Remove the Guesswork: Health, Fitness and Wellbeing for Busy Professionals

Leanne has a brand new podcast titled Agile Business Athlete!Won't you join us on the new feed? Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOr search 'Agile Business Athlete' on your preferred podcast app.

This week is the final episode of the Remove the Guesswork podcast. Topics Discussed In This Episode:What has been shared on this podcast since it began.Where the archived episodes will continue to be available.The stand-out experts that have been on the show over the years.The project that's coming up next for Leanne and what to expect from it.Where the idea of the agile business athlete came from.The methodology of being an agile business athlete, and the most important step.Leanne's favourite episodes of Remove the Guesswork and why.Why Leanne says she's not going anywhere.When the Agile Business Athlete podcast is being released. What Leanne has enjoyed the most looking back on all the episodes of this podcast.A final goodbye from Leanne for this podcast.Key Takeaways:Over the past four years, Leanne has shared her best thoughts, ideas, guests, and over 271 episodes.Leanne is coming out with a new show called the Agile Business Athlete Show which will be season-based. It launches in January 2022.We can learn a lot from athletes because even though they are high-performing individuals, they don't get burnt out.Being planned out, prepared, and performance focused as an athlete can help you be your best self in all areas of your life. Recovery is the last but most important part of being a business athlete.Addiction comes in all shapes and forms and can manifest itself in many different ways. Leanne did a great episode on this previously with consultant psychiatrist Dr. Alberto Pertusa.Experienced listeners may have their own favourite episodes, which they are welcome to share.Over the four years of doing this podcast, Leanne herself has grown so much. Her interviewing has improved and her attitudes toward well-being have changed too.Action Steps:If you want to check out Leanne's six favourite episodes, listen to...1.   The episode with Tristan Gooley, author of Natural Navigator.2.   The episode with Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Alberto Pertusa.3.   The episode with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia.4.   The episode with Sober Fish Dawn Comolly called “The Rise of the Sober Curious”.5.   The episode that documents Leanne's Arctic Circle race. 6.   The episode about surviving the highlands during a challenging 5-day course. Leanne said:“I've had a look back, and there is so much there. I mean recovery, resilience, fitness, sleep, mental health, energy, nutrition, connection, biohacks, technology, science. So much there with some incredible experts as well.” “We've been very grateful to have you on the end of the mic, as it were, listening. Podcasting is a great thing to do, a really fun thing to do, and I've enjoyed it immensely.”Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/survival-in-the-highlands-an-epic-adventure-with-leanne-spencer/https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/taking-part-in-the-worlds-toughest-ski-race-the-arctic-circle-race/https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/the-rise-of-the-sober-curious-with-the-sober-fish-dawn-comolly/https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/natural-navigation-the-beautiful-art-and-science-of-being-able-to-shape-your-journey-with-tristan-gooley/https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/discussing-alcohol-dependency-addiction-adhd-anxiety-dopamine-and-much-more-with-one-of-londons-leading-psychiatrists-dr-alberto-pertusa-bonus-episode/https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/creating-a-culture-of-empathy-and-engagement-in-business/Leanne's TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're talking about resilience and your discomfort zone. Topics Discussed In This Episode:A little about Evy Poumpouras and her book “Becoming Bulletproof.”How a bulletproof vest is made and why malleability is its strength.The types of events that may test our resilience.Why people are becoming increasingly interested in extreme events and activities.Who Leanne interviewed recently and why.Why it's important to test ourselves physically and mentally.The types of activity Leanne will do to build resilience daily, monthly, and yearly. Leanne's survival experience in the Scottish Highlands and the important skills those types of experiences teach you.Why low moments are normal when you're challenging yourself and getting outside your comfort zone.What challenging yourself could look like outside of physical activity or sports.How building resilience is a constant evolution.Key Takeaways:Leanne heard Evy Poumpouras (author, writer, speaker, and former Secret Service agent) talk about how being bulletproof relates to resilience.Our experiences layer on us much the same way that the fibres of a bulletproof vest are layered to make it impenetrable.There has been an increased interest in extreme, strenuous activities. Next year Leanne will be going to do an SAS simulated selection weekend.One some level, we as humans want to go back to a time when things were more difficult because we aren't testing ourselves physically as much anymore.Leanne likes to plan things daily, weekly, and monthly to help build her own resilience.When you put yourself in difficult situations, you get used to doing hard things, and this is an important skill to have.One thing Leanne learned in her survival trip in the Scottish Highlands is whether things or edible or “deadible,” meaning if you should eat them or not.Challenging yourself isn't always about pushing your physical limits. It may look like learning something new, or simply putting yourself out there if you're single.Building resilience helps us lift the watermark for what we can withstand and endure. Once we've gone through a great challenge, our other struggles become easier.Action Steps:These are the ways in which you could consider challenging yourself to build resilience:1.   Engaging in difficult physical activities or events.2.   Learning a new language or instrument.3.   Getting out of your comfort zone and meeting new people or potential partners. Leanne said:“We desperately want to go back to when times were harder, physically and mentally harder. I think some of us want to really test ourselves. We don't get tested in the ways that we used to in ancestral times.” “What do you do on a daily basis to get into a hard place, and practice being there, and getting slightly comfortable being there? What do you do on a monthly basis, and what do you do on an annual basis? Something really big. And it doesn't necessarily need to be a physical challenge, although sport and exercise are often the first things that we look for. It might be about learning a new instrument, learning a new language.”Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:More on the Highlands Flagship Course experience: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/survival-in-the-highlands-an-epic-adventure-with-leanne-spencer/  Becoming Bulletproof by Evy Poumpouras:https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0813LT94M/ Leanne's TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're talking about the agile business athlete. Topics Discussed In This Episode:Key takeaways from the last episode about burnout.How athletes manage to work hard year-round and not burn out.The key thing athletes do that enables them to recover.What it means to be an agile business athlete.How anticipating the events in your life can support your health longevity.What activities you should double down on in preparation for upcoming events.Why Leanne says she prefers to stay ready than get ready.Leanne's three non-negotiables.How to support the degree of focus required in your performance phase.The most under-appreciated aspect of many peoples' life and career.What practicing recovery can look like.The different ways you can manage recovery.What the next step is after you recover.What Leanne will be talking about more moving forward.Key Takeaways:A lot of people aren't giving themselves the opportunity to take their foot off the gas, never giving themselves a chance to hit the brakes and recover.Athletes manage to work hard year-round without burning out because they prioritize recovery, nutrition, hydration, and rest.It's important to note and predict upcoming events so you can gear up for them as they come.Leanne supports preparing by getting ready, but in her own life she prefers to stay ready all year because it's easier for her than starting from zero when needed.Leanne's performance as an agile business athlete includes three non-negotiables: daily meditation, at least 7 hours of sleep, and a minimum number of steps per day. Many of us are good at charging full-steam ahead and measuring our worth in productivity, and not so good at taking a step back and recovering.Every now and again, Leanne daydreams out her office window, which is a small example of slivered recovery.Don't learn this lesson the hard way: appreciate that backing off beats burnout.There are helpful tools on the website including the Health IQ Test, the Wellbeing at Work Scorecard, and the 12 Stages of Burnout resource.It's all about healthspan, not just lifespan. Action Steps:These are the methodologies of being an agile business athlete:1.   Predict. Take note of the big events you have coming up.2.   Prepare. Double down on the things that are good for you.3.   Perform. Know your non-negotiables and maintain them.4.   Recover. Backing off beats burnout, so prioritize your recovery in a way that suits you best. Leanne said:“It's that methodology, if you like, it's that approach of working ahead and gearing up for those events, performing at those events and then recovering, that keeps an athlete in their careers. It gives them longevity in their careers.” “You'll have your own personal definition of recovery, but it's absolutely the most important step, and it comes at the end.”Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:The 12 Stages of Burnout resource: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/resource/the-12-stages-of-burnout/ Leanne's TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're talking about the different faces of burnout. Topics Discussed In This Episode:Why it's important to know what to look for as signs of burnout.Creating the 12 Stages of Burnout resource.The four fundamental ways burnout can present.When burnout is normal and when it becomes a problem.What passive burnout looks like and how to identify it. The types of emotions that are associated with burnout.The definition of anhedonia and how it relates to burnout.How burnout can impact your healthy lifestyle and motivation.How burnout can impact work performance.How burnout can influence our relationship with drugs and alcohol.The difference between internal and external types of burnout.The types of burnout that are more difficult to spot.Where to find resources to help you identify burnout. Key Takeaways:We have an idea of how burnout presents, but it doesn't always look how we expect.You can find ways of identifying burnout in yourself or someone else in the 12 Stages of Burnout resource, and you can also find action points there too.Burnout can be presented both internally and externally. External presentations are easier to identify because they are more outwardly apparent.No longer deriving pleasure from things you find pleasurable is a sign of passive external burnout.If you're struggling to eat clean and healthy where before you were motivated, you could be exhibiting signs of burnout.Burnout can lead you to miss work or feel like you're not present when you show up.Impatience, irritability, and self-absorption are all signs of active burnout.How our actions around burnout can be proactive but negative.Given the pandemic, it's likely we have all been touched by burnout recently, whether that's our own or somebody close to us.Action Steps:These are the four different ways that burnout can be identified:1. Passive - Internal: weariness, hopelessness, feels of inadequacy. 2. Passive - External: low effort, anhedonia, cynicism. 3. Active - Internal: loss of motivation, reliance on drugs or alcohol.4. Active - External: impatience, irritability, self-absorption. Leanne said:“Don't think the goal should ever be to not experience those emotions. They're human, they're common, and they're normal - providing we don't allow them to dominate or get profoundly worse, or I suppose be prolonged.” “I think everybody has been touched in some way by burnout across the pandemic, across the last 18 months, whether it's somebody you know, your spouse, or you, or somebody within your team.”Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:The 12 Stages of Burnout resource: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/resource/the-12-stages-of-burnout/ Leanne's TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're talking about going from burnout to Bodyshot. Topics Discussed In This Episode:When Leanne realized her career in the city was over.What she became jaded about and how this ties into feeling a lack of authenticity. The Greek myth of Sisyphus and how this relates to Leanne's experience.The amount of alcohol Leanne used just to cope with the stress of each day.What rock bottom actually looked like for her.The two things Leanne has always been interested in, despite her resistance.What Leanne learned during the process of changing careers.Why recovery is as important as training.How coming up with the concept of a business athlete sets Bodyshot Performance apart from their competitors.Why seeing yourself as a business athlete is important. Key Takeaways:Leanne gets asked a lot about her story and her journey, which is why she is sharing it today.Leanne was drawn to the lifestyle, money, and prestige of working in London - until it didn't feel good anymore (lack of fulfillment and authenticity). This lack of fulfillment led Leanne into feeling tired, irritable, burnt out, and self-medicating with alcohol to deal with it.When Leanne resigned from her job she had nowhere to go and nothing to fall back on, but she was free to make a decision about her next steps.Leanne realized she was ignoring the signals her body was sending to encourage her to go in a different direction.Despite the way she had been living, Leanne knew she always loved business and fitness, and combined these two passions by creating Bodyshot Performance.Even elite athletes know the importance of recovery for overall performance.You need to figure out how you can see yourself as a business athlete so you can have health and longevity both personally and professionally. Action Steps:Thinking you might need a change? Ask yourself...1. Do you feel like you're living authentically?2. Is what you're doing fulfilling you? 3. How much resistance are you practicing against your inner physical, mental, and emotional needs? Leanne said:“I walked over the bridge, I got on the train, I squeezed myself into the carriage (ignoring the smell of people's breath and body odour), and walked home at the other side, and stood in front of the mirror and took a good hard look at myself. And what I saw there was someone who was chronically abusing alcohol, at least two stone overweight, and burnt out. It was at that point I realized ‘you have got to do something drastic here.'” “You can't keep encountering so much resistance in your life. I felt resistance in just about everything I was doing, and it's so much energy to pull against that resistance.”Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Leanne's TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're talking about doing something that is meditative. Topics Discussed In This Episode:Why meditative practices are a part of Leanne's non-negotiables.How meditation has an image problem, and what it actually is.Why meditative practices are worthy of your time and attention.The three ways in which meditation and breathwork can benefit you most.What an average resting heart rate is.How it's not always about having time for meditation, but making it.Apps that you can try to help with your meditative practice.The two branches of the nervous system and how we can transition between those states.A recent client experience and why this client felt like she failed at meditation (but didn't really).Examples of various possible meditative practices.What it means to “never miss twice”.Key Takeaways:Some people say mindfulness and meditation doesn't work for them, but often the issue is they haven't found their best way of practicing it yet.The research shows that meditation and breathwork can help stabilize blood pressure.Meditative practices can also help lower resting heart rate.Practicing meditation and breathwork can reduce cortisol in the blood, thereby reducing stress.Mediation helps Leanne feel more composed, calm, and less reactive.There is no one way to practice meditation - all you need is a little bit of time.At night, it's important to be in a parasympathetic nervous system state for a restful, restorative sleep.Leanne has worked with clients who were already using meditative practices without even realizing it.Meditation isn't always sitting with your legs folded and eyes closed. It can include practices like knitting, gardening, and walking in nature.A meditative practice allows you to spend time tapping into what's meaningful and fulfilling to you and is therefore important to your overall wellness.Action Steps:These are the main benefits of taking action and starting a meditative practice.1. Stabilizes blood pressure. Research has shown that meditative practices can help lower high blood pressure.2. Lowers resting heart rate. Meditative practices help lower your resting heart rate.3. Reduces cortisol and stress. Mindfulness and meditation helps remove cortisol from the blood, which also supports a reduction in stress. Leanne said:“It makes me feel more composed, more calm, less reactive. I enjoy sitting with my eyes closed and listening to the sounds of my environment or to an app.” “Everybody should have 5 or 10 minutes in their day where they do something that is meditative. It doesn't necessarily need to be conventional meditation. That's not what I'm trying to sell you the idea of.”Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: More on meditation: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/?s=meditation Leanne's TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're discussing the sleep staircase. Topics Discussed in This Episode:Why we sleep.The amount of sleep most people need to function properly.How a larger emotional load can negatively affect your sleep quality.Why you need to create a strong evening routine.Why temperature matters when trying to sleep.Creating a parasympathetic dominant state.About the autonomic nervous system and how it functions.What is the sleep staircase?Why adults tend to have a broken sleep staircase.Why we need a quiet mind to sleep successfully.Being conscious of what we are doing when we get home/finish work. Key Takeaways:Creating a routine for your evening as well as your morning will help to improve your quality of sleep.The sleep staircase is a way to help your body and mind descend into the state needed for restful sleep.Think about how you get children to sleep. There are steps you follow, play, meals, bath time, and stories. Adults should have similar steps.Pushing yourself in the evening is what causes disrupted sleep. You need to wind down.Make sure you create boundaries between work and relaxing. Bridge that gap.In order to sleep, our temperature needs to feel cool.Experiment with what works for you.The setup of your bedroom doesn't matter; if your mind is racing, you won't have optimal sleep. Action Steps:Here are some steps you can take to bring you towards a parasympathetic state:1. Create a to-do list of what you need to complete tomorrow. Mentally unpacking can help you to let go of the loose threads from the day.2. Change into more casual, comfortable clothing. This is a cue to the body that you aren't working anymore.3. Eat a meal around 3-4 hours before bed to give your body time to digest.4. Clear up and do any last-minute things, like taking the dog out.5. Make time to create a wedge between the end of working and the beginning of your time. What does that look like? It could be meditating, breath work, or anything that helps create a boundary. Leanne said:“I want to encourage people to have a really good evening routine. I think a lot is made of morning routines, and I do believe how you bookend your day has a profound effect on the quality of the day and of your sleep.”“It's a fundamental human need to be connected. Not extrovert and connected to everyone and plugged into all these different groups and stuff, but connected in your own individual, personal way.” Links To Things Mentioned in The Podcast:Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker Sleep by Nick Littlehales Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson Leanne's TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're discussing how your environment affects your wellbeing. Topics Discussed In This Episode:What we usually think about in terms of our health besides our environment.How Leanne has designed her immediate environment to energize her. Pollutants and other hazards to check for in your environment.Why having an energizing environment is important. The role that lighting plays in wellbeing. How you can arrange your space to promote a higher degree of movement.Aspects of your greater outside environment that can impact your health.The best times to take your daily walk.What circumstances may push you to consider moving. Why it's important to do meaningful work.The environment you actually spend the most time in. Key Takeaways:Energizing your immediate physical environment, such as your office or rooms in your home, can support your overall wellbeing.Lighting is also important for energy and should be considered when focusing on your environment.Avoid overdoing it in terms of comfort in your immediate physical environment to promote movement.Your outside environment is as important as the inside environments you live in, so take a drive, get some fresh air, and be outside as often as possible.Leanne is taking part in an accelerator program, and she finds the group to be challenging and inspiring. Social interactions that stimulate you intellectually are important.Feeling connected to people is a fundamental human need.It's important to have some time for imagination and escapism in your own mind, but also to do so within limits.Environment is one of the more underappreciated aspects of wellbeing.Action Steps:Here are the environments you can consider making changes to for your wellbeing:1. Immediate physical environment: the rooms you spend the most time in, such as your office or rooms in your home.2. Outside environment: the environment in your local area.3. Community environment: the people you surround yourself with, such as friends and family.4. Social environment: extended community environment which includes all the people and communities you interact with.5. Mental environment: the environment of your own mind. Leanne said:“We often think about nutrition, sleep, fitness, movement, mental health, resilience, but we don't always take into account our literal immediate environment.” “If you live in an area that's heavily polluted, can you consider making a move? Or perhaps you consider getting out every now and then, whether that's a drive to the countryside or a drive down to the coast. Be mindful of the air quality you live in, because that can really affect our health.”Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Access more environment related content here: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/?s=environment Move Your DNA podcast by Katy Bowman: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/move-your-dna-with-katy-bowman/id894200695 Leanne's TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're discussing how mirrors may be ruining our lives. Topics Discussed In This Episode:A story about the time Leanne went to an acrobat show and what she noticed.Why we need to change the way we look at fitness.How judging our bodies makes us feel and what the data says.How the messaging we receive from society influences our view of self.The way we use social media to present a false image and why it's harmful.What we should emphasize over aesthetics.Reasons why what we can do with our bodies is much more important than how we look.The tweet that got Leanne thinking about why fitness is more important than weight.Examples of what functional fitness looks like.The different types of strengths we have that we can focus on.Why you should get outside to get your movement in whenever you can.What about our bodies is in our control and what isn't.Key Takeaways:Even professional acrobats with similar strength abilities have diverse bodies.We put far too much focus on the aesthetics of fitness and not enough on functional abilities.The average British woman spends 17 years of her life on a diet.Children as young as three express concerns about their bodies.Keep in mind that almost all magazine photos have been photoshopped. If we focus on children's fitness, the issue of being overweight becomes irrelevant.Functional fitness is about being able to meet the daily tasks and obstacles of life.The emphasis should be placed on our strengths - physically, mentally, and emotionally.Movement helps release dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins.Striving for a particular body shape won't lead to happiness because it's not an aspect we can fully control. Action Steps:Here's how to focus less on your reflection and more on what actually matters:1. Remember it's about fitness, not weight. Focus on fitness in all aspects and strive to see what you can achieve. That is the goal. 2. Don't chase body perfection because it doesn't exist. But, you can reach for a high-performing body that can transport you through life in a healthy, fit way. Leanne said:“Publishing things when we feel good is one thing, but publishing an image because we have polished it into an appearance of ‘perfection', well that's another thing altogether.” “Focusing on what we can achieve with our bodies and not how they look is the main message here. Focusing on strength. Physical strength, mental strength, emotional strength. Focusing on that aspect of our overall fitness.”Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Photoshopped celebrities: https://www.boredpanda.com/photoshopped-celebrities-before-after/ Leanne's TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're talking about what makes a business athlete Topics Discussed In This Episode:Why you shouldn't get too caught up on the word “business” in “business athlete.”The definition of a business athlete and benefits of being one.How being a business athlete can improve your personal life.The five things you need to focus on to become a business athlete.How far in advance you should plan your peak events.What the peak events in your life might look like.What you need to double-down on to enhance your business performance.Signs that you may be overdoing it (or under-recovering).Why you should know your non-negotiables and how many you should have. What Leanne's non-negotiables are.What it means to know your “why”.Key Takeaways:It's important to plan and anticipate peak events in your life, just as you would an athletic event.You need to look at the separate components of health and optimize for them to be a successful business athlete.Being a business athlete isn't about being superhuman, it's about accomplishing everything you want to do.You should know what your peak events or “Wimbledons” are (and when they will occur) so you can plan accordingly.People have generally become good at ignoring their body's signals, but getting back in tune is crucial for the best performance.Sleep is a foundation of your mental and physical wellbeing and should be considered a non-negotiable. Performance comes down to purpose, so you should get clear and committed on why you want to focus on yourself as a business athlete.Remember to focus less on your weight and keep fitness at the forefront of your healthy lifestyle. Action Steps:These are what make a business athlete:1. Plan for peak events. Know your events in advance and plan your lifestyle accordingly.2. Listen to your body's signals. Your body will tell you what it needs, but you have to be willing to tune in and pay attention.3. Be clear on your non-negotiables. Know the key things you need to lay a healthy foundation in your day and stick to them.4. Know your why. When you know your key motivation for being a business athlete, it keeps you disciplined to stay on track.5. Don't focus on appearances. Forget about what your body looks like and focus on being healthy in a holistic sense. Leanne said:“A business athlete is somebody who isn't a recreational athlete, but we encourage you to see yourself, manage your health, your fitness, your wellbeing, your mental health, physical health, in the same way that an athlete would.” “I think we, as business athletes, have become very good at ignoring those signals. We've become very good at blocking them out or forgetting how to read those signs, or just plain ignoring them. And the body sends us signals all the time.”Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Healthy Resilient Teams Infographic: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/resource/healthy-resilient-teams Leanne's TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're discussing part two of my blueprint for good health and wellbeing. Topics Discussed In This Episode: A recap of last week's episode. The fitness classes and disciplines Leanne is investing time in right now. Why Leanne finds that Kung Fu has been a great addition to her wellness routine. What Leanne does during her boxing classes and what her Peloton sessions look like. Why animal flow can be beautiful to watch. The benefits of animal flow classes. The importance of variety within your fitness routine. How often Leanne utilizes the infrared sauna and what the benefits are. What the most important part of recovery is. What is actually happening in our bodies when we sleep. The supplements Leanne always takes. How focusing on things that don't have to do with you can support your overall wellness. Key Takeaways: Kung Fu has introduced new skills into Leanne's fitness routine. As you get older, you need to exercise your brain and your body. Combat sports get you out of your comfort zone. Animal flow is a great combination of cardiovascular and strength training. Peloton is a great workout because it combines both exercise and fun. The infrared sauna is helpful for detoxifying the body and promoting longevity. Leanne does daily meditation for recovery for at least five minutes a day. Sleep helps consolidate learning and memory as well as moderate hunger. Human growth hormone is produced while we sleep and is crucial for muscle building. Leanne sleeps for at least seven hours each night. Krill oil provides omega 3, which is important for brain health. Talk to a nutritional therapist before you introduce any new supplements. Leanne is involved in several community initiatives by donating her time and energy to other causes. Your blueprint should be executed with intention. Action Steps: What to consider when thinking about your weekly routine: 1. Are you willing to adapt your schedule? If what you're doing isn't working for you, you should be willing to adapt and adjust as needed. 2. Are you getting enough recovery? Without adequate recovery you may not reap the full benefits of your health and wellness activities. 3. Is there intention behind your actions? Being intentional and goal-oriented will help you stick to your own health blueprint. Leanne said: “I think it's really important to bring variety. I think that's one of the most underappreciated aspects of wellbeing. But also just to continually be throwing new stuff at yourself.” “I've talked about those five workout sessions that I do a week. The benefit of these sessions, all of them, is derived in good quality sleep. So the human growth hormone, which enables, basically, our muscles to grow, that's produced at night. It's produced when we're in deep, good quality, restorative sleep.” Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Omega 3 supplement: https://www.planetorganic.com/products/pure-encapsulations-o-n-e-omega-30-caps Article on personal training: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/if-you-think-its-about-personal-training-youve-missed-the-point/ Link to Leanne TED talk on 'why fitness is more important than weight': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're talking about my blueprint for good health and wellbeing. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Why good health and wellbeing matters. The benefits of being physically strong. Examples of how functional fitness helps you in everyday life. Leanne's four main reasons for creating a health blueprint. The difference between healthspan and lifespan. The importance of maintaining strong, healthy bones as we age. How resistance training is an investment in your future. What a hex bar is and what it's useful for. Why the kettlebell is a convenient piece of equipment to have. How a blueprint provides structure for health. What Leanne is currently using to support strength. Leanne's overall goals and how she's working towards them. The exercise classes Leanne is taking on a regular basis. The importance of variety in your health routine. What to think about when creating your own weekly routine. Examples of bodyweight exercises that promote good health and movement. Key Takeaways: You can use Leanne's blueprint as inspiration to create your own. Gaining physical strength is about so much more than getting stronger, as it can also improve your self-esteem and the way you carry yourself. Being functionally fit makes a lot of things easier like lifting heavy items or carrying your children. During perimenopause, hormone levels fluctuate and a drop in estrogen can impact bone structure and strength. Strength training supports healthy bones and therefore promotes longevity. Making equipment like a hex bar or kettlebell readily available can support you in your training goals. Goals are important for structure and accountability and should be worked into your blueprint. Leanne has variety in her training including resistance training, Peloton, kung fu, boxing, and more. Leanne will be covering more about these disciplines in part two of sharing her blueprint for health. Leanne's blueprint helps her reach her ultimate goals of supporting strength, health, mood, and energy. Action Steps: What to consider when thinking about your weekly routine: 1. Does it meet your goals? You want to create a blueprint that's unique to you so you can meet your specific health goals. 2. Is there enough variety? Your routine should be well-rounded so that you are supported in your health in as many ways as possible. 3. Are you tuned into why you're doing it? Knowing why you're doing something helps sustain motivation. Leanne's reasons are strength, health, mood, and energy. Leanne said: “There's not an easy way to describe how feeling strong feels except that it leads to healthy self-esteem, good confidence, it affects the way you carry yourself both literally and figuratively throughout life, throughout conversations, and throughout difficult interactions that you might have.” “The whole thing's about health, basically. Mood - I'm always looking to get exercise and leverage movement to improve my mood. And energy's a vital one, and I find that fitness really helps to boost energy as well as expend it.” Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Article on personal training: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/if-you-think-its-about-personal-training-youve-missed-the-point/ Link to Leanne TED talk on 'why fitness is more important than weight': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

This week we're talking about what to look for in a personal trainer Topics Discussed In This Episode: When Leanne started as a personal trainer. Your ideal criteria for selecting a personal trainer. When Leanne had a personal trainer. Why Leanne is a big fan of getting a coach or trainer. The aesthetic of fitness versus the substance of fitness. Why a trainer is only as good as what they know. Questions to ask a potential trainer right off the bat. Why communication supports subtle movement. What the animal flow community is. Questions that can help you figure out if your trainer is a good motivator or not. Why you shouldn't physically compare yourself to your trainer. One of the key philosophies at Bodyshot Performance. Why you should consider values and personality when looking for a trainer. Key Takeaways: A number of people on Leanne's team are personal trainers. Leanne is a big fan of getting a personal trainer because there are so many benefits, such as sharing knowledge and holding you accountable. Having a coach or trainer can be advantageous because they can help to inspire and push you. The rise of social media has influenced the way we look at fitness, and we are more aesthetically driven than ever before. Some trainers have aesthetics and knowledge, but we can't assume that. It's important to ask and find out before hiring them. There are many ways in which a trainer could be qualified including reading, researching, learning from others, listening to podcasts, courses, and continuing education. Communication is an important skill for a trainer to possess in order to do their job effectively. Without the skill of being able to motivate others, a trainer's ability to teach and communicate won't matter. They have to also be able to motivate you to do the work. As a trainer, it's important to practice what you teach and use your own lifestyle as a way to inspire others. Fitness is about what it means to you, not just aesthetics or your weight. Get on a call with your prospective trainer and ask them the tough questions so you can get to know their values. Action Steps: If you want to look for a personal trainer, consider: 1. Knowledge. A trainer can only be as good as what they know. Qualifications are important and so is experience and education. 2. Communication. A great trainer should be able to communicate how their client can move their body correctly and effectively. 3. Motivation. Even if the trainer is knowledgeable and a great communicator, they still need to be able to motivate you to do the work. 4. Inspire. Your trainer should live a lifestyle that inspires you and practice what they teach you. Leanne said: “I'm a big fan of getting a coach for things, definitely for fitness as well. It's great if you can do it yourself, but no one will push you quite as hard as a trainer. You'll get new ideas; you'll certainly make sure you're doing things in the correct way if you've got a decent trainer. And hopefully that person will inspire you to continually alter, change, and push towards new goals.” “Basically, what I'm trying to say is go for substance over style. Don't be too drawn to the aesthetic.” Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Article on personal training: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/if-you-think-its-about-personal-training-youve-missed-the-point/ Link to Leanne TED talk on 'why fitness is more important than weight': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

  This week we're talking about consistency Topics Discussed In This Episode: The importance of consistency. The common mistakes that people make to sabotage their own ability to be consistent. What can help you form consistency in any aspect of your life. What consistency is essentially all about. What it means to make something non-negotiable. Examples of what might be non-negotiables in your life. Leanne's non-negotiables. How to create your own non-negotiables based on your goals. What the acronym KISS stands for and how it relates to consistency. They key to creating impact. Why it's important to understand health fundamentals. How to use intersections and merge important aspects of your health together. What stacking is and how to do it. Why you need to have a strong motivating factor. Key Takeaways: There is no great secret to consistency. It comes down to small, boring habits repeated often. Weaving healthy habits into your lifestyle can be tricky because you need the energy, time, motivation, and the incentive. Consistency comes down to frequency and repetition. Understanding your non-negotiables is the key to maintaining consistency in your health and wellness. Don't over complicate your non-negotiables - aim for four max to keep it manageable. The secret is in keeping it simple. Don't get caught up in biohacking and testing. It's the small things that lead to great impact. Intersections, such as merging listening to an educational podcast while exercising, can help you stay consistent and also keep healthy habits fun. Small repetitions add up. Take the moments you have when you can to work towards your goal, whether that's just before bed or while the kettle is boiling. Action Steps: If you want to increase your consistency: 1. Create non-negotiables. Aim for four health non-negotiables and stick to them daily. 2. Keep it simple. Don't over complicate things. Keep your non-negotiables straightforward and easy to execute. 3. Intersections. Try merging important aspects of your health together to increase effective use of your time and keep it fun. 4. Stacking. Don't feel like you have to do it all at once. Meet your goals in small steps throughout the day, if needed. 5. Have a strong motivating factor. Whether it's a drive for greater longevity or a recent health scare, get anchored to what will keep you going when consistency feels difficult. Leanne said: “I'd summarize the next ten minutes with one thing: it's small, boring stuff done often. That is essentially what consistency is all about.” “Little changes, when combined with time, that's what creates impact. That's what creates consistency. So, keep it simple. Keep the non-negotiables simple. Keep all the other stuff simple.” Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.  

  This week we're talking about movement snacking. Topics Discussed In This Episode: A review of the three foundations of fitness. What movement snacking is and why it matters. What a typical day of movement snacking looks like for Leanne. Examples of gentle movement that's great first thing in the morning. What happens when you stretch and why it feels good. When Leanne adopts the second foundation of fitness in her day. How standing up or even standing on one leg can support your fitness. How you can use opportunities like calls for movement snacking. What you can do at your desk to support movement. What a compound movement is. A strategy you can implement for movement snacking in advance. Key Takeaways: Movement snacking is one of the three foundations of fitness. You don't need fancy morning movements and sun salutations. Try simply jumping in place or windmilling your arms. Stretching is great for movement snacking and also releases a nice sensation. Keeping a kettlebell in your office can help with motivation for movement snacking. Making a habit of standing on one leg is good for your core and can help you maintain lower body muscle tone. Taking calls on-the-go (in your office or outside) is a great option for movement snacking and allows you to tackle two things at one. Compound movements, like squats, give you more bang for your buck, so consider increasing those types of movements. It can be motivating and satisfying to plan your movement snacking in advance and check it off as you go throughout your day. Action Steps: If you want to increase your movement snacking: 1. Try stretching and simple movements in the morning. 2. Build movement into your workday. Make standing your default at the office, and keep a kettlebell or dumbbell around and squeeze in movement when you can. 3. Stand on one leg. Try standing on one leg and alternate between them. 4. Take walking calls. Intersect your calls with movement. 5. Stretch at your desk. Use the time you have for a satisfying stretch. 6. Try compound movements. They give you more bang for your buck. 7. Write down your movement snacking plan in advance. As you go throughout your day, you can check them off your list. Leanne said: “The very act of jumping around in one spot is a nice, gentle way to wake the body up, to be honest. It's a great way also to set your circadian rhythm.” “I'll put my headphones in and I'll just walk up and down the office floor, pacing up and down, talking to somebody on the phone. Or I may take the call outside and go for a bit of a walk. Depends if I can live with a little background noise, but that's always an option.” Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.  

  This week we're talking about wearable technology.   Topics Discussed In This Episode: What biohacking is and how it intersects and relates to wearable technology. Examples of popular biohacking technology. The potential for a future episode about testing technology. How Leanne came to learn more about wearable technology. What the Oura Ring is, how Leanne discovered it, and what it does. What resting heart rate means and what a healthy one looks like. An explanation of heart rate variability. Why the Apple Watch is a useful piece of wearable tech and what it can be used to measure. Which data numbers are expected to be elastic. What Firstbeat Life technology is and the data it provides. Leanne's primary objective in gathering health data. What subjective measures of wellness are. Why Leanne is a big fan of wearable tech. Key Takeaways: Biohacking is when we take science, technology, nature, and use it to enhance our physicality and our health. Wearable technology is great for people who love data, but also works well for people who prefer to read the headlines. If you have a high resting heart rate, you will likely not have healthy rate variability. You should know your resting heart rate as a measure of your health, because there's a lot of information you can gather by knowing it. Data compiled from different types of technology can be used to paint a more detailed picture of your health. Wearable technology is useful for ensuring you reach adequate levels of recovery and stress. Wearable tech data helps you back up subjective measures of wellness. Wearable technology should be used to track lifestyle balance and overall wellness. Tech-gathered data can be used to help you anticipate a forthcoming issue or illness. If you get caught up in the data or have anxiety around fluctuating numbers, wearable technology may not be for you. Action Steps: If you want to try out some wearable tech, consider these three options: Oura Ring - a guide for ​​sleep, activity, and nervous system regulation. Apple Watch - heart rate, heart rhythm, and measures of movement. Firstbeat Life - for balancing stress and recovery. Leanne said: “I think we're going to see some huge advancements in wearable technology, kind of at the intersection of wearable technology and biohacking.” “So, put together you get a really good picture of what's going on with the nervous system...And then of course you sprinkle on top of that the very important layer of subjective measures which is: How do I feel? Do I have enough energy to get through the day? Is my mood good, positive, optimistic? Have I got the right outlook?” Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.    

  In this episode, we're covering the foundations of fitness. What are they and why are they so important? There are a few strategies you can easily work into your daily life to maintain your foundations of fitness, which Leanna explains. These foundations not only influence your physical health, but your mental wellbeing too. “This study found that when an individual walked briskly for ten minutes, their overall mood and energy improved for up to two hours afterwards. So, that's a huge return on investment.” Topics Covered Include - Common questions about fitness - The most difficult thing Leanne has ever done, and the conversation that followed - When Leanne first started considering the foundations of fitness - The foundations of fitness that are relevant to everyone - How many steps Leanne aims to get each day to maintain her health - How morning walks can influence your day in so many positive ways - Tips on increasing the number of steps you are able to achieve each day - What current research says about walking - What fitness is really about, and why it's truly important - What movement snacking is, along with its benefits - A trick to movement that utilizes dopamine - The biggest advantages to movement snacking that Leanne has seen - Why sitting doesn't have to be your default position - Ways you can get or make your own standing desk - The negative impact of sitting after 30 minutes - The greatest compliment you can pay the podcast Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You'll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you enjoy what you hear, don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.  

Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Announcements: Wellbeing at Work Scorecard - https://wellbeing-at-work.scoreapp.com/ As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you've enjoyed what you've heard on this episode and it has added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the episode: Leanne's TEDx talk More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne Spencer Rise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Announcements: Wellbeing at Work Scorecard - https://wellbeing-at-work.scoreapp.com/ As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you've enjoyed what you've heard on this episode and it has added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the episode: Podcast on oxytocin: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/what-is-oxytocin/ Register for our free Burnout at Work webinar at 11am on Thursday 24th June - https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/upcoming-events/burnout-at-work/ LinkedIn post on the Afterburn of Exercise - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/leannespencer1975_fitness-motivation-workout-activity-6787683098034221056-vTTn More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne Spencer Rise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Announcements: Wellbeing at Work Scorecard - https://wellbeing-at-work.scoreapp.com/ As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I'm putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you're interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you've enjoyed what you've heard on this episode and it has added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don't forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.   Links to things mentioned in the episode: Podcast on oxytocin: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/what-is-oxytocin/ More from Leanne Spencer:   Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne Spencer Rise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Announcements: Wellbeing at Work Scorecard - https://wellbeing-at-work.scoreapp.com/ As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it has added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the episode: Sign up here for a free place on our Burnout at Work Webinar on Thursday 27th May: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/upcoming-events/burnout-at-work/ More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne Spencer Rise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Announcements: As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it has added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the episode: Wellbeing at Work Scorecard - https://wellbeing-at-work.scoreapp.com/ More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne Spencer Rise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Announcements: As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it has added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the episode: Wellbeing at Work Scorecard - https://wellbeing-at-work.scoreapp.com/ More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne Spencer Rise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

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How can we be more resilient when it comes to stress? Find out as Leanne talks about this process of “stress, rest, repeat”. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: The business athlete Hormetic stress 3 examples of hormetic stress Exercise Cold/Heat Getting into a discomfort zone Key Takeaways: We need to see ourselves like an athlete does. We need to get ready for big events and double down on sleep, nutrition, hydration, and our overall fitness. And then after going through that period of intense work, we need to rest and recover. As human beings, we were designed to withstand significant amounts of stress. It’s perfectly okay to be carrying a lot around with you and be under pressure providing you get that opportunity to recover. Hormetic stress is fantastic for the immune system. Action Steps: Make sure you give yourself enough time to recover after experiencing stress. Every now and again, put yourself into a position of discomfort. Challenge yourself and see what you can achieve. Leanne said: “Every time you do a workout and you recover and you get stronger, you are essentially adding a little film, a little layer of resilience. So when some life stress comes in, you kind of know what to do with it because you’ve practiced “stress, rest, repeat”. “Consciously and deliberately practicing stress, experiencing a form of stress so that we can be stronger and be more prepared for it next time around As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the episode: Burnout at Work Webinar Sign up for free place on our Burnout at Work Webinar More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Are you doing enough strength training? What are its benefits? Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: 5 reasons why you should add lifting weights into your routine Bone density Body composition Metabolism Injury risk Strength and functional fitness Key Takeaways: Strength training is good for your bone density. When we lift weights, we increase the strength of our bones. Lifting weights improves your body composition because you can change the ratio of fats to water to bone to muscle. A healthy percentage of body fat varies from men to women. Increasing our muscle mass can help balance out that ratio of predominantly fat to muscle but water and bone as well. Muscle is more metabolically active than any other tissue. This means a pound of fat versus a pound of muscle will have a different metabolic burn rate. The muscle will have a higher caloric burn than the fat will. You burn more calories when you carry more muscle mass, so it increases your metabolism as well. That is a fairly significant point in terms of appetite regulation and body weight management. The more musculature we have, the better we hold our skeleton together. Action Steps: Include strength training in your workout. Consider getting a hex bar. Get some assistance, either through someone who knows what they’re doing or watching some online videos. Just make sure you’re comfortable with the form and the technique. Consider getting online coaching or a personal trainer for guidance. Don’t go heavy and don’t go hard. Ease yourself in. Leanne said: “Lifting weights isn’t about getting bulky with it.” “[Functional fitness] is what we should focus on over and above the aesthetic.” As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the episode: Leanne's TEDx talk on Why fitness is more important than weight More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page   Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Why do people sleep? What do we get from it? Leanne shares her thoughts on this very important activity that we can’t live without. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: The sleep cycle How sleep keeps the brain healthy The role of sleep in appetite regulation Key Takeaways: One sleep cycle is about 90 minutes. Half of that is light sleep. Of the remaining half, one quarter is deep sleep, and the other quarter is REM sleep. Deep sleep is where we get a lot of the physiological adaptations to exercise and cellular repair. It’s the restorative portion of sleep. REM stands for rapid eye movement. REM sleep is where we do our dreaming, memory consolidation, and learning consolidation. It’s a very important aspect of sleep. Sleep gives us an opportunity to repair and restore our body. It also gives us an opportunity to repair and restore our mind. Sleep also serves to flush out the brain of beta-amyloid plaques, thereby strengthening the brain and mitigating our risk of cognitive decline. Action Steps: Prioritize your sleep. Leanne said: “What we tend to see, if you’ve had a very physical day, you may get more deep restorative sleep. If you’re under a lot of emotional load, you may notice that you get more REM sleep.” “[Sleep] needs to be right up there as a non-negotiable.” As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the episode: Link to James Wilson episode Link to Greg Potter episode Link to book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker Link to book Sleep by Nick Littlehales Link to book Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson Link to Oura Ring - Use discount code BODYSHOT for €50 off More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page   Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Are you feeling a lack of control over what’s happening in your life? How is that affecting your wellbeing? What can you do about it? Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: Feeling a lack of control and frustration about the pandemic Tips on how you can get more control and create more spontaneity in your life Internal vs external locus of control Key Takeaways: There are a lot more things that you can control than you think. If you have an internal locus of control, you feel in control of things, that your decisions and your say matter, and that you profoundly affect your life and the direction it takes. An external locus of control is when you don’t have any feelings of power, agency, or control. You feel that life will happen to you and that you can’t change it. Action Steps: Pick out what works for you. Pick out what you think you can tangibly implement rather than trying to absorb everything. Look to focus on what you can control. Have daily goals. Define your non-negotiables. Pick a cause and get behind it. Change your locus of control. Leanne said: “I’m starting to see people’s wellbeing suffer from a lack of control and the frustration about the pandemic. The frustration that we can’t do things, we can’t travel, we can’t see people, we can’t connect in some of the ways that we are designed to and really want to.” “I think we can take such positive messages from nature. No matter what’s happened to you, no matter how upended and uprooted you feel, you will find a way back to the light, you will find a way to thrive again. So hang in there!” As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

What can you do to achieve your goals and your desired outcome? What is the key to getting consistency? Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: The difference between consistency and intensity The corporate athlete Why we need to prioritise recovery more The formula to getting consistency What recovery really means Key Takeaways: Consistency is about avoiding stop-start. It’s about having something that is structured, scheduled, diarised, flexible, adaptable, and enjoyable. You get consistency when you connect it to a particular outcome. A key part of consistency is about being flexible. A common mistake that people make is that they prioritise intensity over consistency, but that’s not sustainable. Intensity can be various things. It can be the difficulty, the duration, the type, or the frequency of whatever it is that you’re trying to do. As individuals, as professionals, we need to see ourselves and treat our bodies and our minds in the same way that an athlete would. Sometimes we need to do less in order to build in more time for recovery. By doing so, we get the adaptations we want from whatever it is that we’re putting effort into. Intensity balanced with recovery equals consistency. Action Steps: To be consistent, be prepared to be flexible and adaptable. See and treat yourself like an athlete. Prioritise recovery more and do recovery-based activities. Leanne said: “I’d love for you to come away from listening to this episode with the view that consistency beats intensity every single time.” “You’ve got to start small, go steady, and get that consistency. That’s what is sustainable.” As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page   Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Has your motivation or enthusiasm for change dissipated? Here are 3 things that you can do. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: What to do when your motivation for change disappears The minimal effective dose Lassoing habits Key Takeaways: The minimal effective dose is the smallest thing that you can do that pushes your health in a positive direction. A succession of small changes means it’s sustainable and helps you to achieve consistency. Action Steps: Start NOW. Do something that gets you back towards your goal. Pair the minimal effective dose with the “start now” strategy. Lasso habits. Leanne said: “What I find really facilitates change is when you get your mental game into things. When you start to feel better, you’ll be more incentivised to do other things.” “If you don’t have that strong motivation factor, I find that quite often things will go by the wayside.” As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to episodes mentioned: Survival In The Highlands: An Epic Adventure With Leanne Spencer Taking Part In The World’s Toughest Ski Race: The Arctic Circle Race Natural Navigation: The Beautiful Art And Science Of Being Able To Shape Your Journey With Tristan Gooley More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

How can we create more space when our world has shrunk quite considerably in this time of the pandemic? Listen in as I share my thoughts on how we can expand our world within our heads and our capabilities. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: Hobbies and projects Understanding what wellbeing really means to you Interacting and engaging more with the world around you Key Takeaways: There are things you can do to improve your mental wellbeing. Hobbies and projects are wonderful ways to get out of your own head and take up more space in a smaller world. Now is a really good opportunity to do some introspection and understand your values around wellbeing. The more we tune in to nature and interact with the natural world, our own personal worlds will open up and we can really start engaging with life at different levels. Action Steps: Expand what you can do by taking up a new hobby or starting a new project. Take some time to reflect on what wellbeing means to you. Get back to the basics and tune in more to nature. Leanne said: “I don’t think we really know what we’re missing and what impact the stuff that we can’t do is having on us. I just don’t think you can see what the storm is like and the damage it might be causing when you’re in the eye of the storm.” “I could probably go quite a while with not optimal nutrition, and I could probably stop meditating, and I wouldn’t wither over the course of two or three months. But one thing that would really get me very quickly is a lack of autonomy.” As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page   Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

What kind of goals should we have in 2021 with the pandemic still looming over us? Listen in as I share my thoughts on goal setting and the idea of never missing twice. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: Goal setting The idea of never missing twice What creates consistency Key Takeaways: An example of an appropriate goal is one around health. That is to avoid COVID-19. If you have a daily goal, if you do skip a day, never skip it twice. Having a strong motivating factor is important to being consistent. Being committed to the outcome or to the “why” of the goal in place is what makes things happen. Action Steps: Make sure to never miss anything twice. See if you can put that to practice with whatever it is that you’re trying to achieve with consistency. Find your strong motivating factor. If there isn’t one, rethink your goal. Is it something that you really want to achieve? Set your non-negotiables. Leanne said: “I think it’s important to have a few objectives and perhaps to have some goals, but to be fairly flexible around them, and not to have too many, and not for them to be too big.” “Have a strong motivating factor… Be really plugged in to why you are doing something. And then achieve consistency with it, which is about having small realistic goals that you are very, very connected to.” Share this episode with anyone who wants to hear it. As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page   Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Are you ready to wrap up the year 2020? Listen in as I share how we’re wrapping up the year and talk about the value of making plans as we look forward to 2021. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: Optimism What 2020 has been like for us How we’re spending December to wrap up the year The benefits of making plans Key Takeaways: The 3 big benefits of making plans: It helps us to feel more optimistic. It opens up our world view. Future retrospection Optimism is good for both our mental and physical health. Studies have shown that people who are generally optimistic have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Future retrospection is making a plan for the future and then reverse-engineering how you’re going to get to it. Action Steps: Be optimistic in any situation. Take a break in December. Take a step back, breathe, pause, and enjoy your Christmas. Make plans for the year ahead. Leanne said: “I always tend to be optimistic about any situation, and I think that does bestow certain benefits. It’s the state that I prefer to be in when looking at any situation.” “I never chase numbers for this game. I’m not looking to get 10,000 downloads a month. I’m looking to create impact and get some sort of loyal following.” We’ll be back on the 2nd of January 2021! As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

How can you improve your mental health and overall wellbeing? Listen in as I share about this thing called heartfulness and why it’s good for you. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: Heartfulness The two sides of heartfulness Examples of heartfulness Key Takeaways: Heartfulness is twofold. One side of it is connecting or reconnecting with yourself by reconnecting with a certain hobby or passion that you used to enjoy and making some time for it. The other side of it is taking you out of self and doing something for something bigger than you. Dopamine and oxytocin are very important neurotransmitters for mental wellbeing. If you can help generate dopamine through an activity that you find rewarding, that can make you feel great. And it triggers a certain part of the brain that makes you want to repeat those behaviours. You get doses of oxytocin when you’re helping others and connecting. It’s not necessarily a physical connection. It can be emotional or intellectual. What do you love that you’re not doing at the moment? What lights you up? Go and pursue that. Action Steps: Make time for a hobby or passion that you used to enjoy and something that really lights you up. Consider volunteering your time for a charity. More so now than ever, think about what kind of heartfulness is in your life. Think about who you can help, who else you can serve. Leanne said: “When we hit our target, every month, we donate money to a charity. And that’s an essential part of our purpose. It’s not just a revenue-generating business. Far from it. Our purpose is to create happy, healthy, and resilient teams. When we do hit [our] target, then we make sure we give back.” “What do you love that you’re not doing at the moment? What lights you up? What radiates heat and energy within the body? It could be something you used to love, or it could be something you’ve always wanted to try or get into, and go and pursue that.” If you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Now that the majority of people are working from home, how does the idea of the digital commute come into play? Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: How the absence of a commute has affected people’s daily life and wellbeing The idea of the digital commute What my digital commute looks like Key Takeaways: A lot of people used the time they spent on a commute to decompress or to gear up and gear down for work. Beyond just getting to and from work, the time that people spent commuting was an opportunity for them to get their head together as well as decompress. The digital commute is people creating time for themselves to have the “commute” that they used to have by simulating their journey to work and use it as an opportunity to get some headspace and think and plan ahead. Action Steps: Do your own version of the digital commute. Do things that fit the DOSE principle: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins. Reverse the digital commute at the end of the day and do something to decompress, so when you walk back into the house, you feel like you’ve had a bit of distance between work and finishing. Leanne said: “Whatever you do, make sure it fits with this principle of DOSE… which is dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins. Something like human touch, human contact, produces lots of DOSE.” “Don’t wait for [your employer] to mention the digital commute. This is something you can carve out of your own time or just have the autonomy to carve out of the day.” If you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

What are the types of stress that we are dealing with, and what can we do about it? Listen in as I share my thoughts on this seemingly perennial topic of stress. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: The types of stress When stress becomes problematic How the body deals with stress Eustress vs distress The effect of stress on the body and what we can do about it Key Takeaways: The interesting thing about stress is that the body doesn’t actually recognise the difference between types of stress. Whether it’s mental, emotional, or physical stress, it’s all the same for the body Human beings are very resilient. We can withstand quite significant amounts of stress at any one time. Where stress becomes problematic is when it is persistent and prolonged. When we are in a stressed state, we are sympathetically driven. But that could be a positive (eustress) or a negative (distress). The parasympathetic side of things is the state we should be in when we are sleeping or when we are eating. Ideally, we oscillate between these two nervous system states -- the sympathetic state and the parasympathetic state -- throughout the day. When you become stressed, the body goes into defence mode or perceives itself to be threatened even though that may not be the case. Action Steps: If you get an occasional burst of stress, get out there and burn that energy. Here are some of the things you can do: HIIT Tabata workout Interval sprints Punches Plyometrics Bring your nervous system down again and help it accelerate the switch from sympathetic to parasympathetic by finishing up with some breathwork, some meditation, or with a cold shower. Leanne said: “There is rarely a moment that passes when we aren’t subjected to some form of stress.” “Stress is stress. And the interesting thing about it is the body doesn’t actually recognise the difference between these different types of stress.” If you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the show: Sign up for our free webinar on 6th November, Lead with Wellbeing More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

What is Oxytocin, and what does it do for you? Have a listen as I share some ways that you can generate it. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: What is oxytocin What oxytocin does What you can do to generate oxytocin in the body Heartfulness Key Takeaways: Oxytocin is a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter. It plays a role in female reproductive functions as well as in different aspects of human behaviour. Oxytocin is quickly produced in the body with human contact. Studies have shown that we get oxytocin as well as relaxation benefits when we have a massage. Hugging also generates lots of oxytocin. Studies have also shown that when you hug a stranger for longer than 20 seconds, both of you will get a release of oxytocin. Cuddling with your pet dog also results in a huge release of oxytocin in the body. Action Steps: Get oxytocin by doing the following: Getting a massage. Hugging people. Cuddling with your dog. Active listening. Focused meditation. Sharing your feelings with someone. Practicing heartfulness. Leanne said: “[Heartfulness] is about doing something for somebody else, for something that’s bigger than you, or a cause that’s bigger than you.” “[Heartfulness is also] about doing something that is all about you. So it may be reconnecting with a hobby, a passion, or a purpose that you’ve just found.” If you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the show: Sign up for our free webinar on 6th November, Lead with Wellbeing More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

How can we bring people together at this time of the pandemic? In this episode, I talk about the future of offsites. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: What companies should be aware of when it comes to bringing people together What you should be thinking about in terms of an individual’s wellbeing The scar tissue concept Key Takeaways: The future of offsites will be outdoors. Airflow is absolutely crucial. It’s a really important aspect of getting fresh air into the lungs and keeping away from airborne pathogens. Almost all of us were shut up in our homes during the actual lockdown period. What we did see is a reconnection with nature. Reconnection with nature is an important aspect of wellbeing. When we get access to natural light, it does a lot of things for us. It can be energising, and you get a dose of serotonin. It is very difficult but not impossible to bond and connect remotely. But nothing quite substitutes that face to face. Action Steps: Get outside and reconnect with nature. Get exposed to natural light. Learn new skills. Leanne said: “I think there’s going to be a huge shift in the way that we’re going to bring people together… In short, it’s going to be much harder to get teams of people together.” “As we get a bit older, we tend to stay with what we know. And it can be really nice to step away from the world that you know and learn something new. Great for self-esteem. Great for confidence. Great as well for team building.” If you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com. If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the show: Sign up for our free webinar on 6th November, Lead with Wellbeing Lost Connections by Johann Hari More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Are you experiencing low mood? Listen in as I share some tips on how to keep your mood buoyant and minimize the impact of those days when you’re in low mood. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: 6 tips to keep your mood buoyant How movement benefits your mood and energy The way my exercise has changed Heartfulness The value of meaningful connection Key Takeaways: Movement is absolutely crucial. A study has shown that 10 minutes of brisk walking a day increases a person’s overall mood and energy that lasts for about 2 hours afterward. The same study has shown that doing the 10 minutes brisk walk for 3 weeks or more improves a person’s overall mood and energy significantly throughout the whole day. Heartfulness is reconnecting with the passion or hobby that you have loved but maybe haven’t had much time for recently, or doing something for someone. Access to natural light helps to generate serotonin. Serotonin is hugely important for mood regulation. Action Steps: 6 tips to keep your mood buoyant Incorporate movement into your day. Exercise. Practice heartfulness. Get exposed to natural light. Get out and spend time in nature. Focus on connection. Leanne said: “I cannot imagine not exercising. Not because of the aesthetic. Because I think it just profoundly underpins my wellbeing.” “I’m used to feeling flat like that, and it’s really beneficial just to sit and work out ‘What is it that actually helps me, and how often can I get that into my every day?” If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the show: Free webinar on mental health - Register now! Gail North & Herbert Freudenberger Burnout Spectrum (The 12 Stages of Burnout): https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-12-stages-of-burnout-according-to-psychologist.html More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer Links to things mentioned in the show: Gail North & Herbert Freudenberger Burnout Spectrum (The 12 Stages of Burnout): https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-12-stages-of-burnout-according-to-psychologist.html More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot PerformanceBodyshot Performance Limited Facebook pageRemove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Are you experiencing low mood? Listen in as I share some tips on how to keep your mood buoyant and minimize the impact of those days when you’re in low mood. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: 6 tips to keep your mood buoyant How movement benefits your mood and energy The way my exercise has changed Heartfulness The value of meaningful connection Key Takeaways: Movement is absolutely crucial. A study has shown that 10 minutes of brisk walking a day increases a person’s overall mood and energy that lasts for about 2 hours afterward. The same study has shown that doing the 10 minutes brisk walk for 3 weeks or more improves a person’s overall mood and energy significantly throughout the whole day. Heartfulness is reconnecting with the passion or hobby that you have loved but maybe haven’t had much time for recently, or doing something for someone. Access to natural light helps to generate serotonin. Serotonin is hugely important for mood regulation. Action Steps: 6 tips to keep your mood buoyant Incorporate movement into your day. Exercise. Practice heartfulness. Get exposed to natural light. Get out and spend time in nature. Focus on connection. Leanne said: “I cannot imagine not exercising. Not because of the aesthetic. Because I think it just profoundly underpins my wellbeing.” “I’m used to feeling flat like that, and it’s really beneficial just to sit and work out ‘What is it that actually helps me, and how often can I get that into my every day?” If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the show: Our free webinar on mental health - https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/upcoming-events/mental-health-return-to-work/ Podcast Episode: Let’s Talk About The Menopause With Author And Expert Ruth Devlin More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

How can we stay active while working from home? In this episode, I share some tips on how to overcome one of the limitations of working from home which is not getting enough movement into our day. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: 5 things that you can do to move a little bit more while working from home What you can do to stay energised Key Takeaways: Movement snacking is the idea of getting in little reps every hour. Action Steps: 5 things that you can do to stay active while working from home Do movement snacking Commit 60 seconds of every hour to movement Turn your desk into a standing desk Leanne said: “ If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the show: Podcast on movement snacking More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page   Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

If we can’t mix in groups of six or more, how does that fit with the return to the office? In this episode, I talk about the challenges that we face with going back to work in the office in these challenging times. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: The challenges of returning to the office What the office will look like in the future Key Takeaways: Forward-thinking companies that want to position wellbeing as a fantastic way of getting employee engagement and retention, directly contributing to the bottom line but also providing a strong competitive advantage, will understand that not everyone wants to come back to the office for many reasons. Whether you come back to the office or not, people need to get together at some point, virtually or in person. The spirit of collaboration needs to be encouraged, and people need to connect. What we might see in terms of the physical office is a lot more meeting space, big open spaces where people can distance but come together, share ideas, and collaborate. There will be smaller regular offsites, more online conferences, and utilization of technology like Slack. We’re going to rethink the way that we collaborate. Action Steps: Redesign office space. Think of other ways to collaborate with co-workers and colleagues. Leanne said: “Space will have to be redesigned to allow people to operate a one-way system as well so we’re not bumping into each other, as well as more collaboration spaces.” “I think we will see more online conferences… You can’t substitute that face-to-face but this is as close as you can get.” If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the show: Webinar: Mental Health: How To Get Your Teams Thriving As We Contemplate A Return To Work on Thursday, the 1st October More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page   Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer