Why Not?

By Chrissy HawkinsEducation Self-Improvement

Why Not? episodes

March 07, 2023 #122 Your nutrition is as important as your horses with @rider.nutrition
When it comes to Equestrians, our horses often have the best of everything but neglect ourselves. One thing that riders are guilty of forgetting about is their own nutrition which is why I have Andrea Parker from @rider.nutrition as my guest this week.
Andrea is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with 10 years experience, she is also a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor and Provisional Sports Dietitian. She has worked in a variety of settings from the Intensive Care to Community Mental Health.
Andrea is passionate about helping riders learn to fuel, hydrate and recover effectively so that they can have their best ride every ride. Andrea combines the principles of sports nutrition and intuitive eating, to help riders fuel well while maintaining a flexible, all-foods-fit approach.
Andrea is an equestrian first and foremost, who has tried her hand at most disciplines in her younger years, however, her true passion lies in dressage. Andrea now competes and trains an OTTT Castor.
Today we talk about the importance of fueling yourself possibly when riding and competing not only for performance but also from a safety aspect.
How hydration can affect your cognition and reaction times.
That horse riding is actually a very energy-intensive sport, and we often don't even think about all the things that we do around riding and how much energy that takes too.
That treating yourself with compassion is not a weakness
She also gave some tips on how for those looking to focus on their nutrition
And possibly the best pieces of advice that I've gotten from this show
If you would like to follow Andrea or find out more about working with her:
Instagram: @rider.nutrition
Website: www.andreaparkerdietitian.com
Where to find me :
Instagram: @chrissyhfitness
Tiktok: @chrissyhfitness
Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com
Want my FREE Kickstarter workout guide? Follow this link! 3 workouts for home or gym: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7m8t6
Equestrian Instagram: @stronginthesaddle_
Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle
Happy Hips for horseriding PDF: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b4y0n6
40 min
February 21, 2023 #121 3 Things to do before you quit the gym
Ok so it's nearing the end of February which is when all the regular gym goers breathe a sigh of relief as the "new year new me" people start to disappear slowly
But if you are one of those people before you give up maybe you should listen to this episode
Today I look at the things that you should do before you give up again
How you should reassess your goal and whether or not it is attainable
That if you are feeling really run down, maybe you just need a rest and to try to do less
Maybe you've gone the opposite way and you've tried to do too much but just don't have the time
Or you just need a new programme to keep things fresh
I also speak about how having a coach can make a massive difference to your training, not just saving time by doing your plan but also as a support system for when you are having a bad run of things
It can be any coach but If you are interested in looking to work with me you can find me :
Instagram: @chrissyhfitness
Tiktok: @chrissyhfitness
Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com
Want my FREE Kickstarter workout guide? Follow this link! 3 workouts for home or gym: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7m8t6
Equestrian Instagram: @stronginthesaddle_
Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle
Happy Hips for horseriding PDF: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b4y0n6
23 min
February 14, 2023 #120 HAY isn't just animal feed with @rooneyshane @HAY.campaign
If you're in the Equine world you may have heard about the HAY campaign (if you haven't you're probably living under a rock)
HAY stands for " How are ya" and it is a mental health awareness campaign aimed at those in the equestrian and agriculture
How an incident on the 27th of December had him feeling really low and just needed someone to talk to which is where the idea for HAY was born
During this time, he found that 80% of jockeys in a survey said they had suffered from a mental health disorder, and what's more, there are no statistics for other equestrian disciplines, so he knew he had to do something
While he was always great at listening to other people he never actually opened up himself for a long time which really took a toll on his mental health which nearly pushed him to breaking point
We also talk about how horses are not just commodities to people who work with them and it can be very upsetting to have people talk about it in a negative manner
How Equestrians always put their horses ahead of themselves and this is why they can suffer so much with their mental health
The surreal feeling of seeing not only every equestrian governing body, some of his heroes get behind the campaign but also getting a race sponsored at Fairyhouse
We finish talking about what is next for HAY to keep the momentum going like getting the agricultural industry involved more so on when January hits next year they can make an even bigger impact
Remember, if you are feeling down and need someone to talk to or if you are worried about someone please do not hesitate to reach out.
Sometimes the biggest impacts can be made from a simple "Hey, how are ya?"
Where to find Shane and Follow the HAY campaign:
Facebook: @HAY how are ya campaign
Instagram: @HAY.campaign
Twitter: @HAY_campaign
Tiktok: @HAYcampaign
Where to find me:
Instagram: @chrissyhfitness
Tiktok: @chrissyhfitness
Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com
Want my FREE Kickstarter workout guide? Follow this link! 3 workouts for home or gym: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7m8t6
Equestrian Instagram: @stronginthesaddle_
Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle
Happy Hips for horseriding PDF: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b4y0n6

47 min
February 07, 2023 #119 Tips and advice for anyone who wants to try Vegetarian/Vegan
Ok yes I know veganuary is over however if it is something you took part in, or something you considered doing in general listening to this ep will do you no harm
I myself have been eating a vegetarian diet (soz vegans I'm not giving up cheese or eggs) since the start of January so I wanted to share some of the things that have helped me keep on top of my nutrition
I talk about how your body will take some time to adjust if you go straight into it (extra fibre is fun)
How Planning meals can really help you get the most out of what you eat
That mixing different sources of protein is needed
That it should not be used as a weight loss quick fix
Supplements you will need to take if you are eating a vegan diet, in particular, Vitamin B
If this is something that you considered trying I would suggest that you do some research into it beforehand to make sure that you can get the most out of your nutrition!
Where to find me:
Instagram: @chrissyhfitness
Tiktok: @chrissyhfitness
Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com
Want my FREE Kickstarter workout guide? Follow this link! 3 workouts for home or gym: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7m8t6
Equestrian Instagram: @stronginthesaddle_
Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle
Happy Hips for horseriding PDF: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b4y0n6

22 min
January 24, 2023 #118 Mistakes that I've made over the years when it comes to fitness
PTs and coaches are not perfect, we make mistakes too so today I wanted to talk about some of the mistakes that I made over the years
I talk about when I only posted "healthy food" on my socials because I was trying to portray a certain image
Different diet trends that I followed and how they affected me
Doing endless amounts of cardio
Posting myself training or "progress pics" and expecting people to want to work with me from that alone
Thinking there is only one way to do things and everyone needs to do it if everyone is different how can we expect our diet and training plans to all to be identical?
Judging others on social media without getting to context on why they may have their clients doing certain things
That you shouldn't just become a trainer just because you like training as there is far more to this job than getting people to lift heavy things and put them back down again
And that you are always learning in this job and that is what makes it so great
If you want to find out more about working with me you can find me at any of the below links.
Where to find me:
Instagram: @chrissyhfitness
Tiktok: @chrissyhfitness
Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com
Want my FREE Kickstarter workout guide? Follow this link! 3 workouts for home or gym: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7m8t6
Equestrian Instagram: @stronginthesaddle_
Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle
Happy Hips for horseriding PDF: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b4y0n6
33 min
January 17, 2023 #117 From Cancer to coaching and the importance of mindset if you want to get anywhere with matty_ode
How much does your mindset affect your life? The answer is more than you realise
Today I speak to Matt Ode who is a stage 3 testicular cancer survivor and transformation coach about his own story and how it brought him to where he is today
He speaks about how he was diagnosed at 24 and up until when he went into hospital the only symptom he had was back pain
How things happen for you, not to you
Losing 70 pounds while in the hospital and the body image issues that came with it
Taking small steps and how his knowledge from being a personal trainer helped him build himself back up
Set massive goals but have mini goals to keep you accountable
How telling his story brought him to speaking and then onto transformation coaching
That you are the average of the 5 people around you so if you want to change your life you need to make sure you surround yourself with people who'll lift you up
How hiring a coach will not only keep you accountable but will save you from spending hours trying to find what works best for you
We also talked a little bit about the gym transformation programmes, how they are just marketing and don't take into account that people are different sizes or body types
That you can always find time for yourself
We also talked a bit about the differences between the US and Ireland when it comes to food and medical care at the end
If you want to find Matt you can find all of his info on :
www.mattodespeaks.com
Where to find me:
Instagram: @chrissyhfitness
Tiktok: @chrissyhfitness
Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com
Want my FREE Kickstarter workout guide? Follow this link! 3 workouts for home or gym: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7m8t6
Equestrian Instagram: @stronginthesaddle_
Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle
Happy Hips for horseriding PDF: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b4y0n6

1 hr 1 min
January 10, 2023 #116 The health benefits of exercise that you may be forgetting
Look I know that you have heard the health benefits of exercise many times through the years
And it still wasn't enough to keep you going with it
With the January gym influx upon us, I wanted to talk about some of the other benefits that you may not always think of when it comes to exercise
I talk about grounding and how being out in fresh air can bring us back to reality (especially when you live in Ireland cos that air is FRESH this time fo the year)
How joining a gym class, sports team or even walking group can be a great way of socialising and finding people with common interests to you
That achieving things that you never thought possible is a great way to grow your confidence
And that doing hard things makes other hard things easier to tackle
I also wanted to emphasise that exercise comes in many forms and the importance of knowing why you are doing it
Most importantly picking something that you enjoy and can take at your own pace makes you far more likely to stick to it!
Where to find me:
Instagram: @chrissyhfitness
Tiktok: @chrissyhfitness
Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com.
Want my FREE Kickstarter workout guide? Follow this link! 3 workouts for home or gym: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7m8t6
Equestrian Instagram:
@stronginthesaddle_
Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle
Happy Hips for horseriding PDF: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b4y0n6
24 min
December 20, 2022 #115 To train or not to train over Xmas with Cian O'Brien @cian0brien
With Christmas coming we all see a drop off from the gym and training so we decided to have a chat about what we have seen
We talk about FOMO keeps changing people's priorities when it comes to spending
That nights out give us the instant gratification that we want which is ok
That you will equally find people on both sides of the coin those who find it hard to let go of their training schedule and those who are on the opposite side who need to go out a little less
Learning to sit with your feelings is the best way to find out why you actually train and that the goal you think you have is rarely the goal you actually want
That you don't need to train every day even going twice a week is 100 times a year
We often will not actually learn the basics and then wonder why we aren't progressing
You don't need to work out to make up for living your life
It's ok to take a week off but you don't need to plan them into your programme
That you can take it handy and enjoy your xmas just keep a lil bit active with the likes of walking or doing the bare minimum the main thing is just to enjoy yourself and don't feel guilty for it!
If you want to find Cian who shares some great training content you can follow him on Instagram, you can also find details of his upcoming seminar here too: @Cian0Brien
Where to find me: Instagram: @chrissyhfitness
Tiktok: @chrissyhfitness
Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com. Want my FREE Kickstarter workout guide? Follow this link! 3 workouts for home or gym: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7m8t6
Equestrian Instagram: @stronginthesaddle_
Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle
Happy Hips for horseriding PDF: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b4y0n6
34 min
December 13, 2022 #114 Strength training just for competetive riders?
When you think about improving your fitness and strength for horse riding, what comes to mind?
Maybe you are thinking "That's just for competitive riders, I'm just a happy hacker so I wouldn't need that"
Well today with this episode I want to explain to you how it can be beneficial for any type of rider.
I talk about how strong you are can be the difference in whether you stay on the horse or not if they spook
How it can make carrying things around the yard much easier
How building muscle can help prevent injury
If you feel stronger you'll feel more confident and in control
That building up areas where you may have been injured is the best way to rehab it
And most importantly this can all be done at home with basic equipment and sometimes you don't even need any equipment at all
Spotify link to my ep on strength training where I go into more detail on this topic:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4wcMRLICcry18RC0NRMidP?si=29ef351fd3454e8a

Where to find me:
Equestrian Instagram: @stronginthesaddle_
Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle
Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com.
Happy Hips for horseriding PDF: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b4y0n6
Instagram: @chrissyhfitness
Tiktok: @chrissyhfitness
Want my FREE Kickstarter workout guide? Follow this link! 3 workouts for home or gym: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7m8t6
22 min
December 06, 2022 #113 Its not motivation that's stopping you it's..
We hear the word motivation thrown around a lot when it comes to fitness but what really gets you to where you want to be is consistency, and that's not just fitness. Anyone who is a master in their field be it fitness or business or whatever else has one thing in common. They consistently show up for themselves.
Today in a solo ep I talk all about the importance of consistency
I talk about how your health isn't a 6 or 8-week programme
Exercising for your health doesn't necessarily mean losing weight
How shiny object syndrome is stopping you from reaching your goal instead of finding something you enjoy cos it's not "the best thing for fat loss"
You shouldn't be afraid to take up old hobbies
Sometimes life gets in the way which is fine it doesn't mean you stop
Sometimes you have to miss a Monday
If someone on social media makes you feel bad don't be afraid to unfollow them they don't care about you so don't let them make you feel bad
The little things add up and you have to be ready to work on them for a long time until it becomes part of your life
You'll always have people telling you to do things differently but don't take advice from someone that you wouldn't switch places with
If you have a coach listen to them you are paying them so you should be able to ask them any questions you may have
Even though I spoke about fitness this can be applied to anything in our lives and although I do not struggle with it when it comes to training, it's definitely something that comes up in other areas of my life!

Where to find me:
Instagram: @chrissyhfitness
Tiktok: @chrissyhfitness
Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com.
Want my FREE Kickstarter workout guide? Follow this link! 3 workouts for home or gym: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7m8t6
Equestrian Instagram:
@stronginthesaddle_
Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle
Happy Hips for horseriding PDF: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b4y0n6

29 min