Stay at the Top

Last week I shared 5 lessons I have learnt from my 10 years working on professional sport.Having worked 30 seasons in various professional team sports, with world record holders, Olympic athletes and many corporate organisations, schools and active adolescent athletes there are plenty of lessons I have picked up that I think can apply to High Performers as well.This episode is part 2 and I’ll be sharing the next 5 lessons from elite athlete performance I think we can all benefit from following.In this episode I share:-      The importance of strategic use of supplements-      The way I recommend you approach using supplements-      How I see supplement strategies used in high performance roles-      Supplements I use with high performers in sport and business-      The important things to know about fish oil supplements -      What third party batch tested supplements are and why you should use them-      How elite athletes understand the benefits of engaging a team of experts-      Why elite athletes use a personal dietitian as well as their team dietitian-      Why you should embrace a diverse range of recovery methods-      The difference between macro and micro recovery-      Examples of micro forms of recovery-      The ways elite athletes build their mental strength-      Why you should always be searching for a competitive advantage Key Quotes“Utilising supplements strategically for a number of different reasons is advantageous.”“If you’re really wanting to seek expert guidance you really want to have your own individual expert in that area.”“You really need to consider who you are gaining your advice from.”Take the high-performance profile quiz here https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/Elite-Energy-Blueprint-Quiz  More about the podcast and meIf you’re interested in having me as a speaker you can find out more here: https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/speaker-kit-downloadFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=enYou can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/See my range of current services here https://www.jessicaspendlove.com/servicesIf you want to contact me directly, send me an email here: admin@jessicaspendlove.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of you may not be aware of where I spent the majority of my professional career but I actually spent a decade working with 7 different professional sports teams.During that time I was fortunate to be a part of teams that won premierships, championships and made a number of grand finals.From this I have been able to take away so many lessons and learnings from these incredible athletes.I believe that many of this lessons can be applied to other high performance industries and in this episode I want to share a glimpse of some of the key lessons our athletes know that you should know too.In this episode I share:-      My experience working with elite athletes-      What elite athletes are taught about nutrition that many of us don’t know-      What pre-hab is and how it can help you as much as it helps athletes-      The importance of daily routines and rituals-      How elite athletes periodise their training and how doing the same can help you-      How rest is important for elite athletes and is for you too-      The ways athletes utilise rest-      How we can bring that rest strategy to high performance and leadership-      The other parts of rest besides just sleeping-      How seeking therapy can help with rest-      The importance of building mental resilience-      The sort of hurdles athletes and high performers may encounter that require resilience Key Quotes“Elite athletes understand that nutrition is a key component to optimising their performance and enhancing their longevity.”“Most people don’t know how good they can actually feel and this is a by-product of you having never experienced it.”“We don’t want to reach burn out or break down before we change and unfortunately that is often the case.”Take the high-performance profile quiz here https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/Elite-Energy-Blueprint-Quiz   More about the podcast and meIf you’re interested in having me as a speaker you can find out more here: https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/speaker-kit-downloadFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=enYou can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/See my range of current services here https://www.jessicaspendlove.com/servicesIf you want to contact me directly, send me an email here: admin@jessicaspendlove.com    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I’m sharing with you the first interview episode of Stay at The Top and I couldn’t have chosen anyone else other than Shannah Kennedy.As well as being my own personal coach Shannah Kennedy is one of Australia’s foremost strategic life coaches. Her proven expertise enables clients to gain control of their lives in order to achieve their visions and goals.With an intuitively tactical yet caring approach, Shannah applies her knowledge, energy, drive and spirit to motivate and inspire others to shift their life, career and business dreams to reality.She is an author of a stack of books, but has just released Elevate with Colleen Callandar and is joining us today to give an insight into how you can Elevate your life.In this episode Shannah share:Her journey into a high performance career with sports clientsHow her high career job cost her her healthThe realisation that made her get into studying coachingWhat she does to be able to manage everything with chronic fatigueThe strategies and tools and practices she uses to maintain her health through every dayThe story behind her new book and how it can help youThe things she does for fun and why fun ins important for health Key Quotes“Dancing with chronic fatigue for the last 20 years is about becoming friends with yourself.”“We're all athletes, we’re athletes of life, we’re athletes of business and we need to learn from high performing humans, some of the tools and tricks to bring in.”“I think a lot of us have forgotten the importance of our PM routine. Our cool down routine. How we finish work, how we go to bed.”More about ShannahFind out about Shannah’s coaching services via her website: https://shannahkennedy.com/You can check out her new book elevate here: https://shannahkennedy.com/books/Or follow her on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShannahKennedyCoaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannahkennedy/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannah-kennedy-8a898b1/Take the high-performance profile quiz herehttps://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/Elite-Energy-Blueprint-Quiz More about the podcast and meFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=enYou can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/See my range of current services here https://www.jessicaspendlove.com/servicesIf you want to contact me directly, send me an email here: admin@jessicaspendlove.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sleep and nutrition are two critically important factors we need to maintain when it comes to living a high performance lifestyle.But what many of us don’t realise that these two factors do not operate in isolation. In fact the management and maintenance of sleep can often have a positive, or negative effect on our nutrition and the same is true for nutrition’s effect on sleep.So for this episode we are going to be taking a close look at the relationship between nutrition and sleep and discovering how we can use one to improve the other and the traps that we can fall into.In this episode I share:-      The misconception we often make about the connection between sleep and nutrition-      Just how crucial nutrition is for a good night’s sleep-      Why people overeat in the evening and why it is bad-      Why changing your food choices patterns is not about willpower or dedication-      Why a key strategy to help you leverage nutrition is to sleep better-      What markers to look for to determine if nutrition is affecting your sleep-      The role caffeine and alcohol have in our sleep-      The three main ways poor sleep can impact our nutrition-      How poor sleep physiologically makes us crave food and caffeine Key Quotes“When we're sleeping poorly we're more likely to be craving sweet foods.”“Poor sleep can lead to overeating, or choosing unhealthy food options and poor food choices can affect our sleep.”“:The food choices we make every single day are within our control.”Take the high-performance profile quiz here https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/Elite-Energy-Blueprint-Quiz   More about the podcast and meFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=enYou can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/See my range of current services here https://www.jessicaspendlove.com/servicesIf you want to contact me directly, send me an email here: admin@jessicaspendlove.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are in an energy crisis. So many of us report feeling fatigued or exhausted well before we actually should be and a lot of that comes down to poor utilisation of sleep.If you use the right strategies, your sleep should be giving you the right recovery and energy you need to perform throughout the day. But without it you could very well end up in a self perpetuating cycle that reinforces bad sleep.In this episode I’m providing the strategies and tools you need to take the first step in reclaiming a strong sleep cycle. In this episode I share:The 3 key archetypes and what it means for your right next stepWhy ‘just sleep more’ is not the solution to better sleep recoveryThe 4 main sleep stagesThe importance of wearable technology for tracking sleepMy recommendations for best wearable tech to useThe barriers you might encounter to optimise the quality of our sleepThe strategies for improving sleep and overcoming the barrier that might prevent itThe 4 different ‘chronotypes and what your chronotype means about your sleep patternsThe importance of getting outside right after waking upWhat you should be considering about how you eat in the later half of the dayHow many hours before sleep we should be having dinnerWhy a night routine is more important than a morning routineMy recommendations for a night time routineMy recommendations for supplements to help the nutrition support for your sleep Key Quotes“The reality is feeling better is about pulling the right levers.”“Often a lot of high performers report they think they sleep well, but at the end of our coaching program, they report that they are currently sleeping better than they were.”“We’ve all heard that we need to get 7-9 hours of sleep a night and for a lot of us that may not be possible.”“What happens across the night is we toggle across these different stages, we don’t go from one to the next.”Take the high-performance profile quiz here https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/Elite-Energy-Blueprint-Quiz The supplements I suggested in this episode can be found here:Pillar Performancehttps://pillarperformance.shop/ code Jesselite20 (20% off)Momentoushttps://www.livemomentous.com/ code Jess15 (15% off) More about the podcast and meFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=enYou can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/See my range of current services here https://www.jessicaspendlove.com/servicesIf you want to contact me directly, send me an email here: admin@jessicaspendlove.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In order to properly fuel ourselves we need to understand our body. Knowing what parts of our body need what kinds of food is vital to be able to help feed ourselves correctly.What food is going to our brain? What food does our brain actually need? How much does it need? How will that affect our guts’ relationship with our brain? These are just some of the questions we should be asking, and answering, in order to fuel ourselves properly. In this episode I share:-      My advice for how to think about your body and brain-      Why it’s important to consider what your brain needs when it comes to considering what you're going to eat-      What is the blood brain barrier and what does it do?-      The significant impact even mild dehydration can have on our cognitive abilities-      The side effects of fluctuations in blood sugar levels-      The amount of fats that make up the brain and why they are important-      Some of the physiological responses that can happen if we are under eating-      The ways the brain and gut are connected-      What can happen to our adrenals when we’re not fuelling ourselves adequately-      The side effects that can occur to our thyroid if we are underfuelling-      The power of being strategic and intentional-      The mistake I see people make with their meals for the day-      How you actually create a meal that your body and brain need and the elements to break it down into-      Where to get all the different fats our brain needs Key Quotes“I know breakfast can be hard if you aren’t good at having breakfast. But it’s like any area, you don’t become good if you don’t practice.”“If you are inconsistent every single day, your body and your brain has no idea what consistency looks like.”“Fuelling is about giving your body what it needs rather than missing the mark and playing catch ups.”Take the high-performance profile quiz here https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/Elite-Energy-Blueprint-Quiz   More about the podcast and meFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=enYou can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/See my range of current services here https://www.jessicaspendlove.com/servicesIf you want to contact me directly, send me an email here: admin@jessicaspendlove.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From talking to clients and people on socials it seems like we are in an energy crisis. Everyone wants more energy, consistent energy across the day or across the week.None of us want to be crawling to the finish line (the weekend), but many people seem to think that the way to get that extra energy is to implement intricate, difficult routines and expensive tools and supplements.Luckily, that is just wrong, and the real answer to sustained, high level energy comes down to a few simple adjustments.In this episode we are going for an extra practical lesson to help you elevate your energy and keep it more consistent with 6 simple strategies that you can easily imbed into your life. In this episode I share:-      Why it seems like we are in the midst of an 'energy' crisis-      The few elements to consider when discussing energy-      Why a sleep routine is paramount to setting yourself up for success the next day-      The important aspects to consider when it comes to sleep-      The 4 different stages of sleep-      How to monitor and manage your sleep-      The way to find bring consistency into the\inconsistency of life-      The rules and schedules to abide by to maintain consistent eating-      A key thing to consider when trying intermittent fasting-      The ways I see people use intermittent fasting incorrectly-      Why a high protein breakfast is important-      How to handle having a good breakfast if you don’t like eating breakfast-      How soon you should get sunlight into your eyes after waking up-      The importance of a brain break and what that should involve Key Quotes“Irregular sleep patterns can lead to social jetlag.“One of the biggest downfalls I see with high performers is that they are very all or nothing with behaviours and their mindsets.”“You can bank sleep, but you can’t catch up on sleep debt.”Take the high-performance profile quiz here https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/Elite-Energy-Blueprint-Quiz   More about the podcast and meFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=enYou can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/See my range of current services here https://www.jessicaspendlove.com/servicesIf you want to contact me directly, send me an email here: admin@jessicaspendlove.com    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to optimising our wellbeing and setting ourselves up to be able to comfortably achieve at the highest level, there are three metrics that I get all my high performing clients to track.These are the 3 metrics that matter the most when it comes to optimising your wellbeing, performance and quality of life both for you now and future you as well.Nailing these 3 metrics helps ensures you hit the goals and outcomes you want.In this episode I share:What exactly are the 3 metrics that matter the mostHow high performance people can neglect their healthWhat exactly is ‘energy’ and what we mean when we refer to it as a metricWhy you don’t always need to use energising activities like cold baths and can look elsewhereThe importance of consistency of appetite and managing cravingsWhat you should do to implement regular meals and a new nutrition plan if you never have beforeWhy ‘performance’ is the most individualised metric of the 3How to make the 3 metrics work togetherHow using these metrics can increase your output and ability in work and performanceThe unmentioned 4th metric to look at after you've mastered the main 3Key Quotes“The beautiful thing about having more consistent meals is it delivers more consistent energy levels.”“When it comes to nutrition…it is literally exactly the same as any other type of training. It takes time.”“I truly believe you can have it all but it does take approaching it from a different lens.”Take the high-performance profile quiz here https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/Elite-Energy-Blueprint-Quiz More about the podcast and meFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=en You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/ See my range of current services here https://www.jessicaspendlove.com/services If you want to contact me directly, send me an email here: admin@jessicaspendlove.com    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I wanted to dive into all things cravings to explain why they happen and what are the solutions to buffer them.Cravings are something that all kinds of high performers struggle with, so you are not alone. I hear it from people on my socials, clients I talk with and with corporate teams I work with in workshops.Hopefully though, this episode can help put you on the path to putting your cravings behind you.In this episode I share:What exactly are cravings?What  are the different types of cravings?The difference between physical and psychological hungerThe 4 main factors that drive cravings The power of pulsing protein intake on cravingsWhy we can beat cravings by filling up on fibreThe ratios of colours to include in snacks to combat cravingsWhy consistency is absolutely vital to reduce cravingsHow to handle psychological cravingsKey Quotes“If you haven’t thought ahead or done some prep, the question becomes what do I feel like for lunch? And it often delivers a very different outcome to what do I have for lunch?”“Our body and our brain are the clue to what is going on with cravings.”“You need to eat to perform. It isn’t about what to remove and restrict but about what to include and a mindset of abundance.”Take the high-performance profile quiz here https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/Elite-Energy-Blueprint-Quiz More about the podcast and meFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=en You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/ See my range of current services here https://www.jessicaspendlove.com/services If you want to contact me directly, send me an email here: admin@jessicaspendlove.com    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the first episode of Stay at the Top.I’m going to kick off your journey to restructuring how you operate by learning how to truly harness the power of nutrition to elevate your energy, mood, vitality and overall performance in life.Nutrition is really one of the most underrated strategies when it comes to elevating human potential, whether it’s on the sporting field, board room or any aspect of life.For some reason we’ve gotten it wrong and focus on what we need to remove and restrict, but I want to teach you how to tune into how you respond to nutrition.In this episode I’m going to cover the 5 core performance nutrition principles that you need as a high performance individual.In this episode I share:Where most people get it wrong when building a strategy for themselvesThe mistake people are making with breakfast and snacksThe importance of colours in our foodsWhat exactly is protein pulsing and why it is importantWhy you should adjust intake to output or periodise nutrition intakeThe important thing to do to balance out a reduction in carbsThe best way to snack successfullyMy challenge for you to start with snacksKey Quotes“I see a snack as the ability to add significant value, bolster your energy levels, stabilise your blood sugar levels and enhance your cognitive output and capacity.”“It's ok if you want to reduce (your carb intake) but it doesn't mean you need to remove."“The best way to leverage the power of nutrition is to focus on the perfect principles, not the perfect diet.”Take the high-performance profile quiz here https://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/Elite-Energy-Blueprint-Quiz Adjust intake to output downloadhttps://jessica-spendlove.mykajabi.com/power-meal-portioningMore about the podcast and meFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=en You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/ See my range of current services here https://www.jessicaspendlove.com/services If you want to contact me directly, send me an email here: admin@jessicaspendlove.com    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.