Join me, Dr. Mike T. Nelson, as I sit down with Simon Wegerif, the visionary founder of iThlete and a pioneer in heart rate variability (HRV) technology. In this episode, we revisit Simon’s journey from creating the very first HRV app for iOS to his latest work at Lifelight, where they’re breaking new ground in measuring blood pressure and heart rate with cutting-edge technology.

We’ll dive into the practical applications of HRV for training, hear Simon’s inspiring story about a health scare that changed his outlook, and discuss game-changers like sleep hygiene, deep breathing, cold water immersion, and mental health for improving HRV. If you’re as fascinated by HRV, performance optimization, and health tech as I am, you won’t want to miss this episode!

Sponsors:

• Tecton Life Ketone drink! https://tectonlife.com/ DRMIKE to save 20%
• LMNT electrolyte drink mix: miketnelsonlmnt.com
• HRV Education Course: https://miket.me/hrv/ Enter code hrv100 at checkout for $100 off

Triphasic 2 book now available!

• Go to https://triphasic2.com/

Episode Chapters:

• 00:25 Heart Rate Variability Deep Dive
• 00:31 Simon's Journey with iFleet
• 00:42 HRV Measurement and Technology
• 01:01 Health Scare and Current Endeavors
• 01:52 Sponsor Messages and Announcements
• 03:35 Interview with Simon: Early Days of iFleet
• 04:22 Technical Challenges and Innovations
• 06:41 HRV in Practice and Research
• 19:13 Breathing Techniques and HRV
• 38:58 Current Status and Future Plans
• 41:35 Innovative Health Monitoring with Lifelight
• 43:20 Technical Challenges and Solutions in Remote PPG
• 44:48 Applications and Future of Lifelight
• 48:25 Personal Health Journey and Prostate Cancer Awareness
• 52:19 Importance of Regular Health Check-ups
• 56:54 HRV and Its Impact on Performance
• 01:08:06 Zone 2 Training and Its Benefits
• 01:14:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Flex Diet Podcast Episodes You May Enjoy:

• Episode 215: Breathing, Heart Rate, and HRV: An Interview with Dr. Scotty Butcher, The Strength Jedi
• Episode 108: Top 3 Common Body Composition Mistakes and How To Use Heart Rate Variability (HRV) To Solve Them

Connect with Simon

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-wegerif
• Email: simon@myithlete.com

Get In Touch with Dr Mike:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmiketnelson/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn1aTbQqHglfNrENPm0GTpg
• Email: https://miketnelson.com/contact-us/

Welcome back to the Flex Diet Podcast! I’m Dr. Mike T. Nelson, your host, and in this episode, I’m diving into ways to boost performance, build muscle, and improve body composition—all within a flexible framework. I’m excited to be joined by Brett Bartholomew, the mind behind The Art of Coaching and author of Conscious Coaching. Together, we explore the many interactions coaches and trainers face, the value of practice in learning, and some of the latest fitness trends like cold plunges and red light therapy.

We also dive into the critical role of communication and discuss how AI is shaping the future of coaching. Brett shares his inspiring journey from being a strength and conditioning coach to focusing on leadership development and conflict resolution.

A big thank you to our sponsors, Tecton Life and LMNT — products I personally use and highly recommend. Let’s get started!

Sponsors:

• Tecton Life Ketone drink! https://tectonlife.com/ DRMIKE to save 20%
• LMNT electrolyte drink mix: miketnelsonlmnt.com
• Dr. Mike's Fitness Insider Newsletter: Sign up for free at https://miketnelson.com/.

Triphasic 2 book now available!

• Go to https://triphasic2.com/

Episode Chapters:

• 02:41 Brett Bartholomew's Coaching Journey
• 06:07 The Importance of Experiential Learning
• 09:28 Challenges and Misconceptions in Public Speaking
• 18:04 Fitness Trends and Industry Observations
• 31:33 The Role of Social Relationships in Health
• 35:07 Handling Criticism and Divorce
• 35:40 The Importance of Effective Communication
• 37:27 COVID-19's Impact on Social Connections
• 37:53 The Future of AI in Communication
• 40:16 The Decline of International Education Events
• 45:26 Building Meaningful Relationships
• 49:20 Balancing Professional and Personal Life
• 52:27 Setting Boundaries and Valuing Time
• 01:01:02 Creating Memorable Experiences

Flex Diet Podcast Episodes You May Enjoy:

• Episode 260: Real-Talk on Fitness and Nutrition Coaching Success with Ben Brown
• Episode 207: Driving client progress with effective nutrition and coaching: An interview with Aram Grigorian

Connect with Brett:

• Art of Coaching: https://artofcoaching.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach_brettb/
• Conscious Coaching: https://www.amazon.com/Conscious-Coaching-Science-Building-Buy/

Get In Touch with Dr Mike:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmiketnelson/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn1aTbQqHglfNrENPm0GTpg
• Email: https://miketnelson.com/contact-us/

In this episode of the Flex Diet Podcast, I sit down with Jennifer Broxterman from Prosper Nutrition Coaching to dive into the world of nutrition coaching. We cover everything from the pros and cons of macro counting to the importance of understanding a client’s history and staying curious in coaching relationships.

Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge as a registered dietitian and shares powerful insights, including the motivational interviewing techniques she picked up from a university research study. We also tackle how to handle client setbacks with creative approaches, like the ‘toothbrush metaphor.’

Sponsors:

• Tecton Life Ketone drink! https://tectonlife.com/ DRMIKE to save 20%
• LMNT electrolyte drink mix: miketnelsonlmnt.com
• Dr. Mike's Fitness Insider Newsletter: Sign up for free at https://miketnelson.com/.

Triphasic 2 book now available!

• Go to https://triphasic2.com/

Episode Chapters:

• 04:10 The Role of Coach Catalyst
• 06:58 Macro Counting vs. Non-Macro Approaches
• 09:57 Motivational Interviewing and Coaching Techniques
• 29:28 Understanding Client Goals
• 29:42 The Power of Open-Ended Questions
• 30:08 The Catch-All Question
• 31:09 Revelations and Sensitive Topics
• 31:29 Encouraging Client Communication
• 31:57 Effective Coaching Techniques
• 32:26 The Importance of Specificity
• 35:50 Curiosity in Coaching
• 36:28 The Setback Tool
• 41:50 Building Client Confidence
• 43:04 The Toothbrush Metaphor
• 48:11 Consistency Over Perfection

Flex Diet Podcast Episodes You May Enjoy:

• Episode 249: Elevating Wellness through Movement and Nutritional Wisdom with Dr. Kelly and Juliet Starrett
• Episode 230: Exploring Preventive Health and Personalized Nutrition Catherine Staffieri from Nutrisense

Connect with Jen:

• Freebies for Download: www.prospernutritioncoaching.com/freebies
• PRO$PER Nutrition Certification: www.prospernutritioncoaching.com/certification
• Email: info@prosperNC.com
• Instagram: @prosper_nc

Get In Touch with Dr Mike:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmiketnelson/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn1aTbQqHglfNrENPm0GTpg
• Email: https://miketnelson.com/contact-us/