The Adversity Advantage with Doug Bopst

Latest Episodes:

Dr. Marc Schulz On The Science Of Happiness & Research Backed Secrets To Living A Good Life Jan 23, 2023

Show notes

Today’s guest is Marc Schulz, PhD. Marc is the Associate Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development which is the longest scientific study of happiness ever conducted. The study has followed the lives of two generations of individuals from the same families for more than eighty years. Dr. Schulz received his Bachelor of Arts from Amherst College and his PhD in clinical psychology from the University of California at Berkeley. He is a practicing therapist with postdoctoral training in health and clinical psychology at Harvard Medical School. Marc is the co-author of the newly released book The Good Life: Lessons From the World’s Longest Scientific Study on Happiness. Today Dr. Schulz and I chat about the findings of his study and what actually makes people happy long term. We discuss how things like money, relationships and work impact our levels of happiness and what it actually means to live a Good Life.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:38 How does someone know if they lived a “good life”?
03:14 What types of relationships are most meaningful?
05:35 Does technology change what makes people happy?
08:24 Online vs. in person relationships
10:45 How to strengthen in person relationships
12:31 How do scientists define happiness?
14:20 Handling adversity (according to 80 years of research)
16:47 How to remain optimistic during hard times
19:23 Common happiness traps
22:45 Can money make you happy?
27:29 Is happiness a choice?
31:17 How did people deal with their mental health 80 years ago?
34:57 Does being married make you happy?
38:16 How to improve intimate relationships
44:38 What makes people happy at work?

Episode Resources:

Connect with Marc

Buy "The Good Life"

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Dan Garner On How To Fight Fatigue, Reduce Stress & Improve Your Sleep Jan 19, 2023

Show notes

Today’s guest is Dan Garner. Dan is the founder of Team Garner, Inc. and co-founder of RAPID Health Optimization which offer high-level personalized online training, nutrition coaching, and lab analysis for world-class results. His coaching resume is second to none having worked with dozens of professional athletes in 14 different sports. Within his clientele he has worked with world champions, hall of famers, MVP’s, world record breakers and more. In this episode we discuss why you shouldn’t major in the minors when it comes to your health and the things should actually focus on. Dan shares some solid tips for building healthy habits and developing discipline so that you can put consistency on autopilot. We get into what you can do if you’re feeling fatigued, stressed or bloated and what supplements you can take to better your sleep, reduce stress and improve your overall health.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:58 Don’t “major in the minors” when it comes to your health
06:12 Momentum builds consistency
08:57 The 60 second movie of your day
14:26 Dan’s thoughts on bloodwork
16:15 What causes fatigue
22:32 What supplements should everyone take?
24:56 Don’t lose weight…Get healthier!
29:54 Can stress cause gut issues?
35:37 How to reduce stress?
40:10 What causes digestive issues?
42:41 Are you dehydrated?
44:47 The dangers of being dehydrated
48:19 Tools for improving sleep quality
55:44 Why motivation doesn’t work

Episode Resources:

Connect with Dan

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⚠ WELLNESS DISCLAIMER ⚠

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Lyss Boss On Taking Your Power Back, Manifesting Your Dream Life & Why You Should Date Yourself Instead Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

Today’s guest is social media personality Lyss Boss. Lyss is the host of the highly popular podcast “Date Yourself Instead,” a podcast intended to inspire you to become the best version of yourself. In her podcast, she gets candid about her relationship experiences, and touches on other topics including business, beauty, wellness, and so much more. In 2021, Lyss started a self-love series on TikTok which amassed over 100+ million views on her videos and counting. In this episode, we talk about learning how to date yourself and take your power back so that you can become your highest self and attract a partner that reflects that. Lyss opens up about healing her relationship with external validation and also shares some unhealthy patterns she has had to work on. We also get into why you shouldn’t be attached to timelines, the truth about manifestation and more.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:56 How to take your power back after a breakup
06:20 What mistakes has Lyss made in relationships?
09:26 What does self-love REALLY mean?
12:25 Are you with the right partner?
15:00 Why you shouldn’t be attached to timelines
19:38 What does “Date Yourself Instead” mean?
21:34 The external validation trap (& how she’s healed from it)
27:24 Lyss’s spiritual transformation
30:45 How she stopped worrying about the opinions of others
34:16 The truth about manifestation
37:01 Does Lyss believe in the law of attraction?
41:14 How to get over an ex
43:28 What is she looking to manifest?
47:36 Common manifestation misconception
48:48 Lyss’s music career
50:20 What does she do to improve her mental health?

Connect with Lyss

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⚠ DISCLAIMER ⚠

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Mari Llewellyn On How She Lost 90 lb. & Transformed Her Life Through The Pursuit Of Wellness Jan 12, 2023

Show notes

Today’s guest is Mari Llewellyn. Mari is a popular fitness guru, successful entrepreneur, avid mental health advocate and host of the Pursuit of Wellness podcast. At 250 pounds, Mari hit rock bottom, both mentally and physically. She decided to take ownership of her health and with the help of her now-husband, Greg, she was able to lose 90 pounds and finally find self-love. Mari documented her astonishing mental and physical health journey via her online platforms which garnered her over 2M combined unique followers. She completely transformed her future and has now dedicated her life to help women from all backgrounds reach their full mental and physical potential. Through this mission, she launched Bloom Nutrition which is completely self-funded and grown through her own platforms. Today we talk about Mari’s incredible story from start to finish and break down the steps she took to completely transform her life mentally, emotionally and physically and so much more.

What to Listen For:

01:44 What 3 things helped Mari transform her life?
04:07 Mari hits rock bottom during college
07:42 What is BPD? (borderline personality disorder)
10:31 How did she handle being diagnosed with BPD?
13:15 What has helped Mari manage BPD?
15:55 Not letting her diagnosis define her
17:56 What were the first steps Mari took to change her life?
19:59 Coming off all medication
21:45 Overcoming gym intimidation
24:09 How did Mari begin to transform her health?
27:48 How long did it take her to lose 90 lb?
31:37 The importance of having a “why”
33:47 Does Mari struggle with her self image?
35:16 How to handle weight loss plateaus/setbacks
38:05 Other than fitness what else helps Mari cope with life?
39:46 Why Mari’s marriage is so special
42:37 Her relationship with her family
45:52 The picture that started Mari’s business
49:24 Bloom nutrition (their supplement company)
53:26 What’s next on her healing journey?
55:39 Did Mari ever reach a point where fitness didn’t help her emotionally?

Connect with Mari

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⚠ WELLNESS DISCLAIMER ⚠

Please be advised; the topics related to mental health in my content are for informational, discussion, and entertainment purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your current condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard from your favorite creator, on social media, or shared within content you’ve consumed.

If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.

If you do not have a health professional who is able to assist you, use these resources to find help:

Emergency Medical Services—911

If the situation is potentially life-threatening, get immediate emergency assistance by calling 911, available 24 hours a day.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

SAMHSA addiction and mental health treatment Referral Helpline, 1-877-SAMHSA7 (1-877-726-4727) and https://www.samhsa.gov

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Stan Efferding On How To Build Muscle, Lose Fat & Improve Your Health Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

Today’s guest is Stan Efferding who is an IFBB pro bodybuilder and has his bachelor of science in psychology and exercise science from the University of Oregon. Stan is a multiple all -time world record holding powerlifter and has been training high school, Collegiate, and Professional athletes for over 25 years. He has conducted over 200 seminars in 14 countries and in all 50 states. Today Stan and I discuss the biggest mistakes people make when starting any type of health journey. He shares why compliance is the science and what the most successful dieters have in common. Stan reveals a simple step by step guide for weight loss including the types of foods to consume as well as how to determine things like total calories and macronutrients and how to adjust along the way. We also get into the power of walking, how build to muscle in the gym and more!

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:46 Biggest mistakes people make when starting their health journey
05:42 Traits of the most successful dieters
08:51 Stan’s most meaningful achievement
13:50 Restrictive diets can be problematic
16:39 Why did Stan create the “vertical diet''?
21:01 When does dieting become tricky?
24:19 What to eat for fat loss & how to calculate calories/macros
33:50 Is red meat healthy?
39:30 Adjusting calories after you lose weight
43:08 Why “10 minute walks” are so effective
46:24 How to build muscle in the gym
56:19 Why you should mix things up
1:01:05 How to meal prep
1:06:04 Why do people eat when they aren’t hungry?

Episode Resources:

Connect with Stan

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Alyssa Lynch On Rebuilding Her Self Esteem, Overcoming Negative Body Image & The Truth About Wellness Trends Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

Today’s guest is lifestyle influencer Alyssa Lynch. Alyssa built a massive online platform sharing her love and passion for health and wellness. Today on the show she shares what it’s really like being an influencer and the difficulties that come along with that. She opens up about her struggles with body obsession, mental health, limiting beliefs and comparison. We also chat about rebuilding self worth, her advice to people who consume her content, overcoming setbacks and more

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:29 How to build confidence when going through adversity
04:10 Alyssa hits rock bottom (alone in LA)
09:56 Struggles with body image
13:28 What impact did her childhood have on her?
17:44 Why is she so passionate about mental health?
19:50 Healing her relationship with her body
22:45 Measuring success as an “influencer”
27:28 Are beauty treatments overrated?
31:29 What limiting beliefs does Alyssa have?
34:13 Why was 2022 so challenging for her?
36:37 Dealing with comparison
41:15 How does she maintain integrity?
44:43 Managing anxiety
47:56 What does her wellness routine look like?
49:48 What can someone do if 2022 was a bad year for them?

Episode Resources:

Connect with Alyssa

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Sal Di Stefano On Building Healthy Habits, Why Most Exercise Programs Fail, & How to Lose Fat for Good Jan 02, 2023

Show notes

Today’s guest is Sal Di Stefano. You may know Sal as one of the hosts of the Mind Pump Podcast, a show that exposes the RAW TRUTH about health, fitness, nutrition and more. Sal picked up his first weight at the age of 14. Fitness was a way for him to apply hard work and effort towards changing and re-inventing himself. He wanted to shift the direction of the fitness industry from an aesthetic insecurity based industry to a self love and self care health industry. This is Sal’s third time on the podcast and today we discuss what you must do in order to achieve your health and fitness goals. But, today’s conversation isn’t all about working out. We dive deep into the non-physical things that you must do in order to achieve your goals. We discuss behavior change, how to build healthy habits, why self discovery is a non-negotiable and of course we chat about some things you must do in the gym to see results and much more.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:41 3 things you should focus on to improve your health in 2023
03:30 Why do most exercise programs fail? (& which is most effective)
06:42 How to effectively set goals
09:52 Discovering the root cause of your motivation
12:13 THIS mindset shift will help you reach your goals
14:42 Don’t fall into this common workout trap
16:37 The importance of strength training
19:59 Don’t be hyper focused on weight loss
22:09 Expect to hit speed bumps along the way
24:43 Improving your health is a journey
34:09 Tips for practicing patience
38:37 What to do when you hit a plateau
40:40 Liver King (& who you should follow online)
45:43 The “processed food of fitness”
48:11 How to lose belly fat
53:26 Sal’s goals for 2023

Episode Resources:

Connect with Sal

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Sara Kuburic On The 3 Hard Relationship Truths You Need To Hear So That You Can Successfully Find Love In 2023 Dec 29, 2022

Show notes

Today's guest is Sara Kuburic. Sara is an existential psychotherapist and many of you know her as @millennial.therapist on Instagram and this is her third time on the podcast. Sara is also a writer as well as a columnist for USA Today. I know I've said this before, but what I love about Sara’s content is that she takes complex issues that can be hard to talk about such as mental health, relationships, and dating and creates content around these topics that's easy for people to understand and digest. I think you're really gonna appreciate this episode as we kept it super organic and we covered a lot of ground on dating, relationships and so much more.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:32 Hard Relationship Truth #1
02:50 Which relationship needs are your responsibility?
05:19 “The degree of vulnerability dictates the degree of intimacy.”
08:31 Hard Relationship Truth #2
11:08 Why does personal accountability often get overlooked?
14:54 Taking responsibility for your behavior after a breakup
16:48 I’ve been cheated on and we broke up. Now what?
19:35 Sara’s thoughts on monogamy
22:41 Sara and I get personal
26:13 Hard Relationship Truth #3
27:37 How to stop self sabotaging
32:08 Communicating your needs to a potential partner
35:10 Why are so many people single?
39:00 When actions and words are misaligned
42:18 How to identify your “red flags”
44:25 Traits of a “high value partner”
49:02 Mistakes people make when setting boundaries
52:29 Is Blaming your parents helpful?
55:49 When is it time to breakup?
58:05 Do THIS not THAT after a breakup
1:04:54 How to not be so hard on yourself

Episode Resources:

Connect with Sara

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The Top 4 Superfoods That Can Improve Your Health, Energy & Performance w/ Mary Shenouda Dec 26, 2022

Show notes

Today’s guest is Mary Shenouda. Mary is a highly sought-after performance chef and specialist. Her clients include both professional athletes and Hollywood entertainers. Mary works with a team of nutritionists, doctors, physical therapists, and performance technologies to help identify and curate the specific nutritional needs for her diverse roster of high-performing clients. Shenouda is also the creator and founder of Phat Fudge, a high-performance food line of her own formulation. In our discussion, Mary shares the four super foods that she believes can improve your overall health. We also discuss meal prepping, mental health and so much more.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:24 “One person's superfood can be another person's kryptonite.”
03:46 Superfood #1: Black Cumin Seed
08:02 Which setback has helped her the most?
12:26 Why discipline is important when facing adversity
14:58 How did her childhood inspire her passion for cooking?
18:31 Meal prep tips & how to get your food to taste better
22:38 Superfood #2: Bone Broth
25:34 Superfood #3: Mushrooms
28:08 Mary’s “team” approach for helping her clients
31:55 When is it time to get labs done?
34:40 Supplements can’t fix an unhealthy lifestyle
38:15 Building trust with her athletes
40:09 What do her high performing clients have in common?
43:23 Mary’s battle with depression
49:33 Superfood #4: Liver
53:17 Phat Fudge

Episode Resources:

Connect with Mary

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Zach Bitter On Transforming Limiting Beliefs Into Positive Action & Why Failing Leads To Personal Growth Dec 22, 2022

Show notes

Today's guest is Zach Bitter. Zach is a professional endurance athlete, coach, and host of Human Performance Outliers Podcast. He has broken multiple World and American Records, won four National Championships, and competed for Team USA three times at the World 100km Championships.Today, I take the convo down a different path and dive deep into the mindset of. And he reveals some of his top tips that you can apply to most anything in life. You often hear life compared to running a race, and after this conversation you will understand why. We talk about discipline, perseverance, failure, dealing with negative thoughts, setting and achieving goals, and much more.

What to Listen For: