Podcasts about Exercise

This episode is sponsored by AirDoctor. Head to https://AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code FLIPPING50 to get UP TO $300 off today! AirDoctor comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, plus a 3-year warranty—an $84 value, free! Other Episodes You Might Like: Previous Episode - Women's Health Researcher Abbie Smith-Ryan on Protein & Exercise for Longevity Next Episode - How to Rewire Your Brain for Energy, Focus, and Longevity After 50 More Like This - 5 Menopause Fitness Questions You Want Answered Resources: Join Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist® to become a coach! Don't know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra. Leave this session with insight into exactly what to do right now to make small changes, smart decisions about your exercise time and energy. Join the Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group. Connect with other women navigating menopause fitness and get daily tips and support. Ask your menopause fitness coach the right questions, and everything about your workouts — and your results — can change. Hiring a fitness coach during menopause isn't about finding someone who can make you sweat — it's about finding someone who understands how hormonal changes affect recovery, muscle, fat loss, bone, and energy. Menopause shifts recovery, exercise volume, protein needs, and even which workouts can quietly work against you. If you want smarter training instead of harder training, this episode will redefine how you ask your menopause fitness coach.

Today, it's just me, and we're doing things a little differently on the Longevity Podcast. With the intensity of the holiday season winding down, I wanted to take a step back from the usual deep-dives and high-tech hacks to focus on something fundamental—free, practical strategies to help you manage stress. Chronic stress is sneaky in how it accelerates aging, impacts your telomeres, and undoes even the most powerful interventions, but thankfully, there are simple ways we can start to turn things around.   Episode Timestamps: Welcome and episode introduction ... 00:00:00 Immune support with bioregulators ... 00:00:40 Why focus on free stress management tools ... 00:01:54 How chronic stress accelerates aging ... 00:04:32 Stress undermining longevity interventions ... 00:05:13 The importance of nervous system balance ... 00:06:50 Recognizing hidden stress and using HRV ... 00:07:45 When to seek further medical help ... 00:09:46 Recap: chronic stress shortens your healthspan ... 00:10:21 10 free strategies to manage stress ... 00:12:25 Connection and volunteering ... 00:13:15 Break the doom scrolling habit ... 00:17:37 Benefits of time in nature ... 00:20:02 Exercise for resilience ... 00:22:41 Breath work and vagus nerve support ... 00:25:33 Practicing gratitude daily ... 00:31:33 The power of sleep ... 00:34:30 Taking time for yourself ... 00:35:19   Our Amazing Sponsors: Nature's Marvels by Profound Helath - The Thymus Bioregulator helps keep immune response balanced and small human studies in older adults link it with healthier immune markers and fewer seasonal respiratory issues. The Pineal Bioregulator supports your natural melatonin/circadian rhythm—key when schedules and daylight change—so you get the kind of sleep that underpins immune resilience. Head to profound-health.com and use code NAT15 for 15% off your first order.   Fatty15: C15 is 3x more effective than omega-3 and totally vegan. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/NATNIDDAM and using code NATNIDDAM at checkout.   Nat's Links:  YouTube Channel Join My Membership Community Sign up for My Newsletter  Instagram  Facebook Group

The Benefits of Matcha for Women in Menopause: Nutritionist Leyla Muedin discusses the potential benefits of matcha for women going through menopause. She explains how matcha, a finely ground green tea powder, offers higher concentrations of antioxidants, amino acids, and phytonutrients compared to regular green tea. These properties can help support cognitive function, mood stabilization, cardiovascular health, and weight management. The episode also touches on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, emphasizing an anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, restful sleep, and meaningful social connections. Leyla highlights how simple daily rituals, such as enjoying a cup of matcha, can provide emotional grounding and routine for women navigating menopause.

Up first, we hear from Jonathan Gluck, author of An Exercise in Uncertainty. And then Suleika Jaouad shares key insights from Between Two Kingdoms. Aura Frames - Get $35 off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames by using promo code BIGIDEADAILY at auraframes.com  GoDaddy - Get a domain and professional email plan for just $0.99/month at Godaddy.com/GDNOW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. Patti Farris and Dr. Ted Lain discuss their experiences at the A4M Longevity Fest in Las Vegas, highlighting the growing interest in anti-aging medicine and longevity. They delve into various topics including female health, hormonal balance, the importance of exercise and muscle mass, innovations in personalized medicine, the microbiome's role in aging, the rise of peptides, and nutritional insights for longevity. The conversation also covers emerging technologies and products seen at the exhibit hall, concluding with a look at the future of longevity medicine. To watch this an other episodes, be sure to check out our YouTube page Takeaways The A4M Longevity Fest showcased a significant interest in anti-aging medicine.Female longevity and hormonal health are critical areas of focus.Exercise and maintaining muscle mass are essential for longevity.Personalized medicine is evolving with advancements in epigenetics.The microbiome plays a crucial role in aging and health.Peptides are gaining traction in longevity treatments.Nutrition, particularly protein intake, is vital for long-term health.The exhibit hall featured numerous innovative products and technologies.Liquid biopsies are becoming a mainstream tool for early detection.Longevity medicine is increasingly becoming a part of mainstream healthcare. Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice. Content provided in this podcast is for educational purposes only. Please consult with a physician regarding any health-related diagnosis or treatment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma, but my symptoms may be caused by something else, per my oncologistI've been taking acidophilus and eating yogurt, but still have diarrhea for the last five months since taking a round of antibioticsThe consequences of antibiotic useMy carotid artery intima-media thickness shows higher than normal thickness. Should I be concerned?

The benefits of sauna and sunlight during winter monthsApplied Behavioral Analysis in autism treatmentWhat are good supplements to take for HPV virus?

How Women Can Realistically Enhance Their Exercise and Sports Performance as They Age

Dr. Justin Farnsworth is a highly respected physical therapist who emphasizes strength training, movement, and education as foundational tools for managing pain and injury.In this episode, Justin joins me to challenge some of the most deeply held beliefs in modern healthcare - particularly the assumption that pain automatically requires surgery or rest.Justin brings clarity, nuance, and evidence to a conversation that affects almost everyone at some point in their life.Justin and Andrew explore:• Why surgery performs no better than placebo for many common injuries• Which injuries truly require surgery and why elite athletes may make different choices than the general population• New understandings around ACL injuries and how many can heal without surgery• Why belief and expectation are often stronger predictors of pain than tissue damage• Why not exercising is a greater long-term health risk than many feared behaviors• How running can be protective for knee cartilage• How to safely and progressively reintroduce running into your life• How to train around pain without making it worse• And much moreCHAPTERS01:36 The Role of Imaging in Diagnosing Pain02:54 Understanding Degenerative Conditions03:37 The Placebo Effect in Surgery04:21 FAI and Other Common Diagnoses07:48 When Surgery is Necessary09:18 The Importance of Second Opinions24:20 Manual Therapy and Pain Management28:53 Manual Therapy and Its Effects29:23 Understanding ACL Injuries and Treatments35:47 The Role of Exercise in Long-Term Health38:37 Challenges and Solutions in Promoting Exercise45:15 Running and Knee Health54:23 Programming Around PainSUPPORT THE SHOWIf this episode helped you, you can help me by:• Subscribing and checking out more episodes• Sharing it on your social media (tag me - I'll respond)• Sending it to a friend who needs thisFOLLOW ANDREW COATESInstagram: @andrewcoatesfitnesshttps://www.andrewcoatesfitness.comPARTNERS AND RESOURCESRP Strength App (use code COATESRP)https://www.rpstrength.com/coatesJust Bite Me Meals (use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off)https://justbitememeals.com/MacrosFirst - FREE PREMIUM TRIALDownload MacrosFirst and during setup you'll be asked “How did you hear about us?”Type in: ANDREWKNKG Bags (15% off)https://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676Versa Gripps (discount link)https://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoatesTRAINHEROIC - FREE 90-DAY TRIAL (2 steps)Go to https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfreeReply to the email you receive (or email trials@trainheroic.com) and let them know I sent you

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In this episode, I open up about the emotional close to my year, answer your questions about protein sparing fasting, and share what I've learned about metabolic health, stress, and longevity—especially for women navigating busy, high-stress lives. I also dive into my own recent health journey, including surprising bloodwork results, and break down the latest research on exercise for longevity. Join me as I reflect, share practical tips, and invite you to step into the new year with intention and self-care.Chapters:[01:28] Honoring My Pup & Emotional Updates[01:57] Listener Questions: Protein Sparing Fasting[02:26] Beyond Calories: Metabolic Health & Longevity[02:57] Coping with Stress, Hormones, and Grief[03:50] Why I Tried Protein Sparing Fasting[04:47] Reset, Not a Crash Diet[05:58] Building Muscle & Sustainable Health[07:25] Bloodwork Insights & Lean Mass Hyper Responder[13:15] Exercise, Longevity, and Intensity[16:33] Cardio, Cortisol, and Muscle Preservation[19:10] Sprint Intervals & Practical Tips[21:24] Sustainable Wellness & Program InvitationSay Hi to Ciara:Ciarafoy.com @ciarafoyinc Don't forget to leave a rate & review!

Send us a textThis week, we are talking about boundaries — not the kind that build walls, but the kind that help us stay loving, honest, and grounded… especially during the holidays.  In this episode, I slow it down. We talk about what boundaries actually are, where the word even comes from, and why boundaries usually show up right when life feels stressful, overwhelming, or just a little too much. I share a personal story, reflect on The Giving Tree, and explore how boundaries can protect us from becoming emotionally depleted — without shutting people out. If the holidays bring joy and stress for you…If you've ever felt resentful but didn't know why…If you've ever said yes when you meant no…This episode is for you. Quote of the Week  Brené Brown“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.” Citations Brown, B. (2018). Dare to Lead. Random House.Silverstein, S. (1964). The Giving Tree. Harper & Row  Let's go, let's get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

The boss of Corrections has repeatedly broken the law by denying prisoners their basic right to an hour of exercise outside their cells every day, according to High Court ruling. It ordered chief executive, Jeremy Lightfoot to comply or risk being in contempt of court which could result in a fine or jail. Auckland prison inmates complained they've frequently been denied their daily hour of exercise, while Corrections argued staff shortages, safety constraints and a lack of facilities prevented exercise unlocks. Correction's Commissioner of Custodial Services, Leigh Marsh spoke to Lisa Owen.

Recent research published in the Journal, Neuroscience, reports on the effects of physical activity, physical fitness, and screen time on the brain developments of adolescents. We already know that the childhood and adolescent years are marked by brain development, which is according to God's good design. We also know that since we are created as integrated beings, what we put into our bodies coupled with our behaviors influence brain development for better or for worse. Not surprisingly, this new research is summarized by researchers with these words: “Our new findings highlight the importance of an active lifestyle, good physical fitness and moderate screen time for brain development in adolescence.” Parents, we are responsible to steward the development of our kids bodies and brains to the end of their good and God's glory. Are your kids getting outside to play and move around? Are they engaging in sports activity? And, are you limiting their time with screens?

