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

Have you ever thought of growing your own food even in your small space? With it being the eat better, eat together month; it is high time we shifted in how we think about gardening. In addition to growing fresh and organic foods for yourself and your family, home gardening can be a fun and nurturing activity that you can use to relax your mind and find some peace.

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I speak with Danielle Smith, a professional garden mentor and Founder of Garden Like a Mother who also has a background in public health. She helps busy women cultivate happier, healthier, and more intentional lives by growing veggie gardens at home.

Listen in to learn how to approach gardening as a nurturing and restorative activity that brings peace to your life and not misery.

Key Takeaways:

• How to use gardening as a fun and restorative activity that nurtures your life.
• The vision and goals you need to set for yourself before taking on gardening as a nurturing activity.
• The importance of starting small and simple as a gardening beginner to avoid overwhelm.
• How not to be too busy to nurture a successful veggie garden.
• Learn to be smart to do what works for you with gardening and not necessarily what works for others.
• The eco benefits of diversifying crops in your garden as opposed to having just a few varieties.

Episode Timeline:

• [3:44] How to approach gardening as a form of therapy that focuses on your mental health regardless of the harvest.
• [7:11] Think of what you need to grow that you’re likely to have success with.
• [10:25] The excuses and mistakes to avoid to nurture a successful veggie garden.
• [13:43] Danielle shares what she grows in her small kitchen garden, especially this past summer.
• [17:42] How being a gardener has shifted the way Danielle eats and cooks for her family.
• [21:54] What works and doesn’t work with indoor gardening.
• [25:50] Why you should start learning all gardening concepts earlier even as we get into winter.

Quotes:

• “Grow your garden and have it be an abundant restorative experience that actually adds to your life and nurtures you as much as you’re nurturing the garden, versus something that’s making your life even more miserable.”– Danielle [6:22]
• “This is the time of the year when gardeners are starting to plan next year’s garden. Give yourself the gift of the time to think about it intentionally, consciously, and not feel like you’re rushed or doing things the wrong way.”– Danielle [27:14]

Connect with Danielle: www.gardenlikeamother.com

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Is your inner child still hurting about fitness due to the way you were introduced to it? We often don’t realize it, but how fitness was introduced to you as a child has a lot to do with your relationship with it today. To embrace a healthy relationship with fitness and identify what works best for you, you must first recognize that trauma and heal from it. 

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I speak with Malarie, an exercise physiologist who’s worked in the fitness industry for a decade now. Listen in to learn the importance of moving your body moderately to keep it functioning and at your best health.  

Key Takeaways:

• How to approach fitness without weight loss as the primary reason.
• Exercise psychology – how exercise was introduced to you as a child shapes how you view it as an adult. 
• Understanding that exercise can be unique to you – what do you like doing and how often you can do it?
• The importance of moderate body movements to maintain your body’s function, decrease pain and stiffness, and managing your mental health. 

Episode Timeline:

• [2:34] Malarie shares her history with weight gain/loss and when she changed her perspective about fitness.
• [7:07] She explains childhood exercise trauma and how it can shape your adult fitness.
• [11:52] How to recognize what exercise you like and how often you can do it to achieve your fitness goals. 
• [16:00] The types of people and levels of fitness that Malarie works with.

Quotes:

·“Maybe people have a history of some type of trauma around exercise, how you were introduced to it can then go on to shape how you feel as an adult.”– Malarie [8:37]

·“Finding that connection between what you actually like doing versus what you feel you should be doing can be a good reframe in your head, and also recognizing how often you can actually do it.”– Malarie [12:42]

Connect with Malarie: https://linktr.ee/thejockscientist

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Have you ever worked hard and hit a goal only to be disappointed with the lack that comes with it? Is it time to quit if you don’t see the result after getting to a goal you’ve worked hard to get to? It is normal to feel disappointed with the results of a goal or lack thereof after working so hard to get there, and that is where I have been after achieving a goal and not the result of it.

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I talk about why I’m stuck and disappointed with the results of a goal I set for myself. Listen in to learn the power of consistency in getting you to your goals.  

Key Takeaways:

·       Are your unrealistic expectations about your goals setting you up for failure? 

·       The power of consistency in getting us to our goals even when things don’t work out the way we want.

·       Consistency vs. insanity and how we often do insanity with our goals instead of being consistent.

Episode Timeline:

·       [1:48] How we sometimes get disappointed after achieving a goal that we worked hard to achieve. 

·       [3:44] Why I’m disappointed even after hitting a goal that I worked very hard to hit. 

·       [12:41] Goal consistency vs. goal insanity.

Quote: 

·       “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, but we do that instead of consistency.”– Emily [14:11]

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Do you have a new goal that you need to get closer to in the near future? Or maybe you just have a vague idea about what you need to be doing to get your life to the next level? To arrive at your desired goal, you need to have a solid plan that will help get there quickly and efficiently. 

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I talk about how to utilize the PAL plan to help you accomplish your goals. I also share one of the biggest goals I want to accomplish for myself in the future and how I plan to get there. 

Listen in to learn the importance of aligning your actions with your goals to make it easier to accomplish them. 

Episode Timeline:

·       How to ensure you enjoy the process towards accomplishing your new goal in different and exciting ways.  

·       Ask yourself what it will feel like when you accomplish your goals, which will help you keep your attitude in check. 

·       Think of how you can change your lifestyle and commit to actions that will help you accomplish your goal. 

·       Align yourself with your goals by taking action and incorporating small steps. 

Episode Timeline:

·       [2:07] The PAL (process, attitude, and lifestyle) plan and how it can help you when starting a new goal. 

·      [9:53] Why you should think about what you need to change to align yourself to your goals.

Quotes:

·       “The more concrete you can get and the more you can actually picture yourself getting there and believing in yourself, that’s what you can fall back on the hard days.”– Emily [8:02]

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I have always had a bad attitude towards running. I’ve always felt like running is not for me. Little did I know that I have been doing it wrong. According to our guest today, running should be fun and not torture. If you have wanted to be a runner, you need to listen to this episode. Brodie will share nuggets of wisdom that will make you feel better equipped to start running.

Brodie is a physiotherapist from Melbourne. He’s on a mission to bring clarity and control to runners by busting misconceptions and building your running IQ. He’s the run smarter physical therapy clinic owner and the host of the run smarter podcast.

In this episode, Brodie shares with us important tips and techniques on running. Also, he will share some of the common running injuries and how to avoid them.

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

Key Takeaways from the Episode:

• Running should always be fun and always leave you refreshed at the end of the run.
• If you are new to learning, always start with walking, then jogging before proceeding to running. It will help build your running IQ and avoid injuries.
• 80% of your weekly runs should be low intensity, and 20% should be working on upping the intensity.

Episode Timeline:

[02:25] What got Brody into dealing with running injuries?

[05:34] What causes running injuries?

[12:49] Where should a beginner start?

[14:55] Learning running techniques

Magical Quotes from the Episode: 

“If you train slow and low, and then build your way up, your body adapts to that running style.”

“No matter where your starting line is or what surface it’s on. If you start with a lot of walks and a little bit of jogging, and then just increase it from there, your body does an amazing job of just adapting to that.”

“If you can slow down the speed because it becomes a game changer.”

“If you mix up a lot of walking into your running, you’re enjoying the day.”

Follow along at: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourpb/

Connect with Brodie:

Website: https://runsmarter.online/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brodie.sharpe/

Podcast: https://app.runsmarter.online/audio

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Are you a college or a former athlete struggling to transition from whom you’ve always been to an everyday person? It is no secret that most former athletes find it very hard to transition from competitive sports to a “normal” life after retirement. I found it hard transitioning from a division 1 college athlete to an everyday one who cared about my health and nutrition. But I overcame it, and that’s why I wrote my book Elite to Everyday Athlete. 

Read Elite to Everyday Athlete out now: https://amzn.to/3ysSbqW

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I read the Intro chapter of my book Elite to Everyday Athlete.Listen in to learn how you can take the plan and structure you learned from sport to create a fulfilling everyday life after sports. 

Key Takeaways:

·       Understanding the struggles that former competing athletes face after retiring from sports. 

·       How an athlete can transition from a competing athlete to an everyday athlete. 

·       How to use the plan and structure from sports to create a new life for yourself after sports. 

·       The importance of focusing on mental health and psychological shifts that occur after retiring from competitive sports. 

Episode Timeline:

·       [2:26] The last 10 years of my life – into and out of sports achievements.

·       [3:43] The struggles of a former ballerina Melisa, after retiring from competitive sports. 

·       [5:31] Understanding why athletes struggle with transitioning to retirement.

·       [8:11] My personal struggles after retiring from sports and how I overcame them. 

Quotes:

·       “Many athletes have common struggles after the game is over; loneliness, lack of coaching, support, or competition and its normal to try and find something new to replace the entire sport.”– Emily [5:06] 

·       “The issue isn’t that athletes have eating and exercise problems and this is why they have a tough transition; the issue is, we never acknowledge the psychology behind the transition and how it affects an athlete’s mental, emotional, and physical health.”-Emily [6:38]

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Learning How to Pivot with Natalie Kraus

In life, pivoting is not having a plan B; it is part of the journey. In this episode, we have Natalie Krus joining me on the show. Natalie had to pivot a million times throughout her career, both as an athlete and afterward.

Natalie suffered a couple of injuries during her athletic times, but that didn’t stop her from learning other skills and getting good at them. Natalie is a multi-passionate entrepreneur. She’s the Here for More podcast host, certified as a plant-based and holistic nutritionist, yoga instructor, and surfing yoga wellness retreat host.

Natalie will be sharing her athletic journey and how she pivoted after suffering injuries. She will also tell us about her life after sports.

Listen in to this amazing conversation.

Key Takeaways from the Episode:

• Injuries are not the end of the road. Learn a new skill and get better at it than everyone else
• There is always more to life than our titles, and the checkboxes are given to us by our society
• Quitting is not always the option. Always find a way of pivoting

Episode Timeline:

• [02:18] Natalie’s background as an athlete
• [04:45] How Natalie dealt with injuries
• [10:43] Natalie’s transition to yoga
• [12:29] Natalie’s podcast: Here for more
• [16:04] Natalie’s advice to people who are feeling like they want to be more
• [20:19] How Natalie shifted to being plant-based and very ecofriendly, and environmentally friendly

Magical Quotes from the Episode: 

“We’re not just that title on our resume, or the boxes society gives us to check off on all the different forms.” [14:14]

“It doesn’t have to be this one way to get you where you want to be.” [22:50]

“There’s no life manual. There’s no syllabus, there’s no scorecard. You can do it however you want to do it. And it doesn’t have to make sense to other people. It doesn’t even have to make sense at first to you.” [24:21]

Connect with Natalie Kraus:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliejkraus/

Podcast: https://www.hereformorepodcast.com/

Swell Sols Retreats: https://www.swellsolretreats.com/

Read Elite to Everyday Athlete out now: https://amzn.to/3ysSbqW

Follow along at: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourpb/

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Are you ready to take ownership and control of your goals and get to where you’re going? To achieve your goals and the advantages that come with it, you must be prepared to ask yourself questions and get uncomfortable. You must also learn to let go of fear ad take the first steps towards achieving your best rich life. 

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I speak with Jem Cooper, a former professional ballerina, triathlete, entrepreneur, author, and coach. She coaches high achieving and ambitious people to design their best rich life lived on their terms.

Listen in to learn the importance of asking for support so you can easily step into what you can achieve. 

Key Takeaways:

· Ask yourself questions on what you want to achieve and prepare to be uncomfortable to get there. 

· Learn how to take ownership and control of your goals and where you want to go. 

· The importance of seeking support to help you step up and step into what you can achieve.

· How to take the first step towards a single goal that can lead to achieving many more.  

Episode Timeline:

· [2:06] Jem shares how she went from a ballerina to a triathlete to what she’s doing now.

· [7:44] How she worked to overcome her water phobia to become a triathlete.  

· [12:38] She talks about her book/framework Becoming CEO of Your Best Rich Life. 

· [15:44] Don’t be afraid to take the first step towards your goals. 

Quotes:

• “Seeking out is never a weakness, it’s actually a sign of master strength…when you have mentors and you have the right support group around you, is when you can really step up and step into what you can really achieve and can do.”– Jem [15:20]
• “One of the biggest things that stop us from ever reaching our goals or the highest level of ourselves is just actually starting.”– Jem [15:47]
• “If you have a goal of peaking or getting to an outcome that you desire, don’t be afraid to take that first step.”– Jem [16:10]

Connect with Jem: https://www.instagram.com/jemcooper/

Read Elite to Everyday Athlete out now: https://amzn.to/3ysSbqW

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Are you making the right choices knowing that they have a long-lasting impact on your life? Sometimes when we are making choices for today, we don’t necessarily think of the impact they will have on us for the rest of our lives. I learned this lesson the hard way just this week during a visit to the dentist when I realized that my not doing anything when I should have, led to more teeth cavities.

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I share the story of my visit to the dentist and the lesson it has taught me on choices. Listen in to learn how you can start by making small consistent decisions by considering the impact they’ll have in your life.  

Key Takeaways:

·       How your current choices can permanently affect the rest of your life.

·       Don’t allow yourself to get to a point of regret over making the wrong choices for your life. 

·       Learn to make the right decisions by thinking about the long-term impact they’ll make in your life. 

Episode Timeline:

·       [1:43] The story of my visit to the dentist and the lessons it has taught me. 

·       [8:18] Why not making the right choices will only lead to long-term regret. 

Quotes:

·       “Any choice that you make now can be so permanent in your life later.”– Emily [8:23]

·       “You don’t always have to make the perfect or right decision, but it is so important to know that your decisions are making a lasting impact beyond just today and tomorrow.”– Emily [12:17]

Read Elite to Everyday Athlete out now: https://amzn.to/3ysSbqW

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/personalbesties

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Do you often find yourself rushing to get to your goals even though there’s no need to? I have found myself self-imposing deadlines and comparing my journey to others, which has done me more harm than good. It is important that you understand that everyone’s timeframe is different and stop stressing because, with consistency, you’ll get there.

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I share my experiences with setting self-imposing deadlines and why you should avoid that trap. Listen in to learn the importance of enjoying the journey towards your goals without rushing to get the outcome. 

Read Elite to Everyday Athlete out now: https://amzn.to/3ysSbqW

Key Takeaways:

·       How comparing yourself leads to setting unrealistic self-imposed deadlines.

·       Stop stressing yourself out by imposing unnecessary deadlines you don’t need. 

·       Learn to enjoy the journey as you move towards your goal without rushing. 

·       Avoid burnout and losing yourself by rushing to get there. 

Episode Timeline:

·       [1:57] My personal struggles with not feeling enough and running against deadlines.  

·       [5:14] Why you should take your time and figure things out as you go. 

·       [7:43] Stop rushing and take your time and consistently work on getting there. 

Quotes:

·       “The beginning of the journey is usually when you have the most energy, and that’s when you feel the most passionate about it…but there’s a big difference between being ambitious and just stressing yourself out from everything.”– Emily [4:49]

·       “You’re not supposed to have it all figured out from the first step; you figure it out as you go and the timeframe looks different for everyone.”– Emily [6:56]

Follow along at: https://www.instagram.com/liveyourpb/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/personalbesties

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