Doing everything right & still not seeing the results you want?

Let's talk 4 underrated components of a fitness transformation ⬇️

😴 Sleep plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, memory and learning + plays a huge role in recovery and muscle growth. Additionally, hormones are regulated during sleep, including hormones that affect hunger cues. For example, short sleep duration is associated with reduced leptin (the hormone that tells us when we are full) and elevated ghrelin (signals that you’re hungry) which means you’ll have an increased appetite and may be more likely to constantly raid the pantry and fridge. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep per night!

😖 Stress: Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland when the body is under stress. Some cortisol is normal, but too much cortisol can significantly impact fat loss. Here’s why: Elevated cortisol causes an increase in blood sugar and therefore an increase in insulin (the fat storage hormone). Also, elevated blood sugar levels lead to a blood sugar drop that leaves us hungry and tired and more likely to grab for unhealthy foods.

👍🏼 Recovery: Take your rest days!! Muscle growth occurs during rest. During exercise, your body breaks down glycogen to fuel your workout and rest gives your body time to replenish those energy stores. Plus, overtraining can decrease your performance leading to reduced endurance, poor agility, and risk for injury.

🚶🏽‍♀️NEAT is non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or the calories burned from movement throughout the day that is not exercise (ex. cooking, walking, gardening, cleaning). Increasing your NEAT can significantly increase fat loss. Here are some ideas: Walk more. Walk during your breaks. If you work from home, get up and walk around your house for 10 mins every hour. Take the stairs. Park at the end of the lot at the grocery store. Vacuum the whole house every other day.

Fitness transformations aren’t all just nutrition and training. These factors are super important and can take your fitness journey to the next level 🙌🏼