gallon a day

On a Mission to Empower Women into Fitness

Posted on February 27, 2018 by LetlerFit

Yesterday, I received a DM from a man on instagram who was offended that my bio stated on a mission to because he thinks my mission should be to empower both men and women. This inspired today’s post.

I was a little take back after I read the DM mostly because usually I get X rated unsolicited DM’s from thirsty, desperate men. This is definitely the first time I ever “offended” a male follower.

My mission is and always will be to empower women into fitness. Why? I am a woman, I enjoy working with women, and I am so over being sexualized (when my IG Feed is PG) by men. Why would I want to empower the gender that for the most part leaves my in disgust on IG by what gets sent to me, said to me, etc. In the past I have had several issues with men wanting to get coached by me and in the end, decide to do whatever they want because why take coaching from a woman (this is not a generalization because it does not happen all of the time) and that just pisses me off.

I believe women should be sticking together instead of tearing each other down. I see far too many women criticizing other women online, but why? What do you accomplish from that? I also believe women are under far greater pressure to fit a certain look in order to be considered attractive. By empowering other women into fitness, my goal is to also feel empowered by the body they were given, and to focus on becoming the best version of themselves without wanting to look like someone else.

I am always looking for women who are on the same mission to join my team of LetlerFit ambassadors. If you vibe with female empowerment and fitness I would LOVE to have you join the team!

Email me! LetlerFit@gmail.com subject line: Empowered Ambassador

Learn more about the best online fitness program which includes comprehensive programs focused on shifting towards healthier eating habits, staying fit, and building a better booty. You’ll also find a variety of fitness apparel to help get you that extra motivation to take your goals to another level. Contact me today to learn more about the best fitness programs available to get your body in gear.

LetlerFit Black Friday is HERE!

Posted on November 24, 2017November 24, 2017 by LetlerFit

Our favorite holiday shopping day is HERE and we are not disappointing! Have you had your eye on any of our leggings, shorts, capris, or tanks? Today only, 50% off on all apparel! Here’s what that looks like:

Leggings: were $64.99, NOW $32.49
Capris: were $54.99, NOW $27.49
Shorts: were $44.99, NOW $22.49
Tanks: were $24.99, NOW $12.49

Have any questions about sizing? feel free to leave a comment or e-mail LetlerFit@gmail.com! Ends TONIGHT 11/24/17 at 11:59PM EST

Code: BLACKFRIDAY

Shop NOW!

10 Simple Diet Mistakes that make your Calorie Counting to be far Less Effective

Posted on November 21, 2017 by LetlerFit

Mistake #1: Calories are not created equally. 200 calories in chocolate is not nearly as dense as 200 calories in a colorful salad with protein. We need more good quality calories that bad quality calories in order to lose weight
Mistake #2: You are forgetting about macronutrients. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins make up calories. Carbs and protein yield 4 calories per gram while fats yield 9 calories per gram. The goal is to eat the correct amount of each eating 1400 calories out of your 1800 calorie day in just one macronutrient is not good. Each macronutrient has a purpose and requirement in our body.
Mistake #3: You are forgetting about Micronutrients. While a donut does contain carbs, fat, and protein (usually 1-2g), the calories are empty. When you consume food the goal is to look at food and think “What kind of energy is this going to give me? and what kinds of vitamins and minerals will it give me?” Vitamins and Minerals are equally as important as macronutrients….the good news is they do NOT directly add to the calorie count.
Mistake #4: Consuming too many calories. Trying to lose weight? At the end of the day weight loss is having less calories in versus calories out. Meaning we need to eat less than what our body burns in activities each day.
Mistake #5: Not consuming enough calories. Trying to gain weight? You need to be consuming more than what your body burns in activities each day.
Mistake #6: Most people do not know how many calories they should even be consuming. Advice: My fitness pal does a decent job at giving you calorie needs based on goals and activity.
Mistake #7: Overestimating calories burned while exercising. The calories the machine tells you, is wayyyyyyyy more than reality because it goes off of the machines RPM and not your body’s work.
Mistake #8: Assuming all lasagna at a restaurant is the same. Luckily most restaurants are registered with my fitness pal and give you calorie, macronutrient, and micronutrient breakdown. However, when a food from a menu does not pop up, it’s hard to find an exact match as recipe and portion size really make a difference.
Mistake #9: No Plan. Meal prepping is a must!! I know my entire week’s menu before it has even started…helps me stay focused and organized. Plus i control what goes into my food and then it becomes easier to track if need be.
Mistake #10: Drinking calories. Most people have no necessity for juices. Skip the liquid calories and go for water!

4 Ways to Keep Yourself Motivated To Workout

Posted on November 2, 2017 by LetlerFit

Working out is hard! Feeling sore, sweaty, and smelly is not in the least bit glamorous. At the end of the day a workout is typically 60 minutes or less out of your 24 hour day, so there’s really no reason you can’t set aside 3-5x a week where you make yourself and your goals a priority. Here are 4 ways that I stay motivated, ways that work for ME and hopefully can work for YOU!

I do what I like. For example I HATE running, I HATE low intensity steady state cardio, I am not a major fan of yoga for myself. Keep in mind I am not saying none of those have their benefits, because they do. I just hate doing them for myself so instead I stick to what I love, weight training, interval training, and circuits. You are more inclined to make what you enjoy a priority.
This next method is a little vane, but it works in the short term. I buy an article of clothing that wearing it would require me to stay consistent in order to make the clothes/outfit look better. It’s a great tactic to get me through those short term bouts of feeling lazy. But you do need to hang it somewhere you will be constantly reminded.
I don’t just set weight goals. Sometimes the scale is not an accurate results provider, so instead I’ll make a goal like “I want to get my waist down to 27in” or “I want to gain 2in on my glutes” or less vane goals like “I want to get my squat back up to double body weight” “I want to be able to hit _____ rounds in this circuit” This way we aren’t just fixated on the number
Lastly, I am very much motivated by the fact that I am one of the first in my family to really make health and fitness a consistent part of their lifestyle. I want to continue to do so because many before me let themselves go for a bit and are now scrambling to get it together. I want to physically set the example for what a consistent health and fitness lifestyle during your 20s, 30s, 40s, and so on will do for you as you age.

Get LetlerFit the Personalized Way

Posted on October 10, 2017 by LetlerFit

With the launch of the NEW LetlerFit.com I now officially publicly advertise my customized online training.

If you read yesterday’s blog post you know that I touched on the major differences between my e-book guides and personal training.

If you can check off any of the following I definitely recommend my online personal training:

Have any mobility limitations from past or current injuries
Have any diagnosed medical condition
Have specific goals
Want a training program that is 100% customized for your body and fitness level (everyone is different!)
want guidance and accountability

All of my clients begin with my online Needs Analysis (i’ll be touching up on this tomorrow). What may differ between one client and the next are the different packages available:

Just the program: This is for someone who has a good idea about how to perform the exercises and wants a program to cater to them and any specific goals or needs, but also does not want the coaching or accountability
Weekly Check Ins: Your program will come with a 60 minute weekly check in to go over any questions, video critiques of you performing your exercises, etc.
Unlimited Coaching: This is for the person that wants full access to me during the month of training to ask questions, record and send videos to, while still getting a personalized program

Are you ready to get LetlerFit? Fill out my Questionnaire and I will get back to you ASAP

5 Bizarre Sounding Fitness Facts That Are Actually True

Posted on October 4, 2017October 4, 2017 by LetlerFit

Want to fit into a smaller pant size? Lift heavier weight. If you are overweight, shift your focus to gaining muscle and losing fat by spending more time with dumbbells and barbless and a little less time on the elliptical. Muscle takes up less space than fat, but is more dense than fat so weight loss may not always reflect on the scale, but yes on the pant sizes!
Want to lose weight? Eat More: Consuming 1200 calories in donuts and empty calories will yield different results compared to 1400 calories rich in whole food, fruits, and vegetables. (hint: you will lose more consuming 1400 calories in whole foods)
Want to lose the bloat? Drink more water! You’d think that more water would mean more water weight. But not always! Water can stimulate the release of excess water retention and can also help alleviate any bloating by helping your body actually use the restroom (water stimulates bowel movement).
Exercise if you are tired: If you are exhausted it may be a good idea to bring down intensity, but it is still important as exercise energizes.
Not drinking diet soda will help you lose weight: Research has actually shown that individuals who consume diet soda end up eating more calories daily! Swap your diet sodas, regular sodas, and sugar filled juices for water

8 Things That You Should Be Teaching Your Children About Nutrition

Posted on September 26, 2017 by LetlerFit

While I do not currently have kids, I work with a lot of parents and I observe a lot of parents and what they teach their children about nutrition. Before I begin, I get a lot of heat from people whenever I opine about pregnancy, infant nutrition, adolescent health and fitness. The same way your male Dr. does not need to know what it feels like to be pregnant in order to help guide you through a healthy pregnancy, an exercise physiologist with an extensive back ground in academic nutrition (not jo shmo nutrition blogs) can help you establish healthy habits for you and your family. There are 2 critical periods for when children establish the number and size of the adipocyte tissue (aka our fat tissue) in infancy and in adolescence. The goal as a parent should be to do your best to keep the fat cell size to as small as possible and fat cell number to as little as possible. Here are 8 things parents should be doing in order to help set their children up for health success! These are not my opinion, they are all backed by the sciences.

In infancy, stick to infant ONLY foods! No need to sneak an infant soda, friend food, lasagna, or processed sugar before 12 months! While it may seem like they can handle it, inside their body react adversely
In infancy, if you’re a parent who gives your baby anything that is not labeled for infants because you want to or that’s “how you grew up” (only science is now realizing the way you grew up has lead to a ridiculously obese population), please do NOT give your baby anything that has honey or corn syrup in it. I see it all of the time and a little piece of my soul dies because you are potentially exposing your baby to something called botulism. Botulism is a death sentence, if they contract it from honey or any food that has corn syrup because their organism cannot fight it off.
Go as long as you can (goal 12 months) if you are able to breast feed. Make the sacrifice because the immunological, health, cognitive, you name it benefits far surpass the benefits of formula. Understand that formula is a first world commodity. In 3rd world countries it’s either you breast feed or the baby unfortunately passes. Formula is meant to keep your baby nourished enough to where infant death is not an issue in case breast feeding does not happen.
Moving away from infancy and into childhood, one of the biggest mistakes parents make, especially those in the hispanic community (It’s the anthropological studies saying it, not me!) is impose the “clear your plate” mentality. We have something in our brains called the hypothalamus and it lets us know when we are hungry and when we are full. The beautiful thing about children (and babies too) is that they have not fried it the way most adults do. Meaning, their brain still tells them when they should stop eating before they get to a place of over eating. The clear your plate mentality breeds obesity. If your child doesn’t want to eat anymore, don’t force them to eat twice as much as they want. Trust me, they won’t die of starvation.
Don’t make dessert something they can have only if they eat their vegetables. Find a way to make them enjoy their veggies without bribing them. If they eat their veggies every day that would mean they get dessert everyday.
Which, brings me to my next point, junk foods, processed sugars, fried foods, sodas, etc. are not foods we should keep at our children’s reach all of the time. They do not know what nutrient density is, they only know that those foods taste yummier so without realizing it you are allowing them to build poor habits when you aren’t around. In my house we bring ZERO of the aforementioned and I plan to keep it that way when we have kids. We do this so that when we go out, it’s OKAY to have a fried shrimp or lava cake because it’s something that we do not eat every day at our home.
This leads me to point number seven. Teach kids about balance! I’m not by any means saying forever forbid your kids from eating junk food. What I am saying is make junk food 15-20% of their overall diet. Fill the rest with a plethora of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, non-antiobiotic/steroid packed protein sources, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Growing up chips and sodas were something my mom would save for when friends came over, the few times we went out to eat, or for the holidays. I personally, love this approach because what do all of those events have in common? They happen in a minority, meaning the majority of the time you are nourishing your child.
Try to pack your child’s lunch. It’s a great way of controlling what goes in to fuel their bodies and NEVER let them skip breakfast! Myplate.gov has killer tools and articles to help you choose healthy lunches. These plates also from mygov are GREAT to help YOU as a parent portion out each food group while teaching them at the same time what their plate should look like.
Bonus: Try to teach them how to make healthy choices and why it’s important. If you are clueless, find a health professional who CAN! When you understand why something needs to be done it’s easier to do it.

6 Factors That Affect The Effectiveness Of Any Workout

Posted on September 19, 2017 by LetlerFit

So many people think creating an exercise is just slapping exercises, reps, intervals, rest time, etc. together and it’s gold. Except that mentality is completely false…believe it or not there is a science to creating an effective workout. Here are my 6 simplified (emphasis on simplified) factors that affect the effectiveness of your workout.

Work:Rest Ratio: This ratio basically means the amount of time you are performing an exercises compared to the amount of time needed to recover correctly from the exercise during a workout. Did you know that when we exercise it triggers our body’s energy systems? For the purpose of keeping this blog simple I will be grouping ATP with our Phosphocreatine system, even though they are technically separate depending on training factors. So anyways we have our ATP-PC system which is any activity lasting up to 15 seconds, we have our anaerobic system which is activity lasting up to 90 seconds, and our aerobic system lasting greater than 90 seconds. Now, did you know that the correct rest interval is one of the MOST important factors of a workout? But how do you know how long you should rest? To start, look at the dominant energy system working based on how long your bout of exercise is. Typical recovery for the ATP-PC system is anywhere from 30-50 seconds, for our anaerobic system is 1-3 minutes, and for our aerobic system it is typically a 1:1 ratio. Again, this is a very basic run down, but I hope it helps to open up your eyes to one of the biggest mistakes people make in the gym without knowing it is one of the worst mistakes.
Muscle Groups: Ever had an instatrainer give you HEAVY deadlifts at the very end of you workout? Well, fire them! Again, exercise is not just “let me slap sh** together.” There is a method to the madness, that sadly only a handful of trainers these days understand. Again, for the sake of keeping it simple you work the larger muscle groups in compound exercises first and progress towards the unilateral exercises, isolation exercises, and smaller muscle group exercises. Meaning Squats, Deadlifts, and Bench press go first on your weight training days and THEN you add your lunges, romanian deadlifts, hamstring curls, push ups, bicep curls, etc.
Hydration: Dehydration can cause muscles to cramp, fainting, poor muscle recovery post workout, and more disaster. Before any exercise, especially in hot/humid environments it is crucial that you are well hydrated before, during, and after! Drink roughly 2-3c 1-2 hours before exercise, roughly 1c during, and 2-3c after your workout on top of your regular non exercise related hydration.
Rest: Rest days are vital! They allow your muscles to repair and grow! Overdoing exercise can put your body in a catabolic state (your body takes energy from muscles…thereby breaking muscle down). Even elite athletes get rest days! For the average person I recommend tops 3 days back to back of exercise before taking a 1 day rest.
Pre-Workout Fuel: If you don’t properly fuel up for you workout, how can you expect your body to have the proper energy it needs to perform the workout? Before a workout if you eat 2 hours to 90 minutes before have a solid healthy meal with protein, whole grains, and a healthy fat. If you can’t eat something until 60-30 minutes before your workout have something light! Like a peanut butter sandwich, a banana with peanut butter, etc. But having a carb and protein source is crucial!
Post Workout Fuel: Did you know exercise causes stress on the body? A stress our body is well equipped to recover from as long as it gets the energy it needs post workout to carry out its recovery process. If you are like me and cannot stomach a hardy meal post workout I drink a post workout shake. The important feature to my shake is it is NOT just protein. It also contains fast digesting carbohydrates. Many protein shakes on the market fail miserable because they offer less than 5 grams of carbohydrates post workout…when carbs are more important than the protein (both still important though!) The average person can refuel just fine with a 1:1 ration of protein and carbs, while a more advanced gym goer benefits from 1:2 protein and carb ratio…again this is the simplified rule of thumb….calculating based on body weight and exercise type can be a pain for someone who does not know how.

Hopefully this helps you tweak your current routine, even if it is a basic switch….leave the complicated applications to the knowledgeable trainers, coaches, etc. For the average gym goer do your best with the basic run down!

Not sure where to start and want a real fitness professional to guide you? Let me be your coach! fill out my starter questionnaire: here

8 Exercises To Ease You Into Working Out

Posted on September 13, 2017September 13, 2017 by LetlerFit

Trying to go from couch potato to somewhat of an active person? Assuming you have no injuries that may limit your capabilities to perform the following exercises. Here are 8 basic exercises that are GREAT for beginners!

Bench Squats: Like a regular squat except you sit on a bench before coming back off. It helps minimize a lot of the common errors people do not realize when they are performing a Squat off the bench. You can add weight to a bench squat for increased difficulty.
Reverse Lunges: The reason I start everyone off with Reverse Lunges versus Forward lunges is because your knee is at a decreased risk of injury even if done incorrectly.
Lateral Lunges: Lateral Lunges are great for strengthening your postural muscle, the transverse abdominus, as well as all three muscles in your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and soleus.

4. Bicep Curls: Simple and very difficult to mess up

5. Military Press: Military Press target your upper pectoral muscles, deltoids, middle and lower trapezius, and your triceps

6. Walking: A great Beginner’s Cardio

7. Lateral Raise

8. Plank

8 Common Misconceptions about Exercise

Posted on August 19, 2017 by LetlerFit

Lifting Heavy Weights as a Woman will Bulk You Up: I promise you, you will get a lot more done with 15 pound dumbbells compared to 2 pound dumbbells. As a whole our bodies do not have enough testosterone to create that bulky appearance. The way our muscles look has a lot to do with how we eat, how we exercise, and our genetic predisposition. I’ll also let you in on a little secret, most of those “bulky” “manly” looking women that scare non weight lifting women into training with weights use steroids. But I’ll just leave it as that as it’s a touchy subject.
I Don’t Want to Lose Weight: Guess what? You should be working out for LIFE! Life is demanding and if you’re unfit you have a higher probability of aches and pains as you age and injuries from simple daily tasks. No one wants to be the person known for throwing out there back trying to move a chair…it happens…I see it all the time! Usually in those who live a sedentary life. Our heart, lungs, EVERYTHING benefits from exercise.
No Pain No Gain: For the general fitness goer you really shouldn’t get passed a moderate level of soreness. If you are so sore it severely impairs your ability to carry out regular activity you may not be sore? Felt a sharp shooting pain during your workout, maybe you should stop and make sure you didn’t pull/strain/injure anything…DO NOT keep going. ESPECIALLY if the pain persists.
You Have to Be In the Gym for hours on End: FALSE! For the average gym goer MAX 60 minutes for warm up workout and cool down. As little as a properly thought out 14 minute workout science has now found can be beneficial when done right! It’s about QUALITY not QUANTITY.
When you Stop all your muscle become Fat again: That’s like saying when you stop eating an apple it turns into an orange. One cannot become the other. If you stop exercising for a period of time your muscle shrinks (atrophies).
Ab Exercises will Give You a 6 Pack: Everyone has a 6 pack, but because of genetics some people have to be more strict about their diet and cardio regimen to see it! For some it is easier than others, but we all have them other wise we’d be flopped over (our abs help keep us uprite). Ab exercises actually contribute to a minimum when you compare ab exercises to diet in their relevance to obtaining a 6 pack.
You can do the same thing every day and get Results: FALSE your body adapts. And QUICKLY! Changing things up is how you will see better results over a long period of time.
The Machine says I burned 300 Calories: The machine and what you actually burned are different as calories burned is different for everyone due to mass, metabolism, etc. What the machine calculates it’s is own RPM (rotations per minute) not your actual energy output.