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It's my birthday. I'm 35, and I wanted to record something a little different. This episode has almost nothing to do with fitness or nutrition. It's me journaling out loud, which is something I like doing with this podcast, and it's probably going to be a little emotional. I started recording in 2019 when I was 28, and a lot has changed since then. I've had a tough year in some ways, but when I stepped back, so much was going well. My family is healthy. My friends have my back. I spent the year getting to know someone I'm really glad I met, and I've been building a business I love since 2017. A conversation this week reminded me to focus on the wins, so that's what I do here. I talk about my mom, my dad, my sister, and the guilt of living far from them, along with how much I appreciate them. I also talk about being in a season of growth. For me that means stepping more fully into being an adult, building toward family, stability and abundance, and not losing my sense of humor along the way. Growth feels uncomfortable and daunting, and that's normal. The biggest thing I learned this year came from a conversation with my dad about God and time: you don't need all the answers. There's real peace in acceptance, and I'm also grateful to still be here at 35. I end with a challenge I've set for my next year, and I'd love your ideas. ⭐ Rate and review the show: leave five stars and tell me what stood out 💪 Apply for 1:1 coaching: https://bodybyryan.com/coaching🧮 Free calorie calculator: https://bodybyryan.com/calculator📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

This one started at 8:46 p.m. when I paused Breaking Bad and decided we should record. My guest is my girlfriend, Resina Kim, a fitness and nutrition coach for women. We start with how each of us found the gym, including Resina's year and a half of boiled chicken and spinach (no salt), and then she tells the story of how we met at a coaching conference in Las Vegas. Then we get into the coaching side. For the last couple of months Resina has been the coach and I've been the client. I'm about ten pounds down since September 1, and she walks through what has worked for me: very little in the morning, a bigger meal at night, a sweet treat every day, and pizza when it's social. Her rule is simple. What you can do the longest is what's best for you. We also talk about what happens when the scale starts moving. It's easy to get excited, cut calories you don't need to cut, and end up under-fueling. Resina explains why she'd rather I sit at the upper end of my calories and keep losing steadily, and why I don't need to throw in more activity or lower calories just because I've been dieting for a while. The last stretch is about being a partner. Earlier this year my body image was not in a great place. Resina shares what helped, which was reassurance without shaming, and we talk about why a supportive (or at least neutral) partner makes any weight loss phase easier, including the time I got to be that partner during her bodybuilding prep. Find Resina: resinakim.com | Instagram @coachresina⭐ Rate and review the show: leave five stars and tell us what stood out💪 Apply for 1:1 coaching: https://bodybyryan.com/coaching🧮 Free calorie calculator: https://bodybyryan.com/calculator📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

My part-time co-host Paul Buono is back, and he's the perfect person for this one. Paul has spent years getting good at tuning out his body, which made him a strong athlete and also makes listening to it really hard. We talk about why awareness and self-management are two different skills, and what happens when you ignore the signals for too long. Then we get into the question I hear from clients constantly: am I giving myself too much grace, or too much grit? Paul's starting point is to know your pattern. A type A overachiever who never rests needs a different answer than someone who drops off every time life gets stressful. We also talk about your season of life, and why a work deadline you'll have for the next 30 years is not a reason to skip your workout. We give listeners real tests for both sides. Too much grace looks like standing at the 50-yard line and not moving toward the goalpost. Too much grit looks like clenched jaws, shallow breathing and feeling like you're fist fighting life from 6 a.m. on. And checking in with yourself doesn't have to be complicated. One to two minutes, no phone, is enough. We finish with a rapid-fire round of five real scenarios where we each write down grit or grace and reveal at the same time. We disagree more than you'd expect, which is exactly the point. It always depends on the person in front of you. ⭐ Rate and review the show: leave five stars and tell us what stood out 💪 Apply for 1:1 coaching: https://bodybyryan.com/coaching🧮 Free calorie calculator: https://bodybyryan.com/calculator📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

If you keep falling off your plan every Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, maybe you're not inconsistent. Maybe your plan is too aggressive. In this episode I break down the Monday-to-Friday burnout cycle, why a fast start doesn't prove a plan will work (think sprinting a marathon), and three signs your plan is asking too much. I also walk through how to tell a planning problem from an execution problem, a simple repeatability test, and how to adjust the dose without abandoning the goal. The rule for this week: make it repeatable before you make it harder. ⭐ Rate and review the show: leave five stars and tell me what stood out 💪 Apply for 1:1 coaching: https://bodybyryan.com/coaching 🧮 Free calorie calculator: https://bodybyryan.com/calculator 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim ▶️ YouTube: [add channel URL]

Ever eaten like pizza was about to become illegal... right before starting a new diet? That’s what I call the Last Supper mentality, the urge to overeat before you begin another diet. In this one, I break down why future restriction makes food feel urgent (hello, scarcity), how Sunday night’s blowout makes Monday’s plan stricter, and why banning your favorite foods just turns the volume up on them. Then I give you the six steps I use with my clients to start losing weight without a farewell weekend. I also share my own college cheat day (ramen for breakfast, Girl Scout cookies, a large specialty pizza, and Ben & Jerry’s while watching The Walking Dead), plus an update on my own 20-pound goal and the trick-or-treat challenge I’m running with my clients. (Also, this is episode 180. That’s 180 episodes since 2019. Wow.)

Why does starting over feel so much better than just getting back on track? “I’ll start again Monday” feels like relief. But Monday isn’t magical, and waiting for it might be the exact thing keeping you stuck. In this one, I break down why the restart feels so good (hello, false hope and a brand new identity), how one pizza turns into an entire weekend, and why the problem was never the pizza... it’s the story you attach to it. I give you the flat tire, the dimmer switch, and the Google Maps analogy to show why getting back on track only needs your next decision. Then I walk you through the Calm Catch, the five-step process I use with my clients to win the next five minutes instead of waiting for Monday. (Also, a few of you have DMed me about the podcast and it made my day. Keep them coming.) 🔗 Links & Resources⭐ Please leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast💪 Apply for 1:1 Online Coachinghttps://bodybyryan.com/coaching/🧮 Use my FREE Calorie Calculatorhttps://bodybyryan.com/calculator/📸 Follow me on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness/🎵 Follow me on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim?lang=eng▶️ Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

What if you're not failing your diets... your diets are failing your real life? If your plan only works when you're meal prepped, motivated, well-rested, and turning down every invitation, it doesn't really work. It works in a fantasy version of your life, and you don't live there. In this one, I break down why most diets are built around a perfect day, why aggressive plans feel like they're working at first (hello, scale drop), and the difference between following rules and building skills. I give you five signs your plan doesn't fit your real life, then walk you through minimum mapping, the framework I use with my own clients to define your standard and your minimum so a hard day doesn't turn into a lost week. Plus some homework: name the situation that knocks you off track most, and make a plan for it instead of just promising to avoid it. (Also, I buzzed my head. Yes, we talk about it.) 🔗 Links & Resources⭐ Please leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast💪 Apply for 1:1 Online Coachinghttps://bodybyryan.com/coaching/🧮 Use my FREE Calorie Calculatorhttps://bodybyryan.com/calculator/📸 Follow me on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness/🎵 Follow me on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim?lang=eng▶️ Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

You've lost the same 20 pounds three different times... and every time, it comes back. First thing: you're not broken. You already know how to lose weight. Nobody ever taught you how to keep it off. In this one, I walk you through the whole yo-yo dieting cycle, from the moment your pain gets too loud to ignore and the motivation fairy shows up, to the aggressive plan, the early wins, the crash, and the shame spiral that convinces you that you just need more willpower (you don't). Then I break down the four reasons the weight comes back, why sustainable doesn't mean effortless, and a diet audit you can run on your last diet. Plus one thing you can do today to stop starting over: minimum mapping. No dramatic reset. Let's build your diet around your life. 🔗 Links & Resources⭐ Please leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast💪 Apply for 1:1 Online Coachinghttps://bodybyryan.com/coaching/🧮 Use my FREE Calorie Calculatorhttps://bodybyryan.com/calculator/📸 Follow me on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness/🎵 Follow me on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim?lang=eng▶️ Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

