If your plan is to gain five pounds by January and 'deal with it' later, you’re already losing. The myth is that Thanksgiving and Christmas wreck our progress, but the truth? It’s the 116 other meals in between where we just give up.
On this episode of the Fit Parent podcast, Amy and I grab a cocktail and get super tactical on the math and the two simple, proactive steps you need to take to keep your momentum during the holidays. We break down exactly how you can stop the annual cycle of shame and be the action taker who starts the new year already winning.
We go into depth on:
Why you can't afford to waste the entire month of December punting on your progress.
What is quietly destroying your progress (spoiler alert: it isn't the two big holiday meals).
How to win by proactively fueling your body with protein to control cravings and make good decisions.
The importance of differentiating between a special occasion and a social occasion as a secret weapon to hold your boundaries.
Why your progress stalls is from the everyday decisions, not the few, true holiday meals you actually celebrate.
If you’re tired of starting every January with shame and regret, it's because you haven't been tactical. This isn't about dieting; it's about an actionable, simple plan. Stop waiting for the "right time." Hit play, and let's get you winning before the New Year even starts.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On this episode of the Fit Parent podcast, Amy and I talk about the way that we approach the holiday season from a time, spending, and mindset perspective.
How many gifts did you buy last year that are already broken, forgotten, or living at the public library? I’ve got a not-here-anymore kids’ kitchen and a shattered table to prove the novelty wears off in 10 minutes. We all say we want memories, not stuff, yet our bank account screams the exact opposite.
It’s time to challenge our entire holiday approach. I'll tell you the story of my childhood bike that I loved until college, not because it was an expensive thing, but because of the scavenger hunt that created a core memory. Reality is your kids don't want more presents; they want a present parent.
These are the most important takeaways from this episode:
Why the holidays feel so emotionally and financially crushing.
What is the single highest-value gift you can give your kids and yourself.
How to survive the holiday food and stress cycle by putting your own oxygen mask on first.
The importance of focusing on a core memory which teaches your kids that value comes from effort and connection, not just the price tag.
The importance of realizing that every single dollar you spend must align with the parent you want to be.
This Holiday season, are you spending money in alignment with the parent you want to be, or are you just buying into the stress cycle? You're one Black Friday away from being broke and burnt out in January. Hit play now and let's get your mindset right before the madness begins!
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
If you're constantly sore and exhausted, stop flexing, you're not a machine, you need to be better at recovery.
On this episode of the Fit Parent podcast, Amy and I break down recovery into the two simple factors you must master: muscular recovery (that achey, delayed onset muscle soreness) and central nervous system recovery (that total, can't-get-off-the-couch exhaustion). We give you a simple, actionable strategy to get the most out of your training, get the energy you need back for your family, and do the things you love.
We go into depth on:
Why recovery doesn't look like what a lot of people think.
How to measure central nervous system recovery and combat it.
How to actually fight delayed onset muscle soreness by prioritizing movement and blood flow.
The importance of space in your training to prevent raising your stress hormone, which blocks the benefits of your training.
Why all those expensive recovery gadgets are a waste of money.
Stop chasing the shiny "nice-to-have" recovery hacks and listen to this episode to find out the non-negotiable, essential must-do's you need to check off the list. Don't wait; press play and fix your recovery now.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On this episode of the Fit Parent podcast, Amy and I get super actionable on how to set yourself up for success.
We all know we need consistency, but what happens when you’re consistent with the wrong thing? You’re just consistently spinning your wheels. So, this episode is about the critical difference between consistency vs. effectiveness and how to translate those big principles into a daily system where success is the default.
We walk you through the massive mistake most people make (holding their first-draft habits to a final-draft standard) and share the system pivot I made to guarantee my routine succeeds, which—spoiler alert—involves waking up at the crack of dawn (4:30 AM).
This isn’t about willpower; it’s about making starting as easy as possible. You’ll learn how to stop hoping for motivation and start building a system that literally sets you up for automatic success.
Here are the key takeaways from this episode:
Why it’s important to embrace the iteration process.
The importance of stopping waiting for motivation and starting to build a system that makes success the default
How to make things happen by identifying and eliminating the “optional” part of your routine
The importance of your environment: how to make quitting feel harder than starting.
Why consistency is the goal and effectiveness is the refinement
Most of us already know what to do. We just haven’t set up our life to let us win. If you’re ready to stop judging your first-draft systems and start removing all the barriers that are stopping you from your workout, hit play. It's time to stop spinning your wheels and start building a system that actually gets results.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
If you've ever tried your absolute hardest at something, whether it's getting your kid to sleep or hitting a fitness goal, and still failed, you probably blamed yourself. Stop right there. You are not the exception to the rule. You are not doomed to failure.
On this episode of the Fit Parent podcast, Amy and I dissect the most vulnerable question every successful person has to answer: When do you stop persevering and start pivoting?
From the trenches of life, we break down the magic metric that determines your next move: If you did the absolute best you are capable of doing for an extended period, and the needle didn't move... you need a new map, not more motivation.
If you’re burnt out, beating yourself up, and ready to quit something you still desperately want, this episode is your permission slip to change the game. Stop enduring the hard. Start evolving.
Here are the most important takeaways from this episode:
Why most people bail on their fitness goals happens between weeks four and seven
Why you need hard commitment to the process and a specific timeline, which takes quitting off the table when the pain hits
How to definitively know if your plan is the problem
The importance of realistic expectations and building a reasonable plan for the chaos
Why finding the right strategies is essential for overcoming obstacles
You are not broken, but your strategy might be. If you've been grinding and wondering why you failed, this episode is your answer. It’s what you need to stop beating yourself up and start changing the game. Hit that play button, and let's figure out your next, better move. Stop enduring the hard. Start evolving.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On this episode of the Fit Parent podcast, Amy and I discuss how small issues can escalate into larger problems if left unchecked. We've all been there. You let a little thing slide: a small disagreement with your spouse, a workout you skipped, an annoying thought you pushed down, and suddenly, you're sitting in the middle of a five-alarm fire.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, drowning in your own emotions, or constantly playing catch-up, this is for you. We share insights on managing emotions, the impact of unchecked feelings, and the significance of acknowledging problems early on. The key? Recognizing the small warning signs before they take over your life.
These are the most important takeaways from this episode:
Why ignoring small issues may cause a disaster
The importance of recognizing your feelings
Why self-awareness is your superpower in addressing personal struggles
How simple communication saves the day
How small wins can help regain control and motivation
Don't wait until the house is burning down to grab a fire extinguisher. Be honest with yourself, manage those feelings instead of burying them, and break the cycle of inaction by chasing those small, achievable wins.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
In this episode, Amy and I discuss the absolute mental warfare that goes on when life gets messy. We discuss my own total failure to execute a workout I was perfectly set up for and how I let a 7-minute moment of family chaos and emotional avoidance dictate a bad choice. The truth is, trying harder is not a strategy. You have to drop the victim card and finally own your choices.
We go deep into a tactical framework to help you own your choices. Every time you fail to execute, the first thing you need to know is if you’re dealing with a systems issue or an identity issue and stop using willpower as your only weapon. This is about being a professional at life and building non-negotiable habits, even when you feel like life is taking you in a different direction.
We go into depth on:
Why "trying harder" is a terrible strategy and why you need to swap it for strategic choices.
How to figure out if your fail is a Systems Issue (the environment/process) or an Identity Issue (the choices you make).
The painful reason why you keep breaking promises to yourself, even when you are perfectly set up for success.
Why you need to choose action over emotional avoidance to feel less stressed, not more.
The non-negotiable step of establishing enough volume (consistency) before you can even think about pivoting your plan.
If you're ready to stop letting your feelings derail your goals and finally get enough data to actually know if the plan you have set up is effective, don’t miss this episode. Stop making excuses and learn how to operate as You 2.0.
You can apply for the Fit Parent Project on my website or by sending me a message on Instagram.
On this episode of the Fit Parent podcast, I break down my signature coaching program, The Fit Parent Project.
This isn't just another episode of the podcast. I break down exactly how I help parents lose weight and get lean so they can be strong, confident, healthy, and free.
My program is focused on three core pillars: sustainable nutrition, effective training, and a victorious mindset.
Here are the most important takeaways from this episode:
The importance of sustainable nutrition that focuses on flexibility and enjoyment of food.
Why effective training should be tailored specifically for you.
The importance of a victorious mindset to achieve long-term success
Why small, consistent changes are better than big, drastic ones.
How coaching and regular check-ins and personalized support can really make a difference
I'm sharing the what, the why, and the how of it all, so you can finally get off the roller coaster and take your last "before" photo ever.
You can apply for the Fit Parent Project on my website or by sending me a message on Instagram.
On this episode of the Fit Parent podcast, Amy and I peel back the layers on the whole idea of discipline and show you why it's been weaponized against us. We challenge everything you've ever thought about motivation and show you a new way: one that's built on trust and self-compassion, not on some made-up idea of willpower.
We will show you why willpower is not a strategy. It's an emotion, and it’s not something you can rely on to reach your goals.
Even more, you can't trust your motivation. Even the most "disciplined" people in the world have days where they don’t feel like doing the work. The secret is to build systems and habits that work for you on those days.
We go into depth on:
Why willpower is not a strategy for success and how discipline can often be misused as a blanket solution.
How setting realistic expectations helps you achieve success.
The importance of keeping promises to oneself to build trust and consistency.
