What Is a Deload Week and Why You Need One

Today's episode is here to help you breathe a little easier. If the scale has shifted or your clothes feel different after the holidays, it can bring up worry or pressure. But your body responds to changes in sleep, stress, meals, travel, and routines, and that response is normal. This episode gives you five simple reminders that bring everything back into perspective so you can move into your week feeling calm, supported, and confident again. Inside this episode, you will learn: • Why most weight fluctuations are water, not fat • How many calories it actually takes to gain one pound of body fat • Why one meal or weekend cannot undo months of consistency • How hormones, digestion, sodium, soreness, and sleep impact the scale • Why your body naturally settles again when your routines return • The habits that help your body feel steady and supported If you want a routine that helps you stay consistent without all-or-nothing thinking, the Movement With Julie app gives you balanced, structured workouts you can follow week after week without guesswork. And if you want to learn how to fuel your body in a way that feels sustainable and supportive, Macro Counting Made Simple walks you through the exact approach I teach to help you feel confident with your nutrition. If this episode encouraged you, you might also enjoy: Episode 148: So You've Gained Weight… Now What? 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  

Today's episode is a look back at the lessons that shaped me this year. 2025 stretched me, softened me, and taught me so much about motherhood, faith, strength, and what it means to care for my body in a season that looked nothing like the old rhythm I was used to. If this year felt messy, refining, or slower than you expected, this conversation will remind you that every season has purpose and every step counts. Whether you're rebuilding routines, learning to trust your body again, navigating motherhood, or stepping into a new chapter, these 25 lessons are shared to encourage you, ground you, and help you see how much growth is happening beneath the surface. Here's what you will learn: • Why quiet seasons can be the most transformative • How slowing down strengthens your body and mind • The power of fueling your body with intention • How faith, rest, and boundaries support your growth • Why small steps and evolving goals still move you forward • Ways to honor your body in every season • What truly sustains consistency when motivation fades This episode is your reminder that you're not behind and nothing about your journey needs to look perfect to be meaningful. You are growing in more ways than you realize, and it deserves to be celebrated. If you loved this episode, you may also enjoy: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your New Year's Resolution 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  

Today's episode is for the woman who has been training hard but feeling more tired than strong. If your workouts suddenly feel heavier, your motivation is dipping, or you're waking up tired even after rest, your body may be asking for a reset. A deload week is a simple, strategic way to support long-term progress without losing momentum. If you've been pushing through fatigue, feeling unusually sore, or wondering why your strength has stalled, this episode will help you understand the signs your body is giving you and how to build a deload week that leaves you feeling recharged and ready to lift again. Here's what you will learn: • What a deload week actually is • Why recovery is where real progress happens • The biggest signs your body needs a reset • How deload weeks prevent burnout and plateaus • Different ways to structure a deload depending on your training style • How lighter loads, fewer sets, or lower frequency support your nervous system • How deloads strengthen your foundations and help you return stronger • How often you should take one based on your training • Why slowing down at the right time improves your long-term results This episode is your reminder that rest is not losing progress. It is how your body rebuilds, adapts, and supports the work you put in week after week. If you loved this episode, you may also enjoy: How to Skip a Week of Workouts Without Messing Up Your Results 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  

Today's episode is all about one of the most misunderstood topics in women's health and fitness: your metabolism. If you've ever felt like your body has "slowed down," or you've wondered why your progress has stalled no matter how clean you eat or how hard you train, this conversation will bring so much clarity. Your metabolism isn't broken. It's adaptable, responsive, and directly shaped by how you fuel, train, move, and recover. If you've been frustrated by plateaus, confused by mixed messages online, or stuck believing your best years are behind you, this episode walks you through the seven biggest metabolism myths holding women back. You'll learn what actually influences your metabolism and the simple, sustainable habits that help it work with you instead of against you. Here's what you will learn: • Why your metabolism isn't "broken" even if you feel stuck • What actually causes metabolic slowdowns • How dieting and under-eating impact metabolic adaptation • Why rest and recovery support a stronger metabolism • The role muscle plays in daily energy burn • What actually boosts your metabolism long-term • How to build habits that support a responsive, efficient metabolism This episode is your reminder that you're not stuck and nothing is wrong with your body. When you lift consistently, fuel intentionally, rest when you need to, and support your stress, your metabolism becomes stronger and more resilient at any age. If you loved this episode, you may also enjoy: Everyone's Talking About Reverse Dieting — But Do You Actually Need One?   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  

Today we're diving into something that a lot of us feel but don't always catch in the moment: Burnout.    Not the regular kind of tired where a good night's sleep fixes it. The deep, lingering exhaustion that follows you into the next day, the next workout, the next conversation.   Sometimes, the next level of your results won't come from pushing harder. It'll come from slowing down, refueling, and reminding your body that it's safe to grow again. This season, especially through the holidays, I challenge you to nourish your body instead of punish it.   What I Discuss in This Episode How burnout disrupts your hormones, recovery, metabolism, and overall progress — even when you're "doing everything right." The real signs you're burnt out. Why rest isn't optional — and how slowing down, nourishing your body, and reducing stress can actually accelerate your results. Practical ways to support your nervous system during busy seasons so your energy, motivation, and performance return sustainably. If you loved this episode, you might also like episode 413: The Importance of a Rest Day: Don't Let Overexercising Ruin Your Progress   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 Get my eBook: FREE Macro Counting Ebook Amazon Storefront: Julie Ledbetter's Amazon Page

Today's episode is all about a tool that so many women overlook but absolutely shouldn't. If you've ever wondered whether resistance bands are actually effective, if they can help you build strength, or if they're worth using when you don't have a full gym setup, this episode is going to give you the clarity and confidence you've been craving. If you've felt limited by your equipment, unsure if you're doing movements correctly, or worried that bands won't deliver real results, this episode will show you why that's just not the case. Resistance bands are one of the most budget-friendly, portable, joint-friendly, and genuinely effective tools you can use, especially if you want to build lean muscle from anywhere. Here's what you will learn: Why your body responds to tension, not equipment price tags Why band resistance increases through the movement and how that boosts muscle growth The science showing bands can build strength just as well as dumbbells How bands improve stability, balance, and joint support Why bands are perfect for travel, home workouts, and postpartum seasons The five techniques that make band training more effective The most common mistakes that keep people from seeing progress How to apply progressive overload using nothing but bands Why intention, tempo, and form matter more than anything else This episode is your reminder that you don't need a full gym to make real progress. When you focus on tension, control, and consistency, your muscles respond — whether you're training with iron or a single twenty-dollar resistance band. If you loved this episode, you may also enjoy: 4 Essentials for Crushing Workouts at Home 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

Today's episode is a little different, and honestly, one that feels really special to share. As much as I love talking about movement, nutrition, and mindset, I also know that true peace and gratitude come from something deeper. And with Thanksgiving here, I wanted to share the five Bible verses that have grounded me most this year. These verses have helped me slow down, breathe, and stay connected to what truly matters, even when life feels full or overwhelming. If you've felt stretched thin, distracted, or anxious heading into this season, this episode will give you a soft place to land. Here is what you will learn: How to invite more calm and presence into your day The deeper meaning behind gratitude and why it strengthens your heart A simple way to re-center your perspective when stress or heaviness shows up Five verses you can lean on when you need peace, grounding, or reassurance This episode is your reminder that peace is not something you have to chase. It is something you can return to, again and again, through stillness, prayer, and intentional gratitude. If you loved this episode, you may also enjoy: The Gratitude Effect: How Thankfulness Transforms Us   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

The holidays bring joy, connection, celebration, and memories. They also tend to bring stress, unpredictability, and that old tug-of-war between wanting to enjoy the moment and wanting to stay "on track." If you've ever gone into this season with good intentions, only to end up anxious, overwhelmed, or in the all-or-nothing spiral, this episode is for you. I want to help you walk into this season with confidence and peace. You don't have to choose between enjoying the holiday and honoring your goals. There is a middle ground, and it feels really good when you find it. Here is what you will learn: How slowing down can actually move your progress forward A realistic way to find balance without tracking every detail A healthier mindset around food during the holidays Why you never need to earn your rest, your meals, or your joy If you've been feeling pressure to be perfect or fear of losing the progress you worked so hard for, this episode will help you shift your mindset so you can enjoy this season fully while still feeling grounded in your body and your habits. If you loved this episode, you may also enjoy: "OOPS I Ate Too Much": Here's the Holiday Mindset You Need 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

The holidays can bring so much joy, and they can also stir up body image thoughts that steal your peace. Photos, family comments, richer foods, and a disrupted routine can make you hyper-aware of how you look instead of helping you live the moments in front of you. In this episode, I am sharing four reminders that helped me shift from controlling my body to caring for it. These are the truths I come back to when the season feels loud and I want to move through it with more freedom, grace, and confidence. Here is what you will learn: The simple lens I use to remember what actually makes life feel meaningful How I define my "perfect weight" in a way that supports real life A kinder way to relate to the mirror so you can be present again Why chasing smaller often shrinks your life and what to choose instead A grounding practice to reconnect with your body when comparison shows up If this conversation meets you at the right time, let it be permission to live the season you are in with softness and self-respect. If you loved this episode, you will also enjoy: 5 Body Image Tips That Will Change the Game  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

The holidays are a beautiful season, but they can also be a season where your routine gets stretched. Travel, family gatherings, different foods, colder weather, unpredictable schedules. All of it can make consistency feel harder than usual. And if you've ever felt that tension between wanting to enjoy the moment and wanting to protect your progress, you are so not alone. In this episode, I am answering real questions from the Movement with Julie community about how to stay consistent through the holidays without guilt, pressure, or all-or-nothing thinking. We are talking about breaks, travel, motivation, rest, and how to stay anchored when your routine looks different. Here is what you will learn: How much progress you actually lose during time off What my personal bare-minimum workout routine looks like in busy seasons The mindset that keeps consistency alive when motivation is low The difference between discipline and self-pressure How I decide when to rest and when to push What to do after an off week so you do not get stuck in the spiral How to stay present with your family while still caring for yourself If you want to enjoy the holidays fully and still feel strong, steady, and confident in your body, this conversation will give you the reassurance and structure you need. If you loved this episode, you may also enjoy: Episode 395: How to Enjoy the Holidays and Stick to Your Fitness Goals at the Same Time 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