The Catalyst

Are elite athletes healthy? Not always. While the Winter Olympics showcase extraordinary athletic performance, the reality is that many elite athletes at peak competition are chronically injured, undernourished, sick, and struggling with mental health challenges. Research shows that to achieve world-class performance, athletes often sacrifice health - maintaining unsustainable body weights, traini...

Strength training just became America's #1 fitness goal for 2026, overtaking weight loss for the first time. Even Jennifer Aniston, at 56, is lifting heavy dumbbells and saying it doesn't make you bulky—it gives results. In this episode of Catalyst Quickcast, Coach Chris Cooper busts the biggest myth in fitness: the idea that high reps with light weights will "tone you up." Here's the truth: tonin...

February in Northern Ontario is brutal. Short days. Bitter cold. Financial uncertainty. And if you're like most people, the weight of winter is starting to crush you. I used to struggle heavily through these months. Every morning felt like a battle just to get out of bed. But I don't anymore—and it's not because I moved somewhere sunny or found some magic pill. In this episode, I'm sharing the fou...

You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Look around. Your closest friends, family, coworkers. You probably have similar habits, similar health, similar weekend routines. That makes getting healthier HARD when you're surrounded by people who aren't moving the same direction. But here's the truth: you can't change the people around you by nagging, guilt-tripping, or leaving...

5 Daily Non-Negotiables for Better Fitness Stop overcomplicating fitness. If you spend any time on social media, you've been bombarded with conflicting advice about what you need to do to get results. The truth? Most people are chasing complicated strategies while ignoring the fundamentals that actually work. In this episode, Chris breaks down five evidence-based daily non-negotiables that will im...

It's January, and gyms are packed with people who want to get started but have no idea where to begin. Maybe you haven't exercised in months—or years. Maybe you're scrolling through social media seeing complicated programs and influencers doing things you can't even pronounce. Here's what usually happens: you either jump into something way too intense and burn out in two weeks, or you get paralyze...

Starting Your Fitness Journey with a Coach You've seen the viral videos: people walking into gyms and immediately walking right back out. "Too busy." "Not for me." Just... "Nope." The real barrier to fitness isn't the workout—it's fear. Fear of looking stupid, fear of judgment, and now, fear of ending up in someone's "gym fail" video. These concerns are keeping more people out of gyms than any oth...

It's January 1st. You've got new workout clothes, a gym membership, and your plan is perfect. Shoes laid out, lunch packed, ready to go. Day 1? You crush it. But what happens on day 5? What about when the kids go back to school, you catch a cold, or work explodes? For most people, the answer is: "I already missed today, so I'll start fresh Monday." And Monday becomes next month. Next month becomes...

Yesterday was the Winter Solstice—the shortest day of the year here in Sault Ste. Marie. For many, it marks a natural time for reflection as we move toward a new year. But here's something you should know: 80% of New Year's resolutions are abandoned by February. That's not because people lack discipline or willpower. It's because resolutions are built on the wrong foundation. In this episode of Ca...

INFLAMMATION: THE HIDDEN ENEMY BEHIND YOUR SYMPTOMS You know that stuffed nose that won't clear no matter how many times you blow it? The sore throat where you keep swallowing, convinced something's lodged there? That persistent knee pain even though you didn't twist anything? They're all the same culprit: inflammation. In this episode, Chris breaks down what inflammation actually is—your body's a...

Algoma Steel just laid off 1,000 workers. It's been dark in the Sault for weeks. Your energy is gone and everything feels harder. But is this just winter—or is your biology actually failing you? This episode breaks down the triple threat behind seasonal depression: the sunlight crisis that crashes your serotonin production, the vitamin D collapse that affects 80-90% of Canadians by January, and ch...

How to Beat Your Sugar Addiction: Your Path to Freedom If you wouldn't give your kids cocaine, why are you buying them Monster energy drinks? This episode delivers the uncomfortable truth about sugar addiction—and the proven pathways to freedom. What You'll Discover: The Sugar Crisis Canadians consume 26 teaspoons of sugar daily—more than double the WHO recommendation. This costs our healthcare sy...

Taking Control of Your Health Canada's healthcare system was built as a safety net for emergencies—but that net is fraying. With 6.5 million Canadians lacking a family doctor, 27-week specialist wait times, and billions spent on bureaucracy instead of care, the hard truth is this: nobody is coming to save you. In this episode, I break down the three stages of taking control of your own health. Sta...

Red light therapy—aka photobiomodulation (PBM)—uses non-heating red/near-infrared light to nudge cellular signaling, likely via mitochondrial enzymes such as cytochrome-c oxidase. What does that mean for you? In this 10-minute quickcast, Chris separates solid clinical uses from hype. PBM is recommended in oncology guidelines for preventing/treating oral mucositis (painful mouth sores from chemo/ra...

The holidays don’t have to derail your fitness—you just need a maintenance plan . In this 10-minute quickcast, Chris shows you how to set simple floors so your progress survives December without skipping the fun. You’ll learn the four non-negotiables: a protein floor (25–40 g at two meals), a movement floor (6–8k steps or a 10-minute post-meal walk), a training floor (two 20–30 minute full-body li...

Hybrid Training: Why Being Good at Everything Beats Being Great at One Thing EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Most of us aren't competitive athletes anymore—and that's actually liberating. In this episode of The Catalyst Quickcast, host Chris Cooper breaks down why hybrid training (being competent at multiple fitness domains) prepares you for real life better than specializing in just one area. Fresh from the...

Ice baths are everywhere—but are they worth it? In this 10-minute quickcast, Chris cuts through the hype. You’ll learn where cold-water immersion (CWI) actually helps—mainly reducing soreness and helping you feel recovered between sessions—and where it falls short. If your goal is muscle size/strength , regular post-lift plunges can blunt hypertrophy , so save them for rest days. For endurance blo...

The Glycemic Index (GI) gets shared like a rulebook—but your body eats meals , not single foods in a lab. In this quickcast, Chris explains GI (how quickly a food’s carbs raise blood sugar) and Glycemic Load (GL) , which adjusts GI for the amount of carbs you actually eat. You’ll learn why GI alone can mislead—protein, fat, fiber, ripeness, grind size, cooking method, and even cooling/reheating ca...

Creatine gets hyped and then questioned every few years. In this 10‑minute quickcast, Chris explains what it really is—a compound that fuels short, hard efforts by recycling ATP—plus what it reliably improves: strength, power, training volume, and those late‑race surges. We’ll touch on promising brain research (small benefits under stress) and separate myths from facts: no evidence of kidney harm...

If you’re ready to finally change your body, this episode gives you a clear, prescriptive plan—no jargon, no fluff. Chris walks you through five simple “recipes” and asks you to choose one primary goal for the next 8–12 weeks . Then just follow the steps. Lose fat: Hit 0.7–1.0 g protein per lb goal bodyweight , walk 8–12k steps/day , lift full-body 3×/week (moderate reps), and add 2 Zone-2 cardio...

Long winters don’t stall endurance—they build it. In this 10‑minute quickcast, Chris lays out a simple offseason plan: stack Zone 2 anywhere (bike/row/SkiErg) to grow your aerobic base; use Zone 3 outdoors for steady pace even in layers; then raise the ceiling with Zone 4–5 intervals and CF‑style mixed sessions that keep you pushing without pounding one joint pattern. Add strength (squats, hinges,...

Protein Quality: Real vs. Label Claims Protein is suddenly in everything—coffee, candy, cereal—but do those “15g protein” labels actually help you build or keep muscle? In this 10-minute quickcast, Chris explains bioavailability (usable protein), how processing can damage amino acids, and why grams on a label ≠ quality. You’ll learn which foods give you the most useful protein, how “protein-washed...

45-7-6 StairMaster: Smart or Silly? The “45-7-6” trend—45 minutes on the StairMaster at level 7, six days a week—is everywhere. In this quickcast, Chris explains what it is, why it’s viral, and how to test it once or twice without wrecking your joints or stalling your strength gains. You’ll learn simple cues to actually hit your glutes (not just quads), why going hands-free matters, and how to use...

Fast weight loss makes great TV—and terrible biology. In this episode, Chris breaks down why The Biggest Loser worked for ratings but failed most people long‑term: extreme cardio stacked on crash dieting, no time to build habits or maintain, and a setup that burns muscle—the very tissue that keeps your metabolism humming. We also cover what the show actually got right (coaching, community, motivat...

Over the past 20 years, Catalyst has grown from a small dream into a community that has supported not only thousands of clients, but also my own family. I’m deeply grateful for every one of you who has been part of this journey. To ensure Catalyst continues to thrive for decades to come, we are merging with Ryan Mitchell of RAM Fitness. Many of you have already met Ryan and some of his team o...