I've got another powerful book club episode for you today! Several years ago, I read the book The Four Agreements and recently realized there was a new book, The Fifth Agreement.
After re-reading The Four Agreements & listening to The Fifth Agreement, I knew I need to share my thoughts on fat loss and The Four Agreements.
The subtitle of the first book is A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom and I think that's such a great way to describe the quest for our ideal body & incredible health.
We want to be free from food obsession. We want to be free from emotional eating, overeating, fear of missing out, guilt, deprivation & everything in between.
I'm excited to share my thoughts on the book and how we can apply these agreements to accelerate our progress towards our goals!
Fat Loss & The 4 Agreements
In today's episode we apply The 4 Agreements to health, happiness and fat loss. The 4 agreements include:
- Be impeccable with your word
- Make no assumptions
- Take nothing personally
- Always do your best
The 5th Agreement
- Be skeptical but learn to listen
Resources
The Four Agreements http://amzn.to/2b8lPaM
The Fifth Agreement http://amzn.to/2b7KnAd
Jen Sinkler on Instagram (the post I describe in today's episode)
https://www.instagram.com/jensinkler/
Join me at ASCEND in Nashville!
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If you find the Primal Potential podcast help, it would mean the world to me if you'd take a minute to leave a rating & review! That helps show platforms display my podcast to new listeners! Thank you so much for your support! I can't tell you how valuable it is!
Yes! You can heal your metabolism! In today's episode we're talking about exactly how you can begin. Maybe you feel like you've always had a sluggish metabolism, maybe you're recognizing that you've done some metabolic damage with your yo-yo dieting past, perhaps you're noticing some changes as you get older or you just want to be proactive. No matter what you're reasons, your metabolism is not set in stone. There is so much you can do to heal your metabolism and make it more efficient!
Unfortunately, most people go about it the wrong way and inadvertently do more damage. Most people figure they can speed up their metabolism by exercising more. That's analogous to thinking you can make a car with a busted engine go faster if you just slam on the accelerator harder.
No. That'll make it worse.
You have to fix it. You have to address the problem, not try to over-power it.
The same is true with your metabolism. We can't just eat less, exercise more and expect our metabolism to respond favorably. It won't.
Let's dive into what your metabolism is, why it might need to be healed and specific diet & lifestyle strategies you can put into place today to help you heal your metabolism, increase energy and burn fat more efficiently.
http://primalpotential.com/223-how-to-heal-your-metabolism/
How To Heal Your Metabolism
Listen to the full episode to understand:
- What your metabolism is (and isn't)
- Why it might need healing, repair or optimization
- What common strategy actually damages your metabolic function
- How to heal your metabolism
Strategies to improve your metabolism include:
- Limit processed foods
- Limit or avoid crop oils like corn, canola & safflower
- Focus on stable fats including coconut oil, grass fed butter, ghee, full fat dairy and grass fed meat
- Lift weights
- Avoid toxins in food, water and personal products
- Manage stress & sleep
Resources
Podcast on water filtration & water quality
Carbohydrate Strategies for Fat Loss
Join me at ASCEND in Nashville!
Wanna Help?
If you find the Primal Potential podcast help, it would mean the world to me if you'd take a minute to leave a rating & review! That helps show platforms display my podcast to new listeners! Thank you so much for your support! I can't tell you how valuable it is!
There is very little that is more frustrating than feeling like you're doing the work for fat loss, practicing self-discipline and putting forth your best effort only to step on the scale and see that it has gone up!
Today I want to share my answer to a listener emailed to ask, "Why am I gaining weight?" after being active and eating fat loss friendly meals.
Her email to me has something for everyone - questions about consistency, activity levels and clean eating. Here's her email and today's podcast shares my in depth answer.
Hi. I listened to the podcast on motivation and I'm working my way through the breaking barriers. But, here is what I notice, I am consistent and I do believe I can lose weight. But I've gained 2 pounds since Saturday while staying consistent with my 10000 steps and fat friendly meals. I even walked 7 miles yesterday. Any thoughts?
Listen below for my answers, tips & suggestions.
http://primalpotential.com/222-why-am-i-gaining-weight/
"Why am I gaining weight when I'm doing the work?"
In today's episode I share my thoughts & suggestions related to:
- What might have led to the weight increase
- Limitations of monitoring progress with the scale
- More effective ways to measure progress
- What consistency is & isn't
- When "fat loss friendly" isn't fat loss friendly
- The link between activity & water retention
Resources
How & where to measure - I recommend measuring every other week. Be sure to record your measurements so you can evaluate your progress over time!
Join me at ASCEND in Nashville!
Spaghetti Squash Primavera with Basil Cashew Pesto
Wanna Help?
If you find the Primal Potential podcast help, it would mean the world to me if you'd take a minute to leave a rating & review! That helps show platforms display my podcast to new listeners! Thank you so much for your support! I can't tell you how valuable it is!
Powerful motivational minisode on tap for you guys today! Yes, you read it right: I want you to turn off the thought faucet!
One of most destructive things keeping us from our goals and our highest potential is the way we leave reality, retreat into our minds and manufacture worries, problems, concerns, doubts and fears.
Not only does this generate a state where we feel anxious and powerless, it also takes us out of the moment, preventing us from seizing opportunities to take action in the direction of our goals.
In this motivational minisode I want to help you identify strategies to successfully turn off the thought faucet but I also want you to understand and accept a few powerful realities:
- Your thoughts are not facts
- You are not your thoughts
- You are the thinker - you are in control
http://primalpotential.com/221-turn-off-the-thought-faucet/
Resources
Join me at ASCEND in Nashville!
I spend a lot of time reviewing my clients' journals. This is where they record what they eat, how much, when, their progress, their workouts, what's working & what's not. The great thing about seeing the insider view of so many people's journeys is that I can quickly spot some of the most common fat loss mistakes most people make.
In today's episode, I'm sharing 5 of the most common fat loss mistakes I see practically every day.
The great news is that when you identify what doesn't work, you move closer to what does work.
http://primalpotential.com/220-fat-loss-mistakes
5 Fat Loss Mistakes Most People Make
In today's episode we're talking about the most common fat loss mistakes most people make & how to avoid them. Don't miss the full episode for all the details on these challenges and obstacles!
- Eating when you aren't hungry
- Overeating healthy or fat loss friendly foods
- Being more attached to the results than to the process
- Excessive frequency of "treats"
- Lack of consistency
Resources
Join me at ASCEND in Nashville!
I'm super excited about today's episode! In the last episode, we talked about how every choice is a chance to move in the direction of your goals. About how we have the opportunity to move in the direction of our goals with every single choice we make. It's not an all-or-nothing proposition!
That episode raised the question of "how?"
I want to stop hitting snooze so I can start my day strong but HOW do I stop talking myself out of it in the moment?
I want to stop eating after dinner but how do I actually talk myself out of the treats when I'm standing in front of them?
We are tackling those questions today with a concrete strategy on making all your days the best the can be, especially how you can turn around the tough days and make even your bad days good days!
How we respond when a day isn't going our way or we haven't brought our best effort defines our lives and our progress towards our goals.
You are the most important person you'll ever lead and I want to help you keep the promises you make to yourself. Today's podcast will help you do that.
http://primalpotential.com/219-make-bad-days-good/
How To Make Bad Days Good (and have more good days)
Want a motivational message to kick your tail into high gear when you need it? Click here to download it! Don't forget you can get DAILY motivational messages with the Primal Potential iPhone app!
In today's episode as we explore how to make your bad days good and have more good days, I talk about the importance of answer a few questions include:
- What does your best morning/evening look like?
- What do you need to do to make it happen?
- What are your options & opportunities when things don't go "perfectly"?
You always have the opportunity to finish strong. Never declare the day "lost" or the race run.
We've got a special minisode today! If you can get past the audio quality (I recorded outside on my iPhone), this message will help you make the most of each day!
Every once in a while I record voice notes for my Fat Loss Fast Track clients (I recorded one for them while playing racquetball the other day) and I'm sharing one of them with you today! As I worked out, I thought about the power in the phrase "every choice is a chance".
Is the day you're having today moving you towards the life you want?
What can you do today to move in that direction?
Don't write off the day if it didn't start well - every single choice is a chance to move in the direction of your goals.
I know many of us struggle with frustration - being frustrated with ourselves when we don't do the things we feel we should. Capitalizing on "every choice is a chance" can help you break through that frustration, that inertia, and more in the direction of your goals!
Every choice is a chance! Don't miss this short minisode!
http://primalpotential.com/218-minisode-every-choice-chance/
The Primal Potential podcast is your podcast. I want to help you overcome your struggles & challenges. I want to help you reach your unique goals. This week, it's been obvious that many people are struggling with their evening eating habits so today I'm sharing 4 strategies to help you tackle nighttime eating!
I know that many of you feel in control all day long but out of control at night.
I know that many of you are frustrated with the choices you make night but don't know how to take control and make meaningful improvements that stick.
Don't miss today's podcast on 4 ways to improve your evening eating habits!
http://primalpotential.com/217-improve-evening-eating-habits/
4 Ways to Improve Evening Eating Habits
In today's episode I detail the follow 4 ways to improve your evening eating habits, take control of the night time and make faster progress towards your goals:
- Change your expectations
- Identify what represents an improvement for you (just for today)
- Evaluate what's worth it (and what's not)
- Dramatically change your state
Sometimes we think we can out-smart ourselves. We think that with enough willpower, grit & determination, we can out-smart ourselves. I don't think that's too effective.
I want to help you work WITH yourself, not against yourself. In today's episode, I want to help you conquer inconsistency and self-sabotage but helping you understand why we so often give in and what we can do to be more strategic in our approach.
Today is all about how your subconscious works. In short, it will always look to avoid pain and seek pleasure. This is simply part of how we are wired for survival.
This can work powerfully in our favor or staunchly against us, depending on what we do and how we think.
Unfortunately, most people have, through years of failed diets and giving up on themselves, associated far more pain with the achievement of their goals than pleasure. Today, we're changing that.
Making some straight-forward adjustments to how you think about your goal can accelerate your progress and improve your life!
http://primalpotential.com/216-conquer-inconsistency/
Conquer Inconsistency
One of the first strategies I talk about in today's episode is identifying your existing pleasure & pain associations. First, establish your goal. Then, free associate all the painful or negative words, thoughts & feelings associated with the achievement of that goal. Then, free associate all of the positive words, thoughts & feelings associated with the achievement of that goal.
Then identify the opposite of your goal and go through the same process - create a list of all the positive and negative associations you have with whatever is opposite your goal.
Intentionally build the list of pleasurable associations related to the achievement & pursuit of your goal.
“You can’t change what’s going on around you until you start changing what’s going on within you” ~ Zig Ziglar
Don't be a part of the problem, be a part of the solution.
Focus as much of your energy as possible on what you can do to make the achievement of your goal positive, exciting and fulfilling. Stop putting energy towards why it's hard, frustrating or negative.
Resources
Join me at ASCEND in Nashville!
Whether you're working out regularly or you haven't yet incorporated it into your lifestyle, today we're going to tackle 6 simple ways to get more out of your workout! No matter what we spend our time & energy doing, we want to make sure we're getting as much from it as possible!
While exercise isn't the be-all-end-all of fat burning and physique improvement, it does have the power to accelerate our progress, improve mood and help us get healthy - let's just make sure we're being as efficient as possible.
It doesn't matter if you have a gym membership or not, it doesn't matter if you love working out or you don't - these 6 ways to get more out of your workout will help you get to the next level!
http://primalpotential.com/215-get-more-out-of-your-workout/
6 Ways To Get More Out of Your Workout
Before we dive into those 6 strategies that will allow you to get more out of your workout, a few caveats for those who are resistant to change or for those who haven't yet incorporated fitness into their routine.
It's important to remember that fitness is not the important element of fat loss or physique improvement. In today's episode I'll talk about how we the primary drivers of fat loss include:
- Your attitude & perspective
- What and how much you eat
- Stress & sleep
The important thing to keep in mind is that exercise shouldn't be a punishment or something we dread. Just like the key to long term success with nutrition is finding foods you love that love you back, it's critical that you experiment with different activities to find what you love, enjoy & look forward to.
Over the long term, we won't consistently do that which we don't enjoy.
Onto those 6 strategies that will help you get more out of your workout - I go into a whole lot detail on the "how" in today's episode so make sure to listen to the full show!
- Get consistent (this episode tells you how)
- Add a leisure walk after your workout (the "why" here is very science-based)
- Decrease the duration & increase the intensity
- Go heavier
- Switch the stimulus
- Incorporate micro movement
I told you guys I'd share what equipment I have at home. You absolutely don't need any of this, but I find I can do just about any workout I want and get a whole-body workout with these few things.
If you want to incorporate a little bit of movement without any equipment, here's one of my fave workouts to do without any equipment:
Complete 5 rounds for time of the following:
- 20 body weight squats
- 15 sit-ups
- 10 burpees
- 5 push-ups
If you have a jumprope, one of my faves is to accumulate 1000 jumps as fast as possible. You can start by doing sets of 50, resting when needed. If 1000 seems daunting, do what doesn't seem daunting. You could start by accumulating just 100 jumps. Start where you need to, work up your skill with each workout.
If you have some equipment at home, try this short one.
Set a timer for 15 minutes and do as many rounds as possible of the following before time expires:
- 15 kettlebell swings
- 15 goblet squats
- 10 burpees
Resources
Join me at ASCEND in Nashville!
Spaghetti Squash Primavera with Basil Cashew Pesto
Episode 039 - The Science of Fat Burning
Dieting didn't work for me. Sure, I lost weight sometimes, but it was a yo-yo cycle of deprivation followed by over-indulgence - of weight loss followed by weight gain (misery and obsession accompanying every step).
I got to the point where I realized that I was working hard, obsessing over food but not getting where I wanted to go and not achieving the goals that mattered most. In today's episode I'm sharing my top 7 anti-diet strategies that allowed me to stop obsessing over food, stop dieting, get consistent, lose weight and keep it off.
If you feel like your approach isn't working or isn't giving you the results (or peace of mind) you want, don't miss this episode!
http://primalpotential.com/214-anti-diet-strategies-fat-loss/
Today we're talking about food! I'm sharing some of my favorite summer meals that are quick, easy, delicious and totally fat loss friendly!
In today's episode I talk about the relationship between deprivation and temptation. Basically, the more you deprive yourself, the less you create fat loss friendly meals you actually enjoy, the more likely you are to be tempted by EVERYTHING. The less you're enjoying your fat loss friendly foods, the lower the bar for something to tempt you.
So, if you can enjoy your food more, you'll be less likely to overindulge in treats that just aren't worth it!
Don't miss today's episode for some of my absolutely favorite summer meals that are flavorful, easy, affordable and fat loss friendly! Recipes & resources are below.
http://primalpotential.com/213-favorite-summer-meals/
Favorite Summer Meals for Fat Loss & Flavor
Fish Tacos with SizzleFish
Cauliflower Tortillas from Slim Palate
Garlic Scape Pesto (add all ingredients in your blender)
- Approximately 10 garlic scapes
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (real, not fake powder)
- Extra virgin olive oil to your preferred texture/thinness
- Salt & pepper to taste
Resources
Join me at ASCEND in Nashville!
There was a definite theme in my coaching this week - individuals who feel overwhelmed or like they aren't sure where to start or how to proceed. I've got you covered in today's episode!
If you ever feel overwhelmed by your goals or by all the strategies & approaches available to you, if you ever feel like you don't know how or where to dive in, we will clear that up in today's episode.
http://primalpotential.com/212-overwhelmed-beat-overwhelm-and-indecision/