#499: Health Coach Ashleigh VanHouten on Avoiding Restrictive Diets, Overcoming Body Comparison and Setting Non Aesthetic Goals Alongside Fat Loss!

Ashleigh is a health coach, podcast host, and author with more than ten years of experience.  She is a former nationally ranked natural figure competitor, and has competed in powerlifting and CrossFit.  She holds a CrossFit Strongman Certification, CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certification, Primal Blueprint Coaching Certification, Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification, and a Certification in Applied Women's Physiology and Training, and is one of the leading authorities in understanding the nutrient density of animal protein – her first book, It Takes Guts, is all about the health benefits of organ meats. Her latest cookbook is called Carnivore-ish. She's developed a range of coaching programs and workshops aimed at improving physical strength, overall wellness, and a deeper understanding of our bodies and optimal health, including her Jacked Back pull-up program, Muscle Science for Women, and the Strength Training for Women Specialist Certification for coaches.   Here are some of the things we talked about in today's podcast:    ·      Why we need to avoid restrictive diets, chronic cardio, and overtraining to maintain hormonal balance and optimal health. ·      Focusing on minimum effective dose and efficient training to achieve desired results without punishing the body. ·      The cultural pressure for women to be small and compact can create barriers to eating more meat and protein-rich foods. ·      The marketing and messaging around food often promote low-calorie, plant-based options as healthy, but these may not be nutritionally well-rounded or satiating. ·      And much more.     (Website) https://ashleighvanhouten.com/ (Instagram) @themusclemaven (Youtube) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_GhhhlscBxmxegMraXYXJQ/featured   (Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/themusclemaven (Books) https://ashleighvanhouten.com/pages/book https://ashleighvanhouten.com/pages/carnivoreish (LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-vanhouten-09177356 (Latest Blog post) https://ashleighvanhouten.com/blogs/news/three-ways-to-improve-your-workouts-today-without-changing-your-programming https://ashleighvanhouten.com/blogs/news/protein-butter-cup-recipe (Reel) https://www.instagram.com/reel/C84iIPMOWwZ/