Remove the Guesswork: Health, Fitness and Wellbeing for Busy Professionals

This week we’re talking about what makes a business athlete

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

Why you shouldn’t get too caught up on the word “business” in “business athlete.”

The definition of a business athlete and benefits of being one.

How being a business athlete can improve your personal life.

The five things you need to focus on to become a business athlete.

How far in advance you should plan your peak events.

What the peak events in your life might look like.

What you need to double-down on to enhance your business performance.

Signs that you may be overdoing it (or under-recovering).

Why you should know your non-negotiables and how many you should have.

What Leanne’s non-negotiables are.

What it means to know your “why”.

Key Takeaways:

It’s important to plan and anticipate peak events in your life, just as you would an athletic event.

You need to look at the separate components of health and optimize for them to be a successful business athlete.

Being a business athlete isn’t about being superhuman, it’s about accomplishing everything you want to do.

You should know what your peak events or “Wimbledons” are (and when they will occur) so you can plan accordingly.

People have generally become good at ignoring their body’s signals, but getting back in tune is crucial for the best performance.

Sleep is a foundation of your mental and physical wellbeing and should be considered a non-negotiable.

Performance comes down to purpose, so you should get clear and committed on why you want to focus on yourself as a business athlete.

Remember to focus less on your weight and keep fitness at the forefront of your healthy lifestyle.

Action Steps:



These are what make a business athlete:

1.   Plan for peak events. Know your events in advance and plan your lifestyle accordingly.

2.   Listen to your body’s signals. Your body will tell you what it needs, but you have to be willing to tune in and pay attention.

3.   Be clear on your non-negotiables. Know the key things you need to lay a healthy foundation in your day and stick to them.

4.   Know your why. When you know your key motivation for being a business athlete, it keeps you disciplined to stay on track.

5.   Don’t focus on appearances. Forget about what your body looks like and focus on being healthy in a holistic sense.

Leanne said:

“A business athlete is somebody who isn’t a recreational athlete, but we encourage you to see yourself, manage your health, your fitness, your wellbeing, your mental health, physical health, in the same way that an athlete would.”

“I think we, as business athletes, have become very good at ignoring those signals. We’ve become very good at blocking them out or forgetting how to read those signs, or just plain ignoring them. And the body sends us signals all the time.”



Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:

Healthy Resilient Teams Infographic: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/resource/healthy-resilient-teams

Leanne’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ

Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.

If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.

If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.

As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to [email protected].

This week we’re discussing part two of my blueprint for good health and wellbeing.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

A recap of last week's episode.

The fitness classes and disciplines Leanne is investing time in right now.

Why Leanne finds that Kung Fu has been a great addition to her wellness routine.

What Leanne does during her boxing classes and what her Peloton sessions look like.

Why animal flow can be beautiful to watch.

The benefits of animal flow classes.

The importance of variety within your fitness routine.

How often Leanne utilizes the infrared sauna and what the benefits are.

What the most important part of recovery is.

What is actually happening in our bodies when we sleep.

The supplements Leanne always takes.

How focusing on things that don’t have to do with you can support your overall wellness.

Key Takeaways:

Kung Fu has introduced new skills into Leanne’s fitness routine.

As you get older, you need to exercise your brain and your body.

Combat sports get you out of your comfort zone.

Animal flow is a great combination of cardiovascular and strength training.

Peloton is a great workout because it combines both exercise and fun.

The infrared sauna is helpful for detoxifying the body and promoting longevity.

Leanne does daily meditation for recovery for at least five minutes a day.

Sleep helps consolidate learning and memory as well as moderate hunger.

Human growth hormone is produced while we sleep and is crucial for muscle building.

Leanne sleeps for at least seven hours each night.

Krill oil provides omega 3, which is important for brain health.

Talk to a nutritional therapist before you introduce any new supplements.

Leanne is involved in several community initiatives by donating her time and energy to other causes.

Your blueprint should be executed with intention.

Action Steps:

What to consider when thinking about your weekly routine:

1. Are you willing to adapt your schedule? If what you’re doing isn’t working for you, you should be willing to adapt and adjust as needed.

2. Are you getting enough recovery? Without adequate recovery you may not reap the full benefits of your health and wellness activities.

3. Is there intention behind your actions? Being intentional and goal-oriented will help you stick to your own health blueprint.

Leanne said:

“I think it’s really important to bring variety. I think that’s one of the most underappreciated aspects of wellbeing. But also just to continually be throwing new stuff at yourself.”

“I’ve talked about those five workout sessions that I do a week. The benefit of these sessions, all of them, is derived in good quality sleep. So the human growth hormone, which enables, basically, our muscles to grow, that’s produced at night. It’s produced when we’re in deep, good quality, restorative sleep.”

Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:

Omega 3 supplement: https://www.planetorganic.com/products/pure-encapsulations-o-n-e-omega-30-caps

Article on personal training: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/if-you-think-its-about-personal-training-youve-missed-the-point/

Link to Leanne TED talk on 'why fitness is more important than weight': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ

Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.

If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.

If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.

As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to [email protected].

This week we’re talking about my blueprint for good health and wellbeing.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

Why good health and wellbeing matters.

The benefits of being physically strong.

Examples of how functional fitness helps you in everyday life.

Leanne’s four main reasons for creating a health blueprint.

The difference between healthspan and lifespan.

The importance of maintaining strong, healthy bones as we age.

How resistance training is an investment in your future.

What a hex bar is and what it’s useful for.

Why the kettlebell is a convenient piece of equipment to have.

How a blueprint provides structure for health.

What Leanne is currently using to support strength.

Leanne’s overall goals and how she’s working towards them.

The exercise classes Leanne is taking on a regular basis.

The importance of variety in your health routine.

What to think about when creating your own weekly routine.

Examples of bodyweight exercises that promote good health and movement.

Key Takeaways:

You can use Leanne’s blueprint as inspiration to create your own.

Gaining physical strength is about so much more than getting stronger, as it can also improve your self-esteem and the way you carry yourself.

Being functionally fit makes a lot of things easier like lifting heavy items or carrying your children.

During perimenopause, hormone levels fluctuate and a drop in estrogen can impact bone structure and strength.

Strength training supports healthy bones and therefore promotes longevity.

Making equipment like a hex bar or kettlebell readily available can support you in your training goals.

Goals are important for structure and accountability and should be worked into your blueprint.

Leanne has variety in her training including resistance training, Peloton, kung fu, boxing, and more.

Leanne will be covering more about these disciplines in part two of sharing her blueprint for health.

Leanne’s blueprint helps her reach her ultimate goals of supporting strength, health, mood, and energy.

Action Steps:

What to consider when thinking about your weekly routine:

1. Does it meet your goals? You want to create a blueprint that’s unique to you so you can meet your specific health goals.

2. Is there enough variety? Your routine should be well-rounded so that you are supported in your health in as many ways as possible.

3. Are you tuned into why you’re doing it? Knowing why you’re doing something helps sustain motivation. Leanne’s reasons are strength, health, mood, and energy.

Leanne said:

“There’s not an easy way to describe how feeling strong feels except that it leads to healthy self-esteem, good confidence, it affects the way you carry yourself both literally and figuratively throughout life, throughout conversations, and throughout difficult interactions that you might have.”

“The whole thing’s about health, basically. Mood - I’m always looking to get exercise and leverage movement to improve my mood. And energy’s a vital one, and I find that fitness really helps to boost energy as well as expend it.”

Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:

Article on personal training: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/if-you-think-its-about-personal-training-youve-missed-the-point/

Link to Leanne TED talk on 'why fitness is more important than weight': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ

Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.

If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.

If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.

As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to [email protected].

This week we’re talking about what to look for in a personal trainer

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

When Leanne started as a personal trainer.

Your ideal criteria for selecting a personal trainer.

When Leanne had a personal trainer.

Why Leanne is a big fan of getting a coach or trainer.

The aesthetic of fitness versus the substance of fitness.

Why a trainer is only as good as what they know.

Questions to ask a potential trainer right off the bat.

Why communication supports subtle movement.

What the animal flow community is.

Questions that can help you figure out if your trainer is a good motivator or not.

Why you shouldn’t physically compare yourself to your trainer.

One of the key philosophies at Bodyshot Performance.

Why you should consider values and personality when looking for a trainer.

Key Takeaways:

A number of people on Leanne’s team are personal trainers.

Leanne is a big fan of getting a personal trainer because there are so many benefits, such as sharing knowledge and holding you accountable.

Having a coach or trainer can be advantageous because they can help to inspire and push you.

The rise of social media has influenced the way we look at fitness, and we are more aesthetically driven than ever before.

Some trainers have aesthetics and knowledge, but we can’t assume that. It’s important to ask and find out before hiring them.

There are many ways in which a trainer could be qualified including reading, researching, learning from others, listening to podcasts, courses, and continuing education.

Communication is an important skill for a trainer to possess in order to do their job effectively.

Without the skill of being able to motivate others, a trainer's ability to teach and communicate won’t matter. They have to also be able to motivate you to do the work.

As a trainer, it’s important to practice what you teach and use your own lifestyle as a way to inspire others.

Fitness is about what it means to you, not just aesthetics or your weight.

Get on a call with your prospective trainer and ask them the tough questions so you can get to know their values.

Action Steps:

If you want to look for a personal trainer, consider:

1. Knowledge. A trainer can only be as good as what they know. Qualifications are important and so is experience and education.

2. Communication. A great trainer should be able to communicate how their client can move their body correctly and effectively.

3. Motivation. Even if the trainer is knowledgeable and a great communicator, they still need to be able to motivate you to do the work.

4. Inspire. Your trainer should live a lifestyle that inspires you and practice what they teach you.

Leanne said:

“I’m a big fan of getting a coach for things, definitely for fitness as well. It’s great if you can do it yourself, but no one will push you quite as hard as a trainer. You’ll get new ideas; you’ll certainly make sure you’re doing things in the correct way if you’ve got a decent trainer. And hopefully that person will inspire you to continually alter, change, and push towards new goals.”

“Basically, what I’m trying to say is go for substance over style. Don’t be too drawn to the aesthetic.”

Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:

Article on personal training: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/if-you-think-its-about-personal-training-youve-missed-the-point/

Link to Leanne TED talk on 'why fitness is more important than weight': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ

Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.

If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.

If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.

As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to [email protected].

This week we’re talking about consistency

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

The importance of consistency.

The common mistakes that people make to sabotage their own ability to be consistent.

What can help you form consistency in any aspect of your life.

What consistency is essentially all about.

What it means to make something non-negotiable.

Examples of what might be non-negotiables in your life.

Leanne’s non-negotiables.

How to create your own non-negotiables based on your goals.

What the acronym KISS stands for and how it relates to consistency.

They key to creating impact.

Why it’s important to understand health fundamentals.

How to use intersections and merge important aspects of your health together.

What stacking is and how to do it.

Why you need to have a strong motivating factor.

Key Takeaways:

There is no great secret to consistency. It comes down to small, boring habits repeated often.

Weaving healthy habits into your lifestyle can be tricky because you need the energy, time, motivation, and the incentive.

Consistency comes down to frequency and repetition.

Understanding your non-negotiables is the key to maintaining consistency in your health and wellness.

Don’t over complicate your non-negotiables - aim for four max to keep it manageable.

The secret is in keeping it simple. Don’t get caught up in biohacking and testing. It’s the small things that lead to great impact.

Intersections, such as merging listening to an educational podcast while exercising, can help you stay consistent and also keep healthy habits fun.

Small repetitions add up. Take the moments you have when you can to work towards your goal, whether that’s just before bed or while the kettle is boiling.

Action Steps:

If you want to increase your consistency:

1. Create non-negotiables. Aim for four health non-negotiables and stick to them daily.

2. Keep it simple. Don’t over complicate things. Keep your non-negotiables straightforward and easy to execute.

3. Intersections. Try merging important aspects of your health together to increase effective use of your time and keep it fun.

4. Stacking. Don’t feel like you have to do it all at once. Meet your goals in small steps throughout the day, if needed.

5. Have a strong motivating factor. Whether it’s a drive for greater longevity or a recent health scare, get anchored to what will keep you going when consistency feels difficult.

Leanne said:

“I’d summarize the next ten minutes with one thing: it’s small, boring stuff done often. That is essentially what consistency is all about.”

“Little changes, when combined with time, that’s what creates impact. That’s what creates consistency. So, keep it simple. Keep the non-negotiables simple. Keep all the other stuff simple.”

Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:

Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.

If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.

If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.

As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to [email protected].

This week we’re talking about movement snacking.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

A review of the three foundations of fitness.

What movement snacking is and why it matters.

What a typical day of movement snacking looks like for Leanne.

Examples of gentle movement that’s great first thing in the morning.

What happens when you stretch and why it feels good.

When Leanne adopts the second foundation of fitness in her day.

How standing up or even standing on one leg can support your fitness.

How you can use opportunities like calls for movement snacking.

What you can do at your desk to support movement.

What a compound movement is.

A strategy you can implement for movement snacking in advance.

Key Takeaways:

Movement snacking is one of the three foundations of fitness.

You don’t need fancy morning movements and sun salutations. Try simply jumping in place or windmilling your arms.

Stretching is great for movement snacking and also releases a nice sensation.

Keeping a kettlebell in your office can help with motivation for movement snacking.

Making a habit of standing on one leg is good for your core and can help you maintain lower body muscle tone.

Taking calls on-the-go (in your office or outside) is a great option for movement snacking and allows you to tackle two things at one.

Compound movements, like squats, give you more bang for your buck, so consider increasing those types of movements.

It can be motivating and satisfying to plan your movement snacking in advance and check it off as you go throughout your day.

