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Welcome to the Eat, Play, Crush podcast. I am your host, Mary Shenouda. Over my career as a performance chef and specialist to some of the most elite athletes and entertainers, I found that the gap between what they do and what you can accomplish is much more relatable than we make it seem. Performance and wellness should be inclusive, and I believe that if you have a body, you're performing at some level, whether you're a world-class athlete or simply someone like you and me. And it goes far beyond just nutrition. So my aim with this podcast is to share real-life stories, tips, and not tricks to inspire and make a difference so that you may eat well, play hard, and crush life.
Responsibility and accountability form the bedrock of personal integrity and growth. While being responsible means acknowledging our role in actions and decisions, understanding their impact, accountability is the bridge that transforms responsibility into tangible growth, requiring us to answer for our choices and learn from them. Together, they craft a powerful narrative of self-awareness, pushing us to navigate life with purpose, resilience, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Today’s guest needs no further introduction, but for those who don’t know him yet, Andre Iguodala is a legendary basketball player. During his career, Andre played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat and the Golden State Warriors. He played a crucial role in the Warriors' success, contributing to 4 NBA championships with the team. Andre was recognized for his outstanding performance and impact on the court, earning the NBA Finals MVP (Most Valuable Player) award in 2015.
Embark on a captivating storytelling journey with Andre as the conversation unfolds organically, spanning from Andre's morning routine and tech insights to his small-town upbringing and the struggles that shaped him. Exploring individuality, emotional intelligence, and the significance of teamwork, this episode navigates the complexities of life, mentorship, and the pursuit of purpose.
As Andre shares his non-negotiables in collaboration and insights on responsibility in young athletes, he touches on contemporary issues, including healthcare and the perceived decline of grit in society. In the concluding moments, Andre imparts a powerful reminder to surround oneself with those who uplift and bring out the best.
What We Discussed:
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Valuing your worthiness involves recognizing and appreciating your inherent value as a human being, independent of external factors or validation from others. By nurturing a positive relationship with yourself and honoring your inherent worth, you can cultivate a deeper sense of fulfillment, confidence, and resilience in all areas of your life.
Today, let’s welcome renowned relationship expert Vienna Pharaon. Vienna is a licensed marriage and family therapist and one of New York City’s most sought after relationship therapists. She has practiced therapy for over fifteen years and is the founder and owner of the group practice, Mindful Marriage and Family Therapy.
Vienna and Mary touch on the essence of human existence and the dynamics of relationships. Explore the origins of our identity and the restorative power found in therapy and discover the delicate balance between self-assurance and vulnerability, and the importance of expanding our skill sets to navigate life's complexities.
Together, they unpack the intricate landscape of emotional wounds that shape our interactions and perceptions. From the struggle with self-worth to the challenges of belonging and trust, we uncover the layers of our innermost struggles. Along the way, we challenge societal narratives and misconceptions about therapy, emphasizing the significance of genuine connections and emotional honesty.
Join us as we unravel the complexities of human emotion, relationships, and self-discovery in this transformative episode.
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Anxiety is like a tricky friend we all know. It's not just everyday worry; it's that feeling when your mind won't quiet down, and your heart races for no clear reason. It makes normal stuff feel like a big deal. Living with anxiety means sometimes facing those fears and finding moments to relax. It's not a flaw but just part of being human. .
Reality television personality, actor, author, and podcast host Vinny Guadagnino joins Mary in a raw and authentic conversation about embracing vulnerabilities and overcoming anxiety. They talk about diverse topics, ranging from the initiation into the world of keto to the psychological intricacies of perfectionism. Unfiltered authenticity is championed, emphasizing the importance of being raw and real both online and offline.
Sleep, anxiety, and the profound link between them surface, unveiling the potential for perception change to facilitate better sleep. Practical insights follow, offering tools to train the mind to avoid overreaction. As the episode draws to a close, personal revelations abound—from navigating OCD, structure, and rigidity to gaining a sense of dietary boundaries. The revelation that "your food has a face" serves as a poignant reminder of the often-overlooked interconnectedness of our choices.
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Building a community where you can work on personal growth, be your genuine self, and thrive in what you do best is what we all need. We need people that will push us to our limit and influence us to become better, stronger, and wiser.
Actor, stuntman, former professional MMA fighter, and entrepreneur Tait Fletcher joins Mary in a vulnerable and genuine conversation about growth and healing. Tait Fletcher is known for his roles in movies and TV shows, including appearances in "Breaking Bad," "John Wick," and "The Mandalorian."
