Is Hiring a Fitness Coach Worth It for Women Over 40?

Nikkiey: Real quick, the only ask I could ever have of you guys is to help spread the word so we can help more women lose body fat, build muscle, reach their goals and feel insanely confident. The only way we can do that is if you rate, review and share this podcast. So the single thing I ask you to do is leave a review. It will take you 10 seconds, and it will mean the absolute world to me and may change the world of someone else.

If you're not doing the things that you want and you're not getting what you want, you have the opportunity to make a choice to invest in somebody that has the expertise, that has the knowledge, and that's going to put you in the driver's seat. They're just going to be the passenger. I've talked about it on other episodes of the podcast. They're going to guide you in the direction that you need to be going.

Hey, everyone. Really quick before we dive into today's episode, I have an exciting milestone to celebrate with all of you. The WarriorBabe Show has officially reached 500,000 downloads. That's half a million downloads in just a year and a half of being born. I could not have done this without you guys. Thank you all so freaking much.

Now I want to hear your stories. If you could take 10 minutes of your time to fill out a testimonial, the link is in the description below. That would mean the absolute world to me. How has The WarriorBabe Show positively impacted your life? What have you taken away from this show? How have you applied it, and what results have you gotten? Your story could be featured in one of our special celebration episodes to come. So please head over to the testimonial link in the show notes below and share your journey with me.

Thank you all so much for being an essential part of this freaking amazing The WarriorBabe Show community. You guys all rock. I love you all so much. So let's celebrate this achievement together. Again, that testimonial link is in the show notes below. Thank you all so much.

Yo, yo, yo. What is going on, you guys? Welcome back to The WarriorBabe Show, or if this is one of your first episodes, welcome to the show with Nikkiey Stott, co-founder of WarriorBabe. On this podcast, I like to talk about mindset, methodologies and tactics that will help you lose body fat, build muscle, be strong and feel insanely confident.

I am your host, Nikkiey Stott, and welcome to episode 171, where today I want to talk about a topic that truly can change the trajectory of your fitness journey. I firmly believe in this because for someone like myself, who started out my journey in 2015, really doing it the right way was all because I made this one decision.

The years prior to that, I was trying to do it myself. I was going online and finding fitness routines, finding new information, finding things to follow that I thought would get me to the ultimate goal that I wanted with my body. And none of those things were working. Trust me, in episode one of this podcast, where I dive into the whole background of my story, I tried everything out there.

I was frustrated, I was confused. More so, I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what the right things were to follow, what to eat, how to train, how to work out. I thought cardio was the way I was going to get my body, and little did I know that strength training had all of the science behind it for how I was going to get the body. I learned all that when I finally made this one decision that I want to talk about today. That's why I firmly believe in hiring a coach, finding a coach, investing in a coach this year, 2024. I want you guys to make this your best year yet.

I'm filming this on July 1, so we're halfway through the year. I want you to think about whether you've accomplished the goals that you set out for on the first of the new year. Back in 2015, I tried to do things by myself, continuing the things I was doing the years before, until halfway through the year, because I wasn't getting to where I wanted to be or where I thought I would be after all the things I was trying.

More importantly, for me personally, when I made this decision back in 2015 to hire somebody that was a professional and understood what they were doing, I was buying their knowledge, buying their time and buying their expertise. I also decided in that moment that I was going to put myself first. This is the moment I want you guys to think about. You have half of the year left. If you're not doing the things that you want and you're not getting what you want, you have the opportunity to make a choice to invest in somebody that has the expertise, that has the knowledge, and that's going to put you in the driver's seat.

They're just going to be the passenger. I've talked about it on other episodes of the podcast. They're going to guide you in the direction that you need to be going. Most importantly, putting yourself first is not just a luxury, it's a necessity. It's hands down so important. I saw this on Mel Robbins. I don't know if you guys listen to her or follow her. She's amazing in the personal development space. She had this on her story the other day, something along the lines of: if you're not putting yourself first, you're showing everybody else that you put yourself second.

So just think about that. It was something along those lines, not verbatim. She probably made it sound so much better. But you get what I'm saying, right? So what I want to talk about today is a couple of things: the power of personalized coaching, accountability and motivation, and expertise and education. I want you to think in the back of your mind, am I where I want to be for this first half of the year? And how can I get where I want to be for the second half of the year, so that by Christmas time and the holidays, you are where you want to be, or at least you're on the way with the right plan, the right knowledge and the right guidance?

