Body Shepherd Personal Training

17 years into my fitness journey, I became a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, aka NASM, and started Body Shepherd to help people just like me journey out of obesity and into a fit life.

In this episode, I mark 3 years of Body Shepherd by sharing the 3 most striking lessons I have learned so far (spoiler: I'm still learning). 

Plus, what I call The State Of The Business – how's Body Shepherd doing as a business in the COVID era? I'll share the gloom and the good.

ONWARD.

I tested positive for COVID-19.

3 days into having it, I thought to start logging daily audio entries on what it was like each day, and did so for all 10 days of my mandatory quarantine. 

I am sharing this because there is so much doom-and-gloom, so many sad stories about people who contract the virus, but that is not my story. I want to share this to give an account of COVID infection that did not go badly or end in death. Perhaps this can ease some anxiety if you or a loved one test positive too.

Nothing in this podcast is prescriptive. I'm not a doctor. This is 100% descriptive of what I went through. Always seek medical care first when dealing with any kind of illness, and not a podcaster :)

ONWARD. 

2020 was not the year I thought it was going to be. I'm sure you can say likewise.

I have organized my thoughts into several takeaways from this weird year.

Join me as I sort through the disappointment, enlightenment, specks of hope, and more.

Plus, I'm changing the direction of Body Shepherd in 2021. No more just focusing on overweight/obese people Learn why.

Onward.

– Dan

Welcome to Season 4 of the Body Shepherd podcast! 

In this season, I am interviewing people I regard as The Onward Experts; those who have an expertise in the different areas of life we are facing in our various points of a journey toward a healthier, fit version of ourselves.

EPISODE 1: How To Eat More Vegetables Without Knowing It • A Chat with Alane Boyd, founder of BurgerFit™

Two colliding forces often face those of us who are on a weight loss journey: We know we need to eat healthier, yet the stuff that tastes good is the often the worst for us.

That's why when I learned what Alane Boyd was doing with her healthy burger brand, BurgerFit™, I had to get her on the podcast and talk shop. Because BurgerFit seems to be giving us a very realistic approach to eating healthy while enjoying the stuff - BURGERS! - we already love, without sacrificing taste.

Alane is one of us. She, too, has been through a weight loss journey, and like me, now resides in the every day processes of maintaining a fit life. BurgerFit was created out of that journey and she has a compelling, meet-you-where-you're-at story to tell.

Is all this too good to be true?! Listen and find out.

Season 3 of the Body Shepherd podcast will address the various challenges that we are all facing in light of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

If you have been listening to each episode as they drop, thank you! You might have wondered if this podcast shut down or not, and the honest answer is that I just needed some time away to take my own advice from the last episode in this season about finding and leaning hard into a routine. I am back, refreshed and pressing onward.

If you are new to the podcast -- welcome. I'm honored that you might even think of hearing me out. I hope to honor your time with value.

In this episode, I unload 5 months worth of pent-up thoughts about the one ailment we have all had to deal with, whether we caught the virus or not: STRESS.

Stress is the real deal. It has so many negative aspects of it, yet in order to approach it, we have to talk about its sources, and in this episode I decided to drop the filter and just bluntly tell you what the biggest sources of stress are that I hear from Body Shepherd clients, then how to overcome them.

If 2020 is anything, it's The Big Reset. To take full advantage of this unique period in life, though, we need to have a tough talk about stress, and this is it.

Onward.

Season 3 of the Body Shepherd podcast will address the various challenges that we are all facing in light of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

In this episode I want to share with you what I have learned to be 3 tips for helping make one's full life at home - as in during a quarantine or 'safer at home' order - more productive. For over a dozen years I have lived and worked primarily in my home environment, and that means I have systems in place to make it extremely productive.

So I want to share with you what I believe are 3 systemic tips to make downtime productive:

1. Routine is your best friend.
2. Embrace your weird.
3. Invest in rest.

You have plenty of time so lend me your ear and mind to explain.

Onward.

Season 3 of the Body Shepherd podcast will address the various challenges that we are all facing in light of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

In this first episode, I want to challenge you to think about your fitness and weight-loss journey without access to a gym…period.

As in, assume gyms don't reopen.

Let that sink in.

Are you prepared for that? Do you have the plan, the guidance, the equipment, etc. to not lose momentum in your journey?

I am here to have a hard conversation with you about this possibility because as we look to other areas of the world where new COVID-19 cases are in decline, their new normal is not one where gyms are attractive or, in some cases, allowed to operate.

To be crystal clear: I own two small businesses and so I am cheering on every other small business owner to navigate their way in this new normal. I do not want anyone to be unemployed. I hope I am wrong about gyms reopening. I know too many people who own gyms or earn their livelihood for themselves and their families through 1-on-1 personal training at a gym.

Now is the time to be pragmatic and realistic, especially in matters related to your health.

Onward.

Season 2 of the Body Shepherd Podcast: Answers to Common Training Questions

EPISODE 10: "Rapid Fire Q&A!!"

In Season 2, I have taken a single question and devoted an episode to it over the course of the 9 previous episodes. 

To wrap this season up, I am devoting Episode 10 (this episode) to rapid fire Q&A!

This is a series of questions that don't quite need a full episode, but are questions I am asked often enough to cover in this season.

Onward. 👊

P.S., Season 3 is going to be quite different than these first 2 seasons, so be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you are alerted when Season 3 drops later this year.

Season 2 of the Body Shepherd Podcast: Answers to Common Training Questions

EPISODE 8: "Is Exercise Variety Important?"

I have tried hard to avoid a question that has a genuine "yes/no" answer, but here I am: The answer is yes/no. 

This is because, yes, you do need exercise variety to hit the various part of the human body effectively. But also, no, you do not need exercise variety when you bring to exercise an emotional and/or psychological need for variety, which is sadly very common. 

So let's have a hard, blunt talk about this. 

Warning: I lay out some hard truths to hear. If you're in a sour mood today or flirting with a case of The Fuggits, might want to queue this up for another day. 

Onward. 👊

Season 2 of the Body Shepherd Podcast: Answers to Common Training Questions

EPISODE 7: "Should I Workout When I'm Sick?"

If talking about supplements is the most controversial topic among trainers, whether to workout while one is sick is a close second.

Both sides have hard-headed reasons why they believe what they believe and I am no different.

Listen to me make my case as to why one should NOT workout when sick.

Onward. 👊

Season 2 of the Body Shepherd Podcast: Answers to Common Training Questions

EPISODE 6: "Should I Workout Every Day?"

Sometimes what hold people back from starting a new fitness journey is the perception that you need to workout every day. 

It's a very common question I am asked: Should I workout every day?

The short answer is no, you shouldn't do that. But the reasons why are crucial to know if you want to get the most out of your time for your weight loss journey.

Onward. 👊

Season 2 of the Body Shepherd Podcast: Answers to Common Training Questions

EPISODE 5: "What Are The 'Unwritten Rules' Of The Gym?"

I believe one of the one of the most valuable things I can offer someone on their weight loss journey is my firsthand perspective and experience of having gone through morbid obesity (and an eating disorder) and into a fit, healthy life.

It was accomplished without a background in athletics or sport, so I had none of the background that nearly all trainers have when approaching getting fit.

In other words, I was just an average guy who didn't play sports who needed to get in shape or suffer the physical and emotional consequences.

Here's the thing: Once I got to the gym and decided to make fitness a cornerstone of my life, I quickly realized that there are certain 'unwritten rules' to every gym, and several that are universal.

These can be obstacles that turn people away if they don't know what they are, so in this episode, I will share what these 'unwritten rules' are, and how to make the most of your gym experience.

Onward. 👊

Season 2 of the Body Shepherd Podcast: Answers to Common Training Questions

EPISODE 4: "What’s ONE training tip you would give anyone?"

Whether I am just chatting with someone and we are talking about our careers, or if meeting a possible client for the first time, a question I am often asked is, "What is ONE training tip you would give me?"

My answer always surprises: "Slow down."

Listen to this episode to hear what I mean and, more importantly, why slowing down will give you the best return on your fitness investment.

Onward. 👊

Season 2 of the Body Shepherd Podcast: Answers to Common Training Questions

EPISODE 3: "Do I REALLY Need A Goal?"

"Depends what your goal is" sure seems to be the default reply to any question asked of any certified personal trainer I have ever met. 

Is that your experience, too? Yeah, that's what I thought.

So, why is is the G-word so entrenched in the lexicon of fitness professionals, and does the non-professional, average Jane/Joe need a goal for everything?

Allow me to answer that valid question in this episode.

Onward. 👊

Season 2 of the Body Shepherd Podcast: Answers to Common Training Questions

EPISODE 2: "Should I Buy A Fitness Tracker??"

Apple® Watch. Fitbit®. You name see them everywhere: The fitness tracker, aka "smart watch." 

So, should you buy one as part of your weight loss journey tools? 

Believe it or not, I have a very strong take on this topic because the fitness tracker ends up being a really useful, even systemic, source of data to help you get to your goal faster and more efficiently than past ways.

Hear me out. Listen to this and then let me know what you think.

Onward. 👊

Season 2 of the Body Shepherd Podcast: Answers to Common Training Questions

EPISODE 1: "When Should I Do Cardio?"

This is maybe the single-most asked question I get as a personal trainer, and it's wise question to ask because when you are training, your body only has so much energy to exert. You want to get the most out of that energy and your time, so knowing when to include cardio in your workout is a great question, worthy of a full answer. 

Listen to this episode to understand your options as Dan Crask, lead trainer and owner of Body Shepherd, answers the question, "When should I do cardio?"

Onward. 👊

If you want a neat, orderly weight-loss/body transformation story of how someone went from fat to fit, this is not that story.

This is the uncensored, long-form body transformation story of Body Shepherd's founder, Dan Crask.

The host is the longtime fitness pro, Chris Farrell and this episode was originally recored for the now-retired Fit Dad Life podcast. Chris graciously sent the audio for this episode and allowed it to be published by Body Shepherd. Thank you, Chris!

So, what can you expect in this episode?

• A true story that starts in Dan's childhood, and takes the listener through a lot of ups and downs, right up to the present day…all in less than an hour.
• Why Dan Crask, founder and certified personal trainer of Body Shepherd, relates to intimately with those who struggle with obesity and all the many challenges that go with it -- including why it's so hard to get out from under the cyclical lifestyle that keeps people trapped in obesity!
• A patient host (Chris) who you will hear ask if the turning point for lasting transformation happens, over and over and over :) This speaks to Dan's firsthand experience of why it was so hard to change.

Yet it is not just a weight-loss story. 

At the end of it all, this is a story about sustaining the transformation despite all the history of failure and hurt. 

It is also a story that provides credibility. Dan's story provides the foundation of why he is uniquely qualified to help people transform their lifestyles to overcome obesity.

There may be no bigger taboo topic among fitness professionals than that of supplementation. So, in full disclosure, I am pro-supplements, so long as they are used as true supplements, and not leaned on entirely for results. Here are supplements I use every day and why:

• Protein. I find it difficult to get all the protein my body needs to grow muscle in my 40s from plate food, alone, so I use NutraBio’s Whey Protein 100% Isolate (vanilla) to give myself protein throughout the day. It’s a great on-the-go tool too.
• L-Carnitine Tartate. Carnitine is an amino acid that does a lot of amazing things, but the tartate form helps the body tap into stored body fats and use them for energy, rather than immediately available sugars from recently eaten carbs or sugars.
• Green Tea Extract. There are a ton of benefits to green tea, but in its extract form, I use it for giving my metabolism a spike and also staving off hunger. There are a lot more benefits to green tea extract, but this is what I find useful.
• BCAAs. Brand Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are used in the construction of protein, and when consumed orally, they can help the body keep muscle intact during a period of time when we are intentionally losing weight but wanting to keep our hard-earned muscle. BCAAs come in some very tasty drink forms these days, so they are also delicious to drink!
• Vitamins and minerals. These changes throughout the year, but my staples are zinc, vitamin D, and vitamin C. Sometimes I add in Chromium for blood sugar control, especially during the Christmas goodies time of year, but the others mentioned are primarily for my immune system and cell health.

Learn what to expect from this first season of the Body Shepherd podcast. This episode sets the tone for this podcast from Certified Personal Trainer (NASM) and Body Shepherd owner, Dan Crask.