Sustainable Lifestyle Change with Joey Szolowicz

·1 hr 5 min·5 clips

Coach Joey Szolowicz reveals how a seven-hour Portuguese language test is the final step to his citizenship after moving to the Azores.

["Host Mike Milner introduces the episode focused on sustainable lifestyle change with guest Joey Szolowicz, a fellow coach living in the Azores islands of Portugal.", "Joey explains he's taking a seven-hour Portuguese language test as the final step toward citizenship, having moved there with his Portuguese ex-wife and their two daughters.", "He details his backstory: originally from Phoenix, he met his ex-wife in France 15-16 years ago, moved to the Azores, then returned to the US during the 2008 recession before plotting a return.", "Joey describes his career in telecommunications project management, where he worked 16-hour days and neglected his health until his business imploded in 2016.", "At that point, he was 70 pounds overweight with a problematic relationship with alcohol, eating poorly while traveling for work.", "He joined a boxing gym in Phoenix, where observing amateur fighters' holistic lifestyles\u2014focusing on nutrition, sleep, and recovery\u2014inspired him to imitate their habits.", "After losing 50-60 pounds, he pursued a Precision Nutrition certification and eventually became a coach, though he initially had no idea how to run a nutrition business.", "Mike shares his parallel experience discovering fitness through a bootcamp gym and later teaching boxing classes.", "Joey recounts how a jujitsu coach's daily question about breakfast created accountability that gradually changed his eating patterns without direct nutrition instruction.", "They discuss the challenge of sifting through nutrition noise and misinformation, with Mike sharing a negative experience with a restrictive plan that only allowed fruit on workout days.", "Joey emphasizes the importance of understanding your true goals\u2014whether it's a six-pack or long-term health\u2014to filter information and find alignment.", "Mike notes the mental game of staying committed to sustainability versus quick fixes when frustrated by slow scale movement.", "Joey advises going deep with a few trusted sources rather than following hundreds of influencers, comparing it to avoiding 'squirrel syndrome' in business coaching.", "He outlines his coaching methodology: combining data tracking with weekly conversations to remove judgment, identify patterns, and make incremental adjustments.", "Mike contrasts this with his experience at a macro-based company where coaching was reduced to hitting numbers without addressing life variables.", "Joey shares his personal transformation, including therapy to address anger issues tied to alcohol use, and a neck injury that led him to cut out alcohol and processed foods for years.", "He describes reintroducing alcohol moderately after healing his relationship with it, and now focuses on adding healthy behaviors rather than subtracting unhealthy ones.", "They discuss environmental influences, with Joey noting he can eat more calories in Europe without gaining weight due to food quality and natural movement.", "For clients in stressful environments, Joey recommends identifying boundaries, strategizing for challenging situations, and having specific tactics rather than relying on willpower.", "Mike shares his anecdote of gradually reducing alcohol by switching from beer to vodka soda to club soda with lime in social settings."]

As heard by us

A steady look at why sustainable change matters more than another quick reset.

Mind Over Macros focuses on the part of change that often gets overlooked: staying with an approach after the early momentum fades and the scale is not moving the way people hoped.

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If you want a calmer take on change, this episode keeps the focus on what lasts.

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