Strength Renewed

00:20
always happy to see you. I love this. It's like my highlight of my week, truly, this podcast. Renewing our strength together in our matching Aviator Nation sweatshirts. Everybody should know that's how we got the inspo for our logo. Yeah, totally. And to be fair, it's not... The fun thing is, is that the fact that we're both wearing sweatshirts, actually, because obviously that heat wave has passed, but...

00:48
because we own so many of the Aviator Nation sweatshirts, it's probably a 40 to 50 % probability that it will happen. I always like to just think the universe is just cheering us on together. Oh, it totally is. So yeah, if I dressed up looking like you, that just makes me feel happy, like I'm doing something right.

01:17
right on. think, I think it's, I think this is like a funny and maybe I'm like actually stretching this, but because part of the conversation tonight that we want to talk about was systems. I think it's super interesting because when I was picking the sweatshirt out tonight, yes, I thought there was a good probability that you would be wearing it too. But you know what I thought about it? I was like, I'm going to put this on because when I put this on it, it inspires me because, because we were so

01:46
excited and still are when we got the ideas of how we wanted to make this podcast. Something about wearing this just kicks that into gear for me. know what I mean? I know it's funny, I have my strength renewed podcast outfits, which is part of my system. I'm just beginning to see every little thing that you do system-wise.

02:16
toward your creative juices or your health or whatever, just like they're good to have, put them in place. don't, the haphazardness just has no place for me. And I find that the days that I do, and we were just talking about this and you can kind of repeat now that we're on them, we're live, why it's just important. Cause when you don't do that, why things can kind of go off the rails a bit. 100%. What I would also say though is the aviadination,

02:44
and such an interesting, interesting, interesting brand. And she started, like I listened to a podcast, I can't recall a lot of details now on how I built this. I did too. who started Ava's Nation. Yeah. And the five different stripes and that she like, she hand sewed them on. And so even though this is a print on mine, it's got a little badge down the bottom that is,

03:14
sort of hand sewing or maybe machine sewing on now. But I love the inspiration behind a small business and how successful it's become. So sort of on the daily, you pop on something like this. Not only are you reminded of how successful it is, and they're not cheap to be fair. But also you inspired by her success as well, which I love. Like lifting up other women in their business journeys. know, that's how I feel. I'm supporting her. 200%.

03:44
200%. Yeah. The other interesting thing about that brand that I think about too, is the unorthodoxness of it. You know what mean? Like it's a constant reminder that like she has systems, but they're her systems. And most of the systems that she like does are things that like other

04:03
business owners would probably be like, that's crazy. You know what mean? Like she does a lot of the jobs herself. You know what I mean? Like she doesn't actually outsource a ton, to be honest with you. She like loves to do them because she can do it quickly and she has the vision and she can see it. it also is a reminder to support.

04:20
other women and their businesses because when you do that, you're supporting yourself. It just makes that whole pot feel bigger. And then the other reminder is that it doesn't have to look a certain way. You know what I mean? Like the way that it needs to look is the way that it feels right for you. so that's the other kind of thing. But you so I'm glad that we so yay for all the things that that these sweatshirts bring but

04:43
I love wherever inspiration comes, love it. comes, but I do have a special affinity for this brand and you and I, when it comes to strength we need. Yeah, I love it. I love it. And you mentioned talking about systems and in part, we were chatting about this because of, we were discussing clients of ours who might have that sort of feel that loss of control that comes with just being of perimenopausal age and for some women sort of post menopause and for others,

05:13
who may not yet be there, but when life gets busy, it's really easy to sort of feel like you've lost control in terms of what your body's doing, what your habits are doing, what's happening with your food. You just don't have that awareness. And so you and I were discussing how you can put into place some super simple strategies that help bring more awareness and bring that control back. And they're so easy to use, but I talked to a woman

05:43
about this all of the time. like twice today, I had a couple of clients where you could, even by talking to them, that you could see the busyness in their brain as they were trying to tell me what they ate. Because of course, that's a really important part of the information that I gather to then be able to help them, but they couldn't even sort of give me their real pain points because they themselves weren't aware.

06:08
So, mean, and that's problematic. If you don't know what's happening, then how do you know how to intervene properly? And I'm sure that you must see this in the woman that you work with too in your business. mean, I see it a lot. And as soon as you said that, and then of course, I see it a lot. then I'm also part of this category of sometimes, you I just was telling you that I've for a long time in the last couple of weeks, I haven't because you just kind of get busy and you're like, I know what to do now. And even if I know what to do now,

06:38
which I know the things that you've talked about and how to get that amount of protein in, in the course of a day and stuff like that. It's still amazing how quickly you can slip into disordered thinking or, I didn't really have that snack. Maybe I had a little bit of it or what was the portion size of that. So when I go back to writing or just keeping, even if they're loose notes, maybe they're not like,

07:07
perfect. Maybe I didn't include the handful of granola that I had in between, whatever, whatever. But if I genuinely have a spreadsheet where I've documented in general what I've eaten, then I have just a place to return to. when I ask, when I mention that to clients, I think that it's a little panicky because then they're like, oh God, you know what I mean? Then I have to remember or I have to be honest with what

07:37
that looks like, right? And maybe I don't want to 500 calories away, or maybe I don't want to take those extra things out of the typical day. it's an interesting discussion. And even though we use these words kind of loosely, like it's straightforward, or it's easy, or in theory shouldn't be that difficult, it's amazing that the principles that we talk about, this one, one of them is actually

08:04
not any of those things. It's complicated and for whatever reason, it of continues to be a little, it's work, put it that way. It's work. It is work if you call it work. I agree. And it's confronting for people because they feel like there's a lot that they can't control. Right. Albeit in their diet is part of that. actually if they

08:32
If they then sat down and wrote it down, even on a spreadsheet, not even in an app, then actually they would see that there is a lot that they could change. But to your point, Jess, sometimes we want to want to change, but we don't actually want to change. Oh my God. mean, yes to both of what you just said. I love that the perspective shift. I'm always doing a good old fashioned perspective shift. right. Cause if I want it to be hard, it'll be hard. And you know, but if I

08:58
I always say like, you know, making some small move on the habit wheel is better than no move. So if I write something down, even if it's not perfect or exactly as it was, it's something to go off of, right? And by doing that, you alter the habit just slightly and I'm good with that. And so that's not that challenging and it can make big changes. But you're also right on the, you know, the confronting and just kind of, you know, what that feels like and looks like for people.

09:27
but I do love a good perspective shift because you can shift your perspective in that moment. Yeah. And sometimes when I talk to people, I often wonder whether they truly want to change or did they book the session with me because they thought it was the best that, people have told them that they need to do that or they've seen friends had success doing that. And sometimes

09:50
they haven't quite got the follow through. And this is just like an observation. If I say no judgment, I truly mean that just because changing your diet does take work, but I mean, writing it down doesn't necessarily work, but the changes themselves are definite work ons. And you do sort of have to be in the place to do it. So if you're not, yet you're booking a session with me because you feel you should.

10:19
then I don't think that's great either. Sometimes the best decision is to not make any change at all and then do it. Because if you half in and half out, you're half doing it. You're half making these changes, you're half writing things down, you're half tracking, be it on the scales or whatever, like the food scales or whatnot. But if you're trying to meet a particular goal, but you're not quite doing it,

10:48
then it's almost more work in your brain. So people need to sort of make the decision like, okay, actually, you know what, I'm gonna step back. don't, I'm just gonna let myself off the hook because I've, only am I sort of feel like I'm over time working, but I'm not seeing the changes I wanna see, cause I'm not actually doing all that I should be doing. I'm feeling guilty about that. So it's sort of like the whole, the brain is sort of going into overdrive on that. So I feel that's, yeah, these are just sort of like,

11:17
find observations like, and I and I think to myself, like, the other thing is like, everybody wants this, like, you know, and maybe like, we'll segue into this, but they're kind of looking for these transformations, right? And we can. There's some things that are like, in society right now that are expediting that. But I think if you work with a professional, you work with me work with you, like you'll

11:44
you know, of course, those transitions, like those transitions and transformations will happen, they'll just happen over time. And the thing that people have to remember, and at least I'm certainly like, love somebody to tell me what to do. I do you know what I mean? Like decision fatigue is real. And if I'm on a call with you, and you're like, look, like that, that those like, you know, peanut butter cups or crackers, whatever you're doing in the middle of the noon, like just swap that and have that instead. It's like

12:13
Okay, and if I make the decision not to do that on that day, I'm not bad for it. I'm just deciding that I'm having those. But if I'm six days out of the seven, and hearing what you're telling me to do at three o'clock, so I avoid that sugar crash and having the smoothie instead, then just do it, right? You know what I mean? It's kind of like, we're removing some of the things that have felt like are blocking you, which will allow you to have more clarity, which will, you know, kind of...

12:41
create a better system for you and less decision fatigue because you've got all these things that are in your head. And I feel like if you can eliminate some of that, that is helpful. But it does take time and it's not necessarily hard, isn't really the best way to explain it. It just takes time and you have to be vigilant and you have to be consistently doing it. That's the difference. It cannot, it really just can't be haphazard. And I think the other thing with

13:10
why having a system in places that people will come to me with and they'll let me know the kind of things that they eat. But of course, one of the things for most of the people is to write it down because they'll be doing things they don't even know because we're so in a default pattern of behavior that so often people will report to me what they eat and then we're talking and then they're like, but can I have cheese still? And I'm like,

13:38
You didn't mention cheese when you told me what you ate. You're oh yeah, we had these pre-dinner snacks. But it's such a part of their default behavior. It hasn't even come out that they even eat this stuff. So it's not until they're writing it down that we then discover what it is that they actually need. Because very often people know that they've got a problem to solve, but they're not sure what they need to solve it because they just don't know what's going on.

14:08
So, you feel like they could solve the problem much better if they really sat down and like freaking included everything in the course of the day, obviously, versus omitting some things that they had. just, can't solve the full problem without all of the pieces. Well, because you don't even know what the problem is. Like they might think their, yeah, they might think their problem is that they, you know, overeat at night and it's like, well, yes you are, but it's because you're not eating enough here. But until we have it set down, like, you know, the problem they think they have is

14:38
almost never the full picture of what the problem is. Yes. Well, and so again, this sort of ties in. You get less in your nutrition practice of this. I get a bit more. And of course, you work alongside these weight loss medications because they're certainly a part of what is happening in the pharmaceutical industry. And I think in some cases they can be certainly helpful for people.

15:08
I just think that it's a little bit tricky to counsel people sometimes on the timing of it when you're also kind of looking at these medications. they're not, you don't lose weight the day you take them, right? I mean, that happens over time too. But I just, I think people are like, well, it still seems like in the back of their mind, like,

15:36
the easiest thing to do. And I am certainly not here to talk anybody out of doing them. But they're also they're also interesting because I'm not sure how you create a system around them when they're part of part of it. Does that make sense? No, explain. Like we're talking about

16:00
creating a food system, know, a system of nutrition or a system of, you know, kind of fueling your body properly, because part of this is like, you know, for weight loss, of course, when we're people are talking about, but a lot of it is to also like preserve your muscle, and to preserve all the other things that happen inside your body, your hair and your skin and your organs and all of these other functions, because the body is quite complex. It's not just about

16:27
the weight loss transformation. we've seen so many, that is what is always at the top of mind for people is they want to walk in a room and they want everybody to see this weight loss transformation. But no one really is looking at all the other pieces of the human body that need these other things that come from proper nutrition and strength work. And these are other stuff we're talking about. So I guess like when you take a weight loss medication, it can tend to certainly help you lose weight.

16:56
but it can also sort of break the, you might not be hungry. It's hard to maybe, you know, eat like the most, you know, the way you need to eat or even quite frankly, like strength training, even though you know those things are important and you're going to do your best to make them happen. I feel like it can kind of disrupt a system. And how do you work? How do you create a system taking a weight loss medication where you're just really not that hungry? Cause that's what it basically does is make you less hungry.

17:26
Yeah, and you know, like in my experience and to your point, I've only really answer your question though when you were asking me? that? Yeah. I like, I've only really worked with people who have a really legitimate reason for using them. So, I think that helps actually. then the people that I've worked with have come to me because they want that in the system. And so they know that, I mean, if they're giving advice from me, you're right. Like they,

17:55
already know that these are things that they need to think about. so, and interesting, I've got a couple of case studies. So one, I can just think off the of my head, she's used my plans and now she's taking a weight loss medication. so she caught up with me and said, okay, Mickey, I'm trying really hard to do what I know is important because we've already had this education through your plans about protein and strength training. And so we put together a plan for her that was

18:22
the same stuff that she would normally do, but eating smaller amounts and then using things like essential amino acids and clear whey powder to get her protein to the minimum of 1.2 grams per kg, which is quite a lot lower than what I would say other people require. But because they don't need that appetite regulation to the same extent, because they're not going to feel hungry, then it's less of...

18:48
It's almost like that protein target comes down a little bit so they don't have quite as high a protein target to hit. And then she was already in the gym doing strength training. And then someone else I can think of, we had the same conversation around the nutrients and both take a multivitamin as well and they're getting their bloods done to ensure they've got the nutrient adequacy. And then one person is just getting into being active after being sort of

19:18
20 years of actually not that active. And so for her, it is actually important just to sort of build that habit of activity because eventually she will get to where we want her to be. But building the habit of even the walking, of even doing like press ups and off a wall and tricep dips and just things that sort of help, not muscle, like help the neuromuscular patterning, I suppose, before she starts on sort of strength training.

19:46
I guess everyone is just probably like, I mean, and I do think as well from what we've talked about, both of these individuals might be different from the people that you're talking about, Jess, who are like quick fix, 10 pounds, 20 pounds type. I think they certainly sound like the best case scenario, right? Like they've, so I'm curious then if they've done the program, they've done...

20:11
they're really adamant about making sure that this is before they went on weight loss medication. What prompted them to go on the weight loss medication then? Well, both of them needed it. So they were following a pretty regimented plan prior of proper nutritional intake and protein and this whole thing and weight training and doing those regularly and consistently. then they just weren't kind of seeing

20:40
results for themselves or what was the next step? one of the individuals, the one who was just getting into being active was focused on a good diet, but it wasn't protein centric. So she was just, she and I hadn't worked together before, but the other lady who had done my programs, she'd spent a period of time overseas and then had returned. then, so she had the principles, but just because you know, things don't mean you, doesn't mean you do it. she was obviously, because she was

21:09
Because the conversations we'd already had around sort of weight loss medications, she knew the value of the lifestyle piece. And maybe that's just, you know, often I wonder, Jess, whether we live in a bubble. When I said this to you of, you and I know that the lifestyle stuff is even more important and you do have to be much more vigilant, but is this just not common knowledge? Is this not what other people understand?

21:37
I am trying so hard to have these discussions because I think this discussion is so important. one we're having like, like is so important because I, I, I think it's kind of everything. I always say like the, bit like, well, and I was listening to Bernie Brown and she said one thing, I, which I've always said before is that when you're, when you have your health, can think of everything. And when you don't have your health, like you think of only how you can get your health back. So yeah.

22:05
as people are saying, they're just, but mostly they're not, the, the, the individuals that I've encountered, there's just a sense of like, I think they just get frustrated, right? They're at a point where I believe that we can all be much more dialed in, myself included to our diet and nutrition strength training. I'm not looking to be perfect, but I think we all could

22:34
do that a bit more, I think before you decide to go on a weight loss medication. I think there are other really fantastic category of people that need them for thyroid or all these different things that are just a little bit, they're like biomarkers that maybe just they can't control what's just diet and exercise. I'm not, I'm just saying hypothetically here, but like, I think a lot of these other things could probably be.

23:01
adjusted all bets more slowly maybe than the weight loss medications, but they would feel like kind of the best version of themselves if they were just a little bit more regimented about that. But there's things people just don't really want to give up. And it's almost like they feel like if they do the weight loss medication, they can kind of their wine and cake and eat it too sort of and still. And then again, I'm not I'm this is a little bit global, but

23:30
I want to be, I want to help people. really, really do. And I do not want to judge any decision people make to go on them or not. Because even as I'm sitting here right now, I hope I'm having like a fair and open conversation as possible. like, I'm not sure, like the bubble piece is, it almost just seems like, have you you put

23:55
85 % into the piece you and I are talking about into the like, a really regimented like nutrition and, and, and weight, you know, workout weight loss plan before you before you go there. And I just thought I think that's probably where I would guide people first before I would do, you know, the medication mostly because then you're just on a medication, you know what I mean? And then you you're you're I'm not sure what that brings because there's an unknown variable to that.

24:25
Um, so the bubble piece, I don't know if it's a, I think that they know deep down that they have to do these like diet and exercise things. I just think that like they get exhausted by it looks much, it's, it looks so vast and broad in their brains. And this pill is, or the shot, it's just a one thing. And just, and you know, then they're done or something like that. I like, I end.

24:54
I don't doubt there are people who are like that. what I've seen much more is that there are people like the ones that I've just talked about, like, because so the food noise is a big thing. Like that is something that can't be solved by diet or exercise. And then a regimented plan, like, yes, but what even is that? Because if you can't realistically lose weight on the way that you should be able to lose weight, then there'll be a reason for that. So I'm not,

25:24
I don't know. think I feel like from what I've seen just in online and the things that I've seen and also just in person that it's actually like the people that I see genuinely and regardless, doesn't matter if it's genuine or not, but like that, but it's helpful for them. And they're solving a lot of problems that aren't necessarily just weight related when you sort of take things. And it is a medication.

25:54
as is blood pressure medication and I don't know what else, other types of medications that people take. other to. know, I know. And yeah, these are decisions that people make. And so I also feel like it could be good catalyst for other types of behavior change, the same way that anything is. know, like if, for example, you do start losing weight and then let's say that the GLP ones,

26:23
or they're not just GLP ones, I know there are other types, but they make changes that allow you to lose weight and then suddenly you become more insulin sensitive and you've got fuel going into your cells. Now you've got energy for activity that you didn't have before. There are just so many. Explain that last thing. Yeah, so people who are, same with metformin, if you are insulin resistant, for example, your body's not getting energy. The energy that you're eating is

26:51
literally being laid down as fat as opposed to, or it's elevated in your blood sugar rather than your cells being able to use it. So there are lots of people who are overweight, who are insulin resistant, who are going around, they're sarcopenic obese. So they're carrying all this excess body fat, but they're losing muscle because their cells aren't able to access the energy to pull it into the muscle. their muscles being, and then it's essentially the insulin resistance is locking the energy into the fat cells and it's unable to be used.

27:21
So by dropping baseline insulin, you literally like, can sort of like open the gates to allow energy in, to give people the energy that they need. And this is why a lot of people, like I've got a client not on weight loss medication, but who jumped on my plan in February and he's lost, I think maybe 16 kilos now and his A1C came down from 96 down to normal.

27:48
And 96 in your terms might be up at like 9 or 10 % or something for their blood sugar and normal was like 5.3%. So, but when it was really high, had no energy at all. He would sleep all of the time. So his cells weren't able to access the energy. It wasn't until his insulin came down that his cells were able to then access the energy. I like it's, you know, what sometimes it's a matter of, you know, if you can get some

28:17
some wins, then you've got more motivation to then it's like a bit of a cycle, you know, like you get some wins, you get motivated, you start doing more, and then you start living a lifestyle that you're able to once you feel more confident and capable and things like that. It all seems and tracks, you know, correctly. mean, that's the case, then it's hard to make an argument to not.

28:47
go on them then. But it is, but I think what we're seeing is just different populations. I think your experience with them, from the discussions that we've had, it's quite different from the ones that I'm seeing. Maybe it's our geographical location and the people I'm interacting with on social media, the people that are coming into my programs, they may just be different people. I mean, they're definitely different people, but I'm...

