Molly Sims (3:12)

Hey, I'm Molly Sims.

Emisha Gormley (3:13)

And I'm Emisha Gormley. We're two girls obsessed with one thing.

Sonata Greca (3:17)

Beauty.

Molly Sims (3:18)

And by that, we mean everything that makes you look and feel beautiful.

Emisha Gormley (3:22)

We're calling on our favorite health experts, industry insiders, and friends to answer all your beauty questions with a drink in hand. Definitely with a drink in hand.

Molly Sims (3:32)

You're listening to Lipstick on the Rim with Molly Sims. Michelle, let's be honest. How are your new year fitness goals going?

Emisha Gormley (3:44)

I feel like I'm being called out.

Molly Sims (3:45)

A little bit, maybe because I.

Emisha Gormley (3:47)

Maybe because I haven't stayed as true to them as I thought I would.

Sonata Greca (3:50)

We're here. We're.

Molly Sims (3:51)

We're in February. January's motivation has definitely left the building for a lot of people.

Emisha Gormley (3:59)

I mean, totally. It's kind of what we talked about Last Week with Dr. Zelana. This is the point in the year when burnout around New Year's resolutions really, really starts to hit.

Molly Sims (4:10)

And since we tackled the mental low last week, which you guys do not miss, that episode, Zelana, was amazing. But we thought this week we talk about the physical side.

Emisha Gormley (4:19)

We definitely need to talk about it, because I feel like people start falling off their workout plans and thinking I'm the one that's the problem. I'm not the one that's disciplined.

Molly Sims (4:29)

And we are so excited for this week's guest. It took us a second, but we did it. And it's not just that you don't want to do it. You don't want to work out. Because I know all of my friends, including my mom friends, my girlfriends, they want to want to work out, right? We're going to break it down because this is kind of amazing. I've never said this out loud, but she's Kim Kardashian's personal trainer, Sonata Greca. We have her in the house right here in front of me. You guys should see her body.

Emisha Gormley (5:05)

Like, her biceps are putting everyone I know to shame on all of her platforms.

Molly Sims (5:11)

Together, she has over 10 million followers. And we kind of wanted this week's episode to be. Weights are now in. Strength training is now in. How much fucking protein do we actually need? We're gonna. We're gonna be talking and answering about these burning questions, but how did you become you.

Sonata Greca (5:33)

There's so many questions there. Where do we start? Well, I'm so happy to be here. Thank you for having me on. I appreciate the opportunity to chat with you both and for my listeners and your listeners to hopefully grab some nuggets out of this. And we're talking about that January burnout and Quitters Day actually came and passed. And I was surprised to know that it came on that quickly, like a week or two after those New Year's resolutions are set. Set and started. So. So you're not alone for whoever's kind of jumped off the fitness bandwagon. It happens.

Molly Sims (6:11)

So when did you start taking fitness serious?

Sonata Greca (6:15)

So we'll. We'll really back and go back to, I guess, my childhood. I was always active. I loved being outdoors. It was being on roofs of buildings to try to catch, like, the ripest fruit. Or maybe I just wanted food. Maybe I just wanted those ripe fruits. In communist Albania, where you didn't have a lot of resources, natural resources were your main go to. So perhaps it was that. That kind of made me jump on. On trees and on rooftops to. To reach for the ripest fruit. But I've always been active and I've enjoyed activity. I've tried to participate in sports, but like I said, it was. It was not necessarily always. I played soccer and tennis and basketball and rugby, probably any and all sports that you can imagine. I was part of a dancing group. I enjoyed that aspect of being active. I don't think I necessarily was a great athlete. And perhaps that was because during certain points of my life, sports was a mean of punishing my body. It was a way of trying to stay as skinny as possible, because that's what society deemed feminine. Thin, Real thin. Unattainable and unsustainable for a lot of people. And it's not to say that that is not healthy. It's just that for a lot of people. It can be unhealthy and le to unhealthy habits. So fast forward I got into strength training, I would say probably about 10 years ago. And that changed my life. It changed my mentality, it changed my physique. Before I used to kind of chase that skinny and, and and go into these yo yoing on overeating and overtraining and under eating. So that, that just was not sustainable. And once I stepped into my strength, once I started to feed my body versus punishing it, everything changed. How I looked, how stable my the physical aspect and the mental aspect was because that creates a lot of emotional and mental turmoil. Trying to chase always that again for a lot of people, like unrealistic number versus trying to chase and step into your own strength.

Emisha Gormley (8:36)

Okay, I don't know who needs to hear this, but the I'll start holiday shopping later era is over. This is your sign to start now. And honestly, Jenny Bird has made it so painless that it doesn't even feel like holiday shopping. We've been obsessed with Jenny Bird for a while now. Their pieces are modern, elevated, and somehow work with everything. But heading into the holidays, they've become my secret weapon. Because here's the thing. Everyone loves good jewelry and everyone loves jewelry that makes them feel instantly cooler. Their collection is full of those guaranteed, yes gifts. The bracelets, the earrings, the monogram necklaces. It's all so beautifully designed and wearable. These are the pieces people put on once and never take off. Plus, they ship fast. Hello, last minute shoppers. I see you. And the packaging is so thoughtful, you don't even need to wrap it. It's like gifting that literally takes zero emotional energy. That might be the greatest holiday miracle of all. And if you're shopping for someone who's a little harder to pin down, your chic coworker, your best friend who's already has everything, your sister who somehow has better taste than you. This is it. Put simply, Jenny Bird is the gift that never misses. You can get 20% off your first order with Jenny Bird by visiting jenny-bird.com and using code lipstick at checkout. Starting something new isn't just hard, it is genuinely terrifying. I remember the moment right before we launched this podcast, sitting there thinking, is this actually the right decision? What if absolutely no one listens? What if it totally flops? There are so many late night doubts that creep in when you're building something from scratch. But choosing to make that leap, even with all the uncertainty, ended up being one of the best decisions I myself have ever made. And honestly, having the right tools makes all the difference. That's why something like Shopify would have eased so many of those early worries. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from major household names to brands that are just getting started. It gives you a built in design studio with hundreds of ready to use templates so you can build a beautiful online store that actually looks like your brand. Shopify has powerful AI tools that can write product descriptions, headlines and even help enhance your product photography. And when it comes to getting the word out, Shopify makes it easy to run email and social media campaigns like you've got a full marketing team behind you. Plus Shopify is your commerce expert, handling inventory, payments, shipping, returns, analytics and more all in one place. It's time to turn those what ifs and into with Shopify today. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.comlipstick. go to shopify.comlipstick that's shopify.comlipstick.

Molly Sims (11:09)

And when did you know like this could be a business for me? Because your platform is huge. You have millions of followers. How did that start? Just one day you're like, okay, I'm going to start taving myself.

Sonata Greca (11:23)

I never thought I would be here today. You know, it feels very much surreal looking back at this, you know, little Albanian girl who had really no resources whatsoever to now being known, walking down the street, training Kim Kardashian, having large platforms on different social media channels and I just realized how strength training and movement in general, let's just say movement in general and then we'll get into like what is the particular type of movement that's most beneficial. But movement in general impacted my life. I struggled with anxiety and depression and eating disorders and strength training was my lifeline. It's what helped me overcome all of those disease states, if you will. And I decided that I just wanted to share that with as many people as would have me. And you know, there was other feedback from people around me that would say you move in a certain way. That is just beautiful. You know, you have such a huge mind muscle connection that is so it's just very visible. So I decided to at 2,000 followers in 2019 to just start posting every single day. Wake up early in the morning, five in the morning, film my own workouts. While I was working out, I was filming the workouts and then go to my day job. And that, that consistency, consistency is key to everything, to whatever you want to achieve consistency is key. So I kept that in mind and seven days a week without fail, I posted every single day and I still post pretty much every single day.

Emisha Gormley (13:06)

Were you always disciplined? Because I think that, you know, there's two kinds of people. I think when it comes to working out. I know Molly for one is somebody that her discipline in working out stems from the fact that working out is a mental release for her. I can fall off very easily. I've become, Molly knows, over the years a lot more disciplined workout has become a part. Movement has become a part of my life in a very different way. But I'm not disciplined. Like. So how do you take clients that don't have that muscle for discipline strengthened properly? How do you work with them?

Sonata Greca (13:41)

Absolutely. And relying on what it does, what movement strength training does for your mental health, I think is a huge benefit because for me that's one of my go tos. That's why I primarily work out because again it keeps me mentally sane. It's my therapy and it's proven this is not just me saying it. It's not just experiential from just a few people. Science has actually proven that moving, doing somewhat of not even rigorous activity, but let's say even just fast paced walking for 150 minutes a week can have benefits that are potentially even more, even higher in percentage to what pharmaceuticals or therapy, psychotherapy can do for somebody. So it can have benefits above and beyond those methods. So for me that's my go to personally and when I do speak to people that have a hard time kind of sticking to that is finding that why. So for different people, that why is different. What would make you get up every single day and move? Is it your mental health? Is it perhaps your children? Is it that you want to be to set an example for them or that you want to be around for them for your grandchildren? And being as healthy as possible for the long run, like that's my go to. I want to stay mentally healthy. It's my therapy and I want to be as healthy as possible for the long run so that I can enjoy doing the things that I love, like snowboarding well into, you know, why not 70s and 80s and beyond. So find out what is your why that is and a lot of people will give me some pushback. As I say, find your why beyond aesthetics. Aesthetics are ever changing aesthetics, you know, how we look today, we're not going to look guaranteed, you know, a year from now, you know, five years from now. So don't attach yourself to Those transient values, perhaps pick something that is more, that is deeper, that is more sustainable, that will fuel your fire to keep going.

Molly Sims (15:53)

Any tips? In the morning when you're like, I don't want to get out of this bed, do you set that alarm and be like five more minutes of snooze or do you. You're like, nope, I'm up, I'm out. Because if I lay longer than like five, seven minutes, I'm not going.

Sonata Greca (16:08)

It's, you're out. Yeah, for sure. Absolutely. I do follow Mel Robbins, you know, five second rule. Just get up and go. Even if you have to crawl out of your bed. Just. And the other thing that I've started to do, that I've known about is the effect and impact of feeding yourself some of those positive thoughts in the morning where your body and your mind, you're almost in a hypnosis state. So saying things like, I am energetic, I'm happy, I'm motivated, or whatever is that thing that you feel like it's keeping you back or it's lacking. So I say those positive affirmations not to try to fool myself, but try to give myself positive information. Feedback loops versus, you know, waking up and saying like, I'm so tired like this. Just don't have the energy for this. How is that going to set your day in a. In a positive way? It's not.

Emisha Gormley (17:12)

I've definitely been in this phase of wanting my wardrobe to feel simpler but better. Fewer pieces, more intention. Things I can actually wear on repeat without thinking too hard. That's why I've been loving Quince lately. Quince is all about elevated essentials that feel absolutely effortless. Pieces you can layer, mix, and live in without ever feeling boring. They really nail those staples. Think 100% organic cotton sweaters that feel soft but substantial. Premium denim with stretch that's actually comfortable all day. And luxe cotton cashmere blends that are perfect for those in between seasons when the weather can't make up its mind. These are the kind of pieces that quietly become the backbone of your closet. What I appreciate most is that Quince works directly with safe, ethical factories. That cuts out the middleman. So you're not paying for some giant brand markup. You're just getting high quality clothing made with really thoughtful materials. They use things like 100% European linen and organic cotton, and you can actually feel the difference. The stitching, the fit, the fabrics. It all holds up season after season. I can't tell you how much I'm loving my new cashmere sweater. It's one of those instant staples I keep reaching for whether I'm dressing it up or throwing it on with those jeans. Honestly, it's the kind of piece that makes getting dressed so much easier. And I already know I'm going to gift one to my best friend. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince Go to quince.com/lipstick for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's quite nc.com/lipstick to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com/lipstick I have been really intentional lately about getting more fiber and protein into my everyday meals and honestly, the easiest change I've made is swapping in Herobread. It's such a simple upgrade to my usual bagel sandwiches, avocado toast, tacos, even our Taco Tuesday and burger night rituals. Little shifts like that actually help me hit my goals without feeling like I've given something up. Herobread is soft, fluffy and genuinely delicious. Their bagels are amazing. I've been loving them for breakfast because they have 19 grams of protein and still taste like the real deal. Most products have 0 to 5 gram net carbs per serving, 0 grams of sugar and they're high in fiber, which makes fitting things into my macros so much easier. They have got everything sliced bread, tortillas, buns, bagels, plus these small batch drops people go crazy for. I'm eyeing the Hero Buttermilk biscuit with 1 gram net carb and 2 grams net carb Hero Croissant Herobread is offering 10 off your order. Go to Hero Co and use lipstick at checkout. That's lipstick at Hero h e r o.com so how I'm I've gotten up for the day. I've said my positive affirmations. I've gotten my butt out. I've put my workout clothes on. I only have 30 minutes. What would you tell me to prioritize if I only have 30 minutes for myself in the gym?

Sonata Greca (19:56)

So in an ideal world, strength train at least at the very least three days a week. So when you're prioritizing big movements like you're doing deadlifts and squats and pull ups, things that have a huge return on that investment. What is sustainable for one person is not sustainable for another. So if you just absolutely detest weights, I'd rather you go and walk on the treadmill or walk outside or do something that feels more sustainable, at least as a starting point. Once you've created that habit, even if it's for five minutes. Can you show up consistently for five minutes every single day, perhaps at the same time of day a lot of the time? Why we do fail in January or when we set out these big resolutions, because we take on more than we can do. Well, I'm gonna work out seven days a week. I'm gonna show up at the gym every single day and work out for an hour, an hour and a half. That will just burn you out. Because life happens. There's so much that we're juggling, and there's so much information out there, and all of this just leads to stress. So it's not that, you know you're failing yourself. It's not that your motivation is failing you. It's just that the strategy is failing you. Like what you're taking on is failing you. So start with that five minutes. Set that habit for two, three weeks, and it might sou. But these are the steps that are sustainable.

Emisha Gormley (21:17)

I think a really great mindset that we had Alana Mohlstein on years ago. She's one of our first guests. But I remember she said, set small little victories for yourself, right? So to your point with the five minutes, also, when you get on the scale, I think if you say to yourself, I have to lose 50 pounds, I have to lose 40 pounds, and after a week, you've only lost half a pound, you're like. Like this, like, I give up. Right? So I think even saying I'm gonna lose five pounds in the first month, that's my goal, as opposed to what the end game is, I think that also can help. I know it's helped me personally, absolutely.

Sonata Greca (21:54)

I. I even say ditch the scale. Ditch a scale, because the scale is so unreliable, especially when you're strength training, you're gaining muscle mass, which is heavier than fat, so it could actually go the other way, at least initially. So perhaps ditch the scale if you can, but if you can, then set those realistic expectations, like regular, normal weight loss, it's about a pound, you know, maybe to two a week. And that sometimes can be even a stretch for some people. So don't expect these overnight shifts, because as fast as you lose, the faster you'll gain it and then some. So slow, sustainable progress is the best kind of progress. Slow is fast, and fast is slow. So, yes, you absolutely agree that sometimes, and it can be, for a lot of people, very discouraging when you're not seeing that scale go down. But perhaps think of the things. How do you feel in your body when you are getting Up. And when you're working out, those are positive things that you're doing for your body, for yourself, for your health and longevity. Long term.

Molly Sims (23:04)

Strength training has always been a little bit of a dirty word because, oh, you can't be thin if you lift weights. Will you talk about that's the complete, absolute wrong mentality to have about that?

Sonata Greca (23:19)

Yeah. Society has done a huge disfavor to women to discourage them from strength training because you're gonna be masculine and you're gonna be bulky and. But what about your health at the end of the day? How is you not working out? You're not strength training. How is that impacting your hormones? How is that impacting your longevity? Women experience ost osteoporosis way more than men do. And what osteoporosis, meaning the, the density of your bones decreases as we age. And that could start even at 30 and 40, and it progresses even faster later on. But strength training is the thing that keeps your bones strong, that keeps your muscles healthy and keeps you from falling, preventing those injuries that can actually lead to death. So we've, we've done a huge disfavor to women to, to, to keep them away from strength training. And strength training will not get you.

Molly Sims (24:11)

Bul Kim, what would you start with?

Sonata Greca (24:14)

Absolutely. So if we have four days and I do, it doesn't matter whether I'm training a celebrity or people in the We Rise app, I would definitely prioritize at least two lower body days and two upper body days. If it's an upper body workout, we'll start with pull ups. If it's assisted or resisted, whatever you're able to do. And then we'll go into a core exercise, perhaps like hollow body chest presses.

Molly Sims (24:40)

And you can do this all through the app.

Sonata Greca (24:42)

All through the We Rise app. Amazing. We Rise. We Rise. Yeah.

Molly Sims (24:47)

I went on there a couple of days ago and I thought it would be intimidating, to be honest with you. I think I'm like, oh, my God, this is not gonna be for me. And it wasn't. It was like, this is what you're gonna do. This is how you're gonna do it. And you have, you know, upper body days, lower body days, and also mindfulness that you. Things that you do and nut so important. It's so important.

Sonata Greca (25:12)

And where I also, what I wanted to add is also adding some sprints on there. And the sprints can be short bursts of sprints, you know, 30 seconds. Not a lot of people love sprints. So 20, 30 seconds by going all out really getting that cardiovascular benefit from those sprints. And usually it's three to five sets of 20 to 30 seconds and then taking a rest. When I say sprints, I mean anything from like an assault bike, which I love. That's my topic. Assault bike bike because it's a total body, it's an assault. It assaults your entire body. And it's, it's, it's the. Where you're, it's a bike on the lower half and you're moving your arms. Basically kind of an elliptical situation. But it's intense. It's intense. It really leaves you out of breath if you're truly going all out. But you can do assault bike, you can do a rower, you can do battle ropes and then obviously sprinting on a treadmill. I wouldn't do an incline. You can, it just increases that the effort there. And if you're at home per tabs doing like jump squats or weighted jump squats or jumping jacks or jump rope.

Molly Sims (26:23)

You would be proud of me. I can lift.

Sonata Greca (26:26)

I love it.

Molly Sims (26:27)

I mean not a lot, but I had a L5S1 disc replacement. But for having major surgery I feel like I'm in the best shape I've been and in three years.

Sonata Greca (26:36)

Amazing.

Molly Sims (26:36)

I mean I don't have, I don't look like you, but you know, I'm getting there.

Sonata Greca (26:41)

Amazing. I love that.

Molly Sims (26:42)

How important is protein for women?

Sonata Greca (26:44)

Incredibly important.

Molly Sims (26:46)

A day in the Life of Sonata like, what's your morning? What's your lunch? What's your dinner?

Sonata Greca (26:50)

Like?

Molly Sims (26:50)

What would you suggest for Emisha and I to snack or eat?

Sonata Greca (26:54)

First off, let's talk about the how much protein we should have because the requirements have changed. It used to be half of what it actually is. Now we can go on the lower side of 0.8 grams to 1.2 grams per pound of body weight and used to be something like half of that. And it gets even more important as we, as we age, as we get into perimenopause and menopause because our body is not as smart at, at metabolizing and taking the benefits of protein.

Molly Sims (27:23)

Do you get your protein from meat? Where do you get your protein from?

Sonata Greca (27:26)

From everything.

Emisha Gormley (27:27)

Everything.

Sonata Greca (27:27)

And you know, I hate to say this because there's you know, a lot of people out there that will promote vegan proteins, but that's not the golden standard. It's whey protein and unfortunately animal based prot protein or fortunately, you know, we, that we have these resources but I, yeah, everything.

Molly Sims (27:46)

Do you have a favorite protein?

Sonata Greca (27:48)

Aonic fuel I'm a co founder of Ionic Fuel. We just launched our, our protein drinks and smooth vanilla and rich chocolate and they are delicious. It's in one can, 32 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and 160 calories. No artificial like sugars or sweeteners or anything. And we're going to launch soon our protein powder. But I, you know, for, for years I couldn't necessarily trust supplement brands out there. So I decided to build so many.

Molly Sims (28:18)

Things, there's so many things that are.

Sonata Greca (28:19)

Hidden, you know, and I will not do that to, to, to people and I will not do that to my body. If some, if I'm not comfortable ingesting something, I will not promote it. And over years, perhaps I lost lots and lots of money for not jumping on different bandwagons of this one company and the other. But I just, just, I've always stayed true to my belief system and, and I think that's one of the factors that have brought me so far. And, and one of the factors why you know, I'm part of aonic. But to go back to your question as to what I eat throughout the day, I focus all of my meals and snacks around protein.

Emisha Gormley (29:04)

Hi, I'm Nicole Phelps, global director of Vogue Runway and Vogue Business and host of the Run through podcast. Every Tuesday, join me for the latest fashion news like the shakeups of Balenciaga and Dior and what's trending in Paris and Milan. You'll also hear interviews with top designers from Marc Jacobs and Rick Owens to Daniel Roseberry, Sarah Burton and many more. On Thursdays, Chloe Maul, editor of Vogue.com and Choma Nadi, head of editorial content at British Vogue, take you behind the scenes at Vogue and share their thoughts on fashion through the lens of culture. You'll hear interviews with some of your favorite stars like Julianne Moore, Pharrell Williams and celebrity stylist Law Roach. Join us to get your fashion and culture news twice a week. Listen to the Run through with Vogue every Tuesday and Thursday wherever you get your podcasts.

Sonata Greca (29:52)

So breakfast perhaps will be three scrambled eggs, full eggs, whole eggs, not egg whites with feta. I love, I'm Mediterranean so I love feta cheese and I' piece of salmon and some either sourdough toast or sweet potatoes, whatever is easy and available. A lot of women will say I'm not hungry on those days that I am not. I'm not feeling hungry. I'll, I'll mix the ionic fuel with my matcha and, and do kind of like a matcha protein Smoothie, or you can do that with coffee as well. And it's delicious. So those are like the lighter days. So no excuses there. And we can get into that. Why not skipping breakfast and not skipping protein in the morning is. And then I'll have lunch. Lunch will also again, rotate around protein. It'll be either salmon or chicken with vegetables, big bowl of greens, and again, some sort of a complex carb. So whether it's again, maybe even rice, but like sweet potatoes, ideally. And dinner is pretty much the same too.

Molly Sims (30:56)

What kind of snacks?

Sonata Greca (30:57)

Snacks will be yogurt with, like, protein or it'll be an AI protein drink. And if I'm doing yogurt, I'll add things like blueberries for antioxidants. I'll add walnuts for the healthy fats. The benefits for. To our brain. And I like fruits. I do like fruits, but I usually will have again, like, berries. I try to focus on what is the. What offers me the biggest bang for. For the buck for, like, the consumption. I actually have some recipes. I'll get like a cutting board. I'll cut up my chicken and I'll cut up the avocado. So it'll be like a messy cutting board, like a kitchen sink type of thing. So like add your avocado, add your Greek yogurt, your eggs, olive oil, whatever other little things that you enjoy. And that's your, like your bowl right there. And I did it with, actually with. With lettuce boats. So it was like. So you can serve it in a nicer way if you. If you're having people over.

Emisha Gormley (31:55)

Okay, what do you think women should stop. Stop avoiding. Is there something that you think we're cutting out that we shouldn't be.

Sonata Greca (32:02)

We're skipping breakfast. We're cutting out breakfast, and we're skipping carbs. And carbs are not evil. Carbs are a fast nutrient for our brains and our hormones. A lot of the time skipping breakfast or skipping carbs, especially earlier in the day because we feel like it is and scientifically proven that it's easier earlier in the day to kind of skip the things that you think are not good for you. And then they'll hit hard at night so you'll have those nighttime cravings because you're skipping breakfast or skipping fueling your body with. With carbs. And it's just like the right carbs, like, stop villainizing all carbs.

Molly Sims (32:44)

What are the right carbs?

Sonata Greca (32:45)

Complex carbs, like sweet potatoes and, you know, brown rice. Brown rice, Exactly. If it's. If it's Too processed. If it's anything like you know, white sugar or white bread, a simple baked potato, I think nothing really should be villainized because I think it always fights back. If you, if you love a regular baked potato, maybe not every day incorporated rather than totally eliminate.

Molly Sims (33:15)

I love this platform. So her, her platform is called We Rise W E R I S E. It's a self training platform. Anyone can do it.

Sonata Greca (33:26)

Absolutely.

Molly Sims (33:26)

Anyone can listen to it, anyone can use the platform, anyone can use. The app is amazing. And you have, you know, fitness, you have nutrition, you have mindfulness. It's really a way to be able to not just have you in person. I mean I would die to have you in person but it's a way for all of us to be able to do it and also be held accountable.

Sonata Greca (33:45)

Yeah. And there's actually, I don't know if you've seen all of the courses on there, but we have some expert courses in trauma. So how to overcome trauma and imposter syndrome. I think I can't remember the statistics but it's like a staggering number of women over, I think 80 something percent of women suffer from imposter syndrome. So overcoming imposter syndrome relationships and career development and pivoting and then obviously nutrition. So all of these experts providing useful information, incredibly useful information. And we were, we were there but we're aiming to be this personal development app, not just a fitness app. So yes, it is built around fitness because that was, you know, where it all urges resonated with me. And now, you know, we've realized that there is that women need, have needs beyond just that. And how do we create kind of a one stop shop for all of those needs?

Molly Sims (34:42)

The supplement space is confusing.

Sonata Greca (34:44)

So confusing.

Molly Sims (34:45)

We have different founders on, we try to give both, you know, ends of the aisle what works, what doesn't work. How should women think about supplements versus food?

Sonata Greca (34:54)

Food first. You know I am a co founder of Bionic, but I will say that food first. If you're able to have all of your greens and veggies and all of your colorful foods and your protein and your omegas perhaps from fish and all of your antioxidants from food, incredible. But a lot of us fall short on a lot of those nutrients. So then we need to supplement smart. And if you're able to perhaps see where you're exactly deficient in and run specific tests to see whether there's a vitamin B deficiency or vitamin D deficiency or iron, then supplement for those needs. But a lot of the time we just don't have the ability or capability to tackle those specific deficiencies. So then perhaps including something that covers in general, when you look across the.

Molly Sims (35:48)

Celebrities you train, what are the real non negotiables you see over and over again?

Sonata Greca (35:53)

Scheduling those workouts like it's a doctor's appointment that you have to maintain that you cannot cancel. So making time in your schedule and a lot of people I don't necessarily think do that and I think it's so key. Look at your calendar. When can you consistently schedule those workouts in? And then tackling your nutrition again as a non negotiable. Tackling protein as a non negotiable.

Molly Sims (36:19)

How often are they actually training?

Sonata Greca (36:21)

Four times a week at minimum. And then, you know, ideally five, six days a week.

Molly Sims (36:26)

What's the biggest misconception people have about celebrity fitness that you wish would go.

Sonata Greca (36:31)

Away way that they're taking some sort of a magic pill to get their results and they're not. It's actually in the work. It's not in the magic pill in the work.

Emisha Gormley (36:41)

In the discipline.

Sonata Greca (36:42)

Discipline for sure.

Molly Sims (36:43)

Okay, I want to do a little rapid fire really quickly. Protein powder, yes or no?

Sonata Greca (36:48)

Yes.

Molly Sims (36:49)

This is one that everybody wants to know.

Sonata Greca (36:51)

Yeah.

Molly Sims (36:52)

Creatine.

Sonata Greca (36:53)

100% yes.

Molly Sims (36:54)

You think so?

Sonata Greca (36:55)

Oh, yeah.

Molly Sims (36:55)

Magnesium. Yes or no?

Sonata Greca (36:57)

Yes. I do take magnesium threonate at night.

Emisha Gormley (37:00)

Which kind of magnesium?

Sonata Greca (37:01)

The one that I take is mactine.

Molly Sims (37:03)

Green powder Powders. Yes or no?

Sonata Greca (37:05)

Green powders with caution that they actually contain the, the, the, the greens that they claim to contain. We in the ionic formula. The ionic complete use a specific, specific extracts and blends that have a really good amount of. Of greens in there and antioxidants. But I would, I would say yes, but proceed with caution because pixie dusting is a real thing with a lot.

Molly Sims (37:33)

Of companies I know training every day.

Sonata Greca (37:36)

Yes.

Emisha Gormley (37:38)

Fasted workouts for women.

Sonata Greca (37:40)

Bs. Total bs.

Molly Sims (37:41)

No pain, no gain.

Sonata Greca (37:43)

Yes.

Emisha Gormley (37:44)

Really? Scale weight equals progress.

Sonata Greca (37:47)

No, absolutely not.

Molly Sims (37:48)

BS Extreme calorie restriction.

Sonata Greca (37:51)

Bs. Total bs. It's working against you actually.

Emisha Gormley (37:54)

Which myth do you think is hurting women the most right now?

Sonata Greca (37:57)

Now that strength training makes you bulky, that muscles are not feminine, it's still holding us back. Even with strength training, just being out there and being spoken about so much, I think it's still holding us back. And you know, while I have nothing against pilates, I think it's a, it's a beautiful modality. But in addition, not as a substitute of strength. Strength training.

Molly Sims (38:22)

I think so many women and men are on the GLP1s and I think the biggest thing I see is that they've lost their muscle tone. They look older, they look thin, but they kind of fat. What'd you say? It looks skinny fat. And you're like, oh, you just like everything's kind of like hanging your arms, you're, it's, I think, I mean it's a slippery slope.

Sonata Greca (38:46)

Yeah. Anytime that you're losing weight too fast, you are losing muscle mass with it. There is a method, there is a cadence to, to, to fat loss. And whenever that's happening too rapidly, then inevitably you're losing muscle mass. And that is your currency of health. Muscle is your currency of health is that's what's going to keep you healthy in the long run. What's going to help with your longevity and your quality longevity, your quality of life in the later years.

Molly Sims (39:17)

What's one boring unsexy habit that actually works?

Sonata Greca (39:23)

Well lately for me it's been just in the morning again saying those. And I don't necessarily see the positive. Would you call them positive affirmations? They're more like the manifestations. Like what is, what are your manifestations for the day? What is your intention for the day? It works. It truly works.

Molly Sims (39:44)

I think those affirmations help us all. Like if you, you say it out loud, you somehow you kind of start to believe it.

Emisha Gormley (39:49)

Right.

Molly Sims (39:50)

Over and over again and again. It's like the Mel Robbins. It's like get out of bed those first five seconds. Like when you're getting out of bed. I can do this. I'm gonna go down, I'm gonna make my coffee. I'm gonna either go to a gym, get in the car. I also think, okay, what am I gonna do? I'm gonna get my clothes on, then I'm gonna go make a coffee, I'm gonna grab my keys, you know, and if you can't.

Sonata Greca (40:10)

Yeah. It's a vote towards your self belief. It's a vote towards strengthening what you were talking about like that I can muscle, the muscle of motivation, so to speak. So I, I call that as like all these little, all these little, these little things, these little steps that we take, you know, whether it is getting up, like right away, it's strengthening that I can muscle. And the strong, it's like any other muscle, the stronger it gets, the better you become at it.

Molly Sims (40:35)

You're amazing. Okay, We Rise is the app. It's the world leading self development and strength training platform for women for confidence, consistency and long term wellness. You guys have to follow Sonata. It's S E n A D A greca G eca Again, you can, you can be Kim Kardashian. You can follow along just like Kim does, like all of us do. And it's so great. You're amazing. I love your journey.

Sonata Greca (41:01)

Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Thank you so much for having me here.

Molly Sims (41:04)

We always ask every guest before they go, if you could give advice to your 10 year old self, what would it be?

Sonata Greca (41:12)

I think my 10 year old self was, was, was pretty happy because she didn't know what she was missing out. She had hand me down clothes and she enjoyed playing outside in the dirt. So she was not, you know, when you're, when you don't know what you're missing, you're not missing it. So she was pretty happy. I would, I would tell myself to carry that 10 year old spirit with, with throughout your life.

Molly Sims (41:36)

I love it.

Sonata Greca (41:36)

Yeah.

Molly Sims (41:36)

You're amazing, Sonata. Gregga, follow her. Be consistent. She will be your leader. She will be.

Sonata Greca (41:43)

She will be.

Molly Sims (41:43)

And she has the best Louboutins that I want to do right now. Oh my God, they're so pretty. They're so pretty. They're very old, but I know they're so.

Sonata Greca (41:52)

It was the phase where I used to just wear these, you know, mega heels. I thought I'd bring them up for, you know, for the podcast.

Emisha Gormley (42:00)

Sonata, it's so nice to meet you.

Molly Sims (42:01)

So nice meeting you. I can't wait. I've already checked out the app but I'm actually going to see if I can maybe get in there a little bit and do see what I can do.

Sonata Greca (42:10)

Well, now you have access to me, so message me, let me know.

Molly Sims (42:12)

Thank you guys so much. We will see you next week. Thanks for listening to Lipstick on the Rim with Molly Sims and My Ride or Die. Emisha Gormily. We are so excited to bring you guys guys along on this journey with us. You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at Lipstick on the Rim and at Molly B. Sims or you go to my blog where you can dive just a little bit deeper into my favorite products, trends and more@molly sims.subsack.com don't forget to check out our video episodes on my YouTube channel, Molly Sims. This podcast is production with Sony Music. I wanted to give a special thanks to my team, Rosie Cummings, Ken Orion, Sophine Kavorkin and everyone at Sony Music. Don't forget to listen and follow wherever you get your podcast podcast so you never miss out on the fun.