Fuel Your Strength

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FYS 434: Progressive Overload: How to Keep Getting Stronger

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FYS 435: RPE & Autoregulation: Smart Tools for Strength Gains Over 40

FYS 436: Movement Prep & Balance

FYS 427: Your Fitness App Calls it Strength Training, But Is It? With Nikki Naab-Levy

Why Movement Prep & Balance Matter in Strength Training Over 40 Dec 03, 2024

When it comes to creating a progressive overload plan, we have touched on a lot of elements so far. However, when it comes to how to specifically create your program, whether you are creating a program for yourself, finding one online, or looking to work with a trainer in person, there are some nuances that need to be discussed.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Improve Your Strength Training, You Should:

Give yourself the freedom to warm up and work on balance as a key part of your strength training program
Focus on the type of exercises that will help you feel good for longer
Challenge yourself with where your current ability level is and up the ante over time

Consistency is the Name of the Game

When you are doing a deadlift, overhead press, bench press, or squat, you need to familiarize your body with the movement pattern you are going to be doing that day. Movement prep and balance work will help you prepare your body for what is coming next, and create positive changes in how your body and brain relate to each other more effectively when things get heavy. Giving yourself the freedom to warm up, be consistent, and listen to your body, is what is going to get you further in your progressive overload plan.

Strength Training for Every Age

Movement prep and balance work are two things that I program into every session of Strong with Steph. Especially as we transition from perimenopause to postmenopause, we need to work with the changes happening in our bodies to help ourselves stay strong for longer. The truth is, that our body loses strength, hormones, and energy as we get older, which is why we need to have a strength training plan that helps us combat what we are losing and instead helps us find gains. Implementing a well-planned program takes the burden off of you so that you can focus on feeling great.

Are you ready to reevaluate your strength training plan as a woman over 40? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

A recap of what we have spoken about so far when it comes to strength training over 40 (2:45)
The importance of balance work for longevity as we age (6:45)
How movement preparation can improve your training program (14:52)
Understanding the role of estrogen when it comes to your joints and their needs (20:16)
Examples of balance work and movement prep that show up in the Strong with Steph Workout Plan (30:15)

Quotes

“Having these guide your strength training is super, super important, and not something you want to gloss over when you are either writing a program for yourself, finding one online, or looking to work with a trainer in person.” (2:35)

“Movement preparation and balance work create a foundation for building strength and are so important when we are considering longevity in training and safety and mitigating risk to the best of our possible influence, especially as we are aging.” (6:13)

“Research strongly supports the idea that warming up with the actual lift you plan to perform but at a lighter load is an effective way to prepare your body for heavier lifting.” (21:20)

“Addressing these things through training is very important, and there is something that you can do about it.” (29:08)

“Movement prep and balance work are essential, and we know they are going to play an important role in joint health, mitigating the risk of injury and enhancing our experience of progressive overload.” (39:24)

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FYS 435: RPE & Autoregulation: Smart Tools for Strength Gains Over 40

Related Episodes

FYS 434: Progressive Overload: How to Keep Getting Stronger

RPE & Autoregulation: Smart Tools for Strength Gains Over 40 Nov 19, 2024

I get a lot of messages about RPE, Reps in Reserve, and Autoregulation. These are powerful tools, that when practiced, can help you as you implement a long-term strength training program, especially as a woman over 40. However, it takes understanding the pieces that go into these tools, and a well-rounded program, to really make the most of their benefits.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Looking for Trainings Tools, You Should:

Use autoregulation as a way to adjust your training plan and allow for more flexibility
Remember that you do not have to be perfect or give your all to have a successful training session.
Collect your own data about yourself and what your body needs throughout your life changes

Learning about Yourself through Strength

Having a performance-forward approach when it comes to your workout intensity is great, but it can leave space for injury or overuse. Using the scales of RPE and Reps in Reserve, you can allow yourself a moment to check in and make adjustments to the structure of your program.

While working with a coach is great, learning how to observe your body and what it needs is something that you can do yourself. These tools will help you understand your body in a way that will encourage sustainability and longevity in your strength training program.

It’s All About Flexibility

A good strength training program leaves room for both structure and flexibility. Learning how to adjust your intensity not only helps you learn more about your body, but it can help you tackle those low-energy days without completely giving up and potentially taking a long break.

Autoregulation will keep you moving forward with your program even on lower energy days, which can happen especially as we adjust to new demands on our lives and our bodies. Adjusting the plan based on Autoregulation will help you continue to show up and do your best, while also meeting yourself where you are at.

Are you ready to adjust your effort in order to gain more sustainability and effectiveness in your program? Share your thoughts on this episode with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Understand the guiding principles of a well-rounded training program (4:35)
Learn exactly what RPE and Reps In Reserve are (11:40)
Why these tools are so useful for women, especially as they age past 40 (16:06)
What is autoregulation and why it is a useful tool for your workouts (17:51)
Benefits of RPE and Reps in Reserve for women over 40 (28:02)
Simple ways you can learn to make the gauges necessary for autoregulation and more (33:31)

Quotes

“The value of using something like RPE is that it helps to tailor your workout intensity to match your daily energy level, your daily bandwidth, how much capacity you have today.” (15:01)

“This isn't a proprietary way for women over 40 to manage their own strength training. However, it is a validated tool that we can use because it is contextually allowing us more flexibility within the structure of a program.” (16:25)

“This is all part of the tapestry of your own unique autoregulation and recovery and getting to know yourself over time.” (20:47)

“There is structure, but there is also flexibility. And I think that is a really key take-home message and take-home point of this particular podcast.” (25:50)

“We have to keep training if we want to continue to either maintain or see gains over time.” (30:43)

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FYS 434: Progressive Overload: How to Keep Getting Stronger

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Progressive Overload: How to Keep Getting Stronger Nov 04, 2024

Whether you are new to strength training or a seasoned lifter, progressive overload is two common words you have probably heard before. But what do they really mean, and how can you apply them both as a lifter and as a coach? If you are feeling stuck because you are not seeing the gains you are hoping for in your programming, progressive overload could be the puzzle piece you still need to include.

Key Takeaways

If you are interested in progressive overload, you should:

Work with a coach or find a strength training plan that is custom to you
Gradually build up strength and vary your movements to build your adaptation ability
Remember that this is a great investment in your health if you are honest with yourself

The Key to Long-Term Strength Gains

You see relatively continuous improvement by gradually tweaking the dials of your training and the demands placed on your body over time. If you fail to challenge your body, you will fail to adapt. One of the hardest and most important things you can do is advance your lifting in a way that makes the most of your time and moves you in the right direction. The key is having a plan for your lifting that saves you time and worry when you get into the gym.

Know Why It Matters

Training, coaching, lifting, and recovering are a science and an art. But to really see results, it takes new challenges and an understanding of one's motivation behind the movements.

Increasing weights or adding more reps, paying attention to rest time, and utilizing different exercises and tempos are all key components to seeing the results you are hoping for. Patience and repetition are the basis of long-term strength training; all you need is the right program!

What role does progressive overload play in your strength training program? Let me know your thoughts in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

What is progressive overload, and what does it mean (2:25)
Breaking down the science of adaptation and general adaptation syndrome (13:20)
How to apply progressive overload in your strength training program (20:26)
Common pitfalls when learning how to manage your progress over time (32:35)
Best practice advice for those who want to integrate progressive overload into their strength training program (43:05)

Quotes

“When it comes to your strength training, progressive overload is the cornerstone that guides, the guiding principle that steers your training program and training plan.” (2:56)

“To put this into common words, we need a stressor, that’s our training, and we need recovery, which is where we finally experience that adaptation.” (15:56)

“Training is a science and an art. Coaching is a science and an art. Implementing this is a science and an art, and getting to know yourself and/or your clients is really important. (22:37)

“We need to pump the breaks a bit, and find a way to keep you moving forward without accelerating things to the point where you can't recover.” (34:17)

“If you have been lifting the same weights for months and months and months on end, it is time, my friend, you have got to move up in weight.” (39:25)

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7-Day Sample of Strong with Steph

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Annie Miller Pure Programming

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FYS 427: Your Fitness App Calls It Strength Training, But Is It? With Nikki Naab-Levy

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The True Meaning of Strength w/ Alyssa Ages Oct 15, 2024

Have you ever asked yourself what there is to learn from the pursuit of strength? How do the lessons we learn in the gym translate to our lives outside of strength? Alyssa Ages set out on a quest to answer these questions, and in return found a multitude of answers that can help any athletic person get more from their training regime and their life.

Key Takeaways

If you are curious about the true meaning of strength, you should:

Connect with your deeper why of strength training outside of the aesthetic value
View strength training as something that can connect you more deeply to your body
Be aware of the ways in which the strength training mindset can improve your life outside of the gym

Strength In and Out of the Gym with Alyssa Ages

Alyssa is a Toronto-based, New York-born author, freelance writer, and copywriter. She is a mom, strongman competitor, endurance athlete (six marathons & an Ironman), rock climber, CrossFitter, and former member of the Jersey City Bridge & Pummel roller derby team. Her debut book, Secrets of Giants: A Journey to Uncover the True Meaning of Strength, was featured in The New York Times and Publisher’s Weekly, among others. The book, part personal narrative, part research mission, part midlife crisis odyssey into the world of strength to answer the question: What if strength isn’t about how much we can lift, but how we manage life’s struggles?

The True Meaning of Strength

There is something about strength training and the pursuit of strength that is addictive and keeps bringing us back. But why do we love it so much, and feel so satisfied even when it feels hard? It all comes down to the story we tell ourselves. If you view yourself as a person who is able to handle hard shit, there's a good chance you don't mind getting comfortable with discomfort. Through Alyssa’s research, it became clear to her, that if you are purposefully able to do difficult things, the easier all of the things that you encounter in your daily life will start to feel.

You Can Do Hard Things

Building strength, physically, mentally, and emotionally, is all about pushing the boundaries of what humans can do. When strength is a part of your identity, you can discover things about yourself through the training process that will help you both in and out of the gym. Building strength is not just about looking good or feeling good, it is about having agency over your life and what you are doing. The ability to fail over and over again safely, allows you to learn something that is applicable in every other area of your life. That might be why we love it so much.

If you are also searching for the true meaning of strength, share your thoughts with me in the comments of the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about the genre of Strongman Strength Training and the role it played in Alyssa’s journey (8:43)
Explore what it means to be an athlete or athletic person (19:13)
Flirting with the edge of being uncomfortable and being in your comfort zone (23:42)
What Alyssa discovered about women in strength throughout her research (30:10)
How to address issues that come up when it comes to your strength training abilities or practice (38:24)

Quotes

“In the book, there is very little about what [strength] does physically to your body and your muscles, and almost exclusively about how it impacts everything else you do in your life outside of a gym setting.” (7:50)

“Strongman really showed me that actually, failing was really ok and kind of awesome. Because it was the only way to understand what I actually could do.” (17:23)

“It was just that little shift in mindset that gave me the courage to actually do it.” (20:05)

“It was really incredible to hear from so many women that they said ‘Doing a strength sport taught me that I could love my body not for how it looks, but for what it is capable of doing’.” (30:32)

“Once I started to continue with this routine of going back into the gym, with my coach and trying to do everything really safely as I was going through all of this, it helped me to start to regain this feeling of trust and this feeling of capability in my body.” (42:03)

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The Secret of Giants by Alyssa Ages

Alyssa Ages Website

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Strongman Video

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FYS 431: Should You Get a Lifting Program?

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Strength Training for Sport w/ Alex Sterner Oct 01, 2024

Combining the world of strength training and sport, specifically Brazilian jiu-jjitsu, might seem counterintuitive, but it is exactly the opposite. My guest today is here to show you how a crossover between these two worlds can help you train better, prevent injury, and enjoy the sport you love for longer.

Key Takeaways

If you want to use strength training to improve your sport, you should:

Track what you are doing and assess it
Get your body accustomed to stress and impact
Be consistent with the low-hanging fruit

Finding a Balance

Alex Sterner, BS, CSCS, is a co-founder and Head Coach of Electrum Performance and the Director of Performance at Jiujiteiro. He received his Bachelor's degree in Strength and Conditioning from the University of Connecticut and obtained a CSCS through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. As a Head Strength Coach of Atos Jiu-Jitsu HQ, he led the S&C training camp that resulted in Atos winning a team Gi World title in 2017 and 2018.

Not All Stress is Built the Same

Some people are afraid to lift heavy due to the threat of injury. But the truth is, your muscular cellular system will respond positively to the right amount of stress. Alex wants to encourage you to get your body accustomed to impact in a respectful and gradual way.

By harnessing the power of control that you have in the gym, you can teach your body how to trust increment levels of stress so that you can come back from injury and pain with more resilience. This is why strength training is such an important asset and can lead to many more years of enjoying the sport you love so much.

Track Everything

Alex believes that all progress comes down to tracking. Understanding your missteps, and being able to differentiate between short and long-term gains will help you figure out where you are going right and wrong in your training. You don't need a fancy app, just a notebook and a pen. If you can figure out when something you are doing isn't showing up, you can figure out why and make a switch. It may be as simple as adjusting your work-to-rest ratio, but without tracking, you will never figure it out.

If you want to explore strength training options, either specifically for jiu-jitsu or another sport, let me know your thoughts about Alex’s well-balanced and informed approach in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Addressing the ‘insult’ of strength in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the benefits you might not realize strength has (13:42)
Myth busting the belief that lifting weights will cause you to get injured and take you out of your chosen sport (20:55)
Understanding how liability in the medical system could be skewing your perception of recovery (37:30)
Common under-rated and over-rated jiu-jitsu specific strength training and why it needs to change (41:32)
Why the spine is so important in the context of jiu-jitsu and the nuance of loading your spine (53:20)

Quotes

“Heavy lifting; it is not just about building this brute muscular athlete. It's about longevity; it's about preventing injury or minimizing injury so that you can spend more time on the mats.” (10:13)

“When people start to trust that the weight room is this deliberate thing where we don't just make bad things worse… you start to realize that these other environments are way more open than the gym, and you don't have nearly enough control.” (26:53)

“Understand what your limitations are, take whatever you still can, and go from there” (40:23)

“All of it comes down to tracking. Be aware of what you are doing, is it improving? And if it is, great! And if it's not, figure out a switch to make.” (51:25)

“Biological organisms respond positively to stress in the right amounts.” (57:20)

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Electrum Performance Website

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FYS 425: Nutrition for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu w/ Alex Maclin

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FYS 431: Should You Get A Lifting Program?

Should You Get a Lifting Program? Sep 17, 2024

Most women in mid-life have a common rebuttal that keeps them from taking the next step when it comes to their fitness and health journey. The pressure that women put on themselves or the expectation that they believe is there to be perfect and execute their workouts without any interruption could be limiting their ability to reach their goals.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Show Up For Yourself, You Should:

Stop focusing on the perfection monster mindset
Focus on ways you can change your behavior through mindset changes
Be kind and gracious to yourself and your workout routine

Consistency is Key

I want you to ask yourself, what does consistency look like to you? How would it feel to reframe how you think about your workouts and put less pressure on yourself to never miss a day or take a vacation? Fitness and health do not need to be another stressor in your life. I want you to challenge yourself to shift the way you think about your health and be curious about how you can reframe the way you think about your workouts. When it comes to working out, perfection is not the goal, but showing up for yourself is.

The Science of Behavior Change

If you have been holding back from working with a coach because you are unsure if you can commit 100%, I am here to tell you, that you don't need to. The all-or-nothing mentality that we have when it comes to our fitness is unnecessary, and I am here to tell you that you still get a benefit even if you can't do 10 out of the 10 workouts you want.

Showing up for yourself and your health is the first step, and making it work for you and your lifestyle is the key to success. You don't need to force yourself to do something that won't work for you, and you also don't need to do something that doesn't fit your life schedule. Doing what works for you in your here-and-now body is the best thing you can do, period.

Are you ready to start showing up for yourself? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Understanding the stages of change and how to approach a new idea (3:40)
Why you should start a strength training program even if you might not be perfect at it (7:09)
What is endowed progress effect, and how can it help you make behavior changes (16:10)
How to avoid the perfection monster through mindset shifts (22:50)

Quotes

“I know there is going to be at least one person listening to this podcast episode, in whatever space and time you find it, who is mulling over the question, ‘Should I get a lifting program?’.” (3:07)

“Ageing is not just this linear gentle slope down in terms of the change in function, but rather, there are these punctuated times in our lives, if we are lucky enough to make it to these ages, where there are some changes going on.” (8:34)

“I trust that the women I work with, who are mostly in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, are doing their damn best on any given day.” (21:41)

“Consistency is more important than perfection. Especially when perfection is something we cannot hold onto.” (22:47)

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FYS 429: Boost Your Motivation to Train with This with Kasey Jo Orvidas

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FYS 427: Your Fitness App Calls it Strength Training, But is it? With Nikki Naab-Leevy

Beyond Strength: Powerlifting with a Purpose w/ Tamara Walcott Aug 27, 2024

I want you to imagine a heavy deadlift. How challenging it is, the focus needed, to tune everything else out and give it your best. Now, imagine that the barbell weighs over 650 pounds. That is the reality for Tamara Walcott, a world record holder in powerlifting. But Tamara didn't always have this confidence. Having to overcome obesity and single mom guilt made Tamara the inspiring and powerful woman that she is today.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Get Stronger, You Should:

Work with people who support your goals and lift you up in times of hardship
Accept that failure and obstacles are going to be part of the process and that you can overcome them anyway
Fuel properly and often in order to support both your body and your mind

Overcoming Setbacks with Tamara Walcott

Tamara Walcott, the Plus Size Fitness Queen, is a record-breaking athlete, a resilient mompreneur, and a motivation to all. Her journey, marked by her triumph over food addiction and obesity, inspires others to embrace mental resilience and celebrate every victory. In this episode, we explore Tamara's world-record-setting story and join her on a transformative journey.

Stay Dedicated To Your Destination, Even If You Can’t See It

After stumbling into a powerlifting gym in 2017, Tamara realized that she would have to change from the inside out to achieve her goals. By 2018, she was coming in first place in her first competitions and realized that to take care of others around her, she had to take care of herself first.

Her mindset, mission, and ability to navigate setbacks helped her break an all-time world record while training just three days per week. These traits, combined with her dedication and ability to accept failure as part of the process, have gotten her to where she is today.

Your Strength Is Your Sexy

Proving to yourself that you can do something you couldn't do before is one of Tamara’s favorite parts of powerlifting. Her mission is to bring more women into the sport and eventually get the deserved recognition from associations such as ESPN and the Olympics.

She works to encourage women to stop letting comparison steal their joy and instead compete against themselves while ensuring they are fueling enough. If you believe in your ability to keep going despite the obstacles in the way, anything is possible.

Are you feeling called to lift something heavy? Share how you are getting involved in the community with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How Tamara got bit by the powerlifting bug (6:28)
Surprising things about powerlifting as a sport and lessons learned (13:34)
Discover the environment and energy of a powerlifting meet (16:46)
Inner dialogue tips and the importance of pushing past your own limiting beliefs (26:40)
Looking at the training schedule of a recording-breaking single power mom powerlifter (32:51)
Understanding ‘My Strength is My Sexy’, ‘Women in Powerlifting’, and more (45:52)

Quotes

“I think that is the exciting thing about it, is that anyone can be a part of this sport, and not a lot of people know about it yet. Which is why I want to keep talking about it.” (5:36)

“You get one minute to do your movement. But that one minute feels like 10 seconds. But it’s the best 10 seconds of your life.” (17:24)

“Powerlifting literally saved my life.” (19:40)

“I think the most common misconception, even when I was heavier, was that I had to eat less in order to lose weight. I had to eat less to be at the body aesthetic that I wanted to be. It's not that you have to eat less, you just have to eat the right things and fuel your body right for whatever your performance is or what your program is.” (35:39)

“Failure is a part of the process. It doesn't mean to quit and give up, it means to learn what you can learn and press on.” (41:27)

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My Strength Is My Sexy Gym Tour Tickets

Tamara Walcott Website

Tamara Walcott 641LB Womens Elephant Bar Deadlift Record Video

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FYS 378: Powerlifting and Recovery Tips for the 40+ Athlete with Laura Phelps

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Boost Your Motivation to Train With This w/ Kasey Jo Orvidas Aug 13, 2024

Whether you are on the client side or the coach side, if you are trying to make positive changes in your life in regard to fitness, nutrition, and your health in general, having strategies to help you take a step forward and get better results is crucial. Having the right approach when it comes to improving your nutrition and fitness, especially when dealing with a lack of motivation or self-sabotage, comes down to the science behind health behavior change.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Understand Your Mindset Better, You Should:

Work with a coach or a client who is willing to talk about and prepare for the hard stuff
Understand that mindsets can shift drastically and often
Be kind to yourself when struggling with a lack of motivation or self-sabotage

Your Mind and Your Health with Kasey Jo Orvidas

Kasey holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and is a certified health and fitness coach. She has spent a good chunk of her life developing some serious expertise in mindset and health behavior change. She has transformed hundreds of lives (and minds) in her coaching career, while also being published in multiple peer-reviewed scientific journals for her research exploring the relationship between our mindset and our health and fitness behaviors.

The Base of the Pyramid

Your mindset is the lens through which you see the world through, how you assign meaning to things, and how you make sense of what is happening around you. It is the base of the pyramid for your health and nutrition, which is why it is so essential to understand the science behind making positive changes.

When you are able to face mindset challenges, you can start working towards more consistency, more motivation, and ultimately better mindset health outcomes.

Not All Sunshine and Rainbows

I'm sure you have heard people preaching positivity and mindset in the fitness space, but this is not a show about pushing through negative thoughts. Instead, Kasey Jo wants you to think about the hard stuff and prepare yourself for those inevitable moments when you get tripped up psychologically.

Addressing problems from a mindset perspective, whether you are a coach or a client, will help you determine which path will be the most successful in the long run. While truly understanding psychology, mindset, and behavior change is not necessarily the norm, Kasey Jo is working to fix that one person at a time.

Are you ready to take a deep dive into the role your mindset is playing in your health and fitness? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why this isn't just another mindset show (5:10)
Understanding the spectrum of mindset science (12:16)
How to collect evidence to stop your self-limiting beliefs (23:09)
Tips for coaches on making a realistic yet optimistic plan for your clients (28:54)
The difference between scientific evidence-based mindset work and other offers out there (34:20)
How to understand the role of your own mindset as a coach and as a client (43:55)

Quotes

“Really, the stuff we are going to talk about today we are going to talk about from a health and fitness lens, but it can very much so be applied to other areas of your life too.” (6:11)

“Square one is where you are right now. So, literally, the worst-case scenario is just where you are right now. So the worst you can do is try, potentially be successful, level up, and get to this next spot and this outcome you are looking to achieve. Worst-case scenario you literally are where you are right now.” (18:11)

“When we are talking about behavior change and longer-term goal pursuit, just visualizing the outcome, just manifesting, is not that helpful. And this is according to the research. What is helpful is sure, do all of that, please do all of that, but then also bring it back to reality. Think about what is inevitably going to get in your way; talk about the barriers, the challenges, and the setbacks. (30:56)

“The reality is it is not all sunshine and rainbows all the time when you are working towards something new and challenging and different and trying to make changes in your life that you haven't been able to do before. And recognizing that things are going to be hard helps you have a different lens.” (31:25)

“If you can't tell, I am extremely passionate about what I do and can really get going on some of these topics. And that is exactly what it looks like inside the program as well.” (49:24)

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Health Mindset Coaching Certification

The Coaching Code

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FYS 410: The Power of Intrinsic Motivation in Fitness

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Fueling for Better Performance w/ Pippa Woolven Jun 04, 2024

What happens when you aren't truly eating enough to fuel your ambitions and feel your best? Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, or RED-s, is a serious condition that can impact any active person regardless of their training intensity. Not only could RED-s impact your performance in the gym, but it can also play a huge role in your physical and mental health and well-being outside of the gym. This is why I have brought the founder of Project RED-s, Pippa Woolven, to the show.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Know More About RED-s, You Should:

Educate yourself on the symptoms and signs of RED-s and how to avoid it
Remember that RED-s can happen to anyone, no matter your level of training intensity
Work with an expert who will not just dismiss your symptoms but will help you heal

Overcoming Struggle with Pippa Woolven

Pippa is an English Schools (x2) and British Universities Champion (x4), a former GB athlete, and now a Positive Psychology Coach (MSc) and Athlete Mentor. Over a decade of competing in international athletics while studying in the UK and USA, Pippa experienced her fair share of highs and lows, including RED-S. Several years after overcoming the condition herself, Pippa established Project RED-S to provide the resources she needed at the start of her struggle.

Fueling for Performance

Underfueling, disordered eating, and over-fueling can have huge impacts on the body and can impact anybody. While education has been lacking in the past, we are finally starting to hear this important conversation being had more and more. Pippa believes working to find a balance for your unique body composition and goals will help any active person avoid RED-s and overcome this common issue.

The answer isn't just in the training. You have to think about the amount that you are eating in order to fuel properly. Your training, but also your health and well-being outside of the gym, will be better for it.

Awareness, Prevention, and Support

Project RED-s, and Pippa’s, mission is simple. To make sure that everyone who is active knows about the term RED-s, its signs and symptoms, and how to avoid it. She wants to embed the education of RED-s into coaching practices worldwide and into the mass consumption audiences on social media so that everyone can avoid low energy availability. She works to connect people with trusted experts who not only know what they are talking about but are passionate about helping people hear without dismissing their symptoms.

Have you struggled with RED-s? Share your experiences with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about Pippa’s personal story and what inspired her to create the RED-s project (5:22)
Understanding how the media has influenced the education of food, nutrition, and weight stigma (17:04)
How RED-s is affecting the ‘recreational sport’ crowd and why it is not only a problem for ’elite athletes’ (24:25)
‘Athletic Aesthetic’ and the role it plays in low energy availability and RED-s (30:56)
Where to go if you are looking for fear of getting help with body image (39:40)

Quotes

“Over-training and under-fueling is just the perfect storm for a condition like relative energy deficiency in sport, RED-s.” (10:09)

“Topics like sports nutrition and sports psychology [used to be] almost reserved for the elite sports people, and now we see recreational sports people taking those kinds of things really, really seriously. For better or for worse.” (18:09)

“Eat the right amounts of the right foods, lift some weights, and try to think more holistically about your health and wellbeing.” (21:42)

“You do not have to be competing; you don't have to even be doing anything structured; you just have to be moving your body, expending energy, to therefore need to replenish that energy with your nutrition.” (26:24)

“You might have the diagnosis and know exactly what's wrong and what you need to do, but that is a very different ballgame to actually doing it.” (41:22)

“This has a huge impact on any active person's life. And we need to just stop thinking so much about performance, especially short-term performance. Because it really is impactful on not just your physical health but your mental health too, and it takes a long time to get over something like this, which is why prevention is so key.” (46:37)

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FYS 392: Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure

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FYS 391: What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-s)?

FYS 350: Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport

Your Fitness App Calls it Strength Training, But Is It? w/ Nikki Naab-Levy May 14, 2024

If you are listening to this, there is a good chance you already know that strength is an important part of taking care of your body. So, when we see an App or YouTube-based workout plan that offers strength training, it can be easy to believe that this is the kind of content you should be following. But are you really getting a strength stimulus from your workout? Or is that just what is being marketed to you?

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Get Serious About Your Programming, You Should:

Meet yourself where you are at without any shame or judgment
Work to understand the nuance of strength training programming and what it really means
Reach out to a coach who understands your goals and how you can reach them safely.

Going Behind the Scenes with Nikki Naab-Levy

Nikki Naab-Levy is a strength and nutrition coach who has been involved in multiple arenas in the fitness industry for the last 17 years. She helps women move, build strength, improve mobility, move beyond injury, and find a sustainable approach to nutrition. She is passionate about having the unscripted and messy conversations necessary to help women get stronger and call attention to the problematic marketing in the world of fitness and beyond.

Understanding the Nuance

When using your favorite fitness apps, how do you know that the workouts you are doing are actually focusing on strength? Or if they are the right movements to be doing for your lived experience and goals?

The truth is, you don't. That's why you need to understand the nuance behind the programming so that you can go out into the world and be able to look at your apps from an informed place of strength development. Picking apart the way things are marketed can help you differentiate between what you are actually getting and can help you pick a program that is effective for your specific goals.

It's Not You, It's Your Workout

Choosing workouts that are not right for you can make you feel chronically injured, sore, tired, or fed up with not seeing any improvements. This doesn't mean you aren't doing it right; it means the training you are doing isn't right for you. The difference between randomly working out and training means that you can acknowledge your weak factors, understand your lived experience, and engage with a program that gives you the runway for the best possible entry point to your goals. While it is not impossible to achieve these things with an app, it is increasingly risky and tricky to see long-term changes without a program built for you.

How do you interact with fitness apps on a regular basis? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Understanding the difference between strength training programs and other types of workouts like circuit training (11:54)
Analyzing the selection of programming available on many apps (31:22)
How to create a long-term plan that goes beyond the short-term offers out there (43:45)
The importance of repetition and practice when it comes to a successful training program (49:54)
Why you can't put the cart before the horse when it comes to jumping into a program (1:04:12)

Quotes

“We are not hating on the workouts. But we want you to be able to make an informed decision so that if those are your goals, you are able to pick an approach that actually is going to work for you and help you get the results you want without feeling frustrated or feeling like your joints always hurt.” (8:00)

“We know that if you don't feel awful all the time, and you are able to do high-quality work with appropriate weight and appropriate rest, you will be able to see the results that you want and not be super ridiculously sore.” (41:56)

“How we put things together makes a huge difference. In the short term, but particularly in the long term.” (42:50)

“Programming can be done in a very broad way, or can be made very specific to the individual, and their needs and their interests. But at the same time, there has to be some sort of logic and base.” (54:17)

“Give yourself the tools to be successful! If something is not working for you, you are not a terrible person; you probably just need a different approach or a scaled-down approach, or something needs to be adjusted.” (1:08:44)

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Total Package Strength

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FYS 373: The Problem with Tiny Pink Dumbells with Nikki Naab-Levy

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Navigating Midlife Changes: Perimenopause and Fitness w/ Amanda Thebe Apr 30, 2024

Menopausal women are overloaded with information, but not all of it is accurate or safe. Social media is rife with misinformation, and unfortunately, the diet and fitness industry follows many unethical marketing practices. I’m joined by Amanda Thebe to discuss the realities of coaching menopausal women, how to choose ethical coaches, and why there is finally a spotlight on menopause.

Key Takeaways

Find an Ethical Trainer by Checking Out:

Personal recommendations
Reviews and testimonials
Trusting your own industry knowledge

About Amanda Thebe

Amanda Thebe is the co-founder and Chief Wellness and Branding Officer at Nyah Health and the author of the Amazon best-selling book Menopocalypse: How I Learned to Thrive During Menopause and How You Can Too! With nearly 30 years of experience in the fitness industry, her exercise workouts and health and fitness tips have been featured on Oprah, Shape, Prevention, Health Line, CBC Radio, Global News Canada, The Doctors, and many more. She is also an affiliated member of the Canadian and North American Menopause Society.

Misinformation In Social Media

Social media can seriously change our perception of menopause… and not always for the best. There is so much misinformation out there from uninformed coaches who recommend pseudoscience and diagnose without the proper qualifications. Only a doctor can diagnose that you are in menopause – a coach can help once you have a diagnosis.

There is a huge market for menopause products and services right now because women are finally open about their experiences. Coaches are finally becoming menopause informed. And overall, there is a huge improvement for women experiencing menopause.

Finding An Ethical Trainer

But, as an industry, we need to do better. So many unethical marketing practices are in use, essentially selling women something that doesn’t exist. Menopausal women deserve better, and the diet and fitness industry can give it to them.

So, how do women find an ethical fitness plan and ethical trainer? It comes down to personal recommendations, reviews, testimonials, and having basic industry knowledge. If something sounds too good to be true, that’s because it probably is. Ladies, do your due diligence!

What has your experience been like finding a menopause-informed trainer? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How social media can change our perception and understanding of menopause (9:30)
How coaches can help after diagnosis (16:00)
Why there is a larger market for menopause-related products now (17:30)
How more coaches are becoming menopause informed (29:00)
Why the diet and fitness industry often uses unethical marketing tactics (42:00)
How to help people find ethical fitness plans (46:00)
The comparison between a personal trainer and going to the gym on your own (50:00)

Quotes

“Women with menopause are really seeking answers. They are really frustrated. They do not feel good on a day-to-day basis. They want to feel better.” (18:30)

“Listen, I can help you. But there isn’t a magic pill. And there isn’t anything dynamic we’re going to do. I’m going get you to nail the basics, and I’m going to get you to understand.” (22:51)

“We can’t always help people fix those things. It is outside our scope. The diet industry of our time has gotten so bad. I feel like it’s particularly bad now for menopausal women because we have a pain point that they see.” (36:54)

“If you’re going to stop this from happening and you want to do better in this industry, then it’s on you to do better.” (40:48)

“I know that finances can be a barrier to this, but I feel very strongly that if someone is new to lifting weights, they’re going to get so much mileage out of working with a trustworthy trainer.” (48:18)

Featured on the Show

Listen to With All Due Respect

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FYS 414: How To Leverage Essentialism For Fitness

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Nutrition for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu w/ Alex Maclin Apr 16, 2024

When it comes to your training and your fueling, you need to think about the bigger picture. For sports such as Brazillian jiu-jitsu, which has a wide range of intensity demands, you need to switch your mindset and fuel your body for your practice. While being strong is a sort of ‘cheat code’ in Brazillian jiu-jitsu, it is nothing without the right fuel to back it up.

Key Takeaways

If You Have Questions About Your Nutrition, You Should:

Remember that what you eat today is your fuel for tomorrow
Don't believe the hype around trends like fasting and no-carb
Work with a coach who understands your goals and can help you achieve them in a sustainable way

Nutritional Lessons with Alex Maclin

Alex Maclin is a fellow performance nutrition coach, strength training enthusiast, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu player. He is passionate about helping athletically minded folks fuel themselves with the proper nutrition so that they can get more out of their performance. Throughout his health journey, he has coached hundreds of athletes through online training programs for weightlifting, strength, and conditioning, and is here today to share his knowledge with you.

Your Training Goes Beyond the Gym

When it comes to your training, it does not just exist when you are on the mat or in the gym. What you do around your training, how you eat, recover, hydrate, and think about your training, can also have a huge impact on your ability to accomplish your goals.

Even if you are not competing, if you want to train consistently and give it your all, you have to put some thought, strategy, and planning into what you are doing outside of the gym. This means thinking proactively about what you eat and remembering that what you eat today is fuel for tomorrow.

Optimal Fueling = Optimal Results

Training, recovery, and nutrition practices work together as a system to help you achieve your best results. This can get tricky when we see the amount of misinformation and conditioning that we have been exposed to, especially as female athletes.

Even if you are not into Brazillian jiu-jitsu, the fueling practices talked about in this episode will help guide your performance, nutrition, and your own athletic endeavors. When you can understand how to fuel yourself optimally, you can see your optimal performance a lot clearer.

What has your experience been with fueling for sports such as Brazillian jiu-jitsu? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

What makes Brazilian jiu-jitsu such a natural transition for many athletes (7:30)
The biggest nutrition mistakes that every day people fall into in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world and beyond (19:58)
Understanding the role of carbohydrates and protein in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, recovery, and strength training (31:47)
Why fasting is challenging for athletic folks and how the timing of fueling can impact your performance (45:52)
The importance of hydration in sports such as Brazillian jiu-jitsu, where sweat is flowing (1:05:07)

Quotes

“[This isn't] just for competitive jiu-jitsu athletes. This is for the average everyday people like me who just want to train, and they love it, and they want to feel good on the mat.” (6:38)

“These foods that you are eating are foods that are going to help you feel better, help you perform better, and give you more energy. That is a really big mindset shift. Not looking at things as just having calories… but actually how this food is going to help you kick some more ass and recover.” (25:24)

“You can eat at levels that you need to eat without fasting; you just need to make sure that you are getting the proper amount of calories per day.” (48:56)

“What we eat today is for the next day.” (50:50)

“Learn concepts of jiu-jitsu rather than just learning all these moves. I think that was the most overwhelming part.” (1:15:57)

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FYS 395 - How to Calculate Your Daily Protein Needs

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Practical Cardio Training Tips w/ Jamie Scott Part 2 Apr 02, 2024

Are you cardiovascular training confused? I don't blame you; there is a lot of information out there that can work counterintuitively, especially if you are just starting to incorporate cardiovascular training into your routine. While it is easy to just focus on the numbers, finding the balance between high-intensity and low-intensity is more nuanced than that. Luckily, I have my friend Jamie Scott, an accomplished sports nutritionist and endurance coach, with me today.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Incorporate More Low-Intensity Cardio Into Your Life, You Should:

Slowly build up your Zone 2 endurance over time
Don't get too hung up on the numbers and data
Take a holistic approach and find a balance that works for you

Finding Balance with Jamie Scott

Jamie Scott is a New Zealand Registered Nutritionist. He holds postgraduate qualifications in Nutrition Medicine and Sport and Exercise Medicine, undergraduate degrees in Nutrition Science and Physical Education, and is a Level-1 Mountain Bike Skills coach (PMBIA). Over the past 25 years, Jamie’s career has spanned several roles in the health and fitness industry. He is passionate about helping others learn how to fuel their bodies in a way that supports performance and total body health.

Give Precedence to the Feeling

I’m willing to bet there is a pretty good chance you have heard some rumors about cardiovascular health over 40 and the difference between lower-intensity and higher-intensity cardio. Many people struggle with lower-intensity cardio, or Zone 2 because they feel it is too boring, hard, or lazy. But when you can remain grounded in your ‘why’,’ you can stay focused on the practical things you can take away. You don't have to feel stressed or anxious about what your fitness technology is telling you. Remember to focus on the feeling an exercise gives you, not just the numbers on the screen.

Back to Basics

Often, we as a society are in a rush to look for what is new and shiny, so we need to remember the reliable basics. But they are there for a reason! Working both higher- and lower-intensity cardio into your weekly routine benefits your training and your lifestyle.

The practical application of lower-intensity cardio, combined with the higher intensity and strength training you are already doing, is a crucial part of the puzzle regarding your overall health and longevity.

Are you ready to implement lower-intensity cardio into your training regime? Let me know your thoughts and experiences in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Breaking down the rumors around high-intensity training for women in peri and post-menopause (7:06)
How to change the way you think about Zone 2 if you feel bored with it or are focused on only your heartrate (14:23)
Why having a problem with slowing down may be related to your fitness ego (30:35)
Tips for improving or getting started on your cardiovascular stamina in the pursuit of life (38:19)
Understanding why, although this topic may not be click-bait worthy, it is crucial (53:38)

Quotes

“Overall, for those who are just after kind of the health and longevity and want to do it in a sustainable way that is not massively hard on the joints or is not a high skill requirement… that low-intensity mix seems to be better for those individuals.” (12:21)

“The endorphins, the huffy-puffy-ness, the sweatiness, the burn, all of those things we have been conditioned over years and years and years in the fitness industry as markers of some sort of ‘success.’ And we need to unlearn a lot of those things when it comes to doing this low-intensity, high-intensity split.” (31:57)

“It's getting people into that mindset of: you don't just go from 0, drop into almost a 50/50 split of low intensity and high intensity, and just slowly kind of stack things up over a long period of time. But you are not doing it in a 7-day cycle where you are just trying to shoe-horn everything in.” (47:21)

“There can be different forms of movement that people are involved with, which does add up over time.” (47:00)

“It requires people to do a little bit of reflection and thinking about where they are at, what they are doing, and what the context is.” (53:52)

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RPE Chart

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FYS 423: Practical Cardio Training Tips with Jamie Scott Part 1

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Practical Cardio Training Tips w/ Jamie Scott Part 1 Mar 19, 2024

Both strength training and cardiovascular fitness play an important role in your health and well-being. However, learning how to integrate both into your weekly training regime can be challenging. That's why I have brought my friend Jamie Scott on the show to give you some practical tips on implementing lower-intensity cardio into your routine.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Interested in Practical Tips for Zone 2 Training, You Should:

Focus on the training-to-train approach, which will allow you to learn about your needs
Find a balance between high-intensity and low-intensity training
Take your time and be patient knowing that you are providing your body with what it needs

Your Overall Fitness Plan with Jamie Scott

Polar Extremes

When you think about your training, do you ever think of it in terms of polarization? The truth is it takes many different types and intensities of training to achieve the results you are looking for. While it can be challenging to weave together all the training you should be doing, when you can distribute your training loads between the polar extremes, you can unlock different variations of metabolic reactions and build a more holistic training practice.

It's Not One or the Other, It’s Both

Jamie is a big believer in training within the ‘training to train’ category. This means taking the time to learn the art and science of training as it applies to you and only you. Great things take time, and by focusing on learning more about your body and what it needs, you can perfect the overlap between high-intensity and low-intensity.

If you want to improve your endurance, strength, and ultimately the totality of your health picture, the key is learning how to balance the low intensity and high intensity. The benefits might surprise you.

What are you excited to hear about in Part 2? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why ‘Zone 2’ is having a moment in the spotlight despite not being a new topic (12:50)
Learn what exactly ‘Zone 2’ training is and the alias terms it can also go by (19:57)
The importance of going through the training-to-train phase (35:03)
Specific and unique benefits of ‘Zone 2’ training and why, if you are endurance training, it is a necessary piece of the puzzle (39:47)
Breaking down the reasons as to why the overlap between high intensity and low intensity gets lost (45:56)

Quotes

“There is a real art to it. And that art is kind of a bit fuzzy. We deal with broad ranges rather than absolutes.” (28:57)

“The trends that I am seeing… and some of the top minds in the field… have come out and said the feeling of a particular intensity is actually probably more important than the number.” (30:40)

“There is a learning phase you have to go through. There are phases of training, and for as long as I can remember now, I have tried to teach people that you have to go through the training to train phase.” (35:25)

“You are learning the art and science of training as it pertains to you, your body, your life, your context, your sport.” (35:35)

“It's not one or the other, it's both.” (46:02)

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FYS 353: Fueling Best Practices with Jamie Scott

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Injury, Pain, and Physical Therapy Over 40 w/ Dr. Leada Malek Feb 27, 2024

Getting back into training after injury or pain can be scary. Whether your injury is past or present or an ongoing or onset pain, learning to move between physical therapy and getting back into the gym requires some nuance. This is why it is so important to have a team working to help you achieve your goals and get you back to the training and activities you love.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Improve Your Overall Health Over 40, You Should:

Make sure to work with a trainer or team who is invested in your wellbeing
Tweak your workout so that it feels good for your body right now, even if you need to do things a bit differently
Focus on the big picture of your health and your short and long-term goals

Exercise is Medicine with Dr. Leada Malek

Dr. Leada Malek is a licensed physical therapist and board-certified San Francisco Bay Area sports specialist. She is one of the 9% of US therapists who specialize in sports therapy. Dr. Malek uses a combined approach of manual therapy and specific therapeutic exercise to help her patients move better, perform better, and compete again. She believes that exercise is medicine. Whether you want to start moving more, move again, or improve, Dr. Malek is passionate about helping you get there.

How to Age Your Way

Dr. Malek knows that your scope of practice as a DPT, trainer, or other field in the industry requires cohesive training and a whole-person approach. This is why Dr. Malek focuses on client-centered care, especially for those of us who are over 40 and learning how to adapt our training to our bodies as we age.

Aging is beautiful, but you need to know how to keep your body strong as it changes. Your body is adaptable, and while it won't happen overnight, staying strong, fit, and healthy past your 40s and beyond is totally possible with the right attitude, training, and recovery.

Getting Clear on Your Why

One of the first things you need to get clear on, whether you are returning to the gym after injury, working to prevent chronic or onset pain, or just want to start taking care of yourself better, is that you have to be clear on your goals. Ask yourself what you are training for and how your goals play into what you want to do. This can help you support your body and mind. Exercising for life is crucial to your physical longevity, mental health, emotional state, and ability to handle life's stressors.

Dr. Malek is here to provide you with tools you can take with you throughout your life to ensure that you can do the things you want to do without the fear of injury. Are you ready to return to the gym after an injury or pain? Share your story, comments, and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to take a step forward if you have been stuck dealing with injury or pain (9:44)
What you need to be thinking about as a person wanting to keep your body as healthy as possible (15:47)
Learn how the old notion of staying still when dealing with injury or pain is changing (27:32)
Tips for teasing apart the strings that make up your total physical and mental well-being (34:57)
Discover the inspiration behind Dr. Malek’s new book ‘The Science of Stretch’ (39:33)

Quotes

“Proper programming, proper instruction, and consistency do wonders.” (16:05)

“You can still get strong. The issue is I think we are made to believe that we are just supposed to get old and be old and feel old. And I think people need to understand that it is still possible and important. So no matter your fear, understand that this should be a priority.” (17:54)

“The only bad workouts are the ones you are unprepared for, under-fueled for, and pushed through. Those are the workouts you want to be mindful of.” (28:25)

“Everything is playing a role, and I think we just need to zoom out and recognize that we are working with a system and not just an injury.” (38:16)

“As you get older, the biggest thing is what goals are you working towards, and how can you supplement those goals? (46:32)

Featured on the Show

The Science of Stretch by Dr. Leada Malek

Dr. Malek Website

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FYS 362: Sports Injury Rehab & Return to Lifting

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Cardiovascular Fitness & Training for Women w/ Dr. Alyssa Olenick (Part 2) Jan 23, 2024

In the world of fitness and nutrition, there is so much misinformation and oversimplification of concepts out there. This is why Dr. Alyssa Olenick is here to continue our conversation surrounding everything from heart rate zones to perceived excursion and how to balance your intensity properly.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Improve Your Cardiovascular Health, You Should:

Focus on getting fit and meeting the physical activity guidelines if you are just starting out
Don't get caught up in the all-or-nothing perfectionist mentality when it comes to your heart rate
Get over the idea that you have to annihilate yourself for fitness to count

Finding Balance with Dr. Alyssa Olenick

Dr. Alyssa Olenick, or Dr. Lyss, is currently a Postdoctoral research student studying metabolism and menopause. She has a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology, where she researched metabolism and exercise science in females. Dr. Alyssa is on a mission to redefine evidence-based fitness. She is passionate about science-based nutrition and fitness and how the two integrate so that she can help people become their healthiest selves while chasing their boldest fitness goals.

Learning to Love Zone 2

Whether you are just starting out with your cardiovascular health journey or have been going for a while, there is a good chance the conversation surrounding Zone 2 has come up more than once. Dr. Lyss has a ton of experience in understanding and applying the nuance of research to everything from your heart rate, RPE, level of intensity, recovery, and so much more. Learning what to focus on and pay attention to at the different levels of your training will help alleviate your concerns about both strength training and cardiovascular fitness.

Training in a Different Way

Dr. Lyss wants to encourage you to think about your training program holistically. Balanced fitness training can help you develop characteristics for health, life, and longevity. However, this takes a different mental approach and view of what quality training and intensity are. It is not just about pushing yourself to your maximum; it is about looking holistically at your overall intensity to see where you can go harder because you have held back in other areas.

Female physiology needs both strength and cardiovascular health. A well-rounded training and athletic approach program can help you be the most resilient human you can be.

What is your relationship to cardiovascular training? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Where to start when looking to improve your cardiovascular fitness (6:40)
Understanding the role of heart rate and how to figure out where you need to be (20:58)
How to assess your training distribution and fitness mindset throughout the week (31:27)
What to do if you feel like you aren't working hard enough (36:04)
Learn how to train in a recoverable way to ultimately do more (41:02)

Quotes

“Do not worry about the mode or how you do it or how intense it is or the zone that you are in; the first thing you need to do is get to the physical activity guidelines.” (7:29)

“But you have to decide, once you have been doing this for a while, ‘what do I actually want from this?’.” (16:15)

“When you are doing more intense exercise, you are having to focus more on your steps and your breathing and what you are doing. So these are all things that I like to use for checking in with yourself.” (30:25)

“Not all training needs to be hard to be quality.” (36:43)

“Hybrid training is health. And it doesn't have to be running and lifting. It can be so many different things. But train multiple characteristics of your fitness.” (43:37)

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FYS 420: Dr. Alyssa Olenick (Part 2)

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Fueling and Fitness for Women: Physiology, Metabolism & the Data Gap w/ Dr. Alyssa Olenick (Part 1) Jan 09, 2024

It is no secret that there are sex differences in fitness and nutrition. However, it might not be what you have been led to believe. Nutrition, training concepts, and fueling your workouts are key aspects to training whether you are a man or a woman. By empowering yourself with evidence-based science, you can take an informed approach to your fitness and strength training.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Interested in the Data Behind Womens Physiology, You Should:

Work to understand what goes on in the research world
Be careful of how things are marketed to you
Listen to Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Alyssa

Facing the Facts with Dr. Alyssa Olenick

Finding Faith in the Data

While it is true that we need better data when it comes to female health in general, Dr. Alyssa says it's not all bad news. She encourages others not to be so critical of science and research until they really understand what it takes behind the scenes. The barriers faced are in part, the reason that we have this gap, but there is some solid data out there that can help you better understand your body and what it needs to succeed. By looking at the research with a lens of what we know, and where we need more information, you can translate that information into practical and usable tools that work for you.

Don’t Believe Everything You Are Sold

Unfortunately, what tends to happen is a ‘pinkifying’ effect from coaches, influencers, brands, and companies who are trying to put a pretty pink bow on anything deemed ‘for women only’. If you can avoid these marketing schemes and focus solely on what the research is telling us, you will see the results you have been looking for.

You don't need to engage with these cyclic and hormonal protocols, you just need to adopt proper training and fueling instead.

Have you ever been told to do something differently because you are a woman? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Discover Dr. Alyssa’s origin story and why she fell in love with studying exercise physiology (5:04)
Learn about the Invisible Sports Woman Study and how it has changed our approach to female fitness and physiology (11:34)
Understanding the degree of misinterpretation of science in the quest to understand ourselves (20:19)
Where sex differences play a factor in terms of nutrition and the menstrual cycle (29:25)
Why fasted training may not be as beneficial as we are sold (40:04)

Quotes

“Good education and good training can make all the difference in people's health and life, and so that's kind of just been my philosophy the whole way through.” (10:15)

“You have always had permission to listen to your body. You have always had permission to just intensity based on perception. You have always had permission to take a rest day if you feel like hot, flaming raccoon trash can garbage. And you have always had permission to fuel yourself appropriately to support your training.” (26:28)

“There is a difference between sex differences and menstrual cycle differences. Those are two completely different things that we are talking about here.” (29:52)

“You don't need radically different things. We see this with cycle training and pregnancy and menopause. It's repackaged pinkifyed versions of training that are literally the same thing you probably have boy college football players doing, but in a nice pretty, pink, ‘this is safe for you and good for you’ package.” (36:20)

“Whether you think you are an athlete or not, you want your session to give you the things that you want out of it.” (45:04)

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FYS 418: Muscle & Longevity

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FYS 393: 3 Ways To Increase Your Metabolism As An Athlete

The Mindset to Do Hard Things w/ Allison Grubbs Dec 19, 2023

Allison Grubbs seemingly came out of nowhere when it comes to rucking. Last year, she participated in her first GORUCK selection, and this year, she finished the GORUCK Selection as the only participant left standing. Allison's insight, wisdom, and mindset got her to where she is today, and she brings along a message of hope and tranquility that is incredibly inspiring.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to do Hard Things, You Should:

Remember Allison's advice to chill out and enjoy the moment
Find a community that supports your ambitions
Stay calm and believe in your ability to do whatever you set your mind to

Doing the Hard Stuff with Allison Grubbs

Allison Grubbs is an endurance athlete and adventurer who is only the second woman ever to complete GORUCK Selection. Her journey from a self-proclaimed ‘average’ swimmer as a child to where she is today is a testament to her incredibly strong mindset and determination.

Cool, Calm, and Collected

Allison spent her childhood and teenage years swimming but never considered herself an athlete. Even today, she does not identify with the elite athlete status that her achievements have brought. Through a calm, cool, and collected mindset, Allison has shown that she knows how she operates and runs towards that any chance she gets. Her goals are to finish, keep moving, and be calm in stressful situations. She hopes to be a role model for other ‘badass babes’ in her community.

Chill Out and Enjoy the Moment

Allison and I have a lot of parallels in our stories. But what I find so remarkable about Allison is how she stays calm under pressure, knows herself, and goes for what she wants.

If you have a big dream or a big goal, Allison is proof that it is totally possible to achieve anything you put your mind to. Her personal process and fitness journey inspire anyone who knows it, which is why I brought her to the podcast today so that you, as the listener, can get to know her strength firsthand.

How does your mindset impact your goals? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

A look back at Allison’s fitness background (5:15)
Exploring the differences between endurance training, CrossFit, and more (20:32)
What it is like to experience the GORUCK Selection (32:09)
Why going for the most challenging possible thing can give you a sense of drive (43:13)
Learn what it is like to get to the end of the GORUCK Selection as the final participant (1:00:55)

Quotes

“As I have progressed in the endurance events, endurance community, it’s just forward movement. Thats how I think of it now.” (24:02)

“Most of the time, I just want to finish. That is almost always my goal, is just to finish something.” (30:31)

“Everyone asks after that, ‘Why did you quit?’. Honestly, I have no idea. I was just really okay at that moment with being done and letting her go.” (50:43)

“Part of this year that was so stressful was knowing that I could do it, but always feeling like nothing was good enough.” (54:04)

“There is so much community support. I feel like these are my people. I don't know why, but they have accepted me, so it just feels right, it feels good.” (1:04:03)

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FYS 415: Rucking for Women

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FYS 389: The Benefits of Rucking for Women with Michael Easter

Muscle & Longevity Dec 12, 2023

When you think of muscle mass in women, does your brain immediately jump to the image of ultra-muscled competitors and quote-unquote meatheads? Building muscle mass as a female athlete does not look like this image most of the time, yet women are still afraid of getting bulky. In this episode, I want to dive into what building muscle mass as a woman really looks like and the massive benefits for your overall health and longevity that can come from it.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Get Deeper Into the Conversation Around Muscle Mass, You Should:

Stop letting society tell you that you should be afraid of getting ‘too bulky’
Dive deeper into the topics touched on in this episode
Learn and explore how muscle mass can improve your longevity and quality of life

Muscle is More than Aesthetics

For so long, the conversation around muscle mass has stopped at the aesthetic value. But the truth is, building muscle as a female athlete, especially a female athlete over 40, is about so much more than aesthetics. I want to challenge this conversation and urge you to dig deeper into the benefits that building muscle mass and getting strong can have for you.

Building muscle mass can help with your insulin sensitivity, boost your bone strength, enhance your longevity and quality of life, decrease the risk of falls, improve your cognitive health and cardiovascular function, and much more. It's time for the conversation around muscle mass to focus on those things, rather than just the aesthetic value of muscle.

Quality of Life Matters

Longevity is one of the key benefits of building muscle mass. But I don't just mean longevity in terms of living to 120 without the functionality or independence you want in order to live your life fully. I am talking about an all-encompassing longevity that not only maintains and improves your quality of life but gives you the confidence to keep going.

When it comes to muscle mass in females, the benefits are so far beyond the exterior. If you are looking for a way to preserve your freedom, gain confidence, improve your quality of life, and age in a way that makes you look and feel good, strength training is crucial to your success.

Are you ready to dive deeper into muscle mass than what lies on the surface? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Understanding why some women are afraid of muscle and lifting heavy (4:44)
Different roles that muscle mass plays which can be associated with longevity (6:47)
The broad role your metabolism plays in relationship with your muscle tissue (10:09)
How your muscle mass can regulate your blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity (12:23)
Why your adolescence can have a significant impact on your menopause transition (14:31)

Quotes

“When it comes down to things, we have to build muscle if we want to experience some kind of sculpting or toning or any of that.” (2:35)

“The conversation, in my opinion, is lacking some of the deeper reasons why muscle plays very crucial roles in the body, and how those are associated with longevity.” (6:02)

“Our capacity to move through life, to do those activities of daily living, to perform physical exercise, which is also a very clear health-promoting habit. Those are associated with better longevity and improved quality of life.” (8:57)

“It is really important to lean on things like exercise, or specifically strength training or resistance training, to help us improve our insulin sensitivity. Exercise is a really important tool in your toolbox.” (13:55)

“We've talked about here mobility and physical activity, the sit-to-stand test, why this matters for discussions of quality of life, overall wellbeing, independence, being able to have mobility, and complete activities of daily living as well as physical exercise.” (18:21)

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FYS 416: Is Muscle Anti-Aging?

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FYS 406: Creatine, Bone, and Brain Health with Dr. Darren Candow

Building Strength for Rowing w/ Shane Farmer Nov 28, 2023

One of the pieces of equipment in the gym that strikes fear into people is the rowing machine. Many people consider it a piece of warm-up equipment, but it is so much more than that. When you take the time to educate yourself about not only rowing but how you can create a more well-rounded training program, the results can be magic.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Interested in Rowing, You Should:

Look at GPP Fitness from all perspectives and directions
Integrate rowing into your workout routine in a way that works for you
Lean on your community and coaches to help drive positive change

Changing Lives Through Rowing with Shane Farmer

Shane Farmer changed his life through rowing. He started Dark Horse Rowing to help others gain a community of others who hold them accountable, challenge their limits, and drive them to evolve and become the most robust, most incredible versions of themselves. Shane believes rowing can help make positive change and guide others to their most genuine potential.

Building Community Through Fitness

Shane doesn't want to turn you into a rower. Instead, he wants to help non-rowers use rowing on and off the machine to stay active, move better, and have an excellent quality of life for as long as possible. One of the main pillars of Shane’s program is the hyper-local tribe and community that can be a game changer for many people.

Diversity is Key

Diversity in your movements and workouts is critical to longevity. Shane believes that we all go through seasons of which practices we enjoy. One day it may be rowing, the following strength training, etc. The key is to change and evolve in a way that keeps you passionate about your movement practice so that you can promote your longevity as best as possible.

By finding a healthy balance of weight training, cardio, machine work, and recovery, you can create positive change and improve all of the different elements of your training. Being proactive is far better than being reactive when it comes to your health, and it's never too late to try something new.

Are you ready to integrate a new practice, such as rowing, into your movement routine? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Exploring the parallel between rowing and CrossFit (11:52)
How the pandemic affected exercise routines and the return to hyper-local community (15:15)
Some of the biggest strength issues and challenges you need to face to improve your rowing (26:37)
The importance of continual movement in your life as you progress (33:15)
Tips for weaving together rowing and strength training for your overall fitness and longevity (41:00)

Quotes

“People are always going to want to gravitate to tribe and community. So as long as it is available, people will gather for fitness purposes.” (18:25)

“I’m not trying to turn you into a rower. I am trying to help you use rowing as an accessory to staying fit for life.” (30:45)

“Submit yourself to the process of learning the movement. Because once it all makes sense, you’re going to find a lot more enjoyment in the workouts.” (33:26)

“There is no magic pill. There’s no ‘rowing is the greatest thing in the world; strength training is the greatest thing in the world’. They are all just a means to facilitate what the body is meant to do.” (37:04)

“We have so much knowledge at this point about what to do that the hardest thing is just choosing what we are going to do on any given day.” (45:52)

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FYS #416: Is Musckle Anti-Aging?

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Is Muscle Anti-Aging? Nov 14, 2023

Our Western society is, to put it frankly, obsessed with the idea of anti-aging and the fountain of youth. This multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry that is mainly targeted at women focuses on all of the products and things you can do to maintain the appearance of youth on the outside of your body. But what about what is going on in the inside?

Key Takeaways

If You Are Interested in Using Muscle to Improve Your Aging, You Should:

Start strength training now if you haven't already
Follow a plan that is progressive and will help you
Outsource to a professional in order to take the next step

Preserving Your Muscle and Quality of Life

Muscle is the most critical topic that is missing from the majority of conversations around aging. Preserving our muscle mass as we get older is one of the best ways to maintain our quality of life and longevity as we transition through menopause and beyond. Developing and maintaining muscle not only makes you feel good but is a key factor in how you age.

The Unsung Hero of Anti-Aging

While you may not be able to prevent 100% of the muscle mass loss you may experience as you get older, strength training is the best action you can take to take steps in that direction.

Muscle mass is the unsung hero of the anti-aging discussion, and is about so much more than vanity and appearances. If you want to preserve your quality of life and longevity as you age, maintaining your muscle is the first thing you need to think about.

How has strength training changed your approach to aging? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Exploring what the term anti-aging really means in modern Western society (4:45)
Evidence-based statistics to help you understand the aging landscape (9:02)
Why you need to pay attention to strength training, especially during the menopause transition (13:21)
What you need to know about the relationship between estrogen and muscle (17:11)
Things you can do about your muscle mass as you age (25:02)

Quotes

“If there is one thing that gets missed over time and time and time again in the conversation about aging, it is the unsung hero, muscle.” (3:12)

“I don't want to just live to be very old in terms of my years, but I also would like to have as much quality of life, and quality of health, as possible.” (8:29)

“No matter where on the spectrum you are, it is absolutely important and possible for you to start strength training now and reap some of these benefits.” (15:53)

“Not only does this affect performance in terms of sports and athletics and fitness, but also, life.” (21:48)

“This is all about your longevity, quality of programming, quality of life, and how strength training is going to serve you going forward.” (29:01)

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FYS #411: Why You Need A Strength Training Program

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Rucking for Women Oct 31, 2023

Rucking is having a moment right now, but it is nothing new, per se. Humans have been carrying loads for distance since the beginning of time. While rucking is not a replacement for your strength training, it has a multitude of benefits to your cardiovascular strength, blood sugar, bone health, and so much more.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Interested in Including Rucking in Your Fitness Plan, You Should:

Start slow and build up your endurance over time while taking time for recovery
Use rucking as a way to improve your cardiovascular and strength training
Look into rucking group challenges if you are interested

The Many Benefits of Rucking

Ever since I discovered rucking, I have included it as part of my fitness routine. The unique benefits of rucking, particularly for women over 40, have had a huge supportive impact on my training regime. Rucking is an incredibly effective form of exercise that has a wide range of benefits that can impact not only your fitness capacity but also your social and competitive capacity as well.

Carrying heavy things is a fundamental movement pattern that is especially important for women over 40. The benefits to your bones, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, stress, and more are some reasons why I love rucking.

Answering All of Your Rucking Questions

While rucking can be simply defined as carrying loads for a distance, there are a lot of questions that come up when starting any new fitness or movement practice. How much weight, what shoes you should wear, what equipment you need, what counts as rucking, and how to get started rucking are only a few of the questions I answer for you on today's podcast.

If you are curious about rucking, already have a walking practice, or just want to try something new, rucking may be the answer you have been looking for.

What do you love about rucking? What are you the most curious about? Share your rucking thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn the simplest way to define rucking in one sentence (5:01)
The difference between rucking and heavy carries during a workout (6:47)
Why rucking is an effective form of exercise, especially for women (8:26)
All the answers you need to get started with rucking (18:56)
How much weight you should be rucking in each stage (25:12)

Quotes

“Once I started rucking myself, I could definitely see where this was a beneficial addition to my fitness routine, and I have been doing it ever since.” (4:34)

“We need to keep our cardiovascular strong, but we also need to strength train. We need the unique benefits of both.” (13:19)

“Proper recovery matters just like any other kind of training. Don't overdo it, pay attention to your body… don't ignore that shit.” (29:27)

“If you are looking for rucking gear that is really going to go the distance, check out GO RUCK.” (33:54)

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FYS 389: The Benefits of Rucking for Women w ith Michael Easter

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How to Leverage Essentialism for Fitness Oct 03, 2023

If you are a woman over 40 trying to build your fitness and muscle, you know how important it is to get into the gym on a regular basis. But if you struggle to find the consistency or motivation to exercise, you are definitely not alone. I find consistency as one of the most common things my clients struggle with, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Curious About Essentialism, Try:

Taking time to decide what is truly important for you
Saying no to the things that you do not want to do
Doing fewer things but doing them better

Adding Instead of Taking Away

A lot of things in the health world are focused on removing or distancing yourself from a thing. Exercise is certainly not that way, and it requires you to lean in when it comes to changing your health habits. Although exercise takes time, energy, and space in your daily calendar, adding it to your life consistently is going to help you achieve the results you are looking for.

All 24 Hours Are Not the Same

While there are 24 hours in a day, each of us has our own schedule, timeline, and ability to prioritize exercise. Finding the time, space, and motivation to be consistent isn't necessarily easy, but by asking yourself the right questions, you can identify what's important, what you may want to say no to, and, ultimately, how to live more aligned with your values.

The #1 most underrated concept when it comes to helping you find more time, which can, in turn, help you increase your consistency with training, is essentialism. There is a counterintuitive reason why finding consistency with your workouts is so hard, especially as a woman over 40.

Have you ever approached your fitness with an essentialism mindset? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Behind-the-scenes update of what to expect in the coming months on my training platform (2:47)
Why exercise does not follow the standard ideal of health change (7:43)
Understanding essentialism and why it may help you assess your life (9:50)
Questions you can ask yourself as a thought exercise to guide your actions (13:04)
How to implement the principles of essentialism into your own life (15:25)

Quotes

“It has been extremely gratifying to really bring those of you over 40 who are looking to improve your strength, muscle, and fitness, and feel strong. To really bring you a comprehensive program that is going to tick the boxes that we need as women over 40.” (3:47)

“If you are feeling challenged with consistency, I promise you you are not alone in feeling what you are feeling.” (4:52)

“Exercise cannot be accomplished through subtraction, elimination, or avoidance.” (8:33)

“Exercise is a form of self-care. We are taking care of our health.” (15:12)

“Ultimately, we all don't have the same time in our day. But by implementing the principles of essentialism, hopefully, you can carve out just a little bit more for yourself.” (17:47)

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Essentialism by Greg Mckeown

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FYS 410: The Power of Intrinsic Motivation in Fitness

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Finding Enjoyment in the Return to Running Sep 12, 2023

I recently decided to return to running after a 12-year-long break from it. While the idea of returning to running was a little bit scary and uncomfortable, I have found three teachable moments through my experience that you can apply to your own life, whether it is running or something entirely different that you want to make a return to but are apprehensive about.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Find Enjoyment in Returning to an Exercise Such as Running, You Should:

Find another way to do your cardio that you can tolerate
Find an intrinsic motivation to train for
Find some sense of joy in doing whatever you are doing

Cardio and Strength Training Go Together

Some of you may not know that I used to be an endurance athlete. I focus more on strength training rather than cardio in my public work because when we look at the data, more women meet their cardio minimums than their strength training minimums.

However, we need a balance of both strength training and cardio to see the results that most of us are looking for. It takes a combination approach for all of us to achieve our goals, no matter what our goals are.

Find Your Intrinsic Motivation

Sometimes, exercise is uncomfortable and hard. It is a way that we build in a way of controlled discomfort. But finding other things that we enjoy about the experience makes it that much richer. This has been my main takeaway when getting back into running.

Finding intrinsic motivation is key to putting yourself out there. Even if you do not love the exercise itself, finding joy in the other aspects of 'the thing' instead of looking for external validation will keep you going. It is possible to find a way to incorporate what scares you into your daily routine; you just have to take the first step.

Have you been looking for a way to reincorporate something such as running that you may have had on the shelf for a while? Tell me your story in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why I decided to make my return to running after a 12-year break (3:18)
The steps I took to get back into running to prepare for future events (12:29)
How you can find a new or alternative way to return to a specific exercise (14:45)
The importance of continued motion and purpose for your longevity (17:27)
How to find motivation and joy in whatever activity you are doing (22:52)

Quotes

“If you were wondering why I go on and on and on about fueling and why I became a sports nutritionist, it is to help other women, especially women, avoid those pitfalls that I fell into all those years back.” (4:45)

“I knew that I was going to have to find a way of reconciling the fact that when I left the sports world, I was doing a lot of things for the wrong reasons.” (13:55)

“There was definitely an apprehension for me or kind of a burnout in putting running on the shelf for an indefinite amount of time, and as I started to return to things, I wanted to do it very mindfully.” (14:33)

“For so many years, we have swung the pendulum from only doing cardio to only doing strength training, and we need both.” (15:47)

“Sometimes it is the extrinsic stuff that is enough to get us in the door, but it is more the intrinsic side of things that keeps us going, and I very much have felt that with running.” (22:38)

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FYS 389: The Benefits of Rucking for Women with Michael Easter

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FYS 380: Lessons From Endurance to Lifting: Top Sports & Nutrition Training Lessons

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How to Get Better Fitness Results Aug 22, 2023

Investing in your own transformation is a difficult thing for a lot of us, but it is so important. Whether you invest your time, money, or effort, showing up for yourself and investing in your own growth is the key to seeing the results you are hoping for.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready to Invest in the Next Step, You Should:

Remember that you are not the only one who doesn’t have everything figured out
Take the step to invest in yourself through a coach, training program, or just asking for help
Believe that you are worthy of this investment, and watch how you can show up for yourself

Your Body is a Garden

I have been putting off fixing up my garden for years. Once I finally decided to do something about it, and reach out to an expert for help, my years of procrastination were fixed in just a few hours. What really surprised me was the amount of joy and satisfaction I got from seeing the fruits of my labor.

Your nutrition and training program might be a lot like my garden. But instead of feeling overwhelmed and putting it off, or being afraid of asking for help, taking the initiative to invest in yourself will feel so much better than procrastinating.

Investing In Yourself

Investing in yourself means that you get to borrow the education and expertise from others, and it helps you avoid the constant overwhelm of trying to learn and do everything yourself. Hiring an expert is an investment that you can make that will result in the growth and transformation you are looking for.

You are not alone in the challenging things. By believing that you are worth it and investing in your own growth, you can ditch that feeling of overwhelm and experience the great feeling of seeing your own metaphorical garden bloom.

Are you ready to invest in your next step? Share your story with me in the comments section on the episode page.

In This Episode

Discover a recent personal story for my real life that I hope will inspire you (1:32)
The main benefits of hiring an expert to help you with your goals (12:23)
Understanding the difference between learning, DIY, and borrowing expertise (15:10)
Why hiring an expert is an investment in your growth and transformation (17:01)
How to take the first steps towards your goal by getting help (20:26)

Quotes

“I want you to think, where have I been reluctant to ask for and seek out the help that I really need in order to make the progress I want to see and ultimately get the transformation that I really truly want?” (2:27)

“When you hire an expert, whether it is a gardener or a nutrition coach or someone to paint your house, you are making a very wise choice.” (12:22)

“You are worthy; you have always been worthy; there is no question about your worthiness. And at any point in the process, wherever you are with your nutrition or your strength training, are worthy of hiring someone.” (16:36)

“You start to value yourself and show up for yourself differently when you invest in your own growth, in your own transformation.” (18:40)

“If you are ready to figure all this stuff out, have expert guidance, get the coaching and the community support that are so so important in long-term progress, then we are waiting for you to apply!” (23:44)

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FYS 410: The Power of Intrinsic Motivation in Fitness

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Why You Need a Strength Training Program Aug 15, 2023

Lifting heavy is great, but there are a lot of ingredients that go into the recipe for getting better results out of your strength training. Having a program that works for your body, and your goals, is absolutely key to long-term consistency and results.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Improve Your Strength Training Program, You Should:

Consider all of the factors that make the process complete in a strength training program
Remember that heavy lifting is just a piece of the puzzle, especially as you train into your 40s and beyond
Focus on consistency and having a well-rounded training program in order to reach your goals

How to Reach Your Goals

Your program is the plan that is going to take you to your goal, which takes a lot of thinking and skill. This is why it is so important to understand that training concepts are not the same thing as strength training programming, and this is why they are so much more effective than just doing random workouts.

While the ‘what’, lifting heavy, may be easy to understand, the how and why of getting there is much more complex. Creating a plan that progresses and periodizes over time will help you accomplish the best of what strength training can do.

Trust The Process

While random workouts will no doubt do something, adding muscle mass and having a well-rounded workout is essential, especially as you train into your 40s and beyond. Lifting heavy and moving your body is great, but you need a program that is suited to you and your body's needs if you are ever going to reach your goal.

By trusting the process and following a program that is aligned with your goals, you can take the burden off yourself and focus on being consistent. By showing up for yourself, you can continue to see great results and feel supported on your strength training journey.

What is your relationship with your training program like? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why lifting heavy weights over 40 is only part of the story (6:56)
The importance of understanding the why behind your programming (11:27)
How variables and frequency play a role in your programming strategy (16:05)
Other components that go into a great training plan besides just lifting heavy (18:53)
What you need to keep an eye on when you are programming for 40 and above (22:45)

Quotes

“Often we hear that we should ‘just lift heavy’. But what are the things that really go into just lifting heavy? And is lifting heavy really enough?” (2:25)

“If you have a goal, you need a program.” (12:38)

“Even though I have been coaching and lifting for over 10 years, I knew I could still get better at writing programs” (20:53)

“Lifting heavy is an integral part of many great strength training programs. But it is not the only thing you likely should do, especially if you are trying to become more well-rounded and fit in your 40s and beyond.” (22:09)

“There are a lot of things that we can do differently based on going through our 40s and beyond to start working with what's going on and working with those changes instead of saying, ‘well, it's just pointless; there is nothing I can do about this’.” (25:32)

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FYS 409: Overcoming All or Nothing Thinking In the Gym

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The Power of Intrinsic Motivation in Fitness Aug 01, 2023

Fitness and motivation go hand in hand when achieving your goals. But have you ever stopped to think about the basis behind your goals? Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for fitness are both part of the fitness process. However, it is important to stay alert and aware of where your motivation is coming from in order to achieve long-term results.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Become More Intrinsic In Your Motivation, You Can:

Consider your intrinsic motivations for your overall behaviors
See if there is room to shift your extrinsic motivators along the spectrum
Give yourself some choice when it comes to the things you are working on

Your Motivation Matters

We all have a wide range of motivational factors, whether we are just stepping foot in the gym or have been there for years. Regardless, the ‘why’ behind your motivation can play a key part in how you succeed in the long term. This is why it is important to understand the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation so that you can apply these concepts and better understand your own fitness goals.

Challenging yourself to understand your goals and how those goals align with your values are key concepts in any athlete's journey. While there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ motivation, finding a way to connect to something that is in line with your values and identity will only help you in reaching your full potential.

Understanding the Intrinsic/Extrinsic Grey Area

Extrinsic motivation as your starting point can help a person get started toward behavior change, but in the long term, developing a sense of intrinsic motivation is what will keep you going. Extrinsic motivators are not inherently bad. They are often present when someone starts a fitness or nutrition program, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, it is your intrinsic motivators that are going to keep you going, and for the right reasons.

Shifting to more intrinsically linked motivators will help you see your behaviors through for the long haul. And aren't long-term results and consistency what we are really after?

Have you ever considered your intrinsic and extrinsic motivations? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Understanding the main difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (3:40)
Learn about the foundations of self-determination theory (6:47)
Common misconceptions around intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in fitness (8:04)
Examples of extrinsic motivators that often show up in fitness and nutrition (12:52)
What you can do to establish a larger sense of more intrinsic motivation (18:23)

Quotes

“This is very common. It is nothing to feel bad over; it is nothing to feel guilty for; it is just worth noticing and building awareness of.” (3:12)

“When it comes to improving your fitness, whether it is adding strength, building muscle, improving your cardiovascular function, you're just working on consistency with getting into the gym; mindset is a crucial component of this.”: (8:38)

“Flexibility in thinking, your mental skills, are incredibly important in this time. And I would venture to say, maybe more important at this time of life than any other time in your life.” (9:51)

“If all of it is to do an hour, nothing is to sit on the couch, what is something that you could do?” (13:28)

“With continual practice and awareness over time, you can really start to shift this way of thinking.” (13:49)

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Desi & Ryan: Intrinsic Motivation and Self Determination in Human Behaviour - Book

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FYS 409: Overcoming All or Nothing Thinking In the Gym

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Overcoming All or Nothing Thinking in the Gym Jul 18, 2023

Have you ever said to yourself that if you aren't able to do something perfectly, it's not worth doing it at all? This is an example of ‘all or nothing’ thinking. All-or-nothing thinking is incredibly common, especially when it comes to fitness. But this mindset can actually limit your ability to reach your goals and get in the way of the progress that you want to see.

Key Takeaways

If You Struggle with ‘All-or-Nothing’ Thinking, You Can:

Get more aware of the language you use to talk to yourself about your fitness
Shift the binary by brainstorming a third option that is in the middle
Create goals that focus on progress or process, not just the ultimate outcome you want to achieve

Flexibility is Key

All-or-nothing thinking is an example of what I like to call a fixed mindset. Thinking about your fitness goals and gains in a way that is rigid and categorized limits your ability to stay flexible when it comes to how you think about your fitness.

A flexible mindset is one of the most important things you can have, especially as a woman over 40. Being flexible in the way you think about your fitness and nutrition goals is absolutely essential if you want to keep achieving your goals both in and out of the gym.

Mindset Matters

It may not seem like it, but the mindset in which you approach your fitness and nutrition plays a crucial role in your ability to make behavior changes. Limiting yourself to an all-or-nothing mindset means that you don't have any wiggle room to make your training work with your lifestyle.

The good news is that with a few simple mindset shifts, you can break out of this very common mindset pattern, find alternatives that work for you, and not get so hung up in the need to be perfect.

What is one example of ‘All-or-Nothing’ thinking that you've seen in fitness? Let me know in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Understanding what is ‘All-or-Nothing’ mindset (3:02)
Why rigid mindsets are such a common problem (4:30)
Common examples of an ‘All-or-Nothing’ mindset when it comes to fitness and nutrition (6:11)
What you can do to change your mindset for long-term behavior change (10:48)
Learn what ‘All-or-Something’ thinking is and how it could help you shift your mindset (13:00)

Quotes

“This is very common. It is nothing to feel bad over; it is nothing to feel guilty for; it is just worth noticing and building awareness of.” (3:12)

“If all of it is to do an hour, nothing is to sit on the couch, what is something that you could do?” (13:28)

“With continual practice and awareness over time, you can really start to shift this way of thinking.” (13:49)

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Related Episodes

Growth Mindset in Fitness Jul 04, 2023

How you view yourself and other people in the world around you influences all of the things you see, think, and do. This is especially true when it comes to your fitness and how you are able to create new healthy habits around your strength goals. Embracing a growth mindset, rather than a fixed mindset, can have a huge impact on your outcomes and your overall enjoyment in and out of the gym.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Embrace a Growth Mindset, You Should: 1) Look for examples in your life of times you have shown a growth mindset without realizing it

2) Reframe your challenges as opportunities

3) Collect evidence of your progress on a regular basis

Your Growth is Not Linear

Have you ever thought or said to yourself, ‘I’m just not built to do a pull-up’, or something along those lines? Believing that your qualities or characteristics are set in stone can keep you living in a fixed mindset. This is a common characteristic I see within my community, and it can leak out into other parts of your life and the way you view the world.

By challenging that belief and putting yourself in new and uncomfortable situations, you can stretch yourself and experience the magic that lies in the growth mindset.

Reframing Your Mindset

Strength training and life are about staying in the process and giving consistent effort, regardless of the outcome-based goal. By seeing the value in practice, you can seek out new challenges and experiences that leverage your strengths rather than trying to fix your weaknesses.

We all have days where it's easier to stay stuck in your fixed mindset. But if you can stretch yourself enough to reframe the way you think about your obstacles, true growth can occur.

Are you ready to ditch your fixed mindset and embrace the growth mindset? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why you need to give yourself some grace if you are struggling with mindset (1:44)
Learn about fixed mindset and why it can hold you back from achieving your goals (3:42)
Understanding the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset and how it shows up in fitness (6:06)
What you need to do to nudge past a fixed mindset and develop opportunity (10:25)
How to leverage the idea of growth mindset to further your goals in fitness and beyond (14:12)

Quotes

“Whatever you are trying to do, inevitably, challenges in mindset come up.” (2:19)

“As you work towards achieving your goals in fitness, strength, fueling your body in a way that supports performance. You need to do that by showing up consistently and implementing new behaviors; you'll probably work on forming new habits, which is a great thing, and making different choices. And all of that is influenced by mindset.” (5:00)

“It's not just about the outcome, it's about the effort.” (11:32)

“If we don't ever step up and accept challenges, because we don't think we can be successful or we don't think we can win at that thing, its a lot harder to reach our fitness goals.” (13:20)

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Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

Mindset Masterclass

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Why You're Struggling With Motivation To Workout

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How To Build An Athlete Mindset Over 40

The Female Athlete Health Report w/ Kyniska Advocacy Jun 20, 2023

The health of female athletes is often overlooked or underrepresented in sporting organizations across the world. This is one of the reasons why Mhairi Maclennon and Kate Sealy founded Kyniska Advocacy – to educate, advocate, and provide support for female athletes. In cooperation with Project RED-S, they recently released the Female Athletes Health Report, which will form the basis of many recommendations in women’s sports.

Key Takeaways

Recommendations from the Female Athlete Health Report

Mandatory female health training within all sports organizations
A toolkit for athletes to have information early
Support network about RED-S and female athlete health
Equipping medical professionals with the information they need about RED-S

About Kyniska Advocacy

Kyniska Advocacy advocates for progressive policies in women’s sports, enacting change one campaign at a time. They want to instill an equitable sporting culture from grassroots clubs to the Olympic games and everything in between.

Their vision is to create a sporting community that fosters a safe environment and has the protection of women at its heart. To develop sport, where decisions are made with women in mind, by people who understand us, and where women have a seat at the table. And to build a world where men’s sport isn’t the default standard for women's sport.

Kyniska Advocacy is fighting for equity in sports, and sports tailored to different needs.

They work through three principal pillars; educate, advocate, and support. They educate via webinars, resources, and campaigns. They advocate by working with parliamentarians and sports governing bodies to shape policies and procedures to better protect, respect and celebrate women and girls in sports. And they support through our athlete support service, our athlete blog & using our platform to give women in sports a voice.

Policy Change for Female Athletes

Kyniska Advocacy Co-Founders Mhairi Maclennan and Kate Seary join the conversation today to talk about their initiative and why they co-sponsored the Female Athlete Health Report with Project RED-S. They build their foundation because of the lack of responsibility within UK sports organizations for the abuse and overall health of female athletes.

Mhairi and Kate share some of the challenges they’ve experienced around any policy change for women’s sports. While they experience resistance across the board, more and more athletes find their voices powerful and can enact change.

The Female Athlete Health Report

Understanding female athlete health is pivotal to the work of Kyniska Advocacy. They partnered with Project RED-S for the Female Athlete Health Report, where 800 female athletes filled out the survey. They focused on details such as RED-S, eating habits, and how female athletes view themselves and their bodies.

One common theme across the board is how a female athlete’s body image can drastically impact their performance. The other big issue is RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), which impacts the menstrual cycle.

Do you feel supported as a female athlete? What are your support systems? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

What inspired the creation of Kyniska Advocacy [5:00]
Some of the UK sporting challenges affecting policy change [8:15]
How the procedures and policies differ from sport to sport [15:15]
Why Kyniska Advocacy partnered on the Female Athlete Health Report [22:00]
How your body image can impact your athletic performance [25:00]
The different challenges elite athletes face [32:30]
The correlation between the menstrual cycle and RED-S [39:00]
What is next for Kyniska Advocacy [48:30]

Quotes

“It’s across the board. I think everyone responds in the same way to abuse in sport: they think it’s terrible. But it’s actually getting to the root cause of abuse that people start [to hesitate]. The issue we come across with coaches is a lack of support from their governing bodies, so they’re not informed of safeguarding and welfare, so when they are, they become defensive.” [11:07]

“We want an independent body that the big cases get sent to so that we know that there is consistency across all sports. It’s independent, so it’s more transparent and trustworthy.” [16:53]

“I think because there are these different moving parts and because sport has been independently operated, there has been a reluctance from the government to step in, but I think that in order for us to make real change, and for sports to have one unifying structure, it is necessary.” [20:42]

“Because sport is so performance-focused and success-driven, we don’t prioritize thinking holistically about eating and body image, and they fall by the wayside. We think our bodies are machines because that’s what we’re told.” [26:16]

“We have this belief that there’s an athlete in every body. If you move you’re body, you’re an athlete.” [32:31]

Featured on the Show

Kyniska Advocacy

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What Is Relative Energy Deficiency In Sport (Red-S)?

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Creatine, Bone, and Brain Health W/ Dr. Darren Candow Jun 13, 2023

One of the best-researched supplements in terms of muscle strength and performance worldwide is creatine monohydrate. But recent developments in the scientific research world show there are a lot of other benefits that creatine can give you, especially when it comes to health from your neck and up. Cognition, mood, memory, and so much more are proving to be the next big thing in creatine research.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Utilize All the Benefits of Creatine, You Should:

Ensure that you are combining creating with resistance training in order to see results
Dose in a way that supports both your overall brain and body health
Don’t stress about the myths you have heard about creatine supplementation

The Godfather of Creatine Research, Dr. Darren Candow

Dr. Darren Candow, Ph.D., CSEP-CEP, is a Professor and Director of the Aging Muscle and Bone Health Laboratory in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina, Canada. The overall objectives of Dr. Candow’s internationally renowned research program are to develop effective lifestyle interventions involving nutrition (primarily creatine monohydrate) and physical activity (resistance training), which have practical and clinical relevance for improving musculoskeletal aging and reducing the risk of falls and fractures.

Understanding the Many Benefits of Creatine

Most people know that your muscle content will increase when you combine creatine and resistance training. But what about the effects that creatine has on the brain? Creatine works best when your brain is stressed. This means that supplementing creatine for brain health has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety, reduce concussion symptoms, improve immune system function, and more.

Supplementing creatine while combining it with exercise creates the potential for bone and brain health improvements, and the research proves it.

The Proof is in the Research

While the effects of creatine supplementation on the brain have only recently started to be explored, the research is very promising. In fact. Dr. Candow believes that creatine is going to be an interesting supplement to study for the next 50 years, given its wide-reaching benefits.

The benefits of creatine are not just opinions. This is why I feel it is important for you to hear from Dr. Candow, so you can get a first-hand understanding of why there is a potential possibility for so many clinical applications when it comes to creatine. It is an exciting time to be diving into the world of creatine supplementation; join us!

What interests you most about the benefit of creatine supplementation for the body and the mind? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Get an insider look into what it is like to conduct a scientific research trial (5:37)
One of the most obscure facts about creatine that you probably don't already know (12:38)
Understanding the effect of creatine on fat mass changes and chronic disease (22:47)
What you need to know about creatine, memory, and the brain (33:31)
How to properly dose your creatine to do the most you can for your brain (41:54)

Quotes

“[Creatine] has become a total body supplement, not just for athletes looking to get bigger faster. I think anybody on the planet, I am really struggling to think of anyone on the planet who would not benefit from creatine in some form or another.” (11:36)

“We can conclude that basically, if you are 18 years of age and above, creatine and resistance training will decrease fat a little amount, and it will not increase it, which has the implications for avoiding a lot of chronic diseases later in life.” (24:26)

“Creatine acts as a neurotransmitter and reduces oxidative stress. And individuals with a diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or maybe even PTSD, have a reduction naturally in brain creatine content. So if you can give them more creatine through their diet or supplementation, that has been shown to have some promise by decreasing depressive symptoms.” (37:35)

“I would guess we will be looking at creatine and the brain for the next 50 years, just given the infancy of it.” (40:56)

“Creatine is the sprinkle or the cherry on the cake, and that cake is exercise… the magic of creatine is unlocked when you combine it with exercise.” (43:52)

Featured on the Show

Creatine Study

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FYS 365: Creatine for Strength Training with Dr. Scott Forbes

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FYS 403: Creatine for Women

Carbohydrates for Muscle & Strength May 16, 2023

Today we are diving into the wonderful and crazy world of carbohydrates.

Despite what you may have been told, carbohydrates are not just ultra-processed and refined options. In fact, carbohydrate selection is incredibly diverse and very important to your daily energy intake. By looking at the big picture of what fuel you need when it comes to your training regime, you can get better outcomes when it comes to your training, energy, and recovery.

Key Takeaways

If You're Confused About Protein Powder:

Inform yourself about the science and what the research is saying about different types of supplemental protein
Look for a protein powder that is third-party tested and will give your body what it needs
Learn how to read the label so that you can make an informed decision when shopping in-store or online

Many Women Are Missing Out on Carbohydrates

When considering carbohydrates through the lens of strength athletes, power athletes, and moderate to high-intensity training in short durations, carbohydrates are widely misunderstood. I am speaking from personal experience here when I say that carbohydrates are a key fuel source that many athletes, particularly women, are missing out on.

If you undertake regular weight training and are looking to build muscle and add strength, you need to consume enough carbohydrates to support your training. While this is all highly contextual, you may not be consuming the proper amount of carbohydrates that your body needs.

Carbohydrates Are Your Friend

We all have a baseline of carbohydrates that we need to support our training and recovery on a daily basis. However, this can get complex. Your body is not a spreadsheet, and you don't just eat macronutrients out in the real world. This is why it is all about the finesse of understanding what your body needs in relation to the training you are doing.

Carbohydrates could be the key that you are missing that is keeping you from falling short of your nutrition and fitness goals. The longer and more intense your sessions are, the more carbohydrate intake you are going to need. I know that sounds simple on the surface, but it can take a lot of repetition and guidance in order to really soak that up. That's why I'm here.

What is your favorite carbohydrate source? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

The problem with the ‘low carb high fat’ approach that has become popular among the peri-menopause crowd (7:52)
Understanding the science behind what your body requires on a daily basis (14:28)
Sex-specific considerations when it comes to carbohydrates for female athletes (18:07)
Carbohydrate ranges for strength athletes or short intense training sessions (20:54)
The importance of support and guidance when it comes to bridging the gap in your nutrition (27:12)

Quotes

“When I work with my students who come into Strength Nutrition Unlocked, my one-on-one clients, or I get questions DM’s from all of you out in the world, carbohydrates are absolutely at the top of the list when it comes to things that people are confused and also curious about.” (1:23)

“As an athletic person, you are going to have needs that are probably different from a general baseline of solid nutrition.” (12:42)

“This is where knowing your needs, and working with someone who can help you figure that out, can really be helpful in customizing this to your training.” (22:05)

“Many, many of the women that I work with underestimate how much actual energy they need daily.” (22:19)

“This is really where a coach or nutritionist who is certified and experienced in sports nutrition or a sports dietitian. Those folks like myself can actually help you to move forward instead of being stuck in the weeds.” (29:58)

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Carbohydrates for Women Athletes Article

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FYS 376: Peri-Menopause, Low Carb and Fasting in Women Athletes with Dr. Stacy Sims

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FYS 392: Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure

How to Pick the Best Protein Powder May 09, 2023

If you are confused about protein powder, you are definitely not alone. One of the most common questions I get from listeners is what to look for when shopping for a protein powder. This is why I have dedicated this episode to everything you need to know about the science and research behind protein powder, the differences, the benefits, how to read the label, and so much more.

If You Are Confused About Protein Powder, You Should:

Inform yourself about the science and what the research is saying about different types of supplemental protein
Look for a protein powder that is third-party tested and will give your body what it needs
Learn how to read the label so that you can make an informed decision when shopping in-store or online

What the Research is Saying About Protein Powder

The best way to understand what is going on with protein powder is by looking at it from an evidence-based perspective. There is a lot of research out there to show you the different benefits and results of various types of protein powder. This is incredibly useful when determining which protein powder is right for you and will help you achieve the results that you are looking for. When you are empowered with this knowledge, you can make an informed decision and supplement your nutrition for your performance.

The Power of Protein

Protein and protein supplementation is key to achieving your goals, yet so many women are protein deficient. I know, because I was one of them!

Whatever you decide when it comes to protein powder, remember that it is supplemental to all the other things you are already doing. Making sure you get adequate daily protein is priority number one, which I spoke about in depth during my protein series. My goal is to give you the science and information that's out there so that you can put this framework into practice and see the results.

How do you feel about your level of knowledge when it comes to protein powder? Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Addressing the controversy and misinformation surrounding protein powder (6:16)
What you need to know scientifically about your amino acid intake (11:41)
Understanding the differences and similarities of whey protein (18:13)
Diving into the world of plant-based proteins including serving size (22:28)
Breaking down the confusion surrounding collagen (27:12)
How to select a brand of protein powder and what to look for (35:18)

Quotes

“Are you just the tiniest bit confused about protein powder? If so, you are not alone.” (0:06)

“For a lot of people, frankly, a scoop of protein powder daily is such an easy change.” (7:16)

“The evidence of collagen improving joint pain is actually quite strong.” (29:03)

“If there is one time when you want muscle protein synthesis to happen, it is after you are done training.” (34:19)

“What to look for in a protein powder when you are out shopping whether it is on the internet or in the store so that you can be assured that you are getting high-quality supplements that actually contain what they say they are going to.” (38:42)

“Just use the information here provided in this episode to go out and make the best choice for you.” (39:26)

Featured on the Show

The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on body composition systematic review

Legion Whey Isolate Protein Powder - use code Steph for 20% off your first order

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Creatine for Women Apr 11, 2023

Creatine Monohydrate is an incredibly well-researched supplement. While we don't have a lot of women-specific evidence for creatine supplementation, what we do have points in the direction that there are a lot of benefits for females. Don't believe that creatine is just for gym bros; it has a lot of benefits if you know how to use it properly.

If You Are Interested in Using Creatine, You Should:

Educate yourself about the myths and benefits surrounding creatine and female athletes
Remember to always consult your doctor before taking any sort of supplementation
Experiment with taking creatine by calculating the right amount of dosing for your body

Creatine is Not Just for Gym Bros

So, what is creatine? Creatine helps your body recharge and regenerate ADP to ATP, among other things. While we do make creatine naturally through amino acids, we don't maximize our creatine stores naturally, and it is difficult to do it through diet alone, especially if you do not eat meat and fish proteins.

There are many athletic and non-athletic benefits to creatine supplementation. Mental fatigue, mood, sleep, and even perimenopause can all be improved by creatine supplementation. The trick is to understand the benefits and nuances so that you can use it properly.

Science Supported Supplementation

A lot of the concerns I hear surrounding creatine, such as the scale going up, is not shown in the research. If the scale does go up, it is because your tissues are better hydrated and less fatigued. The benefits you get from creatine supplementation are increased if you combine it with resistance training, which is one of the reasons it is such a powerhouse supplement for female athletes.

Creatine is beneficial for women in so many different ways, and the science shows it. If you are interested in accumulating some training and non-training benefits from supplementation, creatine is something you should definitely look into.

Have you ever tried creatine? What were your biggest concerns, questions, and results? Share your story with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why female only cohorts when it comes to scientific studies are still lacking representation (3:31)
Discover what creatine is and how it works in your body (5:10)
Understanding the benefits of creatine, especially for female athletes (10:38)
Training benefits that you can expect to see from creatine supplementation (21:10)
What you need to know about recommended dosing when it comes to creatine (29:56)

Quotes

“Creatine supplementation is something that is additive to a well-rounded dietary intake.” (9:39)

“There is accurate data to show that creatine supplementation has benefits for athletic performance, including things like strength, lean mass, and in some cases even endurance type training.” (10:51)

“There is substantial evidence that creatine can help increase strength and power in trained and untrained women, without large effects to body weight.” (21:22)

“It appears that creatine has some promise throughout the menstrual cycle to help offset some of the adverse effects that can happen to cognition and sleep.” (29:30)

“Creatine shows a lot of promise for women. There is still a long way to go in terms of the research, but what we have so far shows that creatine has a lot of benefits for females.” (38:28)

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Creatine Supplementation in Women's Health: A Lifespan Perspective by AE Smith-Ryan

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FYS 365: Creatine for Strength Training with Dr. Scott Forbes

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FYS 396: Should Protein Be Spread Throughout the Day?

FYS 397: What is High-Quality Protein?

FYS 398: Protein Around Workouts

Built to Move with The Ready State Apr 04, 2023

When it comes to fitness, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the checklist of things you feel like you are ‘supposed’ to do in order to take care of your body. Chances are, you already have a hectic schedule, and incorporating movement practices into that can sometimes feel like a chore. On today's episode my guests are here to show you an easy, simple, and effective way to incorporate the things you need to do to take care of your body, without all the hassle.

If You Want to Move More, You Should:

Don’t get overwhelmed by feeling like you have to add movement onto your checklist
Find simple ways to incorporate movement into your daily routine through the Build to Move tips
Remember that consistency is key and embrace the mentality of ‘Never Do Nothing’

About The Ready State

Meet Juliet and Kelly Starrett, founders of The Ready State and co-authors of their newest book, Built to Move. Juliet and Kelly are on a mission to help you live ready and have dedicated themselves to years of figuring out exactly how you can implement these practices within your already busy schedule. They have a human being approach to basic muscle maintenance and believe it is your right as a human being to be able to do what you love with no holding back.

Become a Durable Person

Have you ever heard the old saying, if you have cookies in the house, you are going to eat the cookies? Kelly and Juliet have taken that principle and applied it to their environment so that they can take every opportunity to move. These ‘movement snacks’ are one of the foundational principles they have created to alter habits and encourage movement.

To Juliet and Kelly, becoming a ‘Durable Person’ means taking a systems approach to your health and well-being in order to increase your ability, strength, and longevity. Incorporating these micro-tasks into your daily habits is the first step.

Never Do Nothing

Juliet and Kelly's mantra is as simple as ‘Never Do Nothing’. They believe that by making small changes in your existing schedule, such as walking instead of driving and moving instead of being still, you can start to see the results you are looking for while also increasing your longevity and overall life enjoyment.

Having an immaculate training program does no good if you are not able to implement it. By getting in where you fit in, you can stop stressing about your fitness checklist and start stacking positive and helpful behaviors into your life.

Are you ready to move more? Share your thoughts about this episode with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Exploring how The Ready State has changed and grown over time (22:07)
The ten key things that will help you focus on moving the needle the most (31:30)
How to alter your movement habits in a way that will not impact your busyness schedule (38:21)
Small habits that you can easily incorporate into your daily life to see real change (47:16)
The best ways that you can start weaving in movement practices into your life simply without lots of time (55:32)

Quotes

“Somewhere in our lives, we both jointly got the message that people who are great at anything just do the same thing over and over and over. And it's not to say that they don't evolve and iterate; they do. But they are kind of doing the same thing over and over and over. And that's how you become great at something.” (18:03)

“You can feel better, and you have to take this system approach to begin to feel better. And it is actually your right and in your power to do so.” (20:30)

“People know they want and need to be healthy, whatever that means. They want to feel good. And they are struggling to feel like they can get solid, actionable advice.” (30:46)

“You actually think you are working really hard, but you can actually feel better and do even more.” (45:29)

“I live a busy life, and so does everybody else… [But] your body is so tolerant. If you just start to give it the right things, or different inputs or expanding your inputs, you will be shocked at what your body will do for you.” (1:03:04)

Featured on the Show

Built to Move by Kelly & Juliet Starrett

The Ready State

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HTK 055: How to Stand for Better Health with Kelly and Juliet Starrett

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Progressive Overload Not Working? Mar 28, 2023

When I hear people struggling with a lack of progress in training, it immediately brings some other questions to my mind. Adding additional weight is not the only thing you need to be paying attention to in your workouts. Nutrition, recovery, mindset, and training program are all important factors in reaching your goals, and they cannot be ignored.

If You Want to See the Most From Your Progressive Overload, You Should:

Make sure that your program is designed with your specific goals in mind
Check how the different phases of your program are being transitioned with your bigger picture in mind
Pay attention to your nutrition, recovery, and mindset, as they are equally as important to your training program

Stop the Comparison

Sometimes, as we age through our 40s and beyond, we think that we should always be able to hit heavier and heavier and heavier weights. With the right program, recovery, nutrition, and mindset, you can continue to do hard shit, but you must be willing to adjust your expectations. Heavy ‘now’ and what your heavy was before don't need to be compared. It's all about hitting your goals and continuing to get stronger in a way that is sustainable, effective, and healthy.

Finding What Works for You

There are a lot of excellent programs and amazing coaches out there who can personalize a training plan with your unique goals in mind. Grabbing some random training plan off Google or YouTube is not going to assist you in helping you reach your goals and feel the best results.

There is no one clean-cut answer to the way in which you are going to get the most out of your training. But, by presenting you with questions that will make you think and reassess how and why you train, you can get clearer on your goals and start implementing a program that is going to work for you in your here-and-now body.

When was the last time you stopped to think about how your program, training, and recovery are working for you? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Getting real about the fitness and nutrition information you see on the internet (2:49)
Questions to ask yourself if you feel like progressive overload is not working for you anymore (4:42)
The problem with programming for yourself even if you have been lifting for a long time (14:44)
How your recovery, nutrition, and mindset are playing a role in your training results (17:10)
Why you don’t need to worry about comparison, especially to your past self (22:14)

Quotes

“Progressive overload doesn't only mean tweaking the weight; there are other variables you can change in your training.” (8:18)

“There is a lot that goes into planning and programming and periodizing a really great program.” (13:27)

“You don't build strength, you don't actually get stronger when you train. You get stronger, or you improve your fitness in whatever metric of fitness you are looking at when you recover from your training.” (17:29)

“We can still do hard shit. We just have to make sure the training plan is smart, we're fueling appropriately, and we are recovering well.” (21:51)

“Yes, we need to challenge ourselves. But we also do need those other elements.” (28:51)

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FYS 399: Are You Overtraining?

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FYS 392: Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure

FYS 385: How To Build An Athlete Mindset Over 40

Fitness Industry B.S. Mar 21, 2023

Today, we’re celebrating a milestone together. This is episode 400! While this podcast has taken on several different forms over years, it has stayed true to its mission — how to help you get strong. So let’s take a look back on where we’ve been, while also looking forward to what’s to come.

To improve the narrative around fitness we need to:

Educate clients that fitness is not an aesthetic goal
Acknowledge those who have been positive influences
Understand that points of view can change
Incorporate new research while acknowledging the existing gaps in knowledge

Gauging Strength and Fitness Outside of Weight-Loss

Longtime listeners know that I want to shift the conversation away from simply weight loss and towards other markers for fitness and health. Changing the culture around this is not a simple task. I still don’t think I have the answer. However, I feel that if coaches focus on educating their clients on why this is important to expand the conversation, changes for the better will come.

I also know it’s tempting to speak the industry lingo. That’s what many clients expect to hear. Yet, if we don’t speak the truth about this, the culture and narrative will never change.

Changing the Culture Moving Forward

As you can see, there are some things that I really wish would change in the fitness industry. I’d like to see women included more in exercise science and sports research. And I have seen this shift lately. This is a good thing, but there are caveats. Since much of the research is still new, it’s important to really understand the data and its limitations to make an informed decision.

How can you help shift and improve the conversation around strength? What changes do you see happening in this industry? Leave a comment on the episode page!

In This Episode

Educating clients on the importance of different approaches to nutrition and strength [4:30]
Some of the most influential women who have inspired me [18:40]
Recognizing and embracing change [23:00]
Looking ahead at the changing landscape of nutrition and strength [28:15]

Quotes

“We as coaches have to be willing to do the education piece and constantly talk about why we’re not going to do things in this other way and why we’re doing things in this different way.” [4:50]

“Fitness is not a specific look. Fitness is how well you can perform a task; how well-suited to the task are you.” [12:08]

“If you need to make adjustments to your training because you’re not feeling it, that’s okay. But a lot of the things that we hear people talking about are just not grounded in what the collective body of research says.” [32:17]

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FYS 399: Are You Overtraining?

Related Episodes

FYS 380: From Endurance To Lifting: Top Sports Nutrition & Training Lessons

FYS 3771: Why The Fitness Industry Needs Quality Coaches

Are You Overtraining? Mar 14, 2023

Having a good training plan is key to helping you achieve your goals, but it's not everything. Overtraining can happen for a large number of reasons that have nothing to do with your training plan, which is why it is so important, especially for us athletes over 40. If you are concerned about overtraining but not sure if your training plan is to blame, this episode is for you.

If You Want to Prevent Over Training, You Should:

Make sure that you are fueling appropriately for the level of activity you are doing
Learn how to fluctuate your intensity in your training to promote active recovery
Dont forget the importance of viewing sleep as a non-negotiable

The #1 Problem I See

If you want to have a high energy output when it comes to your training, you need to have a high energy input; it is as simple as that. Not fueling properly for the activity level you are engaging in results in an energy mismatch that can have a serious effect on your results.

Not eating enough is the biggest problem I see in my clients and community. Undereating for the level of activity you are doing will put you in a state of low energy availability, and it will be impossible or even dangerous for you to push to the level you want in your training.

Finding a System That Works

The good news is an athlete over 40, you don't need to do less of the things that you love; you just have to be clever about it. Allowing your body to properly and actively rest is another major key to gaining better adaptation through your training.

Fluctuating your intensity to allow for proper rest is the only way that you are going to make progress in a sustainable way. By blending your active recovery with your intensity and learning to listen to what your body is telling you, you can avoid overtraining and get better at the things you love to do.

Have you ever considered that your overtraining might have to do with something other than your movement program? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Understanding my personal backstory when it comes to overtraining (3:12)
The problem with making up your own programming when you don't have enough experience (10:33)
One of the biggest issues I see out there in the world that may be impacting your training (15:00)
The first thing that you need to do to prevent a state of overtraining (22:14)
Why you need to be strict about your sleep and active recovery (29:09)

Quotes

“I have made all of these mistakes. I have taken the long ass way to figure them out. And luckily for you, I have been able to condense all of that learning, all of the education, from both formal education to the school of hard knocks, and put it in the resources, the podcast, the private podcast, the courses, the coaching that I do.” (7:26)

“I’m doing this episode for you because I want you to be able to look outside of just the training plan itself and figure out if you are really overtraining or if there are other things at play.” (10:02)

“Your eating has to support your training.” (20:29)

“You can do it! You can do it all! You just have got to fluctuate the intensity of those things.” (24:17)

“Yes, having a smart training plan matters. But being able to adjust the plan is just as important.” (28:20)

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FYS 394: Within-Day Energy Deficit

Related Episodes

FYS 392: Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure

FYS 391: What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)?

Protein Around Workouts Mar 07, 2023

Today we are capping off my series on protein by going into your questions surrounding protein and your training. We're going to dive into what the research says and some of the best practices you can implement when it comes to your protein intake around your training.

If You Want to Improve Your Protein Game, You Should:

Understand your total daily protein intake
Work to distribute that protein intake across all of your meals
Ensure you are getting high-quality protein
Consider specific timing when it comes to your protein and your training

Putting Knowledge Into Action

Feeling strong is a catalyst for expansion in all areas of your life. In order to feel strong, you need to make sure that you are getting enough high-quality protein, spreading it throughout the day, and understanding how it is working with your training to get you the results you are looking for.

Protein is essential to moving from muscle breakdown to muscle synthesis, so you must have the knowledge, guidance, and practical skills to implement this information into your routine.

It's Up To You

It doesn't matter if you consider yourself a recreational exerciser or an elite athlete; protein is really important for your training, recovery, and overall health and longevity. This is especially true for active women over 40, as we need to create and implement new habits that will support our body's needs as it changes.

Nobody is going to come out of the shadows and start feeding you the right things. But it doesn't have to be scary. You must find a way to set aside time to make the big changes. By starting with just one meal a day and working your way up from there, you can make sure you are getting the high-quality protein that you need, spread out throughout the day and consumed in a way that will support your training and goals.

Are you ready to improve your protein intake in a way that will deliver you undeniable results? Share your thoughts about protein with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why your protein intake timing around training is the final pillar of the protein puzzle (6:02)
Understanding the protein window you need for your training (8:59)
What you need to know about protein intake, especially at breakfast (14:40)
Everything you need to know about the four pillars of protein intake series (19:07)
Tips for implementing your protein knowledge and getting better results (21:54)

Quotes

“We can't keep doing the things we were doing when we were in our 20s. We need a different approach. And we have to understand what that approach is based on our changing physiology in our 40s and as we go through life.” (5:04)

“You feel so much better when you have a small snack on board if you are training first thing in the morning.” (12:22)

“You need to stop the process of muscle protein breakdown, and you need to get the process of muscle protein synthesis going! For repair and recovery and building and all of those wonderful things.” (14:31)

“Once we are over 40, time becomes more and more of the essence when we are talking about building muscle and adding strength and quality life and our energy levels; this stuff ramps up in terms of its importance.” (20:59)

“You've got to start with one meal, dial that in first, then go to the other meals in the day. Because if you are just trying to be perfect at everything all at once, it is not going to work.” (25:45)

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FYS 376: Peri-Menopause, Fasting, and Low Carb in Athletic Women with Dr. Stacy Sims

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FYS 396: Should Protein Intake Be Spread Throughout the Day?

FYS 397: What is High-Quality Protein?

What is High-Quality Protein? Feb 28, 2023

In the next installment in our series on protein, we are tackling the topic I am most hesitant to tackle, and that is high-quality protein. When looking at protein from a purely nutritional standpoint, what makes something high-quality protein? And what's the difference between plant-based and animal-based protein when it comes to your daily energy intake?

If You Are Concerned About Eating High-Quality Protein, You Should:

Remember the two key components of high-quality protein
Don't forget about the digestibility aspect of protein consumption
Assess and apply this information as you can, given your accessibility

What is High-Quality Protein?

If you want to maximize muscle tissue and get the most out of your training, you need to get the best quality proteins while also prioritizing how those proteins are built and the digestibility of them. But what does eating high-quality protein really mean?

Protein quality is more than just what it says on the label. High-quality protein is a complex topic, especially when it comes to the world of plant-based and animal-based proteins. However, if you can find the sweet spot of your energy balance consumption, optimizing your protein intake is possible.

Plants Versus Animals… Kind Of

For the most part, plant-based proteins are going to rank lower on their protein quality scale than animal-based proteins in terms of complete amino acid profiles and digestibility. While this doesn't mean you can't consume and enjoy the benefits of plant-based protein, you need to be creative about how you increase the amount of protein you are getting from plant-based servings. My goal is to provide you with scientific facts based on a purely nutritional standpoint so that you can understand what you are consuming and how it is impacting your body.

What do you consider high-quality protein? How does the plant-based versus animal-based nutritional aspect play into your decision-making? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Recapping what we have discussed during this protein intake series (3:21)
Defining protein quality from a nutritional point of view (5:36)
Understanding the difference between plant-based and animal-based protein sources (10:24)
Tips for achieving your optimal energy balance throughout the day (17:55)
What you need to know when buying plant-based protein powder (22:35)

Quotes

“I am not going to be making moral, ethical, or sustainable arguments for one versus the other. I am simply trying to present you with the nutritional information that you need to be able to assess and then integrate into your own practice.” (4:58)

“We know as we are going through our 30s, we are starting to lose, year on year, a decade on decade, we are losing muscle mass, unless we do something to offset that. And those things to offset that are mechanical tension through resistance training and eating enough protein.” (13:25)

“Energy balance is, of course, one of the most important things we need to consider in terms of our fueling, getting enough energy to meet our needs, in terms of our activity and total energy expenditure.” (18:14)

“You may have to be a little bit clever about how you are going to introduce enough of those in our diet so that we don't tip too far over our energy balance.” (21:44)

“We are really looking at what protein quality means, and trying to get within our power and our availability and our accessibility and our purchasing power, the best quality proteins that we can.” (27:04)

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FYS 396: Should Protein Be Spread Throughout the Day?

Should Protein Be Spread Throughout the Day? Feb 21, 2023

By now, you have probably heard me talking about the importance of protein intake, especially for female athletes over 40. But it is much more nuanced than just hitting your protein numbers. Spreading your protein intake throughout the day will help you trigger protein synthesis and avoid operating in a state of protein breakdown.

If You Want to Spread Your Protein Out Throughout the Day, You Should:

Work with a coach who understands how much fuel you need to support your training and goals
Understand how protein synthesis and protein breakdown work in the body
Pay attention to your amount of protein throughout the day and properly fuel for your training

Why Balanced Protein Intake Matters

When it comes to triggering the process of muscle protein synthesis, ending with a positive muscle protein balance, or being in an anabolic building state, how you spread out your protein throughout the day does really matter.

When there is not enough energy available to your body, the overall net balance of your system is shifted towards protein breakdown and puts you in a negative balance state. As female athletes over 40, we are already more susceptible to struggling with losing muscle mass over time, which is why it is key to align our fueling, nutrition, and training for optimal results.

Putting Knowledge Into Action

Understanding the science behind this matters, but it is also equally important to know how to navigate all of this information. I want to help you think about your own daily habits and patterns so that you can make the changes in real life, which is not always so easy to do.

The point is not to be perfect or to be stressed out about every single gram of protein. I understand the technical pieces, performance nutrition pieces, and mindset pieces around eating more, fueling differently, and rethinking the way you view your training and nutrition. My goal is to equip you with the knowledge and know-how to implement these systems into your life and build habits and processes around them.

Are you ready to rethink the way you view protein intake and include more opportunities in your daily life to get your muscle synthesis going? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about positive protein balance, and why it is a foundational understanding you need to have (6:05)
The two main phases of building muscle that takes place in a trigger threshold system (11:05)
Why you need to understand muscle protein synthesis to comprehend the importance of specific amino acids (14:08)
What a skewed distribution of protein can look like, why it is not optimal, and how to do it better (21:50)
Practical ways that you can implement your protein knowledge (28:34)

Quotes

“It is important that we understand, especially as women over 40, that we need to strength training, and we need to eat enough, particularly enough protein so that we keep ourselves in as much of a positive protein state or an anabolic state as possible.” (9:12)

“When it comes to the muscle protein synthesis process, we really need to think about getting enough of a very specific and very special amino acid.” (13:40)

“Protein distribution here is a close second to total protein in terms of how important it is when it comes to protein energy balance.” (17:39)

“This isn't just about vanity muscles yall. Okay, it's like cool to feel strong and badass and lift heavy shit and have muscles and flex your biceps, that's all great. But it's also about the quality of life, independence, longevity, metabolism, metabolic health; this is so so critical.” (21:42)

“The best time to make a change, if it wasn't 10 years ago, if it wasn't six months ago, the best time to make change is now.” (33:08)

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International Society of Sports Nutrition

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FYS 375: Strength Training Changes for Peri-Menopause and Post-Menopause with Dr. Stacy Sims

Related Episodes

FYS 376: Post-Menopause, Fasting, and Low Carb in Athletic Women with Dr. Stacy Sims

FYS 393: 3 Ways to Increase Your Metabolism as an Athlete

FYS 394: Within-Day Energy Deficit

How to Calculate Your Daily Protein Needs Feb 14, 2023

Have you ever thought seriously about how much protein you need as a woman athlete? Based on my experience, the answer is probably more than you are currently getting. Your protein intake really does matter when it comes to building muscle and recovering better, and by understanding how much protein you should be shooting for throughout the day, you can easily turn your thoughts into habits.

If You Are Looking to Increase Your Protein Intake, You Should:

Put time into understanding the why behind your protein intake so that you can create sustainable habits
Calculate your protein intake range based on your size, training, and goals
Stay alert about what you need to do to support your body as a female athlete

You Are Not Eating Enough Protein

It is not uncommon for me to see female athletes getting only half or slightly more than half of the protein they actually need, based on their training. Cutting calories, limiting protein intake, and then training hard on top of that is a recipe for disaster and will result in you not experiencing the results you want to see from your training but also resulting in potential harm to your body. Using a straight-up percentage does not account for the necessary amount of protein you need if you are training hard and trying to get stronger, which is why it is crucial to understand your unique protein intake range.

Protein is the Macro-Molecule of Building

Your protein intake is a truly important part of muscle-building activity, recovery, nutrition, and longevity. By taking small steps over time, you can create systems, structures, and habits so that you can slowly nudge yourself in a way that is sustainable.

Protein is the macro-molecule of building, and it is only by eating enough protein on a regular basis that you can keep the process of muscle synthesis going. When you start taking your protein intake throughout the day seriously, you will see the results you are looking for and start to feel more confident in applying what you are learning to your routine.

Are you ready to start taking your daily protein intake seriously? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why you need to understand the rationale behind protein intake to apply what you learn (4:08)
The three main areas of struggle I see in my clients and community when it comes to their nutrition (6:40)
How to know if you are eating enough overall total protein (12:05)
Explore some of the research behind why you need to pay attention to your protein intake (18:37)
What you need to know and consider about sports nutrition specifically as a female athlete (22:39)

Quotes

“If there was something I could talk about all day long within the realm of sports and performance nutrition, it is why protein is so damn important and how to work on increasing your protein intake.” (1:57)

“It does take time to learn how to translate quantities into real-life habits.” (7:15)

“It is not uncommon for female athletes who are trying to build strength and muscle to be eating less than half or a little bit more than half of the recommended amount of protein that you need each day.” (12:35)

“You are athletic, you are active, you are not sedentary, you need more energy!” (16:01)

“The worst thing you can do is cut your calories drastically, keep your protein low, and fail to strength train. We do not want you to do that.” (20:40)

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FYS 394: Within-Day Energy Deficit

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Within-Day Energy Deficit Feb 07, 2023

Nutrition is complicated, even for athletic women over 40. You need to find the sweet spot for your body and the amount of training when it comes to fueling yourself properly. Despite what you may have been told in the past, going for long stretches of time living in a within-day energy deficit can have a massive impact on your training. The good news is that by reframing how you fuel throughout the day, you can avoid these mistakes and take your training and nutrition to the next level.

If You Want to Avoid Within-Day Energy Deficits, You Should:

Remember that how you spread out the energy you consume throughout the day does matter
Be diligent about the ‘last meal effect’ and eating low-energy foods
Go into your workouts with some fuel on board and refuel within a timely manner afterward

Understanding Within-Day Energy Deficiency

Avoiding long stretches of time where your body goes without food, especially when it is in a prime state to recover, is a mistake that could be impacting your progress, metabolism, training, energy, and so much more.

Adequate energy intake is necessary, especially as a female athlete over 40 who is training hard. While the last thing you need to do is obsess over being perfect, understanding why, how, and when you fuel is a key ingredient in building strength and longevity.

Finding The Sweet Spot For You

Even if you feel like you ‘eat a lot’, it is a complex nuance of timing, types of calories, training, and more that can impact your likelihood of existing in a within-day energy deficit. Experimenting by listening to your body, going into your training with fuel, and refueling in a timely manner afterward will help you avoid a state of low energy availability.

Eating regularly throughout the day to support your training and recovery is a necessary key to your training and recovery. Implementing the principles I discuss on today's show will help you move forward with the confidence to do so.

Are you ready to fuel, train and recover smarter so that you can use your strength as a catalyst for more? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

An unofficial welcome to a new season of the Fuel Your Strength Podcast (1:35)
Why you should know about within-day energy deficits if you are an athletic woman (3:15)
Exploring the difference between the different types and quantities of calories (9:27)
The problem with fasting and staying in a breakdown state when doing hard shit with your body (18:44)
What the research says about the effects of within-day energy deficits (20:32)
Things you should remember even if you feel like you are ‘eating a lot’ (29:26)

Quotes

“When it comes to the nuance and the context, those things need to be teased apart. And that's really what we do here on the podcast, to give you the rationale to go into depth, to explain why this stuff matters for us.” (4:24)

“Many athletic women just don't have a good enough concept of what ‘enough’ energy is.” (9:44)

“If you are doing intense training and not refueling until hours afterward, you are continuing to stay in a breakdown state, I don't know how else to tell you that!” (18:38)

“I used to do this. I get it. I get the whole situation. This is why I am kind of nudging you to reconsider. Because I know what it is like, and I know how much better things are on the other side.” (26:38)

“You are going to train so much better when you are properly fueled and doing it in a timely fashion.” (32:23)

Featured on the Show

Within-Day Energy Balance in Mexican Female Soccer (Football) Players Research Article

Read The Blog Here

Within-Day Energy Deficiency and Reproductive Function in Female Endurance Athletes Research Article

NEDA Website

Find the full show notes here

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FYS 391: What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)?

Related Episodes

FYS 392: Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure

FYS 376: Peri-Menopause, Fasting and Low Carb in Athletic Women with Dr. Stacy Sims

3 Ways to Increase Your Metabolism as an Athlete Dec 06, 2022

One thing I hear women athletes over 40 complaining about a lot is their metabolism. I promise you that your metabolism is not broken; it may just be adapting in a downward direction based on the inputs you are putting in. While metabolism is complex, there are some simple and practical things you can start to implement today that will help you improve your metabolism as an athletic woman over 40.

If You Want to Increase Your Metabolism as an Athlete, You Should:

Start with eating more energy, specifically protein intake
Make muscle building a top priority by focusing on strength training
Look for opportunities and strategies to build more non-exercise activity into your day

The Success Trifecta

The amount of energy going into your system versus what is going out, or your energy flux, is something we have discussed a lot on this podcast. Maintaining a higher energy flux is a key factor in the successful trifecta of training hard, having enough energy, and providing your body with what it needs to succeed.

Understanding how to get more adaptations out of your training by increasing your energy flux is the best way to see the positive impacts of your training that you are looking for. It doesn't take anything complicated or extreme, just a simple set of behaviors and habits that you can actually implement.

Three Simple Habits for an Imposter Metabolism

If you are tired from your training, bunking your workouts, or don't feel like training for weeks and weeks at a time, it is going to be hard to have the consistency that you need to have positive outcomes in your training. Increasing your energy flux over time will help you spend more energy through movement, exercise better, and improve your digestion, all while simultaneously building muscle.

I wish that I knew these three positive habits that can have a huge benefit on your metabolism and so much more. The positive impacts you will see from eating more protein energy, prioritizing muscle building, and incorporating more non-exercise activity into your day, will get you back into good standing with your metabolism.

How has your metabolism changed over time? Share your thoughts on my easy-to-implement metabolism habits with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Weaving together the threads of the last few episodes and painting a full picture of energy (2:51)
Understanding energy flux and why slashing your energy intake is not going to give you the results you may think (5:54)
How to minimize compensations while trying to nourish your body, maintain your energy levels, and train hard (10:22)
Three practical things that you can focus on as an athletic woman in her 40s and beyond (17:01)
Why you need to build more non-exercise activity into your daily routine (22:18)

Quotes

“I hear so often from athletic women over 40 who are very concerned about metabolism.” (3:20)

“We never want to lose muscle mass. Muscle mass is so incredibly important, and we know that muscle is an organ of longevity.” (9:21)

“What are the benefits of increasing your energy flux? What that really means is slowly over time increasing the amount that you are eating, and of course, being able to expend then slightly more energy through your training.” (16:02)

“These are really filed under the idea of lifestyle, nutrition and training, and things that we can do to improve our health and wellbeing and focusing on the behaviors themselves. That's what we are really trying to move the needle on here.” (18:04)

“Think about how to actually put some metabolism friendly into play in your life so that you are not stressing about the metabolism, but rather you are thinking about the positive, health-promoting changes that you can make.” (25:48)

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FYS 352: Energy Flux and Fueling for Athletes with Jamie Scott

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Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure Nov 29, 2022

In general, we have an oversimplified understanding of our energy intake and our energy expenditure. Only thinking about calories in and calories out does not assess your daily energy needs from a complete point of view. There are many nuances that go into the energy balance discussion for athletic women, and this episode is the place to start.

If You Want to Understand Your Daily Energy Expenditure Better, You Should:

Remember that energy balance is a more nuanced concept than just saying calories in and calories out
Pay attention to your protein energy and non-protein energy rather than your total calorie intake
Work to understand your total energy expenditure from a complete daily point of view

Where Women Athletes Go Wrong

Often times athletic women get into trouble by trying to match a low daily energy calorie intake with a high energy output of training. This approach to fueling is where athletic women tend to go wrong and see negative outcomes.

Your metabolism and your energy consumption need to work together in order to find the energy balance that is right for you and your training. Understanding how your energy is influenced when you are at rest when you are breaking down your food, and when you are engaging in non-exercise and exercise activity is the key to getting into balance and moving past oversimplification.

The 4 Pieces of Total Daily Energy Expenditure

There are four key pieces that affect your total daily energy expenditure. How your body processes energy during these four phases is the key to being in energy balance and avoiding an energy deficit. Your resting energy expenditure, the thermic effect of food, your non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, and your exercise activity thermogenesis, or purposeful activity, all play a role in how your metabolism works together with your body.

Maintaining an appropriate energy balance is the only way to see the improvements you are looking for in a sustainable and healthy way.

Do you feel as though your energy is in balance? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The problem with applying basic principles of thermodynamics for athletic women (5:58)
Understanding the difference between energy intake and calories (9:59)
Which numbers are the most important to pay attention to as a female athlete (16:02)
How your total daily energy expenditure is impacting your metabolism (19:45)
Why you need to stop listening to the mindset of eating less and moving more (27:27)

Quotes

“Of course, you are a biological system, and when we strip biological models of all of their complexity and nuance and strip them down to pithy one-liners like ‘eat less move more,’ this simplicity at best can lead you astray as an athletic person, and even at worst, do some harm to your health and wellbeing.” (9:03)

“Saying a calorie is a calorie is like saying an inch is an inch or a pound is a pound. It quantifies things, but it doesn't qualify things.” (11:29)

“It is important to understand how metabolism and energy balance and so on work together, specifically when we are talking about why building muscle is so freaking important, and how does that affect our basal metabolic rate.” (20:44)

“I am not here to teach you intentional fat loss. What I am here to highlight is some of the ways we go astray in our thinking.” (22:01)

“I think it is important for you to understand how some of these factors are going to affect your training and why my primary goal here is to get you to understand that eating enough food is so incredibly important to your training and your health and well-being.” (30:42)

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FYS 388: Why You’re Struggling with Motivation to Workout

Related Episodes

FYS 391: What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)?

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What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)? Nov 15, 2022

Properly fueling yourself as an athlete, especially if you are an athletic woman over 40, can have a huge impact on your training, strength, and overall health and well-being. Understanding RED-S, or Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports, is a key piece of educational information I think every athlete needs to know about.

If You are Concerned About RED-S, You Should:

Make sure you are eating enough protein and non-protein energy for your training
Work with a nutrition professional if you are struggling to gain clarity about what to do next
Seek a team approach treatment if you are intentionally under-fuelling

Understanding RED-S

You don't have to be an Olympic athlete to deal with RED-S or the implications of low energy availability. RED-S transcends different populations and athletic individuals. This is why it is so important to gain a clearer picture of how RED-S is defined, the signs and symptoms of low energy availability, how it impacts your performance and health, and what you can do to fuel yourself for the best success and performance possible.

Fueling Properly Is Not Optional

I want to challenge you to think about the amount you are fueling yourself in comparison to your training schedule. By the time you account for the energy you have spent through exercise and how much you are eating, there are a lot of cases where we don't provide our bodies enough energy to facilitate even basic bodily functions.

Fueling your body with enough energy to recover from training is incredibly important to basically every system you have in your body, from hormones to metabolism to menstruation. Low energy availability, or RED-S, doesn't just affect what is going on in the gym; it also has serious implications for your overall health and well-being.

What did you think about this topic? Have you ever struggled with low energy availability? Let me know your thoughts in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

What is RED-S and why you should know about it (5:06)
Why is there a different name associated with the female athlete triad (7:22)
Understanding low energy availability and the causes of RED-S (10:22)
Physiological signs that you may be dealing with low energy availability (19:19)
The possible impacts on your training and performance when it comes to RED-S (24:40)
What to do if you suspect you are in a state of low energy availability (28:29)

Quotes

“We are trying to fuel, we are trying to eat better and fuel our performance. And at the at the same time, it is revolutionary, talking about actually eating enough as female athletes.” (2:53)

“RED-S is more inclusive in terms of what the physiological implications of low energy availability happen to be. It is more expansive in terms of how this could potentially be affecting someone's performance and also their health and wellbeing.” (9:18)

“The physiological impacts when it comes to under eating, especially if we have a high amount of physical activity and exercise, can accumulate quite quickly.” (17:00)

“We just need enough energy in order for us to get the output in our training so that we will see the beneficial adaptations.” (23:57)

“You need to eat enough to cover your training and also your basic bodily needs. And that includes both protein and non-protein energy.” (28:41)

Featured on the Show

Schedule A Call About Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here

IOC consensus statement on relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S)

National Eating Disorders Association Website

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FYS 388: Why You’re Struggling with Motivation to Workout

Related Episodes

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Postpartum Athlete Needs w/ Brianna Battles Nov 08, 2022

Strength conditioning as an over-40 athlete can be challenging enough on its own, but when you add in the dimension of being a postpartum athlete on top of everything else, special attention is warranted. Bridging the gap between rehab and performance requires an undefined timeline that is unique for you but will ultimately get you back to doing the things that you want to do.

If You Are Thinking About Your Postpartum Training Needs, You Should:

Don’t be ashamed of your postpartum symptoms by surrounding yourself with people who understand how you need to train
Make little adjustments that set up your body to perform better as a unit
Understand your predispositions and reverse engineer what your training looks like

Returning to the Sport You Love

Brianna Battles is the Founder of Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism and CEO of Everyday Battles LLC. She is a relentless advocate and relatable resource for women who want training during pregnancy and to make a sustainable return to performance, lifestyle, function, career, and activity postpartum because postpartum is forever!

You Are an Athlete

Many women disqualify themselves as athletes. Brianna believes that if you are consistently dedicating yourself to movement, whether you are running, doing yoga, dancing, swimming, or anything that requires physical output, you are an athlete. While you can be an athlete in all seasons of your lifetime, how you interact with your athletic ability will change over time based on your body's needs. As a female athlete, especially if you are going through pregnancy or postpartum, you are not fragile, but you are also not invincible, and the way you train needs to reflect that.

Bridging the Gap Between Rehab and Performance

Because of the common male-dominated approach to training, birth is not given the same considerations when it comes to rehab and recovery as other events. Postpartum women are not a special or unique group of the population, and postpartum women deserve a more hands-on and substantial approach to their training.

Like in jiu-jitsu, you need to be a white belt before becoming a blue belt. The same can be said for training postpartum. While pregnancy and postpartum can act as an incredible catalyst for learning about your body, it can bring out many of your vulnerabilities. If you can give yourself patience, rest, and grace, you can learn how to work with your postpartum symptoms and get to the point that you want to be.

Are you showing yourself grace while you battle postpartum? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Examples of topics in which a changing viewpoint has been made through lived experiences (12:19)
Why people get hung up on what and who defines an athlete (19:00)
How postpartum athletes can support their bodies in a way that a lot of people miss (21:34)
Why your postpartum symptoms like incontinence are nothing to be ashamed about or stop you from getting back into training (27:12)
The importance of training with someone who understands your postpartum needs (33:00)
What coaches should know about training with postpartum women (35:05)

Quotes

“There are so many things about our body that changes during that season [of pregnancy and postpartum], and exercise has to adapt to meet the body where it is at.” (13:50)

“Fitness is a great baseline in general, but it is not a guarantee for anything.” (15:56)

“If you are consistently participating in fitness, you are an athlete. Its not about being a size or an ability, its honestly just an expression of dedicated physical output.” (19:35)

“Postpartum requires a rehabilitation period, a rebuilding period, and then an undefined timeline of what is that going to look like for you getting back to the things you want to do.” (23:29)

“If you can give yourself those seasons, and take it slow, take it gradually, get the support and resources that you need and not push boundaries, you are going to get what you want a hell of a lot faster than if you tried to push boundaries before your body or your brain or your lifestyle was ready for it.” (25:56)

“I think that it is a very real possibility when we are talking about women's core and pelvic health needs across all sports. It is becoming anticipatory and being able to react where you are not able to think about it or worry about it.” (42:58)

Featured on the Show

Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism Coaching Certification

Brianna Battles Website

Follow Brianna on Instagram

Follow Pregnant Postpartum Athlete on Instagram

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LTYB 281: How To Exercise Intuitively w/ Steph Ondrusek

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The Benefits of Rucking for Women w/ Michael Easter Nov 01, 2022

Introducing a strength training element into your walking can have major benefits, especially as a woman athlete. A way to make your walking a bit more challenging is through rucking. Rucking is a great opportunity to take the foundational movement pattern of carrying and incorporate it into your training routine easily.

If You Want to Start Rucking, You Should:

Find a backpack and fill it with a weight that does not exceed ⅓ of your total body weight
Remember to carry your pack when going for your regular daytime walking
Enjoy the benefits you will feel in your strength, ability, and overall fitness

Understanding the Comfort Crisis with Michael Easter

Michael Easter is an author, professor, and adventurer. He approaches movement and training from a scientific perspective, helping others to integrate modern science and evolutionary wisdom into their lives to expand their potential. He is the author of The Comfort Crisis and is personally a big fan of rucking and all of its benefits.

Controlled Discomfort is a Good Thing

Often we think about exercise as a 30 or 60-minute period of our day when we go hard. But being stagnant for the other 23 hours of the day has no benefit. Michael wants to challenge you to find ways in your daily routine to introduce some controlled discomfort into your life.

As the world has become more comfortable over time, we have lost certain things that help to make us healthy. Lifting heavy things while in motion can have huge benefits, especially for women. Walking with weight on your body, or rucking, is usually the best option if you want to see big results.

The Benefits of Rucking

Scientific research shows that strength training is crucial to longevity, especially in women. Rucking works to put your spine in a better position while lifting, avoid intense pressure on your joints, and is uniquely good at improving bone density.

If you struggle to integrate carrying into your fitness routine, which is an essential part of the seven functional movement patterns for building strength, rucking is a great option for you. Getting started is easy and incredibly simple.

Are you ready to get started with rucking today? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why you should put more focus on carrying in your lifting routine (12:15)
What is rucking and why you should know about it (13:34)
The difference, pros, and cons between wearing a weight vast and rucking (15:19)
Why rucking is great specifically for women athletes (19:37)
How to be a 2-Percenter in order to see big changes (27:25)
Tips for getting started with rucking and mitigating risk (29:15)

Quotes

“[Carrying] is kind of like the thing that most people aren't doing that would help them the most. Strength wise, fitness wise, cardio wise, and also just being protective against injuries.” (10:46)

“I think that rucking is a great way to add a strength stimulus for women.” (20:22)

“Women really were the people, as we have evolved, that kept us alive.” (22:48)

“Only 2 percent of people, when they have the option of stairs or an escalator, will take the stairs. Now, if you back up, it's actually those very small decisions that we make every day, whether to take the stairs, parking farther away in the parking lot, picking your kid up and moving them, carrying your groceries. All these little ways of adding activity back into your life, those add up over the course of the day to a greater calorie burn and stimulus than a workout.” (28:01)

“You know what is more risky than exercising? Not exercising at all.” (33:25)

Featured on the Show

The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter

Michael Easter Website

Follow Michael on Instagram

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LTYB 281: How To Exercise Intuitively w/ Steph Ondrusek

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FYS 385: How To Build An Athlete Mindset Over 40

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Why You're Struggling with Motivation to Workout Oct 25, 2022

Are you lacking the motivation or energy to train? I often hear this from women athletes, and it often stems from a lack of fueling or being in a low energy availability state. If you are feeling more tired during your workouts or during daily activities, have to go to sleep hours earlier than normal, or find yourself taking the elevator instead of the stairs because you are just so tired, there is a good chance you are not fueling yourself enough.

If You Want To Increase Your Motivation to Train, You Should:

Get clear about how, why, and when you are fueling yourself and if it is enough for your training program
Look out for signs that you may be in a low energy availability state
Remember that your energy levels impact so much more than just your physical activity

Stop Calling Yourself Lazy

Sometimes we think that low motivation is a character flaw, that we aren't working hard enough, are feeling lazy, and just need to power through. But so often, we forget to look at what could be the underlying causes behind our lack of energy. Not fueling yourself enough, especially if you are an athletic person, is something you need to consider.

I want you to stop blaming yourself and start looking at what, how, and when you are fueling yourself. You may find that your lack of motivation is really just a low energy availability issue by checking in with yourself regarding if you are getting enough daily energy intake.

Getting Real About the Energy Your Body Needs

Your energy levels impact your entire life, not just your intentionally structured physical activity. Low energy intake, or living in a low energy availability state, has psychological, mental, and physical impacts that you might not realize are linked. Not eating enough can play a huge role in determining your relationships, mood, goals, and so much more. This is why ensuring you are fueling enough for your unique body and training schedule is crucial. While the characteristics of low energy availability have a wide range, the impact they have on your body and mind is far-reaching.

Are you ready to stop beating yourself up for being ‘lazy’ or ‘unmotivated’ and start fueling yourself the way your body needs? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why competitive athletes who love to train can still struggle with motivation (4:47)
The reasons athletic women undereat and how it could be affecting your training and recovery (7:51)
Why eating enough and fueling correctly is crucial even if you didn't work out today (11:28)
How low energy could be impacting other areas of your life outside of the gym (14:30)
Signs that you are in a low energy availability state and what to do about it (17:39)

Quotes

“The inspiration for this podcast really comes from many, many years of working with many of you and clients out in the world, other athletic women. Especially athletic women over 40 who come to me with frustrations about low motivation.” (2:00)

“You know why you love to train. You have goals, and yet, sometimes it just seems like that motivation has gone ‘poof’ and is nowhere to be found.” (2:13)

“It's not just the energy or the ‘motivation’ to go train; we are talking about your energy levels impacting your entire life.” (13:29)

“When you get dragged down into the busyness of life, you can lose sight of how important your energy levels are and what it takes to stay fueled and recharged.” (14:52)

“It is important to note that low energy intake, or low energy availability state, can manifest itself in different ways for different people.” (22:16)

Featured on the Show

Laziness Does Not Exist by Dr. Devon Price

4 Part Energy Series

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LTYB 350: Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport

Related Episodes

LTYB 352: Energy Flux and Fueling for Athletes with Jamie Scott

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Inclusive Kettlebell Training Oct 18, 2022

Diversity and inclusion belong in all areas of the fitness industry. By accepting all body types and sizes, we can help foster a sense of community and inclusion in an industry ravaged by toxic diet culture. I’m joined by Damali Fraiser, a Canadian kettlebell instructor, to talk about her mission of body acceptance in the industry, along with systemic racism and her non-diet approach to fitness.

A Non-Diet Approach to Kettlebells

See that there are other benefits to movement other than weight loss
Design your programming for all body types, sizes, and goals
Prioritize goals that are outside of weight loss

About Damali Fraiser

Damali Fraiser (she/her/hers) is a Canadian Kettlebell Instructor, Nutrition Coach, and author passionate about exploring fitness from an intersectional lens. Founder of Lift Off Strength & Wellness, Damali is a compassionate coach and student of strength who teaches hardstyle kettlebell technique, inclusive fitness, and sustainable nutrition that supports you in meeting you wherever you are and confidently moving forward to where you want to be.

Dismantling Diet Culture in Kettlebell Coaching

The fitness industry is toxic regarding diet and weight loss culture. Damali Fraiser explains why her mission to de-center weight loss is so important and how her experience growing up in the Slim Fast era initially shaped her beliefs. She makes she educates her children on the dangers of the diet industry.

Damali shares the story of how an injury led her to seek out functional fitness in the form of kettlebells. Though she’s now healed, she has an improved and better quality of life thanks to her continued use of kettlebells, and her goal is to help other people feel that same sense of strength and vitality.

Inclusion and Diversity in the Fitness Industry

The kettlebell industry still has a way to go before it’s fully inclusive and diverse, but Damali is passionate about changing the narrative. She explains some of the steps coaches can take to dismantle toxic diet and fitness culture – it really is about decentering weight loss in their conversations.

Damali also talks about the racist roots of diet culture. It takes all of us working together to dismantle systemic racism to move forward collectively and help heal the damage caused.

How have you used functional fitness to overcome an injury or help your clients overcome injuries? What do you think of a non-diet approach to fitness? Let me know in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why it’s important to have broader conversations about fitness and health with our your children [5:30]
How kettlebells or other functional training can become a healing force in your life [13:15]
The current inclusivity and diversity in kettlebell training [17:00]
How to dismantle toxic diet and fitness culture [19:00]
What a non-diet approach to fitness is [20:30]
The challenges a non-diet approach to fitness presents [24:00]
The relationship between racism and diet culture [25:00]

Quotes

“I started to explore functional strength training for my recovery, and that was where kettlebells helped me to reconnect with myself and my body and my identity outside of Muay Thai. I appreciated how kettlebells make you feel unstable, yet that feeling is empowering, and you can now re-envision stability throughout your life.” [10:20]

“With kettlebells, I can have an improved and better quality of life. I feel like I’m fully living when I’m strong in my body and moving well.”[13:25]

“It’s multi-faceted. It’s a challenge just to be there and be present. Wanting to do a good job and have people see my expertise but also to see my humanity and know that I’m just alongside them, dealing with the same things they are.” [32:38]

Featured on the Show

Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked

Coaches Corner Waitlist

Join the Coaches Corner Kettlebell Training Course

Apply for 1:1 Coaching

Find Damali Fraiser Online

Find Damali Fraiser on Instagram | Facebook

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Why Athletic Women Should Toss the Bathroom Scale Oct 11, 2022

Women are starting to fuel better, lift heavier, recover smarter; they have fewer aches and pains, but yet we still collectively place huge importance on the number we see on the bathroom scale. This can be problematic for women athletes, as that number is not an accurate representation of the gains you are working towards.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Change Your Relationship with the Bathroom Scale, You Should:

Understand that there are many nuances and complexities when dealing with your relationship with the scale
Work towards stopping weighing yourself in whatever unique way feels good to you
Remember that the scale is not an accurate representation of the strength gains you are making

The Power of the Scale

The bathroom scale has a collective power over many of us when it comes to being an athletic woman who wants to train and be strong. We can make an entire list of things that have been improving since we started training, but if the scale isn't going down, we have been conditioned to think it is not successful. But the truth is, there are so many gains we get from taking care of ourselves that have nothing to do with counting calories, eating less and moving more, or weighing ourselves every day. The scale can get in the way of your ability to feel at ease with things and fully embrace your identity as an athletic woman.

Focusing on What Matters

Weighing yourself less, removing the scale from your environment, and keeping things in perspective when it comes to gaining muscle mass and bone strength are all ways that you can work on your health rather than the number on the scale. This is not just an aesthetics game anymore; we need to move past being ‘toned’ or ‘skinny’ and focus on what really matters.

When you are fueling yourself better, lifting heavier, and recovering smarter, you begin to have more energy, see more muscle definition and size, see improvements in your recovery and your energy, and so much more. These habits might not lower our body weight to what society idealizes, but they will help you stay strong and healthy for as long as possible.

How does the bathroom scale factor into your relationship with your body, your weight, and your training? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why making strength gains has so many benefits that have nothing to do with the scale (8:29)
How to know if you are fueling enough for your training (13:59)
The impact of pressure from diet culture when it comes to maintaining unrealistic weight standards (20:45)
Understanding how body dysmorphia plays into our relationship with our weight (25:35)
What you can focus on instead of the bathroom scale (28:26)

Quotes

“I want to help you move past the bathroom scale as having so much power over you as a woman athlete.” (2:21)

“Especially as athletic women, who constantly have the message drilled into us that we need to just eat less and move more, eat less and move more, we deserve a little bit more of a sophisticated conversation than that.” (13:33)

“There can be a lot of reasons why we still continue to put so much emphasis and importance on the scale, even when everything else is better!” (26:06)

“As an athletic woman, relying on weighing yourself less as a metric of your strength, as a metric of your improvements in the way that you are taking care of yourself and the things that you are prioritizing, is a smart way to move eventually.” (30:01)

“There are lots of different things that you can think about, instead of just keeping track of your body weight on the scale.” (39:36)

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LTYB 314: How To Set Health Goals Beyond the Scale with Steph Dodier

Related Episodes

HTK 120: The Scale

LTYB 350: Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport

FYS 373: The Problem with Tiny Pink Dumbells with Nikki Naab-Levy

How to Build an Athlete Mindset Over 40 Oct 04, 2022

One area that I see athletic women over 40 consistently struggling with is the implementation of the high-quality information, techniques, and strategies they know would benefit them to include. Making change can be hard, and there is a mental and emotional challenge to adapting your training as you get older. However, with the right tools and mindset, the rewards of your training and longevity will amaze you.

Key Takeaways

If you want to effectively implement new training, nutrition, and recovery techniques as you age, you should:

Develop awareness about what beliefs may be limiting your training gains
Work with a coach or program that helps you implement the changes you seek
Create an identity-based model to adjust your behavior and make habit changes for good

Information Versus Implementation

Information and the implementation of that information are two very different things. You could have high-quality information and tools to help you make a change in your training, but if you get stuck when implementing it into your routine, all that great information isn't serving you in the way it should.

You don't need to do more just for the sake of doing more. Training more efficiently, or getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to your training, is only possible by changing the way you are thinking and adapting your training routine to your changing physiology.

The Unsung Hero of Implementation

We all have been conditioned by society to fear being lazy and that if there is no pain, there is no gain. This limiting belief is a perfect example of how powerful our belief systems are and the role they play in our training, nutrition, and recovery. If you are having a hard time getting started or implementing changes, it could be because of the beliefs you are holding onto about how you train and see results.

Your beliefs affect your ability to follow through with implementing new habits that you know will be good for you. Your identity and belief system hold the key to adjusting how you can train more efficiently.

Are you ready to implement effective training techniques as you age? Share your thoughts about the connection between beliefs and identity with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The importance of shifting your training, nutrition, and recovery as you get older (4:26)
Why it can be a struggle to implement things differently with fitness and nutrition (8:55)
What it means to train more efficiently and implement good information (12:42)
Learn what true HIIT training is and the importance of shorter intervals in training (18:38)
How your beliefs impact your ability to implement the changes you know your body needs (21:13)

Quotes

“If you are an athletic woman over 40 and you are someone who likes to challenge yourself, you know that you might have to do things differently as you continue to get older.” (3:52)

“It's hard sometimes to recognize that you are in a different place, and to make peace with that, and then to implement the new strategies that you know are going to be better for you.” (8:18)

“Beliefs are a big factor in us as we are approaching our changing physiology, and training and doing fitness and nutrition in different ways. But beliefs are going to get in our way.” (21:29)

“Coach is how we help you implement habits and behaviors to create new outcomes for yourself now and in the future. And it is very interesting to observe here how beliefs intersect with changing our habits around training and fueling and recovery.” (27:19)

“As were approaching our 40s and beyond as women athletes, we are trying to make a change based on our old identities, the previous versions of ourselves. (29:03)

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Acute effect of HIIT on testosterone and cortisol levels in healthy individuals study

Laziness Does Not Exist by Dr. Devon Price

Atomic Habits by James Clear

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FYS 367: 5 Strength Nutrition Lessons I Wish I Learned a Decade Ago

Related Episodes

FYS 381: 6 Reasons To Hire a Nutrition Coach

FYS 375: Strength Training Changes for Peri-Menopause and Post-Menopause with Dr. Stacy Sims

Making Mobility Practical w/ Coach RT3 Sep 27, 2022

Often we forget what an important part of strength training mobility work is. Mobility work has the reputation of being something that you just tack on or do during a warm-up. But the reality is that mobility work is incredibly important and dictates how you move, how you feel, and the gains that you see in and out of the gym.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Make Mobility More of a Priority, You Should:

1. Support online content creators who are sharing this information by saving and sharing their content
2. Stop thinking of mobility work as something on the side and instead center your training around it
3. Remember to rest and recover in order to achieve the goals you are looking for

Taking Care of Your Whole Body with Coach RT3

Rich Thurman, better known as Coach RT3, is a mobility specialist who is passionate about sharing his experiences as a black man in the fitness industry and advocating for coaching in a way that takes care of your body, mind, and spirit as one whole person.

Mobility is Not an Afterthought

Let's be real, does every part of your body function optimally? The chances are probably pretty low. Incorporating mobility into your strength training as the main objective will help you see the benefits you are looking for and improve your overall performance as you age.

In general, we tend to overlook and neglect important health things until it is too late. This is why Coach RT3 is so passionate about helping others understand the why behind their workouts and get specific about how mobility work can help them. Mobility work is not an afterthought; it is a key component to achieving your goals.

Knowledge is Power

Coach RT3 really understands the importance of educating people on how their body works. You need to access the full capability of your mobility to ensure your training is going to succeed. Coach RT3 believes in the power of sharing information, which can be challenging on social media. But, through his passion and tenacity for the power of mobility, he helps people move better, feels better, and do more while still recovering in a way that is essential for longevity.

The more you have access to your mobility, the better your life is going to be. What are you waiting for?

Are you ready to dedicate yourself to mobility? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Understanding the struggles around creating social media content as a creator (4:48)
Calls to action that will help amplify and support the content of diverse online creators (24:52)
Common mistakes or fallbacks people believe to be true when it comes to mobility (33:51)
How to incorporate mobility work as a key part of your strength conditioning (40:12)
Tips for working with Coach RT3 and improving your relationship with mobility (51:53)

Quotes

“I am a firm believer in the way I communicate and the way I put out information; it is in a sharing way. I don't hold any information back. And if you want to work with me and if you want to train with me, then you are working with me and training with me because you like the way in which I coach.” (26:18)

“I want you all to be better and to understand and to learn and to grow. Because if you all learn and grow, then everyone is better.” (27:40)

“Mobility should be the throughline for everything that you are doing in life because it is life.” (33:19)

“If you really want mobility to be something that impacts your longevity and life, you have to slot it in as the thing, and everything else has to be the 20.” (44:53)

“If you move better, you feel better… and if you feel good you do more. And if you do more, you get more of what you want overall anyways.” (51:37)

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LTYB 338: Mobility, Justice, and Representation in the Fitness Industry with Rich Thurman

Related Episodes

FYS 370: Mobility for Strength Training with Dr. Jen Hosler

CrossFit & Peri/Post-Menopause w/ Shawna Norton Sep 20, 2022

You can still be a strong badass who can lift heavy as you journey through peri-menopause and post-menopause. But, you have to do it in a way that is a bit different than you did in your 20s. If you are a 40+ woman and not seeing the results you want, holding back on adjusting the way you train as your body transitions is probably the reason.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Level Up Your CrossFit Training Through Peri-Menopause, You Should:

Find a trainer or program that takes into account your unique physiological needs as a woman
Give yourself grace when changing your mindset around getting stronger
Embrace the confidence that CrossFit and strength training can give you as you age

The Power of Muscle with Shawna Norton

Shawna Norton is an L1 Certified Nutrition Coach through Precision Nutrition, with a B.S in Kinesiology. She holds an L1 with Crossfit and actively coaches athletes through her women’s only coaching program- Competitive Female Training. She is passionate about serving the needs of women in her community and loves helping them fuel their training and focus on what their bodies can do in peri-menopause and beyond.

Why You Need to Lift Heavy Things

As we get older, sometimes we can forget about the importance of hard things. Society tells us to focus on the scale and not get ‘too bulky’. But building muscle as you age, especially as a woman, is so important to your overall health, longevity, mindset, and happiness.

This new stage of life is an opportunity for you to reassess what your body needs and create a strength training program that is going to meet your unique needs as a woman. Strength training isn't just about what you look like. It is a way to ensure your quality of life throughout peri-menopause, post-menopause, and beyond.

Giving Women a Voice and a Program

Women make up 50% of the sport of CrossFit, and yet most of the programs out there are designed for men. That's where Shawna comes in. She is all about empowering women with the right tools and knowledge to be given a voice in the CrossFit world and feel confident in their training.

Shawna is dedicated to answering the question, ‘what about us?’. By helping women understand the power of muscle and how to achieve their CrossFit goals in a way that is adapted to a woman's physiology as she ages, Shawna provides programming tailored specifically to the needs of women. A conversation that is not had enough, in this episode, Shawna smashes CrossFit misconceptions and provides a unique perspective on strength training in peri-menopause and on.

How have you adjusted your strength training to suit the needs of your changing body? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The biggest lessons learned through the journey of strength training and CrossFit (11:12)
Addressing the misunderstandings around CrossFit and getting strong as a woman (15:45)
How to adapt your training through the Competitive Female Training program (24:17)
Why the Level M Program is a unique approach to building strength (34:31)
Tips for shifting your mindset when it comes to how you train as you transition through peri-menopause and beyond (38:55)

Quotes

“I got into CrossFit, and all of a sudden I had a barbell in my hands, and it was like, this is where I am supposed to be. I want to take up space, I want to lift heavy.” (6:17)

“I am still a beautiful woman, but I am beautiful because of how I am made, not because of how society says I need to be.” (12:54)

“Our programming is designed only for women. But we also communicate in a way that our female athletes can actually understand what they are supposed to do.” (29:10)

“Women are 50% of the sport, and we have the right to have our weaknesses addressed to the same level that you are programming for men. Think about that when you are programming.” (32:16)

“If you are not happy where you are at, you have to do something different. If you keep doing the same thing, you are going to keep getting the same results. Try it! What's the worst that can happen? You’re going to get stronger?” (42:43)

“Having muscle is so much more than if you can fit into your jeans.” (48:23)

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Competitive Female Training Website

Shawna Norton Website

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Follow Shawna on Instagram

Pull-Ups Resource

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FYS 382: Making Strength Gains in Your Late 40’s with Allison Fitzpatrick

Related Episodes

FYS 378: Powerlifting and Recovery Tips for the 40+ Athlete with Laura Phelps

FYS 375: Strength Training Changes for Peri-Menopause and Post-Menopause with Dr. Stacy Sims

Making Strength Gains in Your Late 40s w/ Allison Fitzpatrick Sep 13, 2022

The idea of gaining strength in your 40s and beyond can seem daunting. But with the right tools, nutrition, and support, it is much easier than you might think. Often we think we know best when it comes to how we can achieve our goals, but in reality, it takes an outside perspective to help you reach a level of health and happiness that you never thought possible.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Make Strength Gains in Your 40’s, You Should:

Find a coach or program that works to help you get clear and support your fitness goals
Stop using the scale as the only monitor of your progress and health
Fuel yourself properly for your activity level and pay attention to what is on your plate

From Novice to Top-Notch with Allison Fitzpatrick

Allison Fitzpatrick found strength training in her late 30s and is now a 10+ year veteran in the world of fitness. Coming to strength training as a non-athletic person, Allison had her fair share of skepticism and fear. After completing my Strength Nutrition Unlocked Program, Allison is here to give a first-hand account of what it is like to go through the program and the amazing gains she has made on the other side.

Trusting the Process

By the time Allison hit her 30s, she knew that she wanted to get stronger but didn't want her body to change. Like many of us, she struggled with the tug-of-war mentality between the things we can't control about getting older. She started to feel out of control of her body and was dealing with a toxic relationship with the scale.

Finally, she was ready to try something new. Allison entered the world of Strength Training through Crossfit. What surprised her the most was how she started feeling happy in the gym. However, the real progress came when Allison realized she not only needed to change the way she trained but also the way she fueled herself.

Take Control of How You Age

Strength Nutrition Unlocked is all about embracing your ability to make a change. While we cannot control getting older, we can control how we treat our bodies, fuel our bodies, and think about our bodies. You are not a spreadsheet, and your body is not a calculator. It takes a personalized and nuanced understanding of your body needs to see the results you are searching for.

Allison is keeping it real with a first-hand account of what it is like to be a student in Strength Nutrition Unlocked, embracing her highs and lows, and why nutrition was the key to making strides in strength as a woman in her late 40s.

Are you ready to make a change when it comes to how you train and fuel your body? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The one thing that hooked Allison when it came to lifting weights and getting stronger (9:33)
How underfueling played a role in Allison joining Strength Nutrition Unlocked (16:30)
Key nutrition changes that can have a huge impact on your outcome goals (30:27)
Addressing our conversations and relationships with the number on the scale (34:51)
Why fueling yourself properly and adjusting your mindset can help you reach PR’s you never thought possible (51:02)

Quotes

“It's like this crazy adrenaline rush. You have more power than you think you have. It was amazing to see that my body was capable of doing things I never knew possible.” (10:03)

“For me, the biggest changes were increasing my protein and increasing my carbs and just overall food intake. And just being more mindful of what is actually on my plate.” (32:24)

“I was making my feelings about myself and how I felt about myself contingent on this number on the scale… It really did become a toxic relationship.” (36:30)

“I can’t control that I get older and older. I can’t control perimenopause. I can’t control that my body is going to change. There are all these things that are out of my control. But I can control what I put into my body, how I fuel my body, how I move my body, and how I think about my body.” (39:27)

“I know I wanted to be happier. I know I wanted to feel better. I know I wanted all of these feelings, and I thought that losing weight was going to give me those feelings. And it wasn't that. As soon as I started to feel that increase in weight and eat more and feel better and notice that I am actually fueling my body for what I am doing, and fueling my body for strength and for health and for longevity and all of that, that's what is making me happy and making me feel good.” (48:56)

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FYS 381: 6 Reasons to Hire a Nutrition Coach

Related Episodes

FYS 378: Powerlifting and Recovery Tips for the 40+ Athlete with Laura Phelps

FYS 375: Strength Training Changes for Peri-Menopause and Post-Menopause with Dr. Stacy Sims

FYS 350: Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport

6 Reasons to Hire a Nutrition Coach Sep 06, 2022

If you want to build muscle, get stronger, see better results and gains in the gym, have more energy, and improve your performance, hiring a nutrition coach could be the best investment you have ever made in yourself. A coach can help you accomplish your goals quicker, focus on a doable way to reach those goals, and provide you with the emotional and social support you need to get there.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Get Serious About Your Nutrition, You Should:

Stop spending your time, money, and effort on figuring it out yourself
Appreciate that you don’t have to be an expert in everything you want to accomplish
Find a coach that will support you in your own unique environment

Doing It Yourself is Not Free

Many people out there think they can do it themselves when it comes to nutrition and fitness. While the internet is full of advice, that doesn't mean it's necessarily good advice. A meal plan or chatting with a bot does not help you change the things that are in your way, and will cost you your time, effort, and mistakes in return.

If you are ready to make serious progress in your fitness and nutrition goals, a coach is the best way to create a plan that is doable in your life, and that fits your unique needs, likes, and dislikes. You shouldn't have to be an expert in order to feel good in your body and supported in your dreams; that's what coaches are for!

Now is the Best Time to Start

Being able to assess a situation objectively is hard to do, especially when it comes to our own lives. If you want to progress and gain strength and endurance, it will take more of a sophisticated approach that helps you build sustainable and addictive habits.

When you get focused, get serious, invest in yourself, and put some money where your mouth is, it is incredible what you can accomplish. Don't keep putting off your goals, today is the best day to start, and it is never too late. With the right focus and support, I know you can do this.

Are you ready to hire a nutrition coach? Share your thoughts with me about my top 6 reasons in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why hiring my first nutrition coach was the best investment I ever made in myself (2:12)
How to navigate all of the fitness and nutrition advice you see on social media (6:11)
Why DIY’ing your training is not as cheap or easy as you might think it is (9:58)
Tips for approaching changing your fitness and nutrition regime as you get older (16:12)
The problem with nutrition apps and why they can never replace a nutrition coach (23:44)

Quotes

“Hiring my first sports nutrition coach was a key decision that I made that really changed the trajectory of not only my fitness but my personal life and my career.” (2:19)

“You might think that you are eating really ‘healthy,’ but that doesn't mean that you are adequately fueling, or eating enough of the right things, for example, to get you the fitness results that you want.” (7:52)

“I wasn't just paying a coach. I am investing in my own growth and in actually having a plan to get me to my goals quicker and help me figure out why what I was doing wasn't working.” (11:07)

“I want you to think about hiring someone to help you assess what needs to change, look at and identify the things you are willing to change, and how to do it in a way that is going to be doable in your life.” (19:10)

“Meal plans don't teach you about long-term habit change, and they don't help you address the underlying challenges that might be getting in your way.” (24:24)

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1-1 Strength Nutrition Coaching

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FYS 380: From Endurance to Lifting: Top Sports Nutrition & Training Lessons

Related Episodes

FYS 367: 5 Strength Nutrition Lessons I Wish I Learned a Decade Ago

From Endurance to Lifting: Top Sports Nutrition & Training Lessons Aug 30, 2022

I have been on a journey through fitness, movement, and nutrition my whole life. I rarely take a moment to reflect on my past and all of the ups and downs it took to get to this point. So, what better way to start the new season than share my story with you and the lessons I have learned along the way.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready to Start Taking Care Of Yourself Better, You Should:

Learn the necessary amount of fuel and recovery your body needs for your training
Don’t forget the importance of an experienced coach and support system
Remember that your training should add to your life, not take away from it

The Gift of Hindsight

When I started on my fitness journey, I had no idea about the importance of fueling for your training, recovery, the importance of muscle mass, and so much more. All I cared about was getting smaller and performing harder. It took me years to learn how to change my mindset and approach to training so that I could finally achieve the results that I was searching for.

Luckily the gift of hindsight has shown me that when it comes to the idea of women athletes, an understanding of where you are and the struggles you are having is key to getting to the bottom of your issues and overcoming them.

Expand Your Life

It has taken me ten years of experience, learning, and education to get to the place where I know what works. This is why I am passionate about sharing this information with you so that you can take my past mistakes and use them to help guide you on your strength and nutrition journey.

Don’t just rely on the wilds of Tik Tok and Instagram for information because not everybody out there is doing it the right way. I understand what it is like to be at the beginning, and I want to help you get past those challenges so that you can experience the expansive power that taking care of your body can give you, just like it's given me.

What are some lessons you have learned throughout your fitness and nutrition journey? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Why I am looking forward to the renewing time that is fall (2:34)
Join me while I share my story of how fitness and movement have played a role in my life (6:39)
Learn why I am passionate about this subject and preventing others from experiencing my struggles (17:03)
Addressing the controversy and emotions around Crossfit and Crossfit HQ (19:14)
How learning to properly fuel my body changed the way I train and recover (25:14)

Quotes

“If you are a woman athlete, especially if you are 40 and beyond like me, there are just some things that we need to do differently. And I am really passionate about helping you perform better, build muscle, feel stronger, get those strength numbers up, hit new PRs, and feel even more capable in your life outside of training.” (4:13)

“When I tell you I’ve done a lot of stuff, I've done a lot of different stuff!” (10:55)

“Learning how to lift weights and the empowerment that I felt, the idea, the concept that never fucking occurred to me. That I could focus on getting stronger, and that my body was not a problem to fix, my weight wasn't a problem, just that concept alone changed literally the entire trajectory of my life.” (20:49)

“It was just gradually through that process, of seeing what I was capable of and how lifting made me feel, that I found this freedom.” (23:42)

“It took effort. It took consistency. It took awareness. It took challenging some of the certain beliefs I had had. It took learning new things, with the point being, how can I fuel myself better? (33:28)

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FYS 369: Introducing the Fuel Your Strength Podcast

Related Episodes

LTYB 350: Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport

LTYB 364: Nutrition & Strength Training for Cyclists with Marissa Axell

LTYB 378: Powerlifting and Recovery Tips for the 40+ Athlete with Laura Phelps

FYS 377: Overtraining, Injury, and Burnout with Dr. A’Naja Newsome

Protein Intake and Preventing Muscle Loss w/ Victoria LaFont Jun 21, 2022

If there is one macronutrient that I receive pushback on, it’s protein. That is because it can be hard to increase your protein intake, but that doesn't mean it is without merit to do. If you want to feel good in your body and go throughout the day feeling strong and capable, you need protein, and that's a fact.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Enjoy the Benefits of Protein, You Should:

Understand the difference between knowledge and implementation when it comes to nutrition science
Find a source of protein that works for you and your unique dietary needs
Focus on balance and creating an atmosphere in which your body can thrive in longevity

The Power of Protein with Victoria LaFont

Victoria LaFont is an opera singer turned scientist. Her nutrition-focused copywriting and coaching have helped hundreds of clinicians go from burnout to career bliss. She is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Western States with a master’s degree in human nutrition and functional medicine and is passionate about helping women build strength through balanced nutrition and strength training.

Protein is Primary

Protein is incredibly important when it comes to preventing age-related muscle loss, overall health, and longevity. The Latin root of the word protein even means primary, as it is essential to your body's ability to build muscle and function throughout the day.

Victoria is passionate about letting the research speak for itself. She has seen firsthand how eating a balanced, protein-rich diet, and lifting heavy stuff, has helped women thrive for longer and avoid sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss. If you want to protect your muscles for as long as possible, protein is the key you have been looking for.

Making Balance Trendy

Victoria's hope is that one day, balance becomes trendy. Women being afraid of their bodies changing is a billion-dollar industry, and the way society projects the way a woman is supposed to look prevents us from having perspective about our own body autonomy.

Don’t let protein scare you. Instead, work to understand the science, research, and benefits behind protein so that you can bring your body to a place of balance and make decisions about your health based on what is right for your body.

Are you ready to embrace the power of protein? Share your thoughts on this episode with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why you need to apply the basics when it comes to sports nutrition (14:28)
Learn about sarcopenia and why it is such a growing problem for women (19:31)
Debunking common myths around protein and getting back to the research (28:33)
How to get started on increasing your protein intake if the numbers scare you (35:17)
Tips for focusing on the benefits of protein that have nothing to do with the scale (44:42)

Quotes

"If we are going through those actions, we have to fuel that, or else we have detrimental outcomes. Not just in the gym but in our life." (16:09)

"I want my feet to stay healthy and I want to put on as much muscle mass as possible before I hit menopause because I want to stay functional as I age." (22:21)

"I hope and pray that balance becomes trendy and sexy and sells a lot of products. Because really that is what we need. And part of that balance is we have to intake enough protein for physiological function." (29:41)

"Most women who are after this formula of increasing dietary protein and picking up some heavy stuff, weight gain, that's the thing you want to see on the scale, but it's so much different than what we have been taught." (48:46)

"My job is to present a balanced point of view to people and support other practitioners who are doing that." (55:56)

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LTYB 352: Energy Flux and Fueling for Athletes with Jamie Scott

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LTYB 367: 5 Strength Nutrition Lessons I Wish I Learned a Decade Ago

Powerlifting and Recovery Tips for the 40+ Athlete w/ Laura Phelps Jun 14, 2022

As we age, we need to adopt our training and recovery programs in order to see continued performance. This is especially true in the sport of powerlifting, where it is critical to equip yourself with the knowledge necessary to keep your body healthy and ready as you age. Key Takeaways

If You Want to Stay Strong in your 40’s and Beyond, You Should:

Find a variety of sports such as powerlifting that make you feel good in your body
Avoid the common conjugate programming mistakes by listening to Laura’s tips
Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and always remember to give your body time to recover

Finding Your Power with Laura Phelps

Laura Phelps has been an athlete her entire life and started powerlifting at age 23. She currently holds 8 All-Time World Records in the sport of powerlifting and was personally coached by Louie Simmons. Since 2017 Laura has used her knowledge and expertise to help train others through her coaching company, Queen Bee Power. She finds pride in helping athletes both old and new succeed and reach goals that otherwise would have been unattainable.

Staying Strong at Every Age

Laura’s greatest hope is for everyone to stay healthy and be strong. Strength and power work to our benefit, especially as we get older, which is why we have to be wise and intentional about how we train in every stage of our life. Powerlifting is proof that you can be strong for a very long time, you just have to do it in a way that can adapt to your needs as you get older.

Level Up Your Programming, Conjugate Style

Adapting your training based on where you are now is nothing to be scared of. Powerlifting can be incredibly beneficial to your overall health and longevity, and Laura’s adapted version of the conjugate method can help you feel empowered while taking care of your body's needs.

By building strength through supportive exercises, taking time for recovery, and introducing variation into your training routine, you can experience the restorative impact of conjugate-style programming.

How are you adjusting your training program to the needs of your body at different stages of life? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How the methodology of powerlifting training is different from bodybuilding and other sports (13:44)
Common ways the conjugate method of powerlifting can be used by athletes (18:26)
Tips for adapting your training as you get older (23:22)
Explore the difference and benefits between conventional deadlifting and sumo deadlifting (33:45)
The biggest form issues found when sumo deadlifting (37:50)

Quotes

“I just had this supreme confidence, not arrogance, but I had this unbelievable confidence in what I was doing because I loved it so much.” (12:37)

“If you are doing everything right, following these principles and the right percentages and whatnot, and the recovery, it is set up for longevity.” (23:50)

“Any time your body is imbalanced, you are putting yourself at risk for injury. So if we can make everything more balanced, I just think it is more functional.” (27:36)

“If you don't bench press now as much as you did 10 years ago, it's okay. It's all relative at this point.” (32:03)

“Powerlifting is proof that you can be strong for a long time, a really long time. You are just pushing yourself to your limit at that time and whatever your circumstances are.” (33:00)

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FYS 371: The Fitness Industry Needs Quality Coaches with Jasmine Braxton

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Overtraining, Injury, and Burnout w/ Dr. A'Naja Newsome Jun 07, 2022

If you have ever been injured in your sport as an athletic person, you know how challenging it can be to get back into it. Not just for your body, but also for your mind. Movement, exercise, mental health, mindset, self-efficacy, and burnout are all connected, which is why it can be extra difficult to come to terms with a change or adaptation in your training routine. This is why it is so important to find harmony in your training, and recovery, as an athletic person.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Overcome Injury and Avoid Burnout, You Should:

Look for new or interesting ways to experience the mental benefits of exercise in a way you haven't done before
Remember the importance of proper recovery in order to maintain your ability and motivation
Take a step back and look at your environment and how it affects your goals, lifestyle, and mindset

Overcoming Injury with Dr. A’Naja Newsome

Dr. A’Naja Newsome is an exercise scientist, coach, and educator who is passionate about helping people like you to optimize your strength, mental health, mindset, self-efficacy, and balance training with recovery. She knows firsthand the struggles that adapting your training and understanding how your body is healing can take on an athlete. If you have ever been injured and noticed it took a toll on your mental health or identity, this episode is for you.

The Mental Benefits of Movement

Often when people think about the benefits of exercise, they focus on the physical benefits without realizing all of the amazing mental benefits movement and exercise can have. Improved mood, cognitive function, memory, and overall happiness are just a few of the ways that exercise and physical activity can benefit your life.

However, when we have to change the way in which we train, it can feel like an overwhelming task. This is where your mindset, lifestyle, and goals come into play.

Building Goals Against Yourself

Dr. A’Naja is an advocate of adjusting your training to where you are right now. Instead of trying to compete against others or an old version of yourself, she recommends taking a step back and re-evaluating your training goals. By building goals against yourself, you can align the things that matter most to you so that you can improve your ability and performance while avoiding burnout, overtraining, and poor motivation.

By adjusting your mindset, you can adjust your training and recovery to your lifestyle. Because life is always going to happen, and as athletes, we need to find ways to improve our self-efficacy while taking a step back and checking that our actions are moving us towards our real goals.

Are you struggling with overcoming an injury or changing your training routine? How do your lifestyle, mindset, and goals play into your recovery? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Explore the connection between movement and mental health (9:56)
How to develop the motivation, self-efficacy, and mental skills to promote longevity in your physical activity (16:06)
Advice for those having difficulty adjusting their identity to a new training regime (21:34)
Mindset and mental health strategies to help you adjust to a change in your physical activity (29:36)
The importance of social support when it comes to self-efficacy (35:34)

Quotes

“Enjoyment, happiness, those are all things we have seen a connection with increased physical activity.” (11:15)

“It is really important to understand that physical activity and exercise is not just about physical improvement. There are mental and psychological improvements as well that can be had.” (13:02)

“[Overtraining] is not worth it in the long run. For your physical health, but also your mental health. It is not good in the long run for the longevity of being an athlete to overtrain.” (20:18)

“Your lifestyle is going to constantly change. Your mindset is going to constantly change… you have to fully align your training goals to your nutrition, to your mindset, and to your lifestyle.” (26:16)

“I don't care what your one rep max is. I want to see if you can hit 85% six times, and look sexy doing it.” (31:15)

“Self-efficacy is not about it being easy, it's not about choosing easy tasks, it is simply about believing that you have the tools to overcome whatever obstacle is going to come.” (34:24)

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LTYB 362: Sports Injury Rehab & Returning to Lifting with Dr. Leada Malek

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Peri-Menopause, Fasting and Low Carb in Athletic Women w/ Dr. Stacy Sims May 31, 2022

It is so easy to fall into common nutrition traps or trends that we think are serving us but that are really stopping us from reaching our fullest potential. Common diet and nutrition trends like intermittent fasting, keto, and low carb are not designed for everyone, especially women entering perimenopause or menopause that are athletic.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready to Adjust Your Nutrition in a Way That Will Actually Serve Your Body, You Should:

Remember that women are not small men and the diet and nutrition trends out there are not for your female physiology
Change your mindset around fueling and recovery practices that are tailored to your unique body
Stop being afraid of carbohydrates and feed yourself with proper whole foods that are going to improve your training

Understanding the Science Behind our Bodies with Dr. Stacy Sims

In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Stacy Sims, she is breaking down the science behind why these common nutrition and diet trends are not working for your female physiology. Stacy T. Sims, Ph.D., is an applied researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur in human performance, specifically sex differences in training, nutrition, and environmental conditions. She is passionate about teaching the world why women are not just small men and empowering women to make choices that are supporting their bodies through every phase of life.

If You Aren’t Seeing Results, It’s Not Your Fault

If you have ever thought to yourself ‘why is this diet working for my male partner but not for me?’, you are not alone. The truth is most of the diets out there like intermittent fasting and keto do not take into account our unique female physiology. This is only amplified even more when our hormones start to change as we approach our 40’s and beyond. There is a reason that these common diet and nutrition trends are not working for you, and it is not your fault.

Embracing the Female Physiology

Females have a different threshold for calorie intake, oxidative stress, and countless other biological responses than men do. This is why we need to take a deep dive into what is going on with our bodies at every phase of our life so that we can mitigate the symptoms and see the results from our training that we are hoping for.

How are you fueling your body to ensure that you are supporting it in every way possible? Share your thoughts about this episode with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn what the research says about intermittent fasting when it comes to women who exercise (5:25)
Why it is not your fault if you are not seeing the same results as a man using the same nutrition methods (10:51)
The problem with a keto diet as an active woman getting close to menopause (14:36)
What you should be putting on your plate if you are a woman who exercises in her 40’s (18:50)
How to stop focusing on the scale when you are not seeing the results you want to see (28:06)

Quotes

“If you look at the longevity data of exercise, it is more stimulating and more robust than intermittent fasting or time restricted eating.” (6:16)

“When we look at ketogenic and the lack of diversity and a huge overgrowth of the fila that promotes obesity, then it is definitely not a win for women, especially when we start hitting this change over of our hormones.” (16:25)

“If you don't have carbohydrates, you are not going to hit your training measures. You can't hit high intensity, you can't lift well, your body needs carbohydrates.” (20:11)

“I don't want people to think that I say all this stuff and I do it all the time and it is easy for me. Because it's not. It's hard for everyone, you just have to be very cognitive.” (27:05)

“The weight on the scale is not representative of what is actually happening. So we have to live through that little bit of transition and freak out in our minds that something negative is happening. But know that weight on the scale is not representative of what is happening inside the cell, what is happening with inflammation going down, or increasing the stuff that is in the muscle. So just be patient, just be patient, don't freak out.” (30:18)

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FYS 375: Peri-Menopause, Fasting and Low Carb in Athletic Women

HTK 077: Women are Not Small Men with Dr. Stacy Sims

Strength Training Changes for Peri-Menopause and Post-Menopause w/ Dr. Stacy Sims May 24, 2022

Many women dont realize that as we age, our training and fueling routines need to change with us. But how do we do this when there are so many nutrition trends out there that are so easy to get sucked into? The answer is in this 2 part episode where we dive into the research beyond how to fuel and move your body in peri-menopause, menopause, and beyond.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Looking to Change Your Training Routine as You Enter Your 40s, You Should:

Remember that women are not small men and most guidelines out there need to be adjusted for your changing body
Drop the moderate intensity crap and focus on high-intensity speed and power to see the results you want
Take a step back to re-learn the difference between being tired from exercise or tired from stress

Women Are Not Small Men with Dr. Stacy Sims

Stacy T. Sims, Ph.D., is an applied researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur in human performance, specifically sex differences in training, nutrition, and environmental conditions. She is a regularly featured speaker at professional and academic conferences, including those hosted by US Olympic Committee, High-Performance Sport NZ, and USA Cycling, she is a Senior Research Associate at AUT University and resides at the beach in Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand with her husband and young daughter.

