The Maintenance Episode: Fear. Control. Identity. Real Results

Don't you just feel EXHAUSTED with all the diets?

chasing fat loss, only to fear every bite, every curve, every scale change? In this episode, Ruby & Tom rip apart everything you’ve been told about maintaining results—why diet breaks are not failures but essential, how maintenance isn’t “putting goals on hold,” and why your fear of gaining weight might be the real thing holding you back.

We dive deep into:

• what maintenance phases actually are (and why 4 weeks is usually not enough)

• how diet fatigue sabotages progress—women eating “little” yet seeing no change, losing energy, self-belief, faith

• the identity trap: when being “lean” becomes your value, your validation, your identity—and how that makes maintenance feel terrifying

• true metrics that matter: moving from scale + appearance to strength, performance, energy, confidence, mood

• practical ways to transition into maintenance without rebound, shame, fear, or extremes

For women navigating nutrition, hormones, mindset, and fat loss—this is your chance to reframe what success looks like. Let’s stop glamorizing deficits and start building something sustainable. Let’s reclaim food, movement, rest, and freedom.

If you’ve ever asked: “What if I’m always going to be chasing lean?” “Is the fear of gaining weight ever going to go away?” or “How do I rebuild trust with my body post-diet?” … this is for you.

What you’ll leave with:

• clarity on why maintenance is life, not a “waiting room”

• mindset tools to shift from control → pleasure in your food + movement

• game-plan steps to ease into maintenance safely and confidently

• practical direction: performance goals, not punishments

Keywords you’ll hear: diet break, fat loss resistance, women’s fitness, body image, maintenance phase, control vs freedom, strength training, mindset shift, nutrition for women, long-term results

if you’re stuck in that loop of "i want to be leaner, but nothing's changing"... this one’s for you.. you DO already work hard. BUT what used to work no longer does but we never realise that bc its all we know.

plus, it DID get you results before right?

most women don't struggle with fat loss. they struggle with what comes after.

when you're no longer chasing the next drop on the scale... and instead, you're stuck wondering: "is this even working? why do i still feel soft?"

in this episode i talk about what it really takes to build the shape you want, and why emotional discomfort in the building phase is a sign you're doing it right.

we chat about the real reason fat loss feels easier than building muscle

why its so easy to get caught in the cycle of the wrong type of training, chasing deficits that don’t deliver.

the reason yourre stuck has nothing to do with food? what if it's because the things youve been doing.. the beliefs you adopted from your old approaches to fat loss became your comfort zone…

change? building... by eating MORE, doing LESS? what???
on top of that... it feels too slow, too scary, too uncertain?

this episode is a reality check for anyone who:
• keeps circling back to deficits
• is scared to commit to a real building phase • wonders why results are stalling despite consistent effort

you’ll hear:

• why training more or harder doesn’t always = results

• the identity crisis of not constantly shrinking

• how "feeling stuck" is actually a sign you're ready to level up

takeaways:

1. you're not doing it wrong just because it feels hard

2. growth looks boring, slow, and unglamorous... but it's also what makes change finally stick.

3 mini wins to take away:

1. you're not doing it wrong just because it feels hard

2. growth looks boring, slow, and unglamorous... but it's also what makes change finally stick.

3. the difference between emotional urgency vs physical need

4. how to know if you're truly in a building phase or just afraid to slow down

this episode might just change how you view the "next step."

if you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the right things but not seeing results… this one's going to land hard.

find me @transformxruby on instagram

brandon: @trainingfromthegroundup

DM me directly:https://ig.me/m/transformxruby

Takeaways

People often quit at the first sign of adversity in their fitness journey.

Social media can skew perceptions of progress and body image.

Mindset is crucial in achieving fitness goals and maintaining a healthy relationship with food.

Experiencing life is more important than focusing solely on body image.

Facing resistance is essential for personal growth and overcoming fears.

Setting realistic goals helps maintain motivation and progress.

Building confidence through strength training translates to other areas of life.

Self-efficacy is a key predictor of success in weight loss and fitness.

Fad diets often lead to feelings of failure and decreased self-efficacy.

Prioritizing self-care is essential for long-term health and happiness.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Jordan Syatt and His Philosophy

02:34 The Importance of Mindset in Fitness

05:43 Perception of Time and Progress in Fitness

08:26 The Reality of Social Media and Body Image

11:01 Facing Resistance and Overcoming Fear

16:43 The Role of Self-Efficacy in Achieving Goals

21:46 The Impact of Identity on Fitness and Weight Loss

28:41 Setting Realistic Goals and Bright Lines

30:34 The Limits of Coaching: Accepting Reality

35:22 Understanding Readiness for Change

38:37 The Importance of Self-Prioritization

41:53 Building Healthy Relationships with Food

49:06 The Fallacy of Perfectionism

53:40 The Journey of Sustainable Change

Sound Bites

"You need to lean into the fear."

"Maintenance is progress."

"Perfection doesn't exist."

what nobody told you about glutes and abs. the myth oftoned: why women stay stuck

your impatience is ruining your body goals, this dietingapproach is not only killing your glute gains.. but your ability to lean outyour midsection and melt the belly fat too

so

abs or ass?
most women think they know how to diet for both

you panic when your jeans feel tight.
you obsess when the scale goes up.
and you wonder why your body looks the same year after year.

this episode rips apart the myths that keep women stuck indiet culture:

the truth? you don’t need more dieting. you don’t need asmaller number. you need more muscle, more patience, and a better way tomeasure progress.

mini wins you’ll walk away with:

this isn’t about chasing “toned” or shrinking to fit oldclothes. it’s about building the shape you’ve been chasing for years — andlearning how to finally commit to the long game.

want to come on and chat about your own journey orstruggles? reach out, i’d love to have that conversation.

find me @transformxruby on instagram and brandon @trainingfromthegroundup

you’ve been taught to believe that fat loss is simple: eat less, move more, repeat until smaller.
but if that actually worked the way you think—why are you still starting over? why are you still white-knuckling through another “reset” that feels exactly like the last one?

this episode breaks down the truth about why most women get trapped in the same loop:

• chasing quick fixes and shrinking instead of training to actually build something

• confusing dieting for results with dieting for control

• mistaking effort for progress (and why the scale lies to you every single time)

• sabotaging yourself with the exact “solutions” you think will save you (like cutting carbs, adding HIIT, or flip-flopping between deficit and maintenance)

• clinging to comfort, timelines, and old metrics that don’t match the body you actually want

we talk about what real progress looks like when the goal isn’t just smaller—but stronger, tighter, and leaner. and why the thing you keep avoiding (slowing down, fueling properly, pushing harder in the gym, sitting in maintenance longer than you think you “should”) is exactly what’s holding you back from breaking free.

if you’ve ever thought: “i know what to do, i just can’t stick to it”—this episode will call BS on that belief and show you why sticking to “it” has never been the problem. your problem isn’t willpower. it’s the wrong game plan.

so if you’re sick of starting over, this is the wake-up call. it’s time to stop chasing smaller and start building different.

• instagram: @transformxruby
@nutritioncoachingbydal• book a consult: transformxruby.com
• dm me your thoughts or questions after listening

most women think getting leaner means eating less forever. that’s the lie that keeps you stuck. the truth? you can’t diet your way to the body you want – you have to build it first. and that means fueling, training, and surviving the slow phase no one tells you about.

And not, its not reverse dieting. That won’t make you shredded. eating more won’t automatically build muscle. and no – you can’t just train harder and expect to wake up with the body you want. the missing piece? the phase of training no one wants to talk about – the slow grind that actually creates shape, strength, and a metabolism that works for you.

in this episode, i share:

• why chasing quick results is killing your long-term progress

• where most women go wrong with reverse dieting and “eating more”

• the mindset shift that finally lets you build the muscle you need to get leaner later

• how to know if you’re truly building muscle – or just spinning your wheels

• what makes THIS ONE PHASE the real key to lasting fat loss

this is the truth nobody else will tell you. it’s not sexy, it’s not fast, but it works.we’ll call out the patterns that have kept you stuck for years – and give you a clear path out of the yo-yo cycle.

5 things you can start TODAY

1. stop flipping between deficit and maintenance. commit to one phase long enough to see it through.

2. use your training performance as the progress marker – not just the scale.

3. fuel like you mean it – carbs aren’t the enemy, they’re the building blocks.

4. fall in love with the basics – boring training done with intent builds the body you want.

5. When you feel discomfort… learn to pause VS react and sabotage. And be patient with yourself here

getting leaner isn’t about chasing the scale. it’s about building the body underneath – and that means doing the thing nobody talks about: sitting in the slow, uncomfortable phase where muscle is built, not just dieting harder.

if you’re ready to stop sabotaging yourself and finally see progress that sticks, hit play. and if you’ve got questions, dm me – or come on the podcast to talk through your journey.

direct link to dm me on ig: https://ig.me/m/transformxruby

find me @transformxruby on instagram

@trainingfromthegroundup

• mention glycogen/water weight early to ease fear of scale jumps• touch on why fat loss phases should be short, building phases long• highlight why diet culture/anti-diet extremes both fail• reinforce that consistency > perfection, boring > flashy• include that eating more works only when paired with intent in training• plug next episode on anti-diet culture vs. diet culture

Building ass AND abs - how

noted for follow-up

you’ve been dieting forever. eating less. cutting carbs. chasing that next plan that promises to finally “work.” and yet… your body still feels stuck.

you’re training hard. you’re eating “healthy.” you’re in a deficit again. so why does nothing change?

because you’ve been sold the lie that dieting is the answer.

here’s the thing: dieting works the first time… maybe the second. after that, it’s just breaking down muscle, wrecking your metabolism, and making fat loss harder every single round. you’re not lazy. you’re not broken. you’re just stuck in a system designed to keep you small and stuck.

in this episode, we dig into why your body won’t change no matter how much you diet… and how that’s actually killing your progress. we talk about:

• why endless deficits destroy the very muscle you need to look lean

• how fear of carbs, lifting light, and “science-based” hacks keep you spinning your wheels

• what’s really happening with cortisol, hormones, and belly fat when you’re under-fueling

• the difference between losing weight vs actually changing your body

• why building muscle (and fueling for it) is the only way forward

this isn’t about another plan. it’s about shifting the way you think about progress entirely. if you’ve been chasing smaller, obsessing over the scale, or stuck in that “nothing works” frustration—this episode is going to hit hard.

if you want to know:

• the truth about carbs, cortisol, and why you can’t “out-diet” stress

• how science gets misused to validate bad approaches

• why building muscle is the thing diet culture never taught you

• what menopause, hormones, and belly fat actually have in common

• how to finally get off the fat-loss hamster wheel for good

• a clear understanding of why your body isn’t responding (and how to change that)
• a new way to see carbs and strength training as your best tools

this isn’t just about changing your body. it’s about taking back control of your health, your energy, and your future.

if this hits home, share it with someone who needs to hear it. and if you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels—let’s talk.

listen in, reflect on what’s been keeping you stuck, and ask yourself: what’s the real rush? because if you keep rushing, you’ll stay here forever.

if you want to chat about your own journey or struggles, reach out. i’d love to hear your story.

find me @transformxruby on instagram
https://www.instagram.com/transformxruby/
https://www.instagram.com/sarahsl.fit/
https://www.instagram.com/kenny.lipton/

apply for a free consult:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqaxMDfbPYPYVui3BgSClnDXTj4BWjRvPkbBHuK5CP7SQsIw/viewform?usp=sf_link

direct link to dm me on ig:
https://ig.me/m/transformxruby