Simon Ward, Be Battle Ready - The podcast for strength, resilience, and longevity

• Why Your Gut Is Affecting Your Sleep, Mood, and Performance (The Microbiome Explained)

  In the first of a 2 part series, I’m joined by Harvey Fortis, a performance nutritionist and researcher completing his PhD at Liverpool John Moores University, where he studies gut and metabolic responses in endurance athletes. Harvey also works with INEOS Cycling and Total Endurance Nutrition, so he sees first-hand how gut health can make or break performance. We start by laying the foundations of what the gut microbiome actually is, but quickly move into why it matters in everyday life. We explore how gut health influences sleep, stress, immunity, inflammation, mood, and even how well you tolerate training and racing. If you’ve ever struggled with poor sleep, anxiety, IBS, repeated illness, or unexplained fatigue, this episode will help you understand why the gut is often the missing piece. What We Cover What the microbiome is and why it behaves like a “city within” Why gut health starts before birth and stabilises early in life How gut imbalance can disrupt sleep and keep the nervous system switched on The gut–brain axis and why 80% of signals travel from gut to brain How chronic low-grade inflammation starts in the gut Why frequent illness and poor recovery often point to gut health issues The link between gut health and skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis Why many performance problems aren’t training issues at all, but gut issues Key Quote ( 00:09:59 ) “We host around 30 to 40 trillion bacterial cells – roughly as many as your own human cells – and they all work together like a thriving city inside you.” – Harvey Fortis   Key Message Your gut is more than a digestive system – it’s a living ecosystem that drives energy, recovery, mood, and resilience. When the good bacteria thrive, everything else follows.   How to Connect with Harvey:Instagram – @fortis.sportsci Website – www.totalendurancenutrition.com   Recommended resources for listeners: A couple mod highly recommended books Gut by Giulia Enders The Athlete’s Gut: The Inside Science of Digestion, Nutrition, and Stomach Distress – Patrick Wilson 2 interesting research documents The Athlete Gut Microbiome and its Relevance to Health and Performance: A Review GSSI Sports Science Exchange: Gut Microbiome Function, Stability, and Profiling and Relevance to Athletes Join the SWAT Inner Circle   And if you want structure, accountability, and a tactical plan for staying strong, mobile, and resilient all year round, the SWAT Inner Circle is where you’ll find the support to stay Battle Ready for life’s adventures. CLICK HERE TO START YOUR MISSION   Connect with me HERE: You can find link for the following channels - Website, Facebook, podcast, Instagram, YouTube   Check out my Instagram  and YouTube  channel Website: www.simonward.co.uk Email: [email protected] Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Sign up for Beth’s weekly newsletter Download Simon’s Free ‘Battle Ready Lifestyle’ Infographic — https://simon-ward.kit.com/battlereadylifestyle Join the Unstuck Collective – for Beth’s weekly inspiration and coaching insights (not a chat group; replies welcome via DM). 💬 Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to [email protected] and you might just hear it on a future episode!

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• The Hidden Cost of ‘Normal’ Drinking After 40 with Clifford Stephan

  “You know what you can get away with in your teens and 20s is a little different than your 30s and 40s. Your body is like a classic car now - you can't get away with not servicing it anymore.” This week on the Be Battle Ready Podcast, I’m joined by Clifford Stephan, the founder of Booze Vacation. Clifford’s work focuses on helping people take intentional breaks from alcohol in order to reboot their sleep, metabolic health, energy, cognitive function, and long term wellbeing. Far from preaching sobriety, his approach is rooted in real-world experience, practical strategies, and understanding the way modern life, ageing, stress, and habitual drinking fit together. Clifford shares his own journey from Silicon Valley consultant and lifelong social drinker to discovering how even “normal” drinking patterns were quietly sabotaging his sleep, hormones, recovery, performance at work, and motivation to train. His story will resonate with anyone in their forties, fifties or beyond who has ever wondered whether alcohol is pulling more from their life than it is giving back. Together we explore: Why the habits you “get away with” in your twenties begin to cost you dearly in your forties and fifties How alcohol disrupts sleep architecture, metabolic health, hormones, cravings, energy, and recovery Why taking one long break from alcohol often unlocks improvements that short-term “cutting back” never delivers The powerful link between stress, poor sleep, overeating, belly fat, and reward systems How to navigate social situations without alcohol, re-write your internal story, and update your identity The impact alcohol has on performance at work, clarity of thought, productivity, and ability to show up for your family Why health span, not lifespan, should be the real goal in midlife Simple steps you can take today if you want to feel and function better in the next 30 to 90 days This episode is packed with insights for anyone wanting to build more energy, better sleep, sharper thinking, and greater resilience as they age. Clifford’s experience, honesty, and practical approach make this a genuinely eye-opening conversation.   Listen now Tune in to learn how smarter alcohol choices can become a genuine performance enhancer for training, work, mood, and long term health.   Connect with Clifford Website- BoozeVacation.com TikTok-  TikTok.com/@cliffordstephan1 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliffordstephan Instagram- instagram.com/boozevacation/   Men's health Quiz- http://boozevacation.scoreapp.com/ Sleep blog - https://boozevacation.com/sleep-and-alcohol/ Other resources-  https://boozevacation.com/resources/ TikTok-  TikTok.com/@cliffordstephan1   Clifford’s book recommendation: Good Energy by Dr Casey means - The groundbreaking connection between glucose levels, metabolism, limitless health and longevity     Join the SWAT Inner Circle   And if you want structure, accountability, and a tactical plan for staying strong, mobile, and resilient all year round, the SWAT Inner Circle is where you’ll find the support to stay Battle Ready for life’s adventures. CLICK HERE TO START YOUR MISSION   Check out my Instagram  and YouTube  channel   Join the Unstuck Collective – for Beth’s weekly inspiration and coaching insights (not a chat group; replies welcome via DM). Download Simon’s Free ‘Battle Ready Lifestyle’ Infographic - https://simon-ward.kit.com/battlereadylifestyle Website: www.simonward.co.uk Email: [email protected] Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Sign up for Beth’s weekly newsletter   💬 Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to [email protected] and you might just hear it on a future episode!

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• Broken Endurance: The Smartest Way to Run Faster for Longer with Bobby McGee

  In this episode, running coach Bobby McGee is back to help us understand the revolutionary concept of "broken endurance" - a strategic run-walk approach that challenges everything we think we know about endurance racing. As Bobby said "This is absolutely a performance tool, a performance approach. It is not a concession. You know, when people view it as a concession, then the whole mindset goes... You will perform better utilising this, not only as a training strategy, but very, very definitely for the large majority of endurance athletes, as a racing strategy, as a superior racing strategy." - Bobby McGee In the conversation we talk about psychological barriers that prevent runners from adopting this approach, some compelling success stories, and we have some practical guidance on how to implement broken endurance in both your training and racing.   Key Points Discussed: Broken endurance as a performance tool: This isn't a concession - it's a strategic approach that allows athletes to perform better, cover longer distances, and recover faster than continuous running. The physiological benefits: Better heat management, improved cardiac drift control, enhanced fluid absorption, superior blood circulation during walk breaks, and reduced neurological fatigue. Real-world success stories: From a 2:40 marathoner who ran 2:22 using walk-run, to age group athletes consistently outperforming their continuous running times by 4-5 minutes. Overcoming the ego barrier: Why cultural perceptions of endurance and the "Iron Man" mentality prevent athletes from adopting superior racing strategies. Practical implementation: How to find your optimal run-walk ratio (starting with 4:1 or 3:1), the importance of systematic data collection, and adapting intervals based on conditions. Walking technique matters: Maintaining 14-17 minute mile pace during walk breaks, keeping rhythm and cadence, and using the walk as active recovery rather than collapse. Recovery advantages: Dramatically reduced post-workout fatigue, ability to maintain higher training frequency, and reduced injury risk from better form maintenance.   Connect with Bobby McGee: Website - bobbymcgee.com Instagram - bobbymcgeerunning Pendola Project - Run Form   Bobby also recommends the following books Endure - Alex Hutchinson The Transformational Power of Pure Intelligence Cory Reich   Bobby is a consultant for STRYD power meters,  He highly recommends the Duo if you want state of the art mechanical data to work on your run     Join the SWAT Inner Circle   The SWAT Inner Circle is now open. It is the community for athletes and adventurers over 50 who want to train smart, live well, and extend their health span.  You can join today CLICK HERE TO START YOUR MISSION   Check out my Instagram  and YouTube  channel   Join the Unstuck Collective – for Beth’s weekly inspiration and coaching insights (not a chat group; replies welcome via DM). Download Simon’s Free ‘Battle Ready Lifestyle’ Infographic - https://simon-ward.kit.com/battlereadylifestyle Website: www.simonward.co.uk Email: [email protected] Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Sign up for Beth’s weekly newsletter   💬 Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to [email protected] and you might just hear it on a future episode!

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• Episode 3: Should Athletes Fast? The Performance vs. Weight Loss Dilemma

  In the final episode of the fasting series, Simon and Dr. Jules Strauss tackle the complex question of whether endurance athletes should fast, and if so, how to do it safely without compromising training quality or health. Jules brings her expertise in sports nutrition to provide practical guidance on timing fasting protocols around training seasons, the difference between fasting for weight loss and fasted training for metabolic adaptation, and how to monitor whether a fasting approach is helping or hindering performance. Key Points Discussed: Should endurance athletes fast? It depends on individual circumstances, but fasting is not a performance enhancer - it's about careful management to maintain performance while pursuing other goals. Timing within the training year: Off-season is ideal for experimenting with fasting protocols, while build phases, competition prep, and race periods should avoid restrictive approaches. The planning complexity: How fasting requires more careful attention to meeting macronutrient needs (6-7g carbs/kg, 1.6-2.2g protein/kg) within restricted eating windows. Fasted training vs. fasting protocols: The difference between acute fasted training sessions (for metabolic flexibility) and chronic fasting approaches (for weight management). Monitoring and red flags: How to track whether fasting is working through training metrics, recovery markers, immune function, and menstrual health in females. The performance-health-body composition triangle: Jules' framework for balancing competing priorities and staying within the "sweet spot" of all three goals. Key Quotation: "I think the key thing to recognise is that this (fasting) isn't going to be a performance enhancer. This isn't an approach that an athlete should pursue from an improved performance perspective. That's not to say that we can't maintain our performance if we carefully manage a fasting approach" — Dr. Jules Strauss Connect with Dr. Jules Strauss: Website: totalendurancenutrition.com Instagram: @drjulesstrauss_nutritionist If you are training for endurance sport and tempted by fasting please check out this research first: Fuel for the work required   Join the SWAT Inner Circle   The SWAT Inner Circle is now open. It is the community for athletes and adventurers over 50 who want to train smart, live well, and extend their health span.  You can join today CLICK HERE TO START YOUR MISSION   Check out my Instagram  and YouTube  channel   Join the Unstuck Collective – for Beth’s weekly inspiration and coaching insights (not a chat group; replies welcome via DM). Download Simon’s Free ‘Battle Ready Lifestyle’ Infographic — https://simon-ward.kit.com/battlereadylifestyle Website: www.simonward.co.uk Email: [email protected] Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Sign up for Beth’s weekly newsletter   💬 Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to [email protected] — and you might just hear it on a future episode!

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• Episode 2: Types of Fasting Explained - What Works and What's Just Hype

  In part two of the fasting series, Simon and Dr. Jules Strauss dive deep into the different types of fasting protocols available today. From time-restricted eating to extreme approaches with catchy names, they explore what the science actually supports versus what's simply clever marketing designed to sell products. Jules walks through the continuum of fasting approaches and importantly discusses who should avoid fasting altogether, drawing on her expertise in female-specific nutrition and eating disorder awareness. Key Points Discussed: Time-restricted eating (TRE): The most common and manageable approach, typically 16:8 or 14:10 windows, with early eating windows showing slightly greater benefits for insulin sensitivity. Intermittent fasting (5:2 approach): Five normal eating days with two very low-calorie days, and why this can be challenging for endurance athletes to manage around training. Red flag approaches to avoid: The "Warrior Diet," "Lean Gains," and other extreme protocols with fancy names that often promote disordered eating behaviour’s. Who should avoid fasting: Anyone with a history of disordered eating, youth athletes, pregnant/lactating women, older athletes with higher protein needs, and those with recurrent injuries. The reality check on benefits: Fasting doesn't provide superior results compared to traditional calorie restriction - it's simply another tool that works for some people. Individual considerations: How training schedule, lifestyle, and personal circumstances should guide whether fasting is appropriate. Key Quotation: "I think it's important to recognise and acknowledge that, on the face of it, that is the time restricted eating approach. But when we kind of layer on all these additional kind of rules and restrictions, that's the point at which this becomes incredibly challenging for anyone to really implement... and actually lean more towards promoting and supporting people to engage with more kind of disordered eating behaviour’s." Dr. Jules Strauss   Connect with Dr. Jules Strauss: Website: totalendurancenutrition.com Instagram: @drjulesstrauss_nutritionist **If you are training for endurance sport and tempted by fasting please check out this research first: Fuel for the work required   Join the SWAT Inner Circle   The SWAT Inner Circle is now open. It is the community for athletes and adventurers over 50 who want to train smart, live well, and extend their health span.  You can join today CLICK HERE TO START YOUR MISSION   Check out my Instagram  and YouTube  channel   Join the Unstuck Collective – for Beth’s weekly inspiration and coaching insights (not a chat group; replies welcome via DM). Download Simon’s Free ‘Battle Ready Lifestyle’ Infographic - https://simon-ward.kit.com/battlereadylifestyle Website: www.simonward.co.uk Email: [email protected] Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Sign up for Beth’s weekly newsletter   💬 Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to [email protected] and you might just hear it on a future episode!

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