Ascend Lifestyle Performance Podcast

Today we're talking all about motivation! Is there something you want... maybe it's improved fitness level, to take better care of your health, or to lose weight... but your actions aren't aligned with what you want?  In other words, you say you want to get in better shape... but you never really stick with it? If so, I can relate.  And in this podcast I dive into a few big picture mindset shifts to help you bridge the gap between desire, and action. 

Do you ever feel just plain tired?  Like you don't have enough energy to do the things you want to do in life.  And you know something's going on... but when you get help, you're told you just need some down time, or to sleep more, or you need anti-depressants? Exhaustion is NOT normal.  And in this episode, I talk to Dr. Carri Drzyzga about some of the reasons we may feel exhausted all the time, and more importantly, what we can do about it. Dr. Carri Drzyzga is known internationally as ‘The Functional Medicine Doc’ – the go-to expert on finding the root causes of health problems so you can feel normal again. She is a chiropractor and naturopathic doctor, host of the popular podcast “The Functional Medicine Radio Show”, and author of the hit book “Reclaim Your Energy and Feel Normal Again! Fixing the Root Cause of Your Fatigue with Natural Treatments”. Dr. Carri is the creator of “Entrepreneurial Fatigue: How to Fuel Your Brain & Body for Entrepreneurial Success”. Her private practice is Functional Med

Imagine going an entire year eating only whole foods and no added sugar?  Now imagine doing it with two young kids. Becca Sterritt is doing just that.  She's a mom of a 5 year old and 2 year old and as of November 1st, 2015, her family is undertaking a project to live one year without sugar and processed foods.  On her blog, One Year Without, she shares delicious, easy to make recipes and lessons learned along the way. Going an entire year without eating any processed foods may not resonate with you, and Becca is not going to tell you that you should never eat anything processed, or that all sugar is bad for you.  However, she is on the podcast to share a lot of real life tips, tricks and mindset shifts so that you can transition to eating more whole, real foods.  In the interview we talk about: Why she decided to take on this project, and why she decided to say good bye to sugar for good Some of the unexpected benefits her, and her husband Adam experienced after switching to only whole foods How she deals

Today we're talking all about carbs! Carbs get so much attention these days. Are carbs good or bad? Which carbs are good? Is sugar bad for me?  And today we're going to learn why carbs are important, how much we need, and dive into simple ways to manage your carb intake. When you try one of the 'low carb' swaps, take a photo, post to Instagram or the Facebook group and tag #fitvibrantlife so I can see your creations!

Recently a client asked me about the macronutrient diet.  I was a bit confused.  Building meals that are macronutrient balanced is nothing new.  This new 'diet' though, takes things to a whole new level. Counting your ‘macros’, also known as flexible dieting, or ‘If it Fits your Macros” is a hot topic in the dieting world, especially amongst bodybuilders. “Macros” or macronutrients, simply means the ‘big’ nutrients in our diet:  carbohydrates, protein and fat.  Vitamins and minerals, on the other hand, are called micronutrients.   The macronutrient diet is simple: stick to your prescribed grams of protein, fat and carbs, and you’ll lose weight, or bulk up, or maintain your weight, whichever your goal may be. It’s touted as being more ‘flexible’, since it doesn't matter what you eat, as long as you stick to the grams of macros you’ve been allowed for the day.  This  ‘new’ diet is armed ready with calculators so determine your ‘ideal; macronutrient target, an app to track your macronutrients, websites and mea

There's a lot of confusion about body love, and taking care of one's health.  How can you love your body and want to change your body at the same time?  In this podcast I talk to Mel Wells about finding the balance between self love, and choosing health promoting food. Mel is a Hay House Author, Speaker and Coach at The Green Goddess Life  www.thegreengoddesslife.com. She empowers modern day women to stop dieting for good, by adopting a healthy, loving relationship with food, and a brand new lifestyle that reflects this. Mel has sparked ‘The Goddess Revolution’, which is taking over as the new ‘anti-diet’. This is not a fad diet or a set of rules to follow, but a revolutionary new way of thinking that will help women to end the war on their bodies, start embracing an incredibly rewarding relationship with food, and become happier and more fulfilled than they ever thought possible. Tackling very modern issues – including ‘fitspiration’ and the obsession with perfection caused by celebrity culture and magazine

I said the D Word! Call it a diet, lifestyle, eating habits, I am simply referring to the food that you put into your mouth. Undoubtedly, what you put into your body impacts how your body looks, functions, and how you feel. There are plenty of eating styles and 'diet plans' to choose from: from Atkins to the Zone, vegan to paleo, low fat to high fat and everything in between. Proponents of each diet tout that their plan is better because of X, Y and Z, and each are backed up with plenty of before and after photos and success stories. Some even have legitimate scientific evidence to ‘prove’ that the plan works. So what is the best diet?   Good question. There is no ‘best diet’- but there may be a ‘best diet’ or 'best way of eating' for you.  In this podcast I dive into a few of the key questions you need to ask when experimenting with new styles of eating.

I recently received this question from a listener: "I have really been enjoying the change of thought from good food and bad food to just food.  I'm just wondering how to start good habits with my 8 year old daughter now without it being too 'strict'" -Nancy In this episode, I talk to Juile Dillon, a 'weight neutral' registered dietitian and food behavior expert who helps her clients enjoy eating again.  She's also the host of the Love Food Podcast.  Julie says "You can raise a healthy eating adult, or you can have your child be a healthy eater today.  But you can't have both".   Using her own specialized method of nutrition counseling, Julie Dillon considers the specific needs, unique lifestyles and health concerns of her clients. She then customizes a comprehensive program that best addresses their eating difficulties.  Julie’s clients enjoy a positive, nurturing and goal-focused environment where they find invaluable resources to heal their relationship with food and enjoy the benefits of healthy eating.

We talk about 'self-care' and 'self-love'... but what the heck is it?  What does it actually mean to practice self care, and how does it relate to overall health and our relationship to food?.  This week I'm thrilled to be joined by Amber Romaniuk and Leanne Vogel to talk about just that. Amber is a Holistic Nutritionist, Speaker, emotional eating expert and leading expert on healthy eating and overcoming self-sabotage with food. You can find her at amberapproved.ca and, together with Leanne, on the No Sugar Coating Podcast (which I highly recommend listening to!).  Leanne is a Holistic Nutritionist, and author of the best selling programs: Fat Fueled and the Keto Beginning.  You can find her over at healthfulpursuit.com. On the podcast we tackle topics like: How to learn to say no to so many 'to do's' so you can free up time to take care of yourself Why self care is a critical part of developing a healthy relationship with food How to fit in self care routines when you're balancing work, family, volunteer

We often start health and fitness programs when life is good.  Maybe we're in a good routine, the kids are back in school, or things are just 'settled'  But what do we do when life gets tough... really tough In this podcast I answer a listener's question: "How do you stay on track when something BIG happens and threatens to derail your life?  What are the “basics”?   Or put another away, when your life is at DefCon 3, what are the basic requirements to stay on track?" Tune in for the answer, and if you have a question you'd like featured on the show, I'd love to hear from you!

"Weight loss is a joyous consequence".  YES! I first connected with Karina Melvin in a course we took together about writing copy.  As I got to know Karina and how she works with her clients, I knew you would love to hear from her.  I love how Karina focuses on why and how we eat, not what we eat. Karina Melvin has spent over ten years training in the fields of psychology and psychotherapy and now lectures in psychotherapy at University College Dublin and runs her own clinic, Sandymount Psychotherapy where she specializes in weight loss therapy. Her mission is to encourage people to 'ditch the diet' and learn the magic of eating for pleasure. She teaches that when you get clear on the fact that weight loss is not about what you eat but why and how you eat you will begin to enjoy a whole new way of being in your body. In the interview we talk about:     Why our bodies are hardwired to resist dieting     What it means to eat the food you enjoy and LOSE WEIGHT... and how you can too     Your personal stories

Hello body.  Let's be friends.I'm back at it with a solo episode on 10 steps to body acceptance.  I get this question a lot, and it's time I put together some action items to help you find peace with your body. To download the steps go to www.tanjashaw.com/46  

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right"When we want to improve our health, we often think about diet and exercise.  Let's 'clean up our eating' and and start hitting the gym, and everything will fall into place... right? Nope.  Not always, anyway.  We're missing a big part of the picture: stress, and our self-limiting beliefs. In this podcast, I talk to Ali McWilliams, life coach and personal trainer, about the impact of stress on our body.  The conversation organically transitioned to self talk, and how you can re-write your story and change self-limiting beliefs. In this episode you'll learn:    The differences between stress in men and women    A simple daily practice to reduce your stress (it's FREE and takes less than 2 minutes!)    How balancing your blood sugar levels can reduce stressA bit about Ali:Ali is a Life Coach, Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, Mentor, Speaker, Writer, and NBC Fitness Expert.With over 21 years of experience in the health and fitness industry

During this interview, I hung onto ever single word that Becca spoke, starting from when realized that he had gained 100 pounds in one year, and why weight gain has less to do with food, and more to do with life.  She has so much to offer, and I know you're going to fall in love with Becca and everything she has to say.I did put off releasing this episode until my new website is live.  Becca is the creative talent behind my new site, and I'm excited to share it with you!  Becca spent a lot of time with me understanding what feelings I wanted to get across in through the site, and helped me every step of the way.  She even helped me pick the clothes I should wear for my photo shoot (I certainly need a bit of help when it comes to fashion ;)Now back to the show notes :) I think it’s important to hear real life stories… they are inspiring, real, and there are so many ‘nuggets’ of info you can take away and apply in your own life.  Be prepared for real talk, such as:    Some of the hard decisions you may need to

95% of people who start a fitness program in January have quit by the time this interview has gone live. Why?That’s exactly what we’re going to dive in to in this episode.  More importantly, we’re going to give you very actionable steps so that you don’t become a statistic.Jack Wheeler is a personal trainer, and owner of 360 Fitness in Red Deer, Sherwood Park and soon to be open in Calgary, Alberta.  He’s also a mentor and a friend; someone I work with quite closely on business together.  He’s passionate about what he does, and is here to share his passion with you.  We talk about:•    The mistakes most people make when setting goals, and what to do instead•    The difference between looking in shape and being in shape•    How you can change your self-limiting beliefs, even if you’ve ‘failed’ over and over again in the past•    A simple exercise to diminish your excuses for not taking care of yourselfLinks: www.360fitness.ca and www.360fitness.ca/cookbookI really enjoyed this interview and I know you will too

Relationships are a big part of life, and today we talk about why dating yourself will help re-ignite the fire in your current relationship, or help you attract your ideal partner. Veronica Grant is a Mindset and Dating coach that believes that every woman needs to learn how to create the life and feeling she desires from a relationship herself, before being able to truly get that from someone else. No matter where you are in your current relationship- newly divorced, never been married and still searching for the ‘perfect mate’, or 30 years into your marriage, you’re going to experience an ‘aha moment’ in this episode. We talk about:•    Why your ‘man list’ (aka list of traits and attributes you’re seeking in the perfect mate) is working against you•    How to keep the spark alive in your current relationship•    How to overcome your fear or rejection when you’re back out on the dating field•    What you can learn from wearing those ‘rose coloured glasses’ at the beginning of new relationship Make yourself

I called this podcast 'the Sexy Side of Listening" because my initial thought was that talking about listening isn't nearly as sexy as the 'shape up your body' or 'improve your sex life' headlines. Unless it is (and I think it is)...Want to dramatically improve your life?  Have more meaningful relationships?  Be that person that people love being around? Feel more connected to your loved ones?Then start listening.This week we talk all about the unrealized potential of listening.    What is listening (let's go back to basics)    The underlying reason you may not be actually listening    Common myths associated with listening    How listening can reduce your stress, and get you back in the drivers seat    Why listening is so important, and simple steps you can do to start practice active listeningMy guest, Mark Vegh has over 10 years of experience with Child and Youth Mental Health, family and couples therapy, and facilitating couples skills workshops.  He is well-versed in behaviorism, dialectic, and mindfulne

I’m going solo again!  A few weeks ago, I spoke at the Chilliwack Women’s Health Summit on “3 Tanja Presenting WHSMistakes Women Make when Trying to Lose 10 pounds”, and I received a lot of very good feedback.  While it was a bit different talking into my mic versus to a live audience (I enjoy both… but I LOVE speaking to an audience), this podcast gets the points across.Enjoy the podcast with an open heart and open mind. And for the workbook, go to www.tanjashaw.com/40

What does it mean to be a 'normal' eater?  In a world full of diet plans and food rules like "never eat after 7, or eat every 4 hours" that can be a difficult question to answer.In this episode, I brought on Paige Smathers to talk about what it means to be a 'normal' eater, and how you too, even after years of dieting, can transition to a more natural way of eating. Paige is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and a certified dietitian (CD) in the state of Utah.  She provides a comprehensive, client-centered nutrition therapy aimed at addressing the client as a whole person. She believes food problems do not exist on their own—there’s usually something deeper, buried in a person’s experiences and history where the problems began. She works with her clients to come up with small and simple goals that will eventually lead to great and lasting lifestyle changes, helping them heal their relationship with food and end the dieting game forever.You're going to learn

Dr. David McKenzie recently spoke at the Chilliwack Women’s Health Summit, and event I organized to support our local Starfish Backpack Program.  He spoke for 20 minutes, and left everyone wanting more. So, I've invited Dr. McKenzie onto the podcast. My goal for the Fit and Vibrant You podcast is to give your the resources, tool, motivation and inspiration to live a fit, vibrant life.  And in order to thrive and be our best selves, we need sex, connection, love and physical pleasure.   When we are nourished through meaningful relationships, pleasure, passion and purpose, we can have a more relaxed relationship with food and body.  In this podcast, we talk all about sex: What problems can arise in your sex life Body image, body shame and sexual health What's a 'normal' number of times to have sex a life Very specific things you can do today to improve your experience in the bedroom (or kitchen, living room.... ;) About my guest, Dr. David McKenzie David attended university in Winnipeg and Toronto where he e