The FitLife Formula Podcast

Gyms in Michigan are set to reopen on June 25th, after being shut down for more than 3 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.    There is a lot of uncertainty about whether it's ok for you to go back to the gym, so in this 25 minute episode I lay out what to consider, and the 5 best practices to limit your risk at the gym. We'll talk about  The difference between gyms and studios Why strength traini...

I wish I could tell you there was a specific diet that everyone could follow for optimum health and nutrition. Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that.    There are as many "perfect diets" as there are books on the topic. Every person on the planet has a way of eating that suits them best. Some do well on the Paleo Diet, some Keto, South Beach, Mediterranean diet, vegetarianism, intermittent fast...

We know real foods (rather than the processed edible products in the center aisles of the grocery store) should make up the majority of your diet.    In fact, this may be the most important factor in your health. Do your daily eating habits include a lot of real foods? Or are you eating sub par, nutritionally sparse food-like substitutes that are compromising your health?   This week, we have laid...

2 special guests join me for this episode of the FitLife Formula Podcast.    Today, 2 Advantage members join me to talk about why they love a morning/evening workout.    This is always going to be a personal decision based on a lot of different factors, but Ted and Julie will be giving you some things to think about as you decide whether you will be a morning or evening workout person.    Maybe yo...

Episode 44 of the FitLife Formula will help you take the good habits you have developed while you’re safe at home, and stick with them as life resumes after the COVID-19 pandemic.   There are several factors that will help you stick with healthy habits, and Google fitness manager Kate Owens will share the 4 most important elements that should be in place if you have habits you’d like to keep as yo...

At the beginning of week 2 of the Coronavirus shut down, people are starting to look for the best ways to stay fit at home.    It turns out there are 3 tools that will get you most of what you could ever want/need in a workout.     On Episode 43, I'll share the 3 best tools you should invest in for your home. It looks like we're in for another 3 weeks of gym-lessness, but that doesn't mean your fi...

If you feel like your world has been flipped upside down because of the Coronavirus measures that are interrupting almost every facet of your life.    Every facet except one... your health.   Health is on the top of everyone's mind right now, and the interruption of your daily life is a perfect way to build a new schedule around your health.    Check out Episode 42 to discover the hidden opportuni...

One topic really caught fire in the gym a couple weeks ago, and it all came from one member asking me about what to do when she has plateaued.   We had an awesome conversation on the topic, and it got a lot of other interest in the gym. So if several people are wondering about this, I'm sure there are dozens more in the same boat.    On this episode, I'm joined by one our members, Carolyn Z, to ta...

There are times when, even though you KNOW you'll feel good if you get active or go in for a workout, you just can't quite find a way to make it a priority in your day.    Why is that? You know you'll feel better. You know it will give you energy and make you more productive. You know you'll enjoy the overall experience of a workout...   But you just can't bring yourself to build it into your day....

There's nothing like hearing the words of some one who's whole outlook on themselves has been changed. There's an unmistakable sense of accomplishment, pride, and hope when we talk to those members who have been through the New You Challenge. Last week on the podcast, we heard from the 4 winners of last year's New You Challenge, just 1 week into their journey.  This week, we are sharing Eric's wra...

"It's the start that stops most people."  This Don Shula quote couldn't be more true than when it comes to getting back in shape.  It's hard to get moving again when you haven't focused on it for a while, or when you have forgotten how good it makes you feel. On Episode 38 of the FitLife Formula Podcast, I'll share real audio from actual winners of last year's New You Sweepstakes. This is from a v...

We hear it all the time... "I don't have the time or money to commit to this."    Even if "this" is something that will help you feel better, focus more, get more done, and be the best version of yourself.    On Episode 37 of the FitLife Formula Podcast, I'll talk about determining your Big Rocks... the most important parts of your life, your non-negotiables... and then making sure you have room f...

This wasn't in the plan for today, but an impromptu conversation with Jacinta lead to a discussion about the difference between what South Africans do and what American adults do.  When you look at the numbers, we as fitness pros are failing in our mission to help people lose weight and get healthy. Across the board, the health of our nation is deteriorating while the size of our citizens is incre...

You might want to tune in to this episode if... 1) you think dry needing and accupuncture are the same (it's not) 2) you're afraid dry needing will hurt (it won't) 3) you don't think dry needling will help (it does)   On the 35th episode of the FitLife Formula, I connect with Greg Schaible from On Track Physical Therapy, to talk about the benefits of a theraputic technique called dry needling.  We...

Not too many things really get me fired up, but I saw a meme the other day that plucked a nerve.    It came as a reply to a comment in in our members-only Facebook group, and I couldn't let it pass without this short rant. Our member posted it as a win for herself, which she has totally earned, but I have a problem with the way the meme is worded.    Tune in to this 10 minute episode to see what I...

What if you didn't have to make an elaborate diet plan to help you lose weight. What if there was a diet that didn't require you to keep a rigid eating schedule, restrict your food choices, do a ton of food prep ahead of time, or deny yourself when you're out to lunch or dinner with friends? Well that diet exists, and it might just be the easiest way to lose weight, reset your metabolism, reduce s...

To kick off this week's celebration of our Healthy Holiday Party, we're chatting with former U of M football player and Thrive Juicery founder, Andy Mignery. Andy was thrown a huge curve ball at the age of 38, and from then on he has dedicated himself to his own health, the health of his family, and now with Thrive Juicery (which now has 2 locations in Ann Arbor), the health of his entire communit...

There are a lot of fitness places that claim to offer "strength training" as a part of their class, but in a lot of cases, that might be a stretch.  So if you are currently doing something you call strength training, check out this episode to see if you think it qualifies. You'll learn why strength training should be a part of your fitness routine (and why it has such a prominent place in the FitL...

Everyone has a friend who is way into fitness. It can be hard to know what to get them for the holidays, so I threw together this quick episode to offer 5 great ideas for you or your active buds.  1) Percussion massager, like Hypervolt or Theragun (link) 2) Chest heart rate strap (link) 3) Foam roller (link)   4) Enso silicone wedding ring (link) 5) Daily Harvest smoothies (link)  

You know exercise is good for your body. And if you didn't you could pick up any health magazine and read the cover to find out how you can shred fat or get ripped.  You might also know that exercise makes you FEEL better, even if you can't quite put your finger on why it does that.  On today's episode you'll learn about the chemical cocktail that happens in your brain while you exercise, and exac...

Where do you go if you  1) Have a nagging pain, but it's not quite bad enough to put you in physical therapy (PT) 2) Just finished PT, but still feel like you need professional help with your homework or 3) You just aren't consistent with stretching and maintaining good range of motion (like you know you should)? Until recently, there hasn't really been a place for you. Now there is.  Reach Bodywo...

When it comes to exercise, diet, or any other good habits in your life, being consistent is much more important that going through bouts of intensity.    You've heard stories of people who try restrictive diets and fail after a few months because it's just not sustainable. Others go from no activity to intense workouts at the gym, only to find themselves sidelined by injury within a few weeks.   ...

Have you ever been grinding your way through your week, getting the kids to practice, scheduling lessons, sneaking in a workout in for yourself, and then BAM! Thursday night hits and you realize you don't have anything at the house for dinner.  My guest Liza Baker knows how to help. She's a health coach, mom, and former chef who wrote the book on cooking once and eating twice. In her self-publishe...

At some point in your life, there's a good chance you've been on the calorie counting train. You may even still have the dusty remnants of that time... a leftover calorie chart and a beat up food scale in the back of your cupbord. I'm here to let you know you can ditch those old relics because there's an easier way to do things now.  And I'm not talking about a sophisticated new app or measuring d...

(check out the outtake at the 1 minute mark. I’m human, and a little ditzy)   We know exercise, specifically cardiovascular exercise and resistance training, do great things for your body and your heart health, but there’s one benefit to exercise that’s often overlooked.   On this episode of the FitLife Formula, I’m talking with Kevin Carr from Movement as Medicine in Woburn, Mass. In addition to...