TAKING ACTION: ✅What’s your favorite protein source? And what’s your go-to protein when you need to meet your goal? Let’s swap ideas below and share! As we mentioned yesterday, next week we are going to begin our Strength + Metabolic Reset. I have so much great material headed your way, but in the meantime, we’re going to go ahead and discuss some things this week that will help set you up for a successful month ahead. We’re going to talk a lot about the importance of building lean muscle tissue in the coming weeks—and it’s no secret that your protein intake is a critical piece of the metabolic + muscle building puzzle. 🧩 Studies suggest that around 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight is a good starting point. In short, protein is always your anchor. ⚓️ If you’re eating well rounded diet (protein, vegetables, fruits, beans, etc.) you’re hitting your goals! As we begin our Strength + Metabolic Reset next week, I encourage you to focus on your protein intake. Don’t skimp on it. It is the secret sauce when it comes to both strength and metabolism. 💯 Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Casserole - Cotter Crunch

TAKING ACTION: ✅Tell me one way you plan to finish this month/challenge stronger than you started! I want to hear your goal and how you plan to crush it! Good morning, and happy Monday! This is our final week before starting our new challenge next week, so I encourage you to lean in and give it your all. As they say, it doesn’t matter how you begin. It only matters how you finish. 💯 Take a moment to think about it. Most people start really strong, and by the end of the challenge, their motivation wanes. But what if you flip the script? What if you finish strong, regardless of what the beginning looked like for you? Studies show that the final push matters because this is typically the time when most people give up. When you finish strong, you not only build mental resilience, but you also set yourself up for the next challenge—you don’t feel like you have to start over when the next challenge comes. 👌 Speaking of our next challenge, it’s going to be a good one! Starting next week, we’re embarking on a 4-week Strength + Metabolic Reset, so get ready to fire up your muscles and your metabolism in July because we aren’t holding anything back! 🔥 In the meantime, don’t forget to focus on this week first—and finishing strong. 👇 “Starting strong is good. Finishing strong is epic.” – Robin Sharma

TAKING ACTION: ✅What is one “out of the box” self-care practice that you’re committed to? Share with me below. When we think of self-care, we often think of the things that allow us to temporarily check out of reality. When I ask others what their favorite forms of self-care are, I often hear things like 👇 🧘‍♀️ Mani/pedi appointments 🧘‍♀️ Coffee dates 🧘‍♀️ Facials 🧘‍♀️ Naps Don’t get me wrong, I love these things as well, and there’s no doubt they’re needed and appreciated sometimes; however, true self-care goes much deeper. Real self-care is creating a life that you feel like you don’t need a break from—a life where you enjoy doing things for yourself, but they aren’t your escape. As we discussed a couple of weeks ago, true self-care means doing things today that’ll set you up for a better tomorrow. ✨ We often think of compassion when we think of self-care, but I’d like to present a thought you’ve likely never thought about—compassion doesn’t always look like you think it does. Compassion isn’t always soothing. It doesn’t always sound nice. It isn’t always agreeable. True compassion looks like TRUTH because being truthful with yourself (and others) is the thing that will push you forward in your journey. The concept of self-care is similar. It isn’t taking the easy road. It’s taking the RIGHT road—the road that gives you a better future. 💯 Self-Care: 12 Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself | Psychology Today

TAKING ACTION: ✅Can you practice progressive overload in at least one of your leg day moves today? Let’s combat muscle loss, friends! Share with me how you practiced progressive overload today! (Bonus points for a picture!) You already know your lower body contains some of the largest muscles in your body. Your lower body is your powerhouse, and strengthening it now will better your overall health—and your longevity. In the past, we’ve discussed how critical muscle mass is for aging and longevity, but to narrow it down a little more, let’s talk about a word called sarcopenia. ❓Have you ever watched a parent or grandparent age and thought, “It looks like he/she is shrinking”? Well, they are! Their muscle mass is literally shrinking due to something called sarcopenia. In short, sarcopenia is a type of muscle loss that occurs as a result of aging; however, it can begin as early as your 30s if you aren’t doing something to prevent it. This means, as you age, the more muscle loss you incur, the more at risk you are for disease, poor cognitive function, falls, the ability to heal/overcome illness/injury, etc. In fact, studies have shown that muscle loss is more dangerous than fat gain! Again, this brings me back to a point I’ve been trying to make since becoming a coach— Focus on what you need to GAIN instead of what you need to lose. This is the answer to finding freedom in your journey. 💯 ⬇️OPTIONAL READING⬇️ A guide to combatting sarcopenia and preserving muscle mass as you get older - Harvard Health

Okay, after a few months off, we’re starting back our 🎉 MONTHLY GIVEAWAY 🎉 All you have to do is show up for yourself daily here in this platform! ✔️ LIKE the daily posts ✔️ COMMENT on the daily posts ✔️ #1 on the Leaderboard = 🏆 That’s it! 👏 I will check leaderboard on July 31, and whomever is #1 will get a FREE BE WELL CO. PRODUCT!!!