Lean Cook And Trainer Stephanie Woods Talks To M&S

What were the major milestones that gave you that “extra” motivation boost?

After having 2 kids, I was very unhappy with my body and the way I felt about myself. I wanted to change not only my physique, but also my mind set on how I felt about myself. My confidence level went down, my motivation went down, and I …well…felt ugly.

The moment had I had my second baby, I had my “aha” moment. I was tired of my excuses for being overweight and decided to do something about it instead of complaining about it.

What keeps you motivated?

My family. My friends. My fans and followers. If it wasn’t for having such a solid foundation with the people who care about me, it would be extremely hard to keep pushing myself to become a better person and a better athlete.

What are your future goals, dreams and plans?

I would love to one day have my own healthy cookbook out for others to enjoy. And I’m not going to lie. It would be pretty cool to one day be a trainer on Biggest Loser.

Oh man! Could you imagine? How great it would be to help people who are struggling that much in life to lose weight and for me to help them become the best person they were destined to be and make them feel good about themselves again. I can dream big, right?

How often do you perform cardio?

Hardly ever. I’m not joking! I stick to my diet and I stick to my resistance training and it works. I believe that you really don’t need a ton of cardio to get a great physique. Get out there and lift some weights and eat healthy.

On any given week, I probably do about 40 minutes to an hour of cardio….a week. Total. That’s it!

If you truly want to lose fat and burn calories, then keep moving. Do your household chores, go grocery shopping, or take your kids to the park. You name it. Just keep moving and you’ll burn a ton of calories within a day. As long as your calories are less than what you are burning, you’ll lose weight.

You don’t need to do endless amounts of cardio to burn calories. For example: instead of sitting; stand. You’ll burn more calories. Instead of trying to get the closest parking spot; park out in “no man’s land” and walk to the store. You’ll burn more calories. Easy enough, right?

Plus, the more weights you lift, the more calories you’ll burn. I’m not against cardio. Don’t ever think that. Cardio is great for endurance building and does wonders for your heart. But, time and time again, I see people do 10 miles on the treadmill and then complain about having no muscle or shape to their body. Well, duh! You need to shape your muscles, not run them off.

Start lifting weights and build proper lean muscle mass. You’ll become leaner and your body will take on a whole new shape than sticking with endless amounts of cardio. I dare you to just try it *wink*.

What are some of your best training tips for someone who just wants to look good and get ripped?

Oh, you mean like me? Ha ha! Be positive and set goals. If you don’t have something to strive for then it will be very hard to stay focused and motivated.

Another great tip that I might add is: Passion. If you don’t have passion, you will fail. You must be driven and focused, but passion is what’s going to get you through the hard times and the plateaus.

Also too, train your mind. If you don’t train your mind, it’ll out smart you and get the best of you. The mind is a powerful thing. Don’t underestimate the powers your mind can hold over you. If you begin to doubt yourself or convince yourself that you need that piece of cake, then your mind is overpowering you.

Train your mind to always listen to your body. Your body doesn’t need that piece of cake, but your mind will play tricks on you and eventually convince you that “just this once” is okay. You are in control. Don’t play mind games with yourself. You just need to train more.

What are thoughts on bulking and cutting cycles?

Not everyone wants to compete, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to look like a competitor. I think doing bulking and cutting cycles are great. Your body can only be on a cutting cycle for so long. Your body needs to take breaks. It needs to rebuild. So, bulking to help add lean muscle or rebuild your physique is a great opportunity to really become more in tune with your body.

You’ll be more aware of your shape and the way your body responds to certain diets, foods, and exercises. It amazes me at how many years it takes for people to mold and shape their bodies. Believe me….it takes years! I’m still to this day playing with my macro ratios and exercises to see what my body will do next.

I love trying to add on extra muscle, because the next time I cut, I can’t wait to see what shape my body has taken on in over the last few months. And to keep doing these cycles over and over is fun, because I never get bored and I always have something new to look forward too.

What are your favorite cheat meals and foods?

Beer and cupcakes! Ha ha! I’m a sucker for an ice cold Corona. And don’t even get me near a vanilla cupcake, because it only takes me about 2.5 seconds to scarf it down. These are my 2 weaknesses and thank goodness I can still have them, but only on my cheat days.

What are your favorite meals and foods?

Well, by now if you’ve checked out my website – stephaniedotfitness.com – you’ll notice that I love breakfast foods. They are my favorite. I could eat breakfast, for lunch, snack, and dinner. I love a good hearty oatmeal, thick wholesome pancakes, toast, and omelets.

What are some of your favorite motivational quotes?

• “If you fail to plan, plan to fail.” – Dr. Warren Willey

There’s a lot of truth to that. It’s about diet. Exercise. Life. Always plan ahead and you’ll get things done right.

If someone wants to connect with you, where can you be found?

Favorite activities and hobbies you enjoy when away from the gym?

I love outdoor adventures. Camping. Hiking. Fishing. ATV riding. You name it! And it’s always the best when I can do these things with my husband and our 2 boys.

Which college or professional sports teams do you root for?

I’m a Patriots fan! Much of my family is from Massachusetts, so I’ve been a diehard Patriots fan for a long time.