How to care for yourself and stay on track during the COVID-19 outbreak

Never in our lifetimes have we experienced something that has had such an enormous, global impact. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the world is learning how to adjust to the new normal. The economy has taken a massive hit. Events are canceled, bars, cafes, and restaurants are closing. Self-isolation is something we’re all learning to adapt to. It feels like a strange, scary, and uncertain time right now.

With things changing every day, stress and anxiety are perfectly normal responses. Trying to ignore it or push it away is not going to help you through this time. Instead, take extra special care of yourself. It has never been so crucial for you to look after yourself both physically and mentally. Managing stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.

Here are some ways that you can care for yourself, maintain some structure and routine, and stay on track to meet your goals during COVID-19.

Practice Self-Care

The best thing you can do for yourself now is to practice unconditional self-love, self-compassion, and kindness.

Here are some ideas to try:

• Embrace a hobby. Get crafty! Start painting, journaling, playing an instrument. Anything that you can do alone, for yourself that you enjoy.

• Meditate. Meditation is a great way to practice long, slow, deep breaths. Meditation will also help calm you when you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety.

• Watch funny videos. Those videos of cats pushing things off tables that used to make you laugh – watch them again! Share them with your friends and family to put a smile on their faces too.

• Take a long, hot bath. Light some candles, put on some music and treat yourself to a home spa.

• Put on your favorite artist and have a dance party in your living room.

• Limit your exposure to news and social media. Set boundaries around how much media you’ll consume. Checking the news every 5 minutes is not good for your mental health.

• Spend time with your pets. A cuddle with a furry friend is one of the best forms of therapy!

• Snuggle up with a good book.

• Watch your favorite movie.

• Learn something new. If there’s a skill you want to pick up, now’s the time. There are thousands of online courses available to sink your teeth into!

• If you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed, think about how you would comfort a child experiencing those emotions. Treat yourself with the same compassion and kindness as you would that child.

• If you’re working from home, set boundaries around when you’ll finish work for the day. It’s easy to become overly accessible when there’s no office to clock out of at a particular time. Create a designated workspace and decide that once it’s 5 pm (or whenever you’d usually finish), commit to switching off and making time for yourself.

Look after your physical health.

Moving your body, whether inside the house or out, is critical to wellness. Looking after your physical health will not only help your immune system stay healthy, but it will help relieve stress and anxiety. It also allows you to maintain a sense of structure and routine during this ever-changing situation.

Here are some ways you can look after your physical health right now:

• Exercise regularly. If you’re still able to go outside, then take a walk, run, or ride your bike. If you’re indoors, we have a wide variety of home workouts available on our plans to make things as simple as possible.

• Continue to track your macros and keep your goals in mind. During times of stress, it’s easy to overeat or undereat, depending on how you usually respond to stress. Eating the food your body needs is one of the greatest acts of self-love.

• Get plenty of rest. You might be struggling to sleep if you’re dealing with stress. Take it slow during the day and give yourself time to get plenty of rest.

• Meditate. It’s great for countering stress by teaching you to focus on long, deep breaths.

• Have tasty, healthy, macro-friendly meals delivered to your door. You’ll avoid the chaos at the supermarket, and keep yourself safe. It’s the perfect solution during social distancing and self-isolation. You’ll also stay on track with your macro goals.

Remember that you’re not alone.

We are all in this together. Whether you live in America, or New Zealand, England, or Australia, Africa, or Europe, we are all dealing with the realities of this new world, and you are not alone. Social distancing and self-isolation are one of the greatest acts of selflessness you can do to protect society moving forward.

Make sure you stay connected to those you love and care about. Talk to your friends and family. Write your grandparents a letter, get on a Zoom call with your co-workers, and FaceTime your friends. Also, if you’re still able to go outside, consider helping a neighbor in need of grocery delivery. Get involved in the IIFYM members-only Facebook group. Now is a great time to further support one another to tackle your goals and manage your concerns. Your role in this is to help us “flatten the curve,” through social distancing and self-isolation. We will get through this and be ok.

Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row.

 

The Service Empowering Entrepreneurs to Scale Their Impact

Picture this: You’re a fitness trainer and/or nutritionist/dietician who is passionate about impacting as many lives as possible. You’ve built a bit of a name for yourself, whether it’s within the local community or extending to a much wider reach on social media. You’ve got clients asking for your help and advice left right and center and you want to help them all, but you’re quickly losing hours in the day.

You can’t keep up with the demand for offering customized nutrition and fitness advice, as well as continuing to run your own business AND make time for yourself.

Does any of that sound familiar?

In 2015, Josef Rakich approached John Franich and Ken Brickley with this exact problem. Josef had hundreds of clients wanting personalized meal plans and training programs. And he was currently writing them out BY HAND. He had no time for anything else, least of all the gym, which was an essential part of his life as a trainer.

It was here that John recognized a true blue ocean opportunity. We began working with Josef to develop an automated system that would create fully customized diet, mindset, and exercise plans for individual people, at scale. This empowers Josef and other fitness entrepreneurs, to serve an unlimited number of customers in less time. MacroActive was born.

MacroActive has grown, and we now work across a broad spectrum of trainers around the world. From fitness influencers with 7 million followers to smaller personal trainers, our platform caters to all. No matter your sport or niche, be it yoga, boxing, wrestling, or other, we work with all areas of health and fitness.

Customized nutrition, mindset and training plans

We created a software that allows you to provide an ultra-personalized experience for as many customers as possible. Vegan, vegetarian, keto, paleo, Mediterranean… whatever dietary requirements your customer may have, we cater to it. You also have the option to add your own recipes!

Our software has over 1700 preloaded workouts to allow you to publish and begin earning income on day one. You have the option to use our preloaded workouts, or modify, add and personalize the workouts to become your own. No matter your niche, you can create your own unique, tailored training programs.

Marketing

Our superpower is turning followers into paying customers, and we know what works. Our marketing team has helped over 200 trainers price and promote their online offers for success. Our MacroMillionaire clients receive ongoing work from our marketing team to promote winning ads, killer copy, and social media strategy that sees our clients continue to grow and scale their impact.

Ongoing Support

CEO Ken Brickley and Alec Duncan, our client success manager, share our unique insight and ever-changing tips and tricks with our clients through a weekly screencast. This ongoing support and education have contributed to our clients earning more than 25 million dollars collectively over the last four years.

Customer Support

Our top clients have the option to use our Customer Support network. This allows you to run your business more effectively and free up your time, meaning you can use that time to create high-value content for your customers and followers.

Landing Page

All of our MacroActive clients have a UX enhanced landing page, designed and built for conversion optimization. You’ll get everything you need to reach your customers, build trust and become an authority in health and fitness.

At MacroActive, we have an ambitious goal. We want to use this tool to fight the global obesity problem and impact as many lives as possible. Every 12 seconds, someone dies as a result of being overweight or obese. We all know diet and active lifestyle is the answer.

Our trainers have a voice that reaches large social audiences. Our goal is to reverse this trend by educating as many people as possible.

Get in touch with one of our sales representatives today to discuss how MacroActive can help you scale your impact.

The Ugly Truth About Weight Loss Pills

They promise quick fixes, the lean body you’ve always dreamed of and instant results. But are they too good to be true? Weight loss pills are becoming an increasingly popular choice for those dieting or wanting to drop the pounds quickly. While some pills are harmless, others have heavy negative repercussions.

Before taking a new pill it’s important to know the potential side effects and whether the good outweighs the bad. Negative side effects include increased heart rate, high blood pressure, agitation, diarrhea, sleeplessness, kidney problems, liver damage and rectal bleeding.

These sound pretty bad, right? So why would people still take them? Common answers include insecurities about weight, vulnerability, and fitting into society’s standard of attractiveness. These seem to be the top contenders when it comes to the personal choice to take weight loss pills.

Most pills and drugs do have side effects, however, bad personal experiences seem to outweigh the good when it comes to weight loss pills.

The really scary thing is that weight loss pills currently don’t have to be medically approved. This isn’t including weight-loss drugs that a doctor prescribes to those heavily overweight. Weight loss pills are currently classified as a supplement, not a drug. This means they don’t have to undergo heavy medical testing. Rather, they are backed up by ‘research’. This could simply mean one person’s experience and marketing jargon used to promote the pill.

