Podcast

S5E12: How To Build a Champion’s Mind & Elite Leadership Skills w Dr. Jim Afremow, PhD

Season 5, Episode 12

Dr. Marc Bubbs interviews Dr. Jim Afremow, PhD, author of The Champion’s Mind, The Champion’s Comeback, The Young Champion’s Mind, and his new book The Leaders Mind.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE:

3:30 – How Jim got interested in sport psychology?
5:05 – Roadblocks to bringing the ‘right’ attitude everyday.
7:05 – Strategies to limit negative thoughts
8:45 – Where to start with mental performance techniques.
11:25 – garbage in, garbage out: negative repetitive thoughts.
13:30 – How to connect with athletes who haven’t bought in to mental training
18:05 – Do teams need independent mental health professionals to support athletes/staff?
20:28 – the ‘best’ time to build your mindset skills”?
22:10 – What is leadership? Where do you start?
25:40 – How to start building ‘culture’ and ‘connection’?
27:40 – Findign your leadership style vs. fitting into a culture
31:05 – One simple question can transform your coaching relationship?
32:35 – How your body language impacts your mental game
37:40 – Training mindset vs. game day nutrition
39:24 – Can you flip the switch on game day?
41:24 – Building a young athlete’s mindset skills
44:00 – Where to start with kids and mindset training?
46:45 – In a world of distraction, how do we stay present?

ABOUT DR. JIM AFREMOW:

Website: https://goldmedalmind.net/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/goldmedalmind

QUESTIONS?

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S5E11: Weight Cycling, Fat-Overshooting & Learning from Mentors w Dr. James Morehen PhD

Season 5, Episode 11

Dr James Morehen is a Performance Nutritionist who currently works with professional elite level athletes and global organisations. Alongside this, James is passionate about supporting individual athletes and clients with their own nutrition, exercise and performance goals.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE:
2:30 – James’ background in science and sport.
4:30 – What is weight cycling?
6:55 – What is fat-overshooting?
10:50 – James’ recent paper on a 5-year weight training cycle…
14:10 – The typical resting metabolic rate, caloric intake and daily food items of the pro boxer
16:30 – Rocky’s weight-making strategy the week before weigh-in
21:05 – Old-school weight making strategies that put athletes at risk
24:10 – Does repeatedly trying to ‘make weight’ result in fat overshooting as you age (or athlete retires)?
32:05 – Some of the tips James’ picked up interviewing some of the world’s best practitioner
37:00 – What’s life like at the Bristol Bears pro rugby club
39:20 – Diet plan vs. lifestyle change – which comes first?

ABOUT DR. JAMES MOREHEN:

Website: morehenperformance.com/
Twitter: @James_Morehen

QUESTIONS?

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S5E10: How To Keep Your Immune System Young + Covid19 & Your Genes w Dr. Jenna Macchiochi, PhD

Season 5, Episode 10

Dr. Marc Bubbs interviews Dr. Jenna Macciochi, PhD, expert immunologist, lecturer at Sussex University and author of Immunity: The Science of Staying Well. Dr Jenna specialises in understanding how nutrition and lifestyle interact with the immune system in health and disease.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE:

2:05 – How immunologists Dr. Jenna Macciochi, PhD got interested in the field?
3:50 – What is your immune system? (It May Surprise You!)
7:05 – Myths around the immune system you hear online?
10:30 – What is immune-metabolism? (The connection between immunity and metabolism)
14:10 – How weight loss, or maintaining a healthy weight, has a powerful impact on immunity and health.
18:10 – Your chronological age vs. your immunological age. (Why is it important?)
21:25 – Covid19 and myocarditis: does the covid19 vaccine increase your risk?
24:05 – Controlled exposure of covid19 virus vs. the whole virus (genetic variation)
28:25 – Will the seasonal cold and flus be worse this year? (Will you have an immunity debt?)
33:00 – Nutrition for immunity: where to start?
37:45 – How does an urban vs. rural environment impact immune function?
40:05 – Food colours and immunity
45:30 – Supplements to support immunity
48:35 – How mindset and nature is interconnected with our immunity

ABOUT DR. JENNA:

Website: www.drjennamacciochi.com

Book: Staying-Well-Healthy-Immune-System

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrJMacc

QUESTIONS?

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S5E9: 7 Key Lessons from Pro Cycling & How They Can Help Your Athletes w Dr. Impey + Chef Strobel

Season 5, Episode 9

Marc interviews with Dr. Sam Impey, PhD, Sport Scientist at Team BikeExchange and co-founder of the nutrition App Hexis, as well as Performance Chef Nicki Strobel to dissect they work they do in pro cycling with Team Bike Exchange to prepare for major races like the Tour de France.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE:
2:00 – Introduction to Dr. Samuel Impey, PhD, and performance chef Nicki Strobel.
4:15– The build-up to a Tour de France: how do performance staff prepare riders?
6:35 – What does ‘training the gut’ mean for cyclists (and other endurance athletes)?
9:15 – How many carbs per hour does a Tour de France rider consume?
12:30 – How does a Performance Chef work with athletes?
16:15 – The importance of re-fueling in the first few hours after intense training.
19:55 – Why does chef Strobel put the riders favorite meals at the end of a Grand Tour?
23:10 – The value of simplicity in achieving compliance.
25:30 – Carbohydrate periodization in elite cyclists: how does it play out?
29:55 – The value of ‘education’ versus ‘prescription’ when it comes to nutrition.
34:45 – Bodyweight and skinfold calipers: how do they inform performance staff decisions with riders?
37:00 – Assessing resting metabolic rate (RMR) in cyclists; how might it change in training vs. competition.
39:00 – Consideration for practitioners and coaches when athletes are training at altitude.
42:45 – Two key reasons for low-fiber foods before mountain climbs.
45:35 – Supplement strategies for elite cyclists & the value of ‘do no harm’.
51:10 – How does cultural diversity in a performance staff, and athletes, help to propel performance.

ABOUT DR. SAM IMPEY, PHD & CHEF NICKI STROBEL:

Dr. Sam Impey, PhD, Sport Scientist at Team BikeExchange and co-founder of the nutrition App Hexis

Performance Chef Nicki Strobel works in pro cycling with Team Bike Exchange to prepare riders for major races like the Tour de France

QUESTIONS?

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S5E8: Nutrition, Recovery & Concussion Support for Football Players w Dr. Matt Frakes PhD

Season 5, Episode 8

Dr. Marc Bubbs interviews Dr. Matt Frakes, PhD, the Director of Nutrition at Notre-Dame University Football to discuss his career path, lessons learned in the trenches, his performance nutrition philosophy for elite football players, as well as his research into nutrition for concussion support.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE:
3:00 – Dr. Matt Frakes background
7:50 – Matt’s lessons learned from teams he’s worked with; baseball, basketball, etc.
12:30 – Recovery, sleep and how to support athlete health
15:30 – Working with female athletes, the menstrual cycle, and anemia
17:45 – Plant-based diets and athletes
21:40 – Strategies to help build good relationships with your athletes
24:40 – Menu development in collegiate athletes
27:20 – Year 1 at Notre-Dame Football; preparation, preparation, preparation.
28:45 – How to ramp up refueling in the pre-season (when caloric demands highest)
37:00 – In-season fueling for football players
37:55 – What are key nutritional factors to consider at the end of a playing season
42:35 – Matt’s work in nutrition to support concussion and head trauma
45:55 – Nutrients to protect the brain
50:00 – How fatherhood has changed you as a practitioner

ABOUT DR. MATT FRAKES, PHD:

Matthew Frakes currently serves as the Associate Director of Sports Nutrition after joining the Louisiana Athletics staff in April 2019.

Before joining the Ragin’ Cajuns, Frakes served as the Assistant Sports Dietitian at the University of Mississippi from 2017-19, where he worked with Olympic Sports. Several of his former Rebel student-athletes are current Olympians, as well as professional athletes in the MLB and PGA.

From 2015-17, Frakes worked as a Sports Dietitian at a private practice. He worked with collegiate and professional athletes on their athletic performance goals, including athletes in the NFL, NBA, and MLS. During this time, Frakes also worked as a Clinical Dietitian in a hospital setting, working with patients on medical outcomes.

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SuperiorFrakes

QUESTIONS?

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S5E7: How To Eat to Beat Depression & Key Biomarkers for Health w Dr. Drew Ramsey MD

Season 5, Episode 7

Dr. Marc Bubbs interviews Dr. Drew Ramsey, MD, psychiatrist, to discuss how anxiety and depression are on the rise in the general population, as well as elite athletes, and how nutrition can play a key role in supporting mental health.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE:
3:05 – Dr. Ramsey’s background
5:10 – How environment impacts our mood and rates of anxiety
6:45 – Inflammation and health
8:00 – Dr. Ramsey’s two key pillars of assessment: what they eat or where is their motivation?
9:40 – Focusing on ‘food categories’ rather than foods
11:30 – Low mood and anxiety in younger populations
16:50 – Work becomes our identity – especially in men
20:30 – Anxiety and low mood in midlife, what changes.
22:45 – How to ‘keep score’ with your day, demands and kids
24:00 – Is depression just a neuro-chemical imbalance
27:14 – Reversing stigma of mental health challenges in men
31:45 – Biomarkers for depression, anxiety or low mood
37:30 – Motivational interviewing and understanding clients
45:00 – Lack of sleep and low mood
46:50 – Exercise as a treatment for depression
48:50 – Supplements for low mood and anxiety

ABOUT DR. DREW RAMSEY, MD:

Drew Ramsey, M.D. is a psychiatrist, one psychiatry’s leading proponents of Nutritional Psychiatry and author of Eat To Beat Depression and Anxiety (HarperWave 2021). He is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

LINKS:

Website: https://drewramseymd.com/

https://drewramseymd.com/books-publications/eat-to-beat-depression-and-anxiety/

QUESTIONS?

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S5E6: Novel Biomarkers for Low Energy Availability in Athletes w Dr. Jose Areta PhD

Season 5, Episode 6

Dr. Marc Bubbs interviews Dr. Jose Areta, PhD, to dive deeply into the concept of 'low energy availability' (LEA), potential biomarkers to flag LEA and what it means for athletes, coaches, and practitioners.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE:
3:35 – Jose educational and research background
7:00 – The definition of ‘low energy availability’ (LEA)
11:45 – Biomarkers of low energy availability: do they exist?
16:20 – T3 hormones are a predictor of LEA.
19:30 – Is leptin a biomarker of LEA?
21:45 – IGF-1 as a biomarker for LEA
22:55 - Bone biomarkers for LEA
25:52 – The menstrual cycle as a biomarker and possibility of low energy availability in men
32:15 – The effects of protein and carbohydrates in states of low-energy availability
34:15 – The ‘sleep low’ training strategy
39:25 – High performance is a balancing act
40:55 – The evolution of research in low energy availability

ABOUT DR. JOSE ARETA, PHD:

Dr. Jose Areta, PhD, who currently works as a lecturer in Sports Nutrition and Metabolism at the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at LJMU.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jlAreta

RESEARCH PAPERS

Low energy availability: history, definition and evidence of its endocrine, metabolic and physiological effects in prospective studies in females and males.

Low energy availability in female athletes: From the lab to the field.

QUESTIONS?

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S5E5: Anxiety, Adversity & Enhancing Mental Performance w Alex Auerbach, PhD

Season 5, Episode 5

Dr. Marc Bubbs interviews Alex Auerbach, PhD, the Director of Wellness and Development for the Toronto Raptors who holds a doctoral degree in counseling psychology with a specialization in sport and performance psychology.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE:
3:45 – Alex’s educational and coaching background
10:10 – The ‘achievement motivation’ framework
14:15 – Climbing the ladder in sports: mindfulness and environment
18:20 – Mindfulness techniques – where to start?
20:20 – Reframing: putting Experience Into Perspective
23:45 – How our language impacts our outcomes
27:10 – ‘You’re so talented!” Unconcsiously perpetuating a ‘fixed’ mindset
30:05 – Team-Effectiveness literature: what makes teams work.
35:25 – Culture disruption: The mismatch between what people are preaching and what they’re practicing…”
42:00 – Identifying team or organizational values
52:00 – How technology impact our mindset and anxiety
56:45 – The next frontier in mental performance

ABOUT DR. ALEX AUERBACH, PhD:

Alex Auerbach, PhD, the Director of Wellness and Development for the Toronto Raptors who holds a doctoral degree in counseling psychology with a specialization in sport and performance psychology.

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/AlexAuerbachPhD

EPISODE SPONSOR: PROGRESSIVE VITAMINS

Save 10% off your next order with the promo code BUBBS at checkout progressivenutritional.com.

QUESTION OR COMMENT?

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S5E4: The Misunderstood Science of Metabolism (And Why It Matters) w/ Herman Pontzer, PhD

Season 5, episode 4

Dr. Marc Bubbs interviews Dr. Herman Pontzer, PhD, associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University and author of the new high-acclaimed book Burn to debunk the misunderstood science of metabolism.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE:
4:02​ – Why Herman chose to write Burn
6:09​ – His first experience with the Hadza tribe in Tanzania
8:35​ – How far do the Hadza walk every day? (Why does it matter?)
10:44​ – Does improving running economy impact caloric expenditure?
15:55​ – Metabolic health conditions and the effect of exercise
19:10​ – The role of the brain in appetite regulation
21:30​ – Modern food environment, gene pool, and obesity
24:30​ – Benefits of exercise on overall health
26:30​ – What are the bounds of endurance performance?
29:20​ – How many calories can you actually eat? (Get energy into the body)
33:45​ – Evolutionary hangover: sticking with our ‘tribe’
35:30​ – The cost of a calorie today vs. 100 years ago
36:40​ – The effect of gut microbiota on calories you use and take up
38:45​ – How the diet of hunter-gatherers change based on latitude
40:50 – Genetic changes in Inuit that do NOT favour ketogenic adaptations
43:20 – Evolution of research for Herman Pontzer’s team

ABOUT HERMAN PONTZER, PhD:

Dr. Herman Pontzer, PhD, associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University and author of the new high-acclaimed book Burn to debunk the misunderstood science of metabolism.

QUESTION OR COMMENT?

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S5E3: The 7 Hard Truths About Being a Coach w/ Cody Royle

Season 5, episode 3

Dr. Marc Bubbs is talking with author and head coach for AFL Canada team Cody Royle about 'The Tough Stufff – 7 Hard Truths About Being A Head Coach'

Cody and Marc discuss key elements how pressure and the emotional toll impact coaches, how coaching is not about you (but all about you), how ultimately you’re trying to craet your own identity within your team, how we need to rethink communication and a whole lot more.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE:

0:45 – Cody’s coaching background and Aussie rules football

5:10 – Everyone thinks you’re an idiot (when you’re a coach)

7:30 – Competitiveness, disagreeableness and creating a cohesive plan

10:05 – Do great players make great coaches?

14:30 – Lessons from Dan Quinn, former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons

17:30 – Power dynamics and the impact on human interactions

20:50 – The great paradox of coaching: it’s not about you (but it’s all about you)

23:30 – Top down leadership and how to effectively communicate with different athletes

28:45 – The power of belief

32:25 – Are you a coach, or a person who coaches?

37:30 – Old-school coaching phrases that need an upgrade

42:45 – Breaking down silos to integrate in real-world practice

45:30 – Do coaches need coaches?

ABOUT CODY ROYLE:

Cody Royle is a former Canadian National AFL coach and author of The Tough Stuff + Where Others Won't

QUESTION OR COMMENT?

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S5E2: Phytonutrients in Meat: Beyond Macros & Micros w/ Dr. Stephan van Vilet, PhD

Season 5, Episode 2

Dr. Marc Bubbs interviews researcher Dr. Stephan van Vliet from Duke University to discuss his research on the phytonutrient content of meat, the implications for human health, and the intersection of farming, health, and medicine.

Summary of the Episode

0:45 – Stephan’ academic background

1:55 – How production systems and diet quality impact chronic disease

4:01 – Meat, dairy and the phytochemicals they contain

7:08 – Herbs, polyphenols and why wine is a good idea to pair with steak

10:25 – Terpenoids: squalene, thaurine, anserine, and the like for cognition and health

12:00 – Unprocessed vs. processed meats

13:30 – Factory-farming and excess consumption of red meat

17:45 – The importance of ruminant animals in up-cycling nutrients

20:45 – False dichotomy: plant vs. animal-based

23:45 – Phytochemicals in meat may be comparable to plant foods

25:10 – Grass-fed vs. feedlot and how they impact inflammatory markers

29:05 – Diet quality, saturated fat and what it means for health

31:40 – The ‘reductionist message’ problem in nutrition

35:40 – Fitness, muscle and diet quality on health

38:58 – The challenges with studying chronic, complex conditions in science

42:00 – How to simplify nutrition & the external cost of ‘processed’ foods

45:05 – Evolution of research at the intersection of farming, plant-diversity, nutrition, and medicine

49:45 – #1 Tip – Focus on increasing whole, unprocessed foods in your diet.


ABOUT DR. STEPHAN VAN VLIET PHD
Dr. Stephan van Vliet is a human nutrition scientist in the Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center within the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. van Vliet earned his PhD in Kinesiology and Community Health as an ESPEN Fellow from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and received post-doctoral training at the Center for Human Nutrition in the Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine.

 Dr. van Vliet’s research is performed at the nexus of agriculture and human health. In his work, Dr. van Vliet links food production systems to the nutrient density of food, and their subsequent effects on human metabolic health using high-throughput techniques such as metabolomics and proteomics. His studies have evaluated the effects of dietary patterns and food sources on protein and lipid metabolism, inflammation, insulin action, body composition, and intracellular signaling pathways that regulate metabolic health. His work has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, the Journal of Nutrition, and the Journal of Physiology.

RESEARCH

Health-Promoting Phytonutrients Are Higher in Grass-Fed Meat and Milk.


QUESTION OR COMMENT?

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S5E1: Fueling Elite Academy Football Players: From Science to Practice w/ Dr. Marcus Hannon, PhD

Season 5, Episode 1

Dr. Marc Bubbs interviews Head of Nutrition at Aston Villa Football Club Dr. Marcus Hannon, PhD to discuss fueling elite academy football players.

Summary of the Episode

1:11 – Marcus’ background

2:30 – Nutritional requirements for younger athletes

8:15 – Schedule of an academy football player

9:38 – Resting metabolic rate in younger athletes

13:00 – Are all equations appropriate for young athletes?

14:00 – Consequences of under-fueling

17:20 – Youth vs. adult athletes: physiological and metabolic differences

19:25 – Can youth athletes ‘carb load’

20:05 – Supplying carbs during training for youth athletes

22:25 – Energy expenditure in youth athletes: targets to aim for

26:58 – Senior vs. academy players – how the ‘rest of day’ impacts expenditure

28:40 – Fueling in under 14 and under 12 age groups

30:30 – Importance of establishing meal frequency

32:40 – The importance of breakfast in young footballers

35:30 – Marcus’ work with Aston Villa in the English Premier League

37:15 – Nuances in working at the highest level of professional football

39:10 – Relationship between chefs and performance nutritionists

42:15 – Evolution of performance in elite and professional football

About Dr. Marcus Hannon PhD

Dr Marcus Hannon is an SENr registered performance nutritionist and is currently Head of Nutrition for Aston Villa FC. Marcus has worked with a range of youth and adult athletes across a variety of sports including football (previously Everton Academy), rugby (previously Northampton Saints and Ulster Rugby) and boxing. Marcus is also involved in applied research and completed his PhD at Liverpool John Moores University investigating the energetic requirements of Premier League Academy footballers.

Research Papers

Energy Requirements of Male Academy Soccer Players from the English Premier League

Energy and Macronutrient Considerations for Young Athletes

Cross-sectional comparison of body composition and resting metabolic rate in Premier League academy soccer players: Implications for growth and maturation

Questions?

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