84. Should You Reverse Diet… or Keep Trying to Lose Fat?

For years, I approached the holidays with a "last supper" mentality—eat everything now because January meant getting back on track. These days, I do things very differently. In this episode, we're talking about intentional maintenance and why taking the pressure off fat loss doesn't mean abandoning your goals. We'll cover: The difference between maintenance and saying "screw it until January"  The simple non-negotiables I use during the holidays  How I decide which holiday foods are actually "worth it"  Why one indulgent meal doesn't require restriction or punishment afterward  How to handle holiday scale fluctuations without panicking  Why maintaining your progress through the holidays is a win  You don't have to choose between dieting through the holidays and saying "screw it" until January. There's a LOT of middle ground. And learning to live there might be the key to making your results last. ✨ Apply for 1:1 Nutrition Coaching: https://acenutrition.my.canva.site/ 💪 Shop My Virtual Strength Programs: https://coach.everfit.io/package/GK666496  👭 Join My Free ACE Nutrition Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACEnutrition  ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review and share it with a friend. It's one of the easiest ways to support the show and help more women find it.

Can you enjoy a glass of wine and still reach your goals? Yes. But alcohol affects your body in ways that go beyond the calories in your drink. In this episode, we're digging into what actually happens when you drink, and what that can mean for your metabolism, training, recovery, appetite, and body-composition goals. We'll cover: What your body prioritizes when alcohol enters the picture  Why alcohol calories can be confusing to track  How drinking can affect your food choices, workouts, and recovery  Why your weekend habits may matter more than you realize  How to enjoy alcohol intentionally without an all-or-nothing mindset  This isn't an episode telling you to give up your wine. 🍷 It's about understanding the tradeoffs so you can make choices that actually align with your goals. ✨ Apply for 1:1 Nutrition Coaching: https://acebarbell.com/nutrition-coaching/  💪 Virtual Strength Programs: https://coach.everfit.io/package/GK666496  👭 Join My Free ACE Nutrition Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACEnutrition  ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review and share it with a friend. It's one of the easiest ways to support the show and help more women find it.

Should you keep trying to lose fat? Or is it time to change your approach? Take my FREE 2-minute quiz, "Do You Need a Reverse Diet?" → TAKE THE QUIZ HERE You've been working hard to lose fat, but lately you're wondering if you should keep pushing or start eating more. Here's the thing: Just because you still have fat you want to lose doesn't necessarily mean you should keep dieting. In this episode, we're talking about why your next step isn't always another calorie deficit, why eating more can feel like going backward, and how to recognize when it might be time to rethink your approach. And here's something you might not expect: You may not actually need a reverse diet. Not sure where you stand? Take my free six-question quiz to get a personalized result and explore what might make sense for you next.   👉 TAKE THE FREE REVERSE DIET QUIZ  

If you're new to strength training, you have an advantage that experienced lifters would LOVE to have back: newbie gains. Your body is incredibly responsive to the new stimulus of lifting, making this one of the best opportunities you'll ever have to build muscle….and potentially lose body fat at the same time. The problem? A lot of women start lifting and immediately slash their calories because they're still laser-focused on making the scale smaller. I made that mistake myself. In this episode of The LEANbody Show, I'm talking about why newbie gains happen, how to actually take advantage of them, and why your nutrition matters more than you might think during this time. We'll also talk about why this window doesn't last forever, and what changes once you become a more experienced lifter. If you're new to lifting, don't be in such a hurry to lose weight that you miss the opportunity to build something. 💪🏼 Ready to stop winging your workouts? Check out my virtual strength programs here: https://coach.everfit.io/package/GK666496  🥯 Need help figuring out how to fuel your goals? Learn more about ACE Nutrition coaching here: https://acebarbell.com/  And if you know another woman who's new to strength training, send her this episode! 💪🏼

You know you should eat more protein. You know you should strength train. You know you should get your steps in. So why is actually doing those things consistently so damn hard? In this episode, we're going beyond calories and workouts and digging into the mental side of fat loss that doesn't get talked about enough. We'll cover: Why knowing what to do isn't the same as consistently doing it  The patterns behind self-sabotage and emotional eating  How all-or-nothing thinking keeps you stuck in the start-over cycle  Why expecting immediate results makes consistency so difficult  The mindset shift that can help you measure success differently  Because sometimes you don't need another diet, another macro target, or more nutrition information. You need to understand what keeps getting in the way of executing what you already know. ✨ Apply for 1:1 Nutrition Coaching: https://acebarbell.com/nutrition-coaching/  💪 Shop My Virtual Strength Programs: https://coach.everfit.io/package/GK666496  👭 Join My Free ACE Nutrition Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACEnutrition  ⭐️ If this episode hit home, share it with a friend who needs to hear it and leave a rating or review to help more women find the show.

You're making progress, getting stronger, and doing everything "right"… Then the scale jumps, you feel a little fluffy, and suddenly you're tempted to cut calories. In this episode, I'm answering a listener's question about body recomposition, rising body-fat percentages, and what may really be happening when the numbers move in the wrong direction. We'll talk about why a higher body-fat percentage doesn't always mean you gained fat, how overcorrecting can work against your goals, and what to consider before changing your plan. If one uncomfortable week has ever made you question months of progress, this episode is for you.   ✨ Nutrition Coaching: https://acebarbell.com/nutrition-coaching/  💪 Virtual Strength Programs: https://coach.everfit.io/package/GK666496 👭 Join my free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACEnutrition

The scale has stopped moving… Does that mean your plan has stopped working? Not necessarily. In this episode, I explain why weight loss plateaus are a completely normal part of the fat loss process, what's actually happening inside your body, and how to know when it's time to stay the course versus make an adjustment. Here's what we cover: Why weight loss plateaus are a normal part of physiology  What metabolic adaptation actually is (in plain English)  The biggest mistake women make when the scale stops moving  How to tell the difference between a true plateau and normal weight fluctuations  Why consistency is the key to breaking through  If you've ever felt discouraged because your progress slowed down, this episode will help you stop panicking and start making smarter decisions. Perimenopause Playbook: https://coach.everfit.io/package/TZ037762  ✨ Apply for 1:1 Coaching: https://acebarbell.com/nutrition-coaching/ 📲 Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellielargay/ ⭐️ If this episode helped you, please leave a 5-star review and share it with a friend or on your social media. Your support helps the podcast reach more women who are ready to stop chasing quick fixes and start building habits that actually last.

Your body can adapt to almost anything….but it can't prioritize everything at once. In this episode, I break down what happens when you ask your body to chase competing goals, and why trying to maximize fat loss, performance, and muscle building all at the same time often leads to frustration. Here's what's covered:  Why fat loss and performance require different nutritional strategies  What to expect when you're in a calorie deficit  Why trying to chase every goal at once often leads to frustration  The power of working in phases—and how we use this approach inside ACE Nutrition  If you're tired of working hard without seeing the results you expected, this episode will help you understand what to prioritize, when to prioritize it, and why clarity is the key to making progress. ✨ Apply for 1:1 Coaching: https://acebarbell.com/nutrition-coaching/  💪 Shop My Fitness Programs: https://acebarbell.com/shop/  📲 Connect with Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellielargay/  ⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review and share it with a friend or on your social media page. Your support helps the podcast reach more women who are ready to stop guessing and start eating & training with purpose.

You know strength training is important... but where do you actually start? In this episode, I'm breaking down the simplest way to start lifting weights without overthinking it. I cover: • How often beginners should strength train • The most important exercises to focus on • Sets, reps, and workout structure • How to tell if you need to increase the weight • Machines vs. free weights • The biggest mistake that keeps women stuck 🎧 Listen now and start building strength with confidence. Want programs that tells you exactly what to do? 💪 Check out my beginner-friendly Studio Programs: https://coach.everfit.io/package/GK666496  Need help with your nutrition too? 🥗 Learn more about ACE Nutrition Coaching: https://acebarbell.com/nutrition-coaching/

Most people exercise for one reason: To burn calories. But in reality, that's one of least important things your workouts are doing for you. In this episode, we're talking about: Why exercise improves far more than just body composition How strength training helps build stress resilience The connection between muscle, metabolism, and blood sugar regulation Why active people are often healthier, stronger, and more resilient overall The long-term benefits of exercise that most women completely overlook This episode is a reminder that movement is not just about shrinking your body. It's about building a body, and a mind, that can support you for decades to come. If you've ever felt frustrated because exercise isn't creating rapid weight loss, this conversation will completely change the way you look at training. 🏋️‍♀️ Shop My Virtual Fitness Programs: https://coach.everfit.io/package/GK666496  📲 Connect With Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellielargay/  ⭐️ If you loved this episode, please leave a 5-star review and share it with a friend. It helps the podcast reach more women who need this information.