I am so excited to be posting the very first Q&A style blog post on the new blog! Before, I always knocked out Q&A’s over on Instagram stories…and while I love doing that & always will, I tend to talk a lot (haha, but seriously!) and stories always get lost in the mix. I thought doing it over here would be the perfect platform to answer all of your questions – that way everything can be super in-depth and I can link directly to some of the products & old blog posts I mention. And, this blog post won’t expire in 24 hours & will be here forever for you to refer back to. Thank you so much to everyone who submitted a question…let’s get to it! xo

Do you follow a certain diet, or track/count calories & macros?
I do not follow a certain diet or track any of my food intake – mainly because I used to be a crazy fad-dieter and used to be insanely obsessive about everything I ate. I spent years…seriously, like 10 years – of my life letting food & fitness control me, and for about the last three years I have found total balance and it’s something I’m grateful for every single day. And I guess if I had to label my diet/fitness lifestyle, that’s how I would label it – balanced. I listen to my body, I fuel it with healthy foods, I exercise daily, and I never deprive myself of the things I love or want. The best part about it all – I’ve never been more confident or happy with the way I look & feel. Sure, I have my days when I feel insecure or have bad body image days, we all do! But most days, I’m happier & more balanced than ever.

How did you get out of the obsessive macro tracking & calorie counting?
I like to call myself a recovering “MyFitnessPal-Aholic” – and it couldn’t be more accurate. When I say that I spent a decade of my life letting that app on my phone control my life…I am not exaggerating one bit. I would skip out on dinners out with friends and family, get anxiety at social events because I felt as if couldn’t eat the food, never go to lunch with co-workers, and would feel an immense amount of guilt if I ate anything outside of my macro or calorie allotment for the day. It ruled my life and I truly didn’t even realize it at the time.
Getting to where I am today – it wasn’t easy. And like any addict – I derailed quite a few times. I would cold turkey stop tracking my food, delete the app – gain a few pounds or not like the way I look, and would re-download and let it consume my life all over again. It wasn’t a straight, smooth journey by any means. I believe that I saw the biggest change when I got off the birth control pill three years ago, which in a way I believe kind of “cleansed” my body – and told myself that I would just try to listen to my body and give it what I felt it wanted and needed. I took the stress, obsessiveness and restriction out of my life when it came to food & fitness. And slowly but surely, I started to trust my own body and decisions again. And that’s when I started to see changes. I know it may sound unscientific and honestly impossible – but I truly feel that when I released the stress and obsessiveness, my body could relax and function properly and respond positively for the first time in a decade. I think the constant stress and pressure I put myself through really impacted by body in a negative way.
If you want more in depth stories & to hear more about my journey of stopping counting & tracking, I have an entire YouTube video on my journey. There’s also a whole chapter in my book, The Next You, dedicated to my journey to balance!

How have your fitness goals changed over the years?
They have changed SO MUCH, y’all! Wow, like it’s crazy how much they have changed. I used to be forever chasing abs, a perfectly toned booty and legs and skinny, sculpted arms. I was convinced that I would never be satisfied with the way I looked until I had all of those things. That’s why I restricted myself so much. Today, in my balanced, happy & confident state – I don’t feel like I need abs. Sure, it’d be nice – but I’d rather just feel good, unbloated & healthy. My goals now, are to feel happy and content with how I feel on the inside, and how I look on the outside. I just want to eat all of the good food, break a sweat every day, and make sure my favorite pants still fit. I have found confidence without the six pack and perfect booty, and that’s the best part!

How do you stay motivated?
Ah, the million dollar question! Just like every other person in the world – my motivation comes and goes. In work, health/fitness, social life – etc…I have days/weeks/seasons where I cannot be stopped, and I also have times where it’s hard to even get going. I will say – working out and eating healthy is something that is very consistent for me and is a non-negotiable when it comes to the way I live my life, and I don’t credit that to motivation. I credit it to strong habits & discipline. That’s what it comes down to. You don’t need motivation to brush your teeth every day – you just do it, because it’s a habit and it’s a part of your day. That’s how I feel about working out & eating healthy. It makes me feel good, it’s a part of my day – and I feel off if I don’t make time for it. I will say, I’ve always had a general interest/love for eating healthy and working out – so that made getting started a whole lot easier. I feel for those who truly dread and hate working out and healthy foods – but, at the end of the day…you get what you put into it. To me, feeling good, having energy, and being confident in the way I look is the ultimate motivation. Who doesn’t want to live their life feeling their best on (most) days? Stay committed, be disciplined and remember how good you feel after. Focus on that! When I don’t feel motivated, thank goodness I have my auto-pilot habits to fall back on. Those carry me through and I’m so thankful for that.

What’s your workout routine/do you follow a set schedule?
I wouldn’t say that I follow a set schedule – but as far as the type of training that I do, I would say it’s a solid balance between cardio & strength training. I normally try to decide what type of workout I’m going to do the night before. Or sometimes if I have a crazy week I’ll plan out the whole week as far as timing & types of workouts, especially if I’m doing a class! For cardio, it’s no secret that I’m a die-hard Soul Cycle gal. I used to teach spin classes, which is where my love for it comes. It’s what my body responds best to, and feel it’s best from. I have the At Home Soul Cycle Bike, and also love to take classes in person as well, here in Austin. I also love to lift weights – but for the past year or so I’ve been doing less “heavy” lifting and sticking more to lighter weight or bodyweight exercises. I just feel better from it!
As far as as a schedule goes, I try to move my body somehow every single day. Some days are intense, some days, not so much – but as long as I move and break a sweat somehow, I’m good! I also LOVE to switch it up. I will try any type of workout once. I love Orange Theory, Barre, Pilates Barry’s, Boxing – you name it. I can’t wait to get back in more classes post-pandemic!

Here’s what a typical, or “normal” week of training/movement would look like for me. I used to be in the gym for hours – but now, I like to get my workouts in, in 45 minutes or less:

Monday // 30-45 minute Soul Cycle class
Tuesday // Lower-body or upper-body strength workout
Wednesday // HIIT or METCON workout (combination of strength + cardio)
Thursday // 30-45 minute Soul Cycle class
Friday // Full-body strength workout
Saturday // 60 minute Soul Cycle class
Sunday // Lower-body or upper-body strength workout, or maybe just a long 3-4 mile walk with the pups if it’s nice out!

How do you track your periods?
I track my periods using the Flo App on my phone. It’s changed my life & has taught me so much about my body, the phases it goes through & how I feel through each!

How does your health/fitness routine change when you are on your period?
Not really! If anything, I prioritize moving my body and eating healthy even more when I’m on my period. Don’t get me wrong, I will absolutely give into my sweet tooth cravings, but I have found that when I lounge around or am too lazy during my period, my symptoms are way worse. As always, I listen to my body at the beginning of each day and if it’s feeling like it can’t get through a super intense METCON workout because I’m crampy – I’ll switch it up and go for a long walk instead. Listening to your body is key – especially during your period.

What supplements do you take?
I just realized that I need to do a full, updated blog post on the workout-related supplements I take. I will knock that out for y’all soon. Afterall, I am married to the founder of a huge supplement brand, haha! So it’s safe to say that there is definitely no shortage of supplements in our household. In the meantime, here’s a quick run down of the workout related supplements I take, before, during & after my training sessions:

Before // Sometimes I’ll take In-Focus as my pre-workout (doesn’t make you jittery or itchy!) or if I really need a boost before a strength workout, I’ll take Flight pre-workout, but only a half scoop! That one does have beta alanine in it, so you’ll get that itchy/tingly feeling. Before a long bike ride or run, I like taking G1M sport, which is an electrolyte powder with carbs to help with energy in endurance style workouts.

During // I’ll sip on Intra-Flight, which are BCAAs. It helps increase your muscle stamina & endurance, and helps with recovery.

After // I’ll always try to have a protein shake or smoothie. I love BPN’s whey & vegan protein!

*you can use code: STEFBARE to get 10% off your BPN purchase!

As far as health-related supplements & vitamins I take, I have a whole blog post on my wellness routine that has all of those details!

