5. Staying Healthy and Sane During the Holidays
Release Date: 12/15/2025
14. Why Consistency Feels Hard
Emily Lever Coaching Podcast
February hits differently. The excitement of New Year’s resolutions starts to fade, motivation dips, and real life sets back in — work, kids, schedules, snowstorms, rotating shifts, and all the mental load that comes with it. In this episode, Emily and AJ break down what real consistency actually looks like — and why it’s not about perfection. They dive into the concept of decision fatigue, how too many choices drain our energy, and why building simple systems (instead of relying on motivation) is the key to long-term progress. If you’ve ever felt like January was strong but February...
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13. The Hidden Stressors Keeping Your Body Stuck
Emily Lever Coaching Podcast
In this episode, Emily and AJ unpack the hidden forms of stress that often sabotage progress — even when you’re doing “everything right.” From training load and sleep to nutrition, parenting, and mental overwhelm, they explain how stress is cumulative and how your body doesn’t distinguish between physical, emotional, or lifestyle stressors — it just feels stress. You’ll learn why more discipline, harder workouts, or stricter dieting aren’t always the answer when progress stalls — and how creating a sense of safety in your body can unlock better fat loss, performance,...
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12. Why You’re Training Hard But Still Not Seeing Results
Emily Lever Coaching Podcast
If you’re training consistently, checking all the boxes, and still not seeing the results you expect, the problem may not be your commitment—it may be misalignment. In this episode, Emily and AJ break down why pushing harder, adding more workouts, and chasing soreness or calorie burn can actually stall progress. Drawing from their backgrounds as nurse practitioners, fitness coaches, and parents, they explain how training volume, recovery, stress load, and lifestyle all interact—and why sustainable progress requires smarter programming, not more intensity. This conversation is a...
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11. How to Stick to Your Goals in 2026
Emily Lever Coaching Podcast
Motivation fades. Life gets busy. And suddenly, the goals you were excited about in January feel overwhelming. In this episode, Emily and AJ break down why relying on motivation alone sets people up for failure—and what actually works instead. As nurse practitioners, fitness coaches, and parents, they share practical, real-life strategies to build systems that support consistency, even when motivation is low, schedules are chaotic, or life doesn’t go as planned. From breaking the all-or-nothing mindset to habit stacking, accountability, and ditching the “start over Monday” cycle, this...
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10. Hypertrophy Part 2
Emily Lever Coaching Podcast
In Part 2 of this hypertrophy series, Emily and AJ take the conversation deeper—breaking down what actually drives muscle growth when training intensity increases. From full versus partial range of motion to training volume, compound lifts, recovery, and sleep, this episode focuses on how to structure workouts that deliver results without burnout or injury. They also tackle common gym myths, including ego lifting, undertraining, and overtraining, and explain why hypertrophy doesn’t require constant workout changes—just smarter execution, consistency, and recovery. What You’ll Learn in...
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9. Hypertrophy Part 1
Emily Lever Coaching Podcast
In this episode, Emily and AJ break down the science and strategy behind hypertrophy training—what it really means to build muscle and why it matters far beyond aesthetics. From improving metabolism and insulin sensitivity to supporting bone density and long-term functional health, this conversation reframes resistance training as a cornerstone of sustainable wellness. They also dive deep into one of the most misunderstood topics in lifting: fatigue vs. true muscular failure, explaining how to recognize the difference and why it matters for real progress. This is Part 1 of a 2-part series...
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8. New Year, Same You... But with Better Habits
Emily Lever Coaching Podcast
In this New Year’s episode, Emily and AJ dive into the reality behind New Year’s goals, resolutions, and the pressure to “start over” every January—or every Monday. They unpack why extreme approaches often lead to burnout, guilt, and inconsistency, and how small, realistic habits build confidence and long-term success instead. Drawing from their experience as nurse practitioners, fitness coaches, and parents, Emily and AJ explain how shifting from motivation-based goals to identity-based habits can help you create sustainable change—without falling into the trap of crash diets,...
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7. Recovery Methods: What Really Works vs What's Just Trendy - Part 2
Emily Lever Coaching Podcast
In Part 2 of this recovery deep dive, nurse practitioners and fitness coaches Emily and AJ break down popular recovery tools—compression, sauna, cold plunges, peptides, massage, and mobility—and explain where they truly fit into a sustainable training and recovery plan. While many of these methods can feel great and reduce soreness or stress, the evidence is clear: sleep and nutrition remain the most powerful drivers of recovery, performance, and long-term progress. This episode helps you separate hype from science and make smarter decisions about how (and when) to use recovery...
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6. Recovery Methods: What Really Works vs What's Just Trendy - Part 1
Emily Lever Coaching Podcast
In this episode, nurse practitioners and fitness coaches Emily and AJ break down what recovery really means—and why it’s the missing link for strength, muscle growth, fat loss, and long-term health. Cutting through social media trends and expensive recovery fads, they explain the science behind sleep, nutrition, hydration, and knowing when to pull back in training. You’ll learn why progress doesn’t happen during your workout—but after, how poor sleep sabotages hormones and muscle repair, and why carbohydrates are essential for recovery (especially if you want to get stronger, not...
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5. Staying Healthy and Sane During the Holidays
Emily Lever Coaching Podcast
The holiday season can be joyful—and chaotic. In this episode, Emily and AJ share practical, realistic strategies to help you stay healthy, energized, and mentally grounded during the holidays without guilt or extremes. Drawing from their experience as nurse practitioners, fitness coaches, and parents, they focus on mindset, flexibility, and consistency over perfection. Listeners will learn how to set realistic health “minimums,” approach holiday meals without shame, stay active with simple movement, and protect sleep and boundaries. The episode closes with a grounded post-holiday plan...
info_outlineThe holiday season can be joyful—and chaotic. In this episode, Emily and AJ share practical, realistic strategies to help you stay healthy, energized, and mentally grounded during the holidays without guilt or extremes. Drawing from their experience as nurse practitioners, fitness coaches, and parents, they focus on mindset, flexibility, and consistency over perfection.
Listeners will learn how to set realistic health “minimums,” approach holiday meals without shame, stay active with simple movement, and protect sleep and boundaries. The episode closes with a grounded post-holiday plan to help you return to your routine feeling strong instead of depleted.
The holidays don’t have to derail your health.
In this episode, Emily and AJ—nurse practitioners, fitness coaches, and parents—share realistic, guilt-free strategies to help you stay healthy, energized, and mentally grounded during the busy holiday season.
They talk about shifting your mindset away from perfection, setting simple health minimums, enjoying holiday meals without extremes, staying active with flexible movement, protecting sleep, and setting boundaries to avoid burnout. You’ll also learn why the term “cheat meal” can be harmful and how to jump back into your routine after the holidays without punishment.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
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Why mindset matters more than perfection during the holidays
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How to set realistic health minimums instead of all-or-nothing goals
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Smart strategies to enjoy holiday meals without overeating or guilt
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Why the term “cheat meal” can be harmful—and what to use instead
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Simple ways to stay active, even with a busy holiday schedule
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How setting boundaries protects your health, energy, and relationships
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The importance of jumping back into routine after the holidays
A grounded, practical conversation to help you enjoy the season—and still feel good doing it.