Macros Don’t Have To Be Hard — Follow The Tips Below And You’ll See Progress In No Time!
Start with protein
Before you even begin to approach your carbohydrate and fat numbers, lock in your protein intake first. Protein is the most direct indicator of how much lean muscle you can gain, and lean muscle is what allows you to look toned… so it makes sense to start here! Once you spend a bit of time eating the right amount of protein, you’ll likely begin to feel more full and have more energy — after that, dialing in your carbs and fats becomes MUCH easier!
Avoid fat around workouts
Good, nutrient rich fats are important for hormone regulation and production, but the majority of us eat way too much fat when we’re not tracking. Oil is an ingredient in a staggering number of foods, especially in meals prepared by restaurants. But the #1 time to avoid fats as much as possible is around workouts — fat gets digested before carbs, but carbs are the primary fuel consumed during workouts! In general, you should aim to eat less than 8 grams of fat in your pre and post-workout meals.
DO NOT decrease your macros on rest days
It’s tempting to lower your food intake on rest days since you don’t have as much physical activity to balance it out — but this is a trap you really don’t want to fall into! You’ll see way more success if you keep your macros consistent each day, because you break down muscle during your workouts. Rest days are when you build it! The most essential way to fuel this process is with food, so make sure you have the right kinds and plenty of them!If you’re interested, I designed a system that allows you to identify exactly what your macros should be, along with how to eat to support your hard work in the gym so you can finally build the body you want…
Simple Tips That Deliver Consistent Results Even When Nothing Else Seems To Work
Lift heavy
High repetitions + low weight on any exercise is a solid recipe for physical endurance, but if your goal is to get toned, this isn’t the way to do it. A toned appearance comes from lean muscle, which requires lifting heavy for a limited number of reps. You shouldn’t go minutes on end before feeling the burn!
Don’t rush it
It’s easy to think that you’ll get toned shoulders faster simply by getting out every last rep you possibly can… but nothing could be further from the truth. I would take fewer, slower, more controlled reps at an appropriate (not excessive) weight any day! Otherwise, you’re more likely to swing your arms and rob your shoulders of the most powerful benefits of the exercise.
Getting enough carbs
In order to have the energy to power your lifts, your muscles need the right fuel… and the first place it looks is carbohydrates. Otherwise, your muscles will get their energy internally, reducing your lean muscle mass and making you go backwards! eating enough carbs (especially before working out) helps your muscles get the most out of your workouts and make visible progress!
The most hated word in fitness
It’s not “diet”, “restrictive”, etc… it’s patience. None of us wants to wait, and when you’re in the early stages of a program or plan it’s tough to know whether the results will be worth your time and effort. That’s why it’s so important to have a solid foundation in macronutrients and exercise, which will allow you to have greater certainty over your outcome from the very beginning!If you want to take the next step and secure your spot in a program that’s sustainable, fun, and gives you a clear path to the body you want…
Your metabolism isn’t fixed — and a faster metabolism often comes with more energy, better relaxation, and of course, more lean muscle tone! But you need to retrain it first, and that’s what we’ll cover in this article.
1. Start with protein
The first ingredient in a successful metabolism retrain is protein — if you don’t get enough, you’ll struggle to speed up your metabolism no matter what else you do! Combined with strength training, protein helps build active muscle tissue, burning more calories at rest and kicking your metabolism into high gear.All your macros matter, of course... but before you nail your carbs and fats, take care of your protein. When in doubt, eating 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day is a good standard to follow.For help finding the right number for your goals, check out our program here!
2. Don’t skip steps!
You’ll be tempted to jump right to your “ideal” macros right away. To imagine your target physique and immediately start eating the recommended amount of protein, carbs, and fats.That’s a mistake.In a retrain, you’re not eating for the body you want... You’re eating for the one you have right now, the one you’ve built over the course of YEARS. It’s impossible to turn all that momentum around all at once! That’s why retraining your metabolism is so important — it prepares your body for the path you’re about to set on. You wouldn’t exercise hard without a warmup period, right?A metabolism retrain IS that warmup.
