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PAC Talk with Pieter Vodden

Pharos Echo Park
132 episodes   Last Updated: Jun 27, 25

Welcome to the PAC Talk where we help you explore your capacity to move better, push further and achieve your limitless potential through fitness, nutrition, recovery, and lifestyle. I’m your host Pieter Vodden, co-owner of PHAROS Athletic Club in Echo Park. Thanks for tuning in and Welcome To The PAC!”

Welcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.

If you are in Los Angeles swing by to our gym at 1316 Glendale Blvd in Echo Park.

Check out our website here for class times and follow us Pharos and Piet on Instagram for more fitness related content.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

How do you stay healthy, grounded, and strong when summer throws your routine off track?In this episode of PAC Talk, Pieter Vodden and Emylee Cavell share their real-world travel tips—from road tripping with kids to staying fit without a gym. They reveal how they personally navigate vacation workouts, nutrition on the go, and family time without letting it all fall apart.Plus, they introduce the PAC Travel Guide—a free resource packed with at-home workouts, mobility videos, nutrition strategies, and mindset tips to help you survive (and even thrive) through your strong summer.Whether you're camping in the mountains, chilling at the beach, sweating in the desert, or bouncing around SoCal, this episode gives you the tools to stay consistent—even when life’s a little wild.Grab the PAC Travel Guide HereAnd remember: just because it’s summer doesn’t mean your progress has to melt.Enjoy, listen, share, and comment. Thanks, and see you in the gym!Welcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.If you are in Southern California come train with us Echo ParkRedondo BeachIdyllwildPalm SpringsFollow Pharos, Piet and Emylee on Instagram for more fitness related content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, I sit down and discuss the top 10 lessons I learned from this year’s Limitless Challenge. How did people lose so much fat, gain so much muscle, and improve their lives? We always learn as much as we teach because the challenge is a collection of individualized experiences. Everybody goes through their own set of obstacles and wins, and the information and data we get back helps us better prepare for the future — maybe through correlation, maybe through inspiration, maybe through connection. We gather, and we grow.Enjoy, listen, share, and comment. Thanks, and see you in the gym!Welcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.If you are in Southern California come train with us Echo ParkRedondo BeachIdyllwildPalm SpringsFollow Pharos, Piet and Emylee on Instagram for more fitness related content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of Pac Talk, Pieter and Emylee Vodden share the real metrics that matter when it comes to progress—beyond just the number on the scale. After working with 75 people over a six-week challenge, Pieter and Emylee Vodden, reflects on what actually leads to meaningful transformation. From energy levels and mood to sleep, hunger cues, and performance, this episode helps you redefine what a “win” looks like. Plus, they break down six essential habits for long-term success, and explores how accountability, courage, and freedom play a role in staying consistent—even when motivation dips.Welcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.If you are in Southern California come train with us Echo ParkRedondo BeachIdyllwildPalm SpringsFollow Pharos, Piet and Emylee on Instagram for more fitness related content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, I sit down with John Kim—aka The Angry Therapist. John is a therapist and author currently working on his seventh book. This is our fifth podcast together, and I think it’s our best yet. John was one of the first people I met in L.A. and my first roommate in the U.S. We’ve both been on a journey that’s led to a natural fork in the road. New beginnings are on the horizon after an unforeseeable tragedy. But sometimes, light comes from darkness—and what we thought was the end is really just the end of Act One. It’s a reflective conversation—sometimes sad, sometimes funny—but ultimately a lesson in rejuvenation and possibility. Thank you for taking the time, John. I’ll miss you, my friend… but I’ll see you up the road.Enjoy, like, and share. Thanks for listening—and see you in the gym!Connect with JohnWebsiteInstagramTikTokHis Book SeriesWelcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.If you are in Southern California come train with us Echo ParkRedondo BeachIdyllwildPalm SpringsFollow Pharos, Piet and Emylee on Instagram for more fitness related content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this week’s Limitless Challenge call, Emylee Vodden walks you through a powerful framework for habit formation, inspired by Atomic Habits by James Clear. Whether you're trying to build a morning routine, save money, or finally ditch the doom scroll, this episode helps you get clear on the “structured how.” Learn how to make good habits obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying — and break bad ones by reversing the formula. Plus, Emylee shares real-life examples from her own journey and the community’s progress to help you systemize the life you actually want.Welcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.If you are in Southern California come train with us Echo ParkRedondo BeachIdyllwildPalm SpringsFollow Pharos, Piet and Emylee on Instagram for more fitness related content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Most people think they’re in a caloric deficit… until they realize they’re not. In this clip from the Limitless Challenge weekend call, I break down what a true caloric deficit actually looks like, why it’s essential for fat loss, and how to track it without obsessing over every bite. If you’ve hit a plateau or are frustrated by your results, this might be the missing piece. Let’s make sure the work you’re putting in is actually getting you closer to your goals.Welcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.If you are in Southern California come train with us Echo ParkRedondo BeachIdyllwildPalm SpringsFollow Pharos, Piet and Emylee on Instagram for more fitness related content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Emylee here back once again! This week, I’m sharing something personal from inside the Limitless Challenge—a practice I’ve been using to call out the quiet, sneaky stories I tell myself that hold me back. Stories like “I have no time,” “I have no self-control,” or “I don’t finish what I start.” Sound familiar?In this episode, I walk through how I’ve been learning to separate story from truth—and how that shift is helping me take real action toward the life I want. If you’ve ever felt stuck in shame, overwhelm, or procrastination, I hope this conversation helps you feel seen, supported, and ready to rewrite your own story. You don’t have to do this alone—we’re stronger as a pack.Welcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.If you are in Southern California come train with us Echo ParkRedondo BeachIdyllwildPalm SpringsFollow Pharos, Piet and Emylee on Instagram for more fitness related content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In today’s episode, I’m stepping in as your guest host, Emylee Vodden.We don’t fail because we’re lazy—we fail because we build routines that only work when we’re at our best. In this episode, I’m flipping that script. What’s the laziest version of you still willing to do? That’s where the real change happens. Whether it’s drinking water before coffee, hitting your step count even on a rough day, or having go-to meals prepped, we’re talking about building bare minimum habits that still move you forward.This is how we make consistency sustainable—by anchoring to non-negotiables that reflect our real lives, not just our ideal selves. I also walk through how to define your value system, how to create alignment between your goals and your actions, and why it's okay to mess up—as long as you don't miss twice.Let’s stop chasing perfection and start building momentum—one low-friction habit at a time.Welcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.If you are in Southern California come train with us Echo ParkRedondo BeachIdyllwildPalm SpringsFollow Pharos, Piet and Emylee on Instagram for more fitness related content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We’re excited to introduce the Limitless Challenge—a six-week coaching program we designed to help you reach your fitness and nutrition goals in a sustainable, community-driven way.This recording is from our Limitless Challenge onboarding call this weekend. We dive into why we created this challenge, the kinds of people we built it for, and how our own experiences—Pieter’s background in personal training and Emylee’s holistic approach to wellness—influenced the structure of the program. We talk about the importance of prioritization, hydration, flexibility in nutrition, and how skill acquisition can keep your workouts both fun and effective.We also break down what you can expect over the six weeks, from goal-setting and progress tracking to the power of gamification and accountability. Whether you're looking to level up your habits or just need a reset, this episode is a deep dive into the mindset and mechanics behind meaningful change.Welcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.If you are in Southern California come train with us Echo ParkRedondo BeachIdyllwildPalm SpringsFollow Pharos, Piet and Emylee on Instagram for more fitness related content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, I sit down with Lizzy Picardi. Lizzy is a powerlifter, marathon runner, and founder of Rose City Barbell in Pasadena. We talk about her journey from powerlifting to bodybuilding to endurance athletics, how she manages her training schedule, how she fuels her hybrid body, and the benefits and hardships of running her own gym.I’ve been fortunate enough to know Lizzy for a long time, and watching how she has grown and pivoted over the years has been amazing to see. This is a great podcast for anyone in the fitness space, anyone who owns a gym, or anyone who wants to be inspired by an all-around badass.Listen, like, and share 🙏🏽🙌🏻Connect with LizzyLizzy Picardi's InstagramRose City Barbell InstagramJoin the PAC and learn how to set yourself up for success, one habit at a time.Welcome to the Pac, please make sure you subscribe wherever you are listening to this show and if you loved this show please leave us a 5 star review in the iTunes store. It is the currency of podcasts and it really goes along in helping us grow our show.If you are in Southern California come train with us Echo ParkRedondo BeachIdyllwildPalm SpringsFollow Pharos, Piet and Emylee on Instagram for more fitness related content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.