What to Know About the Life Time Fit + Focused Program

Many of us have been here before: You’re making efforts toward your health but aren’t seeing the progress you hoped for. What gives?

It could be a myriad of factors, but it is common for many to put too much focus on certain areas of health and too little on others, to strive for perfection, or to just be missing some coaching or guidance that could be key to unlocking results.

After seeing how prominent these struggles were with clients over the years, Lindsay Ogden — known to many as “Coach Lo” — CPT, nutrition coach, and digital manager for content and coaching at Life Time, put together a plan to help members build a foundation of sustainable habits that would enable them to see well-rounded success with their health.

The Fit + Focused program is the newest addition to Life Time’s suite of digital weight loss and training programs. We spoke with Ogden to learn more about it and to get to know her better — she’s the coach who will guide and champion you along the way.

First thing’s first: What is the Fit + Focused program? Tell us about it!

Fit + Focused is a six-week digital program that is designed to get you physically FIT and mentally FOCUSED. It is not a quick fix, but rather a chance for you to develop healthy, sustainable habits in the areas of exercise, nutrition, and mindset.

You’ll receive an action plan, including strength and conditioning workouts, meal guidance, and mindset coaching. There are three pillars of the program:

• Movement. Progressive programming allows for daily wins and lets your body do what it loves to do — move!
• Meals. Guidance around food offers strategic direction but with flexibility and without the stress of sticking to specific recipes, measurements, or tracking.
• Mindset. You’ll learn how to transform yourself from your worst critic to your biggest cheerleader.

Here at Life Time, we believe that health doesn’t have a finish line — it’s an ongoing journey. I designed this program to help you build foundational habits so that you’re set up for a successful ride. And, most importantly, so that you’ll also enjoy it as you go.

The program is complimentary for Life Time members and accessible through the Life Time Training app.

Why did you want to create the Fit + Focused program?

Over the 10 years that I’ve been working in the health and fitness industry, more clients than I can count have come to me with either too random of a training and/or nutrition approach to see success or with an adopted all-or-nothing mindset. In both cases, this led to them feeling frustrated and lacking results.

I’ve also found that too often we’re focused on the exercise piece and not enough on the nutrition or mental side of health. The Fit + Focused program moves participants away from the yo-yo weight loss culture and addresses each primary area — fitness, nutrition, and mindset — for well-rounded, lasting results — gone about in a maintainable way.

Who is the Fit + Focused program best for?

The Fit + Focused program is for anyone who has been somewhat consistent with their workouts (exercising three-plus times a week) and eating well most of the time yet is still not getting the results they want. It’s a great program for those who are looking to not only challenge themselves physically, but also mentally.

Let’s talk a little bit more about the three pillars of the program: movement, meals, and mindset. What can participants expect around each?

I believe true health requires addressing multiple aspects of our lives — not just exercise, and not just nutrition. That’s why the program is broken down into those categories, as they’re all essential to those seeking a balanced, sustainable plan that drives long-term results.

The movement portion of the program focuses on building your strength and challenging your conditioning. It is periodized and progressive, meaning that within the week I’m making sure you’re hitting multiple movement patterns and exercise intensities. This combination allows for progress to be made while avoiding under- or over-training.

When it comes to meals, the program will help you build a base for a nourishing diet. I will help guide you in creating well-balanced, nutrient-dense meals while saving you time, money, and energy — and eliminating any “what should I eat now?” obstacles.

Around the area of mindset, the program helps address what’s going on inside to ensure we match the progress made on the outside. Just as we will emphasize consistency in our exercise and nutrition habits, we will have daily focuses to help develop the same routine with our mindsets.

If I’m interested in the Fit + Focused program, how can I get started?

If you’re a Life Time member, open the Life Time Digital app and under “Featured Coaching Programs,” click “View All.” From there, you’ll be able to choose the Fit + Focused program to enroll in.

If you’re not yet a Life Time member, you have the option to join as a Life Time Digital member, and then can access the program by following the same steps above.

Get to Know Coach Lo

1. Do you have a favorite meal combo to prep for lunch or dinner?

I’m a fan of making one-bowls meals; they’re a great way to get in a lot of volume while still hitting the portions of a well-balanced meal. One of my go-to’s is a “Burger Bowl.” You start with a generous serving of mixed greens or spinach, then add ground beef or bison, some rice or cubed sweet potatoes, avocado, and mustard and pickles for added flavor. It’s filling and nutritious — and who doesn’t love a burger?!

2. Is there a workout move that makes you feel your best when you’re doing it?

I LOVE pull-ups! It’s a movement that takes time and consistency to get, but once you do, there are so many variations to try to keep progressing. You also need limited equipment to do it, and it’s a great “bang for your buck” movement that incorporates your entire body. Plus, you feel super strong when repping them out.

3. To get hyped for a workout, what music do you play?

I normally throw on a “Fit Radio” mix, but when I need to get really focused or am lifting heavier weights, I put on some Rage Against the Machine. How can you not get hyped with some “Renegades of Funk”?!

4. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? How about before you go to bed?

I’m kind of a nerd and track many aspects of health (I’m always aiming to learn and try new things). So, one of the first things I do is take a Heart Rate Variability (HRV) test. This basically tells you, at rest, how stressed you are, which helps me plan my day with training and recovery.  Right after that, I chug some water.

Before bed, I prep for the next day (including food, clothes, and any last-minute items for work) before winding down by watching some Ted Lasso with my boyfriend, snuggling with my dogs Louie and Winston, or reading a few pages of a book before dozing off. I’m pretty protective of my nighttime routine, so I make sure to wear blue light blockers, bump down the temperature in the room, and try to use candles or low lights to help promote those zzz’s.

5. What would you say the most underrated healthy habit is?

It’s a tie between sleep and daily (non-exercise) movement. I always tell clients that if you’re following the best program and eating really well but NOT getting good quality and quantity of sleep, you’re doing yourself a disservice. You could be seeing better (and likely faster) results by paying attention to your sleep.

I also think people overrate exercise and underrate daily movement. We aren’t meant to push ourselves to the limit for one hour then sit on our butts the rest of the day. Your exercise program should give you MORE energy for the rest of your day, not make you want to nap or snack in order to recover.

6. Is there one thing you can’t live without?

If I think of this as “what would I miss the most if it was gone,” then I’d either say my health or my dogs. You know when you get sick and you can’t go about your daily routine, let alone workout? I’m always so grateful during those times for my health! And whenever I travel, I miss my dogs like crazy — they provide a lot of entertainment and love in my life.

7. What’s something people may be surprised to know about you?

I LOVE Halloween! Mostly because of the costume aspect. As soon as Halloween is done I start planning my costume for the next year. My goal is to have it be as unique and creative as possible and to make it by hand (nothing premade from the store). My favorite costumes to date are Coppertone® Baby, Orbit® Gum Girl, and Marv from Home Alone’s “Wet Bandits.”

8. What do you love most about working with clients?

First, I love learning about them! Everyone has such unique stories that make them who they are. I enjoy finding common ground and also growing from differences.

Once I actually start working with them, I think it’s so cool when they start to realize, one, that they can do this, and two, when they begin to take note of all the wins and move their focus off the scale. Life isn’t about a number on a scale, so when they take note of all the accomplishments, it’s a huge motivator for them to keep taking daily steps in a better direction.

9. If your life was a health program, what would it be called?

Most likely Fit + Focused — ha! I can be somewhat of an intense person, but that’s mostly with myself. I have high expectations and want to keep pursing a better version of Coach Lo.

10. What’s your best tip for staying consistent with a health plan?

Just. Show. Up. I think we get too caught up in thinking about our health (e.g., when we’re going to go to the gym, what food to prep, or how we need to get to bed earlier) versus just doing it and taking that first step.

I was asked once, “What’s the heaviest weight at the gym?” The answer: The front door. The hardest part about any health routine is taking those first one to two steps that lead to results and momentum. You’re not always going to be motivated, and those times matter more than when you are! The ultimate way to have self-care and integrity is to keep those promises with yourself — and Keep. Showing. Up!