The Better Man Podcast

• 126: Season 5 Finale: Wrapping Up Our Member Interview Series

  This episode is the season finale of Season 5, where I focused exclusively on interviewing Man Flow Yoga Members about their fitness journey.    I wanted to talk to down to earth guys who were making actual improvements in their health to help you understand what other men are doing to get healthier.    While some Members had life-saving stories, others were struggling with their health and fitness or still on their journey to their healthiest self.    But each Member Interview had at least one thing in common: At some point, the guys I interviewed had some sort of significant event that led them to say, enough is enough.    And from there, they started making small changes that snowballed into significant improvements in their quality of life.     I hope this Member Interview Series inspired and motivated you. And most importantly, I hope it made you realize that you’re not alone.    Here’s what I’m sharing in this episode:    The biggest takeaways from the Member Interview Series  Why slow and gradual change is the most effective long-term strategy What’s coming up in the next season of the Better Man Podcast    Other highlights include:   Why you don’t have to lose 100 pounds to significantly improve your quality of life (1:21)  What other Man Flow Yoga Members found most helpful from the Member Interview series (3:30) The biggest stumbling block most men encounter on their fitness journey (and how the Man Flow Yoga Community helps you conquer it) (6:09)  How to “borrow” success and motivation and confidence from others (7:00)    Listen now!   Other important links:    Want to unlock more flexibility and strength, reduce your risk of injury, and feel your absolute best over the next 7 days? Then join the FREE 7-Day Beginner’s Yoga for Men Challenge here: https://shrtlnk.co/pTVc7    Tired of doing a form of yoga that causes more injuries than it helps prevent? The cold, hard truth is men need yoga specifically designed for them. Well, here's some good news: You can start your 7-day free trial to Man Flow Yoga by visiting https://shrtlnk.co/kP8M7 

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• 125: You Don’t Always Have To Be Healthy To Be Healthy with Richard

  Today’s guest, our web developer Richard, has practiced Man Flow Yoga longer than any other person. He watched a few of my first ever YouTube workouts… and 12 years later, he’s still doing Man Flow Yoga 3-5x a week.    Even though he hates working out!    Since Richard has been doing Man Flow Yoga workouts for so long—and because he used the workouts to recover quicker and almost return full functionality to his knee after getting diagnosed with a rare cancer in his knee—he’s chock-full of wisdom, especially if you don’t feel like being healthy all the time.    My favorite part about Richard’s story is how he isn’t healthy all the time. He misses workouts and eats unhealthy foods sometimes. But he stays kind to himself (which used to be his biggest struggle before his cancer changed his perspective).    Despite his general aversion to working out, he’s mastered his body and mind and uses some never-before-heard tricks, like his "Arbitrary Goals” trick, to inspire himself to exercise consistently.    If you want to know more about the Man Flow Yoga lore, you struggle with being kind to yourself when you misstep, or you just secretly hate working out like Richard does but know it’s essential to a healthy life, do yourself a favor and listen to this episode.    Here’s what Richard shares:    How to workout consistently even if you hate it and don’t feel endorphins from it  Why yoga prepares your body for ANY kind of strength movements  The importance of self-compassion (and how to build it if you have none)  How to be okay with failure    And so much more, including…    How to incorporate fitness into your life even if you don’t think of yourself as an athletic person (2:30)  The weird way in-person yoga classes expect you to know how to move your muscles (and how this causes injuries for men) (4:06)  How Richard built a consistent exercise habit (even though he still does not enjoy working out) (6:13)  Why yoga sped up Richard’s recovery and gave him nearly full function of his knee after developing a rare type of cancer in his knee (7:56)  How losing too much weight can make you feel worse (and how to figure out your ideal weight) (15:49)  The "Arbitrary Goals” trick to build consistency when you’re just starting to exercise (17:57)  How to have great posture even if you’re hunched over a laptop or book all day like a gargoyle (20:51)  The single best way to start your day that prevents the sands of time from sabotaging your body (22:24)    Listen now!   Quotes from this episode’s guest:    (3:45) Man Flow Yoga was one of those ones that was like, I could do that at home by myself. I had  tried classes before and they weren't ever really my jam. I don't like the music that a lot of yoga classes have.  (6:46) I have never felt endorphins from working out.  (20:06) Right now I'm doing kettlebell training five times a week. And I am  doing complex, heavy movements. But because I also do yoga three to five times a week, I can come in and I’m the only one who’s not sure. It made me realize, “Oh, I can do things and feel fine afterwards because I have done other things, like yoga, to make me feel fine.” (22:25) If you could have a different keyboard setup, that could potentially improve posture. Or you could just do yoga in the morning. (23:53) Yoga prepares you for a lot of other strength movements just because it's the core. It's being aware of what your body is doing and where your body is moving and the planes of movement your body goes through. And that kind of branches off into almost every other type of thing you're doing—whether it's martial arts or Olympic lifting or kettles or throwing hucking logs. (28:32) Treat yourself with self-compassion. Just be kind to yourself. In everything. It's okay. If you fall off the wagon, you didn’t, you're just on a little detour. It's fine. If you eat a whole cake, it's fine. It was probably a great cake. Enjoy it.  (30:39) The first step at being really good at something is being really bad at it. (34:35) Progress isn't a straight line. It's a series of ups and downs. Other important links:    Want to unlock more flexibility and strength, reduce your risk of injury, and feel your absolute best over the next 7 days? Then join the FREE 7-Day Beginner’s Yoga for Men Challenge here: https://shrtlnk.co/pTVc7    Tired of doing a form of yoga that causes more injuries than it helps prevent? The cold, hard truth is men need yoga specifically designed for them. Well, here's some good news: You can start your 7-day free trial to Man Flow Yoga by visiting https://shrtlnk.co/kP8M7   

