Coach's Corner
Peace! As I'm writing this, I'm cursing the powers that be for daylight savings time. I WANT MY HOUR BACK.
Now that I got that out...Happy Monday to you all! March is off to a fast start; I hope you all are keeping up. We are now on week 2 of the March 2025 EA Off-Season Workout Plan. This is our last month of the EA Off-Season, which means things are going to turn up in April. One of the biggest changes will be that we are going to start setting goals. In my coaching opinion, it's pointless to set goals if someone doesn't have the foundation and capability to meet them. That's why we use the first three months of the year to build our routines and confidence to identify and reach those goals.
With this final month, the goal is to transition the body (and mind) to more intense demands. We're going to increase the amount of weight we're lifting, the number of times we're exercising per week (sometimes per day), and we're going to set goals that we have to hold ourselves accountable to reach. From the start of April to the end of June, we are going to go HARD. So ask yourself: "Who do I want to be and how do I want to feel at the end of these three months?"
I know planning and goal-setting can be tough so I'm inviting you to set up a 15-30 minute meeting with me to create a plan. No, this is not me trying to sell you on training with me. I actually HATE it when businesses do that. Everyday Athletes always have the opportunity to meet with me to discuss their wellness journey; only thing you've gotta spend is your time. With that being said, let's get into it!
Exercise
Week 2 is here! The focus is still lifting heavy, but that might look a little different this week as we are focusing on unilateral exercises. If you recall from a previous newsletter, your exercise program should include both unilateral (one-sided) and bilateral (both sides) exercises. For example, last week we did barbell squats (using two legs). This week, we'll be doing bulgarian split squats (using one leg). To figure out how much weight you should use, take the weight you would use for a bilateral exercise and cut it in half. However, you might have to take off a little more to account for the difficulty of balancing on leg or only being able to use one arm.
Nutrition
The emphasis is still protein! That does NOT mean you completely ignore carbs and fats; it just means that you might want to make sure that you are getting adequate amounts of protein. Last week, you received a list of recommended amounts of protein to consume per day. This week, I'm going to give a list of animal and plant-based protein options in the Free Game section. Keep reading to check it out!
Everyday Goals
Want to experience a full week on the EA App? All you gotta do is complete the Everyday Goals I set Monday-Friday, or you can bring 5 subscribers to our community. Once you've completed either of these, book a consultation with me and we'll design your week long plan!
- 6-8 hours of sleep per night
- Consume electrolytes at least once per day
- Stretch for at least 10 minutes
Free Game
Before I share this list, I want to share a little nugget of knowledge. Licensed medical professionals such as dietitians provide their patients with specific nutritional recommendations based on their bodies' needs. A nutrition coach, like myself, provides general recommendations based on the needs of the general population to help you make better nutrition decisions. If you have nuanced needs because of a medical condition or anything else, you should consider speaking with a medical professional to get the specialized support you need.
Below is a list of options for consuming protein in your daily. I broke them up into animal-based and plant-based considering that everyone does not eat meat or all types of meat. You'll notice that I don't, and rarely ever will, talk about dietary supplements such as protein powders. That's for two reasons: 1) dietary supplements do not have to be approved by the FDA, and 2) most people can achieve their dietary needs by consuming a balanced diet. It's more beneficial to your overall well-being to work towards a balanced diet than it is to consume some obscure pills and powder every morning. That's my two cents, and here are my recommendations for protein-packed foods!
Everyday Tunes
Music has always been an important part of my life. Whether it's to get me hyped up or to calm my nerves, I lean on music to help regulate my thoughts and emotions. Every week I'll share some of my favorite tunes that I listen to; let me know what you think of my playlist and share some of your own favorites!
Give It To Her Please - Tanto Metro & Devonte
Let me tell ya something: when this came out, I had NO BUSINESS listening to it or dancing to it. I'm sure you got a song like that in your playlist. If your parents heard you listening to it, they might break the CD with their bare hands (true story; I can tell it to you all if you want). As some of you know, my family is from Haiti and I have strong ties to my Caribbean community from growing up in NYC. It's always strange when I go party in different parts of the country and they don't play music like this. So when I need a fix, I go back to my roots in my living room with this. Shoutout to all my Athletes with a waistline! (IYKYK).
Everyday Wins
Shoutout to South Carolina's finest, Chianti Lomax, for achieving her goal of only drinking 3 cups of coffee this week! I'm not against coffee; it's actually good for you in a lot of ways. Sometimes though, like anything else, we can get a little reliant on it for energy. Too much caffeine can also mess with our sleep. This week, she exercised everyday this week and even did a couple two-a-days despite a stressful work week. Chianti is a reminder that "We Are What We Do Everyday".
Make the Team
Want to take the EA experience with you to the gym and the kitchen? The EA App makes prioritizing your wellness simple with individualized workout programs, exercise tutorials, a nutrition tracking tool, and more. If you have questions, let's talk about it!