Rules This Hollywood Trainer Lives By For Sustainable Results
Celebrity trainer Senada Greca is known for helping create some of the world’s most famous physiques. And while she certainly knows how to crush a leg day, her philosophy isn’t rooted in intensity alone. Her overall approach focuses on simple, sustainable habits that support strength, energy, and long-term well-being and it’s actually even accessible to those of us without upcoming red carpet events (guilty).
To come, the mindset shifts, nourishment habits, and recovery practices that shaped her own healing and continue to guide her coaching today.
1. Fitness should feel empowering
Greca’s relationship with movement wasn’t always healthy. After immigrating to the U.S. as a teen, she felt pressure to shrink her body in order to fit in. “Working out became a tool to look a certain way versus for the joy of it,” she says, which was coupled with anorexia at the time. She was also navigating anxiety, depression, and the responsibility of helping her family adjust to a new country as their primary translator.
Luckily, she ended up seeing a doctor who happened to love marathons, who helped Greca start to see exercise as emotional support rather than control. Strength training became a turning point, helping her embrace movement as an empowering outlet instead of a reaction to fear or shame. Now, she always strives to view movement as a positive choice she’s making to help herself feel her best, and she encourages her clients to do things they enjoy to cultivate the same mindset around their exercise routines. That’s what makes a program sustainable.
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2. Prioritize nourishment at every meal
Women often under-eat, especially when they’re trying to change their body composition. Greca sees this frequently. “I always ask: where’s the protein?” she says. Including it at every meal supports muscle repair, balanced hormones, and daily energy and she noticed a huge difference in her mental and physical health when she started prioritizing more protein. She points out that though many women assume a single egg is enough, that’s only about six grams of protein.
Greca also encourages women to rethink their relationship with carbohydrates. Restricting them during the day often leads to cravings at night. Her preference is steady intake of complex carbs that sustain energy and support performance. She avoids labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” noting that enjoying dessert is something she does, too.
3. Build muscle to support long-term health
One concern Greca hears often is the fear of getting “bulky.” Her answer is consistent: women simply do not build muscle that easily. Hormones and genetics influence muscle gain, but the likelihood of suddenly becoming overly muscular is low.
She reframes muscle as protective. It supports metabolic health, mobility, posture, and resilience with age. “Muscle is your currency of health,” she says, especially because it’s challenging to build and easy to lose without regular strength training.
Muscle also plays a key role in healthy aging, supporting balance and reducing fall risk—both tied to longevity. Long-term, muscle is one of the best investments you can make for future health.
Muscle is your currency of health.
4. Recover intentionally, not randomly
Greca trains regularly, but she protects her recovery with equal commitment. “I will not negotiate on getting less than seven to nine hours,” she says. When she has a poor night of rest, she turns to yoga nidra or non-sleep deep rest to help her body reset. She says even five to 10 minutes can be impactful on busy days.
Recovery is essential because it’s when the body repairs tissue, consolidates learning, and restores balance. Better rest simply leads to better workouts.
5. Use the five-minute rule when motivation dips
Greca has unmotivated days just like anyone else. Her solution is simple: commit to five minutes of movement. It could be stretching, a short walk, a few minutes of dancing, or a basic seated abduction (her “lazy” leg-day go-to). The type of movement matters less than following through.
“In a month, you’re proving to yourself that you can show up from a place of love and care,” she says. That consistency builds self-trust, which makes larger behavior changes feel more accessible and sustainable. Consistency builds identity, and identity drives long-term change.
In a month, you’re proving to yourself that you can show up from a place of love and care.
6. Consistency is your strongest training tool
Greca adapts her training recommendations to each person’s reality, whether she works with clients in person or through her WeRise app. Not everyone can train five days a week. What matters is choosing an approach that fits your life, supports your goals, and feels realistic to maintain.
The small decisions you make today, she says, shape the strength and vitality you’ll have years from now. A plan you can sustain will always outperform a plan you abandon.
Put these rules into action
If you want to put Greca’s approach into practice, here’s an easy way to apply it over the next seven days:
- View fitness as something you deserve to do, not have to do.
- Add protein to every meal, especially breakfast. (30 grams per serving is ideal!) And don’t forget about complex carbs.
- Make muscle a priority; view it as your longevity bank account.
- Recover intentionally and protect your sleep (aim for 7-9 hours).
- Set a five-minute movement ritual you can repeat daily and make it non-negotiable.
- Choose consistency over intensity. Your fitness journey is a marathon, not a sprint.
The takeaway
Greca knows life can be unpredictable and full of interruptions. Her guidelines offer a practical framework for showing up at whatever level you can, with the intention of supporting long-term well-being. Strength training has aesthetic payoffs, but the confidence, resilience, and trust it builds over time matter so much more.