In this deeply insightful and practical episode, Number 157, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi is joined by Melissa Nanavati to explore how high-performing individuals can create thriving, fulfilling relationships without compromising their ambition or energy. Whether you're a busy parent, a driven professional, or someone simply seeking more connection at home, this conversation offers a powerful roadmap for relationship success.

Melissa shares how neuroscience, hormones, and behavioral patterns shape the health of our closest relationships—and what to do when they start to fade. You'll learn how to operationalize connection using tools like daily gratitude rituals, novelty, and synchronized movement, and discover how dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin play vital roles in sustaining long-term emotional bonds.

Together, they also explore what happens when one partner outgrows the other, the silent killers of connection, and how to reignite intimacy even in long-standing relationships. Melissa introduces her Four Pillars of Peak Performance Love—Courage, Curiosity, Presence, and Play—and shares actionable steps and conversation scripts you can use immediately to reconnect with your spouse, children, and yourself.

If you want a healthier relationship that amplifies your mission, your health, and your joy—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

• High performers need a different relationship strategy
• Operationalizing daily gratitude can transform intimacy
• Novelty boosts dopamine and reignites connection
• Shared rituals prevent disconnection and complacency
• Asking your partner what they want to be acknowledged for builds closeness
• Walks, shared workouts, and deep questions create serotonin and oxytocin
• Long-term relationships require intentional curiosity
• Assumptions and under-communication are silent killers
• Men often under-communicate change—explain your “why”
• Kids model your behavior—rituals and modeling matter more than lectures
• Feeling unsupported often stems from unspoken fear
• Scripts can help you reframe difficult conversations
• Play is the secret ingredient to long-lasting chemistry
• Courage is required for honest conversations that heal
• Curiosity is the antidote to friction

Website: http://www.melissananavati.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissananavati/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PeakPerformanceLove

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissananavati/

Melissa Nanavati helps high performers create peaceful, thriving relationships without sacrificing ambition. As an author, speaker, and relationship architect, she combines lived experience with neuroscience and evolutionary biology to teach how the same skills that drive success in business can be applied to love. Despite early career success as a best-selling textbook author and Fortune 100 consultant, Melissa struggled with anxious attachment, people-pleasing, and went on over 100 first dates before meeting her husband. Through that journey, she discovered that dating and relating as a high achiever is different and developed frameworks to help others navigate it with courage. She is currently working on her next book, Peak Performance Love. Learn more at

In this profoundly moving episode of the Fit Mother Project Podcast, number 156, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi sits down with body image educator and coach Whitney Otto, co-author of Body Image Inside Out. Whitney opens up about her personal journey with body image struggles, disordered eating, and the healing power of relational self-inquiry. This conversation dives deep into the emotional terrain of how women relate to their bodies—and why that relationship is about far more than what we see in the mirror.

Whitney introduces the transformative idea that body image isn't static or skin-deep—it's a dynamic inner story shaped by our lived experiences, upbringing, relationships, trauma, and even the media we consume. She unpacks how societal standards and early relational “mirrors” can skew how we see ourselves—and how shifting that reflection with compassion, curiosity, and connection can begin to rewire how we feel in our skin.

The conversation also challenges the perfection-driven, beauty-obsessed messages perpetuated by social media and diet culture. Whitney offers practical tools to help listeners navigate body image “spikes,” reframe jealousy, and begin cultivating a more authentic, aligned sense of beauty rooted in inner awareness—not comparison.

Whether you're just beginning your wellness journey or have already hit your goal weight but still struggle to love what you see, this episode is a must-listen. It offers both philosophical insight and real-world practices for anyone looking to heal their relationship with their body.

