Ep 62: How to Bust Through Plateaus by Personalizing Your Fitness with Amanda Cooper

My guest today is Amanda Cooper, and we are going to talk about getting into fitness, physical strength, and mobility, eliminating things that hold you back from getting started, working with what you have, and the value of getting an assessment! We begin with Amanda sharing how she got into fitness, from her personal journey and struggles with eating disorders and body image, to her experience working in a chiro clinic that gave her a different perspective on coaching, and her business now as a fitness coach. Amanda shares powerful mindset shifts and actionable tips on breaking down fitness barriers and getting started by keeping it simple. Her clear understanding of what holds people back from pursuing fitness, especially women, gives her an advantage in providing support to those who want to start but don't know how or have self-doubt about starting and being consistent. She believes in the effectiveness of the right motivation in staying in a fitness program. Amanda is a Strength Coach, Horse mom, Coffee Connoisseur, and Outdoor adventurer. She’s also the host of the Carbs & Coffee podcast. __________ Schedule your FREE 30-minute Nutrition Momentum Call with Philip here . __________ Today you’ll learn all about: [2:16] Amanda shares her journey [6:40] Taking up space in the gym [8:40] Barriers to fitness for women or people in general [10:22] Importance of session length [12:18] How to get over the barriers [13:58] 3 core components for behavior [18:05] Strength training, resistance training, and nutrition [20:12] How training affects appetite [21:38] What you can do if you don't have a home gym [23:12] How to be consistent [26:06] Assessment process [30:05] Full-depth squats with a band vs. partial rep squats over time [31:45] Importance of an assessment before starting your program [33:55] How to get started in improving your strength and physique [35:35] Two questions Amanda wanted Philip to ask her [39:01] Where to find Amanda [40:08] Outro Episode resources: Facebook Group: Ambitious Women's Fitness Secrets Podcast: Carbs & Coffee Join her Facebook community to download the beginners' strength guide here. Support the show 📱 Get Fitness Lab - Philip’s science-based AI app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training for people over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without guesswork. 🎓 Try Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support and accountability (free custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN ). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram