685: 3 Things That Change When You Stop Trying To Be A Perfect Mom

Mama, when was the last time you ended the day and actually let yourself believe you did a good job? Maybe the house was still messy. Maybe dinner was whatever you could throw together. Maybe you lost your patience once or twice. Maybe the day looked nothing like the version you had in your head. But your kids were fed. They were loved. They were safe. And somehow, even with all of that being true, it can still feel hard to say, "I did enough today." If that feels familiar, this episode is for you. Somewhere along the way, the bar for being a "good mom" got set so high that no real human could reach it. And now so many moms are walking around feeling like they are failing when they are actually doing an incredible job. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we are talking about three things that change when you stop trying to be a perfect mom. My hope is that this helps you loosen your grip on the version of motherhood that was never realistic and start seeing the ways you are already showing up. What's Discussed: Where the pressure to be a perfect mom starts to come from Why the "good mom" standard can feel impossible to reach What your kids actually learn when they see you handle real life How chasing perfect can pull you out of the moments you want to be in Why taking care of yourself matters inside motherhood too What can happen when motherhood stops feeling like a performance The simple question that can help you quiet the guilt at the end of the day If you are looking for a simple way to take care of yourself in the middle of motherhood, Movement With Julie was built for exactly that. The workouts are already planned for you, with options that can fit into real life, even when your schedule feels full. Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started. If you loved this episode, you will also love Episode 515: How Exercise Transforms Your Mental Health as a New Mom. It is the perfect next listen if you want to understand how even small amounts of movement can change the way you show up for yourself and your kids. If you want more from me, be sure to check out… Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/ Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/ Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human! Some body image advice sounds really good until you are the one standing in front of the mirror trying to believe it. "Just love your body." "Say positive things to yourself." "Focus on the parts you like." And listen, I know most of that advice is meant to help. But when I was really struggling with how I felt in my body, some of it did not make me feel better. Some of it made me feel like I was failing at body confidence too. And that is such a frustrating place to be. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we are talking about the body image advice that did not help me, why it felt so hard to actually use, and what started to make a difference when forcing myself into body love did not feel honest yet. My hope is that this episode gives you a more realistic place to start if body positivity feels too far away right now. What's Discussed: Why "just love your body" is not always helpful when you are struggling What to do when positive affirmations feel fake Why focusing on the body parts you like can still keep you stuck in appearance mode How body neutrality can feel more believable than forced body love Why confidence does not always come before you live your life How discomfort can still exist while you show up anyway What it can look like to respect your body before you fully love how it looks Taking care of your body matters, even on the days you do not feel amazing in it. That is part of why I built the Movement With Julie app the way I did. The workouts are there for you at home, in the gym, or wherever this season has you, so you do not have to wait until you feel confident to start showing up for yourself. Head to movementwithjulie.com to learn more. If you loved this episode, you will also love Body Neutrality vs. Body Positivity: Why You Need to Know the Difference. It is the perfect next listen if body positivity has ever felt too far away and you want a more honest, sustainable place to start. If you want more from me, be sure to check out… Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/ Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/ Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human! I have officially lost 40 pounds since having my baby. And yes, that number is exciting, but what feels even better is that I feel stronger than I have in years. My endurance is better. I am lifting consistently. I am training for a marathon. And when I think about where I started postpartum, it honestly feels wild. So if you have been wondering what changed, I get it. Did I overhaul everything? Did I follow some intense plan? Did I cut out foods? Did I start working out every single day? Did I finally find some secret that made the weight come off? Not exactly. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I am sharing the very unsexy advice that helped me lose 40 pounds, feel stronger, and build a routine I actually believe I can keep. It is probably not the flashy answer most people want, but it is the one I keep coming back to because it works in real life. What's Discussed: Why big results do not always come from big overhauls What changed when I stopped trying to make every day impressive How smaller habits can still count, even when they do not look exciting Why a realistic routine will always beat a perfect one you cannot keep How giving yourself a range can make consistency feel less fragile Why one missed workout does not need to become an entire missed week What the last 40 pounds taught me about the boring basics How to build a routine that can actually survive real life If you need help building a routine you can repeat, that is exactly what Movement With Julie is for. I did not want to create another rigid program that only works on your best week. I wanted something that can flex with you, with 30-minute and 60-minute options you can do at home, in the gym, or while traveling. Open the app, follow the plan, and choose the version that fits the day you are actually having. Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started. If you loved this episode, you will also love Episode 619: 7 Unconventional Ways to Stay Consistent (And Actually See Results). It is the perfect next listen if you want to build realistic systems that make consistency feel doable instead of relying on motivation to show up. If you want more from me, be sure to check out… Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/ Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/ Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human! The last few months of the year can make everything feel like it is moving faster. The holidays are coming. The calendar starts filling up. There are events, family plans, travel, work, errands, and a million little things that suddenly need your attention. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, it gets really easy to tell yourself, "I will get back to me in January." But I do not want you to lose the next three months just because life feels full. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I am sharing three quotes to carry with you this month when motivation feels low, your schedule feels busy, or one imperfect decision makes you want to throw the whole thing away. These are the reminders I want you coming back to when showing up for yourself does not feel easy, exciting, or perfectly planned. What's Discussed: Why the last few months of the year can make consistency feel harder How the version of you that you want to become is built by what you repeat Why the routine you can actually come back to matters more than the one that looks impressive How to stop asking whether you feel like doing it and start asking whether it matters to you Why motivation is not required for something to still matter How to walk into January building on something instead of starting over The Movement With Julie app is there for the days when motivation is not. Open the app, follow the plan, and let me take the guesswork out of your workout so you can still show up, even when life feels busy and your energy is not perfect. Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started. If you loved this episode, you will also love Episode 619: 7 Unconventional Ways to Stay Consistent (And Actually See Results). It is the perfect next listen if you want practical strategies for making consistency feel doable, even on the weeks when nothing goes to plan. If you want more from me, be sure to check out… Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/ Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/ Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human! Nutrition advice can get real loud, real fast. One person is telling you to eat more fat. Someone else is telling you to fast. Then there is another rule about what time to stop eating, which foods are "bad," how little you should eat, or why your progress is not happening fast enough. And suddenly, feeding yourself starts to feel way more complicated than it needs to be. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we are talking about five nutrition hills I will absolutely die on. These are the things I come back to over and over again after years of counting macros, working with women, and watching so many people bounce from one nutrition trend to the next. My hope is that this episode helps you stop chasing every random rule and start feeling a whole lot more confident about what your body actually needs. What's Discussed: Why fat matters, but more fat does not automatically mean better nutrition Why an eating window is not required for weight loss How labeling foods as "good" or "bad" can make your relationship with food harder Why protein is one of the biggest things I want women to prioritize How eating too little at meals can make the rest of your day feel harder Why balanced meals can help you feel more satisfied and less snacky How macro counting can take the guesswork out of your nutrition Why understanding your own numbers can make food feel so much simpler If you listened to this episode and thought, "Okay, but I still do not know how much protein, carbs, and fat I should personally be eating," that is exactly why I created Macro Counting Made Simple. Inside, I teach you how to calculate your macros based on your body and your goals, then show you how to make those numbers work in real life without cutting out your favorite foods or following random rules from the internet. Head to macrocountingmadesimple.com to get started. If you loved this episode, you will also love Episode 357: 7 Ways to Simplify Your Weekly Meal Planning. It is the perfect next listen if you want to make eating well feel easier, more realistic, and less dependent on having the perfect plan every week. If you want more from me, be sure to check out… Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/ Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/ Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human! Feeding yourself every day should not feel like a full-time job. But somehow, it can start to feel that way. The Pinterest search starts. Instagram gets opened. Another recipe gets saved. The grocery list keeps growing. And suddenly, every meal feels like it has to be new, exciting, flavorful, balanced, and cute enough to belong on the internet. Then Wednesday rolls around. Life is busy, nobody feels like cooking, and the meal you planned suddenly feels like way too much work. That is the kind of thing that can make eating well feel way more complicated than it needs to be. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we are talking about one of the most basic nutrition mistakes I see women making and the small mindset shift that made feeding myself feel so much easier. After this, I hope you stop looking at a basic meal and thinking it is not "enough." I hope you stop feeling like every meal needs to be new, exciting, or recipe-worthy to support your goals. And I hope this gives you permission to make feeding yourself feel a whole lot less dramatic. What's Discussed: Why feeding yourself can start to feel harder than it needs to be The mistake that makes meal planning feel overwhelming Why some meals create more pressure than they need to What to remember when there is no recipe planned How to make a meal feel easier without making it too small Why repeat meals can help during busy weeks How to stop treating shortcuts like a failure Why macros can make basic meals feel less confusing If nutrition feels harder than it needs to, Macro Counting Made Simple can help you bring it back to the basics. Inside, I teach you how to figure out the protein, carbs, and fat your body needs, then show you how to use those numbers with meals that actually fit your life. Head to macrocountingmadesimple.com to get started. If you loved this episode, you will also love Episode 357: 7 Ways to Simplify Your Weekly Meal Planning. It is the perfect next listen if you want to make eating well feel easier, more realistic, and less dependent on having the perfect plan every week. If you want more from me, be sure to check out… Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/ Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/ Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Have you ever finished a workout and thought, "Wait… was that even hard enough?" Maybe you were not sore the next day. Maybe the exercises felt familiar. Maybe you have heard someone say your muscles need to be "confused" or "kept guessing" if you want to keep seeing results. And suddenly, repeating the same kinds of movements starts to feel like you are doing something wrong. I get why it sounds convincing. New workouts feel exciting. New exercises can make you sore. New formats can make you feel like you challenged your body in a completely different way. But does your body actually need to be confused to change? In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we are talking about muscle confusion, where this idea comes from, and what really matters if you want your workouts to keep working. We will also talk about why I give you five brand-new workouts every week inside Movement With Julie, while still bringing you back to the foundational movements your body needs to get stronger. What's Discussed: What people really mean when they say "muscle confusion" What soreness can make you assume about your workouts How to know when your body needs a greater challenge Where variety actually belongs in your workouts Why Movement With Julie gives you fresh workouts without random programming How to keep training interesting while still building strength Inside the Movement With Julie app, you get five brand-new workouts every week so training stays fresh, fun, and challenging without you having to piece together random workouts on your own. I handle the programming, the variety, and the structure so all you have to do is open the app, choose your weights, and press play. Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started. If you loved this episode, you will also love Episode 566: What Most Women Get Wrong About Progressive Overload. It is the perfect next listen if you want to understand how to keep challenging your body as you get stronger without feeling like you need to start over with a completely new workout every week. If you want more from me, be sure to check out… Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/ Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/ Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human! I want to talk about something I spent way too much of my life doing without even realizing how much it was affecting me. And that is…letting the mirror decide how I felt about myself. When my jeans fit right, I felt confident. When I liked what I saw, I felt good. When workouts were consistent and nutrition felt "on," I felt like I had my life together. Then my body would change, my routine would get thrown off, or I would have one of those days where I just did not feel like myself, and suddenly my confidence felt like it changed too. And sister, that is a lot of power to give to your appearance. I do not want other women to spend years believing their confidence has to rise and fall with their reflection. I do not want you to think a bad body image day means you are failing, or that changing your body is the only way to finally feel secure in who you are. That is why in this episode of Embrace Your Real, we are talking about three things I wish I knew sooner about tying my identity to the way I look, and how to care about your body without letting your body become the thing that tells you who you are. What's Discussed: Why confidence becomes fragile when it depends on appearance How much power we can accidentally give to the mirror How fitness, routines, and body goals can become tied to identity Why your worth cannot be decided by a workout, a jean size, or the scale How to work on your body without making your body your worth Why taking care of your body can be part of healing your relationship with yourself Taking care of your body, moving it, fueling it, and treating it with respect can be part of that healing too. That is exactly what the Movement With Julie app is there to support. Head to movementwithjulie.com to learn more. If you loved this episode, you will also love Episode 338: To the Woman Obsessing About What Her Body Looks Like…It is the perfect next listen if you are ready to keep untangling your worth from the way your body looks and start building a healthier relationship with the person you see in the mirror. If you want more from me, be sure to check out… Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/ Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/ Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Hey hey beautiful human! Life does not always give you the cute meal prep week. Sometimes work is wild, the kids have something every night, the calendar is packed, and by Tuesday you are standing in the kitchen at 8:30 p.m. wondering what you can eat with the least amount of effort. And then comes the guilt. The week started with the best intentions. Cook at home. Get enough protein. Hit your macros. Stay on track. But once life starts life-ing, nutrition can feel like the first thing slipping through the cracks. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we are talking about how to eat well when life feels completely chaotic. Not with a perfect Sunday reset or a fridge full of matching containers, but with simple, realistic habits that can help eating well feel possible in the middle of your actual life. What's Discussed: How to stop planning meals for a week you are not actually having The "I have no time" meals every busy woman needs in her back pocket Why protein can make meal decisions feel so much easier How convenience foods can actually help you stay consistent Where to keep high-protein grab-and-go options so they are there when you need them Why repeating meals during busy weeks can be a lifesaver Why nutrition may need to look different in different seasons of life When life is chaotic, movement does not need to be another thing you have to figure out. Inside the Movement With Julie app, you get five brand-new workouts every week so you never have to waste time piecing together a routine on your own. Open the app, press play, and let me take care of the programming for you. Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started. If you loved this episode, you will also love Episode 357: 7 Ways to Simplify Your Weekly Meal Planning. It is the perfect next listen if you want to keep making nutrition feel doable in your real life, not just in your most organized weeks. If you want more from me, be sure to check out… Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/ Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/ Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

This one is for the woman who feels like she is doing everything "right" and still feels stuck. The workouts are happening. The calories are being watched. Portions are smaller. Dessert is skipped. The discipline is there. And somehow, energy feels low, cravings feel louder, workouts feel harder, and progress still feels like it is not moving. So the next thought is usually, "I just need to be stricter." But girl, what if eating less is not what your body needs right now? In this bonus episode of Embrace Your Real, we are talking about why eating more might actually be the answer, especially if your body has been running on too little for too long. This conversation is not about eating everything overnight or ignoring your goals. It is about learning how to fuel your body in a way that helps it feel strong, safe, supported, and ready to respond again. What's Discussed: Why eating less is not always the next best move How under-fueling can show up in your energy, cravings, workouts, and recovery Why consistency can feel harder when your body is not properly fueled What a reverse diet can help you do after eating low calories for too long Why protein is one of the simplest places to start If this episode made you realize you are tired of guessing what your body actually needs, Macro Counting Made Simple is the best place to start. Inside, I teach you how to calculate your unique macros based on your body and your goals, so you are not pulling random numbers from the internet or trying to figure it out alone. Head to macrocountingmadesimple.com to learn more. If you loved this episode, you will also love Episode 549: Everyone's Talking About Reverse Dieting, But Do You Actually Need One? It is the perfect next listen if this episode got your wheels turning about reverse dieting and how to do it the right way. If you want more from me, be sure to check out… Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/ Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/ Website: www.juliealedbetter.com