Podcast
Faithful Fitness With Coach Alex VanHouten
Hosted by Coach Alex VanHouten · EN
Welcome to Faithful Fitness—discipleship for the body.
Coach Alex here. This isn’t about chasing aesthetics or quick fixes.
It’s about becoming a better steward of the body God has entrusted to you—through truth, discipline, and daily obedience. Each episode sits at the intersection of faith, physiology, and formation—where Scripture and science work together to build strength that actually lasts.
What You’ll Find Here:
💪 Training & Nutrition That Works
Simple, effective strategies rooted in exercise science—not trends.
📖 Biblical Stewardship & Identity
Learn what it means to honor God with your body in a culture that treats it casually.
🎙️ Conversations That Sharpen You
Interviews with leaders in health, performance, and faith—applied through a Christian lens.
🔥 Challenges & Community
Join structured seasons like Faithful40 and Shred—where growth happens with others, not alone.
Your body isn’t separate from your faith.
It’s one of the primary places your faith is lived out. “You are not your own… therefore honor God with your body.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 If you’re tired of starting over…
If you know you’re capable of more…
If you’re ready to build discipline that actually sticks— You’re in the right place. Train hard. Pray harder. Get 1% better—daily.
📌 Join the Community: https://faithfulfitness.co/premium
📘 Get the Devotional: https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com
#FaithfulFitness #AlexVanHouten #FaithfulFitnessPodcast #ChristianHealth #BiblicalStewardship #TrainHardPrayHarder
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Coach Alex here. This isn’t about chasing aesthetics or quick fixes.
It’s about becoming a better steward of the body God has entrusted to you—through truth, discipline, and daily obedience. Each episode sits at the intersection of faith, physiology, and formation—where Scripture and science work together to build strength that actually lasts.
What You’ll Find Here:
💪 Training & Nutrition That Works
Simple, effective strategies rooted in exercise science—not trends.
📖 Biblical Stewardship & Identity
Learn what it means to honor God with your body in a culture that treats it casually.
🎙️ Conversations That Sharpen You
Interviews with leaders in health, performance, and faith—applied through a Christian lens.
🔥 Challenges & Community
Join structured seasons like Faithful40 and Shred—where growth happens with others, not alone.
Your body isn’t separate from your faith.
It’s one of the primary places your faith is lived out. “You are not your own… therefore honor God with your body.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 If you’re tired of starting over…
If you know you’re capable of more…
If you’re ready to build discipline that actually sticks— You’re in the right place. Train hard. Pray harder. Get 1% better—daily.
📌 Join the Community: https://faithfulfitness.co/premium
📘 Get the Devotional: https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com
#FaithfulFitness #AlexVanHouten #FaithfulFitnessPodcast #ChristianHealth #BiblicalStewardship #TrainHardPrayHarder
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
21episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How Women Should Train Through Menopause | Part 2
1w ago00:45:55Tap to summarizeYour body is changing—but it is not broken.In Part 2 of Menopause in the Light, Coach Alex examines one of the most powerful tools women have for navigating perimenopause and menopause: training.There is no magical “menopause workout,” and the fundamental laws of physiology have not suddenly stopped working. Squats still work. Progressive overload still works. Cardiovascular exercise still matters. But as a woman moves through this season, her training priorities may need to change.The goal is not to punish your body, desperately fight aging, or force your body to look the way it did at 27. The goal is capacity: the strength and endurance to work, serve, play, travel, love others, and say yes to whatever God places in front of you.In This EpisodeCoach Alex discusses:Why strength training should become a priority during perimenopause and menopauseThe difference between merely exercising and creating a meaningful training stimulusWhy women are still allowed—and often need—to lift challenging weightsHow progressive overload helps preserve muscle, strength, function, and independenceWhy walking alone is not a complete bone-strengthening strategyHow resistance training and appropriate impact can help protect bone healthThe importance of maintaining power, speed, balance, and the ability to reactWhy cardiovascular exercise still matters during and after menopauseWhether women in menopause should perform high-intensity interval trainingWhy walking remains one of the most valuable forms of daily movementHow to distinguish laziness from genuine under-recoveryWhat a practical week of training might look likeHow husbands and families can help women protect the time required to care for their bodiesWhy small beginnings still matter when pain, fear, or years of inactivity make training feel overwhelmingThe Fundamentals Remain, but the Priorities ChangeA strong menopause training plan should help a woman:Build and preserve muscleLoad and protect her bonesMaintain cardiovascular capacityPreserve power and balanceMove consistently throughout the dayRecover well enough to repeat the processThat may include two or three strength-training sessions each week, regular cardiovascular work, daily walking, appropriate intensity, bone-loading activity, and intentional recovery.The exact schedule will differ from woman to woman. The principle matters more than the calendar: begin where you are, train intelligently, and gradually ask your body to become more capable.A Deeper Reason to TrainTraining through menopause is not about worshiping the body. It is about preparing it.Your children may still need you. Your grandchildren may need you. Your husband, church, family, and community may need you. God may call you into work at 60 that you could not have imagined at 40.The goal is not simply to take up less space in the world. The goal is to become strong enough to live out your calling.As Proverbs 31 describes, a faithful woman “dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.” This is a picture of a woman prepared for her work—capable, strong, and ready.Every season of womanhood deserves intentional stewardship. Not only the easy seasons. Not only the young seasons.Get strong. Keep moving. Challenge your heart. Load your bones. Recover intelligently. Your body adapts to what you ask of it—so make sure you ask something of it.Continue Your Faithful Fitness JourneyGet the Faithful Fitness BookBegin building a biblical foundation for health, training, discipline, and stewardship with Coach Alex’s 40-day devotional.Get the book:https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com/Join the Faithful Fitness CorpsTrain inside an intentional Christian community with exercise resources, program-building tools, coaching, challenges, encouragement, accountability, and people committed to becoming stronger together.Join the Corps:https://faithfulfitness.co/Menopause Assessment and Jumpstart SeminarReceive the menopause assessment and automatically reserve your place in the live Jumpstart Seminar designed to help you better understand this season and determine your next steps.Get started:https://faithfulfitness.co/menopauseBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Transcribe →You Are Not Broken –Your Body Is Changing— | Menopause in the Light, Part 1
2w ago00:26:12Tap to summarizeMenopause is one of the largest physiological transitions in a woman’s adult life—yet many women are expected to navigate it quietly, without understanding what is happening or receiving meaningful support.In Part 1 of Menopause in the Light, Coach Alex begins a new four-part solo series exploring perimenopause, menopause, and what it means to faithfully steward a woman’s body through a changing season.Drawing from more than 20 years of coaching women through peri- and postmenopause, Alex addresses the painful question underneath many women’s frustrations:“What is wrong with me?”The answer is clear:Your body is changing. You are not broken.In this episode, Alex explains the difference between perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause; explores why symptoms and severity can vary so widely between women; and names some of the physical, emotional, relational, and metabolic changes that may occur.He also challenges two harmful extremes: dismissing every symptom as “just getting older” and blaming every difficulty after 40 on hormones.Menopause is not a disease—but that does not mean women should quietly endure symptoms that deserve attention, adaptation, or medical care.You’ll also hear why a woman’s story after 50 does not have to become a story of decline. Strength, muscle, cardiovascular fitness, confidence, wisdom, intimacy, service, and meaningful purpose are still available in this season.This episode also includes an important message for husbands and family members: compassion is not pity, and the women you love should not have to walk through this transition alone or in the dark.IN THIS EPISODEWhat perimenopause and menopause actually meanWhy menopause is a major transition, not a personal failureCommon physical, emotional, and relational challengesWhy symptoms can differ dramatically between womenThe danger of blaming everything on hormonesWhy unusual symptoms and abnormal bleeding deserve medical attentionThe potential freedoms and gains of postmenopausal lifeHow husbands can offer compassion and practical supportWhy adaptation is wisdom—not failureHow women can enter this season with agency and intentionSCRIPTURE FROM THE EPISODE“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.”—Proverbs 31:25“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”—Ecclesiastes 3:1COMING NEXTIn Part 2 of Menopause in the Light, Coach Alex addresses exercise during perimenopause and postmenopause—including muscle, strength, cardiovascular fitness, bone density, high-intensity exercise, walking, and recovery.This is not about desperately holding onto youth.It is about preparing your body for what God may ask you to do with the decades ahead.NEED HELP NAVIGATING THIS SEASON?Email Coach Alex personally at:coachalex@faithfulfitness.coTell him what has changed, what you have been wrestling with, what you have already tried, and where you currently feel stuck.JOIN THE FAITHFUL FITNESS CORPSYou were not meant to steward your body alone.Join an intentional community of men and women working to make the most of every season God gives them:https://faithfulfitness.co/joinYour body is changing.You are not broken.And there is still a whole lot of good work ahead of you.Train hard. Pray harder. Put more faith in your fitness.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Transcribe →Always Train for Something: Faith, Agency, and the Chemistry of Hope
3w ago00:50:17Tap to summarizeWhy should you always be training for something?In this conversation on the Everyday Spy Podcast, Andrew Bustamante sits down with Coach Alex VanHouten to talk about faith, fitness, agency, hope, chronic pain, marriage, truth, and why the pursuit of a goal often changes us more than achieving the goal itself.Coach Alex explains why training should never be reduced to vanity, random workouts, or checking a box. Instead, training becomes powerful when it is tied to mission, identity, and the kind of person you are becoming.Andrew brings the intelligence-world lens, unpacking how the CIA understands dopamine, cortisol, pursuit, manipulation, defeatism, and fatalism. Together, Andrew and Alex explore how failed attempts can train people to stop trying, how “hopium” keeps people stuck, and why real agency begins when you make one practical change today.This episode also moves into deeply personal territory: Alex’s experience with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and chronic pain, Andrew’s reflections on marriage, what it means to support a spouse through anxiety and depression, and how truth can feel like a burden before it becomes freedom.Together, they discuss:Why the pursuit of a goal is often more rewarding than achieving itHow failed attempts can create fatalism and defeatismWhy training for something gives your fitness purposeHow faith is not just belief, but actionWhat “hope molecules” are and why exercise can change your moodThe difference between hope and “hopium”Why agency starts with one practical step todayHow chronic pain changes the way you define progressWhy meaningful fatherhood sometimes requires sacrificeHow marriage exposes the need for continual growthWhy truth is uncomfortable, necessary, and freeingWhat Jonah, Moby Dick, and fitness have in commonThis is a powerful conversation for anyone who feels stuck, discouraged, tired of starting over, or unsure whether change is still possible.You are not trapped by your past attempts.You are not done yet.You can do something about it today.Main Discussion ThemesAlways Train for SomethingTraining becomes more powerful when it is attached to a mission, event, role, or identity. Random exercise is easy to quit. Training for something gives discipline direction. Fatalism and DefeatismWhen people try repeatedly and fail, they can begin to believe, “I can’t,” or worse, “Nothing works for me.” Andrew connects this to agency language, while Alex frames fitness as a place where people can reclaim responsibility. Faith as ActionFaith is not merely an internal belief. In the fitness context, faith looks like doing the work today without fully seeing tomorrow’s results yet. The Chemistry of HopeExercise does not just symbolize hope. It can create biochemical changes that affect mood, cognition, and resilience. Agency Versus HopiumThe fitness industry often sells hope without transformation. Real agency is not buying another product. It is taking a concrete action today. Pain, Fatherhood, and SacrificeAlex shares how chronic pain complicates his life, but also how meaningful experiences with his sons are worth facing discomfort for. Marriage and TruthAndrew and Alex move into a candid conversation about marriage, sacrifice, failure, anxiety, depression, and the daily work of becoming a better husband. Jonah, Moby Dick, and the Burden of TruthThe final section uses literature and Scripture to explore why truth is hard to face, but ultimately becomes the mechanism that sets people free.Timestamps00:00 – “I’ve tried things before and they didn’t work”00:45 – Why Andrew asks Alex about always training for something00:57 – Why pursuit can be more satisfying than achievement01:45 – Dopamine, cortisol, and the CIA lens on goal pursuit03:30 – What happens when people try and fail repeatedly05:07 – Fatalism, defeatism, and why people stop trying07:22 – How Coach Alex defines faith08:40 – Faith as doing the work before seeing the result09:16 – Myokines, irisin, and “the hope molecule”11:05 – The danger of keeping people in a cycle of hope12:54 – Hope without work versus real transformation14:57 – “We can do something about that today”15:16 – Agency, nutrition, movement, and practical change17:14 – Alex’s ongoing struggle with chronic pain18:41 – Why some pain is worth facing for your family19:00 – Andrew opens up about struggling as a husband21:08 – Marriage as sacrifice, growth, and daily failure23:25 – Why men struggle silently in marriage25:43 – Supporting a spouse through anxiety and depression27:40 – The challenge of being married to Alex29:58 – Moby Dick, Jonah, art, and the burden of truth37:16 – Jesus, Jonah, suffering, and walking through pain39:07 – Andrew reframes Jonah around truth43:23 – Truth in action: if it is true, it works44:57 – Where to find Coach Alex45:12 – Closing thoughts from AndrewWatch the full interview on YouTube:👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3o75yqdyEUCheck out some of my work through Everyday Spy:👉 https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVJaYnZXZXFuTFRDT3VnSHlENHBLYVZycmw5Z3xBQ3Jtc0trNzZVYW9DbjdabUlBZl9lWXpCeHVLSUdBcENsRFEwckNidkF6Tzlna2F1M0VpeEJrYUNpRVdTZ3pYWEtPNHNGalVxQU5YV1JSbmNlUlR5blE0SWxYY1B1OTFVb2p5LXFieVNwREdrZGhERDNWWFpJWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyt.everydayspy.com%2F2026_SpyfitOpPower_CoachAlex&v=q4wG9q96sCwGet your copy of Faithful Fitness:A 40-day devotional for Christian health, strength, and stewardship.👉 https://faithfulfitnessdevo.comJoin the Faithful Fitness community:Get Christ-centered coaching, accountability, challenges, workshops, and practical tools for your health journey.👉 https://faithfulfitness.co/joinJoin the Faithful 5K:Walk, jog, run, bring your family, or participate virtually. Train for something that matters.👉 https://www.raceentry.com/faithful-5k/race-informationBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Transcribe →A Christian Coach Talks With a Daoist About Exercise, Faith, and Stewardship
4w ago01:23:33Tap to summarizeThis episode is different.Coach Alex sits down with San Qing on The Way for a wide-ranging conversation about exercise science, stress adaptation, mitochondria, fasting, performance, belief, martial arts, and what happens when the body is challenged and forced to grow.But this conversation also moves into territory that many Faithful Fitness listeners may not be used to hearing.Daoism.Eastern medicine.Energy language.Breathwork.Alchemy.Spiritual frameworks that do not come from a Christian worldview.That is why this episode needs to be heard with discernment.There are places in this conversation where Coach Alex and San Qing find common ground. Stress matters. Adaptation matters. Belief matters. Movement matters. The body and mind are deeply connected. The human body is fearfully and wonderfully complex.But there are also places where the worldviews are very different.As Christians, we do not listen to conversations like this with fear or arrogance. We listen with wisdom. We test what we hear. We recognize what is true, reject what is false, and bring every thought captive to Christ.Because Jesus is not one spiritual option among many.He is the way, the truth, and the life.In this episode, Coach Alex brings exercise science and Christian stewardship into a conversation outside the walls of the church. He discusses his work with Everyday Spy, the role of adaptive stress, why movement forces belief into action, how mitochondria respond to challenge, why “1% better” matters, and why the body cannot be separated from the life of faith.Listen carefully.Listen prayerfully.And ask yourself:Where have I absorbed spiritual ideas from the culture around me without testing them against Scripture?The body matters.The mind matters.Belief matters.But Christ is Lord over all of it.Timestamps00:00 – Belief, Genetics, and Performance00:35 – San Qing’s Bodybuilding Journey and Daoist Framework04:21 – Coach Alex Reframes Fitness Around DNA and Stewardship06:44 – Myostatin, Genetics, and Natural Muscle Growth07:40 – Everyday Spy, Mission Readiness, and Recovery09:13 – Less Is More: Acute Stress vs. Chronic Stress12:06 – Adaptive Stressors and Epigenetic Potential12:54 – Which Cardio Is Best? It Depends on the Adaptation14:00 – Obesity Genes, Exercise Modalities, and Stress Response17:30 – Bodybuilding, Amino Acids, ATP, and Supplement History24:13 – Mitochondria, ATP, Fuel, and Cellular Energy26:41 – Deconditioning, Processed Food, and Mitochondrial Dysfunction29:07 – Hypoxia, Exercise, and Adaptation32:26 – Weight Training and Localized Hypoxic Stress33:47 – Stress, Adaptation, Expansion, and the Challenge Principle37:14 – Exercise Is Black and White: You Either Do It or You Don’t39:40 – Starting With Two Minutes: The 1% Better Principle42:59 – How Belief Can Affect Physical Performance45:23 – Daoist Energy Language and the Body48:10 – The Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Doing Hard Things50:37 – Hypnosis, Suggestibility, and the Power of Influence56:20 – When More Stress Is Not the Answer59:45 – Mind, Body, Science, and the Limits of Explanation01:03:02 – Taoist Energy Categories and Coach Alex’s Christian/Scientific Response01:08:31 – Yin, Yang, Energy, and Worldview Differences01:14:16 – Movement, the Narrow Way, and the Christian Walk01:17:22 – Martial Arts, Wu Wei, and Embodied Learning01:19:53 – Everyday Spy, Operation PowerFit, and Final Thoughts01:22:41 – ClosingJoin the Faithful 5K:Walk, jog, run, bring your family, or join us virtually. There is still time to take a real step forward.👉 https://www.raceentry.com/faithful-5k/race-information Train for the Faithful 5K inside the Faithful Fitness app:Follow the training plan, start where you are, and prepare with purpose.👉 https://faithfulfitness.co/joinJoin the Faithful Fitness community:Get Christ-centered coaching, tools, accountability, and community support.👉 https://faithfulfitness.co/premiumCheck out Everyday Spy’s Operation PowerFit Challenge:A free 10-day challenge designed to help you put exercise science into action.👉Watch the episode on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4wG9q96sCwBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Transcribe →New Fatherhood, Faith, and Finding Time to Train
Jul 900:48:41Tap to summarizeWhat does fitness look like when life gets chaotic?In this conversation on the G-Spodcast, Coach Alex VanHouten joins the host for an honest, practical, and sometimes funny conversation about fatherhood, fitness, chronic pain, nutrition, faith, and what it means to steward the body God has given you.The episode begins with a real question from a brand-new father:How do you train, eat well, and stay grounded when your life is suddenly sleep-deprived, stressful, and disorganized?From there, Alex shares how becoming a dad changed his own fitness rhythms, why even a 12-minute workout can matter, and how exercise becomes part of the identity of a faithful father—not just another task on the to-do list.Together, they discuss:How new dads can train in small windows of timeWhy exercise helps support mental health, anxiety, OCD, and cognitionThe difference between real exercise science and fitness marketingWhy the fitness industry often sells what is profitable instead of what worksThe truth about creatine, fasting products, and supplement hypeWhy calories matter—but nutrients matter tooHow bodybuilding culture shaped modern nutrition confusionWhether having a six-pack is actually healthyWhy bio-individuality matters for training, nutrition, and long-term healthAlex’s experience with Ehlers-Danlos SyndromeThe difference between training elite operators and everyday peopleHow motivation changes when fitness becomes part of your identityWhy Christianity does not separate the body from the soulThe difference between vanity and stewardship in fitnessThis episode is for new fathers, busy men, Christians trying to understand the body, and anyone who is tired of fitness advice that sounds good online but does not actually work in real life.Your body is not just a machine.It is not just a shell.It is a gift to steward.And even in the chaos of life, fatherhood, pain, and responsibility, you can take the next faithful step.Timestamps01:12 – Welcome to the G-Spodcast01:26 – The Host Shares About Becoming a New Father02:01 – How Fatherhood Changes Fitness and Routine02:30 – Coach Alex’s First Fitness Struggle as a Dad03:00 – Why a 12-Minute Workout Still Matters04:00 – Building an Active Fatherhood Lifestyle05:04 – Training While Sleep-Deprived and Overwhelmed06:13 – Exercise and Mental Health: OCD, ADHD, Anxiety, and More07:01 – Fitness Science vs. Fitness Marketing08:18 – Creatine Monohydrate: What Actually Works09:30 – Why Supplement Companies Add Unnecessary Bells and Whistles10:16 – Fasting, Fasting Shakes, and Fitness Industry Confusion11:24 – The Religious Nature of Nutrition Arguments12:30 – Why Calories Became the Center of Fitness Culture13:47 – Why Your Body Is Not a Car14:30 – Calories, Nutrients, Genetics, and Food Quality15:08 – Bodybuilding, Modern Fitness Ideals, and Changing Body Standards17:11 – Is Having a Six-Pack Healthy?19:43 – What Gladiators Teach Us About Body Composition20:19 – Bio-Individuality Explained21:36 – Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers and Genetic Differences23:24 – Olympic Lifters, Muscle Fiber Types, and Genetic Potential24:30 – Amylase, Carbohydrates, and Why People Process Food Differently26:05 – Are We All Equal Genetically?26:42 – Alex’s Experience With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome29:44 – Learning to Treat Yourself Like an Outlier30:29 – Training Elite Operators vs. Everyday People31:43 – Mission Mindset vs. General Population Mindset32:31 – Why Motivation Is Hard to Sustain33:43 – Would You Train If Today Were Your Last Day?34:42 – Fitness as Identity, Not Just Motivation35:30 – Fatherhood as a Model for Discipline37:31 – Faith, Fitness, and the Christian Body38:05 – Why Christianity Does Not Separate Body and Soul39:08 – Gnosticism, the Body, and Christian Theology41:43 – The Sins of Fitness: Gluttony, Sloth, Pride, and Envy43:30 – Stewardship as the Narrow Way44:37 – Closing Thoughts and Invitation for Round TwoNew Workout Music By Faithful Fitness👉https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoSZ2FzgcDJy-rQeDy3fW9_ooqppmtd-D&si=2bG-RW0tRWZa73K3Join The Faithful 5k 👉 https://www.raceentry.com/faithful-5k/race-information Get your copy of Faithful Fitness:A 40-day devotional for Christian health, strength, and stewardship.👉 https://faithfulfitnessdevo.comJoin the Faithful Fitness community:Get coaching, accountability, workshops, tools, and Christ-centered support for your health journey.👉 https://faithfulfitness.co/joinWatch the full conversation on YouTube:👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1VBf0u84nM&t=985s Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Transcribe →Pain Is a Teacher: Faith, Fitness, and the Courage to Keep Going
Jul 201:10:50Tap to summarizeIn this deeply personal conversation on Intimate Conversations with Men, Coach Alex VanHouten joins Elena for an honest discussion about pain, faith, fatherhood, masculinity, suffering, and the body as a gift to steward.Alex shares how living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome—a painful genetic disorder affecting collagen, joints, connective tissue, and digestion—shaped his path as an exercise scientist and faith-based health coach. Rather than seeing pain only as an enemy, Alex explains how pain can become a teacher, a signal, and even a doorway into courage, endurance, and purpose.Together, Alex and Elena explore:How pain can function as feedback rather than failureWhy men often hide pain, weakness, or needThe connection between pain, identity, and self-worthWhy endurance and courage are essential for healingHow fathers help boys learn to face challenge and difficultyWhy safe play, sport, and male mentorship matter for boysThe story behind Faithful FitnessHow faith and rationality work together in health and fitnessWhy the body is a gift to steward—not a problem to escapeWhat to do when suffering feels overwhelmingWhy you are valuable, loved, and not done yetThis conversation also touches on grief, suicide, depression, chronic illness, and the importance of speaking the truth about pain instead of carrying it alone.If you have ever felt broken, limited, discouraged, or unsure whether your body can still become stronger, this episode is for you.You are not done yet.Be faithful.God is not done with you.Timestamps00:00 – Welcome to Intimate Conversations with Men02:04 – Meet Coach Alex VanHouten02:52 – Living With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome04:50 – How Pain Became a Teacher06:40 – Pain as Feedback, Not Failure07:31 – Endurance and Courage09:35 – Helping Children Face Pain Without Fear12:19 – What Adults Should Do When Pain Shows Up14:38 – Deciding How to Face Pain Today17:34 – Choosing Your Emotional Posture Toward Pain18:52 – Why Men Struggle to Be Seen in Pain20:56 – Coaching Men and Women Differently24:08 – How Fathers Help Boys Face Challenge26:33 – What Kickboxing Taught Alex About Masculinity29:23 – Why Boys Need Safe Difficulty32:08 – Advice for Mothers Raising Boys35:00 – Why Alex Created Faithful Fitness36:40 – Belief, Diabetes, Cookies, and Self-Sabotage38:48 – Why Pleasure Can Hide Pain39:27 – Faith, Science, and Coaching People From Different Backgrounds42:00 – Helping People With Physical Challenges Begin Again45:02 – Why Compassion Matters in Coaching47:48 – “You’re Not Done Yet”49:23 – Alex Shares About Losing His Brother52:06 – Why Naming Pain Reduces Its Power55:51 – Where to Find Faithful Fitness58:02 – Rapid Fire Questions01:07:06 – Closing PrayerCheck out Christian Workout/Running music by Faithful Fitness:👉Christian Workout Music by Faithful FitnessGet your copy of Faithful Fitness:A 40-day devotional journey for Christian health, strength, and stewardship.👉 https://faithfulfitnessdevo.comJoin the Faithful Fitness Corps:Get coaching, accountability, workshops, and a Christ-centered community for your health journey.👉 https://faithfulfitness.co/joinBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Transcribe →Mental Health Is Physical Health: What Every Parent Needs to Know
Jun 2501:02:46Tap to summarizeWhat if your child’s behavior problem is not just a behavior problem?In this episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex sits down with Dr. Stacy Haynes, a licensed professional counselor, educator, speaker, author, and children’s ministry leader, to discuss a truth every parent needs to understand:Mental health is physical health.Together, they explore how sleep, nutrition, movement, technology, family rhythms, and spiritual formation all shape the emotional and behavioral health of children—especially neurodivergent children.This is not a conversation about replacing counseling, diagnosis, medication, or professional care with “just eat better and exercise.” This is about seeing the whole child: body, mind, emotions, environment, and spirit.Coach Alex and Dr. Stacy discuss:Why children’s behavior is often connected to physical wellnessHow sleep, hunger, blood sugar, and screen time affect emotional regulationWhy neurodivergent children may be more sensitive to food, tone, noise, and routineHow parents can support children without shame or fearWhy labels like ADHD or autism can be helpful when used wiselyHow churches can better support neurodivergent children and tired parentsWhy exercise helps regulate emotions, sleep, gut health, and anxietyHow to build healthier family rhythms around food, movement, screens, and restWhy technology should be treated as a privilege, not a rightHow parents can lead by example instead of trying to fix one child in isolationThis episode is especially helpful for parents, children’s ministry leaders, teachers, coaches, and anyone who loves a child whose brain or body works a little differently.Your child is not a problem to solve.They are a person to steward, love, guide, and understand.And by God’s grace, your family can build rhythms that help everyone flourish.Timestamps00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Stacy Haynes01:14 – “Mental Health Is Physical Health”02:54 – Why Parents Need a Holistic View of Behavior04:13 – Dr. Stacy’s Journey Into Counseling and Ministry05:35 – Children’s Ministry, Trauma, and Positive Childhood Experiences08:48 – Coach Alex’s Childhood, ACE Score, and Church as a Safe Place09:51 – Dr. Stacy’s Heart for Children With Autism11:14 – Why Labels Can Help When Used Wisely12:18 – Releasing Fear Around Diagnosis14:24 – Making the Most of How God Made Your Child16:52 – Dysregulation: What It Looks Like in Kids18:50 – Blood Sugar, Breakfast, and Behavior20:08 – What Sugar Can Do to a Neurodivergent Child’s Day22:01 – Children’s Ministry Lessons From Neurodivergent Kids25:20 – How to Talk With Parents Without Shame26:26 – Helping Parents Become Detectives29:01 – Dandelions, Orchids, and Different Kinds of Resilience33:48 – Sabbath, Rhythm, Rest, and Recovery35:17 – Exercise and Emotional Regulation37:44 – Exercise, ADHD, and the Brain40:36 – Leading by Example as a Family42:21 – Changing the Pantry and Building a Culture of Health43:12 – Christ Is in the Details of Family Rhythms47:24 – Screen Time, Technology, and Stewardship48:26 – Practical Technology Rules for Families51:40 – Replacing Screen Time With Connection55:28 – Rapid Fire: Three Things That Help Kids Quickly56:12 – What the Church Needs to Know About Neurodivergent Families56:39 – Encouragement for Parents Who Want to Shift57:07 – Closing PrayerJoin The Faithful 5k - August 15th! 👉https://www.raceentry.com/faithful-5k/race-informationDownload Dr. Stacy’s free family guide:👉https://www.drstacyhayneslpc.com/ Get your copy of Faithful Fitness:A 40-day devotional for health, strength, stewardship, and faith.👉 https://faithfulfitnessdevo.comJoin the Faithful Fitness community:Stop doing this alone. Get coaching, accountability, workshops, and Christ-centered support.👉 https://faithfulfitness.co/joinBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Transcribe →You Don’t Have a Discipline Problem — You’re Following the Wrong Plan
Jun 1801:19:07Tap to summarizeYou don’t have a discipline problem.You may just be trying to follow someone else’s plan.In this episode, Coach Alex VanHouten joins The Next Level Guy Show for a deep conversation on discipline, elite performance, faith, pain, and what it actually takes to make progress that lasts.Coach Alex is an exercise scientist, faith-based health coach, author of Faithful Fitness, and founder of a movement helping people make the most out of the body God has given them. In this conversation, he breaks down why so many men feel stuck even when they “know what to do,” and why real transformation rarely comes from hype, intensity, or another cookie-cutter plan.Instead, lasting change comes from honesty, consistency, community, coaching, and learning how to take the next faithful step.Together, Alex and Ian discuss:The difference between elite performance and just “going to the gym”Why bio-individuality matters in fitness, nutrition, and healthHow to know what advice is worth listening to in a noisy fitness industryWhy consistency matters more than intensityThe “noob phase” and why beginners often quit too soonHow men burn out when they lack honesty, support, or a deeper missionWhy pain can become a doorway to purposeWhat it means to get 1% better dailyHow faith gives fitness its “why”Why you need someone in your corner if you want to changeThis episode is for the man who is tired of starting over.It is for the man who knows there is more in him.And it is for the man who is ready to stop chasing someone else’s plan and start becoming faithful with what God has actually given him.Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction: Discipline, Confidence, and Real Progress02:34 – Who Is Coach Alex VanHouten?03:29 – What People Get Wrong About Elite Performance05:46 – Why Cookie-Cutter Fitness Plans Fail06:13 – Bio-Individuality: Why Your Plan Has to Fit You08:40 – The Unsexy Secret of Elite Performance10:23 – Fitness Misinformation, Bro Science, and Finding Truth13:22 – What Testing Actually Matters?15:30 – Why You Shouldn’t Overcomplicate the Basics18:35 – Start Walking Before You Chase Optimization19:36 – Consistency > Volume > Intensity22:56 – Learning From Elite Performers Without Copying Them23:51 – “You’ll Know Them by Their Fruits”25:30 – Visualizing Your Best and Worst Future29:39 – Why You Need Someone in Your Corner30:08 – Where Men Burn Out31:15 – The Noob Phase: Why Beginners Quit34:17 – Why Beginners Actually Have an Advantage36:42 – What Happens After You Reach the Goal?38:12 – Why Men Fear Being Beginners38:44 – The Power of Brutal Honesty41:43 – How Complicated Does Fitness Need to Be?45:59 – The 1% Better Daily Approach47:16 – What 1% Better Looks Like When Life Is Hard52:27 – Living With Ehlers-Danlos and Choosing Purpose53:39 – Faith, Suffering, and Carrying Your Cross57:27 – Why the First Five Minutes Matter59:25 – What Are You Fighting For? Who Are You Fighting For?01:02:10 – The Secret to Training for Ten Years, Not Ten Minutes01:04:44 – Where to Start If You Want to Change01:05:34 – The Four Questions Every Man Needs to Answer01:08:57 – How to Know If You’re Making Progress01:11:28 – Final Encouragement: You Are Not Stuck01:14:29 – Where to Connect With Coach AlexJoin the first-ever Faithful 5K:Whether you’re local to Arkansas or joining us virtually, register today and take the next faithful step.👉 https://www.raceentry.com/faithful-5k/race-informationGet your copy of Faithful Fitness:Start the 40-day devotional journey toward health, strength, and stewardship.👉 https://faithfulfitnessdevo.comJoin the Faithful Fitness community:Stop doing this alone. Join a Christ-centered community built around coaching, accountability, and stewardship.👉 https://faithfulfitness.co/premiumWatch the full interview on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja-5laJoNLk&t=796sBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Transcribe →The Body Remembers: Trauma, Movement, and Healing in Christ | With De Bolton
Jun 1100:56:58Tap to summarizeWhy do some people know exercise is good for them but still struggle to move? Why can something as simple as a workout trigger emotions, fear, shame, or even tears?In this powerful conversation, Coach Alex sits down with trauma-informed health coach and author De Bolton to explore the deep connection between movement, trauma, healing, and Christian stewardship.Together they discuss:How trauma is stored in the bodyWhy movement can feel threatening for some peopleThe relationship between emotional wounds and physical healthThe disconnect between Christianity and body stewardshipWhy food has become the church's most acceptable addictionHow shame impacts our health and habitsThe difference between neglect and obsession in fitnessWhat it means to truly honor your body as God's templeHow to move from performance-based fitness to worship-based stewardshipWhy healing requires reconnecting body, mind, and spiritThis conversation is especially important for anyone who has ever felt stuck, discouraged, ashamed, disconnected from their body, or frustrated by repeated health struggles.God doesn't merely care about your spirit.He created you as a whole person.And learning to steward your body well may be one of the most overlooked aspects of discipleship today.You are loved exactly as you are.And because you are loved, your body is worth stewarding well.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction to De Bolton01:10 – Why Movement Changes Your Mood02:00 – How Trauma Gets Stored in the Body04:45 – Why Exercise Can Trigger Old Wounds07:45 – Tears, Emotions, and Physical Release08:45 – Why Christians Are Disconnected From Their Bodies11:20 – Stewardship vs. Fitness Idolatry13:15 – Is Food the Church's Most Accepted Addiction?16:00 – Why Your Body Matters to God18:20 – Where to Start If You Hate Exercise22:00 – The Power of Small Wins24:15 – The Mustard Seed Principle of Growth25:25 – How Fitness Becomes an Idol28:00 – Fitness as Worship30:15 – The Difference Between Performance and Stewardship31:00 – Shame, Healing, and Physical Health33:40 – Grace Removes Shame But Not Responsibility36:15 – The Story Behind The Embodied Beloved38:50 – Knowing God's Love vs. Embodying God's Love40:00 – Reclaim Your Temple Program42:45 – The Four Disciplines: Integrity, Grit, Growth & Awe45:20 – Why Integrity Is the Biggest Struggle46:00 – Rapid Fire Questions47:00 – Music, Movement & Motivation48:00 – Parenting Adult Children50:00 – Final Encouragement from De Bolton51:00 – Closing Prayer🏃 Join the Faithful 5KThe first-ever Faithful 5K is happening this August.Whether you're local to Arkansas or joining us virtually from anywhere in the world, we'd love to have you participate.👉 Register Here:https://www.raceentry.com/faithful-5k/race-information🤝 Become a Vendor or SponsorHelp us bring together faith, fitness, family, and community while supporting the mission of Faithful Fitness and THREE18.👉 Learn More:https://www.raceentry.com/races/faithful-5k/2026/sponsor💪 Join Faithful Fitness PremiumIf you're ready to stop doing this alone and become part of a Christ-centered community focused on stewardship, strength, accountability, and growth:👉 https://faithfulfitness.co/premiumInside you'll find:Monthly coachingChallenges and accountabilityLive workshopsFaith-based health educationDirect access to Coach Alex📖 Connect With De BoltonLearn more about De's work, coaching, and her Reclaim Your Temple program:👉 Christian Holistic Health Coach | Faithfueledmom Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Transcribe →Choose Your Hard: Agency, Resilience, and the Truth About Fitness | With Rithvik Raya
Jun 401:10:22Tap to summarizeWhat happens when a sharp, inquisitive 14-year-old interviewer starts asking questions most adults never think to ask?In this conversation with Rithvik Raya, Coach Alex dives deep into some of the biggest questions surrounding health, fitness, resilience, agency, suffering, faith, and human potential.Together they explore:Living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and chronic painWhy modern abundance may be making us physically and mentally weakerThe science of adaptation and resilienceWhy "calories in, calories out" oversimplifies human biologyThe surprising science behind hope molecules and exerciseWhy coaching and community outperform diets and algorithmsThe role of agency in personal transformationWhat fitness has to do with faith, purpose, and stewardshipHow modern culture encourages victimhood—and how to reclaim responsibilityWhy intensity isn't always the answerThe difference between starting a fitness journey and becoming the kind of person who finishes itThis is one of the most thoughtful and wide-ranging conversations I've had in a long time. Rithvik asked questions that forced me to think carefully about what I actually believe and why.If you've ever wondered how fitness connects to psychology, theology, resilience, leadership, and the pursuit of a meaningful life, this conversation is for you.Life is hard.The question isn't whether you'll face difficulty.The question is:What kind of hard will you choose?⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction01:06 – Living With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome05:15 – Why Modern Comfort May Be Making Us Weak08:42 – Choosing Your Hard10:40 – Childhood Trauma, Science & Finding Truth13:05 – Why Coach Alex Built Faithful Fitness16:45 – The Fitness Industry's Biggest Problem17:05 – Calories In, Calories Out? Not So Fast21:28 – Hope Molecules, Myokines & Exercise Science25:00 – What Is Agency?27:52 – Can Agency Survive the Algorithm Age?29:30 – Why Coaching & Community Beat Every Diet31:57 – The Science Behind SpyFit35:37 – Leadership, Responsibility & Personal Agency38:47 – Is Fitness Really About Intentional Living?40:02 – Is There A Moral Dimension To Fitness?45:32 – Pride, Gluttony, Shame & Stewardship48:21 – The Problem With Victimhood Culture50:38 – Why Intensity Is Overrated53:01 – How the Body Actually Adapts57:31 – Better Daily, Comparison & Following Christ01:01:12 – Social Media, Movement & Human Flourishing01:02:29 – Why People Really Get In Shape01:05:08 – Coaching, Identity & Freedom01:06:46 – Rapid Fire Round01:10:15 – Final Thoughts🎯 Calls To Action🏃 Join The First Ever Faithful 5KWhether you're local to Arkansas or joining virtually from anywhere in the world, we'd love to have you participate.👉 Register Here:https://www.raceentry.com/faithful-5k/race-information🤝 Become a Vendor or SponsorWe're bringing together businesses, churches, ministries, nonprofits, and community leaders around a shared mission of stewardship and health.👉 Vendor & Sponsor Information:https://www.raceentry.com/races/faithful-5k/2026/sponsor💪 Join Faithful Fitness PremiumIf you're ready to stop going it alone and become part of a community committed to strength, stewardship, accountability, and growth:👉 https://faithfulfitness.co/premiumInside you'll find:Group coachingCommunity challengesLive workshopsDirect access to Coach AlexFaith-based health and fitness resourcesIf you want to watch the interview, you can find that here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em3gPeEFNh4&t=82sBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-with-coach-alex-vanhouten--5150768/support.
Transcribe →