Fans of the Taggart & Torrens podcast know that the self-proclaimed “BAHDs” hosting the show — that’s East Coast lingo for “buds,” BTW — sometimes appear in animated form, and sometimes as their real-life selves. Either way, their back-and-forth banter ranges from freakin’ hilarious (Reverb Guy) to honest and approachable (walking to the fridge to get snacks during the big game instead of training your dog to do it).
On that note, Jeremy (Taggart) and Jonathan (Torrens) have been truly awesome supporters of the #DontChangeMuch mission. So we reached out to them with some questions about how to live healthier and happier by making small, easy changes any BAHD can make. Their answers came back, and their health tips were just as awesome as we’d hoped:
Get started with small steps (and some laughs)
DCM: We love how you bring the #DontChangeMuch message to your audience with a humorous spin. Do you find that men can be hesitant to put their health first? If so, how can comedy help with this?
Jeremy: Like dish-soap pasta or Hootie & the Blowfish, working out may not be your favourite thing. But it’s one of the most important things to do if you want to be healthy and have a long life. Humour helps lighten the load, because we all know there’s nothing funny about being tired, gaining weight, or listening to “I Only Wanna Be With You” while eating dish-soap pasta.
Jonathan: There is so much more to health these days, from mental health to dietary health, and humour is the spoonful of sugar that makes the informational medicine go down. #DontChangeMuch is a great campaign because the whole concept is manageable. It’s not intimidating in the way that walking into a gym can be. It’s like climbing stairs: You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just the first step.
The takeaway: Knowing that even a little exercise can help you feel better and live longer is about as good as motivation gets. And Jonathan is absolutely right: Making small changes, one step at a time, is a great way to build new healthy habits.
Life provides plenty of motivation
DCM: At what point in your lives did each of you start prioritizing your health a bit more? Why did this start to happen?
Jonathan: For me it was a cocktail of two things. Aging and becoming a father. Your body doesn’t do what it once could, yet there are little people hovering around you insisting otherwise. That’s a pretty good 1-2 motivational punch right there!
Jeremy: After decades of drumming, my back reminds me every morning how much I’ve played. Exercising and strengthening those muscles helps to carry me around without pain.
The takeaway: From enjoying time with family more to living pain-free, the reasons for starting a health journey, one small step at a time, are often right in front of us.
Get healthier at work in minutes
DCM: As actors, musicians and performers, you both have obviously spent a lot of time on the road, working long hours, and so on. What are some simple ways you adapt your #DontChangeMuch ideology to a less-than-regular work schedule?
Jeremy: The most important health-related thing I do is long, slow breathing exercises 2-3 times a day. They take about 5 minutes each time and I feel fresh as a daisy!
Jonathan: There are easy little things you can do. Substitute salad for fries, cook at an AirBnB instead of going through the drive-thru, and keep healthy snacks on hand. The big challenge is not eating too late. The temptation is to go out and eat after a show to unwind. That catches up with you quickly.
The takeaway: Whether you work on stage, on a construction site or in a cubicle, there are plenty of easy ways to be healthier at work.
Your better half can light your fire
DCM: Aside from each other, who in your life has influenced you to live life a little healthier? What have they taught you?
Jonathan: My wife Carole. I’ve picked up so many little things from her. She brushes her teeth right after dinner so she doesn’t feel like snacking. She does leg lifts while brushing. She’ll watch TV on an exercise ball or treadmill instead of the couch.
Jeremy: My wife Lisa has always been in fantastic shape. I owe all my health to her!
The takeaway: Loved ones can sometimes set healthy examples for guys to follow, or provide encouragement and motivation as a health journey unfolds.
Favourite #DontChangeMuch health tips
Jeremy: Play with your kids! Honestly, take away all the technology, watch them go, and try to keep up with them.
Jonathan: Jeremy and I have a friend named Gary Gugattami who is a super-healthy life coach kind of dude. He always says, “Make good decisions easy and bad decisions hard.” In other words, if you keep chips in the cupboard above the fridge, you’ll probably eat them. Whereas if you have to get in the car and drive to the gas station to get them, you may opt out. Simple but effective!
The takeaway: These two guys sure know their stuff when it comes to living healthier by taking small, easy steps. Great work BAHDS!
Do you have an easy health tip you’d like to share? Help out your BAHDS by sharing it in the comments below!
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