Cardio Gains

Improving your heart health is one of the most important aspects of getting in shape.

Your heart and cardiovascular system are responsible for getting oxygen and nutrients throughout your body both in and out of the gym. Having a strong heart will allow you to train and recover more effectively from your workouts.

The best way to improve your heart health is to live an active lifestyle and move frequently throughout every day. In your workouts, you can maximize gains in your heart health by doing cardiovascular exercise (or “cardio”).

What is Cardio?

Cardiovascular exercise is a style of training that focuses on improving your cardiovascular system (i.e., your heart & lungs).

Doing cardio regularly can have a huge impact on your overall health and fitness, including:

• better sleep

• improved mood and mental health

• improved cognitive health

• lower blood pressure and reduced risk of heart disease

• weight and fat loss management

Popular ways to do cardiovascular exercise include:

• Walking and hiking

• Cycling

• Swimming

• Running or jogging

• Rowing

You can monitor your heart rate by wearing a fitness tracker like an Apple Watch, Fitbit, or heart rate monitor. You can also track your heart rate manually every 5-10 minutes or so.

Click the button below to calculate your personal target heart rate zones:

Types of Cardio

Any activity that gets your heart rate up into a moderate-intensity zone counts as cardio. As long as your heart rate is between 64% and 75% of your max heart rate for at least 5 minutes at a time, any activity can count as cardio.

Steady State Cardio

Steady State Cardio involves doing something that gets your heart pumping at a consistent pace for at least 10 minutes. Choose an activity that involves moving the big muscles in a rhythmic pattern like jogging, biking, hiking, or using a cardio machine at the gym (i.e., treadmill, elliptical, rower, stair climber, etc).

Activities of Daily Living

Many activities of daily living also may count as cardio if you stay moving long enough (such as mowing the grass, vacuuming, tidying, or gardening). Even weight training can become a cardiovascular workout if you do many repetitions and take short rest periods. Honestly, any time you get your heart rate up, your cardiovascular system will get some benefit.

High-Intensity Cardio

If you want to be efficient with your time, you could also mix in some high-intensity cardio to your weekly workout routine. This is any activity that gets your heart rate up into a high-intensity zone (between 76% and 93% of your max heart rate).

One popular style of high-intensity cardio is high-intensity interval training (HIIT). For this style of training, you alternate between periods of vigorous activity with your heart rate in the high-intensity zone and periods of rest or active recovery bringing your heart rate back down into the moderate zone (between 64% to 75% max heart rate).

You can turn any exercise into a HIIT workout! For example, you can do a HIIT speed-walk workout by alternating between 30-second periods of speed walking and 2-minute periods of slower walking for a total of 20 minutes. You can also do what’s called a Tabata, alternating between 20 seconds of any exercise (like jumping jacks or squats) and 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds.

Circuits are another popular style of high-intensity training, although you can certainly do circuit training at moderate intensity as well. In circuit training, you alternate between a group of exercises for a set number of rounds. For example, you can do a circuit like the one below 5 times for about 9 minutes:

1. 25 seconds Jumping Jacks, 10 seconds of rest

2. 25 seconds Bodyweight Squats, 10 seconds of rest

3. 25 seconds Mountain Climbers, 10 seconds of rest

Keep in mind that doing too much high-intensity exercise can keep your body in an inflammatory state and weaken your immune system—making you more susceptible to illness. Experts recommend no more than approximately 40-50 minutes of intensity above 85 percent per week, and no more than 30-40 minutes cumulative time with your heart rate above 90 percent per week to prevent symptoms of overreaching.

How to Add Cardio to Your Workout Routine

Now that you know what cardiovascular exercise is, let’s talk about how to incorporate it into your fitness routine.

The American Heart Association recommends doing at least 150 minutes total of moderate-intensity cardio each week.

Divide your weekly 150 minutes in whatever way fits best in your schedule. Many of my clients prefer to do 30 minutes on 5 days of each week. Others opt for longer workouts on fewer days of the week (50 minutes on 3 days).

Each minute of high-intensity (or mixed high- and moderate-intensity exercise) as 2 minutes towards your weekly 150-minute cardio goal. So you can cut the time you do cardio in half by getting your heart pumping even more in the high-intensity zone 💪

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Sheet Pan Recipes for Easy Meal Prep

One of my favorite ways to cook well-balanced meals with minimal prep time is to make sheet pan recipes. 

These involve baking or roasting all the ingredients together on a single baking sheet* to save time and keep cleanup to a minimum. As someone who wants to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen, these dishes are a staple in my weekly meal prep!

If you’re prepping for multiple days at a time, add an additional baking sheet if needed and simply double or triple the amount of each ingredient in the recipe. I suggest storing leftovers in individual entree containers for easy grab-and-go meals.

Use aluminum foil or parchment paper to line your baking sheet before adding your meal ingredients if you’d like to reduce cleanup time even more.

Check out the example recipes below, and for more download my full Sheet Pan Recipes Collection:

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Sheet Pan Recipe Collection

$27.00

Save time in the kitchen by prepping one-pan meals! These are a great way to meet your macro and calorie goals with minimal prep and cleanup. In this recipe collection, you’ll find a variety of dishes that allow you to make a complete meal with minimal equipment and time spent in the kitchen.

Add To Cart

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Honey Mustard Chicken & Brussels Sprouts

4 servings 460 calories, 21g protein, 13g carbs, 36g fat

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Chicken Thighs With Skin

• Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
  1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
  2 tbsps Dijon Mustard
  1 tbsp Honey
  1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  3 cups Brussels Sprouts (trimmed and halved)
  1/2 cup Red Onion (large, cut into wedges)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together 3/4 of the oil, mustard, honey, and lemon juice. Use tongs to dip the chicken in the mixture, coating all sides. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts and onion with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. Remove the baking sheet and scatter the Brussels sprouts and onion around the chicken. Place back in the oven for 15 minutes, until the sprouts are charred and the chicken is cooked through. Divide onto plates and enjoy!

Notes:

• Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.

• Serving Size: One serving is about two chicken thighs and one cup of Brussels sprouts and onion.

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One Pan Tempeh & Veggies

2 servings 398 calories, 35g protein, 32g carbs, 16g fat | Vegan

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

• 2 tbsps Dijon Mustard

• 2 tbsps Vegetable Broth

• 2 Garlic (clove, minced)

• 1 tsp Oregano

• 3/4 tsp Sea Salt

• 9 ozs Tempeh (cut into thin strips)

• 2 cups Broccoli (cut into florets)

• 1/2 cup Frozen Edamame (thawed)

• 1/4 head Cauliflower (cut into florets)

• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper (chopped)

Directions:

1. Combine the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, vegetable broth, garlic, oregano, and sea salt in a zipper-lock bag. Add the tempeh and marinate for at least 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, add the broccoli, edamame, cauliflower, and bell pepper to a large bowl.

3. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (176ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Transfer the marinated tempeh to one side of the baking sheet, arranging in a single, evenly spaced layer.

5. Pour about half of the marinade on the vegetables and toss to coat. Transfer them to the other side of the baking sheet. Bake for about 24 to 26 minutes, turning the tempeh and stirring the vegetables halfway through. Divide between plates and enjoy!

Notes:

• Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.

• Additional Toppings: Fresh herbs or green onion.

• Serve It With: Brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice.

• Vegetables: Use carrots, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, green beans, asparagus, or eggplant instead.

• No Vegetable Broth: Use water instead.

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One Pan Steak & Parmesan Broccoli

2 servings, 407 calories, 31g protein, 10g carbs, 27g fat

Ingredients:

• 8 ozs Top Sirloin Steak

• 3 cups Broccoli (chopped into florets)

• 1 tbsp Coconut Oil (melted)

• Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)

• 1/2 Lemon (sliced)

• 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to broil.

2. Arrange the steaks and broccoli florets onto a baking sheet. Coat in oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the lemon slices over top. Broil for about eight minutes, flipping the steaks and broccoli halfway.

3. Remove from the oven and sprinkle parmesan over the broccoli. Broil until the cheese is melted and the broccoli is golden brown, about one to two minutes. Slice the steak and divide onto plates with the parmesan broccoli. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.

• Dairy-Free: Use vegan cheese instead of parmesan or omit completely.

• More Flavor: Add your choice of herbs and spices.

• Additional Toppings: Serve with sweet potatoes, cauliflower mash, brown rice, mixed greens, or quinoa.

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Try out any of the recipes above and check out the full Sheet Pan Recipe Collection with 70+ dishes to try. And let me know what you think! Post a picture of your meal in the #🥦-healthy-plates channel in the Coaching Corner Discord (or post in the  #🥕-eat-your-damn-veggies channel to participate in the Eat Your Veggies challenge through the month of October 2023).

For more personalized guidance for healthy eating, check out my nutrition coaching program:

*This is an affiliate link and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking. Thank you for your support!

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About Jayd Harrison

Jayd Harrison is a personal trainer and fitness content creator from the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. She helps people build muscle, burn fat, and clean up their diets with her online coaching programs and social media content. Check out some of Jayd’s coaching videos on Youtube, or join Jayd live on Twitch and follow on social media:

Technique Tips: How to Bench Press

Read time: 7-8 minutes

If you want to have a strong upper body, bench press is one of the best exercises to train. This compound movement targets multiple muscle groups, including the pecs, delts, triceps as well as stabilizing muscles throughout your core and legs. 

The bench press movement mimics various pushing actions that we do in everyday life. Having a strong bench can improve your ability to perform tasks like pushing objects, lifting heavy loads, and improving sports performance in activities like football, basketball, and wrestling.

Another reason that I love practicing and teaching the bench press is that it’s a damn fun lift–especially when you get up into heavier loads. Everyone I’ve taught bench press says the same thing: it feels empowering to move big weight. 

Before you start loading up the bar with heavy weight, however, it’s important to take the time to master the technique of the bench press with lower weight and high-rep sets. 

Let’s take a look at how to do the bench press with good technique. I’ll share with you some of the important cues that I give my clients to help them get all the pieces moving together.

First, let’s talk about which muscles are engaged and responsible for movement during the bench press exercise. By understanding the actions and functions of each muscle group, you can focus on engaging them properly during the bench press. This awareness enhances your mind-muscle connection, which will help you to lift more safely and effectively. 

The prime movers of the bench press (i.e., the muscles that extend and contract) are the pecs, deltoids, and tricep:

• Pectoralis major (pecs): The pectoralis major is the primary muscle targeted during the bench press. It consists of the clavicular (upper) and sternal (lower) heads. When activated, the pectoralis major is responsible for horizontal adduction, which brings the upper arm toward the midline of the body. It also assists in shoulder flexion, extension, and medial rotation.

• Anterior deltoids (delts): The anterior deltoids, located at the front of the shoulders, assist the pectoralis major in shoulder flexion during the bench press. They help raise the arms up towards the starting position and provide stability during the movement.

• Triceps brachii: The triceps brachii, a three-headed muscle at the back of the upper arms, are heavily engaged during the bench press. They extend the elbow joint, allowing for complete extension of the arms during the pressing phase of the exercise. The triceps are responsible for the lockout portion of the movement.

Many other muscles have to also engage isometrically (meaning they stay fired up without moving) to stabilize your body while you perform the bench press. For example, your lats, external shoulder rotators, and traps all have to stay engaged to stabilize your shoulders on the bench. Your glutes, erector spinae, hamstrings, and quads also have to fire up to keep your lower body stable. Essentially everything from the shoulders down needs to be engaged to help you stabilize while performing the bench press. 

How to Do the Bench Press

Before doing bench press, make sure that to set up the  equipment properly:

1. If you’re using a detached bench, place the bench perpendicular to the rack so that your head will be right under the bar on the rack.

2. If you’re using j-hooks, set them to the height of just below where your hands would reach with your arms extended up while laying flat on the bench.

3. Place the bar on the j-hooks (or on the rack at the height just below where your hands reach while lying on the bench).

4. Set up your safeties to the height that would catch the bar if you fail the lift and need to bail. If you don’t have safeties, make sure to have someone there to spot you.

Now that your equipment is set up, it’s time to get into position for doing the exercise:

1. Lay down on the bench face-up with your feet on the floor (either heels or balls of your feet).

2. Reach up and grab the bar where your hands are equal distance from the center of the bar (use the rings on the bar as a guide)

3. Engage the muscles all along the back of your body: 

• fire up your back and push your shoulders into the bench

• squeeze your glutes (butt) and push your feet into the floor

• engage your abdominals

• push your chest up towards the ceiling

4. Take a deep breath and brace your core, then unrack the weight, bringing it to right above your shoulders with your arms straight.

5. Take another optional shallow breath and keep your core braced with all the muscles in your back fired up. Then bend your elbows to lower the weight towards your chest while you keep pushing your chest up towards the ceiling. Stop when the bar is touching your chest.

6. Drive through your legs, squeeze your glutes & back of your shoulders to push the weight back up to the starting position. Take a shallow breath and rebrace before doing another rep. Continue for the recommended number of reps in your training program.

Coaching Cues:

• Pull the Bar to You: It’s important to engage your lats and the back of your shoulders to stabilize during this exercise. One thing that can help fire those muscles up is to think about pulling the bar to your chest on the descent. I suggest doing lat rows at a light weight before training bench press to prime this movement.

• Leg Drive: Keep your legs pressing into the ground like you’re doing a bridge (I recommend doing bridges as priming exercises before bench for this reason).

• Bend the Bar: To engage your external shoulder rotator muscles, think about bending the bar into a u-shape towards your feet.

• Brace: If it is safe for you to do the valsalva maneuver, I recommend using it to brace and keep your body stable and rigid during this exercise. This involves holding your breath to create intra-abdominal pressure while the weight is in motion, and taking a breath between each rep or every couple of reps. This eliminates movement in the torso that naturally happens when we inhale and exhale–which can destabilize your base. The valsalva maneauver is not recommended for people with blood pressure problems, health conditions that make the eyes sensitive to pressure, or who are pregnant. For more info on this, check out the lesson on How to Breathe While Training.

For more tips on how to perform the bench press, check out the video below where I covered bench press during one of my Technique Tuesday live streams on Twitch:

Keep Practicing!

Initially, the bench press may appear challenging or slightly intimidating. But with consistent practice and attention to technique, this exercise can bring a lot of benefits to your overall development in resistance training. 

Don’t forget that you can always reach out if you have any questions about whether or not you are practicing the form correctly. Send me a message in Trainerize if you’re a 1-on-1 client, or take a selfie video and post it in the Coaching Corner Discord #🏋-technique-reviews channel.

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About Jayd Harrison

Jayd Harrison is a personal trainer and content creator. She helps people to build muscle, burn fat, and clean up their diets with her online coaching programs and social media content. Check out some of Jayd’s coaching videos on Youtube, or join Jayd live on Twitch and follow on social media:

Smoothie Recipes to Sneak In Your Veggies

Read time: 4-5 minutes

Eating plenty of veggies is an important part of a healthy diet!

Veggies (vegetables) are plants or parts of plants that you can eat. This food group includes things like broccoli, leafy greens, beans, sweet potatoes, and more. 

To eat a healthy diet, at least half of what you eat every day should come from vegetables according to the Healthy Plate Model. Eating vegetables not only keeps your body healthy, but it’s also essential for maximizing your fitness gains:

• If your goal is to burn fat, eating vegetables can help to reduce your overall calorie intake, combat belly fat, and boost your metabolism. Vegetables are generally low in calories and rich in dietary fiber and other nutrients. 

• If you’re trying to build muscle, it’s also super important to each plenty of vegetables. Vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that support your immune system, which is a key system responsible in repairing and growing muscle tissue. Eating plenty of veggies will allow you to recover better from your workouts and build more muscle.

There are a ton of different ways to eat vegetables! You can eat them on their own or mixed in with other foods (like in a salad, casserole, or medley). Vegetables can be found fresh, frozen, canned, or dried in your local grocery store. If you want to save money while also getting the freshest and most flavorful vegetables, I recommend shopping at your local farmer’s market or signing up for a farm-to-table delivery service. You can also grow them yourself in a home garden! 

Smoothies

One of my favorite ways to sneak more veggies into my diet is to blend them up with fruit and other ingredients to make smoothies. 

This is especially a great solution if you don’t like eating vegetables. When pureed with sweet ingredients like banana, pineapple, and blueberries, you can barely taste or detect the veggies in a smoothie. This means they go down easier. Also, because the vegetables are blended up whole, you get the benefit of the vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber that you otherwise would miss out on if you were to drink a juice blend.

Smoothies are also a go-to if you need to eat a high-calorie diet and have trouble meeting your recommended daily intake of vegetables. By blending the ingredients up, your digestive track doesn’t have to spend as much energy or time breaking them down. This means you’ll be able to eat more without sacrificing the nutrient density of your meals and snacks.

Vegetable smoothies also make for some tasty flavor combinations that might surprise you. For example, green smoothies are one of my favorite types of smoothies. The bitter flavors of spinach & kale actually combine really well with sweet-tasting ingredients like banana and pineapple. Sometimes adding veggies to a smoothie doesn’t change the flavor at all, but instead gives the smoothie a nice creamy texture (like when you add zucchini, cauliflower, or avocado).

Check out the example smoothie recipes below, and for more check out my full Veggie Smoothies recipe collection available for download here:

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Veggies Smoothies Collection

Check out this collection of over 50+ recipes to make easy, delicious smoothies for a nutritious & tasty meal or snack.

$27.00

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Cinnamon Green Smoothie

2 servings

349 calories, 25g protein, 50g carbs, 7g fat

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups Oat Milk (unsweetened, plain)

• 2 Banana (medium)

• 2 cups Baby Spinach

• 1/16 head Green Lettuce (separated into leaves and washed)

• 1/2 cup Vanilla Protein Powder

• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

• Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Divide into glasses and enjoy!

Notes:

• Leftovers: Bets enjoyed immediately. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to two days.

• More Flavor: Add grated ginger.

• No Spinach: Use kale instead.

• No Protein Powder: Add a few spoonfuls of hemp seeds instead.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread Smoothie

1 serving

386 calories, 28g protein, 30g carbs, 19g fat

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

• 1/2 Zucchini (chopped, frozen)

• 1/4 cup Chocolate Protein Powder

• 1/2 Banana (frozen)

• 1 tbsp Chia Seeds

• 1 tbsp Almond Butter

• 1 tbsp Cacao Powder

• 1 tsp Cacao Nibs (optional)

Directions:

• Add all ingredients except the cacao nibs into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.

• Pour into a glass and top with cacao nibs (optional). Enjoy!

Notes:

• Nut-Free: Use sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter and coconut milk or hemp seed milk instead of almond milk.

• Protein Powder: This recipe was developed and tested using a plant-based protein powder.

Creamy Blueberry Smoothie

1 serving

321 calories, 25g protein, 41g carbs, 9g fat

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Frozen Blueberries

• 1 cup Frozen Cauliflower

• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt

• 1/4 cup Vanilla Protein Powder

• 1 tbsp Chia Seeds

• 1 Lemon (small, juiced)

• 1 cup Water

Directions:

• Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Notes: 

• Additional Toppings: Add spinach, avocado, kale, or other berries to your smoothie.

• Extra Creamy: Use almond milk or oat milk instead of water.

• Lemon: One lemon yields approximately 1/4 cup of lemon juice.

• Protein Powder: This recipe was developed and tested using a plant-based protein powder. If using another type of protein powder, note that results may vary.

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

2 servings

479 calories, 19g protein, 41g carbs, 30g fat

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Soy Milk

• 1 cup Pureed Pumpkin

• 1/4 cup Hemp Seeds

• 1/4 cup Almond Butter

• 2 tbsps Maple Syrup

• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon (plus more for garnish)

• 1/8 tsp Sea Salt

Directions:

• Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Notes:

• Leftovers: Best enjoyed immediately.

• Serving Size: One serving is equal to approximately 1 1/2 cup.

• Nut Free: Use pumpkin seed butter.

• More Protein: Add collagen or protein powder.

• More Fiber: Add frozen cauliflower, ground flax, and/or chia seeds.

• Soy-Free: Use any other milk alternative.

Don’t forget to take a picture and post it in the #🥕-eat-your-damn-veggies channel in the Coaching Corner Discord to participate in the Eat Your Damn Veggies challenge through the month of October!

Eat Your Veggies Challenge

It's OFFICIALLY October, which means some of my favorite vegetables are in season.

So this is the ✨perfect✨ time to re-launch our community Eat Your Damn Veggies challenge.

Our community goal is to eat a ton of veggies throughout this month!

Show off your veggie dishes by posting a picture of your plate every day in the #eat-your-damn-veggies channel in my Coaching Corner Discord server.

The people who post the most veggies by the end of the month will win a free download of their choice of either a meal plan or recipe collection from my website.

What Counts as a Vegetable?

Vegetables are plants or parts of plants that you can eat. At every meal, vegetables should make up half your plate.

While fruits and grains are also plant products, we usually reserve the term “vegetable” for specific parts of the plant--such as the roots (carrots & turnips), the stem (celery), tubers (potatoes), leaves (lettuce), bulbs (onion & garlic), and flowers (broccoli).

Vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet because they provide a TON of essential ingredients--including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folate (folic acid), potassium, and dietary fiber.

You can eat vegetables raw or cooked whole, cut-up, or mashed. Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated vegetables are all good options!

Vegetables are a favorite food option for weight loss. With their high fiber and water content, they tend to make you feel fuller with fewer calories than other food groups. Most vegetables are also naturally low in fat and calories, and none have cholesterol.

According to the Healthy Plate model for healthy eating, half of what you eat every day at each meal should be vegetables. This challenge is a great opportunity to get into that habit!

Join the Coaching Corner Discord server to participate!

Other Announcements:

• I'll be live for Technique Tuesday tomorrow at 11:30 am EST on my Twitch channel! If you want me to review your lifts or exercise technique, make sure to post video of your lifts to the #🏋-technique-review channel in the Coaching Corner Discord before tomorrow at 11:30am EST (must be a subscriber or personal training client to participate)

How to Eat to Build Muscle

Read Time: 8-12 minutes 

When it comes to building muscle, exercise is just one piece of the puzzle. Proper nutrition also plays a crucial role in supporting muscle growth and recovery. 

Let’s take a look at some of the ways that you can optimize your diet for muscle-building.m

Eat a Calorie Surplus

Muscle-building is a calorie-expensive process for the body. 

When you engage in resistance training or intense workouts to build muscle, your muscles undergo microscopic damage. 

This damage stimulates a process called muscle protein synthesis–where your body repairs and rebuilds the damaged muscle fibers, leading to muscle growth and increased strength.

This process uses a lot of energy, though, and that’s why many coaches recommend being in a calorie surplus while trying to build muscle. Being in a calorie surplus means that you eat more calories than what your body normally spends (i.e., your “maintenance” level of calories).

There are times when you can build muscle while eating a calorie deficit (i.e., below your maintenance level of calories). If you’re brand new to training, your “newbie gains” will allow you to build muscle and burn fat at the same time during the first 6-12 months of your fitness journey. 

Seasoned lifters can also build muscle while in a caloric deficit, however, they usually have to keep their deficits small–which results in much slower fat loss and muscle gains. 

The most efficient way to build muscle, however, is to eat a calorie surplus. To build muscle most efficiently, experts recommend eating 10–20% above your maintenance level of calories every day.[1, 2]

People who don’t eat enough calories often experience slow muscle gains because their bodies don’t have the energy needed to train optimally or to repair and fortify muscle tissue. 

Finding Your Maintenance Calories

To maximize your gains, first figure out what your maintenance level of calories is so that you can plan your surplus.

To figure out your maintenance level of calories, weigh yourself and then track everything that you eat and drink for 7 days, and then weigh yourself again at the end of the 7 days. 

• ↔️ If your weight stays the same, then your average calorie intake is roughly the same as your maintenance level of calories.

• ⬆️ If your body weight went up, then you probably ate above your maintenance level of calories. Repeat another week of tracking everything you eat and drink, but this time try to eat more calories. Check your weight again at the end of another week. Keep adjusting until your weight stabilizes (i.e., stays the same).

• ⬇️ If your body weight goes down, then you probably ate below your maintenance level of calories. Repeat another week of tracking everything you eat and drink, but this time try to eat fewer calories. Check your weight again at the end of another week. Keep adjusting until your weight stabilizes (i.e., stays the same).

Another way to figure out your maintenance level of calories is to use an online calculator to get an estimate. I recommend using the Bodybuilding.com calorie calculator. Follow the steps below to get an estimate of what your maintenance level of calories should be: 

1. >>Click here<< to use the Bodybuilding.com calorie calculator.

2. Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and current activity levels. 

3. For “GOAL,” select “Maintain Current Weight.” 

4. Select “CALCULATE.”

Test this number out by tracking what you eat and drink every day in a tracking app like MyFitnessPal, the Trainerize Fitness App, or in a food journal. Weigh yourself once per week and adjust your calories as needed until you reach your maintenance level of calories.

Once you know your maintenance level of calories, plan to eat a calorie surplus of about 10-20% above that number.

Eat Lots of Protein

Your muscles are made up mostly of protein, so in order to build more muscle and grow stronger–you need to eat a high-protein diet.

Aim to have between 20% and 35% of your daily calories coming from protein to eat a high-protein diet. 

Alternatively, you can base your protein intake on your weight–aiming to eat between 0.7 and 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (1.5 - 2.2 grams per kilogram).[3, 4]

Good sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, and some vegetables (soy and black beans). 

Aim for the majority of your protein to come from lean sources–meaning the foods are low in saturated fats. 

Lean sources of protein include low-fat cuts of meat, white meat (like chicken breast or turkey breast), fish, egg whites, low-fat dairy products (like Greek yogurt & cottage cheese), and vegetables like soybeans, lentils, and black beans. 

Try to reduce your intake of saturated fats, which come mainly from animal products (such as high-fat cuts of meat, dairy cream, egg yolks, and skin). 

After protein, the remaining calories you eat every day should come from carbohydrates and dietary fat (mainly unsaturated fat). 

Carbohydrates (“carbs”) provide energy for your workouts and replenish glycogen stores in your muscles. They should make up about 45-65% of your daily calories. Opt for complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. They provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. 

Healthy fats are vital for hormone production and overall health. Your dietary fat intake should mainly come from unsaturated fats, which come from sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish in your diet. Limit saturated and trans fats, commonly found in fried and processed foods. Your total fat intake should make up 15-35% of your daily calories.[5]

Track and Plan Your Meals

The best way to ensure that you’re getting the right amount of calories, protein, carbs, and fats every day is to track what you eat and plan your meals. 

You can use a food tracking app like MyFitnessPal, the FitBit app, or the Trainerize Fitness App to track what you eat every day (for a reminder of how to track your meals in the Trainerize App, go back and read the Introduction message).

If you’re too busy or you find it tedious to track your food, you may find it helpful to follow a meal plan. Check out the library of downloadable meal plans on my website:

Eat a Nutrient-Dense Diet

Now that we have an idea of how many calories you should eat every day, let’s talk more in detail about what foods you should put on your plate. 

In general, you should prioritize eating nutrient-dense foods and avoid eating what we call “empty calories.” 

• Nutrient-dense foods are things that have vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that our bodies need to stay healthy. Eating plenty of nutrient-dense foods can help you to reduce the risk of getting sick or experiencing gastrointestinal problems.

• “Empty calories” are foods that are high in sugars and fats–which makes them high in calories. They don’t really offer the body much more nutritious benefit other than that. These often include deep-fried food, desserts, chips, candy, and many highly processed and packaged foods. 

Healthy Plate Model

The easiest way to eat nutrient-dense foods and avoid empty calories is to follow what I call the Healthy Plate Model. This is a modified version of the USDA’s MyPlate model that was published in 2015, and it shows what your plate should generally look like at meal times: 

The Healthy Plate model is centered around 4 major food groups: 

Protein

On at least a quarter of your plate, include a lean source of protein. Protein is both a source of energy for your body and a building block for your body tissues (like muscle). Eating a high-protein diet will help your body to more efficiently build muscle and keep your metabolism boosted. Prioritize lean sources of protein–items that come with little to no saturated fat like white meat (chicken breast & turkey breast), egg whites, fish, plant protein sources (tofu, tempeh, & edamame), and lean cuts of red meat. 

Veggies

On half of your plate, include 1-2 servings of veggies. Veggies (or vegetables) are plants (or parts of plants) that you can eat. Fruits and grains are also plants, but we usually reserve the term “vegetable” for specific parts of the plant like the roots (like carrots and turnips), leaves (like lettuce and spinach), stems (like celery), bulbs (like garlic and onion), and flowers (like broccoli). Veggies are a great source of carbohydrates and healthy fats (i.e., unsaturated fats).

Grains/Starches:

On the remaining quarter of your plate, include a grain or starchy food. Grains are essentially seeds and include foods made from wheat (bread & pasta), rice, quinoa, and oats. Try to include whole grains as much as possible (things like brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat, quinoa, etc.) in place of refined grains (white wheat, white bread, or white rice). Whole grains are generally more nutritious, having more vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber than refined grains.

Some vegetables (like potatoes, corn, yuca, and plantains) are high in Starches (complex carbohydrates). Starchy vegetables tend to be high-calorie, and may not be suitable for every diet (for example, people with Type II Diabetes may want to avoid them). These kinds of vegetables should be limited to no more than a quarter of your plate, especially if you are trying to burn fat. 

Fruit

Fruits are plant products that tend to be higher in sugar content, giving them a sweet taste. This group is optional and can take up 1 portion of the vegetable side of your plate. They include things like berries, cherries, apples, grapes, pears, and mangoes. The higher sugar and calorie content of fruits make them a food to be eaten in moderation–no more than a quarter of your plate at meal times. 

The Healthy Plate standard is a good rule of thumb to ensure that you’re staying roughly within a healthy calorie range. However, it’s still important to track what you eat in your Nutrition Log to stay within your calories.

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ABOUT JAYD HARRISON

Jayd Harrison is a personal trainer and content creator. She helps people to build muscle, burn fat, and clean up their diets with her online coaching programs and social media content. Check out some of Jayd’s coaching videos on Youtube, or join Jayd live on Twitch and follow on social media:

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RefERENCEs

[1] Iraki J, Fitschen P, Espinar S, Helms E. Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review. Sports (Basel). 2019 Jun 26;7(7):154. doi: 10.3390/sports7070154. PMID: 31247944; PMCID: PMC6680710. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6680710/

[2] Van De Walle, G. What Is Bulking? Steps, Diet, and More. Healthline.com. February 6, 2020. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bulking

[3] Phillips SM, Van Loon LJ. Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation. J Sports Sci. 2011;29 Suppl 1:S29-38. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2011.619204. PMID: 22150425. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22150425/

[4] Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018 Feb 27;15:10. doi: 10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1. PMID: 29497353; PMCID: PMC5828430. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29497353/

[5] Manore MM. Exercise and the Institute of Medicine recommendations for nutrition. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2005 Aug;4(4):193-8. doi: 10.1097/01.csmr.0000306206.72186.00. PMID: 16004827. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16004827/

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How to Test Your Maxes

In weight training, a great way to get a sense of your strength levels is to test your maxes. A max is the maximum amount of weight that you can lift in a set of between 1 and 5 repetitions of a single exercise. 

The most common way of testing maxes is to find a 1 rep max (1RM). This is the maximum amount of weight you can lift in a specific exercise 1 time. 

This number can be helpful for determining what weight you should train within your normal training sessions. Depending on the goal of your program, experts recommend training with different percentages of your 1RM with various rep ranges:

• For optimizing strength, train with 80% to 100% 1RM with between 1 and 5 repetitions per set.

• For hypertrophy gains, train with between 60% to 80% 1RM with between 8 and 12 repetitions per set.

• To improve muscular endurance, train with loads below 60% of 1RM with 15+ repetitions per set.[1]

Maxes are usually tested on the squat, bench press, and deadlift. These compound movements engage multiple muscle groups, making them excellent indicators of overall strength.

Many strength training and powerlifting programs give specific recommendations for what percentage of your 1RM you should train with during each week of your program on different lifts. 

For people who have never tested their maxes before, I usually recommend testing a 3RM or 5RM (the maximum amount of weight you can lift for 3 or 5 repetitions). Higher-rep maxes generally come with a lower risk of injury and are overall less intimidating. Some programs actually base training recommendations on higher-rep maxes too. For example the GZCLP method base training weight on a 5 rep max (5RM). You can even use a 1RM predictor calculator to estimate what your 1RM would be based on a higher-rep max. 

Testing your maxes every 6-12 months is a great way to track your progress as you get stronger over time. It can also help you set goals and inform what you should work on in your programming to address weaknesses and technique issues. 

How to Test Your Maxes

Testing your max lifts requires careful planning and execution to minimize the risk of injury. Here's a step-by-step guide to safely test your maxes:

Warm-Up

Begin with a thorough warm-up that includes dynamic stretches and lighter sets of the exercise you plan to test. Warming up increases blood flow to your muscles, making them more pliable and less prone to injury. 

Also, set the safeties to the right height on the rack or bench in case of failure, or have someone ready to spot the lift.

Warming Up on the Bar: 

1. Do a warm-up set of the lift for 3-6 reps with just the bar. 

2. Put 50% of the weight that you estimate you'll be testing today on the bar and do a set of 3-5 reps.

3. Add 20% of the weight onto the bar and do another warm-up set of 1-5 reps. Repeat if you feel you need another set at this weight to warm up.

4. Add another 20-30% of the weight to the bar and do another warm-up set of 1-5 reps. Repeat if you feel you need another set at this weight to warm up. 

Max Attempts

Once you finish your warm-up, get ready for your first attempt by putting the weight you’d like to test on the bar. 

I suggest taking video of your max attempts so that you can analyze your form and identify any weaknesses that you will want to work on in your regular training sessions in the coming months. You can also post these attempts to my Coaching Corner Discord server to share your gains and get some technique feedback. 

First Attempt

Perform the lift for 1-5 repetitions before re-racking the bar. The goal in your max attempts is to lift at an RPE 10, where you leave no reps in reserve.

After your first attempt, rest for 3-5 minutes. During that time, reflect on how your first attempt felt, watch the video back, and write the results in your workout journal or tracker. Then ask yourself whether or not you think you could add more weight to the bar or if you could have done more repetitions.

• If the answer is yes, add slightly more weight to the bar before completing your rest period and making another attempt. 

• If the answer is no, continue to rest before trying an optional second attempt at the same weight to see if the weight moves differently.

Second & Third Attempts

Perform your second attempt of between 1-5 repetitions before resting again for another 3-5 minutes and recording your results.

If you feel you can add more weight, go ahead and add to the bar and complete your rest period before making your last optional attempt.

Using Your Max Lift Data

If you have tested your max with multiple repetitions (2-5 RM), you can get an estimation of your 1RM by using an online calculator.

When you review the video(s) of your max attempt(s), try to identify sticking points and weaknesses that may be holding you back from lifting more weight. Use this information and the results of your max test(s) to select exercises for your next block(s) of training.

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ABOUT JAYD HARRISON

Jayd Harrison is a personal trainer and content creator. She helps people to build muscle, burn fat, and clean up their diets with her online coaching programs and social media content. Check out some of Jayd’s coaching videos on Youtube, or join Jayd live on Twitch and follow on social media:

10 Exercises to Sculpt Your Shoulders

Many people mistakenly think that doing tons of biceps curls and tricep kickbacks will make their arms look more “toned” and strong. But in reality: it’s the shoulders that really make the arms pop!

I’ve seen guys hitting biceps and triceps really hard in the gym every week, and yet they never feel like their arms look strong enough. That’s because they weren’t putting as much effort into the shoulders!

Training the shoulders is not only important for developing sculpted-looking arms. It’s also a key part of training for injury prevention.

Many of us sit at computers most of the day, which leads to tight, internally-rotated shoulders. Rotator cuff tears are some of the most common injuries for adults—which often happen as a result of having tight and weak shoulders. These can occur in the gym and in everyday life—for example, during a simple movement like reaching into the back seat of a car. So it’s crucial to incorporate shoulder exercises into your weekly training routine.

Shoulder Muscles & Exercises

The deltoids are the main muscles that we want to develop in the shoulders, but you should also pay attention to the external shoulder rotator muscles (teres minor and infraspinatus).

The deltoids (delts) are the muscles that start in your shoulders and go down your upper arms. These muscles take your arms out away from your body at the shoulder joint—so it’s that motion we want to add resistance to in order to build more definition in the shoulders.

The delts have 3 main portions:

• anterior (front, clavicular part)

• lateral (side, acromial part)

• posterior (back, spinal scapular part)

For well-rounded shoulders, you’ll want to practice exercises that hit all 3 of these parts of the deltoid muscle.

anterior deltoid

lateral deltoid

posterior deltoid

The anterior part of the delts get plenty of engagement during horizontal push exercises like bench press, chest press, chest flys—so most people don’t really need to do many exercises specifically for this part of the muscle. The lateral delts and posterior delts, however, do need more focused attention because they don’t get activated as often.

Lateral Delts

The lateral delts are engaged any time you lift your arms out to the side away from your body. To add resistance to this movement, you can do pull-aparts or lateral raises using a resistance band, dumbbells, or a cable:

1 Mini Band Pull-Aparts

The band lateral delt pull-aparts are a great way to connect with your delts muscles using minimal equipment. The key to this exercise is to keep your elbows stiff and allow your delts to do the work. I tell my clients to imagine a penguin flapping its wings. You don’t need to move much to feel the muscles burning in this exercise!

2 Dumbbell Single Arm Lateral Raise

When people perform lateral raises with both arms moving at the same time, often their traps muscles take over as they get tired towards the end of the set. This single arm variation reduces the tendency to shrug the shoulders, therefore keeping the work focused more in the delts.

3 Cable Lateral Raise

Doing the single arm lateral raise with a cable is a great way to ensure the muscles get a more consistent stimulation throughout the whole range of motion. Your muscles have to contract against the same amount of resistance at the bottom of the exercise as at the top—which isn’t the case when using weights.

Sometimes people experience pain in the elbows from doing lateral raises with their arms straight. If that’s the case for you, try a bent-arm variety like the 90º Lateral Raises:

4 90º Lateral Raises

You can do any variation of the lateral raise with a bent elbow to take the strain off your tendons.

Posterior Delts

The posterior delts are a difficult muscle to connect to for many people because we don’t often use them in many activities of daily life. My favorite exercises for engaging the posterior delts use mini bands or cables:

5 Wide Grip Seated Rows

Performing rows with your elbows high will allow you to get deeper engagement in the posterior delts than variations that keep your elbows close (which mainly target the lats). Use a cable machine or resistance band for this variation that targets the back of your shoulders.

6 Mini Band High Rows

Both arms have to work during the mini band high row variation—with one arm holding an isometric contraction while the other arm does the movement of the exercise. Single-arm exercises like this are great for correcting muscle imbalances.

7 Rear Delt Band Flys

This variation of a fly can be done with either a resistance band or a cable machine. The key to hitting the right muscles in this exercise is to avoid contracting your shoulder blades (which engages the traps). Instead, isolate the movement to the back of the shoulder and stop with your hands slightly in front of your body.

External Shoulder Rotators

Another important muscle group to focus on for sculpting strong shoulders is the rotator cuff—especially the parts of the rotator cuff responsible for external rotation. This muscle group is located in the lower back part of the shoulder and helps to rotate your arm outward from the shoulder joint. Most people have weak external shoulder rotator muscles (teres minor and infraspinatus) and tight internally rotated shoulders.

By training this group, you’ll not only give your shoulders more definition but you’ll also improve the health of your shoulders and reduce your risk of injury via rotator cuff tears. My favorite exercises to work on the external rotators are the:

8 External Shoulder Rotation

Do this exercise with a band or cable machine to strengthen the teres minor and infraspinatus muscles. You can perform this exercise seated or standing.

9 Band Low-to High External Rotation

This variation of the external shoulder rotation exercise works the teres minor and infraspinatus with the stimulus coming from below. It’s a great way to engage the back of the shoulder. Make sure to keep your upper arm at the same level throughout the exercise.

10 Cable Face Pulls

This exercise is a mixture between a wide grip row and the low-to-high external shoulder rotation exercise and can be done with either a resistance band or a cable machine. It involves both the motion of pulling the handles towards your head while also rotating externally through the shoulders. You can secure the cable or band at different levels to achieve a novel stimulus.

How to Add To Your Workouts

Add any of these exercises to your weekly resistance training routine to build strong, sculpted shoulders. These exercises are a great addition to an Upper Body focus day (for Upper/Lower splits), Push days (for Push/Pull/Legs splits), or a shoulder-focused day (if you’re doing a “bro” split). On Upper Body or Push days, I suggest doing these exercises after you’ve completed your main compound exercises like bench presses, rows, or pull-ups.

A good rule of thumb is to pick 1 exercise for each muscle (lateral delt, posterior delt, and external rotators). Do 2-3 sets of each exercise, aiming to do between 8 and 12 repetitions. Use a weight or resistance band that allows you to feel the shoulder muscles burning by the end of your set (during reps 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12). Allow your muscles to approach failure, but leave 1 or 2 repetitions in reserve before resting 30-60 seconds. Over time, you can add more sets of each exercise or mix in different variations of the exercise like the ones listed above.

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ABOUT JAYD HARRISON

Jayd Harrison is a personal trainer and content creator. She helps people to build muscle, burn fat, and clean up their diets with her online coaching programs and social media content. Check out some of Jayd’s coaching videos on Youtube, or join Jayd live on Twitch and follow on social media:

What to Eat Before and After Your Workouts

Read time: 9 minutes

I tell my clients all the time: What you eat is just as important as how you exercise—no matter what your fitness goals are.

Just like you need to put good-quality fuel in your car to make it run well, your body also needs good-quality nutrition to perform at its best.

During your workouts, your body needs various nutrients to support energy production, muscle contraction, and overall performance. These include:

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for your muscles during exercise. They are broken down into glucose and stored in the form of glycogen in the muscles and liver. When you exert your body during your workouts, glycogen stores often get depleted. So it’s important to consume carbohydrates before and after workouts to help replenish these stores to maintain energy during your workouts and help you to recover afterward. The IOM recommends about 45-65% of your daily calories come from carbohydrates, and most of the carbohydrates that you eat should come from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains (more on that below).[1]

Protein: Remember that your muscles are made up mostly of protein, so eating plenty of protein in your diet is important for muscle repair, recovery, and growth. During resistance training, your muscles experience microscopic damage. Consuming protein-rich foods or supplements helps provide the amino acids necessary for repairing and rebuilding muscle tissues. Protein also aids in the synthesis of new muscle proteins, promoting muscle hypertrophy and strength gains. Experts recommend eating between 0.7 and 1 gram of protein per pound (or 1.5 - 2.2 grams per kilogram) of body weight for people who exercise. You can get protein from animal products like meat, poultry, fish, low-fat dairy, eggs, and certain vegetables (beans & legumes).[2]

Fats: While carbohydrates are the primary energy source during high-intensity resistance training, fats also play an important role—especially during longer-duration workouts and low-intensity exercise. Eating dietary fat provides your body with a concentrated source of energy and contributes to your overall caloric intake. Including healthy fats in your diet also helps support hormone production, joint health, and nutrient absorption. The IOM recommends getting 15-35% of your daily calories from dietary fats. Prioritize unsaturated fats coming from foods like olives (and olive oil), avocados (and avocado oil), nuts, seeds, and fish.[1]

Micronutrients: In addition to the major macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats), your body also needs a variety of micronutrients to perform its best during your workouts. These include vitamins (such as vitamins B, C, and D) and minerals (such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc). Micronutrients play important roles in energy metabolism, muscle contraction, oxygen transport, and immune function. Consuming a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help ensure an adequate intake of micronutrients.[3]

Water: Proper hydration is essential during resistance training. Water is involved in numerous physiological processes, including nutrient transport, temperature regulation, and joint lubrication. Maintaining adequate hydration levels before, during, and after your workouts is crucial for optimal performance, preventing dehydration, and supporting overall recovery. A good rule of thumb is to divide your body weight in half and drink at least an ounce per pound of body weight per day. If it’s really hot outside or you do a workout, you may want to drink even more.[4]

Now let’s take a look at how you can properly fuel your body before and after your workouts to maximize your gains.

Pre-Workout Nutrition

The timing of your pre-workout meal plays a crucial role in determining what and how much you should eat. 

If you are eating more than two hours before your workout, have a normal meal following the Healthy Plate model or your meal plan. 

Remember that a well-balanced meal includes a combination of complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats.

• Complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables provide sustained energy by gradually releasing glucose into your bloodstream.

• Lean proteins such as chicken, fish, tofu, or legumes support muscle repair and growth.

• Healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts, and olive oil provide additional energy and aid in nutrient absorption.

For more examples of how to eat a well-balanced and nutritious meal, check out my downloadable meal plans by clicking the button below:

On the other hand, if you have less than two hours before your workout, it's best to focus on easily digestible carbohydrates and protein while avoiding excessive fat. Consuming carbohydrates will provide a quick source of energy for your muscles, and protein will help minimize muscle breakdown during your workout.

Make sure to avoid eating a large volume of food, since this can lead to you feeling sluggish or nauseous during your training.

Great pre-workout snack options include a banana with a small serving of low-fat Greek yogurt, a protein smoothie with fruits, or a slice of whole-grain toast topped with lean turkey or nut butter. Here are a few example recipes for pre-workout snacks:

• Blueberry Coconut Smoothie

• Cottage Cheese Crackers with Berries

• Roasted Chickpeas

Experiment with different combinations and find what works best for your body. 

Post-Workout Nutrition

To kickstart the recovery process, focus on consuming a combination of carbohydrates and protein within the first 30 minutes to an hour after your workout. This is when your muscles are most receptive to nutrient uptake.

To replenish glycogen stores, opt for easily digestible carbohydrates like fruits, sweet potatoes, or rice cakes. Pair them with a lean protein source like grilled chicken, salmon, eggs, or a protein shake to provide the necessary amino acids for muscle repair and growth.

Here are a few examples of great post-workout snacks:

• Post Workout Green Smoothie

• Chocolate Strawberry Chia Pudding

• Spicy Beans on Toast

Later in the day after your workout, continue to follow the Healthy Plate model to make nutrient-dense meals that include lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. A balanced meal consisting of grilled chicken with quinoa and roasted vegetables or a salmon salad with leafy greens, whole grains, and olive oil dressing can provide the necessary nutrients for recovery.

It's important to note that individual nutritional needs may vary based on factors like your body composition goals, overall diet, and personal preferences. Pay attention to how your body responds and adjust your pre- and post-workout nutrition accordingly.

Keep in mind that you can also ask questions when I’m live on my Twitch channel throughout the week or in my Coaching Corner Discord server.

Make sure to press the heart below to “Like” this post if you found it helpful, leave a comment, share on social media.

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Read More

[1] Manore MM. Exercise and the Institute of Medicine recommendations for nutrition. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2005 Aug;4(4):193-8. doi: 10.1097/01.csmr.0000306206.72186.00. PMID: 16004827.

[2] Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018 Feb 27;15:10. doi: 10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1. PMID: 29497353; PMCID: PMC5828430.

[3] Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD. Micronutrients: Types, Functions, Benefits and More. Healthline 2023 July 13. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/micronutrients.

[4] How much water do athletes need? Truesport.org 2017 Apr 5. https://truesport.org/hydration/how-much-water-should-youth-athletes-drink/

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About Jayd Harrison

Jayd Harrison is a personal trainer and content creator. She helps people to build muscle, burn fat, and clean up their diets with her online coaching programs and social media content. Check out some of Jayd’s coaching videos on Youtube, or join Jayd live on Twitch and follow on social media:

Exercises for Reducing Belly Fat

In my work as a personal trainer, I get asked a lot: “What are the best exercises for tightening up the abs?”

The truth is that no *one* exercise is going to help you trim fat from your belly and tighten it up. You could literally do crunches every single day for months and not see an inch go away from around your torso. There are a few reasons for this:

👉 First, if you’re not in a calorie deficit, you’re not likely going to see much fat loss anywhere on your body, much less in your belly. Remember that fat is your body’s battery packs, and to burn through it you need your body burning more energy than what you’re taking in through the food that you eat. When your body uses more calories for things like daily activities and exercise than what you eat, then your body will tap into its fat stores.

👉 Even if you are in a caloric deficit, another reason you may struggle to lose inches around the belly fat is that visceral fat around your organs burns a little differently than the subcutaneous fat under your skin. Belly fat serves the important purpose of protecting your organs and regulating your core temperature and hormones. So it’s the last place that your body is going to want to take fat from when you’re in a calorie deficit or when you’re experiencing high stress. That’s why visceral fat in general responds much slower to a caloric deficit than subcutaneous fat in your legs and arms.

👉 Also if you tend to drink alcohol frequently or eat a lot of refined sugars, then your body is more likely to hang onto visceral fat in your midsection. Both alcohol and sugar create an inflammatory response in the body. When that happens, you’re more likely to store fat in your belly.

The good news is that there are some strategies that can help you burn your belly fat—but crunches aren’t going to do it for you.

• First off, you need to make sure that you’re in a calorie deficit—meaning that your body is burning more calories than what you’re taking in through your food. To do this, you’ll need to first manage what you eat by tracking your calorie intake, meal planning, or following a meal plan. Unless you’re in a caloric deficit, you’re going to have a really hard time seeing your overall body fat go down over time—including the fat around your belly. If you need help with this, check out my meal prep guide and nutrition coaching program.

• Another thing you can do is increase the amount of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains that you eat every day and boost your dietary fiber intake. Visceral fat responds much better to a high-fiber diet than just a calorie deficit alone. If you’re following the Healthy Plate model, then you already know that half of what you eat at every meal should be vegetables (or vegetables and fruit) and that most of the time the grains products you eat should be whole grains. Aim to eat 25-35g of dietary fiber per day to improve your health and to boost your visceral fat burning.

• Also, make sure to keep your consumption of alcohol and refined sugars to a minimum. Cutting out alcohol will not only help your body prioritize burning fat for energy, but it will also have a host of other benefits for your health. Cutting out refined sugars will reduce the frequency of insulin spikes in your body. This will, in turn, reduce the amount of sugar your body moves from your bloodstream to your fat cells.

In terms of exercise, the best way to work out to burn belly fat is to increase your body’s daily calorie burn. This means doing cardiovascular exercise (at least 150 minutes per week) and muscle-building resistance training (2-3 times per week).

Cardiovascular exercise is a great way to get your body to burn as much as 200-300 calories in a single workout. Any activity that gets you moving and your heart rate pumping at a moderate intensity counts. This can be as simple as going for a brisk walk, bike ride, or taking a group fitness class at your local gym.

Remember that building muscle is a calorie-expensive activity—so you can increase your daily calorie burn by doing resistance training on 2 or 3 days each week. Resistance training can be done at a gym, with hand weights, bands, or even your own body weight. Check out my Body Sculpt programs for all levels and I’ll teach you how to build muscle and boost your metabolism with resistance training.

You can also ask your questions live when I’m streaming on my Twitch channel Tuesdays and Fridays. You can also ask questions live during this week’s private Coaching Call in the Discord if you’re one of my clients, a training program subscriber, or a Tier 3 subscriber on Twitch.

Make sure to press the heart below to “Like” this post if you found it helpful, leave a comment, share on social media.

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ABOUT JAYD HARRISON

Jayd Harrison is a personal trainer and content creator. She helps people to build muscle, burn fat, and clean up their diets with her online coaching programs and social media content. Check out some of Jayd’s coaching videos on Youtube, or join Jayd live on Twitch and follow on social media: