Remove the Guesswork: Health, Fitness and Wellbeing for Busy Professionals

Leanne Spencer - Health, Fitness and Wellbeing Expert
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Remove the Guesswork: Health, Fitness and Wellbeing for Busy Professionals

The Remove the Guesswork podcast is for busy professionals who want to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing using the latest science and technology to cut through the noise and get better results, faster. In each 30 minute episode I’ll talk with some of the leading names in the health and wellbeing industry about the latest innovations, interview people who have transformed their health to find out how they did it, and share my own personal story of chronic stress, burnout, career change and subsequent lifestyle transformation. Other popular topics include personalisation; optimizing human performance; work/life blend; the importance of recovery; finding consistency; thriving not surviving; becoming a health warrior; biohacking and intelligent training. Leanne Spencer is an expert in health, fitness and wellbeing. She is the author of two bestselling books, Rise and Shine and Remove the Guesswork and TEDx speaker on why fitness is more important than weight. Visit our website www.bodyshotperformance.com for more information.

  1. 03/27/2022

    Leanne's New Podcast: Agile Business Athlete

    Leanne has a brand new podcast titled Agile Business Athlete! Won't you join us on the new feed? Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts Or search 'Agile Business Athlete' on your preferred podcast app.

    1 min

  2. 11/13/2021

    271|Final Episode

    This week is the final episode of the Remove the Guesswork podcast.   Topics Discussed In This Episode: What has been shared on this podcast since it began. Where the archived episodes will continue to be available. The stand-out experts that have been on the show over the years. The project that’s coming up next for Leanne and what to expect from it. Where the idea of the agile business athlete came from. The methodology of being an agile business athlete, and the most important step. Leanne’s favourite episodes of Remove the Guesswork and why. Why Leanne says she’s not going anywhere. When the Agile Business Athlete podcast is being released. What Leanne has enjoyed the most looking back on all the episodes of this podcast. A final goodbye from Leanne for this podcast. Key Takeaways: Over the past four years, Leanne has shared her best thoughts, ideas, guests, and over 271 episodes. Leanne is coming out with a new show called the Agile Business Athlete Show which will be season-based. It launches in January 2022. We can learn a lot from athletes because even though they are high-performing individuals, they don’t get burnt out. Being planned out, prepared, and performance focused as an athlete can help you be your best self in all areas of your life. Recovery is the last but most important part of being a business athlete. Addiction comes in all shapes and forms and can manifest itself in many different ways. Leanne did a great episode on this previously with consultant psychiatrist Dr. Alberto Pertusa. Experienced listeners may have their own favourite episodes, which they are welcome to share. Over the four years of doing this podcast, Leanne herself has grown so much. Her interviewing has improved and her attitudes toward well-being have changed too. Action Steps: If you want to check out Leanne’s six favourite episodes, listen to... 1.   The episode with Tristan Gooley, author of Natural Navigator. 2.   The episode with Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Alberto Pertusa. 3.   The episode with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia. 4.   The episode with Sober Fish Dawn Comolly called “The Rise of the Sober Curious”. 5.   The episode that documents Leanne’s Arctic Circle race. 6.   The episode about surviving the highlands during a challenging 5-day course.   Leanne said: “I’ve had a look back, and there is so much there. I mean recovery, resilience, fitness, sleep, mental health, energy, nutrition, connection, biohacks, technology, science. So much there with some incredible experts as well.”   “We’ve been very grateful to have you on the end of the mic, as it were, listening. Podcasting is a great thing to do, a really fun thing to do, and I’ve enjoyed it immensely.” Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/survival-in-the-highlands-an-epic-adventure-with-leanne-spencer/ https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/taking-part-in-the-worlds-toughest-ski-race-the-arctic-circle-race/ https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/the-rise-of-the-sober-curious-with-the-sober-fish-dawn-comolly/ https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/natural-navigation-the-beautiful-art-and-science-of-being-able-to-shape-your-journey-with-tristan-gooley/ https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/discussing-alcohol-dependency-addiction-adhd-anxiety-dopamine-and-much-more-with-one-of-londons-leading-psychiatrists-dr-alberto-pertusa-bonus-episode/ https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/creating-a-culture-of-empathy-and-engagement-in-business/ Leanne’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ   Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.   If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.   If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.   As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

