On today’s episode, Adam and Vanessa Lambert of Bee the Wellness join me on the show to talk about the missing links between Paleo and a balanced, healthy lifestyle.
We’re back with our 108th episode of the Fed+Fit Podcast! Remember to check back every Monday for a new episode and be sure to subscribe on iTunes!
Find us HERE on iTunes and be sure to “subscribe.”
[powerpress]
Episode 108 Sponsors
- Aaptiv – be sure to enter the promo code “FEDANDFIT” (one word, all caps) at checkout, and your first 30 days are on the house!
- PrepDish – Join the 21-day meal prep challenge & learn how to make meal prep a lasting habit by clicking HERE!
Episode 108 Links
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”2674795″]
Episode 108 Transcription
Today’s show is brought to you by Aaptiv! Aaptiv is a fabulous app and robust online community that allows you access to top notch, motivating personal trainers who guide you through an audio-based workout that is timed to your choosing with fun, perfectly synchronized music. Like Netflix for fitness, Aaptiv gives members unlimited access to their entire bank of high-end, trainer-led workout classes. So if you’re looking for fresh, high quality, on the go, motivating workouts that adapt to your lifestyle, I highly recommend Aaptiv.
In fact; if you head over to the curator playlists, you’ll see a familiar face! I chose 7 of my favorite Aaptiv workouts so that you can get a well-rounded mix of workouts that will take you from intense cardio to restorative serenity; and these are some of my favorite workouts to do when I’m traveling, or if I just have a spare 20 minutes between activities. And because they’re the best, Aaptiv is even offering Fed and Fit listeners a free 30-day trial. When you sign up for a monthly subscription at www.Aaptiv.com; be sure to enter the promo code FEDANDFIT, one word, at checkout, and your first 30 days are on the house.
Cassy Joy: Welcome back to another episode of the Fed and Fit podcast. I’m excited today to bring you, not just one but a duo of guests. Today I’ve invited Bee the Wellness to come and join me today. Be the Wellness is an innovative personal coaching company created by Adam and Vanessa Lambert who are based in California. This couple has been living and working in the paleo world for nearly 10 years, helping to educate and empower clients on their personal journeys to optimal health. Welcome to the show, Adam and Vanessa!
Vanessa Lambert: Hi, thank you Cassy. It’s so nice to be here!
Adam Lambert: Yeah, thanks for having us.
Cassy Joy: Of course. It’s a pleasure to have you guys. That was a very brief introduction, and what you guys do is very hard to sum up in just two sentences. So I would love it if you would elaborate a little bit more, and tell folks about the great work you’re doing.
Vanessa Lambert: Awesome. Yeah, we’d love to. So as you mentioned in the intro, we’ve been in the paleosphere for a long time, starting with Robb Wolf up in Chico at his gym. We kind of stumbled into his gym randomly, and that opened up a whole new world for us. We’ve kind of been riding that wave for almost a decade now of really understanding how to create the best lives for ourselves, and also for our clients. Over the years, we’ve just really realized it’s not just one thing that’s really going to get people there. It’s not just going to be diet. It’s not just going to be exercise. It’s really about an outlook, and how you live your life, and what’s important to you.
So we’ve really created Bee the Wellness as a way to kind of encompass all of those things. And really to embrace the fact that there isn’t going to be a one-size fits all solution, but that we’re all going to be juggling all the pieces of our wellness all the time. And sometimes things are going to be more important. Like, we’re going to be more focused on our fitness. Or we’re going to be more focused on our diet. But what we really wanted to do was create an opportunity for you to have a starting point, and then look out somewhere on the horizon and say, “What do I want my life to mean? What’s important to me? Do I want to really focus on my fitness and how I am physically? Do I want to focus on my mindfulness? And once I start kind of chipping away at those different rungs of my life, what do I want to do with that? Once I have access to those things?”
So we’ve started to create opportunities for people to go and experience, or take that experience and do things with it. So we really started to incorporate more live events. We go to Costa Rica every year. We just booked a Machu Picchu 10-day hike with our clients that we’ll talk about, I’m sure, more later in the podcast. But really kind of giving people these expanded views of what’s possible for them once they start working on these aspects of themselves. Which doesn’t always mean, “I’m going to be thinner.” Or {laughs} I’m going to have a certain deadlift. Sometimes it means, “What mountain do I want to climb? What river do I want to raft? What people do I want to hang out with? What experiences do I want to have in life?” So we’ve really become a company that’s about helping people expand their life.
Cassy Joy: Beautiful. Very well put. That’s lovely.
Vanessa Lambert: {laughs} Thank you.
Adam Lambert: Yeah. {laughs} We used to have a tag line. Or actually, I think it still exists in one of our remote coaching programs; “So you’ve gone paleo. Now what?” And that really is where this whole thing started. Like Vanessa was saying. Alright; this worked for you. Or maybe it didn’t work for you. But now what are we going to do? Where do you take this thing next? And one of the things that we discovered; and I think inherently we sort of knew this about the incredibly special gym experience that we had at NorCal Strength and Conditioning with Robb was the community there was just second to none. That was something that we really tried to recreate within our business. How can we provide that community? Because that community and that sort of sense of connectedness that you get through when you’re going through something together. Whether it’s arduous or challenging. It’s something that’s missing, I think, in a lot of people’s lives.
So we knew that it became very powerful for us to be a member of that community. And then all of a sudden, all of these things that, if you were trying to do them yourself. Whether it’s weight loss or trying to learn another language. Whatever the thing is that you’re trying to accomplish by yourself becomes much easier when you’re surrounded by a community that’s supportive and on a similar path. Not everybody is on the exact same path. Like Vanessa was saying, some people are looking at their deadlift and some people are looking at just trying to be able to tie their shoes, or whatever.
Vanessa Lambert: {laughs}
Adam Lambert: So there is a broad spectrum there. But then you surround these people in a community that is incredibly supportive. It’s a game changer. So we’ve taken these virtual communities and remote coaching programs that we have and really started to kind of squeeze together these events that allow people to come together and commune in real life, even though some of them have known each other in our virtual server space for 3 years. And then they come to a retreat, and it’s just a really great culmination of that experience.
Cassy Joy: That’s great. That’s really, really wonderful. The folks here were recently introduced to Robb. He came on the show, so they are familiar with his name now, if they’ve listened to recent episodes. But one of the things that he said on the podcast was, it was a quote that stuck with a bunch of folks. And I’m going to misquote him, but the essence was, having an inadequate community around is as dangerous of a habit or could have as damaging of an impact on your health as smoking cigarettes. And it’s just so interesting, so I think it’s wonderful that you guys are tackling that component, as combined with kind of a holistic perspective of what it really takes from all angles to live your happiest and healthiest life.
I think this is a great spot to stop and hear from one of our sponsors.
One of the keys to success on a healthy lifestyle is meal prep. We all know this. We know it’s important to plan our meals, to put some thought into it, and to hit the ground running each week with healthy foods already in our refrigerator. However; the time it takes that can go into planning for meal prep is really daunting. I have personally spent countless hours choosing meals for the week ahead; making grocery shopping lists that are consolidated lists from all the recipes, and then I have to reorganize them according to the grocery store; how you walk through the store itself. And then, sitting down and strategizing across all the different recipes what to make and when.
And then I stumbled across Prep Dish. And they really gave me that time back. They do all the planning work for you. Each week you’re emailed a gluten-free, paleo, or my personal favorite, super-fast plan. It is easily organized into ready to go shopping lists, already organized by how you’re going to come across those foods in the store. A prep guide for your actual meal prep day, which only takes one single hour on the super-fast plan. And cooking instructions! It’s truly made meal planning a breeze for me and my family. My fridge is now full of healthy foods each and every week. You can check out Prep Dish by heading to www.PrepDish.com/FedandFit for this amazing deal. And, as an added bonus, they’re providing 2 free weeks to Fed and Fit listeners. So go to www.PrepDish.com/FedandFit then use the code, in all caps, FEDANDFIT for those first two weeks on the house.
Vanessa Lambert: Yeah, absolutely. And you know, one of the wonderful things about our access to information now is that we’re able to go out and find what really works for us. We’re able to find a community that fits who we are and what we stand for. It’s amazing that you have access to all of that. But sometimes you can feel a little bit like, you know, you’re on the outskirts of that community feeling. So we really tried to kind of marry those two concepts together. Like, wow, you can be anywhere in the world and part of this. And then you can also actually come and experience it in person and participate in person. Instead of always just feeling like you’re on your phone or your laptop, and that’s the only access you have to your community. So we try to give people a couple of points that they can be involved, so they don’t feel like the only way to be involved with the community is by texting on their phone, essentially.
Cassy Joy: Yeah. That’s so interesting. Well I would love it if you guys; I’m sure it might be hard to pick. It’s like maybe choosing a child. But could you tell us maybe one of your favorite, or most memorable client success stories if one comes to mind?
Vanessa Lambert: Yeah. You know, it’s funny. There are so many different styles of success stories. From weight loss to health improvements, all of those things. But one of the things that I really love and that has stuck with us, and has kind of really been a focal point for us moving forward. One of our very first clients. We did our first retreats with Mark Sisson about 7 years ago. We started a retreat program with him. So those were our very first retreats. And one of our first clients that came to that, she had never even been on plane. Oh, sorry; she hadn’t ever flown anywhere by herself. She had flown with her husband and her family, but she had never even gone anywhere by herself. So she was super nervous about just doing anything outside of her comfort zone. I remember having my first phone conversation with her. She was just like, “this is a big deal for me, coming to LA.” Of course, that seems really daunting. She was coming from the East Coast. Obviously we coached her through the process of even getting out there. She had an incredible experience.
And then, she’s come with us to several other events. One of them being Costa Rica, where she didn’t want to zipline for the first time. And we coached her through that. And now it’s like; it’s incredible because no matter what we put out there and what we offer to her, she’s now the one that’s helping make all the travel arrangements for the other group. She’s convincing other people to try things that they wouldn’t have tried. We did surfing last year in Costa Rica for the first time. She was convincing everyone else to try it. Even though she was nervous, she’s like, “Everything I’ve ever tried, I’ve never regretted and it’s always made me stronger, and it’s always expanded my horizons as a person.”
So, that’s one of my favorite stories. Because it’s not necessarily about body composition changes or a number on a scale or any of that. It’s more about who she’s able to be in her life now. And that is to me what this is all about. It’s like; what’s available to you now as a human, and what can you experience in your life as a possibility for yourself after all of this? And that’s, for us, where we just get so excited about what we’re doing and what we’re creating and helping people experience.
Adam Lambert: Totally. And, she has converted; her husband, actually, has converted her basement into a gym.
Vanessa Lambert: Yes.
Adam Lambert: And she has like a 205-pound deadlift now.
Vanessa Lambert: Yeah! {laughs} There’s that.
Cassy Joy: Dang!
Adam Lambert: So she’s just nailing it across the board, you know. It’s amazing.
Cassy Joy: That’s awesome. I would love it if you guys would walk us through what a trip is like. What’s the experience of a trip for someone who may want to attend?
Adam Lambert: Ok, so we have sort of two significantly different offerings. We have our transformational retreats, which we do here in the States. And we do them, actually we’re leaving tomorrow for one in North Carolina. And then we do the other one here on the West Coast up in Big Bear. And those retreats are very much; they’re like nutrient dense. We spend a lot of time actually coaching. So we go through all the foundational physical movements and things that we do in our coaching programs. We give people a lot of hands on, one-on-one, and how we’re doing movements and mobility work and mindfulness stuff. It’s very much hands on. They get cooking demos with the chefs. They spend a tremendous amount of time just really getting the download on how to do this, and how it shows up in your day to day life.
We get them through some pre-course work right out of the gate, and get everybody familiar with who they are. We’re fortunate because the majority of these people come from within one of our coaching programs. So they already know each other by name to some degree. So we’ll get people in, and right out of the gate we’ll do something to try to gel the team. So we’ll go out on a quick boat ride around the lake, or a short hike, or something that can kind of get everybody together. All those walls just come down immediately, and everybody is so; and I think part of it is because they already sort of know each other, and they know each other in this space. They’re always putting their best foot forward and being very helpful in the program; in the community program. And so I think when they come into the real-life experience, it’s just like everybody thinks each other are already amazing. So it ends up being this super cool and very quick gel.
And then we move them through. We get up in the morning, and we go through what it’s like to go through the way we’re living this life. So we eat the things we would normally eat, and we have coffee if you want coffee, and there’s cream if you do cream. And we go through, we get out, we get some exercise. We start moving through the schedule sort of coaching things for the day. And lunch, and an amazing dinner, and some sort of mindfulness, and usually a guided meditation at the end of the night to kind of seal everything up. And then we get up and do it all over again the next day.
Vanessa Lambert: Yep, exactly. So that’s one version of it. And that’s what we call our transformation series. Because it’s really about coming in for the weekend, and leaving like you’re fully prepared to take on this new way of being. So it’s great for people who are maybe new to the paleo lifestyle; or even just their wellness picture overall. We do encourage a paleo-type diet. But it’s not because we are exclusive or you have to be that way in order to come. It’s just what we know works for us and what we generally know works best for our clients. So we do follow that as a sort of ideal for the nutritional aspect of it.
But the other version that we have is this more adventure series. And that’s where, for instance our next one is in Costa Rica in November. We do a new adventure every day. So it’s really about getting outside of our comfort zone a little bit, doing something physical. One day we’ll take a surfing lesson, the next day we go white water rafting. The next day we go on a jungle hike. So every day, we’re doing something physical and challenging, but also super fun. It’s kind of like summer camp for adults, to be honest. {laughs} So, we go and we have a private chef so when we come back all our meals are paleo compliant. So everything is really dialed in for your food. You don’t have to worry about that. And you can just really focus on having a great time. Communing with the people, and just enjoying yourself.
Cassy Joy: That’s so fun. I’m curious; with y’alls hands on approach to a healthy lifestyle design and working with so many folks in such a really wonderful manner, have you found. So the listeners know, I’m surprising Adam and Vanessa with this question. So I’ll give them a second. But have guys found; there’s lots of folks, like you said. You’ve gone paleo; now what? There are so many people who are well-versed in all of, you could say, textbook how to do a healthy lifestyle. They know about the water. They know about the sleep. They know about the impact of those two things on their health. They know about the food. They know about working out. They know that their mindset needs to be inline. But something is not quite clicking. They may even know that they need community, and they’re pursuing those things. But there’s something blocking them. Maybe it’s some sort of an unseen glass ceiling that’s keeping them from really feeling like they’ve arrived. “This is it! This is the me I knew I could be! This is it. This is why I pursued this!”
Are there any common threads that you’ve found, any common maybe glass ceiling, that’s just the only analogy that’s come to mind right now. But something; the block. Have you found any common blocks between most folks that you’ve kind of helped work around?
Vanessa Lambert: Well, this is a big one that I really notice. And that’s just having more fun. I think that people have this feeling that if they get more organized. They get more disciplined. They get everything just sorted out perfectly; that’s when they’re going to be successful. Or that’s when it’s all finally going to work out. But sometimes you just have to have some fun, and just relax, and just let the joy come back into this process. Because I think we just think that the only way we’re going to get there is by being harder on ourselves.
So, for me personally; and I’m sure Adam will have his own answer. But for me, it’s just like, that’s why it’s so important to get together and just have a good time. Let’s just set it down, and just really enjoy ourselves. Because when you can just bring that joy and that love back into your heart, everything is easier.
Adam Lambert: Yeah. That’s true. That is a really big piece of this. There’s no doubt about it. And I do kind of have my own take. But let me just add to what Vanessa is saying a little bit. I think part of the reason why some of these folks come up against this glass ceiling. And that’s actually a perfect analogy. I don’t know what else you would call it. When they hit the stoppers, there’s a mindset around nutrition and strength and conditioning. And all of this kind of stuff that comes with this. It’s the no pain no gain; sometimes you have to suffer to get this stuff done. And not that that’s not true. And there’s no doubt that for most people, especially once you’re down to your last 5 to 10 pounds to lose, you’re going to have to spend some time hungry. That’s just kind of how it’s going to go, probably, right?
So not saying that this should all be fun and games. But I think that we get into this mindset of expecting it to be hard. And if it’s not hard, then it must not be working. And that is something that we’ve really noticed with folks who, when we’ve been able to get them through a retreat. Or even if they didn’t come to one of our things. But if they started to play more, and started to get involved. Whether it’s a sport, or just doing something in their community. And actually this is segueing into something that I want to talk about a little bit. Because that sort of giving back to the community aspect is another piece that can really launch people into this journey.
So it’s just like you were saying; they’re super dialed on the sleep. They’ve got the nutrition stuff. They know everything. They’ve read all the books. They’ve taken all of the programs. They’ve been through a couple of challenges. You could ask them anything that there is to know, and they would know every single person on the roster at PaleoFx, and they’re just dialed into this entire thing. Yet the piece that really brings it together for them is when they start to give back to the community. So whether it’s volunteering at PaleoFx, or creating their own space in this sort of ever-growing world where you can provide information back. That sort of teach-back and give-back to the overall community, as a whole, seems to be pretty motivating for a lot of folks.
Cassy Joy: Those are both fantastic answers. Those are really, really wonderful. And I agree. I think that Vanessa, your point about just having more fun with it and realizing it doesn’t have to be quite as grueling, I think. Or as much of a sentence as we want to think. From the outside looking in, it seems rigorous. It reads rigorous. But how you feel is much different. And it’s ok to let go of those preconceived notions and to just enjoy it.
And then to Adam, to your point. I love that. I love the idea of giving back, whether it’s volunteering. I have a girlfriend; it was actually local to me who was telling me that one of her goals right now is that she wants to start cooking for 5 families in her neighborhood just to make it easier on them. And it’s not that she wants to turn it into any kind of a booming business, but she’s ready for that next stage of it. And whether it’s that; and I’m a blogger, so my bias is, of course, “Go start a blog!” Everybody start a blog. I think it’s a wonderful thing to do. There are people that only you can reach with your story. And I think it’s important for everybody just to spread your wings, put out an umbrella, and find your folks. Just like you guys are doing with your business. So those are wonderful answers. Thank you for that.
Vanessa Lambert: Yeah, totally agree. Yep. With it. Totally. {laughs}
Cassy Joy: Yeah. That’s awesome. Wonderful. Well tell me what big projects you have coming up next?
Vanessa Lambert: You know, as of now we offer kind of our flagship programs. One is Unveil Your Wellness program, which is our complete wellness solution. And all of our programs are delivered online. And our other flagship program is really a personal development, life mastery program, called Authentic Self. So those are sort of our main, as I said, flagship programs.
We also offer a little keto challenge. We offer smaller Build Your Plate challenges, which are about how you really look at your plate and create good nutrition with each meal. So we have all these kind of smaller challenges that are fun for people to try out. But our big focus is really these live events, and these retreats. I mentioned earlier that we launched a 10-day hike to Machu Picchu where we actually train remotely for 12 weeks as a group leading up. So we’ll deliver all the content via the app. And then we’ll meet in Peru. We’ll do a 10-day hike in Machu Picchu.
And there will be a lot more like that that’s coming up in the next few years. We’re planning on launching an African safari. Maybe something in Australia in the next couple of years. So folks should stay tuned for those adventures. And if you have an adventurous spirit, or you’re a wanna-be adventurer, then these are a great way to go. And you know all your food is going to be on point. I know a lot of us, when we travel, our food is the biggest question. I don’t want to get off my diet. Or maybe some people have a hard time; they really are celiac, or they have real issues with getting off of their pretty consistent diet. So we sort of take that out of the picture and allow people just to have fun.
And again, like I mentioned earlier. Our next retreat is in Costa Rica. We still have a few spaces for that. And we really like to encourage people, if they don’t have a travel buddy, to come to these. Because they are a great opportunity. We can set you up with roommates. We have options for shared rooms. Especially for women, if they haven’t traveled solo. It’s a great safe way to get out there, and like you said, spread your wings and feel really comfortable and confident of what they’re going to be met with.
So they can go to our website, www.BeetheWellness.com. Check out that event. Even if you haven’t been part of any of our coaching programs, you can literally show up. And this is the feedback we get all the time. You show up, and you feel like you’re instantly family at these events. So, it’s just really incredible the way that community automatically adopts the newcomers and welcomes them in. And before the day is over, you feel like these have been your friends for a lifetime.
Cassy Joy: That’s so sweet. I want to go! {laughs}
Vanessa Lambert: Yes! You should come! {laughs} Actually.
Cassy Joy: Oh man. That’s awesome. Well I’m just so thrilled that you guys are out there doing this really, really important work. Thank you so much for everything.
Vanessa Lambert: Yeah. Likewise, Cassy, obviously. We had you on the podcast a few months ago, and we were; we just kept saying how delightful you were and just all of our listeners really loved that podcast. It’s right back at you.
Cassy Joy: Aww. That’s so sweet. I have so much fun with you guys. Is there anything else that we didn’t cover today that you want to touch on before we sign off?
Vanessa Lambert: You know, I don’t think so. That’s really the overarching themes of what we have going on. So I think we’re good.
Adam Lambert: Yeah. Just the message I would throw out there is don’t let yourself be stopped in life. This is the thing that we really keep seeing happen. Folks are, “Oh, I could never do that.” Or, “If I was 10 pounds lighter then I could do that.” Find that thing, and root it out. Because you can do it. You can find a group of people that will help you do it. Just don’t be stopped by simple little things that you just don’t think you could do.
Cassy Joy: Mm-hmm. Amen. I love it. That’s so true. No matter how deep the roots go, you can absolutely pull it out. There’s possibility for everybody. You just have to believe, and you have to be persistent.
Vanessa Lambert: Absolutely.
Adam Lambert: Yep.
Cassy Joy: Wonderful. You guys, this has been a true joy. Everybody listening, as always, I will have a complete transcript of today’s show over at www.FedandFit.com. And I’ll include links to where you can find the latest trips; or all the different ways you can work with Adam and Vanessa over at Bee the Wellness. So you’ll find a full roundup of all of those. Thank you guys so much again for coming on today’s show. It’s been an honor. I’m just so thrilled for all the work you’re doing so keep it up, and don’t be strangers.
Adam Lambert: Thank you.
Vanessa Lambert: Thanks Cassy. We appreciate you so much.
Cassy Joy: Oh likewise. And everybody else, thanks for dialing in. We’ll be back again next week.
