Reflections of Healing with James Yount
James Yount comes from a family of addiction and a history of trauma. He struggled with anger, addiction, overeating, and suicidal ideation. In 2020 he decided he didn't recognize the reflection in the mirror and flushed all his dope. A few months later, he set a goal to do the dishes and take his dog for a daily walk. He has been clean and sober since that first day and has now lost 155 lbs in the last 18 months.
James says, "I know if I stay here, I will become comfortable, and being comfortable is what led me to being uncomfortable. There is a difference between discomfort and pain. I don't want to go back to the pain, but I don't mind the discomfort. Discomfort is what makes a diamond. Discomfort is what makes a pearl. Discomfort has lead me to the growth I am experiencing today."
It is essential not to take any waking moment for granted. Be introspective and self-aware to be able to change. Early behaviors are learned, so they can be unlearned. What are your coping mechanisms?
This is a fantastic episode you don't want to miss. Follow James on Instagram. James has a goal to start a faith-based fitness recovery center in time.
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1% Improvement Everyday with Rob Molling
In studio 1% Fitness CEO Rob Molling. Blu and Rob go way back and they have a great discussion covering Rob's past drug addiction, jail time, and come back to helping others heal through health, fitness, and nutrition. Rob's recovery story is a great one as he has erased his criminality and substance use with exercise, health and nutrition. Check out 1% Fitness' meal prep and health challenges. https://1percentfit.com
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Exercising Recovery with Nicole Golden
Today Coach Blu speaks to Nicole Golden who is a NASM Master Trainer, CES, BCS, FNS and AFAA certified group fitness instructor and Master of Science in Applied Exercise Science/Sports Nutrition. Nicole shares the research and the importance of using exercise in your recovery. We all know exercise is a powerful depression fighter for several reasons. Most importantly, it promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. It also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good. Finally, exercise can also serve as a distraction, allowing you to find some quiet time to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression and addiction.
Exercise can be a valuable medicine in the treatment of substance use disorders. Learn about the effectiveness of exercise as an adjunct therapy for drug/alcohol use disorders in this episode. Find out more about her business https://fwfwellness.com
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One on One: Emotional Turbulence
Welcome to our weekly live show, One on One with Coach Blu. Coach Blu is a licensed mental health therapist and certified substance use, disorder counselor. Today's cohost is Addict II Athlete's own Athletic Director, Marisa Robinson. Marissa is a Certified Recreational Therapist. This is an open topic, so by which you, the listener, can participate by submitting your questions through direct messaging or jumping on the zoom link provided to be a guest and participant on the show. We discuss addiction, recovery, mental illness, health and wellness, and much more.
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Creating A Path To Wellness
Today Coach Blu speaks with Katie Hanke. At one time, Katie weighed 380 pounds, had 26 medical diagnoses, took 50 prescriptions, had chronic depression/anxiety, and struggled with addictive eating, opioid, and alcohol use. Listen as she describes her journey by turning her mess into a powerful message. She is now a mom, nutrition and wellness coach, and certified personal trainer. A story of hope, self-exploration, self-experimentation, consistency, and discipline will inspire you to erase and replace aspects in your own life.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlphaFemalesNorthwest
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCD2igUDdfYIP3JWkVzswzQ
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A Spartan In Life & Recovery
On this week's podcast, we hear from Addict II Athlete's very own Ambere Holmes. Listen as she discusses her own journey through life and recovery. The ups and the downs that she experienced along with the unknown questionable desire to turn her mess into a powerful message. Listen to her ability to cope through tremendous trauma, heartache, addiction and emotional turbulence to become a professional, an athlete and, a mother. Ambere conquers not only her addiction but family issues, her education, and horrible debt. Significant strength can be drawn from this podcast as we can learn the valuable lesson that no one is too far gone, and whatever obstacles you face in life, if you face it, challenge yourself to endure it, you can conquer anything in your path.
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For A Clean Cause with Wes Hurt
This week Coach Blu talks with Wes Hurt, the founder of CLEAN Cause and a recovering addict and alcoholic. Miraculously for Hurt, after six rehabs over 20 years and the realization that something needed to change, he finally got sober and found recovery in 2014.
Often, people who want to go to treatment cannot afford it, and the same problem is true for sober living – there just isn’t enough funding or resources to meet the need. Wes says he wanted to build something sustainable – founded on purpose to make a difference - through healthy drinks and great design. So in addition to creating purified water and organic energy drinks, CLEAN Cause where 50% of all proceeds are donated to develop sober living scholarships for those who are pursuing recovery. To date, Clean Cause has assisted 2,593 people on their path to recovery.
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Just Start
On today's podcast Coach Blu speaks with Ed Barnett, an athlete he met through Coach David Clark and the Ten Principles Legacy Warriors group. Listen as he describes life before a meeting Coach Clark that ended up changing his life. Ed describes the meeting as a turning point in his life that put him on the path to weight loss, overcoming adversity, and opened up possibilities he never thought possible. Ed describes his life working in the NASCAR industry, the tools he learned about himself through his weight loss journey, becoming an athlete, and the tools throughout that have now positioned him as the owner of ECB Sports Management and MMA. Ed has an inspiring story and shares memories of Coach Clark that he holds very dear. Listen and be inspired to just start your recovery, just start your weight loss, just start living your life.
Check out ECB Sports Management
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Coach Bill Stahl
Today Coach Blu is proud to interview Coach Bill Stahl. Coach Stahl was a friend and colleague to our own David Clark and has since relaunched David's We Are Superman podcast as the host, mentor, and advocate for the Warrior program. Coach Stahl has been an avid ultra runner, cross country coach and has utilized all that he's learned to get him across some pretty amazing finish lines in life. Listen as they discuss coach David Clark, the legacy left behind, and the future of the sport of running.
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Remembering Superman
Athletes, today we are dropping a very special episode. This was the very first interview I was able to do with the late Coach David Clark in 2017. Having thought this episode was lost when our former platform Pod Bash moved to the Radio Ronan network, I was happy to have found this episode and relive the chemistry, content, and friendship that developed from this meeting. In the short time, we were able to know David he taught us a lot about life, sobriety, and of course living every moment as if it's your last.
We lost Coach David Clark following a surgery he had last May. February 5, 2021, would have been Coach Clark's 50th birthday. What a fitting tribute to be able to re-experience the relationship we had with Coach Clark. Listen and enjoy as we discuss so many of the founding principles Addict to Athlete has come to know.
David shares his story of recovery from alcohol. He shares how he went from a 320lb alcoholic to ultra runner, coach, vegan, and sober warrior.
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Can You Be Addicted To Food?
We are happy to have been guests on Brian Shellabarger's 100 down, Weightix podcast several months ago. Brian asked Marissa and me to be part of a discussion specifically asking the question, is there such thing as being addicted to food, can you be a food addict, and do you have a food addiction? I hope you enjoy this deep dive that Brian drove through his podcast and that you also feel his passion for helping people achieve goals that even he thought were impossible at one time. Addictions come in all shapes and sizes and on behalf of our team, we hope that in the 2021 season of Extracurricular Recovery, you will join team Addict to Athlete and achieve the goals you never thought possible. Happy new year athletes, and more importantly, happy sober New Year! Check out this blog post for more information about this topic. If you want support from Brian’s Weightix program use code '“A2A”
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Podcast Transcript
Introductions:
Blu -- 60-second introduction of himself, and A2A, and his role. (REALLY quick intro.. because I want to dive deeper into A2A and their approach about 15-20m into the podcast).
Jared - 60-second introduction. REALLY quick mention of heart-attack, decided it was time to do something, lost a ton of weight, decided to run a half marathon.. trained hard and did it... and then gained all the weight back (fairly quickly).... And now struggles with staying committed to it, even though his life is (quite literally) on the line.
How do you know if you’re addicted to something? [read phrases, let Blu common if that sounds like addiction or not..] Common phrases I hear:
"I'm not addicted to food. But I tend to rely on food as a coping mechanism when I get stressed or emotional."
"I'm not addicted to food. But I just really feel like I need 'comfort food' sometimes... Like when I'm sick, or when I've had a tough day"
"I'm not addicted to food. But even when I'm full, I still find myself reaching for my favorite snacks.. [chips, cake, etc.]"
"I'm not addicted to food.. But my doctor told me that if I don't lose some weight, I'm going to die soon.. but I just can't seem to stay committed to it.."
"I'm not addicted to food.. but many times in my life I've lost 20 to 100 lbs, and then within a few months, I just fall back on old habits and put all the weight right back on."
Tell us about AIIA.. and what’s your role? (Want to spend at least 10-15m on what AIIA is.. You might honestly find people in Weightix who resonate with what you're doing, and want to join... even though the "substance" they are addicted to is different).
What is the difference between a “drug user” and a “drug addict”.. (does that also apply to a “food eater” and a “food addict”?)... I’ve had conversations with soo many people who are overweight who don’t believe they are addicted to food... But also can’t often say no when faced with temptation. (Is that because “addiction” is such a hard word to own? Or is there really a possibility they aren’t addicted.. )
(My own journey.. I realized I was addicted when I would be eating two double whoppers for lunch... and the only thing I could think about WHILE THE FOOD WAS IN MY MOUTH was what delicious thing I was going to have for dinner...).
How do you balance, “you are beautiful, you are perfect just the way you are” with “you’re addicted to something that’s going to kill you and you need to change.”
”Admitting you have a problem” is the first step. What’s the second step?
I know you’re not a fan of the “12 step process”... talk about that. What's wrong with it? What do you like instead?
Jared has an amazing story.. and one of the ways he stayed so focused on his weight loss journey not too long ago was to make a goal to run a half marathon.. he crushed that goal... but lost focus after that.. What do you tell your athletes to keep them focused for the next few days.. weeks.. months.. years?
One of the things I love saying is that if you rely on motivation, you’ll always come up short — because it’s never there when you need it. I use the word “discipline” as a lot, as a substitute for motivation. How does discipline fit into this? Where does motivation fit?
Why is it that we can be so powerfully motivated to change our life.. but the first time we’re faced with a chance to prove we’ve changed... we crash and burn?
How do you break an addiction to something you need to survive? (Unlike substance.. we NEED food). further, one of the best ways to break addiction is to remove yourself from situations where you’re tempted. (Recovering alcoholics are taught to avoid bars, for example). How do we do that in the context of food, junk food, etc.. when it’s basically everywhere? You can’t even go to work without having someone offer you a plate of early-death.
I think there's a "stigma" about substance abusers.. I've seen people who are sitting in the McDonalds drive-through with a twinkie in their hand talk about ashamed they are of (someone they know) who is working through addiction, and cleaning up their life.
”You are the average of your 5 closest friends” — really resonated with me. I know when I started losing weight, my social circle changed. Talk about this... Do people need to get rid of their friends? Is that really how this works? What about being around family who aren't on board? For example, it would be really difficult to quit heroin if your spouse and kids all did heroin every day, and had absolutely no desire to change that... What's the best way to approach this? How do we help our loved ones understand what we're going through and what do we tell them so they can help?
Why do you think being an athlete is “the” angle to fighting addiction?
[Brian will] briefly mention the previous podcast on the secret to weight maintenance is daily exercise... 95% of people who los a significant amount of weight will gain it back wihin 1-2 years... The 5% who are exceptions all have one thing in common.. they started exercising daily.. (not "steps"... dedicated, put on workout clothes, and SWEAT kind of exercise).
One of the key tenants of breaking addiction is admitting that you’re going to fail sometimes... I hate telling people this... because they end up using it as an excuse in that moment of weakness “Ah.. I was told I was going to fail sometimes.. so I might as well have the cupcake.. ... How do you balance the “you’re going to fail sometimes” message with “stop failing”.
Question from Keith Collins: [paraphrasing a LOT..] Is the only way to recover from food addiction to never take that first unplanned bite? Cause once an addict unleashes the addiction, it takes over and ruins everything. What are some practical ways a food addict goes about recovery? Sometimes a cheat bite unleashes the monster for me and binge eating occurs, other times not. How do you handle the holidays where the ENTIRE CULTURE is built around consuming junk food?
