Behind the Bluff

Jeff Ford & Kendra Till
  • 4.8 (32)
  • FITNESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Uncover best practices to participate in life on your terms. Every week, hosts Jeff Ford and Kendra Till guide listeners with short conversations on trending wellness topics and share interviews with passionate wellness professionals, our private club leaders, and additional subject matter experts offering valuable tips. Each episode conclusion includes Healthy Momentum, five minutes of inspiration to help you reflect and live differently. Subscribe now and discover the keys to living your greatest active lifestyle.   

  1. Building Community One Frame at a Time | Jeff Begola

    2D AGO

    Building Community One Frame at a Time | Jeff Begola

    What if a casual Thursday night could become the heartbeat of a neighborhood? We sit down with Jeff Bagola—the self-appointed commissioner of the Palmetto Bluff Bowling League—to trace how a simple idea grew into a 24-team tradition packed with personality, friendly rivalries, and real community. From flexible schedules and kickoff parties to a clever two-division format with relegation, Jeff shares the nuts and bolts that keep the lanes full and the energy high. We explore the league’s culture engine: custom jerseys, a lively fan base, and The Gutter Gazette, a weekly recap that turns strikes, splits, and side conversations into shared lore. Dues are reinvested into better pins, balls, shoes, and regular maintenance, while an Adopt-A-Highway stretch and a feature in The Bluff magazine add civic pride and visibility. The result is a ritual that people plan their week around—loud, joyful, and welcoming to every skill level. The conversation widens to wellness and the power of consistency. Drawing on Jeff’s military background and training habits, we unpack why discipline beats perfection, how accountability partners make workouts stick, and why choosing activities you actually enjoy is non-negotiable. The league becomes a living case study in social fitness: show up, keep score, tell stories, and let the ritual do its quiet work of connection. If you’re new to Palmetto Bluff or curious about getting involved, watch for registration in the Tidings email or visit the member site under Leagues and Activities. Enjoy the episode? Subscribe, share it with a neighbor who hasn’t heard the show yet, and leave a quick review to help more people find us.

    39 min
  2. Your Yard Is Not A Fast Food Joint For Wildlife | Aaron Palmieri

    FEB 11

    Your Yard Is Not A Fast Food Joint For Wildlife | Aaron Palmieri

    Step outside the front door and into a living network where every plant choice matters. We sit down with Aaron Palmeri from the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy to demystify what “native” really means for the Lowcountry and why local species outperform popular imports when it comes to feeding birds, sustaining pollinators, and keeping ecosystems resilient. If you’ve ever wondered whether a pretty shrub helps or hurts, this conversation gives you the clarity to choose well. We break down ecoregions in plain terms and share how herbarium records and range maps verify what truly belongs from Wilmington to Jacksonville. From there, we trace the chain of co‑evolution: how caterpillars rely on specific host plants, why 96% of songbirds depend on those caterpillars, and how nectar, fruit, and structure fit together across the seasons. You’ll hear stark examples like nandina’s cyanide-laced berries harming cedar waxwings, and how Chinese tallow spreads to crowd out high‑value natives—proving that what’s “low maintenance” on paper can be costly for wildlife. The practical guidance is simple and doable. Start with one bed. Ask your landscaper for natives. Choose heavy hitters: oaks, willows, and Prunus for trees; blueberries, blackberries, and native roses for shrubs; goldenrod, native sunflowers, and boneset for wildflowers. Prefer evergreen structure? Yaupon holly and wax myrtle shape beautifully and stay green year‑round. We also share how to find vetted lists, local plant sales, and trusted nurseries so you can swap invasive look‑alikes for native workhorses without sacrificing curb appeal. We close with a wellness reflection that ties it all together: seasonal eating and being a reliable base for each other—steady, present, and consistent. Ready to turn your yard into habitat that looks great and does good? Listen now, subscribe for more nature‑forward wellness, and share the first plant you’ll swap this season.

    26 min
  3. Train for the Life You Want to Keep Living

    FEB 4

    Train for the Life You Want to Keep Living

    A six-pack, a stress fracture, and a complete reframe. We mark our 100th milestone by unpacking Jeff’s three eras of wellness—how a quest for appearance morphed into performance and finally matured into longevity and capacity you can sustain for decades. We start with the honest stuff: teenage ab routines, calorie diaries, bodybuilding splits, and the belief that soreness equals success. Then the story accelerates into endurance and functional fitness—fast 5Ks, marathons, Ironman, and the powerful pull of CrossFit community. Alongside the training, Jeff deepens his craft with behavior change coaching, learning how habits and relationships make results stick. The turning point arrives with injury and a hard truth: constant intensity narrows life, and recovery is the engine of adaptation, not an optional add-on. Today, the focus is training for the life you want to keep living. We break down mobility and breath work as daily anchors, intelligent intervals that respect your joints, and foundational strength patterns—hinge, squat, push, pull, carry, rotate—that bulletproof real-world movement. We share how community multiplies consistency, why ego quietly sabotages progress, and how to design classes and personal routines that balance effort with recovery. You’ll hear favorite definitions of wellness from past guests, reinforcing a whole-person view that values mental, emotional, and relational health alongside the physical. If you’ve ever confused sweat with success or felt stuck between doing more and getting better, this conversation offers a clearer path: intentional training, smart recovery, and habits that grow with you. Subscribe, share this milestone episode with a friend who’s rethinking their routine, and leave a review to tell us which era you’re in—and where you want to go next.

    43 min
  4. How Functional Breathing Helps You Move Smarter | Tiger Bye

    JAN 28

    How Functional Breathing Helps You Move Smarter | Tiger Bye

    We explore how functional breathing—light, slow, deep nasal breaths at rest—improves energy, stability, sleep, and confidence, and how simple breath training supports aging well. Tiger Bye shares research-backed tools that translate from the gym to daily life and help turn reactivity into choice. • Defining functional breathing versus breath work • Why nasal breathing conserves energy and calms the nervous system • Diaphragm recruitment for spinal stability and movement confidence • VO2 max, longevity, and breath training carryover • Simple starting drills for walks, lifting, and sleep • Building CO2 tolerance without fear of air hunger • Using breath to shift from reacting to responding If you are a member of Palmetto Bluff Club, look out on Tidings and in our fitness and wellness newsletter for announcements regarding the workshops that Tiger will be hosting in the near future

    37 min
  5. Decoding The 2026 Federal Nutrition Guidelines | Lindsay Ford

    JAN 21

    Decoding The 2026 Federal Nutrition Guidelines | Lindsay Ford

    We unpack the 2026 Federal Nutrition Guidelines with registered dietitian Lindsay Ford, translating the new visual into practical steps for energy, health, and performance. We focus on protein needs, carb quality, and habits that make consistency possible. • history from pyramid to MyPlate to the new visual • what actually changed and what stayed the same • who the guidelines are for and how schools apply them • dairy shifts and the missing clarity on alcohol and sugar • updated protein targets for adults and why they matter • how to calculate your daily protein range with examples • whole grains versus refined carbs and why quality counts • myth checking on carbs, saturated fat, breakfast, and sugar • simple starting steps and the role of consistency • practical tips for cooking at home and building momentum If you ever have additional questions, you can email Lindsay Ford at lindsay@permissiontoeat.com or feel free to sign up for a one-on-one consultation to get a more individual approach to your nutrition moving forward.

    25 min
  6. What Happens When Golf Becomes Quiet at Anson Point | James Swift

    JAN 14

    What Happens When Golf Becomes Quiet at Anson Point | James Swift

    A course without houses. A round that rewards silence. Anson Point at Palmetto Bluff opens a new chapter for our golf community, and we sat down with Director of Golf Operations James Swift to unpack the vision, the craft, and the calm behind it. From the first sketch with Coore & Crenshaw to opening-day jitters, James shares what it took to build a walkable course where the land leads and players can finally slow down. We talk through the details that make Anson Point different: a par 71 with five par threes and four par fives, green-to-tee transitions measured in steps, and a routing that feels like a “wrinkled shirt” in the best way—natural contours that move the ball without feeling engineered. You’ll hear how agronomy veterans and a hospitality-forward staff shaped the experience on and off the fairways, including The Roost, our central turnhouse designed to keep the round social while preserving the quiet that defines the property. James also reflects on the people side of golf: the touchpoints at arrival, the cadence of service throughout the day, and how walking with caddies reframes the game. Beyond playability and pace, we explore why disconnection is becoming a necessary part of wellness. With no residential backdrop and only the sound of wind and wildlife, Anson Point invites presence—less phone, more focus, deeper breaths, better golf. We close with what’s next: phased amenities, thoughtful programming that respects member access, and a long view where Anson Point becomes a calm, connected hub within Palmetto Bluff. If you care about course design, member experience, or how nature-first golf can change your day, this conversation delivers. Subscribe, share with a walking partner, and leave a quick review to tell us your favorite detail from your last quiet round.

    29 min
  7. Why VO₂ Max Might Be the Most Important Fitness Metric You’re Ignoring

    JAN 7

    Why VO₂ Max Might Be the Most Important Fitness Metric You’re Ignoring

    We map a clear path from buzz to behavior by breaking down VO2 max, why it predicts longevity and health span, and how to train it with a smart blend of cardio and conditioning. We share simple tests, practical workouts, and a mindset for sustainable gains across the year. • the four-corner plan for fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, recreation • why VO2 max correlates with resilience and mortality risk • cardio as base, conditioning as ceiling • what a stronger heart means physiologically • lab testing vs wearables and Bruce protocol • practical benchmarks for cardio and conditioning • how to interpret scores and track progress • capacity and capability as twin longevity levers • consistency over intensity as the core habit We’re kicking off Wellness Week. If you’re signed up, it’s going to be an incredible experience. If you’re not signed up, feel free to get on the wait list.

    29 min

  8. 12/31/2025 · BONUS

    Meditation Series: Crossing the Threshold | Jess Hooper

    The final week of the year loves to shout. Goals, audits, fixes, and a rush to reinvent by midnight crowd out the simplest move: pause. We wanted a different doorway into 2026, so we slow everything down and make space for presence over pressure. Together with guest teacher Jess Hooper, we explore how reflection can be honest without being harsh and how a quieter threshold can set a steadier tone for the year ahead. We start by naming the common trap of year-end self-judgment—the impulse to optimize before we’ve even acknowledged what we lived through. Then we invite a reset: breathe first, plan later. Jess guides a grounding meditation called Crossing the Threshold, designed to help you settle into your body, witness the arc of the year without labels, and choose intentionally what to carry forward. Through simple cues—steady posture, paced breathing, and a doorframe visualization—you get a practical way to sift insights from noise and release the urge to overhaul everything on January 1. What emerges is a humane framework for transition: presence is productive, urgency is optional, and a single word or feeling can anchor the next chapter better than a crowded list of resolutions. If you’ve felt behind, late, or pressured to perform at the calendar’s command, this practice offers relief and clarity. You’re not required to fix yourself to cross a doorway. You’re invited to arrive as you are, name what matters, and step forward with a quiet yes. If this resonated, share it with someone who needs a softer start to the year. Subscribe for more reflective tools, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. What one word will you carry across your threshold?

    8 min
See All (106)

Trailers

4.8
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Uncover best practices to participate in life on your terms. Every week, hosts Jeff Ford and Kendra Till guide listeners with short conversations on trending wellness topics and share interviews with passionate wellness professionals, our private club leaders, and additional subject matter experts offering valuable tips. Each episode conclusion includes Healthy Momentum, five minutes of inspiration to help you reflect and live differently. Subscribe now and discover the keys to living your greatest active lifestyle.   

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Ford & Kendra Till
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    106
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Behind the Bluff
  • Show Website
    Behind the Bluff

You Might Also Like