Here All Day | Sport Medicine & Performance

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This conversation is with Danny O’Connor, a former professional boxer, author, and advocate for men’s mental health and eating disorder awareness. Danny earned 31 professional wins, held a top-five world ranking, represented the United States on the Olympic stage and became a WBC International Silver Super Lightweight Champion. 

In his book, Weight Class, Danny shares the story behind those achievements: his longstanding struggle with an eating disorder, the extreme weight-cutting practices that nearly took his life, and his journey into recovery. He now uses his experience to bring attention to the struggles around food, body image, and identity that can remain hidden behind athletic success. 

We Discuss: 

• Introduction to extreme weight cutting tactics as a young wrestler 
• His career in professional boxing 
• Athletic discipline vs pathologic restriction 
• Fitting into a lighter weight class won’t make you a better athlete 
• Inside an extreme binge eating episode 
• The weight cut that landed him in the ICU 
• Barriers men face in eating disorder recovery 
• How Danny beat his eating disorder 
• Should combat sport promotions change weigh-in rules? 
• Athletes need to be educated on how to healthily cut weight 

Get the book! Visit: www.bitelikeaman.com/ 

Episode Show Notes 

• Connect with Danny on Instagram @therealdannyconnor | LinkedIn Danny O’Connor 
• National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC)
• Eating Disorder Hope

Connect with me on Instagram: @casswarbeck

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @herealldaypodcast 

Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

 *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

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How can athletes continue to perform, compete, and stay healthy as they age? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Sharon McDowell-Larsen and Dr. Regan Stiegmann, coauthors of Staying in the Game: Leveraging Lifestyle Medicine to Elevate Health, Outsmart Aging, and Enhance Performance. Dr. McDowell-Larsen is an exercise physiologist, decorated endurance athlete, and age-group world champion, while Dr. Stiegmann is a board-certified physician in Preventive and Lifestyle Medicine and a nationally recognized leader in lifestyle and performance medicine. Together, they bring decades of experience helping people optimize health, performance, and longevity. 

We Discuss: 

• How to slow athletic decline and maximize performance longevity 
• The power of consistency and embracing “non-zero days” 
• Can a plant-based diet improve athletic performance? 
• Why nutrition compounds over decades 
• Why carbohydrates matter more for performance than protein 
• Do masters athletes need more protein? 
• Why fibre may be one of the most important nutrients for athletes 
• How gut-derived postbiotics may influence performance 
• Simple ways to eat more fibre 
• Reducing inflammation and managing osteoarthritis 
• Why women may excel in endurance events 
• Key considerations for postmenopausal athletes  

Get the book! Staying in the Game  

Episode Show Notes  

• Connect with Sharon: Substack | Instagram 
• Connect with Regan: LinkedIn 
• Film: The Game Changers 

Connect with me on Instagram: @casswarbeck

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @herealldaypodcast 

Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

 *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

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This conversation is with Andrew Cordssen-David, CEO and co-founder of HeadFirst and a former semi-professional hockey player. Driven by his own experience with concussions, Andrew is working to transform how these injuries are detected and managed through the development of a rapid, saliva-based screening tool designed to help physicians make better sideline decisions. 

We Discuss: 

• Andrew’s hockey career and personal concussion history 
• Current diagnostic tests for concussion 
• Athletes hide concussion symptoms 
• Concussion pathophysiology 
• Saliva biomarkers of concussion 
• Best case use for point of care saliva testing 
• Bringing the product to market in North America 
• Advice for athletes dealing with a concussion 

HEADFIRST 

Episode Show Notes:  

• Connect with Andrew - LinkedIn 
• Sport Awareness Concussion Tool 
• Parachute Concussion Resources 
• Concussion Awareness Training Tool 

Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

Connect with me on Instagram: @casswarbeck

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @herealldaypodcast 

Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

 *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

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This conversation is with Dr. Michael Klaper, a physician, educator, and one of the early pioneers in plant-based and lifestyle medicine who was a major influence on my decision to pursue medicine. With over four decades of clinical experience across acute care, family medicine, and nutritional medicine, Dr. Klaper is widely known for his work teaching both physicians and the public about the role of nutrition in preventing and treating chronic disease, including his longstanding lecture, “What I Wish I Had Learned About Nutrition in Medical School.” In his latest book, Moving Medicine Forward, he continues to advocate for a more prevention-focused, nutrition-informed approach to healthcare—one that addresses the root causes of many of the chronic conditions we see every day. 

We Discuss 

• What medicine keeps getting wrong 
• Nutrition is real medicine 
• We can all agree vegetables are good for us 
• Moving medicine forward by inspiring medical students 
• “Do no harm” applies to the food on our plate 
• How doctors start applying this in practice 
• Ditch dairy first 
• Athletes should care about long term health 
• A day in the disease reversal clinic 

Get the book! Moving Medicine Forward: What More Doctors Should Know About Nutrition and How It Can Save Your Life! 

Episode Show Notes 

• Connect with Dr. Klaper | Website | YouTube | Instagram | 
• Moving Medicine Forward - Medical School Nutrition Education Initiative 
• Video Lecture: What I Wish I Learned about Nutrition in Medical School 
• The American College of Lifestyle Medicine 
• The Plantrician Project 
• Film: The GameChangers

Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

Connect with me on Instagram: @casswarbeck

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @herealldaypodcast 

Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

 *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

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This conversation is with Leanna Carriere and Dr. Timm Döbert, plant-based endurance athletes who are about to embark on a 30,000-km human-powered expedition known as Wings of Survival. Leanna is Canada’s first female decathlete turned ultra-endurance athlete, as well as a personal trainer and entrepreneur. Timm is a scientist with a PhD in Global Change Ecology and a postdoctoral research background in biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics. Together, they will cycle from Alaska to Patagonia, tracing the migratory path of the Hudsonian Whimbrel and drawing attention to the accelerating global biodiversity crisis.

We Discuss 

• The motivation behind Wings of Survival 
• The world’s biodiversity crisis and bird extinction 
• Introducing the Hudsonian Whimbrel 
• Migratory birds are nature’s greatest athletes 
• Challenges of the journey from Alaska to Patagonia 
• Cycling across Canada in 30 days 
• Maintaining energy balance on a plant-based diet 
• We don’t know how birds fly for 8 days straight 
• Plant-based diets are best for the environment 
• Avoiding overtraining injuries 
• Chasing your dreams 

WingsofSurvival.com 

Episode Show Notes 

• Follow Wings of Survival on Instagram @wingsofsurvival 
• Connect with Leanna: Instagram @leannacarriere | LinkedIn @Leanna Carriere | Her website
• Connect with Timm: Instagram @sportecologist | LinkedIn @Timm Döbert  
• Check out 7 Summit Snacks to fuel your next adventure 
• Study: Energy balance in cyclists on plant-based diets during a 30-day, 4300-km ride across Canada

Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

Connect with me on Instagram: @casswarbeck

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @herealldaypodcast 

Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

 *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

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This conversation with Bill Killinger explores martial arts as a framework for radical self-honesty, decision-making, and long-term personal growth. I met Bill through jiu jitsu and he’s one of the most influential people I’ve had the pleasure of training with. Bill began training in judo at the age of fourteen and has spent decades immersed in martial arts, including kung fu, Filipino Kali, Jeet Kun Do, kickboxing, karate, boxing, wrestling and jiu jitsu. He’s also the Canadian Director for ISR Matrix International.  

We Discuss:  

• Fear of conflict  
• Make decisions out of acceptance of the consequences  
• When violence is the answer  
• Celebrating discomfort  
• Radical honesty (about the stories we tell ourselves)  
• “Collecting data” and “gathering evidence”  
• Is this a problem and how do I know?  
• Sustainable goal setting and pursuing better  
• Is discipline greater than motivation?  
• Recognizing when an identity no longer serves you  
• Singularity of purpose  
• Martial arts training for sport vs for life  
• Storytelling is the true commodity of life  

Connect with me: @casswarbeck   

Connect with me on Instagram: @casswarbeck

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @herealldaypodcast 

Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

 *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

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This conversation is a masterclass on the science of caffeine and how to use it to enhance athletic performance. My guest today is Dr. Lawrence Spriet, one of Canada’s leading exercise physiologists. He’s a professor and chair of the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph, and his research has shaped much of what we know today about skeletal muscle metabolism, fuel utilization, and the ergogenic effects of caffeine and other performance-enhancing compounds. He’s chair of the Canadian Gatorade Sports Science Institute, where he’s been deeply involved in applied field research. And, in true scientist-athlete fashion, he’s a committed caffeine user and avid hockey player himself.

We Discuss:

• Sweat testing elite hockey players
• Carbohydrates are the best performance enhancer 
• How caffeine alters the CNS 
• Individual differences in caffeine metabolism 
• Caffeine dependence and “caffeine breaks”
• Risks of high daily intakes 
• Caffeine’s effect on fat metabolism 
• The optimal dose of caffeine 
• Differences between forms of caffeine 
• If the extra ingredients in pre-workout and energy drinks are worth the money 
• Safe sources of caffeine for drug tested athletes 

Episode Show Notes 

• Connect with Dr. Spriet on LinkedIn | 
• Book: Caffeine for Sports Performance 
• GSSI Article: Caffeine and Exercise Performance

Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

Connect with me on Instagram: @casswarbeck

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @herealldaypodcast 

Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

 *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

Send us Fan Mail

This conversation is with returning guest Dr. Colin Zhu, an osteopathic physician double board-certified in Family Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. Through his wellness platform The Chef Doc, Dr. Zhu combines his expertise as a physician, chef, and health coach to empower people to take charge of their well-being, one meal at a time. In this episode, we explore his newest project, The Empowered Kitchen — a plant-forward cookbook and movement built around the idea that small, consistent choices in the kitchen can create big results for our health, performance, and the planet.

We Discuss:

• Recognizing that life is dynamic (balance is not always possible) 
• Approaching new fitness goals 
• Empowering change through sharing healthy recipes  
• The updated Eat Lancet report 
• How plant-forward diets best support planet health 
• Food waste contributes to emissions 
• Microplastics and seafood 
• Why cooking at home is so beneficial 
• A quick way to assess diet quality 
• Considerations for the athlete 

Episode Show Notes: 

• Pre-order The Empowered Kitchen, now! 
• Connect with Dr. Zhu on Instagram | YouTube 
• The Chef Doc website: thechefdoc.co  

Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

Connect with me on Instagram: @casswarbeck

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @herealldaypodcast 

Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

 *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

Send us Fan Mail

This conversation is with Dr. Hussain Khimji, a family physician with focused practices in lifestyle and obesity medicine based at the Alberta Lifestyle Clinic in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada. Dr. Khimji is passionate about helping people live happier, more fulfilling lives by empowering them to take control of their health through evidence-based lifestyle change. Drawing from his wide-ranging experience in inpatient, emergency, and primary care, he shares why prevention and mental wellbeing are essential to the future of medicine. 

We Discuss:

• Shifting from acute care to preventative lifestyle medicine 
• The six pillars of lifestyle medicine 
• Embracing progress as a recovering perfectionist 
• Striving for a predominantly whole food, plant based diet 
• Ketogenic and carnivore diets 
• Motivational interviewing for practitioners 
• Building awareness around current behaviours
• Obesity medicine principles 
• Using GLP-1 medications as a tool for change 
• Building muscle is one of the best to do for your health 
• Optimizing self worth 

Episode Show Notes

• Connect with Dr. Khimji: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook 
• Dr. Khimji’s website: doctorkhimji.com 
• Clinic Website: AB Bariatric and Lifestyle Clinic 
• AB Clinic Referral Form for practitioners 

Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

Connect with me on Instagram: @casswarbeck

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @herealldaypodcast 

Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

 *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

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This conversation is with Dr. Emmanuel Gye is a family physician, board-certified in lifestyle medicine, and the founder of the Alberta Bariatric and Lifestyle Clinic in Airdrie, Alberta. Through his work, he’s helping patients and organizations rethink their approach to wellness, longevity, and performance - using the six pillars of lifestyle medicine to address the root causes of disease. Dr. Gye also holds an academic position with the University of Calgary and plays an active role in community health leadership across Alberta and West Africa. Through his clinic, teaching, and leadership, he’s helping drive a movement toward truly preventative, patient-centered care.

We Discuss:

• The six pillars of lifestyle medicine
• A whole food, plant-based diet is based on science 
• Calorie counting isn’t the answer
• Recognizing hunger and fullness cues 
• Using GLP-1 medications as a tool for behaviour change 
• How to leverage your own natural GLP-1 hormones 
• Exercise is not useful for weight loss 
• Our environment is designed to make us sick 

Episode Show Notes

• Connect with Dr. Gye: Instagram | Linked In 
• Clinic Website: AB Bariatric and Lifestyle Clinic 
• AB Clinic: Referral Form for practitioners 

Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

Connect with me on Instagram: @casswarbeck

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @herealldaypodcast 

Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

 *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*