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Kreatures Of Habit Podcast
Hollis Tuttle on How To Build A Life You Love: Transformation Fueled by Unrelenting Resilience
00:53:16
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- [00:00]
Hollis Tuttle
That's where they gain the confidence. They've overcome something. They've passed, you know, that point of fear. And that's like a little tiny hit, right? And then you start to add those up and those little tiny wins end up accumulating, as he said, over time into something really big. And I think that's one of the reasons why it is so powerful, whether it is on the strength floor you're running or you're hiking, right? It's, you know, you're, you're doing a little bit more than you did yesterday.
- [00:33]
Michael Chernow
I'm Michael Chernow and this is the Creatures of Habit podcast. Our habits will make us or break us. It's just that simple. I've lived on both sides of the tracks and have learned that the decisions we make on a consistent basis truly define who we are as human beings. On this show, I will be interviewing some of the most inspiring, motivating and high performing humans I've encountered to share their daily habits, routines and rituals that help them stay on top of their game and ultimately happy. So sit back, relax, and pay attention because what you hear over the next 30 to 45 minutes could potentially change your life.
- [01:15]
Let's go. What's up, guys? Welcome back to the Creatures of Habit podcast. I'm sitting across someone who has more life, more energy, more positivity than most people you come across in your day to day life. Her name is Hollis Tuttle. Hollis is a fitness expert. She is a coach. She did not start her career that way. She's one of these people that kind of had a very academic upbringing and lifestyle and then for whatever reason, was drawn to the world of wellness. And I totally relate to her and I'm sure a lot of you listening do as well. Hollis has a business called House of Hustle where she really focuses on working with women in their 40s to give them their life back, give them empowerment. For women that feel that they are potentially straying in a direction that doesn't make them feel good about themselves, Hollis really gives them tools and energy to feel awesome. And Hollis also is part of the Creatures of Habit squad. She joined the Creatures Habit community about the internal community, about, I don't know, maybe three months ago, four months ago, and has been absolutely killing it. She's an amazing person to have on the team. And so I'm super excited to introduce you to Hollis. Hollis, welcome to the Creature Habit podcast.
- [02:45]
Hollis Tuttle
Thank you. It is such a pleasure to be here. That was an amazing introduction.
- [02:49]
Michael Chernow
Was it?
- [02:49]
Hollis Tuttle
Yes. I really appreciate that. Of course I would like to carry you around with me.
- [02:56]
Michael Chernow
You know, it's the story of the person who got a degree in nutritional science and then was going to go to medical school and then decided medical school wasn't the path, but then took an MBA in real estate development business and then got into real estate and then decided that this just wasn't for them and said, screw it. I'm going to do what makes me happy 100%. Tell me about that.
- [03:21]
Hollis Tuttle
I had about a quarter life crisis. On paper, I was incredibly successful. I was in my late 20s. I owned several houses. I traveled the world. I drove a sports car. Like, life was grand. And inside, I was very unhappy. I just felt like I didn't have a purpose, and I wanted to go back to what made me happy, which is helping others live their best life. And so once I hit 30 and decided I'm making that change, every decision I made past that point was with that in mind. And so it meant changing my lifestyle. I mean, I went through some rough times as I was adjusting right to that change in income, drastically reduced my earnings, and had to come to that realization that, oh, I do need to actually, like, count my pennies, because they do matter.
- [04:18]
Michael Chernow
So I want to just unpack that a ton. I think that's a really great thing to talk about. So you go from this place where you're making a lot of money.
- [04:27]
Hollis Tuttle
Yes.
- [04:28]
Michael Chernow
And on the outside, materially, people are like, holy smokes, Hollis is killing it.
- [04:32]
Hollis Tuttle
Yes.
- [04:33]
Michael Chernow
And you drive, you got the car, you got the houses, you're traveling, you're probably flying first class. When you decide that that is not fulfilling, you make a conscious decision. Okay, this is not actually making me happy. Right. That's such a profound realization because so many people believe that those things, the car, the house, the flights, the travel, the lavish dinners, the whatevers, is, you've made it.
- [05:03]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [05:04]
Michael Chernow
What did that feel like when you were like, I have all these things. I'm not happy. It takes courage to not only realize that, but then to say, you know what? I'm gonna make the change. So what was the thought?
- [05:24]
Hollis Tuttle
I feel very fortunate that I have an incredibly supportive family, and they trust me in the decisions that I make. So when I told them that I was going to be leaving real estate and I was going back to pursue health and wellness, focusing on nutrition, said, okay, go for it. And that gave me the courage to do it. But once I made that decision, it was liberating. It was so incredibly freeing to know that I was pursuing something that Made me happy. And the struggles that came along with that were worth it. And it. And recognizing that every struggle I hit and overcame just made me that much stronger. I had to practice it a bit. Right. I had to get through those first couple of speed bumps to realize like, I can survive this too. And just like anything else, the more you practice it, the more adept you become at overcoming it. And I think that those are such valuable lessons to learn. And I go back to that time and time again.
- [06:29]
Michael Chernow
So what do you think when you're in it? Because I also feel the same kind of. Or live by the same philosophy, which is basically like how you feel right now is temporary. No matter how you look at it, it is going to change in one way or another.
- [06:48]
Hollis Tuttle
Correct.
- [06:48]
Michael Chernow
This too shall pass is something I genuinely believe in. But what did you, did you lean on anything partic in particular when you were going through those times where you were like, oh my gosh, like I don't have the money that I used to have. This is scary. Like, I genuinely feel anxiety about the future. Was there anything that you kind of leaned on to just sort of get you through?
- [07:09]
Hollis Tuttle
My work ethic? I'm incredibly hardworking and as my father likes to say, stubborn. So I, I don't shy away from the work, I don't shy away from the dirty work and had to roll up my sleeves and do what it took to get through that. So when I talk about the House of Hustle, when I talk about hustling, I hustle. And I even right now, I'm rebuilding my life once again for like the fourth time. And that hustle is back in play. And I'm thankful that I have that in me. And now I look back and know I've done it before, I can do it again. And is it just as hard? Yes. But I also know that I am resilient and I can work through that hustle. Um, but I also do rely on habits. I am very, very structured and habitual with my day because that structure helps give me a sense of calm. So when everything else is chaotic, when everything else is up in the air, I control what I can control. So that always starts. At my morning, I get up at 4am I am wired that way. I choose to. To get up at 4am and start.
- [08:26]
Michael Chernow
With or without an alarm.
- [08:29]
Hollis Tuttle
Without an alarm. I normally wake up about 3:45. That happened this morning, right? I always said it because just in case, but my body just knows because I've been doing it for so long and I meditate in the morning.
- [08:44]
Michael Chernow
So let's walk through your full morning routine.
- [08:46]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah, so once I wake up, I start with my meditation and I have a nice little meditation cushion in the corner by my tree. And after I meditate, make coffee.
- [08:59]
Michael Chernow
Do you do any specific type of meditation? Like what is your meditation look like?
- [09:02]
Hollis Tuttle
Right now I'm using headspace, so it's a guided meditation. It's just about 10 minutes, but I find that that's enough for me. Sometimes I'll sit there a little bit longer if I need it. Just the quiet. And then when my coffee's brewing, I take all my supplements. And then I take my first cup of coffee back to bed and I climb under the she get nice and cozy. And that's where I journal. So I keep a gratitude journal. And once I journal, I read. So I reserve the morning time for educational or inspirational or self development books. Right now it's working on another certification. Constantly learning. And then I go to the gym. So I am at the gym by 5:30 Monday through Friday, pretty close to that Saturday and Sunday. So that way I start my morning feeling like I have not only accomplished a lot, but I've given back to myself so that when the day comes, I'm the best version that I can be.
- [10:03]
Michael Chernow
You're preaching to the choir here, girl. You know, like, it's so interesting that I. So I've gone through so many different iterations of my morning routine and I for years had like a very, very kind of multi step, you know, and I'm in a season right now where I'm giving myself grace. And it's also hunting season, so I've like, it's, you know, I've, I've really kind of put my morning routine on the burner for a little while and, and have been out in the woods. But I think that having a structure in the morning, if there's anything that anybody listening to this podcast can take away from this one episode, it is so, so, so important to have some sort of a structure in the morning. And it doesn't have to be some crazy thing. It doesn't have to be you meditation and reading and writing and, and all those things. Although it can be because I know it's so helpful. And when I, when I am doing that stuff like sauna, cold affirmations, reading, journaling, like when I'm doing all those things, like the truth of the matter is people could roll their eyes at me, which they do all the time.
- [11:03]
Hollis Tuttle
Oh yeah, I get that a lot too.
- [11:04]
Michael Chernow
Yeah, right. Like you could roll your eyes as much as you want. But at the end of the day, like how I feel when I'm done with Those things at 6 o'clock in the morning. Yep, impenetrable.
- [11:13]
Hollis Tuttle
Exactly. And recognizing that it can change and recognizing that you are in a season and you can always go back to it if you need it, I think is also really powerful because it shows a sense of awareness as well. And right now this is what I need. It may change, right. I may need something different next year, it all depends. But as long as I have some sort of structure there to help kind of hold me in place, right. So I have like those guidelines or like the alleyway on the bowling alley, right. And then I can just play in the lines. But I know that I, you know.
- [11:51]
Michael Chernow
It'S so, it's so funny too because like I think habits, self care habits are like a prerequisite for success in everything else in life. You know, like when I'm tired at 9:15 and I'm getting ready for bed and like the last thing I want to do is like floss my teeth, wash my face, put on a serum, put on, you know, moisturizer, like the little things that take two to three minutes, like I could easily forego, but I never do because I just know that the commitment that I make to these things are going to allow me to make commitments to other things in my life 100%.
- [12:36]
Hollis Tuttle
And that's why I always focus on just show up. Right. The hardest thing for most people to do is to show up, wherever that may be, in whatever capacity that may be. And so once you've made that decision to show up, you have overcome the biggest hurdle, then just start to move. Let's say we're talking about the gym, for example. People have a really hard time getting to the gym or getting to workout class or starting the run. Right? Just show up and just start to move and allow your body to find a rhythm, allow your, your breath to kind of settle in and then kind of evaluate how you feel. Right. So that, that momentum is, is rolling. And once that momentum is rolling, it's a heck of a lot easier to stay in motion and then you can ride it all the way through.
- [13:27]
Michael Chernow
You know, I think people, and I think it's, it's no fault of their own. I think we've been sort of like post wired. I don't want to say pre wired, but post wired to believe that things are going to make us feel fulfillment, right? Yeah, things are going to do it. And so that's why people spend a lot of their energy worrying about the things. Yeah, but what I've learned, and obviously what you've learned, is that it's not the things, it's the focus on inside.
- [14:05]
Hollis Tuttle
Yes.
- [14:06]
Michael Chernow
The focus on taking action for a true win. A win that feels. I mean, how many people do you know walk out of a fitness class or a gym session feeling worse than when they've walked in?
- [14:26]
Hollis Tuttle
Rarely ever happens, if at all. No one ever tells me, gosh, I really wish I didn't come to class today. I never hear that right. Instead, I hear, I'm so glad I made it. I almost didn't come, but I did it. It's like, that's awesome.
- [14:40]
Michael Chernow
You built a massive community when you were working with Lululemon.
- [14:44]
Hollis Tuttle
I did, yeah.
- [14:46]
Michael Chernow
And so why don't you talk to us about, like, transitioning from being, like, a lead coach at Mirror to now your. Your current business, House of Hustle?
- [14:56]
Hollis Tuttle
I loved my job when I was a trainer for Mirror, which then became Lululemon Studio, because it gave me this bigger platform. I would go to work feeling so grateful because I had the opportunity to have a positive impact, not on 20 people or 30 people, but on thousands of people. Hundreds of thousands of people. And I felt that that was such a gift. So it was always such a. An amazing thing to step onto set and to watch those lights go on and to do what I do, the lights to go off. And then the beautiful thing with Instagram is that you get all the little messages at the end. And so, like, I was able to actually create relationships with people from all over the nation who I've never met in person. But because they welcomed me into their home on a daily basis and because I was able to communicate with them, we became a community. And once again, another beautiful gift that I never would have imagined happening, that I'm so incredibly thankful for. So wanting to bring those people together in real life was when I first started my retreat business because I wanted people to meet each other because they had only met each other digitally as well, and I wanted to meet them. So when I held my first retreat in Costa Rica earlier this year, it was the most amazing experience. I think we all cried, like, every single day because we were all so amazed that we could be together.
- [16:31]
Michael Chernow
How many people were there?
- [16:33]
Hollis Tuttle
I did 2. 17 per so, 34 in that two week period. It was a lot, but it was amazing. And when Lululemon decided to close studio, I went into a depression that I had never felt in my life. And I had read somewhere not too long ago that losing your job is like losing somebody important in your life. And that hit hard. I felt that very deeply. And it took me a while to figure out what that next move was, because I was in a hole, and I felt incredibly heavy, incredibly unhappy. And I knew that I wanted to continue to connect with people, to continue to help people live a more healthful life. And I just had to figure out what form that would take. And that's when I created the House of Hustle. So keeping the wellness retreats in play and building out a strength app and offering the nutrition to help support that. I, myself, as an athlete, love strength training. I love feeling strong, especially as a small female, when I feel like I can lift anything and everything, it makes me feel really good and confident in other aspects of my life, not just on the strength floor. And that's something that I try to instill in others. So I'm definitely leaning more towards the strength side and helping people build that strong exterior to help fortify the interior. And when both are equally resilient, I think then you have an unlimited potential. And that's what I try to do.
- [18:13]
Michael Chernow
I think you and I are around the same age.
- [18:15]
Hollis Tuttle
Oh, I'm older.
- [18:16]
Michael Chernow
Are you?
- [18:17]
Hollis Tuttle
I am. I'm 48.
- [18:18]
Michael Chernow
Okay. A couple years on me. You're. You know, I like. It's so interesting that people, like. I remember when I was in my 20s and thinking about somebody in their mid-40s.
- [18:32]
Hollis Tuttle
I know. That was old, right?
- [18:33]
Michael Chernow
Old.
- [18:34]
Hollis Tuttle
I know.
- [18:34]
Michael Chernow
Old legit.
- [18:36]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [18:37]
Michael Chernow
And people like you and I have completely flipped that on.
- [18:40]
Hollis Tuttle
It's 100% like, there.
- [18:43]
Michael Chernow
I don't feel old at all. I don't feel like if, you know, I mean, interestingly, I did do a biological age blood test.
- [18:52]
Hollis Tuttle
How old are you? Biologically speaking?
- [18:54]
Michael Chernow
26.
- [18:55]
Hollis Tuttle
Oh, nice. I'm 36.
- [18:58]
Michael Chernow
I was blown away. I couldn't believe it. And I've been working with this company for the last two years to optimize all of my blood biomarkers. But blokes, thank you. You guys have helped me out a lot. But I think it's so important for people like you to be connecting with people in midlife.
- [19:17]
Hollis Tuttle
Yes.
- [19:17]
Michael Chernow
That feel. It's. It's the same as. As. As the, like, fear is a story that we create. Right. Fear is a story that we. That we create in our minds for the most part. You know, there's obviously things that are scary, but, like, fear is really a story that we create that we write ourselves. It's fully fict believe it. And you know, and especially when there's other people around us that cosign it. Yeah, right. Oh, you're in your 40s, you know, like it's, you're kind of, it's probably too late. You probably can't build any muscle in your 40s, you know. And I just think it's so important for people like you that are doing this, that are out there trying to empower people that are in midlife and saying, hey, like f all of that, you know, like, I mean, I can only imagine the transformations that you've seen.
- [20:03]
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- [21:30]
How do you convince someone specifically in the female gender.
- [21:35]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [21:36]
Michael Chernow
That strength training is the way I.
- [21:41]
Hollis Tuttle
Do what I say and I use myself as an example a lot. I am very committed to my own personal fitness and my own nutrition and I mean I do double days, three days a week and I don't think I look big and bulky. Yes, I have a lot of muscle, yes I have a lot of definition, but I'm not like a Incredible Hulk. So use that as an example when people are scared that they're going to get bulky.
- [22:07]
Michael Chernow
That's a big one, right?
- [22:08]
Hollis Tuttle
It is a big one. And it's, I think, starting to go away. Thank goodness. But the amount of food that one must eat and the amount of weight that one must lift to become quote, unquote, big and bulky is insane. It's not going to happen by accident whether you're male or female. It takes, as you know, so much hard work and eating that it's really, really challenging. And so I think.
- [22:37]
Michael Chernow
So funny that people think that all of a sudden their body is going to grow all this muscle without eating a lot of food.
- [22:42]
Hollis Tuttle
Right.
- [22:43]
Michael Chernow
It's like I was competing in bodybuilding for years and I just could not get behind personally. And especially doing natural bodybuilding.
- [22:52]
Hollis Tuttle
Oh, yeah.
- [22:53]
Michael Chernow
You know, you have to, you have to. The amount of food that I would have to eat in a bulk season. Like, my coach was like, Mike, you just have to get, you have to eat more.
- [23:04]
Hollis Tuttle
It becomes a full time job.
- [23:06]
Michael Chernow
He was like, you have to eat 4,000 calories a day. And I was like, teddy, I can't do it. I can't do it. Like, I don't feel good doing it. But he was like, okay, no problem. But I'm just telling you, like, you want to compete, so you're not a big guy. If you want to compete, you got to do this.
- [23:24]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [23:25]
Michael Chernow
And it's so funny that people just think that, like, oh, shoot, all of a sudden I'm going to start lifting weights and get all the, like, get big and bulky. Like, I would, you know, I coach dudes every once in a while too, and they're like, yeah, I just don't want to get big. I don't want to get, I want to get huge. And I'm like, brother, you have no idea what it takes to get huge.
- [23:43]
Hollis Tuttle
Right.
- [23:43]
Michael Chernow
You know what I mean? Like, like the guys that you see that are quote, unquote, huge are legitimately. They've built a career around eating. Their career is eating every two hours an enormous amount of food so that their body can actually use that food to grow. Your body cannot grow without consumption.
- [24:01]
Hollis Tuttle
Exactly.
- [24:02]
Michael Chernow
It just can't.
- [24:03]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [24:03]
Michael Chernow
You know, it can't. And so I think that it's such. It's probably, I would say it's probably the, the biggest misnomer about strength training for both men and women.
- [24:13]
Hollis Tuttle
Definitely. You know, and when I created my first program for House of Hustle, I was very thoughtful in the way that I put it together, because most people know me from online and I would predominantly teach strength classes or strength and conditioning classes or cardio classes. And as somebody who does what she says, I would do the entire class while teaching. And so it was always like we were in it together. And that's something that I'm really, really committed to. Like, I'm there with you no matter what. If I ask you to do something, I'm going to do it with you. We're going to do this together, right? Together. We're so much stronger. Like, I truly believe that. And so I recorded like a warmup. And so then everyone would just press play. We would do the warmup together. And then I built a strength program where you actually do what I say. You track your reps, you track your weights. You do that for four weeks. It progresses to another four weeks. And then I recorded eight finishers. Four minute tabatas, eight minute amrap, six minute emom, whatever it may be. So then they would have a selection to choose from. So then they would finish with me. So it was like a sandwich. So then I just like snuck the strength in there. Like, you know how people will sneak like spinach or carrots into the meatloaf? It was like my way of sneaking.
- [25:34]
Michael Chernow
It in the sandwich technique I learned.
- [25:36]
Hollis Tuttle
Exactly. And then once I started receiving feedback from, from members using it and how much they loved the tracking and then how much more they were lifting because they had the data in front of them and how much stronger they were feeling. And now people are repeating that entire eight week program again, but starting off heavier. It's like, it worked, it worked, it worked. So I think I try to encourage people as much as possible. Just try. You never know what's possible until you try. And, like, don't sell yourself short. And if you don't like it, you don't like it. But how can you say it if you don't try?
- [26:13]
Michael Chernow
I have done so many different modalities of fitness over the last 20 years.
- [26:17]
Hollis Tuttle
Me too.
- [26:18]
Michael Chernow
And I think all of them. Yeah, all of them. You know, for the first 10 years, it was full dedication. Muay Thai kickboxing. That was like my first Muay Thai and running. Those were the two things that I did. I was light, I was lean, and I was like a fighting machine. And I loved it. I loved it. But I love nothing more than lifting weight.
- [26:43]
Hollis Tuttle
It feels so good.
- [26:44]
Michael Chernow
I love lifting weights.
- [26:45]
Hollis Tuttle
Okay. In the moment. There are moments when kids are sitting here. Yes. When I'm like, fuck that was really hard.
- [26:53]
Michael Chernow
Yeah. And scary.
- [26:55]
Hollis Tuttle
It's scary. Especially when you have a bar across your back. But when that set is done and those endorphins hit, or like when you. When you walk away from a really hard workout and that sense of accomplishment feels so good, I wish that I could bottle that up.
- [27:16]
Michael Chernow
Me, too.
- [27:17]
Hollis Tuttle
And sell that. But guess what? You can't. And, like, you can't order that on Amazon. I say that all the time. You cannot order that on Amazon. That's like, the one thing that your credit card will not buy. You have to put the work in right. And I think you have to train it just like anything else. So start small, start slow.
- [27:38]
Michael Chernow
I think. I think. I mean, if I had to point to one thing that has taught me pretty much all the lessons I need to know, to be a successful business person, to be a successful father, to be a successful husband, I have to point it to fitness. I do. I have to point it to fitness.
- [27:58]
Hollis Tuttle
I do as well. So personally, when I was in my 30s, I was in a very difficult marriage. And I honestly believe that my dedication and my commitment to my strength training gave me the confidence that I needed to leave my ex husband. And that saved my life.
- [28:28]
Michael Chernow
There it is. There it is. We did it.
- [28:31]
Hollis Tuttle
I was going to try not to. That is my biggest why. Yes, to help people live a more healthy life. Yes, to help people live a longer, more healthy life. But to have the confidence to do those really big, scary things outside of the fitness space is more powerful than anything else.
- [28:59]
Michael Chernow
I am so aligned with you.
- [29:01]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [29:02]
Michael Chernow
Thank you for being vulnerable. People are looking for things. Yeah, people are looking for things. And I have a lot of people that come onto this podcast that it's no surprise that use fitness as a tool for freedom.
- [29:18]
Hollis Tuttle
That's my number one value, is freedom. I had to fight for my freedom. And I hold onto that so tight. So I definitely connect the two.
- [29:27]
Michael Chernow
Some people will say you're obsessed or you've replaced your addiction to drugs and alcohol to fitness and nutrition or mindfulness, whatever it is. And my response to that is, okay, okay, yeah, all day for me. And as long as I'm not. And there's been definitely times over the years where, like, if I didn't get to train, it would affect me in a negative way. Right. And there are still times that that does show up for me because of how important training is for my mental state way more than, like, my physical appearance. That said, like, I can't point to another consistent action with patience applied that will make you feel any better mentally, physically and spiritually than exercise? I just can't point to one. And I know meditation is powerful, prayer is powerful, journaling is powerful. Reading self dev is powerful. Walking is powerful. Exercise. But I really think anybody listening that is looking for the thing, the pill, the switch. What I'm here to say is it exists. It's just for that switch to turn on and actually the lights to shine bright. It's going to take time. It exists though.
- [30:51]
Hollis Tuttle
100.
- [30:52]
Michael Chernow
If you're looking for it, it freaking exists. And it's alive in our lives. You know, people have said to me things over the years. Oh, you know, like how do you know, how do you get a six pack? And I'm like 15 years of commitment.
- [31:08]
Hollis Tuttle
Right.
- [31:10]
Michael Chernow
You know, like if you're looking for a quick fix, you know, it's not going to happen. And so what I say is commit to if you're, if you're feeling lost, if you're feeling directionless, if you're feeling unfulfilled. The three Cs that are so powerful in my life are commitment, number one, hardest thing. Hardest thing, commitment. You make a decision, you stick to it. Yeah, but with commitment, consistent commitment for a specific thing. Let's use training for an example. It is going to give you confidence, without a doubt. The second C, confidence is required for courage, which is the third C. And courage is what people write books about. And the easiest, most efficient, most tried and true proven way for me in my life. I can't talk for anybody else, but I would imagine for you and your life, obviously you were just brought to tears around it. The easiest way to build courage, which is ultimately what people really want, love and courage, is through fitness. It's through moving your body in a way that is going to make you feel good, look good and perform well.
- [32:25]
Hollis Tuttle
Yes. And what you said earlier too when we were talking about strength training is that it can be a little frightening or a little scary. Right. And so when somebody does something that they've never done before, let's say they've lifted a weight they've never done before, they hit a reps count that they've never hit before, that's where they gain the confidence. They've overcome something, they've passed, you know, that point of fear and that's like a little tiny hit, right. And then you start to add those up and those little tiny wins end up accumulating, as you said, over time into something really big. And I think that's one of the reasons why it is so powerful, whether it is on the strength floor you're running or you're hiking. Right. It's, you know, you're. You're doing a little bit more than you did yesterday. And, gosh, what is.
- [33:18]
Michael Chernow
What is your training look like now?
- [33:20]
Hollis Tuttle
Well, where do I begin? So right now I do strength Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings and afternoons.
- [33:34]
Michael Chernow
And how do you split it up?
- [33:35]
Hollis Tuttle
My morning, full body, dumbbells, barbells. And then I'm also a strength coach at the Fort here in New York City. I love that team. So we do coach prep. And one of the things that I love about being a coach for the Fort is that the coaches are required to do the same workouts that we're coaching. Once again, it's like putting action behind your words. And so I do those workouts with them. More barbell, more dumbbell, A little bit of ESD at the end, which we call the thaw test of heart and will.
- [34:08]
Michael Chernow
What is esd?
- [34:09]
Hollis Tuttle
Energy system development. So same idea. Just like if you're doing an EMOM or an AMRAP or something as your workout, getting the heart rate, elevation, and so forth. So I am on that program in the afternoons. And then Tuesday, I do speed work on the treadmill. So I love running. I was a triathlete in college, big runner. For the past several years, I've been running ultras. And so I used to coach at Mile High Run Club and used to write and deliver treadmill classes all choreographed to music. And so I still do that for myself. I was like, why am I keeping this to myself? I should, like, share this. So I send it out every Monday night to, like, 45 people. And so we do that on Tuesday.
- [34:58]
Michael Chernow
And what are those speed work sessions tend to look like?
- [35:01]
Hollis Tuttle
So usually about an hour of work for me. I elongate the warmup a bit just so I can get a little more distance in my legs before I hit the first speed. But usually I'll have a nice long warmup. I'll do some pickups, hit some hills, and then depending upon the program, I'll do hill repeats, I'll do speed repeats, um, maybe a progression, maybe a combination hill and speed. And it's all synced to music. So if you're in, like, a hard effort, it's going to be driving hard beat to keep you going. And in a recovery, it's a little bit softer. And so that's. I love it. It just brings me pure joy. And then on Thursday mornings, I do zone two training. So just getting at least 45 65, 75 minutes. Consistent zone two slow, easy.
- [35:54]
Michael Chernow
What does that pace look like for you?
- [35:56]
Hollis Tuttle
For me it's pretty darn slow. Around nine minute mile pace. I know slow is all relative. Speed is relative, right? Um, but it's pretty, just easy, you know, just feels good. I can just cruise, which is really nice. And then I go and teach yoga. I also teach yoga at Lion's Den and then I stay and I take yoga. And then on Saturdays I do my longer run. So 10 and above. And then I coach Sundays yoga and just walk. Active recovery walk. And that's pretty much what I, what I do. And it's in my calendar. I put everything into my calendar. And that way like I know where it is, I know that it's getting done and I encourage my clients to do the same thing. I encourage you to do the same thing, put it in your calendar. And like the night before I lay out my outfit, I pack my bag, I have my, you know, my recovery drinks and my fuel already prepped. So once again it just becomes really easy. Right. I don't have to think about it, I don't have to wonder, what am I going to do tomorrow?
- [36:57]
Michael Chernow
What is that recovery fuel?
- [37:00]
Hollis Tuttle
It's meal one. Seriously life changing. I absolutely love it. I love to play around with the different, as I say, recipes. I don't really cook. I like to compose things, I put things together. So for me it's like a big deal when I'm like, oh, I'm gonna try a little cinnamon in this one. Maybe I'll try a little vanilla powder, I don't know, you know, so I kind of mix it up a little bit. But I love it. It's amazing. It's perfect.
- [37:27]
Michael Chernow
What does your wind down routine look like?
- [37:29]
Hollis Tuttle
Oh, gosh. As you can tell, I'm pretty high energy for most of the day and until I'm not. But honestly, the creature sleep has been phenomenal. I love it.
- [37:45]
Michael Chernow
Me too.
- [37:46]
Hollis Tuttle
It's so good. I look forward to it. Like I normally go to bed and I look forward to the cup of coffee the next morning. Like I am super stoked about that first cup of coffee. And now once I get past lunchtime, I'm like, oh, I get to have my creature sleep soon.
- [38:01]
Michael Chernow
You know, it's so funny because I do the same thing like at like dinner's typically done at like 6:45. And I know between 6:45 and 8:30 I'm focused on family and kids and doing that thing at 8:30 though. I love that warm, like rich Chocolate cup of creature sleep.
- [38:24]
Hollis Tuttle
It's so good. And I'm a big reader, so I will cuddle up with my creature sleep in my book. And. Okay. Also, I do eat a black and white cookie almost every day from Empire Cakes. It's to the point now where, like, I touch the door handle to open it and they already have it, like, waiting for me. And I was. I was gone over the Thanksgiving break. I went back home to stay with my family. And when I went back earlier this week, they're like, where were you?
- [38:58]
Michael Chernow
Oh, my God, that's so funny.
- [38:59]
Hollis Tuttle
We really missed you when the cookie.
- [39:01]
Michael Chernow
Spot is like, where were you?
- [39:02]
Hollis Tuttle
I know, right?
- [39:03]
Michael Chernow
And I just want to stop there because then just say, like, I think that's so amazing that you do that. I think it's so amazing that you do that. You put a lot of hard work in.
- [39:12]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [39:12]
Michael Chernow
People think that people that are fit, you know, just like, eat broccoli and twigs. And at the end of the day, like, having a cookie, like a black and white cookie, something that you look forward to and love. And so every single day, or almost every single day is like, totally, totally warranted and should be, like, absolutely enjoyed, you know, without any guilt.
- [39:35]
Hollis Tuttle
Exactly. Because food is meant to nourish us. Right. And I believe that that also means nourishing our heart and soul. And if it makes you happy, then, like, that's something that's really good. So it makes me happy.
- [39:50]
Michael Chernow
But put in the work too.
- [39:52]
Hollis Tuttle
Oh, 100%. Yes.
- [39:54]
Michael Chernow
Don't eat cookies and not.
- [39:55]
Hollis Tuttle
No. Like, there has to be some balance there for sure. Yeah.
- [40:00]
Michael Chernow
So you. So you start. What time do you typically, like, start your wind down?
- [40:04]
Hollis Tuttle
Oh, gosh. Because I do get up so early. I try to eat my dinner like around five or six. My poor friends, they know, like, when we all go, they're like, oh, we have to fill Hollison. So I usually will start that wind down like 7, 7:38. Just because I do want to be in bed. And lights.
- [40:23]
Michael Chernow
You're in bed by night?
- [40:24]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah. Yeah, definitely. And I gratitude journal at the end of the day as well. Just a little short, you know, paragraph or two and then that's it.
- [40:35]
Michael Chernow
What is your sort of bedroom sleep situation look like? Anything?
- [40:39]
Hollis Tuttle
Well, I live in a studio, so it's all just one big room. And I do turn down the lights, so I try to, like, bring the lights down. I usually open the window so I like the fresh air. No matter the time of year, I like the fresh air. And then I can kind of cuddle up under the blankets. And sometimes I'll listen to, like, some mellow music as well. So it's kind of like, quiet.
- [41:04]
Michael Chernow
Just because you, you know, nutrition is a big part of your life and you coach people on nutrition. What does your nutrition plan look like? Like what. What is your. I assume that you're similar to me where you try to eat or you probably eat a lot of the same things.
- [41:17]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [41:17]
Michael Chernow
That you love.
- [41:18]
Hollis Tuttle
Yes.
- [41:18]
Michael Chernow
What is. What is like meal one, meal two, meal three, meal four look like?
- [41:22]
Hollis Tuttle
I keep it super, super simple. So in the morning, it's either meal one or a smoothie. And I make those. So they have close to 50 grams of protein per. So that way I'm starting my day with 50 grams of protein. Lunch is usually some combination of egg or turkey meat or cottage cheese and some sort of tortilla. I really like those egg tortillas right now. Those are amazing.
- [41:53]
Michael Chernow
And it's a tortilla made out of egg.
- [41:55]
Hollis Tuttle
Egg whites? Yeah.
