The Code Archives - Physio Room

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217. Reflect on Your Journey

Andrew Fix — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:00:44 +0000

What feels inconvenient, awkward, or disruptive today may be the exact pressure that pushes your life into its next shape.

As Dr. Andrew Fix prepares to leave the home where this chapter of The Code began, he uses the moment to reflect on how quickly life changes and what growth actually asks of us. A move, an early workout, a packed house, a full calendar. None of it feels especially polished. Yet that is exactly where the message lands. Progress often shows up in ordinary moments that ask for more than comfort can give.

This conversation circles around a simple question: what becomes possible when you do the thing you almost talked yourself out of? Dr. Fix shares how small choices to show up can lead to unexpected connections, fresh perspective, and the kind of momentum that does not come from staying where life feels easy. He also makes space for something many people skip. Reflection. How often do you stop long enough to notice how far you have come? How often do you give yourself credit for the quiet wins that never make the highlight reel?

The result is a grounded reminder that discomfort is often temporary, but the growth that comes from it can last. This episode speaks to anyone in the middle of change who needs a steadier way to look at challenge, transition, and the next step ahead.

Quotes

“The people who are willing to do things that most people won’t do are the ones who are going to wind up with opportunities that most people don’t get.” (03:12 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“It’s just crazy how you put yourself in scenarios that sometimes you don’t want to do.” (04:01 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” (04:47 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
Take a moment to reflect on the places that you’ve been, reflect on the things that you’ve accomplished.” (07:53 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“Sometimes it is hard to notice the little things when you’re just so focused on the next step or the big picture.” (08:26 | Dr. Andrew Fix)

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216. Built to Move: Why Toe Space Matters | Rachel Ridgeway

Andrew Fix — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:00:11 +0000

What if the missing piece in better movement and healthier feet isn’t your shoes at all?

Dr. Andrew Fix sits down with trainer and Aira Basics founder Rachel Ridgeway to unpack a surprisingly overlooked factor in foot health: socks. After switching to barefoot-style footwear, Rachel noticed less discomfort in workouts and a very different physical experience during pregnancy. One question kept surfacing. If shoes can reshape the foot, what role do socks play?

That curiosity led Rachel to design a sock that respects the natural shape of the foot without forcing people into toe socks. She shares the behind-the-scenes process of bringing the idea to life, from fabric blends to seam placement and durability testing. The goal was simple in theory but complex in execution: create a sock that allows the foot to spread and move without sacrificing comfort or everyday practicality.

Andrew adds the clinical lens throughout the conversation. The foot contains dozens of joints and muscles that influence balance, strength, and movement across the body. When those structures spend years compressed inside narrow footwear, what changes in the knees, hips, or back? This discussion invites a closer look at a small design detail most people overlook and asks a bigger question about how everyday choices shape long-term movement and health.

Quotes

“Socks were kind of the next piece of that puzzle.” (06:17 | Rachel Ridgeway)
“You got to look at your socks because socks can be just as restrictive as shoes.” (06:22 | Rachel Ridgeway)
“I feel like this is a product that needs to exist. And I think it’ll resonate with people who are in the barefoot shoe world or not, that just want a sock that’s a little bit more comfortable, doesn’t feel like it’s restricting your foot quite as much.” (08:47 | Rachel Ridgeway)
“It was really hard to not want to only wear those because I think once you feel that freedom it’s hard to go back.” (14:37 | Rachel Ridgeway)
“I like that if it naturally mirrors the shape of your foot, it’s going to feel more comfortable.” (45:38 | Rachel Ridgeway)

Connect with Rachel Ridgeway:

Aira Basics

Rachel’s Bio:

I am the founder of a brand new barefoot sock company called Aira Basics. The idea started because I was unable to find comfortable, non-restrictive socks that worked for my whole family. While plenty of toe sock brands exist, there are not many foot shaped brands. None of the brands at the time were in the US either, so I wanted to make an affordable and accessible option for people who wanted a better sock option for their family.

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215. Plans are Fragile

Andrew Fix — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:00:15 +0000

Your plans may look perfect on paper, yet preparation is what determines whether your goals survive the moment real life hits.

In this short solo episode, Dr. Andrew Fix reflects on the gap between planning and preparation. Many people enjoy creating plans because they bring clarity and structure. Yet plans often fall apart when circumstances change. Preparation is what makes those intentions durable. It turns ideas into systems that hold up when life gets messy.

Dr. Fix explains that planning creates direction, but preparation removes friction. A simple example shows the difference. You may intend to eat healthy during the week. If lunch arrives and nothing is ready, convenience usually wins. Preparation removes that last-minute decision and supports the outcome you wanted from the start.

The conversation also highlights the value of action. People who begin doing often move ahead faster than those who spend endless time refining a plan. Experience grows through action, and momentum builds through small steps. Outcomes remain unpredictable, yet we always control the inputs.

So where do your goals live right now? On a list or in real preparation? Dr. Fix challenges listeners to move beyond planning and invest in the habits, systems, and actions that make progress possible.

Quotes

“Plans are fragile and preparation is durable.” (02:11 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“Convenience is king a lot of times.” (03:05 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“Planning is more the idea creation. It’s the logistical figuring out what the details could be.” (05:31 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“Preparation is the action of putting those plans into place, like actually taking steps to put those plans into action and start making moves based on the plans that you had laid out.” (05:38 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“We don’t control the outcomes, we control the inputs and we can look at preparation as inputs that we are investing in what the outcomes going to be.” (07:49 | Dr. Andrew Fix)

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214. Choosing the Perfect Mattress for You | Derek Hales

Andrew Fix — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:00:01 +0000

Your mattress may be the most important performance tool in your life and most people are choosing it based on marketing instead of measurable impact on sleep, recovery, and long-term health.

Sleep drives everything. Cognitive sharpness. Physical recovery. Emotional regulation. Longevity. Yet most people approach mattress shopping with guesswork and brand promises rather than clear performance criteria. Dr. Andrew Fix sits down with Derek Hales, founder of NapLab, to unpack how better sleep starts with better decisions about what you lie on every night.

They move past hype and focus on outcomes. Are you waking up sore? Do you feel restored in the morning? Is your mattress actually supporting your body type and sleep position? Derek shares practical insights from testing hundreds of mattresses and consulting with thousands of sleepers, including why medium-firm works for most people, how couples can solve conflicting firmness preferences, and why mattress weight may be one of the simplest indicators of build quality.

The conversation also highlights overlooked factors such as foundation support, pillow height, and how different sleep positions affect spinal alignment. The bigger takeaway is clear. If sleep is the foundation of performance and health span, then your mattress is not a casual purchase. It is infrastructure.

Quotes

“If we’re not getting good sleep and the mattress is the cause, we need to get a solution.” (05:09 | Derek Hales)
“I really don’t think there is a sort of best mattress for everybody. There is the best mattress for you.” (07:11 | Derek Hales)
“Sleep is the healer. It’s how the body restores itself, and how the body recovers.” (12:48 | Derek Hales)
“When you sleep deeper, longer, better, health outcomes are better, physical outcomes are better, emotional well-being is better.” (19:02 | Derek Hales)
“Sleep is the foundation of our health.” (21:50 | Derek Hales)

Links

Connect with Derek Hales:

Visit NapLab’s website

Contact: contact@naplab.com

Follow NapLab’s content

Insufficient Sleep Associated with Decreased Life Expectancy

Derek Hales is the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of NapLab.com. NapLab is a platform that

tests and reviews mattresses using a battery of objective and data-driven tests. Derek’s

reviews and personalized mattress recommendations help his readers quickly find

mattresses that are well-suited to their needs, preferences, and budget. Derek has over

11 years of mattress testing experience and has tested over 500 different mattresses in

his career.

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213. What’s Actually in Your Control?

Andrew Fix — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:00:47 +0000

Most of your stress does not come from the situation itself. It comes from your refusal to accept what you cannot control.

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Fix sharpens the distinction between inputs and outcomes. You can prepare, act with integrity, and make thoughtful decisions. You cannot dictate how the market responds, how other people choose, or how circumstances unfold. Stress escalates when we pour energy into results that were never ours to command. A simple filter brings clarity: Is this within my control, within someone else’s control, or outside of anyone’s control? If it is not fully yours, the work becomes managing your response instead of chasing certainty.

Another thread runs through the conversation. Many of the things that spike our stress are inconveniences rather than true crises. Discomfort feels urgent. Uncertainty feels personal. Yet most of it is temporary and survivable. When you tolerate inconvenience and redirect your focus toward what you can control, resilience strengthens. Control the inputs. Release the outcome.

Quotes

“We don’t control outcomes. We control inputs.” (04:03 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“What’s really hard is to remove yourself from that outcome and be what we call agnostic to it.” (04:46 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“What’s the best case scenario? What’s the worst case scenario? And is that worst case scenario actually that bad or is it just an inconvenience?” (05:23 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“If it’s not something that is completely and utterly within your control, then we have to figure out a way to let the stress level drop on that particular thing because you can’t control the outcome.” (13:31 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“You can only control how you treat the other person, how you show up and how you set yourself up for success every day.” (13:47 | Dr. Andrew Fix)

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212. Uplevel Your Life by Walking with Weight | Kayla Girgen

Andrew Fix — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:00:26 +0000

What if the simplest way to build strength, improve endurance, and sharpen your mind is already sitting in your closet as an old backpack?

Rucking sounds almost too simple to matter. Add weight to a walk and head outside. Yet in this conversation, Dr. Andrew Fix and registered dietitian and RuckFit author Kayla Girgen make a compelling case that rucking may be one of the most practical tools for long-term health. It builds strength, supports bone density, elevates heart rate, and challenges posture without the joint stress that sidelines so many active adults.

The deeper insight centers on sustainability. How often do we abandon fitness because we cannot execute the perfect plan? Kayla shares how rucking helped her move beyond all-or-nothing thinking and build consistency. Weight and distance can scale with your season of life. A stroller walk becomes training. A short neighborhood loop becomes meaningful work. When paired with thoughtful nutrition and simple lifestyle shifts like better sleep and stress awareness, the results compound. What changes when we stop chasing optimal conditions and start valuing repeatable effort?

The conversation also explores metabolic health through continuous glucose monitoring and how nutrition choices, stress levels, and daily lifestyle patterns influence inflammation and energy. Awareness shapes behavior. Manageable discomfort builds resilience. Whether the load is physical or psychological, growth follows when we choose to engage.The takeaway is grounded and actionable. You do not need elite gear or ideal weather. You need a backpack, a little weight, and the willingness to step outside.

Quotes

“Spending more time in nature, getting outside, and out of my head really helped calm a lot of anxiety that I was feeling at that time.”(04:00 | Kayla Girgen)
“You don’t have to carry obscene amounts of weight to get the benefits of rucking.”(14:11 | Kayla Girgen)
“This is where I love rucking because it can help bring something like walking and help it feel like, for lack of a better term, like it counts.” (18:28 | Kayla Girgen)
“Most everybody has what you need at home. So when I first started, I grabbed an old backpack. I wrapped a 10 pound dumbbell in a towel and threw it in the interior pocket.” (24:46 | Kayla Girgen)
“I think the number one mistake I see with rucking is just not doing it.”(58:05 | Kayla Girgen)

Connect with Kayla Girgen:

Check Out Kayla’s Book

Visit Kayla’s Website

Subscribe to Kayla’s YouTube

Follow Kayla on TikTok

Follow Kayla on Facebook

Connect with Kayla on LinkedIn

KAYLA GIRGEN, RD, LD, CPT, is a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, and founder of Sugar + Strength Academy—an online wellness community helping women balance blood sugar and build strength, one step at a time. She blends real-life tools, such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), with accessible movement, like rucking, to help clients break free from diet extremes and feel strong—both physically and mentally. Kayla’s approach centers on progress over perfection and creating results that work in real life. Her upcoming book Ruck Fit shares how rucking became a catalyst for reclaiming her physical and mental health, proving that fitness doesn’t have to be complicated to be life-changing.

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211. The Big Impact of Small Transitions

Andrew Fix — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:00:53 +0000

Most people try to be more present by forcing focus when the real leverage comes from how you transition between moments rather than what you do inside them.

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Fix reframes presence as a skill built through transitions rather than effort alone. When work spills into home or one conversation runs straight into the next, stress builds quietly and attention thins out. The issue is rarely motivation. It is the absence of buffer time that allows the mind to reset before moving forward.

Dr. Fix makes the case for protecting small pauses that most people rush past. A minute in the car before walking inside. A breath before responding instead of reacting. A short buffer between meetings that creates space to listen rather than solve. These moments close one chapter before the next begins. What changes when you stop carrying mental residue from task to task? How might your relationships shift if you gave presence priority over speed? The message is simple and grounded. Transitions deserve intention because they shape how you show up everywhere else.

Quotes

“What I want to encourage you guys to do is to not take for granted how powerful even just a small but really intentional period of time can be to transition from one activity to the next.” (03:28 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“People need you to listen to them. People need you to hear what they’re saying and listen, not just to respond, but listen to hear them and listen to understand what they’re trying to say.” (05:20 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“Just pause for a beat before you respond to them. Just pause, that could be one breath, that could be two breaths.” (05:39 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“We need to protect that transition time. Because although it is short, it is extremely valuable. It is worth its weight in gold.” (08:00 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“Come along with me on this practice journey and take just 30 to 60 seconds when you go from one activity to the next.” (09:04 | Dr. Andrew Fix)

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210. From “Have To” to “Get To” The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything Chris Cullen

Andrew Fix — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:00:15 +0000

A simple shift from “I have to” to “I get to” can change how you experience everything from daily obligations to long-term endurance in life and health.

Dr. Andrew Fix sits down with mindset coach and author Chris Cullen to explore how the words you use shape your mindset and influence the perspective you bring to everyday demands. What begins as a subtle language change opens into a broader conversation about choice, presence, and how people respond when life feels heavy or relentless. Chris shares how “I get to” emerged during some of his most challenging physical and mental moments and why it became a practical way to keep moving forward when motivation disappeared.

The discussion also unpacks why this shift can feel surprisingly difficult. Our brains are wired to scan for threat and rush ahead, which makes presence an intentional practice rather than a default. How often do you move through the day without noticing it? What changes when you pause long enough to choose a second thought that creates space for gratitude rather than frustration? Andrew ties these ideas to health, training, parenting, and recovery, where consistency, awareness, and perspective matter more than intensity or quick wins.

Chris is clear that this approach is not a universal solution. Grief still needs space. Toxic situations often require decisive action. Yet when used with care, “I get to” offers a way to reclaim ownership of your time, energy, and attention. The episode leaves listeners with a question worth sitting with: how might your days shift if you approached them with greater choice, perspective, and gratitude instead of obligation?

Quotes

“If we don’t follow our highest calling or our highest values, we will regret it. And that’s the decision you have to make no matter how” (06:58 | Chris Cullen)
“When we control the little moments, the mundane stuff that we don’t really want to do, that’s where I think “I get to” makes its biggest impact.” (18:46 | Chris Cullen)
“If you want to experience a better life, you have to choose to experience time better.”(25:25 | Chris Cullen)
“Our natural instincts are not meant to find opportunity. They’re meant to scan for threats and keep us safe.” (27:10 | Chris Cullen)
“I get to doesn’t take away the grief.” (40:45 | Chris Cullen)

Connect with Chris Cullen:

https://chriscullen.com/

https://chriscullen.com/new-page

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209. How to Maintain Routine and Have Fun While Traveling

Andrew Fix — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:00:21 +0000

Fitness does not fall apart when routines change but it does reveal whether your habits are built on consistency or convenience.

Traveling has a way of exposing what really supports fitness and weight loss when normal routines disappear. This episode of The Code looks at how movement, food choices, and daily habits hold up when life feels full and unpredictable. Dr. Andrew Fix draws from a recent family trip to show how disrupted schedules tend to reveal weak points in routines rather than undo progress. Travel becomes a useful lens for understanding which habits still matter when time, energy, and predictability are limited.

The conversation clears up common misconceptions around fat loss and exercise, including the belief that working a specific body part leads to targeted weight loss. Andrew explains why full-body strength work, consistent movement, sleep, recovery, and food choices shape body composition far more than isolated exercises. He also challenges gym comfort zones and repetitive routines, then shares practical ways to maintain fitness while traveling through shorter workouts, smarter timing around meals and drinks, and realistic expectations. The takeaway is simple: fitness and weight loss depend on habits that hold steady even when routines feel optional.

Quotes

“We don’t lose fat in a spot treatment type of way. We lose fat throughout our entire body.” (03:56 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“When it comes to strength training, we want to use multi-joint exercises that move the majority of the body, the majority of the time, as opposed to focusing on small accessory, single joint movements.” (04:38 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“If nothing changes, then nothing changes, right? And what I mean by that is if you go to the gym and you just continue to frequent the exact same machines, the exact same exercises all the time, then you’re not going to likely have a nice well-rounded training of your entire body.” (07:53 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“If this is part of your routine, if this is something that you’re doing for yourself to help you look better, feel better, perform and function better, then I encourage you to keep it in your routine.” (16:59 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“Consistency is typically the lever that’s gonna win out more than any of the other ones.” (17:25 | Dr. Andrew Fix)

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208. Fueling for Peak Performance | Katie Hardie

Andrew Fix — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:00:20 +0000

If you want more energy, faster recovery, and better performance in the gym and in daily life, the way you fuel your body deserves as much attention as the way you train it.

This conversation looks at nutrition through a performance lens, with insights that apply whether you are training for the gym, long workdays, or full days of skiing in the mountains. Dr. Andrew Fix is joined by Katie Hardie, a board-certified holistic nutritionist and functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner, to talk about how food choices shape energy, recovery, focus, and consistency, and why many people struggle to see results even when they believe they are eating well. The discussion moves beyond calorie counts and into how digestion, stress, and food quality quietly influence how your body shows up day after day.

Katie shares a grounded approach to performance nutrition that prioritizes meals you can repeat and enjoy. They explore why food has to taste good to be sustainable, how to learn what balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates works best for your body, and why lingering soreness or low motivation can be signs of under-fueling rather than overtraining. What changes when you start listening to how your body responds instead of following rigid rules? How might your workouts improve if recovery and fueling finally support each other?

This episode reframes nutrition as a practical performance tool that supports strength, stamina, and clarity, with ideas you can apply immediately without turning food into another source of stress.

Quotes

“If you don’t love the food, the taste of it, or worse yet, it doesn’t even contain the building blocks, you’re behind the eight ball.” (13:03 | Katie Hardie)
“We got sold the story of calories in calories out. It’s not incorrect. It’s just incomplete.” (13:49 | Katie Hardie)
“Each skipped meal is a missed opportunity for repairing or building.” (22:40 | Katie Hardie)
“Nutrition is what we eat and it’s also what we digest and absorb. That piece gets missed.”(25:31 | Katie Hardie)
“When people talk about sports nutrition, so many people think sports nutrition is game day nutrition. Sports nutrition is the whole season, just like trainings the whole season.” (51:56 | Katie Hardie)

Connect with Katie Hardie:

Follow Katie on Instagram

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207. Navigating Life’s Curveballs in 2026

Andrew Fix — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:00:10 +0000

When life blows up your routine with sickness, sleepless nights, and missed workouts, this episode reframes resolutions and habits as practical commitments you protect on your calendar rather than promises you hope to keep.

Dr. Andrew Fix shares a simple truth most people avoid. Consistency does not come from perfect conditions or endless motivation. It comes from deciding what matters and building habits that can survive real life. When routines fall apart, the answer is not guilt or starting over. It is choosing structure that works even when things feel messy.

Why do healthy habits disappear when life gets busy? What changes when your resolutions stop living in your head and start living on your schedule? The episode challenges the idea that routines need to look impressive to work and makes the case for habits that fit the season you are actually in.

If you are tired of feeling off track every time life gets chaotic, this episode offers a grounded way forward. Decide what matters, put it on the calendar, and keep moving without waiting for everything to calm down first.

Quotes

“How do we get back on track? Well, I’m a big believer in putting things on the calendar that are priorities for you.” (05:01 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“It doesn’t matter what it is. It just matters that it happens and that you’re prioritizing it for yourself, that you are making a point to make it important to you, important enough to put it on the calendar” (05:56 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“We are so used to conquering and overcoming hard things because of the physical training that we do that we can do that in the other areas of our life as well.” (08:28 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“You need to find the routine. You need to find the cadence that works for you.” (09:29 | Dr. Andrew Fix)
“If you want something to be accomplished, if you want to reach the goals that you have set for yourself, if something is important to you, it will be important enough to hold a place on your calendar.” (09:54 | Dr. Andrew Fix)

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