Best Podcasts To Listen To While Walking
"Podcasts are the best way to consume information. You can listen to them on your own time, at your own pace, and you can choose from a wide variety of topics."
—Bill Gates
My podcast stats
I’m a nerd. I love learning new things, especially actionable things. While books and newsletters have their place, podcasts are my go-to source for this.
Aside from being free, podcasts are great because you find a host you enjoy in a topic you’re interested in and you learn more and more about that field through (in the case of the podcasts I choose) research, interviews, and anecdata on a weekly basis. And I take full advantage of this as evidenced by my appropriately named PodcastAddict numbers.
While I enjoy listening to specific podcasts during my daily commute and mundane tasks like laundry, I have a particular selection reserved exclusively for my walks. These are geared toward 6 main areas:
Growth Mindset
General Knowledge
Parenting
Fitness
Health
Money
While I'm always open to finding new podcasts, these podcasts stand out because they’re engaging, informative, and they come from credible sources. So, grab your headphones, head out for a walk, and hit play on the best podcasts to listen to while walking.
The Best Podcasts For Walking
Growth Mindset
Modern Wisdom
What It Is: "Life lessons from the greatest thinkers on the planet with Chris Williamson. Including guests like David Goggins, Dr Jordan Peterson, Jocko Willink, Dr Andrew Huberman, Dr Julie Smith, Steven Bartlett, Ryan Holiday, James Clear, Robert Greene, Balaji Srinivasan, Steven Pinker, Alex Hormozi, Douglas Murray, Michael Malice, James Smith, Dr David Sinclair, Mark Manson and more. Understanding the world is hard. This podcast will help."
Episode examples:
Why Do So Many People Not Want To Have Children?
22 Habits to Follow For A Healthy Life
The Evolutionary Psychology of Anxiety and Depression.
Why It's Good: Chris Williamson is a great interviewer. Beyond that, he is a straight shooter with thought-provoking insights into these topics.
Suggested Episode: Lauren Johnson - The Mindset Secrets of Elite Athletes
Bonus: He has a great weekly newsletter as well.
Find it here: Modern Wisdom
Art of Manliness
What it is: "Intelligent conversation, life-improving insights, and actionable advice without the fluff and filler."
Episode examples:
Time Management for Mortals
What the World of Psychology Gets Wrong About Men
Get Fit, Not Fried — The Benefits of Zone 2 Cardio
What I like: The topics are wide-ranging from style to fitness to psychology to war stories.
Suggested Episode: Physical Benchmarks Every Man Should Meet, At Every Age
Bonus: He also runs a great blog.
Find it here: Art of Manliness
All the Hacks
What it is: "An award-winning podcast that will teach you to upgrade your life, money and travel – all while spending less and saving more. It's hosted by Chris Hutchins, a life hacker who has saved millions by breaking down every aspect of life, looking to maximize happiness at the lowest cost."
Episode examples:
Cooking at Home: Delicious Food Made Easy
Building Wealth Through Boring Businesses and Other Contrarian Ways To Live and Invest
Unlocking the Power of Plastic: Maximizing Your Hidden Credit Card Benefits
What I like: While there are plenty of episodes on credit card and travel hacks (which I tend to skip), he has great guests that hit a wide variety of optimizing his life: cooks, public speaking coaches, and entrepeneurs on top of solo-sodes where he dives into the hacks he's discovered. His enthusiasm and ability to have an interesting conversation is an 8/10.
Suggested Episode: Simplify Decision Making, Reduce Stress and Improve Your Life
Bonus: Go to his website if you're looking for deals or if you're looking for a new credit card
Find it here: All The Hacks
Life Coaching for Men
What it is: "The Life Coaching for Men Podcast is your go-to resource for developing the best version of you. You want success and happiness at work and at home and Dr. Darin Wilson delivers practical advice that you can implement today. He focuses on areas such as confidence, leadership, relationships, self-worth, health, and purpose. He combines his experience in business and leadership along with his life-coaching wisdom to teach you how to live the life you were meant to live."
Episode examples:
Develop Habits that Can Solve 80% of Your Problems
10 Ways to Health Proof Your Kitchen
12 Things That Make Your Anxiety Worse
What I like: His episodes are short, succinct, and provide practical takeaways.
Suggested Episode: 6 Keys to Start Living a Disciplined Life
Bonus: He offers a course.
Find it here: Life Coaching for Men
Update: This is no longer an active podcast but it still has a great archive of podcasts.
No Stupid Questions
What it is: "Research psychologist Angela Duckworth (author of Grit) really likes to ask people questions, and believes there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So she has a podcast where she and her smartest friends can ask each other as many “stupid questions” as they want. New episodes each week."
Episode examples:
Do You Have a Scarcity Mindset or an Abundance Mindset?
Is It Wrong to Enjoy Yourself While the World Is Burning?
How Can You Be a Better Communicator?
What I like: Angela and her counterpart (formerly Stephen Dubner of Freakonomics but now with other guests), discuss general topics from the perspective of psychology. Each guest does their homework before the episode to bolster gentle debates with a combination of anecdotal circumstances and opinions supported by the evidence.
Suggested Episode: Is Having Children Worth It?
Bonus: If you really like to nerd out, they have a good research page of the evidence and resources that they reference.
Find it here: No Stupid Questions
General Knowledge
Preston & Steve
What it is: The Preston and Steve podcast is a classic morning radio show without the fakeness. It's hosted by Preston Elliot and Steve Morrison, two veteran radio hosts who have been entertaining listeners in Philadelphia for over 20 years. The show features a mix of news, interviews, comedy, and listener interaction.
Episode examples: Episodes drop five days a week and they always include a segment of the news, 'Bizzare Files" (read stories of peopel doing odd and stupid things), and music news. I tend to skip to the topical part of the conversations (e.g. "Weird Movie Observations" and "Shopping Laxative Effect"
What I like: It's funny, topical, edgy, relatable, and (for me) local. Five people are sitting in a room bantering about the topic of the moment. The topics are hyperlinked and easily skippable which makes it easier to get to the topics of interest.
Suggested Episode: Listen to a "best of" episode to see if you really like it. This "Best Of" episode is a great one that inspired my article 100 Simple Pleasure Of Life.
Bonus: They have a YouTube channel based on clips from the show.
Find it here: Preston and Steve
Freakonomics
What it is: Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we decide whom to marry? Why is the media so full of bad news? Also: things you never knew you wanted to know about wolves, bananas, pollution, search engines, and the quirks of human behavior. ".
Episode examples:
Why Did You Marry That Person?
Why Does the Most Monotonous Job in the World Pay $1 Million?
This Is Your Brain on Pollution
What I like: I hated economics in college but I love this podcast because Dubner and his team teach you about the world we live in interseting ways.
Suggested Episode: Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?
Bonus: A variety of good podcasts run under the "Freakonomics" tag including No Stupid Questions (above) and The Economics of Everday Things.
Find it here: Freakonomics
Parenting
Daily Dad
What it is: "The audio companion to DailyDad.com's daily email meditations on fatherhood, read by Ryan Holiday. Each daily reading will help you find the wisdom, inner strength, and good humor you need in order to be a great dad. Learn from historical figures and contemporary fathers how to do your most important job."
Episode examples:
How To Get Them Through Tough Times
Are You A Rich Parent?
Quality Time Is The Easy Way Out
What I like: They're quick, insightful, and usually come equipped with stories related to historical figures.
Suggested Episode: Keep The Main Thing The Main Thing (one I've favorited and go back for a listen every so often)
Bonus: He has a ton of great books (many on my most recommended page) with his latest being The Daily Dad: 366 Meditations on Parenting, Love, and Raising Great Kids
Find it here: Daily Dad
The Wellness Mama Podcast
What it is: "A weekly podcast series covering the health topics of real food, stress, sleep, fitness, toxins, natural living, and much more to give you actionable steps to improve your family’s health."
Episode examples:
Must Listen If You Drink Wine + Conscious Consumption & Longevity With Todd White
Dr. Chris Masterjohn on Understanding Key Nutrients: Biotin, Sodium, Potassium, and Omega-3s,
The Parenting Map to Consciously Create the Ultimate Parent-Child Relationship With Dr. Shefali
What I like: Katie Wells, the Mama of 6 behind Wellness Mama, has many parallels with MindBodyDad. Her content is evidence-based and focuses on practical ways to care for your health and your family through functional medicine, effective parenting strategies, and natural remedies
Suggested Episode: Anxiety in Kids and Breaking the Stress Cyclone With Jess Sherman
Bonus: She has a good weekly newsletter also.
Fitness
Stronger by Science
What it is: "In each episode, Greg and Lyndsey from Stronger By Science delve into exercise and nutrition research, health and fitness trends, and listener questions. Through deep dives, banter, and anecdotes, you'll learn how to interpret and apply the latest science, how to explain fitness trends to your friends, and what actually matters when it comes to living a strong, healthy life"
Episode examples:
Popular Diets and Common Nutrition Misconceptions (Part 1)
Q&A: Deltoid Training, NSAIDs, Controversial Fitness Opinions, and More
Stretch-Mediated Hypertrophy and Reverse Dieting
What I like: They go deep on the science of fitness and nutrition. Their banter is dry, witty, and sometimes tangential but it's unapologetically interesting. They also both have strong backgrounds in research and lifting with plenty of stories of their trials and errors combining the two.
