Are We Still Here?

Today we talk about our own definitions of success, why they are so important, and how they help us to keep going. We also ask if those alone are compelling enough to keep our feet on the gas, and what to do if they're not quite there yet. Lots of tangents and vulnerable chats as always.

Today we did a big deep dive into the zone of proximal development, or what some like to call it, the Goldilocks theory. We look into ways of knowing that your training is too easy (and therefore boring), just right (and therefore great for long term progress), or too hard (which may lead to injury, poor recovery, and time off).

Today's episode focused on starting where you want to end and filling in the gaps to get there. We spoke on strength, fitness, HYROX, and nutrition – and how an idea starts at the beginning and a goal starts at the end.

It's not the first time we've spoken on this topic, and it won't be the last. Cardio, even in 2024, is still being sold as a quick hit – something to add on if you have time. We believe it should take a seat at the top table along with strength training, and that it needs to be understood from a long term perspective.

BOTH FINE. We would never demonise either, but depending on your goal, that question could be really important. Today's episode goes into how we separate the two and why it's important to know what the intention is. Many of us spend our fitness lives running around in circles not going anywhere – the answer to this question might just make that easier for you.

This week’s episode we go into how we can set goals which are not only realistic, but open and honest conversation around where you are and where you want to get to. We chat how would you navigate the scenario as a coach, or as a client when setting those extreme or elaborate goals. From onboarding to execution we cover it all. If you’ve enjoyed this week’s episode don’t forget to share over on yo...

Today we go into the distractions that young coaches often get sucked into (us included). There are so many very easy things to be doing instead of the really hard, vulnerable work. One lot of things will guarantee small dopamine hits and ego boots, and the other log may get you a long term, meaningful career in fitness. Which one will it be?

This week share some of our own personal stories around attachment styles and how they relate to our health and fitness. From doing things for validation, to how our past relationships have shone a light on how we our with our relationships with our self and health, this episode has it all. As always if you’re enjoying the pod, head over to @awsh_pod on socials and let us know your thoughts.

Context and nuance are SO important in fitness, but you also can't beat a little reality check. This week we go into some honesty as concisely as possible (short and sweet) around what it really takes to see HUGE improvements within health and fitness, and how sometimes we think we've given it everything, only to look back and see that we cut corners.

We go over time today, and how biases around how long we should be exercising for impact our potential in fitness. We talk about those with plenty of it, and those with hardly any at all. We also go into different goals and how somethings require time whether we like it or not – we can't shoehorn endurance into 60 minutes a week no matter how hard we try. What’s your thoughts? Let us know over on...

Today we did a deep dive into progress within fitness, and how many try to speed it up whilst leaving important experience behind. From pull ups to running, and mindset to expectations – we cover it in today's episode. If you’ve loved this week’s episode - why not let us know over on socials @awsh_pod

Today we went into our own stories, and explained why truly knowing yourself can lead to much bigger returns when it comes to long term fitness and great coach/client relationships. What is fitness to us? What kind of person do we want to work with? Who brings out the best in us and seeks to understand? Thank you for listening!

Jess & Sach celebrate the milestone of 150 podcast episodes and discussed the importance of empathy, identity, and consistency when it comes to fitness, with special guest and psychologist, Dr LJ (@dr_lj_official) Delving into our personal journeys towards fitness, the complexities of defining health, and the role of identity, and social persuasion, this week’s episode was one of our favourites. I...

We got into a bit of a psychological wormhole on this week's episode, and we were scratching our heads over certain things that we as humans can't seem to drop. We landed on the cognitive dissonance theme, and looked into the mental gymnastics we all go through every day when it comes to the stories we tell ourselves. We also announced June's podcast guest! Thanks again for tuning in.

In part 2 we talk about our own history with tracking everything, with Jess sharing her vulnerable story when it comes to productivity. We love a bit of brutal honesty on the AWSH pod. CGMs and "What gets measured gets managed" also comes into play with a discussion on the language, and how it's not always the way to go.

A "longy" today, which naturally means part 2 is coming next week. Today we focused on numerical data in all aspects of health and fitness, and how to figure out whether it's useful or not. From calorie intake to daily output, we discuss in great detail our own reasons for leaving it be or honing in on it. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this one! Like, share, subscribe – it helps a lot.

Inspired by Liam Holmes, and chats with clients, today we went into the term moderation and why it's subjective and means something different to every person. We also spoke about the "80/20" rule, and how it doesn't always matter if that model doesn't work for you. We may have also gone on a rant about AI and comparison... maybe. Apologies for the sound today! Jess did her absolute best recording...

Today we talked about the psychology of goal setting, and why we get hooked on setting new goals and quickly forget about our old ones. We also discussed the common pitfalls in goal-setting, and why unrealistic ones seem to be more appealing. As always, any questions about today's episode are welcome. Don’t forget to follow us on our new socials on insta @awsh_pod

What an ep. A few disagreements make for a fantastic episode. Today we talked about the current trend of "Hybrid" training (a.k.a. concurrent training). We ask, is it just fitness? Or is it deeper than that? Is everyone an athlete? Or does that mean no one is? SO much gold in this podcast, a great chat as always. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Don’t forget to follow us on @arewestillhere...

Christie joins us from Glasgow for this episode, where we dive into definitions of success within fitness and business, and how Christie went from being a performer in the arts to being a personal trainer. From ribcage mechanics to helping women find excitement in fitness without weight loss – Christie has some great insights. You can find her @christiemitchellpt on Instagram.

At a recent corporate event, Sacha had some questions that sparked a lot of good conversations – so we thought it would be great to go into those questions in more depth on this week's podcast. From flexibility to BMI, Doctors to 10k runs, we cover it all in today's episode. If anyone works in an office and is interested in having a similar event, please contact Jess for Yorkshire or Lincolnshire,...

This episode dives into what strength can mean for all levels of fitness, and how it will continue to look different in all stages of your life. We also talk about what is needed, not what is optional. Being strong is a life-long pursuit, not something you can drop and pick back up when you feel like it – but why? Listen to find out.

In a world saturated with fitness trends and quick fixes, finding lasting joy in physical activity can seem like an elusive goal. But what if the key to enjoying fitness isn't just about the workout itself, but rather the intention we create and the mindset we bring to it? This week we explore the power of embracing the mundane moments of our fitness journey, and we'll discuss the importance of cu...

There are so many reasons people aren't getting a good dose of fitness every week. Today we looked at the most common barriers we hear of, and how to overcome them. We go into time, choosing to fill our time in different ways, knowledge, lack of interest, and of course – the dreaded ego. One thing we decided on was being aware of your own barriers is number one. If we don't know what they are, it'...

Would people rather believe than know? Not all food identity leads to negative place. Food is culture at the end of the day, and all over the world people identify with recipes, ingredients and food rituals. However, when it comes to the dieting world – identifying with a way of eating can cause people to forget about the bigger picture, actual evidence, and their own personal needs. Today's episo...