Middleish

This episode is for everyone. Don't think it applies to you because you're young, or not female? We disagree, as menopause is a phase that impacts all of us. It is estimated that about half of the world's population is biologically female and will be directly impacted by the transition that is menopause. And even if you're not female, if you love, live with, care about or work with a female...well...

Productivity, that's the name of the game these days. You can rest when you're dead. If you don't do it, who will? We're betting several of our high-achieving, go-getter listeners can relate to this one!   It's common to think that if we relax or set boundaries around our time we won't get as much accomplished. Perhaps we're afraid we'll let someone down or won't live up to expectations. Ther...

Anyone who has frequented a gym or seen a cardio machine lately has probably seen reference to a "fat burning zone" with regard to heart rate. This is an interesting marketing scheme and leads to a foundational misunderstanding of how the body uses fuel at different intensities.   All that to say, you're probably in a fat burning zone as you read this! And as you sleep, as you sit watching TV...

Today, we are challenging you to practice infusing your language with "yes, and..." rather than "but..." in everyday talk. It may seem like petty semantics. And you may not think this is a relevant application of your brain energy. We think giving "yes, and..." a chance could result in a different perspective in many situations. Often when we're talking about behavior change, there's a "but" invol...

We've all seen those beautiful, perfectly styled photos of "meal prep" on social media, blogs and in magazines (if anyone actually reads those anymore?) There are even entire accounts and sites and cookbooks devoted to exquisitely curated recipes so that you, too, can experience what it is to have stacks of alluring to-go meals in your fridge.   Now, a dose of reality: the majority of people...

"Oh, we can't eat there because ___________ needs something healthier."  "I'm surprised you ordered that, I thought you were trying to be healthy."  "Do you really HAVE to get up early to workout?"  "You probably don't want any, it's not very healthy."   It's interesting how commenting about one's behaviors seems socially unacceptable in a certain context (e.g. you need to be h...

Everyone has experienced failure at some point in their lives. While failure looks differently for everyone, many people tend to get stuck in the despondency of falling short. Focusing on all the things that went wrong instead of lessons learned is a common pitfall when our best laid plans get tripped up.   What if we could change our view of failure? What might you do differently if you real...

If ever there was a buzzword in the nutrition and fitness world, it's "macros." Although it may seem like mainstream lingo, many people misunderstand macronutrients and their roles in the body.   So of course we're here to set it all straight! Everything from the IIFYM craze to meat strudel (wait, what?!) we've got it covered. This episode discusses the science behind macro counting before it...

It's no secret that we at Middleish are pretty critical of diet fads and trends...well, diet culture in general, really. And we realized that we haven't really gone into a deeper discussion on fad diets as a pop culture term, what it really means and the current weight loss crazes.   This episode is informative and entertaining. By highlighting some of the most outlandish fad diets in human h...

Can an everyday food be toxic? Sure. There are toxicity levels to vitamins, minerals, even water! But there's one really big catch: the dosage and the form are really what matter. In recent years sugar has been vilified by the masses, purported to be at the root of every health ailment imaginable. The latest craze is to claim that sugar is "toxic" and that avoiding it in all forms will pave the pa...

It seems the overwhelming message our society receives about body size is that you can simply decide how big or small you want to be. Eat more = get bigger, eat less= get smaller. Yet we see that only around 10% of dieters keep the weigh off long-term. What gives? While the simple calories in vs. calories out notion has some truth to it, there's also a lot of evidence that indicates your body has...

As humans, we are programmed to enjoy eating. Food = pleasure, lighting up reward centers in our brains to keep us from starving to death. This is a good thing. You are definitely not broken for finding eating pleasurable! But an interesting thing happens when we tell ourselves we "shouldn't" have a certain food. Our expectations get blown out of proportion and often we find that resisting that fo...

Keep your eye on the ball. Good things come to those who wait. Patience is a virtue. We're betting you've heard these canned phrases before, especially when it comes to your health and lifestyle goals.    And still, so many people get derailed by the draw of instant gratification. Making the easy choice. Sticking with what's comfortable. What makes the undertaking of long term success so...

Now this is a topic every human can related to: setbacks. Maybe it's missing that big promotion at work. Or sometimes it's just feeling like you're struggling with parenting challenges. You implemented a plan to get fit with renewed vigor, only to have life pop up and derail you once again.    Every one of us gets tripped up en route to a goal. How you cope with those inevitable challeng...

If you're a regular Middleish fan you'll know that Erin did a pretty epic event a couple weeks ago. The Unbound 200 is a 200 (and six!) mile gravel race based in Emporia, Kansas. Yes, we know it sounds wildly NOT Middleish to embark on such an adventure. And yet, we think Erin's recap of her day has a strong theme of finding middle ground for mind and body. If you could never even fathom doing a 1...

How much water do you need in a day? How do we get electrolytes? Could my thirst be falsely interpreted as hunger? Are gummi bears hydrating?   Michael will definitely argue that last point in this episode. But there's much more in this conversation to help you hone in on your hydration needs. We discuss electrolytes, amounts, hydrating foods, thirst mechanisms and a few examples of circumsta...

The one finite resource that connects us all, regardless of demographics, is time. We all have the same number of hours in the day, and many days it seems like it’s never enough. This helpful discussion hits all the major challenges we often hear about from our clients: procrastination, juggling family and work schedules, prioritizing to-do items and letting things go that just aren’t worth our ti...

If you've been listening to Middleish for a while, you've known that we've been anticipating our one-year anniversary of the podcast. Needless to say, this is a massive achievement for us and we could not be more grateful to our listeners to making this happen!   Today, we reflect on the past year and how Middleish has evolved since that first episode on June 8, 2020. Our favorite topics and...

We get it. Social media is intertwined into our daily lives. We use it for work, keeping in touch with friends, learning about products, current events and pure entertainment. But between the cute kitten Instagram videos and viral TikTok dance clips there's a tangible downside to the social media world. Ever heard the saying, "Comparison is the thief of joy?" Listen up! No matter your stance in so...

Some of you may know through our discussions that Michael was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes as an adult. This is extremely rare, and proved to be a life-altering experience for Michael as he navigated a new world of health like he never had before.   In this episode, Michael shares his story about finding out he had diabetes and how it impacts his daily life. We talk about developing deeper...

Salads seem to be the punchline of many health-focused quips. Referring to them as "rabbit food," our culture has unfortunately stereotyped salads as uninspiring, diet-focused bowls of boredom. We're here to challenge that notion and present salads in an entirely new light. If you love foodie talk, this episode is for you! We've got recipe ideas, suggestions for adding color and texture to your sa...

One would think that with such a prolific diet and fitness industry our society would be well-versed in the basics of human metabolism. Surprise! There's a ton of half-truths and misinformation out there. We're here to help cut through the nonsense and provide you with a basic understanding of how your body processes food and nutrients. This episode hits on basic physiology, digestion, calorie nee...

Parents, listen up! This episode is designed to help you avoid food fights with your kids. Picky eating, excessive snacking, lack of routine, too many distractions...the list of mealtime woes is a long one. In this discussion we dive into the Division of Responsibility, a term coined by child feeding expert Ellyn Satter more than 40 years ago. Through Michael's experiences as a parent (who works w...

It's Earth Week and we couldn't be more excited to welcome back our good friend, Lance Davisson to discuss all things nature, community and connection. We love how Lance is so engaged in the community around him, weaving together his expertise in the natural environment with his passion for human connection and wellness. In this episode, we hit on how the pandemic has impacted our natural spaces a...

It might seem a bit odd to hear a dietitian and a personal trainer talk about emotional awareness. Granted, we are not psychologists nor do we claim to have expertise in neuroscience. However, we are humans who work with other humans and we see first-hand how emotional awareness impacts physical health, nutrition and overall wellness.   How confident are you at identifying and naming your emo...