Friday, October 25, 2013

TGIF + some of my favorite health & wellness (and other) podcasts

TGIF!!

One of the things that I love most about the weekend is that the pace of life temporarily sloooowwwwwsss down, allowing us a little more time to breathe that the hustle and bustle of the weekday slog often doesn't afford us. Living in the City (yes, that's with a capital "C"), you come to feel the effects of that daily grind more acutely. Especially when it involves upward of an hour commute...that's one hour, each way.

Many of my friends shudder at the thought of a commute over 45 minutes, but believe it or not, I really don't mind it all that much. It could be that I'm desensitized to it because I've lived here for nearly 10 years and have had to commute since I started working...but truth be told, I think I actually turned a corner there somewhere and actually started to like my commute. Why? Well, for one thing, I commute via one of the most--if not the most--sophisticated, advanced, and interconnected public transportation systems in the world. This means--you guessed it--no driving for this girl and therefore nothing to keep me from catching up on reading, and my personal favorite way to pass the commuting hour: podcasts!!

Podcasts are truly one of the best inventions of the technological age. There are podcasts that cover any topic you could possibly desire, and best of all, most are entirely free. In the spirit of those who like to be entertained and maybe even learn a little something on their way to work, I've compiled a short list of my current favorite commuting podcasts.

In no particular order:

1) Livin' La Vida Low-Carb, with Jimmy Moore: Jimmy's a veteran podcaster at this point, having accumulated an archive of nearly 800 shows. As a former morbidly obese man and "Little Debbie" addict, Jimmy turned his life around, lost weight and got healthy by following the Atkins Diet. Jimmy and his impressive roster of guests focus on the health benefits to be reaped by following a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb diet. The podcast also aims to bring light to the many health risks brought on by a diet high in carbohydrates, particularly sugar and refined grains. I love the show because I don't find Jimmy to be preachy at all; he's just speaking from experience and has a passion for getting these experts on the show to tackle some of the tough health challenges facing our nation today.

Jimmy has a couple of regular and e-books out, and his most recent publication "Cholesterol Clarity: What the HDL is Wrong with My Numbers?" aims to debunk some common myths about cholesterol and what the levels really imply about your overall health. I can't wait to read it!


2) The Nutrition Diva's Quick and Dirty Tips for Eating Well and Feeling Fabulous, with Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS: Monica's tips are great. They're short and snappy and to the point. As a nutritionist, Monica provides a practice-based approach to healthy eating. She comments on trends in the health and wellness industry, successfully separating food fact from fiction. I appreciate her helpful tips and tricks on other topics ranging from productivity, healthy relationships, money & finance, and career, too!

3) Freakonomics Radio, with Stephen Dubner: This podcast never fails to floor me with its range of topics and thorough treatment of certain phenomena through the lens of economics. Dubner, as host, takes sort of a backseat role in this podcast, as his experts and guests really guide the discussion. He asks the right kinds of questions, and has managed to make economics--and learning new things in general--a very fun way to pass the time. 

4) Here's The Thing, with Alec Baldwin: I was a bit skeptical about this one when I first listened in, but Baldwin's interview style captured me from the outset. He sets his interviewees at ease without appearing overly ingratiating, and he doesn't allow the conversation to become more about him than it is about the guest. And it's a good thing, as recent guests to his show include Jerry Seinfeld, Thom Yorke, and Judd Apatow. I love feeling like a voyeur listening in on a conversation among friends, which is how Baldwin makes his interviews feel. He asks difficult questions, gets the real answers, and doesn't mind being the butt of his guests' jokes :-)


I hope you guys like my pics! Let me know if there are any other podcasts that I should check out! God knows, I have plenty more commutes in my future ;-)

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