QUESTION- Dear Rachel,  I just bought bought your book yesterday and I can not put it down! It is amazing. I have been 60lbs over weight since the birth of my surprise son 9 years ago! I quit smoking and of course gained 27 pounds. I am 47 years old and  have become an emotional eater in the last 9 years. I AM SO TIRED OF THIS I WANT TO BE MY SEXY CONFIDENT SELF AGAIN. I am committed to doing your program BUT my husband and I have been part of the recession and have both lost our jobs . I can not offered a gym membership right now. I do have heavy weights at home.Can I succeed doing your program without going to the gym? I really look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for writing this book.

ANSWER- Yes, absolutely. Get going! Phase one will be easy to do at home. From there you will need to get some equipment but something is better than nothing. If you can each month add some new equipment to your home - the key is you'll need dumbbells heavy enough to challenge you so your body will change. But overall, get the mindset strategies in place, the nutrition strategies and do your best with the training programs. Here is a video where Rachel talks about phase one, getting started at home- 

QUESTION- Hi Rachel!  I'm almost finished with the book and am in the process of reading your rec. grocery list. I know and agree with your take on running as not a good way to lose fat. What I note from your blog is that you were an Ironman finisher in 2007.  I did my first one last month and now know my limitations and want to improve before my next one.

I am wondering what kind of specific training you did that goes along with what your book outlines.  I am also wondering if gaining strength and leaner muscle mass will help with overall endurance as well as fitness and possibly a faster finish. 

And what would you recommend (as far as food) for someone training for a marathon or Ironman who also wants to be a Fit Female? Would I have to wait until after the marathon is over to begin your plan?

If you have a couple of moments and could make some suggestions I might follow up on, I would appreciate it very much. 

For this year, all my training was done aerobically--in an effort to just finish--but as your articles suggest, was not conducive to weight loss at all.  I feel I need to get a grip on that before I attempt another one but am not sure how to go about this. 

I would appreciate your suggestions.

ANSWER- Ahhh yes, trying to merge Endurance training and fat loss training. I always had this idea in my head that I wanted to cross the finish line of an endurance race looking like a fit female and I could do it on shorter distance races - up to an Olympic Distance Triathlon (or a 2-3 hour race). Anytime, I start training for anything beyond that it is tough to keep a firm physique. You have to fuel your body for the event and your body adapts to the workouts so quickly. I have written many articles on this and talk about it in my book. Here is an Interview with me about this and a Blog I did after my last Half Ironman. 

Your best bet is if you can set aside 12-16 weeks to focus on becoming a fit female before your event and then the goal is to keep it while training for your event. But that doesn't mean that you cannot do The Female Body Breakthrough if you are already training for something- YES, absolutely the programs will increase your strength and make you more efficient as an endurance athlete PLUS less likely to get injured and more likely to get and keep a fit female physique(especially if you have not done anything like the programs in the book). So go ahead and use the programs. When training for an event I always keep 2 days minimum of strength training as a priority in my program. Just use the strength training part and don't worry about the metabolic workouts because your cardio will be your endurance workouts. 

As far as food- Yes use the principles in The Female Body Breakthrough. They will work to fuel your body and EVERYTHING I talk about in the book will only help your performance as an endurance athlete. I follow everything in the book when I am training for an endurance event. 

Something to think about- I have been a Figure competitor and have lifted weights and my fit female body looks and feels a certain way. If you are an endurance athlete and just want to gain some strength and tone and look more like a fit female on the spectrum this program will get you there- does that make sense? We each have a different fit female body and as an endurance athlete you will look closer to or be at your fit female body by adding in the concepts in the book even if you are still training for endurance. 

Enjoy your journey and keep us updated on your progress~ 

QUESTION- I just saw your video on You Tube regarding Chin Ups. I also read your book indicating we should use a band for chin ups. I am short and have a hard time reaching the chin up bar at my gym. In addition, I have Turner's Syndrome so my elbows joints and forearms have malformations that make it difficult and painful to have my palms face me while grabbing a bar. I know that pull ups and chin ups are a great exercise in so many ways but am wondering if there is something I could substitute? Would it be possible to use the counterweight chin up machine instead and reduce the weight as the program progresses? Or would this be counterproducive? Thank you!

Answer- Chin ups are a great full body, "bang for your buck" exercise infact you'll even be sore in your abs after you do them...but I understand that they are also not always realistic for everyone to do right away. There a number of options you can do instead. Obviously doing the actual chin ups with the band is the first choice. Get yourself some bands from www.performbetter.com of all different widths and use the chin up bar in a squat rack and wheel a bench over to get up there. Also, because you are challenged in the height department you can actually use a Smith Machine (one of those squat racks that the bar is attached and slides up and down, that you should never use for squats or lunges because it is in a fixed position) and slide the bar up to a height that you can get under it and hang with your knees bent. I do this all the time in hotel gyms. Chin Ups and inverted rows are the two things Smith Machines are good for. Put your band on the bar and do your chin ups. You can have your palms face out(which is actually harder but just as effective) if facing you bothers you. Start with a very thick band and progress very slowly. If it is not an option that is Ok, there are other options if there is just no way you can find a bar to hang from or it is just to difficult or painful, etc. You should listen to your body.

Then think about replicating the movement as closely as possible so yes, you could use one of the counter weighted chin up machines- the minus is that you no longer have your whole body working as you are supported and this machine will never lead to you being able to do a chin up because your nervous system is not getting taught to do a chin up so it is a completey different exercise but as you are getting confident in the weight room and figuring out where you could do chin ups this will work. Also you could use a Lat Pulldown machine and either kneeling or seated(if you have to) do either close grip pulldowns or wide grip pulldowns which again is the same movement just not as much of a "bang for your buck" exercise.

QUESTION- I'm really enjoying the workouts in your new book and the eating plan is easy to follow. I'm just wondering why wheat is excluded. I don't have a problem with not eating wheat products. It's opened me up to new foods (grits for example), but I'm curious to know why whole wheat products aren't fit female approved!

ANSWER- Most “whole wheat” products are not “whole wheat.” Many times the first ingredient is high fructose corn syrup or some other processed ingredient. And if wheat flour is the first ingredient many times it is followed by a list of processed ingredients. I have found that there are more people who do better eliminating wheat products from their diet 90% of the time than not. More people have some kind of sensitivity or food allergy to wheat. If you are dying for wheat you can have it 10% of the time or if you really find that you have no sensitivity to it at all you can sneak non processed wheat products in and still be a fit female. I actually will have whole wheat tortillas occasionally. Overall, in a general plan it is easier for me to eliminate it for most people to succeed at becoming a fit female and like you have found out there are so many non processed grains that you can live with out wheat in your diet everyday. If you really want a sandwich then have one on your 10%.

QUESTION- I have already done some of your circuit training metabolic exercises that I found online and achieved some great results but fell off the bandwagon during my second semester of grad school. So it's time to get back into shape! I bought your book and am beginning my journey, but I have a question about the "Fine Tune" Phase. There are numerous circuits where you have us do "Workouts 1 and 4" followed by "Workouts 2 and 5" and then "Workouts 3 and 6". Which workouts are your referring to?

ANSWER- The last phase of the program means that you will do the workout 6 times, doing the same exercises but each time you do it your reps will change. So the first and 4th time you'll do 4 sets of 5, the 2nd and 5th time you'll do 2 sets of 15, and the 3rd and 6th you'll do 3 sets of 10 reps. This way each week you are doing different reps so grab different weights. You'll do the same exercise with different reps and different weights each time.

QUESTION- In addition, I understand that for the Metabolic circuits we're supposed to choose 8 exercises from the four categories in the menu and then stick to those eight for a month before swapping them out for others. What I am confused on is the chart that lists "Metabolic 1A Exercise Group 1" and then Metabolic 1B Exercise Group 2" and so forth. I am confused on what those terms mean although I understand the rest of the chart. Any clarity you can give me would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for your help and for publishing your book. I am very excited to get started!

ANSWER- You have Four Different Groups listed on page 202 that you need to choose two exercises from each – The groups are- Group 1 – Locomotion Group 2- Change of Levels- Unlilateral Group 3- Core Group 4- Change of Levels Bilateral

QUESTION- Thank you very much for these videos. They are helpful. Do you have any suggestions for vegetarians on your Female Body Breakthrough Program?

ANSWER- Being a Vegan or a Vegetarian simply limits your choices to fruits, vegetables, unprocessed grains and using beans and tofu as your protein source. If you will eat dairy, eggs and fish you can make life a lot easier on yourself. Every time I work with a vegetarian it is much more difficult to reach “fit female-dom”. I didn’t say impossible, just more difficult. You have to really plan everything out. QUESTION- How long should it take for me to do the warm up described in your book? ANSWER- The warm up takes 10 minutes from start to finish without stopping. If you did it the first time and it took you a lot longer that is ok. The next time will be easier and soon enough you’ll be running through it in 10 minutes or less. One of the member’s of my website actually just did the warm up for the first week as her workout which was just fine. It was taking her about 20 minutes and she was sore from it. That was enough for week one. Now she is getting the warm up done and 2 sets of the workout kicking butt getting ready to move on to the next phase.

QUESTION- I've had your book for a couple of weeks and am really enjoying it. I'm older and no longer have my period. Is there anything different I should do with regard to the program?

ANSWER- No changes. The majority of clients who I have turned in to fit females are over 40. This book was aimed at a demographic of 20-40 but actually the message in this book is so important for women 40-60. This is the time in your life when you really need to lift weights and boost your metabolism, build bone and fuel your body. All of the advice will work for you and you will feel fit and fabulous following the plan!

QUESTION- Quick question that I need some help with. I’m in the process of reading the book and I was thinking of giving it to my mother to do with me. She's into walking and the cardio thing and lifts the Barbie Weights (I think we have 1lb-5lbs @ home on the floor). Anyways, I think the book addresses this in a great way so Im going to give it to her when Im done. So here's the problem. She has Plantars Fat Pad Atrophy, meaning that she has no fat padding in her heal, leading to extreme discomfort. So its basically bone to floor. She's not walking for exercise and she's stop doing the elliptical because the after effects are too painful. There's no cure for it, and she's not on pain medication. Is there anyway to modify the plan so that she'll be more comfortable? Squats, deadlifts, plyo moves are all ready heel dependent and I don't want her to be in pain doing it. Any suggestions?

ANSWER- This plan will be much easier on her than any cardio plan. I would have her just do the strength training portion. The Metabolic Portion will be too much jumping. With the strength training portion alone she will still see a huge benefit. She’ll just need to do what she can and progress slowly. That is awesome that you are going to get her to do it with you!

Question- What do you recommend if your body cannot handle the lactose in the whey protein? Are there any GOOD lactose free whey protein mixes? 

Answer- Any whey protein powder that contains whey protein isolate and only whey protein isolate will be lactose free. Check the ingredients and if the whey is from whey protein isolate you should be good. You can also use Egg Protein or rice protein. Both of these can be found online or at Whole Foods, Trader Joes or anywhere they sell protein powder. But Whey is your best choice post workout.