Best Bencoomber Podcasts (2024)

1
The AWESOME Human is born - you but 2.0 10:15

1d ago10:15

10:15

The AWESOME Human is you, but next level. I’ve been studying high performance and health for 18 years and this new podcast, The Awesome Human, is my return to podcasting to bring you the most actionable, practical and tactical information to optimise you, your health, and your performance, in 30 minutes or less, every week. Expect to hear myself & …

1
{SPECIAL} Why I wrote How to Live an Awesome Life - OUT NOW 21:26

1+ y ago21:26

21:26

Many have asked "Ben, why did you write How to Live an Awesome Life", why haven't you written a nutrition and health book? Well my mission has always been much bigger than that, its what I have strived for personally, and have tried to foster and inspire in others. Also, nothing works in isolation, you can't optimise some areas of your life without…

1
#685 - Hardest 2 Years of my Life 1:07:23

1+ y ago1:07:23

1:07:23

The last 2 years have been really challenging and have seen me change as a person more than at any time in my life, from battling long covid, to having kids, to losing myself, to getting a low testosterone diagnosis, and more. In this show I reflect on these last 2 years, why they have been hard, what I have learnt from the experience and why I am …

1
#684 - Knowing when to quit 13:27

2y ago13:27

13:27

Knowing when to quit something in life is key, otherwise things sour, we get resentful, and we aren't doing things that keep us fulfilled and whole. It could be a job, a relationship, a commitment to someone else. We often use logic to decide whether to quit or not, but this is wrong, which I'll explain in this show. This is the penultimate podcast…

1
#683 - Metabolism, can we increase it? 34:59

2y ago34:59

34:59

We're often sold products to help us "increase our metabolism". Many believe they have "a slow metabolism". There are many metabolic myths, this podcast breaks them all down, defines both metabolism and metabolic rate, how we can increase it, whether products like 'Lumen' - a metabolism hacking device is worth it, and a few other musings, all aimed…

1
#682 - Diet Culture & Motivational Quotes 35:00

2y ago35:00

35:00

Diet culture is a problem, but it's also misunderstood in many ways. We re-look at this important topic and evolve our thinking on it, looking at fitness culture, how information is communicated online, the definition of it, how it intersects with mental health, how we should conquer our goals, and finish with a look at our favourite quotes, whethe…

1
#681 - The Optimal Human Diet: A New Perspective 38:50

2y ago38:50

38:50

A cool new piece of research has come out looking at the gut microbiome, bacteria, what happens when people eat different diets, and what this means for that claims that are made around what is the optimal human diet, and how the gut feeds into that conversation. We ensure we make this show practical, but also get to the heart of what the science i…

1
#680 - Sleep Supplements: What the Science Says 1:11:59

2y ago1:11:59

1:11:59

What sleep supplements are proven by science to be effective? CBD, Lavendar, 5HPT, Glycine? There is lots that is talked about online, but what's worth the money, and how effective are they? Find out in this sleep supplements talk, which also covers key lifestyle factors that play a role in sleep quality. Check out: www.sleepprocoach.com for more, …

1
#679 - The 6 Life Experiences that made me an Entrepreneur 29:59

2y ago29:59

29:59

I've been self-employed since I was 20. And up until now I've always told the story of why and how I think I ended up being an entrepreneur. But I now think this was wrong, or at least incomplete, I don't think I've been telling the full story. In this solo show I break down the 6 life experiences that I feel shaped my journey as an entrepreneur an…

1
#678 - Why aren't women exercising? with Jesse Lambert Harden 1:01:35

2y ago1:01:35

1:01:35

A recent poll indicates that 47% of women have done no vigorous activity in the last year. What's more, while 37% felt that their health has gotten worse over the same period, 67% reported a lack of motivation and 55% a lack of time...so what's going on? In this show, CoHost Tom and guest speaker Jesse Lambert Harden, a successful coach and BTN Aca…

1
#677 - We argue about fitness marketing, Carnivore MD & whether we should delete social media 55:59

2y ago55:59

55:59

There is A LOT online we disagree with scientifically and ethically in the world of fitness, and you could argue marketing has ruined it all. Tom and I have an argument about how we see fitness marketing and the ethics behind it, how science should be referenced online, whether AI can save social media, whether we should delete social media, and wh…

1
#676 - The Journey to Healing, Freedom & Belonging with Nicola Jane Hobbs 38:33

2y ago38:33

38:33

Do you feel a sense of freedom in your life, healed from past trauma you've experienced, and a sense of belonging in the world and in yourself? If not, todays podcast is for you. I talk to the amazing Nicola Jane Hobbs, a sports psychologist and integrative counsellor who has an amazing personal journey that is paired with her deep work helping oth…

1
#675 - Are some PTs giving out illegal and dangerous advice? 37:34

2y ago37:34

37:34

Social media gives free speech to all, and this is dangerous. But what is more dangerous is the standards PT training providers are equipping PTs with. Are PTs confident and credible to do their jobs after a L3 PT course? We explore the dangerous bits of advice we see online, and how PTs are stepping outside their remit of practice.…

1
#674 - Athletic Nutrition with Dr Tom Little 36:05

2y ago36:05

36:05

Do athletes eat differently to you and I? There is only one way to find out, bring an AWESOME expert onto the show to find out. Today I talk to Dr Tom Little, who has worked for many many pro football teams such as Manchester City, the FA, Saracens Rugby club, and many more. We discuss his Colour Fit Nutrition model, performance nutrition, how we c…

1
#673 - Small Changes, BIG Results with David Birtwistle 40:44

2y ago40:44

40:44

The legend David Birtwistle is BACK on the show! He joins me to talk about the 'low hanging fruit' we have in our lives that can lead to BIG changes. In fitness, health and nutrition we can often focus on the micro, the detail, the things that don't matter until the foundations are in place. David has some interesting perspectives on the small stuf…

1
#672 - Moaning about Personal Trainers & Fitness Industry Standards 35:33

2y ago35:33

35:33

This is our part 2 pet peeves show after you answered our big social media post "what grinds your gears about the nutrition and fitness world". Today we focus the show on your comments regarding personal trainers, the standards that are present in the industry, who is to blame, what a personal trainer should do uphold as standards, and a few other …

1
#671 - Would you want to be famous? 38:56

2y ago38:56

38:56

Would you want to be famous? Most we think would say yes, but I've said no, I wouldn't, not proper famous anyway. This started off as an intro topic but turned into a show as Tom and I explored the benefits of being famous, the drawbacks, reports from celebrities like Example the musician and what they've experienced, and its potential effect on yo…

1
#670 - Gym Culture: Pet Peeves 58:38

2y ago58:38

58:38

What do you hate about gym culture, or things people do in the gym? This is part 1 of a mini series with myself and Tom as we explore the things that annoy you about the world of fitness and nutrition. Today, expect some F bombs, a few stories, and hopefully a few fitness lessons we can learn from!By Ben Coomber

1
#669 - Fruit & Fructose: Is it bad for us? 37:25

2y ago37:25

37:25

Fruit, is it bad for us? Are smoothies a no no? How much sugar, and or fructose is too much? We cover fructose, fruit and sugar metabolism at length in this show so you can be informed, for you and your family's health.By Ben Coomber

1
#668 - Calories on Menus, will it change anything? 1:01:28

2y ago1:01:28

1:01:28

Calories on menus are now mandatory for companies with 250 staff or more, but nutritionally, and psychologically, what does this mean? Does existing research even support the initiative? The government have brought this in to try help tackle the obesity epidemic, but big Qs are being raised. We cover the research, eating disorders, the option of ha…

1
#667 - Toxins, Fasting, and 'Nutritional Therapy' 49:39

2y ago49:39

49:39

In the world of nutrition there are some WILD claims, they even go as far to claim they can cure cancer - dangerous ground. A recent ‘Which’ survey did secret testing on the claims of ‘nutritional therapists’, and the outcomes weren’t good - some even saying "don't do chemo for your cancer". In this show we look at nutritional therapy, claims that …

1
#666 - The Science of Carbs & Salt in Exercise 39:19

2y ago39:19

39:19

Long ago carbs were bad in the world of nutrition, but many are still wary of them. Today we dive deep into carbs and salt and their use in fuelling exercise. We look at the recent sports nutrition data and how you can use this knowledge to enhance your training performance from your carb intake, and where your salt intake should be at.…

1
#665 - Gym & Sports Supplements: Beta Alanine & Creatine 46:54

2y ago46:54

46:54

This week we look specifically at beta alanine and creatine after its popularity and spotlight off the back of the Joe Rogan Matt Fraser interview. We delve into their science, application, and who should use them, and why. So if you hit the gym, or play sport, this show is for you to understand whether they are supplements you would take or not.…

1
#664 - "Think About The Positives" is BS Advice 37:23

2y ago37:23

37:23

Anxiety is at an all time high, and advice you often hear when you are feeling anxious about the situation is "think about the positives", rather than the negatives. But we think this is bad advice. We also think anxiety is phase 1 of what we are experiencing, fear is phase 2 - its a specific version of what we are feeling about the future. This th…

1
#663 - The 7 Types of Laziness with Brian Keane 44:47

2y ago44:47

44:47

Friend of the show Brian Keane (online coach & best selling author) re-joins us on the podcast to open a discussion on the 7 types of laziness. This was a post of his that went viral and caught my attention, it was a great breakdown of how we position problems as something simple, but they are not and then limit our ability to get past the problem.…

1
#662 - You'll go Barefoot After this Podcast with Ben Le Vesconte 43:11

2y ago43:11

43:11

We all wear shoes, a lot, but how well is this allowing our feet to move, and how does this affect our knees, hips and back? I've been a fan of barefoot shoes for 15 years, and this show is dedicated to my love of barefoot movement which I've not given enough attention over the years, and how the shoes we wear aren't conductive to a natural way of …

1
#661 - Gut Health: The Latest Science with Alex Manos 59:51

2y ago59:51

59:51

Gut health is a popular area of study, and research links it to nearly every area of health, but how has the research evolved from the 90s, into the turn of the century, to now? I get Alex Manos back onto the show to talk all things bacteria, probiotics, testing, supplements vs food, how stress affects our gut, and more. Warning, its a super geeky …

1
#660 - British Food, Farming Standards & Pesticides 47:18

2y ago47:18

47:18

How good is the quality of British food? It often gets a bad rap in some circles, but I feel this is unfounded, as it seems we have very high quality welfare standards. To debate this I talk to an Agronomist, Conor Campbell, who works with farmers to advise on their land, yield, which pesticides and fertilisers to use, and has a unique insight into…

1
#659 - All or Nothing with Michelle Segar 40:31

2+ y ago40:31

40:31

Why are so many of us all or nothing people, we either do something to the extreme, or not at all? Problem is, science doesn't support this approach, and employing flexible restraint is a key determinant of long term success, with anything. Issue is, this all comes down to 'executive function', but what's the answer, what mental shifts do we need t…

1
#658 - Exercise Isn't Therapy 13:14

2+ y ago13:14

13:14

To some the title of this podcast will feel like a controversial statement, after all exercise makes us feel good and is even prescribed now to people with depression. But have a listen.... there is important context around this statement. If you've had a listen, feel free to share your thoughts with me on social media. I'm always all ears....…

1
#657 - Changing Our Auto-Pilot Response with Bob Doyle 38:42

2+ y ago38:42

38:42

There is much we do on auto-pilot, and if we don't choose to become aware of these responses and change them, we'll continue to get the same outcomes. Bob Doyle joins me to discuss how the law of attraction started his journey into personal development (he was in 'The Secret' the film - but now feels its BS), how success hinges on our behaviours, h…

1
#656 - My Experience With Long Covid 22:11

2+ y ago22:11

22:11

I've talked about having Long Covid on and off in parts on our long shows with Tom, but never in a succinct way. I've just written a full length comprehensive blog on my website bencoomber.com about my Long Covid journey and recovery, but wanted to add context to my journey, and list the top 13 things that I feel helped my on my journey to recovery…

1
#655 - Don't Overthink It 41:27

2+ y ago41:27

41:27

When it comes to our mental health, how many of our problems can be caused by us overthinking something? It's easy to get stuck in our thoughts, the world of personal development teaches to learn, to reflect, to journal, to meditate etc etc, but when does that become of detriment? When is enough, enough? In this podcast I try to unpick how I've bee…

1
#654 - Is The Government EatWell Guide Correct? 44:19

2+ y ago44:19

44:19

The UK Government and NHS have a guide for nutrition, its called the EatWell Guide. It often gets a lot of criticism in the world of health and fitness, but is this criticism well placed, surely its an evidence based approach to nutrition? We explore the guide, the protein recommendations, why there fat comments seem odd - but somehow relevant, whe…

1
#653 - Mental Wealth with Adnan Ebrahim 39:48

2+ y ago39:48

39:48

What does mental wealth mean? We hear mental health a lot, but it's a broad term. It's like money, we don't want to just earn it, we want to be wealthy over time. I chat to Adnan Ebrahim, a mental health advocate and owner of MindLabs, a new mental health app. We explore mental wealth, where neuroplasticity starts and stops, what non-invasive daily…

1
#652 - Calling Ourselves Out 53:35

2+ y ago53:35

53:35

Is success as simple as personal choice? How powerful is environment? When is showing ourselves empathy appropriate, and when is it appropriate to call ourselves out on our own BS? This show is full of big questions. But we're hoping it could help you, the listener, shift your perspective and break through...…

1
#651 - Le Mans 24 Diet & Training with Phil Hanson 43:40

2+ y ago43:40

43:40

Want an insight into the diet and training of a Le Mans 24 race car winner? Well you're in for a treat as Phil Hanson from United Autosports who is the youngest driver to win the World Championship and to win the European Le Mans Series & 24 Hours of Le Mans race joins me to talk shop. We discuss his journey into the sport, his approach and mindset…

1
#650 - Rewriting Your Story with David McIntosh 50:57

2+ y ago50:57

50:57

If David can do it, surely we can all rewrite our story, however pre-determined it feels? Coming from a family of poverty, with a PTSD suffering father, to a parent dying young, to growing up in an environment where staying in poverty and never breaking out feels inevitable, to becoming Scotland’s 1st apprentice management consultant, best young co…

1
#649 - Organic Food, Pesticides & Critical Thinking 39:55

2+ y ago39:55

39:55

Organic food is assumed to be better, but is it? What if we eat organic food and make it part of a Mediterranean approach to nutrition, is that better again? This is what recent research looked to uncover and the role of pesticides on our food. Thing is, to really get under the skin of any research we need to look at study design, bias, how that fi…

1
#648 - Understanding Fatigue with Alex Howard 52:42

2+ y ago52:42

52:42

Fatigue is complex, and there is many levels to it. You've got the initial state of being tired and worn out, then you have overwhelm and burnout, and then you have an illness state of fatigue like CFS/ME, and what many people are now seeing with Long Covid. Alex Howard suffered with CFS for many years and has now made it his life long mission to h…

1
#647 - Make this Year YOUR Best Ever (Pt 2) 24:36

2+ y ago24:36

24:36

Part 1 went deep, let's recap on some key things and then get practical. In part 2 we discuss where to start when you don't know where to start, the importance of environmental and personal boundaries, the crux we all have with time allocation, habits that do and don't work and why, how we chalk up our behaviour and simply optimise it - never fight…

1
#646 - Make this Year YOUR Best Ever (Pt 1) 48:45

2+ y ago48:45

48:45

Want this to be your best year ever? It often feels easier said than done, so let's get under the hood and make it happen. In this 2 part show Tom and I discuss the journey to executing on a year you'll be proud to look back on. In part 1 we look at the habits and routines of great people, where success leaves clues, why its important to not essent…

1
#645 - It’s 2022… Scared or Excited? 16:20

2+ y ago16:20

16:20

It's 2022, are you scared, or excited? The world in many ways is still a mess, but the one thing we can control is ourselves, our state, and our future happiness. I firstly apologise for last week, the first time no show has been aired for 8 years, and then end up on a ramble outlining what you or I might need this 2022. What do you want to achieve…

1
#644 - Three Lessons from 2021: Tom's Yearly Roundup 25:32

2+ y ago25:32

25:32

2021 - What a year! ....but hat has it taught us? It's been an interesting year to say the least, but in this annual roundup, co-host Tom looks away from the main headlines, the news, and the politics that have taken up so much of the world's attention, and instead looks to the three things he's going to be taking away from 2021 and applying to the…

1
#643 - Back Pain with Troy Martin 1:02:44

2+ y ago1:02:44

1:02:44

Back pain affects up to 80% of adults in the UK, and is experienced by an estimated 2.5million people every day - but what is it? This almost seems like an odd question - pain is pain, right? Well, maybe not.... In this show Tom interviews Troy Martin: a back pain and injury rehab specialist. They talk about what pain is, how and why it occurs in t…

1
#642 - Getting the most from your training with Jenny Todd 1:07:47

2+ y ago1:07:47

1:07:47

In this week's show, Tom brings back his coach - multiple-time champion strongwoman Jenny Todd - to talk through methods that you can use to get the most progress from your time in the gym. Often the soundbite advice that is given to those who aren't making as much progress in the gym as they'd like is to simply train harder (or at least that's wha…

1
#641 - Keep Moving Forward with John Clark 1:10:44

2+ y ago1:10:44

1:10:44

This week Tom interviews John Clark, a man who has been at the top in strongman, who has played high level rugby, who runs successful businesses, and who has raised over £100,000 for charity doing events ranging from a 24 hour Ski Erg to running 48 marathons in 48 days - one in each English county! This inspirational conversation covers John's impr…

1
#640 - Xmas weight gain anxiety 13:46

2+ y ago13:46

13:46

The Xmas period is one filled with great food and time spent together, but while this is supposed to be a time of year for celebration this prospect can fill many with anxiety. What if I gain weight? What if this sets me back? How can I avoid fat gain? In this show, Co-Host Tom takes us through a conversation he's having with his clients at the mom…

1
#639 - Egoism vs Altruism - Are Humans Inherently Selfish? 31:48

2+ y ago31:48

31:48

We know people that appear selfish, they do everything for themselves, and we know people that do everything for everyone else, and get to the end of the week feeling they've done nothing for themselves. One is selfish, one is selfless, right? We disagree. Tom opens this argument talking about self-serving actions and how all our actions are actual…

1
#638 - When Science Doesn't Have Answers To Our Problems 59:27

2+ y ago59:27

59:27

Alternative medicine is often at odds with science, but do alternative and holistic therapies fly in the face of evidence based practice, or is it part of the triangular approach? If there isn't science to support something, is it worthless, should we disregard it? Many people are desperate for answers for many health issues they have, just as I ha…

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