Suggested Episode: Lifting & Mortality, Global Versus Localized Hypertrophy, and Pre-Sleep Meals
Bonus: They offer 28 free training guides once you sign up for their (worthwhile) newsletter.
Find it here: Stronger by Science
Endurance Planet
What it is: Host Tawnee Gibson discusses offer insights that can help you to improve your own physical and mental performance. The title can be misleading since Tawnee and gusts (coaches, physicians, etc.) share insights into holistic ways to improve your health, not limited to exercise.
Episode examples:
"Mindset Cues — Embracing The Swim, Returning After Injury, Hard Running and More"
Nausea at the Finish (Outside-The-Box Remedies), Combining Marathon Training and Yoga, Nutrition and Training For Multi-Day Bikepacking, and More!
Your Immune System, Part 1 – What Is It, Blood Markers To Analyze It, How It Can Be Affected by Toxins and Our Environment, The Rise of Autoimmunity, and More
What I like: My favorite episodes are ones with Sock Doc and the "ATC" (Ask The Coach) ones with Lucho. Endurance Planet aligns well with MindBodyDad in that it is functional and holistic, often going against the grain of the conventional.
Suggested Episode: Sock Doc 19: It’s Not The Hammy! For Hamstring Injuries, Look Elsewhere To Heal, Plus: Our Take on ‘Toxic’ Concerns with Butter and Salt
Bonus: There's a deep library of podcast episodes on all topics fitness.
Find it here: Endurance Planet
Health
The Growth Kit
What it is: I’d be remiss if I didn’t do a little self-promotion about my own podcast. The Growth Kit is a new podcast based off of this blog, MindBodyDad. I take the best articles from the site and turn them into short podcast episodes, with some help from voice AI. The topics will interchange between “mind,” “body,” and “dad,” themes.
Episode examples:
The Minimum Effective Dose Of Walking. Do You Really Need 10,000 Steps?
Annoying Things Kids Do That Are Actually SIgns Of Healthy Growth
8 Sleep Behavior "Hacks" For The Perfect Night Of Sleep
What I like: Completing this part is a bit self-serving so you can listen and leave me a review to let me know what you like.
Suggested Episode: 7 Signs You’re An Emotionally Strong Person
Bonus: One bonus is that you don’t have to hear my voice. I looked long and hard for the best and most realistic voice AI options out there and I found one that fit. Another bonus is that, in addition to being on the major podcast streaming services, each episode will be uploaded to YouTube.
Find it here:
Ben Greenfield Life
What it is: "Free fitness, nutrition, biohacking, fat loss, anti-aging and cutting-edge health advice from BenGreenfieldLife.com! Tune in to the latest research, interviews with exercise, diet and medical professionals, and an entertaining mash-up of ancestral wisdom and modern science, along with Q&A's and mind-body-spirit optimizing content from America's top personal trainer."
Episode examples:
Fixing A Knee Without Surgery, Building “Young Muscle”, Zenjections For The Vagus Nerve, Peptides For COVID & Much More with Dr. Matt Cook.
Respectful Parenting, Eye Movement & Physical Training For Infants, Co-Sleeping Pros & Cons & Much More With Joseph Anew & Emilia Run.
Practical Hacks For Making New Habits, Waging The War Against Alcohol, The Best Morning Routine Ever, Upgraded Overnight Oatmeal & Much More With Michael Chernow.
What I like: While sometimes he can go very deep on nuanced health topics, he practices what he preaches. He is a true immersive journalist and gives good feedback on what works and what doesn't. My favorite of the episodes are the Q&A's (example below).
Suggested Episode: Q&A 456: Holistic Cancer Management, Supplements To Combine With Sunlight, Constipation Hacking, Super Slow Training & More!
Bonus: He has a few great books on my recommended list including his most recent, Boundless Parenting.
Find it here: Ben Greenfield Life
The Peter Attia Drive
What it is: "Expert insight on health, performance, longevity, critical thinking, and pursuing excellence. Dr. Peter Attia (Stanford/Hopkins/NIH-trained MD) talks with leaders in their fields."
Episode examples:
Matthew Walker, Ph.D., on sleep – Part I of III: Dangers of poor sleep, Alzheimer’s risk, mental health, memory consolidation, and more
Peter on nutrition, disease prevention, sleep, and more — looking back on the last 100 episodes
Cognitive decline, neurodegeneration, and head injuries: mitigation and prevention strategies, supplements, and more | Tommy Wood, M.D., Ph.D.
What I like: I'm always in awe of Peter's rare combination of intelligence and ability to break the information down in simple and actionable bits.
Suggested Episode: Training principles for longevity | Andy Galpin, Ph.D. (PART II)
Bonus: He has a great book, Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity.
Find it here: The Peter Attia Drive Podcast
The Huberman Lab
What it is: "Huberman Lab discusses neuroscience: how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health. We also discuss existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works. Dr. Andrew Huberman is a tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. His laboratory studies neural regeneration, neuroplasticity, and brain states such as stress, focus, fear, and optimal performance."
Episode examples:
Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg: How to Improve Your Eye Health & Offset Vision Loss
Science-Based Tools for Increasing Happiness
Jeff Cavaliere: Optimize Your Exercise Program with Science-Based Tools
What I like: Huberman is another guy who walks the walk. His academic background also serves him well in distilling complex neurobiology into understandable language with practical takeaways.
Suggested Episode: Dr. Robert Sapolsky: Science of Stress, Testosterone & Free Will
Bonus: He puts his podcasts/videos on his YouTube channel as well.
Find it here: The Huberman Lab
The Genius Life
What it is: "You don't have to be born a Genius to become one. Follow health and science journalist, New York Times bestselling author, TV personality and nutrition expert Max Lugavere as he speaks to the most insightful minds of our time about what it means to live like a Genius."
Episode examples:
THE SHOCKING ROOT CAUSE OF CANCER AND HOW TO STARVE IT NATURALLY | THOMAS SEYFRIED, PHD
THE TOXIC EVERYDAY PRODUCTS THAT ARE HARMING YOUR HEALTH; IS LEAD IN CHOCOLATE SAFE? | DARIN OLIEN
LEVERAGING YOUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM TO LOSE FAT, OPTIMIZE COGNITION, AND PREVENT DISEASE | SATCHIN PANDA, PHD
What I like: Max Lugavere plays skeptic with the science and uses his background as a journalist to cut through the fat.
Suggested Episode: THE TOP FITNESS AND TRAINING MYTHS THAT ARE KILLING YOUR GAINS | BEN BRUNO
Bonus: He wrote a great book with the same title.
Find it here: The Genius Life
Money
The Morgan Housel Podcast
What it is: "The Morgan Housel Podcast -- timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness."
Episode examples:
What Makes You Happy
The Art of Spending Money
The Spectrum of Wealth
What I like: He is a great storyteller. He blends psychology, finance, and human behavior in a beautiful way.
Suggested Episode: Lifestyles
Bonus: He has a great book called The Psychology of Money.
Find it here: The Morgan Housel Podcast
Retire Sooner with Wes Moss
What it is: "Wes Moss is on a mission: help at least 1 million Americans of any age retire sooner and find joy along the way. A seasoned finance professional, best-selling author, broadcaster, and teacher, Wes has done extensive research on the habits of the happiest retirees. On this podcast, Wes shares key lifestyle and money habits you can implement now to prepare for a secure future while not depriving yourself of happiness in the present. In addition to leveraging his 20+ years of knowledge as an investment advisor, Wes brings in guests and specialists to teach you how to set and work towards your financial and lifestyle objectives. Refreshingly-free of mind-numbing financial jargon and unrealistic money goals, Retire Sooner with Wes Moss gives listeners the tools on how to retire sooner in the real world."
Episode examples:
The Millionaire Next Door & Richer Than A Millionaire With Bill Danko
5 Retirement Tips To Help You Retire Even Sooner (Plus Where To Find 96 More)
The Unvarnished Truth About What Humans Really Want With Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
What I like: While he provides plenty of good, basic financial information, he goes beyond the jargon and talks about the research on what those who are happy in retirement have in common and how to get there.
Suggested Episode: Five Financial Secrets Of The Happiest Retirees
Bonus: He has a ton of "tools" on his site that include free retirement tips, core pursuit finders, and a retirement calculator.
Find it here: Retire Sooner with Wes Moss
How to Money
What it is: "Best friends Joel and Matt are the co-hosts of How to Money which is all about providing the knowledge & tools that normal folks need to thrive in areas like debt payoff, DIY investing, and crucial money tricks that will provide continuous help along your journey. We believe that access to unbiased and jargon-free personal finance guidance is more necessary than ever before. When you handle your money in a purposeful, thoughtful way that works for your lifestyle, you can really start living a rich life."
Episode examples:
Post-Graduation Money Advice for the Real World
Ask HTM: Hanging Onto A Car Loan, Small Purchases That Spark Joy, & Maximizing HSA Benefits
Is Real Estate Investing Right For You?
What I like: Matt and Joel's cheapness is inspiring as a way to improve net worth but it goes beyond the dollar sign. They highlight the "why" as much as the "how" as it relates to our behaviors and our happiness.
Suggested Episode: The 7 Money Gears
Bonus: They have a great newsletter.
Find it here: How To Money
What are your favorite podcasts? Leave suggestions in the comment section below.
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