- [41:57]
Michael Chernow
Oh, I gotta find those.
- [41:58]
Hollis Tuttle
They're amazing. 25 calories, 5 grams of protein and no.
- [42:04]
Michael Chernow
No gluten.
- [42:05]
Hollis Tuttle
No.
- [42:05]
Michael Chernow
Where do you get them?
- [42:07]
Hollis Tuttle
Whole foods.
- [42:07]
Michael Chernow
Oh, my gosh.
- [42:08]
Hollis Tuttle
I know.
- [42:08]
Michael Chernow
I gotta get those.
- [42:09]
Hollis Tuttle
I think it's egg life. I think that's awesome. They're great.
- [42:12]
Michael Chernow
Do you have to keep them cold?
- [42:13]
Hollis Tuttle
I keep in the fridge or anything else. So I feel like a tortilla is the best vehicle to get anything into your mouth. So usually, like, turkey meat, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers. I love microgreens, the green sauce from Jack's wife, Frida. I have no idea what's in it. It's green. It's delicious. Something along those lines. And dinner is usually, once again, I compose. I don't cook some sort of chicken. I do bake the chicken, though, and I make really big salads. I'm kind of a pro at the salad making. So a mixture of greens and pomegranates and strawberries or blueberries and cucumbers and scallions, and I just make my dressing on top. But I do measure out, like the olive oil, for example. And I always track to ensure that I'm getting the protein and the fiber. So I shoot for about 130 grams of protein a day. Shoot for at least 30 grams of fiber a day. And that's really what I keep my eye on.
- [43:10]
Michael Chernow
Are you traditionally like lower carb?
- [43:13]
Hollis Tuttle
I just go off of kind of how I feel. But as somebody who functions at a higher intensity, more often than not, I do fine with the carbs. But mostly fruits and veggies. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies. Yeah.
- [43:27]
Michael Chernow
Yeah. I feel, honestly, I feel best when I, when my carb intake is, is meal one in the morning and then fruit and vegetables throughout the rest of the day. Like if I'm in a, if I'm in like a wintertime kind of bulk, put them on. I. I'll incorporate rice. Quinoa is something that I really do love though. Quinoa like sits really light in my stomach. So. Do you snack? No, never.
- [43:54]
Hollis Tuttle
If I do, then I know that my lunch wasn't big enough. It's like that. It's a good little reminder for me. And if I do, it's usually a fruit and a protein like a meat stick. I love meat sticks. Or hard boiled eggs. So I always have hard boiled eggs in my fridge. I always have cottage cheese in my fridge. I always have cartons of egg whites in my fridge. And like last night for example, I didn't have time to prep like a, a normal dinner. So I looked at my fridge. I'm like, I have egg whites, I have cottage cheese, I have enough to make a salad. And I just kind of like threw it all together, but I looked at my macros and I was like, oh, that's pretty solid. And it was delicious. You know, so as long as I have those staples, then I know that I'm fine. I don't cook anything fancy, so.
- [44:44]
Michael Chernow
Mm, it's pretty easy.
- [44:44]
And you. And you use cottage cheese?
- [44:46]
Hollis Tuttle
I do.
- [44:47]
Michael Chernow
For protein, for the most part.
- [44:48]
Hollis Tuttle
Yep. Yeah. Yep. Low fat cottage cheese, high protein, low calorie. I like the flavor. It can go savory, it can go sweet.
- [44:56]
Michael Chernow
You can add whatever you want to it.
- [44:57]
Hollis Tuttle
100%. Yeah.
- [44:58]
Michael Chernow
You gotta check out a company called Monacora Honey.
- [45:02]
Hollis Tuttle
Oh, yes. Well, I am. You know, the B is my logo.
- [45:05]
Michael Chernow
Oh, that's right.
- [45:06]
Hollis Tuttle
Yep. That is my one tattoo. So I need to add to her.
- [45:10]
Michael Chernow
I'm. I'm obsessed with this.
- [45:12]
Hollis Tuttle
What do you put it on?
- [45:13]
Michael Chernow
Everything.
- [45:14]
Hollis Tuttle
Everything.
- [45:14]
Michael Chernow
I mean they've got so Monicora. The cool thing about them, I mean, Manuka honey is like one of the most like nutrient dense rich gifts of mother nature. And this company, Monocor is a company that I love. They. There's something in Monaco in Manuka Honey called mgo, which is an antibiotic bacterial. So the. And, and you only find it in Manuka Honey. And so it's got it. The anti, anti inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant properties of this honey just alone the immune boosting sort of love that this honey brings to the table and just it's such a unique flavor profile that on cottage cheese or that on yogurt is. It is so that on meal one like that I put, I use it. So I tend to train fasted in the morning.
- [46:07]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [46:08]
Michael Chernow
And especially if I'm going to run our fitness programming is very similar. Right now I'm lifting Monday, Wednesday, Friday and I walk on the treadmill those days later. And then I run a speed day and a longer day. Tuesday, Thursday and then Saturday and Sunday. Like I tend to do something but I'm not like I'll go for a ruck or I'll do some like that. But if and when I'm training fasted for the most part I will have a big tablespoon of that honey. And not only is it delicious but like it's just like the fuel that you get from that honey is amazing. So if I'm going on a long run, if I'm doing, if I'm going to do a 10 mile run, I have like three of those little pouches with me. And you know I used to actually take ketone IQ with me but I found that the honey just gives me more fuel, you know, it gives me more fuel. So I just like throw back one of those every, you know, three or four miles and like it's amazing. It's amazing stuff. Like I. You got especially if you're a cottage cheese person like that on cottage cheese. Game changing.
