for episode #270 with Jordan Syatt

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Cmuh7C0dyasTjpJoa9aQq

Podcast Description:

🎙️ Episode Title: Habits of the Lean vs. Dieter’s Mindset: Building Lasting Success with Mike Howard

In this episode of 100% Real with Ruby, we’re joined by Mike Howard to uncover the fundamental differences between living a lean lifestyle and the traditional dieting mindset. Together, we explore the habits, mindset shifts, and strategies that lead to sustainable health and long-term success.

💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:

• The key differences between dieting and sustainable lean habits.
• Why non-scale victories are just as important as weight loss.
• How identity and your “deeper why” play a role in lasting change.
• The importance of patience, practice, and persistence.
• How to navigate the holiday season with balance and joy.
• Why environment and small, consistent habits matter.
• How to embrace self-compassion while staying on track.

Mike also shares powerful insights into overcoming setbacks, building resilience, and shifting your mindset to focus on progress over perfection. Whether you’re starting your health journey or looking to break free from the chronic dieting cycle, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways to help you succeed.

Tune in now to learn how to create a lifestyle that feels good, looks good, and lasts for the long term!

🔗 Follow Mike Howard & Ruby:
Instagram: @leanminded

@transformxruby

Once you stop focusing on being smaller, you realise “hey my body can do crazy ass shit”

Too comfortable in a dieting mindset….. But its not even

Its just fear

And people get impatient with deficits so its like boom bust nothing to see… and then you use past struggles as your thing to relate to for what will happen

Playing it safe… hoping to have something amazing to see at the end of a deficit… or even at the end of the “build” but they never ate enough

Okay so maybe discussion can be around clients who want to get leaner who are already lean

What is best for them to improve their physique

Fears they have and how they roadblock themselves

Mindsets that keep people form the lean results they want

The more we try to diet and lose fat, the worse our body composition will be…

Fatigue

Unsustainable

Falling off track

Not being in aplace to build

Not being in a palce to lose fat

We all will face menopause

Then what

If you arent building muscle… are you doing enough to maintain it or are you sabotaging that too

Why maintenance is where most people should be and sometimes pushing into a surplus, especially if don't have alot of body fat (which many of us may feel we do… bc we don't see ourselves as we are

REALISTIC TIMING

How 6 months isnt enough to build appreciable muscle

If youre maintenancing it there, then double the time… aka think 1-3 years going between maintenance and slight surplus & 3-6 years if in maintenance doing it… but you wont have to worry about having a heap of fat to fat lsos away

Person dependent get a coach

The biggest set back in getting lean; is patience with results

Where to shift focus to so you get to a place of just checking the boxes bc it does get repetitiverepetiticec and you feel you have nothing to report to your cocaoch about

Seems never ending so you may not give your all- not seeing the true potential of a dieting phase and just always feels hard

Not optimal place to build muscle

Which is the best part

Value of coaching here

Value of filming lifts

If you arent seeing results and you think yorue eatin genough, think again

Touching on the fear that eating out of a deficit for a sustained period of time is a place of discomfort for most women, but a great growth phase. Maintenance can be a great phase to see physique changes while keeping body fat stable

Flexes long term gratification vs spontaneous decisions from emotion

** fear around being that person

Losing things they like now

Oh but then i can never eat X

What if my relationships change

What the fuck i have to keep this level of hard….

I feel theres too much to do and

Stressful day ** want to control something

Stress and relationship with food/body

Beliefs and breaking them

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by food tracking and diet culture? Do you find yourself stuck in a cycle of restriction, perfectionism, or frustration when it comes to achieving your health goals? In this episode, we’ll explore why tracking feels so hard—and how to make it work for you.

From understanding the emotional weight behind tracking to reframing it as a tool for empowerment, this conversation is packed with actionable insights to help you take control of your nutrition. We’ll dive into:

• Why tracking feels stressful and how to shift your mindset.
• The science behind flexible dieting and how it works to fuel your goals.
• Common blind spots in nutrition and why even seasoned dieters need guidance.
• How to simplify tracking and build sustainable habits that align with your lifestyle.

Whether you’re a seasoned tracker or new to the concept, you’ll gain a fresh perspective on how to achieve your best results without obsessing over every detail.

Key Takeaways Include:

• The role of a coach in accelerating your progress and saving you years of trial and error.
• The stages of nutrition awareness—from mindless eating to food freedom.
• Tips to optimize your food choices for energy, mood, and performance.

Join us as we break down the puzzle of nutrition and show you how to zoom out for perspective and zoom in for action. By the end of this episode, you’ll feel empowered to take control of your nutrition journey—on your terms.

: Nutrition awareness, flexible dieting, food tracking, meal planning, health mindset, sustainable habits, weight loss, food freedom.

In today’s episode of the Strong Jon Fitness Podcast, I chat with Ruby Cherie , an online coach, discusses her approach to helping women achieve lasting fitness results. She emphasizes the importance of performance, identity shifts, and the role of coaching in transforming lives.

Ruby shares insights on overcoming self-sabotage, building confidence, and the necessity of patience in the fitness journey. The discussion highlights the significance of setting realistic expectations and enjoying the process of personal development.

Takeaways

• Focus on performance rather than just outcomes.

• Consider yourself an athlete in all aspects of life.

• Coaching is essential for personal transformation.

• Building confidence comes from consistency and commitment.

• Self-sabotage often stems from fear of change.

• Patience is key in the fitness journey.

• Set realistic expectations to avoid disappointment.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Ruby Sheree and Her Coaching Philosophy

05:35 The Importance of Performance in Fitness and Life

12:49 Identity Shifts: From Gym-Goer to Athlete

19:04 Overcoming Fear and Self-Sabotage in Weight Loss

26:09 Building Confidence Through Consistency and Commitment

33:34 The Role of Coaching in Transformational Journeys

39:51 The Long Game: Patience in Fitness and Life

46:30 Setting Realistic Expectations and Enjoying the Journey

Connect with Ruby: https://www.instagram.com/transformxruby/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/100-real-with-ruby-no-bs-health-fitness-mindset/id1571464398

Navigating the holidays can feel like a balancing act, but it doesn’t have to! In this episode. Here’s how to enjoy the holidays guilt-free while staying true to your goals.

- practical strategies to savour your favorite foods, avoid overindulgence, and wake up feeling proud of your choices

- mindset shifts like the Traffic Light System and actionable tips for handling food pushers

It’s not about sacrifice—it’s about balance and building confidence. Tune in and transform your approach to holiday eating. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more empowering episodes!

Let’s start with the big question: Why does food feel so hard to control in the first place?

Here’s the core issue: most of us are stuck in a toxic cycle. We restrict, we crave, we binge, and then we start over. And it’s not because you’re weak or lack discipline—it’s because restriction creates the very cravings you’re fighting.

Think about it. The more you tell yourself, “I can’t have this,” the more power that food holds over you.

How many times have you gone to a party or a dinner, determined to ‘be good,’ only to leave feeling stuffed and miserable because you gave up halfway through? It’s not your fault. Most plans don’t teach you how to enjoy food AND stay on track.

Does this sound familiar? Like you’re either 100% on or completely off track? You’re either chasing fat loss with everything you’ve got, or you’ve just said, “Screw it,” and let the holidays take over.

One of my clients, Sarah, came to me with this exact struggle. Every holiday season, she felt like she’d blow her progress. She’d promise herself, “This year will be different,” only to end up frustrated and stuck in the same cycle.

But here’s the thing: Sarah’s problem wasn’t that she couldn’t stick to her plan. The real issue was how she viewed her goals and progress. She was trapped in the ‘on a diet or off a diet’ mindset. No balance, no in-between.

And let’s be real—this isn’t just about food. That all-or-nothing mindset shows up in other areas too: your workouts, your habits, even how you see yourself.

_________

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what are the consequences if someone just kind of thinks, oh, I can just skip over that mindset stuff and just ill just follow this, you know, workout plan and diet.

I know what to do but not doing it

Its easy to think “ theres no tangible benefit. Theres no way to measure this etcetc”

Body image

Tangible outcomes

Why - if you don't feel like youre going to change

You don't see

Always having a diet mentality

This is how i am so i need to prove it, i cant take the time to focus on other things

How can i see this differently

How can i tell a different story

Whats another way of viewing this

Old coaches

Pen paluskis podcast

Time pressure

Process focused

Track that thought

Motivation

When KNOWING WHAT TO DO isnt enough

Having a plan isnt enough

Why is it detrimental to wait until you achieve X or you get your shit together with food before you start working on mindset?

When you improve your mindset, you’ll notice things like:

Less all-or-nothing thinking, fewer instances of self sabotage, stronger self control, more resilience...

Which obviously makes things like getting to the gym and hitting your macros much easier.

And when you’re consistent with health behaviors...

That ^ will improve your mindset (think: more belief in yourself and your abilities)

Emotional regulation; noticing it… the STOPP method, the ACBDE method

For those that are busy AF and aways trying to check boxes, how can we promote slowing down and seeing awareness and related habits as huge progress?

Cognitive dissonance

Lockdowns

More social media

More impatient

More comparisons online

More ai and artificial BS

Questioning body image fears

When all you do is focus on your body,,,, and in a negative way… picking negatives… waht do you think is going to come of it.

Visualise how i want to show up - use this as showing up as your futjure self not as yourself now

FIND KASEY AT

her podcast; Not Another Mindset Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/coachkaseyjo/

#perimenopause

In this episode of 100% Real with Ruby, we dive deep into why those once-effective diets and workout routines just aren’t cutting it anymore. Ruby walks through the physiological changes that happen as we age, how stress impacts us differently, and why it’s not you—it’s your approach that needs a reboot. From understanding metabolism to building a lifestyle of resilience, Ruby provides practical steps and a fresh perspective for women navigating the frustrations of evolving bodies and goals.

Timestamps & Subtopics:

(00:00) Introduction: Setting the stage—why the “old ways” of dieting aren’t delivering the same results.

(01:12) Why “Eat Less, Work Harder” is Outdated: The trap of calorie deficits and high-intensity training.

(02:21) Changing Bodies, Changing Needs: How metabolism and hormonal changes affect weight and energy.

(04:04) Metabolism Myths Busted: Ruby explains the truth about metabolism and the importance of muscle mass.

(05:20) Caloric Deficit Reality Check: Why drastic cuts harm more than help.

(07:56) The Dangers of “All-or-Nothing” Thinking: Shifting from restrictive habits to a sustainable balance.

(09:34) Why Your Body Holds Onto Calories: How scarcity mentality affects calorie processing.

(12:41) Daily Movement’s Hidden Impact: NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) and its role in overall calorie burn.

(13:48) Juggling Life, Hormones, and Fitness Goals: Managing additional stresses and the hormonal challenges for women.

(18:42) Training to Build, Not Burn: The real purpose of training—building muscle for lasting transformation.

(19:46) Recovery Isn’t Optional: The power of rest and recovery for sustainable results.

(21:25) Alcohol and Fitness: Understanding the effects of alcohol on your body and metabolism.

(23:20) Resisting the Allure of “Quick Fixes”: The mindset shift needed for long-term progress.

(24:29) Self-Talk and Mental Resilience: How to focus on positive, productive energy in your fitness journey.

(26:54) Actionable Steps: Key steps for sustainable success: focus on protein, progressive overload, recovery, and mindset.

Key Takeaways:

Outdated Diet Myths: The old “eat less, do more” model doesn’t work as we age. Metabolism and muscle preservation are crucial for sustainable progress.

Mindset Shift: Moving from a “dieting” mentality to a performance-based approach can lead to better health and body composition.

Sustainable Steps: Simple but effective actions—such as increasing NEAT, hitting protein goals, and prioritizing rest—are game-changers.

Importance of Recovery: Building resilience and allowing your body to recover is as vital as any workout.