We kicked off season 9 of the podcast a bit later than expected. We learned of the untimely and unexpected passing of Ryan Deffet this fall - aSweatLife's friend and the longtime editor of this podcast. We waited to come back until we could mourn Ryan and find a way to properly memorialize him.His friends and band mates from The Space Gators allowed us to use a song that featured Ryan on vocals called "Somewhere To Be" at the upfront of the episode. We hope you'll take the time to listen to that beautiful song in this week's episode.We spend this episode going over what's to come on aSweatLife (including big updates for the Ambassador program) and on our podcast. As we come back this season, you'll hear us talking to experts who we ask to teach us something.We're excited for you to come along with us on this journey.Show notes:Remember Ryan Deffet with us and give his band The Space Gators, a followThe aSweatLife Ambassador programEmail the aSweatLife team if you want to partner for aSweatLife's Studio of the Monththe Ultramarathoner that Kelly fangirled over: Courtney DauwalterOur new community platform, CircleThe Tour du Mont BlancKelly's trip on the Tour Du Mont Blanc, summarizedGet a glimpse at my officiating skills (and the cutest wedding ever) and the moment we all waited forReflections from summer from Jeana's Instagram

It has admittedly been a weird week or so on the Internet. We went from learning that aliens might be super real (told you, Gideon) to moving on. Maybe it was the full moon, who knows.So, we decompressed and talked it over on our monthly tête-à-tête - our podcast episode that we call "Let's Talk About It." Sure, we spent a little bit of time talking about aliens and whether or not they're just tourist, but we also covered which astrology apps we like and what we're saving on Instagram and TikTok.On this week's episode, you'll hear from me, Jeana Anderson Cohen, and from the Senior Director of Communities at aSweatLife, Kelly Matkovich. Joining us is Dana Farber who runs Moonstone marketing and works with aSweatLife on content strategy and social media.Resources:What Dana is saving on social: Snack queen baked potato dip What Dana is saving on social: Women living alone - extra lock What Dana is saving on social: Treehouse glamping in Washington What Kelly is saving on social: Heel hook What Kelly is saving on social: Tour de mont blanc What Kelly is saving on social: Derma planing UFO hearings Therabody smart goggles Mystic Monday Horoscope app: Co-star Horoscope app: Pattern Horoscope app: Sanctuary Astrology app: The chani app Tarot card app: mystic monday Dana’s playlists for moods: sad Dana’s playlists for moods: stay in bed Dana’s playlists for moods: Lazy Afternoon Therabody Smart Goggles

Have you ever seen a small, round sensor on the back of someone’s arm? For a long time, those continuous glucose monitors were only used for monitoring the blood glucose of those with Diabetes. My grandfather had diabetes and he would check his blood glucose twice a day using a finger prick. I remember distinctly the sound of the little device - it was like a stapler - I also remember the curse words that would follow.So, I assumed as I was putting the Freestyle Libre on the back of my arm that it would be as painful as the finger pricks. It was not. And for two weeks, I wore it and dutifully trained the January.ai App to help me understand and control my blood glucose.It created something called a "digital twin" which learned which behaviors led to blood sugar spikes and valleys. If creating a digital twin of yourself sounds scary, and like the robots are coming. Well, the robots are coming anyway, so, we might as well team up with them to make our lives better.Joining me today is Noosheen Hashemi, CEO and Founder of January.ai, which uses AI to help manage your glucose and predict the impact of key behaviors on our body’s unique metabolism. Resources:Use code "SWEAT25" for 25% off January.ai Follow January on Instagram Abbott will be releasing more sensors Eliud Kipchoge on using the Abbott sensor for marathon trainingExercise and blood glucose (american diabetes association)Noosheen’s daughter on Instagram  How blood glucose testing works with testing strips

If we were on TikTok right now, I’d be referring to myself as an “anxiety girlie” and as such, I have tried many, many anxiety coping mechanisms and recently, I discovered the Quiet Mind weighted pillow and I am super in love.And joining me today on the podcast is Mikey Goldman, creator of Quiet Mind. We talk through where the idea came from, and a few of his big backers, like Nick woodman of GoPro and Chad Hurley of YouTube.We also discuss the reasons Mikey created Quiet Mind - a diagnosis of ADHD and managing the symptoms that came with taking multiple medications - and how surprising it was to him that a weighted pillow didn't exist already.References: Quiet Mind - code ASWEATLIFE - gets 15% Off!Thingtesting's take on Quiet MindScholarly article about Deep Pressure Stimulation on AutismThe effects of deep pressure on AnxietyBetter Homes and Gardens on the Launch of Quiet Mind  Hugging a pillow while sleeping - advice from the Quiet Mind blog

I'm the kind of friend that keeps up with people through their posts. And this year, it's been pretty hard to miss what my friend AND yours Gideon Akande is up to: he committed to doing 365 consecutive days of movement. He's calling it Project 365, and it's a lot less daunting than you might think.On this week's episode of the podcast, I asked Gideon to share the rules of his challenge - he didn't love the word "rules," but shared the guidelines nonetheless. Basically, he can do anything for exercise at any time of the day as long as it's "concentrated exercise" for a minimum of 15 minutes. So taking a walk for exercise versus taking a walk to commute and counting the multi-task.At first, I was worried about his recovery. "He'll burn out!" I thought. But on a closer look, he's doing this in a safe and strategic way. (It's almost like he's a personal trainer or something).So we talk about WHY he started and I found it completely relatable. As a new dad, he found himself moving less. And because movement is a big part of his life as a three-time Chicago Golden Gloves champion, trainer, and national winner of the Men’s Health Next Top Trainer competition.He lives for movement and wanted to make sure he was walking the walk.I loved this entire conversation, but my favorite part was hearing what Gideon has learned in more than six months of this challenge. I won't spoil it for you, but the key word is JOY.Resources: Gideon Akande on InstagramGet a 7-day trial of the get Fit with Giddy appBody Bar PilatesGideon’s favorite Nigerian Foods: Iyan and Efo Riro Restore Hyper WellnessAccording to Live Sciences, you can work out every day IF you’re strategic.Train momentLululemon Experiential (where you can find Gideon on the schedule)Rise nationSwish houseCommunities: MovementNorthern Lights visible in Chicago this Wednesday July 12

This week, in passing we mentioned that at the end of the aSweatLife summer intern’s time with us we would sit down and tell her everything we had to learn the hard way after college graduation. Then we realized that we should probably record it as it’s hot on our minds and is really the only thing we can think about this week.Ever since we had the conversation as a team, I thought about the things that I learned through whisper networks or by falling on my face. They were innumerable. So, we’re not going to gatekeep it.Julia had good questions for us:Work relatedHow should I go about getting a job? What’s the best advice you could give to someone interviewing for a job? What are your musts when it comes to looking for a job?PersonalWhat’s one thing you would like your senior college self to know? How should a 20 year old come about looking for friends after college? How would you advice a 20 year old to get used to a 9-5pm What do you guys think about a hobby as a career?And we prepared a little advice for her:At work -if someone says something IMPORTANT to you with just their voice, follow up with an email asking them to confirm. Get shit in writing.It's okay to quit a job if you don't have another job lined up AND find mentorsOur advice on life:Ask questions.Have the best time with your friends - go out, go to restaurants, travel - do all the thingsOur advice as old married ladiesJeana: In my early 20s, I spent so much time wondering and worrying about whether the person I had been on one or two dates with liked me and very little time on whether I liked them. As soon as I started asking that question, “Do I like them? Have they earned my mindspace?” Things shifted for me. Kelly: I wish I would have dated MORE And live on your ownAnd the aSweatLife Ambassadors shared some guidance:Honestly, this was my favorite part: sourcing guidance from this group of really unique humans. Here's what they said:"Staying in a crappy job too long can let some good jobs get away from you, and can be detrimental to your self esteem." - Mariah B."Know your worth and don’t be afraid to negotiate your salary! I was too scared to right out of college and was basically slapped with minimum wage wrapped up as a “salary” because I thought I couldn’t ask for anything else." -Sydney M."More for personal life, but do what you want to do, even if it means going for it solo! I spent some years thinking I just wouldn’t do things bc my friends weren’t also interested in doing them, but now have embraced just going for it. I’ve gone to things solo and left with acquaintances with the same interests. Or just left solo with a great experience lol." -Sarah S."Work is not who you are, and is not everything. You can always change things if they aren’t for you, you can always reinvent yourself, you can always advocate for yourself. Nothing has to be a linear path to the top." - CC"Two things ... One of them is from the Olsen twins… 1. No is a full sentence. (thanks Olsen twins). 2. You don't have to have things figured out. Like ever. There is no point in life at which you need to have the perfect job or be married or have kids or it's too late." -Tahnee L."If you can afford to - you can take vacation even if you don't have paid time off available / used up." -Amy G."2 bits of career advice learned the hard way. 1) Sometimes not getting the job has nothing to do with you. You met the qualifications, you interviewed well, it felt like a fit. There’s too many unknowns to you. The company culture, the culture of the team you’d be joining, internal candidates, etc. I spent a lot of time being hard on myself and it wasn’t until I became a hiring manager that I realized I could’ve saved myself some heartache by accounting for the unknowns. 2) At every job you will ever have, even if you own your own business, you are replaceable. It may not be done the same way, or as well even but, there are people who can do what you do to some degree. Keep that mindset and perhaps it’ll save you some serious abuse of work/life boundaries and burnout early in your career that I learned the hard way." -Alexis R.Resources:Ladies Get PaidAsk a Manager is a great resource for any question for your careerQuestions that Julia sourced from the InternetJanuary.ai

During aSweatLife’s annual event, Sweatworking Week, we met a lot of new people. We love that about Sweatworking Week. And they had questions about where aSweatLife came from and why. We figured we might as well share the story since you’re asking.So this week, we turned the tables and Kelly Matkovich, who leads aSweatLife's ambassador program interviewed Jeana Anderson Cohen, founder/CEO of aSweatLife.We talk over the beginning of aSweatLife, where the ambassadorship came from, our first revenue stream and what keeps us going today.References: aSweatLifeaSweatLife ambassadorsPodcast episode from Jan 4th; Ambassador programFrom Fast Company: How Dabbling Helps Your CareerDevil’s Thumb RanchOura Ring

At aSweatLife, we always say that everything is better with friends. And because of that, we get to spend time meeting entrepreneurs and tastemakers in the wellness space. Like a lot of them. But when one of the aSweatLife ambassadors mentioned the brand Literally Outside on our private slack channel, we dug into this Chicago-based brand and knew we needed to become friends. Joining us today is Steffan Williams, the Founder and Chief Executive Outsider at Literally Outside! Literally Outside is a lifestyle brand on a mission to empower everyone to feel comfortable exploring the great outdoors. It’s black-owned, operated by two cousins, and supported by a team of family.Literally Outside is one of the few Black-owned outdoor lifestyle companies in the US. That brand has transparent values that you'll hear us talk about on the episode. It's conscious, soulful, accessible, and adventurous.Literally Outside wants to change the narrative of what it looks like to be “outdoorsy” so everyone can feel like they belong in the outdoors. On the episode, we talk about the idea of their slogan, “Outsiders Welcome.”Resources:Find Steffan Williams on LinkedInDiscover Literally OutsideFollow Literally Outside on InstagramLearn more about the Collab with Cody Hudson of Struggle Inc.Listen to the Episode of How I Built This Featuring Ty Haney that we talked aboutWe talk about SweatworkingWeek, learn more“A good plan today, is better than a perfect plan tomorrow” the Edge MovieBlack people outsideTortugas hiking clubVery Human SocialFriday Morning Swim Club

To start off the month, we like to touch base as a team and bring whatever we're thinking about to the table. This week, we talked through three big questions:Kelly had a very specific ask for shorts for running. She has a very specific need for shorts that are High waisted, have a brief liner, have a 4 inch inseam, have Storage and come in a neutral color. We didn't have a ton to offer her on that front, so we'd love your help.Dana talked through her co-working needs. She's ready to co-work again and asked for some ideas as to where.As for me? I wanted to know everyone's skincare routine. You'll notice in our resources that we spent a lot of time talking about our favorite brands.We also chatted through a tiny topic: Romcoms. We talked about the best and the worst of the genre as well as some of our favorite movies to rewatch.And a delightful addition: you'll hear from aSweatLife's summer intern Julia who has a lot to say about both skincare and romcoms. References:TracksmithLululemon Align ShortsOn running cloud ultraWorking fromDesk passOutset skin careRare beauty makeupLaneige Lip Sleeping MaskCryo SpoonScratch goods coffee undereyeIndie Lee brightening face washMoonjuice plump jellyIlia lip maskAavrani ITK SkincareCeraVe Rose water spray - NOW foods

At aSweatLife, we always say that everything is better with friends. And that's not just to be cute - high quality bonds are the clearest predictor of longevity. Not to be dramatic, but making friends and spending time with them is a matter of life or less life.Maybe you remember, but the past couple of years have been rough from a friendship perspective - you know what I mean. And many people took the pandemic to be an opportunity to reevaluate their surroundings, their happiness, and their living situations. I can't count how many people I know who moved or took off to become digital nomads. Moving can be a challenge from a connection standpoint.Today, on the podcast, I’m speaking to someone today who took what could have been an isolating experience and she made it friendly.Here's what Maggie Umberger said in her article on aSweatLife about making friends during her digital nomad year.“From my time traveling the country over the last year, I learned an unexpected lesson I didn’t set out to receive. When I packed up the car to head west, the itinerary was set for places I’d never been and where I didn’t know a soul. I left thinking this was going to be a journey into isolation. I learned it was a journey — one that’s only just beginning — towards connection."So we talk about why she and her partner took off for adventure and what they learned along the way.Resources:Follow Maggie Umberger Do yoga with Maggie Maggie's challenge to make friends on the road Un-steal-able bike, Fortified The Book about making friends as an adult, You Will Find Your People by Lane MooreThe book Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Stop for a second and ask yourself the following: if you meet a woman who tells you she isn't drinking, do you assume she's pregnant? Don't lie to me.I spent nearly a year as a mostly sober - ok, fine a California-mostly-sober person. I went on Lexipro last May and I liked not feeling anxious and depressed, but I did not enjoy browning out. So, out with the booze and out with the blues. After nearly a year of the pregnant pauses (that's a lazy pun) that followed explaining that I wasn't drinking, I just started saying, "and no, I'm not pregnant."Christina Heiser, whose voice you'll hear on the podcast this week, stopped drinking in December of 2021 and kept it up. She's a journalist, and so, she's observed and written about how it felt, the impact and why she did it. After she penned 5 Things That Happened When I Quit Drinking for a Year, I knew I'd found a kindred spirit.We spend some time on the episode talking about our gluten *stuff* and she and I connected on how easy it is to accidentally eat gluten while you are impaired.And because she is incredibly prepared at all times, Christina also came with her own links and resources. So don't hesitate to dive into her favorite influencers, products and links.References: 5 Things That Happened When I Quit Drinking for a YearN/A drinks: Boisson - an online N/A marketplaceBetter Rhodes - an online N/A marketplaceGhiaHoplarkMondayCleanCoGiesen Quit Lit (books about drinking less)Quit Like a Woman by Holly WhitakerThe Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine GrayDrinking Games by Sarah LevyThe Dry Challenge by Hilary SheinbaumSober influencers@shestayssober (Sarah Pottieger)@noboozebabes (Shea Gomez)@joinsoberish (Kayla Lyons)@themindfulmocktail (Natalie Battaglia)

A couple of months ago, I saw the signature microweights on the Omorpho gear for the first time in the background of a workout on Bravo's Summerhouse. I thought, "What's that future-wear?" And then went on with my life. (Yes, I watch Bravo, but I wouldn't call myself a Bravo-holic. Except, please ask me about Scandoval if you see me in the wild.)So when I got my Omorpho G-tight and G-tank for myself, I couldn't fathom how this futuristic athletic apparel weighing in at under 2 pounds could enhance my workout. That is until I wore the outfit to an Interval workout at Studio Three. The treadmill inclines and sprints were decidedly more challenging. So, when I sat down to chat with Stefan Olander - former Nike heavy-hitter and cofounder/CEO of Omorpho - I understood the insight the brand was tapping into.On the episode, I reference the CrossFit workout Murph, which was my point of reference for using a weighted vest to increase intensity. You'll hear Stefan share that a Murph workout was actually a big inspiration for the company.But weighted vests were heavy, and I didn't have any burning desire to add 10 percent of my bodyweight or more to my upper body for a workout. But Omorpho weighs much less than a typical weighted vest and its evenly distributes the weight all over your body in the tanks and tights that I tried.On this week's episode, we dive into the science and the design of Omorpho.References: OmorphoFollow Omorpho on instagramMurph, the CrossFit workout that started it allAwe, the book by Dacher Keltner that I’m obsessed with and have talked about on this podcast several timesSimulated hypergravity study (which shows that athletes got stronger and faster with added weight)The Omorpho AppThe study that upended what we know about calories and metabolismDr. Huberman and cold Wim Hof and coldWhat’s biohacking?

"When nothing is certain, anything is possible."Heidi Zimmer, founder of Wild Rice Retreat said that on this week's episode of the podcast, and I furiously wrote it down. Because even though she was talking about the uncertainty of breaking ground on the project she'd worked on for years in March of 2020, I felt like it applied to absolutely everything.And today, Wild Rice Rice Retreat is thriving on the shores of Bayfield, Wisconsin. With stunning views of Lake Superior (my favorite Great Lake) and access to miles of trails, this shoreline oasis is as much about being in nature as it is about integrating wellness into your life.And its price point - around $300 a night for meals, lodging, and yoga programming - is staggeringly low compared to some of the options available. Heidi's vision is to make wellness travel accessible - and to do it all in the north woods of Wisconsin.Hear all about it on this week's episode!Resources: Learn more about Wild Rice RetreatFollow Wild Rice Retreat on InstagramMeet Heidi ZimmerThe time I visited Wild Rice RetreatThe book: Braiding Sweet GrassMary Rice of Bayfield, Wisconsin and how her memory lives onWild Rice RestaurantThe architect behind Wild Rice Retreat, David Salmela Chequamegon-Nicolet National ForestThe Apostle IslandsHeidi's recommended book, Unreasonable HospitalityMy recommended book, AweSomething Heidi is loving this week: Kapha Season, a concept in AyurvedaSomething I'm loving this week: Cryospoon

Every month, we hit the record button as a team to talk about what we're loving, eating, watching, and how we're moving. This week, Head of Community at aSweatLife, Kelly Matkovich; aSweatLife's partner Dana Farber, who runs Moonstone Marketing; and I all brought three things to discuss.Here's what came up:Sleep: Kelly wanted to know how we're sleeping, what we use to go to sleep, and she makes a great pitch for the Hatch alarm clockPickleball: Kelly's getting really into it pickleball and she tells us why A Trader Joe's snack that disappointed DanaDana's current favorite workout, P.volveThe Amazon show Jury DutyThe Hoxton’s Working Form_ Relay desksI accidentally gave medical advice three times. Please consult your physician before doing anything I tell Kelly and Dana to do.Resources:Crunchy curls from TJ’sRaspberry shortbread sandwich cookiesTrader joe’s dried pineapple The cut, People working multiple jobs to afford ErehwonThe cut, outsourcing my orgasmCalm, the magnesium supplementDemon Copperhead - the bookPineapple Street - the bookP.volve - the workoutChunky socks - the necessityErica Marie - the incredible trainerVuori t-shirt - Kelly's go-to workout shirtCotopaxi windbreaker - Kelly's windbreakerJury Duty, watch every second of it.The Hoxton’s _workingFromHeyDay facialsA beginner's Guide to Pickleball on aSweatLifeAn entire episode of this podcast about pickleballSeventh heaven tiktok recapsShrinking on Apple TVSuperglue and cuts, guidance from the Mayo Clini

