Middleish

You've finally gotten some momentum with a workout routine, then your kid gets sick and you can't get to the gym for a week.  Food prep is ticking along great and then you get invited to various spontaneous lunch meetings over the next several days. A great job opportunity has emerged and you'll be relocating, just as you're gaining momentum with your health journey. We get it. All of these e...

We've talked about body kindness on the podcast before (way back on episode 8) and since then we've seen an emerging argument against practicing self-acceptance and self-kindness. "But if I'm kind to myself doesn't that mean I'll give up on my health goals? I'm not ready to simply accept my body and stop working to improve myself." In this episode, we address this common misconception. Being kind...

We've been talking about habits all month and hopefully the ideas have been helpful for you. Now it's time to put this information to task.   We all have habits we'd like to change, or habits that are really helpful and we have no idea how they came to be. Today's mini pod gives you straightforward, simple guidance on building awareness around your habits--good and bad.    The only...

Oh how we love a double entendre! Old habits refers to the fact that one of our very first podcast episodes was on this very topic. In fact, it was the first topic we really dove into on Middleish. While that episode now feels relatively “old” to us, this subject is something worth revisiting and it’s long overdue. Another perspective is that old habits are the hardest to break. Why is that? Habit...

We've touched on this topic several times before and decided it's high time we devoted an entire episode to this health fallacy. Repeat after me: my weight is not my health. In an industry so laden with numbers and "facts" it can be downright impossible to decipher what health actually means. How do we know we're actually taking care of our health? Shouldn't I always be striving to lose about 10 p...

February is American Heart Month! Oh, wait, it's March already?? We might be a bit late on this topic but it's never too late for you to take steps toward protecting your heart and long term health. And we've got an expert to help us do just that!   Over a year has passed since we first had Dr. Spencer Nadolsky on Middleish and we're delighted to welcome him back! Dr. Nadolsky is known as a m...

If you're paying attention in the nutrition space you've probably heard the term "diet culture." We see this phrase thrown around a lot and realize that not everyone fully understands what it is and how it impacts our lives. This discussion is to provide definition and context to diet culture. We reveal how diet culture is ingrained in us from a very young age, why it is so harmful and how sneaky...

We recently had a listener request to delve into the world of fast food. This episode is not what you might be expecting from two health professionals. Let's start by reliving some of our very own favorites (that's right, we enjoy fast food too!) Beyond fantasizing about our perfect fast food meals, we dive into navigating menus and making informed choices when you're eating out. Join us for tips...

When we first put this topic in our calendar, I (Erin) assumed we would approach it from the perspective of focusing on the small, consistent steps that lead to big-picture changes. After all, this measured approach to lifestyle changes is part of our schtick! Wow, did this conversation provide so much more! What about when we focus too much on the planning details and lose our clear path to lasti...

The phrase "emotional eating" is often laden with negative connotation. We're encouraged to "stop" emotional eating or "combat" emotional eating, which might seem like the right approach on the surface but we don't think that's the best approach.   Rather, we present the case that emotional eating is both an acceptable and natural response to what we're feeling and can influence our emotional...

Why is it that we adults tend to guide children to do things we are not necessarily willing to do ourselves? "Eat your veggies," or "Be nice to your sister," or "Turn that off and go outside and play." Even though we know that modeling behavior for children is the most powerful teaching tool, it's very easy to fall into our own adult routines that contradict the values we're trying to instill in t...

The New Year is a time for a fresh start, setting goals and reflecting on where we are in our lives. We often see New Year's resolutions around health, fitness and diet...yet these resolutions tend not to stick. Why is that? There are key ingredients missing in many people's resolutions. We invite you to join us for this valuable discussion. We have five specific things that are GUARANTEED to make...

Our guest this week, Mark Breedon, operates under the Instagram handle @training.strong.women. After following his social channel and hearing a few of his podcast episodes, we knew he’d be a perfect fit for a Middleish conversation.   Hear how Mark came to work in the space of body positivity, specifically with women, in order to break down through barriers in the fitness industry. Mark's eas...

What is the difference between structured exercise and joyful movement? Can they coexist? Do you have a balance of both in your life? We explore these questions and more in this episode. Between Erin's background as a highly trained athlete and Michael's specialization in physical training, it's easy to lose sight of how moving our bodies bring us joy. This discussion is as much for your Middleish...

We have a guest this week! Cody Sohn is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant who works as an Assistant Track and Field and Cross-Country coach at Boise State University. With such a unique range of experience (she's worked with the military community, athletes of all abilities and even some work on herself) we were fascinated with the tangible, relatable skills she has to offer. Cody holds a...

How do you handle it when thoughts become unhelpful? No matter how positive you are, it's likely that you've been hijacked by some downer diatribe in your own mind at some point. It can be hard to find your way out of the tangle, and we see you. In this episode, we explore several techniques and tips to transport yourself out of the mental spiral and into the here-and-now. We've said it before: we...

We are firm believers that people don’t slow down because they age, they age because they slow down. Those Golden Years are inevitable and it’s best to embrace the changes in our bodies rather than lament them. In this discussion, we examine considerations for fitness and nutrition as we grow older. Everyone who listens to this episode is getting older...by the day, by the year. Even if you’re sti...

Many of the terms we hear in the fitness and nutrition industry are trendy, often made-up words intended to catch your attention and create media buzz. Unfortunately, these buzzwords catch fire even without clear definitions or agreement from industry experts.  A few examples of grating terms that we'll unpack here: "clean eating," guilt-free eating, misconceptions around HIIT, thigh gap and...

A listener question about pre-workout supplements inspired this episode. That and the fact that we both get asked about various supplements all the time.  Which ones are best? What do we recommend? What about [insert latest over-marketed miracle product here]? While we can’t possibly cover every supplement in question, many of the usual suspects are reviewed here.  Resources: https://www...

We know you've been holding your breath for this one! After much teasing and dabbling on the topic, we've finally put together an entire episode devoted to ketogenic diets. We use the term "diets" (plural) because as you'll hear there are wide variations in what many believe constitutes a "ketogenic diet." This is not just an opportunity for us to rant, although there is some good fun poked at cer...

How do you respond when confronted with an uncomfortable situation? Do you deflect and pivot to something more familiar? Ever seen it coming and decided ahead of time what the outcome will be, so you preemptively give up? Perhaps you're not even aware you do any of these things. In our work with clients, we've observed a myriad of ways that people deal with discomfort in the realm of health change...

Teenagers are a unique group. They're not adults making fully autonomous decisions for themselves, yet they crave freedom. When it comes to food, this is a major concern for parents because their child (yes, they're still growing!) needs more than they realize. All teenagers are at risk for of inadequate nutrition, but for teen athletes this risk becomes amplified.   On top of nutrition short...

This week, we are fortunate to have our friend Brian Fretwell on the podcast to give us an update on some really cool work that he's doing. Brian first joined us in July of 2020 for Episode 7. His intriguing work in neuroscience, social behaviors and communication gave us plenty to think about in how we interact with others and insight into our own beliefs and behaviors.   Over the past 15 or...

Intermittent fasting!   Don't eat past a certain time!   Eat fat/fiber/protein before starchy carbs!   Avoid sugar at all costs!    People have a lot to say about what foods should be eaten at what times and when people should avoid eating. Let's just start with saying rule number one is "honor thy hunger." Beyond that, there are some physiological considerations for fueli...

Nutrition recommendations tout the benefits of whole grains and encourage us to eat more of them. Sounds simple enough. Yet confusion abounds as to how to identify a whole grain product, why whole grains are beneficial and if carbs in general are really healthy for us.   Let's dig in! We've got scientific evidence, recipes, strategies and more to help guide you to making the best choices for...