Why consistency is better than perfection.
The importance of recognizing that growth is a gradual journey.
The whole point of this is to get you to stop beating yourself up and build trust in yourself so you can commit to a gradual journey of improvement rather than relying solely on willpower and discipline.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
If you think you're going to achieve all your goals this back-to-school season without a plan, you're setting yourself up for failure. On this episode of the Fit Parent podcast, Amy and I discuss why most of us get it wrong and how to make a lasting change.
The start of a new school year is more than just a fresh start for the kids; it's a chance for us to reset our health. So, today, I walk through a simple, actionable blueprint that takes you step-by-step through the process of losing weight for good.
We break it down to help you feel in control this fall. Here are the most important things we covered:
How procrastination can hinder effective planning
The importance of setting a deadline to motivate action
Why realistic expectations and consistency are crucial for weight loss
Why you can't out-train stress and poor sleep
How tracking what you eat builds awareness and accountability
Why protein, fiber, and lifting weights are your secret weapons for weight loss
This isn't about being perfect. It's about being prepared. So, if you want to stop the madness and actually feel in control this fall, this episode is for you.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On this episode, Amy and I are getting personal about the gap between knowing what we want and actually getting there. We've all been in that place where the goal is clear, but the path feels challenging. So, we decided to revisit the essential "hows": the practical, often messy, day-to-day work of turning aspirations into reality.
We discuss how to set reasonable, actionable targets and why your daily actions need to be both measurable and specific. We also talk about the power of regular planning, making adjustments without shame, and the non-negotiable role of support and accountability.
We go into depth on:
And now, we invite you to join us for the full conversation. We're getting honest about the real work of change, the kind that happens in the small, consistent actions we take every day. Tune in and get ready to redefine your relationship with your goals.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkoutmy website for free guides.
On this episode of the Fit Parent Podcast, I'm pulling back the curtain on something deeply personal: the swirling chaos of family life and those overwhelming moments that can truly test our patience as parents. I've been there, feeling the weight of it all, and in this conversation, I want to share what I've learned about truly seeing our stressors for what they are and, crucially, how we can shift from constantly reacting to proactively building a life that stands firm.
We go into depth on:
Embracing Overwhelm: It's okay to feel it, and sometimes, a good release helps.
Proactive Stress Management: How setting a lower stress baseline changes everything.
Building True Resilience: Why it's a practice, not a quick fix, especially for parents.
Navigating Mental Well-being: The crucial balance between coping, limits, and long-term goals.
The Power of Daily Improvement: Each day is a fresh start for growth.
Join me as I share about the mechanisms that have been helping me navigate challenging waters, hoping they might offer you a compass for your own family's journey.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On today’s episode, I’m joined by fellow coach, Paul Buono, who shares how his journey of going from an elite CrossFit athlete to nearly dying has formed his perspective on health, fitness, and coaching for sustainability and longevity.
We go into depth on:
The importance of setting goals based on what we actually want in life
How doing less better leads to more results for longer
How the fitness industry often oversimplifies complex health issues
Why working out more and eating less may not actually be beneficial
Why misinformation in the fitness industry is more dangerous than no information
Paul was an elite CrossFit athlete whose whole life changed when he was diagnosed with Lupus. He went through a complete shift of his approach to training and nutrition that has informed how he coaches his clients to sustainable, long-term, health-focused results. Paul shares his own journey with us and how the lessons he’s learned from his own life along with years of experience have brought him to his sustainable approach to fitness.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On today’s episode, we dig into how frustration impacts our ability to stick with our fitness and nutrition journeys.
We go into depth on:
The importance of learning resilience
How zooming out can help us to be willing to embrace temporary difficulties for long-term gains
How practicing gratitude can develop our perseverance
Why creating opportunities for reflection can spur us forward
Why frustration is actually a good thing and should be pursued rather than avoided.
This episode is built off a quote that I heard on a recent podcast about parenting: “entitlement is the lack of ability to deal with frustration.” In my time as a coach, I’ve seen how this plays out for adults on their fitness and nutrition journeys and how training and diet fly directly in the face of entitlement. Taking care of ourselves forces us to be temporarily frustrated for long-term outcomes. It is when we embrace that frustration that we actually start to keep the progress that we make because we’re not looking for the quickest way out.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On today’s episode, we dig into the common fallacy that people fall into in waiting for “things to slow down/get easier” when it comes to their fitness, nutrition and weight loss goals.