3. Pacing
So how long do you need to stay in a metabolism retrain phase? It depends on your age, activity level, current diet, previous diets, muscle mass, and too many other factors to give any blanket recommendations. But I’ll say this:Just like any other warmup, do not rush this one.It may take a couple of weeks to set your metabolism’s new cadence before you can jump into the macros you’ll ultimately settle on... and that’s assuming you do everything right. When you do, your body will let you know. You might be jazzed up, with extra energy to spare. Feeling more rested without spending more time in bed. You may even feel more relaxed throughout the day!My point is, when you do your metabolism retrain right... You’ll feel it.To get personalized support with your metabolism retrain and make it faster, stronger, and more resilient with age, apply to become a WarriorBabe here!
Wondering what your superfoods are during this critical phase of life to help you tone better, move better, and feel better? Macros should always be your North Star, but certain nutrients play a key role and should NOT be missed! Let’s check it out.
1. Magnesium
Did you know you need more magnesium during workouts than at rest? It’s true — magnesium is one of the best all-natural performance enhancers you’ll find, helping you get more gains from the gym so you can build the lean body composition you want. That energy translates directly into the rest of your day, too! Get your workouts right and you can take charge of your entire day, making magnesium one of the most powerful minerals you can build into your diet.
2. Omega-3s
Fish oil. Walnuts. Even certain types of eggs. A select few foods contain this crucial nutrient, which means most women aren’t getting nearly enough! Eating omega-3s can improve bone and joint health, reduce inflammation, and give you a better night’s rest — and if you want better definition and overall health, feeling well-rested is key, especially going into your workouts! These fatty acids can improve countless areas of your health, so don’t skimp on them.
3. Zinc
Zinc helps with two essential functions in the body: immune support and protein synthesis. Nothing will improve your physical health like staying well; it makes everything else easier (and getting sick sucks), and your body will be glad for the extra help. And as far as protein synthesis goes, it’s not just about muscle growth — some of the body’s most important functions work because of the proteins it builds to do the job! Be careful though, as zinc becomes toxic in large amounts; always check with a professional first before supplementing.This is just scratching the surface, and no woman should have to piece together all the info on her own. That’s why we’ve designed programs to give women 1-on-1 guidance and accountability in nutrition, exercise, rest, and more — so they can retake their personal power and build a body composition they love.If you want personalized 1:1 help with eating for your unique body and building a toned body composition, apply to become a WarriorBabe here!
Hormone Support & Toning for Menopause
There’s a universal truth of menopausal fitness: If you want to get in control, start with your hormones. With your hormone production locked in, you take advantage of your body’s best aid to toning at any age — and during menopause, those hormones need some extra love!Here’s how:
1. The ‘big 3’
While your body produces many hormones, there are 3 in particular that it uses heavily in creating lean muscle definition and supporting your metabolism: progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone. This cocktail forms the building blocks of the body composition you want, enabling you to build strength, add definition, and maintain strong bones and overall health. Once The Change hits, though, levels of these hormones naturally decline... unless you give your body the stuff it needs to kick its hormone production back into gear.And the way to do that is with...
2. Tweaking your macros
Eating a balanced macro profile is no longer enough. During menopause (and long after), your body needs something extra: specifically, more fats. Your protein needs shouldn’t vary much, but it’s time to lower your carbs slightly and eat those calories in fat instead. Don’t worry — you can still enjoy your favorite breads and sweets! Besides, more fats means more room for the rich stuff. 😉 Enjoy those “forbidden foods” in moderation and you’ll do fine!Besides your nutrition, you also need...
3. Different workouts
During menopause, strength training is more important than ever. After all, you’ve got to protect your muscle tissue and bone health! But while lifting heavy is essential, working out too much releases more cortisol through menopause, which signals the body to retain more fat stores. This means every workout needs to be dialed in, to only get done what you need and then stop! Exercise requires more care as we age, and that means getting clear on exactly what lifts to focus on, when to do them, and how much — do that and you can build nearly any body composition you want, because you’re ramping up the toning hormones and lowering stress hormones!If you want personalized 1:1 help with building a toned body composition at any age, apply to become a WarriorBabe here! apply to become a WarriorBabe here!