In this solo podcast episode, Travia Steward shares her personal philosophy of "changing your body for your life" rather than the opposite, using her own experience with total knee replacement as a case study. She recounts her first total knee replacement in 2018, describing the chronic knee pain, failed cortisone injections, and the decisive conversation with her orthopedic surgeon that led her to prioritize long‑term athletic activity over short‑term comfort. Travia details the painful recovery, the eventual relief, and the functional differences between her right (post‑surgery) and left (pre‑surgery) knees, including specific strength disparities observed during leg‑extension exercises. She explains why she chose to undergo a second total knee replacement on the day of the episode, emphasizing the importance of maintaining vitality for activities like pickleball, golf, cycling, and weight training. Throughout, she urges listeners to evaluate whether they are changing their lives to accommodate their bodies or proactively improving their bodies to support their desired lifestyles, offering practical suggestions such as modest weight adjustments or targeted exercise. The episode concludes with a call for listener feedback and a broader mission to empower people to avoid settling and to pursue their highest vision of life.
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I'm Travia Steward. I want to help you move past barriers and obstacles that are preventing you from getting what you want in life. This is Breakthrough. What's up, my peeps? It is Podcast Tuesday, and you know what? Today is November 7th, and what November 7th means for me is that as you're listening to this episode, I might be in surgery right now having a total knee replacement. So that is where I got the motivation for this podcast episode, episode. So today we're diving into changing your body for your life instead of changing your life for your body. And so we're going to talk about again, how having something like a total knee replacement could be, you know, make a huge difference in your life. Now, again, this episode, I'm not a doctor. This is completely my opinion. I like to share with you the things that work for me, the things that I'm doing in my life so that maybe, you know, give you an idea of some sort or another. But again, this is my opinion. So in a world where, you know, we prioritize image over substance, you know, it's crucial that we explore what it means to lead a healthier, balanced life, even when we're feeling all of these significant changes in our bodies, especially as we age. And so when I say change your body for your life, I'm advocating for a mindset that focuses on changing the physical things about your life to improve your overall well-being and quality of life, which means embracing a lifestyle that promotes health, that promotes good energy, vitality, regardless of, you know, other physical setbacks. And so imagine facing the decision to have this total knee replacement, because it's not just for, you know, pain relief. It's because I am determined to stay active and engaged in my life. And so this embodies the, the whole mantra of changing your body for your life. And so in 2018, I actually had my first total knee replacement. And the way this came up So those of you may know, and you've, you've probably heard me talk about these things if you're regular followers of the podcast, is I played sports all my life. So I played sports in high school. I went to college and played college softball. And then after that, I played, you know, like co-ed slow pitch. I, you know, did a lot of things. I played, you know, league ball because I loved it, because I am an athlete at heart. And so I didn't want to be someone who was like, oh, okay, I know my knees hurt. I know it takes me a while when I have been sitting down, you know, af for like an hour. So it takes me a while to stand up and get my knees working again, because technically my knees are, you know, they were once bone on bone. And so in 2018, I had been going to my orthopedic surgeon because I was really having excruciating pain. And so like, even when I was driving in the car and like my, my knee was throbbing and throbbing and throbbing. And so, you know, where it started in my right knee, I started getting knee injections. So I started getting some cortisone, cortisol knee injections that, that helped. And then the first time I got it like that, lasted, I had no knee pain for about 6 months. Well, then the more injections I got, the less it helped. And so instead of lasting like 6 months, it would be like 3 months, and then it would be like 1 month. And by that time, the shots were no longer helping. So once you get to that point, even a partial knee replacement is not going to do anything. So I made an appointment, you know, let's talk about what my options are. And I remember my surgeon going, okay, what is it that you want to do? We can put a brace on it, we can keep doing shots. How is this going to affect your lifestyle if you don't fix this? And he said, because do you want to change your life for your knee? That means you're not going to be active. You're not going to cycle as much. You're not going to play golf. You're not going to play pickleball. You're not going to do all these things because you're going to— you need to change your life for you, for your knee. And in that moment, I made the decision that no, I am— I'm an athlete and I want to be an athlete until I'm 100, no matter what that looks like. So I knew in that moment that I needed to change my knee for my lifestyle. So in 2018, I got a total knee replacement. And I tell you what, I'm not even gonna lie to you that that was a very, very painful thing. And I didn't think it would be as painful as it was. And I remember going, oh my goodness, I am never doing this again. This shit hurts. I had cluster headaches while I I had total knee pain. I couldn't get my full bend back, all the things, right? And so I'm like, don't ever let me do this again. That was in 2018. About 6 months after that, I was like, best thing ever, right? Best thing ever. So I needed to get over that hump. And so now that was the right knee, and the right knee feels like it's bionic. The left knee is like, it's my turn, it's my turn. And the reason why I know it's the left knee's turn when I go to the gym, guys, because I I love to pump some weights. I love to go and work out. I love to build muscle. And so the thing that I notice with my knees is that if I'm doing leg extensions, you know, you sit down, you know, probably a lot of you know what leg extensions are, but if you're— if you don't, I'll break it down for you. So you're sitting down in this chair-like machine and then you're bending at the knee, like with the weights at your ankle. So it's building up your quads. And so when I recognized that my right bionic leg felt like, man, I would put weight on it. So if I was doing one-legged leg extensions, I could do with my right leg 60, 70 pounds, one leg. My left one, 10, maybe up to 15. And that's with, you know, helping. And that's not even a full bend because doing the full bend felt like just two pieces of metal scraping. Against each other. And so I knew that this time was coming, that the left one was ready. Now, I probably could have just padded it along and waited another, you know, year or so. But guys, the guy that did my knee in 2018, he's retiring. He's retiring in the spring. So I'm like, oh shit, I really want him to do the other knee because I loved you know, what he did on the right knee. And so as you're listening to this episode, if you are hearing it the day it comes out, November 7th, I'm having a total knee replacement right now because it is important for me to be healthy. It's important for me to be active. It's important for me to feel a level of vitality because I'm someone who wants and continues to prioritize my body in this way. This is a vital step for me to maintain my mobility, my zest for life. I love being active. And so I don't want to be someone who is succumbing to my limitations. I'm never going to play a sport again because my left knee is bone on bone and it hurts. I have aching joints. I have arthritis, you know, all the things. No, I'm going to fix that knee so that I can have vitality for the rest of my life. And so what happens is this surgery, you know, I'm not talking about it like it's a small step. It's a significant step. And remember all that pain? I said I'd never have this again. And now here I am. Okay, let's do it again. Because I remember how good it feels right now. Even if I have to go through the pain of rehabilitating it, the pain of getting the flexion, the pain of getting it straight again. All those things, I know that it's totally worth it because when I look at the quality of my life, I want both knees to be strong and to play a part in me being able to play some kick-ass pickleball. And so I don't wanna be someone who's sacrificing my life for my body. I wanna make the investment in my future self and my future self is active. My future self is, is full of vitality and is out there on the golf course, is cycling, is playing a shit ton of pickleball. So I want you to think about, as I wrap up this episode, ponder this question: are you someone who's changing your life for your body? And if they're small tweaks, even if it's like, you know, Maybe I just need— I want to drop a few pounds so that I can feel better about walking with my significant other, walking with my grandkids, or whatever, so that I can swim a couple of laps, so I can play pool volleyball instead of doing, you know, something that I no longer recognize in myself because I've become stagnant because I'm not exercising anymore. But if you're someone who has that zest for life, that, that zest for feeling like you are living life to the fullest, you're still being active and it brings you fulfillment and joy. What is it that you need to take? What is a small step that you could take so that you actually change your body for your life and you can actually get back to doing the things that actually bring you joy? And so ponder that question. How can you change your body for your life, even when faced with challenging decisions, while still honoring the essence of not your life for your body? And so I want to thank you for hearing me out on this episode. And, you know, I'm talking about small things. I'm talking about maybe losing a little weight, maybe gaining a little weight if you want to do something else. Whatever that thing is, just think about it. This podcast is to help you open your mind and open the possibility to what can be. I'm always gonna be someone who challenges you to take courageous steps to being and becoming the very best version of you. And so if that means changing your body, going and having a partial knee replacement, a total knee replacement so you can still be active, then that's a decision for your future self as well. All right, my peeps. Again, if you're finding value in these podcast episodes, guys, I love doing this so much. And there are a few of you who, who email me and talk to me and let me know how much this is helping. This keeps me motivated to keep doing it. And I want to do it for more than just me enjoying it and having fun. I want to know that it's making a difference. In lives, because I am on this earth to empower and inspire as many people as possible to live the highest vision for their lives. And I don't want anyone to settle. I watched my mom settle. I settled for a majority of my life, and no more. So if these episodes, these podcast episodes of helping you, are helping you, I would love to hear that. Let me know what resonates with you, and then also share it with someone else that you think could find value from my perspective, from my take. I hope it's something that makes you think but also helps you to develop a greater passion for your life and help you to know what's actually possible for you. So, all right, my peeps, so take care and we will talk next week.
