33: Everyone Needs an Enemy

It may sound crazy, but everyone needs an enemy.  Not the kind that wants to hurt you, but someone or something to fight against.  If you don't find something to fight against, you may find yourself lacking purpose and floundering in the wind.Enemies can help define who you are by helping you identify what you want to become and who you definitely do not want to be.  In today's episode The Nutrition Grouch and special guest/co-host, Jeff Burkart discuss their biggest enemies and how they use them to succeed at what they do.Not all enemies are helpful and as Jeff illustrates, you need to pick your battles.  But even if you do not want, or are not seeking an enemy, they'll be sure to find you in some way.  Rather than letting them define you, use that energy to drive action towards your goal, whether that be race performance, weight loss or healthy living.Some of the topics in today's episode include:Introduction to my new co-host (0:00)My man strike, I mean, man crush (4:07)An Alan Watts idea: everyone needs an enemy (8:06)When you say “enemy”, what do you actually mean? (9:13)Jeff’s greatest enemy (13:23)Todd’s greatest (internal) enemy (20:25)Why Todd doesn’t belong in academia or industry (20:21)Afraid of being pigeonholed into one role (24:12)Personal training is so much more than just sets and reps (25:33)Health coaching: a jack of all trades, master of none (27:55)School left me totally unprepared for the real world (29:10)Even with a PhD, you’ll never know everything! (35:01)How to be okay with not knowing everything (36:11)Being comfortable with making mistakes (37:43)Todd’s many, many external enemies (40:24)Nutrition is no longer science based, now it’s art and entertainment (44:28)Nutrition is used to support your superiority complex (46:21)Nutrition is dangerous when it becomes part of your identity (46:54)I’d be out of the nutrition field if it wasn’t for my enemies (47:32)Don’t you dare trust science, unless it’s for your dog’s food! (49:29)Do you pick your enemy, or does your enemy pick you? (50:30)What happens when you get rid of McDonalds? (51:35)Is having an enemy worth it? (52:29)