The Next Level Health & Fitness Podcast

Brad and Michelle talk about COVID-19 and how to stay calm during the crisis. Connect with us on Instagram Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Co-Host Michelle Raines  – @mykeylife Key Nutrition – @keynutrition

On this week’s episode of The Coaches Spotlight, we had our amazing coach Jordan Snow join us.   Jordan's Bio I was first introduced to fitness when I was 15 years old, and quickly fell in love with it. I loved being able to change my body and the way I felt simply by eating and exercising. My passion for fitness continued through my early 20’s. Unfortunately, at that time I had begun a battle with addiction and it was my first passion to be thrown to the wayside. After getting sober in 2016, I was very unhappy with how I felt and was in the worst shape of my life. I remember feeling hopeless. Luckily, I was able to get over feeling that way and I hit the ground running. With a basic understanding of nutrition and exercise I was able to make some good changes. But once I sought professional help, the results I was hoping for really started to show. Ever since, fitness has been a huge part of my life. It has helped my sobriety, and every other aspect of my life immeasurably and now I want to be there for people looking to change their lives. I believe that my past struggles and experience will allow me to connect with my clients as I can relate to the feeling of being stuck and not knowing where to begin. I’m so excited to be a part of Key Nutrition and share all of my knowledge and experience with you, as we work together to accomplish your fitness goals. One of the biggest perks of getting sober and choosing a healthy lifestyle, I was able to reconnect with my now wife Olivia. We have been happily married since June 2017. We are the proudest parents of our son, Jude the Akita, adopted Thanksgiving 2016. You can find us playing tug, going for long walks, and occasionally eating way too much sushi.   Connect with us on Instagram Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Guest Coach Jordan Snow – @snowfitslc Key Nutrition – @keynutrition

On today's podcast, we had IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Antoine Vaillant. We share a connection in the recovery/sobriety community and are extremely grateful for his time. As a kid, he had this feeling inside himself that he was not good enough. Fear. Fear of not being good enough. He wanted to be better, to be stronger. The only thing he could control was that. To get bigger and stronger. He started doing push ups and sit ups at a young age, and felt like he could control those results by putting the effort in. He kept doing it, and doing it... Then he saw the bodybuilding magazines. 2003 Mr. Olympia reviews - he was amazed by the physiques of these Olympians. He researched on the internet using an old PC with a dial up connection. He found the bodybuilding message boards, and learned and learned. He decided to compete in bodybuilding. It was 2004 and he did not even train in a gym before. Just one dumbbell in his bedroom. He joined the gym and told the owner he wanted to compete. A year later, he competed at 16 and won his class. He kept going.  Fast track to 2012, He won my IFBB pro card at the Canadian Nationals. Coming out of a bad relationship, and victorious, he decided it was time to party and celebrate. He chose the wrong people and the wrong things to celebrate with. Drugs, alcohol and bad influences. This is when his drug addiction began. Needless to say, he hit many rock bottoms and lost everything more than once. He ended up homeless, in the streets and on welfare. It took him near death experiences and many rehabs to get out of it. He came out of my last rehab in 2017. He was driven with nothing but hope, he started training for his come back. He wanted to come back on stage and prove to myself and the world that it wasn't over for him. He teamed up with Dorian Hamilton and Team HD, moved to Burlington Ontario and put in the work. He learned to live like a champion again, but this time around, to the MAX. His comeback show was the 2018 Toronto pro show and he ended up placing 4th. The comeback was real. He was proud of myself... Then he got back to work! The goal is now the Olympia stage for Antoine. His story will not only inspire you, but show you we all struggle with demons and overcoming those is a very real thing. *As a disclaimer, this episode discuses Anabolic Steroid use and details of drug use.   Next Level Experience Program Beta Testers – Click Here Order From Top Notch Nutrition -> Click Here   Connect with us on Instagram Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Co-Host Justin Mancuso - @jmancuso91 Guest Antoine Vaillant - @antoinev87 Key Nutrition – @keynutrition

