The Life Time Talks Podcast
From getting more out of your workouts and nutrition to living a purposeful, authentic life, Life Time Talks dives deep into different topics to give you the information you need to achieve your health, fitness, and life goals.
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LATEST EPISODES
Why ARORA?
Becoming a grandparent, caring for aging parents, getting unfavorable health news, not moving the ways you used to — there are several points in our lives, especially when we get older, when age becomes a front-of-mind topic. To support older adults who want to be healthy and fit as they age, Life Time created the ARORA program. The co-founder, Renée Main, joins us in this mini episode to talk about its genesis and all that it offers to members.
10 Rules for Aging Well
Every second of every day, all of us are aging, and yet we often wait to address — or altogether avoid — age-related concerns about our health until we reach a certain point in our years or our capabilities begin to diminish. Frank Lipman, MD, shares 10 essential factors he’s outlined for aging well, emphasizing that it’s never too late — or too early — to start embracing them, and that it’s not as difficult as you might think.
Insights From a Life Time Trainer: The Constants For Making Fitness Progress
In this conversation with Jason Stella, CPT, PES, CES, we get his perspective on the constants of fitness that he’s seen over his 25-plus years in the industry, as well as where he thinks it’s headed. Plus, he shares what to look for to find a trainer who can best support you — and offers advice on shifting your mindset so you’re ready to make real, lasting change.
Why Dance?
Dance is more than a physically beneficial form of fitness: It evokes happiness, mental relief, and social connection. In this mini episode, Jeimy Bueno Prisby explains why you don’t need to be a “dancer” to enjoy the advantages of moving your body.
Why Self-Compassion is a Learnable Skill — and One We ALL Need
Self-compassion is a powerful tool for improving our own well-being and our relationships — yet cultural blocks often dissuade us from practicing this skill. In this episode, Kristin Neff, PhD, shares what self-compassion is, the strong, positive ways it can affect us (and others), and how we can start cultivating more of it in our daily lives.
Why GameFace?
From a young age, sports offer a way to stay active and learn valuable life skills. For some, they become an ambition as they get older. In this mini episode, DeVentri Jordan, founder and national director of GameFace at Life Time, shares the ways this sports-training program helps people grow in athletics, whether they’re just getting introduced to sports or are aiming to compete at a high level.
How to Balance Your Blood Sugar
It’s estimated that as many as one in three U.S. adults have impaired blood-sugar control — and most are unaware until disease diagnosis. This often means missing months or years of opportunities to intervene with lifestyle habits. Samantha McKinney, RD, CPT, explains how blood sugar impacts nearly every aspect of our health and walks us through the many things we can do to better control it.
Becoming a Pickleballer
Ben Johns is one of the top-ranked pickleball players worldwide, and at just 23, he has been labeled the “the present (and future) of pickleball.” In this episode, he joins us to talk about this inclusive and increasingly popular sport, including how he went from playing for fun to playing pro, what he thinks makes him a good player, and why the sport is so appealing for so many of us.
All About Heart-Rate Training: How to Use it to Maximize Your Fitness Efforts
Heart rate can be a powerful tool for building fitness and seeing results from your exercise regimen. Danny King, Master Trainer, shares what to know about heart-rate training, including what it is, how to use it in your workouts, and the ways you can identify the key metrics needed for yourself.
Why Omega-3s?
Without sufficient intake of omega-3s, our health can suffer: We might experience more inflammation, our cell signaling may be inhibited, and our cognitive health can take a hit. In this mini episode, Paul Kriegler, RD, explains why omega-3s are so essential and offers advice on how we can support our bodies with optimal amounts of this fatty acid.
Struggling With Stress: Why It’s So Prevalent + What You Can Do
More so than ever, rates of stress are high: Many of us are experiencing it at great intensities and for far too long. Henry Emmons, MD, talks about the impact of stress on the body, including how it influences our wired responses and how it can trigger mental-health issues like depression and anxiety — and shares tangible things we can do in the short- and long-term to support our bodies in and when recovering from times of stress.
Going Beyond the Endzone
NFL legend Larry Fitzgerald joins us to talk about his decision to step away from football on his own terms after 17 seasons, how he intentionally planned for life off the field, some of his most meaningful accomplishments, and the importance of philanthropy, mindset, and his values and beliefs.
Why Cold for Recovery?
Cold plunges, cryotherapy, ice baths, cold application — the use of cold therapy for physical and mental gains has risen to popularity of late. In this mini episode, Danny King shares the benefits of cold therapy and tips for getting started if it’s something you’re looking to add to your regimen.
An Honest Talk About Mental Health
Anxiety, depression, limited self-beliefs, perpetual feeling states — we all experience mental-health struggles, and what we often don’t realize is the effect they can have on every area of our health and wellness. Dr. Mondo joins us for an honest talk about mental well-being, including the role trauma plays and the power that comes from healing.
Why Water Workouts?
The water provides advantages not available from forms of land exercise, making it a valuable addition to anyone’s fitness regimen — whether you use it as an environment for low-impact movement, recovery, cross-training, or everyday fitness. In this mini episode, Rob Glick shares the benefits that working out in the water can offer, plus different ways you can include it in your routine.
How to Be Healthy in an Unhealthy World
While many of us have the desire to be healthy, the unfortunate reality is that our culture is not set up to make it easy — and often makes it really hard. That does not mean it’s impossible, just that it requires intentionality. Pilar Gerasimo, health journalist, author, and founding editor of Experience Life, shares why her work is centered around helping people become “healthy deviants,” including tips for breaking against the norms of society so you don’t break yourself.
Why Pickleball?
Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America — but why? Ajay Pant shares the reasons the sport has exploded in popularity and what it is about the game that hooks players of all ages and experience levels once they give it a try.
Everyday Habits for Building Immunity
The topic of immunity has gotten a lot of attention because of the pandemic, yet our immune systems always need support so we’re healthy and strong at the metabolic level and prepared to fight off germs, bacteria, and other potentially compromising invaders. Paul Kriegler, RD, CPT, shares the lifestyle habits within our control that can build our immunity, including primary factors to be aware of and what might provide us with the greatest resilience.
Why Signature Group Training? With Nastassia Smith
Many people engage with group training programs for the community and accountability — and because, when designed based on science and research, they can offer fitness growth beyond what an individual might otherwise be able to achieve on their own. In this mini episode, Nastassia Smith shares the advantages of Life Time’s signature group training, and offers guidance if you’re considering giving it a try yourself.
Reflection and Opportunity: How We’re Approaching Our Well-Being in 2022
Many of us set big goals — particularly around our health — each time we enter a new year. But how can we make sure they are sustained and continue to evolve throughout all 365 days? Life Time Talks cohosts Jamie Martin and David Freeman speak to the strategies that work for them and share how they’re personally approaching their well-being this year.
Why Magnesium?
Magnesium is one of the most prevalent minerals in the body, impacting how we feel and function every day — yet it’s also the second most common nutrient deficiency behind vitamin D. In this mini episode, Samantha McKinney, RD, CPT, explains magnesium’s far-reaching role in our health and offers tips for making sure our bodies have optimal levels.
A Closer Look at Health Care
Our health-care industry can be confusing and difficult to navigate — and it presents challenges when the lifestyle changes that can help manage or prevent illnesses aren’t considered. Marty Makary, MPH, offers a transparent look at the industry and underscores why lifestyle changes are such important factors in the quality of our health.
Is Intermittent Fasting Right for You?
Intermittent fasting is referred to in various terms — 16:8, alternate-day fasting, 5:2, time-restricted eating. But even if you’re simply just choosing to wait to eat until your first hunger pang, this practice can result in some significant and positive health effects when done thoughtfully. Paul Kriegler, RD, LD, CPT, walks through the different methods of this dietary approach, including the benefits it can provide and guidance for those interested in trying it.
Why Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is the most common micronutrient deficiency — but it’s also one that we can prevent with relative ease. In this mini episode, Anika Christ, RD, CPT, explains why vitamin D is critical to our health, including its role in immunity, and offers ways we can make sure our bodies get optimal levels.
Why Pilates?
Pilates is a system of exercise designed to train the entire body— from the core out — and it can offer benefits to nearly everyone, regardless of fitness ability or level. In this mini episode, Pilates expert Kathryn Coyle explains the far-reaching advantages of Pilates and offers tips for getting started.
When the Hard Stuff Happens . . .
At one point or another in all our lives, we will all go through hard things. We typically can’t prepare for them and they can catch us off guard, and yet we often often judge ourselves for how we react or behave in those moments — and after. Nora McInerny, author, podcast creator, and public speaker, joins us in this episode to talk about how to cope during those times, the ways they shape and change us, and why we can never move on or go back, but we can move forward.
Why Kettlebells?
Kettlebells are a ballistic tool that can be used for building strength, endurance, and mobility. They’re versatile and modifiable, and can benefit everyone, regardless of fitness level. In this mini episode, Maggie Fazeli Fard, RKC, senior fitness editor at Experience Life, shares the benefits of and tips for making kettlebells part of your fitness regimen.
Straight From the Coaches: Your Health & Fitness Questions, Answered
What do I do if I’m not seeing results? How often do I need to exercise? How many calories should I be eating? Life Time coaches Samantha McKinney, RD, CPT, and Lindsay Ogden, CPT, join us to answer the most common health and fitness questions they hear from our members — including these ones and more.
Why Recovery?
The better and faster you can recover, the more progress you can ultimately make with your fitness — and the healthier you’ll move and feel. In this mini episode, Danny King, Master Trainer at Life Time, explains the difference between system and muscle recovery, and the ways we can optimize our efforts for each.
Thyroid Health: How to Identify Imbalances + Tips for Support
Thyroid issues are prevalent: An estimated one in seven people are affected, with even more suffering from an imbalance — and many not even aware that their thyroid is behind their symptoms. Samantha McKinney, RD, CPT, shares the signals our thyroid might be sending us, the tests to ask for, and the lifestyle habits we can implement in our daily lives to nourish and support our thyroids.
Why Meditation?
Just as you train your body, it’s important to also train your brain. Meditation is a powerful tool we can use to become more aware, compassionate, and focused — in as little as a few minutes a day. In this mini episode, Eric Jeffers, yoga and meditation Master Trainer at Life Time, explains the strength of meditation and offers simple tips anyone can use to get started.
Building Mental Health Through Nutrition
Of all the calories we eat each day, 20 percent are used by our brains — so it’s no wonder there’s such a strong connection between our nutritional habits and mental-health status. Drew Ramsey, MD, psychiatrist, author, and mental-health advocate, joins us to explain this relationship and teach us about the food choices that best support our brains and mental well-being.
Why Hydration?
Our bodies are 70 percent water, so maintaining a healthy body starts with sustaining healthy hydration habits. In this mini episode, Paul Kriegler, RD, explains why proper hydration is so essential for our health and how we can make sure we’re optimizing our water intake.
A Holistic Approach to Health — and Weight Loss
When it comes to building optimal health — including goals like losing weight — fitness and nutrition are often the two main factors that are associated with results. But there are many other lifestyle behaviors that influence your ability to reach and sustain your goals. Anika Christ, RD, CPT, joins us to take a comprehensive look, offering strategies for better health as a whole — and weight loss as a byproduct.
Being Coachable
In sports and in life, the ability to be coachable is a helpful trait that can take you far. NFL veteran Desmond Howard shares his inspiring insights and personal experience around why being coachable matters — and ways to open yourself up to it.
Fueling for Your Workouts
Fueling for workouts can be tricky: How we do it depends on a lot of individual factors, and it can take time to learn what does or does not work for us. Cliff Edberg, RD, Master Trainer at Life Time, breaks down what we need to know about pre- and post-workout nutrition, and offers general guidelines we can start with to then hone in on what’s best for us.
Living in Your Light
At any stage, making a life change — and focusing on the pursuit of health and fitness — can be challenging. Kemma Cunningham, a Life Time group fitness performer, shares her journey to do both, and offers her advice for others looking to find what sparks excitement and purpose in them.
Awakening to Your Authentic Self
Do you do things for the image of it or because it feels right to you? Psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Shefali Tsabary explains that people — especially women — are often conditioned to sacrifice authenticity for goodness, putting others before themselves. She breaks down why and how this happens, as well as ways we can pursue a more free and true version of ourselves.
Salt’s Place in a Healthy Diet
Salt is one of those nutrition topics that causes a lot of confusion: Is it good for us — or not? Darryl Bosshardt of Redmond Real Salt joins us to cut through the misconceptions, explaining the essential role of salt in our health, and how the good/bad conversation really boils down to what form of salt you’re eating and the foods it’s attached to.
The Science of Strength
Fundamental muscle and strength is something we all need. Ebenezer Samuel, CSCS, fitness director of Men’s Health, joins us to delve into the science of strength, including what it does for our physical health and other aspects of our well-being. He shares how to make strength training more accessible and create a quality workout plan, regardless of our fitness level or experience with this type of training.
Farmers’ Markets, Gardens, and Eating Fresh
Spring offers new opportunities for embracing fresh, locally grown produce. Chef Ryan Dodge joins us to explore the importance of these whole foods, as well as ways we can get more of them into our diet, whether we grow them ourselves or shop for them at a local farmers’ markets.
Cultivating Ikigai: A Tool for a Happy, Fulfilled Life
“Ikigai” is defined as a reason for living — and it’s a tool Jeanne Rosner, MD, uses in her own life to nurture a greater sense of purpose. In this episode, she talks about this Japanese concept and how it can help us live longer, more satisfying lives. Plus, she offers guidance for finding our personal ikigai and suggestions for easy ways to cultivate it in our daily lives.
The Importance of Food Heritage
Food provides a window into our culture. Celebrated chef Marcus Samuelsson talks about the soul of American food, specifically Black food traditions, and how the origins of what and how we cook both influences and connects us.
Opening Up to Vulnerability
The ability to be vulnerable — and show up as our real, authentic selves — is central to our well-being. Barbara Powell, MA, MindCoach with Life Time Mind, dives into the power of this raw emotion and debunks the myths surrounding it, including how it’s connected to our other emotions and why it’s OK if it doesn’t feel entirely comfortable to us.
Inspired to Move
Movement can take many shapes and forms outside of structured workouts. Kaisa Keranen, CPT — AKA KaisaFit — flips the script on common perceptions of fitness, including explaining the power and benefit that comes from moving our bodies often and in ways that feel good and bring us joy.
Bringing in Joy
Ingrid Fetell Lee, designer, blogger, and author, joins us to talk about joy: what it means to seek joy, how it relates to our other emotions, and ways to make joy more tangible and real so we can bring more of it into our daily lives and physical spaces.
How to Maximize Your Metabolism
Metabolism is more complex than simply being “fast” or “slow” or controlled by exercise. There are many things we can do in our daily lives to optimize it. Samantha McKinney, RD, CPT, shares how to build the foundation for a healthy metabolism, as well as ways to dig deeper if you’re not seeing results or feeling your best.
Habit Hacking for Health: A 4-Step Plan
Results are a lagging indicator of our habits. Lindsay Ogden, CPT, nutrition coach, walks us through her four-step process — what she calls the IPTR method — for developing lasting health habits, so you have the know-how and a tactical plan to go after your goals.
A Talk About Inclusion and Having Courageous Conversations
“When we start conversations — uncomfortable, courageous conversations — that’s what leads to change.” Join us for this talk about inclusion, diversity, having real conversations, and the work we can do to better ourselves and our communities.
A Holiday Unlike Any Other: Tips for Navigating the Season
There are a lot of reasons the holidays can be challenging — especially this year. Jen Elmquist, LMFT, director of Life Time Mind, offers a toolbox of tips for handling the holidays in the midst of a pandemic, from changing traditions to complicated relationships to coping with all the other emotions we’re feeling as we approach the season.
Uncommon Courage
In this episode, Olympian Mechelle Lewis Freeman shares her story of drive and commitment as she trained for the Olympics — and how she applies those same characteristics to the work she does today. She also offers advice we can all follow around owning our own path, staying true to our core beliefs, overcoming setbacks, and having the uncommon courage to go after what we want.
Get Your Run On
Regardless of your age, speed, geographic location, or economic status, running can be a lifelong sport. Coach Frankie Ruiz, co-founder of the Life Time–Miami Marathon, shares his top tips for training, whether you’re a new runner or getting back into it.
Protecting Our Brains: TBIs, Concussions, and Everyday Healing
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are most often connected to sports-related trauma, yet nearly half occur in everyday life from incidents such as slips, falls, and even infections. The good news: There’s hope for healing. Jeremy Schmoe, DC, joins us to talk about how to identify abnormalities and the ways we can better support our brains.
Fostering Diversity in Health and Wellness
After first joining a gym to “get skinny,” Chrissy King, now a fitness coach, found a new sense of strength and power from exercise, which also challenged and changed her self-narrative. She speaks to us about her passions: fitness and strength training, body liberation, redefining what healthy means for you, and welcoming all people into the health and fitness space.
A Life Time Transformation Story With Becca Rigg
Transformations — no matter how big or small — are hard. Life Time member Becca Rigg shares the game-changers that helped her overcome obstacles and become healthy, happy, and fit for the long run.
Pour a Glass? The Pros and Cons of Wine
Is wine really a healthier choice when it comes to alcohol? Learn about wine’s effects on our health and get advice for how to choose healthier wines — plus tips for which ones pair best with certain foods.
Drink Up? The Pros and Cons of Coffee
Is coffee good for you? Bad for you? Something in between? Anika Christ, RD, joins us to talk about how coffee can be part of a healthy nutrition plan, so long as you keep a few key considerations in mind. Plus, she shares some of her own good-for-you coffee drinks.
The Blue Zones Habits for Longevity
Buettner joins us to talk about the Blue Zones — places around the globe with the highest populations of longest-living individuals — and the Power 9 healthy-lifestyle habits they have in common, plus ways we can begin to incorporate these behaviors in our own lives for increased longevity and vitality.
Connecting to Your Untamed Spirit
Earlier this year, Glennon Doyle’s latest memoir, Untamed, quickly became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. Doyle joins us to speak about her book, about the transformative power of imagination and grief — and being the true you in this world.
Real Fitness Perspectives — From the Basics to Innovation
Gunnar Peterson has trained everybody — from professional athletes to high-profile celebrities to everyday exercisers. In this episode, we talk about his long-time experience in the industry, including the staples he uses in his programming to help people reach their goals and perform their best.
Taking Care of Your Gut: Why It’s Critical to Health + How to Do It
The gut is often considered the gatekeeper to our overall health — and imbalances many times surface in surprising ways. Samantha McKinney, RD, discusses its far-reaching impacts and shares daily lifestyle strategies we can use to support our gut health.
How Anxiety Manifests + Tools For Managing It
Tingling fingers. A nervous stomach. Distractedness. Did you know these can all be signs of anxiety? In this episode, Life Time MindCoach Brie Vortherms, MA, LMFT, speaks to how our bodies react to anxiety and offers useful practices we can all use to feel better in those moments.
The Ongoing Pursuit of Purpose and Why It Matters
The Power of Veggies: How to Eat More and Make Them Taste Great
Julie Brown, RD, the nutrition and assessments program manager at Life Time, joins us to discuss the many health benefits of vegetables, and to share her favorite cooking tips and best tricks for squeezing more veggies into your meals and snacks.
Boost Your Immune System: Tips for Nutrition, Supplements, and More
Get advice from Tom Nikkola, vice president of nutrition and virtual training at Life Time, about the eating and lifestyle choices that can compromise immunity, as well as how we can optimize our nutrition to help build this system. Plus, he shares some bonus tips for exercise and sleep.
Parenting in the Time of Coronavirus: Advice, Tips, and Tricks
Our guest and mom of three, Krystel Reierson, curriculum and events manager for Life Time Kids, offers advice for talking about the virus with your children, as well as tips and tricks for keeping them entertained while you’re all at home together.
How to Build Mental Resilience During Difficult Times
Jen Elmquist, MA, LMFT, director and co-creator of Life Time Mind, shares ways to protect your mind and body, as well as some simple mental exercises you can do if you feel overwhelmed with stress or worry.
Coach Anika’s Top Tips for Healthy Eating at Home
Many of us are struggling with healthy eating choices while we’re at home — but it doesn’t have to be so hard. Coach Anika Christ, RD, offers practical tips and meal ideas that can make it easier.
Making the Most of Your At-Home Workouts
Danny King, personal trainer and national manager of team development at Life Time, offers advice for maximizing your at-home workouts — no matter your starting point.
5 Tips for Better Work-From-Home Productivity
In an effort to social distance and slow the spread of COVID-19, many of us have transitioned to working remotely. James O’Reilly, president of Life Time Work, offers his top five tips for keeping your days and space productive, engaging, and healthy.
Sleeping During Stressful Times
Having trouble falling or staying asleep? Henry Emmons, MD, discusses the importance of sleep for our immune systems, fighting off infections and our mental health — and offers tips for getting more sleep during this stressful time.
5 Nutrition Myths, Debunked
Julie Brown, RD, and Ryan Dodge, LifeCafe executive chef, debunk five of the most common misconceptions around healthy eating. You’ll learn whether all calories are created equal, if you can out-train a bad diet, the truth about low fat, and more.
Community and How We Connect to the World
In our increasingly digital world, the way we connect with others has changed — but the positive effects of a support system have not. Justin Reis, co-creator of Life Time’s AMP cycle format, talks about the communities he’s built, and how we can create more meaningful connections.
Why Healthy Eating Doesn’t Need to Be Boring
In this episode, we cover nutrition challenges, meal planning and grocery shopping, and how to find healthy balance with guests Julie Brown, RD, and Ryan Dodge, executive chef for Life Time’s LifeCafe nationwide.
Motivation for Fitness and the Ways We Can Move
Maggie Fazeli Fard, fitness coach and senior fitness editor at Experience Life, discusses moving for your unique body and motivations, the importance of mechanics and consistency, the components of a well-rounded exercise routine, and why fitness is about so much more than aesthetics.
Why Sleep and Stress Management Are Non-Negotiables
While many aspects of our health are interconnected, two in particular play a major role in how we feel and function: sleep and stress. In this episode, integrative psychiatrist Henry Emmons, MD shares why they’re essential and offers tips for managing both.
The Power of Mindset in Your Health and Life
Jen Elmquist, a licensed mental health professional and the creator of LT Mind, discusses how our mindset is where real, lasting change begins — whether you’re working on your health, fitness, relationships, or career.
Introducing Life Time Talks
Life Time Talks is the new podcast from Life Time. In the first episode of our inaugural season, you’ll meet our hosts and get a rundown of what to expect from future episodes.
Your Hosts
Jamie Martin
David Freeman
National digital performer brand leader for Life Time
We’d Love to Hear From You
Have thoughts you’d like to share or topic ideas for future episodes? Email us at lttalks@lt.life.
The information in this podcast is intended to provide broad understanding and knowledge of healthcare topics. This information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered complete and should not be used in place of advice from your physician or healthcare provider. We recommend you consult your physician or healthcare professional before beginning or altering your personal exercise, diet or supplementation program.