The Sonya Looney Show

I really enjoy public speaking and have had the honor to give keynote speeches on the topics of positive psychology, motivation and habits, nutrition and even cycling-specific talks at business, leadership, tech, and nutrition conferences.  One of my favorite stories to include is an old Cherokee parable. I wanted to share it with you because it embodies the power of our perspective.   Perspective and choosing what stories to tell ourselves and how we interpret daily events and emotions is one of the most powerful practices you can have.   One evening an old Cherokee man told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

Pregnancy and motherhood looks different for everyone, but in this week's podcast episode I have a chat with fellow new cyclist mother, Laura King about our pregnancies and post-partum life.  We talked about topics you may not be accustomed to hearing about like miscarriage, pelvic floor health after birth and also maybe more familiar topics like what it's like to ride during pregnancy, how we are maintaining our identities, and more! A quick bit about Laura King: Laura’s background in competitive swimming led to 12 years competing in triathlon, including the Ironman World Championships and earning a pro license. An invitation to USA Cycling's Talent ID Camp and a simultaneous job offer for a major industry position presented a fork in the road, and her decision to take the industry position and pursue racing as a passion provided the right balance of career and sport. Nonetheless, her credibility as a competitor has served her well in a successful career of over a decade in Sales and Marketing

Derek Loudermilk might be one of the most interesting people you've ever met.  He's discovered a new species of virus while in graduate school, he's traveled the world as a professional cyclist, he became an entrepreneur and digital nomad - including doing this with a wife and a child under the age of 3.  He's created his own path as an author, podcaster, speaker, coach, and guide to help people start living the life they imagined.  How did this all really start?  With a blood clot in his brain after being given a 75% chance of dying.  In his quest to understand the future of entrepreneurship around the world, Derek Loudermilk has traveled to every US state, 40 countries, and lived on four continents. He is the author of his book SuperConductors.    Topics Discussed in the Podcast  the power of community his journey to living around the world and becoming an entrepreneur falling in love with adventure at Yellowstone how to remove barriers and make changes where does confidence come from?

Stacy Sims, PhD is a leading global expert on female Physiology & endurance training.  You may be familiar with her popular book that I've personally read a few times, ROAR.  It is a science-based layperson's book explaining the sex differences in training and nutrition and addressing the dogma for women in exercise, nutrition, and health outcomes. She says that women are not small men and we should not be generalizing women when it comes to training, recovery, supplements and more because our physiology is different from men. Unfortunately, the majority of research is done on men so it's been hard to decode things like how we should alter training based on where women are in their hormonal monthly cycle.  Dr. Sims has done an incredible amount of work providing a body of information so women can make better and more informed choices.  Let me tell you more about Dr. Sims background. She is currently a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Waikato after returning to academia from a

Joel Fuhrman, M.D. is a board-certified family physician, six-time New York Times best-selling author and internationally recognized expert on nutrition and natural healing, who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional methods. He is the President of the Nutritional Research Foundation and on the faculty of Northern Arizona University, Health Sciences division. Dr. Fuhrman coined the term “Nutritarian” to describe a nutrient-dense eating style, designed to prevent cancer, slow aging, and extend lifespan. For over 25 years, Dr. Fuhrman has shown that it is possible to achieve sustainable weight loss and reverse heart disease, diabetes and many other illnesses using smart nutrition. In his medical practice, and through his books and television specials, he continues to bring this life-saving message to hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Topics Discussed in the Podcast  where his interest in nutrition started Dr. Furhman's world-class career in ice skating prevent

Yoann Barelli will make you smile. One word used to describe him by many is that he is a character. He is known for his enduro mountain bike prowess, his super fun clown-like antics, his great coaching, photography, and also his environmental efforts of lately to raise money and also pick up trash. Yoann is seen as a positive and outspoken person on the Professional Circuit as you've no doubt seen on his YouTube Channel and Instagram. He is also a Dad!  Yoann's focus has been on enduro and crushing the EWS series around the world.   He says, "I want to make you laugh, to motivate you, to give you joy, to be this kick on the ass when you need it, by being me, through my own life experiences!"  At first glance, his infectious laughter and energy will entertain you but there are many dimensions to Yoann.  In this episode, he even talked about the spiritual side of his life which he doesn't talk about that much! For Yoann, being alive is about being unapologetically true to yourself, it&a

If you're familiar with Ironman, then you've surely heard the voice of Mike Reilly.  The four words, "You are an Ironman" are some of the most powerful words uttered at the finish line of endurance sports.  Mike has been announcing Ironman events since 1989 and is fondly known as "The Voice of Ironman."  He has been inducted into the IRONMAN Hall of Fame, the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame and the Running USA Hall of Champions, and is the only person to have been inducted into all three.  He has connected with hundreds of thousands of athletes, making each one feel individual and special as they cross the finish line, but also at the start line and throughout the grueling 19 hour day of announcing.  Mike's book, Finding My Voice was published about one year ago and is an inspiring and fun read about some of the most incredible moments through Mike's career with Ironman.  You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll feel inspired when you read it.  It's about how

Michael Klaper, M.D. is a board-certified physician, internationally-recognized teacher, and sought-after speaker on diet and health. In addition to his clinical practice and private consultations with patients, he is a passionate and devoted educator of physicians and other healthcare professionals about the importance of nutrition in clinical practice and integrative medicine. He is the author of x books and has authored dozens of articles for both scientific journals and the popular press. Dr. Klaper is well known for taking complex medical topics and making them easy for everyone to understand.  He is also an expert in water fasting after 9 years on the medical staff at True North Health Center.  He shares a lot of great information through his website and YouTube Channel.  Topics Discussed in the Podcast  How Dr. Klaper found Plant-Based Nutrition in the 1980s Dr. Klapers initiative to educate medical doctors on curing chronic disease Moving Medicine Forward water fasting, medical fasting should ath

Our most primitive cravings and habits come down to three words: Trigger, Behavior, Reward. But our brains can trick us into creating bad habits and driving is to be addicted to technology, love, thinking, and unhealthy food and beverages.  To break the cycle, Dr. Jud Brewer believes that curiosity is our ultimate superpower.  He has his MD and PhD and is the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center.  He is also an associate professor in psychiatry at the School of Medicine at Brown University, as well as a research affiliate at MIT. He is the founder of the digital therapeutics platform, MindSciences, and author of the book, “The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love—why we get hooked and how we can break bad habits.  It was one of my favorite books I read in 2019.  Dr. Jud is also a fellow mountain biker. As an addiction psychiatrist and internationally known expert in mindfulness training for treating addictions, Dr. Jud has developed and tested mindfulness programs for

Matt Fitzgerald is a runner, coach, nutritionist and acclaimed author of well over 25 books.  You may have heard of his book on mental toughness- How Bad Do you Want It.   His online training plans at 8020endurance.com have helped thousands of athletes of all experience and ability levels achieve their goals. Certified by the International Society of Sports Nutrition, Matt has consulted for numerous sports nutrition companies and he is the creator of the Diet Quality Score (DQS) smartphone app. A lifelong athlete, he speaks frequently at events throughout the United States and internationally. Frequent topics on Matt's writing cover things like diet and ideal race weight, training intensities, mental training, and so much more. The mental aspect of sports in relation to the perception of effort, fatigue, and whether limits live in our mind or our body have been frequent topics on this show.  It's one of my favorite things to discuss. If you enjoyed this episode and want more, check out some related

Being productive, getting up early to get stuff done, being organized- these are all traits I admire and aspire to do more of!  What about boundary setting, better focus, and accountability?  Yes!  If these topics are ringing a bell for you, then you'll enjoy today's podcast guest- Jeff Sanders.  Jeff Sanders is a keynote speaker, productivity coach, Podcast Host of The 5AM Miracle, author of a few books, and founder of The Rockin’ Productivity Academy.  He is both productive AND busy.  In his spare time, he is also a plant-based marathon runner and personal development junkie.  His background is surprising- it was actually in theater and you can tell with his melodic voice.   Topics Discussed in the Podcast  how Jeff's background in theater helps him in his career in personal development why he is interested in productivity, habits, and routines tracking and getting out of reactive mode how to eliminate distractions boundary setting how to set goals without burning out favorite apps and tool

Todd Sadow founded Epic Rides in 1999 and produced the inaugural 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo with 176 participants in attendance. Since then, Epic Rides has grown into one of the most successful mountain bike event promotion companies in North America.  The Epic Rides event portfolio includes six diverse venues in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Arkansas that draw from a regional base with world-wide attendees to accent the more than 8,500 participants and 60,000 general attendees annually. The Epic Rides business model is simple. Provide the customer with an experience above and beyond anything they have grown to expect from the events industry; our events aren’t just a race, they are life-changing.  Events: 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo Whiskey Off-Road Grand Junction Off-Road Carson City Off-Road Oz Trails Off-Road Tour of the White Mountains   Topics Discussed in the Podcast  how it started how Epic Rides evolves and adds races scaling a race production company attracting newbies and course difficulty

Self-care is a major buzzword and self-care has helped a lot of people create time for themselves.  You often hear of creating a "self-care routine" that might involve things like essential oils, journaling like keeping a gratitude journal, a meditation practice, going to yoga, stretching and foam rolling, drinking tea, going to bed early and being on a consistent sleep schedule, taking supplements, having a "morning routine", using positive affirmations, reading self-help books, or even going to a Naturopath to get an IV or going to acupuncture. Just listing all of things we could or should be doing seems overwhelming to me.  Some people feel like there's a lot of pressure to do some of these things, but instead of being rejuvenating, it just turns into another stressful task on an already overflowing t0-do list.  By telling yourself that you should be doing it and then when it doesn't happen, it can add to an endless loop of more anxiety and overwhelm. That's eliminates t

Cory Muscara is a super interesting person.  Today, he is known for his work as a mindfulness teacher, author, podcaster, and speaker.  You'll find his career path interesting- he started meditating to impress his hippie girlfriend.  When that relationship didn't work out, he went all in, looked for the most challenging meditation training he could find and became a monk for 6 months in Burma where he meditated for 14+ hours per day under the instruction of Sayadaw U Pandita.  Fully engaged, he wanted more.  Not only does he have his Master's Degree in Positive Psychology from UPenn and teaches mindfulness-based leadership at Columbia University. He also currently serves as an assistant instructor for the positive psychology graduate program at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, he has a wide array of meditation training including the 2-year Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader training,  Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), completed certification with Mindful Schools & Sear

Today's topic is an interesting one and I want to talk about it just to inspire some thought around how we talk about hard work.   It's more just a phrase or topic of conversation that is thrown around, but I don't think many people even realize they are saying it. The phrase is "it's a lot of work." This phrase is haphazardly thrown around in our regular conversations, so much so that I'm not even sure we realize we are doing it.  The fact is that saying something is a lot of work is often used as a negative caveat. If you're talking about a good experience to someone and then throw in, "but it's a lot of work," the person you're talking to might feel discouraged or might not even want to try what you are doing.  "It's a lot of work" is also an excuse people use to create a barrier to getting started. Here are some examples I've heard recently about the phrase "it's a lot of work" either being used as an excuse or

Molly Hurford has built her career with several aims in mind: Write constantly, race often, travel frequently and live on her own terms, mostly outside. While she runs her own brands, including The Outdoor Edit, The Consummate Athlete Podcast and Shred Girls, she also works as a freelance writer for many major outdoor publications.  She’s also the author of multiple books on cycling and nutrition. Her most recent project, Shred Girls, is a young adult fiction series focused on getting girls excited about bikes. It’s also a website that features interviews, advice and inspiration for young female cyclists at Shred-Girls.com.  Molly was a guest on this podcast last year where we went in depth into Shred Girls. Listen to that episode. In her spare time, Molly has raced almost every type of bike, from cyclocross to road to mountain at an elite level; competed in triathlons from sprint to Ironman; and currently spends most of her time competing in ultra-running races, where she often finds her way onto podiums.  S

Someone recently asked me what my goals are at the moment.  While I have a lot of different projects, ideas, and races I'm excited about on the horizon (and oh, a BABY)... it all boils down to one thing.  You can call it my mantra of the year, and it's simple. Show UP. Show up.  Sounds simple, but some days it's not so easy. I've experienced pretty extreme fatigue since I got pregnant.  Showing up to pedal has surpassed any training goal because there are a lot of days I don't want to show up.  I've talked about how showing up and how getting started is the best way to be consistent and to overcome excuses - overcoming the activation energy of getting started.  Just setting your commitment level to showing up is powerful and it also takes the pressure off of expectations you may have of yourself.  "Show up" will be a mantra I'll use with a newborn, when I'm scared to show up to races because I won't have the high end fitness for the first part of the seas

Ayesha McGowan is the first African American female Professional Cyclist, riding for Liv Cycling. She's on a mission to advocate for representation and is an inspiration for the next generation of African American female cyclists.  Her bicycle has been a tool to not only help her accomplish her dreams, but as a vehicle for storytelling and social change.  Ayesha noticed that our sport of competitive cycling was being represented in the media by white men and she took action. Her tagline is "Representation Matters."  She's been on the cover of Outside Magazine, partnered with Nike's Dream Bigger video series, and has spoken on stages, podcasts, and articles on why it's important to have representation in sport, in the media, and in the industry. She is also a podcaster herself, has her own YouTube Channel, a full racing schedule, and also the creator of DoBetterRide Virtual Ride series. Topics Discussed in the Podcast  how Ayesha found bike racing and mentors journey into road r

"It is not death a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live." Marcus Aurelius "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." ~Abraham Lincoln Time is not a renewable resource.  Many people don't want to think about death because it's uncomfortable. Denying the idea of death or realizing that we don't have unlimited time might change the way we make decisions. Last year, I decided to read some books with accounts of people who were terminally ill. Most notable Being Mortal by Atul Gawande and When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Another highly recommended book I haven't read yet is Bright Hour by Nina Riggs. Contemplating mortality is something I've heard people doing a lot lately since Kobe Bryant's tragic death.  It was a wake-up call for some, realizing that it could be lights out at any moment.  That wake-up call has spurred conversations about the timeliness of living life on p

Dr. Bruce Monger is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University. His research involves the use of satellite remote sensing methods to study environmental controls of ocean primary production at global scales.  He currently serves as a member of NASA’s Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Science Team.  I discovered him while I was doing my Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University.  While I've been eating plant-based for nearly 7 years, I was amazed with what I learned from his lectures and I immediately asked him to come on the show. Global climate change is a huge issue.  If you've been watching the news lately, the financial markets and large companies and taking steps to offset their carbon emissions. While I think this is great, a lot of our daily choices and what we consume as individuals make a huge difference.  I don't think it's a problem we can buy our way out of and the first step comes with education