First Things THRST

» Produced by Hack You Media: pioneering a new category of content at the intersection of health performance, entrepreneurship & cognitive optimisation. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/ [https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/] Website: https://hackyou.media/ [https://hackyou.media/] Hair loss is one of the most common and misunderstood issues in men’s health. In this episode, Dr. Raghu Reddy, one of the UK’s leading hair restoration experts, joins the show for a deep dive into everything you need to know about prevention, treatment, and long-term strategy. Going over my own transplant, why I did it, how the process actually works, and what most people don’t understand going into it. From Finasteride and PRP to stem cells and transplants, Dr. Reddy breaks down what really works and what to avoid. 00:00 Introduction 01:40 Why Mike chose to document his hair transplant on YouTube 04:12 Breaking taboos around male cosmetic procedures 06:45 The risks of going to cheap, unregulated hair transplant clinics 09:11 Planning for long-term hair preservation with fewer grafts 12:29 Advances in surgical techniques vs stalled innovation in cloning 14:41 Causes of hair loss: genes, stress, hormones and ageing 17:36 Steroids, DHT and hair loss acceleration in fitness culture 19:08 What made Mike an ideal candidate for a successful transplant 22:49 Managing expectations and styling post-transplant 26:05 Why a two-day procedure leads to more precision and safety 29:00 The gym, healing, and avoiding early mistakes after surgery 32:21 Hair shedding timeline and what to expect in regrowth 34:01 Rise in beard transplants and cultural beauty standards 36:40 What causes a procedure to fail and how they fix it 40:38 Tips for recovery, swelling, and avoiding sun damage 43:21 Finasteride myths, side effects and how to dose it smartly 51:26 Topical vs oral treatments and new options like Dutasteride 56:03 Everyday habits that protect and support healthy hair growth 59:00 Greying hair, copper deficiency and potential solutions 1:02:21 Can you regrow lost hair or just preserve what’s left 1:04:42 PRP, stem cells and the ethics of unproven treatments 1:07:26 What’s next for Raghu and the future of hair restoration 1:11:19 Advice for young men losing hair too early My full hair transplant process: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKKpjoA1Byw3RLRhdFNe_DqiwL62UFfbN&si=GH0z1QciFKvqDePN Escape the 9-5 & build your dream life - https://www.digitalplaybook.net/ [https://www.digitalplaybook.net/] Transform your physique - https://www.thrstapp.com/ [https://www.thrstapp.com/] My clothing brand, THRST - https://thrstofficial.com [https://thrstofficial.com] Custom Bioniq supplements: https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston [https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston] 40% off your first month of Bioniq GO 20% off your first month of Bioniq PRO Join our newsletter for actionable insights from every episode: https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/ [https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/] Join Whoop and get your first month for free - join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst Follow Dr. Reddy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drraghureddy/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/drraghureddy/?hl=en] Website: https://www.drraghureddy.com/ [https://www.drraghureddy.com/]

» Produced by Hack You Media: pioneering a new category of content at the intersection of health performance, entrepreneurship & cognitive optimisation. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/ Website: https://hackyou.media/ Ben Pakulski is widely known for his success in bodybuilding, but what sets him apart is how he thinks. In this episode, Ben breaks down the mental frameworks, lifestyle protocols, and deep internal work that drive high performance – physically and mentally. We go beyond muscle and talk about how to build a system for self-mastery. From testosterone optimisation and training efficiency to breath work, fatherhood, and identity, Ben lays out a sharp, structured take on what it means to grow with intention. 00:00 Reuniting with Ben 01:40 Reflecting on brutal past workouts 04:09 How bodybuilding became therapy 07:56 The tension training revolution 11:27 Building MI40 from necessity 15:41 Four pillars that limit fitness progress 19:14 Why energy crashes and motivation dies 21:05 Travel routines and staying consistent 23:44 Making training sustainable for life 27:38 Training beyond just looking good 31:13 The psychological warfare of bodybuilding 33:23 Learning to embrace discomfort 37:37 Shoulder mechanics and coaching philosophy 40:07 High-performance habit optimisation 44:15 Why people unconsciously abandon goals 47:13 How trauma shaped Ben's character 50:19 Healing through psychedelics and therapy 55:08 Balancing ambition with inner peace 58:34 Finding fulfilment versus chasing happiness 1:04:35 Business evolution and future gym plans 1:08:04 Training for athletic longevity 1:11:31 Personalised health through supplements 1:13:36 Using genetics and blood work for peak health » Escape the 9-5 & build your dream life – https://www.digitalplaybook.net/ » Transform your physique – https://www.thrstapp.com/ » My clothing brand, THRST – https://thrstofficial.com » Custom Bioniq supplements: https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston • 40% off your first month of Bioniq GO • 20% off your first month of Bioniq PRO » Join our newsletter for actionable insights from every episode: https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/ » Join Whoop and get your first month for free – join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst » Follow Ben« Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bpakfitness/ Website: https://www.benpakulski.com/

» Produced by Hack You Media: pioneering a new category of content at the intersection of health performance, entrepreneurship & cognitive optimisation. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/ [https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/] Website: https://hackyou.media/ [https://hackyou.media/] From navigating modern dating and building real confidence, to the realities of entrepreneurship, personal branding, and staying disciplined when no one’s watching, join us for a special Q&A to celebrate 100 episodes of First Things THRST. We talk content strategy, mindset shifts, and the behind-the-scenes lessons that don’t make it into the full episodes. Thank you to everyone who’s tuned in, shared an episode, or supported the journey so far. Here’s to the next 100. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:07 Have I hit my prime yet? 03:28 What my 80-year-old self would be proud of 04:23 How my brand will evolve with age 09:58 My biggest relationship lesson 12:29 Guest wisdom on financial success 14:41 What keeps me positive in life 16:10 What I'd do differently starting over 18:59 My favourite quality about myself 21:20 Would I sacrifice physique for success? 22:58 Is entrepreneurship really for everyone? 25:25 Coming back from my podcasting break 27:14 Dating advice for guys in their late 20s 32:05 Being a role model for teenage boys 35:28 My personal definition of success 36:56 Following passion versus building skills 37:55 The most challenging part of my journey 40:00 When men really take off financially 41:25 Do I struggle with relationship contentment? 45:24 The moment I realised I'd made it 46:40 Disagreeing with guests but staying quiet 49:18 What I still struggle with after success 51:30 Will I make it to 500 or 1000 episodes? 53:05 Building a life like mine 54:54 What genuinely makes me happy 57:35 Cutting off friends to build this life 59:55 Finding inspiration when things go wrong 1:01:40 Finding wife material in Dubai Resources: » Escape the 9-5 & build your dream life – https://www.digitalplaybook.net/ [https://www.digitalplaybook.net/] » Transform your physique – https://www.thrstapp.com/ [https://www.thrstapp.com/] » My clothing brand, THRST – https://thrstofficial.com [https://thrstofficial.com/] » Custom Bioniq supplements – https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston [https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston] • 40% off your first month of Bioniq GO • 20% off your first month of Bioniq PRO » Join our newsletter for actionable insights from every episode: https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/ [https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/] » Join @WHOOP and get your first month for free – join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst [https://join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst]

» Produced by Hack You Media: pioneering a new category of content at the intersection of health performance, entrepreneurship & cognitive optimisation. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/ [https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/] Website: https://hackyou.media/ [https://hackyou.media/] Before Reebok became a global sportswear giant, it was just Joe Foster and a vision. One shaped in a small UK workshop and fuelled by persistence, not funding. In this episode, Joe breaks down the early days of building Reebok from the ground up: cold calls, missed opportunities, and the moment aerobics unexpectedly catapulted the brand into the mainstream. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:46 Turning 90, family history and surviving against the odds 04:26 Brand building, luck and why fun matters most 06:40 Why sports brands thrived through recessions 09:27 The innovation that started with spiked running shoes 11:48 Leaving the family business and starting from zero 14:15 Launching Mercury Sports and the early branding struggle 16:25 Losing the Mercury name and the birth of Reebok 18:50 How a childhood dictionary led to the Reebok name 22:23 The move from athletic spikes to casual sneakers 26:55 Breaking into UK market through local clubs 29:57 Club-level selling and dominating UK athletes 31:56 Choosing white space over battling Adidas and Nike 33:23 First trip to America and navigating early export failures 37:47 The Runners World five-star rating breakthrough 43:52 Choosing Paul Fireman over Kmart and scaling US reach 49:28 Reebok's biggest challenge: the EVA foam failure 52:15 Crisis with a UK distributor and surviving with direct sales 56:05 The rise of aerobics and Reebok’s pivot to women’s fitness 59:26 Becoming number one globally with an unexpected audience 1:04:23 Expanding into tennis, basketball and new categories 1:13:05 Going up against Nike, using celebrities, and staying innovative 1:17:00 3D-printed AI shoes and what they reveal about new brand strategy 1:24:03 Losing momentum, big changes and the need for reinvention 1:31:53 Advice on building stories, visibility and modern branding 1:37:29 UK vs Dubai: Entrepreneurial energy and global opportunity 1:43:22 Final advice for founders » Escape the 9-5 & build your dream life: https://www.digitalplaybook.net/ [https://www.digitalplaybook.net/] » Transform your physique: https://www.thrstapp.com/ [https://www.thrstapp.com/] » My clothing brand, THRST: https://thrstofficial.com [https://thrstofficial.com] » Custom Bioniq supplements: https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston [https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston]   • 40% off your first month of Bioniq GO   • 20% off your first month of Bioniq PRO » Join our newsletter for actionable insights from every episode: https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/ [https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/] » Join @WHOOP and get your first month for free: join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst [https://join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst] » Follow Joe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/founderrbk/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/founderrbk/?hl=en] Website: https://www.reebokthefounder.com/ [https://www.reebokthefounder.com/]

» Produced by Hack You Media: pioneering a new category of content at the intersection of health performance, entrepreneurship & cognitive optimisation. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/ [https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/] Website: https://hackyou.media/ [https://hackyou.media/] Nate Belmar doesn’t just train for aesthetics, he trains for clarity, resilience, and control. In this episode, we dive into the physical and mental transformation that took him from overweight and directionless to lean, disciplined, and deeply intentional. Nate shares the mindset shift that pulled him out of a low point, why most people are overtrained and under-recovered, and how fasting, metabolic flexibility, and environmental awareness shaped his approach to performance and life. We explore his views on social media pressure, identity, and why detaching from noise—digitally and socially—is often the unlock for growth. Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 01:40 Origin story and early insecurities 09:44 Hustling through low-level jobs and discovering crypto 17:22 Anxiety from social media and limiting online exposure 22:27 The viral Johnny Walker meme and meme culture 30:06 Relationship with money, flex culture, and staying low-key 34:04 Building a meaningful platform and helping people change 38:20 Steroid accusations and genetic potential in fitness 41:44 Fasted training, intuitive eating, and body awareness 46:24 Finding healthy food while travelling and fasting hacks 53:48 On relationships, distractions, and staying single 58:13 Sex, soul ties, and celibacy as a conscious choice 1:04:53 Building an online community and redirecting influence 1:17:11 Navigating biohacking, placebo and intuitive wellness 1:20:56 Experimenting with stem cells, and expectations 1:25:23 The vegan phase, nutrition pitfalls, and personal baseline 1:38:16 Anime, escapism, and choosing your inner hero wisely 1:41:25 Launching supplements and living with purpose » Escape the 9-5 & build your dream life - https://www.digitalplaybook.net/ [https://www.digitalplaybook.net/] » Transform your physique - https://www.thrstapp.com/ [https://www.thrstapp.com/] » My clothing brand, THRST - https://thrstofficial.com [https://thrstofficial.com] » Custom Bioniq supplements: https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston [https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston]  • 40% off your first month of Bioniq GO  • 20% off your first month of Bioniq PRO » Join our newsletter for actionable insights from every episode: https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/ [https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/] » Join @WHOOP and get your first month for free - join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst [https://join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst] » Follow Nate Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrbelmar/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/mrbelmar/?hl=en] Website: https://animeshreds.com/ [https://animeshreds.com/]