The Green Door Life

Real talk: I hate this photo of me on the left.

These pictures were taken on the same day, minutes apart, with completely different lighting and angles.

When I first saw this photo, I immediately thought, “how do I edit the shit out of this one?!” And then, I had to take a step back and soothe myself just like I would for one of our members. We do NOT live life in filters We are NOT defined by one image. I do NOT look toned all the time. I get bloated, retain water, eat things that don’t mix well with my body and consume adventurously especially when traveling. I self-assess, criticize, and over-analyze just like EVERYONE ELSE. And around that time of the month, I have to give myself a little pep talk: “you are going to feel like you look 10 pounds bigger for the next 3 days. It’s cool, this happens every month. You are going to feel like none of your clothes fit and like all your hard work has gone to the shit. Put your big girl pants on, and...

CARBS... that C-word that has been under fire and misunderstood for the better part of the last two decades! We’re hopeful that our members are joining the “carbs are your friend” revolution as it’s now freaking 2020 people, and it’s TIME! We’re just going to come right out and say it: most weight loss from Keto, intermittent fasting, Whole 30, and other popular restriction protocols that remove entire food groups is caused by being in a caloric deficit, perhaps unknowingly at times. If one of those working for you, more power to you! We’re also interested in your overall health, athletic performance, mental and physical energy, and how likely you are to stick with a nutrition protocol as a long-term, lifestyle change. ‍ Here’s why we love carbs: First of all, let’s clear the air once and for all that carbs are not limited to pizza, pasta, bread, and white potatoes smothered in butter, which are usually a COMBO of carbs and...

From the moment we wake up, we make hundreds of seemingly insignificant decisions as we move through our day: what to wear, what to eat (or not eat) for breakfast, how to prioritize our to-do lists, where to park, how long to exercise, and everyone's favorite - what to cook for dinner. Even though these seem trivial on their own, they all add up over time. We often resort to choosing ease and convenience for the little things when compounded with the more important decisions that we have to make. When we feel mentally overtaxed, we move into autopilot mode with habits unconsciously running in the background. No wonder so many of us are exhausted, stressed, and experiencing dis-ease in this modern life.

Connecting to Your Why

If you feel like you're in a slump, overstressed, or operating on autopilot, we invite you to ask yourself why you are doing something. Why are you brushing your teeth, calling a loved one, writing a letter, attending that lunch, exercising,...

Hi, my name is Lisa, and I’m a former cookie addict.

I used to eat full boxes and packages of cookies a row at a time. There was no stopping me once I started. I was a machine. At first, my friends watched in shock and awe, not believing the sheer volume of food that I could consume. Then, I started to sense that this was not “normal” as no one else around me was eating to the point of keeling over on the couch and passing out from a cookie coma.

After years and years of feeling shame over my behavior and thinking that something was severely wrong with me, I decided to get help. That’s when I decided that enough was enough, and as fate would have it, I met Shannon.

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“This is not a diet; this is science, Lisa,” she said.

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Science! I love science! And good thing it’s not a diet, because I suck at those. SOLD. Tell me everything, Shannon!!

One week into my program, I quickly realized that I HAD BEEN UNDEREATING DURING THE DAY FOR...

Does lifting weights make women bulky?

Unpopular opinion alert: YES, lifting weights can make women look bulky. The fitness world will tell you that this isn't possible due to gender and hormones. But how do they know the amount of muscle mass that you want? Speaking from personal experience, it’s absolutely possible to look bulky as a female! In the past, we lifted weights without any attention to nutrition besides trying to eat “healthy," which involved overconsumption of avocado, nuts, and fruit smoothies.

When our female members share this concern with us after encouraging them to do the strength training workouts in our app, what they really mean is: they don’t want a high amount of muscle mass and higher body fat than desired. When they tell us that they want to look “toned”, we understand that they want lean muscle mass with lower body fat.

Adding lean muscle tissue without the bulk requires consistent, progressive strength...

FREE WORKSHOP: JAN. 16

It's hard to believe that we've entered a new year, let alone a new decade! And what an incredible year it has been. While we love the enthusiasm of resolutions in January, we find that good intention can quickly go awry if the path for achieving new goals has not been adequately set.

Do you have a friend who is gearing up to do a 14-day detox, Whole 30, or low carb diet this month? Did they watch a Netflix documentary over the holidays or tell you about their mother-in-law’s aunt’s cousin who lost 30 pounds “doing Keto”? Before they go down the quick-fix rabbit hole, send them this video of Green Door Life member Mark who ditched the fad diets and continues to see results a year after starting his first program with us!

Once you know what our members know, there is no going back. Help us spread the word and support our mission by inviting your friends, family, and colleagues to our first in-person Bay Area workshop of...

Does working out feel like the last thing you want to do in cozy winter weather? We've got you! Try this abbreviated version of our favorite HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout anytime, anywhere! No equipment is necessary. Click on the following image to view each exercise with form cues and instructions:

After a short warm-up, perform each exercise in a row for 30 seconds each with no rest. Then, rest for 60 seconds after completing a full round. Start out a little slower as you begin with the first round. As you move through rounds 2-4, increase your speed, force, and power during each exercise. 

Four rounds should take you about 14 minutes, and you'll feel more energized and ready to take on the rest of your day! Let us know how it goes!

We're on a mission, friends.

We want to change the way the world thinks about their health, nutrition, and exercise one person at a time.

We can so relate to Christine, who shares in the following video that she felt trapped in her body and overwhelmed by all the conflicting information thrown at us daily in terms of what to eat (and mostly, what to not eat). We know all too well that following the latest trends without a foundation of nutrition science knowledge is a recipe for frustration. Click play below to learn how Christine overcame her initial fears to reach out to us and has since maintained her new lifestyle for nearly a year!

And for today's PSA, we want to share with you this little truth bomb!

BMI vs. BMR

BMI... that pesky number you identified in the doctor's office one time that put you in some arbitrary category based on a formula related to your weight. Technically speaking, your Body Mass Index is equal to your body mass (weight in kg) divided by...

Meet Jen. This champion started with us back in 2018 while prepping for her wedding, much like her lovely sister-in-law, Marissa, another member of The Green Door Life. Jen is a dream to work with: she is thoroughly reflective, open, optimistic, and all in!

"In the past, I was working out for 2+ hours a day and still felt like I had to do more at the end of the day. Can't believe I spent so much of my life pouring so much effort into something that didn't produce the results I wanted. What's the definition of insanity again? :) Thanks for all of your support over the last year - it has been truly life-changing"

This woman is dedicated to whatever she sets her mind to and throughout the last year, we have had the honor of witnessing big changes... some that you can see physically but many that you can't. 

Our clients reach their initial goals in 90 days. 

Some clients, like Jen, stick around longer and go deep into training, continual breaking down of old habits,...

Drinking season is upon us, friends! Many of our new clients have been asking how we drink alcohol while minimizing the impact on our bodies. Well, you've come to the right place! First, here are some truth bombs about alcohol you may not know:

1. When you drink alcohol, you don't burn body fat. Your body registers alcohol as a toxin and wants to get rid of it ASAP. So, your liver prioritizes the metabolism of alcohol over all other functions, like breaking down triglycerides and absorbing nutrients from your food.

2. Alcohol causes excess estrogen in the body. Drinking alcohol (especially red wine) interferes with the healthy metabolism of estrogen in the body. Ladies, if you suffer from severe PMS, heavy periods, etc., drinking alcohol can make it worse, not better. Dudes, you probably don’t want an excess of estrogen in the bod either.

3. Alcohol interferes with your sleep. We know… some of us like the ritual of a glass of wine or beer to end the day and get ready...