In a world full of noise, busy schedules, and overstimulated brains, how do we actually slow down enough to live our lives—rather than just react to them? In this back-to-basics but deeply personal episode, Ryan and MJ unpack why meditation isn’t just about relaxation—it’s about reclaiming your attention, your alignment, and your ability to focus in a distracted world.

You’ll hear real stories about falling off the meditation wagon, what it feels like to live on autopilot, and how building the two most foundational life skills—focus and discomfort tolerance—can change everything. From default mode networks to dopamine overload, this is your accessible, no-fluff guide to why meditation matters more than ever.

Why do you end up starving at night even when you think you’re “eating right”? Why do blood sugar crashes leave you exhausted—and why is everyone suddenly obsessed with weight-loss shots like Ozempic? In this episode of the Simple Healthy Life podcast, Registered Dietitian Ryan Gebo, and Owner of R-Labs Mike James break down the real science behind hunger hormones like ghrelin, the surprising truth about glucose swings, and what you aren’t hearing about the new wave of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Whether you’re an athlete, a busy parent, or someone stuck in the diet-binge cycle, this episode unpacks the hidden reasons your diet keeps sabotaging you—and what to do instead.

At 63, Jim Forand biked nearly 3,800 miles from Massachusetts to California—solo. In this episode, we unpack the full story: the tornado warnings on day one, the 8,500-foot climbs in Pennsylvania, the wild horses in Arizona, and the mindset that carried him through it all. It’s a conversation about stamina, stillness, and what opens up when you say yes to something huge.