On today's episode I discussed the 6 biggest mistakes people make on their fitness journey. I hate to see you fail when trying to improve your health and fitness! So I decided to break down a few of the biggest mistakes I see when you start your fitness journey: #1 Patience - You already know, I am serving you the most unsexy thing out there, PATIENCE. Lets count how many times a month I pound patience down your poor throats. LOL. You didn’t get in this mess over night, stop expecting to be out of it over night. Great things take time. You are worth the wait, trust me. #2 Diet hop -  Hopping around form diet to diet. Never being just consistent with one thing long enough. Its a serious problem. #3 Sleep - It is the most underrated element of a transformation. It is neglected and wreaks havoc on your results. Your efforts are literally cut in half in my opinion if you are also constantly sleep deprived. MAKE IT A PRIORITY. #4 Believing every article you read - Most of which are written with an agenda anyways, is the main reason you diet hop. Stop buying into this bullshit propaganda. Unless it’s an actual research study, I would not put much stock into these articles. Yes, they can have some merit, but there is also a motive behind it. Stop believing everything you read and changing your training or diet on the basis of a Oxygen magazine article. #5 Taking weekends off - You are so on point Monday - Friday, then the weekend hits and it's a free for all. You get to have some fun and practice balance, but eating and drinking like an asshole is far from balance. It's a delusional thought pattern so many get trapped in. Discipline and consistency is a 365 day a year deal. Stop ruining your hard work to “let loose” on weekends. #6 Complaining - You complain like this is a prison sentence. News flash, you GET to take control of you health. Stop complaining and get grateful. Shift your perspective and you shift your world. If you resonate with one of more of these, work to rain it in with being very intentional about it.   Next Level Experience Program Beta Testers - Click Here Order From Top Notch Nutrition -> Click Here   Connect with us on Instagram Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Key Nutrition – @keynutrition

On this week’s episode of The Coaches Spotlight, we had our amazing coach Chelsey Bird join us.   Chelsey's Bio I’ve experienced firsthand the power that education and application of nutrition can have.  As a young girl, all I wanted was to be skinny.  I took fat burners and attempted every diet and product that promised me a 30 day body transformation.  Surprise surprise…nothing worked.  I spent the majority of my teenage years battling my body.  Binging, purging, starving, over exercising and striving for fitness with quick fix attempts.  In 2014, I signed up to compete in an NPC bikini show. Through the process of preparing and competing, I began to learn about the importance of proper nutrition, workouts, rest and the power of having a strong mindset.  I also learned that true confidence and happiness has nothing to do with how good I look in a bikini.  My introduction into the fitness world was challenging; and unfortunately, my story is far too relatable in today’s society.  That is what inspires me every day.  My goal is to help others heal their relationship with food, ditch the diet cycle for good and thrive in life, one meal at a time.  I’ve learned that it’s all about finding joy in the journey and recognizing that every day is a new opportunity to keep growing towards the best version of YOU! In the past few years, my passion for fitness and nutrition has led me to become certified with Precision Nutrition and The Nutrition Coaching Institute.  I love to learn and am always working to continue my education.  I am excited to share my knowledge and experience with others and assist them in feeling their best and creating their healthiest, happiest life.   Some of my other passions are traveling, hiking, snowboarding, reading, dancing, working with service projects, and trying out as many new activities as possible to stay active and really life live to the fullest!   Get 20% off coaching with Chelsey! Click here to schedule a free evaluation.   Connect with us on Instagram Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Co-Host Michelle Raines  – @mykeylife Guest Coach Chelsey Bird – @chelsey.bird Key Nutrition – @keynutrition

On today's episode with Kami Price, also known as Trainer Kami on Social Media. This is an episode you are not going to want to miss. Kami got super vulnerable about her history of sexual abuse, rape and her younger sister dying of a heroine overdose. Extremely moving message as she explains how she used all these events as leverage to inspire others. Kami explains how she overcame these things and has truly made her tests, her testimony. Kami Price is an international health & fitness expert with 14 yrs experience as a personal trainer, nutrition coach & yoga instructor. She co-owned a private fitness studio in Utah for 10 yrs, and has created online fitness programs that have been downloaded more than 300,000 times. Kami found her passion for healthy living after overcoming childhood trauma & mental illness. Her inspiring perspectives, motivational spirit, and approachable attitude allow her to authentically connect & empower women everywhere. She's grown a tribe of over 500,000 followers across her social media platform where she shares tips & tricks to live a healthy lifestyle- body, mind & spirit. Kami's greatest joy is raising her 3 little boys, and being able to teach them by example that no matter the circumstances they face, they have the power to chase their dreams and create a life they love.   Kami's Website -> click here   Connect with us on Instagram Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Co-Host Michelle Raines  – @mykeylife Guest Kami Price – @trainerkami Key Nutrition – @keynutrition

