Pursuing Health

As Vice President of Performance Science at WHOOP, Kristen Holmes drives thought leadership by engaging with industry leading researchers and partners to better understand individual, team, and organizational biometric and performance data across high stakes verticals. Before joining WHOOP in 2016, Kristen was the Head Field Hockey Coach at Princeton University where she was one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history, having won 12 league titles in 13 seasons and a National Championship. Kristen was a 3x All American, 2 x Big 10 Athlete of the year at the University of Iowa competing in both Field Hockey and Basketball and recently inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2021 and was a 7-year member of the U.S. National Field Hockey Team. Kristen blends her academic and applied background in athletics, coaching, performance technology, psychology, and exercise physiology to drive research, partnership, and product development initiatives to strengthen WHOOP as a leader in Human Performance. She holds a Masters in Psychology and Sports Performance from the University of the Rockies and is a PhD candidate in Psychology at the University of Queensland.   You can connect with Kristen and WHOOP via Instagram @whoop @kristen_holmes2126   Related Episodes: Ep 221 - Using Wearables to Improve Health, Recovery + Performance Ep 224 - What is HRV?   If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week.   Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Mark England is a TEDx speaker and co-founder and head coach of Enlifted. He has been researching, coaching and presenting on the power of words and stories for the past 15 years. Mark holds a Masters degree in education and was an elementary school P.E. teacher before getting into personal development.  Through his coaching program and his public speaking engagements, Mark gives athletes and professionals the tools they need to translate their inner conversations to take control of their lives and perform their best. You can connect with Mark via his website, his podcast,  or Instagram @enliftedcoaches, and you can listen to his TEDx talk here: Identity vs. Process: Reinterpreting Failure. Related Episodes: Ep 101 - Building a Champion Mindset with Dr. Joe Janesz Ep 84 - Chasing Excellence with Ben Bergeron If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Roger Boyer II, PhD, is an American citizen, Canadian citizen, and a citizen of the Anishinabek Nation, which is an Indigenous nation of 1.7 million people that stretches across parts of Canada and the American Midwest. In addition to his work in Indigenous healthcare as a director of comprehensive primary care, and involvement in other numerous healthcare improvement initiatives, Roger is the leader of CF Indigenous, a project aimed at cultivating a community of Indigenous CrossFit athletes. Canadian Indigenous suffer from chronic disease at rates far higher than the national average, and Roger himself was once in danger of becoming part of this statistic.  In 2017, he weighed nearly 400 lbs and was prediabetic and prehypertensive. Since starting CrossFit, Roger has lost over 150 lbs and seen numerous health improvements.  He believes CrossFit can be a catalyst for positive change within Indigenous communities, and through CF Indigenous he hopes to make CrossFit more accessible to other potential CrossFit athletes and coaches. You can connect with Roger and CF Indigenous via Instagram @cfindigenous or Facebook. Resources: Indigenous CrossFit Level 1 Scholarship Fund 215 Honor WOD Related Episodes: Ep 88 - From Hypocrite to Advocate: Rebecca Blonsky Ep 147 - Deborah Cordner Carson on Cancer, Racism, and Speaking Up If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Motivation isn’t enough to create lasting behavior change. The secret to success?  Focus on consistency.   In the words of behavior scientist BJ Fogg, Ph.D., it’s important to “make the habit so tiny you can do the baseline habit on any day.”   Dr. Fogg is the author of the New York Times bestselling book “Tiny Habits” and the director of the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University. He has spent over 20 years researching and teaching insights about human behavior with a special focus on health and productivity. Dr. Fogg and his colleague, Stephanie Weldy, M.Ed., recently joined me for a live Q&A-style webinar hosted by CrossFit Health which I’m sharing here.  We had a great conversation focused on why celebrating small habits is the key to creating huge transformations.  You can connect with Dr. Fogg via his Instagram (@bjfogg) Other ways you can learn more: Tiny Habits book on Audible Free 5-day Tiny Habits Program Behavior Design Bootcamp Tiny Habits Coach Certification Program   Related Episodes: Ep 91 - Mind Over Matter: Improving Performance in Athletics and Beyond with a Sports Psychiatrist Ep 257 - Motivational Interviewing for Behavior Change with Stephen Rollnick, PhD If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Caffeine: It’s likely the most widely used mood- and performance-enhancing drug. However, have you ever noticed that some people are wired all day from one cup of coffee in the morning while others can drink it right before bed? The CYP1A2 enzyme is largely responsible for caffeine metabolism, and our genes may give some information about our individual response. Interested in harnessing the performance-enhancing benefits of caffeine? Mark Goodman, MD, recommends you start by eliminating regular caffeine consumption. Then you can reintroduce a small amount approximately 60 minutes before your workout to observe its effect on your performance.  Experiment with timing and dosage, and keep in mind that some individuals might experience a neutral or even negative effect, so it may take a few trials to find the best formula for you. To learn more about CrossFit Precision Care and how to get involved as a healthcare provider or patient visit care.crossfit.com. If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

The average American spreads their food consumption out over 15 hours a day, which basically means they’re eating from the time they wake up until the time they go to bed and fasting only during sleep. Increasing this fasting window by even just a few hours can provide a multitude of health benefits, (1, 2, 3) including: Decreased rates of obesity Improved blood pressure Decreased insulin resistance Better lipid profiles Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease Decreased cancer risk Decreased inflammation These benefits are seen with many different fasting practices. With time-restricted feeding, for instance, an individual eats for only a portion of the day, say 8-12 hours, and fasts the remainder of the day. Periodic prolonged fasting, on the other hand, ranges from as little as 24 hours to up to 3-5 days during which an individual is consuming only water. Keep in mind that fasting isn’t for everyone. Those who have a history of disordered eating or diabetes, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are participating in high-volume training should all consult with a doctor before fasting. However, if fasting is right for you, it can be a small, easy-to-implement change that can have a significant positive impact on your health. To learn more about CrossFit Precision Care and how to get involved as a healthcare provider or patient visit care.crossfit.com. If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

It’s a familiar scenario: Your client understands what they need to do to improve their health, and yet they just can’t seem to consistently follow through on eating right, exercising more, getting quality sleep, etc. Enter motivational interviewing, a way of conducting conversations about change to strengthen clients’ motivation and commitment. Dr. Stephen Rollnick is a pioneer in the field of motivational interviewing and has spent much of his career researching and developing effective methods for helping people resolve difficult behavior change. He recently joined me for a live Q&A-style webinar hosted by CrossFit Health with a focus on how motivational interviewing can help clients and patients achieve their goals. Join me live for next month’s webinar on April 22 at 6p ET/3p PT.  I’ll be chatting with Dr. Alessio Fasano about gluten and the microbiome.  Keep an eye out on CrossFit.com for registration details. You can connect with Dr. Rollnick via his website. Dr. Rollnick is offering a 25% discount to the CrossFit Health community on his book Motivational Interviewing as well as 50% off the online course Motivational Interviewing in Healthcare (use code MICROSSFIT)   Resources mentioned in the episode: Coaching Athletes to Be Their Best: Motivational Interviewing in Sports (Applications of Motivational Interviewing), Stephen Rollnick Finding Your Way to Change: How the Power of Motivational Interviewing Can Reveal What You Want and Help You Get There, Allan Zuckoff Related Episodes: Ep 84 - Chasing Excellence with Ben Bergeron Ep 91 - Mind Over Matter: Improving Performance in Athletics and Beyond with a Sports Psychiatrist If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

It probably comes as no surprise that alcohol has a negative impact on sleep quality, but why does something that seems to help you drift off actually turn out to be problematic? Mike Stone, MD, shares two main reasons why alcohol and sleep don’t mix: Alcohol disrupts normal sleep architecture, leading to nighttime waking and reduced sleep quality. Alcohol suppresses REM sleep, which is critical for learning and memory. For an eye-opening experiment, try using a wearable sleep tracker and observe the results.  You’re most likely to notice decreased HRV, increased resting heart rate, and decreased REM sleep. Still want to enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine?  Dr. Stone suggests these strategies to help mitigate the negative effects of alcohol consumption: Minimize the total amount of alcohol you consume. Keep your alcohol consumption earlier in the evening, further away from sleep. Use a sleep tracker to run experiments and determine which types of alcohol and what circumstances result in the smallest impact possible for you personally. To learn more about CrossFit Precision Care and how to get involved as a healthcare provider or patient visit care.crossfit.com. If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Jacki Hillios, Ph.D., is Deputy Executive Director of The Phoenix, an addiction recovery program that uses physical activity and community friendships to support members on their sobriety journey. In her role, she focuses on oversight and leadership in program design, implementation, evaluation, and expansion.  Jacki is a former clinician who worked with youth and families struggling with mental illness and substance-use disorders. Since joining The Phoenix in 2006 she has helped expand the model to 22 states and over 40 communities across the country.  In this episode, we discuss the amazing outcomes The Phoenix is seeing amongst their members and how CrossFit affiliates and other supporters can get involved. You can listen to Jacki’s Tedx Talk here. You can connect with the Phoenix via their website or Instagram (@riserecoverlive) Related Episodes: Ep 67 - Sobriety Through CrossFit: Brain Reap Ep 71 - The Sugar Free Revolution with Karen Thomson If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

“We like to say heart rate variability is the range of motion of your nervous system,” Lindsey Mathews, DC, says. Put another way, heart rate variability (HRV), or the variance in time between the beats of your heart, can provide insight into how your body is responding to the many different stressors in life. This is a valuable tool to help guide women’s training through pregnancy and postpartum. When HRV is low, it opens up a conversation on what other life stressors are going on and indicates a need to reduce training load.   When HRV is stable or trending upwards, pregnant and postpartum women can use it as an opportunity to push training a little bit harder within the parameters of what is safe for their pregnancy. HRV values are individually unique, but by establishing a personal baseline, women can bring awareness to how different lifestyle factors impact their physical readiness. They can then use this knowledge to inform training throughout their pregnancy and postpartum. To learn more about CrossFit Precision Care and how to get involved as a healthcare provider or patient visit care.crossfit.com. If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.