Endurance Planet

One final episode with Tawnee and John for On My Mind. This will be the last episode released on Endurance Planet for now as we press pause on the podcast. In this show we discuss: Top shows of all time What we see here is a rich diversity in what everyone has loved that goes beyond endurance training! Including shows with Lucho, Dr. Phil Maffetone, Dr. Steve Gangemi, Julie McClosky; some links to those shows: Immune system series with Sock Doc, Part 1 Immune system series with Sock Doc, Part 2 HPN 14 with Julie McClosky on histamine intolerance, hair loss in women, food costs  Dr. Phil Maffetone on seasonal allergies, sugar and more ATC 302 with Lucho on marathon PRs, durability, achilles and calves and more ATC 298 with Lucho on common injuries, MAF for health vs. performance Mark Allen and Dr. Phil Maffetone on having a coach All of the affiliate and discount codes will still remain live so you can shop through the podcast and continue doing everything you’ve done, none of that is leaving. Head over to enduranceplanet.com/shop. Your support helps us to keep all podcast episodes alive and available for anyone to hear. All episodes will still be available in the archives and on podcast platforms. Website has all shows from all time; podcast apps have a limited amount of more recent episodes. John shares his takeaways from being part of EP for so long, as a listener, manager, and co-owner. Also some reflections: Thoughts on functional medicine, for example. It has its place. But sometimes it doesn’t. Tawnee shares how she has worked alongside many athletes over the years facilitating their testing, results analysis, health protocols. This can lead to great results, empowerment, more knowledge of self. But as mentioned in OMM 21 it can go to far for some of us where we need to take a step back and focus our efforts and our healing elsewhere, i.e. tapping more into our intuition, knowing of self, and finding more self-love and acceptance. Tawnee says, “I will help coach an athlete into the best decision based on their current season of life and sometimes that means doing the full load of testing and deep dives, and sometimes that means stepping away from more testing, protocols and supplements!” You can follow something and still be critical of it. Finally, a reminder to always allow yourself to feel, process, grieve and more… THANK YOU, EVERYONE!The post OMM 22: Goodbye and Thank You first appeared on Endurance Planet.

The seventh and final installment with host Tawnee Gibson sharing her life story as a college student who developed an eating disorder and amenorrhea, turned hardcore endurance athlete, coach, holistic health expert, and eventually slowing down her participation in sport as she entered her motherhood era. It’s an inspiring message that self-healing, thriving and achieving dreams are always possible. For Part 1 click here. For part 2 click here. For part 3 click here. For part 4 click here. For part 5 click here. For part 6 click here. In this episode, Tawnee ties it all together with a pivotal moment in 2016 in which she rather suddenly fell ill with an autoimmune disease, which prompted her to take an even deeper dive into her healing, discovering even more roots of wellness and being free of dis-ease in the body. Her work put this condition into remission, for good. After wrapping up some races such at the Boston Marathon, and then getting married, so began a journey into fertility and pregnancy. After a brief struggle, she became pregnant in mid-2017 and had a wonderful, happy, healthy pregnancy, but it would end tragically two days before their baby’s due date…. We end with her closing thoughts on this series and a message to everyone out there.The post OMM 21: The Autobiography Series, Part 7 (Finale) first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. As we announced recently, we are pausing the Endurance Planet podcast and this is the final episode of Ask the Coaches after more than 13+ years of Tawnee and Lucho at the mic together (this episode’s photo is them together for Ragnar in 2015). Join us for a moving, and inspiring conversation with some thoughts and tips we’ve put together that combines over a decade of research, podcasting, talking and working with athletes; these are the things that have a lot of power to help you and that you’ll want to consider incorporating into your training and life, including: Use the MAF Method as a baseline in any plan Clearing up a critical mistake/incorrect statement we made on ATC 294, our MAF Method Guide episode (one of the most popular downloads of all time). The correct statement is that MAF HR using metabolic cart testing is determined with FATMAX not the crossover point. Why and how MAF works as part of any training plan. But also, maybe MAF is really about the intuitive nature and not so much lab testing and data collection. Always strength train It can’t really hurt but it certainly can help; just don’t go crazy with it if lacking experience because then you might get hurt lol, seek professional guidance at first or as needed  Your health has a direct correlation with performance You can do your thing with sub-par health and/or chronic health issues, but eventually it catches up and hinders performance and zest for life in some way so it behooves all of us to take charge of our wellbeing! And if you are really suffering, heal first then go get back to training and go for it—it’s very hard to do both at the same time, it’s ok to take a step back! Intuitive training has a role in any training plan Do any training plan you desire, but always allow yourself those intuitive workouts or sessions where you can learn your body, listen to your body and honor your body’s needs without the data feedback. “You can make incorrect training correct (if you use it correctly)”–Lucho Make it work for you and keeping you fulfilled. You don’t always have to fit in a box with training; e.g. if you want to make speed work apply to ultra running, it can be done.  Have fun! If you’re not having fun why are you doing it? Ok, so maybe it’s not all fun, and some sessions have to be done, and boxes need to be checked, but overall ask yourself if there is that spark, that joy, that enjoyment? And if it’s not there, reevaluate what you might need. It depends…. The post ATC 365: The Last One – Signing Off With Our All-Time Top Takeaways and Tips For Athletes first appeared on Endurance Planet.

The sixth installment with host Tawnee Gibson sharing her life story as a college student who developed an eating disorder and amenorrhea, turned hardcore endurance athlete, coach, holistic health expert and more. It is a cautionary tale but also one full of hope and that self-healing, thriving and achieving dreams are always possible. For Part 1 click here. For part 2 click here. For part 3 click here. For part 4 click here. For part 5 click here. In this episode, Tawnee comes off a season of revelations and enters a phase of inner conflict—she is finally pursuing deep, intentional healing but also finds it hard to let go of racing and the pace of life that she is used to pushing. Something has to change, and her mind and body need to come into alignment. She also needs to find the fun in it again!The post OMM 20: The Autobiography Series, Part 6 first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! On this episode we have The Sock Doc, Dr. Steve Gangemi, joining us for one final episode as EP winds down. Steve is a natural health care doctor who founded and practices at Systems Health Care, an integrative wellness center in Chapel Hill, NC. Steve is also a longtime endurance athlete and is a wealth of knowledge for athletes looking to optimize wellness. We are continuing our series, “When Things Don’t Go As Planned,” that dissects your health and injury issues that come up when you least want them and can negatively affect your training and race season–how to heal, prevent and overcome going forward of common (and not so common) issues that athletes face. Listen to No. 1 of the series here, and No. 2 here. When Things Don’t Go As Planned Part 1: Sciatica, Sciatic Pain—Or A Misdiagnosis? A lot of people think they have it but they really don’t. Pain in the glute or down hamstring doesn’t automatically mean sciatica. Sciatic nerve is really more from back of the knee down. Sensory innervations of the sciatic nerve is really only beyond the knee (distally–knee to foot), according to some research. But this is debated and some disagree. Common to misdiagnose sciatic pain (when it’s in fact something else). Sclerotogenous pain– this is a type of referred pain from lumbar spine/sacral area in the glute area or even hamstring that can get mixed up with sciatic pain. Whereas sciatic pain is more like numbness, tingling, sharp-stinging-type pain all the way down into calf and foot They both can come from lower back issues or piriformis, muscle imbalances, etc. If you do have sciatica—the #1 muscle involved is the piriformis muscle, in which the sciatic nerve can be in different places even going through this muscle in some people. Who is susceptible? What are contributing causes? Whether it is sciatic or something else, a lot of the causes and treatments are similar; don’t get too wrapped up in terminology if the roots to healing are all similar. Hormonal connection, i.e. sex hormones and stress hormones—muscles of pelvis can be affected when over-stressing the body in this way that leads to hormonal imbalances. Those with better hormonal status have better core strength and thus likely to have better performance. Or also an inflammatory condition or lack of offsetting inflammation in the body, including dietary stresses. The role of biomechanics and form in all of this. Path to healing Steps to healing will depend on the patient you may not need to dive into in-depth testing right away, and maybe you start with the mechanics and then see if influence with hormones. Assess the person: some are more hormonal based and others more mechanic based. Correlation between sciatica with menstrual cycle? Not so clear compared to hip pain for example. Trigger point therapy No static stretching, usually just irritates things more (despite temporary pain relief). Trigger point work in hip area: under the sacrum, piriformis muscle; this can even help balance things out for back pain relief. Beyond that, depends on level of pain. Why is it sometimes we flare up and sometimes we’re not only fine but perform so well? Because there are a lot of things that go into this beyond the obvious, e.g. were we really stressed leading up to the issue/flare up? Piriformis or sciatic pain could also be an issue on the OPPOSITE side of where the pain is being felt—work on that opposite to relieve and relax the side in pain. Supplements Healthy fats, animal-based fats. Vitamin A & E—main precursors to reproductive hormones which inadvertently helps these issues. Timestamp: starts at 28:00 Types and IU vs mcg of Vitamin A, conversions and confusion cleared! Eg) 1,000 IU D is 25 mcg Vitamin E is in milligrams, 400 IU of E is 268 mg Vitamin A is RAE 2000 IU of A is 600 RAE (0.3 multiplication) It’s also about building nutritional status over time Usually with sciatica it’s something brewing for a while, such as pelvic floor dysfunction, poor breathing technique (mouth/shallow breathing). Part 2: Healthy Perimenopause and Menopause What is a normal age and timeframe for perimenopause/menopause? Is it normal for someone in their late 30s early/ 40s to be experiencing this transition? Not so much. 40-45 years old is too young to be starting to experience symptoms and changes in one’s menstruation. Late 40s to 50 years old is about the normal time. Common and not-so-common symptoms & cycle changes The biggest thing is that you don’t ideally want to experience drastic changes in how you feel, e.g. Hot flashes, mood swings, body aches, low libido, vaginal dryness. The problem is when one’s menstrual cycle changes ALONGSIDE these other symptoms, e.g. longer cycles or missed periods. Often, worse symptoms are seen in those women who start this transition at an earlier age. Possibly a stress correlation or some underlying If there are menstrual cycle changes without (perimenopause-type) symptoms that could be something else. “Normal” perimenopause/menopause Late 40s to early 50s More often when self-care and overall health is present, this is when symptoms may be subtly present but not drastic, very manageable. This also is usually when women start this transition later in life rather than too early and things tend to progress more smoothly, in his experience. Hormone levels (before and after) You still make these sex hormones just less of them. Health of adrenal glands through your cycling years can help determine how early or late you go through menopause and how you actually feel. If your adrenal glands are stressed out and you’re burnt out this could make perimenopause/menopause feel much worse. Progesterone/cortisol connection; relative estrogen dominance. Estrogen & receptor issues. May need to detoxify estrogen, may need to supplement with progesterone, balance takes time. Stalling or reversing perimenopause/menopause? Possible? If you’re young and experiencing this you may be able to do something if you catch it very early and ease symptoms. Hot flashes have to do with liver detox (1-3 AM timeframe). Sulfation, glucuronidation Estrobolome Focus on gut health, nutrition, stress balance, supporting detox pathways, etc. Supplements Vitex aka chaste tree berry for progesterone support and hormonal balancing. Black cohosh (but NOT when pregnant). Jerusalem Artichoke–break down estrogen, PMS, breast tenderness, prebiotics, no side effects, etc. Cruciferous veggies, broccoli sprouts But if you always have to take an herb, you’re not getting to root causes or via lifestyle and nutritional support. Some people may just need extra nutritional support via diet, we’re all individuals! Steve’s Top-3 All-Time Tips Go barefoot Podcast with research that Tawnee mentions on minimalist shoes/barefoot with injury prevention and resilience. Not a fad! Being barefoot and comfortable without shoes or in minimalist footwear is a reflection of health and well-being (if it hurts that’s a red flag). Don’t believe all the hype (that you read online or elsewhere) Don’t believe everything you see; we can’t always trust random stranger person who’s promoting x, y, z fads. Extremes usually aren’t all they are stacked up to be (e.g. zero sugar, zero caffeine). Striving for things that just aren’t possible and therefore it’s hard to sustain and we fail. Consistency over time And keep it simple. Realistic goal-setting, lifestyle and nutritional approaches (moderation)—this lends to more consistency. Small changes over big overhauls (i.e. what toothpaste or bodywash are you using? Maybe a simple change there can be more realistic and beneficial over major biohacks.) Eating, sleeping, exercise are top here—be consistent! The post Sock Doc 22: Sciatica (Or Is It?), Supporting Healthy Perimenopause/Menopause, And Steve’s Top-3 All-Time Tips first appeared on Endurance Planet.

The fifth installment with host Tawnee Gibson sharing her life story as a college student who developed an eating disorder and amenorrhea, turned hardcore endurance athlete, coach, holistic health expert and more. It is a cautionary tale but also one full of hope and that self-healing, thriving and achieving dreams are always possible. For Part 1 click here. For part 2 click here. For part 3 click here. For part 4 click here. On this episode: Tawnee chronicles years 2011-2013. It begins with meeting her future husband John, starting as host of the Endurance Planet podcast, befriending co-host Lucho (and hiring him as her coach) and more business success. All the while, she experiences a peak in her triathlon/endurance racing, followed by downfall(ish), something Dr. Phil Maffetone has alluded to as a red-flag warning sign of overtraining syndrome. In late 2013 she had a horrible race at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships followed by an Ironman DNF two weeks later at Lake Tahoe, and with the way she felt and symptoms she was experiencing, she saw the writing on the wall: It was time to commit to her healing and health above all. Links mentioned: Tawnee’s (old-school) blog – tritawn.com Ironman Lake Tahoe ’13 Race ReportThe post OMM 19: The Autobiography Series, Part 5 first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. On this episode of Ask The Coaches with Tawnee and Lucho, we have a special announcement for our fans and more. Intro Banter Why Lucho doesn’t own a snow blower (yes, he was still under snow at time of this recording, in spring). The value of manual labor like shoveling your own snow. Lucho learns to snowboard… and also how he met and fell in love with his wife during an early-life era that involved skiing. Tawnee’s love for snowboarding. End Of An Era First, we announce the end of Endurance Planet, or, perhaps… a pause… for now. Tawnee shares her thoughts behind this difficult decision and what went into it. We also share our reflections as co-hosts of Ask The Coaches (and the multiple variations the show has had) for more than 13 years and what it’s meant to us. Stay tuned as Ask the Coaches #365 (the next show) will be our last and it’s a great show we have planned! Also, the podcast episodes will still be up for our fans and audience to listen to and go back into the archives to re-listen to past shows or recommend them to people who you think may benefit. If you have enjoyed this show, please leave us a positive review on the podcast app! Also, on this episode we followup to our mental toughness question from the last show, ATC 363. We had a lot of great feedback, comments and thoughts from that episode so in this one we cover a couple questions/comments: Anonymous Writes: Is It Ego, Discipline or Mental Toughness That’s The Driving Force? G’day Tawnee and Lucho, Thanks for the great shows you guys put together. I loved the recent episode on mental toughness and have really appreciated Tawnee’s recent series on her life and eating disorder (note: OMM 15 was the first installment of this series for those interested). Thank you for being so open and vulnerable. One of my favourite shows was Lucho’s wrap up of his last Ironman. Amazing to hear both of you being so honest. On the mental toughness episode Lucho said pushing past pain was foolish but I seem to remember Lucho talking throughout ATC about running through plantar fasciitis pain and other niggles or injuries. Was this driven by ego or your need/want to race? Just wondering how you justified this at the time and if you’re opinion on it has changed. I agree that David Goggins probably shouldn’t have turned his knees into dust but there has to be some middle ground? I recently trained a lot of swimming and decided to see if i could do 25km in the pool, I’d only ever done 10km in the pool before this. About 7 hours into my 9.5 hour swim my shoulders started to hurt… I didn’t know it was possible for someone’s shoulders to feel like they did. I weighed it up and didn’t think i was doing permanent damage to my shoulders so kept going. Do you think this was my ego, discipline or  mental toughness ? I don’t think i have a huge ego, I’ve never had any social media and usually keep goals/achievements just to my family but then again if i didn’t have an ego i wouldn’t have mentioned the swim above. Obviously i’d love to hear Lucho say “That’s awesome” or Tawnee say “Wow, that’s a great effort” I’ve completed a few ultra runs and have a couple of 100 mile runs completed in the “Last one standing” format. I often wonder what’s driving me, of course i like the challenge and i hope i can inspire my kids, and my niece and nephews but if i’m going to be honest it’s probably also about proving people wrong. I’ve got a significant vision impairment so sometimes i feel like i can’t do many things but i can do these endurance tests. Not sure if this is a long term fuel source and these feelings of insecurity probably have lead me to abusing alcohol in the past. Anyway, just wanted to say I love these type of discussions from you two so please keep it up. Thanks again for the great shows, we really appreciate it. What the Coaches say: Bringing vulnerability to this show and all the growth we can all gain from it. Why ego isn’t all evil and we can use it as an ally and channel it for good especially as athletes—something we discuss in detail with Jess Gumkowski in this episode. Context, nuance and experience when training or running through niggles. Ask: What do you have on the line? What’s the issue and how bad could it potentially get? Not pushing through something that you’re incapable of; still doing that which you’re capable of within your fitness realm. Seeking advice from professionals or experts. What Steve Magness suggests in his book. If a pursuit or goal is unfolding before you and looking unattainable, be willing to re-engage and modify for a new goal. Reassess and re-evaluate—that is mental toughness. Bring self-awareness to the situation. Revising goals on the fly. What are the thoughts, reasons, etc, that are driving behavior? Know your personal boundaries and limits. The only dumb workout is the one that gets you injured. Motivation from within vs seeking motivation from external factors. A healthy balance of ego vs internal factors not related to ego. David Goggins is in no way wrong but his approach may not be for everyone. For some of us, the mental toughness can be the ability to not do the “thing” and hold back to not overdo it. Embracing differences. So what was it for him? Depends on what was going through his mind at the time, i.e. his why… but, that said, probably a combo of ego and discipline. Laura Writes: Discipline vs. Mental Toughness From a Behavioral Analyst I am Tawnee’s single mama with two kids who also stroller runs friend. I found the conversation on mental toughness very interesting and while I thought you both made good points, I wanted to give my perspective being a behavior analyst and studying behavior for over 20 years.  But first here is my conclusion from your conversation. When you have a choice, it’s discipline, when you have no choice it’s mental toughness. Here’s why. Behavior is a product of its function meaning everything learned is for a reason. Simplified those reasons are either the behavior is  met with intrinsic reinforcement meaning it feels good to us OR its met with extrinsic reinforcement meaning it is socially validated. Additionally, there are setting events or what I call motivating operations involved in one’s decision to engage or not engage in a behavior. A motivating operation is a circumstance that either increases or decreases the effect of the reinforcer (satiation and deprivation). When it comes to endurance events and training it is ALWAYS a choice. Each of my choices will result in either punishment or reinforcers both intrinsically and extrinsically. The environment that is existing at the time of my choice is purley a setting event that its going to increase or decrease the value of the reinforcer. If I have to go out and run 20 miles in the pouring rain (environment) and I do it (choice) I will be met with a high level of intrinsic reinforcement. If I do it and I do it faster than anticipated or I get a strava segment I now have extrinsic reinforcement piled on which is what creates runners high. I have made these choices because im disciplined and motivated by either positive reinforcement which is the addition of a stimulus that increase the future likelihood of behavior ( faster time, did something hard, strata segment) or negative reinforcement which is the removal of a stimulus which increase future behavior (escaping self doubt and self punishment for not doing the activity) If its pouring down rain (envornment) and I dont run (choice) I could be met with punishment (negative self talk, negative coaching feedback) that will make me not skip a run in the future or reinforcement (nice cozy bed and sleep) which will make me likely to skip runs in the future. Its simply the choices we make based on environmental factors and the consequences of those choices. Im not taking away from the difficulties of the completing the choice but thats where discipline is different then mental toughness in my option. Now, take away the watch, the data, the race, the coach, social validation, social media, all of it. you’re left if solely intrinsic motivation. This in itself can fuel behavior or choices for certain people but not all people. Again, discipline. there is always a choice. If I do it im great and feel good (positive reinforcement) if I dont do it and feel shitty about myself (negative reinforcement) But what about when you have no choice and this concept expands far outside of endurance racing and training. You must engage in the behavior because you have to there is not choice. Things that may seem minimal like having to wake up 5 times a night every night for months to feed my son and doing it while also maintaining a household and working full time with no other help. Losing a family member and still showing up for the others, All the way to soldiers being forced to fight in war and coming home where they are required to function like a normal human being. All c

Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! We are excited to welcome back Jess Gumkowski to the show, with a profoundly impactful conversation exploring what it is to live as an Awake Athlete. Jess is head yogi, wellness coach and podcaster over at YogiTriathelte along with her husband BJ, and has years of experience in endurance sports, meditation, yoga, teaching and much more. She authored the book, Awake Athlete: When Mastery Is Your Only Option, which was published in 2023 and is part memoir part guide through life, its struggles and its beauty. On this episode, Tawnee and Jess take a deep dive on several related topics, though this does not make up or substitute the rich content found in her book. Our Brain & Meditation Thoughts, and their relationship to the brain; Monkey mind Chimp vs professor brain (a la Dr. Simon Marshall) Limbic (instinctive), prefrontal cortex (conscious), and neocortex (unconscious) brain Why there’s no substitute for sitting in silence Walking meditations, etc, have their place but not the same as quiet, stillness in a sitting meditation Helpful tips for when you’re down on your pace, performance, training, etc Using MAF training as an example here Visualization and imagining the athlete you want to be Being present and at peace with what is Ego Is Not the Enemy How to direct it from a small and limiting reality to assisting in positive change  Identity: ego and identity also go hand in hand, how to have a healthy approach to this Leverage your ego toward your performance goals and away from the pain and suffering and fear that ego and cause us Considering our identity as an athlete Karma & Mistakes Fulfilling our personal karma, the good and the bad Everything is here to help you (also a book by Matt Kahn that is titled the same) Finding the lessons and gifts in EVERYTHING Emoting and Feelings Clinging to joy Clinging to really anything and why this does not serve our wellbeing Things like nostalgia and the familiar make us feel good so we gravitate toward that Moving away from reactionary emotions, and toward more calm temperament The Ho’Oponopono prayer to make things right And much more!The post Jess Gumkowski: The Awake Athlete Mindset – On Thoughts, Ego, Emotions, Karma, Mastery and Much More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

The fourth installment with host Tawnee Gibson sharing her life story of a college student who developed an eating disorder and amenorrhea turned hardcore endurance athlete, coach, holistic health expert and more. It is a cautionary tale but also one full of hope and that self-healing, thriving and achieving dreams are always possible. For Part 1 click here. For part 2 click here. For part 3 click here. On this episode: The years 2008-2010, when Tawnee stepped it up in the world of triathlon and endurance sports, chose a new career path in fitness & endurance coaching—which began with a grad school program—and more work. This, all while she was racing more frequently, longer distances and relentless training, plus involvement in the tri scene. In this phase she was very much past the worst of her eating disorder but still had demons of disordered eating, and a new slew of health issues involving gut, hormones, and more. She did what many 20-somethings do: burn the candle at all ends and “ignore” one’s true needs, and in this show she reflects on the intensity of her life at that time and also the many flaws in her mindset and approach back then. Link for ATC show referenced.  The post OMM 18: The Autobiography Series, Part 4 first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. Lucho and Tawnee are back on for Ask the Coaches episode 363. Anonymous asks: Mental Toughness 101 How would you define toughness? (Admittedly, this is inspired by my recent start to reading Steve Magness’ book Do Hard Things). What the coaches say: Listen to OMM 17 in which Tawnee outlines how mental toughness can certainly be a great thing; however, it can also be tricky and certain types of toughness can even do more harm than good in certain cases like those with eating disorders who may also be “good athletes,” which is highlighted in a landmark study here. We also reference Steve Magness’ new book Do Hard Things which has some amazing and refreshing insight on the topic of mental toughness, redefining what we’ve always thought toughness to be. Tawnee also wrote an article on this topic way back in 2016, below are some quoted highlights from that piece, which intertwine with our answer on this show: “Many experts and articles will tell you mental toughness is about going outside your comfort zone. I agree, and at some point I’ll recommend this for you, but it doesn’t always start with that act alone. Of course, doing those uncomfortable acts contribute to building a strong mind—no one will deny that—but, sorry, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re a mental badass. Mental toughness starts from within with self-confidence. Before you even do the physical acts that build mental strength, first you have to get real with yourself and take control of your mind. Don’t worry if you had it backwards. I did too. “For as long as I can remember, I have always been a tough person starting when I was that little tomboy who kept up with the neighborhood boys when other girls wouldn’t even dare. Into adulthood, I’ve always been willing and able to do things that put me outside my comfort zone, whether toeing the line in a freezing cold triathlon, bombing down a black diamond on my snowboard or the scariest of all: public speaking. I may come across as very mentally tough because I’m able to push myself into these uncomfortable situations, but there’s another side to it—a side of me that ignored what mental toughness really meant for all too long. “You see, outwardly I have always done ‘badass’ feats. But internally, I was living distressed for many years due to a faulty mindset. I lacked self-confidence and self-love, and never bothered to develop these things properly, instead choosing just to “be tough.” My exterior appeared tough indeed, but on the inside there was turmoil, anxiety and (irrational) fear. What you didn’t see were all those panic attacks I had and a life consumed by worrisome thoughts. Choosing to be tough on the outside doesn’t make these underlying issues just disappear. I put on façade to fool myself, and others. A life of going hard and “no pain no gain” was the easy part. But getting real with myself? Not so much. It took years.” “Question 1: Do you feel reoccurring anxiety, worry and fear even over the smallest things? “Eventually I realized worry, panicky feelings and fear had crept into my daily life and I’d be full of anxiety at the drop of a dime, no chance to react any differently because I didn’t know any differently. It led to many unhealthy habits and behaviors. Finally I realized my definition of mental toughness was missing a huge component: self-confidence and self-love. Truthfully, anyone can figure out how to race a marathon (or replace that with anything that makes you uncomfortable). But often, this is not the solution to our problems; rather, it’s an escape for what really needs to be addressed—our mindset and our relationship with ourselves. “So while having the mental ability to go outside your comfort zone can be a very positive trait, it can also be used for ‘evil’ against yourself and doesn’t always get you closer to self-actualization and mental toughness. “Question 2: Is it easier for you to push hard in a workout rather than sit down and get real with your emotions or personal issues? “What about fear? Fear is tricky. On one hand, it’s totally ok to be afraid when you’re doing crazy things and admit your fears! Fear is a normal, healthy feeling, and nothing over which to be ashamed. Ask big wave surfers, for example. The best ones will fully admit they have fear, but they also have immense power over their minds and can channel that fear into focus, resiliency and respect for the situation allowing them to do the impossible. The fear response is there for our survival and can kick us into proper action. However, fear can become irrational and for those of us who lack a healthy relationship with fear we may mentally lose it in those pressing times. In other words, if we let our mind run amuck, it will. We have to learn to reel it in. “Other things to ask yourself and consider in your healing and development of mental toughness: “Question 3: Do you avoid uncomfortable situations? “Question 4: Do you go outside your comfort zone but experience panic attacks or freeze in the process? “Question 5: Have you ever allowed a behavior to continue chronically even though you know deep down it wasn’t the healthiest for you? “Question 6: Have you ever lost control over an unhealthy habit and let it rule your life in some way and cloud your mental space? (i.e. food logging, overtraining?) “There’s a difference between rational fear and irrational fear. Irrational fear can drive irrational thoughts and behavior. There are many manifestations. Some may avoid the uncomfortable situations all together and develop fear avoidance. Not me. Personally, my irrational fears were a motivating force that drove me to push myself very hard in a multitude of ways. I had an attitude of “no pain, no gain.” I’ve done “amazing” things but not necessarily with the healthiest mindset. I was not addressing nor solving some bigger underlying issues. I was just running from those things—literally and metaphorically. I’m sure many athletes can relate. “Question 7: Do you exercise/train or do your sport for stress relief or to avoid a problem in your life? “This “no pain no gain” ignores our true needs and puts our external image at the forefront (i.e. what we want others to see and perceive of us). In fact, “no pain no gain” is actually the epitome of mental weakness in my opinion because it is an example of succumbing to social stressors and following the “herd.” It’s our way to try and gain acceptance and prove to others we are tough. “No pain no gain” is a cop-out in my opinion and it doesn’t solve any problems; rather, it’s an easy way to run away from your issues without fully addressing them and just jump on a bandwagon. Eventually it all catches up to where you simply can’t push like that anymore. In my own case, ultimately I had to take a step back to work on me because I wasn’t being true nor kind to myself. Yes, there is some pain involved in that process, but it’s not defined by this “no pain no gain” mantra. “Question 8: Do you post your workout stats (mileage, volume/time, intensity, etc.) on social media? Maybe you’re like me: You think doing the act is enough to be mentally tough. I had not problem putting myself out there, and building an impressive resume of accomplishments. But on the inside? Anxiety, fear, worry all dominated. I’ve had my share of breakdowns where my mind just wasn’t strong enough to prevail: panic attacks, doubt and worry for days on end, or pushing myself so hard that it had a negative effect on my physical wellbeing and health. Mental toughness means knowing the right things to do for your own wellbeing, thus being “tough enough” to rest for example. Most athletes will relate: It’s easy to train day in and day out, it’s the rest days that are the hardest. Question 9: Do you workout even when you’re physically exhausted and sore? If you have a coach, do you “fib” to show you’re more recovered than you really are? “The point is: Our mental toughness starts with gaining control over our minds; it’s not defined by how hard we can push or how often we can go outside the comfort zone. Those latter variables are important, but if the foundation is lacking—control over our minds—the end goals won’t be actualized. “I see many people who have the physical strength and talent to execute amazing feats but they’re a wreck on the inside. I empathize and am not bashing, but rather want to provide another solution. Instead of signing up for a 100-mile race as the answer, how about working on YOU first. “I am certain that I never got to my potential in triathlon because I lacked proper mental toughness and confidence, and was often fueled by fear of failing (or what I perceived as failure) and what others would think of me. In the sports psych world, we talk about motivation and there are two main motivators: 1) motivation to succeed even at the risk of failure, aka the “need to achieve,” or 2) motivation to avoid failure, aka the “need to avoid failure,” with

The third installment with host Tawnee Gibson sharing her life story starting with her eating disorder and entry into endurance sport. For Part 1 click here. For part 2 click here. On this episode: Tawnee recaps the years of ED recovery and finding and falling in love with triathlon, which ended up being very healing but also was not that simple with still some big issues she was facing and would face. Study chat: “Good Athlete” Traits and Characteristics of Anorexia Nervosa: Are They Similar?  1999 study – a classic! Similarities identified: Mental Toughness // Asceticism  Commitment to Training // Excessive Exercise  Pursuit of Excellence // Perfectionism  Coachability // Overcompliance  Unselfishness // Selflessness  Performance Despite Pain // Denial of Discomfort  The post OMM 17: The Autobiography Series, Part 3 first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! Welcome to episode 39 of Holistic Performance Nutrition (HPN) featuring Tawnee Gibson, a holistic health & endurance coach, and Julie McCloskey, a certified holistic nutrition coach and personal trainer, who you can find over at wildandwell.fit. There is so much goodness in this episode that we’ve decided to split it into two parts, today is part 2 (you can listen to part 1 here): Lifestyle Medicine & the Roots of Wellness  Part 4: #8-10 First, a refresher (listen to these first is you haven’t already!): HPN 36 – Intro + #1-3 HPN 37 -The Research + #4 HPN 38 – Continuing with #5-7 Overall, our Top 10 Pillars are: Emotional health & self-awareness Resilience to stress Community Nourishing nutrition Physical movement Connection to nature Sleep, sun and circadian rhythm Spiritual connection Enjoyment / play Environment Now, we are wrapping it up with the last few… 7. Sleep, sun and circadian rhythm Life is flat without this! Ties into the previous two (movement, outside/nature/sunshine) Circadian rhythm is not just sleep, it’s a 24-hr internal clock Regulates many bodily functions – hormonal secretions, metabolic function, immune system, etc. Start here: SUN! Morning light and UVA/UVB light! Sunlight in eyes (outside not thru window which blocks certain wavelengths) in the morning upon waking helps CAR (cortisol awakening response) and this is the healthy balanced kind of cortisol we want in the morning to set us up for success; I recommend to all my clients esp those with adrenal fatigue/HPA axis issues​​ CAR is the swift elevation in cortisol level upon the first hour of waking. The CAR is integral in regulating circadian rhythms, as well as improving adrenal fatigue more quickly. Get outside shortly after waking up and expose yourself to the sun—even when cloudy or in the winter time. Even an overcast day will stimulate your body with the intended effect. For circadian rhythm, this morning sun helps set a timer in a way to help melatonin production later on for best sleep UVA rise, about an hour after sunrise and lasts 60-90min; has similar benefits Specifically when sun is 10-30deg above horizon Can help set up our skin for better protection against sun burning and damage… in other words, we can allow skin to adapt with proper sun exposure at the right times! Some people call this ability to better tolerate sun a “Solar callus” but medical fields do not recognize this term as something valid and some doctors will just say it’s made up Spring is coming, and after that summer…. I’d at lesat s=consider this concept if you plan to be in the harsh sun in peak summer hours this year, and see if building up your tolerance helps. Tawnee says, “I wouldn’t avoid sun! Just do it right, don’t go from 0 to 100!” UVB Get this during peak daytime hours Bright light is great, but not night! Not after sunset! Especially not after 10pm… and not at 3am lol… Circadian app helps detail these things specific to your location. It’s funny because we’ve been taught to villainize the sun and exposure to it… but, should we question this? Really cool podcast on more of this subject: Still Sick? The Sun Can Help Then nighttime and sleep itself: Beating a dead horse, so this time I want to read these stats from IFM: https://discover.ifm.org/sleep Set up the sleep hygiene routine almost nightly. Obsessed with lighting in our house, one of the first things I did at new home was change bulbs and set up red lights and dim lights for evening and night. And if I do wake up in the middle of the night (this happened a few times right before we moved!) I NEVER EVER look at my phone, that is the death of me and chances of going back to sleep AVOID UVB/Light exposure at night (between 10pm-4am) which will wake you up even more, suppress melatonin and suppresses dopamine and can affect everything from mood to blood sugar Eg don’t check what time it is, read or scroll… instead check your breath and focus on getting back to sleep 3 more factors for good sleep: Go for a walk after dinner Have a consistent wake-up time to regulate sleep cycle naturally because we tend to use the same amount of energy throughout the day Waking up to pee? Drink sufficiently during the daytime, 8oz every hour for the first 10 hours of the day Reduce fluid intake at night (5-8oz between 10 hours after waking and bedtime unless super thirsty) Sip don’t gulp your final beverage of the evening. The speed in which you ingest fluid, and not just the total amount, helps dictate the urination response 8. Spiritual connection (religion or non-religious) Not here to tell you what the specifics of this should be just here to say it’s important factor in our health, and to follow what feels right in your life and needs. “Functional medicine recognizes the importance of the mental-emotional-spiritual connection to physical health and addresses these concerns as a core clinical imbalance of the functional medicine matrix. Through empathetic listening and retelling of a patient’s health story and recommending ways they might reconnect to their own purpose in life, addressing spiritual needs can strengthen the therapeutic partnership and open up new avenues of healing for the patient.” – IFM Tawnee and Julie share personal stories of where they are each at in their spiritual journeys and the role in their lives, very two different POVs. 9. Enjoyment / play At least an hour of unstructured, non-competitive, no-risk play Recreational sport, playing with kids, riding bikes to get ice cream, shuffleboard at a dive bar, doing a happy dance, climbing a tree, acting like a carefree kid, pickleball, waterparks… it doesn’t matter! “Joyful”  – Play is a facet of Joy. 10. Environment Are you surrounded by toxic energy (people or otherwise?), where do you spend most your time and what is this place/ are these places like? Take an energy audit, did that person or place leave you feeling energized or depleted? And is that a pattern? There are a lot of human performance experts right now talking about how the only thing in life we can control is where we put our Attention. Feel like that could tie in to this one. Where is our attention going? And to whom? Build your community as we talked about in episode HPN 36. The post HPN 39 (Part 2): Wrapping Up Our Top 10 Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine and Roots of Wellness first appeared on Endurance Planet.

The second installment with host Tawnee Gibson sharing her life story. It is a story that many of us share, with different but similar details, and in sharing we hope to raise awareness around these issues to help more people, especially athletes and those who’ve battled eating disorders, on their healing journeys and to prevent similar issues in others. For Part 1 click here. In part 2 she tells the story of when her eating disorder continued into 2004-05 and the dark times that surrounded her struggle, all while trying to appear “normal” to the outside world. She was able to heal and break free from the worst of it but it was a long road still ahead. meanwhile, the seeds of entering endurance sports were being planted and a new passion was springing. One that would bring further healing, but also further dysfunction.The post OMM 16: The Autobiography Series, Part 2 first appeared on Endurance Planet.

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So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount..   https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-66342-w https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11427289/ Intro Banter Talking strength training Tawnee’s go to set: SL RDLs, KB windmills, Turkish Get-ups (TGU), Pullup bar (dead hangs + pull-ups) KB windmills are a bit tricky to get form right and do them safely, good tutorial here. Questions Recovery 101: We talk about our favorite underrated physical recovery tool(s)/strategies that more athletes can easily take advantage of. Scraping Gua Sha (side benefit as a beauty tool) Rest days 10-Day training week to allow for more rest days AM vs PM Workouts: Is doing a hard interval workout at 6am equal in effectiveness to the same hard interval workout done at 6pm?  In other words, does the time of day affect the usefulness of any workout? At the end of the day, workout when you can make it happen and be consistent. From there we outline the pros and cons of morning vs evening training, many things to consider. Chronotypes Why Tawnee broke up with early morning workouts. A case for working out when you feel sluggish and most tired. Research shows we should avoid strength work that includes significant spinal flexion in the first hour upon waking (eg no good mornings right away in the morning) Study: “Spinal posture and prior loading history modulate compressive strength and type of failure in the spine: a biomechanical study using a porcine cervical spine model.” “The spine may be more prone to injury early in the morning when the discs are at their greatest level of hydration and/or when they are in a fully flexed posture.” Dr. Stuart McGill is the expert on this. Meanwhile, we may be able to perform our best in short-duration, high-intensity efforts in the evening (think track). Study: “Time-of-Day Effects on Short-Duration Maximal Exercise Performance.” “Short duration maximal exercise performance is affected by the time of day, peaking between 16:00 and 20:00 h. However, a similar performance may be achieved in the morning hours if exercise is conducted after: (1) short exposures to moderately warm and humid environments; (2) active warm-up protocols; (3) intermittent fasting conditions; (4) warming-up while listening to music; (5) prolonged periods of training at a specific time of day. This suggests that time-of-day dependent fluctuations in short-duration maximal exercise performance are controlled not only by body temperature, hormone levels, motivation or mood states but also by a versatile circadian system within skeletal muscle.” Getting Back To It After Significant Illness & Antibiotic Setback: Anonymous asks: You guys gave me the best advice this summer while I was training for 70.3- thanks so much!!!! I am switching from racing 70.3 to doing the chicago marathon in October and need to build a base after being pretty sick. I have had 6 (absolutely necessary) rounds of antibiotics in the last 6 months (4 in the last 2 months) and am a bit of a mess. 1.)in July- 2 antibiotics for UTIs due to training in the local reservoir  (stay out of the Boulder Rez, kids) 2) nov 22- Dec 30- 4 rounds of antibiotics to kill two strains of E. coli and Giardia that I picked up on a trip to Morocco late September. The Giardia started “eating “ my muscles and I lost a lot of strength and speed, couldn’t complete even a 2 mile run less than 2 months after finishing Ironman 70.3, and couldn’t stay awake during the day.  It was no fun. My body has been pretty effed up with all that it’s been through and I don’t take antibiotics lightly. Don’t worry Tawnee- I am very religious in getting in lots of  prebiotics and probiotics I am looking for  a gentle way to start to build a base with the goal of hitting it hard in May! I struggle to stay in Z2 when running (even pre-infections), often completing long runs at 150-160 bpm (but can totally sustain z2 on bike rides). I know that I would benefit from building a better aerobic base. I started MAF, but it is not a good match for me right now, as doing it on the treadmill at such a low MAF heart rate due to illness (128 -138 with the 10 extra bpm Lucho says we can have) is leading me to recreate a gait associated with an injury, which I worked for over a year to retrain. I felt  acute pain in the injury area and radiating up my back on each run. My pace was 12:13. I don’t want to write MAF off and am interested in doing a block of MAF  in march/ april when I can run outside and have more control over the mechanics of transitioning between walk to run, which is part of the issue on the treadmill. I’m not a non-believer! In the interim, any ideas of ways to build more of a Zone 2? Right now I have worked back up to 13 miles a week, which is low, I know. Last week I completed 5 miles at 11:07 pace. Before Giardia etc , I was very comfortable at 8:30 pace, so it’s a hard pill to swallow but this pace is pain free and it’s where my body is! My heart rate starts in 120s and ends at high 150s over the 5 miles, with the average being 145 bpm. I plan to work on durability too, but am holding off to decrease stress on my system (is this right?). This whole approach is hard because I like intensity- Lucho said I was a neurotype 2 when answering another question for me! And I’m definitely judging myself for this loss of fitness. What the coaches says: Don’t do the marathon this year, this was a significant setback for you. Let your body heal and once training naturally improves then start building momentum. Right now body still showing major red flags of recent issues, thus, not ready. If it’s hard to let go of a race, why is that? If this is trouble, often that’s a sign that we need to focus our efforts on this: why do we “need” a race on the calendar; why do we need a race to feel a certain way? Ideally, this should not be the case. Antibiotics – not just about loading up on probiotics but also addressing issues like biofilms, lifestyle, etc. The post ATC 362: ‘Underrated’ Recovery Tools and Strategies, Morning vs Evening Workout Pros and Cons (Don’t Do This Exercise First Thing), Plus: Healing Post Antibiotics first appeared on Endurance Planet.

The first installment with host Tawnee Gibson sharing her life story. It is a story that many of us share, with different but similar details, and in sharing we hope to raise awareness around these issues to help more people on their healing journeys and to prevent similar issues in others. In part 1 she tells the story of when her eating disorder began in 2003—the final trigger that was the catalyst to a disordered mindset—along with introspection into her younger years that influenced the development of an ED, the development of exercise addiction and more.The post OMM 15: The Autobiography Series, Part 1 first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! Welcome to episode 39 of Holistic Performance Nutrition (HPN) featuring Tawnee Gibson, a holistic health & endurance coach, and Julie McCloskey, a certified holistic nutrition coach and personal trainer, who you can find over at wildandwell.fit. There is so much goodness in this episode that we’ve decided to split it into two parts, today is part 1: Jaclyn says: HPN 38 // Follow-Up Comment on Bone-Density Factors I’ve been a listener since I was a college track and cross country athlete in 2016. I would listen while working a cleaning job on the weekends haha. I am now a physical therapist and first time mom and continue to love your content. I especially love the balance between family, long term health, and athletic goals.  Anyways I am writing in follow up to HPN episode 38. I am in complete agreement with all of your recommendations and appreciate the well rounded response you provided. However I wanted to share a resource that has dramatically impacted how I think of and treat bone injuries and bone density. The podcasts and articles are specific to bone injuries but I had never had the science of how bone works explained to me like this. It brought a lot of clarity on why do runners often have issues with bone density and bone injuries when running is weight bearing (obviously energy deficiencies and overtraining play a role in many cases but I have also worked with individuals where these aren’t major factors). The variability of stimulus on the bone seems to be a missing piece in a lot of bone density/injury recovery plans.  The paper that outlines this: Optimal Load for Managing Low-Risk Tibial and Metatarsal Bone Stress Injuries in Runners: The Science Behind the Clinical Reasoning   Par asks: Timing of Supplements (Food, No Food, Combos and Circadian Rhythm) Regarding supplements, such as Omega 3 fish oil, vitamine D and the usual suspects. Is there any way that is better or worse in how you take them during the day? And I´m not referring to sticking them up your butthole. Are you supposed to spread them out, take all at once, is there a common supplement that has to be taken alone or together with something? What the coaches say: Supplement protocols can get very intricate and involved. Depending on the season you’re in this can be beneficial but in other times it can be too much to manage and stressful. So in this answer we’re just going to address some of the more common supplements that people are more likely to take regularly and ongoing:  We buy most our supplements on Fullscript, shop through EP for a discount here! Easy rule of thumb:  Fat soluble = with food (and together). This includes A/D/E/K/Fish Oil (or Rosita Cod Liver Oil) Spread out other supplements. Ends up being: Fat soluble AM Vitamin Bs, C, etc at lunch; Bs, C are water soluble but may cause upset tummy, so might be good to take around a meal (we usually do after lunch) Magnesium before bed, perhaps your probiotic, etc. Other forms of Mg may be taken at different times of day depending on form and its benefit. Overall, spreading supplements at certain intervals throughout so we don’t give the body too much to process at once and help with absorption.  Tawnee says, “We typically do our fat-soluble vitamins in the morning with/after breakfast eg CLO or fish oil/A/D, we have pretty high-fat meals so that fits great, and gets it done with for the day. But also with the potential of Vit D to influence circadian rhythm it makes sense to do in the AM. Though sometimes we don’t take till lunch. Then, as we coffee, if we haven’t taken these vitamins by lunch time or around 12-1pm, I’ll usually skip them for that day.” Fish Oil Take with food, preferably at least 1 tsp worth of fat in the meal to maximize absorption, and preferably with or after your meal (not right before on empty stomach). Or try Rosita Cod Liver Oil (simplifying the number of supplements you take and food-first)! Vitamin D Take with a meal (fat). All fat soluble vitamins (ADEK) should be taken with fat.  Vit. D is better absorbed with Magnesium, Vit K, and calcium. So can take it alongside some yogurt. Some evidence that taking Vit D in morning is beneficial for circadian rhythm and subsequently for better sleep, whereas taking before bed can interfere with quality of sleep. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32156230/ “Vitamin D has both a direct and an indirect role in the regulation of sleep.” “Vitamin D is also involved in the pathways of production of Melatonin, the hormone involved in the regulation of human circadian rhythms and sleep.” Consider that if you get adequate sun exposure to keep up Vitamin D levels (and labs reflect that) them maybe you don’t know to be supplementing so much with it, even in winter, as we can store it up in summer season, etc. Vitamin A Generally take with D and/or your fat solubles or get from CLO, beef liver, etc. Rosita Cod Liver Oil can be a natural alternative for fish oil, D, A – Tawnee’s family doing more of this as of recently and less reliance on synthetic forms of D, A, etc. Iron Better absorbed when paired with vitamin C and an hour away from caffeine or calcium. Magnesium Take 1-2 hours apart from any supplement containing iron, zinc, folate or fiber. Mg glycinate and some other forms of Mg best before bed for calming effect and sleep help. But know your form of Mg and its role! Eg, Smidge Morning Mag is something we have and it has 3 different forms (orotate, taurinate and malate with boron) that are good for taking in the morning (hence the name) as well as for heart and cardiovascular benefits; Designs for Health NeuroMag, with Magnesium L-threonate, can be taken daytime for cognitive benefits; or even LMNT has Mg malate for electrolytes, which most people probably take during the day. Still loving Crucial Four MagBicarb in the mix but also sticking with tried and true forms like Mg glycinate. Multi-Vitamin or Prenatal Take with food to prevent GI upset and optimal absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins. Some can be energizing so might be best to take earlier in the day. Creatine Take any time of day, but I like a little before and a little after a workout. Lifestyle Medicine & the Roots of Wellness  Part 4: #8-10 First, a refresher (listen to these first is you haven’t already!): HPN 36 – Intro + #1-3 HPN 37 -The Research + #4 HPN 38 – Continuing with #5-7 Overall, our Top 10 Pillars are: Emotional health & self-awareness Resilience to stress Community Nourishing nutrition Physical movement Connection to nature Sleep, sun and circadian rhythm Spiritual connection Enjoyment / play Environment Wrapping it up with the last few… 7. Sleep, sun and circadian rhythm Life is flat without this! Ties into the previous two (movement, outside/nature/sunshine) Circadian rhythm is not just sleep, it’s a 24-hr internal clock Regulates many bodily functions – hormonal secretions, metabolic function, immune system, etc. Start here: SUN! Morning light and UVA/UVB light! Sunlight in eyes (outside not thru window which blocks certain wavelengths) in the morning upon waking helps CAR (cortisol awakening response) and this is the healthy balanced kind of cortisol we want in the morning to set us up for success; I recommend to all my clients esp those with adrenal fatigue/HPA axis issues​​ CAR is the swift elevation in cortisol level upon the first hour of waking. The CAR is integral in regulating circadian rhythms, as well as improving adrenal fatigue more quickly. Get outside shortly after waking up and expose yourself to the sun—even when cloudy or in the winter time. Even an overcast day will stimulate your body with the intended effect. For circadian rhythm, this morning sun helps set a timer in a way to help melatonin production later on for best sleep UVA rise, about an hour after sunrise and lasts 60-90min; has similar benefits Specifically when sun is 10-30deg above horizon Can help set up our skin for better protection against sun burning and damage… in other words, we can allow skin to adapt with proper sun exposure at the right times! Some people call this ability to better tolerate sun a “Solar callus” but medical fields do not recognize this term as something valid and some doctors will just say it’s made up Spring is coming, and after that summer…. I’d at lesat s=consider this concept if you plan to be in the harsh sun in peak summer hours this year, and see if building up your tolerance helps. Tawnee says, “I wouldn’t avoid sun! Just do it right, don’t go from 0 to 100!” UVB Get this during peak daytime hours Bright light is great, but not n

Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. In this episode, Lucho and Tawnee go into detail about coach-athlete relationships based on their more than three decades of combined experience. Getting the most from a coach-athlete relationship. We describe how we do it in our own personal coaching practices and what we have found that works, including a good rhythm, communication, expectations, needs, goals, and so on. Long-term athletes–what it is like to coach someone for 14-19 years (we each have had athletes for that long!) and how this relationship between coach and athlete evolves over time. Short-term athletes—when someone comes to you with specific goals and a shorter-duration relationship. When athletes take downtime for an extended period without specific goals, and how coaching evolves during those times. How we as coaches have changed, inevitably, over time and how this affects our athletes (hopefully for the better). And many more personal stories from two long-time endurance coaches!  The post ATC 361: Inside Coach-Athlete Relationships – From Long-Term To Short-Term To Downtime and Peak Times first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Happy new year! We took a much-needed and deserved break in December. Didn’t really plan it to be that way but that’s what we needed so that’s what we did. And to be honest? It is still hard to do after all these years even though we know we need that downtime. We have our weak points…. What do you want more of on EP and on OMM shows? Would an AMA episode be good? Chime in! questions@enduranceplanet.com. What’s been on our minds? Influencer culture. Hard sell, in-your-face, unsolicited advice all over the place… have you noticed too? It’s getting a bit out of hand. What we want to instill: You don’t need strangers on the internet/social media telling you what you need to buy because it “changed their life” or whatever the pitch is… Instead, in this new year, let’s all be more trusting of our SELF, to go within when we are searching, to have confidence that we can find the answers and aren’t too easily influenced because someone else on social media is doing it. Find what works for you. Cultivate a following of trusted experts who can help you navigate your areas of interest/needs and who can genuinely benefit your wellbeing, give you the proper advice, etc. Meanwhile, cut the noise. Of course, here on EP, we do have affiliate relationships and advertisers on this show, it’s one of the few ways we can keep it going. But in doing this for more than a decade now (Tawnee started with EP in Jan 2011 – woot!) you will hear us recommend products, supplements, companies, etc, in an authentic manner while doing our best to not be pushy, annoying, relentless nor making extreme (or questionable) claims. We’re here to genuinely help, not for our bottom line. It’s ok when you pass up our recommendations no matter the reason. Influencer culture is NOT going away. It’s a booming, lucrative and very alluring industry for the younger generation and work-from-home type. On one hand that’s great people are carving a new path. but on the other hand? Proceed with caution. On who or what you let into YOUR space. Have boundaries as needed. We can appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit…. but also can we really trust what everyone says? And also, social media has some real gems so don’t totally drop it if it brings you glimmers of joy here and there. What’s up next? The biography series… it’s going to be special and quite a journey. The post OMM 14: We’re Back! first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! We are joined by Caila Yates, a sports dietitian based in Boulder, CO, primarily working with endurance athletes. She has a dual speciality in sports training as well as eating disorders. She has clinical experience working with patients with eating disorders and has a deep understanding of behaviors, disordered patterns, recovery and much more as it relates to eating disorders, especially in sport. In her practice, Caila helps athletes understand their nutrition needs in every season so that they can show up to every practice or race and put their best foot forward. You can find out more about Caila and her services at steadystatenutrition.co, and give her a follow on IG @steadystatenutrition. On this episode we cover: -When Cailia reached out to EP she wrote to me that “I have seen countless athletes and coaches look the other way when it comes to underfueling”…. yet … “There is a disproportionate rate of disordered eating among the endurance athlete population.” And I agree. Let’s just start about here and bringing awareness to something so important and so missed in this space. Why do you think this is? I know I have my ideas and I don’t think it’s malicious intent by coaches or athletes, but I’d love to hear your take… -Let’s talk about your story, what got you into endurance sports… sports dietician… clinical work with EDs and treatment? What led you down that path? Any personal history of those issues or related?  -What’s your focus in endurance sports and training? -Before we get into our 2 main topics, let’s very briefly discuss: Define RED-S and why this is now the term to use over female athlete triad How one can identify RED-S symptoms in themselves or others (missed period is just one…) Debunking common myths around RED-S- what are the myths? -We’ve talked a lot about RED-S amenorrhea HPA axis dysfunction Eds you name it… so today we’re going to revisit that overarching topic but focus on a couple issues that we have NOT covered in detail before: 1.  How to avoid a relapse in disordered eating during an injury We’ve talked loads about understanding this condition and steps to healing… but then there’s a whole life after that! Let’s discuss… As we know, an injury that takes one out of their sport can be a triggering and devastating event.  As an RD, I tend to see an unfortunate, yet common, pattern when athletes who have a history of disordered eating or an ED get injured.  Hint:  it involves a relapse in DE/ED behaviors.  Many athletes believe that because they are sidelined, they don’t need to (or worse, don’t deserve to) fuel themselves.  This leads to underfueling or restriction, therefore prolonging the healing process.  In order to inform listeners and debunk this myth, I’d love to touch on the following topics during this episode: Energy needs during an injury (Hint: they can be up to 50% higher than baseline needs!) Macro and micronutrients needed to heal injuries, and HOW they work to rebuild muscle/bone Reframing the DE/ED driven thoughts that can lead to restrictive behaviors Preventing future injuries using nutrition interventions AND:  I’d like to add, once training and injury-free again how do we avoid the mindset of using exercise/energy expenditure to justify eating. In other words, how do we shake this cycle that some of us have become so prone and addicted to?  (I personally feel like I have been able to achieve 100% recovery with ED/Disordered eating patterns around exercise/training but I know not everyone believes this is possible, what’s your take on this Caila?) 2.  Using athlete plates to eat intuitively while training For those who have a history of an eating disorder or disordered eating, counting macros and tracking intake may not be the best strategy, as it can lead to a hyper-fixation on food while disregarding hunger/fullness cues and cravings.  It is possible to eat intuitively while still getting the nutrients necessary to fuel performance.  Enter:  Athlete Plates is a tool that focuses on the proportion of macronutrients on your plate rather than the grams of this or that that you are eating.  For athletes who are looking for a structured solution to fueling without counting macros, we will focus on the following topics related to Athlete Plates: What are the three types of Athlete Plates, and when should you be using each type? The Athlete Plate link mentioned in our discussion: https://swell.uccs.edu/sites/g/files/kjihxj2576/files/2020-10/hard_%20plate_red_sept15-2017.pdf Tips and tricks for listening to hunger/fullness cues How to integrate things you’re craving into Athlete Plates, and how these things can actually fuel performance What does the research say about the effectiveness of Athlete Plates in training? How to build an Athlete Plate anywhere you go (i.e. traveling for a race) AND:  How long do you like to use this + when to wean off Athletes Plates, eg when does one know if and trust if they are ready to fuel appropriately on their own? Following this forever doesn’t seem like a healthy solution but the timeline may vary? Any other food tracking tools or point in the healing journey in which tracking can help someone? ie further down the road of recovery is it worth doing a day or two of tracking to see if things are lining up in terms of energy balance or let the results speak for themselves? Again, I have my opinion here but love to hear your take! -Also let’s circle back, if we DO see traits, behaviors, signs and symptoms of RED-S in a friend, fellow athlete, teammate, etc… how do we go about helping this person? What’s the right approach that allows for a gentle conversation to begin rather than driving someone away…  The post Caila Yates: Revisiting RED-S – Myths, Relapse Risk With Injury, Athlete Plates and Intuitive Eating, And Initiating Tough But Helpful Conversations first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Be sure to check out our new clean-living “non-toxic” Living List at enduranceplanet.com/shop/products, where everything we’ve included are brands and products we own and use in our home and for our family. It will be an evolving list and it’s certainly not exhaustive, these are just some examples and things we have come to use and like. Check back for deals and shop through us to support the show! Some affiliate links included. Ready for RAGNAR?! The Endurance Planet team(s) will race at Ragnar New England 2024, will you join and run with us?! It’ll be May 17-18, 2024, on the East Coast, email us at events@enduranceplanet.com for details and to join the team for an unforgettable experience!The post ATC 360: Tendon Healing, The Single Most Important Exercise, and Inside A Coach’s Rehab Protocol first appeared on Endurance Planet.