    15 min

  3. 11/06/2021

    270|Resilience and Your Discomfort Zone

    This week we’re talking about resilience and your discomfort zone.   Topics Discussed In This Episode: A little about Evy Poumpouras and her book “Becoming Bulletproof.” How a bulletproof vest is made and why malleability is its strength. The types of events that may test our resilience. Why people are becoming increasingly interested in extreme events and activities. Who Leanne interviewed recently and why. Why it’s important to test ourselves physically and mentally. The types of activity Leanne will do to build resilience daily, monthly, and yearly. Leanne’s survival experience in the Scottish Highlands and the important skills those types of experiences teach you. Why low moments are normal when you’re challenging yourself and getting outside your comfort zone. What challenging yourself could look like outside of physical activity or sports. How building resilience is a constant evolution. Key Takeaways: Leanne heard Evy Poumpouras (author, writer, speaker, and former Secret Service agent) talk about how being bulletproof relates to resilience. Our experiences layer on us much the same way that the fibres of a bulletproof vest are layered to make it impenetrable. There has been an increased interest in extreme, strenuous activities. Next year Leanne will be going to do an SAS simulated selection weekend. One some level, we as humans want to go back to a time when things were more difficult because we aren’t testing ourselves physically as much anymore. Leanne likes to plan things daily, weekly, and monthly to help build her own resilience. When you put yourself in difficult situations, you get used to doing hard things, and this is an important skill to have. One thing Leanne learned in her survival trip in the Scottish Highlands is whether things or edible or “deadible,” meaning if you should eat them or not. Challenging yourself isn’t always about pushing your physical limits. It may look like learning something new, or simply putting yourself out there if you’re single. Building resilience helps us lift the watermark for what we can withstand and endure. Once we’ve gone through a great challenge, our other struggles become easier. Action Steps: These are the ways in which you could consider challenging yourself to build resilience: 1.   Engaging in difficult physical activities or events. 2.   Learning a new language or instrument. 3.   Getting out of your comfort zone and meeting new people or potential partners.   Leanne said: “We desperately want to go back to when times were harder, physically and mentally harder. I think some of us want to really test ourselves. We don’t get tested in the ways that we used to in ancestral times.”   “What do you do on a daily basis to get into a hard place, and practice being there, and getting slightly comfortable being there? What do you do on a monthly basis, and what do you do on an annual basis? Something really big. And it doesn’t necessarily need to be a physical challenge, although sport and exercise are often the first things that we look for. It might be about learning a new instrument, learning a new language.”  Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: More on the Highlands Flagship Course experience: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/survival-in-the-highlands-an-epic-adventure-with-leanne-spencer/   Becoming Bulletproof by Evy Poumpouras: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0813LT94M/   Leanne’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ   Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.   If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.   If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.   As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

    11 min

  4. 10/30/2021

    269|Introducing the Agile Business Athlete

    This week we’re talking about the agile business athlete.   Topics Discussed In This Episode: Key takeaways from the last episode about burnout. How athletes manage to work hard year-round and not burn out. The key thing athletes do that enables them to recover. What it means to be an agile business athlete. How anticipating the events in your life can support your health longevity. What activities you should double down on in preparation for upcoming events. Why Leanne says she prefers to stay ready than get ready. Leanne’s three non-negotiables. How to support the degree of focus required in your performance phase. The most under-appreciated aspect of many peoples’ life and career. What practicing recovery can look like. The different ways you can manage recovery. What the next step is after you recover. What Leanne will be talking about more moving forward. Key Takeaways: A lot of people aren’t giving themselves the opportunity to take their foot off the gas, never giving themselves a chance to hit the brakes and recover. Athletes manage to work hard year-round without burning out because they prioritize recovery, nutrition, hydration, and rest. It’s important to note and predict upcoming events so you can gear up for them as they come. Leanne supports preparing by getting ready, but in her own life she prefers to stay ready all year because it’s easier for her than starting from zero when needed. Leanne’s performance as an agile business athlete includes three non-negotiables: daily meditation, at least 7 hours of sleep, and a minimum number of steps per day. Many of us are good at charging full-steam ahead and measuring our worth in productivity, and not so good at taking a step back and recovering. Every now and again, Leanne daydreams out her office window, which is a small example of slivered recovery. Don’t learn this lesson the hard way: appreciate that backing off beats burnout. There are helpful tools on the website including the Health IQ Test, the Wellbeing at Work Scorecard, and the 12 Stages of Burnout resource. It’s all about healthspan, not just lifespan.  Action Steps: These are the methodologies of being an agile business athlete: 1.   Predict. Take note of the big events you have coming up. 2.   Prepare. Double down on the things that are good for you. 3.   Perform. Know your non-negotiables and maintain them. 4.   Recover. Backing off beats burnout, so prioritize your recovery in a way that suits you best.   Leanne said: “It’s that methodology, if you like, it’s that approach of working ahead and gearing up for those events, performing at those events and then recovering, that keeps an athlete in their careers. It gives them longevity in their careers.”   “You’ll have your own personal definition of recovery, but it’s absolutely the most important step, and it comes at the end.” Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: The 12 Stages of Burnout resource: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/resource/the-12-stages-of-burnout/   Leanne’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ   Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.   If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.   If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.   As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

    11 min

  5. 10/23/2021

    268|The Different Faces of Burnout

    This week we’re talking about the different faces of burnout.   Topics Discussed In This Episode: Why it’s important to know what to look for as signs of burnout. Creating the 12 Stages of Burnout resource. The four fundamental ways burnout can present. When burnout is normal and when it becomes a problem. What passive burnout looks like and how to identify it. The types of emotions that are associated with burnout. The definition of anhedonia and how it relates to burnout. How burnout can impact your healthy lifestyle and motivation. How burnout can impact work performance. How burnout can influence our relationship with drugs and alcohol. The difference between internal and external types of burnout. The types of burnout that are more difficult to spot. Where to find resources to help you identify burnout.   Key Takeaways: We have an idea of how burnout presents, but it doesn’t always look how we expect. You can find ways of identifying burnout in yourself or someone else in the 12 Stages of Burnout resource, and you can also find action points there too. Burnout can be presented both internally and externally. External presentations are easier to identify because they are more outwardly apparent. No longer deriving pleasure from things you find pleasurable is a sign of passive external burnout. If you’re struggling to eat clean and healthy where before you were motivated, you could be exhibiting signs of burnout. Burnout can lead you to miss work or feel like you’re not present when you show up. Impatience, irritability, and self-absorption are all signs of active burnout. How our actions around burnout can be proactive but negative. Given the pandemic, it’s likely we have all been touched by burnout recently, whether that’s our own or somebody close to us. Action Steps: These are the four different ways that burnout can be identified: 1.   Passive - Internal: weariness, hopelessness, feels of inadequacy. 2.   Passive - External: low effort, anhedonia, cynicism. 3.   Active - Internal: loss of motivation, reliance on drugs or alcohol. 4.   Active - External: impatience, irritability, self-absorption.   Leanne said: “Don’t think the goal should ever be to not experience those emotions. They’re human, they’re common, and they’re normal - providing we don’t allow them to dominate or get profoundly worse, or I suppose be prolonged.”   “I think everybody has been touched in some way by burnout across the pandemic, across the last 18 months, whether it’s somebody you know, your spouse, or you, or somebody within your team.”  Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast: The 12 Stages of Burnout resource: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/resource/the-12-stages-of-burnout/   Leanne’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ   Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.   If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.   If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.   As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

    10 min

  6. 10/16/2021

    267|My Story from Burnout to Bodyshot

    This week we’re talking about going from burnout to Bodyshot.   Topics Discussed In This Episode: When Leanne realized her career in the city was over. What she became jaded about and how this ties into feeling a lack of authenticity. The Greek myth of Sisyphus and how this relates to Leanne’s experience. The amount of alcohol Leanne used just to cope with the stress of each day. What rock bottom actually looked like for her. The two things Leanne has always been interested in, despite her resistance. What Leanne learned during the process of changing careers. Why recovery is as important as training. How coming up with the concept of a business athlete sets Bodyshot Performance apart from their competitors. Why seeing yourself as a business athlete is important.   Key Takeaways: Leanne gets asked a lot about her story and her journey, which is why she is sharing it today. Leanne was drawn to the lifestyle, money, and prestige of working in London - until it didn’t feel good anymore (lack of fulfillment and authenticity). This lack of fulfillment led Leanne into feeling tired, irritable, burnt out, and self-medicating with alcohol to deal with it. When Leanne resigned from her job she had nowhere to go and nothing to fall back on, but she was free to make a decision about her next steps. Leanne realized she was ignoring the signals her body was sending to encourage her to go in a different direction. Despite the way she had been living, Leanne knew she always loved business and fitness, and combined these two passions by creating Bodyshot Performance. Even elite athletes know the importance of recovery for overall performance. You need to figure out how you can see yourself as a business athlete so you can have health and longevity both personally and professionally.   Action Steps: Thinking you might need a change? Ask yourself... 1.   Do you feel like you’re living authentically? 2.   Is what you’re doing fulfilling you? 3.   How much resistance are you practicing against your inner physical, mental, and emotional needs?   Leanne said: “I walked over the bridge, I got on the train, I squeezed myself into the carriage (ignoring the smell of people’s breath and body odour), and walked home at the other side, and stood in front of the mirror and took a good hard look at myself. And what I saw there was someone who was chronically abusing alcohol, at least two stone overweight, and burnt out. It was at that point I realized ‘you have got to do something drastic here.’”   “You can’t keep encountering so much resistance in your life. I felt resistance in just about everything I was doing, and it’s so much energy to pull against that resistance.”  Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:   Leanne’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ   Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.   If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.   If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.   As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

    11 min

  7. 10/09/2021

    266|Do Something That is Meditative

    This week we’re talking about doing something that is meditative.   Topics Discussed In This Episode: Why meditative practices are a part of Leanne’s non-negotiables. How meditation has an image problem, and what it actually is. Why meditative practices are worthy of your time and attention. The three ways in which meditation and breathwork can benefit you most. What an average resting heart rate is. How it’s not always about having time for meditation, but making it. Apps that you can try to help with your meditative practice. The two branches of the nervous system and how we can transition between those states. A recent client experience and why this client felt like she failed at meditation (but didn’t really). Examples of various possible meditative practices. What it means to “never miss twice”. Key Takeaways: Some people say mindfulness and meditation doesn’t work for them, but often the issue is they haven’t found their best way of practicing it yet. The research shows that meditation and breathwork can help stabilize blood pressure. Meditative practices can also help lower resting heart rate. Practicing meditation and breathwork can reduce cortisol in the blood, thereby reducing stress. Mediation helps Leanne feel more composed, calm, and less reactive. There is no one way to practice meditation - all you need is a little bit of time. At night, it’s important to be in a parasympathetic nervous system state for a restful, restorative sleep. Leanne has worked with clients who were already using meditative practices without even realizing it. Meditation isn’t always sitting with your legs folded and eyes closed. It can include practices like knitting, gardening, and walking in nature. A meditative practice allows you to spend time tapping into what’s meaningful and fulfilling to you and is therefore important to your overall wellness. Action Steps: These are the main benefits of taking action and starting a meditative practice. 1.   Stabilizes blood pressure. Research has shown that meditative practices can help lower high blood pressure. 2.   Lowers resting heart rate. Meditative practices help lower your resting heart rate. 3.   Reduces cortisol and stress. Mindfulness and meditation helps remove cortisol from the blood, which also supports a reduction in stress.   Leanne said: “It makes me feel more composed, more calm, less reactive. I enjoy sitting with my eyes closed and listening to the sounds of my environment or to an app.”   “Everybody should have 5 or 10 minutes in their day where they do something that is meditative. It doesn’t necessarily need to be conventional meditation. That’s not what I’m trying to sell you the idea of.”  Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:   More on meditation: https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/?s=meditation   Leanne’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ   Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.   If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.   If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.   As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

    10 min

  8. 10/02/2021

    265|The Sleep Staircase

    This week we’re discussing the sleep staircase.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Why we sleep. The amount of sleep most people need to function properly. How a larger emotional load can negatively affect your sleep quality. Why you need to create a strong evening routine. Why temperature matters when trying to sleep. Creating a parasympathetic dominant state. About the autonomic nervous system and how it functions. What is the sleep staircase? Why adults tend to have a broken sleep staircase. Why we need a quiet mind to sleep successfully. Being conscious of what we are doing when we get home/finish work.   Key Takeaways: Creating a routine for your evening as well as your morning will help to improve your quality of sleep. The sleep staircase is a way to help your body and mind descend into the state needed for restful sleep. Think about how you get children to sleep. There are steps you follow, play, meals, bath time, and stories. Adults should have similar steps. Pushing yourself in the evening is what causes disrupted sleep. You need to wind down. Make sure you create boundaries between work and relaxing. Bridge that gap. In order to sleep, our temperature needs to feel cool. Experiment with what works for you. The setup of your bedroom doesn’t matter; if your mind is racing, you won’t have optimal sleep.   Action Steps: Here are some steps you can take to bring you towards a parasympathetic state: 1.   Create a to-do list of what you need to complete tomorrow. Mentally unpacking can help you to let go of the loose threads from the day. 2.   Change into more casual, comfortable clothing. This is a cue to the body that you aren’t working anymore. 3.   Eat a meal around 3-4 hours before bed to give your body time to digest. 4.   Clear up and do any last-minute things, like taking the dog out. 5.   Make time to create a wedge between the end of working and the beginning of your time. What does that look like? It could be meditating, breath work, or anything that helps create a boundary.   Leanne said: “I want to encourage people to have a really good evening routine. I think a lot is made of morning routines, and I do believe how you bookend your day has a profound effect on the quality of the day and of your sleep.”  “It’s a fundamental human need to be connected. Not extrovert and connected to everyone and plugged into all these different groups and stuff, but connected in your own individual, personal way.”   Links To Things Mentioned in The Podcast: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker   Sleep by Nick Littlehales   Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson   Leanne’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLP1BF7KBQ   Take our Wellbeing at Work Scorecard and see how your organisations wellbeing strategy scores against 4 key areas of wellbeing. You’ll receive a free highly personalised report with actionable insights.   If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness.   If you enjoy what you hear, don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts.   As always, if you would like to register your interest in some of the ideas that I’m putting together with Bodyshot Performance, send an email to anne@bodyshotperformance.com.

    10 min
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About

The Remove the Guesswork podcast is for busy professionals who want to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing using the latest science and technology to cut through the noise and get better results, faster. In each 30 minute episode I’ll talk with some of the leading names in the health and wellbeing industry about the latest innovations, interview people who have transformed their health to find out how they did it, and share my own personal story of chronic stress, burnout, career change and subsequent lifestyle transformation. Other popular topics include personalisation; optimizing human performance; work/life blend; the importance of recovery; finding consistency; thriving not surviving; becoming a health warrior; biohacking and intelligent training. Leanne Spencer is an expert in health, fitness and wellbeing. She is the author of two bestselling books, Rise and Shine and Remove the Guesswork and TEDx speaker on why fitness is more important than weight. Visit our website www.bodyshotperformance.com for more information.

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