Jacked on the Beanstalk: The Podcast

Oh the irony! Last week we were trying to motivate you listeners to stay on track with your diet and exercise. And this week, we're being total hypocrites after a week of PURE GLUTTONY at the family cottage. And because we failed so miserably at being healthy and active whilst away on vacation, we thought it only appropriate to share this epic failure with everyone on the podcast... In true real & raw Shorkey sister fashion of course. Nothing to learn whatsoever on this episode (except "do as we say, not as we do.") Enjoy!

It's been a while since Sarah and I chatted amongst ourselves without interviewing a guest. So this week, we chose a podcast topic that we felt confident in tackling ourselves. And a topic that has been suggested to us by a few listeners. This week we're talking all about MOTIVATION. And more specifically, the common roadblocks we see that kill motivation and how to summon the ambition needed to stick to a clean eating plan or get our asses into the gym when life starts getting in the way. But mostly we just make fun of Sarah's depressing "workout corner." Enjoy!

Look who's joining us on the podcast this week! It's my fellow Canadian buddy and original OG in the vegan fitness community Anne-Marie Campbell of Meat Free Athlete and Shirt Activism! And we're shootin' the shit in a completely unplanned interview--discussing all kinds of randomness from lasagna and Jehovah's Witnesses to being gay and AMC's addiction to buying website domain names. A real and raw chat with a real and raw, vegan legend you don't wanna miss!

Recently I visited New York City and two cool things happened. 1) I came home with a giant suitcase full of Trader Joe's High Protein Vegan Burgers (sadly not available in Canada.) And 2) I interviewed fellow vegan coach & fitness model Kelly Schlegel of Kelly O. Fitness and discovered that we are actually the same person therefore instant BFFs. I loved this bad ass vegan babe so much that I knew she'd make for a great podcast guest. So here 'tis my totally unplanned, last-minute interview with my new vegan bestie Kelly.

This week's podcast episode is actually inspired by an apparently controversial meme I posted on my Instagram last week. Apparently a lot of people took offense to my dislike for men who wear a certain fitness apparel brand. And because of this shocking uproar, we thought it only appropriate to discuss "people pleasing" on this week's podcast. And more specifically, how we all just need to chill out and accept that we can't always please everyone ESPECIALLY random strangers on the internet. Nor we should go out of our way to TRY and please everyone! It's a short episode but a good, little discussion we hope you'll enjoy. And if you don't... Well, we don't really give a shit! ;)

Weight loss and "cutting phase" protocol: always a hot topic among listeners. Well, this week on the podcast, we're giving the people what they want! And that means tips and calculations for how YOU can figure out HOW AND WHAT TO EAT. All based on your own individual body type. We've got every "somato" type covered from ectomorph to mesomorph to apples and pears. It's a lot of math and a lot of incorrect pronunciation of the word "somato..." But plenty of useful info to help you lean down. Grab your pencils, kids! And let's get shredded!

We've all experienced an "expectation hangover" at one point or another. You know-- a situation in your life that just doesn't go the way you thought it would? And it leaves you feeling like crap-- full of disappointment and feeling like a big failure? Unfortunately this kind of hangover is the worst because it usually takes more than 24 hours to heal. And an "expectation hangover" reminds us that the whole world doesn't revolve around us and that life is full of surprises. And this week on the podcast, we're talking all about it. AND sharing some surprises of our own. AND explaining why we haven't released a new episode in almost two months. But we are back, baby! And it feels oh-so-good!

It's no surprise that I love to squat and I'm damn proud of my jacked arms, legs and walnut-crushing arse! I rock a pair of Lululemons like it's nobody's business. But when it's time to get prettied up for a date or a girl's night, I always stress about what to wear. And I'm always left wondering "HOW TO DRESS A MUSCULAR BODY TO LOOK MORE FEMININE?!" Pinterest is never much help either! Well, this week on the podcast, I'm finally tackling this topic with my own (strong & calloused) hands by interviewing dress designer/fashion stylist Nataly Vu in our "Fashion for Fit People" episode. From minimizing my football player shoulders to hiding Sarah's "muffin top," Nataly is giving us all the deets on how we can look both hot AND stylish both inside AND outside the gym. We're also covering how to look MORE jacked (or more lean) PLUS I'm calling out the worst offenders in the legging game for camel toe. Yes folks, it's another entertaining, completely random yet very insightful episode you don't wanna miss!

How often do you feel societal pressure to be "fit" and/or "pretty?" Apparently more than 35% of girls aged 7 - 10 believe that their appearance is more important than their abilities. Thankfully the fitness industry is finally starting to shift thanks to the "Body Positivity" movement. But in all honesty, how many of us would actually hire an overweight or unfit personal trainer to help get us into shape? It's a juicy topic indeed. And another personal development, self-love podcast we're sharing all about the pressures we face in order to be fit. Enjoy!

We can all agree that blue is a calming colour and red is a powerful colour. But did you know that having yellow decor in your house can stimulate productivity and organization? Or that wearing pink can make you a nicer, happier person and more attractive to the opposite sex? I didn't either! But get this: our very own co-host Sarah actually studied interior decorating and knows a lot about colours and their therapeutic benefits! So naturally, we made it our topic for the podcast this week. And on a completely unrelated topic, I'm sharing my recent experience of getting kicked out of a gym for stuffing anti-fur pamphlets inside fur-trimmed jackets. It's a random episode for sure. But a short one so enjoy!

Seeing as we're a vegan fitness and nutrition podcast, it's about time we record an episode all about MEAL PREP, eh?! And who better to discuss THE BEST VEGAN MEAL PREP tips and suggestions than our good pal (local Ottawa nutritionist and internationally-renowned vegan chef) Amy Longard?! Yes, this week's podcast is an absolute must-listen for any vegans who are trying to eat healthy but lacking creativity and inspiration in the kitchen. And for all you tired parents and deprived bodybuilders out there, we've got you covered too. It's one of our most fun interviews yet with one of our favourite vegan foodies. So give it a listen and we guarantee you'll be mastering your meal prep in no time!

We all know how terrified I am of getting wrinkles. We also know how equally terrified I am of putting toxic chemicals into and onto my sacred, lil' vegan bod. Thankfully, I've now mastered a pretty effective "vegan hippie" skin care regimen. And this week on the podcast, I'm sharing my natural beauty secrets AND what I've been doing to grow out my hair! The best part is that all of these tips and suggestions include simple & cheap ingredients. I'm essentially all about the essential oils, baby! And **knock on wood** it's done my body (and hair) good so far! So give it a listen and get slathering, guys!

Ever wondered WHY you have that brutal sweet tooth? Or WHY you polish off an entire bag of salt & vinegar chips every time you're stressed out? The link between our food cravings and our feelings is HUGE! And being a vegan trainer and nutrition coach, this is a topic I've always found interesting and have researched a lot over the years. So this week on the podcast, we're discussing the emotional tie to our hankering for all things sweet, salty, crunchy and smooth. And we're sharing my best tips and vegan "snack hacks" to help you stay on track and avoid giving into the temptation!

'Tis the season for giving AND gluttony! But it doesn't have to be all about stuffing our faces and being ridden with guilt and shame afterward. So this week on the podcast, we're sharing some helpful holiday tips on how to practice moderation at your festive family functions and discussing the importance of having a plan and strategy in place so that you don't wind up eating every shortbread and candy cane in sight. Our favourite vegan dietitian and eating disorder specialist Susan Macfarlane is also along for the (sleigh) ride. And of course, it just wouldn't be Christmas without the Shorkey sisters butchering a classic carol (or two.) So Happy Holidays and enjoy!

Our bodies produce dozens of hormones that impact everything from growth and metabolism to reproduction. And yes, our fertility is greatly influenced by age and genetics but equally (if not MORE) important is our bodies' physiological environment. Unfortunately, with the hundreds of toxic chemicals we're exposed to everyday, that means being proactive with our health and educating ourselves on hormonal wellness so that we can all make healthy babies when the time is right! This week on the podcast, we're chatting with Dr. Danika Sicard (a naturopathic doctor) all about NATURAL WAYS to boost fertility and correct hormonal imbalances. And I made sure to ask plenty of questions for both my female and male listeners. It's a very informative episode if I may say so myself. Enjoy!

What does an interview with pro wrestler EC3 have to do with veganism? In all honesty, not much. Truth be told, I picked him up at the gym last month while he was in town for work. And due to the fact that he makes his living as a shirtless, perfectly-sculpted, hot stud on television, I thought he'd make for a very relevant podcast interview as he shares the many mental and physical struggles he's faced in order to reach success in the pro wrestling ring. Yes, I'm totally drooling all over the mic this week in a very personal, raw and real interview with Michael Hutter (aka the man behind "EC3.") So tune in and get the low-down on everything from his diet, training, supplement and self-care practices to his thoughts on pursuing dreams and dating vegans.

We are going FULL VEGAN on the podcast this week as we delve into all things ANIMAL ACTIVISM! Yup, I'm super stoked to share my interview with the bad ass babes of AnimalJustice.ca (Camille and Shannon. ) And we discuss everything from the free speech rights of activists (and lack of rights for animals) to ways we can deal with "activist burn-out" and the most effective outreach methods we can all employ to better help our animal friends. It's one of our longest episodes yet but so much good info.

Perhaps our most random episode yet! Yes, this week we're performing some epic stand-up comedy and discussing everything from stealing rabbits to faking orgasms. PLUS we're interviewing vegan comedian Matthew Piccione, discussing juicy topics like the importance of seeing the humour in everything and when "vegan jokes" go too far. This episode is also sponsored by PetLegz.com - THE coolest gift idea EVER for any fur parent who wants to rock their pet's face on a pair of yoga leggings or t-shirt. Enter JACKED at checkout to save 15%.

Toot Toot! All Aboard the Vegan Fart Train! That's right, folks! We're talking all about FARTS on the podcast this week. From Sam's traumatizing experience with dried apricots to the many factors which affect the smell and sound of your farts, we're clearing the air on all of it! So hop on board and join us for this incredibly gross, inappropriate and hilarious episode with more fart sound effects than anyone should ever have to hear in a 30 minute podcast.

How can we possibly claim to be a vegan health & fitness podcast without doing an episode all about protein?! Well my meatless meathead brethren, this week, we are finally discussing all things VEGAN PROTEIN! From faux meats and vital wheat gluten to protein deficiencies and soy boobs, we're covering it all in a special interview with vegan dietitian Susan MacFarlane. And no big deal, guys, but Arnold Schwarzenegger also makes an appearance on this week's episode. So don't miss it, bruh!

How easy is it to gain muscle? How difficult is it to lose body fat? And is it even possible to do both at the same time? I personally believe it IS possible. But the scale might not be your friend during this time. And this week on the podcast, I go into great detail as to how and why I wish we could all smash our bathroom scales. Yep, on this episode, we're discussing how I consistently added 8 lbs. onto my frame during my bikini competitor years (and still won my shows!) Plus we're delving into ideal calorie ranges and requirements based on your goals and how to determine what your "maintenance" calories are and when to consume a caloric surplus vs. a deficit. So get your pencils out, vegan fit fam and tune in!

A must-listen episode for any fitness competitor or aspiring physique competitor. Thanks to years of bikini competing, I know I'm guilty of comparing my fluffier, well-fed, off-season body to my lean & svelte (though hungry & depleted) stage body. And almost all of us (competitor or not) has yearned to resemble the younger version of ourselves or the skinniest once again, right? Unfortunately, metabolism does slow down over time and my vegan coaching packages do NOT include a time machine. But through resistance training, we CAN build muscle mass and literally slow down the aging process! So this week on the podcast, we're covering all kinds of juicy bodybuilding topics. We discuss how weight training can help reverse aging and how fitness competing and "prep life" can really mess with your head. PLUS what a realistic, healthy and attainable body fat percentage is (both on and off season,) why "fat" does not define you, the dangers of having too LOW of body fat and why I've always been an advocate for weekly, planned "cheat meals."

When do you feel sexiest? And how often do you even acknowledge what makes you a hot, sexy, beeyatch? Sadly, 90% of women look in the mirror and don’t AT ALL like or appreciate what they see. Sure, we ALL have things we’d like to change about ourselves. But I strongly believe that it’s important for ALL of us to find a way to connect with and appreciate our own unique, beautiful bodies for what they're capable of. So this week on the podcast, we’re talking about “channeling our inner goddess (or god)” and how to balance (and differentiate between) our feminine and masculine energies aka the yin vs. the yang. We’re also discussing (at great length) my dry brushing skincare routine and the many health benefits to doing it.

Let's face it, we ALL procrastinate on something at some point in our lives. And some of us are serial procrastinators when it comes to pretty much EVERYTHING. The good news is that once we can get over that slacker hump and force ourselves to actually start the task at hand, the rest is usually easy. Awesome! But how do we force ourselves to get started? And what tools and tricks can we implement to avoid "farting around" and actually get shit done? We're covering all of it on the podcast this week!

Did you know that most of us produce a whopping 3 lbs. of garbage every single day!? Sure, we vegans try our best to recycle and compost as much as possible. But sadly, most of our waste gets broken down into small, microscopic pieces (or chemicals) that don't fully degrade and instead, end up in our oceans. This week on the podcast, we're diving into (no pun intended) what exactly it takes to live a "no waste" lifestyle and do our part to protect our ecosystems and our own health. We're also discussing how we Shorkeys measure up with our own "green living" initiatives and challenge each other (and our listeners) to a one week attempt at producing no garbage whatsoever.

Why do we always listen to sad music when we're depressed? And what is the best music for lifting weights? Cardio? Cooking or studying? Today we're talking all about it with Emily Tohana, a raw vegan who is also the founder and facilitator of Music Care Ottawa where she helps dementia patients via music memory association! Music plays a huge role in most of our lives and we can all use it as a form of therapy so let us dive right into it on this episode (and sing many, many annoying songs at the same time.)

Today we're talking all about sweat, stank and pubic hair (or lack there of.) Sounds intriguing, doesn't it? Well we all sweat and we should want to sweat! It gets rid of toxins, improves our skin and helps to kill any viruses or bacteria that we might be carrying around. But as good as sweating is for us, none of us WANT to be sweaty and we definitely don't want to stank. So today we're talking all things schweaty!!! And sharing wayyyy too much info about our pubic hair grooming methods.

I always say I'm a “mindful meathead” because I’m so much more about inner peace rather than outer perfection. So despite being a pro bikini competitor, I’m actually strongly against having any kind of body goals. I say this because all of us are so bad for always seeing ourselves as a constant self-improvement project. So we set such high standards for ourselves wanting these “body goals” to push us forward because we don’t think we’re good enough the way that we are. Then we hang onto these “body goals” thinking that ONCE we achieve them, THEN we’ll be happy and confident. But this is a horrible way to think and feel and the worst way to try to reach your health and fitness goals. So today on the podcast, we're delving into the vast topic of goal setting and more specifically, the dangers of having "body goals."

Release the Chocolate Hostage! Oh yes, today we're talking all about POOPING (and optimal digestive health.) We've delving real deep (probably too deep) into what exactly a healthy poop looks like, how often we should be riding the porcelain bus and how menstruation effects our bowel movements. It's definitely a juicy, (hot & steamy) hilarious episode you don't want to miss.

We're covering all kinds of cool, hippie shizz on this week's "energy" podcast. From our very own spiritual practices and whether healing crystals actually work to the best, all-natural ways you can boost your own physical and mental energy levels. PLUS we review the amazing, new Netflix vegan fave Okja and talk about our fascination with "cat mouth."

Well our one-week sugar detox experiment is over and the results are in! You might be surprised to learn who was successful and who failed miserably. Apparently we're addicted to coffee even more than sugar. We also discuss the potential negative side effects of consuming too much stevia and our fave "sugar craving sweet buster" snacks.

After hogging out on vegan desserts GALORE these past few weeks, we decided that it's time for us to finally address our brutal Shorkey "sweet tooth" on the podcast. So today, we're discussing whether it's really sugar that we crave or is it some kind of connection? We also challenge ourselves to do a full week "sugar detox" and discuss some of our fave non-food rewards to use as a "treat" system instead. It's a sweet episode you don't wanna miss, bruh! Lame pun intended ;)

Wanna know what I talk about when I speak at vegan expos? Today's podcast episode, you can hear it word-for-word as I share the audio recording from my "Mindful Meathead" at Veg Fest in Ottawa last weekend. The full presentation (video included) can also be found on my YouTube channel. But for you die-hard podcast junkies, the audio version ain't so bad either. Enjoy my 40 minute guide to becoming a "vegan hippie meathead."

One of the best mottos I ever heard was that "habits put willpower on auto-pilot" and I couldn't agree more. In fact, I'm the first to preach that a solid morning routine not only sets the tone for how your entire day will go but essentially how your entire LIFE will go too. So today on the podcast, we're sharing some of our best (and worst) daily habits and the importance of implementing a solid morning routine into your life for optimal success.

Today we're sharing our exercise routines on the podcast and how very different they are seeing as I'm a workout freak and Sarah is a stay-at-home mom. Sarah has also always been an avid "cardio bunny" and lifting weights is, of course, LIFE for me (Sam.) Both forms of exercise are equally important and necessary though and I explain just how and why they're good for you (and why we love/hate both as well too.)

In celebration of Mother's Day, we thought we'd share a little interview with our own mother: Nora Shorkey. For this "special" episode, we ask our mom to discuss what it was like raising two young (then) vegetarian kids and why she always seemed so confident in herself and her body (at least to us.) But mostly, this episode entails us making fun of each other and not sharing any valuable, insightful information whatsoever. Enjoy and Happy Mother's Day!

In a perfect world, if we just listened to our bodies, we'd eat just enough to keep them running efficiently and none of us would ever starve or overeat. But thanks to the advertising world shoving images of salty/sugary, fatty, delicious foods in our faces PLUS society's obsession with being thin, our minds and bodies constantly go into battle with each other and we get all messed up on what we should eat and just how much of it to eat. So today on the podcast, we're talking about all things HUNGER. And how to know when you should be giving into those hunger urges and how to find that sweet spot between being nicely satisfied and never uncomfortably starving or stuffed.

The last couple of months, I've really been asking myself what truly adds value to my life (and I'm not just talking about peanut butter and a perky ass.) I'm talking about getting rid of life’s "excess" in favour of focusing on what’s actually important. And all this self-reflection led me to the whole concept of "minimalism" and realizing just how far from being a minimalist I am. Nevertheless, I really do resonate with many of the minimalist principles and have started to apply many of them to my own life and seen positive results. So today on the podcast, I share some of those learnings, my own half-assed attempt at minimalism and some tips & suggestions for how you too can live a simpler, more intentional life.

Today’s podcast is all about “perfectionism” and how we gotta get out of this “perfectionist mindset” that is essentially ruining our progress and overall well-being. And rather than trying to be a confident person, start becoming a courageous person. And a pursuer of excellence rather than a pursuer of perfection.

The very first Jacked on the Beanstalk Podcast Episode! And we're kicking it off with an intro and backstory as to why I'm (Sam Shorkey) launching into the podcast world. Plus real talk on my experience with jealousy, envy and the unhealthy comparing of ourselves to others.