The Adversity Advantage with Doug Bopst

Epizode

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  Rehab Made Her Addiction WORSE… Here’s What Finally Saved Her | Maddi Reese 14.09.2026 1h 5min

  Maddi Reese is a reality TV personality, DJ, and cast member of Southern Hospitality. After first drinking at 12, she entered treatment at 16 and ultimately got sober as a teenager after multiple attempts at rehab. Today on the show: Maddi shares how drinking started at 12, rehab at 16 made her addiction worse, and why her real rock bottom didn’t come until 90 days sober. She also opens up about the reality TV drama that destroyed her mental health and what finally helped her rebuild and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Real Reason You Keep Failing At Weight Loss (Fix This To Burn Fat) | Dr. Joey Munoz 12.09.2026 1h 27min

  Dr. Joey Munoz is a nutrition and fitness expert with a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from Florida State University and the founder and CEO of Strong Standard Coaching. He specializes in helping everyday people lose fat, build muscle, and improve their health through practical, evidence-based nutrition, strength training, and lifestyle strategies designed to create lasting results. Today on the show we discuss: why most people can lose weight but struggle to keep it off, why improving body composition matters more than chasing a number on the scale, how to lose fat without sacrificing muscle, why calorie tracking and moderation can create more freedom around food, when health optimization crosses the line into health anxiety, how to build muscle with a simple training plan that actually fits into a busy life and much more. This episode is brought to you by: ⁠MOMENTOUS⁠: Try their new Signature Spec Creatine and use code ADVERSITY for up to 35% off your entire first order: ⁠https://www.livemomentous.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Losing My Dad on 9/11, 25 Years of Grief & Learning How to Live | David Ferrugio 10.09.2026 58min

  David Ferrugio is the host of the DEAD Talks podcast and author of You’re Not Dead Yet. After losing his father in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11 at just 12 years old, David turned his experience with grief into a mission to help others navigate loss, death, healing, and what it means to truly live. Through hundreds of conversations with guests ranging from near-death experiencers to grief experts, he explores the lessons adversity can teach us about presence, purpose, love, and life. Today on the show we discuss David’s experience losing his father in the Twin Towers on 9/11, why grief can still feel fresh 25 years later, how vulnerability and emotional expression helped him heal, what near-death experiences have taught him about death and the possibility of an afterlife, why letting go of control and staying present can change how we live, and how turning pain into purpose can honor the people we’ve lost and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Rosebud Baker: Divorce, Sobriety, Grief & Starting Over 07.09.2026 1h 14min

  Rosebud Baker is a comedian, writer, and author known for her dark, deeply personal style of comedy. Nearly 20 years sober, she often draws from her experiences with addiction, grief, motherhood, relationships, and rebuilding her life through adversity. Today on the show, we discuss: navigating divorce while your life is still unraveling, the conflict between motherhood and career, why community is essential for long-term sobriety, Rosebud’s rock-bottom moment and nearly 20 years in recovery, how to rebuild your life by stacking small wins, and what losing her sister taught her about grief, guilt, and becoming someone new and much more. Today's sponsor: ⁠Waking Up ⁠ Join me on my meditation journey and get your free 14-day trial here: https://wakingup.sjv.io/B5V291 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Creatine Expert: What Everyone Gets Wrong About Creatine | Dr. Darren Candow 05.09.2026 36min

  Darren G. Candow, Ph.D., CSEP-CEP, FISSN is a Professor and Director of the Aging Muscle and Bone Health Laboratory, Director of Research for the Athlete Health and Performance Initiative and past Associate Dean-Graduate Studies and Research in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina, Canada. Today on the show, we discuss whether creatine has become overhyped, how much creatine you actually need for muscle and brain health, when higher doses may help with stress and sleep deprivation, what the research says about fat loss and healthy aging, the emerging evidence around depression and Alzheimer’s, and how to choose a high-quality creatine supplement. This episode is brought to you by: MOMENTOUS: Try their new Signature Spec Creatine and use code ADVERSITY for up to 35% off your entire first order: https://www.livemomentous.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Steve-O: I Thought I’d Be Dead By 30… Then Everything Changed 03.09.2026 1h

  Steve-O (Stephen Glover) is a stunt performer, comedian, and entertainer best known for his iconic role in Jackass. After years of addiction and self-destructive behavior, he got sober in 2008 and completely rebuilt his life. Today, he’s focused on comedy, health and fitness, his career, and caring for animals at his Tennessee sanctuary.Today on the show we discuss: why Steve-O never thought he’d live past 30, how getting sober completely changed the trajectory of his life, the surprising origins of Jackass and his obsession with being remembered, how health and fitness became a major priority in his 50s, the role accountability and forgiveness played in overcoming years of shame, and why he believes phone addiction, comparison, and a loss of faith are making modern life harder than ever and much more. Special thanks to Mosaic Asset Partners for letting us record in your beautiful conference room. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Why You Still Feel Empty Even When Everything Is Going Great | Patrick Teahan 31.08.2026 1h 49min

  Patrick Teahan is a childhood trauma therapist, educator, and content creator known for helping people understand how dysfunctional family systems shape mental health, relationships, addiction, and emotional patterns in adulthood. Drawing from both his professional experience and his own recovery from childhood trauma and addiction, Patrick makes complex psychological concepts accessible through practical, relatable language. His work focuses on childhood trauma recovery, inner child work, dysfunctional family rules, emotional neglect, boundaries, estrangement, and rebuilding a healthier sense of self. Today on the show we discuss: refrigerator buzz depression and how to recognize it, how childhood trauma fuels addiction and emotional shutdown, the hidden family rules that shape adult relationships, when estrangement from a parent may be necessary, how to rebuild damaged family relationships with boundaries and realistic expectations, how trauma therapy and inner child work can help you heal and much more. Today's sponsor: ⁠⁠Waking Up ⁠⁠ Join me on my meditation journey and get your free 14-day trial here: ⁠⁠https://wakingup.go2cloud.org/SH1L⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Self-Help Tools That Actually Work | Spencer Greenberg 29.08.2026 57min

  Spencer Greenberg is an entrepreneur and mathematician with a PhD in applied math from NYU. He’s the founder and CEO of ClearerThinking.org, a psychology education and research organization that designs and conducts novel studies in psychology and offers more than 80 interactive educational tools to the general public, used by hundreds of thousands of people. His work has been featured by numerous major media outlets, such as Forbes, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Independent, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, Fast Company, and Financial Times. Today on the show we discuss: why most self-help advice gets recycled, how to spot grifters and too-good-to-be-true promises, why smart people still get manipulated, the dangerous side of manifestation and toxic positivity, the evidence-backed psychological tools that actually improve your life, how to stop overthinking and turn better decisions into action and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  How to Read People, Spot Manipulation & Protect Yourself | Chase Hughes 27.08.2026 1h 9min

  Chase Hughes is the founder and CEO of Applied Behavior Research, a leading expert in the field of human behavioral science, and a neuroscientist. After serving in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, Chase developed world-class behavior science tools, such as rapid behavior profiling and enhanced persuasion techniques, which he teaches to the United States military, law enforcement, Fortune-500 CEOs, doctors, attorneys, executives, and intelligence organizations. Today on the show we discuss: the early red flags of dangerous manipulators and why dopamine draws people into toxic dynamics, the biggest body language myths alongside the core framework for detecting real behavioral changes, why analyzing language patterns and word choices reveals far more about someone than physical movements, how to tell the difference between genuine insecurity and harmful manipulation, tactical interrogation techniques to uncover the truth and defend against gaslighting, and how to shift your perspective to build authentic connections without the fear of social judgment and much more. This episode is brought to you by: - Momentous - Waking Up Try Momentous Signature Spec Creatine: ⁠https://www.livemomentous.com⁠ Use code ADVERSITY for up to 35% off your entire first order Join me on my meditation journey with Waking up: Get your free 14-day trial here: https://wakingup.sjv.io/B5V291 Download the SLATE method PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CkCSxl3YKNd2zs-AU45u7mHuKG_ihw1W/view Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Why So Many Women Feel Terrible Despite Doing Everything Right | Tamsen Fadal 24.08.2026 51min

  Tamsen Fadal is an award-winning journalist, author, filmmaker, and host of The Tamsen Show. After three decades in television news, she became one of the leading voices on menopause and women’s health, building a global community focused on helping women navigate midlife, reinvention, and what comes next. Today on the show we discuss: why so many women feel like they’re doing everything right but still feel terrible, the hidden signs of perimenopause and menopause, how hormonal changes can impact sleep, weight, confidence, and relationships, why strength training, protein, and stress management become increasingly important with age, how to reinvent yourself when the identity you built no longer fits, and why getting older can be the beginning of your most fulfilling chapter yet and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Why Heat May Be One of the Best Tools for Longevity | Bill Gifford 22.08.2026 55min

  Bill Gifford is a veteran magazine writer and editor who writes about extraordinary athletes and cutting-edge health science. He is coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Outlive, which has sold more than two million copies, as well as the New York Times bestseller Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (Or Die Trying). He is a longtime contributing editor at Outside, and his work has appeared in Wired, Bloomberg Businessweek, Men’s Health, Bicycling, The Washington Post, and others, as well as in Best American Sportswriting. Today on the show we discuss why sauna may improve cardiovascular health and longevity, the surprising connection between heat exposure and cognitive decline, how heat can reduce stress and improve mental well-being, the biggest mistakes people make with sauna temperature and hydration, why cold plunging after strength training may hurt your gains, and the ideal sauna protocol for maximizing benefits without overdoing it and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Brutal Truth About Fitness Optimization | Dr. Andy Galpin 20.08.2026 1h 15min

  Dr. Andy Galpin is a professor and human performance scientist with a PhD in Human Bioenergetics and more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and presentations. For over 20 years, he has worked with elite athletes across the NFL, NBA, MLB, UFC, Olympics, boxing, military special forces, and more, and he also hosts Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin. Today on the show we discuss why over-optimizing your health can actually backfire, which wearable metrics matter and why deep sleep scores can mislead you, how to improve your VO2 max without obsessing over one “perfect” protocol, the strength and symmetry markers that matter for long-term performance, how much weekly training volume you really need to build muscle, and the recovery tools Andy actually uses versus the expensive hacks you probably don’t need and much more. Thank you to today's sponsors: ⁠Momentous⁠ Try Momentous Signature Spec Creatine: ⁠https://www.livemomentous.com⁠ Use code ADVERSITY for up to 35% off your entire first order Waking Up ⁠ Join me on my meditation journey and get your free 14-day trial here: ⁠https://wakingup.sjv.io/B5V291 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  How To Find Humor When Life Gets Hard | Chris Duffy 17.08.2026 1h 6min

  Chris Duffy is a comedian, writer, and podcast host who explores the role humor plays in resilience, connection, and everyday life. He has worked in comedy for more than a decade, taught improv, and hosts a podcast on the TED Audio Collective. His work focuses on how laughter can help people navigate stress, adversity, relationships, and difficult life experiences without minimizing what they’re going through. Today on the show, we discuss: why humor is a powerful tool for getting through adversity, how to tell when humor creates connection versus avoids the truth, why toxic positivity can make hard times even harder, simple ways to become funnier and more observant, how to laugh at yourself without tearing yourself down, and why embracing imperfection can build stronger relationships and greater resilience and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  How To Break Free From Your Old Story & Change Your Life | Cate Hall 15.08.2026 1h 4min

  Cate Hall is a Yale-trained Supreme Court lawyer turned #1-ranked female poker player, turned recovering addict, turned biotech founder and CEO. Today on the show we discuss why your identity can keep you trapped in a life you no longer want, why willpower is overrated for lasting change, how the crisis manager mindset can help you take action when life feels overwhelming, why being willing to look foolish can accelerate growth and reinvention, how addiction and failure can force you to redefine success, and why building agency starts with getting honest about the life you are living and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Everyday Habits That Are Aging Your Brain | Dr. David Perlmutter 13.08.2026 1h 12min

  Dr. David Perlmutter is a Board-Certified Neurologist and six-time New York Times bestselling author whose work focuses on the intersection of neurology, nutrition, and brain health. A Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, he serves on its Board of Directors and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. His books, including the #1 bestseller Grain Brain, have been published in 32 languages and sold over a million copies. Dr. Perlmutter lectures globally at leading institutions and has been featured on major media outlets including 20/20, CNN, The Today Show, and Oprah. His contributions have earned him numerous national and international awards for clinical innovation and leadership. Today on the show, we discuss why Alzheimer’s may be driven more by lifestyle than genetics, how insulin resistance and blood sugar can quietly damage the brain, the foods and eating habits that may protect cognitive health, why sleep, exercise, and social connection are critical for preventing decline, what caffeine, nicotine, marijuana, and alcohol actually do to the brain, and the simple changes you can start making today to protect your memory for decades to come. Thank you to today's sponsor: Momentous Try Momentous Signature Spec Creatine: https://www.livemomentous.com Use code ADVERSITY for up to 35% off your entire first order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  How to Train Your Mind To Do Hard Things | Wim Hof 10.08.2026 51min

  Wim Hof, known worldwide as “The Iceman,” is a pioneer in unlocking human potential. As the creator of the Wim Hof Method — an empowering blend of breathwork, cold exposure, and mindset — he has inspired millions to reconnect with their inner strength and resilience. Today on the show we discuss: how losing his wife forced Wim to find a way through unimaginable grief, why cold exposure became his tool for quieting emotional pain and building resilience, how breathwork can help you stay calm when your body is under stress, the simple way beginners can start using cold showers without overwhelming themselves, why voluntarily embracing discomfort can change your relationship with pain and anxiety, and how transforming suffering into purpose can help you become stronger through adversity and much more. Today's sponsor: Waking Up Join me on my meditation journey and get your free 14-day trial here: https://wakingup.sjv.io/B5V291https://wakingup.sjv.io/B5V291 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  How ESPN Became the Worldwide Leader in Sports | Mike Soltys 08.08.2026 1h 2min

  Mike Soltys is the official Historian for ESPN. Prior to that role he spent 43 years in Public Relations at ESPN and has won numerous awards for media relations.  Today on the show we discuss how ESPN nearly collapsed before it ever launched, why Bill Rasmussen’s intentional optimism kept the vision alive, how SportsCenter became the backbone of the network, why iconic personalities built a deeper bond with fans, how ESPN survived fierce competition and adapted to new media, and the resilience and risk required to build a global brand from an idea everyone thought was crazy and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Why You’re Always Tired & How to Finally Fix Your Sleep | Dr. Kristen Holmes 06.08.2026 1h 26min

  Dr. Kristen Holmes is the Global Head of Human Performance and Principal Scientist at WHOOP, where she leads pioneering research on the interplay between physiological metrics and behavioral patterns Today on the show we discuss why sleep consistency can matter more than duration, how caffeine can sabotage recovery even when you fall asleep easily, why alcohol and marijuana leave you unconscious but not deeply restored, how daytime stress and artificial light disrupt your nervous system at night, the simple daily routine that resets your circadian rhythm, and how Kristen healed from trauma and stopped tying her self-worth to achievement. Thank you to today's sponsor: Momentous Try Momentous Signature Spec Creatine: https://www.livemomentous.com Use code ADVERSITY for up to 35% off your entire first order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  How to Break Free From Sugar Addiction & Take Back Control of Your Health | Dr. Jen Unwin 03.08.2026 1h 5min

  Dr. Jen Unwin is an award-winning clinical health psychologist and leading expert in food addiction, behavior change, and drug-free type 2 diabetes remission. For more than 13 years, she has helped patients transform their health through hope-based care, while pioneering research, treatment models, and international consensus in the emerging field of food addiction. Today on the show we discuss whether sugar addiction is real, how ultra processed foods hijack the brain’s reward system, why stress and childhood trauma can drive compulsive eating, the difference between food addiction and eating disorders, how to identify trigger foods and create healthier boundaries, and why whole foods, exercise, community and purpose are essential for lasting recovery. ⚠ WELLNESS DISCLAIMER ⚠ Please be advised; the topics related to mental health in my content are for informational, discussion, and entertainment purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your current condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard from your favorite creator, on social media, or shared within content you’ve consumed. If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you do not have a health professional who is able to assist you, use these resources to find help: Emergency Medical Services—911 If the situation is potentially life-threatening, get immediate emergency assistance by calling 911, available 24 hours a day. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.  SAMHSA addiction and mental health treatment Referral Helpline, 1-877-SAMHSA7 (1-877-726-4727) and https://www.samhsa.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Johnathon Schaech Opens Up About Addiction, Hollywood Trauma & Staying Jacked at 56 01.08.2026 1h 9min

  Johnathon Schaech is an actor, writer, director and producer best known for his roles in That Thing You Do!, How to Make an American Quilt, The Doom Generation, Hush and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Throughout his three-decade career, he has appeared in more than 160 film and television productions. He currently stars as Sheriff Justin Wise and serves as an executive producer on the family crime series Blue Ridge, where his personal journey through trauma, sobriety, faith and fatherhood has deeply influenced his work. Today on the show we discuss how hidden trauma can shape a person’s life and career, why addiction becomes an escape from shame and pain, how abuse can destroy confidence and self-worth, how the 12 steps and faith create a path toward healing, why service is essential to lasting recovery, how sobriety can rebuild a family and revive a career and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices