5 Fitness Rules Then vs. Now: What We Got Wrong and What Actually Works

 

Hey hey beautiful human!

Let me ask you something. Were you ever taught that more cardio means better results, soreness means your workout counts, eating less is the fastest way to change your body, pain means progress, or you need a gym to get a real workout?

If so, you are definitely not alone. A lot of us built our early fitness routines around these rules because they sounded disciplined, serious, and like the “right” way to get results. And when they did not work, we usually blamed ourselves instead of questioning the advice.

But here is the truth: some of the fitness rules we were handed were never actually helping us. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I’m breaking down five outdated fitness beliefs, what we now know actually works, and how letting go of these rules can help you train smarter, fuel better, recover well, and finally make progress that lasts.

What’s Discussed:

  • Why more cardio does not automatically lead to better body composition results

  • Why soreness is not the best way to measure whether a workout was effective

  • How under-eating can work against your metabolism, muscle, energy, and long-term progress

  • Why “no pain, no gain” can lead to injury, burnout, and inconsistent results

  • Why you do not need a gym to build real strength when you have a smart, progressive dumbbell plan

  • How to let go of the rules that keep you stuck and start focusing on what actually moves your body forward

Working hard without seeing the results match your effort usually means it is time to look at the rules behind your routine. This episode will help you spot the outdated fitness beliefs you may still be following and replace them with an approach that actually supports your body.

For a structured strength plan that takes the guesswork out of your workouts, the Movement With Julie app is there for you. You’ll get new workouts every week, how-to videos for every exercise, 30-minute and 60-minute options, and a plan you can follow at home or in the gym. Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started.

And if nutrition is where you feel stuck, Macro Counting Made Simple will help you understand how to fuel your body instead of constantly trying to eat less.

If you loved this episode, you’ll also love Episode 636: 5 Fitness Habits That Are Secretly Sabotaging Your Results. It is the perfect follow-up if you are ready to spot the habits that may be keeping you stuck and replace them with habits that actually support your goals. 

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

Transcript

(0:00) Hey there, beautiful human. You're listening to Embrace Your Real with me, Julie Ledbetter, (0:06) a podcast where I empower you to just be you. With each episode, I give you a dose of real (0:11) talk and actionable advice for building your confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally (0:16) loving your authentic self.

Stay tuned if you're ready to Embrace Your Real. Let's get in. Let's go.

(0:28) Hello, and welcome back to another episode on the Embrace Your Real podcast. I'm so grateful (0:33) that you're here today. Let me ask you something.

Do any of these sound familiar? I need to do more (0:37) cardio if I want to lose fat. If I'm not sore the next day, that workout didn't count or I didn't (0:42) push myself hard enough. I just need to eat less and push harder.

If I can't work out at a gym, (0:48) that's not a real workout. Working out at home is not a real workout. If you nodded along to any (0:53) of those, I get it.

This is what society has led us to believe. And honestly, they've spent (0:57) billions of dollars on propaganda to make us believe these things. And honestly, I believed (1:03) every single one of these for the longest time.

I built my early fitness habits around rules like (1:08) these, and I followed them hard. And for a long time, I thought the reason that I wasn't seeing (1:13) the results I wanted to was because I wasn't following them hard enough. But it turns out (1:17) that the rules were the problem.

Let me repeat that the rules I was following, they were (1:21) actually the problem. So today, we're going to be walking through five fitness beliefs that (1:25) a lot of us were handed growing up, what we now know actually works and why letting (1:30) go of outdated information is one of the most powerful things that you can do for your progress. (1:35) By the time that we're done, my hope is that you're going to leave this episode with a very (1:39) clear picture of what to keep, what to drop and a whole lot more confidence in the way that you're (1:44) already showing up in your fitness journey.

Before we dive in, though, I want to share this review, (1:48) she gave a five star review and said, No, seriously, thank you, girl, I have thanked the (1:52) good Lord above for this podcast. I am forever sharing episodes with my friends and family. (1:56) It keeps me on track, especially when I'm feeling like life is overwhelming.

It's a nice reminder (2:01) that we are human, but we can still get back on track. Thanks for all the wisdom encouragement (2:05) and guidance. It has been a game changer.

I love this so much. Thank you so much for (2:09) some foremost for listening and tuning in and also sharing it with your friends and family. (2:12) That's always my hope.

My prayer is that we can share this with more women. These podcasts are (2:17) completely free. No ads.

I just I want you to walk away feeling empowered, encouraged, (2:22) or just educated in some way, shape or form. Okay, so we're just going to dive right into (2:27) it and dive into the five fitness rules that you need to start breaking ASAP. (2:32) Rule number one, you need to start breaking is more cardio equals better results.

Okay, (2:37) I want to take you back. If you were anywhere near the fitness space in the early 2000s or (2:42) even 2010s area or era, or even just growing up, watching your mom or older women around you (2:49) approach their health, the message was almost always the same. Do more cardio, run more, (2:54) take the aerobics class, sweat as much as possible and as often as possible.

(2:58) I personally, in college, I live this, I breathe this, I stress over this. I spend hours, (3:02) hours on cardio equipment, especially I think back to the CSU gym. You guys, (3:07) I went to Colorado State University.

I spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours on those (3:13) cardio equipments in that gym. And I thought I was doing everything right. I was consistent.

(3:18) I was working hard and I genuinely believe that the more time doing cardio meant more results. (3:23) And when I wasn't seeing the changes that I wanted, my first instinct was to just always (3:27) add more. What I didn't understand then is that cardio is not the primary driver of (3:32) body composition change, right? When you keep adding more cardio without building muscle, (3:37) you might burn more calories in the moment, yes, but you are not giving your body this (3:41) signal that it needs to become stronger, more defined or more metabolically supported.

(3:45) So you can end up feeling exhausted, hungrier, harder to recover and just frustrated because (3:51) your body still does not look or feel the way that you want it to. And this is why if (3:55) your instinct is to do more, I would rather see you do more resistance training. Resistance (4:00) training is what is going to help you build and maintain muscle and muscle is what helps (4:05) you change your body composition.

It's going to support your metabolism, improve your strength, (4:09) protect your joints, give your body that lean, strong look that so many women are looking for. (4:14) So instead of asking how much more cardio should I add, I want you to ask yourself, (4:19) how can I get stronger this week? And this might mean lifting heavier, improving your form, (4:24) adding an extra strength day, or just being more consistent with the workouts already in your plan. (4:30) Yes, cardio can be part of that routine, but resistance training should be the foundation.

(4:35) This is because when you only focus on cardio, you might burn calories during the workout, (4:39) but you're not giving your body the stimulus that it needs to build and maintain muscle. (4:43) And over time, this can leave you feeling super frustrated because you are working hard, (4:48) you're sweating a lot, and you're not seeing the results or the definition that you want, right? (4:53) But strength training on the other hand, that's going to send a different message to your body. (4:57) Like we need this muscle.

We need to keep it. We need to build it. We need to make it stronger.

(5:01) So yes, you can keep the walks, the runs, the cycle, the bike rides, whatever cardio you enjoy. (5:06) But if you want real body composition change, strength training needs to be the foundation. (5:11) When you lift, you create those micro tears in your muscle tissue, (5:15) and your body repairs those tears and builds the muscle back stronger and denser than before.

(5:20) So over time, that muscle increases your resting metabolic rate, (5:24) meaning that your body burns more calories, even when you're not working out. (5:28) You're literally changing what your body does with energy at rest. (5:32) Cardio though, on the other hand, it doesn't do that.

(5:35) Cardio burns calories while you're doing it, but the moment that you stop, (5:38) the burn largely stops with it, right? There's no lasting metabolic shift (5:44) in the way that there is when you're building muscle. (5:47) And I want to be clear. I'm not saying cardio is bad.

(5:50) A walk, a bike ride, cycle, something that elevates your heart rate. (5:53) All of that has real value for your overall health and your mental wellbeing. (5:57) But if you have been spending the majority of your time doing cardio and wondering why (6:01) your body isn't changing the way that you want it to, this could be your answer.

