I am going to give you the 7 Steps to Reaching Your Goals. These are easy steps that you can take today to start making immediate progress towards reaching your goals. No matter what they are: Losing Weight, Building Lean Muscle, or Maintaining Your Weight and Living a Healthier Lifestyle!
7 Steps To Reaching Your Goals
- Hit Your Protein & Calorie Goal
- Drink Enough Water Every Day
- Plan Your Meals
- Timing of Your Meals is Also VERY Important
- Getting Enough Sleep
- Do the Right Amount and Type of Exercise
- Understanding Your Why
#1 Hit Your Protein & Calorie Goals!
The number one thing that you can do to reach your goal is to properly fuel your body!
But properly fueling your body looks different for everyone based on their current age, weight, activity level, and goal. DO YOU know how many calories or how much protein you should be consuming in a day?
Click above to use my FREE tool to calculate your calorie and protein requirements based on your body and your goals. The calculator will provide you with Calorie, Protein, Carbs, and Fat goals. But for now, I only want you to focus on hitting your Calorie and Protein goals. Hitting these two are the most important!
Most People Don’t Eat Enough Protein
Many people think that protein is only for bodybuilders, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
The right amount of protein is necessary for:
- Building & Maintaining Healthy Skin, Cartilage, Organ, and Bones
- Improves your immune function
- Increases your metabolism
- Optimizes your hormone production
- Decreases hunger
- Increases your lean muscle tissue
- Basically, all aspects of bodily function require protein
The average person needs .8 – 1.2 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass to function properly.
Common Questions And Resources:
What Can I Use To Track My Protein And Calories?
A FREE App:My Transpormation App I personally use this app to track all of my food, my water intake, and progress photos. It also has free workouts and challenges you can join to help stay motivated to reaching your goals.
Having A Hard Time Hitting Your Protein Requirement?
Many people find it hard to eat enough protein from whole foods. This is where protein shakes and protein bars come in very handy!
However, not all protein is created equal, you want to find a low temperature processed, 100% hydrolyzed, Whey protein. Why??? Because it makes these shakes and bars the next best thing to eating whole foods and:
- It tastes the best, doesn’t taste like dirt, or leave a chalky texture in your mouth.
- Mixes evenly, so you don’t end up with lumps
- Doesn’t leave you feeling bloated, like many protein supplements do
- Your body recognizes it as protein which helps to process it better
I know finding a protein shake or bar with these three things can be hard, so have done the research for you.
Level 1 Protein Bar,Perfect for when you are on the go. My favorites are: Chocolate PB Pretzel, Chocolate Crunch, and Salted Caramel
Level 1 Shake, I drink this shake on the days that I don’t workout. They have so many great flavors, but I am a chocolate LOVER so my go-to is Milk Chocolate.
Post-Workout Stack, I drink this combination after every workout, it helps to quickly replenish my body and start the recovery process more quickly.
#2 Drink Enough Water Every Day
We all know water is important, but do you know why water is important to your health and reaching your goals? Water is the second most critical factor in sustaining life. Oxygen being number one. So, when you hear “you need to drink more water”, you should really drink more water and not just say “Yea Yea, I know”.
Benefits Of Drinking Water:
- Improves brain function
- Helps in metabolizing fat
- Regulates body temperature
- Aids in digestion
- Helps with proper joint function
- Assists with nutrient delivery
- Improves physical performance
- Enhances energy levels
- Aids in weight loss
- Helps to burn more calories
- Reduces cravings
- Helps to prevent headaches
- May help to prevent hangovers
Many people have heard that drinking 8, 8-ounce glasses of water a day is the right about….but is it? Water intake is the same as your protein and calorie requirements. The amount of water a person should drink actually varies from person to person.
The average person needs .8 – 1 ounce of water per pound body weight. Therefore, if you weigh 150 pounds you should be drinking 120 – 150 ounces of water each day. Do the math, multiple your weight in pounds by .8 to calculate the minimum amount of water you should be drinking.
Common Question:
What Are Some Things I Can Do To Drink More Water?