What's up, everyone? Today's episode is brought to you by Paleovalley's Beef Sticks. If you're looking for a wholesome snack that fits perfectly into your busy lifestyle while helping you stay on track with your fitness and health goals, look no further. Paleovalley's Beef Sticks are crafted from 100% grass-fed and finished beef, ensuring you get a clean, high-quality protein snack without any of the nasties. No hormones, no antibiotics, just pure natural goodness. These beef sticks are not only delicious, but also packed with nutrients that support muscle strength and overall vitality, making them the perfect go-to snack whether you're in between meetings, post-workout, or just need a quick energy boost during the day.

They're naturally fermented, which means each stick is rich in probiotics, fantastic for your gut health and easy on digestion. So important for staying energized and healthy, especially during menopause. And these beef sticks are truly delicious. Give your body the snack it deserves. Head over to paleovalley.com/themacrohour and use code THEMACROHOUR for 15% off your first order. Enjoy, and let's get back to the show.

Investing in a coach might seem like a really big decision, especially because there's so much free information out there. There are so many free communities. There are so many free apps. But what I really want to get across to you guys today is the unique benefits of working with a coach one-on-one. I've seen this firsthand. We have over 3,000 women inside of our WarriorBabe VIP program working one-on-one with one of our expert coaches. We now have 65 expert coaches on our team. They're hand-selected by me. They go through a very extensive interview, onboarding and auditing process.

I make sure they're aligned with our methodologies and the way that we coach women, so it's not just another fitness program. It's not just, here are your macros, here are your workouts. What we really hone in on at WarriorBabe is the behavior shifts that have to go with...

Announcer: Ladies, are you feeling frustrated with body changes you're experiencing during menopause? It's time to take control. If you're between 45 and 65 years old and tired of struggling with body fat and muscle loss, WarriorBabe is here for you. At WarriorBabe, we've helped over 18,000 women just like you lose body fat, build toned muscle and understand their bodies better with personalized plans based on hormone and thyroid testing and more. Imagine knowing exactly what your body needs to see real results, and results that last. Don't wait anymore. Take charge of your health and join our community of strong, empowered women. Visit warriorbabe.com/apply today to start your transformation. That's warriorbabe.com/apply. All right, let's get back to the show.

Nikkiey: I want you guys to prioritize yourself. By the end of this podcast, I want you to think, okay, it's time for me to not put myself second anymore. It's really time for me to put myself first.

So let's first dive into the power of personalized coaching. There are so many generic fitness plans out there, and I can speak to this firsthand because this is what I first dove into back in 2013, 2014. In episode one of this podcast, I shared that I played sports growing up, being very athletic, being part of teams.

Then I lost that routine after high school. I didn't go right into college. I took my time before I figured out what I thought I wanted to do at the time, which was nursing school, and I graduated with my BSN. But during that time, I lost what I was so used to because I didn't have the routine anymore. About four years after high school, after going through very normal 21-year-old party years, I wanted to get back to my roots with sports.

I didn't like where my body was. I wasn't happy any longer, and I was trying to figure things out for myself. There are so many generic fitness plans out there. I remember Pinteresting back workouts and going to the gym thinking, I have no idea how to do these exercises. But unlike those fitness plans, unlike the free things out there, unlike the apps you could follow, a coach tailors a program specifically for you.

When I finally hired a coach in 2015, that coach was taking into account my current fitness level, my lifestyle, my goals and any limitations that I had. When I was preparing for this podcast, I thought about it like this. Imagine you're trying to bake a cake, or even just trying to find some dinner to cook. You can find any recipe online.

But what if you have dietary restrictions or you don't have all of the ingredients? A coach is like a master baker who creates a recipe just for you, ensuring it meets all of your needs and preferences, down to how busy you are or aren't, whether you have kids, whether you have hormone issues or imbalances that need to be redirected, or deficiencies that need to be fixed. A coach is a master baker when it comes to the type of recipe you need to achieve the fitness goals or the aesthetics you want to get after, or even rebalancing things internally so that you can have the physical results on the outside.

A good coach will not only create this type of program for you, a workout and nutrition plan that fits your needs, but they're also going to provide ongoing support and adjustments. A lot of macro calculators and nutrition plans you can follow out of the gate, a PDF you can download, are probably good for you starting out, but they're not going to tell you how to adjust your nutrition as you go. I'm actually pinning this in my brain to talk about in another podcast.