(6:05) Shifting your focus towards consistent progressive (6:08) strength work is where the real results is going to live. (6:11) And that was one of the biggest turning points for me personally. (6:13) And I have seen it be a big turning point for thousands of women in my community as well.

(6:18) Number two, soreness equals a good workout. (6:20) I'm sure so many of us grew up treating soreness like a report card, right? (6:25) Like if you could barely walk downstairs the next day, like, (6:28) man, I crushed that workout yesterday. (6:30) If you feel totally fine, like, dang, I didn't get a good enough workout.

(6:34) I know that this belief runs so deep for so many of us, (6:38) but I completely understand why it feels logical. (6:40) Like you worked hard, your body hurts. (6:42) So obviously the workout worked, right? (6:44) Here's what's actually happening when you get sore.

(6:47) So muscle soreness usually happens because of these microscopic (6:50) muscle damage and inflammation after training. (6:53) Especially if you're doing something new, if you're increasing intensity, (6:56) you're adding more volume, you're focusing on slow, lowering movements. (7:00) That does not automatically mean that the workout was better though.

(7:03) It simply just means that your body was exposed to a stressor (7:07) that it is trying to repair and adapt to. (7:10) A good workout should challenge you, yes, (7:12) but it should not leave you completely wrecked for days. (7:16) Scientifically speaking, soreness is not the same thing as progress.

(7:19) Soreness, also known as delayed onset muscle soreness, (7:23) or DOMS, D-O-M-S, usually happens when your muscles experience a stress (7:27) that they're not fully adapted to. (7:29) And this can come from trying a new exercise, (7:31) increasing your weight, adding more sets, (7:34) changing your tempo, doing more reps, (7:36) emphasizing that lowering portion of the movement. (7:38) That soreness is often connected to the microscopic damage (7:41) in the muscle fibers and the inflammatory response (7:44) that your body creates while repairing them.

(7:46) And that might sound productive, (7:48) but here's the part that many women miss. (7:51) Muscle damage is only one small piece of the adaptation process. (7:55) It's not the goal.

(7:56) The goal of training is to not destroy your body (7:59) so you can barely move the next day. (8:00) The goal is to give your body enough stimulus that it adapts, (8:04) it rebuilds, and it gets stronger over time. (8:06) A good workout, yes, should challenge you.

(8:08) It should make you focus. (8:09) It should make you push yourself with good form, (8:11) but you do not need to be sore for days (8:13) to know that it was effective. (8:15) In fact, if you're chasing soreness every single workout, (8:18) you may actually be making it harder (8:21) for your body to actually get results (8:22) because when you are constantly sore, (8:25) your body is not recovering well.

(8:26) And recovery is really where the results actually happen. (8:29) Your workouts is the signal. (8:32) Just remember this, that your workout is the signal, (8:34) but recovery is where your muscles repair, (8:36) rebuild, and grow stronger.

(8:38) So if you're sore all the time, (8:40) your body might be trying to tell you something. (8:41) Like it might be saying you're doing too much volume, (8:44) you're doing and training too intensely, too often. (8:47) You're not eating enough to support your workouts.

(8:49) Maybe you're not getting enough protein or enough sleep, (8:52) or you're not giving specific muscle groups (8:54) enough time to recover in between the workouts. (8:57) You might just be over training (8:59) and under recovering altogether. (9:01) And I really want you to hear this.

(9:03) Being chronically sore is not a badge of honor. (9:06) If you are constantly walking (9:07) into your workouts already sore, (9:09) your performance is probably going to suffer. (9:11) You might not lift as heavy, you may not move as well.

(9:14) Your form might break down, your motivation might drop, (9:16) and your body might start feeling more inflamed, (9:19) tired stress instead of stronger. (9:21) That's not the goal. (9:22) A better way to measure a good workout (9:24) is to ask yourself, did I use good form? (9:26) Did I challenge myself appropriately? (9:29) Did I progressively overload over time (9:31) for a specific movement or the workout in general? (9:34) Did I feel strong and controlled? (9:36) Am I recovering enough to show up again consistently? (9:39) Or am I getting stronger over weeks and months? (9:41) Because that's what actually matters.

