192: Confidence As a 200lb Coach with Lindsey Rahn [“I Did It” Series]

Introduction 

You're listening to Biceps After Babies Radio episode number 192.

Hello and welcome to Biceps After Babies Radio. A podcast for ladies who know that fitness is about so much more than pounds lost or PRs. It's about feeling confident in your skin and empowered in your life. I'm your host, Amber Brueseke, a registered nurse, personal trainer, wife, and mom of four. Each week, my guests and I will excite and motivate you to take action in your own personal fitness as we talk about nutrition, exercise mindset, personal development, and executing life with conscious intention. If your goal is to look, feel, and be strong and experience transformation from the inside out, you, my friend are in the right place. Thank you for tuning in, now let’s jump into today’s episode.

 

Amber B  0:47

Hey, hey, hey, welcome back to another episode of Biceps After Babies Radio, I'm your host Amber Brueseke back with a Friday edition of the podcast where we showcase the stories of women who have done it whatever it is and share their story in hopes that you can find some inspiration, some motivation, some, you know resonance of like, hey, if they did it, then maybe it's possible for me as well. 

 

Amber B  1:14

And today on the podcast, I have Lindsey Rahn and Lindsey has been someone who's been such a fun person to watch as she's grown over the last year. She came into MACROS 101 and continued into Coaching Academy where I got to be able to, you know, I'm working with her on elevating her coaching to really a transformational level. And I just saw so much growth in her and one of the things that I wanted to bring her on the podcast to talk about was becoming a coach and what that experience has looked like for her and maybe some of the fears that have come up. One of the things that I love about Lindsay so much is that she owns her size, she owns her body she owns like she's not gonna apologize for any of the things that she is, right? And it's something that makes her so attractive and just wants to be in her sphere because of that. And we talk about how I see a lot of women who have in their heart that they want to coach that's a desire that they have and they limit themselves from acting on that desire or pursuing that dream because they think that their body isn't good enough, that they haven't reached their own physical goals, that they're not a size four, or that they don't have abs. And so they limit themselves from going after their dreams because they feel like they're a fraud and they're not able to coach others through the journey if they themselves don't look a certain way. And Lindsey is, you know, not like that. And she shares her experience of how that actually has been a strength has actually attracted clients to her in a way that she didn't even really think about when she got started with coaching. So I'm just so excited for you to hear Lindsey's story because I think that there's gonna be a lot of takeaways for so many of you as you listen. So let's jump in the episode with Lindsey Rahn. 

 

Amber B  3:09

I am so excited to have Lindsey on the podcast. Lindsey, how are you doing?

 

Lindsey  3:15  

I'm awesome. I'm excited to be here. I'm nervous.

 

Amber B  3:18

Yeah, little nerves. Okay, that's okay. But it really I was telling Lindsey like this is just going to be a conversation and these are actually some of my favorite episodes to do because I also really feel like I know you and I know so much about you and I just am excited to like have other people get to know you because of how cool and awesome you are and your amazing experience that you've had. So just give us a little background on Lindsey. You know who you are? You know, what makes you tick and you know, maybe where you were before you joined MACROS 101 and kind of what the struggles were there.

 

Lindsey  3:49

Okay, cool. Yeah. So, my name is Lindsey Rahn. Originally from Washington State. I majored in music on dad's drums and played drums professionally for five years after college. And at some point, I had too many kids that the schedule just kind of wouldn't allow professional music anymore. And at any rate, I have always been out of fitness and I ran several marathons and half marathons and I have been just like a total gym rat for the last like seven years because I just think that it is so fun to exercise and move my body and feel strong. I love the feeling of it. And I love eating and lifting without getting hurt. It's awesome. So at any rate, though, I have settled into an adult weight of about 200 pounds. I tried all kinds of things including running marathons and then doing powerlifting and like, I mean, partially because of the fun of the sport, but also partially because I wanted to lose weight and I thought if I work out more than I can lose more weight, you know, the more you work out and the harder you work, the more you lose. And that's not really how it works exactly. And so eventually after doing all these big, big sports I kind of realized maybe I need to dial in the diet aspect, and I had been listening to Biceps After Babies for a couple of years, I think. And I really resonate with the message. And, you know, in every, every episode, there's a little plug to join MACROS 101 and thinking, Yeah, you know, I could probably actually, I could actually learn how to do this. Instead of just guessing my way through life. And, you know, maybe it'll be worth the money and I can take the course and lose some actual weight.

 

Amber B  6:06

Oh, that's so awesome. Yeah, I'm excited to be able to have another powerlifter on the episode. That's like always the thing that I remember about you , like when you came into MACROS 101 Is that like, powerlifting background because I did powerlifting for a while. And I'm like, Oh, another powerlifter? You don't hear about limiting power lifters all that often. So that's awesome. So when you joined MACROS 101, what was that experience like for you? What were maybe some of the things that you learned that maybe you didn't expect to learn? Or, you know, what were some of the aha moments that you had that that mid shifts for you in your journey?

 

Lindsey  6:44

Yeah, well, for one thing, I thought that I was just signing up to learn about and set my macros. And that's really just a part of the program. I didn't realize the majority of the program is mindset and learning that, like, you are in control of your choices, and that you can really literally do anything you put your mind to. And the whole first, you know, the course is in like, little logic like, section of video modules with all like mindset stuff and mapping out like your big why and really figuring out like your basic reason, that's gonna drive you through the process. And at first, I was thinking, Oh, well, this is the mindset, this is not really like nutrition. This isn't what I signed up for. And then after, like, one video, I realized, oh this is chaxnging me! Which is true, you know, and I just, I learned all these lessons about just kind of like being empowered, that I can do things. Anything like I remember at that point, like, I had gone and cut my hair. Do you remember that? 

 

Amber B  8:05  

I do. Yeah, it was super cute. 

 

Lindsey  8:07  

Yeah, because I was like, my hair is super long and I hate it. But you know, I can't cut it because that would be like, not, like, socially acceptable to have like, short hair or whatever. It was kind of silly. But like, I was feeling like I wasn't in control of my hair. And that was such a big lesson that we were learning in this nutrition course, about just life that like, you know, I'm in charge. And if I want to cut my hair, I can go cut my hair, like, it's fine. That's me making the choice. And it was like, so freeing and so empowering. A little thing.

 

Amber B  8:43  

Yeah, no, and I love that. And, you know, we always say like, what I do is about nutrition and fitness but it's also not about nutrition and fitness. And when we can see that overlap between what you're learning in, you know, when you start talking about fitness, and then take that and apply it to cutting your hair and feeling like no, I get it and make a decision for me and what I want to have happen. That's amazing. It's so exciting to be able to see that. And one of the reasons I wanted to have you on Lindsey is because you are somebody who I just feel like has grabbed like, you know, it's almost like I offered you to sing and you grabbed it and ran with it. It was like you just, you know, wanted to keep going. So kind of talk to me a little bit about how you know MACROS 101 was like this decision that you made, right, this one decision that you made and it's always so interesting to me to look back and to look back at decisions that we make and realize that they really like almost change the trajectory sometimes of the way that our life is going. So walk me back and kind of talk about how that decision to come and join MACROS 101 has kind of created this, you know waterfall effect in other areas of your life or other paths that you've decided to take because of it. 

 

Lindsey  9:55  

Yeah, so when I joined MACROS 101, I was kind of thinking it was gonna be for weight loss. But also, I was super interested in this business model that was so like, it was so fascinating to me that you could have somebody who's really a lot like me with kids at home, and kind of being like the mom. And you can also build a successful business where you're helping people. And so as I was going through MACROS 101 I kind of have one eyeball on, like, the course and another eyeball on How is this done? How are the coaches coaching? Because, like, the coaches have a very unique way of coaching. And how is that type of coaching more effective? And I just really liked the business model, I liked the video modules, I liked that we had a community online, I liked that we could, you know, the clients can all get to know each other and form a relationship. And it was just so fascinating to me. And so with all the, like the mindset work and the empowerment from the course itself, I had all these ideas that had kind of been sitting in my brain forever, about like getting my personal training cert and getting my nutrition coaching cert that I kind of wanted to do for so long. But like I had all these excuses, I can't because, you know, I have kids, and I can't because I'm too busy. And I can't because this is not the right time. And I can't, I can't, I can't. And I realized, well, actually, I can, the whole thing of I can't it's just a story that I've been telling myself, it's just, you know, it's just like a belief I've been carrying around. And actually quite a heavy belief too, because then I was kind of sad. Because I was a stay at home mom and I couldn't really do music for a living effectively anymore because of, you know, scheduled constraints and child care constraints. And I wanted to be doing something big in the world. And I wanted to have a skill, and I wanted to make some money. And you know, just kind of being a stay at home mom is like, it's very important. But at some point those kids go to school. And, you know, I wanted to be ready to have something of my own, that I can show the world. And so that's exactly what I did during MACROS 101, NASM, the National Academy of Sports Medicine had a big sale on their personal trainer course, and their nutrition coaching course. And I clicked by, I think I didn't even discuss it with my husband, I think I just did it.

 

Amber B  12:55  

I remember when you did it, I remember when you were like I just did this thing.

 

Lindsey  13:00  

Yeah, there's a big sale, and I did it. And you know, I paid for it with my music money, because I had been teaching a few music lessons for the whole time for years and years and years. So I had a little bit of money saved up. And so I use my own money. And I bought my course. And then that was actually during the COVID shutdown to like our cohort was going through MACROS 101 when the shutdown happened. And so then I finished up the second half of MACROS 101 like, at home, only at home with my kids at home, too. And then I had all this time at home to work on my certification. And so I did. And then I had all this time at home still to start building a business. So I did. And now fast forward a year and a half. And I am like a working nutrition coach, and personal trainer and I have a business and I'm like registered with the state of Texas, I pay taxes and just like it's a totally different place than where I was before.

 

Amber B  14:10 

Oh my gosh, you can't see me, but I have like a big huge smile on my face. Because it's just it's so awesome. Just to again, it's like that one decision, right? It's like the simple decision to join this, you know, nutrition program and you want to lose some weight and it's like that one decision, like it's created this huge effect in your life that, you know, brought you to the place that you were at. I want to ask you a question because I feel like we've had a conversation about this. And I think that having a discussion around this will be really beneficial for some women listening. One of the biggest things that I hear from women who are in a similar situation from you were a part of their heart would love to do what I do – would love to coach –  would love to like like you said, work from home and be able to own their own business and be able to like help other women through this process and you know, there's a lot of stories about “I can't because”, and one of those big stories of “I can't because” that I hear very frequently from women is “I can't because I'm not a size four”, or “I can't because I haven't reached my goal weight”, or “I can't, because people will look at me and like, think that I don't know what I'm talking about”. And it's a law around their own ability to have a certain aesthetic look in a certain way, have a certain body type that they feel like will make them more legit, as a coach. And so, are you willing to speak to that? Was that something that you struggled with? And if so, how did you work through that?

 

Lindsey  15:40 

Yeah, so for our listening audience, I am a functioning 200-pound, five-foot-seven body. I have had babies, I have a belly. I also have some pretty rad biceps, but I can’t show it since it's  a podcast. But yeah, so I am larger. And, but I never let that stop me. I mean, I ran marathon large, you know, and I did powerlifting large. And I never let that stop me. And I never really, it didn't really bother me too much. Like, to be honest. I think, having been a musician and a performer for my whole life. It didn't really bother me what other people, like judge me as. But, you know, it did kind of become a problem when I was thinking about how my, like, how my marketing would go, like, how would I get clients? Because I don't look the way a lot of these other coaches look. And, you know, and especially I had a lot of discussions with my husband, because he was like, you're really putting in a lot of time to this, you know, career is that like, you know, to be honest, you don't look like someone who should be doing this career. I feel like you're not really legitimate for this. And I just, you know, and that it hurt. I mean, for real. 

 

Lindsey  17:17 

But then I was then I took the question to other people to ask because I believe that if you're going to build a business, you should do a little bit of market research and kind of poke around and see what people are thinking. And so I posted to my Facebook, and I asked, just so you know, I have a goal of building this business, it's going to be a nutrition coaching business. But you know, I am 200 pounds, what do you all think? And on my Facebook page, like probably 20-25 people got on there, they all said, Actually, we appreciate that you are overweight because we're insecure enough about our own health status that we would never hire a coach who would decide for. It was too intimidating. And then I think I even posted to the, Beyond Macros, about the same subject, and everybody got on there. And they're like, you build your business, like you're going to find an ideal client, you won't run out of clients, there's no shortage of clients. And the pool of clients available are so varied and unique. There are going to be people who want to go to somebody who looks like them. And so then I was thinking, okay, yeah, I've talked to enough people for my market research. I feel like that's legit. And so then I started coaching. And as it turns out, I only have like, eight clients right now. You know, I only coach one day a week, I have, I've set healthy boundaries for my schedule. So I have eight clients. But as it turns out, every single one of my eight clients has told me, I feel so comfortable around you and so safe. And a lot of that is because you are a normal person who looks like me. So now that you know, I have paying clients who pay me money to help them and they're having good success, good results. And so the whole argument that like you can't get started because like you're overweight, like that completely, completely disproved it.

 

Amber B  19:40 

It was almost Yeah, it's like the actually the opposite is true is like what you thought was your weakness actually was one of your biggest strengths. And it was like why people came to you and white people trusted you. And I just think that's amazing. I think it's so good. And I really hope that there's someone out there who's listening who, because I think that there are there are these women who had and I know that they're out there like, if you ask them, like their deep dark secret, they would tell you I want to be, I want to be a nutrition coach, I want to be a macro coach, I want to like be a personal trainer. And that's deep down in them but they've told themselves, they can't do it until they hit their goal or until they look like a fitness trainer, whatever that look, you know, “is” and I just hope that they're listening and listening to your story and recognizing that way you think is a weakness is can actually be one of your biggest strengths. And yeah, that's amazing. So I'm curious. Lindsey, you joined Coaching Academy,  what has that experience been like for you? So you know, how it has that have been a continuation or a deeper dive into, like, you know, the things that we started talking about inside of MACROS 101?

 

Lindsey  20:45 

Yeah, so, Coaching Academy is really interesting, because, so far, we haven't actually talked about nutrition at all. And I don't think we're going to, are we?

 

Amber B  20:55 

Still in phase two. Yeah, it's coming.

 

Lindsey  20:59 

I mean, you know, I've already done MACROS 101, and I have my nutrition, certain everything. So I don't mean nutrition from this. But the important thing is, like, so we learned a bunch of like, deep mindset, you know, empowerment, kind of things in MACROS 101. And now in Coaching Academy, we are doing more of that there's, I feel like it's been a personal journey already. And it's only been like three or four weeks. But we're learning how to take other people through that journey as well. And there's actually like, there's ways you can do this. Like, it's not like a magical. It's not like Amber Bruseke was born with this simple formula. Like there's a skill that can be taught, there's a method to it. And I mean, you do need to have some intuition and stuff. But like, really, there's a process to it. And it's something that you can learn, and we've been learning it and at times, it's challenging, because you really, really have to think, and you really have to get to a part of yourself where you're practicing, like, caring and empathy for people that like, I wasn't, I didn't, that blindsided me, I didn't think I was going to have to be like, actually connected with my clients. I thought I was just going to be like helping people with their nutrition. But yeah, but it really seems like, once you get into coaching, and you learn how to coach people, like helping people with their food choices, is like it has nothing to do with food at all. It is helping you're their beliefs about the food. That's what helps them.