Listen To Your Body and the Research

When a woman enters her 40s, her body composition starts to change. Many people associate the symptoms of these changes with low sleep, high stress, and try to do more training to counter it. None of these are the appropriate types of stress that your body needs in order to mitigate these changes. Women need specific changes to their training routine, along with nutrition, to support their bodies throughout their 40s and beyond. Proper sleep, high-intensity workouts, and polarizing your training in order to recover are key.

Change Is a Good Thing

Often as women are approaching peri-menopause they are nervous about getting bulky or are told to switch to moderate intensity workouts. Dr. Stacy is here to say that is absolutely not the case. Physiologically women respond better to speed and power, and if anything we should be increasing the intensity of our workouts when we can, and bookending them with softer workouts for our recovery. This is just one example of the necessary ways you need to change your training routine in order to support your changing body and hormones.

Are you excited for Part 2 of Dr. Stacy Sims' knowledge and experience? Share which of her tips you loved most from this episode with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Why the phases of your menstrual cycle should impact how you train (11:35)
Some of the changes that you can expect to see when entering peri-menopause (14:49)
How to shift the way that you strength train as you enter your 40s and beyond (18:42)
Why the ‘moderate intensity’ for women in their 40’s is the exact opposite of what you should be doing (26:22)
Tips for changing up your training and eating routine in order to stress your body and see results (33:52)

Quotes

“They attribute it to life stress, but it's not. Well, some of it is life stress of course. But when we pull it back to physiology and we see this change over these ratios, and our bodies are also trying to adjust.” (16:26)

“What we are trying to do when we get into our 40s is look for an external stress that is going to help support what the hormones used to do, or augment what the hormones can do.” (19:55)

“You need to work with someone who knows how to do proper movement.” (23:26)

“We don't know what it is like to be uncomfortable. We have air-conditioned houses, we have heating in the winter, we go outside in the summer, and we don't know what it truly means to be uncomfortable, so our bodies never adapt.” (32:05)

“We are really trying to get people to understand what it feels like, and teach themselves because we have lost that. We have lost what it feels like to be tired from physical activity, versus being tired from stress. So we are trying to teach that.” (37:41)

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Women Are Not Small Men TED Talk

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HTK 077: Women are Not Small Men with Dr. Stacy Sims

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Overcoming a Strength Plateau w/ Brittany Sterling May 17, 2022

Hitting a strength training plateau is so frustrating, especially when you feel like there’s nothing you can do to push through it. I’m joined by one of my students, Brittany Sterling, to talk about how she benefits from the support of her community to help her overcome her strength plateaus. We also talk about cheering on other women, the surprising benefits of strength training, and why you need to eat more food! Key Takeaways What Can Change by Applying the Program Information:

More compliments from your partner
Huge strides in your fitness goals
Feeling like a nicer person with more stable emotions

About Brittany Sterling Brittany Sterling is a member of my community. I asked her to come on to talk about her experience with Strength Nutrition Unlocked and how she’s developed her fitness routine through strength training.

The Support of Community is Second to None

Strength training has always been a part of Brittany’s fitness routine, but she talks about how she hasn’t always been hitting her goals and often hit plateaus. One of the biggest things that Brittany can attribute her success to these days is the power of community.

Community is the best support system when you’re serious about your fitness journey. It’s there for motivation and support when you’re feeling stuck or you’re injured. And each community member brings their own resources, perspectives, and experiences that can help fuel you forward.

Surprising Benefits of Strength Training

When Brittany started working with me in my training programs, she learned how to apply the knowledge she knew from books in a more practical setting. She started seeing the gains she always wanted to and felt supported in all aspects of her life.

One of the most surprising changes for her was that she started to feel happier and more joyful in her life - and her partner even said she was a nicer, more fun person to be around. When you’re balanced in your fitness routine, including eating enough calories, you’re going to notice those awesome differences!

Your fitness journey doesn’t have to be perfect. When you take that element out of it, ditch the all or none thinking, and start enjoying your body now!

Let me know in the comments of the episode page what you’re doing to overcome your plateaus and what role community plays for you.

In This Episode

Why a support system or supportive environment is so beneficial [8:00]
How community can help get you through rough periods in your training [11:15]
Why it’s so crucial for you to fuel your body and eat more food when you’re working long, hard days [20:00]
What prompted Brittany to seek help with her fitness routine [24:15]
How calorie tracking might lead you into a scarcity mindset, leading to overeating [27:00]
What happens when you apply your book fitness knowledge to your fitness journey [29:00]
How following a balanced fitness plan with proper nutrition can help you lead a more balanced life [34:00]
How your fitness journey can inspire other women [39:00]
What happens when you remove the element of perfection from your fitness journey [41:30]

Quotes

“Having people that continue to support and push you, even when you feel down and out, you have people that you can learn from. You have people that have been there. That no what it’s like to slog through things. Maybe what you need to do today is not what you want it to look like. Maybe it’s just doing a little something. Anything’s better than nothing. Then you come out on the other side feeling so much more accomplished and better about yourself that you were able to overcome the emotional obstacle.” [9:06]

“In the last seven years, I’ve had multiple physical injuries, both work-related and gym-related, and it feels like starting from scratch all over again. You get very frustrated because you know where you were going, how well you were doing, and think ‘I know I’m capable, but I just can’t right now, so what’s the point?’ That’s where having that community come in really makes a difference. People who have been there, are there with you, can cry, suffer, hold your hand, cheer you on - it really makes a huge difference in your ability to keep pushing forward to the other side.” [13:17]

“Being well-fed makes me a nicer person!” [31:10]

“We get so hyperfocused on how we look. For women, it’s very much about appearances, skimpy bodysuits, and Lululemon head-to-toe. We do that to be noticed for how we look. How cool would it be to be noticed for what we can do? I don’t feel like we do that enough as women. Giving and getting feedback from other women is so cool.” [37:42]

“I don’t have to do cardio for an hour at one time in order to be effective and progress myself in my goals. As long as I’m moving. A little bit of jump roping or three sets of pull-ups on the squat bar in my backyard so I can do those things has really created this opportunity to not feel like I have to miss out on other things. I don’t have to sacrifice one thing for the other, I can do both, it just may not look like I want it to.” [40:51]

“We get into those weird mentalities and vicious loops where we say, ‘more is more, all or nothing, it has to be perfect.’ We put ourselves up for failure and fall into these weird, sneaky hate spirals. When you’re able to let those go and naturally allow yourself to find movement when you can, it makes it so much more enjoyable and so much less like a chore. When you’re able to find peace and enjoyment in that, other people notice and want to be part of it.” [43:04]

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The Problem with Tiny Pink Dumbbells w/ Nikki Naab-Levy May 10, 2022

When you see tiny pink dumbbells, what is your first thought? While these tiny pink dumbbells can have their utility in the world of post-rehab or muscular endurance, the marketing messages surrounding these hand weights are incredibly problematic. In today's episode, my good friend Nikki Naab-Levy and I are breaking down the problem with the overall message surrounding tiny pink dumbbells in fitness marketing. Key Takeaways If You Are Sick of Seeing Tiny Pink Dumbbells, You Should:

Remember that just because you are a woman it does not mean you are not capable or are too fragile to be strong
Stop worrying about getting bulky or comparing yourself to people on Instagram
Find your weight sweet spot and focus on using an adequate amount of weight that is right for you

Calling Out Problematic Marketing with Nikki Naab-Levy Nikki Naab-Levy is a strength and nutrition coach who has been involved in multiple arenas in the fitness industry for the last 17 years. She helps women move, build strength, improve mobility, move beyond injury, and find a sustainable approach to nutrition. She is passionate about having the unscripted and messy conversations necessary to help women get stronger and call attention to the problematic marketing in the world of fitness and beyond.

Pink Is Not the Problem

There is nothing wrong with expressing your femininity and working out in a way that suits you. However, you need to ask yourself if your tool fits the application. We all have the autonomy to decide how we want to lift weights or exercise; the problem comes when we allow marketers to lie to women about how they can achieve their goals using insufficient methods. Strength training, real strength training, is all about using smart programming and an appropriate amount of weight to get stronger over time, not ‘to get toned and flexible’ by using weights designed to keep women in a small mindset.

The Weaponization of Femininity

The marketing of tiny pink dumbbells says that women shouldn't get too bulky and that they need to lift petite things because they are fragile. This is simply not true, and this brainwashing keeps women from experiencing their full abilities and capacities for getting stronger.

The weaponization of femininity has a range of negative implications that we are honestly just sick of. If your goal is to get progressively stronger over time, you need to take a step back and analyze the messages that are being directed toward you as a woman who lifts.

How do you believe the marketing of fitness impacts your decisions regarding your routine? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

What is really behind the marketing of tiny pink dumbbells (9:12)
Why we need to stop lying to women about how they can achieve their fitness desires (15:14)
How to address a lack of lifting results and find your weight sweet spot (20:41)
The difference between something that makes you stronger and strength training (27:23)
Unpack the implication behind the messaging of tiny pink dumbbells (39:25)

Quotes

“It is amazing that we live in a day and age where tiny pink dumbbells need an entire podcast conversation, but they do! Because they are so prevalent in marketing and the marketing in what they can and cannot do for you in no way matches the reality of what you would actually want to use them for.” (7:21)

“Strength is a continuum. There is a lot of confusion about what you are trying to achieve and what is the best use of the thing that you are doing.” (21:05)

“Scratch below the surface of why you are buying something or why you are following someone or why you are doing something, because there is underlying science and utility in each of the modalities, and if you are going to choose something, choose something that actually has an application.” (38:32)

“When we make choices for ourselves, we need to step back and be logical and look beyond the marketing, I think that is my whole thing. The tiny pink dumbbell is fine, it can have its utility, just stop calling it strength training and stop saying it will make you toned because it freakin won’t.” (39:15)

“I still have capabilities that go far beyond what I thought I could do when I was in the box of the tiny pink dumbbell when I was in the world of the tiny pink dumbbell.” (44:36)

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LTYB 358: Hypermobility, Pain and Strength Training with Nikki Naab-Levy

Recovery Trackers, Training and the Menstrual Cycle w/ Emily Capodilupo May 03, 2022

It can be tricky to strike a balance between when our bodies are optimized to go hard and when we need to rest. This is why wearable trackers like my personal favorite, Whoop, are such amazing tools to help you understand the data and analytics behind your performance and recovery.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Use A Recovery Tracker to Improve Your Recovery, You Should:

Find a tracker that provides you with science-based data and analytics unique to your body
Don't forget about your menstrual cycle and the impact it can have on your training and recovery
Remember that it is necessary to rest in order to see the gains that you want

Making Data-Driven Decisions with Emily Capodilupo

Emily Capodilupo is the Senior Vice President of Data Science & Research at Whoop. A Harvard-educated neurobiology expert, former gymnast, and current runner, Emily knows firsthand the importance of sleep and recovery when it comes to peak performance. She combines her skills, personal experience, and sleep and analytics knowledge to empower athletes to make intelligent, data-driven decisions about their bodies.

Recovery Is Non-negotiable

By now, we all know that rest is an important factor in recovery, but did you know it can also impact your athletic, cognitive, and emotional performance? The average person sleeps for ⅓ of their life, and yet the reason behind why sleep is a universal need is still yet to be fully understood.

As Emily says, sometimes the best thing you can do for your body is rest. There is no point in training hard if you are not going to see the benefits, and you will not see the results you are hoping for without giving your body time to rest. By using a tracker like Whoop, you can better understand what is going on with your body and how to improve your metrics in order to meet your fitness goals.

Closing the Research Gender Gap

Another area that Emily is passionate about bringing attention to is the lack of female representation in academic research, especially when it comes to exercise physiology research. Historically women have been excluded from research studies, which does a horrible disservice to the females who want to train the right way.

Whoop works to provide you with information about your recovery and sleep, and menstrual cycle so that you can work smarter, not harder. By understanding your menstrual cycle and how your body is operating, you can actually get fit more efficiently. Using technology to gain more information about ourselves, and learning how to apply this information in simple and straightforward ways, is truly the optimal way to perform in all of your athletic pursuits.

Are you ready to use science-backed guidance to improve your performance and recovery? Share your thoughts on data and science when it comes to your optimal health with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How data collection and algorithms work hand in hand with human physiology (7:58)
What is taken into consideration when creating a recovery score with Whoop (17:25)
Why it is important to close the gender gap when it comes to exercise physiology research (29:22)
What Whoops current and future research tells us about our menstrual cycles (38:43)
How to adjust your training based on where you are at in your cycle, stage of life, and more (45:52)

Quotes

“It is a pretty powerful metric of how ready your body is to adapt to the varying stimuli you may be exposed to that day.” (19:21)

“The recovery score, because we are getting at these pretty basic physiological measurements of readiness and adaptation, it translates into all these different things. So both your ability to perform, as well as your risk of potentially getting injured.” (24:32)

“By neglecting research into how to comfortably and safely exercise as a person with a uterus, with these ovarian hormones, we are kind of setting these people up to opt out and therefore reduce their health later in life, shorten their lifespan, make them feel less good and less health, and I feel like that is a really big problem.” (36:54)

“We have collected data from thousands of perimenopausal and menopausal females, and we are going to be able to do research… to sort of understand what research in that population looks like in a way that academic research failed to comment on. We are excited to be a part of closing that gap.” (51:08)

“When we make stuff up, we are at such a high risk of getting it wrong and doing this huge disservice to a population who wants to do it right.” (53:37)

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The Fitness Industry Needs Quality Coaches: How to Improve Your Skills w/ Jasmine Braxton Apr 26, 2022

It is no secret that without quality coaches and personal trainers, there wouldn't be much of a fitness industry. And yet, if you are an aspiring coach or trainer, there are some common pitfalls that you might fall into. If you are trying to impact others in the world of fitness coaching and personal training, this episode is filled with the most important messages you need to know.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Improve Your Skills as a Fitness Coach, You Should:

Focus on improving your understanding of how people operate and communication skills to create strong bonds with your clients
Set boundaries and do not engage with a topic you are not educated in or comfortable with
Make an investment in yourself by seeking out help to start your career with your best foot forward

Get Your Career Toolbox with Jasmine Braxton

Jasmine Braxton helps personal trainers implement their knowledge and overcome their imposter syndrome as a coach. She is on a mission to not only help other people become coaches but to bring high-quality coaching and personal training to the world. She knows the pitfalls that brand new coaches or personal trainers often unknowingly fall into and is here today to provide you with the most important steps that you can take to become the most impactful coach you can be.

You Deserve to Know What You Are Doing

Getting your certification to be a personal trainer is the first step on a long journey to becoming the best coach you can be. Applying exercise-related science to a personal field can be difficult, especially when you do not have the skills necessary to program in a way that will be impactful for your clients.

Understanding how people function and communication are two of the biggest struggles Jasmine sees in coaches and trainers. She has dedicated herself to helping others navigate these spaces and improving the quality of training available.

The Importance of a Good Foundation

If you have watched any home renovation show, you know that you can’t build a house on a bad foundation. Despite this, many trainers are entering the field without the foundational knowledge necessary to take the ‘stumbling stage’ out of the equation. There are a lot of lessons in failing, asking for help, and admitting when you do not know something. It is only by observing what you are doing and learning how to improve that you can remove as many barriers as possible in order to gain the success, results, and career that you want.

Are you ready to improve the quality, knowledge, and relationships in your personal training or coaching journey? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

What sets Jasmine’s approach apart from what is regularly seen in the fitness industry (11:44)
The biggest challenges when it comes to relationship building in the coach to client sphere (17:13)
How the pandemic impacted the in-person and online fitness spaces and why it has created a problem (24:18)
Why you need to give yourself grace when navigating the coaching landscape and progression of information (30:36)
What skills you need to cultivate in order to have the most successful clients and career (33:14)

Quotes

“For trainers, whether we are in Year 1 or Year 12, we still struggle with a lot of the same things. A lot of them is confidence in ourselves, and our ability to program, our ability to help our clients change behaviors, and just overall feeling prepared to do our jobs well.” (9:23)

“Getting a certification to be a personal trainer is just like stage 1. It is not everything y'all, it is just your start.” (12:31)

“Coaching is not just about prescribing sets and reps and progressing someone. It's about helping them achieve a version of themselves that they cannot see yet, but it is there if they have someone supporting them.” (22:18)

“There are lots of lessons in not getting things perfectly, and I think that is an opportunity for growth. When you are just okay with putting yourself out there and doing it and knowing it is not perfect, but learning what you can do to improve it.” (31:26)

“I'm doing this because I can so empathize with what it feels like to want to do this so bad… wanting to be in this industry, but feeling like you have all these little stumbling stones in your way that make it so difficult.” (38:19)

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Mobility for Strength Training w/ Dr. Jen Hosler Apr 19, 2022

There is a huge need for more understanding of movement and mobility regarding fitness in general. While injuries are impossible to avoid, the idea that our bodies just fall apart as we get older has been normalized to, the point of, detriment. By providing yourself with the necessary tools and knowledge, you can keep your joints healthy to continue to do the things you love at any age.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Improve Your Mobility, You Should:

Start with a daily movement routine to ensure you are hitting your full range of motion
Remember that mobility work is strength training, just with a different focus
Get an assessment to understand your limitations and where your training should go

Connecting With Your Body With Dr. Jen Hosler

Dr. Jen Hosler is a physiotherapist and trainer who is passionate about helping women cultivate healthy behaviors and discover how simple it can be to live a healthy life, without stress. Building strong joints and tissue through mobility practices is the tool Jen uses to help her clients avoid injury, recover better, and connect with their bodies from the inside out.

Healthy Joints = Healthy Life

For many people, concerns around pain or injury in their lower back and neck stop them from achieving their health goals. Jen wants to challenge you to look beyond your regular fitness routine and incorporate some mobility practices that will target your joints and focus on your strength from the inside out to feel better and get stronger.

Life will find a way to put every difficult position in front of you. This is why you should expose yourself to these movements now so that your body can be prepared for them when you are faced with them.

Making Your Mobility a Priority

Mobility work is like the brushing and flossing of your teeth, but for your joints. Mobility work can help you maintain and improve your range of motion, get necessary nutrients in and out of your joints, and help you gain body control and body awareness. Mobility is not something that you can just ignore, and the benefits you will receive from starting now instead of tomorrow will have a huge impact on your ability to take your health to the next level.

Don't just accept that your body will start to fall apart as you age. You owe it to yourself to connect with your body and see the return on your investment in your health.

Are you ready to start prioritizing your mobility? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below.

In This Episode

Common challenges women face as they age and how specific mobility training could help (8:25)
How to navigate fear surrounding a past injury or hurting yourself through mobility (15:10)
Addressing the polarization between mobility and nutrition in your day to day life (22:01)
Examples of how to properly move your body during mobility work exercises (30:35)
Why you should adopt a new attitude when it comes to how your body is aging (40:43)

Quotes

“I really realized that the place that I can have the most impact in helping people continue to still do the things that they love.” (4:12)

“We need to load and off-load the joint to flush junk out and get good stuff in. You can take all of the supplements you want, but if you are not moving your full range of motion, you are never going to get there.” (17:49)

“I am really lucky that I started to learn the importance of these things and addressing my limitations early on because most people don't realize until they are 40 or 50 and have a major injury.” (26:04)

“Most people don't realize that mobility work eventually looks like strength training, or it is strength training, it is just with a different focus in mind. (28:30)

“It is not necessarily your fault that you didn't have the right information, but it is your responsibility to address the things when your body is talking to you.” (41:43)

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Introducing the Fuel Your Strength Podcast Apr 12, 2022

Since I left teaching to start my own company nine years ago, my business has changed a lot. From Stupid Easy Paleo to Harder to Kill, to now Listen to Your Body, I try my hardest to stay transparent about how messy entrepreneurship and life can be. Now, I am ready to announce a new chapter in this journey, one that I hope you are as excited about as I am. Key Takeaways When Listening to the Fuel Your Strength Podcast, I Hope You:

Remember my goals of being transparent and following my heart
Relate to my changing business goals when being presented with new information
Know that my dedication to this content only grows stronger with each business pivot

New Name, Similar Mission

I try my very best to only get behind something if in my body or mind it is a definite ‘hell yes’. Part of this process means changing course or pivoting when presented with new information or different viewpoints and perspectives you may have considered before.

I am pleased to announce the new name of my podcast, the Fuel Your Strength Podcast. This new name is really a better fit that connects more cohesively with my mission, the content I love to create, and the community that I love to work with.

The Future of Fuel Your Strength

I love working with athletic women in the range of their 40s who really want to fuel smarter. I am passionate about helping women step into their strength at any age and combating the idea that life after 40 means accepting defeat. This new podcast will bring you evidence-based strategies for nutrition, training, and recovery so that you can continue to feel strong in your body and your life as a result.

I cannot wait to take this show into the future, and I cannot wait for you to join me in this new chapter.

What are you hoping to hear about on the new Fuel Your Strength Podcast? Let me know your thoughts on the new name with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Gather round for a true story from my past that I can’t wait to tell you (0:27)
Lessons from my entrepreneurial journey that may help you in your journey whatever that may be (4:25)
An exciting announcement about this podcast and what to expect going forward (7:04)
Why you should keep challenging yourself at any age (11:58)
What I hope you see when you look at my back catalog and my content going forward (13:21)

Quotes

“It goes to show that there are sometimes these different places that we come from, and I came from the world of education, and yet here I am still doing what I love, coaching, helping women with their nutrition… and it's just been such an amazing career I have had in this phase of my life.” (4:10)

“As much as possible I try to share those things with you, about how much things have changed, about how my way of thinking about certain things has evolved, about how when I started this journey in 2013 of working for myself, it in some ways looked nothing like it does now.” (6:20)

“When we help women build their strength, it is incredible what else changes in the process.” (6:43)

“If I could say there was one thing that I was put on this planet to do, it is to talk about strength, to relay that message, to introduce it to people, to help support you as you are going through your own process of lifting and learning how to do it and understanding how you need to provide your body with the things it really needs to lift strong and recover well, and really see the results that you want.” (10:25)

“We all start somewhere. And it is okay to change and evolve and grow, especially when faced with new information or presented with different viewpoints and perspectives.” (13:53)

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Why Women Who Lift Need to Champion Each Other Apr 05, 2022

If you are a woman who lifts weights, chances are pretty high that somewhere along the line, someone has given you their unsolicited opinion of what you should and shouldn't be doing in your pursuit of strength. These comments can be cringeworthy and are part of a much larger problem that dissuades women from strength training despite all of the benefits that we know are out there. Key Takeaways If You Want To Be A Champion for Other Women, You Should:

Find a support system of people who get you and want to celebrate your wins
Don’t be afraid or doubt yourself when it comes to your strength training goals
Remember all of the benefits of strength training and the positives that it can bring to your life

You Are Not Alone in This

So many of us get these ridiculous comments along our strength training journey. That we should be worried about getting ‘too big’, that we won't appear ‘feminine’, or that we will hurt ourselves. Being aware that there are always people out there who say stupid shit is important, but these belittling comments can stop women from strength training and reaping the multiple health benefits and quality of life improvements.

This is why having a support system, whether it is virtual or in person, is so important on this journey. There are people out there that want to celebrate your wins with you and encourage you to keep going; you just have to find them.

Listen to Your Inner Badass

Did you know that only 1 in 5 women meet the recommended guidelines for muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity? If we could put more weights in the hands of women and help them feel ready for the strength training journey, the benefits would be endless. This is why these comments matter. The negative comments that women in my community have received defy both science and logic.

Please, don't give in to the ridiculous things people say. This is your life and body, and the badass in you who wants to lift weights and get stronger is the voice you should listen to.

Are you ready to be your own champion and stop letting the haters get you down? Share the most ridiculous unsolicited advice you have received with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

The inspiration behind our conversation in this episode (4:08)Some of the unsolicited ridiculous things people in my community have been told about lifting (10:05)
Why you need to have awareness around people saying stupid shit (16:00)
Why women getting talked out of strength training is a massive problem (19:06)
The importance of being your own champion in a society that has not caught up (22:27)

Quotes

“I think it is important that we know about women out there breaking records and doing cool shit and saying hey, I can be strong and amazing at what I do.” (6:05)

“There is this interesting dynamic that is not just when a woman describes that she wants to exercise, buts it’s the kind of exercise that we applaud.” (13:35)

“When I hear this, it really annoys me, because I know there are women out there who get talked out of or start to doubt, and they stop strength training, or they never even begin.” (18:52)

“We know that there is so much evidence for why muscle strengthening, strength training, resistance training, that's adequate to produce the response we need for our bodies. That it's adequately loaded, that it's progressively loaded, doing it in a smart way, we know that this has benefits.” (20:53)

“Doing this alone can be extremely isolating. It is very easy to start second-guessing yourself. It is very easy to let the naysayers get you down or talk you out of this. It is very easy to succumb to the pressures around you of what you should and shouldn't be doing. And it is really lonely when no one gets you.” (23:50)

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5 Strength Nutrition Lessons I Wish I Learned a Decade Ago Mar 29, 2022

When I look back at all of the unknowns or mistakes I made when I started lifting way back in 2010, it makes me shutter. My goal is to help you avoid those mistakes and provide you with the tools and information necessary to help you achieve your goals while also fueling yourself smarter, getting stronger, building muscle, and performing better. Key Takeaways If You Want To Start Developing Better Nutrition Habits for Your Strength Training, You Should:

Make sure you are fueling enough for your activity level
Remember that carbs and protein are your longevity friend
Adjust your strength and nutrition plan to serve your personal goals

Hindsight is 20/20; As They Say

I see many common mistakes in my community and my listeners, and I only wish I could turn back time and have hindsight on my side. While I can't do that for myself, it is my pleasure to be able to do that for you. Falling into the same pitfalls that I did when I was fresh at lifting is something that I want to help you avoid, which is why I choose to point out the common mistakes I see to help you be as successful in your body as possible.

Setting Your Body up for Success

If you have stepped up your activity level but continue to fuel your body the same, there is a good chance that your body is not happy. By shifting your mindset around what you are actively doing and how much fuel your body needs to accomplish that, you will avoid Low Energy Availability and improve your Basal Metabolic needs.

By troubleshooting and changing how you are thinking about fueling your body in relativity to your activity, you will find the answers you are looking for to get out of these frustrating circumstances when it comes to strength training and nutrition.

Are you ready to fuel smarter in order to build strength, energy, muscle, and perform better? Let me know what you want to hear next in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

The first thing that I wish I knew about fueling my body for strength training (3:51)
Discover the problem with the mantra ‘eat less move more’ (8:40)
Why you should be mindful of getting enough protein intake when strength training (15:01)
How coffee could be sabotaging your energy, especially if it takes the place of your breakfast most mornings (18:55)
Why some nutrition tools may not be well suited to the strength and nutrition goals that you have (22:30)

Quotes

“I was eating, of course, but I really wasn’t mindful of how much energy I was expending through my training. Which was a lot.” (5:22)

“You sort of have to understand how these things can morph and then when supported by the community at large, especially when there is not a lot of context involved.” (12:07)

“Once women are in the menopause transition, and there is lower estrogen, it is harder to build muscle for a variety of reasons and if we are not eating enough food overall… one of the things that happen is we start to lose muscle tissue.” (15:34)

“You are going to perform a lot better in your training if you put more in your system than just coffee.” (21:24)

“Not every tool is a good idea for you, and this is where being discerning is really, really important.” (26:20)

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3 Strength Training Myths to Avoid Mar 07, 2022

Strength training has the potential to expand your life in so many ways, which is why it makes me so sad when those who are relatively new to lifting get scared off by common myths and misconceptions. In my experience, there are three common strength training myths that I see that I want to set the record straight on. Key Takeaways

If You Want To Avoid Common Strength Training Myths, You Should:

Know that you don't need to lift every day and that recovery is important
Stop trying to confuse your muscles instead of working towards your goals
Don't push yourself to the point of soreness where you don't enjoy it anymore

Strength Training Myths Exposed

One of the first myths people often hear when they are first exposed to strength training is that they need to lift every day. This couldn't be further from the truth. Rest and recovery days are necessary for a sustainable lifting routine, and they should not be taken lightly. The improvements you will see in your results when you schedule in the time for a recovery day from lifting will speak for themselves.

Another common myth is that you have to confuse your muscles in order to see results. While it is important to have modifications in your lifting routine to keep your muscles adaptive, you can actually do yourself a disservice by confusing your muscles too much. A training plan that progressively overloads you while training towards your goals is the key to a strategy that works for you.

The Key Is a Progressive Plan

Another myth that I see my clients get caught up in all the time is that if their workout is not making them incredibly sore, then it is not working. While everyone feels soreness occasionally, pushing your body to the point where you are so sore that you are not enjoying your workouts anymore isn't benefiting anybody.

By creating a progressive plan, you can get more out of your lifting in the long run. Being more consistent, showing up without being extremely sore, enjoying your workouts, buying back more time, all without overdoing it, are just some of the benefits of avoiding these three common strength training myths.

What are some strength training myths that you have come across? Share them with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about my exciting new offering that you have been asking for for years (3:43)
The importance of recovery and why you will see better benefits when you don't lift every day (8:18)
Why you don't need to confuse your muscles in order to make progress in your workouts (12:00)
Why your workout doesn't have to make you sore in order to be effective (18:23)
How to find a training plan that is matched to your goals, needs, equipment, and more (22:55)

Quotes

“Not only do you get amazing benefits from strength training, but I really do believe that it is a catalyst for expansion in your life.” (3:19)

“If we want to build strength, we are going to have to progressively overload the training plan over time. There are multiple ways to progressively overload a training plan, but all this means in very general speak, is that we have to change up certain variables of the workout at a reasonable pace over time so that your body continues to adapt.” (13:18)

“If you have goals, and you are looking to increase mass or looking to increase strength or looking to increase speed, power, then its important that you spend enough time actually being exposed to those things so that you increase and improve.” (17:40)

“Your soreness is really not a great indication of how good the workout was… but it is pretty demotivating when you are incredibly sore all the time, or you are just wiped out all the time, it is very difficult to wake up the next day or two days later excited to do that next workout.” (21:57)

“If you are following a training plan that is well thought out, hopefully, it is progressing you as wisely as possible.” (22:48)

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Creatine for Strength Training: Myths + Truths w/ Dr. Scott Forbes Mar 01, 2022

Creatine can be one of the most beneficial supplements out there, especially for those who are physically active. However, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about creatine. This is why I have invited ‘Dr. Creatine’ himself to the show today, to arm you with the knowledge necessary to decide if creatine is right for you.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Interested in Creatine, You Should:

Educate yourself about the benefits of creatine when taken properly
Learn about the common myths and misconceptions about creatine and how they differ from reality
Stay up to date about the latest creatine research from doctors like Dr. Forbes

Enhancing Athletic Performance With Dr. Scott Forbes

Dr. Scott Forbes is a researcher who focuses on sports science and various nutritional and training interventions that enhance athlete performance. He is an expert at examining nutritional and exercise interventions for optimal muscle and brain health in older adults and has worked as a personal trainer and athlete consultant for several professional and varsity level sports teams. He is passionate about helping those interested in creatine understand the science and reality behind the supplement so that they can make informed decisions for themselves and their health.

Understanding Creatine

Creatine is derived from three amino acids and is generally stored in muscle tissue. Creatine is beneficial for those who participate in high-intensity exercises, such as sprinting and lifting weights. It is not just for ‘meat heads’ or ‘gym bros’, and its benefit for bone health, muscle performance, and brain function are scientifically proven. Creatine works to enhance your muscle strength, not your muscle mass, which means it won't make you bulk up more than you want to.

The Science Behind Creatine

Dr. Forbes’s research specifically looks at the gender gap that has previously existed in scientific studies and works to prove that creatine is safe for both males and females of varying ages. Dr. Forbes wants to help others avoid unnecessary work ad complications when it comes to supplementing with creatine and dismiss the myths and misconceptions that can surround this supplement.

If you have considered taking creatine or want to get some real, scientific-based evidence into the benefits of creatine, this is an episode you cannot miss.

How does creatine play into your workout routine and supplementation? Have you experienced the benefits of creatine? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

The first thing you should know if you have never heard about creatine supplements (9:57)
Why taking creatine can be beneficial when it comes to your workouts and overall health (12:44)
Female-specific benefits that you can expect when you start to take creatine (18:30)
Addressing common myths and misconceptions about creatine as submitted by listeners like you (20:54)
What to expect in the future of creatine medicine and how to know which type of creatine is right for you (28:57)

Quotes

“Over time, it has been the one supplement that has been shown to have a benefit. And there seem to be more and more benefits in regards to creatine, so that is why I have just stayed engaged with creatine and got more excited over the years, and now it has become a focus for the past five or six years in my research laboratory.” (7:26)

“There are so many myths and misconceptions associated with creatine, and I am just passionate about providing that information to whoever is interested in listening and trying to influence one person at a time.” (8:03)

“If you take a creatine supplement, you get about a 20% increase in the amount of creatine within your muscle. So you make that energy system just a little bit bigger, and then you can run a little bit faster, you can lift a few more reaps, and over time that can translate into bigger and stronger muscles.” (13:13)

“If you combine creatine with resistance training, you can enhance bone strength, particularly in post-menopausal women.” (17:35)

“Be patient, wait a little bit, and you will actually have bigger and stronger muscles over time.” (22:40)

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Nutrition & Strength Training for Cyclists w/ Marissa Axell Feb 22, 2022

Knowing how to train and fuel yourself appropriately, especially as a female athlete, goes way beyond just lifting weights. Whatever other pursuits you enjoy also require the knowledge and understanding necessary to train for your body's unique needs.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Improve Your Cycling, You Should:

Work to change your mindset and educate yourself about the right training practices for your body and age
Ensure that you are fueling your body properly to have the energy you need to feel and train better
Work with a coach to keep muscles on your skeleton while pushing the pedals properly and mobilizing fat

Badass Bosses on Bikes With Marissa Axell

Marissa Axell is a cyclist and cyclist coach who has dedicated her work to teaching women cyclists how to be badass bosses on their bikes. She helps women understand not just the skill but also the nutrition, recovery, and training that works well for female cyclists at every age. Disappointed by the lack of information and representation in the female cycling work, Marissa took her years of experience and created a space and program that, frankly, I wish I had known 20 years ago when I first got onto a bike.

Chasing Quality, Not Fatigue

We have been conditioned for years that we have to be on every adventure and embody the all-or-nothing mentality. While Marissa is an advocate for high-intensity interval training, she has framed it in a way that does not set your body to chase fatigue but instead chase quality.

Focusing on your exercise quality and intensity will do more for your fitness, physiology, weight, and long slow distance effects than going above your threshold ever will. As we age, we have to remember to change our mindsets and training practices to best serve our here and now bodies in a way that still delivers the results we expect.

Changing the Mindset of Women Athletes

It has only been in the last five or so years that we have started to understand how women of different ages need to train. We are cyclical beings which means that we need to match our training to the cycles of our bodies and our lives to see improvement.

Fueling, recovery, and intensity are some of the most important factors for making long-term and sustainable fitness goals. While it is natural to want to see rapid change and be told what to do, it is not always the most effective. Finding the mix that works for you while having a constant conversation around fueling practices and rest is the key.

Are you ready to reevaluate your training and nutrition practices when it comes to cycling or other exercises outside of strength training? Share which activities you enjoy doing the most with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How to start introducing the idea of periodizing your training (9:45)
The most common training mistakes that female athletes need to approach differently in cycling training (13:33)
Why changing your mindset around how you train as you age is crucial to your success (21:01)
Examples of High-Intensity Interval Training on a bike and why it may not be what you imagine (25:29)
Why you need to be fueling properly for your activity level and body composition (30:04)

Quotes

“It is really important to sit down with your client or athlete and just allow them to dream about what the best scenario ever would be. And then I kind of reverse engineer how we can make that happen, and rest is by and large a big part of that.” (11:47)

“Cycling, that sport, is so stuck in traditions a lot of times. And we didn't really know until about five years ago that women really needed to train a little bit differently once they are over the age of 40. So we are still fighting this ingrained traditional sense of training, and we are still fighting a little bit of the patriarchy and misogyny.” (17:14)

“I want you to think more about how to keep that muscle on your skeleton; that is what is going to help you stay comfortable and keep you peddling for a longer duration. It's not the hours in the saddle.” (21:49)

“Would you take your sports car to the gas station and fill it up with 2 gallons of gas and then go for a 4-hour drive through the mountains? Probably not, because you would be worried about running out of gas. And that is literally the same thing you are doing when controlling or restricting your intake, and then trying to train on top of that.” (32:09)

“It's hard to distinguish the correct information from the noise. And so that is where we come in, and we talk about fueling your body for the tasks at hand.” (34:22)

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Related Episodes

LTYB 353: Fueling Best Practices for Active People with Jamie Scott

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How to Stay Consistent in the Gym Feb 15, 2022

When consistency is working, it's great. But what do you do when consistency gets in the way? It can be hard to find a way to frame your goals and your training to move forward when consistency seems to go out the window. However, with a few mindset shifts, you can find some solid ground to stand on and stop being so hard on yourself when it comes to your consistency in the gym.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Stay More Consistent With Your Workouts, You Should:

Stop comparing yourself to others or a past version of yourself
Make a realistic plan for how you are going to show up for yourself and your movement practices
Seek help and accountability from a trainer or a friend

Main Point #1

A lot of the conversations I have been having with my clients lately have been focused around the idea of consistency, and what to do when your perceived lack of consistency seems to be mocking you. This mindset is rooted in the perfectionist, all-or-nothing camp, which can negatively affect your motivation and consistency towards your goals.

Many of us have a perception that in order to be consistent with something, we need to do it more than we are. But what if you took a minute to stop judging ourselves and stop using consistency as a metric in which we compare ourselves to past versions of ourselves and others?

Main Point #2

A great way to make your consistency feel more real is to plan for every aspect of what your practice is going to take and be realistic about its necessity of it. By understanding that there is value in moving, even if you are not 100% perfect or consistent, you can define your own personal version of consistency in the here and now.

Redefining what consistency means for you and separating the idea that consistency means perfection will help you train smarter, not harder. I want you to get the most out of your training, and when we can only focus on what we aren't doing, we tend to forget about all of the great things we are doing.

Are you ready to shift your mindset around what consistency, success, and progress look like to you? Share your thoughts and struggles with consistency with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about the problematic language that can surround your idea of consistency (5:49)
How to define what consistency looks like to you here and now without comparing yourself to your past or others (9:20)
Why you need to be realistic about how often and how hard you can work out and make it count (12:52)
Discover why consistency and habits are not necessarily as connected as you may believe (18:11)
What to do if you are struggling with the idea of consistency and dont know how to move forward (19:45)

Quotes

“When things are going well, and you feel like you are hitting your stride, the idea of consistency in your habits, in your training, in whatever practices you are trying to implement, can really feel amazing, until it is not.” (2:43)

“Let's figure out what is going to help you move forward, build strength, get results, work efficiently, make the most out the time you do have, and that is your consistency level, and that is fine.” (9:16)

“We can go hard, but we have to be wise about how hard we go, and also take into consideration some of the variables that go into how hard we personally can go.” (13:31)

“Sometimes life happens. We have to be forgiving and compassionate about that, and we have to be understanding.” (18:57)

“You don't have to be perfect, you don't have to make consistency yet another thing that you feel is so heavy in your life, another thing that you are not doing good enough. You are doing good enough.” (25:34)

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LTYB 359: #1 Way to Set More Effective Fitness Goals

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Sports Injury Rehab and Returning to Lifting w/ Dr. Leada Malek Feb 08, 2022

One of the most common questions I get is about returning to lifting and modifying your training after an injury. While it can feel scary to get back into lifting after an injury, the good news is that with the right program, your body can overcome more than you believe it can.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Return To Lifting After an Injury, You Should:

Listen to pain as if it is a messenger and not a serious alarm
Try to move past your fear and anxiety by thinking happy thoughts
Work with a professional to find the right dosage and rate of exercise for your state

Getting Back to What You Love with Dr. Leada Malek

Dr. Leada Malek is a licensed physical therapist, board-certified sports specialist, and one of the 9% of therapists in the US who specialize in sports therapy. She has treated everyone from professional dancers to athletes, weekend warriors, and young adults. Dr. Malek uses a combined approach of manual therapy and therapeutic exercise to help her patients move better, perform better, and compete again. She believes in retraining the body as a whole and assisting people in preventing or recovering from injury so that they can continue to do what they love.

Treating the Whole Person

You may not think of yourself as an athlete, but Dr. Malek believes that you are one if you are doing something that you love. When an injury happens, it can prevent us from doing these activities; and it can profoundly impact our mental health, immune system, hormones, sleep, and mood.

Dr. Malek likes to get to know and treat a person as a whole being. Knowing what drives you, your fears, and your strengths can help identify an injury and prevent any future injuries. Addressing your thoughts and beliefs around your injury can actually help you resolve your pain and give you the confidence to get back into lifting again.

Get Past Your Fear and Back Into the Gym

Sometimes an injury or simply getting older can make us question our ability to build strong muscles and strong bones. But Dr. Malek is here to tell you that your body is incredibly resilient, and with the right dosage and right rate of exercise, your body can adapt, and you can take baby steps towards doing what you love again.

Pain is not always a sign of injury, but it does need to be listened to. By paying attention to what your body is trying to tell you, and focusing on the exercises and movement patterns that make you feel the best, you can address all the things that go into making you a functioning human, and move past your injury in the best way possible.

Are you ready to address your fears around rehabbing your injury and get back to lifting? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Common issues that athletes deal with, even at a high level of performance in contrasting arenas (10:02)
The role of low energy availability and how it can impact how you train (14:49)
Physical manifestations that can come from low energy availability when recovering (20:56)
What to do if you are afraid or skeptical to start lifting again after an injury (24:42)
How to know how much mobility is right for you (34:20)

Quotes

“Once I got in and really started to appreciate how you could use exercise to help someone continue to exercise despite their ability to not exercise, that was really cool to me.” (7:14)

“It may not show up in hormonal levels, or maybe it is, and you just can't see it, but it can show up in your mood, in sleep disturbances, in immune function.” (20:24)

“Not every question that you ask the person may be about the injury, but every question you ask should be about them. What they think, what they believe, how they view their injury, what scares them or what excites them, and what they want to be able to do. Because if you have all that information, and they are having an off day because of something else, you might catch something at a very early stage that could save them from a future injury.” (23:11)

“You should be able to complete everything you want to do without the looming fear of ‘this is going to injure me again’. Because your body is super resilient.” (27:24)

“There is someone out there that is dedicated to making sure that you understand your body in the sense that is going to offer the way of exercising for longevity, and that doesn't hinder your progress.” (29:39)

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Related Episodes

LTYB 358: Hypermobility, Pain, and Strength Training with Nikki Naab-Levy

LTYB 351: Strength Training Risk vs Benefit

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Teaching Girls How to Embrace Strength w/ Tiffany Ragozzino Feb 01, 2022

Have you ever wished that you started your strength training journey earlier, maybe even in high school? The benefits of teaching girls how to lift properly at a young age go beyond the physical body and can impact their confidence, mental health, and body image.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Help Girls Get Stronger, You Should:

Be mindful about the language you use around body image
Encourage them to be conscious consumers on social media
Shift mindset away from aesthetic based exercise towards strength-based results

The Benefits of Strength Training With Tiffany Ragozzino

Tiffany Ragozzino took her loves of fitness and education and combined them to help young girls get stronger and love their bodies. She is currently the Physical Education and Health teacher at an all-girls middle and high school in Los Angeles. Her mission is to empower girls and women to lift a barbell, be strong, show that muscles can be feminine, challenge them to see what their body is capable of, and gain confidence in themselves.

Getting Stronger in School and Life

As adults, we are expected to know how to move properly, but we were never taught how at a foundational level. Tiffany helps girls learn how to work through the functional movement patterns so that they can enter any space and feel confident in their ability and knowledge. She has seen firsthand the empowerment that these young girls experience when they learn how to move their bodies and build strength.

Not everybody grows up being a track athlete or a soccer star. Tiffany's program offers something different that has a total body and mind impact. Her program includes mental health support, teaching girls to be critical consumers when it comes to social media, how to do deal with body image issues, and a range of other topics meant to help girls love and accept their bodies.

Making Life Better for the Next Generation

Growing up in our modern world, where social media is everywhere, isn’t easy. Today, girls need the skills that Tiffany teaches them to build strength and confidence. These skills can be taken with them throughout their whole lives and can have a positive impact on the generations to follow.

As adults, we must take a look at the language and mindset that we are projecting onto younger generations. Kids soak up everything around them, which is why it is so important to consider your language and intention around body image and fitness when it comes to any young people you influence on. Creating a healthier environment starts with us and can make a huge difference.

Do you wish you had a program like Tiffany’s when you grew up? I sure do! Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

What it is like to merge the worlds of fitness and lifting with teaching (11:47)
How to transition your mindset away from aesthetics and towards what your body can do (14:08)
An example of what you could expect to see as a student taking one of Tiffany’s classes (18:35)
Why it is so important that we teach girls and young women to lift before they are out in the world (23:52)
The responsibility of adults to help young girls get stronger, gain confidence and improve body image (31:55)

Quotes

“Learning how to do Olympic lifting, strength training, pushing my body to do things I never thought it could do, it just made me think ‘how cool would this have been if I had learned this at an earlier age? Where would I have been if I learned this in high school?’.” (12:42)

“My responsibility is to teach them how to be critical consumers and to make them aware of what they are doing and why they are doing it.” (17:13)

“It is so rewarding to see a group of teen girls add a squat rep, coaching each other, giving each other cues. And I'm like ‘I wish I got to do this when I was a teenager!’.” (23:23)

“Giving students alternatives, maybe they are not the track star, maybe they are not on the soccer team, but they found something else that they can excel in, and feel good and feel confident, that's probably been my favorite piece about it.” (25:05)

“As parents, our responsibility is not only to support whatever your kid wants to do but also unpack why you are thinking otherwise.” (33:58)

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LTYB 334: How Strong Women Can Lift Each Other Up with Molly Galbraith

3 Ways to Beat Workout Boredom Jan 25, 2022

Strength training is incredibly important to your longevity and healthy aging. However, the routine of working on the same functional movement patterns needs to be mixed up with a fun environment, new methods, and the right workout plan for your level in order to experience all the benefits.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Beat Workout Boredom, You Should:

Stop trying to make up your workouts completely by yourself
Focus on your mind-muscle connection
Make your workout environment fun

Switch it Up, But Not Too Much

We want the same from our workouts in our modern world of being constantly entertained by our phones. Some people quench this need for entertainment by ‘training for the unknown’ and making things too complex. But this really works to our disadvantage, as muscle confusion can actually stress us out more, especially if you are trying to get the most out of your workout in a short amount of time.

While it is important to switch up the ways in which you move through the five basic functional movement patterns to keep from getting bored, you need to be consistent and keep doing it to get all of the benefits.

What To Do If You Are Bored

If you notice that your mind is drifting off during the last few sets of your workout, you are probably not lifting heavy enough. The challenge, and the mind-muscle connection, are key players when it comes to keeping yourself engaged in your workout. This is why it is so important to find a program that keeps you engaged and challenged while being appropriate for your ability level and goals.

Finding a program that helps you focus on the challenge, working out in a fun environment, and remembering the mind-muscle connection, are just a few of the ways that you can continue to get the most out of your workouts while still enjoying them.

Have you ever struggled with workout boredom? Share your thoughts, experiences, and solutions with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to avoid getting bored when you are focusing on the same functional movement patterns all the time (6:51)
Addressing the misinformation out there about longevity and healthy aging (9:30)
The role of social media and culture when wanting to be entertained by our workouts (12:33)
Why people think lifting is boring or experience that lifting is not entertaining (15:24)
Tips for creating a consistent and enjoyable strength training routine (23:45)

Quotes

“Your lifting journey will probably have ebbs and flows, and will change over time.” (5:52)

“I think there comes a point where even if lifting weights or resistance training isn't your jam, it is very important to start thinking about it.” (10:58)

“I think if you are not appropriately challenging yourself when it comes to lifting weights, it’s easy to feel like it is boring.” (19:40)

“If you're finding your workouts boring because you don't know how to program a workout that is going to be effective enough, or on the flip side, you are dying in every workout and you think you have to smash yourself and be the sorest ever or it's not going to give you results, which is not true, invest in a program.” (25:11)

“Lifting, it’s okay if it's boring. But it serves a purpose. It is very important for your health and wellbeing. It is something that you can embrace the routine of, make sure that you are really loading your workouts appropriately, and giving yourself a challenge.” (33:10)

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LTYB 359: #1 Way to Set More Effective Fitness Goals

#1 Way to Set More Effective Fitness Goals Jan 18, 2022

The start of a new year often comes with new goals. While I have nothing against setting goals, my approach is counterintuitive to most of the things you have ever been taught about setting goals and making them stick.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Set Goals that Last in 2022, You Should:

Lower the bar about your expectations
Create a tiered system to support your goals
Address your priority as early in the day as possible

The Problem With Shooting for the Moon

Often, we are stuck on the idea that we need to aim high and shoot for the moon when it comes to our goals. But, when we are not able to reach the maximum, the shame and guilt that comes with that can discourage us from trying again. While there is nothing wrong with aiming high, setting a lower bar can actually help you be more successful in the long run when it comes to execution.

Aiming Lower for Better Results

Instead of shooting for the moon, lowering the bar and thinking about our goals in a way that is shrunken down can help you be more successful in achieving your goal. By learning the systems and structures necessary to evolve, grow and accomplish our goals, we can implement them into our lives more seamlessly and effectively.

If you can lower the bar, create a tiered system for your goals, and make your goals concrete, you will be amazed at how much simpler it is to achieve the things you want to.

How do you set goals and make sure that you follow through? Share if you found my tips useful with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about my new rebrand and what to expect from my new website (2:21)
My number one tip for goal setting in 2022 (8:16)
The problem with an all or nothing mentality (12:26)
Tips to help you lower the bar and support the goal you have (17:13)
Why you need to make your actions concrete (22:50)

Quotes

“This time of the year can be really tricky for people because of all of the pressure we feel from the outside world. And ‘New Year, New You’; and all of the other shitty messaging that comes along with that can just take a flying leap for all I am concerned with.” (5:39)

“Information is everywhere, but it is how you implement it that matters.” (7:47)

“There is nothing wrong with picturing something big and bold and juicy. But when it comes to execution, I think that shooting for a lower bar is ultimately going to help you be more successful.” (9:06)

“When it comes to following through, autonomy and the ability to have a choice is one of the best ways to do that.” (19:29)

“Lower the bar, start thinking about our goals in terms of shrinking it down, shooting for less, but being more successful, so that over time the systems and structures that you need to continue to evolve and grow, and your confidence in terms of your ability to execute and do the thing, grow as well.” (25:54)

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Hypermobility, Pain and Strength Training w/ Nikki Naab-Levy Nov 02, 2021

When you have a history of pain, injury, or hypermobility, it can be scary to introduce strength training into your routine. But strength training can help you improve your mobility, build strength, and move beyond a past injury. If you have fears about starting a strength training practice because of pain or hypermobility, this episode is here to tell you that you have nothing to fear.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Use Strength Training to Improve Your Pain or Hypermobility, You Should:

Start changing your mindset to believe your body is capable of doing more than you give it credit for
Find a basic strength training program with low-to-medium reps to feel more in control
Introduce strength training in a way that makes sense for your unique body and needs

The Benefits of Strength Training

Nikki Naab-Levy is a strength and nutrition coach who knows firsthand what it is like to live with chronic pain. Having been involved in multiple arenas in the fitness industry for the past 17 years, Nikki and her clients have used strength training to alleviate their pain and gain confidence, strength, and a sustainable mindset.

How Strength Training Can Help Your Symptoms

Even if you have a history of pain, injury, or hypermobility, it is completely possible and beneficial to use strength training as a way to create a sense of safety in your body through your nervous system.

If you think an activity will hurt, the likelihood of it hurting is far more significant; it is just how our brains are wired. But, when you equip yourself with the knowledge that Nikki shares to know how pain works and why it happens, you can design your strength training workouts in a way that benefits your body and mind.

Getting Rid of the Fear Around Strength Training

There is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to strength training, especially for women. We are told not to lift anything heavy because we might hurt ourselves and are instead conditioned to believe that workouts ‘made for women’ are the only way to find the results we are looking for.

This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Strength training, when done properly for your unique body’s needs, can not only help you manage your pain, injury, or hypermobility, but it can lead to a whole new way of understanding just how much your body can really do.

Are you ready to harness the power of strength training so that you can relieve your pain, past injuries, or hypermobility? Share how this episode changes your perspective with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The biggest benefits of strength training if you have a history of pain or injury (10:31)
Clues that you are potentially hypermobile and how to gain clarity around your assessment (14:37)
How to get started on your unique strength training journey if you have a history of injury (19:55)
Dismissing the myths that women should not lift heavy things because they will get hurt (27:20)
How to get clear on the goal of your exercise and see the results you want (32:44)

Quotes

“We tend to have a really narrow view of how to address things. And that narrow view tends to be what keeps us stuck in not feeling or getting better or being able to start or pursue something.” (8:51)

“I think the first thing we need to start to understand and educate ourselves to reduce some of the fear is this understanding that pain is sort of an experience that is created by the nervous system as a way to get us to pay attention to something.” (12:32)

“You do need a certain underlying level of being able to sense and feel your joints and control your ranges of motion or your stability.” (20:35)

“What people need to realize is, it is actually that basic, and whatever weight you start with does not matter. It just needs to be heavy enough that it feels challenging, but not so heavy that you feel out of control with the weight. And typically, as women, we are much more capable and stronger than we realize we are.” (22:34)

“You are not going to get that from starving the shit out of yourself and doing these workouts that make you tired. But they don’t make you stronger, they don’t give you more muscle, and they don’t make you better.” (33:34)

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What You Need to Know About Low Energy Food Swaps Oct 26, 2021

You don't have to look very hard to see the ‘clean eating’ message all over social media and the internet. While I believe the intention of this movement isn't to create harm, it is problematic in so many more ways that people understand.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Stop Making Low Energy Food Swaps, You Should:

Put work into unlearning what you have been taught about food and fueling
Stop making low energy food substitutions and start fueling for your activity level and volume
Join the Group Strength Nutrition Program to explore the 4 Keys of Fueling Your Strength

Why ‘Clean Eating’ May Not Be for You

If you are an active person and are not fueling your body with the energy needed to complete your chosen activity, you are doing a disservice to your body.

Creating an energy deficit for yourself can happen easily when you are not giving your body the carbohydrates and fats it needs to perform at peak capacity. While nobody is saying that vegetables are bad, it takes more than just vegetables to fuel your body the way it requires. Figuring out the right combination of foods that work for you is the only way to fuel your body the way it should be fueled.

Fuelling Your Body the Right Way

By being mindful of the old habits that you are still engaging with, you can start to change your mindset and routine to eat in relation to the intensity and volume of your training.

The good news is there is a middle ground to develop awareness, a framework, best practices, and science-based information to fuel yourself for your activity in a way that does not consume your whole life. It doesn't need to be complicated; it just takes some learning and unlearning to see the results you have been looking for.

Are you ready to stop counting calories and start eating in a way that is both healthy, but also non-restrictive? Share how you are working to fuel your body the right way for you with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Examples of low energy food substitutions that you may be making without even realizing it (5:52)
How ‘clean eating’ and other food trends could be disrupting your strength training (9:21)
Why you need more than just vegetables when fueling your activity levels and energy (14:30)
Learn my personal story with fueling in relation to my intensity and volume of training (19:05)
What to do if you are ready to walk away from macro counting (25:43)

Quotes

“This is a very common issue that is facing people who are active and working out and lifting weights and challenging themselves and asking their bodies to do fun and hard things. And it really has to do with an element of fueling and energy intake that not a lot of people talk about or are aware of.” (2:49)

“You don't intend to do these low energy substitutions or really low carb substitutions, but it is kind of a holdover from your old habits and ways of looking at food.” (11:31)

“Vegetables are not bad, vegetables are amazing. Fibre, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, delicious! But they are usually much lower in energy.” (16:40)

“I went on to be on a team at CrossFit Regionals in 2013 and really had one of what I would consider the Top 5 athletic performances of my life; it was amazing. It was such night and day contrast from where I had been just a few months earlier because I really started to eat enough, and I didn't go out and count every single thing I was eating.” (24:38)

“I want you to experience how amazing it feels, how powerful and strong and badass you feel when you are properly fueled up and recovered, and you can go out there and do hard things.” (30:26)

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Related Episodes

LTYB 352: Energy Flux and Fueling for Athletes with Jamie Scott

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Body Neutral Fitness w/ Dara Bergeron Oct 19, 2021

When a woman has a child, society forces immediate pressure on her to get her ‘pre-baby body back’. These conversations can be difficult to navigate, and it takes some adapting to learn how to embrace your new body and a new phase of life. If you are struggling to understand how to welcome strength into your life as a new mom, this is the episode for you.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Have A More Body Neutral Approach to Movement, You Should:

Create a habit of unfollowing people on social media that do not align with your goals or make you feel bad about yourself
Remember who you are outside of your identity as a mother or someone who looks a certain way
Find movement patterns that work for your new body and phase of life while addressing your unique symptoms

Movement and Mindset for Mothers

Dara Bergeron is a veteran trainer and movement educator specializing in body-neutral movement and mindset for mothers. Through her coaching and online programs, Dara teaches women how to weed diet culture from their movement ethic and parent themselves around exercise, focusing on functional strength, mobility, and core & pelvic floor awareness.

Taking Back Your Worth

For many women, giving birth is the first time they feel their physical appearance compromises their value. Who can blame them when the patriarchy and society place a premium on your ability to procreate and how you look. Dara is on a mission to disrupt this mentality and help moms focus on bringing back parts of their identity that have nothing to do with either of those things. By reconnecting with other parts of your identity and discovering who you are outside of motherhood, the importance of your appearance begins to shrink, and in turn, you can stop wishing you had a different body and start enjoying the one you have.

Mom Bod Love

Being a mom requires a lot of physical labor. Mom bods have to be ready at a moment’s notice to jump into action when needed. This is why it is so important to use movement and strength training exercises to prepare yourself and avoid injury.

You don’t have to spend hours at the gym to achieve this either. All it takes is understanding how and why your movements matter and finding a set of exercises that work for you, your pelvic floor, and your symptoms. By creating movement patterns that work for your schedule and your new body, you can include a more well-rounded version of fitness in your life and get back to doing what you love most.

Are you ready to embrace your mom bod? Share which of Dara’s tips you are going to try with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to navigate the minefield that women and new parents are told about their bodies (8:32)
Dara’s response to those who are desperate to get their ‘pre-baby body back’ (13:23)
Comparing ‘dad bods’ and ‘mom bods’ and how to find ‘mom bod love’ (18:41)
The three core pillars of mobility, pelvic floor connection, and full-body strength (22:40)
Tips for integrating compound movements during your home workouts (33:54)

Quotes

“I just decided that I wasn’t okay being on the side of the line that was encouraging bounce-back culture and postpartum fat loss and that sort of thing. So I began shifting my own focus and my own fitness and how I worked with clients to a more body neutral approach.” (6:39)

“There is so much more to us than just that we can procreate and that we look a certain way.” (17:02)

“There is some real physical labor that a ‘mom bod’ has to be prepared to do, and it doesn’t always come up at a time when we are prepared or thinking about it. So my belief is when we are engaging in smart strength and mobility and core and pelvic floor connection work, then we are going to be prepared for those things. And it also allows us to be better parents and more active and confident parents.” (21:02)

“It can feel a little weird to think about treating that area with a professional or working with a coach on that area, but as with all aspects of your health and your body, it’s not just about the pelvic floor.” (29:13)

“The sensation of connection to the pelvic floor is feasible for everyone. And dealing with symptoms is feasible for everyone. It’s just about how you create the routine for you and the patterns and cues for you that help you feel confident.” (32:19)

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24 Ways to Move More w/ Nicole Tsong Oct 12, 2021

How likely are you to try something completely new when it comes to movement? Trying something new can be scary, but the benefits you get from incorporating movement into your daily routine and trying new things may surprise you.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready To Start Moving More, You Should:

Look around you to see what new movement practices you could try
Build resilience and confidence by trying new things at least twice
Create movement rituals to become more connected to your body

Finding Your Purpose Through Movement

Nicole Tsong, bestselling author of 24 Ways to Move More and America’s Work-LIfe Balance coach, helps high-achievers use movement to connect to themselves and their purpose. The founder of Nicole Tsong Coaching, she reached hundreds of thousands of readers as the former Fit for Life columnist for The Seattle Times. She is the creator of the Clear Calling Method, which helps women create true work/life balance to discover their calling.

She is an award-winning journalist and, for three years, taught yoga at the White House Easter Egg Roll during the Obama administration. She has been featured on New Day NW on KING-5 TV in Seattle, in The Seattle Times, and reached thousands of people as a speaker with the Seattle Public Library, Elliott Bay Bookstore, and King County Library System. Today she is here to tell us about the 300+ activities that she has tried and explore why we should all be trying new things when it comes to movement.

Becoming Okay With Being Bad

Nicole has had many different careers that brought her to the place she is in today. From journalist to yoga instructor to coach, Nicole uses movement to help herself and others understand their purpose. Your body was designed to move, but we live in a culture that tells us it is hard and needs to be forced. While Nicole has always loved movement, her assignment to try a new movement activity resulted in trying over 300+ practices, showing her how strong she is both physically and mentally.

The Power Waits Outside Your Comfort Zone

From tap dancing to climbing trees, the resilience Nicole found through movement brings a unique perspective to the world of fitness. Trying new things can help you connect to your body and give you the confidence to try new things.

Nicole is a testament to the energy and creativity that comes from putting yourself out of your comfort zone and integrating movement into your life, not just your time at the gym. Don’t be afraid to try something new, even if you may be bad at it. The second time around, you will already be better.

Are you ready to step outside your comfort zone and experience new forms of movement? Share what activity you have always wanted to try but were too scared to, with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Addressing the fears and uncertainty that come with making big changes in your life (4:21)
Explore what it is like to write about health and fitness professionally (11:42)
How to start trying new things, even if you might be bad or uncomfortable with them at first (17:17)
Some of Nicole’s favorite activities that she was most surprised by (24:02)
Why strength training and Olympic weight lifting has stuck in Nicole’s routine (28:43)

Quotes

“I also knew that if I didn't do it, there would be an even greater cost.” (6:40)

“We came up with the idea of trying new things every week. And I thought, ‘how am I going to get through a year? This is a lot.’. And I ended up doing it for six years and trying 300+ activities by the end of the column.” (12:22)

“That’s really what the book is about, 24 Ways To Move More, is really to inspire people to see movement as a joyful and fun thing versus a weight or a burden or something you have to do.” (14:09)

“You can ask for help. And help is actually really important, but we are trained to not ask for help.” (22:15)

“Movement helps you get out of that mental space and back into grounding so that you can then feel like yourself again. And then you can actually talk about clarity and purpose and really doing the kind of work you are passionate about in your life, serving your family in a bigger way, and reconnecting inward as best as you can.” (33:00)

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5 Sleep Tips for Better Recovery Oct 05, 2021

Sleep can be a touchy subject. While everyone needs sleep in order to function properly, it is especially important for those of us who are more physically active. Not only does sleep help in the recovery process, but it also has many additional benefits. If you want to get more restful sleep, this episode is filled with tips so that you can get the best sleep possible for both your mind and your muscle health.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Get More Restful Sleep, You Should:

Avoid alcohol and caffeine before you go to bed
Improve your sleep hygiene habits and bedtime routine
Look at your sleep situation objectively

Revenge Bedtime Procrastination

Have you ever found yourself staying up late just because you know you can? This is called revenge bedtime procrastination, and it happens to the best of us. Even though we know that we need to get more sleep, we use this late-night time as an escape or act of freedom, but it is actually doing our bodies more harm than good. By understanding the things that are underlying your revenge bed procrastination, you can make changes in your daily life, bedtime routine, and sleep hygiene to give your body the proper amount of sleep needed.

The Importance of Sleep

So, why is sleep so important? Sleep not only helps with our mental function and energy levels but also plays a huge role in our muscle recovery as active individuals.

Your body needs a proper amount of sleep to operate properly, both mentally and physically, which is why it is so important to prioritize your sleep routine. While everyone's schedules are different, I have found 5 of the best ways for anyone to get better sleep and am sharing them with you today.

Who do you know who could benefit from my top 5 sleep tips? Share this episode with them and tag me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Why revenge bedtime procrastination is a problem (4:30)
The benefits of sleep for athletic people and recovery (8:17)
5 tips for getting the restful sleep that you need (10:19)
Changes that you can make in your life to get better sleep (18:18)
My absolute favorite sleep hack that I use quite frequently (22:05)

Quotes

“Sometimes when you get used to sleep deprivation, you kind of learn to manage, and sometimes you forget how good it feels to be properly rested.” (6:57)

“We need sleep no matter if we are exercising or not. But if you are someone who is highly physically active, then sleep is part of your recovery strategy.” (9:52)

“No matter what you decide, you get to choose your routine. It could include so many different things.” (16:55)

“What, if anything, in your schedule, is within your power to make a change about?” (18:46)

“We talked about revenge bedtime procrastination, what is and why it happens. We made a connection to recovery and training and why if you are someone who is working out, etc., it's really important that you make sleep part of your recovery strategy.” (25:09)

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Fueling Best Practices for Active People w/ Jamie Scott Sep 28, 2021

Jamie Scott is regularly eating 3000 calories a day and is getting leaner. How is this possible? Find out on Part 2 of this awesome series, where we discuss the best fueling practices for active people, the harmful side effects of fasting, and dive deep into the knowledge you need to know to fuel your body correctly and sufficiently.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Start Fueling For Your Activity Level, You Should:

Work with a coach to understand the information overload and decipher what is right for your body
Figure out the appropriate amount of grams per kilogram that your body needs due to your activity level
Notice if you are feeling shitty, give yourself fuel, and see how your body reacts
Bring your body back to balance by reintroducing food

Understanding the ‘Why’ Behind Fueling

Jamie Scott is a New Zealand Registered Nutritionist, holding post-graduate qualifications in both Nutrition Medicine and Sport & Exercise Medicine, as well as undergraduate degrees in both Nutrition Science and Physical Education, and a Level-1 Mountain Bike Skills coach (PMBIA). Jamie loves helping people navigate the complexity and confusion surrounding everyday health and performance advice and helps them focus on the essential elements of nutrition to increase their capacity and energy for life.

Sorting Through the Information Overload

When you improve your energy processes, all of your body's functionings start to improve with it. You can still be in a calorie deficit, but by introducing a bigger energy flux throughout your system, you can do more and get more nutrients out of your day.

By understanding the systems needed and keeping it simple, sequenced, and strategic, you can grasp the role of macronutrients and why it is important on a physiological level. Jamie believes there is a lack of understanding of human biology in our modern world, and it's only by assessing the information that is out there that you can truly comprehend what your body needs.

Eat More, Not Less

There is a lot of relevant and not-so-relevant information out there. This is why Jamie takes a practical approach in explaining the ‘whys’ behind fueling your body more and not less. Your body's need for energy will eventually override your willpower. This is what causes binges and irregular appetites.

We come from a culture where women are told they shouldn’t eat very much, and this just isn't true. By fueling your body properly and consistently, you will notice the difference in how you feel and how you perform. While it's not an overnight magic pill, it will have a huge impact on your energy, ability, and overall health.

What was your favorite knowledge bomb that Jamie dropped on us today? Share your thoughts about fueling as an active person with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

What to expect if you start to go out of your way to eat more food (1:55)
How to let go of your fears around eating more (6:22)
The importance of systems when implementing a nutrition plan (22:22)
Why fasting could actually be doing your body more harm than good (31:57)
Early signs to watch out for that signal you are not fueling your body properly (40:04)

Quotes

“You can repair muscle and bone tissue; you can keep your ovaries switched on and keep your menstrual cycle running, brain fog disappears, you are more emotionally stable. You get all the benefits out of each reward, and you are pushing more fuel through the system.” (4:02)

“Wrapped around all of that is ongoing support and assurance. And that is probably the biggest part of my ongoing coaching role, is just to kind of pat people on the back and let them know that it will be alright, and this is normal, keep going, stick with it and trust the process.” (12:52)

“I think sometimes a lot of people who work with a nutritionist or a nutrition coach think that they are just going to get a plan, effectively a schedule of here is the food I want you to eat and here is when I want you to eat it. And sure, that can be part of it, but if you don’t have the structures and the environment around you to prep those meals and eat those meals, it doesn’t matter what the schedule says.” (22:23)

“Anyone who is on social media and sees anyone promoting daytime fasting that starts from the time someone wakes up, that is a red flag for that person straight away.” (35:46)

“We can list all of these positives; we can talk about this until we are blue in the face, we can discuss all the historical and sociological sides of it. The problem is we focus on weight. That's what you get drawn back to.” (46:21)

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Energy Flux and Fueling for Athletes w/ Jamie Scott Sep 21, 2021

Your body needs a certain amount of energy just to function, let alone exert energy. If you are an endurance or strength athlete, a recreational exerciser, or you are a competitive weekend warrior, there is something for everyone to learn about fueling your body and making sure your body has enough energy to perform at its best.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready To Fuel Your Body Properly, You Should:

Get real with yourself about how much your body needs to feel good and thrive on days with and without exercise
Take the time to prep and plan how to adequately fuel yourself that will work for your life

Fueling Your Body With Jamie Scott

Jamie Scott is a New Zealand Registered Nutritionist, holding post-graduate qualifications in both Nutrition Medicine and Sport & Exercise Medicine, as well as undergraduate degrees in both Nutrition Science and Physical Education, and a Level-1 Mountain Bike Skills coach (PMBIA). Over the past 25 years, Jamie’s career has spanned a number of roles in the ‘health & fitness industry'. He is passionate about helping others learn how to fuel their bodies in a way that supports performance and total body health.

You Are An Athlete

Jamie has been in the industry for over 25 years, so he knows what he is talking about. He has seen the consequences of low energy availability and is here to explain why successful athletes fuel themselves more, not less, and what you can learn from that.

You may not think you are an ‘athlete’, but the truth is that most of us who are moving regularly, whether you are an endurance or strength athlete, a recreational exerciser, or you are a competitive weekend warrior, you fit the bill. The products and training regimens available to the masses definitely qualify for an elite status, which is why it's so important to fuel your body right.

What Is Energy Flux?

Your body requires energy just to simply exist. If you do not fuel your body with enough energy to power your system, your body is forced to effectively take things offline. This means that your brain function, energy levels, gut function, immune system, and menstrual cycle can be affected if you are not giving your system the energy it needs to survive, let alone engage in exercise-based activities.

Your energy intake directly impacts your energy expenditure, and there is a good chance you are not intaking enough. Everything requires energy, which is why it is important to figure out this information and implement the knowledge you learn to avoid dysfunction in the future.

Are you excited to hear Part 2? Share what you are looking forward to hearing more about with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

The role of social media culture, coaching, funding, and education when it comes to fueling your body and your sport (17:29)
Defining what an athlete is and the degree of activity that qualifies you to be concerned with your fueling (23:24)
How to find the time and space to eat the amount that your body and activity level needs (28:33)
What low energy availability really means and how it may impact you on a practical level (31:55)
Why diets that limit your caloric intake are not doing you any favors, regardless of how much you move (42:02)

Quotes

“In a nutshell, people are just not eating enough for what they want to do, and that’s becoming more prevalent, and I think the outcomes of that, I get the impression that they are getting worse.” (15:22)

“In this information age, there is very little that gets held back. In terms of the big central pillar stuff. Which then means that your average ‘weekend warrior’ is looking at these elites and going, ‘well, I’m going to get myself a nutritionist, and I am going to get myself a coach’.” (25:30)

“Our energy availability is the equivalent of the charge that’s left on your phone.” (32:36)

“You don't just need energy for skeletal muscle contraction. Whether you are walking, lifting, riding a bike, running, jumping, or climbing trees. Your brain requires energy; your gut requires energy, your immune system requires energy, your growth and repair require energy. There is not a system in your body, not a single cell in your body, that does not require energy to go about these processes.” (34:15)

“This is becoming such a real problem in terms of the culture and normality around these low energy diets and this misunderstanding of what it actually takes to fuel a body at rest, let alone adding additional exercise on top of that.” (41:55)

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Strength Training Risk vs Reward Sep 14, 2021

So often, women who want to get stronger or start lifting weights are told to ‘be careful’ and make sure they don't hurt themselves. While there is always an inherent risk when engaging with any activity, the benefits far outweigh the risk when it comes to strength training.

Key Takeaways

If you are ready to stop letting society tell you what activity is acceptable for women, you should:

Educate yourself and others on the amazing benefits of strength training
Stop listening to the haters and stand confident in your bodies ability
Use strength training as a way to get better at your chosen activity

Stop Listening to the Unsolicited Advice

Thinking that strength training is ‘scary’ or ‘dangerous’ is unfairly reinforced by society. The unsolicited opinions and advice that women receive are just one of the multiple barriers women face when starting a strength training practice.

Strength training does not have to be the scary activity that we have been told it is. Instead, it can be a way to improve at your chosen activity, level up your overall health, and give you the confidence you have been searching for.

The Benefits of Strength Training

While the system is set up to perpetuate this idea of women getting hurt when they try and get stronger, it couldn't be further from the truth. Strength training helps you avoid injury, prevent age-related muscle loss, improve bone density, and so much more. If you are an active person, strength training 2-3 times a week can help you excel in your chosen sport. Statistics show that weight training sports have relatively low injury compared to common team sports and can actually help prevent injury.

If you are looking for validation that you don't have to be afraid of strength training, this is the episode for you.

Are you ready to stop letting society tell you what sports are ‘safe’ or acceptable for women? Share what you love most about strength training with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Addressing some of the warnings you may hear about lifting weights (4:15)
Why women are discouraged from picking up weights or doing muscle-strengthening activities (8:41)
Why you should work closely with someone to learn how to use equipment in the gym correctly (12:30)
How weight training sports compare to common team sports when it comes to the risk of injury (17:07)
How strength training helped me improve at my chosen activity (20:24)

Quotes

“Every time I talk about this, women share their stories over and over and over again about people who chime in with their unsolicited advice and warnings.” (3:20)

“There will always be an inherent risk. However, the benefits far outweigh the risk of lifting weights.” (10:21)

“I think what’s particularly challenging for me in this scenario, and other women who have been warned off of lifting weights is that a lot of adults participate in team sports, whether it is intramural or interleague or whatever it is… where people get hurt all the time.” (15:38)

“The interesting thing here is when we are talking about strength training as a means to help prevent injury in other sports, rarely does it get the spotlight that it deserves.” (18:51)

“When we consider the benefits, the benefits are far, far outweighed by the potential costs.” (26:27)

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Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport Sep 07, 2021

I am sure you have heard or seen the common rhetoric of ‘eat less, move more’ online. While this perspective may be well-meaning, it is frequently misused and can have some dangerous consequences. When you are training hard, wanting to improve your performance, and ultimately feel better, it takes the right amount of fuel to achieve those results.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Make Sure You Are Eating Enough, You Should:

Start unlearning the dialogue that eating less and moving more will give you results
Eat enough relative to your activity level, even if you are not an ‘athlete’
Use activities such as strength training to shift your mindset and improve your confidence

Proper Fuelling Is Not Just for the Olympics

Recently the Tokyo Olympics have been in the spotlight as women athletes are reporting better performance due to increased food intake. This is not a coincidence, as these athletes need fuel to perform better. But, this is not just limited to the elite level of athletes that compete in the Olympics.

Anyone active needs to get enough energy through food to help them gain muscle, improve insulin resistance, create confidence, and ultimately feel and perform better.

Feel Like a Badass

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, or RED-S, can have a huge impact on your endurance, strength, risk of injury, and much more. While the awareness around low energy availability is increasing, we need to keep having the conversation and shift our mindsets away from the ‘smaller is better’ mentality.

By approaching your strength training, and nutrition intake as a way to make you thrive, instead of just a laundry list of things to avoid, you can gain confidence and feel like the badass you know you are. Properly fueling yourself is the only way to improve your performance and start seeing the results you are looking for.

Are you ready to experience the magic that comes from feeding yourself enough? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How the Tokyo Olympics brought light to the connection between nutrition and performance (4:14)
Why you should care about how you fuel yourself even if you are not an elite athlete (9:21)
Issues that can arise if people are not eating enough food or are in RED-S territory (11:53)
The many benefits of getting stronger and fueling to support your body (21:10)
How strength training can help you gain confidence and feel like a badass (26:18)

Quotes

“For women, there is such a pressure and prize placed on leanness and smallness and getting rid of that extra couple percentage of body fat and optimizing those things to the detriment of performance and honestly health.” (6:45)

“Here we are, it’s 2021, and we have some women performing at the highest, highest levels. And even they are susceptible to a lot of the junk they have learned or the fact that they have not had a lot of guidance to what it really takes to fuel for something of that level.” (9:19)

“Hey, you know what’s going to happen if you eat more food? You are going to feel better, you’re going to have more energy, you’ll be able to train harder, recover better, and perform better!” (14:35)

“Looking back in hindsight, I have learned so much about what it takes to really fuel to perform well and to be healthy.” (19:36)

“I want you to think about fueling to support your body as really allowing you to expand, to be able to do more, to be able to challenge yourself if that is what you love. And to do it in a way that is supporting your health at the same time.” (21:23)

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3 Common Strength Nutrition Mistakes Aug 31, 2021

If you struggle to feel motivated when going to the gym, feel sluggish, uninspired, or lack energy, and you aren't sure why, your nutrition might be to blame. I repeatedly see three major things when it comes to women who have an active lifestyle but aren't feeling as good as they expected. As Professor McGonagall from Harry Potter would say, when something happens, it's always these three.

Key Takeaways

Three Things To Watch Out For Nutrition Wise When You Are Training Hard Are:

Being too low carb
Skipping meals
Only eating when you feel hungry

Learning and Unlearning

If you are engaging with medium or high-intensity activity, your body needs fuel and energy throughout the day. This means eating regularly, fueling yourself with the right types of foods, and listening to your body's hunger signals.

We have been taught that carbs are the enemy and that skipping meals is okay if you don't feel hungry, which is just not the case. While these ‘rules’ may be well-intentioned, they are problematic and require a lot of learning and unlearning in this space.

The Three Things Standing in the Way of Your Results

The truth is, if you don’t take in enough energy, you will feel like shit. We need to use a combination of listening to our bodies but also logic to nourish ourselves and, in turn, see the results we are hoping for at the gym.

If you are lifting weights and want to get stronger and build muscle, you have to have a strong base of nutrition. Carbs, regular meals, and eating to fuel your body are essential to helping you get the results you want in your muscle gain and also your energy levels.

Are you ready to embrace nutrition in order to improve your overall game? Share what goal you are working towards with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Some common problems that women who lift weights run into in terms of nutrition (4:10)
Why being too low carb could actually be hurting your results in the gym (6:01)
How to stop skipping meals for better overall health (13:30)
The role of the Tokyo Olympics when recognizing pre-menopausal women athletes (17:35)
Tips for avoiding the trap of only eating when you are hungry (21:20)

Quotes

“Dame Maggie Smith playing Professor McGonagall, and she says to Hermionie and Ron and Harry, ‘why is it that when something happens, it is always you three?’. It kind of brought up this sort of comical reel that I made but with a really serious message behind it.” (5:37)

“I’ve been in and around the strength training community for now over a decade. I have, myself, been lifting for over a decade and been coaching for many years now. And I see this happening with monotonous regularity. So, is it happening to everybody? Probably not. Is it happening to a big chunk of folks? From my experience, it is.” (8:17)

“I think what we are seeing is a lot of things converging at one time. Obviously, there is the recognition now and the desire to say hey, pre-menopausal women haven't been represented super well in a lot of this research.” (18:03)

“You don't have to be an elite athlete to have this challenge, and skipping meals sometimes, oftentimes, makes it more difficult to get in the amount of energy, and other things like protein, that someone who is lifting weights and interested in building muscle tissue really needs to provide in their daily intake in order to make that stuff happen.” (20:36)

“Does your body have fail-safes? Of course! Your body is miraculous and wonderful and has all sorts of clever ways to do things like access stored energy and this and that. But when this becomes a pattern over time, especially if you do have access to food, this is something to consider turning your attention toward.” (25:29)

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Improve Your Fitness Over 40 w/ Robin Legat Aug 24, 2021

How many times have you told yourself you’re too old or it’s too late to get started on something? The idea of starting a new athletic pursuit after 40 seems impossible to many people, but there are so many people out there proving every day that it can be reality.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready to Explore Your Athletic Potential, You Should:

Redefine what athlete means to you
Stop waiting to become perfect or elite
Get out of your comfort zone
Focus on activities that light you up inside

Live Agelessly With Robin Legat

One of those people is Robin Legat, a badass obstacle racer who helps women over 40 explore their athletic potential, gain confidence, and overcome life's obstacles. Robin is passionate about helping women live agelessly by sharing her wisdom and preparing women to run their best obstacle race. She believes that exploring your athletic potential at every age can help everyone expand their lives.

What Is an Athlete?

To Robin, being an athlete means having a body that is moved with intention and is tested from time to time. That's it! You do not need to be perfect or elite to get started. Once you can find an activity that you enjoy, the fire you get from that feeling will continue to motivate you.

Being able to accomplish something that you never thought you would be able to do can give you joy that affects more than just your fitness but really impacts your whole life. You just have to be willing to show up at the start line.

You Don’t Need to Be Perfect, You Just Need to Show Up

When you gain the confidence to put yourself out there and participate in an experience, you can still feel your ‘superhero’ moment even if you don't do it perfectly. While your preferences of which activities you engage with may shift throughout the different seasons in your life, the positive benefits you can get from pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can be life-changing.

By redefining the rewards and benefits that come from taking on challenges, you can gain the confidence to overcome life's obstacles and explore your athletic potential at any age.

Are you ready to run your first obstacle course race after listening to this episode? Share what you loved most about Robin’s approach to fitness over 40 with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How Robin went from a ‘non-athlete’ to a roller derby star and obstacle course racer (11:44)
Tips for redefining what an ‘athlete’ is in order to see yourself in a more expansive way (20:15)
Why it is okay to recognize which training lights you up inside and which training is not for you right now (25:47)
The top 3 things you need to know about obstacle course racing (30:24)
The importance of strength training when obstacle racing (34:55)

Quotes

“One of the things I am trying to break down in my little corner is the rewards and the benefits that come from taking on challenges such as obstacle races, that’s just one example, but the rewards and challenges that come from stepping beyond your comfort zone, taking on new challenges, and discovering your ability to do things you never thought you could.” (11:19)

“Obstacle racing is a lot of being a grown-up kid. You are doing monkey bars, and rope climbs and crawling in mud, kid stuff. And we forget that. We lose track of that and forget how fun that side of ourselves can be, and you can access that at any age if you want to.” (19:36)

“That's why I love helping women, particularly women over 40, find that thing that lights them up. Because that can be life-changing in regards to your relationship with exercise and training and how you view yourself as an athlete.” (25:44)

“All that other stuff does not matter. You need to have the ability to show up to that start line, just like I needed to have that ability to show up to my first roller derby practice. So know that you can get from the start line to finish line.” (30:26)

“When you see you just did something, that you have never done, that you didn’t think you could ever do, that's an amazing feeling that permeates into all areas of your life. And that’s why I want to reach women over 40.” (41:30)

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LTYB 319: Why Fitspo Needs To Die

How to Get Crystal Clear on Your Fitness Motivation w/ Christa Shelton Aug 17, 2021

If you struggle with staying motivated when engaging with exercise, you are not alone. Starting a fitness plan is very exciting initially, but when reality sets in about the amount of time it can take to see results, especially as our bodies change through the different phases of life, it can be a bit disheartening. This is why I have brought the ultimate motivator, Christa Shelton, to the show today.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Get Clear On Your Fitness Motivation, You Should:

Adapt your training schedule to where your body is at right now in this phase of your life
Get clear on why you want to accomplish a goal and if it is coming from yourself or outside conditioning
Harness the confidence you get from strength training into all areas of your life

For The Love of Motivation

Christa is a certified personal trainer and behavioral change specialist who is passionate about helping her clients use motivation as a vehicle for long-term success. She loves helping women in mid-life feel confident with their movement practices and get to the ‘why’ behind their goals. She has combined her enthusiasm for fitness and her love of motivating people into a purpose that serves her clients, herself, and her community.

Feeling Confident in Movement at Every Age

When getting back into fitness, especially if some years have passed since the last time we engaged with that exercise, we all tend to compare what we can do now to what we could do back then. But the truth is, how you are training now should be different than how you were training 5 or 10 years ago because your body needs different things. By being tuned into what your body is saying to you, you can get over the barriers of movement and learn to embrace the changes your body is going through.

Know Your "Why"

The best way to stay motivated is to be confident in the ‘why’ behind your goal. Christa uses strength training as a gateway to getting into your internal mindset and figuring out what each unique person needs at that moment.

When you can own and feel good about your intentions and feel secure in what your body can do, that confidence translates into all areas of your life. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be strong. While the definition of the word strong may change from person to person, the positivity that comes from feeling assured in your body's abilities is universal.

Are you ready to stop procrastinating and start using your mindset to fuel your motivation? Share what you loved most about Christa’s approach with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Common fears and barriers surrounding women holding women back from getting started on a fitness journey (14:06)
How to address the changes in your body mid-life and adapt your training program accordingly (22:54)
The role of mindset and listening to your body when doing any type of training (25:21)
Tips for overcoming your mindset challenges when it comes to strength training (28:51)
How strength training can help you tap into your motivation and create inner transformation (36:45)

Quotes

“Because I am walking this journey, it really compelled me to really immerse myself in how we are looking at aging and how we are feeling about our bodies as we age. And that's really what made me want to make the shift to really focus here.” (8:39)

“Generally speaking, it still takes work and time to build muscle. So to think you could go from where you are to somehow ever get to ‘The Rock’ or anywhere near that is in itself a huge misconception.” (18:40)

“I am very much more the type of trainer that is going to talk to you about how you are feeling, specifically that day when I see you, and then we are going to move according to that.” (23:44)

“Getting down deep and relating to people on a human level is not something that I feel is really talked about as much as it should be for people coming into this work. Because when you are dealing with people's bodies, I feel that that is a very personal space, and it needs to be treated with the utmost respect.” (27:46)

“What are your motivations behind the things that you do? I think it is important to dig into that so that you can really understand if your motivation for doing something is based on conditioning and messaging that you have been getting... or is it something that you have a clear mindset about this approach and why you feel it is important.” (32:23)

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From Physique Competitor to Diet Culture Disrupter w/ Deanna Harder Aug 10, 2021

The constant pursuit of shrinking your body can have major costs on your life. Instead of listening to what external validation tells you, you can listen to what your body needs and start validating yourself from the inside out.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready To Take A New Approach To Diet and Exercise, You Should:

Shift your goals from aesthetic based to ability based
Reject the notion that you have to limit your dietary intake to what external sources tell you
Learn to listen to what your body is telling you

The Impact of Searching for External Validation

Deanna Harder has been involved in the fitness industry in some way or another since the age of 16. She used sports such as figure skating and bodybuilding to stay lean and stay compliant because of her previous disordered eating. It wasn't until she got a speeding ticket on the way home because she was so eager to get home and finally eat a handful of almonds that her compliance to the sport had taken over her whole life. Now, she works with women to help them shift their mindset, validate themselves, and quit the all-or-nothing mentality.

How Is Your Mentality Serving You?

Aesthetic-based sports and physique-based competitions played into Deanna’s desire to get smaller and perform harder. She didn't realize that she was starving her body of the nutrients it needed and using validation from others to justify her all-or-nothing mentality.

It wasn't until the age of 40 that she sought help for her exercise compulsion and eating disorders, which is why she is so passionate about helping other women make the change that she did and live better for it.

Learn to Trust Yourself Again

When coming from a place of restriction and diet culture, it can be scary to navigate the middle, learn about moderate eating, and eat for satisfaction. While it will take some internal work to remember how to trust yourself when it comes to food and exercise, Deanna knows deep down that those intuitive powers reside in all of us.

The more you learn to trust yourself, listen internally and stay mindful, the easier it gets to listen to what your body is saying to you. It is fascinating what you can discover about yourself when you tap into what you have ignored for so long, but Deanna is confident that if you can make that jump into the unknown, you will forever be happy that you did.

Are you ready to start taking the steps and shift your goals from aesthetic-based to do-based? Share what you resonated most with Deanna’s story with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How aesthetic sports culture lead Deanna to the work she is doing today (8:18)
The moment Deanna realized that her mindset and beliefs were not healthy (17:22)
Why the attention someone receives ‘before’ or ‘after’ plays into diet culture (21:35)
Challenges that are faced when changing your perspective on physique based goals (25:46)
What is the #greatdietdisruption and how you can become involved (32:54)
Tips if you want to shift away from an aesthetic based goal to a do-based goal (36:13)

Quotes

“Those who didn't have such a great experience have a completely different story. So not all of it is bad, but for me in particular, it was not a smart idea to use that sport as a goal because I already had suffered from body image and eating disorders previously before I entered my first competition.” (9:41)

“There were so many times that I really should have stopped, but I didn't. The obsessiveness was more powerful than anything I could have controlled at that time.” (19:48)

“It was only when I went to eating disorder counseling and stopped competing that I started validating myself. And it was a game-changer.” (23:52)

“My poor body was going through hell, and I didn't listen until I had had enough. And I think until you have had enough, you can't help anybody, until they are ready, and I was finally ready.” (31:08)

“The ultimate form of control is trust. And the control isn't working anymore. So if it is not working anymore, what are you getting out of it?” (36:24)

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How to Give Yourself Radical Permission w/ Hayden Dawes Aug 03, 2021

Do you struggle with the concept of giving yourself permission to do or not do the things you really want? Like taking a rest day, sleeping in, eating enough to nourish your body, or setting boundaries and saying no? You are not alone in this struggle. However, when you can give yourself the radical permission you deserve, you can take care of yourself and those you love in a transformative new way.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Allow Yourself Radical Permission, You Should:

Stop the search for external validation and start listening to your own inner expert
Never abandon yourself by consciously choosing to live more expansively
Create compassion and self-compassion so that you can connect to the rest of humanity
Give yourself permission to set boundaries and say no to others, society, and yourself

Compassion Warrior Hayden Dawes

Hayden Dawes is a social worker, therapist, researcher, speaker, and self-proclaimed ‘Compassion Warrior’ passionate about helping people give themselves permission, do what they want to do, and reclaim their power. Hayden has harnessed his past to examine our social systems and find a way to help people connect to the larger community of humanity.

Writing Your Own Permission Slip

Many of us are used to seeking permission from an external source, such as a teacher, coach, parent, partner, or boss. Have you ever considered that you have the power to write your own permission slip? A permission slip is an opportunity to come back to yourself and ensure that you are not abandoning yourself whatever you decide to do or not do.

By raising your permission consciousness over time, you can lean into self-compassion and choose to live more expansive and open lives.

Creating Self-Compassion Through Radical Permission

Being compassionate and giving yourself permission can feel scary and vulnerable. While being your authentic self can feel like a risk, it is the only way that you will become connected to the larger community of humanity.

Some people believe that giving themselves compassion will end their accountability or dedication. This is not the case! Hayden wants you to know that there is space for both, and by practicing coming back to the expert within yourself, you can sustain yourself through self-compassion and radical permission.

Are you ready to start listening to your body and giving yourself the permission you have been longing for? Share what you loved most about Hayden’s vision with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about ‘Petty Tuesday’ and how it relates to work being done in the world (6:30)
Why people who have marginalized identities have a hard time giving themselves permission (15:27)
Ways that you can begin the process of giving yourself more radical permission (23:30)
How to give yourself compassion without giving up on your discipline (28:30)
Discover how self-compassion and radical permission are woven together as a practice (33:35)
Tips for allowing yourself permission to set boundaries and say no sometimes (38:41)

Quotes

“I really use it as an invitation for everyone to air our their grievance in a way that can be really healthy. Because in a lot of ways, if we don’t, it will work its way out in other ways that really aren’t as healthy.” (8:08)

“I try to use my work first and foremost to help myself so that I can help others help themselves. It’s a reciprocal, bidirectional relationship.” (14:12)

“A permission slip is an opportunity to come back to yourself and not abandon yourself. Because whether that coach, that teacher, that doctor, your partner is for you on the other side of the thing you decided to do or not do, I would hope that you haven’t abandoned yourself.” (20:23)

“There is enough space for accountability and self-compassion.” (29:20)

“When your parents gave you a permission slip to go on a field trip, most people wanted to go, but I’m sure if you didn’t go, it probably wouldn’t be the worst thing ever. So let’s just take the pressure off of everything.” (37:47)

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Body Acceptance, Powerlifting & Living Your Fullest Life w/ Christina Malone Jul 27, 2021

Christina Malone has been an athlete in a larger body for her whole life. When she found the sport of powerlifting, she used what she had been told would hold her back for her entire life as a positive attribute. Christina is dedicated to helping others who are hurting, stuck in the cycle of diet culture and body negativity by learning to love themselves and fight for body diversity and acceptance in the fitness industry.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Live Your Fullest Life You Should:

Accept that your value has nothing to do with what you see in the mirror
Stop feeling responsible for other people's reactions to you and your body
Find a fitness routine that focuses on what your body feels good doing
Advocate for your health and your options at every size

Fitness as a Big-Bodied Person

Christina is a state-record holder and national-level athlete in the sport of powerlifting, a body inclusivity coach and speaker, and happens to be in a larger body. Her passion is finding ways to help other people find peace with their bodies, learning to appreciate everything they are, and how to be in fitness as a big-bodied person. She is powerful and raw and here today to share how picking up a barbell has helped her feel more at home in the gym and her body.

The Power of Powerlifting

At one point in her life, Christina was using exercise to punish her body for being the size that it was. That was before she fell in love with the technique of powerlifting and how it made her body feel. Powerlifting allowed her internal perspective about her body size to shift, which was a life-changing experience for an athlete in a bigger body. Instead of being told that her weight was going to hold her back, powerlifting allowed Christina to harness her energy on learning to come home to her body’s purpose.

Other People’s Comfort Is Not Your Responsibility

While the conversations and attitudes towards body diversity and body acceptance in the fitness industry are changing, we still have a long way to go. Just as we have accepted height differences and race differences in the fitness industry, Christina believes that we also have to accept body size differences. What you look like in the mirror has nothing to do with your value, worth, or ability.

It is not your responsibility to make others feel comfortable around your body. Everyone’s body is different, and when we are able to accept others regardless of what diet culture and body negativity tell us, we can break down the barriers of the fitness industry and explore fitness with freedom.

Are you ready to start living your fullest life? Share what part of Christina’s story resonated with you most with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The lifts that are involved in powerlifting and how it is specifically unique (8:50)
Which practices can help you get into the right mental space to perform (13:42)
Why body diversity awareness in fitness and sports is important, especially now (21:51)
How the industry is changing in relation to conversations around body acceptance and bigger bodies (29:47)
What it is like navigating the medical system as a plus-size athlete and woman (34:20)

Quotes

“[Powerlifting] is really the only sport I have ever done that I am not sitting there saying ‘hey I am big, but…’, it’s ‘hey, I am big, and…’.” (8:25)

“When I weight lift and when I am powerlifting, it’s me, it’s the bar, and it’s the plates on the bar. And nothing else exists for me outside of that platform, the judge in front of me, and what I need to execute on the platform.” (14:12)

“You could take 100 or 200 people and give them the exact same diet and the exact same exercise routine, and they could have a similar background, and they would still come out of it looking different. And that is just inherent, that everyone’s body is going to be different.” (23:47)

“We are at that point, where how do we go from accepting and valuing bigger bodies that are athletic to accepting bigger bodies without needing that modifier. And how do we become compassionate to all persons, because you exist in the world and you deserve to be treated with a certain amount of humanity, and I think that is a bit lost unfortunately with a lot of bigger-bodied people.” (31:25)

“For me, living my fullest life means living up every single part of my life and reaching out to the very edges of everything that I could be, and not saying no to opportunities or to things because I doubt myself or it’s something that you ‘shouldn’t do’.” (40:53)

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Exploring Your Fitness Gains through Health at Every Size (HAES) w/ Stacey Sorgen Jul 20, 2021

Have you felt like there is a misalignment between your strength goals and what society tells you your goals should be? So often the fitness industry is focused on shrinking your body, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The Health at Every Size movement is a prime example of your ability to work with what you have to be the best possible version of yourself each and every day.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Embrace Health at Every Size, You Should:

Create fitness goals that have nothing to do with your size
Find a form of fitness that you enjoy and brings you happiness
Focus on what you are gaining, not what you are losing

Becoming The Best Version of Yourself

Stacey Sorgen felt that misalignment first hand. When working to become a personal trainer, Stacey felt like she had to shrink herself to be taken seriously in the industry. Finally, Stacey said enough is enough and has found great success helping people of every size and shape work towards their goals that have nothing to do with the number on the scale.

Making Fitness Accessible

Society tells us that being a larger person is the worst thing that can be done to you. Stacey is here to tell you that that is absolutely not true. The Health at Every Size movement is all about making fitness more approachable and accessible for as many people as possible.

Because the truth is, there is nothing wrong with the size of your body, and you can become the healthiest version of yourself without focusing on becoming smaller.

It’s Not About Shrinking Your Body

When you use fitness as a tool to expand your strength, confidence, and ability, instead of contracting our bodies to fit a certain mold, you gain the ability to advocate for your needs. Instead of using fitness as a means to an end, Stacey wants you to enjoy what you are doing and focus on what you are gaining, not what you are losing.

Fitness is about so much more than shrinking your body, and with the right perspective, you too can find health at any size.

Are you ready to set some fitness goals that have nothing to do with the number on the scale? Share how you are embracing Health at Every Size with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn what Health at Every Size means and the main core values of the philosophy (5:41)
How to maintain a sense of independence in an all-consuming diet-culture industry (13:32)
Addressing the concern troll mentality and the misconception of Healthy at Every Size (17:18)
Tips for reframing the narrative around fitness and movement (23:08)
What to do if you are ready to do something different but are reluctant to put yourself back out there (32:26)

Quotes

“It’s kind of a revolution of discovering that we can learn to respect or accept our bodies where they are at and do the best that we can with what we have in this moment now.” (7:16)

“We can be larger people, and still be strong, still be active, still be fit, still be any of the things you want to be at the size that you are in your body today.” (10:50)

“If we do not support and love all people, how can all people support and love themselves?” (18:41)

“As soon as you hit a plateau, if you are focused on contraction, there is only so far you can go. But the other direction, it’s like the sky is the limit, you can really do anything.” (27:52)

“We are always focused on everyone else. But that hour or that hour and a half or that fifteen minutes, focus on yourself and get out of it what you need out of it.” (35:22)

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Fitness Trackers and Listening to Your Body Jul 13, 2021

Recently I decided to welcome back a wearable fitness tracker into my life after a decade-long break from one. This topic brought up a lot of questions for me. While the decision to stop or start wearing a tracker is very personal, I want to bring to light a few of the questions that have surfaced for me in the hopes that they can help you out when making this call for yourself.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Considering Stopping, Or Starting, Using a Fitness Tracker, You Should:

Examine the pros and cons of fitness trackers and how they play into your personal relationship with your body
Find a tracker that suits your lifestyle and provides you with the data you are curious about
Keep listening to the signals of your body as your guide to what your body needs

Getting Curious About Your Body Patterns

It took me over ten years to get to the place where I am confident enough to listen to my body signals to be curious about the patterns and trends that a wearable fitness tracker can provide.

How my recovery is correlating with my heart rate variability, menstrual cycle, and fatigue are incredibly interesting to me. The key is to not be so reliant on these numbers that you stop listening to your body and only listen to the numbers on an app.

It’s All About Balance

Wearing a fitness tracker is an incredibly personal decision and depends on your ability to combine the data from a tracker with the signals your body is sending you. While most of us don't have the same relationship to data, such as heart rate variability, as we do to the numbers on the scale, it is still something to be sensitive to.

An app can never tell you everything that is going on in your body. The question is, does the data from a fitness tracker help you reinforce the way your body feels, or distract you from it?

How do you feel about your relationship with fitness trackers? Do you believe they are diet culture? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why I decided to start using a wearable fitness tracker again (4:48)
The pros and cons I see when using a fitness tracker (9:10)
How to deal with fitness trackers if you have an all-or-nothing personality (20:38)
Which tracker I am using currently and why I personally like it (23:42)
Explore if fitness trackers are in fact a part of diet culture (29:04)

Quotes

“I am not in an all-or-nothing situation with training anymore, I am able to really listen to my body, but I am curious about bringing some sort of fitness tracker back into my life.” (8:37)

“I am not here to present my argument necessarily for or against, but if it is something that you have kind of been thinking about, maybe these will be some interesting points.” (14:34)

“There is a tendency to become too reliant sometimes on external trackers at the expense of also developing a sense of what your training and recovery feel like overall so that you get to know your body a lot more intimately.” (19:27)

“If you have started looking at data, do you sort of tune out what your body is telling you? Or are you looking where they overlap and using both to make decisions? Or can one help you make decisions about the other? Can having data help you connect to how your body is feeling? In some cases, potentially yes, but it is really about you individually.” (23:20)

“I don't think fitness trackers are in the same league as the scale and tracking body weight. However, could they potentially become an issue for some people? Potentially. So this is where it is really important to know yourself.” (32:18)

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Strength Training & Tough Body Image Days Jul 06, 2021

Having tougher body image days is perfectly normal. Yes, even when you’re actively working on your mental and physical health. Yes, even when you’re strength training every day. Let’s look at how we can start being kinder to ourselves when these thoughts happen.

Key Takeaways

How to Work Through Negative Body Thoughts

Journal it Out: Mentally backtrack in your day, or the day before, to see what, if anything, influenced that event.
Check-in with Yourself: Is there a basic need you’re not meeting for yourself?
Understand your Menstrual Cycle: Your cycle can impact your mood and how you feel about your body
Practice Gratitude: Especially when you’re feeling challenging ways about your body

Body Image Issues Impact Everyone

Challenging and negative thoughts about your body are perfectly normal. They’re not pleasant or productive, but please let me reassure you that they’re absolutely normal. We all experience them, even when we’re actively working on our positive mental and physical health.

It’s not realistic to never have a negative thought about your body. And that’s okay. Working towards some form of body neutrality is a journey, not a destination.

Working Through a Negative Body Image

When you do have negative or challenging thoughts about your body, it’s important to try to get to the root cause of these thoughts. First, take some time to journal out what might have influenced these thoughts throughout the last day or two.

You might also be neglecting one of your basic needs. When was the last time you ate or drank water? Are you getting enough sleep?

For longer-term solutions, start tracking your menstrual cycle as your cycle has an impact on how you feel mentally and towards yourself. Finally, take up a daily gratitude practice to help shift your entire perspective.

How do you currently feel about your own body image? What struggles have you gone through? Share your experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why it’s normal to have challenging thoughts about your body [6:00]
Why it’s not realistic to expect to never have a challenging thought about your body [7:45]
The importance of body neutrality [13:00]
You deserve to eat. Make sure you’re eating regularly [33:30]
Why you should track your menstrual cycle [24:00]
How challenging yourself with practicing gratitude can help shift your perspective [27:45]

Quotes

“It is still normal to have challenging thoughts about your body. You’re not failing or doing this wrong if you still have those doubts, negative self-talk, or aren’t at body neutrality or beyond to body liberation, or wherever you are on that spectrum.” [6:28]

“By thinking or expecting that we’re never going to have the negative thought or the challenging feeling ever again, we’re actually setting ourselves up for not being as adept or experienced with getting through those challenging thoughts or feelings.” [9:45]

“You need to eat. We need to eat. When you’re running on low energy, your blood sugar is really low, and you’re hangry, your mood is affected. You’re feeling mentally foggy, more anxious, and on edge. Food is essential.” [20:03]

“Gratitude is a muscle that you have to practice. Yes, you can feel these ways about yourself, you can feel down, sad, grief. All of those emotions are normal. At the same time, you can challenge yourself to give even a little bit of gratitude, just a little bit. It can be both - and.” [27:18]

“It’s okay for those negative body thoughts to pop up, even at positive times in our life. They probably will. Working on that resilience, instead of walking around on eggshells, is ultimately what makes you more resilient, more able to unlearn the things that aren’t serving you, and lean into what it’s like to be on this journey. It’s never going to be perfect but it is so worthwhile.” [31:31]

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Are You Lifting Heavy Enough (and Other Common Strength Training Questions) Jun 29, 2021

There are six common questions I hear all the time about lifting weights. So, I decided to put them into an episode with some simple answers for you so that you have a resource that you can come back to time and time again. If you are looking for answers to common questions I hear about strength training; this is the episode for you.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Embrace The Benefits of Strength Training, You Should:

Realize that what is ‘heavy’ is different for each person, and you should focus on adding enough of a load that is challenging for you
Create goals that are focused on what your body can do, not the number on the bathroom scale
Take care of your body through generous recovery time and exercises that do not involve weights

It’s All Relative

Questions like ‘am I lifting heavy enough?’, ‘am I too old to start lifting weights?’, or ‘how soon can I expect to see results?’, are very nuanced. The short answer is, everybody’s body is different and will look different even if doing the same exercise.

It is about finding a combination of weight lifting and other exercises that feel right for your unique body. What is ‘heavy’ is relative to each person and can change over time. Consistency and progressive overload are the keys to a long game mentality needed when strength training.

The Many Benefits of Strength Training

I know for sure that strength training can give you something to think about besides shrinking your body. Having goals that are only focused on achieving a certain number on the scale or an aesthetic look are not sustainable.

Lifting weights can help you stop focusing on the scale, promote healthy muscle mass, improve your bone density, and boost your metabolism. These are goals that can have a huge impact on your overall health but cannot be measured by the number on the scale. Strength training can help you reconnect with a sense of what your body can do, not what it looks like.

Have you ever asked one of these common questions? How did my answer hold up to what you have been told in the past? Share your experiences with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How to know if you are lifting heavy enough (3:40)
How often you should be lifting every week (7:29)
How to know if lifting weights will help you feel better about yourself (9:53)
Why you should still consider lifting weights even if you do other sports (14:17)
Why it is never too late to start lifting weights (17:52)
How long it will take for you to experience results (22:20)

Quotes

“Generally speaking, you want to think about grooving in the main functional movement patterns, which are push, pull, hinge, squat, and weighted carries; those are what the Made Strong program is built off of.” (8:24)

“Lifting weights gives you something besides shrinking your body, or the bathroom scale, to focus on.” (11:59)

“If you lift weights two or three times a week, it will make you better at that sport, period.” (15:07)

“To efficiently build and maintain your muscle and bones and keep your metabolism humming along… the answer is lift weights.” (21:52)

“Please focus on some kind of goal that goes beyond what you weigh or exactly having some kind of aesthetic look. Because it is going to be far easier to sustain your work towards what you can do, or developing a new skill, or building your strength in a specific lift, it’s going to be a lot more motivating and a lot easier to stick to that than when you are not seeing the number on the scale go in the direction that you want it to go.” (26:26)

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Related Episodes

LTYB 332: 3 Mistakes Keeping You From Getting Stronger In The Gym

LTYB 331: Strength Training & Your Relationship with Exercise

LTYB 327: Getting Back to Exercise Without Feeling Wrecked

The Problem With Getting in Shape Jun 22, 2021

The general narrative in the fitness world says that by getting into shape, you will get smaller. In reality, there are so many other ways to measure your fitness that have nothing to do with the size of your body. ‘Getting In Shape’ really has no concrete meaning, and it's time we stop equating fitness with a specific look.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Dig Deeper Into The Problem With ‘Getting in Shape’, You Should:

Challenge those in the fitness space to stop defining fitness as ‘a look’
Focus on the benefits of training that have nothing to do with your body size
Work to include marginalized bodies into the wellness space for the greater benefit of everyone

Fitness Is Not a ‘Look’

Fitness doesn't have a specific look. Instead, it is your ability to do a task. Simple as that. Working out and ‘getting in shape’ simply to get smaller is not sustainable, and the companies or trainers that guarantee that your body will get smaller are not acknowledging all of the other things out of our control that go into fitness, and all of the other benefits of getting stronger and healthier. Your size does not equal your health and has no reflection on how fit or how unfit a person is.

How To Stop Comparing and Start Representing

If we compare ourselves to the highest performing human specimens participating in an activity, is that an accurate representation of all the people who engage with that activity? By comparing ourselves to the top athletes in the world, we are doing a disservice to the people out there who want to engage with a certain type of fitness but don't see anyone who looks like them being represented.

The idea that fit bodies have to look a certain way stops people from engaging with those pursuits and perpetuates the stereotype that fitness is a certain look and only people who look like that can be deemed ‘in shape’. By challenging these narratives and making fitness available to people who don't fit the conventional ‘fitspo’ version of health, we can break down these assumptions and, in turn, make ‘getting in shape’ more beneficial for everyone.

What stood out most to you from this episode? Let me know your thoughts in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why ‘getting in shape’ really means nothing (4:12)
How I want to challenge the fitness space to focus on fitness as an ability and not a look (10:35)
Addressing the fit bias and fit shaming I see online (14:40)
The benefits of strength training that have nothing to do with how you look (21:50)
Why I don’t like to promise anybody that ‘getting in shape’ is going to look a certain way (27:53)

Quotes

“Getting in shape when used to mean getting fit is a huge problem because physical fitness isn't a look, it's not a look.” (7:14)

“Strength training can give you a new lease on life because you get to focus on what your body can do, not just on what it looks like.” (15:34)

“I can think of so many people who are not fitting the ‘thin fitspo’ gently toned but not too muscular body who are fit as fuck! Fit as fuck for what they do. And that to me is a cause for applause.” (19:50)

“We have to be able to tease apart fitness from overall health and wellbeing. If we think health is multifactorial and influenced by so many things out of our control, we have to be able to tease apart fitness from health and from weight.” (24:44)

“I hope that this podcast gives you some seeds of ideas to ask or to bring up with that potential personal trainer that you want to work within your city, or that potential email that you open up… what does the person or the company promising to you? What other ways are there going to be to see how your fitness has changed and improved?” (32:01)

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Related Episodes

LTYB 335: Breaking the Body Stereotype with Amanda LaCount

LTYB 324: Is It Wrong To Want To Lose Weight?

LTYB 319: Why Fitspo Needs To Die

LTYB 025: Master the Art of Self Love with Noelle Tarr

Mobility, Justice, and Representation in the Fitness Industry w/ Rich Thurman Jun 15, 2021

If you are someone who is not strength training yet or are looking to get back into activity, you might be nervous. Getting back into movement in a way that keeps you safe and healthy starts with understanding your foundation and finding mobility practices that meet you where you are now.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Encourage Mobility, Representation, and Justice In The Fitness Space, You Should:

Get assessed to find out where your body is at and what mobility practices could benefit you
Stop viewing mobility practices as an optional extra and start including them in your daily routine
Work to view people in the fitness space as whole people, not just exercise machines
Seek out voices other than your own to find out how you can increase representation in the fitness space

Taking Care Of Yourself as a Whole Person

Rich knows that mobility practices are not an optional extra but something that helps you get better at what you are trying to do and is here today to share how mobility, inclusivity, and representation intersect in the fitness space.

Investing In Yourself Through Mobility Practices

Mobility is the best investment you can make for yourself. By giving time to mobility practices that will improve your longevity, and preserve, improve, and enhance your ability to do the things you love longer, you will save yourself the necessity to give it up later.

Something as simple as preparation can help you create strength in the realms you may not have strength in anymore, save you from injury, and help you find a workout that fits your body's strengths and shortcomings. Mobility practices are the key to move better, feel better, and ultimately do more for longer.

Representation Is Power

For too long, underrepresented people in the fitness space, such as Black, Asian, and LGBTQ+ persons, have been burying themselves to make other people feel comfortable. Rich is here to say no more to that and encourage organizations, coaches, trainers, and anyone involved in the fitness space to do the work, become aware, and take steps to view someone as a whole person.

Instead of assuming the needs of others and pushing that agenda, Rich wants to challenge you to work to improve yourself, learn about your community, and recognize the intersections between identity, representation, and fitness. It is only by working to be better, that we can include the voices that have been marginalized for too long and lift up our fellow humans.

Are you ready to give yourself the gift of time through mobility practices? How do you work to stand up for your fellow humans in the fitness space? Share your thoughts about Rich’s perspective with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why mobility is an important piece to getting active again that a lot of people skip over (6:16)
Tips for tackling mobility as part of your overall training program (21:35)
The role of social justice when it comes to the experience of being in the fitness industry (31:07)
How walking away from certification bodies can be liberating, challenging, and transformative (38:43)
The importance of mental health and representation when coaching a whole person (44:32)

Quotes

“When we look at training mobility, and why it's important, it's more along the lines of preparing your body for the things that you want to do.” (10:02)

“You can spend the time now, or you can give up the time later. There are only really 2 options. So when we create more room for the things that we love, we are basically creating more time.” (22:31)

“Peripherally, all of the wealth that came as a peripheral means of those bodies, the bodies of my ancestors who survived this ordeal, to make me possible, that is carried inside of me.” (33:07)

“The onus is not on us to find out when these things happen, the onus is on the organization to say ‘this is what we want, this is what we would like, can we find the people who are doing good work within our organization who have paid us money and maintained our certification, can we find those people?’.” (41:34)

“These conversations need to be had throughout all of these organizations and need to be commonplace. Because we need to know how to best serve the people we are working with, the people in front of us.” (48:01)

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Related Episodes

LTYB 327: Getting Back to Exercise Without Feeling Wrecked

LTYB 143: Inclusivity & Social Justice In Health & Fitness with Dr. Tee Williams

When Clean Eating Becomes a Problem w/ Mimi Cole Jun 08, 2021

Have you ever considered that at some point, an obsession with healthy eating can turn unhealthy? Many of us struggle to understand what healthy eating really is and where it crosses the line into an unhealthy preoccupation. This is why I have brought my guest, Mimi Cole, onto the show today. Please be aware there is a trigger warning for weight loss and eating disorders in this episode.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready To Reexamine Your Relationship With Food and Your Body, You Should:

Start viewing food as neutral and not inherently good or bad
Be real about your mindset when it comes to the foods you are eating
Remind yourself what you are working towards and what you are living for
Use mirror work to confront yourself when you feel uncomfortable about your body

What Is Healthy Eating? With Mimi Cole

Mimi is a graduate student currently working on her Master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. She is the host of the Lovely Becoming Podcast and specializes in learning about disordered eating and eating disorders. Mimi knows firsthand the issues that those with eating disorders face, which is why she is passionate about breaking down stereotypes, meeting others with compassion, and helping people break out of the labels that surround these topics.

There Are No ‘Bad or Good’ Foods

Clean eating culture is intertwined with many nuanced topics such as fatphobia, orthorexia, and weight-centric care. The clean eating industry wants you to label your food choices as ‘bad or good’, which inherently misses what the fluidity of humanity really is.

By unlearning what diet culture has taught us, we can start to get curious about the dichotomy of the rules of food and begin to view food as neutral. When we understand that food does have to fit into the binary of ‘good and bad’, ‘healthy and unhealthy’, or ‘clean and guilty’, you can give yourself permission to follow your humanity.

Using Your Values as an Anchor

Society tells us that certain eating disorders are only applicable to certain body types. In reality, it is about the mindset of a person, not the size of their body, that determines their relationship with food. We need to do a better job of breaking these labels down and expanding these definitions to include every body.

Mimi suggests getting clear on your values to anchor you when you may feel discomfort about your body. Working on your body really means working on your body image, your perspective, and how you feel about your body. By reminding yourself what you are working towards and what you are living for, you can live a life more aligned with your values and stop focusing on all of the restraints that come with food.

Which of Mimi’s truth bombs today shocked you the most? What piece of her advice are you going to put into practice first? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

The inspiration that encouraged Mimi to embark on her current career path (9:39)
Why the term ‘clean eating’ is problematic and why it is so difficult to confront that uncomfortability (15:22)
Advice for those who are ready to break past their diet culture labels but are worried about the repercussions (18:06)
Breaking the stereotype around what someone with an eating disorder looks like (23:56)
A new perspective on how to get your body ready for summer (31:11)

Quotes

“It doesn't have to be either ‘this or that’, I think there is a lot of nuance to nutrition.” (8:29)

“It's a lot more subtle than we think it is, and I think it's a lot more intertwined with this clean eating culture. And so sometimes that push back where we say ‘I just want to eat healthy’ is really tied to different systems like fat-phobia and weight-centric care, and sometimes it looks like it's a healthy thing, and it sounds like it, but it's not really.” (13:25)

“There are some people that might say, ‘if you are going to be anti-diet, you need to do it all right now’. And I think I take on a slower approach where when we are unlearning it takes time and intentionality, and a lot of compassion for where we are at and meeting people where they are.” (22:20)

“Working on your body for summer means learning how to nourish it, learning how to accept it and collate the distress around it, learning how to put on a swimsuit and work towards your values of enjoying time with friends, enjoying time with loved ones and family members, and being able to move towards your values when you feel uncomfortable in your body.” (31:54)

“Moving towards a value doesn't necessarily mean moving you away from things you don't want to experience. So there is not necessarily less fear, but it means with that fear I can move towards those values.” (35:06)

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How To Get Your Body Ready For Summer Post

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LTYB 275: The Anti-Diet Approach to Eating with Evelyn Tribole

Bathroom Scale Real Talk You Need To Hear Jun 01, 2021

Your morning ritual can set the tone for your entire day. Getting up and immediately getting onto the scale can determine whether you will have a good day or a bad day. If you used to do that, or maybe you still do, I want to share five truths with you about the bathroom scale and why you should consider ditching or reducing that habit.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready To Get Real With Your Scale You Should:

Stop equating weight and health
Focus on healthy for you habits
Create a goal for yourself that has nothing to do with your weight
Track things other than your weight or calorie intake

Weight Does Not Equal Health

If you keep saying, ‘I just wanted to hop on the scale and see’, and there is an underlying sense of dread there, or the number you see is going to have the potential to wreck or elevate your day, wait.

You don't have to throw your scale out the window today. But, by taking baby steps of cutting back your reliance and focus on the scale, you will realize that the deep sense of self-worth you have always had is not reliant on the number you see on the scale. Having a full, healthy, and happy life is so much more important than the ‘ideal’ number we want to see on the scale, and when you are able to accept that, the whole world opens up.

You Can Only Control Your Habits, Not the Scale

Your health is so much more multifaceted than the number you see on the scale. Your mental, emotional, spiritual, and environmental health play just as important of a role in your overall health as your physical body does. Even though you may be doing things in a health-promoting way, such as eating more vegetables or getting more fresh air, focusing on the number on the scale changing is not what you should be relying on for ‘results’.

The truth is, we are not in control of the number on the scale. What we are in control of is health-promoting habits that can lead to a healthier life, regardless of what the scale says.

Have you ever considered your relationship with your bathroom scale? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why your weight does not definitively equal your health (5:24)
What to do if you are getting frustrated by the number you see on the scale (10:08)
How to untrain your brain from thinking that weight loss is a behavior (15:51)
Why the scale is not always a ‘neutral tool’ for everybody (21:47)
Three basic things that you can focus on instead of the scale (27:10)

Quotes

“We have been taught that weight causes health, and that is not the case.” (6:51)

“Weight loss is not a behavior. I will say that again, weight loss is not a behavior.” (16:04)

“If you want peace of mind, and you want your brain space back, focus on healthy habits. Focus on healthy-for-you habits. When you stay hyper-focused on weight loss, this is where you miss body signals; this is where you miss other indicators of your health, for example, your mental health. This is where you miss the consistency that is required to perhaps improve your health over a long period of time.” (17:41)

“It might take years of consistent healing and redefining your beliefs, getting to the root of your beliefs, finding other things to focus on. Really just going through the ebbs and the flows and the ups and the downs of your relationship with your body and food and body image, to get to the point where the scale is a ‘neutral tool’.” (23:34)

“It is very uncommon that someone can just snap their fingers and suddenly see the scale as a neutral tool.” (24:50)

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Related Episodes

LTYB 314: How To Set Health Goals Beyond the Scale with Steph Dodier

LTYB 324: Is It Wrong To Want To Lose Weight?

Breaking the Body Stereotype w/ Amanda LaCount May 25, 2021

Ever since a dance studio director told Amanda LaCount that she could not participate due to her body size, she has been on a mission to break the stereotype and promote body positivity and the belief that any body can be a dancer's body. So if you are feeling like you are ready to get back out there and start moving your body but are nervous about what other people might think, this is the episode for you.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Break The Stereotype You Should:

Start moving your body in a way that feels good to you
Stop listening to the haters and find a way to push through the negative comments
Remember that everyone is focusing on themselves, and you have nothing to be self-conscious about
Work to lift up marginalized voices in the entertainment you consume

Doing What You Love with Amanda LaCount

Rihanna follows her on Instagram; she has danced with Lady Gaga in her Stupid Love music video and danced with Lizzo at Coachella. She has also danced with Meghan Trainor and Katy Perry, was the first plus-sized Disney mermaid, and has partnered with international brands to bring body inclusivity to the forefront. Amanda LaCount is making huge waves in the world of entertainment and is working day by day to #breakthestereotype.

Don't Let The ‘Haters’ Get You Down

Amanda has been dancing since she was 2 years old, but it hasn't come without her fair share of setbacks. ‘Haters’ have often made Amanda feel like she didn't belong in a world where your appearance means way more than it should. But Amanda never let that stop her and has developed her own way to move past the mean comments and embrace what she truly loves to do.

Amanda believes that your body should not play a role in what job you get or how qualified people assume you are, and she wants to inspire people to do what they love regardless of any stereotypes you may or may not fit into.

#breakthestereotype

The hashtag #breakthestereotype is Amanda’s way to make change actionable. What started as something just for her has turned into a global movement on social media. Amanda wants other people to know that you don't have to be perfect, skinny, or tall to ‘make it’ in your chosen field. All it takes is hard work, dedication, and the right attitude.

Working to promote inclusivity and body positivity in the dance world and entertainment space, Amanda, and her famous friends, are working to break the stereotype piece by piece.

Are you ready to #breakthestereotype and get out there and start moving your body in a way that is fun and enjoyable for you? Share what you loved most about Amanda’s story with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How to get over the haters and push through negative comments (9:12)
Gain a peek inside the dance world and the expectations to conform to a certain body type (13:45)
Why the #breakthestereotype hashtag was created (18:10)
The importance of representation in the dance world and entertainment industry (23:57)
Some of Amanda’s proudest moments and coolest experiences (29:29)
Advice for those who want to get started moving their body through dance (33:15)

Quotes

“There is no point in feeling bad for yourself, that's only going to hurt you at the end of the day.” (11:26)

“I just don’t want my body to be part of the discussion, I want my dancing to speak for itself.” (15:19)

“I came up with ‘breaking the stereotype’ because that's what I do, and that's what I am doing still.” (19:44)

“What I want to see is more fat people, or fat films, or fat movies, that are positive and show the beautiful parts of being a plus-size person and show how strong we are and how beautiful we are.” (26:12)

“Stop caring so much about what other people think or have to say. At the end of the day, if it makes you happy, that's all that matters.” (34:12)

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Related Episodes

LTYB 311: Reclaiming Your Spark By Honoring Your Swagger with Anniedi Essien

LTYB 313: How To Stop a Bad Body Image Day In Its Tracks with Brianna Campos

How Strong Women Can Lift Each Other Up w/ Molly Galbraith May 18, 2021

Have you ever considered how much more we as women could get done if we chose to lift each other up instead of getting caught up in comparison traps, jealousy, and the feeling of ‘not enoughness’? It has been famously said that comparison is the thief of joy, but becoming aware of how you compare yourself to yourself and to other women online and in real life can be a hard nut to crack.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Become A Strong Woman Who Lifts Up Other Strong Women, You Should:

Find a coach or a trainer who knows how to support women in all aspects of their lives
Stop focusing on jealousy and comparison by getting curious about your unique values and goals
Notice, name, and normalize your emotions
Take small steps every day to amplify other women's voices and help lift them up

Strong Women Lift Eachother Up with Molly Galbraith

Molly Galbraith has been a coach in the fitness industry for over 17 years. It became clear to her early on how underserved women were in health and fitness, which is why she co-founded Girls Gone Strong almost ten years ago. Her new book, Strong Women Lift Each Other Up, helps women overcome their own personal struggles with comparison, jealousy, body image, and competition to feel strong, confident, and empowered in their body while supporting other women to feel the same.

Getting Out Of The Comparison Trap

Molly believes that when you know better, you do better. This is why she has dedicated herself and her new book to help women improve all areas of their lives. Everything from teaching coaches what they need to know in order to better serve women to helping women get out of the comparison trap by noticing, naming, and normalizing their emotions act as foundational tools necessary to help lift women up in everyday life. By getting radically clear on your values and getting curious about how we can support other women, revolutionary change is possible.

The Ripple Effect

In a world where women's voices are often drowned out, and it's challenging to be heard, amplifying other women's voices can go a long way. The ripple effect that can be created through women empowering women isn't always obvious, but it can play a huge role in bringing the values we want to see into the world.

You don't need a lot of resources, money, or a big network to lift up other women in your life. All it takes are small, simple steps that can help you feel stronger and help strengthen the women around you. Lifting up all women is a group effort, but the ramifications can change the world as we know it.

Are you ready to get away from your comparison traps and scarcity mindset and embrace the beautiful possibilities that come from being a strong woman who lifts up other strong women? Share one way you are working to actively lift up other women in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

What made Molly start GGS and help create a community of strong women (5:54)
The reason that Molly’s new book was needed for our current strength landscape (19:40)
Tips for getting over your comparison traps and scarcity mindset once and for all (25:07)Why identifying your core values and what truly makes you happy can be a gamechanger (30:49)
Simple ways that you can lift women up in the world regardless of your time or resources (34:05)

Quotes

“We believe that when women feel strong, confident and empowered in our lives and bodies, that we can change the world.” (4:30)

“Coaches and trainers, we are on the front lines of such important conversations with our clients. And I truly believe that we have the power to impact women's lives positively more than almost anyone else in their life.” (15:17)

“I envisioned a world that I wanted to see for women and saw that it wasn't our reality. I wanted to see a world where all women and girls get the support and opportunities they need to thrive and succeed. Where women believe that we are enough just as we are and that we are actually happy to see other women succeed because we know there is enough success to go around. And I wanted to see a world where there was an equitable presentation of all women in important places where decisions are made, and that is not our current reality.” (22:00)

“Taking the time to identify my values has just been life-changing. It has allowed me to feel so steadfast in the decisions that I make.” (31:03)

“We have the opportunity to massively lift people up and create huge ripple effects through very small actions, and I want people to know and feel empowered by those possibilities.” (38:42)

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Molly Galbraith Website

Strong Women Lift Eachother Up by Molly Galbraith

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LTYB 147: The Importance Of Feeling At Home In Your Body with Molly Galbraith

Overcoming Fitness Comparison-itis w/ Craig Zielinski May 11, 2021

Have you found yourself falling into fitness comparisons not only with the people around you or that you know but in comparison with yourself and what you used to be able to do? If you are struggling with this concept or keep challenging the idea of coming back to exercise because you worry you won't be at the place you left off, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Stop Falling Into Fitness Comparisons, You Should:

Let go of your ‘all or nothing’ mentality
Choose movement practices that bring you joy
Work towards developing a set of skills rather than a specific outcome
Redefine your fitness goals and focus on mental and physical flexibility

Letting Go Of Comparison-itis with Craig Zielinski

Craig Zielinski is a USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach, a repeated LTYB guest, and my loving husband. Throughout the course of the pandemic, Craig came face to face with his ‘all or nothing' mentality and found a way to get over his ‘Comparison-itis’. Today he is here to share his story about how to get over your fear of judgment from others or yourself and start enjoying moving your body again.

Get Out Of The ‘All Or Nothing’ Mentality

For many people, their fitness identity in the past was tied to the exercise routines we used to do that are more often than not based on equipment that we simply don't have access to during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although Craig originally got caught up in the ‘all or nothing’ funk, he realized that a lot of his reasoning was unreasonable and started to choose exercises that were based more on having a good time and making the best of what we had, rather than training super hard. Instead of engaging in movements that were comparison-based, Craig learned to focus on building his ‘skill tree’.

You Don't Have to Specialize to Succeed

The way that diet and fitness culture convince us that we have to specialize in one certain thing, even if it makes us miserable, is simply not true. When you are able to get back to the basics as Craig did, you can develop multiple skills and focus on the process than the all-illusive outcome.

You never know where any exercise will lead or take you, so the point is to be open to trying new things during this time of uncertainty and continually check on what feels right for you. Looking for fun, developing new skills, and being flexible about what fitness is can help you enjoy different areas of your life and get back into the movement mentality without all that added pressure.

What activity are you excited to get back into the routine of? How are you going to find healthy ways to limit your comparison-itis mentality? Share your thoughts with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How the Covid-19 pandemic affected the way in which Craig trains (5:56)
Tips for navigating the ‘all or nothing’ funk by choosing exercises that you feel are fun (12:20)
Why you should stick to the basics when it comes to reintroducing yourself to movement practices (30:11)
The issue with training for a competition and why Craig chooses to direct his fitness goals elsewhere (33:30)
How to redefine your process to get closer to your fitness goals given the current circumstances (35:32)

Quotes

“I, for the longest time, could not get my head around what on Earth to do with myself [with Covid restrictions], so the answer was, in classic ‘all or nothing style’, was to do nothing.” (9:53)

“The problem created by returning to training and doing the same thing and being all dejected about how I have lost strength or capacity is by doing training that is adjacent to the training that I did, and as also something that is fun and I enjoyed while I would do it. And the cool part is that because it is adjacent to the training that I used to do, I have got developed skills so I won't feel like a complete novice and just give up.” (21:25)

“It is really basic, and it is a lot of fun. And it also, when you think about it really, it is more a skill tree.” (30:28)

“We are told that we have to specialize in everything, and we end up plowing the same furrow, and that is just not very interesting. And there is also no point in doing that, it's not very fulfilling, at least for me. Being a specialist in one thing is my worst nightmare, but that was kind of what I did in the gym if you think about it.” (31:52)

“The importance of developing what you can do as a project, is much greater than whatever the conclusion of the project is, right? (36:56)

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3 Mistakes Keeping You From Getting Stronger In the Gym May 04, 2021

Have you been spending a few workouts a week lifting weights and trying to eat healthily but are still not seeing the results you are hoping for? There are three main common reasons that I hear over and over again in the community that is keeping you from seeing the results you want from your strength training efforts. The good news? They are easy to fix once you have empowered yourself with the knowledge and mindset shifts to do so!

Key Takeaways

If You Want To See The Results You Are Looking For From Strength Training You Should:

Stop being afraid of calories, and under fueling yourself, and start giving your body the energy it needs to fuel itself
Manage your stress to recovery ratio to give your body the time it needs to recover
Improve your movement patterns and tissue outside of the gym so that you can avoid chronic injuries inside the gym

Eating Less and Moving More Is Not the Answer

A lot of us have a negative association with the word ‘calories’ because of diet culture. We have been told to put an emphasis on ‘eating less and moving more’, but that is not the magic cure. Your body needs fuel to move, and when you restrict that fuel, it can kill your energy and open you up to chronic energy.

All three of these topics, under-fueling, not managing your stress to recovery ratio, and not looking for ways to improve your movement patterns and tissue outside of the gym, have a huge impact on the results you see inside of the gym.

Results Need an Active Listener

Listening to your body is all about tuning into the signals that your body is sending you instead of ignoring them. If you are under a lot of stress, are not eating healthy foods or enough foods, or not prioritizing your sleep, it will all show up when you start to lift those weights.

While every exercise has its own risks, you can see the results you are looking for when it comes to strength training, but only if you are giving your body what it needs to succeed. Listening to your body, fueling it the right way, managing your stress to recovery ratio, and improving your movement patterns are the ways to help you achieve the results you are looking for in a healthy and safe way.

Which one of these common mistakes rang the most true for you? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The number one most common mistake I see over and over again when strength training (4:52)
Why not eating enough creates the perfect storm to decrease your motivation to move (7:55)
General ways to improve the way you think about food and get on track to make sure you are not under eating (12:08)
How an inadequate amount of recovery time and your overall stress ratio can impact your results (16:12)
The role of chronic injury when reducing the results you see from strength training (23:21)

Quotes

“If you are making this mistake, nobody is here to blame you. This isn't something to feel bad about, this isn't something to feel shameful for, it's a piece of information to take and tuck into your back pocket and be more mindful and aware of what you are doing in your daily life.” (4:38)

“There is oftentimes a lot of negative self-talk or feeling like you are broken, or wrong, or bad, for your body physiologically responding in the way that it does. And a lot of that can be staved off by eating enough food and eating more consistently and introducing what I would call more of a relative balance of macronutrients.” (15:45)

“What is to be aware of is, if you are not getting the results from your strength training that you want, is to take a look at how much other, especially higher intensity movements or exercise, relative to all of the other stress that is going on in your life.” (20:05)

“If you are dealing with injuries or you are dealing with the effects of ‘life-ing’ and moving through life with these movement patterns, it is really important that you become aware of that and you work on them, and you start to become more tuned in to the signals your body is sending you.” (31:08)

“If you are a woman who wants to get stronger and is lifting weights, you want your energy to increase, and you want to see performance in the gym, I am going to be here to help you do that.” (33:21)

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LTYB 331: Strength Training & Your Relationship with Exercise

Strength Training & Your Relationship with Exercise Apr 27, 2021

When I look back at all of the work I have done over the years, it all comes back to the lightbulb moment where strength training helped me stop focusing on using exercise solely as a tool to make my body smaller. Strength training was the #1 thing that helped me make a shift in my life to having a better relationship with exercise, and in turn, my body and mind.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Improve Your Relationship With Exercise Through Strength Training, You Should:

Let go of the preconceived notions you have around functional fitness and strength training
Try and focus on the benefits of strength training that have nothing to do with making your body smaller
Stop making your worth conditional and start shifting how you

Finding the Freedom To Have Fun With Exercise

Having a free, fun, and filling relationship with movement can be a life-changing topic for some folks. I am feeling a sense in the community of people ready to get started or get started again on moving their body and improving their relationship with exercise.

While the way you relate to your body is a constantly evolving notion, strength training can help heal your dysfunctional relationship with exercise and give you the freedom to shift how you relate to exercise and your body. By giving yourself the space to enjoy exercise, you can stop being preoccupied with the notions diet culture has been feeding you and start breaking down the walls around you.

The Many Benefits of Strength Training

Lots of people view those who are interested in strength training or functional fitness as ‘meatheads’ or bodybuilders. This couldn't be further from the truth, as strength training has so many benefits, including improving your bone mineral density and blood glucose control, increasing your energy and metabolism, giving your more balance and stability, and enhancing your mood while decreasing your anxiety.

In addition to those fact-based benefits, strength training can help you stop viewing your worth as conditional and help you focus on what your body can do rather than how to make it smaller.

Are you ready to have a better relationship with exercise? Have you ever considered or experienced the many benefits of strength training? Share your experience with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Addressing the stereotypes that have come to surround functional fitness (4:36)
Why strength training was critical on my journey to improving my relationship with food (9:41)
The benefits of strength training and what to do if you feel called to get back to the weights (18:50)
How strength training can act as a stepping stone to the way you relate to yourself and your body (22:15)
Practical ways to improve your overall health through strength training and implement it into your daily life (26:23)

Quotes

“Functional movement is not just about competing at an elite level. If that’s your jam, that’s cool with me. If it’s not your jam, you might think ‘well functional movement, functional strength training, isn’t for me’. And I am here to tell you that that could be further from the truth.” (6:17)

“For me, exercise for so long was a way to shrink my body, control the size of my body, and try to become smaller. And that was the only thing that I really got out of exercise or the only reason I approached exercise.” (11:35)

“For me, strength training, in general, was the thing, the stepping stone, that allowed me to get on a better path with how I related to exercise, and then by default, my body.” (17:13)

“When I think back to all of the work I have done over the years, it always comes back to that. To that moment or that period of time where I learned to focus for once in my fucking life, on something else other than shrinking my body.” (24:47)

“You don't have to be a bodybuilder, you don't need to be a competitive level lifter to get the benefits of this, and you don't have to squat 400 pounds.” (29:47)

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How to Use Tapping for Food Freedom w/ Jason Winters Apr 20, 2021

Society has taught us that emotional eating is bad, and we should punish and restrict ourselves for it. The issue with emotional eating is when we use food as our only tool to cope or celebrate, but it can be part of a normal and healthy way to communicate with our bodies. The truth is, sometimes your body needs to eat emotionally, but it is up to you to distinguish when you are emotionally eating for good and when you are using it as a crutch. Tapping can help you lean into this intuitively so that you can shift your focus away from restriction and towards listening to what your body needs.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Try Tapping To Resolve Your Emotional Eating You Should:

Shift your focus away from emotional eating being ‘bad’ and deconstruct what diet culture has taught you
Become aware of the reason you are emotionally eating and start to trust the signals your body is sending to you
Hold space for your goals, intentions, and what you truly want out of your relationship with food
Practice tapping regularly to clear your anxiety and fear and address your unresolved issues around food

Emotional Eating Isn’t Always Bad

Jason Winters is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Intuitive Eating Coach, and Gold-Standard Emotional Freedom Techniques Coach. After overcoming his own battle with disordered eating, Jason pursued his passion to serve women and men still suffering from the emotional eating cycle. Now, Jason is on a mission to help empower and free you from the chains of emotional eating, diet culture, food obsession, and body hatred so that you can live your best life possible.

How To Get Clear on What You Really Want

The path of intuitive eating has changed many lives, including Jason’s, but that doesn't mean it comes without its fair share of struggles. Society has forced us to lose our ability to trust ourselves and what the right path for us is, which is why it is so important to get clear on what you are doing, what is working for you, and what isn't.

The first step is identifying what you really want out of your life. By holding space for your goals and intentions and doing it on your own terms, you can address your unresolved issues, learn how to acknowledge the negativity you are feeling, and most importantly, let it go.

The Beautiful Marriage Between Tapping, Emotional Eating, and Intuitive Eating

EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique, is a powerful stress-relieving technique that combines Chinese acupuncture with modern psychology to address the fear of rejecting diet culture and guide you towards a more intuitive relationship with food.

Emotional eating, intuitive eating, and tapping come together beautifully because they help you break down the fear, stress, and anxiety you may be feeling and clear out your emotions. Tapping can help you process your energy and help you feel lighter and more equipped to handle the anxiety and negativity plaguing you. By learning how to better understand your emotions, you can take back the control that diet culture has stripped you of and start listening to what your body needs.

Have you ever tried tapping? How has it helped you on your intuitive eating or emotional eating journey? Share which of Jason’s nuggets of wisdom touched you the most with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Breaking down all of the stigma surrounding emotional eating (5:12)
The first thing that you should do when you want to change your relationship with food (13:56)
Learn from a brief synopsis of EFT and tapping and why it is used (18:46)
Why the marriage of tapping and your intuitive eating journey is so powerful and important (23:44)
Engage in the short tapping session along with Jason and Steph (32:36)

Quotes

“To shift that normal behavior around food, and to then demonize it and to shame people for engaging in it, it is a restriction of something that you want and that you need. And then it just turns emotional eating into a theme.” (7:14)

“What do you really want? I think that's the biggest thing is identifying what you want, and getting quiet enough to hear the answer of what you really want. Because intuitive eating, and intuitive exercise, and having an intuitive lifestyle, it is really about you.” (17:42)

“Tapping allows you to come out of control and more into choice. And the way that that happens is when you are tapping on these specific points, you are breaking down the fear.” (25:18)

“It's not just what we put in our mouth, it is our belief system. We are in choice, our affirmations you chose. So if you use someone else's affirmation, make sure it rings true for you, make sure it is your choice.” (31:40)

“When we are repeating or you are hearing these statements being made, this anxiety, this anxiety, this anxiety, you are addressing your specific anxiety, I am addressing mine, but we are all working together.” (41:52)

Featured on the Show

Food Freedom Tapping Worksheet

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EFT: Tapping to End Chronic Emotional Eating Facebook Group

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3 Pillars of Self-Trust w/ Shohreh Davoodi Apr 13, 2021

Listening to your body doesn't happen through a magic pill or a one-size-fits-all answer. It is about leaning into your self-trust and learning to embrace what makes you uniquely you. But how do we actually do that in a practical, hands-on way? The concept of self-trust is an all-encompassing one that considers a lot of different parts about who you are as a person, which is why it is essential to have the proper framework when diving into these topics.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Looking To Build Self-Trust You Should:

Work on building up your consciousness, care, and compassion habits
Acknowledge your privileges and how you can use them to help others in your community
Lean into courage by questioning the things in your life that you may do out of habit

Learn How To Build Self-Trust with Shohreh Davoodi

Shohreh Davoodi is a self-trust coach who created her Three Pillars of Self-Trust Framework to help women overcome fear and self-doubt and become brave by conjuring up the courage inside of them. Her framework combines the three main pillars of self-trust, consciousness practices, care practices, and courage practices so that you can figure out who you are and what you value.

The Three Pillars of Self-Trust

The first step of self-trust is consciousness. This means having the awareness of the things in your life that you want to change, what is working for you in your life and what isn’t, and why. This usually deals with the systems in place in our society that are causing self-doubt, that really has nothing to do with you as an individual.

Next comes care practices. While we all know the importance of self-care, Shohreh takes it a step further and includes principles such as intuitive eating, intentional movement, sleep, and organization all as ways that you can care for yourself and let your body know that it can trust you to listen and take care of it.

The final piece of the puzzle is courage. Engaging with issues such as activism, setting boundaries, and having a more value-driven life are all ways that you can reconnect with your head, heart, and body, to do the things that make you feel good.

It Takes a Village That Stands Together To See Real Change

In order to engage more authentically with your own self-trust, you need to dive deep and look some scary stuff in the eye. We cannot self-trust our way into community liberation. It takes better community care and systemic changes so that everybody can have self-trust and a better relationship to food and their bodies.

There is no one right way to engage with these practices. By being more understanding and compassionate to the people around you, being in a community that lets you know that you are not alone, and dropping into your body in a time-sensitive way that feels good for you are the best ways to take steps to move closer to deeper self-trust.

What is one way that you are going to lean into your courage and let your body know that it can trust you? Share which of Shohreh’s tips you're going to integrate into your routine with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How the mentality of siloing everything you do is getting in the way of your ability to access body trust (9:12)
Explore the three pillars of self-trust and the different parts of who you are that you need to consider (13:43)
The role of marginalization and consciousness that play into the wellness space (19:32)
Recommendations for advocating for the internal and external need for change on a systemic level (24:42)
How to establish trust within your body through introspective awareness (27:55)

Quotes

“My niche is self-trust, but self-trust really encompasses so many different topics and ideas and ways of being in the world. So I can't just talk about self-trust, in talking about self-trust I have to talk about so many other things.” (11:10)

“Each of these pillars are important and can stand on their own, but they are most powerful when they bridge together. And that is the foundation of self-trust for an individual.” (15:01)

“Almost all of us have privileges in some places, even marginalized folks have privileges in some areas. So we can’t look at the marginalization without also looking at the privilege and how we contribute, knowingly or unknowingly, to the advancement of these systems.” (21:03)

“So often when someone is struggling to trust their own body, it is actually because they have gotten messages about bodies like theirs, and what a body like theirs should be or should look like or should feel like.” (32:06)

“For everyone who is interested in building more self-trust, the key to doing that is that you have to get to know you and what you want and what you value.” (35:08)

Featured on the Show

Follow Your Arrow Membership Program

Shohreh Davoodi Website

One-On-One Coaching with Shohreh

Conjuring Up Courage Podcast

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Intuitive Eating and Alcohol Apr 06, 2021

Recently I was asked about the place that alcohol has when connecting to your inner intuitive eater. Thinking about alcohol use in the context of connecting to your body and healing your relationship with food is intensely personal, which is why I want to share my perspective with you as someone who has been a non-drinker for 5 years and also as an intuitive eating and nutrition counselor.

If you are struggling with substance abuse or are concerned about your relationship with alcohol, please contact 1-800-662-HELP. This episode contains my personal thoughts about alcohol, but at the end of the day, you have the freedom and autonomy to do whatever feels right for you. If you are struggling with substance abuse, please know there is support out there for you, and change is possible.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Explore Your Relationship With Alcohol and Intuitive Eating You Should:

Stop being afraid that you are going to want to binge drink if you decide to limit your alcohol intake
Notice your personal relationship with drinking and assess how it makes you feel
Reach out for support and make the decision that feels right to you in your own intuitive eating journey

The Difference Between Food and Alcohol

A common misconception is that food is addictive. In reality, the food ‘addiction’ you may be familiar with is a result of restriction and the binge eating that follows. Alcohol is different from food in this way. Reducing the amount you are drinking will not cause the majority of people to binge drink because alcohol is not required for survival like food is. Often people are reluctant to cut out alcohol because they are worried they will crave it all the time. Binge drinking and binge eating have different mechanisms and experiences, and it is crucial to understand how restriction with food differs from simply choosing not to engage with alcohol.

It’s Your Personal Journey, No One Else’s

A lot of people are concerned about doing intuitive eating ‘right’. Intuitive eating is not a set of yes or no rules, it is a set of personal guidelines, and your relationship with alcohol is included in that. I want you to use intuitive eating principles to ask yourself the tough questions and help you gain clarity on your personal experience with alcohol. Do you have a diet mentality when you are drinking? Are you drinking mindfully? Is alcohol your primary coping strategy?

By noticing your relationship with alcohol and assessing it, you can understand your own unique relationship to alcohol and if it fits into your intuitive eating journey.

Which of the questions I posed to you today got you thinking? How does your relationship with alcohol fit into your version of intuitive eating? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Exploring my personal relationship with alcohol use and intuitive eating (3:30)
How to approach assessing and analyzing your own relationship with drinking (8:16)
Understanding the connection between restriction and bingeing when it comes to food and alcohol (10:34)
Tips for using the principles of intuitive eating when thinking about alcohol (17:40)
Why you should analyze the emotional coping aspect of your relationship with food and alcohol (21:30)

Quotes

“There are a lot of questions that come up for people with regard to understanding how restricting food works or bingeing on food works, and how restricting alcohol and binge drinking works, and the fact that those aren’t necessarily the same thing.” (8:01)

“A lot of people will notice that if they start to cut down on their drinking, or they stop drinking altogether, they often don't notice an increased desire or preoccupation with drinking.” (13:11)

“You may decide that you are making peace with food over here, but when it comes to alcohol, if you realize that you are not enjoying it, that your relationship with it isn’t super great, you would rather just take it out for a while, its okay to remove it from your environment!” (15:42)

“It’s worth considering how these different principles of intuitive eating can apply to your relationship with alcohol and your drinking habits and know that the answers are going to be different for everybody.” (24:03)

“I hope that this show has given you some questions to ask yourself. I can’t promise that it is perfect, I can’t promise that my thoughts here are going to be exactly applicable to you. But I think it is really important to go through the questions that I raised in this show and to think about things on a really personal level for yourself.” (27:40)

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Getting Back to Exercise Without Feeling Wrecked Mar 30, 2021

Has it been a while since you've worked out, but you have a newly found motivation to get going? Are you diving into a fitness program only to be so sore afterward that it does not feel like it was worth it? Getting back into exercise after the crazy year we had is a great thing, but it needs to be approached in the right way to make sure it is sustainable for you.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Get Back into Exercise Without Feeling Wrecked, You Should:

Commit to a daily movement practice rather than a super intense workout that hurts your body for the rest of the week
Modulate both the intensity of your workout and the volume to meet yourself where you are at
Take care of your tissues and allow for proper recovery to avoid getting hurt

Ditch The ‘All or Nothing’ Mentality

When getting back into movement and working out, the first step is to get rid of the ‘all or nothing’ mindset that fitness culture has ingrained in us. Instead of going so hard once a week that you have to ‘toilet trust fall’ for the rest of the week, focusing on a daily movement practice is a much more sustainable and enjoyable way to ease yourself back into exercise.

Your body needs support when getting back into movement, which is why you need to integrate taking care of yourself into your daily routine. If you are ready to get reacquainted with a daily commitment to move your body, however, that looks and feels for you, a sustainable approach is the best way to honor your body's signals.

Start Where You Are Now

We are coming out of a whole year of the world being flipped upside down. The amount of stress you have been under, your daily routine, and your sleep can all affect how ready your body is to get active again. The high-intensity workouts that you may have done in the past might not suit your body's current needs.

It is essential that you modulate your intensity and volume of workouts and listen to the signals your body is sending you to properly heal your tissues and address the issues you are feeling. By listening to your body and taking the time to properly recover, you can get active again without wrecking yourself so that you can be more consistent, enjoy the benefits of your workout, and have fun while still challenging yourself.

Physical activity can be a fun, challenging, and positive experience if you approach it the right way. By shifting your mindset away from the ‘all or nothing’ mentality, modulating your intensity and volume, and focusing on your tissue recovery through nutrition and awareness, you can harness your good intentions and get active again.

Are you ready to take your motivation to get active again and implement it in a safe, healthy, and fun way? Share what your daily movement commitment is with me in the comments section on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why you should focus on a daily commitment to move your body rather than ‘going hard’ (7:44)
The importance of modulating your intensity and volume when getting back into movement (11:01)
How to take care of your tissues and think about your recovery as you start to move more (17:12)
What to think about when listening to your bodies signals in order to get more active again (21:58)
Resources and recommendations to help you get active again and meet yourself where you are at (23:20)

Quotes

“I want you to start thinking about movement being more of a daily commitment instead of a once-a-week smash fest which then you can't move for the next five days and your body is so painfully sore that every step you take feels super painful.” (9:02)

“We have been taught by fitness culture in general that if it is not intensity level 10, that it was no good and we got no benefit from it. Which is absolutely not true.” (12:10)

“You need to think about what is leading up to me getting more active again and are there things I should probably deal with with my body?” (21:08)

“What I am seeing a lot in the community is still an under-eating situation. It's like an under-eating, under-recovery situation, and that is not going to help with your recovery.” (28:29)

“Recovery is a part of the process, and if you are coming out of a period of less activity, it might be something you need to think a little bit more about.” (30:06)

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Your Body's Changed During the Pandemic...Now What? w/ Evelyn Tribole Mar 23, 2021

We are now over one year into the global pandemic. While there is a sense of excitement and hope around seeing friends and loved ones who we have been absent from this past year, there is also a lot of anxiety around seeing people after your body has changed. Today the living legend Evelyn Tribole is here to share some of her best advice on these topics and help you navigate the world and your body in a post-pandemic situation.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Anxious About How Your Body Has Changed Throughout The Pandemic, You Should:

Set boundaries within your bandwidth to focus on things other than bodies with relationships that may have been built on diet culture
Embrace the opportunity to change the narrative and establish new social norms
Normalize that it is okay to not be productive and just to survive

You Are More Than a Body

Nobody in the world has more experience in intuitive eating and the anti-diet space than Evelyn Tribole. Co-creator of the Intuitive Eating Framework, which was introduced into the world 25+ years ago, Evelyn is a wealth of wisdom when it comes to connecting and honoring our bodies.

Surviving Is Something To Be Proud Of

The first thing Evelyn wants you to remember is that regardless of your body changing over the last year, your body also survived a pandemic, which is an amazing accomplishment. As we start to navigate the new social norms, it is an opportunity for us to change the narrative and move past the body objectification that has been a toxic part of our culture.

You are so much more than a body. When it comes time to reconnect with those we have not seen in a while, it is essential to set boundaries within your bandwidth and focus on the connection we have been missing from others, not the judgment of other people’s bodies. By being consistent and reinforcing your boundaries around conversation, you can normalize the accomplishment of simply surviving the global pandemic.

Being Kind To Your Body Going Forward

When was the last time you asked yourself if you have been kind to your body on a biological level? While it is instinctual to use food restriction as a means of control when so much of our world is out of our control, dishonoring your hunger through restriction disrupts your cells on a biological level and ruins their trust in you. Being consistently kind to your body in acts of predictable nourishment can help you cultivate trust between you and your cells.

Diet culture tells us that we need to outsource our nutrition decisions. Evelyn wants you to challenge yourself instead to tune in to how your body responds, which can be a beautiful adventure. You can stop the legacy of diet culture at your own kitchen table and take back some of the agency and hope we have been missing to bring your family and community into a healthier and more supportive post-pandemic world.

How do you feel about the potential to see people again and reestablish connections once it is safe to do so? Which of Evelyn’s tips are you going to integrate to ease your anxiety and nourish your body with consistency? Share your thoughts on how your body has changed throughout the pandemic with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Addressing the anxiety of seeing people after your body has changed throughout the pandemic (7:20)
How to move out of the backswing of ‘fuck it all eating’ when struggling with control issues (17:29)
Why the diet culture industry co-opting the word ‘intuitive eating’ is intensely problematic (24:50)
The importance of looking at the legacy of body lineage in your family of origin (30:55)
What you can expect to see in Evelyn’s new book and which book you should dive into first (34:41)

Quotes

“Looking at yourself and that there might need to be some grieving that needs to take place. For this relationship and how it used to be, grieving for the time spent in pursuit of things that are no longer serving you, that you have found actually hurt and harm you. There might be anger with that, there might be sadness with that. And it is giving yourself the space and time for that.” (14:04)

“Our biology has a mind of its own, and it disrupts trust every time you mess with hunger.” (20:05)

“They can say all these sweet words of compassion and self-love, but at the end of the day, if you are still cutting your calories, your cells at a biological level are going to have a reaction to that.” (27:52)

“Intuitive eating is not pass or fail, it is a journey of learning and discovery.” (38:15)

“You need to go through the wobble to discover the connection with your body. I can guide you to some practices to help you figure it out, but it is going to take you connecting and checking in.” (45:16)

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Intuitive Eating for Every Day by Evelyn Tribole

Intuitive Eating 4th Edition by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch

The Intuitive Eating Workbook by Evelyn Tribole, Elyse Resch, and Tracy Tylka

Join the Intuitive Eating Online Community Here

Follow Evelyn on Instagram

Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Strings

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LTYB 275: The Anti-Diet Approach To Eating with Evelyn Tribole

How To Make Intuitive Eating Practical Mar 16, 2021

One of the most common questions I receive is how to actually put intuitive eating practice into your real life. We can often get hung up on the rules and restrictions of diet culture that we feel lost without them and unsure of how to move forward on our intuitive eating journey. Today I am here to give you practical advice for implementing intuitive eating into your everyday life.

Key Takeaways

If you are looking to include the practice of intuitive eating into your life you should:

Relearn how to listen to your body and brains signals instead of outsourcing your decisions
Become more mindful about the way you are eating and separate from your food distractions
Tackle one intuitive eating principle at a time and find a solid support network to help you through them
Plan your meals in a way that serves and excites you and will fit into your regular life with ease

You Were Born an Intuitive Eater

Intuitive eating may sound simple, but it’s not easy. In short, intuitive eating is just eating! You were born an intuitive eater, sensing when you are hungry and what satisfaction feels like. However, the way you have been socialized has shaped how you interact with food, to the point where many of us don’t know how to trust and listen to both our brains and our bodies.

Intuitive eating is about simplifying your eating habits and guidelines so that you can find the overlap between listening to your brain and your body to make intuitive eating decisions.

Practical Advice for Implementing Intuitive Eating in Your Life

Building healthy habits is the key to changing your internal landscape when it comes to food and learning to listen to your body’s signals. You don’t need to be mindful 100% of the time, but even a small amount of awareness can be powerful when embracing intuitive eating.

Starting from a place of mindfulness, taking it one principle at a time, and planning your meals in a way that fits in with your lifestyle are all great ways to start checking in with yourself and selecting your food choices based on a more internal approach.

Which of my tips have you tried? What have you noticed? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why you need to unlearn what you have been taught about food and get back to basics (3:48)
How I choose to define and explain intuitive eating to others (9:07)
Tips for changing the framework in which you interact with food on a daily basis (16:25)
How to make intuitive eating more practical for your everyday life (20:55)
Cooking advice to help you simplify your eating and make intuitive eating work for your schedule (29:18)

Quotes

“We have become so accustomed to interacting with food in that way, that when we present intuitive eating as eating without all of the rules, and restrictions, and regulations, and calculations, and computations, and logging, and everything, it kind of breaks your brain a little bit.” (6:08)

“Here is how I sum up intuitive eating. It is where you use both your brain and your body to decide what to eat.” (10:29)

“In mindful eating, what we are really trying to do is to build awareness of what we are doing, because a lot of our eating is very automatic.” (22:53)

“You are not a short-order cook… and you shouldn’t have to be one in order to make intuitive eating work for you. Remember we are trying to simplify things.” (30:47)

“It is okay to repeat meals, it is okay to use convenience items, it is okay to use dry goods from your pantry, it’s okay to use frozen foods. We have to let go of some of the stigmas around that stuff.” (35:41)

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LTYB 324: Is It Wrong To Want To Lose Weight?

Is It Wrong To Want To Lose Weight? Mar 09, 2021

We have been told for our whole lives that our weight equals health which equals our worth. Have you ever stopped to ponder how this diet culture mentality has been engrained into our relationship with our bodies and our health? Just because diet culture tells us that thinner equals healthier, it does not mean it is the truth.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Start Asking Yourself The Important Questions, You Should:

Acknowledge what your relationship with the scale is like and how it is serving you
Shift your focus away from weight loss and towards the many other benefits of gaining health
Ask yourself what expectation you are comparing yourself too and when it is going to be enough
Focus on how you want to feel and the additions health gains will bring to your life

Fuck the Scale

I used to let the number I saw on the scale completely dictate if I had a bad day or a good day. Like so many women out there, I had a toxic relationship with the scale, and I thought that if I could achieve my ‘goal’, I would be happy. This obsession extended into how I viewed other people, and I was buying into the story that intentional weight loss via restriction was the only path.

Weight loss can be a beneficial byproduct of improving your health, but it is not the only measure that matters. Gaining health is about feeling better in your body at whatever size, instead of the number on the scale.

How To Find Sustainable Health

When people prioritize their health, they often assume that it is the weight loss that makes them feel better. In reality, it is the habits, behaviors, and changes you are making in your life that make you feel better, and weight loss can sometimes be a byproduct of those healthy habits.

It is not inherently wrong to want to change your body; you have the autonomy to do what feels right for you. But to make health changes work for you, think about how you can stay focused, how you want to feel, your deeper why, and the habits you can commit to consistently. Instead of forcing yourself to stay motivated based on the number on your scale, focus on how you want to feel in your body, and you can gain truly sustainable health.

What did you think when you read the title of today’s podcast? Share your gut reaction with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why the way our society views body weight leads to us judging other people (8:33)
All of the ways that improving your health can make you feel better without weight loss (11:20)
How to ask yourself what you are truly seeking and when it is going to be enough (15:45)
What to do if you want to make body changes in a way that feels right for you (23:30)
Questions to ask yourself to start unraveling the nuances of wanting to lose weight (28:30)

Quotes

“When I criticize the diet industry and diet culture, I am not criticizing the individual dieter, the person who goes on the diet. Because they are simply trying to exist in a system that is constantly reinforcing that weight loss is ‘the path’.” (10:41)

“It's not even normal in our world to think about 'well, what else is there besides weight loss?’ because that is the only thing that is ever presented to us from the diet industry.” (15:22)

“There are often times lots of changes that people were making, but they go back to it being the weight loss that helped them feel better. When in fact, a lot of the time it was the behaviors and habits they had changed that were actually making them feel better and improving their quality of life.” (23:01)

“We need to connect to how we want to feel because feelings drive actions.” (25:26)

“We need to consider that when we gain health, weight loss is sometimes, but not always, an outcome. And losing weight doesn't always automatically confer better health.” (35:57)

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1-1 Intuitive Eating Coaching

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LTYB 304: What is Gentle Nutrition? (Intuitive Eating Principle 10)

Why I'm Not Paleo Anymore Mar 02, 2021

Do you remember when I used to be ‘Stupid Easy Paleo’? A lot of you are curious as to why I am no longer paleo and the complete rebranding I did in 2018. So, I decided to share my real, truthful, nitty-gritty story with you all for this week's episode.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Starting To See The Cracks In Your Own Relationship With Food and Diets You Should:

Be honest with yourself about your disordered eating habits and how diet culture perpetuates them
Be gentle with yourself when unlearning what you have been taught by diet culture and discovering what foods you actually enjoy
Get rid of the all or nothing mentality when it comes to food and stop restricting yourself

How I Got Here

In 2018 I had a realization. I realized that I had been carrying my disordered eating and relationship with my body through the various stages of my life, masking it with different diets and exercise regimes.

When I first heard about paleo in 2010, my most significant thought was ‘will this help me get smaller?’. While I did learn some good things from paleo, over time, the rules, restrictions, and arguments I had with people about whether or not something ‘is’ or ‘isn't paleo was making me exhausted. That’s when I realized something had to change.

Restriction Isn’t Helping Anybody

The more I learned about the origins of diet culture and the harm that comes from approaching ‘taking care of our health’ in a way that is restrictive and an all-or-nothing mentality, I knew I had to burn what I thought I knew down to the ground.

When you are able to take the guilt and shame out of your relationship with food and stop thinking about food 24/7, you can come back to yourself. You are always and have always been worthy no matter your body size or appearance, and my mission is to help you get back to being the intuitive eater that you were born as.

Do you see yourself reflected in my story? How is your story different than mine? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why I do what I do and care about the work that I am doing (12:29)
Acknowledging the positive things I learned from paleo (19:10)
How to stop letting your relationship with food keep you scared and complacent (28:40)
The signs that made me realize that paleo was not for me and something had to change (32:02)
Why I decided to rebrand myself and my company and embrace another way (35:55)

Quotes

“We always have a choice. We are faced with new information all day, every day, and we get to decide how and if we want to incorporate that information into our new viewpoint of the world and our perspective.” (3:32)

“I feel like I wasn't living my life because I was so invested in dieting, and shrinking myself, and making myself smaller.” (12:41)

“This is when I started to become aware of the fact that my thinking around food was occupying a lot of my time. Prior to that, it was just something that happened, I didn't have that outside looking in awareness of ‘this is kind of fucked up’.” (23:53)

“I started to learn about bigger issues, things like diet culture. And then it all started to make sense.” (33:38)

“I think that is my biggest point to you today, is learning to find the wiggle room, removing the guilt and the shame, recognizing that some of these smaller dietary choices are not going to cause you some kind of crazy significant harm.” (44:42)

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Instead of Weight Loss, Focus on This Blog Post

Emotional Eating Workshop

1-1 Intuitive Eating Coaching

Jamie Scott P3 Athletica Website

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LTYB 321: Is Body Positivity for You?

Hungry For Change: When Too Much Info Is Too Much Feb 23, 2021

I want you to think back to 2011. What were you doing a decade ago? I was unhappy with different aspects of my life, feeling restless, and starting to think I should do something else. It took me two years, but in 2013 I changed my career and haven't looked back since. If you have an inkling that something isn't quite right in your life but are getting stuck on the road to making that change, this is the episode for you.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Get Out Of the Information Overload Stage You Should:

Do your research but know when you have done enough
Be honest with yourself about where you are at in the stages of change
Meet yourself with grace and compassion
Challenge yourself to take action

Finding Your Intuitive Eating Sweet Spot

When making a change in your life, big or small, there is a tendency to get caught up in the learning phase. Often we don't want to jump into something until we feel 100% ready, but the truth is that if you wait to feel completely ready, you will be waiting forever.

Diet culture tells us to outsource our health decisions which creates a ‘one size fits all’ approach to our bodies. This is simply not the case, and intuitive eating encourages you to find the sweet spot between those external values and your own body's attunement. While information can help you prepare for this next phase of your life, it is important to remember that you need to find the middle ground between preparing and actually taking action.

The 6 Stages of Change

Consuming information makes us feel like we are doing something when it is really aiding us in procrastinating on making the change we are contemplating. There are six stages of change, and it is important to be honest with yourself about what stage you are at and remember that after every speed bump comes a new cycle.

Doing your research is great. But when you are able to take the information you have gathered and challenge yourself to take action, that is where the real magic happens. Intuitive eating is a combination of active learning and experiential learning, and it's up to you to get out there and do the thing.

What stage of change do you feel that you are at with your relationship with food? Let me know in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to move from gathering information to practicing and taking action (5:40)
Discover the sweet spot of authentic health and how to achieve it (10:30)
The stages of change and how to gain insight on where you are in your journey and what next steps you should take (14:00)
What to do if you are ready to take action but are getting stuck in the preparation phase (21:55)
Why you shouldn’t wait until you are 100% ready to start your intuitive eating journey (30:12)

Quotes

“There are so many places that you can get stuck, and one of them is information overload.” (2:02)

“How can we find that middle ground? How can we find the overlap? That is really why putting intuitive eating principles into practice is so important, because it helps to combat only loading yourself with information.” (13:22)

“Where are you at with your own relationship with food and coming to a kinder place that isn’t so ‘all or nothing’? I want you to think about that.” (21:48)

“At the end of the day, you can read the book, you can read the workbook, you can listen to all of the podcasts, you can read all the anti-diet books, you can do all of that. And some things may change...but intuitive eating by its very nature is an active experiential process.” (24:42)

“Give yourself grace, it is a process. If you feel like you are going to wait until you are 100% ready, you are going to be waiting forever.” (30:28)

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LTYB 304: What is Gentle Nutrition? (Intuitive Eating Principle 10)

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Is Body Positivity for You? Feb 16, 2021

There is a big difference between feeling positive about your body and the body positivity movement, but it can be a very nuanced topic to understand. While diet culture is part of a more extensive set of oppressive systems to people with marginalized identities, the body positivity movement has moved so far away from how it started. Social justice and body positivity are heavily intersected, and it takes some time to unpack just how deeply that runs in our society.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Understand The Difference Between Body Positivity and the Body Positivity Movement, You Should:

Educate yourself about the history of the body positivity movement
Understand the systemic ways that people in marginalized bodies are oppressed
Unfollow anyone who is co-opting the body positivity movement with disproportionate motivations

The Difference Between Body Positivity and Systemic Oppression

The body positivity movement has started to center around people who don’t represent the individuals that this movement was really created by and for. Although originally created for people in marginalized bodies, we have seen a change in the ‘face’ of body positivity shifting away from marginalized bodies and towards others that are co-opting the movement.

While it is still totally possible and common for people in straighter size bodies to dislike their bodies and relationships with food, it is not the same as experiencing the kind of systemic discrimination and oppression that people in larger bodies experience every single day.

What You Can Do To Stop the Co-Opting

There is still judgment for people in larger bodies who embrace the body positivity movement in the same way that people in non-marginalized bodies do. By being clearer and discerning with the terms that we use on social media and in real life, we can stop the systematic oppression found in the body positivity movement and start including the people who might not look like you.

With some learning, some listening, and some questioning, you can start to peel back the layers of the body positivity onion and understand the time and place of these hard things.

How are you going to dig deeper into the differences between body positivity, fatphobia, and the systemic oppression of marginalized bodies? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

A brief history of the body positivity movement and why you shouldn’t co-opt it if you are in a straight size body (5:54)
How social media has impacted the body positivity movement and plays into oppressive narratives (14:35)
The difference between systemic oppression and discrimination because of the body that you are in (17:58)
How movements aimed at people with marginalized bodies are being subsumed by people who they were not designed for (20:20)
Suggestions to help you be more clear and discerning around your understanding of body positivity (24:27)

Quotes

“It is kind of important to bring up this idea of co-opting, and how it removes the emphasis away from the people or the concepts that it was really designed to support.” (7:52)

“You start to see that predominantly thin, white, young, cisgender people who are being featured as the ‘faces’ of body positivity. And that is so different from the origins of the fat acceptance movement.” (15:46)

“What I am trying to say in this episode is that yes, you may have negative feelings about your body. Even if your body is very thin, you may still have body dysmorphia, you could still have an eating disorder, you could still have disordered eating, you could still not like your body. But it’s still not the same as experiencing the kind of systemic discrimination and oppression that people in larger bodies experience every single day.” (19:10)

“There is a difference between feeling bad about your body and experiencing systemic discrimination.” (22:23)

“I don’t want you to just listen to me; I want you to really go seek out and follow and listen to people who are in larger bodies as a start.” (27:44)

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Fearing The Black Body by Sabrina Strings

Fat Is a Feminist Issue by Susie Orbach

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LTYB 313: How To Stop a Bad Body Image Day in Its Tracks with Brianna Campos

LTYB 320: Why You Can’t Shame Yourself Into Changing Your Body

LTYB 302: Finding Joy & Acceptance in Fitness for Every Body with Kanoa Greene

Why You Can't Shame Yourself Into Changing Your Body Feb 09, 2021

Are you feeling shameful around your body and trying to use that shame as a motivator to make changes? I have some bad news for you; it is not going to work. Shame not only has a profoundly negative impact on our mental health, but it is also harmful to how we see ourselves as people and our ability to make long-lasting change.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Stop Shaming Yourself Or Letting Others Shame You, You Should:

Block and delete any negative talk or energy out of your life
Get curious about where your shame and where your self-judgment is coming from
Start to notice what is truly coming from inside of you
Get clear on your personal values and your 'here and now' motivators

Why Shame Doesn’t Work

Shame comes from a very internalized place of believing that you are inherently flawed. Shame is different from guilt, which is a contextualized feeling about something you did rather than who you are.

Shame is scientifically proven to be a debilitating emotion that can come from external and internal narratives that are systematically pushed upon us. Shame, especially when it comes from the outside, negatively impacts how we see ourselves as people, and makes us hide, get smaller, and remove ourselves.

How To Create Sustainable Change

Shaming yourself or hating yourself into change simply does not work and can greatly impact how you see yourself and others. Social media and the patriarchy are only exacerbating this issue, which is why it is essential to treat yourself with kindness and approach change in a way that feels good to you.

Instead of operating from a place of shame, challenge yourself to create change in a way that feels sustainable and good. Block that body-shaming Instagram account, stop engaging with ‘concern trollers’, and get curious about where your thoughts are coming from. When you have patience with yourself and stop linking your self-worth to your body size or shape, real change can happen.

Are you ready to stop using shame as a motivator, only to end up feeling worse about yourself? Share how you are going to tweak your mindset away from shame with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How guilt and shame play out in how you feel about yourself and changing your body (9:03)
Scientific examples of how shame and guilt can impact your physical and mental health (13:15)
The difference between guilt and shame and why shame is harmful to who we are as people (16:50)
Why concern trolling is a serious problem for those in marginalized bodies on social media (23:20)
Simple tips if you are falling into patterns of shame for yourself and negative self-talk (30:55)

Quotes

“Shame is a normal human experience, but this chronically feeling shameful can be really harmful for our health, especially the mental health aspect of our overall health.” (14:30)

“That was so powerful, and really put it into perspective of why shaming people for their bodies does damage, and why shame for ourselves is really something to investigate and heal if it is persistent.” (16:47)

“Guilt may be more powerful in terms of helping us make change, and maybe less harmful to us if we are really able to make things right. But shame, especially when it comes from other people, is so damaging to us, and it can be really harmful to our health, really harmful to our mental state, and really harmful to how we see ourselves as people.” (20:59)

“Thoughts affect feelings and feelings drive our actions. So if you feel guilty, or shameful or shitty, generally speaking, how do you act or react? It is typically not going to be a change you feel really great about.” (30:24)

“Getting clear about a motivator in your life that is coming from a place of expansiveness, possibility, curiosity, growth, and transformation is far more powerful than hating yourself into change.” (34:59)

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The Scientific Underpinnings and Impacts of Shame

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LTYB 318: How Diet Culture Fails Us

LTYB 313: How To Stop a Bad Body Image Day in Its Tracks with Brianna Campos

Why Fitspo Needs To Die Feb 02, 2021

When you think about diet culture, do you think about how it has affected your relationship with fitness? Often times we focus on how diet culture impacts our relationship with food, but it also has a profound effect on our connection to exercise and fitness.

The fitspo mentality promotes a narrow ideal that is widely unachievable, keeps us stuck in the patriarchal system of having to prove our worth, and harms us by taking us further away from listening to our bodies.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready To See Fitspo Die You Should:

Get curious about how diet culture shows up in your life in a non-judgemental way
Redefine what fitness means to you and how you can enjoy it without trying to change your body
Reject the ‘no days off’ mentality and start listening to the signals from your body telling you what it needs

The Real Meaning of Fitness

Dan John defines fitness as your ability to do a task. That’s it. Nothing about the way you look, the amount of muscle you have, or your ability to look like the ‘fit’ people you see on Instagram.

Society has adopted coded language around fitness that seeks to limit and control a woman’s ability to show up in a certain way when it comes to fitness. In reality, you can include movement in your life in a way that is healthy for you right now and has no connection to the way you look. Your relationship with exercise should bring you satisfaction and make you feel good in your here and now body without the pressure of intentional weight-loss or body changes.

How Fitspo Harms Us

Fitspo harms us in more ways than one. Firstly, it promotes a narrow and privileged version of a certain ‘look’. It also promotes a ‘no days off’ mentality, that scares us into believing that if we rest, we are not worthy, are not strong, or are going to lose our gains. This is simply not true and keeps us stuck in the mentality of proving our worth and exercising solely to change the way our bodies look.

One of the biggest ways fitspo harms us is by preventing us from listening to our bodies. Your body will tell you if it needs rest and if it is enjoying the type of movement you are engaging with. While getting to know your body in the physical exercise capacity is very personal and takes time, listening to your body’s signals is the only way that you are going to get over the fitspo mentality.

Are you ready to embrace a version of fitness that is accessible, inclusive, and doesn’t focus on changing your body? Share how you are embracing movement for the sake of movement and rejecting the fitspo life in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Defining what fitness really is and why we need to broaden our understanding of it (3:55)
Why the words used around fitness and fitspo promote a narrow ideal look (9:36)
How the ‘no days off’ mentality continues to keep us stuck in proving our worth and value based on our fitness (13:40)
The role of social media when promoting fitness as a weight-loss tool (18:56)
How fitspo is harming us by preventing us from listening to our bodies feedback (22:44)

Quotes

“Diet culture doesn’t just impact your relationship with food, it also has a prevalent impact on how we see fitness talked about, displayed, and some of the mentalities that are related to fitness.” (3:01)

“Dan John says fitness is your ability to do a task, so right there, your ability to do a task, your ability to complete a specific physical task typically is what fitness really is. And yet we as a society constantly reduce fitness to a look.” (7:49)

“If you are pursuing a specific type of fitness because there is a promise of a specific aesthetic look, is that actually 1) realistic for your body type? And 2) is it actually really bringing you a sense of fulfillment?” (12:45)

“It’s worth thinking about how pushing through and saying ‘I can’t take any days off, I am not allowed a rest day if I take a rest day I’m lazy, I’m a loser, I’m a slacker, I’m going to lose all of my progress’, how does that mentality keep us from really tuning in and listening to our bodies?” (24:00)

“The other way that fitspo harms us is it takes the emphasis off all of the other reasons why exercise can be fun and beneficial that have really nothing to do with weight loss or body size control.” (28:55)

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Chrissy King Article

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LTYB 318: How Diet Culture Fails Us

LTYB 302: Finding Joy & Acceptance in Fitness for Every Body with Kanoa Greene

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LTYB 162: Toning

How Diet Culture Fails Us Jan 26, 2021

Diet culture is a symptom of an oppressive system that underpins so many of the ways we show up in the world. It prevents us from being present, enjoying the people we love and the things we enjoy, and stops us from caring for ourselves. Although we do not consent to diet culture, we have to deal with the fallout of generations of both men and women playing into the ‘rewards’ of diet culture, while ignoring all of the risks.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready To Reclaim What Diet Culture Has Stolen From You, You Should:

Filter your feed and the messages you receive to stop perpetuating the cycle of diet culture
Stop living your life based on what you think is okay or not okay with your body
Acknowledge the ways diet culture has stolen your life experiences and step away from that oppressive system
Find a support system that will encourage you to reclaim what diet culture has taken from you

What Diet Culture Steals From Us

Diet culture keeps us small in every sense of the word. It keeps us striving for an unattainable and constantly changing body ideal, it keeps us distracted and dulled from using our power, and it keeps us from enjoying life experiences and the people we love.

We were not put on this Earth to achieve a perfect body and then die. Often we don’t even realize what diet culture is stealing from us because we are so immersed in it. I guarantee that when you look back at your life, the people you love will not remember if you have cellulite, they will remember how you made them feel and the memories that you were able to enjoy together.

The Real Risks of Diet Culture

Diet culture doesn’t just make us play small or hold back on our dreams and chase impossible body ideals; it can actually take our lives from us in every sense of the world. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness out there, but the corporations and companies that fed us this swill only focus on diet culture benefits, not the downsides.

Unpacking and unlearning diet culture takes time and requires self-compassion and connection. While it is not going to happen overnight, just understanding the risks that are very real if we continue to let diet culture perpetuate our lives is a great first step.

Are you ready to stop letting diet culture steal your zest for life? Share which of my suggestions you are going to implement to step away from diet culture and reclaim the things that diet culture has stolen from you in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Breaking down what diet culture is and what it has taken from us (5:40)
A shortlist of the ways that diet culture has stolen from us as a collective whole (14:00)
Understanding why diet culture promotes an ideal that is not attainable for many of us instead of health-promoting behaviors (23:40)
Why you shouldn’t mistake body bashing for bonding (30:45)
Statistics explaining the toll diet culture is taking on us around disordered eating and eating disorders (33:10)

Quotes

“I think we need to name how we are harmed by diet culture in these ways, how diet culture has failed us.” (13:59)

“Diet culture makes us play small and it makes us hold back on our dreams.” (17:39)

“Diet culture steals our life from us, it makes us pull back from having the experiences and participating in all of the things that we love, the people we want to be with. And those are really the experiences that stick and that matter.” (21:34)

“When you decide to start unpacking diet culture and start moving away from these practices in your own life, you need support. Do not do this on your own because you will quickly become overwhelmed and subsumed by this larger dominant system.” (32:17)

“The toll that diet culture is taking on us is heavy, and the corporations and companies and diet industry, they are not forthcoming about the risks, they are not forthcoming about the downsides.” (34:06)

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National Eating Disorders Association

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Related Episodes

LTYB 317: Diet Culture and the Patriarchy

LTYB 316: What Food Freedom Is (And Isn’t)

LTYB 298: How to Show Up More Authentically with Grace Edison

Diet Culture and the Patriarchy Jan 19, 2021

Have you ever stopped to consider that dieting and the diet industry work to keep us busy and distracted as a result of the patriarchy? The constant pursuit of body perfection tries to keep us spinning on a hamster wheel so that we do not have the time or energy for anything else, and that needs to stop now.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Start Uncovering How Dieting and the Patriarchy You Can:

Stop equating healthiness to weight
Accept that you have a skewed perception of your body
Challenge yourself to think about how you perpetuate diet culture in the patriarchy
Take steps to actively put your time and energy into something different than body perfection

The System Was Built To Make Us Fail

When we are preoccupied with the scale and food restrictions, we shrink ourselves literally and metaphorically. The ideal body comes from decades of the patriarchy that is reinforced by everything around you. The system is designed to oppress women-identifying folks, while the ideal body keeps changing. The time, resources, and attention that pursuit of body perfection takes is just simply not worth it. It is about damn time that we get off this hamster wheel and focus on something other than our bodies.

Reinvesting Your Energy

How often do you compliment someone on their looks as the first thing you say about them? Can you imagine how much time and energy you could get back if you started questioning the influence of the patriarchy on our endless pursuit for body perfection?

Instead of focusing on what could go wrong or what you could miss out on if you start feeding into this internalized intersection of diet and the patriarchy, think about all the things you could gain if you stopped focusing on controlling the way you look.

I truly believe that we were not put on this planet to work ourselves to achieve the perfect body. Your energy, your spirit, and your magic could all be being wasted on the patriarchal view of body perfection, and you are worth so much more than that.

How are you working to stop internalizing and perpetuating the intersection of diet culture and the patriarchy? Let me know how your challenge went this week in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Examples of ways that diet culture keeps us distracted from the world around us (6:10)
The role of the patriarchy and how it is woven into oppressive systems (11:50)
Why we need to tease apart health and weight and accept body diversity (17:42)
The problem with BMI and how it plays into body dysmorphia (20:00)
A special challenge for you to take away from this episode (23:23)

Quotes

“Dieting for the sake of body perfection keeps us distracted from everything else going on in the world because it is all-consuming.” (6:15)

“We have this constantly being reinforced to us from a very young age that if we look the part if we look a certain way like these body ideals and beauty ideals, that we will be more worthy, that we will be better people. And it is absolutely a tool of the patriarchy.” (11:58)

“Because of body diversity, some people in larger bodies are in great health, just like some people in smaller bodies are in terrible health.” (19:06)

“We live in a patriarchal society, we live in a fatphobic society, we live in a white supremacist society, where all of these things are consistently reinforced. So it is not our fault.” (22:42)

“How can you take your idea of worth, your own worth or what you appreciate about someone else, and expand that? What energy would that buy you back?” (27:14)

Featured on the Show

If you're ready to get free with food and fitness, check out the Tune In Membership

More Than A Body by Lindsay Kite & Lexi Kite

Body Image With Bri Instagram

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LTYB 316: What Food Freedom Is (And Isn’t)

LTYB 214: 6 Reasons BMI is Bullshit

LTYB 313: How To Stop A Bady Body Image Day In Its Tracks with Brianna Campos

What Food Freedom Is and Isn't Jan 12, 2021

Finding true food freedom is a nuanced discussion that has roots in many important conversations. The patriarchy, race, gender, body autonomy, and diet culture are just a few of the systems involved in bringing awareness to the food you are eating and how you are treating your body.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Find Food Freedom You Should:

Lean into your bodies wisdom and give yourself permission to shake off diet and exercise extremes
Relearn how to connect with yourself and what you enjoy through mindful eating
Question the voices of the food police and start embracing nutrition from a non-diet perspective
Focus on health-promoting behaviors instead of intentional weight loss

Listening To Your Body’s Signals

I want you to feel the freedom to question what we have been taught about the ‘right way to eat’. Mindful eating is a great place to start, and it can help you relearn how to connect with yourself and what you enjoy. Nutrition from a non-diet perspective may seem like a strange concept, but it is only by raising your awareness and opening the door that you can stop pursuing perfection and start listening to your body’s signals.

What Is Food Freedom?

Food freedom does not mean restricting yourself, going back to eating ‘regularly’, and then if you begin to feel yourself ‘falling off the wagon’ or ‘losing control’, that the solution is to go back to the restriction.

Food freedom is embracing the freedom to eat foods that make you feel good, that are enjoyable and satisfying, and are without unnecessary restriction. Food freedom means eating in a way that enhances your life, and that is helpful to your mind, and body, and emotions, and spirit, and culture.

Health Over Perfection

Young girls should not be growing up in a diet culture, fatphobic world. You are inherently worthy and valuable no matter what, and we deserve better than a lifetime of hating our bodies and thinking we are worthless because we don’t fit the mold.

Instead of focusing on intentional weight loss, I challenge you to focus on embracing health-promoting behaviors. The pursuit of perfection isn’t getting you anywhere, and it is time to stop denying our own magic just because we don’t fit the mold diet culture has laid out for us.

What conversations are you excited to have in 2021? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Defining what I mean by ‘food freedom’ and the importance of nuance when discussing it (6:31)
The role of intuitive eating and mindful eating when incorporating food freedom (10:37)
Why food freedom is not an individualist pursuit and instead is about the larger community (14:50)
Breaking down the reason why I do this work and why I feel it is so important (19:25)
The problem with intentional weight loss and the complex world of body autonomy (27:15)

Quotes

“The freedom to eat foods that make you feel good, foods that are enjoyable and satisfying, the freedom to eat without extremes, the freedom to eat without unnecessary restriction, the freedom to eat in a way that is enhancing to your life and not detracting from your life, the freedom to eat in a way that is helpful to your mind and your body and your emotions and your spirit and your culture, the freedom to eat foods that are important from your culture… that’s what I mean by food freedom.” (9:31)

“No matter what body you are in, no matter your health status, no matter your size, no matter your ability or disability, you f*cking deserve respect, and you need to give other people respect in return.” (12:25)

“Can we individually think about our food behaviors and practices and what we eat, while also holding that there is also a larger context? That is going to be really important going forward.” (15:18)

“We only get one shot at this life, as we are right now, and to live with such dissatisfaction of our own magic, and our own gifts and talents and worthiness because we don’t have perfect bodies, crushed me. And at that moment I said, ‘you know what, this has to change’.” (25:52)

“If I am critical on this podcast of diet culture and the influence of the patriarchy on how we live our lives, especially as women, it is not a criticism of you as an individual.” (29:53)

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2020 Surprising Lessons Learned and a New Season Preview Jan 05, 2021

With the new year here and 2020 in the past, I'm looking both back and ahead. In this solo episode, join me as I share three lessons I learned during the challenges brought by 2020, the top five episodes of last year, and a sneak peak of what's to come in a new season of the podcast starting next week.

Key Takeaways

2020 brought demands to shift and pivot; to embrace the both/and; and to ask a lot of questions and get curious
The top five episodes of last year centered around non-diet intuitive eating and body image
A new season of the podcast starts next week with a bit of a shift...stay tuned

Top 3 Lessons from 2020

There's so much to be said about 2020. A year of so much unexpected change, upheaval, loss, and sadness. I learned a lot about having to be flexible, the challenge of holding competing emotions simultaneously, and the importance of creating meaning based more on what comes from inside when I ask questions. It was not easy. By no means did I shine at these lessons like a star pupil. Quite the contrary. It's all messy.

My hope is that these lessons will resonate for you or at the very least, help you see things from a different perspective.

Dismantling Diet Culture

The top five podcasts of last year definitely had a theme: diet culture...specifically looking at diet culture from many angles and seeing the need to move toward a kinder, more compassionate, and more inclusive version of nutrition and fitness.

Between guests and solo episodes, we shared many aspects of moving away from dietary and exercise extremes and toward an approach where we listen more to our bodies and let our inner wisdom lead.

The top five episodes were:

A Look Ahead to the Podcast in 2021

I'm excited to share that a new season of the podcast is kicking off next week with episode 316. There will be a refreshed content focus, new guests, and maybe even a new look.

Stay tuned for the unveiling!

Share your key takeaways from this episode with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Celebrating a major milestone
3 lessons I learned in 2020
The top 5 podcast episodes of 2020
What's coming in the new season of the podcast

Featured on the Show

If you're ready to get free with food and fitness, check out the Tune In Membership

Follow me on Instagram and join the conversation about food, fitness, and letting your body lead.

Angie Jordan - podcast strategist

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267 - My 2020 Theme + Meditation

How To Set Health Goals Beyond the Scale w/ Steph Dodier Dec 29, 2020

With the new year rapidly approaching, you might be thinking about your goals for 2021. What if those goals had nothing to do with your pant size? I challenge you to reframe how you are working on your health without directly connecting them to your body size.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Set Health Goals That Don’t Include Weight Loss, You Should:

Reframe your mindset by unraveling diet culture and embracing what feels true to you
Approach your mental, emotional, and spiritual health in the same regard as your physical health
Work toward a mindset of self-care on all levels and focus on total body health rather than weight loss

Creating Goals That Aren't Based On Your Size

A fellow Steph is here to help me unpack what it means to set health goals that have nothing to do with weight loss. Steph Dodier is an intuitive eating coach who went from being culturally embedded in diet culture to radically reframing what it means to work on your health without it being connected to your body size. Steph is passionate about helping women live healthy without being on a diet and sharing her techniques for living a healthy lifestyle separate from society's desire to fit into a smaller body.

Unraveling Diet Culture

Change is only possible when it happens at the core of who you are. Unraveling diet culture can genuinely shake the foundation of who you are or what you thought you believed in. While this can seem daunting, it is important to see this new mindset as an opportunity to analyze where your previous thoughts have come from and whether they truly align with what you want.

Viewing your mindset as an opportunity to break away from the definition of health that diet culture has co-opted and instead embrace your own definition of health is the first step to understanding what true health really is.

Food Freedom in 2021

How do you define health? While advertisements tell us that your health is solely physical, it is truly a combination of the four bodies, including mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. By redistributing your energy to all four components of your overall health, you can work towards health in every aspect of the term.

2021 is the year that you can work towards freedom and focus on being healthier rather than just smaller. Steph’s voice is the voice you need to ring in the new year and can help you reject diet culture, set goals that don't include weight loss and help you feel better outside of your physical body.

Are you ready to enter into the new year focusing on what makes your body feel good? Share your key takeaways from this episode and this year with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How to liberate yourself from diet culture through feminism (7:46)
Dismantling the possibility of rejecting diet culture while still desiring to be in a smaller body (13:21)
How to set goals for your health in a new and different way (17:40)
Discover how your mental health, emotions, and spirituality play into your physical health (23:55)
The difference between moderation versus abstaining when it comes to your food choices (26:19)

Quotes

“I teach it from that place of feminism, and that place of empowerment. And that connects with a certain group of women that are willing or at that place in their life where they are seeking power and seeking power for their own life.” (10:13)

“Remember, it is a thought, it is not a fact. And I think that is where the power lies, is recognizing that your desire to lose weight is just a thought, and you don’t have to believe in it, grab it and entertain it. It does not have power over you.” (15:10)

“The World Health Organization defines health as both mental, emotional, social, and yes, physical. Yet we are trained through tv advertising, marketing, even through my own medical training, to see health as just physical.” (19:48)

“There is physical restriction and there is psychological restriction, and moderation to me is a psychological restriction. It may have to be where you live at until you are willing to trust yourself more until you do the work to trust yourself more, and then gradually moderation will go away.” (27:52)

“I can help you be healthy. Here are all the things that you can do to be healthy, and none of it is going to give you a smaller body, but you are going to be healthier. You are going to move your body easier, you are going to have less inflammation, you are going to have all the things! Do you still want to lose weight?” (33:55)

“What if, in 2021, we focus on everything else but the size of your pants. What would happen? That’s my challenge to people.” (36:40)

Links

Going Beyond The Food Podcast

Stephanie Dodier Website

Conquer and Thrive Community Program

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Related Episodes

LTYB 294: How To Unf*ck Your Brain with Kara Loewentheil

How To Stop a Bad Body Image Day in Its Tracks w/ Brianna Campos Dec 21, 2020

In these challenging times, body image struggles can get amplified fast. But, if you are prepared with practical ways to get through and understand a bad body image day, you can stop those gremlin thoughts in their tracks and reclaim the power you give your body.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Stop A Bad Body Image Day In Its Tracks, You Should:

Acknowledge your gremlin dialogue and question why you are allowing yourself to believe the stories diet culture has told you
View body positivity as a social justice issue and embrace body positivity for all bodies
Allow space for the grieving of what society celebrates and venture into the tidal wave of your emotions
Give yourself permission to listen to your body and do what feels right for your body in the here and now

Body Image With Bri Campos

Brianna Campos, or Body Image with Bri, as she is known on Instagram, is a mental health counselor, therapist, and body image coach. Bri is passionate about helping others maneuver through their body image journey and heal the relationship that her clients have with their bodies.

Getting Over Your Gremlin Thoughts

Bri views the nasty thoughts or critical self-talk we engage with as your ‘gremlin voice’. These thoughts can often be messy and uncomfortable, which is why we cover them up with the stories we have been told by diet culture.

If you want to push through these gremlin voices, you need to acknowledge your inner dialogue, allow space for grief, and give yourself permission to be where you are right now, regardless of where everybody else is. By auditing your thoughts and focusing on the ones that align with your core values, you can choose to love yourself in a way that feels right for you.

Healing Your Body Image Relationship

Body image is not just about how you look. Body image encompasses everything from body positivity to privilege and your relationship with diet culture. The work begins when you start to question the stories that you tell yourself and take the leap into the tidal wave of grief and acceptance.

While it is not always easy, dismantling how we treat ourselves and our bodies is essential in healing your relationship with your body and getting over your bad body image days with grace.

How are you giving yourself permission to be where you are now during this holiday season? Share which of Bri’s tips and techniques you are going to implement with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to stop having a bad body image day by acknowledging your ‘gremlin’ thoughts (9:56)
Why you should view body positivity as a social justice movement (11:46)
Acknowledging the downsides of diet culture and weight cycling (24:12)
The importance of allowing yourself to leave space and truly feel grief (28:54)
Tips for navigating the holiday season and the pandemic when having bad body image days (34:40)

Quotes

“People look to me not because I am perfect, but because I am vulnerable and I am honest.” (9:51)

“Body image is not just how you look. Body image is also how you believe others view you, how those belief systems have you show up in the world. And there is a piece of body positivity in society of how accessible life is for you in your body.” (12:31)

“I never believed that I could love my body until it looked the way I wanted it to. And it’s five years later, and I love my body. I don’t always love the way it looks or the way it moves, but I love my body, I love the vessel that it is and how it brings me closer to the values of connection and relationship and bringing good to the world.” (26:13)

“Grief is sort of like a tidal wave. If you resist it, it persists. It pulls you deeper and deeper. As opposed to if you just ride out with it, eventually, it puts you back onshore. Because that is what emotions do, we don’t stay in one place forever.” (31:50)

“I am going to honor my body, and this is how I am going to choose to love myself this holiday season.” (37:05)

Links

Body Grievers Group Coaching

Body Image Supervision Cohort

Follow Body Image With Bri on Instagram

Unpacking the Knapsack of Privilege Article

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Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Related Episodes

LTYB 302: Finding Joy & Acceptance in Fitness for Every Body with Kanoa Greene

LTYB 183: Dealing with Negative Body Image with Beauty Redefined

Lessons You Can Learn From Your Unique Human Design w/ Erin Claire Jones Dec 15, 2020

Have you ever considered that your unique human design could help you listen to your body better? While there are tons of personality tests out there, the human design focuses less on a type and more on what you need to know about yourself to function optimally.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Understand Yourself Better Through Human Design You Should:

Look up your human design and understand what type you relate to the strongest
Connect to your own unique way of making decisions
Give yourself permission to be yourself and accept that everyone else is wonderfully different
Take small steps to trust in the process and what lessons you are here to learn

Understanding Human Design With Erin Claire Jones

Erin Claire Jones uses Human Design to help thousands of individuals and companies step into their work and their lives as their most authentic selves and to their highest potential. Erin works as a guide, coach, and speaker, providing practical tools, digestible tips, and deeper self-knowledge so that you can gain access to living with greater ease and authenticity every single day.

We Are All Meant To Do Things Differently

Understanding your human design essentially means understanding how each of us is meant to make decisions. Harnessing the innate knowing that is within you can help you govern every decision and connect you to your unique decision-making process. By understanding your specific strategy and authority, you can create space in your life for pieces of alignment to fall into place and give yourself permission to be yourself.

Finding Beauty in the 5 Human Design Types

While human design works on a case by case basis, there are five main types that each holds unique hallmarks. Whether you are a manifesting generator, generator, projector, reflector, or manifestor, each one of us brings a different perspective and a different value to the table. When we are able to appreciate those differences, we will be brought closer together in our relationships and as a whole society.

Are you ready to better understand your human design and use it as a tool to explore yourself and be open to new possibilities? Share what aspect of human design intrigues you the most with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How human design can act as a window to understanding more about ourselves and our bodies (6:50)
The role of human design when honoring your inner authority and outer authorities (10:06)
Tips for understanding your unique human design and the five main types (17:48)
What to do if you don’t feel aligned with your human design type (30:30)
Understanding your profile and how you are meant to uniquely manifest your purpose (37:21)

Quotes

“If there is anything that human design has taught me, it’s that we are all meant to do things differently.” (10:14)

“I’m not trying to convince you of anything. Take what resonates and leave the rest. This is a tool that is meant to be a tool that empowers you but does not limit you.” (17:10)

“Once we often dive more deeply into it, once we really explore it, it often makes so much more sense.” (30:32)

“I think that often my experience makes people feel so in love with themselves, and so empowered to do things in a way that uniquely works for them.” (31:37)

“I always say that we come into this life without an operating manual, and human design just gives us the manual.” (39:40)

Links

Angie M Jordan Podcast Mentor

Get 10% Off Your Personalized Blueprint with the code STEPH

Look Up Your Human Design Here

Book an Individual Session with Erin Here

Erin Claire Jones Website

Follow Erin on Instagram

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Related Episodes

LTYB 311: Reclaiming Your Spark By Honoring Your Swagger w/ Anniedi Essien

LTYB 299: Tuning Into Your Inner Luminary w/ Leslie Tagorda

Reclaiming Your Spark By Honoring Your Swagger w/ Anniedi Essien Dec 08, 2020

Do you have big ambitions? What about dreaming of changing the world? The reality is you can accomplish everything you want when you can overcome burnout and find your groove. Using your mind, body, and swagger, you can reclaim your spark, achieve your goals, and take care of yourself in the process.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Get Your Spark Back While Avoiding Burnout You Should:

Stop letting your superwoman syndrome get in the way and start letting go of control and surrendering to the process
Honor the relationship you have with yourself and build new relationships to help you going forward
Intentionally make your wellness a top priority
Develop a wellness plan that is in line with your authentic self
Work to develop your mind, body, and swagger so that you can have it all

Reclaiming Your Spark with Anniedi Essien

Anniedi Essien also had dreams of changing the world but looked up one day, realizing she had lost her unique spark. This is why Anniedi founded Idem Spark, where she helps women of every shape, shade, and size level up their mindset, embody their goals and embrace their own unique swagger.

Honoring Your Relationship With Yourself and Others

Many of us are led to believe that our worth comes from how we serve others. This can make putting your self-care as a priority as counterintuitive to what we have been taught. This is all wrong and can cause serious burnout. Instead of relying on yourself to be fiercely independent, there is strength in recognizing that you can't do it all alone. By working internally to repair your relationship with yourself, you can build new relationships that will support you going forward and help you become the woman you know you can be.

Mind, Body, and Swagger

The SPARK method works on your mind, body, and swagger to develop a wellness plan that is in line with your authentic self. We all have different goals and dreams, and it is only by owning your unique identity that you can create a plan that is aligned with you.

There is no reward without risk, and it takes letting go of control and intentionally making your wellness a priority to see real change. Your body will let you know what it needs if you just start moving it, listening to it, and giving yourself the grace you need to move forward in these uncertain times.

Are you ready to define what success looks like on your terms, honor your mind, body, and swagger, and get your spark back? Share which of Anniedi’s methods you are going to implement into your self-care routine with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The role of culture, the superwoman complex, and race when making yourself a priority (11:20)
How to let go of control and find and accept help from people who support you (15:34)
The best ways to holistically take care of yourself and build your own mind-body swagger (19:42)
How to get clued into your own unique desires and preferences if you have never given yourself the space to discover them (25:20)
Ways that you can use the SPARK philosophy to focus on your big vision while avoiding burnout (31:10)

Quotes

“This is all about how to go from being burnt out to being fired up. And for me that meant overhauling my wellness and really turning everything upside down.” (8:23)

“This superwoman syndrome that is like, ‘I am going to put my cape on and go out and save the world’, but we don't realize that we also have to save ourselves.” (13:32)

“Relying on a dream team actually first required me to build a relationship with myself and listen to my body, honor is cues that I had ignored for so many years, and know when to raise my hand and wave the white flag of surrender and say ‘I need help’.” (17:57)

“That swagger piece is really about owning your unique identity and really creating a plan that is aligned to you.” (24:20)

“You don't have to have it all together in the middle of a pandemic. What you want to be doing is giving yourself grace, and you want to be figuring out what you want to prioritize and tackle first.” (35:28)

Links

Use the Special Code LTYB20 For The Career Swagger Program

Idem Spark Website

Follow Idem Spark on Instagram | Facebook

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Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Related Episodes

LTYB 307: Learning To Date With More Confidence with Lily Womble

LTYB 285: How To Stop Outsourcing Your Enoughness with Bonnie Gillespie

How To Stop Counting Calories and Start Enjoying Food Again w/ Caitlin Ball Dec 01, 2020

Are you suffering from a food lifestyle hangover? Counting calories and quantifying every little thing that you eat could actually be keeping you from listening to your body. Intuitive Eating is all about a more pleasurable and enjoyable way to eat that will help you start feeling better and enjoy food again.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Stop Counting Calories And Start Enjoying Food You Should:

Trust the process of Intuitive Eating and find a system to support you
Focus less on the calories of foods and more on how certain foods make you feel
Be patient with the process and allow yourself grace when navigating which foods are right for you
Lead by example to create a future legacy that is not focused on restrictions and rules

The Power of Intuitive Eating

Caitlin Ball is a health coach who specializes in Intuitive Eating. After moving to Switzerland, Caitlin saw the astronomical difference between how food is approached in Europe compared to the United States. Once she experienced a transformative glimpse of Intuitive Eating, she knew she couldn't go back and had to share this information with the world.

Rejecting Diet Culture Once and for All

When working to gain more body awareness, trusting the process and finding a support system is key. As women, we have been told for so long that our worth is based on our appearance, and restricting ourselves and placing rules around food is the only way to achieve the goals society has set for us. Instead of giving into these restrictions, Intuitive Eating supports you so that you can feel great in your body, which is really all that is important.

Stop Restricting Yourself and Start Feeling

Caitlin realized that rather than counting calories, truly acknowledging how you feel after eating a certain food is a much better indicator of what your body needs. If you allow yourself to listen to your body, you will start making decisions based on what you feel you need next, not focusing on the ‘should’ or ‘should not's' of certain foods. By jumping into the mode of curiosity and observation regarding how food makes you feel, you can start to figure out what is right for your body, right here and right now.

Are you ready to leave the calories counting behind and walk away from the strictness and mental time it takes to quantify your food? Share which of Caitlin’s Intuitive Eating tips you are going to implement into your routine in the comments section on the episode page.

In This Episode

How a rejection of diet culture has resulted in a totally different relationship to food in parts of Europe (8:08)
Tips for breaking away from the need for control as an avid calorie counter (17:45)
Why relating how you feel towards what you are eating is a much better indicator than calorie counting (19:39)
How to make peace with food if you are worried about what is going to happen when you allow yourself certain foods (22:42)
The role of legacy in the work that you do through children and other young souls (34:01)

Quotes

“Once I tried out [intuitive eating], and I changed my personal relationship with food and realized I could travel and eat these foods and not eat too much and feel disgusting, and I could enjoy my life and start liking how my body looks without having to cognizantly want to change it, once I realize how much better life was with Intuitive Eating I had to share it!” (16:20)

“I knew in my heart that it wasn't working, I knew that there must be another way because I got a glimpse of it from the people around me.” (18:19)

“I realized that the calorie-counting wasn't actually doing anything for me, and the much better indicator was eating something, seeing how it made me feel, and then going from there and seeing what food I needed next after that.” (21:30)

“You do have to test your patience a little bit, but you will start to notice how these foods make you feel, and you will be able to start listening to your body a lot better and then be able to make changes from there.” (26:53)

“There are so many factors to how you feel because of this pandemic and everything that is going on in the world right now that do not have to do with food, so a juice cleanse is not going to solve all of your problems.” (33:08)

Links

Quit Dieting For Good Podcast

Caitlin Ball Website

Follow Caitlin on Instagram

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How Racial Identity Can Impact Your Relationship With Food w/ SharRon Jamison Nov 24, 2020

Learning how to put yourself in someone else’s shoes is critical for understanding the political, pathological, and personal ways in which black women and women of color experience their relationship to food. The truth is, food affects people differently, especially when it comes to their racial identity, and it is only by shedding the societal ‘should’s’ and outdated believes that we can soar higher.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Better Understand Why Food Is Political, Pathological, and Personal You Should:

Hold space for the anger of black women and women of color
Stand with black women and women of color in solidarity
Do not shrink into shame but instead shine in power
Ask how best you can support black women and women of color
Become committed to the sisterhood and stop living from a scarcity mindset
Understand the lasting effects of food insecurity and racism
Create space for people to work through their pain without trying to rescue them
Embrace the incredible journey of discovering your own soul
Let go of the beliefs that undermine your gifts and strengths

Putting Yourself in Someone Else’s Shoes with SharRon Jamison

SharRon Jamison is a teacher, leader, minister, author, entrepreneur, and life strategist who is passionate about helping others be who they were born to be instead of settling for what society has told them to be. Through her own experience with racial injustice, eating disorders, and the patriarchy, SharRon breaks down boundaries and exposes inequalities so that women can come together and heal as a community.

Down With the Patriarchy

The patriarchy that we have been socialized into thrives by pitting women against each other and forcing a scarcity mindset. We are told not to trust other women and to compete with them as if there is only room for one of us at the top. While there is evidence of a light being turned on in America, we are still at the beginning stages of this illumination.

SharRon sees the first step to dismantling the patriarchy as white women coming together and standing with black women and women of color. Next, we need to embrace our ability to not shrink in shame but rather to shine in our power. Thirdly, white cis-gendered people need to be vocal about asking marginalized communities how they can provide support. Finally, by being committed to the sisterhood, we can spread the education necessary to stop wounding people of color.

Racism, Food, and the Diet Industry

Food is political, can be pathological, and is very personal. Many things may impact your ability to be healthy that are not directly in your control. This plays into the patriarchal system by keeping those oppressed and giving them very little opportunity to rise up from that oppression.

The BUGS (beliefs that undermine your strengths and gifts) that society has told you to believe are true are keeping people suffering. SharRon wants you to remember who you were before society told you that you were not enough, and work to help others without the same privileges to stop being ignored by this broken system. Equip yourself with the tools, remember who you are, and advocate for other people so that we can step into the illumination that so many desperately need to see.

Have you ever connected the dots between systematic oppression, patriarchy, diet culture, and racism? Share how you are working to heal the ‘sister wound’ through sisterhood in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The four steps that you can take to come together with other women and heal the collective wounds of the patriarchy (9:03)
Personal ways that being a black woman has altered SharRon’s relationship with food (15:29)
Why food carries different political, pathological, and personal weight for women of color (18:32)
How your racial background and socioeconomic status can impact your health and wellbeing (24:01)
The importance of decolonizing your thinking and connecting your history to your density (28:15)

Quotes

“We are being used as puppets to wound each other. And when we are aware of what is happening, we will stop wounding each other and start winning with each other and change the entire status quo.” (8:05)

“Just like a fish does not know they are swimming in water, sometimes we do not know that we are swimming in this toxic pool called white supremacy.” (11:32)

“I think that it is really, really important that people see how racism touches every aspect of their lives. So now, a lot of black women are not getting help, and anytime you don’t get help, you don’t get hope.” (18:10)

“People are hurting, and it is overlooked because when you are a person of color, you don’t have visibility. Or you are deemed as less valuable. So I feel pain, but I also feel pride. I feel pride because, despite limited resources, people find a way.” (24:42)

“Who were you before society told you who you were? You were amazing before you were socialized to be second class, before racism, before sexism, before ableism. You came to the world amazing, greatness is in your DNA!” (28:47)

Links

What Not To Say To Women Of Color by SharRon Jamison

SharRon Jamison Website

Dare To Be Me Program

Deciding To Soar 2: Unwrapping Your Purpose by SharRon Jamison

Follow SharRon on Facebook | Instagram

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Why It Is Time To Take Diet Culture Out of Nutrition Coaching w/ Christina Montalvo Nov 17, 2020

Diet culture sucks. The stories that we have been conditioned to believe about our worth, the patriarchy, white supremacy, and so much more all play into how we feel about movement, exercise, and our bodies. Instead of viewing your exercise routine as a way to manipulate your body, I challenge you to embrace the limitless other benefits of movement.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Embrace The Infinite Benefits of Movement and Exercise You Should:

Work to unlearn what you have been taught to be true and stop focusing on body manipulation
Embrace the positive aspects of movement and exercise that do not have to deal with weight loss
Acknowledge the false ways that you have been defining your worthiness and work to shift your mindset towards something more positive
Lean into the things you don’t know and unpack the beliefs you have for yourself

Removing Diet Culture From Movement with Christina Montalvo

Christina Montalvo is a great friend, coach, gym owner, and someone who has personally been fucked over by diet culture. She created a unique women’s only strength and conditioning gym that does not encourage fat or weight loss. Christina is here to challenge you to unlearn what you have taught to believe is true and start thinking more critically about the ways you move your body and the reasons behind it.

Embracing the Infinite Benefits of Movement

If you start out having expectations of fat and weight loss when going into a movement routine or working with a trainer, the chances of you feeling disappointed and getting stuck in a cycle of giving up are much higher. Instead of putting pressure around how and why you are moving your body, lean into all of the other benefits of movement and exercise that have nothing to do with weight loss. This can lead to a higher retention rate as a provider and a greater sense of accomplishment as a client.

Unlearning What You Have Been Taught To Believe Is True

There is a good chance that if you choose to engage in movement solely to manipulate your body, there is a much deeper reason guiding your decision-making. By acknowledging the false ways that you have been defining worthiness, checking your privilege, and making yourself your first priority, you can frame your purpose in a nourishing way instead of ripping yourself down.

While it may be hard to unlearn how society has told you to engage with movement, it is only by leaning into the things you don’t know and unpacking the beliefs that you hold within yourself that you can truly start to embrace holistic movement and reject diet culture.

Have you ever experienced an inclusive space where the infinite benefits of exercise and movement are prioritized over weight loss and body manipulation? Share how you work to create that space for yourself and reject diet culture in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

The importance of separating movement for health and wellness sake from movement for body manipulation sake (8:12)
Why associating movement and weight control or body manipulation is a problem (11:10)
The role of social justice when dismantling patriarchal standards and diet culture (18:24)
How to navigate the space between body autonomy and potentially harmful diet practices (23:38)
Common themes that are signs of searching for something deeper than a surface physical transformation (27:02)

Quotes

“I think what’s harder than learning anything new is unlearning everything that we have always thought to be true.” (10:14)

“The benefits of exercise and intentional movement are absolutely infinite, and it’s so crazy because I think that the benefits can be and are different for everyone.” (13:33)

“In any case where you are solely operating or participating in something from a place of fear or shame, that is not healthy, that is inherently unhealthy, and that is such a detriment to the wellbeing of anyone.” (18:19)

“Obviously a human can autonomously choose fat loss or weight loss, but there is a much deeper reason why they are choosing it.” (26:01)

“Whenever we are engaging in intentional weight loss, everything else in our life becomes much more grayscale. We turn down the intensity and the importance of everything else in our life, and the most important and prevalent thing becomes our bodies, our food choices, our calorie burn, what we look like, what we weigh. And so in some ways, it is a really socially acceptable way to just ignore and pacify ourselves to all these deeper, much more real, much more powerful, much more impactful problems or areas of focus in our lives.” (28:46)

Links

Join the Tune In Membership Group Here

What Is Intuitive Eating Free Training Series

Follow Christina on Instagram

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Learning To Date With More Confidence w/ Lily Womble Nov 10, 2020

Whether you are in a relationship or not, dating requires a large amount of confidence and the belief in extraordinary love within yourself. Dating more confidently and brazenly is all about listening to your body and trusting in the relationship you have with yourself.

With a little work, support, and reframing, it is possible to view dating as an act of self-care and a space to feel whole within yourself.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Approach Your Relationships Brazenly, You Should:

Reject narratives that tell you you are not enough, too much, or anything that is not in line with your truth
Accept that you are the answer to your dating life and what is meant for you will not pass you by
Stop letting the patriarchy influence the thoughts you have about yourself and where you ‘should be’ in life
Normalize celebrating when you are thriving in any aspect of your life, not just dating

The Connection Between Listening To Your Body and Relationships

After working in various fields, Lily Womble quickly rose to become one of the top matchmakers at her firm. This was until she realized that the dating industry is very similar to the diet industry and works to feed on their client's insecurities. So, Lily broke up with the matchmaking game and started Date Brazen to help badass women find extraordinary love within themselves.

Swap Your Checklist for an Essence Based List

Lily believes that dating apps are like McDonald's. Your mind is programmed to want that sugar fix, and the way we have been conditioned encourages us to think that playing the numbers game will bring you more satisfaction. In reality, this false sense of accomplishment can cause more frustration.

The important thing to remember is that you are the answer to your dating life, not an app, and what is meant for you will not pass you by, regardless if you choose to use an app or not. Instead of basing your checklist off of qualities, you think you want to dig deeper into what that particular hairstyle or height actually means about the core values you are searching for.

Extraordinary Is Possible

As women, we have been conditioned to believe a legacy of narratives that tell us that we are not enough, too much, or incorrect the way we are. It takes incremental work to gain a sense of wholeness again and reject the patriarchy that influences the thoughts we have about ourselves.

By getting to the essence of who you are and being more whole with yourself, you can use that jumping-off point to have fulfilling relationships that are on your terms and will make you feel like the amazing bright star that you are.

What is your brag? We want to know! Tag us on Instagram or share your brag in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why your checklist of what you think you want in a life partner may not actually be serving you (10:10)
Tips for navigating online dating when you don’t feel super confident or are afraid of judgment (15:48)
How to resolve not feeling like you are enough in order to achieve your relationship goals (22:16)
Dismantling the relationship between the patriarchy and how a woman values her worth and views herself (31:08)
The difference between celebrating your wins and bragging about yourself all the time (33:05)

Quotes

“That is how I came to break up with matchmaking and start Date Brazen to help badass women really find extraordinary love within themselves and in their dating lives with reflective work meets tactical action.” (9:58)

“The world is out of our control, there is very little that is in our control. And I think that without guidance, most people who are dating will look for those checklist things like the height, the weight, the college degree; they will look for those things because they think that is all they can control. When, in fact, it is really possible to measure how you feel in someone’s presence.” (14:14)

“What I believe is what is meant for you will not pass you by. So whether or not you choose to date on an app, you will find what is meant for you.” (20:14)

“This is legacy breaking work, and it takes a lot of time, and it takes me a lot of support to get to the place where I can believe I am worthy of extraordinary love and extraordinary relationships and extraordinary money and extraordinary connection.” (26:52)

“I think it is a really beautiful marriage between working on your dating mindset and your dating action plan while also continuing to celebrate who amazing and whole and successful and incredible you are.” (37:21)

Links

Date Brazen Website

The Brazen Breakthrough Waitlist

Date Brazen Podcast

Follow Lily on Instagram

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Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How To Take Care of Your Emotional and Mental Health This Election Day Nov 03, 2020

2020 has been a rollercoaster of a year. With the pandemic and the uncertainty of the US election, it is more important than ever to take care of your emotional and mental health. This episode serves as your gentle reminder to take a moment to build up your emotional, mental, and physical resilience by being kind to yourself and others.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Take Care Of Your Mental And Emotional Health You Should:

Listen to what your body is asking for, meet yourself with kindness, and build up your resilience
Calm your nervous system by reaching out to your support system, giving yourself a break, and surround yourself in comfort
Get out and VOTE

How To Take Care of You

All of the unknowns in the world right not can cause anxiety and overwhelm. Don’t keep these feelings to yourself. Instead, find ways that you can calm your nervous system, reach out to your support systems, surround yourself in comfort, give your eyes a break, and talk kindly to yourself.

Your Vote Matters

Simply existing in America in 2020 is political. Health is political. It is easy to think that your vote doesn't matter. But in reality, we need everyone to get out and vote to hold up our democratic process. I recommend that you vote for candidates and laws that work for and protect the most marginalized and at-risk folks in our country because when we vote to support policies that help people rise up, we all rise up together. Your vote matters, and we need your voice now more than ever.

How are you taking care of your mental and emotional health right now? Share your favorite routines, self-care rituals, and anything else you are doing to feel more at ease with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How to focus on your resilience and give your body what it is asking for (4:50)
Why you need to calm your nervous system and kick in your parasympathetic nervous system (5:20)
The importance of talking kindly to yourself and meeting yourself with compassion (8:15)
Why you need to get out and vote today to hold up the democratic process (9:40)

Quotes

“If you are feeling like this is all super much, you are not alone, at all. And I think it is important to normalize that these feelings are normal and it is okay to have challenging feelings, all emotions are valid.” (3:02)

“I am here to encourage you to check in with yourself and take care of yourself.” (4:26)

“Talk kindly to yourself, it is so so important. Negative mind talk and shaming is never motivating.” (8:27)

“Please vote today if you can. I know not everybody can vote, but if you are able to, please vote. Please get down to the polling station, drop off your mail-in ballot, make sure it is postmarked. I know it can feel like your vote doesn't count, or you are just one voice, but we really need your vote.” (9:51)

“Health is political. Existing in this country is political, and it touches everything.” (10:19)

Links

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Using Body Language To Understand Yourself and Others Better w/ Tiff Lee Oct 27, 2020

Did you know there are over 5000 body language moves, all of which tell a story about the person expressing the movement and the person interpreting it? By understanding how to read and use body language effectively, you can understand yourself better, build your confidence, and decode others' body language.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Use Body Language To Show Up More Confidently, You Should:

Take the time to set yourself up ‘inside the frame’ and enter any room with your head held high
Always keep your hands visible and look out for signs of ‘tells’ from other peoples hands
Stay away from a dark color palette and instead wear colors from the sunset such as light blue
Believe in your confidence to send out subconscious confidence signals to you and those around you

Connecting To Your Body Through Body Language

Tiff Lee is dedicated to helping women be seen and heard in all areas of life with the life-changing information that is body language decoding. Once you hear what Tiff has to say about body language cues, how to use body language to improve your relationships or seek out when someone is lying, and ways that you can use body language to improve your confidence, you are never going to forget it.

What Can Body Language Do for You?

How you present yourself through your physical body language can drastically change how you show up in the world. Body language can help you step into your confidence (even if you aren’t actually feeling that cool) and provide a way for you to connect back into your body and what you are doing. Instead of being quiet and passive, proper body language and expression can help you command the attention you deserve with ease.

Decoding Others Through Body Language

Understanding body language can not only give you the awareness to appear more confident; it can also help you pick up on other people's cues. While most people think about body language decoding as something out of a CSI episode, it is really just a simple tactic to help you sense when something might not be quite right.

Small movements such as a shoulder shrug, hiding your hands, or an anxious ‘pacifier’ are all signs that you should tune into what someone else's body is trying to tell you. Body language's power lies in your ability to be aware of the body cues that make a person look anxious so that you can stop yourself from involuntarily showing up that way too.

Have you ever considered that your subconscious body language is hindering or helping your ability to show up as your true authentic self? How do you relate to body language and body connectivity? Share which piece of Tiff’s advice you are going to implement into your daily routine with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Simple, proactive ways to change the way you are seen and heard in all areas of life (12:46)
The most common giveaways to look out for to determine someone’s truthfulness or lack of truthfulness (17:13)
How to use your body language to increase your own confidence and decrease your self-doubt (22:16)
Specific hand gestures that make you look less confident and how to avoid making them (27:20)
Tips to show up at your next Zoom meeting in a more confident and secured way (29:39)

Quotes

“We miss out on these things because we are so busy listening that we don’t see what is going on physically.” (8:50)

“These movements should be congruent with what you are saying verbally. So anytime the verbal doesn’t match the nonverbal, that is kind of your cue that something else may be going on.” (18:40)

“It is really hard to try to verbally tell the truth and then have your body language match that. Because our brains don’t like to do both, they can only do one or the other.” (19:45)

“When you are not feeling that confident, try to do those things. Because those small movements will register on a subconscious level to other people, and then, believe it or not, it’ll register for you too!” (26:10)

“When people think of body language, the first thing they tend to think about is the lies, and the negativity, and the criminal shows, and all of that. And while it is extremely valid in those areas, it's also so important in our everyday lives.” (35:56)

Links

TruthTeller Online Website

Follow Tiff on Instagram

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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What is Gentle Nutrition? (Intuitive Eating Principle 10) Oct 20, 2020

We have made it to the final principle in our Intuitive Eating series, and it is by far the most misunderstood of them all. Principle 10 is all about gentle nutrition and embracing food as something that is there to nurture you, not punish you.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Embrace Gentle Nutrition You Should:

Stop pitting your inner wisdom and inner body trust against the external world and social pressures found in diet culture
Let go of your perfectionism and restrictions and start integrating your body wisdom and logic when it comes to food
Change your mindset by embracing moderation and learn to trust your bodies ability to self-regulate

Lets Set the Record Straight About Gentle Nutrition

There are many misunderstandings around Principle 10, which is why it is the last principle for good reason. All of the principles have a firm basis in nutrition, but exploring gentle nutrition is something that must be done after you have already embraced the Intuitive Eating framework.

Your Body Is Your Home

Many of us have been raised to distrust our bodies and live in fear of our own being. This is simply ludicrous, and we have diet culture to thank for pitting ourselves against our own inner wisdom and body trust in favor of how we look externally. You should not be fearful or anxious about your body, but instead, embrace your physical vessel and how it works to serve you in the world at any size or shape.

Your Search for Perfection Is Not Healthy

If what you are eating or your constant search for perfection is causing you stress or anxiety, it is not healthy. How we think about food directly affects our actions towards it, and it is only by changing our mentality to an additive mindset rather than a restrictive one that we can start to embrace our worthiness. When it comes to making intuitive eating a part of your life, it involves practice and support. Changing your mindset may take some time, but it is crucial to your ability to stop looking for perfection on your plate and start embracing how your body can serve you right here and now.

What was your favorite principle shared in the Intuitive Eating series? Share your ‘a-ha’ moment or a recent win with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Debunking the most common misunderstandings surrounding the final principle of Intuitive Eating (5:50)
Why gentle nutrition needs to be the last principle you embrace on your Intuitive Eating journey (14:24)
Where diet culture comes from and why it is systemically built into our fatphobic society (19:19)
Why mindset is a key part of the Intuitive Eating framework and your relationship to food (21:22)
How to embrace the principle of moderation and trust your bodies ability to self-regulate (23:17)

Quotes

“We are in our bodies. It is the vessel, the vehicle, by which we get around. It houses our intellect, our emotional being, our energetic being, it is how we interact with people and have a human experience.” (8:56)

“It is very, very common for people to want to go right to gentle nutrition first, it's familiar, but here is the reason why gentle nutrition is the last principle in the book. A lot of people think, ‘oh it would be more credible if it was in the beginning’. But there is a reason for that.” (14:34)

“We need to understand that what we choose to eat has to also work for us as mental, emotional beings, and all of the other aspects of our wellbeing. It can't just be the physical.” (15:51)

“Mindset is a key part of the framework that I teach because how we think about food directly affects our actions.” (21:28)

“Our bodies are innately wise, and we meddle in that because we have been taught to distrust.” (23:18)

Links

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

LTYB 296: 3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5)

LTYB 297: 3 Ways to Honor Your Body’s Fullness (Intuitive Eating Principle 6)

LYTB 300: 4 Questions to Ask About Emotional Eating (Intuitive Eating Principle 7)

LYTB 301: How To Practice Body Respect (Intuitive Eating Principle 8)

LTYB 303: Stop Earning and Burning Your Food Through Movement (Intuitive Eating Principle 9)

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Stop Earning and Burning Your Food Through Movement (Intuitive Eating Principle 9) Oct 13, 2020

Diet culture has told us that exercise is the tool we need to use to earn the food we want to eat, burn off the food we have already eaten, and control our bodies. In reality, exercise and movement can be something that adds dimension and joy to your life, but only if you let go of this perfectionist mentality. Movement has so many other benefits, and controlling the size of your body is just simply not one of them.

Key Takeaways

If you want to stop using exercise as a tool of control you have too:

Accept that exercise is not the way to control the size of your body

Use movement in a way that adds to your wellbeing rather than restricts you in the name of health
Focus on how movement makes you feel and listen to what your body is trying to tell you

When Did Movement Get Replaced by Exercise?

There is a good chance that at some point in your life, movement for the sake of enjoying movement was replaced by exercise and the desire to control what your body looks like. I remember the exact moment that happened to me as a young girl who was in a bigger body than the rest of her schoolmates. Despite loving being active, society told me that I should be more concerned with my aesthetics than with my relationship to movement.

Shifting Your Mindset Around Movement

I want you to know that this perfectionism mindset is not the truth, and it is possible to embrace exercise as a sustainable way to add value and joy to your life, rather than just something you hate and use to earn your food. The all or nothing mentality that society has pushed around exercise and our bodies is getting in the way of you doing the kind of movement that feels really great. By getting clear on what your body is telling you, you can weave movement into your life in a way that is nourishing and more aligned for you.

Your Worth Is Not Based on What You Can Do

Getting stuck in the mentality of having your worth based on what you can do is a false promise. So many things can happen outside of our control that can shake this foundation. Instead of placing your value in your exercise routine or the number on the scale, movement can be a stepping stone to realizing that movement is about so much more than just controlling your body and keeping it smaller. By being gentle with yourself in terms of expectations, letting go of the all or nothing mindset that society has bred into us, and finding a type of movement that aligns with what makes your body comfortable.

How has your relationship to movement and exercise changed through the presence of diet culture? What type of movement do you feel aligns with where you are, here and now? Share your thoughts on Intuitive Eating Principle 9 with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about my story of feeling shame around my body as a kid (6:50)
How to embrace sustainable movement rather than an exercise to control the size of your body (9:05)
Tips for getting out of the all or nothing mentality when it comes to your worth (15:50)
Discover the benefits of movement and how to listen to what your body is trying to tell you (18:20)
Why perfectionism can be one of the biggest barriers is when it comes to embracing intuitive eating (25:15)

Quotes

“We're going to talk today about how to shift your mindset and practice from exercise being something you hate, something you do to earn the food you want to eat or burn off the food you did eat, and into something that is a sustainable practice that really adds dimension and joy to your life and brings so many other benefits besides just controlling the size of your body.” (2:30)

“For me, my endurance, movement and exercise became a way for me to hide and run away from my other problems in my life.” (14:33)

“There's just so many things that can happen that then shake that foundation if you stop your personal development and growth at the stage of just thinking you are only as good as what you can do.” (16:31)

“There are so many reasons why you may be predisposed to all or nothing thinking, you may have learned perfectionist outlooks as a young person, or if you were perfect, then that meant that the important people who kept you feeling safe in your life wouldn't go away. For me, that's one of the origins of my perfectionism, and I have had to learn how to unpack that.” (25:54)

“How can you start to weave movement into your life in a way that is really nourishing? Is it a way for you to care for your body in a basic way? And works with your personal preferences and your life setup?” (31:10)

Links

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

LTYB 296: 3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5)

LTYB 297: 3 Ways to Honor Your Body’s Fullness (Intuitive Eating Principle 6)

LYTB 300: 4 Questions to Ask About Emotional Eating (Intuitive Eating Principle 7)

LYTB 301: How To Practice Body Respect (Intuitive Eating Principle 8)

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Finding Joy & Acceptance in Fitness for Every Body w/ Kanoa Greene Oct 06, 2020

Having joy in your workout can help you get closer to your goals, feel comfortable in your here and now body, and connect to movement in a way that breaks down the barriers so commonly seen in fitness culture. Kanoa Greene uses her warmth, radiance, and strength to encourage and support others to find joy in movement and show up in the fitness space exactly as you are now.

Key Takeaways

In Order To Show Up As Your Authentic Self You Must:

Seek Out Representation For Your Body Type And A Community That Makes You Feel Supported
Stop Comparing Yourself To Other People In Different Size Bodies And Start Embracing Where You Are Now
Find A Type Of Movement That Brings You Joy and Stop Sweating The Small Stuff

Fitness For Everybody And Every Body with Kanoa Greene

Kanoa Greene is a fitness coach and trainer who is passionate about bringing fitness to everybody and every body. A plus size girl herself, Kanoa knows first hand the importance of representation and inclusivity in the fitness space. While she has had to switch up her coaching model due to the pandemic, she has found her tribe bringing weekly workouts to Instagram that get creative in breaking down the fitness wall even further.

Finding Joy In Movement

Kanoa’s radiant and positive energy is contagious, which is clear during her weekly dance parties and finding joy in working out. Kanoa believes that movement can help bridge the gap between your mental and emotional health, and wants to show up in a fitness space where there is not an accurate representation of larger bodies. By inviting all bodies to be part of the conversation, Kanoa is making a place for everybody and proving that anyone can be part of this movement.

Everybody Is Struggling, Not Just You

Kanoa owns her role as the ‘hot mess express’ and her main goal is to authentically share where she is right now to inspire you to do the same. By not sweating the small stuff, finding encouragement in unexpected places, and learning how to navigate conversations on image-based platforms, you too can find a feeling of support and safety in Kanoa’s world. Kanoa wants you to know that everybody is struggling, and by surrounding yourself with positivity and encouragement, you can show up just as you are.

How are you working to stop comparing yourself to others and start showing up authentically as you are now? Share what you loved most about Kanoa’s energetic, positive and accepting perspective in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Navigating the changes between in-person coaching classes and going online due to Covid-19 (7:41)
How to approach movement with enjoyment even if it is challenging (12:28)
The importance of having a safe place to move your body when your body is not represented often in fitness (15:30)
Why fitness trainers do not have everything worked out and are instead on this journey with you (23:18)
Learn how Kanoa created the worlds first surf event dedicated to supporting plus size women (25:12)

Quotes

“There’s not a lot of times you get to see an instructor that looks like me, but also someone who is teaching a class like boot camp or spin or some of these more strength conditioning classes. So my role was really to come in there and make movement accessible and tear down that wall.” (8:23)

“I want to move for joy but I also want to move with intentionality.” (13:23)

“If I can show up and help ease that for someone else. If I can create that safe space and she can look at me and say ‘if she can do that hard thing, I can do one little step. If she can take a big old leap, I have the courage and confidence with her to take even a small step’. That’s why it is important for me to show up in as many places as I need too, especially when there is not that representation there.” (16:38)

“We all have different experiences, we are all different human beings, and as long as you are living your authentic self then you do you boo!” (22:28)

“No matter what it is that I am doing, its, ‘I am struggling too. I am a hot mess on a lot of those workouts’. I am sweating, I am dying, and I am working too, I am struggling too, and I am in this right alongside with you.” (24:12)

Links

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Follow Kanoa on Instagram

Follow Plus Size Retreats on Instagram

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How to Practice Body Respect (Intuitive Eating Principle 8) Sep 29, 2020

Have you ever been told to embrace self-love, when it seems like the most impossible thing in the world? The idea of self-love can lead to the cognitive dissonance that results in many of us giving up on our goals altogether. Instead of feeling ashamed at not being able to love your body, I argue that body respect and body neutrality are much more attainable and positive goals.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Learn How To Respect Your Body You Have Too:

Give yourself basic care and dignity
Find clothes that fit your body right now comfortably
Challenge yourself to stop body comparing

Why Self Love Is the Wrong End Goal

The concept of loving yourself is a wonderful idea. But for those of us who have come from or are currently in a state where we hate our bodies because we are stuck in the cycle and influence of diet culture, we blame ourselves and the concept of love feels incredibly foreign.

You Deserve To Be Taken Care of as You Are Right Now

No matter what society, influencers, and diet culture have taught you to believe, you deserve to be taken care of as you are right now. You deserve the same basic care, basic nourishment, and basic dignity that some people provide more of to their pets than they do to themselves. Get some clothes that fit, stop staring at the scale, and believe that you are worthy of love, respect, and care even if you don’t love yourself as you currently right now.

The Problem With Body Comparing

Comparing your body, whether it is to a past version of you or to someone else, can only do harm. While respecting the current state of your body isn’t always easy because of the messages sent to us by diet culture, it is only by rejecting the notion that smaller bodies equal better bodies that you can start to appreciate how your body is serving you. Next time you are in a conversation that results in people comparing or shaming other people’s bodies that are nobodies business, I challenge you to remove yourself or stop that conversation in its tracks. While it can be hard to muster up the courage, I promise you will feel better for it.

Are you ready to replace self-love with body respect and start treating your body with the dignity and care it deserves? You can do this, I promise. Let me know your thoughts about Intuitive Eating Principle 8 in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why the idea of body respect is more attainable than the idea of self-love for many of us (7:40)
The importance of support when learning about and implementing intuitive eating (10:48)
Tips for distancing yourself from people and places that perpetuate diet culture (12:20)
Health-promoting habits that you can engage in that are weight neutral (14:33)
How to respect your body by wearing clothes that suit it right now (18:02)
Why you need to stop comparing your body and stop being the hero (23:45)

Quotes

“Intuitive Eating is not a new concept, it has been around for a long time. And humans are innately intuitive eaters so this isn’t just some other diet.’ (2:58)

“I wish that the idea of body neutrality and body respect was in my lexicon, was something I had learned about, even back then. Because I think it would have been a much faster stepping stone to get to the point where I was more comfortable with my body.” (8:45)

“We don’t want to make wellness another set of boxes to tick, but really making it fit for your life and doing the best you can right now. So maybe that means talking to somebody about your struggles, maybe that means getting out and moving your body in a way that feels really good for you. But coming back to basic care and dignity.” (15:41)

“You deserve to be taken care of and you deserve to care for yourself right now.” (16:56)

“The more we stop this constant body comparison, the easier it is for us to respect our bodies.” (27:27)

Links

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

LTYB 296: 3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5)

LTYB 297: 3 Ways to Honor Your Body’s Fullness (Intuitive Eating Principle 6)

LYTB 300: 4 Questions to Ask About Emotional Eating (Intuitive Eating Principle 7)

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

4 Questions to Ask About Emotional Eating (Intuitive Eating Principle 7) Sep 22, 2020

Intuitive Eating Principle 7 is all about emotional eating. Why do we eat when our stress levels are up? What can we do to step away from the cupboard and only eat when we’re actually hungry? Let’s talk about the four questions you need to ask yourself.

Key Takeaways

The Four Questions to Ask Yourself About Emotional Eating:

Is your hunger physical or emotional in nature? [13:06]
How are you generally feeling? [15:45]
What is the need you’re having in that moment or what is the boundary? [16:23]
How can you fulfill that need or express that boundary without turning to food? [19:20]

About Emotional Eating

Emotional eating is something that most people on this planet are familiar with. When you’re not sure if you’re hungry for food, but there’s this emptiness inside or uneasiness that makes you reach for something.

I have absolutely been there. You’re so not alone! Here are four questions you need to ask yourself when you think you might be eating emotionally.

Why We Eat Emotionally

As with almost anything we do, there are deep-rooted reasons why we do what we do. Emotional eating is no different. One of the biggest reasons we turn to food is because of stress!

For some people, comfort eating is the only way they know how to navigate stressful feelings or any other number of emotions. So when this is the only mechanism you have, of course, you’re going to turn to it more often.

Honestly, and I want to stress this, saying that you’re never going to emotionally eat again is not realistic. There will be times you eat when you’re not hungry! Plus, food has so much more significance in our lives than just curbing hunger.

You are not a failure if you turn to food to navigate your life right now.

Four Questions to Ask About Emotional Eating

What we’re talking about today is how you can start recognizing the different types of hunger in your body. Hunger for nourishment feels different than hunger from loneliness or stress.

But if you’ve never learned to tell the difference between these feelings, it can be hard to start. I’ve broken down the four questions you should ask yourself when you reach for food.

Check-in with your body. Is your hunger physical or emotional? How are you feeling in general? Really get in tune with your emotions, here.

What need are you having right now? What is the boundary that you’re coming up against? And finally, how can you fulfill that need without turning to food?

Build up your arsenal of other ways you can work through your emotions that don’t involve food. Whether it’s journaling, going for a walk, calling your best friend, or something else, I’d love it if you let me know in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why it’s not realistic to say you’ll never eat emotionally again [7:35]
How the different types of hunger manifest in your body [13:30]
The four questions you need to ask yourself about emotional eating [14:00]
How setting boundaries can help you handle your emotional eating [18:30]

Quotes

“Stress can drive us to use food to fill emotional needs.” [6:54]

“In times of high stress, for some people, comforting or finding safety and security in food is the only mechanism that they have or they know.” [8:32]

“Food is more than just energy. Food can be an emotional, cultural, social, or religious experience.” [12:15]

“Getting more clarity on how you feel, not just the sensations in your body, which can be a very helpful stepping stone, but emotionally, how do you feel? Different people have different amounts of access to this at any one given point.” [15:54]

Links

National Eating Disorder Association Free Assessment

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

LTYB 296: 3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5)

LTYB 297: 3 Ways to Honor Your Body’s Fullness (Intuitive Eating Principle 6)

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Tuning Into Your Inner Luminary w/ Leslie Tagorda Sep 15, 2020

Knowing the basics behind your astrological chart can be a benefit to you if you own your own business or even if you are just looking for clarity on your individual decisions. By learning to embrace the parts of your chart that you both like and dislike, you can gain a better understanding of who you are as a whole and how you can use your strengths in ways that you have never considered before.

Key Takeaways

Astrology Can Help You Tap Into Your Innate Wisdom By:

Providing you with clarity on your strengths, weaknesses, and how you can use them to progress yourself and your career
Helping you trust your intuition and the knowledge of your body that you will do what is right for you
Fit the pieces of your life and business together to have the courage to make a big change and bet on yourself

How to Harness Your Strengths Through Astrology with Leslie Tagorda

Leslie Tagorda is a brand strategist who works with online businesses to better understand their astrological chart and how it can help them make aligned decisions in business and in life. Leslie took a big chance on herself and started New Moon Creative Co to help others use astrology to discover and validate the decisions they are making in business and in life. Today Leslie is here to share the reason behind her career pivot and how you can use astrology to fit all of the pieces of your life together.

Pivoting Your Business To What's True For You

Fed up with hiding herself and staying small, Leslie decided to move mountains and create a change that felt in line with her vision. Instead of having fear of jumping into the unknown, Leslie embraces these challenges and leans into the idea of reinvention and evolutionary growth. Astrology will be your guiding light to help you take the leap, trust in yourself, and understand your decision making process better so that you can trust your intuition and listen to the knowledge of your body.

Embracing The Innate Wisdom Of The Stars

2020 is a seismic year in more ways than one. Astrology can help you embrace the spiritual awakening that is currently happening, tap into the archetype of the divine feminine, and use your soft powers to listen to your intuition and make the right decisions for you and your business. Whether you are new to astrology or well-versed in your astrological chart, Leslie is here to help you open up the cosmos and understand what is in store for your future.

Do you pay attention to your astrological chart? How has astrology impacted your ability to get in touch with your body and the world around you? Share what role astrology plays in your life in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to get over your self-doubt when deciding to make a big life change (14:50)
The importance of understanding what money means to you and creating money-related goals (18:29)
Why you need to embrace the idea of reinvention when looking at your astrological chart (22:30)
What to do if you don’t like the energy coming from your chart and how to embrace it instead (24:20)
How to become more receptive to your intuition and the divine feminine power (29:30)
Gain an insight into the planetary alignments for 2020 and beyond (34:55)

Quotes

“Only a couple years ago did I really start getting fed up with hiding, fed up with keeping small, fed up with not valuing myself.” (8:23)

“There was always something magical about stars that I was really drawn too. So astrology adding the story behind the science, both of which I love and believe in, just put everything together for me. It was the first click of a few puzzle pieces put together.” (13:56)

“I think the moral of the story is that if we could only see ourselves and accept ourselves in the way that other people see us.” (21:01)

“Deciding that we are going to be looking at our charts in this very empowering way, it helps us to evolve and express ourselves and the highest potential. That’s what lights me up about astrology.” (23:57)

“Our body is this device, and when people say ‘listen to your gut’, of course, because our mind doesn’t live in our gut, but our gut has infinite knowledge.” (32:53)

Links

New Moon Creative Co Website

Join The Savvy Luminary Facebook Group

The Savvy Luminary Podcast

Follow Leslie on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest

We Should All Be Millionaires Book Club

10 Ways to Embrace Your Soft Powers Instagram Post

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

How to Show Up More Authentically w/ Grace Edison Sep 08, 2020

Are you looking to show up more authentically in the world despite our current diet culture? Grace Edison is a certified and trauma-informed yoga teacher who has taken her experience with diet culture and has fostered a space of honesty. Grace wants you to know that it is okay to not be okay right now, and by embracing a collective consciousness of clarity and support, you can give your trauma space to heal.

Key Takeaways

In Order To Start Showing Up Authentically You Must:

Give yourself the space to discuss the trauma that has been brought to your genetically or throughout the past year
Stop trying to show up and honor diet culture and instead show up to honor who you want to be in the world
Building an authentic community to remind yourself that you are not alone and that you always have the opportunity to start again

Showing Up Authentically with Grace Edison

Everything from ‘Naked Face for Grace’ to collective trauma bonding is on the table today as Grace takes you down the path of no resistance. By supporting other women, showing up authentically without concern of judgment, and embodying the choices that feel right for you, you can stop feeling obligated to satisfy diet culture and start living as your true self.

Using Collective Trauma To Your Advantage

Whether you are unconsciously body bashing, afraid to stop wearing makeup, or are just trying to start showing up as who you are unapologetically, Grace is here to support you. Building an authentic community to remind yourself that you are not alone and that you always have the opportunity to start again, can help you face your fears of the unknown and start to embody the choices you make for yourself because you want to make them.

The Power Of Showing Up As You Are

Grace believes that collectively, women are getting better at supporting itching through trauma or struggle. Instead of getting wrapped up in what you look like, Grace advocates that it is okay to not have it all together. By reflecting on how you show up in the world, whether it is your makeup, fashion, weight, or something else, it is all about showing up as you are and feeling better by taking care of yourself however that looks for you.

What was your biggest takeaway from Grace’s nuggets of wisdom? Share what you loved most about her perspective in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why it is important to give yourself space to discuss the trauma that has been brought up for you in 2020 (9:54)
How the state of diet culture is being dismantled by the current events of our modern world (11:52)
Dismantling the armor that makeup provides and the barriers it can cause between other women (16:00)
Tips for becoming okay with showing up as you are and the effect it can have on how people relate to you (25:12)
How to find the balance between ‘over’ and ‘under’ doing (31:08)

Quotes

“With everything going on, with how f*cked up this year has been, I feel like it is really giving us this opportunity to make real, authentic connections. And its sort of lifted this idea that we have to show up and look a certain way and have it all together, its really given permission.” (9:26)

“The beauty myth is really designed to keep us [women] separate, because if we are working together, if we are solid and in a community within one another, then we can accomplish so much.” (14:32)

“That’s what really started to tune me into the competitiveness between women, that it’s not even to get the guy or the girl or whoever, its actually some kind of rank.” (21:53)

“I think that I was never the pretty girl, so I did have to develop, I was always entertaining and wanted to be funny even out of the womb, but I kind of always had to work a little bit harder to be seen and heard because I wasn’t pretty.” (25:17)

“It’s about taking care of our bodies, but its also about us realizing the reasons we weren’t.” (34:58)

Links

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Grace Edison Website

Follow Grace on Facebook

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

3 Ways to Honor Your Body’s Fullness (Intuitive Eating Principle 6) Sep 01, 2020

Continuing on with our Intuitive Eating Principles Series, today I am supplying you with tips on how to start tuning into your body's sense of fullness. Intuitive Eating is all about self-knowledge, self-care, and self-compassion, and when you can listen to your body's signals, you can better understand when you are full and what foods are satisfying you.

Finding Support Through Intuitive Eating

Intuitive Eating is not a solo experience. It takes a good support group and framework in order to accomplish your goals and break up with diet culture. Through Intuitive Eating Principle 6, you can begin to listen to the messages your body is sending you, and get back to treating your body right.

How to Acknowledge Your Bodies Unique Fullness Signals

When was the last time you took a moment to check in with yourself during mealtime? Oftentimes we can rush through or distract ourselves when eating, which leads to stuffing ourselves past the point of satisfaction. Instead of eating past the point of comfortable fullness, Intuitive Eating can help you stop when you are satisfied.

Three Tips to Start Listening To Your Body

Diet culture has robbed many of us the trust we need in our bodies to be able to eat without a set of restrictions. By checking in with yourself throughout your meal, avoiding the ‘air foods’ that many diets try to push as ‘healthy’, and by listening to the innate cues your body is giving you, you too can feel your fullness and honor your body's needs.

Do you struggle with your ability to sense your fullness, stop clearing the plate, and finish eating when you feel truly satisfied? Share how you differentiate between fullness and satisfaction with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The importance of a support system when diving into Intuitive Eating and going against the grain of diet culture (3:20)
Three points to help you start tuning into your hunger and feeling your fullness (6:30)
Why you should stop filling up on ‘air foods’ that diet culture tells you are the ‘right’ choice (14:06)
The difference between satisfying your hunger and actually fueling your body with real foods (17:00)
How to become okay with not always finishing your plate and avoid binge eating (18:08)

Key Takeaways

In Order To Start Feeling Your Fullness You Must:

Get real about what dieting has taken from you and start to pay attention to the innate signals coming from within your body
Avoid filling up on ‘air foods’ and create moments to pause and check-in during mealtimes
Honor the signals that you feel of hunger or fullness and build trust in yourself that you can eat again

Quotes

“Please do not attempt this Intuitive Eating journey completely by yourself, and think that you have to be the hero and do everything and it's an individual pursuit. Because really, that’s what diet culture loves.” (3:48)

“Intuitive Eating isn’t one of those things that you read or you hear a podcast about and you think ‘Great, now I’m an intuitive eater!’. No! It's something that you practice and something you have to embody.” (5:12)

“If you consistently rush through meals or you are consistently distracted and you haven't practiced feeling and sensing your fullness, this is a huge area for growth opportunity for you to be able to start doing that.” (13:12)

“If my tactic, every time I start to feel hungry or every time I try to fill myself up, is to go back to relying on these ‘air foods’, it's not saying they don't provide any kind of benefit, but are they really satisfying our hunger? And the answer in a lot of those cases is ‘no’.” (17:04)

“It's not an arbitrary portion control based on external rules. This is about tuning in, noticing… building that trust again that what your body is telling you is something you can begin to listen too.” (21:53)

Links

National Eating Disorder Association Free Assessment

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

LTYB 296: 3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5)

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5) Aug 25, 2020

Have you ever stopped to notice if you are actually being present and enjoying the foods that you are eating? Instead of being held captive to the strict rules that diet culture forces you to conform too, Intuitive Eating can help you find pleasure and peace in the foods you are consuming.

Intuitive Eating Principle #5

Intuitive Eating Principle #5 is all about finding the satisfaction factor in food. With 3 simple steps, you can start to check in with yourself and start truly experiencing and enjoying the act of eating.

Don’t Let Dieting Restrict You Anymore

Instead of adhering to the ‘black and white, all or nothing, either/or dynamic’ that diets push as the only way to do things, Intuitive Eating will empower you to start taking back control of the things that you are putting into your body. It is time to start giving yourself some grace when it comes to the negative thoughts you have internalized due to diet culture. Alternatively, you can start giving yourself the compassion and kindness necessary to embrace Intuitive Eating and break up with the diet cycle for good.

Three Things That Will Help You With the Satisfaction Factor of Food

By finding out what foods you actually like, being present in the experience of eating, and choosing things that will actually satisfy you, you can gain more clarity and awareness on what foods are serving you. It is time to stop giving diet culture permission to choose what goes into your body, and Intuitive Eating Principle #5 is here to help you accomplish that.

How do you work to be more present and mindful when you are eating so that you can bump up your Satisfaction Factor when it comes to food? Share how you are incorporating Intuitive Eating Principle #5 with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn why hating or loving your body does not have to be black and white (5:50)
Why you should stop letting diet culture take away your autonomy and make your choices for you (10:45)
How to eat more mindfully and actually enjoy the foods you are eating (14:41)
Tips for discovering what will actually satisfy you in a moment of hunger (19:52)
How to differentiate between foods you really want or are just craving as a reaction to deprivation (22:40)

Key Takeaways

The Top 3 Things to Remember About Intuitive Eating Are:

Intuitive Eating is a framework, not a gospel that must be followed with restrictions and limits
Being mindful and present during your eating experience can help you check in with yourself throughout the meal
By focusing on what will actually satisfy you, you can build your trust in yourself and reject common diet tactics

Quotes

“If we set a black and white, all or nothing, either/or dynamic, that says either I love my body all the time or I am hating on my body all the time, then that sets us up for that kind of ‘failure’.” (6:12)

“As long as we have this diet culture around us, we are in it, we are swimming in it, we are going to be confronted with these thoughts. The skill that you can develop through things like intuitive eating and body neutrality is giving yourself the time to stop, pause, consider, before acting, or realizing how you are feeling in a certain situation.” (9:20)

“The food as fuel mentality can be a helpful stepping stone for some people, especially when you are afraid to experiment or trying to overcome the do’s and don’ts of the food police.” (16:32)

“Are you ever allowing yourself to become present when you are eating and be in tuned with what you are enjoying about the experience?” (19:05)

“If you put off your satisfaction or you deny your satisfaction for a particular food or something that you think would sound really good… and then you eat it and you pay attention, little by little you build these skills.” (23:08)

Links

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Changing The Way You View Fitness w/ Simone Tchouke Aug 18, 2020

Simone Tchouke, AKA Simone Loves Fitness, is on a mission to make movement a joyful experience in your life. After moving to the US at age 15, Simone was on a path of biochemistry before her passion for fitness became stronger than ever. Now a fitness trainer dedicated to making movement accessible, Simone is here today to share her story and why working out isn’t all about how you look.

Working Out Shouldn't Be Expensive, Intimidating or Alienating

Movement practices can improve your mood, decrease your stress, give you more restful sleep and so much more. Instead of working out for the sole purpose of looking a certain way, Simone wants you to dismiss traditional exercise culture and start using movement as a way to feel better about yourself. By focusing on what you like, picking exercises that benefit you not only physically but also mentally, and giving others permission to change their ways of thinking, Simone is creating accessible fitness for all.

Simone believes that working out shouldn’t be expensive, intimidating, or alienating. Living proof that whatever you have is enough to get started, Simone’s infectious energy and amazing story is one that everyone will be able to relate too. Your body is enough, and Simone is prepared to meet you where you are so that you can start to enjoy the power of your body.

Are you open to changing your relationship to fitness and health? Share how Simone’s inclusive and individualized approach has inspired you to rethink your connection to movement in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about the actual benefits of working out aside from just losing weight (9:30)
Tips for truly getting hooked on exercise and finding your ‘why’ (12:05)
Why fitness is not a ‘one size fits all’ space, even when it comes to trainers (20:20)
Advice for people who want to make the most out of the workout space they have without feeling self-conscious (24:30)
Which movement Simone never wants to do and which one she could do every day (30:23)

Quotes

“People always associate working out with wanting to lose weight, and my goal as a trainer is to help people move because they are going to feel better, you are going to feel happy, you are going to sleep better, you are going to feel lighter in your movement. So I really help them see the reason besides wanting to lose weight why you should want to work out.” (10:35)

“I think people will stay with you because of how you make them feel. So if you make them feel good and you give them what they need but also what they want, they will stick around and they will keep being active.” (14:20)

“I started to realize that it is not really one size fits all. And not everyone is out to be the next Serena Williams or the next Michael Phelps. You have to meet people where they are, and you have to be flexible.” (20:42)

“People are always going to say something. Whether they like you or don’t like you or they wish they could do what you are doing, people are always going to say something. But if you truly know why you are doing it for yourself, I think you should be okay.” (25:34)

“We are in the same boat, and that is fine. Just because I didn’t work out for 2 weeks or 1 month, doesn’t mean that I am not worthy. I am still worthy, you are still worthy, and we are going to try again tomorrow!” (29:39)

Links

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Follow Simone on Instagram | Facebook

Simone Tchouke Website

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How To Unf*ck Your Brain w/ Kara Loewentheil Aug 11, 2020

Kara Loewentheil is a master certified coach and host of the badass podcast Unfuck Your Brain. The core of Kara’s mission is to help others retrain their brains and stop believing the harsh things we have heard from society and have internalized as our own thoughts. Filled with humor, wisdom, and no BS, Kara is here to teach you what unfucking your brain really means.

Retrain Your Brain and Start Being Kinder To Yourself

By taking neutral baby steps, it is possible to change the way you think about yourself and the world. Instead of focusing on the negative, Kara wants to help you identify your thought patterns and help you think differently about the negative things that you have been taught to believe.

By diving into the particulars, staying away from the immeasurable number of things you have been taught to believe, and discovering your own internal landscape, you can retrain your brain and start being kinder to yourself. Filled with simple and applicable strategies, Kara’s episode is one that you do not want to miss. Are you ready to work your way up the thought ladder and stop being so hard on yourself? Share how you are working to unfuck your brain in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to identify your thought patterns and learn to control the thoughts you believe (10:15)
Tips for working your way up the thought ladder through neutral baby steps (13:30)
What it looks like to step from negative overwhelm to acceptance and peace (17:27)
Why ‘fake it until you make it’ doesn’t work and what framework you should use instead (23:53)
How to distinguish emotions from body sensations and how they work together (29:50)

Quotes

“What I teach is a method of actually unfucking your brain, which is that you have to go in there and identify the thoughts you have that sound like they are in your own voice. That’s the problem. We can identify these social messages, but in our heads, they don’t sound like the magazine that we read or the announcer voice on TV that we first heard it from, they sound like our own thoughts.” (9:45)

“We all want to fix the big problem right away, right? Like ‘I hate myself, I have low self-esteem, I just want to love myself’. And in my experience, you really cannot do effective coaching or self-coaching at that level of generality.” (18:37)

“Coaching is like building a building, you have to start from the ground up. So we can change huge things in our lives, but it starts a little bit by little bit.” (19:18)

“We want to see evidence in the world to justify the thought and have us believe it, but we have it backward. We have to believe it, at least a little bit, at first, that’s how we go out and create some evidence that something is possible.” (28:20)

Links

Unfuck Your Brain Website

Unfuck Your Brain Podcast

Join The Clutch Feminist Coaching Community

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Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4) Aug 04, 2020

There is a good chance that you have should’s and shouldn’t, do’s and don’ts, and a myriad of voices in your head telling you what to think when it comes to what you are putting in your mouth. The negative thoughts that come out regarding all of the rules you have around food are not serving you, but don’t worry, there is another way.

How To Respond To These Food Police Tendencies With Purpose

When you internalize foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, you can wind up creating emotions and actions that are not in line with how you truly want to feel about food. Instead of perpetuating the behaviors, you are trying to stop, intuitive eating can help you become aware of the voices in your head and show you how to respond to these food police tendencies with purpose.

By developing a more flexible way of thinking you can start to be kinder to yourself and make peace with the food stories you may have been telling yourself for years. Are you ready to stop using negativity as your motivator and start to challenge the food police? Share how you are working towards intuitive eating in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why you should be challenging the voices in your head when it comes to food (4:20)
How the moralizing of food can negatively impact your relationship with it (13:10)
Tips for developing flexibility when it comes to your mental framework (17:15)
Ways to develop new internal voices such as the food anthropologist or nurturer (20:20)
Exercises to help you reframe your thoughts to become aware of your inner dialogue (29:14)

Quotes

“Intuitive eating takes time, it is something you put into practice.” (3:26)

“You are not broken if this happens. You are not broken if your appetite is all of a sudden ravenous after a day of not eating. You are not broken, this is how your body works!” (15:05)

“It is really important to start paying attention to the language that you use and understanding the thoughts and the beliefs that you have been living by… you have to get clear or develop that sense of awareness because you can’t change what you are not aware of.” (16:54)

“It’s knowing that the way you are going to make progress and find more peace with this is not by being harsh on yourself.” (22:54)

“If you are constantly saying ‘always’ and ‘never’, you are going to the worst of the worst place all the time. And that is a huge opportunity for you to be able to reframe.” (29:24)

Links

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

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Make Peace with Food (Intuitive Eating Principle 3) Jul 28, 2020

One of the most common problems I hear from folks is the struggle of depriving yourself of food, only to end up overdoing it. Our culture has taught us that we cannot trust ourselves and that the way to stop overeating and start to ‘lose weight’ is by depriving and restricting ourselves, and that is simply not true.

A Positive Relationship With Food Is Possible

I want you to honor your body by breaking the cycle between guilt and deprivation, and stop feeling like you are failing. Instead of ‘last supper eating’ or starting again on Monday, you can allow yourself to make peace with the presence of food and start to experience your food on a deeper level. A positive relationship with food is possible when you can gain an outline of the process of making peace with food, which is what this episode will teach you how to do.

Have you been struggling with depriving yourself of food and are ready to start feeling at peace with food instead? Share how you are working to turn your situation around and embrace a more peaceful way of eating with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Ways that you can start making peace with food in your own daily life (2:21)
How to identify the foods that you don’t allow yourself to eat for no good reason (8:50)
The psychological and physical effects that come from depriving yourself (13:10)
Tips for breaking the cycle between guilt and deprivation and avoiding overwhelm (16:45)
Why you should take your time and slow down when experiencing food (21:10)

Quotes

“[Intuitive Eating] is not a yes/no list, it is not a list of hard and fast rules that need to be done in a specific order or for a specific amount of time and all of a sudden things are going to be completely better. It’s applying it to a living breathing human, which is you, and all of your uniqueness.” (3:50)

“The more you say ‘don’t do this, don’t think about it’, the more you think about it. So in order to stop the bingeing, to stop the overeating, to stop the ‘last supper eating’, and ultimately to stop the guilt, is to systematically make peace with food.” (18:43)

“When you start to relax into the idea that the food is going to be there, the shininess of that object wears off, the novelty wears off. A novelty in our brains and dopamine go together, but if the food is there, or we are allowing ourselves to have it, it looses that forbidden fruit value.” (19:36)

“We always think we have to earn and burn our food… we have to let go of the idea of ‘making up for it’. Because that is a condition, it is not unconditional.” (25:35)

“Every time you take that step toward making peace with food, giving yourself that permission, checking in with your body, you are building bricks of trust.” (28:38)

Links

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

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Finding Self Love Through A Lens w/ Megs Elemans Jul 21, 2020

Has your body ever held you back from doing something that you may enjoy? Megs Elemans is a boudoir photographer from Canada who is here today to explore the powerful ability that photography has to help you find more peace with your body.

Small Steps Necessary To Love Your Right Now Body

By honoring women’s bodies and respecting where they are at in their journey, Megs is supporting the process of moving rather than arriving. Even if boudoir is out of your comfort zone, Megs non-judgemental and caring ambiance may convince you to start taking the small steps necessary to love your right now body.

Everything from body acceptance, tips for decreasing anxiousness in front of the camera, and the stigma Megs received from postpartum images are on the table today as we explore what it means to find a way back to yourself through the art of photography.

Instead of hiding the parts of yourself, you may not love, Megs is here to empower you to do whatever the hell you want with your body, no matter what size. Are you ready to accept how your body evolves with you over time? Share what you loved most about Megs refreshing and candid approach to self-love and acceptance in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How photography can help you find peace and growth with your current body (11:25)
Tracing back the shame and guilt many women feel around their bodies (18:52)
Addressing our society's obsession with ‘arriving’ rather than the journey (22:45)
The role of motherhood when dealing with unrealistic diet culture standards (28:04)
Tips for anyone who is uncomfortable with the camera and wants to try it again (36:25)

Quotes

“I realized that I had stumbled onto something kind of profound here in that there is something incredibly concentrated and powerful in these sessions I do with women where they can step into themselves in this really raw and really quick way.” (8:41)

“The difference between a lot of other boudoir photographers that I see is that I make no attempt to hide the parts of yourself that you might not like, I don’t use clever lighting or clever poses and I don’t really dabble with photoshop at all, and I pose women in bigger bodies the same way that I pose women in smaller bodies.” (13:43)

“I toe that line between honoring those things that you don’t like about yourself but also not overtly going out of my way to hide them because I don’t want to reinforce this hate that you have for whatever specific part of your body.” (20:26)

“I don’t need you to love yourself, there will always be things about yourself that you don’t like, body or personality, that’s not the point. I need you to not let your body stop you from doing things that you like to do or might like to do if you were “10 pounds lighter”.” (24:33)

“I know that if you have a disgust with what I am doing, that is something that is going on with you, and it has nothing to do with me.” (35:22)

Links

Follow Megs on Instagram | Facebook

ME Photo Website

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Start Living Your Life By Design w/ Rai Henry Jul 14, 2020

Life, as we know it, has changed and our creative expression has changed as well. Instead of focusing on self-actualization, many are turning to the powers of community, collective, and creativity in order to heal and step into alignment. Rai Henry is a personal coach who is passionate about helping others reignite their creativity, and step out of the hustle and into the flow.

Being Intentional About Your Life, Business, & Values

While you may not consider yourself a ‘creative’, Rai believes that anyone who is tapping into a part of themselves in order to express it to others fits into the creative mold. By being intentional about your life, business and values, Rai helps others show up in a way that aligns with your DNA, or Divine Natural Approach.

Through deliberate work, you can recognize the blocks in your life and learn how to flow through them. Rai wants to get to know you and open you up to the limitless possibilities that are waiting for you. By focusing on your own personal responsibility you can look inside to achieve better flow, heal from trauma, and start living your life by design.

Are you ready to use your creative expression as a tool for healing, aligning, and thriving? Share what you loved most about Rai’s unique and refreshing perspective with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Discover what it means to be creative and make an impact aligned with your vision (11:15)
Why the individual self-actualization approach is being replaced with the collective (18:20)
How to experience the energy of creativity and flow and recognize your blocks (20:30)
Tips for expanding your view of abundance and co-creation within your tribe (24:50)
How to give yourself permission to thrive after trauma and learn to trust yourself (28:08)

Quotes

“That’s really what I am here to do. Help people show up in the world, have an impact, but really find their true values along the way.” (10:07)

“In a time like today where the world is going through such revolution and transformation, it can be very easy to feel like you are doing it alone, when truly we are doing it as a collective.” (17:21)“Were shifting from that individual model, and the only way to do that is to be transparent, to be vulnerable, and to be open about what you are experiencing so that you can connect to your community or your tribe and grow beyond your own limitations.” (19:59)

“I didn’t have any of the guidance, I didn’t have any kind of blueprint or framework to work from. But I forged it myself, along with spirit guiding me and the beautiful, what I call messengers, that showed up at different phases of my life. And I have charted that process, and I have taken note of what those key factors were, and I have applied them to the principles of your heroes’ journey, and that is the framework for the work that I am doing right now.” (34:27)

“We are all on one journey, but there are infinite possibilities. So it is so important to remember it is absolutely up to you to choose the flow that works for you. Choose your flow by unlocking that potential and being intentional and deliberate about the life that you want to live, or the business that you want to create.” (37:00)

Links

Follow Rai on Instagram

Create, Collab + Flow Website

Sponsor a Scholarship for BIPOC Creatives

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

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Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2) Jul 07, 2020

Intuitive eating is not just a list of rules that will tell you what to do and what not to do. While that may sound scary, intuitive eating will give you entry points of investigation so that you can begin to implement new things and get more in touch with yourself. Although it is often very different than what people expect it to be, intuitive eating can be transformative if you prepare yourself with the knowledge you need before diving in. This is why I have created a series all about the 10 Intuitive Eating Principles you need to know before getting started.

Many People Are Ignoring The Cries Of Our Bodies

Intuitive eating principle number two is all about learning how to sense and honor your hunger. By building skills such as heightening your awareness within your body, learning how to dismantle diet culture and the systems of oppression it feeds into you can return to trusting that your body signals are not trying to fuck you over.

Many people are ignoring the cries of our bodies because diet culture has taught us to distrust our bodies. Today I urge you to stop listening to them and start listening to what is right for your body so that you can embrace your body’s own innate wisdom and signals. Hunger can show up in so many different ways, and it is only by becoming aware of your own unique hunger whispers that you can take the next step in your intuitive eating journey.

Are you ready to find greater peace with food and honor your hunger? Share what you struggle with most about intuitive eating principle two and how you are working to heal it in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to build your own interoceptive awareness around feeling hungry (8:10)
Why intuitive eating is not just listening to your body to know when to eat (11:03)
The four things you need to know about honoring your sense of hunger (12:05)
Understanding your biological drive for energy and how to stop overriding it (18:08)
Tips for catching your hunger at a whisper before it turns into a shout (23:13)

Quotes

“Beginning to implement intuitive eating in your life to find more peace with food, to be able to eat the foods you enjoy without feeling guilty, to allow yourself to experience that, and to move away from the extremes that I know you are tired of.” (4:33)

“Hunger is one of your bodies signals, it is a natural body signal. And if you can sense your hunger, that is a very good thing. That means there is a connection, an open line of communication, between you and your body. It is not something to fear, it is something to be grateful for.” (8:40)

“Diet culture is not stopping, and it is certainly not stopping for a fucking pandemic, its not stopping because we are in social isolation, if anything its getting louder, and its getting louder in certain ways as it strives to stay relevant. We are consistently confronted with this stuff, so we can’t just lock ourselves away.” (13:41)

“When you withhold and restrict your food intake, your body compensates by increasing your drive and desire to eat, while also oftentimes decreasing your desire to move.” (22:16)

“This is where it is really important to get clear about your personal body signals that you notice when your hunger starts to creep up on you.” (24:14)

Links

LTYB 275: The Anti-Diet Approach to Eating with Evelyn Tribole

LTYB 266: How To Listen To Your Body with Steph Gaudreau

LTYB 284: How Neuroscience Can Help You Listen To Your Body Alyssa Chang

Intuitive Eating: Why Hunger Isn’t Your Only Cue Blog Post

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How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1) Jun 30, 2020

Today I am kicking off a new 10 part series all about the principles of intuitive eating. Not only will I be rehashing the principles, but I will also be taking a deep dive into the implementation of these principles so that you can start applying them into your own life. First up are the four things you need to know in order to implement principle one of intuitive eating, also known as ditching the diet mentality.

Stop Blaming Yourself & Start Implementing These Principles

If you want to do the work and embrace the idea of rejecting the diet mentality and ditching dieting, this is an episode you cannot miss. It takes both internal cues and external health frameworks to help you avoid being in food jail and find a more peaceful way of eating. By getting clear of your past history with dieting and what it has cost you, and providing yourself with compassion, you can stop blaming yourself and start implementing these principles.

As a society, we are not acknowledging the downsides and risks of dieting and restriction. Intuitive eating can help you get clear on what you want your relationship of food to look like based entirely on what is right for your body. You are not a failure, it is the systematic oppression built into diet culture that is to blame.

Are you ready to stand up and stop being controlled by diet culture? Share how you are making peace with your history of diet culture and how you want to move forward with us in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about the ten principles of intuitive eating and how to engage with them (4:22)
Why principle one can cause cognitive dissonance and how to make it real for you (6:50)
Tips for rejecting the diet mentality and staying true to that decision (10:04)
The downsides of dieting and restrictions and how to open your eyes to it (15:30)
How to avoid being overwhelmed by the first intuitive eating principle (23:06)

Quotes

“I am putting my focus and attention on things like facilitating intuitive eating for you, helping you find more peace with food and your body, helping you end the exhaustion around these things, and helping you get to a place that is more ease filled and less of a battle.” (3:08)

“This is an unlearning and learning, this is not something we are going to do in a day. And it’s not something we can do by just reading it in theory, it is a practice. It is a living breathing practice because you are a living breathing human being.” (8:47)

“You don’t know what you don’t know, and you probably didn’t know about what diet culture is until very recently, and that’s okay. We have to have that forgiveness for ourselves and that compassion for ourselves.” (13:35)

“It’s not a lack of willpower that has gotten you to this point. It is not a lack of willpower that means you have struggled with maintaining a diet in the past. There is a lot here to have care and kindness and compassion for yourself about.” (22:51)

“You are not the failure. Diet culture as a system of oppression is the failure.” (24:05)

Links

LTYB 287: Top 5 Things To Know Before You Start Intuitive Eating

LTYB 273: Opting Out Of Diet Culture with Naomi Katz

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Top 5 Things To Know Before You Start Intuitive Eating Jun 26, 2020

Intuitive eating is not an invitation to binge eat junk food, nor is it a restrictive diet. Intuitive eating is a practice and pursuit that is rooted deeply within all of us, but something that many of us have forgotten over time thanks to societal norms and diet culture. This episode is all about inviting you to discover intuitive eating as a lifestyle framework and prepare you for the new mindset ahead.

Finding A More Peaceful Relationship With Food & Your Body

If you are sick and tired of being obsessed with food and your body, are afraid or unsure of how to start intuitive eating, or maybe need a reality check on your expectations when it comes to intuitive eating, this is the episode for you. Answering many of the questions I get all of the time in response to this topic, today I am here on a solo episode to help you start on the action of transformation in your life.

Everything you need to know before returning to intuitive eating as a practice and pursuit is jam-packed into this episode so that you can get a better idea of what you are getting yourself into, and the diet culture you are getting away from. I am here to defend your mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical wellbeing, and I truly believe that the pervasive and judgemental diet culture that society has told us we need to follow is a detriment to all of the realms of your health.

It may take time, but finding a more peaceful relationship with food and your body, getting over your obsession, and having the time and energy to apply yourself to things you enjoy doing is so worth the time and effort. It only takes small, incremental steps to start to see a world of difference in the way you view yourself, others, and the world around you.

How do you feel about intuitive eating? Share your experience with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How to break free from diet culture and how it impacts how you view your body (11:05)
Tips for tuning into your inner signals to discover the foods that you actually like (14:18)
Learn about the 10 core principles of intuitive eating as a lifestyle framework (18:50)
Why intuitive eating is hard at the beginning but gets easier as you go (21:04)
What to do if you want to gain clarity around what is truly important to you (28:05)

Quotes

“Our default nature is as intuitive eaters, so when I say ‘what you need to know before you start intuitive eating’, it just really is a bit of a hat tip to the fact that somewhere along the way the vast majority of you, including myself, have lost touch with our inner intuitive eater.” (11:03)

“There is a common perception that intuitive eating is the polar opposite of dieting, which is very restricted and very regimented. And that is false.” (13:48)

“Intuitive eating as a named framework has 10 principles. And they all overlap and they are all designed to help you repair your relationship with food and your body.” (19:00)

“Intuitive eating and dieting are very different. A diet starts off easy and gets harder as you go. Intuitive eating starts off harder and gets easier as you go. They are very different paradigms.” (21:59)

“It’s okay that it is going to take time, you are worth it! Finding a more peaceful relationship with food and your body, getting off the crazy obsession with food and your body, having the time and energy to do other stuff, and care about other things is life-changing. It’s worth doing the work, it is worth the time it is going to take.” (31:51)

Links

Three Steps to Ditching Food Guilt

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Black Lives Matter, Anti-Racism & Health Jun 23, 2020

Today I'm sharing some thoughts on why anti-racism awareness and work is essential in the health space if we're to see our clients and community fully. Let me be super clear: Black Lives Matter. I'm not an anti-racism expert or educator. On this show, I'll flesh out what I think my role in the intuitive eating world is and share a couple of the ways I'm planning move forward in my journey toward building a more anti-racist podcast and business.

How to Stop Outsourcing Your Enoughness w/ Bonnie Gillespie May 26, 2020

Have you ever felt like you are not enough? Bonnie Gillespie is the guru in Hollywood for self-management and is here today to help you start owning your enoughness. Bonnie had dreams of becoming a Hollywood actress, but when she got an assignment to pull back the curtain on Hollywood and gain some insider knowledge, she realized it takes a lot more than a perfect monologue to become successful in show biz. After writing her book, Self Management for Actors, Bonnie decided to work beyond her current industry so that she could help anyone learn why they are enough.

Show up as Your Authentic Self & Focus on the Long Game

The paradox of self-worth and enoughness is something that many of us struggle with, and it is only by showing up as your authentic self, discovering what it is you want, and learning how to trust that you can stop outsourcing your enoughness.

Currently we are dealing with the loss of many conveniences and distractions that we often use to draw our energy away from examining our life choices. Bonnie is here today to help guide you to a positive way of thinking that will help you focus on the people who are already on board for you are, instead of trying to convince others of your worthiness.

Instead of changing who you are to fit the circumstance, Bonnie wants you to show up as your authentic self and focus on the long game so that you can ‘book the room’. Full of inherent wisdom and practical advice, this is an episode you do not want to miss.

Are you ready to create a life that is designed for you? Share what you loved most about Bonnie’s story with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Tips for assessing your enoughness in the digital area (11:00)
Why you need to start showing up as your authentic self (19:15)
What it looks like to outsource your enoughness and how to take it back (23:23)
Practical ways to get deeper and learn how to use your trust muscle (28:35)
How to get curious about what your body is trying to teach you (31:50)

Quotes

“If I can help a generation of people who get rejected for a living feel as though I am enough, and there is nothing I need to change. I am as I am exactly where I need to be and who I need to be and having the experiences that I need to have, that’s something that I want to bring to more people.” (9:40)

“The way we fix that is by always looking at the big picture. How do I add to my fan base by making the way I show up be authentic and true to the way I am and the message that I want to put out in the world?” (19:52)

“If instead, we put our energy on how to serve the third of the population that is already on board for exactly who I am and what I am effortlessly, we can have massive success. But we spend so much energy looking at how we can convert people who were never into us to begin with.” (22:17)

“What we are seeing happening right now, is so many people have lost the conveniences and the little things they could fill their life and time with that distracted them from the fact that they have actually made a series of life choices that aren’t their own.” (26:10)

“It doesn’t take very long to build that trust back to the point where we can actually listen to our bodies, listen to our guts, listen to those spidey senses that start tingling, in ways that allow our road to be a lot more collaborative.” (32:38)

Links

Self-Management For Actors by Bonnie Gillespie

Bonnie Gillespie Website

Follow Bonnie on Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

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How Neuroscience Can Help You Listen to Your Body w/ Alyssa Chang May 19, 2020

Have you ever thought about the connection between becoming more aligned with your body through the understanding of how your brain is working and interpreting information? Alyssa Chang is a brain-based health and movement coach who is here today to open up a completely new doorway for you to gain awareness, clarity, and insight into the things you have been dealing with.

Bridging The Gap Between Your Brain & Your Body

Alyssa views neurology and neuroplasticity as the science of hope and is here to explore a different take on so many of the things that you may be dealing with on a regular basis. Unresolved trauma, chronic pain, how you experience hunger and so much more can be connected back to your brain. By becoming aware of how your body incorporates these signals, you can get clear on your specific symptoms so that you can listen to your body better.

Through the creation of movement therapy options, you can strengthen the signals from your brain and tap into your interoceptive awareness. If you want to find out how strengthening your eye muscles could help you gain more expansive movement, are looking for practical ways to start listening to your body, or just want to gain an understanding on a topic that you may never have heard about before, this is an episode you truly cannot miss.

An incredibly fascinating episode all about bridging the gap between your brain and your body, Alyssa wants to help you become an expert in your body. Are you ready to become a scientist of movement, food, and mindset so that you can open up the conversation of neuroplasticity inside your body? Share which piece of new information blew your mind with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to experience hunger by replacing judgment and shame with curiosity (11:55)
What to do if you are struggling with intuition and listening to your body (16:10)
Why moving your eyes could improve your other movement options (18:45)
Exercises that you can try to get your eyes moving off your screen (23:07)
Learn about a brain-based perspective when it comes to carbohydrates (29:40)
Signs to watch out for to avoid overcorrections while removing blame (33:10)

Quotes

“When people hear the brain, they often mix it up with mindset. My methodology is actually looking at the neuroscience work. Who we are, our symptoms, everything we have felt, how we behave, they are all manifestations of brain health.” (7:18)

“If you can lean into being this curious scientist over your body and really understanding that everything you experience, every symptom is your body and your brain’s way of communicating to you, it’s like extremely powerful.” (11:53)

“All we are doing is specifically targeting the visual field of the nervous system to open up that movement map, that sensory map, to allow their brain to reconnect to and then tie the other movement options you have.” (22:11)

“The feelings that you have are valid, and if we can link it back to health history or through some brain-based movement assessments, we can help heal you and help get you better. But we have to know what part of your nervous system may be impacted.” (27:56)

“I always use the phrase ‘how can I help you become a movement scientist? A food scientist? A mindset scientist?’. Where you are just exploring everything that is going on in your body and in your brain and then gathering all that data and then understanding it, putting the pieces together.” (33:51)

Links

Alyssa Chang Website

Follow Alyssa on Instagram

Better Expert 12-Week Training Course Waitlist

LTYB 282: Michelle Shapiro

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Best Practices For Dealing With Stress w/ Ritu Riyat May 12, 2020

While stress is not inherently a bad thing, the amount of stress and change we are experiencing during this pandemic can be cause for concern. This is why I have brought stress detox expert Ritu Riyat onto the show. Today Ritu is here to give us a deep dive into understanding what stress truly is, and how you can use her stress detox framework to peel back the layers and discover where your secret stress is hidden.

Understanding The Subtle Signs Of Burnout

By asking yourself what you can do in a moment of stress to feel in control, you can create a routine that calms your mind and helps you adapt to this constant state of change. In addition to her practical tips for becoming more self-aware and her knowledge around the understanding of the subtle signs of burnout, Ritu will also walk us through a short meditation practice in this episode to help you manage your stress in a more productive manner.

If you want to gain a conceptual framework to understand stress, understand self-awareness and implement practical ways to examine if meditation is right for you and to find a way for the practice to benefit you, this is an episode you can’t miss. While meditation may not be for everyone, it is all about digging into how you are feeling right now so that you can do something about it.

What did you learn in this episode? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section on our episode page.

In This Episode

How to detox your life from stress during the current pandemic (8:14)
Learn about the stress detox framework and how to develop self-awareness (13:05)
Subtle signs that may indicate that you are going from eustress to burnout (17:32)
The four best self-reflection questions to help you check in with yourself (23:12)
Join in on a meditation practice and learn alternative meditation activities to try (25:35)

Quotes

“That became the framework of the stress detox program that I created, which is deeply rooted in awareness. So developing your self-awareness and your own personal response to stress.” (11:15)

“It’s not that we’re trying to eliminate stress from our life, what we’re really trying to do is recognize where we are on the stress spectrum. And when were approaching distress, that’s when we apply our tools to take a pause and bring ourselves down that spectrum back into eustress or maybe a state of calm.” (16:19)

“Its extremely important right now in this current pandemic that we’re experiencing, because people’s feelings are all over the place, and everyone is dealing with it differently. And however, you are dealing with it is okay. And however, you are feeling at this moment is okay.” (21:35)

“It teaches us and it builds our resilience because you become more accepting of change because change is constant. And so you are not as reactive to the change that is occurring outside, because you have become familiar with working with change inside your body.” (32:42)

“When things seem so uncertain as they are right now in our world, I encourage you to go back to what you can control.” (35:12)

Links

Ritu Riyat Website

Stress Detox Udemy Course

5 Minute Mind Program

Follow Ritu on Facebook | Instagram

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Listening To Your Body's Needs w/ Michelle Shapiro May 05, 2020

Do you struggle with navigating the middle ground between functional nutrition and the anti-diet movement? Michelle Shapiro is a registered dietitian who is on a mission to support the common good by helping others understand a blended approach to food and your body. Never afraid to get into a debate, Michelle has devoted her life to a safe way for people to apply the incredible principles of functional healing to the paradigm of body neutral loving and ethical body treatment.

Rejecting The Body Notions That Don't Stick With You

If you are struggling to understand the polar ends of the spectrum and are searching for answers when it comes to approaching intuitive eating for your specific life experiences, Michelle is here to open up the conversation. By not being afraid to challenge people or put herself in an uncomfortable position, Michelle is accomplishing her mission one skeptic at a time.

Michelle wants you to tolerate the discomfort that you feel and sit with yourself to better understand what your body needs. By questioning everyone except for yourself, you can check in with yourself deeply and honestly to find the possibility of miraculous healing. There is always something that you can do to make yourself feel better, and Michelle is here to provide you with a message of hope and healing during these difficult times. On a mission to help others be seen, remove judgment, and embracing health changes, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Are you ready to start rejecting the body notions that don’t stick with you and embracing the ones that do? Share where you sit on the spectrum with us in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn the benefits of gravitating towards a blended approach of understanding (9:35)
Discover what you should be tuning your awareness into and away from (14:14)
Why you should approach intuitive eating from your specific life experiences (19:25)
How to listen and tune into your body from a middle ground of functional nutrition (24:20)
Why you should listen to your gut when selecting a healthcare professional (25:33)

Quotes

“If I feel like something threatens people, whether it be diet culture, whether it be something like big pharma, I am very willing and eager to put myself in an awkward position if there is even a potential that someone else might feel seen or heard.” (8:27)

“When you’re handing someone sort of restrictive plan, you need to be extremely highly sensitive to the person you are working with to understand what they might have gone through to get to that point.” (18:08)

“I actually affect change by talking to people who would be the most anti-whatever I am talking about at the highest level, and who might have more influence too.” (21:15)

“Anyone can do what we do, you really can learn to do what we do. Sure we are special in some ways, but I’m not more exemplary than any other person applying the same principles that I use. Anyone can do what we do.” (26:36)

“Check in with yourself so deeply and so honestly, without judgment, without ego, without anything, and just really get to know where you are at. And in doing that you will know if you need additional help or if you are the help that you need.” (32:45)

Links

Michelle Shapiro Website

Follow Michelle on Instagram

Quiet The Diet Program

Anxiety Proof Program

Follow Steph on Instagram

HTK 247: Staying Human In A Fucked Up World with Tim Desmond

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How to Move Intuitively w/ Steph Ondrusek Apr 28, 2020

Have you ever felt like you are only participating in a movement practice because you ‘should’ be doing so? Creating a movement practice is critical to honoring your physical vessel and nourishing your body, but it can come with its fair share of obstacles. Steph Ondrusek is a strength coach who believes in the importance of creating an intuitive movement practice unique to your body and your needs so that you can start relishing in your body’s potential. Because if you aren’t enjoying what you are doing, what’s the point?

Stop Beating Yourself Up & Find Where You Are Now

Don’t just move for the sake of doing it or because someone told you too, the challenge and feeling of accomplishment you can gain from intuitive movement can help you enjoy what your body is capable of in a whole new way. By pursuing your strength or fitness goals with a new attitude, you can stop beating yourself up and find where you are now.

Steph is all about looking at the big picture and self-exploration so that you can love yourself and your body wherever you’re currently at. Instinct, emotion, and rational thinking are the basis of your intuition, and through intuitive movement, you can tune in, listen to your body and embrace that you are so much more than just what you do.

How do you use intuitive movement to nurture and nourish your daily routine? Share your experience and thoughts on Steph’s expertise with us in the comment section on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why diet culture interrupts your trust in yourself when it comes to movement (6:40)
Ways to help yourself clue into your actual goals and avoid the ‘shoulds’ (10:35)
How to set performance metrics while avoiding obsessing about aesthetic (18:53)
Tips for embracing movement without viewing it as a competition or comparison (20:12)
What to do when you feel disoriented and have to modify your movement routine (26:27)
The top helpful ways to become more intuitive with your movement practice (32:15)

Quotes

“If actually the goal is not the goal, if the goal is different from what I thought it was, which is actually to feel connected and strong and accomplished, and it’s not going to come necessarily just because I hit some fitness goal, what do I do?” (9:49)

“I’ve had several people in the past week be like ‘when does it end? When does this end?’ and I’m like, well some of this can end whenever you want it too.” (12:00)

“Really asking the question, backing up a lot and saying ‘what am I chasing? What am I getting out of this and what do I hope to get out of this? And is the method that I am using, so fitness or movement or strength, is that going to lead to that?” (20:27)

“You don’t have to do it just like the one way that someone told you too. You can find your way through it and as you are finding your way, your goal might change. It might not, you might find a whole bunch of different things that you didn’t know were there, and I think that’s the really valuable part.” (23:25)

“Know that you still deserve to enjoy your movement, you still deserve to enjoy food, you still deserve to enjoy whatever you want and whatever you can, even if your body has changed.” (29:17)

Links

Strong by Steph Website

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Using Astrology To Understand Relationships Better w/ Colin Bedell Apr 21, 2020

Today we welcome the first astrologer to grace the airwaves at Listen To Your Body, Colin Bedell. A gay Gemini Twin, author, and creator of Queer Cosmos, Colin is here to shed new light on the power of astrology and provide you with ways that you can use astrology to better understand yourself and your relationships.

Tools To Help You Live In Faith & Walk With Resilience

Colin is on a mission to dismiss the qualms you may have heard about astrology, and bring a fresh perspective to the typical heteronormative landscape. Passionate about providing you tools to help you live in faith and walk with resilience and comfort into the unknown, Colin is here to disrupt everything you thought you knew about getting to know yourself.

If you want to live a life informed by the clarification of values, and the safety that is given when you know that you are the person you claim to be, astrology can help you identify your values and live the life you have always imagined for yourself. Colin believes that astrology is a choice revealer, not a choice maker, and wants to help you harness the power of being aware of your choices to make the best decisions you can.

Colin not only talks the talk but he also walks the walk and is here to help you discover the truth in a way that is spoken for you. By being vulnerable you can choose your own power, and given this crazy period that we are all living in, who doesn’t want a bit more of that? Let us know what you loved most about Colin’s perspective, knowledge and advice with us in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn why self-love and self-identity is a necessary relational experience (9:01)
Dismissing the misunderstandings about what astrology can do for you (15:54)
How to hold grace for yourself to handle things outside of your control (21:30)
Tips for opening yourself up to new possibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic (28:44)
What to expect with the upcoming Taurus astrological season and beyond (37:02)

Quotes

“We are now all living through the same experience across the world. Through different spaces and nuances and details absolutely, but we are all confronted with the same experience at once. And I think that really accelerated the me-to-we maturation process.” (7:19)

“Let’s make sure that each and every one of us arrives at the occasion within our astrological charts and that way we can know that we are doing the part that we were assigned here to do.” (16:52)

“Were all going through this together, you and everybody else, so let’s not get precious here. And let’s really rise to the occasion within our personhood, because history is asking us to do so. And who do you want to be in the space of what is happening?” (25:33)

“Now every lane of my life is in beautiful integrity, and I put my head on my pillow every night knowing that I am the fucking bitch I claim to be! So no one can touch me. And that’s where I want [you] to be.” (37:28)

Links

Queer Cosmos Website

Follow Colin on Instagram

HTK 188: What Is Nutritional Therapy?

Join The Listen To Your Body Newsletter

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Listen To Your Body Podcast is sponsored by the Nutritional Therapy Association. Registration is now open for the NTA’s April class. You can learn more and save your seat by clicking here (and don’t forget to mention my name on your application!)

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How to Sense Your Intuition w/ Tamara Ross Apr 14, 2020

Intuition has many different aspects, including the things you just know, or your gut feelings. Many of us struggle to identify our gut feelings, explain our intuition or have doubts about what we truly know deep down. If this sounds like you, Tamara Ross wants to show you how you can start to trust your intuition and foster it regardless of what other people think. Tamara has manifested magic in her life since opening her world to the power of intuition over five years ago and is here today to show you how you can do the same.

Every Single Person Has The Power Of Intuition Inside Of Them

A mom, wife, entrepreneur, self-professed ‘recovering type A personality’, and Energetic Master, Tamara is passionate about helping others build on their intuitive sensations. By getting rid of whatever is getting in the way of your ability to know and feel, you can learn how to identify, honor and surrender into the third-dimensional reality of your intuition.

Every single person has the power of intuition inside of them. It is only by identifying and honoring the specific combination of intuitive principles unique to you that you can start to trust your inner intuition. By tuning in to what is happening in reality, you can get a better grip of your intuitive powers and learn how to identify the sensations within your brain and body.

During this time of crisis in our world, it can be extra important to understand your willingness to give and receive contributions through higher consciousness and collective energy, and Tamara is passionate about opening you up to those intuitive contributions. Are you ready to explore the power of your intuition and tap into your universal consciousness? Share your relationship with intuition with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to receive your own intuition and listen when it shows up (7:37)
Tips for developing your intuition when living in a proof-based world (11:45)
Understanding the difference and similarities between feelers and knowers (14:48)
Ways to train yourself to identify energy fields of your own and others (22:12)
How to let go of judgment, points of view and conclusions when it comes to intuition (25:45)
Specific ways that you can cultivate, strengthen and tune into your intuition (31:10)

Quotes

“I have only been using my intuition for about five years, and magic has happened all over the place. You too can use your intuition and you have it.” (8:41)

“If you are really going to take on the journey of following your intuition and honoring it, it’s a little bit like it doesn’t really matter what anybody else has to say.” (12:58)“I was taken out very early in the pandemic before the pandemic even hit, I was completely taken out and I was in the bed for about 2 weeks. And so that’s the psychic-ness, the tuning into the conscious, being in tune with what is about to happen where I was already giving contributions.” (23:16)

“Right now as a collective, the consciousness is saying slow down. And I have been tuned into that.” (26:48)

“If you can consistently bring yourself back to what is only happening right now, it has a way of calming and centering yourself. And from that place, you will be more connected to your higher self, that universal consciousness, that source energy and everything else around us. And that is where your intuition comes from.” (33:23)

Links

My Life My Design Website

Manifesting More Free Online Training

Join The Listen To Your Body Newsletter

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Energy Tips For Empaths & Highly Sensitive People Apr 07, 2020

The current state of the world right now is anxiety-inducing for the majority of us, but especially those of us who are empaths or highly sensitive. Now more than ever we need to stick together and use the tools available to us so that we can deal with what is going on while limiting our panic and anxiety.

Learn The Similarities & Differences Between Highly Sensitivity & Empathy

Today I want to share with you some of my top tools and strategies to take care of yourself as a highly sensitive or empathic person and help you cope with our current environment. If you are unsure if you are a highly sensitive person, want to learn the similarities and differences between high sensitivity and empathy, or are looking for ways to overcome your anxiety during this time, the information shared on this episode is what you have been searching for.

Everything from getting enough sleep to limiting the amount of time you spend on your phone or social media can have a huge impact on both your physical and mental ability to handle stress. By understanding what makes you tick on the inside, you can advocate for yourself and your needs in a way that feels good for you.

You can use your skills, talents, abilities, and creativity to help others, and in turn, will give you a greater sense of a bigger impact and ability to become energetically bigger. Are you ready to explore some of my suggestions so that you can find what supports you? Share your favorite tip or recommendation for highly sensitive people or empaths with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Strategies to help you deal with what is going on in the world today (3:10)
Why you should view your high sensitivity or empathy as a gift not a curse (9:04)
Learn the difference between feeling empathy and being a highly sensitive person (10:34)
How to take care of yourself if you are a highly sensitive or empathic person (14:56)
Practices to clear your space and help you feel more grounded and grateful (25:20)

Quotes

“I know empaths and highly sensitive people are just struggling to deal with what is happening in the world, and yes I am feeling this as well. But I wanted to share some of the strategies I have learned along the way.” (2:55)

“One of my goals in this world and one of the things I feel called to do… is helping other empaths and other highly sensitive people learn this about themselves. And not only that but learning how to thrive because these are truly gifts that we have.” (8:33)

“It becomes part of the background, the things that are piling up and we don’t notice them. But it does create space. It creates mental space, ti creates energetic space and it creates physical space for us to really just get around our environment.” (24:45)

“Sometimes as an empath and a highly sensitive person, it is easy to get overwhelmed by what is happening to you. What energy you are taking in, what you are absorbing, and sometimes that can feel very constrictive and closed off… it almost energetically causes you to shrink. So right now be mindful and respectful of yourself.” (29:33)

Links

Take The Highly Sensitive Person Quiz Here

Facebook Live with Rachel Dash-Dougherty

HTK 206: Energy Tips for Empaths

HTK 156: Sensitive

HTK 76: Karina Antonopoulos

HTK 188: What Is Nutritional Therapy?

LTYB 276: Dr. Sara DeFrancesco

LTYB 277: Self-Compassion in Uncertain Times

LTYB Podcast Archives

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

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Self-Compassion In Uncertain Times Mar 31, 2020

We are in a rapidly changing world right now, and I have noticed a lot of self-judgment being perpetuated as we all rush to adapt to this ‘new normal’. During times of stress and change, it is common to look to our bodies and our nutrition as something that we can control, and we shame ourselves when we may not get it right.

It Is Time To Honor Your Feelings & Emotions During This Crazy Time

This episode is all about cultivating some self-compassion and human connection during these uncertain times. Instead of shaming yourself into being productive, I want you to ask yourself what is it that will nourish you most right now? Whether the answer is sitting on the couch and watching Netflix or taking advantage of your ability to move your body, it is all okay, and nothing to feel bad about.

Self-compassion is one of the three main pillars of body acceptance and intuitive eating, and it is only by being non-judgemental, treating yourself and others with loving care and implementing some mindfulness that you can find the peace you are craving.

It is time to honor your feelings and emotions during this crazy time and recognize that you are not alone. We are all in this together, learning as we go and adapting to an ever-changing situation. Are you ready to focus on what your body needs most right now? Share how you are handling this pandemic with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why you shouldn’t shame yourself into finding a sense of normalcy (7:40)
How to adjust the way you use movement during this period of quarantine (12:47)
Tips for figuring out what is going to nourish your body and avoiding shame (16:33)
The three main parts of self-compassion and how to work towards mastery (18:31)
What you can do to foster a shared sense of human connection and empathy (23:20)

Quotes

“I think there is a really important difference between cultivating some sense of normalcy in these times, versus getting really judge-y with ourselves for not being able to stick to what’s normal.” (7:31)

“If your situation has changed, even a little bit… it still takes some adjustment, it takes time and space oftentimes, to adjust. And that’s okay.” (11:09)

“Know that in these times, when things are uncertain and you feel a lack of control in other areas, its oftentimes a common response.” (14:16)

“We just have to ride the wave, it will pass. But you are in a transitional state right now, and this is where self-compassion comes in.” (15:42)

“I can’t even begin to tell you how much empathy towards others and self-compassion right now are the two pieces that we really need. We can’t only take care of ourselves here, we can’t only be self-centered because then we lose the greater sense of our shared humanity.” (23:53)

Links

Get A Free Month of Dumbell Workouts Here

HTK 188: What is Nutritional Therapy?

Self-Compassion by Kristen Neff

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Listen To Your Body Podcast is sponsored by the Nutritional Therapy Association. Registration is now open for the NTA’s March class. You can learn more and save your seat by clicking here (and don’t forget to mention my name on your application!)

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Break Free From Anxiety w/ Dr. Sara DeFrancesco Mar 24, 2020

Anxiety is something that many people, especially those of us who are highly sensitive people, deal with often. Usually the same combination of relaxation techniques, therapy and mediation are portrayed as the only options, but there is another way. Dr. Sara DeFrancesco is a root cause naturopathic doctor who helps people discover their root causes so they can reclaim their power, rebuild their health, and make their future years the most fulfilling of their life.

Understand The Interconnectedness Of Your Body

Today Dr. Sara is here to talk about everything anxiety and HSP related and provide you with tools to approach anxiety from a multifactorial point of view. Even if you don’t identify as a highly sensitive person, Dr. Sara is a wealth of knowledge with a unique perspective that brings to light everything anxiety related. Everything from your gut to your diet and stress levels can play a role in your anxiety, and with Dr. Sara’s help you can start to understand the interconnectedness of your body and get to the root cause of the problem

If you don’t know what to do about your anxiety but want to avoid the victim mentality that is perpetuated in our society, Dr. Sara’s tips will help you thrive despite your anxiety and honor your unique neurology to move forward and utilize tools that help you feel your best. By taking the stigma out of anxiety and providing yourself with the knowledge you need to understand your body you can begin to thrive on a day to day basis.

Anxiety is not a genetic lottery, and there are things that you can do to reduce your symptoms and create a healthier brain environment. Are you ready to take back control of your body through Dr. Sara’s easy to implement lifestyle tips? Share your thoughts with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The biggest issues causing anxiety and other chronic inflammatory conditions (11:50)
How to stop reinforcing negativity and practice new thoughts and actions (19:02)
What you can do to feel more grounded and do the things you love (23:50)
Tips for thriving as a highly sensitive person while honoring the neurotype (26:10)
Ways you can support your body and build yourself a foundation of health (28:42)

Quotes

“You can really change your tendency towards anxiety by addressing some of the imbalances that are going on in the body and brain. And that really negates any tendency towards anxiety that you may have in your genetic blueprint.” (8:01)

“There are so many women who they feel like a failure, but really this limitation of options is what’s failing them.” (11:47)

“It is okay to feel bad and take the time to grieve something that is frustrating for you, but it is a disservice to yourself to stay in that place.” (15:23)

“Knowing that you are an HSP should be like you just got your cape for your superhero costume.” (26:48)

“Of course we need to have healthy neurotransmitters, but the key to having healthy neurotransmitters is really having that rock-solid foundation of digestion, lowering inflammation, making sure we have the right nutrients, making sure we have enough protein, and really managing our stress.” (32:26)

Links

Follow Dr. Sara on Instagram

Dr. Sara DeFrancesco Website

Highly Sensitive Person Quiz

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You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

The Anti-Diet Approach To Eating w/ Evelyn Tribole Mar 17, 2020

Evelyn Tribole is a legend in the intuitive eating world, having co-authored and co-created Intuitive Eating with Elyse Resch in 1995. The book is now in its 4th edition and is the perfect guidebook when looking to embrace an anti-diet approach and heal your relationship with food.

How To Embrace Intuitive Eating

A registered dietitian and expert in unraveling intuitive eating, body acceptance and body neutrality, Evelyn is here today to answer some of your most burning listener questions and provide insight into the important world of nutrition and intuitive eating.

Today we are breaking down everything from the real implications of diet culture and body lineage, how to embrace intuitive eating when on a specific healing protocol or healing from food addiction, ways to accept your body even if you don’t feel great at your current size, and so much more.

Evelyn literally wrote the book on intuitive eating and Is determined to put an end to unnecessary suffering by creating a global village tasked with dismantling diet culture and cultivating respect for all bodies, including your own.

With the right mindset and tools, intuitive eating is easy to incorporate into whatever you are doing right now, and can foster a sense of intuition, emotional and rational thinking so that you can make the best decision for your body.

Are you ready to apply Evelyns practical tips so that you can start to support, accept and love your body? Share the role intuitive eating plays in your journey with us in the comments section on the episode page.

In This Episode

Ways to implement intuitive eating when following a specific healing protocol (10:15)
Tips for listening to your body and trusting yourself when surrounded by hyper-palatable food (14:14)
The real implications and risks of diet culture and how to embrace self-compassion (26:30)
First steps that you can take to start deconstructing body lineage for your family (35:20)
How to reconnect and remind yourself to tune into your body as a form of self-care (38:00)

Quotes

“When you think about intuitive eating, there are 10 principles as you know, and the 10th is ‘own your health with gentle nutrition’. So medical nutrition therapy actually works really beautifully in there, but in order for that to work impactfully, it really needs to be facilitated by someone who has been trained in both the intuitive eating model and also in the medical nutrition therapy.” (11:14)

“The good thing about intuitive eating, its an inner dynamic model with 10 principles, and it’s not just being connected with how things sound and feel in your body, we can use our wise mind.” (18:59)“Every time you honor hunger, you are rebuilding trust, you are rebuilding your relationship with food and it happens over and over and over again.” (24:48)

“This is about accepting your humanity, that just being a human being, your body is your home for the rest of your life, and no matter the size, shape, gender or race of your body, your abilities and so on, your sexuality, we all are worthy of dignity and respect.” (31:55)

“Were all human, and this is not about intellect, it is about connecting.” (38:13)

Links

Intuitive Eating, 4th Edition: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach

The Intuitive Eating Workbook: Ten Principles for Nourishing a Healthy Relationship with Food

Follow Evelyn on Instagram

Intuitive Eating Website

Evelyn Tribole Website

HTK 188: What Is Nutritional Therapy?

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You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

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Self Worth vs Body Size w/ Maida Ference Mar 10, 2020

Often we are so disconnected from our bodies that we wait for someone else to tell us what we should be doing rather than discerning what is right for us on our own. Maida Ference has her own unique relationship with food, body image and nutrition and is here today to address the cause and effect of what you are eating and how it impacts how you show up in the world.

Dismiss Expectations & Highlight The Importance Of Forgiveness

The owner of Nuanced Nutrition and fellow nutritional therapy practitioner, Maida has experienced the implications of being in a larger size body and a straighter size body and is here today to share her experience with you. Over the course of the last seven years, Maida has been able to figure out the right way to eat for her body and is passionate about creating a space where people are able to share openly and vulnerably.

Whether you are in a larger body or a smaller body, Maida is here to dismiss expectations and highlight the importance of forgiveness in the relationship between you and your body. Our mindset, history and life experiences all impact our food consumption, and it is only by accepting that you can do anything you want in the body that you have right now that you can start to believe all that you are capable of.

Have you subconsciously linked your self-worth or ability to connect with the size of your body? Share what you relate to most about Maida’s journey of self-discovery and body acceptance with us in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

How to get into your body and discern what is truly the right fit for you (8:35)
Addressing the implications of being in a larger size or straighter size body (12:10)
Tips for finding connection and joy within your body at any size or state (18:40)
What it is like to undergo surgery that alters your outward bodily appearance (21:42)
How to navigate a changing body without it becoming a ‘before and after’ (24:30)
The role of sobriety and embracing a 12 step program in your food journey (29:20)

Quotes

“We can sit there and argue all day long about the right way to do something, but if we are not asking each other ‘why do you believe that?’ or ‘what is your experience of that?’ then we are missing out.” (10:18)

“I started to recognize the cause and effect of what I was eating and how it impacted how I walked through the world, how I was able to show up.” (17:05)

“You can do anything in the body you have right now, you don’t have to fit into someone else’s framework of what that is supposed to look like.” (19:16)

“You can experience the freedom and the joy and the connection that I have experienced in the past 7 years, without your body changing on the outside.” (27:16)

“I didn’t realize how much I lied to myself and how that impacted and how much it was driven by fear, and doing that work allows me to be completely rigorously humbly honest and to know that there is a reason.” (33:18)

Links

Nuanced Nutrition Website

Follow Nuanced Nutrition on Facebook | Instagram

LTYB 272: Introducing The Listen To Your Body Podcast

HTK 188: What is Nutritional Therapy?

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Opting Out Of Diet Culture w/ Naomi Katz Mar 03, 2020

There is a huge difference between blaming diet culture and blaming the dieter who participates in that culture. Naomi Katz is a body image and self-trust coach who is here today to break down some of the nuance and questions you may have surrounding diet culture and help you stop victim-blaming.

Ways To Address Diet Culture

Scrutinizing individuals who partake in diet culture instead of recognizing the systematic and cultural factors at play in this issue is an easy mistake to make, but it can have severe repercussions for those around you. Today Naomi is here to promote body diversity, give you tips for getting out of the diet culture yourself, and provide you with ways to address diet culture with those you love who are still engrained in the culture with empathy.

It is so important to support individuals at various points of their health journey even if it means they are still participating in diet culture. By seeking out information about what diet culture really is, you can create an opportunity of connection so that you and those you love can start making body autonomous decisions.

Instead of playing into body hierarchy it is time to step up for autonomy over everything and move forward with the intentions you inherently want for yourself and those you love. If you want to remain critical and conversational around diet culture while also holding dieters and people who chose that lifestyle in respect and empathy, you can’t miss this episode.

What role has diet culture and body autonomy played in your view of self-worth and relationships with others? Share your experience with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How you can hold the individual in a place of respect in regards to diet culture (12:40)
Tips for supporting individuals at various points of their diet culture journey (17:50)
Ways to move from diet culture into a space of making body autonomy choices (19:38)
Helpful methods to help those you love who are embedded in diet culture (23:03)
Practices to help keep the lines of communication open around anti-diet culture (30:10)

Quotes

“When we’re talking about anti-diet spaces, we’re not really talking about anti-dieter spaces so much as we are talking about anti-diet culture spaces.” (13:14)

“Blaming dieters, acting in an anti-dieter way, is very much like a victim-blaming the situation, and obviously none of us want to be participating in that. Sometimes it’s helpful to look at anti-diet culture as being pro a lot of other things.” (17:45)

“I think one the best ways to begin opting out of diet culture is to become hyper-aware of where it is popping up in your life and to curate your feed, curate your life kind of situation.” (20:53)

“I think its important to look back at where we were, where we came from, and how long it may have taken us to find our way out. Because opting out of diet culture is not a simple thing, it takes work and it is a process.” (24:40)

“We are not blaming dieters here, we are blaming the culture for all of this stuff. And it is important for us to draw boundaries and draw differences between what is individual and autonomous behavior, and behavior that actually out worldly upholds the culture and may harm other people.” (31:22)

Links

Happy Shapes Website

Follow Naomi on Instagram

LTYB 272: Steph Gaudreau

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You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Introducing The Listen To Your Body Podcast Feb 25, 2020

The next evolution of Harder to Kill Radio is here and with a brand new name. Today’s episode is all about diving into the reasons behind the change and what you can continue to expect from the Listen To Your Body Podcast.

Hear Your Body Signals & Trust Yourself More Deeply

There have been some major changes to my business and mindset since the start of this show, and I want to take you along on the journey with me. My goal is to continue to introduce you to expert guests and my own personal opinions so that you can reclaim your abilities to eat and move more intuitively, hear your body signals and trust yourself more deeply.

Through the intersection of body, mind and soul health, true healing and an intuitive way of life are possible, and I am so happy that you are with me on this ride. I want to encourage you to develop your own intuition, align your energy with what you are truly connected to, and help you listen to your body.

What do you think of our new name and mission? Head on over to the episode page and share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about the backstory behind the change of the title of this podcast (2:44)
Why I want to focus on intuitive eating, self-compassion, and mindset (7:35)
The importance of aligning our energy with what you feel connected too (8:15)
Reasons why I decided to change the name to Listen To Your Body (13:20)
What you can expect to learn more about with this new rebranding (15:02)

Quotes

“I began to feel a growing disconnect with the name. Recently in the last few months, I have been in an incredible coaching program, I have been getting coached around things like energy and energetics. And what started to become clear to me was the podcast as its own entity and its own energy and myself as I was continuing to grow and shift and diverge into this slightly different direction, our energies weren’t matching up anymore.” (8:36)

“Even though I know very instinctively and intuitively that it is the next thing for me to do, there is still always this battle.” (10:36)

“Were working toward a more peaceful way of being in our bodies, whether that is incorporating intuition more, it’s moving toward intuitive eating, moving our bodies more intuitively, moving our bodies for the joy of moving our bodies, incorporating things like spiritual curiosity, what does that mean and how does it factor into our mind body and our mind-body connection, meditation, all sorts of things.” (14:51)

“You’re still going to hear things that are related to food and movement and mindset, but the energy, the intention, is different, it’s shifting. And I feel so excited about it and I can’t wait to share it with you.” (20:30)

Links

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

All About Histamine Intolerance w/ Dr. Becky Campbell Feb 18, 2020

Histamine intolerance is something that impacts so many, yet few know the true impact it is having on their health. Dr. Becky Campbell is not just your typical functional medicine practitioner, after healing her own slew of health-related issues thanks to a practitioner that truly listened to her story, Dr. Becky decided that it was her purpose to help other women avoid the same struggles that she did.

The Hidden Root Causes Behind Your Experiences

The symptoms of histamine intolerance can be all over the board, which is why it is so important to educate yourself so that you can evaluate if it may play a role in the hidden root causes behind your experiences. Everything from your cooking habits to your stress can impact your histamine tolerance levels, and Dr. Becky is here to provide you will all the information you need to make smart histamine decisions.

If you are curious about the connection between histamines, your symptoms, menstrual cycle, and more, this is the episode for you. By addressing your underlying issues and putting the protocols Dr. Becky provides you into place, it is possible to overcome your histamine obstacles and start to feel better through simple lifestyle solutions.

Are you ready to get to the root causes of your symptoms and stop being afraid of food? Let us know which of Dr. Becky’s tips were your favorite in the comments section on the episode page.

In This Episode

Gain an understanding of what histamine is and the role it plays in your body (4:16)
Common symptoms to help you navigate a possible histamine intolerance (6:40)
The difference between mast cell activation syndrome and histamine intolerance (9:02)
Learn how slow cooking can impact your histamine tolerance and nutrition (26:02)
What to do once you start to overcome your histamine intolerance symptoms (32:55)

Quotes

“There are histamine receptors all over the body, and that’s why the symptoms are so widespread, and that is what can make this very hard to diagnosis.” (6:53)

“The reason I wrote this book is because this is overwhelming. And I have the type of brain that I work like I am very good at showing people how to make things basic, and not overwhelming. So I wanted to put it all into a manual, just do this and you will get better. And it does work! (13:35)

“Once you kind of go through the steps of emptying your bucket, I want you to start visualizing certain foods being good for you, and not being afraid that they are going to hurt you still if they are not going to.” (17:49)

“It can be really, really effective, you just have to really get to the source of what is going on.” (31:40)

“You have to understand that the food was doing what it was doing because your body wasn’t ready to handle the amount of histamine that food contained. But now your body is in a different state than it was at that time, and your body is ready for it.” (34:28)

Links

The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan by Dr. Becky Campbell

Dr. Becky Campbell Website

Follow Dr. Becky on Instagram

HTK 203: Hypothyroidism with Dr. Becky Campbell

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Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Super Bowl Halftime Show Thoughts Feb 11, 2020

It seems that all anyone can talk about since last week’s Super Bowl is the halftime show performed by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. Everything from slut-shaming to diet culture has been brought up in conversation surrounding the event, and I am here today to lay down my two cents.

Accepting People As Multidimensional Beings

At the end of the day, there will be criticism no matter what. What truly matters is your ability to believe in yourself, think critically, and act in a way that empowers you. Instead of feeling shame surrounding what you do or do not do with your body, I want you to feel the confidence to create a space that feels right for you.

Before you place judgment on J.Lo and Shakira’s halftime show, I encourage you to get thinking and consider different angles other than your own before imposing your viewpoint on those who may be easily impressed. It is up to us to promote a culture of body acceptance without body discrimination, and that can only happen by accepting people as multidimensional beings.

Today I ask the questions necessary to help you navigate the space of having conversations with young women that empowers sexuality in a way that promotes respect from everyone, including yourself.

Are you ready to join in on the discussion? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to acknowledge that you are more than just a body as a woman (10:50)
Addressing the either-or paradigm of modesty to sluttiness in society (11:32)
Why you can be an autonomous woman while still being a sexualized being (17:05)
Comparing white male performance standards to that of this Superbowl (20:43)
Tips for sitting with the things that make you uncomfortable before judging (27:14)

Quotes

“There are all sorts of things about women and how they show up in the world and how we value women and their bodies, and the double standards that exist between different types of women and their bodies, between men and women in their bodies.” (5:55)

“If they were completely covered in what is considered modest clothing, there would still be a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of commentary about their bodies, how they showed up.” (9:29)

“You can explore and express yourself through your clothes, how you actually show up in the world. But that is not the only thing that matters about you.” (15:53)

“We want to teach them to have self-respect, but we also, I get the sense most people want to let their kids be who they are.” (23:27)

Links

Join The Harder To Kill Newsletter Here

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Harder to Kill Radio is sponsored by the Nutritional Therapy Association. Registration is now open for the NTA’s February class. You can learn more and save your seat by clicking here (and don’t forget to mention my name on your application!)

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Unpacking Emotions & Body Liberation w/ Jess Demasi Feb 04, 2020

When it comes to our journey of body liberation there can be some boundaries, including the processing of emotions. Jess Demasi is a certified eating psychology coach, the founder of Wholly Healed and is passionate about helping people redefine health without diet culture. Today Jess is here to encourage you to give yourself permission to define what it is to be a woman in this life for you and only you.

Create A Radical Sense Of Awareness

This episode is all about unpacking some of the stigmas and privileges that we can all unknowingly carry, and taking a step back without judgment but instead with curiosity to keep asking yourself the hard questions when it comes to your relationship with your body.

Jess is on a mission to create a radical sense of awareness and help women unapologetically show up as who they are. Today is all about gaining skills to develop your own sense of liberation, whatever that may be for you, and removing judgment towards what you are feeling in a healthy way.

You are more than just your body, and it is through the separation of your identity and your body that you can deal with what is really going on internally and heal yourself from the inside out. By asking the hard questions and feeling where the healing needs to come from you can learn to care for yourself and become your own autonomous agent.

Are you ready to start on your path to liberation? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn about the role of desirability privilege and desirability politics in our society (10:10)
Deconstructing body autonomy and being aware of your own motivations (20:12)
How to embrace your journey of liberation as an experience just for you (23:20))
Tips for living a liberated life and showing up as who you are unapologetically (26:05)
Ways to use the RAIN acronym to process your emotions in a healthy way (28:42)

Quotes

“Being thin and pretty as a woman should not be a pre-requisite for the value that we’re given, nor should it be a requirement for our existence.” (5:46)

“Any time we have what we call the happiness destination paradox, where we imagine that our emotions, our internal world, would be different if our external world was different. That is when you have that chasm, and you are taking internal issues that should be worked on internally and you are projecting them onto your external appearance.” (15:07)

“I am here to ask the questions to get you thinking, and then what you do with that is completely your responsibility.” (21:01)

“All that I can ask for is a radical sense of awareness.” (22:23)

“I don’t think that the world benefits from women who are living to please other people. I think that actually what we desperately need, for kindness and compassion and to solve the world’s problems, in our individual lives and in the larger aspect of the world, is women showing up in their completely whole, authentic selves.” (26:08)

Links

Wholly Healed Website

Follow Jess on Instagram

Enroll in Steph’s Intuitive Eating Group Coaching Plan Here

Emotions Wheel

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

5 Ways To Build Body Respect Jan 28, 2020

Building body respect is all about coming back to our default states, without the pressure of shame or negativity. It takes an unlearning of what society has tried to tell us matters about our bodies and becoming at peace with the fact that your body is just one small piece of who you are.

Your Body Is One Small Piece Of Who You Are

In this episode, I share with you five of the best ways that you can start to build body respect for yourself and for those around you. Instead of indulging in the shame game, you can start to learn body acceptance and listen to your intuition on a day to day basis with these simple and effective strategies.

Your body is not the most important thing about you, despite what diet culture and society says. By getting clear on the goodness that you have intrinsically, instead of placing a premium on our own bodies and others, you can embrace gratitude for your right here and now body.

Are you ready to start building body respect and get clear on who you are besides just a body? Join us on the episode page and let us know what steps you are taking to create body respect in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Understanding the difference between body positivity and body neutrality (10:37)
Why you need to stop body checking and measuring yourself and others (16:10)
Tips for shopping for clothes in a way that fits your here and now body (20:34)
The importance of constant awareness when creating positive thoughts (23:50)
How to create new habits and embrace gratitude for your body moving forward (25:20)

Quotes

“We can be critical of the diet culture while having compassion for people who are moving through this process on their own.” (6:48)

“Soon after we enter this world, we start to lose our own abilities as an intuitive eater, but that is our default state.” (9:02)

“When you are faced every day with putting on the pair of whatever clothing item is not fitting your here and now body, for a lot of people this only kicks the day off with anxiety and the not good enough-ness” (19:27)

“Your worth is not in the size of your body, it’s not. And I know that that is hard for a lot of us.” (21:36)

“Who are you aside from just your body? Because I bet if you asked your five closest friends who love you to pieces and would do anything for you… I bet if you asked them what they appreciate and love about you the most, they are not going to say what the size of your body is.” (29:02)

Links

HTK 266: How To Listen To Your Body

HTK 252: Why It’s Important To Dress For Your Here and Now Body

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Harder to Kill Radio is sponsored by the Nutritional Therapy Association. Registration is now open for the NTA’s January class. You can learn more and save your seat by clicking here (and don’t forget to mention my name on your application!)

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

My 2020 Theme + Meditation Jan 21, 2020

A few years ago I was introduced to intention setting, and it has changed the way I view my world. Setting an intention or a theme for your year can help you focus on being less frustrated with what you can’t figure out and more grateful for what is already in your life. In this episode, I am sharing my thoughts and intentions for my own journey in 2020 with you, and providing some insight into the full circle role meditation has played in this discovery.

Embracing The Softness & Finding Strength In Vulnerability

Sometimes there is strength in the softness of surrendering and letting go of what is not working for you. This episode is dedicated to embracing that softness and finding strength in vulnerability.

Do you have a theme for 2020? Share it with me in the comments on the episode page!

In This Episode

The importance of intention and theme when setting yourself up for success (5:35)
What to do if you are struggling with feeling burned out (7:50)
Learn my 2020 theme and how I came to discover it (9:47)
Explore what could happen if you give into surrendering (15:40)
The role of meditation in reconnecting to the Universe (19:32)

Quotes

“Quite a few years back now I think I decided to start setting intentions, and I think I first learned about this from Jen Sinkler, and it just really resonated with me. For whatever reason, that is what I was needing at that time in my life.” (7:26)

“Over the past few years it has become really clear to me that strength sometimes is in the letting go, strength is oftentimes in the softness and the quiet times, and strength is multifactorial and multidimensional.” (12:38)

“To me, I always thought surrendering meant giving up, giving in, quitting, and sometimes it does, and that’s okay!” (15:46)

“The challenge to me is openness, and that to me is part of surrender.” (21:09)

Links

Get Your Core 4 Companion Journal Here

Steph Gaudreau Intuitive Eating Group Coaching Waitlist

HTK 258: Real Talk About Burnout

HTK 181: Lynn Marie Morski

HTK 264: Wellness’ing So Hard

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How To Listen To Your Body Jan 14, 2020

We are all born as intuitive eaters, but through socialization and diet culture, we often drift away from the intuition that we hold from the beginning. I want to persuade you to get back to your true nature and increase your health-promoting behaviors through intuitive eating.

Prime Yourself To Pay Attention To Your Signals

Diet culture will have you believe that you should stay miserable even when you are not seeing the results you desire, just because it is familiar. Today is the day for you to challenge yourself, break out of that mold, and start building the capacity to listen to your body.

Instead of glorifying weight loss, it is time to prime yourself to pay attention to your signals of hunger and fullness and start to become more connected and aware of what your body is trying to tell you. How do you work to harness your intuition and embrace intuitive eating? Share your strategies with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to listen to your body even if you aren’t currently on speaking terms (6:40)
Why sometimes not all weight loss is good or a sign of improved health (9:35)
The importance of healing your relationship with food and movement (12:00)
Learn the difference between intuition, intuitive eating and interoceptive awareness (14:40)
Explore the connection between your physical sensations and your emotions (19:50)

Quotes

“I guess you could say that intuitive eating or intuitive nutrition and movement is kind of my jam.” (2:40)

“Oftentimes you get to a point in your life where you realize that dieting as we know it, dieting for the pursuit of rapid weight loss and so on and so forth, is not working for you anymore.” (8:08)

“Diet culture wants to present that it is harmless, in fact, it is what you should be doing, so lets address health-promoting behaviors instead.” (10:25)

“Not only are physical sensations something that you can sense, but your feelings also create a sensation in your body.” (20:14)

Links

Steph Gaudreau Intuitive Eating Group Coaching Waitlist

HTK 265: Dr. Jen Hosler

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Why Strength Training Can Help Your Body & Your Mind w/ Dr. Jen Hosler Jan 07, 2020

As a woman, Dr. Jen Hosler believes you need to be doing some sort of strength or resistance training. A doctor of physical therapy as well as a personal trainer, Dr. Jen helps women navigate the intersection between their bodies and the physical and mental benefits of strength training. Providing a unique perspective as a physical therapist existing in the world of body image, fitness, and diet culture, Dr. Jen is here to tell you to stop obsessing over being perfect and start finding what works for you.

Overcome The Struggle Of Not Feeling Good

After years of being fed wellness information centered around the perfect body and being obsessed with fat loss, Dr. Jen said enough is enough and started creating legitimate informational resources to help others take care of themselves. Now Dr. Jen works to help you build up your capacity, overcome the struggle of not feeling good in your body, and show up for yourself no matter what.

Strength and resistance training can help you feel comfortable in your own skin, achieve optimal bone density and build strength to challenge and heal your body. If you are new to the strength training world or are wanting to get back into the driver’s seat when it comes to your routine, Dr. Jen is the role model that you need to know about. Are you ready to honor your body with strength and resistance training exercises that keep things simple and feeling good? Share your thoughts about Dr. Jen’s episode in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Why you should stop blaming your body and start blaming the clothes (13:05)
Beginner tips for integrating yourself into strength and resistance training (20:10)
Breaking down the barbell as a tool for strength training and its limitations (31:35)
How to build up your capacity through stress recovery and adaptation (41:30)
Understanding that your identity is more than your fitness persona and progress (52:15)

Quotes

“Picking up the barbell and seeing how strong I was was the big catalyst for me personally, changing and realizing, ‘oh, my body is more than just an ornament for other people to enjoy’.” (10:41)

“Whatever age you are now, let’s get a little bit of weight on your body, let’s get those bones built up a little bit. Because when you are 80, and a little misstep happens, you are going to be so thankful that you had a little load.” (19:51)

“As a physical therapist and a healthcare provider, I will preach a message that I think every woman should try to get some sort of resistance training in because it is just too important for our bodies as they age not too.” (28:03)

“If you can accomplish the same goal or task or purpose that you are trying to accomplish with a barbell but you are also at the risk of feeling in pain or uncomfortable, then let’s see if there is something else that maybe is another tool that can still help you accomplish that task but not wit the same risk or not the same discomfort.” (36:43)

“It doesn’t matter where you are at in your life, there are different seasons in the way things are going to be prioritized, and you always can get back to it.” (51:25)

Links

Dr. Jen Hosler Website

Follow Dr. Jen Hosler on Instagram | Facebook

Movement Upgraded Website

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Wellness'ing So Hard Dec 31, 2019

The new year is often accompanied by self-judgment and ‘shoulds’ that make us feel horrible about ourselves. Instead of giving in to this global collective of exhaustion around wellness and the next diet trend, I invite you to embrace the new decade without the shame, blame and guilt cycle of societal standards.

Pushing Yourself To Wellness Harder Isn't Moving Your Health Ahead

You don’t have to get sucked into the crappy new year marketing of becoming a better you while making yourself miserable. Its time to stop feeling overwhelmed, confused or fed up with this pattern of expectations and energy focused around how you look instead of the intention you put into things.

Pushing yourself to wellness harder is not actually moving your health ahead if it is causing stress, anxiety, and shame. It all comes down to autonomy and listening to your internal voice of motivation, and this episode is all about providing you with the skills and mindset to do that.

Are you ready to stop putting pressure on Jan 1 and do things your own way? Share your mindset going into the new year with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Addressing the overwhelm surrounding wellness and high sensitivity (10:30)
How to make decisions and show up for yourself anywhere on the spectrum (13:40)
Why stressing out over healthy choices or wellness is making you less healthy (17:50)
Strategies for dealing with society’s ‘should’s’ and other things to watch out for (18:30)
Things that you can do if you are feeling the pressure of wellness’ing harder (20:14)

Quotes

“We get into these comparisons where we see other people doing things or we get that Jan 1 or whatever the significant date in the year is and we think ‘okay I am going to get my ass into gear’, which again is fine if it doesn’t cause you to lose your fucking mind over it, and that’s what I see happening very often” (9:52)

“I sense very strongly this collective overwhelm and stress and exhaustion about wellness and its a double-edged sword.” (12:34)

“Please stop running your life and putting that pressure on yourself. If it brings you joy and you absolutely love, that’s great.” (15:18)

“Food is not just macronutrients or calories to optimize. And I get that that can be helpful for some people at some times in their lives, however… stressing out about healthy changes or stressing out about wellness is doing the exact opposite of what you are trying to achieve, it is making you less well.” (18:07)

“Its autonomy, choice, freedom to make decisions, that’s what it really comes down to. So are you freely choosing this or are you doing it because somebody told you its the right way to do things?” (21:30)

Links

HTK 156: Sensitive

HTK 206: Energy Tips for Empaths

Intuitive Eating Group Coaching Waitlist

Small Steps Podcast with Steph Gaudreau and Amiee Suen

Join the Core 4 Facebook Club

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Harder to Kill Radio is sponsored by the Nutritional Therapy Association. Registration is now open for the NTA’s December class. You can learn more and save your seat by clicking here (and don’t forget to mention my name on your application!)

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Learning to Reduce Everyday Pain w/ AJ Evans Dec 24, 2019

We are coming to the end of 2019, and who wouldn’t want to start the new decade pain-free and better functioning? Friend and trainer AJ Evans joins my husband Craig Zielinski and I on this special 3-way live show to provide a double dose of banter and information surrounding getting pain free in your everyday life.

Bridging The Gap Between Healthcare & Wellbeing

Passionate about bridging the gap between healthcare and wellbeing, AJ is here to give an insider look into his life in athletic training and sports medicine rehab and discuss our common shared passion of helping people learn how to help themselves.

Everything from the role of technology in our modern version of communication to the effects of recovering your muscles post-workout and why you need to move your toes are on the table today for this fun and information filled chat amongst friends. If you are looking to avoid the common mindfulness and introspective mistakes people make at the gym, want to become more aware of your feet or want to stop being mad at your body, this is the episode for you.

What are your feelings around finding the silver lining in your pain and wearing crew socks with sandals? Share your thoughts on today’s episode in the comments on the episode page!

In This Episode

Why you can’t be mad at your body if it is broken because you used it (20:37)
Considerations for you to add into your daily movement routine (21:15)
Specific exercises to help you avoid common mistakes and rehab your body (27:35)
Addressing all things feet and the stigma surrounding wearing shoes at the gym (28:50)
Learn why your high heels might be giving you bad posture and a pooch (44:10)

Quotes

“People see these injuries and they are like ‘that sucks’, and its like, you decided to participate in sports outside of athletics, you are challenging your body, that is inherent to whatever you are going to do. So you almost need to relish in the fact that you did it because guess what, you are participating.” (16:36)

“Everything that your body is doing is secondary to what you did to it. Don’t be mad at your body, that’s what happens when you repetitively do the same thing over and over again.” (20:33)

“Go walk in the sand and see how sore your feet get. But then in the same amount of time, take your hands and start grabbing the sand and see how sore your hands aren’t. We use our hands because they are meant to be used. Our feet are meant to be tactile and move around the world but then we put them in these protective features because everybody is worried about stepping on something.” (34:52)

“Use your body, enjoy that you are using your body, just because you are hurt it doesn’t mean that you are injured, keep working, love what you do, don’t wear crew socks with sandals and don’t wear shoes.” (53:03)

Links

HTK 242: Allegra Stein

HTK 225: Steph Gaudreau & Craig Zielinski

HTK 165: Strength Training with Your Menstrual Cycle

HTK 035: Craig Zielinski

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How To See The Value Outside Your Body & Overcome Self-Doubt w/ Summer Innanen Dec 17, 2019

Summer Innanen is one of the pioneers in the multi-faceted and multi-layered body image and disordered eating realm. While paying homage to the women who came before her, Summer works to highlight a woman’s ability to embrace her body however it looks. Summer believes that your purpose if more than just your body and is here today to help you see the value outside of your body and overcome self-doubt and fear.

Truly Embrace Health At Any Size

If you want to help those marginalized through weight stigma and discrimination, are looking for a friend to address the total chaos and body shame prevalent in new motherhood or are searching for a way to break free from the diet culture system, Summer is the expert for you. The self-professed ‘anti-christ of weightloss’, Summer wants you to stop your unhealthy relationship with food and start loving your body for all that it is.

All of the energy that you put towards constantly thinking about your body could be refocused into leading a more purposeful and passionate life and free up space in your mind for new thoughts and experiences. Once you embrace the fact that fat and thin are just mutual descriptors that hold no power over your ability to produce quality and substance you can truly embrace health at every size and become an advocate for treating yourself with kindness.

Are you ready to expose yourself to body diversity and stop perpetuating the idea that thinner is better? Share what you enjoyed most about Summer’s attitude in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Exploring the nuance of intuitive eating, body image, and diet culture (23:40)
Lifting the veil on disordered eating and body image in the ‘wellness’ community (28:50)
The power of changing your social media feed to include larger bodies (34:00)
How to challenge your beliefs surrounding life in a bigger body (39:30)
Health-promoting behaviors that can help people of any shape or body (46:20)

Quotes

“It wasn’t about the food, it was about the way they felt in their body. And so really shifting my gears to focus on that has been something I am really so grateful for.” (13:42)

“I really want people to know that they are more than their bodies. That we don’t need to make it about the body so much, we want it to be about what we have to say and our voices and our purpose.” (17:29)

“I don’t know what is going to happen to people’s bodies. Their weight could go up, their weight could go down, it could stay the same. What we want to do is really create neutrality around those changes so they are not dictating our self-worth and how we feel about ourselves and our food choices and everything else.” (26:30)

“It can be quite emotional and I think having someone helping you to process those things and see the deeper meaning and also the opportunities and the hope that can exist now that you are not a prisoner of that system.” (37:47)

“Educate yourself on the link between weight and health and the success rates of diets. Because there is a lot that we can do with people’s health by taking weight out of the equation.” (43:46)

Links

Summer Innanen Website

The Body Image Remix Book by Summer Innanen

Fearless Rebelle Radio with Summer Innanen

Get the Free Body Confidence 10 Day Makeover Here

You, On Fire 12 Week Group Coaching Program

HTK 037: Summer Innanen

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

What is Intuitive Eating Dec 10, 2019

If what you are doing in your life doesn’t seem to be working for you, and you want to explore some alternatives like learning how to re-become an intuitive eater, this is the episode for you. I am determined to dismiss some of the misunderstandings and misbeliefs surrounding intuitive eating and explore why it much less scary than people make it out to be.

Listening To Your Body & Treating It Right

This episode is not about shaming those who are involved with diet culture, but instead, it is about understanding the backlash and importance of conversation surrounding intuitive eating. Intuitive eating is not just about eating what you want when you want, it is about listening to your body and treating it right through your individualized nutrition needs.

I hope this episode takes away some of the mystique surrounding intuitive eating and empowers you to give it a chance. Our relationship with food is both simple and complex, and I truly believe that intuitive eating has the power to help you make peace with food and your body to ultimately start living in a way that honors your body and your soul.

What are your thoughts surrounding intuitive eating? Share what you are most excited about or nervous about in regard to this process in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Learn the difference between intuitive eating and mindful eating (7:04)
Dissecting perceptions around what intuitive eating is that are not origin aligning (12:51)
How to avoid the shame, blame and guilt cycle of breaking your own rules (17:50)
The 10 principles of intuitive eating and how to experience it properly (21:43)
Why hunger is not your enemy and how to honor your hunger (22:39)

Quotes

“It is not as simple as saying ‘here is how you do intuitive eating’ and walking away from the person.” (7:44)

“Hopefully we do that with health-promoting behaviors and not things that are really driving people to have negative relationships with food.” (9:44)“Intuitive eating is not just a diet of ‘eat this and don’t eat that’. It is a process, its a living, breathing application of these principles that look different for every person.” (12:41)

“Intuitive eating is a living, breathing process applied to a person in their life, it is an experience, it is something that you need to practice.” (21:59)

Links

Intuitive Eating by Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole

The Intuitive Eating Workbook

Steph’s Intuitive Eating Group Coaching Waitlist

Join the Core 4 Facebook Group Here

Naomi Katz Instagram

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Treating Your Mind, Body, & Soul Holistically w/ Dr. Nicole LePera Dec 03, 2019

If you have never heard of Dr. Nicole LePera, aka The Holistic Psychologist, you are in for a treat. A trained psychologist who works to help you understand your capacity to become a self-healer, Dr. Nicole is all about treating the mind, body, and soul to address specific areas of neglect while also considering the whole.

Empower You To Trust Yourself

Practices such as reparenting, trauma bonding and boundary settings are on the agenda today as we dig deep into misalignments and self-consciousness to find a new way to connect. Most of us know that health is not black and white, and it takes a holistic approach like that of Dr. Nicole to understand yourself in all three dimensions to heal your symptoms and stop your internal misalignment.

If you are looking to teach yourself how to react in a new way, stop your psychological and physiological symptoms or navigate boundary-setting without critiquing yourself, Dr. Nicole is the expert for you. A believer in the importance of objectivity, self-consciousness, and self-exploration, Dr. Nicole is determined to empower each human to trust themselves and what works for them.

An episode filled with real-talk and practical ways to begin to heal, Dr. Nicole is here to teach you about your body and soul to start living life as the person you want to be. Have you ever considered your challenges and symptoms to be impactful in three different dimensions? Share what you loved about Dr. Nicole’s perspective in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Symptoms that may be a sign of misalignment in your mind, body or soul (17:10)
Learn the two big steps in which change happens and how to start (21:42)
How to navigate your developing state of consciousness without self-judgment (26:20)
Explore the concepts of reparenting and trauma bonding (31:05)
Tips for setting boundaries around your family of origin this holiday season (39:20)

Quotes

“Seeking for the underlying cause of whatever symptom it is that we are struggling within our life. Because I am of the belief that there is something deeper down.” (17:43)

“Becoming conscious, becoming self-observational, watching ourselves throughout the day to identify then the areas where change would behoove us. For some of us, that is in our lifestyle, for me, I know it was.” (23:49)

“Without consciousness, change, doing things differently, does not become possible.” (24:50)

“As an adult, as far as I see it, while it was not our responsibility when we needed people to help us while we were children, as an adult it is now our responsibility to teach ourselves a new way.” (36:04)

“The bottom line here is, when we define limits, it is for us. For us to continue to navigate these changes, continue to keep these changes as part of our life. And what it might mean is for us to start showing up differently before the others around us change.” (42:59)

“Our energy and how we feel in our relationships can give us invaluable information.” (56:09)

Links

The Holistic Psychologist Website

The Holistic Psychologist Linktree

Follow Dr. Nicole on Instagram | YouTube

Join the Core 4 Facebook Club

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How To Gain Autonomy from Diet Culture w/ Kim Gould Nov 26, 2019

Kim Gould is the creator of Autonomy Movement, a body-positive, size-inclusive and weight neutral fitness space which is on a mission to increase access to fitness for all. A former barre instructor and licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in eating disorders and body image issues, Kim has seen first hand the overlaps between body image, disordered eating, and movement.

Honor Your Body's Needs

Autonomy Fitness is a space free from diet culture and exercise as punishment and combines the movement process with mental health self-care to improve your relationship with movement and your body. Kim wants you to feel good in your body, become okay with making mistakes and embrace your autonomy to do what you want when you want with your body.

An amazing, impactful and necessary space, Kim is here today to address weight stigma, intuitive eating and movement and help you honor your body’s needs instead of trying to fit into our society’s obsession with wellness culture.

We live in a society where thinner is better, and Kim is determined to bust those myths and stop the false truths that you are being fed about your body. Are you ready to say goodbye to a pervasive diet culture and embrace your body at whatever stage you are at? Share what you find refreshing about Autonomy and Kim’s mission in the comment on the episode page.

In This Episode

Understanding how diet culture influences you and your mental health (10:15)
Highlighting subtle ways that diet culture shows up in the wellness world (27:24)
Learn why the language you use around your body and diet is so impactful (28:50)
Addressing the rampant privilege and marginalization in the wellness space (32:15)
Ways that you can improve your relationship with movement and food (43:45)
How to become okay with being at your set point instead of altering yourself (49:10)

Quotes

“The word that originally stood out to me as one of my favorite therapy words, like how do I develop my sense of self as a person and a professional, is what guided me to open Austin’s first size-inclusive body-positive fitness studio.” (13:43)

“If I were just any old gym, and I didn’t know what I knew about how destructive yo-yo dieting and compulsive exercising is to the body, it would be really great to just sort of blast everywhere I went. But with Autonomy what I think is really hard and really important is that every time I am marketing Autonomy I am having to clearly explain our values.” (24:10)

“There is still another way to be living that is infinitely more compassionate. How much more does your world open up and expand when you give yourself permission to eat and more and exist in a way that actually is really intuitive to the body?” (37:32)

“There is nobody that is better than the next. Our bodies are the least interesting thing about us, especially because they are so dynamic, they are always going to keep changing.” (42:55)

“I believe in body diversity 110%... and there is no such thing as a body that has more worth than another.” (48:00)

Links

Autonomy Movement

Follow Kim on Instagram

Follow Autonomy Movement on Instagram | Facebook

Join the Core 4 Facebook Club

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Harder to Kill Radio is sponsored by the Nutritional Therapy Association. Registration is now open for the NTA’s November class. You can learn more and save your seat by clicking here (and don’t forget to mention my name on your application!)

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Real Talk About Burnout Nov 22, 2019

Today on Harder To Kill Radio I am sharing a major announcement and letting you in on a personal issue that I hope will help those of you who are also struggling with burnout. While it has become more and more common in our society for us to feel exhausted and burnt out, it is not normal, and this universal concept needs to be addressed.

Struggling With Burnout

If you feel as though you are struggling with a lack of creativity, motivation or mental health, burnout could be the culprit. By setting boundaries, focusing on self-care and being open with what you are dealing with, we can destigmatize and de-normalize burnout for the masses.

A lot of us are struggling with burnout while pretending we have it all together. If you are wrestling with burning out because you are trying to do all of the things, this is the episode you need to listen too. How do you protect yourself from getting burnt out? Share your self-care strategies with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

The importance of setting boundaries when it comes to your mental health (11:50)
Why entrepreneurs need to stop pretending they have it all together (14:30)
Signs that you need to take your foot off the gas for a little bit (17:50)
The necessity of self-care when it comes to treating burnout (18:45)
Ways that you can practice challenging yourself to say no (20:30)

Quotes

“Although it is common, it is not normal to feel this way.” (1:48)

“Entrepreneurs, we need to stop fucking pretending that we have it all figured out and that we are not struggling with this stuff.” (14:39)

“These things are not revolutionary, but when we practice them we already set ourselves up for a lot of what goes into self-care. Because when we don’t feel good in our body, it is really hard to make a change in these other areas. (23:35)

“It’s okay to not be okay, it is important to ask for help, we cannot do this alone.” (26:26)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Taking A Good Look At Your Relationship With Food w/ Rachel Dash-Dougherty Nov 19, 2019

Rachel Dash-Dougherty, better known as The Grounded Therapist, works with clients who struggle with disordered eating, perfectionism, and control when it comes to our food and our bodies. Today Rachel is here to address some of the myths and stigmas around mental health, help you understand where you are on the spectrum of how you relate to food and provide tips and guidelines to help you get a better foothold on life and your mental health.

Gaining Awareness And Peace

Whether you are working with a professional or trying to do this on your own, understanding how you interact with food and movement is the key to gaining awareness and peace. Instead of buying into diet culture, Rachel is here to help you work on your thoughts first, set boundaries and get a grip on your irrational thoughts.

Seeking help and changing the way you relate to food, diet, and movement is a brave thing, and with help of counselors like Rachel, you can tackle disordered eating, assert boundaries and look at your language around food to let go of perfectionism and control. Instead of beating yourself up, Rachel wants to help you be kind to yourself and shake those hilarious irrational thoughts out of your head for good.

Do you feel as though you display some of the indicators that your relationship with self-worth, body image, and food needs a second look? Share how you are working to be kinder to yourself in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

Addressing the stigma of medication and the shame around getting help (9:35)
How to get yourself out of the self-generated pervasive perfectionism loop (15:00)
Tips for nudging yourself towards the edge when the fear is overwhelming (22:20)
Exploring disordered eating and how it relates to issues of control (34:10)
Learn how EMDR can help you process your stuck and irrational beliefs (42:25)

Quotes

“I put people back together so that they can go back out into the world and function.” (11:22)

“The gray, which is my zone, that is where therapy happens is in the gray. You cant trap yourself like that because the world is not that simple of either its this or its this when there is so much in between.” (19:12)

“You can think all day long, you can think horrible, violent scary thoughts. You can think wonderful rainbow unicorn fluffy thoughts, but none of them have any value or meaning unless you assign it to them.” (26:42)

“It’s not giving up, it’s taking out a layer of suffering when you are already in pain.” (32:28)

“That stuff is that person’s stuff, it is not your stuff. So if they are lost in their own disordered eating, if they are lost in their weight loss challenges or whatever is going on for them, that does not mean you have to take it on, you don’t have to believe the same thing other people believe.” (46:03)

“You will get there faster, you will be less exhausted, you will accomplish that goal and you will enjoy the fruits of all that work you did because you were kind to yourself that whole time.” (55:08)

Links

The Grounded Therapist

Follow Rachel on Instagram

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

False Promise of Arrival Nov 15, 2019

Take a minute to ask yourself, would you still be doing what you are doing right now even if it meant you do not get the handsome payoff, arrival or ‘I’ve made it’ moment that you’ve been hoping for? The key to finding happiness and contentment in your life right now is to be grateful for right now, even when things get difficult.

Stop Putting False Promise On A Pedestal

The promise of false arrival is something that everyone struggles with, and if you find yourself in the mindset of ‘I will be happy when I achieve this thing’, you need to take a look at your goals to figure out how to hold your process in tension with the outcome.

Everything that we want to achieve has a cost, be it energetically, monetarily or relationally, and it is only by keeping the cost of those goals in mind that you can become okay with holding things in tension. By finding and expressing gratitude for what you have in the present, noticing and changing your language around what you are doing and stepping back and navigating your hopeful outcomes, you can stop putting the false promise of arrival on a pedestal.

Who do you think would benefit from the questions asked in this episode? Tag them in the comments and share your story with us in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Understanding the problem with setting goals and the cost of achieving them (14:00)
Ways to achieve a healthy tension between the process and the outcome (15:30)
How to stay grateful for what is going on in the present moment (18:30)
What to do when you realize your process is not working for you (24:40)
The importance of changing your language around what you are doing (26:20)

Quotes

“I think sometimes there is this idea that we will find that thing, that feeling, that state when we get that thing. And often this causes problems for a bunch of reasons.” (13:32)

“We can hold these things in tension so that it is not ‘either this or either that’, but how can we see the nuance.” (16:11)

“Here is the one thing I know: change is inevitable. Meaning, we might achieve the thing, we might arrive, we might have finally made it, how long is that going to last? I don’t know. It might last forever, it likely may not.” (18:55)

“Can we hold the process in tension with the outcome? I think so, if we are doing it in a healthy way. And only we get to assess that, is it worth what it’s costing us? And that’s really really important.” (25:44)

“Ultimately, find things to feel content, grateful, happy, joyful about now, even when it is hard, even when things may not be going your way, there is always a lesson in there too.” (29:20)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

HTK 254: 6 Tips for Navigating the Holiday Food Scene

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Learn How To Live Your Life Without Restrictions w/ The Sassy Dietitian Laura Ligos Nov 12, 2019

Laura Ligos, AKA The Sassy Dietitian, loves to dissect what we see on Instagram and shed light on truths surrounding fitness and nutrition. An advocate for the nutrition profession, understanding how food fuels the body and how you can make it fun, Laura is here to debunk everything from macros and fat consumption to how to get a handle on holiday eating.

Focus More On What Makes Your Body Feel Good

Giving yourself grace in regards to food is just as important as anything else, and it is only by becoming okay with the mess and mistakes that you can learn from them and figure out what works best for your unique body. Learn all about the dangers of pre-workout, things to pay attention too when looking at your health, and why you should focus more on what makes your body feel good than what the internet tells you should feel good.

An important voice bringing a dose of reality, Laura is helping her clients make the choices aligned for them and ultimately works to help people feel good at the end of the day. If you want to learn how to live your life without restriction while still feeling empowered enough to choose what is working for you, this is an episode you do not want to miss.

Are you ready to pick yourself up and keep going with your health goals instead of getting sucked into the spiral of negativity? Share what you loved most about Laura’s no BS attitude in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to get over the hump and start having fun in the kitchen (12:57)
Understand the long term effects of overtraining and over supplementing (19:20)
The truth about macro’s and why you should question your macro coach (30:42)
Ways to use tracking as a tool in your nutrition toolbox without overdoing it (45:15)
The importance of planning your meals and movement throughout the holidays (55:21)

Quotes

“Now you get to go experience the process of getting messy in the kitchen and learning new techniques with one another and actually realizing that food can be fun and enjoyable, it doesn’t have to be this chore or this negative either I’m eating healthy or I am not eating healthy foods.” (12:03)

“You have to do what works for you and look at your plate because everyone is different.” (17:25)

“If you want to live your healthiest, happiest life for the longest time possible, you don’t want to be mimicking these elite athletes.” (27:30)

“Think about yourself at 80 or 90 years old, would you still want to be tracking macros? And when I say that people laugh and I am like, ‘exactly’. This is not a long term approach, this is not something you want to be tied down to forever.” (35:51)

“I can make my own decisions when I go to these events and I can come out on the other side happy, healthy and feeling really good about myself while not affecting my health in a negative way.” (51:57)

“You don’t always have control over the situation, you may have to go to a party where you don’t even get to bring food, but in the situations that you do, make it fun and make it food that you feel good about.” (58:34)

Links

The Sassy Dietitian Website

Follow The Sassy Dietitian on Instagram

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

6 Tips for Navigating The Holiday Food Scene Nov 08, 2019

The holidays are here regardless if we want them to be or not, and with that comes stress around what to eat, how to control your cravings and ultimately ‘white-knuckling’ your way through a time of year when you should be enjoying yourself.

Embrace The Holidays Without Losing Your Sh*T

You don’t have to be on the defensive or walk on eggshells during this time of year. With a few mindset and intuitive eating strategies, you can embrace the holidays without losing your shit when it comes to food.

When you are able to practice setting boundaries, find the overlap between sustainable nutrition and intuitive eating and embrace the fact that you do not need to earn or burn your food, you can create a healthier relationship with food and everything that comes with this time of year.

Whatever stresses you have during the holidays, food shouldn’t have to be one of them. Stop approaching the holidays as a chore and expand your viewpoint around intuitive eating during the holidays with this episode.

How do you manage your relationship with food during the holiday season? Share your approach with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

The two typical archetypes of those extra activated during this time of year (5:40)
Six things you can do to make it through the holidays without losing your shit over food (10:11)
Why you should watch out for the dieting throughout the day mentality (12:25)
How to slow down and pay attention to your experience with food (21:04)
Understanding the role of basic self-care when avoiding food triggers and stressors (23:04)

Quotes

“Today I want to offer this to you as we approach this time of year so that you could perhaps expand your own view of the world and get some transformation in this area if you have really been struggling with the idea of food and the holidays.” (2:27)

“Finding the overlap between the world of sustainable nutrition/nutritional therapy and intuitive eating is messy and it’s hard and it’s confronting and it’s challenging but it is very, very worth it.” (9:20)

“Exercise has so many other amazing benefits, controlling weight is not one of them.” (16:37)

“We don’t need to abandon all of the things we normally do because there might happen to be fun foods laying around or fun foods in greater abundance. Come back to what you know.” (24:40)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Things You Need To Know When Starting Your Online Fitness Business w/ Annie Miller Nov 05, 2019

Are you looking to break into the business of fitness but are unsure how to establish yourself as a trainer or coach? Annie Miller is a fitness and business expert who helps women break into the boys club of fitness and start thriving careers in this exciting space.

Why Quick Fixes Never Work

If you are looking for clarity on your online fitness business, want a realistic breakdown of financial and social media goals when starting a new online business or just want to hear some stories about wild travel adventures this is the episode you need to listen too.

Annie dives into imposter syndrome, how to serve the client instead of just yourself and ways to present yourself on Instagram so that you are established as a professional, and so much more. Providing nuggets of gold on how to get popular on social media, why you shouldn’t give things away for free right away and why quick fixes never work in business or in fitness, Annie is the girl for you.

Have you ever considered starting an online fitness business? Share which of Annie’s tips you found the most useful or surprising in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

How to break into the online fitness community with established authority (19:10)
Ways to set yourself apart from other fitspo’s by finding your own expertise (21:40)
Addressing the problem of ‘quick fixes’ when it comes to fitness business (37:15)
How to become more realistic with your business goals as a new entrepreneur (38:20)
Ideas and practical tools to help you get started on your fitness business (47:10)

Quotes

“You know enough for who you are helping and that is what we are about here, that is why we are here.” (13:46)

“You need to give people something that will give them results right now, and then they will keep coming back because they want more results.” (24:53)

“Your business needs to sit well with you, you need to do whatever type of coaching that you want to do.” (32:57)

“You’re going to be motivated to work out 20% of the time. That’s why they call it the grind. Just get your ass to the gym and do the work.” (41:54)

“I do think that it’s your level of clarity and communication and consistency that kind of dictates how long it is going to take someone to throw their credit card at you.” (50:06)

Links

3 Business Beliefs I Had When Starting out & Disagree with Now - Annie Miller Podcast Episode

Annie Miller Website

Follow Annie on Instagram

The Fitspro Podcast with Annie Miller

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Why It's Important To Dress For Your Here And Now Body Nov 01, 2019

Do you have clothes that you keep in the back of your closet, hoping one day you will be able to fit into them again? Wearing clothes that fit your here and now body, not the one you used to have or hope to have, is not only important for your own self-care but it can impact how you intuitively eat and your own self-worth.

Are You Ready To Be Kinder To Yourself?

It is really important to wear clothes that fit your here and now and that feels good for you despite the number that you see on the scale. Your body changes with you when you go through different phases throughout your life, and picking clothes that fit your body here and now is key to a positive relationship with food and yourself.

When you force yourself to wear clothes that are too small you can restrict your breathing, increase your stress and anxiety levels and make yourself feel guilty for where you are now. Motivating yourself negatively is not sustainable and it is not kind to yourself, and it is time to get rid of those clothes so that you can start making long term progress.

Are you ready to be kinder to yourself and get rid of those clothes that do not fit you anymore? Share how you have overcome your closet anxiety in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Why its time to let go of clothing that does not fit your here and now body (7:25)
Addressing the pressure that new parents are under to ‘get their body back’ (13:04)
Exploring the impact clothing can have on your physiology and psyche (13:50)
How to stop forcing yourself to use clothing to ‘motivate’ yourself (18:15)
Suggestions for what you can to start clearing our your closet and let go (22:43)
Tips for accepting your here and now body and how clothes feel on your body (26:35)

Quotes

“There is an aspect of intuitive eating that has to do with respecting your body, respecting your here and now body.” (9:11)

“I see so many people holding onto clothes and trying to fit into clothes that don’t fit them or keeping the clothes around as ‘motivation’.” (13:37)

“To feel everyday that we are forcing ourselves to put on clothes that don’t fit because we spent a lot of money on them or we should have lost the weight by now or we shouldn’t be this size and it will motivate us to change, my argument here is that that is not doing us any favors.” (15:15)

“This is not kindness, and we do not need to be mean to ourselves in order to get ourselves to make a change.” (17:54)

“You deserve to feel comfortable in your here and now body and the clothes that you are going to wear such that it is not causing you physical discomfort or mental discomfort.” (23:16)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Cellulite Confidence Episode #108

Instagram Post Discussed

Made Strong + Core 4 Book Bundle

Steph Gaudreau Intuitive Eating Group Coaching

Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How To Use Breathwork To Overcome Just About Anything w/ Josh Trent Oct 29, 2019

Despite what you may have been told, intelligence does not come from how much you know or how many books you have read. True emotional intelligence is something that comes from a willingness to learn and the desire to look within ourselves, which is something Josh Trent is incredibly passionate about.

