Help Me Understand

JK McLeod

Fitness

Sleep

Nutrition

Habit Formation

Gratitude

Crossfit

Choice

Caffeine

Collagen Protein

Exercise

Protein

Strength Training

Cardio

Stress

Stoicism

Creatine

James Clear

Fitness Foundations Community

Options

Weight Gain

Help Me Understand is a podcast that explores the context behind the things that we experience from day to day. With topics ranging from personal development, to parenting, to health and fitness, and more; join JK McLeod as he shares his thoughts and hosts conversations that are meant to encourage you to say "Help me understand" in an effort to add perspective to the things we experience in everyd... more

65 ratings

Publishes	Twice weekly	Episodes	303	Founded	7 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	Self-ImprovementEducation

Listen to this Podcast

Guests Host Reviews Talking Points

Latest Episodes

301. Problems reveal possibilities

JK shares a perspective to help you reframe problems and obstacles.

------

Subscribe to the email list:

join.jkmcleod.com/emails

Connect with JK:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@coachjkmcleod⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠JK@JKMcLeod.com⁠⁠

31 Aug 2026 • 27 min • Popular

Make Fitness Make Sense, Episode 2: The Cortisol Panic Is Getting Out of Hand

Cortisol gets blamed for everything right now: belly fat, poor sleep, stress, fatigue, hormone issues, and even people’s workouts.

But is cortisol really the villain, or has the internet turned a normal human hormone into another thing to fear?

In ... more

23 Jun 2026 • 44 min

300. Virtue signaling, Juneteenth, the cost of convenience

JK discusses the significance of Juneteenth, his perspective on virtue signaling, and an observation on the cost of convenience.

-------

Connect with JK:

Instagram: ⁠⁠@coachjkmcleod⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠JK@JKMcLeod.com⁠⁠

New episodes of Make Fitness Make ... more

21 Jun 2026 • 24 min

Make Fitness Make Sense, Episode 1 - Collagen, Recovery After 30, and Letting Go of Fitness Guilt

Welcome to episode 1 of Make Fitness Make Sense with Coach JK McLeod.

This podcast is for people who want fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits explained in a way that actually makes sense.

In this episode, JK answers three common fitness question... more

16 Jun 2026 • 34 min

Key Facts

Contact Information

Podcast Host

Number of Listeners

Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Make Fitness Make SenseCoach JK McLeod

Lifting, Running and Living with Kelly and JKKelly Lutz and JK McLeod

Laugh Cry ClubJoy Parrish, LPC // Rebecca Zeleny, LCSW

Older & WilderGGW Media

Choose Hard with Cody McBroomCody McBroom

Recent Guests

Deanna Harder

Fitness coach and nutrition expert focused on moderation

Self-employed / Brand aligned with her coaching practice

Episode: 273. Finding the middle after fitness extremes (w/Deanna Harder)

Host

JK McLeod

Primary host of the show with involvement across Help Me Understand and fitness-focused content; often guides conversations and shares practical coaching insights.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 65 ratings

Really enjoying!
Recently found JK’s podcast through an interview with Joy Parish and then started listening to his episodes one off. They’re really informative / straight forward & he makes the information easy to digest. He’s recently become a part of my weekly rotation and I look forward to what he puts out next.
Apple Podcasts
5
kateplusweight
United States2 years ago
Honest, informative, challenges the status quo
JK’s ability to explore a topic and offer fresh perspectives is truly remarkable. He gets straight to the point, challenging ideas we often take at face value—not with cynicism, but with a genuine desire to understand and rethink them. His honest curiosity makes him incredibly engaging, and every episode leaves me with new insights to consider.
Apple Podcasts
5
MariadelGaiso
United States2 years ago
Insightful!
JK has a way of inspiring through conversation that’s unmatched!
Apple Podcasts
5
Spinster622
United States2 years ago
Great podcast!
JK, just listened to your functional training podcast. Very well thought out and I agree with your points. You have a new fan. Also, I love the Garmin instinct 2. Bill Martin.
Apple Podcasts
5
Bill and Kristin
United States2 years ago
Episode 145
Thank you.
Apple Podcasts
5
Rather Dawg
United States2 years ago

Embed These Reviews on a Website

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the host's clear, actionable guidance and calm, authentic presence.

