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This week on Barbell Shrugged we welcome Jackie Perez back to the show. I don\u2019t think you need to be reminded about Jackie, she\u2019s hard to ignore for a number of reasons. But just in case, make sure you go back and check out\xa0Episode 124 of the podcast.\xa0Trust me, it\u2019s a must see.

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We learned a lot about Jackie the first time around, but maybe the most surprising thing was that, despite the glossy, well tanned appearance and strong social media presence, this girl works very hard for what she has. Jackie might seek out her fair share of recreation, but most of her time is spent training and coaching clients.\xa0

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There are quite a few online critics that seem to believe that what they see on Instagram is no more than a lucky roll of the genetic dice. But that\u2019s not all that accurate. As Jackie will tell you, \u201cThose people don\u2019t notice the amount work I have to put in to look this way. You\u2019re damn right I\u2019m going to wear my bikini when I get the chance!\u201d

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Again, it\u2019s hard not to love Jackie for her fun bite and flair, but she has a damn good point here. Genetically she\u2019s doing just fine, believe me, but there\u2019s a plan at work. Her training is well-thought out, progressive and performance based. Her diet is designed to appropriately fuel her training and her body. She doesn\u2019t punish herself with long, grueling \u201cfat burning\u201d sessions on the treadmill. She doesn\u2019t deprive herself of calories and food selection. Maybe most importantly, she understands that a few cocktails here and there go a long way towards relieving stress and improving recovery.\xa0

Hater\u2019s are going to hate, as they say, but that doesn\u2019t change the fact that you still have to have a great plan in place if you want a result in the gym. Sometimes great bodies are born, that\u2019s true, but more often than that they are built and earned. We can\u2019t forget that. \xa0

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If you want to get as lean, you can\u2019t turn to tricks, hacks and shortcuts. You plan for it. You take steps towards your goal daily, weekly, and monthly, just like you would if you wanted to increase your squatting strength or drop your Fran time. But that right there is a whole other issue amongst the critics.\xa0

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\u201cShould someone that\u2019s interested in improving functional fitness and performance even care about looks? Isn\u2019t that a shallow, cosmetic goal for an athlete?\u201d No, not at all. It\u2019s true that looks where the focus for far too long, at the expense of function. But a big swing in the other direction is just as silly. In reality, these goals are intimately linked. Both are important. If you train hard, with a long-term plan, and you eat to perform, then you will feel damn good about the result. You will also start looking better and better, of course, which will likely make you feel damn good. That will really show in the gym when it comes to performance.\xa0

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Jackie, it was a blast hanging out with you again. Keep up that grind, Darling. \xa0

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Cheers,\xa0

Chris Moore

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For more

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• Make sure to follow Jackie on\xa0Instagram,\xa0Facebook\xa0and\xa0Twitter.
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• Interested in getting lean and staying strong while you do it? Our new programs,\xa0BarbellBikini.com\xa0for the ladies and\xa0BarbellShredded.com\xa0for the men, could be just what you need.\xa0
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• Want to learn just what you should eat to perform better and get leaner? Check out the\xa0Faction Foods Nutrition Course.
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