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ABOUT ME
HEALTH AND FITNESS
RECIPES AND NUTRITION
LIFESTYLE

the Bess life

a little bit of everything

the Bess life

a little bit of everything

ABOUT ME
HEALTH AND FITNESS
RECIPES AND NUTRITION
LIFESTYLE

Uncategorized

limiting beliefs

Determining your limiting beliefs and how to break past them

maple, tree, leaves

Family Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

what is progressive overload and why do you need it in your workout

Why You Need Progressive Overload In Your Workout Program

best exercises for glutes

The Best Glute Exercises + Create Your Own Workout

Fall Cocktail Recipes

Easy to Make Fall Cocktails

delicious homemade pizza

The Best Ever Homemade Pizza

workout routine

My Current Workout Routine and What’s Changed Recently

bed, sheets, pillows

Sleep and Your Health- Plus How to Get Better Sleep

pumpkin spice protein shake

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice!

simple overnight oats recipe

Three Simple Overnight Oats Recipes

pesto pasta recipe

Building Our Backyard Veggie Garden

coffee, morning, routine

Simple Morning Routine You Can Stick To!

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Copyright © 2026 the Bess life

sarahevelynbess

let's get STRONG together! 💪🏼
mom, full-time corporate girl, + fitness trainer
pre/postnatal certified, Health Science B.S.
home + gym programs ⬇️

Instagram does a really good job of making it seem

Instagram does a really good job of making it seem like we don't have enough, aren't doing enough, aren't enough ourselves.

And I fall into that trap all that time.

My house is small, my body is imperfect, my career isn't as far as I thought, I don't have as many children as I expected at this point, and I can't keep up with everything.

On the flip side...

I have a warm, dry place to call home with my loved ones in a budget well within my means, I have a body that has carried me through every single day so far, I have a well-paying, stable job, I'm lucky I get to be a mom to the sweetest little boy who brings me endless joy, and I have so much going on in life which is why it's hard to keep up.

Isn't it cool how perspective can change everything?

Idk but I'm trying to work on that more lately. And maybe you needed to see some 'normal' today! 🩷

If you're a mom struggling to get started and find

If you're a mom struggling to get started and find your way in the gym because you're exhausted... just know that consistent exercise will actually GIVE you energy!

I know it sounds counterintuitive but it's true.

Your body was meant to move! So whether that's a 30 min walk with the stroller, or a full gym session, find a way to realistically and sustainably add movement to your weekly routine.

Because we can be tired & weak, or tired & strong! And personally, I'll choose strong everyday🔥

If you need an effective, structured program to follow, join BUILD and workout with me! It's a 4-5 day split (one day is optional) prioritizing muscle and strength. No unnecessary fluff, just the good stuff because I know you're short on time!

DM me or join at the link in my bio today!

#strongmom #workoutplan #homeworkouts #tiredmom #musclemommy

This actually wasn't about the weight loss. And I'

If you're stuck going through the motions and not

If you're stuck going through the motions and not seeing progress, let's slowww it down and start with proper breathing mechanics.

📌 Save this post to come back to!

If we want better functioning in our lifts, daily activity, improved posture, less anxiety, etc. we need to take the time to learn how to breathe!

First up, let's cover the basic anatomy-

Think of the core as a canister🛢️

The top of the canister is the diaphragm, the middle contains the traverse abdominis (TVA) and the bottom is the pelvic floor.

We need these muscles to work together to function well + help manage abdominal pressure for proper core function and strength.

We can do this through 360° breathing.

▶️ Inhale, letting the ribs expand fully (including into the back), the pelvic floor lengthens and expands, and the belly expands.

▶️ Exhale, like you are blowing out a birthday candle. The pelvic floor lifts, TVA wraps/naval pulls in, and ribs lightly knit together.

▶️ Continue to follow this pattern of breathing through movement. Exhale on the harder portion (typically the concentric phase), inhale on the easier portion (typically the eccentric phase). For example, during a squat you would inhale as you lower down and exhale on the way up.

▶️ The heavier the load, or more difficult the exercise = the bigger & more forceful the exhale.

Need more help? 📱 Join the BUILD program for strategic, effective programming with trainer tips, form cues, core-safe swaps, and a focus on muscle building!

Join today at the link in my bio! 💪🏼

#millenialmom #coreworkouts #breathingtechniques #abworkoutsfromhome #momsinthegym

Officially a @pronatalfitness certified prenatal &

Officially a @pronatalfitness certified prenatal & postnatal fitness specialist!

When I started getting back into my fitness journey as a new mom, I felt beyond overwhelmed and so confused about how to get back to feeling strong, capable, and confident.

There weren't a ton of programs at the time that really prioritized lifting along with rehabbing the core, recovering from labor/delivery, and also taking into account the demands of being a parent.

I wanted to gain that knowledge not only for myself but for future programs as a trainer and for my clients.

This certification allows me to expertly program workouts for all stages from pregnancy to postpartum, taking into account the very unique changes, aches/pains, and demands that women face.

So what does that mean for the BUILD program?

CURRENT PLANS-
🫶🏼 You'll start seeing modifications listed for 'core safe swaps' that are intended to meet you where you're at at your progress through the program.

FUTURE PLANS-
🤰🏼 You can expect a prenatal program in the future! I'll share timelines as they become more concrete but know that this is a big priority to be able to continue to support clients!

🤱🏼 You can expect a postpartum program in the future as well! This one is very special and dear to my heart. It will include lots more mobility work, progression back to fitness, core recovery, and some guided video education as well.

I'm so excited to have another certification under my belt and to be better able to support women throughout their journey.

▶️ If you are looking for a structured, safe program currently, the BUILD program is already catered toward your needs with swaps and modifications no matter your stage of fitness or current phase of life.

Join at the link in my bio or DM me any questions you have!

#prenatalfitness #postpartumtraining #postpartumjourney #pregnancyworkout #momswholift

📌 Save this for your next upper body pull day! T

📌 Save this for your next upper body pull day!

The posterior chain is a big deal and something that can often be neglected with so much sitting/sedentary jobs. If you are constantly on the computer or your phone, or sitting most of the day this workout will have you feeling amazing!

💪🏼This is a little glimpse of what workouts look like inside the BUILD program. We prioritize strength & hypertrophy but also include some power movements, cardio, core and mobility! It's all planned out for you so all you need to do is show up and press start!

FULL WORKOUT:

2*10 DB good morning
3*12 Reverse grip pulldown
3*10 Slow eccentric lat pulldown
4*10 Pendlay row
3*12/side Single arm kneeling pulldown
2*8/side DB snatch / 2*16 farmer's march

In the📱app we also had some focused biceps work as well! Workouts progress across the month to ensure you can build muscle and focus on form/function.

▶️ Come join the BUILD app for full workouts planned for you! Both home + gym options included. Linked in my bio or DM me to get started today!

#personaltraineronline #strengthtraining #momsinthegym #homeworkouts #buildingmuscle

If you're looking for a calorie-friendly option fo

If you're looking for a calorie-friendly option for a yummy coffee, this is it!

🤎 @costco Kirkland signature could brew (or your preferred cold brew)
🤎 Splash of milk (your choice, I used whole milk)
🤎 2 tbsp @chobani white chocolate mocha creamer

Pour it all over ice and enjoy! ✨

#coldbrew #coffeelovers #macrocoach #costcofinds #macrofriendly

If you feel like you're either 100% in or 100% out

If you feel like you're either 100% in or 100% out with your healthy routines and habits, you might just need a little shift in perspective!

➡️ Viewing your lifestyle as a sliding scale can be really helpful.

Sometimes life forces us into the bottom of the scale and we can't necessarily prioritize every single habit or routine as we'd like. But other times we're in the middle or even at the top.

Either way, life actually is the "track," so there really is no "on or off track." It's just a matter of perspective and realizing you don't need to drop every healthy habit when things get chaotic. There's still something small you can maintain that helps move progress forward! This is how we actually stay consistent.

And the best news is that you get to create your own sliding scale. It might look entirely different from the one I shared or it might be fairly similar. You get to choose! 🙌🏼🎉
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💪🏼 The BUILD training program makes this so easy. Train with intention and build confidence, muscle, and strength both in and out of the gym!

Workouts can be done at home or the gym. Typically about 35-60 min max!

➡️ Join at the link in my bio!
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#momsinthegym #mindsetshift #onlinetrainer #gettingbackontrack #consistencyiskey🔑

Some simple, high protein meal ideas for your upco

Some simple, high protein meal ideas for your upcoming week!

We do the majority of our shopping at Aldi and I find that it's so easy to create simple, healthy meals there!

My goal is always high protein, including a carb and fat source, as well as some fiber! All of these meals check those boxes. Bonus- they take a minimal amount of time and effort, which is always a win for me 🙌🏼

What's one of your go-to quick meals?!

#simplerecipes #aldifinds #highproteinrecipe #familydinners #healthymom

I'm currently sick 🤒 and also have a lot of client

I'm currently sick 🤒 and also have a lot of clients that have been sick on and off so far this year.

So what do we do to somehow not lose all progress?!

💦 Hydrate

🥩 Focus meals around protein

🛌🏼 REST!!

I don't think it's helpful to completely give up all movement. If you're able to, a walk and some stretching can do wonders to keep your body from getting achy while sick and likely spending a lot more time sitting out laying down. This can be 5-10 minutes at a time even. Of course if you have a fever, that's a different story! But movement is medicine.

Remember that the gym will always be there and to take it easy when you do get back to normal routines and workouts. Reduce capacity and/or effort the first week back in the gym so you don't risk an injury or overdo it.

I know it's easy to feel like you're losing progress (I literally have to remind myself as well) but rest is productive and you'll get right back into it when your body is healthy!
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#healthyhabits #sick😷 #wellnessjourney #restandrecharge

1️⃣ Keeping movements the same for at least 4 week

1️⃣ Keeping movements the same for at least 4 weeks at a time.

This allows you to truly track progression (whether that's adding reps, sets, weight, time under tension, etc.). It's very hard to know how and where to push yourself when exercises are changing every single week.

2️⃣ Adding in mobility and LISS cardio.

We want to move through a full range of motion and move well! Not just lift heavy! I found that once I put an emphasis on thoracic, lumbar/pelvic/hip, and ankle mobility, I was able to recover more quickly from my lifts and have better range of motion in all movement patterns. Not to mention reduced pain in everyday life!

LISS cardio (low intensity steady state) has been an amazing addition to recovery while also improving cardiovascular health. Cardio can help bring blood flow to the muscle tissues which actually aids in recovery and repair. It's also gentle on the joints!

3️⃣ Slowing the heck down!

I started moving with intention and focusing on mind-to-muscle connection. Simply going through the motions isn't enough. Slow the movement down and take your time! There's a time and a place for fast, powerful movements but a lot of your compound and isolation exercises should be done at a slower tempo.

This is especially helpful on the eccentric (typically the lowering) phase of the exercise when the muscle is in a lengthened position.

💪🏼➡️ Comment BUILD and I'll send you the program I follow that incorporates all of these tips for you!
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#homeworkouts #onlinetrainer #personaltrainers #womenwholiftweights
#momswholift

🚨 Stop expecting instant results for a problem tha

🚨 Stop expecting instant results for a problem that didn't result from one single decision.

It's going to take longer than you want. But the truth is, you just have to do the work no matter what.

✨ The secret is that there is no secret. ✨

It's daily commitment, consistency, and effort. It's showing up even when you don't want to or when you feel like nothing is even changing.

And really, what's even the alternative? You give up and then you still don't see any changes? Is that actually better?

Commit daily to building a better, stronger, and healthier version of yourself!

I promise that you're worth it!
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💪🏼 Join the BUILD membership to build strength and confidence in and out of the gym! Let's get STRONG together!

Click the link in my bio to get started today!

#macrocoach #womenwholiftweights #1percentbetter #showupforyourself #fitnessmotivation

We don't fill our cups up by numbing out or avoidi

We don't fill our cups up by numbing out or avoiding our emotions.

But we can fill them up with movement, quality time with others, rest, recovery, a positive mindset and Jesus. 🩷

Be careful which coping mechanism you choose.

#healthylifestyle #nutritioncoach #showupforyourself #momsneedabreaktoo #positivemindset

Unfortunately, just the act of picking up weights

Unfortunately, just the act of picking up weights doesn't necessarily mean that you are building muscle.

➡️ We need a specific stimulus.

Generally, we want to get close to failure on your lifts - not all of them, but on a weekly basis we need to be reaching toward failure with the main muscle groups to truly see increases in muscle mass.

🚨 Most women are missing this piece in their training and doing lighter weights with high reps and not reaching muscular failure. We've been sold the lie for decades that lighter weights = toning, and heavy lifting = bulky. But this simply isn't true!

Yes, you can still build muscle with lighter weights/higher reps, but you are most likely to reach cardiovascular fatigue before your muscles reach failure. For example, if you are doing bodyweight squats, you can likely perform quite a few before reaching muscle failure but you may stop before then due to increased heart rate and the need to rest.

Instead, you'd be better off picking up a moderate-heavy weight and performing 6-12 reps of a goblet squat, barbell squat, etc. You will likely reach muscle failure this way without taxing the cardiovascular system and the muscle will be the limiting factor (not your heart rate).

➡️ On top of that, we also need adequate protein intake and overall calories.

🚨 Most women are under-eating protein and some are also chronically under-eating calories.

Building muscle costs a lot! We need calories to support muscle growth and tissue repair, and this includes all 3 macros- protein, carbs, and fats.

✅ THE TAKEAWAY: Prioritize heavy compound lifts, pushing close to failure and then combine this with adequate protein intake + calories (preferably at maintenance or slight surplus).

💪🏼 Need a program that does all the thinking for you? Join BUILD and you'll have a strategic plan to build muscle, strength and confidence! No guessing, just effective, science-backed programming.

Click the link in my bio to get started or DM me and I'll send it your way!

#buildingmuscle #momswithmuscles #fitnessmotivation #onlinetrainer

Yeah, no thanks! 👋🏼 STRONG actually feels best.

Yeah, no thanks! 👋🏼 STRONG actually feels best.

#strongnotskinny💪 #buildingmuscle #dietculturedropout #momswholift #millenialmom

The basics really do work for a reason! 💣✨ 💪🏼 3-4

The basics really do work for a reason! 💣✨

💪🏼 3-4 STRENGTH TRAINING sessions per week (following the BUILD membership gets you everything you need!).

Actually push yourself in your workouts, focus on progressive overload and follow the same program for months (no program hopping).

🥙 TRACKING YOUR NUTRITION. Then actually hit your targets.

We're talking months of diligent tracking until you have a true understanding of what you're consuming and how to reach those targets.

🛒 MEAL PREPPING and keeping meals as simple as possible.

Then actually EAT the meals you prepped. Repeat meals often to save time. Protein + fiber focused to keep you fueled with adequate nutrients.

👟 WALKING! Underrated form of exercise, great for recovery and low impact.

Aim for 7-10k steps per day 85-90% of the time. Walking actually has a bigger impact on your daily calorie burn than your training sessions. 5-10 min walk breaks add up quicker than you think!

The basics actually do work but only if you do them everyday, for many months at a time. This is why you hear so many coaches talk about making your health and fitness routines a lifestyle. Even when you do reach your goal, you don't get to just sit back and enjoy the results. They will require a similar level of upkeep.

Remember we're never aiming for perfection, just consistency!

➡️ Join the BUILD app for ✨strategic, effective training✨ so you know that your efforts are actually working! Click the link in my bio to join or DM me and I'll send it your way!