We go into depth on:
The importance of preparation for long-term success
How our current circumstances are often a result of our past decisions
How our current decision-making processes impacts our long-term outcomes
Why an all-or-nothing mentality inevitably leads to failure
Why consistent imperfect action is the key to success
As we start summer, so many people that I talk to are feeling overwhelmed by trying to navigate the chaos of summer and have decided to push their fitness and nutrition plans until the fall. This is a mistake. Even if you can’t do everything you want to do, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything. And any progress is better than no progress.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On today’s episode, I’m joined by professional infant and toddler sleep consultant, Erin Junker, founder of The Happy Sleep Company, to discuss strategies for improving sleep for both children and adults.
We go into depth on:
The importance of establishing healthy sleep routines & environments
How developmental changes can impact sleep patterns & lead to sleep regressions
How to practically start improving sleep in children at any age quickly
Why consistency with habits, routines, and sleep coaching yields faster results
Why each child and adult has unique sleep needs
We’ve discussed on this podcast the importance of sleep to our overall well being as well as our ability to stay consistent with our fitness and nutrition goals. Many parents, especially with young children, struggle to get consistent quality sleep due to interruptions from their children. So, we brought in an expert to give us an understanding of how to improve that. Erin gives tangible, tactical, and immediate strategies for improving sleep at any age and helps us to determine what they next steps could be for each child.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
You can connect with Erin on her Instagram or her website or listen to her podcast, Sleep Cues (which Jeff was a guest on).
On today’s episode, we continue our review of a very popular episode of “The Mel Robbins Podcast” with Dr. Stacy Sims where she discusses her perspectives on how women should take care of their bodies.
In this different format, I listen to a portion of the original, unbroken and unedited, and then give my feedback and perspective on the topics discussed in an attempt to provide clarity and nuance for women on their health and fitness journeys.
We go into depth on:
The importance of simplicity with fitness and nutrition
How data can be conflated to create a narrative
How exercise can impact our mental health
Why we can’t target our fat loss (or gain) to certain areas of our body
Why eating on a schedule helps us to stay on track with our nutrition.
In this second segment of this review, we clarify a lot of material that ranges from oversimplified to overcomplicated to just plain wrong. We also highlight some important truths that are shared and give actionable steps for how to apply them for women looking to improve their health, fitness, nutrition, and body.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On the one hundredth episode of the Fit Parent Podcast, I come back to the root of the podcast and do it solo. I reflect on the journey to one hundred episodes and the lessons I’ve learned along the way as well as the ones I’ve been learning, personally, more recently.
One of my life verses from the Bible is Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked. Every man reaps what he sows.”
In this episode, I explore how this concept applies to fitness, parenting, business, podcasting, community, and family.
It’s as vulnerable as I’ve been on the podcast before, but I hope that it resonates.
If I were to sum up my perspective on coaching and life, it is this verse. We get out what we put in and we can’t complain about the outcomes we get based on the work we do.
This episode is my own personal recommitment to do my best to sow good seeds that I hope will bear good fruit for the next one hundred episodes and beyond.
Thanks for listening.
Jeff
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On today’s episode, I do something totally new and different. I review the first portion of a very popular episode of “The Mel Robbins Podcast” with Dr. Stacy Sims where she discusses her perspectives on how women should take care of their bodies.
In this different format, I listen to a portion of the original, unbroken and unedited, and then give my feedback and perspective on the topics discussed in an attempt to provide clarity and nuance for women on their health and fitness journeys.
We go into depth on:
The importance of nuance in discussions about health and fitness
How managing stress for women directly impacts their ability to improve their health and fitness
How complicating the solution makes it harder for people to be successful.
Why individual problems require individual solutions rather than blanket statements
Why practicality trumps perfection
I try not to criticize other professionals in the health and fitness space, but when my clients send me things they have come across and need clarity on, I feel the need to provide that clarity for others as well. I was sent this episode and, after listening for a while, felt the need to clarify a lot of the claims made on a very popular podcast for women. This was my first attempt at that.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
On today’s episode, I’m joined by Bernie Rhinerson who started his fitness journey in his 60s and has pushed to inspire other grandparents to prioritize their physical health.
We go into depth on:
The importance of active participation as a grandparent
How grandparents hold a different role than parents (and how to prepare for it)
How parenting evolves as you become a grandparent, but never stops
Why mobility and strength are necessary for grandparents
Why it’s even more important to prioritize your health as you age
Bernie spent his whole adulthood focusing on his career and his children at the expense of his physical health. In this episode, he shares his own journey into health and fitness and describes how it has impacted his life as he became a grandfather. On this podcast, we often talk about taking care of ourselves in order to take care of others; Bernie is the example of how that carries beyond just our normal adulthood. He also is the poster child for “it’s never too late.” If you’re a parent in the thick of things, this is a reminder that doing it now makes it easier later. If you’re getting older, this is a reminder to get started. And if you have a loved one who might need to hear this, please share it; it might just change their life.
To get more content like this, follow me on Instagram, join my free Facebook group or checkout my website for free guides.
You can connect with Bernie on Instagram.