The B.rad Podcast

  Deirdre is the Queen of Sacramento News with an impressive 20 year run as the morning anchor and particular feature reporter focusing on all things health. I met her many years ago, and have been on the morning news many times to promote books and events with her. Deirdre’s business is to create fabulously produced shows that tell a big story in quick three minutes, five minutes, or even 15 second sound bites. So, I wanted her to change gears with me, sit down, unwind and get talking about her fantastic journey that landed her in Sacramento and what’s kept her here ever since. When you hear Deirdre’s story, it will call to mind “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” She is a real go-getter and a very inspirational force of nature. The theme of the show? We couldn’t decide. I think we are both super-fast-moving types and hit many tangents and insights so you’ll have to listen and reflect and pick up on the themes that resonate with you. In a nutshell, we talk about modern media and how it’s changed with the influence of mobile technology and social media, the impact it has had on our careers and how we divulge information differently now. We also discuss how she continually finds herself in new and exciting opportunities by making sure to take advantage of propositions when they knock at her door. Sitting back, wishing and hoping for the good life isn’t what got Dierdre where she is. It’s been all about enthusiasm and pushing forward at any given turn. Her career-transforming role as the Special Olympics correspondent for dozens of Hearst-owned TV stations across America, and the fact that she has been to ten different Olympics over her life is just one example of the chances she honored for herself that took her life in an upward swing. We also talk about identifying which of Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies you are and accepting that in your career choice and daily routine. You can absolutely work with tendencies and weaknesses that are unique to your character to create a stronger you. Of course, we also talk about her new podcast called Dying to Ask. I dig this wild, fast-moving interview with Sacramento KCRA 3 News Queen @deirdreFitzpatrick1. She indeed asked some great questions, and we covered a lot of new ground relating to Speedgolf, the ketogenic diet, and cultivating a pure motivation for peak performance. Deirdre manages to do the early morning news, train for great endurance feats, and be a super mom to two kids, and we talk about how she manages to keep up with it all. We go off on a tangent regarding parenting idealisms and strategies, and what it means to be a modern-day parent. Did she get into a peak performance lifestyle through being born with a truly gritty and resilient nature, or did she develop these attributes through hard work and habit? How does this change the way you think of your day-to-day capabilities and what small changes can you make that could potentially have a huge effect? Deirdre proves that action creates momentum and you are going to get a powerhouse conversation from a bundle of energy and enthusiasm from this one! TIMESTAMPS: Brad introduces the star of Sacramento news/sports scene. [03:26] Deirdre describes her job as a TV news personality covering the Olympics as well as local news. [08:23] What is the personal routine? [14:00] University of Missouri owns an NBC affiliate. Deirdre took broadcast journalism there. [18:37] She explains how she progressed in her career from Des Moines to Sacramento . [22:41] It’s not an accident that you can do something well if you do it a lot. [28:58] She developed a stutter when her position required five straight hours of broadcasting. [29:05] Technology as evolved in the 20 years since she has done this. How has her job changed? [34:27] We are going to learn that not having stricter control on our kids’ media use is going to create fallout. [37:24] Trying to control a child’s life is a huge task.  They have to figure it out on their own. [38:59] Four tendencies (Gretchen Rubin) are obliger, upholder, the questioner, and the rebel. [48:37] Kids need boundaries. [54:54] Deirdre details her athletic experiences and how she uses it for reducing stress.  She has the resiliency gene. [56:29] Ask yourself: How do I want to do life? [01:03:41] We don't always get to the destination we set out for, but the journey can be what we make of it. [01:11:12] Make an effort, then evaluate what went wrong, and see what you can do better. [01:12:13] Deirdre’s favorite part of her job of covering the Olympics is doing the interviews with the athletes in the more obscure sports.  [01:14:52] The podcast Dying to Ask looks at people about the backstory of their approach to their goals. [01:19:02]  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Breather) We all know about the importance of working out. But what is equally important is how you exercise - otherwise, you could fall into the “overtraining” category, where you can seriously hurt yourself, and/or compromise your health. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I have dealt with this in the past enough to the point where I have finally learned my lesson! I even got totally fried for a period of 3-4 weeks just this past summer, due to a pattern of excessive exercise. Ouch! I’ve definitely had to adjust my routine from what it used to be. These days, the longest I’ll run is between 20 and 30 minutes - if I really want to go for it, I’ll go until I hit the 45 minute mark. I’ve also shortened the duration of my sprints, and I’ve made it a point to take longer rests in between (at least one minute long), as this helps prevent the cellular breakdown and destruction that occurs when you push it too far by trying to sustain maximum speed for longer than 10-20 seconds. It also allows me to improve my sprinting skills as I can do sprint workouts more frequently, although it is important to keep in mind that they should occur every 7-10 days - otherwise you’ll likely feel like crap! I used to wake up with really tight calves the day after a hardcore sprinting session - this went on for years! Then, I’d crash 24-36 hours later, and have no idea why….Well, it all makes sense now, as we know that performing high intensity exercise without taking adequate rest periods leads to cellular destruction. A by-product of this process is ammonia toxicity in the bloodstream, which is especially sensitive in the brain cells - definitely not something you want happening in your body! You want to walk away from a workout feeling energized, not fatigued and utterly depleted. Elated to no longer be waking up to tight calves, and feeling great after my sprint workouts, I started sprinting more frequently. Instead of every 7-10 days, it was when I felt like going again - and often, this was every few days. But over time, I started to feel the effects, most noticeably in my digestive system - which is often the first thing to be weakened by the effects of overtraining, as it increases your gut permeability. I certainly felt this stress on my digestion, and thankfully, I’ve kept track of my workouts in journals since the 70s! This practice has allowed me to easily identify what is going on in my body based off my (recorded) behavior, and man, did it come in handy here! Turns out, I had done 7 high intensity workouts in a period of 11 days. No wonder I was feeling so lousy! I share this story in the hope of illuminating the real consequences that come with overtraining and the importance of taking appropriate rest periods. Think of it as “borrowing from the bank.” When you’re overstimulating the flight or fight response, you will inevitably crash and burn at some point - it’s undeniable. So, listen to your body, and be careful not to overdo it. Try my practice of keeping a journal that details your workouts - this will make it easier for you to balance training and recovery. Learn from my mistakes: no matter how good you’re feeling that day, if you’ve already recently performed a high intensity workout, then it’s simply not worth compromising your health to do another one just because you think your body can take it. Rest and recovery is an integral part of the working out process, and needs to be taken as seriously as the workout itself if you want to be functioning at peak performance. TIMESTAMPS: Brad over-trained and suffered and learned from it. [05:52] When you perform high intensity exercise with minimal rest periods in between efforts, you are engaging processes of cellular destruction.  [08:09] After years of “great” workouts, Brad realized he was damaging his body. The first symptom was digestive tract discomfort. [10:09] Keeping a journal of workouts helped Brad analyze what was happening during his workouts. [14:10] Fight or flight response kicks in. so the stress hormones flood your bloodstream and enhance your function.  [16:31] During the overreaching phase is when you often experience performance breakthroughs, however it is an artificial high because your body is filled with painkillers (stress hormones)  [20:17] Using intuition is tricky because we have to distinguish between intuition and animal instincts. [23:31] An important part of planning your workouts is scheduling the rest and recovery. [25:22]Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My eye-opening conversation with this radical thinker continues, and we focus on an interesting subject, the future of athletic peak performance.   Back when Phil was working on his book, 1:59 he wrote about Eluid Kipchoge, and we start by discussing him and his Nike partnership, and why it is that Phil advises athletes to be careful when committing to sponsors.   In Phil’s mind, Kipchoge has not peaked yet as he is only 34 years old, so he poses the question: “What is going to be the nudge for Kipchoge?” for him to reach 1:59. Phil imagines that running barefoot would be the key to pushing him under the 2 minute mark, based off the fact that Kipchoge grew up running barefoot. This is what led him to develop the “spring mechanism” - when your (bare) foot hits the ground, the foot absorbs that gravitational energy, which is stored mostly in the tendons of the foot and the leg, and the body is then able to take that energy and convert it into mechanical energy.   “A bio-mechanical balancing act” is the term Phil has coined to describe athletes who deal with a huge amount of wear and tear on their muscles during training - even the people who train properly. The joints, bones, ligaments, and soft issue are all affected, but it is the muscles that bear the most weight (pun intended!) and therefore, need to recover. Phil uses the analogy of a race-car: if you never fine tune your engine, you simply won’t run as well. Similarly, he has always worked to help athletes balance their muscles, sometimes literally up until the moments before they started running - it’s that important.   As Phil explains, a lot can be learned by simply evaluating someone’s gait and posture - if you look at someone’s gait, and you see any irregularity, then you know it’s from muscle imbalance. The next step is to identify the cause of that imbalance, after which Phil will use biofeedback to correct it. When it comes to selecting the right practitioner you, Phil suggests going with someone who’s experienced with working with athletes and understands how diet affects the muscles. At the end of the day, he says, “I don’t care how you fix muscle imbalance as long as you actually correct it” and advises asking around and doing your research to figure out who does muscle testing.   When it comes to marathons, “People are slowing down, and they have been for decades,” Phil comments. This is obviously tied to a general increase in excess body fat, and Phil emphasizes that diet actually comes before training, as it greatly affects it. The bottom line is, “You cannot run away from a bad diet.”   Should we rethink the premise of certain endurance goals that have endured? Is it a young person’s game that begins to become unhealthy once we hit a certain age? Not at all, says Phil. Age is not the factor - it is the health and fitness level of the individual that matters most, but of course, there are always outliers in any field.   We examine the boundaries of intense workouts - how do you know when you’ve pushed it too far? - and Phil explains what muscle soreness signifies, as well as what you need to do in order to steer clear of pain, fatigue, and soreness. We then wrap up with why you need to prioritize warming up (it’s equal in importance to getting adequate protein!) and why you need to avoid synthetic vitamins. Regardless of how fit you are, your athletic goals, or age, you will surely benefit from this informative episode thanks to Phil’s amazing advice and truly extensive knowledge of the human body. TIMESTAMPS: Years ago, Dr. Maffetone predicted athletes breaking the 2 hour marathon record. [04:28] Phil asks how much are you going to let your sponsors dictate your public appearances? [07:31] Eliud Kipchoge grew up running barefoot.  How does performance change with shoes? [11:00] The wear and tear on the body primarily comes for the muscles. [14:06] If you look at someone’s gait and posture and see irregularity, it is because there’s muscle imbalance. [17:11] If there is muscle imbalance, what kind of practitioner does one want? [19:08] As a whole, except for the elite athletes, people running marathons are slowing down due to excess body fat. [21:04] Do we need to rethink our goals as we advance in years? [26:22] What about the explosive sports? [30:39] If you were a jock back in the day, are there some modifications that you would make to the training approach on account of being 50 or 60? [33:53] Having a great aerobics system is a requirement. [36:31] No pain, no gain? [41:37] How do you evaluate the intensity of a workout? [43:21] When you get sore, the muscle is weaker. [47:10] What you want to do is avoid pain, fatigue, and soreness. Here’s how. [51:55] You can train the brain to contract more muscle fibers. [54:59] People who put on a lot of bulk are not necessarily stronger. [58:32] Warming up before doing these exercises is important as well is getting enough protein.. [01:05:16] Synthetic vitamins can hurt. If your vitamin D is not at a good level, there’s no way you can perform, even if you do everything else right.  [01:07:10]  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Expanding on my show with Dr. Paul Saladino, “The Carnivore Diet to End Human Suffering, Challenge Your Fixed Beliefs, and Live a Radical Life,” I share details from the journey I’ve had so far experimenting with the carnivore diet.    It was just over two years ago that I ran into Danny Vega at Keto-Con in Austin, TX, who was raving about the benefits he was experiencing from the carnivore diet. However, at that time, I dismissed the idea because of my own fixed beliefs - doesn’t everyone know that fruits and vegetables are good for you? However, a lot has changed since then. I’ve done tons of research, and read some phenomenal success stories at Meatheals.com that show powerful health transformations occur when people cut out plants.   These days, either you have had extreme inflammation or an autoimmune disease, or someone you know has dealt with one, or is still trying to manage their symptoms. Acne, psoriasis, allergies, gastritis, arthritis, colitis, the list goes on...basically if you’re suffering from any kind of disease ending with “-itis” then you’re definitely dealing with some degree of gut permeability. So, how do you deal with that? Try going carnivore! Cut out plants - seriously. Of course, this is an odd idea to accept when you’re used to hearing about the wonders of greens all the time. However, the premise for going carnivore is centered around the fact that, for people who experience severe reactivity to the antigens in plant-food, removing plants from the diet has an incredible effect. When you read the testimonials from these people who’ve totally turned their life around from this simple dietary adjustment, it’s pretty hard to not want to jump on the carnivore bandwagon as soon as you can. Not only does it heal physical symptoms of autoimmune diseases, but followers report massive behavioral and cognitive changes too: ADHD, depression, anxiety, autism, even someone suffering from bi-polar disorder was able to get off her meds, all by simply eliminating plant food.   Obviously the carnivore diet is particularly enticing for anyone at their wits end, who’s just exhausted from trying to figure out what is wrong with them, and how they can help themselves. Most people who’ve come to the diet admit they tried it as a last resort, but the incredible benefits are what have kept them dedicated to it. However, even if you’re not suffering from terrible, debilitating autoimmune symptoms, this diet can still enrich your life and improve your health, because of what happens when you remove plants from your diet. The benefit of consuming plant food is the hormetic stressor it causes, right? But exercise is a hormetic stressor...and so is taking a cold plunge. My point is, why bother with the vegetables when you can rely on fasting and exercise as your source of stress on the body? The best anti-inflammatory response you can generate within your body is by fasting - no superfood or smoothie will affect your inflammation as well being in a fasted state. It’s all about efficiency - it’s not like our ancestors had access to food all the time. As weird as it sounds, starving a little does wonders for you.   So, I began my carnivore experiment, which went hand in hand with not consuming any calories till noon (thanks to my Fatty Popcorn Boy saga, I was already doing this). Have you ever cooked up some ground beef AND liver, then melted cheese on top? And then thrown in a few egg yolks in there too? Well, it’s certainly not a pretty, Instagram worthy lunch, but who cares when something this nutrient dense also tastes amazing? There are other options once you cut out plants - salmon is of course a classic staple, but what about one of my favorite things to buy from the grocery store, salmon eggs? Try fish eggs, try anything and everything that you, along with most people, used to ignore in the store: liver, organ meats. Sure, that stuff seems unappetizing or just straight up challenging to cook, but all you have to do is ask. Ask your butcher, reach out to people online - all the information is there for you. All you have to do is get over yourself and the old ideas you sometimes hold onto that can hold you back. This journey has led me to retiring my super nutritious breakfast smoothie, which happened to contain raw plant powder. Interestingly enough, I would often experience bloating and gas after ingesting this “super healthy” smoothie.    Sometimes when you embark on a new diet, it can feel extremely limiting. But experimenting with carnivore has had the opposite effect - it’s been an eye-opening challenge, with no deprivation in sight. In fact, it’s even given me a different perspective on things I used to eat, as well as the things I didn’t consume all that much - like fruit. After I started eliminating vegetables, I began enjoying the process of incorporating fruit back into my diet, especially eating the super-ripe fruit produced during the summer season. However, when winter comes, I won’t be eating much fruit. Why? Because our bodies are not genetically adapted to eat fruit during the winter, and since the quality of fruit is lacking then, why even bother? I’ll admit to being a dark chocolate snob, and now that I eat fruit, I’m a fruit snob as well. But in order to be healthy, you have to be a little snobby, meaning: you have to demand the best for yourself. The carnivore diet works so well because it forces you to focus on micro-nutrients, not macros. To think that I almost dismissed going carnivore because it contradicted my long-held previous beliefs!    I started this experiment as an already pretty healthy person, curious to see how this diet would impact me, and while I certainly have enjoyed the numerous health benefits, I have to say the best thing I’ve gotten out of going carnivore is that it’s allowed me to expand not only my palate, but most importantly, my mind. I’ll leave you with a Frank Zappa quote: “A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.” TIMESTAMPS: Brad tried the carnivore diet even though when he first heard about it, it didn’t align with his fixed beliefs. [03:51] If you have some problems with intestinal permeability and you make a radical transformation in your diet, you can get sort of a reset affect or a healing effect. [06:10] Lectin proteins can irritate the gut lining. We don’t need these plants to get an antioxidant response. [08:27] Fasting is the foundation of healthy living, longevity and everything else. [11:23] Brad’s experiment with carnivore diet went hand in hand with not consuming any calories until 12 noon. [14:31] Learn to partake of nose to tail meats. [15:40] Brad describes his carnivore diet experience. [17:31] It is difficult to digest raw plant material, even nuts. [20:09] Our biology is more similar to the animals and dissimilar to plants. [21:13] So many people have not learned that ditching grains from your diet brings remarkable positive changes in your life. [24:13] Switching from vegetable concentration to fruits is a new idea from Brad. [26:10] So nothing is written in stone. Learn what is nutritious and healthy for you and enjoy eating it. [31:21]  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Phil Maffetone is a legend in the world of endurance training, for he has been advocating for a healthy approach to peak athletic performance for decades, and finally getting his due for presenting the most sensible and effective way to train for extreme endurance goals. Dr. Phil has worked with some of the greatest endurance athletes in history, including triathlon legend Mark Allen, Mike Pigg, and Tim DeBoom. He was the first guy to call out the incessant use of sugary gels and drinks as lame and unhealthy, and advocate for the use of more nutritious fats to support fat burning during workouts. Phil’s other genius breakthrough was to tell athletes to slow down and observe their maximum aerobic heart rate during sustained cardiovascular workouts, for this would help improve fat burning efficiency and reduce the stress of the workout. Today, the “MAF heart rate” is endurance training gospel—  MAF being “maximum aerobic function,” but also an ode to Dr. Phil’s last name. Dr. Phil is a free-thinking individual who strives to second guess lame conventional wisdom while advocating for personal experimentation and intuition over the prevailing cookie cutter approaches to both fitness goals and traditional medical care. In this show, we get going on an assortment of topics relating to our constant exposure to manipulative marketing forces and sensationalist mainstream media. Consequently, Phil strives to exist in a bubble where you don’t consume mainstream media, barely knows what day it is, and is happier because of it.  You gotta dig this guy’s approach, and I for one try hard to emulate it. In fact, our first Skype podcast appointment came and went, not because I forgot about my long-awaited conversation with Phil, but because I forgot what day it was and played morning Speedgolf, instead of connecting with him early at his new home base of Florida.  Dr. Phil explains that the reason we are exposed to manipulative marketing practices is because advertisers know it works! We make decisions with our reptilian brain based on instant gratification, or we make decisions based on analytical processing — quite often over-analyzing or allowing the primitive brain to hijack the process. We are most receptive to considering new input or transformation when we have experienced pain and suffering. Notice how many people come to primal/paleo/low-carb/keto from disease conditions that couldn’t be righted with a traditional approach. Ideally, Dr. Phil argues, we would honor our instincts and intuition, and inform our decisions with personal experimentation, instead of succumbing to the cookie cutter approach that is the norm in both fitness and traditional medical care.  Dr. Phil is always good for some juicy sound bites, as he acknowledges that it’s essential to fight the daily battle against manipulative marketing and BS artists. A few tidbits: Physicians are no longer experts on diet, but they often believe that they are. Phil talks about the global “overfat” epidemic. Unlike visible obesity, being overfat is represented by an excessive waistline measurement. Strive for a waistline less than half of your height in inches. This will help you avoid the prevailing disease triad of chronic inflammation, carbohydrate intolerance, and insulin resistance. First step to health: Ditch refined carbohydrates (sugars, flour/bread products, sweetened beverages) for two weeks per the Maffetone “2-week test.” Then you can reintroduce natural carbohydrates back in (fruit, sweet potatoes, etc.) and see what you can tolerate without adverse symptoms. For many people with insulin resistance and decades of junk food consumption, keto might be warranted. And what’s with all this disparaging of red meat? FYI, chicken is the worst meat because it’s high in the inflammation-promoting arachidonic acid. And yet, people are still so fixated on the importance of eating “lean meat” like chicken. Thankfully Dr. Phil is here with the hard facts and a desire to expose the truth. Enjoy listening to this radically informative and eye-opening conversation with Dr. Phil, and check out his great articles and products at PhilMaffetone.com.  TIMESTAMPS: Dr. Maffetone talks about separating fact from opinion when one listens to interviews or reads about fitness.  [08:04] The experience of working with thousands of patients can bring information that might not be in a book. [12:08] One way our brains work is people are looking for instant gratification. [13:24] The analytical way the brain works brings you to a conclusion after much thinking. [17:15] One of the big problems we have in our society is people being overfed. [20:33] How do we get people to listen!! [23:17] There is a lack of consensus on things like diet and exercise and this causes people to be confused and not know who to listen to. [27:13] It’s all about money. [29:19] Much confused information about meats. [31:09] Many of the professionals we go to for advice are no longer experts and are influenced by the same articles and advertisers. [39:01] Dr. Phil is disengaged from media for a specific purpose: STRESS! [45:07] The answer to “What should I do?” is very personal. [49:36] Why are we all waiting around to go to a specialist when we could be more proactive? [50:51] What does he mean by “overfat”? [53:12] You can be normal weight and non-obese and still have excess body fat. [56:22] If we're concerned and we want to make some quick a redirection, turn things around, what would be the triad of things to do with our diet or our daily activity, physical exercise. How would you attack that? [01:02:35] When you eliminate the bad foods, our brains work better. [1:10:22]Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part 2 of this breather show, I dive even deeper into the topic of how to manage digital distraction and hyper-connectivity. I get honest about the shit that I struggle with by first acknowledging some things. This is the best way to heal and grow, because you heighten your awareness and give yourself a chance to do something about it.    One major thing I acknowledge we get a payoff (a dopamine hit) from receiving incoming stimulus. I acknowledge we then get another payoff from being helpful, giving advice or answers. The third hit comes from being focused and organized and getting our To Do List completed and our Inbox clean. This is good for the psyche, but obviously can be bad for productivity, as well as your overall stress level. Most of us can benefit from having a more focused and linear accomplishment of top priority goals and a more mindful approach.   Today, I see how the mobile device interrupts and corrupts live interpersonal interaction. Try to be aware of the intrusion, instead of just making it a given - at the same time, I hate being bored and wasting time, and I love to use technology to help me with a long drive or long line, so ultimately, it’s really all about balance.    I also try to remember the wise words of Tim Ferris, who says, “indiscriminate constant action” is a form of laziness. With his obsession with time optimization and systems’ efficiency in all areas of life, Ferriss strongly presses what a disgraceful waste of life it is when you find you’re repeatedly drawn to doing this:   “If you consistently feel the counterproductive need for volume and doing lots of stuff, put these on a Post-it note: Being busy is a form of laziness – lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.
 Being busy is most often used as a guise for avoiding the few critically important, but uncomfortable actions.
 Remember, what you do is more important than how you do everything else, and doing something well does not make it important.”    British author James Hewitt calls it the “cognitive middle gear.” You may be under the illusion that you are busy and productive, but you’re actually engaged in a string of medium-demand cognitive tasks that are a far cry from true peak performance. In an article on JamesHewitt.net titled, “The Attention Paradox,” Hewitt details the “interweaving tasks” of a hypothetical office worker’s day, with each quip validated by a footnote to actual research (we reach for our phones an average of 150 times per day, etc.) My favorite excerpt comes during a morning of conference room meetings, where the worker, “switches between checking his smartphone and replying to emails, while pretending to write notes on his laptop.” Ouch! But I can admit that I notice when I drift into this cognitive middle gear - usually when I’m tired or have been working too long. I find my attention is split, elsewhere, and I’m not really concentrating on my desired task at hand. When you feel your focus and attention is wavering, just simply identify what’s going on, and take a nap, or get moving.   My main suggestion that I can stand by is to carve out deliberate winning strategies that are dummy proof - this is very important. Put alarms and reminders on your phone to ensure that you aren’t just sitting there working for 5 hours straight! We’ve learned from brain research that we can only really focus on a peak cognitive task for about 20 minutes at a time before our attention breaks and we need to take our focus off the task at hand. Obviously, this poses a challenge because the world we live in is so hyper connected and technology driven that fighting digital distraction is something we must all work at daily. Taking a break should NOT be optional - it needs to be prioritized and even pencilled into your schedule if necessary. Taking breaks satisfies your brain and your body’s needs for movement and fresh air, gives you some rare distance from all your devices and screen exposure, while allowing your mind to rest and refocus. That’s why part 2 of this show is so essential: because by learning how you can stay truly focused in the face of so much overwhelming distraction, you can learn how to be as productive and stress-free as possible. TIMESTAMPS: What are the payoffs when we hear the ding of our phone?   [03:27]   It’s a highly stressful occupation to be on top of everything. [07:17]   Is it really a big deal when the absolute cutting edge of technology is not working perfectly?  [10:01]   Be aware of how the mobile device interrupts and often corrupts live interpersonal interaction, [12:15]   If we learn to use technology wisely, we can make our lives easier and simpler. [14:13]   Tim Ferris says, “indiscriminate constant action is a form of laziness.” [16:04]   You may be under the illusion that you’re busy and productive, but you’re actually engaged in a string of medium demand cognitive tasks that are a far cry from true peak performance. [17:25]   Take breaks. [19:23]    Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Luke busts out of the gate with a hilarious freestyle rap of the rich arrogant entrepreneur buying and sellin’ companies, houses, and private jets. After five minutes we catch our breath and get into an incredibly deep conversation that will get you thinking and reflecting on the importance of pursuing the highest expression of your talents and contributing to the community at large. The funny stuff at the start does set up some moral questions, because things are out of hand these days with the glorification of wealth, celebrity, entrepreneurism, and of course social media. Nothing against sharing the exciting moments of your lives on social media, but it’s critical to remember that, as Luke says, “We don’t post things that are uninspiring.”   Luke is a Renaissance man who has had a long career as a writer in the realms of health and diet, Hollywood, and even fiction. He worked together with his wife, Dr. Cate Shanahan, on the mega-bestselling tome for healthy eating called Deep Nutrition. He has also done some masterful work that no one knows about due to the nature of the ghostwriting profession. Luke offers some reflection on the commonly-cited mission statement to “be in service.” This is easy for people at the top of the mountain to say, and also believe sincerely. For the rest of us, we have to strike a constant balance between serving the community and looking out for our own needs and best interests. Luke strongly believes that being in a perpetual state of service can actually put you at a disadvantage, because you’re not out collecting “the flowers of experience” - which you need to do in order to have balance in your life. As Luke so beautifully puts it: “It is your obligation, on occasion, to be selfish....It is absolutely necessary to the respiration of your own relationship with yourself.”   Yes, Luke’s got mad wisdom to drop and this episode showcases how this supremely deep thinker can effortlessly weave in facts from history and philosophy into a discussion on serious, personal subjects such as relationships, parenting, and values. Listeners of all ages will be able to get something out of this enlightening talk with a truly engaging conversationalist and storyteller, and thanks to Luke’s intelligence and depth, endless curiosity, and unique perspective, it’s a particularly special one. Enjoy!    TIMESTAMPS:  Luke Shanahan is husband and co-author of Dr. Cate Shanahan. He and Brad, looking at some podcasts, satirize an interview with a bullshitter. [05:17]  More seriously, they analyze the difference between high-minded ideas and reality [13:32] The people who are happiest have a network of fulfilling relationships where they feel significant and they can give back. [17:27]  If you are always in service to others, you don’t get to collect your own experience. [20:10]  Language is powerful. What is its function? [26:24]  Parents who do everything for their kid, are not necessarily giving the kid a gift. [29:39]  Values are not something you carry around in a satchel since childhood. [31:44]  To improve yourself in an area, competing with someone just slightly better leads to growth-full change. [37:32]  We often test our values because we haven’t exercised them. [38:21]  Throughout this show, they are asking you to ask “what is the function?” [41:43]  Why do we take such big risks? [45:17}  We create icons so we can tear them apart. [46:30]  When Brad was a triathlete, he started out unsophisticated, but then began to take himself seriously. [48:13]  You are not your business. [50:28]  What is the function of ownership? [56:16]  No matter how much you are serving, you do have to remember to serve yourself. [01:02:11]  Luke describes a good example of a subtle power play. [01:07:53]  What do your values do to you?  [01:11:08]  When you take it when someone puts you down, or you do something you don’t particularly want to do, you are memorizing that you are not important. [01:14:19]  Live your values. [01:24:53]  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Breather) This is a pretty important topic, and it’s something we all deal with daily. I talk through some great articles on the subject and offer a bunch of personal insights about stuff I do well, as well as the stuff I really suck at! In part 1, I focus on the positive things I have going in my daily routine, and in part 2, I get into the stuff I struggle with, and ideas we can all use to make things better. This all started when I read a great article written by Nir Eyal for Medium.com. In this article, Eyal details how researchers say our ability to pay attention is equal parts focusing and ignoring. Irrelevant information bogs down our ability to suppress distraction, especially as we age. Ouch! So, in order to increase our ability to focus, researchers suggest both boosting our ability to concentrate as well as reducing distraction. How do you reduce your chances of being distracted?  Use one screen, one browser window, and one computer program at a time.  Keep your physical and virtual desktop tidy.    This one is key. The average American spends 2.5 days a year looking for lost documents. You don’t want to waste your time like that, especially when you can keep your space clean by putting in a little bit of time every week to ensure everything is organized.  What about increasing your ability to concentrate? Try:   Exercise, meditation, and spending time in nature may help boost cognitive control. Some cognitive exercises and immersive action video games also seem to improve our ability to focus.      Julie Morgenstern, author of the book Never Check Your Email In The Morning, told the Huffington Post that when you check your email (or notifications)  first thing in the morning, “you will never recover.” In other words, much like Harris explained in his post for Thrive Global, your focus is pretty much shot when you begin your day with your eyes glued to your phone — or, at least, your focus won’t be what it could have been, if you’d only started your day off differently. Morgenstern explained, “It’s hard to go from your transactional, shallow part of your brain, the frontal cortex, to the other parts of your brain where strategy happens and relationships happen. It’s easier to start in the deep recesses of your brain and go to the shallow parts.” Basically, Morgenstern is saying that your mind sort of goes all over the place when you scan your email or notifications as soon as you wake up, and it can leave you feeling directionless and overwhelmed as you move forward with your day. But if you start off with something important and focused in the morning, Morgenstern explained, you’ll be well on your way to feeling, as well as actually being more productive.  This show is filled with helpful tips and useful strategies you can employ in order to ensure your days are as productive and distraction free as possible. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to get sidetracked, so you must be deliberate about how you spend your time and prioritize tasks. For example, when you’ve got something you have to do, you should first consider how long that task will take. Is it five minutes? Three minutes? If it’s longer than 60 seconds, then just put it on your to-do list. Otherwise, that’s how you lose time. Five minutes here and there really adds up! Speaking of to-do lists, have you tried Evernote? I have been using this organizational App for some time now and I’ve found it extremely helpful for keeping my notes organized and easily accessible. Then there are the other things you can do to help yourself, like spending time in nature. As I explain in the show, spending time in nature improves our cognitive control. Even gazing at a large body of water prompts a powerful, calming parasympathetic response, because it allows you to finally relax. You don’t have to go to a lake or the beach during the work day – who has time for that? – but you can simply incorporate photos of natural scenery into your work environment. You can also use pictures of the mountains, a beautiful forest, or the ocean as your screensaver – either way, your body (and your brain) will still respond to the image as if it were really in nature. As I explain in the show, you need to be proactive about doing things for yourself throughout the course of your day that actually help you stay focused, and steer clear of the habits that steal your attention and mess with your ability to stay on task. Taking breaks, meditating, keeping on top of clutter, and being mindful about your email and social media usage – these are all essential to dealing with the distraction we all struggle with daily. Enjoy part one of this show, and we will dive even deeper into this topic of how to manage digital distraction and hyper-connectivity in part two next time.  TIMESTAMPS:  Get motivated to get focused and take action on the digital distraction problem. [05:17]  As we get older, we have less ability to filter out distraction. [07:40]  Brad highly recommends to stay on top of your digital world. [09:55]  The cloud is the safest way to organize your stuff. [10:49]  Looking at stuff cluttering around your house or desk provokes flight or fight reaction. [14:25] Exercise, meditation and spending time in nature may help boost cognitive control. [16:02]  Looking at artificial scenery such as your screensaver of the beautiful oceans and mountains and deserts, natural scenery or putting up a print in your office of nature has a similar response in the brain to being in real nature. [18:47]  Never check your email in the morning. [20:17]  You need to find ways to advocate for yourself and do something proactive even in your busy day. [26:37] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Switch the B.S. meter to the “on” position, and listen to the wise and powerful Dr. Cate (DrCate.com) address many myths and misconceptions about keto and other ancestral health practices on this hard-hitting show. Brad has avoided caffeine his whole life so he wouldn’t “fry his adrenals.” Dr. Cate calls BS. How about eating in the evening – that makes you store fat, right? Probably doesn't matter that much, says Cate. We know lots of conventional wisdom that has been shattered in recent years by thought leaders in alternative health like Dr. Cate, Mark Sisson, Robb Wolf, and the rest. Now it’s time to get further nuanced with Cate’s examination of some of the stuff even super cool progressive health folks might be stretching reality on.   One example is trying to go keto when you aren’t starting out as a healthy fat burner. Everyone talks about the “keto flu” as something to endure and tolerate on their journey to the promised land. This is simply not true. Of course, we get deep into Cate’s pet crusade against refined high polyunsaturated vegetable oils, called out as the single worst thing you can ingest. These toxic, highly reactive vegetable oils inflict damage at the DNA level immediately upon ingestion to the extent that Dr. Cate says they are, “literally no different than eating radiation.”  Speaking of vegetable oil, you can even generate ketones eating a crap load of toxic vegetable oils. You’ll get a keto gold star, and you’ll also feel fatigued and be inactive, and develop insulin resistance, fatty liver, and increase your risk of stroke. This may counter the recent popularity of “dirty keto” where you are “allowed” to eat a bunch of junk food as long as you hit the requisite macros.   Oh yeah, you know those headaches that happen during a busy, sugar crash burnout day? This pattern can become a serious matter whereby you suffer from frequent mini-strokes when your brain is deprived of oxygen due to overconsumption of carbs and the brains over-reliance on sugar. Prominent author Dr. David Perlmutter calls Alzheimer’s “Type III diabetes” due to the close association between insulin resistance and cognitive decline.   Good news shared by Dr. Cate is that you can reverse early brain problems and stroke risk by transitioning to a more nutrient-dense, lower sugar, and especially keto friendly diet. This is no funny business, as Dr. Cate offers the stat the typical western diet derives 66 percent of total calories from the big three main most offensive modern foods: sugars, grains, and refined vegetable oils. Dr. Cate is not afraid to call out entities like Harvard University for aggressively promoting nutrient-deficient diets for decades, spurred by corporate influences and the almighty dollar. This is highly disturbing, and greatly inspiring to take matters of health into your own hands.   Listeners, you can’t get any better than Dr. Cate when it comes to learning about breaking science and the practical application of simple, do-able, sustainable health practices free of hype and gimmicks and promoting of longevity. Enjoy the show and get things straight.   TIMESTAMPS: When you’re insulin resistant, pre-diabetic or diabetic, it's very difficult for your body to produce ketones even while following a ketogenic diet. [05:16]  Snacking on fat foods will help keep you away from craving sugar. [07:57]  There’s no such thing as a healthy snack. [09:34]  If people feel bad when they are fasting, it’s called hypoglycemia. [13:04]  Our body makes ketones for the brain. [14:02] Most people are not healthy enough to fast for very long because they have this toxic fat and their body is going to resist burning fat and insist on burning sugar. [16:43]  Some studies show that a ketogenic diet made out of vegetable oil instead of good fats, you really get fatter. [18:18]  If you are working towards a keto diet but you are hungry for a snack, you have to honor that hunger signal. [19:34]  Having frequent headaches when you are carb dependency eating pattern, could be a bad sign. [20:33}  99 percent of people who are overweight have a metabolic problem as a core issue that needs to be resolved before they can really regain control. [29:33]  Cate talks about the deceit that came out of Harvard studies on nutrition. [31:13]  Basically, if the American Heart Association says it’s “heart healthy,” it’s probably a red flag! [33:48]  Calories do matter. {38:57]  Alcohol is a precursor to acetate and ketones are also a precursor to acetate. [41:58]  What is the benefit of caffeine? [44:27]  How do supplements play a role? [49:54]  We are in a human experiment, eating junk food and seeing how fast we die! [58:31] Many doctors hand out nutrition information that is incorrect. [01:01:01]  What helps longevity? [01:03:44]       Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I introduce the fantastic breakthrough fitness concept that I’ve been doing more and more of in recent years: micro workouts. Micro workouts are explosive fits of strength, efficient and easy to do, and hits the #1 goal of being more active in daily life while also serving to elevate your baseline fitness level to do better workouts. They also take away so much of the stress that can come with working out. Let’s be real, even if you’re one of those people who loves to hit the gym, part of what puts most people off working out is just carving out the time – not just for the actual work out, but allowing for time to drive there, and find parking, etc. Micro workouts are the easiest way to slip in a little activity that really makes a big difference as your efforts will add up over time.   I initially began incorporating this practice into my daily life because of my desire to take work breaks and also because my own competitive intensity in gym – I admit to having the tendency to overdo it, something I am sure many can relate to. What’s nice about micro workouts is that they are so brief, it’s easy to set yourself up for success, since they’re way less strenuous and time consuming than a regular gym session or workout class. You can sneak them in at nearly any time or any place – I try to get one in while I’m already doing something else, like taking out the trash, and I’ve also set myself up for success in my home environment - I have a pull-up bar in one doorway, with stretch Cordz hanging from it. Obviously having equipment staring at you right in the face is a good motivator, but truthfully, you don’t even need this stuff around to perform micro workouts – you just need to get up off your butt and go! Do 20 squats, a single set of pullups, or run outside for a quick 1-minute sprint – and then bam! Back to work in no time, with the added bonus of elevated energy levels and improved cognitive function. It’s the ideal way to break up your work day, adds a little boost to your energy and concentration, and as you’ll see over time, your efforts really add up. Five to ten minutes really feels like two minutes throughout the course of a busy day, but those minutes will add up, week after week, as you continue to incorporate this revolutionary fitness concept into your life.    TIMESTAMPS:  Brad describes how to get a good workout without hassle. [02:07]  This system of mini workouts throughout the day is appealing because it prevents you from overworking at the gym for example. [06:17]  Maybe you don’t want to skip the gym all together but you can make it a pleasant routine part of your week for the camaraderie. [08:59]  Many leading fitness experts are now stating that general everyday movement is of higher priority than adhering to an ambitious workout regimen. [12:09]  Slow weights are an option. It includes lifting three or four days and each lift is modest.  [15:21]  You want to make sure that you got a little bit of blood flowing and some lubrication in the joints before you step over a weighted bar. [18:46]    Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.