For Kayla McBride, basketball was never just a game.It was an escape from her childhood traumas and subsequent mental health struggles. But when sports came to a halt during the pandemic, she was forced to face the woman behind the athlete. On the final episode of our three-part mental health miniseries, the WNBA vet takes us on her journey toward healing, starting with the decision to put her story in the public eye. She speaks candidly about the challenges of vulnerability and its sweet wins: a closer bond with her family and a happier relationship with her sport. She also discusses how becoming part of the mental health conversation helped show others — and herself — that athletes are more than a number on a jersey or an end-of-season stat. Listen and learn why letting your guard down, and  giving others space to do the same, can lead to a world where mental health takes higher priority.Learn MoreRead the Instagram post that started it all.Want more info about athlete’s susceptibility to mental health disorders? Get the full details from the study here.If you’re new to our mental health miniseries, hear Dr Jennifer Heisz tell us about movement and the mind and Dr Uma Naidoo school us on how food affects our mood. 

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Mental Health Miniseries: Kayla McBride

We drink pressed juices and load up on whole grains to better our bodies, but what we eat and drink can nourish our brains too. That’s according to the rapidly growing field of nutritional psychiatry, which explores the benefits of food on cognitive well-being. On episode two of our three-part mental health miniseries, Uma Naidoo, MD, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and Michelin-star chef, tells us how meals can impact our mood. She also offers guidance on building out our grocery lists with nuts, fish, turmeric and other foods that can help fight anxiety and depression, and she breaks down the surprising connection between the brain and the gut. By following Dr Naidoo’s six pillars of nutritional psychiatry, everyone can fill their plate with mood-boosting food. Learn MoreGet Dr Uma Naidoo’s research and recipes in her book, This Is Your Brain on Food.Want to hear more about the power of fermented foods? Read this Stanford University study.If you missed episode one of our miniseries, hear Dr Jennifer Heisz tell us about the important link between movement and mental health.

Mental Health Miniseries: Uma Naidoo, MD

When Jennifer Heisz, PhD, decided to complete an Ironman, she wasn’t looking to earn bragging rights. After years of researching how exercise can fight anxiety and depression, she wanted to feel the effects for herself. Then the pandemic closed her lab, shut down gyms and cancelled races. In the face of piled-on stress and uncertainty, she not only organized her own Ironman, she finished it solo. Along the way, she uncovered the pandemic paradox: Mental health is both a motivator and a barrier to exercise. On this episode, Dr Heisz kicks off our mental health miniseries by telling us what to do when anxiety stifles our urge to get moving. She also gives us a crash course on what goes on in the brain and body when we experience anxiety, stress or depression, and the ways that movement can ward off their symptoms. By detailing her scientific findings and her athletic journey, she shows us why it doesn’t take training for an Ironman to boost your brain, it just takes a little bit of movement every day.Learn MorePreorder Dr Heisz’s book, Move the Body, Heal the Mind, for the full scoop on her research and her solo Ironman.On days when you’re feeling off, find the motivation to move with her mental health tool kit.Get inspired with workout ideas for all levels on our NTC app.

Mental Health Miniseries: Jennifer Heisz, PhD

Bath bombs and face masks may feel great in the moment, but they only scratch the surface of self-care. People have body, mind and soul needs they aren’t even aware of, says Theresa Melito-Conners, PhD, and it’s time we showed up for them. She discovered self-care after nearly burning out at a job, went on to get her doctorate in it, then launched the website “Dr. MC’s Self-Care Cabaret.” Now Dr MC is giving us a peek behind the curtain at 10 things that are essential to boosting our own wellness and happiness. She also lays down real talk on creating boundaries between our work and our personal lives and how to set up the next generation for self-care success. Bonus: Dr MC leads us on one of her famous guided meditations, so you can feel for yourself how even the simplest changes can make a big impact.Learn MoreGet more self-care tips and tricks from Dr. MC’s Self-Care Cabaret.Read what Dr MC’s reading — check out The Art of Extreme Self-Care.Feeling zenned out from that guided meditation? Find more from our trainers on the Nike Training Club app.

Theresa Melito-Conners, PhD | Owning Your Self-Care

Growing up on the West Side of Chicago, Arshay Cooper’s fate could have been sealed by his proximity to gang violence. But when he signed up for the country’s first all-Black high school rowing team, he changed his trajectory and led his crew as they navigated a sport that has historically lacked diversity. Now a successful chef, author and activist, he brings rowing to other low-income communities so kids can have opportunities for a better future. On this episode, Arshay shares how rowing gave his team the tools to cope with childhood trauma. Through detailed stories about his experiences as an athlete and mentor, he shows us that there’s no such thing as a lack of talent, only a lack of opportunity. He also explains how we can all leave communities better than we found them. Learn More- Don’t miss out on any details — check out Arshay’s book, A Most Beautiful Thing.- Get involved or donate to the A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Fund.- See how else you can make an impact on sport and community through Nike Give Partners.

Arshay Cooper | The Healing Power of Sports

When Shalane Flanagan found out that all six World Marathon Majors would take place in less than seven weeks, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make history. After two reconstructive knee surgeries and a year off from running, the long-distance legend came back to show herself — and the next generation of women athletes — what’s possible when you put your mind to it. On this episode, she breaks down everything that inspired her to take on the marathon of marathons and gives us a look at the training and recovery plan that’s helped her rise to the challenge (and have fun along the way). She also opens up about her journey as an athlete and new mom, what it’s like to be one of the only women in the world of elite coaching, and how anyone can achieve their personal best.  Learn MoreDig deeper into the Shalane Effect and see how it’s encouraged young athletes.Find out how to increase girls’ participation in sports.Want to train with Shalane? Download the Nike Run Club app for her audio-guided runs.

Shalane Flanagan | Hit Your Goals at Every Stage of Life

The fear of taking a solo trip or even just a late-night walk can be very real — especially for women and people of color. Self-defense expert and Girls Fight Back CEO Nicole Snell has had her own share of scary encounters. But through her passion for going it alone, she’s also had life-changing and life-affirming experiences. Tapping into hundreds of hours of mental and physical self-defense training, she knows how to spot danger and take control of a rapidly changing situation. Now she’s educating others — especially those in BIPOC communities — to do the same. On this episode, she breaks down why self-defense is rarely about eye gouges and groin kicks, explains why you don’t need Karate Kid–level fighting skills to have your own back, and gives firsthand testimony on why solo travel is totally worth it.  Learn MoreShocked by the stats on women runners being harassed? Get all the numbers here.Check out Nicole’s full credentials and the various programs she leads.Motivated to get after it outside? Nike’s got just the shoes for that.

Nicole Snell | Building Confidence Through Self-Defense

With workloads spinning out of control and workers not always getting the support they need, it’s no wonder “burnout” has become a buzzword. Enter Christina Maslach, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and a pioneer in the field of burnout research. In this episode, she explains just what burnout means — and what it doesn’t. She reveals some hard truths about what “mental health days” can do — and what they can’t. But most importantly, she offers a way forward, laying out six paths to a healthy workplace. Drawing on Dr Maslach’s decades of research, we can all learn to change our work environments for the better. Mind-Body LinksWe weren’t kidding when we called her “burnout royalty.” See Dr Maslach’s full credentials, accomplishments and awards.  Geek out with host Jaclyn Byrer on the research methods behind the full Maslach Burnout Inventory. Feeling stressed or frustrated? Check out this article to learn how exercise can help.

Christina Maslach, PhD | How to Stop Burnout Before it Starts

Less than 1 percent of kids grow up to be pro athletes. But the point of getting kids involved in sports isn’t to raise the next Serena or LeBron, says sport psychologist and parenting expert Jim Taylor, PhD. It’s to give them the mental tools to be healthy, happy and successful for the rest of their lives. On this episode, the former alpine ski racer breaks down the benefits of youth sports and shares advice on how parents can get — and keep — kids involved. The secret, he says, is creating positive athletic experiences and  not buying into the “youth sports industrial complex.” Drawing on his  experience as a father of two athlete daughters, he also digs deep into all the factors that can hold girls back in sports and identifies ways that each of us can help close that gender gap. Mind-Body LinksAs promised, here’s Dr Taylor’s credentials and accomplishments — plus a ton of his articles.An active family culture starts with our Made to Play Coaching Girls Guide.Want to help the girls in your life get moving? Here’s how to get them hooked on sports.

Jim Taylor, PhD | How Sports Help Kids Win at Life

“Living your best life” isn’t about trading your 9-to-5 for margs on the beach (sorry). For Angela Manuel Davis, chief motivational officer (it’s a thing!) and co-founder of indoor-cycling and boot camp studio AARMY, it means figuring out what motivates you and then going all in. On this episode, the former USA Track & Field star shares how she went from being intimidated by cycling to teaching Jay-Z and Oprah, and how — thanks to advice from Dad — her class became known as “church on a bike.” She also explains why accountability and affirmations are total game-changers, how to create group-class vibes at home, and what she does to recharge. In short? She tells  us how we can all get the life we deserve.Mind-Body LinksIf you’re feeling ready for Angela to take you to church, here’s a link to AARMY.Consult the original texts in the Harvard article that Jac and Angela discuss.And oh — did you know that Nike makes an indoor cycling shoe?

Angela Manuel Davis | Grounding Yourself in Purpose

Very rarely does a freak accident become a life highlight. But for pro CrossFit and Nike athlete Logan Aldridge, losing his left arm on a wakeboarding boat — at age 13 — was not only “the best thing that ever happened” to him, it was also the foundation for his purpose: to help anyone build confidence. To kick off season 9, the cofounder of adaptive-equipment company All Things Adaptive and training director at the Adaptive Training Academy details the mental and physical journey that helped him become the third-Fittest One-Armed Man on Earth. He also shares the four words his mom spoke that transformed his perspective, the goofy sense of humor that keeps a smile on his face, and the five-second rule he swears by for taking action. No matter your body, ability or sport, his insight and try-anything attitude can help us all grab our goals, one rep at a time. Mind-Body LinksIf you’re interested in training any athlete — that’s anyone with a body — check out the Adaptive Training Academy, which Logan mentions. Jac gives a shout out to Chandler Smith’s work for racial equality in CrossFit. You can hear more about that in Chandler’s own Trained episode. This whole episode makes us think about one of our favorite articles on the psychology of confidence. Give it a read.  

Logan Aldridge | Shattering Expectations

Most of us see stress and anxiety as problems to be solved. But according to clinical psychologist Chloe Carmichael, PhD, these mind-body responses are Mother Nature’s way of giving us the energy boost we need to be not only productive, but also successful. On this episode, Dr Chloe (as she’s known to her clients) shares how being a yoga instructor in New York City inspired her counseling career and breaks down the differences between stress and anxiety — then explains why high achievers will always experience both. The best part: We all get a mini therapy session packed with specific try-it-now techniques to turn nervous, paralyzing energy into nonstop forward momentum. Inspired to move? Check out the Nike Training Club app, where you’ll find workouts for all fitness levels created and led by Nike trainers, as well as holistic health tips from Nike Performance Council members—all to help you take your wellness to the next level. Clink on the link below to get the app for iOS or Android.Download Now

Chloe Carmichael, PhD | Using Stress and Anxiety to Your Advantage

Information is accelerating faster than ever before, according to organizational psychologist Adam Grant. And the only way to keep up with it, he says, is by learning to rethink our assumptions. On this episode, the best-selling author teaches us how to open our minds. He starts with advice from his childhood diving coach that helped him reframe his fear (of heights!) and understand that work ethic matters more than natural talent (or grace) — which eventually led Grant to an All-American title. Then he digs into the reason we should never agree to disagree, the danger of getting wrapped up in health and wellness cults, and the power of having what he calls a “challenge network.”  Inspired to move? Check out the Nike Training Club app, where you’ll find workouts for all fitness levels created and led by Nike trainers, as well as holistic health tips from Nike Performance Council members—all to help you take your wellness to the next level. Clink on the link below to get the app for iOS or Android.Download Now

Adam Grant | Challenging Your Mindset for the Better

Let’s get one thing clear: Coaches aren’t just for athletes. This might be brand-new information to some of us. But Margaret Moore, aka “Coach Meg,” has been helping people from all walks of life discover their strengths and identify opportunities to maximize their potential — on the job, in relationships, and in life — for over 20 years. The former biotech exec founded the Wellcoaches School of Coaching in 2000 to help wellness professionals best serve their patients. Since then, she’s added leaders, front-line healthcare workers, and now all of us to her roster of students. On this episode, the Coach’s Coach details what effective coaching really means; how leaning into doubt, or “our shadow,” can help us reveal patterns we need to change; and why organizing our minds can set us up for sustainable success (plus, how to do it). She also shares her story of not making it and how we can all be better coaches for ourselves, kids, mentees or even friends. Inspired to move? Check out the Nike Training Club app, where you’ll find workouts for all fitness levels created and led by Nike trainers, as well as holistic health tips from Nike Performance Council members—all to help you take your wellness to the next level. Clink on the link below to get the app for iOS or Android.Download Now

Margaret Moore | Coaching Yourself Up

Life is full of BS, but fitness shouldn’t be. That’s why truth-teller and Nike trainer-to-the-stars Ben Bruno is on a mission to clear up misconceptions, like “More is more” and “No days off,” and help everyone — including Chelsea Handler and Justin Timberlake — streamline their sweat to get results in the weight room. On this episode, the Columbia grad and self-proclaimed “meathead” shares how a bad back launched his training career, what he’s learned from working with Hollywood’s finest, and why some of us may want to break up with burpees (we said “some”!). He also details his supersimple method — which involves repeating just a handful of “similar but different” exercises, his “KISS” formula, and his take on the 80/20 rule — so we can all become Bruno Strong on our own. Inspired to move? Check out the Nike Training Club app, where you’ll find workouts for all fitness levels created and led by Nike trainers, as well as holistic health tips from Nike Performance Council members—all to help you take your wellness to the next level. Clink on the link below to get the app for iOS or Android.Download Now

Ben Bruno | Getting Strong — Without the Gimmicks

Mindset. Movement. Nutrition. Recovery. Sleep. Turns out the same five tools that pro athletes use to break records can help us all stay healthy, happy and strong. On “Trained,” host Jaclyn Byrer sits down with these athletes — along with psychologists, researchers, physicians, trainers and other experts — to reveal the most powerful, practical and surprising lessons in holistic fitness. With each episode, they dig deep, offering new insights to help us play a better game, run a better race, or just live a better life.

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