Build Maintenance Calories Before Cutting

In this episode of Rooted in Resilience, Ash is joined again by Kathleen Stewart to break down my recent 5-week fat loss phase, where I lost about 10 pounds while maintaining muscle mass and lifts in the gym.

We walk through exactly what I did, why it worked, and how we approach fat loss differently inside Transform, so you can use these principles on your own or join us inside the program.

We cover why we don’t believe in jumping straight into a calorie deficit, the importance of building maintenance calories first, and why short, strategic fat loss phases tend to work better than staying stuck in long-term restriction.

We also dive into the fear around muscle loss during a cut, why strength training, steps, cardio, and adequate protein matter, and how micronutrients play a major role in energy production, satiety, and overall success during a fat loss phase.

In this episode, we cover:

• why I split my fat loss goals into phases

• how I lost 10 pounds in 5 weeks

• why maintenance calories matter before cutting

• the difference between lean mass loss and muscle loss • how to protect muscle during a calorie deficit

• why tracking steps is so important

• how Transform structures fat loss phases

• why micronutrients matter for metabolism and satiety

• the importance of getting in, getting it done, and getting back to maintenance

If you’ve been stuck in yo-yo dieting, under-eating during the week, and overdoing it on the weekends, this episode will help you understand a more sustainable and effective way to approach fat loss.

TIME STAMPS

01:03 — Intro: How I lost 10 pounds in 5 weeks (fat loss overview)

02:23 — Rapid fat loss vs slow dieting: will you lose muscle?08:03 — Strength training during a fat loss phase

11:33 — Why I split my fat loss goals into two phases

19:03 — Why you should build maintenance calories before dieting

28:33 — Why tracking food intake helps fat loss

31:33 — Volume eating: how to stay full in a calorie deficit

37:03 — How we structure fat loss phases in Transform

51:33 — Why micronutrients matter for metabolism and fat loss

1:08:00 — Fat loss is simple, but consistency is the hard part______________________________________________________________________Subscribe To The Rooted In Resilience Podcast:⭐ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCSpofOL75STGMvUUlD5em7g ⭐ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NTIxm2iqgIdnqI2j2FICr?si=477cfb0440fe40ce⭐ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-resilience/id1663060063_____________________________________________________________Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup_____________________________________________________________Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system! 👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club: {The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Low PUFA chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}https://nourishfoodclub.com/ _____________________________________________________________Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077____________________________________________________⭐️ The Transform Fat Loss and Metabolic Restoration Program ⭐️Join 300+ people who’ve lost fat and kept it off, without giving up their favorite foods. This science-backed, metabolism-first program helps you rebuild your foundation, restore energy, and finally achieve fat loss results that last.Next group starts April 6, learn more and join the Early Access List here:

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