Joel’s passion for helping people reach their fitness potential began during his time at Texas Tech University where he began working at a local gym. While he worked various positions within the gym, Joel always found himself motivated by one thing: making a personal impact on people’s lives and seeing that it doesn’t always have to be difficult to make necessary changes.

After moving to Olympia, WA in 2004, Joel began teaching group fitness classes and helped establish some of the largest group exercise class participation numbers throughout the United States. Simultaneously, Joel managed a local gym, then spent four years working for the Washington State Department of Health and assisted in establishing a corporate wellness program while there. Joel’s relationship with Beachbody kindled in 2005 when he joined the elite Trainer team for the collaborative project, LES MILL PUMP, the home weight training program.

In this episode he shares his fitness journey, his tips on staying consistent, and he shares something we should all do if we want to level up.
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Transcript

Joel Freeman:

Where I've done for myself is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. That's been a big thing for me over the years of daring myself and pushing myself to try something, whatever it may be. But that's the only way you're going to level up because the other called comfort zones for a reason.

Melissa Bright:

Welcome to The Bright Side of Life, a podcast where people share their personal stories of struggles, pain and grief. But through all of that, they are still able to find the joys in life. Hello, everyone, and welcome to this week's episode of the bright side of life. I am your host Melissa bright. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast, please be sure to do so on your favorite listening platform so you never miss an episode. If you just love, love, love the podcast so much. And you would like to support the show. You can do so by writing a review on the website sharing your favorite episodes on social media and with friends and family. Or lastly, you can make donations by going to the donate page on the website. Whatever you choose to do, however you choose to support the podcast, I am very grateful. And also you can do all of that stuff right on the bright side of life. podcast.com Today is a very, very exciting day because I am talking to Joel Freeman. If you don't know who Joel Freeman is, he is a Super Trainer from Beachbody. And if you don't know what Beachbody is, it is a fitness and nutrition platform that you can do workouts from the comfort of your own home or wherever else you feel like working out. Today we're going to talk about Joel's own fitness journey and get some of his best advice on health and nutrition. And to see what Joe's up to these days. Joel, welcome to The Bright Side of Life. How are you doing today?

Joel Freeman:

Thank you so much. I'm doing great. I'm happy to be here. I always I just laugh every time I hear Super Trainer. I did not get myself that title just so everybody knows. Because if you're not in Beachbody you're part of Team Beachbody people like Super Trainer really like this whole project. And then like wasn't me, I promise but no, I'm doing good. And thanks for having me.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah, that is so funny. Because like of course I go and look at people's BIOS like different things. You know, like, Okay, go look at his Instagram go look at this. And like I even noticed is that like newer because I did your program in 2019. And I'm like, Did it say Super Trainer then which I will have to agree but

Joel Freeman:

appreciate that. When we first came on, like when I first came into Beachbody as it as a trader, team, we were called celebrity trainers. And then the boss man, I'll have a CEO himself. He just was like, you know, I think they're super. So we've been super ever since. And awesome. Yeah, it's it's, uh, I don't take it lightly. But it's still just like, I don't tell people I'm a Super Trainer. Right? Unless they know exactly what.

Melissa Bright:

Right I don't blame you. I don't blame me. They'd be like, Yeah, okay, bro. Whatever. Right? Yeah. Really pretentious. Okay, yeah, that's funny. Okay, so I want to know how first of all you became interested in fitness. And how did your whole fitness journey start?

Joel Freeman:

Yeah, yeah, that's a It's interesting. It's a long story. We'll make it quick. So I have been I've been in health and fitness industry since I was 19. So 20 years now. And honestly, I got involved with it. Just because I needed a job. It had nothing to do with a passion for it. It just was simply like, I needed a job I was at the time I grew up. I grew up in West Texas. I was bartending I was going to college. It was really cool to college, I was at college, and I wanted to go into classes because I didn't I just I didn't know what I wanted to do. I wasn't passionate about anything I kept changing my major and whatnot and I framed houses i bartended I waited tables I did all these different things and then one of my friends said hey, you know we got a front desk position at the at the gym as a local gym is 24 hour and not 24 Hour Fitness suppose a 24 hour gym, and 2am to 10am shift. It was a graveyard shift and I was just tired of framing houses in the West Texas sun and I was like alright, cool. I'll do it. And that's That's literally how it started was just front desk, because it was such a crappy shift. And there was nobody else there. I had to learn everything. I had to learn how to sell memberships and fix equipment on it because I was the only one there to do all this stuff. And just from there I just really started moving up in the business side of it wasn't really into working out or anything like that. I mean, like Working hours in college type workout like well you would go and do you know three reps and then go have a cigarette, right? It wasn't anything is specific in terms of the fitness side of it but I just I was good at the business side of it and have been good at the business ever since and so from them just worked my way up and was that I lived up in Washington, State of Washington Seattle area for eight years and just kept going so I've managed gyms I've run gyms I've opened gyms worked for the Washington State Department Health for four years. So I've just was always involved in that. And then through that, then I got more into the fitness aspect of it and started teaching group exercise classes and realize, you know, mid to late 20s, I guess a mid 20s I'm like, Alright, maybe I should if I'm gonna, you know, talk to talk, I should walk the walk. So that's when I started lifting and finding my own fitness journey and, and the things that I'm passionate about. And then honestly, you'll be asked me like, Well, how do you become a Beachbody superstar? Like, I have no idea. It just was after that long you just make you make you make friends you make business relationships. And like any industry, the fitness industry is very incestuous in terms of like, who used to work over here works over here and vice versa and they switch back and forth and he just started making those connections and that's literally it how simple it was and just Right Place Right Time right people knowing people and opportunities and hearing

Melissa Bright:

that is so freakin cool. So whenever you first got found out about the opportunity, let's say about Beachbody and obviously did okay. Did you know what Beachbody was before the opportunity came to you?

Joel Freeman:

I did not I was working for I was working for Gold's Gym. Or I was working for Washington. I was moving down to LA to be a director for Gold's Gym, Southern California franchise and I was teaching group exercise classes for Les Mills, which is a group exercise choreography company in New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand and I was going over there and doing photoshoots for him like that was one of their their cover models for their posters and stuff. And when I was over there, I'd be teaching classes in their in their studio. And when I was there, just to do a photoshoot, I was teaching classes. That was when they had started talking to Beachbody about doing because Beachbody was home fitness, Les Mills group exercise and they were talking about doing a collaborative program that was going to bring group exercise into the home fitness world which ended up being Les Mills Pump. They were casting for it videoed me, and that was my casting audition. I don't even know it. So you just call me like a year later, they said, Hey, we're doing this. It's a collaborative program. We're bringing 14 trainers from around the world. We want you to be one of them, or instructor from around the world. And that was my first I was like, okay, cool. Yeah, yeah, I think that's kind of like my thing, too, is like, I would just always be like, okay, like, try it. Let's try it. Like if I can always go back to do whatever we're doing. So I was just always kind of Yes, man. And we filmed that. And that was my first intro into Beachbody. When did my first Beachbody summit in Vegas in 2012? I think, yeah. So you know, 10 years ago, and then just that partnership dissolved, but then by that point, I was working for gold's and Beachbody. I was establishing their group exercise, so that I was helping them do that. Like it just I was just always been around. I've just met these people and talk to people and like I said, it's just always having conversations and, and being saying, yes, right things. Yeah.

Melissa Bright:

Which is a huge, huge thing you need to remember, I just so there's some things I talk a lot about, like manifestation. And I don't know like that much about it, except for practicing gratitude, like raises your vibration and stuff you put on the universe and all this stuff. And one of my things I really want to do is I want to do public speaking besides like podcasting, I want to go talk on stages, and so on and so forth. And I just recently had somebody reach out to me about applying for their event they're going to have in Arizona. Yeah. And I read like the application and I started telling myself like, oh my gosh, what topic I don't know a topic. I'm not knowledgeable enough. And then I'm like, Melissa, this is literally like what you've been asking the universe for. Like, so figure out how you're going to do it later. Just say yes now and

Joel Freeman:

that's, that's it. That's it Melissa really is it I mean, like I I've said yes to so many things and then then thought about it. It's like, well, you kind of go, oh, oh, and then you have that freakout moment or or whatever it is. But you know, one of the things through through all this dude posts every day and try motivational stuff and the fitness aspect of it is where I've done for myself is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. That's been a big thing for me over the years. Have daring myself and pushing myself to try something even if whatever it may be, but that's the only way you're gonna level up because the other called comfort zones for a reason. So if you said that comfort zone, there's not if you're cool with that, then great, but the minute you say you want more like you're talking about, then you got to level it up and you got to be uncomfortable with a while. But then you kind of get, like I say, you kind of get comfortable in that world and you're like, and then you kind of get excited about it. Like I look forward to new and different things. I am not a type of person that sits still very long, constantly looking at what can I do different. And this doesn't mean just from the fitness world, but like just daily projects. I'm learning stuff because I've now I've gotten used to that. And I don't want to be stagnant. And I think that, as you said, manifesting it, you can manifest what you want. But then when the opportunity presented, so you have to recognize it. And you have to say yes to it versus be like, Oh, no, I'm not ready for it. Well, then you're never gonna be ready for it.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah, exactly. And that's something I had to tell myself even like a couple of weeks ago, like, Oh, really big opportunities are happening for me. And it's scary as hell because you'll tell yourself certain reasons of why it can't work out. And I just lost my train of thought, hang on, what was I going to say, Oh, the brain wants us to be uncomfortable. Like, that's its only job is to keep us safe and not taking risks. And when you realize it, like literally this is just normal. But then you do have to go outside your comfort zone. And like you said, then that will actually be comfortable because you keep like leveling up and leveling up and leveling up. And it's just so important to remember that because I need that reminder sometimes, like, Melissa, this is supposed to be scary, but do it anyway.

Joel Freeman:

Yeah, I think that's it. That's and that's it. And that's why also you want to surround yourself with people who make you level up and make you do those things. And that's what that's what I've done I've surrounded myself with, with my friends and my group and all these things we like, if I if I'm not gonna make myself do it, they're gonna be like, Dude, you just suck it up and get it done. Yeah. So it's good to surround yourself with those people. And I say this a lot too is like, Look, if you're not surrounding yourself, those people doesn't matter who doesn't. Like sometimes you can make some really hard choices and hard decisions in your life to it. Maybe those people won't be in your life anymore. But yeah, again, if you're okay with that cool, but if you can't say you want something different, and then not doing anything different to get it,

Melissa Bright:

yep. 100% 100% Okay, so we kind of been into Beachbody, and I did not even realize it was 2012. So a little bit of my backstory. I have only been successful doing Beachbody. I've tried to do the gym a long time ago. I know how I operate. And so my very first experience with Beachbody was freakin Shaunti. And insanity. Yeah, I've done that program four times I saw incredible results. And then 2019 I did a two day obsession and then immediately after that I did lift for I think I've done your program like three or four times. And so I've just always gotten amazing results from Beachbody. I'm like, I don't need to go to a gym. I just want to stay here in my house, right? So with that being said, um, you have lift four, and then you have 10 rounds. Are those your two programs on Beachbody or do you have more?

Joel Freeman:

So those are my two solo programs. They've been quite successful. My first program that I came in as a Super Trainer was quarter force, which is a 30 day MMA style training program that was I did with my teammate Jericho McMath use. That was our first row. We did that in 2016. I think bodyweight only MMA style training and it's it's a 30 day shredding program. It's It's epic. If anybody has any interest in how we basically went in and you've done I had dabbled in MMA and that style of training for a long time, but we really went in and hammered the the training element of it. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, mixed martial arts, Kickboxing all the different disciplines and combine them to do an at home, no equipment workout for 30 days. So it is a brutal program in terms of it'll get you shredded in 30 days. So that was my first collaborative product or that was my first program. Being exclusively a Beachbody Super Training live for was my first debut as a solo trainer. And that one is huge. We hit 100. We were over 100 million views now on that one, which is just incredible first program to hit that and it's just so we got the formula right on that 110 rounds came out in 2020 2021.

Melissa Bright:

I think it's 20

Joel Freeman:

I think it's 20. Yeah, like you all straight these days. But it was it was a lot of fun. Boxing is my Pat is the one passion is stuck with me boxing and weightlifting was my truth. Okay, so boxing we really wanted to bring a boxing style work shadowboxing style workout to Beachbody on demand. And, you know, we shot it six different cities across the country, which was awesome. And we just had so much fun with that program. And it's it's just it's still something that's very near and dear to my heart. So those are the three that I have. And then now we have Beachbody on demand interactive VOD i that launched a few months ago that now we and I fly in every month now. And we film all those classes live. And then they go into the library. So we're just constantly churning content and getting as much content as possible.

Melissa Bright:

And that's exactly why I love Beachbody so much, because I obviously have gotten older, like, went 10 or 11 years ago when I did insanity. Cool. I don't know if I could do it being 36 years old. Now he would kick my ass. And so I just like that there's other things like low impact, or even yoga meditation, like it literally runs the gamut on Beachbody of different options,

Joel Freeman:

Beachbody on demand. And now with Beachbody on demand interactive we have seriously I mean, you want to talk about the biggest fitness workout library on the planet, there's no question that we have it. I don't just say that because I work for the company. I say just because like it's true, I can look at it from a business perspective. And know, we have the most content in the world. And we just continue to pump it out. And it's it's it's world class content. I mean, we have the best trainers in the world, we have the best team behind some of the trainers in the world, but behind all of us in terms of quality control. Like, it's not just us going on Instagram Live or filming a workout that we think is going to be great that day, we have you know, there are teams of people that are looking at, from the safety standpoint, from the nutrition point from all this. I mean, there's there's hundreds and hundreds of people involved in these. So it's like, you're you're guaranteeing yourself the best quality programming that is effective. We tested every single program that I come out with, we test it multiple rounds. So if it's an eight week program, we're testing at least three times through. So that's 24 weeks of testing to make sure that this is this works. It's effective. And for me, then it's got to be a little fun to

Melissa Bright:

write. Yeah, yeah, that's what I loved about lift four. I liked lift four so much, because after 80 Day obsession, I did not skip a single day, four autumns thing, which I was super proud of. So then when you're when your program like that's what I decided to do next, I'm like, There's off days in the middle of the week. And I can have a cheat meal. Oh, my God, thank you like your seemed like a piece of cake after like no offense, but I was happy for the off days.

Joel Freeman:

Yeah. Look, there's the way to think about it is is there are what 320 Something million people in the United States, right? 80% of the population is overweight, that 80% has moved that needle as a moving thing is going up. There's enough to go around. And what we do is we create these programs. That's why our team is so amazing. Because every single one of our team between autumn and Shawn and Jericho, and Elise and Dallas, and Megan and a wall, I mean, all of our team, we all have our different specialties. And we all have our different draws. And there are so many people in the world like so. He Dallas did 30 Day breakaway people, there are people out there that love to run. Great, we capture that audience. I don't like running, I like to box and there's people that want to learn how to box so I captured that audience. So we're just caught that's why we're constantly churning out content because what works for one person is not going to work for another. So that was like, Oh, great, great. Let's just keep them let's find something that's gonna work for them. So it's not there's there's there's never any competition aspect on this. You know, we're we're we work with the CEO of the company, Carl Daikeler. He's our boss. We don't report to anybody else. We work with him directly to say what you know, to look at what's missing in the library. What can we bring on here? What do we need? And how do we just reach more people at the end of the day, that's what we're trying to do is just reach more people and get them moving.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah, and I love that because like I said, as I have gotten older, I've had to look at different workouts like okay, what's gonna work for my knees like right now? I'm doing the bar workout. That's at least right? Yeah. Yeah. Like and I love that like no impact. Awesome.

Joel Freeman:

Yeah, I mean, yeah, that's the thing is like even Shawn, I mean, I love the guy to death and we were all hanging out last year together. It was like, let's do an insanity workout. And I did like half of it. I'm like, You're crazy. Do you like because I, I've had my, my slew of injuries over the years two and right, ACC isn't going to handle this. So everybody's different. Everybody has their their thing. And that's, that's what's great about it. And what, what it comes down to, is you got to find like you're saying find what keeps you moving keeps you consistent, because the it's one thing if you do if you do live for for eight weeks, that's great. Yeah. If you don't do anything for the next eight weeks, then you just undid everything you just worked for. So it's developing that fitness and health consistency, because that long term consistency is where you see the ultimate results and they stick Correct. Yep,

Melissa Bright:

that is so true. Okay, so let's kind of get into consistency because I'm going to be totally transparent here. 2019 was my year I did 80 Day obsession I did lift for I think I like I said three or four times I was on it. And that was probably the most consistent I had ever been. I'm six feet, I never really had to work out I was 155 pounds most of my 20s. So I wasn't always like, looking to lose weight, even though I didn't say any four times. And then I got I think too skinny anyways, then 2020 hit, and all of that went to shit, like legit, I drank, I was depressed, I ate whatever. And I literally gained it all back. Okay. So now here we are in 2022. And I'm trying to do stay consistent. And I know if I would have looked back on that. And if I would have just done even three to four times a week. I would not be like where I am now. Which is not like totally like, oh my god, I can never come back from this. But can you just explain why consistency is so important. We'll just stop there. Yeah.

Joel Freeman:

Yeah, I mean, look, I think, I don't think that anybody will argue the fact that we need consistency and our health and fitness right and anything right to develop healthy habits. So there's, there's not a argument there. The but the the problem lies in how do you create it? How do you sustain it? For me, I like to oversimplify things in life because I truly believe it is that simple. And it's so from that, let's just talk about from the workout perspective. First, the workout perspective, you just have to work out more days a week than you don't like oversimplification, there's seven days a week, get four. So although the fourth. So, you know, like, just work out more days, and you don't. And if you do that, then you'll start to develop that consistency, because then it becomes a routine, it becomes a habit. And that's, I think, is literally as easy as it is. But you have to find what excites you, you can't that and again, that goes back to content. And it's looking, trying things you say you're doing Barbara and right now that's awesome. Your employee, there's certain elements of that program that you look forward to doing. Yeah, and it's the same thing. We look for the same thing with people that are doing any program at obsession, or morning meltdown, or whatever it is. There has to be an element of it that you look forward to like, again, it goes back. I love weightlifting and boxing. So I went I woke up this morning and went and lifted. And I was like, I woke up knowing I'm going to go do that. But I look forward to it. Because I like how I feel afterward. Right? If I had to go run. I just I just wouldn't. I just wouldn't do it. Right? I don't like running. I don't like jogging. It's not it's not anything like nothing about that interests me. And that's just me personally, but there's people out there who love to run. And they like they love the high. They love the endorphins. They love all this stuff, which I'm like great Godspeed. Go run, go for it. Get the hell out of it. And yeah, enjoy yourself. So you have to find those things that you look forward to don't force yourself into doing something. Because if you you're forcing yourself to do it, I mean, we look, adults are the biggest, we're bigger than babies. Because we don't have anybody telling us that we have to go do it versus kids, your parents are telling you. So we tend to be bigger babies. So if it's something that I don't want to do, I'm a damn adult, I ain't gonna do it. So you got to find something that you enjoy to do. And that's the number one thing from the fitness perspective, because then that will create your consistency. On the nutritional standpoint. I truly believe it is that simple as well. We all know what we should and shouldn't need. There's not a question of that anymore. Like it's there's so much stuff out there and I'm again, I'm gonna oversimplify I'm not talking about vegan or

Melissa Bright:

here. Yeah, I'm

Joel Freeman:

not crazy. I'm not talking about any of that stuff. I'm just talking about every single day day to day nutrition, you know that the McDonald's drive thru is not where you should go. There's other places you can do better. Yeah, it really is that simple. So if you but then it goes back to like, how bad do you want it? And you know, I know that the times are crazy time to time elements of it and children and this and that. But I think you can I think if people just say okay, you know, if we just tapered back a little bit, take the fried food out. We all know that we shouldn't eat fried. I love fries. I really do. I love fried food too. I just know I shouldn't eat it every single day. So it goes back to if you eat so if you work out more days a week, then you don't and if you eat fairly well fairly better, most days of the week then you don't then you're already on the right path and you're gonna start to see results and then it gets into the thing Okay, now I have specific goals I want to lose Lose 20 pounds, okay, well, if you want to lose 20 pounds, then you have to say, I'm going to give up certain things to do that makes suffices. And when I say sacrifices, the things that you're putting in your mouth, so you know, so it's just you can go very, very simple and over generalize on more days a week than not. And then once you can do that, then you'll start to see it's a little bit easier just to get into that nitty gritty and say, Okay, now I want to build muscle, okay, I want that means I need to lift and that means I need to do this. And that means I need to do that. And then you can start going down that rabbit hole. But for now for I just think, to come back from the past year and a half, which we know have been crazy, it's gonna continue to be crazy for a while, there's always gonna be something you guys that's talking to someone about this not too long ago, they're like, Well, yeah, I know what's COVID Xover. I'm like, okay, COVID, I'll never be over. It's just part of our lifestyle. Now. So, and then there'll be something else, it's always gonna be something, what you do is you just adapt your lifestyle to where you can still be healthy and happy, as much as possible with what we're surrounded by. Because we're always gonna be surrounded by craziness. There's no question about that.

Melissa Bright:

100% And that's why Beachbody worked for me so well is because I was honest, and real with myself, I already was working from home most of the time, especially like these last three years. So I'm like, I know that I'm not gonna have motivation to get to a gym, I was just honest with myself. And I'm like, and that's okay. For some people if they want to go out and watch or walk or run or whatever. But the thing that I really liked about you and your programs is I am very, very much a perfectionist. Like, if I'm going to do something, I'm doing it to 100%. And then when I even fall off the wagon, a little bit, I beat myself up, like, Oh, my God, I just totally ruined these past 79 days, because I ate on the 80th day. So when we, when I started with your program, I did even on like, on your Instagram, I'm like, you just keep it real for people like you like your cheeseburgers. And that's okay to enjoy them. And I've been on both ends of the spectrum where I have been so damn hard on myself and extremely successful. But now I'm getting to the point where I'm like, Okay, I want to still enjoy life, I still want to have my wine, I still want to lose weight. So I have to be honest with myself of like, what's gonna give what's not what I need to do. And there's no set, like what works for somebody might not work for another person in terms of like the workout and like you said, not necessarily like, okay, calorie deficit, duh, that's going to be the thing, but it's just important to do what works best for you.

Joel Freeman:

Yeah. And that calorie deficit thing is, you know, look, that's that's just science. That's, that's nutritional 101. Right, you got to be in some sort of caloric deficit to lose weight. But that, and people go down that rabbit hole so much like, should I do intermittent fasting? Should I do this? Should I do that you got, I think it can still go back to like, just stop eating the crap. Like, we know what it is. There's not a question of it. And I promise, every time I talk to somebody, I promise, because I'll ask them like, Okay, what do you eat in a day, like, just write down what you eat for like three days or a week, like journaling? And then I guarantee if you go back and you look at, you can just take a line item and say, nope, nope, nope, no, if you just cut those notes out, then you, I promise you, you'll see some sort of results just in that regard. Like it really is that simple. And then then if you really want to go down that rabbit hole and say I want specific results, then you got to do it. But if you want those really dialed in specific results, then you got to really be dialed in and disciplined. That reality of it. And you know, when and then when we get to a point where you're happy with your shape, I call it my happy shape, I'm in my happy shape where I'm not Oh, and my happy shape changes a little bit like right now. It's just, you know, because I'm in Project mode, so I'm busy. So it's a little bit different, but when I'm not in Project mode, I'm definitely not thinking as much about what I'm eating or drinking and you know, especially when it comes to the summer, I'm gonna be on the lake a lot and there's gonna be beer there's gonna be you know, just grabbing whatever food we can because we're having so much fun like and I just don't care because I'm, I'm having the best time of my life. And but I know that's coming. So if you kind of think of it as a, there's all these different ways to think about but you can think of it like as, as book ends, right? As long as both ends of your shelf, have the book, it's like your book, ending your life with fitness and nutrition and so there because it's not going to be every weekend, right? The weeks that you don't have anything going on, then hammer it, get your workouts in, get your nutrition in. So then when something is coming up, you know you can really enjoy it like when I go when you go on vacation to Mexico, you go this way. Then the last thing you should be thinking about is what you put in your mouth and you just enjoy that I love it. And you might have even gained five to eight pounds. And then you come back and you know, you're gonna lose it like it just so many people are just there's like, they go on vacation. They're not having near as much fun because they're not enjoying it like, oh my god, like, Why? Why would you do that?

Melissa Bright:

I know, I'm the same way we, we own an RV. And so in the summer, like, that's what we're doing probably two to three times out of every like month on the weekends. And I used to beat myself up over that. And I'm like, No, Melissa, you just have to work out more or eat healthier during Monday through Friday. Like, it's got to be a balance, if Monday through Friday

Joel Freeman:

is honestly for me that because that's kind of how I've, I might not go with it, where I I'm pretty onpoint Monday through Friday, I get my workouts in, I get you know, I'm pretty good on nutrition, I still have my whiskey at night. Like that's my that's how I relax. I have one little whiskey and I'm good to go. But that's that's kind of how I've, I've that's been my consistency for the most part. But yeah, in doing that, it allows me to relax on the weekends, because I know I'm gonna have stuff coming up. And then also, if a Wednesday rolls around, I'm like, You know what, I want a cheeseburger and a beer, then I go out and I have the cheeseburger and the beer and don't worry back. As I know, the next day, I'm right back to it. So you know it but I I'm able to do that now because I've spent years developing my consistency. But right with anybody, you just find what works and just just don't overthink it, man.

Melissa Bright:

Right, which we're so I'm very good at doing. Um, I was gonna say something and now I forgot what it was it was something to do with consistency. Um, um, okay, well, whatever. Oh, that's what I was gonna ask you do you does Beachbody whoever, like they're obviously okay with you posting that that stuff like in terms of you eating unhealthy or whatever, because and I think that's important, because we have to know even people that do this for a living and getting paid for a living, are still out there eating the cheeseburger and drinking their beer and having their favorite drinks. So they're, they're fine with that, I'm assuming thank you to better health for being our sponsor, if you guys think you might need to see a therapist better help is amazing. They are online, you can do it from the comfort of your own home, you have the options to message them, you can do a phone call, you can do a video chat, whatever you feel comfortable with doing. They have several different types of therapists, if you need couples, or for marriage and family therapy, it's also available to individuals worldwide, better help is a monthly subscription. So you're not paying per session, and financial aid is available for those who qualify. So visit better help.com/bright side of life, that's better help.com/bright side of life, join over 500,000 people taking charge of their mental health with the help of an experienced professional. And for your first month, you're going to receive 10% off by being a listener of the bright side of life. So let them know that I sent you by using the link better help.com forward slash Bright Side of Life, the link will also be in the description section of this episode.

Joel Freeman:

Well, yeah, I mean, the the world of health and fitness has changed over the years. And I think, especially in the world of social media, right. Where we have gone from, to me anyway is that this is the and this is how I interpret this is how I use my social media platform, the social media aspect of is very much up to us. It's very individualized Beachbody doesn't tell us what we can and can't do. There's obviously some common sense, comes with that hopefully. And, look, I personally like I see nothing wrong with a cheeseburger. I really don't. I just shouldn't have one every single day. And I don't see anything wrong with pizza. I just didn't have it every single day. So that's just that's just what I call real life. And, you know, Beachbody supports us and knows that we were all real. And we all have our things. And you know, now it's one thing if I'm, you know, posting me drinking a 12 pack of beer every single day. And that's obviously not a healthy lifestyle. But I think I think what I portray and the rest of my team portrays pretty well, especially nowadays is a real lifestyle. Yes. And, you know, some, some are and some are more into it than others. And that's what makes us all different and certain elements in certain respects. And that's all good. So, you know, that's why we're all different in our own ways, but I think we all portray a pretty realistic lifestyle from from a lot of different standpoints, and that's why we relate to some and others and vice versa. So you know, that's just that's just my thing. And what I what I post about what I talked about is I just I talked about obviously consistency. And, and but I've also made sure that I always do post that picture with the cheeseburger to show people that's like, No, guys, this is what I this is, this is actually what I do. Right? And I and I am real with it. And and now I really want cheeseburger talking about so much.

Melissa Bright:

I know, I know. Thanks for that. Oh, okay, so kind of to go along with the subject that we're talking about, you are obviously, in the public eye, and a lot of people know who you are, do you ever feel there is a pressure that you have to be a certain way, even in terms of I mean, it could be from happy to eating what you want to, you feel like you just can't sometimes have a bad day, or that could be magnified?

Joel Freeman:

Yeah, it's, it's interesting, like, so, you know, we're very, like, I call myself an F list celebrity. Because it's definitely below the US. I mean, it's, it's, it's like, it's a very small bubble, I mean, but at the same time, it is there. And you know, the people on social media who follow me are always watching and, you know, they like to see that element of it, I struggle with it sometimes myself. So like, I personally don't like it. I never wanted any sort of fame on any level, I've never been interested in that I never wanted this aspect of it. But I also know the power that we have with it, and how we can use it to help other people. So that's really how I embrace it. And I try to show some elements into my day to day personal life, but I try to keep it very, I don't want to go too far down that road, because I truly don't like I don't feel like I should. And I don't feel like it's anybody else's business. You know, people should be more worried about their own life, and then mine, but I get it. And that's why I try to show some certain things. So pressure wise, you know, I go back and forth on it. And I might talk to you about this all the time. I'm always like, I mean, if it wasn't for this job, and if it wasn't for what I was doing on a daily basis, everything like I probably wouldn't even be on social media. Like there's so many other things I'd rather be doing around the house and projects and this and that. But like I said, I know the power that comes with it. I I've chosen to keep my platform positive. So when I don't have what if I'm not having a good day? Or if I'm not feeling it or something like that, then I don't really share that. Because that's just not something that I want to share. It doesn't happen very often. Like, I'm not usually in those spots. But I just I don't know, I don't I like my page just being positive. Yeah, you say sometimes and post like, I have bad days. I mean, you know, the past few months have been been crazy, a lot of personal life changes and moving and in personal aspects of it. And, you know, I think a lot of people know about that. But that's about as far as I go with it. I just, you know, thank people for their support and move on. But I've just chosen to keep my page as a positive page. And from from that element, and just, you know, hopefully people draw inspiration on that. And when I tell people to is like, if you don't, if you don't find my page inspiring, then hopefully you can go find someone else that inspires you, but I just choose to keep it that way. Because I I feel that that creates a consistent message as well. I think that it's a fake message. I think I still keep it pretty real. Not saying every day is you know, rainbows and unicorns, but for the most part, I keep it just at least try to keep it motivational and positive.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah. And for me, like not that you're asking for feedback, but that's exactly what I do get from from your Instagram, I feel like it is very real, it's really honest. You know, some days you'll say, you know, not every day is going to be rainbows and unicorns. And that just puts a human element into you. And there are so many, you know, people that look up to you, especially, you know, men, and they're like, oh, like, yeah, it's okay, if we have a bad day or have that piece of food we're not going to talk about because we both want it like it just helps a lot.

Joel Freeman:

Yeah, and I don't Yeah, cuz I just I've never been that type of person, either just personality trait. I've never been that type of person to come out and be like, Oh, I'm having a bad day. I want to talk about it. Like for me, if you know, shit happens, and it's there's been a lot of it lately. And so for me though, I just social media is not where I want to go to talk about that. I prefer to just go and do something, do a project or work on something and refocus and get my own thoughts in order versus just going on to social media on my stories, which I see a lot of people do and teach their own, but just talk about it and talk about and talk about. I'm just like, I I don't know, that. I could never do that. That doesn't sit well with me. So, you know, no one's ever gonna see that on my page.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah, I get it. I get it. Okay, so let's kind of Talk about, cuz my podcast talks a lot about mental health. So, obviously you do fitness and health and obviously fitness helps a lot with your mental health. Is there anything else you do to help take care of your mental health?

Joel Freeman:

I mean, me, it's just doing, just knowing that I'm striving for my ultimate happiness. And that changes it, you know, it wasn't what I thought it was gonna be 10 years ago, it wasn't what I thought it was gonna be five years ago, you know, we evolve, we change and, and so, I I'm just constantly asking myself, am I doing what I need to do to be happy? And sometimes, you know, if the answer's no, then it comes with some hard decisions. It comes with pain, it comes with, you know, a lot of uncomfortableness in some respects. But so but from the mental health standpoint, sometimes it just means that I need to take a step back, reset, rethink, and then and then be like i Great. And trial and error, man. I mean, I have made the mistakes and and try things where I'm just like, oh, that didn't work. But, you know, as long as you make the mistake once, only once, and then you learn from it, then then you know, you're moving forward. So that's me, like a lot of people ask, like, what do I do for personal development terms that read books and things like that? And I don't, I don't, because I'm like, fine. So for me, my personal development is building things. You know, I love woodworking and building furniture and stuff like that. And then just working on stuff and constantly just finding new projects and finding new things to do. And then just asking myself, am I doing what makes me happy every day? And if the answer's no, then I then I'm like, I know, I need to take a step back and re examine, reevaluate and figure out what my next steps are.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah. And I feel like for some people, they don't have to have this crazy, like, mental health routine, you know, like, for me, I do, because I have, like, I suffer from depression and anxiety and stuff like that. But like for my boyfriend, he's never really struggled with that. So he doesn't, you know, do meditation or write in his journal or anything like that. And that is, okay. You don't have to do that, either. And, you know, that's yeah. Well, and

Joel Freeman:

look, I want to be very clear, I'm speaking from a very general standpoint, on a lot of subjects we're talking about I'm not want anything specific, when it comes to specific health issues or specific, you know, mental health issues or in that stuff, right. So if there's, you know, if there's a specific issue, then yeah, you need to go and go down the proper path in terms of professionals and speaking with people to find out what you need to do to handle that stuff. Yeah. But from from a general, and I, I've never, I don't have any depression issues, or, or A's, or a history of that stuff. So but if I did, then you can bet your butt that I would go in and talk to somebody to make sure I was doing what I needed to do to handle that for sure. So yeah, I want to be very clear with everybody that, yes, General, adults like not saying you go do these things, because I try to keep it from a general perspective. Because that's, that's how I address it. And how I talk to people.

Melissa Bright:

Absolutely. Okay, so we're going to take like the craziest weirdest turn. Yes, I do want to ask this. So we're going to, we're gonna go back to like, your healthy eating and all that stuff. Do you have? Well, okay, this is gonna be a two part question. What is your go to healthy meal? And then, and let's just say for dinner, or whatever you say whatever you want to your favorite healthy meal, and I'll just let you pick. But then my next question is, is do you have any weird, like, people think is weird, but it's healthy and you like could eat it all the time. Okay.

Joel Freeman:

Favorite healthy meal. I mean, I'm, I'm a protein guy. So anything, anything, steak or chicken, I'm, I'm a fan of. I love making, we call them job burgers. That made over the years, my dad gave me the recipe. So I love making, I mean, I could do burgers and you want me to buy and just throw a bunch of stuff on it. And then I love throwing veggies on the grill. So, you know, burger and veggies are definitely one of my favorites on that one. Um, in terms of food, that I would eat that like healthy food.

Melissa Bright:

You want me to give you an example?

Joel Freeman:

Example because nothing's coming to mind right now.

Melissa Bright:

Okay, so cottage cheese. I'm obsessed with. Okay, like people think that's really weird. Do you like us cheese? Okay, next one. Okay. Sauerkraut.

Joel Freeman:

Oh, it's supposed to be good for I think I keep hearing is supposed to be good for your gut health. Yeah, it's

Melissa Bright:

like a natural pro probiotic. Right. Yeah,

Joel Freeman:

I you know, it's weird. I don't. I'm not a picky eater per se. Like, there's things I don't like like, I'm not a I don't like curry or ginger. Those are the two things. I'm just like that I can't deal with it. But like, I'm just trying to think of like my staples in the fridge. Like my go to snack like I love I just I'm such a protein guy. So I'm always going for meats. So I love having like fresh deli meat in the fridge. Yeah. And, like a love a good slice of like sharp cheddar. So like, throughout the day, if I'm working on something and I'm hungry, I'll just go in I'll just make a little meeting cheddar, Sam like a little roll. And I'm and I'm good to go. Like so. I get that every I kind of eat. I do eat that. I eat that every day. For the most part. But yeah, I mean, like sauerkraut. I love it. Cottage cheese. I love I always forget about cottage cheese for some reason, but every time I see I'm like, Oh yeah, like Yeah.

Melissa Bright:

My I have like, I'm obsessed with cottage cheese and sauerkraut. My boyfriend like hates me cooking sauerkraut,

Joel Freeman:

though. Would you say? No. At the same time, I think oh god.

Melissa Bright:

No, no, no, no, no, no. But I do I do weird stuff. Like I eat cottage cheese and mix it with rice. Like, I did that a lot when I was doing Insanity. Cuz I'm like protein carb Pro. I need them both. Takes care of both. It does take care of both. Yeah. Okay. So if you could share advice for someone who is new to working out and trying to live in? Heavy? No trying to live a healthy lifestyle? Yeah. What would your first advice be?

Joel Freeman:

For someone just jumping into this? The thing I could tell you is tell people is, number one, don't overthink it. And number two, be realistic. You know, so someone's coming in, in their, you know, the past couple years have hit him hard. And you know, let's just say let's just let's just say 20 pounds, 25 pounds overweight, they want to lose 25 pounds? Well, I tell people, they didn't take you eight weeks to gain 20 pounds, or 25. It took you two years, right? So you have to be realistic in your expectations. So you're not going to do my one of my programs and lose 25 pounds in eight weeks, or six weeks, or four or whatever it is. So many people come into it thinking like, Oh, I'll do this one program one time, and all my results back. And that's not how it works. So you got to be realistic in your expectations. I think I just posted about that yesterday, yesterday, realistic expectations aren't so real anymore. Because people go in there and they just assume that for eight weeks is going to give them all the results they've ever wanted. Well, you got to think about how long did it take you to get to the point where you're at right now, where you finally said I need to do this. And if it's, God forbid, you know, and this is just reality, though, if it's 40 pounds, 50 pounds more, yeah, it'll take you a while. But you just have to get that consistency going. If you find the things that you enjoy doing, from the workout perspective, from the nutrition perspective, then you will start seeing those results. And then it's just whittled away, it's just chipping away at it, every little thing will is going to make a big difference. And then you're looking at and really thinking about those, those daily wins, you know, start date start start with a daily win. Did you work out today? And did you eat the best you possibly could? And if you get two yeses, then do it the next day, if you hit if there's a no, it's like, Alright, then tomorrow, I'm gonna go for two yeses. If you get and then the more you can get two yeses. You're just going to chip away at it, you set those those realistic expectations. You know, we've heard the SMART goals, all these different things are out there. But if you just do that and just start chipping away, then next thing you know, you just made it a week. You just made it two weeks, and then you just made it eight weeks. And then you're like, Okay, I lost 10 pounds in eight weeks, great. Maybe more maybe 16 to two pounds a week, that's usually the healthiest, you know, amount that you want to go for. But then just keep going. So it's like if I lost 10 pounds in eight weeks, if I did another eight weeks, I'll lose another 10 pounds. It's like, boom, do the math. Yay, there's your 20 pounds. So it just is a matter of staying with it. But you're both trying to stay as realistic as possible in your expectations because it's not going to happen. It never happens as quick as we want guarantee. You know, we all want that. I want bigger calves. It ain't gonna happen overnight. I've been working for it for 20 years. Okay, so it is just and again remember we're all we also have genetics that we're messing with to so you know the the Freeman family we got small caps Thanks. Thanks, dad and uncle but just the reality of it. And you just got to work through that stuff.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah, I won't show you my boyfriend. scabs. He has huge camps. I'm like, How in the hell like he has huge like, he's just a big guy like

Joel Freeman:

my friends were born with him. Like, I'm just like, Dude, you sneeze in your calves. Yeah, yeah. So we all have those things. We all have the parts of our body that we're that we wish we could change and everything, but it's just, you know, it just try to stay consistent as possible working towards your best life and just being happy man. Like, if you just gotta be happy, good lord. Yeah. To me and helping people right now.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah, one of the biggest things like, since I have seen the results, time and time and time again, I am that much more hopeful. I just know it's hard for people that try it, and then they don't see those results in two weeks, and then they just want to give up. I can't do that anymore. Because I've seen the results so many damn times. And I'm like, I know the formula. Sorry, excuse me, that I'm like, yeah, it's gonna work. It's gonna. And so I just want to encourage people, you have to give a longer than two weeks, three weeks, four weeks, and just track your results in any way that you can, whether it's inches or you didn't have a soda today, all this stuff, and you're going to see the results you just can't give up. And this is coming from me who has done it several times. I've lost weight. I've gained muscle. And obviously Joel, who's gained muscle and done all this stuff, like the results will come. That's all I have to say

Joel Freeman:

about that. That's that's very, very well put.

Melissa Bright:

Yes. Okay. Joel, if you were not doing this as a profession, what would you be doing?

Joel Freeman:

Good question. Oh, no, no, no, I have no idea. I've been doing this for so long now. Um, yeah, I really have no clue.

Melissa Bright:

Would you be an MMA fighter? If you could? No, I got a

Joel Freeman:

i, i have sparred before I've taken a kick to the head. And I've been punched in the face. And I didn't like either of those things. So no, I will not be doing that. But I don't know. Like, I I love doing things I love. I love building things. I love doing things with my hands. So you know, I did construction a long time ago. It's a lot of work. But, you know, maybe having a remodeling company or something like that could be fun. You know, I like I like projects. So I like I like having a project in mind and then seeing it come to fruition at the end. That's why I love even making programs where we conceptualize and we do it, we build it we test it we always have things and I get to see the finished product at the end. So I think something like that I could definitely see myself doing I you know thought long time ago about having a bar slash restaurant. That could be fun. I know it's a lot of work because I've done it waited tables attended. So as I work but i don't know i I've always just been a people person. So I feel like I'd have to do something that involve people. Yeah. Um, but yeah, I don't know. I've just I've done this for so long. Now. I can't think of myself doing anything else.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah, that's awesome. Great answer. Yeah, I do not understand. Like these crazy people in MMA. We watch it all the time religiously. Like I'm obsessed with watching it. I don't know how like, when I first started, I would like close my eyes. And now. Now I'm like, Okay, I'll watch it up until there's blood, and then I'm done. But it is so much fun to watch. Yeah.

Joel Freeman:

I mean, look, I train with some of these guys. And the level of training is all metal. And it's in I love I love it, too. Like there's always a fight this weekend. I'll be watching it. So I'm the same. I love it. But I have zero interest in being involved in it.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah, yeah. I don't blame you at all. Okay, just another couple more questions. So is there anything that you have coming up in terms of Beachbody that? Yeah, you haven't had a program out in a while. So you have anything coming up?

Joel Freeman:

I do. You should ask that. We only do. We've only teased it. But there is something coming out this summer. If you go to my my social media, you can see the teaser on it. And they'll be more coming on it. But yes, there's another program that I'm working on. Looks like there's some weights involved. So for anybody who's been waiting for another weightlifting program for me, I think it was gonna be pretty happy with this one. So

Melissa Bright:

perfect. Perfect. That's all I could say

Joel Freeman:

about that. Well, month will in the spring, next month, March. There'll be more coming in March. So more details coming soon.

Melissa Bright:

Awesome. Okay, so we have to be on the lookout for that. Okay. Joel, I just have one more question for you. And I asked all my guests this question. Sorry. I'm blindsiding you. But in your own words, what does the bright side of life mean to you?

Joel Freeman:

Well, that's a good is a good question of life me to me, that the bright side of life means I think It kind of goes back to what I was saying earlier is doing, asking myself every day, am I doing what makes me happy. And surrounding myself with people who make me happy, putting myself in environments that make me happy, and removing myself from the other environments are removing people, you know, making those hard decisions to. So when I wake up every morning, I'm happy about it. And I don't know. I'm it's not to say that look, there's always gonna be things we have, we have to do, that's just called being an adult sucks. But for the most part of just waking up, I want to wake up every morning and feel happy about where I am. Who's in my life, friends, family, everybody that doesn't exclude anybody. I mean, like family, like, I've made some hard decisions with family to where I'm just like, they're just not benefiting me. So I don't, they're not in my life. I mean, I don't care who it is, like, you know, that that is my, my mental health is mine. And my happiness is mine. And I think I feel like that I'm responsible for both, and it's nobody else's job or nobody else's business to provide that happiness. It's up to me. And so that's, that's what I constantly do, I constantly strive for, it's a learning experience, it continues to be a learning experience, and it doesn't go with it doesn't go without hitches and, and Bs, and all kinds of stuff and stuff that has happened, even recently, where I'm like, I didn't see that coming. But I do know that you know, I woke up this morning, I was excited about waking up this morning and getting getting the day going. I think that's the bright side of life is being happy where you are and making those decisions, knowing that might be a little uncomfortable now, but, you know, in the future when you wake up, you're gonna be happy you did it.

Melissa Bright:

Yeah. Great explanation. Well, Joel, thank you so, so much for coming on the podcast to share your story and some of your tips. It was awesome to talk to you.

Joel Freeman:

Thanks for having me.

Melissa Bright:

Thank you, everyone, for listening to this week's episode of The Bright Side of Life. I hope you guys enjoyed enjoyed Joel Freeman's episode. He just had so many great takeaways. And the thing that I love to hear him say was, you know, just keeping it simple, which I can overcomplicate everything, you know, something I've literally like listened to, since the last time or when our interview was was like, just work out more than you don't just eat healthier more than you don't, you know, because I always am in the struggle that if I just have that one dessert, or if I have a glass of wine, I'm going to beat myself up and I'm going to be like, Oh my god, I just ruined everything. And I just have to tell myself that this is a long game also, like, I am going to have to stay consistent. This isn't like, okay, just two months and I'm done forever. That's not the case. And so I just love that he said that and he's just always been a good role model for me to see that like yeah, he likes his cheeseburgers and his beer and his whiskey and that's okay. And then if you're really wanting to try to get down to specifics of losing a certain amount of weight or gaining muscle you know, then yes, you do have to like tighten up your routine and things like that. But anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this episode just as much as I did. And, of course, as you guys know if you know anyone that may need to hear Joel's story, please please share it with them, because we never know if this is the one that puts hope back in their heart.

Joel FreemanProfile Photo

Joel Freeman

Beachbody Super Trainer