I've been away for a minute, so this one starts with some life updates before we get into it. Long distance girlfriend in Vancouver. A new apartment I still haven't really moved into. My New York Giants getting destroyed on Monday night. That's been the last few weeks. But here's why I actually sat down to record. Weekends. I see this pattern with almost every client I've ever coached. Nutrition's dialed in Monday through Thursday... and then Friday hits, and it's like a completely different person shows up. You're not a special butterfly. This happens to basically everybody, including me, back when my whole week of grilled chicken and whole wheat pasta would end in a large specialty pizza, a pint of Ben & Jerry's, and a full night of The Walking Dead. So in this one I'm breaking down why it actually happens... no weekend routine, eating in groups, alcohol quietly cranking your appetite up by 30%... and then the exact three things I have my own clients do instead. One anchor. Deciding what you're eating before you're standing in front of it. And understanding that it's never one meal that wrecks your week. It's the story you tell yourself about that meal. Consistency doesn't mean perfection. A rough Saturday doesn't mean starting over on Monday. It just means making the next best choice. Let's get into it. ⭐ Please leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast 🔗 Links & Resources 💪 Apply for 1:1 Online Coachinghttps://bodybyryan.com/coaching/ 🧮 Use my FREE Calorie Calculatorhttps://bodybyryan.com/calculator/ 📸 Follow me on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness/ 🎵 Follow me on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim?lang=eng ▶️ Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

Sam Forget started his coaching business at 16 years old — power blocks in the trunk of his Hyundai Sonata, driving an hour in any direction to train anyone who'd hire a teenager with a passion for fitness. That was 2012. By 2018 he took everything online, moved to Miami knowing nobody, and hasn't really stopped moving since. Miami, New York, London, Spain, Argentina, Colombia. The world is basically his office, and he's figured out how to maintain his health, his training, and his client work through all of it. A big part of this conversation digs into the all-or-nothing cycle — the pattern Sam sees in almost every client he works with and something he lived himself early in his career. We talk about what it actually takes to break that cycle. Not by going harder, not by going softer, but by finding the 70–85% execution range and giving it a real chance to work. The thing that hit me most was this idea of building your plan around the busiest, most fried version of yourself — not the motivated Monday-morning version who's ready to do everything. We get into how Sam manages his own fitness and nutrition through last-minute international moves — like the Friday night he realized he needed to be in Colombia by Saturday. Exercise swap backlogs, flexible meal structures, what "adaptable" actually means when you're working out in a packed gym in Medellín where every machine is taken. There's also a really solid chunk on what proof looks like for clients — the data points that show them imperfect consistency is still producing results — and how that evidence changes everything about how people show up going forward. We wrap in two places I didn't expect: tattoos — Sam has full sleeves, knuckles, chest, a jungle-themed leg sleeve, and a frog going in the Achilles because it fits and he thinks it's cool — and Sam's little moment, which was an improv class in Miami that he spent the entire week beforehand hoping would get canceled. He showed up the only person there with zero theater experience, completely terrified, bright red, soaked in sweat. By minute five of his first scene, something cracked open. He's been chasing that feeling ever since. Sam Forget on Instagram — @coachsamforgethttps://www.instagram.com/coachsamforget/ Transformation Talks Podcast — hosted by Sam Forget 🔗 Links & Resources ⭐ Please leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast 💪 Apply for 1:1 Online Coachinghttps://bodybyryan.com/coaching/ 🧮 Use my FREE Calorie Calculatorhttps://bodybyryan.com/calculator/ 📸 Follow me on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness/ 🎵 Follow me on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim?lang=eng ▶️ Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

Paul's back — overwhelmed, in Philadelphia, and dealing with Charlie the eight-month-old black golden retriever who has somehow managed to poop both on the couch and out of his crate onto the floor in the same week. Meanwhile I'm freshly returned from a stretch of travel — East Coast, bachelor party, four-ish weeks in Vancouver — carrying a little anxiety and a long to-do list I've made peace with probably never finishing. We got real about that feeling of losing the fire you had when you first started your business, and whether that's a red flag or just what sustainable looks like after you've been doing this long enough. Paul also dropped that he's doing EMDR therapy, had a full panic attack in his first session when the electrode buzzed his surgically repaired shoulder, and somehow still booked the follow-up. Wild. Then we got into the actual reason Paul wanted to do this episode: he's tired of answering questions about electrolytes. Not because it's a bad question — but because most people asking it genuinely do not need them. The marketing from brands like LMNT, Liquid IV, and basically every podcast sponsor on the internet has convinced everyday gym-goers and dog walkers that they're chronically electrolyte-deficient. They're not. Paul is our head of R&D here at These Little Moments, and he came with the research to back it up. We break down what electrolytes actually are — sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, calcium — and what they do in the body. The key one for hydration is sodium, because where sodium goes, water flows. And the people who actually need to supplement with it are endurance athletes, heavy sweaters, people who are sick and losing fluids fast, those on strict keto, folks with certain medical conditions like POTS, and some older adults at risk of dehydration. If you're going to the gym for an hour or walking your dog, you don't need to slam 1000mg of sodium. You probably just need more water. We also talk about the GI side effects of stevia in a lot of electrolyte powders, how to actually tell if you're a salty sweater (lick test, or look for the white salt line on your hat — Paul's running caps are apparently evidence), why Gatorade actually gets unfairly roasted, the proper dosing window for endurance athletes, and — in true These Little Moments fashion — whether squishing a cockroach releases its eggs. Science was done. Verdict reached. You're welcome. ⭐ Please leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast 💪 Apply for 1:1 Online Coachinghttps://bodybyryan.com/coaching/ 🧮 Use my FREE Calorie Calculatorhttps://bodybyryan.com/calculator/ 📸 Follow me on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness/ 🎵 Follow me on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim?lang=eng ▶️ Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

We kick this one off the way we always do — just talking. Paul's lupus is somehow in the best shape it's ever been despite a stretch of travel, stress, and general chaos, which honestly tracks. He also got a new puppy named Charlie — a supposedly golden retriever who came out black, so there are some questions there. I'm reading my first fiction book in years (Dungeon Crawler Carl, it's actually great), heading to Vancouver to see my girlfriend, and planning a trip back to Connecticut to see family and let my mom dye my hair icy blonde. Normal stuff. Then we get into the actual topic: GLP-1 medications. These things are everywhere right now — Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro — and whether you're curious, currently using one, or coaching someone who is, this episode is worth your time. Paul did his research (he called it extensive, I'll let you be the judge), and we break down what GLP-1s actually are, what glucagon-like peptide-1 does in the body, and why these medications work across multiple pathways — not just appetite suppression. We talk about who actually benefits from GLP-1s, because it's not a blanket answer. We get into food noise — that constant mental chatter around food that a lot of people don't even realize they have until it goes quiet — and why that alone can be life-changing for certain people. We also get real about the risks, the cost reality (most people are paying out of pocket), the side effects, and what the research actually shows versus what's being hyped on social media. The part I think matters most: what happens when you come off them. This is where lifestyle, meal structure, and habits become non-negotiable. The medication quiets hunger — it doesn't build the skills. That part is still on you. We talk through how we approach this with our own clients and what the off-ramp actually looks like when it's done right. Paul's IG: @paulbuono Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates 07:27 Understanding GOP-1 Medications 20:06 Who Can Benefit from GOP-1s? 22:27 The Importance of Lifestyle Changes with GOP-1s 26:25 Understanding Food Noise and Its Implications 27:28 Risks and Considerations of GLP-1 Medications 29:53 When to Consider Coming Off GLP-1 Medications 32:53 Side Effects and Management of GLP-1 Medications 36:42 Preparing for Life After GLP-1 Medications 42:24 Personal Updates and Future Plans 🔗 Links & Resources ⭐ Please leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast 💪 Apply for 1:1 Online Coachinghttps://bodybyryan.com/coaching/ 🧮 Use my FREE Calorie Calculatorhttps://bodybyryan.com/calculator/ 📸 Follow me on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness/ 🎵 Follow me on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim?lang=eng ▶️ Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

Rob DiMedio doesn't sugarcoat anything. He was 365 pounds, staring down a future he didn't want, and made a decision that changed everything. This episode is his story — but more than that, it's a blueprint for what it actually takes to make change stick after bariatric surgery, or honestly, after any major health intervention. We dig into what most people get wrong after surgery. Bariatric surgery is a starting point, not a finish line — and Rob has built an entire framework, the Busy Bariatric Method, around that idea. We talk about the habits, the mindset shifts, and the non-negotiables that separate people who keep the weight off from people who don't. This isn't about willpower. It's about having a clear plan and knowing what you're actually up against. A big chunk of this conversation goes somewhere most fitness podcasts don't — the emotional relationship with food. Rob gets into why healing that relationship is non-negotiable for long-term success, how therapy and journaling played a role in his own journey, and why so many people hit a wall post-surgery because they never addressed the psychological side of eating. We also hear about the Busy Bariatric Boot Camp, how Rob's background in education shaped how he teaches health, and what a conversation with his late father's memory still brings to how he shows up every day. He calls it bonus time — the life he almost didn't get to live. This one hit different. Rob DiMedio: @robssweightishistory Bootcamp: https://go.busybariatrics.com/summercamp26 🔗 Links & Resources ⭐ Please leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast 💪 Apply for 1:1 Online Coachinghttps://bodybyryan.com/coaching/ 🧮 Use my FREE Calorie Calculatorhttps://bodybyryan.com/calculator/ 📸 Follow me on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness/ 🎵 Follow me on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim?lang=eng ▶️ Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

We've been wanting to do this one for a while. Gut health is one of those topics that gets thrown around constantly — everybody's talking about probiotics, green powders, elimination diets — but most of the conversation is either oversimplified or just flat-out wrong. This episode is our attempt to actually make sense of it. We get into what the microbiome actually is, why diversity matters more than most people realize, and how the food you eat either builds or breaks down that diversity over time. Fermented foods come up a lot here — and not in a "drink kombucha and you're fixed" kind of way. We talk about what the research actually shows and what your everyday dietary choices are doing to your gut ecosystem whether you're thinking about it or not. There's a good chunk of this episode spent on the stuff nobody talks about — the limitations of gut testing, why blood work alone misses the picture, and why elimination diets are a tool, not a personality. We also get into the gut-brain connection, which honestly was one of the more mind-opening parts of the conversation for me. Stress isn't just mental. It's showing up in your gut, your immune system, and potentially your autoimmune risk. We close out with what we'd actually tell someone who's struggling with gut issues right now — food journaling, building sustainable meal structure, and why green powders are probably not the thing you think they are. Real talk, no fluff. Follow Paul: @paulbuono 🔗 Links & Resources ⭐ Please leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast 💪 Apply for 1:1 Online Coaching https://bodybyryan.com/coaching/ 🧮 Use my FREE Calorie Calculator https://bodybyryan.com/calculator/ 📸 Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness/ 🎵 Follow me on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim?lang=eng ▶️ Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood

We start this one where we always do — just talking. Paul's been dealing with some gastritis stuff, there's a caffeine situation, and somehow we end up in a whole conversation about cultural identity and name pronunciation. You know how it goes.Then we get into something I've been wanting to dig into for a while: heart rate variability. HRV gets thrown around a lot in the health and fitness world, but most people either don't fully understand it or they're obsessing over daily numbers instead of looking at the bigger picture. We break down what HRV actually is, what it's measuring, and why it matters as a reflection of your autonomic nervous system — not just as a fitness metric.We get honest about wearables too. Are they even accurate? (Spoiler: most of them aren't great.) We talk about which devices actually give you reliable readings, why body position and timing matter more than you think, and how to use this data to make real lifestyle changes instead of just feeling anxious about a number on your wrist.The second half gets into the stuff that actually moves the needle on your HRV — sleep quality, alcohol, circadian rhythm, and stress management. We talk about meditation, breathwork, journaling, and why being proactive about stress beats being reactive every single time. And we end up in a conversation that felt really real to me: the difference between creating from a place of love versus creating from fear and scarcity — and how that shows up in your health, your habits, and your life. 🔗 Links & Resources ⭐ Please leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast 💪 Apply for 1:1 Online Coachinghttps://bodybyryan.com/coaching/ 🧮 Use my FREE Calorie Calculatorhttps://bodybyryan.com/calculator/ 📸 Follow me on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/bodybyryanfitness/ 🎵 Follow me on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@ryankassim?lang=eng ▶️ Subscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/ryankassimlifeisgood Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates 02:59 Understanding Gastritis and Health Experiences 06:01 Cultural Identity and Name Pronunciation 08:59 Diving into Heart Rate Variability (HRV) 12:00 The Science Behind HRV and Stress Measurement 14:57 The Impact of Wearables on Mental Health 18:09 The Balance Between Optimization and Intuition 20:52 The Accuracy of Wearable Devices 30:16 Utilizing HRV Data for Personal Insights 35:10 Improving HRV: Key Factors to Consider 42:05 Understanding Stressors in Health 44:43 The Impact of Fitness Trackers 47:14 Stress Management Techniques 01:00:21 Creating from a Place of Love vs. Fear