 

Amber B  22:47 

Yeah. And then the actions that they take the food that they choose becomes a natural byproduct of that. And so it's yeah, you're fixing it from a deeper level. Yeah, I love hearing that. And yeah, there's lots more to come, we got lots more to come and Coaching Academy, but I just think it's, it's, it's so fun to be able to see the growth that I've seen in you on a personal level. And then also being able to share that with other people. And I think that really is the essence of growth is like we grow. And then because we grow, we're able to lift other people up, it's like you can't lift someone up if you haven't gotten to that level yourself. And so I really, truly believe that the more that we can get women to grow and to elevate into like, step into that higher version of themselves, the more we're going to be able to lift the whole world up. Right, other people are up to do the same. And it's just so exciting to see that in you and see what you've been able to create and do. 

 

Lindsey  23:44 

Well, thank you. 

 

Amber B  23:45  

Yeah. Awesome. So, last question for you. Is there anything that you would say if someone was listening to this, and they were considering joining, either MACROS 101 or Coaching Academy, any words of advice or wisdom you would say?

 

Lindsey  23:59  

Yeah, you know, a long time ago, I was in college. And I had always wanted to run a marathon. But you know, I couldn't because I was in school, or I couldn't because I was too busy or whatever, whatever. I couldn't do it. And I was talking to my dad. And he said, Well, he said, you want to do this thing, and you've got to do it for a while. But you can't do it unless you buy the ticket. And then once you buy the ticket, then you're already invested in it. And then you'll do it. Which, you know, I think when it comes to things like you know, MACROS 101 or Coaching Academy, they're very much like investing in yourself. Yeah. So you're already investing a little bit of money. It's not even as much as some of the other programs that are in a similar genre. But it is, you know, you do have to invest something in here and then invest your schedule and your energy. But because you've already put your name on the line, you're going to find that you're a lot more willing and a lot more excited to go through the process and do the work required. So that's, I mean, that really is the ticket. You want to invest in yourself. Go ahead and invest. It's okay to do. 

 

Amber B  25:22  

Yeah, so good. So awesome. Well, Lindsey, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your story. It's just been so fun to see you, girl. 

 

Lindsey  25:31  

Oh, you're welcome. Anytime.

 

Amber B  25:33  

I hope that you enjoyed that episode with Lindsey. If you have not left a rating and review on iTunes, yeah, I'm going to ask you to do that, right now. If this is your first podcast episode, hopefully you enjoyed it. If it's not your first podcast episode, and you've listened to two, or three, or 10, or 15, or more episodes of Biceps After Babies radio, you keep coming back, which has got to mean something. And it would mean the world to me if you would leave a rating and review on iTunes, for other people to be able to help find the podcast. 

 

Macro counting tool 26:06

If you are tired of your only tool for transformation being restriction and deprivation and cutting out food groups, and you want to be someone who can look in the mirror and actually see a visible transformation. And let's face it, if you're like me, you aren't willing to cut out sugar in order to get there, then macro counting is the tool that is missing from your tool belt. But just like any tool, a hammer, a saw. The tool is really only as effective as the person who is wielding the tool makes it. And what I see time and time again, are women who start using the tool of macro counting, without really understanding how to set or adjust their macros. And of course, this leads to lackluster results. That leads to them getting frustrated with the process and scrolling through Instagram just feeling defeated because they see that macro counting works for other women. So they think why the heck does it not work for me? And then getting to this place where maybe you say something silly like Well, I tried macro counting, and it doesn't work. This is exactly like letting go of a helium balloon and watching it float away and saying, Well, I guess gravity doesn't work. No friend, science is science. Its gravity is working just like it should on that balloon. And you just don't quite understand the nuances of gravity, right? And it's the same thing with macro counting. The question is not does macro counting work? Because macro counting is just basic science. The question is, how can I wield that scientific principle? How can I wield that tool of macro hunting to get better results? How can I use that tool for my specific unique situation? 

 

Confidence In Your Numbers 27:36

And that's what I teach my clients inside of Confidence In Your Numbers. I created Confidence In Your Numbers because I saw a glaring hole in the market. Too many women rely on expensive coaches to set and adjust their macros for them.  Now, I get it. Most coaches want you to pay them. And then in exchange, they'll set your macros for you. And then if you want to pay them more money, they'll know “coach” you and they'll adjust your macros for you week to week. But of course, they're actually not going to teach you how to do that yourself. Because why? Well, it's simple, because they want to keep getting paid. That's their business model, which I totally get and that's fine. It benefits them to make adjusting your macros and setting your macros feel as complicated as possible. But it's really not that complicated. And well, that's not my business model. I don't want to set your macros for you, I don't really want you to keep paying me to have me adjust them for you. I would rather teach you how to do it yourself. So that you don't have to keep paying someone every month to do something simple enough for you to do on your own. It's kind of like that, say, if you give a woman a fish she eats for a day, teach women how to eat fish for a lifetime. So the question is, do you want to be the woman who gets given a fish, and then you're left to metaphorically starve when you stop paying for the fish? Or do you want to be the woman who learns how to fish so that you can keep snagging them for free without having to rely on someone else to feed you? If you're like me, you're the type of woman who wants to learn how to fish? And if so Confidence In Your Numbers is for you. Confidence In Your Numbers is a live masterclass where I teach you how to set your macros for your unique body and I teach you how to adjust them over time. Because here's a second common mistake I see a lot of women making when they start counting macros. They set their macros and they're like, oh, success is just as easy as falling these numbers to the finish line. Which is kind of like saying you can drive around the world in a single-vehicle. Right, like stay with me on this metaphor. So sure, driving across the United States is great. So a car is great for that part of the journey, but then you're going to hit the Atlantic Ocean. And you cannot keep driving that car any further, you have to get into a new vehicle onto a boat or a plane to keep going. And the same thing applies to your macros. If you just set your macros once and you keep following them, you're going to plateau, you're going to hit the Atlantic Ocean, and you're gonna get frustrated, because what you're doing worked for a while, but then stops working. And then if you're like most, you'll get frustrated, and you quit. And then you'll really not see results because quitting is the only way to guarantee that you don't see results. So just like you have to swap out your vehicle based on the terrain. If you want to avoid plateauing in your journey and getting frustrated and quitting, you're going to need to adjust your macros, which for some people can feel really complex. And again, that's what most coaches want you to believe because well, then you'll pay them to do it. But I'm not that type of coach, which is why in Confidence In Your Numbers, I've simplified the adjusting process into something that anybody can learn that allows you to skip the overpriced coach, accelerate your results, and keep that hard-earned money in your own pocket.  

 

A great deal comes when you join me in Confidence In Your Numbers 30:37

So if you want to learn to set and adjust your own macros, come join me for my live paid masterclass on March 2, you can always purchase the replay of this class, if you go to my website, you can buy Confidence In Your Numbers for $199. But because I'll be delivering this class Live, which is always more fun anyway, if you join Confidence In Your Numbers before March 2, you'll get all the secrets and about setting and adjusting your macros for only $99. And because Confidence In Your Numbers is the perfect step to take now, in order to prime you for my signature program MACROS 101, we also do something really special. We allow you to apply the investment you make into Confidence In Your Numbers, we allow you to apply the $99 you make into Confidence In Your Numbers into MACROS 101. This means if you're listening to this and you plan to join us in MACROS 101 at the end of March, joining Confidence In Your Numbers is essentially free, because the investment you make will be applied towards your MACROS 101 enrollment, which is super cool. And it also means that you get to get started right now.  So if you're ready to finally snap that after picture that you've always wanted, come and join my live masterclass Confidence In Your Numbers, you're going to walk away with all those secrets that most coaches won't share about how to set and adjust your own macros. To sign up, go to bicepsafterbabies.com/confidence to get you registered for the class and I'll see you on March 2. That's bicepsafterbabies.com/confidence.

 

Amber B 32:10 

That wraps up this episode of Biceps After Babies Radio. I'm Amber, now go out and be strong because remember my friend, you can do anything.

 

Outro

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