Ascend Lifestyle Performance Podcast

We’re talking about women’s health- specifically hormones into a women’s 40s and beyond.  And when it comes to health and fitness, most women will notice that their bodies change during this time.  We hear things like “I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted, and now the weight just keeps creeping on”, “I’m gaining weight around my midsection and I don’t know what to do about it”.   And if you, or someone you know is approaching, or is going through menopause, this episode is for you.  We talk belly fat, night sweats, hormone replacement, metabolism, and pretty much everything to do with the changing body.   We talk about: Why the body may on to extra fat during the 40s and beyond (especially around the midsection) Exactly why nutrition is so much more than calories in and calories out What foods to focus on to optimize your health through your 40s and beyond What type of exercise is important through your 40s and beyond- and why cardio may be working against you, not for you Jenny May has generously put

When it comes to nutrition, and fitness for that matter, there is no shortage of information… and all the information can be so overwhelming! In this episode, I talk to Glenn Johnson, health coach, personal trainer, college professor and founder of Life Fit Lean, about the food rules worth following. We talk a lot about sugar as well, and Glenn has some great links below on how to curb the sugar cravings.   I’ve also put together a list of ‘sneaky sources of sugar’ for you. Go to www.tanjashaw.com/36

Rock Bottom is a beautiful start.It’s the moment when you wake up and see things with such clarity. Often it’s someone else who calls it out: a loved one, a coach a friend. Sometimes it’s an event that occurs. Sometimes you just wake up and see admit that you have a problem.It’s not that you didn’t know about the issue. We knew about the problem the whole time. But we keep it down. And even deep inside it weighs on us, it eats away slowly. It’s filled with shame.You may ask, “How did I let things get this way”. And it can be extremely painful. It can be filled with regret. “I should have…”, or “if only…”. It’s also terrifying to look at what’s ahead.In this podcast I share 6 tips and action steps to take when you see the light.  It's a tough place to be, but getting through is worth it.For show notes go to www.tanjashaw.com/35

When it comes to living a fit and healthy life, you cannot rely on willpower.  Willpower is a limited resource; it usually lasts til about 8 in the morning, and then slowly wanes with each decisions you need to make, and each emotionally charged moment in your day.  Decisions such as "should I workout?" or "what should I make for dinner" can take away from your willpower... and if you're making them after a stressful day at work, or when you feel emotionally drained, odds that you'll choose the healthier option are not in your favour. There's a better way: and that's to build habits. By guest is Jonathan Chant.  Jonathan is a Registered Kinesiologist and owns Fitness For Freedom, a company that specializes in making exercise convenient by going to people’s homes to coach and teach them how to exercise and live in a healthier way. In his last 10 years of being a coach he has realized that most people know enough about fitness but nothing about changing their habits in a sustainable way. So his company speciali

I am so excited to release this episode! I had an amazing time talking to Amber and I’m thrilled that I get to share our conversation with you.  I left the interview feeling strong, confident, empowered, and really happy.  You know- when you have that extra spring in your step and smile on your face

We hear a lot about weight loss.   How to lose it.  Which foods to eat.  What type of exercise is best.  Weight loss is exciting.  You get to buy new clothes.  People notice.    But then what?   What about weight maintenance?  The goal isn't just to lose 10, 20, 50 pounds, it's to stay 10, 20, 50 pounds down 10, 20, 50 years from now.  And weight maintenance can be much more challenging.  It becomes routine... and you have to maintain the same habits but you don't the pay off of seeing your body transform.   My guest today is Heather Robertson, and she has successfully maintained a 170 pounds weight loss for 4 years.     After spending most of her life since childhood overweight or morbidly obese, Heather  finally resolved to lose the weight. It took five years, during which time she had three c-section pregnancies and a double-hernia operation, but she managed to lose 170 pounds. Over the past three years since reaching her goal weight, she’s learned the importance of developing a maintenance mindset.    Sh

Sharon Fast is exactly UNLIKE any dietitian  and that's why I've invited her back on the Fit and Vibrant You Podcast (be sure to check out the Episode 2 when we talked about turning your body into a fat burning machine!) Sharon's back to talk about supplements.  I received this question from one of our listeners:"I am curious about supplements, especially regarding calcium as my dairy intake has been reduced so much." and knew that if one person is curious about supplements, many people are as well! There's so much nutrition information out there- and conflicting information- it can be so confusing!  In This Episode of the Fit and Vibrant You Podcast, You’ll Learn: Which nutrients you could be lacking... and where to find them.  How to tell if could be deficient in certain nutrients (and what to do about it!) What actually is a supplement... let's go back to basics!  For show notes go to www.tanjashaw.com/31

In the Fit and Vibrant You podcast, I like to look at the big picture of health, and focus on mindset changes, but also deliver strategies and tools to help along the way.  And this episode is all about strategies.My guest today is Gerald Smith, and we talk all about High Intensity Interval Training. Gerald is the face behind “Slimmer, Fitter, Stronger”, and is a personal trainer and nutritional therapist of the highest caliber.In this episode you’re going to learn:    What high intensity interval training is and why you may want to add it into your workout routine    Simple ways to get started, even if you have no equipment and no gym membership    How to alter work to rest ratio, intensity level and frequency of training based on your fitness level    And of course… action steps to get started!www.tanjashaw.com/30

I needed to write that quote down.  You are welcome :) When we think about health and fitness, we often think about nutrition and exercise.  But, there's a lot of overlooked steps when it comes to getting the body and life you want (and deserve). My guest today, is Michael V. Moore, and we talk about just that: the forgotten, but important, steps when it comes to taking better care of yourself.   In the summer of 2015, Michael V. Moore decided to take a break from his six figure corporate job to pursue his dream of becoming an entrepreneur.  That pursuit lead to Michael deciding to follow his passion for fitness by writing a #1 Best-Selling Amazon fitness book entitled Release The Beast: Conquer Mental, Physical & Diet Challenges To Unleash The Champion Inside!   In addition to the book, Michael’s humorous, enlightening and authentic perspective on redefining the perfect body can be found at MicVinny.com. In this episode you're going to learn: How to change your environment to help you reach your goals A

Are you stuck in a cycle of eating habits that prevent you from getting the body and life you want, and deserve?  If so, you're going to love this podcast. My guest is Kristen Nolan.  Kristen is a health, fitness and metabolism expert who helps women transform their lives by learning how to take back control of their own bodies and finally feel good about themselves again. Stress, hectic lifestyles, yo-yo dieting and the natural effects of aging all work together to throw a body’s metabolism out of balance. Kristen helps women learn the right way to naturally raise their metabolism to eliminate cravings, lose weight, and feel fit and energized for life.No stranger to body image issues, and the damage that comes along with them, Kristen brings a unique empathy to her client’s struggles, along with real-world experience and solutions that make sense for long-term success. At 14, dreaming of a professional ballet career and weighing in at just over 100 pounds, Kristen’s instructor told her she wouldn’t make it u

How many times have you heard “I don’t bother setting New Years Resolutions… no one keeps them anyway”?And it’s kinda true: most New Years Resolutions fail. But by not setting a goal (call it a New Years Resolution, intention, or whatever you like) you’re missing out on a wonderful opportunity to live the life you want to live- to be the person you want to become. In this podcast, I share five reasons why New Years Resolutions fail, and a simple step-by-step process to set goal and intentions for the New Year that work. For the show notes go to www.tanjashaw.com/27

I grew up in the 'fat free' era.  And even though I know fat is good for me... I still have a tough time getting enough in my diet.  I also find fats a bit confusing- and I rarely venture out of my comfort zone of butter, coconut oil, olive oil and pumpkin oil (which by the way, is my favourite oil!) I invited Holistic Nutritionist, Personal Trainer, and podcaster (I highly recommend her podcast- Cut the Crap and Keep it Real) Tanya Fraser, on the show to talk all about fat.    We discuss why fat is so important, and a lot of the 'how to's'.  How to store nuts, seeds and oils.  Which fats to cook with, which to use cold.  What to look for in omega-3 supplements.  Which oils to buy at the store (and what to look for!).  As soon as the interview was done I went upstairs and made some changes to my pantry! Tanya gave a ton of information during the podcast.  And, so you don't need to take notes (especially if you're listening when driving!) I created an All about Fats Cheat Sheet for you. To download it, go to w

“Motivation is like food for the brain.  You cannot get enough in one sitting.  It needs continual and regular top ups” -Peter Davies Do you struggle with motivation?  If so, you’re not alone and this podcast is for you! In this episode, I’m joined by Dave Smith, fellow Canadian and podcaster, talk about strategies to keep motivated for the long term. And, because I’m a huge fan of taking action, Dave shares a few action steps so you can start today, and experience some quick wins. Dave Smith is a professional weight-loss coach who was chosen as “Canada’s Top Fitness Professional” in 2013. His specialty is helping clients make small lifestyle changes that are sustainable and lead to BIG weight-loss results over time. You can start working with him today by joining his 7-Day Body Reboot program (100% free!)For the show notes and to get in touch with Dave, go to www.tanjashaw.com/25

Let's talk about sex!The Fit and Vibrant You Podcast is all about helping you live a full, energetic, and vibrant life in a body you love.  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. Since I'm not an expert on sex (though I wish I was!) I invited someone who is :) My guest this week is Dr. Corey Allen an expert on the topic of sex and relationships.   I've listened to Sexy Marriage Radio for a few months now (Corey co-hosts the show) and was super excited when Corey accepted my invitation to come on the show!During the interview, we talked about:    Two huge mindset changes about how you view your relationship and your spouse    3 simple, actionable items you can do daily to heat up your relationship (in a good way)    The danger of putting your relationship on cruise control, and what to do about itFor the

Christmas decorations are making their debut, and the smell of fresh baked gingerbread cookies is in the air.  Sticking to a healthy eating plan and regular exercise routine can be a battle any day of the year.  During the holidays, however, festive feasts, willpower-impairing spirits, and tempting chocolate truffles team up to challenge even the most resolute health nut. Unfortunately, the fear of putting on a few pounds, the stress of making too many ‘food choices’, or the feeling of guilt after indulging in too many shortbread cookies can overshadow holiday joy.  tress and guilt around food choices is counterproductive to keeping healthy and enjoying the holidays.Fortunately, you CAN look and feel your best during the holidays! Follow these tips to thrive during the holidays: to fully enjoy the holiday season without ringing in the New Year feeling like the jolly man himself. In this episode of the Fit and Vibrant You Podcast I discuss simple strategies and mindshift changes so you go from merely surviving

  Alicia Melgoza is a Health Nut + Fitness Junkie Recovery Coach with a Masters in Clinical Social Work from the University of Denver. Through her coaching programs at aliciamelgoza.com, she helps both ladies and gents break free from food and exercise obsession and put the ‘life’ back into their healthy lifestyles SO THAT they can live happier, more meaningful and purpose-driven lives.    She’s on a mission to help people Take Healthy Back™ and redefine healthy beyond flat abs, squats and veggies. Her approach to health and fitness is whole-istic, encompassing our mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and relational well-being, and is all about living a tight life, not having a tight butt! And in this episode we talk about what could happen when you go to far in the ‘name of health’, and how to break free of dieting so you can actually learn to listen to your body.   For the show notes and the sweet giveaways, go to www.tanjashaw.com/22

I eat well throughout the day.  But at night time, my cravings go wild and my evening turns into a feeding frenzy.  I'm not hungry, but I just can't seem to stop night time eating.  What can I do?  I just know that if I'd stop nighttime eating I'd lose weight. Sound familiar? I've heard some version of the above statement many, many times.   And it's time I tackle this topic on a podcast. In this episode of the Fit and Vibrant You Podcast I discuss why your eating may be out of control at nighttime, and specific action steps and strategies to help tame your nighttime feeding frenzy.

It’s not happy people who are thankful.  It’s thankful people who are happy. For the past year or so, expressing gratitude has been a daily habit.  It’s on my ‘Tanja’s ideal week” success tracker and I’ve been consistent, and it’s dramatically improved my life.   Naturally, I was really excited to connect with Julie Boyer, who takes gratitude to a whole new level, and I learned a lot, and have already started to implement some of the action items we talked about on the show.  She shared this quote: “Without exception, begin every day of your life with gratitude. As you look in the mirror, say, “Thank you, God, for life, for my body, for my family and loved ones, for this day, and for the opportunity to be of service. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” -Wayne Dyer Julie Boyer is The Grateful Entrepreneur. Her mission in life is to create grateful greatness globally for entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs. Julie’s first book, 30 Days of Gratitude, The Gratitude Program That Will Change Your Life, became an A

All diets work... for 4-6 weeks, if you're lucky.  But, if you diet, the odds are stacked against you: 95% of dieters gain the weight back, and then some.  In fact, going on a diet is the #1 predictor of weight gain.     Crazy, right? The answer is not to throw in the towel and dive head first into a bag of Doritos.  In this podcast, I tell you WHY diets fail (even 'healthy' diets), and it nothing to do with lack of willpower. More importantly, I share what you can do to stick to long term healthy habits for good. For the freebie go to www.tanjashaw.com/19

I met Josh Biro (also known as Josh Asana) about a month ago at a conference in Red Deer, Alberta.  We talked, of course, about yoga, and i realized that I had so many misconceptions about yoga.  He opened my eyes to what yoga actually is, and I was reminded why I could benefit from a bit more yoga in my life.If you're in Chilliwack (my hometown) check out Studio B Yoga.In this episode we go over:    What yoga actually is (and it may not be what you think)    Why you could really benefit from yoga    Some of the misconceptions about yoga, and  while we're at it, we'll also bust a few of your excuses why you don't do yoga    How much you should do to get resultsThis week's freebie is a 15 minute yoga for energy session/ workout that you can do at home (and yes, it's only 15 minutes). Download at www.tanjashaw.com/18