If you have not done at lease a 2nd picture check-in, this would be a good time. A lot of times in this process, we may not realize that we are changing as much as we are. If you are someone who is now hitting protein numbers, who was having a hard time prior, even if the scale has moved much, you'll be surprised to see how much your body has adjusted. A few key points to look for are: Any skin folds in the mid back Love handles above shorts/pants Belly button Shoulder/arm definition If you were already lean coming in, check for improved vascularity and muscle separation. Happy to review these with you. The free app that I use for picture comparisons is called "Live Collage" 1. Are you feeling any change? 2. Are you noticing any changes in strength, recovery, sleep? 3. After you've done your comparison, was there anything you were suprised to see?

For those of you who love to try new recipes, I highly recommend following the following: @theflexibledietinglifestyle Hopefully most of you are finding your groove on managing your macros. The challenging part about doing a macro-based diet though can often be getting into so good of a groove that you become stagnant in what you're eating, and/or having a fear of going out to eat. A huge benefit of doing a macro-based approach though is that you are not stuck into eliminating certain foods or food groups. While it is highly beneficial to eat the majority of your calories from whole foods, it is equally as helpful to be able to look at foods like cereal, bread, pasta, etc, and understand that they can still have a place in your daily/weekly diet. If you're not starting to analyze the data on Nutrition Labels, you can see a lot of foods that you may have demonized, can now easily fit without having to completely rewrite the script of your day. The Instagram share is a great example of how you can turn nearly any meal you want into a macro friendly choice with a few adjustments. ...you also may notice that some foods that you thought were healthy, may actually be the opposite, and you really have to carve out the detail to fit them in now (nuts and nut butters, protein bars, salmon, steak, etc) Action Items 1. What foods have you eaten that fit better into your macros than you thought? 2. What's been a favorite dish of yours that you didn't think would fit your macros? 3. What foods are you surprised that you're having a hard time now fitting in?

Level Up Accountability Sheet - Google Sheets Your choice of meat matters a lot! My "guru" prior to getting into macros were very diligent about drilling how important it was to ONLY eat grass-fed, cage-free, wild-caught meats. Not only do these meat cost more, but they often are of a higher fat content. Which at that time was primarily 85/15. IF YOU ARE EATING GROUND BEEF, TURKEY, CHICKEN THE RATIOS MATTER. FYI NUMBERS FOR 4 OZ (113G) 80/20 = 287 calories (19g protein/23g fat) 85/15 = 243 calories (21g protein/17g fat) 92/8 = 171 calories (22g protein/8g fat) 96/4 = 142 calories (24g protein/4g fat) The ratio is based on the weight of the meat not the caloric load. So actually in 80/20 beef, 71% fat and 29% protein. Because 1 gram of fat = 9 calories and 1 gram of protein = 4 calories. This adds up quickly to extra calories. Remember that when you are dissecting a nutrition label, this is why I look at fat first, not carbs because that is going to play a much bigger role in the calories you are consuming. In comparison to their grain-fed, caged, farm-raised alternatives. The truth on this statement, not only because the animals are better ethically raised, but the more natural the animals eat to their natural diet, the fat actually has anti-inflammatory properties. The missing piece to this is, if the protein source is lean and/or fat free it doesn't make a difference in body composition. The protein from these sources is going to have an identical amino acid profile, which is what we are gaining from consuming protein. IF you have an ethical standard of how your meat is raised, by all means stick with the initial sources. If you are on a budget though, you can nearly cut your cost in half or less, sticking with lean options like: 96% or leaner ground meat chicken breast cod/shrimp/tilapia egg whites skim milk These will get the same aesthetic results as their alternative.

Highly recommend taking your favorite chocolate or sweet protein powder and mixing with almond milk heating it up and throw some zero sugar cool whip ontop to make a delicious high protein hot cocoa!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17J4BJk1pdA3ddVQfnSg8BLRrpa5PBAi87n2-RJJ19mw/edit As I scroll through social media friends, drinks, going out to dinner, football are a very common theme. This becomes challenging to navigate if you’re not intentional about it. Take a step back to be thoughtful about how you want to show up for your elevated self, and not how other people want you to show up. It’s a challenging endeavor to change gears and start behaving more in alignment for your best self self, not having that extra drink or 4. Not having the apps, the sides, and the dessert. Knowing the difference between special occasions and a regular night makes a difference. Remember to prioritize celebrating the time you spend with friends and family is usually more important that what you’re ingesting. 🙏🏻 1. Do I catch myself using nights out to eat and/or drink in excess? 2. What would it look like if I had healthier food options and limited or removed my alcohol? 3. Would I be happier tomorrow if I went that route?