Action Steps:

If you want to increase your movement snacking:

1. Try stretching and simple movements in the morning.

2. Build movement into your workday. Make standing your default at the office, and keep a kettlebell or dumbbell around and squeeze in movement when you can.

3. Stand on one leg. Try standing on one leg and alternate between them.

4. Take walking calls. Intersect your calls with movement.

5. Stretch at your desk. Use the time you have for a satisfying stretch.

6. Try compound movements. They give you more bang for your buck.

7. Write down your movement snacking plan in advance. As you go throughout your day, you can check them off your list.

Leanne said:

“The very act of jumping around in one spot is a nice, gentle way to wake the body up, to be honest. It’s a great way also to set your circadian rhythm.”

“I’ll put my headphones in and I’ll just walk up and down the office floor, pacing up and down, talking to somebody on the phone. Or I may take the call outside and go for a bit of a walk. Depends if I can live with a little background noise, but that’s always an option.”

Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:

Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.

If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.

If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.

As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to [email protected].

This week we’re talking about wearable technology.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

What biohacking is and how it intersects and relates to wearable technology.

Examples of popular biohacking technology.

The potential for a future episode about testing technology.

How Leanne came to learn more about wearable technology.

What the Oura Ring is, how Leanne discovered it, and what it does.

What resting heart rate means and what a healthy one looks like.

An explanation of heart rate variability.

Why the Apple Watch is a useful piece of wearable tech and what it can be used to measure.

Which data numbers are expected to be elastic.

What Firstbeat Life technology is and the data it provides.

Leanne’s primary objective in gathering health data.

What subjective measures of wellness are.

Why Leanne is a big fan of wearable tech.

Key Takeaways:

Biohacking is when we take science, technology, nature, and use it to enhance our physicality and our health.

Wearable technology is great for people who love data, but also works well for people who prefer to read the headlines.

If you have a high resting heart rate, you will likely not have healthy rate variability.

You should know your resting heart rate as a measure of your health, because there’s a lot of information you can gather by knowing it.

Data compiled from different types of technology can be used to paint a more detailed picture of your health.

Wearable technology is useful for ensuring you reach adequate levels of recovery and stress.

Wearable tech data helps you back up subjective measures of wellness.

Wearable technology should be used to track lifestyle balance and overall wellness.

Tech-gathered data can be used to help you anticipate a forthcoming issue or illness.

If you get caught up in the data or have anxiety around fluctuating numbers, wearable technology may not be for you.

Action Steps:

If you want to try out some wearable tech, consider these three options:

Leanne said:

“I think we’re going to see some huge advancements in wearable technology, kind of at the intersection of wearable technology and biohacking.”

“So, put together you get a really good picture of what’s going on with the nervous system...And then of course you sprinkle on top of that the very important layer of subjective measures which is: How do I feel? Do I have enough energy to get through the day? Is my mood good, positive, optimistic? Have I got the right outlook?”

Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:

Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.

If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.

If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.

As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to [email protected].

In this episode, we’re covering the foundations of fitness. What are they and why are they so important? There are a few strategies you can easily work into your daily life to maintain your foundations of fitness, which Leanna explains. These foundations not only influence your physical health, but your mental wellbeing too.

“This study found that when an individual walked briskly for ten minutes, their overall mood and energy improved for up to two hours afterwards. So, that’s a huge return on investment.”

Topics Covered Include

- Common questions about fitness

- The most difficult thing Leanne has ever done, and the conversation that followed

- When Leanne first started considering the foundations of fitness

- The foundations of fitness that are relevant to everyone

- How many steps Leanne aims to get each day to maintain her health

- How morning walks can influence your day in so many positive ways

- Tips on increasing the number of steps you are able to achieve each day

- What current research says about walking

- What fitness is really about, and why it’s truly important

- What movement snacking is, along with its benefits

- A trick to movement that utilizes dopamine

- The biggest advantages to movement snacking that Leanne has seen

- Why sitting doesn’t have to be your default position

- Ways you can get or make your own standing desk

- The negative impact of sitting after 30 minutes

- The greatest compliment you can pay the podcast

Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:

Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.

If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.

If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.

As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to [email protected].

Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode.

Announcements:

Wellbeing at Work Scorecard - https://wellbeing-at-work.scoreapp.com/

As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to [email protected].

If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.

Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it has added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.

Links to things mentioned in the episode:

More from Leanne Spencer:

Bodyshot Performance

Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page

Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Rise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode.

Announcements:

Wellbeing at Work Scorecard - https://wellbeing-at-work.scoreapp.com/

As always, if you want to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to [email protected].

If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.

Let me know your thoughts and feedback. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it has added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.

Links to things mentioned in the episode:

More from Leanne Spencer:

Bodyshot Performance

Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page

Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne Spencer

Rise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer