Lauren Roberts has been running for as long as she can remember. As a young child, she was born with internally rotated thigh bones, and specialists doubted that she would ever be able to run. Never one to be deterred, Lauren did her first 5 km race at the age of 13, and even though she wasn’t the fastest, she continued to incorporate running into her childhood and teenage years.

After completing her degree in Kinesiology and Psychology at McMaster University, she went on to complete her Master’s in Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto, as well as compete in local triathlons. In 2015, Lauren competed in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Austria, where she finished as one of the top ten Canadian women. Lauren presently is focused on running more competitively. She is a member of the BlackToe Race Team in Toronto and competed in the 2018 Boston Marathon. 

With advanced qualifications in manual physical therapy techniques, acupuncture, and treadmill gait analysis, Lauren’s treatment at The Running Physio focuses on developing specific, progressive movement patterns to successfully rehabilitate injuries and optimize running biomechanics. Lauren also places high value on incorporating mindfulness techniques into movement and running to help you find the flow, and move with joy.

In this conversation, Lauren and I cover a wide range of topics, including: 

• The biomechanics of running
• Whether there's a "right" or "proper" way to run
• How a running physiotherapist would assess your running technique and biomechanics
• Common running injuries and how to prevent them
• What to consider when buying running gear, including running shoes
• Alex Hutchinson's most recent book Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance  
• A runner’s mindset and what defines the ultimate limits of endurance

I recently co-hosted a professional development and networking event where Toronto-based lawyer, athlete and entrepreneur, Darielle Teitelbaum, was the keynote speaker. Over the years, Darielle has combined her passions for fitness, creativity and advocacy to create AWE Legal - a boutique law firm that helps people develop their business goals and protects athletes and entrepreneurs by using the law effectively. I was inspired by Darielle’s wealth of knowledge, her ability to simplify complex legal concepts, as well as her passion for helping people. Needless to say I was thrilled when she accepted my invitation to be a guest on the show. For the athletes, fitness enthusiasts and weekend warriors out there, have you ever wondered what you’re signing when a fitness professional, clinic or gym hands you a waiver of liability? For the fitness entrepreneurs out there, do you know the laws that govern the way you can communicate with prospective clients? Well, you’re in luck! Darielle is here to give us a high level overview of the legal landscape and answer some common questions. Think of it as another way of setting yourself up for future gains.

In High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way, Brendon Burchard identifies six habits that high performers deliberately and consistently practice in order to reach long-term and sustainable success and well-being. Anyone can practice these habits, but to become a high performer one must: (1) seek clarity; (2) generate energy; (3) raise performance necessity; (4) increase productivity; (5) develop influence; and (6) demonstrate courage. But how can we put these habits into practice? Back by popular demand, holistic sports nutritionist, strength trainer and high performance coach, Sylvie Tetrault, is on the podcast to discuss how you can cultivate these habits through nutrition and lifestyle. 

“Ten years ago, Fitbit pioneered the wearables category with the introduction of its first health and fitness tracker. Since then, we have become the leading global wearables brand, setting the pace of innovation in the category and establishing the largest social fitness network that helps millions of people around the world be healthier,” says James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit. Earlier this fall, Fitbit turned a significant corner when it released its first and long-rumoured smartwatch, the Fitbit Ionic. The Ionic is certainly the most feature-rich wearable Fitbit has ever developed, delivering what Park calls “a health and fitness first platform that combines the power of personalization and deeper insights with Fitbit’s most advanced technology to date, unlocking opportunities for unprecedented health tracking capabilities in the future.” Today, Daniel Shaw, one of Fitbit's Senior Product Marketing Managers, is on the podcast to talk about the Ionic and the future of health and fitness tracking.

If you’re on Instagram and follow what’s going on in the Toronto fitness community, then you’ve likely come across personal trainer, certified holistic nutritionist and founder of All Day Fit, Cassie Day. Cassie passion for fitness and presence on social media is empowering. Since starting All Day Fit in 2016, Cassie has garnered considerable recognition in the fitness entrepreneurship space. In this wide-ranging episode, we cover a lot of ground, including:

• What motivates and inspires Cassie  
• What the four pillars of All Day Fit are and how they play into Cassie's business
• Where Cassie sees the most engagement from the fitness community on social media
• How Cassie decides what companies and brands to her align herself with
• The habits and practices that help Cassie to thrive as an entrepreneur
• How Cassie uses performance necessity to stay motivated
• Cassie's advice for knowing when to stay the course and double down on a commitment or cut your losses and move on
• Our mutual passion for customer experience and why it's a priority for All Day Fit
• The biggest lessons that have impacted the way Cassie runs her business 
• Her proudest moments since starting All Day Fit
• The one thing Cassie wants you to take-away from this interview 

Here's how to connect with Cassie:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter

One year ago today I released the very first episode of the podcast. It featured fascial stretch therapist and my good friend, Sarah Marino. I remember the rush of excitement and nervousness I felt when TJ hit record. 365 days, 30 episodes, 20 guests, 3 photo shoots and 2 seasons later, I still get the same feeling when I’m behind the mic, because no matter how much you prepare, podcasts can have a mind of their own. As Jonah Weiner so eloquently writes in “The Voices: Toward a Critical Theory of Podcasting”, podcasts are a means for surprising, revealing and above all [elevating] encounters with people, things and ideas we didn’t know. Those encounters have challenged me to learn, to take risks and to grow in ways I didn’t think were possible. Fit For Thought isn’t just a side hustle, a passion project or a hobby, it’s part of who I am and what I want to put out into the world.

We’ve had a number of guests on the podcast from New York times best-selling author and Ironman triathlete, Ben Greenfield, to wearable tech expert and founder of We Are Wearables, Tom Emrich. But what connects these guests is that they seem to practice certain habits that set them apart and enable them reach higher levels of personal and professional fulfillment, success and happiness. Now , if you’re like me and you spend enough time listening to podcasts and reading books that deconstruct the the habits of high performers  - it’s inevitable that you’ll come across conflicting advice. Of course, there’s not one right approach to be successful. 

This said, the work of Brendon Burchard has recently caught my attention. Backed by years of academic research, in his latest book High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way, Burchard identifies 6 habits that high performers deliberately and consistently practice in order to reach long-term and sustainable success and well-being. On this episode of the podcast, we’re going to talk about those 6 habits from the context of podcast. It’s both a retrospective of the past year and opportunity to move the needle and make us think about how we can bring about change and growth in our lives. 

Calling all moms, moms-to-be, fitness professionals and anyone who’s interested in pelvic floor and abdominal health - this one's for you! Samantha Montpetit-Huynh is a mother of two, certified pre and postnatal exercise specialist with over 15 years of experience and the co-founder of Bellies Inc. an innovative system designed to empower woman and change the way they prepare for and recover from pregnancy and birth. She's also also a sought after media professional who's been featured on Canada AM, Breakfast Television, CHCH, CTV News and was the in-house fitness expert on the Marilyn Denis Show from 2013-2017.

Some of the things you'll learn on this episode

• The exercises to start practicing now to prepare for pregnancy and birth
• What diastasis rectus abdominis is and how it's connected to pelvic floor health 
• The truth about postpartum leaking - we need to talk about it!
• How to retrain your core using alignment, breathing and coordination 
• Why pelvic floor physiotherapists should be part of every woman’s birth and recovery team 
• What exercises you may want to avoid postpartum 
• Just because you might not have the body you once had, does not mean you can’t have a better and stronger body than ever before

Resources

• Bellies Inc.
• SamCoreTrainer.com 
• Instagram @belliesinc @samcoretrainer

A listener of the show recently messaged me and asked what are the best supplements to take while training. First, I want to say thanks for reaching out and asking what I think is an important question. In their simplest form supplements are single compounds which have been demonstrated to yield some type of benefit if taken. They play a vital role in supporting and enhancing your health and athletic performance. However, I’m going to take a lesson out of Tom Purvis’ playbook and ask for whom and what type of training are they doing? The right supplement will differ from person to person, and will depend on their individual needs, biochemical makeup and training goals. However, I’ll do my best to talk about the supplements I believe are effective tools for building muscle, restoring energy and recovering from a workout.  

Disclaimer: I want to stress that supplements should never be used in place of eating nutrient dense foods that work in relation to your training goals and biochemical makeup. Also, what I’m about to share is not intended to substitute for the service of a trained healthcare practitioner. Please consult with you health care practitioner - be they a doctor, holistic nutritionists or otherwise - before engaging in any diet or supplement regime.

Some of the things you'll learn on this episode

• Tips and tricks for buying quality supplements
• What chelated minerals are and why it's important to look for minerals that are bound to amino acids vs. organic salts
• How dehydration can negatively impact muscular growth, power output and recovery
• What branch chain amino acids are and why they're important for muscle strength and growth and repair
• What type of carbs you should eat post-workout
• The relationship between magnesium, glutamine and recovery

We've covered a wide range of topics on the the podcast from fascial stretch therapy to body building. I often wonder how and whether these therapeutic and training modalities can be integrated to ensure that we're functioning optimally.

Enter Brad Cote. Brad has been in the health and fitness industry for over 10 years working in clinical, commercial and private facilities with a variety of patients. What sets Brad apart is his integrated and individualized approach to therapy and training. This is evident not only by the number and range of qualifications Brad holds (including a post-grad in functional neurology and rehabilitation), but also by the vast network of practitioners he has built over the years.

Some of the things you'll learn on this epsiode

• How therapy and training can be integrated
• What tools Brad uses to assess and treat his patients 
• How you can optimize your training 
• What Link Integrated Health is and how it's designed to enhance your performance 

Get in Touch with Brad Cote

• Instagram
• Contact

Learn More About Link Integrated Health

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook 

Where do you get inspiration from? A great film, a compelling novel, how about influencers in your network? I'm inspired by the people around me who I identify as passionate, creative, intelligent and driven. I can't help but feel inspired by them! Another persons success or happiness shouldn't counteract your own. It's an opportunity to learn and to grow. To quote Anne Friedman, "surrounding yourself with the best people doesn’t make you look worse by comparison. It makes you better." 

For me, one such person is a photographer, blogger, fellow podcaster and founder of The E Project, Jodianne Beckford. The E Project is a platform that showcases this generation's current and aspiring entrepreneurs. Jodianne's ultimate goal is to inspire people to go for what they want, work hard and make their passion a reality. 

Some of the things you'll learn on this episode: 

• What Shine Theory is how you can use it 
• Tips of creating and running a successful podcast 
• How to build a network of people you find inspiring 
• Common habits/practices of creatives and entrepreneurs 
• How to overcome imposter syndrome 

The E Project on Social Media

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

Listen to The E Project 

• Soundcloud