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• The Struggles of Starting A Weight Loss Journey with Will

  Today’s guest, Will, has struggled with his health his entire life. At six months old, he was diagnosed with congenital heart disease, and he’s been followed by medical baggage since.  About a year or so ago, after a major pacemaker removal and surgery,  Will’s doctor accidentally put in a hospital code that treated him as ultra obese, which his insurance didn’t cover.  After this, Will realized that nobody was coming to save him. That’s when he put his health in his own hands.  And Will’s had several wins and obstacles along the way. At one point, he worked out consistently for almost 90 days straight. But he also realized that he put too much on his plate at once with other areas of his health and had to step back. Despite the various setbacks he’s encountered, Will’s not giving up. He’s continuing to put one foot in front of the other and conquering any obstacles he encounters.  If you also struggle with weight loss, consistency, nutrition, or anything else that’s preventing you from being your healthiest self, Will’s story will inspire you.    In this episode, Will shares:  How to stop relying on the crutch of the healthcare system The overlooked importance of sleep and how to improve your sleep  Why overwhelm is your biggest enemy to better health (and why so many men fall into this trap in several different ways)    And more. Other highlights include: The downside of an ultra specialized health care system (7:29) How listening to too many voices and experts can prolong your journey to better health (8:53)  Simple tools that Will used to work out consistently for almost 90 straight days (12:51)  How connecting your daily energy levels to your nutrition helps make eating healthier a habit (24:36)  Why balancing several ways to improve your health at once leads to burn out (and how to better manage your health journey) (27:03)  Can going to a yoga studio as a bigger man hurt your progress? Will explains what happened to him at (31:19)  How to be your own advocate in the healthcare system (and why this is a crucial step for making the healthcare you receive actually work for you) (37:18)  Listen now! Quotes from this episode’s guest:  (3:58) The moment that the insurance stopped covering me, I realized that I no longer had that crutch of the health care system to take care of me and I needed to jump in and save myself. (15:29) I know at the end of a workout, I'm going to feel better than when I started it. (24:48) If I eat a bigger meal than I really should, I’ll feel bloating and other gut symptoms. And it makes me even more sluggish than normal. But when I’m watching what I eat and spreading my meals out correctly, I'm not as tired and my energy levels are more even throughout the day.  (30:27) If you try to take on everything all at once, you're gonna burn out quicker and you're gonna go two steps back. So you might as well just take the baby steps. Other important links: Want to unlock more flexibility and strength, reduce your risk of injury, and feel your absolute best over the next 7 days? Then join the FREE 7-Day Beginner’s Yoga for Men Challenge here: https://shrtlnk.co/pTVc7  Tired of doing a form of yoga that causes more injuries than it helps prevent? The cold, hard truth is men need yoga specifically designed for them. Well, here's some good news: You can start your 7-day free trial to Man Flow Yoga by visiting https://shrtlnk.co/kP8M7   

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• 123: Giving Yourself The Grace You Deserve with Thomas

  Today’s guest, Thomas, is pretty new to Man Flow Yoga. He’s only been doing it for a few months—and unlike most guests, his fitness journey started a couple of years before discovering Man Flow Yoga.  One day, when his hand was full with various medications he had to take because of type 2 diabetes and adult ADHD, he realized that if his life continued on this track, he might not be here in 20 years.  And so, he started taking baby steps: First he started walking every day. Then he joined Fit Father Project and dialed in his nutrition. And now he’s doing Man Flow Yoga consistently and preparing to incorporate strength training for the first time in his life.  But his journey wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. In fact, he had several setbacks—like losing 50 pounds then gaining 35 pounds of it back due to seasonal depression—that threatened to take him off his journey altogether.  Fortunately, Thomas had community support behind him that encouraged him to give himself the grace he deserved. He also learned different ways to “hack” his adult ADHD without risking his long-term health.  If you’ve fallen off the wagon or have a tendency to be your biggest critic, Thomas’s story is exactly what you need to hear today.     In this episode, John shares:    How to give yourself grace (and why this is the most important “skill” for your long-term health)  The weird behaviors his adult ADHD led to—and how he swapped these out for healthier habits  How reframing failure as setbacks makes you okay with them (instead of self-sabotaging)      And more, like these highlights:   The #1 weight loss workout in the world (and, no, it’s not yoga) (3:27)  The “Why’s Technique” for making healthier dieting decisions without feeling like you’re starving yourself (7:29)  Why do fathers specifically find it so difficult to practice self-care—and how one father conquered this (8:42)  How holistic lifestyle changes tend to be more effective, especially long-term, than fads or tactics (11:06)  Why binging foods can be a sign of adult ADHD (and how to get your “fix” in a way that supports your long-term health) (12:55)  How Thomas lost 50 pounds in 5 months (16:28)  Why changing your routine every 6 months can diminish the insidious effects of adult ADHD (17:28)  A real life example of how community reinspires you to keep pushing after experiencing a major failure or setback (22:18)  How a self-admitted night owl tricked his brain into loving the mornings (30:24)    Listen now!   Quotes from this episode’s guest:  (1:51) The final straw for me was I had gotten on so many different medications that one morning I was looking at my hand full of medications and I thought, “If I'm having to do this at 47, which I was at the time, what's it gonna be like when I'm 67?”  (7:59) I just felt like I was on track to be dead in 20 years and I thought I just had more to give to the world whether that's like my wife and kids close by or just you know community-wise.  (12:11) The biggest changes I made with my nutrition were just honestly trying to cut out the garbage foods. (22:18) When I was dealing with that seasonal depression, I gained back about 35 of those 50 pounds I lost. There was a lot of unhealthy behaviors over that winter when it came to food intake that I was dealing with. And you know, I could have let that be the end all and give up. But with the community of men who have kind of taught me to give myself grace, come back anytime, you know, these are just setbacks. I didn't hide from it. I was able to admit it. This didn't go right but I learned a lot last time and I'm gonna implement it this time and push You know push myself even further.  (39:25) One thing about your app and your material, you have a lot of variety, and a lot of content. I don't see self -getting bored with it anytime soon. (44:11) You only truly fail if you quit, so just don't quit on yourself.  Other important links:  Want to unlock more flexibility and strength, reduce your risk of injury, and feel your absolute best over the next 7 days? Then join the FREE 7-Day Beginner’s Yoga for Men Challenge here: https://shrtlnk.co/pTVc7  Tired of doing a form of yoga that causes more injuries than it helps prevent? The cold, hard truth is men need yoga specifically designed for them. Well, here's some good news: You can start your 7-day free trial to Man Flow Yoga by visiting https://shrtlnk.co/kP8M7   

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• 122: How John Used Man Flow Yoga to Recover from a Stroke

  Can yoga help you recover from a stroke?  Well, it was a massive help to today’s guest, John…  About two years ago, John suffered a mini-stroke due to a hole in his heart that never completely closed. While John’s been overweight for most of his adult life, he was still active: Lifting and doing yoga. And so the mini-stroke shocked him—especially because it happened at the ripe age of 37.  But his recovery was even more shocking. At least it was to his NHS doctors. About a week after his stroke, he picked up his yoga habit again, keeping it light by following the Absolute Beginners Challenge. And when he went back for his follow-up check-up, his doctors told him that he didn’t need physical rehab because of his yoga practice.  While this is the most impressive benefit John unlocked with Man Flow Yoga, it’s far from the only one.    In this episode, John shares:  Why yoga is the perfect complement to weight lifting  How yoga protects him from aches and pains and even strokes  The importance of family and community for staying motivated    And more, like these highlights:     How yoga can make even overweight men flexible enough to do an “almost split” (5:06)  John’s secret for getting through an 8 or 9 hour kitchen shift in a pub without any aches and pains in his muscles or joints (6:20)  Why “active stretching” can help you set new PRs in deadlift, bench press, and squat (9:12)  How John shocked his medical team to the point that they didn’t recommend physical rehab while he was recovering from a mini-stroke because he did this… (13:29)  Why your mirror might be a better barometer for weight loss than your scale (30:25)    Listen now!   Quotes from this episode’s guest:  (5:06) Man Flow Yoga is not just stretching. It's also training. I quite enjoy that it’s also building muscle and being more flexible than I’ve ever been in my life. I’ve never been flexible. And being flexible and overweight isn’t something that you ever think you would be. (6:20) Yoga affects everything. I haven't had a bad back in months. I work at a kitchen now, in a pub, and even though I'm bending over and it's on my feet all day, I haven't had any problems muscle-wise or joints-wise.  (9:12) I realised that the added flexibility rather than just the normal passive stretching made me stronger. I was lifting heavier.  (13:29) The yoga actually helped me with the physical side of recovering from a mini-stroke. It was the point where the NHS doctors said you don't need any physical rehab because you've already got the yoga. Other important links:  Want to unlock more flexibility and strength, reduce your risk of injury, and feel your absolute best over the next 7 days? Then join the FREE 7-Day Beginner’s Yoga for Men Challenge here: https://shrtlnk.co/pTVc7  Tired of doing a form of yoga that causes more injuries than it helps prevent? The cold, hard truth is men need yoga specifically designed for them. Well, here's some good news: You can start your 7-day free trial to Man Flow Yoga by visiting https://shrtlnk.co/kP8M7   

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