Fit in Real Life

'How do I stop snacking?' Mindless eating, especially in the evening, is a common struggle of many of the clients I work with. And, as we go through the Whole You Transformation, this struggle came up a lot. I often respond to the weekly check ins with a voice note, but this struggle came up so often that I recorded a podcast so that YOU can hear the strategies as well. In this podcast you're goin...

There is no doubt, that your physical environment affects your mind. An organized, tidy space brings feelings of calm. Focus. Clarity. You're more productive. You feel lighter. Happier. And you spend less time looking for things... like your keys. But starting (and keeping) your space organized can be very overwhelming. Where do you start?  I am thrilled to welcome Marie Jackson from Organized Mar...

One of the most common things I hear is that "I'll get back on track when things settle down" or "I'm looking forward to getting back to a routine" as if having a regular routine (like when summer vacation is over the kids go back to school, when the holidays are finally over, or you're back from your week-long cruise to the Caribbean) staying on track with your health goals cannot happen at the s...

Recently I sent a letter to my VIP email list, and wrote an article in the progress (posted below). The subject was "What is the best diet to follow?". The article hit home for many people, and I received many emails and comments (thank you! I LOVE getting feedback) . But, I didn't say all I wanted to in an email or article. So, today I recorded a podcast to elaborate on the topic. My goal is to s...

I love reading stories in magazines about how someone cuts out pop from their diet and easily drops 15 pounds. Or, the well-meaning article on how to swap your supersized meal at McDonalds for a regular hamburger, water and side salad to save a thousand calories. The author usually goes on to calculate that a pound of fat is approximately 3500 calories, and if you make a simple swap once a day, yo...

Many of us pursue for more information: diet plans, workout plans, and the new 'secret' so that we can finally take charge of our health and make progress toward our goals. However, for most people, lack of information is not the problem; lack of action is. In my last podcast, I shared three simple mindset shifts to evoke massive change. Here, I will share three more.

Maybe you want to lose weight, start exercising, improve your eating habits, or your relationship with food, or all of the above. Chances are, you know a few things you could be doing differently. You might even really, really want to make the change. Perhaps feeling uncomfortable in your body, being sick and tired of yo-yo dieting or having low, low energy is spurring you on. But you still don't...

Click above to listen to the podcast and click here to subscribe to the podcast.   We talk about 'self-care'… but what the heck is it? Is it all about bubble baths and spa appointments? What if you don't have the time to practice self care?  I'm thrilled to bring Courtney Klop, the "self care creature" to the show to talk about just that. A bit about our guest, Courtney Klop: "I feel most empowere...

The turning of a new calendar year, and the disruption of routine over the holidays make it a perfect time to pause, reflect, and to create intentions for the year ahead. Each year, we block off two full days to review our business and to plan the year to come (this years planning day was the day I created this 1-dish chicken dinner recipe).  I also think its a very useful, and fun exercise to do...

You know when you realize you are EXACTLY where you need to be? That was my experience when I stayed with Melissa during my final weekend of the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner training. Melissa generously opened her home to me, and the conversations we had were exactly what I needed. And I am ecstatic to invite Melissa onto the podcast to share the conversations we had, with you.  Melissa Shafer...

"The key to staying active is to frame daily movement as a non negotiable. Don't ask yourself if you will move. Instead ask yourself when you will move. – Kathleen Trotter I am thrilled to talk to Kathleen Trotter on the Ascend Lifestyle Performance Podcast.  Kathleen Trotter has been inspiring Canadians for 15 years on television, through her work as spokesperson for Quesada restaurants, and with...

Most of us love food. Yet, instead of paying attention to the foods that we eat, we often eat breakfast on the go, mingle over a tray of appetizers, or mindlessly polish off a bowl of chips while watching a movie. Why is it that we can think about food throughout the day except when we are actually eating? If you mindlessly rush through your meal, you miss out on the opportunity to truly savour an...

We're told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that we need to eat within an hour of rising to rev up our metabolism. But is that true? Tune into the podcast to learn: If it really is that important to eat first thing in the morning WHAT to eat for fat loss and all day energy The 'healthy' breakfast foods that may be hindering your progress

This podcast is a supplement to the this week's blog on www.ascendfitnesscoaching.com on Nutrition Tips for Joint Health. I dive in to exactly WHY nutrition has such a big impact on joint health, and how to eat to support joint health. Here's to happy, healthy joints! -Tanja

HELP! I don't know why I'm struggling so much with my eating. I have hard time getting motivated. I know what I should do... I'm just not doing it. I'm stuck! Sound familiar? If so, congratulations, you're human. And today on the podcast, I'll help you get unstuck so that you can move forward toward your best self.

When it comes to transforming our bodies, improving our health, we love tactics and strategies. Diet books, 28 day plans, intermittent fasting, meal plans, cleanses. And when we don't get results, or we don't stick to them, we assume the strategy is wrong. That the plan isn't working. That we need more information, more education. And while what we eat, when we eat, how much we eat, and how much a...

Many members of Ascend come to us because they have body transformation goals- and what they're doing on their own or with another program isn't working. And it's frustrating! One of the first questions I ask when meeting a new client is WHY. Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to improve your health? More often than not it has little to do with the actual weight loss. It's all about t...

Have you ever noticed that you are more focused, creative, feel less stressed or simply feel better after a workout? When asked to list the health benefits of fitness, we often think about the impact on our heart health, weight, or prevention of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, but we aren't always as quick to link the connection between exercise and brain health. There's overwhelming evidence...

This week's podcast is in response to an email I received from a member of Ascend. She wrote: "Hi Tanja, As I've been absent at boot camp for over 4 weeks due to various reasons, I'm experiencing a ' getting back into exercise anxiety'. As I've also not kept up any other exercises during this time, I feel like it's a huge mountain to climb, or a super heavy door to open. I'm afraid I will have reg...

"Where our FOCUS goes, ENERGY flows" -Tony Robbins The question is: are you focusing on the right things? I decided to record this podcast because this topic has come up a lot in recent conversations; with clients, friends, and emails from podcast listers and subscribers to Ascend.  A HUGE focus on barriers. Challenges. Reasons why we're not reaching our goals.  "My spouse isn't supportive" "I sho...

Do you feel exhausted around 2 or 3 in the afternoon? Do you feel hungry soon after eating, crave sweets, or get 'hangry' if you don't eat every 2-3 hours (or perhaps live with someone who does?). These symptoms are so common place that they passed off as 'normal'- except they're not. They are signs that you are a 'sugar burner'. And you can change that. In this podcast you'll learn the difference...

Are your expectations getting in the way of making progress? Do you get disappointed when you're not doing as well as you think you should, or getting results as quickly as you think you should?  It's wonderful to set goals and have high expectations, but when expectations are too high, it's difficult to find the middle ground or progress, and it perpetuates the "ALL IN" or "COMPLETELY OFF" diet r...

I like to think of fat loss, (if you legitimately have fat to lose), as the natural consequence of taking care of your health. It's not the goal: it's the side effect. And while you may be doing 'everything right', your body still may not be shedding fat. And that does not mean you're unsuccessful, or that you are not improving your health, or that you won't eventually lose fat. As frustrating as...

As humans, we are motivated by pain and pleasure. We move toward pleasure and away from pain. What if you started manipulating what you link pain and pleasure to so that you increase your motivation and desire to make choices that will get you closer toward your goal, and lessen your desire to make poor choices. In this podcast you'll learn how to do just that! To your success, Tanja

I'm excited to announce a few changes to the podcast: and why I'm making them. XO-Tanja