Embracing "Lifting Heavy Sh*t" Can Make All the Difference in Your 50s

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Embracing "Lifting Heavy Sh*t" Can Make All the Difference in Your 50s

When my FABULOUS client Sarah told me she wanted to “lift heavy sh*t” it was music to my ears. We’ve worked together for years and over time we’ve shifted focus of her program to strategically align with evolving priorities including improving body composition and health markers through an integrated approach to exercise, nutrition and recovery; easing the transition into perimenopause; enabling her active lifestyle and love of tennis and scuba; and ensuring her vitality, mobility and agility as she inches toward early retirement. Her love of metrics, data and science have given us the insights necessary to build her ideal program for her unique body which is yielding incredible results. Her continual efforts to learn and try new approaches is inspiring and I’m so grateful she took the time to discuss her journey here.

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Nutrient Stacking: Building a Meal Based on Your Health Goals

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Nutrient Stacking: Building a Meal Based on Your Health Goals

One of my favorite sayings as a trainer is movement is medicine. It’s so true. But food is the original medicine and is often overlooked as the most natural way to influence our health. Here’s an example of how I’ve used recent research about food to create a super yummy and super impactful meal perfect for pre- or post-workout.

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Walk for 2-15 Minutes After a Meal to Reduce Glucose Impact

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Walk for 2-15 Minutes After a Meal to Reduce Glucose Impact

According to Mairlyn Smith P.H.Ec. (aka “the fart walk lady”) going on a short walk within 60 minutes of a meal can significantly help moderate blood sugar spikes and lower risk of diabetes and other metabolic issues as well as aid in digestion. And this checks out from many other sources including New York Times, Cleveland Clinic and the journal Sports Medicine. Plus, it’s a great way to get some much needed sunlight in our eyes, to take a break from devices and to practice breathing or moving meditation--all things that help manage our biorhythm, reduce stress and improve sleep. So get out there and #fartwalk!

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What Happens When You Take a Social Media Break?

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What Happens When You Take a Social Media Break?

Have you ever gotten that weekly ping from your phone to look at your screen time stats for the week and cringed? I rarely look. I know my screen time has creeped up to an unhealthy level. And shocker! While my screen time, particularly social media time, has creeped up, my sleep quantity has creeped down while my stress and blood pressure have creeped up. I finally admitted ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. And in an act of dramatic desperation I declared on Instagram and Facebook that I was signing off for the month of June as an experiment to see what life, and my health, would be like without social media. 

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3 Easy Ways I Improved Sleep QUALITY

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3 Easy Ways I Improved Sleep QUALITY

I had an “ah hah” moment last week while on my long run. I was listening to the Whoop podcast with Dan Churchill. It takes a lot to impress me. And this guy is impressive. He has a busy, physical day job (chef at a fancy Brooklyn hot spot), is on a book tour and oh yeah, no big deal, just finished the Boston Marathon. He talked about his challenge with getting his ideal QUANTITY of sleep based on his activity and how he focuses on improving his sleep QUALITY. I’ve been so hyper focused on extending my sleep that it never occurred to me I could “cheat it” by improving the quality. 

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What is Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR)?

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What is Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR)?

I am a big fan of my Whoop wearable. It has helped me better understand how exercise, sleep and stress impact my body and mind. I also love the Whoop podcast. This month it included a really lovely guided Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) session. Yeah, NSDR may just be a fancy name coined for the simple, "duh" concept of a lie-down. But if you only have a few minutes and don't love traditional meditation it's a great thing to try!

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App: 15 Minutes A Day to Overwrite Negative Thoughts

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App: 15 Minutes A Day to Overwrite Negative Thoughts

I've been dragging my feet on meditating lately. I know 110% that it would benefit me. But sometimes humans are stubborn and won't pick up the tools we know will help (same with exercise and nutrition for a lot of folks). So when Peter told me about this app offering a 30-day free trial of daily positive affirmations I was intrigued. I've been listening to one or two a day for a week and I am starting to notice a difference. It feels a little silly at first, but I recognize that's part of the negative programming in my brain. I appreciate the science and research behind this idea and how it leverages the brain's neuroplasticity to pre-program negative patterns. Two thumbs up! Let's get some positive self-talk going in 2024!

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Huberman Says! View Morning and Afternoon Sunlight for Health

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Huberman Says! View Morning and Afternoon Sunlight for Health

As I hinted about in my September newsletter, I’ve been following Andrew Huberman’s protocols for using morning and afternoon sunlight to support mental and physical health, improve sleep and regulate circadian rhythms. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at its effectiveness and simplicity.

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Why "Natural Sounds" Like Birds and Rain Calm Us Down

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Why "Natural Sounds" Like Birds and Rain Calm Us Down

I recently spent the night in a noisy hotel. And it STRESSED me out. I was exhausted from the flight and the thought of a sleepless night from the raucous noise of my neighbors was causing my heart to race and my blood to boil. I remembered hearing in a podcast recently that birds singing have a calming effect on humans due to an evolutionary signal of safety (birds don't hang out and sing when threats to humans are around). I started poking around on Spotify looking for nature sounds and found this lifesaver playlist of rain sounds.

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Recorded Workshop: Proven and Practical Tips for Getting Awesome Sleep

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Recorded Workshop: Proven and Practical Tips for Getting Awesome Sleep

Join Morgan and JJ for a discussion on the science and strategies behind getting better sleep. In this hour-long recorded Zoom workshop we’ll talk about the science behind the latest sleep research and review strategies and tips that have helped our clients improve their sleep to become healthier humans and better professionals.

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