I have read that up to 90% of the decisions and steps in our day are automated: our consistent actions are largely guided by rituals and routines established over long periods of time. You have likely noticed that with no gym to go to after work, or having your morning and nighttime routines totally changed on your behalf, it is difficult to fit in and keep doing the healthy routines you were just a month ago! Where you didn't have those routines, to begin with, you have probably noticed that your sleep, nutrition, movement and stress management are even more difficult to manage! In this week's podcast, I discuss the six routines that I think are most important to focus on to keep your body as healthy as possible and also give some resources that will make instituting them a little easier. For your healthy pleasure: (Morning) Mobility Routine:  AND MOVE Curriculum E-book  Sleep Routine:  Fundamental Fuel E-Book:  Journalling 101:   

Adapting To New Routines To Keep Your Health On Track

"The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.” “Focus on the moment, not the monsters that may or may not be up ahead" - Ryan Holiday I hope this message finds you well, safe and amongst loved ones. In these strange times ahead there will be suffering, stress, sadness, anger, and just about every challenging emotion and thought that the human condition can provide. And yet, we individually and collectively can decide how we are going to respond to this challenge! We can band together, and we can make the best out of an absolutely awful situation. We can better ourselves and our community and on some level, come out of this potentially better than we went into it. I hope that this message deepens your resolve and helps you in the coming weeks to make the best of this pandemic and to improve not only your self but our society as a whole. I will do my best to make sure that you have the resources to help yourself. Take care everyone and lots of love sent your way. A few people I know that can help you at home to stay a little healthier and more fit: @fitsquad_training - home strength and Kettlebell training  @manifesting.health - free online yoga :) @AllDayFit.co - Home workout help for you ladies and all the energy and positivity one could ever need

The Opportunity YOU Have In This Pandemic

The world we face today is drastically different to the world that our ancestors faced and the world that shaped our evolution and thus what our body needs to be healthy.   The busyness and deluge of sensory information that we face is nowhere close to what shaped our evolution and what our bodies can handle. Our bodies have certain requirements in order to be healthy.   Recovery / healing is one of those requirements but it requires the right environment and conditions for it to happen effectively. If not there are consequences: fatigue, poor immune system, feeling stressed and anxious all the tie, weight gain and on the far end of the spectrum, overtraining in athletes and burnout for the rest of us.   In this week's podcast, we discuss the importance of creating more structured time to actively allow the brain and body to rest, heal and recover in the absence of a world that will do it for us. We discuss specific examples of what key recovery strategies should be included in your daily and weekly rituals. I can say that without a doubt this is one of the hardest things we can do for our health - the act of doing nothing - but that is might be the most important than your body needs right now.   Download our FREE RESET/RECOVERY Curriculum E-book if you want some help improving your sleep, developing a "Recovery Regiment" and optimizing your body's innate capacity to heal itself!     

Ep.49 - Developing Your "Recovery Regiment" For Faster Healing

They say that "knowledge is power" but the problem with then is that knowledge doesn't get anything done. People don't make decisions and choose an action because of what they know; how we vote, who we choose to be with, the car that we buy and even the health choices we make happen because of how we FEEL! If knowledge was all that we needed then more than 4% of people would quit smoking when their doctor told them to because it was killing them. Emotion creates motion. In this week's podcast we talk about how we can use and cultivate our emotions to pick better goals for our health and how this, and a few other behavioural strategies we discuss, will make you much more likely to be successful: whether it is losing 10 pounds of completing an ironman. If you are sick and tired of continuing to fail to cross things off your list and struggling with the same health issues, you are going to love and get value from this pod. If you want more on this subject, a highly recommend reading Mark Manson's Everything Is F*cked. Enjoy!

Ep. 48 - How To Actually Achieve Your Health Goals By Using Your Feeling Brain

One of the top mistakes I see that people can make with their health is getting distracted by trends, fads, and minutia and not sticking to the principles. In this podcast, we discuss how a "rocks, gravel, sand" mindset for your health will clarify what you need to do to reach your health goals and simplify the process. Oh yes, and it is going to save you a ton of time, money and effort. We also discuss what I would call a "gold-standard day" where I provide an hour-by-hour framework for what your typical day should look like if you want to include all of the most important health rituals that we know actually make a difference for your health and well being. Booking a Complimentary Case Review:  Resources discussed in the pod:    Study discussed:   

Ep.47 - The "rocks, gravel, sand" mindset for health and a "healthy day" framework

What is your average stress level from 0-10 over the last 6 months?   Five or higher? Closer to 10!? Or maybe nice and low?   In this week's podcast, we talk about the implications of the answer to this question and what it means for your long term health. If your answer was closer to 10 than zero, I know that this episode is going to help by at the very least, providing some perspective and with some practical advice to help you change the way that your brain responds to the crazy world around you. For help with your stress and every aspect of your lifestyle necessary for health: RECOVERY / RESET Curriculum (most important for stress management):  Fundamental FUEL Curriculum:  MOVE Curriculum:      

Ep.46 - Is Stress Slowly Killing You And What To Do About It

What are you most scared about in the world? Sharks? Heights? The health of your family? Your own health? Odds are is that it is related to mortality in some way. Mine is different. I am not that scared about death but I am petrified about life before death and what that is going to look like as it draws closer. Specifically, I am scared not about the length of my lifespan but the length of my health-span and the difference between the two. I do not want to spend a single day of this planet without the ability to do the things that I love and spend meaningful time with those that I love. This is my new big motivator that is going to guide my life-long journey to extend my health-span to as long as possible and my documentation of it along the way. This podcast is going to make you think about your greatest health fear, how that is going to motivate you to make changes and hopefully based on my lead, give you some insight into what changes need to be made.     

My Greatest Fear And How I Am Changing So Much To Avoid It - Ep.45 -

The desire to have more personal time to do what you want is and to focus on what is most important is one of the most universal concerns that we hear from our practice members. It is rare to encounter someone that doesn’t wish they had more time and freedom to focus on what is most important to them in their life. In this episode, I share a FREE download, "Dr Ritza's Productivity And Time Booster", and we review the tool that I have used to maximize my productivity, find more time to do what I love and minimize the feeling of "needing more hours in the day". Specifically, this podcast is going to help you in two ways: This exercise is meant to help you in two ways: Firstly, it will help you regain your time and find more time to focus on what is most important to you. Secondly, it is going to force you to do the tough introspective work of evaluating where you are spending the time that should otherwise be put towards things that bring value to you and make you fulfilled. Free download and show notes:   

A Tool To Find More Time To Do What You Love And Increase Your Productivity - Ep. 44

Better work-life balance is one of the most common goals that we hear from new cases we review and is a ubiquitous complaint in our society! However, balance isn't what most of us need to be happy and successful.   Balance leads us to stress and anxiety when we fail to capture it and us spreading ourselves thin and less successful at the things most important to us.   In this episode, we discuss why a hunt for better "balance" might be compromising out health and goals and what mindset and strategy will lead to better happiness and success at what is most important to you.

Ep.43 - Why Searching For "Better Balance" Is Stopping You From Getting What You Want

I hope you haven't been there - I know I have: a family member that you thought of as "healthy" is suddenly diagnosed with something life threatening! "Wait, what!? They "seemed" so healthy but clearly were not. Why? Because our society's definition of health is wrong! When I ask a workshop room or a new patient, the general consensus is that health is "how I look and feel" but this is so far from the truth and is actually dangerous to your wellbeing. The ideas we have and our first principles guide our path in life and if they are calibrated incorrectly - our true north is off - they can send us in the wrong direction. With so much focus on our health, you would think that we would have a better understanding of what it actually is so that we know what the heck our destination and goals should be. In this episode we discuss what the actual definition of health is, how knowing it, is going to completely change how you think about taking care of your body and if you are going in the wrong direction, what you can do to get back on track! Hint: these below have the answers!     

Ep. 42 - Health is NOT How You Look And Feel ... So What Is It?

You know that feeling you get after a weekend away: you feel totally relaxed, refreshed and ready to charge forward towards your goals? Don't you think we could all use that a little more often? In this week's episode, we talk about making that a scheduled part of your year. We walk about how making a regular disconnect from the world, to enjoy yourself and allow for the natural (or purposeful!) reflection, accounting and goal setting that comes from those mental and physical breaks from our regular routine, is a strategy that will improve your health, energy, motivation and ultimately your health. I hope you got this over your Canada Day long weekend and if not, I hope this episode inspires you to do so sooner than later. Need a Reset now!?: Check this out: http://dralexritza.com/reset-curriculum/

Ep. 41 - Stepping Off The Stress Treadmill

In a what feels like a previous life I backpacked through South America for 3 months with no phone, minimal $ and a lot of time on long bus rides. There was a lot of time to be bored and stare out the window with nothing much. But on those long rides with almost no stimulation, I was granted some of the clearest, deepest and most productive thinking I have ever done. I was able to ask myself big life questions and take the time to answer them. I was able to address and deal with points of stress, anxiety, and depression that normally get pushed to the side in favour of a more stimulating task. I had time to write, blog and journal without interruption. That deep thinking dramatically changed my life but I do not think that you have to go to South America for 3 months to get a similar experience. I do however think that it is going to take effort and a conscious approach to give yourself the time to do the much-needed thinking that improves ourselves. This podcast is all about how and why you should do it. A little more help here: http://dralexritza.com/reset-curriculum/

Ep. 40 - Better Clarity, Focus, Creativity And Sleep From Do Nothing ...

This could be a LIFE CHANGING episode for you. Please listen and stop living in The Gap. "The Gap" is the space between where you are currently at with your goals and accomplishments and the distance to your loftiest goals and ambitions. It is like looking out from a ship towards the horizon and no matter how much you try you will never be able to reach. When it comes to how we assess ourselves; the way that we judge and characterize our accomplishments, living in "The Gap" is a miserable, anxiety-provoking, frustrating and depressing place to be. It is a place devoid of satisfaction, accomplishment, pride, happiness, and motivation to push forth towards reaching our highest ideals that always sit on the horizon. Most of us have been taught to think this way by our parents and/or by society and it is deeply ingrained. I have spent nearly all my life thinking this way but I am finally choosing to flip the switch and stay out of "The Gap" and in "The Gain" In this episode, we discuss how living in and measuring your goals based on "The Gain" leads to more happiness, satisfaction, and success. Enjoy the listen and the E-book I reference from Dan Sullivan can be found here:   

Ep.39 - Staying Out Of "The Gap" Where Unhappiness Lives

Do you ever find yourself getting into arguments or disagreements that you later regret? Sometimes we fight because we just what to be "right" and often it isn't worth the collateral damage, energy, and stress that those conflicts or worse yet, fights can create. Not all conflict is bad of course! Constructive disagreements can be really beneficial for your relationships at home, work and with friends. It is the destruction conflicts, the disagreements or arguments that serve no purpose that chip away at our relationships that make us less happy, less fulfilled and more alone. In this episode, I discuss the mantra that I use that [when I use it - I am working on it] helps me make sure that the conflicts I do have are worth fighting for and that I pick my battles better. Somethings in life are worth dying for, some are not worth a second of our time, I hope this episode helps you make better and more thoughtful decisions on a daily basis about which are which and make your relationships better, happier and more fulfilling.

Ep. 38 - Better Fights = Better Relationships By Asking Yourself This...

We have all experienced it: you are in a "funk", your brain chemistry is just not right or you are simply going through a hard time in your life. Sometimes when you are in life's valleys, it feels like you are never going to emerge and that things will never get better. This podcast is all about making sure that when this happens next in your life that you can ensure that the valley is a little less deep and your time there is a little less long. Even when things are conspiring against you and life is out of your control, there are some things we can control - our mindset and our lifestyle that can help us survive and maybe even prosper despite the circumstances. But first, it all starts with just showing up, even if it means going through the motions. I learned a lot from a recent period of overtraining when I couldn't get my mind right - hopefully, this will help you get yours. For help with your plan and every aspect of your lifestyle necessary for health:    - Dr. Alex

Ep. 37 - What To Do When You Are Down

Somethings hurts? But what is it? Can I keep playing? Can I workout tomorrow? Is it serious? What do I do to recover as fast as possible so I can get back to life? In this week's episode of the Better Ever After Podcast, we answer all these questions and more that you will have (or have had) when something hurts and you are officially injured. Being injured sucks. We want to get back to being active as soon as possible but often don't know how to start. This episode discusses: - The importance of rest to allow for tissue healing and recovery. - The need for a proper examination and understanding of the injury and the underlying mechanisms - The multi-prong approach to correcting the underlying Core Problems that could have caused it - How to return to sport and when you know you are ready - MOST IMPORTANTLY: The mindset to keep you sane through it. And no, you shouldn't "suck it up" and play through it because it could leave you with a worse injury that ruins your entire season or delays your training for months. Hope this helps :)   

Ep.36 - Managing Injuries Properly To Recover As Fast As Possible

Few things stop us from doing what we love and make us miserable like being in PAIN! But as much as you might wish to never feel pain again, a failure to feel pain would literally kill you. Whether it is a chronic or acute issue, we have all experienced a time in our lives where something hurt and we would do anything for it not to and to better understand what exactly was going on. For being a universal experience for human beings, most of us are taught very little about what pain actually is, what causes it, why do we feel it, why pain is important for our survival but is a TERRIBLE barometer for our health and how to interpret pain when we experience it. In this episode, we take a brief dive into the incredibly complex world of pain science and I do my best to explain all of this and more in less than twenty minutes. I think you are going to not only learn a ton from this episode but will also walk away with a better awareness of how to feel about pain (pun intended) and how doing so will help you manage it better. Links mentioned: Cool pain videos     

Ep.35 - How To Feel Less Pain: How pain works, why we feel it and what it means to you

Not enough time in the day to get the important things done and get your workout in? I know this feeling. I should actually say that I knew this feeling. In this episode, I share the 3 mindset and 3 practical strategies that I have implemented that have catapulted my productivity and organization and have left me rarely lacking the time (and motivation) to get in my workouts and the time needed for the most important things in my life. Better productivity means having more time for the things that are most important to you in your life: whether it is working out, working or being with your family, I hope this episode helps you put more hours of the day to good use. - Dr Alex

Ep.34 - 6 Strategies To Do More Workouts And Be More Productive

How many times have you said to yourself, "I am just working way too hard"!?   Odds are that how hard you are working isn't really the problem, but how much time and energy you are devoting to recovering and resetting from that work that is.   In this episode, we discuss Overtraining Syndrome in athletes, what it is, how to avoid it and most importantly, how the principles that athletes should use to avoid it, are the same that are going to help you will some of the most difficult health challenges in your life.   As mentioned, below is the link to our RESE Curriculum E-book that will help you find more balance in your life and the strategies that will help you heal and recover faster     

Ep.33 - Overworking / Overtraining Isn't Your Problem - It Is The Recovery Part That Is

Got SAD (season affective disorder) or just need winter to be done?   Join the club! Winter in Toronto or anywhere else where it seems to last half the year is challenging; with the lack of vitamin D, fresh air, the desire to forego all socializing and just hunker down on the couch it can be a time of year where we find ourselves depressed or at least not at our best.   I always struggle with winter but a recent challenge from a practice member (thanks Maeve!) and a coincidental dinner with a friend (thanks P) have given me a new and simple strategy that has started to make getting through winter seem much more manageable!   For those of you that don't have a car or can't take up a winter sport outside of the confines of downtown, I think and hope that this makes the rest of this winter better and gives you a recipe for success for next year.

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