615: How to fuel smarter, train better, & build lean muscle in midlife | Ashley Damaj, BCBA, CPT

“When you gain muscle mass, a lot of other things begin to happen,” explains Ashley Damaj, BCBA, MSW, CN, CPT.  Ashley Damaj, BCBA, MSW, CN, CPT, board-certified behavior analyst, nutritionist, therapist, trainer, and the founder of Mothership Wellness, joins us today to break down what it really takes to change your body and your habits, covering everything from behavior patterns and mindset shifts to muscle-building, nutrition, and sustainable routines for women. Plus:  - Damaj’s background (~2:30) - How to create long-term, sustainable change (~4:30) - How to increase lean muscle mass & decrease body fat (~6:45) - Holistic vs fitness nutrition (~8:30) - Understanding motivations & limitations (~13:38) - How to achieve your goals (~16:45) - Finding trusted experts on social media (~19:00) - Finding joy (~21:00) - Carving out time to work out for busy moms (~23:45) - How to model positive habits (~30:20) - Changing your perspective on weight loss (~33:15) - The importance of pre- & post-workout nutrition (~35:55) - The best way to do cardio (~40:00) - Rules of resistance training (~40:50) - Alternate strength vs. hypertrophy training (~41:00) - Increasing volume (~46:50) - Sets, reps, & weight (~19:50) - The power of functional training (~55:55) - The importance of mindset (~56:50) - The best way to optimize body composition (~59:50) - Don’t forget carbs (~1:00:00) - The importance of water & hydration (~1:01:50) Referenced in the episode:  - Follow her on Instagram (@mothershipwellness)   - Check out her company, Mothership Wellness (https://www.mothershipwellnessinc.com/)    - Work with her (https://www.mothershipwellnessinc.com/coaching)   - Don’t miss out on these free resources:    - Free Boss Mom's 5-Day Challenge - Life Satisfaction Survey - Vision Board Template We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [e-mail]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices