My Teenage Son Gives Me A Performance Review
I handed the mic to my 14-year-old to hear what he *really* thinks I do for a living. Plus, all of the wellness news worth your attention this week.
Before I get into my weekly links roundup, let’s take a quick detour behind the scenes at Best Case Scenario. I decided to spend a bit of time on a chill Memorial Day afternoon interviewing a Substack superfan…my 14-year-old son and rising high school freshman (omg, how), Charlie. I’m almost five months into Liz Chapter 2.0, and I wanted to hear what he thinks I’m up to these days.
[Editor’s note: I did not coerce him to participate. :) Our conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.]
Alright, Charlie, we’re recording. How would you describe what I do for work to your friends?
You write articles for your Substack. And then people subscribe to it. And you also consult for health, fitness, and nutrition companies. So, like, they like pay you and you tell them what to do.
Hahaha. What topic do you think I write about the most?
You definitely write about health and wellness the most. I think you write about supplements and stuff, especially aminos, a lot.
I do love aminos. Why do you think I care so much about health and wellness?
Probably because you want to make sure that everybody can get the top knowledge on how to stay healthy, because that’s really important to you.
Do you think I’m good at my job? Why or why not?
Yeah, I think you’re good at your job because you‘re always trying to provide the best data and research on why things are healthier, or why they aren’t healthy. And you’re a good writer.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen me do for “content”?
I don’t know.
Let me put it this way: Is there anything I do for content that annoys you?
Yeah, a while ago, you would do push-ups with Willa [our 85-pound Bernese mountain dog] on your back.
I don’t even remember that. I put Willa on my back?!
You were trying to get her to be in the frame with you for a picture or video. And then she’d, like, bark at you forever.
Do you hear me say the same things over and over again?
You say Let’s gooo! a lot.
That is very true. What’s one healthy habit of mine that you think is cool?
It’s cool that you go to the gym a lot. That’s a good, healthy habit. Also, you can do so many pull-ups. And you can deadlift a lot of weight.
What‘s a healthy habit you think I could work on?
Oh, mixing your aminos with more water. I’m pretty sure you should use a bigger glass.
Interesting! I’ll give that a try. But I really thought you were going to say getting dysregulated when I travel in airports alone with all three of you kids.
That too.
Has anything I’ve written lately made you feel proud?
Your creatine post was really cool because it had a lot of data and research in it. And so many people read it.
Do you think I’m different from other moms when it comes to health stuff?
I don’t know what everybody else’s moms do, but because this is your job and because you write about it, you probably know more than they do.
I am not a doctor or a scientist, but do you think my writing helps people?
Definitely. Because people see it, and then they comment with personal stories about how it helped them.
What would you tell my readers about me that you know, but they don't know?
How much you love Best Case Scenario. You’re really busy with [consulting] work, so sometimes you even get up at 4 a.m. to write about this stuff. And then you’re, like, super tired. But it lights you up.
How do you know that it “lights me up”?
Because you’re always super focused and happy when I see you writing on you laptop. And you get so excited when you get a new subscriber, you call downstairs to tell us. Or sometimes you text me when that happens and I see it after school.
I’m nothing if not exuberant, plus it’s fun because you always root for me! Speaking of, last question, what am I like on the sidelines of your fencing matches and baseball games?
You’re very supportive. Sometimes you’re too supportive. You’re always cheering, and sometimes that can be kind of annoying. But actually? It’s pretty nice.
Thank you for your time, Charlie, and also I appreciate you being my behind-the-scenes Best Case Scenario sounding board! That was so fun that I may ask your twin sister and little brother to do this with me down the road. And now, before my healthy little 4 a.m. heart melts, let’s get into the news of the week…
Across The Wellness World…
Banana fragrances are trending. Banana-in-smoothie panic is also trending, thanks to a small (dramatic) new study.
Not drinking? Ditch the $15+ mocktails, and steal my go-to order: a non-alc Texas Water, which is simply Topo Chico mineral water + lime juice + a salted rim. It screams summer, tastes elite, and costs $0 if you’re at home.
Creatine sales are projected to hit $4.2 billion by 2030, according to Fitt Insider.
Ben Christensen’s new “Tulsa Time” video is a dusty love letter to girlhood in motion—made all the more tender because his daughter Milo dances in it. “Dance is more than movement—it’s art, it’s voice, it’s language,” he writes. “It’s how we express who we are, how we feel, and how we see the world.” Now I want to pull on some Wranglers and a Hanes tee, and let the rhythm shake something loose.
Forbes says the Lipstick Effect is out, and the “Wellness Effect” is in—because it’s 2025 so of course we’re splurging on magnesium over mascara.
Bathroom news, but make it branded: Roame launched a three-step, chic bathroom kit, while Skinny Confidential rolls out (ha!) chemical-free toilet paper.
Temporary tattoos are very hot right now, per Business of Fashion. My take: glitter and flash tats are as necessary as the race-day bib.
Away wins fan points as the official luggage sponsor of the New York Liberty.
The future of treating insomnia may be meds that block wakefulness instead of inducing sleepiness, per a new Scientific American deep dive—which also explores the roles of CBD, THC, and other compounds in the sleep landscape.
Brands and their founders are increasingly popping up on Substack. I’m into BTS- and biz-growth–focused Over & Out, which is new from Halfdays’ Ariana Ferwerda. (And who, FYI, was a wee 24 when she launched her popular ski apparel line.)
Grapes, blueberries, and broccoli scored highest with people for happiness and health in Taluna’s latest food trends report. The New Consumer has the details.
“Dragon riders,” “fornicating faeries,” and more: The Wall Street Journal spotlights how women are claiming pleasure via fantasy and romance lit. My friends Laura Brounstein and Hitha Palepu of Hot and Bothered make a cameo in the piece.
Strava continues to sprint—50% YOY growth and a $2.2B valuation, per Yahoo Finance. Damn.
A new The Sculpt Society x Oura collab uses your readiness score to serve up your best-fit workout. Smart.
Bare Performance Nutrition’s Last Man Standing ultra in Texas—a 4.2 mile loop, every hour, on the hour, until one runner is left—blew my mind from afar. When a severe storm rolled in after 56 laps (235.2 miles!), the two finalists wisely chose to stop running and split first place.
Doctors, you gotta make in-office cervical and uterine procedures hurt less—ibuprofen, local anesthetics, nerve blocks—says the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in their newly released recommendations.
Hyrox NYC happens next week weekend and I already have FOMO. (Fitness franchise F45 is the presenting sponsor.)
Coffee-inspired running kicks are happening. See exhibits A, B, and C (oldie but goodie).
~HALFTIME~
pro•noi•a /prə'noiə/ (noun)
The belief that the universe conspires in your favor; the opposite of paranoia.
The Enhanced Games (a.k.a. the steroid Olympics) are headed to Vegas. Strength and aquatics will headline. Buckle up.
Wellness destination Aman debuts a luxe tennis apparel line with their “global wellness advisor,” elite tennis star Novak Djokovic.
Meanwhile, The Athletic Podcast Network acquires The Tennis Podcast.
To my male readers: Are you ready for Speedo summer?
Parke sweatshirts: Cute, culty, all of the above? Discuss.
“[It] was absolute cinema,” said Aingeru Zorita, my friend and Southbound 400 relay race founder (who photographed one of my favorite-ever WH covers of Alison Brie back in 2020), reflecting on the epic 400-mile event that takes runners a few steps from the Canadian border down to the heart of NYC.
How did hand sanitizer brand Touchland become a $880 million dollar company? (Hello Kitty collector mists are part of the magic.)
An Australian punk band releases a scratch-and-sniff vinyl record designed to smell like that GOOP candle. You know the one.
I loved Sweat Lookbook’s sporty sunnies roundup from my friend Lee Glandorf. No notes, except I would add Vira Sun to the list. (I’m wearing a pair of Golden Sun’s in the pic at the top of this post.)
Pickleball mania continues. Inc. Magazine says paddle brand Selkirk Sport is one of the rocket ships.
The New York Times has dubbed the anxiety spiral of being too health-tracked, too much of the time “Oura Paranoi.”
No more mid-race selfie videos, please, says my friend Ashley Mateo (founder of the new female-focused print mag, Runher) for Runner’s World.
What happens when a wellness influencer, who documented her weight loss journey while hawking the program and supplements that helped her along the way, admits she really did it using GLP-1s? Followers get incensed.
Teva teamed up with the National Parks Conversation Association for a virtual event that encouraged Americans to visit our national parks. Personally, I can’t wait to hike in some of my fave Colorado, Utah and New Mexico parks this summer.
Bedtime beauty has gone feral: from face masks to mouth tape, our anti-aging rituals are becoming the stuff of horror-movies.
A pregnant ABC Chicago news anchor continued to deliver the day’s headlines after her water broke. Women are amazing.
Tapping that little heart/like button is a surefire way to give Charlie and me a dopamine hit. If you comment/share a post? Whew, serotonin city. And when you become a Gold Star subscriber? We definitely experience an endorphin high.
I absolutely LOVED your interview with Charlie. (Good job, Charlie! As a former teacher, I liked how he used "you provide a lot of data" when describing your work.) My favorite part is that you call your kids downstairs when you get a new subscriber. ♥️
And, the lineup of links you gave after were amazing. I'm now going to spend my day thinking about the new coffee inspired Nikes.
Last comment. I can't wink either.
Such a fun read. I should do this with my son for a blog post. We have "just a few" more years of history together and I'm sure he would have a unique perspective. Thanks for sharing.