Sentences like ‘may do’, ‘can support’ or ‘could help’ are used to make claims which aren’t scientifically supported. In the US it is common for pills to be released into the market without testing. These are often banned later down the track by the FDA because of severe negative effects. There have been many instances where people are HOSPITALIZED due to bad reactions. An incident in 2018 left an individual hospitalized after becoming unconscious. They had a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction to the pill Calocurb. This pill is still on the market today.

Weight loss pills are often marketed under the facade of ‘natural’ and ‘a health food’. This seems absurd considering their fabricated nature. Many are made from natural supplements like Green Tea, Bitter Orange, Garcinia Cambogia (fruit extract) and caffeine which makes some people feel like they “can’t be that bad” if they’re all-natural.

However, when taken in high doses or combined with other medications they can be harmful. They are often marketed as the magic pill; eat all you want, don’t exercise and you’ll be skinny in no time. This is particularly detrimental as it throws away a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

There are zero known health benefits for taking weight loss pills.

It’s not only your physical condition that can suffer from weight loss pills, but they are also commonly associated with anxiety and other mental health issues. Stimulants that are found in the pills can contribute to agitation, irritability, mood swings and feelings of anxiety. If you have a pre-existing mental illness this can be worsened by weight loss pills.

At the end of the day weight loss pills are only a short term solution. They aren’t sustainable or healthy and often come with negative implications. The best way to lose weight is through a balanced meal plan, exercising regularly and living a healthy lifestyle.

For long-term success, you need to find a healthy, sustainable plan that works for YOU. Check out our meal plan options for a weight-loss solution that won’t put you at risk.

 

Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help With Weight Loss?

Apple Cider Vinegar has long been touted as a weight-loss secret weapon, but does it work?

Some celebrities claim it’s the magic potion behind their perpetually flat tummies. Kourtney Kardashian reportedly drinks it twice a day, Victoria Beckam has it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, and Hilary Duff swears by it.

We took a deep dive to find out the truth (and lies) about ACV. We looked at whether or not apple cider vinegar helps with weight loss, the risks, and benefits that come with drinking it, and whether you should try it.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is made in a two-step fermentation process. Apples are cut or crushed and combined with yeast to convert their sugar into alcohol. Then, bacteria is added to ferment the alcohol into acetic acid. It can be consumed in small quantities or taken as a supplement.

For thousands of years, compounds containing vinegar have been used for their presumed healing properties. It was used to improve strength, for “detoxification,” as an antibiotic, and even as a treatment for scurvy.

ACV continues to be used as a home remedy to treat various things, including sore throats and varicose veins. There isn’t much evidence to support the claims, but some researchers have been taking a closer look at apple cider vinegar, and if it helps with weight loss.

Can Apple Cider Vinegar ACTUALLY Help With Weight Loss?

While there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that apple cider vinegar will directly help with weight loss, many people have experienced a range of benefits from regular consumption of it.

Some of these benefits can help with behaviors that ultimately lead to weight loss. For example, apple cider vinegar can help increase feelings of fullness. This means you could end up eating fewer calories and thus lose weight as a result.

Apple cider vinegar can also help decrease sugar cravings by regulating your blood sugar levels. The healthiest and most effective way to regulate blood sugar levels is to avoid refined carbs and sugar, but apple cider vinegar may also have a beneficial effect.

If you’re craving less sweet food, you’re less likely to eat it. Which, in turn, could cause weight loss if it was something you previously struggled to control.

Generally, apple cider vinegar may encourage weight loss by promoting fullness, lowering blood sugar, and reducing insulin levels.

Other people have reported additional benefits from regular consumption of apple cider vinegar, including feeling less bloated, clearer skin, and improved digestive health.

Because of its fermentation, apple cider vinegar can act as a probiotic on the body and promote healthier digestion. Healthier digestion means your body is better able to absorb all the essential nutrients from food. It also means fewer tummy aches, bloating, and discomfort.

Also, contrary to what you might think, if you suffer from heartburn or indigestion, apple cider vinegar can be an excellent natural reliever. ACV works by introducing more acid into the digestive tract. Some people find this helpful as heartburn can be caused by too little stomach acid.

What are the risks of apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar needs to be diluted as the acetic acid in ACV will strip your tooth enamel, potentially leading to tooth decay. If you drink apple cider vinegar, be sure to wait for at least a half-hour before brushing your teeth, even if you’re using toothpaste. The acidity from the vinegar being in your mouth, combined with the brushing, can wear away enamel.

Apple cider vinegar can worsen or lower potassium levels. Low potassium is called hypokalemia. Someone with mild hypokalemia may not have any symptoms. However, moderate or severe hypokalemia can cause muscle weakness and paralysis, which can affect many parts of the body. It’s especially crucial for people taking certain medications that can lower potassium levels, to be aware of the effect that ACV can have.

Some people claim that apple cider vinegar applied directly to the skin can help with skin conditions. However, the acidity of vinegar means that applying it directly to the skin can cause burns and irritation, especially if the vinegar is undiluted.

People with certain health conditions may wish to speak to a doctor before consuming apple cider vinegar for medicinal purposes.

Should you try it?

Drinking ACV alone isn’t going to help you reach your goal weight, and there is no scientific evidence to prove anything, but there’s a chance it could support the efforts that we know work for weight loss, like eating a healthy diet and exercising more.

Provided you stick to the recommended dosage and make sure it’s well diluted, ACV is relatively low-risk.

To incorporate it into your day, you can drink a tablespoon of ACV diluted in eight ounces of water up to twice a day, ideally, before or with a meal. That will increase the chances that the ACV will boost your satiety and help keep your blood sugar stable. If you don’t like the idea of drinking vinegar, think about working it into your meals instead. Try drizzling ACV and olive oil over a salad or steamed veggies, or add a tablespoon of ACV to a smoothie.

Make sure you choose an apple cider vinegar that’s labeled raw and unfiltered. Unfiltered versions contain proteins, enzymes, and healthy bacteria from the vinegar starter or mother.

Have you tried using apple cider vinegar to help lose weight before? Let us know in the comments below!

How To Lose Weight Without Dieting

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you’ll likely have tried one of thousands of diets that ultimately ended in failure.

Maybe you set a New Years’ resolution in January to lose weight, found a popular fad-diet to follow, and now that it’s March, you’re struggling to keep it up.

If that sounds like you, don’t worry! I’m going to let you in on a little secret…

The truth is, for long-term weight loss success, dieting doesn’t work!

There are thousands of online programs out there that try to suck you in with the promise of overnight results, using quick-fixes and diet fads.

Let me tell you, crash diets and weight loss pills are not the way. Sure you may end up losing weight fast, but they’re not healthy and it’s not sustainable. You could end up gaining all the weight back and even MORE than you started with!

It’s time to cut the BS.

We’re going to tell you how to lose weight WITHOUT dieting.

Firstly, why don’t diets work?

The reason is that usually, diets promising quick-fix results require you to make EXTREME changes to your diet and exercise routine.

These changes are so far outside of how you’d usually live your life that as soon as you stop following the diet, you’ll gain back all the weight you lost.

If your diet is too complicated, you won’t start. If your diet is too restrictive, you won’t finish.

If you’ve spent your life trying to find ways to lose weight, with no success, don’t worry. It’s not you, it’s the diet you’ve been following.

To lose weight without dieting, the key is to find a way of eating that works for YOU.

How can I lose weight WITHOUT dieting?

I’m so happy to tell you that you don’t need to follow a complicated, restrictive plan to lose weight.

The formula for losing weight without dieting is pretty simple really. All you need to do is make sure you’re eating fewer calories than you’re burning.

Yes really, it’s that simple!

The first step is to know exactly how many calories and macros you should be eating for your goals. We happen to have a handy little macro calculator that can help you figure that out.

Once you know the macro requirements for your body and weight-loss goals, you’re free to eat whatever you want as long as you follow your macros!

That means nothing is off-limits.

You can ditch the diets, eat the foods you love, finally lose the weight and keep it off for GOOD.

Long-term weight loss success is about following a sustainable routine, consistently.

It’s not what you do sometimes that counts, it’s what you do ALL the time.

The easiest way to do this is to get a custom-made meal plan, personalized to your exact, unique macro and caloric needs.

Fortunately, we can also help you out with that. Check out our custom-made meal plans and exercise programs and let us take care of the hassle.

You’ll get a weekly meal plan designed especially for you, a shopping list with exact proportions so there’s no wastage, and an exercise program to match your goals.

Enjoy following a meal plan that lets you eat whatever you want and STILL lose weight!

Have you tried tracking your macros for weight loss? Let us know in the comments below!