Shows
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyBreath Is Power: How God Gave You Control Over Your Nervous SystemWhat if anxiety, panic, and feeling “out of control” weren’t moral failures—or even mental ones—but physiological patterns you could interrupt?In this episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex VanHouten sits down with breathwork expert Kurtis Lee Thomas, author of Breathwork Detox, to explore how breath restores agency—the God-given ability to act, respond, and choose again.Together, they unpack:-Why breath is the only system you can control consciously and unconsciously-How trauma, stress, and anxiety get “stuck” in the body-Why breathwork works faster than medication in panic states
2026-02-0550 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyWhy Your Morning Is a Spiritual Battleground (And How to Win It)Most Christians don’t lose their faith overnight. They lose it slowly—through fatigue, distraction, and disorder. In this episode, Coach Alex breaks down why mornings are not just a productivity hack, but a spiritual battleground.Drawing from Scripture, neuroscience, circadian biology, and lived discipleship, he shows how your first 30 minutes shape your faithfulness, clarity, and emotional regulation for the entire day. You’ll learn why Scripture before screens matters neurologically and biblically, why sunlight and movement anchor your nervous system, how prayer realigns your loves, and why delaying dopamine restores authority over your mind.This isn’t...
2026-01-2208 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyFaithful Fitness at Home: Parenting, Nutrition, and the “Secret Weapon” Behind the ScenesEpisode SummaryWhat does faithful fitness actually look like inside a real household? In this episode, Coach Alex sits down with his wife Christin—dietitian, working mom of two, and the often-unseen force behind their family’s rhythm—to talk honestly about parenting, nutrition, sleep, training, and discipline.This isn’t a lecture or a perfect blueprint. It’s a grounded conversation about how faith and fitness shape daily decisions at home: how they think about kids’ behavior, picky eating, sleep routines, garage-gym logistics, and why structure doesn’t have to mean deprivation.If you’re trying to lea...
2026-01-1530 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyThe Offensive Church: Taking Territory From Hell (Starts With Your Body)Episode SummaryIn this sermon preached at New Life Church Greenbrier (Dec. 28, 2025), Coach Alex flips a familiar verse on its head: the gates of hell aren’t attacking the Church—they’re defending. Jesus’ promise isn’t that we’ll merely “hold on” until the end; it’s that the Church advances and hell can’t stop it.Coach Alex makes it practical: if you’ve spent a year waking up on defense—tired, in pain, stuck, reactive—there’s a reason.The enemy targets the individual body, then the family, then the community. But when your “want to,” your “able to,” your...
2026-01-0837 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyDoes God Love Your Body—or Just Your Soul? - with Alisa Keeton and Revelation Wellness🧲 Episode SummaryWhat if the Church has misunderstood the body—not as a problem to fix, but as territory to reclaim? In this powerful, deeply personal conversation, Coach Alex VanHouten sits down with Alisa Keeton, founder of Revelation Wellness, to confront one of the most neglected truths in modern Christianity: God doesn’t just love your soul—He dwells in your body.Together, they explore:-Why shame—not laziness—is the real driver behind obsession and neglect -How trauma lives in the nervous system (and how movement helps heal it)-Why strength training is a form of C...
2026-01-011h 02
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyThe Bible's Warning About Addiction (And How To Take Back Control)Episode Summary//👉 Subscribe here: https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com/contact //Most Christians have been told addiction is a failure of willpower. Scripture says something far more serious: addiction is slavery. In this solo episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex VanHouten dismantles the shame-based, slogan-driven approach to addiction and replaces it with a biblical and neuroscience-grounded framework for freedom.Drawing from Scripture, modern brain science, and personal loss, this episode explores how addiction hijacks agency—and how embodied Christian stewardship restores it. You’ll learn why shame worsens addiction, how the brain actually changes under compulsive behavio...
2025-12-1808 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyWhy God Cares That Your Strong (Not Just "Saved")Episode SummaryIn this episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex sits down with personal trainer and writer Christina Barkley, founder of Dogged Strength. Christina shares her journey from Hollywood’s entertainment world to a Christ-centered fitness practice, recounting how a powerful encounter with God shifted her perspective on health and strength.Together, Alex and Christina unpack the truth about New Year’s resolutions, why so many fail, and how to approach fitness with a mindset of stewardship rather than vanity. They also discuss discipleship through training, practical ways to set sustainable goals, and the importance of i...
2025-12-1156 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily“Forgiveness, Grief, and Healing the Body with Leah Fruth”In this powerful conversation, Coach Alex sits down with health coach, fitness instructor, and workshop leader Leah Fruth to explore the often-overlooked role of forgiveness in our physical and spiritual health. Leah vulnerably shares her own story of profound grief, unprocessed pain, and how God taught her that healing the body is inseparable from healing the soul.Together, they dive into what it means to release bitterness, walk in freedom, and treat the body not as a project to fix but as a temple to steward. From homemade kombucha to workshops on stretching and prayer, Leah models what...
2025-11-2755 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyThe Pace of Peace: Finding Calm in Body, Soul, and Home with Michelle BrumgardEpisode SummaryWhat if peace wasn’t just a feeling you occasionally experience but a person you follow daily? In this episode, Coach Alex sits down with author, speaker, and podcast host Michelle Brumgard to explore what she calls The Pace of Peace.Michelle shares how years of praying for calm—in her body, her marriage, and her home—revealed that true peace isn’t found in quick fixes, quiet moments, or the absence of chaos, but in Christ Himself, the Prince of Peace.Through vulnerable stories of motherhood, marriage struggles, overwhelm, and the practical demands...
2025-11-2048 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily“How Sound Theology Shapes Real Discipleship (and Real Muscles)”🧠 Episode SummaryCoach Alex reconnects with longtime friend and former training partner Gabe Aguirre—now an itinerant preacher and theological content creator—to unpack the vital link between biblical depth, spiritual endurance, and embodied faith.They explore why expositional preaching is essential for growing deep spiritual roots, how to guard against modern Gnosticism that separates body and spirit, and what bodybuilding can teach us about stewardship and discipline under Christ’s lordship.By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how good theology makes strong disciples—and strong bodies serve eternal purposes.🧩 Main Discussion...
2025-11-131h 03
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyEmbodiment vs. Simulation: Fitness in the Age of AI📖 Episode SummaryIn an age of artificial intelligence, digital simulation, and disembodied experiences, it’s easy to lose touch with what makes us truly human. We outsource more than ever—our thinking, our remembering, even our relationships.But there is one practice that cannot be simulated: fitness. In this episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex VanHouten explores why exercise isn’t just about health metrics or biblical stewardship of your own body.Fitness is an act of resistance against disembodiment. It is a bastion of reality, a practice that anchors you to your own flesh...
2025-11-0612 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyOutgrowing Porn: Healing Hearts and Redeeming Sexuality with Drew Boa✨ Episode Summary In this groundbreaking episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex sits down with Drew Boa—author of Outgrow Porn and founder of Husband Material Ministries—to tackle one of the most hidden yet destructive struggles in the Church today: pornography.Drew combines neuroscience, psychology, and biblical truth to offer a message of hope far beyond “try harder” strategies and purity culture. Together, Alex and Drew explore how porn is not simply a moral issue but a sexualized solution to unprocessed pain—and how healing, maturity, and God’s grace provide the true path to freedom.
2025-10-3053 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyThe Body Teaches the Soul: Justin Whitmel Earley on Habits, Holiness, and Stewardship📖 Episode SummaryIn this special episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex VanHouten welcomes Justin Whitmel Earley—lawyer, author of Habits of the Household, and father of four—to discuss his upcoming book The Body Teaches the Soul. Justin shares how years of grueling work in a law firm, fatherhood, and a CrossFit gym encounter awakened him to the reality that our bodies and souls are inseparably joined.What began as lessons in physical endurance soon became lessons in patience, grace, and discipleship. Together, Alex and Justin explore why the modern church often ignores or idolizes the bod...
2025-10-2357 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyFaith, Fitness, and Finding Peace: Growing in God’s Strength With Kim DobbsIn this powerful episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex VanHouten sits down with nurse, fitness instructor, and Revelation Wellness trainer Kim Dobbs to explore how faith and fitness come together in the hardest seasons of life.From raising three boys to walking through the unimaginable grief of losing her son, mother, and mother-in-law, Kim shares how God used movement, worship, and community to sustain her. She offers practical insights for anyone who feels “too old” or “too uncoordinated” to start exercising, reminding us that every step is stewardship and every movement is worsh...
2025-10-1657 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyFasting Like Jesus: How to Align Your Body and Spirit for God’s GloryEpisode SummaryIn this solo teaching, Coach Alex VanHouten dives deep into the spiritual and physical discipline of fasting. Too often misunderstood as either a diet trend or a hunger strike, fasting is neither—it is a God-given practice that draws us closer to His heart while transforming our health.Pulling from Scripture, modern science, and decades of coaching experience, Alex explains why Jesus said “when you fast,” not “if you fast.” You’ll learn what fasting truly is, how it benefits your body and soul, and practical pro tips to start fasting well.If you’ve ever...
2025-10-0226 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyWhen Your Body Says Something’s Wrong: Faith, Hormones, and Healing with Heidi Cooper🌟 Episode SummaryMany believers know the frustration of “doing everything right”—clean eating, consistent exercise, even regular doctor visits—yet still feeling exhausted, foggy, or unwell. Why does this happen? And what can you do about it?In this episode, Coach Alex VanHouten sits down with Functional Medicine Practitioner Heidi Cooper, co-founder of Cooper Health Solutions, to uncover why conventional medicine often misses the root of the problem and how God designed our bodies to heal when we steward them well. Heidi shares her personal testimony of battling autoimmune thyroid disease, chronic fatigue, and weight gain—while being d...
2025-09-1855 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily“Mindset Is a Lifeline: DK Kang on Faith, Grit, and Growth”Episode Summary:When life hits harder than you ever imagined, how do you keep moving forward?In this powerful conversation, Coach Alex Van Houten sits down with martial artist, author, and fellow believer DK Kang — a man who has walked through job loss, financial strain, and his wife’s battle with cancer, yet discovered how mindset became his lifeline.Drawing from his book Mindset Metamorphosis, DK unpacks what it means to shift from a fixed mindset (“I’ll never be good enough”) to a growth mindset rooted in God’s truth and daily choices. Together...
2025-09-111h 03
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyWhy The Church Must Reclaim The Body For God's Glory📖 Episode SummaryWhat does it mean to steward your body as a temple when you're also shepherding a congregation? In this powerful conversation, Pastor and Revelation Wellness instructor Wes Scheu (pronounced "Shoy") joins Coach Alex VanHouten to explore the deep intersection of faith and fitness—and why the Church cannot afford to stay silent about it.As a husband, father, and leader in both pastoral ministry and the health coaching world, Wes brings a rare blend of biblical wisdom, theological depth, and real-life practicality. Together, he and Alex discuss why physical stewardship isn’t about vanity, but availab...
2025-09-041h 03
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyFighting for Kids, One Mile at a Time with The "Praying Ninja Warrior"Episode Summary:What if every mile you ran was a prayer for a sick child? In this deeply inspiring episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex sits down with ultra-endurance athlete and founder of the Praying Ninja Warrior Foundation, Nick Apicella.Together, they explore how prayer, suffering, and radical endurance can become powerful expressions of faith, love, and support for children facing life-threatening illness. Nick shares his recent completion of the grueling Tahoe 200—a 200-mile ultra-marathon run in honor of over 900 children battling cancer and rare diseases.But this isn’t about medals or pers...
2025-08-281h 06
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyHow Keto & Carnivore Can Transform Your Health and Spirit| With Casey Ruff From Boundless Body RadioEpisode SummaryIn this inspiring episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex VanHouten sits down with Casey Ruff—longtime trainer, host of Boundless Body Radio, and outspoken advocate for low-carb, keto, and carnivore nutrition.From his early days in the corporate gym world to building his own business during the chaos of 2020, Casey shares how a crisis pushed him to rethink health, career, and the way he serves clients. Casey opens up about his journey into ketogenic and carnivore eating, the science and case studies that convinced him, and the surprising mental health benefits—what he c...
2025-08-2155 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyRaising Warriors: Faith, Fitness, and the Fight for Our Youth🎧 Episode Title Raising Warriors: Faith, Fitness, and the Fight for Our Youth How the Power In Me movement is awakening identity, healing, and purpose📖 Episode SummaryIn this episode, Coach Alex VanHouten sits down with Melanie Thurnau and Nathan Remole—co-leaders of the Power In Me ministry and creators of Missouri’s largest youth obstacle course event, the Warrior Course.What started as a grief-stricken mother's obedience to God has grown into a transformative movement to restore identity, confidence, and calling in today’s youth. Melanie shares how multiple child losses and spiritual depression fo...
2025-08-1454 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyWisdom With GLP-1s | Coach Alex Tackles Ozempic and Monjaro📖 Episode SummaryIn this solo episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast*, Coach Alex VanHouten tackles one of today’s most controversial health trends: the rise of GLP-1-based weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and ZepBound. As a faith-based health coach and exercise scientist, Alex unpacks the science behind peptides—what they are, how they work, and the pros and cons of using them in a health journey rooted in stewardship and discipleship.But more importantly, this conversation goes deeper than bi...
2025-08-0716 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyBad Knees? No Problem. Ironman Dad Phil Thompson on Grit, God, and EnduranceWhat does it take to be a high-performing athlete, a dedicated father of four, and a man of faith—without compromising any of it?In this inspiring episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex VanHouten sits down with Phil Thompson, an optometrist, father of four, and accomplished Ironman triathlete. Phil shares how endurance training became a tool not just for physical transformation—but for spiritual growth, fatherhood, and character development.From overcoming multiple knee surgeries to racing in full Ironman events while juggling work and family life, Phil’s story is a masterclass in disc...
2025-07-1758 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyBreaking the Chains of Disease: Healing, Hormones, and Holy Stewardship with Coach Amanda Jabczynski🎧 Episode Title: Breaking the Chains of Disease: Healing, Hormones, and Holy Stewardship with Coach Amanda Jabczynski📝 Episode Summary: In this episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex sits down with Coach Amanda Jabczynski—also known as Coach AJ—a retired Navy veteran, homeschooling mom, and certified health coach with a transformative story of reclaiming her health and faith.Diagnosed with prediabetes after following a wellness protocol that was supposed to prevent it, Coach AJ found herself at a critical crossroads. Rather than succumbing to medication and generational patterns of illness, she turned toward a radically different...
2025-07-1057 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyHow Faith & Fitness Forge Life-Changing Fatherhood — Ben Barker🔥 Episode Summary:In this power-packed episode, Coach Alex sits down with Ben Barker—husband, father of four, fitness coach, and host of Real Talk with Ben & Kim—to explore what it means to be a fit father who follows Christ.Their conversation weaves humor, hard-won wisdom, and raw encouragement for every man striving to lead his home with strength, humility, and purpose.Ben shares how his own fitness journey evolved from chasing performance to prioritizing presence—at home, in his community, and in his walk with Jesus. They dive deep into the spiritual conviction behind fi...
2025-07-031h 07
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyHow Mitochondria, Mindset, & Faith Heal the Body | Dr. Bruce Cooper🎙️ Episode Title: How Mitochondria, Mindset, & Faith Heal the Body | Dr. Bruce Cooper🔍 Episode Summary:In this profound and energizing episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex VanHouten welcomes back one of his most beloved guests — Dr. Bruce Cooper.With over 25 years of experience in natural medicine, fitness, and functional health, Dr. Cooper shares his powerful journey from frustrated physical therapy hopeful to founder of Cooper Health Solutions, and now, PhD in Natural Medicine.Together, Alex and Bruce unpack the hidden drivers of chronic fatigue, inflammation, and hormonal imbalance—pointing listeners to the often-ov...
2025-06-261h 05
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyIs Your Fitness Journey Fueled by Grace—or Guilt? | Kasey Shuler🎙️ Episode Title: Is Your Fitness Journey Fueled by Grace—or Guilt? | Kasey Shuler📖 Episode Description:In this spirit-filled episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex VanHouten welcomes Kasey Shuler—author, intuitive movement coach, and co-founder of Joyful Health Co—for a deep conversation on stewarding our health without falling into obsession. From learning to trust our post-fall bodies to intuitive eating, Christian obedience, and raising the next generation in grace-filled wellness, this episode is a must-listen for those seeking to integrate faith and fitness.🎧 What You’ll Hear:✔️Kasey’s powerful testimony from pe...
2025-06-1951 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyWhen Medicine Failed, Faith Took Over- Dean Hall's Wild Cure🎙️ Episode Title: When Medicine Failed, Faith Took Over- Dean Hall's Wild Cure What if the very waters you fear could become the waters that heal you?In this powerful episode, Coach Alex VanHouten sits down with Dean Hall—licensed therapist, bestselling author, two-time cancer survivor, and world-record endurance swimmer. From battling leukemia and grief to swimming 187 miles upstream as an act of radical healing, Dean’s story will shake you to your core.We talk faith, fatherhood, resilience, and the transformational power of God’s creation. Dean also shares about The Wild Cure, his approach to...
2025-06-051h 06
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily2 - What The BIBLE Says About HEALTH. A Christian Nutritionist EXPLAINSWhat does the Bible say about health, nutrition, and fasting? In this episode, Chelsea Blackburn, the Christian Nutritionist, joins Coach Alex VanHouten to break down the biblical foundations of nutrition and how honoring your body is an act of faith.🔹 How infertility led Chelsea to discover the power of food🔹 Why your body is always on your side (even when it doesn’t feel like it)🔹 The truth about fasting for women—when and how to do it biblically🔹 How grounding, light exposure, and seasonal eating improve health🔹 Why stewarding your body is part of your spiritual c...
2025-05-0854 min
Faithful Fitness By Better DailyA Christian Perspective Of Personal Fitness - To Whom Much Is Given...A teaching for "Mighty Men" - a student-lead organization at Greenbrier Middle School - on the parable of the talents with Coach Alex VanHouten from Better Daily."To whom much is given, much is required"-Luke 12:48 Learn More About Better Daily community - https://betterdaily.liveBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.
2023-04-1118 minFaithful Fitness By Better DailyBetter Daily - End of Season!Season 4 Will Be The Best Season Yet! Upgrade to Premium with code "UPGRADE30" to save up to 40% off all-access to the Better Daily app and community!Here's Howhttps://betterdaily.live/inviteAbout Better Daily FREE: Get Better by association - surrounding yourself with other folks who are aiming up, achieving #my1percent, and want the same for you! Anyone can get Better, but no one can do it for you!PREMIUM: Unlock the f...
2023-01-1205 minFaithful Fitness By Better DailyJOB - Hearing God's WordA Testimony And Teaching From Alex VanHoutenBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.
2022-10-2850 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily198 - Stay Faithful (The Big Fish)WINSDAY Original Prose written by coach Alex VanHouten. Written version (and image of the fish) HERE: https://betterdaily.disciplemedia.com/articles/17Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.
2022-08-0312 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily157 - FODMAPSNutrition Tip Tuesday Fermentable oliggo, di, monosaccharides, and polyols could be the nutrition ingredient that is causing a litany of issues in your body. Bloating, gas, fatigue, and more... let's drop some good pounds! Ask Coach Alex by joining Better Daily! https://betterdaily.liveBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.
2022-05-3113 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily130 - Will Work For Carbs!!!Flex Friday What does Coach Alex mean when he says "earn your carbs" through your workout? It's just 1%. WE GOT THIS! https://betterdaily.liveBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.
2022-04-2220 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily128 - The Good SamaritanWild Wednesday This biblical parable will BLOW YOUR MIND! Join Coach Alex LIVE:https://betterdaily.disciplemedia.com/posts/4147Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.
2022-04-2035 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily127 - Protein For BreakfastNutrition Tip Tuesday! Breaking your fast with dessert is a miniature tragedy. Don't be THAT guy/girl! Get 1% Better With Coach Alex! https://betterdaily.disciplemedia.com/posts/4133Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.
2022-04-1909 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily126 - Climb That HILL!Mindset Monday! That daunting hill s WORTH CLIMBING! Catch the video version with Coach Alex - https://betterdaily.disciplemedia.com/posts/4121Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.
2022-04-1809 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily123 - Faith, Fitness, Fatherhood | Significant MenWhat does it take to be a "REAL MAN"?What does that even mean? Coach Alex and Warren Peterson hash it out together in this interview! We're not perfect, neither are you! Let's get better together!https://betterdaily.live Use code "POD" to save 25% on your subscription!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.
2022-04-1357 min
Faithful Fitness By Better Daily122 - What's For Dinner?Did you know meal planning is 75% of what coach Alex attributes his household nutrition habits to?That's alot of percents! Let's talk about dinner!We're not perfect, neither are you! Let's get better together!https://betterdaily.live Use code "POD" to save 25% on your subscription!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.
2022-04-1214 min