(9:43) You can have an incredibly effective workout (9:46) and feel little to no soreness the next day. (9:48) That does not mean that it did not work. (9:50) It actually means that your body's adapting well, (9:52) your programming makes sense, (9:54) and your recovery is supporting your training.

(9:55) So instead of chasing soreness, I want you to chase strength. (9:59) I want you to chase consistency. (10:00) I want you to chase better form.

(10:02) I want you to chase more reps with the same weight. (10:05) I want you to chase heavier weights when you're ready. (10:08) I want you to chase feeling energized enough (10:10) to keep showing up because the strongest version (10:12) of you is not built by wrecking your body every workout.

(10:15) It is built by training smart, (10:17) feeling well, recovering intentionally, (10:19) and trusting that the results will come (10:21) from consistency over time. (10:23) Number three, eating less is the fastest path to result. (10:27) This one might be the most widespread piece of bad advice (10:30) the fitness world has ever handed us, right? (10:33) Eat less, shrink your portions, cut the calories, (10:35) and if the scale isn't moving, just cut more.

(10:38) I personally follow that logic. (10:40) A lot of women I know follow that logic. (10:43) And the frustrating thing is that it feels (10:45) like it should work, right? (10:46) Basic math, less food in, less stored.

(10:48) But when you chronically under eat, (10:50) your body starts looking for ways (10:52) to conserve energy, and one of the biggest ways (10:54) that it does it is by slowing down your metabolism. (10:57) Your body becomes more efficient (10:58) with the calories that you give it, (11:00) which might sound like a good thing, (11:02) but when it comes to body composition, (11:03) it can leave you feeling completely stuck. (11:05) Now your body is burning fewer calories throughout the day.

(11:08) So what used to feel like eating normally (11:10) may suddenly feel like too much (11:12) because your metabolism has adapted downward. (11:15) And this is why so many women feel (11:16) like they have to keep cutting more and more (11:18) and more just to maintain where they are. (11:21) And here is the part that matters.

(11:23) A smaller body is not automatically a stronger body. (11:26) If you are not eating enough, (11:28) your body does not have the resources (11:29) it needs to build and maintain muscle. (11:32) And muscle is what's gonna give your body shape.

(11:34) Muscle is what creates that lean, that strong look, (11:38) and that muscle is what is going (11:40) to help support your metabolism long-term. (11:43) So when you are constantly under eating, (11:45) yes, you might lose weight at first, (11:47) but a lot of that weight can come from muscle, (11:49) not just fat. (11:50) That means that you end up smaller, but not stronger, (11:53) lighter, but not more defined.

(11:54) And metabolically, your body now might be working against you (11:58) because you have less muscle tissue helping you burn energy. (12:02) This is also why extreme restriction (12:04) often leads to weight gain, regain later, right? (12:07) Because your body has adapted to surviving on less, (12:10) but nobody can live forever on tiny portions, (12:13) random rules, or constant hunger. (12:15) Eventually, you're gonna start eating more again, (12:17) but now your metabolism might be slower.

(12:19) You have less muscle, and your body is primed (12:21) to store energy more easily (12:23) because it's been operating in conservation mode. (12:26) So the Eat Less strategy that was supposed (12:28) to help you get results can actually make it harder (12:31) for you to maintain those results, if that makes sense. (12:33) And this is why the goal should never be (12:35) to eat as little as possible.

(12:37) The goal is to eat in a way that supports your body (12:40) while you build strength. (12:41) You need enough protein to help maintain and build muscle. (12:44) You need enough overall fuel to train hard (12:47) to recover and give your body the signal (12:49) that it is safe not just to survive.

(12:52) If you want a leaner, stronger body, (12:54) your nutrition has to support muscle (12:56) because muscle changes your shape, (12:58) it supports your metabolism, (12:59) and it helps you create results (13:01) that actually is something that you can maintain long-term. (13:04) So instead of asking, how little can I eat, (13:06) I want you to start asking, (13:08) am I giving my body enough to build the body that I want? (13:11) And that's exactly why understanding your macros (13:14) matters so much because once you understand (13:16) what your body actually needs, (13:19) you stop trying to create results (13:20) by simply eating less and less, (13:22) and you start seeing food as fuel that has a job. (13:26) Protein helps you build and maintain muscle, (13:27) which is a huge part of creating that lean, strong look (13:30) and supporting your metabolism.

(13:32) Carbs, they're going to give you your body (13:34) the energy that it needs to train hard (13:35) and actually perform in your workouts. (13:38) Fat is going to support your hormones, (13:40) fullness, and just overall health. (13:42) So instead of blindly cutting calories (13:44) and hoping that your body changes, (13:46) you learn how to fuel in a way that supports your body (13:49) that you are trying to build.

(13:50) You stop guessing. (13:51) You stop feeling like eating more (13:53) means you're doing something wrong. (13:55) You stop shrinking your food down to the bare minimum (13:57) and start understanding how to eat with intention.

(14:00) So if this is something that you have struggled with, (14:03) this is exactly what my macro kind of made simple (14:05) online academy walks you through step by step. (14:08) I'll link it in the show notes if you want to check it out. (14:10) Number four, no pain, no gain.

(14:12) I want to be very careful here (14:14) because I think there's a version of this belief (14:17) that sounds tough and admirable, (14:19) and that's exactly why it's been hard (14:20) to let go of personally. (14:22) The idea that real progress requires suffering, (14:25) that discomfort is always a good sign, right? (14:27) The harder you push, the better your results. (14:30) That sounds like discipline.

(14:31) It sounds like dedication. (14:32) And for a long time, I personally wore it like a badge. (14:35) But personally, there is a real difference (14:37) between productive challenge (14:39) and really grinding yourself down (14:40) and understanding that difference (14:42) really does change things.

(14:43) When you push through pain, ignore signs of fatigue, (14:47) skip recovery because rest just feels like slacking, (14:49) and treat every session (14:50) like it needs to be your hardest one yet, (14:52) you're creating a deficit in your body (14:54) that eventually has to be paid back, right? (14:56) Tendons, ligaments, they do not adapt as fast as muscle does. (15:00) This means that you can feel stronger (15:02) before your joints actually are ready (15:04) to support that strength. (15:05) And that's exactly when the injuries start to happen.

(15:09) And an injury does not just pause your progress. (15:11) It oftentimes sets you back further (15:13) than a rest day ever would have. (15:15) Beyond the physical cost, (15:17) there's a mental cost too, right? (15:18) When every single workout has to be brutal (15:21) and working out starts to feel like a chore, (15:24) the enjoyment is gonna leave.

(15:25) The willingness to show up starts to erode. (15:28) And a lot of women eventually walk away (15:30) from fitness entirely, (15:31) not because they're not motivated, (15:32) but because they were taught to treat their bodies (15:34) like an obstacle to overcome (15:35) rather than to partner with them. (15:38) And guess what? (15:38) Your muscles do not actually grow during your workout.

(15:41) They grow in the recovery window after. (15:43) So when you shortchange your recovery, (15:45) you are shortchanging your results full stop. (15:48) Smart effort, meaning pushing hard (15:51) when your body's ready (15:52) and pulling back when it needs to restore, (15:54) that's gonna produce better results over the long run (15:57) than this constant maximum intensity ever will.

(16:01) And last but not least, number five, (16:03) you need a gym for a real workout. (16:05) Oh gosh. (16:06) I actually believed this one for far too long, (16:09) up until 2019-ish, end of 2018, 2019.

(16:14) I remember when working out at home (16:16) just felt like this consolation prize, right? (16:18) Like sure, you could do some things at home, (16:20) but if you really wanted results, (16:22) you need a real gym, you need machines, (16:24) you need a cable setup, a full rack. (16:26) The kind of equipment that feels just serious (16:28) and looks impressive. (16:29) This belief keeps so many women from even starting (16:32) because the setup that felt right (16:35) was out of reach, right? (16:36) It was too expensive, it was too far away, (16:38) it was too incompatible with the schedule (16:40) that includes a husband, a wife, a job, kids, real life.

(16:44) Here's what I know now (16:45) and what I've seen proven over and over in my own life (16:48) as well as thousands of women in my community (16:51) on a regular basis. (16:52) Your body responds to tension and stimulus, (16:55) not to equipment price tags. (16:57) Let me say that again.

(16:58) Your body responds to tension and stimulus, (17:01) not to equipment price tags. (17:02) That's right. (17:03) The price of your gym membership (17:04) or the gym equipment does not mean better results.

(17:07) A set of dumbbells used consistently (17:10) with intentional progressive overload (17:12) is going to build muscle. (17:14) Your muscles do not know (17:15) whether they are being challenged by a cable machine, (17:18) by a dumbbell, they are just responding (17:20) to the demand being placed on them, period. (17:22) I have spent years proving this to myself (17:25) before I built anything around it (17:27) and once I saw that it was possible (17:29) with a smart dumbbell program done consistently, (17:31) I couldn't go back (17:32) and this is eventually what led me (17:34) to create my Movement With Julie app (17:36) which is a fully structured dumbbell program (17:39) that you can do at the gym if you like to (17:41) or you can just do it at home (17:42) in the comfort of your own home, (17:44) an unfinished basement, a garage, (17:46) your living room, a porch, whatever it is.

(17:48) New workouts every week, (17:50) how-to videos for every single video demonstration (17:52) for every single exercise, 30, 60-minute options (17:55) depending on your day. (17:56) If you want to learn more, (17:57) you can go to salesale.movementjulie.com (18:01) but the gym was never the thing standing (18:03) between you and your results. (18:05) A consistent smart plan is (18:07) and you can absolutely have that at home (18:09) with literally a few pair of dumbbells (18:11) in a small space.

(18:12) Okay, so we've covered those five beliefs (18:14) that a lot of us were handed (18:15) and told were the truth (18:16) and I think the honest question (18:18) underneath all of this is (18:19) why did we believe them for so long? (18:21) Because most of us did not stumble (18:23) across these ideas and think, (18:24) hmm, that sounds questionable. (18:26) We took them in, we built our entire approach (18:28) to our health and fitness (18:30) and wellness around them (18:31) and some of us have been following these rails (18:33) for a decade, these rules for a decade (18:36) or even more. (18:37) I think it comes down to this, (18:38) like these rules were wrapped (18:40) in the language of discipline (18:42) and worthiness, like doing more, (18:44) eating less, pushing harder, (18:45) never stopping, never resting.

(18:47) Those things were positioned (18:48) as what separated serious women (18:50) from women who weren't serious enough (18:53) and when you already feel insecure (18:54) about your body (18:55) or you've tried and failed (18:56) more times than you can count, (18:58) the last thing you want to look like (19:00) is that you're not taking it seriously. (19:01) So you run more, you cut more, (19:03) you push through the pain, (19:04) you tell yourself you'll rest (19:05) when you earned it (19:06) and when it doesn't work, (19:08) you assume that you are the problem. (19:10) You weren't consistent enough, (19:12) you weren't disciplined enough, (19:13) you need to try harder.

(19:14) The cycle is exhausting (19:16) and it's also built on a foundation (19:18) that was shaky from the start. (19:19) So here's what I want you (19:20) to take away from today. (19:22) Letting go of those rules (19:23) does not mean going soft.

(19:25) It does not mean that you stopped (19:26) caring about your goals (19:27) or that you're okay with coasting. (19:29) It means that you stop doing things (19:31) that were never going to get you (19:33) where you wanted to go (19:34) and you start doing things (19:35) that actually will. (19:36) Like updating what you believe (19:38) when you have better information (19:40) is not weakness.

(19:41) It's exactly what growth looks like (19:42) and every woman who has made (19:44) real lasting progress in her health (19:46) has done this at some point. (19:47) She has let go of something (19:49) that wasn't working (19:50) and gave something better a real chance (19:52) and that's when everything started to shift. (19:54) You deserve to have accurate information.

(19:56) You deserve a way of showing up (19:58) for your body (19:59) that actually works for you (20:00) and you deserve to stop (20:01) carrying these rules (20:03) that were handed to you (20:04) by an industry that was more interested (20:06) in keeping you chasing something (20:08) than actually helping you get there. (20:10) All this to say (20:11) the best thing that you can do today (20:13) is to take one of these five things (20:15) and just let it go. (20:16) You do not have to overhaul (20:17) everything at once.

(20:18) I want you to pick the one (20:19) that has been costing you the most (20:21) and start there. (20:23) All right, so there you have it. (20:23) Let me quickly do a recap.

(20:25) Number one, more cardio (20:26) does not equal better results. (20:28) Strength training is what actually (20:30) drives body compositional change (20:32) by increasing your resting metabolism over time. (20:35) Number two, soreness is a sign (20:37) of novelty, not effectiveness.

(20:39) Progress is measured by performance (20:41) and consistency over time, (20:42) not by how much you ache the next day. (20:45) Number three, eating less (20:46) is not the fastest path to results. (20:49) Under eating works against your metabolism, (20:51) your muscle tissue, and your energy (20:53) and it's one of the most common reasons (20:55) why women stall.

(20:56) Number four, no pain, no gain (20:58) is a recipe for injury and burnout. (21:01) Smart effort plus real recovery (21:02) is what produces results (21:04) that actually last. (21:05) And last but not least, number five, (21:07) you do not need a gym (21:08) to get a real workout.

(21:10) Consistent progressive dumbbell training (21:11) is going to build real strength (21:13) and real change wherever you are. (21:15) Few pair of dumbbells (21:16) and a small space. (21:17) If you love today's episode, (21:19) I know you'll also love (21:20) episode 255, (21:21) eight benefits of dumbbell workouts (21:23) for women.

(21:23) It's the perfect follow-up (21:24) in my opinion (21:25) to what we talked about today (21:26) and I will link it in the show notes. (21:27) If any of part of today (21:29) hit home for you, (21:31) I would just encourage you (21:32) to send this episode to a friend. (21:33) Like honestly, (21:34) I want you to think of (21:34) one woman in your life (21:35) who's still running herself (21:37) into the ground, (21:38) whether it's beyond the treadmill, (21:39) cutting her food, (21:40) or just has convinced herself (21:41) that she needs a gym membership (21:42) or more fancy equipment (21:44) to get started, (21:45) send it to her.

(21:45) This is exactly the kind of conversation (21:47) that changes the direction (21:48) someone is heading (21:49) and that's worth sharing (21:50) in my opinion. (21:51) All right, (21:52) that is all that I have (21:53) for today's episode. (21:54) I love you so much.

(21:54) I mean it (21:55) and I'll talk to you (21:56) in the next one. (22:04) All right sister, (22:05) that's all I got for you today (22:07) but I have two things (22:09) that I need you to do. (22:10) First thing, (22:11) if you're not already (22:12) following me on the gram, (22:13) be sure to do so (22:14) Julie A. Ledbetter, (22:15) yes it's with an A in the middle, (22:17) for that daily (22:18) post-workout real talk, (22:20) healthy tips and tricks, (22:21) and honest accountability (22:22) to keep your mind (22:23) and heart in check.

(22:24) The second thing, (22:25) be sure to subscribe (22:26) to Apple Podcasts (22:28) to never miss an episode. (22:30) Thank you so much (22:31) for joining me. (22:32) It means the absolute world (22:34) and I'm going to leave you (22:35) with one last thought.

(22:36) The most beautiful women (22:37) that I have met in my life (22:38) are the ones (22:39) who are completely confident (22:41) and secure (22:42) in being authentically themselves. (22:45) Remember that beauty (22:46) goes so much deeper (22:47) than the surface. (22:48) So go out there (22:49) and embrace your real (22:50) because you're worth it.

 
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