What's up everyone - Dr. C here. Today I am breaking down some of the biggest fitness secrets/myths that riddle the industry. I would love for this to spark conversation and questions - so if you have any, please drop them in the comments! After years of coaching and being in the fitness industry, here are my Top 7 Fitness Secrets: 1. Resistance training is and always will be king 👑 for improving joint health, reducing your risk for musculoskeletal injury, and developing functional strength for day to day activities. Not to mention all of the performance-enhancing benefits. So, even if you are training for an ultramarathon, get your resistance training in at least 2x days per week! 2. Mobility is NOT stretching. Don’t confuse the two. Stretching is passive, while mobility is your ability to actively take your joints through their full available range of motion. And it is key to injury prevention and improving your overall movement quality. 3. Protein gives you wings! Not really, but it sure does help improve your ability to recover and build muscle, and has a higher thermic effect than fat and carbs boosting your body’s metabolism and increasing the number of calories your body will burn in a day. Not to mention how much more satiated you will be and less likely to eat like dog 💩, so eat a diet that prioritizes getting enough daily protein for your unique body (I will show you how to calculate this in my book, comment “SECRETS” to get a free copy).  4. Fat loss truly does come down to monitoring your body’s energy input and output each day. If you are serious about fat loss, track what you’re eating, and eat a diet (prioritizing protein of course) that keeps you in a caloric deficit. I recommend starting at a ~250 caloric deficit under your TDEE to begin, then reduce this number by 10% each week until you begin to see the fat loss/weight loss you want to see.  5. Please, don’t run solely for fat loss! Running helps you become better at… running. Yes, it is a high-energy consumption activity. So naturally, you will burn more calories if you run for long distances. But the primary source for your fat/weight loss is going to come from increasing your overall daily activity and overall daily energy expenditure and eating in a caloric deficit. For some who don’t have a background in running, it often causes more harm than good from the pounding it will place on your joints. Focus on increasing your overall activity level, implementing a solid resistance training routine, and eating a well-rounded diet first. Then you can slowly integrate running into your life to build up your tolerance for it.  6. Don’t overlook micronutrients. As someone with Crohn’s, I can say firsthand that getting micronutrients in your diet is crucial for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome with the vitamins, minerals, and fiber they have to offer. Don’t ditch the fruit’s and vegetables, and supplement where you need to.  7. Building muscle is HARD. It takes a really, really long time (unless you are on the juice🧃of course). So be patient, give it time, and create systems and habits that will continue serving you for years to come. And keep going. You may not see massive gains after a week, or even a month. But stick to something for 1 year + and you will look back and be blown away by the progress you've made. 🤜🤛