Help Me Understand

Coach JK is joined by Deanna Harder, a personal trainer and fitness coach based in Canada, for a conversation about what happens after you’ve taken fitness to the extreme.

Deanna has lived on that end of the spectrum, from intense training and rigid food rules to bodybuilding prep, and she’s candid about where it eventually leads when discipline quietly turns into obsession.

They talk through why moderation is rarely the starting point for driven people. It tends to show up later, after burnout, plateaus, or the realization that chasing an old version of yourself is costing more than it’s giving back.

Deanna shares how she works with clients who are doing everything “right” on paper, yet feel stuck, frustrated, and worn down by the process.

This episode is for anyone who’s lived in extremes and is starting to wonder if there’s another way to train, eat, and live, one that still involves effort, but doesn’t require white-knuckling every season of life.

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Connect with Deanna

Website: https://deannaharder.com/

Instagram: @deanna.harder

Connect with JK

Instagram: @coachJKmcleod

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, Coach JK talks about why constant exposure to fitness advice, podcasts, and “better” methods is making consistency harder, not easier.

He introduces a simple framework to help you put new information on H.O.L.D. instead of immediately reacting to it, so you can stay focused on what actually moves the needle.

This episode is a reminder that every new piece of information is not a signal to overhaul everything...and that staying the course often means knowing what not to act on.

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Instagram: @coachJKmcleod

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, coach JK shares his POV on the difference between making a choice and deciding what your options are.

The episode centers on the idea that commitment happens once, up front. After that, the work isn’t about renegotiating the decision, but about giving yourself multiple ways to follow through when life, energy, or schedules don’t cooperate.

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Instagram: @coachJKmcleod

Email: [email protected]

In today's fitness Q&A episode, coach JK covers what to do when you lose the motivation to workout in your 40s.

He also offers suggestions for someone who is looking to buy dumbbells for workouts at home.

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Instagram: @coachJKmcleod

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, coach JK answers your fitness & nutrition questions.

- What's the best app to use for macros tracking?

- I'm struggling to find consistency when I'm not on #75Hard

- How many days per week do I need to workout to lose weight?

- Should I cut carbs to jumpstart my weight loss?

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Instagram: @coachJKmcleod

Email: [email protected]

In this episode , Coach JK McLeod shares why lasting habit change starts with identity.

The focus is on three ideas:

- consistency is about patterns, not perfection

- a clear sense of identity makes daily decisions easier

- outcome goals only work when they fit into a lifestyle you can actually maintain.

Today's episode asks listeners to stop chasing short-term results and start thinking about who they’re becoming through their everyday actions.

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Instagram: @coachJKmcleod

Email: [email protected]

In this episode of the Help Me Understand podcast, Coach JK explores the concept of the "messy middle", a space where individuals find themselves without a specific goal but still feel the urge to pursue something meaningful.

JK shares his perspective on how to navigate this space by examining areas of life where supplements have become substitutes, encouraging listeners to focus on improving foundational habits.

Whether you're caught between setting ambitious goals or focused maintaining your current path, this episode offers practical advice for finding harmony.

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Instagram: @coachJKmcleod

Email: [email protected]

In today's episode, JK shares his perspective on what the "secret sauce" is for locking in and being consistent with fitness.

He also shares how a recent book read (The Gap & The Gain) provided a different way to look at finding harmony with how far you've come and the drive to keep going towards your goal.

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Instagram: @coachJKmcleod

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, Coach JK reflects on, what it took to reach 265 podcast episodes, and why consistency matters more than confidence, clarity, or perfect conditions.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time, the right plan, or the right setup to begin something important, this episode is for you.

It’s a reminder that most progress starts messy, motivation fades, and action is what carries things forward.

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Instagram: @coachJKmcleod

Email: [email protected]

Coach JK McLeod closes out the year with Melissa’s annual return to the podcast, using her one-word theme and “__ for __” (ie "25 in 2025") list as a way to reflect, reset, and move forward without the usual New Year pressure.

Melissa's perspective on 2025 pushes back on the idea that a new year requires a clean slate, and instead explores the value of revisiting what was left unfinished with intention rather than guilt.

Listen in as JK and Melissa break down an approach built on intentional flexibility: using a theme to guide decisions, leaving blank space for what you can’t plan, and balancing responsibilities with things that bring energy and connection.

The episode also includes a discussion on attention, screen time, movement, and simple daily anchors that quietly shape a year.

If you're open to a different take on planning your year, this episode is for you.

Previous yearly theme episodes with Melissa:

Ep 118: Words of intention

Ep 194: Designing your year & the lessons learned along the way

Link to planning tools mentioned in episode:

https://gretchenrubin.com/design-your-year/

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Instagram: @coachJKmcleod

Email: [email protected]