Samara Toby is a certified macro coach specializing in plane-based eating. She has been vegetarian for over 20 years and saw a need for coaches who understand the intricacies of a plant based diet. Even if you’re an omnivore, you will gain so many valuable insights from our conversation, as we branch far beyond plant-based eating.

Samara shares her journey into nutrition coaching, so many practical strategies to incorporate more plants and plant-based proteins into your dietary pattern. She breaks down the importance to incorporating plant-based proteins into meals, whether you're a seasoned vegetarian or vegan, or an omnivore looking to diversify, and offers practical tips for grocery shopping, encouraging listeners to explore the plant-based section at their local store and to experiment with new foods

We pivot the conversation to the mindset piece, without with, none of this health and fitness stuff matters. We walk through 4 simple but powerful strategies to make fat loss easier, and discuss the fine line between maintaining healthy goals and being overly rigid in a way that sacrifices well-being.

This episode provides practical advice for listeners at any stage of their health journey. Whether you're exploring plant-based proteins, managing a calorie deficit, or finding ways to incorporate flexibility into your eating habits, this episode will empower you to make intentional choices that align with your goals.

“It's not about completely overhauling your diet. Just adding things like nuts, seeds, or textured vegetable protein can bring more fiber, oils, and flavors into your meals.”

- Samara Toby

“Notice what you're doing well already, and do more of that. Collect that because I feel like a lot of people fixate on what they're not doing right instead of reverse engineering from their successes.”

- Iris Deadlifts

This week on Here’s the Deal:

• The importance of allowing yourself to fumble and figure things out
• Using protein shakes and crappy protein powder recipes as a useful supplement to reach higher protein targets while finding a balanced diet
• The practical and nutritional benefits including plant-based meals and proteins
• How tracking food intake can lead to revelations about dietary patterns and necessary adjustments
• The importance of diversifying protein sources
• A hierarchy of plant-based proteins
• How experimenting with plant-based foods lead to more creativity, less monotony, and a deeper understanding of nutrition
• Samara’s experience with shifting into maintenance mode during a fat loss phase
• The difference between “needing” and “wanting” fat loss goals
• Practical tips to make a fat loss phase easier
• The importance of making intentional choices around food to build sustainable eating habits that align with your goals.

Connect with Samara:

• Samara (@nomeatmacros) on Instagram

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of Here’s the Deal: Fitness, Nutrition, and Mindset for People Who Don’t Want Life to Suck, where we challenge the common understanding of what it means and what it takes to be fit and healthy! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and tag us!

Join Iris Deadlifts on Instagram, Meri on Instagram, and Amy Rudolph on Instagram.