Brian's Answer..
PLAN your cheat meals ahead of time.. if you didn't plan to eat it 24 hours ago.. you don't get to eat it.
Many people let a cheat MEAL turn into a cheat DAY, which turns into a cheat WEEKEND.. which turns into a cheat WEEK... which turns into, "Eh.. I guess I don't care about losing weight anymore."
Sugar tends to be particularly bad. For some people, a single bite of a sugary treat can send them on a full-on junk-food binging session. (Will fit this in somewhere)"
Rose Hunter: Wants "self-help" suggestions because going to counseling is "out of the question for several reasons".
How do you measure progress during an addiction-recovery journey? (It's easy with weight-loss.. since there are lots of black and white data points to show you... number on the scale, BF%, etc.)
Nutrition: The Next Step To Wellness
Today coach Blu interviews Brian Shellabarger about nutrition, the next step that needs to be followed in recovery to get yourself to another level of health and long-term wellness. Listen as we discuss Brian's weight loss story, what he learned about diet, nutrition, and health in general. Nutrition is overlooked often in the world of recovery and has a great deal to offer when knowledge is applied. Find more of Brian's podcasts and blogs at Weightix. As part of AIIA, you can join for free by using code “A2A”
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The Okayest Jogger
Today Coach Blu speaks with Josh Hansen, a friend of the program and behind the scenes contributor. Unbeknownst to many, Josh has contributed his time, graphic designs, and ideas to help AIIA grow. Josh was instrumental in getting our very own podcast up and running and as a co-host of The Radio Ronin podcast, he pitched Addict II Athlete's podcast to the Radio Ronin Network landing us a spot within the Ronin family. Listen as Josh talks about his weight loss journey, and the progression of becoming an ultra runner, and the knowledge he has gained through it all.
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Never Too Late
Today's Podcast features Endurance Athlete, Rob Reinhard and his amazing story as he erased addiction to drugs and food and replaced it by becoming a counselor, athlete, and coach. "When I got clean and sober in 1997, I actually lost some weight, only to regain it until I topped out a 296. Poor diet, tons of sugars and processed foods, zero exercise, and poor health choices got me to where I would be out of breath just trying tying my shoes." It's a powerful reminder that it's never too late to make a change.
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Contact Rob Reinhard
Tri-Active Endurance
Runner’s World Weightloss Transformation Rob Reinhard
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The Addicted Brain
Today's podcast focuses on addiction and the brain. Listen in as Coach Blu interviews Dr. Blake Rapier, Addiction Specialist and Director of ALX Family Health on how the brain is affected by addiction. They discuss specific issues related to the functionality of the brain itself. They talk about best practices and ways to break the addicted brain. There is hope in sobriety and rewiring the brain. This is a powerful podcast with a lot of new knowledge that may require you to listen to it multiple times.
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Heart of a Champion
It takes heart to be an athlete and it take the heart of a Champion to run with our AIIA Lady Athlete, Destiny Kroeber. Athlete Kroeber is Team Addict II Athlete's Rookie of the Year for 2018 and all you need to do is listen to her story to understand why.
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Addiction Recovery with David Clark
As a rule, you should never start talking before you hit the record button. Listen as Coach Blu and Coach David Clark just start flowing during the warm-up mic check and just get into the rhythm and flow of recovery. This unscripted podcast is a powerful reminder that sobriety, healing from addiction and the erase and replace philosophy can come from the heart. We now return to your regularly scheduled program already in progress.
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Athlete Baxter
Today Athlete Kirk Baxter and Coach Blu talk about a different way to look at people in recovery. Athlete Baxter has never experienced drugs or alcohol addiction but he pulls strength from the team. He discusses some of what he has gained through attending our weekly support group as a ‘Muggle’ (one who has never struggled with substances). His insight and big heart even allowed Coach Blu to talk about a loss he and the team suffered in 2017. Athlete Baxter is a genuine man, a strong father, an avid runner and we are lucky to have him in Team AIIA.
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