The Only “New Year, New You” Fitness Protocol You Should Follow
Feeling overwhelmed by the January fitness hype? Wondering how to cut through the noise and actually create sustainable, lasting results?
In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I’m breaking down exactly what you need to know to kick off the year feeling strong, confident, and in control—without falling for extreme plans that don’t work.
I discuss about:
Why fad diets and excessive cardio do more harm than good.
How to build a sustainable fitness routine with strength training.
The importance of daily movement and proper rest for better results.
How macro counting fuels your goals while letting you enjoy your favorite foods.
A simple mindset shift to focus on how you feel rather than just how you look.
A game-changing visualization practice to stay aligned with your future self.
If you want more from me, be sure to check out...
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Website: www.juliealedbetter.com
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Transcript:
[00:00:00] Hey, beautiful human. Can I steal five minutes of your time? I have something super important to share with you, but I promise I'll be really quick. You're listening to my weekly bonus episode of Embrace Your Real with Me. Do I better? I'm about to give you a quick tip for building your confidence, honoring your body and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned. If you're ready to embrace a real. Let's get it. Let's go. Hello and welcome back to another episode on the Embrace Your podcast. Today we are tackling a big one, the whole New year, new fitness trend that rolls around every single January. If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the noise about what you should be doing to kick off this year, I've got you covered. I'm going to cut through the BS and simplify your plan for the year ahead. It's sustainable. It's effective, and it's going to give you real, lasting results. And I know the pressure to lose this holiday weight that hits hard every single January. It's so tempting to jump into these unhealthy measures or these extreme plans just to undo a few weeks of indulgence. But let me tell you, there is a better way and there is exactly what I'm going to be diving into in today's episode. But first, let me share this sweet reveal comes from Hailey Kinzel. She gave a five star review and said, Love, love, love. I believe I love you so much, Julie, and I'm so thankful for you. I'm so proud of your journey and your podcasts have helped me so much with much love. God bless you. I love this so much. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to send in this review. Honestly means the world to me. I love, love, love connecting with you guys. I love hearing all of your moments. And so if you could scooch over to Apple Podcasts and liberating interview. Also if you could share this podcast with a friend, a coworker, or someone in your life that you feel like could really benefit from this episode or this podcast in general, I just ask you share it out with them. You can always copy the link, send it to them in a text message, or you can screenshot this and post it up on your story. Okay. But first, I really want to start by focusing on three things that you absolutely do not need to do this year. Like please, please, please ditch them. They're not helping you and honestly, they are likely holding you back. Number one is skip the fad diet. Like I get it, January hits and suddenly it feels like this whole world is telling you to try this restrictive cleanse or this miracle diet. But here's the truth. Fad diets, they wreck havoc on your metabolism. They slow it down, they make you feel miserable. And when you inevitably stop because you will, the weight will come back oftentimes with a little bit extra. Plus, these diets usually rob your body of essential nutrients, leaving you fatigued and more prone to cravings. Instead of playing this yo yo game, let's focus on something sustainable that won't leave you feeling angry and frustrated. Remember that consistency and balance always trump extremes. Number two, don't fall for extra cardio. This one is so tempting. Like we all think of, I just run this extra mile or two a couple times more per week. I'm going to burn off that holiday weight. No, here is the truth. Cardio is not the magic bullet for fat loss. It's not going to help you build the strong lean body that you're looking for. And overdoing it actually might stress your body out more high. Intense cardio can increase cortisol, which can lead to a more fat storage. The exact opposite of what you're looking for. The key to getting back on track isn't punishment. It's consistency. So let's focus on movement that builds muscle and makes you feel empowered, not drained. Number three, stop the negative self-talk. This one is huge. If you're standing in front of the mirror and tearing yourself apart because of the little holiday indulgence that you had, you're doing more harm than good. Hyper focusing on the weight gain makes it harder to progress because it keeps you stuck in this cycle of stress and shame. Your thoughts have so much power over your actions, and if you're consistently, constantly criticizing yourself, you're less likely to treat your body with the care that it needs. Instead, practice speaking yourself like you would your best friend or like you would your daughter with kindness, with patience, with encouragement. Shifting this inner dialog can make a massive, massive difference in your ability to create lasting change. So now that we kind of discuss what you shouldn't do, I need to discuss what you should do with your fitness this new Year. Number one strength train 3 to 5 times per week for at least 30 minutes. Strength training is one of the most effective ways to build the body that you want and support long term fat loss. Not only does it help you burn calories during your workout, but it also boost your metabolism by building that lean muscle, which burns more calories at rest. So my prescription for you is to aim for at least 30 minutes per session, focusing on compound movements that work multiple muscle groups. Or you can follow a effective program. Right? This is lower body, upper body, full body, like really making sure that you're hitting all those muscle groups and this is where you are using dumbbells, you're using resistance bands or just your body weight. But consistency is key, right? This is how you create a strong, lean, healthy body that lasts well beyond the new year. And if you have no no idea where to start, like no idea how to create a program or what workouts to even follow. I've got a plan for you and go to sail essay Ellie diamond and jewelry.com right now and I will make it super simple like all you need is very limited equipment. Genuinely you can do every single move at home. All you need is a few pair of dumbbells and a small space if you have an adjustable bench. Amazing if you have resistance bands with removable handles. Amazing. If not, I always give no bench or no band alternates. But please, please, please hear me when I say that the last thing that you will hear from me is to do cardio multiple times per week. Like strength training is queen strength. Training is queen. And that's because I know that you want that lean toned body and strength training is 100% required to get that. All right. You are going to build a strong lean body through resistance training. I know it might seem like an oxymoron, but I'm telling you, it is one of the best things that you can do for yourself. Number two, honor your body with movement daily. So even on rest days, I want you to find ways to move, take a walk, stretch, do a little bit of Pilates, clean your house, walk through target, walk through Walmart, walk through Hobby Lobby, whatever it is. Movement doesn't have to be intense to be beneficial. Movement is movement. In fact, this low intensity movement on your non workout days is going to be way more beneficial than adding in more cardio or more intensity. Again, I know it seems like an oxymoron, but more intensity does not mean more results. Rest and recovery between your workouts means more results. Keeping your body moving in a low impact way. That is what is going to help to expedite these results. Number three, prioritize. Sleep. Please, please, please. Guys know that sleep is everything. It is so, so important. Like when you don't get enough, your cortisol levels go up, which again, triggers this weight gain. It triggers cravings. This out of control appetite, lack of sleep also impacts your energy levels. It makes it harder for you to stick to your workouts and healthy habits. So here's what I want to encourage you to do. Aim for 7 to 8 hours a night and create a bedtime routine that really does help you wind down. Think of sleep as the foundation for all of your other goals. Without it, everything else feels ten times harder. I get it. I'm a new mom. I get sleep, is few and far between. But if you can prioritize sleep over that Netflix show at night, trust me when I tell you your body will greatly benefit for from an additional 30 to 45 minutes or even an hour that you would be watching that Netflix show. Just sleep. Trust me when I say you will thank yourself for it in the morning. Number four, Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I know it sounds simple, but drinking enough water is a game changer. It really does. It supports digestion. It helps your muscles recover and even curbs cravings. Dehydration can sometimes cover itself up as hungry. So staying hydrated actually helps you to make better food choices. Plus, when you're hydrated, your workouts feel better, your skin looks better, your body operates more efficiently overall. So I want to encourage you to keep a water bottle with you throughout the day and set reminders on your phone if you need to. It's that important. I literally have my hydro jug connected to my hands at all time just because I'm constantly reminding myself. All right. 2 to 3 of these. 2 to 3. To these. Right. 80 220oz of water every single day. Number five, count your macros. Forget dieting. This is where the magic happens. Counting your macros gives your body energy for what it needs to feel energized and strong without depriving yourself. When you're hitting macro targets, you're actually fueling your workouts, you're supporting muscle growth growth, and you're giving your body the tools that it needs to change composition. And most importantly, you are still eating the foods that you love, which means that you can actually stick to it long term. Unlike fad diets, if you're unsure where to start. I do have a program for you. It's called the Macro Economy Simple Online Academy. I break it down for you and it's really a tool that puts you in control rather than following restrictive rules that don't fit your life. I actually included a link in the show notes so that you can start your macro counting journey right now. You will love it. I can promise you it is a foundational tool that so many people have benefited from. You can go to macro accounting made simple.com. Again that's macro accounting made simple.com or just simply click the link in the show notes. Number six Focus on how you feel. This one is really a mindset shift. Like instead of obsessing over how you look or what the scale says, ask yourself, How do I want to feel when you make decisions from a place of wanting to feel strong, energized, confident, your actions naturally align with your goals. You stop chasing these quick fixes and you start creating habits that truly serve you. Remember feeling good is the ultimate goal. Everything else is just a bonus. And when you feel good, you also realize that you look good. And last but not least. And. Number seven. Visualize who you want to become. Daly This one is so important. Take a few minutes each day to picture your future self. What does she look like? How does she feel? What does she do? Your brain cannot differentiate between what you vividly imagine and what you actually are doing or are perceiving in reality. So when you spend some time vividly visualizing who you want to do or be. Your brain makes these new neural pathways as if you've already become that person. Like this means make decisions that align with who you want to be and who you want to become, because that is so much easier when your brain already thinks that you're that person. If you don't believe it. Please. I know this sounds weird, but give it a try. Give it a try for the next 30 days. Vividly. Imagine who you want to be for five minutes a day while you're driving, while you're unloading the dishwasher, while you're laying in bed at night, while you're breastfeeding your baby. Whatever it is, whatever works for you, I will guarantee that you will see a shift in your actions and who you become. If you take the time to prioritize who you want to be and visualize that with your eyes closed, go through what a day would look like as the woman that you want to become. How does she feel? What are you wearing? What is around you? What are the actions that you take? How do you want to respond in stressful situations? All of those things just vividly imagine those things. And trust me when I tell you once they actually start to come up throughout your day, once a stressful situation comes up, if you've already taken the time to visualize how you respond, it's so much more likely that you're going to respond in the way that you visualize versus the old way of you just lashing out. So please, please, please hear me when I say visualization is a key to this. Okay, my friends, there you have it. The only new year, new you protocol that you need. Skip the fads, focus on the basics and remember, the best way to kick off the new year is to treat your body with respect and kindness. Don't do a fad diet. Don't do more cardio. Don't speak to yourself negatively. Instead, I need you to strength train at least three days a week on your body with the movement daily for 30 minutes. Even on those days that you're not working out. Prioritize sleep and hydration. Count your macros at the very least, prioritize protein, focus on how you feel and visualize your future self. When you do these things, you will naturally build the body that you want without having to force anything. And when you are consistent with these things, your body becomes exactly what it's meant to be. If you love this episode, do not forget to share it with someone who needs a little encouragement this January. Let's make this year the one where we stop chasing these quick fixes and start embracing these real, lasting results. Until next time, keep showing up and let's crush it together. And again, if you are ready to ditch the fad diets and actually see results, macro can be made. Simple is a perfect place to start. It is my step by step guide to understanding how to fuel your body in a way that works for you. You will learn how to calculate your macros, create balanced meals and build a sustainable lifestyle that supports your goals without cutting your favorite foods. This is about giving your body what it needs to feel amazing and help you stay on track all year long. If you're ready to feel confident and in control. The ultimate tool to crush your fitness goals this year and 2025. Head to macro accounting made simple.com to gain access or you can click the link in the shownotes. And if you're looking for a fitness program that fits seamlessly into your life, you've got to check out my movement with Julie Community. Whether you're working out at home or at the gym, this app gives you easy access to dumbbell based workouts that are effective, fun and easy to follow. New workouts drop every single week. Yes, every single week. And you have the option for two times a week. Three times a week, four times a week or five times a week. Plus, there are 30 minute variations for every single workout. So it works honestly, no matter how busy your life gets. Plus, it includes video demonstrations, a consistency calendar like you get to look at the calendar every single day. You get that green dot if you log the workout, you have a supportive community to keep you motivated. It's all about helping you move your body in a way that feels good and fits your life. And I want you to make a movement a non-negotiable this year and 2025 so you can go to sale. That's s.a l e movement you laycon or you can gain access by clicking the link in the show notes. But that is all that I have for today's bonus episode. I love you so much. Happy New year and I'll talk to you next month. All right, sister, That's all I got for you today. But I have two things that I need you to do. First thing, if you are not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so, Julie. A lot better. Yes. It's women in the middle for that Daily Post workout. Real talk, healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts. To never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world. And I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace real because you're worth it. [00:00:00][0.0]