We are continuing on with our mini-series Like A Pro. Today, we hear from Kyle Morton, goalkeeper for Louisville City FC.

To kick off the conversation, Kyle shares his experiences with mental health and advocates for prioritizing mental wellness. As a professional athlete, Kyle recognizes that pushing his body to the limit takes a toll on mental health. He gives some tips for prioritizing mental wellness, such as finding balance and relationships away from work.

Kyle shares how he has grown to recognize and respond to the warning signs of his mental health declining. He then goes on to talk about men’s mental health. Advocacy for men’s mental health is a fairly recent movement. He also talks about how to find balance while maintaining high-level professional performance, and he gives some valuable advice to up-and-coming athletes.

Finally, Kyle participates in a lightning question round. Hear about Kyle’s morning routine, his latest reading recommendation, and his favorite Louisville activity.

Key Takeaways:

[00:57] Introduction to the episode and today’s guest.

[02:11] Why mental health is important.

[03:42] Kyle’s tips for prioritizing mental wellness.

[06:55] Men’s mental health.

[07:47] Finding balance.

[10:03] Lightning round Q&A.

We are continuing with our mini-series Like A Pro. Today, we hear from Gemma Bonner, a defender for Racing Louisville FC. Gemma has learned firsthand the importance of self-care, recovery and rest. As a professional athlete, these things are critical to maintaining top performance—though they ring true for everyday life, as well. 

To kick off the conversation, Gemma shares that the older she gets, the more important a ritual of self-care has become in her life. She has learned that self-care can be beneficial in different ways, both mentally and physically. It’s so easy to get caught up in our external world and forget the simple task of looking after ourselves. It can be as simple as making sure you are getting enough sleep and putting good fuel into your body.

Gemma reveals her practical approaches to self-care. First and most importantly, she ensures that she gets enough sleep—at least 8 hours every night. To help with sleep and relaxation, she often turns to meditation. She also drinks plenty of water and stays hydrated to avoid fatigue and brain fog. She has recently taken up the commitment of yoga, which has helped her performance and mental health. She admits that she finds self-care easier to practice when she is on her training schedule in the U.S. compared to back home in England. For those struggling with time, she offers advice on getting started.

It’s important for Gemma to find a balance between her life, work and socializing. Our society reinforces the message of hustle culture, especially for women. Gemma has learned that she doesn’t necessarily have to push herself to the extreme in one area, when there are so many other areas she could improve in. This might include something as simple as reading a book to help mental toughness. If there is anyone listening who feels they need permission to give themselves a break, this is your sign. Pushing beyond your limits can actually be more harmful than good.

Finally, Gemma participates in a lightning question round so that listeners can get to know her a little better. Hear about her bedtime routine, mood boosting music and her favorite thing to do in Louisville.

Baptist Health’s services and expertise help keep Racing Louisville FC in top condition while they compete at the highest levels of the sport.

We’re kicking off a special mini-series of the show! Baptist Health serves as the team physicians for both the men’s and women's professional soccer teams here in Louisville, Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville. We’ll team up with members of each team for this special series we’re calling Like A Pro. 

Today, we’re joined by Tyler Gibson. Tyler is a midfielder for Louisville City FC and is extremely passionate about nutrition and how it affects overall health and performance. To begin, he shares that nutrition has always been a huge part of his career. Little things like feeling sluggish, brain fog and acne led him to play around with his nutrition and eliminate different food groups as experimentation. Since he has made some big changes in the last two years, he has noticed a difference in how he feels and his overall energy levels.

Though he is on the smaller side, Tyler reveals that he actually eats more than anyone on the team. He is very habitual in the morning. First, he’ll have a glass of lemon water, then drink celery juice, then have a fruit smoothie. His favorite food is potatoes, and he shares that he eats them almost every day. He played around with being vegan, but now just tries to cut down on meat, dairy and gluten. He believes this has helped with his energy levels and not feeling tired after a meal. With carbs like potatoes, fruit and rice, he never feels sluggish on the field.

Tyler says that hydration is a key element for promoting recovery before and after a game. He finds that drinks like coconut water help him stay hydrated more than just drinking water. He finds it’s also important to replace the carbohydrates you have depleted. When he is hydrated and nourished, Tyler is less likely to cramp and notices he has much more energy to give to games and training.

Finally, Tyler participates in a lightning question round so that listeners can get to know him a little better. Hear about his guilty pleasure meal, which position he would most like to play, his favorite restaurant in Louisville and more!

Key Takeaways:

[0:49] Introduction to today’s guest, Tyler Gibson.

[1:30] Tyler’s personal approach to nutrition.

[3:33] Tyler’s nutritional habits

[6:03] Tyler’s thoughts surrounding carbs

[8:07] Tyler’s go-to snacks to boost recovery

[10:20] Difference in athletic ability depending on his nutrition

[12:21] Lightning round of questions

Learn more about Louisville City FC.

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