Fit is Freedom with Kelly Howard

Consistency: What It Is and How It Varies from Committment

Kelly is on vacation, and while she is getting in your standard rest and relaxation (plus podcast recording), she’s also making a point of staying active through kayaking. That’s because she knows consistency is key to staying on top of your fitness goals. Even when life gets in the way of our fitness, it’s good to step back and examine what’s preventing us from sticking to our routine every day.
In this episode, Kelly discusses how you can make your fitness regimen easier to stick to day in and day out, and explains how you can jump back from a lengthy break.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
How taking a bunch of little steps toward your goal is both more manageable and less daunting and taking a few big ones.
Making repetition the key to honing your confidence.
The easy solution for missing a day of training, and what you can do to get yourself back on track after missing a week or more.
Looking into the real reason why we might miss out on exercise.
How you can get on the mailing list for Kelly’s upcoming August program!
Quotes:
“Better consistent than not at all.”
“The small steps are gonna get you to the big stuff.”
“What is this next week gonna bring to you that you can do differently, that’s gonna get you where you want to go.”
Links:
Sign up to Kelly’s mailing list at the Fit Is Freedom homepage (https://fitisfreedom.com/)!
Podigy - https://podigy.co/
Subscribe & Review in iTunes:
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Also, I would be truly grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. It makes my day to read them. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you love and what you want to hear more of. Thank you!

Community & Connections: Uncover a Hidden Gem

Kelly has traditionally gone solo with her fitness, training and working out on her own, but after recently speaking to a friend and going through own cooperative fitness experience, she learned how much better working out can be if you’re surrounded by a supportive community. Imagine having a whole team of voices urging you to press on when the lone voice inside your head is normally telling you to give up!
In this episode, Kelly explains what group workouts can accomplish that solo exercise may not be able to and suggests ways you can strengthen ties to your own fitness community.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Considering how rarely people, especially successful women, actually ask for help, and why that can be a problem.
How being part of a community pushed Kelly to try something she might never have tried otherwise.
The extra step Kelly takes to keep in regular touch with her friends.
NEXT WEEK: Shining a light on consistent activity.
Quotes:
“Creating that friendship and creating that community got us to do something that we would have never, ever done if we’d been on our own.”
“If you see someone else do something, it makes you realize that it is doable.”
“I think it’s time for us to take a little bit more of a step in being out there and making sure we’re connecting with our friends.”
Links:
Fit Is Freedom homepage - https://fitisfreedom.com/
Podigy - https://podigy.co/
Subscribe & Review in iTunes:
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Also, I would be truly grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. It makes my day to read them. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you love and what you want to hear more of. Thank you!

Are You Short on Time or On Commitment?

While Kelly’s normally a cheerleader for herself and everybody listening, she’s starting on something of a low note this week. She wants you to consider a time—or even times—you set a goal for yourself but ultimately didn’t follow through on it. Why didn’t you? Did you take on too much at once? Or maybe you didn’t truly want to follow through on this goal. Both honesty and discipline are required to reach the goalposts we set for ourselves.
In this episode, Kelly argues for removing “try” from your vocabulary. Kelly’s also starting a new group in the near future. If you’d like to know more, email her at kelly@fitisfreedom.com or leave a message in the comments!
The Finer Details of This Episode:
How Kelly failed to commit to her own “no sugar in coffee” promise.
The difference between “trying” and truly committing to a goal.
Start with a smaller goal and plot out how your life will be different in 90 days if you commit to it.
Why it’s important for your family members to be accommodating for your goal buy-in.
NEXT WEEK: Kelly takes a look at the next C, “community.”
Quotes:
“If you find yourself saying that you’re gonna try something, then know that you’re really not planning on being committed to it.”
“To move the needle forward, you really do need that one hundred percent commitment.”
“When you’re a hundred percent committed, you’ll find the time, you’ll find the way, you’ll find the mindset, you’ll find what you need to make your step the next day.”
Links:
Fit Is Freedom homepage - https://fitisfreedom.com/
Podigy - https://podigy.co/
Subscribe & Review in iTunes:
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Also, I would be truly grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. It makes my day to read them. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you love and what you want to hear more of. Thank you!

The Three Biggest Fitness Mistakes & How to Fix Them

Most of the women Kelly works with are successful, active, and very, VERY busy, so it’s easy for them to become overwhelmed in short order. It’s not necessarily that a new diet or fitness routine is too much, more that pressure we put on ourselves when we commit to something can push us towards overload. With this in mind, Kelly recently challenged her friend to take one of the myriad tasks she commits to and just dial it back a bit.
In this episode, Kelly breaks down the three big mistakes people starting off on a new fitness routine and/or diet tend to make and explains what you can do to course-correct.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Doing too much all at once from the get-go and burning yourself out before you can really get used to your routine.
Not knowing what your ‘why’ is—that is to say, what actually motivates you deep down rather than what you think motivates you.
Not having micro-goals to act as milestones that keep you going and make you feel accomplished from day to day, week to week, etc.
Quotes:
“Your possibility of injury is higher if you haven’t taken care of yourself before.”
“We are so busy, busy, busy doing ‘shoulds’ and ‘dos’ and ‘need tos’ that sometimes you just need to stop and just say ‘no, I don’t think I can help with that’.”
“Be softer on yourself. Be caring and gentle, okay?”
Links:
Fill out the Contact Us form on the site so we can send you an invitation to our Fit, Free and Fabulous Fitness Storm, a complimentary month of weekly coaching and Q&As.
Fit Is Freedom homepage - https://fitisfreedom.com/
Podigy - https://podigy.co/
Subscribe & Review in iTunes:
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Also, I would be truly grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. It makes my day to read them. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you love and what you want to hear more of. Thank you!

Consistency is Everything

Kelly’s hosting a Q&A episode for this week, and in fishing for questions she received a lot about consistency—working out consistently, eating well consistently, generally just sticking to a repeatable routine that keeps you active and healthy day in and day out, rather than something we only do sporadically. It’s one thing to throw yourself into a new workout or diet, but another thing entirely to keep sticking to them after the novelty wears off.
In this episode, Kelly emphasizes the importance of keeping your routines simple, suggests ways a friend can hold you accountable, and explains the dangers of bargaining with yourself. PLUS, Kelly dives deeper into what you can get out of Fit Is Freedom’s Fit, Free and Fabulous Fitness Storm!
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Why making things as simple as possible is key to keeping things consistent.
Figure out what’s derailing you from meeting your regular goals and whether you’re working toward or running away from something.
Don’t be ashamed of slipping behind your fitness agenda—make a point of scheduling time for these potential slip-ups!
Why negotiating with yourself can be the riskiest part of staying on track.
Ask a friend to hold you accountable when you start to slip away from your health plans.
How your identity is the very bottom “pillar” of consistency.
Quotes:
“Is what you say you want what you really want?”
“A lot of us could do better by just forgiving ourselves a little bit.”
“We’re not going to nail it a hundred per cent of the time all the time.”
“It’s kind of like moving toward gain and moving away from pain.”
“Be a detective for yourself.”
Subscribe & Review in iTunes:
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Also, I would be truly grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. It makes my day to read them. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you love and what you want to hear more of. Thank you!

Play Bigger, Feel Better with Hayley Carr

Hayley Carr is a high performance success coach with 19—19!—karate world titles under her belt who doesn’t like playing small. She works with individual and group clients to not just improve but transform them, turning potential into action. Hayley is also a close friend of Kelly’s—even if they’ve never met in person—so the following conversation is less an interview and more a casual yet intimate chat between two people who know each other very well.
In this episode, Hayley makes her case for why gradual, incremental changes are better in the long term, helps you identify what you have immediate control over in your life, and delves into how she recently shook up her own life.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Hayley explains how tiny shifts in your behavior and training can lead to bigger changes.
Why going slower is key to improving your technique and building confidence.
Looking for the little things that are within our control so you can start turning your plan into a reality.
Discussing the big move Hayley recently made and why she “dared to fail.”
What the move taught her about plans and why you shouldn’t be afraid to let them change.
The three key questions Hayley wants Kelly’s listeners to ask themselves.
Quotes:
“If we’re always focused on where we’re going, we miss opportunities for shortcuts that are right in front of us.”
“What’s the one tiny thing that is available to me right now that I can do that’s within my power that’s going to make a difference to this end picture?”
“Slowing down effectively led them to speeding up.”
“I believe the quality of your life is determined by the quality of the questions that you ask yourself.”
“Everything you want is so much closer than you can imagine.”
Links:
Hayley’s homepage - https://hayleycarr.tv/
Hayley on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hayleycarr.tv/
Hayley on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hayleycarr.tv
Hayley on Twitter - https://twitter.com/hayleycarrtv
Go to the page for Episode 43 on the Fit is Freedom site to download a free Feel Better, Play Bigger coaching guide!
Also fill out the Contact Us form on the site so we can send you an invitation to our upcoming Fit, Free and Fabulous Fitness Storm, a complimentary month of weekly coaching and Q&As.
Fit Is Freedom homepage - https://fitisfreedom.com/
Podigy - https://podigy.co/
Subscribe & Review in iTunes:
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Also, I would be truly grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. It makes my day to read them. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you love and what you want to hear more of. Thank you!

Playing the Long Game

Today’s freer form episode was inspired by an introspective writing exercise Kelly was working on, one that asked to consider her top three values. Two of the top values she whittled her list down to were health and freedom, which she believes to have a symbiotic relationship—after all, the healthier you are, the more you’re able to take advantage of life’s possibilities, but the less free time you have, the less time there is to stay in shape. You have to plan in both the short and long term to maximize your opportunity for both.
In this episode, Kelly discusses what it took to get her to consider her long-term health priorities and challenges you to dive deep into your own motivations and goals.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
The (not quite literally) backbreaking moment that forced Kelly to get a grip on her health.
Why focusing on fitness earlier in life is playing the long game with your health.
Exercise: ask yourself what really matters to you in both the short and long term? What does freedom mean to you? How frequently does work take priority over fitness? And most importantly, what are three things you can do today to get your health on track for the future?
If you’re interested in Kelly’s upcoming “30 Days of Let’s Make Stuff Happen” event, email kelly@fitisfreedom.com
Quotes:
“If you want to have freedom in your life, you actually have to have health.”
“What we do today makes all the difference in the world on what we can do tomorrow.”
“What’s your long game, and what’s your short game?”
“What can you do differently, right now, so that you can allow yourself to have that time to take care of yourself?”
Links:
Fit Is Freedom homepage - https://fitisfreedom.com/
Podigy - https://podigy.co/
Subscribe & Review in iTunes:
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Also, I would be truly grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. It makes my day to read them. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you love and what you want to hear more of. Thank you!

The Down-Low on Macros & Oreos : Interview with Amber Brueseke

Amber Brueseke is a certified fitness trainer, registered nurse and mother of four. Through her “Biceps After Babies” courses, podcast and blog, she helps mothers get into their ideal shape. Her success with these clients owes largely to her focus on “macro training,” which does away the idea of “good” or “bad” foods, instead emphasizing key nutrients in balance with one another.
In this episode, Amber explains the theory and evidence behind macro training, breaks down the wide variety of material available to people who browse her website, and reveals who’s the first musician she saw perform live.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
What exactly is macro training and what drew Amber to it.
How nutrition was the last piece missing from Amber’s fitness plan.
The three main macronutrients in our body and why we need to keep them in equilibrium.
Debunking the notion of “good” or “bad” food in favor of hitting the important numbers.
How Amber coaches her macro clients and tailors her teaching their goals.
The first steps you should take when visiting Biceps After Babies.
Quotes:
“I started counting macros and BOOM, eight weeks later I had abs for the first time.”
“We’re making sure that the foods that you’re eating are balanced and are hitting all the points that you need to hit in order to fuel your body in the best way possible for it to perform.”
“I’m big about moderation in all things, and macro counting gives you the structure to actually execute on that moderation.”
Links:
Biceps After Babies - https://bicepsafterbabies.com/
Biceps After Babies Radio - https://bicepsafterbabies.com/podcast/
Amber’s courses - https://bicepsafterbabies.com/store/
Getting Started with Counting Macros - https://bicepsafterbabies.com/wp-content/uploads/002_BAB_GettingStartedWithCountingMacros.pdf
Macros 101 waitlist - https://biceps-after-babies.mykajabi.com/macros-101-waitlist
Fit Is Freedom homepage - https://fitisfreedom.com/
Podigy - https://podigy.co/
Subscribe & Review in iTunes:
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Also, I would be truly grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. It makes my day to read them. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you love and what you want to hear more of. Thank you!

Keeping Your Energy High from Dawn to Dusk

Kelly frequently receives emails and questions from people who are very driven and successful in the professional world but feel like their physical life has taken a hit, barely able to find the time or energy to stay active and in shape. While this kind of life may be financially and professionally rewarding, it’s going to burn you out in no time at all. That isn’t very rewarding, but neither is it your only option. There’s a way to succeed and feel energized.
In this episode, Kelly discusses her own rough experience balancing business with activity, explains the key main components of feeling good, and suggests some ways you can keep these aspects of your life in sync.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Kelly describes the “either/or” stage of her life when she wasn’t able to find a healthy or energizing equilibrium between her responsibilities and pastimes.
The moment Kelly realized her work-life-fitness balance was severely off-kilter, and what she did to recalibrate.
Food: plan when you’re going to eat and keep a little bit of food on hand if you’re too busy for a proper meal.
Sleep: stay on top of tasks and avoid distractions so your mind is clear when you crawl into bed at night.
Movement: if you’re unable to find the time to exercise at the start of your day, find ways to sneak exercise into your day—the “snack” version of exercise rather than a “meal.”
Stress management: using meditation—or simple distraction—throughout the day to keep anxious thoughts from coming to a head.
If you find you’re feeling exhausted too frequently, then book a checkup with your doctor.
Quotes:
“It’s so easy to get caught up in work and not nourish yourself.”
“When I get super busy, I find that I have to figure out small ways to get exercise in.”
“Work with your schedule and make sure you’re getting the exercise in.”
“When you and your well-being are a priority, then your energy’s gonna stay high and everything else will fall into place.”
“A body in motion stays in motion.”
Links:
Lumosity - https://www.lumosity.com/en/
Fit Is Freedom ep. 21, “Sleep is a Superpower” - https://fitisfreedom.com/sleep-is-a-superpower/
Fit Is Freedom homepage - https://fitisfreedom.com/
Podigy - https://podigy.co/
Subscribe & Review in iTunes:
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Also, I would be truly grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. It makes my day to read them. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you love and what you want to hear more of. Thank you!

If You Couldn’t Fail...: Interview with Anne Ruthman

Anne Ruthmann is a photographer, blogger, reiki practitioner and abundance strategist. Through her varied lines of work, she helps her clients understand the possibilities available to them and realize the kind of lives they could leave, as exemplified in her TEDx Talk “What Would You Attempt If You Knew You Could Not Fail?” She knows firsthand that there’s no shame in wanting to spread yourself across multiple interests instead of just specializing in one.
In this episode, Anne discusses why she enjoys being a Jack (Jill, rather) of all trades, reveals how she got into reiki, and reveals that even dream jobs have a daily grind.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Anne gets into the subject of her TEDx Talk and what inspired her to discuss it.
Why the idea of excelling in only one thing never resonated with Anne.
What exactly reiki is and how Anne uses it to help her clients.
Anne lays out her plans for travelling the world.
If it was literally impossible for you to fail, what steps would you take to achieve your dreams?
Understanding that the dream job you think you want may not be as fulfilling as you think—and that's OK!
Quotes:
“If you don't feel like you have everything figured out then everything is an opportunity.”
“I am such a multi-passionate person that having that one thing never felt quite right for me.”
“I'm comfortable travelling alone. It's just not, to me, as adventurous or as exciting as sharing it with other people.”
“You can always go back to the thing that you know well and the thing you've already done.”
“If you fail, you can always go back to where you are right now. And that's not so terrible.”
Links:
Abundant Sphere - https://www.abundantsphere.com/
Anne’s blog - https://anneruthmann.blogspot.com/
Anne on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/anneruthmann/
Anne’s TEDx Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoC-vPjz_S8
Fit Is Freedom homepage - https://fitisfreedom.com/
Podigy - https://podigy.co/
Subscribe & Review in iTunes:
Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, I’d love for you to do so and not miss an episode. You’ll be the first to know when bonus episodes are added and if you’re not subscribed, you could miss out :). Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Also, I would be truly grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. It makes my day to read them. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you love and what you want to hear more of. Thank you!