Training Through Back Pain: How to Keep Going Without Forcing It

Feeling tired, foggy, bloated, or weak in the gym usually has a cause. The trick is knowing how far back to look. In this episode of the "Acting Like You Care About Your Body" series, Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson explain the short-, medium-, and long-term signals your body sends, and how to use them to make better decisions. In this episode: Within 24 hours: hydration, caffeine, salty meals, skipped meals, and one bad night of sleep Why a salty meal on the scale doesn't mean "everything's ruined" Eating carbs 60 to 90 minutes before training so you're ready to go Creatine and the extra willingness to grind out a rep 48 to 72 hours: alcohol, high-volume training, and a high heart rate that may mean you're getting sick How chronic sleep loss and frequent travel can pass for "just getting older" Why consistency makes it easier to see what's working, and how long to stick with a nutrition plan (usually 2 to 4 weeks) before changing it Andrew's rule: zoom out for perspective, zoom in for action Connect with the hosts Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] PS - Busy mom strugging to take care of your own health with all your other responsibilities!? Get our free Strength for the Life You Love guide and start getting healthier in the life you already have.

Barbell Logic founder Matt Reynolds has cut body fat for nine straight months with no cardio. He shares how walking, lifting, quitting alcohol, and simple meals did the work. You can lose fat without cardio. Barbell Logic founder Matt Reynolds has cut his body fat for nine straight months without any dedicated cardio. In this episode, Andrew Jackson and Matt walk through exactly what he does each day, from his walks and his training plan to the meals he eats almost every day. In this episode: Why fat loss comes from a calorie deficit, not time on a treadmill How Matt walks twice a day to hit 10,000 to 12,000 steps Why quitting alcohol was his first big change, and how to cut back in steps if quitting feels like too much Matt's simple, high-protein meals, plus how he added fiber and uses low-calorie sauces for flavor His six-day push, pull, legs plan, and why he eats to fuel training instead of training to burn calories How he tracks progress with a smart scale and lab work, and why this plan doesn't feel like a diet Connect with the hosts Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] PS - Busy mom strugging to take care of your own health with all your other responsibilities!? Get our free Strength for the Life You Love guide and start getting healthier in the life you already have.

Andrew Conrad has plenty of reasons not to train. He was born with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, or RDEB, a rare skin disorder that makes his skin extremely fragile. Friction and pressure can cause blisters, wounds, and scar tissue. Even normal activities can require extra care. But Andrew has spent his life finding ways to stay active. He grew up playing baseball and competitive tennis. He later trained CrossFit, ran a half marathon, tried OrangeTheory, and eventually found his way to Barbell Logic. Today, he trains four days per week and continues to chase strength goals. In this episode of Beast Over Burden, Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson talk with Andrew about growing up with RDEB, learning to manage physical limitations, and adapting his training instead of giving it up. Andrew explains how he has modified exercises, equipment, sets, and reps around his condition. That has included gloves, tape, neoprene protection, straps, safety squat bars, different squat variations, and changes to how he deadlifts and benches. The bigger lesson applies far beyond Andrew's rare condition. Your training does not have to look like somebody else's training to work. Injuries, age, health conditions, recovery, and other limitations may change how you train. They do not always have to mean that you stop. Good strength training starts with the person in front of you. In this episode: • Andrew's experience growing up with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa • Staying active despite a condition that makes friction and pressure difficult • His background in baseball, tennis, CrossFit, running, and OrangeTheory • Why he eventually moved to Connect with the hosts Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] PS - Busy mom strugging to take care of your own health with all your other responsibilities!? Get our free Strength for the Life You Love guide and start getting healthier in the life you already have.

Sleep affects your mood, focus, training, recovery, and almost everything else you do. But getting better sleep does not require a perfect nighttime routine or an endless list of sleep hacks. Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson talk about practical ways to improve sleep while accepting that real life will never be perfectly optimized. They discuss consistent bedtimes and wake times, evening routines, meal timing, caffeine, alcohol, naps, room temperature, waking up during the night, and using sleep trackers without becoming obsessed with the data. They also explain why poor sleep can make the same training feel much harder, how short naps can improve focus, and why your evening routine may begin much earlier than bedtime. The goal is not perfect sleep. The goal is to build a few habits that consistently move you toward better rest, better recovery, and better performance. In this episode: Why good sleep changes your mood and training

What happens when you remember being athletic, strong, and in shape—but that version of yourself feels decades away? For former athletes and people who used to train, getting back in shape can come with a unique kind of frustration. You remember what you used to be able to do, but your life, schedule, recovery, and body are different now. That comparison can leave you stuck: either you decide there's no point in trying, or you go all-in, do too much too quickly, and burn yourself out. Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson discuss why getting back in shape requires more than motivation. It requires learning to care about yourself without lowering your standards, rebuilding trust in yourself through small actions, and accepting that you do not need to become your 20-year-old self again. They also explain why former athletes often struggle to start over, how self-trust is built through ability, integrity, and benevolence, why taking care of your health is ultimately an act of care for your family, and why simple strength training can be one of the best places to begin. You may not be able to go back to who you were—but six months from now, you can be much stronger than you are today. In this episode: Why former athletes can struggle more with starting over