Strong By Design Podcast

Send us a textWhat is the Deal with Collagen? In the never-ending search for all things that will promote health, beauty and youthfulness, collagen is not to be dismissed as far as being very much present in the pool of public and scientific opinion.  It has been hailed as the magic ingredient to cure aches and pains, as well as something of an ingestible fountain of youth.  Hmmmm . . . In this podcast, Coach Chris and Coach Tonya sit down to discuss not only what public opinion has to say about the use of collagen, but science as well.   "A collagen supplement may act as a catalyst but it's not the fountain of youth." -Tonya Fines   Time Stamps 1:25 – Collagen: What is it and what is it good for? 9:35 – Benefits of taking collagen supplements 15:18 – Does collagen help prevent bone loss? 17:10 – The importance of protein in your diet 20:14 – Effects of aging on bone health 24:14 – Is collagen the fountain of youth? 30:47 – The truth about taking collagen supplements for building muscle 37:51 – Does a collagen supplement promotes heart health? 41:32 – Risks of taking collagen supplements 45:34 – Foods that naturally boost collagen 49:29 – What to look for when buying a collagen supplement 51:35 – Coach Tonya shares final thoughts on collagen supplements     Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textJohanna Eccles is a woman of incredible faith.  Johanna didn’t find out about the power of prayer until she got to the end of herself.  She literally reached rock bottom and felt that there was literally, no other place to look but up. She recalls … “God’s mercy and grace met me, pulled me out of the devil’s pit and gave me oxygen to breath. Trust me, I am no guru. I would not consider myself great at anything. There are many MANY greater, all I have to offer is the love of God to those willing to receive. Truly. That is all I have... and that is all I want.” -Johanna Eccles Tonya Fines sits down with ROAR co-founder Johanna Eccles to talk about the almighty power of prayer and how God’s faithfulness is truly miraculous and awesome.   Time Stamps 0:25 – Welcoming today’s special guest on ‘Strong By Design’ podcast 3:42 – Get to know ‘ROAR’ co-founder, Johanna Eccles 9:57 – Johanna Eccles recounts journey to Christian faith 17:12 – Keeping your Faith in the Valley 21:28 – Johanna Eccles’ message to those who question God’s existence 30:00 – Johanna Eccles shares one of her biggest rock-bottom experiences and how God saved her 35:30 – The power of Faith 40:31 – The true meaning of prayer 47:42 – Why is prayer important? 50:18 – Things you can do to hear God’s voice 54:32 – What you need to know about the ‘ROAR’ community 1:02:45 – Why is it called ‘ROAR’? 1:05:35 – Where you can go to connect with Dr. Ron and Johanna Eccles 1:12:02 – The power of praying anywhere, anytime   Resources: ROAR on FB ROAR on IG   Connect w/ Johanna: Facebook Instagram   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textCBD oil has not only sparked some pretty intense debates among the general population, but it has also piqued the curiosity of individuals who want to know more about this product and if in fact, it has any real benefits with respect to their health and wellness. With the impact CBD oil is making, as far as being utilized in alternative therapies for everything from pain management to alleviating cancer-related symptoms, Mike Westerdal sat down with our own in-house Holistic Health Practitioner Tonya Fines to talk about just how CBD is being used and what claims are being made about its effectiveness, if any at all.    "Is this something that can have a tremendous benefit to people's health and pain management, absolutely." -Tonya Fines   Time Stamps 0:25 – What is CBD? 3:04 – What forms does CBD come in? 5:52 – What are the benefits of CBD Oil? 11:08 – Things to consider before taking CBD 17:57 – CBD dosage: How much should you take? 19:49 – What are the side effects of CBD Oil? 22:36 – Coaches Mike Westerdal and Tonya Fines share final thoughts on CBD Oil   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textBen Greenfield, by his own description, was a complete NERD. President of the chess club, played violin for 13 years, wrote fantasy fiction, and spent most of his childhood years with his nose in a book. Well, it certainly paid off and has led to a few decades of excellence. At one point in his incredible fitness journey Ben’s been a collegiate tennis player, volleyball player and center in water polo, top-ranked amateur triathlete, 12x Ironman, and even a competitive bodybuilder. His resume is filled with too many accolades to list and in 2008 he was recognized as America’s top personal trainer. As one of the most respected Biohacker’s in the world and co-founder of Kion, Ben now creates step-by-step solutions—from supplements and fitness gear, to coaching and consulting, to education and media—for the world’s hard-charging, high-achievers to live truly limitless lives with fully optimized minds, bodies, and spirits.   "I've changed my purpose statement. And my purpose statement is now to read, write, learn, teach, sing, speak, compete and create in full presence and selfless love to the glory of God." -Ben Greenfield   Time Stamps 0:25 – Welcoming today’s special guest on ‘Strong By Design’ podcast 3:30 – Get to know Ben Greenfield more 6:49 – Ben Greenfield shares the challenges he encountered in his life 9:22 – What is Biohacking? 15:00 – Ben Greenfield talks about his new book, ‘Boundless’ 20:02 – The importance of spiritual disciplines 24:58 – How to find your purpose in life? 30:24 – Why it’s important to have a personal purpose statement? 35:41 – How to help your kids develop a sense of purpose 39:04 – Breathwork: What it is and what are the benefits? 46:04 – How to develop a relationship with your breath 48:43 – Ben Greenfield shares what a typical day looks like for him 53:35 – Connect with Ben Greenfield through his official websites   Resources: Ben Greenfield Fitness Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast Show KION (use code BGF20 to save 20%) BoundlessBook.com   Connect w/ Ben: Instagram Facebook YouTube   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textAre you fit for the kingdom? Pastor, podcaster, personal trainer and holistic health coach Trent Holbert joins the Strong By Design show from the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina. Trent is doing some amazing things for God’s kingdom and approaches his ministry in a holistic way focusing on the spiritual, physical and emotional health of his congregation. This holistic mindset provides his church a balanced message of hope and accountability that many children of God will not hear on Sunday morning. Coach Chris Wilson hosts and questions Trent about this ‘Whole Person’ approach to our walk with God.   Time Stamps 0:25 – Welcoming today’s special guest 2:36 – Get to know Pastor Trent Holbert and his ministry 5:49 – Pastor Trent Holbert recounts what it’s like growing up with a strong belief in God 10:42 – Keeping the Faith in college 14:55 – Why young families return to church 21:08 – Pastor Trent Holbert recounts the early days of his pastoring 25:51 – What led him to embrace a holistic approach in ministry 32:32 – What does the Bible say about taking care of our health? 42:26 – How Pastor Trent Holbert’s ‘The Fit For the Kingdom’ podcast started 49:41 – Where you can go to connect with Pastor Trent Holbert   "I became very frustrated. There was a people in our community that wasn't being reached." -Trent Holbert   Resources: Fit for the Kingdom Podcast Show Trent Holbert Fitness – Official Site   Connect w/ Trent: Facebook Instagram YouTube   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textEating disorders and body dysmorphia plagued her for years. A classically trained dancer, Maura Vega experimented with vegetarian, paleo, and IIFYM to maintain her beautiful curves.  But it wasn’t until she started following a ketogenic lifestyle that she was finally able to heal her body and repair her metabolism as well as her mind and her relationship with food. Maura started Keto in June of 2016. After a 2-year battle with Postpartum Depression, following the birth of her youngest child she has been keto for almost 3 years now.  Not only have her symptoms of depression been drastically reduced, but her anxiety also. Holistic Health Practitioner and host Tonya Fines sits down for this candid conversation with Fat Fueled Mom Maura Vega.   “I feel the best I’ve ever felt and it continues to get better. Seeing how impactful this lifestyle can be on our bodies, I decided to help transition my children to this healthy way of life in hopes that it would relieve them of some of the ailments they had.”  -Maura Vega   Time Stamps 0:25 – Welcoming our special guest 2:15 – Get to know Maura Vega of ‘Fat Fueled Family’ 5:31 – Maura Vega shares their family’s journey with keto lifestyle 10:33 – Is the keto lifestyle difficult to stay on? 12:13 – Diet vs. lifestyle change: What’s the difference? 17:21 – How to incorporate intermittent fasting on a keto lifestyle? 23:59 – Maura Vega on how long it takes to notice results on the keto lifestyle 29:04 – Then vs. Now: Keto diet resources and recipes 32:41 – What is the typical family dinner for the Vega household? 36:10 – Connect with Maura Vega through her social media channels, ‘Fat Fueled Family’s’ official website and podcast 37:48 – What’s inside ‘Fat Fueled Family’s’ website?   Resources: Fat Fueled Family Podcast FFF on Facebook   Connect w/ Maura: Facebook Instagram YouTube   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textThe power of life or death can literally come from our mouths. Words can either kill or be life giving. As it says in James 3: 9-12; "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Pastor and close friend JP Poirier sits down with Mike Westerdal and Samantha Harrison. He has a powerful message about how the words we use nourish the soul and spirit or can lead to destruction. We have the choice to produce fruit or poison with them.   “I can sit in a room with somebody for 10 minutes and I can break down their lives, where they're at, where they're struggling just by 'how' they're talking to me.” -JP Poirier   Time Stamps 0:25 – Welcoming our special guest 2:10 – Who is this untamable beast? 6:02 – The importance of watching what you say 12:40 – The danger of labeling yourself and others 16:58 – How music affects the way you think and speak 20:30 – Why the way you talk to your child matters 23:06 – What does the Bible say about cursing? 28:07 – How parents’ love shapes a child’s future 32:48 – The importance of being aware of your surroundings 35:06 – Reprogramming the tongue 38:55 – Benefits of reading God’s word 43:48 – The power of positive self-talk 46:25 – Is it possible to tame the tongue? 49:57 – Where you can go to connect with Pastor JP Poirier 50:24 – The power of words   Resources: The Holy Bible   Connect w/ Pastor JP: Facebook Instagram   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textIs the ‘American Dream’ the same for everyone? I think most of us agree it’s not. And things need to change. People of color in America today are hurting and the murder of George Floyd may have finally gotten people’s attention. This special episode of the Strong By Design podcast features two men of God. Christian brothers. Kingdom minded black men that are willing to share their story to help white America see the world through their lens. It’s time to listen. Thank you, David Mills and Brown Charite, for your honesty, passion, character and willingness to share.   "I see the pain and it just creates sadness. That's the overwhelming word that just pushes on me." -David Mills   Time Stamps 0:24 – Welcoming our special guests 1:29 – Get to know David Mills 3:00 – Brown Charite shares a little bit about himself 6:49 – David Mills and Brown Charite share thoughts on recent protests and racial tensions 18:16 – David Mills and Brown Charite talk about the other groups of protesters with malicious intent 20:57 – The long history of police brutality against black people 25:10 – The role of the president in achieving equality and justice for Americans of all colors 28:41 – Brown Charite shares personal experience with racism 36:52 – David Mills recounts son’s own experience with racial discrimination 40:25 – What is the Christian response to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement? 45:43 – What is systemic racism? 1:00:11 – Who do we belong to? 1:06:30 – Religion vs. relationship with God 1:13:55 – The significance of ‘2 Chronicles 7:14’ in today’s world 1:16:42 – The role of the church in overcoming systemic racism and injustice 1:18:40 – Closing prayer   Resources: TOP BOOKS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION & RACISM The Holy Bible   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textDo you know the largest muscle in the body? How about the strongest muscle? These questions and many more in the areas of exercise and nutrition will be answered in this special Fitness Jeopardy Team edition.  Plus, as a surprise, a splash of 80’s music trivia for a fun twist. Get to know the men and women of Critical Bench in this lighter side of Strong by Design and have some much-needed laughs!   "I think there was some interference, it was rigged." -Mike Westerdal   Time Stamps 0:25 – Welcoming today’s guest on ‘Strong By Design’ podcast 2:07 – Instructions for playing ‘Fitness Jeopardy’ 6:10 – What is an exercise that begins in a pushup position followed by a leap in the air? 7:14 – What is the chemical your body produces during/after exercises that makes you happy? 9:18 – What is the main source of energy? 10:10 – Identify the muscle located on the upper arm that functions to rotate the forearm and flex the elbow 12:10 – What is the largest muscle in the upper body?   13:44 – What is the diet that denies the body of food for a long period of time? 14:18 – Name the strongest muscle in the body due to its ability to exert the most pressure 15:22 – What is the name of a muscle that pulls in a single direction with the most amount of force? 17:41 – What is a popular drink that contains only 1-2 calories? 18:10 – Identify the movement done by moving from standing position to a seated position and then back to standing 18:34 – What is the name of the exercise that deliver blood and oxygen from the heart and lungs to the working muscles? 19:47 – What is the scientific term for an exercise that involves quick bursts of energy? 20:17 – What is an exercise performed from a plank position, drawing one knee up toward the chest then returning it to place, while repeating the movement with your other leg? 21:05 – What is the scientific name of an exercise that increases your heart rate? 22:30 – Identify the exercise that begins in a plank position, then lowering your body to the floor and back up to high plank 23:03 – It refers to the ability of a muscle to continue to perform without fatigue 23:30 – What is the most concentrated form of energy? 24:04 – What is the largest muscle in the human body? 24:38 – What kind of vitamin comes from the sun? 25:42 – Announcement of winner   Resources:  5 Ways to Become Tough as Nails   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textThe human immune system is a very complex and incredibly intelligent system in the body. It has many parts to it that all work together to fight infection and disease in the body. In this eye-opening episode of Strong By Design Coach Chris Wilson sits down with Holistic Health Practitioner Tonya Fines to discuss just how amazing this defense system truly is. If you’ve ever wondered about the difference between bacteria and viruses, gut health, germ contamination or boosting your immune function, you’re in for a real treat!   "If we change nothing, nothing changes. These little things that we're doing add up to massive big changes in lifestyle." -Tonya Fines   Time Stamps 1:28 – What is a holistic health practitioner? 3:20 – Overview of the human immune system 9:22 – How does the immune system work? 12:41 – Small steps to help your immune system 18:54 – Is it possible to boost your immune system? 24:47 – The importance of getting to the root cause of disease 32:55 – Bacterial vs. viral infection: What’s the difference? 40:40 – How to keep your immune system healthy 47:06 – How water can boost your immune system 49:54 – The importance of good personal hygiene 52:05 – Effects of regular exercise and quality sleep on immune function 56:18 – Social distancing: Why keeping your distance helps keep others safe 1:00:15 – How stress affects your immune system 1:02:37 – Dry brushing: What it is and what are the benefits? 1:05:06 – Tips to keep your immune system healthy while traveling 1:09:53 – Learn more about 3-Day Immune Boosting Protocol   Resources: StrongByDesignImmune.com   Connect w/ Tonya & CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com