What You Aren’t Changing, You Are Choosing

 

Today, I want to talk about something that goes beyond motivation or surface-level advice. Because let’s be real—building the body you want isn’t just about reps, sets, or calories. It’s about the choices you make every single day. The small decisions that either move you closer to your goals or keep you stuck where you are.

If you’ve been feeling frustrated with your progress, or like you’re spinning your wheels, this episode is the wake-up call you might need. Because once you realize inaction is still a choice, you also realize you always have the power to choose differently.

 

So in this episode, I’m breaking down:

  • Why staying stuck is still a decision.

  • How to reframe inaction so it actually empowers you.

  • The mindset shift that can change how you show up every single day.

  • And practical steps you can take to choose progress over comfort.

If you loved this episode, I think you’ll also love: How to Take Control of Your Day and Live a More Positive Life

 

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

Transcript

00:00

Hey, hey, beautiful human, Can I steal five minutes of your time? I have something super important to share with you, but I promise I'll be really quick. You're listening to my weekly bonus episode of Embrace your Real with me, julie Labrador. I'm about to give you a quick tip for building your confidence, honoring your body and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned If you're ready to embrace a real, let's get it. Let's go. Hello, and welcome back to another bonus episode on the Embrace your Real podcast.

00:37

Today I want to talk about something that goes beyond motivation or surface level advice, because, let's be real, building the body that you want isn't just about sets, reps, calories. It's about the choices that you're making every single day, the small decisions that either move you closer to your goals or keep you stuck where you are. And here's the tough love truth what you aren't changing, you are choosing. It sounds intense, but when you really let that sink in, it can actually shift your perspective in the best way possible, because, instead of feeling powerless, you realize you always have a choice. If you've been feeling frustrated with your progress or just feeling like you're spinning your wheels, this episode is the wake-up call that you might need, because once you realize inaction is still a choice, you also realize you always have the power to choose differently. So in today's episode, I'm gonna be breaking down why staying stuck is still a decision. How to reframe inaction so that it actually empowers you. The mindset shift that can change how you show up every single day and the practical steps you take to choose progress over comfort. My hope is that this perspective lights a fire in you, not in a guilt-driven way, but in a way that reminds you that you've got more power than you think. I'm just going to dive right into today's episode. In regards to what you are not changing, you are choosing. I have some serious thoughts that I need to share with you.

02:00

Number one is inaction is still a choice. Here's the thing when you keep doing the same thing day after day, you're skipping your workouts, you're ignoring your nutrition, you're avoiding your sleep, you're pushing off the habits that you know would help you. You're not just stuck, you're actually choosing that, and this isn't about being lazy, it isn't about being weak. It's about how your brain is literally wired. It's called status quo bias. Your mind actually clings to what feels familiar, even when it's not serving you, like every time you snooze your alarm or you're skipping a workout, your brain rewards you with a little dopamine hit for choosing comfort over growth, and that's how the habit loop gets reinforced. The way out is not willpower, it's giving your brain a new loop to follow. It's exactly why I built my movement with Julie Dumble Only Workouts. Instead of wasting energy deciding what workout to do, how to do it, you literally just open the app and you start the workout and you can train with confidence. That small shift, replacing indecision with an action, is literally how you retrain your brain to find comfort in consistency.

03:09

Number two reframing the hard stuff. A lot of times we tell ourselves it's just too hard to track my food or I'll start when things calm down. But here's the truth choosing not to do things is still choosing. It's just choosing to stay where you are. This is called avoidance coping. Your brain convinces you that pushing something off will protect you, but really it just keeps you stuck in the same cycle. Hard does not mean impossible. Hard usually means it matters, and hard is where growth actually lives. So, for example, if nutrition is the thing that always feels like the sticking point, that's where my Macro Academy and Simple Online Academy comes in. I built it to simplify the process so that you know exactly how to set your numbers, hit your protein and fuel your body without the extremes. Because, let's be real, staying in the I don't know what to do loop is a choice. To stay stuck and learning how to fuel with clarity, that's a choice that gives you freedom.

04:05

Number three is discipline over motivation. Here's another perspective shift. Every time that you say I just don't feel motivated and you skip your workout, that is still a choice. Motivation is unreliable. Discipline is what moves the actual needle. I want you to think about this. Motivation is tied to emotion, and emotions. Those are fleeting. They rise, they fall based on how you sleep, your stress, even your blood sugar. That's why research shows people who rely on motivation alone rarely stick with long-term goals.

04:37

But discipline that's rooted in habits and systems. It doesn't care how you feel in the moment. It cares that you follow through. If you wait for motivation, you might show up twice this week. If you choose discipline, you say I said I would, so I am doing it, and you are going to end up showing up five or six times, however many times you set out to do, and that is where the results come from Not intensity, but repetition. Here's a practical tool Pair your workouts with a trigger that you already do daily. Maybe it's putting your sneakers on right after you brew your coffee, or starting the lift the minute that you drop your kids off, or when you put your child to take a nap. Over time, showing up isn't something you debate, it's just part of your day. So ask yourself are you choosing to wait for motivation, or are you choosing to build discipline, because one keeps you stuck and the other builds the body and confidence that you have been craving? Number four stack small wins.

05:37

Sometimes change feels overwhelming because we think we need to overhaul everything at once. But here's the science made simple truth Habits. They compound, one choice leads to the next, and the chain reaction is what actually rewires your brain over time. It's called the domino effect, when one positive behavior naturally triggers another. So choosing protein at breakfast isn't just about making the meal in front of you. It's actually stabilizing your blood sugar, which reduces cravings later in the day, making it easier to stick to your nutrition. Choosing to lift three days a week doesn't just build muscle for strength. Muscle tissue increases your resting metabolic rate, which means that you're burning more calories, even when you're sitting at your desk or choosing to set a bedtime isn't just about sleep, but quality sleep regulates hormones like ghrelin and leptin, which directly control your hunger and fullness cues.

06:33

Each of those small choices stack, and those stacks. That's what wins and creates that momentum. And the cool part is, your brain releases this dopamine not just when you hit a big goal, but every time you complete a small one. That dopamine reinforces the habit loop, making it more likely that you'll repeat their behavior tomorrow. So every small choice that you make in favor of growth is evidence that you're not stuck. You're actually moving forward. When you use tools like my Moot with Julie Dumbbell Only Workouts or my Macro County Mean Simple Online Academy, those choices get easier. No guessing, no wasting time, no perfection required, just structure, clarity and consistency, which is going to free up your mental energy to keep stacking those wins.

07:17

And last but not least, number five, your perspective determines your progress. So when you shift from I can't change to I'm choosing this, the power comes back to you because if you're choosing not to change, you can also choose differently today, right now. Not to change, you can also choose differently today, right now. Here's what is fascinating. We have something called locus of control. So people with an internal locus of control meaning that they believe their actions impact their outcomes are more consistent, they're more resilient and they're more motivated. But people with an external locus of control believe things just happen to them. They stay stuck because they don't see their role in the outcome. The moment that you shift to I am choosing this, you move into internal control and that's where growth happens.

08:06

Maybe that choice looks like getting up and going for a 30 minute walk instead of just skipping it. That walk isn't just steps. It's improving your blood flow. It's lowering your stress hormones. It's priming your brain for better decisions the rest of the day. Maybe it's logging your protein instead of winging it. That one log can keep your muscles fueled, which protects your metabolism and keeps cravings in check. Or maybe it's putting your phone away at night and actually going to bed at a decent hour. That's not just sleep, that's hormone regulation, that's muscle recovery, that's better mental clarity tomorrow.

08:39

None of those choices require perfection. They require honesty, and once you see inaction as a choice, you realize that you are not powerless. You don't have to stay stuck, because every honest choice you are making is casting a vote for the person that you are becoming. Let me say that again, you don't have to stay stuck, because every honest choice that you make is casting a vote for the person that you are becoming, is casting a vote for the person that you are becoming. All right, let's wrap this up with some tough love reminders. Number one is inaction is still a choice. Skipping those workouts, ignoring your nutrition, staying in old patterns isn't neutral. It's still a decision. Your brain loves comfort, but you can actually rewire it by creating action loops.

09:24

Number two reframe the hard stuff. Hard doesn't mean impossible. Hard is usually a sign that it matters. When you avoid hard, you're choosing to stay stuck. Facing it head on is how you actually grow. Number three discipline over motivation. Motivation is fleeting, but discipline builds consistently. Systems and habits are what moves the needle long-term, not just waiting to feel like it. Number four stacking those small wins. Every little choice compounds Protein at breakfast, three strength workouts a week, a consistent bedtime. Each one of those trigger a positive domino effect in your brain and your body. And last but not least, number five your perspective determines your progress. So shifting from this is happening to me to I am choosing. This puts the power back into your hands, and every honest choice is a vote for the life and the body that you are building.

10:20

If you love this episode, I know you'll also love an OG episode, episode six how to take control of your day and live a more positive life. I will link that in the show notes that you can easily go check that out. And also, don't forget, if you are ready for structure in your workouts and you are ready to get to work with my Dumbo only movement with Julie weekly workout app that is going to take all the guesswork out of it for you, I will put the link in the show notes below. And then also, if food has been your sticking point, my Macro Academy and Simple Online Academy will finally give you clarity on how to fuel your body without extremes or obsession. That is all that I have for today's bonus episode.

10:59

I hope that this tough love gave you a little just move in the right direction. I am rooting for you. I love you so dang much. I mean it and I'll talk to you in the next one. All right, sister, that's all I got for you today, but I have two things that I need you to do.

11:23

First thing, if you are not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so, julie A Ledbetter yes, you are not already following me on the gram? Be sure to do so, julie A Ledbetter yes, it's with an A in the middle for that daily post-workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world, and I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace your real, because you're worth it.

 
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