#healthylifestyle #progressiveoverload #nutritioncoach #progressnotperfection #millenialmoms

How cool that women in our generation are some of

How cool that women in our generation are some of the first in their family to lift weights? 🏋🏼‍♀️

I grew up in an active family that frequently went to the YMCA and my parents did (still do actually) lift weights. But no one taught me how to use a barbell. Or how to write a training program. Or what exercises to pick.

In highschool I started lifting weights to get better at lacrosse and track. I remember buying a women's weight lifting book and creating my own program.

I'd buy magazines like @fitnessrxwomen and @muscleandfitnesshers and literally cut workouts out of them and put them in a binder so I could look through them, learn proper form and have a go-to place for creating workouts.

I wrote my workouts down on a piece of paper and carried it around the gym with me so I knew what to do.

I spent endless hours on bodybuilding.com to find different training programs. @jamieeasonmiddleton Live Fit 12-week program was the first true training plan I followed and I was hooked 🔥

I went on to be a personal trainer at that same YMCA, training women from ages 16 to 82 years. I'd create full training plans for my clients on Excel spreadsheets and print them out.

I even met my husband while working at the YMCA!

I then got my bachelor's of science in health science (with the original goal to become a physical therapist) and ended up in clinical research for the past 10 yrs. While working full-time, I got my NASM personal training certification, NASM nutrition coach certification, and @macromentorship macro nutrition certification.

Now, I use all of that background knowledge to create training programs for other women through the BUILD membership. I love that I get to be some small part of your fitness journey.

If you're ready to pick up the barbell, come join us! Let's get STRONG together 💪🏼

Click the link in my bio or DM me to get started!

#womenwholiftweights #macrocoach #momsinthegym #healthyhabits #millenials

Protein + fiber 🍎 helps keep you satisfied and ful

Protein + fiber 🍎 helps keep you satisfied and full after your meals. This makes sticking to a calorie deficit easier, and helps ensure you're getting actual nutrients in your main meals.

These are a few of the meals I've been eating on repeat this past week that really kept me full and tasted amazing!

⬇️ Some great sources of fiber ⬇️

Chia seeds
Nuts
Avocado
Raspberries
Pears
Apples
Oats
Whole grains
Quinoa
Beans
Chickpeas
Green peas
Broccoli
Popcorn
Sweet potato

We also want adequate protein intake, especially when following a structured training program to ensure muscle tissue is supported for growth/repair. 🥩💪🏼

#nutritioncoach #highfiber #highprotein #easymeals #countingmacros

Just really focusing on romanticizing the little t

Just really focusing on romanticizing the little things in life. 💐✨

The super simple meal prep - just a carb source + a protein source - has been so helpful lately. Then I just add fruit/veggies, sauces, healthy fats the day of and it's keeping me from getting too sick of my meals.

Also 40 min is my sweet spot for workouts lately. I love that I can do them at home with just bands and DBs. BUILD programming has me feeling my absolute best lately! I'm stronger than I've been in over 4 years and feeling so well-rounded.

➡️ Comment BUILD and I'll send you the workouts I do!

Also, I bought a brick for my phone (if you haven't heard of it, it's a device that locks you out of specific apps) and it's been a huge help for mental health, productivity, and quality time with my family.

What's something that's bringing you joy lately? I'd love to hear about it!

#romanticizeyourlife #thelittlethings #simplemeal #homeworkouts #healthymeals

The next time you feel selfish or guilty for takin

The next time you feel selfish or guilty for taking time to workout as a mom, I want you to think about this verse.

God actually calls us to take care of our bodies and treat them as temples.

Sometimes I think about this when I'm struggling with body image, guilt from taking time to myself, lacking consistency in the gym or when I'm not in the mood to eat quality food. I remember this verse and how I'm expected to treat my body and it makes it feel so much less stressful.

Maybe that's helpful for you today, too! 🩷

#yourbodyisatemple #healthylifestyle #showupforyourself #christianfitness #momsinthegym

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