In this episode we talk about our wins and struggles over the past week, and we answer questions from you, the listeners. 

Questions:

Question #1: I’m wearing a sleep tracker that shows my quality of sleep and tells me how many minutes I’m in each stage. What is the optimal amount of REM and Deep Sleep I should be getting?

• How to use trackers, look at long term averages, look at what changes you make do to those averages, gold juice/Mello/brain.fm
• D: Deep 50m, 2h, in bed 8h42m, sleep 7h18m
• J: Deep 1h30m, 56m, in bed 8h20m, sleep 6h50m

Question #2: How important is stretching? What’s the minimal effective dose?

• Difference between flexibility and mobility, frequency is king, if you don’t use it you lose it, fascia, 
• Watch this video explaining fascia!
  https://youtu.be/01LbcCDTwF4

And this one

                   https://youtu.be/v54l3wDTJHg

Question #3: A common question with summer coming up, people traveling, more kids sports tourneys and more on the go… we’ve been asking our clients to hit their protein goals and a common question has been for some easy on the go protein ideas. 

• Hard boiled eggs, beef/turkey jerky, almonds, Jamie’s list of favorite protein rich foods, 
• Protein bars: Last resort but our recommendations are Epic, Aloha, and Bulletproof collagen bars.

Recommendation: 

MINDPump, podcast, YouTube, workout programs,
IG: @mindpumpmedia
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindPumpShow

Quote: 

“Make someone smile every day, but don’t forget, you’re someone too.”

These episodes were inspired because of our obsession with snacks. We love to fuel our bodies with little bite sized  nutritious food snacks. 

We’ve also talked about adding MOVEMENT snacks into your day as well. 

Now it’s time to add Bitesized Brain Snacks into your week. That's what these episodes will be all about. Bitesized wellness wisdom for lifelong learners. So let’s OPEN UP and satiate our minds. 

This brain snack  is all about sleep. We are going to go over some crazy facts about sleep and some simple and actionable recommendations that you can use to begin to immediately sleep deeper and longer. 

1. Among people with Alzheimer’s, 60-70 percent have at least one clinical sleep disorder.
2. Poor sleep and circadian ghythm disruptions increase cancer risk.
3. People who sleep just five hours per night are 4.5 times more likely to catch a cold.
4. Sleep deprivation can cause blood sugar imbalances.
5. Poor sleep increases amygdala activity by a whopping 60 percent. 
6. Getting less than six hours of sleep per night is associated with a 200 percent higher risk of heart attack. 

References:

The Dhru Purohit Podcast
“Sleep mater class: How poor sleep makes us hungry, disrupts our blood sugar, and increases our risk for Alzheimer’s Disease with Sunjya Schweig, MD”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dhru-purohit-podcast/id1381257272?i=1000603913640

Brain.fm App: Science backed music to help with relaxation, meditation, focus and sleep.
(First month Free, then 20% off subscription)
Discount Code: coachdamien_sd


Links:

IG:
@coachdamien_sd
@damienrayevans
@livinthedream_podcast

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

FB:
https://www.facebook.com/coachdamienSD/

In this episode we welcome a brand new Co-Host to the show. 

Meet Jamie Martinez, ex athlete, health coach and group fitness instructor. 

We answer questions from you, the listeners:

Questions:

Question #1: I’m struggling to lose weight, I have been really dialed in on the week days, but not on the weekends. How do I not let my weekends derail my week of hard work?”

• We discuss: Weekly averages, holy trinity of fat gain, strategy of hitting your social goals while staying in the confines of your health goals, planning ahead (food tracker input prior, physical activity done prior creating a situation where your body needs the extra calories/recovery, being up front with your goals to your friends, planning the event yourself around physical movement instead of sunday Funday)

Question #2: “I’ve been taking these group fitness sessions for a year now and really haven’t lost much weight. What am I doing wrong and do you recommend adding in or taking away anything to see results?” 

• We discuss: Client story, talk about resistance training, protein, zone 2 cardio, stress management, NEAT

Question #3: What should I be having for breakfast/first meal of the day?

