Episode 217
The Fit Speaker: How Better Health Supercharges Your Stage Presence with Esther Avant
As speakers, coaches, and entrepreneurs, we spend countless hours refining our message and perfecting our delivery—but how often do we invest in the vehicle that delivers it: our health?
In this powerful episode of Present Influence, host John Ball sits down with health and fitness coach Esther Avant to explore the overlooked connection between physical wellness and professional presence. If you've ever struggled with energy, confidence, or consistency, this conversation will show you why your fitness habits may be the missing piece in your performance strategy.
Esther shares nearly two decades of expertise helping busy professionals build sustainable health routines—even when travel, stage work, or jam-packed schedules get in the way.
🎯 Topics covered include:
- Why speakers and coaches must prioritise health (and how it affects first impressions)
- The 3 “Big Rocks” of health: the simplest, most effective habits for better results
- How to reduce friction and decision fatigue through pre-planning
- The mindset shift that makes self-care non-negotiable
- Real talk about sleep, recovery, consistency, and how to build a lifestyle that lasts
- The surprising mental benefits of fitness—including confidence, clarity, and resilience
John also shares his journey of improving his health, the mistakes he made, and the surprising performance benefits he's experienced since getting consistent with exercise, nutrition, and rest.
Whether you're an emerging speaker or a seasoned pro, this episode will challenge you to think differently about your habits—and empower you to upgrade not just your health, but your entire presence and performance.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: The Importance of Energy and Health
00:24 Meet Esther Avant: Building Real Energy and Confidence
01:33 The Busy Professional's Health Dilemma
02:34 Creating a Sustainable Healthy Lifestyle
05:07 The Power of Consistency and Self-Belief
12:13 Exercise and Nutrition: The Big Rocks
14:25 Rest and Recovery: Essential for Success
22:38 Planning Ahead: Overcoming Decision Fatigue
24:54 Overcoming Midweek Slumps
25:17 Prepping for Success
26:25 Queued Actions for Smooth Sailing
27:03 Connecting Present and Future Self
28:56 The Importance of Specific Goals
33:14 Behaviour Goals vs. Outcome Goals
33:58 Intermittent Fasting Insights
36:22 Personalising Your Diet
41:21 Tracking Progress Effectively
43:21 Motivation Through Self-Reflection
44:52 Conclusion and Resources
Go to presentinfluence.com to take the Speaker StrengthsFinder Quiz and discover your greatest strengths as a speaker as well as where to focus for growth. For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn
You can find all our clips, episodes and more on the Present Influence YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PresentInfluence
Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.
Mentioned in this episode:
New PI mid-roll
Transcript
Quick question.
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:How's your energy when you walk onto
the stage or into a coaching session?
3
:Be honest, are you running on
caffeine and adrenaline, or do you
4
:actually feel good in your body?
5
:Because today we're diving into the
truth that most high performers ignore.
6
:Your body is your biggest asset
as a speaker, coach, or leader,
7
:and if you don't take care of
it, your presence suffers no
8
:matter how great your message is.
9
:I'm joined by health and fitness
expert, Esther Avant, who is here to
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:show you how to build real energy,
confidence, and resilience without
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:fads, extremes, or boring workouts.
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:Now, if you've been telling yourself
that you're too busy to focus on your
13
:health, this episode is for you, and
it will flip that mindset upside down.
14
:Let's get into it.
15
:Welcome to Present Influence the show for
professional speakers and communicators
16
:who want to impact, influence, and inspire
with their Ball, keynote and communication
17
:coach, and your guide on this journey
to mastery level communication skills.
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:Welcome to the show, Esther Avant,
it's great to have you with me
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:talking about a topic that we haven't
covered on the show before, which is
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:gonna be about health and fitness,
and we'll get into why in a moment.
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:But first, welcome.
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:Esther Avant: Thank you
so much for having me.
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:I'm excited for our conversation.
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:John: It was so good to see you were
talking about something that I think
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:a lot of speakers and coaches don't
think that much about necessarily.
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:some actively work in this
area, but a lot don't.
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:And I think it is something
that really matters for your
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:health and wellbeing and energy.
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:do you work with speakers and coaches
at all in the work that you do?
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:Esther Avant: I've worked with some
less focused on speakers and coaches,
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:but many of my clients have had those
components of their jobs, whether they're
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:presenting at work or mentoring, people
that report to them, things like that.
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:what I found is that pretty much
everybody is doing some form of
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:those things in their lives, even
if it's not their formal title.
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:John: Yeah.
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:for our audience, can you give
us a brief overview of what you
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:do when you do work with people?
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:Esther Avant: Yeah, so what it boils
down to is helping busy people overcome
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:the barriers to better health, and this.
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:Has been my life's work.
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:I've been doing it for almost 20 years,
and it's really, it's a combination of
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:the surface level stuff that you think
about when you think of health, your
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:workouts, your food, things like that.
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:But my work also goes much deeper than
that and into how do we actually make.
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:A lifestyle, a healthy lifestyle that
lasts, that it's not just let me do,
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:a a three month diet before I get on
stage for a big event, but how do I
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:make this one of the pillars of my life?
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:And that usually involves getting
beneath the surface and figuring
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:out what is it that makes it hard to
keep it a priority in the long term.
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:For most of us, it's time.
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:we're busy, especially when
you're traveling to go to
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:speaking engagements and events.
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:You have a hard time getting
into a consistent routine.
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:For a lot of people, it's
overwhelm, it's feeling isolated.
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:It's being a perfectionist.
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:So we really dive into the root issues.
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:It's not lack of motivation, it's not
laziness, the things that we tend to
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:typically blame, but we actually identify
what for you is making this hard and
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:how do we solve for those things?
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:John: so like many people in
the coaching world, you end up
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:working with some different things
because we are holistic beings.
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:At the end of the day, our life categories
are not separate from each other.
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:It all bleeds into each other.
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:But, if I, if I were to ask my audience,
if I were to ask the listener to raise
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:your hand if you're busy, I'm pretty sure
every listener's hand would go up, right?
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:Is that we are all busy and.
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:I know when we first spoke, one of
the things I said to you was that
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:I had been on and I'm on a journey
to improve my health and wellbeing,
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:which definitely made me more excited
to bring this to you because think
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:for speakers, professional speakers,
and coaches specifically, if you are.
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:If you are traveling a lot with
the work that you're doing, if you
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:are on stage a lot of the time,
you need to look after your health.
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:You need to have energy.
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:You need to be able to bring sometimes
a lot more than most people do,
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:because you have to show up at
a level above everyone else and,
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:and you have a lot of work to do.
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:So what are some of the.
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:Basic elements that we could
actually all potentially start to
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:think about that might help us.
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:So you've already said about some of
the things that might hold us back.
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:Do we need to start there and look
at what's holding us back first?
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:Esther Avant: It helps to.
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:Really get to the root for you, because
then you can focus your energy on
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:what's gonna be the most useful and
productive for you as an individual.
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:But what I've seen in my career is that
so much of what we think is a problem
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:that's unique to us is pretty universal.
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:Like you said, we're pretty
much all busy, right?
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:So we don't need to dive into what
specifically are you busy with?
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:It's just generally, I don't
feel like I have enough hours in
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:the day and it always feels like
there's something more important.
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:So it's solving for that.
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:John: So I think that was one of
the things that did maybe allow me
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:to justify to myself why I wasn't
doing so much in terms of health and
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:taking care of myself a bit better.
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:And that paradox that seemed to
be there of I want more energy,
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:but I don't have the time.
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:it did work out that way, that when
I actually started doing regular
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:exercise and eating a bit better, I.
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:energy started to come and,
and the time came back.
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:So it did figure itself out.
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:but yet we have to start somewhere, right?
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:Esther Avant: Right.
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:And I think a, a simple kind of reframe
like that can be really helpful of,
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:we, our initial reaction is I don't
have time to exercise or to plan out
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:meals or things like that, but to flip
it over and say, I actually don't have
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:time not to, because what I'm currently
doing is leading me to be low energy,
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:to not be in a great mood to have, of
brain fog, to just not be on my A game.
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:And especially for.
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:A speaker who's gonna get on stage,
you need to be on your A game.
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:So it's really less of a, oh, it would
be nice if I could do these things if,
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:if things kinda shook out and I had
time to, it's actually essential that
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:I make these a priority because they're
going to enhance not just my health
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:and my wellbeing, but also my career.
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:John: Right, there is a degree to which.
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:in any situation, when you are gonna
be in front of people you don't know
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:for the first time, you are gonna
be judged and assessed very quickly.
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:So if you're not looking energized, if
you're not looking well or healthy or
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:looking like you take care of yourself,
even people will judge you on that.
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:I'm not saying those judgment
necessarily will hold, people can
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:change their minds over time, but
the initial first impressions.
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:Do matter and they do help.
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:So why not have them work to your
advantage as much as possible as
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:a speaker, because if you don't
look the part and if you don't
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:feel it as well, it's, it's gonna
have an impact on what you do.
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:Esther Avant: Right.
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:How you feel about
yourself is so important.
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:It affects everything.
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:It affects how you walk into the room,
how you walk up on stage, what you wear.
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:It has such an impact that we, I
think, don't even realize it's so
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:much more than, yeah, just the energy.
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:It's how you carry yourself.
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:It's your confidence, it's your ability
to put yourself out there and, apply for
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:that gig or ask for that, introduction.
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:and it starts with.
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:Yes, what you're, what
you're physically doing.
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:You know, exercising will help you
look good and making nutritious
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:choices will help you look
good and, and things like that.
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:But even before you would see any
physical change, there's the mental
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:change that takes place of just being
someone who makes themselves a priority
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:and who follows through sets goals,
does what they say they're gonna do.
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:Just kind of has that self-trust.
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:You develop this confidence, this air
about yourself that is, is undeniable.
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:People notice it when you walk
into a room or onto a stage.
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:John: Yeah, I, I do feel,
over, I'd say it's been.
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:For me, certainly more
than six months now.
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:'cause I, where we now, we are recording
this in the start, near the start
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:of May and I probably started really
getting serious about doing, making
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:some changes back in November last year.
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:other than a few bouts of sickness, I have
consistently been getting myself up at
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:7:00 AM every day and going to the gym.
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:And I do feel, at least feel better
for myself that I'm moving, that
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:I'm staying consistent with it.
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:I'm doing something to take action on
improving my health and lower my blood
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:pressure like the doctor told me to.
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:all these good things, that really make
a difference and the consistency that
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:comes with that as well is so important.
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:Like there are so many benefits
that go way beyond just the health
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:benefits, I think for this too.
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:Esther Avant: 1000% Consistency
is one of the three Cs of
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:success I talk about in my book.
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:It's, it is what will make or
break whether you, get anything
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:out of what you're doing or not.
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:And I think to your point.
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:When we are consistent and when
we get into a healthy habit, we.
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:Develop these beliefs about
ourselves, these positive beliefs
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:that I am an action taker.
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:I am someone who can hear something
like, you need to lower your blood
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:pressure and does something about it.
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:I am someone who doesn't
shy away from a challenge.
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:I don't love waking up at, to the alarm
every day, but I get up and I do it.
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:I am someone who can be
consistent and do hard things.
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:And when you.
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:Develop that narrative in
regards to your health, it
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:spills over into everything else.
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:Then when a work challenge comes up,
you feel ready to step into it when
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:you feel bogged down with, pitching
and applying, and then all the, the
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:behind the scenes aspect of being a, a
speaker or a coach, you have this inner
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:narrative, well, I'm an action taker.
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:I'm consistent.
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:I do what it takes, I follow
through, and that, that benefits
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:you, like you said, is so much more
than just with, with your health.
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:John: Yeah.
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:One of the things that I have been
becoming aware, because I think
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:consistency in itself is great, and
we should definitely, probably is
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:the first thing we need to aim for is
getting some, like you don't, you said
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:at the start, you don't want this to
just be a sort of, a flash in the pan.
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:Something that you maybe do for a
couple of weeks and then you get.
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:Bored of it, or you know, well most of
us probably would like to at least set
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:a few pounds and then if you have no
two days into your health and fitness
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:process, you don't see any change.
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:'cause you're not going to.
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:We start to get a little bit
disillusioned when we don't see that.
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:So just having that consistency
and making that, the initial goal
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:was important for me and I think.
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:Probably is helpful for other people, but
I do know you have to put in the right
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:kind of reps as well, because I would
say like several months of swimming, I
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:was not seeing a lot of physical change.
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:I felt better and say lots of good things
coming from that, but I wasn't seeing
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:a lot of physical change from that.
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:Unsurprisingly, with low impact exercise,
I recognized more had to be done.
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:What would be your recommendations
for people to sort of make sure you
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:are doing the right kinds of reps
and consistency for getting results?
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:Esther Avant: I love this question
'cause you're absolutely right.
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:You can be consistently doing not,
I wouldn't even necessarily call 'em
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:the wrong things, but just not the
ones that are going to either give
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:you the most bang for your buck or
that are aligned with your goal.
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:I was actually just reading a email
about how when planes fly, if they're
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:even one degree off, they'll end
up hundreds of miles off course.
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:So it's really important for us as well
to know where it is we're trying to get,
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:because we could easily be doing healthy
things that are getting us somewhere,
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:just not the place that we wanna be.
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:Weight loss is a great example
because a lot of people will
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:say, I wanna lose weight, and
then they jump into this really.
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:demanding exercise routine, and they're
running themselves into the ground and
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:they're saying why am I not losing weight?
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:It's because nutrition is what's
gonna drive your weight loss.
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:So you're consistently doing a thing
that's good for your health, but it's not
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:the most important thing for your goal.
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:So what you've really honed in on
is what I call the big rocks, and
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:these are the handful of habits that
generate the majority of results.
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:And given how busy and stressed
the majority of us are, it makes
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:sense that we try to do less.
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:And with the energy and time that
we have, we focus on what's gonna
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:give us the most bang for our buck.
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:So obviously there's gonna be some
variance depending on, on your specific
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:goal, but generally speaking, and
especially people with weight loss
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:goals, because a lot of people have
them, there are three exercise, three
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:nutrition, two lifestyle big rocks.
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:And I know that can seem like a lot, but
you don't need to tackle them all at once.
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:You're probably already doing
a couple of them pretty well.
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:So it's a matter of figuring out where,
where do I need to focus my attention?
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:So I'll go over 'em quickly and then
we can jump into any, a deeper dive
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:into, to anything could be useful.
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:So, exercise wise, general daily movement,
and I use steps as a proxy goal to
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:indicate an overall active lifestyle.
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:Most of us have left our own devices
would get, maybe three, 4,000 steps a day.
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:So aiming for, gradually increasing
until you're over 7,000 steps a day.
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:Is a great place to start.
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:It means you're being intentional about
looking for opportunities to move more.
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:That's your, the base of your,
your movement is, is daily
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:movement outside of workouts.
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:Then you've got your strength training.
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:Two to three full body sessions using
heavy for you weights, that progress
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:over time is the second big rock.
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:And then the third is rest and recovery
When you rest is when your body benefits
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:from the work that you're putting in.
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:So without it, you're burning the
candle at both ends, working really
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:hard and not reaping the benefits.
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:So those are your big rocks.
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:Anything outside of that, it doesn't
mean it's not good, it's not worth doing.
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:It's anything like that.
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:It's just make the, make these your
foundation because they're gonna give
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:you the most bang for your buck and
then fill in with other stuff that
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:you enjoy, have time for, et cetera.
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:John: Okay.
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:Esther Avant: Do you wanna
talk, exercise, or do you wanna
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:go into the nutrition next?
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:John: I I wanted to talk about the
resting 'cause I have a question
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:Esther Avant: Uhhuh.
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:John: because, because it probably is
one of the things that I need to address
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:for myself because I probably average
somewhere between six and seven hours
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:a night and I don't, I, I don't know.
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:Does that sound like something
that's reasonable on their sort
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:of rest and recuperation level?
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:Esther Avant: Great question.
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:So sleep is one of the lifestyle big
rocks, sleep and stress management,
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:and these two are the ones that
I think a lot of people just try
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:to sweep under the rug of, oh, it
would be nice to be less stressed.
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:It would be nice to sleep
more, but we don't make a
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:really concerted effort to, I.
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:Make it more of a priority, six to seven.
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:You're not far off.
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:Ideally we're getting, more
like seven, seven to nine.
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:so you're not, you're probably not at like
a huge deficit all the time, I would say.
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:Especially if you hear the other
big rocks and you feel like I'm
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:doing most of those pretty well.
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:It certainly couldn't hurt to turn
some attention to getting a little
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:bit more restful sleep, I would
imagine as long as you're taking
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:rest days from the gym, you're
probably recovering relatively well.
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:You're not feeling super
sore, things like that.
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:You're probably okay from the
exercise recovery standpoint.
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:But sleep is, is really kind of
the foundation of a lot of stuff.
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:So if, if the other healthy habits are
feeling hard to do, if you're feeling
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:hungry a lot, if you have a lot of
cravings, if you are having especially
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:hard time getting up to that alarm, if
you're having a midday slump, all of
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:that kind of has roots back in sleep.
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:So it's one of those things that often if
you make that the priority, it then sort
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:of solves a lot of the other problems that
you didn't realize were stemming from it.
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:John: I, I do.
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:Maybe this is 'cause I live in Spain, but.
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:I do tend to find, on many days if I
do get a slump, I will take 20 minutes
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:Esther Avant: Mm.
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:John: just for a quick
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:Esther Avant: Mm-hmm.
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:John: generally no more than that.
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:And then I'll, I'll come back and I
nearly always, I feel cool with that
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:and I think that's one of the things
that does help me perhaps stay on top
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:of this and, and maybe why I don't
feel that the sort of average six and a
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:half hours a night is that bad for me.
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:But
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:Esther Avant: Yeah.
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:John: maybe it's that, that,
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:Esther Avant: Yeah.
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:Well, it would, it makes sense.
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:'cause if you're getting, on average
six and a half and then you get,
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:another 20 minutes, mid-afternoon
if you need it, you're, you're
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:averaging pretty close to seven.
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:I mean, the big thing is, paying attention
to your body and how you're feeling.
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:And if you notice things kind of
trending in a negative direction,
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:that's something to address.
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:But based on what you've said,
I wouldn't, I wouldn't really
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:stress too much about it.
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:It seems like you're in a good place.
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:John: Yeah.
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:That's good for me to know.
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:Um, for, for people who you
mentioned about rest, like rest from
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:the workouts, rest from the gym.
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:What should we be aiming for?
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:To feel like a balance and have
some healthy rest time from
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:exercise and, and the likes.
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:Esther Avant: I say one rest
or recovery day minimum.
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:And it depends a lot on kind
of the rest of your lifestyle.
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:If you are traveling a lot and you're
always in different time zones and
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:you're jet lagged, if you are really
stressed, if you're, you know, if, if
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:eating isn't a priority or nutrition
isn't a priority, then you may need
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:more rest to recover from your workouts.
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:So there's no, kind of blanket, I say one
minimum pretty much no matter who you are.
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:but potentially up to.
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:Like three, three per week.
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:and it should be clear, sometimes people
have a hard time with the term rest day.
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:Feeling like that means I can't
do anything remotely active.
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:That's not true.
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:We're talking about rest from.
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:Intense or grueling workouts.
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:So I do a longer yoga
class on my rest day.
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:You can think of it as active recovery.
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:What can I do on the days off from
the intensity to support my body in
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:reaping the benefits of the workouts
and in making sure that I am healthy and
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:strong to continue doing them long term?
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:John: Well, I, I.
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:As, as someone who used to be, an
international flight attendant,
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:I can attest to yoga being one
of the most beneficial things for
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:helping to normalize the body and
to to rest and recuperate that.
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:I started doing a regular yoga
practice, when I was flying,
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:it made a huge difference.
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:And, and I, it wasn't necessarily
a lot, it would be like 20 minutes
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:of yoga or maybe sometimes 10 or
15 depending on what was variable.
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:But it always made a difference a bit.
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:Yoga, a bit of a walk is like
nothing intense, but, I, I really
350
:appreciate what you're saying there.
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:And, and certainly for the,
for speakers who are traveling,
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:It doesn't need to be huge.
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:Like maybe the only exercise
kit you really need to take is,
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:a traveling yoga mat, if you
can fit that into your luggage.
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:So
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:Esther Avant: And I think too, part of
it is that it's a much easier sell than.
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:Getting in on a flight and, having
changed time zones and trying to gear
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:yourself up for an intense run or a heavy
strength session is, that's a lot easier
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:to just be like, I don't have that in me.
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:Whereas if we're talking about, taking a
walk and exploring a new city or doing a
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:20 minute yoga flow before you get into
bed, it's a lot, you're, you're setting
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:the bar a lot lower, which means you're
a lot more likely to then do the thing
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:and then reap the benefits and then
have the energy, et cetera, to then,
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:continue and, and potentially do more.
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:John: Which I think does bring up for
me, one of the other things that comes
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:up for me about this, about sometimes
the things that you will do will
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:be the things that you want to do.
368
:And so if you're trying to get yourself
to do things you really don't want to do,
369
:there's gonna be a a lot of resistance.
370
:So how, how do we help ourselves do
or maybe want these things more or,
371
:or find the things that will be, that
will have less resistance to, I guess.
372
:Esther Avant: Yeah, that's an awesome
question, and especially when you're just
373
:starting, it does make the most sense
to kind of go for the low hanging fruit.
374
:What am I either look forward
to the most or resist the least?
375
:Let me start there.
376
:Let me groove the habit.
377
:Let me get some consistency under my belt.
378
:but I do think there does kind of
reach a point where if, we were
379
:talking about, make sure you're
consistently doing the right things.
380
:If you're consistently doing the
thing you want to do, but you're not
381
:getting the result that you want,
that's when you kind of find yourself
382
:at odds where it's like, all right, I
can keep doing this thing that I enjoy
383
:but isn't getting me closer to the
goal or the reason that I'm doing it.
384
:Or I can do something that maybe is less.
385
:Effortless or less familiar, but
is going to help me get closer.
386
:And it's not to say it's an either or,
obviously it can be a combination, but
387
:I think there is, it is important to,
I refer to it as parenting yourself.
388
:I think it's important to
parent yourself sometimes.
389
:There are just always gonna be things that
we need to do or are good for us that.
390
:We would rather not do, and generally
we just make ourselves do it anyway.
391
:Right?
392
:As a speaker, there's probably an aspect
of your business that you don't like.
393
:Maybe you love being on stage, but it's
the contract negotiations or finding
394
:the events to pitch or the networking
that you just really would rather not
395
:do, but you're like, well, if I don't do
that thing, I don't get to speak on the
396
:stages, so I will do that thing because
I want the result of having done it.
397
:The same goes with this stuff is.
398
:You may not love strength training,
and it may never be the thing that you
399
:look forward to the most, but you do
recognize the value in doing it, or
400
:you do recognize that the result you
get from doing it is one that you like.
401
:So you just sort of say, well.
402
:Too bad we're doing it anyway.
403
:Like, this is what's happening.
404
:I'm in charge here.
405
:This is what we're doing.
406
:And it can come up with ways to
try to enjoy it more with, a good
407
:playlist or a community aspect to do
going to a class, things like that.
408
:But at the end of the day, there is
a little bit of well, it just has
409
:to be done and, and I'm the boss
here, so I will make myself do it.
410
:John: we, we can't delegate exercise
411
:Esther Avant: Exactly.
412
:Exactly.
413
:John: I'm sure maybe one day someone
will figure out a way to do that,
414
:but but until they do, it's us
who have to do it for ourselves.
415
:But I mean, I.
416
:you say there is, like the
story of me going swimming.
417
:I had no resistance really to
going and swimming each day, which
418
:got me into a daily exercise.
419
:I thought, well, let's, I, I have
the principle in mind of the habit
420
:being more important than the amount
and let's like create the habit
421
:first and then not really seeing the
kind of results I wanted from that.
422
:Knowing I needed to step things up, I
needed to get myself back in the gym,
423
:start doing weights again, not is not my
favorite thing, but I also don't hate it.
424
:It's just not something that I look
forward to as much as swimming.
425
:And as you say, you just push yourself to
do it and say, if I want these results,
426
:this is what's gonna have to happen.
427
:But for me, I found what really
helped me the most was the, decision
428
:had to be made before the day.
429
:Because if I, if I'm deciding at
seven o'clock in the morning, whether
430
:I'm gonna go to the gym or not.
431
:When I'm still waking up and my brain
isn't fully functioning, my, my base
432
:self is probably gonna win the argument.
433
:But if the decision's already made
and up and out, don't even need
434
:to think about it, the gym kit's
ready, everything's there to go.
435
:I will go and do it, and I,
I won't complain about it.
436
:I'll get on with it and I'll
feel better for it afterwards.
437
:Esther Avant: You nailed it.
438
:If there is one thing to take
away from this conversation, it is
439
:how crucial it is to plan ahead.
440
:Because Left to your own devices.
441
:Yeah.
442
:Or first thing in the
morning, the alarm goes off.
443
:Do I wanna get up and go to the gym?
444
:No, I do not.
445
:And around we go.
446
:So pre-commit yourself making
these decisions in advance, and
447
:then essentially giving yourself
the, the map to follow, oh, here's
448
:what I'm gonna have for breakfast,
here's what I'm gonna do at the gym.
449
:One of the biggest challenges that
people face today is decision fatigue.
450
:We actually recently polled a lot
of leaders, executives, coaches,
451
:et cetera, about their biggest
challenges and decision fatigue
452
:was at the top of the list, so.
453
:It makes sense that you don't want another
thing to think about, and therefore
454
:default to what you've always done.
455
:And if you're trying to make a change,
you can't keep defaulting to that.
456
:So it really comes down to, in the moment,
I'm gonna go the way I've always done.
457
:So what do I have to do differently so
that I have pre-decided and I make sure
458
:that I follow through on this thing?
459
:Could be as simple as having your alarm
out of reach from your bed so that
460
:you cannot hit snooze and there goes
another day that you didn't get up.
461
:It's these small things.
462
:it's deciding.
463
:I'm gonna wake up at seven, I'm gonna
splash some cold water on my face.
464
:I'm gonna go to the gym.
465
:My workout's already decided, or I already
packed my lunch, so I don't need to
466
:think about what I'm gonna do for that.
467
:Those freeing up your.
468
:Your mind for other things is
huge, and using the times that you
469
:have more oomph or enthusiasm or
motivation to set yourself up, to
470
:continue to be consistent, even when
you don't, will change everything.
471
:Generally, Sunday evening is when we're
feeling like gung-ho, okay, Monday
472
:new me, I'm gonna have a great week.
473
:I'm gonna do all these healthy things.
474
:You know that by midweek.
475
:Thursday, Friday, you're
not feeling the same.
476
:So what can I do now that makes Thursday
and Friday easier so that I don't
477
:continue to have weeks where I start
off strong and then I keep falling off,
478
:John: I think that's really valuable.
479
:And so for me, I just can't have that
argument with myself in the morning.
480
:Because, because I'll always lose.
481
:But also for, I also know myself well
enough to know that, if I haven't done
482
:the dishes the night before, it's like,
well, this can be something that I'm
483
:not gonna be looking forward to when I
484
:Esther Avant: Mm-hmm.
485
:John: the gym, but it's
gonna be on my mind as well.
486
:So get, get that done.
487
:Get my kit packed the night before,
because if I'm happy to find my swimming
488
:trunks or my gym shorts or whatever
else in the morning, and it slows me
489
:down, the more time I spend doing that,
the more time think, oh, do I really
490
:have time to get myself to the gym?
491
:And again, get to the office as.
492
:I know that I have to have
those things ready to go.
493
:so that nothing is gonna come up
that's a potential excuse for meals.
494
:something to slow me down for
getting out in the morning.
495
:So I'm ne nearly always out the house
five, 10 minutes after I've woken
496
:Esther Avant: Yes,
497
:John: that, that for me is
like, it has to happen that way.
498
:Esther Avant: that's
exactly how I am also.
499
:And I think it's, it's
such a smart way to do it.
500
:You're just reducing friction,
you know, from experience.
501
:Where are all the potential
tripping points that I could run
502
:into, and how many of those can I
resolve before they even happen?
503
:And it's just so much smoother sailing.
504
:John: I think, I do with coaching
clients a lot and have done over the
505
:years is also creating these Queued
actions rather than action commitments.
506
:We create actions that set them
up for the thing that they really
507
:want to do to keep things simple.
508
:And I think these are queuing.
509
:Actions.
510
:It's like you've already started
the process of doing the thing
511
:that ultimately you're gonna do.
512
:It's in progress.
513
:the night before, potentially,
sorry, it's already started.
514
:You queued yourself up to do that.
515
:So it's, I think already that's
easing the resistance as well
516
:of, well, you've already started,
so go and do the rest of it.
517
:Esther Avant: Right, right.
518
:Why would I have done that?
519
:That first thing if I wasn't gonna
follow through and do the next thing?
520
:You know?
521
:Something I think you're
doing really well is you're.
522
:You're connecting your present self to
your future self, which is something
523
:people have a really hard time doing.
524
:There's really interesting research
about how the brain activity, when we
525
:think about our future selves is similar
to when we think about a stranger.
526
:There's just a huge dis disconnect
between us now and us down the road.
527
:And that's part of what makes it
hard to do the things that we're
528
:talking about, to set ourselves up
for success is because you're like,
529
:well, that's future John's problem.
530
:He will just be eager to get out
of bed and he'll know exactly
531
:where his swim trunks are and and
he'll just have an easy morning.
532
:And you're making the connections
between like, Hey, I'm that guy
533
:and I know from past experience
that it's not gonna be like that.
534
:So let me do him a solid, let me
make it so his life is easier.
535
:And it's actually not, once you
get into the groove, it's not that
536
:much skin off your back anyway to,
make the sacrifice on his behalf.
537
:And then you start to realize how
much better you feel by, preso,
538
:all of those potential problems.
539
:John: Yeah, it definitely, it
makes a huge difference and, and
540
:not just for this area of life.
541
:I think it's something you can apply to
so many different parts of life that will
542
:set you up for greater long-term success.
543
:Esther Avant: A thousand percent.
544
:And that's part of what I think is so
cool about making health a priority, is
545
:that all the stuff that we're talking
about is also applicable to your family
546
:life, your relationships, your career,
and you just have a lot of opportunities
547
:to practice with your health.
548
:John: Yeah, I think one of the things I
like best about this is that, we think
549
:better and faster when our bodies are
working more, more efficiently as well.
550
:So all of this stuff is
gonna help you perform.
551
:I.
552
:Better, not just physically, but you
probably will feel better emotionally.
553
:'cause you'll look better, you'll have
more energy and your, your brain will
554
:work better because of what it, so
there's, and there's plenty of evidence to
555
:Esther Avant: Yes.
556
:John: that's the case.
557
:So I think that's all valuable.
558
:I do wanna come to nutrition, but before
I do, something that's on my mind about
559
:this is, having been in, in coaching for
many, many years myself, not, not fitness
560
:coaching obviously, but having been in
the area, I often hear people saying how
561
:important it's to set specific goals.
562
:Does it make a difference with your
health and fitness to have specific
563
:goals or can we have more of a
general, just wanna be healthier goal?
564
:I mean, how, what do you find is works
better with people you work with?
565
:Esther Avant: That's an excellent question
'cause I do think health is a little bit
566
:of a unique area when it comes to goals.
567
:For example, the majority of my career
I've worked with people with weight
568
:loss goals and when we're talking, I.
569
:Setting specific goals, it makes sense
that, well, okay, that specific thing
570
:would be what number I wanna see on the
scale, how much weight I want to lose.
571
:But what a lot of people have
found over time is how much of a
572
:double-edged sword that specificity
is where you then feel like if I
573
:fall short of that goal, I've failed.
574
:When the reality is you've made huge
strides toward being a healthier person.
575
:it can make it so that you feel compelled
to take health to an unhealthy extreme
576
:where it's like, I've got this goal, I
have to see this number, I'm going to
577
:eat as little as possible and work out as
long as possible just to see that number.
578
:So I think when it comes to
health there, it can be a
579
:little bit dicey with specifics.
580
:another example would be you wanna
lower your cholesterol and, you
581
:wanna get it into the healthy
range according to your doctor.
582
:And, Only so much of that
is within your control.
583
:Cholesterol specifically has
a very big genetic component.
584
:You could lower yours significantly
and be much better off than you were,
585
:but still be, slightly elevated.
586
:And what kind of toll is that
gonna take on your mentality?
587
:If you then feel like you failed?
588
:Are you gonna feel like, well, I
tried as hard as I could and I,
589
:and I fell short, so why bother?
590
:And now you revert back to these
much less healthy behaviors.
591
:So I do think there's a lot of gray area.
592
:that said, if we go with something
as vague as, I just wanna be healthy.
593
:We don't really know what we mean by that.
594
:I used to do, I used to do sales, health,
coaching, sales, and I would talk to
595
:dozens of people each week and damn near.
596
:Everybody would say, I
just wanna be healthier.
597
:And when I started prying and said,
well, what does healthier mean to you?
598
:Everybody had a different definition.
599
:So I think it's fine to keep it vague,
but not make it maybe as measurable or as
600
:specific as a smart goal might suggest.
601
:But I do think you need some
clarity on, well, how will I
602
:know if I'm getting healthier?
603
:Is it that I.
604
:Have less pain?
605
:Is it that there's a specific thing I
want to be able to do and I'll either be
606
:able to do it or not, like a complete a
hike or do some sort of, fitness thing.
607
:is it related to a health marker
that my doctor would check?
608
:having a general idea of like,
well, how do I define health for
609
:myself, I think is really important.
610
:So at least then you know how to move
in that general direction without
611
:getting too hung up on specifics.
612
:John: No, I like that.
613
:I mean, I, for me, I have a general aim
to get my body fat percentage below 30%.
614
:That's one of my big aims.
615
:but you know, the smaller things
like now, I would like to be able to
616
:feel more comfortable in my summer
clothes because I know that they're
617
:gonna be very snug at the moment.
618
:And, and so there's some work to do there,
but more, more than anything, I, I do try
619
:to focus on the goals as being the things.
620
:The goal is to do the things that will
get me the results that I ultimately want.
621
:So the goals for me have been more like
being consistent with, with going to the
622
:gym and being more consistent with diet
and exercise and, and all that in general.
623
:And, and so.
624
:Really just committing or saying
the goals are just doing those
625
:things and avoiding the things that
aren't gonna get me those results.
626
:So that's a bit easier to deal with.
627
:Maybe less dogmatic for us or less
risky in terms of, I don't have to think
628
:about how far away that any of that is.
629
:If I've shown up to the gym five days this
week, I've completed that goal, and yet
630
:there may be more that I want to do, but
that, that's what I find has been working
631
:for me and motivationally at least.
632
:Esther Avant: I love that, and
what you've done is you've.
633
:Made the distinction between outcome
goals and behavior goals, and we can't
634
:control the outcome no matter what.
635
:We cannot control what happens.
636
:All we can control is what we do, and
you're so smart for knowing, all right.
637
:Generally, I know what
direction I'm trying to go.
638
:These are the things that I can
control that will get me there.
639
:And if I just focus on, Hey, today,
did I do A, B, C, like I said, I would.
640
:Yes.
641
:Okay.
642
:If I keep stringing those days together,
it keeps stringing those actions together.
643
:I'm way more likely to get that result.
644
:But I'm not waking up every day
obsessing about am I there yet?
645
:John: Yeah, I'm increasing my likelihood
of achieving those outcomes and, that's,
646
:that's how I like to think of it.
647
:Great.
648
:so I'm, I'm happy that that's
a, a good track to be on.
649
:so let's get a bit more into the
nutrition side of things now with
650
:the time that we have left here.
651
:So, I, I'm, I'll start with what I
could do and you could tell me if
652
:I shouldn't be doing this or if I'm
sort of know maybe there's other
653
:things I should be doing as well.
654
:So I have been doing, or trying to
recommit myself recently to intermittent
655
:fasting, so kind of going periods of the.
656
:Each day, Monday to Friday, don't eat
until 2 30, 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
657
:But I just have my coffee
water throughout the day.
658
:And then I have an eating window until
about, probably about 11 o'clock at night
659
:really, before I start going to bed.
660
:Is that good or is that like, maybe.
661
:Maybe there's some other
things you wanna consider here.
662
:Esther Avant: I love this question,
and I had a feeling you were gonna
663
:say intermittent fasting, so, okay.
664
:the nutrition big rocks, your
total caloric intake, your
665
:protein, and your fiber intakes.
666
:So what you're doing with
intermittent fasting is you are
667
:addressing the big, biggest big
rock, which is your caloric intake.
668
:At the end of the day, if you want to
lose fat, you need to be taking in less
669
:calories than your body is burning.
670
:Most of us in developed countries,
eating is a free for all.
671
:From the minute we wake up to
the minute we go to bed, food is
672
:available and plentiful and delicious
and very easy to eat to excess.
673
:So what you're doing with intermittent
fasting is you are restricting
674
:calories by restricting the time
that you are open to eating it.
675
:And it's not that the window itself is
the reason that you'll be successful.
676
:It's that you have, like we were
talking about before, you have
677
:pre-committed, you have made it easy
to decide before you're in a situation.
678
:Whether or not you're going to eat.
679
:So you don't need to wake up
every day and say, oh, after this
680
:workout, should I eat something?
681
:Should I swing by this?
682
:And, should I swing by this place?
683
:Should I have this when I get home?
684
:You're not having to constantly
wrestle with yourself about food.
685
:It's just a very black and white.
686
:Oh, it's before this time,
then The answer's no.
687
:Oh, it's after this time.
688
:Good to go.
689
:for other listeners out
there, it is possible to.
690
:Not lose weight while intermittent
fasting or even to gain weight.
691
:I have worked with clients who have
kind of used it as license for that
692
:feeding window to be a free for all.
693
:John: Eat whatever you want.
694
:Esther Avant: Exactly.
695
:so if you're not also focused on what
you're eating in that time, it's not,
696
:you know, it's not a magic bullet.
697
:I personally follow something
similar for similar reasons.
698
:I think we, personality wise, we have a
lot of similarities and I just like that
699
:I then, it's not even a consideration.
700
:I don't need to think about eating
before about:
701
:just don't eat before then, and
I don't need to think about it.
702
:I don't need to stress about it.
703
:what I think you're doing really well
is that you've created a window that
704
:works for you and your lifestyle.
705
:A lot of people really stress about,
oh, should it be from noon to six?
706
:Or, oh, no, then I can't eat dinner.
707
:Like the beauty of it is that
you get to decide what it looks
708
:like and that that goes for all.
709
:Dietary approaches, whatever
you're doing to reduce your
710
:chloric intake to lose weight is,
that's what it's boiling down to.
711
:So you get to decide kind of how
what the rules look like for you.
712
:You said, eh, I don't really
miss it in the morning so I
713
:can get a bunch of stuff done.
714
:I get that out of the way.
715
:But, having a later window works for me.
716
:And that's, I think, what will make it.
717
:Work for you longer term is you're not
feeling like, oh, I've had to shift
718
:all of my stuff into this window that's
midday and then I don't eat dinner
719
:with my family, or then I can't go out.
720
:You found a way to kinda
get the best of both worlds.
721
:so I think that's an awesome start.
722
:and you know, again, it's not it.
723
:You need to fast.
724
:If you wanna lose weight, it's just,
I need to eat fewer calories and
725
:how do I make that feel easy for me?
726
:For other people, it's,
cutting out entire food groups.
727
:I wouldn't recommend that.
728
:for other people it's tracking their
intake and saying, I can have whatever I
729
:want whenever I want, but not all at once.
730
:Not in the quantities I might want.
731
:I'm gonna learn about the balance
of, how to eat in a way that I
732
:enjoy and that fits my goals.
733
:I would say what I would focus on within
your feeding window is making sure
734
:that you're getting in enough protein
and fiber to support both your goals.
735
:So you wanna drop body fat specifically,
not just weight, which means that strength
736
:training is really important, and eating
enough protein that helps you retain
737
:muscle and lose fat, that's a priority.
738
:And then fiber is sort of, again, a proxy
goal for just an overall nutritious diet.
739
:What you might find is that it could
be hard to eat enough of those things
740
:in a shortened window because they're
both very satiating kind of categories.
741
:so if you're finding I can't stomach
that much protein, or I can't eat
742
:that much produce or whole grains in
this shortened window, then maybe you
743
:consider some flexibility and you say,
in order to get an optimal amount of
744
:protein in, I'll do a shake post-workout.
745
:Then I don't eat until my feeding window.
746
:So I'm getting the increased protein
technically, yeah, I'm breaking the fast.
747
:But the benefit of the fast is really
just the reduction in calories.
748
:So, just kind of, it might benefit
you to track a couple days of
749
:eating and just see roughly how much
protein and fiber am I getting in?
750
:and then seeing if you're in a
good place or if you wanna focus a
751
:little bit more on increasing it.
752
:John: It is those things you said about
the reasons was saves me time the morning.
753
:So I actually get a bit of time back
because I'm not taking half an hour to
754
:an hour out of my morning to sit and
eat breakfast, or make it and prepare
755
:it and clean up afterwards as well.
756
:And so it gives me, I feel
like it gives you time back.
757
:I don't miss it, and it probably
is the time when I most want
758
:to eat carbs and drink a.
759
:liter of orange juice and kind of things
that probably aren't that great be doing.
760
:So skipping out on those,
actually, I do feel is beneficial.
761
:Not trying to stuff them in later in
the day, but I like the other stuff
762
:you say like, yeah, more protein,
definitely something I could do with.
763
:And, but you, you say not to cut out,
not to try and cut out the carbs so much
764
:and don't, don't need to go necessarily
ketogenic or anything like that.
765
:Yeah.
766
:Esther Avant: Yeah, I mean
just any and certainly.
767
:The beauty of nutrition is that
there is not one best diet.
768
:There are different things that work
for different people, and I think
769
:being open to experimenting and
seeing how you feel and learning,
770
:like this, but not that, and putting
together your own style, Is really key.
771
:But I do think a lot of people end up with
these really extreme dogmatic approaches
772
:that they can't sustain long term.
773
:And it's like each time you do something
that's a drastic change and then you
774
:find yourself back to where you were,
it just takes a toll on your confidence
775
:and your willingness to keep trying.
776
:You keep feeling like you're failing,
so why would you keep trying?
777
:So I think to just generally looking at.
778
:How you're eating now,
what things you enjoy?
779
:Most people there, occasionally I've met
somebody who's like, eh, carbs couldn't
780
:care, couldn't care less about 'em.
781
:but for the most part, people like carbs.
782
:And at the end of the day, you're
not gonna stick with a diet that
783
:you don't enjoy or that feels
really restrictive or that you've
784
:eliminated things that bring you joy.
785
:so I think it's, I think.
786
:For a, a good place to start for most
people is keeping a food journal for
787
:at least a few days, a couple, couple
weekdays and a weekend, and just get a
788
:feel for what kinds of things am I eating?
789
:Are things more calorie
dense than I realized?
790
:What simple swaps could I make?
791
:Meeting yourself where you are
and gradually making improvements
792
:over time instead of overnight
ripping the bandaid and suddenly,
793
:overhauling your entire diet.
794
:It might work temporarily, but
it's not gonna work long term.
795
:John: Does, does it help to
track any other aspects of the
796
:journey as well, do you think?
797
:Or
798
:Esther Avant: I think
799
:John: become a, a bind for people?
800
:Esther Avant: it's,
that's a great question.
801
:It is a double-edged sword, and
I think generally speaking, how
802
:you think about tracking, whether
it's tracking your steps, tracking
803
:your food, makes a big difference.
804
:If you are going into it this is
the end all, be all, this is the
805
:reason I'm gonna be successful is
because I'm tracking this thing.
806
:It's not, the reason you track is for
information so that you can become aware
807
:of what you're currently doing and how
it is or isn't supporting your goals.
808
:What you choose to do with
that information is up to you.
809
:So I think in the beginning, getting
a baseline is really important.
810
:Tracking how many steps you're getting,
how many days a week you're working out,
811
:what you're eating, things of that nature.
812
:Just help you get your bearings
of where am I as compared to.
813
:Where I want to be.
814
:We were talking earlier about
focusing on the behavior goals.
815
:So if I know the big rocks, if I'm
trying to walk daily, get my strength
816
:in, get my protein, fiber, et cetera.
817
:I need to know where I am now so that I
know what behaviors I need to focus on.
818
:generally, I think the best
form of tracking is a bird's eye
819
:view of a couple main habits.
820
:So one, one example we've been talking
about is like that seven o'clock alarm.
821
:You're consistently
getting up at that time.
822
:But a listener who might be saying, I'm
motivated after hearing this conversation.
823
:I wanna start waking up early too,
to do whatever thing, is you pick
824
:a couple of habits and you get, you
print off a blank monthly calendar
825
:and each day you do the thing.
826
:You put a dot or a sticker or a check
mark or whatever, so that you're
827
:able to get the high level view of
how often am I actually following
828
:through and doing this thing?
829
:What patterns are showing up for me?
830
:Am I, doing really solid Monday through
Thursday, and then there's not a
831
:sticker in sight Friday through Sunday.
832
:you it helps you learn without
getting too obsessed with the minutia.
833
:John: I like that.
834
:Yeah.
835
:It's the Jerry Seinfeld method.
836
:Right?
837
:Put the cross on the
calendar for each day.
838
:You do.
839
:And keep the, try and keep the
crosses connected as much as possible.
840
:love that.
841
:for us, because I, I'll throw
this in I think for our, for our
842
:speaker audience, one of the things
I found very motivating recently
843
:is I've been doing standup comedy.
844
:I've been doing story events recently,
and they've all been videoed.
845
:Seeing myself up on stage and thinking,
oh, I could look a lot better, is
846
:incredibly motivating to get my butt back
into the gym and get on and do this stuff.
847
:So I do recommend, even though you might
not like how you're looking at the moment,
848
:get yourself video, it will motivate you
and you will look better the next time
849
:you do it and you'll see the improvements.
850
:So I do find that that's valuable tool
to help you, help you move it forward.
851
:Esther Avant: Yeah.
852
:And too, I just had a
very similar experience.
853
:And if nothing else, it will
help you dress better for the
854
:current version of your body.
855
:I just got some footage back from an
event and thought what I wore looked good
856
:in the mirror and then realized, in real
life it just, some parts just didn't look
857
:great and, and now I know, don't think,
there's nothing wrong with my body.
858
:That outfit didn't flatter it.
859
:So, in the short term.
860
:You can use it to just be like,
oh, okay, well, good to know.
861
:I'll dress a little bit
differently next time.
862
:And then, yeah, longer term you can
be like, yeah, I would like to feel
863
:better about who I see in this,
in these photos, in this footage.
864
:and this can be my
motivation for taking action.
865
:John: And would certainly add this as
well, like if you're not happy with
866
:how you look or feel right now, don't
let that be the thing that stops you
867
:getting up on stage and doing this.
868
:Like do that and sort it out
whilst you're in progress.
869
:Otherwise, it's just gonna keep repeating.
870
:This has been wonderful.
871
:You've shared so much great stuff with us.
872
:For our listener, where can they
find out more about you and maybe
873
:you can get some more help from you.
874
:Esther Avant: Yeah, the easiest way
is my website, esther avant.com.
875
:It has links to my book, my podcast,
my coaching and social media as well.
876
:John: Awesome.
877
:And certainly I encourage people
to, to check out your book and this
878
:has been a wonderful conversation
and nothing we've talked about has
879
:been like, oh yeah, this is so hard.
880
:Oh, I couldn't do this.
881
:It is like, it's all very doable and
you kept it very accessible for us.
882
:So I really appreciate that.
883
:You've been the perfect
guest to have for this topic.
884
:Esther, thank you so much for coming on.
885
:Percent influence.
886
:Esther Avant: Oh, thank
you so much for having me.
887
:John: If you got some value from
this conversation and I know you
888
:did, do your future self a favor.
889
:Hit that like button, subscribe and tap
the bell so you never miss an episode.
890
:That helps you level up your
influence from the inside out.
891
:And tell us in the comments, what's
one small health habit that you
892
:are gonna commit to in this week,
Esther and I will be checking
893
:in and we'd love to cheer you on
894
:If you want more performance boosting
tips for speakers and coaches, check
895
:out the full podcast on your favorite
app or visit present influence.com
896
:for resources, downloads,
and upcoming events.
897
:Thanks for watching.
898
:Stay Healthy, stay influential.
899
:I'll see you in the next one.
