Episode 74: Teach Me How To Crush My Workouts and Level Up My Fitness, with Beverley Cheng | Summer Rewind
For the rest of the summer, we’re doing a Summer Rewind, re-releasing some of our must-listen episodes as we ramp up to the launch of season two. See you in September friends!
If you’ve been thinking about getting back into your health and fitness routine (especially while we’re stuck at home), we got you. In episode 9, we sat down with fitness coach and founder of Born To Sweat, Beverley Cheng, to learn about motivation tips, how to set realistic goals, how to track your progress, proper form for weight room power moves, and three things you can start doing TODAY to live a healthier life (spoiler alert: we need to start drinking water).
For the rest of the summer, we’re doing a Summer Rewind, re-releasing some of our must-listen episodes as we ramp up to the launch of season two. See you in September friends!
If you’ve been thinking about getting back into your health and fitness routine (especially while we’re stuck at home), we got you. In episode 9, we sat down with fitness coach and founder of Born To Sweat, Beverley Cheng, to learn about motivation tips, how to set realistic goals, how to track your progress, proper form for weight room power moves, and three things you can start doing TODAY to live a healthier life (spoiler alert: we need to start drinking water).
Beverley is the brains (and brawn) behind Borntosweat.co which serves up fitness, health, recipe and wellness content. She hosts epic fitness retreats, runs a 1:1 coaching program and a variety of workout programs, and she has her own clothing apparel line! Prepare to get super fired up and inspired.
Join us as we discuss:
How to find a routine you'll actually to stick to
The importance of a positive mindset
How to create solid habits and schedules
Finding motivation and staying on track
Overcoming anxiety in the gym
How to set realistic goals
The best way to track progress
We hope this episode helps you find balance and hone your fitness goals.
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
Related Episodes:
Episode 29: How to Get Fit And Motivated At home
It’s so hard to stay motivated to exercise in the colder months, and when you throw in lockdowns, working out just seems impossible. We’ve heard from a lot of you that are struggling to stay active right now, and we’re right there with you. So we called in the delightful and motivating fitness expert we all need, Cassie Day. She’s an athlete, coach, nutritionist, fitness personality and CEO of All Day Fit, a fitness community with online and in-person classes and personal training that takes a 360° approach to wellness.
It’s so hard to stay motivated to exercise in the colder months, and when you throw in lockdowns, working out just seems impossible. We’ve heard from a lot of you that are struggling to stay active right now, and we’re right there with you. So we called in the delightful and motivating fitness expert we all need, Cassie Day. She’s an athlete, coach, nutritionist, fitness personality and CEO of All Day Fit, a fitness community with online and in-person classes and personal training that takes a 360° approach to wellness.
Cassie dishes on so many helpful tips for getting motivated to move at home, shares the single most important moves to gain serious strength and tone, and talks about how we can all have a healthier mindset towards fitness and food. Plus, we share some of our own tricks that have helped keep us motivated, from investing in good gear and signing up for workout challenges, to game-ifying workouts and scheduling exercise with an accountabilibuddy.
We’re also learning what it really means to embrace fitness for our overall health, and not just for appearance, so we’re ready to say goodbye to restriction and diet culture, and to add in more holistic movement into our everyday life, like mobility stretches and walking.
PLUS if you slide into Cassie’s DMs on Instagram and share your fave part of this interview, she’ll hook you up with an exclusive offer to her online fitness hub, All Day Fit!
Let’s all help each other stay motivated to move at home! Listen in for:
How we’ve been staying active at home: 2:23
Cassie’s journey as an athlete & how she starting All Day Fit: 14:10
How the pandemic has affected Cassie’s approach to exercise: 16:19
The key benefits of exercising during these lockdowns—especially for our mental health: 18:46
How to stay motivated & find routine when we’re stuck at home: 21:36
Budget-friendly equipment & props to use at home: 23:58
Three at-home workouts for limited equipment & time (AKA the best bang for your buck!) 26:08
Stretches & mobility movements to fix bad laptop posture and pain: 28:50
The 6 foundational movement patterns for balanced training: 32:51
The *best* go-to moves for targeting your core & butt: 36:15
How to approach food & fitness with a healthy, body-positive perspective: 39:21
We hope this episode helps you listen to your body, get moving and keep pushing for the life you want to live. Remember, in the words of Jillian Michaels, “Fitness isn’t about building a better body, it’s about building a better life.”
Follow Cassie:
Workouts mentioned in this episode:
Cassie’s Kettlebell Complex - bets bang for your buck workout:
Animal Flow:
Cassie’s Stretches for low back, neck & shoulder pain:
Cassie’s top moves for core & glutes:
Dead Bugs: instagram.com/tv/CADIIkcHLAW/
Single Leg Exercises: instagram.com/reel/CI8aWwPnvzg/
Glute Bridges: instagram.com/p/CKhAaxyH4oq/
Mobility movements:
All Day Fit’s 6 Foundational movement patterns: instagram.com/p/CKKLQ8IHim8/
90/90 stretch: youtube.com/watch?v=2uW-9KD5XOM
Equipment mentioned:
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
Related Episodes:
Episode 27: How To Feel Healthier in 8 (Totally Doable) Steps
How you doin’? Any guesses what our listeners voted as their #1 goal for 2021? Improving their health—both physical and mental.
It’s been harder than ever to take control of our health in the past year (71% of you said the pandemic has negatively affected your health, while 62% are working to improve their mental health right now). So, today we’re diving into 8 legit doable ways to feel healthier, starting with the four pillars of good health: Sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and stress management.
How you doin’? Any guesses what our listeners voted as their #1 goal for 2021? Improving their health—both physical and mental.🏋️♀️🧘🏾♀️
It’s been harder than ever to take control of our health in the past year (71% of you said the pandemic has negatively affected your health, while 62% are working to improve their mental health right now). So, today we’re diving into 8 legit doable ways to feel healthier, starting with the four pillars of good health: Sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and stress management.
OBVI, while we love watching them on TV, we’re not doctors (sorry mom and dad!) or health experts—we’re about as qualified as Joey—so please always consult with your doctor before making any big changes, and never rely on Google (or podcasts) to diagnose yourself.
We’re really passionate about making this year the one where we truly prioritize our health, so we’re sharing all of the research and info we’ve gathered to help make small, healthy changes.
Let’s make this the year of you!
Listen in to learn more about:
😴The crucial reasons you need to prioritize sleep, and how to get more
💧All the wild ways drinking more water can change your life
🍽 Why there IS NO one-size solution to eating healthily, and why we’re advocates for learning what *your specific body* needs for nutrition
👩⚕️The big role gut health plays in your overall health
🏃♀️The power of walking and exercising for pleasure, not punishment
🪑🙅♀️Why sitting is the worst and how micro-exercise can combat that
🤝💗How to get help when your mental health is suffering
🧠The power of a mental health toolbox
💊Why vitamins can be a key factor in your wellness
📆The appointments you *should* be booking every year
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
Related Episodes:
Episode 09: How To Crush Your Workout Routine (at home!)
If you’re getting as restless as we are while we’re all stuck at home, and you’re fresh out of banana bread ingredients, it might be time to tackle that workout regimen you’ve been meaning to start. It’s hard to find motivation while we’re all staying inside, but right now is actually the best time to begin your fitness journey!
If you’re getting as restless as we are while we’re all stuck at home, and you’re fresh out of banana bread ingredients, it might be time to tackle that workout regimen you’ve been meaning to start. It’s hard to find motivation while we’re all staying inside, but right now is actually the best time to begin your fitness journey!
We interviewed fitness coach and Instagram workout sensation Beverley Cheng, and she gave us some seriously fire advice and insight on taking control of your health and workouts. It’s okay if you’re struggling to get moving, but as we all know, staying active is really good for your mental and physical health, and it gives you some much-needed structure and normalcy. Here’s a few things that have helped us stick to a fitness routine:
1. Find what you love. Don’t push yourself to do a workout you hate or a big part of your routine will be dreaded. Gillian’s favourite workouts include: Studio Lagree reformer pilates, Big Hit boxing, Kayla’s BBG fitness program, the Glo yoga app, and following Beverley’s Instagram workout videos (which kicked my ass so hard I couldn’t go up the stairs for two days.)
Cailyn loves strength training through the Tone It Up app, HIIT or Tabata, hot yoga classes (or the Yoga With Adriene YouTube Channel) and spin classes. She also just took up cycling with her hubby so they can get outside and enjoy the fresh air while exercising.
2. Workout for a positive goal, not a negative one. Try to workout to feel your best mentally and physically, versus as a punishment or out of guilt. Do it so that you can live your best damn life. And if you fall off the wagon one day or miss a workout, don’t sweat it! Just pick it back up the next day and don’t be hard on yourself.
3. Get some skin in the game. If you’re paying for classes, a personal trainer, or a gym membership, you’re more likely to make the most out of your investment and follow through with your workouts. ClassPass is a great option if you love a variety of exercise, but you can still invest in working out at home right now, too. You don’t need much equipment, just pick up some dumbbells, order a yoga matt and some resistance bands on Amazon and you’ll be good to go. If you can afford to, investing in an at-home training program from one of your favourite trainers will really help keep you on track: Beverley Cheng’s Fit From Home workout program is the perfect way to get in shape from your living room. This affordable 21 day training plan will have you working harder than any gym membership!
4. Get an accountability buddy! Working out with a friend or your partner helps motivate you on days when you’re just not feeling it.
5. Reward yourself! Celebrate your wins and reward yourself with new workout clothes, new running shoes or a special favourite meal you can cook or order in after a great workout. We love treating ourselves to a fresh pair of running shoes or a new sports bra!
Before the Coronavirus hit, we chatted with expert Beverley Cheng for some #realtalk on how to actually commit to our fitness progress. Beverley is a fitness coach and wellness content creator who specializes in online virtual training. You’ve probably seen her killing it on Instagram and on her blog Born to Sweat, where she serves up workout videos and recipes. Recently, she’s been helping people take care of their health while quarantined by live streaming workouts on her Instagram and through her Fit From Home program. This program is amazing—it’ll kick your ass into shape, and it’s only 21 days with 5 workouts a week that are all under 40 minutes long!
Beverley has a refreshingly holistic and body-positive approach to training: “I believe when you start out on your fitness journey a lot of us think it’s just about getting fitter, looking better, getting that skinnier waist or bigger booty, but I like to look at it as having a stronger body, but also a stronger mind, and therefore a stronger you.”
Why routine is more important than that “magic” motivation
Beverley says that learning how to create solid habits and schedules is the key to success in fitness: “I don’t think it’s about motivation. It’s about routine and consistency. I’ve created a structure and life where I have to workout five days a week, and if I don’t, something feels off. A lot of time people are just waiting for motivation to hit, but it’s never going to come. That’s not how we work. But we are very routine as humans, and we do follow habits.”
She also believes that finding your overarching “why” is super beneficial for keeping you accountable. “It really helps to figure out why you’re doing something and why it matters to you. Especially on the days when you really don’t want to go [workout], it’s important to understand why you’re doing something. Not just physically to get a smaller waist or bigger butt, but to be able to live pain free, play with [your] children, or set a good example.”
How to jumpstart your fitness routine this week
If you want to really start your fitness routine right now, there are three simple things Beverley recommends you begin today:
Start drinking more water! You should ideally be drinking 3 litres—and peeing a lot! (It helps to invest in a good water bottle. We love S’well and YETI)
Get organizing and scheduling: Start consistently scheduling your workouts in advance. Putting exercise in your calendar and planning around it is what makes it a priority. That’s when your fitness routine becomes a non-negotiable.
Get an accountability buddy! It can work wonders to share your fitness journey with another human, whether it’s a friend, coworker or coach.
How to overcome weight room anxiety
Next time you’re feeling fearful about trying new equipment at the gym, consider Beverley’s real talk on gym anxieties: “Literally, no one cares about you when you’re working out. Nobody cares about what you’re doing. Everyone cares about themselves. And if anyone is watching you workout, they have a problem with their own workout routine.” #TRUTH.
Beverley also says that if something intimidates you, you should do everything you can to prepare for it in advance so you're confident going into the situation, and “if something makes you uncomfortable, it means you should probably do it.”
Stuck at home? Use this time to prep and perfect those power moves
If you’re new to weight lifting or intimidated by your gym’s weight room, Beverley says there’s a lot of prep and practice you can do in advance. So use this quarantine time to practice and research. “If you really do struggle with trying something new out, prepare for it!” says Beverley. “If you want to do a Barbell Hipthrust, and you don’t understand how to get into the position, how to put weights on the barbell, where you should set your shoulders up, take that as an opportunity to learn. Watch YouTube videos. Google ‘how to set up for a barbell hipthrust’. Do as much research as you can until you feel completely confident.”
You can also use this time to research how you can build up to some of those weight room power moves at home: You could be doing kettlebell swings to build up to deadlifts. All of this will help you so that when we’re free to hit the gym again, you know what you’re doing.
How to set realistic goals
Beverley recommends outlining your overarching goals, and then breaking them down into things that you can do daily or weekly. Those are the micro-goals you want to focus on. “Rather than establishing one big goal, look at all the steps it takes to get you there: Diet, sleep, workouts. Break it down from there and create a structured routine that’s going to help you get to that goal. Set those intentions for yourself.”
These incremental goals will help you stick with it for the long run. Rather than tackling a mountain, incremental benchmarks let you celebrate the small wins along the way and set doable daily intentions.
Your goals will also play a big part in shaping your fitness regime. “When you’re structuring your own workout routines, it depends what your goals are. You can work every week to build a strong back, and work on that area. Say you wanted to firm up your legs or glutes, you would adjust your workout routine to have 2x lower body days a week,” explains Beverley. “But I make sure to hit every part of my body [at some point] throughout the week.”
How to accurately track your progress
The best way to track your progress with unbiased honesty is through photos—unlike the fluctuating (and sometimes toxic) scale, pics don’t lie! Beverley says you should take front, side, and back photos at the same time of day with the same clothing and backdrop when possible for the sake of consistency and accuracy. She also recommends keeping a journal or app to track your workouts and behaviours—Beverley tracks the weight and number of reps she logs at the gym every time she goes, so she can monitor her progression and address any plateaus.
A gentle note on “falling off the wagon”
Just remember, this should be a long and positive journey towards a healthy, balanced life—not a strict quick fix. If you take a fews days off from working out, or eat food that you don’t consider healthy, it doesn’t mean all is lost. “Just look at the next day as a brand new opportunity,” says Beverley. “It doesn't mean that everything has to go down the drain, or that you screwed up...It’s just a new opportunity to eat something better later on that’s going to nourish your body. Become more flexible and look at this as a fun journey, not just a rigid structure.”
We hope you're feeling super fired up and motivated by our chat with Beverley. Slide into our DMs, and hit up Beverley on Insta, to let us on how your fitness journey is going, and what’s been working for you at home!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
Connect with Beverley here:
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