The Business Leadership Podcast

[00:00:00] Catherine: So in the Western world, I think that we are programmed to sit at a desk all day and

work. Our bodies are meant to move. We're human beings. We're human doings, right? ~We need to move. It doesn't have to be extreme, right? Like even the workouts that you did with me through Covid and when we're doing these virtual classes, it's not about in crazy intensity.~

~It's how can we move your body functionally to keep it working? And even if that means like for, you know, business leaders that are really tapped for time, is it parking your car a couple blocks away? Is it taking the stairs instead of the elevator? Is it literally when you're on a conference car called Moving Your Body?~

~Is it literally sitting at your desk? You know, some people call it movement snacks. Doing some stretching ~Are bodies are meant to move. And the more mobility you can keep it in and the more like a car, you gotta run that car. You gotta oil that car, you gotta. It. Same like our bodies. Our bodies are our temples and the way that it's taking us through the world, right?

~So just moving it. It doesn't have to be intense. Take the stairs, find what works consistently, do those things.~

[00:00:23] Edwin: ~Yeah, no, a hundred percent. And~

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you are listening to the Business Leadership Podcast with Edwin Fondozo. Good afternoon, good evening, good morning, whenever, wherever you're checking this out. Thank you for joining me. This is The Business Leadership Podcast, and I'm your host, Edwin Franzo. On this episode, I had the absolute pleasure to invite and sit down with a very good friend of mine, Katherine Tanaka.

[00:00:54] Edwin: She's an amazing fitness expert and a mindset coach, and [00:01:00] also a fellow podcaster. She's the host and producer of The Body Project Podcast, and Catherine believes that investing in yourself and your health. We'll give you the biggest ROI on living your best self. So this episode was really fun. I mean, Catherine and I have known each other for quite some time and really, and we talk about.

everything from fitness, hustling hard, and really how you could find self mastery in your own life. I mean, I really , there's just so many points and I'm really excited for you to listen to this. And, and one of the things is, is really like how movement and like just simple things like going out for a walk, getting out in nature will always benefit with you.

~So with that, here we go.~

Welcome to the Business Leadership Podcast, Catherine.

[00:01:53] Catherine: So excited to be here, Edwin. Thank you so much for having me.

[00:01:57] Edwin: Oh my gosh, Catherine, this is a long time coming ~for, I guess for the listeners out there, me and Catherine have known each other, I would almost say more than four years now. Um, And we've collaborated, we've worked together, we mastermind together, and, uh, for some reason, maybe closely on, on my side, , this is the first time I'm actually having a conversation with Catherine.~

~And, and by the way, I've worked with Katherine, uh uh, and we'll get into it in terms of my health as well, and she helped me maintain as that. So Katherine, thank you for Thank you for the time. Thank you for joining me. Thank you for always supporting. But Katherine, why don't you start off, can you introduce yourself to the listeners?~

~Tell us who you are and what you do when you're not leading businesses or getting people in peak performance.~

[00:01:59] Catherine: ~Okay, so my name is Katherine Taaka. I am a mother of two and I'm also a fitness and transformation co coach, and I support busy women ages 35 to 60, I would say transform their lives and their bodies using mindset and fitness, and then, When I'm not supporting people in their health and fitness, I get to hang with my kids and my husband and friends like you, and either whether we're water skiing or snow skiing, we like to be outdoor in nature and kind of enjoy all the things that life has.~

[00:01:59] Edwin: ~Yeah. Amazing. And I know, I know you're an inspiration in terms of always living that a hundred x life where you're doing so many things and, and always looking to improve yourself. I guess one thing for me, and, and~ I know [00:02:00] a little bit about this story, but I'm really interested in, the story of how you got to where you are.

Like what point in your life did you decide that you. Catherine, I just wanna help people. ~I just specifically even nicheing down, as you mentioned, who you are helping now. Like when did that happen?~

[00:02:14] Catherine: ~I mean, you know, a little bit of the story, and I've spoken about this on my podcast, but you know, fitness has been a longtime passion for me. And~ growing up, as this Asian kid in Toronto, being bullied, fitness was the first. Time for me that I felt empowered in something, and that started out at the ages 1516.

That then transitioned to me studying kinesiology and university and then having multiple fitness certifications. That was kind of a part-time job for many years. And it wasn't until I became a mother that really changed a lot of things for me and where it kind of shifted into how do I wanna serve people?

Because as you know, I was a dental hygienist for a decade doing fitness from 1999 part-time, and I never saw it as a real. Quote unquote job. But it wasn't until becoming a mom and really looking to find balance for myself and really to [00:03:00] find ways of like, how can I take care of myself with working full-time, running this business part-time, having this little human and wanting to really find a balance, right?

And so I found that. . I wasn't alone in that. A lot of women struggled with, how do I find time for myself, take care of myself, feel good about myself, while also being able to give exponentially to others. Right? And kind of like Gabo Ma speaks about, right? The best way to show our kids to take care of themselves and love themselves and self-love is for us to do it ourselves, right?

And so it really was the catalyst for me to start. Exploring and expanding my business that I've now been running for over a decade now, um, of supporting women in their mindset and body transformation.

[00:03:48] Edwin: ~Yeah. That's amazing. And it's an inspiration, right? I know for, for myself and you being around my daughter and seeing some of the motivational stuff you have around the house in terms of like the goals and the positivity, I think, I think that's just an example and, and it's an inspiration and, and I'm truly grateful just to have that type of, um, Role model.~

~Um, you know, within my daughter's life especially, uh, especially me having a young daughter, someone who I'm different from in, in doing that. So it, it's amazing in, in, uh, doing that one thing I wanted to, and, you know, and we geek about this a lot actually, Catherine, uh, especially when it comes to business leadership. Um, and I know you share this a lot on your Instagram, and we'll definitely share, share, share your tags, uh, on the show notes below. But, uh, you know,~ I wanna really get into the science, when it comes to exercise and movements for business leaders, entrepreneurs, creators, how does that, In your mind or what you've [00:04:00] researched and what you practice, how does that get someone into flow being, being very productive and focused?

[00:04:05] Catherine: Yeah, absolutely. So movement related to productivity has been well researched, right? You can pull up some of the best PubMed research, looking at things out of Harvard. Even looking at how movement and exercise physiologically changes our state, that really allows our neurological functioning to be optimized, right?

And I know that with my clients firsthand when they add in fitness and look at wellness. Hole that quantifiably increases their energy. Right? But what actually is happening here, Edwin? Like when we think about the science of it from a cellular perspective, if you go back to, you know, biology 1 0 1 and grade 10, when we learned about the cell, the mitochondria in the cell, which is the powerhouse, the energy center of the cell, when you exercise, it challenges your body to produce more of that.

And so what actually happens is that exercise will boost your cell output, will boost this brain power. [00:05:00] Energy, power of yourselves and therefore it's convertible to productivity. So what leaders, business leaders find, and you know this as well as me, a lot of my execs, the lawyers, the doctors, the ceo, are those that are finding time to, I don't know how they do it, often do triathlons, do the marathons, do the things because it does exponentially give back to your wellbeing and your, you know, your output ability of brain power and product.

[00:05:28] Edwin: ~Yeah. I mean, it comes to a point, and, and I talk about this as well just within my circles, and people who, who wonder, like, Edwin, how do you, how do you find the time to run? I went for a run this morning. Uh, like it takes . It, it, it takes energy to make energy, right? And, and, and with that in mind, when it,~ when you're creating energy, is there a, I'm not gonna say a right type.

Is there a wrong time when we should exercise?

[00:05:36] Catherine: Well, I look, there's a lot of signs around what the optimal time

is. I'm of the belief that if you can get it in and it supports you, and it feels good, and it feels like it increases your output, there isn't a wrong time. It's optimal to get it in first thing or in your day so that you can actually benefit from that from your day.

And if you do it before, [00:06:00] trying to go to sleep, it's going to hinder your circadian rhythm to go into your deep sleep. So ideally in the beginning of your day, I find as a busy entrepreneur, getting it in first thing is the best way for me because as we know, there's business, there's kids, there's life, there's, you know, to-do lists.

So I'm of the belief if you can get it in early, then you're winning.

[00:06:20] Edwin: ~Yeah. So when , yeah, I know you and I talk about this all the time, but. you know, entrepreneurs, business leaders, well executives, I think that they're getting the systems in place already when, when they've been, when they've been in their career for a long time. But talk to me about the, the busy entrepreneur who may could, who could only find a certain amount of time within their morning routine or their daily practice.~

~and, uh, to get an exercise in because they believe in this and they want to commit in it. Because I know, I know there are exercisers like, workout for 20 minutes and that's all you need. Or do the seven minute workout or, or like,~ is there an amount of time that y that you may say Catherine to your clients or people you're working that says, you know what, that's actually too little.

You need to get this amount of time in to make it worth your while.

[00:06:33] Catherine: Well, I think a couple things. I think you have to look at your goal, like what is the goal of getting exercise in, because sometimes it's about, and you know this, right? In business, in leadership, in self-leadership, consistency is key, right? If you can get in an hour today, but then you're not getting in anything else for the rest of the week, I would rather someone get 10 minutes in per.

To move their body, get that blood flowing, challenge the [00:07:00] body, get those mitochondria awake and being like, okay, we're here then to only do an hour a week. Right? If you can show up 10 minutes a day. And that's what I do in my programs, right? My a hundred. Day program like Your a hundred X Life, I support busy women to how do we consistently input 15, 20 minutes a day?

Because we can all figure out 15 minutes in our day to put it in, as you know, showing up for ourselves time, investment in ourselves, health investment for ourselves. So I know for me, minimum threshold is 10, 15 minutes, I would say, because you wanna be able to warm up the body to move the body and then cool down and stretch the body, right?

So 10, 15 minutes.

[00:07:40] Edwin: ~I know. And, and I think the, the third part of that, and, and I'm totally guilty for this, is especially when we are getting older and feeling older, is, is that stretching part?~ Is there, is there a point in, in someone's career and I not career within. Life where you're like, okay, maybe you can't be exercising like you were in your twenties and thirties.

Maybe it's, maybe you need to move to more something like a yoga [00:08:00] exercise, or is that, would that still suffice for those to build those, those energies, energy stores and not.

[00:08:08] Catherine: ~So I would say, I mean,~

[00:08:08] Edwin: ~I mean, that, that, that's a personal question because I think about, I love running, but I also, maybe I'm on the ebbs and flows of running where I'm like, you know, I, I do it because it's a habit, but maybe I'm not in love with it right now anywhere, because Covid kind of took me out of it for a bit. Um, so what else could I do, right?~

[00:08:08] Catherine: ~Yeah. ~So in the Western world, I think that we are programmed to sit at a desk all day and

work. Our bodies are meant to move. We're human beings. We're human doings, right? We need to move. It doesn't have to be extreme, right? Like even the workouts that you did with me through Covid and when we're doing these virtual classes, it's not about in crazy intensity.

It's how can we move your body functionally to keep it working? . Right? And even if that means like for, you know, business leaders that are really tapped for time, is it parking your car a couple blocks away? Is it taking the stairs instead of the elevator? Is it literally when you're on a conference car called Moving Your Body?

Is it literally sitting at your desk? You know, some people call it movement snacks. Doing some stretching Are bodies are meant to move. And the more mobility you can keep it in and the more like a car, you gotta run that car. You gotta oil that car, you gotta. It. Same like our [00:09:00] bodies. Our bodies are our temples and the way that it's taking us through the world, right?

So just moving it. It doesn't have to be intense. Take the stairs, find what works consistently, do those things.

[00:09:10] Edwin: ~Yeah, no, a hundred percent. And, and I'm, I'm thinking about all, all those things as well, right? But in, in our minds, uh, anyways, for me, and I'm sure, I'm sure a lot of people listening could relate to this is like, you, you think back of your younger self and, and it, it's more of an ego and, uh, and a permission to let yourself.~

~Uh, understand that you're not that person. I mean, you're that person, but you're not that person who could recover as fast. I think it's the recovery, right? And, uh, and I think there, there's a lot of part of it. I mean, there's so much to it. I mean, I'm even thinking about, okay, maybe I should fit in one or two, like 30 minutes swims a week, like, That's probably good and still do run.~ I enjoy running in the sense that cuz I get out, I'm in nature and I get to run to the water, which I do at least once or two, twice a week. But I'm like, oh, swimming is a bo a full body workout. As long as, I guess as long as you're getting the heart rate up.

[00:09:23] Catherine: Yeah,

but you know, I guess two things about that. So like you, I'm all about optimizing, right? And that's why I support women on how do we maximize our roi, kind of like in business, right? If you look at those fundamental things that actually get us farther, spending time doing resistance movements, doesn't have to be heavy.

right? But to challenge our energy systems, whether it's muscular or endurance with our heart is important. And it could be just power walking, Edwin, right? And then when you look at the, so from a metabolic health perspective, when you look at the research with resistance training, especially for women that will.

hugely benefit you with women and [00:10:00] our hormones. When you hit 35, your body, you, you don't maintain the muscle mass the the same way that you used to. And so every year you lose a pound of muscle mass is another year that your body's energy system shift. When you look at also the research from a mental health perspective and a wellbeing perspective, Tai Chi.

in fact is a well-researched thing. And if you can think about those times that you've seen in the park, the people that are doing this slow movement, it's not vigorous, it's not getting their heart rate up at CR at crazy amounts at all. It is continuous movement that is slow and controlled using balance, mobility, agility, right?

Cuz your. Balancing weight transfer that has shown from a longevity standpoint to be completely sound. So I'm of the belief if you can add in the swimming, if that makes you excited and it feels good, if you can add in the power walking, if you can socialize and go for a walk with people movement, getting out in nature is always going to benefit you.

[00:10:57] Edwin: Yeah, no, that's great. And it's funny I always, every [00:11:00] morning right now when I'm recording this I take Jade my daughter to her day camp, which is just literally right across the park here where I live downtown Serrano. And there's always this group of older people doing Tai Chi and I'm like, I gotta ask them, can I just join them?

~Like, is this, is this an open, because the woman that leads it, she has a radio and she has the, she plays the, it's so it's, I just, I~

[00:11:14] Catherine: so you don't know this. So I, when I was in New York last month, we stayed right by Bryant Park. For those of

you in New York, I love that city, right? Jordan and I, a couple mornings went to have coffee cuz it's so beautiful New York City. First thing in the morning, like Toronto, it's quiet, it's calm.

There's this beautiful energy and there was Tai Chi in the park. So there I am with my coffee doing Tai Chi, right? I was, I swear to God and they invited me and I did the whole little thing. Jordan's like, you're so crazy. I was there like doing the Tai Chi and they said, we are doing this every morning.

Come. It's such a beautiful, welcoming community, so I promise you they would love for you to join you ~know. And they recognize me, right? All these people, I've been living in this, in this area, downtown Toronto. It's called Grange Park for over 10 years now. Right. Like people seen my daughter grow. It's, it's such a comfortable, all the squirrels know us, Jade. Anyways, just, I digress. But Jade feeds all the squirrels right now, so they all come to her.~

[00:11:49] Edwin: ~She's like one, one with nature when she's ~

[00:11:49] Catherine: ~I love it.~

[00:11:49] Edwin: ~I definitely, I definitely need to do that. Um,~ I'm curious and for those who are listening, I'm sure is really curious. For someone like yourself who is a practitioner when it comes to, leading people with their healthy lifestyle, [00:12:00] their mindset and all that type of stuff.

Like what are you doing today, Catherine? What are some of your personal practices that you are, stacking in that's helping you continually grow to continually keep fit and developing as a leader?

[00:12:14] Catherine: Yeah, so I guess on a personal side, in terms of my fitness, I have a consistent practice of, I do resistance training every single day, four days, four to five days a week. Uh, I keep that in. Right now I am adding in about 20 minutes of cardio twice a week, just. You know, just challenging myself in a different way.

And I'm always getting in about 10,000 steps a day, right? Just as a baseline of activity, keeping myself well oiled while moving. And as you know, I run those online programs, those classes, so I do it with my clients, right? It's all functional movement. It's all resistance based exercise, uh, really looking to maintain or support muscle mass.

And then from a business leadership standpoint, you know, this, I lead by example, leading by example is very important to me, [00:13:00] and I'm always looking for ways to consistently expand my knowledge and skill base, right? So right now I am just in the, the end of completing my cognitive behavioral therapy meets fitness.

This is the CBT Meets Fitness certification that a fellow fitness professional Jill Bunny created. With her doctorate in, uh, C B T cognitive Behavioral therapy, but using those practices to implement it for fitness professionals mindset is a big piece of what I do as you know, Edwin, uh, with my women to really support the continuation and consistency of getting in their fitness and their nutrition.

Often, it always starts with the mindset and continuation of that and. . You know, as long as you and I have known each other, investing in masterminds and things like that is a really big way for me to impact my business to continuously expand my impact on others. So I currently have a business strategist.

I'm part of way too many [00:14:00] masterminds. I am also part of a big financial investment into this women's led group of these powerhouse entrepreneurs that are doing exactly that, scaling and expanding their growth. So it's really. Playing to get comfortable with the discomfort of playing outside my comfort zone.

[00:14:15] Edwin: ~Yeah. That's amazing. I, I'd love to take a moment, Catherine, you mentioned it a number of times, some of the online programs that you have, and I think you also run retreats as well. Can you share with us some of, for those who are interested, some of the things that you're, you're running, um, I guess always or continually, and some of these bigger retreats?~

~So depending on when this airs, I think one might be coming up or coming in the future, but, uh, we'll definitely, like I said, we'll definitely put the links below, um, as well, but.~

[00:14:15] Catherine: ~Thank you for asking Edwin. So I run a 21 day kickstart program, and this is really about habit building. How do we get in the habits of moving our bodies and nourishing our bodies? Well, I also have a hundred day, uh, mind and body. Uh, mastery program. And this is really about using the runway of a hundred days of how do we shift our mindset and how do we support ourselves for longevity around our fitness, nutrition, and accountability.~

~And then in terms of retreat, uh, the upcoming one in October is a sensuality and intimacy retreat that I'm gonna be running with a friend of ours, Dr. J uh, Steven DeWit. We are going to be talking about women in relation to self-care, uh, self intimacy, intimacy with self and intimacy with others, and how that really can support us to feel our best in our lives, which is a big part of self-care and self nurturing.~

~And then in November, I'm also going to be running a day long retreat also, uh, about re. Resetting how we are in our lives so that women can learn to pour more into themselves so that they have enough to pour into others.~

[00:14:15] Edwin: ~That's amazing. And I mean, as a testament, and not only just a, just a friend saying, I've been, I followed Catherine's program, um, for almost a year. And, uh, man, it's she for one, she does it with, With us. So that's that. She, she's not lying. She definitely gets in there. So, and that inspires you because you're like, oh, if Ka could do it, I could do it~

[00:14:15] Catherine: ~Mm-hmm.~

[00:14:15] Edwin: ~so it's definitely a fun workout and, and definitely. Great. And, and I'm glad to hear that you have a number of programs that are coming and it's, it's super exciting in any way. Obviously us here in the podcast could support you. You always let us know, always update us and we'll, we'll definitely keep you the links.~

~Um, last question here. Um, I'm curious is, you know, what would you say for those listening, like, like~ what are the biggest factors or that when it comes for someone who's, thinking or talking to you now, Catherine, and they wanna live their best life what would you tell them? Depending what to focus on or what their main focus on should be.

And these are specifically people who are typically I guess connecting with you.

[00:14:32] Catherine: Yeah, so I guess the top three things I would say is, number one, get clear on what your best life vision is. Right. This is actually how I start, you know, my a hundred day program. It's a visioning exercise. It's not until you really know where you wanna go or what that best life, oh my goodness. What that best life looks like to you.

That you can actually reverse an engineer, which we've spoken about often, that how do we. [00:15:00] actually get there, right? For example, my best life may be completely different than your best life and what you want, right? So it's important to get clear on what that is for you, right? Once you know what that best life looks like for you and what you desire, finding the daily practices that will give you access to that, whether it's something that you're doing today or not.

Looking at what are those practices in my business, in my mindset, in my. You know, interactions with myself and others, with my nutrition, with my movement, whatever it. Right. With your self care, with, you know, creativity, whatever it is that's your jam. Look at what are those practices that you're doing and how can you have consistency in the ones that are gonna roadmap to that best life.

Right. I often say to my clients, don't give up on what your best self desires for what you're not yet upgraded Self wants now. Right. And then I would say finally something that I'm even practicing for myself, Edwin, you know, this is, don't take it so serious. Right. Have [00:16:00] more fun with it all. It gets to be light and it gets to not have to be rushed.

I am like the quintessential hustler and I like to go hard, and what I'm learning is that I don't need to take it so seriously. It can be fun and you know, sometimes there's, there's divine timing in things, but consistently showing up for yourself. Acknowledging that you're doing your best with what you have, and if you constantly show up in that with that intention, I think it will get you to where you desire to be.

[00:16:31] Edwin: ~Yeah, that's, that's great. I appreciate the share and and, and Catherine, you and I could talk for, for hours, right? So, um,~ I definitely want to leave the. people who are listening. A final thought and observation. Something that you could probably add on that you didn't when you're talking about visioning about their best lives, because, when it comes to the podcast, I'm looking for, an actionable recommendation that someone who's listening's you know what, I'm gonna do that right now. ~Is w what would you say?~

[00:16:48] Catherine: I would say mindset matters. I mean, I can give you many, but mindset matters, right. Um, It makes a difference of how you step into your day, what the intention is, and those practices that are top [00:17:00] of mind. Right. And this isn't like your to-do list top of mind, but what do you say to yourself during your shower thoughts or the moments that you're disappointed?

What kind of mindset do you go around with? Is it. Uh, an inkling towards positivity and self-support and self-mastery, or is it self-deprecating and non-supportive and perhaps something that you would never utter to anybody outside of just yourself. Right? And then I would also say just be humble. Take time to take care of yourself and those around you.

Keep your eye on the prize, right? Create a community like you have Edwin, that you can tap into to serve, to and to feel supported by. I would say those are the things really.

[00:17:41] Edwin: ~Amazing, Catherine. Um, to close, could you share, um, could you share where we could find more information about you, your programs, or anything else you'd wanna share with us today?~

[00:17:41] Catherine: ~Yeah, so the best place to find me, I would say, where you're always like Katherine, you're always creating content. [email protected], uh, online, katherine tanaka.com. Uh, LinkedIn, Katherine Tanaka. I think it's fitness. . So same thing everywhere. T A N A K A. Yes, it is Japanese. My father is Japanese and I'm grateful, Edwin, this community that you have built, this a hundred x life that you are inspiring people globally to step into for themselves is what inspires me.~

~It is, you know, people like you, leaders like you that, you know, hustle hard, but love harder, and, you know, expand that love in so many ways. So, I'm so, so grateful for you.~

[00:17:41] Edwin: Amazing, Catherine, ~thank you for that. Um, and~ thank you for joining us on the Business Leadership Podcast.

[00:17:45] Catherine: Thank you for having me.

[00:17:47] Edwin: That's it folks. Thank you for taking the time to join with me on another episode of the Business Leadership Podcast. Ooh, this. This episode was with Catherine Tanaka talking about [00:18:00] living your best self for any of the resources that we talked about, and we shared simply, Go to the business leadership.com/ 1 67.

Again, that's the business leadership.com/ 1 67, or simply click the link in the show notes below if you haven't. Done so yet, please do subscribe, rate, and leave a comment on your favorite podcast player. I do. Check it out. I'd definitely love to read all the comments or message me on Instagram at Edwin 100 x and say hello.

I'd love to. I'd love to say hi back until next time. Do your best while living the 100 x life.

[00:18:44] Salli: Thank you for listening

to the Business Leadership Podcast with Edwin Frondozo