The Hard Way With Joe De Sena

It takes more energy to catch up than it does to simply keep up. This extra expenditure of energy ends up creating a greater deficit which in turn feeds the loop to fall behind yet again. This is simple physical conservation of energy theory. What happens with individuals on a psychological level is an entirely different story. The tendency is to attempt finding shortcuts rationalized as improved techniques, greater efficiency, or new moves etc… Where in our lives are we creating shortcuts to catch up when we should have been playing keep up? LESSONS: Gradual loss of capacity creates dangerous thought patterns to look for shortcuts Spend the time and energy now keeping up before you have to spend more catching up later   SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND Tosh: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Tosh on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tosh.crookedbutterfly/ CREDITS: Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion,llc. Host: Brian “tosh” Chontosh Show notes: Brian “tosh” Chontosh © 2019 Spartan  

Organic foods are generally more expensive than conventional foods because conventional foods often use substances to accelerate plant and animal growth, protect against insects or increase the scale of farming. These substances are certainly not part of the natural growth cycle of the flora and fauna that we eat. For flora, there are pesticides, ionizing radiation, artificial fertilizers and, yes, even sewage sludge. For animals, the substances include antibiotics and hormones. If any part of this long list of artificial means is used in the food on your table, it is not organic! But because it isn’t as easy as conventional farming, organic food can be difficult to find. And if you can find it, paying for it may give you a case of sticker shock. Moreover, some food that isn’t quite organic can still be pretty good for you. Being an organic farmer is a complicated business. There is a certification process and it can take a few years to transform a conventional farm into an organic one. But there are two caveats. A farm that is organic can be situated next to a farm that isn’t, thus possibly compromising the quality of its food. Conversely, because the certification process can be long and expensive, some farms that haven’t quite yet qualified as officially organic can have great food.You need to know where your food comes from and how exactly it was grown. Look into transit times of your food, too, because longer transit times results in both less flavor and fewer vitamins. Food processing procedures can introduce contaminants or reduce the healthiness of foods or meats, depending on the quality of the processing. Also, for fruits and vegetables, the thicker the skin, the healthier the food (usually). Pineapples are an example of a safer kind of conventional fruit. The “dirty dozen” Fruit and vegetables that have thin skin or soak up lots and lots of water: apples, grapes, strawberries, celery, peaches, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, nectarines, snap peas, tomatoes, and pears. If you’re going to eat these, go organic. Figuring out which foods to buy to better maintain your health can be a bit complicated, but a little education can go a long way. In addition to helping you to stay healthy, organic foods’ great taste and texture makes life sweeter and more enjoyable with every meal. Remember: “Health is Wealth”! KEY TERMS & IDEAS: Organic foods are generally more expensive than conventional foods because the conventional foods often use substances to accelerate plant and animal growth, protect against insects or increase the scale of farming. Organic food “is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.” (Medicine.net) In addition to how your food is grown, it’s important to know how it’s transported. Specifically, the transit times of your food – the time it takes to get from the farm to your grocer – also have an impact on nutrition. That’s because longer transit times results in both less flavor and fewer vitamins. LINKS & RESOURCES: “Frequently Asked Questions,” organic.org, https://organic.org/faqs/, accessed April 2019. M. Huber, et al., "Organic food and impact on human health: Assessing the status quo and prospects of research," NJAS-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences 58.3-4 (2011): 103-109, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1573521411000054, accessed April 2019. “Organic Agriculture,” USDA: Economic Research Service, https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/natural-resources-environment/organic-agriculture/, accessed April 2019. Melissa Stopler, “What is the Definition of Organic Food?” Medicine.net, https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_the_definition_of_organic_food/views.htm, accessed April 2019. Follow Dr. Nada on: Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nada-milo... Sage Tonic www.sagetonic.com Sage Tonic on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sagetonic/ SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppo... Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod CREDITS: Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Writer and Host: Nada Milosavljevic MD, JD © 2019 Spartan

Is your work or career just a job? Or, do you truly live the code, being a pro whether you are at work or not? LESSONS: If the culture at your work is about kindness and excellence, do you live this after the 9-5 hours are over? Excellence is a habit. Practice excellence, even when you’re not at work or when the cameras are not rolling. Joe DeSena is a Spartan whether the camera is rolling or not. He’s doing his burpees, carrying kettlebells, etc all the time, NOT just when cameras are rolling. You’re not trying to be perfect, you’re just trying to get better! Do the little things, at all times. LINKS: More about Zach https://zacheven-esh.com Read “The Spartan Way” https://www.spartan.com/en/race/learn-more/race-types-overview?article=the-spartan-way-book SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay   FOLLOW SPARTAN UP & Zach: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Follow Zach on Instagram https://instagram.com/zevenesh Follow Zach on Twitter https://twitter.com/zevenesh Zach’s STRONG Life Podcast https://apple.co/2vFaCv1   CREDITS: Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Host & Show Notes: Zach Even - Esh © 2019 Spartan

Our mind is a melting pot of different kinds of thoughts. Joy ones, excited ones, worry ones, hopeful ones, and, yes, negative ones. It is important to be aware of your own negative thoughts because denying they exist doesn’t make them go away - and in some circumstances doing just that only makes them grow stronger. And, at the same time, you want to be strategic about how you address them because if you give them too much attention they can grow and get stronger. Countering your negative thoughts with positive ones can be a useful strategy - whether you do this in your head or write it down in a journal. Also, work on trying to remove the judgment that you may be placing on top of the negative thought. We all have negative thoughts so to shame yourself or be self-deprecating because you have negative thoughts only makes things worse. LESSONS: Negative thoughts can arise in anyone at any given time. Being aware of your own negative thoughts can serve you when trying to implement strategies that decrease the thoughts. Try to identify your most prominent negative thoughts and counter them with positive thoughts, reality testing, or hopeful mantras. Remove judgment that you place on top of the negative thought and have compassion for yourself. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND DR. L: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Dr. L on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drlarapence/ CREDITS: Production Team: Heather Knox, Knox Creative; Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Host: Dr. Lara Pence Synopsis: Dr. Lara Pence © 2019 Spartan

Fran Martinez tragically lost his son to an undiagnosed illness when he was an infant. In the beginning, the pain seemed too much to bear. In the midst of this his marriage ended. He ran from life and friends. Loving friends brought him back to society, got him exercising, and eventually he found Spartan Race. He realized the obstacle course was a metaphor for life. The community, the exercise, and overcoming those obstacles worked a kind of healing magic on him. Now his mission is to bring that healing to others. He has started Proyecto Daniel in Spain and the “Hero’s Heat,” to build a community for parents (now over 3,000 strong), to come together knowing they are not alone and to realize how strong they really are! Joe sat down with Fran at our Spartan World Championships in Morzine France for this powerful and moving interview. LESSONS Obstacle courses are a metaphor for life You are not alone when going through tough times Let people love you LINKS   This episode of Spartan Up is brought to you by Duke Cannon. Visit Dukecannon.com right now to get 15% off your first order with the promo code SPARTAN. Free shipping on orders over $35 TIME STAMPS 1:00 Interview begins with Fran & guest host/ translator Angel Sanz 2:00 losing his son 3:00 searching to push himself beyond the pain 4:00 wanting to “go” 5:00 his wife leaves him 6:00 friends pulling him out of depression 7:00 finding Spartan Race 7:30 Dukecannon.com break 9:30 letting other parents know they are not alone & are strong 10:40 the “Hero’s Heat” 12:30 letting people love you & loving yourself 14:00 Proyecto Daniel 14:45 Joe De Sena, Sefra Alexandra, Col. Nye & Johnny Waite discusses the interview SUBSCRIBE: YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow Spotify https://spoti.fi/2UOLnQx Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod CREDITS: Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Hosts: Joe De Sena, Sefra Alexandra, Col. Nye, Johnny Waite & guest translator Angel Sanz Synopsis – Sefra Alexandra | Seed Huntress Production Assistant - Andrea Hagarty © 2019 Spartan

Host Brian "Tosh" Chontosh takes a deeper look at the value of consistency. Everyone should take a moment to go back and dig into the definition of consistency. And on that note, appreciate the difference between consistency and persistency. If we look at consistency as harmony towards a whole and seizing opportunity when it presents it reframes how we may hold ourselves accountable towards failure and allowing it to take hold of us in a negative fashion.   LESSONS: Being consistent is not necessarily about routine Reframing who we view consistency will allow more room for life to happen Consistency is about seizing opportunity when it presents and creating opportunity when it seems unpresent   SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND Tosh: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Tosh on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tosh.crookedbutterfly/ CREDITS: Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion,llc. Host: Brian “tosh” Chontosh Show notes: Brian “tosh” Chontosh © 2019 Spartan

Processed foods are foods that are handled and altered in some way before they get to your pantry or refrigerator. The more harmless kinds of processing are things like cutting and peeling a variety of fruit and packaging those things as a “fruit salad.” The next step in processing is canning food, which can either reduce the nutritional content of food or introduce some unhealthy quantity of natural elements, like adding sodium. The next step is changing foods by chemically altering them. There are many reasons why these chemically altered foods are really bad for you. The most obvious is that they’re often full of chemicals! Even those lists of artificial ingredients on the food labels of heavily processed foods don’t reveal the whole story. Proprietary rights on secret ingredients, for example, allow food companies to omit a lot of details about what’s in their products. The term “artificial ingredients” can have several unnamed chemicals lurking behind it. Here are some other specific reasons why heavily processed foods can be bad: ● They often contain too much sugar and fructose syrup, refined carbohydrates and trans-fats. ● Lots of processed foods have refined grains like rice and white flour with many nutrients stripped out of the whole grains they came from. ● Competition between food manufacturers encourages creating foods that reward your brain in ways that are similar to drug addiction, leading to obesity. Reading labels can help, but it may be close to impossible to avoid all processing. One way to cut down on a lot of processed foods is to remember to avoid these things: ● Processed meats, like sausages, hot dogs and those you’d find in a deli. They’re linked to cancer and have lots of saturated fats. ● Mass-produced baked goods, which often have trans fats. ● Meals you can cook quickly often have too many sugars and salts along with lots of refined carbohydrates. ● Sodas have more sugars than you should ever have in a drink. Not all processed foods are bad. Things like peanut butter, yogurt, canned tuna and whole-grain cereals can be good for you. The key thing to remember is that most foods in our supermarkets that can’t be found in nature (like cheese puffs, pasta, muffins or gummy bears) have probably been processed in some way. Combine avoiding the worst effects of food processing along with adding whole foods whenever possible and you’ll make some significant improvements to your health! Key Terms and Ideas: Processed foods are foods that are handled and altered in some way before they get to your pantry or refrigerator. The more harmless kinds of processing are things like cutting and peeling a variety of fruit and packaging those things as a “fruit salad.” The next step in processing is canning food, which can either reduce the nutritional content of food or introduce some unhealthy quantity of natural elements, like adding sodium. The next step is changing foods by chemically altering them. While food labels list many ingredients of particular food items, a lot of important details can be left out. Proprietary rights on secret ingredients, for example, allow food companies to omit a lot of details about what’s in their products. The term “artificial ingredients” can have several unnamed chemicals lurking behind it. Not all processed foods are bad. Things like peanut butter, yogurt, canned tuna and whole-grain cereals can be good for you (but make sure to read the food labels on these items to double-check). LINKS & RESOURCES: Lisa Cantkier, “Refined Carbs: Are They Our Worst Enemy?” University Health News Daily, December 19, 2018, https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/nutrition/refined-carbs-worse-enemy/, accessed April 2019. Chris Gunnars, “Nine ways that processed foods are harming people,” Medical News Today, August 1, 2017, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318630.php, accessed April 2019. Chandra Johnson-Greene, “Processed Foods: 5 Reasons to Avoid Them,” University Health News Daily, June 4, 2018, https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/nutrition/processed-foods-five-reasons-avoid/, accessed April 2019. “Not all processed foods are unhealthy,” Harvard Health Publishing, June 2015, https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/not-all-processed-foods-are-unhealthy, accessed April 2019. Follow Dr. Nada on: Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nada-milo... Sage Tonic www.sagetonic.com Sage Tonic on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sagetonic/ SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppo... Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod CREDITS: Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Writer and Host: Nada Milosavljevic MD, JD © 2019 Spartan

Major (Retired) Scotty Smiley became the first blind active-duty officer in military history following a face-to-face confrontation with a suicide car bomber in Iraq in 2005. After his injury, Scotty’s faith led him to forgive his attacker and inspired him to rebuild his life while continuing to serve his country in the U.S. Army. His wife Tiffany's drive and support are an incredible model of partnership in resilience. He recently completed an Iron Man and was featured in the film "Beat Feat" LINKS: https://hopeunseen.com/ SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod CREDITS: Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Hosts: Joe De Sena, Sefra Alexandra, Col. Nye, Johnny Waite & Guest host Lonnie Mayne Synopsis – Sefra Alexandra Production Assistant - Andrea Hagarty © 2019 Spartan

Sweep the Sheds Comes from the book Legacy, a book written about the New Zealand All Blacks. In order to build a GREAT team, no individual can be too good for something, including sweeping the shed. LESSONS: "Sweeping the Shed" is a tradition that says that no individual is bigger than the team and its ancestors. This includes cleaning out the locker room after practice or a game. The All Blacks want a culture in which you leave your jersey better than you found it. You’re essentially “planting seeds” that will grow trees and fruits that you might never see. LINKS: More about Zach https://zacheven-esh.com Read “The Spartan Way” https://www.spartan.com/en/race/learn-more/race-types-overview?article=the-spartan-way-book SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay   FOLLOW SPARTAN UP & Zach: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Follow Zach on Instagram https://instagram.com/zevenesh Follow Zach on Twitter https://twitter.com/zevenesh Zach’s STRONG Life Podcast https://apple.co/2vFaCv1   CREDITS: Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Host & Show Notes: Zach Even - Eshf © 2019 Spartan

Anger is one of those emotions that few like to acknowledge and even fewer like to talk about. Either way, however, avoiding anger doesn’t mean that it goes away. In fact, the more you understand your anger the more likely you are to manage your responses appropriately and not be overcome by expression. It’s important to remember that anger is a normal emotion and, although it may be uncomfortable, it is neutral in nature. We also all experience and feel anger at various points in our life - denying your anger usually only makes it grow and become less easy to manage. LESSONS: Anger is a part of being human. Recognizing and understanding your anger gives you an opportunity to manage this feeling more appropriately. Use the right language when you are describing how you feel. It’s okay to say, “I’m angry.” You don’t have to water it down by using language like frustrated or annoyed. Give yourself permission to stop, pull back, take perspective, observe, and then choose the next right move for you when you are angry. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND DR. L: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Dr. L on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drlarapence/ CREDITS: Production Team: Heather Knox, Knox Creative; Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Host: Dr. Lara Pence Synopsis: Dr. Lara Pence © 2019 Spartan