Why do so many people spin their wheels with fat loss, despite trying so hard?

In this episode of the Rooted in Resilience podcast, Ashley, Sarah, Kathleen, and Tyler break down the most common reasons people fail in a fat loss phase: from program hopping and chasing the “secret sauce” to all-or-nothing thinking, supplement distractions, and misreading the scale.

After helping hundreds of people improve metabolism, lose fat, and keep it off, we’re sharing the patterns we see over and over again, and the mindset shifts that actually move the needle forward.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, inconsistent, or like you’re doing everything right but not seeing progress, this episode is for you.

We cover:

- program hopping and protocol hopping

- chasing the “secret sauce”

- all-or-nothing thinking after one off-plan meal

- trying new supplements and foods during a fat loss phase

- weighing yourself too infrequently and misreading progress

Time stamps:

02:00 - Program hopping & lack of consistency

07:30 - Why small habits matter more than hacks

14:30 - The real reason people feel stuck

29:20 - All-or-nothing mindset (one bad meal spiral)

39:15 - Supplements, new foods & fat loss confusion

48:45 - Focusing on the wrong goals at the wrong time

58:45 - How to actually track progress (and what works)_____________________________________________________________

Subscribe To The Rooted In Resilience Podcast:⭐ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCSpofOL75STGMvUUlD5em7g ⭐ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NTIxm2iqgIdnqI2j2FICr?si=477cfb0440fe40ce⭐ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-resilience/id1663060063_____________________________________________________________

Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup_____________________________________________________________Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system! 👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club: {The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Low PUFA chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}https://nourishfoodclub.com/ _____________________________________________________________Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077____________________________________________________⭐️ The Transform Fat Loss and Metabolic Restoration Program ⭐️Join 300+ people who’ve lost fat and kept it off, without giving up their favorite foods. This science-backed, metabolism-first program helps you rebuild your foundation, restore energy, and finally achieve fat loss results that last.Next group starts April 6th, learn more and join the Early Access List here:

https://www.armstrongsisters.com/transform

Most people focus on just calories and macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat) but ignore the micronutrients that actually allow the body to function. Both macros and micros matter.

In this episode, we break down why vitamins and minerals are essential for metabolism, energy production, and overall health.

Without adequate micronutrients, the body cannot efficiently convert food into energy, regulate hormones, or support detoxification pathways. Many modern diets provide enough calories but fall short in the essential nutrients needed for optimal health.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why micronutrients are necessary for metabolic function• How vitamin and mineral deficiencies develop

• The limitations of focusing only on calories and macros

• Why whole foods provide nutrients in ways supplements cannot replicate• Common micronutrient deficiencies today

• How to track your micronutrients using tools like Cronometer

• Why “detox” is really about supporting your body with nutrients

Through the Transform program, we consistently see that individuals who hit their micronutrient targets through whole foods achieve better fat loss results, experience less hunger, and report higher energy levels.

Transform helps you dial in both macro and micronutrient targets to support body recomposition, fat loss, and improved metabolic function so you can feel and perform at your best.

TIMESTAMPS

0:01:19 Introduction – Why Micronutrients Matter

0:02:47 How Vitamins & Minerals Power Metabolism

0:06:20 Why You Can’t Survive on Macros Alone

0:09:00 The History of RDAs and How They Were Created

0:13:40 Why Whole Foods Beat Supplements for Nutrients

0:20:00 Calories In vs Calories Out (And Why Nutrients Still Matter)

0:26:15 The Most Common Micronutrient Deficiencies Today

0:36:15 How to Track Your Micronutrients Using Cronometer

0:40:10 Symptoms of Micronutrient Deficiencies

1:28:55 Why Micronutrients Matter During Fat Loss

1:36:15 The Truth About “Detoxing” Your Liver_____________________________________________________________Subscribe To The Rooted In Resilience Podcast:⭐ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCSpofOL75STGMvUUlD5em7g ⭐ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NTIxm2iqgIdnqI2j2FICr?si=477cfb0440fe40ce⭐ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-resilience/id1663060063_____________________________________________________________Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup_____________________________________________________________Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system! 👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club: {The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Low PUFA chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}https://nourishfoodclub.com/ _____________________________________________________________Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077____________________________________________________⭐️ The Transform Fat Loss and Metabolic Restoration Program ⭐️Join 300+ people who’ve lost fat and kept it off, without giving up their favorite foods. This science-backed, metabolism-first program helps you rebuild your foundation, restore energy, and finally achieve fat loss results that last.Next group starts April 6th, learn more and join the Early Access List here:https://www.armstrongsisters.com/transform

In this episode of Rooted in Resilience, Ash is joined again by Kathleen Stewart to break down my recent 5-week fat loss phase, where I lost about 10 pounds while maintaining muscle mass and lifts in the gym.

We walk through exactly what I did, why it worked, and how we approach fat loss differently inside Transform, so you can use these principles on your own or join us inside the program.

We cover why we don’t believe in jumping straight into a calorie deficit, the importance of building maintenance calories first, and why short, strategic fat loss phases tend to work better than staying stuck in long-term restriction.

We also dive into the fear around muscle loss during a cut, why strength training, steps, cardio, and adequate protein matter, and how micronutrients play a major role in energy production, satiety, and overall success during a fat loss phase.

In this episode, we cover:

• why I split my fat loss goals into phases

• how I lost 10 pounds in 5 weeks

• why maintenance calories matter before cutting

• the difference between lean mass loss and muscle loss • how to protect muscle during a calorie deficit

• why tracking steps is so important

• how Transform structures fat loss phases

• why micronutrients matter for metabolism and satiety

• the importance of getting in, getting it done, and getting back to maintenance

If you’ve been stuck in yo-yo dieting, under-eating during the week, and overdoing it on the weekends, this episode will help you understand a more sustainable and effective way to approach fat loss.

TIME STAMPS

01:03 — Intro: How I lost 10 pounds in 5 weeks (fat loss overview)

02:23 — Rapid fat loss vs slow dieting: will you lose muscle?08:03 — Strength training during a fat loss phase

11:33 — Why I split my fat loss goals into two phases

19:03 — Why you should build maintenance calories before dieting

28:33 — Why tracking food intake helps fat loss

31:33 — Volume eating: how to stay full in a calorie deficit

37:03 — How we structure fat loss phases in Transform

51:33 — Why micronutrients matter for metabolism and fat loss

1:08:00 — Fat loss is simple, but consistency is the hard part______________________________________________________________________Subscribe To The Rooted In Resilience Podcast:⭐ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCSpofOL75STGMvUUlD5em7g ⭐ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NTIxm2iqgIdnqI2j2FICr?si=477cfb0440fe40ce⭐ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-resilience/id1663060063_____________________________________________________________Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup_____________________________________________________________Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system! 👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club: {The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Low PUFA chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}https://nourishfoodclub.com/ _____________________________________________________________Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077____________________________________________________⭐️ The Transform Fat Loss and Metabolic Restoration Program ⭐️Join 300+ people who’ve lost fat and kept it off, without giving up their favorite foods. This science-backed, metabolism-first program helps you rebuild your foundation, restore energy, and finally achieve fat loss results that last.Next group starts April 6, learn more and join the Early Access List here:

https://www.armstrongsisters.com/transform