• Body image is a lived relationship, not a snapshot in the mirror
• Healing begins in connection, not isolation
• Early caregivers shape our unconscious body beliefs through "relational mirroring"
• Shape-shifting for belonging often precedes body-altering behaviors
• Curiosity and compassion are antidotes to body shame
• Alignment is a deeper definition of beauty—more than aesthetics
• Jealousy can be a guidepost to unmet desires
• Social media distorts body ideals and feeds comparison
• Movement boosts mood more immediately than it changes physique
• Negative body image moments can become spiritual and emotional practice
• Presence and self-inquiry trump perfectionism
• Practical reframes like the “Relational Mirror Exercise” can rewire body narratives
• Acceptance often requires grieving what won’t or can’t be
• Healing doesn’t require loving how you look every day—it requires tools and awareness
• Community and shared humanity are essential for lasting transformation

Website: https://bodyimageinsideout.com/

Book: Body Image Inside Out

https://bodyimageinsideout.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodyimageinsideout/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitneylpost/

Whitney Otto is a US world rowing champion and 2000 Olympic alternate who pivoted her skill and passion into helping individuals and teams achieve their goals through leadership development and clinical intervention. She holds a BA from Brown University, an MA in counseling psychology from Lesley University, and a Professional Coaching Certification from The Coaches Training Institute. Her clinical perspectives are informed by over a decade of experience treating eating disorders. Her inspiring

In this soul-shaking episode of the Fit Mother Podcast, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi sits down with polar explorer, Marine veteran, and Fearvana founder Akshay Nanavati, just weeks after his record-setting solo expedition across Antarctica pulling a 400-pound sled for 60 days. But what begins as an exploration of extreme adventure quickly turns into a transformative discussion on how to face fear, cultivate meaning through adversity, and build a legacy that deeply impacts your family and your soul.

Akshay opens up about his own journey from addiction and suicidal despair to becoming one of the most mentally resilient and spiritually awakened adventurers alive. He shares why contemplating death can be the most life-giving practice, how solitude is the birthplace of true power, and why creating small personal challenges is the secret weapon to living with aliveness—even inside the structure of work, family, and daily routine.

Listeners will walk away with a completely new framework for turning pain into power, monotony into mastery, and building a family culture of resilience and deep connection. Whether you’re a parent looking to lead by example or someone trying to reignite your purpose, this episode will leave you shaken, inspired, and armed with practical tools to make every part of life more epic.

• Why “Memento Mori” is fuel, not fear
• The hidden cost of resisting discomfort
• Reframing pain as a path to peace
• Creating micro-adventures in daily life
• Why solitude improves every relationship
• Overcoming “rut” energy with identity work
• Coexisting ego + humility for true growth
• Constructing your own illusion of self
• The power of family mission statements
• Tools to shift from stuck to soul-aligned
• Parenting through struggle, not around it
• How to help your kids fall in love with effort
• Making consistency feel novel
• The mindset behind making your life movie-worthy

Website: https://fearvana.com/

Book: FEARVANA: The Revolutionary Science of How to Turn Fear into Health, Wealth, and Happiness

https://www.amazon.com/FEARVANA-Revolutionary-Science-Health-Happiness/dp/1630476056

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/fearvana

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fearvana/

X: https://twitter.com/fearvanalife

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fearvana/

Akshay Nanavati has overcome drug addiction, PTSD from fighting in Iraq with the Marines (where one of his jobs was to walk in front of vehicles to find bombs), depression and alcoholism that pushed him to the brink of suicide.

Since then, by alchemizing his demons, he has built a global business, run ultramarathons, spent 17 days in darkness and isolation, and survived 100 days alone dragging heavy sleds through the polar regions. Despite a rare blood disorder that 2 doctors told him would kill him in boot camp, he defied the odds and most recently pushed his body to the edge of death, dragging a 420-pound sled for 500 miles, alone in Antarctica for 60 days, on what experts have called “the boldest Antarctic expedition in modern times.”

Combining his...

Why do we keep eating foods we know are bad for us? In this powerful episode, #154 of the Fit Mother Project Podcast, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi sits down with Head Trainer Ben Sterling to unpack this deeply human struggle — and share the science and strategies behind breaking food addiction for good.

Ben opens up about his personal journey from pizza-fueled college nights to becoming a model of discipline and health. Together they explore why willpower alone isn't enough, and how understanding brain chemistry — specifically dopamine loops, habit cues, and emotional triggers — is the key to reclaiming control. The conversation blends cutting-edge neuroscience with hard-earned wisdom, offering listeners a toolkit to stop compulsive eating and feed the “good wolf” instead.

You’ll learn how small, daily decisions either reinforce or break addictive patterns, why delayed gratification is a key to long-term success, and how food cravings are often just symptoms of deeper emotional needs. They also share practical strategies, from environmental design and mindful “urge surfing,” to movement-based interruptions and healthy substitutions that satisfy without sabotaging.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why do I keep doing this?” — this conversation is your wake-up call. It’s raw, relatable, and deeply empowering. Whether you're trying to avoid late-night snacks, ditch sugar, or stop eating when stressed, this episode will give you the tools and perspective to finally take back control.

• Dopamine-driven cravings start with a cue, not just hunger
• “Feeding the wolf” reinforces brain wiring for impulsivity
• Stress and fatigue weaken the brain’s impulse control (prefrontal cortex)
• Long-term health is built by winning small daily decisions
• Willpower is like a muscle — use it wisely, but don’t rely on it alone
• Substitutions (e.g., lettuce-wrapped burgers) can satisfy without derailing progress
• “Urge surfing” helps ride out cravings with mindfulness, not resistance
• Evening walks can replace post-dinner dessert habits
• Proximity = temptation — keep junk food out of the house
• Painful post-binge consequences can be powerful learning tools
• Rewiring patterns means identifying your biggest triggers and replacing routines
• Addictions (food, shopping, etc.) often stem from the same neural loops
• Cravings peak and then pass — delay action and you weaken them
• Health is freedom — from disease and from compulsive patterns
• Discipline becomes easier when your environment supports it

Website: https://justthrivehealth.com/

Use promo code: FITFAMILY and save 20% on your first 90-day bottle of Just Thrive Probiotics.

Go to http://go.getfreshfitfather.com to enroll in the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club, pay just $1 to help cover shipping costs, and receive a complimentary full-size bottle ($39 value) of one of the greatest olive oils T.J. has ever discovered.

With T.J.’s Club, there’s never a commitment to buy anything, now or ever, and you can cancel your membership at any time.

We are hosting our first-ever Fit Father / Fit Mother LIVE event in Phoenix, Aug. 29-3. We want to meet you there! Click here for all the details:https://www.fitmotherproject.com/live-event-2025

Foundations is a simple, sustainable, and specific weight loss program designed especially for busy...

What do aviation, AI, parenting, and longevity have in common? Blair LaCorte. In this fast-paced episode, Episode 153 of the Fit Mother Project Podcast, he shares with Dr. Anthony Balduzzi the biggest lessons from his high-performance life — and how we can all build a stronger body, mind, and purpose. Together, they explore the powerful idea that safety — both physical and emotional — is the foundation for longevity, authentic living, and effective parenting. Blair shares how formative childhood experiences shaped his entrepreneurial spirit, why midlife transitions are deeply necessary, and how self-love is one of the highest acts of love for your children.

Blair explains how your parasympathetic nervous system — the “rest and digest” network — underpins your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. He emphasizes the vital role of feeling safe, connected, and curious in both health and personal evolution. His advice? Move every hour, sleep according to your chronotype, get sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning, and start each day with intention. From daily mantras to longevity science from the Buck Institute, Blair’s practical wisdom is packed with insights.

The conversation also dives into actionable tips for parents on creating resilient, curious, and emotionally stable kids — without overprotecting them. Blair’s candid reflection on failure, identity, and the modern health landscape is both refreshing and empowering. Whether you’re looking to optimize your body, reconnect with your purpose, or better guide your children in the AI age, this episode delivers.

• Childhood wiring shapes lifelong behavior
• Self-love is essential for effective parenting
• Authenticity is the key to a regret-free life
• Safety regulates the parasympathetic nervous system
• Your nervous system is the root of health span
• Frequent movement trumps long workouts
• Morning sunlight resets your biological clock
• Daily mantras shift your brain's focus
• Sitting is the new smoking — get up hourly
• Connection is the #1 longevity multiplier
• Food is the most important input for your health
• Kids need a safe place to fail and grow
• Random acts of kindness heal both giver and receiver

Websites: https://ppemastermind.com/

https://www.mastermindinnovate.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blair-lacorte-68084/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTSlr8fDtSu4Ev_hF6tyqDw

Blair LaCorte is a dynamic business executive who after being raised by two entrepreneurs has taken a path less traveled, unless of course you were Forrest Gump! His career spans numerous industries such as entertainment, aviation, AI, technology, aerospace, consulting, investing and military logistics. Renowned for his insatiable curiosity, collaborative spirit, passionate oratorical skills and competitive drive, Blair consistently strives to make a positive contribution and impact in all his endeavors.