I don't think a lot of people talk about that. A lot of people think, here's a new nutrition program I need to follow, and they do it and get results, and then they wonder why they stop getting results following the same thing. It's because your body adapts. Your body gets used to it. Now you have a new baseline that you have to address. Some things need to change. You need to throw it a wrench. You need to constantly be changing things up, because your body is always changing. A coach is going to provide you that type of knowledge, and they're going to provide you the motivation.

When you first start out on a fitness journey, you don't necessarily believe in yourself that you can do it. I didn't believe in myself, mainly because I didn't know what I was doing. How can you truly believe in yourself when you don't know what you're doing? When I worked with my coach, he was helping me learn and understand and gain knowledge and education, and that motivated me even more. He was there to support me and make adjustments for me along the way. I specifically hired somebody in the realm of bodybuilding. I've worked with two or three other coaches since then, but this one I worked with for years to accomplish these goals.

I worked with him for four or five years, because this was when I was in my bodybuilding era. This personalized approach ensures that you are on the most effective and efficient path to achieve your goals. They understand that your journey is unique, and they adjust your plan as you progress, making sure you're always moving forward. That's where I think a lot of people get stuck when they try to embark on something. I know this because I did.

I see this for so many women. We've helped 18,000 women inside of WarriorBabe. We've had endless conversations with women who don't know what to do. They try to start something, and sure, it'll make some progress, but then they stall. And then they think it's themselves. But it's not. You just need to make an adjustment. You need somebody who has the knowledge and understanding, who understands you and your body and can adjust your plan as you progress.

I'll say this too. I've worked with hundreds, if not thousands, of clients. With the few I still work with today, for those of you who have heard me talk about a cut or a build or a maintenance, every single time we come out of a maintenance and go into a cut, it looks different. That's because my client's body has adjusted to different maintenance baselines in terms of the calories they can consume.

They've put on muscle at this point. They've changed their physique. The metabolic processes are working a little differently. So when I put them back into a cut, they're not going to be at the same level of cut they were in last time. They're not going to be at 1,600 or 1,700 calories. They're probably going to be at 1,800 or 1,900 calories. I don't expect you guys to understand that. That's what a professional is for, and that's the power of personalized coaching. So that was the first thing I want to talk about.

The second thing, and I think all of these points are really freaking important when it comes to why you should invest in working with a coach who knows what they're doing and has knowledge and expertise. I think one of the biggest challenges in any fitness journey is staying motivated and staying accountable. What I've said all the time to our clients is that you guys have the hardest time getting out of your own way. As I've talked about in previous podcasts, a coach provides an objective perspective on your situation.

I don't care about the emotions you have or the excuses you have, like I'm just too tired to work out because I'm so busy. I'm going to look at your situation with an objective perspective, and so are our coaches. We're going to provide that feedback regardless of the emotions you're feeling. Those emotions are going to get in the way on any type of fitness journey. We know that. We understand that. And we want you to be your best self. Those emotions or those excuses will get in the way of becoming your best self.

So what we do best is provide an objective perspective and give you that extra push where you need it, calling you out where you need it, getting you out of your own way where you need it. When you're doing it yourself, you're really only checking in with yourself, and staying motivated and accountable that way makes it really easy to slip up. When you have a coach that you have to check in with on a weekly basis, and I've seen this personally with so many women, they say, I know I have to show up for you at the end of the week.

So I'm going to stick to my plan, because come Friday I have an 8 a.m. check-in. I have to give you pictures, and I have to fill out an adjustment form that talks about my entire week. And I have to be honest, because if I'm not honest, I'm not being honest with myself. It's a two-way street. Honesty is one of the most important values when it comes to working with a coach. And these are all really important in many different ways.

A coach is going to give you encouragement when things get tough, and things are going to get tough, especially if you're trying to do a plan yourself. Three months in, the plan isn't working anymore, and you're going to get tough on yourself and mad at yourself and discouraged, and you won't be encouraged to keep going anymore. This is where a coach gives you the encouragement you need when things get that tough. When you rely on free resources, free apps, free communities, or you're relying on yourself, it is so easy to fall off the wagon.

You miss a workout, then another, and soon you're back to square one. Even if you do the plan for three months and it's working and then all of a sudden it stops working, you're going to go back to square one because it's not working. A coach won't let that happen. They're there to hold you accountable. They're there to encourage you to stick to your plan and stay on track. They're there to give you tough love, to call you out, to get you out of your own way. Imagine having someone in your corner who is as invested in your success as you are.

