many people struggle with weight loss.

But I have great news for you: Simple healthy habits can help you move toward your goals.

In fact, you can take some simple steps today and you’ll be on the right track. I’ll provide a few things you can do right now if you want to lose weight. If it all seems “too easy,” remember, simple habits are sustainable habits and sustainable habits produce long-term progress.

Weight-Loss Habit 1: Get Moving

You know all those workout programs you see on TV? You don’t need to complicate things if you’re just starting out. Instead, just get moving. And if you’re already moving every day, increase the amount a little bit. Movement will help you burn calories and get your metabolism going.

This movement could involve working out and I’d advise you to eventually do workouts specifically designed to help you reach your exact goals. But in the beginning, just adding general movement to your day will produce results.

Here are a few ideas:

Try to do something every day and give yourself a checkmark on a whiteboard, calendar, or sticky note every time you do an activity.

Once you get a string of days with activity, you’ll have confidence and momentum. The next step? You might add some light workouts to your routine—maybe two or three times a week in addition to your daily movement.

What should you do? You can find many workouts for beginners online, but you might consider talking to a fitness professional who can tell you exactly which workouts will help you reach your goals fastest. If you want to book a free consultation with us, click here [LINK].

Weight-Loss Habit 2: Focus on Vegetables and Lean Protein

Improving your diet can be very simple. Most people eat too many carbs and too much fat. Many popular foods combine the two and make it very tough not to overeat. And sometimes you definitely deserve a treat. But to accomplish weight-loss goals, use a few simple but very effective strategies.

First, fill half your plate with veggies at every meal. Vegetables are packed with vitamins, nutrients and fibre and they don’t provide huge amounts of calories. They’re nutritious and filling and they can be delicious too!

The other part of the plan: focus on lean protein. Rib-eye steaks, juicy hamburgers and deep-fried chicken wings won’t fit well with this plan. But things such as chicken breasts, turkey cold cuts, and fish are great and there are other options if you’d prefer not to eat meat.

Protein will help you fuel your body and build muscle and lean choices will ensure you don’t take in a lot of calories from fat.

Again, you can track your “win streaks” by giving yourself a checkmark every time a meal has veggies and lean protein. Your body will love what you’re putting into it and you’ll feel great.

Once you have some momentum, you might want to fine-tune your plan and add in some other healthy habits in the kitchen. That’s where a pro comes in: we can suggest additional habits that will move you closer to your goals. Again, you can book a free consultation with us here [LINK].

Simple and Effective

If you ever feel overwhelmed by all the noise around weight loss, remember that fitness and nutrition don’t have to be complicated. At first, the key is to move a little more and eat a little better every day and then an expert can help you tailor your plan so you get the best results.

If you have any questions or want to talk more about weight loss, book a consultation here today. Then go for a walk and refuel with some delicious veggies and chicken!

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Shift Your Baseline

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 17:52:00 GMT

When it comes to people prioritizing their fitness goals at the beginning of the year, body composition tends to be at the top of the list for almost everyone. Whether you want to lose weight, burn excess body fat, or add lean muscle, your goal falls into the body composition bucket.

Sure, we all want to feel our best, but if we are being honest, most of us also want to look a certain way. Maybe we just want to fit into some old clothes or dial things in a little bit for a big event in 2023. Regardless, there is nothing wrong with aesthetics being a big part of what you are hoping to achieve in 2023. After all, if you look good, you’ll feel good.

However, when it comes to changes in body composition, the one thing we all lack is patience. We all want to lose weight, burn fat, or gain muscle in thirty days. But the truth is, those changes take time, especially if you want them to stick.

So here is a helpful way to think about body composition changes and why a more patient approach is almost always the way to go.

We all have a baseline body composition.

The best way to think about this baseline is the body composition that takes minimal effort to maintain. It is the state of homeostasis that your body has settled into based on the habits (good or bad) you have adopted.

You will see results when you do a 30-day challenge or a crash diet. Your body composition may change, but your baseline probably won’t. All of the changes you made to get those results don’t have the time to turn into habits, which means that shortly after the challenge or diet is over, your behaviours will start to creep back to your baseline. And as your behaviours start to slip back into old habits, your body composition will eventually return to your baseline as well.

It is three steps forward and three steps back.

This is why a holistic, habit-based approach is the best way to make sustainable progress toward your goals. It will take more time to see results, but those results will stick because you’ll get there by turning behaviours into habits.

By definition, a habit is a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. That is the key – hard to give up.

If the body composition changes you accomplish are built off habits, those changes will stick because the behaviours that got you there are now hard to give up. You shifted your baseline, and your new baseline looks good!

ONE THING TO TRY THIS WEEK

Pick One Habit And Smart Small.

Instead of making a handful of big changes to kick off the New Year, pick one habit to work on and start small. What change can you implement this week that will move you closer to your goal while feeling so easy that there is no chance you’ll fall short?

That is where you start! And if you already jumped into some 30-day challenge to start the year, that is ok! Just go into it knowing that it should be a jumping-off point for sustainable changes throughout the year and not an instant fix or a shortcut to get where you want to go.

We can help you get on the right path with our one on one nutrition coaching, to find out how – visit us here to book a free discovery call.

The post Shift Your Baseline appeared first on CollectiveFit .

Eat More to Lose Weight?

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 18:45:00 GMT

It wouldn’t be the start of a new year without talking about nutrition.

As we kick off 2023, many people find themselves motivated to dial in their nutrition to help support their body composition or performance goals. So how are you planning to kick off the new year?

Are you cutting out sugar or trying a diet like keto, paleo, or carnivore?

What if you could approach nutrition this year in a way that doesn’t require you to cut out any of your favourite foods and still get the results you want? Is that even possible?

Let’s find out!

More, Not Less

When it comes to dieting to start the new year, most people opt for a restrictive approach to their nutrition. When looking to lose excess body fat or change their body composition, people often default to cutting out certain food groups that they believe to be problematic.

Motivated new year’s dieters will cut out sugar, eat fewer carbs, eat less fat or try a diet with a clear list of foods that are IN and foods that are OUT to jumpstart their New Year’s resolutions.

While this approach can work, a restrictive approach to dieting can sometimes lead to short-term progress but long-term disappointment. If you cut out foods you enjoy to lose weight, many people inevitably run out of motivation and end up returning to old habits.

If restrictive diets have failed you in the past, a better approach is to focus on the foods you should ADD to your diet instead of the things you should cut out.

By prioritizing a higher protein and veggie intake and proper hydration, you could see the body composition changes you are aiming for without having to cut out any of your favourite foods.

ONE THING TO TRY THIS WEEK

Focus On Your Protein & Veggies

Focus on your protein and veggie intake at every meal this week and see how your nutrition, cravings, and digestion improve without cutting out your favourite foods.

If you need something to aim for, try to get a palm size portion of protein (2 for men) at every meal along with two cupped handfuls of veggies. This should make it easy to ensure you are hitting the right quantities without having to deal with a food scale!

Book a free discovery call today to see if we can help.

The post Eat More to Lose Weight? appeared first on CollectiveFit .

Late Night Snacking

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 16:58:00 GMT

I Was Doing So Well Until…

We’ve all been there. It is so easy to stay disciplined and stick to good nutrition habits during the day and on weekdays. But once we get to the late PM hours or the weekends, all hell breaks loose.

Cookies, chocolate, pretzels; one bite is never enough, and we often end up eating more than we should.

So how can we curb those cravings and stay more consistent with our nutrition regardless of the time of day or day of the week?

Is it simply a matter of sheer willpower, or is there more to it?

YOU MAY NOT BE EATING ENOUGH!

When it comes to developing good habits around nutrition, it can be helpful to identify whether you are an abstainer or a moderator. Are you someone that can have one piece of chocolate and save the rest of the bar for later, or do you have to finish the entire thing once you’ve taken the first bite?

If you do better by eliminating certain foods, you might be an abstainer, and for you, restricting access to problematic foods might be the best strategy to combat cravings.

However, it is not realistic for some people to completely restrict their access to hyper-palatable, processed foods. This is why many people succumb to intense cravings and overindulge on calorie-dense foods, usually at the end of the day or the end of the week.

One reason those cravings may seem so insurmountable?
You may not be eating enough.

When people often claim to “eat clean,” that usually means they are not eating enough.

Smoothie for breakfast, light salad for lunch, and some meat and veggies for dinner—clean eating ammaright? The only problem is that you might only have 1,200-1,800 calories in that example. If you are a moderately active adult who works out, that is nowhere near enough food.

So what happens is your body craves more calories. If you stay in a steep deficit for long enough, those cravings will get stronger until you eventually cave in and blackout with a family-sized bag of tortilla chips in front of the TV come Friday night.

Food quality matters, so we aren’t saying you should have junk during the day so that you are less likely to crave junk food at night. We are saying that if you are having trouble with intense cravings at night and on weekends, you may want to eat more during the day and during the week to ensure you are fueling your body appropriately.

ONE THING TO TRY THIS WEEK
Eat More Food.

Prioritize having a bigger breakfast, lunch, and early afternoon snack this week made up of high-quality, whole foods. Prioritize foods high in protein or fiber and keep your meals balanced by including a carb, protein, and fat source at every sitting.

Your body is an incredibly in-tune machine that usually craves sweets and other calorie-dense foods when there is a need for additional calories. If you are fueling your body appropriately throughout the day and eating plenty of satiating whole foods, intense cravings should be few and far between.

You’ll be surprised how much easier it is to have just one slice of pizza on the weekend if you spend the entire week giving your body the nutrients and energy needed to thrive.

Consistency is key here to improve your body composition and how you feel. Eating super clean early in the day and on weekdays only to go crazy at night and on weekends is a perfect recipe for frustration, weight gain, and other downstream adverse health outcomes.

The post Late Night Snacking appeared first on CollectiveFit .

Keeping Momentum

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:04:00 GMT

I don’t want you to lose any momentum this summer, so I’ve got a secret tip for you today.

People are always going places and doing things outside in summer and schedules are full. It’s common for people to miss workouts. They “break the streak” or change a pattern that’s been working for them and then they feel disheartened. Some people lose so much momentum in summer that they actually quit training altogether. That’s bad for their health and bad for their goals.

So here’s how to turn a summer activity into a workout and save precious time:

Wear a weighted vest!

Don’t have one? Toss a few books or rocks in a backpack.

Here’s why this works: You’ve become very efficient at moving your body. Its size and shape don’t change much from day to day and all your body’s systems have adapted to the load.

But if you add some external weight, your body has to work harder to do things. How much harder? That depends on the activity. For example, doing pull-ups with a weighted vest can be very hard. Walking with a 10-lb. backpack is just a bit harder than walking without one. But it’s still harder!

By changing the deal a little, you’ll force your body to put out more effort and that’s great for fitness.

The vest idea is perfect for summer because it allows you to “create time.” Here’s an example: Say you drive four hours to take your kids to the baseball tournament and you’ll be at the field all day before driving home. No time to train, right?

But what if you toss on a weighted vest and do a walk around the perimeter of the diamond after every inning? That’s a light—but effective—workout and you can cheer your kid on at the same time.

Or maybe you’ve got a ton of yard work to do before the family barbecue. Put some books in a backpack and wear it while you push the mower and weed the garden.

Going on a nature hike? Fill your backpack and level up!

Housework? Wear a vest!

By turning everyday summer activities into “light workouts,” you’re challenging your body just a little and maintaining your healthy fitness habit. Don’t underestimate how important this is. Instead of feeling down because you “haven’t worked out in three days,” you’ll be able to say, “This weekend, I logged 15,000 steps with a weighted vest!”

That sense of accomplishment is huge! And don’t forget that your body is actually working harder to move some extra weight. You are working out. This isn’t just a trick.

If you’d like to pick up a weighted vest to help you stay on track this summer, hit “REPLY” and I’ll give you some recommendations and “workout” ideas. I can also give you some advice on how to use a weighted backpack. And if you want some ideas about how to scale up a summer activity so it moves you closer to your goals, let’s talk.

Remember: Progress is about momentum and I’m here to help you maintain it 365 days a year!

Book. a free call today to see how we can help https://kilo.gymleadmachine.com/widget/appointment/collectivefit/intro-phone-call

The post Keeping Momentum appeared first on CollectiveFit .

How to Find Fitness Motivation: The Secret

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 14:28:00 GMT

Everyone knows working out is a good thing.

It’s common sense. Yet the majority of people don’t work out.

Why is that?

Well, “workout” contains the word “work,” and if you aren’t motivated, you won’t want to sweat.

But if you’re motivated, you’ll definitely dig into a program or routine. So how do you find motivation?

We have the secret. It has two parts:

Focus on your goals and rely on a coach.

How to Accomplish Your Goals

Would it be fun to spend all your money on electronics and clothes and other cool stuff? Yes! But you don’t because you have other goals, like paying your rent or mortgage, taking a vacation, saving for retirement, and so on. You’re motivated, so you stay on track.

Fitness is just like that. If you have goals, you’ll be motivated to work toward them. But here’s the problem: If you don’t see progress, you’ll quit.

Financial goals are easy to track because you can watch the numbers. Easy, right? For most people, fitness goals are way harder to track. But we can help. We’ll help you identify your short- and long-term goals, determine how to measure them, and track progress. And we’ll celebrate all the small wins along the way to the big one!

That brings us to the second element of motivation: Rely on a coach.

You’ve got the goals for sure. But you might not have the plan. Want to lose 20 lb.? We can tell you how. Want improve your endurance? We have a program. Want to get stronger? That’s in our wheelhouse, too.

There’s nothing more frustrating than spinning your wheels. But if you see a clear path to your goals and get to celebrate milestones along the way, you’ll be very motivated. A coach is the person who will draw the map from your current state to your goals and set up wins along the way. He or she will be the first to pick you up when motivation is down. And your coach will also be the one who celebrates every single win with you.

If we told you to go suffer through a workout right now, you might curl your nose at the thought. But if we told you that you’d be led through the perfect workout for your goals by an inspiring professional who will make you smile, you’d probably feel much more inclined to tie up those runners!

Bonus: We offer the chance to work one on one with a personal coach or in a group setting. Some people love the devoted attention of a personal coach, but other people get fired up by the energy of a supportive group. The choice is up to you!

Now that you know the secret to motivation, you have only one thing left to do: start! You can do that by clicking HERE . Come see us and we’ll put together the perfect program for you—with motivation and inspiration guaranteed!

The post How to Find Fitness Motivation: The Secret appeared first on CollectiveFit .

Recovery Month

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 12:38:00 GMT

Regardless of what your specific fitness goal may be, proper recovery is something you simply can’t ignore. Whether you want to put on lean muscle, burn fat, or improve your athletic performance, you need to be thinking about recovery.

Remember, exercise isn’t actually what makes you stronger or fitter. Exercise is the stressor that provides the opportunity for these adaptations to happen, but the adaptations themselves actually occur during the time in between workouts when your body is RECOVERING.

No matter how hard you’re working towards your goals, if you aren’t prioritizing recovery, you’re cutting yourself short. Don’t let all your hard work go to waste. Let’s learn how to recover better this month so that we can hit the ground running to kick off the second half of 2022 and make some real progress towards our health and fitness goals.

SNOOZE OR LOSE!

We’re kicking things off this month with sleep because it’s probably the most important thing when it comes to optimizing your recovery.

We all know that sleep matters, yet many people don’t appreciate just how important it really is.

Sleep experts have gone as far as to say that “sleep is probably the greatest legal performance-enhancing drug that few are abusing enough.”

Want to put on some lean muscle? You have to sleep. Want to shed some excess fat? You need to sleep.

Take this interesting 2010 study as an example. In this study, participants were split into two groups. One group was prescribed 8.5 hours of sleep per night, while the other group was limited to just 5.5 hours of sleep. Both groups were put on a regulated diet to control for the caloric deficit they were on.

The results? Well, both groups lost the same amount of weight, which makes sense since both groups were consuming the same diet. But here is the interesting part — the sleep-deprived group lost 60% more muscle mass and 55% less fat than the group that got adequate sleep.

Those are huge differences when it comes to seeing favourable changes in how you look in the mirror. Anyone looking to improve their body composition wants to burn fat but maintain muscle, not the other way around!

And that’s just one of the many studies showing just how much of an impact sleep can have on your health and fitness goals.

ONE THING TO TRY THIS WEEK

So how much sleep is ideal? 7-9 hours is the sweet spot, with 7 hours being an absolute minimum if you’re looking to optimize your recovery.

But the sleep discussion doesn’t end with simply how many hours you spend in bed; quality of sleep matters just as much as quantity. So, this week, your goal is to get at least 7 hours of sleep while also working on making those hours count!

How can you do that? Here’s one thing you can commit to trying this week:

Avoid all blue light at least an hour before bedtime. That means no scrolling in bed or late-night emails. An hour is not that long. Bring a book into bed, try some journaling, and invest in an alarm clock so that your phone can live outside the bedroom (where it belongs).

ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEK

We can all benefit from this valuable information, so forward this post to a friend so that they can dial in their recovery alongside you this month. Book a free intro call with us to see how we can help HERE .

C’mon, give us a share!

The post Recovery Month appeared first on CollectiveFit .

How to Lose Fat “Right Here”

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 21:27:00 GMT

Over the years, clients have pointed to every single body part and said, “I want to lose fat right here.”

Here are a few of the most common areas: the stomach, the hips/butt and the “wobble under the arm.”

I’ll tell you exactly to lose fat in any of those parts—and anywhere else, for that matter.

Here’s the deal: You can’t actually target fat loss in a specific body part. I know you’ll see all sorts of ads for products that say you can “burn off belly fat” or “tone your legs,” but these are empty promises. No magic pill, lotion, wrap or diet can target fat loss in one place.

The truth is that you must use fitness to reduce overall body fat. Your body will decide where the fat is lost, but if you lose fat in general, you’ll improve problem areas, too.

You can double down on that process by building a bit of muscle. We aren’t talking bulky, bulging bodybuilder muscle. We’re talking about very small increases. You won’t ever suddenly become “bulky”—but that’s a myth for another time.

Our Fat-Loss Program

So how do you use fitness to reduce body fat and build muscle?

Well, there are lots of ways to do it. We’ll tell you how we do it, and we guarantee it works! (Don’t take our word for it. Feel free to ask any of our clients!)

We use a combination of cardiovascular training and strength training to burn calories and build muscle. So that means we don’t just run for 30 minutes or just lift weights for 3 sets of 8. Our coaches create programs that are perfectly designed to help clients accomplish goals.

Sometimes, a single workout might have two parts: one “cardio” element and one strength element. Other times, we might blend cardio and strength training together. That might look something like this: Do 5 barbell back squats at a certain weight and then run 200 meters—repeat 5 times. Sometimes we do focus on either strength or conditioning in a single session. But overall, we focus on both!

The end result? You get stronger and build a little muscle. And you burn calories and body fat. Do this regularly, and you’re going to begin to see some muscle definition. No, your abs won’t instantly pop out. That’s a long-term goal. But you will notice that clothes start to fit better, and you’ll be able to see some visible changes. You’ll also be able to see clear progress in your workout log.

Another secret: You can accelerate your progress by improving your diet. (We can help with that, too!)

So think about the spot you want to lose fat. Your “right here.”

