Have you shied away from lifting weights because you don’t want to “bulk up?” Have you found a workout you like and keep doing it over and over? Are you intrigued or confused by fitness recommendations you see online? This episode will answer your questions and debunk fitness myths! 

This week, Jenn welcomes Sarah Thomas, host of Burn Fat and Feast. Together, they dive into topics like belly fat, exercise, cardio fitness, weight lifting, and overall wellness, with Sarah busting common myths surrounding these areas. Sarah shares her story and the inspiration behind starting Burn Fat and Feast, explaining why weight training is essential and how lifting heavier weights can be beneficial. Plus, they discuss the importance of moving our bodies, even if it's just for a couple of minutes a day. Tune in to learn more about incorporating strength training into your day, why cardio is overrated for changing body composition, and more. 

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, discussing wellness and weight loss for real life, clearing up the myths, misinformation, bad science & marketing surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store. 

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• [3:45 ] Jenn shares what members are getting this week
• [5:32 ] Sarah shares her story of being an overweight child to an anorexic teen to being a healthy and happy adult
• [9:36 ] Cardio is for heart health
• [14:06 ] The importance of strength and resistance training
• [17:08 ] Why we should prioritize lifting heavier weights and repeating the same exercises
• [19:27 ] What progressive overload is, what it isn’t and all about super setting
• [26:04 ] Why you can spot train muscle, but can’t spot reduce fat
• [28:34 ] Sarah discusses menopause and belly fat 
• [30:38 ] Balancing holiday eating with your wellness goals and how fitness “fits”
• [34:07 ] How do you stay fit during a time crunch?

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

• Walking is amazing for cardiovascular health. It is great for our heart health. We need it. That doesn't mean all of our workouts need to be straight cardio. You can have your heart rate elevated by weightlifting, which all women should be doing. 
• Starting in your late twenties, you lose muscle mass at 1-2% per year, leading to a loss of 15-20% by your forties if you don't engage in regular strength training. This condition, known as sarcopenia, accelerates the aging process. Prioritizing building muscle helps maintain strength and mobility and supports healthier aging overall.
• For effective strength training, prioritize lifting weights that feel challenging by the last few reps or seconds of an exercise. Avoid sticking with outdated weight limits; choose weights that push your muscles to grow and stay strong over time.
• You can strengthen muscles through exercises like sit-ups, but you cannot spot reduce fat in specific areas like the belly. Fat loss happens throughout the body and is influenced by your overall metabolism and hormonal changes. To manage body composition effectively, focus on consistent movement, balanced nutrition, and prioritize stress management and sleep, particularly during perimenopause.

QUOTES: 

[6:17 ] “I won't say that I did everything right from there. I turned to over-exercising for many, many years. I would probably say over a decade of over-exercising after that. So, I've done everything wrong before doing anything right. Along the way, I wanted to know more about our bodies, what makes us work specifically as women, and how our bodies function.” -  Sarah Thomas

[9:36 ] “Cardio, in general, is great for our heart health. So we have, for some reason, turned cardio into ‘this is what's going to change your body.’ It was never researched or meant to change our body composition. We have somehow morphed it into something it wasn't created to do.” - Sarah Thomas

“As we age, that intense cardio is registering to the body as a stressor, on top of all the stress we already have.” - Jenn Trepeck

[15:00 ] “I always say weightlifting is queen at this stage of your life. I mean, really! You know, I always say, we talk to perimenopausal women, but if you're in your twenties and your early thirties, pay attention, start doing it now. It is the best approach. I wish I had someone to tell me this in my late twenties and early thirties. So even if you're not here yet and you're listening. Do this now, do this now, because having muscle mass is what we need as we get older.” - Sarah Thomas

[34:56 ]  “I would challenge you by saying, I bet you have five minutes after lunch to do something. I bet you could get up from your desk for five or 10 minutes and do something versus scrolling. Maybe you could still scroll social media and move your body. Maybe you can just get on the treadmill and keep doing that. But I would challenge you to say, if you have five minutes, if you have 10 minutes, you can still get up and move your body.” - Sarah Thomas

[35:19 ] “There are a lot of magical things that can happen when you get up and move after you eat. So, 30 minutes to an hour after you eat, it gives that glucose spike when you eat something, somewhere to go. And so it will decrease that insulin response, which will level out, so I'm getting kind of sciencey, but it will level out the glucose response, which we don't want the big spikes.” - Sarah Thomas

[37:41 ] “If you're like, I just don't have time, start there. Just get up two or three times throughout your day. Walk around, manage your stress and sleep well.” Sarah Thomas

RESOURCES:

Become A Member of Salad with a Side of Fries

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

GUEST RESOURCES:

Burn Fat and Feast - Website

Burn Fat and Feast - Instagram

Burn Fat and Feast - Facebook

Burn Fat and Feast - TikTok

Sarah Thomas - Pinterest

Sarah Thomas - LinkedIn

Burn Fat and Feast Podcast feat. Jenn Trepeck - Episode 128

BIO: Sarah Thomas

I am a personal trainer, fitness instructor, nutrition coach, business mentor, wife, mom of three, and the founder and CEO of Burn Fat and FEAST, a lifestyle program for women who feel stuck and frustrated with weight loss and overall well-being. Burn Fat and FEAST provides a proven, step-by-step system that educates and empowers women to finally shed excess weight, increase metabolism, and stop yo-yo dieting once and for all. At Burn Fat and FEAST, we teach women to live life to the fullest by focusing on progress over perfection!

I am passionate about teaching a positive mindset, food freedom, metabolic flexibility, hormone balance and fat loss to women in their 30s and beyond. I implement our BFF signature 3, 4, and 5 approaches for long-term, sustainable fat loss. This approach gives my clients results without feeling deprived or getting stuck in a plateau. I’ve been featured in TV and magazine publications such as Nashville's Talk of the Town, Franklin Lifestyle, The Tennessean, and Nashville Voyager, as well as on Podcasts and as a keynote speaker for national wellness and educational conferences across the country.