- Wake up and drink 8-12 ounces of water first thing in the morning: I like to add a little flavor to my breakfast water, squeezing a little fresh lemon into my water!
- Use a large glass, tumbler, or jug that you love: I have a big 32-ounce tumbler, it is in my favorite color, and it is sweatproof, so I can set it down anywhere and not worry about condensation causing damage to any surface.
- Set reminders: Setting reminders in an app or on your phone is also a great way to make sure you get enough water.
#3 Plan Your Meals!
Meal planning is different than meal prepping. You don’t need to meal prep if that’s not your thing. But taking 15-30 minutes once per week to sit down and figure out what you are going to eat every day for the following week is key! This will set you up for success in so many ways!
Success With Meal Planning:
- You’ll go to the grocery store with a plan. This prevents you from buying food that might not get eaten, which prevents unwanted food waste.
- It allows you to plan your meals around your schedule, taking into account meals that might not be eaten at home.
- Meal planning saves you unwanted stress, thinking “What am I going to eat?”
- Having your meals planned will help keep you on track, preventing you from eating something unhealthy
- Knowing what you are going to eat keeps you from getting frustrated not knowing what to eat and then choosing to make something or order something that might not be that good for you.
- Having a plan allows you to save time, instead of scrambling for dinner ideas.
- But most of all, it helps you to stick to your goal of living a healthier life, losing unwanted fat, building lean muscle, and feeding your body proper nutrition!
Many people have a hard time putting together meal plans or they find themself eating the same handful of recipes week after week and getting bored with food. This can also prevent you from reaching your goals because you feel deprived and eating becomes a chore, rather than being delicious and exciting.
The key is finding recipes that are healthy and easy to make! Have a go-to website, social media account, or cookbook with recipes that you know are going to fit your goals. Spending 15 minutes flipping through those resources is a GREAT place to start in creating your meal plans! Hopefully, this is what my site provides you!
#4 Timing Your Meals!
I am sure that you have heard eating smaller portions more often is better, but do you know why?
This is because it helps to keep your metabolism running, prevents your blood sugar levels from dropping or spiking, and you will see your mood improve. Eating more often prevents your body from releasing stress-related hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which can impact your sleep and mood.
When Should You Be Eating?
- Typically, you should be eating every 3-4 hours, and 20% of your protein requirements should be eaten with each meal
- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should be consumed within 2 hours of waking up, but if you can get breakfast in your belly within 30 minutes of waking up, even better! The sooner you can get your metabolism running the more active it will be during the day.
- Pre & Post Workout Meals. These should be eaten 20-45 minutes before and after every workout. Properly fueling your body before a workout will give you the strength and energy to push through your workout and give it everything you’ve got. Fueling your body after your workout helps with the recovery process preventing muscle fatigue, reducing soreness, and feeding your muscles to increase your strength.
- Lunch and Snacks: Can be eaten at any point in the day, planning them 3 hours after any other meal.
- Your last meal of the day can be anytime, however, I recommend that you eat no closer than 45 minutes to your bedtime. Eating too close to bedtime can prevent you from getting to sleep quickly as your body is working to digest your food. Yes, you can eat after 8pm! In fact, there are crazy people out there dedicated to their physical appearances that wake up and eat every 3-4 hours to keep their metabolism from shutting down while they sleep. I do not recommend this unless you are in a bodybuilding or bikini competition. Sleep is too important to recovery for this to be my recommendation to anyone. However, I wanted to put the extreme out there to show that eating past 8pm is NOT a thing! LOL
Eating 4-6 meals a day can be difficult but that is where having your meal plan in place will make your life SOOO much easier!
Common Questions:
How Do I Get The Pre And Post-Workout Meals In Within The 20-45 Minute Time Window When I Am Not Near A Kitchen, Don’t Have Access To A Microwave, I’m In My Car On The Way To Or From The Gym?
This is VERY common, even for me. Most people aren’t able to sit down and eat their pre and post-workout meal and this is where protein snack bars and shakes come in EXTREMELY handy!
Level 1 Protein Bar,Perfect for when you are on the go. My favorites are: Chocolate PB Pretzel, Chocolate Crunch, and Salted Caramel. I eat one of these before all of my workouts!
Post-Workout Stack, I drink this combination after every workout, it helps to quickly replenish my body and start the recovery process more quickly.
If you have any questions about either of these or any other supplements I am always happy to answer your questions!
#5 Sleep
Sleep is one of the easiest forms of fuel you can feed your body, it takes the least amount of effort on your part yet provides the body with so much! The proper amount of sleep can help improve your overall health and jump-start your body to reach your goals!
Benefits Of Getting The Proper Amount Of Sleep:
- Reduced inflammation
- Assists in weight loss
- Improves recovery after workouts
- Reduces cravings
- Improves your metabolism
- Enhances physical activity
- Helps to reduce stress
- Improves your memory
- Assists in recovery from workouts
Those are the benefits but let’s also talk about poor sleep and how that can affect your health.
Poor sleep or lack of sleep can actually be life-threatening. Lack of sleep alters how your brain works and reduces your ability to make healthier life choices. Sleep deprivation dulls the activity in our frontal lobe of the brain. The frontal lobe is responsible for our decision-making and self-control.
Lack Of Sleep Or Poor Sleep Can Lead To:
- Weight gain and obesity
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- A decrease in your resting metabolism
- Reduced energy levels
- Cells could become insulin resistant
Common Questions And Resources:
How Much Sleep Do I Need?
While everyone is different, my recommendation is no less than 7 hours of sleep every night. But listen to your body, how do you feel after 7 hours of sleep? Do you feel well-rested, or do you find yourself wanting a nap throughout the day? How are your cravings? Do you find yourself wanting foods higher in fat and empty calories? Then you are going to want to increase to 8 or maybe even 9 hours of sleep.
How Can I Improve My Sleep?
- Get to bed earlier
- Put the phone down at least 1 hour before getting into bed
- Shut off all devices
- Set a routine and go to bed at the same time every night
- Wear an eye mask
- Listen to soothing sounds, music, or sleep mediation
- Try cutting out caffeine and/or alcohol
- Avoid fatty or sugary foods before bed
- Get regular exercise.
Sleep is an essential fuel that you must feed your body. It is important for weight loss, building lean muscle, and living an overall healthy lifestyle. Poor sleep dramatically alters the way our bodies respond to food, creates energy, and how we feel overall. So, getting the right amount of sleep is a must!
But if you’re like me and have a hard time getting your mind to shut off at night, thinking about everything you need or want to do the next day then you might need an additional sleep aid. I recommend either taking:
Night-T: For anyone simply looking to improve their sleep
Core 21: For those looking to improve their sleep as well as aid in workout recovery.
If you have any questions about either of these or any other supplements, I am always happy to answer your questions!
#6 Exercise
Exercise might be the toughest fuel to feed your body as it does take the most amount of energy and skill. However, no matter how skilled or athletic you are, exercise can be modified to fit your skill level and your goal. Movement is necessary to improve your overall health, to lose weight, and to build lean muscle.
Benefits Of Exercise:
- It can make you feel happier
- Will reduce stress
- Proven to reduce unwanted fat
- Aids in building lean muscle
- Strengthens your body: bones and muscles
- Increases your energy levels
- May reduce your risk of chronic disease
- Improves overall skin health
- Shown to improve brain health and memory
- Helps with relaxation and sleep quality
- Can help to reduce pain
- Promotes a better sex life
Those are the benefits, but let’s also talk about what type of exercise you should be doing based on your goals.
There Are Two Main Type Of Exercise:
- Weight/Strength Training will help you build muscle and burn calories. Weight training allows you to continue to burn calories for hours after your workout is complete. This is because your recovery from a strength training exercise takes longer than cardio thus burning more energy and more calories even after the workout is complete.
- Cardio will help to improve your cardiovascular function as well as your stamina. Cardio may allow you to burn more calories during the workout but once the workout is complete, your body will return to normal operation for calories burned.
If Your Goal Is To Lose Weight:
You should be doing a combination of cardio and weight training. I recommend doing any of the following:
- 3 days of weight training 45 minutes – 1 hour and 2 days of cardio 30-45 minutes, with 2 days of rest.
- 4 days of weight training 45 minutes – 1 hour and 2 days of cardio 30-45 minutes, with 1 day of rest.
- 5 or 6 days of weight training and cardio each day. Begin your workout with the weight training for 30-45 minutes, then finish with 15 minutes of cardio. Starting with the weight training is key, as this allows you to better focus on form and you’ll have more energy to lift heavier.
If Your Goal Is To Build Lean Muscle:
You should be doing more weight training than anything. I recommend doing any of the following:
- 4 days of weight training 45 minutes – 1 hour and 1 day of steady-state cardio 45 minutes – 1 hour, with 2 days rest
- 5 days of weight training 45 minutes – 1 hour and 1 day of steady-state cardio 45 minutes – 1 hour, with 1 days rest
You’ll notice with each of those goals you get either 1 or 2 days of rest. This depends on your desire to reach your goal. The more you work at it the faster you will reach your goal. However, your body NEEDS rest so please be sure to give yourself at least 1 day of rest per week. Also, consistency is key, therefore if you don’t work at it enough you will see little to no progress.
If Your Goal Is To Be More Active And Simply Live A Healthy Lifestyle:
You can honestly do any type of exercise that you find enjoyable 5-6 days per week for 30-45 minutes. Some examples are:
- Walking
- Jogging/Running
- Hiking
- Riding a bike
- Yoga
- Skiing
- Rowing
- Weightlifting
Basically, anything that gets your body moving and gets your heart pumping. Since you are not looking to gain muscle or lose weight, you can lean back and be more fluid with your exercise. However, you do want to get some sort of movement in your life each and every day to ensure that you live the longest healthiest life you can live.
#7 What Is Your WHY?
Ask yourself why do you want to lose weight, change your body composition, or live a healthier life? Dig deeper than I just want to look good. Find the reason that will really motivate you. This will help you lose weight and keep it off, to make the changes in your life to live that healthier life.
Some Examples:
- Health reasons
- To live a longer life
- Be able to play with your kids or grandkids
- To improve a chronic illness
- To become a better athlete
- Maybe you want to join a competition
- Desire to run a marathon
Whatever that reason is, write it down! It has been proven that writing down your goals and your reasons for those goals helps you stick to them. It allows to you see the big picture and stay on track.
Write down your goals, list your why, and place them somewhere you will see them each and every day: tape them to your bathroom mirror or the front of your refrigerator. Then read them every day!
I Am Here For You, To Help You Reach Your Goals, To Answer Any Questions That You Have Along The Way About Nutrition, Fitness, Properly Fueling Your Body, And Supplements, Let Me Be Your Nutrition Guru!
Additionally, I have created a few different resources to help you reach your goal!
Starting with a FREE app: I personally use this app to track all my workouts, food, water intake, and progress photos. It also has free workouts and challenges you can join to help stay motivated to reaching your goals. Free Tracking App
4-Week Meal Plan:
If you are someone that wants your meal plan created for you and to just be told what to eat, then you have got to check out my 4-Week Meal Plan!
- 32 Amazing Recipes laid out over 4 weeks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks
- Shopping List included for each week’s meal plan
- Meal plan tips and tricks to make cooking and prepping recipes easy
- Customizable to your body’s specific needs.
- 1,350 – 1,865 Calories leaving room for your favorite protein shake or snack bar!
- Base meal plans macros are geared towards Weight Loss: 34% Protein | 39% Carbs | 27% Fat
- A Nutritional Calculator that will help you better understand exactly what your body needs
Do you count macros? Not to worry, I give tips on how to adjust every single recipe to fit your personal macro needs! Need more protein, more carbs, less fat…Not to worry I have you covered!
Sign up now and gain access for 20% off using code: 20%OffLimitedTime at check out!!! What have you got to lose?
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Between 7-9 hours every single night.
The average person needs .8 – 1 ounce of water per pound body weight. Therefore, if you weigh 150 pounds you should be drinking 120 – 150 ounces of water each day.
The average person needs .8 – 1.2 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass to function properly.