In this episode, I break down new research on high-fat diets and liver health and place it in a broader context of fad diets, metabolic stress, and long-term sustainability.

We look beyond testimonials and short-term weight loss to ask a harder question: Can extreme diets support health as we age—or do they quietly increase risk over time?

If you care about evidence-based nutrition, liver health, and avoiding the hidden costs of dietary extremes, this episode is for you.

If you'd like to read about the new study, head to my Steel and Sage article on Substack.

Headlines love to stir outrage—especially when it comes to food. In this episode, I unpack a recent study that may spark people to claim that plant-based diets are just as bad as eating meat, and explains why that framing misses the point.

Drawing from decades of nutrition research and a new large French cohort study, I explore how ultra-processed foods—whether plant-based or animal-based—are the real issue, not vegetables, beans, or whole grains. A “plant-based” label alone doesn’t guarantee health, especially when it’s built on processed meat substitutes, refined carbs, and industrial food chemistry.

Through personal stories (including my own years of eating “vegetarian junk food”) and practical, non-dogmatic guidance, I break down what actually supports heart health: minimally processed, whole foods; fiber-rich plants; and thoughtful context rather than rigid rules. This episode is a reminder to look past clickbait headlines, read the science carefully, and make food choices that balance health, ethics, and real life—without fear or absolutism.

You can find a little more detail about this Lancet study on my Steel & Sage Substack.

What if most health headlines aren’t written to help you at all?

In this episode, I share what I learned working inside a high-traffic health media site—how SEO formulas, clickbait headlines, and ad revenue often shape “wellness news” more than science does. From miracle vegetables to recycled diet trends, this is a behind-the-scenes look at why so much health content misses the mark—and how to read it with more discernment.

This walking podcast begins with an ordinary morning: coffee sweetened with a little eggnog, a packet of oatmeal, and the assumption that these familiar foods are “healthy enough.” But a quick glance at a glucose monitor tells a different story.

As I walk, I reflect on how small food choices—especially ultra-processed convenience foods—can quietly spike blood sugar, even in people who exercise regularly and eat well. I share a simple experiment: short bursts of movement, a brief walk, and what happens when the body is given a chance to use the fuel we feed it.

This episode isn’t about perfection or restriction. It’s about awareness, compassion, and using movement—especially walking—as a powerful, accessible tool to support metabolic health, particularly as we age.

If you’ve ever felt confused or frustrated by blood sugar swings, or wondered how much impact a short walk can really have, this gentle walk may offer clarity—and encouragement to keep moving.

In this windy, wandering morning walk with Charlie, we explore what the research actually says about walking for brain health — and why the “right” kind of walking depends on much more than pace and heart rate zones.

In this episode, I talk about how different types of walking affect different parts of the brain, including regions responsible for navigation, spatial memory, stress regulation, and even resilience against age-related shrinkage. We look at why slow walks in nature calm the nervous system, why fast, intentional walking strengthens memory-related areas, how navigational challenges help build mental maps, and why every extra 500 steps per day gives your brain a measurable benefit.

Along the way, we talk about distraction, dog poop, windy trails, and the ordinary obstacles that make walking what it is: a deeply human practice that doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your walks “count” — or if you feel pressure to hit perfect heart-rate zones or giant step goals — this episode offers a more grounded, realistic approach. A middle path. A sustainable path. The kind of movement that supports long-term brain health without demanding an extreme lifestyle.

Takeaway: Whether you walk slow, walk fast, get lost on a new trail, or break your steps into small chunks throughout the day… just keep walking. Your brain will thank you.

To read more about this study, head to my article on Substack.

In today’s walk, we explore what TikTok gets wrong—and what the research gets right—about so-called “Japanese walking.” While viral creators promise it can “take 10 years off your life,” the truth is both more grounded and more impressive.

Two major studies—one published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings (2007) and one in Cureus (2024)—tested whether adding short bursts of fast walking to your routine can improve fitness. The results were striking.

The original Japanese study asked older adults to walk four days a week for five months, either at a steady moderate pace for 8,000 steps a day or in five rounds of 3-minute fast walking followed by 2–3 minutes of easier walking.

At the end of the study, the interval-walking group saw:

* Up to 17% improvement in leg strength

* Up to 9% increase in aerobic capacity

* A 9-point drop in systolic blood pressure

* Meaningful muscle gain—rare in older adults without strength training

* Meanwhile, the moderate-pace walkers saw little to no change, and women in the control group gained weight.

A second study from 2024 confirmed the effect. Using heart-rate zones, researchers had walkers complete 3-minute intervals at 85% of max heart rate with recovery periods at 55%—compared to steady walkers at 70% max heart rate. After eight weeks:

* Both groups improved fitness and muscle mass

* But the high-intensity walkers saw greater cardiovascular gains

During the episode, we explore how to apply this research safely in real life. You’ll try a few gentle bursts of faster walking—not “running,” just moving with intention—and discover how even one minute can shift your breathing, posture, and energy.

We also talk about post-dinner walking for glucose control, fascia and joint mobility (especially in midlife), and how to build a walking routine that feels nourishing rather than punishing.

Whether you’ve been walking daily with the Holiday Sanity Challenge or you’re just getting started, this episode gives you the science—and the gentle encouragement—to explore what your body is capable of when you push just a little beyond “comfortable.”

Grab your coat (and maybe some tissues—apparently it’s a “snot walk” kind of night), and let’s walk.

On this early-morning walk, we reflect on a simple North Face jacket that’s been with me for more than 30 years—and the surprising story that unfolded when it went missing. What began as a moment of frustration and “bad luck” slowly revealed itself as something else entirely: a reminder that compassion still moves quietly through the world.

In this meditation, we explore:

* How easily we mislabel events as misfortune

* The ways our identity can get tangled in stories of bad luck

* The quiet choices others make that restore our hope in humanity

* How reframing a moment can shift the entire emotional landscape

* Why small gestures—opening a door, returning a lost item, offering kindness—can ripple far beyond what we imagine

This is a walk about paying attention. About noticing the ordinary places where compassion shows up. And about recognizing how our own small actions—however simple—might be the very gesture that gives someone else a little hope.

Wherever you are walking today, consider this gentle question:

How might I use what I have, or where I stand, to offer someone a moment of humanity?

On this chilly morning walk, we notice how often progress seems stuck at “zero”—just like a sluggish Apple Watch—yet real change still begins with a single step. As we move through the cold, we reflect on how easily we aim too high, chase flashy goals, or follow someone else’s idea of success without asking what we actually want.

Through stories from endurance training, marathon prep, unexpected finish-line moments, and the small victories that shape us, this episode explores why discipline outlasts motivation and why committing to one mile a day can shift our mindset, our energy, and our direction.

This Holiday Sanity Challenge reminds us that forward is forward, that tiny goals can open surprising paths, and that the act of moving—especially when nothing else seems to be moving—might be exactly what carries us into the new year.

If you’re just joining us on the Holiday Sanity Challenge, welcome! Be sure to check out my daily stretches, breath practices, and movements on one of the following channels:

YouTube Shorts: @mbbtrigirl

Instagram: @brad4d_wellness

In this first episode of the Holiday Sanity Challenge, we take a mindful walk together—early morning, slow, and intentional. You’ll learn why even a simple 20-minute walk can calm holiday stress, support your immune system, stabilize glucose spikes, and help you reconnect with your own inner compass. We talk about circadian rhythm, wearable data, overtraining tendencies, and why gentle movement is often more effective than pushing harder.

This is your space to breathe, reset, and choose what’s actually appropriate for your body during the busiest season of the year.

Don’t forget to check out my bonus practices available on social media:

Instagram: @brad4d_wellness

YouTube Shorts: @mbbtrigirl

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Are you tired of fitness influencers telling you there’s one secret to losing belly fat after menopause? In this video, I take aim at the oversimplified (and often mansplained) advice that floods YouTube and social media—like “just lift weights” or “just do HIIT.”

As a former Ironman athlete, bodybuilding competitor, and health writer, I’ve seen firsthand how menopause changes the game. In this candid talk, I unpack what real science says about belly fat, why outliers and influencers can be misleading, and how to find the approach that actually fits your life and body.

Topics include:

* The problem with “one-size-fits-all” fitness advice

* How bias and marketing shape health information

* What science actually says about belly fat and menopause

* Why the best plan is the one you’ll stick with

👉 If you’re a woman navigating midlife changes, this one’s for you.

Thanks for reading Steel and Sage! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.