Live from the Live Better recording studio! Bret and Jason are here this week with David Carson. David Carson is a Nike Master Trainer, Jordan Band trainer, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and EXOS Performance Specialist. He is also the CEO of 24Life Sport and Performance Training. As a former professional basketball player, David has over 10 years of experience in the field, working with clients extending from professional athletes, including NBA and MLS, to the veteran weekend warrior looking for an edge. 

Listen in as Bret and Jason discuss with David Carson what it means to show up every single day - for yourself and for others - and what it means to give 110%. David goes into his story of becoming a coach and how his upbringing shaped the coach who he is today.

Show notes:

• [01:30-8:00] - Welcome David Carson!
• [8:00-15:55] - David’s story and overcoming adversity 
• [16:00-19:00] - Life altering injuries + taking away the ego 
• [19:00-20:00] - Mental versus physical change 
• [20:00-21:10] - Training NBA players, for the love of basketball and using your gift to help others. 
• [21:10-24:40] - David and his Mom - making everyone in a room feel special and the importance of continuous improvement and lifelong learning 
• [24:40-30:00] - Buying into 100% of what you are doing 
• [30:00-32:00] - Playing hard and giving everything you have - without leaving anything in the tank. The locked in mentality and loving what you do.
• [32:00-34:00] - Finding your WHY
• [34:42-36:00] - Going for it, The Alchemist, and pouring your ALL into everything 
• [36:00-46:00] - Pushing people to the limits of potential and improving the healthcare continuum especially in the black community 
• [47:00-48:00] - Showing kids their true limits and full potential (both physically and mentally) through coaching 
• [49:00-52:00] - What it means to be a coach, and the responsibility of a coach
• [52:00-55:00] - Giving back to our youth! They are limitless, and molds of clay and the impact a coach can have in the youth is like no other. 
• [55:00-57:00] - David's Best Day Ever: Training and teaching kids who have never trained before, training sessions with CEOs and founders, speaking and sharing his story, constantly growing and challenging himself to be a better person
• [57:45-End] - Learn more about David on Instagram at @24lifedc, at On Your Mark through Game Changers Kids Training Program and his website DavidCarson24life.com 

Live from the Live Better recording studio! Bret and Jason are here this week on the Live Better podcast talking about rituals. Last episode of the series we chatted about morning and evening rituals and today’s focus is going to be on mid day or daytime rituals. 

Listen in as Bret and Jason discuss their own mid day or daytime rituals, what they are working on implementing (like meditation + working out!) and how these rituals have up-leveled their day to-day clarity and productivity while also decreasing stress and anxiety.

Show notes:

• [01:30-2:15] - Mid day rituals (vs. routines) 
• [2:24-10:30] - Meditation + longevity (Bret’s daytime ritual)
• [10:30-13:00] - Taking care of your oral health + pain tracing 
• [13:00-14:00] - Creating space for yourself through meditation 
• [14:00-16:00] - Being proactive with daily routine to improve longevity  
• [16:15-16:35] - Decreasing chronic stress + decision making 
• [16:45-18:00] - Becoming a beginner at your own meditation practice 
• [19:00-21:45] - Sleep cycle + restorative rest (Jason’s daytime ritual)
• [21:55-24:30] - The power of the nap + prioritizing a shut-down break
• [26:00-27:30] - Your circadian rhythm and the importance (necessity) of taking a break
• [28:00-29:00] - Creating your own boundaries and respecting others schedules 
• [30:00-31:00] - Instead of stress, let’s remind ourselves to take a break and get back to being in charge of how we feel and handling stress
• [31:00-32:30] - Eat lunch outside, take a break, go for a walk, eat lunch with a friend, listen to a podcast, listen to music, do a midday workout - take that break!

Live from the Live Better recording studio! Bret and Jason are here this week on the Live Better podcast with Kate Lemere, the founder of her blog The Four Percent, where she provides educational and inspirational content, tips and tools helping those on the pursuit of a life better lived - in and out of the gym. Kate helps people understand the basics of fitness, nutrition and strength training so they can find a process they love without restriction. Kate is a founding trainer at Barry's Chicago and in addition to training at both Chicago studios she is a member of the corporate marketing team and contributes to the brand strategy and marketing best practices of the team as Barry’s expands. 

Listen in as Bret, Jason and Kate discuss Kate’s experience in both marketing/advertising and fitness, how she fell in love with the evidence based fitness practice, her journey of letting go self-doubt, insecurities and stepping into her own power of “owning” it and being proud of what she’s worked for. Kate talks in detail on her own postpartum fitness experience, research and education in regards to exercising throughout pregnancy, both before and after. Catch the latest on Kate’s motherhood experience, self-reflection, where she was at, what she’s overcome and the importance of finding joy and presence in the everyday.

Show notes:

• [01:00-3:00] - Welcome + About Kate Lemere / The Four Percent
• [03:00-6:00] - Kate’s journey in her marketing/advertising profession and how fitness became apart of the story
• [08:45-12:15] - Putting business focused decisions in the forefront of Barry’s curriculum + Barry’s giveback program and donations in workout challenges + Barry’s community and family value 
• [12:30-17:00] - Falling in love with the evidence based practice,  the lifecycle of a diet (growing muscle and how the two grow together) + letting go of the aesthetic 
• [17:00-21:00] - Prioritizing other things than just the aesthetic like self-worth, self-love and purpose + moments of self-doubt and insecurities 
• [23:00-25:00] - Feeling victim to the feeling of “less than” and knowing your value and what you are willing to accept and stand behind
• [25:00-27:00] - Fitness is holistic, how do you feel about yourself when you look in the mirror?
• [27:00-30:00] - Drawing the line in digital relationships and creating a safe space and community online
• [31:00-35:00] - Researching and finding the answers to postpartum healing and sharing experiences with others who  may be going through the same thing 
• [35:00-40:00] - Exercising during pregnancy and navigating postpartum and the levels of re-entry in fitness  
• [40:00-45:00] - Kate’s motherhood experience, depression and being open to journaling, meditation, and the tools to overcome anxiety, sadness and going through the motions 
• [45:00-49:00] -  The ability to locate a feeling, letting go (finding freedom) and addressing life holistically
• [50:00-53:00] - Putting things into practice, do less better  
• [53:00-56:30] -  Finding your tribe, your community over  
• [56:30-58:00] -  Kate’s Best Day Ever, spending time with her family, being together and finding happiness in the present moment
• [58:00-End] -  Where to find Kate! Barry's Chicago, @katelemere + The Four Percent

Live from the Live Better recording studio! Bret and Jason are here this week on the Live Better podcast with Rae Reichlin, the founder of Ladies Who Lift, an all-female strength training workshop and class aimed to educate, empower, and inspire women of all shapes, sizes, fitness, and lifting backgrounds.

Offered at two different levels, Ladies Who Lift provides the opportunity to both learn the basics and then perfect these skills all while guaranteeing a badass workout using barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, prowlers, and more.

Listen in as Bret, Jason and Rae discuss Rae’s journey to entrepreneurship, the importance of holding space, breaking down strength training, the benefits of mindfulness, doing the workout for your mind, body and soul and Rae’s approach to helping women find confidence and strength through lifting. 

Show notes:

• [01:00-3:00] - Welcome + About Rae Reichlin / Ladies Who Lift 
• [03:00-6:30] - Breakdown of Ladies Who Lift Level One / creating a space where women feel comfortable and confident
• [07:00-11:30] - The importance of holding space / Rae’s lifting journey 
• [12:30-17:00] - Transitioning from being a dancer to learning how to lift to becoming a professional fitness trainer
• [22:45 - 26:00 ] - Focus from the aesthetic part of fitness to progress in movement and goals inside and outside of the gym, being strong and confident. Do it for your mind, body and soul!
• [28:00 - 29:45] - When Rae met Live Better X the impact of Rae’s message
• [30:00 - 31:45] - Rae’s mindfulness practices 
• [32:10 - 33:00] - Rae’s gym routine + goals
• [33:30 - 37:45] - Who Rae is impressed by in the fitness industry (Cody King, Carmen Del Mastro, Megan Young, Bret Contreras) + trainers who are geared towards progress over just motivation 
• [43:30 - 48:00] - Rae training beginners and patience/meeting clients where they are at. Your body is your body, my body is my body.
• [48:00 - 50:30] - Rae’s Best Day Ever! (in Hawaii - Kauai! Working out, making breakfast, hanging out in the sun, live music, living life, dancing the nice away) 
• [50:30 - End] - Connect with Rae on Instagram + head to her website to learn more about Ladies Who Lift and her offerings!

Check out Ladies Who Lift upcoming workshop and events here

Live from the Live Better recording studio! Bret and Jason are here this week on the Live Better podcast with Dawn Jackson Blatner (aka DJ Blatner), a registered dietitian nutritionist & certified specialist in sports dietetics. She is the author of two books: The Flexitarian Diet, ranked a top plant-based diet by US News & World Report and her newest book, The Superfood Swap. She recently starred in (and won!) the hit primetime reality TV show on ABC called, My Diet Is Better Than Yours and she was the dietitian for the Chicago Cubs for 10 years (and yes, she has a Worlds Series ring.)

Listen in as Bret, Jason and Dawn discuss diet, benefits of cleansing your body, how to fast and fuel on a high-performance workout schedule, making a mindset shift in what you eat and more.

Show notes:

• [0:00-1:28] - Meet Dawn (DJ) Blatner 
• [1:30-5:08] - The benefits of a cleanse, periodically taking care of your body, transitioning from the SAD (standard American diet) to a first cleanse
• [5:15-6:20] - Time restriction eating (a type if intermittent fasting)
• [6:20 - 11:23] - How to fast and fuel on a high-performance workout schedule, Bret’s nutrition journey, being a curious caretaker of your human body and testing out what works for  you 
• [11:25-13:00] - DJ is the creator of the Flexitarian Diet (read her book today!). The science of plant-based eating with the flexibility of adding in quality proteins.
• [13:00-14:33] - The mindset shift in eating what you want. Dawn’s second book, Superfood Swap, came out  of the frustration of eating what you want but why not make it with superfoods and better for you ingredients
• 14:35-15:40] - Eat this not that, this is kinda what you want, but here is a better option. You can completely trick your brain. Taste is subjective, you can’t base your nutrition off of taste, and that isn’t the way the body responds to the food, it’s the way the mind responds to the food (i.e. Thanksgiving dinner)
• [17:45 - 20:16] - Table, plate, chair concept,, when people see a meal on a plate while sitting at a table on a chair, teaching you what you are addicting to  (i.e. gummy bears versus lounging in front of the TV), decoupling food with activities
• [20:16 - 24:00] - The Game Changers and the research on nutrition, testing on yourself first before clients. Dawn’s research strategy and how most food research has one commonality whether talking about being vegan, paleo, keto etc. that everyone is talking about REAL FOOD. Some diets may have more or a little less and that’s the only truth we can all be sure of
• [28:30- 31:10] - The food guide pyramid of Brazil,  food is the emotion of what you are eating and should be shared with the community. Looking at how other cultures view food, and the value travel brings to awareness of other cultures' food practices.
• [33:45 - 39:24] - Food, mental health and cognitive decline (like Alzheimer’s) and the connection to processed food. Prevention is just as important as management. Food is magic. 
• [39:24 - 43:00] - Working with professional athletes, the trends and hardships
• [43:00 - 44:45]: How much turmeric, ginger and tart cherry you should be eating, and your body response
• [44:45 - 48:00] Sleep hygiene. Human bodies are regulated by light. 5, 6, 7, 8 breathing practice
• [48:30 -  57:45]: What to focus on from a nutrition perspective to build more muscle, get stronger, to perform well. Basics of sports nutrition, symptoms management training, human testing, electrolytes, adaptogens, nootropics, DNA testing and metabolic testing. 
• [57:45 - 59:00]: People aren’t living that much longer. Looking at older civilizations practices and mushrooms (David Wolfe). Ancient old brand new. 
• [59:00 - 1:01:45]: ABC’s my diet is better than yours. Do, simple, better (cc: Joe Maddon).
• [1:04:00 - 1:07:00]: Dawn’s Best Day Ever! Living by the water, mornings are magic, and working out.
• [48:00 - 48:48] Connect with Dawn on Instagram + head to her website for all sorts of goodies! www.dawnjacksonblatner.com

Sign up for a Live Better  Wellness retreat today!