There is a lesson and assignment every week, and I wanted to share one. But before we dive into that, I have a few updates (scroll past the first one to register for my Fall Strength Program):

Flag Football:

I joined a flag football team last month and we are in our 5th week of practicing 2x/week! It’s the first ever women’s team in Missoula and we are playing the college teams of UM and MSU in a tournament on Sept. 26th at 5:00 at Grizz Stadium! It’s hysterical and amazing. You should definitely tailgate this one.

My body is responding appropriately to the max effort sprints and cuts that is required of a wide receiver. I have a suffered a few low-grade injuries including: QL (deep lower back muscle) sprain, mild groin sprain, and kind of a major achilles tendonitis that started back in spring soccer season.

On my drive home last night I realized this is when I’m suppose to admit “I feel old!” and tell everyone about it in hopes to get nods of “yep” and “this is how it goes.” But I’m not there yet. I’m 38 years old, 38! That is SO YOUNG.

As I thought through it I realized that yes, of course, aging is a real thing and that may be playing a role and most definitely will as I continue to age — but the biggest driver of these injuries is playing a new sport at max intensity.

I used to pull my groin and bust up my ankle all the time at the beginning of soccer season — even as a teenager! I think we forget that we also got hurt when we were young. I get frustrated when I hear people not do something that gives them so.much.joy because “I don’t want to get hurt, I’m too old for that.” And they are like, 41.

I have these aches and pains AND I’m in the best shape of my life. I played collegiate soccer and would absolutely crush that 21-year old in any race of any distance and any strength test. I don’t say this to boast, but to encourage people to train athletically and in a well-rounded way. You don’t have to leave your fitness in your youth, it’s yours to build at any point in life AND there will always be a risk of injury.

Considerations As We Age: longer warm-ups, ease into a new thing (even if people are telling you to run faster), being disciplined about getting good sleep, eating like an adult (know how much proteins/fats/carbs make you feel best and def don’t skimp on your veggies and water), don’t suppress difficult emotions because overtime they will come out as an illness, injury, or an explosion of feelings at the wrong person and ruin a relationship. Which is not good for sport.

Obviously there are health considerations — if you’ve had surgery recently, or even a long time ago and things just didn’t heal well — but if you’re in good health and stop playing because of the narrative that you’re “scared to get hurt” — I really think you’re taking the easy way out and just don’t want to feel the discomfort of a new thing. Or are scared to be bad at it. Or are uncertain if you’ll fit in with the group.

All things I struggled with on my drive to the first flag football practice. I felt like my 16-year old self walking up to a new team who was already warming up — terrified, shy, and so uncertain.

And now I’m in week 5, have been showing more and more of my personality each week, and really proud I put myself out there! And def managing some injuries! hah

Anyone joining a Fall sport this season?

How About a Fall Strength Program?

These classes filled up QUICK! But here’s what I have left:

• 14 Week Program starting 9/15

  Class: every Tues/Thurs, 60-minutes full body strength and power training with considerations for ski season

  1. 5:30am: REGISTER, 1 spot left!

  2. 6:35am: FULL

  3. 12:15pm: REGISTER, 2 spots left!

Email julie@wildandwell.fit if you have questions or want to get on a waitlist! Or if you know of a few people who would be interested in a M/W 8:45am class. I need at least 8 to launch it, but am open to trying!

The 4 Phases of Competence:

Progress in almost anything takes the same basic shape. Psychologists call it the four phases of competence. Think of one pursuit you’re actively working on right now. Examples: improving fitness, losing weight, improving at your job, becoming a better partner or friend, opening yourself up to family life (me!) etc. etc.

Let’s use the fitness example and let’s call her Ronda:

1. Unconscious Incompetence: You don’t know what you’re doing, and you don’t yet know that you don’t know. The job here is humility, getting your bearings, learning the basics before trying to skip ahead. You need to read books, get coaching, and learn

   1. Ex: imagine me at a BBQ standing in line next to Ronda, whom I do not know, and telling her what I do for work and then her telling me about her injuries and lack of fitness lately. That she has never really stuck to any sort of exercise program. She gets curious about it. She listens to me speak about the benefits. She leaves the BBQ wondering, “huh, maybe signing up for a fitness program would be good for me. I’ll ask around and look into it”

2. Conscious Incompetence: You can finally see your own mistakes. That’s

Read more

I got a diagnosis last week that has me thinking about changing my habits. Well, my fiber habit. If you want to learn more about Fiber in general, check out Issue 4: Eat Fiber at Every Meal

I was diagnosed with Diverticulitis, which to keep it simple is I had an infection in my colon. My symptoms started on Friday with just all around feeling “off” and pretty slo-mo. When I went to bed Friday night I had pain in my lower left/center abdomen which I thought FOR SURE was trapped gas, but it never went away. Overnight I was up every 2 hours going to the bathroom and even threw up once. I spent the night on the couch.

In the morning I knew something was up for sure, and wasn’t convinced it was a stomach bug because my bathroom trips were just...different.

Since my pain was still there, and getting worse, I decided to go to Urgent Care to get assessed (this is a big deal for me, I typically just “tough it out”, so dumb). The doc said it’s likely diverticulitis or appendicitis, but needs a CT scan so I have to go to the ER.

I drove to the ER and definitely felt like that was an extreme next step for something I was still worried would end up being TRAPPED GAS, but luckily I was in so much pain I felt motivated enough to go.

After all the wonderful help from the nurses and doctor, it was conclusive I had diverticulitis - an infection of small pouches that can form on the wall of your intestine or colon. I was pretty surprised this happened to me as the risk factors for this are as follows…

Risk Factors for Diverticulitis:

• Lack of Exercise

• Obesity

• Smoking

• Over 50

• Diet low in fiber

Am I a 70 year old boomer who doesn’t believe in vegetables? Or a healthy 38-year old who created a CAREER in fitness and nutrition??? This was a head scratcher.

I do NOT want this to become a reoccurring thing, so my action step is to increase my fiber.

Fiber & I:

I have to admit, I’ve gotten lazy about it. I have an enormous amount of vegetables at dinner (starchy and non-starchy), and 1-2 servings of fruit per day, but that’s it. The bread we buy is sourdough, so that’s not gonna cut it.

None of our routine dinners include grains or legumes. You know what families are really high in fiber? The Legumes and The Grains.

Highest Fiber Foods/100g

Veggies and fruits are pretty good if you keep the skin on, but the highest sources of fiber/100 grams (about a 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup depending) are…

• Chia Seeds: 34g — 485 calories

Read more

This summer has felt different. The smoke hit much earlier which sent the entire NW into a depression and instead of a big backpacking trip, I headed to the beach (which I also love) for a big family vacation.

As I write this it is raining out, so I am hopeful the smoke will clear and we will get a bit of our summer back! I’d love to get out and climb some tough mountains and soak in the views and drink the clean air before Winter hits.

Other Life News:

• I joined a Women’s Flag Football team! We practice 1-2x/week and will be playing against UM and MSU at GRIZZ STADIUM on Sept. 26th at 5:00. They are not sure if they will price the tickets yet (it’s a fundraiser for Opportunity Resources), but I’ll link to it later if that’s the case

• Fall Session for Group Strength Classes will begin Sept. 14th — registration will open soon!

• That’s it.

Today’s topic will be how to target Fat Loss from an exercise perspective. If you’re looking to lose fat, the biggest lever to pull is diet. Eating healthier and in a calorie deficit are the BIGGEST keys to success here.

Other variables include: getting enough sleep, having an empowered mindset, being able to pause before you impulsively do something, be well connected, have good friendships, have purpose in your community, not take life too seriously, and be an overall positive person, hah!

Okay, let’s talk Fitness

The 5-4-3-2-1 Fat Loss Method

I heard this from Dr. Andy Galpin on his podcast, Perform. I agree with his point of view and since he put it in such a simple and open way that will make sense to 99% of people, I’d like to share it.

His first point is that Consistency and Adherence are the #1 predictor of exercise success for fat loss. AKA, pick stuff you like to do so you actually do it.

***Don’t get caught up in the minutiae of what is optimal or what you need at this particular stage of life (peri/post menopause). That only distracts us from getting results. No matter who you are, what your hormones are doing, if you’re young, middle aged, or old, this will work if you follow it week after week, year after year, decade after decade. ***

5 Days/Week: Be Active

Ex: standing desk, taking the stairs, walking more, gardening

Ideally 6-7 days a week, but let’s start with 5.

4 Days/Week: Structured Exercise

Put the workout clothes on and do formal exercise

Ex: go for a run, go to a class, go to the gym

3 Days/Week: Heavy Sweat

You should be working out hard enough to where you sweat so beautifully

2 Days/Week: Workout out REALLY hard

Ex: zone 4 or 5 cardio, or really challenging yourself with weights.

“I’m pooped”

1 Day/Week: Go Long

Lower intensity, zone 1 or 2

Ex: long bike ride, run, hike, swim, output over time, cardiovascular fitness

Putting it All Together:

1. Pick something that is lower intensity and do it at least 1x/week

   1. hiking, jogging, biking, swimming

2. Pick something that is higher intensity and do it at least 1x/week

   1. spin class, interval training, tempo runs, track workouts, hill repeats

3. Pick something that falls into the strength training realm that includes some sort of overload and do it at least 1x/week

   1. Group strength class, taking a personalized program to the gym, following any sort of training program that involves progressive overload

Then fill in the other days with your preference — pilates, barre, les mills classes, rec sports, tennis, flag football, yoga, dance, gardening, rock climbing etc. etc.

Pair this well-rounded fitness routine with a whole food rich diet, a slight calorie deficit, and a ton of consistency (you rarely miss, and I mean rarely.) and you’ll start to see your body shed any unneeded fat.

My Weekly Fitness Routine:

• 1 LONG run or hike

  • I love spending hours outside moving my body

• 2 STRENGTH training days with overload

  • I love building strength

• 1 HARD running workout either at the track, on the hills, or a tempo run

  • I love to challenge myself and feel cooked at the end

• 3-4 EASY/MODERATE trail runs ~ hour

  • I love the mental clarity and alone time

• 1 day a week PLAYING a team sport: bball in the winter, soccer in spring/summer/fall, flag football currently

  • I love sports and competing

• 7 days of living an ACTIVE lifestyle: averaging 20,000 steps, biking or running to work and back, walking with friends, playing in the yard, doing chores, mobility work each morning, active job of coaching, walking whenever I have a work or personal phone call, never taking the escalator even if I’m carrying a huge suitcase (stubborn!) —

  • I love moving

I hope that’s helpful!

