The Biggest Health Lie We Keep Telling Ourselves

The Biggest Health Lie We Keep Telling Ourselves

Dr. Stephen Lupe joins me for a fascinating conversation about stress, behavior change, mindset, chronic illness, and why most people are approaching health the wrong way. As the Director of Behavioral Health in the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Lupe works at the intersection of psychology, medicine, nutrition, and lifestyle. His approach challenges the idea that health can be solved with a single prescription, diet, or exercise plan. Instead, he believes lasting health comes from understanding the individual, building sustainable habits, and learning how to live with life's inevitable stressors. We discuss why stress isn't something you eliminate, how it impacts the body, the science behind behavior change, why motivation is overrated, and how small daily actions can create massive long-term improvements in health and longevity. If you've ever found yourself saying, "I'll start when life settles down," this episode is for you. ⸻ In this episode, we discuss: • Why stress management may be the wrong goal • Learning how to live with stress instead of fighting it • How chronic stress affects the body and digestive health • Why motivation isn't the key to lasting change • The power of small habits and tiny wins • How behavior change actually happens • The role of exercise in improving mental health • Why personalized healthcare matters • The connection between identity and health • Self-compassion, resilience, and long-term success ⸻ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction 01:21 – Why healthcare must be personalized 05:22 – The connection between stress and physical health 09:03 – Why motivation isn't enough 10:02 – Exercise as a powerful mental health tool 11:56 – Finding your "why" 15:41 – Building integrated healthcare teams 18:41 – How behavior change really works 21:04 – Stress, setbacks, and self-forgiveness 22:04 – Why we're so hard on ourselves 24:33 – The power of self-compassion 26:28 – Success stories and patient transformations 32:03 – Identity, purpose, and health 34:44 – The importance of having a trusted team 39:00 – Practical advice for improving your health ⸻ About Dr. Stephen Lupe Dr. Stephen Lupe is a health psychologist and Director of Behavioral Health in the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Cleveland Clinic. A former 911 paramedic, he specializes in helping patients navigate the complex relationship between stress, behavior, mindset, and physical health. His work focuses on creating personalized treatment approaches that combine psychology, nutrition, medicine, and lifestyle interventions to improve patient outcomes. ⸻ Connect with Dr. Lupe Cleveland Clinic: https://my.clevelandclinic.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-lupe/ ⸻ Listen to The Health Movement Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HealthMovementPodcast Website & Newsletter: https://healthmovement.us ⸻ Work With Derek Interested in coaching, corporate wellness, speaking engagements, podcast appearances, or health presentations for your organization? Derek O'Riorden: https://www.instagram.com/derek.josephs

93 - She Stopped Training for Weight Loss

Estelle Rodrigues joins me for a fascinating conversation about strength training, nutrition, peptides, HYROX, longevity, and the mindset shifts that completely transformed her health journey. After years of focusing on weight loss and chasing a smaller number on the scale, Estelle discovered that training for strength—not skinny—changed everything. Today, she shares the exact habits, workouts, nutrition strategies, and peptide insights that helped her build a stronger, healthier, and more resilient body. We discuss why so many women are afraid of strength training, the truth about peptides, why protein is often the missing piece in modern diets, how to improve long-term health, and the importance of questioning the health advice we're given. If you've ever felt frustrated with dieting, struggled to maintain results, or wondered whether strength training and peptides are right for you, this episode is packed with practical insights. ⸻ In this episode, we discuss: ✅ Why Estelle stopped training for weight loss and started training for strength ✅ How strength training transformed her physique ✅ Why women shouldn't fear lifting weights ✅ The truth about peptides and how they actually work ✅ Common mistakes people make with GLP-1 medications ✅ The importance of protein for body composition and health ✅ How to improve recovery and performance ✅ Building sustainable nutrition habits ✅ Why curiosity is essential for better health ✅ How to think critically about health products and marketing ⸻ ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro 01:13 – Why Estelle started sharing her health journey online 05:43 – Building an authentic health platform 12:39 – The mindset shift from skinny to strong 16:59 – How Estelle structures her workouts 20:23 – What HYROX training is really like 24:57 – Recovering from injuries and peptide therapy 25:23 – Peptides explained 28:54 – The truth about GLP-1 medications 30:50 – Why protein matters more than most people realize 35:06 – Understanding food cravings 39:28 – Mental health, aging, and longevity 43:19 – The biggest health changes people should make today 48:15 – Where to find Estelle ⸻ Follow Estell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/estellaglowprotocol ⸻ Listen to The Health Movement Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HealthMovementPodcast Website & Newsletter: https://healthmovement.us ⸻ Work With Derek Interested in coaching, corporate wellness, speaking engagements, podcast appearances, or health presentations for your organization or to join the show yourself? Derek Josephs: https://www.instagram.com/derek.josephs ⸻ #Peptides #StrengthTraining #WomensHealth #HYROX #Longevity #Nutrition #Protein #GLP1 #FitnessOver40 #HealthyAging #HealthMovementPodcast #WeightLoss #MuscleBuilding #Wellness #Recovery

092 - Exercise Is NOT the Answer (Movement Is)

Coach Kels joins me for one of the most thought-provoking conversations we’ve had on The Health Movement Podcast — exploring mobility, longevity, movement, curiosity, play, mindset, and why so many adults slowly lose the joy of movement as they get older. Instead of treating fitness like punishment or chasing aesthetics alone, Coach Kels explains how reconnecting with movement, intuition, and even childlike curiosity can completely change the way we approach health. We talk about primal movement patterns, why adults stop moving naturally, how modern life disconnects us from our bodies, the importance of staying “weird,” and how fitness should support a richer and more meaningful life — not consume it. If you’ve ever felt stiff, burned out, disconnected from your body, or stuck in an all-or-nothing approach to health and exercise, this episode is for you. ⸻ In this episode, we discuss: ✅ Why mobility matters more as we age ✅ The primal movement patterns all humans share ✅ Why adults lose their natural movement instincts ✅ How modern life limits movement ✅ The connection between movement and happiness ✅ Why fitness should feel playful and intuitive ✅ The problem with rigid exercise culture ✅ How to reconnect with your body after years of inactivity ✅ Curiosity, gratitude, and staying mentally young ✅ Why “weird” people are often the most authentic people ⸻ ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro 01:00 – Why Coach Kels shifted toward mobility & longevity 02:54 – What primal movement actually means 05:27 – Individualizing fitness & movement 06:55 – Bringing play back into fitness 09:52 – Helping adults reconnect with movement 13:59 – Nutrition, intuition, and modern health confusion 17:27 – Listening to your body during training 23:11 – Why adults struggle with play 25:21 – Building movement communities 27:46 – Why “weird” is a positive thing 31:24 – Process vs achievement mindset 34:42 – Curiosity, gratitude, and slowing life down 41:36 – Where to find Coach Kels ⸻ Follow Coach Kels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strengthflowfitness/ [https://www.instagram.com/strengthflowfitness/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StrengthFlowFitness [https://www.youtube.com/@StrengthFlowFitness] ⸻ Listen to The Health Movement Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HealthMovementPodcast [https://www.buzzsprout.com/] Website & Newsletter: https://healthmovement.us [https://healthmovement.us/] ⸻ Work With Derek / Ascend Fitness Interested in coaching, corporate wellness, speaking engagements, or health presentations for your organization? Visit: https://www.instagram.com/derek.josephs/ [https://healthmovement.us/] ⸻ Want to be a guest or submit a question for the show? https://healthmovement.us [https://healthmovement.us/] ⸻ If you enjoyed this episode, check out these conversations next: ▶️ Mindset & Recovery Episodes ▶️ Longevity & Mobility Conversations ▶️ Health Movement Podcast Guest Series ⸻ #Mobility #Longevity #FitnessAfter40 #HealthMovementPodcast #Mindset #Movement #PrimalMovement #MobilityTraining #HealthyAging #Wellness #StrengthTraining #Recovery #FunctionalFitness #StrengthFlowFitness #CoachKels

091 - From Oxygen Tank to 5K

COVID nearly won. After severe complications left April Khan dependent on an oxygen tank and struggling with brain fog, fatigue, and lung damage, the idea of running again felt impossible. But step by step, she fought her way back—eventually completing a 5K and reclaiming her health. In this powerful episode of The Health Movement Podcast, Derek sits down with April to talk about what it’s really like to rebuild your body after COVID. April shares the brutal reality of long recovery, losing the ability to think and write clearly, the emotional toll of feeling like your body has betrayed you, and the slow, disciplined process of getting stronger again. This is a story about resilience, patience, and the human ability to adapt when life knocks you down harder than you ever expected. If you've ever struggled with illness, injury, or a setback that made you question whether you'd ever feel like yourself again, this conversation will resonate deeply. Topics include: • Recovering from severe COVID complications • Life on an oxygen tank and rebuilding lung capacity • Brain fog and cognitive recovery • The mental battle during long-term illness • Relearning how to train your body • Going from survival mode to running a 5K This episode is a reminder that recovery isn't instant—and sometimes the biggest victories start with simply taking the next step. Connect with April: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprilkhanceo/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilkhanmedicalwriter/ Connect with Derek: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derek.josephs/ Watch the full episode on YouTube: /@healthmovementpodcast Join the newsletter: https://healthmovement.us

090 - How I Reclaimed Discipline from Collapse

Paul Amato is an Army and Navy veteran, strength coach, and founder of FVBLA, a nonprofit supporting veterans as they transition into business ownership and explore alternative approaches to healing from PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. His story includes multiple neck fractures, neurological complications, and the humbling reality of having to rebuild his strength — and identity — from the ground up. In this episode of The Health Movement Podcast, Derek sits down with Paul for a grounded conversation about what happens when you fall off track physically and mentally. After years of disciplined training, Paul found himself sitting eight hours a day, drinking soda, and completely out of rhythm. Instead of chasing intensity, he rebuilt through fundamentals: walking daily, stretching, strength basics, and incorporating sauna and cold exposure to support recovery and mental clarity. Rather than framing progress as all-or-nothing, Paul explains why most people fail by trying to change everything at once. He shares how “failure” became a first attempt in learning, why annual resets without ego are powerful, and how rebuilding slowly can be more transformative than pushing harder. This episode is for anyone navigating injury, burnout, inconsistency, or the frustration of starting over. It’s a reminder that discipline isn’t about perfection — it’s about returning to the basics and building again. Paul shares: - Why doing too much too fast sabotages progress - How trauma and injury reshape your relationship with training - The role of sauna and cold exposure in recovery - Why walking and simple habits matter more than we think - How to use failure as feedback instead of defeat Timestamps: 00:00 Cold open 01:00 FVBLA and veteran support 03:30 Falling off track 08:00 Why most people fail lifestyle changes 11:30 Neck injuries and neurological setbacks 18:30 Rebuilding through fundamentals 22:00 Ego-free annual resets 24:00 Failure as learning The Health Movement Podcast explores fitness, mindset, recovery, and long-term resilience through real conversations designed to help you build strength that lasts. Connect with Paul: • FVBLA.org • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p.s.amato/ Connect with Derek: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derek.josephs/ Watch the full episode on YouTube: /@healthmovementpodcast Join the newsletter: https://healthmovement.us