For Credibility: Blair has held CEO or “C” level strategy or operating roles in companies such PRG (largest live entertainment production company), XOJET/Vista (largest private aviation company), TPG (one of largest PE firms), Autodesk (largest CAD SW company), and Sun...

In this profound conversation, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi welcomes attachment specialist Adam Lane Smith to unpack how our early childhood experiences wire our nervous systems—and how that wiring can shape everything from our health to our marriages. Adam explains the science and psychology of attachment theory, revealing why so many high-achieving parents silently suffer from emotional disconnection, loneliness, and self-sabotaging health behaviors.

Listeners will learn about the three main insecure attachment styles—avoidant, anxious, and mixed—and how they show up in relationships, parenting, and health choices. Adam provides a visceral, relatable description of how these patterns develop, the havoc they can wreak, and how they can be completely healed through conscious effort, safe relationships, and nervous system regulation.

But this episode isn’t just theoretical. Dr. Balduzzi and Adam dive deep into the practical side: how women can build secure attachment through small, consistent steps, how fitness plays a critical role in rewiring the brain for connection, and how parents can start creating transformational moments with their kids—without needing to be perfect.

This episode will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt disconnected despite doing everything “right.” It’s a wake-up call for high performers, a roadmap for parents, and a love letter to those willing to do the inner work. Don’t miss the insights that could quite literally transform your relationships—and your life.

• Early trauma wires nervous system dysfunction
• Avoidant = survival mode, overwork, disconnected
• Anxious = approval seeking, learned helplessness
• Secure = calm, connected, honest communication
• Attachment issues crush hormone balance
• Most divorces = anxious woman + avoidant man
• High performers often hide deep loneliness
• Nervous system dysregulation blocks oxytocin
• Healing begins with awareness and self-reflection
• Fixing attachment transforms your physiology
• Parents must become self-correcting, not perfect
• Fitness supports nervous system healing
• Kids model what they see, not what you say
• Transparency + feedback = secure relationships
• Your health habits are also love habits

Website: https://adamlanesmith.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/attachmentadam/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBO093GsMmnA9tb8lZPhbgg

X: https://x.com/adamlanesmith

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attachmentbro?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdamLaneSmith/

Podcast: I Wish You Knew Podcast https://iwishyouknew.show/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@attachmentadam

Adam Lane Smith, MA Psych, is recognized globally for his groundbreaking work in applied attachment psychology. Over the past 15 years, he has guided more than 1,600 private clients (including top executives, Hollywood A-listers, and management professionals) towards building resilient and effective relationships, both at

In another powerful episode of the Fit Mother Project Podcast, Episode 151, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi welcomes Ben Azadi—bestselling author, metabolic health expert, and founder of Keto Kamp—for a deep dive into the root causes of poor metabolic health and what it truly takes to reclaim your body, mind, and vitality. Ben shares his personal transformation story, going from suicidal, overweight, and inflamed at 250 lbs to thriving in his 40s—lean, healthy, and purposeful. His journey started with ownership and mindset shifts, and evolved into a life’s mission of helping others achieve “metabolic freedom.”

The conversation goes far beyond keto buzzwords. Ben outlines how environmental toxins, not just calories, are driving fat gain and chronic disease, with shocking data about "obesogens" and "diabetogens" found in food, water, and even household items. He also challenges conventional calorie-focused models of weight loss and reveals how addressing hormones and inflammation is the real path to transformation.

Ben unpacks his strategic use of ketosis—not as a lifelong diet, but as a metabolic tool—alongside the power of fasting, carnivore resets, and metabolic flexibility. His 6-day carnivore + 1-day carb refeed approach gives listeners a fresh model of how to eat and train for longevity and leanness.

Finally, the conversation takes a powerful turn into mindset. Ben’s favorite “supplement”? Vitamin G—gratitude. He explains how thoughts shape biology, citing the placebo effect, stress hormones, and genetic expression. He leaves listeners with a compelling call to master their thinking to master their health.

• Weight gain is a symptom of deeper dysfunction
• Hidden toxins (obesogens, diabetogens) drive fat storage
• Hormones and inflammation matter more than calories
• Keto used as a strategic metabolic tool, not lifelong diet
• Fasting insulin is the best marker for metabolic health
• Carnivore diet works well as a short-term gut reset
• Weekly protocol: 6 days carnivore, 1 day carb refeed
• Plastics and household toxins disrupt hormones and metabolism
• Muscle mass is the #1 driver of metabolic efficiency after 60
• Vitamin G = gratitude, the most underrated anti-inflammatory
• Your thoughts can literally turn genes on or off
• Rewiring your mindset is like strength training for the brain
• True metabolic freedom comes from healing root causes

Website: www.benazadi.com

New Book: Metabolic Freedom is set to release on May 13, 2025

• Go to www.metabolicfreedombook.com

Preorder Ben's book before May 13th or order after its release and get his Metabolic Freedom course and exclusive interviews for FREE! ($997 Retail Value)

Podcast: The Metabolic Freedom Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/metabolic-freedom-with-ben-azadi/id1470779784

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebenazadi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benazadi/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thebenazadi

YouTube: www.youtube.com/ketokamp

TikTok:

In this energizing and heartfelt episode, Dr. Anthony Balduzzi sits down with Joey and Lucy from the Sweaty AF Podcast to dive deep into how sauna use transformed their lives after personal hardships, including divorces and health struggles. They share their personal journeys of healing, emotional resilience, and why sauna became the cornerstone of their wellness philosophy.

Joey and Lucy highlight the importance of listening to the body, using sauna and cold therapy intuitively, and how ancient traditions offer modern healing. They discuss contrast therapy, the mental and spiritual shifts they’ve experienced, and practical tips for families (yes, even kids!) to get involved. Plus, they geek out on science-backed benefits like heat shock proteins, sleep optimization, and biohacks that support a resilient nervous system.

This is a must-listen episode for anyone who wants to upgrade their health, mindset, and community connections — and maybe find a little magic in the heat.

• Sauna supports emotional, physical, and spiritual healing
• Sauna as an ancient ritual space for connection
• Cold therapy builds mental resilience
• Heat therapy boosts immunity, circulation, and sleep
• Sauna fosters deeper conversations and emotional openness
• Intuition over rigid protocols for sauna use
• Avoid sauna use when intoxicated
• Heat shock proteins aid longevity and cellular repair
• Sauna improves sleep quality and overall health
• Mouth taping enhances nasal breathing and hydration during sleep
• Natural bedding and cool rooms improve sleep environment
• Contrast therapy (hot + cold) builds stress resilience
• Sauna use should vary with menstrual cycles and daily stress levels
• Sauna as a gateway to broader lifestyle changes

Podcast: Sweaty AF Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sweatyaf/id1689434310

Website: https://www.sweatyaf.co.uk/home

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweatyafpodcast/#

Broadcasting straight from the sauna, they dive deep into the world of wellness. With a passion for contrast therapy, Joey and Lucy are true experts on the benefits of hot and cold treatments. Their engaging discussions, expert insights, and practical tips help listeners optimize their health and performance.

Having recently completed their sauna training with the founder of The British Sauna Society, Joey and Lucy are excited to bring a well-rounded perspective on the subject, blending ancient traditions with modern insights. Their passion for sauna stems from its ability to rejuvenate the body, clear the mind, and restore balance in a fast-paced world. They've seen firsthand how regular sauna use can improve cardiovascular health, support detoxification, alleviate stress, and even promote skin health. These benefits are not only supported by science but are rooted in centuries-old traditions that continue to be embraced worldwide.

Website: https://justthrivehealth.com/

Use promo code: FITFAMILY and save 20% on your first 90-day bottle of Just Thrive Probiotics.

We want you to join us for our first-ever Fit Father/Fit Mother LIVE event. Click here for details: