#128 Push Yourself

Anyone who works out knows the feeling of the dreaded plateau: you feel like you’re just going through the motions, you’re bored, and you have a sneaking suspicion that your workouts aren’t actually...doing anything. This can really get in the way of making exercise a regular part of your routine, but motivating yourself to work harder is difficult (for obvious reasons). Daphnie convinces us it’s worth it and helps us figure out how to do it safely.

Links in this episode: Laurie Hernandez "I got this" routine, Making Changes with Dr. Amanda Crowell, Improve Your Form

#127 Wellness for Every Body with Chelsea Burrell

“Wellness spaces” can be less than welcoming, especially if you don’t see other people who look like you in class (or even on the posters). Personal trainer, nutrition coach, and marketing expert Chelsea Burrell of Leah B. Wellness talks with us about her experience as a curvy, multicultural fitness enthusiast and professional, and she offers advice on how we can make the world of wellness open to people of all races, sizes, and life experiences.

Links in this episode: Chelsea’s website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Nutritious Life Studio, Splendid Table piece about restaurants and race, The Bradley Method birthing classes

#89RR Weird Diets We've Done

The world of fitness and nutrition is wide, and it is 90% completely insane. Totally rational people do crazy things because they saw them in a magazine or on Pinterest. Joanna and Daphnie are no exception! This week, we talk about the weirdest things we’ve ever done in the name of “health”. Then, we open things up to our listeners and things REALLY get wacky! Plus, Daphnie turns into a Green Goddess in “What Your Trainer Eats”.

Links in this episode: National Eating Disorder Helpline, National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine

#126 Triceps

Triceps are the muscle that make Joanna the angriest. What do they do, anyway? Why are they so hard to tone? Can’t we just ignore them and they’ll go away? Turns out the answer is no, and Daphnie explains why with tips for building strength in the most annoying of muscles. Plus, we get some cheddar bay biscuits in “Best Choice”.

Links in this episode: Support us on Patreon, Some good images of tricep anatomy. Form videos: push ups, tricep pushups, tricep dip, tricep kickbacks, tricep extension, tricep pushdown, tricep stretch

#125 Digestion

We talk all the time about what we’re eating, but what happens to our food after we eat it? And why can it make us so (burp!) uncomfortable? Daphnie explains how we can keep our digestive systems running effectively and suggests some easy fixes to common digestive problems like heartburn, gas, and bloating. Plus, Daphnie reveals a secret when we answer our latest Listener Question.

Links in this episode: Become a patron and support the show! Magic School Bus digestive system episode, Info on heartburn from the Mayo Clinic, Our stress episode and inflammation episode, Dr. Satchidananda Panda and circadian rhythms

#124 Love Your Body with Holly Toronto

Everyone says you should “love your body”, but that can feel impossible to a lot of us. Our guest, Health Coach Holly Toronto, has a new way to frame that idea: loving your body is releasing it from the unrealistic expectation that it has to define your worth. Holly shares her journey to body positivity and food neutrality and offers us five steps we can take toward loving our bodies as they are right now.

Links in this episode: Holly's website, Holly's Instagram, Health Coach Institute, Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, Christy Harrison's website, Our episode with Christy, Article on how Weight Watchers is targeting teens, Louise Hay mirror work

#123 Shark Tank

Daphnie loves Shark Tank, the ABC show where small businesses pitch their products to investors. But when a listener sent us a link to a supplement that was one of the most funded in the show’s history, it led us to a place we did NOT expect. Are you ready for Just One More’s biggest twist ever? Plus, we ask Daphnie, “Would You Eat It?”

Links in this episode: Shark Tank, NIH Fact Sheet on weight loss supplements including Garcinia, Meridia ad from 2001, CNBC story about HVMN/Nootrobox study, Washington Post article about nootropics, Green juice gummy bears

#122 Fitness, Nutrition, and the Brain

We try not to play favorites, but let’s be honest: the brain is the most important organ in the body. So why do we talk so little about how we can take good care of it? Daphnie explains how we can use nutrition and exercise to supercharge our brains for focus, memory, and even happiness. Warning: science ahead!

Links in this episode: More on sugar and the brain from Harvard Medical School, Spark by John J. Ratey MD with Eric Hagerman, More on exercise and depression, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Wendy Suzuki, Healthy Brain, Happy Life by Wendy Suzuki, PhD  

#027RR Abs

Everyone wants hot abs, and everyone on the internet will tell you how to get them if you hand them $50 and make room in your apartment for some weird metal torture device. In this episode, Daphnie explains what your ab muscles actually are and why they’re so important (they’re not just for looking hot, people). Joanna does a series of ab exercises punctuated by loud groaning. Plus, Daphnie gives us snack advice in What Your Trainer Eats.

Links in this episode: Abdominal muscle anatomy drawing, plank form, side plank form, reverse crunch form, full sit up form, Superman form

#121 Your Gut Microbiome with Dr. Gabi Fragiadakis

We have 10 times more microbial cells in our body than we have human cells. What are they all doing there? Dr. Gabi Fragiadakis, post-doctoral researcher in Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University, sheds some light on what the microbes in our gut are up to, how they might be affecting our health, and what scientists think we should be eating to keep our microbiome happy.

Links in this episode: Diagram of the GI tract, More info on the mouse obesity fecal transplant experiment, More on the microbiome in babies delivered by c-section, Breastfeeding and the microbiome, The Good Gut book, The Sonnenburg Lab

#120 Flexibility

Flexibility is really valuable in dance and gymnastics, but as you get older it can feel like it’s a consolation prize for women: “She’s not very strong, but she’s flexible.” Daphnie explains why we all should be striving to increase our flexibility regardless of gender or age (and that doesn’t mean being able to touch your toes or doing the splits. Thank goodness.)

Links in this episode: Circus Juventas in Minnesota, Daphnie's foam rolling video from Gothamista, Our episodes on Foam Rolling and Warming Up

#119 Making Changes with Dr. Amanda Crowell

“I want to make a change, but I just can’t seem to make it happen.” Sound familiar? We’ve been there, in our work lives and our fitness lives. Dr. Amanda Crowell (cognitive psychologist and change coach) says there are three mindsets that are keeping us from making those changes, and she shares her tools for adjusting those mindsets so that we “normal people” can do the awesome things we want to do.

Links in this episode: Amanda’s website, Worksheet she talks about on the episode, Michael Jordan "Failure" commercial, Couch to 5K, Amanda on meal planning

#118 The Just One More Fitness Test

This President’s Day has us thinking about the Presidential Fitness Test. Do you have terrible memories of trying to do a “flexed arm hang” in front of all of your 7th grade classmates? We do! So we’re scrapping the old test and suggesting a handful of better ways to track your fitness progress. It’s the Just One More Fitness Test! Plus, Daphnie answers a listener question about how to balance evening workouts and trying not to eat late.

Links in this episode: Presidential Youth Fitness Program, Runkeeper, Map My Run, Fitbit Alta HR, Fitbit Charge 2, Garmin vívosmart HR under $80, Garmin vívoactive HR with GPS

#022RR Winter Workouts

It feels harder to work out in the winter. It’s cold (duh), it gets dark early, and no one can see your body under all those sweaters anyway. But in the quest for #NoWinterLayer, Daphnie has some suggestions for how to make the most of winter workouts. We talk about how to create an at-home workout, how to make the dreadmill your friend, and what the heck broomball is. Plus, we discuss dessert in “What Your Trainer Eats”.

Links in this episode: Fitness Blender, Yoga with Adriene, PopSugar Workouts, Men’s Health Videos, Face mask, Wall-E Clip that Joanna mentions, Under Armour ColdGear

#117 Be Less Busy

Every person you know is too busy, including you. Feeling super busy can be stressful, and it can keep you from putting your energy toward the things that matter the most. We talk about how we got so busy, what we get out of it, and how we can take things down a notch. Plus, Daphnie explains what’s wrong with a Pinterest diet in “This is Crazy, Right?”

Links in this episode: Inbox Pause for handling email interruptions, Our episode on Couples Therapy, Diet we talk about in "This is Crazy, Right?"

#116 Your Butt

As a society, we are obsessed with butts. Kids like talking about them because they have to do with the bathroom. Adults are always panicking about whether their butts are too big or too small. We dance to songs about them and even get butt implants. But at the end of the day, your butt is just a muscle. Or, group of muscles? What is your butt, really? Daphnie explains why your butt is so important. Plus, we discover chickpea pasta in “What Your Trainer Eats”!

Links in this episode: Glute muscle graphic, How to foam roll your butt, Banza chickpea pasta, Banza on Amazon. Form videos for squats, lunges, deadlifts, donkey kick, bird dog, and bridges

#115 What's the Deal with Dairy?

Dairy is one of those foods that people are always swearing off for one reason or another. So what’s the real story? Should we be avoiding dairy or not? Are some dairy foods healthier than others? Daphnie gives us the scoop (like ice cream, get it?)

Links in this episode: Mars Cheese Castle, More on how the government promotes milk, Cornucopia Institute's ratings of different organic milk brands, Environmental Working Group's milk ratings, Our episode where we talked about Bulletproof Coffee

#114 Eating for Power: Winter

It’s the winter edition of our “Eating for Power” series! Prepare your soups and stews, ladies and gentlemen. And, may we suggest, your curries? In this episode, Daphnie explains what it means to eat for power, and she and Joanna share some of their favorite powerful warming recipes for the winter months.

Links in this episode: GrowNYC list of what's in season in New York, Beef and cabbage "egg roll" stir fry, More info on the Maillard reaction, Video of how to safely cut open a squash, Recipes: French Onion soup, Beef Stew, Caramelized onions, 25 Sweet Potato recipes, Roasted Delicata Squash, Blood Orange Almond and Ricotta Cake

#113 SAD and the Winter Blues

Do you sometimes find yourself feeling depressed in the winter months? You’re not alone! Many of us suffer from the Winter Blues, or the more serious Seasonal Affective Disorder. Daphnie explains what the symptoms are, when to see a doctor, and what you can do in your day-to-day life to try and lift your mood until the sun comes back in the spring. Plus, we hit a grand slam in “Best Choice”.

Links in this episode: National Suicide Prevention LIfeline, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mayo Clinic Info on SAD, Light Therapy Lamp, Dr. Rhonda Patrick podcast on saunas, Lavender pillow spray

#065RR Make a Better Resolution

It’s the first week of January. Did you make a resolution? We’re here to trash it! Just kidding, we’re actually here to help you make a better resolution so you can sustain it and feel like a rockstar instead of feeling like a garbage failure by the end of January (trust us, we’ve been there). Here’s to kickstarting sustainable change! Plus, Daphnie does her best Consumer Reports impression in our latest Listener Question.

Links in this episode: Fitness Blender free workout videos, Livestrong free workout videos, Info on Daphnie's HIIT It! classes, Polar heart rate monitor under $60, Garmin heart rate monitor with GPS for under $130