Latest / The Bridges and Beacons Podcast / Foundations for Wellness with Morgan Ekovich

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Foundations for Wellness with Morgan Ekovich · The Bridges and Beacons Podcast

• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the Mystic Nerd Squad podcast.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_01: I'm your host, original Mystic Nerd, Kelly Meyerson, joined today by one of my very dear friends.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: And it's so much fun to be able to say that because it's absolutely the truth.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: Morgan Ekovich is back today.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: She was here just a couple months ago talking about fitness and some really cool stuff about her history and the dairy industry and the work that she's doing.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: Today I have her back.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, if you don't remember Morgan from an earlier episode, she is an online personal trainer, nutrition and accountability coach.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_01: Today she came back to talk to us a little bit about finding balance.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm thrilled to have this topic because I think for women, for uh individuals that are entrepreneurs, finding that balance to be able to include a sense of getting all the things done, working, taking care of ourselves, being healthy, fitness, nutrition, it can feel like one of those areas can take over and it can be really challenging to find balance.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_01: So, Morgan, welcome.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for being here again.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for having me.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: I was so excited to be back so quickly, too.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I I think we can have a regular installment of this because one of my big passions is really having that harmony in your life between your work, your family, and yourself.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I know that I've learned that prioritizing myself and my self-care, health, well-being is the perfect first step for me so that I am so much more available for all the other people and things that I'm responsible for.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_01: So you talk about creating balance with health.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_01: What does balance actually look like in your day-to-day life?
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so it's a great question because I think my balance from day to day actually changes.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: Like some days it is I go out for a 10-minute walk and I film social media content and I'm in front of my computer.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: Other days I get up, I go to networking or do a few networking events, and then I go and I do a really good workout.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: And so, like the balance between health and fitness when I find at least workout-wise, is different every day.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the things I was reading, Girl Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know if you've read that.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I'm in, I'm not very far through, but I'm to the point where she was like, work-life balance is BS.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: And she's like, if this is the one time I swear in this book, I hope my editor lets me keep it.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's very true because we think of balance being this perfect 50-50, just like roles in the household with our partners.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: Like we think of it, it needs to be 50-50.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: But some days we're doing 90 and they're doing 10.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Some days it is 50-50.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: And really, when I think about my balance, it ebbs and flows throughout the week, depending on the day, depending on the stress levels.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: What events am I holding?
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: Do I have podcasts to record?
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: Is it a lower, is it a lighter week?
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: So that balance ebbs and flows.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: And as long as I'm getting a little bit of something in all the areas that fulfill me, I would classify myself as balance.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm doing at least a little bit of movement.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'm fueling my body with just a little bit of things that nourish me.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: I'm getting a little bit better sleep than running on no sleep.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I've managed my stress for even just five minutes.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: Like the absolute bare minimum, and then having life happen, that's still balance because it's better than doing nothing.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: Hmm.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_01: I love that you say that.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: It's better than doing nothing.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_01: It makes me think of the phrase done is better than perfect.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm just gonna have to say, like personally, um, what I'd love to respond to is that I think for so many years I avoided really committing to a fitness plan because it wouldn't be ideal or perfect.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_01: That it it and I didn't even creatively think of like, it doesn't have to be perfect.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_01: It could be like a little bit here and a little bit there, and that counts.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_01: And I really think that you helped me reframe looking at having an exercise and fitness plan that could flex and could fit into my days.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_01: And it's so funny because I look at I look at the schedule that I have and the workouts that I have planned, and I like there's a little bit of me that's like, oh my gosh, if I don't do this, Morgan is gonna see that I didn't do this.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_01: And then, you know, you'll say something like simple, like, well, would you like me to shift it to to Tuesday or Wednesday instead?
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, oh my God, I didn't even think that I could shift it to another day.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_01: It was like it's getting done or it's never getting done.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's it's so funny the way we get stuck in these thought patterns.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_01: And we definitely talked about that a little bit last time you were here.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_01: So, what are some boring basics you swear by that most people overlook when they're trying to get healthy?
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_01: What are those pieces they they miss that are actually critical, that work really well?
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so there's five pillars that we go that I talk about and we go by.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: Number one is hydration.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: We underrate how important staying hydrated is.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: And a lot of us, I think, I think that is definitely something that is on the uprise.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: People are drinking more water than they ever were.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: But at the same time, I run into people and I'll I always ask the question of how much water are you drinking?
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I don't know.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, well, let's track it.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: Let's figure out how much.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: And they're like, Well, I'm drinking like one of my Stanleys.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, great.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: So if it's the one of those massive ones, that's about 40 ounces.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, great.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's a good place to start.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: And then we have a good starting place.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: But then I also ask the question of, what else are you drinking throughout the day?
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: And they're like, Well, I'm drinking this and I'm drinking this.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: Or some people are like, I just don't drink anything.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, how do you go all day with only a little bit of like any liquid?
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: So when I when it is somebody who is drinking things other than water, I try to encourage them to really focus on water.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: And if you have, if if you're a coffee drinker all day long, even if it's decaf, anytime you have a cup, have a the equal amount of water.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: So try to balance it out because there's really no, I never want you to feel shameful or guilt for not drinking enough water, but I do want you to start to realize how good you feel when we are hydrated.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: So the number one basic you can do if you don't do anything else, drinking water takes no more time in your day.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: Probably the most effort, the thing that takes the most effort is getting a water bottle and filling it.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: So it's probably what takes the most effort.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: So starting with just staying hydrated, making sure you're drinking enough water.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: Females, we should be getting 60 to 90 ounces.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: Males, anywhere from 90 to 120.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: I know my body performs better from the 90 to 120, but I also know that about 90, I'll switch to making sure I put an electrolyte in my water so that I'm staying hydrated and I'm not just flushing it out, which is also the key portion of I'm drinking gallons of water a day.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: Well, we're not really hydrating.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: You're you're drinking water, but there's that hydration portion.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: So that is the first and foremost one.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't do anything or from this podcast, like start drinking water.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: So first boring basic.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: And that's the first pillar.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um, the second pillar is movement.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: And instead of calling it exercise or a workout, call it intentional movement and really just be aware of I'm going to do 10 minutes of intentional movement every single day.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: And it can look like pacing around the house.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: It can look like walking on your walking pad.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: It can mean kicking the soccer ball around with your kid.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: It can mean doing a few push-ups and squats.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: It can mean actually doing a 10-minute AMRAP.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: It can mean doing yoga or mobility, but specifically setting aside 10 minutes to intentionally move your body, no matter the effort level, right there, getting good at doing that.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: And not like, oh, well, I I parked, I always park far away when I go to the grocery store and it takes me a long time, or when I go to work.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: Good.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: But think of something else that's not in your routine already.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: And that's when I it's all about the intentionality.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: We want to choose something that's not already part of our routine.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: So those are the first two.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: Like those are my two favorite go-to's because they're little and they don't take up much of our time.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_01: And I I think the part that you said about choosing something that you don't normally do in your current routine because you're really trying to ramp up and get a little more cardio, a little more, you know, strength training.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_01: Um I love just the reframe of wanting longevity to be able to get into 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond, and still have strength, mobility, flexibility, safety, and balance.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_01: So we're less likely to fall when we get older.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: Those are the things that I think are so much more important to me now.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_01: And maybe I'm just a little more aware as I'm getting older that it's no longer about the exercise because I'm gonna look better in a bikini.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: That's not even like on my radar.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, I need to be stronger so that when I'm running up and down two flights of stairs with a basket of laundry, like I'm either not winded or I'm like, this is too heavy for me to carry.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_01: Like just being able to function is so much more important for me now.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: And it is true that if you don't use it, you lose it.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: So we've probably seen a lot of older adults that at some point are no longer able to live on their own because they've stopped being active.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: So the more active you can continue to be, and the sooner you can start to create these habits and routines and add them into your everyday life.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: When retirement comes, and that's a big change and shift for a lot of people.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: It's like clean slate.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: I went from doing the same thing over and over.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: You've already built in, like no matter I'm retired, but I'm still doing my 10 minutes of movement every day.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: I'm still built in my water.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: And muscle loss does not start at 80.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: It starts way before that.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: Aches and pains, all of that starts now.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I turned 30 this fall, and it's crazy how much just when you turn 30 as a female, your muscle mass declines.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: Like you lose it, it is so sad to see you have to work so hard to maintain and gain.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: And a lot of times we wait till we have an issue.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: So getting ahead of it and knowing that, like you said, I want to be able to run up and down the stairs and not be wounded, or be able to carry that laundry basket.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: Those are or put the dishes up on the top shelf.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: If we stop reaching above us, you're not gonna be able to grab that dish in the kitchen that you only use once a year.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so we've got hydration, we've got movement.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_01: So what's number three?
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: Number three is going to be our sleep, which is your area of expertise.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I tell people, and we've talked on episode, uh, you've talked on my podcast about sleep, and it can look a variety of ways.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: But really, how I tell people when we're looking at the basics is are you getting sleep?
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: Are you prioritizing a bedtime?
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: And are you prioritizing getting yourself to bed?
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: Like that is that next thing because you can do all the movement in the world.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: You can drink all the water in the world, you can do all the things.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_00: But if your body is not actually getting that time to rest and recover and repair your muscles, you're not doing yourself any good physically and also mentally.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: Like I remember the first episode you were on of mine.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: I believe you said daylight savings time creates the most amount of like accidents due to just, and that's only an hour of sleep mist.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_01: Accidents and heart attacks go up.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_01: Because people like it's just a little bit of lost sleep just goes, yeah.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_01: So I I can't emphasize that enough.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I love the simplicity that you're approaching it with with like just being aware, like, what is your bedtime and and acknowledging the importance of sleep?
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I love that.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_01: I think obviously we could talk more about that, but but we have.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_01: So we'll be sure to link in the show notes if you want to go here.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_01: Morgan had some fantastic questions uh during those episodes.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_01: So once they release, we'll make sure that you you get those links so you can check it out.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: All right.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_01: So what's number four then?
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: Number four is going to be our nutrition.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: And nutrition looks different for everybody.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um, nutrition, just like exercise, is completely customized to you.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of diets and things that are out there have only been researched on men.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why us as women become very frustrated of well, my husband stopped eating sugar and he lost 12 pounds in like a day.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: And you're like, I stopped eating sugar and I'm ornery and I'm yelling at my kids and all of this.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: You're like, yeah, because we are different.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: So when it comes to our nutrition and getting back to the basics, really the first thing I tell people to do is if you've never created a food log, create a very basic food log, write it down in a notebook, pull out the notes on your phone.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: You can use a fancy app, but just start to know are you eating breakfast?
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: No, you are running on caffeine.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_00: We need to be aiming for 20 to 30 grams of protein at breakfast.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_00: Like we, if we think about it, we live in a world where we tend to um load our calories at the end of the day, right before bed.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: We our body doesn't need that big dinner.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: Really, we should be switching that.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: But I also know mornings are chaotic, they're hectic, they're busy, they're frustrating sometimes.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_00: You are lucky if you have two shoes on when you're running out the door with multiple kits.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: Like, so breakfast is not that time when we have time to sit down.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_00: Dinner is calmer.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: So I know why it happens, but creating a log, notice how frequently you are you eating, what are you eating, and then from there, really start to notice are you skipping meals?
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: If so, make sure you're no longer skipping meals.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_00: From there, we then dial in of, are you having any vegetables?
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: No, okay, let's start with one vegetable a day.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: Like slowly building up, but really just starting to notice what are you doing with your nutrition?
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of us, we are so unaware and creating the very basics of I am eating.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: Good job.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I am eating.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of us forget to eat because we're so busy.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_01: Hmm.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_01: I I love this so much and it totally resonates.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_01: And I was having this crazy idea about how you said, you know, people are you we have time at the end of the day.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_01: We sit down, we're accustomed to having larger meals.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_01: But then when it comes to the morning time, the preparation time, getting out the door, school, work, and all that, we don't really have the time.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_01: I'm thinking, why don't we spend the time we have in the evening, evening making a hearty, delicious, protein-rich breakfast that can also function as dinner, but like maybe we're having whatever we're having with like a nice side salad and some green beans, and then that gives us our nutritious, protein-rich breakfast that's gonna fuel us for the day and still honors that time that we have in the evening.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know, just a crazy idea.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe it'll work for somebody out there.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_01: It might be what I try in my house.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_01: I will tell you that one of my ways that I function is I try to think of dinner preparation as preparing me for lunch the next day.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_01: So, like whatever I'm making for dinner, I'm I'm like either I'm preparing something at the same time that's gonna be my lunch the next day, or I'm making extra so that I can pack myself a lunch for the next day.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: So that's one of my things that I do for myself.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_01: Make sure I have something to bring for lunch and for those moments where it's really hard to have the time to prep to get everything together.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_01: I know that there are some go-to quick-to-eat snacks that are on the healthier side, not the healthy s, but healthier, better than not eating, as you said, and will provide me a lot of protein.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_01: And that tends to make the difference for me.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I will flex into those when life is busy, but flex more into the preparing food ahead of time when I can.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's a great idea.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the hacks that I will use in the morning is I have a thing of protein powder, and I will so I learned this the hard way.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_00: Protein powder and really hot coffee coming out of your coffee maker do not mix.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: They like, they don't.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: There's a weird texture, chunky thing that happens.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: So I always make a full pot of coffee.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_00: We rarely drink a full pot of coffee.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_00: So I always have, and this may disgust some people, but I keep coffee in the coffee maker overnight.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_00: Next morning, I put my cup underneath.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_00: I take the coffee, the cup of coffee from the day before, I pop it in the microwave for about a minute 10.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_00: So it warms it to like hot chocolate water temperature.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_00: I put in my scoop of chocolate protein powder and I have hot chocolate, is what it tastes like in the morning.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_00: I get the caffeine from my coffee.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_00: Some people are like, you drink day old old caffeine.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: Coffee is coffee, in my opinion.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: Like it, it all is the same.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: That and I add that, and that right there is a really quick and easy.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like I had a doctor's appointment this morning, and I knew I wanted to sleep right up until I didn't want to rush out the door, but I was like, I got coffee, warmed that up, mixed it, put on my clothes, walked out the door, and I felt good.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: And then I came home and then I made myself a real breakfast.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: So having some of those cheats or having frozen mini quichas or burritos, batch cooking and meal prepping things that you can just pull out of the freezer, those Jim Eatine breakfast sandwich, not your not the healthiest option, but they're better than nothing.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: Have some of those things on hand for when you are running out the door and thinking through that different stages and different months and different days and weeks of your life are gonna ebb and flow, just like we talked about.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: Some days you're gonna be like 100% gold star.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_00: Other days you're gonna be like, 10%.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's all I could give, gold star.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's going to look different.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_00: So just being aware of what does your body, what makes your body feel good and getting really, really good at learning what makes your body feel good and getting bored with it.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_00: Of like, yeah, I know protein coffee makes my body feel good, and I'm bored of drinking it, but I know how good it makes me feel.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's such a great and valid point uh that sometimes we take for granted and stop doing the things that were working really well because we're like, I'm doing this every day.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh it's boring.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_01: Something different.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, I agree with you too.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_01: I I take my collagen in my coffee, and it does provide, I don't think it's like 12 grams of protein, but it definitely contributes to the amount of protein that I'm having during breakfast.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I think for so many years, I'm not sure how I was figuring out what to eat.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_01: I think I ate very carb heavy for a long time and it was very unsatisfying.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_01: Like I was one of those kids I had to have a granola bar in my locker in high school because I get starving at a certain point.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_01: I really think it was just because I wasn't eating the things that were fueling my body.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like some of this food science is more current and wasn't happening back then.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but the protein every part of my day is what makes a big difference.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes going for that snack that has protein versus a snack that is a carbohydrate is making a big difference for me.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: And it can be like, hey, I'm having a mini bag of Cheez-Its, but I'm also gonna have a little beef stick.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_00: Like it doesn't mean that like you can't have the like I love a little bag of Cheez Its.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_00: They're one of those things we don't have often, but when we do, I'm like, oh, but how can I pair this with something that's gonna make me feel a little bit better more than just in the moment?
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: And the collagen is perfect, it's a really great thing.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: And growing up, I was a cereal kid.
• 22:36
  unknown: We were
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_00: Cereal, Pop Tarts, granola bars.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: And if we left, if we all got ready and out the door on time, we could stop and get a donut on the way to school.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_00: We were carb kids.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: And now I watch my nanny kids and I'll get them ready for breakfast in the morning sometimes.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: And like it's oatmeal and but it's made with milk.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes there's bacon, that it's still a little carb heavier, but they're more conscious of making sure there's littler sources of protein.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_00: And kids are different.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_00: They don't need the quantity in which we need at that breakfast.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: But it does come into play.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_00: The more carbohydrates we have, the more fast energy we have, and the quicker we decline and are like half asleep by first period.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_01: Like exactly.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's so huge.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's just like different uh phases and times in like breakfast history.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_01: Now we're more into like understanding, and and at one point the bacon and the eggs became the villain in the story, right?
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_01: So it was like, no, no, no.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_01: And then it was like, all right, here comes ketogenic diet.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: We're gonna go keto and we're gonna eat all the eggs in the bacon.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_00: And a block of cheese and a tub of butter.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna do all of it.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_00: And you're like, oh my god, moderation?
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if this reference is gonna land for you, but there was this woman, Susan Powder.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_01: Do you know who she is?
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_01: No, I don't think so.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_01: And she was like this fitness guru.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_01: I think it was the 80s, maybe the early 90s, but she was like crazy about eating potatoes.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_01: Like this was like like the potatoes were everything.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_01: I don't remember all the rest of what she did, but it was like they're just the butter, and then it's the margarine, and like, no, the margarine is terrible for you.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_01: Let's go back to the butter, the spray, like spray butter.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_01: I can't believe it's not butter.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_01: All to come around to like, you know, uh, you have to know for yourself what works for your body, and also what the old wives tale of everything in moderation.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_01: Like if you're eating bacon every day, probably not a good thing.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_01: You'd be happier, but at least in my case, but you know, not necessarily the best thing every single day.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_01: All right.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_01: So, what is number five then of the pillars?
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: Is our stress.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_00: We are all stressed in different ways.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_00: We live and we carry busy as a badge of honor.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_00: And oh, I'm busy.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I'm too busy.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_00: I'll get back to you.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, my schedule's really busy this week.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: And don't get me wrong, I fall into this.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_00: It is very hard not to.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know, I feel like I've been saying it forever because I even sit with my nanny because we're like, wow, you guys are so busy with sports and all the things.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_00: They're like, I think it's just something that we use, but it's not really what we mean.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like in the sense of we use busy.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_00: When I think of me being busy, I think of my schedule.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_00: I have a lot on my plate.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_00: Doesn't mean it's not all like bad things, but a lot of times I think we use busy as being a bad word.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_00: And for me, I think of busy as some days it's stressful and overwhelming.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_00: And some days it's great.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: I love a busy day.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: It makes me feel accomplished, it makes me feel amazing.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_00: I look back, I'm like, wow, look at all that crap I got done today.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: Like, so I we use busy.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I think a lot of us, like I said, we think of it as a bad thing.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so busy, I'm so overwhelmed, I'm so stressed, I'm so frustrated.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_00: Well, our stress levels are high.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: Well, when we're not drinking water, when we're not moving our bodies, getting outside, when we're not getting proper sleep, when we are not eating things that make our body feel good, our brought, our body and our brain, that stress level continues to rise.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_00: So it's really important that you have a few tools in your toolbox that can help you manage it.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the things that I've been seeing, and we've actually tried in our household, is if you feel if you're feeling anxious or you're feeling like there's some sort of like panic attack or like the panicky feeling, I think we all kind of know, like, okay, there's a lot, overwhelm that.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_00: I was reading and I've seen a few people do it, is taking an ice pack and putting it on your wrists and on your chest because that temperature change gets our brain from stopping thinking and kind of re-regulates us as we start to breathe.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_00: So having a tool like that of when that's accessible, it could even be an ice cube.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, managing our stress in a way of just because my calendar shows it's an open day does not mean I have to fill it.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like today was one of those days.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_00: I had an appointment this morning, I had this this evening.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_00: In between, I knew what I wanted to do.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_00: I purposely did not put anything on the calendar.
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_00: I filmed social media and I did my own thing.
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_00: And it was a busy day, but it was a good busy, but it didn't look busy on the calendar.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_00: So for me, it's saying no to things like getting really good at saying no, and not just because like I don't want to do it, but saying no because I know it's what I need.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_00: Because a lot of times you're like, oh, we got this trip and then this trip and then this trip.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_00: It's okay to say no to not go to the theater with friends on Friday.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_00: There will be another opportunity, but then we fall into the FOMO, fear of missing out, and then that can bring some stress.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: So there's we have stress in a variety of ways, but having a few tools in your toolbox to help manage that when you're at work and the work just keeps piling.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, do we know how to prioritize the top three most important things that have to happen?
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_00: Everything else will get done.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_00: What has to happen?
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_00: Breathing techniques, like we talked about, like having tools in your toolbox because stress impacts us everywhere.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_00: It makes our gut unhappy.
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_00: We end up on the toilet a little bit more.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: We sometimes some of us overeat or some of us under-eat, depending on stress.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_00: Some of us become achy in our joints.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_00: Some of us don't sleep, we're up constantly, or we do fall asleep.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_00: And then we're weak, there we're up again because that brain's moving and stress comes in.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_00: So it plays into all factors of our life.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_00: It goes into our relationships.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_00: When we're stressed, we snap.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_00: When we're not regulated, it's usually stress-based.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_01: I think this is such a huge topic and it's a very important pillar.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I love kind of taking that um weight off of busyness as a bad thing.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_01: And as like being busy is not inherently a bad thing.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_01: And making those choices and saying no.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_01: I think saying no, it is like one of the hardest things to do, especially, you know, FOMO is for real.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_01: I sometimes like to talk about Jomo, which is the joy of missing out.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, I like that.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_01: This is probably like like something that comes from introverts, like the joy of just having no plan, sitting on your couch, you know.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_01: Look at you.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_01: You just you just even sat there and went like, oh, just sitting in my house, not not having someplace to be doesn't happen a lot, right?
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_01: We're often overscheduling ourselves.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_01: So I would say it's also finding the balance between all of those things and making sure that there's some fun in your day.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_01: Like life doesn't have to all be work.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_01: And a lot of us are are very easily drawn towards work and getting things done and being productive.
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_01: And I also think there's so much about society that rewards and expects a high level of productivity and moving towards that next goal, that next job, that next thing, that next mile marker that says you're achieving in your life.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_01: So I think removing the necessity to follow a certain path or be a certain way, and instead thinking about what lights you up, what makes you happy, what brings you joy.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_01: Um, some people love to be busy and that brings them joy.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_01: Some people love a date with their couch and a blanket and a cup of tea and their favorite TV show.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_01: I might be talking about myself, it might be somebody else.
• 31:21
  SPEAKER_01: I personally like both.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_01: I like having plans and I like having no plans.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_01: I like having plans that get canceled.
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_01: I like surprise plans.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_01: You know, a little bit of variety there.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_01: But I love that you're talking about us finding some things that work as strategies when we feel that our stress level is rising and being able to meet that stress with having those first four pieces of our pillars be addressed.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I also think beyond fun, the other thing I would add is adding rest into your life.
• 31:56
  SPEAKER_01: I think a lot of people undervalue rest.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and it's different, it's not sleep, it's not sitting and scrolling on our phone.
• 32:06
  SPEAKER_01: It's things that really put our mind at a sense of ease and our body at a sense of ease.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_01: And scrolling on our phones is not putting our body in a state of ease, you know?
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm not vilifying it because I do love a little scroll on Instagram and finding all the cute memes to send to people.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_01: That is part of my love language.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_01: I will send people the perfect little meme or reel that just like speaks to whatever it is, but they make me laugh, they make me smile.
• 34:03
  SPEAKER_01: I find that enjoyable, but rest is something completely different from that.
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_01: And I think a lot of people don't use rest in that way.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it can be a superpower choosing to rest and not saying no to plans because only when you don't, you can't actually do it because you're busy and plan for something else.
• 34:24
  SPEAKER_01: Your plans could be resting, and that's okay.
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_00: And you're right, rest is different than sleep.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I think a lot of times we don't rest because, oh, I sleep.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_00: That's when I get my rest.
• 34:37
  SPEAKER_00: You may see them as the same thing, some of you listening may, but really think of him as different.
• 34:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I did an episode on my podcast.
• 34:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it was oh, I I'm forgetting the name.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_00: It was something like you can either unplug to unwind, or you can plug in to unwind.
• 34:57
  SPEAKER_00: And essentially the concept was a lot of us when we unwind at the end of the day, we do exactly what you said.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_00: We scroll on our phone, we watch TV, we plug into something else.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_00: Where at we plug into something else that's really not making us that's not calming us necessarily.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_00: So in that episode, I talked about journaling, coloring, painting, taking a class, like a hobby class that's still restful.
• 35:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like if you're taking, if you're learning a new skill, maybe you're learning how to play a musical instrument.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_00: For me, it's hanging in my hammock.
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_00: Like I hung out in my hammock all day today and I worked, and it was so restful, even though I was working.
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_00: It was like that perfect balance.
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_00: And having some of those tools and those things that you're like, oh, I really enjoy reading.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_00: And reading makes me, and now that it's getting warmer, maybe it's sitting outside on your patio, reading for 10 minutes, or just walking around looking at all the looking at all the stuff you may need to do in your garden, or look out how great your garden is because you work so hard all weekend, barefoot, grounding yourself to the earth, and that right there could be your rest.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_00: Like maybe it's calling a friend and checking in and having a conversation.
• 36:14
  SPEAKER_00: It looks different to each of us.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_00: We all get recharged in different ways, but having that restful time is so important.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_00: I love that you brought that up.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, and those are some great suggestions.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_01: The grounding is super great.
• 36:29
  SPEAKER_01: And I also think this time of year, it's springtime, flowers are blooming, trees are blooming.
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you can really start to appreciate our environment shifts, the whole landscape, the colors change.
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_01: And it's so nice to enjoy that and not miss out, you know.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_01: That I mean, we can miss out on those kinds of things, those present moment opportunities to enjoy what we currently have, the miracle of our lives today.
• 37:00
  SPEAKER_01: I always think about that.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_01: It's like one of my crazy thoughts that I have is what is happening today, or what do I have, or who is with me today?
• 37:11
  SPEAKER_01: That was once something that I prayed for, that I hoped for, that I wished for, that I dreamed about.
• 37:17
  SPEAKER_01: Like you have live miracles in your life today.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_01: And just stopping to appreciate and think about that, I think is a great way to one reduce stress because you get into a state of appreciation, gratitude over, you know, what's not happening or what you need.
• 37:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I think it's just a beautiful practice to just be mindful.
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, there are things having a home, having a family, you know, like you said, the garden that you dreamed of cultivating that is now like overwhelmingly growing, and you have all this fresh produce in your backyard.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_01: Anything like that, like those those little moments, being able, like you said, to choose I'm gonna work from my hammock today, having a hammock, like that's such a blessing, and it's such an exciting thing to be able to do.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_01: And it feels so rich to be able to do that, like that experience of true wealth, having that freedom of where you do your work, the time that you spend.
• 38:24
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 38:25
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just riffing off of all these things, hoping that these will touch upon people and they'll think, wow, that is something that I haven't done.
• 38:33
  SPEAKER_01: I haven't really stopped to appreciate all the things I have.
• 38:36
  SPEAKER_01: And being in that state of appreciation really takes you out of that stress mindset too.
• 38:43
  SPEAKER_00: I love that you said the gratitude, because you're right.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_00: One of the an easy practice you can start doing is at the end of your day saying out loud to your spouse, writing it down in your phone or writing it down in a notebook, ideally in one specific spot if you are writing or typing it.
• 39:01
  SPEAKER_00: Don't have a bunch of stickies all over the place.
• 39:03
  SPEAKER_00: But write three things that you're grateful for.
• 39:05
  SPEAKER_00: Just like you said, maybe it's well, look at this.
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_00: I'm very grateful that for this house that we have been able to, we've moved into our dream house.
• 39:13
  SPEAKER_00: Or I was grateful I had a vegetable in the house so that I could fuel my body in the way possible.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_00: Or I remembered my water bottle for a 12-hour road trip that I had today.
• 39:23
  SPEAKER_00: Like it can be very little things, or it can be these big, magnificent things.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_00: But in reality, days are not what social media looks like.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_00: They are boring, they're unloading the dishwasher and reloading the dishwasher 12 times.
• 39:36
  SPEAKER_00: They're doing 14 loads of laundry, they are wearing mismatched socks.
• 39:42
  SPEAKER_00: It is having a house that is not put together and finding those little joys in that of wow, look at all this stuff that I have I get to take care of and I get to organize.
• 39:54
  SPEAKER_00: Like those are little ways of gratitude to just remember like if it's never gonna look perfect.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's net we're never gonna have a full 100%.
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_00: It's always gonna ebb and flow.
• 40:07
  SPEAKER_00: So being grateful for wow, look at look at what I have and how well I did today with what I had to work with.
• 40:16
  SPEAKER_01: I love that too.
• 40:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I love that you you celebrated a vegetable.
• 40:20
  SPEAKER_01: You know, have a little gratitude for that cucumber.
• 40:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 40:25
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna celebrate my little bag of you know, baby carrots that I ate at lunchtime today, you know.
• 40:32
  SPEAKER_01: I I think it's it seems silly and it can be a little silly and fun, and it should be, but I think what what you appreciate grows.
• 40:42
  SPEAKER_01: So when you teach yourself to appreciate those ways that you're taking care of yourself, whether it's unloading and loading the dishwasher, carrying your water bottle with you, or having a salad at dinner, it's like when you feel appreciated, it grows.
• 40:57
  SPEAKER_01: You're like, well, I want more of that.
• 40:59
  SPEAKER_01: I want more of that feeling.
• 41:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I think a lot of times that contentment that comes from that is what we're all searching for and not finding in other ways.
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's like a it's like a better form of dopamine than scrolling.
• 41:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it is.
• 41:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I think of it as my plants.
• 41:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'm terrible at taking care of my plants, but when I take care of them, they just thrive and they start to grow leaves.
• 41:24
  SPEAKER_00: And a lot of times we take care of ourselves like those plants that are in the corner at our house that we forgot we had.
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_00: Well, we forget about us.
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_00: So water yourself every day.
• 41:37
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure you're getting some sunshine.
• 41:38
  SPEAKER_00: We are more like plants than we than you like to think we are.
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_00: We need a lot of the same things.
• 41:44
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh, I love that.
• 41:45
  SPEAKER_01: And it makes me think of a conversation I had with Kimmy Oulette, who was on a couple episodes past, and she wrote a book about water, and she talked about how plants thrive when you speak to them nice.
• 41:59
  SPEAKER_01: She plays music for her plants, and you know, it can really like bring them back to life.
• 42:05
  SPEAKER_01: And then I was thinking to myself, well, what about people?
• 42:09
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you know, think about the ways that we speak to ourselves sometimes, and if we can shift the way that we talk to ourselves and how much love we give ourselves, um, I think that makes a big difference too, feeling loved and appreciated.
• 42:25
  SPEAKER_01: And if nobody else is loving and appreciating you, you can love and appreciate yourself.
• 42:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um and I think for those of us in our adult lives going through that journey of being able to love and appreciate ourselves more as we are, and to be able to do these things that sometimes feel like they're gonna be so hard to actually accomplish and doing them, accomplishing them, holding ourselves accountable, keeping up with even the boring things, you know, is really a way of loving and taking care of ourselves.
• 43:01
  SPEAKER_01: And it's better for not only our physical health, but our mental health too.
• 43:06
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely, you're right.
• 43:07
  SPEAKER_00: What we say to ourselves, and I heard this a while back and I still think about it, is what I'm saying to myself something I'd say to my best friend, my mom, my kids, my nanny kids?
• 43:20
  SPEAKER_00: Is it something that we would say to somebody else?
• 43:22
  SPEAKER_00: And if not, we really shouldn't be saying it to ourselves at either because we matter just as much as they do, if not more.
• 43:32
  SPEAKER_00: So why are we saying those things to us?
• 43:35
  SPEAKER_00: So it's really important of if you're building somebody up, build yourself up.
• 43:39
  SPEAKER_00: Like, yeah, I just crushed that project.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna go take a break.
• 43:44
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I'm gonna reward myself for something that I did and be proud of it instead of great, that one's done, let's move to the next, which there's a time and place.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_00: I know there's a time and a place, but really acknowledging yourself at how well you are doing.
• 43:57
  SPEAKER_00: And everybody listening is on a different scale of what well looks like.
• 44:03
  SPEAKER_00: And you may be thinking, well, my life doesn't look like that person's, but that doesn't matter.
• 44:08
  SPEAKER_00: It's how do you feel like you are doing?
• 44:12
  SPEAKER_00: You are doing amazing for where you are, and look back at how far you've come.
• 44:17
  SPEAKER_00: And now look now.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_00: Look, there's change that has happened.
• 44:23
  SPEAKER_00: Be proud of it.
• 44:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I love it.
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_01: I know we talked a little bit earlier, and you talked about that first pillar hydration, a great place to start.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm thinking somebody listening might be feeling totally overwhelmed.
• 44:38
  SPEAKER_01: Five pillars is a lot.
• 44:40
  SPEAKER_01: What was what is the first thing you would have them do today if this is all feeling overwhelming for them?
• 44:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so I'm gonna give a two-fold answer here.
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_00: So, first thing is if you are not doing some sort of gratitude practice on a weekly or daily basis, I highly recommend starting there.
• 45:03
  SPEAKER_00: Because if you've not read the book The Gap in the Game by The Gap in the Gain by Dan Sullivan, I believe.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um I haven't quoted the book in a while.
• 45:13
  SPEAKER_00: It is a phenomenal book and it's a must-read for everybody.
• 45:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it's all about looking back at how far we've come and acknowledging the small wins in life and not just waiting for those big championship moments.
• 45:25
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are not doing anything else, I highly recommend starting there because our mindset is going to be the hardest to tackle.
• 45:32
  SPEAKER_00: We think it's nutrition, we think it's exercise.
• 45:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's our lovely minds.
• 45:36
  SPEAKER_00: Our minds are the hardest.
• 45:38
  SPEAKER_00: If you're like, Morgan, I'm already doing that.
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_00: I want something more tangible, more health and fitness wise, start with the water.
• 45:46
  SPEAKER_00: Making sure you're drinking water.
• 45:48
  SPEAKER_00: And then if you've tackled that, move your way up the pillars exactly in the order we talked about.
• 45:52
  SPEAKER_00: Move your way up.
• 45:53
  SPEAKER_00: Um, that I kind of did them in that order for a reason because some of you listening will be like, I got The water down.
• 45:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now what?
• 46:00
  SPEAKER_00: Go back, relisten to the order that we talked about them in.
• 46:03
  SPEAKER_00: But that gratitude practice on a weekly or bi-weekly basis or weekly or daily basis.
• 46:10
  SPEAKER_00: Set a time when you're gonna do it.
• 46:12
  SPEAKER_00: Highly recommend the end of your day if you're doing it on a daily basis.
• 46:15
  SPEAKER_00: If you're doing it on a weekly basis, pick like Sunday mornings or Saturday, like pick the same time rather than oh, I didn't do it this week.
• 46:23
  SPEAKER_00: Like make it an experience.
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_00: Pour yourself a cup of coffee, open the sh open the blinds, send your pajamas, write the three things you're grateful for for the past week, whatever that looks like.
• 46:33
  SPEAKER_00: And then if you want something more health and fitness related, start with that water.
• 46:37
  SPEAKER_00: Start tackling that water.
• 46:39
  SPEAKER_00: Drink it until it's the most boring thing that you were absolutely ever drinking.
• 46:43
  SPEAKER_00: I promise.
• 46:44
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't used to like water.
• 46:45
  SPEAKER_00: I love water.
• 46:46
  SPEAKER_00: Now I don't drink anything but water and coffee for the most part.
• 46:50
  SPEAKER_01: Same.
• 46:51
  SPEAKER_01: I'm right there with you.
• 46:53
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's that's great advice because I think it's hard to even start any of those pillars when you just you're feeling in that low state and you just can't even imagine a life where things would look any different.
• 47:14
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, I also wanted to say, you know, Morgan is an incredible accountability coach, and part of what she does is help people move through that mindset piece of like, how am I gonna keep doing the boring things day in and day out?
• 47:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um so um maybe let's just take a couple minutes.
• 47:38
  SPEAKER_01: Can you talk a little bit about what you do, how you work, and then of course, if people are interested in finding out more where they can connect with you?
• 47:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 47:49
  SPEAKER_00: So like Kelly mentioned in the beginning, I'm an online personal trainer, nutrition, and accountability coach.
• 47:55
  SPEAKER_00: So I've got a signature program.
• 47:57
  SPEAKER_00: I called it the night, I call it the 90-day kickstart, which is essentially a program that is 100% customized to you.
• 48:05
  SPEAKER_00: So we do an onboarding call and then we figure out which one of those five areas are we starting?
• 48:11
  SPEAKER_00: Because I give we have five.
• 48:14
  SPEAKER_00: We all have one that has a lot of resistance, and we all have one that's like, yeah, I'm ready to tackle this.
• 48:19
  SPEAKER_00: So we never start with the one that has the most resistance.
• 48:23
  SPEAKER_00: It's like saying, You hate peas, please eat four cups of peas today.
• 48:27
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's terrible.
• 48:28
  SPEAKER_00: You're never gonna come talk to me again.
• 48:30
  SPEAKER_00: So we're gonna pick that area that's gonna be the most beneficial and the one that you're the most excited to start on.
• 48:36
  SPEAKER_00: We use an accountability app where we track our daily progress so that you can really get clear data on I'm doing the thing and I'm not doing the thing.
• 48:44
  SPEAKER_00: And we work together.
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_00: If things aren't working, why is it not working?
• 48:48
  SPEAKER_00: We troubleshoot, we find the solution.
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_00: For instance, water is a really easy one.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not drinking water.
• 48:53
  SPEAKER_00: Well, do you have a water bottle?
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_00: No.
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_00: Well, great.
• 48:56
  SPEAKER_00: Let's find you a water bottle that works for you.
• 48:58
  SPEAKER_00: That may be the one thing that it sounds super simple, but when you have so many other things happening in life, having someone such as myself direct you and help troubleshoot for you instead of you having to do it, just moves the ball faster down the hill.
• 49:15
  SPEAKER_00: And you're like, wow, this feels great.
• 49:17
  SPEAKER_00: I'm given the answers instead of having to search for them.
• 49:20
  SPEAKER_00: So we work together in that way.
• 49:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I've got a podcast called Empower Her Wellness.
• 49:26
  SPEAKER_00: Kelly's been a guest.
• 49:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we'll be three times here in the next like month and a half by the time her episodes air, which will be super fun.
• 49:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll make sure we've got the links for in the show notes.
• 49:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so if you're looking for anything to more to consume of all things women's health and wellness, we got a ton of stuff on there for that educational portion.
• 49:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then probably the easiest way to connect with me is I'll I'll leave my email in the comments, but also on social media, Morgan Ekovich on Instagram, Facebook, add me as a friend, follow me on Instagram.
• 49:59
  SPEAKER_00: We post multiple times a week with fun little tips, resources, all the things that really just make it easy.
• 50:07
  SPEAKER_00: I I want I want it to be simple.
• 50:10
  SPEAKER_00: I want it to be easy, I want it to be boring but fun.
• 50:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't want it to be overwhelming.
• 50:18
  SPEAKER_00: Life is overwhelming enough.
• 50:19
  SPEAKER_00: Like this is for you.
• 50:21
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to feel amazing and excited about it and not dreading it every single moment of every single day.
• 50:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I love that.
• 50:29
  SPEAKER_01: And you're an incredible coach.
• 50:32
  SPEAKER_01: I appreciate having you as my coach and even more so as a friend and uh a colleague on this mission to just help women lead better, healthier, easier lives where they get to enjoy everything and also have that balance and rest.
• 50:53
  SPEAKER_01: And I think if there's one thing we can do for ourselves these days, it's to really prioritize our own well-being.
• 51:02
  SPEAKER_01: So, like I said at the top of the show, so we have that availability for the other people, projects, jobs in our lives.
• 51:09
  SPEAKER_01: So I really thank you for all the strategies and ideas that you offered today.
• 51:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, make sure that you share this podcast with someone who you think really needs this, um, or just share it with a friend and say, hey, let's be accountability partners and let's tackle these five pillars that we learned about from Morgan today.
• 51:29
  SPEAKER_01: And let's really take control of our health and well-being in 2025.
• 51:34
  SPEAKER_01: I want to thank you again, Morgan, for being here.
• 51:37
  SPEAKER_01: Any last pieces of advice for the listener?
• 51:41
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much again for having me.
• 51:43
  SPEAKER_00: No, just go back, pick one thing from today.
• 51:47
  SPEAKER_00: Like we did talk about a lot, we always do, like whether it's this episode or any episode, focus on just one.
• 51:53
  SPEAKER_00: Keep it simple and build on there.
• 51:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I agree with you.
• 51:57
  SPEAKER_01: All right, everyone.
• 51:59
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for being here all the way to the end of the podcast.
• 52:01
  SPEAKER_01: Be sure to like, share, subscribe, and follow Morgan and myself.
• 52:08
  SPEAKER_01: And we look forward to seeing you on the next episode.
• 52:11
  SPEAKER_01: Bye for now.