Have you ever noticed how we willingly sign up for a very specific type of pain, when in general, pain is the very thing we spend our lives trying to avoid?

We crawl out of warm beds to lift heavy things. We run until our lungs burn. We push ourselves to the point of exhaustion. And we do it on purpose. This willingness to choose pain on purpose is one of the greatest lessons that exercise can teach us, and it got me thinking about the profound lessons hidden in our choice to embrace physical discomfort.

Listen in this week to hear how every rep, every mile, and every bead of sweat is teaching you something beyond fitness. You'll discover why willingly walking into discomfort changes your brain's relationship with pain, how physical challenges teach you to handle emotional challenges, and what your workout habits reveal about how you handle challenges everywhere else in your life.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/177

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What if that moment your brain starts screaming "This is too hard" when you're trying to change a habit isn't failure? What if it's actually the exact moment where real change happens?

Most people walk away at this point, convinced they need a better plan or more willpower, but they're missing the crucial piece that makes habit change actually stick. While everyone gets laser-focused on perfect macro splits, new tracking apps, and detailed meal prep systems, they're overlooking what really matters: how you think when things get uncomfortable.

Tune in this week to learn why habit change requires both a solid strategy and the mindset to stick with it when your brain inevitably freaks out. You'll hear why your plan is useless if your brain isn't on board when discomfort hits, how the right thinking gives you staying power, and why you need willingness, not willpower.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/176

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You start a new workout program with all the excitement in the world. The spreadsheet is color-coded, your meal prep containers are lined up perfectly, and you've got that brand new notebook with matching pens ready to track every detail.

For those first few weeks, you're unstoppable. Checking boxes, hitting targets, feeling like you've finally cracked the code. Then something shifts. The salads taste boring, your fancy notebook sits unopened, and you're already negotiating with yourself about tomorrow's workout. This isn't a moral failing or a lack of willpower - it's your brain chemistry at work.

Tune in this week to learn how dopamine affects your motivation and why it's working against you. I break down why your brain loves starting but hates maintaining, how to find satisfaction in the "boring" habits that actually change your life, and simple strategies to retrain your brain for long-term success.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/175

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