Athletes think of nourishment in terms of fuel. The rest of us call it diet. Let’s shift to an athletic mindset. The fuel episode of More Than Sweat addresses the importance of fiber from whole foods; complete protein (foods that contain all essential amino acids); and the greatest health breakthrough of 2024. Real food fuel is best, but this episode addresses why supplementation may help. Here’s a link to the whey protein concentrate that Brook uses. https://shop.lifetime.life/lth-nutr...

Wellness and alcohol do not go together. No amount of alcohol is safe (World Health Organization). You don’t need to drink less to optimize well-being. Alcohol is a toxic drug that hijacks your pleasure chemicals and creates a craving for more of itself. This podcast gives marketing history on Big Alcohol and Big Tobacco. “Drink responsibly” is meant to deceive you into thinking that poison isn’t a problem. That propaganda posits that some people cannot use it right. Poison. They don’t poison...

In a nutshell, this episode is about sleep. But the nutshell comes with the tree, brush, branches, squirrels, and (13:30) a yapping Yorkie. Sleep is crucial to wellness. If you want to make wise food choices, sleep. If you want energy to exercise, sleep. If you want mental focus and brainpower, sleep. If you want to be patient with people, sleep. If you want to perform tasks expected of you, sleep. If you want to choose water over wine, sleep. If you want to make life easier, sleep. If ...

After a lot of cold, windy, and sun-not-shining days this winter in TX, we finally have a week of sunny & high of 75 days. Like Superman, your podcast host also gets her power from the sun. I would do anything for your well-being. But spend a day like this in a closet, recording crisp-sounding content? I can’t do that. Due to the outdoor recording of this session, the sound quality is not quite up to snuff. Don’t let a few Ford F-150s and a weed eater stop you from absorbing today’s...

This season of More Than Sweat is about building a life you don’t have to escape from. Week by week, I’m reading a Daily Habit from my just-released book, 10 Minutes to Slim and Sober. (Consider purchasing the “10 Minutes to Slim and Sober” fully-illustrated ebook. It comes with eight 10-minute dumbbell strength video companions, suitable for most fitness levels. Plus, your purchase helps fund this ad-free podcast!) Today’s episode explores the freedom, safety, sturdiness, and love you give y...

Dr. John Sarno (1923-2017) did the eminent work of introducing tension myositis syndrome (TMS) to the field of medicine. Prior to Sarno’s research, theory, and practice, psychosomatic symptoms were considered hysterical (exaggerated emotional behavior). Turns out, the brain is not only able of creating pain when there is nothing structurally wrong, but it is proficient at doing so. TMS is a leading cause of chronic pain. This episode explores TMS, a.k.a. psychophysiological pain disorde...

Season 3 of “More Than Sweat” will venture, habit by habit, through all the disciplines of my new book, 10 Minutes to Slim and Sober. To be disciplined means to be a disciple of something. Today, I am a disciple of Daily Habit 1 in “10 Minutes to Slim and Sober,” and that is a no-fuss 5-step Surefire Morning Routine. The advice I give on this show comes from my education as a certified personal trainer and professional life coach, as well as my experiential learning as a woman living alcohol-...

“More Than Sweat” always means you and I are doing life together in ways that dig deeper than just a workout. Season One introduced you to my life and vibe with Power Music 🎶 jamming in the background. (In case you forgot, season one episodes had you match the beat of the music on your power walk as I mused on. We had some great walks and sometimes covered over 3 miles!) Season Two celebrated the hardcover book publication of my memoir, “Sweat with Brook Benten.” Season Three is a blank slate...

When you plant a tree, it’s not sturdy. It’s a fragile seed that is nurtured to a fragile trunk with fragile limbs. With rich soil, light, water, and time, it can grow sturdy. So can you. Whether you’ve survived “t” trauma or “T” Trauma, you have experienced brokenness. Repair will be a lengthy process. “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” Margaret Thatcher You can be sturdy again. But you’ll never actualize sturdiness with hopes that you may be a passive witness t...

Does this cycle sound familiar? You think you may want to make a change. Yes, you want to make a change. You listen to podcasts, read books, buy healthy food, join a gym, and… Take action-ish. You are doing things, but not sure if you’re doing the right things. Time passes, you get frustrated and it still feels effortful, miles away from maintenance. You give up and revert back to your old ways. A model developed in 1977 explains the stages of behavioral change. The cycle above isn’t only r...

In 2008, a coworker snapped the thumbnail photograph used for today’s episode. She called it “Brook’s Tour of Duty.” I was working childcare pickup after a day of hosting Hilltop Sports Camp, a summer day camp. When it was any other professional’s turn to work aftercare pickup, they’d stand on the sidewalk with a clipboard. I, on the other hand, wheeled a stationary bike out and squeezed in a little workout as I waited for parents to drive up to get their kids. I’m made to move. Not made for ...

This episode begins with the background on today’s juicy title. Next up, three stories that back the statement. Not sure you believe the negative effects of a diet rich in sugar and ultra-processed foods? Follow our show up with this podcast, titled “How Sugar and Processed Foods Impact Your Health.” You’ll gain a deeper understanding from Dr. Robert Lustig, M.D., a neuroendocrinologist at University of California at San Francisco, and best-selling author on nutrition and metabolic he...

This episode starts with an announcement that I’m sharing first with you. Get excited, sweat squad! You have a place here. Next, I share information on my two-year struggle with an injury at the tendon where the hamstrings insert into the glute (a pain in the butt, literally!). I wish I had come across Brodie Sharpe’s “Overcoming Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy” podcast sooner, but am so glad to have it now. Many physical therapists misunderstand PHT or misdiagnose it as piriformis syndrome...

Never in a million years would I have thought I’d share these stories. Never in a million years would you have believed them— from anyone else. A lightbulb went on over the process of writing my book, Sweat with Brook Benten, which reveals my life’s stories, in puns and pieces. I realized that experiencing life and sharing those experiences are what unites us. So, let’s go there. Let’s tether our bond tighter by recounting some of most outrageous personal stories that were omitted from t...

A stronghold: that thing that has you. The battle as silent as carbon monoxide and as strong as a bomb. It kills you every day. It chips away at your self-worth. The abusive lover that promises you protection from the world, but takes the world away from you. Too seductive to leave. Too violent to stay. Telling someone exposes it and weakens its power. But only you can defeat it. It’s an inside job. This episode suggests that the battle of breaking a stronghold is not won by your might, bu...

Must Love Dogs. In this episode, I share memories with my four-legged friends. May it inspire you to reflect on good times with (wo)man’s best friend, too. Here’s the tribute referenced to Kokomo. https://youtu.be/zKoFJH1zoeQ?feature=shared IG, FB, YouTube, LinkedIn @BrookBenten

Call it a resolution, goal, or BFHG (big fat hairy goal), we all have them. They’re usually at top of mind at top of January. Check out any ad on your social media feed and it’ll tell you that it’s a New Year and that you need a new you. I think you should “x” out of those ads. I’m a fitness and wellness pro, and I don’t think you need a new you. I like same you. And I hope you like same me. Let’s stay exactly as we are at the core. And let’s work on improving things we choose to improve.&nbs...

We’re kicking off season two with an excerpt from my new book, “Sweat with Brook Benten!” Overnight success is usually just overnight exposure. In 2010, it looked like I became an instant fitness star when you couldn’t shop at any sporting goods store without seeing my mug on the cover of kettlebell equipment. But I’d been plugging away at it since 1999. I left fitness modeling (I had my reasons) and now devote most of my time to playing silly games with my two young children. I didn’t pivo...

In the finale episode of season one, Brook Benten lays her ambitious stories out there as if she has no shame. (We’re told she really is ashamed of returning to a commercial audition in a blonde wig for a do-over). This episode was saved for last, because the best is in the hustle. The hustle is where the fun is. When you’ve lost the motivation to do that, you’ve lost everything. Brook often says, “Hustle beats talent when talent doesn’t hustle.” As the final story in this episode, Brook r...

Power walk at 132 steps/minute for 60-minutes. For the first 20, you’ll be joined by Brook Benten, delivering a message about the importance of solitude. For the last 40, walk on the beat on your own, reveling in the joy of solitude. For a video with rolling images from Brook Benten’s recent trip to Colorado Springs, CO, see YouTube. IG, FB, YouTube, LinkedIn @BrookBenten