I have said this over and over again. For those of you who hire coaches, our job is to not let you fail. Our job is to be your biggest cheerleader, your biggest motivator, and to be as invested, if not more, in your success and in you getting the results you want. Because as a coach, if we don't deliver, it's on us. Trust me, this is something coaches don't talk about. We get imposter syndrome, thinking we're not doing the best we can for you.

And like I said, it's a two-way street. If you're not being honest and you're not putting in the work, think about how that can dampen a coach's spirit. They think it's on them when it's really you not showing up and not being honest about it. So those are a few things to consider if you're already working with a coach. I can't tell you how many times I've heard our coaches talk about some people not showing up and not doing their part of the bargain. We're so invested in your success that when you don't do your part, we think we're doing something wrong.

So it's just like a relationship, you guys.

Announcer: Ladies, are you feeling frustrated with body changes you're experiencing during menopause? It's time to take control. If you're between 45 and 65 years old and tired of struggling with body fat and muscle loss, WarriorBabe is here for you. At WarriorBabe, we've helped over 18,000 women just like you lose body fat, build toned muscle and understand their bodies better with personalized plans based on hormone and thyroid testing and more. Imagine knowing exactly what your body needs to see real results, and results that last. Don't wait anymore. Take charge of your health and join our community of strong, empowered women. Visit warriorbabe.com/apply today to start your transformation. That's warriorbabe.com/apply. All right, let's get back to the show.

Nikkiey: But again, a coach will do our damn best. We're so invested in your success. Knowing that someone is tracking your progress and rooting for you can make a world of difference.

It's much harder to skip a workout or deviate from your nutrition plan when you know you have someone to report back to, someone who's invested in you just as much as you should be invested in yourself. You invest in programs. If you're investing in the WarriorBabe VIP, we're just as invested in your success, rooting you on, celebrating with you and wanting you to accomplish your wins as much as you should be invested.

This is why I don't believe in anything free. I do put out free stuff on social media. We have a free community. But free is only going to get you a certain type of result. People aren't necessarily invested when it's free. They haven't put their hard-earned money into something. That's why I think people need to pay for a program. Because if you pay for a program, you're going to get what you put into it.

And you're going to show up if you're investing money into something. It's like betting on yourself at that point, right? So I just want to hammer that home. We are just as invested, if not more, in wanting you guys to win. That's what a coach does a really good job at: keeping you motivated, keeping you accountable, pushing you out of your own way, getting you out of your own head, providing an objective perspective on the situation, and making sure that you do win.

And what we're going to do damn well is celebrate those wins with you and help you navigate anything that's tough or any setbacks, but always, no matter what, keep you motivated and keep you focused.

The last thing I want to talk about before I wrap up is expertise and education. Coaches bring a wealth of experience and expertise. Ever since about two years ago, at WarriorBabe we've only hired coaches with upwards of seven years of experience and multiple certifications in different things, vast skill sets.

We know the women coming into our program are sick and tired of working with newer coaches. And there's nothing wrong with them. People need to start their own journeys, and coaches need to start their own journeys too. But we're at the level where people are coming to us wanting results. Coaches bring that. They bring a wealth of expertise and education to the table. I like to say the WarriorBabe coaches backing us and me are better coaches than I am and more knowledgeable than I am, as they should be.

At WarriorBabe, we pride ourselves on using scientific methodologies and long-term approaches. That means you're not getting a quick fix. You're getting a sustainable plan that is backed by research. I love it, many of our coaches will pull out research papers when people say, well, I don't want to eat more food because it makes me fat. Well, here's a research paper showing that building more muscle, and your metabolic adaptation to eating more, serves a purpose for you eating more food. I'm just saying this off the top of my head.

Or research on why strength training is so freaking important over Pilates or boot camps or F45, or scientific research on Ozempic. They're all staying up to date on the most important trends. And look, we all know the internet, like I shared at the beginning of this podcast and in many episodes before, is full of conflicting advice.

One article says this, one person says that. People say carnivore diet through and through, Liver King, eating all these ridiculous things. People say no carb, carbs make you fat. There are so many different things out there. One person says one thing, another person says the opposite. And this is crazy, I'm not going to put them on blast, but a person who's been advocating a certain diet for so long is now saying that diet actually isn't good for the human body and cellular processes and X, Y and Z.

