The B.rad Podcast

Micro workouts seem like an emerging trend lately, and with good reason! Hauling off super brief sets of explosive effort throughout your busy day can yield a variety of health benefits, not to mention stronger muscles and bones. Make sure to warm up properly prior to any heavier compound movements, such as one of my personal favorite lifts, the hex bar deadlift. Chin ups, push ups, bodyweight squats, the sky is the limit! Try them out if you haven't already, and begin reaping the rewards. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As I discussed in the previous breather show, Dr. Lipton asserts that we spend 95-99% in daily life operating from subconscious programming. This show is going to get a little science-y as it’s extremely important to understand just how your thoughts are directing your genetic and cellular function. Each of our cells has extremely thin membranes with receptors that extend from the inside to the outside of the membrane. These receptors process signals from the environment and influence cellular and genetic function. I offer up my favorite example of a traffic jam, where you can perceive the experience to be miserable, thereby triggering a protection response and flooding the bloodstream with stress hormones; or alternatively taking the opportunity to relax, listen to a good podcast, or squirt nearby cars with window washer water. This show will help you make the important connection between your thoughts and your cellular function, and the extreme urgency to become conscious as often as possible so you are not a victim of your flawed and negative subconscious programming. This is contrary to flawed and dated notions that the nucleus and the genetic coding contained inside the nucleus are the “brains” of the cell, with the membrane as a passive bystander enlisted to merely contain cellular material. Rather, the membrane and its receptors are the true brains of the cell. As Lipton explains, “The cell membrane is an organic information processor. It senses the environment and converts that awareness into ‘information’ that can influence the activity of protein pathways and control the expression of genes.” If the perception switches in your cell membranes detect that you are having a lousy day (like being the victim of a traffic jam or having a mean boss), then they will consult the blueprint’s instructions for making stress hormones and tears of anguish, and gene transcription factors will manifest your tearful reality. But if your perception switches detect that you are taking the opportunity of a traffic jam to engage in deep, diaphragmatic breathing and listen to a great audio book, good vibes will literally permeate your being. You will instead produce mood-elevating hormones like serotonin and dopamine, along with a smile and a lightness in your step when you finally arrive at your destination. Lifting a simple insight from Einstein’s general theory of relativity, your perception of time itself will alter such that the hour in traffic either flew by or dragged along, and you will be literally correct in both cases. And while the fancy atomic clock at the military base can measure one hour perfectly as 60 minutes of 60 seconds each, time has no significance without a perception from the individual. As Lipton explains, we have three fundamental categories of perceptions: 1) Those that promote a growth response (moving toward a stimulus) 2) Those that promote a protection response (moving away from a stimulus) 3) Those that do not trigger any response (Lipton calls these perceptions, “elevator music”) Love is the most powerful trigger of the growth response, while fear is the most powerful trigger of the protection response. The HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis carries out both growth and protection responses in the body. When threatening environmental stimulus hits the hypothalamus (the brain’s control tower for assorted hormonal and metabolic functions) it signals the pituitary gland (the master gland coordinating activity in trillions of cells) to mount a protective fight or flight response, including directing the adrenal glands to flood the bloodstream with stress hormones. As you have already learned in depth, repeated and prolonged stimulation of the fight or flight response wears you down and accelerates aging. Cells are either in growth mode, protection mode, or listening to elevator music — they can’t multitask. Hence, when our perception switches trigger the protective response on account of a traffic jam, mean boss, argument with a loved one, or fearful thought about your own cancer prospects as you depart from visiting a stricken relative in the hospital, it literally has life or death repercussions. In The Primal Prescription, co-author Dr. Doug McGuff references research published in the Annals of Family Medicine in 2013 about women who receive false-positive results on mammograms and have to sit in fear for a while until the accurate diagnosis comes through. These women experienced the same level of psychosocial harm as those with cancer for a full six months after they were cleared. Furthermore, negative health repercussions traced to the ordeal continued for three years. They don’t call it a cancer scare for nothing! Whatever the circumstances that generate our negative thoughts, we might as well have a tiger chasing us for the level of destruction it causes to our “renewal” potential. The Biology of Belief is not only a fascinating and highly compelling read, but most importantly

Larry and his friends attend the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy and have a great time. Larry goes on an Olympic spectating binge with ’08 Beijing summer, ’10 Vancouver winter, ’12 London summer, and ’14 Sochi winter. Meanwhile, he and his brother Big George have a fun excursion at a “sliding school” in Salt Lake City, where participants can learn to ride the skeleton on the Olympic race course. The Skeleton is that newer Olympic event where you race headfirst down the track in a manner similar to the bobsleds and the luge (feet first) competitors. Yes, you are sliding down the twisty-turny icy track at 85 miles per hour! This was the genesis of Larry’s Olympic dream, where he literally emerged from the crowd to pursue a longshot opportunity to represent the great nation of Israel in the Skeleton at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea. Never mind that Larry is in his mid-40s at the time; he went all-in with this odyssey where he traveled the world to compete at the various international competitions where one accumulates points and angles for a precious few spots in World Cup events and eventually the Olympic field. This conversation will get you inspired to dream big and go for it! Regarding his age, Larry decided to turn this to his advantage, stating that he wanted it to become an inspiration to others rather than a handicap. While he fell short of his stated goal of competing in the Olympics, you will gain a deep appreciation for the true value of chasing one’s dreams, namely the self-satisfaction that comes from doing your best and inspiring peak performance in others. Larry relates an exciting anecdote about a breakthrough performance where he enjoyed what can only be called a “third place victory.” What’s more, a member of Larry’s Israeli Skeleton crew became the first athlete to represent that country in any sliding sport. Larry’s devotion to the Israeli program earned him a spot as a team assistant coach for the 2018 PyeongChang, Korea games. Enjoy this great show about pursuing peak performance goals throughout life and appreciate the most important lessons of the competitive experience. TIMESTAMPS: We find how Larry discovered, at an advanced age, his passion for the sport of Skeleton in the Winter Games and how this applies to all sport endeavors. [04:11] What is it like to go downhill Skeleton style? [17:20] He made the Israeli Olympic team. How does one qualify? [22:24] On the different teams, are you helping each other or competing against one another? [38:05] While teams are in training, the competitive nature can cause problems. [41:42] One of the biggest parts of the Olympics is competing for something bigger than yourself. [47:02] Age is not a reason to fail. [53:07] Skeleton is the slowest of the three speeds: Luge, Bobsled, and skeleton. [01:02:33] What was the process of Larry qualifying for the team? [01:03:20] The dream happened. [01:09:08] The lessons learned of giving 100% to get back 100% apply in all walks of life. [01:14:11] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's no secret that having a morning routine has wonderful benefits like kicking you into pro-active mindset. Performing your routine each and every morning locks this pattern into place and keeps you on track when you have tendency to fade amidst the barrage of stimulation and distraction later in the day! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode one of these potentially life-changing Breather shows, I talk about insights from Dr. Bruce Lipton’s transformative book called The Biology Of Belief. Here is the foundational premise that will blow your mind: By age 35, 95-99% of your thoughts and actions originate from the habitual programming of the subconscious mind, mostly happening from ages 0-6 when we absorb our environmental happenings like a sponge. This is a combination of memorized behaviors, emotional reactions, beliefs and perceptions, that run in the background like an app on your smartphone. Brain scientists report that we think between 12,000-60,000 thoughts per day, that 98% of them are identical to yesterday’s thoughts, and that 80% of your subconscious thoughts are negative. Are you pleased to hear this insight? Personally, I was pretty disturbed, because I prefer to think of myself as a mindful, conscious person. Actually, we are literally sleepwalking through life, reacting and getting stuck in patterns. It’s time to change, and it takes only a couple Breather shows! This book is a groundbreaking work in the field of new biology, and it will forever change how you think about thinking. Through the research of Dr. Lipton and other leading-edge scientists, stunning new discoveries have been made about the interaction between your mind and body and the processes by which cells receive information. It shows that genes and DNA do not control our biology, that instead DNA is controlled by signals from outside the cell, including the energetic messages emanating from our thoughts. Dr. Lipton explains that we spend 95-99% in daily life operating from subconscious programming. This programming happens when we’re “open” (ages 0-6). At that age, we are like sponges, absorbing every little bit of information from our environments: yes, all the family dysfunction, teachers scolding and criticizing, but we retain the good things too. By 6, we are fully programmed, and as we live and age, we continue to engage in behaviors aligned with our subconscious programming from ages 0 to 6. When we’re told we are not good enough, we play that out with 95 to 99% of our behaviors controlled by the subconscious mind, which is fully programmed by the time we’re 6 years old (something I touched on when I discussed parenting in part 2 of my show with Gitta Sivander). So what happens when you’re out of the super sensitive, sponge-absorbing-everything stage? You’re an adult, past programming, and like everyone else, working on sorting through and unloading all the baggage you’re still carrying around from childhood...and maybe you go to therapy to try to work it out. One important thing to note about therapy, though: Dr. Lipton believes that when you repeat and relive these traumatic stories in therapy, your physiology is reliving them as well, which is why he offers alternative ways to heal from these traumas. To understand Dr. Lipton’s book, it’s crucial to understand that genes are controlled by epigenetic influences that are mediated by our perception of these environmental influences. A good example is a traffic jam: I can easily sink into the mentality of: “Oh no, I hate traffic jams, what a F@^&$G waste of my time, I am SO mad!,” I can be honking my horn angrily, anxiously looking over at the next lane to see if I can squeeze myself in there and save an extra 12 seconds...or I can be like, “Well, ok, it looks like I’m stuck in a traffic jam, and I’m going to be a little behind schedule…” and I can take a deep breath, go with the flow, put on some classic music or a podcast, relax, and just go with it. The difference between these two outlooks is huge, and there is a massively different impact on your genetic health, your biology, and your hormones when you are completely in control of your thoughts in reaction to your environment. I have a future show coming up with Dr. Ron Sinha where he talks about how his practice is really focusing in on how rumination is a disease that manifests with all kinds of physical problems. The moment you go into rumination you start worrying about the past or the future, and then you are operating from the subconscious mind — and that does not support you — not when 80% of our ruminating thoughts are negative. You have to learn how to interact with your thoughts and change them in real time, by becoming mindful, and by taking control — this is especially important during a time when people so easily say, “you triggered me.” This is something I discussed on the show with Mia Moore. It’s easy to be triggered - but where does that leave you? Powerless. Take control when you feel yourself reacting to something negatively. Then you activate the conscious to reprogram your subconscious. Unfortunately, life is way too hectic to allow us to do so, and our minds are too full to sit in quiet reflection and realize the significance of our thoughts and our subconscious programming, so Lipton suggestions these methods to become

Angela is the founder of Tribali Foods, makers of organic frozen burger patties of assorted creative flavors. The story of her entrepreneurial journey will inspire you to persevere through adversity and stay focused and resilient in pursuit of your dreams. Several years ago, Angela found herself a divorced mother of three young children, compelled to immediately switch from stay at home mom to breadwinner. She also was coming off a 35-year stint as a vegetarian and endurance athlete and experiencing what she described as a “hard drive crash.” In search of improved health and vitality, she cooked up a steak, took her first bite of meat in decades and loved it (condolences to those vegetarians who say the return to meat and are grossed out). This meal was the catalyst for Angela to transform her diet and dive deep into the primal/paleo scene, and also set the stage for her eventual entrepreneurial adventure. She started buying quality meats at Whole Foods, getting a meat grinder off Amazon, and experimenting at home with assorted exotic burger patties. After all, her family is in the restaurant business and she spent decades working at her father’s hamburger stands in Southern California. Soon, her friends were begging for more and the butchers at Whole Foods were wondering what she was doing with all of her purchases! This led to a meeting with national Whole Foods buyers, who loved her samples and concept, and told her that if she could go start a business and get a product to market, they would place a big order. How’s that for marching orders?! Angela immersed herself into this project, has enjoyed great initial success, and is eager to continue growing. However, we all know how difficult it is to maintain balance in modern life, and Angela has had some awakenings and recalibrations along the way that are valuable to reflect upon. She conveys that with the company’s destiny riding on her shoulders, she has to be in top physical and mental form, well rested and refreshed at all times. Witness her participation in pitch contests, where she endures a Shark Tank-like interrogation to attract potential investors. For this reason, she has established winning patterns and routines, such as making time for a daily walk, along with regular outings with her kids away from the frenzy of the office. She is committed to taking care of herself from the inside-out, and hearing about how she is making it work will inspire you to do the same. Angela’s journey will remind you that while the road to success isn’t easy, there is no doubt that it is always worth taking a leap of faith to pursue your passions...and hey, while you’re hard at work, super busy chasing your dreams, why not order a couple of Tribali burgers to keep in your freezer, so you can ensure that you are keeping yourself nourished, energized, and healthy! TIMESTAMPS: Angela Mavridis was a vegetarian until she started her successful business. [05:25] Where did the name Tribali come from? [09:39] She did not have any digestive issues when she switched after 35 of vegetarianism. [11:05] After her making patties in her own kitchen, she was discovered by Whole Foods. [14:33] Being a single mother, she has learned about balance. [22:56] We are strongly influenced by the behaviors of people around us. [29:34] Angela compares her life in Greece with her life in U.S. Big Difference! [31:33] Angela had a good awakening when she discovered how much she was spending her time in her business rather than with family.[38:08} Brad and Angela point out the importance of meditation. [41:40] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s first super short, super sweet blip show is all about L-O-V-E as I share the most important practices and advice you can utilize (along with your partner) to build and sustain a successful relationship. Starting with John Gottman’s great statement, “You’re either a team or not a team, at all times,” I focus on his most helpful quotes, as well as some from Harville Hendrix and Esther Perel. Probably one of the most important arguments Gottman makes is that most marital arguments cannot be resolved, and this is because couples waste time trying to change the other’s mind, which usually can’t be done. This is because most disagreements couples have stem from fundamental differences in lifestyle, personality, or values. So, sure, you can fight all you want, but that just leads to wasting time and harming your relationship. Another crucial piece of advice: “Friendship fuels the flames of romance because it offers the best protection against feeling adversarial toward your spouse.” This show will open your eyes and change your perspective when it comes to healthy communication in a partnership, and make it easier for you to navigate the inevitable ups and downs of your relationships by empowering you to approach them from a radical, completely different mindset. ____________ “Thus, the critical dimension in understanding whether a marriage will work or not, becomes the extent to which the male can accept the influence of the woman he loves and become socialized in emotional communication.” “But in their day-to-day lives, they have hit upon a dynamic that keeps their negative thoughts and feelings about each other (which all couples have) from overwhelming their positive ones. They have what I call an emotionally intelligent marriage.” “The point is that neuroses don’t have to ruin a marriage. If you can accommodate each other’s “crazy” side and handle it with caring, affection, and respect, your marriage can thrive.” Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s no doubt that having healthy, productive morning habits is good for you. Having the “perfect” morning routine is often touted as a great solution to so many problems, the clear, unobstructed pathway to a better life: all you have to do is wake up, meditate for 22 minutes, have your wheatgrass shot and make your superfood smoothie (10 minutes), get dressed and ready for your day (15 minutes), then write in your gratitude journal for 7 minutes, then you’re out the door with 5 minutes to spare and ready to conquer the world! OK, so we can agree that all that is a little stressful, right? Especially with social media these days! It can be overwhelming when you’re scrolling through Instagram and you see someone detailing their very specific, impressive, fancy morning routine, and you’re like wait – what? Should I be adding some of that into my coffee? What else am I missing out on? The answer is nothing.... While some people may thrive off having a perfectly regimented, planned out schedule where every 3 minutes is dotted in, the most important component of a good morning routine is that it includes what works specifically for you. A good morning routine means something different for everyone, but, if you want to get inspiration from a seriously impressive one, then check out my show with Dave Kobrine – The Morning Routine King, who starts his day at 4am with a two-hour meditation! It’s no secret that I love a cold plunge, and it’s my favorite way to start the day, but if that doesn’t seem like it could be your thing, at least check out the video I made giving you the brief low down on the benefits, which are impressive and may tempt you into taking the plunge: our hormonal/nervous system responds to brief cold-water exposure with a reset effect that energizes your body at the cellular level, boosting your immune function and stimulating a spike in adaptive hormones like testosterone. The most important takeaway is that your routine consists of proactive, deliberate behaviors that you repeat day after day until it becomes habit. I have a morning flexibility/mobility ritual for injury prevention that I do every morning immediately after waking up, without fail. It’s become such an ingrained part of my morning that if I skip it for whatever reason, I have to loop back and complete the sequence of exercises or I feel off/out of sorts – the absence of this habit is noticeable, and that’s what it’s all about: you want these proactive, deliberate behaviors to become an ingrained part of your morning, as simple as brushing your teeth – it really is that simple. But it’s the repetition that will get you there - the key words are deliberate and proactive for a reason. And don’t forget to get sufficient sleep – after all, how are you supposed to have a productive morning if you don’t have any energy to run on? A good morning routine is important, so think about works for you, and work at implementing it every day, until it settles into the kind of habitual behavior that you don’t even need to think about anymore! TIMESTAMPS: Start the day with this routine. [[01:28] Many sources have ideas they promote. You need to do your own thing. [04:40] There are wonderful hormonal benefits for the cold therapy. [07:09] Establish a routine of proactive, deliberate behavior that you repeat day after day. [09:18] Get sufficient sleep. [10:24] Movement is number 2 on the list of routine suggestions. [14:13] Exposure to cold is number three. [15:28] Hydration is extremely important. [17:44] What will be on your to-do list? [19:29] Meditation or enjoying the family are important morning rituals. [21:50] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After two action-packed shows, Christopher and I focus on the amazing sport of Speedgolf and deliver some entertaining peak performance insights that can translate into many other pursuits…in case you are not interested in Speedgolf, which you should be by now. Christopher is a Guinness World Record holder in Speedgolf for best 18-hole round, set when he shot a 65 in 44 minutes in Chicago. Christopher describes the zen-like “flow” state that happens when you play Speedgolf, when you get out of the over-analytical and tense golfer mindset and just go with the flow. He describes how our brains operate better with “ballpark” concepts rather than precision, such as a quick estimate of yardage or how a putt will curve on the green. He makes the interesting analogy of how we exhibit automatic, instinctive, graceful behavior when we drive our car to the market. We’re not thinking, “Don’t hit that car, don’t hit that telephone pole!” and other negative, fearful thoughts when we are driving, nor are we scrutinizing the angle of our wrists when we turn the wheel. But we do this type of stupid shit when we play golf every time! However, since the rapid pace of Speedgolf means you don’t have time to ruminate on striking the perfect shot, you are able to unleash your natural athletic ability and intuitive skills to achieve peak performance. How else can you explain Christopher’s YouTube video at Bandon Dunes, where – on the very day when a sophisticated production crew shows up to film him for a Speedgolf promo video – he delivers an otherworldly performance? I recall Reggie Jackson in the 1985 World Series against the LA Dodgers hitting three home runs on the first pitch each time. Three swings of the bat, three home runs, on the grandest stage of baseball. These are supernatural feats that don’t happen when you are tense or up in your head, worried about results or making mistakes. Another time, Christopher was by himself on a rainy day at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland, and went out for a late-afternoon round of Speedgolf. At the first green, he realized he forgot his putter. Instead, he decided to putt with whatever club he hit into the green. He proceeded to make five birdies in a row, using hybrids, wedges, and 8-irons on the green. Crazy. Amazing. And indicative of the magic of Speedgolf. Speedgolf also helps you forget bad shots since you have to hit another one pretty quickly. In general, when it comes to bad shots, Christopher says you should expect them (pros hit bad shots all the time, but we rarely see them on TV!) and be more compassionate about your mistakes. Along those lines, Christopher says, “You should stop ‘should-ing’ on yourself.” Don’t stress about your score, enjoy your walk in the park, and maybe – just maybe – you will access the peak performance state naturally. Again, with carryover into all manner of real-life challenges, Christopher suggests you “Adjust, Adapt, and Move On” as a coping strategy and remember, “stop trying to be so perfect....it does not help.” This isn’t just folksy wisdom; Christopher quotes numerous leaders in brain science and cutting-edge athletic performance. The problem with the modern game of golf is that it takes too long, costs too much, and is too hard. When you try to get help, the focus on technical instruction misses the point entirely. Consider Christopher’s message to strive for peak performance in a more holistic manner, relax and have a little fun, get over yourself, and perhaps try your hand at Speedgolf! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I cite some great ideas from peak performance leaders like “4 Hour” author and podcast host Tim Ferriss, the late “7 Habits” author Stephen Covey, and “Good to Great” author Jim Collins. These topics have become of central importance to me lately, because I feel like the world is getting more distractible and hyperconnected every day. We are losing our collective attention span to our great detriment! I quote Ferriss about prioritizing starting your workday and avoiding “indiscriminate constant action.” Begin your day with fresh air and sunlight by taking a walk outside, then continue with productive action: sit down with a pen and paper and write a list of 3-5 things that are making you feel uncomfortable. Watch what comes up on that list – they’re likely to be the tasks you’ve been avoiding, the things that have the most chance of bringing up rejection and conflict into your day. But ask yourself this: if you accomplished only the tasks on this list – would you feel satisfied after? It’s all about letting the less important stuff slide, and making the decision to prioritize the things that you know must been done. This ties into the iconic 4 Quadrants from Stephen Covey, and the idea that you should spend most of your time in the planning, reflecting, and prioritizing mode instead of in the reactive, distracted mode. The 4 Quadrants are broken down like this: 1st Quadrant: Urgent + Important 2nd Quadrant: Urgent + Not Important 3rd Quadrant: Not Urgent + Not Important 4th Quadrant: Not Urgent + Important Covey recommended spending most of your time in the 4th quadrant – this means planning, analyzing your to-do list, listing your priorities in order, and doing all the practical things you need to do to in order to get the most done – things that don’t seem urgent, but are actually integral to focus and productivity. Best-selling author Jim Collins is a great example of putting in the work into making sure you’re spending your time as efficiently as possible: he’s set a goal to spend half his working time in “creative productivity mode” and charts his time out on a spreadsheet everyday – talk about getting things done! He’s got the 4 Quadrants down and it certainly shows. It’s all too easy to become numb to this state of constant hyperconnectivity, and this show will help you identify the ways in which you can avoid falling prey to this, and work with the reality of our highly distracting world to create behavioral patterns that best serve you, allowing you to focus and prioritize your daily life to your benefit. TIMESTAMPS: I talk about my cold therapy plunge and deep breathing. [03:18] Distractibility and hyper-connectivity are hindering us all from productivity. [05:19] Step back and get more rest. Be open to feedback. [08:03] There is difference between efficacy, efficiency, and effectiveness. [09:59] Start your day with some sort of physical exercise before you get to your screen. [11:52] Next sit down with pencil and paper. [12:39] Learn to use the Covey Quadrant. [13:43] If you lose focus, a nap is a good idea. Or get up and move! [17:37] Being busy is a form of laziness. [20:36] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I welcome my frequent podcast guest from the Primal Endurance show, Debbie Potts of Bellevue, WA. Debbie is a coach, podcast host, and personal trainer who operates an evolved personal training facility in her town. She is a former elite level amateur ironman triathlete who destroyed her health from an overly ambitious approach to extreme endurance training. Since abruptly leaving the race course back in 2013, Debbie has been on a passionate quest to regain her health, lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle, and share her carefully considered approach with others. She is a devoted student of evolved athletic training methods, advanced recovery techniques, and the worlds of functional nutrition and holistic healing. Debbie delivers an extremely important message, having been there and done that with burning the candle at both ends in life. The WHOLEistic method helps you expand your horizons from the ill-fated Type AAA approach to life to increase attention to sleep, rest, recovery, downtime, stress management, healthy eating, and a sensible approach to exercise. In this fast-moving show, we give you a general exposure to some of the particulars in the WHOLEistic method, setting Debbie up for future appearances to help you go deeper into potentially life-changing practices and habit modifications. You’ll learn about the healthy balance between the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system function. Today we are extremely out of balance with sympathetic stimulation such that we are either wired on adrenaline (racing through a hectic day running on fumes and not sleeping well) or experiencing a burnout situation where you are exhausted, craving sugar, storing fat, and experiencing poor immune function. In this show, we focus on three elements of the WHOLEistic method: Sleep: power down your cell phone, disable those dings and alerts and get some sleep! Napping and restorative activities activate the parasympathetic system. Important to switch on and off during hectic days! Focus: Avoid multitasking, as this increases stress and reduces productivity. Correct your tendencies to respond constantly to emails, navigate between a zillion windows on your screen, or even talk on the phone while making a recipe or rushing out of the house for a busy day. Eat: We talk plenty about which foods and healthy and which aren’t, but creating a calm, relaxing, low-stress mealtime is critical as well. It’s critical to be in a relaxed, parasympathetic state to allow your stomach acids to work efficiently. If you get gas, bloating, cramping or other issues during meals, make a better effort to enjoy relaxing and leisurely meals. TIMESTAMPS: Debbie has a history that includes Ironman competition and then having to learn a hard lesson about not paying attention to the stress on her body. [03:33] Everyone in the society is dealing similar problems of trying to improve performance and risking burnout. [11:05] The world of functional nutrition presents some differences from some information that is out there. [13:45] From champion world athlete, Debbie crashed!! What happened? [17:27] There are a lot of times thinking the athletic experience is a stress relief from the other forms of stress in life. [20:25] It's tough to embrace the idea that doing less work can and will make you faster. [23:11] Can you still be in the Ironman community if you are not racing yourself? [25:18] It is truly the most dangerous state to be in because we don't have any awareness that we're burning the candle at both ends until the flame burns out. [28:38] How do we reset and reboot? [30:17] What are the symptoms you might see with clients who are stressed? [32:43] If you are engaging deep diaphragmatic breath, it is physically impossible for you to be stressed. [35:30] It’s important to learn to manage your competitive personality. [38:54] Today we have constant distractions, multitasking and addiction to buisiness that we have lost the ability to slow down, be present, focus and enjoy the moment. [42:09] Sleep is so important. You must limit your computer and phone use. [44:27] The use of phones can make or break your life balance. [48:02] Are you relaxed so you can support your digestion system? [52:57] If your HRV score is high, it is not necessarily an indication of health. [01:01:03] Multitasking causes stress. Better make to do list and put things out of sight. [1:04:13] Rather than take medication, look for the root cause of your health problem. [1:11;05] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I enjoyed an excellent article on the Medium.com titled, “How Technology is Hijacking Your Mind — from a Magician and Google Design Ethicist”, written by Tristan Harris. His bio says: Co-founder, Center for Humane Technology, Ex-Google Design Ethicist, CEO of Apture (acquired by Google), Philosopher, Entrepreneur, Friend, Human. Quoting from the article, “Tristan was a Product Philosopher at Google until 2016 where he studied how technology affects a billion people’s attention, wellbeing and behavior. Started a Center for Humane Technology and the movement called Time Well Spent. The article identifies 10 ways in which technology is hijacking our minds and quite likely ruining our lives, along with ways we can identify these issues and take corrective action. Tristan starts out making the astute observation that we usually only reference the positive attributes technology (e.g., “Google Maps gives you precise verbal and map directions for wherever you want to go; Yelp give you restaurant reviews”), instead of how this stuff things might be potentially harmful (e.g., using GPS technology compromises your natural sense of direction). Harris compares app design to how a magician operates, since both seek to exploit our “blind spots, edges, vulnerabilities and limits of people’s perception.” That’s a nasty accusation, but you will learn how accurate it is when we proceed through these 10, gnarly, scary and highly disturbing ways in which tech hijacks your mind. Briefly, the list is The illusion of free choice: “technology hijacks the way we perceive our choices and replaces them with new ones.” Harris says they may not align with our true needs. A simple example, the bike shop is having a sale. You don’t need any gear but you are enticed to shop because of the sale. The slot machine concept of intermittent variable rewards: Slots are highly addictive, as are mobile devices, because we are getting fresh and surprising stimulation each time we engage. Could this be the same for abusive relationship dynamics where you keep coming back for more abuse hoping that maybe today will be a good day? FOKU (fear of keeping up. Foku too!), FOMO (Fear of missing out), FOMSI (Fear of missing something important). This is why we don’t unsubscribe from boring stuff (might miss a sale!) or turn off boring athletic events on TV (might miss a comeback). It’s also why we suffer from disastrous consequences of consumerism mentality and keeping up with the Joneses. Check the book Affluenze for more on this. Social Approval: We like when we get more followers and when people accept our friend requests. “So when Marc tags me, he’s actually responding to Facebook’s suggestion, not making an independent choice. But through design choices like this, Facebook controls the multiplier for how often millions of people experience their social approval online." Social Reciprocity (Tit-for-tat): Quoting from the article, “You do me a favor — I owe you one next time. You say, “thank you”— I have to say “you’re welcome.” You send me an email— it’s rude not to get back to you.” Bottomless bowls, Infinite Feeds, and Autoplay: Remember when you could go to YouTube and play the video of your choice and be done with it? Not any more. Ditto for Netflix. Bottomless bowls refers to a famous experiment where people ate more soup when the bowl had a secret trap door to auto-refill it from the bottom. Instant Interruption vs. “Respectful” Delivery: App makers like to, “heighten the feeling of urgency and social reciprocity. Harris says this is, "maximizing interruptions in the name of business creates a tragedy of the commons, ruining global attention spans and causing billions of unnecessary interruptions each day.” His Time Well Spent movement addresses the issue by demanding better design features with social media. Bundling Your Reasons with Their Reasons: Harris observes that the top two reasons for visiting the grocery store are to buy milk and visit pharmacy. Hence, this stuff is typically located in the back of the store, so you pass buying options. Ditto for the registration desk in casino hotels. Inconvenient Choices: Harris describes just how difficult it is to cancel a New York Times subscription. Ever tried to delete a Facebook account? Many hoops to jump through. Forecasting errors and “Foot in the Door” strategies: The apps and social media sites have assorted devious ways to lure you in and keep you there for a long time. Think of the clickbait that accompanies so many innocent Internet articles. Harris explains that this is why he offers an “estimated reading time” at the start of all his articles. He is respecting your valuable time as a reader and says, “In a Time Well Spent internet, choices could be framed in terms of projected cost and benefit, so people were empowered to make informed choices by default, not by doing extra work.” This tech hijacking is a serious matter demanding your serious attention and discipline. Hopefully,

Get ready to have your mind blown with an in-depth exploration into one of the most intriguing dietary strategies we’ve heard about in many years: the carnivore diet. Yes, the strategy is legit, and Dr. Saladino makes one of the most compelling and scientifically supported arguments imaginable. This show moves at lightning speed and will slap you in the face with direct challenges to your long-standing beliefs about colorful, high antioxidant vegetables being the centerpiece of a healthy diet. If you are from the vegan/vegetarian world, watch out because the pillars of your belief system are going to get shattered. What if agriculture was no better than feedlot animals for the carbon footprint on the environment? What if even the most hardcore vegan still actually consumes plenty of animal matter, especially from the soil? What if broccoli and kale offered little or no health benefits, aside from being hormetic stressors – a brief exposure to toxins prompting an antioxidant defense response? And, it follows, that eating them every day can lead to chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions – part of the chronic stressors that are destroying human health today? Essentially, Dr. Saladino is proposing that our devotion to eating colorful plants promotes chronic inflammation, which is especially destructive to the brain. For those who avoid animal products on moral, ethical or sustainability high ground, your high ground just got a flood warning. Watch Dr. Paul get into the mix with vegan advocate Rich Roll on the Minimalist Podcast! Dr. Paul Saladino is a classically trained psychiatrist and functional medicine practitioner obsessed with getting to the source of chronic health problems instead of just treating the symptoms. He has noted incredibly rapid and dramatic improvements in psychiatric conditions from carnivore diet interventions. Dr. Saladino takes us through the compelling arguments against eating plants and in favor of a carnivore focus in an impassioned but logical manner, and ends with instructions for how to go about carnivore the right way. This diet is not about the old-time bodybuilder strategy of slamming steaks and hamburgers every day. Overall, our dietary emphasis on lean animal muscle meats these days is not nearly as effective as a nose-to-tail strategy. Here are some favorite foods and important checkpoints to hit when you try carnivore: Nose to tail meat, with liver being the #1 most nutrient-dense food to emphasize. Also, transition the many other organ meats into your dietary centerpiece. Extra fats: Cooking with animal fats will deliver those essential fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K. Connective tissue: Delivers collagen, glycosaminoglycans, and other nutritious agents that are not found in muscle meat. Organ meat. Calcium: Eggshells or supplemental bone meal. Iodine: Great sources are pastured eggs and Dr. Paul’s favorite, salmon roe. This is a good time to plug the premier show sponsor Ancestral Supplements, as they encapsulate the 100% pasture raised/grass-fed organ meats sourced from New Zealand, free from any additives or impurities. Ancestral Supplements allows you to obtain nose-to-tail nutrition, even if you haven’t been doing a perfect job cooking up your liver, brains, and kidneys recently. Get started with their Beef Organs that might possibly blow doors off a whole cabinet full of synthetic vitamin supplements. Also check out Tania Tesckhe’s The Bordeaux Kitchen, a masterpiece on French food, wine, and culture. You’ll get many beautiful recipes and an intensive education for how to get organ meats back into central dietary position. Dr. Paul also advocates for going all-in with the experiment so you can really assess how any inflammation, gut microbiome conditions, and cognitive conditions might improve from the carnivore diet. After listening to Dr. Saladino’s great interview on Ben Greenfield Fitness, he took up residence in my head every day and every meal for six weeks. I started trending more and more to carnivore, as did my primal and keto sidekick Brian McAndrew (we are working on two cookbooks just for cool dudes like us, coming in winter 2019-2020.) I told my friends privately I was pretty much following a C&C diet (carnivore and chocolate). Every time I consumed something from the plant world, I felt a negative emotional charge—a sense of uneasiness like I was doing something counter to my health instead of supporting my health! Dang son, the carnivore done got hold of my mind! After this interview with Dr. Paul, I am convinced that it’s certainly worth the experiment to avoid plant antigens completely for a reasonable length of time such as 30 days, and see how you feel. Dr. Saladino said you can start adding foods back into the mix as your experiment continues. Whether you are like me: free from major inflammatory or autoimmune complaints at this time and just interested in living a better life, or someone who has some issues going on right now

I hit the record button and hit Mia Moore with a surprise question: why are you so chill? As we know from the mechanizations of the three components of the stress response (stimulus-perception-response), it’s not what we are faced with as much as how we respond to it that determines our ability to cope with hectic daily life. We agree that today we have opportunities, as well as the propensity to multi-task, and that we must do our best to regulate our attention optimally. When the stakes are low (like talking on phone while raking leaves), it’s pretty harmless, but if we are stressed and overburdened, sometimes it’s best to not talk and maybe just try giving your partner some space accordingly. Mia is asked if she was born chill or can it be a cultivated skill, and you can be the judge of how you might up benefit from regulating your emotions and responses if you have a tendency to be reactive. Mia admits that even while growing up, she was always pretty mellow and even-keeled. However, that’s not to say she hasn’t had her moments – because some relationships unfortunately cause both parties to bring out the worst in each other. Aside from a few past incidents, Mia has managed to stay pretty much consistently chill – and despite her having an innately mellow disposition, it’s also a conscious decision she makes every single day to not react or behave in a negative way. Mia talks about what she learned from her dad, who worked as an accountant in the evenings after coming home from his regular 8 to 5 work day. Mia herself is the same, balancing a day job with real estate on the side! Office environments can certainly be stressful, but since Mia learned long ago the importance of not being reactive, she has been able to help her colleagues foster effective communication and coping skills by empowering them to see things through a new perspective and think through their plan for action before they actually act. As Mia explains, “It’s who I am...maybe that’s why I was so drawn to the book The 4 Agreements...because it is kind of how I live my life already, and maybe that’s why I am so chill. I don’t take things personally – that’s one of the things that people do that causes them not to be chill....” How does Mia suggest other people cultivate and maintain their chill? By, “not taking it personally, not making assumptions, and knowing that other people are always doing their best. I’m not going to be like, ‘oh this person should have done this, or this person...’ I can’t do that, because they are doing their best with the tools they’ve been given.” Do yourself a favor and see how your life changes when you are able to both cultivate and maintain a chill attitude. Don’t let yourself get too stressed about the inevitable distractions of daily life. Don’t take things personally. Make an effort to form true connections with people, and disconnect yourself from all the unimportant stuff. Do the best you can. We’re all trying to do the same, every day. But you can make it easier for yourself to do the best you can by adopting a non-reactive, chill mindset. TIMESTAMPS: Brad thinks Mia is “chill”. She doesn’t think so. How do their perspectives differ? [03:02] It is important in relationship or workplace to listen before you react. [08:59] One of the things people do is take things personally and that causes them not to be chill. [11:21] If you can’t do anything about a situation, just chill! [13:00} Try not to get too stressed about the inevitable distractions of daily life. [14:52] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What a tremendous honor to connect with mega-bestselling author and award-winning podcast host Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen writes about habits, happiness, and human nature. She is the author of The New York Times’ bestsellers The Happiness Project, Happier at Home, Better Than Before, 4 Tendencies, and her most recent book, Outer Order Inner Calm. I know there’s no way I am alone when I say I found The Four Tendencies to be a life changing book. A big takeaway is the importance of understanding yourself – understanding what your greatest values are, but also how to understand others and play to them. First, we talk about Gretchen’s latest book, Outer Order Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make Room for Happiness. Gretchen has found that most people feel that when they have more control over all their possessions, they have more control over their life. Funnily enough, Gretchen’s sister is one of the rarer types who just doesn’t get bothered by clutter. But those who get very stressed out by messiness are often guilty of “procrasticlearing.” Gretchen coined this term to describe the act of procrastination by way of “productivity” – you decide to do a seemingly productive task, like cleaning out your pantry or your closet, vacuuming the floor, organizing your cookbooks in alphabetical order....instead of just doing the real, pressing, important task you’ve just been trying your hardest to avoid. I am sure you can recall a time or two (or ten!) in your past where you’ve chosen to do something that you could justify as “productive” a form of procrastination from the true tasks you’ve had at hand. Once you become aware of the hidden costs that come with having consistent clutter around, then it’s hard not to wonder how on earth people (including yourself) are ok with living like this. Gretchen’s book will help you decrease the stress in your life by decluttering your home and strictly sorting through your possessions. That might sound scary and overwhelming, especially if you’re a nostalgic person (or just suffering from hoarding tendencies), but Gretchen makes it easy: ask yourself three simple questions as you go through each item: Do I need it? Do I use it? Do I love it? This will help you quickly and efficiently eliminate the items you do not need (the very same items adding onto your piles of mess, therefore increasing your stress). Most people’s days are jam-packed – work, hobbies, family and friends, and clearing clutter can easily wind up being the last item on your never-ending to-do list. Once you’ve managed to catch up with clearing up, you’ve got to stay consistent with keeping up. It’s so much easier to keep up a clean environment than tackle huge piles that need to be seriously sorted through. It’s the difference between waiting for weeks to do all your laundry versus doing a little bit each week. By doing small things to keep your environment clutter-free, keeping up will become habit: you will find yourself automatically putting books, dishes, shoes, various household items, all back in their rightful place, because you’ve ingrained this habit of keeping up into your daily practice. At one point I ask Gretchen, ‘what should I do about my tendency?’ only to discover that I am not the first person to ask her about this. Gretchen says a lot of people actually wish they were in another tendency category – obligers wanting to behave more like rebels, upholders dreaming of acting more like a questioner. However, that is what The Four Tendencies is all about. We are all equipped with our own unique gifts – our own style of doing things and communicating ideas, and that is where your strength lies: in the fact that no one is you. Your power is rooted in your unique abilities. A rebel is never going to act like an upholder, but you wouldn’t want them to anyways! A rebel has their own specific gifts to offer, just as an upholder or an obliger does as well. To expect either of them to act like the other would be unrealistic. You can only be yourself, and as Gretchen points out during our discussion about what the key to happiness is, everyone is different. People are inspired by and satisfied by different things, and the definition of “happiness” depends on the individual defining it. Like Gretchen said, happiness means something different for everyone, and some people (like her sister) don’t get affected the same way other people are by clutter! Reading Outer Order Inner Calm will give you the tools you need to recognize, and then eliminate what is no longer serving you in your life, and The Four Tendencies will help you identify specific elements of your innate personality so you can play to your strengths and learn how to work with your weaknesses. It’s all about empowering yourself through self-awareness of how well you truly understand your innate nature (your tendency). As Gretchen says, “Is it possible to really change your inborn, hardwired genetically programmed personality? I don’t think so, or

(Breather) Once you grab what Dr. Peter Attia calls the “low hanging fruit” of healthy eating, movement, physical fitness and sleeping habits, it’s time to progress further with health, happiness, and longevity by developing emotional control/emotional self-stability (Thank you Kris Gage on Medium.com!), by implementing effective relationship communication strategies (tips from John Gottman, Harville Hendricks, Esther Perel, and Mia Moore, aka the “Big Four” relationship experts). First things first: stress management. Everyone deals with stress, but learning how to manage your stress and the way you react will change your life. Your first priority should be emotional control. Self-stability is the number one relationship attribute and the number one psychological health attribute. Be aware of how your emotions can either help or hinder you in your life. Now, it may be easy for you to say: ‘Well, I’m a Type-A personality, this is just how I am.’ Well did you know the term ‘Type-A’ originated as a heart attack risk category?! Do you really want to be in ANY of those categories? Didn’t think so....so slow down, it’s going be okay. Another factor in stress management lies in the fact that downtime is missing: social time is seriously MIA, having been crowded out by digital stimulation. Longevity superstars, the Okinawa in Japan, have social groups as the centerpiece of culture (“Ikigai”) but in our world, people really struggle with disconnecting. My advice? To turn that $#!% OFF. Escape tech addiction and hyperstimulation by taking a low-stress approach to a total lifestyle transformation, yet with discipline and focus to your natural full potential. As Mia Moore says, don’t waste time sweating the small stuff! Make sure to carve out time for the important things, like taking care of yourself. How much time do you devote to self-care? Have you been too busy taking care of your kids? I contend ANYONE has time since we’re all checking our phones 150 times a day and gazing at screens for hours a day. Now, if you’re stuck in a pattern of prolonged stillness, then you’re used to having low to no energy, nor any motivation to go outside and do things. And because of this, it’s crucial that we keep moving. The good news? The more you move, the more energy you have! One thing that takes time and energy are relationships. Whether familial, friendly, or professional, platonic or romantic, interacting with other people and handling the dynamics that can emerge between two different and distinct personalities is never easy. But your personal relationship should never be a source of stress in your life. As John Gottman says, when it comes to partnerships, you’re either a team, or you’re not a team – at all times, and within every interaction. It’s that simple – don’t be nit-picky or passive aggressive with your partner, and watch your words. Be mindful about the dialogue you create with your partner, and how much negativity is present in your words versus positivity, because keeping your positive comments to negative comments at a 20:1 ratio, as the Gottman Institute’s research has clearly proven, is key to a healthy, happy, lasting partnership. Speaking of healthy and happy, Harville Hendrix has three rules to live by for successful communication in relationships. Number one is safety, number two is maintaining a zero-negativity policy, and number three is making constant affirmations to your partner. As Esther Perel says, “treat your partner like you would a great client.” Truthfully, we all deal with fear and anxiety, but it only harms your relationship when you let whatever is going on with you affect your partner in a negative way. When I had Dave Rossi on the show, we discussed fear and anxiety, and the importance of re-directing your mind and those negative, fearful thoughts over to your values and vision. Anxiety and fear are frequent visitors in daily life for most people, so instead of getting tripped up by every appearance they make, why don’t you just focus on your values, instead of trying to find the quickest way to make the pain go away? Unfortunately, in our stressful modern world, people can lose track of this. We all heard of the college admissions scandal earlier this year. All those parents who “just wanted the best for their children” are probably finding the more than likely prospect of jail time to be far more stressful than the college admissions process! Sure, hindsight is illuminating, but the point is not to have regrets, but to harness the right perspective, so you don’t react to life by coming from a place of fear and anxiety, but rather from a positive and confident mindset. TIMESTAMPS: Brad gives a quick summary of Basic Life Changing Insights breather show part one. {02:38] Part of stress management is getting your romantic relationship under control. [05:51] Relationship priority is emotional control and emotional self-stability. [06:51] We have to always balance this quest for peak perfor

I caught up with one of the most extraordinary athletes on the planet, the ultimate waterman of the universe and author of a new book called Life Rider. As a longtime very casual recreational surfer (I like my waves 18-24….inches), I have long been fascinated by Laird’s continued pushing of the outer limits of human performance in the water. Laird is best known as a big-wave surfer and innovator in the world of action water sports. Laird is credited with being the driving force behind tow-in-surfing (behind a jet ski, so one can ride larger waves than paddling in), stand-up paddle boarding and hydrofoil boarding. One of my favorite Laird experiences came a couple of days apart during an epic storm pattern in Southern California. With record-sized waves pumping, Laird made it onto YouTube when he “shot” the Malibu Pier on a standup paddleboard. This is the extremely challenging and dangerous act of riding a wave all the way into the pier, passing through the huge wooden pylons underneath, then emerging out the other side. Considering you are traveling some 20mph on a big wave, if you hit a pylon you are likely toast. A video arriving two days later beautifully framed with a big picture of Laird. At the same Malibu Pier, a foolish body surfer became trapped in an undertow and was about to drown. Who jumps in to quickly save him but Laird. So you have the extreme athlete pulling off epic feats for the brah’s to marvel at, and then switching into his lifeguard hat to risk his own safety to save a Barney. Watch the video and look at Laird’s demeanor… Laird seems to touch things and have them turn to gold. His Laird Superfood coffee creamer and related products have been a smash hit, as was his innovative GolfBoard that allows golfers to get a surfing-like experience on grass instead of a lame golf cart. Laird, along with Gabby, are pioneers in underwater strength training. TIMESTAMPS: When surfing, you can tell what’s happening behind you by looking in front of you. [08:12] Nurture the body and you’ll stimulate the brain and get it to work even better. [10:25] It's a human responsibility to get out and, and live and experience life. Take risks. [13:02] There are three ways to approach dangerous things. [21:29] Are we born to do certain things like extreme sports? [23:34] Subconscious programming takes place from age zero to six. [25:30] Some high performing people in all fields a lot of times come from some sort of shit in their background that was tough and, and challenge them. [27:36] How does one juggle life in the big city with communing with nature? [31:05] If you want to keep learning you have to seek out information. [36:14] This younger generation doesn’t know how to have fun. [38:13] If you stop having dreams, then you stop having hope.. [40:30] We are each our own greatest restrictors. [44:34] What did it take for Laird to learn to be more aggressive? [48:22] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is all about how we need to devote some time and energy in order to get more time and energy. Shopping one evening at Whole Foods in my hometown led to a chance encounter with a friend from high school, Mindy. It’s been 36 years - oh my gosh! Yes, time flies, and we quickly progress from young, carefree and taking health for granted to having to deal with real life stuff such as aging. I promise Mindy I will cough up some basic step-by-step tips to implement some healthy lifestyle practices, and hence the inspiration for a two-part show. Part 1 is about getting your mindset right and recognizing its time to make some changes against the unhealthy forces of modern life. Speaking with Mindy really got me thinking about the aging process. I noticed she had a tattoo that read, “Love ya more than life,” which she explained to me was done in memory of her beloved, lifelong pet who she recently had to put down. It is so fortunate that with our pets, we are to be able to decide when it is time to end their suffering....too bad it doesn’t work like that in real life! When you hit your 40s and 50s, you realize it is never too early to start making the right choices for your health. Thankfully, the little changes are the ones that make the biggest difference, which leads me to the compressed morbidity theory. Introduced in 1980 by Dr. James Fries of Stanford University’s School of Medicine, compressed morbidity means delaying the onset of debilitating illness for as long as possible, such that whatever hits will arrive around the time you might be expected to die anyway! I have long promoted a similar concept, albeit with a little spicier description: “Live Long, Drop Dead!” The number one change you have to make first is with your MIND. Yeah, there are great advantages to modern life, but it’s also trouble: your body has to deal with hypoconnectivity, EMF, processed foods, sedentary patterns, how light affects your system after dark, constant stimulation (and constant stimulation of stress hormones). Next, get your energy levels up by changing your DIET. Clean out 70% junk (grains, sugars, oils) and just eat colorful, wholesome, nutritious foods. Meals are a celebration and relaxed, calm, and slow, not rushed and gobbled down in a manner of minutes. The parasympathetic system is also referred to as “rest and digest” for a reason. The goal here is to escape carb dependency and get fat adapted. Can you skip a meal and feel great? Then, you gotta MOVE. Moving isn’t the same as working out, which can be time-consuming, stressful, and exhausting. But frequent movement helps fat burning, brain function, and stress hormones. It’s not about calories because “metabolic compensation theory” suggests as you burn more, you eat more, and get lazier. The right kind of EXERCISE is integral. Life can be so sedentary, making it easy to avoid scheduling workouts. Primal keeps it easy with 3 laws: 1. Lift Heavy Things 2. Run Really Fast Every Once in A While and 3. Move Frequently at a Slow Pace. No matter what, be sure to avoid chronic exercise: it is crucial to respect your body’s natural fight or flight response and consider recovery pie slice. The harder you train, the harder you recover. And finally, SLEEP. Sleep deficiency will throw you back to carb dependency. We are so locked in these artificially lengthened days and it puts us in a sugar craving, fat storing mode because of our genetic hardwiring. Make choices that improve your sleeping patterns: Minimize light and stimulation after dark. Try making your sleeping environment your personal sanctuary: Mellow, simple, cool, and totally dark. Being awakened by direct sunlight, versus your phone, also helps. Finally, consider how comfortable you are with being uncomfortable. The body actually likes being stressed and challenged (in an appropriate manner). I heard an interesting idea on a cold exposure show recently: Basically, when we constantly keep ourselves at a comfortable temperature, we are eliminating that hormetic stressor on the body, which compressed our longevity accordingly. Dr. Art DeVany is a big proponent of healthy hormetic stressors as they send a “renewal” signal to your genes. Doing a cold plunge, going to the gym or the sauna, all result in hormetic stressors: brief, positive, natural stressors that promote health and longevity by sending a renewal signal to your genes. Making the decision to turn the handle all the way to ‘COLD’ in the last few minutes of your shower isn’t easy, but it is really, really good for you, and once you change your mindset, it’s easy to choose the option that gives you longevity and good health over the so-called “easy” road. Pay now, or pay later: it’s your decision, but these basic life-changing insights are here to empower you to make the right choices so you enjoy your life, instead of experiencing a steady decline once you hit your 50s or 60s! TIMESTAMPS: Don't tell people they need anything or they will be imme

Enjoy this wide-ranging and deep conversation with international fitness celebrity, supermodel, and former professional beach volleyball player, Gabrielle Reece. Gabby is a former women’s beach volleyball star, television host, supermodel, fitness expert, and author, columnist, and podcast host. She was named one of the “20 Most Influential Women in Sports,” by Women’s Sports and Fitness, and one of the top five most beautiful women in the world by Elle magazine. Gabby and her husband Laird Hamilton have been celebrated as America’s fittest couple and have spent many years in the public eye as innovative fitness leaders. What Gabby is perhaps most appreciated for is being the real deal – a breath of fresh air in the celebrity world of manufactured image and branding. While lunching with my main man Mark Sisson in Malibu, I have enjoyed meeting Gabby and Laird on a few occasions over the years. What struck me each time was how open and authentic and fun-loving Gabby is in real life. We chatted only briefly, but she offered up some deep reflections about athletes dealing with injuries and adjusting competitive goals over time and dealing with hectic modern life and her various roles of mother, celebrity, athlete, and coach. After our first meeting, I was drawn to Gabby’s 2013 book titled, My Foot Is Too Big For the Glass Slipper: A Guide To A Less Than Perfect Life. She was raw, vulnerable, very funny, and very thoughtful. The book description sets the tone nicely: “With hilarious stories, wise insights, and concrete takeaways on topics ranging from navigating relationship issues to aging gracefully to getting smart about food, My Foot Is Too Big for the Glass Slipper is the brutally honest, wickedly funny, and deeply helpful portrait of the humor, grace, and humility it takes to survive the happily ever after. I think you will absolutely love this interview with a peak performer who knows how to enjoy life, strive to keep things in balance, not take herself too seriously, and especially become a better person every day! TIMESTAMPS: Gabby is a very accomplished woman and well known in her field. She talks about finding a balance between fame and her real self. [09:33] Does Gabby's 6’3” height affect how she thinks she's perceived? [13:52] Once we forgo living up to others’ expectations, it is liberating. [16:09] How do you parent your kids to deal with having such well-known parents with well-known friends? [18:18] Kids need to learn to navigate this world on their own. [22:26] People need a place to express themselves…who they are. [26:04] Gabby’s background wasn’t free and easy and she wasn’t groomed to be successful. [30:13] It’s important to put the past behind you and move on. [32:34] There’s a lot of beauty if life. You have to be willing to recognize it. [37:55] Create a system that helps you navigate life. [43:19] When in disagreement, even if you are “right,” it is important to listen to the other person’s point. [47:16] Think about how you can be better today and you can be in charge of that. [49:21] If you are ‘triggered,” figure out why you are triggered. [51:39] As a parent, it is difficult not to put your crap on the kids. [55:24] It’s really powerful as a parent to give space to the child. [56:57] How does fitness commitment help achieve balance your life? [1:01:23] In a relationship, you bring both independent commitment and then nurture that in the partnership as well. [1:04:43]Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After my great interview with Seth, I offer some further reflections about the breakthrough insights in his recent book, This Is Marketing. This show is a bit of a departure from the podcast theme of health, fitness, peak performance, happiness, and longevity subject matter, but it can provide valuable insights for how you can best make an economic contribution in most careers, and how to be a healthy, strategic consumer instead of succumbing to marketing manipulation. Seth’s premise is that we are in the middle of a shift from the dated old-time marketing-driven economy to a market-driven economy. In the old-time vertical economy, consumers had few choices (only 3 TV channels, the comparatively few books on the shelf at the bookstore, the morning newspaper or weekly news magazine, etc.) The corporate giants of old subjected us to aggressive, manipulative marketing messages trying to get us to buy their offerings. Today, consumers have massive choice and freedom and are one click away from a lower price and better service. Seth says the “race to the bottom” (who can be more aggressive, slick and clever to extract a purchase) was worth winning in the old days, but not anymore. Today we are obligated to listen to the hopes and needs and dreams of the market we wish to serve—a market-driven economy. Instead of trying for bigger numbers and broader territories, Seth argues persuasively that you are better off focusing on the “smallest viable audience.” Offer them a breakthrough product or service that establishes you as the single best resource to meet your customer’s hopes and dreams. I offer examples of the changing dynamics of the real estate broker, who used to provide privileged information as their main value. Today, with Zillow and the rest giving everyone the same information, realtors are obligated to raise their game to something different. They must meet the emotional needs of the client by engaging their hopes and dreams. Seth calls this the “difficult work we signed up for.” He distinguishes it from the hustle of trying to fill a market niche, which will leave you constantly in fear, driven by scarcity, looking in the rear-view mirror at the competition. Relatedly, touting your honest, reliable, high-quality product or service is pretty much ridiculous these days, because these things are assumed and expected. TIMESTAMPS: Seth Godin’s book This is Marketing transforms our thinking about marketing. [04:05] There are five steps to effective marketing. [07:24] We must understand the irrational forces that drive us. [09:03] When in doubt, assume people will act according to their current irrational urges. [11:24] Serve the smallest viable market. [16:55] With a new marketplace with tremendous consumer choice and freedom, we must be different. [20:09] Authenticity is overrated. [22:56] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seth Godin is one of the great thinkers of modern times, known for his string of 18 international bestselling books on topics relating to personal productivity, time efficiency, and evolved marketing philosophy and strategy. He calls himself a teacher first and foremost, and his Akimbo online learning center and alternative MBA course offer revolutionary approaches to online learning. He writes one of the most popular blogs in the world at Seths.blog, in a unique short form style that will give you a daily reminder to be the best you can be with profound and pithy insights. Type “Seth” into Google and you’ll find his blog, with 7,000 posts and one million readers – you absolutely must join the party!! Seth’s most recent bestseller is called This Is Marketing, with the main take away message being that we are all marketers in every way that we make an economic contribution to society. The essence of marketing is transforming congruently with the changes in the information economy. The dated model of slamming an aggressive (and often manipulative) message down our throats is being replaced with what Seth calls a “market-driven economy,” where we are compelled to engage with and serve our audience. His insights about focus, discipline, strategic thinking, and pursuing the highest expression of your talents have changed my life, and I ponder tips from his blog every day. On the show, I shared my pain point of distractibility, hopefully speaking for many listeners. We have the constant ability to become entertained and amused with digital stimulation, which can distract from our priority objectives, like writing a book for example! Seth keeps it real with some point-blank insights that we can all take inspiration from. You absolutely must sign up for Seth’s daily email newsletter/blog post – the messages are short and profound and will get you thinking about better ways to work and live life. Seth calls out what is wrong and lame in the economy and society and offers a strategy to think differently. After the interview, I read a couple of Seth’s recent blog posts to get you even more acquainted with this one of a kind thought leader. Check out his links and subscribe to his blog, you will be very satisfied. TIMESTAMPS: Seth tells how to keep focused and guarded against hyper-connectivity and overstimulation. [3:40] What is the difference between MARKETING DRIVEN and MARKET DRIVEN? [6:19] A book is a socially acceptable way to talk about yourself. [07:29] No one's going to buy a book as a favor to you. They're going to buy a book as a favor to themselves. [09:39] The smallest viable audience is what you are shooting for. [10:53] Ideas spread horizontally, not vertically. [14:05] There is a concern that technology will eliminate many of today’s professions. Get ready for change. [18:32] In his book, The Dip, the basic concept is of persevering what you are passionate about. [20:50] What does it mean to be the best? [21:18] Actors have to depend on luck as compared to athletes. [23:23] Don't sign up for a mismatch to live one life am expect it differently. [28:47] The way jobs used to be is gone. Now we have to exert ourselves. [31:00] It is hard to focus on your contribution when you are inundated with outside distractions. [32:58] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Incredible benefits come from measuring Heart Rate Variability, one of the most valuable biofeedback information available today, which is why I am so excited to introduce the BradBeat iPhone app! Measuring HRV gives you a direct window in the functional state of your autonomic nervous system, so you can accurately observe your stress levels, recovery rate and readiness to train, and make better decisions to balance stress and rest in daily life. This is the age of high tech testing and wearable devices, but it seems like most of it is just gimmick or for entertainment value. HRV is different. HRV measures the beat to beat intervals between heart rates—the data you see as spikes on the graph of your EKG test in a hospital or laboratory. More variation indicates a harmonious balance between sympathetic (fight or flight) function and parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system function, and delivers a higher HRV score on the 1-100 HRV scale. A metronomic beat indicates you are stressed, overtrained, or have poor cardiovascular health, delivering a low HRV score. Recent technology innovation enables you to track HRV in real time using the BradBeat HRV iPhone app, which has been custom designed to my specifications by Sweetwater Health, leaders in mobile HRV technology. Yes, I had a ton of fun getting super technical with Jo Beth and Rhonda to develop this awesome app, and also go through an incredibly rigorous application process with Apple to get onto the App Store (nice to know there is no lame stuff on the App Store). For only $9.95, the BradBeat HRV app is easy to use by athletes or anyone else interested in monitoring stress/rest balance. The BradBeat HRV (and other mobile HRV apps if you have Android), pair with a wireless chest transmitter to reveal real-time data on your iPhone, which you can archive online or download to a spreadsheet. My podcast guest Joel Jamieson tells me the HRV machines he used on athletes back in the day cost $30,000 and required 11 electrodes placed all over the body. This show gets a little technical as you learn about the important nuances such as additional readings of low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) autonomic nervous system function, but you will come away with an excellent understanding of the benefits of HRV and how to use them to your maximum advantage to make better decisions and learn to gain more control over your stress response. For example, when you are cruising along on a stress hormone buzz, you might feel “great” and take on a stressful day or a hard workout, but you’re amped up state will deliver a low HRV reading. Consequently, you will be compelled to build in rest periods in pursuit of healthy stress/rest balance. It has been a great experience to bring this product to market, and I believe HRV can help you more than any other biofeedback metric or wearable device. HRV goes beyond the long-established tracking of resting heart rate to determine state of recovery and readiness to train. Visit the App Store to order and learn more about the features and benefits, including which chest transmitters work with the BradBeat. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like most people who grew up in Southern California, I understand that when you’re blessed with constant sunny skies, it’s way too easy to get used to that kind of climate and start to take it for granted. But what happens when you don’t have 365 sunny days every year? You have to get creative. You have to figure out how to live and enjoy the outdoors in relation to your current climate. I reflect on this while sharing some highlights from my trip to the Pacific Northwest - I visited Seattle, where I had enjoyed some delicious "Salty Caramel Ash” flavored ice cream aka activated charcoal vegan ice cream, as well as Eugene and Portland. One of the most important things I took away from my trip was how the Pacific Northwesterners really know how to make the most of their time. They use the summer months as an opportunity to cram in a ton of activities into their day, and I know people who take trips to warmer climates during colder weather to make sure they’re getting their recreational time in. I was so happy to be able to meet up with some cool people, like Debbie Potts, host of the Whole Athlete, to discuss her career and journey into holistic medicine, and High Intensity Health founder Mike Mutzel, who shared some amazing insights about recovery: “The harder you train, the more energy you need to devote to recovery.” We think in terms of ‘go go go’ and then collapse on the couch or into bed – but this doesn’t even qualify as recovery time. Mike’s concepts for recovery are way more sophisticated than that and he is a big proponent of Rebound Training. Another important piece of advice from Mike: When your HRV number is extra high you may think you’re recovering well, but it can mean the opposite – that your body is still fighting to recover fully, so you need to rest. It was great to finally meet Dr. Tommy Wood (of Nourish Balance Thrive) face to face after having recorded (remotely) so many podcasts with him. Tommy is great company and super stimulating to speak with because he offers such interesting views on a wide variety of subjects. While he’s super academic and into studying scientific research, he’s also always making a sincere effort to brings things back to the simple, practical stuff - like emphasizing the importance of having a dog to literally boost your health because it forces you outside and makes you engage play. Another gem from Tommy: “You’re liquidating your assets when you overstimulate the flight or fight response with your hectic, busy life or extreme training regimen that’s too much for you.” This is so important to consider. After seeing Tommy, I hopped on the train to head on over to the beautiful town of Eugene, Oregon. I met up with my Speedgolf mentor Christopher Smith at the Eugene Country Club, and we ran all over town, checking out the updated University of Oregon campus and the Prefontaine Memorial, and just enjoying some great conversation. We talked about his incredible training concept “Train to Trust” and the importance of context specificity when practicing golf or any other performance endeavor. This means simulating your competitive experience in practice so it actually transfers into effective brain learning when it’s time to perform. I also had the chance to catch up (over Skype) with author Scott Carney, author of What Doesn’t Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude, and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength. As an investigative journalist, Carney was originally assigned to cover the famous ‘Ice Man,’ Wim Hof, meeting up with him at his training center in Poland, but soon enough he was participating in training, and performing amazing feats like climbing a snowy mountain in running shorts in the middle of a freezing winter in Poland. My last stop was Portland, and I had a great time with Brian McAndrew, who masters all the audio and video content for Primal Blueprint’s YouTube channel. We had a great time discussing how he went from veganism and chronic cardio to finding strength training and the Keto diet. Brian has had such an interesting life at only 31 years old, and has great insights and stories to share about his career journey and pursuing your passions. I had such a fun time having incredible, stimulating conversations with so many great people, and I left the trip feeling so inspired. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I visit beautiful Lake Tahoe to hang with the mysterious and magnificent Big George, aka Dr. Ray Sidney. Ray was the fifth employee hired at a Silicon Valley startup named Google, which later gained prominence for taking over the world. Today he is Lake Tahoe’s most prominent philanthropist, enthusiast of the epic sport of curling, and master of trickery and gravity-defying stunts on the wake surfboard. Ray has had a wild ride, emanating from a lifelong fascination with mathematics and peak performance in general. He hails from the highest levels of academia, having graduated from Harvard and then grabbing a Ph.D. from MIT in math), then headed west to land on the ground floor at Google. His first workplace was sharing a bedroom in a Palo Alto duplex; later he was the guy in charge of ordering fitness equipment for an early corporate campus! He was in charge of database security, and once (unknowingly) blocked the CIA from doing Google searches because they were flaunting the rules! Feeling burnt out from the crazy pace of Silicon Valley startup life, he took a sabbatical of a few months, which is stretching into a few hundred months, most of which have been spent on the water or frozen water with his tremendous passion for athletics. An important takeaway from Ray’s story, especially in today’s era of celebrity worship, wealth obsession, and social media posturing, is that he never intended to strike it rich in the romanticized fable of the dotcom world. Rather, he enjoyed math, and academics, and solving software engineering problems for the pure challenge. In fact, Ray reveals that his plans during sabbatical were to work on some personal math projects! Alas, transitioning to sudden wealth and expanded opportunities have Ray diverted from the singular focus of software engineering to become involved in a dizzying number of causes, programs, and athletic interests. He is a competitive curler who funded Lake Tahoe’s fledgling curling club and travels around North America for camps and competitions. He is widely recognized (or barely recognized, depending on his attire) as Lake Tahoe’s leading philanthropist. He has donated millions to create fabulous athletic facilities around Tahoe and down in Carson Valley, including a new football/track stadium at Douglas High School and a championship running track at the middle school. His seven-figure donation supported free bus service to transport Tahoe casino workers to and from Carson Valley. He was the founding sponsor of Brad Kearns’s kids fitness charity called Running School. He supports a variety of academic causes like giving back to the Hertz Fellowship program that supported his academic journey and the X Prize Foundation. He recently earned an MBA degree from UC Berkeley just for fun! This show will get your reflecting on the beauty of a pure motivation for life goals, the value of a focused, precise mathematical approach to peak performance, and the importance of getting over yourself even if you are a heavy hitter. Indeed, George takes none of this stuff too seriously, as evidenced by the nickname he bestowed on his eco-friendly architecturally wondrous home on the lake: Tahizzle—of course a nod to Snoop Dogg, who has yet to visit but has a standing invitation. Cruise on his boat named Jorge Mucho (como “Big George” in Español) and you are more likely to get Borat impersonations than Warren Buffet stock tips. One can agree that Ray is living the good life and doing a great job giving back to all whom he encounters, but he also reveals that for all his freedom and folly opportunity, he struggles with overstimulation and a tendency to distraction like the rest of us. Brad and Ray agree to a future show addressing these matters of importance.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Art DeVany, ancestral health forefather and author of The New Evolution Diet, delivers some of the most profound life advice I’ve ever heard during a 2017 podcast interview on the Align podcast with Aaron Alexander. At 81, DeVany is retired from his professor career and is pretty minimal on the interview/podcast/lecture scene, so please listen to the whole podcast and reflect carefully on the following commentary that came at the end of the show (Aviso: I did a bit of cleansing and paraphrasing from the audio transcript): Of course, you have to work at whatever you’re doing, you have to have high standards for your work. But you also have to realize that there’s a lot of stuff that you make too big of a fuss over. And when you stop that - it doesn’t mean you don’t care - but when you stop beating yourself or beating someone else up over it when you stop ruminating about it, you’re free. And you gotta set yourself free - set yourself free from your old mistakes and things that happened to you. And even set yourself free from people, thoughts, foods, and habits that bring you down. That’s when you’re free! Then you can start anew. You can renew every day. Granted, you can’t forget the past. Then you wouldn’t have any memories. Appreciating your history as strength and wisdom gained and getting a move on is necessary for good health. Brad Note: Realize that beyond his health interests, DeVany was an economics professor specializing in the complex aspects of how to predict how Hollywood movies make money. In that context, he often emphasizes the importance of random, explosive, life-changing events that apply not just to the economic realm, but in all areas of life. This will help you process a vital comment about “…it’s not the drip, drip, drip.” Can you reference explosive random events that altered your life path more so than plugging away day after day on a linear way? Pay attention to opportunities of all kinds and don’t be afraid to go for it! Here is one of his choice quotes, from his professional realm as an economics professor: “In any organization, half the work is done by the square root of the total number of workers. E.g., 100 workers, half the work is done by 10 workers.” Here are DeVany's recommendations to deal with depression: “Starve and exercise. The starvation part of it is to eat up some of these dysfunctional synapses. My saying is, for every damaged molecule, there’s a damaged thought. Those are injured neurons inside the brain, and you just need to get rid of the dysfunctional molecules that are causing those neurons to malfunction. Then, heal the brain with neurotrophic factors. Be outside. New thoughts, new patterns of behavior. When my first wife was declining from a host of other things, I’d take her walking as much as I could. I would tell her bad jokes. Change her surroundings. The typical things people have to do. Being outside is enormously effective. There are stimuli you can’t even relate to, but you perceive them. Your unconscious brain is what’s going to heal you first.” Here is a great show he did on the Tim Ferriss podcast. I’m taking the starve and exercise thing to heart with an intuitive approach to keto. Some days I will wait till I’m hungry to finally eat at between 12 and 2 pm. I’ll do 10-15 min workouts, walking by deadlift bar. He has said ‘don’t jog it’s too dangerous’ and that one I have really begun reflecting upon. In November through January, I was playing too much speedgolf. I had classic burnout symptoms and can’t keep below 130! Now I play cart speedgolf for wind sprints. At over 50, it’s easy to become unhealthy with endurance training. Be sure that you are performing aerobically and that your metabolism has minimal stress. Pursue a shorter, more intense competition to avoid chronic overstimulation of stress hormones. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian McAndrew, the man behind the scenes of the Get Over Yourself podcast audio production, as well as Primal Blueprint’s audio and video production efforts, takes the stage as the honored guest on this wide-ranging and thoughtful discussion about life, peak performance, exploring your passions and dreams, learning from failure and setbacks, and of course ketogenic eating. At the age of 31, Brian has had quite a healthy journey of vast exploration and deep immersion. He’s been hard-core keto for over two years, all the while pursuing ambitious goals in the weight room. Brian’s life experiences include: dealing with a serious parasite infection contracted while swimming in an African pond (hey it’s hot in Sierra Leone for an Oregon coast boy!); plunging into the trendy LA juice bar health scene and digging a hole of veganism and chronic cardio; getting big into the familiar combo of Paleo and Crossfit; getting a burnt out on Crossfit and transitioning into a pattern of MAF pace cardio workouts along with high-intensity strength training; and finally gracefully pairing ketogenic eating with athletic training. Brian offers some thoughtful insights while Brad intersperses several cameos for Brian’s amazing viral YouTube video that he made in college that was the genesis of his current career. Search YouTube for “I Love My Ducks,” and you will see a masterpiece of filmmaking and positive energy for the beloved Oregon Ducks football club. Brian is constantly tweaking and testing on our behalf and today has a very groovy rhythm of simple, delicious meals, eating enough food to fuel his ambitious workouts, not stressing about testing his ketone numbers, and enjoying occasional departures from keto followed by effortless recalibrations. There is much talk about how athletes should optimize carb intake. Brian offers a sensible recommendation to calm down: “Life will give you refeeds,” Brian says. Brian also conveys the benefits of a simplified approach, where you don’t get overwhelmed by excessive choice or temptation because you are honoring a distinct commitment to dietary guidelines without any will power or decision fatigue involved. This is a very informative show where Brian shares insights from many resources; he consumes a ton of podcasts and has 14,000 followers on his Instagram account despite rarely writing anything more than, “I’m eating this” or showing pictures of his cute one-year-old daughter. Brian describes the magic and effectiveness of a simplified approach to ketogenic eating—the motto on his WholeDoods Instagram site is, “Eat boring food. Live an interesting life.” Brian believes one of the highest benefits of keto is the pleasure of a simplified approach. You don’t get overwhelmed by excessive choice or temptation, because you are honoring a distinct commitment to dietary guidelines without any will power or decision fatigue involved. Psychological studies confirm that when we are presented with too many choices, it compromises our enjoyment and increases our stress levels, likely due to FOMO – fear of missing out. Brian relates some wild stories during the show, such as his wilderness survival retreat where things got dicey due to a flash flood leaving participants without food for 6 days. Oh, this was when he was parasitic and “wasting away” at a buck twenty! There are numerous insights about formulating an effective training program and avoiding the perils of overtraining that plague Crossfit athletes, endurance athletes, and even recreational fitness enthusiasts trying to be consistent about their 6am Spin classes. Brian says he “hates rest days” but emphasizes the importance of purposeful light days or weeks in the gym to keep blood flowing and hormones optimized. Regarding the ethical dilemma we face when eating animals, Brian was obliged to slaughter a sheep during his survival school and offer up the profound insight that if you are going to take another life to support your life, you best make the most of your existence. Particularly for a younger listener, this will be a memorable story of exploring your passions and dreams, avoiding the pitfalls of fitness trends, and soul-sucking jobs in the world of advertising, and pursuing career excellence along with optimal health and fitness. Also, a reminder to appreciate your partner because Brian had to wait a freakin’ year to secure permission for his wife to join him in the crazy nation of America. These two voices on the show have talked at length during their long days filming content for Primal Blueprint digital courses, trying to sort out hype from effective tips for athletic training, healthy living, and the best approach to a healthy, sensible, whole foods, whole doods diet. They have figured out almost everything for your listening pleasure, so don’t miss this show. Brian’s meals on Instagram, and Brad’s underground recipe videos have become so popular that the duo are working on a top-secret book for lazy doods who want to cook k

Today’s episode is all about the legendary Tiger Woods and his incredible comeback. Most of the world is well aware of the scandals and very public downfall that affected Tiger’s life and career. What I am focusing on today is how he handled himself after his public scandal. He has had the greatest comeback in the history of sports – but how? How did Tiger manage to achieve such a feat? I cite Jeff Benedict’s Tiger Woods book – the first comprehensive, in-depth book on the athlete’s life. The book traces and highlights the influences and experiences that shaped him, notably his father, Earl Woods. He was instrumental in crafting Tiger’s public persona, as well as the driving force behind his son’s initial ambition. How many “Helicopter Parents” have you encountered over the years? We all know parents like this – they are singularly focused on how to make their child a success. Unfortunately, the person who suffers most from this pressure is the child. Years ago, a friend of mine, an Olympic athlete who knows Tiger, shared an insight with me that I’ve never forgotten. He remarked, “Tiger rose to the highest competitive plane than any human has ever risen to. No one compares to what he has done.” Putting the circumstances of his daily life into context is crucial to understand both his public and private persona - the global level of his celebrity, the attention and scrutiny that accompanies worldwide fame, not to mention the money.... How else could he deal with it? He was driven, by necessity, to foster this extreme, obsessive personality and become absolutely insatiable for achievement and conquest. I draw parallels between Tiger and Michael Milken – remember him, the “junk bond” King of the 80s? He too was going and going and going, until he finally went off the rails. Like Tiger, he spiraled, and he couldn’t turn it off. I wrote a book, How Tiger Does It, many years ago, in which I detail the three factors that have made him such a successful athlete. 1) Focus. 2) Work-Play Ethic. And 3) A Balanced Approach (or so I thought at the time). The book is all about how to banish self-limiting beliefs through hard work, believing in yourself, and focusing on your peak performance goals. Under the first topic, “Focus,” I talk about the importance of feeling absolute freedom from fear of failure or insecurity. I highlight how intense Tiger’s focus was, how he was working on his swing – even when he was already at the top – his only competition was himself, his only goal – to get better for himself. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mia Moore returns to the show after a long absence to discuss relationship insights with her fiancée! We get John Gray’s marching orders: males: don’t speak if you have a negative emotional charge; females: frame everything as requests instead of complaints. We reflect on Dr. Wendy Walsh’s insight that conflict is healthy for a relationship, wondering if we really need to go there, or is it possible to be more chill. Mia says it is, and we do a whole Breather show on how to be more chill in life and relationships. In working toward healthier communication patterns, we mention insights from John Gottman about achieving a ratio of 5:1 positive to negative comments, even during times of conflict (20:1 during routine daily life!). We relate Harville Hendrick’s suggestions for effective communication: emphasize safety, establish a zero communication policy, and deliver chronic affirmations. Mia mentions how Don Miguel Ruiz’s Four Agreements can help you be the best you can be, and bring out the best in your partner. Proper loading of the dishwater becomes an interesting central theme and metaphor for healthy relationship dynamics, including Mia Moore’s pure genius move of putting a new soap packet into the box right after unloading clean dishes, and how being told something once and executing every time is a winning relationship dynamic. We present an interesting philosophical question about relationship dynamics: Do you want a mature, authentic, dynamic adult relationship with conflict, frank discussion, negotiation-compromise-resolution, or do you just want a cheerleader to stand by and cheer you on? When we reflect upon how difficult daily life is—work, school, kids, hectic, high-stress daily routines—the answer might very well be “cheerleader.” Mia and I reflect on this big question and also make an effort to refine the definition of cheerleader: not a meek, submissive partner of old-time stereotypes. Rather, a partner who delivers support and encouragement, especially when you might be a little discouraged and need it most. With this explanation, Mia argues that you can have both a cheerleader and an authentic partner. She says there’s nothing wrong with mature, authentic communication, including negotiation-compromise-resolution, but perhaps we do without conflict and negativity. Sounds reasonable, but Mia points out that some people get off on conflict for assorted reasons. It could be that conflict behavior delivers a payoff in the form of a hormonal burst and gets wired into an unconscious habit, or it could be replaying a familiar pattern from childhood. Witness how Dr. Bruce Lipton, author of Biology of Belief, states that we operating from subconscious programming 95-99 percent of the time. Mia Moore states that if you don’t stuff this about yourself, call the habitual patterns into your awareness, resolve to be more mindful about your communication, and Mia says, make a conscious choice for how to operate in a relationship. Reflect upon Mia show #1 where she reveals that decades ago, she made a conscious choice to never again engage in yelling in a relationship. Done deal. And what happens if stuff like this drifts into the picture again? We need to reflect on what are, or what should be, your relationship deal breakers. This will be the topic of an entire future show. When you are deserving of some honest feedback that’s not “rah rah” in nature, the feedback can be delivered with sensitivity and loving kindness. Recall noted author and relationship expert Dr. John Gottman’s data from the study of healthy, long-lasting romantic relationships: Even in times of conflict, healthy couples maintain a 5-to-1 ratio of positive comments to critical comments. During routine everyday life, the ratio looks more like 20-to-1! Gottman also says that arguments that come out of nowhere or seem to be about nothing merely represent a failed attempt to connect. Some tips for how to be a cheerleader: Don’t keep score, just go all in. This means maybe second-guessing a concept like “50/50 share on housework” and the like. Mars&Venus: Recall the great work of therapist and bestselling author John Gray: Males must learn to just listen when females are venting, instead of trying to solve their problems. Females must learn to give males their “cave time,” and they will return to the relationship and intimacy with fresh enthusiasm. Relationship communication tips from Harville Hendricks: Safety: you know you can speak your truth. Zero negativity policy: otherwise defenses go up. It's not what you say it's how you say it. you could bring up issues just say them gently. use a respectful tone of voice and eye contact instead of entitlement. Chronic affirmations: helps support objective #1—safety. Permanent damage can be caused by relationship dynamics that generate fears and insecurities. Unfortunately, people today instead have a relationship baseline of power struggle and conflict, distraction, not much cheerlead

We are diving into one of my favorite topics today: how to deal with hyper-connectivity and overstimulation. There is such an excess of content out there, but there is a way to deal with it: instead of feeling overwhelmed and stressed, you can utilize some strategies suggested by Michael Simmons in order to extract “breakthrough knowledge.” He argues that while everyone deals with social media excess, successful people have mastered the ability to find breakthrough knowledge in our era of information overload. I go into detail about Dr. Matthew Walker’s views on sleep. Since we are simply less productive when we become deficient in sleep, you can actually get more done in less time – if you are taking care of your health. Many athletes and fitness enthusiast types have reported experiencing epiphanies and breakthroughs in their mindset and decision making when exercising. The brain on exercise is operating at a higher level, increasing creativity and cognitive function. This is why it is so crucial to make sure you get your 15-minute break every couple of hours and are mindful of moving your body, even just a little bit, after sitting for just 20 minutes. 20 minutes seems innocuous, but it makes a real difference. Another seemingly innocuous but harmful daily habit? According to Dr. John Gottman - rolling your eyes. It’s a total relationship killer. Do yourself and your partner a favor and keep that contempt to yourself! I delve into “Content Shock” and how I deal with the avalanche of information out there, and why it’s so hard to fight against Constant Distraction – especially with all the clickbait online and marketers, software developers, and hackers all focused on one thing: how to get you addicted to their product. Billions of dollars are spent getting your attention – and the more time you spend surfing their site, the more money they get. So how do you counteract all the efforts to steal your time and your attention? You have to be picky. What more can you do for yourself than be picky? Having boundaries and standards when it comes to everything that enters your body and your mind is of the utmost importance now more than ever. The internet can be a “junk food information desert,” so you gain much more from being proactive instead of reactive. Ask yourself: “Does this content provide me with breakthrough knowledge that has the potential to change my life?” Work on implementing patterns in your life that improve it – like actively seeking out critical feedback like Elon Musk, who believes that pursuing experiences and knowledge that prove you wrong is far more valuable than things that confirm you’re right. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a little chit chat about Tiger Woods and his amazing comeback and legacy. Enough with the tabloid drama, if this dude is able to bag another major, it will go down as one of the greatest comebacks in sports history! Remember, it’s been 10 years since Tiger won his last major title. Ben Hogan had a great comeback after a life-threatening car accident in the 50s. Speaking of Ben, he was one of the best “practicers” ever in sports. Ben used to practice intently for 20 minutes in total solitude, then take a short break to reflect and absorb the neuro-muscular experience into his brain. Six decades later, the latest greatest brain research validates that we can only focus intently on a peak cognitive task for about 20 minutes before we require a break. Yes, you can bang out emails for longer than that, but your peak focus falters without these recharge periods. Again we cover numerous concepts calling for deep reflection. “Humans are designed to solve problems.” This is when we feel most alive and fulfilled. Today as we pursue and avail ourselves to more and more comfort, we forget this truth and end up feeling unfulfilled. We speculate that Tiger in his prime had mastered the game and dominated the competition to such a great extent that he became bored and pursued the off-course distractions to his downfall. Now he has a daunting goal to try and return from layoffs and serious medical issues, so watch out! More good stuff: “Failure is an opportunity to grow,” “emotions and subconscious are running the show”; The “10,000 hour rule,” popularized by Malcolm Gladwell but first conceived of by Christopher’s friend K. Anders Ericksson, has been misinterpreted and overhyped. Excellence and mastery are more about deliberate, context-specific, challenging practice. Yes, that could mean lots of hours are required, but we also have genetic considerations when we are in competitive environments. Do the best you can, get over yourself and have fun out there at whatever level you perform at, and train to trust! Whew, what a killer show and time for a break to go pick berries in Eugene. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keeping the momentum going and the dream alive with more tightly focused insights from John Gray's fantastic book, Beyond Mars and Venus, and his insights shared on episode 51 of the Get Over Yourself podcast. In this show, I discuss Gray’s insights about how trouble happens in a relationship. Men who are overstressed and underappreciated become underconfident and emotional, as estrogen increases and testosterone drops. This leads to unregulated emotions, manipulative, passive-aggressive, overreacting behavior, and feeling sad, depressed, resentful, angry, and tired. Males need to feel valued and appreciated and be able to say, “I got this!” They need cave time to replenish testosterone by doing things that come with an expectation of success and appreciation An overstressed woman who overexpresses male side (e.g. the modern workplace) will resist help, be frustrated that she has to do too much, and feel overwhelmed, this is excess testosterone, not enough estrogen. They need to share feelings that they have suppressed during the male dominant workday - need Venus talk to rebalance estrogen. A female who tries to express herself and isn't listened to puts up walls and increases male side. An out of balance feel will become detached, cold, critical, independent (“I'll do it myself”), goal oriented (“got so much to do”). Eventually, this will lead to exhaustion, resentment, dissatisfaction, difficulty sleeping, mental rigidity, resistance to change, low libido, depression. John Gray says today’s female is really suffering like no other time in history, with record rates of depression, anxiety, and accordant medications being dispensed. Are conflict-free relations just a dream? No! It’s possible, and studies with successful long-term romantic couples prove that it’s possible to maintain that romantic spark for decades! Functional MRI results show that happy long-term couples light up brain areas in the same manner as new couples who have fallen deeply in love. They are even one better than that because the familiarity and friendship bond developed over the years, combined with the attraction action, lights up the brain all over. Most of the time relationship challenges come from unrealistic expectations of ourselves or our partner. Let go of resentment; open your heart to forgiveness. Transform anger into passing annoyance. Practice effortless patience. Remember.. silence is golden! Learn it, know it, live it! Thank you John Gray, and thanks for listening to the Get Over Yourself podcast! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I travel to beautiful Eugene, OR to meet with my Speedgolf mentor and most excellent podcast guest, Christopher Smith. We had an intense all-day podcasting binge, interspersed with a long run around Eugene, including a stop at the Prefontaine Memorial high above the Willamette River. Christopher is a longtime PGA professional and the all-time king of the great sport of Speedgolf. He holds the official Guinness World Record for the lowest round of Speedgolf, when he shot 65 in 44 minutes at Jackson Park in Chicago in 2005. Yes, this guy can break par in under an hour! Can you? No, because he is the only person in history to do so in official competition. On YouTube, you can witness one of the greatest golf rounds in history, when Christopher shot a four-under par 68 in 53 minutes at the legendary Bandon Dunes course while shooting a promotional video. You can watch the entire round in only a few minutes on this entertaining high-speed video and it will absolutely blow your mind. Christopher is much more than a Speedgolfer. He is one of the top-100 ranked golf teachers in America and travels the world as a teacher/consultant for both the PGA of America and Nike Golf. Christopher gets to beta-test the coolest shoes before anyone, and yes Nike is coming out with a Speedgolf shoe (Sssshhhh)! He is also a lifelong student of health and peak performance, with a particular interest in the psychology of optimal training and competition. This first podcast covers many thoughtful topics about how to overcome fears, manage emotions, ask the right questions, and pursue true peak performance. Christopher is a passionate guy with an evolved perspective, and he has no problem calling out the many examples of bullshit in hectic modern life, whether it’s overhyped and misdirected golf instruction or the forces of consumerism that disconnect us from our appreciation of the natural and simple pleasures of life….such as his 22.5 year old cat whom he cares for intently. Golf is understandably the backdrop for Christopher’s philosophical observations, but his message applies to any and all peak performance ambitions in daily life. Sign up for his newsletter at ChristopherSmithGolf.com and you’ll see that’s is far more weighted toward life lessons than optimizing your swing plane. Christopher calls his teaching method, Train2Trust. Accordingly, you will get exposed on this show to topics like: More is not better, working smarter and more intently is better. Whatever you are doing, ask yourself, “are you getting better?” Maybe it’s because you are comfortable with the status quo and fear the unknown. Sports psychologists talk about thinking positive and so forth, but Christopher asserts that thoughts are triggered by emotions, and we must reprogram ourselves from an emotional standpoint to achieve real breakthroughs. He quotes a favorite book, “We are feeling creatures who think, not the other way around.” The most profound takeaway from Christopher’s approach is that for practice to be effective, you must have what he calls context specificity. Say that three times quickly so you never forget it! This means practice must resemble your competitive circumstances or your learning literally will not transfer over to a competitive environment. The concept of sinking ten short putts in a row on the practice queen is not very relevant to sinking a short putt on 18 to win the big bucks. Yes, you have to hone technique in practice so it becomes automatic (Christopher says you can do this very effectively in front of a mirror at home—don’t even need a club!), but you have to simulate competitive pressure in practice for maximum impact. For example, hitting a drive on the practice tee, walking around the parking lot, returning to hit a 6-iron, then walking over to the practice green and stroking a long putt, then a short putt, as if you were playing an actual hole. Context specificity is a vastly more profound concept than my aforementioned breezy example. Functional MRI studies reveal that different parts of the brain light up when you are on the practice green versus trying to make a putt under pressure. Maybe this sounds familiar if you practice your presentation in front of a mirror and then feel a little different when you are called to the podium in a packed lecture hall! Furthering this concept, functional MRIs show profound changes in brain chemistry for people who are asked to go from an angry state to list things they are grateful for. If you get a triple bogey on the golf course or something similar in daily life, express some gratitude and you will calm down! Regarding emotions, Christopher suggests that even anger is okay if it energizes you, but if your emotions weaken you then it’s time to do some hard work rewiring. This is a show of deep content that will really get you thinking, and with more coming in part two! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: htt

This show and the follow up part 2 breather show about John Gray will pull all of his life-changing insights—from both our podcast and his new book, Beyond Mars and Venus, together into a focused plan of action for both males and females to rid your love relationship of petty arguing, stress, and dysfunction and take it to the next level. Listen closely with an open mind as males get some in-your-face assignments to “man up” and “shut up” instead of turn into cranky bitchy boys when they experience a negative emotional charge. That’s right, Dr. John Gray himself, the number-one bestselling relationship author of all time, is telling us to shut up and take some cave time instead of “express your feelings.” Your woman doesn’t wanna hear you bitch and moan. Her deep-seated biological drives want you to calm, cool, and collected and protect her from every danger in the world, including your negative emotions! WOW! Dudes, can you carry this assignment out? Or do you wanna trash your testosterone with negative, argumentative conversations that leave you feeling limp (literally) and drained? In this show, I cover Dr. Gray’s foundational insights men and women experience stress, love, and success in different ways, through different filters. With hormone balance absolutely essential to a relationship, males have to engage in testosterone-boosting behaviors (“cave time”), females have to engage in estrogen-boosting behaviors (“Venus talks”) and both parties have to strive for close connection, respectful communication, and taking full accountability for their roles in relationship conflict. If you are a wussy boy or a cranky chick, then this show will offend you and get you complaining about how both Brad Kearns and John Gray should mind their own business. If you have an open mind and open heart and want to improve your relationship, listen carefully and try these tips out! Especially the John Gray classic where he said males forget easily when they just take some time away, and female can settle any contention with a female by just taking matters into the bedroom! And be sure to tune in to Breather Show #2 to put all the insights together. Life changing takeaways that you MUST listen to and absorb : Be accountable for your actions, otherwise, you are a victim. We respond drastically different to moderate external stress: males detach (analyze calmly) females get strong emotions (assessing support). Men misinterpret female emotions as needing a solution. Most couples get stuck in a pattern of she's giving more and he's giving less, then she feels resentful and he gives even less since he’s not appreciated. Male takeaways: Male’s main purpose is to make a difference and be appreciated for it. Male is happiest when his partner is happy. This is a symbol that he has made her happy and respected her needs wishes and desires. He’s happy with his own success but only when it’s made a difference and has a meaning to others. Males you DON’T need to complain, bitch n' moan to your partner. If you're too sensitive and emotional, needy and demanding, she’ll get turned off. JG says, “She wants your T, man! She wants you to solve problems, protect, keep her safe, understand her—and especially protect her from your own anger! Stop talking if you have a negative emotional charge. Females wanna be heard and understood. Venus talk! Males must NEVER express anger toward partner: expressing anger is damaging to the relationship (exacerbates testosterone/estrogen imbalance). Go into the cave instead. “As long as you have a negative emotional charge, don’t share feelings.” Males can easily forget when matters are taken into the bedroom (also mentioned in the Mia Moore show). Males lacking cave “T” time: Suppression of male side causes internal heat and overexpression of female emotional side. “Sharing and caring leads to more stress" Male develops exaggerated needs and sense of entitlement. Venus talk: Males must learn to just listen when females are venting (building estrogen), instead of trying to solve their problems (T). Listen intently, don’t interrupt, say “tell me more”. Validate their complaints. NOT about partner. End with positive/gratitude/ End with hug. Time apart after Female takeaways: Female’s main purpose is to give and receive love from happiness, gratitude, appreciation, respect The workplace is T dominant, so females must work harder to balance the female side outside of a kick-ass workday. At home, she will take on more and more and get further exhausted, when what she really needs is to be heard and appreciated, as well as take some "me" time. Female’s biggest stress today is too far on her doing side and not enough on her feeling side, due to evolving cultural roles. Female assignment: Give males their “cave time,” (rebuild T, ball game, video game, tinker with the car, meditate, (Speedgolf). Male will return to the relationship and intimacy with fresh enthusiasm. Don’t chase after him

What an honor to meet this mega-bestselling author in person in Los Angeles and crank out an interesting podcast! Ashley has been spreading the word about her two very important books for over a decade, speaking and consulting internationally to sports teams, business leaders, and parent and school groups. She also operates a cool non-profit tutoring program for inner city kids in LA. Her books, written with Stanford professor Po Bronson, have rocked our world and make us rethink the most basic notions about parenting and the nature of healthy competition. Interested researchers and readers are transcending dated and harmful cultural values and embraced the new possibilities communicated wonderfully by Ashley and Po. The first book was called Nurtureshock: New Thinking About Children. The world of Carol Dweck, Stanford professor and author of Mindset, was highlighted. The idea that this effusive praise, obsession with boosting self-esteem, and helicopter parenting to ensure kids don’t suffer or fail was called into question. Kids need healthy struggle and setbacks to grow and develop resilience and determination. They benefit from adopting a “growth mindset,” where the emphasis is on effort and improvement rather than results. The research from Nurtureshock was the inspiration for the next book, Top Dog. If you are interested in competition and peak performance in any area (business, athletics, parenting), this book will provide lasting insights and strategies to be the best you can be, and not succumb to the dangers of a lame, ineffective approach to competition. Interestingly, Ashley relates that she has been rethinking the emphasis placed on effort and instead prefers to focus on improvement. We all know how misdirected effort may not lead to improvement and can even be unhealthy—such as with an overtrained athlete or the college student who pulls all-nighters and eats Top Ramen in the name of delivering maximum effort. In these examples, excess effort or a narrow focus on effort alone will not lead to success or happiness. Reference my podcast about the Japanese Soccer Team and the Japanese cultural ethic of doryoku, translated as honorable effort. You could infer this means dispensing effort in a focused and productive manner to stimulate improvement. Ashley garnered attention years ago for stating that the long-standing practice of giving every kid a trophy is a bad idea. After much reflection and controversy, Ashley is more certain than ever that this is a really bad idea! Listen to her go off about the many ways in which our cultural trophy policy cheapens the experience for everyone. We also get into the groundbreaking article that changed my mindset and approach to parenting on the spot when I first read it in 2007. It’s called the Inverse Power of Praise and I did a blog post about it that I send to anyone who will listen. This article led to the NurtureShock book project. The article calls into question the self-esteem movement that has led to the widespread concerns about helicopter parenting today. Ashley talks about how to set rewards to generate optimum outcomes for competition. A local 5k promoting a healthy community (everyone gets a finisher medal, that’s fine), versus a contest to discover the most distinguished performers. A college application process for an Ivy League admission could be a good example: many competitors, few prizes. You will love this show and be compelled to grab these books and go in for a deep immersion. Following is some details about Ashley and Po’s work, and accolades, to get you excited about Ashley and Po’s work: Ashley and Po have won nine national awards for reporting. Merryman's been on countless radio and television shows, while email, Facebook, and Twitter are filled with demands to read her essays, such as "Losing is Good for You," "How Not to Talk to Your Kids," and "Creativity Crisis." Among the awards for Top Dog was a "Best Book of the Month" by both Barnes & Noble and Amazon, while Salary.com said it was the #1 book that every entrepreneur must read. Top Dog is an astonishing blend of science and storytelling that reveals what's really in the heart of a champion. It's about the thrill of victory and the character-building agony of defeat. Testosterone and the neuroscience of mistakes. Why rivals motivate. How home field advantage gets you a raise. What teamwork really requires. It's baseball, Wall Street financial analysts, the SAT, sales contests, and Linux software. How before da Vinci and FedEx were innovators, first, they were great competitors. Olympians, professional athletes, and their coaches are already carrying Top Dog around in gym bags. It's in the briefcases of Wall Street traders and Madison Ave. madmen. Professional risk takers - from Silicon Valley venture capitalists to Vegas gamblers - are racing to master its ideas, while educators and philosophers are debating it the halls of

Knowledgeable health experts are really making gut dysfunction the heart and center of a variety of real issues that can arise within. The recent discoveries being made is that the impact on our guts is enormous. Tim Noakes says insulin resistance and gut health are the future of medicine. Most of our immune function and half of our serotonin function happens in the gut. When you have a stomach that isn’t performing optimally, the digestion and assimilation of food as it’s passed doesn’t correctly absorb nutrients, and you're left with uncomfortable gas and bloating, and nutrient deficiencies as well. High stress puts a ton of pressure on your digestive system. For example, when performing a triathlete circuit, it’s your stomach that will be the first to suffer the consequences. Getting off carbs is one of the best ways we can save our stomachs. You burn fewer carbs at rest, AND during a workout (including the warmup and peripheral movement before the meaty, hard stuff) where you definitely do burn carbs (glycolytic). BUT you can make carbs from fatty acid metabolism or have ketones replace your carb needs. You don’t need a bunch of carbs coming from your diet. Excess carbs end up wreaking havoc on your gut. Tommy points out that if you cut dietary carbs, you can still meet your glucose needs. By making carbs via gluconeogenesis (your fat metabolism makes glycerol split off of fat).Glycogen stores carbs in your muscles and liver. It binds with 3-4 grams of water/gram of carb ingested. That’s why you quickly lose 10 pounds when you dramatically cut carbs out of your diet. Polarized training is tremendous to metabolic efficiency. Working out at Maximum Aerobic Function (MAF) or at brief intensity works with our genetics and PB laws. We want to stay in a range of completing daily movement and entering a very short cycle of fight or flight overall. Going all the way to the threshold is a punishment not just for our hormones but our poor guts. If you don’t want a leaky gut, polarized training is the way to go. Tommy counters the boilerplate keto talk that fasting is actually the ultimate health practice and that eating fewer calories equals longevity. I think my calorie increase experience has increased energy AT REST because I’m not overcompensating for exercise while fasting and on keto. This is the best step toward metabolic efficiency. We also have to consider the emotional stress of adhering to keto. Peter Attia got tired of it after three years after all. Tommy also believes that athletes that are doing depleting workouts also get autophagy. Personally, I like the intuitive approach where I may be fasting/keto several days and other days may pound out workouts in the morning. How awesome is it to ‘eat more food till you get fat’? …Yes, you will find ways to increase thermogenesis. It is hard to believe though because the calories in/calories out concepts are so ingrained in us. Tommy was talking about how we know what to do, but need the psychology part. Why is this so? We have so much temptation in modern life to engage in digital entertainment, exhaust ourselves in work or training. We also have poor mechanics like sleeping habits. We’ve become so far removed from knowing what our bodies really need. Lack of respect appreciation for the importance of movement - Katy Bowman lazy athlete mentality. If we sit, we store fat, if we move, we burn fat. Don’t be a fitness freak. Nutritionmovement.com - mechanotransduction Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By now you know my affinity for cold water therapy, so it’s no wonder I was able to use my refined primal instincts to track down and land author Scott Carney as a guest for a fascinating discussion surrounding Scott’s book, What Doesn't Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength. The title says a lot, but what’s interesting about Scott’s journey is that he is an investigative journalist who specializes in exposing fraudulent gurus! His book, A Death on Diamond Mountain, uncovers the tragic consequences of an extreme meditation operation. When Scott was assigned to cover the amazing death-defying cold exposure exploits of Wim Hof, the “Iceman,” and his outrageous claims that his breathing exercises can make an ordinary Joe superhuman, he was delighted to head over to Hof’s training camp in Poland for a good old fashioned ass whuppin’ with a keyboard. At the time, Wim was not the household name (if your household is into peak performance and alternative health) he is today. Despite a sketchy first impression, Scott immersed himself into the program and experienced extraordinary immediate results. After a week of devoted breathing and cold exposure training, he hiked to the top of a snowy mountain in Poland in the dead of winter…in his running shorts! Scott reports that he was, “boiling hot the whole time.” Yes, this is crazy stuff, and a few minutes on YouTube searching for Wim Hof will blow your mind. This dude set a Guinness World Record by remaining packed in ice for 1 hour, 45 minutes—plenty long enough to kill an average person. Scott reports that performing simple breathing exercises can prepare your body to withstand extreme temperatures to the extent that it’s actually pleasurable and invigorating. Listen to my podcast about cold therapy as I detail the physiological benefits as the peripheral psychological benefits of nurturing increased focus and resilience through cold therapy. As Scott relates, “half of your problem is simple fear.” When you can manage that sympathetic (fight or flight) response upon cold exposure and train the parasympathetic (rest and digest) system to dominate, you can apply this technique to manage the assorted stresses of daily life much better. This is of critical importance when we realize the extent to which we abuse the fight or flight response in daily life, and how many autoimmune conditions can be managed via the practice of breath control and cold exposure. Scott describes the technique of controlled hyperventilation, exhaling and holding your breath for as long as possible and being able to do more pushups than ever before while holding your breath! Yes, it sounds goofy, especially if you are steeped in the medical sciences, but Wim routinely submits himself to laboratory scrutiny, and has astounded researches by virtually shutting down his immune system after being injected with a bacteria! The book is not just about the Wim Hof method, and Scott offers interesting insights about how legendary waterman Laird Hamilton uses breath exercises to hone his skills and boost his safety factor when surfing big waves. In summary, Scott delivers the important insight that we have absolutely gone soft in modern life, pursuing ever-increasing comfort at the expense of losing our edge that makes us human. “Dying comfortably is a nice goal, but it shouldn’t be the rule to live by the whole way.” Scott is working on a new book furthering theme of reawakening our primal survival attributes, so stay tuned and find him on social media, which neither of us are big fans of. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflammation is the root cause of all disease. It's normal and healthy when you have a good workout or twist your ankle, or even when you get stung by a bee, and your body puts up its defenses to heal – inflammation helps with recovery. Chronic inflammation, however, is the body’s reaction to copious stress that leads to a breakdown over the long term which can affect all different parts of your system over time. What starts as inflammation in your gut can lead to depression, anxiety, lethargy, or weight gain, just as an example. When Tommy speaks of being careful of liquidating all your assets, he’s referring to the notion that causing absolute burnout to your mind and body will lead to chronic inflammation and a host of other problems over time. As an athlete, I used to be hard into the game in believing in just “listening to my body” and paying attention to my rising levels of cortisol as I was taken hard into fight or flight mode. Push harder your mind and body will figure it out! That’s what instinct is for! The problem is that once your brain is finally listening with cortisol heavily pumping into your system, your training has probably already gone too far, and this leaves your body fighting much harder than it needs to. This had been a puzzle that has repeatedly fooled me - “listening to your body” doesn’t work because what happens when you’re jacked with a wallet full of cash? You go buy a boat and don’t realize the actual cost until the bill arrives a month later. How do you prevent liquidating all your assets? By using instinct PLUS a higher level of reasoning. Be mindful and follow your desire to train with subjective guidelines as Kelly S. points out. The Stress of modern life also has us prematurely liquidating our assets if we’re the type of person that gets highly stressed out during a traffic jam. Stress inevitably creates an unbalance, and if it isn’t managed correctly, you’re on the road to a case of unwarranted inflammation. There are those that lead a hectic and high stimulating lifestyle but always approach their day in a relaxed, unhurried pace. This is the way to keep things balanced even in high-stress situations and a behavior we should try to model. It’s up to you to decide how you’ll react. Dis-ease leads to disease. Modern athletic training consists of six times more training than what the busiest hunter-gatherer conducted. I read a triathlete book/article (Ironwar?) which posed the theory that a modern-day elite Ironman triathlete is working harder than any human in the history of humanity! This increases the risk of atrial fibrillation (inflammation and scarring) and CV disease (James O’keefe Ted Talk). These guys training so hard believe they're getting back to their roots, but they’re far exceeding it, in a harmful way, which makes us question the credibility of the paleo and keto diet premise that promises low carb intake of delivering fasting like benefits. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I welcome author and motivational speaker Amberly Lago to the SoCal podcast studios to tell her amazing and inspiring story. Amberly is the author of True Grit and Grace: Turning Tragedy into Triumph. Amberly offers a message of personal potential, acceptance, and living life to the fullest. Unlike the next motivational speaker or peak performance advocate, Amberly comes across as authentic, vulnerable, and overall the real deal. She offers up empowering insights and in the next breath describes how tough it is to use the tools we know we have at our disposal in daily life. Her story is going to blow your mind and give you a fresh perspective about managing whatever challenges you face each day with a little more sensitivity and gratitude. One day in May of 2010, Amberly was coming home from another great day as a personal trainer and fitness enthusiast (hitting a PR for an 11-mile run that day!) and sustained a terrible motorcycle accident. She was T-boned by an inattentive driver, thrown 30 feet down busy Ventura Boulevard in LA. Her right leg was nearly shattered and the femoral artery was severed. Refusing the option to amputate her leg, Amberlyendured 34 surgeries and a severe complication of contracting the dreaded condition of Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome. As Amberly details her story of suffering and recovering, beautiful insights arise from the nuances of the conversation and her speech patterns, so listen carefully! She talks about how her husband’s support carried her through the dark times, and came in different forms—including setting her straight when she was complaining too much. She talks about the “toolbox” she has developed to deal with her chronic pain and other life challenges, which consists of keeping physical, mental, and spiritually fit each day. She realizes that the chronic foot pain she deals with to this day serves as a natural governor for her to keep her Texas-tough competitive intensity in check, and emphasize downtime and stress management techniques. Amberly talks about the importance of mindfulness—staying focused on the present and redirecting any “coulda, shoulda, woulda” ruminations from the past, or stressing about the future. She talks about how her morning routine gets her into a healthy mindset to tackle her day, especially the practice of expressing gratitude for three things in your life as soon as you wake up. Amberly offers up some memorable quotes, but in her case, it’s not just a pithy quote, it’s how she really lives her life. “Start where we are, use what we have, do what we can.” Can it get any better than that for direction on how to live a happy, healthy life?! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After getting our gut check at the end of the first show, Tommy keeps the momentum going with some memorable sound bites and takeaway action items for a long, happy, healthy life. Referencing the gut dysfunction that ended the first show, Tommy explains that the body can find other ways to replenish necessary carbs through internal mechanism and reducing your need by becoming fat and keto-adapted. We talk about my successful experiment, inspired by Tommy and Chris Kelly in September of 2017, to start consuming additional nutritious calories to fuel athletic performance and speed recovery. In evaluating my comprehensive test results generated by the Nourish, Balance, Thrive program, along with my complaint of crash and burn patterns (feel great, performance magnificent athletic feats, then drag ass for a couple-few days or longer). Yes, Tommy said you can even eat ice cream now and then! I transitioned from a sustained pattern of fasting until noon or later to starting my day with my Brad Kearns super-nutritious green smoothie every morning (check my someday-viral YouTube video of that name). Tommy inspires athletic types to understand that more nutrient-dense food can support peak performance, general health, and longevity. He theorizes that if you under-consume calories while striving for athletic excellence, you may slow down your thyroid and experience a decline in general everyday energy levels and metabolic function. Granted, if you are carrying excess body fat that you want to remove, are trying to recover from metabolic damage from carb dependency and/or yo-yo dieting, or have blood risk factors like high triglycerides, you may have a greater benefit from carbohydrate restriction to achieve rapid fat loss. We’ve heard in the low carb community how fasting improves autophagy (the natural cellular detoxification process) and that having an efficient metabolism is a longevity booster, but Tommy reminds us that athletes get similar autophagy benefits from endurance exercise depleting cellular energy, and that studies show those with a faster metabolism might live longer. Tommy keeps it pretty simple with the suggestion of eating as much nutritious food as you want without gaining fat. We also learn how the real culprit for body fat accumulation is consuming fat and carbs in combination. Food manufacturers know this can have addictive allure, and have carefully designed most of our go-to shit products to contain both refined carbohydrates and usually unhealthy processed fats. The show ends with Tommy offering color commentary on his delightfully simple and memorable five tips for living healthy: Sleep enough: Make sure you have a quiet, dark environment and avoid excess screen time in the evening. Move more: Lift. Walk. Sprint. Jump. Climb. How cool that Tommy combines all forms of exercise, training and movement together. It’s not about logging your miles or hitting spin class every day, its about an overall movement strategy. Reduce stress: Meditate. Do yoga. Nap. Spend time outdoors. We often neglect this stuff on the other side of the balance scale. Tommy reminds us that stress is subjective (read book, The Myth of Stress). Is a traffic jam stressful, or is it just another great opportunity to catch up on podcasts? Socialize: Put down the iPhone. Have fun with friends and family. Have sex. Remember, Tommy is deep into the scientific research that validates how this breezy stuff can optimize hormone and immune function. He mentions the dangers of lingering in the “cognitive middle gear” that really trips Brad out because he realizes he is messing up this one big time. Eat real food. Simple as that, let’s all tone down the hair-splitting and controversy surrounding the nuances of healthy eating. Both vegans and hardcore keto folks have lots of common ground and that’s what we should focus on. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What an honor to talk with the #1 bestselling relationship author of all time, Dr. John Gray! John’s 1992 masterpiece, Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus: The Classic Guide To Understanding The Opposite Sex, launched an enterprise that is still leading the pack to this day. His 2017 book and the centerpiece of this interview is called, Beyond Mars and Venus: Relationship Skills For Today’s Complex World. Too young to have heard of Mars and Venus? Check this: “Now viewed as a modern classic, this phenomenal book has helped men and women realize how different they can be in their communication styles, their emotional needs, and their modes of behavior; and offers the secrets of communicating without conflicts, allowing couples to give intimacy every chance to grow.” Over the past 25 years, John has authored numerous sequels and ascended to the highest level of prominence as an author, speaker, therapist, and—most interestingly—scientist delivering cutting-edge insights on how innate gender differences and hormone balances affect relationships. John’s recent work is a real breakthrough because it breaks down relationship dynamics to the hormonal level. It also identifies ways in which we can achieve an ideal balance of testosterone, estrogen and numerous other hormones and neurotransmitters that help us become the best man or best woman we can be—especially in the midst of rapidly evolving cultural roles that make it difficult to stay in balance. After binging on the 10-hour audio recording and conducting this interview, I dare say the experience will be life-changing. You’ll have to listen to a future show with Mia Moore to find out what happened with us the day after the interview! Dr. Gray’s insights cover the stuff underneath the dysfunctional patterns that we get stuck in, the frustration and confusion of not being able to understand or connect with our partners, and the cultural prevalence for unhealthy distraction (Gray observes how males are addicted to porn and video games, and females are taking antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication in record numbers). One thing is for sure—with John Gray, you are in for a wild ride. This show is incredibly fast-moving and will compel you to read both his first book and current book very carefully if you want to thrive in loving relationships. At one point, John breaks down in describing the difficulty of losing his longtime spouse, Bonnie, to cancer in 2017. Soon after, he goes on an epic binge of profound insights for how men can rebuild their testosterone and feel valued and appreciated, and how women can reawaken their estrogen-dominant, nurturing selves who love to be heard and receive pleasure. This is a challenge because the free and progressive modern culture has allowed us to awaken all sides of ourselves, whereby in previous generations men played the breadwinner role and females played the caretaker role. From his basic premise, John takes us deep into the bedroom, describing how great sex can wash away lots of relationship conflict, the importance of female orgasm for both men and women, and how to have sex for 10 hours (sneak preview of a future book project!). John is an animated guy with a profound gift for analyzing relationship dynamics and telling you exactly how you can succeed, maintain passion and spark, become Soulmates instead of the dated concept of “Rolemates”, and escape from the frustrating patterns and repeated failures that seem to be the norm in modern culture. If you are not absolutely inspired and touched by this interview, email me for a full refund. This guy is a classic! Enjoy John Gray, Ph.D., author of Beyond Mars and Venus. Order it right now- it will transform your relationship. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have a powerhouse session with Dr. Tommy Wood of Nourish, Balance, Thrive where a great many topics are covered that can transform your health. This is the first of a two-part show, so fasten your seatbelts for a wild ride covering a wide range of health, fat burning, and longevity topics. Tommy is a medical doctor trained at Oxford and Cambridge, with a Ph.D. in neonatal brain research from University of Oslo. Of British and Icelandic heritage, Tommy has landed in the Seattle area, where he and his wife both do professor-ish stuff at You Dub, or the University of Washington. He is the Chief Scientific Doctor for the comprehensive health and peak performance testing and consultation service called NourishBalanceThrive.com. This is the absolute cutting edge of progressive health for athletes and anyone wanting to achieve peak performance. The NBT program goes beyond traditional medicine to identify hormonal and nutritional deficiencies through extensive blood, urine, stool and saliva testing, expert consultations, and targeted supplementation. What’s most cool about Tommy is that he is as absolutely ankle-deep into the science of health, metabolism, and longevity as anyone on the planet, but he emphasizes the simple, practical healthy lifestyle practices above all. He did a whole show on the Nourish, Balance, Thrive podcast channel about how owning a dog can significantly boost your health (get outside frequently, engage in spontaneous play). Brucebowen, the regal white boxer seen in the show photo, has received the highest possible honor by the American Kennel Club of being banned from championship dog shows out of respect for fair competition for all lesser breeds. Tommy talks about how positive social interactions help us manage our level of systemic inflammation—a key predictor of disease and demise when it’s out of control. We then talk about the prominent fight or flight hormone, cortisol. Understanding how to manage the chronic stressors of daily life and optimize cortisol is the secret to recovering from training, staying healthy, and minimizing disease risk. Tommy encapsulates this important concept by explaining that cortisol spikes “liquidate your assets,” quoting from a book he recommends, “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers.” During my career as a professional triathlete, I was repeatedly fooled by the mechanisms of the fight or flite response that had me feeling great, albeit bathed in stress hormones on an artificial chemical high where I was liquidating my assets. A wallet filled with cash and credit card bills stacking up. Tommy explains how we respond to stress differently, and how can teach ourselves to better handle traffic jams, work stress, and even training sessions, so the stress impact is minimized. Listen to Joel Jamieson’s podcast about Rebound Training where you can do workouts that nurture the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Tommy recaps his talk at Ancestral Health Symposium where he started with the compelling premise that today’s model of fitness and athletic training are wholly modern constructs that have little to do with our ancestral hunter-gatherer activity patterns. Studies from the modern day hunter-gatherer Hadza tribe in Africa show that they move around a lot but are never plunging into destructive chronic patterns like modern athletes. Tommy also talks about how gut dysfunction is very prevalent among hard training fitness enthusiasts, and how becoming fat adapted can help alleviate the stress on your digestive system caused by exercise. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fitness and biofeedback apps are all the rage at the moment. They can help engage our workout decisions, workout performance and help track consumption of calories and macronutrients. Sounds good right? While they certainly can have their benefits, this show contemplates how being connected this way to your body’s nutrition and fitness needs actually spreads the gap further between your mind/body connection and produces an overly regimented life dependent on various gadgets. While such devices are lovely pieces of technology, on one hand, they also lead to not correctly exercising your most important muscle – your brain! I discuss how some of this technology isn’t even viable for the average user because it’s so sophisticated in understanding your heart rate variability; therefore, such tools are rendered nearly useless to the average user. While apps like the Primal Beat HRV are beneficial for heart rate tracking, this show lets you in on what Mark Sisson thought after using one of the sleep trackers available on the market, and I reveal which gadget, according to The Guardian, is the only tool that actually can improve your health over time. Surprisingly, this device has nothing to do with fitness gains or body fat losses. Any guesses? There needs to remain an elegant balance between the relationship between you and your high tech versus the connection you grow or maintain with your intuition. Let your mind and body be your guide and keep the apps as a learning tool, not as a tool that directs your entire strategy toward improved health. Hope you dig the show! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I am joined with Rick Mouw, the owner of Almost Heaven, who provides one-of-a-kind, beautiful quality, and hand-crafted sauna kits to his customers. Proclaimed as the largest manufacturer of do-it-yourself saunas, Rick is all for creating awareness surrounding heat therapy which comes from sauna use specifically. He stresses that a hot tub is more for relaxation purposes while saunas add a hearty dose of wellness into the equation. The structure is also nicely practical and low-maintenance as a bonus. My guest’s outdoor barrel saunas have an elegant barrel design, and you can tell they were made with love. My intention is not to sound like a salesman with this show but to provide you with the new and surprising discoveries that have been made about the insane sauna benefits which many of us weren't aware of previously.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m rapping again like I do on the Primal Endurance podcast! Horrors or cheers? Send your commentary to [email protected]. In this episode, I talk about the often forgotten negative aspects of fast-paced modern life: burnout. Regarding my show about maintaining competitive intensity throughout life and how valuable that is, there is a flip side where an overly intense approach can lead to breakdown and burnout. My old friend Johnny G, fitness celebrity who invented indoor group cycling with his Spinning program in 1995 and finisher of the nonstop bicycle Race Across America in 1989, likes to say that, “only things that are natural and easy to maintain are healthy.” If you enjoyed my show with Dr. Peter Attia, you can reflect on an interesting insight that on the heels of his three-year experiment with strict nutritional ketosis (and 24/7 glucose monitor implanted into his abdomen to generate smartphone app readout.) It’s cool to pursue crazy and extreme goals as I did when I was a professional triathlete, for growth experiences are generated when you push yourself beyond your existing comfort zone and test out the limits of your physical or cognitive abilities. However, you must implement a sensible approach that is aligned with your current age and lifestyle circumstances. Over your lifetime, it’s best to continually recalibrate your goals to keep things fresh and healthy and avoid getting into ruts or burnout situations when your life gets out of balance. People ask me all the time, “do you still do triathlons, just for fun?” No, I’ve been there and done that and I share an epic quote from Arnold Schwarzenegger that I clipped from a bodybuilding magazine 23 years ago (while working with muscleheads at a bodybuilding supplement company, trying to convince endurance athlete to pound the same powder and recover faster.) Arnold was asked in this magazine interview if he ever yearned for the days when he was back on stage, oiled up, the most muscular man in the world? “No.” was his answer! He elaborated that because he was a healthy man, he is able to grow more easily through the various stages of life. Obviously, in his case, pursuing a succession of daunting goals like becoming a movie star (with a crippling accent that they tried to choke out of him at first), and then to enter politics in a major way when he served as the Governor of California. I have thought about this quote frequently over the past couple of decades, as I have continually recalibrated my goals as a parent, athlete, and career person to keep things fresh and exciting and healthy. That said, is there a risk of burnout when you plunge deep into peak performance goals while you are trying to manage assorted other responsibilities of daily life, and also counting the decades going by. Indeed there is, and we must be realistic with our goals and daily routines to make sure they support health and longevity, but keep us feeling fresh and energized and competitive in a healthy sense. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I visit the beautiful waterfront of Kirkland, Washington to get some breakthrough insights on athletic training and recovery from Joel Jamieson of 8WeeksOut.com. Months prior to our meeting in summer 2018, my mind was blown by an article Joel wrote on his website called “All Pain, No Gain: Why The High Intensity Training Obsession Has Failed Us All.” In it, Joel reframes our basic notion of recovery from a static activity to something that actually requires energy to achieve. If you envision your weekly energy expenditure in a pie chart, you devote slices to workouts, your career, coaching soccer, whatever, but we must also acknowledge that refreshing brain neurons and restocking muscle glycogen require energy to perform! The harder your train, the more energy you need to devote to recovery. Unfortunately, athletes usually think in the narrow dimension of training hard and then crashing on the couch to “recover,” or worse, training hard and heading to their high-stress desk job to “recover.” What happens when you disrespect the energy requirement of recovery is you get into what Joel refers to as “recovery debt.” Listen to Joel’s show on the Primal Endurance podcast where he details these concepts. Joel brings some more mind-blowing insights to this show when he discusses his interesting concept of Rebound Training. Here again, fitness enthusiasts are compelled to reframe our notion of recovery from inactivity to something perhaps more effective—distinct physical exercise that is designed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and tone down the usually predominant sympathetic nervous system activity. Some more interesting food for thought: Unlike primal humans, exercise and food are no longer inextricably linked. This royally screws up our genetically hardwired dopamine reward system. In short, when we are inactive and eat in modern life, we short circuit our motivation to work out. Joel is a longtime enthusiast of Heart Rate Variability and his new app Morpheus App (find in App store and start using it!) allows you to aggregate assorted training and lifestyle factors, including HRV, to auto-generate a Recovery score. Knowing your state of recovery, you can make more informed training decisions and stay away from the dreaded recovery debt. Here are some examples of Rebound Training: Extensive breathing, stretching, and mobility exercises to get blood flowing without stressing the body; Doing only the concentric portion of a deadlift, then dropping the weight to prevent muscle soreness. Here you get the nervous system activation without the muscle damage; Doing very short intervals (say 10-12 seconds) and then allowing long recovery period (like 60 seconds) where you make a devoted effort to lower your heart rate quickly (Yes, amazingly, you can get better and better a this skill! Work on it in the gym and then you can use the same tips to control your stress response in the traffic jam or workplace). Joel coaches world champion MMA fighters, but every fitness enthusiast can learn to make recovery an absolute top priority and do it the right way. Since recording this show with Joel, I have altered my approach to recovery workouts to integrate some of the rebound training techniques instead of just sit around and wait for my muscles and body to feel better and then hit it hard again. It freakin’ works man! Get outside and move and you will recover faster. Joel is a big-time helicopter pilot so you may get a fun outtake where he is talking about the importance of relaxing and going with the flow in whatever you do, including landing a freaking helicopter on a random mountaintop in the Pacific Northwest, which is one of Joel’s hobbies. After the show, Joel was headed out into the beautiful Pacific Northwest sunset for a quick helicopter trip to Vashon Island. Four hours by car, 30 minutes by helicopter. More time to recover! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s my pleasure to serve as the curator of the museum of healthy living and share some interesting and informative quotes on an assortment of topics, hopping from one to another. First, we cover the most simple and profound dietary advice imaginable from bestselling author Michael Pollan: “Eat food, mostly plants, not too much.” Note his epic follow-up one-liner, which is the importance of avoiding what we call junk food, but what is more literally accurate to describe as “edible foodlike substances.” We cover seven additional details of dietary advice from Pollan. Moving on to one of my favorite ancestral health movement forefathers, Dr. Art DeVany, who says “starve and exercise” to heal damaged cells in the brain and the body. DeVany also asserts that “we are most human when we don’t eat.” Science confirms that we function at highest efficiency when we are in a fasted state, where the natural cellular detoxification process of autophagy is optimized and the process of (desirable) programmed cell death called apoptosis are upregulated. Next, a quick tidbit from Medium.com relationship columnist Kris Gage, talking about the importance of keeping promises you make to yourself in order to build healthy self-esteem. My favorite blogger Seth Godin weighs in with a classically pithy suggestion to “have the discipline to say no to distractions” and fix up flawed systems and dysfunctional self-talk that is holding us back. I share a message from Ben Greenfield where he discusses insights from Robert Greene’s book, Laws of Human Nature. We can aspire to model Leonardo da Vinci and his motto in life of ostinato rigore (relentless rigor.) Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I welcome Dr. Wendy Walsh back for a repeat of her awesome performance on Episode 15 when she talked about her area of expertise, evolutionary psychology applied to modern love. Dr. Wendy brings her “A” game again with an effortless and effusive dispensation of extremely memorable and life-changing insights about relationships, parenting, the future of humanity, and her provocative new podcast called Mating Matters on iHeart Radio. We pick up where we left off at the last show, with the examination of modern mating dynamics, and Wendy describes the attributes necessary to nurture and sustain a healthy, happy, long-term love relationship. It’s a delicate balance between healthy autonomy and sustaining a strong connection. Wendy asserts that “too much autonomy means no intimacy. Too much union means fusion, and that’s not healthy either.” We transition into one of her most passionate subjects, parenting. Wendy points out that “parenting” wasn’t even a verb word until recent years! Wendy counters some of today’s boilerplate assumptions about parenting, observing that many parents are doing not enough instead of too much, and that raising your children should be a priority for that small 20-year window of time when you are on duty. Oh, if you are patting yourself on the back as a hugely devoted parent running around orchestrating a perfect life for your precious superstar kid, you may want to reflect on whether it’s really about the kid, or about your ego—living your dreams through your kid. Instead, Wendy advocates that you should tune into your child, learn who they really are and what makes them tick, and facilitate the pursuit of their goals and dreams. In light of our cultural concerns that today’s kids might become hapless drones of the digital age, Wendy observes that children are extremely smart and adaptable, and they are simply adapting and leveraging the necessary skills to survive in today’s world. And keep in mind that the older generations always think that things are in decline when looking at younger generations Wendy takes a segue to fawn over her celebrity crush, Elon Musk. You’ll realize why this dude comes to mind when you learn the recording location. Wendy says he’s definitely a genius; alas he might not be dateable material. Wendy is ever sharp, spicy and humorous, but we also get deep at times when she reflects on the future of humanity, on how to come from a position of gratitude in daily life, particularly how it relates to not sweating the small stuff in relationship (Check out Mia Moore show, episode #9 “Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff” for more on this critical relationship attribute. Another relationship tip: If you treat your partner like the king or queen they deserve to be treated as, and consider them to be a king or queen in your mind, you will manifest this into reality. Human psychic energy is real, as proven by the work of Dr. Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief (e.g. walking into a conference room and sensing low energy, and arriving to a party and becoming enveloped in the positive energy.) Consider that your brain knows no difference between what is real and what is imagined, so envision an ideal relationship and true transformation is possible. We end with Wendy describing what’s in store for the Mating Matters show, enjoy this blurb: Hosted by psychologist and relationship guru, Dr. Wendy Walsh, Mating Matters explores the secret evolutionary motivation for virtually every human behavior. We are here to reproduce and behind everything is a desire to increase our mating opportunity. Season 1 looks at how concealed fertility has created the sexual double standard, why high testosterone men may be lousy husbands, why religions make rules around sex and how dating apps bio-hack your brain. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Speedgolf mentor Christopher Smith is the greatest Speedgolfer ever, a master of this crazy sport such that he has played countless rounds under par in under an hour. He is the Guinness World Record holder for the best Speedgolf score, 65 in 44 minutes in Chicago in 2005. He came thru under pressure of a film crew to shoot this amazing 68 in 53 minutes at the world renowned Bandon Dunes Golf Course. Christopher writes a thoughtful newsletter at ChristopherSmithGolf.com with commentary that extends far beyond golf instruction into the philosophy of living a healthy, happy life and optimal golf experience. One of his key teaching principles is to “have compassion for your mistakes” out on the golf course. Oh man, during a playing lesson with him one day in Portland, he had to remind me of this idea several times on the occasions of my habitual verbal outbursts after bad shots! Most everything Christopher talks about in the golf context translates well into any other peak performance endeavor in life—pursuing an education, a career, being a parent, or pursuing any healthy eating or exercise goal. Here is an excerpt from Christopher’s recent email newsletter: Self-critic alive and well? I understand, and so does Adam Phillips, English psychoanalytical writer. This self-critical part of ourselves, Phillips points out, is 'strikingly unimaginative' — a relentless complainer whose repertoire of tirades is so redundant as to become, to any objective observer, risible and tragic at the same time: {Phillips quote}: Were we to meet this figure socially, as it were, this accusatory character, this internal critic, we would think there was something wrong with him. He would just be boring and cruel. We might think that something terrible had happened to him. That he was living in the aftermath, in the fallout of some catastrophe. And we would be right.” Ouch man!! Could you say this stuff honors the theme of Get Over Yourself kinda sorta? If you can do it on the golf course, you can have a growth experience that translates into the rest of your life. Ditto if the self-critic is flourishing—what you do on the golf course are character-revealing insights that play out in all other areas of life. A great article in golfsouthwest.com quotes Tobias Schreiber, a licensed professional therapist in Augusta, GA: “Golf and business are both competitive arenas,” he says. “Any trait you see in a person repeatedly on the golf course is probably part of their personality and carries over into other aspects of their lives.” Schreiber identifies a few golf course personality types in the article. See if you can relate to any of these: The Rager: “Rage is an infantile emotion — a primal defense against feelings of weakness,” Schreiber says. “Rageful people are actually age-regressing and acting out frozen emotions. Rage usually masks deeper feelings. Such people are often infuriated at their own sense of vulnerability and inadequacies.” Schreiber echoes another teaching principle of Christopher’s where you want to cultivate an optimal level of arousal and focus depending on your sport. Golf requires careful management of emotions at all times, unlike the more aggressive sports like fighting or endurance racing where you can just floor the gas pedal and excel. Schreiber explains that Ragers tend to do the same things, particularly to subordinates. The Obsessor: Instead of outbursts, the obsessor internalizes things. Schreiber says, “They are not living in real time. Instead of shaking off a bad shot and moving on, obsessors tend to replay it again and again in their minds, chastising themselves for poor performance in a kind of mental self-flagellation. They focus on the negative. Golfers who ruminate about their play are likely to micromanage in a business environment. They don’t like to delegate because they fear no one can do the job right.” The Sulker: “Sulkers don’t have a healthy view of themselves in relation to the natural frustrations of life. They tend to feel persecuted by the same minor problems that plague us all,” Mr. Schreiber says. “They exaggerate the importance of small things and focus on the negative. Sulkers really want sympathy and nurturing, but their behavior actually has the opposite effect. It pushes people away. This means they are fixated on the end results rather than enjoying the course, the camaraderie, and the weather. Golf, for them, becomes just another stressor.” Here are some questions from Christopher as it pertains to your efforts on the golf course, or any other peak performance endeavor really: 1. Did you do your very best (no - not just try - DO)? Plan, focus as befits you, and give it your all? Or, did you go at it half-assedly, 'hoping' the ball and the round were going to mythically cooperate? 2. Did you trust and follow your gut, your instinct, your intuition - or did you abide by some supposed smarty-pants' rules, regulations & rigamarole? 3. Why do you play the gam

I travel into the beautiful Pacific Northwest summertime to visit a true powerhouse of health knowledge and Internet broadcasting, Mike Mutzel of High Intensity Health. Check out his YouTube Channel and you will experience a stunning library of cutting-edge health content, including interviews with the world’s leading experts in functional medicine, ketogenic eating, athletic performance, and health science. Amazingly, Mike can totally hang stride for stride with his guests that often discuss advanced scientific content—including the popular shows with his chiropractor wife Deanna. Subscribe to the channel and you are getting a college level educt in the health sciences. Mike does a beautiful job weaving some hard-core science into a user-friendly discussion regardless of your level of health expertise. Mike talks his background pursuing a high-level competitive cycling career in Boulder, CO, then getting an epiphany after a serious accident and concussion that he might be better suited as a health educator than a pro rider! After running up against uninformed doctors in his supplement sales job, he started interviewing experts in keto and other progressive health topics, acquiring an impressive content library that progressed to his amazing YouTube channel today. Yes, Mike travels the globe on our behalf capturing exceptionally high-quality video footage of his expert guests. He has plunged so deep into this that he even has a training course teaching you how to produce quality videos! Mike clears up the major misconceptions about keto, especially the mistaken notion that keto is about stuffing your face with fat. Instead, we learn how keto is intended to mimic the health and metabolic benefits of fasting, how ketones are both a superior fuel source and a high potency genetic signaling molecule with profound anti-inflammatory benefits. We get a basic introduction to the world of functional medicine, where the emphasis is not on disease prevention or treatment per western medicine, but on promoting peak function in a holistic manner. This entails looking upstream at the causes of dysfunction instead of treating the symptoms. For example, a 50-ish male with low testosterone can commence a hormone replacement regimen, but if deficiencies and adverse lifestyle practices are present, Mike speculates that you are likely converting testosterone into estrogen. Supplement with more T and you will make more estrogen and get “man boobs.” Mike ends with a surprising emphasis on the practice of mouth taping to facilitate optimal evening sleep by breathing through your nose. Breathing through your mouth while you sleep is no bueno, as the tongue can often obstruct your airway and limit oxygen supply to the brain. Nose breathing, both at night and during the daytime, stimulates parasympathetic activity (the “rest and digest” component of the autonomic nervous system) Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I go off on interesting tangents en route to asking you some important life questions out of Tim Ferriss’s personal journal, as communicated by an excellent article on forbes.com by Benjamin Hardy. Ferriss is going great things with his podcasts, helping us with personal improvement and self-reflection, and landing A-list celebrities that serve to advance the podcast medium in general. For example, Ferriss recently had LeBron James and his trainer on the show, and that started a tangent about how lame it is that LeBron still thinks an egg white omelet is a winner’s meal. Yes, the King and his trainer concur that this is a winning move. Weird because a couple of summers ago there was a big to-do about LeBron going keto to drop some body fat. I guess he’s back to the golden land of egg whites. He also mentioned stretching as the key to his longevity and injury prevention, which I also call into question as outdated. After torching LeBron a bit and discussing how egg yolks are super nutritious, I mention how the Framingham Study and much more emerging science has refuted the decades-long egg yolk/cholesterol scare, and how the true risks for heart disease—oxidation and inflammation are caused by high carbohydrate, high insulin eating patterns, chronic exercise, insufficient sleep, and general overly stressful lifestyle patterns. Then I get to the centerpiece of this show, Hardy’s article about Ferriss’s journaling exercises. The article describes how Ferriss’s recent early midlife crisis/reflection time led him to journal important questions for all of us to ask ourselves about the direction and purpose of our lives. Along the way, I give another plug for my daily morning cold plunge, explaining how making this ritual a habit helps build focus and resilience in other areas of life (hopefully including disciplined use of technology!). This show may inspire you to start journaling to sort things out and empty your brain of clutter. Please play along and ask yourself the questions that Ferriss did. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.