- [47:11]
Hollis Tuttle
I'll have to try it maybe even on the egg tortilla.
- [47:13]
Michael Chernow
Yeah. I mean so weird. Banana honey is like such an interesting ingredient to enhance flavor profile like you people think, you know, like salt really does enhance a flavor profile. Fat allows us to taste flavor. And I'm not like a big fat guy. I don't love eating a lot of fat. Like it doesn't, my body doesn't really know what to do with it.
- [47:35]
Hollis Tuttle
Sure.
- [47:35]
Michael Chernow
Necessarily. I mean I'm sure scientifically there's something that's happening. But so I tend to really focus on protein and my carbohydrate intake and then of course fiber. So that's where the fruit and veggies come in for me.
- [47:51]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [47:52]
Michael Chernow
But honey does something in savory food. When you add honey to savory food, it's, it's, it, it doesn't make the savory food taste sweet. It actually just enhances the flavor profile in general. And that's why that hot honey cris, that spicy honey came out like whatever five Years ago. Mike's Hot Honey or whatever it is.
- [48:13]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [48:14]
Michael Chernow
Similar to salt honey. Enhances a flavor profile.
- [48:17]
Hollis Tuttle
Interesting.
- [48:18]
Michael Chernow
Yeah.
- [48:18]
Hollis Tuttle
Maybe I should add that to my salad.
- [48:20]
Michael Chernow
I'm telling you, like, it is so good. It is so good. This was such a fun combo.
- [48:26]
Hollis Tuttle
Thank you.
- [48:27]
Michael Chernow
You really are like. You have this. And from the minute I met you when you came out to the Will Wear the weight event, I just knew that there was a connection. You have such a vibrant energy to you and you're doing the service that you're bringing to people that potentially feel like it's all downhill from here.
- [48:47]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah.
- [48:47]
Michael Chernow
Is amazing.
- [48:48]
Hollis Tuttle
Thank you.
- [48:49]
Michael Chernow
Where can people find you?
- [48:50]
Hollis Tuttle
Instagram. Hollis M. Tuttle. That's usually the best place.
- [48:54]
Michael Chernow
I'm there every day and house a hustle. If somebody wants to look into that, they can actually.
- [49:00]
Hollis Tuttle
The app is now available in the Apple Store.
- [49:02]
Michael Chernow
Oh, sweet.
- [49:03]
Hollis Tuttle
It is. But if you. You go to my Instagram, I have all my links there. You can just DM me. It is me. It's just me. I'm a one woman show man.
- [49:12]
Michael Chernow
Let's go. I love it. Awesome.
- [49:14]
Hollis Tuttle
Yeah. I really appreciate this. Thank you.
- [49:16]
Michael Chernow
Of course.
- [49:17]
Hollis Tuttle
A pleasure.
- [49:18]
Michael Chernow
Hollis, you're. You're a gem. And thank you for working with us at Creatures too.
- [49:21]
Hollis Tuttle
Oh, my gosh. I love it.
- [49:23]
Michael Chernow
All right, guys, thank you so much for tuning in to another episode of the Creatures of Habit podcast. These are 45 minutes minute long, value packed episodes where I get to sit down with awesome people like Hollis and just bring some levity and some light into your life in an optimistic way. I hope you enjoyed this. If you did, the price you pay for listening to this podcast is not in money. It's in sharing it. It's in sharing the podcast with your friends, with your family. And if you're feeling super generous, I always say it because it really is the one thing that really helps us grow this podcast. Give us a five star rating and write us a small review. That review can just be awesome podcasts. That's all it would have to be. It really does help us grow the podcast, which is a massive priority for me in 2025. So I'm asking you for some help there. Give us a rating and a review would mean the world. Other than that, you know how much I love you. You know how much I appreciate you. You know how much I love doing this podcast and I hope I'm bringing some. Just smile into your day. Just smile into your day. If you're thinking about the new year and you are feeling anxiety, this podcast, the message is, get to the gym, move your body. If you, if you, if you, if you're not moving your body in a way that makes you feel some sort of exertion on a regular basis, it doesn't have to be five, six double days like Hollis and I. It could be two days a week, three days a week where you're outside and you're walking and you're tracking that walk so that when you get to that 10,000 step mark, you feel the win. You feel the win. And that might be 5,000 steps for you to start, 7,500 steps for you, 10,000 steps. And for those of you out there that are all that are walking under your desks and you're doing all those things, maybe you set a goal of 20,000 steps a day. Whatever it is, human beings were put on the planet to move. Not to sit, not to stay stagnant, not to be on your couch, walk to the bathroom, walk to your car, sit in your car, drive to work, walk to your desk, walk to the bathroom from your desk, walk back to the car, sit in the car, drive back to your house, walk to your couch and stay there for the rest of the day. That's not what we were born placed here to do. We were placed here to move. So 2025 is the move movement, y'all. Let's move together. I love y'all and appreciate you. And there you have it, folks.
- [51:59]
I hope we delivered some valuable content for you to implement into your life on a daily basis. Please remember that our habits have the power to make us or break us. Replacing bad habits with great ones is the answer to living a life of happiness, optimism and high performance. We are capable of achieving anything. We all have what it takes to give it all we've got. Commit to one great habit each day and truly commit. And watch how everything in your life starts evolving from good to great. If you enjoyed this podcast, please follow us. Wherever you listen to your podcast, give us a five star rating and a nice review that will help us grow this podcast, bring on more amazing guests and continue to deliver invaluable content on a weekly basis. Lastly, please share this podcast with any friends or family that you think might appreciate it. And always remember, want plus do equals have until. Until the next one fam. Peace.