29:16
I'd love to be able to help both the people. I'm still a little, I guess the answer is sure. But I still think in the population that I'm working with, probably a little bit more primarily than yours, unless they have a thyroid or some kind of real inability to properly metabolize blood sugars or whatever. I do think the route of

29:46
first, before you go on those medications, just have a really dialed in nutrition plan, actually. Oh, yeah, totally. that first, you know what I mean? It's kind of what I've been saying. And then of course, these drugs are ready and waiting for you. Should you do them? just, there's, there are always unknowns to taking a medication. There are side effects and there's

30:11
long term, whatever that looks like, do you want to be on these? You know what I mean? For forever or not? Or so that would be my first step is let's maybe go here first and then you know, look at it here for a second and third line, you know, option. But I think a little bit and I don't even mean like a perfect do not use that word, but a more dialed in. You know, where you are really and that actually one of my clients was like,

30:39
I'm going to start doing that." And it was been a game changer for her. She's just made a more protein-centric way of doing things. she was like, I went to my kid's birthday. And it was a three-year-old birthday party. And she was like, just didn't have the cake. Normally, I would have a big ass cake. And she was like, it's not that I didn't want it. I just had berries or ate the yogurt or whatever. It's not about not eating. It's just about eating more of the right stuff. You know what I mean? the stuff that's going to be a little bright. already, you can just kind of

31:08
see a change in her attitude and her body and just so that that would be probably what I would continue to counsel. Well that makes sense. I think our experiences are just different people like different types of people because to your point if they really haven't thought about the nutrition then hell yeah you got to think about nutrition but if it's if you've been there done that a thousand times and it's not working regardless of

31:36
you know, your best efforts then, I mean, this is why we have other options. A hundred percent. And I just think it's important to look honestly at your habits and your systems and just be honest with you because when you say I've done everything, I mean, just look at that. What does everything mean? You know what I mean? Like, and then, and know that if you're, if you want to maintain and eat the same way you're eating,

32:04
and you don't really want to do the other stuff. I still believe that nutritionally, your body is better off. If you don't have to take medications, it's probably better off not having all those medications in your body, number one. And number two, I do think you get a more well-balanced grouping of food when you're able to eat without feeling full immediately type of thing. And I actually think that people can't eat like an a-hole.

32:33
on those drugs because they immediately feel sick. Well, they do. There's no question. So don't know if they want to eat very much at all. That's the other thing. I think they just don't have much appetite in general. I'm just trying to give a balanced perspective to long term habit creation. no one's going to tell you to go on or off them. But I do think it's important to exhaust

33:02
these plans and really deep dive and look at that and see how your body feels and then, you know, then go on a medication that may have side effects. So just know that you're also like that's it's not a free lunch, no pun intended, when you do that either. But I think there's, there's just a lot to look at and put the habits in place and do them consistently over time. You have to do them consistently over time. Oh, you totally do. And it's in medications or not, they those same

33:32
same principles apply. Yes, the same principles do apply. But they're just, but you have to apply them, I think, a little bit differently. But it is. it's just a, you know, it continually reminds me to just do the do the things over and over and over again, you know, like, yeah, the small habits done. Yeah, for time creates like consistency. 100%. What are you grateful for tonight? I'm grateful for our aviator nation jumpers.

34:02
Because it is winter now. And they're so cozy, particularly on the inside, like very fluffy and so nice. It's nice to be cozy. think this is like a good... It's good to have the things that keep you cozy and warm and satiated.

34:20
I totally agree. And give you the inspiration wherever that comes from. But I am grateful that it was our inspiration and it was part of this podcast. So one day we'll get to meet the founder of AV International. It's definitely on my radar. you. Yeah. I'm grateful for this conversation. hope it helps people. It's helping me. Yeah. It's just, and it's all, I just think it's really nice to, it's good to have conversations around them that

34:48
have different perspectives because then it's just, you the same way that you listen to Brene Brown and I listen to a bunch of people, like it's all perspectives. And I really appreciate hearing others for sure. Same. think, I think that the biggest gift we give ourselves is having perspectives and the ability to ask, you know, ask questions differently to sort of elicit a certain response in yourself. But this is a big part of

35:17
what is currently out there and we were working on navigating and still relatively new. Yeah. For a lot of people. I think they just need to kind of feel left to sort of understand and listen to our bodies in a way that, you know, and manage all the information that's coming at us. So I think about that too. Easiest way to cut through the fat. 100 % cut through the fat. No pun intended. Stay warm out there.

35:47
See you, Get back home.