Praise for honest, relatable storytelling and ability to challenge conventional wisdom while staying helpful.

Voices consistent with practical, evidence-based perspectives and thoughtful guest interactions.

Audience appreciates insights that bridge personal development with everyday health and fitness.

Top Self-Improvement Podcasts

Mick UnpluggedMick Hunt

The Mel Robbins PodcastMel Robbins

The Jamie Kern Lima ShowJamie Kern Lima

Building Champions for LifeKirk Spahn

Becoming UnDone® with Dr. Toby BrooksDr. Toby Brooks

Life is an Inside Job with Coach Mike BasevicCoach Mike Basevic

Living Your LegacyRudy Mawer

Ready For Love with Hilary SilverCloud10

Makes Sense - with Dr. JC DoornickDr. JC Doornick "The Dragon"

The Table with Anthony ONealThe Neatness Network

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

235. Collagen protein, guilt over rest days, training frequency (Q&A episode)

Q: How can I stop feeling guilty for taking rest days?

Acknowledge the feeling and reframe rest days as recharge days aimed at enabling better performance next workout, rather than as a weakness. Recognize that recovery supports long-term progress and that over-auto-regulating to avoid rest can delay adaptation. Start by identifying where the guilt comes from (identity, progress fears) and implement deliberate recharge activities like light zone-two cardio, reading, or walking to support future sessions.

235. Collagen protein, guilt over rest days, training frequency (Q&A episode)

Q: How many days per week can I work out and still see results?

For many people, two to three days per week with a total weekly volume roughly in the range of 10 to 17 (sometimes up to 20) working sets per muscle group tends to be effective, especially when training is well-structured and nutrition supports the effort. The exact plan should account for phase, goals, and outside-of-gym activities, but three days a week is a solid target for most.

235. Collagen protein, guilt over rest days, training frequency (Q&A episode)

Q: Does collagen protein count the same as regular protein? Should I track it?

Collagen is not the same as complete proteins like whey, meat, or eggs because it lacks the full amino acid profile (including leucine). You don't want to rely on collagen to meet your complete protein needs, especially if muscle growth is a goal. Track it only as part of your overall protein picture if it fits into your habit-based approach, but prioritize complete proteins for muscle maintenance and growth.

297. Calories in calories out, logging Smith machine weights, choosing home equipment, & asking better questions (Fitness Q+A)

Q: If I put two 45 pound plates on a Smith machine for bench press, am I lifting 225 pounds or what is the actual weight?

No, the bar on a Smith machine doesn't translate directly to free-weight weight; the weight you should log is the weight of the plates added to the machine, and you should track progression using that logged plate total.

Make Fitness Make Sense, Episode 1 - Collagen, Recovery After 30, and Letting Go of Fitness Guilt

Q: How can someone stop the persistent guilt about not meeting gym/nutrition goals and avoid letting past self-sabotage return?

Acknowledge that feelings aren't failure, evaluate them using length and intensity, and replace negative moments with multiple positive or neutral feelings to create a balanced mindset and a healthier recurrence pattern.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Help Me Understand

What is Help Me Understand about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on practical, context-driven conversations about everyday life, health, fitness, parenting, and personal growth. Across episodes, the host blends coaching experience with evidence-based thinking to unpack how habits, mindset, and decision-making shape outcomes—often challenging common narratives and offering recoverable, actionable steps. Noteworthy traits include a steady emphasis on critical thinking, a useful “help me understand” stance during discussions with guests, and a habit of reframing complex topics into accessible guidance that listeners can apply immediately.

Where can I find podcast stats for Help Me Understand?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Help Me Understand. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Help Me Understand and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Help Me Understand get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Help Me Understand, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Help Me Understand?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Help Me Understand, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Help Me Understand have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Help Me Understand has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Help Me Understand?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Help Me Understand:

1. Make Fitness Make Sense
2. Lifting, Running and Living with Kelly and JK
3. Laugh Cry Club
4. Older & Wilder
5. Choose Hard with Cody McBroom

How many episodes of Help Me Understand are there?

Help Me Understand launched 7 years ago and published 303 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Help Me Understand?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Help Me Understand?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Help Me Understand from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Help Me Understand?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Help Me Understand. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Help Me Understand?

Recent guests on Help Me Understand include:

1. Deanna Harder

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.

Try it free for 7 days