Now click HERE and book a free call with us. We’ll make a plan for you and tell you exactly how you can lose fat everywhere!

The post How to Lose Fat “Right Here” appeared first on CollectiveFit .

10 Ways to Hold Yourself Accountable

Sat, 28 May 2022 11:04:00 GMT

If I asked you if eating healthy foods was important, you would say ‘of course,’ right? And if I asked whether exercise is key for health and wellness, you would most likely respond with a yes. So if we know that nutrition plus fitness is the magic formula for living a vibrantly healthy life, why don’t we do it? Why do we prioritize one over the other? Why do we put one on the back burner and only get serious about it when we’ve been slapped in the face by a wake-up call, such as getting winded by one flight of stairs or a high blood-pressure reading?

In my experience working with hundreds of individuals at CollectiveFit, the key is accountability. We’re often willing to let ourselves down time after time, but when someone else is counting on us, we show up for them.

We show up for others because we don’t want to disappoint them, but yet we willingly disappoint ourselves over and over. We justify why we can’t follow through on our nutrition plan, we make excuses for why we have to skip the gym today and we follow it up with a promise to try again tomorrow—or better yet, to start fresh on Monday. Meanwhile, we’re subconsciously cataloging every time we didn’t show up for ourselves as just another failure, and over time, we begin to see ourselves as incapable, inept and weak-minded.

Relying on others to hold us accountable is OK—in the short term. When we’re just getting started, we need that assistance. We need that encouragement and support while we develop good habits. At CollectiveFit, we have a framework of accountability to help those wanting to get started. We send reminders, we check in, we acknowledge you every time you walk through the door, we high-five, we follow up and we celebrate with you each time you reach a milestone.

Our community of fellow members also helps in this accountability effort. That friend who is normally in class with you notices when you haven’t been there and sends you a friendly text asking how you’re doing. We let you know you aren’t forgotten and we want you here.

Now here’s where the truth hurts a little bit: No matter how much work to keep you accountable, it ultimately comes down to you. It’s up to you to consciously choose every day to make progress toward your goals. We will always cheer you on and help you, but if you haven’t bought in to the process, it won’t work in the long term.

So how do we stop letting ourselves down and create a safety net for reaching our goals?

Here are 10 tips for holding yourself accountable to your goals:

1. Engage in the community. We want to help you! It is our business! If you don’t engage, you are missing out on a big piece of the magic. Who wouldn’t want a group of like-minded people cheering you on every step of the way?

2. Set reminders on your phone. Schedule your workouts like appointments you can’t miss. Set an alarm for when you need to start prepping your healthy meal so that you don’t look at the clock, realize you have no time and reach for something unhealthy out of convenience.

3. Tell a coach when you’re planning to come to class. By putting your intentions out there, you have created an expectation that you will want to follow through on.

4. Print off a calendar, hang it in a visible spot and cross off the days you hit the gym or stayed true to your nutrition plan so that you can visually see all the marks of your success. It’s satisfying to see your efforts adding up and will reinforce your intentions to keep going!

5. Share your story on social media or another public forum. There’s something to be said for putting it all out there! Even if no one on social media follows up with you on your progress, making a claim publicly will make you more likely to keep your word.

6. Take progress pics. To see our progress, we have to remember where we started. We get used to how we currently look because change is subtle and gradual. By looking back to our starting point and comparing it to where we are now, we can take stock of the progress we have made since day one.

7. Set quarterly goal-setting meetings with an accountability buddy. If you are a member at CollectiveFit, we want to schedule these meetings with you every quarter, so reach out to get yours on the calendar! If you aren’t a member here, find a friend who needs accountability, too, and make quarterly dates to review your progress and set goals for the future.

8. Constantly remind yourself of your “why.” A goal is great, but if we don’t know why we want to reach it, it doesn’t mean much. Ask yourself why you want to focus on your fitness and nutrition. How will it impact your life? How will it make you feel? It doesn’t hurt to do some visualization either. Mentally imagine yourself as the person you see yourself as if your goals are met. Once you have a solid “why,” remind yourself of it daily so that you internalize it and keep it close to your heart.

9. Don’t make it all or nothing. “Rome wasn’t built in a day”—we all know that saying, and it’s true! We are on a journey, not a quick trip to the supermarket. There will be ups and downs. There will be plateaus. There will be naysayers and stress and self-doubt. Don’t let those things knock you off your path. Acknowledge them, thank them for teaching you something about yourself and then continue to make forward progress.

10. Reward yourself for reaching micro-goals. Everyone likes a prize, right? Set micro-goals along the path to your BIG goals and reward yourself for hitting those milestones along the way. An example is if someone wants to lose 30 pounds, they can give themselves a little gift for every five-pound loss. Someone who wants to focus on nutrition can reward themselves for each solid week of staying on track or keeping their eating out to below an acceptable minimum for the week. These rewards don’t have to cost money, either—get creative with things you enjoy and treat yourself!

There are many other ways to keep yourself accountable, so find what works for you. Something that worked once might not work forever—switch things up often to stay excited and motivated about your success.

If you need help getting started on your health and wellness path, feel free to contact us! We would love to set up a No-Sweat Intro with you where we talk about you, your current lifestyle and your goals, and help you make a plan of action. Book one here! Book Here

The post 10 Ways to Hold Yourself Accountable appeared first on CollectiveFit .

ARE YOU EATING ENOUGH?

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 18:20:00 GMT

At the end of the day, looking to burn excess body fat or gain muscle mass, those two goals are what most people look to get out of their fitness routine.

When it comes down to it, many of us are chasing body composition changes that require a little bit of both; to varying extents, most of us want to lose excess body fat and build lean muscle mass.

On the bright side, these are both positive goals to aim for because both could help optimize your health. On the not-so-bright side, many people go about chasing these body composition changes the wrong way.

Dieting by way of extreme caloric deficits is a great way to lose weight fast, but it’s important to recognize that the weight loss achieved through challenges, juice cleanses, and restrictive diets isn’t sustainable. This often leads to yo-yo dieting, which is when people diet to lose weight, gain it all back, diet again, regain the weight, and so on in a perpetual cycle that leads to negative health outcomes and no sustainable weight loss.

Caloric deficits for extended periods of time can also lead to issues for some people. If you’re in a caloric deficit for long enough, your body will adapt to the decreased number of calories by slowing down everything you do. Your workouts will suffer, you’ll fidget less, and even the rate at which your eyelids blink will slow down, all as part of your body’s efforts to save energy because you’re in a chronically depleted state. This often leads to a plateau in weight loss even if you continue to put yourself in what you think is a larger caloric deficit.

In this situation, a caloric deficit can be a stressor that, when combined with other stressors like high-intensity fitness and poor sleep, can put people into a deep hole of inflammation that they would need to dig themselves out of before being able to effectively burn fat or build muscle.

Essentially, eating less can, in some cases, actually be detrimental to your goal of seeing positive changes in body composition.

One Thing To Try This Week

For some people, trying a reverse diet can actually be a potent tool in getting things back on track in terms of nutrition. Use this week to audit how you’re feeling and what progress you’re making (or not making) in order to determine if a reverse diet might be something worth trying.

A reverse diet simply means gradually adding more food to your daily intake while carefully monitoring your weight and how you feel.

If you’ve been in a caloric deficit for over 12 weeks, if you feel hungry all the time, or you’ve hit a weight loss plateau, a reverse diet might be a good idea. Poor sleep and poor performance at the gym can also be red flags indicating that it might be time to eat more, not less.

If you find yourself feeling better with more food and you don’t immediately see your weight go up as a result, you’re on the right track. A reverse diet for a few weeks might be just what you need to get back on track towards feeling good and making real, sustainable progress towards your goals.

For a free consultation, click the link to book a call – https://msgsndr.com/widget/appointment/service/no-sweat-intro?group=collectivefit

The post ARE YOU EATING ENOUGH? appeared first on CollectiveFit .

WEIGHT LOSS JUST MEANS FAT LOSS

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 18:06:00 GMT

Whenever someone says they want to lose weight, what they usually mean is that they want to lose body fat.

For someone that has some weight to lose or even just someone looking to improve their body composition, you’d still want to maintain as much lean muscle mass as possible. This is why weight loss goals are actually fat loss goals.

With that said, burning fat boils down to a very simple math equation: You need to burn more calories than you consume. Now, of course, food quality and the nutrient density of your food matter, but when talking about fat loss, you need to be in a caloric deficit. It’s that simple.

But simple doesn’t mean easy, and this is where food quality comes into play when it comes to fat loss.

By prioritizing high-quality, whole foods, you ensure that you’re getting plenty of fiber and protein in your diet. Both of these are incredibly important to help you feel satiated, meaning they will make it easier for you to adhere to a caloric deficit without intense cravings.

When it comes to fat loss, many people find success in the short term but struggle in the long term. Why is that?

Well, if you’re constantly dieting and putting yourself into too much of a caloric deficit, you may lose weight, but it won’t be sustainable. The key to long-term fat loss is to find habits that will make it easy for you to sustain a small caloric deficit over a more extended period of time. Short bouts of intense deficits will get you quick results, but the pendulum often swings back the other way and will put you back at square one or worse.

Consistency is key when it comes to fat loss. If you are in a significant caloric deficit Monday through midday Friday, but then you overindulge on the weekends, your average caloric intake for the week may not even be a deficit at all. This inconsistency will actually lead to weight gain instead of fat loss if “cheat days” are too extreme.

It doesn’t pay off to be too restrictive when it comes to fat loss. Both the caloric deficit you should aim for and the foods you choose to cut off should be something that doesn’t feel too extreme or unsustainable.

Long-term results take EFFORT and consistency over time. Chasing shortcuts may seem like it will get you there quicker, but it won’t.

ONE THING TO TRY THIS WEEK

Protein and veggies. That’s it.

We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again (because it works): Focusing on what to ADD to your plate instead of worrying about what to keep off your plate can be a great method to finding a sustainable way to progress towards your nutrition goals.

For anyone looking to lose body fat, it will be significantly easier to maintain a caloric deficit if your meals are made up of adequate protein and fiber.

What does that look like? Without needing a food scale, you can use the Hands On Nutrition method and aim for a palm-size (or two) of protein and two cupped handfuls of fruits or vegetables for every meal.

With plenty of protein and fiber in your diet, it should make it easier to avoid excessive snacking or intense cravings.

With all that said, the aim is still to be in a caloric deficit if fat loss is your goal. However, by focusing on satiating foods like fiber and protein, that goal might be a lot easier to achieve in the short term and the long term.

To find out more about how to lose weight but keep muscle, book a call with us for free – https://msgsndr.com/widget/appointment/service/no-sweat-intro?group=collectivefit

The post WEIGHT LOSS JUST MEANS FAT LOSS appeared first on CollectiveFit .

How Fast Can You Gain or Lose Fitness?

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 20:00:00 GMT

Many people who are thinking about exercising want to know how fast you can gain fitness.

And current exercisers often want to know how fast you lose fitness if you stop training.

Here are your answers!

Gaining Fitness: It Only Takes Weeks

We have great news for you: If you haven’t been working out, you can measurably improve fitness in weeks.

If you’re currently working out, the answer will be different because progress slows over time. Think of a world-champion sprinter: It will take a lot of work to make that runner even a little faster. It will take less work for a newer runner to increase speed. It’s the same with general fitness.

For less-experienced people, it doesn’t take long to see results in the gym. How long? In general, you can expect to see measurable results in about six weeks of training if you work out properly. Many factors will affect this timeframe: the workouts you do, the frequency of training, the intensity of the workouts, your diet and sleep, your stress levels, and so on. A qualified coach can tell you exactly what to do to get optimal results.

It’s not uncommon for new clients to feel a little sore after the first few workouts but then feel noticeably better both mentally and physically. Some will tell us they have more energy and “feel stronger” after just a few weeks of training, and others will report changes in confidence and mood. We love hearing about stuff like that, but we also rely on metrics so clients have actual data that shows their progress.

For example, we can track performance on conditioning workouts, strength progression, and weight and body-fat levels, to name just a few metrics. Some will move faster than others. New clients often measurably improve strength in four to eight weeks, and conditioning improvements are very common, too. Significant weight and fat loss can take longer, but small changes often happen in the first two months of training.

Here’s amazing news: These swift results are common with people of any age! No matter how old you are, you can get real results in the gym in a relatively short time.

Will you experience rapid changes forever? No, the fitness improvements slow down a little as you gain experience. But that’s OK: You can make steady progress for decades, and a coach can tell you exactly what to do to keep moving forward. Chasing milestones becomes a lot of fun. The best part? You’ll be healthier long term!

If you want even more specific info on training adaptations, check out this detailed article for a list of training-related changes to the muscles and the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Fitness: No Work, No Reward

Here’s the truth about fitness: Use it or lose it. If you stop training, you can expect to slide backward. This doesn’t happen instantly, so don’t stress if you miss a workout or two. And a holiday once in a while won’t derail you completely.

In general, you can expect to start moving backward in about two to four weeks without activity. If you’re inactive for longer periods, such as two to six months, your fitness levels will be significantly reduced.

Again, these declines will be influenced by several factors. For example, someone who stops training and moving completely will experience a swifter decline than someone who stays relatively active outside the gym. And someone who quits training altogether will move backward while a person who just reduces training might be able to maintain fitness even if it isn’t improved further.

In addition, some research has found that well-trained people hold their fitness longer than those who don’t train for very long before dropping the healthy habit. You can read more about that here.

The bottom line: You shouldn’t feel panicked if you miss a few workouts. But if you want to preserve your fitness level, it would be a mistake to pass on training and activity for two to four weeks. The best plan of all: stay active for life and constantly work to improve your health and fitness in the gym.

Talk to a Coach!

Many factors determine how quickly you gain or lose fitness, but we’ve given you some general timelines.

If you’d like to learn more about how fast you can move toward your specific fitness goals, we can help! We’ll find out what you want to accomplish, put together a clear plan and lay out some milestones for you. Book a free consultation with us here collectivefit.ca

The post How Fast Can You Gain or Lose Fitness? appeared first on CollectiveFit .

3 Reasons Why Counting Calories Doesn’t Work and What To Do Instead

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 12:04:00 GMT

We’ve all been taught to count calories to lose weight right? If you’ve tried this you know how frustrating it can be and here are 3 reasons why:

1. IT MAKES YOU THINK OF FOOD ALL THE TIME

Do you really want to be weighing, measuring and analyzing everything you eat? Hell no! It’s a “food prison” and who wants to live there, besides how long do you think you can do it?

2. IT CAUSES YOU TO LIVE IN YOUR HEAD

Counting calories causes you to approach food from a completely mental standpoint. You make up rules of what you can and can’t eat, what has the best bang for your calorie buck, and what’s the healthiest with the lowest amount of calories. This keeps you locked in the food prison and never really get in touch with what your body wants or needs.

3. IT’S COMPLETELY UNREALISTIC IN THE LONG RUN

Imagine starting today and for the rest of your life, you have to weigh, measure and analyze every last bit of food that you ate. It’s just not sustainable and it’s a bandaid approach for short term gain.

What to do instead

1. EAT INTUITIVELY

Trust your body. Your body is an amazing machine, it knows when it’s hungry, when it’s full and when something’s not right. While a complicated machine, don’t overthink it, keep it simple. Start by eating 3 balanced meals a day; breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try to get a combination of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats at each meal. Fill your plate with lots of veggies, add protein, then some complex carbohydrates like sweet potato and finish with quality healthy fats such as olive oil.

2. SLOW DOWN

What’s the rush? When we eat, most of the time we are preoccupied with thinking about what we have to do next. Why not enjoy that meal, take your time, taste the food – it’s a celebration. Not everyone is so lucky. Tips; put the fork down between bites, take a sip of water, talk with your partner, chew longer – whatever it takes, slow down!

3. LEAVE SOME ROOM

Touching a bit on point #2, your stomach and mind take about 20 minutes to register the feeling of being full. So, if you eat every meal to the point of fullness (stuffed) in about 20 minutes you may start to feel lazy or lethargic (overstuffed). We’ve all been there right? Try this next time you eat; stop when you feel about 80% full (still have room, but feel satiated), leave food on the plate (save it for a snack later), wait 10 minutes and see how you feel.

We’re here to help, book a free call – https://msgsndr.com/widget/appointment/service/no-sweat-intro?group=collectivefit

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What Is Inflammation?

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 00:16:00 GMT

In short, inflammation is the body’s natural response to protect itself from harm. There are two types of inflammation, acute and chronic. You are probably most familiar with acute inflammation – for example when you get a cut or scrape. Your body mobilizes an army of white blood cells to surround the area and start the healing process. This is where the redness and swelling come from. This only lasts for a short period of time, until the site is healed. Then everything is back to normal.

Today, we are not talking about acute inflammation but rather chronic inflammation. This occurs when we have unwanted substances or toxins are constantly present in the body. It is kind of like having a never-ending to-do list. You never get a break and just feel overwhelmed all the time.

Inflammation can come from the sugar we eat, high doses of the wrong kinds of oils and fats in our diet (omega 6 & 9 vs. omega 3), hidden food allergies, lack of exercise, chronic stress, hidden infections, and our fat cells. This low-grade chronic inflammation that you cannot see or feel can contribute to every one of the major chronic diseases: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, and more.

“Unfortunately, chronic inflammation typically will not produce symptoms until actual loss of function occurs somewhere. This is because chronic inflammation is low-grade and systemic, often silently damaging your tissues over an extended period of time. This process can go on for years without you noticing until a disease suddenly sets in.”
Dr. Mercola

INFLAMMATION IN OUR DIET

Consuming oxidized refined oils can deplete your body’s antioxidants and increase inflammation inside the body. Refined seed oils include canola oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, vegetable oil, flaxseed oil, and grape seed oil.

These oils are produced in massive quantities and are found in margarine, salad dressings, mayonnaise, sauces, chips, popcorn, frozen entrées, baked goods, and just about any other processed food. Due to the high-heat process used to extract oils from these seeds the delicate polyunsaturated fats and nutrients they contain are damaged. These oils are usually rancid by the time they hit grocery store shelves. BOOOOO!

In addition to increased inflammation, the polyunsaturated omega-6 linoleic acid found in refined seed oils and trans fats increases the permeability of the intestinal tract (leaky gut). Definitely not a good thing!

Refined oils will skew your dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the wrong direction. A high dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is associated with more inflammation. It is estimated that the SAD (standard American diet) has 15 to 20 times as many omega-6 to omega-3; the ideal ratio should be close to 1:1.

This high ratio can contribute to accelerated ageing and the development of many chronic diseases: cardiovascular disease, some cancers, arthritis, and other inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

Too much polyunsaturated fat can be detrimental to your health.

To improve your health and reduce inflammation, decrease your total polyunsaturated fat intake and improve your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio by avoiding the refined oils listed above.

Take Away Point: Starting reducing the overall inflammation in the body by removing refined oils from your diet and replace with higher quality stable oils. Seek our avocado oil or coconut oil for cooking and extra virgin olive oil for drizzling on vegetables.

Rock the day!

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Should You Do The Same Exercises Everyday?

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 19:22:00 GMT

Being active is great—but what if you do the same exercises every single day? Will that help you stay fit?

Here’s the answer:

If you have a fitness regime in place but always do the same thing, you’ll get some of the benefits of activity, but you won’t get all of them. With some adjustments, your hard work could create even greater results.

For example, someone who runs 3 km at the same pace every single day is going to be much better off than someone who isn’t active at all. Running burns calories and works your cardiovascular system, and regular activity is great for maintaining your health.

But the body adapts to the demands on it, and once it’s adapted to be able to run 3 km at a certain pace, it doesn’t make any additional changes. You still burn calories, get your heart working and use your muscles, but you won’t get a lot fitter. You won’t continue to get faster or stronger. In training, we call this “hitting a plateau.” Improvements stop, and sometimes you might even slide backward a little.

To make further improvements, you need to change things to put new stresses on the body and force it to adapt.

For example, you could run 3 km in less time, you could run 4 km, or you could do 3 1-km intervals at a very fast pace with rest between efforts. All these variations still involve running but would cause your body to make positive changes again.

It’s the same thing with weight training. If you do dumbbell biceps curls for 3 sets of 8 reps at 20 lb. every day, your body won’t change much. It has the capacity to do the work, so it doesn’t add more. But if you asked it for 3 sets of 10 reps, or to move 25 lb. instead of 20, it would adapt to accomplish the effort. Your muscles would grow.

So if changes to your routine are needed to keep making progress, how do you know what to change and when? That’s where we come in.

How a Coach Can Help

First, you must get the right program in place to start, and it should be based on your exact health and fitness goals. Some people just take a routine from a magazine and do it over and over. Again, it’s great to get moving. But that routine won’t be perfect for you, and your needs will change.

When we create programs, we find out exactly what people want to accomplish, and then we put an ideal plan together.

Then we monitor progress, and we evaluate daily, weekly and monthly results. Because we’re experts, we can tell when you’re ready for a new challenge that will ensure you’re always moving forward. Programs are constantly updated to ensure you’re training optimally.

Beyond physical adaptation, there’s also something else to consider: boredom. By changing the program regularly, we’ll keep you interested and engaged.

Running the same 3 km every day on the same path can grow stale, and sometimes boredom makes people quit activities.

But what if we had you do that 3 km on a more rugged trail that challenges your balance and strength with obstacles and climbs? Or what if we had you stop running every 500 m and perform 10 burpees?

A good coach is always working to make sure a client is moving toward goals as quickly as possible while staying motivated.

Let’s Talk About Your Training Plan!

If you’re already active but feeling bored with your routine, we can energize you by setting some goals and adjusting your training plan. If you like your current routine but have stopped making progress, we can help you start moving forward again while maintaining some of the elements you enjoy.

And if you’re thinking about becoming active, we can make sure you start off on the right foot and continue moving forward for years.

With a coach behind you, you’ll never hit a plateau or experience boredom. Instead, you’ll make steady progress toward your goals.

To find out how a coach can help you, book a free consultation with us here https://collectivefit.ca/ .

The post Should You Do The Same Exercises Everyday? appeared first on CollectiveFit .

New Year’s Resolutions Are Just an Excuse

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 18:07:00 GMT

The first week of December is behind us, which means New Year’s resolutions chatter has officially begun.

What are you going to commit to once the new year rolls around? Will it be nutrition-focused? Fitness-focused? Professional development?

Regardless of what you decide, here’s a thought: How about starting today?

That’s right. Not tomorrow—today.

January isn’t a magical month. There’s nothing special about January 1. 1/1/2022 is just a date, and regardless of what your goal is, you have the opportunity to get a lengthy head start.

So stop using January as an excuse. Start today. Book a FREE no sweat intro to talk with a coach to see if we’re a good fit for your goals – http://collectivefit.ca

One Thing To Try This Week

Audit your 2021 and write down what you’ve accomplished. Then, write down what you want to accomplish in 2022. With only a few weeks left in the year, this is the perfect time to assess where you are and where you want to go.

The post New Year’s Resolutions Are Just an Excuse appeared first on CollectiveFit .

Can You Do CrossFit If You’re Overweight?

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 20:17:00 GMT

People often ask if they can do CrossFit if they’re overweight.

The answer: Yes!

Anyone can do CrossFit. In a one-on-one setting, coaches use CrossFit principles to create the perfect workout for a client. Each session is designed to challenge the client at the right level and move the person closer to their goals. In a group setting, the workout for the class is modified to suit the needs of each participant. In “CrossFit language,” quickly modifying a general workout in a group session is called “scaling.”

For example, imagine a workout like this:

3 rounds of:
20 barbell squats
Run 1 mile

That’s tough! But what if we adjusted it for a beginner who wants to lose weight and hasn’t worked out very much in the past? It might look like this:

5 rounds of:
10 body-weight squats
Jog or walk 100 meters

We’re experts at modifying workouts for clients. And we can provide hundreds of examples of how we’ve done it in the past. But I’ll give you an “easy button” right here: Book a free consultation with us. We’ll find out all about your goals and current fitness level, and then we’ll tell you exactly how we can help you.

Book that free no sweat intro here: https://collectivefit.ca/

You Can Do CrossFit If You’re Overweight!

Here’s something to remember: You don’t have to be fit to start training. Training is the thing that makes you fit. It’s like swimming lessons: You don’t learn to swim before taking lessons. You take lessons to learn.

Maybe you’ve seen top athletes competing at the CrossFit Games. They’re incredible, and they treat CrossFit as a sport or even a full-time job. At our gym, CrossFit is just a method we use to help people lose weight or body fat or gain strength—or accomplish any other goal. CrossFit training is a mix of cardiovascular and strength work, which makes it perfect for people who want to change body composition. With new clients, we always find out what they want to accomplish first, and then we put together a detailed plan. If weight loss is your goal, we’ll explain why the workouts we give you will help you, and we’ll tell you about the other half of the weight-loss equation: nutrition!

People always think about working out when they think of CrossFit, but eating right is a huge part of the program. After we create the perfect plan for you, we’ll help you stick to it and make sure you get measurable results. We’ll track the numbers that are important to you so you know you’re making progress. This process works like a charm. We’ve had beginners become very fit, we’ve had older clients become fitter than they were when they were younger, and we’ve had people lose impressive amounts of weight and body fat. It’s amazing to watch them progress, and we celebrate every single achievement with them.If weight loss is your goal and you’re interested in CrossFit, let me assure you that you can do CrossFit if you’re currently overweight. The key is working with a qualified professional who can create workouts that are perfect for you and your goals.

The best part: Your journey won’t start with a workout. It will start with a conversation. That means you’ll get to tell your story, talk about your goals and ask any questions you have. If you’re unsure about anything, we’ll talk the time to make you feel totally comfortable. This way, you’ll feel confident in our plan and inspired to take action. We’d love to use CrossFit to help you lose weight. If that’s your goal, we can help.

To meet with a coach and create the perfect plan for success, book a free consultation here: https://collectivefit.ca/

The post Can You Do CrossFit If You’re Overweight? appeared first on CollectiveFit .

MOVE THAT PILE OF DIRT EVERY DAY

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 19:59:00 GMT

There are a multitude of parallels in training and life because they ultimately require a similar set of values to be successful, the most impactful of all, in my opinion, is consistency.

Consistency is key to reaching any goal you set in life, whether that’s learning a new skill, developing a habit, working towards a PR, or striving to reach a healthier lifestyle. Consistency and the discipline required to maintain it are paramount. When motivation fails, consistency wins.

When it comes to training, your consistency will be the glue that holds it all together and allows for long term and life long success. This doesn’t mean hitting the class 7 days a week, 365 days a year and going pedal to the metal is how you reach your goal (but hey, if that works for you, go for it).

“Training is like moving a pile of dirt. Some days you use a shovel, some days you use a spoon but as long as you move some dirt, you’re headed in the right direction.”

Moving dirt with a shovel – Those days in the gym where everything is going right, the weight feels light, you’ve got a bounce in your step and it feels like no one can stop you! Take advantage of those times because those days aren’t always there and that’s ok! Use that shovel while it’s efficient and move that dirt!

Moving dirt with a spoon – Those days in the gym when you’re tired, had less than optimal sleep, the bar feels heavy, or you are just having a rough day. Your training may look like a session of light stretching or putting on a podcast and going for a walk…great, you are still moving the pile.

Ultimately it comes down to the simple fact that your pile of dirt, whatever that is for you, is still there and you still have to move it. The pile isn’t getting any smaller so do what you can and do your best.

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Demystifying Food Quality

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 07:19:00 GMT

We made it to the final week of Fall Reset. Did you start this month strong? How are you planning on finishing it?

Over the past three weeks, we’ve talked about macronutrients, micronutrients, and the impact of HOW you eat your food.

Now we turn our attention to food quality. We all know we should be prioritizing higher quality food, but what does that mean exactly?

To put it simply, the highest quality foods are the ones without ingredient lists. Actual meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and starches are all whole foods that should make up the bulk of a quality diet.

Sometimes, people get too lost in the weeds of which trendy diet will fast-track them towards their goals. Keto, carnivore, paleo, vegan, and other popular diets get a lot of attention, but many people end up losing sight of what is truly important—eating real, whole foods.

With that said, we all inevitably buy some foods with nutrition labels and ingredient lists. So what makes some foods healthier than others?

The less ingredients, the better.
Check out the ingredient list first. If whatever you’re holding has more than a few ingredients, it might be best to set it down and find something else..

Sugars and seed oils.
If sugar appears as one of the first two ingredients, you’re probably not looking at a high quality food. Refined seed and vegetable oils are also a no-go. Canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean, peanut, corn, and rapeseed oils are all fats to avoid.

Beware of meaningless label claims.
Don’t be fooled by buzzwords on packaging. Organic matters on produce, but are organic cookies any different than conventional cookies? What about gluten-free, plant-based, vitamin-fortified, high in fiber, hormone-free, and other claims? Focus on the ingredients. What is or isn’t in the food you’re looking at? Label claims are a marketing tool; the real information is in the ingredients list.

Final Week of Fall Reset Homework: Something To Try This Week

Keep a daily record of how many foods you eat that have an ingredient list. Once you have a baseline, try to cut that number down. How close can you get to a whole foods diet by the end of the week?

Keep Up With Last Week’s Homework

Fall Reset ends this week, but that doesn’t mean you should stop working on the healthy habits we touched on this month.

Prioritizing protein, getting a variety of colours with every meal, slowing down at meal time, chewing your food, and shopping for quality foods should be habits that help you get through the holidays feeling great and build some momentum towards your goals heading into the new year. Stick with it and stay consistent.

If you want some help with your Nutrition, we’re only a phone call away! Book a call – http://collectivefit.ca

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How You Eat Matters

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 05:15:00 GMT

Over the past two weeks of our Fall Reset, we’ve talked about macronutrients, micronutrients, and why both matter.

Those past emails have been about WHAT you eat, but today we dive into HOW.

Sometimes referred to as “eating hygiene” or “food hygiene,” all of the behaviours surrounding and the environment in which you eat matter a whole lot.

Are you sitting down to eat slowly in a distraction-free environment, or are you shovelling in some food in between answering emails? The difference here matters more than you think.

Digestion begins in the mouth with enzymes in your saliva. In order for your body to properly digest the food you eat, it’s important that you chew your food 20-30 times before swallowing. The average person comes well short of that, typically chewing their food only six times before swallowing.

But food hygiene isn’t just about chewing your food. Do you sit or stand while you eat? Are you distracted while eating? Are you drinking liquids with your meal? All of these factors make proper digestion and absorption of your food more difficult for your body.

If weight loss or healthy weight management is a goal of yours, it’s especially important for you to slow down when eating your meals. It takes about 20 minutes for your gut to signal to your brain that you’re full and reduce your sense of hunger. If it takes you less than 20 minutes to polish off a meal, you are significantly more likely to overeat, since your brain has no way of knowing that you’re full that quickly.

Fall Reset Homework: Something To Try This Week

Sit down, slow down, and put your phone away for all three meals every day. It may sound simple, but simple isn’t necessarily easy, and the potential impact of good food hygiene can not be understated.

Keep Up With Last Week’s Homework

As we head into Week 3 of Fall Reset, you should continue to prioritize protein as well as incorporate as many colours into your meals as possible. Our goal over the next couple of weeks is to build healthy habits on top of other healthy habits — just because we’re three weeks in doesn’t mean you can forget about what we discussed for Week 1.

Next Week: Demystifying Food Quality

For the final week of Fall Reset, we’ll deep-dive into what actually makes some foods healthier than others. We all know we should be prioritizing high quality foods, but what does that actually mean? Do labels like organic, non-GMO, vegan, and vitamin-fortified hold any water? Stay tuned!

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Micro in Size, HUGE in Impact

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 17:10:00 GMT

The post Micro in Size, HUGE in Impact appeared first on CollectiveFit .

What You Measure Will Move

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 17:57:00 GMT

A lot of us got into fitness to reach some sort of body composition goal. Yes, we want to be healthy. Yes, we want to be able to stay active and mobile as we age. But at the end of the day, let’s call a duck a duck—we want to look good.

That could mean different things to different people. Maybe you want to put on some muscle, or perhaps you want to shed those extra pounds you put on during quarantine. Either way, the solution here is simple: What you measure will move.

This is why macros matter.

Is weighing your food and counting macros a prerequisite for proper nutrition? No. But will measuring your food promote consistency and help you reach a specific body composition goal quicker? Yes.

The total calories you eat in a day and the ratio of protein, carbs, and fat that make up those calories are ultimately the most important factors that will dictate muscle gain or fat loss.

Something To Try This Week

For this week, measure your daily protein intake and nothing else.

This makes measuring macros simple and allows you to focus on the macronutrient that is most important for keeping you satiated, building muscle, and supporting proper hormonal health.

Aim for 0.7 to 1.0 gram per pound of bodyweight to start. That’s your goal.

Make It Even Simpler

No interest in using the food scale or doing math to put together a meal? Use the palm of your hand to measure an adequate amount of protein for every meal.

Three meals a day, at least one palm size serving of protein at every meal (two for men). Stick to that consistently and you’ll be surprised how other things start to fall into place.

For help with your nutrition goals, book a free call today: collectivefit.ca

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Late Night Snacking

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 11:15:00 GMT

More often than not, late-night snacking happens out of habit rather than actual hunger. If hunger is the real reason for reaching for snacks after dinner, there are easy changes that can be made earlier in the day to curb this hunger.

A few simple tweaks to your typical routine can help you prevent the urge to reach for night-time snacks.

STOP AND THINK

Before going back into the kitchen, ask yourself these questions:

STRATEGIES

HAVE A ROUTINE

If you’re overeating because you aren’t eating enough during the day, then getting yourself into a routine can help. Structured eating and sleeping times will help you spread your food intake over the day so that you’re less hungry at night.

Getting enough sleep is very important when it comes to managing your food intake and weight. Lack of sleep and short sleep duration have been linked to higher calorie intake and poor-quality diets. Over a long period of time, poor sleep can increase your risk of obesity and related diseases.

Having set times for eating and sleeping can help you separate the two activities, especially if you are prone to waking in the night to eat.

PROTEIN

Different foods can have different effects on your appetite. If you eat due to hunger, including protein at every meal may help curb your hunger.

It could also help you feel more satisfied throughout the day, stop you from being preoccupied with food and help prevent snacking at night. One study found that eating frequent high-protein meals reduced cravings by 60% and cut the desire to eat at night by half.

ENVIRONMENT

If you are prone to eating high-fat, high-sugar junk food at night, remove it from your house.
If unhealthy snacks aren’t within easy reach, you are much less likely to eat them.

Instead, fill your house with healthy food that you enjoy. Then when you have the urge to eat, you won’t snack on junk. Good snack-friendly foods to have available if you get hungry include fruits, berries, plain yogurt, and cottage cheese.

These are very filling and probably won’t cause you to overeat in the case that you do end up becoming ravenously hungry in the evening.

RELAX

Anxiety and stress are two of the most common reasons why people eat when they aren’t hungry. However, using food to curb your emotions is a bad idea.

If you notice that you eat when you are anxious or stressed, try to find another way to let go of negative emotions and relax. Relaxation techniques you may find useful include breathing exercises, meditation, hot baths, yoga, gentle exercise, or stretching.

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Strength After 40

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 20:58:00 GMT

Can you build strength after 40?

Absolutely!

Many people think that we get weaker as we get older. And it’s true that we’ll all experience some physical decline as we age.

But it’s a fact that strength can be improved at any age, and older adults who train regularly can become incredibly strong. With continued training, they can hold much of that strength very late in life.

Think of it like this: If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. And you certainly won’t improve it.

People who are sedentary will start weak and become ever weaker if they don’t train as they age. Similarly, an active person who stops training will grow weaker quickly and then gradually become weaker as years pass.

The flip side is amazing:

Inactive people who start working out at any age become stronger—often quite quickly at first. As people continue to train, they’ll gradually gain more strength. If they continue working out over their entire lives, they’ll become very strong, and they’ll lose strength due to advanced age at a much slower rate. These people retain their capabilities later in life even as inactive people around them lose their independence!

We’ve seen people well over 70 gain strength and dramatically improve function, so if you’re over 40, it’s definitely not too late to start.

Strength Training Over 40: Three Secrets

Here are three tips for gaining strength after 40 (you aren’t “over the hill”):

1. You have to work out consistently.

Building strength is about momentum. If you train 2-4 times a week and do the right stuff (see below), you’ll get stronger and stronger. But you can’t work out for a month and then take a month off. If you do, you’ll lose your progress.

2. You have to do the right things the right way at the right times.

Strength training is a balance of stress and recovery, and you can definitely do too much or too little. Similarly, doing the same things over and over will blunt their effect. You need some variety and something called “progressive overload” to ensure you always make progress. And then you need to make sure you do the movements properly. Don’t stress about all this—our professional coaches take care of everything for you!

3. Nutrition is important.

You can’t drive a vehicle without fuel, and your body won’t become stronger without the right food. Protein is important, and so are vitamins and minerals. Carbs and fats figure into the equation, too. Again, we’re experts and we can tell you how to optimize your nutrition so you get strong!

Let’s Start Lifting Together!

Remember, It’s never too late to start working out.

Here’s the best part of all: People who start working out usually notice changes in strength fast. As the body “wakes up” and connects the brain to the muscles that are already there, people get stronger very quickly.

Later, with great training and nutrition, people generally notice a few more changes. Their clothes start to fit differently, movement becomes easier and more fun, and they usually add a little bit of muscle.

Don’t worry about “getting bulky.” That just doesn’t happen. If you gain muscle, it will happen slowly, and you’ll look “fit” rather than “bulky.” You don’t have to be big to be strong.We’d love to help you accomplish your goals.

We specialize in building strength in people over 40, and we’ll tell you exactly how we can help you do it in a free consultation.

You came here to find out if you can get stronger after 40. Now you know that you can. You just have to start training.

Don’t waste another day—book a consultation with us today and let’s get started!

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Late Night Snacking

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 14:37:00 GMT

A few simple tweaks to your typical routine can help you prevent the urge to reach for night-time snacks.

STOP AND THINK

Before going back into the kitchen, ask yourself these questions:

STRATEGIES

HAVE A ROUTINE

PROTEIN

ENVIRONMENT

These are very filling and probably won’t cause you to overeat in the case that you do end up becoming ravenously hungry in the evening.

RELAX

To work with us, try a free nutrition and lifestyle consultation – https://collectivefit.ca/nutrition/

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Meal Planning Tips

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 12:48:00 GMT

Meal planning is the simple act of taking some time to plan any number of meals for the week ahead…but how do you do it?

HOW TO PLAN

BENEFITS OF PLANNING

Meal planning saves you time, money and calories.

If you need help with your nutrition, book a call today to speak with a nutrition coach. This is what we do, why not see if we can help? Book using this link https://collectivefit.ca/nutrition/

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Why Do Keto, Intermittent Fasting and Tracking Macros Work?

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 23:14:00 GMT

So. You have a friend who lost weight on the keto diet and who swears it’s the answer to your problems. All you have to do is eat exactly one stick of butter before every meal and your body will FINALLY learn how to burn fat.

Your other friend only eats for two hours every three days and can’t believe how much weight he’s lost! Fasting actually works! It’s a miracle! Just supplement with methamphetamines and cigarettes to battle those pesky hunger cravings and you’ll do great!

A third friend is all about that IIFYM life. If it fits your macros, you’re good, bro. Just track your food and hit your macro targets and the fat will melt off. It’s the lost piece of the puzzle called life.

But seriously, why do these things work for the general public? Why are there so many diets that guarantee results, and why do you have so many friends who’ve made progress using different methods? Which one really works?

The answer is all of them. Here’s why: insulin.

I’ll keep this simple. If you really want to understand how your body loses fat, watch this video. (Sneak peek: It’s a 50-minute lecture and I watched it twice in one night. That’s how interesting it is.)

So, how do the nutrition programs listed above influence insulin, and how does that lead to fat loss?

When insulin is present in the bloodstream, it’s impossible for your body to pull fat out of your fat stores for energy. It is the regulator of fat metabolism. If you want to get fat out of your fat tissue, you have to get insulin levels down.

Why does your body produce insulin? To control blood-sugar levels.

Why does your blood sugar go up? In response to carbohydrates.

When did the food pyramid become popular? You know, the one you saw in school where the base is grains, rice, cereal and pasta? Well, that originated in 1974 and was introduced to the US in 1992.

When did we see a dramatic uptick in heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity? 1990 to 2000 marks the largest increases in chronic disease, childhood diabetes/obesity, and obesity in both men and women in the U.S.

Correlation or causation? You decide.

So, let’s circle back to the original question at hand. Why do these diet trends work?

Keto . The goal of the ketogenic diet is to reduce your carbohydrate intake to less than 30 g of carbohydrates per day and replace those calories with protein and fat. What happens when you reduce your carbohydrate intake? Your blood-sugar levels decline. What happens when your blood-sugar levels decline? Your body stops requiring insulin as frequently to manage that blood sugar.

Intermittent fasting . The most common practice is 16 hours of fasting (no food or calorie-dense drinks) with an eight-hour window of eating. Most people start fasting at 8 p.m. after dinner, sleep, skip breakfast, and start eating at 12 p.m. for lunch. If during those 16 hours we can’t eat or consume any calories, inherently we are not going to take in any carbohydrates in the form of bread, rice, cereal, pasta, or sugar in our drinks. If we don’t consume any of those things, we’re inherently managing our blood-sugar levels, which leads to insulin management which allows the body to start using fat for energy. See where this is going?

Tracking macros. Made popular by the app MyFitnessPal and the idea of “flexible dieting,” this nutrition program teaches its followers to balance their macro intake (protein, carbohydrates, and fat). With this increased awareness of what their caloric intake is made up of, most people start to balance their diets, reducing their carbohydrate intake from 65-80% to 20-30% and filling in the rest of their diet with a more appropriate balance of protein and fat. Can you guess what kind of hormonal change this causes in the body? I think you can. (Hint, it rhymes with “lower insulin.”)

So, there you have it. Hopefully this makes sense and sheds some light onto these diet phenomena. Calories are still important, and most people will argue that none of this matters as long as your calories are controlled. Thermodynamics and all that jazz are useful tools, but don’t be fooled into thinking they’re the end-all and be-all when it comes to losing fat. If it were that simple, then anyone would be able to subtract 500 calories a day from their intake and lose a pound a week forever. Until they weighed zero pounds.

Yep. That’s a bullet-proof argument.

The takeaway here is that there is rarely a one-size-fits-all or black-and-white solution to losing weight. There are many paths to the goal; it just depends on which you want to take and which one you can sustain. But each path is going to involve less sugar and more vegetables if you’re chasing health and fitness. I can promise you that.

Do you want to talk about nutrition in person with a professional? If you want to learn more about how you can lose weight, gain muscle and feel better forever, click the “Free Intro” button on our website to book a meeting with us.

P.S. You don’t have to start your weight-loss journey with exercise. It’s just more fun if you do.

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7 Researched Benefits of Exercise

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 16:05:00 GMT

Reason One: Improved Memory

Ever feel like you think a bit more clearly after a good workout? Not only is your brain getting more energy and oxygen, but many studies have shown that exercise can boost your memory and help you stay more focused!

Reason Two: More Confidence

Obviously, exercise can improve your appearance, which can improve confidence, but there’s more to it than that. Exercise can also help you feel more accomplished each time you complete a workout. Even if you don’t see immediate results in your body, that effort will make you feel better—and a bit of confidence is definitely sexy.

Reason Three: Better Sleep

If you ever have trouble falling asleep at night, the National Sleep Foundation says regular exercise can help you sleep better. But try to get those workouts in sooner rather than later—if you exercise too closely to bedtime, it can actually have the opposite effect!

Reason Four: Better Sex

No, we’re not pulling your leg. Studies have indeed shown that regular exercise can increase arousal and decrease men’s risk for erectile dysfunction, likely because exercise improves circulation (which is pretty important when it comes to sex)! Good to know, huh?

Reason Five: Live Longer

It’s no secret that healthy living will keep you alive longer, but you might be surprised at how much…. One study found that exercise improves life expectancy as much as quitting smoking. It really is true that sitting all day is killing you—and while we can’t promise you’ll break old Methuselah’s record (969 years), just a bit of regular exercise can stave off the reaper for awhile.

Reason Six: Get Sick Less

Have you ever experienced “runner’s high?” All the endorphins you release when you exercise actually make you feel happy.

I hope you found this outline helpful! If you’re serious about saying goodbye to belly fat, or a lack of energy, let’s talk.

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This is NEAT!

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 13:00:00 GMT

With warmer weather, you have a “NEAT” chance to make even more progress toward your goals.

In the fitness world, NEAT is an acronym for non-exercise activity thermogenesis. Simply: This is the energy you burn when you aren’t sleeping, eating or exercising. Think of it as the stuff you do when you aren’t training with us.

NEAT is important because we only get to see you for a certain period of time every week (and we love every minute!). But you spend a lot of time outside the gym, and if you’re generally active, you’re going to get results even faster.

Think about this: Two identical twins have goals of losing a bit of weight and body fat. Both do a great workout. Twin 1 drives home and then doesn’t do much over the next few days before driving back to the gym to work out again.

Twin 2 does the same workout, then bikes home. Once there, Twin 2 does some yard work in the evening, then goes for a long walk the next day. The second twin bikes back to the gym to train the day after that.

Which twin would have made more progress? And which one would probably be less stressed?

I’d like to encourage you to add in just a little non-exercise activity between training sessions this week. It shouldn’t be stressful or challenging. It should be fun. Pick anything you enjoy and do it. Here are a few suggestions:

• Go for a hike and explore a new area nearby.

• Get your bike on the road and feel the wind in your hair.

• Dig up the garden and plant something.

• Tackle that yard project you’ve been thinking about.

• Take the kids on a bike ride to a new park or playground.

• Walk around your neighborhood and explore parts you haven’t seen.

• Take the stairs at work (and maybe do them twice!).

• Stand up and work or program regular stretching breaks.

• Get on the water with a canoe, kayak or paddleboard.

• Volunteer to help a friend move or renovate.

• Clean and detail your vehicle.

• Do some outdoor spring cleaning—scrub the windows!

If you like “keeping score,” you can often track these activities with a step counter. And you’ll be amazed how fast steps add up. Warning: checking your step count can be addictive.

The benefits of general activity: You’ll burn more calories, you’ll spend less time on screens, and you’ll be less likely to reach for snacks or alcohol while binging on Netflix for hours. Research has even shown NEAT can help you reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular events.

So come to the gym and sweat with us regularly. But make outside-the-gym activity part of your lifestyle, too. If you need any ideas for things you can do to stay active, talk to any of our coaches.

If you are not a member and want to find out more about us, book a free intro to find out how we can help.

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The Supplement You Need to Take When Starting a Fitness Program

Sat, 08 May 2021 23:15:00 GMT

The post The Supplement You Need to Take When Starting a Fitness Program appeared first on CollectiveFit .

Busting Through Plateaus

Tue, 04 May 2021 17:49:00 GMT

Let’s face it. In the world of nutrition & fitness, the word “plateau” has a bad rap. In essence, it suggests a lack of progress, stagnancy, a sign of something going wrong. Sure, it’s frustrating to go from seeing improvements & changes regularly to not seeing any at all. But what if a plateau was really just your body’s way of telling you it’s time to change it up?

Our bodies are amazing and they adjust to new habits and routines. What was once challenging can become relatively easy, but that’s a sign that we are getting stronger, faster, or better! A plateau could also mean that we are mentally bored and no longer putting in the same amount of effort.

Sometimes we need to change things up a bit. If you’ve stopped seeing changes, (and your goal is NOT maintenance) here are some questions you should ask yourself:

1. Are you getting enough sleep?

Try turning off those electronics when climbing into bed (phone, tv, computer) so you can get the recommended 7-8 hours a night. Sleep is essential to recovery, fat burn and muscle growth! If you are functioning on less than ample sleep, your performance and weight loss could suffer.

