Are you worried about ruining your progress during the holidays? Do you get stuck in the cycle of starting over every January? Want to enjoy holiday treats without feeling out of control?

If so, then this episode is for you.

In this episode, Nikki chats with fitness and nutrition coach Brooks Hubris about different ways to approach fitness, nutrition, and fat loss over the holidays without falling into the common traps of over restriction, over indulgence, or feeling like you have to start over in January.

They discuss:

• How to recognize the most common all or nothing holiday mindset traps of giving up until January vs. white knuckling abstinence and what to do instead.
  
  

• Strategies to enjoy Christmas cookies and holiday treats without feeling like you've been bad or are "off plan."
  
  

• Why moments of "failure" are opportunities to learn and make more supportive choices in the future.
  
  

• The importance of eating for real life versus having a dieting mentality even when you have a fat loss goal, especially during the holidays.
  
  

• The benefits of eating at maintenance during the holidays and alternatives to tracking for making goal and health supportive choices.
  
  

• The role of your environment on nutrition choices and ways to manage your surroundings so follow through feels easier.

Connect with Brooks

• Follow Brooks on Instagram @sweat.simple

• Visit Brooks's website sweatsimpleco.com

Connect with Nikki

• Grab your free personalized macros calculator & guide!

• Take the 1 minute quiz to get your free strength plan based on your results.

• Follow Nikki on Instagram @naablevyfitness

• Visit Nikki's website naablevy.com

Links mentioned

• Listen to the Biggest Loser Podcast episode

Are you confused about heart rate zones? Is walking actually cardio? Should women in perimenopause avoid high-intensity workouts? Are you trying to lift weights faster to skip dedicated cardio sessions? We cut through the noise and reveal how complicated or uncomplicated cardio needs to be for the average person.

We are joined by nutritionist and coach Jamie Scott to take a deep dive into all things cardio, exposing the myths and misinformation that confuse the general public. Jamie brings over 25 years of experience and a sports science background to help listeners navigate the landscape of cardiovascular fitness.

00:01:14 | Jamie Scott's 25 Years of Experience as a "Sherpa" Coach

00:02:43 | How Complicated Does Cardio Need to Be for the Average Person?

00:04:48 | The Foundation: FITT Principles and 150 Minutes a Week

00:09:49 | Why You Need to Respect the Skill of Your Cardio Modality

00:14:08 | Is Walking Really Cardio? When Does it Count?

00:17:46 | Lifting Weights Faster vs. Dedicated Cardio: The Core Difference

00:26:11 | Perimenopause Cardio Debate: High Intensity or Low Intensity Only?

00:33:27 | What True Low-Intensity Base Building Actually Looks Like

00:42:38 | The 72-Hour Recovery Rule for Proper High-Intensity Work

00:51:30 | Why Your Fitness Journey is a Spiral and Not a Straight Line

Connect with Jamie Scott

• Instagram: @athletica.coach

• Website: https://athletica.coach/

Connect with Nikki and Links Mentioned

• Instagram: @naablevyfitness

• Website: http://naablevy.com

• Take the 1 minute quiz to get your free personalized strength workouts

• Get your free macros and calories calculator + guide

Are you considering GLP-1 medications like Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, or Zepbound for weight loss, or do you know someone who is? This conversation provides a nuanced conversation about GLP-1s and considerations around starting them.

In this episode, host Nikki Naab-Levy chats with Kate Lyman, a nutrition coach with a Master's in public health about the unspoken potential ramifications of using these drugs, from a mental health and behavior change perspective.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The difference between the clinical and social media definitions of "food noise".

• Why weight loss on a GLP-1 does not automatically equate to better body image or health.

• The potential for GLP-1s to replace "food noise" with new fixations or obsessions in (e.g., scale-watching, body composition) in some individuals.

• The mixed mental health outcomes of GLP-1s, including studies linking them to an elevated risk of anxiety, major depression, and suicidal behavior in some populations, while others (like those with binge eating disorder) may see positive benefits.

• Recommended lifestyle support and interventions that can be used alongside medication to ensure fat loss while protecting and maintaining muscle mass and bone density.

• The importance of having coping tools outside of food when a previous coping mechanism is removed.

• The cultural and identity shifts that often come with rapid body weight loss and being treated differently by the outside world.

• Why these medications are currently intended for long-term use and aren't necessarily an appropriate intervention for all individuals.

Timestamps

• 00:00 | Intro: Cultural Context, Mental Health, and Nuance about Who Should or Shouldn't Take GLP-1s.

• 00:40 | Introducing Kate Lyman: Behavioral Health Expert & Nutrition Coach

• 03:00 | The Need for Education and Behavioral Support with GLP-1s

• 05:23 | Weight Loss Doesn't Automatically Equal Health: Coping Tools Outside of Food

• 06:44 | Defining Food Noise Beyond Pop Culture and Social Media

• 09:41 | The Potential for Obsession Shifts: Food Noise Replaced by Scale Focus

• 14:56 | Mental Health & GLP-1s: What the Literature Says About Anxiety & Depression

• 24:10 | Essential Lifestyle Pillars: Protein, Strength Training, and Water Intake

• 28:06 | The Long-Term Reality of Taking a GLP-1 to Maintain Weight Loss

• 40:04 | The Role of Stigma & Weight Bias in Influencing GLP-1 Usage

Connect with Kate

• Name: Kate Lyman

• Instagram: @klnutrition

• Website: https://www.katelymannutrition.com/

• Podcast: How to Fitness Podcast

Research Studies & Papers Referenced

• What Is Food Noise? A Conceptual Model of Food Cue Reactivity [PMID: 38004203]

• Association of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists With Risk of Suicidal Ideation and Behaviour: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [PMID: 39945396]

• Use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in eating disorder populations [PMID: 38135891]

Connect with Nikki

• Instagram: @naablevyfitness

• Website: http://naablevy.com

Free Nutrition & Fitness Resources

• Take the 1 minute quiz to get your free personalized strength workouts

• Get your free macros and calories calculator + guide