They kick things off by diving into the quest to understand Mary’s pain and illness, a journey that became the catalyst for significant transformation. They also explore the importance of doing what you love and building on those passions, navigating the complex emotions of always feeling like the 'big kid,' and the profound sense of disconnection from life.
The narrative takes a poignant turn as we address the weight of suicidal thoughts and the crucial act of reaching out to those in need. From the evolution of communities to the film industry's wild twists, the two dive deep into the mysteries of our bodies, the slow road of growth, and the positive impact one can have on their community.
This conversation is a tale of resilience, revelation, and the unwavering pursuit of well-being. It's a reminder that growth is a journey, and sometimes, all we need to do is keep trying.
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In a very personal episode, Mary sits down to talk about her personal journey. She had suffered a lot in her younger years not knowing she had gluten intolerance and later found out that she had full-blown Celiac. The choice was either to depend on what the doctors tell her and be on medication all her life or start working on herself.
Mary assessed her food choices and stumbled upon a paleo diet and how to restart gut health. As she ventured more into eating food that worked for her, she got her first client which then started the chain of clients that ultimately led to her becoming a performance chef. It’s a journey truly worth sharing.
In the second part of the episode, Mary answers some questions from her community where she gladly shares her tips on nutrition, proper diet, and eating right for optimal performance.
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Embracing the cliché "New year, new you" as a powerful motivator, many of us strive to shed the burdens of the past and reinvent our journey with the turn of the calendar. Life itself often prompts us to reassess, recalibrate, and make substantial changes. Decisions, inherently uncertain, become stepping stones to accumulated experience and wisdom, shaping our readiness for transformative shifts.
In our first episode of 2024, Mary invites you to reflect on three pivotal questions she initiates her year with: What do you want to start doing, stop doing, and continue doing? Honest responses to these inquiries pave the way for a purposeful path in the coming year.
Mary imparts invaluable advice on dietary enhancements for a healthier, more energized body. She explores the intricacies of a gut reset, providing personalized insights into navigating this process successfully.
The episode also offers a succinct recap of enlightening conversations with revered experts from past interviews. If you haven't tuned in yet, now's the perfect time to dive into these wealths of knowledge.
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The goal was always to solve problems for people. This is one of the mantras that Jon Bier lives by and has helped him succeed in what he does best. Jon Bier is the founder and chief executive of Jack Taylor PR, a boutique public relations agency with offices in Brooklyn and Venice Beach.
Jon sits down with Mary in a conversation that revolves around PR, winning clients, growing a brand, and running a successful business. There is no shortcut to success and Jon knows the kind of work one needs to put in to get to the top. It’s not an easy task to tackle, but it is definitely now impossible to achieve.
The duo talks about how providing value to your customers can help you win them over, the tactics used by people who manage to build a billion-dollar brand, and the importance of focusing on consumer-based solutions when dealing with client needs and requests.
Jon also shares snippets of his life before he became a PR brand himself, how he found love, life living on a farm, and how changing his lifestyle has made him a changed man.
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“The hardest part of improving your fitness and nutrition is finding someone that understands why you struggle.” And the best person who can help you overcome this struggle is someone who has helped prominent and successful people overcome the same struggle themselves.
Born Fitness is one of the leading brands when it comes to getting back in shape and taking care of your overall health and wellness. And the man behind this is Adam Bornstein. Adam is a nutrition advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He's also the founder of Pen Name Consulting, the former Chief Nutrition Officer at Ladder, and the Vice President of Nutrition for FitOn, the largest fitness app in the world.
With candor and authenticity, Adam unravels the layers of his career evolution and shares pivotal moments that shaped his path. Discover how to become so exceptional that clients can't ignore you, drawing from Adam's rich experiences in working with industry giants like Tim Ferris and managing Arnold Schwarzenegger's media infrastructure.
The episode isn't just about professional success; it delves into the human aspects of keeping people engaged in your product, dismantling the illusion of a magic solution, and why Adam wrote the book, "You Can't Screw This Up."
The conversation extends to the challenges of nutrition education and practical solutions to issues of cost, convenience, and compliance. As the episode unfolds, listeners gain access to Adam's strategies for setting up for success, adding layers of authenticity and wisdom to the narrative.
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Before the success of Deuce Gym, Logan Gelbrich was a professional baseball player turned fitness professional and entrepreneur. He is known for his work in the fitness and wellness industry, particularly in the realm of strength and conditioning. His expertise extends to areas like strength training, functional fitness, and holistic well-being.
As a former athlete himself, Logan understood the importance of strength training. When he founded the Deuce Gym, his goal was to create a safe space for people, especially aspiring athletes, to develop and maximize their full potential.
Logan sits down with Mary to talk about the early days of Deuce Gym and why he built it, insights on creating value from a successful CEO, the nuances of leadership, the challenges of reconciling troubles, and the art of making sacrifices for small wins.
We also touch on personal struggles amid growing success, understanding when to stay grounded in the most challenging situations, fostering meaningful connections ultimately leading to a bonded community, and the profound impact of pursuing your purpose while in service to others.
With Logan's continuous journey for personal growth, we get to listen to his approach to creative problem-solving, and the commitment to showing up better every day. Explore the world Logan is building and gain insights into when one truly knows they've made it.
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Going Right: A Logical Justification for Pursuing Your Dreams
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Mark Sisson is an OG in the health and wellness space, celebrated for advocating primal/ancestral living.
He’s the author of the popular “The Primal Blueprint” and the man behind the influential 'Mark's Daily Apple' platform which led to becoming the founder of Primal Kitchen which sold for $200 million just a few short years after it launched and can be found on almost every store shelf nationwide.
Mark is no stranger to going against the grain and taking on challenges as a lifetime triathlete, creating solutions and products to solve for himself first before taking it to market and he’s on a mission to do that again with Peluva, shoes designed to offer a comfortable, barefoot-like experience.
In this episode, Mark shares his journey into the 'Primal' lifestyle out of necessity as a professional athlete back before there was any such thing as sponsors or endorsements, rolling up his sleeves in true entrepreneurial spirit to support his passion.
He shares insights from his story from doing odd jobs like painting houses to support his running passion to hitting it big with Primal Kitchen to the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur and why family always comes first for him.
Mark also dives into the story behind 'Peluva'—the shoes he created for comfy, barefoot walking. He spills the beans on getting the best shoe designers on board and the long process of making these shoes just perfect.
Join us as Mark dishes out advice for folks looking to start their own thing and shares why he thinks everyone can benefit from wearing Peluva shoes. It's a chat that's all about good vibes, cool shoes, and making life a bit comfier!
What We Discussed:
00:00 Intro
00:38 The story behind how Mark and I first met
02:31 How would Mark introduce himself today
03:38 Getting into the Primal lifestyle
08:01 Painting houses and doing different jobs to support his running career
13:18 Why Mark’s success is earned
14:12 Pre-Primal Blueprint ventures
19:25 Building “Primal Kitchen”
24:53 The ups and downs of being an entrepreneur
26:49 Mark on selling Primal Kitchen to Kraft Heinz Company
27:57 Managing stress and discomfort
30:50 Family first, success second
34:30 “Everything I created was for me first”
35:11 What inspired “Peluva”?
40:29 Hiring the best shoe designers in the world
43:01 The iterations and wear tests to perfect each shoe design
45:07 “My foot came home…”
46:53 Creating this footwear is Mark’s gift to the world
50:49 The adjustment period of wearing barefoot shoes
56:34 Why Peluva’s are the best shoes for athletes
58:49 How and where non-athletes can wear Peluvas?
1:00:19 Long term effects of wearing Peluva shoes
1:02:23 The meaning behind the name “Peluva”
1:03:34 An advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
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Amanda is a wife. A mother. A blogger. A Christian.
A charming, beautiful, bubbly, young woman who lives life to the fullest.
But Amanda is dying, with a secret she doesn’t want anyone to know.
She starts a blog detailing her cancer journey, and becomes an inspiration, touching and
captivating her local community as well as followers all over the world.
Until one day investigative producer Nancy gets an anonymous tip telling her to look at Amanda’s
blog, setting Nancy on an unimaginable road to uncover Amanda’s secret.
Award winning journalist Charlie Webster explores this unbelievable and bizarre, but
all-too-real tale, of a woman from San Jose, California whose secret ripped a family apart and
left a community in shock.
Scamanda is the true story of a woman whose own words held the key to her secret.
New episodes every Monday.
Follow Scamanda on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Amanda’s blog posts are read by actor Kendall Horn.
