With so many nutritional and fitness trends out there now, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by it all.

Should you go paleo? Is the Keto approach really the best for burning fat, or intermittent fasting? What about Whole30?

Then there’s the workouts. Spin classes, HIIT classes like Orange Theory or Barry’s Bootcamp, pilates, yoga, hot yoga, online programs….whew. I get it, y’all. It’s A LOT.

You know what I say about it all?

YOU DO YOU, boo.

That’s right. Even though I’m a personal trainer and sell my own programs/nutritional guides, I am 100% for you finding what works for YOU. Workouts you don’t completely dread. The kind of nutritional lifestyle that allows you to enjoy your life.

Because what it all boils down to is ADHERENCE. What will you be able to actually keep doing for the long run? What will keep motivating you to keep going instead of feeling burnt out and fed up after the first two weeks. Whatever that is, DO THAT.

How do you find what that is? Experiment with different things!

I personally have tried a variety of nutritional approaches + workout routines. Now, let me say this: I am NOT knocking ANY of these approaches/workouts. They all have their benefits and their place in some people’s lives! I am just speaking from personal experience so that you can see how I found what works for ME. And this is what I found:

• Intermittent Fasting: This has been found to be great for increasing insulin sensitivity and helping people burn fat more efficiently. Personally, I’ve found I can’t go more than 12 hours without feeling shaky, dizzy, and anxious, especially on days when I work at the hospital and am up at 4:30am. So I choose to eat my last meal around 6-6:30 and then have my first meal of the day around 6-6:30 the next day. That gives my body enough time to fully digest/utilize my last meal, do some “housekeeping”, and recover.

• Paleo/Whole30: Again, these are also great approaches to nutrition. I have seen amazing transformations using them! But my body thrives off carbs. Omitting grains (especially brown rice/oats) drastically reduces my carb intake, which leads to poor performance in the gym, feeling more tired throughout the day, more restless sleep, and appearing “flat” (muscles aren’t filled out). Instead, I eat a moderate amount of carbs most days and sometimes increase it around heavy training days. This gives me more sustained energy, nutrients to replenish glycogen stores, and not make me so dang hangry. Ha!

• Plant-Based: Some people have found that by omitting animal products, they improved digestion, reduced inflammation, and lost fat. That’s awesome! You think this would be a great fit for me because I love my grains, legumes, and veggies. But since I cannot eat soy (due to an intolerance), my protein choices are more limited. And getting an adequate amount of protein is crucial for building lean muscle - which, in turn, burns more fat. So I still eat chicken, turkey, and fish almost daily, but do give myself a “meatless day” to let my digestive tract have a rest from breaking down animal products.

• Keto: Obviously this isn’t even an option for me because of the no/extremely low carb intake. But I also can’t consistently eat that much fat without having digestive distress. And digestive distress is your body’s way of saying “no thank you!”.

• Barry’s Bootcamp: We don’t have one around here, but there are a few gyms that offer this style of training. While I enjoy the challenge of it, my body can’t handle that intense of a workout more than a few days a week. Instead, I like to mix it up with strength training 3-4 days a week (think true sets/reps with short pauses in between), sprints or a run 2-3 days a week (usually after lifting), and then HIIT sessions thrown in there when I need a quicker workout. This doesn’t make my CNS go crazy (which can happen with intense workouts too often), allows for proper recovery of muscle groups, and also keeps things interesting.

• Spin classes: Same deal as above. While it’s great for cardio, my body just can’t handle it more than a few days a week. I’ve gotta have my weights!

• Yoga: I love yoga for relaxation, deep stretching, and strengthening my core. But I will never be a diehard yogi - my brain just won’t allow me to sit still for that long! Ha! I do throw a few “flows” in my routine once a week or so to help my body relax and recover.

How about you? Have you found what works for your body, or are you still experimenting? If you need any help at all, you know I’m here for you! I am also accepting more “Customized Training Program” and “Macro Coaching” clients, which is a great option for helping you find that sweet spot. (You can learn more about this under the “train with me” tab.)

Have a great week, babes - and happy September!

XO