Welcome to this week’s episode of Health & Fitness Friday on The Essential Strength Podcast. This is your 5 minute download of some health and fitness knowledge meant to make you a little bit smarter and a little bit stronger as you head into the weekend!

We’ve been talking about exercise for the last couple weeks, how it’s quite possibly the single most effective way to improve your overall health and also why it’s so hard to form an exercise habit. Today, we’re going to shift gears a little bit and talk about HYDRATION.

A few of the key bodily functions impacted by our hydration status are body temperature regulation, joint lubrication, nutrient delivery, cellular function, infection control and our natural detoxification processes.

The best way to avoid dehydration? You guessed it - drink water! It’s your zero calorie, readily available dehydration prevention beverage!

We will continue this conversation about hydration next week, when we will get into more detail about specific beverage choices, and the concept of “malhydration” - but in the meantime, if you’d like to read more on this topic, you can head over to strongerinmotion.com and check out the most recent article in our reading list, where much of today’s information came from! The title of the article is “Benefits of Water: Are You getting Enough Fluids to Stay Healthy” by Sandee LaMotte and was published on CNN Health!

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend, and I will catch ya’ll next week!

This is Episode 27 and our guest is Kyle Sullivan.

Kyle has been sharing his story, speaking on his experiences with alcohol addiction, the trials he faced, mistakes he made, lies he told himself and others, and strategies he has used over the last four years to go from the lowest point imaginable - writing his suicide note - to the point where, in his own words he is just “happy to be existing on this planet”, happy to experience everything this life has to offer and happy to connect with anyone and share anything in an effort to be of service and continue walking down the path that led him away from despair and into hope and happiness.

I had heard bits and pieces of Kyle’s story over the course of our friendship, but a lot of the details and insights he shared during this conversation were brand new to me and every one of my expectations for this conversation were exceeded. I sincerely hope you enjoy this conversation with Kyle Sullivan, and share it far and wide because you just never know when a moment like this can change someone’s life forever.

Connect with Kyle

• On Instagram @celticjumper & @kyle_sullivan
• On TikTok @celticjumper
• On YouTube - Kyle Sullivan

Your Action Plan

Kyle’s example of extreme admission of his drinking problem made me think about what lies on the other side of change - something we spoke about with Chase Chewning on Episode 10. Chase’s answer: The life you’ve always dreamed of. Now, Kyle was in a position where his need to change something had become a life or death scenario, and his fear of the negative repercussions of giving up drinking was so powerful, taking his own life seemed like a better option. Having occupied that headspace myself, where death seems like the BEST outcome, I can say with all sincerity - I hope no one listening to this ever has to face that feeling. However, I do think there is something very valuable in taking inventory of your habits and identifying whether any of them are more harmful than they are helpful, and whether you are continuing to allow them to be a part of your life because you are afraid of what happens if you give them up. If you do this, and you identify a habit you know you should quit, then I hope you can find courage and take comfort in Kyle’s story, because even at absolute rock bottom, there is always a way to climb back up to the light.

That’s it for this week, stay tuned for a special episode coming out this Saturday - January 23rd - where Mike and I talk about both the mental and physical preparation for Mike’s next Labor, attempting to set a new world record for longest time spent submerged in ice, a challenge he will be taking on in Alaska on the Saturday the 23rd. For more details follow Mike on Instagram @mikemccastle.

Until next week - we with you STRENGTH and GOOD HEALTH.

Welcome to this week’s episode of Health & Fitness Friday on The Essential Strength Podcast. This is your 5 minute download of some health and fitness knowledge meant to make you a little bit smarter and a little bit stronger as you head into the weekend!

So, why is it that we haven’t evolved to enjoy something as beneficial as exercise? Evolution has created all kinds of hacks, loops and short cuts that in essence trick us into enjoying things that are good for us. But not exercise. Why? In a new book by Harvard Evolutionary Biologist Daniel Lieberman titled “Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to do is Healthy and Rewarding” we learn just that.

Want to learn EVEN MORE!?

Click this link to find the original article cited in this week's podcast and take a deeper look at exercise through the lens of human evolution!

Today we have a guest that I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the chance to speak with. His name is Patrick Sweeney. He is the author of Fear is Fuel, and a keynote speaker that Inc. Magazine has called “One of the world’s most interesting people”. He is a cancer survivor, a father, and a philanthropist. Patrick spent 6 years interviewing and learning from three dozen of the world’s top neuroscientists on how fear and the act of overcoming it, creates changes in the brain. He took all that knowledge and put it into his book, Fear is Fuel. Patrick’s mission, in both his writing and his speaking engagements, is to teach people how to make decisions based on opportunity rather than fear, and how courage is the key to unlocking growth, happiness, success and fulfillment.

I have little doubt that after listening to this episode you will understand why I felt so fortunate to have someone of Patrick’s stature and with his world class resume of coaching, speaking and leading as a guest on the Essential Strength Podcast. After we stopped recording I told Patrick that based on our conversation, I wished I was the CEO of a large organization just so that I could book him to lead a weekend course and continue learning how to face my fears and cultivate greater levels of courage! Patrick’s story is a testament to what each and every human being is capable of when they stop allowing fear to dictate their decision making, step out of the realm of doubt and negative self-talk, and step into a life of opportunity, self-empowerment and endless potential. Even if Patrick had stopped after earning his pilots license after a lifelong fear of flying, that would have been enough to inspire anyone. What he has done since is proof that once you decide to live a courageous life, there is no limit to what you can achieve.

Connect with Patrick

• On Instagram - HERE
• On Twitter - HERE
• Learn more about Patrick's Biography - HERE
• Order your copy of Fear is Fuel - HERE

Your Action Plan

In keeping with Patrick’s work, I would ask each of you to identify a fear that is long standing, and that is holding you back from a personal or professional goal. Write down that fear, and admit it to someone close to you. A partner, a parent, a close friend or a trusted colleague. Commit to both yourself, and this person, that you will create a plan to overcome this fear at the earliest possible opportunity. And if you still need extra motivation or proof that you can overcome your fear, well, I know of a book that just might be the thing you’re looking for.

That’s in for this week on the Essential Strength Podcast. Until next time, we with you STRENGTH and GOOD HEALTH.

Happy Friday, it’s been … quite a week kicking off 2021. We’ll leave it at that, and move on to the reason you’re here - to gain some health and fitness knowledge as you head into the weekend!

We’ve got a really cool, and in my opinion honestly life changing bit of science for everyone today. We’re talking about a breakthrough in preventive medical treatment that has been shown to address an incredible amount of common illnesses, ailments and other maladies. It’s a treatment that is backed by a ton of science and research and I’m so excited to share it with all of you!

This medical intervention has the following effects: 

• Reduces pain and disability in people with knee arthritis by 47%
• Reduced progression of Alzheimer’s in the elderly by 50%
• Reduced diabetes progression by 58%
• Reduced risk of hip fracture in post-menopausal women by 41%
• Reduced anxiety by 48%
• Relieved depression in 30% of cases with low dose treatment and 47% in higher doses
• It’s the best treatment for fatigue that we have to date 
• And has consistently been shown to improve quality of life in multiple populations and across the spectrum of varying socioeconomic levels, income, ethnicity, you name it.

You might have started to get a bit suspicious as I read through that list, and some of you may have even guess at what this breakthrough treatment is. It is not a pill, a potion, or a surgical intervention. The treatment is EXERCISE.

If you’re intrigued by this proposed treatment, I would encourage you to check out the video posted in the Reading List on Stronger in Motion - you can just click right here -  www.strongerinmotion.com/reading-list and it’s the first post you'll see. The video is a YouTube video called 23 and a Half Hours by Doc Mike Evans.

I hope you all feel inspired to make exercise a habit this year, and feel less stressed about the type of time commitment it takes to get healthier. 30 minutes per day of something as simple as walking can reduce your risk of nearly every chronic disease…it truly is that simple.

Catch ya'll next week!

Today’s guest kicks off 2021 here on The Essential Strength Podcast, and it’s the first in a series of episodes that will all focus on mental health and mental strength. Our guest today is Ricky Simon, a professional UFC fighter from Vancouver, WA whose next bantamweight fight is on January 16th on Fight Island, part of the upcoming UFC Fight Night on ESPN.

In today’s episode you will get a glimpse behind the curtain, into the mind of a fighter. We talk about Ricky’s upbringing and how combat sports have been part of his life from the the very beginning. We talk about how he handles unexpected obstacles in the ring, and moments when the best laid plans don’t work out in moments of extremely high stakes. One recurring theme we found when talking to Ricky was his trust in hard work and preparation. As long as he gives 100% effort in camp and prepares his mind for every possible outcome, he enters the octagon with no doubt, and no distraction. I think we can all learn a lot from this perspective, regardless of our occupation.

Part of the reason I was looking forward to this conversation with Ricky so much was the chance to learn about a mindset and a career path that is as different from mine as I can possible image. As we talked about during the recording. I’ve never been in a fight in my entire life. Everything in Ricky’s life revolves around fighting. I’ve always enjoyed watching UFC fights for this exact reason - it’s like almost like watching a super hero movie to me, because I can’t fathom fighting for a living any more than I can imagine waking up with Super Man’s powers. Combine that with the mental and physical strength on display and its just … it’s incredible to me. I hope all of you out there listening learned something about how to cultivate the strength of a fighter. Through diligent training, mental preparation, acceptance of all outcomes, and having the ability to keep moving forward even when your plans fall apart.

Action Plan

Since it’s the beginning of January, I’m sure most of you are feeling a bit more motivated than usual, and maybe you’ve even written down a few goals or resolutions for the new year. I want you to chose the goal you are most eager to achieve and I want you to treat it the way Ricky treats a fight. I want you to put together a “training plan” of sorts - a plan that will prepare you so well, that the question of “Am I capable of achieving this goal?”  No longer crosses your mind. This plan should involve outlining what you need to learn in order to achieve your goal, what skills you need to develop, how much time you are willing and able to commit, who you will lean on for help and guidance, and anything else that will give you the sense.

Questions or comments? E-mail Us -  [email protected] -  or hit us up on Instagram - @essential.strength.podcast

Have your subscribed to The Essential Strength Podcast yet? - If you’ve enjoyed this podcast so far but have not yet subscribed, that would mean a lot to us.

Episode 24

Today is Episode 24 and it’s episode unlike anything up until this point. Today, we are sharing a highlight reel of some of our favorite definitions of strength from guests up to this point.

Featured Guests (in order)
1. Mark Bell
2. Claire Zai
3. Chase Chewning
4. Holly Myers
5. Alex Piccirilli
6. Adrian Conway
7. Max Artsis
8. Cody McBroom
9. Karin Steere
10. Laura Poburan


We’ve absolutely loved hearing each and every guest define what strength means to them and how it shows up in their lives. The 10 definitions in this episode highlight both the diversity of answers as well as the common threads - that strength is more than just physical, that it is about overcoming resistance of any kind, having the confidence to face hard choices head on, and more. 

The answers in this episode come from coaches, clinicians, yogi instructors, wellness professionals, business owners, data scientists, and more. And it is our hope that through this diversity of guests and perspectives, that you realize strength is an essential element in all of our lives, regardless of age, profession, interest, or status.

Action Plan

Your action plan is to either write out, or record yourself defining what Strength means to you. If you’re up for it, we would LOVE to hear what you come up with. You can e-mail your definition to me at [email protected] or if you’re feeling brave and want to post your definition to Instagram, tag us @essential.strength.podcast, and tag me @dr.davidskolnik.dpt and @mikemccastle so we can share what you come up with!

What's Next?

We're taking the rest of December off to do some "remodeling" and "house keeping" here at the Essential Strength Podcast, and will be back with our next episode on Wednesday, January 6th! We will be kicking of a series of 10-12 episodes all focused on Mental Health and Mental Strength, and our guest on Jan. 6 will be Ricky Simon, professional UFC fighter, before his scheduled fight on January 16th. Don't miss it!

Questions or Comments? E-mail us! - [email protected]

What's Better: Walking or Running?

There's a lot to unpack in a question like this, but today's episode aims to tackle the two biggest reasons why people might wonder - "Should I walk or should I run?"

Want to learn more? Check out the link below for an article from Medical News Today!

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/walking-vs-running


Catch ya'll next week!

Today is Episode 23 and our guest is Laura Poburan.

Laura is the founder and lead mentor of TriggerMapping - a certification and mentorship program for nutritionists, dieticians and wellness coaches. Her core philosophy revolves around how the power of connection and human psychology must be understood and used with clients to cultivate permanent, deep and meaningful change. She is leading a shift in the weight loss industry away from traditional coaching practice towards a more healing-based approach, and preparing coaches to implement this shift and truly support their clients on every level.

Reminder

The official launch date for the Enduring Strength program is Dec. 23 - so save a little bit of that holiday shopping money to get something for yourself! - and the waiting list is open now at strongerinmotion.com 

The initial launch will only include 15 participants, so sign up quick before they’re gone! This program will give you access to me as your coach for only $30 a month. You’ll get 4 workouts a week, warm-ups, cool-downs, weekly tips, an online community…and more. This program is meant to support your workouts year round, with what we refer to as “blocks” of training - 3-4 weeks focused on strength, 3-4 to improve endurance, with enough consistently to make real progress and enough variety to keep it fun and avoid the monotony of so many long term exercise plans! So again, head over to strongerinmotion.com to join the wait list and reserve your spot before Dec. 23rd!

Links

• Laura on IG - @laurapoburanlive
• Laura on Facebook - @laurapoburan
• Laura's Website  - https://laurapoburan.com/
• FREE COACHING RESOURCE - https://go.triggermapping.com/ccr1

Action Plan

In keeping with Laura’s mentorship program - Trigger Mapping - I’d like you to do a bit of hard work this week. What is is that keeps you from achieving the nutritional goals you have, and we all have them. I’d like to clean up my diet and be more structured and measured with what I eat, but I struggle with time management and at the end of the day, convenience often wins out. It’s an ongoing battle for me, and one that I feel in the gym and see in the mirror on a daily basis. What is it for you? Are their comfort foods that have meaningful memories attached to them? Has food been a coping mechanism for your whole life? Something learned from you parents? Do you actually BELIEVE that you can lose weight, change your physique and deserve to be happy? All of these questions have to be answered WAY before deciding if counting macros or intermittent fasting is the right diet strategy for you. So you may as well get started!

OK, that’s in for now. Until next week, we wish you Strength and Good Health!

You are in for a treat this week, an incredibly powerful conversation with Karin Steere, my favorite professor from my PT school program who is still teaching the physical therapists of tomorrow while also completing her PhD in neuroimmunology.

I know the title this episode focuses on her roles as an educator and a physical therapist, but the first 30 minutes of this conversation played out more as a conversation about where human beings draw their motivation from, the impacts of our lived experience, and how each person’s journey to healing is uniquely important. I think you’ll quickly understand why I always looked forward to Karin’s classes and opportunities to learn from her any time I had the chance, she is truly a uniquely insightful and intelligent person.

Connect with Karin

• e-mail: [email protected]
• Twitter: @KarinTownson
• Instagram: @KarinTownson

Announcements

1. Review of the month on Apple Podcasts! - Username Bernardkindall - E-mail me at [email protected] or send us a message on Instagram @essential.strength.podcast to claim your prize!
2. The waiting list for Enduring Strength is open now! Sign up to lock in your spot for this new virtual coaching service from Stronger In Motion before registration goes live later in December!

Action Plan

Your action plan for the week - as Karin mentioned throughout today’s conversation, she feels her job is to help other find what motivates them, and then help show them to way to lead a happier and healthier life. But she can’t do any of these things for you - she can’t tell you what motivates you, she can’t tell you what makes you happy, and can’t even define what “healthy” is outside of perhaps suggesting that “gettin’ you some heart disease” shouldn’t be on your list. And as we spoke, we also talked about how what makes you happy now, and how you define healthy now - be it in your 20s, 30s, or 40s - is going to be different than what happy and healthy looks like in your 80s, or your 90s. So what I would like you to do is this - Take a single piece of paper and write down how you’re lifestyle choices - what you eat, how you manage stress, how you get your physical activity - how do these support that things that define your happiness right now. And if you enjoy that process, perhaps it’s one you revisit at the end of each year, in this holiday season where we hope to feel happy and accomplished while also planning for the future. It could become a pretty powerful practice.

Alright, signing off. Until next week, we wish you STRENGTH and GOOD HEALTH.