2629: Seven Natural Ways to Crush Chronic Inflammation & Pain (Listener Live Coaching)

Summary

Episode Summary: Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth – Episode 2629

Title: Seven Natural Ways to Crush Chronic Inflammation & Pain (Listener Live Coaching)
Release Date: June 28, 2025
Hosts: Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews
Producer: Doug Egge

In this episode of Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth, the hosts delve deep into the pervasive issue of chronic inflammation and pain, exploring seven natural, science-backed methods to effectively manage and reduce inflammation without relying on pharmaceuticals. Additionally, the episode features live coaching sessions where listeners seek personalized advice on fitness and health-related challenges.

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I. Understanding Chronic Inflammation and Its Impact

Chronic inflammation is not just a source of persistent pain but is linked to various health issues, including psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, and even cognitive decline. The hosts emphasize the importance of addressing chronic inflammation through natural means to foster a healthier and more balanced bodily response.

Sal DiStefano [03:12]:
"Inflammation that is out of control can cause pain, movement issues, irritable bowel syndrome, and even allergies."

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II. Seven Natural Ways to Manage Chronic Inflammation

1. Curcumin (Turmeric Extract)

Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory properties. To enhance its bioavailability, it should be consumed with fats and piperine.

Adam Schafer [06:34]:
"Turmeric has been shown to significantly reduce C-reactive protein levels, which is a marker of inflammation."

Sal DiStefano [06:39]:
"So in other words, if you are taking it, you should take it with meals or with something that has fat in it."

2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s are renowned for their extensive health benefits, including reducing inflammation and supporting cardiovascular health. A high-quality fish oil supplement or consuming fatty fish like sardines is recommended.

Adam Schafer [08:34]:
"Omega-3s show benefits for rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and asthma, significantly lowering inflammatory markers like IL6 and C-reactive protein."

3. Ginger

Ginger acts as a natural COX-2 inhibitor, similar to certain pharmaceuticals but without the adverse side effects. It can be easily incorporated into the diet through supplements or fresh consumption.

Adam Schafer [10:07]:
"Ginger has been shown to reduce COX-2, an enzyme involved in inflammation, making it a natural alternative to NSAIDs."

4. Quercetin

Found in foods like onions, apples, and broccoli, quercetin is effective in reducing inflammation and alleviating allergy symptoms by inhibiting histamine release.

Adam Schafer [11:43]:
"Quercetin is excellent for managing allergies as it inhibits histamine release, providing effects similar to Claritin."

5. Boswellia (Frankincense)

Boswellia helps modulate cytokines, the inflammatory chemicals in the body. It has been particularly effective in reducing pain associated with osteoarthritis, comparable to NSAIDs.

Adam Schafer [12:43]:
"Boswellia modulates the production of cytokines, reducing pain in osteoarthritis to levels comparable with NSAIDs."

6. Anthocyanins (Blueberries, Blackberries, Tart Cherries)

Anthocyanins, present in various berries, aid in athletic performance by reducing muscle soreness and providing antioxidant benefits. Tart cherry extract, in particular, is favored by athletes for its recovery support.

Adam Schafer [13:05]:
"Anthocyanins from tart cherries help reduce muscle soreness, allowing athletes to train harder and recover faster."

7. Capsaicin (Chili Peppers)

Capsaicin can be consumed orally to reduce inflammation or applied topically as a cream to alleviate neuropathic pain and arthritis by sending competing signals to the brain, thereby dulling pain perception.

Adam Schafer [15:03]:
"Capsaicin creams work by sending competing signals to the brain, effectively reducing the sensation of pain without the need for systemic medication."

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III. The Connection Between Inflammation and Mental Health

The hosts discuss how chronic inflammation is strongly correlated with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Reducing inflammation can lead to improved mood and cognitive function.

Adam Schafer [20:07]:
"Low general inflammation is strongly correlated with bad moods and depression."

Sal DiStefano [20:23]:
"If you have systemic inflammation, your brain's chemistry is affected, which can throw off your mood and mental health."

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IV. Listener Live Coaching

1. Kimberly from Delaware – Postpartum Fitness

Listener Profile:
Kimberly is a 34-year-old mother of two, 14 weeks postpartum, with an extensive background in consistent weight lifting and pelvic floor therapy during pregnancy. She seeks advice on whether the Maps Muscle Mommy program is suitable for her and inquiries about fat loss expectations while breastfeeding.

Adam Schafer [58:36]:
"Kim, you've done everything right. Your recovery sounds excellent, and your dedication to strength training and pelvic floor therapy is commendable."

Justin Andrews [66:50]:
"I found the Starter program overwhelming due to the four-day schedule. Modifying it to fit three days a week seems more manageable."

Advice Given:

• Continue focusing on health and functionality rather than aesthetic goals.
• Modify workout programs to fit her current lifestyle and energy levels.
• Patience is key, as postpartum bodies take time to recover and regain strength.

2. Amanda from Massachusetts – Cutting Without Scale Progress

Listener Profile:
Amanda is undergoing her first bulk and cut phase, six weeks into a 12-week cutting program but isn't seeing weight loss on the scale despite a caloric deficit. She has reduced her weight training intensity to manage fatigue and is breastfed, raising concerns about fat loss while not compromising recovery.

Sal DiStefano [73:57]:
"Amanda, losing body fat without scale changes is a positive sign. Continue to focus on consistent caliper measurements every two weeks to track progress."

Adam Schafer [75:26]:
"Your continued strength gains indicate that you're on the right path. Ensure you're not overtraining and consider Vitamin D supplementation to aid recovery."

Advice Given:

• Rely on body fat percentage measurements rather than the scale alone.
• Ensure adequate Vitamin D levels to support immune function and recovery.
• Incorporate mobility and active recovery exercises to enhance performance and prevent burnout.

3. Paolo from Japan – Building Resilience and Managing Burnout

Listener Profile:
Paolo is an expatriate living in Japan, balancing work as a pastor and teacher with parenting a 7-year-old and a 1-year-old. He experiences burnout and frequent illness towards the end of his workout programs, despite adjusting intensity and incorporating rest weeks.

Adam Schafer [99:12]:
"Paolo, it sounds like you're managing well. Ensure you're getting adequate sleep and consider getting your Vitamin D levels checked, especially with darker skin tones common among expatriates."

Sal DiStefano [100:50]:
"Consistently taking Vitamin D supplements can significantly reduce your susceptibility to illness and improve your overall recovery."

Advice Given:

• Prioritize sleep and balanced nutrition to enhance recovery.
• Check and supplement Vitamin D as needed to bolster immune health.
• Continue adjusting workout intensity and incorporate mobility exercises for active recovery.

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V. Conclusion

The episode underscores the significance of managing chronic inflammation through natural, accessible methods, highlighting their broad-spectrum health benefits. The live coaching sessions further reinforce the personalized approach the hosts advocate, emphasizing consistency, proper nutrition, and listening to one’s body. By fostering a community-driven dialogue, Mind Pump continues to empower listeners with knowledge and actionable strategies to enhance their health and fitness journeys.

Notable Quote:
Adam Schafer [17:43]:
"Unlike pharmaceuticals, everything we discussed today has health benefits, longevity benefits, and is inexpensive to incorporate into your daily routine."

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For more insights and expert fitness programming, visit mindpumppodcast.com or follow the hosts on Instagram @mindpumpmedia, @mindpumpsal, @mindpumpadam, @mindpumpjustin, and @mindpumpdoug.

Transcript

[Sal DiStefano]

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[Adam Schaefer]

Cancel see t mobile.com if you want to pump your body and expand your mind, there's only one place to go. Mind Pump. Mind Pump. With your hosts Sal Destefano, Adam Schaefer and Justin Andrews, you just found the most downloaded fitness, health and entertainment podcast. This is Mind Pump. In today's episode we answered live callers questions. People called in, we got to coach them on air. But this was after the intro. Today's intro is 52 minutes long. Now in the intro we talk about fitness, science, fat loss, muscle gain, talk about family life. It's a good time. By the way, if you want us to coach you on air, email us a question@live mindpumpmedia.com this episode is brought to you by some sponsors. The first one is Ned. This is full spectrum hemp oil extract high in cbd. This is the stuff you Feel. This is stuff you don't feel. Take this. 45 minutes later you'll know you took something. Test it out. Go to helloned.com that's H E L L O N dashed.com mindpump Use the code mindpump. Get 20% off. This episode is also brought to you by Element. This is the best electrolyte powder you'll find anywhere. No artificial sweeteners, no sugar. Go to drinklmnt.com mindpump and you'll get a free sample pack of their most popular drink. Mix flavors with any purchase. There's also three days left for our special this month, the shredded summer bundle of workout programs and the Bikini bundle of workout programs are both 50% off. If you're interested, go to mapsfitnessproducts.com and then use the code JUNE50 for the discount. Here comes the show. Inflammation that is out of control. What can it cause? Pain? It can cause psoriasis. It can cause movement issues. Irritable bowel syndrome. It can make PMS worse. It can even cause allergies. We're going to talk about seven natural ways you can crush chronic inflammation. Let's do this.

[Sal DiStefano]

Would you include all autoimmune for that, wouldn't you? Well, there's psoriasis. I would assume that all inflammation, most.

[Adam Schaefer]

Autoimmune issues, inflammation is going to be, play a big role.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yep.

[Adam Schaefer]

Now the thing with inflammation is we have over the counter anti inflammatory drugs. The problem with them is they have their own side effects and they don't, they don't encourage a healthy inflammatory response. Now in the short term they can be very powerful, right? Advil or ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, they can be great when you have this acute pain, but when you're dealing with something chronic and it's like, what's going on here? Natural methods encourage a more healthy, for lack of a better way of putting this, a more healthy inflammatory response. They don't shut down the inflammatory process like corticosteroids do or like NSAIDs do. They don't shut it down, causing other issues because you need some inflammation. This is a, inflammation is an important signal in the body. But what they can do is help encourage a more healthy inflammatory response. So part of, and the ones we're gonna talk about today are all natural. When you include these as part of a overall approach of improving sleep and exercise and fixing your diet, they can actually be quite effective. And I wanna say that because if your diet's crap, you're getting poor sleep, you know, you're not exercising appropriately, then what I'm about to say is going to make minimal.

[Doug]

Yeah, that would be where you go first.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yes.

[Doug]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure. I assume that's what you were going to bring.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, I'm actually, I mean I'm looking at the list you made. I'm totally curious to like try like stacking all this stuff because I know that the number one like thing is just is tightening my diet up. If my, if I'm, if my psoriasis is flaring up, my diet's out of bounds. Just. And I know that, and I know, and I know what foods are like main offenders. So it'd be interesting to see that when I'm clean, when the diet's clean and it seems to suppress a lot of that stuff. Can I, could I possibly even reverse a little bit of the psoriasis? Or can I improve it even more?

[Adam Schaefer]

Or. Okay, yeah, so the stuff I'm about to mention here, some of them have better studies than other, but they're all backed by studies. So they've all been studied. In fact, some of these have been studied so much that pharmaceutical companies are studying them to try and figure out how to make better anti inflammatory drugs. So yeah, in combination with a better diet. Because chronic inflammatory issues can be really challenging for some people. It's like, okay, I fixed my diet, getting good sleep. I'm actually, I'm managing it. I don't want to take pharmaceuticals. Is there anything I can do that'll move the needle on top of everything else where I can actually feel a difference? And the data says yes, with some of these things, the first thing we're going to talk about is curcumin, which you find in turmeric. Turmeric has been shown at about 500 to 1,000 milligrams a day in combination with something called piperine or, and, or a fat. So taking it with something that has fat in it plus piperine improves its, how you absorb it, its bioavailability. Taking it by itself, it's very poorly absorbed. But when you put it in a fat and you combine it with this compound called piperine.

[Sal DiStefano]

So in other words, if you are taking it, you should take it with meals. If you're taking it by a pill.

[Adam Schaefer]

With meals or just like with butter or milk or something like that, something with a fat, it'll improve its bioavailability considerably. But there was a 2019 meta analysis that showed that it significantly reduced C reactive protein. So by Itself, by itself. I mean, that's pretty good. That's pretty damn good for a natural compound. It's healthy across the board. You know, there's other things too, that inflammation, you know, reducing inflammation will help, like cognitive decline, migraines and stuff like that. I have used curcumin like this. I've done this with clients, I've done this with myself on a consistent basis. And you notice, you definitely notice a difference. The reason why I used it was for irritable bowel kind of gut issues. But I also noticed just better, you know, joint function as a result.

[Sal DiStefano]

Any idea of the. The history and origin on us using it for cooking? Like, did we do it because it was. Has some sort of a flavor and it was that first. Then we found out that it had positive effects or did we put it in our food because of the positive?

[Adam Schaefer]

No, no, no. Turmeric's been used for a long time.

[Sal DiStefano]

No, I know, that's what I mean for the taste.

[Adam Schaefer]

But what we found was that people who ate a lot, this is where they start, probably. I believe this is where the studies originated. We noticed that people who ate a lot of turmeric had reduced instances of inflammatory related tumor diseases. And so that kind of led to them going, what's, what's the deal? What's in this food that's causing that? And sure enough, by the way, here, it's interesting, by the way, oftentimes in cooking, turmeric is included with the fat. Isn't that kind of weird? Like, you'll see this in like, what's.

[Doug]

A common dish with turmeric in it?

[Adam Schaefer]

Like, I'm trying Indian food.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. You season a lot of meats and stuff with it.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. Or they'll put it in their. What is it called that they'll use with coconut. Coconut milk and turmeric. Thai food will often have this. Like a Thai curry. Yeah. Curries. Curries often will have this. So you'll have the fat in there as well.

[Sal DiStefano]

Is that. Is. Is that one of the main ingredients that's in the organifi gold juice too?

[Adam Schaefer]

It is.

[Sal DiStefano]

It is in there, right?

[Paolo]

It is.

[Sal DiStefano]

That's that what gives it the orange.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's right.

[Sal DiStefano]

That's what I thought. That's right.

[Adam Schaefer]

Next up is omega 3 fatty acids. This is one of my favorites because the health effects or benefits of this seem to be pretty far ranging. And you want, you want a good quality fish oil supplement. Fish is the best, of course, just eating fish. Sardines are a great source of this. But you dose it about 1 to 3 grams every single day. And it shows benefit for people like rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, asthma. Asthma is another inflammatory related type of disease and the data on that one is pretty amazing. There's a 2018 meta analysis that showed that that lowered IL6 and C reactive protein again significantly in chronic inflammatory disease. And it's a healthy thing. You know, it doesn't have the side effects that you'll find in, in pharmaceuticals. So. Pretty cool.

[Doug]

Yeah. Most people don't eat enough fish, myself included. So it's like having to seek out Omega 3s is like vinyl.

[Adam Schaefer]

You know what the issue is? It's that. But it's more so that we have the too many or the, the. Just the ratio of.

[Doug]

The ratio is off.

[Sal DiStefano]

Is off.

[Doug]

But it helps bring that correct. Closer to balance.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's right. That's right. I mean, remember when we had Dr. Cabral on and he had us all just supplement with it for a while to see the difference in our.

[Doug]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Some of our blood, our metrics had.

[Doug]

To be super consistent with it to see anything.

[Adam Schaefer]

And they improved.

[Doug]

They all improved big time.

[Adam Schaefer]

Next is ginger. Ginger, which I believe is related to turmeric, if I'm not mistaken. Doug, is that correct?

[Sal DiStefano]

They're both roots.

[Adam Schaefer]

They're very similar. I think they're related. One to two grams a day shows some pretty beneficial effects. I like ginger because it's super available, although turmeric's available now pretty easily.

[Sal DiStefano]

I think they're both paired commonly in food also.

[Doug]

Yeah, this one I see a lot more in food in terms of what I eat.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. And you can get ginger. You know what's cool about the one like turmeric and ginger. And I'm like, they're inexpensive supplements. But even if you don't want to buy them as supplements, you could buy gingerbread and you can juice with it and stuff like that. Again, add a fat again, it's a, it's absorbed better.

[Doug]

Yeah, well, I see too. I mean all these, obviously you're, you're mentioning that you'd ingest, but is there any, any of these, is there any value if you're kind of putting that into some kind of a cream or something like as a top.

[Adam Schaefer]

We're going to get to one of those.

[Doug]

We'll get to that.

[Adam Schaefer]

Okay, we'll get to one of those. But ginger's not one of those. Ginger has been shown to reduce the COX2. So have you heard of COX2 inhibitors? These are drugs that are for pain. COX Justin.

[Doug]

Hey, don't look at me.

[Adam Schaefer]

I don't even need a face. So it's actually a natural COX2 inhibitor. Which pharmaceuticals that do that have some not so great, two powerful, not so great side effects. Next up is quercetin. Quercetin is found in onions, apples, broccoli. Quercetin is great for inflammation, but in particular, it's good for allergies. You guys are familiar.

[Sal DiStefano]

I feel like we're building, like, a really good stew right now.

[Doug]

Oh, yeah, right.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. Like, what's going on here?

[Sal DiStefano]

Like, I think we could. I think we could put that all together.

[Doug]

It's like in a cauldron, and it's like a soup.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

No. So this in. This inhibits histamine release. So what's cool about quercetin? Now, I've used quercetin, and I haven't noticed it in the kind of inflammation that I can feel in my joints, but for sure noticed it with allergies. So I don't have terrible allergies. So I'll say that outright. I'm not one of those people that, like, sometimes. Adam, I know you'll suffer for, like, terrible allergies. Mine are, like, hit or miss. But there are times of the year, sometimes I'll feel it. And I remember my uncle, he's a, you know, herbalist. He's like, start taking quercetin on a regular basis. And it was. It was pretty good. It was. It was like. It felt to me like Claritin in terms of its effects.

[Sal DiStefano]

Be interesting to pair that with local honey and see if you got this. Got this, like, synergistic effect, if that would help, you know.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Great. That's a great point. So Quercetin, 500 to 1,000 milligrams a day. Then we have boswellia or boswellic acid. This is like Frankincense. The dose, 100 to 300 milligrams a day. This one seems to have good effects again with osteoarthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and asthma. That one you'll find in supplements, I don't think. Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

Is that what is. Helps circulation, blood flow. What's it like? What's it doing?

[Adam Schaefer]

No, it's. It really helps modulate the cytokines that your body produces. These are, like, inflammatory chemicals that you remember during COVID The cytokine storm.

[Doug]

Yep.

[Adam Schaefer]

They would talk about. So, like, that runs rampant and you can cause lots of problems. I'm not saying this is for that specifically, but just to kind of reference what cytokines are. So this helps modulate them to be a little bit healthier. There was a study that showed 100 to 250 milligrams a day reduced pain in osteoarthritis, rivaling NSAIDs. Okay, so for people with arthritis, in this particular meta analysis, it rivaled NSAIDs. That's good news for somebody who uses nonsteroidal anti inflammatories on a regular basis. Next are anthocyanins, blueberries, blackberries, tart cherries. These are really cool because you could buy tart cherry extract, about 240 to 480 milliliters of juice, or 500 milligrams of the extract daily. This is good for athletic performance. You're starting to see tart cherry extract used by athletes.

[Sal DiStefano]

Well, this is why Drew paired that with his creatine, didn't he?

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, that's what's in the creatine gummies, the chews. Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yes, yes. So this is really good for athletic performance. I see athletes using this more and more. The studies I've read on tart cherries shows reduced muscle soreness. And so athletes are able to train harder and more regularly when they sell.

[Doug]

Antioxidant effects as well.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, well, all of them do.

[Doug]

But.

[Adam Schaefer]

But you want to get the extract because you'd have to eat a lot of cherries to get the effective dose felt. They'll find in the studies, which you can do, but that might cause its own issues. I don't know if you've ever eaten too many cherries. It's like too many prunes.

[Doug]

Oh, yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Too many prunes.

[Doug]

Right through. Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

And last up, capsaicin. You find this in chili peppers. Now this is one that you can. You can take it orally and it'll reduce inflammation, or you can use it as a cream. So this, in fact, they now use this in a lot of over the counter, like Ben Gay and stuff like that.

[Doug]

It gives you that kind of burny, spicy feel.

[Sal DiStefano]

It says, good for psoriasis too, huh?

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

Not rubbing chili peppers on my. Not the cream does not sound good.

[Adam Schaefer]

Orally, not the cream. So you can also supplement with it.

[Sal DiStefano]

Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

Two to five milligrams a day.

[Sal DiStefano]

So what would you use the cream for?

[Adam Schaefer]

Like neuropathic pain, arthritis. Okay, now that's different. I don't. What I. What I don't think is happening. I don't think when you rub the cream on, the capsaicin is like penetrating deep into the joint and causing numbing the Area. Well, because of it. Because it burns. It's like menthol. I think what it does is it sends its competing signal. Yeah, it competes. It sends a competing signal so that your brain doesn't perceive.

[Sal DiStefano]

Isn't that really what's going on with Ben Gay and stuff like that? That's like the. The science behind that is, like, it's really just a competing signal.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's right.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. That' different than, like, if you have knee pain, I punch you in the face to help you out.

[Adam Schaefer]

It's different than that because I don't.

[Sal DiStefano]

Want you to punch.

[Doug]

A little less extreme.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, similar, though, right?

[Adam Schaefer]

My wife, when she. When I first met her, she gets migraines. Really, really bad migraines. They're a lot better now, but she's still getting.

[Sal DiStefano]

So you step on her toe.

[Adam Schaefer]

No. How you feel now. She. When I first met her, she had this little. This little green bottle of oil that she got. She called it. She's just a Chinese green oil. Okay. Because that's where she got it from. She's membership travel with Cirque du Soleil. And she would take it and she put it, like, on her head, and she's like, it makes my pain go away. And that's when I put it together. I'm like, oh, it's distracting. It's sending a competing signal. Anyway, I had a friend of mine who came over who used to. He used to do ministries in China, and he saw the little bottle, he's like, where did you get that? We're like, oh, bought it on Amazon. He's like, every Chinese grandma has this at her house. Anybody watching right now will know what I'm talking about.

[Doug]

Dude, that is funny, because, I mean, I still, to this day, if I don't have anything available, I'll pinch right here on my hand. Because we.

[Adam Schaefer]

When you get a migraine.

[Doug]

Oh, yeah, because I get a headache or something. Like, playing football is like, I had to keep playing somehow. And that was a good way to kind of distract it for a little bit. Give me a temporary until you blast somebody, then it throbs harder.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. You know, it's interesting. Of all the stuff that I'm saying is that unlike pharmaceuticals, everything that I just said has health benefits.

[Doug]

Yeah. So if you were to supplement taxing on your liver and kidneys, not only.

[Adam Schaefer]

Is it not taxing, it's good for you. Yeah. So everything I just listed, you could supplement. Now, there's probably a synergistic effect if you combine a few of them. I Don't know about combining all of them, but you know, taking the, a couple of these that are, you know that maybe the data you like the most or supports your particular chronic inflammation the most. Which by the way, another thing, some people have poor sleep and the poor sleep is due to inflammation, even though they don't feel pain. This is, by the way, you'll know this if you notice you get better sleep when you take an NSAID before you go to bed. Some people, I know, some people like this, like my dad's like this, he doesn't have pain, but if he takes an NSAID before bed, he's like, I sleep better. And so I'm like, oh, it must be inflammation a little bit run amok. And so we use stuff like this and he gets better sleep. But what I was going to say is every single thing I listed, even if you don't have inflammation that you know about or pain or anything like that, every single thing here has health benefits, longevity benefits, benefits for your organs, your heart, just overall, which is really cool about this because here you are trying to treat and everything I listed here is inexpensive as a supplement. By the way, I think the most expensive thing you may find is like Boswell. Everything else is super cheap. You could supplement with some of these things on a regular basis and you're just, you just feel a lot better. And I've experimented with some of this stuff myself and I just from an, from a performance standpoint, what it allowed me to do, I haven't done it a long time, but back in the day I was really into this because I had such a large percentage of my clients were, were older and I was always. And I had at one point for like a whole year I got into natural anti inflammatory interventions and I started experimenting with myself. And what I found was I could just work out more and harder. Like I could get away with doing more in the gym. So I could see the, the application for athletes.

[Doug]

So yeah, I mean there has to have been some study about inflammation in it in terms of like your fatigue setting on a bit quicker. Totally result of that, right?

[Adam Schaefer]

Totally.

[Doug]

So yeah, because I mean, I felt that personally and again too, even with temperature and all that how your body kind of tries to regulate, like it just exhausts you. And so to prevent that for an athlete is huge.

[Adam Schaefer]

You know what's strongly correlated with inflammation? Like low general inflammation, bad moods, depression.

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, wow.

[Doug]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Anxiety.

[Sal DiStefano]

Really?

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, of course you have this like low level chronic, even though you.

[Adam Schaefer]

Don'T feel pain you, you also, it puts you.

[Doug]

Your body's dealing with.

[Adam Schaefer]

Your brain is not.

[Sal DiStefano]

If you have systemic inflammation, your brain's inflamed too. So I imagine that would throw you off the chemistry in there a bit too.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yes. Yeah. So you'll see people will sometimes handle.

[Sal DiStefano]

Inflammation naked out just like.

[Adam Schaefer]

And they just. Yeah, they're just in a better mood even though they didn't necessarily feel pain because they're just reduced. Or I should say, I hate saying reduced inflammation because it makes it sound like all inflammation is bad. They've just helped encourage a more healthy inflammatory response.

[Doug]

I wonder about that. And this is why I always perk up when we talk about like brain inflammation. Because I'm always like trying to address and I, I feel like there's either a low level or some form of it that I'm always kind of like struggling with. And so that's again, I have like a ritual where I'm constantly taking like the ned brain blend.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, yeah.

[Doug]

And then I'm doing.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah.

[Doug]

And I'm doing certain things that I'm wondering if that's helping.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yes.

[Doug]

Reduce inflammation. It helps my cognitive abilities. Definitely feel the difference.

[Adam Schaefer]

It is.

[Sal DiStefano]

The net is for inflammation too.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. Cannabinoids are very anti inflammatory. Yeah, Cannabinoids especially neurologically anti inflammatory. And what's the one.

[Doug]

Is it CBC that's. That's more targeted to.

[Adam Schaefer]

CBC is pretty good for the brain. Yeah. So their brain blend is more of an uplifting.

[Sal DiStefano]

Now why wouldn't that be on your list of things of cannabinoids?

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, these are the ones that are most commonly available to most people.

[Sal DiStefano]

Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. But I mean, I'm glad you brought it up because cannabinoids are also anti inflammatory.

[Doug]

Yeah, I felt the difference.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. You use it. Whatever I see you take it before we podcast.

[Doug]

Every single time I try to. You know, that's one of those. I'm like, I could feel the difference, especially just trying to recall memories.

[Adam Schaefer]

The stuff in the brain blend is not. So the cannabinoids are anti inflammatory, but they also include compounds in it that are pro cognitive performance. So they put like lion's mane in there. They put ginkgo in there. So it's, it's not specifically an anti inflammatory supplement. It's more specifically like a. Let's give you this function. Yeah, yeah. Let's give you this. Optimize this like optimized cognitive performance. So what I was going to tell you, Justin, is what I think you would benefit a lot from would be to take Curcumin at like three times a day with. With. With the fatty meal. And I bet you would notice. I bet you within a week.

[Doug]

Curcumin. All right.

[Adam Schaefer]

Super dude, super cheap. You could go buy.

[Doug]

I swear I have that in the spice rack or something.

[Sal DiStefano]

Well, organifi has the actual pills too. Yeah, they have the pill for.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, do they have the pill?

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, yeah, they have the pill form the turmeric.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, you should.

[Sal DiStefano]

I used to take. That's how I used to take it was through their. There's.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I would say dude, you should take that on.

[Sal DiStefano]

We probably have some in the back.

[Adam Schaefer]

In a regular basis.

[Doug]

I'm sure we add it to the list.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's pretty cool. Anyway, I got study on regular napping. You guys want to hear it?

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Do you guys. You guys don't nap, huh?

[Sal DiStefano]

I wish. I have a.

[Adam Schaefer]

So you just can't nap?

[Sal DiStefano]

I have a best friend that I.

[Doug]

Like the idea of it just my.

[Sal DiStefano]

Best friend naps every day. Every day. He's built that into his routine and he has two kids and he still has a. He gets away with a nap.

[Adam Schaefer]

My dream like life includes a nap. Yeah, like. Like there's a lot more goes my dream nap life. But like if I lived a dream life every day, I would nap.

[Sal DiStefano]

Really?

[Adam Schaefer]

Every day?

[Doug]

Like where are you? Outside in a rocking chair or this like you go into bed anywhere.

[Adam Schaefer]

I don't like napping in bed. Yeah. It feels. It's too day. That's.

[Doug]

It seems like such a waste.

[Adam Schaefer]

It's just too heavy. I end up like. I get groggy. So I'll do it on the couch or.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. I suck at it.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

It's like there's like an art to napping.

[Doug]

You can't go too long.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. Like there's like times like a skill to even be able to do it. I feel like in the middle of the day.

[Adam Schaefer]

So you just can't.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean I can't would be a strong word. I just did the other day. Where do we just go? And I took a little 20 minute. Oh, we went. And we were in Vegas and I. We went up to our rooms. I took a little and it's like. That's like a 1 in 50. I hit a home run.

[Adam Schaefer]

Usually you just lay there with your eyes closed.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. Or just toss and turn a little bit or I'm so exhausted I do pass out and then I sleep for an hour or two and then I'm like, oh, like that's Worse. So I, that's what I mean by, there's like an art to like napping the sweet spot of 20 something minutes and actually getting the rejuvenated feeling that you feel. I felt that like when we were in Vegas. It's like, oh, that was perfect. Like it was short, but I felt like, it felt like I needed that.

[Adam Schaefer]

I had a client, like in Spain.

[Doug]

They have this as like part of the culture, the siestas.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I had a client, one of the healthiest older people I ever trained in my entire life. I've told you guys about this. He would like, this guy would crush me in workouts. And he was in his mid-60s at the time, so I was in my early 30s. And his, his, he was, you know, single guy or whatever. She had all the time in the world. But he would, he would swim regularly, cycle regularly, he lift weights with me twice a week. His diet was like super dialed. His testosterone was always super high. And part of his routine was every single day, every day in the middle of the day, he would go home and he would take a, I think it was like an hour nap every single day. And I swear that was part of his health. But this study shows that regular napping is linked to 2 and a half to 2.6 to 6.5 years of slower brain aging. Habitual daytime nap has been genetically linked to a 15.8 centimeter larger total brain volume, which reflects less age related shrinkage and neuroprotection.

[Sal DiStefano]

So the problem with that is though, like, I mean, how does that compare to just sleep in general? Like if all those things would be improved with good rest period.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yes.

[Sal DiStefano]

So is it really all that it's measuring is that these people are getting more rest? And so if you compare that. If I would want to see control of people who get adequate good rest and then also nap, is it improved?

[Adam Schaefer]

Yes.

[Sal DiStefano]

Or is it improving because so many people get sleep? And so all these people that took these tests.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yes, both. Yeah, both. So there's so napping for people who get good sleep also good napping get bad sleep. It's a big, it's a, it's like a big help. Definitely a big help.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, I imagine that.

[Adam Schaefer]

Have you guys heard of the. I don't even know if this is true. I'd love Doug to look this up. Have you guys heard that the, A long time ago people used to sleep differently than we do now?

[Sal DiStefano]

I, there's, you know, have you ever heard of like the, the, the crazy, like sleep 15 minutes a day, all day long. Like strategy.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, what the hell.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yes. Dude, it's a crazy. Look this up, Doug. I had a client that made me want to shoot someone who did this. I mean, you say that, but then supposedly if you do it really well, it's like super effective. Like you sleep on the hour, every hour, every other hour or something like that for just a short period of time.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, no, that's not what I'm talking about. That's crazy.

[Doug]

Back up again and do it like.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, yeah. I actually had like the DVD that went with like training on it. I was like. It only took me a time.

[Doug]

I go like, mental.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is a long time ago. This is when I was a young trainer, was in my early 20s. So it was a client of mine.

[Adam Schaefer]

No, I. This is this. So I. I read. I don't know how true this is, that people used to go to bed. Highly, potentially unhealthy sleep pattern. That's not the one I was talking about.

[Doug]

Oh, that's when you're talking.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about right there. So you're spending 15 minutes every hour.

[Adam Schaefer]

Doug, look up. Like, I don't know if it's biphasic.

[Sal DiStefano]

Polyphasic is what it's called.

[Adam Schaefer]

Anything with the. That starts with poly.

[Doug]

Avoid those.

[Adam Schaefer]

No, there was. There was one where I read about this, where people used to go to bed when the sun went down. Then they'd wake up around 1am and this is when they would like read by candlelight. Like they'd read the Bible or they'd get a little meal, then they go back to sleep. And I. I don't. Is this. Is this true, Doug, that people used to sleep this way?

[Sal DiStefano]

So this makes sense if you live in places like Alaska and these. In these places where it's like dark for sometimes half the. Half the year. It's like super dark over there for how many hours?

[Adam Schaefer]

Have you heard about how that messes people up?

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, I bet. Oh, yeah, I bet.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

Or isn't that. What Isn't it one of the areas that are higher. Depression and stuff like that and suicide. Like, isn't it higher over there?

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

Is that right? Like, I know it's like, it can't be good. I would think.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. This. This one right here. Let's see if Doug can find this. I've read it is true. Historically, many people in pre industrial industrial societies practiced biphasic sleep. They go to bed early, they'd wake up in the middle of night for A period of wakefulness. Then go back to sleep for a second phase. This pattern is often referred to as first sleep and second sleep. Get more into the explanation. What does this look like? They'd go to bed around 9 or 10pm and sleep for a few hours. Then they'd wake up for an hour or two. During this time, they might engage in various activities such as praying, meditating, having sex, smoking, chatting with neighbors, or even doing chores. Then random series of things. They go back to sleep until sunrise. You know why this makes sense to me?

[Sal DiStefano]

Why?

[Adam Schaefer]

Okay, think pretty industrial dark and it's.

[Doug]

Not a lot going on.

[Adam Schaefer]

Well, think about pre industrial, like families. You don't have bedrooms. There's one room. It's you, your wife and your seven kids.

[Doug]

Right.

[Adam Schaefer]

When are you gonna have sex?

[Doug]

Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

Middle of night.

[Sal DiStefano]

So your kids aren't biphasic sleeping. They're sleeping normally.

[Adam Schaefer]

They're all the way through. You're like hitting your wife. It's time. Yeah, it's time to wake up. That's weird. I would almost want to try that.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, I kind of feel like I. I accidentally do that a lot. Yeah, I wake up to go pee around an hour, three or four, and I'm up sometimes.

[Adam Schaefer]

Did you know I just learned about something for you? There is a peptide that you might want to try.

[Sal DiStefano]

I thought I heard someone talking about that. Who told us? Was this Jay or someone else?

[Adam Schaefer]

Someone else. So. So you might. There. There's an actual peptide that you could take. It's actually. You can prescribe it. You get it prescribed. That helps a person's bladder relax a little bit so they can sleep throughout the night.

[Sal DiStefano]

So I pee myself instead?

[Adam Schaefer]

No, no, you don't pee. It won't wake up. You know, you always. You see, you said for years, since you were a kid.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

That you have to wake up every night, so.

[Sal DiStefano]

I also heard that it's not because I pee. I wake up and then that's what makes me. And then that's what I thought. That's what people have told me.

[Adam Schaefer]

Until.

[Sal DiStefano]

I certainly don't feel that way.

[Adam Schaefer]

No.

[Sal DiStefano]

Because I know, like, if I. If I actually discipline myself to not have any fluids, like hours before I go to bed, which is really hard to do for me, but if I actually do that, there's. I can actually sleep through most the night.

[Adam Schaefer]

No, it's called.

[Sal DiStefano]

So I don't believe it's a. I wake up and then. And then I have to go pee. It's like, oh, Doug, look it up.

[Adam Schaefer]

Mira Bigran M I R A B E G R O N Can we.

[Sal DiStefano]

Talk a little bit about. I know this isn't like a. Like a peptide day and stuff like that, but I am. Because we just got back and Jay gave me the sex peptide. Can you tell me. Tell me a little bit.

[Adam Schaefer]

141.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. Can you tell me a little about it? I don't. I don't know anything about it.

[Adam Schaefer]

That is a. That is. It's a peptide. It. It works on the melanocryte. I don't know how to say it. These are the receptors that you can activate and get your skin to get darker a little bit. One of the side effects was increased libido.

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, is that the same supplement that we.

[Adam Schaefer]

We.

[Sal DiStefano]

Or the same peptide that you could take to make your skin tanner?

[Adam Schaefer]

It's similar.

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, it's not the same.

[Adam Schaefer]

Similar.

[Sal DiStefano]

Cuz I thought that sound like a different name.

[Adam Schaefer]

No. So it's similar, but one of the side effects was that people's libidos will go up, but it's also high in other side effects like nausea and face flushing. So he was saying that he has a version of it or whatever that. Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

So I might get horny, but I might throw up on my wife also.

[Adam Schaefer]

That makes it weird. Yeah, that kills the mood.

[Sal DiStefano]

Totally.

[Doug]

Totally.

[Adam Schaefer]

Different genre, but yeah. I don't know. Anyway, so, okay, I think I'm saying it's a prescription medication, but it's also a peptide used to treat symptoms of an overactive bladder in adults. And you can give it to children three years and older. So overactive bladder.

[Sal DiStefano]

I'm totally down. I'm totally down to try it.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. And you're supposed to take it before you go to bed.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, I'm gonna try.

[Adam Schaefer]

Do you know why I heard about this?

[Sal DiStefano]

Why?

[Adam Schaefer]

Here's the wonderful world of bodybuilding. It's a beta 3 androgenic receptor agonist. So you know where the side effects is.

[Sal DiStefano]

What?

[Adam Schaefer]

I get muscle leaner.

[Sal DiStefano]

I'll get leaner too.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. Yeah. So of course bodybuilders are like, hey, dude, take this before you go to bed. You'll get leaner.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, I would totally be open. I mean, because. Just because that. I know that impacts my sleep.

[Adam Schaefer]

I wonder if that's what you have. Doug, look up. What was the title? What was that called? Overactive bladder. Yeah, look up overactive bladder syndrome symptoms. Let's see if it's Adam. Let's see if it lists Adam.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, you see, it's a picture of me.

[Adam Schaefer]

No, you know what I mean? Like if it talks like, let's read it and see if that's.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, I have a feeling it's.

[Adam Schaefer]

Going to imagine I just diagnosed you after years of you be struggling with.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, I don't even know if I need someone to diagnose me to tell me I have an overactive urinary urgency.

[Adam Schaefer]

A sudden strong need to urinate that is difficult to control. Frequent urination, needing to urinate more than eight times in a 24 hour period.

[Sal DiStefano]

That's all me.

[Adam Schaefer]

Nocturnia, nocturia. Excuse me? Waking up two or more times a night.

[Sal DiStefano]

That's all me so ever. I checked all four boxes.

[Adam Schaefer]

Urge incontinence, Leaking urine. When there is a sudden urge to.

[Sal DiStefano]

Urinate, that doesn't happen.

[Adam Schaefer]

Okay. Pelvic pain or discomfort, you don't get that either.

[Sal DiStefano]

As long as I shake really well, I don't have any.

[Adam Schaefer]

You're fine. What if, bro, what if we just figured out that you have this condition?

[Sal DiStefano]

I, I'm. I'm certain I have that condition, but I didn't. Like, what.

[Adam Schaefer]

I'm gonna get this for you.

[Sal DiStefano]

Like, let's solve it though. Like, that's the real.

[Adam Schaefer]

What if you took this and it fixed it? The best sleep of your life.

[Sal DiStefano]

I could be life changing.

[Adam Schaefer]

Could you guys imagine, could you guys imagine right now if Adam's irritability is a result of that has nothing to do. You wake up two times every night that would make anybody annoyed.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, if you've been doing it your whole life like me, you've got it down to a science. Hence the, you know, like, not like sitting down to pee. Like, I, like I wake up and I don't sleep. Yeah. Like I'm awake. I'm very. I'm like. But I'm like. I keep my eyes pretty much closed, make my way to the bathroom, do my thing and then come back. I'm trying to entertain.

[Adam Schaefer]

Two times every night.

[Sal DiStefano]

At least two times every night.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh my God.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, bro, you have overactive black.

[Sal DiStefano]

I'm more like. I'm more like two to four. Four are pretty. Is pretty regular.

[Adam Schaefer]

Ever since you were how old?

[Sal DiStefano]

As far as I can remember.

[Adam Schaefer]

You have overactive bladder syndrome.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, I had no idea there was a name for it. But if they can solve how much.

[Adam Schaefer]

You love your friend Sal, that just figured.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, I'll love you if you fix it. If you just diagnose me with a term that doesn't do me any good. I don't care Damn.

[Adam Schaefer]

So I was totally thinking about you because I was talking to somebody. I'll say it was. They were talking about this, like, peptide. That's a fat burner. It's a beta 3, you know, you know, receptor, you know, agonist or whatever, which you target that receptor and it's. Your body burns more calories. So, like, clenbuterol is one of those things, right?

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

But apparently this is like, it doesn't feel like clenbuterol and blah, blah. He's talking to me about it. I'm like, what's it used for? He's like, oh, overactive bladder syndrome. Like, what's that? So he's telling me, and I'm like. Immediately I'm like, adam, I gotta bring this up. I wonder if that's what he has.

[Sal DiStefano]

Totally me.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's wild. That's wild.

[Sal DiStefano]

What are. What are some of my, like, Do I have any bad things I should be looking for? Because I. I know everybody tries to tie it to, like, prostate stuff, like, but it's like, no.

[Adam Schaefer]

But you had this since you were kid?

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, my whole life. It runs in my family. My, you know, my uncle.

[Adam Schaefer]

Genetic.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, my uncle.

[Adam Schaefer]

Both.

[Sal DiStefano]

My. My uncle, my cousin. We all are like that. It's like the big joke. We all go to, like, the restaurant together. We're all like, in the bathroom. Like, every. Every.

[Adam Schaefer]

Is there a connection to neurological issues? Doug, look up overactive bladder syndrome and neurological issues. Let's not scare Adam. Maybe we should. This is.

[Sal DiStefano]

This is what you do to yourself right here. He's like, start with I got this thing. And then now let's see all the bad things that are connected that. Oh, my God, I'm gonna die.

[Adam Schaefer]

Well, I mean, it could. It's obviously coming from a neurological standpoint.

[Sal DiStefano]

Well, it definitely is. Can't be good for sleep and overall.

[Adam Schaefer]

Health are closely related with neurological issues. So it could be. Yeah, you have nerve damage. Maybe nerve damage, but also. Not also. Because I did read up a little bit on this, so.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Interesting. Well, bro, if we fix this. If we fix this, this would be life changing.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, I'm totally down to try it. I mean, I would. It absolutely could be life changing. Yeah, I couldn't imagine. I don't even know what it would be like to have a week of like full night arrest and not waking up one time like that.

[Adam Schaefer]

And you think. And you think, like, be honest. You think that doesn't make you more irritable?

[Sal DiStefano]

I don't think so. I mean, maybe. I mean, I definitely don't think it's helping.

[Adam Schaefer]

I'm so motivated to fix this. Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. I was like, bro, I can lose my edge.

[Doug]

Yeah, exactly.

[Adam Schaefer]

He could be.

[Sal DiStefano]

All of a sudden, yeah, bro. So like, so passive. Then after that, just like, oh, no big deal.

[Adam Schaefer]

Like, what are you talking about, Adam?

[Sal DiStefano]

Our performance. Oh, you want a discount?

[Adam Schaefer]

Sure.

[Sal DiStefano]

We'll give you a disc. No, that's part of my edge.

[Adam Schaefer]

Maybe.

[Sal DiStefano]

I don't know.

[Doug]

It's not that you gotta go back.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, but I would love to see what it feels like to. To get that.

[Adam Schaefer]

Done, like twice. I hate those. All right. Anyway, I have a study on green tea. Green tea study. That's kind of cool. A new study finds that men aged 45 plus who drank green tea daily for over 20 years had 30% higher testosterone.

[Sal DiStefano]

Wow.

[Adam Schaefer]

27% lower inflammation, bro.

[Sal DiStefano]

That's high.

[Adam Schaefer]

And 32% lower insomnia scores compared to non drinkers. That's 20 years though. Now EGCG, which is one of the components in green tea, is anti inflammatory. So that makes sense. Higher testosterone. That's an interesting one. I'd like to see if there's a healthy user bias. Like people who drink more green tea are more likely to do these other things, you know?

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

So. But I know that EGCG is in some testosterone boosting supplements because of some of that data. That's kind of cool, huh?

[Sal DiStefano]

That is cool.

[Adam Schaefer]

I used to drink green tea like crazy.

[Sal DiStefano]

I had a question for you guys. This is along the lines that we were talking about the other day. I was going through those. Those table questions. I had another one that was really cool for everybody. If you had a. You had an. You were stranded on an island. Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

By myself.

[Sal DiStefano]

Well, here's your option. Either by yourself or with your worst enemy. What would you choose and why?

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, worst enemy.

[Sal DiStefano]

Quick. You were quick.

[Adam Schaefer]

Easy, easy.

[Sal DiStefano]

Person you hate the most, huh?

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's still another person.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Either we make friends or I have food.

[Sal DiStefano]

I didn't think. I didn't process it like that.

[Adam Schaefer]

You know what I'm saying?

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. I could eat them.

[Adam Schaefer]

Then.

[Doug]

You're also fighting for resources initially.

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, that's all. That's also true too. You gotta share the bananas.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

What would you do, Justin?

[Doug]

Yeah, I'm kind of. I would have to have my enemy. I think I. I think anytime you have an extra person around as much as, like, it's a pain in the ass. Like, you can get a lot more accomplished.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, dude.

[Doug]

And so, but yeah, like, I mean, he might not be There very long.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah bro, the circumstances would, would, would think about the circumstances. You're both trapped.

[Sal DiStefano]

Listen, don't. I've watched alone enough. I think I've watched because I've watched alone enough.

[Doug]

Yeah, I know how like they're all trying to figure out like.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, but okay. And I'm not saying I disagree with you guys. What do you say?

[Adam Schaefer]

I'm gonna be by myself.

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, see so I mean very Buddhist.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. No, I'll just sit and.

[Sal DiStefano]

Because I mean that those are some of the most happy peaceful guys and they're just.

[Adam Schaefer]

They're disconnected.

[Doug]

Well, are you trying to get off the island and like leave and.

[Sal DiStefano]

No, you're stranded. You're stuck there like forever. Yeah.

[Doug]

Yeah. Then I'm by myself.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. Oh, so you're by yourself now. You're switched, huh? Yeah. And you for sure.

[Adam Schaefer]

I feel like. I feel like being alone. You guys don't realize this. Obviously being alone is one of the worst tortures you could.

[Sal DiStefano]

Well that's for you and I dog.

[Adam Schaefer]

No, that's.

[Sal DiStefano]

Somebody's trying to kill you all the time. That's not very good.

[Adam Schaefer]

Is your worst enemy gonna try and kill you? Who knows?

[Doug]

I don't know.

[Adam Schaefer]

I don't have any enemies so I can't think of that.

[Sal DiStefano]

That's also why he's so quick. Yeah. But think of the person you like the least.

[Adam Schaefer]

Sure.

[Sal DiStefano]

Go your head of like people you can't stand. You would still want them on.

[Adam Schaefer]

I think, I think the circum.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean I'm with you too because I think I would win them over eventually.

[Adam Schaefer]

Me too.

[Sal DiStefano]

That would be my. My strategy be like I'll find a way to like them.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

You know what I'm saying? Like I. Or. Or I like just wouldn't let the fact that I don't like them bother me.

[Adam Schaefer]

Or you just live on the other side. I'll live here. But I mean think about that.

[Sal DiStefano]

I hadn't thought about that. Like I could kill them if I needed to, but that would also be alone.

[Doug]

I know that's.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's what made me have a lot of guilt.

[Sal DiStefano]

You know what I'm saying? Like guilt all by yourself would be awful.

[Doug]

It would be an event though. You know, some exciting.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. But short be short lived. But I actually didn't think that you said that makes a lot of sense to sharing resources. I don't island and you don't have like a lot of reason.

[Adam Schaefer]

I don't have an enemy that would. That would try to kill me. I can't think of someone that I would, you know what I mean, try to kill me. That I know.

[Doug]

But catching fish, you're definitely like, somebody else there to help would be like.

[Adam Schaefer]

Vital and think about. Okay, if the question was posed, like, you alone or you alone with a. Like a psycho killer? Well, yeah, alone. But my worst enemy that I can think of isn't a psycho.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, no, I think it's more like you're thinking of the people a person you despise or don't like the most. You know, circumstances would.

[Adam Schaefer]

Would cause, I believe, peace between those two.

[Sal DiStefano]

I think so too. If you're stranded on an island, like.

[Adam Schaefer]

What else are we gonna do?

[Doug]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we gotta work.

[Adam Schaefer]

We might as well be friends and forgive each other.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, I imagine that's probably what part of the exercise is. Is like, you know, you. You really don't like this person. But imagine if you were on island, they're the only person you would find a way to mend those men, those things. Right. Or work. Maybe that's what the exercise is really all about, is like, you better that than to be all alone. But it's because we have this luxury of all kinds of people. And it's like, so I can choose to hate you.

[Adam Schaefer]

What's one thing if you were trapped on an island that you could take with you by yourself? One thing. Just one thing. What would you take?

[Sal DiStefano]

Your iPhone, stupid.

[Adam Schaefer]

Well, I mean, no reception.

[Sal DiStefano]

Okay, so not that. So something else. Probably the Bible.

[Adam Schaefer]

Really? Yeah, the amount of that's not bad.

[Sal DiStefano]

That would.

[Adam Schaefer]

Because you could take a fishing pole.

[Sal DiStefano]

Well, okay, so something utility wise.

[Adam Schaefer]

Anything. I'd take a fish.

[Sal DiStefano]

Okay, well then yeah, no, I would take like a knife for a gun. Fishing rod or.

[Adam Schaefer]

Have you ran out of bullets? What are you gonna do? Yeah, yeah, fishing pole. You could catch. You catch fish.

[Sal DiStefano]

You could also make a fishing pole, though, too. So without fish. So fishing line is.

[Doug]

I want this big ass.

[Sal DiStefano]

Does a pole come. Hey, does a cold. Does the pole come with a fishing line? Because then that's.

[Adam Schaefer]

It's a complete fishing.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, well, it's kind of like cheating then.

[Adam Schaefer]

The gun comes with bullets too.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, you run out of bullets.

[Doug]

I'm going flint.

[Sal DiStefano]

Because that's pretty good.

[Doug]

Why would. I mean, starting a fire is everything.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, it is. I don't know how to start a.

[Doug]

Yeah, if you don't.

[Sal DiStefano]

And you can make. And you can use stuff on the island to create your own makeshift fishing net and fishing pole. If you watch alone, you can. You can do that stuff you figure it out. But yeah, I feel like I'm dead, bro.

[Adam Schaefer]

If I'm an island, I don't have to do anything.

[Sal DiStefano]

I think you'd be surprised.

[Adam Schaefer]

I think I don't.

[Sal DiStefano]

I surprise. I surprise myself sometimes when I have to do something. You know what I'm saying? It's like I was, what would I just do it around the house the other day and Katrina, she was like, so amazed. I'm just like, put up a painting. Yes.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, I could do this.

[Sal DiStefano]

She was so impressed that I could do that. It's like, it's because I don't have.

[Adam Schaefer]

To that it seems like I'm convinced. My wife tries to make me feel better about the fact that I'm not good putting things together. Because she'll take my stuff from Amazon.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

And she'll. Part of it is because it's how she gets me to put shit together. She'll start it and she'll always be like, I can't finish this. Can you help me?

[Sal DiStefano]

That's just a smart strategy right there.

[Adam Schaefer]

But then I'll like put it together. You know what I mean? I'll feel kind of like, oh, yeah, there you go. I did something cool there.

[Sal DiStefano]

I mean, there's, there's. I have moments where I enjoy it. I don't care. I wish I can remember what the hell I was doing. I was doing something the other day and it was like. It was like an all day thing of working around the house. And sometimes it's very rewarding to do it. Other times it's annoying. So it really depends on the. I guess if I have space for.

[Doug]

It, I actually enjoy it.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah.

[Doug]

I think I like manual labor.

[Sal DiStefano]

I think that's. I think that's the way to look at it is like, if I have space for it. And it's like. And that's what it was. It was like a day where it's like, you know what? And like, I didn't go to the gym. So I'm like, I'm going to do this manual labor all day. And so I'll feel good. Like I've exercised and moved and I accomplished something for the house or something. I was like, okay, makes sense. But most.

[Adam Schaefer]

You know what helps me with that is listening to music. If I listen to music that I'm really into while I'm doing something productive, it. It completely changes the experience. It's now an enjoyable. Now it's like a totally enjoyable.

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, I remember what it was. I had to take down all. Did I tell you what happened to us with the. The Best Buy TVs things? This was the.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

This was the dumbest, most ridiculous.

[Adam Schaefer]

So stupid.

[Sal DiStefano]

This was the dumbest, most ridiculous thing ever.

[Adam Schaefer]

So one star.

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, yeah. I'm like. So. In fact, I'm glad we bring this up so I can.

[Doug]

Oh, really bad experience, too.

[Sal DiStefano]

Like, bro, listen to this. Okay, so first of all, we.

[Adam Schaefer]

We.

[Sal DiStefano]

We buy those new picture frame TVs, okay? Now, when you're in the store, they advertise these things is so amazing that they're. They're flush to the wall. They're like a picture frame. Well, they don't tell you and they don't show you in the store because it's hidden behind the wall or wherever is that it has. You have to have this big old box with a wire attached to it. I'm like, well, that's stupid.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, that defeats the whole.

[Sal DiStefano]

That defeats the whole purpose. So. And I didn't know that until I already paid for it. Paid somebody to mount them and doing that, and they'd show up there. And like, now I got this ugly wire and box hanging out. The whole point was to have this kind of TV that doesn't look like a tv. It's supposed to look like a picture frame. No picture frame has a wire and a box hanging to it. So I was. I was already upset about that. And I was like, okay, this is lame. Well, that. So I tell Katrina. I'm like. And call in, you know, we may as well switch these out. Get or put back our regular TVs. So we find out that in 30 days, they're coming out with a wireless version of that. Now, luckily, I'm like some gold member person or something. I have no idea. But they're like, oh, you can actually. You have up to like 90 days. They're like, return anything. No question asked. What about that?

[Adam Schaefer]

I was like, oh, switch it out. Wireless.

[Sal DiStefano]

Exactly. So I'm like, cool, switch it out. So that was like, okay, that's going to be the fix. Now, I also had to, because it's new technology. Same exact thing, just wireless. Now. It was like an extra thousand dollars per tv, which is stupid, right? But whatever. So I do. I pay the. I pay the fee. So they're already. We had them already mounted on the T up on the walls, the other ones. And they say, okay, we're going to exchange it. Okay. So took us like weeks to get someone scheduled to come out there. So the dudes show up, right?

[Adam Schaefer]

And so they're there to mount the New ones.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, yeah. So they. They. Well, they're there to.

[Adam Schaefer]

No, switch them out.

[Sal DiStefano]

No. Pick up the old ones. Well, this is what we're under the. We're in the oppression. They're here to switch them out, take the old ones off, take them back with them, put the new ones back on. So they show up, up. And. No, they're not those guys. They're the guys that just take this, take these. And then we have to schedule the Geek Squad to bring the other ones out.

[Adam Schaefer]

Okay.

[Sal DiStefano]

And so they get there to come get it. And they go, oh, they're not off the wall. You have to have them off the wall. We don't. Just. We don't. Wait a second. You guys put them up on the wall. We. We paid you the extra money for them.

[Adam Schaefer]

They put them up on the wall, and they won't take them down to take them back.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yes. So they have to leave. So then I have to schedule again. Listen to this. It gets crazier. I have to schedule again these guys, but this time, I have to pull, by the way, too. Same exact. Same exact effing mount. But I have to take that mount that tv completely off and ready.

[Adam Schaefer]

So you have to give them the mount back so they could put the exact same one back up.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yes. And not only that, but those guys aren't the guys that do it. So I have to. I have to schedule that appointment for them to take. To take the TVs that I have to take down myself.

[Adam Schaefer]

See, this is when I'm happy. AI is going to replace.

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, my gosh. And so. And then you had the books. I was so. So anyways, I got so frustrated with it. Just to save the time, I'm like, just. Let's go get the TVs. I'll. I'm gonna mount them. I'm gonna put them up myself and everything like that so we don't have to wait for this whole game back and forth. But. So anyways, I ended up doing all of it.

[Adam Schaefer]

So you took them down?

[Sal DiStefano]

Yes, I took them down. I put them up. I'm not. Yeah, because Katrina was. Yeah, yeah. There's only, like, 70 holes in the water. You can't see it's behind the tv. You don't say.

[Doug]

It doesn't matter.

[Adam Schaefer]

I hate that dude.

[Sal DiStefano]

But it got there. But I mean, how annoying is that?

[Adam Schaefer]

I mean, super annoying. What a.

[Sal DiStefano]

What a terrible. And then it found out, too, that they were gonna charge me again, which is what made me finally do it. I'm like, all right, now now it's a principal thing for me.

[Adam Schaefer]

You just reminded me like, that's like I'm.

[Sal DiStefano]

Do I like dedicate. I'm doing this on Saturday.

[Adam Schaefer]

You just reminded me of something that similar. Like, you know, my wife will never order a wedge salad. You know why?

[Sal DiStefano]

Why I love wedge salad?

[Adam Schaefer]

Because she's like, it's the laziest salad ever. You didn't even chop it. You just gave me a big piece of. She's like, all it is is a salad without you doing anything.

[Doug]

Quarter of a.

[Sal DiStefano]

And it's more expensive lettuce.

[Adam Schaefer]

And I laugh because I'm like, it's true. It's just the salad.

[Doug]

Chop a wedge and they drizzle.

[Adam Schaefer]

They didn't do anything. They just throw it on the bowl and pour some stuff.

[Doug]

I like it though.

[Sal DiStefano]

It's a lazy salad.

[Adam Schaefer]

It's a lazy salad.

[Sal DiStefano]

It's my favorite. It's off the principle. I love wedges.

[Adam Schaefer]

Because you like all the dresses. Yeah, I thought that was hilarious. Anyway, I got to bring up a. A study on sodium and low carb diets. So they did this study on low carb dieters, keto dieters, and found that when they supplemented with four to five grams. Okay, whoa. Not four to five.

[Sal DiStefano]

That's like four packets of element. Wow.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. Four to five grams. They had excellent performance.

[Sal DiStefano]

Interesting. So there's still upward. Because you gotta take.

[Adam Schaefer]

Listen, when you don't. When you go low carb or no carb, your body gets rid of water. You need more sodium to hold on to that.

[Sal DiStefano]

Well, I know I've heard you recommend to people before who are live callers that are doing like lower carb or they eat really clean and you tell them to go one, at least one, if not two packets a day. But it sounds like there's positive benefits.

[Adam Schaefer]

45 grams total. So if they're getting sodium from their diet also. But if you're low.

[Doug]

Yeah, but if you're low carb, like, like, what would be some of the symptoms? It's like diarrhea.

[Sal DiStefano]

Like low energy. Oh, too much.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh. High blood pressure. You might get diarrhea. Yeah, yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

But Justin, if you are. If you're eating a whole natural threshold, whole natural food and you're eating low carb, you. It would be hard.

[Doug]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

The amount of preserved elements you'd have to eat, drink to. To go too high. Because I remember I told you guys I used to have this article and I kept it on my. By my desk in the gym back in the days to show people like, the amount of sodium that was. Now, granted, this was also when we used to think sodium was bad. And so that's why I used it and kept it up there. But that you could, like, dump salt on every bit of your whole food. And for a week, I think it was a week of like three meals a day. Whole foods. Salting the out of it. One McDonald's was one eating out meal. It was like, that's how. And they had to, like, show the amount of salt. It's like crazy amount. So the amount of people that eat out and get that much sodium, I.

[Adam Schaefer]

I will, I, I'm, I'm fully convinced that every time that whenever people go low carb or no carb and they get keto flu or they feel terrible.

[Doug]

Yeah, it's got lated.

[Adam Schaefer]

It's the sodium.

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, I think you and I know.

[Adam Schaefer]

This now because I've had enough people.

[Sal DiStefano]

Do that bump that.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's right. I go, hey, take, take an element packet. Let me know how you feel. Oh, and they'll drink it. And literally 10 minutes later, like, oh, I feel.

[Sal DiStefano]

No, I feel good. I agree.

[Adam Schaefer]

I'm back to normal.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, I totally agree.

[Adam Schaefer]

I want to talk about the, the video series that you guys both did. And so now I guess it's my turn or Doug's turn.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Series.

[Sal DiStefano]

We're going to do it.

[Doug]

You series.

[Adam Schaefer]

You know, I'm resistant because, you know, I'm trying to work on my relationship to exercise and, you know, because I have a bit of a dysfunctional and I get a little obsessive and, you know, a little, you know, I don't know if it's body dysmorphia still, but there's definitely a dysfunction going on there. And a video series, I was apprehensive because that's gonna, that'll trigger me for sure. Like, I'm gonna get on video now. I'm gonna try and get more jacked or I'm gonna try and lift the new weight or like, what am I gonna do? Type of deal. But I think you might have convinced me, Adam, to do it and just be real and talk about how, like, that's the idea. The idea is to do this series and work on my relationship to exercise, focus on health, maybe mobility measures that are not going to push me in an unhealthy direction.

[Sal DiStefano]

I, I, It'll be interesting. Dude, I love this. And the reason why I was so aggressive with pushing you to do this, because I actually think you are going to help a ton of people. I think There's a lot of people that listen to this podcast. Yeah, there's a lot of people in the health and fitness space that are we, we talk about it all the time. We say like some of the most obsessive people with bad relationships with exercise are the fittest people that we all admire and look up to. So I think you sharing and being honest with people that you are aware of that because the rest of them are all in denial. The rest of them are still selling it as a healthy way to live. But you being honest with the audience and saying, hey, it's a hard thing for me. And this, this is what I'm doing to work on it, I think will be one, I think it'll be therapeutic for you two. I think it actually is going to reach and help a lot of people.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. So that, that'll probably be the direction. And I'm, you know, I'm open. Open book with stuff like that. So I'll be talking about all the things that I'm interested in, including my spiritual journey, which is closely connected to me addressing this with fitness. So we'll see. But you know, I was apprehensive because I'm like, man, what am I going to do? Get it like a fitness goal. You know, I thought might get deadlift something I'm like, that's going to pull me right back into.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. The opposite of spiral that I'm doing.

[Adam Schaefer]

Right now trying so hard to get out of.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. Opposite. Which is great because I think you doing that is different. That like I did the esthetic goal, Justin did the performance goal. Now you have a more. Yeah, I think longevity, holistic. Yeah. Healthy relationship with exercise. Nutrition is which we communicate and talk about all the time. So. So I'm actually really looking forward to the conversations and the workouts and the stuff that you do and have. I think that it's going to be great for the audience.

[Adam Schaefer]

So we'll see. We'll see. But I think that'll be. That's the only direction I can think of that will be authentic because that's important. I can't do something that's not going to feel authentic. And what would feel inauthentic for me is to push a fitness goal because it's so against what I'm working so hard to. Well, I was just saying it's a back and forth struggle.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. Less of being inauthentic and more of like, that's like the opposite what you're trying to do right now.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's what I mean. That's why I wouldn't be authentic. Because if I'm going to do that, it's like counter from what I'm really trying to work on.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Right now with fitness which has been this lifelong. Well, not lifelong, but a lot of my life struggle.

[Sal DiStefano]

So no, I, I think this is, I think this is great. I'm, I'm excited for it. I'm. Because Justin's just wrapped up, right? Did we just wrap his up? His is wrapped up and so it's 315 jerk press.

[Adam Schaefer]

Is that what Keep pushing them. Split your. Anyway, trainers and coaches, we're still hiring. It's a slow process because we only want the best. So if you want to be a trainer, actually work for us. Go to mindpump personaltraining.com apply. If you think you've got the right stuff, apply. Butcherbox delivers the healthiest meat, chicken and fish to your door at great prices. This is grass fed grass finished beef. This is wild caught fish. By the way, they have a new box they put together with our favorite cuts of meat. Check it out. Go to butcherbox.com mindpump. You'll also get $20 off your first box and free chicken breast, ground beef or salmon included in every box for free for an entire year. Back to the show.

[Sal DiStefano]

Our first caller is Kimberly from Delaware.

[Adam Schaefer]

Kimberly, how's it going?

[Sal DiStefano]

How you doing?

[Adam Schaefer]

Hello.

[Doug]

Hello.

[Justin Andrews]

Hey guys, how can we help you? Thanks for taking my call. You can call me Kim. I'll go right into my question. To preface this, sorry if you hear any screaming children. So I'm a 34 year old mom of two. I have a four year old. I'm currently 14 weeks postpartum. I had an uncomplicated vaginal birth. No tearing, no epidural. Not to brag, it's a long story, but I'll say that recovery has been much smoother than with my first birth, which I'll credit to lifting weights consistently three days a week along with pelvic floor therapy. You know, during pregnancy. After being cleared at six weeks, I eased back in with light dumbbells, mobility, pelvic floor work for another six weeks. I'm still in pelvic floor therapy, you know, really just working on that connection back to my deep core. And I just started Maps Muscle mommy last week. Now pre pregnancy, I was in the best shape of my life. Like aesthetically, just like I felt great. You know, I hadn't given birth in four years, so I was far away from like that postpartum part of my life. I've been lifting consistently for two to three years. At the time I was doing a little more volume, like a four day upper lower split. I worked with a coach who taught me how to track macros. So basically I was like really lean pre pregnancy after a 12 week cut. And I was only in maintenance for about like a month or two before I got pregnant, but I was able to maintain it like 23, 2400 calories, a weight of like 123 to 125 pounds. Realistically, now I have three days to get into the gym. I try to walk like 8,000 steps a day. Sometimes it's a little more my question for you just after giving you that background. So now that I've started Maps Muscle Mommy A, is this the right program for me at 14 weeks postpartum? And if I'm only lifting three days a week and not looking to do extra work at home, are the trigger sessions necessary? And secondly, I am breastfeeding. And for me, you know, fat loss. Like, I'm sure a lot of women have this issue, but I hang on to fat. So I know that I might not be able to obviously focus on fat loss until I'm done nursing. But what are realistic expectations for me to, you know, potentially lean out a little more in the future without compromising my recovery?

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, really good question, by the way. You did everything right. You did everything right. Everything sounds amazing. I'm super happy to hear about the uncomplicated childbirth, the pelvic floor exercises, the strength training leading into it, the fact that you were in a cut and shortly after went maintenance, still got pregnant, which means you're healthy even in the cut. Typically, like, you are doing absolutely great. Typically, Muscle Mommy, this soon. A little early is a little early. Now that being said, you know, there is a bit of an individual variance because you were so fit going into it. So you're gonna have to really pay attention to your body and also have appropriate goals so that you don't compromise things like your functionality and your health. Because here's the reality. I'm gonna have you answer this because I've never had babies, I've never carried babies. Especially with your first child. How shocking and insane are the body changes during pregnancy for a woman?

[Justin Andrews]

Oh, I mean, it's a mind fuck, you know? You know, it, it is. And, and I've always been like a, a pretty petite person. And so for someone who's like short, like a short stature, like, you just feel like you're growing at an uncontrollable Rate. So yes, it's, it's shocking. It's, it's shocking. With my first pregnancy though, you know, I was one of those who I was, I was chasing the cardio. I was like the boot camps, the hit, like even postpartum. And so while now like the changes weren't as shocking like once you've been through it one time. But you know, I will say that I think that the strength training is kind of what like changed the game for me for this recovery. Even though, you know, I'm still feeling pretty large as we speak.

[Adam Schaefer]

It makes a big difference. But the reason why I wanted you to say that, I mean it is to me it's the most, one of the most fascinating things is to study how the female body physiologically forget the psychological and emotional changes, which are also radical. Like crazy things happen psychologically and emotionally. You become hyper vigilant when you have a baby. Wake up to sounds, it's hard to go to sleep. Your body, it completely gears itself to hosting this child and keeping it healthy. And so everything in your body is like, I don't care what your goals are. My goal is let's have this baby be healthy. And so one of my favorite pictures is an anatomy picture of a nine month pregnant woman. And to show where the organs and everything go to make room for baby. It's like, how does that all fit up in your chest cavity? It's pretty wild. So your body goes this incredible, miraculous, amazing, but also shocking change. And what we tend to do is after having a baby, we're like, let's get back, let's get back to where we were. But man, that took nine months. Which sometimes when you look at the changes like oh my God, all that happened in nine months, but it's still nine months. And you're also breastfeeding. And there are hormonal changes that occur during breastfeeding that again, your body's gearing. It's really organized in a way to provide sustenance to this baby. And it really didn't care about your fitness goals. It really doesn't care. So really the idea, the goal during this period of time is to just be healthy and functional. You also have the complications of besides breastfeeding, the complications of I have another child, which is just wild. You have one, now you have two. So it's like, okay, I got to think about this. Your sleep is even the best sleep. Postpartum is not compared. You can't compare the sleep you had to before you had kids. Like that was like Beautiful worry free sleep. Now you have two kids, you got an infant, so it's very, very different. And so you have to consider all that. So the goal should be, if you want to do this in a way that is satisfying and that will bring you joy, is how do I do this in a way that gives me the functionality, the energy that I need to care for these kids and to remain healthy and whatever I look like as a result of that, so be it. Now I'll tell you this right now. The way you'll look if you follow that is healthy. You might not look shredded, you might not look jacked, but you're going to look healthy. Okay? In my experience, and one of the things I hate about social media is it paints these ridiculous, unrealistic expectations for everybody, but really does this for women postpartum, it really does this. And you have these like fitness fanatic, body obsessed, orthorexic women who are like 12 weeks postpartum and they show their body and you're like, okay, I guess this is possible. Well, yeah, if you're a psycho and if you, if you're unhealthy, maybe. But in my experience, training many, many women pre, during and post pregnancy, they don't feel fully 100% like they used to.

[Sal DiStefano]

It's after a year.

[Adam Schaefer]

Usually it's between one to two years. In my experience, it's usually around two years. Usually when the kid is about two years old, they're like, oh my God, I feel like I used to. Okay, so really it's going to be about functionality and feeling good. So Muscle Mommy potentially could be the program map starter typically is more appropriate for the first three to four months. Usually in my experience, a lot of this is going to be based off feel. I think you should skip workouts when you have poor sleep. I think walking is great and I think when you feel good, you go a little bit harder. But really judge everything based off of the energy that I have to be a mom, because that's the best barometer during this period of time. It also leads to the fastest recovery in my experience because in my experience with women who are fitness, who are dedicated to fitness, they almost always overstep. That's always the balance. It's like doing too much. So that would be my advice.

[Sal DiStefano]

I'd say, all in all, I think you're kicking ass. And the decisions that you've made, the things that you did before, the things you're doing now, I think you're right on track. I guess the only question that I would have is just because I know in your question you had written or your. What you wrote in that you had tried Map Starter, but you didn't like the programming. I think I just would want to hear what you mean by that. So maybe gives me better insight.

[Justin Andrews]

So I guess I probably shouldn't say that I didn't like the programming, but for me, I looked at it and then I was, you know, the four days. And then I want to say like maybe three trigger sessions and one rest day. It. It overwhelmed me personally only because, you know, and I'm sure that there's a way I could maybe modify it or just follow it and do three days a week instead. But I guess the reason I kind of was like, I don't know. Yeah, it kind of. I looked at it and I was like, I know I cannot, like commit to four days.

[Sal DiStefano]

Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

Like, even if it's like from home, like, I, I was doing like when I was, you know, when I had one child, which is like a vacation in comparison. And plus he's 4, so, you know, I had a lot more time and a super flexible job. So the four days was like, really doable for me. And when I worked with that, with the coach and trainer for my cut, you know, was like a pretty decent amount of volume. I don't know that I ever will be going back to four days. I really, you know, and I know you guys even recommend just two to three. So I, the reason I didn't, you know, to answer your question, Starter, the four days, you know, kind of threw me off and I was like, I don't know.

[Sal DiStefano]

That helps. Yep, that help. That helps because. And that makes total sense. And what I, if you were my client, what we would do is we would, would, we would just modify Starter. I was looking just to make sure because sometimes what someone. Oh, Starter. Is too basic, too easy. I wanted something more challenging. And then the, the insight I get from that is like, okay, well, I'm gonna have to pull the reins back on her. She's going to be trying to do too much too soon, too fast. But if it was related to the days a week, I, I would have modified that because the exercises that are in there are more appropriate to where you're currently at right now. That would serve you better than Muscle Mommy in, in regards to that. But other than that, that would be the only challenge.

[Adam Schaefer]

Two things I'll tell you that I think will help. One is when you have a program like Starter, I know it says day one, day two, whatever. When you can work out that's the workout that you're doing. And so don't worry about the seven day schedule. It's just this is the order.

[Doug]

So this week, twos whenever you want it to be.

[Adam Schaefer]

Right. So this week it's two. Next week I did three, the following week I did one. And you just follow the order. Totally fine. The second thing, in my experience with busy moms, especially postpartum, some of the best results they ever got was rather than doing a full workout is they would do an exercise or two at this time. And then later in the day, oh, I got five minutes, I'll do another exercise. Oh, I got another five minutes, I'll do another exercise. And so they were just, they were just kind of spreading it out throughout the day. Great results with that. Great results and consisting with consistency. So so you don't have to do the whole workout all at one time. You can literally do a couple sets here, set there, whatever if you have the physio ball and dumbbells, which is what that program calls for. And again, in my experience, it led to more consistency and better results.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. And you know, I would say to that point, Sal, the old me would probably be like, you know, as, as much as like, I mean, my body was like a Picasso like a year ago. Like, it was like, I miss that. But I also having learned from listening to your podcast, you know, I'm not like, I understand that I'm not chasing an aesthetic goal right now, that I do want to be dysfunctional and healthy even though it's hard to button my pants. So, you know, it is important for me to remember that the second piece of my question was just about the trigger sessions. How important are those two? You know, context, the results.

[Adam Schaefer]

Context matters. Yeah, context matters. I right now, what's going to get you the best results is the appropriate level of exercise based on the context of your life. So if you don't do trigger sessions, then not a big deal. That's totally fine. It's completely fine.

[Justin Andrews]

Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's it. Yeah. Can I send you Maps 15 if you don't have that? I think I like that program for you as well at some point too.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, that would be great. I don't have that one.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, we'll send that to you.

[Sal DiStefano]

Awesome.

[Adam Schaefer]

And was this, is this a baby girl? Baby boy.

[Justin Andrews]

A girl. I have a three year old boy, so this one's a girl.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, great. That's awesome. Congratulations.

[Justin Andrews]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[Adam Schaefer]

You got it. We'll send you 15. Okay.

[Sal DiStefano]

Doing good.

[Adam Schaefer]

Kim, you did everything right. You did everything right.

[Sal DiStefano]

So just keep listening to your body.

[Justin Andrews]

Good to hear. Thanks, guys.

[Adam Schaefer]

You got it.

[Justin Andrews]

Bye.

[Adam Schaefer]

I love those. Those kinds of questions. I like what she said. Having one was a vacation compared to two. It's so true. You know, it's funny when you talk to people with like four, they're like. You're like, how do you do it? And they're like, after three, it doesn't matter. It just. It doesn't matter.

[Doug]

So the same.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, dude. So, yeah, but you're, You're. You know, I just want women to understand this. The reality of, Of. Of fitness pre, during, and postpartum is. It's a year or two, typically two. So you get these fitness influencers that give just the. The worst expectations that just. I've never seen it in real life. It just doesn't work that way.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. I mean, the big thing for me was to hear her say that the reason why she didn't like starter was just because it just saw how many days a week it was.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

What I was concerned about was, oh.

[Adam Schaefer]

It'S boring or easy.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yes.

[Doug]

It's not hard.

[Sal DiStefano]

That would tell me. Okay. She has a tendency to probably over train, but it's. She did all the right things. So as long as she listens to her body and I'm glad you touched on the following. The program that way. I think sometimes people get so hung up and it's got to be this schedule. Yeah, schedule in the week. It's like, no, stretch it out. You know, Stretch it out. It's not that big of a deal, especially in this context of, like, we really want to make sure that we're paying attention to nutrition and sleep and. And stress and all the other things that come with having two kids. That becomes the biggest priority. And staying healthy. And then, yeah, we work out when we can work out.

[Adam Schaefer]

Our next caller is Amanda from Massachusetts. Amanda, what's happening?

[Sal DiStefano]

How you doing, Amanda? Hello.

[Zoe Saldana]

How are you?

[Sal DiStefano]

Good. How are you? We're doing good.

[Doug]

How are you?

[Zoe Saldana]

Doing good, thanks. First of all, I have to say, love your. Love your. Love your stuff. You're hilarious. You make me laugh every time I listen to you guys, and I've just learned so much from you.

[Adam Schaefer]

Thank you.

[Doug]

Great.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, you're welcome. How can we help you?

[Zoe Saldana]

Okay, so basically, I'm doing my first bulk and cut. So I bulked over the winter, and now I'm doing my cuts. I'm six weeks in, trying to do it for 12 weeks. But the number on the scale is just not budging at all. I'm about 3 to 400 calories in a deficit of about 3 to 400 calories, and I don't think I could do any more than that. I'm pretty hungry. So what do you guys have to say? For someone who's doing a cut, whether it's their first time or their 12th time, who's not seeing progress on the scale, how do I keep going and keep moving along?

[Adam Schaefer]

Well, hold. Okay, hold on, because I'm reading your question that you wrote in. Tell me about the caliper measurements going down. So explain that.

[Zoe Saldana]

Okay, so I. I did start with the caliper. It's the first time I've ever used one, and I started at about 28. Body fat. Again, I wasn't quite sure how to use it, but I sort of took an average of all my measurements. So starting at 28%, but that has gone down to 26%. So I have seen that move a little bit, but nothing on the scale.

[Sal DiStefano]

Well, that's. Amanda. Amanda. We call that. We call that the goldilocks zone, the amazing space. Yeah, that's called you're perfect is what that's called. That. But let me tell you, maintenance.

[Adam Schaefer]

So, no, you lost fat.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, you're losing. You're losing body fat. So. Okay, so a couple things. Let's first two, because I guess there's. There is still some room for improvement. So I would say this is amazing. Where are your current calories at right now? How many. How much are you eating a day?

[Zoe Saldana]

I'm about 1700 to 1800.

[Sal DiStefano]

Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

Not too bad.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. And then how. What's your movement look like? How many times a week are you training? Do you check your steps? Like, how much are you moving?

[Zoe Saldana]

So I up my steps to about 12 to 15,000 a day.

[Sal DiStefano]

Okay.

[Zoe Saldana]

Usually I was at about 10,000. I'm working out Monday through Friday doing, like, strength and Pilates. I kind of backed off of the heavy weights and just trying to focus more on my steps. Not really doing too much cardio.

[Sal DiStefano]

Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

That doesn't. That doesn't sound bad at all. How do you feel in the gym when you work out? How's your performance? How's your energy?

[Zoe Saldana]

A little more tired lately as the cuts. As I've gotten deeper into my cut, a little bit more tired. So not lifting as heavy of weights. And that was another thing thinking, if I'm not going to be gaining muscle. So I felt like the scale would definitely drop. But it's been a little frustrating seeing that. But it's nice to hear that you guys think I'm on the right track. Maybe.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. So if I were to rank ways of measuring body composition change, one of the worst ways is the scale. So the scale measures total body mass, which is body fat, water, muscle, organs, hair. Like, it's everything. Right. Calipers are a more accurate measure of body fat. Now, there is a. There is room for error with calipers, but the fact that it went down is a good sign. And so I would continue to test your body fat percentage with calipers every two weeks to see if it continues to move in a downward direction if it keeps going down. If the next time you test it it's 25 or 24, you're definitely getting leaner. Okay.

[Zoe Saldana]

Regardless of the scale.

[Adam Schaefer]

Well, then that would mean you're. You're building muscle. Now the question is, how am I building muscle if I'm not lifting as heavy? Okay. Sometimes what happens is we're over training, and not lifting as heavy means I've reduced the volume, the intensity, which might just be what your body needed to build a little bit of muscle.

[Zoe Saldana]

Yeah, that makes sense, actually, now that.

[Adam Schaefer]

You say it right. So. And you are doing a lot like strength training plus pilates. How long?

[Sal DiStefano]

Plus 12 to 15.

[Adam Schaefer]

How long are your strength training sessions? What do those look like? Monday through Friday.

[Zoe Saldana]

I mean, they're a blend of strength and Pilates together, so it's about 40 minutes.

[Adam Schaefer]

What do you mean? What is a strength and Pilates blend?

[Zoe Saldana]

So it's just an app that I'm using. It's the ladder app. And that's the program that I'm doing is kind of doing, like, lighter weights, but also there's going to be a circuit of heavier weights in there. A lot of core. Every day we're doing core exercises.

[Sal DiStefano]

Amanda, is there a reason why you're not following a mass program?

[Zoe Saldana]

I haven't yet. I'm so interested. I hear all about them. I know there's so many.

[Sal DiStefano]

Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

Just.

[Zoe Saldana]

I'm trying to start a program, finish.

[Sal DiStefano]

It, and then I. Yeah, we'll get you a better, better program.

[Adam Schaefer]

Stop that crappy program. Yeah, you want. You want some magic? You want something that's going to blow your mind, and I'm not selling anything. So I'm going to give you the razzle dazzle. I'm going to give you a maps program. Stop doing.

[Sal DiStefano]

Which one?

[Adam Schaefer]

Stop doing your Pilates mashup crappy stuff and do what we're telling you and watch what happens.

[Sal DiStefano]

And don't change anything else.

[Adam Schaefer]

Don't change anything else.

[Sal DiStefano]

Literally. Just change out the bad program for a good program.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's it?

[Doug]

Yep.

[Zoe Saldana]

Okay, which one. Which maps program would you guys do.

[Adam Schaefer]

You feel comfortable with traditional strength training exercises like barbell deadlift, squats, overhead presses, all that stuff?

[Zoe Saldana]

I do. However, I kind of. I was getting sick of them when I was doing my bulk. I was just getting sick of throwing around real heavy weights and just changing all my plates in the gym and all of that. I like. I like using dumbbells.

[Adam Schaefer]

That hurt my heart when you said that.

[Zoe Saldana]

I'm gonna every now and then.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I got two programs I could.

[Sal DiStefano]

Send math 15 at home.

[Adam Schaefer]

Either. Well, either Muscle Mommy, I think, or simple symmetry, if you like something different. Okay, so. And you're in the gym five days a week?

[Zoe Saldana]

I have a gym at my house, but yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

And you like dumbbell exercises?

[Zoe Saldana]

I do, yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Let's go. Map symmetry. Okay.

[Zoe Saldana]

Map symmetry.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Zoe Saldana]

And then keep everything the same and try the new program.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. And you know what? Let's have you back on in three months because I can't wait to hear about what happens.

[Zoe Saldana]

Okay. I'd love to do that.

[Adam Schaefer]

All right. We're going to send that to you.

[Zoe Saldana]

Okay, Thanks a lot, guys.

[Adam Schaefer]

Now don't do this. Don't add a crapload of cardio.

[Doug]

Cardio.

[Adam Schaefer]

And don't get super aggressive with your cut. Be very patient and smooth and. And then do caliper measurements every two weeks. Okay?

[Zoe Saldana]

All right, I'm on it.

[Adam Schaefer]

All right, let's do it.

[Sal DiStefano]

All right, Amanda.

[Adam Schaefer]

Thank you, Amanda. Bye. Bye. She thinks we're funny, but she doesn't buy a mask for you. See how he looked at Justin? Because he's the funny one.

[Doug]

I didn't tell her to do Pilates.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's actually good news. It's actually good news for a trainer. When you hear what someone's doing and you see glaring like easy ways you can make things move in the right direction.

[Sal DiStefano]

Easy.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yes. Just changing your program. She's like, what is happening? My body's totally changing.

[Sal DiStefano]

I hope, though I don't know if I would have went symmetry just because.

[Adam Schaefer]

You think the volume's too much.

[Sal DiStefano]

Not only not. No, not that it really is that.

[Doug]

Even it's gonna be foreign to her.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yes. And the beginning of that program is like isometrics. Yes. So I would have went maps 15. I would kept it simple. And she. She already. To all those exercises. Getting bored of that. It's like two exercises a day. Good strength training. No Other bullshit with all her walking.

[Adam Schaefer]

You're not wrong.

[Sal DiStefano]

I would have rather seen her. I would have went.

[Adam Schaefer]

You're not wrong. I just. I'm afraid that she'd be, like, boring because it's not enough.

[Sal DiStefano]

I think symmetry is more of that. I think symmetry. If you don't. If. If you aren't sold on isometrics and know how important that is.

[Adam Schaefer]

I did say we'd have her back on, so maybe that'll motivate her to do it.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, that. Well, that part I hope, like, I hope she's just like, okay, I gotta do this, because these guys told me I gotta follow it to a T.

[Adam Schaefer]

Amanda, if you're watching this, please don't make me look bad.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, do it. Yeah, but I mean, I think. I think I. I think that her. Her choice of programming. And of course we're offending all the Pilates people that always get up in arms whenever we talk about how. How whack or weak.

[Adam Schaefer]

It's activity. It's activity. It's good for Pilates. It's fine.

[Sal DiStefano]

It's just.

[Adam Schaefer]

It's just if you want to. If you want to change.

[Sal DiStefano]

Body oversold on how good it is, though, for building muscle. Right. It's so oversold for that. Okay. It's not everybody defending right now that does it. Listen, it's great. It's not a bad thing to do. It's like telling.

[Adam Schaefer]

Like, it would be like me saying, I want to get better at golf, so I'm playing basketball.

[Sal DiStefano]

Exactly.

[Doug]

Almost as good as our.

[Sal DiStefano]

Exactly. It is not. It is not good for that. They sell you on it that it's good for building muscle. No, it is not. It's great activity. It's good for you. Totally big fan of that, being a part of your teen. But doing it with the intent of building muscle, losing body fat, it's a terrible, better option.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Doug]

You need to lift weights.

[Adam Schaefer]

Our next caller is Bryn from New York. Bryn, how's it going?

[Doug]

Hello.

[Justin Andrews]

Good.

[Adam Schaefer]

How are you guys?

[Sal DiStefano]

Good. How you doing?

[Adam Schaefer]

We're doing excellent. How can we help you? Good.

[Bryn]

Okay, so little backstory. I graduated college a year early, and instead of sitting around and watching my friends have a really fun year or get stuck in a 9 to 5, I decided to move to Sweden to work as an au pair. But my goal was to study how one of the healthiest countries in the world lives. Because I just thought there had to be a reason why everyone was so happy and healthy over there, according to. To all the research. So I headed over There did my own little lifestyle research and now I'm a group certified personal trainer, a hot yoga instructor and I'm working with a private personal training facility. And my question is, how do you actively go about inspiring subtle changes? I learned so much through my experience in Sweden and how the people live that I really want to bring that back with the community aspect and all the things I learned. But I am from a small town so it's kind of difficult to get the ball rolling and spark that. So I just wanted your guys insights on building community and growing that through pure passion, everything.

[Adam Schaefer]

Wow, that's great. So explain what you've experienced there in that town that you want to try and bring over. I mean, you're talking about connection, but how, why are they connected or how are you experiencing that? What are the things that they do.

[Doug]

Those lifestyle elements you noticed?

[Bryn]

Just little mindset things. I think especially over in Europe, the mindset's just different on per Se, like walking to the grocery store, connecting over little things. I live in a small town, it's like the only thing to do is go to the bar, to be honest, to be quite frank. And I just want people to know that there's, you know, I try to do these events like Puppy yoga is going on a workout class that's not scary. We try to teach people like fitness is fun and a foundation, it's not something to fear. But people are so comfortable with unhealthy habits that that's just hairy to navigate.

[Adam Schaefer]

Okay, so again the question is to bring the healthy stuff here to the us, to the small town and kind of build that community. It's going to be focused around, like you said, community. And I would focus on groups of people that are already friends, that are already meeting or a category where maybe they're underserved, like moms, maybe stay at home moms, bring your kids and we're gonna do some exercise. And really it's both. Yes, it's exercise, but it's also a great way for them to connect and socialize, which is also very healthy and also very motivating. People love to show up to exercise groups when they're with friends and it's something that they enjoy. So that would be one way that I would, I think, approach it. A church would be another one. You want to make it about getting the group together, to really experience life together. And oh, by the way, I also can teach you guys exercise. I can also show you guys how you can feel better through that process. And by the way, I'm going to let you know, Bryn, this is the secret to building a successful fitness business anyway. The average person doesn't become a fitness fanatic. The average person doesn't want to work in fitness. But the best, the best way we can get the average person to create this lifestyle, this long lifestyle with fitness, is to show them how it improves the quality of their life. And so one of the things I would do with my clients, and I was well aware of this, I mean, I had clients that were me for 10 years and they knew what we were going to do. They knew the extras, they had 10 years of experience, but why did they show up? They liked being there and I knew that and that was okay. It was just really creating this great relationship with exercise and nutrition. So what you're trying to do is actually one of the key secrets to building a successful in person fitness business. Anyway.

[Sal DiStefano]

Low barrier to entry, okay. To get people. And by the way, you could literally use the model here. What do we do? We sit on this podcast and we talk and help people with their health. Fitness journey, right? It's absolutely free. So low barrier, really easy, easy. It's like, okay, all we do is tune in and listen. And there's a percentage of those people that hear us continue to give value and teach and help. They go, you know what, I'm gonna try one of them programs out that they, they talk about all the time and, and they hear them answering questions and helping all these people and then they do, and then it changes their life and then they tell somebody else and then they tell somebody else and it's just a percentage game. You just continue to add value to these people's life. You make it very easy for them get to, so a walking group, a mobility class on the weekends, things that like almost anybody can do. It's not a crazy hard workout. It's just getting community, building community. While I'm doing that, I'm teaching all these valuable lessons that I've learned when I was over in Sweden and what I've learned through all my education, adding things to their life to make it improve. The more people that you impact like that, that you actually make improvement in their life, the more questions they're going to ask you. And hey, hey, do you happen to do this one on one? Or could I, could I, would you train me? Okay, then I can train that person and I get them good results. It's just this is, this is, this is business 101. Now the thing that, that is challenging for people is they expect this to happen way faster than it does, you know, I mean, when you look back at when we started this podcast, we did hundreds of episodes before we made any dollars, you know, and we were impacting thousands of people before it was even really a business. And so it just takes a long time. It's the battle of attrition. And most entrepreneurs don't have it to keep, keep going. And now those that are inspired and have this internal passion, like it sounds like you have for this, tend to be the ones that can make it because, you know, you're like, it doesn't matter if I'm, if I get rich doing this or not. It doesn't matter because I just truly want to help, help and build community and help people. And if you let that be your guiding light and you continue to do that, it will happen. It really will.

[Doug]

Yeah, I think too, just listening to like your grand vision and everything, like what I would want to do first is really get involved in, in the community, Find out like what the schedule looks like for events, like if there's even parks or there's places where you can host things and events and start understanding all the different businesses in the community. Introduce yourself to everybody in these businesses and start working collectively on some ideas. Like they're mentioning just going on a hike and like making an event out of that and, you know, bringing an already successful event into your town, you know, things like that, just to kind of start sparking something of interest that people can kind of rally behind. But really it's, it's about you spearheading it. If this is really your grand vision, like, you need to be in there and talking to a lot of these policymakers within the community setting.

[Adam Schaefer]

You know what might be a good, like, specific for this? Bryn. So you were an au pair, right? So you were, you were watching some kids when you were overseas?

[Bryn]

Yes, I was a nanny.

[Adam Schaefer]

How old were the kids?

[Bryn]

There was a two year old, a five year old and an eight year old.

[Adam Schaefer]

So what if you did this? Maybe we combine some of your experience with what Adam and Justin are talking about. What if you did this? What if once a week you organized a mommy and me hike or mommy and me walk with exercise and it's free, you don't charge anything for it. And you get together five, six moms and once a week you meet together and then what you're doing is going for a walk, you're talking with them, you're helping them with the kids because you have experience with that and you start the workout or the walkout with some mobility and some stretching, and then we walk. And then after 10, 15 minutes, all right, everybody, let's pause here. We're gonna do some squats or whatever, and then you do another walk. And then. And then. And you just kind of make it this thing. But then everybody's also talking and connecting. And then they love you because, oh, my gosh, she's so good with the kids, because that's a great skill. And moms love that. If you love their kids, they love you. And if you did this once a week, like what Adam was saying, and they start to love you and like you, here's what's gonna naturally happen. One of the moms is gonna have questions about nutrition.

[Doug]

The network starts.

[Adam Schaefer]

Another mom's gonna be like, hey, you know, what else can I do for working out? And you can give them advice and you can say, hey, you know, if you want, I also offer one on one coaching, and it's through text. And we can also meet in person. And then before you know it, you start getting clients. But it starts out, you know, once a week with something like that. That's low barrier. Like Adam said, it's totally free. And I think it combines your expertise in fitness and the fact that you're probably really good with kids.

[Sal DiStefano]

You know, I. I grew. I grew up in a small town like that one one main road down the middle. Four bar. Four bars. And you know, that's. Everybody went to and they. Now there was a. A local gym there, and there was. There was always a gym, one gym that existed in that town. And after college and I went on to the Bay Area and stuff, I had a good friend of mine I went to high school with with. She built an incredibly successful business, fitness business there. And if I had to tie it to one thing that she did really well was she did such an incredible job with the community thing. She. There was. She was always throwing big parties and events, and she had challenges and she had hikes, and she. She just got in the community and.

[Adam Schaefer]

It was like a thing to do.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, she became very. What the advantage she had. I was so surprised how successful she was financially, because it never crossed my mind that I think she could have been. I just was just like, that's such a terrible place to go. There's nobody there. All they want to do is drink beer. But her, she thought I could be the one. I could be the fitness person of the town. And so she. She became that. She became the go to person when it came anything, health and Fitness related because, and because it was so small, it was pretty quick and easy for her to become that person. She quickly was known by every business entity that was there as this is where you go to if you have questions about health, fitness, nutrition, anything. You go to her because corner the market. She did, she cornered it really quick and, and you know what, she had a really successful business out of that. Yeah, she didn't make millions and millions of dollars. But I tell you what, anybody and everybody that was interested in anything fitness related was coming to her in that town.

[Doug]

Yeah, you just immerse yourself completely. I mean go to all the baseball games, go to all the things and you just, you're just a face that everybody can recognize. And yeah, I think that it just organically will really like like open up once you start connecting to them.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's right.

[Bryn]

Yeah. And that's what I've been trying to do like already I pitched to the schools like this field trips so they could come to the facility and the kids did like a 20 minute yoga, 20 minute like mini perfect and like 20 minutes of nutrition. We had a few classes booked that and it went great. I'm doing fitness on the farm. There's like a regenerative farm here and we're doing like a boot camp here pre sell it like tickets. We're doing puppy yoga and kitten yoga, like proceeds go to the organizations type of thing. Because I just want people to know like there is things in their community and like not just sit kind of stuck in their houses like almost doom scrolling terrified of life. I just feel like speaking to my friends my age. That's like the common consensus here. And I don't know, I just am trying to get people back.

[Doug]

Yeah, you're doing the right thing.

[Adam Schaefer]

You're doing great brand, you're doing really good.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, this is why I like like walking groups. I don't know how familiar you are with like strides. I mean this is how strides got their start. Just I think that's so easy like just walking groups. Like literally just becoming the, the person who organizes this, this walk every morning or every day or once a week at least where everybody in town knows. Oh yeah, you know what, we can meet up with Bran at 7am she always does that walk, you know and it's because, because all levels of fitness can do that. It makes it easy. The hard part about like running boot camps and things that are a little more challenging is you tend to only get the people that like would want to get a boot. Like get a challenging Class, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just, it, it just eliminates a good percentage of people that were like, you know what? I, I, I know I need to at least walk, right? So you get everybody who's like. And you'll get even some really fitness enthusiasts that are like, already fit, and they're like, I love that someone's organizing a group social walk that we can all do. And it's in that walk that I have the opportunity to talk about my boot camp class, to talk about my yoga thing I do, and to talk about all the other things that I can help people out with. But it's like, let's just start to get, build this community. Like, my number one goal if I'm you right now is like, can I build a morning walk that has 50 people? How sick would that be? 50 people walking?

[Bryn]

That sounds amazing, right?

[Sal DiStefano]

Wouldn't that be amazing? And what, and it's doable. It's so do, it's so doable, right? Like, you could get to a place where it's like, can I build a community of businesses?

[Doug]

Will want to donate to it as well.

[Sal DiStefano]

And then can you imagine? Because I know it's like to live in a small town where there's like one Main street, like everybody, 7am 50 people walking down the street. People are like, what the is going on? Who is that? And then that will create so much attention. That's what's cool about a small town is that is very doable to be, to create a wave like that, that everybody's like, what's going on? And then that's a great way for you to get attention.

[Adam Schaefer]

Like, how long, by the way, how long have you been kind of doing this in this town? And how big is the town? How many people?

[Bryn]

It's like 15,000 people. And I've been doing it. When did I come back? Like, February, beginning of February.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, you're killing it.

[Doug]

Yeah, yeah. You're just getting started.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. If you keep doing this and just being consistent and just kind of organize this, like, very, very quickly, within a year or two, you'll kind of become the fitness mayor of the town. Especially that you're 22 and you're doing this already. Like, this is really great. You're going to do this is like, just stay consistent. Okay. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't happen. Wanna. No, no, no, you're fine.

[Bryn]

Or lose focus.

[Adam Schaefer]

No, no, give it like another year, literally. And then you're gonna become like the kind of like the fitness mayor and it's gonna turn into this great business. You're literally doing all the right. You have the right attitude too.

[Sal DiStefano]

Focus on the getting 50 people to walk with you. That is going to.

[Adam Schaefer]

I think that'll go great.

[Sal DiStefano]

That, that'll be. That'll already be a little bit of a challenge. That's going to take some effort and time just to do that. And that'll be a huge accomplish. That'll be a huge accomplishment. That'll be huge.

[Bryn]

That's perfect.

[Sal DiStefano]

The town I grew up in was. Is 19, 000 people. So just like you. Okay. Just like that. And so I can totally picture what that looks like and what it would take to become that person. And so a great first goal is I'm gonna start this walk that happens every morning at a certain time. And my goal is to get 50 people showing up for free. If you do that, I think all the other things will.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, yeah, you'll get clients out of that for sure.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yep.

[Bryn]

Yeah, I love that. That's a great idea. I'm definitely gonna run with that.

[Sal DiStefano]

All right, cool. I'd love to hear back from you.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

Because this would be really cool to watch this unfold.

[Bryn]

All right, thank you guys so much.

[Sal DiStefano]

Keep us posted. Bren.

[Justin Andrews]

Awesome.

[Bryn]

I will.

[Justin Andrews]

Thank you.

[Adam Schaefer]

Got it.

[Sal DiStefano]

All right.

[Adam Schaefer]

I love seeing someone her age with that kind of attitude.

[Doug]

Passionate.

[Adam Schaefer]

She has the right attitude. I think what people mess up with something like this is a, they expect to make money right away and B, they don't have the patience and consistency to let it unfold because it's going to take some time.

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, got it.

[Adam Schaefer]

But once you do it like what you said, Adam, I think, think. I mean, if she can. If she kept doing that, within a year, it very well could have 50 people walking. And before you know it, lots of people know who she is in the town and she'll get clients.

[Sal DiStefano]

Well, listen, I get the opportunity to talk to a lot of different trainers that have business ideas and depending on how they approach the question is like, how bluntly honest I am with like the business idea. Like, I would tell someone like this, typically, this is a terrible business idea. The reason why I would is cause because just mathematically it is going to be hard and just. And it's going to take a lot of time to make any money whatsoever. Right, but you talk about the stat all the time about the most motivated people are not people with the highest paying jobs. It's the people that's volunteers. So. And she comes across as me.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's what I'm saying her attitude was right.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. Is that she's so passion driven to help and change her community that that is what will carry her on on. And so if she leads with that first of like just how do I impact this community and do something easy and simple and fun and get like walk, start a walking group every morning and see if you can grow that thing to 50 people. If 50 people. And I know it's like to be in that exact size town, there's only one main road that goes down to town like that everybody sees. If there's 50 people walking that, I mean if 10 people are walking, you're gonna, you're gonna break that, you're gonna break necks. 50 people walking down together every single morning. You're definitely gonna get tension.

[Adam Schaefer]

Trust the purpose and everything else will follow.

[Sal DiStefano]

Our next caller is Paolo from Japan. Paolo, what's happening doing man?

[Doug]

What's up dude?

[Paolo]

Oh, this is amazing. What's up guys?

[Adam Schaefer]

How you doing? How can I help you, dude?

[Paolo]

Yeah, so let me jump into it. I'm expat, living here in Japan, husband, father of a 7 year old and a 1 year old pastor and then teacher. I'm used to rely on, I used to rely on cardio for exercise but resistance training and finding new guys has changed everything. So now I focus on getting stronger just to keep up with my kids. I've done max 15 anabolic and I'm finishing my second round of massive performance. Toward the end of each program. About midway of phase three, I often feel burnt out sick. I started putting in rest weeks between each phase and recently brought down the intensity about by about 20%. Just helped me stop getting sick as often during the final phase in addition to helped me get better sleep. So my question is, is there anything I could do to recover better or build a more resilient cms? So I don't need to do rest weeks as often or should I just stay the course?

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, great question. I think what you're doing is in the right direction, so that's good. But the question is like how do I improve my ability to recover? Well, there's a few big places or first places I would look, things like sleep and nutrition. But then there are other things that can cause susceptibility to illness like vitamin D deficiency or nutrient deficiency. Have you ever gotten those tested? Have you ever seen where your vitamin D levels are?

[Paolo]

No, I haven't.

[Adam Schaefer]

Okay. I noticed that you're darker complexion like I am. The odds that you're vitamin D deficient or not in optimal range, goes up significantly higher whenever you're darker. So the average person here in the US at least 60%. It goes up as high as 80%. When you start to have darker skin, you can either just start supplementing with vitamin D or get it tested first and see if you need it. The side effects of suboptimal vitamin D are repeated illness potential, low energy, inability to recover, that kind of stuff. So I would look there. How is your sleep, sleep now? Is it consistent, is it good, or do you find it kind of up and down? It's consistent.

[Paolo]

I'm thinking about like seven hours. It could be more. Honestly. Again, I have a one year old at home, so usually when she's up, you know, check if she's up there. It could be better, but average about 7. And actually I've been able to sleep the whole time.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, good, good. And then what, what's your work schedule like? I saw you're a pastor and a teacher. Are you working a ton?

[Paolo]

So I've been the scroll for nine to five about. And then I do task force stuff like in the evenings and on the weekends.

[Adam Schaefer]

Okay. I think honestly, you're. I think everything's fine. I think adjusting the intensity is the best thing to do. There are little hacks here and there, but they don't make that big of a difference. I'll be quite honest with you. Whenever somebody's like, ah, I'm not recovering well. I look at sleep, lifestyle, nutrition.

[Sal DiStefano]

How good are you about consistently hitting your protein intake?

[Paolo]

I've been using a lot of shakes, but now I'm trying to reduce the amount of shakes. Just get it from, from all natural foods. But I've been hitting up. This is about 135 grams.

[Adam Schaefer]

Okay, okay. And, and have you been getting stronger in these programs?

[Paolo]

Yeah, definitely 100.

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, you're fine, bro. Yeah, there's a. There's also. Okay, let's say it is a vitamin D deficiency. If that's the case, it'll be like miraculous when you start to supplement. It'll make a big difference. But let's say that's not the issue. Everything's fine, levels are fine, optimal vitamin D, everything's good. There's a wide variance in just how people adapt to exercise. And so oftentimes we look at and we judge our ability to, you know, recover and we're like, oh, my God, what's wrong with me? Well, you're getting stronger, you're improving. Nothing. Like, you're good. You're totally good. Good. You don't need more strength training. If you're improving, you're doing phenomenal. So I think what you're doing by taking extra rest and adjusting the intensity is absolutely perfect.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, I think you're doing way better than you realize. And I bet you, I. I mean, I'm willing to bet the vitamin, vitamin D thing is going to be a nice, a nice help. At the bare minimum, there's a really good chance. If you haven't had that tested, you don't take that. You're probably lacking that. I know the difference of when I'm consistent with it and when I'm not and when I'm inconsistent with it, it's always when I'm. I'm getting colds and sick.

[Adam Schaefer]

Like, it's.

[Sal DiStefano]

So there's a good chance that, that that'll already start to help and then keep. Can keep. Continue doing what you're doing. Math 15 is such a great program. I think that the thing, the mistake everybody makes is everybody thinks they need to be doing more.

[Adam Schaefer]

You're getting stronger, though.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Doug]

Work and keep going.

[Adam Schaefer]

Paolo, my, my dad is like my complexion, right? And my dad is always outside. Like he's doing yard work, he's doing his garden, he's on his motorcycle. And my dad had all these weird symptoms and they were prescribing all kinds of different things. Thought it was arthritis. Why do I have low energy? Why am I hurting? Whatever. We, we did not suspect he had a vitamin D deficiency because he's always outside. Well, and we're in California. It's a sunny most time. He went and got tested, he was severely low, started supplementing. All the symptoms went away. So I, I think. And they're. It's cheap, right? A vitamin D level test is really cheap. Sleep. It also doesn't hurt to supplement with. Anyway, you know, 2,5000 IUs a day just to see what happens. And so that might just be what it is. But even if that's not it, you're great. If you're improving, don't touch it. Don't touch anything. You're doing a good job.

[Paolo]

Right? Awesome. I guess on top of that, then, or along with that, if I'm taking rest weeks and I know saw you were saying, like you like to be in the gym, just do a demo week. Would it be better for like you need to do a more of a mobility.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yes.

[Paolo]

Or just to drop the intensity. Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

No, no, no, no. Yeah. No, go in there and do mobility. Yeah. Mobility is great for active recovery and it'll Also improve your performance when you get back to lifting weights. Absolutely.

[Paolo]

Okay, great. Awesome. Thanks, guys. Thank you so much.

[Sal DiStefano]

Keep it up, man.

[Doug]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Good job, dude. You're doing great.

[Paolo]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, well.

[Adam Schaefer]

All right, man. Take it easy.

[Paolo]

Actually, can I just say something real quick?

[Sal DiStefano]

Oh, of course.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

Go ahead.

[Paolo]

Yeah. Thank you guys for everything you guys do to help us in our personal journeys. Justin, your methods and the way you teach and perform, you bring really healthy. I feel that there's plenty to learn and enjoy the process. Adam, your growth mindset is incredible. You're driving yourself helps to drive others. And thank you, but I'm sorry. It's definitely peanut butter first. And Sal, your pursuit of strength physically, professionally, and recently spiritually shows that health is way more than how much I can lift or numbers on the scale. So truly inspiration. Thank you.

[Sal DiStefano]

Thank you.

[Paolo]

But, yeah, his spirit of excellence really comes through in every episode, so. But the whole team. Dylan, all you guys are just fantastic, and so thank you so much for all you do.

[Sal DiStefano]

Appreciate that, man. Thank you so much.

[Adam Schaefer]

God bless. Thank you, dude.

[Paolo]

Thank you, guys. Take it easy.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, I think it's. It's really wild. The. The variance of just tolerance to exercise. And at the end of the day, it's like, are you getting more fit and stronger? Who cares? Yeah, yeah, it doesn't matter.

[Sal DiStefano]

I'm super curious to hear his. The difference of taking vitamin D. It's wild.

[Adam Schaefer]

When I. When I looked at the Data, it was 60, which is most people. And then when I looked at it was African Americans 80. Was it 83%. And so if you're. You're, like, not white and you're a little tan or olive complected or. Or black, the odds that you're gonna have a vitamin D deficiency if you don't supplement are very high. And a vitamin D deficiency, extreme deficiency can cause some pretty loud symptoms. But just not being optimal is like, I'm getting sick, not recovering as well.

[Doug]

Yeah, you'll feel it.

[Adam Schaefer]

Don't feel as great. A little bit of anxiety.

[Sal DiStefano]

It sure sounded like that to me.

[Adam Schaefer]

It did, yeah.

[Sal DiStefano]

Yeah. So I want. That's why I so curious to see. Because that could be like, such a small thing. Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

And there you go. Look, if you like the show, come find us on Instagram. Justin is at Mindpump. Justin, I'm at Mindpump. DiStefano. Adam is at Mindpump. Adam, thank you for listening to Mind Pump. If your goal is to build and shape your body dramatically improve your health and energy and maximize your overall performance. Check out our discounted RGB super [e-mail] the RGB Super Bundle includes Maps, Anabolic Maps, Performance and Maps Aesthetic Nine months of phased expert exercise programming designed by Sal, Adam and Justin to systematically transform the way your body looks, feels and performs with detailed workout blueprints and over 200 videos. The RGB Super Bundle is like having Sal, Adam and Justin as your own personal training, but at a fraction of the price. The RGB Super Bundle has a full 30 day money back guarantee and you can get it now. Plus other valuable free [e-mail] if you enjoy this show, please share the love by leaving us a five star rating and review on itunes and by introducing Mind Pump to your friends and family. We thank you for your support and until next time, this is Mind Pump.