Abel James Show

Are your training methods preventing injury or causing them? Why do some athletic pursuits lead to disordered eating, orthorexia, and body image issues?  As the years tick by, how can we move the goalposts to make sure we’re training for the right reasons? One of my favorite things about hosting this podcast for the past 12 years is the chance to revisit with guests in different stages of their lives.  Long time listeners first met my friend Chaz a little more than a decade ago.  Chaz Branham is a venture capitalist, athlete and lifelong health nut, who you may remember back in 2013 entered in the Texas Shredder Classic, his first bodybuilding competition, on a dare—and did ridiculously well and even earned a spot on the podium by using a fat-based approach (quite unique at the time). This dude is a life-long athlete and beast. Back then in his mid-twenties, Chaz was fresh off his first bodybuilding competition, where he achieved an astonishing 3.5% body fat naturally and earned his place on the podium. Now in his late 30’s, it’s fascinating to examine how our lives and goals have changed.  On this episode with Chaz, you’ll discover: How Chaz navigated body image issues and disordered eating patterns following a successful bodybuilding competition How to adjust your training and goals in the face of serious injury Why some ultra-marathoners show no signs of degeneration or injury after a lifetime of running What it’s like to experiment in the Wild West world of peptides And much more… Read the show notes: https://fatburningman.com/chaz-branham-how-to-overcome-catastrophic-injury-with-the-eldoa-method/  Join The Wild Guild and get freebies on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abeljames  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fatburningman  Like the show on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatburningman Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fatburnman Click here for your free Fat-Burning Kit: http://fatburningman.com/bonus

Are you a nose-breather or a mouth-breather? I sat down for lunch recently with a few old friends, and one of them asked: “Abel, what is the most underrated performance hack in health and fitness?” I said without hesitation, “nasal breathing.” When you learn to harness the power of the breath, you can rewire your entire nervous system, which has vast implications for your health, performance, and even your personality. The state of our nervous system directly impacts our quality of life and ability to enjoy life's challenges. Today we’re here with one of the OG’s of alternative health and natural movement, the creator of MovNat and Breathholdwork, our friend Erwan Le Corre. Erwan is known as the "Godfather of Natural Movement" and is author of "The Practice of Natural Movement."  No slouch, Erwan holds a US National Record in static breath-holding with a 7 minutes 29 seconds performance. His personal best breath hold currently sits at 8 minutes 03 seconds!  This episode is both practical and deeply existential, with questions like: “Are we spiritual beings having a human experience, or humans having a spiritual experience?” I hope you dig this one. On this episode, you’ll discover: How Erwan developed and practiced the ability to hold his breath for 8 minutes (!!!) Why hyperventilation leads to sympathetic dominance, which can be detrimental to well-being Why developing physical capability is a moral responsibility How to manage your mindset to become more resilient and thrive under stress  The physical, emotional, and mental consequences of breathwork How to achieve a state of peace, trust, and love through regulating your nervous system. Read the show notes: https://fatburningman.com/erwan-le-corre-rewire-your-brain-with-breathwork-and-natural-movement/  Check out and support Erwan Le Corre at breathholdwork.com  Join The Wild Guild and get freebies on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abeljames  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fatburningman  Like the show on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatburningman  Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fatburnman  Click here for your free Fat-Burning Kit: http://fatburningman.com/bonus  

Do you ever find yourself bottling up your emotions instead of speaking your mind? We all experience horrible feelings like anxiety, stress, inadequacy, doubt, and confusion, and most of us spend our entire lives trying to run from them.  In fact, research shows that many of us would rather withstand electrical shocks than sit with our own thoughts.  But our guest today reminds us that these painful feelings are not here to torment us. They are calling us into our next level of power.  We’re here with Dr. Julia DiGangi, a neuropsychologist, founder of NeuroHealth Partners, and author of “Energy Rising: The Neuroscience of Leading with Emotional Power.” Dr. DiGangi shows people how to harness the power of the brain to lead more satisfying and emotionally intelligent lives.  Dr. DiGangi completed her residency at Harvard Medical School, Boston University School of Medicine, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and has spent nearly two decades studying the connection between our brains and our behavior, working with leaders at The White House Press Office, global companies, international NGOs, and the US Special Forces.  On this episode, you’ll discover: Why scrolling on our phones is so addictive How to conquer doubt to become more confident Why it’s important to speak your mind instead of bottling up negative emotions Why our brains are obsessed with negative feedback How to transmute your emotional pain into power And much more…   Read the show notes: https://fatburningman.com/dr-julia-digangi-how-to-transmute-pain-and-trauma-into-triumph/  Check out and support Dr. Julia DiGangi at http://drjuliadigangi.com/  Join The Wild Guild and get freebies on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abeljames  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fatburningman  Like the show on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatburningman  Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fatburnman  Click here for your free Fat-Burning Kit: http://fatburningman.com/bonus  

If you didn't have to worry about money, what would you do with your life?  Are billionaires actually happy? What are their deepest regrets?  And are tacos the best food in the entire universe?  Today we're here with our friend Noah Kagan, creator of 7 multimillion dollar businesses, founder and CEO of AppSumo.com, and author of the excellent new bestselling book, “Million Dollar Weekend.”  I hope you enjoy this interview. It's one of my personal favs. We're chatting about: How the Law of 100 can help you achieve and measure success Surprising lessons from asking billionaires about their regrets  How Noah got in the best shape of his life without grinding in the gym Why choosing to move to a place you love can dramatically change your trajectory in business and life Why it's essential to create a list of things to look forward to  Why you might want to double down on your quirks And tons more…    Read the show notes:  https://fatburningman.com/noah-kagan-why-failing-constantly-leads-to-epic-success/ Check out and support Noah Kagan at noahkagan.com Join The Wild Guild and get freebies on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abeljames  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fatburningman  Like the show on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatburningman  Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fatburnman  Click here for your free Fat-Burning Kit: http://fatburningman.com/bonus  

How can we feed our families nutrient-dense meals on a shoestring budget?  What are the hidden costs of cheap ultra-processed foods?  And what are the dangers of wiping out biodiverse ecosystems to make way for subsidized monocrops? (And what should we do instead?) I'm here today with Robby Sansom, co-founder and CEO at Force of Nature, a regeneratively sourced meat company based in our stomping grounds of Austin, Texas. Force of Nature works in partnership with land stewards, ranchers and farmers committed to creating a positive return on the planet.  We're chatting about:  How to feed your family high-quality food on a budget How “vegetarian-fed” labeling on chicken and pork is misleading you  Why killing “pest” species with insecticides and herbicides is actually destroying the entire ecosystem  The 6 key principles of regenerative agriculture And tons more…   Read the show notes:  https://fatburningman.com/robby-sansom-how-to-feed-your-family-on-a-budget-with-regenerative-foods/ Check out and support Robby Sansom at forceofnature.com Join The Wild Guild and get freebies on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abeljames  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fatburningman  Like the show on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatburningman  Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fatburnman  Click here for your free Fat-Burning Kit: http://fatburningman.com/bonus  

What's better carnivore, vegan or a cyclic ketogenic diet?  Does dramatically spiking your caloric load once a week actually lead to increased fat loss over time? And why are bodybuilders the most successful dieters in the world, no matter which diet they seem to follow?  Today we're here with Wade T. Lightheart and Matt Gallant. Wade is a Certified Sports Nutritionist Advisor, and three-time National Natural Bodybuilding Champion who competed in both the IFBB Mr. Universe and the INBA Natural Olympia. And Matt Gallant is a serial entrepreneur, and strength and conditioning coach with a degree in Kinesiology. Together they’ve coached 15,000 athletes around the world and created the new book “The Ultimate Nutrition Bible.”  If you want to experiment with alternative approaches to optimal body composition and achieve world class results, you're in the right place.  We're chatting about:  The surprising upside of spiking your calories once a week with a strategic refeed  The benefits of cycling a ketogenic diet  How to meet your nutritional needs if you are eating a vegan or vegetarian diet like Wade  Why enzymes are underrated, especially if you're not a spring chicken anymore And tons more… Read the show notes: https://fatburningman.com/wade-matt-why-bodybuilders-succeed-no-matter-which-diet-they-try/ Go to UltimateNutritionSystem.com/wild to grab your copy of the “The Ultimate Nutrition Bible” by Wade and Matt and you'll save 10% off. Join The Wild Guild and get freebies on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abeljames Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fatburningman Like the show on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatburningman Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fatburnman Click here for your free Fat-Burning Kit: http://fatburningman.com/bonus

You’ve likely heard the buzz around photobiomodulation, but can light exposure significantly improve sleep, recovery, and performance?  Well, there are more than 15,000 studies exploring photobiomodulation as a healing modality, but despite an abundance of research, the effects of light for our health has been largely overlooked in the past few decades.  Now we’re becoming more aware of how artificial light can disrupt our circadian rhythm, but certain wavelengths of infrared and near infrared light used therapeutically can also have profound positive effects on our performance and overall well being.  And as we’ll discuss today, the uses for near infrared light go beyond health, to explore deeper mysteries in our cosmos.  I’m honored to be here with Bjørn Ekeberg, author of the groundbreaking book "Metaphysical Experiments," and Co-founder and CEO of Recharge Health, the creators of the world's first targeted infrared therapy device—the FlexBeam.  This episode with Bjørn gets heady, you’re going to dig this one. We're chatting about: How to use near infrared light for rapid healing, deep meditation and down regulating our nervous system before sleep Why athletes are using red light for recovery How to counter the negative effects of artificial blue light  Why cosmology and our understanding of the nature of the universe is in a crisis How near infrared is used to peer deeper into the cosmos  And tons more…  Read the show notes: https://fatburningman.com/bjorn-ekeberg-near-infrared-and-red-light-therapy-for-performance-recovery/ Check out and support Bjørn Ekeberg at recharge.health Join The Wild Guild and get freebies on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abeljames  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fatburningman  Like the show on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatburningman  Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fatburnman  Click here for your free Fat-Burning Kit: http://fatburningman.com/bonus

How do ancient myths and legends shape our virtues?  What are the cognitive benefits of listening to and telling stories?  And what's the danger of outsourcing our creativity to artificial intelligence?  Today I’m honored to be here with the one and only Odds Bodkin, Master Storyteller in the Bardic Tradition, published author, educator, and award-winning recording artist who has been mesmerizing audiences since 1982.  I first saw Odds Bodkin perform more than 30 years ago in New Hampshire when I was about 7 or 8 years old, and I have never seen a better storyteller in my life. In fact, Odds was a big part of inspiring me to write and perform music as my first career. And to this day, Odds’ storytelling continues to captivate us on long road trips and we’ll often listen to his stories before bed, which is a wonderful way to spark vivid dreams, and far better for your brain than a Netflix binge. Odds is a world-class performer, deep thinker, and incredible person. He even brought his 12-string-guitar along for a live demonstration of storytelling and musical techniques. You’re going to love this one.  On this show with the wonderful Odds Bodkin, were chatting about:  The creative and cognitive benefits of listening to and telling stories The value of contemplating virtues in ancient myths for kids and adults Why modern superhero movies usually completely miss the point  Why we shouldn't outsource our creative minds to non-human tools, like ChatGPT and AI The dangers of the transhumanist movement to the future of humanity And tons more… Read the show notes: https://fatburningman.com/odds-bodkin-the-profound-creative-and-cognitive-benefits-of-storytelling/ Explore more from Odds Bodkin at oddsbodkin.net and oddsbodkin.substack.com Join The Wild Guild and get freebies on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abeljames  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fatburningman  Like the show on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatburningman Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fatburnman  Click here for your free Fat-Burning Kit: http://fatburningman.com/bonus

Does printing a cartoon character on the front of a box of cereal change the way that it tastes?  The answer is a resounding yes. Marketing has deep and profound effects on our perception, and food manufacturers use tactics like these to get us to crave, buy and consume more and more ultra processed food.  Returning to the show today is our friend, Shawn Stevenson, creator of the The Model Health Show, and USA Today National bestselling author of Eat Smarter and Sleep Smarter, as well as his new book, The Eat Smarter Family Cookbook. As usual, Shawn brings the heat. We're chatting about: Why we need to take back ownership of the word “science” How our environment influences our genes What happens when you put a cartoon character on processed food And much, much more… Read the show notes: https://fatburningman.com/shawn-stevenson-why-big-food-uses-cartoon-characters-to-manipulate-us/   Check out and support Shawn Stevenson at eatsmartercookbook.com   Join The Wild Guild and get freebies on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abeljames   Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fatburningman   Like the show on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatburningman   Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fatburnman   Click here for your free Fat-Burning Kit: http://fatburningman.com/bonus

Do you find that you're more easily distracted than ever? You're in good company. In the age of nonstop notifications, painfully short attention spans, and endless fear mongering and doom scrolling, sometimes it feels difficult to get things done. So are you ready to master your time, attention and productivity? Imagine what you could accomplish if you could stay focused and follow through on your goals, despite all the distractions of modern life. Now is the perfect time to harness science-backed strategies to break bad habits for good. I’m pleased to be here today with Nir Eyal, a business consultant and award-winning author, including his latest bestseller, “Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.” On this episode with Nir, we're chatting about: How to break bad habits and reduce wasted time How to use discomfort to your advantage How to master your time and attention Why that long to-do list could actually be hurting your productivity (and what to do instead) And tons more… Read the show notes: https://fatburningman.com/nir-eyal-how-to-break-bad-habits-and-use-discomfort-to-your-advantage/  For more from Nir Eyal, including his award-winning book "Indistractable," articles and more, go to NirAndFar.com. Join The Wild Guild and get freebies on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abeljames  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fatburningman  Like the show on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatburningman  Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fatburnman  Click here for your free Fat-Burning Kit: http://fatburningman.com/bonus