Nutrition Red Flag: Your Diet Has a Name

Everyone is posting about Weil. I haven't heard anyone talk from this angle, so I wanted to.This wasn't planned or scripted. I just felt compelled to hop on and share what's been on my mind, and to remind anyone who's struggling of a few things.There are so many things to say about Weil, but the thought I keep coming back to is how people there may be feeling right now.If I were still there (and my jounrey hadn't unfolded as it did), I can imagine a scarcity mindset trying to take a firm grip.Since the announcement, the media and LinkedIn have been a constant stream of which partner has moved where, which team has gone with them. And I can imagine recruiters calling nonstop.It would be very easy to feel that if you don't resolve your entire future right now, you're under threat. Regardless of the reality of your situation.Leaving law four years ago brought my own battles with my inner critic. If you're going toe to toe with yours right now, this is worth a listen.I was at Weil from 2016 to 2020, and it has a huge place in my heart. It puts such a smile on my face thinking of the memories, the funny times and all the cool people I met along the way, on both sides of the Atlantic. So many inside jokes and funny photos.From the partners to the print room, the PAs, IT and front of house, I really enjoyed working with some absolute legends. It was a special place for me, and hearing the news felt a bit like hearing my childhood home was scheduled for demolition.If this resonates, please share it with someone who may benefit from hearing it. If you'd like a chat, drop me a message on LinkedIn or Instagram:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-ballantyneInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ballantyneP.S. Chasing your career isn't a "bad" thing. But I have learned that fear is a fossil fuel, it comes with noxious byproducts that can slowly choke you over time. Switch to a cleaner fuel and you'll be able to thrive. Chapters:0:00 Weil is dissolving0:51 The echo chamber2:08 The inner critic and my own story3:03 Take a breath5:06 How long is your real runway?6:41 The threat that may not be real8:36 Lesson one: you are the asset9:07 Lesson two: your body and mind10:41 What Weil meant to me11:51 The unsung heroes12:29 Changing the narrative

If your diet has a name, it's usually a red flag.In the legal and finance world we operate on facts. If something doesn't sound right, we test it until we get to the truth. But when it comes to our own health, it's easy to run on the wrong set of assumptions. You put the effort in, don't see results, and start to believe your metabolism is broken, your body is broken, or age has got the better of you.In this episode I break down why there's nothing special about any diet with a fancy name, and the principles that actually matter.Why "eat less, move more" is like telling a trader to buy low and sell high. How your body uses carbs, fat and even muscle as fuel. Why a surplus from any food ends up mostly as body fat. Why an energy deficit doesn't mean weight loss on the scale, and how you can even gain weight while in one. And why you need to detach emotionally from the scales.WORK WITH MEI help lawyers and high performers restructure the way they train, eat, think and live, so they can come off autopilot and finally get a body and mind to match what they have on paper.Apply here: https://zavqq9pe1sd.typeform.com/to/JYw3isVmCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ballantyneYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrisballantyneLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-ballantyne

Time is always the biggest hurdle people mention to me when it comes to why they aren't in the shape they want."I don't have an hour, so I can't train." It feels good to say. But how long does good quality training actually take?In this episode I break down how lawyers and other slammed professionals can get real results from 20 to 30 minutes on the gym floor, even with a turbulent schedule. I share how I trained every morning while working at a US law firm in London, plus the exact time savers I use with my clients.We cover:Why the one hour rule is a mythThe one thing that actually drives results: hard sets per weekBuilding your training around your life, not the other way roundFinding your windows and making logistics work for you5 time savers: supersets, combo sets, drop sets, rest pause and myorepsThe 5 most common mistakes busy people make in the gymChapters00:00 Time is the biggest excuse00:24 The one hour myth01:44 What actually matters02:28 Build training around your life04:02 Find your 20 to 30 minute windows04:23 Pick the most convenient gym04:45 My morning routine in the city07:31 5 time saving techniques08:21 Supersets09:52 Combo sets10:27 Drop sets11:35 Rest pause11:57 Myoreps13:30 5 common mistakes17:26 Key takeaways19:53 How I helpWork with me: https://zavqq9pe1sd.typeform.com/to/JYw3isVmInstagram (DM me here): https://instagram.com/_ballantyneYouTube: https://youtube.com/@chrisballantyneLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/chris-ballantyne

On paper, you're doing well. The title, the money, the career. But your body and mind haven't kept up.In this episode I break down why most high performers stop getting results. It isn't discipline. It isn't time. It isn't motivation. You put the work in, you don't see a return, so you stop.I walk you through the 5 pillars I coach my clients on, including CEOs, senior partners and founders (all with hectic jobs, busy lives and limited time):Intelligent TrainingFueling for PerformanceA Courageous MindsetEmotional ConfidenceEnvironment for GrowthGet these in place and you finally get a body and mind to match the career.Chapters00:00 What a body and mind to match your career isn't02:14 Why you're not getting results04:11 The 5 pillars04:54 Pillar 1: Intelligent training10:10 Pillar 2: Fueling for performance15:02 Pillar 3: Courageous mindset18:45 Pillar 4: Emotional confidence20:02 Pillar 5: Environment22:36 How to implement23:51 Get in touchWork with me: https://zavqq9pe1sd.typeform.com/to/JYw3isVmInstagram (DM me here): https://instagram.com/_ballantyneYouTube: https://youtube.com/@chrisballantyneLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/chris-ballantyne

This podcast very nearly didn't happen. My inner perfectionist managed to frustrate the process for a year.In the first episode of Work in Progress, I tell my own origin story. How I got here. Going from a state school kid in the North East with a "gifted" label, to teenage lostness, to the City, to building my own business.Along the way, apparent "failures" kept turning out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.We cover:The rejections that sent me to Cyprus at 22, and how a split second decision shaped my whole lifeBeing at the centre of the Cyprus banking crash, and how it set up my career in restructuringUK and US firms, then the trading floor at Deutsche Bank. On paper, the perfect path I never dreamed ofResigning, and why I leftHow I was scared and it took meeting a hollywood idol to insulate me from the fear.The first bad month in business, and slowly discovering out my self worth was tied to external results and had been for a long time.Why high performers go "all or nothing": 100% feels safe, 0% feels safe, 50% feels offWhat Work in Progress really means, and why the work on yourself is never "finished"If you're putting the effort in but not seeing the results, or not feeling the way you want to feel, this one is for you.WORK WITH MEI help lawyers and high performers restructure the way they train, eat, think and live, so they can come off autopilot and finally get a body and mind to match what they have on paper.I work with high performers around the globe, from senior lawyers, to unicorn founders, to those taking some time out.Apply here: https://zavqq9pe1sd.typeform.com/to/JYw3isVmCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ballantyneYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrisballantyneLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-ballantyne