Midlife Musings
Unfiltered conversations about the real challenges of navigating midlife
Midlife Musings
Episode 11: AI Is Here to Stay (And We Have Thoughts)
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AI is everywhere right now, and whether you're curious, skeptical, or already using it daily, this episode is worth a listen. In this week's Midlife Musings, we break down our honest take. What it's actually good for, where it falls short, and why women in midlife should be paying attention to how it's being used in the health and fitness space.
From AI-generated meal plans to using it as a full-on coach or therapist, the technology sounds impressive, but it comes with real blind spots. And you need to know those before you rely on it.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why AI can be a useful tool but a dangerous crutch
- The specific risks of using AI for health and fitness guidance in midlife
- What AI simply cannot account for when it comes to your body and your hormones
- How to use it smartly without outsourcing your judgment
If you're enjoying Midlife Musings, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode — and leave a review if this one resonated. It means the world and helps other women in midlife find us.
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Oh, hello there. Well, hello. I want to ask how you are, but I know the unfortunate answer already. You were on the DL, my friend.
SPEAKER_01Oh my goodness, yes. Um I mean today's a little better because we're on meds and we at least have well tell the people what happened. Well, I'm an idiot. Well, actually, I initially hurt myself about a month ago, and that was while I was working out, I knew it immediately. Um I took a week off. I even then restructured my programming to take out any hinging movements because I hurt my lower back. Basically pulled a muscle. And I was on the mend. I was feeling really good. In fact, I was like, oh, oh my gosh. I've managed to not have to go to the doctor. I've managed my pain and um I was really proud that I did not like make it worse. And then Friday I was watching nieces and nephews, and I was still trying to be really careful about picking up the kids, but it wasn't hurting at all. So I was holding my niece who I don't know, she's probably about 30 pounds. And she dropped something, and just without even thinking, I I bent over and oh lord, I just completely went back to day one. I re-injured it. Um probably even worse. I telling my sister, I don't even know how I didn't drop her, because I don't know if you've ever like, yeah, pulled a muscle like that moment was just like ooh, super painful. And I should have known better though, like you know, holding weight here and then bending. Like that was literally the position I was in when I injured it first, but now like the weight is even farther out from me. Right. That that lever, like the longer lever.
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm. Yep. So I and also just the weight in balance, right?
SPEAKER_01If you were holding her on one side, so and of course I was holding her on that side, like so it was just a bad setup, but I should have known better. I I just totally forgot because I was feeling good, and like it's just natural to like pick up a baby and then like, oh, she dropped something, I'm gonna go. Like, it's never been a problem for me to be able to move around with her, and yeah, so I don't know. As of yesterday, I was getting concerned because it's really painful, and my quad was getting it is uh numb. So I was like, okay, well, let's just make sure my spine's okay, which it is. So we're just we're medicated right now.
SPEAKER_00Uh I'm so sorry. Yeah, like I was telling you offline, I if anyone knows lower back pain, it is me. I've only had I've had chronic back pain since I was 12, off and on. But I've only had fortunately one lifting-related injury in the 25 years that I have been at it. So lucky me for that. But it came doing heavy RDLs, and I was trying to be a hero, going way too hard in the paint. And I I'm not like the strongest person by any means, let's be real. But I was doing a new program and I'm part of a uh Jordan Lips's group program, so it's not customized or anything like that. And I was trying to rather than increase the weight of my RDLs, just make them more challenging through a longer range of motion. So I think I elevated myself on something, and so I was going down further. And one day I just like I felt the strain. I'm like, oh, that wasn't good. And I felt it all that week. And then the next week when I went to do the movement again, it's like, oh, I'm fine. I same weight, it's no problem. And after that, like I didn't even get through the second rep, I don't think, when I was just like, nope. And that time I did not push through it. Usually I will make the mistake and just try to, but it was like, uh-uh, this is not happening. So I tried to lower the weight, do it again, as like I'm done. So I was able to finish the rest of the workout just with some modifications, but it took six weeks to hold heal fully. Sorry, I mean, maybe you'll be different than me. I did not I didn't take any anti-inflammatories whatsoever. I just like pushed through it and I did continue to train just because I'm like, I don't want to be sidelined. I'll figure a way to work around this, but it's it's tough for sure because you don't realize like how much you use your lower back in everything that you do. And I don't know if you're in this situation. One of the most painful things, two sleeping and trying to like roll over, because my that my like chronic non-injury related back pain came back with a vengeance about six months ago. And the most painful component or like part of it was rolling over in my sleep, and then going back to when I had that injury, it was getting in and out of the car and like putting on my seatbelt. So, like that kind of turning, twisting motion. Yeah, and then for you know, whatever sick joke it was from the universe. The day after the pain just miraculously went away, I was doing a single leg leg press and I felt this pain in my rib. I'm like, what the hell is that? And I'll sometimes keep my phone in my sweatshirt pocket. I was like, oh, maybe the phone is like poking into my rib. No, it wasn't. I had somehow strained like an intercostal muscle. That is the worst injury of all time, I think. Ribs, yes, because they take so long.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and there's not really anything you can do, like you can't really set them back, you know, like nothing you can do.
SPEAKER_00And it's like I think because you breathe every second of the day, and you know, you use that, yeah, it's really hard to heal. And then I gotta I had to dive into a dumpster about six months ago to retrieve something, and I fell just like the wrong way and did the same thing where like I bruised that that spot. Yeah, six weeks healing that as well. So isn't it weird how it's like the like the freak accents? Like, yes, you were already, you know, compromised, but it was just doing something kind of out of the ordinary that really sent you over the edge.
SPEAKER_01It yeah, I was just really just like, damn it. Like I I think partly too because I knew so I'm lucky too. I will I want to like echo that sentiment. Like, I this is really my first lifting injury, like one that's really taken me out. I've had other small, you know, little little things here and there, but like this is one where it's like more significant. So I've been very lucky. This is the first time, and I was also pushing the weight the first time I injured it a month ago. Um but yes, like I just didn't even think twice about like picking her up and bending with her. I think if I had just picked her up, I would have been fine. But it was the bending that like threw me off, and like, yeah, for me, it's like the sleep and any bending. Um and bending, not hinging, right? Just like exactly and like you know, putting on clothes, tying my shoes, like those little things where I'm just like, son of a gun, like yeah, you just don't realize how much your back is involved in everything. Um, so I don't know. We'll see. This week I'll probably take most of this week off from the gym. Maybe if I'm feeling good, just go do upper body. But I mean, that can put strain on your back too by you know pushing. So thankfully, this is where like a gym is helpful because machines can help take your back out of movements that might be there if you're doing it from home. So, you know, I was able to really modify my both my lower body days to movements that were still like um still good, like what's the word I want, like quality movements for quads and hamstrings and glutes without having to hinge, but yeah.
SPEAKER_00And I bet if you tried upper body, if you did mostly machines where you were braced, it was stable. So even a chest supported machine row or a seated cape chest press, something like that, I bet you could do it. Maybe you just have to go lighter, but yeah.
SPEAKER_01And and you know what's funny is even prior to the injury itself, I was already self-selecting or like yeah, like selecting out a lot of movements that required like or could um recruit your back. So I was already setting myself up for like, you know, can most of my movements actually be like back supported in some way so that really I was trying to get to like isolating muscles more than like having to rely on back, so it was already kind of pushing that way, but no.
SPEAKER_00Uh anyway, it's just more irritating because well I like to work out and I know one thing I do want to mention uh for you and any listener. So when I had that acute injury, so it was the week after I turned 40. I'm like, are you kidding me? Like already hitting me. I guess I I guess is I really am old at this point. I reached out to a friend of mine who's a physical therapist, and she lives in a different state. We were in a business mentorship together, and she said, one thing you do not want to do when you are in this, like a uh just that state where it's very inflamed and like reactive, for lack of a better word, or spasmy, is to go and get a massage. Everyone wants to roll it, massage it, thinking that's gonna help. She's like, and it made perfect sense the analogy she used. She's like, it's just kind of like poking the bear. So it's already aggravated, and now you're just causing more inflammation, essentially. And I thought that was really interesting. So you would assume, like, oh, it's gonna feel so good, but no, do not do it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think too, especially like I can tell, like it's my nerve that's irritated, that's what's creating a lot of the pain. So yeah, yeah, I mean, there's just no sense in poking that nerve more. Yeah. So, but anyways, we're good now. We had to move, I had to move myself because I couldn't record in my usual space because I can't sit. So you're standing. I am standing, so the sound my sound is probably less uh professional, but that's okay.
SPEAKER_00Well, mine always is because I don't have a fancy mic like you. I do, it just I don't think that I use it correctly because I never notice a difference when I use it. I'm like something's wrong here.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it could be the settings. It could also just be like, I mean, you know, yes, I have a nice mic, but um going into the closet where sound can get absorbed, like all the white noise, it helps a lot.
SPEAKER_00So I maybe I should put a little I don't have a desk, but put a blanket over you. You that'll do that. All right, so we'll try that for the next episode.
SPEAKER_01I know it is getting hot in California. Thankfully, a little less down here. Last week was like I don't know that we got triple digits, we got real close. We were in the high 90s. You were in the 90s? Last week was freaking hot.
SPEAKER_00Okay, well, I was out of town really just Saturday, and then I came home yesterday afternoon. I left well when I left here, it was maybe 80, so that would be like around three on Friday. Um, yeah, it was definitely getting warm. It was supposed to be 89. I don't know if it ever got that hot, but I'm not ready for the 90s. I'm the 80s. I am a 75 with a slight breeze kind of girl.
SPEAKER_01Agreed, yes, and it just makes me so my other issue, my car, right? I'm I need to really get that going because I'm not doing triple digits down here without AC in my car.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I also I am cheap when it comes to certain things. PGE. Do you guys have PGE down there? No, is that gas? It's gas. Okay, no. They are scam artists to heat or cool a 600 square foot apartment. It's disgusting. And so I kind of boycotted them. I'm like, I'm just not gonna turn my heat on in the winter. I'm just not gonna turn my AC on. But like last night I woke up and I I don't sleep well anyways. I was so hot. I'm like, fuck it, I'm okay. I'll turn the cooler. Um, and I felt immediately better.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, it's it's hard, yeah. Same as like uh trying to balance out like wanting to be comfortable here, but then like if I'm home all day, like it just means I'm driving up um utilities, so I try to just tough it out as much as I can. Um I don't really want to be paying for people, all of it, you know.
SPEAKER_00I I pay it so much money to rent the department, it's disgusting. And I rarely use the amenities. I do use the coffee machine because they have Pete's coffee, so I'll use that sometimes, but I really should just go into the clubhouse. No one is ever there, and they've got these comfy couches, work there, and work there. It's probably like less distracting, honestly, than being in my apartment. So, yeah, that'd be a good way, good way to do it. And then I'm like I'm pretty much gone half the month of April house sitting anyway. So I'll just drive up their utility thing. There you go.
SPEAKER_02I mean, it's part of the cost, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Well, should we start yapping stop yapping about this and start yapping about our topic of the day? Yes, we'll stop uh bemoaning, being old, basically. And I'm gonna I'm gonna complain about one thing and just you know roll it into complaining about something else, which is AI. I hate it. I'll I'll be honest. I mean, I like it for some things, but for the majority, I wish it was not here.
SPEAKER_01I have a love-hate relationship with it because it I use it a good amount, but I also I also don't love a lot of what it's doing to just social media for one. Um it just and it's just making people I think disingenuous. And I mean, there's been reels and TikToks that I see that I'm like, wow, and then I'm like, I don't think that's real. I think that's AI, like it's getting to the point where it's harder to see.
SPEAKER_00Um really can't distinguish anymore.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and like there's full accounts that are just fully AI, they look like they're people, but it's they're not real.
SPEAKER_00And I'm like, that is scary. So I have a guy friend, he lives down in San Diego, and he's always sending me reels about pretty much anything. I'm like, this is how he communicates with me Instagram reels. Sure. And he's always sending me, uh yeah, it's kind of annoying, I'll be honest. Um, I don't want to be distracted by this. But anyway, uh, so he always sends me ones about travel and different places, and he sent me one a couple of weeks ago that said, this is what Big Sur looks like in March. And it was gorgeous. It was these like just like the grass was so vibrantly green, the sky was so vibrantly blue. I'm like, wow, that's beautiful. Like, but I think it's AI. Friend who's there right now, so let me ask her, you know. Um, yeah, no, it's just it's tough because you don't know what is real and what is fake. And if we, you know, someone who spends so much time creating content on Instagram or social media, and we can hardly tell, then what does the lay consumer how are they doing it?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I think what's you know tough is like so. Here's how I use it, like for business, and even like personally, is it's fantastic for me to like dump. So, like a lot of times what I'll do is I will do a brain dump on like a loom. I'll just talk. Like, let's say I want to do a podcast, I will just dump all my ideas, and I usually have a topic, right? So I'll just talk for like 15-20 minutes and I know what I want to say in the in the episode, right? And I'll just dump that all in, and then I will throw the the transcript into chat or Claude and ask it to organize my thoughts. Like, can you pin this to like five points so that then I can like refine what I'm saying? So like I feed it everything, I just ask it to pull out main ideas and then organize because I could. I mean, if I just talk, I'll ramble, and I'll be all over the place. But I still want like my authentic voice. It's just more like it's so nice to not have to do that extra work of like consolidate. I could just like vomit and then it'll turn it back around. And a lot of times it's very helpful in helping me articulate an idea. Like, I'm like, yeah, that's actually, yeah, that's what I was trying to say in this roundabout way, right? So that's helpful. But I think what is harmful for people is like it says it at the bottom, like AI can get it wrong, and it gets it wrong a lot. Yeah, like this is where I won't like trust it to like create my content, right? I want it to refine my voice, my grammar, like consolidate an idea, but like I do not allow it to create ideas for me because yeah, no.
SPEAKER_00I I refuse, absolutely refuse to let it write an email or a caption for me. And I'm like, if I have to read the word chaos strategy quietly, one more time, I am gonna throw my phone into the fucking street. I can't, and I'm like, okay, Marcy, then just stop following this account that you know what I write their captions, but everyone sounds the same. I'm like, you do not talk like this in real life, yeah, right? And that is just what is so hard, is like it is in a way disingenuous. So now I will say, uh, I am in journalism major. And the one thing that I did not I shouldn't, I learned it in journalism school, but I still have a hard time applying is brevity. So I can definitely get in the weeds and use flowerly language, be way too verbose, thinking that I am being really creative and I sound professional and all that. Uh, and people's attention spans, it's so short these days anyway. So it's like you just got to get to the point and be very potent. So, what I will do, like let's say I have a talking head reel that I do, I usually will write out a script just to keep me on track. But even with that, I can use too many extra words that is just gonna distract people from the meaning of the message. So I will I'll take that transcript that I wrote out, it's kind of to what you do with the podcast, and I will say, ruthlessly edit this. And it'll cut it out or cut it down by like half. And then I will do that with captions sometimes as well. And it does make it a little bit punchier. But even yesterday I was having it refine something. I'm like, this doesn't sound like me. And then it also doesn't get it, sometimes doesn't understand or like assumes to quickly. So for my post today, I had a caption that I had written out or like an idea. I put it into Claude, which is the best one. I think it's much better than Chat GTP. And it came back with like, well, this I don't track macros. I'm like, but I do track macros. Yeah. So it just like, yeah, it kind of like takes things and runs with it. And then half the time you're going back and forth being like, no, that's not it. That's not it, until it finally gets something that you know might be worthwhile. And even then, I will still like refine it and make it even more authentic.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, I absolutely have the same problem. I it's very hard for me to be brief. Um, I actually use Hemingway edit editor um to help. Um, one, because I like to add words and I end up talking at a higher reading level, which sounds like a good thing, except it's not like people don't want to read hard um what's it called? Copy, you know, like putting it down to like an eighth grade reading level is what I think um makes it a lot more accessible, and then also people can connect better with it. So I don't sound like this like professor, right? I mean, sometimes I just feel like I'm still in an academic mode, like from college where you know I'm writing a paper and I gotta sound smart and it's like no, people don't want it. So I actually like Hemingway editor because it'll tell you what reading level, and then it'll s like give you like, hey, you're using like weak language, um, this sentence is too long, break it up, you know, type. I I don't pay for it. I thought about paying for it. Um, and then I also have grammarly. Um and I think those are much more helpful. Um I like I said, I like AI to help consolidate my ideas and like say, hey, these are your main points, and then I'll throw it into like Hemingway to refine. But like it still needs to be me talking.
SPEAKER_00Well, yeah, and those the Hemingway and the Grammarly, they're still using your actual voice, they're just writing it, right? Correcting grammar and like yeah, yeah, whereas AI is almost speaking for you in a way that I'm like, again, you do not sound like that. No one talks like that in real life. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I will say, because I told you before, I was a big chat GT chat GPT um proponent. I have been using both Claude and Chat. Now and they're good for like different things. Claude is great actually for writing, it has a much better way of writing naturally, and I do like when I ask it to refine a paragraph or whatever, or like sometimes I know I write a sentence and it's real complicated. Like I'm like, I know there's a better way to say this, and so I'll throw the sentence into both. And I usually like Claude's version of what they spit back to me. But I would say Chat GPT is great with research. So sometimes I'll be like, hey, I really want to deep dive into this topic, and I'll ask it to do deep research. So it'll do like it'll spend 20 minutes and I'll I'll set parameters. It needs to be, you know, meta-analysis, you know, these need to be PubMed type articles that you're looking at and reading, and then you know, um, consolidate it for me. So it's fantastic for being a bit more in-depth in terms of like research and then for me to learn and be like, okay.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, interesting. Uh, I mean, I had a former client who was trying to use it to give her a supplement prescription. I was like, oh, absolutely not. Because it does not know your body, like that can be really dangerous.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um, recently I have a client and she was dealing with some digestive issues, and she was trying, like, we have bi-weekly check-ins, so we weren't in touch as often. I feel like she just wanted to kind of try to figure things out on her own rather than immediately coming to me, which I do appreciate. So, in that situation, she was using Chat GTP, you know, quite a bit, and it did come up with some really great suggestions, like, you know, maybe you try eliminating FODMAPS, and here's what FODMAPs are. And like, this would be like the way that I would structure a diet where you don't have to remove everything, but maybe you reduce. I looked at she had me review it and I did. I'm like, you know what? This is pretty spot on. So, but again, it's just if you're not well educated in this stuff, you're not gonna know one way or the other if it is or if it isn't. Yeah, that's where it gets really messy.
SPEAKER_01Really messy. So I actually um, you know, I have a private podcast for clients, and just oh gosh, two or so weeks ago, I did an episode for them on how to use AI um properly. And, you know, the thing is AI's here as much as like I think right now it's doing more harm than good, um, it's not gonna go away. It's kind of like GLP1s, which we talked about, was that last week? Um you know, they are here to stay, and so is AI. So it's a matter of using it intelligently, and I'm not afraid of it like replacing it. Replacing it? No, not at all. I mean, honestly, like if all you want are macros, then use AI, fine. Like, but that's not what I do. I mean, yes, do I provide macros? Maybe. I mean, some clients never have macros, but that's not what a coach is to me. That's and like a calculator can do that for you. So I'm not worried about AI. I also know that one of my strong points is like connecting with my clients. Like, if anything, you're gonna walk away feeling like seen and heard, like you you get coached from me. I'm not like a here's two minutes of like, yeah, there's your review, you're good to go. Like, no, you get like in-depth from me. But anyways, I was like, hey guys, like it's here. Let's not ignore that. And here's ways that you can use that to your advantage. And one of them is that like I am not the nutritionist with a ton of recipes, like that's just not me.
SPEAKER_02Me neither.
SPEAKER_01I hate cooking, I will say that openly and honestly. Um, I try to do as little as possible in terms of cooking, and it's also why I repeat a lot of my meals. That is my sacrifice. Like, I'm happy to make that um trade-off of less variety, but I get to stay consistent because I don't have to think and I'm okay with eating the same thing most of the time, right? And then allowing the room for eating out, I do. Yeah. Um, so anyways, I was like, look, guys, the number one question you guys ask me is like for more ideas. And I'm always like, I uh, you know, I can kind of give you some, but like it's just not my specialty. So I'm like, this is where AI is great. Like, so I don't know. I have I can actually share the points that I gave, but I'll let you know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I would I would love that. Absolutely. Uh and I think the recipes is a great idea as well because I will have clients who can you give me like ideas for this? I'm like, well, not really, because I mean, yes, I could, but also I don't know your preferences, right? Right. And like, you're not gonna want my weird ass breakfast. Someone I wrote an email yesterday because you know, we were talking offline that I was away for the weekend at my uncle's funeral. And I wrote an email about it and how I just maintain my normal routines like I do at home because that's what makes me feel good. And also, it's not hard or complicated to bring what I do when I'm at home somewhere else. I've seen it my cousin's house, right? So she has this big, beautiful kitchen that I could cook in. And my mom and I stopped at the store when she picked me up from the airport, so I got some things that I needed. And I wrote in the email like I ate the same exact breakfast that I do when I'm at home. And it it actually does take, I mean, I would say maybe 15 minutes to prepare just because I use the microwave. I know some people think that's like shameful, but whatever. Um, it's it makes it easy for me. So like just microwaving everything and whatnot, um, that can be time consuming. But I took the time both days and it was really worth it. So someone reached out to me, like, oh yeah, I do that. It was another coach, and she said, I've been eating the same breakfast for four years. And I'm like, Yeah, me too. She's like, Oh, do you mind telling me what you eat? And I'm just like, uh I almost didn't want to tell her because it's so random. You know, like, yeah, so I'm not gonna tell my clients to eat stuff like that. And uh, yeah, I don't know their preferences. I'm gluten and dairy free. So my meals are gonna look different, but yeah, I think it is wonderful for things like that. Absolutely. Yeah, but for since we're on the food situation, people are now using it to like estimate calories at restaurants or take a picture. Uh, it's probably not counting for all that oil and butter that's on there. So maybe add about 300.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So actually, I did like so for the episode I did for my clients, I did a little bit of research. Um, so I asked Chat GPT, hey, how accurate are you when somebody comes and asks? And basically, you know, chat's AI is gonna be honest, um, as it doesn't know how to lie, not purposely to preserve itself, not at this point. Um it was like, oh yeah, like it's hit or miss. Like we can do a fairly decent job, but like honestly, like the margin of error is about 30%. And I was like, oh, that's high. Right. So this is what I told my clients like we're just not at a point 30. So that could be up or down, right? I mean, that's you might as well you might as well just correct. So you might as well just eyeball it yourself. That is not something you want to really. You probably get closer. Yeah, and I think too, part of it is holy hell, I get that like weighing and measuring and tracking is annoying and it's time consuming, but it's like that's the point. That effort is what helps you learn how to do what you and I do really easily, which is I can estimate a meal out, I can look at something and be like, oh, I need a little more protein. Right. It only comes through actually doing it and kind of going through the process of learning it, right? And then at some point you can kind of let go. So I'm like, we don't necessarily need to completely um get around that. It it's the actual doing it and like the the frustrating part of that that helps you learn it and then move past it. But like 30%, I'm like, I would never, I would never um encourage someone to take that high of an error rate and then try to diet or you know, change your physique on a 30% margin of error. And that goes for, yeah, like a lot of trackers, like um, I don't know if my fitness pal does it, but I know macros first where you can take a picture of a meal and it will estimate yeah, that that's gonna be really estimated. Um it might be better than nothing, but it's not gonna do a great job. Um and then if you like ask it to create you a meal plan, same thing, we cannot ensure that it's using an accurate database. Um, so yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah. Oh that's tricky.
SPEAKER_01It is. But here's where I can share what I did have did tell my clients. So, you know, okay, so maybe we're not gonna have it create our meal plan. Not at this point, AI is not there, but um, one thing I think could be really helpful because, like you said, I also like have a hard time um towing the line of like helping somebody create a meal plan or telling them what to eat versus like wanting them to create the skill themselves. Like, of course, ultimately I want you to learn how to do that for yourself. I can't tell you what to eat for the rest of your life. That's not helpful in the long term, certainly in the short term, but um in the long term, you you have to develop that skill. So one of the things I encourage them to do was to open up AI and then basically tell it what you have on hand or what you like to eat and then ask for ideas. I would not ask for specific targets, like I wouldn't say, like, hey, create me a meal plan of you know XYZ targets. I would more say, give me a ballpark because that's what people tend to want is ideas, right? Like the recipes. So AI is great with that. So one, I told them, tell what you have on hand and ask for meal ideas. And then be really specific. Like, I want it super easy, I want it to be like less than 15 minutes, I want to use an air fryer. Um, you know, like be real, like you can be real specific like that, and it can spit back ideas. You still need to do the work of weighing and measuring and tracking it, but the part of like what do I eat? Have AI tell you. Fine. Like it's it's got a world of ideas at its, you know, fingertips.
SPEAKER_00Fingertips. So it's easy to step. Well, and I so I got up and went to the bathroom when you were talking, so I don't know if you already mentioned this, but what are your thoughts of saying I have a macro target of 1500 calories, 120 grams of protein, 50 grams of fat, 150 grams of carbs, make with these ingredients, make me a meal plan. Would you be okay? I mean, I would be okay with that. What do you think? So, like if I said, hey, I want like here are my targets. Build me a meal plan, a meal template with what I have in hand on hand that fits these parameters.
SPEAKER_01So I would still double check that work because I have tried that where I've said I want this many calories and these are the targets, and then I place it in my app and I'm like, that's a lie. It's still a lie. Yeah. So that's this is where I think what you want to do is grab the ideas and then you you want to throw it into your app to confirm or to actually build out the the numbers themselves, right? But like if you have a recipe, you can adjust that to hit your targets. Um and a good tracking app, I love macros first. Well, actually, you can kind of backwards, like you could say, oh, I want this to be 40 grams of protein, and you punch in 40, and then it will update the amount. So you can go backwards like that. So that's that's what I would say. Like, I do not trust AI to spit me back and accurate in in terms of targets. So that was the first one. I was like, just tell it what you have in hand. Like, I know we all go to the you know, fridge and we open the fridge and we're like, what am I gonna eat? So tell it what you have, you know, and then have it kind of create the recipe for you. Um, I also told them you can upgrade your meals. So let's just say, you know, like a lot of times my female clients, they're like, Well, I have avocado toast for breakfast, you know, so we know that's bread, avocado, and boiled eggs. So we know that's gonna be higher, higher fat and carbohydrate and very little protein, right? So you could tell AI, here's my usual breakfast. Can you help me increase the protein? And then it'll give you ideas. Again, you can then punch that in and then you know adjust the amounts. Um, maybe like uh this meal feels like it's not quite filling or satisfying. How can I increase the satisfaction of this meal without adding a ton of calories, which usually means fiber and protein? So I think those are helpful too, because you can take what you're already doing and then ask it, can you help me? You know, again, more fiber, more protein. Those are usually the two I'd say people struggle with. Um, and then I think the last one I told them was restaurant recommendations, especially if you go to a chain restaurant. Um I think that if a restaurant has more than 20 locations, they are mandated to have their calories listed somewhere. Really? I did not know that. So all your major chains you can find their they have they have to make it available to you, um, which means AI has access to it. So, you know, for example, chilies. I'm I'm kind of on a chilies bend right now.
SPEAKER_00I love chilies. I didn't even know they were still in existence. They are. I'm gonna come down. We're gonna go to Chili's Chipotle.
SPEAKER_01Yes, they're all in the same um same, what's it called, shopping center, in fact, for me. What do you get from chilies? Oh my god, right now I they have um it's called three for me. It's like um what's it called? Uh it's like the part of their menu, but it's like super cheap. So it's like you can get um an appetizer, an entree, and a drink for like $12.99. Oh, that's good. What kind of appetizer do you get? It depends. So you can either get chips and salsa, which is they're so good, but like so easy to eat, so many calories. So I am very particular. Sometimes, yes, I have chips and salsa, and sometimes I'm like, do not bring me that basket because that's like 900 calories. I'll be gone.
SPEAKER_00What have you seen the meme where it's like one? What is it? Six chips is one tortilla, or like four chips is one tortilla. I'm like, how many tortillas are we freaking eating here? A lot. And then they're fried in oils. Yeah, 900. That's probably a pretty good estimate. Yeah, it's because they bring you a big basket. Yeah, I need that entire bag in one double soup.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. So um their appetizers are chips and salsa, a salad, or soup. So I usually get the salad um with this dressing on side. I don't know if you saw my story. I was like, it's so small, but you're gonna bring me unlimited chips and salsa, and like, you know, their even their entrees are so humongous, but the salad, the the one thing that's like fairly healthy, it's like so tiny. I was like, oh gosh, this is ridiculous. So and then what entree do you like? Right now, I am um obsessed with their burgers, they're just really good. So if I'm going to Chili's, it's gonna be um a fun meal. This is not a low-calorie meal, but they have actually a guiltless menu, which actually I think they have some really good options.
SPEAKER_00The guiltless flatter, yes, because that's what I used to get when I was in high school after I ate the chicken cheese soup.
SPEAKER_01Hilarious. It's probably that soup was probably as many calories as the Andre.
SPEAKER_00And Andrea, it was to die for. Oh, good. So I want you to order that and report back. Okay. They also have a skill at queso. Have you tried that? The beat, the beans, and the cheese that come with the dip. Oh, yeah. Oh yeah. But I would get the guiltless platter because in high school, by that time, I was paying attention to my nutrition. So I would get, it was like the blackened chicken, and it came corn on the cob and some sort of rice peel off. Uh, and then they also have a guiltless salmon, which is good. So, yeah, I'm gonna have to go there at some point soon. I keep forgetting about it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I think one of those, I want to say it's the sirloin. It's like sirloin, broccoli, and some kind of side is part of the three for me. So you could get, you know, a salad, a guiltless menu, and or entree, and then a drink. And of course, that's a diet coke. Let's be.
SPEAKER_00I was gonna say, because when some people say drink, they like mean alcoholic drink. No, I don't know. It's on like beverage. I I knew that you weren't doing that. All right, now I just gotta find someone to go with me.
SPEAKER_01Yes, come on down, and I would happily go to chilies with you. Like I said, I we're just like on a bend over here.
SPEAKER_00And I went to Chipotle last night, which I knew you I reached out to you and I was like, are we still on for recording? I saw that you hurt your back. And you asked me about my trip. I'm like, yep, I have returned and I just got Chipotle, which love it. Yes. So let's talk about that. A couple of things. One, going back to nutrition facts on the menu. So when I was in Idaho, there was a Dutch Brothers nearby, which they now have them in California as well. But I have been drinking Dutch Brothers coffee since I was in college. And there was a time that I was drinking two every day, thinking that they were calorie-free, because I was getting the back the black coffee with the sugar-free white chocolate syrup, not uh what's hold on. They've got oh no, excuse me, not not the syrup, the sauce. There's a difference. The sauce is made with milk. So it actually has calories where the syrup does not. Little did I know, and it wasn't until two years later that I find out oh, those coffees probably had about 200 calories a pop, and I was drinking two of them a day. Um, luckily, my the rest of my diet was so restricted that it really didn't matter. But um, yeah, so I was looking online, knewing knowing, excuse me, that I would just get the Americano and then come home, doctor it up myself, because of course I brought all of my accoutrements with me. And I was looking at the menu, and it just goes to show one, why I do not drink my calories, two, how tricky or sneaky marketing could be. Because do you know what was one of the most calorie-dense drinks on the menu? It was the one that said it was like sugar-free caramel brevet. I had to look it up or what brevet meant. It's half and half. So no wonder it's so calorie dense. But the but someone would think, oh, six or uh sugar free, that must mean low calorie.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Even if it is a brevet, they don't know how much is being added, right? Is it a splash of half and half? Is it all half and half? You're never gonna know unless you ask, or you look at the nutrition facts, which most people aren't doing. So the large had 650 calories and 45 grams of fat. That is as much fat as some of my clients have in a day. Yeah. And one drink.
SPEAKER_01Yep. I mean, there's like to me, obviously, you know, this is my profession. Like, there's no, I don't wonder why we have an obesity epidemic. I wonder how more people are not actually obese because one, we lack the education, and then our food system is just, I mean, it's meant for profit. I'm not, I don't think our I don't think big corporations are trying to make us unhealthy. I think it's the opposite. They don't care if like they're they're creating a product because they want to make money. It and quite honestly, in a capitalist system, you should like people want choice. They don't want you to take their choice away, as much as like I think one of the answers that floats around is like, oh, well, we should reduce and like get rid of said processed food. But people would be mad. People want the choice fine. Then we have to find other ways, like taxing, let's say those types of high sugar foods, high-fat foods, right? High calorie foods, but people don't want you to take away their options. And so um, I'm not mad at big corporations. What I'm mad about is like we just don't have enough general knowledge to be able to navigate, to be like, sugar-free doesn't mean shit. I mean, I remember a time when um I was like, oh, I eat um what are they called? Red vines. I love me some red vines when I go to the movies. And I was like, they're fat-free. And they will put that on there. They're fat-free. Fine, but they're loaded with sugar and they're still full of calories. It's just they don't have fat, but that does like fat-free doesn't equal low calorie, doesn't equal healthy. Like those are still like full of sugar. I'm not saying they're bad, it's just like that marketing could make you think, oh, I don't have to worry. And believe me, I would eat a whole pack of those thinking, well, they're fat-free before I knew any better, right? Of course, I was like 20 and like heck.
SPEAKER_00When I was trying to lose weight in high school, I was asking, maybe this is middle school, I was asking my mom for advice, and that was kind of the low fat craze. So she said, Oh, eat less fat. So I was going to the ice cream truck after school and getting a snow cone or whatever. And I mean, you know, that was pure sugar. And then in high school, I was going to the yogurt shop every single day and getting a size small, which was, and then they they top it off, right? So this yogurt was the size of My head, and I would get the yogurt chips and the chocolate sprinkles. And this was like I was going to school, right? So that would be where I would go for lunch some days. And in Spanish class, I would eat a bag of Skittles every single day because fat-free. Although, no, Skittles have two and a half grams of fat per package. But low fat, right? Um, and then I would go to the yogurt shop and I would get this huge ass yogurt, which is probably at least 200 grams of carbs, if not more. Right. But because it was fat-free, it was okay. I got a pass. And then in college, I discovered I can't believe it's not butter. Oh boy. And in my sorority, I would go through one of those bottles every single week. It says that it's zero calories. Who really sprays one spray? Exactly. I was spraying probably 20 sprays at every meal, if not more, and using that for every single meal. 900 calories per bottle.
SPEAKER_01Yep. That's like a conversation, yes, I have over here with clients with like the spray um oil because it'll claim zero calories, and that's where you have to learn that like it's based on the serving size. And if they can make the serving size small enough, they could actually claim zero. But then you'll look and I'll show them. Look at the fine print at the very bottom. It's like this bottle contains 1100 calories. It's like there's calories in there, and you are for sure, you are for sure using probably. I I just my estimation is like for every spray, it's like that's probably a gram of fat, right? So you know, if you do three, that's 30. That's yeah, that's that's gonna be what yeah, 30 grams or 30 calories. Yeah, it's not zero.
SPEAKER_00So it adds up. Your body's always tracking it, even if you're not yes, or even if the label says otherwise. Well, going back to the nutrition facts, so let's use Chipotle as an example because that's where I was last night. And yes, they have the nutrition facts online, you can look that up, but some of those servers, they are really heavy-handed. Yes. Oh, okay. Well, we'll give you a huge ass legal fold.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so that's another problem, right? Is that like even if they put you have access to it, which is great, right? It's at least better to kind of know what you're walking into. You have no control over whether the server actually gives you a standard serving or not. I will, because I go to Chipotle a lot, I have built out a Chipotle, my Chipotle order because all of it's in the database, right? Like I use macros first. So like I can this much rice, whatever. Okay. And then I I weighed it like three times. I weighed that order, and so now I have like an average of what it typically weighs. So now let's just say 500 grams, that's about how much it usually weighs. If it comes in at 550, then I can type in 550 and it will adjust, you know. So that's a good idea. For me, like because there's that meal that I have all the time, it took me one time to build it out, weigh it three times, take an average. Okay, I'm gonna, you know, set that as the standard weight, and now every time I weigh it, I can, you know, um titrate that up or down. Um, but yeah, because sometimes it's like 450. I'm like, oh hey, you're like you robbed me of 50 grams, and sometimes it's like close to 600. And I'm like, holy cow, like that's wild.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and usually because I don't love eating at Chipotle. So unless I'm traveling, I'm away from home, then yeah, I'll eat at the restaurant, but it's close enough to where I live. I mean, it's a two-minute drive that I will get it, I will bring it home and I will weigh it like that, and to fit the rest of the macros that I have for that day. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I it's so rare that I actually eat at Chipotle because it's usually a like I'm leaving the gym and I'm just there's just nothing in me that wants to cook, so I'm gonna pick up Chipotle on the way home or you know whatnot. Or like you you just came back from traveling, like, hell no, you're not gonna cook, right? And you probably don't have food, like no.
SPEAKER_00I easily could have because I had to go to Trayer Joe's anyways, and one of the reasons why I wanted to go to Chipotle is because it just sounded good and it was right next to Trayer Joe's. But I easily could have gotten what I needed at Trayer Joe's, gone home and made a meal in 15 minutes. Sure. But but it was like, okay, this was a trip, it wasn't a vacation. As I mentioned, I brought most of my food with me, anyways. So it's not like I came home feeling bloated and sluggish and like I was totally off of my routine. It's like I don't want to say it was dessert, that's the wrong way of putting it, but I didn't feel like it was setting me back even further.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. I want to uh I'll go back real quick to so like the recommendation you can use AI for restaurant recommendations. So especially if it's again like a chain restaurant, so like chilies, you could be like, hey, I'm going to Chili's tonight. Help me find an option, let's say that's under a thousand calories, and it can absolutely do that for you. Um, or maybe um help me find you know, an entree that has about 35 grams of protein, right? So at least you could pinpoint some better options. Um, and it can be actually really good at that. Or how do I modify? Like, I really want this entree, but can I modify that to bring calories down? Because likely, I mean, gosh, people need to understand a restaurant meal is minimum a thousand calories. Minimum. I always go in with like 1400. That's likely how much for just the entree itself. Um, so yeah, asking AI, what modifications can I make to pull back? Um, or what's a beefed up version with like more protein, more fiber? Um, and then I will also tell like clients like if you're going to like a little mom and pop, which I love, like I I don't always love going to chain restaurants, you can ask for similar, like okay, I'm gonna go have Italian. You know, most Italian restaurants, whether they're mom and pop or not, are gonna have pretty much the same types of entrees. Like, okay, what could I lean towards that would be not over the top in terms of calories or fat or you know, has a decent amount of protein. Um, so this is where I think AI can be really helpful. And one thing I told them, I'm always helpful to happy to review menus, but I feel like sometimes clients are so polite and they they're like, but I don't want to bother you. And I'm like, no, you're paying me. It's okay, that's my job. Um, so I feel like some of them actually would rather ask AI because then they're not, you know, bothering you.
SPEAKER_00Well, and again, I mean, like we are coaches, right? But I also don't want clients to rely on us for everything. And and one of the ways that they build self-trust, self-equity efficacy, and they learn how to do this is by making the choice on their own and then coming to us after the fact, hey, and I know that this is difficult because they want to be perfect, right? And a lot of our clients struggle with the all-or-nothing thinking. Um, so it's going to be more challenging to do that. But yeah, I would much rather them mess up, so to speak, and then we discuss it, and then it's a learning opportunity rather than me just telling them what to do. So often I will use more of like motivational interviewing where I'll say, I'm happy to look at the menu, but first I want you to tell me what you think the best option is, and then I can say yes or no, and then based on that, maybe we can come up with something together.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I love that. Yeah, because I'm always trying to encourage looking at I don't want to use the word failure, but yeah, missteps, mistakes, as just information, like, and it's so much more helpful for coaching for you to just make the mistakes so I can help you navigate, help you write it, help you see, you know, what you could have done. Like yeah, like that's that's so much more valuable than a client just doing everything perfectly. Then at that point, I'm just like, why do you you don't need me?
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_01So I'm just like, you do need me, that's why I'm here, right? So, like, yeah, let's bring all the mistakes. Like, if you were perfect, well, we wouldn't be coaching. So exactly, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I agree. Well, and then the other thing with AI, you know, when it comes to self-coaching, because I know a lot of times people will put in, you know, questions that they have, like even kind of like a therapist, like after using AI as a therapist, one of its other issues is that it can be very validating. So it doesn't necessarily challenge you, it just tells you that you're right all the time. Yeah. And so, and if you are not able to think critically for yourself, then that's gonna be a hindrance. For sure.
SPEAKER_01And I've heard some horror stories about yeah, the way that it will just be very agreeable and it does not like to challenge you. I mean, I have constantly or I have on numerous occasions gone in and said, I need you to be really critical of this, right? Or I need you to find all the flaws in this idea. Um, because otherwise it, yeah, it just, oh Andrea, that's great. You're you know, you're so smart. Well, I'm like, no, no, I don't need you to do that. You're not real. I need you to val evaluate this. Like, um, and what's nice is AI doesn't have feeling, so I don't have to feel bad, right? If it's like you're wrong, okay, great. I'm wrong, clearly, because you don't have any skin in the game in having a relationship with me, you just are telling me I'm wrong. Great, let's move on. So, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh this is really scary and absolutely wild, is there are people who actually get into relationships.
SPEAKER_01Oh my god, I've seen like two people have married their AI.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. What does our world come to?
SPEAKER_01I don't know. Like I don't know. I'm like, I don't want to be here. I mean, did you ever get hooked into like catfish, that show? Uh yeah.
SPEAKER_00I don't think I did. Was it a show or was it a m? I saw a movie.
SPEAKER_01He definitely did a movie, the guy who one of the main producers of it. Um, but it was a long-standing show on MTV where people had these relationships with people long distance and they had never seen them and met them. And so then he would facilitate meeting them. And almost always it was a bad situation, you know, where the person wasn't who they said they were. And anyways, I thought that was wild, and now I'm like, oh my god, like because some of those people would be in like, oh, I've been dating this person for five years. What? And you've never seen them and like been in the same room. That's nuts. And now we're marrying our AI, so yeah, here we are.
SPEAKER_00It's not going anywhere. If anything, it's gonna get worse.
SPEAKER_01Uh, it's just crazy. Like, I yeah, I don't know like where we're headed with this, but like I sort of proceed with caution, friends. Yes, there's a high um inaccuracy rate, so just keep that in mind. It is very likely you're gonna be off to it's way too validating. I mean, if you want it to coach you, it's it's not great at being able actually get you results because that usually means helping somebody navigate, um, and all it's gonna do is validate, and that's not helpful.
SPEAKER_00No, no, it's helpful for staying stuck, is what it is. Yes, and and you not doing any deeper reflection investigation as to where your blind spots are and where you actually need to make some changes, improve. And I mean, if it's not gonna call yourself out, call you out on your bullshit, then no one is.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Not unless you're not unless you're um capable of holding AI to the fire. Like, I have to constantly remind it, hey, I I feel like you're just agreeing with me too much, but like I know I'm not always like it's nice to be validated, it's nice to be told, like, oh, you're doing so great.
SPEAKER_00Like, and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is for sure, with anything, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you're coming to it with a question because you feel like you have room for improvement or something isn't working and it's validating you, then you're like, no, it's probably off, or else I wouldn't be asking you in the first place. Yeah. So you you're a smart person, use your brain.
SPEAKER_01I think that's the scary part, is that I think a lot of people are outsourcing their own creativity, their own intellect, and it makes me nervous that like if we do not keep that skill, um, that I don't know where we're headed. I mean, I already see a lot of dumb stuff happening around me. So I'm like, oh gosh, guys, we don't need to be dumber.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think when it comes when it comes to like your body, your self-development, personal growth, all of that, definitely proceed with caution or don't use it at all. But another good thing that it could be helpful for is like I'm going to Chicago in May. I've never been to Chicago before. I get overwhelmed having to plan. It's a huge ass city with so many things to do, but I can go into Chachi TP and ask it to make me a plan for my trip. It's funny because I didn't even think about that. I went on my stories and crowdsourced. I'm like, hey, who's been to Chicago? Let me know some things to do. And one of my friends, she's a former client who lives in my town, she sends me a message back and she's like, I put it into Chachi TP for you, and here's what it came up with. I'm like, thank you. Yeah. So um, I mean, things like that I think it's useful for. And then what you mentioned, absolutely. Yeah, let me know at the surface level.
SPEAKER_01For sure. Um, you know, it's interesting. I we just went to Hawaii back in November, and I I planned a majority of that, and I had Chat GPT help me. Like, I was like, okay, here's who's going. We got kids, we got adults, we got this age range, here's the dates we're gonna be there, here's where we're gonna stay, make me an agenda. And I was like, these are the parameters, and it was phenomenal. I actually ended up, of course, you you won't be surprised. I made a spreadsheet and shared it with the family and was like, here's the tentative, you know, um, agenda because I mean there was like eight of us, so you know, when there's a lot of people, you kind of need a plan so that you're not sitting around like, what should we do? I don't know, what do we do, you know? And so it was like I had a list of restaurants um that met all of our you know needs, it was nearby. These were, you know, activities, and it was phenomenal for like just creating a really nice experience that was planned basically.
SPEAKER_00With well, there you go.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so yeah, use it for Chicago.
SPEAKER_00I will use it for Chicago. Where are all the museums? Because that's where my mother's gonna want to go. It's a it's another family trip. My cousin's graduating from Loyola, and so we are invited. However, hallelujah, we don't have to go to the ceremony. Oh my gosh, it was gonna be so long and so long, yes.
SPEAKER_01Um, so I know I was gonna say, are you a museum person?
SPEAKER_00Or no, I'm not me either. Sorry, I'm not. My mom is, I know that she's gonna drag me around. Apparently, the architecture boat tour is supposed to be fascinating, so I'm willing to do that. But you know what? I have a friend who lives there, he's gonna meet me, we're gonna go to lunch or something. So I'll be like, mom, you can go to the museum going to lunch.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I will only enjoy and do museum if I have like a docent to take me around because otherwise it's not fun for me. Like, I'm not like a history buff, so I don't come in with knowledge. So unless somebody's gonna walk me around and tell me what I should be seeing or looking at, it's it's a no for me.
SPEAKER_00I didn't even go to the loop when I was in Paris.
SPEAKER_01I mean okay, I will at least do those things to like see, but so anyway, yeah.
SPEAKER_00All right, well, I gotta run. I'm gonna let you get back to recovering.
SPEAKER_01To standing all day and yeah, oh gosh, yeah. No, it's okay. We're good. I'm just glad no major spinal injuries. So absolutely. Well, I just stayed out there being patient.
SPEAKER_00Yes. And if you have any questions for us, please do let us know. AI or otherwise, we're happy to help. Yes. And if you have any topics that you would like to hear us yap about, let us know that too. Send them our way. Yeah. We'll talk to you next week. Alrighty. Bye.