The Carla Rand Show

What does it take to lose 134 pounds?   Local gym goer, Jason Desjarlais unpacks how he’s accomplished this.   Jason has been on an amazing fitness journey this past year.  He’s been inspiring those both in and out of the gym with his hard work, perseverance, and by treating each day like it's Day One.

What do you do when life doesn't play the way you expect?   When the best laid plans tumble out from under us we're often left second guessing everything we thought we knew about ourselves.  Andy Petranek has been there.     Andy was riding the high of business success when life took a turn. His reaction changes his whole life. Putting him on a path he never would have expected. 

Happy Father's Day!!     To celebrate we have a special episode of the show prepared for this week.    Cam Hall is a long time friend, fellow coach, and founder of the Dad's making a difference' Podcast.  Cam has a real passion for helping men figure out how to get the most out of life.    He and I talk over some of the bigger issues, and the smaller ones too. So this episode goes out to all the Dads. We love you and appreciate all that you do.  

We all have those dark secrets that we don’t like anyone to know. For years that’s what binge eating was to me. It’s something I've struggled with for most of my life and it’s no picnic, let me tell ya. Through ups and many downs I've learned a lot, so I wanted to take a moment to share with you. If you struggle with binge eating, or maybe know someone who does, please share this episode. You’re not alone.

I love collaborating with other fitness coaches and local and online trainer, Chris Valliere - Kowalchuk has been a joy to get to know.  Chris wanted to get fit and healthy, but for him it took getting a coach to really make a difference.  The process of getting in shape has changed his life. It also helped him discover a love of coaching, and motivated him to start his own practice.  He and I were talking when he suddenly looked at me and said, “you really love fitness don’t you?”  Yep, and so does Chris.  Chris' enthusiasm is infectious. Listen in to get inspired and motivated. 

I want to introduce you to a very special lady. This week it's my pleasure to have my long time friend and mentor Diane Stelter on the show. Diane has been a huge influence on my life. She's an amazing woman who has gone through trials and struggles and come out closer to God on the other side. It's not a long chat, so I hope you listen in. Diane is a well of wisdom, especially if you are struggling right now.

Eating well. What does that even mean?   Between fad diets, school nutrition and Internet food hacks there's a lot to dig through to understand nutrition.  Making nutrition work for your lifestyle is even harder.      Marcus Gates knows this. Through his own fitness journey, Marcus has found a real love for coaching. He now specializes in helping people rein in their nutrition and crush their goals.    I really enjoyed this conversation. Marcus and I think on the same wavelength and all that he has to say is worth your time. 

What does it mean to be normal??    Normal is different for everybody. Sometimes we miss how inspiring or incredible our lives are just because we see them as normal.     Tanya Domshy has that kind of normal.  Her normal is going through 16 surgeries over her lifetime to repair a cleft lip and cleft palate. Her normal is successfully changing careers due to health changes.  Her normal is choosing to get fit despite a busy life.    Her normal is inspiring. I loved talking to Tanya, and I know you'll enjoy hearing her story.

When we go through trauma, it can affect our entire life.     I’ve known Danielle Boos for many years but this is the first time I’ve heard her story.   Danielle is local to my hometown so it was such an honour to sit down with her and have this conversation.   She has had a difficult but adventurous life.    She grew up being controlled by fear and anxiety and has a overcome those obstacles through grit, determination and a huge mindset shift.     Danielle had been an MMA fighter, a probation officer, and is now a mom, a model, a coach, and a social worker.     Everyone needs to listen to this episode for some inspirational truths

Great Conversations with interesting people.  That's what this show's all about.  This episode personifies that standard.   Darrel Grassl Is someone I didn't know a few month ago, but when he and I got talking, I realized he has a lot of good things to say.   We might not agree on all things but we do agree on one.  Pushing yourself to be better can be the biggest form of self love in your life.   What does that mean? Where do you go from there?  Listen in to hear more!!

Today's interview is pretty special to me.    I'm interviewing my sister-in-law Brandy McPhee.  Brandy is a barrel racer and she's managed to find a way to do what she loves with her family.     She started out riding her moms horse to gymkhana events and now she and her husband Brian have their own horse training business, their kids ride in the rodeo and they’re travelling all over the continent competing and winning.     Congratulations Brandy, Brian and family!

Rodeo can seem like a crazy way to live.    What makes a person want to ride a bull for 8 seconds, or ride a horse around barrels at breakneck speeds?  It's a strange life, but for those who love it, they wouldn't want it any other way.    Jake Gardner is one of those people.  Jake is a bull riding champion, who has traveled across North America and beyond for his passion. Today he's giving us a little window into the rodeo lifestyle.    He and I also talk a little about the future of rodeo, and about what might help it get back on its feet post pandemic.     It's a good, quick conversation, great for rodeo lovers and the generally curious.  Enjoy. :)

My interview with fitness and nutrition coach, Shimon Weissman was full.  Turns out that when you’re levelling up your life, there’s a lot to cover!   In part one we talked about improving your fitness and mental health. In part two we discuss nutrition, emotion, religion, and gender roles.  (I always get a bit fired up when I discuss gender roles;)   You don't need to have listened to Part 1 to learn from this episode.  I’ve been working hard to level up my life so it was refreshing to talk to a fellow Level-Upper.    For more information on Shimon listen to his first appearance in episode 59. 

What does it even mean to Level up your life?   Of course it's different for everyone, but the basics remain the same.  This week on the show I have returning guest Shimone Weissman. Shimone is a fitness and nutrition coach out of the US, who has an infectious passion for what he does.   This was a great conversation.  We cover so much that I'm breaking it into two parts to keep it digestable.  Enjoy and be on the lookout for part two.  If you wanna get to know Shimone better check out his first appearance in Episode 59.

Don't we all wish that we could eat farm fresh veggies?   In today's world it's hard to get a hold of real fresh greens. Jason and Rebecca Trodden are trying to make it easier. Thanks to their inventive greenhouse, poultry and eggs, their business Little Gems Farm is really taking off.  Their clients are getting what they need in a healthy, convenient way.    We talk about farming, greenhouse management, and what really goes into growing the best food.    Listen in and get informed. You can learn more about Jason and Rebecca and their farm at LittleGemsFarm.com  

How old is too old to get fit??   I, Like my guest this week, strongly believe that there is no age that is too old to begin your fitness journey. Dr Dan Ritchie is a fitness trainer, businessman and creator of the Functional Ageing Institute.     Dan has built his entire business and philosophy around the idea that your age is can become an excuse when it comes to your physical fitness.  He has a real passion for helping people live their lives to the fullest, and is a fountain of knowledge about the subject.    So enjoy this episode, and if you want to learn more about Dan and his company go to FunctionalAgeingInstitute.com.

Sometimes it takes changing the little things in your life to make bigger, lasting changes. My guest this week is Jonas Plante. Jonas struggled with alcohol addiction for most of his adult life. It took support from his family, and important changes, for him to step out of that life. So today I'm talking to Jonas about his journey, and about all he does to make the change last.

100 Episodes!!! I feel so blessed to have made it this far. Thank you all so much for enjoying the show, for you comments and shares and for your encouragement during this wild ride. 100 episodes, 100 guests, and more where that came from. A huge thank you to my media tech, without which, this could never have happened. Thank you to my incredible guests, I feel a special bond with each of you. What an honour to hear you share. Episodes used in order. Ep 31 - Waldie Neufeld Ep 76 - Lorelie RozzanoEp 51 - Janine WildshutEp 71 - Vincent Pugliese Ep 38 - Rod Black Ep 18 - Dan Garner Ep 99 - Dora Gosselin Ep 39 - Craig Bongelli Ep 91 - Dennis Modry Ep 44 - Sharon Neufeld

Addiction is a very real issue that a lot of people struggle with. The steps to overcoming addiction are hard and varied.   Dora Gosselin has gone through these hard steps first hand, and has made it her mission to help others avoid these pitfalls.   Her story is inspiring, and her wisdom is greatly appreciated. Dora is an excellent communicator and she adds so much value in this episode.   Take some time to listen to today's show. You can hear more from Dora on her own podcast Soberossa, links below. https://www.soberoso.com/podcast-page

What’s it like going to the gym?   Full of meat heads? Tough guys?  Insecure, competitive women? Harsh judgement and comparison?   That’s how a lot of people perceive the gym.  And perhaps they’re right.  Maybe some gyms are like that.   That definitely hasn’t been the case at Golden Gains gym in my hometown of Edson, Alberta.   This week's guest is Ashley Thompson, the owner and operator of Golden Gains and someone I've enjoyed getting to know over the past year.     I absolutely love training in the gym.  I love watching people come in for the first time or the 100th time.   Being around so many inspiring, friendly people every day.    If you’ve ever had questions about going to the gym, fitness in general, or how to make it fit your lifestyle, you’ll want to listen to today's episode.