A Life Journey of Fitness and Personal Growth
Podcast

Today I sat down with Dr. Alistair Jordan, who is a Section Head of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Partner, and Board Member of Advanced Medical Imaging Consultants, a group of roughly 60 physicians. He is a father to a three- and five-year-old, and married to the love of his life, Kimberly. He was born in Denver, Colorado, but moved to Cape Town, South Africa, when he was six months old. His parents are from South Africa, and they stayed there till he was seven before returning to Colorado. Alistair completed his undergraduate degree at Colorado State University, his master's degree at Loyola University, his medical school at Midwestern University, and his radiology residency at Dartmouth.

Alistair is one of my clients. Over the years we've worked together, he has navigated injury, procedures, phases of pushing hard, and phases of strategic recovery—all while balancing the demands of an intense career, marriage, and raising two young boys.

What struck me most about this conversation wasn't just his approach to training, but his journey toward understanding himself. His story offers profound insights into what it actually takes to achieve sustainable results while navigating the complexity of real life.

10 Key Takeaways from A Life Journey of Fitness and Personal Growth

Starting with Superficial Motivation Led to Something Deeper

Alistair started lifting at 18 for the most common reason imaginable: he wanted to attract girls. That superficial motivation was enough to overcome the initial friction and get him moving. Within a year, he discovered that training made him less anxious and depressed, gave him camaraderie, and helped him feel like his equilibrium was correct. He found that whatever fuel gets you started is valid fuel—the deeper motivations reveal themselves once you're in motion.

Training Became His Vehicle for Processing Life

Throughout his 18 years of training, Alistair has consistently viewed the weight room as a place where he learns to endure hardship, process emotions, and build resilience that carries into every other area of his life. He described training as "his Prozac"—a healthy way to express energy and maintain emotional balance. For him, training, nutrition, and his career have never been the end goal—they're vehicles for personal development.

Fear of Injury Was Limiting His Progress in Ways He Didn't Recognize

Alistair realized he had three points of failure working against each other. He wouldn't go to mechanical failure because of fear. He had links in his movement chain that needed fortifying, so he couldn't get to technical failure late enough in sets. And cognitively, the fear of getting hurt prevented him from pushing to either point effectively. Understanding this psychology—not just his biomechanics—was essential to making real progress.

Learning About the Three Failure Points Changed His Training

Alistair came to understand that there are three points of failure in any lift: cognitive (giving up mentally), technical (form breakdown or weak links in the chain), and mechanical (literally can't move the weight). In an ideal scenario, all three align—you fail when you can't maintain technique, can't produce force in the muscle, and are still cognitively trying as hard as possible. This framework helped him understand where his breakdowns were happening.

Chasing External Validation Left Him Empty

Alistair spent years building walls and seeking external validation—whether from achieving professional success, maintaining a certain physique, or being the life of the party. It wasn't until he was 36 or 37 that he figured out who he actually was. His wife forced him to confront the difference between projecting success and actually being at peace with himself. He learned that training for external validation meant building on sand. Internal alignment was the only sustainable foundation.

Quality Beat Quantity When Life Got Real

As a father of two young boys with an intense career, Alistair trains four days per week for about 40 minutes, with 20 minutes of cardio. Two years ago, he would have said this was just maintenance at best. Instead, he's seen the best gains of his entire training career outside of his novice phase. He discovered that when you dial in technique, program systematically, and train with intention, you can accomplish more in less time than you ever could with high volume and mediocre execution.

How He Talked to Himself Determined His Success

Alistair credits his ability to stay consistent despite a chaotic schedule to how he talks to himself. When he misses a workout, he doesn't beat himself up—he asks what he can control. If he can't train, he gets his steps in and hits his nutrition. Two out of three is a win. This self-compassion combined with accountability is what separated sustainable progress from burning out while chasing perfection.

His Kids Are Always Watching

Alistair deliberately saves one training session for the weekend so his sons can see him working out. He bought foam weights so they can lift alongside him. Even at three and six years old, they're learning that their dad prioritizes taking care of himself. He never had that example growing up, and he's determined to break that chain. What he models now will echo through generations.

Listening to Emotions Without Fixing Them Transformed His Relationships

Alistair learned that when someone shares how they feel, the instinct to defend yourself or provide information about why their emotion is "wrong" shuts people down completely. Instead, he now leads with: "That's how you feel, and it doesn't matter what I think. Let me understand." This principle of truly hearing people—whether it's his wife, his staff, or his colleagues—creates connection and opens the door for real communication. It's made him a better leader and a better husband.

Data Motivates Him Because He Lets It

Alistair loves metrics. He tracks macros, biofeedback, every training variable. For him, data is motivating—it's how he thrives. But he's also aware that his approach makes some people uncomfortable, so he doesn't advertise it at social outings or preach it to others. He recognizes that there are people who see data and get energized to optimize, and people who see data and get overwhelmed. He's found what works for his psychology and doesn't apologize for it.

What made this conversation so valuable wasn't just the tactical insights about training or the philosophical discussions about motivation. It was Alistair's willingness to be vulnerable about his journey—the struggles with alcohol, the walls he built around emotions, the near-divorce that forced him to confront who he really was. These aren't comfortable topics, but they're the real work.

Find Alistair

Website -www.amicrad.com

Facebook -AMICRadiology

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