In this episode of Rooted in Resilience, Ash is joined again by Kathleen Stewart to break down my recent 5-week fat loss phase, where I lost about 10 pounds while maintaining muscle mass and lifts in the gym.

We walk through exactly what I did, why it worked, and how we approach fat loss differently inside Transform, so you can use these principles on your own or join us inside the program.

We cover why we don’t believe in jumping straight into a calorie deficit, the importance of building maintenance calories first, and why short, strategic fat loss phases tend to work better than staying stuck in long-term restriction.

We also dive into the fear around muscle loss during a cut, why strength training, steps, cardio, and adequate protein matter, and how micronutrients play a major role in energy production, satiety, and overall success during a fat loss phase.

In this episode, we cover:

• why I split my fat loss goals into phases

• how I lost 10 pounds in 5 weeks

• why maintenance calories matter before cutting

• the difference between lean mass loss and muscle loss • how to protect muscle during a calorie deficit

• why tracking steps is so important

• how Transform structures fat loss phases

• why micronutrients matter for metabolism and satiety

• the importance of getting in, getting it done, and getting back to maintenance

If you’ve been stuck in yo-yo dieting, under-eating during the week, and overdoing it on the weekends, this episode will help you understand a more sustainable and effective way to approach fat loss.

TIME STAMPS

01:03 — Intro: How I lost 10 pounds in 5 weeks (fat loss overview)

02:23 — Rapid fat loss vs slow dieting: will you lose muscle?08:03 — Strength training during a fat loss phase

11:33 — Why I split my fat loss goals into two phases

19:03 — Why you should build maintenance calories before dieting

28:33 — Why tracking food intake helps fat loss

31:33 — Volume eating: how to stay full in a calorie deficit

37:03 — How we structure fat loss phases in Transform

51:33 — Why micronutrients matter for metabolism and fat loss

1:08:00 — Fat loss is simple, but consistency is the hard part______________________________________________________________________Subscribe To The Rooted In Resilience Podcast:⭐ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCSpofOL75STGMvUUlD5em7g ⭐ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NTIxm2iqgIdnqI2j2FICr?si=477cfb0440fe40ce⭐ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-resilience/id1663060063_____________________________________________________________Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup_____________________________________________________________Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system! 👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club: {The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Low PUFA chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}https://nourishfoodclub.com/ _____________________________________________________________Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077____________________________________________________⭐️ The Transform Fat Loss and Metabolic Restoration Program ⭐️Join 300+ people who’ve lost fat and kept it off, without giving up their favorite foods. This science-backed, metabolism-first program helps you rebuild your foundation, restore energy, and finally achieve fat loss results that last.Next group starts April 6, learn more and join the Early Access List here:

https://www.armstrongsisters.com/transform

In this solo episode of the Rooted in Resilience Podcast, Ashley shares the word she’s carrying into 2026: surrender.

For many of us who care deeply about our work, our health, and the people around us, it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to control everything. We overthink decisions, carry responsibilities that aren’t ours, and constantly search for the next solution.

But what if the answer isn’t pushing harder? What if it’s learning to surrender?

In this vulnerable and reflective episode, Ashley explores the difference between giving up and surrendering, why letting go of control can actually lead to better outcomes, and how fear and information overload keep many of us stuck in cycles of stress and overthinking.

She also shares practical reframes she’s been practicing to help release the pressure of trying to control every outcome: in business, health, and life.If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying too much responsibility, this conversation will resonate.

Because sometimes the most powerful shift isn’t doing more…It’s learning to let go of what was never yours to carry.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why Ashley chose “surrender” as her word for 2026

• The hidden mental burden of entrepreneurship and responsibility

• The difference between surrender and giving up

• How information overload and social media make surrender harder

• The role of fear in controlling outcomes

• Why uncertainty is required for growth

• Practical reframes for releasing pressure and overthinking

• How surrender applies to health and healing

_____________________________________________________________

Subscribe To The Rooted In Resilience Podcast:⭐ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCSpofOL75STGMvUUlD5em7g ⭐ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NTIxm2iqgIdnqI2j2FICr?si=477cfb0440fe40ce⭐ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-resilience/id1663060063_____________________________________________________________

Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup_____________________________________________________________

Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system! 👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club: {The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Low PUFA chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}https://nourishfoodclub.com/_____________________________________________________________

Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077____________________________________________________⭐️ The Transform Fat Loss and Metabolic Restoration Program ⭐️Join 250+ people who’ve lost fat and kept it off, without giving up their favorite foods. This science-backed, metabolism-first program helps you rebuild your foundation, restore energy, and finally achieve fat loss results that last.Next group starts April 1st, learn more and join the Early Access List here:https://www.armstrongsisters.com/transform

Skinny culture is back, and it’s louder than ever.

In this episode, we talk honestly about the pressure to be ultra-thin (at all costs!) and why chasing that look can quietly wreck your health, your hormones, and your long-term well-being.

Ashley and Sarah share their own stories of growing up in the height of constantly under eating and thinking smaller always meant better. What felt like “discipline” at the time turned into years of physical and emotional consequences, from tanked metabolism to anxiety and body obsession.

We unpack how social media has revived the thin ideal, how extreme low-calorie diets are being normalized again, and how trends like GLP-1 medications are shifting the goal from “healthy” to simply “smaller.”

We also break down what actually happens inside your body during prolonged under-eating, from muscle loss and hormone disruption to immune suppression and poor detox capacity.But this conversation isn’t just about what’s wrong. We talk about what real health looks like: protecting your metabolism, preserving muscle, supporting your hormones, and building habits that are sustainable. We discuss why short, intentional fat-loss phases are very different from chronic restriction, and why strength, nourishment, and resilience matter more than a number on a scale.

If you’ve ever felt caught in the cycle of dieting, comparison, or trying to shrink yourself to feel “enough,” this episode is for you.It’s an honest conversation about breaking the skinny mindset, and building a healthier future for ourselves and the next generation.

Timestamps

0:17 – What Is “Skinny Culture” & Why It’s Trending Again

1:02 – The Return of the Ultra-Thin Ideal

2:33 – Extreme Low-Calorie Diets: What Really Happens

3:43 – How Social Media Glorifies Disordered Eating

5:03 – Ozempic & GLP-1 Drugs: What’s Driving the Shift

6:10 – Real-Life Stories & Consequences

8:22 – The Hidden Dangers Behind “Healthy” Diet Trends

10:47 – Lost Menstrual Cycles & Hormonal Disruption

12:56 – Detox Pathways, Metabolism & Autoimmune Risk

14:27 – Body Dysmorphia & the Psychological Toll

19:16 – Long-Term Recovery: What No One Talks About

25:06 – Why Muscle & Metabolic Health Matter

30:22 – Healthier Alternatives to Skinny Culture

35:47 – The Role of Parents & Culture in Body Image

45:13 – Practical Steps to Raise Healthier Generations_______________________________________________________________Subscribe To The Rooted In Resilience Podcast:⭐ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCSpofOL75STGMvUUlD5em7g ⭐ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NTIxm2iqgIdnqI2j2FICr?si=477cfb0440fe40ce⭐ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-resilience/id1663060063_______________________________________________________________Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup_______________________________________________________________Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system! 👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club: Low PUFA eggs/chicken/pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, sourdough, raw dog food, & more

https://nourishfoodclub.com/ _______________________________________________________________

Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077____________________________________________________⭐️ The Transform Fat Loss and Metabolic Restoration Program Join 250+ people who’ve lost fat and kept it off, without giving up their favorite foods. This science-backed, metabolism-first program helps you rebuild your foundation, restore energy, and finally achieve fat loss results that last.Next group starts April 1, learn more and join the Early Access List here:https://www.armstrongsisters.com/transform