In this deeply insightful and practical episode, Number 249, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi is joined by Melissa Nanavati to explore how high-performing individuals can create thriving, fulfilling relationships without compromising their ambition or energy. Whether you're a busy parent, a driven professional, or someone simply seeking more connection at home, this conversation offers a powerful roadmap for relationship success.

Melissa shares how neuroscience, hormones, and behavioral patterns shape the health of our closest relationships—and what to do when they start to fade. You'll learn how to operationalize connection using tools like daily gratitude rituals, novelty, and synchronized movement, and discover how dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin play vital roles in sustaining long-term emotional bonds.

Together, they also explore what happens when one partner outgrows the other, the silent killers of connection, and how to reignite intimacy even in long-standing relationships. Melissa introduces her Four Pillars of Peak Performance Love—Courage, Curiosity, Presence, and Play—and shares actionable steps and conversation scripts you can use immediately to reconnect with your spouse, children, and yourself.

If you want a healthier relationship that amplifies your mission, your health, and your joy—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

• High performers need a different relationship strategy
• Operationalizing daily gratitude can transform intimacy
• Novelty boosts dopamine and reignites connection
• Shared rituals prevent disconnection and complacency
• Asking your partner what they want to be acknowledged for builds closeness
• Walks, shared workouts, and deep questions create serotonin and oxytocin
• Long-term relationships require intentional curiosity
• Assumptions and under-communication are silent killers
• Men often under-communicate change—explain your “why”
• Kids model your behavior—rituals and modeling matter more than lectures
• Feeling unsupported often stems from unspoken fear
• Scripts can help you reframe difficult conversations
• Play is the secret ingredient to long-lasting chemistry
• Courage is required for honest conversations that heal
• Curiosity is the antidote to friction

Website: http://www.melissananavati.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissananavati/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PeakPerformanceLove

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissananavati/

Melissa Nanavati helps high performers create peaceful, thriving relationships without sacrificing ambition. As an author, speaker, and relationship architect, she combines lived experience with neuroscience and evolutionary biology to teach how the same skills that drive success in business can be applied to love. Despite early career success as a best-selling textbook author and Fortune 100 consultant, Melissa struggled with anxious attachment, people-pleasing, and went on over 100 first dates before meeting her husband. Through that journey, she discovered that dating and relating as a high achiever is different and developed frameworks to help others navigate it with courage. She is currently working on her next book, Peak Performance Love. Learn more at

Episode 248 is an eye-opening episode of the Fit Father Project Podcast when Dr. Anthony Balduzzi sits down with nutritional therapy practitioner Cathy Eason to dive into the profound—and often overlooked—role nitric oxide plays in whole-body health. While many have heard the term tossed around in wellness circles, few truly grasp how foundational nitric oxide is to energy production, blood flow, immune function, and even cognitive health.

Cathy shares her personal and professional journey from simply supplementing nitric oxide in advanced health protocols to becoming a passionate advocate for its everyday use—especially through diet and lifestyle. You’ll learn why nitric oxide is a fleeting gas with powerful biological effects, how our body makes it through two key systems (endogenous and dietary nitrate pathways), and why most people over 40 are deficient without knowing it.

We cover the science, but more importantly, the practical habits that matter: how leafy greens, breathwork, proper oral hygiene, and even chewing technique play a massive role in nitric oxide production. Cathy also explains why supplementing with dietary nitrates (versus just citrulline or arginine) may be the missing link for those struggling with low energy, poor circulation, or slow recovery.

Whether you're a high-performing athlete, a busy parent over 40, or someone on a healing journey, this episode will radically shift the way you look at nutrition, performance, and aging. You’ll leave with simple, actionable ways to boost nitric oxide and reclaim your vitality—starting today.

• Nitric oxide (NO) is vital for energy, blood flow, and immunity.
• We make NO internally and from dietary nitrates.
• NO production declines ~50% by age 40.
• Leafy greens, beets, and celery are top nitrate sources.
• Chewing activates oral bacteria that help make NO.
• Nose breathing and 4-7-8 breath boost NO naturally.
• Mouthwashes and antiseptics can kill helpful oral microbes.
• Exercise and clean lifestyle habits protect blood vessels.
• Berkeley Life supports NO via plant-based nitrate supplements.
• Test strips help track your NO levels at home.
• Arginine/citrulline supplements don’t work for everyone.
• Processed meat nitrates aren’t all bad—context matters.
• Nitrate gum can enhance workout performance.
• NO supports brain health, circulation, and sex drive.
• Most people feel more energy and focus within days.

Website: https://berkeleylife.com/

• Use discount code FITFAMILY and receive 20% off your first order.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BerkeleyLifeNO

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berkeleylifeno/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkeley-life

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Berkeley_Life

Cathy is a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist® with over 20 years of clinical experience. She specializes in digestive health, autoimmune conditions, neuroendocrine dysfunction, and metabolic imbalances, with a strong focus on the clinical application of nutraceuticals. Cathy is passionate about supporting healthcare professionals through education, collaboration, and holistic strategies. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, spending time in...

In this powerful episode of the Fit Father Podcast, we sit down with veterinarian and ranch manager Nathan Canaday, a husband, father of three, and real-deal cowboy from the iconic Four Sixes Ranch in Texas. At age 40, facing severe headaches, rising blood pressure, and creeping weight gain after transitioning to a sedentary role, Nathan hit a breaking point. What followed was a radical commitment to transformation—shedding over 30 pounds, resolving joint pain, and completely re-engineering his daily habits.

Nathan shares how the Fit Father Foundations Program became a catalyst not only for his personal change but a ripple effect through his family, his workplace, and even across borders. From 4:30 AM workouts to family sauna nights and cold plunges, he offers a raw, relatable look into building a sustainable life of health, strength, and service.

• 30+ pounds lost in 5 months
• Blood pressure normalized
• No more chronic headaches or joint pain
• Swapped 8 cups of coffee/day for hydration habits
• 4:30 AM workout routine for consistency
• Built daily rituals: morning lemon-salt water, portion control, smart snacking
• Fit Father protein, collagen, and creatine supplementation
• Meal planning within communal ranch cookhouse
• Sauna + cold plunge routine with his wife
• Inspired wife, in-laws, and coworkers to join in health journey
• Family culture shift: kids working out, eating better, using cleaner products
• Key struggle: balancing sleep and stress while staying disciplined
• Favorite aspect: flexibility of workouts + community support
• Set boundaries for snacks (timing, portions, food quality)
• Deep commitment to making this “a way of life,” not a season
• Fitness is a catalyst to being a better dad, husband, and leader

Website: https://www.6666ranch.com/

X: https://x.com/6666ranch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foursixesranch/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/91094420

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwzKwlW28lYx7JIrI4vXQK

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6666ranch/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@6666ranch

You can learn more at beamminerals.com/fitfamily. Use the code FITFAMILY for 20% off your first order.

Website: https://justthrivehealth.com/

Use promo code: FITFAMILY and save 20% on your first 90-day bottle of Just Thrive Probiotics.

Discover everything about our first-ever Fit Father / Fit Mother LIVE event—and why you can’t afford to miss it. https://www.fitfatherproject.com/2025

Foundations is a simple, sustainable, and specific weight loss program designed especially for busy men over 40. With short metabolic training workouts, an easy-to-follow meal plan, and an...

In this soul-shaking episode of the Fit Father Podcast, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi sits down with polar explorer, Marine veteran, and Fearvana founder Akshay Nanavati, just weeks after his record-setting solo expedition across Antarctica pulling a 400-pound sled for 60 days. But what begins as an exploration of extreme adventure quickly turns into a transformative discussion on how to face fear, cultivate meaning through adversity, and build a legacy that deeply impacts your family and your soul.

Akshay opens up about his own journey from addiction and suicidal despair to becoming one of the most mentally resilient and spiritually awakened adventurers alive. He shares why contemplating death can be the most life-giving practice, how solitude is the birthplace of true power, and why creating small personal challenges is the secret weapon to living with aliveness—even inside the structure of work, family, and daily routine.

Listeners will walk away with a completely new framework for turning pain into power, monotony into mastery, and building a family culture of resilience and deep connection. Whether you’re a parent looking to lead by example or someone trying to reignite your purpose, this episode will leave you shaken, inspired, and armed with practical tools to make every part of life more epic.

• Why “Memento Mori” is fuel, not fear
• The hidden cost of resisting discomfort
• Reframing pain as a path to peace
• Creating micro-adventures in daily life
• Why solitude improves every relationship
• Overcoming “rut” energy with identity work
• Coexisting ego + humility for true growth
• Constructing your own illusion of self
• The power of family mission statements
• Tools to shift from stuck to soul-aligned
• Parenting through struggle, not around it
• How to help your kids fall in love with effort
• Making consistency feel novel
• The mindset behind making your life movie-worthy

Website: https://fearvana.com/

Book: FEARVANA: The Revolutionary Science of How to Turn Fear into Health, Wealth, and Happiness

https://www.amazon.com/FEARVANA-Revolutionary-Science-Health-Happiness/dp/1630476056

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/fearvana

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fearvana/

X: https://twitter.com/fearvanalife

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fearvana/

Akshay Nanavati has overcome drug addiction, PTSD from fighting in Iraq with the Marines (where one of his jobs was to walk in front of vehicles to find bombs), depression and alcoholism that pushed him to the brink of suicide.

Since then, by alchemizing his demons, he has built a global business, run ultramarathons, spent 17 days in darkness and isolation, and survived 100 days alone dragging heavy sleds through the polar regions. Despite a rare blood disorder that 2 doctors told him would kill him in boot camp, he defied the odds and most recently pushed his body to the edge of death, dragging a 420-pound sled for 500 miles, alone in Antarctica for 60 days, on what experts have called “the boldest Antarctic expedition in modern times.”

Combining his life...

Why do we keep eating foods we know are bad for us? In this powerful episode, #245 of the Fit Father Project Podcast, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi sits down with Head Trainer Ben Sterling to unpack this deeply human struggle — and share the science and strategies behind breaking food addiction for good.

Ben opens up about his personal journey from pizza-fueled college nights to becoming a model of discipline and health. Together they explore why willpower alone isn't enough, and how understanding brain chemistry — specifically dopamine loops, habit cues, and emotional triggers — is the key to reclaiming control. The conversation blends cutting-edge neuroscience with hard-earned wisdom, offering listeners a toolkit to stop compulsive eating and feed the “good wolf” instead.

You’ll learn how small, daily decisions either reinforce or break addictive patterns, why delayed gratification is a key to long-term success, and how food cravings are often just symptoms of deeper emotional needs. They also share practical strategies, from environmental design and mindful “urge surfing,” to movement-based interruptions and healthy substitutions that satisfy without sabotaging.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why do I keep doing this?” — this conversation is your wake-up call. It’s raw, relatable, and deeply empowering. Whether you're trying to avoid late-night snacks, ditch sugar, or stop eating when stressed, this episode will give you the tools and perspective to finally take back control.

• Dopamine-driven cravings start with a cue, not just hunger
• “Feeding the wolf” reinforces brain wiring for impulsivity
• Stress and fatigue weaken the brain’s impulse control (prefrontal cortex)
• Long-term health is built by winning small daily decisions
• Willpower is like a muscle — use it wisely, but don’t rely on it alone
• Substitutions (e.g., lettuce-wrapped burgers) can satisfy without derailing progress
• “Urge surfing” helps ride out cravings with mindfulness, not resistance
• Evening walks can replace post-dinner dessert habits
• Proximity = temptation — keep junk food out of the house
• Painful post-binge consequences can be powerful learning tools
• Rewiring patterns means identifying your biggest triggers and replacing routines
• Addictions (food, shopping, etc.) often stem from the same neural loops
• Cravings peak and then pass — delay action and you weaken them
• Health is freedom — from disease and from compulsive patterns
• Discipline becomes easier when your environment supports it

Go to http://go.getfreshfitfather.com to enroll in the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club, pay just $1 to help cover shipping costs, and receive a complimentary full-size bottle ($39 value) of one of the greatest olive oils T.J. has ever discovered.

With T.J.’s Club, there’s never a commitment to buy anything, now or ever, and you can cancel your membership at any time.

Website: https://justthrivehealth.com/

Use promo code: FITFAMILY and save 20% on your first 90-day bottle of Just Thrive Probiotics.

You can learn more at beamminerals.com/fitfamily. Use the code FITFAMILY for 20% off your first order.

We are hosting our first-ever Fit Father / Fit Mother LIVE event in Phoenix, Aug. 29-31. We want to meet you there! Click here for all the details:

In this deeply personal and uplifting episode of the Fit Father Project Podcast, Dr. Anthony sits down with member Eli Lefferts, a 44-year-old dad from Los Angeles who’s transforming his life—physically, mentally, and spiritually—just months before welcoming his third child. What started as a search for “exercises for overweight middle-aged men” became a mission to rewrite his future.

Eli opens up about how he dropped 25 pounds in six weeks by fully embracing the Fit Father Foundations Program. But this story isn’t just about weight loss—it's about reclaiming confidence, rediscovering energy, and showing up powerfully for his family. From battling lifelong cravings to restructuring his day around hydration, fasting, walking, and strength training, Eli walks us through how he made this lifestyle sustainable.

We explore how deep “why power” trumps willpower, how defining a mission statement was the spark that lit the fuse, and how the Fit Father community and daily structure became the compass for his transformation. Eli’s honesty about setbacks, mindset rewiring, and small habit victories will resonate with every man who’s ever struggled to make lasting change.

This episode is packed with relatable struggles and empowering takeaways—whether you're just getting started, restarting, or seeking deeper consistency. Eli’s journey will remind you that it’s not about being perfect—it’s about recommitting to the path of health, one powerful decision at a time.

• Mission statement sparked deep motivation
• Hydration and fasting were early catalysts
• “Death foods vs. life foods” reshaped eating habits
• Shifted from willpower to lifestyle strength
• Mindset reframed sugar cravings
• Built consistency through structured routines
• Discovered FFP home workouts that work despite knee issues
• Resistance bands made vacation training possible
• Daily walking routine improved family connection
• Better sleep = more energy + better mood
• Weekly 24-hour fasts became non-negotiable
• Meal timing and water intake aligned for digestion
• Greater intimacy and presence with spouse
• Community support made the journey sustainable

Website: https://justthrivehealth.com/

Use promo code: FITFAMILY and save 20% on your first 90-day bottle of Just Thrive Probiotics.

We want you to join us for our first-ever Fit Father/Fit Mother LIVE event. Click here for details: https://www.fitfatherproject.com/2025

Foundations is a simple, sustainable, and specific weight loss program designed especially for busy men over 40. With short metabolic training workouts, an easy-to-follow meal plan, and an accountability team there for you every step of the way, Foundations can help you lose weight, regain energy and vitality, and live life to the fullest.

Click here to see everything you get when you join Foundations, subscribe to our YouTube Channel, check out our blog, and follow us on Instagram, TikTok,

What do aviation, AI, parenting, and longevity have in common? Blair LaCorte. In this fast-paced episode, Episode 243 of the Fit Father Project Podcast, he shares with Dr. Anthony Balduzzi the biggest lessons from his high-performance life — and how we can all build a stronger body, mind, and purpose. Together, they explore the powerful idea that safety — both physical and emotional — is the foundation for longevity, authentic living, and effective parenting. Blair shares how formative childhood experiences shaped his entrepreneurial spirit, why midlife transitions are deeply necessary, and how self-love is one of the highest acts of love for your children.

Blair explains how your parasympathetic nervous system — the “rest and digest” network — underpins your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. He emphasizes the vital role of feeling safe, connected, and curious in both health and personal evolution. His advice? Move every hour, sleep according to your chronotype, get sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning, and start each day with intention. From daily mantras to longevity science from the Buck Institute, Blair’s practical wisdom is packed with insights.

The conversation also dives into actionable tips for parents on creating resilient, curious, and emotionally stable kids — without overprotecting them. Blair’s candid reflection on failure, identity, and the modern health landscape is both refreshing and empowering. Whether you’re looking to optimize your body, reconnect with your purpose, or better guide your children in the AI age, this episode delivers.

• Childhood wiring shapes lifelong behavior
• Self-love is essential for effective parenting
• Authenticity is the key to a regret-free life
• Safety regulates the parasympathetic nervous system
• Your nervous system is the root of health span
• Frequent movement trumps long workouts
• Morning sunlight resets your biological clock
• Daily mantras shift your brain's focus
• Sitting is the new smoking — get up hourly
• Connection is the #1 longevity multiplier
• Food is the most important input for your health
• Kids need a safe place to fail and grow
• Random acts of kindness heal both giver and receiver

Websites: https://ppemastermind.com/

https://www.mastermindinnovate.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blair-lacorte-68084/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTSlr8fDtSu4Ev_hF6tyqDw

Blair LaCorte is a dynamic business executive who after being raised by two entrepreneurs has taken a path less traveled, unless of course you were Forrest Gump! His career spans numerous industries such as entertainment, aviation, AI, technology, aerospace, consulting, investing and military logistics. Renowned for his insatiable curiosity, collaborative spirit, passionate oratorical skills and competitive drive, Blair consistently strives to make a positive contribution and impact in all his endeavors.

For Credibility: Blair has held CEO or “C” level strategy or operating roles in companies such PRG (largest live entertainment production company), XOJET/Vista (largest private aviation company), TPG (one of largest PE firms), Autodesk (largest CAD SW company), and Sun Microsystems / Oracle...

In this profound conversation, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi welcomes attachment specialist Adam Lane Smith to unpack how our early childhood experiences wire our nervous systems—and how that wiring can shape everything from our health to our marriages. Adam explains the science and psychology of attachment theory, revealing why so many high-achieving parents silently suffer from emotional disconnection, loneliness, and self-sabotaging health behaviors.

Listeners will learn about the three main insecure attachment styles—avoidant, anxious, and mixed—and how they show up in relationships, parenting, and health choices. Adam provides a visceral, relatable description of how these patterns develop, the havoc they can wreak, and how they can be completely healed through conscious effort, safe relationships, and nervous system regulation.

But this episode isn’t just theoretical. Dr. Balduzzi and Adam dive deep into the practical side: how men can build secure attachment through small, consistent steps, how fitness plays a critical role in rewiring the brain for connection, and how parents can start creating transformational moments with their kids—without needing to be perfect.

This episode will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt disconnected despite doing everything “right.” It’s a wake-up call for high performers, a roadmap for parents, and a love letter to those willing to do the inner work. Don’t miss the insights that could quite literally transform your relationships—and your life.

• Early trauma wires nervous system dysfunction
• Avoidant = survival mode, overwork, disconnected
• Anxious = approval seeking, learned helplessness
• Secure = calm, connected, honest communication
• Attachment issues crush hormone balance
• Most divorces = anxious woman + avoidant man
• High performers often hide deep loneliness
• Nervous system dysregulation blocks oxytocin
• Healing begins with awareness and self-reflection
• Fixing attachment transforms your physiology
• Parents must become self-correcting, not perfect
• Fitness supports nervous system healing
• Kids model what they see, not what you say
• Transparency + feedback = secure relationships
• Your health habits are also love habits

Website: https://adamlanesmith.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/attachmentadam/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBO093GsMmnA9tb8lZPhbgg

X: https://x.com/adamlanesmith

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attachmentbro?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdamLaneSmith/

Podcast: I Wish You Knew Podcast https://iwishyouknew.show/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@attachmentadam

Adam Lane Smith, MA Psych, is recognized globally for his groundbreaking work in applied attachment psychology. Over the past 15 years, he has guided more than 1,600 private clients (including top executives, Hollywood A-listers, and management professionals) towards building resilient and effective relationships, both at...