One of the best parts of the GOOD // SWEAT community is the private Facebook group (you get access with the purchase of any Good // Sweat guide). With nearly 10k members, there are so many amazing women of all different ages and interests and experiences, which makes it just the absolute best place to connect with and learn from like-minded people.

The Strength Guide in particular can be intimidating, mostly because we’ve been working out from home for so long and we’ve gotten pretty comfy doing that. I wanted to include some of my own tips for success as I’ve now gone through the guide nearly three times. I also asked the Facebook community what they wish they knew before they started the strength guide, and I hope it’s the advice and encouragement you need to give it a shot or start strong for a second time 😊

1. Trust yourself and trust the process. Use the guide, but make it work for you. If you need more rest days, please take them! The guide also requires you to start super light weeks 1 and 2. As hard as it might be, do not make it too challenging here because you have 8 weeks total to progress and you don’t want to plateau too early.
2. Don’t try to PR (hit your personal record) every week. The goal is not to be sore, that doesn’t always correlate to progress. The goal is to find a sustainable rate to work at for continued growth.
3. Take up space! Nobody else in the gym is paying attention to you, so focus on doing your own thing, use the equipment, and don’t be afraid to ask if you can share the equipment or ask when they think they’ll be done using it.
4. Find a friend or accountability partner. Even if you can’t physically go to the gym together, get a group message going and help each other stay accountable / ask each other the questions that you may be nervous to ask others!
5. Don’t underestimate the power of being prepared. Review the Weekly Check-in and Checklist before you get to the gym to save time, watch any videos for form prep, and take ample time to stretch and warm-up.
6. Prioritize form over progress. We start this guide using light weight (lighter than you think you need to), no matter your expertise in the gym. Throughout the guide, as you build up to lifting heavier weight, I want to continue urging you to keep your form in mind. If you feel like it’s being compromised at any point with heavier weight, reduce the weight you’re using if you’re uncomfortable. The progress will come faster if your form is on point!
7. Actually read the guide (lol). I get a lot of questions that are already laid out in the intro of the guide, in the FAQ section, or in the exercise video captions on YouTube. Trust me, I tried to cover every single base as I designed this program and packed this program with so many helpful tips. The intro, the tips, the nutrition section: all of it will contribute to your success.
8. Your body will be more hungry, especially during the second half of the guide when you’re lifting heavier. This is normal!! As you’re expending more energy in the gym, your body needs ample nutrients to help recover and rebuild. I definitely make a priority to eat bigger portions on my strength days (not as much of a priority on your rest days). I also focus on eating high protein to help build more lean muscle mass. A good goal is to aim for 1g of protein per lb of body weight (start slow with this increase in your diet). 25-40g of protein per main meal and more for snacks is a helpful tip, too.
9. Use the features built into the guide, especially writing down your weights from week to week. It’s not only rewarding to look back on your week-to-week progress, it’s necessary in knowing when to bump up to the next weight throughout the guide.
10. Use the private Facebook group you get access to when you get the program (link is on the Resources page inside your ebook). There are so many people ready to answer your questions and cheer you on! Pro tip: use the search bar in the upper right hand corner and search for keywords if you ever have any questions. Chances are, there has already been a thread made 🙂
11. Try not to skip or swap days of the program, instead, allow yourself an extra rest day if you’re feeling extra sore within a muscle group. I’ve found that once I swapped a workout for a different day, it ended up messing with the entire schedule. So if you’re feeling too sore in your legs, for example, and you have Lower Body 1 next, add one more rest day or try stretching and taking a long walk instead so that your body is ready for that workout the following day.

If you’re interested in joining the community and getting strong over the next 8 weeks, it’s never too late! Snag the Strength Guide and join the facebook group asap 🙂