(Breather) My good friend and old-time triathlon colleague Gordo Byrn writes a brilliant blog/email newsletter with concise and thoughtful essays confined to three subjects of his expertise and passion:  I string together two of them to provide...

Gordo Byrn Essays (Breather Episode with Brad)

Join Brad Kearns, New York Times bestselling author and champion triathlete, Speedgolfer, and masters high jumper, in pursuing peak performance with passion throughout life. Enjoy memorable insights from leading experts on diet, fitness, peak performance, personal growth, relationships, happiness, and longevity. Brad’s “Breather” shows provide step-by-step tips you can implement right away to improve your life. Let’s explore beyond shortcuts, hacks, and crushing competition to laugh, have fun, appreciate the journey, and not take ourselves too seriously. It’s time to B.rad!
 

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Listeners, please welcome Louise Digby to the show, from all the way over from the UK!
It is so nice to connect with an international guest like Louise and to hear, unfortunately, that the same problems that exist in America also exist in Europe, especially when it comes to the issues aging women have with losing body fat. In this episode, you will hear us discuss a variety of topics, especially the roadblocks and main reasons for having trouble maintaining your desired body composition. We discuss the foods that cause system wide inflammation and how chronic inflammation influences fat metabolism and causes your body to store extra body fat, especially visceral fat, as well as the difference between visceral fat and subcutaneous fat.
You’ll also learn about the importance of nurturing a healthy estrogen balance (as well as healthy testosterone balance), why it’s so helpful to manage stress when you’re trying to lose excess body fat, how chronic stress affects your metabolism, how vitamin D health affects fat metabolism, and actionable tidbits from Louise that will help you lose weight easily.
 Louise Digby is a BANT registered nutritional therapist, weight loss expert, and the creator of the Nourish Method, an online programme that addresses the lifestyle factors that impact women’s fat-burning and the mindset challenges causing self-sabotage. She also hosts the Thriving Metabolism Podcast, which she created to guide and educate women about the nuances around metabolic health, hormones, gut health, and more in the context of weight loss.
 
TIMESTAMPS:
What are the roadblocks for losing excess body fat? [00:47]
If you are stressed, your metabolism isn’t going to work for you. People are doing what they are told to do and not seeing any results. [01:50]
Chronic inflammation is a huge contributor to one’s inability for burn fat. How does one get into that mess? [06:29]
There are some tests that can reveal chronic inflammation. [10:03]
Having optimum levels of Vitamin D is important. [13:09]
Inflammation is a good thing when it helps us repair and recover.  Its uncontrolled inflammation that becomes the problem {19:30]
Magnesium is difficult to obtain in today’s modern diet because of soil depletion but it is very important for your body. [21:46]
Cortisol is the preeminent stress hormone. [22:44]
Nutrient deficient foods hinder our immune system from functioning well. [26:47]
What’s really going on is we are consuming nutrient deficient processed foods that contain edible food-like substances that the body reacts to adversely. [29:56]
What are the particular problems females have when they come to Louise’s practice? [33:01]
When our estrogen is lower, we are more likely to experience insulin resistance so it will be more difficult to manage our blood sugar and therefore manage our weight. [37:40]
Why are women not as interested in strength training as opposed to cardio? [39:03]
What is the difference between visceral fat, belly fat, and subcutaneous fat? [43:14]
What can people do to track their progress besides looking at their scale? The scale is a poor reflection of your overall progress. [52:47]
 
LINKS:

Brad Kearns.com
Brad’s Shopping page
B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean
NEW: B.rad Superfruits - Organic Freeze-Dried Exotic Fruit Powder, Nature's Perfect Electrolyte Hydration & Energy Drink!
Thriving Metabolism Podcast
The Nourish Method
Ultra-Processed People
Atomic Habits
LouiseDigbyNutrition.com

 
Join Brad for more fun on: 
Instagram: @bradkearns1
Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh
Twitter: @bradleykearns
YouTube: @brad.kearns
TikTok: @bradkearns
 
We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A; shows, emailed to podcast@bradventures.com. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!
Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!
Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!
GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD
Schwank Grills: Portable gas infrared grills for the juiciest steak you’ve ever had! Cooks in minutes at 1500 degree heat. Save $150 with code BRAD150. 
Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off!
Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course!
B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor!
Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience
Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!
Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement

Brad's Favorites on Amazon
I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition products (for direct order or Amazon order), my library of online multimedia educational courses, great discounts from my affiliate favorites, and my recommended health&fitness; products on Amazon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Louise Digby: How Aging Women Can Lose Body Fat

Did you know that there is no data that has ever been presented that has shown that elevated, cushioned shoes prevent running injuries?
In this podcast, we’re getting to the truth behind the stunning and embarrassing rate of overuse injuries. A 2021 meta study from Europe revealed an annual injury rate of 37 to 56% of regular runners, Runner’s World reported 46% of runners get injured every year, a study from Yale reports 50%, while Wake Forest Biomechanics Laboratory says 79% of runners get an overuse injury every year. Interestingly, The American College of Sports Medicine states that 25% of all runners are sidelined at a given time—a stat worse than the injury rates for NFL players (31 percent injured annually with four percent at a given time)!
In this episode, we get to the bottom of this issue, since there have been many misconceptions and misunderstandings about what is causing these running inquiries, and the nuances are quite interesting. As you will learn, one of the great lies of the fitness industry that has ever been propagated is that elevated, cushioned shoes prevent injuries—a lie that has been going on for 50 years! This is the perfect show to listen to if you want to learn the truth about cushioned shoes and the science that explains why they do not support foot health and athletic performance and actually generate 7 times more impact trauma than landing in bare feet. As you will hear, the entire premise of elevated, cushioned running shoes is deeply flawed—what they really do is enable people to run long distances and get injured. 
 
LINKS:

Brad Kearns.com
Brad’s Shopping page
B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean

 
Join Brad for more fun on: 
Instagram: @bradkearns1
Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh
Twitter: @bradleykearns
YouTube: @brad.kearns
TikTok: @bradkearns
 
We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A; shows, emailed to podcast@bradventures.com. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!
Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!
Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!
GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD
Schwank Grills: Portable gas infrared grills for the juiciest steak you’ve ever had! Cooks in minutes at 1500 degree heat. Save $150 with code BRAD150. 
Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off!
Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course!
B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor!
Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience
Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!
Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement

Brad's Favorites on Amazon
I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition products (for direct order or Amazon order), my library of online multimedia educational courses, great discounts from my affiliate favorites, and my recommended health&fitness; products on Amazon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Breather: The Truth Behind Running Overuse Injuries

I want to talk about the concept of aerobic deficiency—something that is very common, even amongst very fit, high-performing athletes.
Aerobic deficiency (a term coined by Dr. Phil Maffetone), or anaerobic excess, means that while you’ve developed tremendous performance skills, the capacity of the aerobic system is lacking due to insufficient aerobic conditioning/workouts. So while you are good for short bursts of power, your overall athletic potential is limited by insufficient development of the aerobic system.
As you will hear in this show, it’s important to remember that even the most explosive, powerful athletes require sufficient aerobic conditioning in order to thrive in the long duration workouts that they perform in order to hone their abilities so they can compete in activities like powerlifting and sprinting. If you are the type of person who will go out to sprint practice for an hour or even up to two hours, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. As you’ll learn, even if you are also stretching and resting throughout that practice session, the aerobic system is still working for the entire duration of the workout—the same concept applies to going to the gym to perform heavy weight lifting sessions.
If you want to learn how to sufficiently develop your aerobic system, this episode will walk you through every step and teach you how to do it.
 
TIMESTAMPS:
Aerobic deficiency is very common even among very fit, powerful high-performing athletes. [00:38]
The aerobic system contributes very much to even very short duration efforts. [04:01]
A 50 50 ratio of aerobic to anaerobic contribution to your energy needs is a minute and 15 seconds all-out performance. [06:23]
When we truly conduct a fat-burning workout that emphasizes aerobic development and minimizes anaerobic stimulation, it is frustratingly slow in many cases.  [10:25]
At Fat Max you are burning maximum fat minimum glucose and as you speed up, fat burning goes down and sugar burning spikes. [13:43]
Fat Max is 180 minus your age in beats per minute.  You want to have the same exact course, doing the same exact test every time. [17:01]
Eluid Kipchoge trains at a very slow comfortable pace. [21:18]
 
LINKS:

Brad Kearns.com
Brad’s Shopping page
B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean
Chris Hinshaw Aerobic Capacity
PrimalEndrance.fit

 
Join Brad for more fun on: 
Instagram: @bradkearns1
Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh
Twitter: @bradleykearns
YouTube: @brad.kearns
TikTok: @bradkearns
 
We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A; shows, emailed to podcast@bradventures.com. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!
Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!
Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!
GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD
Schwank Grills: Portable gas infrared grills for the juiciest steak you’ve ever had! Cooks in minutes at 1500 degree heat. Save $150 with code BRAD150. 
Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off!
Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course!
B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor!
Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience
Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!
Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement

Brad's Favorites on Amazon
I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition products (for direct order or Amazon order), my library of online multimedia educational courses, great discounts from my affiliate favorites, and my recommended health&fitness; products on Amazon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad Kearns: The Importance Of Developing The Aerobic System

In this breather show, you will learn how slowing down can actually help you go faster, which is a crucial subject to gain a deep understanding and appreciation of, lest you have the inclination as a hard-driving athlete to speed up a little bit in the pursuit of getting fitter. 
It is an unassailable fact of exercise physiology that a robust aerobic system is a prerequisite for a robust anaerobic system. As you will hear in this episode, your aerobic energy producing enzymes and muscle fibers are intertwined with your fast twitch muscle fibers and glycolytic enzymes, and they supply them with the nutrients, blood, and oxygen they need to contract forcefully (without using oxygen) for short duration. Then, they need to be refueled and replenished, and this is where the aerobic system comes in—by then facilitating the removal of waste products and energy replenishment afterward.
If you want to learn why slowing down will help you go faster, what happens to an aerobic system that is not well conditioned to handle high intensity exercise, and how to avoid self-inflicted cellular damage and fatigue, this is the episode for you. 
 
LINKS:

Brad Kearns.com
Brad’s Shopping page
B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean

 
Join Brad for more fun on: 
Instagram: @bradkearns1
Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh
Twitter: @bradleykearns
YouTube: @brad.kearns
TikTok: @bradkearns
 
We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A; shows, emailed to podcast@bradventures.com. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!
Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!
Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!
GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD
Schwank Grills: Portable gas infrared grills for the juiciest steak you’ve ever had! Cooks in minutes at 1500 degree heat. Save $150 with code BRAD150. 
Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off!
Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course!
B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor!
Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience
Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!
Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement

Brad's Favorites on Amazon
I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition products (for direct order or Amazon order), my library of online multimedia educational courses, great discounts from my affiliate favorites, and my recommended health&fitness; products on Amazon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Breather: Why Slowing Down Will Help You Go Faster

I am pleased to introduce a rebroadcast of my Deconstructing Dr. Tommy Wood Insights, part 2 show!
This episode covers a variety of topics, such as gut health and how it relates to autoimmune and other inflammatory conditions, polarized training, the benefits of consuming more food (and how you know when to dial it back), how long the (negative) effects of vegetable oil stay in your system, carbohydrates, and more.
 
TIMESTAMPS: 
There’s a tremendous link between gut health and cognitive conditions like depression. [02:07] 
What is the problem with canola oil once in a while? [05:57] 
A lot of people find that just eliminating gluten from the diet, causes a quick improvement in digestive symptoms. [08:08] 
If you cut process carbs from your diet, you can meet your glucose needs in other ways. [09:17] 
Water retention plays a big part as a result of carbohydrate ingestion. [11:46] 
Going over the recommended maximum heart rate is not good. Learn about polarized training. [14:56] 
You can mess up your gut health by NOT doing polarized training. [20:02] 
An interesting point is that as an athlete doing a hard workout, you’re pushing yourself pretty hard, you’re depleting cellular energy.  [20:39] 
Autophagy is a good thing: starving your cells of energy in contrast to overfeeding them. [22:03] 
Be careful about overdoing it. [24:21] 
Brad’s intuitive approach to Keto eating is working well for him. [25:38] 
If you have a “cheat day” you’ll have that concept in your brain and that means there’s something wrong with your baseline diet.  [27:25] 
Why is it so difficult to keep our commitments aligned with our highest ideals? [29:51] 
 
LINKS:

Brad Kearns.com
Brad’s Shopping page
B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean
Dr. Cate Shanahan
Dr. Phil Maffetone 
Ben Greenfield 
Dr. Tommy Wood
Art DeVany 

 
Join Brad for more fun on: 
Instagram: @bradkearns1
Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh
Twitter: @bradleykearns
YouTube: @brad.kearns
TikTok: @bradkearns
 
We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A; shows, emailed to podcast@bradventures.com. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!
Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!
Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!
GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD
Schwank Grills: Portable gas infrared grills for the juiciest steak you’ve ever had! Cooks in minutes at 1500 degree heat. Save $150 with code BRAD150. 
Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off!
Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course!
B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor!
Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience
Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!
Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement

Brad's Favorites on Amazon
I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition products (for direct order or Amazon order), my library of online multimedia educational courses, great discounts from my affiliate favorites, and my recommended health&fitness; products on Amazon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gordo Byrn Essays (Breather Episode with Brad)

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