• We discuss: It depends, goal, what are you currently doing/what are the results of that, protein first, avoid naked carbs, 

Recommendation: 

Shawn Stevenson 
The Model Health Show Podcast, 10 year anniversary 

Quote: 
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” 
 —Harriet Tubman

Today, we will cover a few of the things I learned this week while on this path to being a lifelong learner. Instead of a MASTERCLASS episode, where I break a topic down with a deep dive, I will give the cliff notes - highlights version of what I’ve learned this week and then I’ll attach the source from where the content came from in case you wanted to learn more. 

In this episode we talk about:
1. Joe Delaney's YouTube video titled “6 things I do every day to stay in shape.” 

2. How to regulate your nervous system from a podcast episode from one of the greatest body builders of all time Ben Pakulski, host of the Muscle Intelligence Podcast. 

3. A Mindpump IG post titled “5 easy steps to lose weight without counting calories.” 

4. Physical activity and your mental health. What could they possibly have in common? Is there something that you could do to protect you from anxiety, stress and depression? We will see what one of my favorite authors on movement and stress resiliency, Kelly McGonigal, what she had to say about this topic. 

 References:

6 things I do every day to stay in shape.

https://youtu.be/T5reu3R55kM

The Muscle Intelligence Podcast w/ Ben Pakulski
“How to regulate your nervous system.”

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Wpg0ax9vm7N4Q2npdGmF0?si=S1BukHlyT9OdNWypesV2jQ

Mindpump Media
MindPump Podcast
IG: @mindpump

Kelly McGonigal on the Model Health Show Podcast
Instagram Clip:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/ColS7LgLCNa/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Eatdirtfood.com

Discount code (10% off entire order): DirtyDamien

Brain.fm App

(First month Free, then 20% off subscription)

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Links:

IG:

@coachdamien_sd

@damienrayevans

@livinthedream_podcast

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

FB:

https://www.facebook.com/coachdamienSD/

In today’s episode, we will touch on a handful of topics I found interesting this week.

Today, will cover a few of the things I learned this week while on this path to being a lifelong learner. Instead of a MASTERCLASS episode, where I break a topic down with a deep dive, I will give the cliff notes, highlights of what I’ve learned this week. 

In this episode we talk about:
1. A book I’m finishing up right now titled “Burn (New research blows the lid off how we really burn calories, stay healthy and lose weight).” by one of the main researchers of the Hadza Tribe, Dr. Herman Pontzer 

2. Metabolic set point. Your body loves homeostasis.  if you ever deviate out of that range, it does everything in its power to maintain homeostasis and get it back to that level.

3. I also wanted to share 13 steps that Thomas DeLauer uses to stay under 8% body fat all year round. Thomas DeLauer is a pretty prominent figure on youtube and social media platforms who shares some pretty great content. 

4. Dan Garner's philosophy on how motivation and willpower are not the best way to chase your health goals and what he thinks are the best character traits that will allow you to achieve the things you want out of life. 

References:

Book: “Burn. New research blows the lid off how we really burn calories, lose weight, and stay healthy.” by Herman Pontzer PhD

Youtube Video: “13 steps I follow to stay under 8% body fat.”
https://youtu.be/j1IN3CykYeI

The Adversity Advantage Podcast
“Dan Garner on how to fight fatigue, reduce stress & improve your sleep.”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adversity-advantage/id1496406333?i=1000595371654

Eatdirtfood.com
Discount code (10% off entire order): DirtyDamien

Brain.fm App
(First month Free, then 20% off subscription)
Discount Code: coachdamien_sd

Links:
IG:
@coachdamien_sd
@damienrayevans
@livinthedream_podcast

 YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

FB:
https://www.facebook.com/coachdamienSD/

In today’s episode, we are going to do something a little bit different. A lot of you know that when we decided to make this podcast, the goal was to let us do all the dirty work when it comes to learning about ALL THINGS health, fitness and wellness. The goal was to let US search through what all the experts are saying, let US do the research and then in turn, we then teach it to the Livin’ the Dream Team. We teach what is most applicable and helpful to you. 
So today, I’m going to touch on a few of the things I learned this week while on this path to being a life ong learner. Instead of a MASTERCLASS episode, where I break a topic down with a deep dive, I will give the cliff notes, highlights of what I’ve learned this week and then I’ll attach the source from where the content came from in case you wanted to learn more. 

In this episode we talk about:
1. How our ENVIRONMENT, the things we choose to surround ourselves with, the things we may not have control over, how our ENVIRONMENT shapes our health. 

2. How making it harder on yourself to snack and harder on yourself to take those small sips, dips, licks and tastes throughout the day, can be extremely impactful to your weight management goals.

3. We will teach you what the author of Atomic Habits,  James Clear’s philosophy is on The four laws of behavior change. And how you can build and change habits in your life. As well as share three ideas he offered in his most recent newsletter that I thought we could really benefit from.

4. I give you a rundown on 4 books that I just finished back to back. These books include; Salt, Sugar, Fat (How the food giants hooked us) by Michael Moss which came out in 2013, and then his sequel to the book Hooked (Food, free will, and how the food giants exploit our addictions) that came out 2021. Also The Hungry brain (Outsmarting the instincts that make us overeat) by Dr. Stephan J. Guyenet, and then the last book called The way we eat now (How the food revolution has transformed our lives, our bodies and our world) by Bee Wilson. They all did a phenomenal job at really breaking down the timeline of what happened with our food, our food care systems, and corporations that really took advantage (and are still taking advantage) of how our addictive and reactive and emotional brains work. If you’re someone that struggles with your relationship with food in any way… I definitely recommend these books.

References:

Email for Accountability Club information:
[email protected]

The Doctor’s Farmacy Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Hyman
“How our ENVIRONMENT shapes our health.”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-doctors-farmacy-with-mark-hyman-m-d/id1382804627?i=1000591431618

Book:
“The Hungry Brain, Outsmarting the instincts that make us overeat.” 
by Dr Stephan J. Guyenet

James Clear, Author of Atomic Habits
Podcast w/ Dr. Peter Attia “The Drive”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peter-attia-drive/id1400828889?i=1000591299495

Newsletter: 
https://Jamesclear.com/3-2-1

Eatdirtfood.com

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 Brain.fm App

(First month Free, then 20% off subscription)

Discount Code: coachdamien_sd

Links:

IG:

@coachdamien_sd

@damienrayevans

@livinthedream_podcast

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

FB:

https://www.facebook.com/coachdamienSD/

In this episode we are going to be discussing how you can become incredibly disciplined, if you GAMIFY your discipline. If you make being disciplined fun rather than hard, and the more you gamify your goal, the more exciting it gets… the better results you get… the more motivated you become… and ultimately, the longer you gamify (at least if you do it the way we are going to talk about today), the more data you get and then it’s like you’re trying to beat your own scores and get your best records… if you can turn it into a game against yourself. You can make discipline way more fun. You vs. You. The oponent staring back at you from the mirror. 

The more fun you have chasing your goals, the more likely it is that you will be consistent, and when the time inevitably comes where you fall off or hit an obstacle.. The more likely it is that you’ll get right back on track after you have fallen off. So today, we are going to help you find success by GAMIFYING your health, fitness and wellness.

The number one way I’ve done this personally is to quantify and gamify tasks. The theme of this episode can be summed up simply by a great quote… 
“What gets measured, gets managed.”


References:

Livin’ the Dream Podcast episode
“5 ways to make changes that stick.”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/livin-the-dream/id1546290282?i=1000570179522

“How to make exercise a habit”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/livin-the-dream/id1546290282?i=1000505512438

“Atomic Habits by James Clear.” 

“Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg” 

“The Power of Habit  by Charles Duhigg” 

Rob Dyrdek Podcast
“Build with Rob”

MUSE meditation headband
Choosemuse.com

Eatdirtfood.com

Discount code (10% off entire order): DirtyDamien

Brain.fm App

(First month Free, then 20% off subscription)

Discount Code: coachdamien_sd

Links:

IG:

@coachdamien_sd

@damienrayevans

@livinthedream_podcast

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

FB:

https://www.facebook.com/coachdamienSD/

It’s the holiday season!! And oh man, is magic in the air! If you’re listening to this episode when it drops, then you’re probably still feeling the after effects of your thanksgiving feast. I hope your experience was everything you wanted and more.

But with the holiday season, comes a lot of challenges when it comes to our health.

This episode is going to be geared towards those that struggle with overconsumption over the holidays. Those that feel their holiday season is the time when they really go off the rails with their health goals. For those who have struggled with putting on unhealthy body fat over the holidays. Those who care about their body composition and how they look, their overall health and how they feel, and know that some of the things they do over the holiday’s don’t usually match their health goals.

 Over the past month I have been listening to podcasts and health experts  with the focus of healthy holidays in mind. What follows is a compilation of some of my favorite messages from some of my favorite podcast follows.


References:

Katy Bowman, Nutritious Movement Podcast
Author: Move Your DNA, Grow Wild,  Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief, Movement Matters, and more.

Episode: CELEBRATE! 11 steps to cozy, joyful and dynamic holidays. 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/move-your-dna-with-katy-bowman/id894200695?i=1000586726478

Livin’ The Dream Podcast episode 12: “Life is about BALANCE. Avoid the HOLY TRINITY of fat gain.”

Eatdirtfood.com

Discount code (10% off entire order): DirtyDamien

Brain.fm App

(First month Free, then 20% off subscription)

Discount Code: coachdamien_sd

Dr. Jade Teta
IG: @jadeteta

Podcast: Next Level Human

Author: Next Level Metabolism

Links:

IG:

@coachdamien_sd

@damienrayevans

@livinthedream_podcast

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

FB:

https://www.facebook.com/coachdamienSD/

There are very few things that you do that occupies a third of your life. I used to be under the assumption that sleep was kind of a waste of time. I used to think if there was a magic pill I could take to keep me awake, I would have so much time to do other things!
“I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” “Sleep is for the weak and unmotivated..” I was so so wrong.
Sleep is not lost time! It’s not just a way to rest when you’re tired or when you have nothing better to do. There are many benefits that come from sleeping.

In today’s episode we will moving on to our final  pillar of total wellness, 
Pillar #4  Sleep and Recovery. 
Last week we covered pillar #3 Stress Management and the weeks before that we covered Pillar #1 movement and Pillar #2 Nutrition. so if you haven’t listened to those episodes yet, I recommend going back and listening to them first, as this was a presentation that I gave to a company and it had a certain order and flow to it.

Total Wellness is a large subject.. and four really important pillars to total wellness are… Movement, Nutrition, Stress Management and Sleep.

In this episode, we will touch on some of the struggles that we currently see with the way our society is sleeping… or for some NOT sleeping. Then we will discuss strategies and tips on how to boost our sleep pillar to optimal status.

References:

Livin’ the Dream Podcast Sleep Episodes:
“Why SLEEP is so important to your fat loss goals.”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/livin-the-dream/id1546290282?i=1000510072762

“The Four Pillars of Fat Loss.”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/livin-the-dream/id1546290282?i=1000507196550

Book: “Sleep Smarter” by Shawn Stevenson

Professor Andrew Huberman: The Huberman Lab Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110
Sleep Episodes: Episodes 2-5

Eatdirtfood.com

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Brain.fm App

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Ned:
Mello magnesium product
helloned. com
Discount code: "Jameemarie"

Links:

IG:

@coachdamien_sd

@damienrayevans

@livinthedream_podcast

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

FB:

https://www.facebook.com/coachdamienSD/

In today’s episode we will moving on to the next pillar of total wellness, 
 Pillar #3 Stress Management. 
 Last week we covered pillar #2 Nutrition and the week before that we covered Pillar #1 movement. so if you haven’t listened to those episodes yet, I recommend going back and listening to them first, as this was a presentation that I gave to a company and it had a certain order and flow to it.

We are breaking the topic of TOTAL WELLNESS down into four important pillars. So the goal is to learn how important these big rocks are and how we can leverage them to improve our Total Wellness.. I’ll bring up what we covered in that presentation but we are also going to go much deeper on each topic.

Total Wellness is a large subject.. and four really important pillars to total wellness are… Movement, Nutrition, Stress Management and Sleep.

Today, we will touch on some of the struggles that we currently see with the way our society is experiencing and managing stress. Then we will discuss strategies and tips on how to boost our stress management pillar to optimal status.

References:

Book: “Why Zebras Dont Get Ulcers” by
Robert M. Sapolsky

Dr. Stephen Cabral
 IG: @stephencabral
 Book: Rain Barrel Effect

 Mentions:
 Wim Hoff
 Professor Andrew Huberman (podcast “Huberman Lab Podcast”)

Brain.fm App

(First month Free, then 20% off
subscription)

Discount Code: coachdamien_sd

Eatdirtfood.com

Discount code (10% off entire order):
DirtyDamien

Links:

IG:

@coachdamien_sd

@damienrayevans

@livinthedream_podcast

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

FB:

https://www.facebook.com/coachdamienSD/