On today's episode we decided it was necessary to talk about the dreaded subject of bowel movements. AKA, Poop. We discussed the why's behind changes in your bowl movements after starting a new dietary protocol. In fact, we were asked so many times over the past year to do a podcast on this subject, we decided to finally do it! We covered all the reasons why you might see a shift in bowl movements when starting a diet.   They include and not limited to: Your new diet is too low in fat. When people make dietary changes like giving up dairy, switching from eggs to egg whites or adopting a more plant based diet it often results in a whole lot less fat. What you may not know, however, is that fat plays a role in stimulating motility – or forward motion – in the colon, which in turn promotes more regular bowel movements. A nerve signal called the gastrocolic reflex is one way that our upstream digestive organs (the stomach and small intestine) communicate with the downstream digestive organs (namely, the colon) to let them know what is on its way so they can prepare. Very large meals and meals that contain a decent amount of fat both stimulate this communication reflex, essentially informing the colon that a significant amount of food has just entered the system. In response to the gastrocolic reflex, the colon ramps up its motility to make some room for what's headed its way. (The gastrocolic reflex is one reason why very high-fat meals can cause an urgent need to poop soon after a meal, and even diarrhea in some people.   Your diet lacks soluble fiber. Gluten-free, paleo and low-carb plans – significantly cut grains, and some involve a reduction in root vegetable’s and fruit intake as well. These foods, which are rich in a type of fiber called soluble fiber, are often replaced by lower-carb alternatives like leafy greens, berries and nuts, which are rich in a type of fiber called insoluble fiber. Might seem like an even trade off, but they are not.  Soluble fiber can hold onto water, serving to plump up your poops and help keep them bulky and soft, no matter how long their journey to the exit may last. The insoluble fiber that predominates in "roughage," veggie skins and seeds, on the other hand, can't really hold onto water as it passes through the digestive tract. Basically, your poops could come out more like a date than fro-yo.   Keto/Carnivore Both of these an end up with other problems, at times, explosive diarrhea. You strip away huge bulking agents like fiber and other micro nutrients, this is the end result for some. Now good news is, most can get their bowls to get back on track. But beware when starting this you might have some of these symptoms.   Plant based This could actually promote really good poops after even the first week. Reason being, super high in fibers, probiotics, prebiotics, and zero meat, which can be hard to digest for some. Especially red meat when tends to digest very slow.    Look at your poops! I know, thats disgusting, but let me dive a little deeper.  Dr Oz, who explained during a now-famous appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show that the perfect poop is log-like and S-shaped, not broken up into pieces. Part of getting that log-style shape, compared with poop that comes out more pebbly-looking, comes from eating fiber which lends bulk to stool and acts as a glue to keep the poop stuck together as it exits your body. Pencil-thin poops, on the other hand, can be a sign of rectal cancer, which narrows the opening through which stool passes. But it could also mean you are just deficient on fiber.    Listen for the sound of your poop (stool) as it hits the water in the toilet. Floating stools are often an indication of high fat content, which can be a sign of malabsorption condition in which you can't absorb enough fat and other nutrients from the food you’re ingesting. When your poop (stool) floats, it is associated with celiac disease or chronic pancreatitis.    Passing Gas Farting can be embarrassing, at least for some, but this result of harmless bacteria breaking down food in the large intestine is completely healthy. Your colon is filled with bacteria that release gas as a by-product of digesting the food you eat. Your body absorbs some of it into the bloodstream, which you breathe out through your lungs, and expels the rest out of your other end. It’s normal to pass gas anywhere from 10 to 18 times a day, according to the American College of Gastroenterology.   Remedies 1. Relax. Getting more sleep with immensely help with digestion ... 2. Digestive enzymes, probiotics 3. Take a walk 4. Drink plenty of water 5. Try fermented foods 6. Eat more fiber 7. Keep a food diary   Connect with us on Instagram Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Co-Host Michelle Raines  – @mykeylife Key Nutrition – @keynutrition

On this week's episode of The Coaches Spotlight, we had our amazing coach Robyn Peck join us.   Robyn's Bio I am a mom to two incredible girls and have a passion for life and the outdoors. I love to travel and believe in moving more and exercising less. Eleven short years ago I made a choice to take hold of my health and fitness. I wanted more for myself, knew that I needed to take accountability and control of my body, but ultimately wanted the energy to live the life I now love. Health and fitness were the only things that I had 100 percent control over and knew if I put my mind to it, I would feel better mentally and physically – and I was so right! I stuck with the process and not only achieved my goals but found my passion and love for nutrition and fitness along the way. I soaked in every bit of knowledge I could find to support the whats, whys, and hows that were transforming my body, mind and heart. I carried on that passion and ultimately ended up getting certified to help others achieve their goals. It is an amazingly, wonderful, HARD journey, but with immeasurable rewards that go beyond yourself. You will inspire others around you to do the same, but ultimately you will feel your best.   Connect with us on Instagram Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Co-Host Michelle Raines  – @mykeylife Guest Coach Robyn Peck – @robynpeck Key Nutrition – @keynutrition

On today's episode, we had Aram Gregorian on the podcast. Aram flew all the way from Greenwich, Connecticut to be on the Key Nutrition Podcast and we could not be any more grateful. Aram has been in the trenches with all things fitness for years now as a personal trainer. I love talking to people who are still training one-on-one because they are still face-to-face with clients every single day. The insight you get talking to clients for a whole hour as you work them out is something I deeply miss about personal training. He shared a lot about that work and what lead him to start his own nutrition coaching gig as well. We discussed how metabolic adaptation works, broken down in layman's terms and ways you can avoid that. Aram draws on a whiteboard for each of his clients how the metabolism works, and how to avoid negative adaptations from happening. Think slowing down of the metabolism. We also discussed how as coaches in the industry, we are the first line of defense in health care. It's not Dr’s or specialist, it's us trainers and coaches doing the right work to make sure people aren’t ending up in the Dr’s office in the first place from bad health marker or obesity-related issues. He takes it very serious, as do I, and enjoyed his insight on that subject. He touched on fad diets and just how negative the repercussions are effecting nutrition the space. Which ties back into the metabolic adaptation subject beautifully. You are worth doing this the right way, and this episode is going to inspire you to believe that!   Connect with us on Instagram Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Co-Host Michelle Raines  – @mykeylife Guest Aram Aram Gregorian – @4weeks2thebeach Key Nutrition – @keynutrition

On today's episode we took a deep dive into progressive overload. I posted a short video on Instagram about it, but felt we needed to spend more time explaining the theory and how to actually apply it.   Progressive overload: The gradual increase of stress placed upon the body during exercise training. Adaptation of the body to a progressively increasing load is essential. There are a variety of ways you can create overload to force adaptation. Continuing to workout with the same load is called ‘exercise’, not 'training'.   I’d argue that it’s program hopping that deters more individuals than anything else when it comes to making solid progress in the gym. We all know someone that does it – they start a new training routine with bounding enthusiasm, give it 2-3 weeks, then read some conflicting information elsewhere and decide that they need to switch things up. This programming ADHD – the search for the perfect training program – is the cause of the phenomenon of the perpetual beginner. In the short-term the difference between an effective and ineffective exercise program is simply whether it was followed long enough for it to produce a noticeable training effect - which nearly anything will for a beginner. This will last around 4-6 weeks. For a program to be effective past this phase however, it needs to follow the ‘Principle of Progressive Overload’. If you feel you’ve been spinning your wheels down the gym lately, or want to check that your routine is capable of giving you the results that your efforts deserve, this may be the episode that you need to listen to!   7 Ways to do progressive overload: Increasing the weight lifted Increasing the number of reps per set Increasing the number of sets Shortening the rest time between sets Increasing the difficulty of the exercise Expanding the range of motion Increasing the frequency of training   How do you know when you need increase the overload? This question is really the most difficult to answer. People progress at different rates to the same training programs. However, we did our best to identify some ways to know when is the correct time! I really hope you all got a ton of value out of this podcast! If you did, share the love and send it to a friend.   Connect with us on Instagram Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Co-Host Michelle Raines  – @mykeylife Key Nutrition – @keynutrition