Can Weight Training Transform Your Mental Health? w/ Andrea Keuchler

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Can fitness become a path to healing? In this inspiring episode, Andrea Keuchler shares her powerful journey of overcoming an eating disorder through recovery, weight training, and developing lasting mental resilience.
Andrea opens up about the challenges she faced, the lessons she learned, and how sustainable nutrition, strength training, and self-cxare helped her build a healthier relationship with both her body and mind. Whether you're on your own wellness journey or looking for encouragement to make lasting lifestyle changes, this conversation offers practical insights and hope.
In this episode, you'll learn:
 • Andrea's eating disorder recovery journey
 • How weight training supported her healing
 • The role of nutrition in long-term wellness
 • Mental resilience strategies for overcoming setbacks
 • Why self-care is essential for lasting health
If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who could benefit from Andrea's inspiring story.
00:00 Introduction to Andrea's Journey
01:39 The Struggle with Eating Disorders
05:31 Finding Support and Treatment
08:00 Turning Point in Recovery
09:45 Education and Understanding Nutrition
10:14 Embracing Weight Training
11:59 Misconceptions About Healthy Living
13:43 Refeeding and Recovery Experiences
16:17 Self-Regulation and Mindset
19:43 Becoming a Personal Trainer
23:11 Advice for Beginners in Fitness
27:37 Navigating Gym Equipment and Overcoming Intimidation
30:18 The Balance of Cardio and Strength Training
31:50 The Importance of Mobility Training as We Age
33:40 Practicing Mental Resilience and Self-Care
35:34 Daily Routines and Healthy Habits
42:38 A Journey of Recovery and Empowerment

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:11

Alright, hello, hello, everybody. Thank you for joining another episode of the Pulse Beat sponsored by Cardio Miracle. What we do in these Pulse Beat uh interviews is we interview people that are very interesting, people that inspire and that help lift us up so that we can be better people all around and hear these incredible stories about uh where people have gone and where they're going and what they're doing. So thank you so much for joining us. I have today a wonderful guest. Her name's Andrea Kushler, is uh she's a personal trainer specializing in strength training, mobility, and cardio fitness, but her journey into health and wellness came through overcoming one of life's toughest personal battles, recovering from an eating disorder. In this episode, Andrea shares how fitness became a tool for healing, building confidence, and creating a healthy relationship with both her body and mindset. We'll talk training, we'll talk recovery, we'll talk mental resilience and practical ways to approach fitness in a sustainable way. So, Andrea, how are you today?

SPEAKER_00 1:17

I'm doing great, thank you. It's fine. Very happy to be on here.

SPEAKER_01 1:21

Awesome. Yeah, thank you so much for joining us. We we are so excited. Like I said in the at the top of the episode, is we really try to hit on people that have overcome um any kind of you know eating disorder like you have, or any kind of health um or or or wellness ailment that uh they come on the other side of that and win. And so we are so honored to have you on today and um talk about your journey.

SPEAKER_00 1:49

Um, so pretty much um teenage years is kind of when it all tumbled. Um, I remember even when I was little, probably like fourth grade, I remember um the feeling of being self-conscious and kind of comparing to people. And um, it didn't really get full blown until I'd say ninth grade, tenth grade was probably the worst. Umcial media was a big part of it too. Um, like I said, a lot of comparison. Um I felt like I had to change something of myself because all of elementary school, I would get bullied for my appearance. I would get bullied for being pale, light hair, um, lots of mean names. So I felt like, you know, everything was geared to my appearance, and you know, something had to change. So, you know, I did like piercings, and then I did like colors in my hair, and nothing was ever really enough. So I felt like the one thing I could control was my body. So one thing kind of led to another, and I learned, you know, oh, I I can work off my food and you know, this and that, and I can have this many little calories, and and I it just went out of control, and I was very getting started very obsessive. Um, the calorie counting, over exercising, and it kind of went out of control in 10th grade. Um it was towards Christmas time, and I had to go to the hospital because my my parents were kind of noticing a little bit of a difference. Um, and they admitted me to see a doctor, and they took my vitals and some blood work, and they said I need to be hospitalized. So I was in the hospital for a little over a month, and um, I begged them for me to come home on Christmas Eve, and they allowed me to, and then I entered their outpatient program. Um, let's just say that that didn't help because I ended up relapsing and going back to the hospital um within a very short period of time. And um the second time around, they said that I was close to liver failure and kidney failure because it was such a dramatic drop and so far from each other, so close to each other that um it took a real toll on my body. And during that time I was kind of a bit rebellious because I wasn't really listening to what they were saying. Um I my emotion kept telling me, like, oh, you're not sick enough, like you know, keep keep going, keep don't eat whatever. Um and it was it was to the point where they said I need to go somewhere else, and they recommended me to another residential treatment outside of the countr uh the state, sorry. And it was either um Philadelphia or Florida. And um I don't want to be away from my parents. I never was away from my parents. Um, so this was the first time that I was, you know, kind of far away from my home. Um and this was beginning of um towards the end of I would say beginning of college. That's when it kind of started. And I agreed to go to that residential treatment. Um was there for I would say a month and a half or two, um, a long time. And during there, that I met such wonderful women. It was all girl residential treatment. And um, I met a lot of good friends there. Everybody empowered each other. Um, it was nothing like the hospital. The hospital, they, the system is so messed up. Yeah, they would force food down your throat like that's the cure, and expect you to eat such large portions, crazy portions, in one sitting. And if you didn't finish all your food within 30 minutes, you had to get supplemented and enter or two. And um, I just I just remember fighting that because I was like, I'm a slow eater. 30 minutes is not enough, especially for how much food they gave you. And it was terrifying. Like you would be like, Oh my god, like what am I gonna have for breakfast? What am I gonna have for dinner? And you would just see all this food scattered, and that's just your your portion.

SPEAKER_03 6:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

And everybody else was like that. And they would force down your throat throat too quick, too soon. I ended up having refeeding syndrome. Um, and they didn't care. They they were like, oh, just have your feet elevated, that'll help the swelling on your ankles. Wow. And it was just they didn't help at all. It was awful. Um, but the residential treatment, they dug deep. They dug into past traumas, what could have led to this. Um, they understood that, you know, some foods may be very triggering for others. Some people may have certain ways of eating the food that are even disorder related, and they kind of they helped you. They didn't penalize you for doing that. Um, and I was there for a little bit, and then I went to their outpatient program in New York City, and unfortunately, that one wasn't the best. I kind of slipped again, and um I told myself, I'm gonna go back, but this will be my last time. So I'm not putting my family through this. I'm getting older, I want to have fun. All my friends are going out and having fun. I was, you know, early 20s.

SPEAKER_03 7:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:33

And um, so I said, This is the last time that I'm gonna be going to any kind of treatment. I'm gonna finish that and I'm gonna follow my own outpatient. I'm gonna follow up with a nutritionist and a therapist on my own. And I did that, and it's been well over 12 years, and I haven't been in any kind of treatment. And that time changed my changed my whole life because that time it really meant a lot to me to get better. And the people I met there were just absolutely amazing. All the girls there, everybody helped each other out, and I'm very thankful that there was a program available for me like that.

SPEAKER_01 8:10

That's huge. Yeah, and uh and that actually was gonna lead into my next question was I was gonna say uh everyone, when I'm when I start to help anybody, I always have them define the why. And so I was gonna ask you, what was that turning point for you? Uh, can you pinpoint that or was it a whole process?

SPEAKER_00 8:31

The whole process, and I think it was seeing the toll that it took on my parents and my family. Um, because they were my biggest supporters. They they helped me through a lot, and I was very fortunate to have that um support system and my friends, and I didn't want to hurt them anymore, and I didn't want to hurt my body. Um, you know, I want to have family when I get older, I wanted to do do big things in my life, and I felt like that was taking away everything.

SPEAKER_03 9:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:02

And I had to take off a whole year of of school from college, so that brought me back a little bit. Um, and I didn't want it to take away any more of my life than it already had. So I think that was a big, you know, mind-opening thing.

SPEAKER_01 9:17

That's huge. Yeah. And so we when you're getting educated, uh, do you what what did you what were you studying in college?

SPEAKER_00 9:24

It was a very broad science. Um, I did take a nutrition course there. Um, and because I I love science, so I loved the science behind nutrition, and that helped me too with my eating disorder. It helped me realize like, okay, food's not the enemy. It's this is better for your body, it's helping your body.

SPEAKER_03 9:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:44

And what each nutrient helps and what it's for. And, you know, it was very interesting to learn about. And I think that that helped me realize, like, you know, I need this stuff. It's not gonna hurt me.

SPEAKER_01 9:58

Yeah, no, for real. And it's um, I went through uh similar um uh eatings as I was just um addicted to sugar. I mean, I I was almost 500 pounds. Yeah, I was almost I was 480 pounds um four years ago and in 2021, and so uh five years ago. And so I I just started walking every day and and realizing that that food is not the enemy, it's the way that that I view it and my relationship with it. And so when did you start diving into the gym and start doing like like weights and and and getting into that?

SPEAKER_00 10:38

I would say 22 is when I went pretty all into it. Um I was at an all-girls gym and I was kind of afraid to touch the weights. Um, I was more so leaning towards the cardio and I wanted to go towards the weights. So I it was good that in a sense the girls' gym, like, because it's intimidating at the gym. There's all guys there. So I kind of like maneuver my way over to the weights a little bit, and I was like, I don't know if I'm doing this right. So I did a lot of research on my own. And then um, I asked one of my friends if she wanted to join a regular gym with me. That way I'm not going alone. And she agreed, and we decided, let's do let's get a personal trainer. And that pretty much started everything for me. That it he showed me a lot of things. It he made me realize um to be comfortable in the gym showed me a lot more exercises than I thought I knew and the form. And it he really taught me a lot and it made me comfortable in the weight section. And um, after that time, that's when I started to really digging deep into the weight training and looking up videos of how to do this exercise and what exercises do this and what muscles targeted. And then I didn't become so afraid of the weight section anymore, and that kind of built my confidence there.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

Yeah, that's amazing. I love that. Um, what would you think the biggest or what would you say the biggest misconception about healthy living would be out there right now?

SPEAKER_00 12:09

I would say people think it's an all or nothing. Um, not every day is gonna be perfect. I have many days where they're not perfect. Um, you know, you can get sick or you're just not feeling it in that day. Life gets in the way, work, family, friends, you know, social life. Um and you know, you want to live your life. You're not you don't want to be so strict and have, you know, chicken and rice all every day. You know, it's you gotta live a little. Chicken and rice. Yeah. The typical bro meal. Yeah. Um, but like, you know, when holidays come around, like you want to enjoy that stuff. And it's it's not all revolved around food and nailing it in the head every single day. You know, rest days are just as important as training days, and you know, you want to have diversity in your in your meal plan. And I strongly follow like an 80%, 20% rule. 80% of the time I'm, you know, doing my getting my nutrients in, hitting my macros, training, and then the 20% of the time is I can get half a glass of wine, I can have some sushi and go out and you know, have some fun. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 13:24

And so in the um, so with my my thought to refeed day is like because I I lost 180 pounds just on a strict keto diet. That's crazy. So yeah, so with me, I was like carbs were the enemy or whatever. And then I started to learn about refeeding and making sure that I had those those calories and that that fuel. And so when you're when you're talking about refeeding in the hospital, um what what is the distinction with that of between refeeding like what they were trying to were they trying to like overload you with food or with the refeeding what I do is I just kind of get more carbs in on my diet.

SPEAKER_00 14:06

So they were doing it to the extreme. They would you would come in and like they would start you small like the first day or two, and the next day it was like bam. They they added more and more and more stuff. I remember eating, um, it was for lunch, and it was too, I was I was scared of pizza. Sure. And I love pizza. Yeah, like I'm from New York, like I love pizza.

SPEAKER_02 14:33

You get good pizza, okay.

SPEAKER_00 14:35

Yes. So I remember that was one of my fear foods, and um, they had it was Friday at lunch, and there was two huge slices of pizza, like not a normal slice at all. Two of them. And I just remember sitting there and I was so my eyes were coming out of my head, like thinking all these things, and they don't help you at all in those moments. They just they literally sit there and they watch you eat. Wow, awkward, literally watch you, yeah, very awkward. And um, like they watch you like a hawk, and it's very weird. Um and I I remember I I finished what I had to eat, and then there was cherry tomatoes next to me. I'm not really a big fan of tomatoes, never really had cherry tomatoes. So I remember I I ate one and I like immediately gagged. Yeah I could not stomach it. The juice, I don't know what it is about tomatoes, I hate. But they they were I didn't finish it. I said, I really can't. I'm gonna throw up all this pizza if I eat it. I can't. So there were three grape tomatoes just left in the tray. And they said, You didn't finish your your food, we're gonna have to supplement you. Meaning a 350 calorie insure.

SPEAKER_04 15:52

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

And I and that's when I went ballistic on them. I said, How do you think that three grape tomatoes are calorically equivalent to a 350-calorie insurance? It's not.

SPEAKER_04 16:03

No.

SPEAKER_00 16:05

Because that's how much they like force to you, force food down your throat.

SPEAKER_04 16:09

That's wild. No.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

And I remember one time I woke up and they do daily vitals constantly throughout the night, throughout the day, and they do weight checks in the morning. And I remember I was like down like one or something. And they supplemented me right there.

SPEAKER_04 16:26

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 16:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:28

That's wild to you say.

SPEAKER_00 16:29

They're very strict.

SPEAKER_04 16:30

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 16:32

So I just I'm so grateful that you were able to push through that and get out on the other end, obviously. And it sounds like it's a lot of um self-regulation and like uh a lot of like you gotta go out and kind of do it, do it on your own, kind of thing, right?

SPEAKER_00 16:50

Yeah, I do a lot of self-talk now because every day I wake up and I have to choose recovery. And it's it's a lot easier than it was. I mean, it's you know, you in the beginning it's tough, but once you I'm very routine based, so it kind of that helped me. But um, once you start getting to like that a a better, healthier weight for yourself, like your mind starts thinking differently. And the chemicals in your brain get better because mine were all out of whack, that it's like you don't think correctly when you're such low weight and it's just the eating disorder is too loud in a sense. And when you start to get the right nutrients and stuff in your body, you kind of think a little bit more clear. I had to, you know, also sitting and talking with my parents. Um you know, my my parents visited every night and that was so much help to me. Um I can't I couldn't thank them enough for for being there for me all that time.

SPEAKER_03 17:52

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:53

Um but I would just say this is what's best for me, and food is the medicine. It's not gonna hurt me, it's gonna fuel me. And just to disregard anything that your disorder says or wants, it that's not the right path. Because that it led me here.

SPEAKER_04 18:15

I love that.

SPEAKER_00 18:16

And um I kind of visualized like in I remember in residential treatment, they dug deep and they were saying, What would um your eating sort of look like if you had to put a picture to it? And a lot of people would say, you know, like the grim reaper or you know, like like a demon, like evil kind of things, because it is it it's like it's crazy to to say that, but I always thought of it as like a skeleton and it's like that's what you're gonna look like if you keep going down that path, and you're you're not gonna live because I you know I've known many people in treatment that ended up passing because of this. Um I remember one girl I was at the hospital with, she passed, and she had to get a feeding tube in and she would refuse all of it. And it's it gets extreme and it's it's sad to see. I I was upset for her. I was I felt bad for her, and yet it's crazy that I remember thinking, oh why she get sick like that. Like it's it's so messed up.

SPEAKER_01 19:24

Yeah. No, for real. I mean, I you know uh and it's so different to be on such a uh different side of the coin with the same kind of eating, you know, eating disorder that that I had, which was overeating. I felt like I was gonna I was digging my own grave with a spoon or a fork, you know, because I was eating so eating so much. And it's just so it's so fascinating how how two people can be discussing that you you were like you're starving, you're like not, you don't want to eat, and all I could do was eat to cope with all my past traumas and whatever that I had. And so it's just such a different, it's such a different thing, but it's also the same kind of thing. And I, you know, what I one of my favorite quotes that I pulled up here was sometimes the person you become chasing a goal is actually better than hitting that goal, you know. And I like that I my goal has always been 250. Like I've always wanted to be 250 since you know, I since I can remember. And you know, I I that has I've been working towards that since 2021, just like hitting it hard every single day. And um, and I you know, I I woke up today at 272 and I was so excited that I'm awesome. Yeah, thank you. But but for me, it's like that's that's awesome. I'm 6'3, you know, I'm a big guy, I've got yeah, 200 plus pounds of muscle on my frame. And so I I've been working so hard to do all this, and the person that I've become in the meantime, it is a guy who levels up, is a guy who who wants you know the best for my kids, wants the best for myself, and wants to be a product of the product that I represent. And right so can you speak to that of becoming a better person through your journey than than you would have if you hit your ultimate goal that you have?

SPEAKER_00 21:24

A hundred percent, yeah. I'm a lot stronger than you know I was, and I would never think that I would be in the situation that I am now, you know, if you told me years ago when I was in the hospital thinking I was stuck and that this is the rest of my life. Um, and this can be a constant battle. And, you know, now like I'm able to enjoy things that I didn't think I would be able to enjoy. And like, for example, going out and having sushi. Love sushi. And that used to be like, you know, a I was afraid of going out to eat. And now I'm like. Oh, it's been a while. I haven't really gone out to eat. Like like I guess, you know, like my boyfriend or like my friends, like, do you want to go out? Some you know, like it's you gotta enjoy life and it's it's completely different now. And it's it's so nice that when I hear other people overcome similar things and where I give advice to people and it helps them. Um because some of the other girls, they came in there for bulimia. Um, same thing with like um overeating, you know, lots of different kind of eating disorders. And it's very interesting to learn everybody's like path and mindset.

SPEAKER_03 22:38

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:38

Um, and you know, some people at work, you know, they ask me questions about nutrition and fitness, and they're like, oh, you know, I'm trying to limit carbs, and I'm just like, that's not the way to go. Like, yeah, again, like you said, they're not the enemy. Like your brain works off of carbs, you need them.

SPEAKER_03 22:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

And they're just like shocked at like the information. And I'm like, if I'm able to help them in that way to to realize, like, you know, you need this kind of things, and you know, you should implement, you know, you don't have to do hit cardio all the time. Like, like you said, walking, that's like the best, best thing you can do.

SPEAKER_03 23:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:17

So it's a lot of people have a misconception a lot of a lot of things.

SPEAKER_01 23:21

Yeah, one of my big quotes to uh a podcast I had earlier, I said a lot of people sleep on walking, and the guy goes, Oh, that needs to be a book, man. You sleep on walking. I like it, yeah. But I was gonna ask you, now we're flipping the coin completely, and now you're a personal trainer and you're you're helping people every day do that. So can you explain how weight training, how that evolution of that for you and how it has ultimately helped you in the in your journey?

SPEAKER_00 23:51

Um, so after I did um personal training with the the gym, when I started to go to the gym and I got a personal trainer, that influenced me to become one. And um, so after I became one, um it was the weight training made me realize okay, food is going to be my fuel. And it's so cool getting stronger in the gym just by treating your body right. And, you know, getting that movement in, it just it makes you feel better. It gives you those endorphins, it helps you listen to your body because I used to be the one to over-exercise. And now if I'm tired or my muscles are sore, I'm gonna listen to my body. And that it made me listen to it, it made me learn how to realize what my body is telling me. And because in the past I would just ignore it, and that would just do more harm than good. And it's so rewarding to see progress in the gym, not by you know, the weights dropping or or put going on the scale, but it's getting better at the form, it's getting better mobility, flexibility, um, getting stronger, seeing muscle definition. Um, it's just it's I don't know, it's it's just rewarding to me. And when I implement that with the food that I'm eating, it helps me so much more. And it makes me realize, okay, if I want to get stronger and have more muscle and you know, help myself in the future, you know, I'm gonna have to incorporate nutrition, eat enough protein, eat enough carbs and healthy fats, and it made me learn a lot about what how much I need to put in my body, and that it that's not gonna, you know, harm me. And on my rest days, that's not gonna harm me either. Rest is when you grow, and you still need that fuel, even when you're resting.

SPEAKER_01 25:52

Yeah, I love it. I used to, I used to think that sleeping was like a weakness or resting was a weakness. And I realized after doing these podcasts, actually, and talking to experts on dementia and Alzheimer's, they were telling me every hour or two that I miss every night of sleep, I'm developing a little bit of that dementia or the Alzheimer's that is gonna get me when I'm 70. And so they're like, you better sleep right so and so I started really prioritizing sleep, you know, it's at rest.

SPEAKER_02 26:24

I love sleep.

SPEAKER_01 26:26

Yeah. So so when when people are trying to get into this mindset and and start and begin, what is your what is your biggest motivation for them or what is your biggest piece of advice? For starting like weight training, yeah, like ch starting and to like have that paradigm shift in their brain of of that they gotta do something different.

SPEAKER_00 26:48

I would say just do it. Just like Nike. I mean, you just gotta get afraid of be afraid, um, not be afraid of the weights. Um, when you're in the gym, no one is no one is looking at you. I thought people would be like, oh, they're gonna watch me like try to figure out how to move this seat up and I'm gonna look like an idiot. No one is watching. Everybody is so focused on themselves in their head.

SPEAKER_03 27:13

In the world.

SPEAKER_00 27:14

Um, they want to get in and out, they have a routine, you know, nobody's paying attention.

SPEAKER_03 27:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:20

And I I noticed that real quick. And like you could be standing next to me doing something. I won't have an idea what you're doing. I don't care. Like so I would tell people just go out there, look at the equipment, research it. Um, the machines are a great start.

SPEAKER_03 27:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:39

And if you don't want to do free weights, the machines are great because then that helps you learn the movement. Um, and it tells you too like how to use it. Um, some of them can be a little intimidating. I am that too. If I go to a new gym and I see fancy equipment, I'm like, I don't know how to do that. Like, but if the gym's empty, I'm like, oh, I may test it, but no, that's like most common equipment, you know, it's I think that people should just try it. And I don't think that it's gonna be life-changing for them. And if it at first you're gonna feel uncomfortable. I mean, everybody does. You're gonna think that you're doing the wrong movement. Yeah, you might be, but that's how you learn. You know, you're you're gonna learn how the form is and what muscles hit each exercise. Um, because it's a lot of mind-to-muscle connection, and that takes a while to develop. It it really does. But the more you do it, the more you're gonna get it.

SPEAKER_01 28:34

I love it. Yeah, I love it. I love going in. I put my I put my hood on, I got my headphones in. Yep. There's nothing different.

SPEAKER_03 28:41

I got my hat and visits big headphones.

SPEAKER_01 28:45

Yeah, then a 45 minute jam session with my headphones and everything. And so it's that is really cool. And so how how many times, um, if you don't mind me asking, like, how many times are you training people a week? Are you doing are you every are you there every day or are you there three times a week or are how busy are you these days?

SPEAKER_00 29:03

Um, I used to be a bit more busy. Now it's more so just like my friends and family. Cool. Um, but I mean, at the the gym that I go to now, um, they kind of inquired, you know, if if I was wanting to do it again. Um, and I mean, I would I would totally love to help people out in the gym there. And it's just nice helping people overall. Like I don't expect anything back. It's just nice to be able to educate people. Um, you know, even just for a short amount of time, telling them how to do an exercise. Um but I help out like my mom a lot and my good friends, they they always come to me for questions, my co-workers do.

SPEAKER_03 29:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:43

So it's it's nice like getting that that people trust me to to help them.

SPEAKER_01 29:50

And now the dreaded question, Andrea, can can one overdo cardio?

SPEAKER_00 29:57

Honestly, I think yes. I've been in that situation and I don't everybody's different, but for me, if I overdo cardio, my muscle depletes real quick.

SPEAKER_03 30:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:12

Um my leg days become crap. They my warm-up set feels like my one ret max. Like it it takes a toll. So I feel like there's a happy medium or sweet spot for people when it comes to cardio. Um, it's great to incorporate, but I wouldn't go do a 5k marathon and have leg day on the same day. I wouldn't do it all the time. You know, walkings, cardio, incline walk, um, you know, stairmaster, whatever you someone thinks is enjoyable that gets their heart rate up, do it because consistency is key. And you don't want to, if you hate running, don't do it. Do something else that you enjoy. That way you're consistent with it. Because that's that's the main thing, is the consistency part. But um, overdoing cardio, I think that's definitely a thing.

SPEAKER_03 31:04

It is.

SPEAKER_00 31:05

Some people may disagree, but I I think that that it is.

SPEAKER_01 31:10

No, it's it's definitely and it's and it and it's so interesting because it is for that person, you know, it's everyone's different. Every I always say everybody is different, but uh one of the biggest things I wanted to ask you, I was excited about, is why is mobility training so important as we age, do you think?

SPEAKER_00 31:31

It's huge when you get older because your joints and your bones become a bit weaker, and you want to prime your muscles and your joints for when for those moments when you get older. Um, I work in radiology and I do x-rays, and so many people come in for falls, and I see broken hips left and right, and they're older, they're you know, 70s, 80s, even younger, I've seen. And it's because they fell or they missed a step, or they just got up out of their chair. That's happened before.

SPEAKER_03 32:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:06

Um, it's crazy that such a little movement can injure someone like that. So that's another reason why I love weight training, because it makes your bones stronger and denser. And the mobility part, you don't want to be stiff when you're older. You want to be able to do functional movements like carrying a you know, laundry bag across the room or going up the stairs, or picking yourself up. Um, you know, that's that's huge when you get older because that helps you, you know, not injure yourself and God forbid break something.

SPEAKER_01 32:40

Totally. Yeah. And what is the best um what is the best way you practice mental resilience? How how do you how do you strengthen that muscle?

SPEAKER_00 32:51

A lot of self-talk.

SPEAKER_03 32:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:53

Um music. Love listening to music. Um talking to friends and family, you know, venting. You know, it's it's not good to bottle things up all the time. Um I mean for me, I my me time is going to the gym or going do something that you may enjoy. Like I don't know, for me, that could be shopping. Like you know, just to kind of treat yourself, like incorporate self-care. I feel like that helps me mentally. Um and that the routine that I have now, I want it to be like, you know, a lifestyle it's a lifestyle. You know, becoming healthy and you know, working out and eating right, it's it's a lifestyle. And when you treat your body right, it's amazing what it can do for you. And it, you know, especially when it like you said the Alzheimer's thing. Like if you eat you know, healthy like colors of the rainbow, you know, you want to have that on your plate. Like so many of those nutrients help things like that. So it's I'd always like to keep that in mind. And then um I listen to podcasts too, a lot of podcasts um about longevity and fitness. Um a lot of self-motivating podcasts too. That's always helpful.

SPEAKER_01 34:16

Sweet. Yeah, do you have any that you want to share? Are there are there any that have been impactful lately for you?

SPEAKER_00 34:23

Dr. Gabriel Lyons, that one. That one's great. I've heard them, yeah. Um Huberman Lab, that one's interesting. Um I can't remember the girl's name, but it's it's called Longevity.

SPEAKER_03 34:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 34:37

Um, that's a popular one. Um Be Well is another good one.

SPEAKER_03 34:42

Um I'm listening to Be Well, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:46

Yeah, I like her. I like her podcast a lot. Um I kind of like just go through all of the health and fitness and nutrition ones, um, and just kind of see what episodes they have and topics. Sure. But um, yeah, that's I love I love listening to new things like that.

SPEAKER_01 35:06

That's very cool. Yeah, see, I I connect with people like Ethan Saple, you know, he's that actor that lost 300 pounds and it, you know, his is called American Glutton. So and but I like it. It's so interesting, you know. And uh it's just interesting to listen to these people overcoming their you know addictions or their processes and and getting into a routine. So let's let's end with that if you don't mind. What what is what is the routine of Andrea? Like what what do you do? What do you what in the day of the life of Andrea, what would you do for a day as a routine?

SPEAKER_00 35:44

Well, I feel like if you ask all my friends, they know exactly what it would be. They call and they say, What are you doing? And I'm like, Oh, you know. Yeah, but um, I say when I wake up, the first thing I do is I make my bed. Yeah. Um, I remember listening to that from like a Navy SEAL like so many years ago. That's what he does. And that's just like one accomplishment in the day. Yeah. And I've been doing it ever since. Um and then I, you know, I splash my face with some cold water to wake myself up a little bit. Um, I've been loving the little eye mask things that you know you put under your eyes. Um it kind of helps wake me up too.

SPEAKER_03 36:25

True.

SPEAKER_00 36:26

So I put those on and then I make my I always have warm water with lemon first thing in the morning. Um, it's better than grabbing the cup of coffee.

SPEAKER_03 36:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:36

Um, starts your your uh digestion and your gut too. Um and I just like it's it's nice and like cozy. I like warm drinks.

SPEAKER_03 36:46

True, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:46

Um, then I start making my breakfast, which is always eggs. I always have eggs for breakfast. That's like my go-to. Right. Sourdough and avocado.

SPEAKER_03 36:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:56

Never fails.

SPEAKER_03 36:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 36:58

Same breakfast every day. I'll never get sick of it.

SPEAKER_03 37:00

I love it. Nice.

SPEAKER_00 37:02

Um, and after that, um, I go, oh, I have my pre-workout, and then I go to the gym. Um, then I treat myself with some Starbucks.

SPEAKER_02 37:10

Nice.

SPEAKER_00 37:11

Um, you know, just a black cup of coffee, my favorite. Yeah. Try cinnamon in it, and it's a game changer.

SPEAKER_01 37:17

Really? Love cinnamon. Yeah, I'm a I'm a black coffee guy, so yeah. I like it. Oh, I love cinnamon.

SPEAKER_00 37:23

Yeah, it's I love it. Just gotta stir it, but so good.

SPEAKER_03 37:26

Yeah, cool, cool.

SPEAKER_00 37:27

Um, and after that, um, I've seen shower, get myself ready for the day. Um, I do if I don't, if I'm not working, I work 312, so if I'm not working, um usually like catching up with laundry, sure, cleaning, yeah, yeah, yeah. Go on errands, uh, TJ Maxx. Um, and then or just hang out with my boyfriend or visiting my family. Um, my parents who live here. Everybody else is in New York, but um I hope to visit them soon.

SPEAKER_01 37:59

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 37:59

But um uh my parents live over by Lake, so it's nice to spend time with them. Um, and then by that time, you know, make some dinner and have my little nighttime snack, watch a movie, yeah, TV show, and then get snuggled up, ready for bed.

SPEAKER_01 38:16

Nice. When do you when what like are you a AM or PM gym goer?

SPEAKER_00 38:21

Uh AM.

SPEAKER_01 38:22

AM, cool. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 38:23

Yeah, yeah. I used to be PM when I worked um during the day. Um, but AM I like a lot better. I like to just get it first thing in the morning and it's kinda empty in the gym, which is great.

SPEAKER_01 38:37

No, I love that. I I wake up, I go uh immediately, I have my cardiomerical, and then this doesn't break your fast, by the way. It's kind of cool if you intermittent fast ever.

SPEAKER_00 38:47

Yes. But um early mornings sometimes I I work out fasted and I have um electrolyte thing, but to be honest, it's just not k it's not working. Yeah, it's just it's just I've I feel like I'm just like okay, it's starting to taste gross.

SPEAKER_01 39:01

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, we're gonna send you a little care package for being on here. So thank you.

SPEAKER_00 39:05

I'm excited to try it.

SPEAKER_01 39:06

Yeah, real quick about the Cardi Merkel. We have 58 whole inorganic fruits and vegetables in here, and it's screened with monk fruit and organic stevia. So there's there's no suculose, there's no aspartame, there's none of that. Oh, that's awesome. No sugar, and so what I do is I take I used to take this with a glucose patch, like a glucose monitor, to see if it would spike my sugar or spike my blood or anything. And the only thing it was spiking were my vitamin D levels, so it's really cool. So that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 39:37

You tested that like that.

SPEAKER_01 39:38

Yeah, I tested all that because I needed to know because I'm I'm such an extremist that I do intermittent fast for like almost 20 hours a day. I I do 6 p.m. is my cutoff of eating, and then I don't eat again until one or two the next day. And and I wake up every morning, make my bed just like you, and then I I head out the door and I go do a five or seven mile ruck with my 60 or 100 pound weighted bastard. That's rough.

SPEAKER_00 40:08

I don't know if I can do that.

SPEAKER_01 40:10

But you know, no, I mean I you know, my legs, I squat 500 pounds for reps. I mean, so I'm I'm a big guy, I was a college athlete.

SPEAKER_03 40:19

You're able to do that.

SPEAKER_01 40:20

I mean, and so I've lost I've lost so much stuff to over 200 pounds, and so now I put that extra weight on just so I can feel it, but I try to keep my heart rate between 115 and 130 so that I'm in that zone too. And um, but then I'll go to the gym after. Sometimes I'll do that. I'll do the gym before so I can get my cardio after, but it's um, you know, sometimes I'll do a cold plunge or I'll sit in the sauna or whatever. Love all that. And yeah, every time people call me, they're like, You on a walk? And I'm like, Yeah, I'm gonna walk. And so it's like like today, I got today. I already have 17,000 steps, you know, and it's two, it's 240. So, you know, we're good. That's crazy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:05

Well, good for you. That's that's motivational right there.

SPEAKER_01 41:08

That's definitely motivation. So uh last question. Um, where can we find you? Where where are you at these days on the gram? And are you on TikTok?

SPEAKER_00 41:17

And I have um Instagram, um, it's Angie Lagaga with two A's at the end. Um I have TikTok, but I I don't have videos. Um it'd be cool to post a video. I mean, I'm I'd totally be down to do that. Um, but Instagram is mainly my uh my feed. I have like workout videos on there. Um I did a collab with um somebody at the gym who um is have puts like a merch that he sells merch and sick designs, love his designs on t-shirts um with skulls and stuff, and very, very motivational sayings on there.

SPEAKER_03 41:58

Very cool.

SPEAKER_00 41:59

Um we did a photo shoot on there. Um and he's have a couple photos that came out that I posted. Um, and then um, but yeah, that's that's pretty much all I have Facebook too, but yeah, usually just Instagram.

SPEAKER_01 42:14

I visited your Instagram page. I love it. It's really awesome from seeing the gym a little bit, some of those pictures. So you're you're doing it, it's cool. And so we will we'll definitely put that across the screen during the when we launch this. And um, man, we're so excited to have you, Andrea. Thank you so much for your time and thank you for the wisdom and everything. And and I have one more request. If you could just kind of sum up your whole journey in like a quick 30-second to 90-second little blurb for anyone that you want to send our listeners away with, will you please go ahead and do that?

SPEAKER_00 42:50

Sure. Um, so after dealing with um NRXC and Nervosa for a long time, going in and out of treatments, um, telling myself, the last treatment, this is it. I'm doing it for myself and my family, and gonna better myself. Um learned the science behind nutrition and working out made me realize how much my body can do for me, and that if you treat your body right, it'll do great things for you instead of harming it. Um, and that nutrition is not the enemy, food is not the enemy, it's gonna help you, it's gonna make you feel better, and movement throughout your life is gonna be your best friend as you get older.

SPEAKER_01 43:35

You are powerhouse. Thank you so much for your time.

SPEAKER_00 43:37

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 43:38

We appreciate you, and we'll be in touch, Andrew. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 43:41

Thank you so much for having me. It was great ones. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 43:43

Have a good day.

SPEAKER_00 43:44

You too. Bye. Bye bye.