The Coaching Lab: Evidence-Based High Performance & Wellbeing

Nutritional guidance can run the spectrum, and advice often depends upon the latest headlines. That's exactly why we were so excited to have Nancy Clark join this week's episode. She is the author of the Sports Nutrition Guidebook, which originally came out in 1990 and is now entering it's 6th edition - that is staying power! You've likely read Nancy's insights in magazine...

Matt Fitzgerald is the author of some of our favorite books, including "How Bad Do You Want It" and "Ironwar." Now, with his new book on the shelves ("Life is a Marathon"), we thought it was the perfect time to bring this episode - one of your all-time favorites - back the the forefront as one of our rare "throwback" shows.  Matt shares his insights, his pas...

One of your favorite episodes is the live coaching sessions. For some of you, it may be the first time you've hear a Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach compete an actual session. For others, you're looking for ways to enhance your own coaching. Regardless of what brings you to this episode, you're going to find it engaging and will realize right out of the gate tha...

Age may just be "a number," but it's also an excuse for us to do less, reduce our expectations, and "take it easy." In this episode, we'll explore optimized living with 75 year old multiple-time Ironman Ken Hola as he shares his perspective, strategy and secrets to making the most of life at any age! Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification ,...

Ice baths, ibuprofen, foam rollers, massage and beer? An entire industry has been created in recent years around the (supposed) science behind recovery. Best-selling author, athlete and science journalist Christie Aschwanden takes them all on by examining the ACTUAL science behind the marketing claims. Whether you're an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, or a coach looking to help your clients...

The gentleman known as the "Mayor of Running," the creator of one of the world's best known training sessions (the Yasso 800s), and the Chief Running Officer for Runner's World Magazine joins us to talk life, running and his 40+ year love affair with the sport. If you're a runner, this is a MUST-hear episode for obvious reasons. However, if you hate running :-), you'r...

Dr. Allen Lim, the founder of Skratch labs, knows fueling strategies as well as anyone in the world. From the Tour de France cyclists (including Team Garmin and Radio Schack) to Olympic Champion Gwen Jorgensen, he is the go-to expert when it comes to optimal fueling. In this episode, he provides some great advice for serious athletes, but also goes into what each of us, regardless of our pursuits,...

There are so many myths about successful aging and the regular choices that will optimize our chances to experience the journey through life in a positive manner. Dr. Alan Castel, UCLA professor of cognitive psychology and author of "Better With Age: The Psychology of Successful Aging" joins us for this episode to help identify what works, what doesn't, and what might (as science co...

We're hearing more and more about the genetic testing that can help identify a personalized approach to nutrition, but does it actually work? This week we're fortunate to have Nanci Guest, PhD, RD join the show to share her insights on this approach and much more from the world of evidence-based nutrition.  Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification , annual Rocky...

When it comes to health and wellness, children (and the teachers/parents at their sides) are facing an uphill climb. Excess weight and obesity are at all-time highs... activity and healthy eating at all-time lows. The combination is extremely harmful both short and long term. In this engaging throwback podcast interview that became one of our most popular of all times, a 4th grade teacher shares t...

Dr. Meeta Singh knows sleep! An MD who consults with NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB and multiple college teams, she has seen it all. Sleep has garnered a lot of attention in recent years as the understanding of the importance of quality sleep have expanded. In this episode, Dr. Singh brings a breadth of knowledge and a practical element that will help you optimize your own sleep as well as that of your client...

Grit and resilience are garnering a lot of attention in organizations, conferences and the popular press. They are valuable attributes, but as you'll learn in this podcast, place their focus on the future and the past. Functional Mental Toughness (fMT) is different - it's all about NOW, and how you can take specific steps to optimize your outcomes (or those of your clients) going forward...

Oftentimes we hear the concept "strategic planning" and we run the other way - or drop our heads and say "uggh." However, if you're a health and wellness coach who is either running your own business or someone involved in coordinating an organizational health & wellness program, strategic planning is absolutely crucial. In this engaging, thought-provoking and practica...

Money - or the lack of it - can often play a central role in our personal health and well-being. In this episode, Best-selling author (and the daughter of Dave Ramsey) Rachel Cruze shares practical wisdom about all things money! If you're looking for practical advice you can share with your clients (or apply personally), you won't want to miss this engaging episode.  Info re earning your...

The health and wellness coaching profession moved in a very positive direction in September of 2017 when the National Consortium of Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC - formerly the ICHWC) initiated the very first National Board Certification in partnership with the National Board of Medical Examiners. This brought a new level of accountability and respect to a profession that was functioning at...

Brad Stulberg, best-selling author "Peak Performance" and the recently (last week!) released book "The Passion Paradox: A Guide to Going All-In, Finding Success, and Discovering the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life" joins us on this episode and he definitely brought his A-game! Outstanding insights on how to apply the concepts from his books to the realities of life. He covers se...

Nutrition can get confusing, with fads grabbing the headlines and reality often taking a back seat. In this episode, Suzanne Brown gets practical, sharing tips, ideas and resources she's garnered over her 20 years as a Registered Dietitian and 10+ years as a wellness coach. If you're looking for ways in which to integrate real-life nutritional guidance into your coaching practice or your...

Every once in awhile, we dig into our vault and pull out one of our most popular episodes of all time. This is one of those! Even though it was one of our very first episode (#4), it remained our most popular until very recently. If you're wondering what it's like to be a health & wellness coach or are already a health & wellness coach but would love to hear how others approach t...

Dr Carla Meijen heads up the RESIST project in the UK, which is examining why runners choose to slow down in the midst of the race. The data is intriguing, but for you as a current or future wellness coach, the application is tremendous! Dr Meijen discusses process versus outcome, challenge versus threat and the psychology behind why our clients are making the decisions they're making. If you...

It takes a special individual to become the four time Ironman World Champion, and Chrissie Wellington is that and much more! In this interview, she shares her joy, her heart, her struggles, and even some of her training and racing secrets. As always, the discussion takes place in the context of health and wellness coaching (and her global role with the exciting ParkRun events taking place worldwid...

You can read about coaching, learn about coaching or hear someone talk about coaching, but until you actually experience an effective session of coaching, it's just not the same. In this episode, you'll hear a live, unscripted coaching session taking place. The live session is followed by a brief summary review by both the coach and the individual being coached, as they discuss some of t...

As a current or future health and wellness coach, you're not content to simply depend on headlines and the latest "hacks" on social media. You're an evidence based coach - the individual who stays up to date on the latest peer-reviewed research and brings that into your coaching consultations. In an effort to help support your approach, we have a regularly scheduled episode tha...

Alex Hutchinson started out with a PhD in Physics, added a Masters degree in journalism, and ended up writing one of the best books (ever) on human endurance, performance and the (evidence-based) mind-body connection. The information he shares in this interview is fascinating, but his transparency and honesty provided unexpected icing on the cake. You know his work, you've read his articles i...

Digital marketing, SEO, Pay Per Click, Social Media - at times, these can feel like either a foreign language or black magic - or both! For the health and wellness coach (or any small business owner) who is wanting to enhance their growth through the use of digital marketing, this episode is a must. Jeff Kent covers it all, from understanding the various options available to the best ways to get s...

There are SO many fads, deceptive headlines and misconceptions about nutrition and weight management. As health and wellness coaches, it is so important we steer clear of these with our clients and remain focused on evidence-based strategies that are backed up by research. In this episode, Dr. Tanya Halliday shares her expertise in this area, providing valuable guidance and practical advice we can...