How Podcasts Saved My Life

Did I grab your attention with my headline?

Good!

When I say that podcasts saved my life, what I mean is that listening to podcasts has made my daily workout much more enjoyable. Here’s my story – a few years ago I was in a funk. I did not like the size that I was approaching (I am 5’5” and at my heaviest, I weighed more than 200 pounds), PLUS I was always exhausted. I love food, and socializing, so what was I supposed to do?

During Lent of 2015 my son challenged me. Matthew said, “Dad, I challenge to give up for lent  you to stop your daily glasses of wine at lunch and dinner, and add daily exercise into your day.” I accepted the challenge. While it was not hard to stop the wine drinking, I found it difficult to get daily exercise. After all, I have always found exercise boring, and I could only listen to so much music… so I  started listening to podcasts!

Do you listen to podcasts? If you don’t, I challenge you to do so! Whether you are an entrepreneur, solopreneur, or someone who just wants a little bit of self-improvement, you can get so much value from listening to podcasts (I even started a podcast, more on that later). Check out my ‘Top 10’ list below for some inspiration if you are new to the podcasting world.
Here are my top 10 podcasts:

• The Splendid Table
• The Sporkful (I LOVE eating and cooking)
• Mad Marketing by Marcus Sheridan
• Pat Hiban’s Real Estate Rockstar Radio
• Content Warfare – How to find your audience and tell your story
• Loan Officer Freedom by Carl White
• The Church of What’s Happening Now
• The New Yorker Radio Hour
• TED Radio Hour
• Fresh Air – Conversations with today’s biggest Luminaries

Do you make it a point to get the recommended amount of exercise each week? According to the American Heart Association, the average person needs about 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week. In addition to aiding weight loss and heart health, exercise provides these invisible benefits:

• Higher Pain Tolerance – Did you know that athletes have a higher tolerance for pain than sedentary people? This means that they are also less affected by day-to-day annoyances and stress.
• Better Eating Habits – After a workout, people are less likely to crave high-calorie foods. This means that people that exercise are less likely to reach for junk food! It’s a win-win!
• Less Stress and Anxiety – Exercise causes the release of GABA in the brain, which has been shown to quiet brain activity and minimizes anxiety. This means that spending a few minutes at the gym each day could make you a happier person, especially when you consider the endorphin rush you also get when working out!
• Improved Immune System – In addition to lessening your chances of heart disease and diabetes, regular exercise has been proven to decrease the likelihood of contracting common illnesses like colds and flus.

How do you like to exercise? Hit reply now, I would love to know. Some people prefer zoning out on a treadmill, others (like me) prefer going out on nature walks in the community… thankfully, your body will appreciate the activity no matter how you chose to work out. So don’t wait any longer – get moving! And make sure that you let me know if you have any questions about health or health insurance policies

That’s it for this week!

Now, go out and DOMINATE your week!