Do you believe that sports can instill confidence, strength, and self-esteem in girls at a young age and that these same attributes can be used on and off the field? Kate T Parker is a mother, wife, professional photographer and New York Times bestselling author of The Heart of a Boy and Strong is the New Pretty; she's an ironman and former collegiate soccer player who has made a living capturing the joy, confidence, focus, and camaraderie that comes from girls playing sports. Her photographs have been praised by Nicole Kidman, Drew Barrymore, David Beckham, and the Spice Girls.

A powerful collection of color and black-and-white photographs, her newest book PLAY LIKE A GIRL captures girls just learning to kick the ball alongside players from the 2019 Women’s World Cup championship team such as Megan Rapinoe, Carly Lloyd, and Jessica McDonald. A celebration of the tenacious spirit of female soccer players of all ages, it reveals how sports, and soccer in particular, challenge girls and women to become their best selves, allowing them to test their limits, find power in friendship, appreciate their body’s strength, and learn how to pick themselves up when they’ve been knocked down. 

Kate T. Parker, the Early Years

Kate has played soccer ever since her early years growing up in New Jersey.  She continued playing soccer on the collegiate level for Wake Forest University in North Carolina.  After leaving college, she worked at CNN and then crossed over into advertising, which Kate believes helped her to "make something compelling on the screen." After getting married and having kids, Kate decided to use this skill to take pictures of her kids. 

The Important Role of Confidence and Empowerment in Young Children

As a mom, Kate believes that children should have confidence and self-esteem.  She wants this for her kids and thinks these are qualities all kids should have. Kate wants kids to know who they are should be celebrated and embraced.  Kate found confidence and empowerment while playing soccer.  She remembers being called "loud," "bossy," and “aggressive," all characteristics that made her a good soccer player.  Her coaches encouraged this behavior, and it is these qualities that enabled Kate to pursue a successful career as a photographer. 

Kate believes it's okay for girls to voice their opinion, get dirty, or even angry at times.  Kate believes that it is "more important what you do and who you are than what you look like."  Kate thinks that social media does not portray “girls actively doing things.”  Her book shows girls and women moving and taking action.

The book captures every expression and emotion the girls go through on and off the field, and they have the chance to tell their own story.  “Sometimes their words are funny, but they can also be silly, thoughtful and smart,” according to Kate.

Soccer and Everyday Life

Kate believes you can learn life’s lessons on the soccer field.  “In soccer, you cannot hang your head; you must keep looking forward regardless of what has happened in the past. You must keep moving.  Kate believes it's the same in real life, “if you mess up in life, don't hang your head, if you do that, you will miss the next play or the next opportunity.”

Kate believes that “all girls should find something that they are passionate about; it doesn't have to be soccer or any particular sport.  It could be music or even art, find something you are passionate about, and then your sense of self-worth will come from that passion instead of from any outside forces that are trying to tear you down.”

The importance of role models

Kate believes that all girls should have role models in their lives.  The 2019 Women’s World Cup championship team with women such as Megan Rapinoe, Carly Lloyd, and Jessica McDonald, are role models to young girls and women.  Young girls need to see women who look like them to achieve success; it improves their self-worth.

Kate T. Parker – Charity Work

Kate believes that anyone with a platform should use it for the benefit of others.  Her charities of choice include the Boys & Girls Club of America, the Bully Project, and the Girls on the Run.

Did you know that your skin is the largest organ on your body and what you put on your skin can significantly affect your health? Heather Marianna is the creator of Beauty Kitchen, a plant-based at-home spa and skincare line with clean ingredients free of chemicals, sulfates, and harsh parabens. Beauty Kitchen started in 2012 as a YouTube channel where Heather would demonstrate DIY beauty treatments using simple, all-natural ingredients found in most kitchens to educate the masses about the importance of knowing what you are putting on your skin.  

The Early Years

Heather grew up in beautiful San Diego, California.  Her grandmother raised her until she was old enough to go to college.  She attended the University of Indianapolis in Indiana.  After graduating from college, she worked in a few businesses until she was offered a job as a Vice President of Marketing for a consulting firm in Las Vegas. 

After quitting her corporate job as VP of Marketing, Heather was out of work for six months, not sure what she was going to do next.  She then called some of her friends seeking guidance.  Her friends told her she needs to make that “skincare stuff.”  Heather then shared how while on vacation in Africa, she noticed one of her friends had a serious acne problem.  Heather told her friend that she could “fix it if you let me”.  The friend agreed, so Heather went down to the kitchen, gathered up all the stuff she was interested in for natural and spiritual healing, applied it to her friends face, and her friend’s face cleared up in 2 days.  Her friends then encouraged her to pursue this line of work professionally.  It was after this encouragement that Heather created the Beauty Kitchen YouTube channel.