I have a couple spots open for Nutrition clients. My Fall is going to be super busy, so claim your spot now to get started before the “back to school” rush!

Have a great weekend, thanks for reading!

Julie

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Recap of Part I:

1. Almond Butter > Peanut Butter

2. Women are Not Small Men

3. Keto is the Best Diet

4. Superfood Powders Are Life

5. Collagen is Necessary

6. Dialing In Your Nutrition Is Most Important

7. You HAVE to Eat Before Your Morning Workout

8. Tracking Calories is Unhealthy

PART II: 8 Things I’ve Changed My Mind About

1. Regular Soda is Healthier Than Diet Soda

1. I once told my Dad and Uncles (who LOVE soda and at the time were all overweight) that they shouldn’t switch to diet soda because the artificial sweeteners will make them crave sugar and cause them to overeat. I have since changed my mind DRASTICALLY on this one

   1. Just 2 days ago my Mom told me my Dad’s doctor told him that regular soda is better than diet soda, despite my Dad having high blood sugar and being at an unhealthy weight. Respectfully, this doctor was wrong to say that to my Dad. It made me really frustrated.

      1. What someone with an increasing blood sugar marker needs is to cut out any sort of liquid sugar & calories as those are the worst offenders. Diet is way better than Regular. I have no problem with the swap. Obviously, water is the best swap, but one step at a time.

      

2. Gyms Should NEVER Offer Junk Food at the Front Desk

1. I care so much less about this now. When I saw some big gyms doing it (candy, pizza) I thought it was irresponsible, confusing, and a way to keep members unhealthy so they kept paying their monthly memberships. And, to be honest, that probably is the reason the big gyms do it, but the responsibility is on the member.

   1. There’s a place for junk food in everyone’s life, the dose makes the poison. And if you’re in good health than you can enjoy both of those things pretty frequently. And if you’re not in good health, than it’s your responsibility to make the healthy choice and walk right by it

3. The Most Nutritionally Disciplined Athletes Are The Most Successful

1. Athletes who fear calories and are rigid in their eating are the most likely to get hurt, burn out and underperform. Calories are units of energy, and if you’re not eating enough you’re leaving a lot of potential on the table.

   

4. Dairy and Seed Oils are Super Inflammatory

1. They’re fine.

   1. Again, the dose makes the poison. Too much dairy can constipate people, be hard to digest, and when paired with sugar (i.e. ice cream, flavored yogurt) can lead to skin issues like acne. Find your tolerance point and stop before you get there.

   2. Too many seed oils (found mostly in junk foods) are of course going to lead to some inflammation because you’re probably getting them in snacky foods and commercial baked goods and dressings and sauces. And well, junk foods are junk foods. Eaten for pleasure, not for health.

   3. Don’t overdo it, move throughout the day, eat a healthy diet the other 90% of the time and you can eat whatever junk you want and your body will handle it just fine.

5. Unweighted Core Routines Are Necessary

1. It took me a few years but I finally stopped doing my 10 minute core routine 3x/week — it was beginning to be a thing I depended on but yielding no results. AKA it was a giant waste of time that stressed me out if I didn’t check it off my list

2. You need to train your core

Read more

16 Things I Used To Believe:

#1-8 (in random order)

1. Almond Butter > Peanut Butter

   1. I was taught peanut butter was covered in mold and sugar and oils and causes inflammation and almond butter is “clean”. This is true if you buy brands that are super processed and have added sugars, but not if you just buy organic peanut butter.

   2. Nutritionally, there are differences in vitamin and mineral content, but are any of us spooning either of these into our mouths for the the micronutrients? Or just because we’re starving? Yeah, me too.

   3. If you like peanut butter better than almond butter save yourself 20 dollars and go back to peanut butter. Look for one ingredient on either product you choose.. “peanuts” or “almonds.”

2. Women Are Not Small Men

   1. This is a Stacey Sims marketing grab that has confused more women than it has helped. Myself included.

      1. Yes, women are physiologically different than men, obviously. But if I were to onboard 2 clients named Jack and Jill and they had the same goals and were the same age and had similar environments and budgets? MOST of my recommendations would be the same. Because they are human and what we know is that actually, women respond to training just as well as men do. And if they both want to lose weight they need to BOTH be in a calorie deficit. And be sleeping. And have chill time. And be moving throughout the day. And have good relationships.

   2. My coaching practice is based on the individual, and that’s where I account for the recommendations I make. I would teach Jack and Jill to do a push-up in the same way, unless one was experiencing pain during it. And give them the same recommendations for what to have for lunch, unless one didn’t like having leftovers. And give them each well-rounded fitness programs that included strength workouts, easy cardio, moderate cardio, intense cardio, and mobility.

3. Keto is The Best Diet For Everyone

   1. I did my time doing intermittent fasting, bulletproof coffees, and keto. I remember telling a classmate in Nutrition School that I only ate bread once a week. And it was true, I had a sandwich on Sundays. She look horrified and told me she ate bread with every meal every day of the week — I couldn’t believe it. You remember tiny moments like these for a reason— I needed to make a change.

      1. I felt terrible. I was way too thin, colder than ever, without a period, and my running and focus were hard to come by. Carbs/Food give you energy. See #4

4. Superfood Powders are Life

   1. Speaking of depriving myself, I was all about superfood powders and dried herbs? Like, I would take a handful of dried Schisandra Berries because I thought I needed something so unique to help me fight fatigue but what I really needed was to eat actual food. My breakfast was a bunch of powders blended with water. It provided me with minimal nutrition but I thought I was so healthy. I wasn’t. Balanced meals are life.

      

      

5. Collagen.

Read more

I took a week off and spent it camping, hiking, running and swimming. I went alone. My partner was out of town visiting family and so once I finished coaching the last class of our Spring Strength Session I hit the road and headed north.

Actually, that’s not true. After I finished that 12 week coaching block I was pretty much useless for 2 days, emotional on the 3rd and then back to life on the 4th. I hit the road on the 3rd day so my car saw all the tears. I was actually so tired the first two days it wouldn’t have been safe to drive, so I’m grateful for how it worked out.

I coach group classes 8 hours a week, that is NOT THAT MUCH but what I’m finding out is how much it is for me. It is SO fun and I feel competent and myself during and energized after, so how can this be draining my battery so much that it takes days to recharge?

I was sitting at camp reading my latest book, Chatter by Ethan Kross and he talked about the two categories of how we pay attention: involuntary and voluntary. This helped me understand why I can feel so mentally and physically fried after big work weeks/months

Involuntary Attention happens when an object has an intriguing quality that effortlessly draws us to it.

Ex: a musician playing on a street corner, a mountain view, a painterly sunset

“Voluntary Attention is all about our will. It captures the amazing capacity that we human beings have to shine our attentional spotlight on whatever we want — like leading a group, solving a math problem, or on a dilemma we’re trying to stop ruminating on.” - Ethan Kross

As a result, Voluntary Attention is easily exhausted and needs continual recharging, while Involuntary Attention doesn’t burn as much of our brain’s limited resources and can even help recharge our executive-function battery.

Example: we see a big tree in the forest and its beautiful properties draw us to it unconsciously, but we’re not carefully memorizing it as we would talking points for a presentation. It’s a different kind of attention that drew us to it. One that gives instead of takes.

To relate this to my experience —> leading groups and 1:1 sessions take a lot more juice out of my executive-function battery than I realized, but what can counteract that is effortlessly absorbing nature. Because effortlessly absorbing nature allows the neural resources (that guide our voluntary attention i.e. work brains) to recharge.

This made sense to me. We all feel good after a day on the trail or at the beach, but learning about how we get to those mellow and charged vibes was fun to learn about. So much of our attention while in nature is involuntary — giving our voluntary attention system time to recharge.

“I think and think and think. I’ve thought myself out of happiness one million times, but never once into it.” - Jonathan Safran Foer

Takeaway: I know this is trite, but we all need the reminder…if you’re feeling mentally fried, you can recharge that battery by getting away from super focused work and just walk in nature, a city park, or sit by a lake. You’ll start to involuntarily notice things and that will begin to charge your brain battery again.

This worked wonders for me on my trip. So much so that I didn’t want to go back to living in a house. I wanted to live outside longer. But with that being said, I DID want to get back to coaching.

My work battery was charged and I was ready to get back to it. I love it so much. And in order to prevent such big system collapses I want to integrate more downtime during the work day instead of waiting for my battery to be on empty and needing an entire week of camping to recharge it haha

New Things I’ve Started to Implement:

• Giving myself permission to nap (my eyes are soooooo tired some days and I need to listen to that request for rest more. Thanks for telling me what you need, body!)

• Submerging myself in water everyday. The colder the better. Love the creek. Nervous system/mood reboot

• If the TV is on in the house, I’ll work outside so my attention isn’t at war with another screen. And when I’m working on my computer I’ll (actually) throw my phone across the room and don’t let myself go get it

  • Single Tasking > Multi-Tasking

• Long inhales with longer exhales (not new but always worth mentioning)

• Time spent just lookin’ around

  

Traveling Alone:

My favorite was when I told my 4th/5th grade girls that I was going on a solo road trip to play in the mountains because, well, that is what I love to do. The looks of horror on their faces told me they had never considered traveling alone, and to be the first person to bring that to their mind was really cool. Oh, the places you can go girls…

It took me a couple days of traveling alone to hit my stride. I’m fine being alone at home, but being out on the road, somewhere new, and for a full week without much of a plan takes aloneness to a different level. I cried on my drive out of Missoula because I was feeling down and scared about it, but kept telling myself that it was temporary. I haven’t trained this muscle in awhile so of course it doesn’t feel good.

I used a skill I learned from Chatter, and talked to myself in 3rd person, a psychological distancing technique…“You got this Jules, being alone out here is uncomfortable and that’s okay, you’ll be fine. You’ve done this before and loved it, you can do it again. And if you don’t love it as much as you used to, that’s okay too. Actually, that’s probably healthy because you were OVERLY independent for SO LONG hah!”

I meant to eventually transition this article into something more actionable health-wise, but I’m going to end it here for this week.

Think up something scary and do it.

Talk to yourself in 3rd person.

Go walk by some trees.

Thanks for reading!

Julie

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Want to Work With Me?

1. 1:1 Nutrition Coaching: single sessions and programs available! Fat loss, performance, perimenopause, running nutrition, general health

2. Perimenopause Playbook: Food, Stress, Sleep & Strength: a practical digital guide to a thriving doable decade!

3. ONLINE STRENGTH TRAINING offerings here — first week is FREE for the membership option!

Client Results:

“We were traveling and my backpack was HEAVY and usually hurts my back like my spine is compressing. Today- first time- I was like “my spine doesn’t hurt. I can carry this pack” and I think it’s our workouts! That is the only thing that is different from my last trip with same backpack about 8 weeks ago. That’s FUN!” - Kim, Strength Program

“The personal check-ins/accountability/vulnerability piece is what had me in & actually open with you from the get go, I don’t know how you do it, but I always feel really honest with you and have somehow been able to laugh and feel lightness around things that I always associated with deep shame/dark times. I appreciate you!!” - SM, Nutrition Program

“I am not one to diet and Julie’s approach never felt like one. Through the program, I learned simple things I could do each day to modify how I ate, which all added up to significant shifts that I know I can stick with. I know I would be stuck in my same old patterns of mindlessly snacking and eating too much sugar without this. Julie is also so fun to work with - I highly recommend her! - Erin, Nutrition Program

Discounted Supplements

I created a supplement stack — 25% off! Buy individually or the whole stack —> Check it out here

Final Class Announcement: Missoulians, we start summer strength class on Tuesday and there are 1-2 spots left in each class!

8-Week Summer Strength Program

Classes are 60 minutes & located at 214 E. Main Street. Full body strength training!

July 14th - Sept. 3rd

• Tues/Thur 5:30am: 2 spots left

• Tues/Thur 6:35am: 1 spot left

• Tues/Thur 12:15pm: 2 spots left

• Fridays 9am: Track and Trails - Run & Hill Workouts: no cap, purchase a 5-pack here! Or drop-in for $20!

If you can’t make one of these class times, I’d love to have you as an online client! I use an app called Everfit and will create you a custom program with video demos and accountability. Learn more on my coaching page

Nutrition:

Let’s Talk Calories.

Anyone else feel icky when reading that word? Calories. Like we just went back to the 80’s 90’s and early 2000’s?

I almost feel shameful for writing about calories. So silly. It’s just a word. If you have big emotions attached to it, I encourage you to just take it for what it actually is - Energy. Ah, there we go, a way better word. So positive, isn’t it? Energy.

Energy Balance:

‘Calories In Calories Out’ (CICO) is something I’ve changed my mind on in the last few years. CICO is based off of thermodynamics, which is a branch of physics that focuses on how energy is transferred, transformed, and used to do work. CICO is a weight management principle that states that you’ll lose weight when you consume less calories than your body burns.

I used to think CICO oversimplified weight loss and didn’t give it much credit. My argument was how it doesn’t account for nutrient quality, hormones, individual variations in absorption, and metabolic adaptation. And being trained in Holistic Nutrition where we focused a TON on food quality and the nuances of things, it just didn’t land at the time.

Well, it has landed. In effort to learn more I started listening to what the other side was saying —> weight loss is black and white. It’s a matter of physics. When you eat more than you need (over time), your body stores the extra calories as fat. When you eat less than you need (over time), your body uses the stored fat as energy by converting the fat cells into CO2 and H2O in a process called oxidation that leads to weight loss ←

And then a really cool thing happens, we breathe it out! A large majority of our stored fat is released through the lungs as CO2! Poof, there it goes back out into the world.

And a smaller percentage is excreted as water through our urine and sweat. That’s what happens to our shedded pounds.

I still honor the nuances, though. I still believe in food quality because it’s never just about fat loss. I want my clients to be HEALTHY first and foremost.

And they can control their calories with nothing but protein shakes all day long and lose weight and feel satiated, but that’s not healthy. They are missing vitamins and minerals and fiber and fats and carbohydrates. It’s not balanced or sustainable. They will gain the weight back and it will be more than they had on them before the super controlled diet.

AND being a woman who experiences PMS I can also tell you how amazing it is, truly, to be in the backseat of a bus that your hormones are driving.

Despite recognizing that they are being so insane-o, that this is temporary, that this is not actually me, and that I still have a choice — man can they still really swerve me on and off the road at lightning speed.

Things are just harder when you have so little resilience. When every decision is so murky. When you just want to throw your hands up and say F THIS. So yes, I still give credit to hormones. They are such a beast.

Okay, back to Energy Balance.

How to know if you’re eating in a deficit, at maintenance, or in a surplus:

Read more

After I graduated Nutrition School in BC my friends drove me down to Washington where I bought a car with cash (and a lot of hope they weren’t selling me a POS) and drove to Missoula based on a gut feeling (but had never actually been there and didn’t know a soul - hah!)

I had a room secured in a shared house (stayed there for 3 years <3) and a plan to start my own Nutrition business. Before I drove to my new home, I parked outside Bernice’s Bakery and cried. I was so scared, alone, and full of doubt.

I found my groove (because I had to) and spent most days at varying coffee shops to work on a Nutrition Coaching website. The website was basic, the instagram posts were basic (still are! and my first handle was @julie_butter_), and clients came veryyyyy slowly. So I got a job at a restaurant because I moved to Missoula with exactly $1,000 in my bank account. I was 30. This next chapter of life was blank and ready to be written.

The first evening in Missoula (after I cried) I went to the Good Food Store and saw a man wearing a “Missoula Marathon” tee. I got all nervous but knew I would never meet anybody unless I was brave so I asked him about the marathon. He was with his wife, Amber (shout-out!), and she quickly took over the conversation and told me about the Pengelly Double and Single Dip Trail Race that was happening literally 2 days later. I went online and signed up for the Single Dip.

This video is from my Kickball Party where AMBER is kicking. We’ve remained friends and we’ve been working on Nutrition together for the last few months. She also makes me laugh so hard. So grateful I was brave in the Good Food Store 8 years ago and her husband was wearing Missoula marathon merch :)

As I crossed the finish line in FIRST PLACE I heard Amber cheer me in as she was volunteering at the finish line. I had never won a race before and couldn’t believe it. But the most special part about it was that someone knew my name at the finish line in this brand new town. I felt part of Missoula and I will never forget that feeling. I’m still here 8 years later because of the people who live here. I am obsessed with this community. (okay fine also the UNREAL trail system and surrounding mountains may play a role as well. Oh, and my partner Amy! :))

Fast forward to now, where I have expanded beyond Nutrition coaching and added branches to Wild and Well that include wellness presentations, personal training, group strength coaching, run coaching, online strength programs, coaching group hill and track workouts, and expanding into the young athlete space with strength and track classes. Oh, and this Substack. I also write!

It took me 7 years to fully let go of a side job and do this completely on my own. It was scary but I knew I was ready. I can do a whole article on the pros and cons of it, but I bet you can guess most of them. Being a small business owner and sole employee requires a ton of organization, creativity, and initiative. I don’t think I excel at any of those but I’ve yet to forget or double book a session and that’s something I’m oddly proud of.

Speaking of initiative…

Summer Strength Group Classes start July 14th! Sign up below or on my website. Not many spots are left!

The biggest thing I’ve changed my mind on in the last 8 years is….

Optimization Culture:

In the first few years of business I LOVED OPTIMIZATION. I thought everyone should be trying to optimize themselves. I still think people should be learning and growing, but I definitely don’t think everyone should be pursuing optimization EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Optimization Culture = “I am going to try and control everything about my life”

It’s a rigid routine (doesn’t work), it’s the relentless pursuit of getting better at things (doesn’t work), and it’s constant pressure to produce (hellooo missing all the small things that actually make up a life)

It’s the “I am going to measure the space between heart beats (HRV), each stage of my sleep, each calorie I eat, each step I take, make sure I eat every 4.25 hours”, etc. etc.

I truly believe optimizing with devices makes us more fragile. Why? Because we lose touch with ourselves. Our instincts. Our intuition. And that is a huge disadvantage. Not to mention how much of life and relationships we miss out on trying so hard to control everything.

We are not machines. We have felt experiences that make us human and once you start losing those experiences you are losing touch with what it means to be a human. Is there any worse outcome than that? Losing touch with yourself? I mean I guess if you WANT to be a robot than heck, input and track that data!

The first people I listened to in this space of “biohacking” back in 2014 were Dave Asprey and Ben Greenfield. I stopped following them several years ago because I couldn’t take it anymore. And that’s as much airtime I’d like to spend on them.

The upside to using devices is they can be really integral to behavior change (tracking steps, calories, sleep). But there is a line. When they start to control you instead you controlling them? That’s when you’ve gone to far and need to go cold turkey on it.

The other upside is for professional athletes. But I don’t think any professional athletes are reading this right now? Oh! Have you seen the sports bras the men are wearing at World Cup? That’s a good example of how devices can increase performance. But again, for the #pros

Not Sure If You’re Over-Optimizing?

Here’s an example of data getting in the way of a potentially good day:

Ex: Your sleep score is trash so you bail on your morning workout class and cancel your dinner plans with friends.

A bad sleep score doesn’t mean you won’t perform well in your morning workout. Or at the office. Or as a parent. Or even that you’ll be tired all day. You are a human and you are resilient. Your thoughts drive the bus and if you see your shitty sleep score and think you’re doomed and fall victim to it, then you will. You’ll prove yourself right. But if you don’t look at your sleep score and go about your day, you’ll be fine. So totally fine. because you are a human, and you are resilient. And we can handle a few bad nights of sleep.

Lastly, I’ll share my own current experience

My Device: Coros Watch

I track steps and aim for 10,000 a day. I really like tracking steps, but I definitely don’t need to and should probably care less than I do about them

I look at my HRV every morning but don’t take it seriously until I’ve spent 7 days out of range

I track miles and vert on my runs which helps keep me from under or overdoing it — but would benefit from going for more runs without my watch

I don’t track calories and I don’t look at how many calories my watch tells me I burn because I know it’s wildly inaccurate. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to track calories but I do like my clients to take breaks from it. And I also think it’s a good idea if you literally have NO CLUE what or how much you’re eating.

If I Were Coaching Me:

I would look at this and encourage Julie to go on more runs without her watch on. More vibes, less data

I’d encourage her to take a week off from tracking steps because she seems to be a little obsessive about that number and obsession is rarely (ever?) healthy

And since it’s July and historically her highest output month (summit season!) I would ask her to track calories for a few days to make sure she’s eating enough to support those big efforts

Thanks for reading and supporting!!

Julie

8-Week Summer Strength Program

Classes are 60 minutes & located at 214 E. Main Street. Full body strength training!

July 14th - Sept. 3rd

• Tues/Thur 5:30am: 2 spots left

• Tues/Thur 6:35am: FULL

• Tues/Thur 12:15pm: 2 spots left

• Fridays 9am: Track and Trails - Run & Hill Workouts: no cap, purchase a 5-pack here! Or drop-in for $20!

If you can’t make one of these class times, I’d love to have you as an online client! I use an app called Everfit and will create you a custom program with video demos and accountability. Learn more on my coaching page

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1. If you’re in Missoula and want to play kickball and eat pizza I am throwing a Wild and Well Summer Party at Pineview Park tonight 6/24! 6-8pm — let me know if you’re coming! Family friendly

My in-person strength classes have been set for summer and you can sign up on my website or the attached links! If you want more info please email me

ADULTS: 8-Week Summer Strength Program

Classes are 60 minutes & located at 214 E. Main Street. Full body strength training!

July 14th - Sept. 3rd

• Tues/Thur 5:30am: 4 spots left

• Tues/Thur 6:35am: FULL

• Tues/Thur 12:15pm: 2 spots left

• Friday Mornings (time TBD) Track and Trails Run & Hill Workouts: no cap, purchase a 5-pack here!

If you can’t make one of these class times, I’d love to have you as an online client! I use an app called Everfit and will create you a custom program with video demos and accountability. Learn more on my coaching page

Nutrition, Simplified:

A lot of clients come to me to help them sift through all the info about WHAT TO EAT. It’s gotten out of hand. Both influencers AND certified professionals are overcomplicating the space which is leaving people feeling like they can’t get it right.

Eating is something that is meant to bring us energy, joy, and connection. But when you’re always second guessing yourself it can lead to discouragement, annoyance, and frustration. I hope this clear and concise article can help transform your nutrition confusion into something you can grasp and increase your confidence around this very important pillar of health.

The Fundamentals of a Healthy Diet:

(emotional eating tips not included, I’m just focusing on the X’s and O’s for today...you can find more articles on emotional eating by searching my page)

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GIRLS 4th-8th GRADE: 5-WEEK LIFT-RUN-EAT Program

ADULTS: 8-Week Summer Strength Program

Classes are 60 minutes & located at 214 E. Main Street. Full body strength training!

July 14th - Sept. 3rd

• Tues/Thur 5:30am (new!): 5 spots left

• Tues/Thur 6:35am: 1 spot left!

• Tues/Thur 12:15pm: 4 spots left!

• Friday Mornings (time TBD) Track and Trails Run & Hill Workouts: no cap, purchase a 5-pack here!

If you can’t make one of these class times, I’d love to have you as an online client! I use an app called Everfit and will create you a custom program with video demos and accountability. Learn more on my coaching page

How To Manage Blood Sugar: A Client’s Success Story

Two years ago Matt hired me after seeing his A1C levels in the pre-diabetic range. He is a 38-year old firefighter, dad of two kids under 5, endurance and stair climb athlete, has a genetic predisposition to high blood sugar, and lives in the midwest (not relevant but I oddly have the need to state that?). His A1C was 6.2 and he was panicked (Diabetes diagnosis is 6.5 and higher). He did NOT want to go on medication and he did NOT want his health to decline.

I listened intently during our first call as he went through his current eating and exercise habits. After sitting with it for a few hours, here is where I landed on which 3 things I wanted to address first:

1. Eat a Balanced Breakfast

   1. He wasn’t eating breakfast and relied heavily on caffeine and a wild amount of cashews

2. Significantly Reduce Caffeine

   1. He was consuming a lot of coffee and caffeine pills as a product of being on a firefighter schedule and being a dad of 2 young kids

      1. We cut back on coffee and eliminated the caffeine pills — this was huge and yes, he went through a withdrawal period

3. Increase Fiber

   1. The goal here was to slow down potential blood sugar spikes and pump him up with micronutrients

From there we have made many other diet and lifestyle adjustments and his blood sugar has been trending downward over the past 2 years! Just today on our call he reported that his A1C (the measure of your average blood sugar over the past 3ish months) was the lowest it has ever been, and his doctor wanted to know every detail in how he was able to do that. Huge win.

After the first several months of working together we experimented with different ways of eating, timing and even had him on a CGM for a few weeks at a time to see if he was spiking with any food in particular.

As we got his nutrition dialed we also worked on other domains of health that both impact blood sugar and overall wellbeing like

• Managing anxiety and panic

• Staying neutral about the stuff he can’t control

• Going to bed EARLIER when his work schedule allows

• Adding in meditation

• Strength training! (this is a work in progress because he has a valid point on how much lifting and carrying he does at work butttttt I continue to push it)

  

• A yoga youtube routine that wasn’t too froofoo OR too meatheady

• Recovery tactics when he’s spread thin and burned out

• And many more

On our call today we celebrated his latest A1C results and he made sure I really heard him when he said…

"In case you don’t hear it enough, what you do is REALLY life changing — if I wasn’t working with you I would be on meds by now and I wouldn’t be able to manage my anxiety as well. I’m a healthier and better person all around.”

I really soaked this up because this is a guy I’ve talked to nearly every week for 2 years. We have a close relationship and being on his team is something I take seriously. He can swing from one extreme to the next and by working together for so long he has been able to find balance in so many places he never has before.

So for him to see positive health results AND feel like a better person? Remarkable. I’m so proud of him.

One thing I want to mention is that many endurance or generally HIGH output individuals may have higher blood sugar levels than people who aren’t active all day long. And that doesn’t ALWAYS mean it’s something to be concerned about.

Because what your body is doing is making sure there is enough sugar in your bloodstream to keep you alert and energized because you have a nonstop lifestyle! So of course your labs may come back on the higher end. At least that’s my very simplistic view of it.

What IS important about blood sugar levels is steadiness. On a graph you’ll want to see gradual ups and downs instead of sharp peaks and valleys. This is where a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) would be a great learning tool.

If you are concerned or confused about your labs please reach out! Taking medication for type II diabetes is VERY preventable if you’re willing to make changes and stay consistent with them. I’ll coach you like the human you are and we’ll address diet, exercise, sleep, stress and connection. All of them play a role in how your body is operating.

My Top Ways to Manage Blood Sugar and Improve Health:

Here are several things that I talk about daily with my clients who are trying to improve their blood sugar and health

• BUILD MUSCLE through strength training

  • Muscle is a sugar sponge, the more you have the more sugar it will sop up and use for energy and repair

  • Get within 1-2 reps of failure on your lifts if you’re lifting 2 days a week. Be a bit less intense if you’re lifting more than that AND are doing other exercise or you’ll be sore all the time and less likely to sustain a program year round

• Have protein and fiber anchor every meal

• Stay hydrated with drinking 1/2 your bodyweight in ounces of water per day

• Get up and move throughout the day — especially after meals

  • I don’t think I’m completely off base to say (and hope!) that the future of healthcare is movement-based

• Put yourself on a sleep schedule like you did for your kid. Our circadian rhythm loves and responds really well to routine

• Have outlets for stress and be able to hold two truths at once

• Go for walks and go to bed….without your phone!

• Do something for the fun of it, no other reason

• Eat food alongside your coffee

• Consider wearing a CGM to learn more about your body and how food impacts it

• Give someone a really long hug each day

Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next week!

Julie

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In-Person Strength Classes! Summer Registration is open, check out the schedule here!

I have an important announcement to all my Missoula readers!

My in-person strength classes have been set for summer and you can sign up on my website or the attached link! If you need more info, check out my website or payment link or email me!

ADULTS: 8-Week Summer Strength Program

Classes are 60 minutes & located at 214 E. Main Street. Full body strength training!

July 14th - Sept. 3rd

• Tues/Thur 5:30am (new! and, yikes! haha): 5 spots left

• Tues/Thur 6:35am: 2 spots left!

• Tues/Thur 12:15pm: 6 spots left!

• Friday Mornings (time TBD) Track and Trails Run & Hill Workouts: no cap, purchase a 5-pack here!

If you can’t make one of these class times, I’d love to have you as an online client! I use an app called Everfit and will create you a custom program with video demos and accountability. Learn more on my coaching page

YOUTH: 5-Week Wild Titans LIFT-RUN-EAT Summer Series

June 23rd - July 30th

2x/week from 4:00-5:00. One class at the gym (214 E. Main St.) and one at the dirt track (John Toole Park)

• Incoming 4th/5th Grade Girls: Tues 4:00 (gym), Thur 4:00 (track)

• Incoming 6th/7th/8th Grade Girls: Wed. 4:00 (gym), Thur 4:00 (track)

Lift: the focus is on coordination, spatial awareness, technique, FUN, SAFETY, and teamwork

Run: the focus is on technique, pacing, FUN, challenging yourself, and teamwork

Eat: the focus throughout is positive messaging and teachings about the beauty and importance of food, eating, and trying new things

Healthy Living — Issue 20: ADHD and Weight Loss

I’m changing the name of these articles from “Fat Loss Strategy” to “Healthy Living” because it’s more in line with my values as a coach and what mindset I try to foster in my clients. When we focus solely on weight loss it can become a really big stress, but when we change the language to healthy living, it becomes a lot lighter

Today’s issue is about ADHD because I’ve recently had several clients who have this diagnosis and see the same struggles come up for them in regards to changing and maintaining a routine.

The most common struggle is meal prep.

During client sessions I ask “so what do YOU think needs to change in order to get you on the path towards your health goals?”, in which they typically answer “I don’t know, that’s why I hired you!!!”…but I still make them sit with it for a beat

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Hello!

In May I competed in two VERY different running races and placed in the top 8 of each. Here are my experiences and learnings to share with you

25k Trail Race in Helena, MT

Early May - 3600’ of climbing - 2 hours 36 minutes of racing - 5th Place

I ran this race 20 minutes faster than I did last year. That was a HUGE victory for me. The weather was cool and cloudy and my legs felt fresh, strong, and fast.

17 miles is a long way to go with lots of climbing, so pacing was important. But I also can conserve too much early on and then not fully realize my fitness during the race and that can really frustrate me, so I decided to go for it early and keep the foot on the pedal for as long as I could.

It worked. I trusted my training and fitness and believed that I could hold a faster than normal pace for over 2.5 hours. I really sent it on the downhills with no caution because I train my downhill muscles so strategically in the gym (and with actual downhill workouts on long descents) that I knew my quads wouldn’t blow up.

My mind wanted me to back off but I kept at it. I had a great training block for this race and the evidence was there that I could hold this pace. As they say “evidence builds confidence.” And I also know the mind will always want you to slow down before your body actually needs you to slow down, so I just shushed it and doubled down on the self-belief.

One new tactic I did this race was try a different type of self-talk. I listened to a podcast called Build Mental Toughness and Perform Under Pressure with Dr. Lenny Wiersma on the drive over and decided to put my learnings into action during this race. Dr. Lenny said there’s no “positive” or “negative” self-talk, only “effective” and “ineffective” self-talk. Because positive self-talk can be ineffective, and negative self-talk can be effective. Ohhhhhh

I definitely pump myself up in my head. To use a term the expert told me not use, my self-talk is always very positive during pressure situations. I do find this works for me. I’m typically very pleased with my effort. But what I changed this time was I started to use less first and second person chatter and use more THIRD person chatter.

Here’s the Exercise he explained in the podcast: come up with 2-3 meaningful people in your life. People you KNOW have your back. And one person can be someone you look up to that you may not know (ex: pro athlete)

“One of the most powerful aspects of self-talk is called psychological distancing. This is when we are in a moment emotionally and we want to create some distance from that. And the place from which we are talking or listening to ourselves in our mind is where we can create some distance and that usually becomes a lot more effective.” -Dr. Lenny Wiersma

First Person Self-Talk: “I”

Second Person Self-Talk: You (your name)

Third Person Self-Talk: A whole other person

Approach: come out of first person and get to second person and even third person. Effective self-talk is coaching yourself from second or third person perspective and language!

Examples:

Okay Self-Talk: “I got this”

More Effective Self-Talk: “You got this Jules”

Most Effective Self-Talk: “Jules you are looking so strong out there, keep up the fueling and trust your training let’s gooooo!!” (said from a trusted voice other than your own)

I thought of my dad, Amy, older brother, and Mary (HS XC coach). My mom is not listed here because she never really understood distance running and always told us we could quit lol. So, not exactly a trusted voice in this context.

During the race I imagined what they would tell me if they were on the course. I used nicknames because they help focus me (Jules, JT, Toe Touch) and basically coached myself from these more distant perspectives! It was effective and fun. I kept pushing the pace.

What psychological distancing does is it gives you encouragement not from a place of emotion, but from a place of authority that we trust. Because as we have all experienced, emotions can really fog up our windshields!

The Power of Thoughts:

“There is some evidence that what we are thinking in the moment is a bigger predictor of confidence and happiness than anything else”

When you are in a place of pressure, are your thoughts helping you or hurting you?

10 Mile Road Race in Albany, NY

Late May - 0’ of climbing - 1 hour 13 minutes of racing - 8th Place

Flat, fast, and rainy 10 miler on a bike path! It was really pretty, but I knew I’d be mentally and physically challenged by running 10 miles on a bike path. And I was.

We went to Albany to visit my family and the night before the race (that my brother was working), my sister asked if I wanted to do it. “We have nothing else going on in the morning and I wanted to go for a run anyways, want to do it?”…“Sure!”

So my brother registered us, we scooped an extra spoonful of pasta salad on our plate, and that was that. We drove to the starting line the next day in the pouring rain, a real delight!

Laura is an amazing runner whom I have only beaten once in my life (10th grade XC race after a 2 bagel breakfast (big NY bagels), my key to success). Laura has had 3 kids since and I have had none. I train people for a living and Laura makes fun of running for a living. Laura is coming off a couple injuries and I was suffering from a tight hamstring from my most recent rec league soccer game.

WHO WOULD WIN?

We ran the first 3 miles together which was a blast, we haven’t raced together in forever and not to be sappy, but it was pretty special. Doing this race together and having our brother out there working it was such a highlight. Running is a place where we are in our element, so it goes an extra long way to connect during it.

I didn’t have a race plan so I did what any younger sister would, I stole Lauras: try and average 7:15 pace. Nailed it (I’ll spare you a screen shot of my watch). I’ve been training my speed a lot this year, but I’m still very much a mountain runner and I’ve never tested my speed for 10 miles. That’s a long way to go on pavement. I was stoked.

At mile 3 Laura settled into a different pace and I pulled ahead. Now alone I was left to race my own race and see what these legs and lungs could do on this wet bike path. I didn’t have any external resources: gels, music, a buddy, crowd support. Those things are all pick-me-ups that can really help you push harder.

That was my challenge: could I keep a fast pace without any gels, hydration, or heater tracks to keep me at it? I may not have had the external resources, but I did have my internal “effective self-talk” resource that I used again in this race. So I began cheering myself on in the voices of my people, in nicknames that make me smile. I kept pushing.

I also looked around more, pointed out things I liked about the course and scenery… and then I got a side stitch! (side stomach cramp). I actually was really excited about this because I wanted to see if a certain breathwork exercise would help. And it did! Win!

Exercise: breathe in through your nose, take another sip of air at the top, and exhale with a sigh. Do this several times. After 4 rounds it was gone and I never had to slow down. Heyyo!

I don’t love Huberman, but I do want to recognize that this is where I got the tactic from. He talks about where it comes from (impact of the phrenic nerve)

I never looked back after leaving Laura because I knew she’d be close and I’d get really stressed if she were in view (we are a really, really competitive family). I kicked it in with 1.25 miles left and Laura was only 3-4 minutes behind me. We finished and she immediately ordered an Uber (she gets shit done), and took a few more selfies with her fans (I’m not kidding), and when we got back to our car we sat there in our wet clothes as she created a reel to put on instagram. I definitely assumed my role as little sister who sat there twiddling her thumbs keeping herself occupied knowing Laura was in charge, and will always be in charge. And kinda loving it in a “I feel taken care of” kind of way.

Takeaways from Both Races:

• Stayed calm at the start even though I cared a lot and had high expectations for my performance

• Implemented effective self-talk using the psychological distancing tool

• Your mind will want to quit before your body needs to quit, trust your fitness and believe

• I had gels for my trail race, and I started one before I usually do and kept them coming. It helped a TON

• Beating your older sister is a high like no other

Thanks for reading! Here is Laura’s race summary on Instagram to make it fair. If you have a race this summer or fall and are looking for a running, strength, or fueling program, I’d love to help!

Julie

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COACHING SERVICES:

1. 1:1 Nutrition Coaching: single sessions and programs available! Fat loss, performance, perimenopause, running nutrition, general health

2. ONLINE STRENGTH TRAINING offerings here — first week is FREE for the membership option!

3. Conditioning or Running Programs: I’ve been getting more and more requests for conditioning plans and running programs, so I now offer them! Email me to get started at jules@wildandwell.fit

4. Perimenopause Playbook: Food, Stress, Sleep & Strength: a practical digital guide to a thriving doable decade!

5. 1:1 Personal Training: email me directly for this! jules@wildandwell.fit

Discounted Hormone Supplement Stack:

I created a supplement stack specifically for hormones — 25% off! Buy individually or the whole stack —> Check it out here!

1. MAGNESIUM BISGLYCINATE (travel packs available): this form of magnesium is good for relaxing the body before bed in hopes for a restful night of sleep, or at least falling asleep easier than is typical. It’s also the most bioavailable form making it a top supplement for joint and muscle recovery

2. WHEY PROTEIN (travel packs available, vanilla and chocolate): I have 1 of these most days of the week. One of the highest quality sources of protein in processed form. And tastes awesome. I just mix mine in a blender bottle with water and throw it in my bag to sip on throughout the day as I get hungry. Protein plus Strength Training will help you maintain muscle and prevent sarcopenia as you age. And the more muscle you have tugging on your bones, the better your bone strength!

3. SUPER EPA: 1.5-2g/day for overall support during perimenopause. Mood, cognitive function and inflammatory response will benefit

4. PERIMENOPAUSE COMPLETE: this is a NEW product from Thorne. Basically it is a B6 vitamin with a few herbs to help with common perimenopause symptoms (sleep, mood, emotional wellbeing, hot flashes)

5. CREATINE (travel packs available): for lean muscle mass, cellular energy, brain function (if taken at higher doses) and endurance. I put 3-5g in my coffee each morning. Must take it everyday for the benefits

Client Results:

“We were traveling and my backpack was HEAVY and usually hurts my back like my spine is compressing. Today- first time- I was like “my spine doesn’t hurt. I can carry this pack” and I think it’s our workouts! That is the only thing that is different from my last trip with same backpack about 8 weeks ago. That’s FUN!” - Kim, Strength Program

“The personal check-ins/accountability/vulnerability piece is what had me in & actually open with you from the get go, I don’t know how you do it, but I always feel really honest with you and have somehow been able to laugh and feel lightness around things that I always associated with deep shame/dark times. I appreciate you!!” - SM, Nutrition Program

“I am not one to diet and Julie’s approach never felt like one. Through the program, I learned simple things I could do each day to modify how I ate, which all added up to significant shifts that I know I can stick with. I know I would be stuck in my same old patterns of mindlessly snacking and eating too much sugar without this. Julie is also so fun to work with - I highly recommend her! - Erin, Nutrition Program

Diet aside, the weight loss advice we’ve been given for decades is that if you want to lose weight, you should do more cardio. So we saw more and more people getting into running, biking, elliptical, stair climbers just working themselves into the ground while fearing calories.

What came of that was hormone dysregulation, mood drops, increase in bone fractures, loss of muscle, and bodies that people were still not happy with.

So, many of us increased the cardio thinking we certainly must not be doing enough. And then got hungrier and hungrier. We hit a plateau. We lost trust in ourselves and all the professionals, we got so, so discouraged.

The problem is that just doing cardio (and not eating enough) leaves us in a state of constant breakdown. Running breaks down our connective and muscle tissue, it’s high impact. If we’re always in a state of breakdown, you can guess what that does to our hormones and metabolism: they lower and slow down. And we put ourselves at risk for injury. I have been there.

Our metabolism is super adaptable. If we’re exercising a lot and not eating much, it’s going to slow us down so we aren’t active anymore. It’ll have us plopping on the couch instead of doing yard work, it’ll have us sitting at a party instead of moving around, it’ll keep us in bed longer and longer. Why? because it’s so tired and trying to keep us alive!

So If More Cardio Isn’t The Answer, What Is?

First, it’s very important to change your viewpoint from exercise = calorie burn to exercise = good health. What that perspective change does is provide you so many more workouts over your lifetime that you complete.

When we workout to lose weight, it’s only motivating for a tiny slice of time. Then we

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Stats: It took her 56 hours to run 250 miles in Arizona. 13:47/mile pace for again, 250 miles. 38,791 feet of climbing. 33,884’ of descent. All sorts of weather.

I take great inspiration from this for so many reasons. Shoot your shot, ladies. Why not you?

Fruits, Veggies and Lung Cancer? STOPPPPPPP

Now shifting from a positive headline to a negative one, we have the media claiming that fruits and vegetables are linked to lung cancer. All to get clicks and money. So annoying, isn’t it?

Here’s The Deal: this was just some abstract of 187 people that got talked about at a conference and then made headlines across news sources and social media.

Fruits and Vegetables have LONG been shown to improve health markers across the board, so it’s frustrating when things like this are put out in the world to create fear.

The claim is that the pesticides are causing the lung cancer which just simply doesn’t make sense because in all the thousands of studies where fruits and veggies improve health markers, they also have pesticides?

Look, pesticides in BIG doses are a problem. But if you’re eating a few servings of fruits and veggies each day (hopefully at least 6!), then you’re fine. You can choose organic if you’d like, but you don’t need to. Fruits and Vegetables are incredibly healthy for you, whether it’s organic or not.

The worst part about this is that boomer dads (the population who needs the MOST vegetables, to be honest) across the country will read this headline in the NY Post and be like “Great! I knew vegetables were overrated…back to my cheeseburger and chips!”

Real Talk: a healthy diet involves 6 servings of fruits/veggies per day. Here’s a good fact check article that goes further into it for those interested

Running:

It’s race week for me and I’m excited to run the Don’t Fence Me In 25k in Helena, MT this weekend. It’s my 3rd time running it with last year being quite notable, but not in a good way.

Last year I was on day 7 of taking an SSRI for the first time. I was adjusting to the medication and my gut was doing the most adjusting. With it only being a week in, it hadn’t even come close to reaching its potential to help raise my mood so I sat in my car near the start line and just dreaded the race. I had no competitive fire (rare for me) or excitement or even gratitude that I was able to run this course. I was feeling so flat.

I lined up at the start line and just gave it the best I had hoping I’d get into it once I started moving. I never got into it. It was a fight the whole time. It was so strange. I felt flat the whole race, and then had gut issues with a few miles to go where I got DANGEROUSLY close to having to go to the bathroom on the most exposed part of the ridge trail. In a race where you are always around people. It was awful.

Luckily, I held it until there was a wooded section where I could go dig a QUICK hole. So, well, I’m hoping that won’t happen this year!

I’m feeling excited about it this year. I hope to run it strong, fast, have a good time, and beat my time from last year. I crammed my training into a 4 week build with the main days being a midweek workout (usually hills), a long run on Saturdays that increased by 2 miles each week and on Sundays I targeted climbing and descending. The other 2 days of running were super easy and I lowered my strength training from 3 days to 2. One full rest day with walks scattered about and mobility.

During race week I cut my running volume and strength workouts in half. I’m a fan of a race week workout, which in my case was doing half as many hill repeats as I had been doing. Keeping some (familiar) intensity during race week protects your fitness and primes the body so you’re feeling ready to rock on race day instead of rusty joints and heavy legs. But if you overdo it you’ll risk feeling fatigued at the start, so you have to be dialed.

Race Day Nutrition Plan:

Night Before: some sort of white rice bowl with chicken and veg and side of bread

Breakfast: english muffin with PB, banana, and granola topper. Sipping on coffee and electrolytes and water.

Supplements: Rhodiola and Advanced Iron Complex w/Vit. B’s & C

During: a mix of SiS/Maurten/Precision Hydration gels that I’ll start about 30 minutes in, aid station goodies as desired, water and electrolytes. Of those gels, 1-2 will have caffeine and be strategically consumed.

After: whatever looks good! Plenty of carbs and protein sooner than later

If you’re looking for a running or strength plan, let me know! I’d love to help you progress your fitness in a way that keeps you healthy and yields results.

Thanks for reading!

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!

Julie

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Lightly:

How did the headline of this article make you feel? Did you get defensive or did you get a bout of relief?

I don’t LOVE the word “just.” I try not to use it because it tends to minimize an experience or struggle. But on the other end, it can really alleviate the pressure we put on ourselves and objectives. And I don’t know about your personality type, but if you’re anything like me with those annoying high standards for yourself, you could really utilize a pressure valve or two.

For Example: going to the gym when you don’t want to. A big reason you don’t want to go is because you’re scared you won’t perform well and will let yourself, workout buddy, and/or coach down. That it will feel too hard and too uncomfortable and you’d rather not choose that for yourself today. You justify the shit out of it and bail.

But what if you said “it’s just the gym.” Immediate relief and a little laughter likely surfaces. Like yeah, it’s just the gym! Why is this such a big thing in my head? IT’S JUST THE GYM.

This also happens when we meet friends for a run. We text them beforehand and tell them that we’re not feeling super rested and will be slow that day. Even if this isn’t true. Even if we’re well rested and fed and energized, we lower the expectations.

We are terrified of letting ourselves and our people down. We put SO much pressure on ourselves to be impressive. But guess what? It’s just a workout. It’s just a run. And it’s just food.

The quote “it’s just food” comes from the great Scott Gill. If you’re a Missoulian,

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April is typically my busiest work month and this year is no exception. With the change of the season people begin to feel momentum and inspiration towards positive change. We all feel the lightness and hope with the change in weather and increase in color. We’re ready for change. We’re hopeful for improvement.

Although some are less charming about it like this recent text from my sister… “ummm okay make me a strength plan because I want to get JACKED for summer mmkkkay thanks”

However you let the Spring season pick you up and carry you towards change, I’m here to support you!

As a friend so directly replied after I was confessing on a personal level how I was scared to lose my sense of self….“is that such a bad thing?”….Hah! Nail in the coffin. Perfection. Let’s leave our old selves in the dust.

Now, let’s talk running nutrition!

Fueling For The Long Run:

A couple nights ago I gave a presentation on fueling strategies for runners. The local and badass running non-profit, Run Wild Missoula, hosted it and it was my 2nd time presenting to mostly people who are in the Missoula Marathon training class. It was filled with info and equations to nerd out on, but here are my 6 key takeaways broken down:

Eat ENOUGH:

Calories are units of energy. If you run out of energy as a runner, well, not much else matters. It’s all about energy. Next stop, Bonkville!

Energy Availability is the amount of energy left for your body’s basic functions after you account for exercise. If you under-eat over a long period of time you’ll develop chronic low energy availability and it can lead to:

1. Hormone Suppression (testosterone and estrogen)

2. Risk for Bone Stress Injuries

3. Chronic Fatigue and Illness

This is a really serious thing that can take years to climb out of, so work with an expert to get your nutrition dialed making sure you’re eating enough to support your training and health.

I had low energy availability in my late 20’s and early 30’s after thru-hiking the PCT and then overtraining and under-eating for a couple years after that. When I got my hormones tested at age 29 they were comparable to a post-menopausal woman.

It took a couple years of work but my hormones have risen and stayed steadily healthy for over 7 years now…yay!

Have a Nutrition and Hydration Strategy for your Long Runs:

If you have a plan and pack enough calories for your long runs, you will be so pleased to find out you don’t have to spend the rest of your day on the couch. You can be a functioning member of society again!

Fueling early and often DURING a long effort is typically the last piece of the training puzzle for endurance athletes. I recommend practicing fueling during every long run over 90 minutes to train your gut and find what works for you.

Trust me, your family and couch will thank you for it.

Train Your Gut:

Train your gut like you train your legs! It’s an adaptable organ that will respond fairly to enough reps. Start slowly if you’ve never eaten during a run before, and then gradually increase it each long run to build it’s capacity.

Your stomach tell ya what it likes and what it doesn’t BUT weather also plays a role in digestion so if it’s super hot out that is a big stress on the body so if a gel doesn’t work on a hot day I would give it a second chance.

Aim for 60-90g of Carbs/Hour During Your Run:

If you don’t eat AT ALL, start with one gel! Then keep increasing it until you find your limit. The performance benefits are so pronounced when you fuel yourself well.

Muscle glycogen stores run out after 90 minutes at race pace, and it’s important to not wait until that happens to give them more sugar. It’s a hole you won’t be able to climb out of before your run is over.

Fuel EARLY and OFTEN. If it’s a run over 90 minutes start a gel at 30-40 minutes and keep a steady intake. If it’s a run under 90 minutes, no need to fuel unless you haven’t eaten all day.

Pre-Run Foods Are Simple Carbs and Lean Protein:

If it’s speed-work I’m not too concerned about adding protein (def have it afterwards) but if it’s a longggg run, yes I want some easy to digest protein in your pre-run meal

Simple carbs are white bread, bagels, white pasta, white rice, white potatoes, pretzels, chips, gummies, gels, sport nutrition products etc.

Limit fat and fiber! They are the slowest to digest and you have a ton of fat stored up for energy so no need to top off your stores.

Just Because You’re a Runner Doesn’t Excuse You From The Protein Craze:

Eat 100g minimum a day! Running causes a lot of muscle and connective tissue breakdown and protein is our REBUILD macronutrient…it’s so important!

Protein Target For Runners: 1.6-2.2g/kg/day

Ex: 150lbs = 109-150g/day

I ended with with a slide on what I eat on a long run day. I’m currently training for a 25k with 3500’ of climbing on May 9th so my weekends have been pretty stout. I didn’t train much in March because my depression got me good, or early April because I was in Hawaii, so I’ve been increasing my mileage and climbing faster than I typically do. Luckily I’ve been healthy and feel my fitness improving, but I have to be careful.

The fine line glaring at me with it’s red eyes is that when I overdo it physically I can definitely dip back down into a depression. So managing training hard for a race coming up in 2 weeks but also not TOO hard is something I’m being very thoughtful of.

Just kidding, I of course ended with a slide pressuring people to take ACTION RIGHT AWAY

Thanks for reading and supporting my small business! Catch ya next week

Julie

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Coaching:

1. 1:1 Nutrition Coaching: single sessions and programs available! Fat loss, performance, perimenopause, running nutrition, general health

2. ONLINE STRENGTH TRAINING offerings here — first week is FREE for the membership option!

3. Conditioning or Running Programs: I’ve been getting more and more requests for conditioning plans and running programs, so I now offer them! Email me to get started at jules@wildandwell.fit

4. Perimenopause Playbook: Food, Stress, Sleep & Strength: a practical digital guide to a thriving doable decade!

5. 1:1 Personal Training: email me directly for this! jules@wildandwell.fit

Discounted Hormone Supplement Stack:

I created a new supplement stack specifically for hormones — 25% off! Buy individually or the whole stack —> Check it out here!

1. MAGNESIUM BISGLYCINATE (travel packs available): this form of magnesium is good for relaxing the body before bed in hopes for a restful night of sleep, or at least falling asleep easier than is typical. It’s also the most bioavailable form making it a top supplement for joint and muscle recovery

2. WHEY PROTEIN (travel packs available, vanilla and chocolate): I have 1 of these most days of the week. One of the highest quality sources of protein in processed form. And tastes awesome. I just mix mine in a blender bottle with water and throw it in my bag to sip on throughout the day as I get hungry. Protein plus Strength Training will help you maintain muscle and prevent sarcopenia as you age. And the more muscle you have tugging on your bones, the better your bone strength!

3. SUPER EPA: 1.5-2g/day for overall support during perimenopause. Mood, cognitive function and inflammatory response will benefit

4. PERIMENOPAUSE COMPLETE: this is a NEW product from Thorne. Basically it is a B6 vitamin with a few herbs to help with common perimenopause symptoms (sleep, mood, emotional wellbeing, hot flashes)

5. CREATINE (travel packs available): for lean muscle mass, cellular energy, brain function (if taken at higher doses) and endurance. I put 3-5g in my coffee each morning. Must take it everyday for the benefits

Client Results:

“We were traveling and my backpack was HEAVY and usually hurts my back like my spine is compressing. Today- first time- I was like “my spine doesn’t hurt. I can carry this pack” and I think it’s our workouts! That is the only thing that is different from my last trip with same backpack about 8 weeks ago. That’s FUN!” - Kim, Strength Program

“The personal check-ins/accountability/vulnerability piece is what had me in & actually open with you from the get go, I don’t know how you do it, but I always feel really honest with you and have somehow been able to laugh and feel lightness around things that I always associated with deep shame/dark times. I appreciate you!!” - SM, Nutrition Program

“I am not one to diet and Julie’s approach never felt like one. Through the program, I learned simple things I could do each day to modify how I ate, which all added up to significant shifts that I know I can stick with. I know I would be stuck in my same old patterns of mindlessly snacking and eating too much sugar without this. Julie is also so fun to work with - I highly recommend her! - Erin, Nutrition Program

After a couple weeks away from writing and coaching I’m back with renewed energy. If you’re interested in joining my Spring Strength Session or want online programming to get you super strong for the trail and yard-work season, please get in touch! jules@wildandwell.fit

Vacation:

My family and I went to Hawaii for Spring Break and it was a big trip in all the ways. We had fun, cried a little, had more fun, fought a little bit, and then continued to have more fun. It was amazing to see the kids curiosity, excitement, and appreciation to be in a new environment.

I was nervous that I’d return home more tired than when I left, but that didn’t end up being true. Somewhere in the chaos and non-relaxing I was able to recharge my coaching battery and return home excited to get back to work. I think the credit goes towards shattering my normal routine for 10 days, being off email, not thinking about work, being present, and strong Kona coffee.

I created 2 posts on Hawaii on my Instagram. A big hearted one and a birthday one.

For those not on instagram, I applaud you. Here they are:

Fat Loss Strategy 17: The Victim Mindset Trap

Mindset is everything. Full stop.

If you don’t believe you can lose weight, get healthier, increase performance, sleep better, lift heavier, then you won’t. Because you won’t put in the necessary work day after day to get there. You’ll live in the tension and stress of discouragement. You’ll end up with a case of the “fuck its” and quit. And then in 6 months you’ll get motivated to try again.

Read more

Missoulians, I’m offering a drop-in class on Monday 3/30 from 8:30-10am. There will be a workout on the board and I’ll help everyone through it. Come on in, it’ll take about 45-60 minutes to complete. Email me at jules@wildandwell.fit if you want to come! —> Members (Winter or Spring) $10, Non-Members $15

Spring Strength Session Availability:

April 14th - July 2nd

Tues/Thur 6:30am: FULL

Tues/Thur 11:00/12:15, respectively: 2 SPOTS LEFT!

Tues/Thur 5:15pm: 2 SPOTS LEFT!

NEW! Outdoor Conditioning Fridays at 11:00 at varying locations near downtown Missoula. All levels welcome! Open to members AND non-members. Suffering is way more fun with peers, and way more fun outside.

5 Pack

10 Pack

Mental Health Struggles:

I had a long-time nutrition client yesterday so genuinely ask me how I’m doing at the end of our weekly call. When I gave him my honest answer, he responded with “I’m so glad you’re my person. I could have a fitness/nutrition influencer type coach who claims to have it all figured out, and I would have hated that. Thanks for sharing and being real.”

Over the past month plus I’ve had a difficult time with my mental health. This isn’t new for me, I started to see a shift towards heaviness and negativity about 2 years ago and got help for that. But depression comes and goes, and I’m still learning how to manage it when it gets big and bold.

As someone who really works hard to get to the root causes of health issues, this one has been tough for me. There are so many factors at play, and I haven’t pinpointed what is the most potent. But at this point that’s okay, because my focus is less on trying to identify the exact imbalance and more about doing what I can to manage it and start feeling like myself again.

How I Manage My Depression: (in no particular order)

Force: I don’t allow self-negotiation. I make myself do things that I know are good for me.

Because ya don’t wanna do a whole lot when you’re depressed, but the positive feedback I get after I do the things keeps me showing up. Whether it’s getting together with a friend, a group gathering, or my basketball game, I made myself go. It was so hard most of the time, but so good once I was there and even better afterwards. For a few hours, I was unstuck.

This was especially true after playing basketball. The physicality, speed, intensity, and focus on the game and only the game left me feeling more like myself than ever. As hard as it was to get to the gym every Sunday evening, it was the most potent healer out of ANYTHING in this list. Truly.

Perhaps there should be a spin-off of the wildly popular 2000’s movie “Love & Basketball” called “Depression & Basketball” — I mean what a hit at the box office that would be! :)

Exercise: Sure, running helps. But I also felt so tired after even a 3 mile easy run. I wasn’t recovering from my runs or my lifts. So I adjusted my training because what is even worse than training when you don’t want to is NOT training and instead standing in your house staring at the walls with absolutely no direction or desire to do anything.

So I made myself go to the gym. But since I wasn’t recovering, was chronically fatigued, and had insane brain fog, I cut my workouts in half. I spent 30 minutes lifting instead of 60+. I didn’t do anything explosive. I didn’t do any single leg training. I didn’t pick up a kettlebell. I didn’t jump. I didn’t have the capacity for any of those things.

What I DID have capacity for was sitting down on a machine and pushing weight. I could do that. And machines are super awesome because you can push a TON of weight on them while super stable and safe. It’s as brainless as it gets.

One important and awesome thing most people don’t know about Strength is how little you have to do to maintain it. It takes EFFORT and COMMITMENT to build strength and muscle, but once you’re at a place where you’re feeling good, you can dial back the volume a lot and still maintain that strength as long as the sets you are doing are still taken close to failure. You just don’t need as much volume as you did when you were in the building phase.

Outside: All I wanted to do was be outside. The shift in my body was tangible when I gulped my first sip of fresh air after hours of being inside.

Breathwork: 5-10 minutes of breathwork/day was really helpful and grounding. It created nervous system balance (I mean, sorta) and a really palpable reset. I found midday worked best for me to take the time to sit still and do a guided breathwork and meditation. It was never longer than 11 minutes, very doable. I use the OPEN app.

Nap: I couldn’t believe how tired I was. There was one day that I slept in and then took 2 naps. It was a Saturday so it felt extra appropriate.

Friends: listening to my friends talk about whatever they wanted to talk about was really helpful in getting me out of my world and into theirs. And of course, sharing with them what was going on for me is always healing

Sauna: Heat does a body good. I sit there and close my eyes. It’s a public sauna that is pretty male-dominated so that can drive me crazy because some of these men treat the sauna like their workout??? They guzzle water, take a huge breath afterwards like drinking that water was super difficult, they exhale and sigh and really act out their discomfort of sitting there. It gets very high drama depending on who is in there hah! Okay clearly I just listed this because I wanted to vent. Thanks for listening.

Asking For What I Need: THIS IS SO HARD. Especially when your brain is ‘offline’ and soooo foggy that you I need to double down on focus to even drive to work. But every time I go through this I try a little harder to get to know my needs and ask for them.

Doing Something For Others: some of the best advice I’ve heard is when you’re ruminating on something (sooo stuck in your head about your own shit), that the best thing you can do to get out of that mode is to do something for someone else. An act of kindness, generosity, creativity, holding the door open, complimenting the color of a strangers shirt, whatever. The tiniest act of kindness for someone else can really turn your mood around.

Less Social Media: I deactivated Instagram for a month. I know what scrolling can do to dopamine levels and I needed to take back control of that part of my mental health. Social media impairs emotional regulation, shortens attention span, and typically makes anxiety or depression worse.

It was fabulous to be off of social media, but I can’t say it fixed everything. I’m back on it now to market my coaching services and spring session, but am limiting myself.

Eating Well: I don’t ever lose my appetite (lol), so I kept focusing on protein and veggies and cooking. I kept an eye on my caffeine and sugar, but I’m not going to sit here and say that I nailed it. They are both comforting, pleasurable, and energizing which is all the things I was seeking. I did my best to not overdo though.

Sleeping: I let myself sleep a little later and take rest breaks midday when there was literally no other option because my body needed to shut down. So, off to the couch I went for 20-40 minutes for rest.

Supplements: I feel a lift after taking Vitamin D, B12, Omega-3, and Rhodiola. All in slightly different ways, but noticeable enough to note.

Naming It: it took me awhile to admit I was depressed. I just thought I was tired and grumpy, isn’t that okay to be? But when it lasted and lasted I gave in. Labeling what you’re feeling is a research-backed way to disempower the emotion. A really powerful first step.

Medication & Therapy: Takin’ it! Going!

Mindset: I try to shift my language from “Have To” to “Get To”…so instead of saying “I have to go to the gym” I would say “I get to go to the gym”. And then added in a gratitude list to my morning journal session to shift myself into an abundance mindset instead of one of lack. I did NOT always remember to do this!!

Present Moment: I’ve been stopping more to listen to the birds, look at the trees and sky and notice the world right in front of me. It really helps ground me in the present moment and shift things internally.

It’s still hard for me to comprehend and admit that I struggle with depression. I never, ever thought I’d be depressed. But, no one gets a free ride and it’s important to me to learn from what I’ve been given and do my best to take ownership for my behavior and be sure to lead with self-compassion and action. And I’m grateful it’s not as big as it can be. Acceptance, compassion, action, and my people help so much.

Big love to you all!

Julie

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Hi Everyone!

Before I talk about hormones and creatine, I want to announce that there are some spots left for my 12 Week Spring Strength Program starting April 13th!

We had a lot of retention from Winter so space is limited! Register ASAP to secure your spot and email me if you have any questions!

What: 2 Full Body Power and Strength Workouts/Week

Where: REP at Endurance Physio (enter through the back alley and go upstairs to find the gym)

Included: 2 free make-up classes on a TBA weekend day during the program

CLASSES:

Tues/Thur 6:30am: FULL

Tues/Thur 11:00/12:15, respectively: 3 SPOTS LEFT!

Tues/Thur 5:15pm: 4 SPOTS LEFT!

NEW! Outdoor Conditioning Fridays at 11:00 at varying locations near downtown Missoula. All levels welcome! Open to members AND non-members. Suffering is way more fun with peers, and way more fun outside.

—> 5 Pack

—> 10 Pack

Drop-In: 20 bucks

Perimenopause:

I work with a lot of women going through Perimenopause. I haven’t been through it myself yet (37) but most of my daily choices have my 40’s in mind. I like to say I’m training for my 40’s. And when I’m in my 40’s I’ll tell you that I’m training for my 50’s.

What I find from working with a lot of women IN the perimenopause phase is how easy it is to get caught up in finding the perfect dose of protein to keep on muscle but lose belly fat, the cure-all supplement for joint pain and hot flashes, and the specific heart-rate to hold during exercise to keep fitness and to lose belly fat. Focus is then (sometimes) lost on what really matters —> the foundations.

Practical Lifestyle Habits For Perimenopause:

Protein is super important because with fluctuating levels of hormones, it’s harder to keep muscle on. Aim for .7g/lb of bodyweight. For most women, this is 80g-120g. More is needed if you’re recovering from surgery, injury, or entering a bodybuilding competition.

Fiber is super important because it’s loaded with vitamins and minerals that support your overall health and is the key to being regular which is helpful in preventing toxic build-up and supports hormone detox. It also keeps you satiated and less likely to binge on junk foods that can cause a blood sugar rollercoaster and inflammation. Which will then lead to an even wilder mood and more joint pain than you already have. Booo.

Omega-3s found in wild fish or via supplements are really important because I know your joints hurt and a huge function of Omega-3s is alleviating that through it’s anti-inflammatory properties. Many people take Omega-3s but not enough and not consistently to see its benefits and so they write it off. Take 1g-2g/day until the bottle runs out and let me know if it was helpful in reducing sugar cravings and waking up less creaky.

A Well-Rounded Fitness Routine is crucial. Place emphasis on strength training 2-3x/week to maintain or build muscle. The last couple reps in your main lifts should be challenging. Challenge your cardiovascular system 1x/week with hard intervals. Get out for easy to moderate cardio sessions on the other days. Play a sport for fun. Aim for 10k steps a day. Take a day off and do Mobility, Yoga, QiGong, or hit the sauna. And do this all without the goal of burning calories. Because you won’t burn much. A lot less than you probably think actually. But you’ll be fit, strong and healthy and that’s what matters most.

More doable tips are in my Perimenopause Playbook! In it you can find more tips on sleep, stress, meal prep, and even a TON of recipes! Something I rarelyyyyyy create for people!

Check It Out Here

Perimenopause Supplement Stack!

I created a new supplement stack specifically for hormones — 25% off! Buy individually or the whole stack

I kept it foundational because that’s what WORKS, and then added in their new perimenopause blended formula because it’s a safe way to try something new if you’re feeling stuck in your symptoms. Check it out here!

MAGNESIUM BISGLYCINATE (travel packs available): this form of magnesium is good for relaxing the body before bed in hopes for a restful night of sleep, or at least falling asleep easier than is typical. It’s also the most bioavailable form making it a top supplement for joint and muscle recovery

WHEY PROTEIN (travel packs available, vanilla and chocolate): I have 1 of these most days of the week. One of the highest quality sources of protein in processed form. And tastes awesome. I just mix mine in a blender bottle with water and throw it in my bag to sip on throughout the day as I get hungry. Protein plus Strength Training will help you maintain muscle and prevent sarcopenia as you age. And the more muscle you have tugging on your bones, the better your bone strength!

SUPER EPA: 1.5-2g/day for overall support during perimenopause. Mood, cognitive function and inflammatory response will benefit

PERIMENOPAUSE COMPLETE: this is a NEW product from Thorne. Basically it is a B6 vitamin with a few herbs to help with common perimenopause symptoms (sleep, mood, emotional wellbeing, hot flashes)

CREATINE (travel packs available): for lean muscle mass, cellular energy, brain function (if taken at higher doses) and endurance. I put 3-5g in my coffee each morning. Must take it everyday for the benefits

CREATINE FAQ:

Should I Take it Away from Caffeine?

Nah. A 1996 study showed there is interference between caffeine and creatine but that wasn’t a good study so please don’t pay attention to the headlines surfacing about that. The doses were way too high to be applicable to normal people life. If you have less than 250mg of caffeine and 5g of creatine in the morning, there is no interference effect. You good.

Do I Need to Do a Loading Phase for Creatine?

No, just take 5mg daily. No loading phase needed. And this will prevent any major bloat that you hear about.

Will I Get Bloated?

If you take more than 3-5mg/day you might. Part of how it works is by shuttling water into your cells, so you can see how that retention could lead to bloat in places you don’t want. But most people don’t experience that with a lower daily dose and still get the benefit of increased cellular energy

When Should I Take It?

1. Daily

2. If you want to boost your workouts or runs, try taking it 30 minutes beforehand. If you feel no different, try taking it afterwards. If you feel no different, just take it in the morning or daytime and pat yourself on the back for remembering to take it.

Should I be using Creapure only?

It depends but I heavily lean towardssssss Nah.

Creapure is a patented form of creatine monohydrate produced in Germany and known for its purity and rigorous quality standards which is pretty rad but…

This is where people start majoring in the minors and try to optimize the heck out of everything. Creapure does have stricter quality control policies and tends to be better digested and because of that it leads to less gut issues (although I don’t know many people who get gut issues taking the recommended daily dose of 3-5g anyways??). They are both super well absorbed and have the same function. They are both creatine. Creapure is more expensive.

I DO highly value reputable brands, so I appreciate Creapure for having strict quality control. So if you do have the discretionary income to buy the elite stuff, go for it. But if you take it down a notch to 3rd Party Tested brands like Thorne, you can still get what you’re looking for at a lower price point (while I still understand it can be expensive).

Brands that don’t have the 3rd party tested label are most likely ripping you off and not providing what it says on the label. It’s sneaky and unfair and unjust. So be sure to look for the label before buying supplements, and don’t buy supplements through Amazon (you really don’t know what you’re getting).

Knowledge is power, but action is everything.

Thanks for reading, see you next week!

Julie

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Coaching:

1. 1:1 Nutrition Coaching: single sessions and programs available! Fat loss, performance, perimenopause, running nutrition, general health

2. ONLINE STRENGTH TRAINING offerings here — first week is FREE for the membership option!

3. Conditioning or Running Programs: I’ve been getting more and more requests for conditioning plans and running programs, so I now offer them! Email me to get started at jules@wildandwell.fit

4. Perimenopause Playbook: Food, Stress, Sleep & Strength: a practical digital guide to a thriving doable decade!

5. 1:1 Personal Training: email me directly for this! jules@wildandwell.fit

Fresh Takes <3:

“We were traveling and my backpack was HEAVY and usually hurts my back like my spine is compressing. Today- first time- I was like “my spine doesn’t hurt. I can carry this pack” and I think it’s our workouts! That is the only thing that is different from my last trip with same backpack about 8 weeks ago. That’s FUN!” - Kim, Strength Program

“The personal check-ins/accountability/vulnerability piece is what had me in & actually open with you from the get go, I don’t know how you do it, but I always feel really honest with you and have somehow been able to laugh and feel lightness around things that I always associated with deep shame/dark times. I appreciate you!!” - SM, Nutrition Program

“I am not one to diet and Julie’s approach never felt like one. Through the program, I learned simple things I could do each day to modify how I ate, which all added up to significant shifts that I know I can stick with. I know I would be stuck in my same old patterns of mindlessly snacking and eating too much sugar without this. Julie is also so fun to work with - I highly recommend her! - Erin, Nutrition Program

Somewhere over the past few years I read that if your goal is fat loss, come up with the amount of time you think it “should” take, and then double it.

For Example: “I want to lose 20lbs in the next 4 months”…k cool, now change that to “I want to lose 20lbs in the next 8 months” and you have a more realistic timeline that will help you establish habits that will keep the weight OFF and you feeling confident in your ability to change.

If you don’t want the weight to rebound, you need to approach it slow and steady and set longer expectations. You can’t view fat loss as urgent. You need to adopt the mindset of “I’m playing the long game.”

Once you’re able to set yourself up with patience, trust, and belief, you’ll be able to slowly lose weight. Goals are cool and all, but the focus should be on your daily habits. And those habits are part of the environment you have changed in order to make them happen easily day after day. Week after week. Year after year.

Habits such as mindful snacking, protein with breakfast, drinking water and moving your body throughout the day, stop eating when you’re close to full, prioritize sleep, have better boundaries around junk food, connect with others, manage your stress, be consistent with a well-rounded fitness program that includes lifting weights, moderate-intensity cardio, high-intensity cardio, and mobility/breath-work.

All of those combined with not eating more than you need (so your body doesn’t store it as fat) is the path to fat loss. Where I see people be unsuccessful is in them losing trust in the process and in themselves, and they quit right before their body was going to shed a few more pounds. You have to keep going. You have to believe. And if you set the expectation of slow and steady, maintaining trust in the process is easier to do.

This leads me to…What is driving you? Why do you want to lose weight?

It is incredibly important to have a deep and meaningful answer to that question. Most of the time the people who are successful in losing weight have motives focused on HEALTH and not WEIGHT. The motives are also bigger than themselves.

If your driving factor for losing weight is to have your pants fit better that’s not meaningful enough. Now I hate to be the person who tells you what is meaningful to you or not, because I’m not you…

but since I’ve seen so many people be unsuccessful at losing weight and how discouraged they get, I’m going to play the role of TOUGH COACH.

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