The sun is setting on Summer and we’re only about 12 weeks away from the holidays.

While that means Hallmark Christmas movies are around the corner (I know you’re watching them, mom 😆)…

It also means your schedule is slowing down, making it a great time to focus a little more on you.

If you’ve enjoyed your Summer but you’re ready to get back into a routine, today’s all about giving you a step-by-step plan over the next 12 weeks to help you lose 20lbs.

Maybe more, maybe less.

It’s less about the total number and more about feeling like you’re in a routine and in control of your body again.

I know you’re probably wondering, “well what crazy diet or HIIT workout program do I have to follow?”

None.

You aren’t following a diet.

You aren’t counting calories.

And you don’t need to go to a gym.

The nutrition plan is based around what’s sustainable for you to lose the weight AND keep it off.

The exercise program is something you can do in the comfort of your home with little to no equipment and in only 45 minutes per week. Yes, per week.

If you’re reading this just to get more information, close out and go do something else you enjoy.

I say this with the most amount of love and compassion I can.

Because, unless you’re actually going to follow the steps below, I don’t want you to waste your time reading this. And I promise you won’t hurt my feelings if you close out and delete the email.

But if you’re ready to actually put this plan to use, let’s get into exactly what you need to do.

If you’ve tried to lose weight before, there’s a good chance your instinct over the next 12 weeks will be to make this harder than it needs to be.

I’ve seen this happen over and over.

You’re feeling motivated so you add another workout.

Then you cut out breakfast.

Then you decide to do an hour of cardio.

Then you start making separate “diet food” for yourself.

Three weeks later, your entire life revolves around trying to lose weight.

That’s exactly what I don’t want for you.

Instead of giving you another list of things to add to your life, I want to give you eight things that will make this plan work without taking over your life.

Imagine I hand you a recipe for chocolate cake.

You follow half the recipe, replace three ingredients, change the oven temperature, and leave it in for an extra 20 minutes.

Then the cake comes out terrible.

Was the recipe bad?

Probably not.

That’s what often happens with weight-loss plans.

You swap breakfast.

Skip lunch.

Add extra cardio.

Change the workout.

Cut the portions.

And two weeks later you’re frustrated because “the plan isn’t working.”

For these 12 weeks, resist that urge.

Follow the meals.

Follow the portions.

Use substitutions when you genuinely need them.

And follow the workout videos.

Your job isn’t to improve the recipe, it’s to simply bake the cake.

Think about the last time you were exhausted at the end of the day and had absolutely no idea what you were making for dinner.

No offense, but that version of you should not be responsible for making important nutritional decisions.

She’s tired.

She’s hungry.

And takeout is sounding better and better.

So every week, we move those decisions to a version of you who has more energy.

Before Monday arrives (Sunday is a great day for this):

Do whatever small amount of preparation will make those meals easier.

This does not mean sacrificing your Sunday to meal prep.

You’re simply making Wednesday easier for Wednesday-you.

This one probably feels completely backwards.

You’ve spent years believing:

If eating less helps me lose weight, eating even less must help me lose weight faster.

But that usually creates a miserable cycle.

You skip breakfast.

Then lunch is tiny because you’re “being good.”

Then 8 p.m. arrives and suddenly the pantry feels magnetic.

Instead, I want you eating three actual meals every day with protein in each one.

The objective isn’t to see how little food you can survive on, it’s to find a way of eating you could still imagine doing after these 12 weeks are over.

Because losing the weight is nice…

Not having to lose the same weight again next year is better.

Yes, you really can exercise only 45 minutes per week and feel stronger.

Three workouts, only fifteen minutes each.

But to make it work, there’s a catch:

You have to make those minutes count.

That means you’ll be doing a little more each week to never plateau.

Maybe you use a stronger band.

Maybe you perform more controlled reps.

Maybe something that felt difficult in Week 2 feels easy by Week 7.

That’s progress.

When something is going well, your instinct is:

More effort = more results.

This is true sometimes, but not always.

Strength training gives your body a reason to get stronger.

Rest gives it the chance to actually get stronger.

That means sleep counts. Rest days, where you don’t exercise, count. Walking counts.

You are not failing the program when you recover, you are following it.

Your scale tells you one thing.

How much you weigh at that particular moment.

It does not tell you:

So yes, we'll use the scale, but only once per week.

And every four weeks, you’ll look at the entire picture.

Because all of these are forms of progress.

Week 3:

“My knee feels weird during this exercise.” Small problem.

Week 7 after ignoring it:

“I stopped doing the workouts completely.” Big problem.

This idea applies to almost everything.

Ask early and adjust early.

Let’s solve it while the problem is still boring.

Because the earlier you fix something, the less likely it is to knock you completely off course.

Friday night dinner doesn't ruin your week.

Friday night dinner followed by:

“Well, I already screwed up, so I'll start again Monday…”

That's where the damage happens.

You don't need perfect weeks, you need to get very good at giving yourself grace and picking up where you left off.

Had a big dinner?

Eat breakfast normally tomorrow.

Missed today's workout?

Do the next scheduled workout.

Vacation?

Come home and resume the plan.

There’s no punishment, detox, or “making up for it.”

Just pick up where you left off.

Because the women who get the best results aren't necessarily the ones who never fall off.

They're the ones who don't stay off very long.

And that's really the entire philosophy behind the next 12 weeks.

You don't need to become obsessed with fitness.

You don't need two-hour workouts.

You don't need a Sunday full of Tupperware.

You don't even need to be particularly motivated most days.

You need a structure that removes decisions.

Three meals.

Three short strength workouts.

A little planning.

Plenty of recovery.

And 12 weeks of returning to the plan whenever real life interrupts it.

Everything I just gave you is the same basic structure I would want almost anyone following this program to understand.

But the structure is the easy part.

The details are where your plan should start looking different from someone else's.

That's why I don't want to leave you with only a generic plan.

If you're serious about using this, answer the four questions below.

I'll take your answers and walk you through exactly how this plan works for you:

I'll send it to you for free, along with a short video showing you how to use it. I promise there’s no catch.

I would rather you have a plan you can actually follow than another email full of information you never use.

Reply back with your answers and I’ll have your fully customized plan over in the next day or two ◡̈

I’m excited for you over these next few months.

Your friend and coach,

Ben Miknis