Beauty Kitchen YouTube Channel

The channel quickly garnered millions of views, and soon after, the actual product line was born. Heather has appeared on over 85+ national TV news segments demonstrating her all-natural and easy-to-do at-home beauty treatments. She was just recently named “the Nevada Female Leader Making Moves in The West” by The Ladders.com, and she was also named an “Inspirational Female Executive to Follow” by The LuxurySpot.com magazine.

Heather believes her products are better than other so-called “natural” products because she owns the manufacturing of the products and oversees the ingredients that are put into it. Heather has been approached by Target, Wholefoods, and other significant retailers but refused to send her products to a warehouse, where in her words, “they would be sitting for months” at a time. The only way her products could stay on the shelves for that amount of time is to have preservatives in it. Heather refuses to compromise her products or her reputation.

Private Labeling

Heather also shared that her company does private labeling.  You can sell hand sanitizer and other products from the Beauty Kitchen, with your brand’s name attached to it.  

Giving Back

Heather Marianna is very involved in giving back to her community and abroad. She distributes hand sanitizers and other products to the kids in the local schools. She has also traveled to Africa on several occasions for a month to volunteer with the local communities in Kenya and Tanzania. Heather plans on spending more time volunteering in Africa and speaks highly of the experience.

COVID-19 

Long before COVID-19 hit, Heather had been selling natural hand sanitizers. She has donated tons of hand sanitizers. She recently donated 250 essential worker boxes worth at least $200 each with a $100.00 gift card.

Fitness

Heather believes that exercise and eating healthy are also good for your skin, and that’s why she exercises at least five days per week.  She recently placed a kettlebell in her room so she can squat while watching television. Heather wants to put on more weight, so her plan is to take in more healthy calories

If you’re looking for truly safe and natural products that are good for your skin and your health, look no further than Heather Marianna’s Beauty Kitchen.

What if you found out that you’ve been exercising and dieting wrong all these years? Phil Catudal, believes that 70% of Americans are exercising and dieting the wrong way.  According to Phil, we should exercise and diet based on the needs of our specific body types.  Phil Catudal is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer.  He is also a Nutrition expert, and celebrity fitness instructor based in Los Angeles, California. He recently celebrated the launch of his first book, JUST YOUR TYPE: The Ultimate Guide to Eating and Training Right for Your Body, a comprehensive and essential plan for matching diet and fitness regimens to different body types to achieve physical wellness. 

Celebrity clients he has worked with include Alan Ruck, Emily Deschanel, Sarah Shahi, Van Jones, and Steve Howey.  In addition, Phil also trains a variety of other professionals, which accounts for about 50% of his business.  Although Phil likes training celebrities, the downside is “once they book a role, you lose them for a few months.” Phil believes that it is always good to have regular clients in addition to the celebrity clientele.

Phil Catudal, the early years

Phil grew up in Montreal, Canada.  As a child, Phil had Leukemia from age three to eight, for a total of 5 years.  He is the youngest of 4 siblings.  Phil’s father was a marathoner and bodybuilder.  He passed away at the age of 45 because of a rare lung cancer.  This tragedy instilled in Phil and his siblings the desire to focus more on their health.  It was fitness that Phil and his family through the pain of dealing with the loss of their father.

During the interview, Phil will discuss the impetus for his book.  He also lists and explains the three body types: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorphs. 

Ectomorphs are long and lean, with little body fat, and little muscle. They have a hard time gaining weight. Fashion models and basketball players fit this category. While most of us love to hate these genetically-blessed individuals, some male ectomorphs may not be thrilled with their narrow-chested frames, and some female ectomorphs long for more womanly curves.

Endomorphs, on the other hand, have lots of body fat, lots of muscle, and gain weight easily. Football lineman tends to be endomorphs -- they're heavier and rounder individuals. And they don't have to necessarily be overweight. Both Oprah Winfrey and Marilyn Monroe are classic examples of endomorphs.

Mesomorphs are athletic, solid, and strong. They're not overweight and not underweight, and they can eat what they want without worrying too much about it. They both gain and lose weight without too much effort.

Phil believes that once you begin training and eating according to your body type, you will achieve your fitness goals much faster.  He has real case studies to back up his claims.

I am offering a free copy of Phil’s book to the first 4 people, who after listening to the podcast; share their thoughts about Phil’s message.  Training according to your body type may be just what you need to lose weight, build muscle, and get into the best shape of your life.  You don’t want to miss this interview.

Have you gained a few extra pounds over the past few months? How would you like to lose those extra pounds quickly in the shortest amount of time?  In this interview, Dr. Len Kravitz will tell you how.  Dr. Kravitz is the author of HIIT YOUR LIMIT: High-Intensity Interval Training for Fat Loss, Cardio, and Full Body Health.  Dr. Len Kravitz has thirty-seven years of experience as a researcher, writer, and speaker on fitness.  He is the Coordinator of Exercise Science at the University of New Mexico. He has published more than 300 articles in dozens of health and fitness publications and regularly travels the country as a speaker on fitness and health.

During the interview, Dr. Kravitz will discuss the reasons why so many Americans are overweight and out of shape.  He will share how and why HIIT is so effective in stimulating fat loss, building muscle, and improving overall health quickly and efficiently.

Why Are Americans Obese and Unhealthy?

Dr. Kravitz believes the reasons why so many Americans are obese, overweight, and out of shape is multi-factorial.  One of the reasons is that technology has taken charge.  Many of the things we use to do physically are being done by technology, even something as simple as washing dishes.  Another reason is highly processed foods with their excessive amounts of sugar and fat.  Dr. Kravitz believes that portion control is one of the best techniques to curb obesity.  Unfortunately, food scientists have made it hard for anyone to stick to small portions.

Dr. Kravitz also believes that inactivity is a major problem today. He would like to see research done on the correlation between inactivity and COVID-19.

Every 30 Get Your 3

Dr. Kravitz believes that every 30 minutes you should try and get 3 minutes of movement.  According to his research, if you have a predisposition to cardiac disease, this will minimize the risk.  It would also minimize the risk to insulin resistance.  Every 30 get your 3.

What is High Intensity Interval Training?

HIIT alternates movements that are challenging followed by movements that are less challenging at different intervals.  Research shows that when you alternate challenging with less challenging movements the change in intensity is beneficial to the heart.  There are also several studies that show this increase in movement affects the hormones that stimulate the breakdown of fat.  In addition, research has also shown that HIIT also improves your cognitive thinking skills.

HIIT can be done at home, in a gym, or even outdoors.  Dr. Kravitz gave an example of a very effective HIIT program.  Walk for 30 seconds briskly and then walk comfortably for 60 seconds.  You can do that 5 to 10 times.  His book has 50 different HIIT workouts.

How to ease back into an Exercise Program

According to Dr. Kravitz's research, if you miss 5 days of cardiovascular training, your cardiovascular system starts to become less efficient.  If you haven’t done any resistance training (weight training) in 3 weeks, you start to get physically weaker.  Unfortunately, most people will think they can perform the activity at the same level, but the research shows that is not the case.  Dr. Kravitz recommends that when going back to the gym or wherever you exercise, to start back at 50% capacity and slowly build back up.

I can personally see how this would be the case.  I recently went out to the park to do some pull-ups.  I thought I could knock out 15 or more like I use to do prior to the pandemic.  To my disappointment, I could only do about 10 and that was laborious. I will definitely take Dr. Kravitz's advice and work at 50% until I feel strong enough to increase the activity.

If you want to quickly lose fat, build muscle and get healthy, HIIT just might be the answer.  The book is available on Amazon and I highly recommend it.

Could our gut bacteria play a significant role in the prevention and treatment of disease? Dr. Christine Bishara has been studying disease for over 20 years.  She is the founder of “From Within Medical”, a medical wellness practice that emphasizes the mind-body and gut-brain axis to prevent and manage disease.  Dr. Bishara discovered that the connection between these systems plays a significant role in disease prevention and management.

Dr. Bishara recently published an article on the role of gut and probiotics on immunity and COVID-19.  She shared that through research, her team discovered that children have healthier guts than adults. She believes this is due to the level of gut bacteria called Bifidobacterium.  This type of bacteria decreases as we age.  Dr. Bishara believes the reason children were less affected by COVID-19 is because of the levels of Bifidobacterium in their guts.

Although Bifidobacterium levels decline with age, in one particular study she cited, Bifidobacterium levels were higher in Italian and Japanese centenarians than in the younger elderly population.  Upon further research and study of centenarians in other countries, Dr. Bishara discovered that diet and lifestyle played a significant role.  They were mostly vegetarians, and their exercise of choice was walking.

Dr. Bishara went on to say that the importance of our guts to prevent disease is nothing new.  According to the Greek Physician and father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, “all diseases begin in the gut”.  He made this statement over 2400 years ago.  He also said, "let food be your medicine and medicine your food."

Dr. Bishara believes that the Standard American Diet (“SAD”), is what’s destroying our immune system.  In a recently written article on the CNN website titled “Poor diets threaten US national security — and it’s serious”. The article stated that “46% of adults have poor quality diet and 56% of children and these numbers are highest in the minority, rural and low-income communities.” The article went on to say that “diet-related illnesses are harming the readiness of the US military and the budgets of the US Department of Defense and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Seventy-one percent of people between the ages of 17 and 24 do not qualify for military service  Obesity is the leading medical disqualifier.”

Dr. Bishara doesn’t know why the media or society as a whole isn’t shining a light on our immune system.  She believes that the focus should be on prevention rather than treatment.  She also believes that people want a quick fix and that we should go back to the basics, which is our food.

She also believes that an excellent place to start boosting your immune system is by taking a probiotic. Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora.  You can find large amounts of Bifidobacterium in probiotics.

Dr. Bishara went on to say that while she recommends we take a probiotic, there is nothing better than prebiotics, which is when we consume more fruits and vegetables, cut back on the highly processed foods, and eat more organic foods.  If we did all these things, we wouldn’t need a probiotic.

I recently interviewed Dr. Joel Gould on my show.  Dr. Gould suffered from Sleep Apnea and Crohn’s Disease.  Through his research, he discovered patients with Sleep Apnea usually have low levels of Vitamin D, so he increased his Vitamin D intake, and not only did his Sleep Apnea go away but his Crohn’s Disease.  He also stated that 96% of the people who died from COVID-19, had low levels of Vitamin D in their bodies (20% or lower). 

Dr. Bishara agrees with Dr. Joel Gould on the importance of Vitamin D to our immune system and how it plays a significant role in our intestinal health.

Dr. Bishara’s practice is located in the Flatiron District of New York City.  During the early stages of the pandemic, New York City was considered the epicenter.  During that time, Dr. Bishara noticed that the majority of COVID-19 patients had a BMI of over 30%, which is obese.  Dr. Bishara believes that COVID-19 is a disease that attacks our immune system.

There was so much information shared by Dr. Bishara on the importance of our immune system and the relationship of our gut to our body and mind.  Most people are not aware that 90% of the serotonin in our body is produced in our gut and regulates our mood.

Dr. Bishara’s advice to parents is to “invest in your health and invest in prevention versus treatment.”

Cheryl Millington, also known as “Millie” is a self-employed business owner out of Toronto, Canada.  She lives in Toronto with her husband of 30 years and her 27-year-old son.  Millie’s weight loss journey began on September 14, 2019, when she weighed in at a whopping 328 pounds! 

Millie had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and thyroid condition.  In addition, she also had three bulging discs on her neck and back.  After being consistently out of breath while climbing one flight of stairs, in her home, Millie had enough!  She realized that she had to do something about her health. 

Millie comes from a family that is predisposed to obesity primarily on her mother’s side of the family.  She shared what her mother went through the last 5 years of her life.  She has other family members heading down that same path.

Millie is determined that this will not happen to her.  She has the support of her husband and son on this journey.  Millie took the initiative and became her own health coach.  She changed her eating habits as well as the eating habits of her family.  She stopped eating out and decided to cook more at home.  She also cut out all fast food and processed foods. Fiber and protein became Millie’s friend.

After losing 50 of the 80 pounds, Millie went back to her doctor for a check-up.  To Millie’s satisfaction, her blood pressure and high cholesterol numbers went down dramatically.  As far as the pain in her neck and back from the bulging discs, Millie stated that she is now pain-free.

Millie calls herself, “healthiermillie” on various social media platforms, such as Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.  She is using these platforms to inspire others towards a healthy lifestyle.  Who better to learn from than someone who has lost a lot of weight by eating real food and being more active?

The Six Weeks to Fitness podcast will follow-up with Millie and bring you an updated episode of her journey.  You can visit Millie’s website at healthiermillie.com

If you suffer from insomnia or keep your partner awake with your sleep apnea, there may be a simple cure.  According to Dr. Joel Gould, author of the upcoming book “The Modern Epidemic” and founder of The Modern American Dentistry, most inflammatory diseases are caused by a lack of Vitamin D in the body.

In 2015, Dr. Gould, an expert in sleep apnea and insomnia, had been practicing dentistry for two decades and treating obstructive sleep apnea in Manhattan Beach, California, for several years when he was diagnosed with sleep apnea. His research into the underlying cause of this disease led him to create the “Sleep Restoration Program” designed to change the public’s perception of the ever-growing epidemic of insomnia and sleep apnea caused by Vitamin D and nutrient deficiencies. 

Dr. Gould calls Vitamin D the “Human Battery” because we are “solar animals.” We receive our energy from the sun.  Similar to how our phones need recharging when the energy levels decrease to 20%, and it starts to die, our bodies react the same way when our Vitamin D levels reach 20% or lower, we begin to die.  Dr. Gould stated that “96% of the people who died from the coronavirus pandemic had Vitamin D levels of 20% or less, while those who contracted the virus and survived had Vitamin D levels of 30% or higher.”

During the interview, Dr. Gould will explain how to determine your Vitamin D levels and how to raise them to levels that will strengthen your immune system. He strongly feels that sleep disorders are both reversible and preventable, which opposes commonly accepted beliefs in medicine. Educating others about the correlation between the body’s level of Vitamin D, insomnia, and disease has become Dr. Gould’s mission.

If this is your first time hearing about Vitamin D’s vital role in your overall health, you’re not alone.

Medical doctors are not taught this in medical school, but the information is out there, and Dr. Gould experienced it first-hand and is sharing it on my show.

You’ll want to listen to this podcast with a pen and paper in hand.  There is so much information backed by science that is sure to make a serious impact on your life and your children’s lives.  If you think you’re getting enough Vitamin D from taking a multi-vitamin, think again.  According to Dr. Gould, and he backs it up with facts, the amount of Vitamin D you’re receiving in a multi-vitamin has no effects on your body.

Meet Chris Ackie, an All-Star, All-Canadian Linebacker for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. This former Wilfrid Laurier University athlete was drafted in the first round of the 2015 CFL draft by the Montreal Alouettes, and fourth overall and inducted into the Wilfrid Laurier Hall of Fame in 2019.  During the interview, Chris will discuss what it takes to make it as a professional football player in the CFL, which as Chris explains it, has some similarities to the NFL.  Chris will also share his training routine during the offseason and how yoga and meditation play a major role in his life and how it prepares him for the game of football. 

Growing up in Toronto and then moving to Cambridge, Chris participated in a variety of sports including basketball, track & field, and rugby.  This was a very inspiring interview with a young man who, at the age of 13, was told by one of his coaches that he would never make it on a high school football team or college football team.  To hear his coach, whom he looked up to and respected say this, was disheartening to this young man, but Chris proved this coach wrong by not only making it on the collegiate level but all the way to the pros as well.  In the words of Chris, “keep striving for your dreams and let no one tell you that you can’t do it.”  Chris is doing it!

Meet Joe De Sena, Founder and CEO of Spartan, the world’s largest obstacle race and endurance brand.  After building a multimillion-dollar pool and construction business in college, and creating a Wall Street trading firm, Joe set his sights on getting people off of their couches by creating the Spartan lifestyle.  With more than one million annual global participants at more than 200 events across more than 30 countries, Spartan offers heats for all fitness levels and ages, from beginner to elite and Kids as young as four-years-old. The brand has transformed more than five million lives since it was founded in 2010. 

During the entire interview, Joe De Sena was climbing up a 1500 to 2000 foot rope, which is a testament to his amazing physical ability and conditioning.  This was a very inspiring and motivating interview with Joe, as he discussed his reasons for creating the Spartan Race, the obstacle courses and the mindset needed to compete in a Spartan race.  When I asked Joe if a person had to be in top physical condition to participate in a Spartan race, he stated: “at the very least, you should be able to run one mile every day for 7 days, do 30 burpees, 30 pull-ups and stretch, if you can do that for 7 days straight, you should be able to compete in a Spartan race, if you can’t then, you might as well stay on the couch”.  Joe is the “real deal” and a true Spartan at heart.

Meet PJ Taei, founder and CEO of Uscreen, the #1 Video On Demand platform in the country. If you are a content creator, Uscreen lets you create a library of your video content where people can subscribe to your channel and pay you a monthly subscription fee so you can ultimately monetize your content and build your own personal Netflix style empire and most importantly, there are zero coding skills required.  During the past three years, Uscreen has helped more than 5,000 creators launch their own online VOD platform, grow their brand, and reach more people.  Whether you’re in the entertainment and education field, fitness and nutrition community, Uscreen has got you covered. 

Fitness content creators are doing extremely well on the Uscreen platform and according to PJ, some of them are earning over $7,000 per month.  This is definitely worth looking into.