April showers are bringing May flowers, we're also seeing running goals on the horizon. That's why we're running with hundreds of ambassadors from across the nation who are training for for a 5k. For some of us, it’s just for the fun of it, for some it’s to get faster, and for others it’s simply to do the thing.It can be easy to think of running shoes as another accessory for your fit-fit (see what I did there), but we know that for runners, shoes are your equipment for your sport. We brought Todd Falker into the digital studio to talk about shoes, innovation and why it matters for running.Todd is fast, and in the course of this conversation, I invited myself to spectate his next trail race. Because how often do you get to watch someone run fast, far and on trails?!References: Todd Falker on Instagram Puma Running innovation ft. Todd Falker Your guide to Running Shoes Ft. Conor Cashin The Ice Age Trail 50 in Wisconsin The Cheap Marathon, it costs $26.20 Ready for a super science-y review of super critical foaming? Here you go! Puma runner, Annie Frisbie Puma runner, Hendrich Pfieffer Puma runner, Edna Kiplagat RC Malden The mile high run club Slow AF Run Club The Hansen’s Marathon Method Figure out your Sun, Moon, and Rising signs

As aSweatLife's #GoalForIt running program kicks off, we're bringing together aSweatLife Ambassadors from across the nation to train and run for a 5k. For some of us, it's just for the fun of it, for some it's to get faster, and for others it's simply to do the thing.We always say that everything is better with friends here at aSweatLife. And that especially applies to running. So today on the podcast, we’re talking about community and running. We've brought one of our resident community builders, Nimbe Juarez onto the podcast to talk about why community matters for running, where to find it, and how to create it for yourself.Nimbe has a self-proclaimed, "love-hate relationship" with running, but for her the idea of running with friends keeps her coming back. She organizes a monthly event that she calls "friends-running" to bring an all-paces community together to run.On the episode, we talk about our relationship with running, running groups we admire, and running with donkeys.References: aSweatLife ambassadors (people like Nimbe who get cool stuff and programming to do together)Nimbe Juarez on InstagramTORTUGAS Run ClubFamily style Run Clubmidway mile chasers3run2Puma runningYour guide to Running ShoesAlexi Pappa's book, Bravey Alexi Pappas wrote the for Runner’s World on the WHY behind communityNimbe’s resource on Community, “If you want to go Faster or Farther, Join a Running Group.”Aftershokz HeadphonesBurro racing in Colorado is evidently a thing

It’s the first podcast of the month. We're coming at you to share some things we’re thinking about. We’ll shoot the breeze, share things we love and try to crack each other up.This week, we're catching up on the podcast on food, friendship, fitness and fun. Each of us (Dana, Kelly and I) are bringing two topics we want to chat through to the episode.Here's what we cover:Cottage CheeseTraveling with friendsThe Barbie Movie, marketing, and trailerPassover foodJeana's #30Daysoffriends challengeLove is Blind Season 4And we all talk about our favorite comfort TVResources: Mt lions and what to know about them Good culture cottage cheese, because cottage cheese is trending Splitwise for all of your travel needs The Barbie movie trailer Greta gerwig, the director of Barbie Evan Ross Katz ICYMI, Barbie Girl by AquaFun things to do with leftover MatzoP.volveLove is BlindRewatching TV shows is good for your anxiety Pod meets worldSalty Face Tanning WaterAnd our very important list of comfort TVThe Office 30 RockTed LassoFriends New Girl Parks and Rec Schitt’s CreekaSweatLife's TikTokCottage Cheese TikTok RecipesThrillist's Cottage Cheese ideas

It's our favorite time of the breakdown of the State of Fitness - your predictions. We love to hear what you think is coming in the world of wellness and what you're over. First and foremost, this is a fun time for all of us to guess, joke around, and have a great time making wild predictions.This week, we dig into a few things you think are coming for the State of Fitness and we also share what WE think we'll see in the future of fitness.Here's a look at what you think is coming:Read more about the state of fitness predictions here. We talk through each other these and share some of our own thoughts on these.Prediction #1: We’ll title this “the robots are coming”Prediction #2: Digital fitness is Dead.Prediction #3: Fitness in gyms and studios will make a full comeback.Prediction #4: People need gyms to connect.Prediction #5: Pickleball.Prediction #6: We’ll title this, “In this economy?”Prediction #7: A new love for low-impact fitness.And also, for reference, I misled Dana with such confidence over the pronunciation of the word Harbinger. Turns out that she was right and I was wrong. Please see the pronunciation.References: State of FitnessNetflix and Nike partnershipChat GPTSVB's failure and why it matters to the economyBank collapses and why they matterMindbody’s Wellness IndexCasper Ter Kuile and his book The Power of RitualThe Apple TV show ShrinkingPickleball is the fastest Growing Sport in America Toss and SpinWhy consumers are bad at predictors of their own future behaviorChris the founder of Toss and Spin on aSweatLife's podcastMayweather Boxing AcquisitionXponential and princess cruiseWeb3 Swagger Society by Robin ArzonBig questions we're left with:How did our ancestors work out?

So, on the podcast all month, we've been talking about the State of Fitness and this week is no different, but we're delving into the mental health of it all.One thing we're been touching on all month is how venture capital flowed into fitness - which in its purest form is community. And while cash gives things like groeth, cash taketh away when it demands insane metrics.We saw that with connected fitness and talked about it on last week's podcast.This week, I said aloud, "I hope there's not a way that cash can ruin mental health and mindfulness ... except if it becomes a luxury."And then Kristen Geil who used to be our Editor in Chief texted me this profile piece about Peoplehood. That article in the LA Times states, "some experts express skepticism about these new programs, which could be viewed as commodifying human relationships."Fear not, mindfulness can be accessible to all until someone finds a way to charge for breathing.Regardless of the capital of it all, it was important for us to include mental health in this year’s state of fitness survey. This week we talk through what you told us about your mental health and mindfulness practices. We share data, correlations, and wild assumptions.Why?A study we love to quote is the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which tells us that the easiest way to predict a long and happy life is the strong social connections one has. Several studies found that people’s level of satisfaction with their relationships at age 50 was a better predictor of physical health than their cholesterol levels were.On the flip side, according to the CDC, Social isolation significantly increased a person's risk of premature death from all causes, a risk that may rival things like smoking and physical inactivity. Social isolation was associated with about a 50% increased risk of dementia.Friendship and mental health really, really matter for your quality of life and longevity. And that’s why we’re all here at aSweatLife.So listen to what we have to say about the state of fitness and your mental health.Resource: State of FitnessThe Harvard Study of Adult DevelopmentThe CDC's findings on social isolationStudies on mindfulnessHeadspace fundingCalm fundingOpen Mindfulness Studio fundingAwe by Dacher KeltnerJosie and The PussycatsThe Game, bookThis Works Sleep SpraySpotify ‘00s Rock Anthems PlaylistBack to the beachThe Daily Calm in the calm app

We recorded this podcast while I sat next to my Peloton, a machine that got me through the pandemic - Jess Simms, Tunde, Cody, Alex, Robin, all came at me live into my home while I - like everyone else in the world, looked for some normalcy.But cut to a more normal fitness world and there my Peloton sits, unused by me since July of 2022. And don’t get me wrong - I loved that thing while I loved it, but I am a person who uses fitness as a form of social connection.I use in-person fitness for high-fives, for small-to-medium talk - like the “How are you, we’ve met before, right? I love your set. It’s an amazon dupe? No way.” I prefer medium to deep talk if given the choice, But interactions like these are really good for you, according to Discover Magazine. And during the pandemic, I kept describing what I missed - barista interactions, check-out interactions, and yes, the casual, "I love your socks with the funny saying" interactions. So, when the coast was clear, I was back with a vengeance and I moved on from my Peloton. But I’m not everyone. So, we continued to ask big questions of our audience about what they’re using in their digital routines and what we found was super interesting. We’re digging in on what readers told us about digital fitness and connected fitness this week based on our State of Fitness report.So this week, we're digging into digital and connected fitness - Are you still doing it? And why?References: State of Fitness Lululemon’s Mirror Acquisition Lululemon Q4’22 quarterly earnings report Lululemon Earnings Call Lululemon price drop Peloton commercial Future Fit Peloton Stats Technavio Future of connected fitness Fitt Insider’s connected fitness report Discover Magazine on small Talk Presence