If you're constantly feeling sluggish, hungry, and weaker than you would like to be, this episode is for you! Today, I share 7 highly effective habits that have transformed my clients into super fit, resilient, and vibrant individuals in their midlife and way beyond. With over 30 years of coaching experience and having faced my own health challenges, I know exactly what it takes to create a body that has you looking and feeling your best.I cover the importance of starting your day with a nutritious breakfast, prioritizing strength training, and believing in your capabilities. Believe me – these habits are the building blocks you need to take charge of your health and live life to the fullest! The Nutrition Project is a 12-week live group program that addresses your challenges in real-time. You will learn my eating methodology and gain direct access to me for in-person coaching. Add your name at hollyperkins.com/workshop.Want FREE access to my brand new four-week strength training plan, Strength Without Stress? Head over to hollyperkins.com/review where you can upload a screenshot of your review and gain immediate access. This is a limited-time offer before it sells for $197, so be sure to grab it now!If you resonated with anything shared in today’s episode, I hope you’ll rate and leave a *glowing* review of the show on Apple Podcasts. Be sure to follow and subscribe to keep up-to-date when new episodes drop on Tuesdays! Topics Covered:Why you need to eat breakfast Prioritizing strength trainingTips for strategically balancing your diet How to eat regularly throughout the dayFueling up before a workout Believing in your body’s capabilities The benefits of building muscle Resources Mentioned:Listen to the first 17 episodes of Holly Perkins Health Podcast HEREJoin the waitlist for The Body Composition Project HERE Check out The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey HERESee the research on building your muscles and reducing your diabetes risk HEREResearch has shown that greater muscle mass is a consistent predictor of better bone health in older women. Follow Me: Find me on Instagram: @hollyperkinsLearn more on my website: hollyperkins.comConnect with me on Facebook: facebook.com/HollyPerkinsFitness/Disclaimer: Content and information as part of The Holly Perkins Health Podcast is for general interest, education, and entertainment purposes only. The use of information on this podcast or materials or products linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not...
If you're constantly feeling sluggish, hungry, and weaker than you would like to be, this episode is for you! Today, I share 7 highly effective habits that have transformed my clients into super fit, resilient, and vibrant individuals in their midlife and way beyond. With over 30 years of coaching experience and having faced my own health challenges, I know exactly what it takes to create a body that has you looking and feeling your best.
I cover the importance of starting your day with a nutritious breakfast, prioritizing strength training, and believing in your capabilities. Believe me – these habits are the building blocks you need to take charge of your health and live life to the fullest!
The Nutrition Project is a 12-week live group program that addresses your challenges in real-time. You will learn my eating methodology and gain direct access to me for in-person coaching. Add your name at hollyperkins.com/workshop.
Want FREE access to my brand new four-week strength training plan, Strength Without Stress? Head over to hollyperkins.com/review where you can upload a screenshot of your review and gain immediate access. This is a limited-time offer before it sells for $197, so be sure to grab it now!
If you resonated with anything shared in today’s episode, I hope you’ll rate and leave a *glowing* review of the show on Apple Podcasts. Be sure to follow and subscribe to keep up-to-date when new episodes drop on Tuesdays!
Topics Covered:
Resources Mentioned:
Follow Me:
Find me on Instagram: @hollyperkins
Learn more on my website: hollyperkins.com
Connect with me on Facebook: facebook.com/HollyPerkinsFitness/
Disclaimer: Content and information as part of The Holly Perkins Health Podcast is for general interest, education, and entertainment purposes only. The use of information on this podcast or materials or products linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.
Holly Perkins 00:00
How you feel, and what you look like right now is a reflection of your habits. Is that a good thing? If you're always tired, always hungry, and finding yourself weaker and softer than you want to be, this episode is for you. In this episode, I'm riffing on that famous book, and you'll learn the seven highly effective habits of my clients who have succeeded in becoming super fit stronger than before, more resilient than ever and on fire. See, success leaves clues. After 30 years as a coach, I know the key habits that will help you to become strong and lean, reduce your risk of the diseases associated with inflammation and aging, and create the body you need to keep up with a life that you love. The easiest way to get the body you want is to get real specific about your daily habits. So let's get into the seven highly effective habits of people.
Holly Perkins 01:04
About five years ago, at the age of 46, I was blindsided by some very serious and debilitating health issues. At the time, I was in peak shape and otherwise extremely healthy, long story short, I was exposed to toxic mold in the apartment that I was living in, in Los Angeles, it triggered dormant Lyme disease, which I never even knew that I had. And it left me with an autoimmune disorder that I'll most likely be dealing with for the rest of my life. No fun. I say this, because it made me realize that no one is immune to health issues. I believe that it's not a matter of if you confront a health crisis in your future, it's a matter of when, and therefore the goal is to make your body as healthy as possible now, so that if your time comes, you're better able to manage the hard times. While I wish for you to coast through the rest of your life feeling fabulous and free from disease. I know it's just not really realistic. Think about it. How many older folks do you know who are perfectly healthy? Very few. Lately, I've been particularly interested in why this is why is it normal for people to manage a chronic condition as they get older? I don't believe it has to be that way. So I've been digging through the research. And it's clear that systemic inflammation plays a part in nearly all conditions like heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, autoimmune issues, and even depression. The best thing you can do to fortify your health, reduce your risk of disease, and create the resilient body that you need is to choose better habits. And oh, by the way, you'll look and feel better, too.
Holly Perkins 03:01
So here's my version of the seven highly effective habits of fit people. These are the habits I see in my clients who are proving that you can be impressively fit healthy and vibrant in your 40s 50s and 60s. And oh, yes. Beyond that. Number one, they eat breakfast. And if you don't like the word breakfast, let's just agree upon, they wake up in the morning, and within about an hour they eat a meal. The mistake I see other women make is to do some version of sloppy intermittent fasting and have a coffee with something in it for breakfast. And they say they're fasting. But really, they just don't feel like eating breakfast. There's not a real structure. Now, I'm not knocking intermittent fasting. I've got very specific views on it. And if you're doing it properly, from time to time, it can definitely be helpful. But eating breakfast stabilizes your blood sugar for the entire day. It improves stamina, and it reduces late day hunger and cravings. So if you're one of those people who really struggles later in the day, I really encourage you to look at what are you doing in the first hour upon waking breakfast gives your body and your brain the fuel it needs to manage the stressors and the busyness of the first half of your day. Your brain requires a ton of fuel. And if there isn't any in your body, ie your bloodstream, it triggers alternate mechanisms for survival. If you want to feel better, have more energy and reduce hunger and cravings. Eat breakfast. This is something that I demand all of my clients do.
Holly Perkins 04:54
Number two, they prioritize strength training over everything. The mistake I see other people make is to do more cardio than strength training or lift weights haphazardly, or let it be an afterthought. It's something that they get to when they feel like it or when they're inspired. They also think that cardio will lead to weight loss or getting leaner. Instead, I teach women to make strength training numero uno every week. It should be the focus of your training program and always take precedence in your weekly schedule. Strength training is the only way to improve your lean muscle mass. More muscle means a more powerful metabolism, better insulin sensitivity, better management of body fat, better stamina and protection from aches, pains and injuries.
Holly Perkins 05:56
Number three, they eat so as to ensure the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats throughout the day. These days, we hear so much emphasis on protein or even healthy fats. The women who are struggling are blindly just eating more protein without an actual goal or measurement. Or they're just generally reducing or avoiding carbs, because they believe carbs are linked with weight or fat loss. But the truth is, all three macronutrients, that's carbs, protein, and fat are equally important. Protein is not better, and carbs are not worse, you need all three for the quote unquote, minimum effective dose of food each day, you need protein for structural repair, you need carbs for energy, brain power and performance. And you need fats for hormone production and for the absorption of certain vitamins. Eating a strategic combination of all three ensures that you cover your bases, and it helps for keeping blood sugar stable.
Holly Perkins 07:15
Number four, they eat regularly according to the clock, instead of according to their appetite. Ultimately, I would love for you to know your body so well that you can eat intuitively. And ultimately, I believe that's the goal. But unfortunately, most people don't have an accurate intrinsic sense of what foods their body actually needs, how much and or when, even for me, I am highly skilled when it comes to managing what my body needs. And if I left it up to my intuition, I didn't sidecar doughnuts all day long. If you're struggling at all, one mistake you may be making is erratic eating. Despite the headlines, the most immediate way to influence how you feel, and how well you manage body fat is by making sure that your blood sugar stays level all day long. Blood sugar, otherwise known as blood glucose, is what keeps your body and your brain going strong. When your blood sugar bottoms out, you bottom out. The best way to ensure stable blood sugar is to eat every three to four hours religiously, even if you think you're not hungry. While you might not experience hunger or appetite, your body still needs juice.
Holly Perkins 08:44
Number five, they fuel up before workouts. You may think that the goal of a workout is to burn calories so that you can lose weight. If so, it stands to reason that a fasted workout would be the way to go right? Why would you eat if you're trying to go in and burn off calories? I made this mistake for years until I figured it out. Quite possibly the biggest mistake of all, is showing up for a workout without fuel in the tank. The real goal of any training session is to challenge your body beyond your current ability. You'll get higher quality workouts and recovery. If you get strategic about your pre workout fuel. I liken it to a high performance race car like a Ferrari. Do you really think that the Red Bull team shows up to the Formula One Grand Prix on empty? No way. High Performance machines perform best with intentional fuel and your body is 100% more sophisticated than a race car.
Holly Perkins 09:58
Number six, they believe Even it's possible to improve their body. Excuses are sneaky, because there is a big part of your brain that wants to believe your excuses. Women who are struggling often believe that their body has its own operating system, and that they don't really have any real influence over it. It's as if they've given up their power to this idea that their body just does what it does all by itself. But the truth is your body right now is a reflection of the actions you take each day, and more specifically, the actions that you took yesterday, and the day before. That's it. Your body is incredibly malleable and responsive? Do you really believe that nothing works for your body? How many times have you caught yourself saying that nothing is working again, I made this mistake in my 20s because I was doing all the wrong things. So those things didn't work. But if this is true for you, I would love the chance to prove you wrong. In order to be successful, you've got to first believe it's possible for your body to become better on whatever level that you want. Whether it's more fit, more energy feel better getting leaner. Now, it might take time, and it might take some trial and error for you to find the right actions and strategies that produce the results you want. But every day there are women improving their health, their energy, and their body composition. You can do it, too.
Holly Perkins 11:55
Number seven, they are laser focused on building muscle. Some women are still concerned about bulking up. And I believe this is just simply a misunderstanding, because number one, it's highly unlikely that you'll bulk up unless you are obsessed and possessed with it. For more than six months without even the slightest deviation. It's just super hard for women over the age of 45 to build muscle full stop. And number two, if you do believe that you're bulking up to a greater degree than what you actually want from lifting, it's most likely because you're not doing it correctly, or you're doing it inconsistently. The research shows that inside of four to six weeks of a lifting program. Anything that looks like bulk is really just water redistribution. The truth is your body just hasn't fully adapted to the remodeling process. That happens when you build muscle and burn off body fat muscle is life. In a large scale study of over 13,000 people over a six year span conducted by the UCLA School of Medicine, researchers found that higher muscle mass was associated with better insulin sensitivity and a lower risk of developing diabetes. Not only that, they found that for every 10% increase in skeletal muscle mass, there was an 11% Decrease in insulin resistance and without getting too technical here, the takeaway is, the better that your body manages blood sugar, carbohydrates and insulin, the leaner you're going to be and the healthier you're going to be in general. Also, research has shown that greater muscle mass is a consistent predictor of better bone health in older women. It's your muscles, not your bones that holds you up in space and direct the alignment of every joint your joints aren't mysteriously integrating. It's your muscles pulling and pushing against each other to hold your bones at your joints. In general, the more muscle a client has, the fewer complaints I hear of aches, pains and joint issues like arthritis, Kandra, Malaysia, patella, or even bursitis.
Holly Perkins 14:36
And there you have it. The seven highly effective habits of fit people. As I see, in my practice, you may be tempted to think that you have less and less control over your body as you age. But that's not exactly true. Regardless of your number of years on this earth, I promise that you always have the power to improve your body on some level. Of all Do you really believe there is nothing you can do better or improved to some degree? I promise you can. I hope you enjoyed this episode. I don't want to leave you hanging so if you want some guidance for effective strength training so that you can feel good and ah better. Download my forever free six week strength and cardio plan at the link below. And stay tuned for something new coming from me next week. Take care