2. Are you staying hydrated?

Make your goal to drink a minimum of 80 oz of water per day. Water is involved with every metabolic process, which means you need to stay hydrated to ensure optimal metabolism (burning calories throughout the day). Also, dehydration can cause fatigue and if you’re hitting a wall, you’ll need all the energy you can get.

3. Are you overtraining?

Yeah, it’s great to go all in. If you have the energy to push past your limits, and/or train for several days back to back, that’s amazing! Just don’t forget that your body needs time to recover in order to build strong muscles. Make sure you’re not stifling improvement by overworking yourself. Again, if your body is constantly exhausted, it will not be operating at its full capacity, and as a result, performance and weight loss may drop.

4. Is your level of intensity too low?

If you’re working out regularly, but you are able to hold a conversation throughout most of your routine, you might need to pick up the pace. Get that heart rate up! Dipping into the “discomfort zone” more frequently and for longer periods of time will ensure that you’re not coasting through a workout (coasting = minimal calorie burn). Remember, our bodies adapt quickly, so a workout that had you dying 6 months ago might feel like a cake walk now. Which means that you’re on the right track! Nice job!

5. Are you tracking your food, meeting your caloric ¯ro goals?

Tracking & logging your food/macros is one of the most important aspects of successful weight loss and muscle gain. If you have started working out with the goal of becoming healthier, we applaud you! But remember that fitness takes up about one hour of your day. That leaves 23 hours for you to decide: Will you support your healthy lifestyle with good food choices, or sabotage it with unhealthy food choices?

Really, the initial goal is to start putting more thought into what goes into your body. Once you have mastered that, (you’ll start to memorize approximate calorie counts of the foods you eat regularly, make more conscious food choices, and remember how certain foods make you feel) you can start getting more specific about meal times, serving size and frequency.

Next, you will start to look more closely at that general calorie count and dive into WHAT your calories are made up of (carbs, protein, fat, etc). If you’re logging your food, but are unsure of whether or not you’re eating the right amount for your body and your goals, it’s time to call in an expert. If you have reached a plateau, chances are, one of these five things will be the missing link to your success.

Here’s to OBLITERATING plateaus!

-Dave

Book a No Sweat Intro

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How to Make Huge Changes in Your Life

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 06:54:00 GMT

… Start by making tiny changes in your life, one at a time.

In 2003, Sir Dave Brailsford took over the British Cycling Team. He wasn’t a professional coach, and he’d only been an amateur cyclist. Instead of trying to rebuild the perennially weak cycling team from scratch, Brailsford implemented a business strategy called the aggregation of marginal gains. Simply he tried to improve every aspect of the cyclists’ lives—training, nutrition, sleep, and equipment—by 1%.

They didn’t go out looking for new sponsors; some bike companies even refused to sell to the team because they were so bad. Instead, he first improved their seats to make them more comfortable. And he didn’t implement a radical diet change or workout regime; simply improved each by 1% at a time. When a new tiny gain had been realized, he asked himself, “How do I improve this feature by 1% NOW?”

The British Cycling team won 8 gold medals, 4 silver, and 2 bronze in 2008: More medals than in its entire history combined. Then Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome, two members of the team, won the Tour de France four times combined over the next decade.

Aggregating small wins WORKS.

You don’t need a radical new keto diet. You don’t need a “detox” (they’re fake anyway). You don’t need to start jogging five miles every morning. You just need to take one tiny step.

Working from home most of the time means every food is available all the time, and it’s all amazing. I knew I needed to get my nutrition back in line for my brain’s sake … and my body’s. But this year, I didn’t jump right back into the Zone or count macros to balance out my blood sugar. This year, I just started writing it down.

I started recording my food. Guess what? Immediately I started thinking more before each meal. I didn’t track calories or macros, literally just started journaling my food. That’s it.

If your diet is already solid, you can start by just doing 10 squats. Call it a day. Try for 11–or 10 push-ups the next day. But don’t think about that yet: just move.

Having a coach. you just have to show up, and the coach tells me what to do. Maybe that’s your first small step: Sign up for a free No-Sweat Intro and let us tell you what you should do first. Or just do one squat and start tracking your food. After 365 days, if you improve by 1% each day, you’ll be over 30 TIMES more fit!

Book a Free Intro Today HERE

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Importance Of Sleep

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 12:35:00 GMT

We believe there are four factors to an overall healthy lifestyle and it all starts with Sleep. More often than not when someone approaches us for Nutrition coaching, it is solely focused on food. Rarely do they think about the contributing factors such as sleep, exercise or stress.

By now we should all know that sleep is more important than previously thought. Sure, we can get away with a few nights at the cottage with limited sleep, poor food choices and feel pretty good – absolutely, that’s called enjoying life.

What if you did this a few times a week?

Chances are things would start to spiral out of control. Lack of sleep leads to poor choices. All of a sudden you don’t have time to prepare breakfast, so you stop at the local drive-thru on the way to work for an egg and bacon wrap. Seems fine, but probably has your total daily recommended sodium in one meal.

Then lunch comes around and you’re probably not hungry, so you opt for some black coffee and maybe that chocolate chip cookie that the company always has in the lunch room. By the time dinner rolls around, you’re probably so tired that you just order something quick and easy like a pizza – yum, who doesn’t love pizza!

At face value you may think it was a bad day and right it off.

Was it just a bad day or is it a habit?

Where do you start? What would you change? How will you change it?

We all have good intentions, maybe we just don’t know where to start and that’s really the key – just start!

If you want to learn more about us – click the link in bio to book a free call

Nothing to lose, everything to gain

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The Toothbrush Analogy

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 07:52:00 GMT

I want you to think of your relationship with healthy eating a lot like your relationship to brushing your teeth.

Brushing your teeth is something you do regularly, right?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but my guess is that it’s part of your daily routine; something that doesn’t require epic willpower to do and stick with.

Most likely you don’t need to set a New Year’s resolution to “start brushing your teeth” once the holidays are over (flossing is a whole other story, haha, so stick with tooth brushing for now as we talk through this analogy).

You also probably don’t stop brushing your teeth as you’re preparing to move, or when you’re on a tight work deadline, or when you go on vacation.

Although you probably brush your teeth consistently , unless you have absolutely perfect dental hygiene, I bet there has been the odd night where you’ve just been too tired, or so busy, that you’ve passed out into bed exhausted, too tired to brush your teeth . (I’m going to out myself here and admit to doing that, rarely, but from time to time it’s happened. Whoops!)

Imagine you went to bed on a Thursday night and forgot to brush your teeth before going to sleep. How would you handle that? Would you wake up on Friday morning, hating yourself as a person, and calling yourself all kinds of awful names and feeling like a big failure?

Imagine this crazy internal self-talk:

“Stupid idiot! You’re such a failure. Well, since you blew it, you might as well go on a sugar bender this weekend. Let’s get the teeth all nice and fuzzy with candy on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. No teeth brushing, and all the junk food you’ve been avoiding since you’ve blown it. If you’re going to be bad, you might as well be really bad since you’ve already screwed things up. But on MONDAY, yes, Monday, that’s the perfect day to get back on track and get back to brushing your teeth.”

Sounds ridiculous, no?

Now imagine this equally ridiculous reaction:

“Oh no! I’ve made the biggest mistake ever. I need to fix this NOW! I should call my dentist for an emergency teeth cleaning appointment, and ask them to schedule me in ASAP. And you know what, maybe the way I was brushing my teeth wasn’t the “right” way to do things. Yes, that’s why I screwed up. I should jump on the internet and research this in more detail. Maybe I need to switch toothbrushes? Or maybe it’s my toothpaste that’s the issue and I need to make a change? Maybe there’s a tooth brushing support group I can join on social media and post a message there, just to see what others are saying or if they have any advice for me? You know what, Janice at my office has really nice teeth. I should ask her what she’s doing, and copy that. I just need to research and learn more about the BEST way to brush my teeth, that way, I’ll get the BEST results and won’t be such a screw up.”

Clearly, that is also a giant over-reaction, and is equally unsupportive and unproductive.

What actually happens in real life if you forget to brush your teeth? Most likely you simply wake up the next morning, shrug it off, and go directly to the bathroom and brush your teeth. No biggie.

You don’t overthink it.

You don’t beat yourself up or call yourself terrible names.

You don’t wait for the “right time” to fix things.

You don’t start researching a “better” way to do something that was already “good enough”.

You don’t make it worse, or stop a positive habit, just because you were a tiny bit off track.

You don’t replay it in your head all day long.

You don’t talk about it with a therapist, or your friends, or on the internet.

You don’t adjust your habits, and brush your teeth twice as hard, or for twice a long, to “make-up” for it.

Your HEALTHY HABITS, POSITIVE ROUTINES, and SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT pull you back on track, without a second thought.

And why for 99.9% of the population is brushing our teeth something that’s fairly easy to do (assuming you don’t have a precarious living situation, which is a totally different issue related to the social determinants of health)?

Everything we need to be successful, every single day, is sitting right there in our bathroom by the sink. Our expectations of ourselves are realistic, and are not based on perfection. If we do get off track, it really isn’t a big deal, and we return right back to the consistent positive habit as soon as we’re able to, without changing our course of action or beating ourselves up.

Imagine now, if you took this toothbrush mindset, and applied it to healthy eating. You found something that worked good enough , that you could do consistently for the long-run . And if you did get off track, you didn’t wait days for the perfect time to start over, and just tried your best to make a good enough choice, the next time you selected something to eat. And imagine if your inner bully was as quiet as the voice that addressed forgetting to brush your teeth (silent). Imagine what that mindset shift might do, when it comes to transforming your relationship with food and self-talk?

Book a free intro to see how we can help!

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