July 2026 Edition

JULY'S LiF NOTES NEWSLETTER

Strong. Fueled. Free.

From me, Coach MegS, as we move forward together

July has a way of exposing our habits.

Schedules change. Vacations happen. Kids are home. Weekends stretch into weekdays, and suddenly the routines that felt automatic in January feel a little harder to hold onto.

What I see every year is women assuming they're "off track" when really they're just being asked to adapt.

Strength isn't built when conditions are perfect.

Strength is built when life gets messy and we keep showing up anyway.

Maybe your workouts aren't as long. Maybe your meals aren't as planned. Maybe your mornings don't look the same.

That doesn't mean you're failing. It means you're living. The goal isn't perfection this summer. The goal is staying connected to the habits that help you feel your best.

Forward doesn't happen because life gets easier. Forward happens because we keep moving anyway.

— Coach MegS

JULY FORWARD CHALLENGE

Choose ONE habit to protect this month. Not five. Not ten. ONE...

✦
A daily walk.
✦
Protein at breakfast.
✦
Going to bed 30 minutes earlier.
✦
Drinking more water.

Small actions repeated consistently create powerful results.

THE LiF LESSON

Strength Through Imperfect Consistency

The Power of Staying Consistent

Progress isn't lost because of one missed workout, one off-plan meal, or a busy week.

More often, progress stalls when we let those moments convince us we've fallen off track completely.

The truth is that small actions still matter.

✔ A shorter workout still supports your goals.
✔ A walk still moves your body.
✔ Choosing protein at a meal still fuels your strength.

This month, focus on protecting one habit that helps you feel your best.

Keep it simple. Keep it realistic.

When life gets busy, let that one habit be your anchor and build from there.

STRENGTH MOVE OF THE MONTH

B-Stance Training

Why It Matters: B-Stance training is a simple way to challenge balance, stability, and unilateral strength without going fully single-leg. By keeping most of your weight on the front foot and using the back foot for support, you can build strength while improving control and movement quality.

It's a great progression from traditional bilateral lifts and can help identify and address side-to-side strength differences.

Featured Movements:

B-Stance Squat

• Builds lower body strength with an emphasis on the lead leg
• Improves balance and stability
• Great for developing single-leg strength patterns

B-Stance Deadlift

• Targets the glutes and hamstrings while reinforcing proper hinge mechanics
• Challenges stability and coordination
• Helps build confidence before progressing to single-leg deadlifts

What's the Difference?

In a traditional squat or deadlift, both feet share the workload evenly. In a B-Stance variation, approximately 70-90% of the work comes from the front leg while the back foot provides balance and support.

This creates a greater challenge for strength, stability, and body awareness without the difficulty of a true single-leg movement.

Learn More About the "B-Stance"

FUEL FORWARD

Fuel for Summer: Hydration + Protein

The Challenge

Summer brings longer days, higher temperatures, vacations, and busy schedules. One thing many women notice this time of year is that the heat can suppress appetite. You may not feel as hungry, skip meals without realizing it, or find yourself grazing on lighter foods that don't provide enough protein to support your goals.

At the same time, increased sweating and outdoor activity can leave you more dehydrated than you realize, impacting energy, recovery, performance, and even hunger cues.

Why It Matters

When appetite decreases, protein is often the first thing to fall short. Protein supports:

✔ Muscle maintenance and growth
✔ Recovery from workouts
✔ Satiety
✔ Energy levels
✔ Healthy aging

Hydration plays a key role too. Even mild dehydration can contribute to:

✔ Fatigue
✔ Headaches
✔ Decreased performance
✔ Feeling "off" throughout the day

Simple Summer Strategies

✔ Start your day with water before coffee.
✔ Carry a water bottle and sip consistently throughout the day.
✔ Include electrolytes when spending extended time outdoors or sweating heavily.
✔ Choose easy protein options when heavy meals don't sound appealing:
- • Greek yogurt
- • Protein smoothies
- • Cottage cheese
- • Protein shakes
- • Grilled chicken
- • Tuna packets
- • Hard-boiled eggs
✔ Build meals around protein first, then add fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates.

Try This This Week

Aim for a protein-focused breakfast at least 3 times this week.

If the heat is affecting your appetite, try a smoothie with protein powder, Greek yogurt, fruit, and ice for a refreshing option that supports both hydration and protein intake.

Remember:

Summer nutrition doesn't have to be perfect. Stay hydrated. Prioritize protein. Keep fueling the strong body you're building.

Want 20% off THORNE products, head here: THORNE

STRONG WOMAN SPOTLIGHT

KRYSTAL

There are women who inspire others simply by continuing to show up, even when life gets hard. Krystal is one of those women.

Between raising her children, growing her business, navigating personal challenges, and continuing her recovery journey, she reminds us that strength isn't about having an easy path—it's about continuing to move forward through the difficult seasons.

What are you most proud of right now?

"Right now, I'm most proud of continuing to move forward despite some of the hardest seasons of my life. Between raising my children, growing my business, navigating personal challenges, and focusing on my recovery journey, I've learned that showing up every day is something to be proud of."

What's helping you move forward right now?

"My faith, my children, and having a purpose bigger than myself. Helping others through my work and connecting with people who need encouragement reminds me that even difficult experiences can be used for something good."

What's one thing you've learned about yourself through your strength and wellness journey?

"I've learned that I'm far more resilient than I ever gave myself credit for. Strength isn't about never struggling—it's about continuing to get back up, even when life knocks you down."

What does strength mean to you today?

"Strength means being authentic, setting healthy boundaries, asking for help when needed, and choosing growth over comfort. It's not about being fearless, it's about moving forward even when you're afraid."

What would you say to another woman who feels nervous to start?

"You don't have to have everything figured out before you begin. Start where you are, with what you have. Small steps taken consistently create incredible change over time. Give yourself grace, celebrate every win, and remember that progress is always more important than perfection."

KRYSTAL'S FORWARD REMINDER

"Start where you are, with what you have. Small steps taken consistently create incredible change over time. Give yourself grace, celebrate every win, and remember that progress is always more important than perfection."

— Krystal

TRUSTED CONNECTIONS

Rita Main

SoLuna Financial Wellness

Strength isn't just physical.

The same patterns that show up in our fitness, nutrition, and wellness journeys often show up in other areas of our lives too—including our finances.

That's why I'm excited to introduce you to Rita Main, founder of SoLuna Financial Wellness.

Who are you and what do you do?

"I'm Rita Main, founder of SoLuna Financial Wellness, a financial coaching practice built specifically for women navigating major life transitions. I help women untangle the emotional patterns keeping them stuck with money and build a real, sustainable relationship with their finances. My core belief: you don't have a money problem. You have a pattern problem."

What's the biggest challenge you see women facing right now?

"Women over 35 are often in the middle of big life shifts—career changes, divorce, loss, kids leaving home, a new business—and money stress is almost always running in the background. Most women in this season are doing everything for everyone else and putting their financial clarity last."

What's one thing you help people shift quickly?

"Clarity. Women come to me feeling like their finances are a tangled, overwhelming mess they'll never get ahead of. That shift from chaos to clarity happens faster than most people expect."

What does this look like in real life?

"It looks like a woman who used to dread opening her bank app now checking her accounts with calm instead of anxiety. The confidence women build in the gym? That is this—but for their money."

What's one piece of advice for a woman who feels stuck?

"Start where you are, not where you think you should be. The overwhelm you feel around money isn't a sign that something is wrong with you. It's a sign you've been carrying something heavy, alone, for too long."

RITA'S FORWARD REMINDER

"Start where you are, not where you think you should be."

Connect With Rita:

Website: SoLuna Financial Wellness

Email: rita@solunafinancial.com

IG: @solunafinancial

LinkedIn: Rita Main

Free Resource: Send RESET to @solunafinancial on Instagram to receive Rita's Financial Wellness Reset Checklist.