Project Swagger with Robin Arzón

All you need to prepare for marathon season — or ahead of any race. Tips on sleep, carb loading, taper weeks, pacing, fueling, equipment, gear, and race-day logistics… All in under 20 minutes. Plus: why Robin’s favorite memory of the New York City marathon is from a year she didn’t even run the race, and Robin’s reflection on modeling resilience and a love of movement for her daughter, Athena, who was just under 9 months old the last time her mom ran the 26.2 mile course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you want to keep moving until you’re old as f*ck, you need to test and retest these 10 physical capabilities. Here’s something I see too often: taking class upon class and measuring nothing. But your balance, grip, and power change as you age—and if you don’t track them, you lose them. Also in this episode: my favorite conversation starters (you know I keep notes), my dream music festival, and how my diet changes when I’m training for a Hyrox race vs a marathon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stop asking influencers what supplements to take — including me. Today: the only toolkit you need to build your effective, individual supplement regimen. Yes, I am sharing the 20 supplements I take. But more importantly, I’m sharing my vetting routine: the eight rules I consider before adding anything to my stack. Plus: how to cope with a post-race slump, and how many miles you actually need to hit in training before your first marathon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You need a delightfully unserious routine. Here's why. We live in an age where we're encouraged to become so optimized that we can take ourselves out of whimsy and joy. But I don't believe we should wait for a vacation or even a weekend to feel joy. I believe it's possible to ritualize whimsy into our ordinary Tuesdays. Today: the parts of my routine that exist purely for joy, and why you should embrace your cringe. Plus: I answer your questions on what a decade of your letters has meant to me, and share exactly how I keep lifting heavy during the final weeks of marathon training. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stop resisting jealousy. It’s data. I used to feel jealous all the time. I felt jealous of people I loved and was cheering for. But I didn’t let those feelings turn into resentment. I turned them into action. Today: why you need to make a jealousy list. I’ll share the questions I ask myself to make use of my envy, and my strategies for snapping out of a comparison spiral. Plus: how to avoid a crash after your morning long run, and why strength training will not make you bulky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Real talk: hitting your daily steps is not having the effect on all-cause mortality that you want it to. I love that we're getting those step counts up, but I’m concerned that as we’ve been conditioned to chase duration, we're missing a crucial longevity lever: bursts of vigorous exercise. Today: why this is a lever you can’t afford to ignore, mind-blowing new research on vigorous activity vs. light exercise, and how you can integrate vigorous activity into your weekly routine without adding minutes to your workouts. I know your to-do lists are already long, y’all. Plus: I answer your questions on how to make training progress when you’re injured, and how to warm up and cool down effectively with limited workout time. You know you can send a wellness question to me anytime: Call up our Project Swagger hotline and leave a message ☎️ 1-877-ALL SWAG Find the study we mentioned here. More from Dr. Rhonda Patrick here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back to school, y’all, and I’m not just getting my kids ready. In this episode, I’m sharing the five resets I’m going through this week with my family and myself to organize the chaos. All the details on how I’m rebooting the family operating system (yes, I gave Claude access to my calendar and it changed my life), majoring in the majors, and giving my kids real ownership of their mornings. Plus: I'm answering your questions from the macros episode (should you track gels and powders?), settling what kind of potato girly I am, and finally breaking down my full AM/PM magnesium routine. Have a wellness question for me? Leave a message at 1-877-ALL SWAG and I'll try to answer it in an upcoming episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s it like to reach the peak of your career — and have to start over? Sanya Richards-Ross had to ask herself that question when she retired from track years ago, after winning four Olympic gold medals and setting a record it would take 19 years for someone else to break. Now an entrepreneur, Emmy winner, and mom of three, Sanya Richards-Ross has a lot to teach us about the art of building your second act. My favorite lesson from this interview? Greatness isn’t fleeting. The same skills you’ve built in one lane of your life will apply to another. Hear how Sanya put that mantra into practice in our full conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re going to SPACE, y’all! Today: an interview with someone I deeply admire, NASA astronaut Dr. Jessica Meir, who called into Project Swagger from the International Space Station 250 miles above Earth. We made podcast history: this is the first interview a Vox Media show has ever recorded from space! We get into all the details of her life in orbit: from how Dr. Meir prepared for the mental and physical challenge of going to space, how she works out in microgravity, and how she stays connected with her three-year-old daughter back home. Talking to Dr. Meir fills me with awe, and I hope this episode brings you the same feeling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since I started tracking my macros, my body composition has completely transformed. Why? I am finally eating enough. In this episode: how tracking my nutrition completely transformed my relationship with food for the better. I’m getting into the biggest changes I made to my meals and how to use your kitchen scale as a tool — not handcuffs. Plus: my advice to the busy mamma who only has two days a week to workout, and the titles on my summer reading list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meet my nutritionist: Simply Mander! I started working with Manders about two years ago. I was postpartum and teaching Peloton classes again, and I wanted to fuel to get stronger. Since then, my weight hasn’t changed, but my body composition has transformed. In this episode: why the scale can be a distraction, how to actually track your nutrition, signs you’re under-eating, how to time carbs around your workouts, and must-have kitchen staples for any athlete. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Plus: first-time HYROX training advice and an idea that inspired me last month. Vacation is not about escaping our lives. It's an opportunity to come back with fresh perspective and renewed creativity — we just have to experience it intentionally. In this episode, I’m sharing my tactical guide to using any kind of break, from staycations to international trips, to come back as a better version of yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I'm not saying marathon training is easy. But it doesn't need to be complicated. I'm running my 28th marathon this fall. In this episode, you'll get the 10 training rules I never break and my full list of running essentials, from gear to supplements. Plus, I answer your questions on how to prevent soreness and approach movement when you're chronically sleep-deprived. Don't sleep on the hotline, y'all. Have a wellness question for me? Leave me a voicemail at 1-877-ALL SWAG, and you could hear an answer in an upcoming episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last episode, we committed to a summer of awe. Today, five realistic tactics for keeping your wellness goals without sacrificing joy this season. Plus, we’re cutting through the noise on longevity... I am so excited to share my conversation with the legendary journalist Kara Swisher, who recently reported a series on longevity for CNN called Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever. From red light therapy to hyperbaric chambers, Kara has tried everything. I ask her what’s overrated and overpriced, and what we should all be doing to live healthier, longer lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I break down the health metrics I track weekly and my six rules for using that data to build wellness, not break it down. Plus: why the most important metric isn't something your wearable can measure. We're surrounded by data, and it can absolutely be useful. But I think we are in danger of outsourcing our lives to dashboards. This is the toolkit you need to stop obsessing. In this episode's Q&A: Should you lift more than three times a week if you have the time? Not necessarily. How do you build cardio endurance? The good news: It's simple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eva Longoria’s confidence and ambitious is infectious. If you’re struggling with goal-setting or self-doubt right now, this conversation is going to give you the spark you need. I guarantee it. I am lucky to call Eva a friend whose wisdom has inspired me for years. Now, she’s bringing that wisdom to the Project Swagger community. We talk about everything from rejecting imposter syndrome, to her supplement stack and actual beauty secret, and how she’s built a “female utopia” directing her latest feature film, The Fifth Wheel, starring Kim Kardashian, Nikki Glaser, Brenda Song, Fortune Feimster, Will Ferrell, and Kirsten Wiig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, I am diagnosing the most common wellness mistakes I see people make—including myself. Plus, my hot take on cold plunges and how to achieve progressive overload without adding weight. We have options, y’all. Further reading: Cold plunge temperatures for women. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I have watched thousands of people hold themselves back from true transformation with the same five sentences of self-doubt. I’ve said some myself. I bet you have, too. In this episode, I'm unpacking each phrases, and telling you what I want to hear you say instead. Plus: Can women in perimenopause and menopause do too much HIIT? I break down how to balance your training over a week, and how often I want you to get your heart rate to zone 2, 3, and 5. And in this episode’s Edit: Disney World tips that actually matter, fresh off our family vacation to Orlando. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is for anyone feeling behind in life. It’s time to rattle the age cage. We’re going to talk about “late” achievers who prove that age is just a number, and the tools I’ve used to own my own timeline for success. Plus: your questions on living with type 1 diabetes, answered, and my go-to rest day routine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is Shonda Rhimes’ most consistent daily habit? How does she enter a negotiation? Why is her goal as a parent to raise stubborn daughters? That’s just a selection of questions I get into today with THE Shonda Rhimes: showrunner, founder, best-selling author, and the mind behind all your favorite shows—I’m talking Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder, Bridgerton... It is no hyperbole to say that Shonda Rhimes has transformed television and media. Today, we get into all the gritty details of her success. Do NOT miss this, y’all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m saying the quiet part out loud, y’all. I believe all mammas are superheroes, but that doesn’t mean we want to carry it all. These are the pressures I’ve intentionally rejected in my motherhood journey, from stocking the house with slime to the idea of “cherishing every moment.” Plus: A special story about my mom and YOUR motherhood toolkit. We asked, and you Project Swagger mammas delivered with your best game-changing parenting habits and disciplines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pregnant athletes are not fragile. When I was pregnant, I kept lifting and working out. The week before I gave birth, I PR’d my deadlift. In this episode: simple guidelines for movement during pregnancy and how I stayed consistent even on the days I could barely roll out of bed. Plus: HYROX World Champion Meg Jacoby shares her best race-day advice and how she models self-love for her daughter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the second episode of our series, Motherhood: The Remix, I talk to a mom I deeply admire: Kirsten Ferguson. Kirsten is a Peloton instructor, single mama, and founder of the Ratchet Moms Club. She always wanted to be a mother, but after she had her two daughters, she realized something: she felt unfulfilled. I love Kirsten’s honesty and vulnerability about her motherhood journey, and we get into all of it: from what she wishes she heard after her two miscarriages, to navigating feelings of guilt in motherhood, deciding to get a divorce during the pandemic, and finding freedom and control through fitness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Modern motherhood has become an unwinnable game, and I’m done playing it that way. In this episode, I’m getting honest about the identity friction I’ve felt as a working mom, why balance is a myth, and how I started trusting my own voice over the noise, setting non-negotiables, and letting go of expectations that didn’t serve me. Plus: the parenting tactics my husband and I use to teach our kids agency and resilience, and the stories behind their names.This is part one of a new Project Swagger series called Motherhood: The Remix. Like a good 90s mixtape, let’s create our own individual versions of motherhood, keeping what works, rejecting what doesn’t, and setting our own rules. If you’ve ever felt like you’re supposed to be everything to everyone and do it all—this is for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, I break down exactly how I train every week, the only strength training concepts you actually need to know, and a simple starter template that will get you results. Most people aren’t weak because they can’t get strong—they’re weak because they don’t know how to train. No more excuses. We’re building strength at any age and becoming undeniable baddies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heavy lifting has been a game-changer for my health, body confidence, and athleticism. I want that for you. So today, I'm breaking down the key components of an effective strength workout and how to maximize benefits for your longevity and long-term quality of life. Plus: two key mindset shifts from Muhammad Ali and Arnold Schwarzenegger that transformed how I train. This is the toolkit you need to become an undeniable deadlifting baddie at 95. Music mentioned in The Edit: Portishead “Superpower” by Beyoncé NF, especially “Hope” “300 Violin Orchestra” by Jorge Quintero Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Entire industries proft on women hating their bodies. F*ck that. Today, I'm sharing the tactics and reframes that have helped me build body confidence on my own terms. I get into my postpartum struggle and the #1 change I made that completely transformed my relationship with my body. Plus: how I got comfortable saying NO and my favorite springtime family activities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everything I do to prepare my body and mind for high-stakes, high-stress moments, starting 48 hours before. Use this for your next race or your next big meeting. Plus: why taking rest is the true mark of a disciplined athlete, and my tips for traveling with young kids after Athena and Atlas took their longest flight yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’re ambitious, you will experience moments of failure. Today, I share the eight concrete steps I rely on to resist the spiral of self-pity and recover from failure. These are steps I developed after a professional setback that stayed with me for years. Plus: how to maintain discipline during a plateau, the difference between a pivot and a failure, and my go-to tricks to level up batch-prepped veggies and proteins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sleep is essential to our health and training. It can also be challenging, especially with young kids. In this episode, I share all the details of my nighttime routine and exactly how I protect and optimize my sleep. From when I eat my last meal to the lights in my bedroom, this is my full sleep toolkit. Plus: my troubleshooting strategies for mind-race, waking up in the middle of the night, and recovering from sleep debt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Journaling is one of the most important tools I’ve used to build self-love. In this episode, I share all the details of my practice, from my biggest journaling mistake to the questions I ask myself over and over. Plus, I call the incredible Dr. Becky Kennedy, clinical psychologist and founder of the parenting platform and community Good Inside. We unpack her number one self-care rule, and what she wishes more parents understood about boundaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I got billionaire investor and entrepreneur Mark Cuban’s hottest takes on how to live longer and hustle smarter onstage at South by Southwest. Up for discussion: Mark’s shocking, “super-gross,” super high-protein lunch, the biggest mistake you’ll make as you age, the wellness metrics he’s tracking, why AI is a great democratizer of knowledge (and how he’s advising his kids to use it), and the business lesson he learned from the elite athletes of the Dallas Mavericks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I share the tactic that helped me unlock my strengths and build a multi-hyphenate life. This is not about how to take on more side hustles. This is about how to expand thoughtfully and responsibly by learning to leverage your strengths. Plus: resilience after professional failure, my postpartum fitness advice for new moms, and my must-pack travel essentials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My cookbook is out, y’all! The number one question I get asked is how I fuel. My answer: PLANTS! But I know you want more details, so I collected 75 of my favorite protein-rich plant-based dishes into my new cookbook, Eat to Hustle, out today! In this episode, I break down the key ideas that shape how our bodies fuel and my tips for incorporating more plants into your diet. Plus: the two books that had the biggest impact on how my husband and I parent our young kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Motivation is a lie. Today: how to become the person who takes action before you feel like it. These are the tools Robin implements to build momentum and overcome her worst days. Plus: her tip for vision boarding when you don’t know how to start, a question to ask yourself when you reach a plateau, and her favorite purse snacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The most important conversation you'll ever have is the one happening between your ears. Robin wasn't born with inner confidence: she built it. In the premiere episode of Project Swagger, Robin breaks down the moment that challenged her to transform her inner voice, and shares the strategies that turned her into a self-talk ninja. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s time to level up. Introducing Project Swagger, your transformation toolkit. Every week, modern multi-hyphenate Robin Arzón will deliver the tools and mindset shifts you need to trust yourself and make real changes — all in under 30 minutes. Listen for the rituals, strategies, and routines that elevate her hustle.Kingdoms are built brick by brick. Let’s get to work.From the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices