TAKING ACTION: ✅After reading today’s post, are you consistently meeting your protein goal? If not, why? Let’s talk about it below! While it’s true that muscle growth depends on all of your macros, protein is arguably the most important. It’s the building block for muscles. Carbs count, too, thank goodness 🙌, but today is all about protein. Protein is the macro you don’t want to skimp on, especially if you are working toward goals of feeling leaner, stronger, and more physically fit. Not only does it aid in muscle growth, but it aids in muscle preservation—and as you age, you want to preserve your muscle mass at all costs. 💯 So whether you’re trying to lose fat or build muscle, you simply shouldn’t skimp on protein. That brings us to this question: How much protein should you really be eating? Generally speaking, women over 40 need to eat between 0.6 g and 1.2 g of protein per pound of body weight. Where you personally land in this range will depend on your height, weight, activity level, and goals. A general recommendation for an active woman is typically around 100g per day; however, if you’re an active woman who is hoping to gain and/or preserve lean muscle and optimize healthy body composition, you may want to shoot for 1.0 g-1.1 g per pound of body weight. Are you consistently meeting your protein goal? If not, now is the time to make it a priority. Your muscle growth, and specifically your glute gains, depend on it. 👌 *See comments for another Glute Workout*

Is it only me or does coconut water taste foul? I’ve tried it on several occasions and I just can’t get past the dirty water taste. Tried Harmless Harvest Organic this time - it’s better than the others but still 🤢

TAKING ACTION: ✅What questions do you have about eating more this month? Are you nervous? Excited? Let’s discuss it below! We’re talking about glutes throughout this week, and throughout May; however, I’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about a major player in the game when it comes to glute strength and growth— YOUR NUTRITION THIS MONTH. 🍽 The fact is, you can’t grow strong glute muscles without a proper amount of nutrition. That’s a fact. I’d be remiss if I encouraged you to work hard on your glute strength this month and didn’t stress the importance of proper nutrition. We certainly don’t want all of our upcoming squats to be done in vain—this is why we’ve removed low macro days this month and are focusing on eating more! I mean, seriously—who wants to do squats or Bulgarian split squats without a high return on their investment? If I’m gonna squat, I'd better see some results. Just sayin’... Per the website, https://exercisewithstyle.com/foods-that-go-straight-to-your-bum, certain foods help with growing your booty. Some of the foods listed are below ⬇️ 🍽 salmon 🍽 eggs 🍽 spinach 🍽 quinoa 🍽 chick breasts 🍽 brown rice 🍽 pumpkin seeds 🍽 legumes 🍽 clean nut butter 🍽 and if needed, protein supplements/shakes. Here is the protein shake I use: https://aleiahkennedy.thegoodinside.com/shop/product/organic-super-protein Note that the list is mostly made up of whole foods. Funny how that works…😉 Also, check out these muscle-building recipes below! 20 Protein-Packed Bodybuilding Recipes for Muscle Growth - Just Love Cooking

TAKING ACTION: ✅Tell me how you feel about weekends. Do you struggle more on the weekends? If so, why? Tell me in the comments below! Does 43% feel like a fairly large percentage on a scale of 0%-100%? When I consider 43%, I think, “Well, it’s almost half of 100%, so it’s a fairly large percentage.” You may be wondering what this topic has to do with your health & wellness journey, but don’t worry, I’m going to tell you…👇 With it being the weekend, it seems like the perfect time to address this ⬇️ If you start eating off-course or off-plan on Friday and allow that to carry over into Saturday and Sunday, that’s 43% of your week, friends—and whether you like it or not, 43% will make a big impact on your results. 💯 Weekends are usually filled with all of the extracurricular activities, and the fact is, most of those activities involve food. Not just any food, but typically food that is high in fat and/or sugar. If you want to enjoy weekend activities but not compromise 43% of your week, you have to be intentional. Take your own snacks to the ballpark. Cook at home for date night. Keep easy high-protein snacks in your purse at all times. You get the point. I often find, as we’ve discussed this week, that most are willing to do the work during the week. They’re willing to face the rain—until the weekend arrives. Don’t let that be you. 43% is a big deal; therefore, ask yourself what you’re willing to do on the weekends to continue progressing. ⬇️OPTIONAL READING⬇️ How to Stay on Track on the Weekends (Without Ruining Your Progress)

TAKING ACTION: ✅Just as we did yesterday, tell me one thing you’re doing today for a better tomorrow! It can be anything! Share with us below after you get it done! 👇 Yesterday, we talked about a specific quote and how it relates to the overall health & wellness journey. I’d like to stay on that topic this week because its deeper meaning is one we need to learn. Rain brings showers. Effort brings results. Discomfort brings growth. When something is True with a capital “T”, it’s true across all planes—it’s true in life, relationships, your health & wellness, etc. It’s always True. The concept we’re talking about this week is always true. It is the way forward. 💯 The question this week is, “Are you willing to walk through the rain?” Only you can answer that. Only you know if it’s worth it to get what you want on the other side. Speaking of being worth it, this easy bell pepper + cucumber + mango + red onion is totally worth it! It’s simple, light, and pairs well with almost any protein! Check out the recipe inside! 🥭 Bell Pepper Cucumber Salad with Mango & Red Onion - Clean Eating Kitchen