Once nutritional deficiencies are addressed, we will focus on things like food quality, portions, meal timing, meal planning/prepping and lifestyle management. Your program is custom and tailored to you and the pace of your progress, typically takes 12 weeks to establish new and lasting behaviors and 12-24 weeks to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way.

The process isn’t slow; it’s systematic, it focuses on the things that are in your way right now. Once they’re eliminated, progress happens fast and results are sustainable, so long as you’re accountable, consistent, patient and open to change.

There is no “best diet.”

I am often asked which dietary “camp” do you belong to? The truth is.. I don’t believe in any one diet or method and there is no one size fits all.  In fact, I really hate the word “diet”.

Why? All dietary protocols have their pros and cons. What works best for one person won’t work best for another. Also: A diet that has worked best for someone in the past won’t necessarily be what works best for them moving forward. And often times, diets lead to restriction, a less is more mindset.  I coach more on the 80/20 rule, a balanced approach to lifestyle nutrition.

I am going to help you find the approach to eating that works best for you and your family right now, whether it be intermittent fasting, high protein or moderate protein, high-carb or low-carb, tight budget or unlimited funds — or some blend of all of these.

The truth is, the human body is amazingly adaptable to a vast array of plans, so the best one is the one that:

• implementable for your lifestyle
• includes foods you enjoy enough to follow consistently, and
• doesn’t overwhelm or add stress to your life

I can help you get lean, strong, and healthy on a plant-based or a meat-based diet. We can improve your health with organic, free-range foods and with conventional foods. They can lose weight on a low food budget or an unlimited one.

It just takes a little know-how and a system for using the best practices across all options.

For many people, calorie/macro counting is effective, however some clients never count – they use portion guidelines.

Weight management is a simple equation: Eat more than you burn, and you gain weight. Eat less and you lose weight.

But the details behind “calories in, calories out” is actually much more complex and dynamic than most people realize. Bio-individuality, bio-feedback, food quality and lifestyle play an integral part in our adherence to calories in/out over time, so finding the effective tool for each person is the key.

The ideal strategy to become educated on what works best for you, is to measure/track initially, learn portion control and tune into internal hunger signals as you establish an eating schedule that works for your lifestyle.

(Interestingly, most clients become elated when they realize they can get the body transformation they want without ever counting calories again.)

In addition to macro counting, I recommend a hand-measure system for portion sizes. Here how it works:

• Your palm determines your protein portions.
• Your fist determines your veggie portions.
• Your cupped hand determines your carb portions.
• Your thumb determines your fat portions.

Plus, your hands are portable—they go wherever you go, making portion-sizing very convenient. In addition, your hands are generally scaled to your size — the bigger you are, the bigger your hands, so the more food you need and the more food you get.

Clients typically get the hang of this system within a week of learning it; then I help monitor results and tweak as needed.

Throughout your program, you will be exposed to different tools at different times based on your individual needs.

No; but let’s make sure you’re getting the right kind of carbs.

Ask almost anyone what they need to do to lose a few pounds, and they’ll probably say: “Cut back on carbs.” As a professional in a health/fitness field, I’ve heard it dozens of times.

However, most folks would do best eating a moderate amount of quality carbs—whole grains (when tolerated), fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans and legumes, etc.

Of course, the needs of each individual may differ, based on their age, height, weight, activity level, goals, and genetics.

But, bottom line, carbs are not inherently fattening, especially whole food sources. And getting adequate carbs can help most clients exercise harder and recover better, optimizing progress.

While avoiding carbs may facilitate rapid weight loss initially, I’ve found that it’s not practical (or necessary) for long-term success for most people.

It depends on your goals. Let’s talk about those… then we can come up with specific recommendations for you.

Most folks are best served by eating good quality whole foods in reasonable amounts, without having to focus on specific workout nutrition products or protocols.

Eat a normal, balanced meal 1-2 hours before and after exercise. This will provide adequate protein and carbs to both fuel the workout and maximize recovery/adaption.

However, if you are more advanced in your training or are an athlete, I’m going to help you with your unique workout-nutrition needs, including the best supplements to take pre-during and post workouts.

If optimal health and fitness is your priority, consider reevaluating your drinking habits.

So, I’ll never tell you not to drink, but as you progress in your journey we will discuss whether drinking is good for you or not, and at what frequency/volume. Drinking heavy can negatively impact the heart, brain, immunity, hormones, liver, and metabolism.

But even light to moderate drinking can affect sleep, appetite, and decision making — which absolutely can have a negative impact on your health and fitness goals.

Still, drinking is an undeniable part of culture, and when enjoyed reasonably it can be delicious and fun.

I will help you sort out your priorities to determine the best level of drinking for them and we will catalog how you feel physically and psychologically and go from there!

Absolutely! That’s why we work on sleep schedules during our program.

Sleep is just as important as nutrition and exercise when it comes to improving your health, performance, and body composition.  Throughout your program, we will:

• create a sleep routine, including having a regular schedule,
• limit caffeine, especially in the afternoon/evening,
• practice de-stressing activities before bed,
• set an appropriate room temperature for sleep,
• set a wake-up schedule

If your sleep is disrupted, or you are not sleeping enough hours, not only will your energy levels throughout the day be impacted, but your nutrition choices and cravings will be a challenge too.  Often times clients will be tired mid-day, and instead of taking a power nap or a quick walk to invigorate, they will go for the sugary/processed foods for a pick-me up. It can be a vicious cycle if we don’t address the lifestyle challenges head on.

As for stress, it’s all about finding the sweet spot. Too much stress, or the wrong kind, can harm our health. Yet stress can also be a positive force in our lives, keeping us focused, alert, and at the top of our game.

It all depends on what kind of stress it is, how prepared we are to meet it — and how we view it.

Since stress affects the mind, body, and behavior in many ways, everyone experiences stress differently. Each of us has a unique “recovery zone,” whether that’s physical or psychological, and our recovery zone depends on several factors.

I will teach you strategies and skills to view and handle your own stress load appropriately. The following can increase stress tolerance or diminish stress load:

• meditation or yoga
• outdoor time
• snuggling a pet
• listening to relaxing music
• deep breathing – 4-7-8 method
• drinking green tea
• taking anti stress supplements daily
• taking an evening bath

Not necessarily.  About 85% of success will come from your efforts in the kitchen, not in the gym. That said, it is critical for overall health to do cardiovascular and strength training throughout the week, by doing so, overall health improves and you’ll hit your weight loss goals faster.  Shifting your mindset around exercise from a weight loss solution to a stress management, sleep aid, heart health solution will inspire you to find something active that you love to do.  Doing it over-over again will become more of a need to a-want, and overtime will be a game changer to your sustainable weight-loss results.