Easy Way Out
When you find yourself in the fight of your life... When you wake up in hell... Trapped in a mental prison that no one else can see... there are no bonus points awarded for difficulty. There is no such thing as perfection. Only escape. Freedom. Any voice telling you you're not allowed to take the path of least resistance out of hell is not a voice invested in your freedom, but in your confinement. Always, Always, always take the Easy Way Out. This podcast is about transforming your life from the inside out. Trauma recovery. Healing. Success. Relationships. Career. Rebuilding self-trust and love. It primarily uses weight loss as the proving ground, but the concepts shared in this show carry to practically every aspect of life.
Episodes
43 episodes
Breaking Free: A Guide to Overcoming Compulsive Behaviors
In this episode, we delve into the complexities of compulsive behaviors, from minor bad habits to severe addictions. Learn foundational strategies to shift your relationship with these urges and begin your path towards healing. Drawing from per...
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Episode 39
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24:01
How to Defeat Inner Shame
In this episode, John discusses how to overcome shame to gain access to your inner world and achieve inner peace. He explains the crippling nature of shame, its dual nature, and how it affects our mental health. John shares his personal journey...
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Episode 38
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14:11
All-or-Nothing Thinking (and the life-changing power of "good enough")
Transforming Your Life by Overcoming All or Nothing ThinkingIn this episode, John delves into the pervasive issue of all-or-nothing thinking, a mindset that can impede progress in various aspects of life including weight loss, rel...
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24:37
5 KEY Shifts from Trauma to Healing
In this episode, John takes viewers through five key shifts essential for healing from PTSD: moving from survival mode to seeking what you truly want, transitioning from rule-based to values-based living, fostering hope rather than relying sole...
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Episode 36
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16:36
3 Things We Must Accept Before We Can Heal
In this episode, John delves deeply into the concept of acceptance as a crucial step in healing from trauma. He explains how acceptance frees up energy, outlines its role in better understanding and contextualizing traumatic experiences, and ad...
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Episode 35
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24:12
Self Love for Healing - Myths, Misconceptions and Key Obstacles
In this episode, John provides a comprehensive overview of self love in the context of healing from trauma and mental illness. Key points discussed include common myths and misconceptions about self love, such as vanity, narcissism, and selfish...
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Episode 34
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39:16
People Pleasing: It's Worse Than You Realize
People Pleasing is f**king you up way more than you think.In this episode, John Oakes explores the concept of people pleasing, revealing that it is often not about making others happy but a survival mechanism rooted in childhood. He dis...
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42:52
"Too Good to Be True"⎮ How Trauma Is Causing You to Reject the Best Things in Life
In this episode, John tackles one of the greatest tragedies of unhealed trauma: the fact that it causes us to vehemently reject good things in life. Why, every day, millions of people actively reject opportunity, money,...
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Episode 36
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1:02:16
35 Gallons of Snacks ⎮ How to Avoid Weight Regain When Your Mental Health Sucks
Long term weight loss is a campaign, not a single battle. We'd love for the journey to be all success and rainbows, but it usually isn't. If your mental health issues have caused your weight problem, then chances are, they will flare up at some...
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Episode 35
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37:01
How to Respond to Your Darkest Thoughts and Feelings
We all have dark thoughts sometimes, but if you have trauma or severe mental health issues, these thoughts can be WAY darker and stronger. Usually, you are taught to just white-knuckle through it, but there is an approach to dealing with dark t...
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Episode 34
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40:37
The Inner Work You've Been Avoiding -- A Weight Loss Story
In this episode, coach John recounts a story of Cindy and her weight loss journey from 350 lbs to where she is today.This offers a picture of what successful and sustainable weight loss looks like while begging the question, "How did sh...
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Episode 33
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40:59
I Wrote a Book! -- 75 EASY: the ultimate challenge for personal growth
That's right! My first book in the the fitness or personal development space is available for purchase now.In this episode I explain what my book is about, why I wrote it and what you can get from it. Get your copy now and pleas...
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19:54
Why This Time Will Be Different ⎮ 3 Approaches to Weight Loss You've Never Tried
In this episode, John embarks on a discussion of three key principles to easier, more successful and more sustainable weight loss. Topics include:Common fears about weight loss coaching or programs in generalWh...
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26:49
The Essence of the Hard Way ⎮ 75 Hard and the Misguided Pursuit of Toughness
In this episode, John discusses the popular fitness and mental toughness challenge, 75 Hard.Topics include:why 75 Hard is emblematic of our self-improvement culturewhere our fitness and self-improvement culture routinel...
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Episode 30
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49:34
No One Gets A Car! ⎮ These Are a Few of My Favorite Things
In this episode, John recounts the blessings of 2023. In particular, he draws attention to the foods and possessions that made the year great. He covers everything from fitness wearables to powdered peanut butter.Topics include:...
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Episode 29
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36:02
The Rise of Authority ⎮ Why We Refuse to Do Things We Desperately Want To Do
In this podcast episode, John explains how a noble emotion like obligation has come to wreak so much havoc in our behavior. To understand this, he explores the evolution of human societies, the evolutionary context of obligation, and the role o...
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Episode 28
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58:04
The Three Spirals ⎮ Why You Have Never Lacked Motivation
In this podcast episode, host John explores the concept of motivation from a fresh persepctive.Topics Include:Why motivation is better understood as a throttle rather than a resevoirThe three biggest impediments to moti...
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Episode 27
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35:49
You Can't Steer a Ship Unless It's Moving ⎮ Client Mark's Amazing JOURNEY
You'll get the JOURNEY thing once you listen.In this episode, John sits down with Mark, one of his very first clients, to reflect on the bigger picture of weight loss and all he has learned on his "journey."Topics Include:
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Episode 26
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50:57
The Number Seven Doesn't Exist ⎮ Caffeine, Stimulants and PTSD
In this podcast episode, John reflects on his relationship with caffeine and other stimulants, discussing their role in his life from childhood to adulthood. Topics discussed:How John unwittingly became a caffeine junki...
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Episode 25
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22:20
Sailing to Spain ⎮ How to Deviate from Stress Eating
In this episode, host John delves into the topic of stress and emotional eating.He highlights that these behaviors are not solely about the emotions themselves, but rather our unease in dealing with them.John explores the historical bac...
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Episode 24
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20:14
If I Had to Do It All Over ⎮ 5 Things I'd Tell Myself at 423 lbs
In this podcast episode, John reflects on his weight loss journey, discussing what he would tell his past (423 lb) self about healthy and effective weight loss. He talks about the importance of self-care, maintaining a positive mindset, and fin...
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Episode 23
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28:16
Movement is Medicine
In this episode, John discusses the merits of movement, how to get more into your life and why it can be much easier than you think it has to be.
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Episode 22
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31:28
The Devil You know ⎮ How Shame Strangles Motivation
In this episode, John breaks down motivation in a novel way you've never seen before. In doing so, he reveals:The three biggest inhibitors of your motivation: Shame, Obligation and Failure.Why shame is the most powerful of ...
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Episode 21
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46:33
Client Spotlight: How Mike lost 170 lbs and started living again
In this podcast episode, John interviews his client Mike, who has achieved remarkable weight loss results through their coaching sessions. They discuss Mike's weight loss journey, his previous beliefs about weight gain, and the emotional factor...
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Episode 20
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1:20:00
These Kids Don't Even Speak Chinese! -- The True Origins of the Obesity Epidemic
Being a weight loss coach with a PhD in the Social Sciences, John Oakes has his own view of the obesity epidemic and its origins. By discussing the macro factors contributing to obesity, he hopes to help listeners contextualize their struggles ...
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Episode 19
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36:28