Erin takes on your questions this week covering exercise during personal loss, navigating conversations about weight loss and the age old question; cardio before weights or weights before cardio. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Katy offers an aging reframe: in middle age, you are not “over the hill”—you are actually at the bottom of a valley, and staying strong and healthy means choosing to go uphill on purpose. Katy and Jeannette unpack the difference between chronological age and biological aging, why modern life may be speeding up the aging process, and how movement and exercise positively influence the cellular “hallmarks of aging.” They explore why exercise needs to increase with age (even when life gets busier and energy feels lower), and how reframing discomfort can make consistency possible—so you can extend not just your lifespan, but your healthspan, too.Katy also speaks with Pack Matthews of Ikaria Design (creator of the Soul Seat) about “active sitting” and why our rest positions matter as we age. Pack shares his personal origin story—using floor-sitting and dynamic postures to counter arthritis. They also preview the upcoming Soul Seat Mini for the smaller people in your life and explore its role in dynamic classrooms.Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript00:03:00 — Flipping the visual: “over the hill” → “in the valley”00:04:00 — The Dynamic Collective00:06:00 — Chronological age vs biological aging & lifespan vs healthspan 00:08:35 — What may be accelerating aging: obesity, diet, sedentary behavior, stress00:12:00 — How “biological age” is measured + hallmarks of aging00:18:00 — Why exercise must increase with age: choosing uphill (progressive overload)00:36:00 — Listener question: handedness across humans, animals, and even plants00:47:00 — Interview: Pack Matthews (Ikaria Design) on the Soul Seat + active sitting LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONEDHandedness in Animals and PlantsIkaria Design Soul Seat Instagram Soul Seat Facebook CONNECT, MOVE & LEARNMovement Advent 2025: 24 Ball Exercises to Balance Tech StressJoin Our Newsletter: Movement Colored GlassesFollow Katy on SubstackTry Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA.Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10.Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT. Venn Design: Stylish ball-shaped Air Chairs that encourage dynamic sitting—featuring in our 2025 Movement Advent!Smart Playrooms: Beautiful playroom design and movement-rich equipment—save 10% on monkey bars and rock-wall items with code DNA10.Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.Thoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.comYour Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits 

The Counter Momentum of Spin, with Dr. Franco Musio – Exercise delivers powerful benefits for body and mind, from improving mood and heart health to strengthening bones, boosting cognition, and extending quality of life. This piece explores the science behind movement while challenging common exercise myths that often confuse, discourage, or mislead people...

In this episode of Longevity by Design, host Dr. Gil Blander sits down with Dalia Blander and Eprihm Blander, his parents, who are thriving in their nineties. Gil explores the daily routines, food choices, and mindsets that have kept Dalia and Eprihm active, independent, and healthy well into later life.Dalia and Eprihm share how simple habits like regular movement, home-cooked meals, and a Mediterranean diet have shaped their health. They talk about the power of walking, gardening, and staying busy with meaningful work. Both value strong family ties and regular contact with friends, crediting these connections as key to their sense of purpose. Dalia highlights the importance of curiosity, reading, and keeping her mind sharp, while Eprihm stays engaged by helping with family business and learning new things.Together, they show that a positive outlook, daily activity, and strong relationships are at the heart of a long, fulfilling life.  Episode highlights:[00:00:00]: Introduction[00:01:04]: Episode Overview and Purpose[00:01:50]: Guest Backgrounds[00:02:45]: Approach to Interview and Method[00:03:34]: Early Life and Childhood Environment[00:04:17]: Childhood Diet and Physical Activity[00:05:11]: Influence of Upbringing on Long-Term Health[00:05:35]: Family Longevity and Genetic Background[00:06:23]: Adult Life, Careers, and Daily Routines[00:07:19]: Diet and Lifestyle in Adulthood[00:07:43]: Attitudes Toward Health and Longevity[00:08:31]: Habits Around Food, Sleep, and Exercise[00:09:15]: Stress Management Approaches[00:10:17]: Coping with Health Challenges and Positive Attitude[00:11:37]: Daily Life and Routines in Their Nineties[00:13:44]: Morning Routines and Keeping Active[00:14:19]: Mental Engagement and Cognitive Health[00:14:50]: Dietary Habits and Food Choices[00:15:03]: Sources of Joy and Purpose[00:15:27]: Mindset, Relationships, and Emotional Health[00:16:38]: Social Connections and Family Importance[00:17:01]: Role of Humor, Gratitude, and Curiosity[00:17:35]: Attitude's Impact on Health and Longevity[00:17:58]: Advice for Younger Generations[00:18:43]: Quick Fire Round: Daily Habits and Myths About Aging[00:19:57]: Closing Reflections and Key Takeaways[00:20:25]: Outro and FarewellFor science-backed ways to live a healthier, longer life, download InsideTracker's Top 5 biomarkers for longevity eBook at insidetracker.com/podcast Similar Longevity By Design episodes we think you would love: The Latest Updates in Longevity Research with Dr. Eric Verdin Dr. Andrea Maier—Mechanisms of AgingXPRIZE Healthspan: Revolutionizing Human Aging & Healthspan with Dr. Jamie Justice 

Exploring the Benefits and Science of CBD and Canna Mimetics with Expert Maggie Frank, the national educator for CV Sciences, makers of PlusCBD Oil. She has a deep-dive into the latest updates on CBD (cannabidiol) products, their benefits, and distinctions from THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Frank explains the endocannabinoid system and how phytocannabinoids like CBD can help achieve homeostasis in the body, aiding in stress management, inflammation, and gut health. They discuss the nuances of different cannabis plants, the current landscape of CBD research, and the misconceptions around THC use. Additionally, Maggie introduces some innovative CV Sciences products, including those that do not contain CBD but offer similar benefits through canna mimetics—natural compounds that mimic the effects of cannabinoids. Among these products are a focus-enhancing gummy and a metabolic support formulation called ReShape. They also touch upon upcoming legislation and how it impacts the hemp industry. The discussion highlights the broad-spectrum potential of CBD and related compounds in promoting overall health and addressing various conditions.

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Maggie Frank, the national educator for CV Sciences, makers of PlusCBD Oil.

In this episode, you will listen to a passage in Hindi and we will train you to comprehend it and respond to questions based on it. And through interactive quizzes, we'll help you learn how to say, in Hindi – the sentences like – ‘Do you spend time there with your children?' and ‘I read a book or talk to my friends on phone.' Kindly support us & get access to the transcript of this podcast as well as the detailed worksheet based on this podcast with more vocabulary and weekly Exercise worksheets on Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/learnhindionthego    To take a free trial for online Hindi lessons visit: https://learnhindischool.com Find out more at https://learn-hindi-on-the-go.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Get 20% off Fitness Lab from December 17 to January 2. Take the 2-minute quiz to see if AI-powered coaching can help you adjust your strength training during fat loss, preserve muscle while losing weight, and make smarter decisions about volume, intensity, and recovery—all personalized to your data and goals:https://witsandweights.com/app--How do you train for fat loss? Most people screw this up by making disastrous training adjustments like switching to high reps, dropping intensity, or adding excessive cardio. Then they wonder why their muscle and strength drop.Discover how to preserve every bit of hard-earned muscle while losing fat by keeping load/intensity high, reducing volume (strategically and if necessary), and using auto-regulation to manage recovery when it's your most limited resource.Learn why lighter weights and high-rep "fat burning" workouts destroy body recomp results, how to time carbs for better performance during a deficit, and why HIIT could be sabotaging your strength training and muscle preservation.This evidence-based approach to strength training during fat loss will help you lose fat without sacrificing muscle, maintain lifting performance in a calorie deficit, and come out of your cut looking lean, strong, and ready to build muscle again.Episode Resources:Fitness Lab AI Coaching App - 20% off December 17-January 2, available on iPhone (with Apple Health integration!) and now and Android tooTimestamps:0:00 - Training for fat loss (not fat burning workouts) 2:52 - The myth of high reps for fat loss 5:20 - Understanding strength vs. muscle during a deficit 9:32 - Intensity (weight/load, % of 1RM) and volume 13:12 - Auto-regulation strategies that work during cuts 20:24 - Recovery is your limiting factor 24:10 - How Fitness Lab helps adjust training for fat loss 26:43 - Carb timing strategies for better performance 30:00 - Too much cardio? 33:12 - Simplifying assistance (accessory) work 36:00 - Exercise selection and joint care during cuts 39:20 - Realistic expectations and mindset during fat lossSupport the show

成就感 chéngjiù gǎn – sense of achievement規律 guīlǜ – regular; routine肌肉 jīròu – muscle心臟 xīnzàng – heart控制體重 kòngzhì tǐzhòng – control body weight往上飆 wǎng shàng biāo – spike upward; increase rapidly釋放 shìfàng – release化學物質 huàxué wùzhì – chemical substances好癢 hǎo yǎng – very itchy放棄 fàngqì – give up; abandon舒暢 shūchàng – comfortable; relaxed重量訓練 zhòngliàng xùnliàn – weight training跑步機 pǎobùjī – treadmill社交 shèjiāo – social interaction羽毛球 yǔmáoqiú – badminton選手 xuǎnshǒu – athlete; player奧林匹克 Àolínpǐkè – Olympic Games啦啦隊 lālāduì – cheerleading team人氣 rénqì – popularity抒發壓力 shūfā yālì – relieve stressFollow me on Instagram: fangfang.chineselearning !

