EM2WL, Author at Eat More 2 Weigh Less

The TRUTH About Bodyweight Workouts for Women Over 40

by EM2WL | Jan 26, 2023 | Fitness Cycles (Periodization), Strength Training

If you’re a woman over 40, you may be wondering if bodyweight workouts can really help you build muscle and lose fat. After all, getting to the gym isn’t always easy with your busy schedule. But do bodyweight exercises really work? Is it possible to lose weight or build muscle using only your own body weight? Here, we dig into the truth about bodyweight workouts.

The Role of Calories

Calorie intake plays a huge role in both losing weight and gaining muscle. To lose fat, you need to create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories than what your body needs to maintain its current weight. To gain muscle, on the other hand, you need to consume more calories than your body needs so it can use those extra calories to build muscle mass. Once your calorie intake is in check, then you can focus on your workouts.

Building a Strategy

When it comes to bodyweight workouts for women over 40, having a strategy is key if you want the exercises to “work” for you. Just like any workout plan that uses dumbbells or barbells, bodyweight plans should also be periodized—meaning they should have specific goals and progressions that help you reach those goals. For example, if one of your goals is gaining strength, then make sure that each session is focused on building strength rather than endurance or power (which are other types of periodization). This will ensure that the exercises are actually helping you reach your goals instead of simply wasting time with random exercises.

Rep Ranges Matter Too!

You also need to make sure that the rep ranges used in each session match the type of goal being worked on—for example, if your goal is hypertrophy (gaining muscle size), then don’t use endurance rep ranges (12+ reps). Instead, stick with 8-12 reps for hypertrophy-focused training sessions and 3-5 reps for strength-focused sessions.

Exercises can (and should!) also be manipulated depending on where you are in your periodization—you can either make them easier (more reps) or harder (less reps) by changing variables such as tempo or range of motion in order to produce muscle fatigue appropriate to your intended rep range better.

For example, elevating your feet on an incline pushup makes the exercise more difficult than doing traditional pushups on the ground would be; conversely, lowering yourself onto a low box makes pushups easier because it takes some of the tension off of your muscles during the movement.

Knowing how and when to manipulate exercises can keep your workouts challenging and effective — no matter what equipment (or lack thereof) is used!

In conclusion, yes – bodyweight workouts can be effective at helping women over 40 build muscle and lose fat! While managing calorie intake is important no matter what kind of exercise program you choose, having a well-thought-out strategy and understanding how rep ranges work will help ensure that the exercises chosen match up with whatever goal(s) being worked on — whether it’s gaining strength, building muscle, or increasing endurance!

With these tips in mind – get out there and start crushing those bodyweight workouts!

How to Measure Metabolism Reset Progress

by EM2WL | Dec 21, 2022 | LIVE Broadcasts, Metabolism Reset

When it comes to how you feel and look, it’s important not to ignore what’s going on inside in attempts to “fix” the outside. A metabolism reset is a process of nourishing and repairing your body from within in order to reap the exterior benefits. But how can you measure your progress as you go through the reset phase?

While you may not always see outward changes right away, there are certain cues that indicate the progress of your metabolism reset. Let’s take a look at five ways you can measure your metabolism reset progress.

Muscle Regained

If you are going through a metabolism reset, chances are that you have already lost muscle due to dieting or other lifestyle factors. During the reset, you should expect to see some of that muscle regained, however, this may not be visible without a DEXA (or similar) scan. Depending on the length of your reset and your starting body fat percentage, your body composition may undergo some visible changes as well.

Weight Stabilization

Weight gain (if any) has stopped, and you’re eating at your “goal” calorie level. If you have been steadily gaining weight prior to or during the reset, then tracking whether or not this has stopped can be an effective way to measure progress. Even though the scale isn’t the only indicator of progress, it can still provide useful information about changes in your body composition over time and whether or not the reset is working for you.

Improvement in Hair/Skin/Nails

During a metabolism reset, it is common for hair skin nail (HSN) health to improve drastically as micro- and macronutrients are made available for repair and growth processes within the body. This can also occur when hormone levels become balanced and as gut health improves from consuming nutrient-dense foods that support digestive system functioning properly and efficiently.

Appetite/Energy Has Regulated

If you were experiencing ravenous hunger and cravings before starting the program and/or feelings of fatigue throughout the day then tracking how these symptoms have changed since beginning can be another great way to measure progress! Generally speaking if cravings have decreased/stabilized and energy levels have increased then this could again indicate improved hormonal balance from proper nourishment!

Strength Gains

Lastly, strength gains are another great way to measure metabolisms reset progress! Our muscles respond best when we show them love through movement, exercise, and…FOOD — so if you’ve been consistently working out throughout this phase (and eating enough food!) strength gains should start going through the roof! This could look like an increase in weight lifted or reps completed but either way, it’s a sure sign that things are moving in the right direction. Tracking changes in strength over time will help give insight into how well muscles are recovering after workouts due to adequate nutrient uptake which again points towards efficient metabolic functioning!

Adjust your Focus

Measuring progress during a metabolic “reboot” isn’t about focusing solely on external factors – like weight loss – but rather looking internally at how our bodies are responding to proper nourishment after years of being deprived from essential nutrients needed for optimal functioning. By understanding these five key indicators we can assess progress along our journeys more accurately while avoiding disappointment over false expectations the diet industry has been shoving down our throats for decades!

Ultimately, if we focus on what’s happening inside then eventually those outside changes will follow – even if they do take time before becoming visible! So don’t forget – RESET IS NOT A FAT LOSS PHASE – prioritize your healing by addressing “what lies beneath” first & celebrate ANY and ALL small victories (in the areas listed above) along this amazing journey!

Good luck! : )

The Dieter’s Dilemma: Why You Can’t Stick to Your Diet

by EM2WL | Dec 10, 2022 | Consistency, Diet Mentality

“I’ll start my diet again on Monday” (or the New Year)…

How many times have you heard — or even said — this very statement? Why do some people have no willpower, and are always “starting over?” Rewiring your brain and shedding old habits is a critical pillar of the Diet Rebel Method, and it’s incredibly important because most people keep repeating the same, outdated, self-sabotaging behaviors over and over (wasting years of their life, while actually gaining MORE weight over time), and that may be exactly what you’re doing right now.

If you find yourself regularly caving to free-for-all periods (weekends, Fall/Winter, etc.), followed by “back on the wagon” declarations, you may be making one (or more) of the 3 most common diet mentality mistakes:

#1 – Trying to be too perfect

The first mistake many people make is trying to be “too perfect” when it comes to their diets. This usually involves strict rules about what can and cannot be eaten, with little wiggle room for treats or indulgences. While this may seem like a good idea in theory, in practice it often leads to feelings of deprivation and frustration which can cause people to give up on their goals entirely. Instead of going for perfection, focus on progress instead. Aim for gradual changes that are sustainable over the long term rather than drastic ones that are difficult (or even impossible) to maintain indefinitely. Celebrate small wins along the way and allow yourself some flexibility when it comes to treats or special occasions – this will help keep you motivated and prevent burn-out or binges down the line.

#2 – Using willpower up in other places

Another common mistake is using up all your willpower in other areas of life, leaving none left for your diet. It can be easy to fall into an all-or-nothing mindset – either everything on your plate is healthy or none of it is – but this isn’t realistic (or healthy). When we use our willpower too much in other areas, we don’t have enough left over for our dieting efforts which can lead us down a spiral of unhealthy eating patterns. Every day brings with it new opportunities and challenges; learning how to prioritize self-care will help ensure that you have enough energy left over at the end of each day for taking care of yourself nutritionally as well as emotionally.

#3 – Making too many changes

Finally, one of the most common mistakes people make when trying to lose weight is making too many changes at once. This can leave us feeling overwhelmed and discouraged before we even start! Instead of attempting a total overhaul overnight, take things slow by introducing one change at a time until it becomes a habit before moving onto something else. Whether its adding more vegetables or drinking more water each day, making small incremental changes will help ensure that your new habits stick around long term (and won’t feel so overwhelming).

Making lasting lifestyle changes isn’t easy – especially when those changes involve something as personal as food choices – but by avoiding these three common mistakes you’ll be well on your way towards achieving lasting success with your weight loss journey! Remember, progress not perfection should always be your goal and focus on small steps rather than big leaps forward whenever possible – if you do that then success will eventually follow!

Good luck!

What Type of Workouts Should YOU be Doing?

by EM2WL | Aug 6, 2020 | Consistency, Fitness Cycles (Periodization), Videos

(To interact LIVE and ask your questions follow EM2WL over on Facebook to get notifications when a new broadcast is scheduled!)

How to decide what workouts you should be doing?

There are SO many moving parts when it comes to deciding what type of workouts you should be doing. The main factors to consider are your goals, where you are in your fitness journey, and the strategy required to get you to where you want to be.

Let’s take a deeper look.

Goals

“Fitness” goals and ability vary DRASTICALLY from one person to the next, and so should the workout style…

You may be working out to improve health markers (lower cholesterol, get type II diabetes under control), to finally get that six-pack, or be anywhere in between. The actual goal doesn’t matter, so long as you know what it is, because different goals typically require entirely different approaches.

Many unproductive dieters can attribute years of failed fat loss attempts to either having no specific goal (i.e. “getting in shape”) or expecting one workout style (i.e. running) to accomplish multiple –often opposing– goals (i.e. lose fat AND gain muscle/build strength AND increase endurance).

If the goal is to get stronger for example, a circuit-heavy routine just won’t cut it. Many people looking to get “toned” would be hard pressed to define muscles they’ve never taken the time to build. Increasing your mileage on the treadmill (or pounding the pavement) may be the absolute best way to increase your endurance for that Rock’n Roll marathon – but could seriously work against your efforts to chisel out that firm, muscular, lean physique you’ve been striving for. Even if your daily run has become a significant part of what keeps you sane – strength/muscle gains (and even fat loss!) will not come from simply doing more of the same, just because you love it.

Accomplishing any goal will only come from incorporating the behaviors conducive to that particular goal. Whether you “love” the required behaviors or not.

Fitness Journey

Understanding the various stages of the journey, and where YOU are in it, is the next critical piece to this puzzle.

Regardless of what inspires you to begin the journey (doctor’s recommendations, desire to change, etc.), a person who has never really worked out before will need an entirely different workout plan than a seasoned veteran.

Beginning stages will consist mainly of learning, experimenting, and focusing on consistency (vs being completely derailed by details that simply don’t matter…yet). Your first year or two of starting a fitness regimen is a great time test out a wide variety of exercise styles, as you’ll likely get the same results regardless of what type of activity you choose – especially in the first six months. Because your body has not yet had time to adapt to your new habit of movement, progress (i.e. “newbie gains”) will come rather easily.

Take FULL advantage of this season of the journey (don’t rush it!), because when it’s over, it’s over.

A year or two into your fitness journey, you will have to start being more systematic in your approach. What “worked” in the beginning stages will slowly stop producing the results that it has been, and progress will come to a screeching halt.

This stage of the journey is where strategy becomes essential.

Strategy

Just as college courses start off general, and become more specific as you close in on your degree – your workouts should become more goal-dependent, and increasingly strategic as your journey progresses.

They key to seeing continual changes to your body (or increasing progress toward whatever YOUR goal is) is to consistently introduce deliberate challenge, rather than seeking THE one-size-fits-all solution.

Notice the keyword: deliberate. This means that each workout session/style/phase builds on the one before it, compounding toward the end goal. This is not the same as randomly changing things up, or “trying something new.” Signing up for random classes at your local gym, gathering free workouts from the internet, or having unwavering devotion to whatever on-demand workout service is currently trending does not guarantee specific “results” any more than signing up for random classes at your local university could guarantee a specific degree.

Without a strategy, even seemingly productive actions can become glorified wheel-spinning, leaving you with little to no progress to show for the time you’ve put in, and putting you no closer to your actual goal than when you first started.

**Side note: Strategy and a systematic approach to your fitness journey isn’t just about ditching the workouts you love to do, while suffering through workouts you may not enjoy, but rather finding a way to incorporate the behaviors your goals require into a lifestyle that still includes the things you do enjoy. **

Bye-bye comfort zone

Once you understand your goal, the strategy that it requires, and where you are on the journey – it’s time to take a long hard look in the mirror. Whether you’re just starting out, or a veteran to working out, know that you will constantly have to challenge yourself in order to keep seeing change. Be patient with yourself, and grateful for ANY results that come as you build consistency in the beginning, yet open-minded and willing to alter the approach as your journey progresses and the newbie gains dwindle.

Why it’s HARDER for women to lose weight

by EM2WL | May 28, 2020 | Fat Loss / Cutting, LIVE Broadcasts, Troubleshooting

It’s not your imagination.

The female fat loss struggle is REAL.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve had at least one experience of spending an inordinate amount of time recruiting a male accountability partner (“hey let’s do this diet together…please…please”) – only to end up frustrated when he finally agrees, and seems to get ALL the results.

Sure you start off strong, and have WAY more willpower, but eventually you hit a plateau and he…doesn’t. Of course this is an oversimplification of gender (not all men lose fat super easily), but men definitely have a few advantages over us.

In this episode, we discuss the 5 reasons why fat loss is harder for women:

(alternatively, you can read the two part series on the female fat loss struggle here).

PS. I’d love to chat with you!! Wanna interact with me LIVE next time to ask your questions? Make sure you’re following EM2WL over on Facebook to get notifications the second a new broadcast is scheduled!

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