IFYL Just the Facts: Stop Nagging; Lift Your Gut Healthy; The Return of Walls

In this episode we discuss:

The demotivating fitness apps.

Pickleball? Wear Goggles.

Beat Boredom.

And many more topics.

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Our Hosts:
John Tesh: Instagram: @johntesh_ifyl facebook.com/JohnTesh
Gib Gerard: Instagram: @GibGerard facebook.com/GibGerard X: @GibGerard

Transcript

Unknown: 0:38

Gib. Hello and welcome to another episode of the podcast. I'm Gib Gerard. We are here with something new that we are trying, something that I'm excited to bring you. This is just the facts, right? It's from our radio show, intelligence for your life, but there's no commentary. It is just John bringing you the stuff from intelligence for your life the radio show direct intelligence that you can put in your pocket, take with you wherever you want to go. So I hope you enjoy it here, without further ado, is John Tesh, so whether you're counting calories on my fitness pal or tracking your runs on Strava or an Apple Watch, fitness apps promise to keep us motivated and on track, right? But a study now in the British Journal of Health Psychology is saying those apps may actually be doing the opposite. So listen, researchers analyzed nearly 60,000 social media posts about popular fitness apps and focused on the ones where people were frustrated or negative, and they found a lot of people feel worse, not better, when they use an app. The biggest complaints apps that log data incorrectly, constant pressure to hit daily goals and the emotional exhaustion of tracking every step, every bite, every workout, people said when they missed a goal, the apps made them feel guilty, ashamed or like they'd failed, and instead of trying harder, a lot of people just quit altogether. So the experts say the problem here is that these apps rely on rigid algorithms. They don't account for real life like being sick, busy, stressed or just exhausted, and when technology makes us feel like we're never doing enough, our motivation drops. Makes sense. The takeaway from researchers is this, if tracking makes you feel anxious or discouraged, it could be time to take a break from the apps and let your motivation come from within. Amen to this. So if you've ever asked somebody repeatedly to change a habit and nothing happens, science is telling us there's a reason nagging does not work, according to researchers at the University of Toronto who studied nagging, when we nag, we send a hidden message that says, I don't trust you to do this that can make the other person feel criticized or controlled, so they dig in their heels and tune out, and the more we push, the less they respond, which creates frustration for everybody. So is there anything that does work? Yeah, gratitude. So instead of focusing on what somebody didn't do, acknowledge the effort they did make, even if it's a small one. In a long term study of couples, the people who felt appreciated for their efforts were far more likely to keep changing over time. After nine months, those who received the most gratitude from their partners made the biggest improvements in behavior. Experts say this isn't about ignoring bad habits, it's about reinforcing positive ones, and when people feel seen and valued, they're more motivated to follow through next time it's worth a try. We've told you many times before that Pickleball is still the fastest growing sport, but there is a downside. It turns out, more and more people are ending up in the ER, with serious eye injuries. A new study finding that last year alone, more than 1200 players needed emergency treatment for things like detached retinas, fractured eye sockets, bleeding in the eye, even permanent vision damage. Most of these eye injuries are happening to players over 50, by the way, it's because as we age, our reflexes slow down, our balance isn't as sharp, and if we work glasses that aren't shatter proof, a fast moving pickleball can turn dangerous quickly, and those balls are not floating across the court, they can travel up to 60 miles an hour. Have you seen this? That gives you almost no time to react, and there's no official rule about wearing eye protection in tournaments or at public courts. So the American Academy of Ophthalmology is now officially urging players to wear protective eyewear, specifically the kind made for racket sports, right? My friends, do you ever feel totally exhausted, but the minute your head hits the pillow, you're wide awake. It's what sleep experts are calling a second wind. It happens to me a lot. Dr William Liu is a sleep medicine expert. He says your brain actually gives you a natural sleep window. That is the 30 minute window, when your brain signals your body to wind down. If you go to bed, then you'll fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly. But if you wait and miss that sleep opportunity, your nervous system kicks in and gets you going again. Your brain thinks, Oh, you must need to stay awake. So it flips the switch and releases chemicals that will keep you alert. Now, blue light from your phone doesn't help, either it tells your brain it's still daytime add in stress or racing thoughts. Now your body's releasing stress hormones. So what do we do? If that second wind hits, you should get out of bed, do something calm, like reading, journaling or deep breathing, and then try again. And that's what works for me, by the way. So we know resistance training builds muscle, right? But it turns out it could be strengthening. Something else is really important, something we talk about all the time, and it's our gut health. A new study in the journal BioMed Central found that people who started lifting weights just two to three times a week, even if they'd never exercised before, they saw improvement in their gut microbiome in as little as eight weeks. Your microbiome is, of course, the massive community of bacteria that lives in your digestive system and helps keep you healthy. For the study, researchers followed hundreds of people who didn't normally exercise and had them do simple resistance workouts. They also collected stool samples before, during and after the study, and by the end, everybody's gut bacteria had shifted in a positive direction, but the people who got the strongest had the best results. Bottom line, this adds to more and more research showing exercise doesn't just reshape our body, it may be reshaping our gut health as well. So if you're feeling bored or uninspired lately, here are some tips to help you get out of your rut and feel revitalized. They come from cognitive neuroscientist tally shereau, author of look again, the power of noticing what was always there. I love it. She says, if you're feeling stuck, take a break from your daily routine. That could be a vacation, a weekend trip, or a walk around the block. This is speaking to me. You can also feel reinvigorated by reflecting on what you already have. So really imagine not having your house, your family, your job, you get it because thinking about life without the people and activities that bring meaning and stability to your World can help you feel grateful for what you have right now and then embrace variety. Yes, a big change, like moving or switching jobs can spark creativity, but even small shifts like getting a new haircut or trying a new hobby can give your brain a big boost. In fact, research shows that variety alone makes people happier. Neuroscientist Dr Charo also says having more variety in your life and often makes people happier. And if you're thinking of a change, there's probably a reason, because if everything was perfect, you wouldn't be craving change in the first place. Amen, don't you know? We've been told we peak in our 20s and 30s. Our brain is sharpest, then our energy is high. We have our whole lives ahead of us. But new research says Not so fast, pal, when you look at overall functioning, things like intelligence, emotional stability, decision making and life experience, most people don't hit their true stride until their early 60s. Sure, some things slow down. You may not process information as quickly or remember every tiny detail like you used to, but now, research in the journal intelligence found our judgment, emotional balance, problem solving, even financial wisdom, all keeps getting better through our 40s and 50s, and peaks around the age of 60. So why would you peak in your 60s? Because you have lived you've made mistakes, you've solved problems, you've raised kids, you've managed relationships, many of them, you've handled a lot of money and built a career that adds up to something scientists are now calling composite functioning, and it continues to grow long after your youthful glow fades, composite functioning and even after the age of 65 many people stay mentally sharp and emotionally steady well into their 70s and beyond. So the big takeaway, don't think of getting older as declining. It is training, and your 50s and 60s might be the most capable stage of your life. That's what I'm going with. All right, my friends, there's a new trend I want to share with you, and I'm loving it. It's called the analog bag, or the stop scrolling bag. It's basically a tote you fill with old school screen free activities, things like a book, watercolor paints, no matter how old you are, knitting, crossword puzzles, even a Polaroid camera. Now follow me here. You're going to love this. We pick up our phones more than 100 times a day on average, and we spend hours glued to our screen. So people are now packing analog bags to take back their downtime. Instead of scrolling in the waiting room or on the couch, you pull out your sketchbook, some yarn, or that novel you've been meaning to read. And you know, parents and grandparents are loving this trend. They'll load a bag for their kids with little toys, puzzles, crayons and coloring books. And of course, the trend is blowing up on Tiktok, the hashtag analog life is up over 330% from last year. Ironic. And you know who totally approves of this trend? Charles Duhigg, the best selling author of The Power of Habit, the new trend that we love here on the show. It's called the analog bag, or the stop scrolling bag, basically, again, a tote that you fill up with old school, screen free activities. You know, for years we reported on the open concept home. It was the dream. Tear down the walls, open up the space. But today, more homeowners are realizing that maybe walls weren't such a bad idea. After all, real estate agents say buyers are now starting to. Push back, telling them they don't want their kitchens and their dirty dishes on display, and the president of a huge construction company is hearing the same thing. He puts it simply, quote, the reality is that life can be loud. For many families, open concept living has turned into open concept regret without walls, there's no privacy, there's no quiet and definitely nowhere to hide clutter. So some homeowners have even spent 1000s of dollars to put walls back up after realizing their open concept dream space added to their stress. It's not just homes, either. A Harvard study found that open plan offices, the workplace version of the trend, actually killed teamwork and made people less likely to interact face to face. So perhaps that pendulum is swinging back now, after decades of open spaces, people are admitting they miss walls. When you hear the word investing, you probably think of stocks, savings, maybe real estate, right? But now there's a new mindset catching on, especially among Gen Z, that actually works for any age group, and it's called memory investing. Instead of spending money on physical stuff, memory investing is about putting your dollars toward experiences that will stick with you, like concerts, trips or even just a family night out. Think of it as investing in joy, relationships and stories you'll tell years from now, and memory investing has real benefits. Studies show experiences bring more lasting happiness than material things. They can strengthen relationships, give you a sense of purpose and remind you that money is a tool for creating the life you want and remember. Memories don't have to mean a pricey vacation. They can be small, everyday moments, a coffee date with a friend, a picnic in the park, or a Sunday dinner with family. Sometimes little things end up being the biggest memories. It's the new investment strategy. Memory investing. That's it for the show today. Thank you guys so much for listening. If you like the show, please rate, comment and subscribe on Apple podcast. Spotify, wherever you get your podcast. It helps us out a lot. When you do that, we also try to respond to every mention the show, every DM about the show. You can tell us what you think about it, because ultimately, we do the show for you guys. So thank you so much for listening. You.