Psychotherapist and author Leah Marone joins Mark for a grounded conversation about why so many of us fall into the trap of overfunctioning for others. Leah, whose new book Serial Fixer explores this exact pattern, explains how emotional mirroring and urgency cycles show up in families, friendships, and clinical environments. She walks through the patterns she sees when people try to rescue or fix someone who is struggling and why that well intentioned approach often fuels more chaos rather than growth.Leah introduces practical indicators that boundaries are slipping, including resentment and repetitive conversations where nothing changes. She breaks down what serial fixing looks like in real time, how quickly we jump into problem solving to relieve our own discomfort, and why validation is the missing skill that keeps ownership where it belongs.She also explains her framework of support not solve, a mindset that helps clinicians, caregivers, and families shift away from codependency and toward healthier relational dynamics. Through relatable examples, Leah teaches how to use I statements, strengthen self trust, and approach hard conversations with clarity rather than guilt.This episode gives listeners concrete tools to stop taking responsibility for what is not theirs, communicate boundaries with confidence, and build more sustainable, compassionate relationships in their personal lives and in healthcare.Leah C Marone, LCSW Website : https://www.serial-fixer.com/TedTalk : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVBjI4tNv3sEpisode Takeaways Self Care Is Not a Spa Day- Real self care is a series of small resets throughout the day that regulate your nervous system.Fixing Others Creates More Chaos- Trying to solve someone's problems for them often fuels dependency and resentment.Resentment Signals a Boundary Problem- When irritation grows, it usually means you have taken on work that is not yours.Validation Beats Problem Solving- People calm down when they feel understood, not when they receive rapid fire solutions.I Statements Keep Conversations Safe- Replacing “you always” with “I feel” prevents defensiveness and keeps dialogue open.Urgency Is Often Self Imposed- Feeling responsible for everyone's comfort pushes you into overfunctioning and emotional burnout.Self Trust Requires Reps- Boundaries get easier through practice, not perfection, and discomfort is part of the growth curve.Micro Transitions Change Your Day- Short pauses between tasks help reset your focus and reduce the compounding stress that builds across a busy day.Episode Timestamps03:58 – Meeting the Inner Critic: Why We Judge Ourselves So Harshly05:16 – Realizing People Are Not Thinking About You as Much as You Think24:18 – Why Fixing Others Fails and How to Shift the Pattern25:50 – Boundaries Require Reps: Getting Comfortable With Discomfort28:28 – The Danger of “You” Statements and How They Trigger Defensiveness32:19 – The Hidden Crisis in Medicine: Shell Culture and Silent Burnout33:23 – What Self Care Really Means: Internal Conflict and Rigid Beliefs35:40 – Micro Transitions: How Small Daily Moments Can Reset Your Nervous SystemDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (soundsdebatable.com) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

563. Missing new episodes of Get-Fit Guy? Don't despair - we're bringing you the best episodes of the show. Today, we hear great winter exercise tips from Dr. Su!Warming up before exercise is especially important when the weather is cold. Get-Fit Guy, Dr. Jonathan Su, shows you how to prepare your body for exercise with a proper warm-up in just a few minutes.Find Get-Fit Guy on Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to the newsletter for more fitness tips.Get-Fit Guy is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips.Links:https://www.quickanddirtytips.comhttps://www.facebook.com/GetFitGuyhttps://twitter.com/GetFitGuy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's episode, I'm sitting down with marketing powerhouse Raissa Gerona to unpack how she helped build Revolve into one of the most influential fashion brands of our time. Raissa shares how her career began, the lessons she learned after closing her first business during the recession, and the creation of multiple iconic brands acquired by Revolve. We dive into how influencer marketing became Revolve's secret sauce long before it was mainstream, what really matters when evaluating creators today, and what it takes to take a company public. Raissa also talks about her newest company, Grandist, and how it's reimagining the creator economy by helping people meaningfully connect with the creators they want to learn from. This episode is filled with tips for building a brand, navigating the creator economy, or looking to stay ahead in marketing and business. Enjoy!To connect with Raissa on Instagram, click HERE.To check out Grandist, click HERE.To connect with Siff on Instagram, click HERE.To connect with Siff on Tiktok, click HERE.To learn more about Arrae, click HERE. To check out Siff's LTK, click HERE.To check out Siff's Amazon StoreFront, click HERE. This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.Shopify.com/dreambiggerGet $25 off your first purchase when you go to TheRealReal.com/dreambiggerGo to getcanopy.co to save $25 on your Canopy Humidifier purchase today with Canopy's filter subscription. And look for other Canopy products such as the Canopy Bath and Shower Filter. Even better, use code DREAMBIGGER at checkout to save an additional 10% off your Canopy purchase. Your skin will thank you!Use code DREAMBIGGER at checkout for 15% off your entire order at www.vionicshoes.com when you log into your account. 1 time use only.Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by AquaTru. Go to https://AquaTru.com/Flipping50 now for 20% off (your purifier) using promo code FLIPPING50. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee. Other Episodes You Might Like: Previous Episode - EveryDay Home Health:  How I Wellness-Proofed My New House Next Episode - Questions to Ask Your Menopause Fitness Coach (& Questions a Coach Should Ask You) More Like This: Muscle Mass and Strength Gains After Menopause How Much How Fast? Exercise Recovery After 40: Connective Tissue in Menopause Finding Exercise Motivation After Menopause Resources: The Flipping 50 VIP Membership is now open! Join the first and original exclusively made-for-women in menopause and beyond fitness community. Don't know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra. Leave this session with insight into exactly what to do right now to make small changes, smart decisions about your exercise time and energy. Understand how sleep relates to your hormones, muscle mass and weight loss with Flipping 50 Sleep Yourself Strong. The growing body of knowledge around midlife women's fitness and longevity is in part due to women's health researcher Abbie Smith-Ryan.  I'm thrilled to host her and share a few of the insights from her work. She's instrumental in bringing directly to you from the lab the practical ways you can change your next workout and your routine this week for a better future. My Guest: Dr. Abbie E. Smith-Ryan, PhD, is a Professor of Exercise and Sport Science who leads an innovative research lab focused on body composition, metabolism, sport nutrition, and exercise performance—particularly for women across the lifespan. She has published over 220 peer-reviewed studies and is a nationally recognized leader in sports science, with multiple awards from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Questions We Answer in This Episode: [00:04:28] How has entering midlife changed how Abbie views her own research? [00:06:34] Why do postmenopausal women often need more training volume to change body composition — and how do we balance that with recovery? [00:14:54] Is high-intensity training actually helpful for midlife women — and how do we know when intensity is helping versus hurting? [00:14:46] Does walking really burn more fat — or is that one of the biggest myths in exercise science? [00:21:02] What is metabolic inflexibility, and why do so many midlife women struggle to burn fat even when they're exercising and eating “right”? [00:23:52] Why does protein before exercise improve fat oxidation, energy, and muscle preservation — especially after 40? [00:32:43] What's the one piece of science every midlife woman should understand to immediately improve how she trains and fuels?

Support the ministry and help us reach people worldwide: https://bit.ly/MarinersGiveGet your copy of the 2026 Annual Read: Tozer on the Son of God by A.W. TozerFirst Time?Start Here: https://bit.ly/MarinersconnectcardCan we pray for you? https://bit.ly/MarinersPrayerOnlineYou can find information for all our Mariners congregations, watch more videos, and learn more about us and our ministries on our website https://bit.ly/MarinersChurchSite. FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marinerschurch• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marinerschurch• Twitter: https://twitter.com/marinerschurch• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marinerschurch

Dr Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Henry Buchwald, author of "Healthcare Upside Down: A Critical Examination of Policy and Practice."

Examining the U.S. Healthcare System with Dr. Henry Buchwald: Challenges, Changes, and Solutions. Dr. Henry Buchwald, author of "Healthcare Upside Down: A Critical Examination of Policy and Practice," is an emeritus professor and pioneer in bariatric surgery. He discusses the significant changes and current flaws within the U.S. healthcare system, including the commodification of medicine, administrative bloat, and the decline of the doctor-patient relationship. He explores the high costs coupled with poor outcomes compared to other countries, and Dr. Buchwald's personal experience with the healthcare system. The discussion also touches on the role of new weight loss drugs, innovations in metabolic surgery, and the potential impact of artificial intelligence in medicine. Dr. Buchwald offers insights and potential solutions to improve the healthcare system, emphasizing the need for a return to patient-focused care. And check out Dr. Hoffman's book review HERE. 

An interview with Dr. Jason Karp, Founder & CEO, Coach, Exercise Scientist and Author.For many years, I've been hearing people in the fitness industry talk about how your fitness and your physique is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. And all you have to do is take one exercise science class, and you know that that's incorrect. And how can your nutrition be four times more important than exercise?Dr. Jason KarpInspiration for writing Can You Outrun a Donut?Five components of physical fitnessImportance of nutrition versus exerciseTwin studies on genetic determinants of body mass index Benefits of runningRunning and the human experiencePushing your body to the limitCoaching philosophyAccessibility of runningOutrunning donuts as we ageTips for fitness professionalshttps://www.movetolivemore.com/https://www.movetolivemore.com/bookhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/move-to-live-more@MovetoLiveMore 

Paul encourages Timothy to live a godly life: Exercise is good for the body, but godliness is good for the body and soul What it means to exercise yourself in godliness Why 1 Timothy 4:10 disproves at least one point of Calvinism, and possibly two others 1 Timothy 4:12 - the verse youth groups take out of context Be sure to click every link: Website - https://www.p40ministries.com YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnh-aqfg8rw Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p40ministries Contact - jenn@p40ministries.com Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-6493869 Books - https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Kokal/e/B095JCRNHY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk Merch - https://www.p40ministries.com/shop YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/38267-out-of-the-mire-trusting-god-in-the-middle Support babies and get quality coffee with Seven Weeks Coffee https://sevenweekscoffee.com/?ref=P40 This ministry is only made possible due to your generous support https://www.p40ministries.com/donate For more faith-based podcasts to help you read through the Bible or live a Christian life, visit www.lifeaudio.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Save 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKIPEDIA at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comThis week on the podcast, Mikki speaks to Dr Lise Alschuler — a naturopathic oncologist, professor of clinical medicine, and one of the most respected voices in integrative cancer care worldwide. Dr Alschuler is known for bridging rigorous evidence with deeply human practice, helping people navigate not just cancer treatment, but the long arc of survivorship that follows. Her work spans circadian biology, metabolic health, botanical therapeutics, lifestyle medicine, and the psychology of living well after cancer.Their conversation travels through the evolving landscape of survivorship, delves into what high-quality follow-up care actually looks like, how to integrate whole-person philosophy within a conventional and often fragmented medical system, and what an ideal post-treatment care pathway would include. From insomnia to fatigue, melatonin to magnesium, morning light to meal timing, they unpack the practical tools that genuinely help restore circadian regulation — and why circadian disruption is far more consequential than most oncology guidelines acknowledge.They also explore exercise as a survival enhancer, how to guide intensity safely for those wary of over-exertion, and why maintaining muscle may be one of the most under-recognised cancer-prevention strategies. Adaptogens, botanicals, and supplement selection all feature, with clear insight into what works, for whom, and where caution is needed.They close with a deep dive into insulin resistance, nutrition strategies, carbohydrate restriction, soy, alcohol, processed food, vitamin D, and the broader metabolic terrain influencing recurrence risk.Dr. Alschuler is past-President and past-Board member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and a founding board member and Past-President of the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She has been an invited speaker to more than 350 scientific/medical conferences, published over 27 peer-reviewed articles, been an investigator on 8 research studies, written 9 chapters for medical textbooks, and has co-authored two books, Definitive Guide to Cancer, now in its 3rd edition, and Definitive Guide to Thriving After Cancer. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) recognized Dr. Alschuler in 2014 as Physician of the Year. She also received an honorary degree from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and the Joseph Pizzorno Founders award from Bastyr University in the same year. She was honored with the AANP President's award in 2016 and received the Impact award from the National Association of Nutrition Professionals in 2017. In 2020, she received the Sheikh Zayed International Award in Naturopathy. She holds the rank of Professor at Sonoran University and also retains her rank as a Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Arizona where she previously served as the Associate Director of the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine.For over 10 years, Dr. Alschuler has co-hosted a podcast, Five To Thrive Live! about living more healthfully in the face of cancer and chronic disease. She was the founding Executive Director of TAP Integrative, a nonprofit web-based educational resource for integrative practitioners. Previously, she was the VP of Quality and Education for Emerson Ecologics, a distributor of dietary supplements to healthcare professionals. Prior to that, she was department head of naturopathic medicine at Midwestern Regional Medical Center – Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a JCAHO-certified 95-bed regional medical center. She was also the clinic medical director and botanical medicine chair at Bastyr University. She was on the faculty of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in its early years, helping to establish its botanical medicine curriculum.Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys early morning walks with her two dogs, relaxing outdoor evenings with her spouse, honing her golf game, and cultivating a deeper sense of purpose and authenticity.https://www.sonoran.edu/faculty/dr-lise-alschuler/https://www.drlise.net/work.html Curranz Supplement: Use code MIKKIPEDIA to get 20% off your first order - go to www.curranz.co.nz  or www.curranz.co.uk to order yours Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwilliden

Justin Gregory Briggs, Ph.D., LMFT and his co-hosts discuss exercise. From cardio to weight training, exercise plays a key role in boosting life and relationship satisfaction as we seek to build a healthy body and healthy mind. This episode features J. Ryan Briggs, Dr. Sean Davis, and Joe Wray.

20 DAY REBOOT INFO EMAILS: https://www.strongnotstarving.com/snsinfoAndrew Jackson and the Barbell Logic Team: https://barbell-logic.com/Today I'm joined by strength coach Andrew Jackson from Barbell Logic. We talk about why so many people leave the gym frustrated, injured, or disappointed, even when they're trying hard.We break down the difference between exercise (moving for health and enjoyment) and training (structured work toward a specific goal), why good programming and objective coaching matter, and how unclear expectations can quietly push people toward overtraining, restriction, and burnout. I also share why, despite nearly 20 years in the fitness industry, hiring the right coach was essential for preparing for my recent kettlebell certification with StrongFirst. This episode gets a little nerdy, but the takeaway is simple. If you want movement to support your life rather than control it, clarity matters!Also mentioned, the Strong Not Starving 20 Day Reboot, a free, limited time course to help you feel calmer and more confident around food. Doors open for 24 hours on Friday the 19th. Follow this link to pick up emails going out this week with instructions for how to get FREE ACCESS: https://www.strongnotstarving.com/snsinfoBook a Call with Marcus Here: https://form.jotform.com/240493269367062 Free Strong Not Starving tips and insights ⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://www.strongnotstarving.com/snsweeklytipsStrong Not Starving Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strongnotstarving?igsh=MTBpbnVna2Nyd3hnMA==Strong Not Starving Youtube: https://youtube.com/@strongnotstarving?si=zzmTveIdGUD0omuMWebsite: www.strongnotstarving.com

Many people consider retirement a time when you no longer have the responsibility of working and you focus on spending your time on things like hobbies, travel and time with the family. As much as this can be true for some people, a lot of people still consider working after retirement age for many reasons. If you still actively work after "Retirement", it is very important to make your heath and wellness a priority. In This Episode You Will Learn: 1). Why we labeled this episode as staying active during your work day in "Retirement" and how many people still actively work after hitting their retirement age. 2). Why it can be difficult to take care of your body especially after a long work day as you age into your retirement years. 3). How making sure to take consistent breaks during your day and using that time to rest and recharge will keep your mind and body healthier as you progress through your day. 4). The importance of creating a workspace or environment around you that helps promote your physical and mental wellness. 5). Why it's always best to take time out of your day even if it's only 5 minutes to tend to your physical well being by stretching or exercising. /// We hope the tips and suggestions in this episode are helpful to you or someone you know who is still actively working after their designated retirement age. Making sure you keep your physical, mental and emotional self a priority while staying in the workforce can definitely keep you prepared for what you ask of your body for many years to come. Team MeredithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Martin Picard, PhD, is a professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University and an expert on how our behaviors and psychology shape cellular energy production and rates of aging. He explains that your mitochondria don't just “make energy”; they translate what you do—your mindset and your relationships—into the energy you experience as vitality or lack thereof. He explains how exercise, nutrition, sleep, meditation, and even certain thought patterns and our sense of purpose can charge our cells like batteries. He also shares findings that hair greying is the result of cellular stress and is reversible. This episode links physical and mental ‘energy' with cellular energy and provides science-supported tools to improve your physical and mental health. Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Helix: https://helixsleep.com/huberman Lingo: https://hellolingo.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Martin Picard (00:03:50) What is Energy?, Energy Flow & Transformation (00:07:53) Energy, Vitality, Emotions, Sensory Perception (00:14:18) Sponsors: Helix Sleep & Lingo (00:17:19) “Mito-Centric” View of World, Mitochondrial Energy & Information Patterns (00:25:26) Organelles, Mitochondria & Energy Transformation; Maternal Genes (00:31:12) Mitotypes & Differentiation, Mitochondria as “Social Organisms” (00:36:52) Food & Dysfunctional Energy Transformation (00:40:02) Lifestyle Choices & Interests, Physiological Growth (00:46:39) Pregnancy, Amenorrhea; Illness & Tiredness (00:51:07) Sponsor: AG1 (00:52:29) Energy Transformation & Distribution; Body's Wisdom, Feeling Sick (00:56:27) Tool: Feel Your Energy; Breath & Energy (01:02:31) Flow of Energy; Trade-Offs, Life Purpose & Enjoyment (01:10:15) Biology, Meaningful Experiences & Energy Flow (01:16:27) Sponsor: Function (00:18:15) Inflammation, Energetic Flow (01:20:43) Child Prodigies, Species Lifespan & Mitochondrial Metabolism; Aging (01:28:56) Lifestyle & Aging: Exercise, Fasting; Inflammation, Sleep, Stimulants (01:37:06) Energetic Stress Signals, GDF-15, Cancer, Heart Failure (01:42:18) Genes, Lifestyle & Aging (01:47:54) Gray Hair Reversal, Stress; Inflammation & Aging (01:57:37) Energy Recovery, Sleep & Mitochondrial Function, Stress, Meditation (02:05:16) Tools: Yoga Nidra, NSDR; Pre-Sleep Relaxation, Energy & Restorative Sleep (02:10:58) Diet & Individualization, Clinical Trials; Mitochondria & Nutrition, Keto (02:20:14) Alcohol & Energy Budget; Stress (02:25:02) Exercise, Increase Mitochondria, Overtraining; Resistance & Growth (02:33:06) Sponsor: Waking Up (02:34:41) Supplements & Mitochondria Health, Deficiencies, SS31, Methylene Blue (02:41:31) Energy Flow & Experiences, Balance (02:49:13) Transform Through Resistance, Energetic Awareness, Connection (02:56:05) Food Overconsumption & Mitochondria Disruption; Tissues & Mitochondria (03:01:02) Mitochondrial Health Test; Tool: Ways to Increase Energy; Meditation (03:06:10) Peptides; Fertility Supplements, Urolithin A; Electromagnetic Fields (03:12:16) Acknowledgements (03:14:15) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MAPS 15 FORTY PLUS What is the least I have to do in the gym, as a 40-year-old, to reap the most benefits? (1:18) The effectiveness of the MAPS 15 protocol. (3:05) How we designed MAPS 40+. (4:48) Exercise substations in this version and what else is unique. (6:16) Reach 80% of your ultimate potential with this programming style. (10:24) Why is this program perfect for this demographic? (12:03) Related Links/Products Mentioned MAPS 15 FORTY PLUS 50% half from Dec. 14-20th. Code DECEMBER50 at checkout. Visit PRx Performance for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! ** No code for 5% discount gets automatically applied at checkout. ** Mind Pump Store Mind Pump #2230: How to Optimize Your Training, Diet & Lifestyle After Age 40 Less is more: To build muscle and gain strength, researchers say train smarter—not longer Mind Pump Podcast – YouTube Mind Pump Free Resources    

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter tackles a wide-ranging set of listener questions spanning lifespan interventions, exercise, cardiovascular risk reduction, time-restricted eating, blood pressure management, hormone therapy, diagnostics, and more. Peter reveals the single most important lever for extending healthspan and lifespan, and explains how he motivates midlife patients using the Centenarian Decathlon framework. He discusses the importance of addressing high apoB and cholesterol even in metabolically healthy individuals with calcium scores of zero, how to manage high blood pressure, and how to accurately evaluate metabolic health beyond HbA1c. Additional topics include time-restricted eating, practical considerations around ultra-processed foods, nuanced approaches to HRT for women and TRT for men, and why early and expanded screening for chronic disease—colonoscopy, PSA, coronary imaging, low-dose CT—can be lifesaving. He also offers insights into treating prediabetes, crafting exercise programs for those short on time, and safely incorporating high-intensity training in older adults. If you're not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you'll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you're a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your private RSS feed or our website at the AMA #78 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits here. We discuss: Introducing a wide-ranging AMA: practical perspectives on lifespan interventions, metabolic health, diet, hormones, diagnostics, and more [2:45]; Why exercise is the most powerful single intervention for lifespan and healthspan [4:15]; How Peter motivates midlife patients to prioritize exercise [6:00]; Why lifespan and healthspan should not be treated as competing priorities and how choosing sustainable interventions benefits both [9:30]; Why high apoB deserves treatment even in a metabolically healthy patient with a CAC score of zero [14:00]; Managing hypertension: ideal targets for blood pressure, lifestyle levers, and why early pharmacology matters [18:15]; Assessing metabolic health beyond HbA1c: fasting insulin, triglycerides, lactate, zone 2, and more [23:30]; How to avoid common self-sabotaging patterns by choosing sustainable habits over extreme health interventions [26:00]; Time-restricted eating: minimal effect beyond calorie control, implications for protein intake, and practical considerations for implementing it [28:00]; Ultra-processed foods: definitions, real-world risks, and practical guidelines for smarter consumption [30:30]; How women should prepare for menopause and think about hormone replacement therapy: early planning, symptom awareness, and guidance on HRT [36:45]; Testosterone replacement for aging men: indications, benefits, and safe clinical management [39:45]; Why Peter recommends earlier and more aggressive screening tests than guidelines suggest: colonoscopies, coronary imaging, PSA, Lp(a), and low-dose CT scans, and more [43:30]; Full-body MRI screening: benefits, limitations, potential false positives, and the importance of physician oversight [47:15]; Prediabetes: individualized treatment strategies using tailored combinations of nutrition, sleep, and training interventions [51:00]; Time-efficient training plans for people with only 30 minutes per day to exercise [53:00]; How to safely introduce high-intensity exercise for older adults [55:00]; Timed dead hangs and ripping phone books: a playful look at Peter's early attempts to impress his wife [57:15]; Peter's carve out: The Four Kings documentary about a golden era of boxing [1:01:15]; and More. Connect With Peter on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

Get ready to move your body and hear the Word of God! This REVING the Word endurance training session blends movement with biblical teaching on whole brain, whole body theology. Discover how physical activity activates more of your emotional brain (limbic system), allowing God's truth to sink deeper than just reasoning or information alone. Exercise isn't just good for your body—it's good stress (eustress) that builds resilience and opens your heart to receive from the Lord. Key Scripture: Haggai 2:7-9 (NIV) What to Expect in this Episode: Move to Engage the Whole Brain: Science shows that movement lights up the emotional centers of the brain, helping us process God's Word not just intellectually, but experientially—heart, soul, mind, and strength. Exercise as Good Stress: Physical activity is the healthy kind of stress your body needs, countering the bad stress of life and preparing you to receive God's peace. The Reminder of Rebellion: When we resist God's call (like ignoring our bodies as His temple), He may "give us over" to the consequences—not to punish, but to lovingly win us back and draw us into freedom. God's Promise in Haggai: He shakes things up to bring greater glory and ultimate peace. The "latter house" (our bodies, the Church, the new covenant) surpasses the former in splendor because Jesus, the Desire of All Nations, fills it. This Year's Call: Step into a better body—not defined by size or performance, but marked by God's peace. Let Him shake off what's weighing you down and fill you with His glory. Best enjoyed with: Headphones Your favorite workout gear A water bottle nearby An open heart ready to move, trust, and play again Let's go—move your body, hear the Word of the Lord, and step into the freedom that He's up to something good! Playlist: Welcome Home (Dante Bowie and Naomi Raine) by King Topher & Rave Jesus Come With Me (Satin Jackets Remix) by Nore En Pure Give It All (feat Kevin Aleksander) by ALIPHI Lose Control (feat Kwesi & Mr. Byrd) by King Topher Let God Come In (Live) by Melissa Helser, Jonathan David Helser, & Cageless Birds Higher by Felix, Leiter, LEFTI, & The Melody Men Come Out of the Grave (Resurrection Power) [Live] by Bethel Music and Brandon Lake Let Revival Come (Revive Me) [feat Kevin Jones, Joshua Sherman, & the Emerging Sound] See A Victory by Elevation Worship Help Move the Mission Forward! Your gift brings healing and hope (and episodes like today!) to communities worldwide—from Boston to Botswana!

How can you be more relaxed about your writing process? What are some specific ways to take the pressure off your art and help you enjoy the creative journey? With Joanna Penn and Mark Leslie Lefebvre. In the intro, Spotify 2025 audiobook trends; Audible + BookTok; NonFiction Authors Guide to SubStack; OpenAI and Disney agreement on Sora; India AI licensing; Business for Authors January webinars; Mark and Jo over the years Mark Leslie LeFebvre is the author of horror and paranormal fiction, as well as nonfiction books for authors. He's also an editor, professional speaker, and the Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. Mark and Jo co-wrote The Relaxed Author in 2021. You can listen to us talk about the process here. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights, and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why the ‘relaxed' author Write what you love Write at your own pace Write in a series (if you want to) Schedule time to fill the creative well and for rest and relaxation Improve your writing process — but only if it fits with your lifestyle You can find The Relaxed Author: Take the Pressure Off Your Art and Enjoy the Creative Journey on CreativePennBooks.com as well as on your favorite online store or audiobook platform, or order in your library or bookstore. You can find Mark Leslie Lefebvre and his books and podcast at Stark Reflections.ca Why the ‘relaxed' author? Joanna: The definition of relaxed is “free from tension and anxiety,” from the Latin laxus, meaning loose, and to be honest, I am not a relaxed or laid-back person in the broader sense. Back in my teens, my nickname at school was Highly Stressed. I'm a Type A personality, driven by deadlines and achieving goals. I love to work and I burned out multiple times in my previous career as an IT consultant. If we go away on a trip, I pack the schedule with back-to-back cultural things like museums and art galleries to help my book research. Or we go on adventure holidays with a clear goal, like cycling down the South-West coast of India. I can't even go for a long walk without training for another ultra-marathon! So I am not a relaxed person — but I am a relaxed author. If I wanted to spend most of my time doing something that made me miserable, I would go back to my old day job in consulting. I was paid well and worked fewer hours overall. But I measure my life by what I create, and if I am not working on a creative project, I am not able to truly relax in my downtime. There are always more things I want to learn and write about, always more stories to be told and knowledge to share. I don't want to kill my writing life by over-stressing or burning out as an author. I write what I love and follow my Muse into projects that feel right. I know how to publish and market books well enough to reach readers and make some money. I have many different income streams through my books, podcast and website. Of course, I still have my creative and business challenges as well as mindset issues, just like any writer. That never goes away. But after a decade as a full-time author entrepreneur, I have a mature creative business and I've relaxed into the way I do things. I love to write, but I also want a full and happy, healthy life. I'm still learning and improving as the industry shifts — and I change, too. I still have ambitious creative and financial goals, but I am going about them in a more relaxed way and in this book, I'll share some of my experiences and tips in the hope that you can discover your relaxed path, too. Mark: One of the most fundamental things you can do in your writing life is look at how you want to spend your time. I think back to the concept of: ‘You're often a reflection of the people you spend the most time with.' Therefore, typically, your best friend, or perhaps your partner, is often a person you love spending time with. Because there's something inherently special about spending time with this person who resonates in a meaningful way, and you feel more yourself because you're with them. In many ways, writing, or the path that you are on as a writer, is almost like being on a journey with an invisible partner. You are you. But you are also the writer you. And there's the two of you traveling down the road of life together. And so that same question arises. What kind of writer-self do you want to spend all your time with? Do you want to spend all your time with a partner that is constantly stressed out or constantly trying to reach deadlines based on somebody else's prescription of what success is? Or would you rather spend time with a partner who pauses to take a contemplative look at your own life, your own comfort, your own passion and the things that you are willing to commit to? Someone who allows that all to happen in a way that feels natural and comfortable to you. I'm a fan of the latter, of course, because then you can focus on the things you're passionate about and the things you're hopeful about rather than the things you're fearful about and those that bring anxiety and stress into your life. To me, that's part of being a relaxed author. That underlying acceptance before you start to plan things out. If the writing life is a marathon, not a sprint, then pacing, not rushing, may be the key. We have both seen burnout in the author community. People who have pushed themselves too hard and just couldn't keep up with the impossible pace they set for themselves. At times, indie authors would wear that stress, that anxiety, that rush to produce more and more, as a badge of honor. It's fine to be proud of the hard work that you do. It's fine to be proud of pushing yourself to always do better, and be better. But when you push too far — beyond your limits — you can ultimately do yourself more harm than good. Everyone has their own unique pace—something that they are comfortable with—and one key is to experiment until you find that pace, and you can settle in for the long run. There's no looking over your shoulder at the other writers. There's no panicking about the ones outpacing you. You're in this with yourself. And, of course, with those readers who are anticipating those clearly communicated milestones of your releases. I think that what we both want for authors is to see them reaching those milestones at their own paces, in their own comfort, delighting in the fact their readers are there cheering them on. Because we'll be silently cheering them along as well, knowing that they've set a pace, making relaxed author lifestyle choices, that will benefit them in the long run. “I'm glad you're writing this book. I know I'm not the only author who wants peace, moments of joy, and to enjoy the journey. Indie publishing is a luxury that I remember not having, I don't want to lose my sense of gratitude.” —Anonymous author from our survey Write what you love Joanna: The pandemic has taught us that life really is short. Memento mori — remember, you will die. What is the point of spending precious time writing books you don't want to write? If we only have a limited amount of time and only have a limited number of books that we can write in a lifetime, then we need to choose to write the books that we love. If I wanted a job doing something I don't enjoy, then I would have remained in my stressful old career as an IT consultant — when I certainly wasn't relaxed! Taking that further, if you try to write things you don't love, then you're going to have to read what you don't love as well, which will take more time. I love writing thrillers because that's what I love to read. Back when I was miserable in my day job, I would go to the bookstore at lunchtime and buy thrillers. I would read them on the train to and from work and during the lunch break. Anything for a few minutes of escape. That's the same feeling I try to give my readers now. I know the genre inside and out. If I had to write something else, I would have to read and learn that other genre and spend time doing things I don't love. In fact, I don't even know how you can read things you don't enjoy. I only give books a few pages and if they don't resonate, I stop reading. Life really is too short. You also need to run your own race and travel your own journey. If you try to write in a genre you are not immersed in, you will always be looking sideways at what other authors are doing, and that can cause comparisonitis — when you compare yourself to others, most often in an unfavorable way. Definitely not relaxing! Writing something you love has many intrinsic rewards other than sales. Writing is a career for many of us, but it's a passion first, and you don't want to feel like you've wasted your time on words you don't care about. “Write what you know” is terrible advice for a long-term career as at some point, you will run out of what you know. It should be “write what you want to learn about.” When I want to learn about a topic, I write a book on it because that feeds my curiosity and I love book research, it's how I enjoy spending my time, especially when I travel, which is also part of how I relax. If you write what you love and make it part of your lifestyle, you will be a far more relaxed author. Mark: It's common that writers are drawn into storytelling from some combination of passion, curiosity, and unrelenting interest. We probably read or saw something that inspired us, and we wanted to express those ideas or the resulting perspectives that percolated in our hearts and minds. Or we read something and thought, “Wow, I could do this; but I would have come at it differently or I would approach the situation or subject matter with my own flair.” So, we get into writing with passion and desire for storytelling. And then sometimes along the way, we recognize the critical value of having to become an entrepreneur, to understand the business of writing and publishing. And part of understanding that aspect of being an author is writing to market, and understanding shifts and trends in the industry, and adjusting to those ebbs and flows of the tide. But sometimes, we lose sight of the passion that drew us to writing in the first place. And so, writing the things that you love can be a beacon to keep you on course. I love the concept of “Do something that you love, and you'll never work a day in your life.” And that's true in some regard because I've always felt that way for almost my entire adult life. I've been very lucky. But at the same time, I work extremely hard at what I love. Some days are harder than others, and some things are really difficult, frustrating and challenging; but at the end of the day, I have the feeling of satisfaction that I spent my time doing something I believe in. I've been a bookseller my entire life even though I don't sell books in brick-and-mortar bookstores anymore—that act of physically putting books in people's hands. But to this day, what I do is virtually putting books in people's hands, both as an author and as an industry representative who is passionate about the book business. I was drawn to that world via my passion for writing. And that's what continues to compel me forward. I tried to leave the corporate world to write full time in 2018 but realized there was an intrinsic satisfaction to working in that realm, to embracing and sharing my insights and knowledge from that arena to help other writers. And I couldn't give that up. For me, the whole core, the whole essence of why I get up in the morning has to do with storytelling, creative inspiration, and wanting to inspire and inform other people to be the best that they can be in the business of writing and publishing. And that's what keeps me going when the days are hard. Passion as the inspiration to keep going There are always going to be days that aren't easy. There will be unexpected barriers that hit you as a writer. You'll face that mid-novel slump or realize that you have to scrap an entire scene or even plotline, and feel like going back and re-starting is just too much. You might find the research required to be overwhelming or too difficult. There'll be days when the words don't flow, or the inspiration that initially struck you seems to have abandoned you for greener pastures. Whatever it is, some unexpected frustration can create what can appear to be an insurmountable block. And, when that happens, if it's a project you don't love, you're more likely to let those barriers get in your way and stop you. But if it's a project that you're passionate about, and you're writing what you love, that alone can be what greases the wheels and helps reduce that friction to keep you going. At the end of the day, writing what you love can be a honing, grounding, and centering beacon that allows you to want to wake up in the morning and enjoy the process as much as possible even when the hard work comes along. “For me, relaxation comes from writing what I know and love and trusting the emergent process. As a discovery writer, I experience great joy when the story, characters and dialogue simply emerge in their own time and their own way. It feels wonderful.” — Valerie Andrews “Writing makes me a relaxed author. Just getting lost in a story of my own creation, discovering new places and learning what makes my characters tick is the best way I know of relaxing. Even the tricky parts, when I have no idea where I am going next, have a special kind of charm.” – Imogen Clark Write at your own pace Mark: Writing at your own pace will help you be a more relaxed author because you're not stressing out by trying to keep up with someone else. Of course, we all struggle with comparing ourselves to others. Take a quick look around and you can always find someone who has written more books than you. Nora Roberts, traditionally published author, writes a book a month. Lindsey Buroker, fantasy indie author, writes a book a month of over 100,000 words. If you compare yourself to someone else and you try to write at their pace, that is not going to be your relaxed schedule. On the other hand, if you compare yourself to Donna Tartt, who writes one book every decade, you might feel like some speed-demon crushing that word count and mastering rapid release. Looking at what others are doing could result in you thinking you're really slow or you could think that you're super-fast. What does that kind of comparison actually get you? I remember going to see a talk by Canadian literary author Farley Mowat when I was a young budding writer. I'll never forget one thing he said from that stage: “Any book that takes you less than four years to write is not a real book.” Young teenage Mark was devastated, hurt and disappointed to hear him say that because my favorite author at the time, Piers Anthony, was writing and publishing two to three novels a year. I loved his stuff, and his fantasy and science fiction had been an important inspiration in my writing at that time. (The personal notes I add to the end of my stories and novels came from enjoying his so much). That focus on there being only a single way, a single pace to write, ended up preventing me from enjoying the books I had already been loving because I was doing that comparisonitis Joanna talks about, but as a reader. I took someone else's perspective too much to heart and I let that ruin a good thing that had brought me personal joy and pleasure. It works the same way as a writer. Because we have likely developed a pattern, or a way that works for us that is our own. We all have a pace that we comfortably walk; a way we prefer to drive. A pattern or style of how and when and what we prefer to eat. We all have our own unique comfort food. There are these patterns that we're comfortable with, and potentially because they are natural to us. If you try to force yourself to write at a pace that's not natural to you, things can go south in your writing and your mental health. And I'm not suggesting any particular pace, except for the one that's most natural and comfortable to you. If writing fast is something that you're passionate about, and you're good at it, and it's something you naturally do, why would you stop yourself from doing that? Just like if you're a slow writer and you're trying to write fast: why are you doing that to yourself? There's a common pop song line used by numerous bands over the years that exhorts you to “shake what you got.” I like to think the same thing applies here. And do it with pride and conviction. Because what you got is unique and awesome. Own it, and shake it with pride. You have a way you write and a word count per writing session that works for you. And along with that, you likely know what time you can assign to writing because of other commitments like family time, leisure time, and work (assuming you're not a full-time writer). Simple math can provide you with a way to determine how long it will take to get your first draft written. So, your path and plans are clear. And you simply take the approach that aligns with your writer DNA. Understanding what that pace is for you helps alleviate an incredible amount of stress that you do not need to thrust upon yourself. Because if you're not going to be able to enjoy it while you're doing it, what's the point? Your pace might change project to project While your pace can change over time, your pace can also change project to project. And sometimes the time actually spent writing can be a smaller portion of the larger work involved. I was on a panel at a conference once and someone asked me how long it took to write my non-fiction book of ghost stories, Haunted Hamilton. “About four days,” I responded. And while that's true — I crafted the first draft over four long and exhausting days writing as much as sixteen hours each day — the reality was I had been doing research for months. But the pen didn't actually hit the paper until just a few days before my deadline to turn the book over to my editor. That was for a non-fiction book; but I've found I do similar things with fiction. I noodle over concepts and ideas for months before I actually commit words to the page. The reason this comes to mind is that I think it's important to recognize the way that I write is I first spend a lot of time in my head to understand and chew on things. And then by the time it comes to actually getting the words onto the paper, I've already done much of the pre-writing mentally. It's sometimes not fair when you're comparing yourself to someone else to look at how long they physically spend in front of a keyboard hammering on that word count, because they might have spent a significantly longer amount of a longer time either outlining or conceptualizing the story in their mind or in their heart before they sat down to write. So that's part of the pace, too. Because sometimes, if we only look at the time spent at the ‘writer's desk,' we fool ourselves when we think that we're a slow writer or a fast writer. Joanna: Your pace will change over your career My first novel took 14 months and now I can write a first draft in about six weeks because I have more experience. It's also more relaxing for me to write a book now than it was in the beginning, because I didn't know what I was doing back then. Your pace will change per project I have a non-fiction work in progress, my Shadow Book (working title), which I have started several times. I have about 30,000 words but as I write this, I have backed away from it because I'm (still) not ready. There's a lot more research and thinking I need to do. Similarly, some people take years writing a memoir or a book with such emotional or personal depth that it needs more to bring it to life. Your pace will also shift depending on where you are in the arc of life Perhaps you have young kids right now, or you have a health issue, or you're caring for someone who is ill. Perhaps you have a demanding day job so you have less time to write. Perhaps you really need extended time away from writing, or just a holiday. Or maybe there's a global pandemic and frankly, you're too stressed to write! The key to pacing in a book is variability — and that's true of life, too. Write at the pace that works for you and don't be afraid to change it as you need to over time. “I think the biggest thing for me is reminding myself that I'm in this to write. Sometimes I can get caught up in all the moving pieces of editing and publishing and marketing, but the longer I go without writing, or only writing because I have to get the next thing done instead of for enjoyment, the more stressed and anxious I become. But if I make time to fit in what I truly love, which is the process of writing without putting pressure on myself to meet a deadline, or to be perfect, or to meet somebody else's expectations — that's when I become truly relaxed.” – Ariele Sieling Write in a series (if you want to) Joanna: I have some stand-alone books but most of them are in series, both for non-fiction and for my fiction as J.F. Penn. It's how I like to read and write. As we draft this book, I'm also writing book 12 in my ARKANE series, Tomb of Relics. It's relaxing because I know my characters, I know my world; I know the structure of how an ARKANE story goes. I know what to put in it to please my readers. I have already done the work to set up the series world and the main characters and now all I need is a plot and an antagonist. It's also quicker to write and edit because I've done it before. Of course, you need to put in the work initially so the series comes together, but once you've set that all up, each subsequent book is easier. You can also be more relaxed because you already have an audience who will (hopefully) buy the book because they bought the others. You will know approximately how many sales you'll get on launch and there will be people ready to review. Writing in a non-fiction series is also a really good idea because you know your audience and you can offer them more books, products and services that will help them within a niche. While they might not be sequential, they should be around the same topic, for example, this is part of my Books for Authors series. Financially, it makes sense to have a series as you will earn more revenue per customer as they will (hopefully) buy more than one book. It's also easier and more relaxing to market as you can set one book to free or a limited time discount and drive sales through to other books in the series. Essentially, writing a book in a series makes it easier to fulfill both creative and financial goals. However, if you love to read and write stand-alone books, and some genres suit stand-alones better than series anyway, then, of course, go with what works for you! Mark: I like to equate this to no matter where you travel in the world, if you find a McDonald's you pretty much know what's on the menu and you know what to expect. When you write in a series, it's like returning to hang out with old friends. You know their backstory; you know their history so you can easily fall into a new conversation about something and not have to get caught up on understanding what you have in common. So that's an enormous benefit of relaxing into something like, “Oh, I'm sitting down over coffee, chatting with some old friends. They're telling me a new story about something that happened to them. I know who they are, I know what they're made out of.” And this new plot, this new situation, they may have new goals, they may have new ways they're going to grow as characters, but they're still the same people that we know and love. And that's a huge benefit that I only discovered recently because I'm only right now working on book four in my Canadian Werewolf series. Prior to that, I had three different novels that were all the first book in a series with no book two. And it was stressful for me. Writing anything seemed to take forever. I was causing myself anxiety by jumping around and writing new works as opposed to realizing I could go visit a locale I'm familiar and comfortable with. And I can see new things in the same locale just like sometimes you can see new things and people you know and love already, especially when you introduce something new into the world and you see how they react to it. For me, there's nothing more wonderful than that sort of homecoming. It's like a nostalgic feeling when you do that. I've seen a repeated pattern where writers spend years writing their first book. I started A Canadian Werewolf in New York in 2006 and I did not publish it until ten years later, after finishing it in 2015. (FYI, that wasn't my first novel. I had written three and published one of them prior to that). That first novel can take so long because you're learning. You're learning about your characters, about the craft, about the practice of writing, about the processes that you're testing along the way. And if you are working on your first book and it's taking longer than planned, please don't beat yourself up for that. It's a process. Sometimes that process takes more time. I sometimes wonder if this is related to our perception of time as we age. When you're 10 years old, a day compared to your lifetime is a significant amount of time, and thinking about a year later is considering a time that is one-tenth of your life. When you have a few more decades or more under your belt, that year is a smaller part of the whole. If you're 30, a year is only one-thirtieth of your life. A much smaller piece. Just having written more books, particularly in a series, removes the pressure of that one book to represent all of you as a writer. I had initial anxiety at writing the second book in my Canadian Werewolf series. Book two was more terrifying in some ways than book one because finally, after all this time, I had something good that I didn't want to ruin. Should I leave well enough alone? But I was asked to write a short story to a theme in an anthology, and using my main character from that first novel allowed me to discover I could have fun spending more time with these characters and this world. And I also realized that people wanted to read more about these characters. I didn't just want to write about them, but other people wanted to read about them too. And that makes the process so much easier to keep going with them. So one of the other benefits that helps to relax me as a writer working on a series is I have a better understanding of who my audience is, and who my readers are, and who will want this, and who will appreciate it. So I know what worked, I know what resonated with them, and I know I can give them that next thing. I have discovered that writing in a series is a far more relaxed way of understanding your target audience better. Because it's not just a single shot in the dark, it's a consistent on-going stream. Let me reflect on a bit of a caveat, because I'm not suggesting sticking to only a single series or universe. As writers, we have plenty of ideas and inspirations, and it's okay to embrace some of the other ones that come to us. When I think about the Canadian rock trio, Rush, a band that produced 19 studio albums and toured for 40 years, I acknowledge a very consistent band over the decades. And yet, they weren't the same band that they were when they started playing together, even though it was the same three guys since Neil Peart joined Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. They changed what they wrote about, what they sang about, themes, styles, approaches to making music, all of this. They adapted and changed their style at least a dozen times over the course of their career. No album was exactly like the previous album, and they experimented, and they tried things. But there was a consistency of the audience that went along with them. And as writers, we can potentially have that same thing where we know there are going to be people who will follow us. Think about Stephen King, a writer who has been writing in many different subjects and genres. And yet there's a core group of people who will enjoy everything he writes, and he has that Constant Reader he always keeps in mind. And so, when we write in a series, we're thinking about that constant reader in a more relaxed way because that constant reader, like our characters, like our worlds, like our universes, is like we're just returning to a comfortable, cozy spot where we're just going to hang out with some good friends for a bit. Or, as the contemplative Rush song Time Stand Still expresses, the simple comfort and desire of spending some quality time having a drink with a friend. Schedule time to fill the creative well and for rest and relaxation Mark: What we do as writers is quite cerebral, so we need to give ourselves mental breaks in the same way we need to sleep regularly. Our bodies require sleep. And it's not just physical rest for our bodies to regenerate, it's for our minds to regenerate. We need that to stay sane, to stay alive, to stay healthy. The reality for us as creatives is that we're writing all the time, whether or not we're in front of a keyboard or have a pen in our hand. We're always writing, continually sucking the marrow from the things that are happening around us, even when we're not consciously aware of it. And sometimes when we are more consciously aware of it, that awareness can feel forced. It can feel stressful. When you give yourself the time to just let go, to just relax, wonderful things can happen. And they can come naturally, never feeling that urgent sense of pressure. Downtime, for me, is making space for those magic moments to happen. I was recently listening to Episode 556 of The Creative Penn podcast where Joanna talked about the serendipity of those moments when you're traveling and you're going to a museum and you see something. And you're not consciously there to research for a book, but you see something that just makes a connection for you. And you would not have had that for your writing had you not given yourself the time to just be doing and enjoying something else. And so, whenever I need to resolve an issue or a problem in a project I'm writing, which can cause stress, I will do other things. I will go for a run or walk the dogs, wash the dishes or clean the house. Or I'll put on some music and sing and dance like nobody is watching or listening—and thank goodness for that, because that might cause them needless anxiety. The key is, I will do something different that allows my mind to just let go. And somewhere in the subconscious, usually the answer comes to me. Those non-cerebral activities can be very restorative. Yesterday, my partner Liz and I met her daughter at the park. And while we quietly waited, the two of us wordlessly enjoyed the sights and sounds of people walking by, the river in the background, the wind blowing through the leaves in the trees above us. That moment wasn't a purposeful, “Hey, we're going to chill and relax.” But we found about five minutes of restorative calm in the day. A brief, but powerful ‘Ah' moment. And when I got back to writing this morning, I drew upon some of the imagery from those few minutes. I didn't realize at the time I was experiencing the moment yesterday that I was going to incorporate some of that imagery in today's writing session. And that's the serendipity that just flows very naturally in those scheduled and even unscheduled moments of relaxation. Joanna: I separate this into two aspects because I'm good at one and terrible at the other! I schedule time to fill the creative well as often as possible. This is something that Julia Cameron advises in The Artist's Way, and I find it an essential part of my creative practice. Essentially, you can't create from an empty mind. You have to actively seek out ways to spark ideas. International travel is a huge part of my fiction inspiration, in particular. This has been impossible during the pandemic and has definitely impacted my writing. I also go to exhibitions and art galleries, as well as read books, watch films and documentaries. If I don't fill my creative well, then I feel empty, like I will never have another idea, that perhaps my writing life is over. Some people call that writer's block but I know that feeling now. It just means I haven't filled my creative well and I need to schedule time to do that so I can create again. Consume and produce. That's the balance you need in order to keep the creative well filled and the words flowing. In terms of scheduling time to relax instead of doing book research, I find this difficult because I love to work. My husband says that I'm like a little sports car that goes really, really fast and doesn't stop until it hits a wall. I operate at a high productivity level and then I crash! But the restrictions of the pandemic have helped me learn more about relaxation, after much initial frustration. I have walked in nature and lain in the garden in the hammock and recently, we went to the seaside for the first time in 18 months. I lay on the stones and watched the waves. I was the most relaxed I've been in a long time. I didn't look at my phone. I wasn't listening to a podcast or an audiobook. We weren't talking. We were just being there in nature and relaxing. Authors are always thinking and feeling because everything feeds our work somehow. But we have to have both aspects — active time to fill the creative well and passive time to rest and relax. “I go for lots of walks and hikes in the woods. These help me work out the kinks in my plots, and also to feel more relaxed! (Exercise is an added benefit!)” –T.W. Piperbrook Improve your writing process — but only if it fits with your lifestyle Joanna: A lot of stress can occur in writing if we try to change or improve our process too far beyond our natural way of doing things. For example, trying to be a detailed plotter with a spreadsheet when you're really a discovery writer, or trying to dictate 5,000 words per hour when you find it easier to hand write slowly into a journal. Productivity tips from other writers can really help you tweak your personal process, but only if they work for you — and I say this as someone who has a book on Productivity for Authors! Of course, it's a good idea to improve things, but once you try something, analyze whether it works for you — either with data or just how you feel. If it works, great. Adopt it into your process. If it doesn't work, then discard it. For example, I wrote my first novel in Microsoft Word. When I discovered Scrivener, I changed my process and never looked back because it made my life so much easier. I don't write in order and Scrivener made it easier to move things around. I also discovered that it was easier for me to get into my first draft writing and creating when I was away from the desk I use for business, podcasting, and marketing tasks. I started to write in a local cafe and later on in a co-working space. During the pandemic lockdown, I used specific playlists to create a form of separation as I couldn't physically go somewhere else. Editing is an important part of the writing process but you have to find what works for you, which will also change over time. Some are authors are more relaxed with a messy first draft, then rounds of rewrites while working with multiple editors. Others do one careful draft and then use a proofreader to check the finished book. There are as many ways to write as there are writers. A relaxed author chooses the process that works in the most effective way for them and makes the book the best it can be. Mark: When it comes to process, there are times when you're doing something that feels natural, versus times when you're learning a new skill. Consciously and purposefully learning new skills can be stressful; particularly because it's something we often put so much emphasis or importance upon. But when you adapt on-going learning as a normal part of your life, a natural part of who and what you are, that stress can flow away. I'm always about learning new skills; but over time I've learned how to absorb learning into my everyday processes. I'm a pantser, or discovery writer, or whatever term we can apply that makes us feel better about it. And every time I've tried to stringently outline a book, it has been a stressful experience and I've not been satisfied with the process or the result. Perhaps I satisfied the part of me that thought I wanted to be more like other writers, but I didn't satisfy the creative person in me. I was denying that flow that has worked for me. I did, of course, naturally introduce a few new learnings into my attempts to outline; so I stuck with those elements that worked, and abandoned the elements that weren't working, or were causing me stress. The thought of self-improvement often comes with images of blood, sweat, and tears. It doesn't have to. You don't have to bleed to do this; it can be something that you do at your own pace. You can do it in a way that you're comfortable with so it's causing you no stress, but allowing you to learn and grow and improve. And if it doesn't work but you force yourself to keep doing it because a famous writer or a six-figure author said, “this is the way to do it,” you create pressure. And when you don't do it that way, you can think of yourself as a failure as opposed to thinking of it as, “No, this is just the way that I do things.” When you accept how you do things, if they result in effectively getting things done and feeling good about it at the same time, you have less resistance, you have less friction, you have less tension. Constantly learning, adapting, and evolving is good. But forcing ourselves to try to be or do something that we are not or that doesn't work for us, that causes needless anxiety. “I think a large part of it comes down to reminding myself WHY I write. This can mean looking back at positive reviews, so I can see how much joy others get from my writing, or even just writing something brand new for the sake of exploring an idea. Writing something just for me, rather than for an audience, reminds me how much I enjoy writing, which helps me to unwind a bit and approach my projects with more playfulness.” – Icy Sedgwick You can find The Relaxed Author: Take the Pressure Off Your Art and Enjoy the Creative Journey on CreativePennBooks.com as well as on your favorite online store or audiobook platform, or order in your library or bookstore. The post The Relaxed Author Writing Tips With Joanna Penn and Mark Leslie Lefebvre first appeared on The Creative Penn.

This is hands down one of the most powerful exercises I have ever done, and I am not exaggerating when I say it changed my life. In this week's episode, I'm sharing a video that is inside of my Next level program. This is an exercise where I walk my clients through the exact future self exercise that helped me move through fear, apply for my TEDx, and actually do the thing I kept telling myself I wasn't capable of. Not someday. Not years later. Immediately. This is not mindset fluff. This is a psychotherapy-based visualisation and embodiment exercise that allows you to access the version of you who has already done the thing you're scared of. Inside this episode, you'll experience: • Why your future self already lives inside you • How fear and desire can exist at the same time • The exact exercise I was guided through before my TEDx • How to receive clarity and guidance from future you • What action to take today to meet her sooner By the end of this sneak peek episode, you won't just be thinking about your future self, you will have met her, heard her, and received direction from her. Do this exercise properly. Suspend disbelief. Let it be powerful. If you do it, DM me on Instagram @thequeenofconfidence and tell me what came through for you. And if you are ready to Next level every area of your business, confidence and life, join me inside the Next level here:https://thequeenofconfidence.com/nextlevel/ PLUS: I am sharing an early look at our annual Goals & Intentions Workbook, our most popular resource we share all year - you can grab it here: https://thequeenofconfidence.com/2026-goals-and-intentions/

In today's episode, I'm talking honestly about body image and not from a place of perfection, but from my real everyday experience.  We'll  unpack how constant exposure to food content, fitness trends, and curated lifestyles subtly shapes the way we think about our bodies. I share what intrusive thoughts around appearance can sound like and why they tend to show up when life slows down or feels uncertain.  We talk about the arrival fallacy and the belief that once our body looks a certain way, we'll finally feel at peace and why that promise almost never delivers. I reflect on how comparison creeps in quietly and how it disconnects us from actually enjoying the lives we're building.  This episode isn't about fixing your body; it's about understanding the mental patterns that keep you feeling dissatisfied even when things are objectively good. I also share perspective shifts that have helped me soften my relationship with my body without forcing positivity.  We explore what it looks like to hold ambition and self-acceptance at the same time. If you've ever thought, “I should feel happier than this,” you're not alone.  This conversation is an invitation to notice, not judge, the stories you're telling yourself. Body image isn't just about how you look. It's about how present you're able to be in your own life. And sometimes, the work isn't changing anything externally, but learning to arrive where you already are. Time Stamps: (1:32) Instagram Food Algorithms(7:26) The Intrusive Thoughts(9:02) Binging Landman(15:52) The Arrival Fallacy(20:49) Arthur Brooks Quote (23:12) Our New Home (31:32) Let Us Know If You Enjoyed Today's Episode---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Are eggs good or bad for the brain? Low levels of a key nutrient can foster anxiety; Dealing with muscle cramps that develop hours after exercise; Garlic mouthwash outperforms chemical antibacterials; 76% of the world's population aren't getting enough omega-3s; Surgery may hasten progression to Alzheimer's, but a vitamin may help; After marijuana legalization, some states want a do-over.

The pros and cons of natural vs synthetic vitamins; Telehealth site for ADD meds lands founder in prison; Why eradicating H. pylori may set the stage for Alzheimer's; Why integrative physicians often don't accept insurance; Far-infrared phototherapy may offer “electroceutical” treatment for dementia; Hobbies may forestall all-cause mortality—by 29%! 

Faith, Fitness, & the Habits of Grace – with David Mathias Description: In this episode of the Young Adults Today podcast, host Josiah Kennealy welcomes pastor and author David Mathias for a thought-provoking conversation at the intersection of faith and fitness. Together, they unpack how spiritual disciplines and physical routines are intimately connected, offering wisdom for young adults who want to steward both body and soul in a vibrant Christian life. Key Topics: CS Lewis's “Donkey” Analogy: Loving and managing our physical bodies with grace and humor. The Historic & Biblical Case for Activity: Exploring movement in ancient times and what it means for Christians today. Theology of Exercise: Why our bodies and habits matter for faith, joy, and mission. Avoiding Legalism: How exercise should support rather than overshadow spiritual disciplines. Personal Routines: David and Josiah share their daily spiritual and physical habits (from Bible reading and prayer to jogging and family routines). Advice for Young Adults: Navigating transitions, staying healthy with busy schedules, and building new routines in changing seasons. Habits of Grace: How cultivating discipline in one area of life (like exercise or memorizing Scripture) can positively spill over into others. Encouragement for the Next Generation: David's best advice for young adults, recent graduates, pastors, and parents. Quotable Moments: “Exercise should be a supplement to—not a substitute for—spiritual practices.” “The outer person affects the inner person; caring for your body fuels your soul.” “Win the day by feeding your soul on God's Word first.” Action Steps: Assess your current pace and rhythm: Are you living at a sustainable, grace-filled speed? Add modest activity to your day—whether that's a morning walk, a jog, or intervals on a home treadmill. Pair physical routines with spiritual disciplines to maximize both body and soul health. Resources Mentioned: David Mathias's latest book: “A Little Theology of Exercise” desiringGod.org – More of David's writing and resources on Christian living and spiritual habits Connect with Us: Follow Young Adults Today on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youngadults.today/  Check out past episodes and more on our website: www.youngadults.today  Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and share with a friend who'd be encouraged by faith-fueled habits for life. Learn more about youngadultstoday: www.youngadults.today Give to the mission of youngadultstoday: https://tithe.ly/give?c=5350133 Resources: Free eBook "10 Steps to Starting a Successful Young Adult Ministry: https://www.youngadults.today/book/starting-a-successful-young-adult-ministry Join our FaceBook Group Community with 2500+ leaders: https://www.facebook.com/groups/796270437396021 

Join Lexy Davis and guest Meg O'Neill in this powerful and perspective shifting convo around freebirth and without any medical visits. Together, they explore love, pregnancy, birthing from the pussy not the protoccol, motherhood, feminine embodiment, deep trust and the freedom that comes with choosing your own path. Meg, an experienced sex and feminine embodiment coach, shares her transformative pregnancy journey, including her decision to have a wild pregnancy and unassisted birth, and how deeply it reshaped her relationship with herself and her partner.Why embracing your desires is essential for healthy, aligned relationshipsMeg's personal story of preparing for motherhood after nearly a decade with her partnerThe importance of inner healing and emotional readiness before conceivingHow to reconnect with your body and trust the natural birthing processWhat a birth keeper does and how they differ from a doulaEmpowering tips for women preparing for a conscious and confident birth experienceWhether you're a mother, planning for pregnancy, exploring embodiment work, or simply curious about intentional motherhood and self-discovery, this episode is filled with wisdom, grounding insights, and encouragement.Listen now for an empowering conversation that inspires you to trust your intuition, honor your body, and embrace your unique path to motherhood.Golden Nuggets From This Episode:✨ “My work is really about owning our desires and bringing them alive in our bodies, our relationships, our births, and our entire life.”✨ “Your desires lead the way—revealing them becomes the portal to everything you want in intimacy and partnership.”✨ “A child is an amplifier—they simply magnify what already exists within us.”Parenthood reflects back our inner world, inviting greater awareness and emotional clarity.✨ “Under every complaint is a desire.”A powerful reframe that transforms conflict into deeper connection and understanding.✨ “I felt ready to pour myself into something meaningful.”Stepping into motherhood often begins with a quiet inner readiness.✨ “The deepest invitation of pregnancy, birth, and motherhood—especially unassisted birth—is surrender and letting go.”True empowerment often comes through releasing control and trusting the process.✨ “I never saw birth as a medical event.”A perspective that honors birth as a natural, intuitive experience rather than a clinical one.✨ “The real work was done before I conceived—I trusted the process fully.”Inner healing and preparation create a strong foundation for conscious motherhood.✨ “The same thing that gets the baby in, gets the baby out.”A reminder of the deep connection between pleasure, trust, and the natural rhythms of the body.Connect More with :IG: @the.meg.oWebsite: www.meg-oneill.comMore Lexy from Heart Snuggles:Soft Girl Season {Instant Access Course}: https://alive-to-enjoy.circle.so/checkout/soft-girl-seasonEmail: lexy@alivetoenjoy.comDating + Relationship Coaching - https://iamlexydavis.com/Instagram: Alivetoenjoy & Heart SnugglesTimestamps from episode:00:00 – Introduction to Lexy Davis00:55 – Welcoming Meg O'Neill03:18 – Meg's Journey to Motherhood06:26 – Conception Story09:04 – Pregnancy and Birth Choices18:31 – Navigating Family Reactions30:20 – Soft Girl Season Ad31:51 – Connecting with the Baby33:19 – Planning an In-Person Immersion During Pregnancy33:51 – Balancing Work and Pregnancy36:02 – Exercise and Supplements During Pregnancy38:02 – Choosing a Birth Keeper40:55 – Preparing for Birth and Postpartum46:23 – The Birth Story01:01:53 – Postpartum Support and Community01:05:02 – Favorite Romantic Memories01:05:47 – Where to Find More Content01:06:58 – Closing Thoughts and Gratitude

This week, Richard Graves sits down with Lew Porchiazzo, Assistant Director for Strength & Conditioning for Olympic Sports at the University of Michigan. Lew brings more than 16 years of experience at one of the most successful athletic departments in the NCAA. His journey from a Division III football lineman to a leader shaping the development of athletes in softball, gymnastics, men's soccer and more, is filled with hard-earned lessons, humility, and an unwavering commitment to supporting people first. In this conversation, Lew dives into: • How to develop trust-driven relationships with athletes • What it truly takes to “raise the floor” of athletic performance • Why systems like Perch have changed the way Michigan trains • The realities of guiding young, ambitious athletes through strength, power, and conditioning programmes • The age-old question: How strong is strong enough? How fit is fit enough? Lew's philosophy blends evidence-based practice, a deep understanding of human behaviour, and a humility-first leadership style that resonates across the world of elite sport. In this episode, you will learn: * How Lew progressed from internships to a senior leadership role at Michigan—and what he learned along the way * Why treating athletes as humans first is central to unlocking performance * How Michigan individualises training across sports with vastly different demands * The process of integrating Perch velocity-based training and how it transformed athlete intent and coaching quality * How to use real-time data to adjust loads, manage fatigue, and protect athletes from themselves * When to stop chasing maximal strength and start focusing on raising the floor for performance * How to guide young athletes who want PBs every week without compromising long-term development * Why the most fulfilling moments in coaching come from watching athletes realise they're capable of more than they thought * Lew's leadership philosophy: vulnerability, authenticity, and serving others * The role of strength & conditioning in creating athletes who are not only powerful and robust—but durable and available About Lew Porchiazzo Lew Porchiazzo is the Assistant Director for Strength & Conditioning for Olympic Sports at the University of Michigan, where he has worked since 2009. He currently oversees physical development for a range of elite programmes including softball, women's gymnastics, and men's soccer. Lew began his career with internships at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and Baylor University, before joining Michigan as a graduate assistant. Across 16+ years he has become a central leader within the department, known for his athlete-first approach, relationship-driven coaching style, and commitment to developing staff and students with authenticity and humility. His expertise spans strength training, power development, velocity-based training, long-term athlete development, and programme design across sports with widely different physical demands. Beyond the weight room, Lew is passionate about helping athletes grow as people—and maintaining a love of movement and training long after their competitive days are over. He occasionally even officiates weddings… but you'll have to listen to the episode to hear that story. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research