Planning and preparing your meals is super important for staying on track with your fitness and nutrition goals, but life happens! You’re busy, with lots to worry about, and not every week goes according to plan. So how do you stay on track with your food when you’re not on your A-game? Today I’m sharing 5 tips I personally use when I’m having an off day or week. Life will always have its bumps in the road. Instead of trying to fight it, let’s figure out how to work around it.

This particular question and topic came from a member of the Making FIT Work community, and to be honest it comes up a lot!  I kind of feel bad for fruit, lol.  In recent years it’s been painted as this little sneaky devil that is hiding all things sugar that must be the culprit of our stalled progress or weight loss.  

People seem to be particularly concerned with which fruits are ok? How much of it can they have?  And should they avoid it at night?

So let’s start with is Fruit ok? YES! Of course, it is. And, yes I know it has sugar in it but so do cookies, ice cream, muffins, etc. and if we’re truly being honest with ourselves and looking back at our eating habits over the last 3-12 months, can you honestly say that fruit is the thing that got you to the place where you are now?  The very honest answer is almost for certain, NO.  

And if fruit is not the thing that got you here, it’s probably not the thing that is holding you back!

With that being said, of course, it is possible to overconsume foods that are healthy for you as well.  In the end, if weight loss is the goal there does need to be a calorie deficit.  So although it is possible to overconsume fruit, in over 12 years of working in this industry I have only ever ONCE told a client to cut back on the amount of fruit he was consuming.  But that was because there was no balance.  He was consuming fruit upwards of 5-6x/day with no vegetables. 

So in this particular case, the goal was to replace some of the fruit servings with vegetable servings for a more well-rounded and nutritious diet. 

Some fruits definitely carry a higher source of nutritional value for instance;

• Berries are very high in antioxidants 
• Nectarines & Peaches have a high source of potassium
• Apples, Grapefruit & Kiwi are great sources of fiber

Now that we got that cleared up, let’s talk about where this idea came from anyway.  How and Why did fruit become the bad guy?  Personally, I feel like this idea trickled down from the level of elite fitness professionals or athletes.  Those who are competing at a level where it is necessary to get down to an extreme level of leanness that is unmaintainable for the long-term, and then decide that it is a good idea to share their meal plan or their “how-to’s” with the rest of the world.

Of course, getting into competition or photoshoot shape means dialing back to the necessities and cutting out any and all sugars for a short period of time. But unless you are at a point in your fitness journey where you are trying to dramatically decrease your body fat to this degree, you don’t need to worry about fruit hindering your progress.

Instead aim to eliminate the processed sugars in your diet first before hating on good ole fruit.

As always I hope that you found this episode to be helpful, and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook or on Instagram at @fitwith_nina.  

Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

On today’s episode I chatted with Lauren Dorschied, Massage Therapist, Mom, fitness enthusiast and foodie. We dove into what keeps her motivated, the evolution of her fitness journey and how moving down south gave her the permission to find a new love for lifting.

Lauren grew up in a house of runners with both of her parents being avid marathoners so she was no stranger to the local races and power bars as the go-to snack.  And now as a Mom to two girls she is setting the same example by prioritizing her workouts into the everyday routine of the household.  Lauren uses the example of giving her daughters a heads up if she plans on working out that afternoon after they get home from school so that they are well aware in advance of the day’s agenda.  She says prioritizing her workouts also helps her fully commit and put her energy into family time afterwards.

We unpacked that overall feeling of mom-guilt we all tend to feel at times when we choose to spend time on ourselves and Lauren made a great point to say that we should tune into those feelings!  If you’re really feeling like you should be spending quality time with the family instead of working out, then give yourself permission to shorten up the workout so that you can get back to the space where your heart and mind really want to be at the moment.

One of Lauren’s tips to get started or stay consistent is finding a type of fitness that you feel excited about. Maybe it’s walking, running, lifting, stretching.  In the end, it’s about finding 20 minutes in the day to do something that feels GOOD for your body.

We talked about the comparison trap, the mindset most people have around rest days and how to make your workouts work for you.  

Lauren’s biggest tips for How To Make Fit Work are:

1. Find enjoyment in your exercise and your food
2. Be flexible 
3. Pay attention to your body. What do you want to eat?  How does your body want to move?  What sounds good to you?
4. Stop comparing yourself to anyone.

Lauren’s fitness and nutrition journey has evolved so much over the years, Lauren noted, “in fitness…you can outgrow certain things” while she was explaining how her fitness journey has changed.  From 5ks in high school to following in her parent’s footsteps as a marathoner and now lifting enthusiast with a sprinkle of running.  

We also dove deep into different forms of dieting and mindset blocks that Lauren has found her way around and now in a place where she is feeling her best.  

I hope you’ll tune in to listen to the full episode and walk away with some good nuggets to help guide you in your own personal journey

It’s easy enough to say you’ll make healthy changes in your life, but the hardest part is actually sticking to them. Building habits takes practice and if you give up after the first sign of difficulty, you’ll never give yourself a fighting chance for change. In this episode, I’m sharing my best tips for building healthy habits for good!

Use code FITWITHNINA at checkout to save 20% on your protein products at Jay Robb Protein!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

If you’re on a weight-loss or health journey, you might be wondering how alcohol fits into the equation. First, you should evaluate how you drink: do you find yourself mindlessly snacking, or are you giving up on healthy habits the day after drinking? It’s also important to understand how the body metabolizes alcohol too, and you might not like the truth! But most importantly, understanding why you drink at all might help you make the decision that makes the most sense for your journey. You can always enjoy a drink or two, in moderation.

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Today I address the topic of emotional, stress eating...turning to food as a way to cope with personal stress.

While some people avoid food when stressed others turn to food as a way to deflect from the initial feelings of stress. The minute you turn to the fridge or pantry you are taking the first steps towards deflecting and temporarily pushing the real stress to the back of your mind. Unfortunately, this type of mindless snacking is a very small, temporary band-aid and doesn't actually resolve anything.

If anything you just end up feeling worse. The only difference is that now you are stressed about something that IS within your control.

If this is something you've dealt with or are dealing with, I do have a few suggestions for you as a former stress eater myself.

1. Since we've already established that emotional, stress eating is a way to deflect and temporarily forget about the real problem at hand....what else can do that for you? Can you go for a walk, take a car ride, call a friend, clean the house, workout, take some time to journal, etc? Find something else that will help you take your mind off of the thing that is stressing you out.

I personally love the benefits of journaling, whether it's to start my day off with a little gratitude and self-reflection or to literally brain dump all of my feelings and emotions onto paper when I'm feeling overwhelmed. It's therapeutic.

2. When you find yourself in front of the fridge or pantry, take a second to stop and ask yourself, "Is this really going to make me feel better?" "Is this going to get me one step closer or further away from my goals?"

Take a second to really pause and think, do you want to feel better in the morning or worse?

3. Lastly, it's important to recognize and address the actual thing that's causing you stress. Especially if this is a recurring theme. How can you start to address the bigger picture? Realizing that most things can't or won't be solved overnight but realistically, what steps can you take to address these everyday stressors in your life?

With Much love,

Nina

P.S. If you want to connect further I would love to catch up with you on Instagram, you can find me at @fitwith_nina or you can join the Making FIT Work private community on Facebook here. 

In this episode we are talking all about cravings.  Specifically the difference between mindless snacking and cravings, and the misconception of WHY we're having cravings to start.  Most people assume that they just have this uncontrollable sweet tooth that just gets the best of them every night, when in reality that has nothing to do with it.

If this episode resonates with you and you know your mid-day and late-night cravings are getting in the way of your results be sure to sign-up for my FREE 7-Day Kick the Cravings Challenge that starts on Monday, March 14th here.

Also, GET $10 OFF my favorite supplement here. Search TRIM, and choose your favorite flavor.

My weight gain and loss journey through pregnancy was far from average. I gained 45 pounds each time, and in an effort to “bounce back” and not to be the mom who “let herself go” I developed an unhealthy mindset that I still have regrets about. For you mamas out there, don’t get caught up in the number on the scale. Focus on how you feel, rather than how you look, and I promise it’s possible to enjoy the journey.

Use code FITWITHNINA at checkout to save 20% on your protein products at Jay Robb Protein!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Let’s talk about the idea of cheat meals and why I think in general you should avoid an eating plan that promotes using cheat meals as a way to stay on track.

The idea of a cheat meal initially sounds great, right? As if being “allowed” a cheat meal will help you stay on track.  This one cheat meal will prevent you from feeling like you’re missing out on the foods you love and will give you the flexibility you need in your diet, right?  WRONG!

If you ever feel inclined to sign-up for a diet that promotes cheat meals, I encourage you to walk away. Especially if you are someone who has been on/off the diet rollercoaster for a better part of your life.

Here’s Why…

We all know that eating healthy is mentally harder than it is physically. Have you ever had a cheat meal turn into a whole cheat day or even worse a whole weekend? I know I have. And, it’s a shitty feeling. But that can happen when you look at the foods you love with scarcity, with the idea that you are only “allowed” to enjoy it on certain days or only 1x/week. You start creating unhealthy feelings around your food and diet.

Not to mention the word “cheat” itself is negative. As if having those particular foods that you enjoy so much is a BAD thing, as if it’s wrong, and by having them YOU are doing something wrong.  That is a dangerous mindset to have when you are trying to work towards being your best you.

Lastly, cheat days are not sustainable. Cheat days need to be planned and anticipated but life isn’t always that clear cut.

As always, I hope you found this to be helpful in your journey to strong, healthy and happy!

You can find me online sharing workouts, nutrition and mindset tips at @FITwith_Nina

And if you’re on FB, I would love it if you joined our private community, Making FIT Work.

*Promo -> GET $10 OFF, my favorite Trim supplement here.

Intermittent fasting (or IF for short) is a tool some people use to increase the amount of time spent between meals, usually dinner and breakfast the following morning. In today’s episode, I’m sharing the what’s, why’s, and how’s of intermittent fasting. IF can be great, but it’s not for everyone and it’s certainly not a long-term solution for most people. I’m all about working towards getting you stronger, happier, and healthier. Is intermittent fasting the best way to get you there?

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

More than anything else, I often find that mindset is the number one thing holding my clients back from the success they’re looking for. By getting rid of our limiting beliefs, we unlock the potential to accomplish anything, the potential that lived within us all along. Happiness is found within ourselves and loving who we are, and that self love is the hack needed to unlock our best lives.

Connect with Bela: Instagram, Website, YouTube

Click here for a special offer for Podcast listeners!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Today I chatted with Nicole Grace, creator of Cultivate Wellness - workplace and community wellbeing programs. Nicole and I have known each other for quite some time and was one of the people who initially inspired me to start working in the fitness industry.

Although Nicole was never an athlete growing up, she took an interest in group fitness pretty early on and has been working in the fitness industry in some way, shape, or form either part-time or full-time for over 25 years. 

Quick Back Story:  I used to work for Nicole at a local non-profit straight out of college, and one day I remember her sort of running in and apologizing for being a few minutes late because she had just come from teaching a class at a nearby gym.  I was in awe, that 1. She got up that early to exercise and 2. that this was something she got paid to do. I asked her to tell me more about how she got certified, how she got the job, etc. And, as they say….the rest is history!

So a big Thanks to Nicole Grace, who introduced me to the idea of teaching group fitness. 

Fast forward to a couple of years ago, where I realized Nicole had transitioned from an instructor to Life Coach and is now the Creator of Cultivate Wellness. Nicole’s passion for positive psychology and human behavior paired with her natural tendency to inspire & motivate others brought her to this place where she wanted to help people move forward in all aspects of their lives.  As one of Nicole’s personal clients, I can’t attest enough to how much our work together has not only helped me personally but also professionally as I have used some of those mindset principles with my 1:1 clients in order to help them move towards their health and fitness goals.

We started off by unpacking what it means to be healthy and how fitness is a small part of that big picture.  I asked Nicole what she thought her top 3 dial movers are for helping clients become more mindful so that they can achieve overall wellbeing, and here’s what she said.

1. Self-Awareness:  Being self-aware of how your body feels throughout the day, being aware of how you feel after a workout, etc.  Nicole recommends stopping & pausing.  Take a second to stop and think about what you’re feeling, where you’re feeling it physically and/or emotionally.

This led to a conversation around the word “busy” and how as a society being busy and overworked has somehow become a badge of honor.  That the goal in life should be to be crazy, busy….so crazy busy, you just don’t have time for anything else.  Which ironically ends up giving the word “busy” a negative connotation. 

1. Discover your limiting beliefs.  For example, saying things like…”I’m not strong enough.  I don’t have time. I can’t XYZ”  Using phrases that hold you back from being able to achieve something.  We use these limiting beliefs to stop us from getting uncomfortable and trying.  Nicole suggests adding the word “yet” to the end of your limiting belief.  For instance, “I’m not strong enough yet.”

According to Nicole, we (humans) are wired for negative bias. We are wired to think negatively before thinking positively.  Crazy, right?!  The good news is, we can definitely rewire our brains to look at things from a different perspective.  “Your body follows what your mind tells it to do.”

Other words contributing to limiting beliefs about yourself are the infamous phrases that start with…

 “I CAN’T…” and “I SHOULD…” and “I USE TO…”  If you find yourself using this more often than not, consider asking yourself if you truly can’t or just won’t.  There is a huge difference between not being able to do something and not being willing to do something. Phrases starting with “I should and/ or I use to” keeps you thinking about the past and things that you can no longer control or change. Nicole stresses that these phrases are most likely holding you back and stuck rather than focusing on the today, the person you are today, and what that person needs now to get where they want to go.

1. Find things you love.  Find a type of exercise that feels good to you.  Engage in things that re-energize you rather than draining your energy.  

Before wrapping things up I had to ask if you could give your 30-year-old self some advice what would it be?  “Cut yourself some slack, give yourself a break,” Nicole says. Nicole mentions that when you start to hit those milestone birthdays like 40 and 50, you start to shed some emotional weight by not caring so much about what others think of you.  You start to realize how exhausting it is to care so much about what others think about you and where you are in your life, and she personally wishes she shed that weight earlier in life.  Your thirties are such a great time to discover what truly makes you happy, so focus on that.

Focus on living in the moment because we can’t change the past and the future is unknown. 

If you want to learn more about how Nicole builds mindful-based wellness programs for organizations to learn how to manage stress, build resilience and increase productivity you can email her directly at nicole@cultivatewellnessri.com or visit www.cultivatewellnessri.com.

You can also find her on all social media platforms;

https://www.instagram.com/nicolegcultivatewellness/

https://www.facebook.com/cultivatewellnessri

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-gracecw/

As always, I hope that you found this episode to be helpful, and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook or on Instagram at @fitwith_nina.  

Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

On this episode of Making FIT Work, I interview Amy Bushatz. Amy is the Director & Executive Editor of Military.com, host of the Humans Outside Podcast, and Creator of Humans Outside. As well as mom to two boys and military wife.

It wasn't that long (10 or so years) that Amy was first introduced to short weekly runs and over that time she went from half-marathons to ultra runner. Amy shares how consistency in her day-to-day routine has allowed her to build habits that allow her to juggle her full-time career and motherhood while enjoying the outdoors as much as possible.

Amy has made it a priority to spend 20 minutes outside every single day, even in the cold Alaska winters. You can learn more about https://humansoutside.com/

Or join the Humans Outside Challenge here, https://humansoutside.com/challenge/

I did! And, I can't wait to spend more time outside in 2022! I hope you'll join me.

You can also find Humans Outside on Instagram & Facebook.

This week I’m chatting with my friend and a client of mine, Jess Kaeterle. In this episode, Jess gets really vulnerable with us and shares all about her chronic illnesses and the impact they have made on her health and fitness journey. She may have her own health struggles, but she keeps showing up and living her best life.

If you experience chronic illness, you can still thrive! It might look a little different for you—you might need some help and you definitely have to take care of yourself, but you can have a healthy life and your own fitness journey. Life is not a one-size-fits-all journey, but you can always be growing towards your goals.

You can connect with Jess on Instagram: @jesskaetyoga

It’s the one year anniversary of Making FIT work! To celebrate, I’m sharing my favorite clips from the top 6 most listened to episodes of the show. All episodes are linked below, so make sure you give them a listen!

#6: Strength Training for Women: Why & How with Ty Rendich-Texidor

#5: Top 4 Reasons You’re NOT Getting Results

#4: Structure, Preparation and Mom-Guilt with Laurie Dionisio

#3: Kick The Cravings

#2: How To Make Diets Work for You

#1: Getting Motivated & Staying Consistent with Tracie Calabrese

Use code FITWITHNINA at checkout to save 20% on your protein products at Jay Robb Protein!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Let’s talk about your at-home gym—why you should have one, and how to set it up. I know you’re busy (I am too!) and sometimes that means not getting to the gym as much as you’d like to. If you have a well equipped and inviting gym space at home, it will help you with your overall consistency, stay on track, and reach your goals! Get your must-have equipment from Perform Better and get 15% OFF your TRX Home2 System HERE!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

What is best for weight loss? Should you do more cardio or pick up the weights.  You can probably find an answer on the internet to honestly support whichever you’d prefer.  And, if you’ve been following me for any amount of time online you may already know my answer.  Personally, I love strength training.  I love the way it makes me feel and look. But outside of my personal opinion, strength training gives clients more bang for their buck.  No matter what any of my client’s goals are, they are always going to benefit from building strength.  That’s the beautiful thing about strength training… it’s not one-dimensional.  

Want to lose weight?  Strength training

Want to tone up? Strength training

Want to work on balance? Strength training

Want to increase bone density?  You got it!  Strength training is the answer.

Want to get faster, stronger, etc.?  Pick up the weights

Now the real question is, how should you strength train?  Should you be focusing on single muscle groups, full-body circuits, high reps, low reps, etc.?  That’s where your overall goals come into play, along with how much time you have to dedicate to each of your workout sessions.

In an ideal world, we would all be strength training 3-4x/week and doing cardio 2-3x/week, but most of us just don’t have that kind of time.  And I am by no means saying that cardio is bad for you and you should avoid it at all costs but what I am saying is that you are going to reap more benefits with strength training.

What tends to happen when people focus on cardio only is that at first you do see results but over time your metabolism catches on, starts to adapt, and then suddenly you’ve hit a plateau. Suddenly you are left wondering why you still feel like you’re burning major calories with long intense cardio sessions but your overall progress has stalled.

Whereas the opposite happens with strength training, you may not see immediate results with strength training 3x/week, however, it helps build a more efficient metabolism long-term which means you won’t quickly hit that frustrating plateau and will also be left with what feels like more flexible nutrition habits.  In the long run, whether the goal is weight loss or not, you should focus on building a flexible metabolism and the only way to do that is through strength training.  

Also, I can’t speak enough about what strength training does for your confidence.  I can personally attest to weighing 135lbs and feeling awesome, and weighing that same amount and feel like absolute crap. The difference is in strength training.

This is another reason why I like to focus on tracking client progress through measurements and progress photos rather than just the scale.  The scale doesn’t tell the whole story. I have seen many clients stay at the same weight while decreasing overall inches and changing their body composition.

If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, I personally love what I like to call Lift & HIIT.  This is my signature online group training program and it is essentially 90% strength training and 10% HIIT intervals, giving clients a nice mix of heavy strength training to build lean muscle and cardio intervals to maximize the calorie burn in a short 30-40min session.

As always I hope that you found this episode to be helpful, and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook, or on Instagram at @fitwith_nina.  

Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

Today I have 2 of my colleagues, Robyn Stewart and Elise Tzurkov, on the podcast to discuss whether or not you should be talking about your health and fitness journey with your family and friends. Diet culture has a strong hold on people and whether we like it or not, people notice when you start making healthier choices. It can be difficult to navigate social situations, holidays, and even eating in front of your kids if you don’t have the right mindset. But remember this: your health choices aren’t just a diet, they’re a lifestyle. YOU have the power over the food you eat, not the other way around.

Connect with Elise: @functionallyfitwithelise, MacroU

Connect with Robyn: @robyn_yqlnutrition, Nourish-U, Website

Use code FITWITHNINA at checkout to save 20% on your protein products at Jay Robb Protein!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Welcome to a new series here on Making Fit Work where I’ll be breaking down some of the most popular health & fitness myths out there so you can pay attention to what really matters on your own journey. 

Do you need to be eating small, frequent meals in order to lose weight? Of course not! There is no one-size-fits-all method of eating that works for everyone! Small, frequent meals might work for your specific needs, but it’s not magic bullet for losing weight. What matters most is eating in a way that’s sustainable for your life, whether you’re eating at home, on vacation, during the holidays, or on an average day.

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Welcome to Making FIT Work, hosted by Nina McGoff, certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach and busy mom of two. Every Monday on Making FIT Work, we'll be addressing the everyday obstacles that most of us face regarding health and fitness...motivation, mindset, nutrition habits, and more. 

We regularly interview other busy parents and professionals who will be sharing their best practices and tips that have helped them stay committed to their goals even when life gets crazy.

Here you're always going to get real honest talk with actionable advice that I hope will inspire you on your journey to strong, healthy and happy. 

You can find Making FIT Work on any platform where you listen to podcasts. Be sure to hang out with me on Facebook and Instagram @fitwith_nina. 

Have an idea for the show? Or have a specific topic you'd like me to cover? Drop me a DM or join my private Facebook community Making FIT Work and let me know! I can't wait to hear from you! Thanks for listening in.

As the warmer months roll in, it makes sense that you might feel pulled to pick up more activities like running, hiking, swimming, or other sports you might want to play with your family. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to get outside and get active! But doing more active activities doesn’t mean you should let your strength training fall behind. In this episode, strength and nutrition coach, Hollie Nicholson, and I discuss why keeping up with building your muscle should stay a priority this summer.

Connect with Hollie: @hollienicholsonwellness, Hollie Nicholson Wellness on Facebook, Website, email: hollienicholsonfitness@gmail.com

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

On this episode, I talk with Christine Flory, Nationally Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach who has been in the fitness industry for almost 20 years as certified personal trainer, nutrition specialist and yoga instructor.  

Christine and I dive deep into the mindset behind diet culture, why we fall into the diet and how to ditch the diets for good.  Christine shares how she has helped hundreds of women finally ditch the ALL or NOTHING mindset and create sustainable change with their nutrition.

If you're interested in connecting with Christine further you can email her at christine@floryfitness.com or follow her on IG at @christineflorywellnesscoach

Do you need a coach to get results? Of course not! You can absolutely take your health and fitness into your own hands. There are thousands of free resources online about anything you might want know. At the same time, there are thousands of conflicting opinions said by people with thousands of different lifestyles and personal experiences. If you want to get to your goals even faster, you may want to consider hiring a coach. Make sure to tune in to this episode to hear why you might want to hire a coach, why a coach is like a cheat code, and what to look for if you do decide coaching is right for you.

On this episode of Making FIT Work, I chat with my colleague Ami Patrick about all things plant-based nutrition.  Ami is Owner of Embody Health & Wellness out of Lewiston NY, and has been a certified coach in the industry for over 10 years.

Ami is my personal go-to when it comes to plant-based nutrition, so I wanted to have her on to not only talk about the benefits but also to address some of the myths that come along with plant-based eating, along with some easy ways to add more veggies and less meat to your diet.

We started this episode by unpacking how over the last several years being plant-based has become a bit trendy which is both a good and bad thing.  On one hand, it’s great that people are becoming more aware of its benefits but on the other hand, like all things “diet culture” it ends up coming with an ALL or NOTHING attitude.  You’re either a vegan or vegetarian or you’re a carnivore!  Ami and I both agree that this is not the way to approach any type of nutrition plan.

Some of the things we address specifically on this episode are….

1. Reasons for choosing a more plant-based lifestyle.
2. Overall health benefits of a whole foods/plant-focused nutrition plan.
3. How to incorporate more plant-based nutrition into your overall diet without completely giving up meat.
4. Plant-based foods that are high in protein
5. Some of Ami’s favorite plant-based supplements, along with a discount code!

If you want to learn more about eating or just adding more plant-powered foods to your diet, you can find Ami Patrick on IG at, EmbodyHealthLewiston, where she is always sharing some of her favorite plant-based treats and recipes.

Also, if you’re looking for the best plant-based protein powder Ami recommends the options at www.LivBody.com  Be sure to use coupon code: LivEmbody for 20% OFF.

As always I hope that you found this episode to be helpful, and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook, or on Instagram at FITwith_Nina

 Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

Having an underachieve thyroid condition doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck over-weight and over-tired your whole life. Dr. Emily Kiberd is a chiropractor and movement instructor who helps women who struggle with thyroid issues to lose weight and feel better. In fact, Emily herself has been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and incredibly, has put it into remission! With a personal thyroid success story, Emily leads the way for other women with thyroid conditions to stop the chronic cardio and build muscle, learn to properly fuel themselves, get proper rest, and reframe the mindsets that are holding them back. Healthy and fit with Hashimoto’s is within reach for you.

Connect with Emily: @dremilykiberd, dremilykiberd.com, Join Emily’s Thyroid Strong Masterclass

Michelle Freitas is a Nurse Practitioner, wife, and mom to two littles just 1 and 3 years old.  I’ve been working with Michelle for almost 5 years and was personally impressed when she recently decided to add on training for a half-marathon to her already busy schedule & sleepless nights.  

Michelle walks us through how her fitness journey has evolved since college and how she has come to feel her best now as a Mom of two.  She attributes much of her consistency to early morning workouts, her fitness friends, and the support of her hubby.

While most people would use having small kiddos as a reason to stay in bed, Michelle quickly realized that skipping her early morning workout didn’t exactly equate to waking up feeling more refreshed. 

Whether or not you have small children, I think everyone can learn a little bit about the power of consistency from Michelle.

If you have any suggestions for upcoming episodes or are interested in joining the Making FIT Work community on Facebook I would love to have you. You can use this link to join, ask questions, make some new fitness friends and be the first to know about upcoming challenges and programs. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1642949039303216/

And don’t forget you can GET $10 OFF, my favorite Trim supplement here. https://www.modere.com/Welcome/?referralCode=7579098

How do you know if you need to hire a personal trainer or coach? What’s the difference between the two anyways? And if you do need one, how do you pick one? The coaching industry might feel crowded with voices telling you one thing or another and it gets overwhelming. That’s why in this episode, I’m sitting down with my good friend and colleague Nicole, who has been training clients for over 25 years herself, so we can set the record straight once and for all. Getting clear on your fitness goals and expectations can help you decide on the right kind of personal training investment to make, and how to tell the good coaches apart from the really great ones.

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

When I think of real women who are Making Fit Work, I think of local business owner and friend, Marcy Sarmento. Marcy owns Livi Laser Center and is a mom of 2 busy kids, but she always makes time for self-care.

Self-care is one of the best tools we have for growth, both in our businesses and our personal lives. When we build up our energy and confidence, we carry that energy throughout the day and in to every thing we do. 

Marcy shares with us how she practices self-care, including meditation, journalling, building community, eating right, and always getting in some movement.

Marcy is giving 10% off ALL SERVICES at Livi Laser Center until September 1st. Just mention this podcast when booking your appointment! 

Livi Laster Center Website, Instagram

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

In order to be the best version of yourself and build the kind of life you love, you need to be able to have confidence. Confidence isn’t a zero-sum game, where some people have it and other just don’t. Building your confidence is exactly like building muscle—it takes reps, and it takes time. Today I had the pleasure of chatting with Catherine Wood, Head Coach of Unbounded Potential, a firm supporting introverted, empathic, and sensitive entrepreneurs build their own joy-filled lives. Catherine shares with us what true confidence looks and feels like, as well as some tactical steps we can all take to reconnect with the confidence inside us all.

Connect with Catherine: Instagram, Website, Facebook, LinkedIn

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

I took a little time off podcasting at the end of 2022 to spend time with family and reflect on the upcoming year. It’s so easy to get caught up in what everyone else around us is doing, so it’s important to me to think about how I can share and empower you going forwards. I always pick a word to focus on for the year, to serve as an anchor for my goals. Typically I’ve picked words that channeled what I wanted to achieve professionally, but this time I wanted to focus on something a little different. I thought about what I truly need to create my “best life” and one word kept coming up again and again: connection. Here’s to finding new, better ways to connect with each other in 2023.

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

On today's episode I chat with my friend and colleague, Elise Tzurkov. Elise has been working in the fitness and health profession for 20 years and focuses on macro nutrition and the female metabolism. She is also a person trainer, college instructor, and mom of 3. Elise is also a Type 1 Diabetes mentor and ambassador, and full time pancreas to her son with Type 1.

We dive deep into how her son's diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes opened her up to the world of insulin and our body's production and response to it which lead her to Macro Tracking for her and eventually her clients.

Elise breaks down for us the important difference between tracking macros versus calories, and why in fact so many people get better longer lasting results by tracking macros instead of calories.

We unpack what types of foods make up our daily macronutrients, how to calculate the right amount for ourselves and how to use it as a tool in your health & fitness journey.

Elise provides clients with a FREE How-To Macro Guide that you can sign-up for here, Sign up to receive your FREE guide on How To Macro

Or if you want to reach out to Elise about getting started with Macro Tracking, you can find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/functionallyfitwithelise/

As always, I hope you found this episode to be helpful and if you have any episode suggestions for me I would love to hear from you. Feel free to email me directly at nina@fit-with-nina.com

Lucie is a commercial portrait photographer who works mainly with fitness, lifestyle, and athletic brands and loves to work with companies and individuals looking to level up their business and ready for their photos to reflect that change. As an entrepreneur (and a busy mom!) Lucie has a lot to do, and not a lot of time. In this episode we talk about the evolution of Lucie’s own fitness journey and how she relies on community to make it all work.

Summer Sessions with Lucie! https://www.luciewickerphotography.com/summer-sessions-2022 Mention this podcast and get 15% off!

Web: www.luciewickerphotography.com

Ph: 617-429-6654

Instagram: @luciephoto

LinkedIn: luciewicker

Sign-up for Lucie's email list

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

On this episode, I interview Christine Braneli, a mother of 2 young adult kids. She has 29 years combined experienced as a chiropractor, beauty salon owner and business owner and is now out of private practice and working at the intersection of health and beauty; helping women glow from the inside-out.

Christine spent years working in the fitness/health/beauty industries constantly striving towards an ideal image.  Rigid diet restrictions and excessive exercise to keep her looking in a way that she along with many people thought represented overall health & beauty.  It wasn't until Christine's daughter who struggled with a severe eating disorder was in recovery, did she herself realize, she ALSO had disordered eating and a less severe case of body dysmporphia.

Chrisitine, now uses this experience to help women feel beautiful from the inside-out by un-tieing their self worth from their size.   You can connect with Christine on IG at www.instagram.com/christinebraneli

This week I’m chatting with Sara Charbonneau, school adjustment counselor, coach’s wife, mom to two littles and one almost-adult, and member of my HIIT and Lift program. Sara is busy! Even though life can be hectic, she knows how important getting a good workout is for her mental and physical health. That’s where at-home workouts come in. The flexibility and convenience of working out at home has helped Sara get more committed to her physical health than ever before. It’s all about adjusting your workouts to fit into your life, rather than building your life around your workouts.

Register for my HIIT & LIFT Program!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Welcome to a new series here on Making Fit Work where I’ll be breaking down some of the most popular health & fitness myths out there so you can pay attention to what really matters on your own journey.

Today let’s talk about this idea that you should stop eating at 7pm. Frankly, this myth seems a little arbitrary to me, because your body can’t tell time! What’s more important is when you eat in relation to your own bed time, as well as cutting out the real detriment to your progress: mindless snacking. Want to find out the real best time to stop eating? Tune in!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

One thing I always want to give to my clients is more than just meal plans and quick fixes for the time that we work together, but the tools they need to eat healthy and get results for their whole life. A meal plan of plain chicken and broccoli might work for a few weeks to months, but that’s no way to live and nobody is going to find sustainable results that way. That’s why I like to help my clients become Diet Detectives. I teach them to ask the right questions and look to the big dial movers in their lives so that once our time together is over, they can keep up with the strongest, healthiest, happiest version of themselves.

Join me for Metabolic U, my 10-week nutrition program where I’m teaching you how to ADD and BALANCE your food so you can optimize your metabolism. We start March 20th! Click here to sign up!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

This episode is a little controversial as we are going to dive into the topic of DIETS! Do they work? Should you do one? And the answer is YES, they do work.  Of course, diets work.  You can easily jump onto the internet and find hundreds of thousands of testimonials and transformation pics from people who have proved that diets do in fact work.

But the reason most of us fall short when it comes to following a specific diet like Paleo, Keto, Octavia, Weight Watchers, etc. is that we expect it to be our end-all, be-all solution to health and happiness. Most people approach a diet with this fixed mindset of “once I lose X pounds, I’ll be happy” and they rely on the diet and scale to do that for them.

I think if we took a step back and started looking at diets with more of an open mind and eyes, that they could most certainly work to our advantage.  Diets can be helpful if you use them as a tool rather than your absolute solution.  Most diets are super restrictive and rigid which makes it impossible to stick to for the long-term, which is why most people are constantly on and off the diet roller coaster.  But instead of blaming the diet, we put the blame on ourselves for “failing” at it and not being consistent enough or not having the willpower to stick to it, etc.

Most diets do work for the short-term because for the short-term it can be easy to stick to a lot of rules but in the long run...we are human and need to live our lives and need to figure out how to do so without being so restrictive and rigid.  And yet, I totally understand the desire to start a diet even if it does feel restrictive because when you’re in a place of not knowing where or how to get started, diets provide guidelines and structure that feel helpful.  They tell you what to do, and take the guesswork out of the equation for you.  I get that. 

So when I talk about using a diet tool, what I mean is go in with an open mind.  Don’t just buy some random meal plan online but instead, do the research -  join a community, look for recipes before deciding whether or not this might work for you. Take the people within your household into consideration.  Are you going on this diet alone?  If not, how will you handle family dinner time?  Can the recipes within this diet easily be modified for others?  Do the meals within this new diet structure require a lot of prep and cook time?  If so, does that work for your lifestyle?

These are all questions you should be taking into consideration before deciding on whether a particular diet will be beneficial for you.  

And if you still decided to go the route of following a fad diet, my number one piece of advice is to….LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!  Take notes.  How are you truly feeling both physically and mentally?  We tend to use the scale as our one deciding factor on whether or not a diet is “working” but what you should really be looking for are things like…

How are you sleeping at night?

Do you have more or less energy?

What is your hunger level throughout the day?

Have your cravings decreased?

And based on that information, you should be tweaking your diet to make it work for you in the long term. What are some of the things that are feeling good for you, and easy to maintain with this particular diet?  And what are some of the things that you are struggling with and why?

I’ll leave you with a personal example, about 4 years ago I tried my hands at the Keto Diet.  I did it for a solid three months and felt great...more energy and leaner.  However, although great results for the short-term I knew that this diet would not align with my lifestyle for the long term because quite frankly, I’m not willing to give up things like pizza, popcorn and beer (just to name a few) forever in order to stay a little leaner.  However, I did learn that I most certainly do feel better on a lower carb, higher fat diet and continue to eat that way now 80% of the time.  Is it Keto? NO.  But it did help me find a more balanced “diet” that feels good for me while also fitting with my lifestyle. Yes.  And, that’s the goal.  I didn’t fail at the Keto diet.  I learned from it.

If you do decide to go the route of following a fad diet, I hope you find this to be insightful. But if you’ve had enough with the diet roller coaster and need help finding a way of eating that feels good to you, I would love to help!  You can contact me via my website, at www.fit-with-Nina.com or feel free to email me directly at nina@fit-with-nina.com.

If you’re a listener of this podcast, chances are you’re always on the go and might struggle finding ways to make “fit” work into your busy lifestyle. For many of my clients, figuring out what to eat is one of the hardest parts of their health and fitness journeys, and it’s no surprise with so much conflicting information out there and the amount of time and prep work it takes to eat well! That’s where PlanIt Eats comes in. Created by local business owner, Michael Glassman, PlanIt Eats is a meal delivery service with a goal to make delicious and nutritious meal readily available to everyone! Food is medicine, and when we fuel our bodies well, we set ourselves up to live our healthiest, happiest, and best lives.

Use code FITWITHNINA for 10% off your first order with PlanIt Eats!

Connect with PlanIt Eats: Website, Instagram, Facebook

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

It's about that time of year again where you may be thinking about proclaiming a New Year's Resolution. I personally think setting yourself up with some new personal or professional goals can be a good thing if done right.

The problem with New Year, New Me type resolutions is that very few people follow through and eventually give up on the idea. I saw this all that time when I worked in gyms. Gyms & group fitness classes would be booming in January/February and then back down to their core base of members by the Spring.

But I'm here to tell you that it's not you, you are not the reason you're resolution was a big flop, your lack of strategy was the reason you weren't able to accomplish those goals.

So let's get strategic...
Start by writing down your overall big goal. Then break down that goal into smaller, short-term goals (quarterly or monthly). Once you have those short-term goals this is where the strategy part comes in.

HOW are you going to accomplish these smaller, short-term goals?

This is where people get stuck. Most people will have a broad, vague answer (i.e. if the goal is to lose weight, the strategy is "eat better & workout") and that's not going to cut it. You need to be specific. Avoid leaving things to be figured out along the way.

How are you going to eat better and workout? Where, when, what do you need to do at-home or at-work in order to make these things actionable and tangible. Keep asking yourself "HOW?" until you get super detailed answers for yourself.

If you can do that, I have no doubt that you will crush your goals in 2022!

As always I hope that you found this episode to be helpful, and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook, or on Instagram at @fitwith_nina. Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

Being healthy is more than just diet and exercise, it’s an entire lifestyle. It may not be obvious, but our stress levels have a huge impact on our weight gain and weight loss. You can’t eliminate stress from your life entirely, but it’s important to learn how to manage it well if you’re committed to your health & fitness goals.

Use code FITWITHNINA at checkout to save 20% on your protein products at Jay Robb Protein!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

On today's episode of Making FIT Work we have over 60 years of collective experience in the fitness and nutrition industry between myself and my amazing three guests; Nicole Blasi, Jennifer Kirsch and Lauren Mahoney.

I wanted to kick-off the New Year by diving deep into the biggest reasons most people aren't getting the results they want in order to help you make some real sustainable changes in 2022.

Nicole Blasi, personal trainer & nutrition coach for 23 years and the co-host of the EatRite Nutrition podcast.

1 Reason: Consistency. In order to build big behavior or nutrition changes in our lifestyle we need to start with small amounts of consistency. Continuously checking those small boxes that will eventually build into bigger more detailed habits that will give us bigger and better results over time.

Jennifer Kirsch

1 Reason: Not having an Accountability System in place. Jennifer recommends that you find a system or program that offers some measure of accountability. It could be as simple as setting a reminder on your phone, finding a workout buddy, becoming an active part of a fitness community (in-person or online) or investing in a Trainer or Coach.

Lauren Mahoney, certified strength and conditioning specialist who has been working in the fitness industry for 10 years as a 1:1 and group trainer.

1 Reason: Commitment Level. Laura explains how the commitment level must match not only the goal at hand but the lifestyle. For example, committing to 4 workouts a week when realistically 2-3 would be best for your current schedule. Get realistic with your level of commitment in order to stay consistent.

Nina McGoff, certified food and fitness coach. Creator of the HIIT & Lift online training program and host of Making FIT Work.

1 Reason: Overlooking the importance of proper nutrition. No matter what your goals are, you cannot out exercise improper nutrition. You also need proper nutrition to fuel your brain, body and workouts and without it you will eventually crash due to a lack of energy or give up due to a lack of results.

Listen to the full episode for an open discussion about each of these topics along with real solutions on how to overcome these very real mindset blocks that may be the very reason you're not getting the results you expect.

You can find each of these female fitness leaders online and on IG using the links below. I highly encourage you to follow them for valuable fitness and nutrition content on the regular.

Nicole Blasi, @eatritenutrition and @bossblasie
Jennifer Kirsch, @jenniferkirschfitness
Laura Mahoney, @laura.e.mahoney

As always, I hope you find this episode to be helpful and if you did, it would mean so much to me if you took a minute to rate and review this podcast. It really does help!

Be strong, be healthy, be happy!
much love,

Nina

Depending on where you live, your motivation may be taking a hit due to the long, cold, dark days.  Although the month of February is technically short it feels longer due to the weather conditions here in the NorthEast.  Maybe the results you were initially hoping for aren’t happening as fast as you’d like. Maybe you or someone in your family got sick this season. Or you’ve had a really stressful week at work that derailed you.

How do you get back on track and stay motivated?  And the honest truth is, you don’t. I don’t know ANYBODY, not even fitness professionals (trainers, coaches, instructors, etc.) that don’t feel unmotivated at times.  Just because they’ve come to enjoy and embrace what it does for them both physically and mentally doesn’t mean they are jumping out of bed every day excited to hit the gym.  The difference is they don’t rely on motivation to keep them going. They do it because they know that something is better than nothing.  They do it because they know that they will feel worse about giving up so they just do it anyway.  Even when they really don’t want to. 

It’s a commitment, not motivation that keeps them going.  And I don’t think that it’s necessarily a commitment to a goal as it is a commitment to themselves!  So instead of beating yourself up for not always feeling motivated, ask yourself what is my bare minimum commitment to myself?  What is my non-negotiable commitment? The intensity or type doesn’t matter, just the fact that you are taking that time. 

The other thing to note when it comes to staying committed (not motivated) is that people who are committed have learned to embrace the suck! They’ve learned to accept that not every single workout is going to feel amazing.  They’ve learned to incorporate rest days. They’re strategic about how to plan their workouts accordingly so that all in all, they suck less. 

I’m always encouraging clients to listen to their bodies. Does your body want a strength session or do you need to keep it light and do some band work instead?  The more you can tune into what your body needs/wants the better you’ll feel and the more motivated you’ll be for the next workout.  

Anyway, that’s all I got for you today.  Don’t forget to ask yourself, what is your commitment to yourself?  And if you’re up for sharing I would love it if you took a screenshot of this episode and tagged me online with your non-negotiables.  I want to make sure I can support you any way that I can on your journey to strong, healthy and happy.

You can find me online sharing workouts, nutrition and mindset tips at www.instagram.com/fitwith_nina

If you’re on FB, I would love it if you joined our private community Making FIT Work here, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1642949039303216/

And don’t forget you can GET $10 OFF, my favorite Trim supplement here. https://www.modere.com/Welcome/?referralCode=7579098

You’ve probably heard by now that one of the best things a woman can do on her weight loss journey is to start strength training, aka weight lifting… but why? If you want to lose weight and burn fat, you first have to understand your metabolism and what it’s made up of. Believe it or not, exercise only comprises about 5% of your metabolism! So then why start lifting? Building muscle mass changes everything up and helps you burn that fat a lot faster.

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Should You Meal Prep? Or is meal prepping necessary to succeed? The answer is undoubtedly, Yes! Preparation is key and the more you can prepare in advance, the less stressed you will feel on a day-to-day basis when trying to figure out what to eat. With that being said, the degree to which you meal prep is what will make or break this process for you.

So here are a few questions to help you decide how much meal prepping you need to do in order to eliminate stress and help you feel successful.

1. Are you ok with eating the same thing every day? If your answer is a BIG N-O, then you may want to re-consider batch prepping where you would make 5 portions of the same meal. In this instance, you may be better off prepping to 3 meals out of 5 for the week, maybe using leftovers on the other days, etc.

2. Which meals do you need the most help with? Are you constantly running out of the house in the morning? If so, maybe prepping your smoothies in advance or baking some egg muffins would be helpful. If figuring out what's for dinner each night feels stressful then maybe it's best you focus your energy on roasting some vegetables or your side dishes in advance.

3. Do you enjoy cooking? This is a big one! If you hate cooking (like I do) then you'll want to keep the process of meal prepping quick and simple as to avoid dreading it each week. You might be best at prepping salads or wraps to-go.

The important thing to remember is that a little preparation can go a long way. You don't have to spend hours in the kitchen. In fact, a client recently shared with me that she dedicates one hour every Sunday to meal prepping, that's it! Another client shared how she commits to making one crockpot meal each week that will easily provide her with a few servings to be used at either lunch or dinner throughout the week.

Here are some of my personal recommendations...
- Prep the thing(s) that take the longest to make. For example, baking sweet potatoes, roasting vegetables, etc. Get these things off of your plate for the week.
- Prep your protein. If I'm short on time, I will focus on making sure I have good protein sources ready for the week....grilled chicken or steak, hard-boiled eggs, etc. These things are quick and easy to make but are essential to make sure I'm getting a sufficient amount of protein at every meal.
- Have back-ups. I always make sure to have things like frozen veggies or rice that can be added to any of my protein sources in a pinch.
- Meal prep at your convenience. Who says meal prepping needs to be done on Sundays?? I personally love meal prepping when I am in full-on grocery mode. For example, I will turn on the air fryer and start chopping up vegetables as I am unpacking them from my grocery store run. It's on my mind and just makes sense for me.

As always we hope that you found this episode to be helpful, and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook or on Instagram at @fitwith_nina. Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

I wanted to kick-off the first episode of this podcast by talking about the difference between trying to find the time versus making the time for our workout routines. There's a big difference between these two phrases and rephrasing this can really help in elevating where this stands on our priority list. As a Coach, I hear clients say all the time how they are struggling to find the time to workout or fit it into their busy schedules. But the truth is, this is always going to be a problem if you're always looking for the best time to fit it in. If you're always searching for that big, open block of time in your schedules where you can easily fit in a workout.

When we constantly use the word "find," unfortunately, what we're really telling ourselves is that it really isn't that big of a priority for us. It subconsciously pushes those workouts to the bottom of our long to-do list, making it the very last thing you will get to if and when a moment presents itself. And I know that's not what we really want.  

So how do you transition from trying to find the time to MAKING the time?

1. Determine that this IS in fact, a priority to you.
2. Start looking at your schedule realistically: how many times you can commit to working out and how long those workouts can realistically be...60min, 30min, 15min? Try to avoid getting hung up on the idea that every workout needs to be the same length of time. It's more than ok to vary the length of time and intensity of a workout in order to accommodate your busy schedule.
3. Ask for help! Reach out to the people in your village and network and be sure to communicate to them that this is important to you and you may need their help to accomplish it. For example, asking for help with the logistics of getting the kids from place to place. Or maybe talking to your boss about your work schedule in order to accommodate a midday workout, etc. 
4. Last but not least, plug it in and commit to it! Whether you're working out at home, at a gym or in a studio, be sure to plug that time into your calendar just as you would any other important appointment in your life.

Most importantly, start rephrasing the way you talk about your workouts in order to help mentally bump it up on your priority list. Because in the end, if you keep looking for that free time, you will never find it. There will always be something else to do. There will always be competing priorities. So stop looking and start creating that time for yourself because you deserve it. 

With Much love,

Nina

P.S. If you want to connect further, I would love to catch up with you on Instagram or join the Making FIT Work private community on Facebook.

Today I had the pleasure of chatting with Cams Campbell, Certified Nutrition Coach from Kingston, Jamaica and who guides women of color on their weight loss journeys, helping them figure out how to eat their cultural foods and still lose weight! Several years ago Came lost 45 lbs after she learned about macros and finally found her happy weight and what she calls her food freedom. And now she teaches others how to do the same. 

In this episode, Cams takes us through her weight loss journey, how she came to find Macro Counting, how it helped her reintroduce the cultural foods that she was craving back into her diet, and how that helped her maintain her 45lb weight loss. Cams shares her best practices for incorporating cultural foods into your diet and how over the years she has taken some of her favorite Jamaican foods and flavors and made them overall more well-balanced and healthier allowing her to now enjoy and savor those flavors more often.

You can learn more about Cams’ coaching and services online here or you can follow her on IG here.

If you’re on FB, I would love it if you joined my private community Making FIT Work here.

And don’t forget you can GET $10 OFF, my favorite Trim supplement here. 

I’m so excited to share this episode with you today, because it’s something very important that I think a lot of us aren’t quite sure how to do “right.” How do you talk about food with kids? With disordered eating and obesity rates rising, it’s more important than ever to teach our kids both healthy eating habits and healthy body image. A good relationship with food starts at home! Join me and Pediatric Nutritionist, Vanessa Thornton, for this very educational episode!

Connect with Vanessa: Instagram, Website 

Join Vanessa’s Pave The Way Program!

You can use code “VANESSA15” at Tinyhood for a discount on any class or package 

Use code FITWITHNINA at checkout to save 20% on your protein products at Jay Robb Protein!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Today I’m talking to 82-years-YOUNG Joy Overstreet about how she uncovered the secret to ditching diets. You could say her journey with dieting started over 65 years ago when summer-camp weight gain let to obsessive yo-yo dieting. After Joy’s husband passed away in 1974, she knew something had to change, and that’s when she began to discover what she calls the “Cherry Pie Paradox.” Now everything Joy learned is available for all of us to read in a book, so we can free ourselves from constant dieting and the shame and self-judgement we often attach to our weight.

Connect with Joy: @joyoverstreet1, Website

Get her book: The Cherry Pie Paradox: The Surprising Path to Diet Freedom and Lasting Weight Loss

Use code FITWITHNINA at checkout to save 20% on your protein products at Jay Robb Protein!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

With COVID restrictions lifting, travel plans will be at an all-time high this summer. If you plan on traveling, it’s important to ask yourself how you want to feel—both physically and mentally—on your vacation. If you’re anything like me, feeling happy, healthy, and at your best during and after your vacation is important! Check this episode out for my best tips for staying on track with your health and fitness while you travel, so you don’t have to hit that reset button when you come home.

Register for my HIIT & LIFT Program!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Welcome to a series here on Making Fit Work where I’ll be breaking down some of the most popular health & fitness myths out there so you can pay attention to what really matters on your own journey.

This myth is a little surprising to me, but for some reason it seems to stick around: should you avoid eating fruit because it has too much sugar? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never met anyone who is starting a health and fitness journey because they over-indulged in too many apples or too many smoothies. Of course fruit has sugar, and you can definitely be mindful of when you’re consuming it, but there are so many benefits to getting in your daily servings of fruit. In fact, I think the real reason people are cutting out fruit is to avoid making the changes that will actually make a difference in living a healthier life.

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Today’s episode might be a sensitive topic for some, but it’s becoming a pet-peeve of mine and I think it needs to be discussed: is perimenopause the cause of all of your weight gain struggles? I see this everywhere, brands and influencer targeting women in their 40’s and claiming they have the one answer to all your perimenopausal weight-related issues, but there’s one main problem: there is absolutely no truth to the idea that perimenopause causes weight gain at all! You might actually be experiencing perimenopause and if that’s the case there are ways to alleviate symptoms. However, if you’re seeing some weight gain as you reach your 40’s and beyond, there’s more that can be done than just blaming your changing hormones and giving up.

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Stress affects our health more than we know. If you want to be the best version of yourself—the best spouse, parent, employee, business owner, friend, etc—it all starts with stress. One of the best ways to tackle that stress is by really focusing on your self-care, and that includes your fitness. Kelly Almeida is a client of mine who is a busy mom and wife, and runs her own salon on top of it all. When she started making small shifts towards a healthier lifestyle, not only did she start looking better, but feeling better too.

Visit SALON ELL, @salonell

Use code FITWITHNINA at checkout to save 20% on your protein products at Jay Robb Protein!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Kendra LaHue helps women lose weight and get strong, all without fad diets. There’s a misconception that in order to lose weight, you have to eat very little and be miserable the whole time. It’s just not true, and Kendra is proving it.

Kendra talks about her own background as a former athlete-turned-medical professional-turned personal trainer. After finding her way in the health and fitness world, Kendra realized that her real passion lay within helping women lose huge amounts of weight (30-150 pounds!), feel like a badass by getting stronger, and learn that all of this is possible through fueling your body properly—not starving yourself.

We discuss weight loss myths, the fear women seem to have of carbs and fats, and how progress will never be linear, so we should all practice a little self-kindness.

In Kendra’s words, you can’t fail if you don’t quit. As long as you just keep going, you’ll find the results you’re looking for.

Don’t forget to connect with Kendra on Instagram: @kendralahue

And check out her website: kendrafitness.com

There are two major dieting mistakes I see a lot of people making: cutting out carbs and cutting out fats. You may think they are the cause of all your weight troubles, but it’s just not true. We need them both for energy and a healthy life, and it all comes down to balance. Let’s talk about how to keep the carbs and fats in your diet so you can get real, sustainable results.

Use code FITWITHNINA at checkout to save 20% on your protein products at Jay Robb Protein!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Today we are addressing the big debate Fats v. Carbs and which one is better for weight loss?  The very simple answer is that it depends on which one helps manage your energy and cravings more, as well as which one your body metabolizes better.  And the only way to figure that out is with a little trial and error.  This is one of the first things I do with my clients, figure out which one of the two they are prioritizing more and create a meal plan where we prioritize the opposite source of fuel.

But before we dive deeper into that, I think it’s important to address why the two are so important.  Both fats and carbs serve as an energy source for our bodies.  Our bodies will either burn sugar (carbs) or fats during exercise in particular.  One of the biggest mistakes, when people start to diet, is they tend to cut both of these out, and this strategy will only work for the very short term before you end up crashing.  Another dieting dilemma is that most people don’t realize that their diet is high in both of these macronutrients which makes them primed for more fat storage. 

So how do you figure out which one is best for you?  Put it to the test.  For example, if you typically eat 3 - 4 meals/day.  Add one of these (carbs OR fats) to two of those meals and the other to only one of those meals throughout the day.  It’s not magic so it will most likely take more than a day to notice a significant difference but pay attention to how this makes you feel.  Have your energy and cravings improved?

If so, great!

Now here’s the part people have a hard time wrapping their minds around….just because you might feel great this way for a couple of weeks doesn’t mean you have to eat like this forever nor should you.  Chances are you will go through phases.  As women, we go through different cycles throughout the month and you might find that you feel best when alternating between high carbs or high fats throughout the month.

The key is to be mindful of how your body is reacting and keep overall balance in mind.  You should be looking at your nutrition as a whole throughout the day and not as individual meals.  How does your breakfast affect what you have for lunch, and so on?

What you want to remember is that you don’t need to completely eliminate the other but if you are going to enjoy more carbs on any given day then your fats should have less of a presence that day. 

I hope this helps you find the balance and get some energy back in your day-to-day.  If you want to learn more about my Mindful Metabolism coaching you can fill out the application here.

PMS often controls our lives as women, but what if I told you there are ways not only to manage PMS symptoms, but even eliminate them? That’s why I’m so excited to have Andrea Claasen on the podcast this week! Andrea is a former personal trainer turned Ayurvedic & Yoga guide and our conversation was both fascinating and beneficial in equal measure. Maybe you’ve heard of Ayurvedic living here and there online, but what does it really mean? And more importantly, how can we use it live more in tune with nature? Let’s find out together.

Connect with Andrea: Instagram, Website

Listen to the Peaceful Power Podcast

Get your Free 5 Day Ayurvedic Toolkit!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

A lot has changed over the last couple of years for Traci and yet she always seems to stay so consistent with her workouts no matter what and is a personal inspiration of mine.  So today I asked Traci to share about her personal experience with exercise, how she came to love fitness and how she personally stays motivated and consistent in her routine.

Although Traci was a soccer and track athlete through high school she essentially stopped working out in her college years and didn’t catch the fitness bug again until she found herself living in the Mid-West without friends or family.  Insert weekend road races that ended in good food and drink tickets. :)

What started off as something to just fill her time and meet new people, ended in a newfound love for running. And although how and what she did for exercise evolved over time, she has stayed consistent since then.

Traci talks a little bit about the different types of motivation: intrinsic vs. extrinsic and how recognizing which one she is has played a big part in helping her stay the course.

For example, once she was introduced to a local studio where she got into strength training she started to feel accountable not only to herself but to the other people within her session. Once the pandemic hit, she knew she needed to find another way to find another group or community that she could feel a part of - even virtually.  

“Fitness is a journey...when you have someone else who’s also interested in your journey, you’ll be more successful”

Fitness is a journey and that journey comes with ebbs and flows.  For Traci, it became evident after children that her workout time was about so much more than just getting in physical movement but also about creating that emotional space and managing overall stress while also being a strong role model for her young girls.

And this is what helps her stay the course now. It’s about how she’s going to feel by starting her day with a workout versus NOT starting her day with a workout.  It’s about showing up for the other people within her online fitness community.  And it’s also about giving herself the permission to do a half of a workout or even sleep in if that’s truly what her body needs that day. 

“You just need to move forward one day at a time.”

Traci’s Biggest Tips for getting & staying motivated:

1. Don’t set yourself up to fail.  Look at your schedule realistically.
2. Put in the effort!
3. Be flexible. Be flexible with what fitness means to you. It doesn’t have to be a long intense workout, it can be just moving more, etc. 
4. Find a friend! Find an accountability buddy.

If you are looking for a fitness community to join and help hold you accountable on your journey, we would love to have you in our Making FIT Work private community on Facebook.  Be strong, be healthy, be happy.

When I think of real women who are Making Fit Work, I think of local business owner and friend, Marcy Sarmento. Marcy owns Livi Laser Center and is a mom of 2 busy kids, but she always makes time for self-care.

Self-care is one of the best tools we have for growth, both in our businesses and our personal lives. When we build up our energy and confidence, we carry that energy throughout the day and in to every thing we do. 

Marcy shares with us how she practices self-care, including meditation, journalling, building community, eating right, and always getting in some movement.

LiVi Laster Center Website, Instagram

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Menopause is a biological reality that all women face, but we don’t have to surrender to it. Think of menopause as a detour, rather than a decline. That’s why I brought on Dr. Carla DiGirolamo for this week’s episode. Carla is a Fitness and Nutrition coach in addition to her work as a Board-Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and Menopause Specialist. Today we talk about the ins and outs of hormone changes as we get older, and the best ways fuel, train, and take care of ourselves as our bodies change. Menopause isn’t a deficiency, it’s a part of life. It’s time we learned to love and take care of our bodies, instead of hiding them away.

Connect with Carla: @fitforlifemd, Website, Blog, Facebook, LinkedIn

Use code FITWITHNINA at checkout to save 20% on your protein products at Jay Robb Protein!

Don’t forget to join the Making FIT Work Private Facebook Page and connect with me on Instagram: @fitwith_nina

Structure, Preparation & Mom-Guilt

Today on Making FIT Work, I chat with Laurie Dionisio, who works full-time as a Speech-Language Pathologist, has two kids at two different schools, is an avid CrossFitter and mind/body blogger. Laurie loves structure and routine and attributes being consistent with her health and fitness to building a set routine for herself throughout the years. Although she was never an athlete growing up, that didn’t stop her from dabbling around at the gym in college. And as she has evolved and grown, so has her love and overall knowledge about health and fitness, helping her create a routine that feels good for her.

What I love is that Laurie talks about how even though she would prefer to stick to a very set schedule week in and week out, she also realizes that life happens, and to live a strong, healthy life consistently...you need to be able to roll with the punches and be a little flexible. And this is something that is not intuitive and definitely takes reminding. So here’s your friendly reminder to be good to yourself! ;)

From Wii Fit to building an at-home gym, her workouts looked and felt like they surely changed over time. It wasn’t until about 5 years ago, when she was introduced to CrossFit that she could take her workouts to the next level.

But before we unpack that, I loved and really connected with the fact that she mentioned getting a trial membership to the local box felt like she was being permitted to go and take time to focus on that. I think every mom can relate to that. We know it’s important to take care of ourselves and take care of ourselves, which means we have to spend some time away from our children. And that’s hard! Mom-guilt is real, and sometimes you do need your significant other to validate that for you. To remind you that you have their support to do things that make you feel good, even if it means more time away from the kids. A big thanks to Laurie for sharing that aspect of her journey!

Now let’s get back to fitness….her trial membership at CrossFit Dartmouth was a humbling and eye-opening experience that allowed her to take her fitness to another level. The ability to be coached and pushed by someone else rather than relying on her own physical and mental limitations as you do when participating in group fitness classes was everything she didn’t know she needed.

Since then, she has been committed to her CrossFit workouts and schedules 3x/week. She goes on to also thank her husband for understanding and being respectful of her need to move her body and allowing her the space to get out of the house for an additional 3 hours/week. Mamas! Just a reminder….you deserve that time. Take it!

We shared stories on mom-guilt, what it feels like and why we hope more women will realize that although those feelings are strong and real, we need to fight the urge to let it hold us back.

As we all know, fitness is only half the battle! So what’s the key to making it all work? Laurie says, “Preparation is 100% of my success.” Although Laurie spends a good amount of time meal prepping every Sunday, the amount of aggravation it saves her throughout the week makes all the difference and is totally worth it.

One of her big takeaways is that all of it (health and fitness) “is a learning process, and evolves” She recommends not trying to do it all at once. Pick something that feels easy at first and focus on that….” taking small bites of the apple.”

We end this episode with Laurie encouraging and reminding all of us that we get one life & one body...treat it well!

Although we didn’t have enough time to dive into it today, Laurie has an amazing blog that I have enjoyed reading called Chose The Light Side, which I encourage you to check out. http://choosethelightside.blogspot.com/

As always, we hope that you found this episode to be helpful and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook or Instagram at @fitwith_nina. Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

On today's episode, I'm speaking with Ty Rendlich-Texidor. Ty has a degree in sports medicine and as a trainer she focuses on helping people address nagging injuries as they work towards achieving their fitness goals. Ty strongly believes that everyone should be able to train how they want for as long as they want.

We particulary tackle the topic of Strength Training for Women;  what it means, the importance of it and how most women underestimate their overall strength.

The benefits of strength training for women go way beyond weight loss and physique changes, and once you listen to the episode in full you will have a better understanding of why you should ditch the pink weights and realize what a women's strength does for her, day in and day out.

We also touch on the importance of sometimes doing less in order to accomplish more.

As always, I hope you enjoy this episode!

You can find more information on Ty and her training programs at www.tytraining.com or follow her on IG at www.instagram.com/ty_training

GET $10 OFF your first order of Trim here, 

Today we are talking about the benefits of HIIT Cardio. What is HIIT? HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. The goal with this type of training is that for a short period of time (10-30seconds), you're going to work and push as hard as you can. And then you're going to follow that up with a period of resting for as long as you need to steady your breathing. From there rinse and repeat this cycle for 10 - 20 min for optimal results.

Essentially the faster you can recover, the stronger your heart is!

There are lots of benefits to HIIT training and of them is its overall efficiency...more muscle for your hustle. ;) In other words, you burn more calories in less time w/ HIIT Cardio versus running or cycling for example, where your heart rate is staying elevated at a consistent level in the aerobic zone the entire time. The short bursts of intensity get our bodies training from the anaerobic zone multiplying our fat calorie burn and metabolic rate.

Now the question becomes when and how much HIIT cardio should you do? You'll want to keep your HIIT workouts short, no more than 20-30 minutes long, and limit them to 2-3x/week.

Personally, I love adding HIIT training to my short, strength sessions giving me the best of both worlds (10 min of HIIT & 20 min of Strength).

Admittedly though, I had always been of the mindset that cardio should come post strength session and not before. However, as I've been studying for my Metabolic Female certification, I've been learning a lot of nutrition & fitness specifically designed to target fat loss in women and Dr. Jade Teta who is an expert in this field and teaches this course recommends that women, in particular, should begin their strength sessions with 10 min of HIIT.

So I started using myself and several clients as guinea pigs for this format and am loving the results! I have increased my overall calorie burn of a 30-minute workout by at least 100 calories and noticed that I am feeling more energized rather than DEAD by the end of my workout. And just to be sure I wasn't just drinking the cool-aid, I did more research to find that in fact, there had been several recent studies measuring the effects of HIIT Cardio pre and post weight lifting and the results were conclusive, HIIT cardio done before a weightlifting session challenged the body more both during and after the workout - again maximizing our calorie burn and metabolic rate. Interesting stuff, right?

Anyway, I hope you found this episode to be helpful. I am super grateful for your listening ears and look forward to chatting with you again soon.

Much love,

Nina

For you mamas out there, you might’ve heard that a permanently weak core and bladder “leakage” are normal post-baby, but Dr. Jackie Kickish is here to tell you that it’s not. Postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction might be common, but that doesn’t make it healthy, and it also doesn’t mean you have to live with the shame and embarrassment of it for the rest of your life. Jackie is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and certified pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist who’s on a mission to help moms improve their pelvic floor function so they feel strong and confident. If you’ve had a baby and you’re ready to get back to the fitness world, give this episode a listen so you know what to do (and not to!) as you head back to the gym.

Connect with Jackie: @drjackiekickish, Facebook, Website

Get Jackie’s FREE Postpartum Guide

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Now that we are about mid-November, I thought it would be a good time to start thinking about the holiday season as it pertains to our health & fitness. Without a doubt, this time of year starts to get hectic and people start to feel overwhelmed as they continue to juggle their normal day-to-day activities on top of all the extra holiday expectations...shopping, social gatherings, travel, etc.

So how do you avoid letting the holidays de-rail your results? Well, I've got a few suggestions for you that have helped me nip my holiday mindset and fitness practice in the bud over the last several years.

First and foremost, have a backup plan or at the least be flexible with your fitness during these months. What I mean by that is instead of letting your workouts take a back seat because you're so busy this time of year, get ok with only working out for 15-20minutes. If you work with a Coach or Trainer ask them to program your workouts accordingly. This is one of the biggest benefits of working with clients in an online capacity, is that I am constantly re-working their program to fit their needs and schedule so that they never feel "off."

Secondly, give yourself permission to enjoy and indulge. If your goal is to be perfect, you will end up failing. If your goal is to indulge without overdoing it, that is much more realistic. If you go into a holiday dinner telling yourself you CAN'T have something you will inevitably WANT IT! And then will end up feeling like a failure if you do indulge, and unfortunately, that feeling of failure will end up leading to what? You guessed it, overdoing it.

Lastly, watch your words. Our words are so powerful, and negative phrases around food and fitness can lead to self-sabotaging the entire season and having to hit the re-set button come January. Instead, use words of gratitude and praise around your choices. Try saying how delicious something was, or how you can't wait to try that dish because it looks amazing, etc. Positive talk around food will not only help you feel better overall but it will help in being able to stay the course. Because realistically, it's never one dessert, meal, or day that de-rails your results, it's letting that one day turn into an entire month or months.

As always, I hope that you found this episode to be helpful, and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook or on Instagram at @fitwith_nina. Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!