What watch do you use to track your workouts?
I wear the Garmin Venu! I have a whole blog post where I give my full review on it here.

Do you ever feel pressure from Nick to exercise more or eat healthier?
I get this question all of the time – rightfully so, I am married to a health & fitness guru! If y’all don’t know, my husband Nick, is the owner & CEO of Bare Performance Nutrition, and he also rocks 6-pack abs year round, has deadlifted 700 pounds and also knocks out Iron Man triathlons in his spare time. So yeah, I understand how it could seem a little intimidating at times, haha! But honestly, I don’t ever feel pressure – because the person I was before I met Nick already had the love & passion for health and fitness that I still have to this day. I think it’s a huge factor that drew us to each other in the first place, ya know? Sure, I can’t run marathons and swim like he does – but we each have our own thing and the cool part about our own things is that they are all centered around the same goal: to feel our best. I love having that in common with my husband!

How much protein do you eat in a day?
This is something I need to get better at. When I was tracking and counting calories, I was a lot more aware of and strict with my protein intake. I still like to incorporate a protein source into every meal, but sometimes I know I could probably incorporate more!

What are your go-to protein sources?
I love it all! Whey & vegan protein for smoothies and shakes, collagen powder, eggs, turkey bacon, chicken thighs & breast, salmon, scallops, shrimp, ground beef/turkey, pork chops, Epic Bars, steak…like I said, I’ll pretty much eat any type of protein, haha!

How do you get back on track after falling off the wagon?
So the first step is to not view it as “falling off the wagon” – I’m serious! That already has a negative self-talk, punishment vibe to it. Of course we are all going to have days, weekends or weeks where we stray from our usual health & fitness routines – but I truly think that is good for the soul! If I go on a vacation and indulge in yummy food and drinks, or don’t go to the gym (honestly, on vacations I don’t like to go to the gym – I opt for running or walking around the area to soak it all in, anyway!) – all I do when I get back, is get right back to it. I had fun, I enjoyed myself – and yeah, I may feel a little sluggish and irregular, but I don’t panic because I know I have my solid wellness routine to fall back on once I get home. No detoxes or cleanses, just back on my normal routine! The bloat goes away, and I promise you’ll feel better faster than you think.

What does your typical day of eating look like?
It’s honestly pretty much the same every single day – boring, I know. Here’s what a normal weekday looks like (on the weekends, we like to go out for dinner and enjoy delicious food & drinks!):

Breakfast // Green Smoothie. Always. Here’s my recipe!
Lunch // Avocado toast with arugula and an egg on top, or egg salad, or a sandwich or wrap!
Snack // Fruit or veggies, an Epic Bar, Siete Chips/Guacamole, pita chips or pretzels & hummus.
Dinner // We go BIG at dinner! We always have a protein source, carb and veggie. We love bread, too – almost every night..not kidding. Naan bread & fresh French bread from the bakery with butter & cracked sea salt, or olive oil & balsamic. AMAZING. We are big arugula salad, sweet potato, broccoli & brussels sprout fans in this house, too!
Snack // After dinner sometimes I’ll have a glass of wine, or something sweet like a Tate’s cookie, or a date with nut butter & chocolate chips. When I’m feeling really naughty I’ll sneak into the pantry for some late night cereal, haha!
Water // One gallon a day, always! Hydration is EVERYTHING, y’all. Here’s my favorite gallon water bottle.

What’s your favorite music to workout to?
Ah, don’t make me pick! I love a little bit of everything. I can workout to pop, heavy metal, country, rock – you name it. Here’s my current workout playlist on Spotify that I am always adding to!

How do you have self control when it comes to sweets?
Most days, y’all – I eat the dang cookie. But I eat one cookie. I know it’s cliche – but I don’t hide from sweets. I don’t restrict them or create rules against them, because I LOVE them! I eat the really naughty ones in moderation, and try to find healthier, cleaner swaps to have on a daily basis if I feel like I need something sweet. My current favorite healthy sweet swap = put some nut butter on a pitted medjool date and top it with chocolate chips. So yummy!