Let me be real, raw and blunt with you guys, because it's literally as basic as basic can be. Eat the right things, move your body, strength train, and you will get the results. The biggest thing people have the hardest problem fixing is habits and behaviors, making behavioral changes and turning it into a lifestyle instead of these quick fixes out there. Anyway, I got a little sidetracked. People have a different opinion on everything. But you're hearing me now.

It's literally just eating, right? The basics of the basics. But with everybody and their mother saying different things, it can lead to so much confusion, so much overwhelm and so much frustration. And it can make it hard to know exactly what is effective to follow. This is where a really good freaking coach eliminates the confusion. Just like I did. I'm telling you straight up, it's just basic.

There's no, you need to cut this, you need to do this, you need to only eat this. A really good coach is going to eliminate any confusion and any concern you have. They're going to have the knowledge and experience to know what works and what doesn't. If you have hormonal deficiencies and you need to go on an intermittent fasting or low-carb type of approach, we're going to know that. But if you're a normal human being with normal processes that are working efficiently, you don't need to do that.

If you're trying to build muscle, there are different plans and protocols to follow. We have the knowledge and expertise to know what works and what doesn't. Most importantly, a coach is going to help you understand the why behind the actions you're taking. This is what I loved so much about working with my coach. I learned the why behind a lot of things, working on myself and then working with other individuals. I learned far more than any certification was going to give me.

Learning and understanding the why is so crucial for your long-term success, because it empowers you to make informed decisions about your health, your fitness and your goals, even when you're not working directly with the coach. That's what makes a really, really good freaking coach. When they can tell you the why behind things, you absorb that education.

Then you feel empowered to make decisions, because you've learned the ins and outs of your own personal health, even in the years after you've stopped working with them directly. I think that's what my coach did really freaking well. I learned so much. I felt empowered to make decisions and continue learning about the human body and get even more people results. With a really good coach, you'll learn the principles of effective training and effective nutrition, which gives you the tools to maintain your progress and keep improving on your own.

This is what we love at WarriorBabe. We've had WarriorBabes stay with us for three or four years. Once they graduate from working with one of our tenured coaches, they feel this. They feel empowered to make informed decisions. They feel empowered to move on because they have the tools to maintain their progress, and they trust themselves to maintain it without a coach. When we hear that in exit surveys, we know we've won at WarriorBabe. It's incredible to feel that. So those are a few reasons why I think it's so important to invest in yourself moving forward.

If you're not where you want to be, just think about it. This is the perfect time for you to invest in a coach and put yourself first. We're halfway through the year, which makes it an ideal time, like I said at the beginning of the podcast, to reflect on your progress: where you are right now and where you want to be. Are you where you want to be? Have you accomplished what you set out to achieve at the beginning of the year? Are you still spinning your wheels, unsure of what to do or how to do it, or lacking the motivation to start?

Maybe you find yourself stuck or not as far along as you hoped, like I was back in 2015. It was around April or May, and I thought, I can't keep doing this. I'm going to get to the end of the year and not be where I want to be. I need someone. I need the guidance. I need the help. I need the clarity. I need the direction. I need the support to turn things around. That's what investing in a coach is going to do for you. A coach is going to help you reassess your goals, understand where you're at, meet you where you're at, create a clear plan of action, and keep you accountable as you progress.

So think about that for a second. It's never too late to make a change, and having a coach by your side can make all the difference in achieving your goals by the end of this year. If you're ready to start and you're thinking, Nikkiey, you're hitting the nail on the head, go to warriorbabe.com/VIP. You can read all of our coaches' bios. Some of our tenured coaches are maxed out, but you can request a coach you want to work with if they have open spots on their roster, because you read their bio, you like what they have and they're aligned with you.

So just dropping that there. That's why I think it's really important. 2024 is your year. Make it your year. You have the ability to do that. You have the choice. You have the decision. You are in control, baby. All right, I hope that helped. I hope you enjoyed this podcast, you guys, and I will see you in the next one. Peace out.

Hey, guys, real quick. If you're interested in taking your body to the next level, losing body fat, building more muscle and feeling more confident, do it alongside one of our 30-plus professional coaches. Work one-on-one with her to eliminate all of the guesswork you may have. All you need to do is the work she tells you to do to get to those goals of yours. To learn more, click the link below this podcast and apply to our VIP program.