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Train Your Body (438)
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Staying Well (382)
RadioMD’s “talking” Health A-Z hosted by senior health correspondent, Melanie Cole, MS. Melanie interviews experts in the world of health, wellness, fitness and medicine.
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Healthy Talk w/ Dr. Michael Smith (698)
Integrative physician, Michael A. Smith, MD is committed to providing listeners with the most current health information available.
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Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Andrea Donsky and health expert Lisa Davis discuss their passion for living a natural, healthy lifestyle.
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EatRight Radio, with experts from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, discusses food and nutrition topics, healthy weight, allergies and health conditions, healthy aging, food safety and so much more. Give us 10-minutes and we'll give you the important information and expert advice from registered dietitian nutritionists to help you eat right, feel better, and live a healthier life. Hosted by Melanie Cole, MS.
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Wellness for Life (455)
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CLEAN Food Network (98)
This show is a call to action for all the clean eating revolutionaries that care about their health and how and what they eat. Non-GMO, natural, organic . . . food the way nature intended. The clean food movement is huge and is growing exponentially. This companion program talks to experts in food preparation, healthcare, celebrities, and even those companies that care enough to provide the best, wholesome, organic foods and groceries.
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Talk Healthy Today (213)
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Be a Doer (17)
Be A Doer features master coach and TV personality John Abdo as he shares health and fitness tips aimed at getting you in shape – and keeping you there!
View items...The Power of Probiotics (3)
Probiotics is a major global industry. But like any industry, it had to have a beginning. Natasha Trenev is the daughter of an Eastern European family where the manufacturing of yogurt was a generational business. When Natasha emigrated to the US in the 1960’s, she brought with her 750 years of family experience with probiotics – and introduced the science (and the term itself) to her new country. Today, Natasha’s California-based Natren, Inc. is the recognized pioneer in probiotics and company founder Natasha Trenev has earned recognition as the Mother of Probiotics. Her more than 50 years of work in natural health is at the core of the unparalleled success of her company – and you will benefit from her depth of expertise in each and every episode of THE POWER OF PROBIOTICS.
Probiotics are live microrganisms that are commonly referred to as ‘friendly,’ ‘good’ or ‘healthy’ bacteria that function to help maintain the natural balance of organisms in the intestine. Throughout Natasha’s extensive work in the field of probiotics, she has always been amazed by how nature provides the very ‘good’ bacteria that can help overpower ‘bad’ bacteria to keep our digestive tracts functioning at peak performance. Properly cultivating friendly bacteria and ensuring their potency is at the core of the Natren Process. Natren is cited – by retailers, by the medical community and by consumers – as the best probiotic supplement available. Only Natren carefully chooses its probiotic cultures, formulates and manufactures its industry standard probiotics in its own plant and utilizes a specially-formulated oil matrix to protect probiotics bacteria to survive until they reach their destination in the upper small intestine. This is why only Natren is the most trusted probiotic supplement on the market. Truly, where other probiotic supplements promise – Natren Delivers.
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Your Brain Health (24)
Noted Los Angeles-based neuroscientist and media personality Dr. Kristen Willeumier launches Your Brain Health with Dr. Kristen Willeumier, a podcast series that explores the latest news and information in the burgeoning science of brain health.
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Prepare yourself and your family for potential disasters in your area.
Additional Info
- Segment Number 1
- Audio File lifes_too_short/ts43.mp3
- Featured Speaker Julie Martellini, PhD, MS
- Organization KnowWhat2Do
- Guest Website Julie Martellini, PhD, MS
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Guest Bio
Dr. Julie Martellini obtained her doctorate of biomedical sciences from the University of Central Florida's college of medicine.
Her research focused on the innate immune reaction to HIV. She then obtained a postdoctoral research certificate from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical center, researching the initial immune response to HIV infection.
Upon leaving academia over four years ago, she joined the forces of public health in the department of public health emergency response. She has taken part in incidents ranging from mercury exposure, tornado shelters and Ebola monitoring. More recently she has developed Zika prevention kits for pregnant women who are at risk of exposure to Zika infection, and played an early part in the shelters set up for hurricane Harvey victims.
- Length (mins) 15:24
- Waiver Received Yes
Stress can be devastating to your child's health. Learn how to help your little one become more resilient.
Additional Info
- Segment Number 3
- Audio File wellness_for_life/1639wl5c.mp3
- Featured Speaker Dr. Pete Sulack
- Book Title Unhealthy Anonymous
- Guest Website Stress RX
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Guest Bio
Dr. Pete Sulack is Founder of StressRX.com and Unhealthy Anonymous, the 12-step program to reducing and managing stress levels, as well as the majority owner of one of the largest clinics in North America.
His office has seen more than 1,000,000 patient visits over the last 13 years, validating his unique approach to health and wellness. Dr. Pete actively treats patients traveling from around the world seeking his services.
His studies on the effects of stress, coupled with testimonials from patients and attention in medical communities have garnered him the title of “America’s Leading Stress Expert.” He is a highly sought-after teacher, lecturer, and author. - Length (mins) 25:56
- Waiver Received Yes
- Host Susanne Bennett, DC
Learn about the relationship between turmeric and curcumin.
Additional Info
- Segment Number 1
- Audio File code_delicious/cd96.mp3
- Featured Speaker Ajay Goel, PhD
- Book Title Curcumin: Nature’s Answer to Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
- Guest Website Baylor Scott & White Health
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Guest Bio
Ajay Goel, PhD, Director of Epigenetics, Cancer Prevention, and Cancer Genomics at Baylor University Medical Center, has spent 20 years researching cancer and has been the lead author or contributor to over 150 scientific articles published in peer reviewed international journals.
He is one of the world's leading researchers on curcumin and colon cancer and is currently researching the prevention of gastrointestinal cancers using integrative and alternative approaches, including botanical products.
Two of the primary botanicals he is investigating are curcumin (from turmeric) and boswellia. - Length (mins) 27:25
- Waiver Received No
- Host Mike Fenster, MD
Finally! An answer to the question, "Which diet is the best?"
Additional Info
- Segment Number 1
- Audio File code_delicious/cd109.mp3
- Featured Speaker Renee A. Simon, MS, CDN, CNS
- Guest Website Renee Simon
- Guest Facebook Account www.facebook.com/TotalWellnessNutrition
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Guest Bio
Renee A. Simon, MS, CDN, CNS, is a Certified Dietician-Nutritionist, registered yoga teacher, and energy healer who specializes in nutrition, fitness, and the mind/body connection. She has published many books and articles, the latest on Medscape, Best and Worst Diets Around the World.
Renee has practiced Functional Medicine for 17 years privately and as a consultant to hospitals, Universities, health spas, corporations, schools, and large not for profit organizations. Her passion is to help her clients reach their highest level of health, in body, mind and spirit and to experience peace and joy every day.
She has private practices in Connecticut and New York.
- Length (mins) 27:54
- Waiver Received Yes
- Host Mike Fenster, MD
Will working out today help your future health?
Additional Info
- Segment Number 1
- Audio File lifes_too_short/ts30.mp3
- Featured Speaker Brian Parr, PhD
- Guest Website American College of Sports Medicine
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Guest Bio
Brian Parr, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Exercise and Sports Science at the University of South Carolina Aiken where he teaches courses in exercise physiology, nutrition, and health behaviors.
He also conducts research related to physical activity and weight loss. - Length (mins) 14:55
- Waiver Received Yes
- Host Melanie Cole, MS
We need multiple aspects of treatments for modern-day health concerns, not just one supplement or one pharmaceutical to make everything "go away."
Additional Info
- Segment Number 2
- Audio File naturally_savvy/ns767.mp3
- Featured Speaker Serena Goldstein, ND
- Guest Website Serena Goldstein, ND
- Guest Facebook Account https://www.facebook.com/DrSerenaND/
- Guest Twitter Account @drserena
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Guest Bio
Dr. Serena Goldstein, ND, is a Naturopathic Doctor in NYC specializing in hormonal concerns such as weight, mood, stress, PMS, peri/menopause, and andropause.
Dr. Serena creates customized plans utilizing nutrition, botanical medicine, and homeopathy, while educating her patients around conventional care and supplements to address symptoms and then discover how and when they feel their best. She believes in instilling a proper foundation of health through diet, sleep, stress, and lifestyle as any form of medicine should supplement, not replace, an unhealthy lifestyle.
Dr. Serena has been published in well-known health and wellness resources, such as MindBodyGreen, Better Nutrition, and Bustle, and spoken at places like Lehman College and the American Cancer Society. Dr. Serena is also on the Advisory Board for Natural Practitioner Magazine, and lends her expertise to fellow doctors at NYU-Hospital Poison Control Center. - Length (mins) 20:53
- Waiver Received Yes
- Host Andrea Donsky, RHN and Lisa Davis, MPH
Health and happiness are linked absolutely: you can't have one without the other.
Additional Info
- Segment Number 1
- Audio File talk_healthy/tt137.mp3
- Featured Speaker Robin Miller, MD
- Book Title Healed! Health & Wellness for the 21st Century: Wisdom, Secrets, and Fun Straight from the Leading Edge
- Guest Website Triune
- Guest Facebook Account https://www.facebook.com/DocRobinMiller/
- Guest Twitter Account @RMillerMD
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Guest Bio
Dr. Robin Miller is an established author (The Smart Woman's Guide to Midlife and Beyond and Kids Ask the Doctor) and has gathered the knowledge, insights and anecdotes offered in this book over the course of 33 years of treating patients using the principles of integrative medicine.
Board certified in Internal Medicine, she trained with Andrew Weil as an Integrative Medicine Fellow at University of Arizona. She is currently Medical Director of Triune Integrative Medicine, a highly innovative integrative medicine clinic in Medford, Oregon.
Dr. Miller blogs regularly for Sharecare.com, an interactive health and wellness website founded in conjunction with Dr. Mehmet Oz, where she serves as Executive Advisory Board member. Robin is also a medical reporter and a regular correspondent for KOBI-5, the NBC affiliate in Southern Oregon. - Length (mins) 23:23
- Waiver Received No
- Host Lisa Davis, MPH
Whether you want to achieve weight loss, land your dream job, find your soul mate, or get out of debt, it all comes back to self-love and accepting yourself first.
Additional Info
- Segment Number 1
- Audio File talk_healthy/tt136.mp3
- Featured Speaker Shannon Kaiser, Author
- Book Title The Self-Love Experiment: Fifteen Principles for Becoming More Kind, Compassionate, and Accepting of Yourself
- Guest Website Play with the World
- Guest Facebook Account https://www.facebook.com/ShannonKaiserWrites/
- Guest Twitter Account @shannonlkaiser
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Guest Bio
Shannon Kaiser is the author of Adventures for Your Soul: 21 Ways to Transform Your Habits and Reach Your Full Potential, Find Your Happy: An Inspirational Guide to Loving Life to the Fullest, and Find Your Happy Daily Mantras: 365 Days of Motivation for a Happy, Peaceful and Fulfilling Life.
She has been named among the "top 100 women to watch in wellness" by Mind Body Green. Shannon is a seven-time contributing author to Chicken Soup for the Soul and an international life coach and speaker.
Learn more at www.playwiththeworld.com. - Length (mins) 25:39
- Waiver Received No
- Host Lisa Davis, MPH
Drew Manning expected physical challenges in his "fit-to-fat-to-fit" experiment. What he wasn't prepared for were the mental and emotional struggles he faced.
Additional Info
- Segment Number 1
- Audio File talk_fitness/tft006.mp3
- Featured Speaker Drew Manning
- Organization A&E Fit to Fat to Fit
- Book Title Fit2Fat2Fit: The Unexpected Lessons from Gaining and Losing 75 lbs on Purpose
- Guest Website Fit2Fat2Fit
- Guest Facebook Account https://www.facebook.com/fit2fat2fit/
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Guest Bio
Drew Manning is the NY Times Best Selling Author of the book, Fit2Fat2Fit and is best known for his Fit2Fat2Fit.com experiment that went viral online.
He's been featured on shows like Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, The View and many more.
His experiment has become a hit TV show, called Fit to Fat to Fit, airing on A&E. -
Transcription
The Mental & Emotional Side of Physical Transformation with Drew Manning
This episode of Talk Fitness is in partnership with The Vitamin Shoppe, where knowledgeable health enthusiasts are standing by to help you thrive every day.
Lisa Davis (Host): So glad you are listening to Talk Fitness Today. if I sound familiar, you have probably heard me on Talk Healthy Today or Naturally Savvy Radio and I am so excited to be doing this show. I think it is so important to talk about fitness, ways to get fit, how to be your best, your strongest, but also how to look at the emotional and mental side of things. So, I’m so glad to be joined again by the wonderful Drew Manning. Drew is a New York Times best-selling author of the book Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit and he had to take quite a toll – or it took a toll on him for his transformation and we are going to talk about the mental and emotional side of things when we are getting fit, making changes in our life and in our diets. Hello there Drew. Welcome back.
Drew Manning (Guest): Lisa, thank you so much for having me again. I appreciate it.
Lisa: Oh Drew, I love having you on my shows. I think you are a fantastic guy. I mean look at you, you are drop dead gorgeous, you are in amazing shape. You are this really cool personal trainer. You are smart. It is all the keto stuff, which if people missed a show, they should go back and check out the show I did recently on keto with Drew on Talk Fitness Today. But seriously, I mean you had it all, right and then you decided, you know what, I’m going to put on like eighty pounds and see what it feels like to be overweight and to deal with the stress and the sadness and the difficulty that comes with it and so for people who aren’t familiar; this is something that you did and that is why you are fit to fat back to fit and so that must have been such a transformation. Talk to us about this experience, especially the mental and emotional side.
Drew: Yeah, so it was very, very humbling doing what I did and I don’t recommend just anybody to do it. But I learned so many valuable lessons and I needed it, though because I couldn’t understand why it was so hard for my clients just to do what I was telling them to do. I was giving them meal plans, I was giving them workouts and they would tell me they were struggling with addictions or cravings and they would give in, like they would be “Oh Drew I had soda, even though you told me not to” or “you know what, you gave me the workouts, but I didn’t get to the gym this week and I just got tired and I just didn’t do it.” And I’m like, “Well why don’t you just do it. It’s not that hard. You just stop eating junk food. You go to the gym, boom, you see results. It is that easy.”
But, I couldn’t understand why it was so hard for so many of my clients just to live this lifestyle. And so, I thought if of ideas of how I could better relate and the idea of getting fat on purpose, I know it sounds crazy, but it made sense in my mind. Like okay, I need to do this and so I decided to do it. And it was crazy and I learned so many valuable lessons, especially on the mental and emotional side because here’s the thing, physically, I knew I was going to get some man boobs and a big butt and a big gut. I knew that was going to happen. What I wasn’t prepared for was how much the journey was going to be a mental and emotional struggle. So, going out in public, I had suffered with self-esteem and low confidence. I wanted to go up to complete strangers and tell them heh, I’m not really overweight, this is just an experiment. Here is my before picture. This isn’t normally what I look like, because I was so self-conscious. I lost my identity and so it was very, very humbling and but the biggest lesson I learned was how much of this transformation was mental and emotional and this is we are going to get into and this is why it is so important.
As a trainer, or someone in the fitness industry, you could give someone the best meal plans, the best workouts, the best trainer you could provide them all the physical tools that they need to be successful when it comes to being healthy. But none of that matters if that person doesn’t understand how to overcome their mental and emotional challenges. It will just be another diet that they do for a little while and they lose weight but then they gain it back. The key to making it a true lifestyle change is on the mental and emotional side and that is what I preach now.
Lisa: Yeah and I think that makes so much sense. So, if you are looking – if you are working with someone and they are really struggling staying with the plan that you gave them, you are like what the heck, it is all written out. Well, you don’t say that anymore obviously, because you have gone through this huge transformation yourself. But it gives you not only empathy, but does it help you approach them in a way, I’m guessing obviously, that they will be more responsive to you, that maybe there is a kinder way of saying or be like dude, I totally see where you are coming from – I don’t know if you say dude but you know what I mean. You know that kind of thing.
Drew: Yeah, exactly. It’s helping to understand what their mental and emotional struggles are because each person is different. Some people eat out of laziness, some people eat junk food because of emotional trauma from an early age, find out what their mental and emotional issues are and help them overcome them, rather than just focus on the physical. Like oh this change will be macros of counting your calories. That stuff helps, it’s a piece of the puzzle, but it is not the most important piece of the puzzle. So, now what I do and how I have changed this as a trainer, is by focusing more on the mental and emotional sides of people’s transformation and so the top three things that I have noticed that help people out with this are 1: Is to help people to be more vocal about their goals. So, talk to their friends, their family to discuss what their goals, what they are trying to achieve because what that does is it makes you accountable by telling people what your goals are, and people are like, “Oh, you’re trying to change your lifestyle, trying to be healthy, okay, I’ll help you out. Like I’ll support you, like I’ll help you meal prep or I’ll go to the gym with you. I’ll be your gym partner.” And you – what it does is it helps you find who your support system is. And sometimes your support system isn’t always the people you think it is going to be, like your friends and family. Sometimes your friends and family are the ones who are sabotaging you, but at least get it out there in the open. Post about it on social media, just get it out there in the open, I know it is scary for some people to stay accountable but people need that accountability no matter who they are and you need to find out who your support system is, whether it’s a friend or whether it is an online community and you’re going to need that no matter who you are when you are trying to make a true lifestyle change.
Lisa: Yeah, that is really true. You know one of the things I saw recently, I forget what magazine it was, but it was showing like pictures of real like big amounts of weight loss, like big numbers, I’m trying to say and the saggy skin, right, you don’t see that and that’s really, really hard for people, right I mean you kind of see like before and after, you see them to be like 300 pounds or 500 pounds and then you are 150 and yet you look all trim and wonderful, but it is like, well wait a second, where did all that skin go and I thought is was so nice when people are like look, this is what it really looks like, and this is really emotionally hard for me and do you know what I’m talking about? Have you experienced that with people and how they deal with that and their body changes, but you are like but I don’t like all this loose skin, I didn’t like the fat, but this isn’t working for me either and I can’t afford to maybe get the surgery that I need to take care of it.
Drew: One hundred percent and the problem with our society is we put so much value on expectations or the outcome of what we are trying to achieve and the reason people are so upset about that or not happy is because they see images all over the media, on social media and magazines, TV, movies, of what they think they are supposed to look like when they are healthy. When in reality, it doesn’t happen that way and so, if you put so much value on the outcome or the expectations of what is supposed to happen, and then you get there and it is not what – it didn’t meet your expectations, they you will disappointed your entire life and so if you can learn to not put value on the outcome or the results, but put value on the habit that you are creating, throughout the process and you put value on the process and don’t worry about the results or the outcome; then you’ll be able to be more grateful and be in the moment with the way things are instead of how they should be. And so, it’s hard for people, I get it, like we all want to look a certain way. I get that, but when we let go of that, and realize that we are the best version of ourselves that we can be with what we have, then you let go of those types of unrealistic expectations sometimes and you will find that your life will be so much more fulfilling if you can place value on the process instead of just outcome.
Lisa: Now when you lost all the weight, when you gained all the weight and lost all the weight, you were able to get right back to where you were. I mean it must have taken some hard – was it like harder work I’m guessing or you might have just felt more tired. Say harder to get up.
Drew: You make it sound like it was so easy. It was not easy.
Lisa: I was like snap, right like overnight.
Drew: Yeah, the next day I had a six pack. No, people think that because they see my photos online and they are like oh yeah for sure it was easy. No, it was a struggle. It was very humbling. So, it was really, really hard. So the way I have kind of talked about this in my book is my entire life I have been on top of this mountain of fitness at the very top and my clients were at the bottom and I was yelling at them from the top like “heh, keep coming, it’s not that hard, just one foot in front of the other, stop falling back down, stop quitting” and then for the first time in my life; here I was at the bottom of the mountain at my heaviest looking up and it was a totally different perspective. It was so humbling that climb up, it was so much harder than what I thought it would be from the top looking down. But it was so valuable for me to learn that and so it was by no means was it easy. It was a very, very hard slow process where I hit plateaus, I gained weight some weeks, even though I was a trainer and I was eating right, and I would have my clients who used to tell me, “you know I’m following the meal plans, I’m following the workouts, but I gained weight this week.” Before, I used to think, well, you must have done something wrong or you are lying to me, but then here I was, the trainer doing everything I was supposed to do and the weight didn’t reflect what I wanted it to. And I was the trainer. So, I was like, okay I need to realize that it is not black and white all the time and even though you are doing everything right, it doesn’t always reflect on the scale.
Lisa: Well, what is your advice to trainers then, in terms of the way to meet people where they are at and to be more in touch with their emotional side and allowing them to express what they are feeling and also if it seems too heavy for them to be able to recognize that and say, you know, you might want to go talk to somebody, like what if somebody shares they had been sexually abused as a child and so they use food as a way to protect them and that is why they are overweight and that’s something that might be too big for someone who isn’t skilled in that area or trained. Does that make sense? Have you ever come across that?
Drew: One hundred percent. And one option for these trainers is to try out for the TV show and do a fit to fat to fit journey, but I know that’s not for everybody and a lot of the trainers end up hating it but they learn so many valuable lessons but the other thing is yeah, like increase the tools you have on your toolbelt. That doesn’t mean you need to become a licensed therapist or anything like that, but just understand the basics, rather than just staying in the fitness industry and focusing on that and only knowing that part of it; you are not going to be able to help people out so, I think just being able to- being open to reading a self-help book and personal progress and overcoming emotional challenges. There is a lot of info out there. There are podcasts out there, there are books out there, go see a therapist yourself just to better equip yourself with how to deal with situations, not that you need to become a therapist or a psychologist or anything like that; but at least you can understand where your clients are coming from and just realize that this for them, for the client is so much more of a mental and emotional journey. It is not just a physical one.
So, if you take a step back and realize that, you don’t need to freak out about the little things that maybe they are not counting their calories or maybe they went over on a certain amount of macros or they are not pushing themselves hard enough in the gym that you perceive. You need to really come down to their level and have more, in my opinion, more valuable talking instead of just doing, working out. So that way they feel understood before they can take action in the gym, in my opinion. So, you can connect with them on a deeper level, even though it is not possible for everybody, where they are like, “look, we have an hour together, I don’t want to spend twenty minutes talking to them, I just want to spend the whole hour working out.” And I get that, but there is so much more to it than just that hour in the gym. So, I think clients would appreciate that more, trying to understand where they are coming from.
Lisa: You know one of the things I love about your show Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit that is on A & E is that there was a client and a trainer that really didn’t get on that well and he ended up quitting working with her and I was like what. Because you know, you are watching a TV show, and you are like well of course you are going to come together. Because they came back together to try to work it out and it just didn’t work. And I am hoping that guy went ahead and made the changes on his own, but he felt like she was pushing him too fast and she might have felt like he wasn’t working hard enough or and how do you mend that or if you can’t mend it, sometimes you just can’t; but then how could a trainer say okay, maybe I am pushing you too hard even though I don’t feel like I am, what works best for you. But then if the person, if the client is like well, I only want to lift five-pound weights for the next three months and you are like – you see what I’m saying? Like where do you find that middle ground?
Drew: Yeah, it’s just, in my opinion, it is just like any other relationship, so it is just like in a marriage for example; you can’t have one person giving so much like 100% of themselves and the other person is only giving 10% to the relationship. So, in the episode if you remember they had a very frank conversation saying okay, here’s your chance to show me that you are ready for this and here’s what you need to do. You need to show up tomorrow at this time and if you are not there, then that says that you are not ready for this and then we need to go our own separate ways. And that is what ended up happening. And so, those frank conversations are important and I think she did give him a lot of chances to understand where he is coming from and at the end of the day, yeah, you do have to be ready and realize that it is going to take hard work. It’s not like you just are going to sit there and expect your trainer to do all the work for you, you have to put in the work as well. And so, just like any other relationship; it has to be 100% on both sides, not 50-50, 100% on both sides and if someone is not giving their 100% then at some point there needs to be a sit down frank conversation with okay, here’s my expectations for you and if you can’t do those things, we need to go our separate ways.
Lisa: Well, you know, speaking of the mental and emotional side, part of it was this guy went to the doctor and he was like basically told all these horrendous things that were going to happen if he didn’t change and so of course it is the trainer is like holy crap, let’s change, let’s do this like I’m here and he wasn’t I think he was in denial and that’s hard when that comes up because for the trainer it is so incredibly frustrating. I mean I wanted to cry. I wanted to shake this guy and be like, what are you doing. You are about to have a heart attack, would you flippin work with this woman. You know, I’m like yelling at the TV. But if people aren’t there, so your show really moves me, then they are not there and sometimes you have to let go and that’s hard.
Drew: Yeah, and it’s hard to see that. Especially if it was someone you love, like a sibling or a spouse or someone you know like a good friend to know that they don’t believe they are worth it to make any changes, even if a doctor is telling them all these bad things. For some people it registers like okay, I need to make a change but some people’s self-worth is so low you can’t create that self-worth for them. They have to believe that they are worth it to make a change. And no matter how much you do, and push them and yell at them or shake them, or try and empathize with them; it has to be their decision at the end of the day. Something at some point, hopefully will trigger it in them, but some people just aren’t ready to make that change yet even though they know it’s better for them, it’s healthier for them. Some people just aren’t ready for change yet and so. But the best thing you can do in my opinion, is just to be the example and not try and push it on them. Just be the example and if when they are ready, you are there to pick them up.
Lisa: Yeah, that is really good. Yeah, because I think there could be overly tough love where you are like you know what, if you don’t do it now then forget it, but if they come back to you and you give them another chance, because this is their life you are talking about. You know, I am curious too about the mental emotional side for people making the transformation and if they have always relied on food for their comfort and they you know, suddenly that’s taken away and even though their bodies are looking better, it is sort of like, okay I’m going to feel better, I’m going to look better, but I don’t know how to cope without this thing I have always relied on. It is sort of like breaking an addiction right and you were very open on your show talking about something that you dealt with. I’ve talked about stuff like that on my show as well and it is hard, but so you let go of something but then you gain so much; but in the moment, you can feel a lot of panic.
Drew: Yeah. For sure. Because that’s part of your identity in a way and you don’t know how to cope with – if that is gone, then what am I going to – like how am I going to move forward without this and so it does take some time. It is a transition, but just I think at the end of the day, just being willing to and being open to working with whether it is new techniques or seeing a counselor or meditation or positive affirmations or breathing. Just being open to these other things that you might – maybe you don’t believe is going to work at first, just being consistent with it and see if it makes any changes and just being open to trying your best to improve and it’s going to take some time. Just being patient with yourself, realizing that you are not – it is not all about perfection, it is about progress and so, but if you stay consistent with it, for the most part, over time, you look back and you like you will see how far you have come, right, with whatever the addiction is or the coping mechanism is that you used to have, you have to learn to rewire your brain which is totally possible. We don’t think we can change but if you look at science, you can rewire your brain with things like meditation and positive affirmations and breathing and different techniques that are out there nowadays. It is called biohacking and it’s really popular nowadays and so people are kind of the mainstream media is kind of getting more into this and so just being open to I think new things that you have never tried before.
Lisa: Yeah, and then you are going to have healthy behaviors to take place of the unhealthy behaviors. And you are going to move in a good direction. What about plateaus? Because that can be frustrating. Like let’s say somebody is making a lot of strides in their transformation and then suddenly it is like nothing is moving. The scale is not moving, they are not feeling any stronger. Their measurements haven’t changed. What advice do you have for that and are there ways to overcome plateaus through mixing up your workouts or trying something new, you know stuff like that?
Drew: Yeah, so I think we all hit plateaus in life and I think it is essential for us because it kind of is a reality check for us like okay I need to change something up. But our definition of plateaus is different and I kind of challenge people to look at plateaus differently. Because people think oh, I haven’t lost weight in a couple of weeks therefore I am hitting a plateau, right, so, I don’t like that mentality because just because you are weight isn’t changing doesn’t mean that you are hitting a plateau. So, that’s why I recommend taking measurements, getting your body fat tested, tracking performance in the gym, timing certain workouts or certain weights that you use and seeing if there is any progress there, because if there is progress in other areas, like your body fat percentage or your measurements or your performance in the gym; that’s not a plateau. Right. But the traditional thought or definition of a plateau for most people in the fitness industry is like oh I’m just not losing weight. So, if you are not losing weight, you are not losing inches or body fat percentage and you are kind of stuck at the same performance; be open to new ideas when it comes to health and fitness. So, if you never tried high intensity interval training, feel free to try that out or if you have never done cross fit or if you have never done Zumba, I don’t know, anything just be open to changing up your routine because your body might need to be challenged in a different way. And then also, look into changing up your nutrition as well. So, for example you never tried the keto diet, maybe it is something for you that you maybe your body will be optimal and feel optimal or veganism or vegetarianism. It doesn’t matter. Like be open to trying new things and its fun if you think about it from scientific perspective like I get to become my own self experiment to find what’s best for my body. Like experiment with your body. See what works best for it. Don’t just stay in the same old routine that you have been doing for years and years and years and eating the same thing over and over and over again. Try something new and be open to it and give it a good 30 or 60 days of consistency before you make a judgement. Right. Don’t just say well I tried veganism for a day and I didn’t like it. You know it’s like you have to give your body time to adjust. Same thing with keto. You can’t just do it for a couple of days and be like I didn’t feel good, like well, of course, you have to give it at least 30 or 60 days of consistency before making a judgment.
Lisa: Yeah, I agree. Now when it comes to people who haven’t worked out in a long time, and are starting their transformation; what are things that they should do first? Because some of the things I worry about not on your show, but on some of the shows, I’m sure people know, they will take someone who is really overweight and hasn’t worked out in years or ever and make them like run on a beach or something and I’m like what are they doing. This is not good. So, what are some sensible starting workouts for people?
Drew: Yeah, so something that I did that worked for me, because if you think about it, my Fit to Fat to Fit journey, I stopped exercising for about 6 months and I wasn’t just going to go right back into the gym and risk injuring myself with the same workouts I was doing before, so what I did first was actually just focus on nutritional changes first and becoming consistent with those, because those are harder for people in my opinion, than going to the gym and so I didn’t exercise. All I did was I walked every day which is doable for everyone just getting started, for the most part and then doing stretching and core. Just preparing my body for working out at some point. So, for 30 days, I just changed up my nutrition, I walked every day and I stretched every day and those three things right there helped prepare my body for actual working out the next month. So, I only worked out for five months on my fat to fit journey, losing 75 pounds in six months and just doing those things initially in the first 30 days, I lost 19 pounds in the first month.
So, that’s what I recommend at first and then once you do start working out, start a very slow with body weight exercises. You don’t need to try and kill yourself right away with heavy weights, initially, in my opinion. Just use your own body as resistance and I think if you have your nutrition down, it is going to be so much easier. You will see so many more results from that anyways that I think that’s a good starting point for most people.
Lisa: You know I still chuckle about your cinnamon toast crunch. You said that was like, I never even had that, isn’t that funny. But I was just watching this thing on Netflix, there’s this new Jerry Seinfeld, I think it is called Before Seinfeld or something Jerry Before Seinfeld and he was talking about growing up in the 60s and how it was so great that they like all the people ate were all these sugary cereals. Well it wasn’t so great, but he was making a joke about it and he said then cookie crisps came along. Come on. They finally like made people realize oh holy crap, we are eating cookies for breakfast and I was just watching that earlier and it made me think of you and that. It’s addictive, right. All that stuff. That’s the bottom line. It’s funny but it is addictive.
Drew: It is. It is so addictive but the problem is, that our society is backwards. We make those foods so much more affordable and convenient and tasty and the marketing is great and I get it. I get why we give in to those foods all the time. It is an uphill battle or you have to make more of an effort to go for the healthier foods just because of the way our society is set up, right and so, I get why people get stuck in that situation with eating those foods all the time because yes, it does become addictive and it signals- or it triggers signals in your brain to crave those foods over and over and over again and then it creates like an emotional response. And there is an emotional attachment to food, you know like a sentimental feeling when you eat cookie crisps or cinnamon toast crunch like oh man I remember this as a kid, this was so life changing and so.
Lisa: Yeah, it does. Sometimes you will bite into something and I will be like, oh my God it totally reminds me of my grandmother such and such or something and then you are like I want more and it is it is not even about being satiated, it’s about memories and emotions and so that’s why when we are training ourselves, if you are a trainer training other people; you have to look at the big picture not just what exercises are best for the biceps and the triceps. I mean you can look at that too, but you have got to take a more holistic view which why I’m such a fan of yours, Drew.
Drew: Well, thank you so much Lisa. I appreciate that.
Lisa: Well Drew, tell us all the ways that we can find you and I definitely want to have you back.
Drew: Yeah for sure. So, my website is www.fit2fat2fit.com , fit number 2, fat number 2 fit and then that’s the name of my book. It’s the name of all my social media handles as well, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. If you want to follow me and I will try and keep you entertained on social media as much as possible.
Lisa: You’re great. I just, like I said, I’m such a fan. Drew, I want to thank you so much. This has been really, really great. I just am such a big fan of talking about our mental and emotional sides of our lives and really delving into that. So, this has been such a joy for me. I hope you have enjoyed it too. You can check us out on Talk Fitness Today on iTunes and Stitcher and iHeart. And please on iTunes, leave a review, rate and review, it really helps the show and check us out on social media, on Twitter and Snap Chat at Talk Fitness 2day. Thanks for listening and stay well.
This episode of Talk Fitness was produced by The Vitamin Shoppe where trusted health enthusiasts help you thrive every day. Visit one of 800 stores across the country or head to www.vitaminshoppe.com for all your wellness needs. - Length (mins) 25:03
- Waiver Received No
- Host Lisa Davis, MPH
If you've fallen out of your routine or are new to exercise, having a little time to yourself can get you on the right track to health and fitness.
Additional Info
- Segment Number 1
- Audio File talk_fitness/tft007.mp3
- Featured Speaker Chris & Heidi Powell
- Book Title Extreme Transformation: Lifelong Weight Loss in 21 Days
- Guest Website TRANSFORM with Chris + Heidi
- Guest Facebook Account https://www.facebook.com/TheTransformApp
- Guest Twitter Account @TheTransformApp
-
Guest Bio
Chris Powell is the trainer and transformation specialist from ABC’s highly rated documentary style series Extreme Weight Loss. With an unyielding dedication to helping others, Chris traveled the country using his innovative techniques, education and expertise to guide extremely overweight individuals as they shed hundreds of pounds over the course of a year. Season 5 premiered to high ratings on May 26, 2015. In addition, their special spin-off series entitled Extreme Weight Loss: Love Can’t Weight, premiered last June, where Chris and his wife Heidi helped transform real-life couples in the months leading up to their weddings. Currently, EWL is in syndication, airing all seasons on TLC and OWN.
Adding best-selling author to his list of accolades, Chris has written two books that have soared to the top of the New York Times Best Seller list. He and his wife Heidi just released their newest book entitled, Extreme Transformation: Lifelong Weight Loss in 21 Days, published by Hachette, provides a comprehensive blueprint for changing your body—and life—in just 21 days. His first book Choose to Lose, was released by Hyperion in December 2011 and provides motivation, nutrition, exercise, tips, and tricks to help anyone lose those last twenty pounds. His second book, Choose More Lose More, For Life, hit stands last May and offers readers four different carb cycles, and twenty workouts called Nine-Minute Missions that pack maximum results into minimum time.
Chris holds a degree in Exercise Science, with concentrations in biomechanics and physiology and the training accreditation: The Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He has written numerous articles for publication, and is a regular contributor to Good Morning America and The Doctor Oz Show. Additionally, Chris frequently appears as a fitness expert for nationally syndicated shows including The View, Live with Kelly, and 20/20.
“Behind every great man, there is a great woman,” and Heidi Powell, wife of transformation specialist Chris Powell, is no exception. Empowering thousands across the globe, Heidi works side by side with Chris to carry out their vision of transforming lives from the inside out. A co-host of Extreme Weight Loss, Heidi has been the matriarch and tour de force for the often-struggling participants, serving as their daily fitness coach, voice of reason and biggest cheerleader. Season 5 premiered to high ratings on May 26, 2015. In addition their special spin-off series entitled Extreme Weight Loss: Love Can’t Weight, premiered on June 23rd, where she and Chris helped transform real-life couples in the months leading up to their weddings. Currently, EWL is in syndication, airing all seasons on TLC and OWN.
Adding best-selling author to her list of accolades, she coauthored Chris’ second book, Choose More Lose More, for Life, which immediately soared to the top of the New York Times Best Seller list. The book offers readers four different carb cycles, and twenty new workouts called Nine-Minute Missions that pack maximum results into minimum time. Additionally, she and Chris just released their newest book entitled, Extreme Transformation: Lifelong Weight Loss in 21 Days, published by Hachette, that provides a comprehensive blueprint for changing your body—and life—in just 21 days.
In 2013, Heidi welcomed America into her home on the ABC.com web series Meet the Powell Pack. Each episode followed the Powells as they managed hectic schedules, weeks away from home and the difficult balance between work and family life.
Heidi writes a very successful blog, where her daily posts include workout tips, recipes, as well as advice on parenting, marriage and how to balance it all. This past year, Heidi became a NPC bikini competitor in the body-building world, after experiencing a transformation of her own. Training for these competitions has ignited a new passion within Heidi to empower women and teach them that you don’t have to starve yourself to achieve the body you want.
While simultaneously filming and coaching private clients and participants from Extreme Weight Loss, Heidi travels the country with Chris for speaking engagements and television appearances on such shows as Good Morning America and The Dr. Oz Show, sharing vital tips and innovative solutions, transforming lives along the way. She is also part of the Women’s Health Magazine Advisory Board, where she offers expert advice on a regular basis.
Heidi has more than a decade of experience as a personal trainer, and holds both ACE and Crossfit certifications. As a coach, mother of four, and manager of their family business, Heidi brings a whole new perspective and level of compassion to the Powell’s approach, helping others overcome many of life’s challenges to create effective, long-lasting success. When not traveling, she resides in Phoenix with Chris and their four children. -
Transcription
Back to School, Back to ME with Chris and Heidi Powell
This episode of Talk Fitness is in partnership with The Vitamin Shoppe where knowledgeable health enthusiasts are standing by to help you thrive every day.
Lisa Davis (Host): It is back to school time and back to school, back to me and I have a funny little story to start this with. I don’t know how funny it is, but so my daughter is on the autism spectrum and I found her this amazing school, but it is like an hour away. So, I’m thinking holy crud, how am I going to maintain my sanity, my workouts, my health, everything, driving back and forth and back and forth. So, what I did is I thought okay, I’m going to have to put all my tapings on one day and then stay in town the rest of the week. So, I thought what can I do while I’m here. Well I can bring my laptop. I can work. But I know what I’ll do, I’m going to find a really kick ass gym and I’m going to work out. So, I walk in this gym, it has the most beautiful pool I have ever seen and so I have been swimming laps and then I took some yoga classes. I have been meaning to go back to yoga. So, now even though it is still two hours a day of driving, and it has to do with bringing her to school; I’m able to actually get a lot done and get some work outs in, so I’m really glad that I came up with this solution because otherwise, I would just be sitting at Whole Foods all day looking at my computer. So, anyway, it’s so nice that we could find and that is a wonderful laugh of the gorgeous Heidi Powell. We have got Chris and Heidi Powell here with us. You know them from ABCs highly rated documentary style series Extreme Weightloss and so much more. So, I wanted to tell that story because I found a creative way to not just give in and be like oh well, I guess I’m just a chauffeur forever but to say no, I’m going to still find time and make this work. So, Chris and Heidi, welcome to Talk Fitness Today.
Chris and Heidi Powell (Guests): Thank you so much Lisa. Great to talk to you again. Yeah it is really great. We love being on here. Thank you for having us.
Lisa: We have so much fun. So, what do you think of my idea?
Chris: Right off the bat, absolutely brilliant.
Heidi: Well, and it is so funny because most people – I would say most moms or dads, when their kids go back to school, it’s like they have time to breath so you are kind of shedding some light on a situation that most people don’t even think about. Yeah, the drive to school, and having to maybe wait for your child, it can be a little bit daunting and you definitely took a situation, you took a lemon and you made lemonade out of it. One hundred percent.
Chris: And you know oh go ahead.
Lisa: Oh no I was just saying it feels really good because I have been wanting – I have been a Pilates gal for like six years. I have to admit, I miss my Pilates. I think they have it but it is like the one time I have to pick her up, I can’t do it, but the yoga has been really good for me and it is nice to try something I haven’t done for a long time.
Chris: Yeah, absolutely and we are all about switching it up. You know it is so funny, but Heidi and I like whenever we are working with people and just kind of getting them into moving and exploring fitness, we always encourage people to kind of “date” every aspect of fitness that they possibly can from Pilates to yoga to kick boxing, to MMA to weigh training to whatever, to cross fit, whatever it might be and “date around” find something that you love and marry it for a little while and then whenever you are ready, it’s one of the few things that you can actually separate from and everyone is going to give you the good nod right there. So, but yeah, just keep “dating around” because there’s an athlete in all of us and we always end up finding something that we really enjoy to do; so, and its fun to kind of switch gears and find passion in something else for a little bit.
Lisa: Oh, it really is. Well Chris what are you passionate about when it comes to going to the gym?
Chris: Well, right now, we have definitely got this Physique bug going on. Now, we of course came up, I came up in sports and performance as my formal education and then I found cross fit way back when in like 2008. Dove in for like seven years and had a blast with it. I did a handful of competitions and all that and in fact the cross fit workout was actually me and Heidi’s first date, believe it or not. How is that?
Heidi: it was so romantic, right?
Chris: It was a test to see if she could hang.
Heidi: And I think I passed.
Chris: Yeah. I told her, I told her I didn’t know I was going to marry her until I saw her dead lift and her form was so perfect I was like, that’s the one, right there. But so, we were into cross fit for a while and then a couple of years ago, we had a couple of the participants on the show who had gone through transformation, they ended up when the show was over, there is something that we always challenge everybody to, because the thing is the journey is never over. So, one our main requirements in transformation is that whenever they hit their end goal as far as their ideal weight; they have to have something else planned. Some other event. Something that they are constantly working towards. So, two of our participants, actually decided when they hit their ideal weight that they wanted to do a Physique competition like a bikini and a men’s Physique competition and then they actually challenged Heidi and I to do the same and you know we are not going to tell anybody to do anything that we are not willing to do ourselves and so we stepped up and this is like two and a half years ago. We got the bug and we are loving it. So, I’m having a blast just doing old school body building. You know it is something that Heidi and I will head out to the gym in the mornings and we will do it together and we really have a lot of fun doing it. So, we are doing that, but then maybe we will go back to cross fit, maybe we will score some endurance training. I did a half Iron Man a while back and so whenever you do a half, there is always that well I wonder what a full would be like. So, who knows what will go in the future but right now the body building things is a lot of fun for us.
Lisa: Oh, that’s great and Heidi, it sounds like you are enjoying it too?
Heidi: Well, I’m listening to Chris and I’m like yeah, it is true, we have been doing it for a couple of years. I actually though, I just like two months ago to kind of be completely honest, I reached my goal, my body building goal which was – I set a goal a couple of years ago to get my Pro Card after the first show that I did. Because I did horribly in my first show, didn’t even place. I was probably closer to last than I was to first. So, I set a goal and really worked so hard. I made it just as much a priority in my life as I did work and kids and like I was just running at 200% every single day. I am not kidding you. Two months ago, I ended up competing and finally winning a national show, getting my Pro Card and I don’t know if you can tell right now, but I’m fighting something in my chest, and like I have a little bit of a cold going on or something and I swear from the moment I got my Pro Card and I just kind of relaxed a little bit, my body just felt – I think I worked a little too hard for too long.
Chris: You have been sick on and off ever since.
Heidi: It’s true. It is something I have been fighting it about two weeks ago, a week and a half ago, this thing really like hit me hard. So, what I have been doing, I did – I am doing body building a couple of times a week, but for the most part; these days Lisa, I am getting ten minutes in at my house of body weight exercise because like you, when school started I feel like my work load or my load just got heavier, maybe it is running the kids around, whatever it is and so for me, getting to the gym should be easier when kids are in school. It is actually a little bit more difficult for me. I think I might be feeling like I’m without things and work and so I have eased down and gone to more at home training. It’s like if I have 12 minutes, I know I can do three rounds of Tabata, which is, I think we might have talked about that in one of the things. It’s the 20 seconds on 10 seconds off for eight rounds. So, I’ll do Tabata burpees and Tabata squats and I just have to know that that’s enough and it really is enough like whatever I have time for, as long as I’m getting out there and I’m doing something; I know I’m doing my body good and more than anything, I’m doing my mind good. I’m not killing myself in the gym for an hour and a half which I wasn’t before either, I was only doing about 45 minutes to an hour. But so, we go through phases. I went through a two-and-a-half-year phase of Physique. Right now, I’m taking a little bit of an at home training break.
Chris: A little maintenance training here.
Heidi: While I’m healing, yes, let’s let this sickness pass. Let’s let our life ease out or ease up a little bit and I think I will say this, before I started the body building thing as well; I actually stayed in great shape just doing what I’m doing now. Sometimes it’s ten minutes at home, sometimes its only five, sometimes its thirty minutes. It’s like whatever I have time for; that’s what I’m going to do and to the moms and dads out there that are finding themselves busier now than when – I think everyone should have this goal, they are like gosh, kids are going to go back to school, I am going to get back in shape and then back to school happens and they find their selves busier than they ever were before because now they have to run lunches to their kids at lunchtime and go show up at this committee at 1 p.m. and it really is. There is so much going on with school and with kids but the fact of the matter is, you can get your health back. You can get your fitness back. But it’s about making time and knowing that whatever time you have; it’s enough and we can maximize it with certain types of exercise.
Lisa: Oh, I think so too. And you know what’s funny, with the yoga, like my husband does yoga every day. He has been telling me for years, Hon, you got to get back to yoga, it will be really good for your mind because you know having a child on the spectrum is very stressful and so he is more centered than I am and I need to do this. So, just even taking a few classes, now at home, when I have ten minutes, I’ll be like oh yeah, I can do that little routine I did in class. So, even if you can’t get back to the class, you don’t want to throw in the whole towel, whereas I could have just put on something online and just did some yoga, but for me I needed to have like the on-hands in the class kind of thing to sort of get my engine revved up to be like whoo-hoo. Let’s do some yoga. Speaking of getting revved up, I want to talk about your Transform with Chris and Heidi, Start Your Journey. This is a transform – you have an app and I want to hear all about it because it is so nice when you can be guided by experienced wonderful people like yourselves. So, Chris, jump in and tell us about this.
Chris: Yeah, my gosh, so we – for everyone who is listening who actually watched our show; it was amazing and we were blessed to have the opportunity to be able to train these people, these amazing 15-19 people a year through a yearlong journey of transformation, but the only thing that was really painful for Heidi and myself is that when the show starts off with these individuals writing us a letter and asking for help and when it’s aired in 148 countries around the world; you can imagine the letters that came pouring in from the most lovely people around the world asking for help. And we could only pick 15-19 of them and that hurt. Because like who are we to choose who gets to transform and who doesn’t and it was incredible working with our people for five years but we promised ourselves after season one we said as soon as we can, we need to create a platform so that we are not just working with 15-19 people; we are working with 15 million people because there are millions- tens of millions of people out there that really need this, that genuinely want this. So, two years ago when ABC ended up selling the show into syndication to TLC, the Oprah Whinfrey Network and everything like that we said okay, we have the time now; let’s build a team.
So, we built this incredible development team. We spent two years in production and we shot over a thousand videos. We spent literally two years developing the most robust transformation app ever created and it is – it will take everyone through that journey of transformation from beginning to end, step by step, day by day. There is a video where we engage you every single day that you are working out with us and we are talking you through the workout. We are having fun. There is a community – it is so cool because when you onboard, it is the process that we used exactly with all of our people on the show. So, when you onboard, it is going to take all of your biometrics and then it’s going to create a whole custom nutrition program specifically for you. We have got over 350 recipes there in the app as well from quick to grab and go menus to full gourmet menus.
And with all of them though, it’s like when, say Lisa, when you log in and when you enter your biometrics; it will scale all of those 350 recipes specifically to your goal. If I log in, it can scale them up to my goal. And so, your meals will be very different from mine and as you are going through the process, because documentation is so important in the journey of transformation. For a lot of reasons, for bragging rights, for trouble shooting, for all kinds of different things. But the app recognizes that you are not getting results as fast as you want it will automatically adjust your portions and adjust your plan to keep you going. So, there are no more plateaus anymore. So, it will take you all the way to your goal.
So, so much thought has gone into this, that’s why I mean it was two years in the making but and a team of about 35 of us to make this thing happen. But we just launched it a few months ago and the best part about it now is that we have got tens of thousands of people now following this app and we are. Let’s see we launched it early April and the testimonials and the images that are coming through now of people who have been doing this for just four months – it is mind blowing. I mean it is the coolest thing in the world because these people like that we have never even met before but we’re connecting with them every single day. They are sending us pictures and they have lost 50 pounds, 65 pounds, they have lost 5% body fat and they are shredded now. I mean it’s just – it’s the coolest thing for us to be able to see that so and we developed transformation not just weight loss transformation but women’s Physique transformation, men’s Physique, cross training transformation because everyone’s goals are different.
So, we just pulled from our resources and for our Physique and cross training, we actually teamed up with our coaches to offer those different programs. So, we teamed up with Pro Physique who they put more people on stage at the Olympia than anybody else. They helped create all of our Physique programs. And then Brute Strength who has put more athletes in the cross fit games than anybody; we teamed up with them for cross training. And so, it has been so much fun because offering transformation to the masses and really guiding people through with integrity.
Lisa: Yeah, see that’s it and you guys have such integrity. Now let’s say somebody is 350 pounds and because I know you have worked with people who are overweight; how does it work in terms of the workouts or someone like me who I’d like to maybe lose 10 pounds and have a little more muscle mass. So, it is going to be a totally different situation obviously, so talk to us about that.
Chris: There is no one size fits all approach.
Heidi: But one of the best things about the way that we train is every single workout we do is completely 100% scalable for anyone from beginner like someone that is maybe four or five hundred pounds to an elite athlete. People don’t – I don’t think that they understand how every move really can be modified even something as intimidating, Lisa as a burpee for example.
Lisa: Oh, that’s right. Yeah, we talked about that. Right, yes, because I’m afraid.
Heidi: We told you our piece on the show the very first workout we do with them is that seven minutes of burpees and they feel so like we talked about, they feel so empowered that they are able to do a move that even the most elite athletes can do and granted they are doing it at a fraction of the pace and even a modified version but it gives them something to feel proud of and something to work toward and work forward to. So, now I will say this too, while we have all of the workouts that are completely scalable, no matter if you are 150 pounds or you are 550 pounds. They really are completely scalable and it is like if you have a knee issue, the app will show you a modification so you can do a move that won’t affect your knee, etc.
But weight loss doesn’t necessarily happen with the squats, the burpees, the pushups, the pull ups. That’s not where weight loss happens. Weight loss happens number one in the kitchen. But how we accelerate the rate at which we burn fat is just by moving with walking, or running or elliptical, maybe its bike, maybe a Zumba class, whatever it is, just – it’s a little bit boring, but just get up and start walking. That is the hands down the very first thing aside from the seven minutes of burpees to show people how powerful they are. But that’s what we have them start doing every single day. Just get up and for some individuals, it is just walks from your house to that light pole and back and that’s enough for them to just get them moving, get their bodies moving, do something that they haven’t done in a really long time. And then as they become fitter and they start to drop a little bit of weight; they are able to go from your house to the next light pole and back and then your house down the entire street and back and then around the block and then before they know it, they are picking up the pace and they might be doing a slight jog for a little bit of it. And I’m not kidding, that is how we have gotten people that are completely sedentary to do marathons within six months of meeting us. Full marathons where they run.
Chris: Yup but for anybody that is looking to complete one of our workouts; we’ll put it this way, there are over 450 exercises in the app alone and each exercise there is a full video, we are explaining it and there’s also text tool description for every single one of those movements, there is an alternate or modifier. So, there is nothing. There is no workout that people cannot complete, no matter what your situation.
Heidi: And then I want to say this too because we had one woman in particular, she was part of our beta testing. So, she started the app, the actual app before it was even released to the general public and she was about 68 years old. She had been doing Weight Watchers for 32 years, I believe, 32 years and she had been stuck at whatever weight she was at, she was completely stuck at. She still had about 35 pounds to lose. Started the app, did not even do the exercise component, just followed the nutrition component, dropped all of her weight within how many months did Barb lose her weight in?
Chris: Well, it was about four months. Four months to lose 35 pounds.
Heidi: Four month, the weight she couldn’t lose in 32 years she had lost not even doing any of the exercises, just following the nutrition plan. That goes to show you how important nutrition is in the transformation equation.
Lisa: Wow, yeah, isn’t it huge? And so, you mentioned that you have the recipes, right and so that helps people. That’s huge.
Heidi: Absolutely. Absolutely. Did you tell her about the fast food locator?
Chris: No, I didn’t mention that part. Go ahead.
Heidi: See this is probably right thing because I am not.
Chris: Well, let’s get real.
Heidi: Well, I am not mom. Most of us are. We are so busy. We are out and about. We planned on being home at 3 o’clock but something came up and it’s 7:30 at night and we are still not home. So, we never had a chance to go grab healthy food. Chances are in those situations; the average person is just going to stop by the nearest drive through because we need something. So, we actually took that excuse out of the equation and we have a not only a fast food locator, but a guide. So, we will actually guide you to the nearest fast food restaurant around you, click on it and say you want to go to Arby’s or Arby’s is around you. Click on Arby’s, we actually give you a list of approved items that you can eat at Arby’s. We teach you how to build a high carb meal and a low carb meal at the most popular fast food chains.
Lisa: Oh wow, I didn’t think it could be done, like I’m stunned.
Chris: And a lot of people, especially like other trainers and nutritionists are like why would you do that? And we are like guys, we have been doing this for 20 years, let’s get real. We have been making meal plans and so have you for how long and 9 out of 10 people take the meal plan and go thanks so much and then they drive to Chick Fil A. So, you know what I would rather do is let’s get real with them because the thing is, a lot of your fast food restaurants; they are opening up their eyes to the fact that people are wanting healthier food and they are offering healthier options and even if they are not; we can manipulate the foods that they do offer and we can make them healthier options and we can make sure they fit into our macros and they can get us where we want to go. And so, we said, you know what, if you can’t beat em, join em and then and we can totally take this and we can manipulate it to get you where you want to go. So, let’s create a whole fast food menu and a locator so when you are on the go and you are like oh shoot I have to stop at MacDonald’s, okay where’s the closest MacDonald’s. Just hit the locator, it’s going to pull up the closest one to you and it’s going to tell you what to eat when you are there so you can still stay on track. Because now you are hitting the drive through, it doesn’t mean you are off plan anymore. It doesn’t mean just throw your arms up, you give up. No, you can go to MacDonald’s, and you can stay right on track and your one meal closer to your goal.
Lisa: Wow, see I’m totally shocked, but you’re right, I mean we have to live in the real world, right and it kind of reminds me of something I learned when I got my Master’s in Public Health. There is something called harm reduction and it’s sort of like looking at what you’re doing, right like we don’t want people to eat fast food but they are going to, so let’s make it less harmful, right so it’s like engaging in behaviors that people are going to do that you are not necessarily thrilled with or that might lead to danger so like with hep C, people let’s make sure people have access to condoms or because otherwise you are going to spread disease, so it’s like a public health thing. And that is immediately what I thought of. And I never thought of that with the fast food.
Chris: Now, ultimately would we like people to not eat so much fast food? Absolutely, if we can pull them off of that and getting them eating real whole natural foods, guess what, you are just going to be that much happier and healthier. And so, but the thing is, I mean, we’re at point A, in order to get people to point B, you don’t make a quantum leap. You just take them to B and then to C and then to D. It’s baby steps. So, ease them into this lifestyle, show everybody that transformation is amazing. It’s enjoyable. It’s fun. It’s not deprivation and restriction and we can truly make a lifestyle of this and you know what, if you hit step K or L or M and you are like you know what, I’m at my ideal weight, I did it eating fast food, I did it drinking a diet soda here and there, this is totally enjoyable for me, guess what, more power to you because you have come a long way since you were at point A and that’s transformation and we couldn’t be happier for you.
Lisa: Yeah, I think that makes a lot of sense. You know in the last few minutes, I’m curious about some of the workouts. Are these more body weigh exercises that you take people to? Are they HIT exercises, high intensity interval training? What is it? Or is it a combo of a bunch of stuff?
Chris: Great question. It’s all of the above. And so, when I said we took two years to develop this thing and over 1000 videos. It’s because we know that some people want and all they have access to is just body weight exercises so we built a whole library of body weight exercises. But then there are some people out there they want an Iron Gym. They want to focus on Physique transformation, so we have got a whole library of Iron Gym exercises that you are going to do when you go to any commercial big box gym. And then we even have cross training exercises for people who have all functional training equipment like you are going to find at a Cross Fit gym. So, there is a whole library of exercises there. So, we created all of the above depending on whichever transformation that you want to follow.
Heidi: And I will say, we are very involved with our community, very involved so as people give feedback and they tell us what they want, what kind of workouts they want to see; we actually incorporate them into the app. So, we are coming out with the new program within the next few months that I’m really excited about that basically takes body sculpting and brings it home because so many moms don’t just want to lose weight but they want to sculpt their bodies as well. So, we are always listening and always modifying based on what our fans and our supporters and our clients really need.
Chris: Yeah, tell us what you want and we will film it and we will structure it and we will build it into program for you.
Lisa: Oh, you guys could do some yoga.
Chris: Yes you are spot on.
Lisa: I would love that.
Chris: Yoga is phenomenal. I must say that, not to talk about myself here, but one of the greatest experiences of my life, I bought a yoga
Heidi: No it was marrying me. The greatest experience of his life was marrying me and then the second greatest experience was buying a yoga package.
Chris: I did a yoga package for three months and oh my gosh, I have never felt so good physically. My strength went up. My power went up. I mean basically, I started doing yoga and it improved my fitness across the spectrum. It was incredible. I mean huge fans and believers in yoga.
Lisa: Oh, it is. I can’t wait for you guys to come on again. The time goes by too quickly. Chris and Heidi, tell us all the ways we can follow you on social media and how we can get this great transform app.
Heidi: Yes, of course. So, the app you would go to www.thetransformapp.com and on social media it is @thetransformapp and then Chris and I both are it is @realHeidiPowell and @realChrisPowell on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Lisa: Wonderful. I love having you guys on the show. I can’t wait to have you back. I want to thank everyone for listening to Talk Fitness Today. You can follow us on social media on Twitter and Snap Chat @TalkFitness2Day. Thanks for listening everyone and stay well.
This episode of Talk Fitness was produced by The Vitamin Shoppe where trusted health enthusiasts help you thrive every day. Visit one of 800 stores across the country or head to www.vitaminshoppe.com for all your wellness needs. - Length (mins) 26:19
- Waiver Received Yes
- Host Lisa Davis
