Another year of In's and Out's... on deck!
Last year, a trend was spreading of compiling what people wanted more of and less of for the upcoming year. These in's and out's are normally inspired by what one struggled with the year prior, or found that more of something helped them tremendously. Last year, I created my own list of In's and Out's, Fit + Fearless style. These trends were brought together after many years in the personal training space. I've seen trends come and go. I've seen goals achieved and fail. I've seeen newbies excel and seasoned fitness gurus fall. Being present and ever-learning from experiences has given me great insight as to what works and what does not. I am also constantly learning for my own sake; what has made me a better person? What factors have helped me succeed, and what have not? These in's and out's were not only from my perspective and opinion, but on my experiences too. These in's and out's are what I believe change the game in your wellness, your habits, your mindset and your lifestyle. I believe by adopting these mentalities, or rules of the road, we will see a better, more thriving, healthier community.
I present to you, Fit + Fearless In's and Out's of 2025
IN: Movement For Life
I've trained people as young as eleven and as old as seventy seven. As a seasoned trainer, I have heard both sides: "Just wait until your my age" all the way to "I stayed up all night last night but mom still made me come workout". As a trainer, I don't know what either of these clients currently actually feel. My post-menopausal clients can describe to me of their hot flashes or weight gain. My youngsters can also tell me they got three hours of sleep and completely crush their workout. You can read all you want about geriatrics or adolescent physical fitness.. but until your able to apply it to yourself, does it really come to life.
This year, I have felt myself age more than ever. I can no longer get up and workout at 5 am the way I used to. I quite literally require one hour of sitting with coffee before I move. I can also no longer go on a run without warming up. Running on tight joints and muscles have caused more setbacks this year than ever. Even sitting for too long makes my hamstrings hurt.
To say all of this and look at myself as a fit, athletic thirty year old is..... eye opening. To my clients in their 70's, you amaze me. This year has been one where I've communicated to clients like myself, young and old, that we want to move for life, not just to reach a weight loss goal in sixty days.
So what am I exactly saying is, "in" here?
What's in, is looking past your traditional reasons of working out. I want more people to move for life, longevity, and happiness.
In 2025, let's train to move for life. Let's add in the correctional exercises. Let's stretch more. Let's move in multiple directions. Let's hop, skip, swim, swing. Let's be as mobile- and stable- as possible, to prolong our love for movement.
IN: Documenting progress
Here's a question: when did the first iphone come out? Almost everyone knows the answer (2007, if you did not). The iPhone has paved the way for technology, communication, documentation, photos, building buisnesses, and more. I use my iPhone to track my bloodsugar and keep me alive! It's a progressive tool that many of us remember the start of it all. Because we rememeber where we came from (the flip phone), we've been continuously able to improve and build on the progress that's been made since 2007. We now have iPads, smart watches, and even google glasses.
In the fitness world, I'm often saying to my clients "man, I wish we got a video of your squat when you first began training". Or, "Your weight is 10lbs down from last month, I'm so glad I tracked it!". It's easy to let ourselves forget where we started and how far we've come. But let me tell you, progress is motivating and the clients who reflect on their wins see more of them, more often. Documenting progress isn't linear, nor is it always considered "progress". We all have times of change and growth, which can halt or stall our success. But when reflecting back to how you felt before beginning your journey, you're able to see just how capable you are of doing anything you set your mind to.
In 2025, document everything you want to see progress in. Track your weight, keep a running journal, record your lifts, take the photos... your "befores and afters" will be more rewarding than you realize.
IN: Getting outside more
The last few months, I've found myself in a funk of going outside less and traveling less. I am not sure what's gotten into me; but I truly believe that my lack of sunlight and fresh air has contributed to lazier behaviors and a less productive energy. When I go outside, I instantly feel more alive. Sun provides the best source of vitamin D which many of us have decificencies in. Seasonal depression heightens when we don't move our bodies' outside too. The fact we have control of our ability to get outside is huge and should be adopted to our advantage.
This year, let's get outside every single day. Go on walks after meals, step outside after an intense meeting or move your workout outdoors. Allow nature to cure your seasonla blues and don't let the cold or off-setting weather stop you from breathing fresh air.
My personal year goal is to move for 30 minutes outside every single day. I can move how I want... a simple walk, a quick game of pick-up basketball or an outdoor yoga class. I want to challenge myself to sweat outside daily no matter what the condition is.
IN: Skincare and haircare as part of your wellness routine
When we think of self-care or treating our bodies' right, the first thought is exercise or nutrition. This year, I want to prioroitize skincare and haircare in my daily wellness routine. Maybe the "get ready with me" viral reels have been an influence; but I want to put an emphasis on the things I am putting on my body. A few changes I've already started making are swapping products for non-toxic versions. There are amazing brands out there that use real ingredients that prove to enhance beauty and skin health. If you're curious about brands that you could add to your wellness routine, check out http://www.ewg.org/ewgverified/. This website breaks down ingredients and gives scores based on what chemicals are present such as asbestos, formaldehyde or lead.Â
In 2025, self care means more than fitness and nutrition. Self care is nourishing our skin, our hair, and enhancing our hygiene.
IN: High protein, non-traditional breakfasts
It's no secret that adopting a high protein diet will get you to your strength and physique goals. And I am here to tell you, this isn't a trend. Bodybuilders have practiced this for years. We can even trace these behaviors back to hunters and gatherers, who also ate entirely meat and vegetables. Naturally, these groups of people are not overweight or lack muscle.
I've coached a high protein diet for many years now. The number one mistake that almost every client makes is starting the day with less than 30 grams of protein. Immediately, these clients are "behind" on their protein intake.
There are many ways to start off with 30grams + protein for breakfast, but it does take some thought and planning. A personal favorite of mine is making a meat bowl. Simply ground beef, chicken or turkey in a skillet. Add eggs or egg whites, a bit of parmesan, and spinach. Transfer to a bowl and you have yourself a high protein, low processed food breakfast that will keep you full for hours.
Starting today, toss the bagels, cereals and oatmeal out the window and starting making high protein, real food breakfasts.
IN: Excelling in relationships
Relationships come and go throughout our entire lives. A lot of times, we'll categorize people into chapters. My "high school friends" my "college squad", my "old co-workers" are examples of chapters in my life. Coming from someone who has a hard time of letting go of people, I have found that keeping in touch or fostering old relationships has landed me more good than dismissing them. The people in your life that played a role may stop being that role to you, but keeping a friendly phone call or quick text in the rotation will always warm someones heart and provide a smile or two. One of my favorite examples is my time working at Equinox in Michigan. I made amazing friends at this job, in which many I still keep up with today. Although I don't work the daily grind with them anymore, I have been able to experience hiking/visit trips with them, watching many of them grow families, and build businesses and watch their dreams come into reality. I even have the priveldge of attending a wedding out west between an old co-worker and my husbands best friend. I can't help but think that keeping a close - yet far - friendship with these people has led to relationships growing, memories made, and support given when needed.
These relationships don't come easy. In fact, they take effort. One example of this is my closest group of friends..my high school friends. We live all over the US. It would be easy for me to say, "We'll always love eachother, but we've changed and moved on". But, I've kept an extremely close grip on these girls (as they have me). I have not only visited many of them countless times in their new cities, but gone to destination weddings and bachelorette parties and baby showers where the night will most likely end up dancing to Rozes drinking wine. These relationships are what we're all here for, isn't it?
In 2025, Let's be masters at relationships. Let's make old friends feel rememebered and new ones know you're there. Let's turn up the texts, phone calls and visits. Let's support eachother as we grow families, excel in our occupations, and grow into older, wiser, kinder versions of ourselves.
Now, for the OUTS! (SEE YA LATER!)
OUT: Using the word "privileged" to describe someone
Maybe this hits home for me a little bit in light of recent drama, but this word has alwats rubbed me the wrong way. When people started calling others privileged, I started to notice more resent, anger, and jealousy towards others. By categorizing someone as privileged, your interpretation most likely means this person was handed something without the work put in, or that "they have it easy". As someone who has been called privileged before (this person didn't know me, by the way), I can confidently tell you that our versions of this word are probably drastically different. I've always assumed that everyone has their own sh*t, and you don't know what someone is going through. I may not boast day to day what I personally deal with or what my life was like in the past, but I can tell you that I certainly don't feel "priviledged" as someone who may not know everything about my life would say I still am. Instead, I think more graceful terms are in order, and more context should be assumed. *Lucky* is a great alternative. You don't know how hard they worked for that specific outcome, but dang are they lucky it worked out for them! Another great descriptive word is admirable. Man, that vacation looked admirable or their house is admirable.
It's okay to believe that someone has something great. But I don't believe you or I have the right to assume if they are worthy of it or deserve it.
In 2025, toss the word "priviledged" and grow up, open your eyes, accept that we live in a world of wavering opportunities and assume that everyone has a story.
OUT: One way of training
Recently, I've discussed styles of training with people I don't currently train. Most of the time, I get responses like, "I do pilates 4x/week", or "I'm a runner", or "All I do is F45". It's great to partake in a style of training but many of these people seem to have imbalances occur and tend to get injured. I believe by only performing one style of training has created neglect for other pieces of training that are important to almost everyone's goals. Let me give an example. A runner does just that... they run. But by neglecting strength trianing, they get injured at least once a month. Another example is the barry's bootcamp/ orange theory member. They are so good at high intensity! But their cortisol is through the roof preventing them from losing bodyfat. What would serve them good is cutting back the high intensity interval training and doing a slow yin yoga once a week.
This year, create a program that utilizes multiple forms of training to create more balance. Incorporate mobility, slowing down, intensity changes and heavy lifting.
OUT: Plant-based (faux) proteins
This is one of those moments where you think back to old you and wish you had done things a bit differently. At the beginning of my health and fitness journey, I truly thought plant-based (fake) proteins were the coolest thing since sliced bread. Soy turkey, soy chicken breasts, fake bacon.... I bought all of these and stocked my freezer with them for my weekly consumption. As my education has expanded and my constant review of current literature and studies continue, I understand now that these foods are nothing but ultra processed, chemical filled foods. Around 2018, I started incorporating more real animal proteins into my diet and saw the benefits almost immediately. My hair started growing thicker, my joints felt better running, I had more energy, I finally "filled up" after eating, and I was finally getting stronger in the gym. The best part about choosing animal based protien is the fact it is literally one ingredient. Steak = beef. Chicken breast = chicken. Pork chop = pork. No more consuming ultra processed fake food. I truly believe the healthiest diet is the diet that eats like our ancestors did. Meat, fish, vegetables. We should be striving for more simplicity to look and feel our best.
In 2025, drop the impossible burger and go for the real deal.
OUT: Parfumes, articial scents, and potpourri
It's no secret that I am pretty peculiar about the scents in our house. There's been many studies on how "scents" are endocrine disruptors. Think about it.. breathing in checicals cannot be good for our brain cells. Over the years, I have been cutting out all candles that aren't essential oil based; tossing any and all parfumes, and replacing scented detergents with non-scented varieties.
In 2025... control the controllables and breath in fresh, unscented air and breath out health and longevity.
There you have it!
The list of in's and out's for the year <3. I hope this helps you focus on areas you may feel need a focus or begin to think about the details of your health and lifestyle. That's what I've found in this list; it's a bit detailed, but it's bringing it back to simlicity: eat whole food, move for longevity, don't enhale fake things and be kind. 2025... you're gonna be a good one!
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