Live Your Personal Best – Workout Motivation and Routine Building For Current and Former Athletes

Have you ever wondered why listening to music when you work out gives you more power when you work out? How about when you feel more satisfied and optimistic after you do an intense exercise?

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I speak with Kelly McGonigal, the author of The Joy of Movement.

Listen to this episode to learn more about the joy of movement and how physical exercise can be a powerful anecdote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Episode Timeline

[1:29] Kelly explains what the mind-body connection is and why it is essential.

[5:09] Kelly shares her journey in studying hope molecules.

[8:59] Kelly describes how music can help you connect to things that are much bigger than you.

[13:07] Kelly discloses how exercise can produce different forms of pleasure.

[18:21] Kelly discloses if it’s better to do the exercises that make you feel better or do workouts because it makes you feel better.

[22:26] Kelly shares what’s the most shocking part of her book.

Key Takeaways

• With mind-body connection, they believe that physical movement affects your mental well-being.
• When you contract your muscles during movement or exercise, it releases hope molecules into your bloodstream that are anti-depressants. It makes you more resistant to stress and more connected to other people. This can also help you when you have depression or trauma.
• The existence of these hope molecules points to how movement can be deeply psychological.
• Music is an invitation to move. When you listen to music, it activates a section of your brain to move.
• Music can help you create meaning for things in your life.
• Music with exercise is putting the meaning around the experience that you want.
• Different forms of movement can grant us access to other joys and pleasures.
• Movement can also give us positive instincts that we have that are healthy.
• There are many ways that you can enjoy movement.
• Intensity matters when you work out.
• Movement is social. There’s something about exercise that helps you form bonds and relationships.
• Your brain rewards you when you think you exercise, especially when it feels that what you’re doing is meaningful.

Quotes

• “There’s a reason why people who struggle with depression and anxiety love exercising outdoors.” – Kelly [16:04]
• “You’re allowed to be uncomfortable. You’re allowed to fail. That can be a part of a positive exercise experience.” – Kelly [21:29]
• “Exercise often brings out the best of us.” – Kelly [25:09]

Connect with Kelly: 

Website: https://kellymcgonigal.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kellymariemcgonigal

Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourpb/

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Have you ever asked yourself “what drives me”? For some it’s external competition; races, meets, games, opponents. For others, it may be internal. 

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I talk about how internal and external competition have affected me and how to make sure you have a healthy dose of each. 

Listen to this podcast, and let’s change the way we see and treat internal and external competition in our lives.

Episode Timeline

[1:04] Emily talks about the reason why she came up with today’s episode.

[2:02] Emily shares that internal competition motivates her every day.

[5:57] Emily discusses the importance of competition in life.

Key Takeaways

• Internal motivation should not necessarily have a negative connotation.
• If you let internal competition prevail in your life, there’s a possibility that you will struggle to find satisfaction in things that you do.
• Some advice you receive might not work because you might have misused it. For example, that could have been for internal competition and not external motivation.
• No general advice can be applied to everyone. It’s better to look for tailored advice for that specific scenario that you’re in.
• The more you learn about yourself, the less you rely on outside opinions on what you’re doing. 

Quotes

• Neither [internal or external competition] is right or wrong. There’s no one way that competition should look. – Emily [5:47]
• There can be no one definition of success. There can be no one definition of competition. – Emily [7:52]

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After weeks of interviewing experts from various fields, it’s time to wrap up the month-long series about the plant-based diet. Ready to hear my verdict?

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I talk about my decision if I’ll continue to pursue my plans of fully committing to a plant-based diet and the factors that I take into consideration in my decision.

Listen to this podcast, and look for ways that could help our environment for us the future generations.

Episode Timeline

[1:24] Emily shares her realization about her plant-based journey after interviewing experts from various fields.

[2:32] Emily tells the first change in her lifestyle.

[5:36] Emily talks about the second change in her lifestyle.

[6:51] Emily describes the third change in her lifestyle.

[10:08] Emily leaves a challenge to her listeners.

Key Takeaways

• Going plant-based is not always about preferences and choices.
• Small switches in your diet could lead to big impactful changes in your well-being.
• Trying new vegan restaurants could help you make the small switches, especially when you’re afraid to commit long-term.
• Being aware of your food waste could help you show your love for the environment.
• Think about how you can eliminate food waste as best as you can.
• Look for other ways to consume food that could help the environment.

Quotes

• Just because you can’t do the number one thing that will impact [the environment], you can still do number two, number three, or a combination of things. 7:39
• It seems like you can only do much on a personal level, but there’s can still be [done to help the environment] even if you don’t want dramatic changes to your diet. 9:59

Check out all our episodes: https://emilycoffman.org/episodes-2/

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Ever wonder if you could change your diet as an athlete? Especially going plant-based? Before deciding if it’s right for you, it’s best to hear from actual athletes who are vegetarians to gauge if this is right for you.

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I speak with Jenny Kotlyar, a vegetarian athlete and backpacker.

Listen to this episode and learn about the struggles that you might encounter as a vegetarian athlete and how you could overcome these challenges. 

Episode Timeline

[2:24] Jenny talks about her hiking journey and how she started.

[6:54] Jenny shares how she became a vegetarian backpacker.

[10:07] Jenny reveals if she struggled to look for alternative protein sources when she became vegetarian.

[13:10] Jenny tells Emily how essential planning is when it comes to backpacking.

[14:04] Jenny reveals what’s the hardest thing about being a vegetarian while being a backpacker. 

[15:49] Jenny explains why she added back some animal proteins like fish back in her diet.

[19:10] Jenny describes her relationship with food and eating.

[25:56] Jenny leaves her last pieces of advice.

Key Takeaways

• When starting your vegetarian journey, it could help if you count your protein macros.
• When you’re planning to hike, it’s also essential to factor in your protein intake to prepare better. 
• Carbohydrates give you a quick release of energy. Fats, on the other hand, provide you with sustained energy while protein helps you recover.
• As a vegetarian backpacker, you might struggle in finding the protein that suits your palate.

Quotes

• “Your body’s freaking amazing. Stop hating on yourself.” – Jenny [21:48]
• “Give yourself permission to love yourself and to do you and to be important in your own life.” – Jenny [25:59]

Connect with Jenny: limitlesshiker.com or instagram.com/limitlesshiker 

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Mental health is a growing issue in athletes of all levels. Despite this, the mental health struggles among athletes seem to be a taboo topic that no one wants to be a part of in the discussion. Stress, pressure, stigmas, and more prevent athletes from talking about mental health. Let’s work to change that.

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I talk about my mental health journey during the competition and my thoughts regarding the many mental health issues that many athletes are experiencing today.

Listen to this podcast, and together, let’s fight the stigma revolving around mental health issues among athletes, especially during these trying times.

Episode Timeline

[1:46] Emily shares the rationale and context of this podcast episode

[3:28] Emily explains why athletes can struggle with talking about mental health.

[5:08] Emily talks about why mental health issues among athletes are close to her heart.

[5:55] Emily reads a snippet of Harry Miller’s statement regarding his retirement and shares her thoughts.

[7:57] Emily describes her experience working for a suicide prevention hotline.

[9:02] Emily reads a poem that tackles mental health.

[10:14] Emily shares some things that she’s currently doing to improve her mental health.

Key Takeaways

• There’s no need to blame someone or something regarding athletes’ current mental health issues. It’s a systemic problem that needs to be resolved by different stakeholders involved.
• It’s a hard decision for athletes to take a step back to prioritize their mental health.
• It could benefit our mental health if we acknowledged that more things are a struggle.
• Talking more explicitly about our mental health can also improve your well-being in general.
• Take inventory of the expectations and pressures that you put on yourself.

Quotes

• Mental health for athletes is a huge problem that rarely gets addressed if ever it gets addressed. – Emily [2:50]
• Be more purposeful with checking in on mental health. – Emily [14:31]

Read more on mental health for current and former athletes: https://amzn.to/3ysSbqW

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Is plant-based eating as healthy as it seems? Is it beneficial for everyone to go on it? Let’s get the facts straight from the expert herself! 

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I speak with Stephanie Hnatiuk, a registered dietitian and fitness coach who’s on a mission to reconnect runners with their love of running. She helps frustrated and confused overall runners learn how to properly feel their bodies for better training, working smarter, not harder, and recover faster so they can reach their goals without destroying their relationship with food and exercise.

Listen to this episode as we learn if athletes should transition to a plant-based diet while training.

Episode Timeline

[2:39] Stephanie shares her opinion if a plant-based diet is suitable for athletes too.

[8:08] Stephanie talks about under-fueling in relation to a plant-based diet.

[12:10] Stephanie gives her tips to people who are starting with their plant-based diets 

[15:15] Stephanie reveals an easier way to start a plant-based diet

[17:41] Stephanie shares her thoughts on how becoming vegetarian relates to diet culture.

[21:32] Stephanie leaves her last pieces of advice.

Key Takeaways

• Runners, and other athletes, can successfully train while on a plant-based diet, but transitioning to a plant-based diet doesn’t necessarily have to be the goal.
• Before transitioning into a plant-based diet, consider the foods that you should eat because you might not like their taste. Look for recipes that could help you enjoy plant-based foods more. Food allergies should also be considered if there are any.
• A plant-based diet doesn’t necessarily come at the expense of eating things you don’t like or eliminating all other animal products.
• Eating a plant-based diet requires a lot of nutrition knowledge and cooking skills.
• Many people usually make a mistake, especially when starting, when they remove the animal foods without looking for plant-based alternatives that could give the same value.
• There are some key nutrients, essential vitamins, and minerals that you should intentionally get them. These are calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin b12, and choline.
• The problem with iron is that you can easily absorb them from animal sources. It would be best to consume more iron from plant-based sources to help your bodies absorb more iron. You may need supplements to help you with this issue.
• If you’re an athlete planning to start their plant-based diet journey, it’s best to connect with dieticians to be guided.
• Your personal values can help you become motivated when starting a plant-based diet.
• The recommended diet for athletes should be the one that helps them perform the best that they can and also that keeps them healthy mentally and physically.

Quotes

• “[A plant-based diet] can be done for people who are motivated and really want to eat that way.” – Stephanie [7:51]
• “The decision to go plant-based should really only be done out of personal preference.” – Stephanie [15:39]
• “For the wrong person, anything can be turned into a diet.” – Stephanie [19:33]

Connect with Stephanie:

www.stephaniehnatiuk.com 

https://www.instagram.com/steph.the.runners.dietitian/ 

Get your copy of Elite to Everyday Athlete: https://amzn.to/3ysSbqW 

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Many people rely on daily habits to make their day more productive and fruitful. What habits can you add in without taking up too much time out of your day?

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I share the habits and routines that I do every day and how these have positively impacted my life in the past few months.

Listen to this podcast, and together, let’s build the habits that could help us transform into our better selves.

Episode Timeline

[1:57] Emily shares her first daily habit.

[4:00] Emily reveals her second daily habit.

[7:21] Emily talks about her third daily habit.

[8:54] Emily tells her fourth daily habit.

[11:36] Emily describes her fifth daily habit.

Key Takeaways

• Overbooking yourself could help get things done but in a stressful way.
• Instead of overbooking, day blocking for specific tasks could help you manage your schedule better.
• Getting tasks done in one chunk could make you more productive and take back control of your life.
• Looking to be purposely inspired could help you be more motivated every day. 
• Immerse yourself in things that you believe could help you inspire you in your day-to-day life.
• Exert more effort in getting yourself inspired because it’s within your control.
• Listening to music after you wake up could provide you with the energy boost you’ll need for the rest of the day.
• Zoom in by assessing if what you’re doing right now makes you happy.
• Plan your rest to avoid decision fatigue. It could help you lighten up your mind.

Quotes

• You don’t always have to look at the bigger picture. – Emily 10:58
• Take a day off. Take a Saturday to yourself. – Emily 14:11

Make sure to subscribe for more weekly episodes! And you can follow along the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourpb/

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Want to start living in a way that’s better for the environment? Lost on how to start your plant-based eating journey? 

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I speak with Izolda Trakhtenberg, a proud vegan for 15 years and the host of The Vegan Life podcast. 

Listen to this episode as we dive deep into why eating plant-based foods is more ethical than traditional foods.

Episode Timeline

[3:38] Izolda talks about her roots and why she started her vegan journey

[5:40] Izolda revealed the massive effects of shifting to a vegan diet

[8:51] Izolda shares her thoughts on why plant-based eating has become more popular, especially nowadays

[10:56] Izolda chats about the element of convenience in restaurants and what you should do if there are no vegan options on the menu

[14:56] Izolda shares if her attitudes and relationship towards food changed when she started her vegan journey.

[18:51] Izolda debunks the most common myths revolving around veganism.

[20:01] Izolda describes what she feels when surrounded by people who still consume meat and animal products.

[25:15] Izolda shares her advice for those who’d like to start their vegan journey. 

Key Takeaways

• Agriculture, especially animal farming and food production, takes a lot of the resources like energy and gas.
• The fewer spaces for farms intended for animal production, the more spaces we could have for trees and places where people could stay and live.
• You’ve been fed food authorities recommended that might not be best for you.
• You should take a step back and assess the food recommended by the authorities that you consume.
• When you start eating vegan, you become more conscious and thoughtful of your food choices.
• Many people have the stereotype that vegans are smug or arrogant. Vegans are perceived to be like this because they don’t want animals to suffer in the animal slaughter system.
• When you want to start your vegan diet:
• Go slow and start small.
• Consult with your doctor if going vegan is right for you.
• Be aware of how much you’re eating and the quality of your food.
• Consider having a food diary on what you ate and what you felt after you ate them.

Quotes

• “We’ve been fed a steady diet of what we should eat that may or may not be the best for us.” – Izolda [9:37]
• “We can be very mindful and very purposeful with our choices if you really keep in mind why you’re becoming vegan.” – Izolda [27:32] 

Connect with Izolda :

• Website: https://theveganlife.show 

Follow the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourpb/

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Have you ever felt that motivation alone is not enough to drive you from doing the things that you love in your life? Maybe you’re just being too hard on yourself, and this perspective is affecting the way you live your life negatively.

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I share snippets from my upcoming book and explain why it’s essential to change the narrative around motivation to become a better person.

Listen to this podcast and change the way you think about the core of motivation and why comparing yourself with other people is detrimental to your well-being.

Episode Timeline

[1:22] Emily reveals the reason why she’s writing her book

[1:56] Emily reads a snippet of her inspiration story.

[2:32] Emily talks about the one narrative around motivation.

[3:09] Emily expresses her thoughts about the most common narrative around motivation.

[7:59] Emily encourages her listeners to broaden their perspectives towards success.

[8:55] Emily reads a poem from her upcoming book.

[9:12] Emily reminds herself about the dangers of comparing herself to other people.

[12:17] Emily talks about her upcoming podcast episodes this March.

Key Takeaways

• When talking about motivation, there’s no need to sacrifice the things you love and matter to you to achieve your goals and aspirations.
• One of the reasons why there’s a rise of motivational speakers who are former athletes is because they want to educate their audience regarding the mental toll caused by the sacrifices they made.
• When you continue to follow the traditional view on motivation, there’s a great possibility that you’ll miss many things that you could learn about yourself in your journey.
• You can have more reasons to be motivated aside from aspiring to succeed in your endeavors. You can utilize motivation to relax, slow down, and take a break.
• You need motivation for all scenarios, not just one.
• When you expand their view on what success could mean, you can be happier in life, and it could also help develop your view on what motivation is.
• Don’t compare outcomes with other people because each person’s goals are different.

Quotes

• “Athletes can be successful without sacrificing their mental or physical health. Athletes can be successful in their sport and still thrive outside of it, too.” – Emily [2:45]
• “There’s no reason to compare yourself.” – Emily [11:44]
• “Go out and find what makes you different. Find what makes you motivated.” – Emily [11:46]

Join the Live Your Personal Best Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/personalbesties 

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Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes to become a personal trainer online? If you’re a former collegiate or retired athlete, maybe this could be a great career path after graduation.

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I speak with Sydney Cummings, a certified National Academy of Sports Medicine personal trainer who aspires to provide quality fitness content accessible to everyone through Youtube.

Listen to this episode to learn more about how Sydney went from training for $6 a session to building an online fitness community of over 1 MILLION followers.

Episode Timeline

[2:06] Sydney talks about her collegiate athletic career.

[4:59] Sydney shares her transition from college athlete to her chosen paths after graduation.

[7:58] Sydney describes her workout routine after graduation.

[14:31] Sydney talks about her Youtube channel and how she transitioned to becoming an online fitness trainer.

[22:51] Sydney reveals the logistics behind her online training videos.

[25:42] Sydney chats about her month-long break.

[28:34] Sydney leaves her last pieces of advice.

Key Takeaways

• Many people have no idea what they should do when they are at the gym.
• Gyms have become a social media-heavy environment that affects how people do their exercise.
• More and more people are looking for full and consistent workouts when searching for possible online fitness trainers.
• It’s normal to feel scared and crazy when you try to do something that no one has done before.
• When looking for online fitness trainers, one of the qualities that you should look for is not just they’re training you, but they’re training with you.
• It feels more intimate when you follow a Youtube fitness trainer who uploads new exercise content every day because you can see the changes with their body as they go through the exercise with you.
• The life you should live in should be rooted in what makes you happy.
• Don’t view calories as the enemy. View strength as your biggest ally in fitness.
• Aesthetic will come if you train for strength.

Quotes

• “You just don’t have a choice. You just do.” – Sydney [21:15]
• “[The] struggle is part of the [fitness] journey.” – Sydney [22:35]
• “Try and make something that you actually enjoy, especially with fitness, but also in life.” [28:36] 
• “Train for strength. Stop training to punish yourself. Stop training to undo calories.” [29:32]
• “You’re much stronger than you realize.” – Sydney[30:09]

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/sydneycummings 

Website: https://royalchange.fit 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sydneycummings_ 

Join the Live Your Personal Best Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/personalbesties  

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