This was a continuation of last episode's Q&A - there were a lot of fun q's so I wanted to make sure I could answer them all. Topics discussed:

-Should you be stretching daily? What are some stretches I'd recommend?

-My thoughts on the cold plunge and sauna trends all over social media right now.

-People selling programs in the fitness industry + not disclosing their PED use.

-3 things I can't go to the gym without

+ many.. many side tangents in-between😅

Great q's - I know you'll enjoy this one.

Where to find me:

IG: @lukesmithrd

Check out my website HERE

TIA for listening! Always here if you need anything.

Tried to answer as many q's as I could on this training Q&A.. but I only got through 3 lol. We'll bookmark pt 2 for another day. Questions answered on this episode:

-If I had to choose one exercise for each major muscle group - what am I choosing?

-Dealing with overlapping lower body soreness + structuring your lower body lifts each week.

-Is it better to start with easy runs or doing more high intensity work when getting into running?

Quick episode but a fun one! Working on doing more training only style podcasts this year so figured this would be a good start.

You know where to find me:

IG: @lukesmithrd

Check out my website HERE

TIA for listenting!

Such a great chat with my friend + colleague - Tony Castillo - on how to optimize your performance as an athlete/high performing human. Topics discussed:

-What are the most important things to have dialed in as an athlete?

-Where do supplements/ergogenic aids fall on that list?

-Importance of sleep + how to get more of it. Implementation of the 10-3-2-1 rule.

-Tier 1 supplements to consider as an athlete + dosing recommendations.

-Importance of 3rd party testing/getting supplements from reputable companies.

-Conversation around TRT/HRT and GLP-1 medications.

-Sleep and testosterone levels + how to boost your testosterone naturally.

-Importance of nutrition, exercise and habit change alongside pharmaceutical interventions.

+ so much more in-between.

This was a jam packed episode! I know you'll enjoy this one.

Where to find Tony:

IG: @coach_tonycastillo

Website: https://nutritionfp.com/

Where to find me:

IG: @lukesmithrd

Check out my website HERE

TIA for listening!!

Had an amazing conversation with Dr. Jessie Hoffman, PhD, RDN, on all things related to gut health - what it is, why it matters, and how to support it. Jessie (a professor at Winthrop University) is a wealth of knowledge in the nutrition world + she shares so many invaluable insights in this episode. Topics discussed:

-Difference between the 'gut' vs. GI tract + why gut health is important.

-Walking through the process of digestion (where it begins to the key organs involved and how each plays a role in breaking down and absorbing nutrients).

-What are things we can do to take care of our gut?

-How much should you be pooping? What frequency can tell us.

-Fiber.. why, how much, importance of diversity and how to eat more of it.

-Probiotics vs prebiotics, fermented foods and other high fiber food products on the market.

-Why do people 'feel better' when they initially go on an elimination diet?

-Practical steps for figuring out what foods you do/don't tolerate.

-What do we not know about the gut yet..? Debunking some of the pseudoscience on your social media feed.

-Utility and/or efficacy for GI Maps, IGG tests + other gut testing being sold in the nutrition space.

+ so much more in-between.

I loved this chat and I know you will too!

Where to find Jessie:

IG: @jessiehoffman_phd

Website: www.jessiephd.com

Where to find me:

IG: @lukesmithrd

Check out my website HERE

TIA for listening!!

This was a great chat with my friend + fellow RD - Dana Sowards. Dana is a sports dietitian and works with high performing endurance athletes. Topics discussed:

-Dana's history of recovering from an eating disorder, being an athlete + becoming an RD

-Resistance/strength training for endurance athletes

-Benefits of lifting, how to get started if you aren't already + lifting around your training schedule

-Periodization of training through different seasons

-Why rest is important & why more training isn't always better

-Deloads - what they are and how to incorporate them into your training blocks

-Supplements - the good, the fringe and the overrated

+ so much more in-between.

I loved this chat and I know you will too!

Where to find Dana:

Website: https://www.adashofdana.us/

IG: @a.dash.of.dana

Where to find me:

IG: @lukesmithrd

Check out my website HERE

TIA for listening!!

Had a blast chatting with my fellow fitness & nutrition coach - Adam Pecoraro - on this episode. Topics discussed:

-Why should people track their food intake?

-What should people track?

-What leads to inaccuracies when tracking + what to do about it.

-Discussion around the "I'm in a deficit but not losing weight" comments.

-Posting content around facts rather than feelings on social media.

-Expanding your nutrition knowledge to accelerate results.

+ so much more in-between.

I loved this chat and I know you will too.

Where to find Adam:

IG + TikTok: @thefitadam

Check out his Youtube Channel HERE

Looking to start tracking food? Check out the MacroFactor App

Use the code: ADAM for a 2-week free trial

Where to find me:

IG: @lukesmithrd

Check out my website HERE

TIA for listening!!

This was an amazing chat with my friend + fellow nutrition coach - Nicole Hagen. Nicole is a wealth of knowledge who teaches women how to ditch diet culture and eat for life. Topics discussed on this episode:

-Dissecting the "I know what I need to do... I just need to do it" mindset.

-Common mistakes people make when trying to eat healthier.

-Identifying mental changes that need to happen alongside physical transformations.

-Challenging the old stories/habits we keep telling ourselves.

-How the idea of 'clean eating' can be counterproductive.

-Reviewing the different inputs that can predict long-term success with nutrition/fitness.

+ so much more in-between.

I loved this conversation and I know you will too!

Where to find Nicole:

IG: @nutritionwithnicole

Website: https://nutritioncoachingwithnicole.com/

Check out her Podcast - Health, Wellth & Wisdom Podcast

Where to find me:

IG: @lukesmithrd

Check out my website HERE

TIA for listening!!

For all my people who are in a fat loss phase (or are planning to start sometime in the near future) let’s talk about how you can get out of a weight loss plateau.

Usually, it just means you’re not being consistent enough to see progress.. Or that maybe you’re missing the mark with a handful of things.

Once some adjustments are made - there’s a good chance you’ll be back on track and seeing the progressions you’re hoping for.

The main areas we'll talk about on this episode: Nutrition, Movement, Exercise, Lifestyle, Sleep and Stress Management.

Make adjustments as needed and continue to be patient.

Where to find me:

IG: @lukesmithrd

Check out my website HERE

TIA for listening!!

Perfection isn't the goal—progress is. In this episode, we’ll talk about why perfectionism can hold us back + how focusing on small, steady improvements can make a bigger impact on your results over the long term.

Where to find me:

IG: @lukesmithrd

Check out my website HERE

Fill out a 1:1 Coaching Application HERE

TIA for listening!

Great Q&A to start the year this past week - questions answered on this episode:

-Bulking while managing A1C

-Fasting after a morning workout

-My thoughts on Netflix documentaries + going Vegan

-When would I recommend someone track sodium?

-Is there a limit to how much stevia we should consume?

-How do medications claim weight gain as a side effect?

+ many side tangents in-between..

Where to find me:

IG: @lukesmithrd

Check out my website HERE

TIA for listening!!