In this quick but episode, we dive into a critical topic: the art of saying no in order to prioritize what truly matters. As we enter the busy holiday season, it’s easy to get caught up in saying yes to everything, but that often comes at the expense of our own well-being. Kelly explores why we struggle to say no, shares actionable strategies to set boundaries, and explains how saying yes to ourselves creates a ripple effect of positivity.

• 1. Why We Struggle to Say No
• - Being kindhearted and wanting to help others often leads us to overcommit. - Saying yes to others can mean saying no to our priorities like health, family, and personal time.
• 2. The Tipping Point
• - Overcommitting can cause the things that matter most to slip away. - Recognizing this tipping point is crucial for maintaining balance.
• 3. No is Not a Complete Sentence
• - Saying no doesn’t mean shutting doors—it’s about aligning with personal goals and values. - Communicating boundaries with confidence allows us to own our priorities without guilt.
• 4. A Real-Life Example
• - A client caring for her mother found a way to maintain her routine by hiring help, allowing her to say yes to herself while still supporting her family.
• 5. The Ripple Effect
• - Saying yes to self-care leads to improved well-being, more passion, and greater joy. - This positivity naturally impacts those around us, fostering happiness and fulfillment.
• 6. Preemptive Planning
• - Plan ahead to identify upcoming commitments you want to say no to. - Use journaling to explore what you can say no to in order to make room for what truly lights you up.
• 7. Final Thought
• - Every time you say no to something that doesn’t align with your goals, you’re saying yes to something that does.

The Secret Series - My Post-it Note Method for a Fun & Sustainable Routine

Hey there! In this episode, I'm sharing one of my favorite (and simplest!) tools to keep fitness fresh and enjoyable: the good old Post-it Note. I’ve been working out consistently for years, and even with my love for routine, there are times when I need a little spark to stay excited and motivated. That's where my “Post-it Note Fitness Plan” comes in.

Uninspired? Try this!

If you've been feeling a bit uninspired with your workouts or struggle to know where to start, this episode is for you. I’ll walk you through a three-level fitness plan I use with my clients and share practical tips to make fitness fun, adaptable, and sustainable at any level.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand your starting point with this Simple Quiz and begin where you are—no more go-big-or-go-home approach!
• Tips on adding variety through mobility, cardio, and resistance that match your energy and goals.
• Why starting small and progressing gradually leads to long-term consistency (and avoids burnout).
• The benefits of resistance training, and how to incorporate bands, weights, or even Jazzercise to keep things light and fun.
• How to adapt your workout when life gets busy—fitness shouldn’t feel like a chore!

Welcome to today's quick yet impactful episode, where Kelly Howard shares her top 5 fitness consistency hacks—perfect for anyone juggling a busy life but ready to stay committed to their health and wellness goals. Whether you’re starting fresh or looking to strengthen your current routine, these strategies will help you plan smarter, stay motivated, and finally build trust with yourself.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why Planning is Non-Negotiable

• Weekly plans and daily adjustments that set you up for success.
• Tips for planning workouts, meals, and even supplements.

• How a simple promise of 5 minutes of movement can spark consistency.
• Build trust with yourself by doing what you say you’ll do.

• The secret to staying motivated by imagining how success feels.
• Rewire your brain and energize your workouts with positivity.

• Why recording your wins—even small ones—keeps you on track.
• Quick tips for making tracking easy and sustainable.

• Why support systems matter and how to build your fitness tribe.
• Join Kelly’s Facebook group for a supportive, like-minded community.

Join us on the Fit is Freedom Podcast for a summer episode full of escapades: adventure, travel, and fitness! We explore the significance of taking a vacation, the excitement and challenges of RV travel, and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on the road. Kelly shares her personal journey and the upcoming summer plans that led to the decision to take a break from the podcast.

Kelly announces a summer hiatus for the podcast, emphasizing the importance of creativity, high energy, and the need for a mental reset. She explains the decision to pause the podcast for two months to ensure quality content and to avoid scrambling for episodes during the break. The Backstory

• Heat in Houston: Kelly recounts the overwhelming heat in Houston last summer and her declaration not to spend another summer there.
• RV Adventure: The spontaneous idea of buying an RV and planning a trip from Texas to Canada to escape the heat and visit family. Kelly shares her initial hesitation and eventual excitement about the adventure.

• Food: Managing healthy eating with a small refrigerator and limited cooking space, drawing parallels to her experience living on a sailboat.
• Sleep: The importance of maintaining good sleep hygiene even while traveling.
• Close Quarters: Adjusting to living in close quarters with her partner and two dogs.
• Social Connection: Finding ways to connect with others while on the road.
• Routine: Keeping up with her meditation, workouts, and journaling routine despite the challenges of travel.

Kelly discusses how her experience will contribute to creating resources for her SuperFIT Success System, focusing on travel tips for maintaining fitness and health on the go. She will document her journey and share insights on social media.

1. Subscribe to Fit Tip Monday: https://kellyhoward.lpages.co/fit-tips-monday-list Sign up to receive weekly fitness tips and updates. Kelly assures listeners that the Fit Tip Monday will continue during the break.
2. Follow on Social Follow Kelly on social media to stay connected and updated on the RV adventure and get fitness tips!
3. Take the Quiz at https://fitisfreedomvip.typeform.com/to/FesDMfdR Introducing a curated podcast playlist featuring a new quiz tailored to match listeners' current fitness and health needs. Take the quiz now to receive your personalized podcast playlist!

• Fit is Freedom Website
• Fit is Freedom Podcast
• Kelly Howard Facebook
• Kelly Howard Facebook Group
• Kelly Howard Instagram
• Kelly Howard YouTube

Teases new episodes and interviews with individuals who play for a living, set to be released after the summer break. Highlights include a jungle lodge owner in Costa Rica, the creator of the Kula Cloth, and a kayaking company owner.

Have a wonderful summer, and stay tuned for exciting new content when the podcast returns!

Join us on this episode of the Fit is Freedom Podcast as we learn common fitness mistakes made by women, why strength training is so crucial and tips on how to get started if you are a weight lifting newbie!

If you were to take a time machine back twenty years ago, all you would hear about in the women’s side of health and fitness would be cardio, cardio, cardio, diet, and cardio. For years, women have been fed misconceptions about how to obtain the ideal physique, feeling a reluctance to even touch a weight for fear of “bulking up”.

With more and more research out there and people like Tina Turrentine-Tepera advocating, the tides are turning. We are learning how crucial weight training is for not just women, but especially women who are aging.

Tina is a personal trainer, coach, and cofounder of Ageless Muscle. She dedicates her time to helping others reach their full athletic potential at any age. On top of her professional career, she has won two Pro Cards in Bikini Athletic and Figure divisions against women who were half her age. She not only talks the talk, but also walks the walk!

• Tina Turrentine-Tepera Website
• Tina Turrentine-Tepera Facebook
• Tina Turrentine-Tepera Instagram

• Fear of bulking

Women are afraid to look too “manly”. But, the fact of the matter is…We are simply built differently. We don’t have the same amount of testosterone as men. Our bodies are different, and lifting weights will actually tone us, not bulk us. Operating with this fear of bulking is a big mistake women make because it will affect their health as they age.

• Too much cardio

Tina shares that anything over 45 minutes of cardio will start wreaking havoc on your body. It’s the point where your muscles will start to deteriorate and break down.

• Too small of weight

Continuing with the theme of “fear of bulking,” if women do start lifting weights, they will lift too lightly. As a general rule of thumb, if you can do 30 reps, it’s too light.

• Fear of injury

As with any exercise routine, there are going to be inherent risks of injury, especially as you age! But, who’s to say you won’t go out for a long run and twist an ankle? As with anything, it’s okay to be cautious. But it’s also important to not let it prevent you from being the best version of you.

When you are starting to lift weights, also make sure it’s under the guidance of a professional. It is important to understand posture and proper form in order to be successful.

• Improved strength
• Lessened Osteopenia
• Improved posture
• Stronger mental toughness
• Confidence
• Burns more calories
• Burns more fat
• Kicks up metabolism

In this very special episode of the Fit is Freedom Podcast, Dr. Krause is going to be walking us through my most recent blood results! She’ll talk through what the different items mean, where they should be, what we can do to improve them, and so much more!

Whenever we have our blood work done, no news is considered good news. If there’s nothing sticking out like a sore thumb, we just assume that everything is good to go. But, what if we looked at our blood work differently? What if we looked at it as a tool to optimize our health? Well, that’s exactly what Dr. Jannine Krause does for her clients.

Dr. Jannine Krause has over 17 years of experience as a naturopathic doctor, but she is also an acupuncturist and the host of The Health Fix Podcast. She dedicates her time to helping women take control of their own aging process. She does this in a variety of ways, focusing on utilizing each client’s lab work to understand where they are, and help guide them to where they want to be.

• Dr. Jannine Krause Website
• Dr. Jannine Krause Facebook
• Dr. Jannine Krause Instagram
• Dr. Jannine Krause Podcast

Dr. Krause said it best, “if you’re listening to this podcast, you’re not trying to be normal. You’re trying to be exceptional.” Talk about a mind-blowing statement! And, how true it is!

Dr. Krause explains how every lab is different and how there are lots of variables that go into your results.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Krause goes through my lab work, line by line. She makes observations about my health and fitness decisions and lifestyles by analyzing my numbers. From Chloride to my AG ratio, she walks me through every line item in my lab just as she would do with a client.