The Power Of 6 Deep Breaths

The host of Wellness Force Radio and dear friend, Josh has undergone a transformation since we last had him on the show and is diving into the courage it takes to rebrand and the incredible healing power of breathwork on this episode. Josh has realized that you can’t force wellness and has become an advocate for the energetic and spiritual components of intelligence to find true happiness and inner healing.

Breathwork is free and can take as little as 30 seconds to alter your mindset and help you find an answer to feeling better. Whether you attach to the spirituality side of things or just get the benefits of stress reduction, Josh believes that breathwork is the key to providing a safe space for your nervous system to begin to heal.

Instead of living someone else’s dream, Josh is here to inspire you to look within yourself through the three concepts of breathwork to live a sustainable life and find the answers and peace you have been searching for.

Being honest with yourself and the people that you care about is what Josh is all about, and he is here to give you a glimmer of hope as you wade through the muck.

How does breathwork play into your ability to handle stress and develop your own emotional intelligence? Share your strategies with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

The power of taking six deep breaths to cope with uncertainty (22:20)
The difference between the emotional contagion and collective consciousness (30:15)
How to get your body out of panic state and into a calm state through breathwork (39:05)
Embracing your ability to break the karmic chain and give unconditional love (45:03)
Progressive and tactical things you can do to use breath to relieve stress (47:10)

Quotes

“Technology isn’t going to save us, it is not going to save the world. We can use it mindfully, we can help each other by using technology, but it became this gut-check moment where I was like, God I cannot speak about something that doesn’t feel true anymore.” (13:34)

“If we are approaching a new threshold in career growth or a relationship and there is uncertainty there, it’s our ability to go through the uncertainty without doing the coping strategy that we know somewhere deep down in our heart isn’t good for us.” (22:01)

“When we go to altered states, things come up that we are not aware of. I had always been aware of the safety piece of my life, but that was a turning point.” (35:49)

“Really what it is is training your nervous system to be safe and to manage stress better through you cycling your own breathing.” (38:27)

“Whatever we believe, we get to check in on how it makes us feel. And if this is all just a big video game, then let’s just believe things that make us feel good.” (56:08)

Links

Wellness Force Free Morning 21 System

Wellness Force Radio

Wellness Force Website

HTK 030: Josh Trent

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Harder to Kill Radio is sponsored by the Nutritional Therapy Association. Registration is now open for the NTA’s October class. You can learn more and save your seat by clicking here (and don’t forget to mention my name on your application!)

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Should You Workout When You Are Sick? Oct 25, 2019

If you are someone who worries about taking time off from working out when you get sick because you think you will retract your progress or gain the weight back, I am here to deconstruct your way of thinking that has been perpetuated by the diet and weight-loss culture.

Healthy Alternatives To Implement

When you are sick, taking time off for your body is necessary so that it can heal and also so that you do not spread your germs to others. If getting no movement does not sound like an option for you, listen to this episode to learn healthy alternatives to implement when you want to want to move but shouldn’t be going to the gym.

It is your job to provide your body with the resources that it needs to heal while being kind on yourself. Taking time off does not mean you will lose what you have built, and it is important to come up with alternative stress reduction practices to help you not go crazy when your body needs some time to recuperate.

How do you satisfy your need for movement when you are feeling sick? Share your tips with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Why bringing your sickness into a closed air environment is disrespectful (8:54)
What to do if you are someone who is chronically sick (9:40)
The impact of your gut health and stress levels on your immune system (9:51)
Questioning your beliefs around taking time off from movement (18:15)
How to stop looking at movement as a pass or fail activity (20:41)

Quotes

“If I am at jiujitsu and heave forbid someone starts coughing on me while we’re rolling, that’s just fucking disrespectful.” (8:35)

“The general rule of thumb on this is that, if in doubt, stay home.” (9:28)

“If for some reason you cannot physically exercise or move to the capacity in which you are accustomed and you like for whatever reason, you are sick, you are injured, your schedule changes, life happens, blah blah, you need something else.” (12:45)

“If you are sick and you need to move because you feel like you are going to lose your fucking mind, try to do it in an open place where you are not going to be in a confined space and really spreading your germs that easily.” (14:46)

“We haven’t failed if we are taking the time we need to get better.” (21:19)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

HTK 224: Tips for Dealing with Injury

HTK 246: How to Know if its Cravings or Hunger

Made Strong + Core 4 Book Bundle

Check this Episode Out on YouTube

Sound Meditation with Michelle Burc

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Simple Lifestyle Changes That Will Help Your Microbiome w/ Kiran Krishnan Oct 22, 2019

Today we are diving into the weird, wonderful and wacky world of the microbiome with microbiome expert and microbiology researcher Kiran Krishnan. Kiran has always been interested in treating the body, and as soon as he started participating in microbiology he was hooked.

Feeling Better Through Gut Health

It may blow your mind to know that when it comes down to a cellular level, there are more microbes in and on our body than there are human cells. Essentially, our bodies are walking rainforests consisting of a complex microbiology environment, which is why we need to pay such close attention to our gut functioning to achieve optimal results.

It is scientifically proven that the way the brain functions, in addition to your hormones, chronic illness, mood, skin conditions, and longevity are directly connected to the gut. When you are able to understand how to feel better through gut health, you can give the different structures inside your digestive tract the love and nutrients they need to produce healthy bacteria and a happy environment.

Through the use of health and home products that facilitate in the production of healthy microbes, feeding your gut the right amount of diverse foods and understanding the difference between good and bad microbes, you can improve your brain function, relieve anxiety and depression, regulate your digestion, help support your internal ecology and so much more.

If you want to learn the importance of good gut bacteria, the roles of the multitude of different types of bacteria within your microbiome, and how to create a healthy environment to help your body function properly, Kiran is the expert for you.

What do you do to support your gut microbiome and support your own unique and diverse microbe ecology? Share your favorite part of today’s episode in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Learn why the gut is so important and the different ecosystems within it (15:05)
Exploring the innate relationship between brain functioning and the gut (40:55)
Understanding the direct connection between acne and the gut microbiome (49:45)
Proactive ways to help improve your gut microbiome and your ecological platform (52:26)
Simple lifestyle changes and therapeutic ways you can clean up your environment (53:31)
Why hugging can decrease your stress hormones and improve your microbiome (1:06:24)

Quotes

“We are far more bacteria than we are human when you look at the cell count of the organism that we call the Homosapien human.” (17:09)

“Everything about this process of eating, digesting and assimilating that turkey sandwich is controlled by microbes in your system, and there are very different microbes in different parts of the digestive tract that have control of certain conditions.” (37:48)

“Although we are using the digestion and assimilation of food as an example, this same dysfunction in your bacterial population can also lead to dysfunctions in hormone production.” (38:52)

“It is fascinating when you think the control that microbes have on our brain and our outcome.” (45:18)

“Just make one or two choices, and I promise you those will have compounding effects throughout your years that you will be grateful for down the road.” (1:07:50)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Microbiome Labs Website

MegaSporeBiotic

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Blocking Blue Light For Better Sleep Oct 18, 2019

Most of us are aware of the harmful light that is being emitted from our phones, but did you know that it could be impacting your ability to get to sleep and stay asleep for longer?

Gain More Meaningful Sleep

If you are looking at your phone before you go to sleep or as soon as you wake up, blue light blocking techniques and products can make a huge difference in your ability to gain more meaningful sleep.

There are so many simple and easy ways that you can start improving your sleep instantly, and blocking out blue light is one of them. Today I dive into some sleep hygiene tips that you can do effortlessly to improve your quality of sleep, reduce headaches and ultimately feel better every day.

Do the effects of blue light play a role in how you interact with your devices? Share your blue light blocking techniques with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

One of the easiest things you can do to improve your sleep tonight (11:44)
Breaking down the problem of blue light and why you should be avoiding it (13:40)
How blue light can interfere with your brains signals and regulation (15:45)
Easy things that you can do to block the blue light and make your sleep better (17:05)
Which blue light glasses you should use to get the best results (18:47)

Quotes

“We have so much stress in our lives as it is, and the shoulding, ‘we should do this, we should do that, I need to this, I need to do that’. Maybe if we started asking ourselves what we want to do, what we feel compelled to do, what we like to do, then we would not be so hard on ourselves.” (10:18)

“If getting more sleep has been a challenge for you for lots of different reasons, do the sleep hygiene stuff, because some of it is one and done.” (13:19)

“The light that we get from the sun, that white light on that visible spectrum, that light has a huge component of the blue wavelength. And the blue wavelength of that light tells our brains to be alert and awake.” (14:57)

“Let's try and manufacture perhaps a more natural cycle of light or a more natural flow of light throughout the day given that we are living in a digital world.” (18:27)

“If you are really looking for an easy way to make a difference, start to wear amber glasses.” (21:29)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Made Strong Strength Program

Leave Steph a Voicemail Message Here

Gunnar Blue Light Blocking Glasses (Amazon)

Uvex Skyper Blue Light Blocking Glasses (Amazon)

True Dark Blue Light Blocking Glasses

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Staying Human In A Fucked Up World w/ Tim Desmond Oct 15, 2019

Tim Desmond is a scholar of professional psychology rooted in self-compassion and is passionate about making a difference and providing emotional support available to people worldwide.

Facing Life With More Humanity

An episode you will want to listen to again and again, Tim is here to help us empaths find ways to deal with what is happening in the world right now. If you feel as though you struggle to live in this challenging modern society and process what happens on a daily basis without letting the weight of the world crush you, Tim is the guru you need to quiet your mind and accept your bodily reactions.

The need to constantly seek approval, dismiss your anger or always think about what could make something better is something that many people deal with, but it doesn't have to be this way. Understanding your capacity to be present with suffering and embrace your emotions in a compassionate way is the key to facing life with more humanity.

By giving your anger your full attention you can become your anger’s ally and understand how to be in harmony with your inner reactions. With Tim’s guidance, you can recognize your pain, bring compassion to yourself and stop getting stuck in your habitual habits to focus on the things in life that are going to push you forward.

Instead of losing sleep over assholes or issues that you are powerless against, learn how to stay more present and in turn, more human.

How does Tim’s approach to self-compassion make you feel about dealing with the monumental issues found in the world today? Share with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

How to be present with pain without being overwhelmed by it (20:20)
Tools to face your distress triggers with capacity, tolerance, and acceptance (29:55)
Ways to avoid overwhelm by understanding your capacity for pain (33:20)
Developing your ability to be open to all aspects of life despite the assholes (38:42)
The difference between allowing yourself to be mad and ruminating on a story (41:50)
The importance of emotional support accessibility around the world (47:30)

Quotes

“The need that we are seeking when we seek approval is to have a moment of feeling like I am okay like there is nothing wrong with me like I am loveable.” (12:43)

“There's really no word in the English language for our capacity to be present with suffering in sort of a beneficial or compassionate way because we all have a limited capacity for that.” (21:38)

“Your only job right now is developing your capacity to tolerate some discomfort in your body.” (28:11)

“If you are able to be present with suffering, aversion, pain, whatever it is. If you are able to be present with it in a way that is open and compassionate, the result if the transformation that we just saw.” (34:35)

“What it all comes back to is being able to recognize the pain in me, my own reactivity, to allow my reaction, to bring care and compassion to myself, and then there will be a lot more options for me in terms of dealing with that person.” (41:05)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

How To Stay Human in A Fucked Up World by Tim Desmond

Tim Desmond Website

Self Compassion in Psychotherapy by Tim Desmond

Follow Tim on Facebook | Twitter

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How To Know If It's Cravings or Hunger Oct 11, 2019

If you are rushing throughout your day only to find you return home at the end of the night with wild cravings and the desire to eat everything in the fridge, I have news for you. You are not experiencing cravings, you are experiencing real hunger, and that is not a bad thing.

Cravings & Hunger Aren't Negative

Cravings and hunger have been given a negative connotation in our society, and I am here to unpack this bag and help you stop confusing hunger for cravings just because you are underfed. The truth is, you need to figure out where your cravings are coming from and have a good hard look at how you are feeding your body throughout the day to get to the root cause of your food intake.

Instead of perpetuating the shame circle, you need to balance your energy, nutrient and calorie intake to find a happy medium and figure out what works for you. If cravings seem to be running your life, this episode is your wake up call to help you figure out what you need to look at next in order to stop the mental and physical drainage and start enjoying your food and your life.

How do cravings play a role in how you relate to food? Share your personal experience with us and let me know how hunger integrates into your life in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

The difference between a low nutrient diet and a low energy diet (10:10)
Addressing the prevalence of the dieting mentality in the wellness world (12:20)
How to find a balance between energy intake and nutrient intake (13:45)
Ways to know if the volume on your plate is unequal to the amount of energy you need (17:30)
Understanding the connection between stress, your cycle and your cravings (20:32)

Quotes

“This is not a cravings problem. This is a lack of food problem.” (9:36)

“Relatively speaking, this 1200 calorie business has got to stop.” (10:50)

“If you get home at the end of the day and all you want to do is vacuum up everything that isn’t attached down in your kitchen, that’s not super glued to the refrigerator, that you just want to eat everything, I really need you to take an honest look at what you are taking in during the day.” (14:56)

“At the very baseline, we have our Basal Metabolic Rate, which is the amount of energy we need on a daily basis just for our body to function at its very most basic. And a lot of people are subsisting far, far below their Basal Metabolic Rate in what they are eating.” (17:18)

“This is not a failing of you, this is not a character flaw, but you do need to do something about it.” (20:26)

“Sometimes cravings aren’t cravings, they are just hunger.” (22:26)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Nutritional Therapy 101 Free 7 Day Course

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

This Is Your Brain On Birth Control w/ Dr. Sarah Hill Oct 08, 2019

If it has never occurred to you that your birth control may be changing the way your brain is functioning, you are not alone. Dr. Sarah Hill is an evolutionary psychologist, researcher, and professor who was on the pill for more than a decade. After coming off the pill Dr. Hill’s life went from grayscale to full color, and she realized that more research into the effects of the birth control on women from the neck up was critically necessary.

Not Anti-Birth Control Just Pro-Education

This discovery lead Dr. Hill to write her new book, This Is Your Brain on Birth Control, which works to help women understand the gap between the knowledge of women's biochemistry and how birth control affects the way your brain is working.

Dr. Hill is not anti-birth control, but she is pro-education. By helping women understand the affect birth control is having on their brains, she works to help women become active participants in the conversation around birth control and help them make informed decisions about their health and who they want to be.

Birth control can play a role in everything from how you select a partner to your mood and your ability to handle stress. Hormones play a massive role in who we are and our experience of the world, and it is only through educating yourself on the role birth control plays in that will you be able to make the decision that is right for you. If you want to learn how birth control is affecting you from the neck up, this is an episode you can't miss.

Have you ever considered how the birth control could be affecting you in ways beyond what your doctor may have told you? Share your birth control experience with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Exposing the lack of research and knowledge surrounding how the pill affects your brain (16:05)
Understanding how the pill functionally and structurally changes women's brains (24:05)
Illustrating the role birth control can play in women's sex and stress hormones (32:15)
Deconstructing the overall effect of the pill on neurotransmitters in the brain (41:51)
How birth control can increase your risk of anxiety, depression, and more (42:30)

Quotes

“The spirit of the book is about giving women information and actually allowing us even greater independence and greater agency in terms of making decisions that are informed about who we want to be and about our health.” (11:15)

“Another thing I really wanted to do with this book is to make women aware of this in addition to sort of raising some of the questions we should be asking about the way that the pill changes our brains, also letting women know that its time that we need to push science to change what they are doing.” (22:19)

“It is all consistent with this idea that the birth control pill may influence women's attunement to things that are sexy and that it might sort of deprioritize or deemphasize women's attunement to these qualities.” (31:42)

“We can start talking about what are the research questions that are really critical in terms of being answered next and in terms of allowing women to optimize their birth control and also optimize their lives and their health.” (41:28)

“I tolerated the pill really well, but then when I went off of it I had this feeling of transitioning from a two dimensional, black and white sort of grayscale drawing to life, fully vibrant, awake, alive life. And it really was eye-opening to me.” (53:37)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

This Is Your Brain on Birth Control by Dr. Sarah Hill

Dr. Sarah E Hill Website

Follow Dr. Hill on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How To Hate Exercise Less Oct 04, 2019

For some people exercise and movement have become synonymous with something that you do not want to do or something that will make up for other things in your life. Instead of viewing exercise as something that is embedded into your self worth or fear of getting bigger, I invite you to examine how this mentality has become engrained into your mindset.

Shift Your Mindset Around Movement

You don't have to exercise excessively in order to have good health and an improved mental state. If you want to come to a place where you feel better about your body, I invite you to try shifting your mindset around movement to find joy and the excitement in play instead of counting calories and viewing exercise as a transactional relationship.

Instead of being scared of what will happen if you do not go intense, be willing to stop and take where you are in your life and your health journey into consideration. If you can broaden your view from exercise to movement, bring in the nourishing aspect of life and take into account the entirety of your wellbeing, you can let your innate knowledge be the guide to helping you enjoy movement and all of its benefits.

Do you use intuition to guide your movement practice? Let me know in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Tips for those who can't handle a lack of structure when it comes to fitness (11:16)
Understanding how our feelings drive our behaviors and how to change that (16:10)
Why you should adopt a new vocabulary of movement without the baggage (17:35)
Viewing food and movement as joy and play instead of calories or fuel (19:12)
How to broaden and expand your view of movement to find true wellbeing (25:40)

Quotes

“I was afraid to stop doing any type of intense exercise because my fear was always getting bigger. And that fear of getting bigger, or not getting smaller, which is the flip side to that coin, really drove a lot of my behaviors.” (8:36)

“If you are the kind of person who has a trip planned and you are already freaking out about ‘where are you going to go, is it going to be open, what is the schedule going to be like, can you stick to your normal routines, what's going to happen if you can't do your usual workout, are you going to gain weight’, I think this is a chance for you to look at that.” (10:38)

“My role here with this podcast is to point out some of the obvious truths that maybe aren't so obvious to you because you haven't looked in it in that way.” (16:58)

“Movement doesn't always have to be structured and for time and pushing yourself to the max. So see if you can broaden this as a mindset of caring for your body and your mind instead of micromanaging what you see on the scale or punishing yourself for what you ate. Look at it as an opportunity to nourish yourself.” (26:51)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

HTK 242: Limiting Beliefs w/ Allegra Stein

HTK 214: 6 Reasons Why BMI Is Bullshit

Nutritional Therapy 101 Free 7 Day Course

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Harder to Kill Radio is sponsored by the Nutritional Therapy Association. Registration is now open for the NTA’s September class. You can learn more and save your seat by clicking here (and don’t forget to mention my name on your application!)

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

The Importance Of Defining Success For You & Your Goals w/ Lindsay Cotter Oct 01, 2019

Lindsay Cotter of Cotter Crunch started her blog over 10 years ago as a way to share her recipes and food photography. What started out as a side project has exploded into a thriving business and its all thanks to Lindsay’s courage to go after the dreams she had for herself. In this episode, we are diving into everything from creativity to overcoming challenges and how to define success so that you can achieve the vision you have for your life.

Evolving, Expectations, & Taking Risks

Lindsay believes in the power of sharing our tricks of the trade in order to build each other up and make each other better. Today she shines a light on everything from finding the motivation to achieve your goals, to why you should never be afraid to outsource what you don’t know about your business and how to use gratitude to focus on what’s going right instead of what isn’t.

It is important to give yourself time to evolve, set realistic expectations when it comes to your business, and take risks towards things that are bigger than you. If you are looking to take that next step with your business but are letting imposter syndrome or intimidation stop you, Lindsay is here to inspire you to go after what you want, appreciate the present, and have faith that it will all come together in the end.

How are you working to bring your goals, dreams or vision to life? Share the ways that you are investing in yourself in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Skills that can help you stay motivated when working in the online realm (21:14)
Advice for those who want to create an online presence but don’t know how (31:28)
What it is like to create your own studio space and grow your business dreams (35:40)
How to find the courage to face your financial fears and really invest in yourself (38:25)
Ways to stay connected to joy despite the negative feelings of ‘what if’ (42:15)
The importance of redefining success as it relates to you and your goals (45:20)

Quotes

“I love being able to help people in their zone, what they are doing, whether it be photography or not, I just know that everybody has this gift to shine.” (9:26)

“What can I do in 5 years to better my skills, what can I figure out about myself in this process? How can I bow down my goals and then just give myself a bunch of grace, because you’re gonna have hard times and mess up.” (23:16)

“One thing that is always in the back of my head is, ‘if I were not a blogger, what would I want from this website, how would it benefit me?’. And then you kind of see it from there, and you can even ask your audience too because that’s really what you are there for.” (31:16)

“I wanted to push through those barriers because the vision was greater than the fear of not succeeding.” (41:26)

“As humans, we were created to learn more we were created to try new things and I think that is what makes us successful, knowing that we have those opportunities and taking those risks.” (46:40)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Nourishing Superfood Bowls by Lindsay Cotter

Cotter Crunch Website

The Gathering Place Homepage

Follow Lindsay on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Limiting Beliefs w/ Allegra Stein Sep 27, 2019

On our first-ever in-person interview, this Fierce Love Friday is taking an interview-style approach with life-coach Allegra Stein. Allegra is all about finding your strengths, challenging your own limiting beliefs, and helping her clients achieve the things they dream of.

Strong Sense Of Self-Awareness

Allegra wants to help you define the shape that you hold in this life and put language around your strengths and how they can benefit your tribe. Through a strong sense of self-awareness and understanding what is driving the core messages you tell yourself, you can create a new chapter in your life that you are in love with.

With the help of the YouMap, Allegra can guide you through the career, relationship and other goals that you have to find eternal happiness and own your own power. If you are searching for some guidance around your strengths, weakness, and how to be the best version of you possible, this episode is for you.

How do you work to own your strengths and stop the negative self-talk? Share with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

The importance of discovering your YouMap to find internal empowerment (17:20)
Taking the information you know about yourself and applying it to become better (22:40)
Why being an expert in something doesn't always equal more value (31:20)
Reasons why you need to figure out your ‘why’ and reflect on your own strengths (39:40)
How to become the museum curator of your own life and happiness (44:20)

Quotes

“I’m in this tent, and I am here to help a person who is on a journey, who wants to make something happen, who wants to bring something to life, who has a big idea, who is embarking on something new or unknown, I love that space.” (16:58)

“I do believe that all of your interests, all of the things that you curate, are circling a star. And there is a core to what it is that you want to share and teach, there is a center.” (32:19)

“That in it of itself is transformative for someone, and it doesn't come naturally to a lot of people.” (40:32)

“What if you could create the things you want to create, not only in the service you create for your community and your people but also feeling aligned with your work, also creating abundance? All these things that are compelling to you, but in a way that aligns with your natural way of showing up.” (44:09)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Allegra Stein Website

Follow Allegra in Instagram | LinkedIn

HTK 016: Allegra Stein

Nutritional Therapy 101 Free 7 Day Course

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Cultivating a Winning Mindset w/ Jake Thompson Sep 24, 2019

At the end of the day, no one is going to look back on you and remember your body fat content, inflated bank account or how big your muscles are. What people truly care about is how you made them feel and what actions you took to inspire others. This is the moving force behind Jake Thompson, a long-time friend, motivational speaker, and genuine person who is dedicated to sharing his philosophy for living a life full of more joy and empowerment.

Happiness Is Worth Fighting For

Instead of focusing on other people's successes, Jake urges you to stay in your own lane and focus on your own personal growth. So many of us settle for what we think we are capable of, and Jake is inspiring people to do more than they think they can. By working through the failures in life as part of the process and focusing on the present version of yourself you can reach your top true speed in life.

Every time you fail you are one step closer to figuring out what is right for your life. By flipping your perspective, showing up consistently every day and not letting outside noise complicate your process you can reach your full potential just by competing with yourself. Jake urges you to start being in competition with yourself, because your own happiness is worth fighting for, and what matters most is what you chose to build around you.

Are you ready to run your own race and give everything to the pursuit of everything you could be? Share what you found most inspiring about Jake’s perspective in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Tips to cultivate a winning mindset and become a competitor in life (8:50)
Ways to be motivated by competing with yourself instead of compared to others (17:02)
Why taking care of yourself is not selfish despite popular belief (36:30)
The role gratitude plays in winning at life and creating a lasting legacy (37:16)
How to address your negative self-talk and create positive reinforcement (46:50)

Quotes

“My focus is really the same thing, its helping people become competitors in life, in their careers, to not get to the end of their life looking back asking ‘what if I had shown up, what if I had done better’. How can we teach them to have the mindset every day to just wake up and attack the day.” (9:18)

“The things that make you successful in sports and weight lifting are the things that make you successful in life. And I don't know why it took me so long to connect the dots.” (20:22)

“There is always going to be someone ahead of us, there's always going to be someone behind us. But none of that actually matters because us looking at that, paying attention to that, is only slowing us down from doing our best.” (27:27)

“You have to be selfish to a degree so that you can take care of yourself and show up for others. Because if you arent taking care of yourself eventually you are going to break down and you won't be able to show up for others.” (37:01)

“We all have some degree of talent and skills, what matters more than talent is your effort, and it is twice as important.” (42:36)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Compete Every Day Website

Follow Jake on Instagram

Jake Thompson Website

Cultivate a Winning Mindset Podcast

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Messy Thoughts On Food Part 2 Sep 20, 2019

Welcome back to the second part of my messy thoughts on food, where we dig into the scale, our relationship with food and the importance of looking at food as a bio-individual process rather than a one size fits all standard.

Fear Around Food

Disordered relationships with food are an increasingly common problem and something that many people including yours truly have struggled with on a serious level. Negative body image, poor body confidence, dysmorphic thoughts, and stress and anxiety can all be related to our relationship with food and this episode is all about exploring the spectrum of disordered eating.

Learn why I have no tolerance for those who dismiss fear around food, how Paleo helped me feel more comfortable in my body, why I am passionate about bridging the gap between intuitive eating and nutritional therapy, plus much more.

If you feel like the rules and constructs you have around food is causing you stress, anxiety or social isolation, and want to stop the on again off again dieting, it is important to keep having these conversations. And if you are serious about helping people change the way they think about food you need to be open to having your mind changed as well.

What about this episode made you feel called to make a change and shift into a new direction when thinking about our unique relationships with food? Share with me in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Exploring the role intention, impact and Paleo had on my nutrition journey (10:50)
Getting away from diet culture in the traditional sense to find food harmony (12:10)
Why continuing to just talk about the ‘what’ of nutrition is not enough (21:00)
Dismissing nutrition and intuitive eating myths and setting the record straight (23:25)
What to do if you need help with disordered eating right now (28:10)

Quotes

“It's beyond debilitating and fucks with your head when you really do judge your own self-worth and value from what the scale says.” (9:13)

“For me personally, Paleo was a great stepping stone, I really started learning about how to eat more nourishing foods and what that looked like and just get on this path to feeling better in my body.” (13:43)

“If we are going to do healing protocols on folks who have problematic relationships with food, we have to address that relationship with food first.” (17:33)

“Intuitive eating is not a diet, it's not going to be something you can just flip in and out of, or that’s got one specific set of rules. It's highly nuanced and its a process, it is a living, breathing thing.” (29:37)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

HTK 238: Messy Thoughts On Food Part 1

HTK 143: Dr. Tee Williams

HTK 150: Goodbye. Hello.

National Eating Disorders Association

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Demystifying Menopause Fitness & Nutrition w/ Amanda Thebe Sep 17, 2019

Let's talk about menopause. Perimenopause and menopause is something that every woman is headed towards, and yet we are so scared to talk about it due to the taboo society has imposed. Amanda Thebe says enough is enough and started her company, FitnChips, to open up the conversation about menopause, staying fit, and how to best take care of your body through this time of transition.

Optimize Your Hormonal Landscape

If you are already in perimenopause or menopause or are looking for some information to prepare yourself for what is to come, Amanda is here to make the conversation of menopause exciting and sexy. Learn how to adjust specific exercises and meals to suit your changing body, how to optimize your hormonal landscape with a little bit of fat, what to do if you are struggling with hot flashes, and much more.

Too often women feel invisible when dealing with the symptoms of menopause, and Amanda is determined to change that. A real talk all about no gimmicks, no diets, and no BS, Amanda is here to provide you info on how to manage your stress, stay on top of your nutrition and movement, and be kinder to yourself.

Are you ready to embrace the fact that you are enough and enter this new chapter with strength and vitality? Share your menopause journey with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

What you need to know to prepare yourself before perimenopause (21:20)
Lifestyle tips that you can focus on to lose weight during menopause (25:10)
How to use movement to feel better during perimenopause and menopause (32:50)
Ways to elicit positive change on a cellular level through anti-rotation exercises (47:50)
The role stress management plays in a healthy menopause process (53:16)

Quotes

“While we are feeling all of these feelings of despair, we are then being told by the bigger conversation out there ‘you are an ugly old hag and you're never going to amount to anything’. And I just think that's a type of conversation I would love to hear more over here, not in a ‘woo-woo’ hippy kind of way that you are enough, just that you fucking are enough, alright?” (13:22)

“Really, when you say you are doing absolutely everything that you need to do, I mean are you really? Chances are you are not.” (29:10)

“I just needed to be uncomfortable, I needed some change, I needed to do something different. Because what I was doing wasn't working.” (37:50)

“Prioritizing time for just actual self-care is one of the things that most women don't do.” (56:58)

“Just being a little bit kinder to the narrative that is going on in your head can actually even in your more symptomatic days where you just hate the world can actually still make those days better than they would be if you were thinking in a different manner.” (59:05)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

FitnChips Website

Follow Amanda on Facebook | Instagram

Fit n’ Chips Chats Podcast

Menopausing So Hard E-Book

Make Menopause Matter Petition

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Messy Thoughts On Food Part 1 Sep 13, 2019

Get ready for an imperfect conversation about food, body image, diet drama, and all of the things I see my community struggling with in regards to food. Speaking to both the consumer and the fitness professional, my goal with this episode is to start to unpack the ways in which you can explore your role in the stigma surrounding weight and body image and let you know that you are not alone.

Stigma Surrounding Weight & Body Image

A stream of consciousness about feeling broken by the number on the scale, fat-shaming, and being okay with being vulnerable, I intend to open up the conversation about a topic so many are confused about but unwilling to admit they need help with.

You are not alone in your struggle to stop blaming yourself for being unable to ‘fix’ your body. If you are terrified of letting go of the familiarity of dieting, feel like you don't know how to listen to your body anymore, or are looking for real people to relate to in the fitness world, this episode is the jumping-off point you need.

Are you confused about food rules or are looking to escape the toxic diet culture? Share how you are trying to make sense of where your body fits into your identity in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

The most common things I see my community struggling with in regard to food (8:20)
What to do about the worry, anxiety, and isolation caused by diet culture (10:58)
Exploring the ways I have experienced negative body image and obsession (13:55)
Understanding the impact that eating disorders and body shame have on all types of bodies (15:56)
How to change the messaging of your business to align with your intuition (20:40)

Quotes

“I don't know who needs to hear this, but if you are confused about food rules you are not alone.” (9:29)

“I wanted to start off by giving you that context, of the things that people are struggling with, the things that you are likely struggling with, and what we are going to do about it.” (13:02)

“Eating disorders happen to people in all different types of bodies. Body shame happens to people in all different sizes of bodies. Negative body image happens to people in all different types of bodies. And I am one of those people.” (16:04)

“I am still teasing all of this apart, and where do I fit and what are my gifts and skills? And whats my knowledge base and how do I want to use this to help people?” (21:14)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Reducing Your Risk of Chronic Illness w/ Dr. Christian Gonzalez Sep 10, 2019

Information and education are the most powerful ways to advocate for your body. From greenwashing to pesticides to cancer, informed consent is a crucial part of making decisions about how you want to heal your body. This is where Dr. Christian Gonzalez comes in, a licensed naturopathic doctor and oncology expert specializing in breast cancer.

Finding The Root Of Your Ailments

Dr. Gonzalez has seen first hand the toll that misinformation, incorrect diet and cancer-causing agents have had on our population, especially women, and decided to do something about it. Dr. G uses practical tools to empower people to make informed decisions about things they encounter on a daily basis to help reduce your risk of cancer, find the root of your ailments, or just live a healthier and more liberated life.

Learn about anti-cancer foods, the importance of physical activity, small changes you can gradually make in your household, and non-negotiable testing that you need to be doing if you take your health seriously. By simplifying your nutrition, discerning from true and false information on the internet through real research, and understanding the process of how cancer is formed, you can protect yourself and your family from the modern cancer causers we find all around us.

Dr. G is doing his part to change the game and open up the conversation around nutrition, health, cancer and how to live your best life. What role do informed consent, research, and education play in the way you take care of your body? Share your strategies with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

What to look out for when grocery shopping and how to avoid greenwashing
The importance of paying close attention to high-quality foods and ingredients
How your bed, couch or paint could be affecting your brain health and cancer risk
Exercise tips to help you reduce your risk of cancer without high intensity
Practical ways to empower yourself with informed consent to make changes in your life

Quotes

“We have to pay attention to what healthy even means and how we can maximize well past that.” (19:17)

“There is such a huge deficit in nutrition when it comes to cancer, understanding what needs to happen, why cancer occurred and how to look for those reasons after. So that is what my work is.” (22:52)

“If I could bottle up the benefits of physical activity into a capsule and sell it, I would be a billionaire right now. That is how powerful physical activity is, it is as effective as many of these interventions that we do, even conventional medical intervention.” (34:06)

“Give those gut bugs love, have the rainbow of colors, plants… whatever it is, just have these foods found on Earth that the Universe blessed us with these forms of food.” (42:20)

“You can find affordable options. Either way, just the awareness of all of this, you are already in the right direction. Because having that click and looking for these things… you are much better than you were before.” (52:42)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Follow Dr. Christian Gonzalez on Instagram | Facebook

Heal Thy Self Podcast

Environmental Working Group

EWG’s Skin Deep Database

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Letting Go of "Used To" Sep 06, 2019

Are you stuck comparing yourself to what you used to be able to do...or how you used to be like in a different season of life? Well, it's time to cut that out because it isn't helping.

“I used to be able to…”

At one time in my life – about 6 years ago – I front squatted 240 pounds.

Today, I front squatted 75 pounds.

I’m not a bad person. I’m not “worse” now than I was back then. This is a different time in my life, and I have different priorities and interests. Back then I was training for olympic weightlifting. Now I do a mixture of different training: kettlebells, barbells, BJJ, corrective exercise.

Be honest, how often do you start a sentence with “I used to be able to…” and go on to trash yourself for not being as XYZ as you used to be?

Here’s the fierce love truth:

You aren’t there anymore. You’re here, now.

Maybe things have changed.Maybe you chose those things and you’re happy about it. Maybe you didn’t choose those things and it sucks.

Either way, yes, feel your feelings. Reminisce, even. But at some point you have to process and keep moving.

But let’s be clear: You weren’t a better person because you could squat more once upon a time.

In today's episode, I'm serving up some real talk, support, and love so you can let go of living in the past and actually enjoy your present.

Harder to Kill Radio is sponsored by the Nutritional Therapy Association. Registration is now open for the NTA's September classes. You can learn more and save your seat by going to: www.nutritionaltherapy.com (and don't forget to mention my name on your application!)

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

The Core 4 book is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

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Using Your Challenges to Find Purpose w/ Abby Corriveau Sep 03, 2019

Holding tight to your values when life gets hard can help you stay calm through a storm. Today’s guest, Abby Corriveau, has been through a lot over the past couple of years. Her dedication to creating community, holding tight her values, and practicing gratitude has had a tremendous impact on her life.

Community, Values & Gratitude

Abby is a strength and sustainable movement coach who’s life was turned upside down when she found out her husband, also in the fitness industry, was cheating her. She felt she didn’t have anywhere to turn but ended up building her own community. Life changed again when she had to have intensive back surgery, causing her to reevaluate her approach to women’s fitness.

When Abby felt like she’d lost everything, she realized she no longer had a fear of failure. In fact, she embraced chances like she never had before in order to create sustainable movement in her local community. By reflecting on her values, she knew that she had to build that community in order to stay true to herself.

With her new community and support system, Abby has discovered the power of asking for help. Even as a solo entrepreneur, it’s okay to take a step back and let other people help you. And you never know what other people can teach you.

As Abby healed through both her physical and emotional trauma, her view of the world and her career changed. There are other lifestyles and abilities out there, and just because they’re different to yours doesn’t mean they’re any less. This has caused an entire world shift for her and one that she’s been open with through her social media.

Have you experienced any trauma that has changed your viewpoint? What are your core values? Share with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

How starting a new business can help you meet and grow within your local community
Why it’s important to make something you feel in your heart happen
What happens when you accept the risk of failure
How identifying your values will help guide you to create good in the world and have clarity with who you are and what you want to do
Why you should step back and let other people help you
What types of things you can learn from your children to help create your vision
How healing through physical and emotional trauma can open your eyes to other lifestyles and abilities
What happens when you publicly acknowledge your mistakes
How your online identity will change as your personal life evolves

Quotes

“I really have tried to create a physical space but also an energetic and emotional space where people will come and feel welcomed and supported in whatever may be going on in their lives that we may or may not know about.” (10:20)

“I might be a sole entrepreneur here but I don’t have to do everything, I can learn to let go and trust others.” (18:02)

“We’re human. How could you not make mistakes? I don’t know anyone who’s perfect and guilt-free of any kind of… everyone makes mistakes. But it’s, for me, part of my healing process is acknowledging them and owning them.” (49:36)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Abby Corriveau Website

Follow Abby on Facebook | Instagram | Personal Instagram

Contact Abby at abby@sustainable-movement.com

Join Abby's Kettlebell Basics Workshop

Join the Beautycounter Pop-Up with Steph & Alison | NYC

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

5 Strategies For Getting Honest with Yourself Aug 30, 2019

Okay time for some real talks.

Mentally beating yourself up, talking shit to yourself, and using negative motivation are not long-term, sustainable, kind solutions to making change in your life.

Practicing self-compassion – the awareness and attempts to soothe your own pain – is so incredibly important. And yes, when you’re used to using the former strategy to prompt change, self-compassion can feel fkn hard. But that’s why self-compassion is a practice…rarely something you can flip the switch on overnight.

People often ask, “Well if I’m kind to myself, then I’m just letting myself be lazy and [insert here, usually has to do with catastrophic-type thinking] will happen.”

Here’s a subtle distinction that my help you:

Self-compassion can co-exist with getting super honest with yourself. Getting honest with yourself and taking responsibility for what’s been under your control is NOT the same as negative self-talk. But often, it takes looking at a situation as objectively as possible before you’re able to move ahead.

What you don’t see honestly is hard to address objectively.

In this episode, I'm sharing five strategies that may help you move forward with self-compassion + honesty:

In this episode I covered:

What self-compassion is
How honesty and self-compassion can exist
Why honesty is necessary for objective action
Why catastrophic or all-or-nothing thinking isn't helpful
5 strategies for getting more honest with yourself

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

The Core 4 is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

Instagram| Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube | Twitter

I'd really love it if you would take 10 seconds and subscribe to the podcast!

How You Can Make Healthy & Budget Friendly Meals Easily w/ Cassy Joy Aug 27, 2019

Cassy Joy wants to make putting a healthy, budget-friendly meal on the table as simple as possible. With experience throwing herself into different diets that never quite seemed to work, Cassy Joy started to sift through the noise of diet culture and realized there wasn’t much out there that made sense for her.

Feeding Yourself With Food, Nutrition, & Happiness

While pregnant with her daughter, Cassy Joy created the Cook Once Eat All Week Method and put it into the universe in hopes of helping some women who were struggling like she was. What happened next was an explosion of the theory that has now been embraced by countless women to save time, money and energy.

Providing prep day instructions, nutrition information and meal planning strategies, the Cook Once Eat All Week method puts a new spin on eating leftovers that will leave you excited rather than bored and fill you and your family with the nutrients necessary to thrive.

A good friend of mine who is unapologetically herself in every way, Cassy Joy is all about finding a sense of community and comradery with your fellow humans through food, nutrition, and happiness.

Have you fallen in love with the Cooke Once Eat All Week Method? Share your favorite meal planning tips with us in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Simple strategies to make your leftovers into a new meal every night
Learn about orthorexia and how to use your awareness to move past it
The importance of finding a genuine connection with other humans
Ways you can save time, money and calories by meal prepping once a week
How being a rebel works for and against you as a business owner

Quotes

“A hot dumpster fire is a great analogy, that’s really what it feels like. And then when something is in order, it is worth celebrating! And I think that sums up my view on life.” (5:12)

“I did have this vision in the back of my mind of ‘what if I could turn this into this online editorial one day that helps a lot of people, where I can share my lessons learned.’ And that’s really what it became.” (8:39)

“Don’t feel guilted or slide into temptation because of the ‘shoulds’ out there, I say make sure you are making a decision, an informed decision, based on what your goals are and what will actually move you there.” (14:18)

“It’s just intuitive. You look at what you have got, and you combine them with leftovers from the night before. But it’s not leftovers, it’s a totally new dish.” (21:45)

“I really try to pay attention when I am walking around in the world and interacting with other humans because they are real people.” (41:43)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Cook Once Eat All Week by Cassy Joy

Follow Fed and Fit on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Fed and Fit Website

Fed and Fit by Cassy Joy

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

3 Ways to Beat Workplace Exhaustion Aug 23, 2019

There's nothing worse than getting to the end of your work day feeling utterly exhausted and like your brain is a pile of mush but also feeling like you have nothing to show for it. In the wellness space, there's a lot of chat around sleep and why it's so important. Yet, rarely do I see folks talking about how what you do during the other 16 hours of your day can affect how you feel.

In this episode, I'm laying out three keys ways to beat workplace exhaustion. As you listen, consider your own workday. Whether you have all the flexibility or none, you work inside the home or out, or you're an employee or the boss, there's something in this episode that will benefit you.

Specifically, I'm covering the importance of channel switching, the false promise of multi-tasking, and the key reasons you need to have a stress defusing tactic or two in your back pocket for day to day use.

In this episode I covered:

Why sleep matters to energy but why it's not the only consideration
How to fit in energy rechargers if you have little flexibility
3 ways to beat workplace exhaustion

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

The Core 4 is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

Instagram| Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube | Twitter

I'd really love it if you would take 10 seconds and subscribe to the podcast!

Using Fitness To Find Your Confidence w/ Ashleigh Van Houten Aug 20, 2019

After a whirlwind career in publishing and marketing, Ashleigh Van Houten managed to combine her passion and persistence into a job that she loves. A writer for Paleo Magazine, two-time podcast host and strength trainer, Ashleigh knows the power of perseverance and is here to help you develop your skills so that you can make the best out of any situation.

Love Of Learning & Confidence Building

Ashleigh believes in the importance of enabling yourself as a strong, confident and independent woman. A lover of the journey of education, Ashleigh has an amazing ability to take every experience as a learning opportunity and still finds the joy in learning something new every day.

Attracted to all things strength and fitness, Ashleigh is here to highlight how you can use fitness to find your confidence and the importance of bringing new perspectives and voices to a stagnant sphere. You owe it to yourself to find ways to develop your skills, find a path that works for you and have fun learning along the way.

How do you feel like your skills are interested are discussed in the health and fitness industry? Share what you would love to see more of in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

How to approach physical training scenarios with more knowledge and confidence
Why you should be focusing on the process more than the outcome
Learn the benefits and drawbacks of the working for yourself lifestyle
Takeaways of the life lessons learned through Jiu Shih Tzu and other training methods
Exploring the need for more diversity in fitness and health podcasting

Quotes

“I’m very much like look, this is the situation, am I going to just be pissy about it, am I going to sit here and wish it was a different way, or am I going to approach it like what can I get, how can I benefit from whatever the situation I am in?” (17:28)

“I’ve always been fascinated by what people can do when they like something and they train hard. What physical feats we are capable of, I think it is so fun to watch, it's so attractive and it's so interesting.” (27:45)

“It’s really just about finding the joy in learning and confidence-building, because that's what life is, it’s a learning process.” (31:39)

“Nothing feels better than throwing a good punch. You gotta try it!” (46:49)

“There's always room for more perspectives and voices and ideas and opinions. And that's what I want to help facilitate.” (53:14)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Ashleigh Van Houten Website

Follow Ashleigh on Instagram

Paleo Magazine Radio

Muscle Maven Radio

Human Potential Party Website

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by clicking here.

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How to Stop Relying on Motivation Aug 16, 2019

MOTIVATION IS CHEAP.

Yep, that’s right, I said it. Motivation can be so fleeting. How often have you had plans to cook dinner or get that workout in but you throw your hands up to the sky and get frustrated about why motivation seems to be eluding you? (And then you get mad and blame yourself for being weak-willed, undisciplined, or plain ol' bad. Not helpful.)

In this episode, I'm dishing on five different strategies you can use whenever you're not feeling motivated. Warning: Some of them are real talk and you may not like them. But trust me when I say that sometimes you need to hear it for your own good. Fierce love and compassion are always present. With these five strategies you'll build the frameworks that really help change stick.

In this episode I covered:

Why motivation is cheap
Why it's time to stop waiting around for motivation
5 ways to get change to really stick

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

The Core 4 is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

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I'd really love it if you would take 10 seconds and subscribe to the podcast!

How To Stress Less In Life & Fitness w/ Jason Williams Aug 13, 2019

Jason Williams believes that nutrition and fitness should not be something that you stress about. Instead, Jason works to integrate practices like meditation and yoga into his personal training to help his clients realize the power of embracing a modality of approaches to your fitness regime.

True Mind-Body Connection

Getting fit is not always about lifting weights or moving at a high intensity. Jason focuses on finding exercises to give you the health and serenity you crave while crossing over to different realms of the health space. Learn how to incorporate yoga, meditation and more into your workout seamlessly and effectively, as well as the multiple benefits you can receive by letting go of some of that stress.

Promoting a message of awareness, inclusion, and the desire to play, Jason is changing the game when it comes to creating a sustainable life through fitness, nutrition, and mindset. It is time to embrace a more fun-loving approach to fitness and find a way to embrace recovery and self-love to develop a true mind-body connection.

Have you experimented with alternative modalities such as yoga and meditation? How do you find they benefit your workout? Share with us in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Why you shouldn't be stressed about working out and how to find a happy balance
Simple ways to embrace basic meditation practices without extra effort
Debunking the most common misconceptions about meditation
The importance of inclusion and awareness in fitness and in life
How to develop a mind-body connection through a lighthearted fitness approach

Quotes

“There are other things in life to worry about, you have enough, so make it fun, working out should be fun.” (28:05)

“I realized how much [meditation] changed my life, in terms of relationships, to fitness, the way I eat, to average decision making. It was awesome and that's what I wanted to bring to people, it was kind of like that missing piece to what I had.” (37:22)

“Meditation allows your time back. You feel like you get all this time back in the world from doing meditation.” (46:58)

“I don't care how you do it, but awareness is my message and including everyone so your life will become a lot easier, and that's what we all want.” (50:27)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Jason Williams Website

Follow Jason on Facebook | Instagram

Contact Jason at charmcitypersonaltrainer@gmail.com

You Have Enough Stress In Your Life; Don’t Let Exercise Add To It by Jason Williams

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

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The Problem with Loving Your Body Aug 09, 2019

There's a really specific reason that I decided the subtitle of my new book, The Core 4 couldn't be, "Love Your Body, Own Your Power." It has to do with how we put self-love on a pedestal as the be-all, end-all way to approach personal growth and transformation in the wellbeing space. While I think most people who encourage you to "love your body" mean well, if you're in the depths of really negative body image, lacking self-confidence, and struggling with self-acceptance, self-love can feel like an impossible pipe dream. So what else is there?

In this episode, I'm presenting another option for a middle ground where you can be neutral about your body. I'm discussing why it may be more helpful and why you don't have to earn the right to take care of and respect your body. My hope is that by the end, you may realize there's a neutral place you can think about instead of being dismayed at the idea of having to love every single bit of your body 24-7.

In this episode I covered:

Why words are important & why I changed the subtitle of the book
The sticky stuff about self-love
Why neutrality is a valid option
What neutrality might look like

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

The Core 4 is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

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I'd really love it if you would take 10 seconds and subscribe to the podcast!

How Tonic Herbalism Can Help You Sustain Your Best Life w/ Mason Taylor Aug 06, 2019

What do you know about tonic herbalism, medicinal mushrooms and the role herbs and naturopathy can play in your life? If the answer is not much, Mason Taylor is here to correct that and introduce you to the benefits of tonic herbs. The owner and founder of SuperFeast, an Australian based tonic herbalism company, Mason is passionate about using herbs to increase your flow of Chi and connect you with your immune system.

Elevate Your Mind, Body, & Spirit

SuperFeast works to be more than just the standard health company selling you on something by backing up their philosophy with connection, support, and the ancient science that has helped sustain life for centuries. Learn about the energy of your symptoms, the difference between inferior, regular and superior herbs, and how to gain an understanding of how your constitution exists in your body.

Mason wants to walk alongside you and help you during your discovery process. When used and understood correctly tonic herbalism can help you age gracefully, bring lightness back into your body and help you shine your spirit through your physical cracks. By opening the door to tonic herbalism you can go deeper into the herbal world, learn to forage for yourself and find new understanding and enlightenment of your Chi.

Are you ready to procure an understanding of how your constitution works and get to work on your temple? Share what you found the most intriguing about Mason’s journey in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Explore the chemical metabolic processing happening within your immune system
How to identify superior herbs that can be used to enliven and enrich your life
Ways to maintain your flow of Chi and have smooth communication in your body
Tips to living a sustainable lifestyle for your organ function and emotional soul
Understanding the role tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms can play in daily life

Quotes

“What I’m trying to do here is convey the philosophy behind these herbs so that people can really start inviting that into the culture of their health and into their habitual flow.” (15:44)

“You want to use herbs and practices to understand your constitution thoroughly, not to fix you.” (37:28)

“What they really want to begin with is these Jing herbs to restore those foundations so that it is possible to generate your own Chi energy to move you through the day.” (42:31)

“There's more validity in that slow approach of taking sovereign responsibility for your health and your immune system and your energy levels. So that in 40 or 50 years' time you are not walking on eggshells and all of a sudden needing surgery. And that is where tonic herbalism is just my excuse to talk about that.” (54:41)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

SuperFeast Website

SuperFeast Podcast

Follow SuperFeast on Instagram | Facebook

Mason Taylor Website

The Mason Taylor Show

Get The Core 4 Book Here

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Take a Deep Dive Inside The Core 4 Aug 02, 2019

It's pub week, and The Core 4, my newest book, is out in the world! To celebrate, I'm taking you on a deep dive inside the book and walking you through a virtual tour. This book deals with health but it's not the same as other diet, weight loss, and fitness books. In fact, it's not a weight loss book at all. Rather it's about helping you find sustainable habits that work with your life in the four pillars:

Eat Nourishing Foods
Move With Intention
Recharge Your Energy
Empower Your Mind

In this episode, I'm sharing the overall why of the book. Then, I'm giving you a brief highlight of each pillar and its framework. Finally, I walk you through the 30-day program, emphasizing what it is and isn't so that you're equipped to put this into practice in your own life.

In this episode I covered:

A quick celebration of the book at #1
The why of the book
The two main parts of the book
The 4 pillars
The Core 4 30-day experience

Harder to Kill Radio is sponsored by the Nutritional Therapy Association. Registration is now open for the NTA's September class. You can learn more and save your seat by going to: www.nutritionaltherapy.com (and don't forget to mention my name on your application!)

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

The Core 4 is now available! Click here to get a free gift when you purchase. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

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Behind The Scenes Of Writing The Core 4 & How It Can Help You w/ Steph Gaudreau & Craig Zielinski Jul 30, 2019

Today is the day, The Core 4 is officially on the shelves of your local bookstore or favorite online retailer. I am so excited about the release of my new book that I have invited my husband Z to join us today to discuss the highs and lows of writing a book, examining the programs found in The Core 4 Book and have a look to the past and the future about what is coming next.

Embracing What Works

Writing a book can be filled with lots of fears and insecurities, and it is my mission to show that women can be strong in spite of our misconceptions and concerns. Through this book and this episode, I hope to walk alongside you as you stop living your restrictive lifestyle and start embracing what works for your body.

I believe in setting yourself apart by persevering, moving forward and embracing your body while owning your power. The Core 4 is all about these principles, and if you would like a chance to look into the ‘making of’ process, join us on this episode and let me help facilitate you to find another way.

Have you ordered your copy of The Core 4 yet? Share what you are most excited to read about in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Why you need to purchase your copy of The Core 4 today
What drove me to write a third book and exploring my creative process
The role photography has played in the book and your ability to use it at home
My favorite parts within the program and how to put what you read into practice
The ins and outs of dealing with a literary agent versus self-publishing

Quotes

“This has probably been one of the biggest projects I have done in my career, my second career as a self-employed business owner and nutritional therapist and strength coach and all the things I do. But its also been one of the scariest things I think that I have done.” (13:44)

“When you are in it, it's so hard to see that there is another possible way of looking at things. And it doesn't mean we don't take care of ourselves, I think that's the other thing I hear, is like ‘oh well you are just going to eat whatever the fuck you want and treat yourself like a trash can’. And its lie no, that's exactly not the point.” (33:29)

“I don't at all blame anybody who is stuck in this position and thinks this is all you know because I was there too. And it's just what we are taught.” (34:00)

“I wanted to plant the seed that we are so much stronger and we are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for.” (51:27)

“Women are so powerful and strong and can continue to build strength late into life. And it is not only fun and cute to do that, it’s important for our health.” (55:03)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

HTK 165: Craig Zielinski

HTK 035: Craig Zielinski

Steph Gaudreau Events

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Tips for Dealing with Injury Jul 26, 2019

Injured and faced with taking time off the gym? Have a surgery coming up and you're required to step away from your usual movement routine? Not gonna lie: it can be a massive mindfuck. Thoughts about losing all your gains and having to start from scratch are common. The desire to rush back into it before you're ready, real. And what are you supposed to do with all this extra free time? If you're like many people who have gone through this – including me! Hey! Hi! – it's enough to make you feel crazy.

Okay...deep breath. This is (probably) not the end of everything. In this episode, I'm walking you through some shifts that are essential and will be very helpful if the unfortunate injury or surgery strikes. Learn how to flip the loss of time in the gym to something useful and how to keep it all in perspective.

In this episode I covered:

Why time in the gym or participating in fitness is building up your savings account for injury or illness
Why you need a plan B for stress relief
How to maintain perspective about time off the gym
What to fill your extra time with

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

Pre-order bonuses for The Core 4 are now available for you! Get all the freebies now because they disappear on July 30. Claim the bonuses here. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

Instagram| Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube | Twitter

I'd really love it if you would take 10 seconds and subscribe to the podcast!

How To Teach Your Kids Body Confidence w/ Dana Suchow Jul 23, 2019

As adults, we often pick and nag at the things we don’t like about our bodies. This can translate into your child's vocabulary of how they talk about their own body and can create issues around food and body confidence.

Tools To Battle Body Negativity

After early traumatic messages and social media sent Dana Suchow into an unhealthy lifestyle filled with eating disorders and unhealthy habits, Dana decided to make a difference in prevention to make sure no child felt the same way that she did. Now she helps teachers, parents, and caregivers raise body confident teens and kids while also examining their own internal dialogues.

Dana is all about creating an environment where kids learn to take care of their bodies and feel safe and accepted regardless of what they look like. Today she is here to answer questions that came directly from you, the audience, so that you can learn how to raise kids that love their bodies.

Learn everything from the importance of letting children speak, to how to set boundaries in a body-shaming home, why you should be diversifying your social media and essential tools to help you raise kids that are ultimately confident in their bodies no matter what.

Do you know a parent, teacher or caregiver that could use this information to create a body-positive environment? Tag them in the comments on the episode page and let us know what you loved most about this episode while you're at it.

On Today's Episode

Tools to equip kids against body negativity when they are outside the home
Setting rules around the language about the body used around your child
How to help and encourage kids who are overweight without nagging
Ways that you can prevent eating disorders in kids through self-love
Addressing toxic masculinity and how to approach this conversation with boys

Quotes

“Really what we need to be doing is letting kids know that we will love them no matter what their bodies look like. Asking them ‘where did you hear that, where did you learn that it is wrong to be plus-sized or it is wrong to have fat on your body?’ Because there is nothing wrong with it.” (24:36)

“Kids are like sponges, and they pick up how we talk about our own bodies. They pick up what we say, but they also pick up what we don't say.” (32:58)

“When you love something you do what’s best for it. And if we can teach kids to love these incredible natural machines that we were given, they will make better choices in their lives, they will take better care of themselves, and they will be more outgoing and confident in their lives.” (36:17)

“Shame doesn't work, so shaming a child because they are ‘overweight’ isn't going to work. The only thing that will work for your child to be at a weight that is healthy for them, which may not be thin, is love.” (44:14)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Dana Suchow Website

View Dana’s Body Image Resources Here

Follow Dana on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

How to Set Goals for Better Results Jul 19, 2019

If you're thinking about nutrition or fitness (or both), it's usually a given that you're thinking about goals. You've probably heard that you won't achieve anything without having goals, so you make up something vague like and plow forward. Inevitably, you get frustrated by not reaching the goal fast enough and quit. Sound familiar? If so, this chat is for you.

In this episode, I'm digging into the very important differences between outcome-oriented and process-oriented goals. You'll learn why you might want to cast a vision instead of get fixated on an outcome, and why staying committed to the process – while remaining fluid and flexible – is key. Also, you'll learn the surprising and powerful way to approach mistakes and failure that will keep you moving forward.

In this episode I covered:

Why outcome goals set you up for frustration
The importance of vision and feeling
How to leverage process goals to get better results
Why process goals often require a perspective shift
How to make SMART goals better

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

Pre-order bonuses for The Core 4 are now available for you! Get all the freebies now because they disappear on July 30. Claim the bonuses here. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

Instagram| Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube | Twitter

I'd really love it if you would take 10 seconds and subscribe to the podcast!

Why You Should Dump Perfectionism & Embrace Generalism w/ Pat Flynn Jul 16, 2019

After striving to become perfect, Pat Flynn realized that it is okay to be average. More than that, he realized the potential of becoming good to great, or at least fairly competent, at many different things could have a positive effect on your life. With his new book, How to be Better at Almost Everything, Pat is taking his principles of Generalism to the masses and is here today to help you apply it to everything in your life to become a more robust human being.

Becoming Better Through Generalism

If you struggle with the idea of not being the best at something, it could be causing major harm to your health and mindset. Pat believes that being a specialist can be a big mistake for most people, and urges us ‘normal’ humans to accept generalism and all the power that comes with it.

Pat is an open book and a wealth of knowledge who shares his struggle with anxiety, bullying, and more on this episode. Find out how a background in writing gave him a leg up in the fitness world, why you should be focusing on becoming a short term specialist, and how to become better at multiple areas of your life without feeling too much pressure.

A generalist mentality can help you improve your everyday life, find more fulfillment in the things you enjoy, and stop the negative self-talk. Your value as a human being is based off who you are, not what you can accomplish, and Pat is here to help you realize that.

Are you ready to stop obsessing over things that really don't matter and embrace generalism into your life? Share what you learned from Pat in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

What three basic life skills you should start working on building today
How to stack your skills and find value in who you are not what you do
The realities of entrepreneurship and facing your fears in the name of freedom
Why you should ditch perfectionism to find more progress and liberation
How to form a new relationship with anxiety and philosophically rebrand your life

Quotes

“In life for most people most of the time, you are probably going to have more competitive and creative advantages getting good to great, or at least fairly competent, at a wide variety of skills rather than trying to be the best in the world at any one.” (14:30)

“When I finally started to actually find success in areas, it wasn't because I was trying to be the best at any one thing. But good to great, or fairly competent, at a lot of different things.” (34:18)

“Some people are just better than me. That took me a long time to be able to admit.” (39:09)

“Humility is an amazing and wonderful thing. Being able to admit you know what, I am not the best at something. And that is okay, and I am still infinitely value and infinitely worth having in existence regardless of any of that.” (40:27)

“The day of reckoning is going to come. Be it age or injury or whatever, there is going to be a day when you lose that capacity. So you can either decide to take a deep existential look at that now, and work through that now, which I think can be extremely liberating and freeing.” (49:51)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

How to Be Better at Almost Everything by Pat Flynn

Chronicles of Strength Website

The Pat Flynn Show

101 Kettlebell Workouts Free PDF

HTK 082: Pat Flynn

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

13 Tips for Better Sleep Jul 12, 2019

In theory, you'll spend about 1/3 of your life asleep. It's how humans recharge physically and psychologically. Yet in busy, modern life, sleep is often treated like a negotiable, something put last on the agenda, and as having less value than exercise when it comes to improving how you feel. Tricky indeed and full of nuance.

In this episode, I'm diving into sleep a bit more from the "here's what you can implement in your life right now to feel better soon" perspective. I've divided these 13 tips up into lower barrier-to-entry and higher barrier-to-entry categories based on time, cost, and behavior change buy-in. (Note: My categories are pretty subjective.) My hope is that you find something you can implement very soon!

In this episode I covered:

Why sleep and rest matter
Why trading sleep for workouts is a losing proposition
What is the hierarchy between sleep, nutrition, and exercise?
Considerations for lifestyle and non-negotiables
13 tips for better sleep based on lower and higher barriers to entry

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

Pre-order bonuses for The Core 4 are now available for you! Get all the freebies now because they disappear on July 30. Claim the bonuses here. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

Instagram| Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube | Twitter

I'd really love it if you would take 10 seconds and subscribe to the podcast!

How To Lead With Purpose & Positivity w/ Jill Coleman Jul 09, 2019

After working herself to the bone in the fitness space, Jill Coleman started creating content for the internet in 2010. Since then her online persona has exploded and she is one of the leaders creating fitness programs and health information for people through her website. Now Jill works to empower clients as well as health and fitness entrepreneurs to lead with purpose and find positivity in the food and exercise space.

Creating Continuity & Confidence

A big believer in overwhelming yourself at the start in order to gain experience and confidence, Jill is here to help you take the steps necessary to get your business dream off the ground. Learn why you need to earn the right to say no, how to distinguish what is okay to share with your followers and what to keep private, and ways to work together with your coach to create continuity and confidence.

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, are feeling alone in your business or just looking for a fresh perspective when it comes to training, this is the episode for you. Jill is an inspiring role model who leads by example and believes in transparency and honesty in order to move your goals forward.

What baby steps are you taking to gain experience and confidence in your fitness and business goals? Share where you are at in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Low stake ways to earn your confidence and business mentality through experience
Exploring how things have changed in the online space over the last decade
The importance of having a coach to keep you accountable and informed
How to embrace overwhelm and find value in your own demand
Why podcasting is the new blogging and how to create an online persona

Quotes

“Do something that is going to move you. To me, the solution in those situations is just to make more decisions.” (14:16)

“I am actually a huge fan of completely overwhelming yourself. I am to the point of like, say yes to everything until you have earned the right to say no.” (22:44)

“At heart, I am a teacher. So if there is something I don't feel like I understand 100% the nuances of, or I am not the person that should be talking about it, then I am probably not going to talk about it.” (39:12)

“I think the value of having any coach in your life is to tell you what is important and tell you what is not important. I think that is extremely critical to your process.” (42:55)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Follow Jill on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube

JillFit Website

The Best Life Podcast

Elite Mastermind

Fitness Business Accelerator Program

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Revitalize Jul 05, 2019

Community. Connection. Me to we. Taking time to center ourselves.

I just got back from a beautiful long weekend at mindbodygreen's revitalize weekend in the Arizona desert where I learned from teachers, speakers, and healers committed to conscious connection and leadership. I consider myself quite lucky to have had this experience, and it comes at a time in my business and life when I feel very much on the cusp of shifting and change.

In this episode, I'm filling you in on why you need to grab the book bonuses now (hint: on July 30 they disappear, so pre-order now), and I'm recapping my trip to St. Louis to record The Model Health Show with my friend Shawn Stevenson. Then, I'm sharing my experiences and most important take-aways from my weekend at the revitalize retreat.

In this episode I covered:

Why you've got to grab the bonuses for The Core 4 soon
My trip to St. Louis
What it was like to attend revitalize
4 important things I took away from my experience at revitalize

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

Pre-order bonuses for The Core 4 are now available for you! Get all the freebies now because they disappear on July 30. Claim the bonuses here. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

Instagram| Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube | Twitter

I'd really love it if you would take 10 seconds and subscribe to the podcast!

How To Be Kind To Yourself & Your Body w/ Shanique Allen Jul 02, 2019

After falling captive to the scale and macro-nutrient counting, Shanique Allen said enough is enough and decided to change her lifestyle for one that was healthy, but not restrictive. Through this change in mindset and nutrition, Shanique has stopped letting food control her and now works with her clients to promote being kind to your body while still fueling yourself with healthy decisions.

Live Life Unrestricted

Shanique is determined to help you live your life with more ease and enjoyment. She believes that movement should be one of the things that bring you satisfaction and joy and that counting calories or setting limits for yourself is the opposite of achieving total body health and acceptance.

Learn from Shanique’s story as she reveals what she wishes she knew in hindsight, how being less restrictive can actually lead to greater holistic health benefits, and why we should stop judging those that go against societies version of ‘healthy’.

There are more aspects to your wellness than just eating clean and exercising, and Shanique is living proof of the importance of making these healthy tools accessible to everyone. By creating a community where people are empowered to take the steps for themselves, you can invest in yourself and foster acceptance from within.

Are you ready to change the conversation regarding fitness and find more enjoyment in your daily routine? Share what you loved most about Shanique’s story and vision in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

How to change your relationship and mindset with the numbers on the scale
Changing the way you move to give you more joy and better results
Mindset techniques you can use to break up with everything you know about fitness
Ways life in Jamacia impacted Shanique’s approach to food and body image
The importance of acceptance and giving yourself grace when making health improvements

Quotes

“Having decided to break up with the person that I was, I had to create an identity that I could not ‘live with’, but who I was, I needed to figure that out, right now… and that's what lead me to where I am today. I am not defined by food, it is no longer something that I worry about, its something that compliments my life.” (19:44)

“Now when I jump on the scale, and I am no longer tracking, I don't care. And because I decided that food was no longer a determining factor in how I chose to enjoy life.” (24:32)

“In hindsight, I don't know what the hell I was doing! I’m like ‘damn Shanique you could have saved yourself a lot’. But at the same time, I am kind of glad I went through all that because it brought me here.” (34:38)

“Given that we are all unique, how can you use what you have to do what you can to get to where you want to go?” (41:07)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Shanique Allen Website

Apply for #FabFitFormula Coaching

Follow Shanique on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Pre-Order The Core 4 Here

The Nutritional Therapy Association Website

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

On the Wagon, Off the Wagon Jun 28, 2019

All-or-nothing thinking is not helpful when it comes to how you approach eating. Talk of "falling off the wagon" is extremely common and serves to keep you stuck in a loop of white-knuckle "compliance" (yuck) followed by periods of fuck-it-all eating, guilt, and shame. If you keep coming back to this way of thinking, start by asking yourself if it's actually helping you find better health and more ease. Probably not.

In this episode, I'm talking about why all-or-nothing words and ways of thinking create unhelpful feelings which then lead to behaviors that cause further guilt and shame with food. I'm also sharing five practical steps you can follow for beginning to detangle yourself from the words and metaphors of dieting so you're more empowered from within and less likely to spend all of your time thinking about food.

In this episode I covered:

The reaction to last week's BMI episode
Who I'm not for
Why all-or-nothing thinking about food is disempowering
5 steps you can follow to begin breaking the cycle of on the wagon, off the wagon thinking

You can also try out their free 7-day course, Nutritional Therapy 101 by going to: https://nutritionaltherapy.com/nutritional-therapy-101/

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

Pre-order bonuses for The Core 4 are now available for you! Get all the freebies before July 30. Just pre-order The Core 4 and claim the bonuses here. Thank you so much for all your support!

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Defining the 'Why' Behind Your Fitness Goals w/ Kristin Kaschak & Taylor Gage Jun 25, 2019

I invite you to welcome back my real life friends Kristin Kaschak and Taylor Gage as we dive into a thought-provoking, curse-filled discussion about everything fitness. Fellow business owners, Kristin and Taylor are here to share strong opinions about everything from CrossFit to diet and nutrition and the ever ominous scale.

Value Sustainable Health

If you are looking for an episode that makes you think, provides new perspectives and encouragement that you are not alone in your fitness struggles, these are the girls for you. Everything from the stigma of CrossFit and the fitness realms preference to value output over mechanics, to the importance of separating the ideas of health and aesthetics into two very different categories, and so much more are covered today.

Often we are so focused on the achievement of our goal that we forget about the ‘why’ behind our actions. Kristin and Taylor are here to drop some truth bombs and help you get out of the loop of unfulfillment to find something that really works for your physical and mental health.

Kristin and Taylor believe that you should stop putting your performance on a pedestal and find what works for your long term health. Join us as we unweave the internalized messages many approach fitness with to address the language and mindset you use to impact your ability to suit your own health.

Are you ready to learn how to stop valuing your performance over sustainable health? Share what steps you are taking to achieve a more holistic approach to wellness in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Identifying your internal feelings to find the type of fitness that works for you
How to get over the number on the scale without questioning your self worth
Ways to readjust your priorities away from aesthetics and towards feeling good
Why you should question everything you believe to find what is true for you
Addressing your language and context when it comes to your fitness goals

Quotes

“When we are prioritizing output, when we feel like you have to be dead on the floor after every single workout and that's the bar for the workout, that's the only place I give a little bit of a side eye and think oh, I feel like we should stop and ask some questions right here.” (16:30)

“Health is contextual. It is going to change depending on who you are and where you are, it's different for everybody and what that looks like. So if you are just putting a big stamp on something and saying ‘this is what health looks like’, that I think where the error comes in.” (22:28)

“Health ultimately is there to support your life, it should not be your life.” (37:54)

“Until you literally go all the way down, to these foundational elements of what you believe to be true about yourself in the world, you really are going to have a hard time seeing much else change in your life.” (56:10)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

She Thrives Blog

The Girl With The Butter Website

Follow She Thrives on Instagram

She Thrives Radio

She Thrives Academy

Follow The Girl With The Butter on Instagram

Functional Fare Nutrition Website

HTK 104: Kristin Kaschak

HTK 073: Taylor Gage

HTK 014: She Thrives

HTK 188: Nutritional Therapy

Nutritional Therapy 101

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Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

6 Reasons BMI is Bullshit Jun 21, 2019

I've dabbled with this topic before in other podcast episodes about the scale and diet culture, but I haven't taken on BMI as a separate topic until now. A recent routine doctor's appointment had me reeling from an offhand BMI comment. It brought up a lot for me, and had I not been mentally stronger, it could have pushed me back into disordered eating and exercise behaviors.

In this episode, I'm relaying my story and tearing into six reasons why BMI is bullshit. There's a lot of nuance here, and my experiences as a person in a smaller body are nothing like what someone else in a larger body may experience. It's my hope that you'll walk away from this episode with some things to think about and start conversations of your own with the people you care about.

In this episode I covered:

My recent BMI story
What I said when told my BMI was too high
6 reasons BMI is total bullshit
Why intuitive eating is important to move past diet mentality and diet culture

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

Pre-order bonuses for The Core 4 are now available and free for you! Get all the freebies before July 30. Just pre-order The Core 4 and claim the bonuses here. Thank you so much for all your support!

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Why You Need To Stop Focusing On Diet Fads w/ Laura Schoenfeld Jun 18, 2019

Instead of focusing on the latest diet or exercise fad, Laura Schoenfeld wants you to figure out what works best for your body. A registered dietitian and placeholder of the most downloaded Harder To Kill episode to date, Laura is back for round two to take her nutrition expertise in a new and exciting direction.

Food, Fitness, & Faith

Believe it or not, but being malnourished in the fitness space is a very common problem, and Laura is working to fix that by spreading information and knowledge. You don't have to break up with sugar to be healthy, all it takes is understanding your cravings and balancing your micronutrients, macronutrients, and calories.

Learn how to stop the binge behavior that has been ingrained into your bodies functioning, understand what your body needs both physically and spiritually to achieve optimal health, start looking at your health decisions as part of your belief system, and so much more.

Sugar is not the enemy, negative self-talk and self-criticism are. Laura believes in creating a positive self-image that is not based on performance but instead based on your own sense of purpose. We all want to create a meaningful life that we look back on with fond memories, and being focused or distracted by your body image is not the way to achieve that

When you have a sense of purpose, you can increase your physiological resiliency and in turn create healthy habits that are as easy as autopilot. It is time to start looking at your health decisions and understanding how it relates to your belief system in order to find the most minimal way to keep your body on track.

Are you ready to stop focusing so heavily on diet and nutrition and start feeding yourself spiritually? Share what you loved most about Laura's perspective in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Understanding why you may be craving sugar and how to reduce the cravings
How over exercising could be holding you back from experiencing your best health
The three categories you should be using to evaluate your malnourishment
Using your faith to release your anxiety over food, fitness and body image
Recognizing yourself as valuable regardless of your performance or diet

Quotes

“Just because you are eating good quality real food, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, all that stuff, that doesn't mean you are getting enough calories or macronutrients to meet your bodies needs.” (25:31)

“There is research showing that the restriction of foods can actually trigger cravings and then bingeing on those foods later. That's not just an anecdotal thing, it is found in the research.” (40:52)

“If we can switch that mindset of the typical belief that the more you do the better your results will be, I really like to switch that and say ‘what is the least I can do to get the results that I want to get’, and after that, it’s more just like bonus points if I feel like doing more.” (50:38)

“Make sure that you aren't spending all of your time focused so heavily on nutrition and fitness and all that stuff. Honestly, I feel that should be a tool to help you pursue your purpose, not the purpose of your life to focus on that stuff so heavily.” (1:06:38)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Get the Free 3-Part Video Training Series Here

Download the Faith-Based Fed and Fearless Guide Here

Fed and Fearless Website

Laura Schoenfeld Website

Follow Laura on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

Join the Fed and Fearless Society Here

The Ancestral RDs Podcast

HTK 105: Laura Schoenfeld

Pre-Order The Core 4 Book Here

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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3 Ways to Adjust Fitness When Life Gets Stressful Jun 14, 2019

Whatever you call it, exercise/fitness/movement has so many proven benefits for your body and mind that it can be hard to accept that sometimes, more is definitely not more. If you're like many people I work with, you're afraid that taking it down a notch means you're lazy, you're a failure, and you'll automatically gain 20 pounds. And that's total BS you've been lead to believe.

In this episode, I'm sharing three important ways to adjust your fitness routine when life shovels a big heap of stress your way. Making adjustments to these three factors can have a huge impact on how you feel, how you perform, and how you're able to recover. Remember, more is not always more! It's time to start listening more to what your body is asking for...and what it's not.

In this episode I covered:

Why I'm personally taking it down a notch right now
Objective & subjective ways to listen to your body re: exercise
3 ways to adjust your fitness plan when life turns up the heat
Real talk about what's not going to happen to your body when you rest

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

Pre-order bonuses for The Core 4 are now available and free for you! Get all the freebies before July 30. Just pre-order The Core 4 and claim the bonuses here. Thank you so much for all your support!

Resources from this episode:

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Hitting That Reset Button For A Life You Love w/ Jennifer Schreckengost Jun 11, 2019

At 40 years of age, Jennifer Schreckengost left behind her stable career, health insurance and the guarantee of many things to start living a life that she loved instead. Jennifer started a food blog, Wanderlust and Wellness, focused around promoting nut-free and paleo options, eventually switching to a more well-rounded version of nut-free, dairy-free and gluten-free. Since taking the leap Jennifer has successfully turned her brand into a full-time business and has never looked back.

Health + Freedom

Today Jennifer is passionate about helping other women realize that they too can take whatever steps necessary to change your life into something you love at any age. On this episode, Jennifer explores precise tools you can use to hit the reset button on your life at any stage, ways to get out of your own way, and tips for business and life to accomplish whatever you want to do.

By creating a community where women feel safe to explore the visions of the life that they have always dreamed of while promoting healthy and positive ideas, Jennifer is spreading the mantra of ‘eat well, live well and explore often’.

Are you ready to solidify your ‘why’, take the leap to business ownership or just learn the steps necessary to start living a life you love? Share what your biggest takeaway from Jennifer’s wisdom was in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Getting over imposter syndrome around stepping out on your own
Resources for those that live a nut-free, gluten-free or dairy-free lifestyle
How to find your happy center in the current vortex of diet trends
Letting go of the anxiety around the rules of what you are eating
Ways Jennifer is creating a model for women at any age accomplish their goals

Quotes

“Patience and persistence and consistency, those are three words I have written on my board because that is probably the biggest lesson I have learned is it's not going to happen overnight, it’s a slow gain.” (16:17)

“My goal was always to be able to do my blog full time and leave that full-time job, and my deep down vision, my ‘why’, was to create a life that I love, to live my best life, as cliche as that sounds, and to help other people see that they could do that too.” (18:10)

“To me, that sacrifice was worth it because I knew that in order for me to take that final leap into creating that life, that vision that I had, I needed to make that big jump and sacrifice and so that's what I did.” (32:58)

“What I want to show women is that you can make that transition, you can make that career change, you can make that lifestyle change. Whatever it is, at any age, even if it's at 40 because that's exactly what I did.” (39:10)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Wanderlust and Wellness Website

Follow Wanderlust and Wellness on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

The Wanderlust and Wellness Podcast by Jennifer Schreckengost

Wanderlust Cooking Club

HTK 205: Veronica Valli

Pre-Order The Core 4 The Book Here

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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Body Image Real Talk: Part 2 Jun 07, 2019

I'm back this week with part two of our body image real talk conversation. Last week, I covered the sub-topics of why fitting rooms fuck with our minds, the role of media in all of this, and why cellulite should not be demonized. It got spicy at times, and this week proves to be the same. But don't mistake my spiciness for bitchiness. No. My job as a coach is to support you in the areas you need support while challenging you to stop playing small. Growth and expansion, FTW.

In this week's episode, I'm reminding you about what fierce love means and then diving headlong into a few points about why blaming others for making you feel bad = a lack of taking personal responsibility for what you can change or affect. I'm also bringing up the topic of body neutrality and how this can be a more attainable middle ground between all-out self-love and crushing self-hatred. And finally, I'm covering the an unexpected aspect of comparison that could be holding you back.

In this episode I covered:

What fierce love means
Why you can't just blame others for making you feel bad
The underutilized topic of body neutrality
Why loving everything about yourself can set you up for self-sabotage
The comparison trap you probably aren't even aware of that's holding you back

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

Resources from this episode:

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Why Are You So Hangry? w/ Dr. Brooke Kalanick Jun 04, 2019

Are you often unable to fall asleep, experiencing mood swings, random cravings, or are unable to work out the way you want to? Instead of focusing on pushing yourself harder, these issues may require a deeper look into your hormonal changes and how it is affecting your body.

Supporting Your Hormones

While it is normal for women to experience highs and lows in their hormones, sometimes we can feel confused and under-informed. This is why I have hormone expert Dr. Brooke Kalanick back on the show today to help you understand your hormones holistically and what you can start, or stop, doing to help support your body best.

Dr. Brooke is exploding with information, explaining the connection between your menstrual cycle, nutrition, exercise level, and hormones, the role cortisol and thyroid levels play in your ability to regulate itself, and why you should be listening to your appetite, cravings, energy, and sleep to hear what your hormones are trying to tell you.

Learn about which environmental and stress factors could be wreaking havoc on your hormones, ways to allow yourself to get to a place unrestricted by strict nutrition rules, and how to support your hormones through perimenopause, menopause and beyond.

Dr. Brooke is all about customizing a solution to fit your needs and shares her foundational approaches to life and wellness which is changing women's lives with her and Sarah Fragoso’s new book, Hangry. If the title alone resonates with you, you need to listen in on Dr. Brooke’s pillars to success in order to empower yourself to become fully present in life again.

Stop mistaking common symptoms for normal and start getting answers so that you can start feeling better. Are you ready to start listening to your intuition and put your own health first? Share where you are at in your hormone discovery journey in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Using nutrition and stress management to offset hormonal changes after 30
How to start personalizing your carb timing for your specific carb tolerance
Which foods you should be eating at different times of the month depending on you
Signs that you may need to decrease your exercise for your own good
Understanding your cravings and why they aren't something to freak out about
Ways to prioritize what moves the needle for your health without guilt

Quotes

“We shouldn't be mad at our hormones, we shouldn't feel like they are betraying us, they are trying so hard to stay in balance in our crazy, bonkers, toxic, busy, overstressed world.” (14:05)

“It's not as pretty, it's not as easy for me to just say ‘you have got this hormone issue so you need to eat this many grams this many times a day’. For a lot of women, it’s a little more nuanced than that.” (32:07)

“Most women have multiple hormone issues going on and so we really need to take them in a systematic fashion and deal with the stuff that makes you hangry first.” (39:48)

“Be who you are authentically and unapologetically. Because when we are not, I really think that is the most, and Sarah would agree with me, the most stressful thing for a woman.” (51:57)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Pre-Order Hangry by Dr. Brooke and Sarah Fragoso

Better by Dr. Brooke Website

Follow Dr. Brooke on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

The Sarah & Dr. Brooke Show Podcast

Better Everyday Podcast

HTK 071: Hormone Help with Dr. Brooke Kalanic

Pre Order The Core 4 Book Here

Join the Harder to Kill Facebook Group Here

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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Body Image Real Talk: Part 1 May 31, 2019

Hold onto your hats, friend...it's time for some body image real talk. In fact, there's so much to say about this topic that I'm breaking it up into two episodes with part two coming next week. Summer is here and wearing shorts or a bathing suit is now coming to top of mind again...and that brings up negative body image, negative self-talk, and feelings of being less than or not good enough. There are women in my community who haven't shown their legs in decades because they're afraid of what others will think of them.

And I get it. I was that woman. I was fearful, self-conscious, and had dysmorphic body thoughts. I come from a place of love in this episode though what I have to say is often firm and a bit of a wake up call. Nobody is going to start valuing yourself for you. You have to get real about the tired out narratives that are no longer serving you. Rejecting those narratives, unlearning old views, and embracing new ways of seeing yourself is possible. It takes work but you can do it.

In this episode, I'm talking about why dressing rooms are such a mindfuck. From there, I'm diving into the first of three real talk points regarding body image. If your heart is open and you're ready to hear them, these issues have the potential to change everything.

In this episode I covered:

Why body image is top of mind right now
3 reasons why fitting rooms fuck with our heads
3 aspects of body image we need to get real about

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

Resources from this episode:

Follow Steph on:

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The Healing Power of Compassion & Love w/ Dr. Rob Abbott May 28, 2019

Dr. Rob Abbott is an integrative medical doctor who believes in talking to his patients and learning their stories to find the root cause of what ails them. An expert in the field of nutritional and lifestyle interventions when working with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Dr. Abbott has a unique blend of approaches when looking at medicine and employs a refreshing and compassionate approach to working with clients.

Listening's Healing Potential

Dr. Abbott believes in studying what is relevant to the patient and improving peoples quality of life by addressing chronic conditions through multifaceted interventions. Today he shares the results of his recently co-published study all about the benefits of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet and provides a space for us to come together and make positive and empowered change through knowledge.

If you believe in the power of positive psychology, are looking to explore about how your lifestyle and diet can impact how your body is functioning, or want to learn more about Hashimoto’s and the simple ways you can elevate your symptoms, this is the episode for you. By seeing the story behind the person, Dr. Abbott helps people walk through their symptoms and creates a real connection between doctor and patient to find an integrative approach to healing.

Do you feel as though your doctor really listens to your story? Have you been frustrated by dismissive doctors in the past? Share your past experiences with us in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Honoring the power of listening to someone's story and the healing potential it can have
Bridging the gap between the doctor and nutritionist silos to create progressive healing
How Dr. Abbott funded a medical study through online activism and crowdfunding
Ways to improve your quality of life and Hashimotos symptoms with AIP
Take a close look at the results of the AIP medical study and what is next in research

Quotes

“I try to not care about on the surface what someone might do for a living or the letters after their name, and really get to know the story behind the person.” (9:12)

“I'm going to challenge you, not in a way to make you feel judged or torn down, but to say ‘hey maybe that's not really what you need right now’.” (34:02)

“If you talk to him and ask him what is the most important component of his multifaceted approach which has shown amazing benefits... it’s not food, it's not even movement and it's not even sleeping. It's love.” (47:55)

“As much as I love the autoimmune protocol as dietary intervention, it's just a tool and part of a greater tool kit of personalized care and community and really loving and caring about other people.” (48:26)

“Sometimes we want to jump immediately to the sexy stuff, the hormones and all this, when really if you just give lifestyle time in a controlled and supported setting, you are going to see some awesome stuff happen.” (1:10:06)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Free Health Education E-Book Download Here
Read the AIP Medical Study Here
Resilient Roots Collaborative Website
A Medicinal Mind Website
A Medicinal Mind Podcast
Follow Dr. Rob Abbott on Facebook | Instagram
SAD to AIP in SIX Website
HTK 169: Angie Alt
Order Core 4 The Book Here

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Energy Tips for Empaths May 24, 2019

Being an empath is a gift, but it's often a challenge to manage. I wasn't even aware that this trait had a name until I was an adult, and suddenly a lot of my life made sense. I dance with the dynamic between leaning into and using my gifts while at the same time not being crushed by it. The boundary between letting myself stay open as an empath and taking it all on is often razor thin and completely blurry.

In this episode, I'm sharing some common empath traits and how I personally try to manage my energy as an empath. Included are five of my go-to strategies for protecting myself from taking on OPE (other people's energy).

In this episode I covered:

A book update
Pros and cons of personality tests
10 common empath traits
5 tips I use for managing my energy

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

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The Great Big Sober Secret w/ Veronica Valli May 21, 2019

Popular culture has made us believe that in order to get to the land of self-acceptance, fun, freedom, and adventure, we need alcohol. Veronica Valli realized that this could not be further from the truth after she stopped drinking at the age of 27, and has since set out to share benefits of sobriety with others.

Navigating Sobriety

Today we are addressing all your questions about getting sober, and the answers may surprise you. Learn why Veronica felt the need to stop drinking, what questions to ask yourself to judge your relationship with alcohol and if it is a problem, and learn why Veronica is determined to break the socially constructed normalized crutch of alcohol abuse.

If you have never stopped to question the cultural differences, societal pressures and physical toll that drinking can take on your body, Veronica is here to open your eyes. A true believer in the freedom and fun you can find in sobriety, Veronica strives to make alcohol free as standard as gluten-free or vegetarian without batting an eyelid.

Drinking culture can be a difficult thing to navigate, but with the tools and support, Veronica provides, you can stop using alcohol to cope and start thriving in the sober community.

How does your relationship with alcohol affect your day to day routine? Share with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Changing the perception around sobriety and the gifts it can bring you
Addressing the mom drinking culture pushed by advertising companies
Tips to help you avoid drinking in social situations without confrontation
How stopping drinking can help you find out who your real friends are
Exploring the ways sobriety can open you up to be your best self

Quotes

“I stopped drinking when I was 27, and I thought my life was over, but I couldn't continue as I was. And in fact, the reverse was true, my life expanded in ways are just frankly beyond my wildest dreams.” (9:36)

“The secret is, you can get to the land of fun, excitement, belonging, connection, relaxing, romance, and sex, sober... and it's better.” (22:42)

“When they look at the true cost, it is quite shocking to them, it's your integrity, your dignity, it's those costs, your self-esteem.” (32:21)

“When alcohol rents space in your head, when you're thinking about drinking or not drinking or how much you are going to drink or what time you are going to drink or have you drank too much, its renting space in your head. That's the indication that you have a problem.” (39:14)

“A sober life is a fantastic life, it is just amazing. And I really want people to see that.” (50:57)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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Ask Steph Volume 3 May 17, 2019

Today, I'm digging into another round of listener questions and providing answers to some of your most common inquiries.

Questions answered on this episode:

"I am working hard on intuitive eating. Any advice for helping with the mind shift to this and eating for health vs the stand by "to lose weight" goal, especially when you know you feel better at a lower weight. I am having a hard time not making weight loss my goal."

"Do you ever do cardio, like running, or do you ever bike anymore?"

"I’ve had a problem since I was a teenager with body image issues and trying to love my body instead of hate it. The only way I’ve ever lost weight is by starvation diets that I know are unhealthy. I am now tracking macros and trying to eat healthy , but it’s so hard to grasp the concept that I need to eat more to lose weight. How do we change that mindset?"

"My current struggle is not letting the messages from "the rest of the world" get to me. I get SUPER defensive/pissed if I hear someone talk about things like counting calories, having "abs", "beach bodies", etc. I need some kind of mantra for not letting the bullshit affect me so much."

"What is the best strategy for overcoming strength plateaus when you are limited to at home workouts?"

"I know you've very recently covered the topic of plate shaming, or making judgements on other's food choices.. but how can we respond and educate those who are not aware of how harmful this behavior is? How can we get to a place of eating whatever the fuck we want to without outside commentary?"

"I have been doing intermittent fasting for about 6 months, but I wasn’t training due to an injury. I recently started training again and I am sooo hungry, even if I eat well during the 8-hour window. Do you have any tips to help me?"

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Hypothyroidism: How To Conquer This Sneaky Disease w/ Dr. Becky Campbell May 14, 2019

So many women are dealing with symptoms caused by hypothyroidism and either don’t know it or don’t know how to fix it. Dr. Becky Campbell was part of this group, after dealing with weight gain, hair loss, and chronic fatigue during schooling. After a series of general practitioners and specialists left her without answers, she found her solution in a holistic practitioner that outlined her thyroid issues. Today Dr. Becky is passionate about helping other people get to the root cause of their thyroid issues and start feeling better faster.

Hypothyroidism: How To Conquer This Sneaky Disease

Dr. Becky is shedding light on everything from to what hypothyroidism is, what tests you should be asking for, how to eat and exercise for your thyroid and more. If you are seeing abnormal changes in your body, are not feeling yourself, or unsure of what tests to ask for from your doctor, Dr. Becky is answering all of your questions and more on this episode.

Learn why you adopting a new lifestyle is not a prescription for restriction, the important role thyroid hormones play in all functions of the body, how to make sure your doctor is checking you thoroughly enough, and how to support your adrenals through stress management techniques. Dr. Becky believes in listening to what your body is asking for to know what you need to do to support your body without extreme measures.

Once you understand the crucial role your thyroid plays in the body you will be able to shift your mindset, diet, and lifestyle to become partners with your body again.

Are you struggling with a form of hypothyroidism? Share your journey with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Ways to require less thyroid medication and feel normal in your body again
Symptoms that you should be looking for to know when to get your thyroid tested
Steps you can take on your own that cost no money and really make a difference
How to view exercise and diet in a way that is supportive for hypothyroidism
The importance of diet, liver function, gut health and adrenals on your thyroid levels

Quotes

“I had to do the work with changing my lifestyle to get better, but I did and I got so much better, and so I knew this is what I needed to do, help other people.” (9:48)

“Everybody is different, so it's not going to look the same for everybody, but I can tell you right now I don't feel deprived at all in the way I eat.” (12:10)

“I think when you can actually figure out what the problem is for your body, and learn how to handle that, that's when you are going to get the best results. You can’t do what somebody else did and expect the same thing if you guys are two different people.” (21:40)

“My purpose is really to try and help people help themselves with as little money as possible, and with this method, you really can do that.” (34:02)

“If your body is telling you something is wrong, it's wrong.” (39:40)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Download The Ultimate Thyroid Guide Here
The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan by Dr. Becky Campbell
Dr. Becky Campbell Website
Follow Dr. Becky Campbell on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest
Order Core 4 The Book Here

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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Strength Training Tips for Beginners May 10, 2019

If you've wanted to start strength training but you don't know where to begin, I've got you. I've been a strength training enthusiast consistently since 2010 and a coach since 2013. I've seen and heard just about everything when it comes to fears and apprehensions that women have about lifting weights. Sometimes those fears come from lack of knowledge and other times, it comes from people that tell women outright to "be careful or you'll get hurt." That last part's gotta stop.

In this episode, I'm sharing five tips to help you get started with strength training. These may not all work for everyone, but my hope is that they serve as potential entry points for you as you gather knowledge and do some research. Strength training has so many powerful physical and mental benefits that I hope you'll get experience.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

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Your Conscious Living Approach w/ Caroline Potter May 07, 2019

Caroline Potter is a wife, mother, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, entrepreneur, and believer in taking things slow and enjoying the seasons of your life. After an autoimmune diagnosis at age 20, Caroline took her world that had been shaken and turned it into a thriving food blog business. Today Caroline lives with her husband and a new baby in Spain and has embraced the European lifestyle and the freeing mindset both physically and mentally that true peace can bring.

How To Figure Out Your Conscious Living Approach

Instead of doing everything for everyone, Caroline believes in doing just a few things really well and being at peace with every human being needing to ask for help. Today Caroline is here to share her mantra of learning to say no by strengthening the muscle, making time for yourself throughout your day, and getting out of the hustle to instead focus on your own needs.

Being intentional with your decisions doesn't mean your decisions are perfect, it means trying your best in every situation and letting the rest happen to set yourself up for success. Caroline believes that when you can cut yourself a break and set yourself up with intentions, you can take control of your decisions and be successful long term.

The mental ramifications of a chronic autoimmune disease can often be as bad if not worse than the physical symptoms, so it is important to take care of all aspects of yourself. Caroline provides tools to help you figure out your conscious living approach, and explains why allowing yourself the ability to focus on your passions and explore your opportunities is also your greatest chance to heal.

How does Caroline’s story relate to your own experience with autoimmune diseases? Share with us in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Viewing stress management and green products as tools in your health arsenal
How to organize the physical and mental clutter you feel to become more productive
What taking the weekends off social media has done for Caroline’s brain and mindset
Ways to make small steps over time to improve your health sustainability long term
Taking the steps necessary to not be defined by your disease but thrive because of it

Quotes

“When I finally did rebrand and I really went after what was really on my heart, I started working fewer hours and I started making way more money and way more impact.” (17:02)

“Once you say the first no, it gets so much easier after that.” (22:02)

“Just having that margin to breathe and to dream and to educate yourself, whatever that may look like to you. And I think that is where you are going to find the greatest success and also the greatest contentment.” (23:11)

“I wouldn't be talking to you today if it wasn't for my disease and I wouldn't have a lot of people in my life if it wasn't for my disease, so I see now the positives but man it was really really hard.” (33:18)

“We put so much pressure on ourselves, and that doesn't do anyone any good. You know all the healthy good in the world isn't going to save you if you dont have the right mindset going into it.” (44:16)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Take the Conscious Living Growth Style Quiz
Flourish Living Website
Women Who Flourish Series
Follow Caroline on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest
Order Core 4 The Book Here

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Celebrating 200 Episodes May 03, 2019

It's the 200th episode of Harder to Kill Radio...say what! Crazy to think that we're here celebrating this milestone nearly four years after launching the podcast. Podcasting has been a fun and sometimes wild ride, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Harder to Kill Radio has brought me yet another medium with which to connect with you, the listener, and meet you where you're at. It's also afforded me the opportunity to connect with so many amazing people out in the world who are doing incredible things for others and sharing their stories with you.

In this episode, I'm reflecting back on the last four years. I'm sharing more about why I created a podcast and what it takes to make a show each week. I'm also letting you in on some lessons I've learned as well as revealing some of the most popular episodes to date. And, I muse on what the future may bring.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On today's episode:

Looking back at 4 years of podcasting
Why I decided to start a podcast
What it takes to make a show
Lessons I've learned
The most popular episodes
Why podcasting is awesome

Resources from this episode:

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Strength with a Purpose w/ Ola Alghazzouli Apr 30, 2019

Ola Alghazzouli came to the United States at age 11 from Damascus, Syria. With her new home, she found a string of language and cultural differences that lowered her self-esteem and made her body conscious to the point of bulimia and binge eating. After being introduced to weight lifting, Ola was inspired by the changes she saw in her body and the power that focusing on the positive changes she was seeing gave her. After coming out the other side of her shame surrounding physical strength as a Muslim woman, she embraced her new found ability and feels passionate about helping others do the same.

Strength with a Purpose

Getting back to basics, being outside in nature, art therapy, and movement is what Ola believes to be the key contributors to finding your purpose and loving your body. We are discussing the importance of stepping back and allowing your body to take a break, how to find your purpose through fitness and ways that Ola is able to blend faith and fitness without pushing a religious agenda.

You don't have to be perfect, but if you keep working towards your goal from a place of enjoyment and purpose, you can heal your relationship with your body and live in the true paradise known as Akhirah. Ola is here to open your eyes to the intersection of functional fitness, Muslim faith and the divinity of being in your purpose.

How does your self-body image as a teenager impact how you interact with fitness today? Share with us in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Addressing the stigma across cultural borders towards women bulking up
Exploring themes women struggle with from adolescence into adult life
Tips on how to work out and eat healthily during Ramadan
The physical and mental benefits of being outside and moving your body
Learn how different fitness modalities can help you transition through difficult points in your life

Quotes

“I was afraid of the gym at the beginning, but once I got hardcore into weight lifting, I started seeing differences in my body, and not caring about who was looking at me.” (16:02)

“For anyone who is super exhausted, you are not going to find motivation until you give yourself a little break, take a deep breath, take care of your body, and know why you are doing it.” (23:56)

“When 2014 happened, my grandma passed away, and I was like ‘oh my gosh, my body is a responsibility for me, what the heck am I doing with it?’ And that is when the whole awakening happened, and now I see that it is all meant for me, I am meant to be this trainer.” (28:54)

“My main goal and hope is that I am able to help people see their body in a positive way. And it’s not just about toning out or losing weight, it's about getting a strong mind, loving who you are and what you look like as of now.” (30:48)

“Just go for it, you never know what you can do until you do it.” (44:31)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

BeFit4Akhirah Website
Join the Ramadan Prep Fitness Challenge Here
Purposeful Fitness with Coach Ola Podcast
Follow Coach Ola on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Pre-Order The Core 4 by Steph Gaudreau

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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Mind Your Own Plate Apr 26, 2019

Ever had someone comment about how much you're eating with a particular tone of disgust or fake surprise? If you're a woman who puts anything more than child-size portions on her plate, the answer is probably yes. As a society, women are expected to be bird-like eaters who push two leaves of lettuce and a cherry tomato around their plates. (Thanks, diet culture.)

In this episode, I'm examining – and ranting about – why minding your own plate is probably the best idea. It's complicated how we got to this tiny portions club in the first place. And how we're going to collectively get out of it isn't straightforward either. One thing I do know? Plate-shaming someone ain't gonna help.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

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How To Break-up With Diets & Regain Your Power w/ Dana Monsees Apr 23, 2019

Our society has a keen knack for creating stigmas that make us feel less than. Diet culture and this restrictive mentality around food are slowly killing our bodies natural rhythm, and that is what Dana Monsees is dedicated to helping correct. Entrepreneur, nutritionist, and founder of Real Food with Dana, Dana is passionate about helping people realize that smaller is not necessarily better.

How To Break-up With Diets & Regain Your Power

This episode is all about healing your relationship with food, finding a nutritional path that works for you, and dismissing what society thinks of your size and being content with who you are. Dana is here to create a space to think about how you approach food, explain why restriction diets are not always better, and share ways that you can motivate yourself to make the changes you want to make. Dana believes that by understanding diet culture and what it subconsciously forces us to do, we can break free of these limitations and find our bliss.

When you are able to find the middle ground between crash diets and falling off the wagon, you can find a place of true body acceptance. Dana encourages you to ditch the diet cycle, break down your fearful or anxious relationship with food and exercise, and start removing those triggers to trust your body. By focusing on an abundance mindset you can stop relying on controlling your diet and exercise to give your life sanity, and instead enjoy the freeness of the human experience.

Dana has a wealth of nutrition knowledge and strong opinions to help you make sustainable lifestyle changes and improve how you interact with food and your body. It is time to break free of the diets and beliefs that have kept you hating your body and start embracing the beauty you hold inside.

How do you relate to Dana’s story of disordered eating and regaining your strength? Share with us in the comments section on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Thinking critically about the things we do as a society and how it impacts our body image
How to identify a shame spiral and get out of it without destroying yourself
Identifying where your nutrition overload is coming from how to remove those influences
Practical ways to pull back on the way you restrict yourself in all walks of life
What it is like to navigate the Olympic weight lifting space without becoming body obsessed

Quotes

“Food and sustainable lifestyle changes can make a big difference in peoples health without doing any therapy type nutrition or medical intervention.” (11:24)

“A lot of the clinical manifestations that I see in my practice are because people are overstressed, overworked, under eating and over exercising because they don't feel worthy enough in their bodies to take up space.” (15:37)

“Just being in a larger body doesn't predispose you to have all these health conditions. It is the lifestyle choices that you make that are actually causing the health conditions.” (31:25)

“List the millions of diets out there that have all worked for someone, and that still doesn't necessarily mean it is going to work for you.” (45:24)

“It is because I have finally come to a place where I care about nourishing my body instead of trying to make myself take up less space.” (1:04:37)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Break the Diet Cycle Course - Sign-up With Your Email For Future Launches
Real Food with Dana Website
Real Talk with Dana Podcast
Follow Real Food with Dana on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest
Contact Dana at realfoodwithdana@gmail.com
Women’s Ideal Body Types Throughout Time - BuzzFeed
Pre-Order The Core 4 by Steph Gaudreau

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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The Magic Bullet Apr 19, 2019

When you're actively doing things to improve your health – and ultimately feel better in your body – it's so tempting to keep searching for The Magic Bullet. (No, not the mini blender.) The Magic Bullet is that secret sauce, the obscure health hack that everyone hopes will be just around the corner. Diet culture promises quick fixes that are so tempting but don't pan out in the long run, leaving you feeling worse than before.

In this episode, I'm sharing nine positive things you can do for your health that don't involve searching for the magic bullet. I'm not going to lie, nothing on this list is sexy or trendy. It's all basicAF but oh so powerful when you commit to consistently applying them in your life. If you're wondering where to begin, choose one and run with it. These ideas will catch you the bigger fish.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On today's episode:

Why magic bullets don't exist...
And why they're so very, very tempting
9 basic but powerful ways to start feeling better in your day to day

Resources from this episode:

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Finding Your Joy In The Mindful Hustle w/ Shirin Eskandani Apr 16, 2019

Chasing your dreams can be scary, but it can also be fun and enjoyable when you are aligned with who you are and what you want. After a successful career as an opera singer, Shirin Eskandani realized that she had spent her life chasing her dreams only to end up never satisfied and looking for more. She decided that this was no way to live life, and started Wholehearted Coaching to help other women embrace their dreams and become okay with failure.

Finding Your Joy In The Mindful Hustle

This episode goes beyond fitness and nutrition to help you realize the restrictions you have placed on your life and break free of those conditions. Shirin is exploring the importance of finding joy in the daily micro-moments, how to apply mindfulness and mindset work to find aspects of serenity and ways to accept your life as it is, instead of focusing on the ‘if only’ mentality.

Joy is rooted in the unconditional acceptance of yourself and your life, and nobody deserves that more than you. Stop making yourself feel bad about the things you cannot control, and empower yourself to get back up when life pushes you down. Shirin provides tips and encouragement to get you on that mindful hustle, embrace your why, and learn to be okay with failure while having fun.

Life is too short to run away from what could be your passion. By intentionally cultivating the way you want to feel you can improve your mood, change your mindset, and live how you feel truly free. When you are able to stop and find beauty in the little things, you will be amazed at the power of the world around you and become reunited with your inner intuition.

How do you find happiness in your everyday life? What passions have you been too scared to actively pursue? Leave me a comment on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Embracing what is and what is not working well in your life with no judgment
Advice and tools for those who struggle to find something to be joyful for
How to face your fears when experiencing a business or life transition
The importance of savoring the moment you are in to gain perspective on your life
What to do if you are struggling with your ‘why’ and how to find what works for you

Quotes

“I got that exact thing that I wanted, that condition that I had been waiting for and hoping for, it happened, and I didn't feel the way that I wanted to feel. And at that moment I truly realized that we get to create the way we want to feel.” (7:29)

“I don’t just want my business to thrive, I also want to thrive too.” (14:54)

“The ability to be in gratitude and in awe of your life in any moment, that to me is joy. It is really on the inside.” (22:58)

“Everyday there is something you can celebrate, there is something that you can enjoy and there is something you can savor.” (32:24)

“A lot of the time we actually are living our purpose, and we just don't even know it because we think it is supposed to be this huge grand thing. And it's just what makes you come alive, that's it.” (42:39)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Sign Up for WholeHearted Woman Group Coaching Here
Join Shirin’s Email List Here
The Glow Up Retreat Website
Whole Hearted Coaching Website
Follow WholeHearted Coaching on Facebook | Instagram
Pre-Order The Core 4 Book Here

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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Imposter Syndrome Apr 12, 2019

Pretty much everyone I know has been struck by imposter syndrome at one point or another. It's that feeling that – especially when you're about to do something big – that you're a complete fraud and everyone else is gonna find out how unqualified and phony you really are. For some people, imposter syndrome is a nuisance-like mosquito buzzing in their ear. For others, it's a voice so loud that it can shut them down from sharing their goodness and gifts with the world.

I'm not the world's foremost expert on imposter syndrome, but as a human that's lived with it for most of my life, I've developed a few ways to deal with it when it comes up. In this episode, I'm sharing five strategies I mix and match to move past feelings of being an imposter. Maybe some of them will resonate for you!

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On today's episode:

Imposter syndrome in a nutshell
5 strategies that have helped me move through imposter syndrome

Resources from this episode:

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The Transformative Power of Travel with The Lamberts Apr 09, 2019

Travel, whether it's near or far, often has the effect of getting you out of your comfort zone. Adam and Vanessa Lambert at Bee the Wellness have witnessed, firsthand, the transformative power of travel. When combined with community and getting outside of your ordinary, travel can teach you so much.

The Transformative Power of Travel

I first was introduced to Adam and Vanessa Lambert – former fire fighters turned wellness coaches and international adventurers last year. From the first time I talked to them – on their podcast – it was clear they both have an incredible zest for life and electrifying energy. I had them on Harder to Kill Radio a short time later, and a friendship was born.

Last summer, Z and I were lucky enough to meet Adam and Vanessa in person at their BeeFest retreat in Northern California. There, we got to experience how truly special they are when it comes to planning meaningful and memorable travel retreats. I came home feeling refreshed, invigorated, and inspired.

On this episode of the show, I'm welcoming The Lamberts back to talk about the magic of travel and why it's good for your brain. We also chatted about how you can create that space even when you can't go on a trip. And, we let the cat out of the bag about an exciting partnership and what it means for you!

On Today's Episode

Creating moments of quiet in your life
Getting out of your environment can lead to big transformations
Training for an adventure can give you a massive sense of purpose
Our big announcement!

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Wear the Shorts Apr 05, 2019

Warmer weather is creeping up on the northern hemisphere and summer will be here before you know it. With it – for many women – comes the fear of showing their bodies at the gym or beach. And so, the only logical solution is to keep everything covered to make others comfortable. Body shaming happens, but that shouldn't stop you from wearing what you want.

In this episode, I'm breaking down some important things to consider if and when you choose to hide your body for the comfort of others. Undoubtedly, this is a highly nuanced and layered conversation, but I'm hoping you can begin to sort through it by asking yourself some simple but important questions. In short, wear the shorts – or don't – this season, but do it because it's what you fully choose.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On today's episode:

Why it's not your responsibility to make others comfortable about your body
How to make autonomous choices about the clothes you wear to the gym
How wearing something because you want to can set others free

Resources from this episode:

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How To Create An Inclusive & Diverse Fitness World w/ Maria Rodriguez Apr 02, 2019

A woman with a passion for powerlifting, Maria Rodriguez began selling custom t-shirts as a way to raise money to compete at the national level. The more she supplied, the more demand for her clothing grew, and Maria realized the profound mental and emotional impact wearing her designs was having on her clients. Focused on igniting and reinforcing intersectional feminism in the strength space, Maria is addressing the assumptions made around women in the strength realm and empowering people with her gender and body inclusive clothing one garment at a time.

About Maria Rodriguez

Maria is here to provide insight into her journey and how her business came to be, the struggles that go along with creating a business, as well as why she feels so passionately about amping up diversity representation in the fitness space. She is opening up about how powerlifting can change the way you show up in the world, why you should be celebrating your strength and your presence and is encouraging us to change the conversation around what is beautiful, strong and worthy.

If you are tired of seeing the same people in the fitness space be represented and celebrated, are ready to challenge the status quo and get stronger both physically and mentally, this is the episode for you. Maria is here to give you the space to find solutions to make your dreams a reality and shake up the mold society has set in place for you.

How does the clothing you wear when moving our body inspire you to be the best version of yourself? Let us know in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Viewing feminity and masculinity as energies rather than a bathroom stall label
Strategies to show up strong regardless of your race, age, gender or ability
The major role your mental health can play in your ability to power lift
How to highlight women of color to help put them into positions of power
Ways to create a more inclusive and diverse fitness world going forward

Quotes

“Don’t let people or things tell you that you shouldn’t do something. If you like to do it, do it.” (11:09)

“For some people, powerlifting is just working out, and for me, it is so much deeper.” (11:43)

“I’m doing really unconventional work, period, because of who I am. And that is so important because it represents opportunity and change.” (16:50)

“The clothing that we are going to sell is so much more than just a t-shirt. I want these people to wear this shirt with pride and I want them to feel capable.” (23:05)

“Let’s move the framework to say this is an inclusive movement, that we celebrate all and we see each other for who we are truly.” (34:46)

“I know that I can trust myself enough to figure it out.” (52:38)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Womxn Strength Summit 2019 Website

Fear Her Fight Athletics Website

Follow Fear Her Fight on Facebook | Instagram

Contact Maria at hello@fearherfight.com

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I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Why Nutrition and Fitness "Depends" Mar 29, 2019

My favorite refrain when it comes to nutrition and fitness is, "It depends." It's so common to want the super magic secret sauce, the one answer that will unlock the door, or the universal truth that you've just been missing. Usually, it's not that simple.

On today's episode, I'm trying something a bit new...a shorter show! I'm exploring why the devil is in the details and nuance is queen so you can start asking the types of questions that'll give you clearer answers.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On today's episode:

Why seeking the "right answer" to your nutrition and fitness questions is resulting in less clarity
Why you should run away from absolutes in nutrition and fitness
When you might want to consider 1-1 help in your journey

Resources from this episode:

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How To Live Your Best Non-Toxic Life w/ Amanda Montalvo Mar 26, 2019

Living a non-toxic life is more than drinking a detox tea or swapping out your products, it's about creating a space in which your body's natural rhythm can shine. Amanda Montalvo is an integrative dietitian specializing in women's hormones & is passionate about helping others create a more non-toxic lifestyle. Today Amanda is here to talk about periods, poop & sweat, the trifecta of things that nobody really wants to talk about, but that significantly impact our hormones & how we feel.

About Amanda Montalvo

Amanda believes that by viewing toxin detoxifying as a cumulative process you can feel empowered to take steps towards achieving your goal and living a more natural life on a day to day basis. On this episode, we explore everything from embracing that you can be strong without achieving a certain ‘look’, understanding how our environment impacts the way our body functions, raising awareness around what is considered normal when it comes to pooping and so much more.

Once you are able to get your body to a state of homeostasis, you will be able to lose weight easier, sleep better and understand what is going on inside your body so you can make the best decisions to serve yourself. It is time to ditch the self-deprecating attitude towards your body and find natural, non-toxic ways of nourishing your body and taking care of it the way it needs to be taken care of.

Are you ready to ditch the toxins and start talking to yourself like you are your own best friend? Let us know what steps you are taking to live a more non-toxic life in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Looking at the link between our environment, our hormones and our periods
How to focus on reducing your toxic load every day while supporting your liver
Recommended non-toxic cleaning products as an alternative to harsh chemicals
Differences between natural deodorant and antiperspirant and why sweat is good
Simple and easy things that you can do to reduce your toxic exposure today

Quotes

“My biggest joy is seeing the women that I work with kind of reconnect with their bodies or maybe even connect for the first time, and just really start to trust themselves.” (16:26)

“You have to get healthy to lose weight, you don't lose weight to get healthy.” (18:33)

“You have to really earn the right to lose weight.” (28:35)

“If you are someone that struggles, you may feel like you have a hormone imbalance, maybe you suspect it or maybe you have painful periods or if you are struggling with infertility, I would say definitely look here first.” (39:39)

“I think that's my favorite part, that it is cumulative. So as you keep chipping away, it's only going to benefit you more and more and help you feel better.” (41:17)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

EWG’s Healthy Living App

Think Dirty App

Your Non-Toxic Life Website

Join the Your Non Toxic Life Support Group Here

Follow Amanda Montalvo on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Pre-Order The Core 4 by Steph Gaudreau

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

What is Nutritional Therapy? Mar 22, 2019

Now that I'm a Nutritional Therapy Consultant, I get a lot of questions from curious folks who want to know what it is and why I chose this path. Looking back, this was a crucial step in my brand transition and more importantly, the framework around which I help people understand nutrition in their own lives.

In this episode, I'm explaining what nutritional therapy is, why I became a Nutritional Therapy Consultant, why I chose this program, and more. If you're curious about what a nutritional therapist does, you want to better understand how to approach nutrition holistically, or you're thinking about furthering your own career or education in this field, this show is for you!

Special note: If you sign up for the NTP or NTC program, consider adding my name as a referrer if you found out about it through my show. I may receive a small commission that helps support podcast production. Thank you!

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On today's episode:

What are the foundations of nutritional therapy?
What's the difference between NTP and NTC?
What's the NTC program like?
How much work did it take each week?
Why I chose this program / organization over others

Resources from this episode:

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How To Be Resilient Against Multiple Sclerosis w/ Alissa Frazier Mar 19, 2019

Alissa Frazier was sent into a spiral of confusion after her multiple sclerosis diagnosis at the age of twenty-three. Not knowing where to turn or how to best help treat her symptoms, Alissa created LissMS to help others navigate the no-mans land of an MS diagnosis. Now a nutritional therapy consultant and AIP coach, Alissa helps spread the information she has learned to prevent others from suffering. Today she is here to shine a light on this invisible illness and create a space to feel comfortable expressing how you feel both physically and emotionally.

About Alissa Frazier

If you have ever been curious about the massive role nutrition plays in MS symptoms and overall health, how stress and sleep management can impact your ability to cope with a diagnosis, or the importance your mindset plays when trying to heal, Alissa is here to answer all of your questions. By creating an open dialogue around MS, Alissa hopes to share the knowledge that she wishes she knew when she was diagnosed, and create a better healing environment for others.

An advocate for doing what works for your body, using nutrition as a guiding force for your health, and focusing on gut healing and proper digestion, Alissa is dismissing the ‘one size fits all’ approach to health and nutrition one MS case at a time. If you are ready to remove the victim mentality surrounding your symptoms and embrace a healing mindset, Alissa is here to help guide you on your journey.

Has MS impacted you or someone you love? How have you fought against the symptoms? Let us know what you think about Alissa’s story and recommendations in the comments section on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

How to keep a positive mindset when dealing with an invisible illness
The importance of managing your stress, resting and digesting for MS symptoms
Using the AIP diet to help reduce inflammation and repair your body
Exploring the benefits of AIP for people with autoimmune diseases
Embracing bio-individuality and finding what works for your unique body

Quotes

“The whole invisible illness thing is a trip for sure. But I think it has kind of played out in how I approach things and how people approach me.” (19:35)

“It's hard to say whether or not I would have done all of that [treatment] 10 years ago. But I wish at least I knew about it 10 years ago.” (25:59)

“Paleo is meant to be a sort of discovery, so you can learn your body, learn the language of your body, learn how foods affect your body, and then create your own healing diet template from there.” (38:59)

“Everyone is obviously different and going to be different. And one size fits all approaches are really doing a disservice to people.” (50:35)

“It’s really just about me becoming me, and taking on things that usually scare the crap out of me.” (53:19)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Pre-Order The Core 4 by Steph Gaudreau

HTK 119: Dr. Michael Ruscio

LissMS Website

Follow LissMS on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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Seeing Beauty Through the Shit Mar 15, 2019

Every once in a while, you probably come up against certain circumstances that seem so challenging that there's no way anything positive could come from it. The most resilient people are those that come up against hard life situations and come out transformed for the better. They look for the opportunity to grow, as my friend Kristen says, not in spite of the shit but because of it.

Today I'm heading in a bit of a different direction and sharing a personal story that illustrates a time when life handed me a shit sandwich and how I learned to see the beauty in it all. I'm also sharing how I've everyday-life-sized that lesson to carry it around with me always.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On today's episode:

A personal story of seeing beauty through a perilous situation
The thing I'm adding to my Fucket List

Resources from this episode:

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How To Conquer Your Skin Issues w/ Jennifer Fugo Mar 12, 2019

The first time Jennifer Fugo was on Harder to Kill Radio, she educated us on the impact gluten can have on how your whole body functions. Throughout her research, Jennifer realized that while food is a mitigating factor in how your body operates, it is not the only trigger that can be impacting your health. After struggling with eczema and skin rashes herself, the connection between skin, nutrition, and looking at your symptoms from a whole holistic point of view became the clear answer to finding solutions to chronic skin issues.

About Jennifer Fugo

With a new found passion to help chronic skin rash patients understand their options and find better-individualized treatment, Jennifer started Skinterrupt to open up the dialogue for improved care that really works. Today she takes the judgment out of skin issues and explains the importance of looking at your symptoms from the inside out and the outside in to finally find relief. Everything from why psoriasis is actually an autoimmune disease to reasons coconut oil may not be as good for your skin as you think is on the table, so get ready for an information-packed episode.

Chronic skin issues can leave you feeling trapped, isolated and alone. Jennifer is here to make sure you know that there are others out there battling the same battle, and there are options out there to help you get better. This episode is all about giving people hope and engaging in a conversation that drives meaningful change for those struggling.

Have you or someone you love been impacted by chronic skin conditions? Share with us in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Addressing the lack of care and empathy for chronic skin rash conditions
Looking deeper at the root causes that are driving your skin condition
Examples of big picture triggers that may be impacting your skin health
Understanding the unique differences found in the skin microbiome
Rethinking the way you take care of your skin to provide yourself with options

Quotes

“My reason for ‘why’ is wanting to help people who are chronically suffering, and I don’t mind being the person who carries this heavy burden.” (7:45)

“I just want to let this community know that I see you, and I also hear you. And I want to be that person that is connecting you with the options that your doctor is not telling you about, and hopefully, we can change the way we address these conditions.” (9:52)

“It is possible to not have to just live with the concept of managing the flares, and living in a constant state of fear that one day your skin will be okay and the next it will just blow up.” (26:24)

“If you are feeling alone because you have one of these conditions, and you feel like nobody is experiencing this type of isolation and loneliness and pain and discomfort, you are really not alone.” (36:06)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Skinterrupt Website

The Healthy Skin Show with Jennifer Fugo

4 Reasons Why Coconut Oil is Bad for Your Skin Blog Post

Follow Jennifer on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube

HTK 075: Jennifer Fugo

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

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7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Jiu Jitsu Mar 08, 2019

Two years ago, in the midst of planning a big online event with "getting outside your comfort zone" as a theme, I found myself with an interesting realization: even though I was extolling the virtues of getting outside your comfort zone, it had been a long time since I had followed that exact advice. At the risk of sounding hypocritical, I decided to look around for something to challenge me. I settled on trying a new sport, Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

In this episode, I'm talking through why I joined, why I really appreciate jiu-jitsu, and what it's taught me. I'm also sharing seven things I wish I knew before I started...little lessons that I had to learn the hard way. In particular, I'm sharing some things about about Brazilian jiu-jitsu from a female perspective that may help other women who are thinking of joining.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

The advice I finally took for myself
Why I love Brazilian jiu-jitsu
7 things I wish I knew before starting BJJ

Resources from this episode:

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Dealing with Negative Body Image w/ Beauty Redefined Mar 05, 2019

If there is one episode of Harder to Kill Radio that you are going to listen to, this is it. Dr. Lexie Kite and her twin sister Dr. Lindsay Kite are trailblazers in the body image realm and are shattering the societal beauty standards surrounding women, children, and everything in between. Dr. Lexie harnessed her past pain and body shame to identify an issue that women and girls around the world are dealing with, and together the Kite sisters have started a body revolution with their non-profit, Beauty Redefined.

About Dr. Lexie Kite

Beauty Redefined is different than the other body image messages out there. Dr. Lexie is shining a light on all the ways your body and mind have been co-opted by systems that keep you fixated on your body image, and is providing tools to help you rise with resilience in the face of that pain. She is also providing stepping stones to change how you view your body throughout your life as an opportunity to grow.

Some real truth bombs are being dropped today as Dr. Lexie touches on everything from the ways that women and girls are raised differently than men, to viewing the ways that women are objectified as a launching point for greatness, and why you need to start viewing your body as an instrument instead of an ornament.

Dr. Lexie and Dr. Lindsay have pioneered some new approaches to how we think about our bodies, health, and confidence. Dr. Lexie is an advocate of compassion for yourself and others, the power of body image resilience and the need for education around self-objectification. This episode is almost guaranteed to highlight an issue that every woman has dealt with, and Dr. Lexie’s open and honest approach to breaking free of societal standards is refreshing and important.

How does Beauty Redefined’s mission align with your self-improvement goals? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Why ‘before and after’ pictures may be doing more harm than good
How to break your unhealthy relationship with your scale without fear
What it really means to prioritize your own perspective of your body
Caring for yourself in a new and simple way through intuitive eating
Disrupting the system and building a new vision for women

Quotes

“I got this tangible impression that I was going to have a daughter. And I was going to be this kind of feminist influence for her, that it was my job. And I felt this sense of hope.” (10:32)

“It taught me again and again that my body can do hard things, and that I am more than the way my body looks.” (12:52)

“Recognizing that you are more than your pain, you are more than your shame, you are more than your body. And you can get to a better, happier, healthier place as you recognize that pain.” (22:53)

“You will start realizing that the joy you feel as you just move your body is so much better than the shame you are gambling on every time you step on that scale.” (40:46)

“My work isn’t just to show people what hurts so that they can be angry at all of the ways the world tells us that we are only bodies. My work and the work Lindsay does through Beauty Redefined is helping people see that they are more than bodies, and how.” (1:03:46)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Beauty Redefined Website

Body Image Resilience Online Course

Follow Beauty Redefined on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter

Body Positivity or Body Obsession TED Talk

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Health Elitism Mar 01, 2019

These days, more people than ever seem to be talking about health and wellness, especially on social media. A quick scroll down the feed of your favorite platform reveals lots of discussion about do's and don'ts, as well as up and coming tends. But along with this, I've been noticing an increasing trend that can only be described as a superiority complex. People are arguing more than ever about health.

In this episode, I explore why this type of elitist attitude isn't helping. The fighting and arguing is doing two things: confusing people about what's right for them (see Episode 178 for more on that) and leaving lots of people out of the conversation when it comes to health and wellness. Eyes on your own plate is a good first step. But it also takes recognizing that there are other structures and systems in place that make it harder for some people to access the components of health and wellness that we talk so much about is quite another.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

The disturbing trend I've been noticing lately in health / wellness circles
What to do (and not) if you notice someone who could benefit from making healthier changes
Why health and wellness are complex, layered, and contain many intersections

Resources from this episode:

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Quit Your Way To The Top w/ Lynn Marie Morski Feb 26, 2019

So many times our feelings of unhappiness come from a place of feeling stuck. Whether it is your relationship, job, city, or something else, feeling like you are settling can have a major impact on your overall quality of life. Lynn Marie Morski recognized this gaping hole in society and decided to take her ability to stop what isn't serving her to the masses.

About Lynn Marie Morski

Lynn is changing how we think about quitting. By viewing quitting as something that we can use as a strategic tool, we can get away from those things that are no longer serving us. She is passionate about giving people permission to get out of those situations of feeling stuck and has developed easy to follow protocols to help you find what you are passionate about.

This episode is all about destigmatizing quitting, getting rid of the ‘should’ in your head, and finding a strategic quitting process to help you get the most out of life. Lynn is providing a step by step tool kit for how to quit productively and hopes to empower and enlighten those who just need to start embracing quitting.

Do you need to start quitting things more often? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Strengthening your quitting muscle without moving a finger
How to weave your way through the minefield of career-related quitting
Letting go of the sunk cost fallacy and finding what you love to do
Why you should stop thinking about what people think about you and your decisions
Tips for strategic quitting and taking small quitting steps

Quotes

“I felt like quitting is kind of my superpower and I wanted to pass that on to others” (10:53)

“Quitting is a drug when it is done right let me tell you” (24:26)

“My credo is freedom in all aspects of my life. And to have any area where there are ‘shoulds’ and a hierarchy is so out of line with that” (25:08)

“In today's society, people are going to think about anything you do for such a short period of time that it is not even worth going into your decision-making process” (40:10)

“You don't have to search for your passion, just do you and your calling may just find you” (55:35)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Quitting By Design by Lynn Marie Morski

Quit Happens Podcast

Quitting By Design Website

Follow Lynn on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Quitopia Facebook Group

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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4 Lessons About Turning 40 Feb 22, 2019

I've noticed something curious in my community of 40-something women: the pervasive feeling of resignation that life is pretty much over, that it's too late to try something new, and that feeling stronger and more confident at this might as well be a unicorn fantasy. The feeling that the best years of our lives are gone and that we should just roll over and accept that we will never feel stronger, more capable, and more confident.

Well fuck all that. Ladies, we aren't going out that way.

It's not about trying to get back to where we were 10 or 20 years ago and beating ourselves up about it. Rather, it's about accepting and embracing where we're at right now...and seeing ways in which we are strong, powerful, and wise.

Today, I turn 40 and I'm sharing some reflections on four important lessons life has handed me about getting older. There are easily dozens more but these four are ones that resonate with me a lot right now. I'm not about to hide or apologize for my age. I believe 40-something women can be strong and take up more space...and I hope you'll reconsider if you've started giving up.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

Why we shouldn't have shame about getting older
The whole point in nourishing our bodies
4 lessons I've learned about getting older

Resources from this episode:

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Boosting Strength Training with Pilates w/ Trish DaCosta Feb 19, 2019

Most of us know the importance of mobility, finding your breath and addressing all areas of your body during a workout. So what do you do when you find that you don't have the time to integrate these necessary aspects into your regular routine? Trish DaCosta recognized this gap in muscle information and created Barbell Pilates as an answer to these two complementary modalities. By combining strength training and pilates Trish has seen huge benefits to the women she trains and is helping to create more intelligent and resilient bodies.

About Trish DaCosta

Trish is here to break down the fundamentals of Pilates and weight lifting, help us understand why they are so beneficial to each other, and ways in which you can get back into fitness with activities that you love. Everything from the importance of the ‘two-way stretch’, to why you need to let your body recover and the necessity of noticing your breath is on the docket today as Trish schools us in the best ways to integrate Pilates and strength training.

This episode is all about educating women to address control, stabilize muscles and finding out what works best for your body today. As our bodies constantly change and evolve so will our workouts, and Trish is a pioneer of listening to your body and training smarter, not harder.

Have you ever combined pilates and strength training? Let us know what your results were in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Debunking misunderstandings around movement modality and weight lifting
Understanding the different benefits from each form of movement
The psychological impact of growing older and adjusting to your new body
Why cutting back on exercise may actually get you better results
Learn about your breath and how it can improve your overall bodily function

Quotes

“My company is really to teach women how to train better, train smarter with weights, and also recover better using pilates” (9:43)

“I think pilates just like any other exercise is going to change your body in a very positive way, but it's not going to change your body type per se” (19:14)

“At the end of the day, [my clients] are coming to me to help them feel better about their bodies and they want their bodies to look a certain way, so it's not up to me to be like, no.” (30:29)

“If we could just learn how to inhale and exhale completely, we would solve so many issues in our bodies just from that” (42:36)

“Its really about doing things in a smarter way that makes sense for your goals but also makes sense for where you are at right now” (48:03)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Made Strong Program 40 for 40 Sale

Barbell Pilates with Trish DaCosta

PRI Website

Barbell Pilates Blog

Follow Trish on Instagram

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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How to Stop Chasing Health Trends Feb 15, 2019

Health and wellness trends come and go so fast they'll make your head spin. And while I'm all for trying new things, it's easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you're doing everything wrong because you aren't jumping on the latest and greatest. Instead of asking yourself, "Is this right," there's a much more powerful question you could be posing instead.

On this Fierce Love Friday edition of the podcast, I'm sharing some important tools and questions for determining how your health journey might unfold. It's not always easy to find the right balance and fierce love is often involved, but the clearer you can get about what's right for you, the better off you'll be.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

Why "healthing so hard" is a slippery slope
Why starting points and structure can be helpful and limiting
The biggest question to ask yourself about health trends
Not sure where to start? A different question you can ask.

Resources from this episode:

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How To Conquer Your Fears Around Menopause w/ Dr. Anna Cabeca Feb 12, 2019

While we all want to look good, it is so much more important for us to be radiantly healthy from the inside out. As we get older this can get harder to recognize, which is why Dr. Anna Cabeca has dedicated her career to helping women entering perimenopause or menopause to become more comfortable with this graceful transition. Dr. Anna helps women feel empowered instead of scared by their symptoms and helps her clients and thousands around the world figure out what works for your body.

About Dr. Anna Cabeca

Dr. Anna is here to provide simple steps, strategies, and disciplines that really work and can help you start moving in the right direction when you feel the odds stacked against you. She is explaining everything from how nutrition and joint lubrication can greatly impact your quality of life, how to incorporate spiritual and physical practices into your transition, and lifestyle programs that can make a difference in your day to day life.

Even if you haven't reached this stage of your life yet, we all know that it is coming, and it is especially important to recognize that you are not going through this alone. By approaching this stage of your life from a place free of fear, you can take care of yourself so that you are healthy and whole, and in turn, magnetize the relationships around you. Dr. Anna is a calming and knowledgeable beacon that is here to help guide you through this next journey.

Where are you on your path to menopause? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Debunking the fear around perimenopause and menopause stages
Why you always need to give your soul image precedent
Bodily changes that may be symptoms of perimenopause or menopause
The biggest nutrition do’s and dont’s when moving through these transitions
Simple tests you can take on a daily basis to see how your environment is affecting you

Quotes

“I just want to empower women to really understand, get in touch, with that works for their body, so that they feel this balance and peaceful existence coming” (6:15)

“It takes more than hormones to fix your hormones, and there is a diet and lifestyle that is really in our own control” (17:57)

“It's about less drugs and more holistic interventions that are totally within every listener's capability” (24:33)

“We need to know on an individual basis, what works for each of us, versus generalization” (36:54)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

10 Day Breeze Through Menopause Masterclass

Pre-Order the Hormone Fix by Dr. Anna Cabeca

Dr. Anna Cabeca Website

Julva All-Natural Product

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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Ask Steph Volume 2 Feb 08, 2019

Ask Steph: Volume 2

Usually on the Friday episode of the podcast, I'm on the mic solo ranting or pondering on whatever's on my mind. But today, we're switching things up a little bit. I'll be answering several of your listener questions in another episode of Ask Steph. If you have a question that I didn't answer, feel free to message or email me and let me know!

On Today's Episode

What's been my most frustrating hurdle to overcome in life
My advice for the best place for a newcomer to strength training to begin
How to grow a stronger backbone in the face of pressure to conform
My ideal introvert recharge night
If I ever suffer from imposter syndrome and what I do about it
Why I joined and left CrossFit
Kickass advice for someone entering their 40s
How to talk to family members about their health without upsetting them
...and more

Resources Mentioned In This Show

How To Find Value & Strength In Your Own Voice w/ Dr. Alessandra Wall Feb 05, 2019

Dr. Alessandra Wall is a psychologist, mother and founder of the In Her Shoes movement. Alessandra is passionate about helping women rediscover their voices at work, in relationships, and within themselves, and is dedicated to helping women open their eyes and discover other women's experiences.

About Dr. Alessandra Wall

A recovering perfectionist and advocate for authenticity, Alessandra is here to share her desire to help every woman find value and strength in their own voice. Get ready for a look back at the historical struggles of women and how it impacts the space we occupy today, how the social media revolution is changing how we relate to one another, and what we should be teaching the young men and women of today for a better tomorrow. Plus, Alessandra is telling us all about her new project, In Her Shoes, and how you can become a part of it.

Alessandra and In Her Shoes work to create a database of stories of what it means to be a woman in the 21st Century and create real conversations through women around the world to share their journey and walk in someone else’s shoes. Today she is here to tell you that your story matters, and help harness our own inner power to help lift up ourselves and others.

Do you feel a desire to share your journey of what it is like to be a modern woman? Does the vulnerability of the In Her Shoes project excite or worry you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Challenging the need to ‘always be put together’ in business
Creating the changes we need to live in the world we want to live in
Saying what you mean and meaning what you say
Why you don't have to be extraordinary to have value in your voice
Honoring the struggle of the women who came before you

Quotes

“I realized that the things that were really important were helping people take ownership of their choices so that they can live a life that is right for them” (7:37)

“A lot of the work I am trying to right now is bringing people together, bridging gaps, getting people to talk to one another about their experiences, making communication more open, more honest, more transparent” (19:48)

“I want people who identify as women from every walk of life, background, culture, country, to share their stories so that men and women everywhere in the world can step into their shoes” (22:14)

“I find it very frustrating to be a woman, but not in a bad way. I am very hungry for a lot of changes to occur, and I am very sad that the world is still so far behind on so many things” (41:01)

“Your story matters. Everybody’s story matters and its worth sharing. And somebody can learn and grow just by knowing what its like to step into your shoes for a day” (57:47)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

HTK 004: Dr. Alessandra Wall

In Her Shoes Website

Contribute to In Her Shoes Here

Contact Alessandra at alessandra@liveinfocussd.com

Follow Dr. Wall on Instagram

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

4 Ways to Change Your Fitness Mindset Feb 01, 2019

In my community, it's common for folks to still view exercise and fitness from a place of restriction and punishment. And no wonder. Look around at advertising and the messages out there that movement is solely for burning calories or making up for what we ate, like physical penance. So many of us grew up with this mentality that it can be hard to envision any other way.

In this episode, I'm pulling apart four unhelpful ways of looking at exercise and digging into how each is ultimately harmful and takes you away from what's right for you. Is it possible to see fitness and movement in general from a place where you nourish yourself? I say yes. It doesn't mean you can't ever do hard things or that exercise isn't uncomfortable at times...those are powerful experiences.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

Why listening to your body may seem foreign...but is necessary
The one thing women need to stop ignoring when they're in the gym
Why "more is more" fitness culture needs to die
Why one size does not fit all when it comes to exercise

Resources from this episode:

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Beyond The Pill w/ Dr. Jolene Brighten Jan 29, 2019

Dr. Jolene Brighten is on a mission to change women's medicine for the better and help women take back their hormones and power to demand more out of their health. She is helping women reclaim their power by informing themselves about what is truly going on in their bodies when it comes to your period, birth control and hormones.

About Dr. Jolene Brighten

Today Dr. Brighten is your guide on the journey to understanding your period and what is going on inside your body. She is explaining the effects of hormonal birth control, how often you should be pooping, side effects of hormonal birth control that you may not know about, and so much more. If you are ready to feel empowered to take steps to own your own body, Dr. Brighten is here to provide all of the tools you need.

In history, women have been excluded from science and medical research, and we have been kept in the dark too long about what is happening inside our bodies. Dr. Brighten is shattering this secretive landscape and providing targeted advice to what you are going through and what your specific needs are.

By better understanding your hormones you can tackle issues such as acne, digestion, weight gain and more. It is time to empower yourself with information so you can reclaim your higher power.

How has hormonal birth control affected you? What struggles have you had with your hormones? Let us know what about this episode resonated the most with you in the comments section on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Identifying the root cause of your specific hormone imbalance
The connection between hormones, the gut and women's medicine
Why we need to stop dismissing women and their symptoms
Things that you need to know before stopping hormonal birth control
What role hormonal birth control may be playing in how your body developed

Quotes

“If I did my job right with Beyond the Pill, we're going to remove a lot of fear around women's medicine, and we're going to remove a lot of the fear around the unknown” (13:06)

“I don't heal my patients, I teach them to heal themselves” (18:41)

“Post birth control syndrome is a term that I came up with to describe the collection of symptoms and signs when you stop hormonal birth control” (28:50)

“I wanted to give you solutions beyond the pill. I wanted you to know that you can heal your body, that those signs and symptoms mean something, and that you can absolutely do something about it” (59:16)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Beyond The Pill by Dr. Jolene Brighten

Dr. Jolene Brighten’s Website

HTK 125: Dr. Jolene Brighten

HTK 003: Dr. Jolene Brighten

Follow Dr. Brighten on Facebook | Instagram| Pinterest | Youtube

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Ask Steph Volume 1 Jan 25, 2019

Usually on the Friday episode of the podcast, I'm on the mic solo ranting or pondering on whatever's on my mind. But today, we're switching things up a little bit. I'll be answering several of your listener questions in the first ever-episode of Ask Steph. If you have a question that I didn't answer, feel free to message or email me and let me know!

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

Today I'm answering questions about:

How to transition from interest/passion to a business
How often I fall off the wagon and what I do about it
How to start training for a powerlifting meet
The essential elements to role modeling positivity for future generations
How to set goals when you first start lifting
My fave tv show
Which fictional character I'd be
How woo I am
Which podcasts I listen to
My favorite meal
...and more

Resources from this episode:

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A New Way Of Looking At Adrenal Fatigue w/ Ari Whitten Jan 22, 2019

There are tons of factors that could be playing a role in your bad habits that are keeping you feeling tired, slow, foggy, or just not yourself. Ari Whitten recognized this, and after seeing a lack of representation in the medical field surrounding adrenal fatigue, he decided to produce the information himself.

About Ari Whitten

After countless hours of research, Ari has discovered how to stop your fatigue with evidence-based science. Now, he uses his knowledge to empower people all over the world and change the conversation around understanding your own health better.

Ari is diving into a deep analysis of a large body of evidence on this specific topic. He is sharing the important role your mitochondria play in your energy, how your cortisol levels could be impacting your body, and why you should switch out all the lightbulbs in your house yesterday. If you have been given a fatigue diagnosis or suspect it on your own, this is an episode that could forever change you approach your own fatigue. Your symptoms are real, and its time to get some answers.

Do you struggle with adrenal fatigue, constant stress or not enough sleep? Let us know where you are at in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Bringing simplicity and clarity to understanding adrenal fatigue
Why the media is not a good place to get evidence-based information
Practical strategies to overcome fatigue and get more energy
The key mechanisms in your body that impact your hormones and energy levels
Advice for those who have restricted sleep or struggling sleepers

Quotes

“I left medical school just because I was so holistic minded and I couldn't stand being in an environment where you have people suffering from diseases of lifestyle” (20:33)

“I realized that the conventional medical realm brushed the whole thing off as nonsense. They do not accept adrenal fatigue as a real medical condition. And I was actually annoyed by this” (23:59)

“There's basically a vast landscape of dozens of different systems and mechanisms that are involved in regulating our energy levels” (43:11)

“It’s basically a combination of those factors at the root cause level, at the lifestyle and environmental level, and how they interact with all the systems of our body” (54:44)

“There's essentially a spider web of different mechanisms of how these environmental and lifestyle factors are suppressing different physiological systems… that are leading to us having the symptoms of fatigue” (1:01:43)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

The Hidden Truth about Adrenal Fatigue

The Energy Blueprint

The Energy Blueprint Podcast

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I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Swearing Jan 18, 2019

Why does society have such a hard time with women who swear? And more importantly, why do we feel the need to tell people they should change to suit our preferences? The topic of swearing is a personal one for me, and I've received plenty of feedback over the years telling me I'd be more successful or likable if I cleaned up my word choice. Make no mistake, this is a 5 chili episode.

In this episode, I'm exploring the internal biases we have about people who swear, the reasons why people feel the need to police others on word choice, and why women seem to be more harshly judged for swearing and language in general than men. I'm also looking at why trying to appeal to everyone means you appeal to nobody, the exact opposite of what you probably intend if you're going into business.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

Why your word choice is your own...but you don't need to police others
What kinds of internal bias we carry around about people who swear
What you can do if you don't like swearing
Why women are more harshly judged for their language

Resources from this episode:

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Understanding Autoimmune Diseases And How To Find Relief w/ Angie Alt Jan 15, 2019

If you are sick, unsure of what is wrong, or struggling to make the changes you need to get your body back on track, autoimmune issues could be the culprit. After 18 years of dealing with a variety of health issues that left her questioning her own mental state, Angie found healing by getting to the root cause of her issues and never giving up. Now, Angie is an advocate for helping others understand their diseases and empower themselves through knowledge.

About Angie Alt

Angie is changing the game in the way we understand autoimmune diseases, creating a new diet for autoimmunity that is making waves in the medical community, and empowering others to listen to their body and stand up for your symptoms. She is telling us all about her SAD to AIP in 6 program, which foods you should increase or decrease depending on your autoimmunity, and why it is not all about subtraction when it comes to AIP. We are diving into everything from anti-inflammatory fats, to supporting your liver and when it is time to consult a professional.

By mixing Western and natural medicine to find the perfect balance for you, you too can help your immune system function better by feeding it what it needs to help you heal. If you have a recent autoimmune diagnosis or have been dealing with autoimmunity for years, Angie is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to prioritize their health.

How does your story relate to Angie’s? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Navigating the tricky waters of autoimmune diseases and protocols
Lifestyle and nutrition factors to help you empower yourself with knowledge
Understanding endometriosis, Hashimoto's, celiac disease, and more
Ways to cope with integrating large dietary changes into your life
Tapping into the positive energy of being your own personal health champion

Quotes

“I jumped right in and six months later it was like I had a new body, and a year later I changed everything about my life including my career to help other people with this” (17:41)

“You can only do what you can do at the time with the information that you have, and when you know better you do better” (19:49)

“Combining these two methods, [traditional medicine] and [natural medicine], if that’s what you need, is really worthwhile” (26:29)

“The goal with autoimmune disease is your personal highest level of wellness, and using all the tools in the toolbox to get there is totally worth it” (31:41)

“Your goal should be to arrive at an individual diet that is the least restrictive and the most nourishing for you. Whatever diet is giving you the greatest degree of health with the least restriction, that’s your ultimate goal” (41:08)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Auto Immune Wellness Website

SAD to AIP in SIX Week Program

The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast

The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf

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The Pulse Jan 11, 2019

It's no secret that on the Fierce Love Friday edition of this podcast, I often talk (and rant) about issues facing my community around health and wellness. But today, I'm taking a slightly different approach and pulling back the curtain on what went well – and didn't – in 2018, plus taking a look at what's to come this year and considering the bottom line.

I was inspired to record this show based on Paul Jarvis's weekly dispatch email. Transparency is something that's often lacking in the world of online business. Yet I believe that through sharing the good as well as the challenges, we can more easily see each other's humanity and realize that we aren't alone. My hope is that this episode will inspire you to sit down and take your own pulse.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

What went well in 2018
What didn't go well
What I'm looking forward to this year
The bottom line

Resources from this episode:

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Troubleshooting Female Hormones w/ Laurie Christine King Jan 08, 2019

If you're a woman who's been struggling with hormone issues, specifically related to your menstrual cycle or hormonal birth control, this episode is for you. Laurie Christine King recognized that women need support in this area and has taken to social media to share educational information with her followers about how to live your best life.

About Laurie Christine King

By surrounding herself with supportive people, empowering her body to achieve its full potential and unlocking her passion for education and nutritional coaching, Laurie is taking the fitness world by storm as a positive and healthy role model. Finding someone to work with one on one with, creating an appropriate diet plan and getting your body back to where it needs to be is what Laurie specializes in, and she is sharing all she knows with us today.

If you have ever been curious as to how hormonal birth control could be affecting your nutrition goals, why your high-intensity workout might not love you as much as you love it, and the impact stress can have on your menstrual follicles, this episode is for you. Laurie is a wealth of knowledge and a powerhouse advocate for getting your body working for you.

Laurie is all about having conversations that need to be happening in order to empower women to understand their bodies better. By putting out diverse, scientifically based and accurate information, Laurie is helping change the nutrition game one client at a time.

Are you ready to take your health seriously in 2019? Let us know your fitness goals in the comments section on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

How to use social media and blogs to learn more about your own health journey
Understanding why your menstrual cycle is the best indicator of your overall health
Risk factors and implications of hormonal birth control for your specific body
Simple changes to incorporate into your daily routine to support your hormones
Why you should probably be eating a little more food to regulate your caloric intake

Quotes

“Just having that conversation of helping females understand their bodies, their menstrual cycle, and just helping empower women to really feel good” (7:43)

“Anybody who is in the space and really trying to help people understands that nothing in nutrition is black or white, nothing in health is black or white” (19:45)

“Your body is just this amazing vehicle that is just having to put up with your shit. So if you treat it pretty well, then we get some pretty good return on investment” (45:50)

“Just understanding our habits and how they may be affecting us then gives us some feedback and some things to toy with to try and make changes” (46:00)

“Don't be afraid to invest in yourself, nutrition can be a scary thing. If you don’t know what you are doing…I want to teach you everything I know so that you can keep going on crushing life and being empowered by the information I left you ” (53:20)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Follow Laurie on Instagram

Paragon Performance Training

Laurie Christine King Website

The Badass Nutrition Guide E-Book by Laurie Christine King

Period Repair Manual by Lara Briden

Healthy Gut Healthy You by Dr. Ruscio

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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My 2019 Theme Jan 04, 2019

There's something about the new year that symbolizes a fresh start. For many, it's also a chance to sit down, reflect, and set intentions for the year. Me personally? I've found resolutions to not be very useful in the past. A few years ago, I shifted my strategy and started setting yearly themes instead. They've worked out so much better for me than standard new year's resolutions, and today I'm sharing why.

In this episode, I'm exploring the ways that yearly themes have challenged me yet provided freedom and flexibility. I'm also talking about past themes and why I chose them, plus giving you some things to consider before you create one for yourself. Finally, I'm sharing my 2019 theme, why I picked it, and what I'm hoping it'll provide for me.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

My past yearly themes
Why themes are more useful that resolutions
How to create a yearly theme
My theme for 2019 and why I chose it

Resources from this episode:

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How To Adapt Your Strength Training To Your Menstrual Cycle w/ Craig Zielinski Jan 01, 2019

Happy New Year and welcome to the first show of 2019! To celebrate the new year I am going to be joined by my husband, Craig Zielinski or ‘Z’, who is here to talk to us about women's strength training and hormones. Today we are recapping Craig’s discussion about women's strength and hormones at the recent Ancestral Health Society of New Zeland’s conference, as it is an incredibly important issue for so many women today.

About Craig Zielinski

We are diving into everything surrounding female strength training and understanding your basic menstrual cycle and how it affects how you may feel in the gym. Craig is bringing a rare male perspective into creating a training regime around your menstrual cycle and intuitive strength training for women. While you may not be able to go hard at the gym all month, Craig’s training program is designed to focus your training around those times of the month where you can go hard, and letting you rest when your body needs it most.

Craig focuses around helping his clients feeling the best they can throughout the entire 28-day cycle. Get ready for a description of the 5 cycle training regime Craig has designed around the menstrual cycle, an explanation of the Prilepin chart, and why the lunar phases may be the key to better understanding the menstrual cycle, plus much more.

If you are sick of feeling ignored or basing your training expectations of a spreadsheet instead of real life, Craig has a new and better way to adapt your training to be more intuitive to the fluctuations of our bodies. It is time to create a positive atmosphere around strength training by asking questions, thinking analytically and tapping into what your body is telling you.

How has your menstrual cycle affected your workout regime? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Bringing in a male perspective on intuitive female strength training
Dismantling the societal taboo around periods
How to develop a training regime around your menstrual cycle
Figuring out what volumes you should be lifting at different points during your cycle
Why the lunar cycle can potentially be used as a heuristic for the menstrual cycle

Quotes

“Its incredibly important that women understand their own cycle, and it is incredibly important that coaches, male and female, but primarily from my perspective male, understand the female cycle” (14:10)

“I’ve just objectively talked about a training cycle, but also about when a woman has their menstrual cycle, this is a good way of training around it. It's that straightforward.” (17:43)

“The sort of primary underpinning construct of my entire talk was the lunar cycle and how the lunar cycle can potentially be used as a heuristic for the menstrual cycle” (23:30)

“When you start getting used to a more intuitive way of programming, you carry around less weight on your shoulders of what you are supposed to be able to do (36:22)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

HTK 100: Steph + Z

HTK 077: Dr. Stacy Sims

Working Out with your Menstrual Cycle by Steph Gaudreau

Strong.af

Magic: The Gathering Pie Fights

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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The Fucket List Dec 28, 2018

You've probably heard of bucket lists, the things you want to do before you kick the bucket. But did you know there's an opposite concept called the fucket list? It's basically all the stuff you're cool with never doing – or never doing again – in your life. And though it's important to know what you want, I think it's also really clutch to know what you don't want.

In this episode, I'm exploring the idea about what a fucket list is and why you might want to make your own. I'm also talking about why, though new years is a time for resolutions, I make my fresh start in another way. And, I'm sharing you a few of my favorites from my own personal fucket list.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

Why new year is a time for resolutions
What I do instead to give myself a fresh start
What a fucket list is
How to make your own fucket list
Some of the things on my own personal fucket list

Resources from this episode:

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Finding The Courage To Show Up Even When Scared w/ Jessica Honegger Dec 25, 2018

Sometimes you need to pull back the curtain on success and reveal the winding road it took to get to where you are today. Today’s guest, Jessica Honegger, is doing exactly that, and showing us all what it’s like to get comfortable outside of your comfort zone.

About Jessica Honeggar

Jessica is the founder of Noonday Collection, a socially conscious fashion brand, a hilarious podcast host, author, and inspiring entrepreneur. She is an advocate for talking to yourself with self-compassion, trusting yourself more than the numbers on the scale, and owning your own voice. If you are looking for tips on being more intentional in your decisions, spending your willpower energy on saying no to vices, and becoming a solution to the problems you see, Jessica is your girl.

By accepting that life is a journey, and knowing when to pull yourself back to center if you go off the rails, you can handle stress with grace and create your own definition of success. By finding the courage to show up even when you are scared you will realize that you have the power to create the kind of space you want for yourself.

A shot of inspiration, Jessica is a steward of finding your own way of doing things while taking care of yourself and letting go of perfection.

When did you last find courage even when you were scared? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Surrendering yourself to find an equilibrium
How to deal with a crazy and inconsistent schedule
Talking to yourself with a voice of compassion instead of punishment
Why your success is not based on the number you see on the scale
Stepping into your story and creating a compassionate space for yourself and others

Quotes

“I know what its like to battle anxiety and wonder what problems the next day is going to hold, and right now I feel a lot of spaciousness, and I am so grateful for that” (7:33)

“I’m here, I’m moving my body, I’m being good to it. And I try to really notice the voice, the tone in which I am speaking to myself” (18:29)

“I am going to be in this body and in this mind for the rest of my life, so I might as well really love the voice that I am speaking to myself in” (21:34)

“We let perfectionism paralyze us, we let imposter syndrome hold us back, and we think that courage means that we have our shit together. And what courage means is that we are scared and we just go anyway” (35:12)

“So much of life, I think to keep us from paralysis we have to embrace paradox. Because that really is what life is” (45:50)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Going Scared Podcast

Going Scared Episode 43: Steph Gaudreau

Imperfect Courage Book

Follow Jessica on Instagram

Noonday Collection

Jessica’s Website

Courage Quiz

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Toning Dec 21, 2018

With the New Year right around the corner, there's been a lot of talk lately about toning. Naturally. It's the time of year when people re-assess their fitness, nutrition, and health in general. And if you hang around in women's fitness spaces, toning will come up. It's not a matter of if, but rather a matter of when.

In this episode, I'm exploring why women use the word toning, what it really means, and the unspoken layers of meaning associated with it. I don't purport to have all the answers, but I'm committed to asking questions that can open up further dialogue around this nuanced topic.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

The internal battle I have going on in my brain
What toning actually means
Myths about strength training
Why words like toning set women up for unrealistic body ideals
Why toning has become a gender-specific term

Resources from this episode:

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Stronger Than You Think w/ Sarai White Dec 18, 2018

In a world of airbrushing and Instagram, today's guest Sarai White keeps it real and accessible. Sarai is helping people get comfortable with getting moving, and breaking down what we perceive as our flaws to love what we see in the mirror every day.

About Sarai White

Sarai views exercise as a means of mental therapy, a hobby, and a healthy activity, not as a way to change who you are. She gives women permission to not have to be perfect and uses strength training to show her clients that they are much stronger than they think they are.

Learn about everything from Sarai’s philosophy around her social media channels, how to create workout experiences people can replicate, and how she is helping women get strong by lifting some serious weight while shedding the societal and cultural standards. Plus, Sarai is sharing her journey of giving yourself compassion, finding a new normal and prioritizing your health before and after breast cancer.

An open an honest talk about getting back to the things you love by letting go of fear, Sarai is helping her clients get moving and start loving every part of yourself. What are your thoughts on Sarai’s story? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Changing the conversation around how women talk to themselves
The benefits and challenges of lifting weights as a woman
Forgetting about what other people are thinking and taking your workout outside
Common mistakes that people make when structuring their training regime
Getting back to what you love about your body

Quotes

“I want people to see that your fitness level isn't determined by necessarily any outward physical attributes. You know people can get out on the street and work out even if you don't look like your typical, whatever.” (5:59)

“That fueled my passion to begin working with women exclusively. And having a place where we could work out hard, like lift heavy, work out hard and push ourselves, and feel really comfortable.” (22:46)

“I always say I don't know how to do anything else, this is what I do. No matter what like any other thing I have thought about doing, it always comes back to this. This is what I am supposed to do so this is what I do.” (32:19)

“Everybody's got a street curb. You know you can work out on the street curb, you can work out on the park bench. So no matter what, you can do something.” (41:25)

“Just really coming back to the root of why I move, why I do what I can do, and being very grateful for my body to be able to do what it could do helped. And also wanting to be an example for other women” (53:15)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Get Fit With Sarai

Follow Get Fit With Sarai on Instagram and Facebook

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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Why Safer Skincare Matters Dec 14, 2018

Everyone's health and wellness journey unfolds differently, and the things we choose to focus on first can vary. For me, it was food and movement that came first. Several years later, I finally began to think about what I was putting on my body – my skincare routine – as a piece of the puzzle (especially considering I have endometriosis and I'm more mindful of the products I use now).

In this episode, I'm sharing a bit more about why safer skincare options matter for your health and talking about which product was the first thing I switched. In particular, I'm sharing the three-step sequence I recommend when it comes to prioritizing safer skincare products...because let's face it, most of us aren't independently wealthy and changing everything all at once is a daunting prospect.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

Why safer skincare matters to health
How personal care products are regulated
Greenwashing terms to look out for
Tips for switching to natural deodorant
3 steps to make safer skincare switches in your routine

Resources from this episode:

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Learning To Adapt To Unexpected Major Life Changes w/ Theresa Larson Dec 11, 2018

Dr. Theresa Larson is a force to be reckoned with and is on a mission to help her clients create their ‘new normal’. An IRL friend, author, and inspiring speaker, Theresa works to help people adapt to major life changes, whether good or bad, temporary or permanent, to help better cope and thrive in your new situation.

About Dr. Theresa Larson

Theresa is sharing everything about her work with adaptive athletes, how she combined her passions into the job of her dreams, and why she is working to represent the strong women of the world. Advocating for nurturing the roots of your mind, how to cope with the things that happen in your life and ways to combat your invisible wounds, Theresa is helping people stop struggling and start living.

If you are searching for how to overcome nightmare situations to start living your life to the fullest with a resilient mindset and capable body, this episode is for you. Theresa is spreading her empowering message for people with temporary and permanent wounds about how you can learn to slow down, think about how you move and improve your movement patterns in order to create the opportunity for healing.

This episode is all about encouraging physical and mental freedom and taking ownership of your health. How does Theresa’s mission and journey inspire you and your goals? Let us know in the comments section!

Trigger Warning - Please know that this episode contains mentions to miscarriage and eating disorders.

On Today's Episode

How to manage being an introvert on a day to day basis
Bringing self-compassion and boundaries into motherhood and health and wellness
What an adaptive athletes workout and training regime looks like
Educating people on what it is they can do to relieve their worst symptoms and mindsets
Overcoming invisible and visible injuries to increase representation of all abilities in the fitness space

Quotes

“Honestly introversion led me to what I am doing now because it is more energy giving for me, like I let go” (7:36)

“You get so caught up in the work life and you lose sight of like being a real human and being compassionate towards yourself. At least I do, I have.” (18:17)

“And the [adpative] athletes come in and they train, and I think honestly we get more from them than we give. Because they are just so brave, and nothing really holds them back. And they really don't sweat the small stuff.” (23:32)

“With any injury there comes this mental vulnerability of, ‘okay am I ever going to be able to do x,y,z again?’ And unbeknownst to us, sometimes the way that we have thought before kind of takes over and we stop doing the things that we love… and that becomes kind of an excuse” (44:58)

“Be more aware of where your mind goes, and what your body is doing. And that awareness can add life to your years, and actually years to your life probably. Just from moving a little bit more, thinking more positively, thinking about growth, which adds less stress to your day.” (58:21)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Dr. Theresa Larson Website

Warrior: A Memoir

My New Normal Podcast

HTK #78: Karina Antonopoulos

HTK #48: Theresa Larson

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Endo Warrior Dec 07, 2018

Endometriosis is a painful condition that so many women suffer with in silence. I am one of those women. It's not uncommon for women to go undiagnosed for years, to be dismissed, or to be told it's all in our heads. But recently, there is a growing community of women trying to learn more and support each other as we navigate life with endo.

In this episode, I'm sharing my own personal story and struggles with endometriosis, plus the nutrition, lifestyle, and other interventions that have helped me manage my endo symptoms. While I can't promise that what I mention will work or is appropriate for every woman with endo (please talk to your healthcare provider), it's my hope that by formally breaking my silence, you may find something that's helpful.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

My endo journey
Interventions that have worked for me
A new view on endometriosis as an autoimmune / inflammatory issue
My favorite resources for endo, period problems, and hormonal birth control

Resources from this episode:

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How To Break Out Of The Societal Box w/ Allison Tenney Dec 04, 2018

The conversation around representation and inclusivity in the wellness space is multilayered and is incredibly important when understanding how to support women in the fitness industry. My guest today, Allison Tenney, is cutting through the BS and diving in deep on addressing everything from body autonomy to social justice issues.

About Allison Tenney

A passionate soccer player, coach, RKC Certified kettlebell trainer and all around great girl, Allison is here to share her story and news on her truly transformative summit. Allison believes in lifting women up, breaking out of the standard societal box, and acknowledging systematic oppression for a better world. She is an advocate for removing barriers surrounding health, strength, and finding your own voice.

What part of Allison’s journey resonated with you? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Owning your inner power and your autonomy over your body
Why kettlebells are one of the most approachable strength training tools
Recognizing the messaging that you do not need to choose for yourself
Learning from your past mistakes and the importance of multiple lenses
Learn about fitness, nutrition and how you can apply it to your life

Quotes

“Yes athletes are disciplined, and they are hard workers and they know how to work in a team and they have grit, and they have all these skills that are team sport oriented. But it’s hard to then know what to do with that identity.” (8:03)

“The more I saw those benefits of like, wow if I can swing a kettlebell I can build strength, build stability, get my cardio in, all these massive benefits for myself, and I could teach it to my athletes or my clients. Like this is great, let's check all of these boxes.” (16:50)

“Everything we are sold from diet culture to fitness culture, everything is geared around shoving us into this small box. And I’m kind of like enough. Enough with your small box. I want to take up space, I want to use my voice, I want to be able to define what is important to me and how that shows up in my life, just like every other person should be able to do for them.” (20:06)

“You can’t just get the feedback and then feel bad about yourself and then decide to do nothing or just let it go. To me, it's about how you are going to take that feedback and take action with it.” (31:30)

“You don't have to compromise pieces of who you are to show up as your full self.” (40:26)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Ignited Womxn Summit Website

Ignited Womxn Summit Tickets

HTK 072: Chrissy King

HTK 143: Dr. Tee Williams

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Sensitive Nov 30, 2018

Ever since childhood, I've been labeled as shy or sensitive...and it's often been used in a derogatory way. I never understood until just a couple years ago that I'm what's called a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). HURRAH! There was finally a term to describe part of the way I experience the world. And it's not just me. It's estimated that nearly 1 in 5 people is highly sensitive.

In this episode, I'm sharing about how (and when) I learned about being HSP. I'm also telling you some of the strategies I use to manage it in my day to day life, as well as some of my thoughts on why the term "sensitive" is lobbed around as an insult. My hope is two-fold: 1) if you ARE an HSP and you didn't know it, that you realize you aren't alone and 2) that you learn to see others in your life with these traits with more compassion.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

What is an HSP?
How to tell you're an HSP
How I've managed being an HSP
Why it's important to not use "sensitive" as an insult
Why being sensitive is a gift

Resources from this episode:

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Diversity In The Wellness Space & How To Get Your Message Heard w/ Les Alfred Nov 27, 2018

Les Alfred saw a lack in the representation of strong, colored women in the fitness community, so she decided to create a space herself. The Balanced Black Girl Podcast focuses on creating an inclusive wellness media hub that is more representative for more diverse groups of people. She works to amplify other women of color in wellness space so more people can get to know them and their message.

About Les Alfred

Focusing on creating a platform to help more people feel included and finding the most authentic version of yourself, Les is a force to be reckoned with and is here to share the story behind her huge transformation. Everything from getting comfortable sharing your voice, to the seasons of our fitness and establishing good habits is on the table today.

It is time to start paying attention to more voices and broaden your perspective. There is so much more to health and nutrition than just doing squats, and Les is here to share all of it and more to you today. What are your thoughts about diversity in the wellness space? Let us know your thoughts in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Being a visible minority in the wellness space
How to break out of the corporate world and into the personal training world
Creating healthy habits and cementing them into your routine early
Finding your core wellness values and non-negotiable wellness habits
Cultural appropriation in wellness traditions and ways you can honor those traditions

Quotes

“I decided okay, I want to be a personal trainer because I really love fitness, and I totally hated my corporate job, like the typical millennial story. And I was like, maybe if I can just help people work out, they will enjoy it as much as I do and they will get as much as I do.” (14:02)

“Everyone wants a quick fix, they want the secret. And really the secret is you do it one step at a time, one habit at a time until you master it, and then you move onto the next thing.” (20:08)

“When I learned how to just kind of relax and let myself have seasons and be a bit more intuitive with both movement and food, that was when my body was able to get to kind of a set point where it just kind of stays regardless of my fitness routine looks like.” (24:54)

“More people need to be included in these conversations. I was like, that's what I want to do. I want to facilitate conversations surrounding women of color in wellness. That’s it! That’s what we’re going to do... Major lightbulb” (38:16)

“I think not often enough do we take the time to understand where those practices actually come from, and what cultural significance they could have to people. And we are not really paying due diligence to make sure we're sharing and practicing these things in a way that is respectful to those cultures.” (43:25)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

The GOOD Fest

The Balanced Black Girl Podcast

The Balanced Black Girl Website

Follow Balanced Black Girl Podcast on Instagram

Follow Balanced Les on Instagram

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Period Talk Nov 23, 2018

As women, we experience natural monthly fluctuations related to our menstrual cycle and period. Yet I can't tell you how many women are mystified or even frustrated by the variations they experience throughout their menstrual cycles. Understanding even the very basics and tracking your cycle can lead to great insights.

In this episode, I'm walking you through how your appetite and strength levels may vary throughout your cycle so that you can better honor those natural fluctuations and make adjustments when needed. You are a part of nature, not apart from nature. As always, knowledge is power.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

The main phases of the menstrual cycle
How your cycle can affect your appetite and carb cravings
How to adjust your fitness routine based on your cycle
The connection between the moon and the female cycle

Resources from this episode:

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Pelvic Floor Health And Why It Is So Important w/ Jessie Mundell Nov 20, 2018

Leaks. Lots of women get them, but nobody seems to talk about them. That’s why this episode is dedicated to helping moms, moms to be and women in general, deal with common issues that women are often too embarrassed to talk about.

About Jessie Mundell

Jessie Mundell is an expert in prenatal and postnatal exercise and is a wealth of knowledge exploding with information about your pelvic health and how you can gain a better quality of life. Jessie is here to share a message of hope and help for pregnant and postpartum women and dismiss any myths or misconceptions around your pelvic floor, core, and incontinence.

Learn about everything from managing the pressure in your core to reduce or eliminate incontinence in daily life, to how a pelvic health physiotherapist can help you work on your breathing, body position, and alignment. Understand how to properly do a Kegel, what physical and hormonal changes your body goes through during birth, and why you should stop sucking in your belly.

If you are looking for a guide to everything that your body is going through, Jessie is here to let you know that what’s happening is totally normal. It is time to get to a place of peace with your body so you can start fully experiencing your pregnancy and motherhood.

Did this episode have an impact on how you will manage your intraabdominal pressure? Let us know your thoughts in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Regaining function in your pelvis and abdomen after birth
Using insight gained during pregnancy to become a better exercise programmer
The right way to train when you are pre or postnatal
Understanding the pressure system of the pelvic floor and core
How long postpartum can last and why it is different for all women

Quotes

“The basis of the work that we do is in strength training programming. So we're getting these people, we're getting these moms, to be lifting weights and just getting them to feel really strong and capable in their bodies, and in turn in their lives in various facets as well.” (8:52)

“The struggles were necessary for me to think differently about birth, and that made me a better coach. Because I am able to talk to people in such a different manner and able to coach so differently. Able to kind of tap into my own fears and my own struggles and hopefully help them in some way. (10:37)

“First we need to tune in and be able to feel that sensation in our bodies of the pelvic floor relaxing and chilling out. Just going to the strengthening phase isn’t going to be the best route.” (25:34)

“I just want [sufferers] to know that it is a common experience, but there is help, and this doesn't have to be something that they need to live with. Again, there is so much hope there is so much help, so if they want that help, then let's help them.” (27:50)

“I think its a really positive thing to take a flexible mindset into these time periods of pregnancy and postpartum because your body does require different strategies during these periods because of all it is going through or all it has gone through.” (45:07)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Jessie’s Website

Follow Jessie on Facebook | Instagram

To Birth and Beyond Podcast

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Health Coach Confessions Nov 16, 2018

It's easy to think that health and fitness experts each perfectly, exercise perfectly, and live perfect lives...especially given what you see on social media and the Internet at large. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. Not only is it unrealistic to think that health coaches don't have struggles, it often leads to you setting up impossible standards for yourself. When left unchecked, the cycle of on the wagon / off the wagon can go on for years.

In this episode, I'm letting you in on some of my health coach confessions...habits I'm working on and things I don't do perfectly. My hope is that you'll learn to cut yourself some slack on your health and wellness journey...because you can still make big strides without the stress of perfection.

Remember to find the show notes and other episodes on StephGaudreau.com

On this episode:

How you put the impossible double standard on health experts onto yourself
Why perfection is all illusion
My own health confessions as a nutritional therapist and health coach

Resources from this episode:

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Why Growth Isn't All It's Cracked Up To Be w/ Paul Jarvis Nov 13, 2018

If you are looking for a message of reassurance, motivation, and creativity, you have come to the right place. Paul Jarvis writes candidly and openly about completely changing how he lived his life and does business. Today he is sharing why he decided to bring the public along on his journey, and how to balance your life in every regard.

About Paul Jarvis

Paul provides a universal message that applies to people no matter where you are in life. Paul talks about so much that I, and others who run their own business, will relate to in a deep way, and is a beacon for us like-minded people.

By questioning why you have the need for ‘more’, calling yourself out on your bullshit and finding the true feeling of having enough, Paul encourages all of us to ‘bleed a little bit’. Whether you run a small business, are a company of one or are just tired of the hustle, Paul will remind you why you got started and how to align yourself with what brings you the most joy in your life.

Learn why it's easier to build an audience when you stand for something, and how to deal with those on the other side of the line saying f*ck you. Question everything around you. But most importantly, believe that you are enough.

Do you already know about Paul? What is your favourite aspect of The Sunday DIgest? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Making people resonate you on a vulnerable personal level
Ways to optimize balance for your daily life and your business
Finding the balance between what makes others happy and what you truly want
How taking care of your body can lead to being more productive
Why getting bigger as a business can sometimes be a problem

Quotes

“I don’t want to perform in my writing, but the fact that I am sending a piece of writing to so many people and they are consuming it is a performance.” (11:29)

“If you share something as yourself, like with your name and your business, like my business is me. Then it's a bit more personal right, the praise is a bit better but then the like criticism is a bit harsher. Because they are not disliking your business, they are disliking your business and your business is you.” (16:27)

“I think if there was kind of one path forward then we wouldn't need to have this conversation because everybody would be on that path because that would be the one path. And I don't think that's the way business or life works. It would be so nice if and so easy if that was the case, but unfortunately it's not.” (29:18)

“I would rather personally fail trying something that I want to do, than trying something that I don't want to do but want to just get to an end goal for it.” (31:04)

“Growth isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and business ideas around growth and what science and actual stories from business, they kind of tell two different stories. And it's one of those things where I’m like ‘why is nobody else talking about this’, and then I'm like, I guess I should.’” (46:07)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Brené Brown TED Talk

It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work By Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

Pre-Order Company of One by Paul Jarvis

Sign-up for Paul’s Newsletter Here

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

Goodbye Hello Nov 09, 2018

It's time to say goodbye to Stupid Easy Paleo! For the last seven years, it's been my website and brand. But just like most good things, it was time to move on and welcome a novel concept...being myself. StephGaudreau.com is my new home online (including this podcast), and I'm so frickin' pumped to show you.

In this episode, I'm talking a little bit more about why some things must die to make way for new growth. Their parts must be added back to the soil to enrich it for new things to unfurl. Death need not be scary if we view it as a transformation. I'm acknowledging some sticking points and lessons I've learned, plus telling you all about why this birth is symbolic in all the best ways.

Remember to go check it out now: StephGaudreau.com

Mentioned on this episode:

My new site...StephGaudreau.com

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Haters Nov 02, 2018

If you're making healthier choices in your life, your bound to experience some questions, pushback, or maybe even some flack from the haters. This topic is one of the most common that my community brings up: wondering how to deal with haters. The fierce love answer is that it doesn't frickin' matter what people have to say because it's your life, not theirs. But I realize that's not always helpful in the moment.

In this episode, I'm sharing four strategies for dealing with anyone who gives you guff about your food, fitness, or lifestyle choices so you feel more empowered. These strategies are simple – not necessarily easy – but they'll give you a jumping off point.

Mentioned on this episode:

Loving What Is by Byron Katie

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The Importance Of Feeling At Home In Your Body w/ Molly Galbraith Oct 30, 2018

Molly Galbraith is an amazing woman who is using her organization, Girls Gone Strong, to work towards big issues that are timely and important in the world today. Girls Gone Strong works to provide high-quality free education to women and continues to be a thought leader in the fitness industry. In this special episode, we are tackling important issues such as sexual harassment, marginalization, objectification, and much more.

About Molly Galbraith

True health is not about what you can squat at the gym or the number of the scale, it is about creating an environment in which you feel at home in your body. Molly realized early on that health is about more than squats and protein, so she created a space in which topics such as body image, mental health, and body autonomy are an open conversation. Today she is bringing that open discussion to Harder to Kill Radio to help women experience an improved quality of life on a day to day basis.

By creating value, servicing your community and opening yourself up to having difficult conversations, it is possible to create an environment where everyone can envision their own version of health and wellness.

What do you think about the free dialogue promoted through Girls Gone Strong? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Harnessing emotional resilience as your superpower
How having hard conversations has strengthened the GGS mission
Rechecking your position of privilege through education
Ways you can start expanding your own awareness
Using the skills and resources already available to you to leverage change

Quotes

“We all had this mission of wanting to spread the gospel of strength training to other women because it had changed our lives so profoundly. So that's what Girls Gone Strong started as, and we had no idea what it was going to be when it started, but I knew in my bones that it would change the world” (5:16)

“I didn't have the visceral understanding of the fact that it's not about diversity and inclusion, it's about dignity and justice” (11:02)

“It's like someone turns on a light when you didn't even know you were sitting in the dark. And for me that has been like the best way to explain [social justice], you can't see it because you just don't have the context for it” (22:36)

“There are all of these different ways that we can create change, and it does have to come from the bottom up and from the top down.” (47:17)

“You can do it, and you can start creating massive change quickly. It just might be in your own community, in your own family, in your own little circle, first.” (55:44)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown

Girls Gone Strong Website

Girls Gone Strong Blog

Free 5 Day Sexual Assault and Harassment Course

Get your GGS-1 Coaching Certification

Mark Fisher Fitness

Elsbeth Vaino Blog

Follow Girls Gone Strong on Instagram | Facebook

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How to Survive the Holidays Oct 26, 2018

Next week is the unofficial start of the holiday season with the arrival of Halloween. The last two months in the year are often the most challenging: food temptations, stressful travel, a dwindling bank account, and awkward family & social interactions can leave your willpower drained. It's common to fall into the "fuck it all" mentality and YOLO everything OR try to strictly diet through the holidays which requires massive amounts of willpower...and sometimes a rebound binge.

It doesn't have to be this way. Not this year and not on my watch. In this episode, I'm sharing a mindset and set of strategies for making it through the holidays without having to dig out of a massive hole come January. Learn simple steps for creating a solid foundation that will carry you through the next two months without the need for old New Year diet routine.

Mentioned on this episode:

4 Tendencies Quiz

The Power of Habit

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Curating Your Life With Compassion & Self Care w/ Cristina Curp Oct 23, 2018

After managing her autoimmunity and losing over 60 pounds, Cristina Curp created The Castaway Kitchen to share her healing journey as a mom trying to make it all work. She has an important message to share for those sick of the one size fits all approach to nutrition, and ready for a new set of rules.

About Cristina Curp

If you are looking for a real talk among the absolute craziness of the world today, then this episode is for you. Cristina is dishing out her favourite keto, paleo and AIP tips, and how she got over the numbers game and got healthy and happy. The truth is nobody has got it figured out, especially when you are dealing with autoimmunity. But if you can commit to getting yourself feeling better, you can make small incremental changes to find what works for you.

As women, we are trained by society to constantly be giving in order to prove our worth. It is time to take back your health journey and put yourself first, whatever version of you that is. Today Cristina encourages advocating for yourself, examines how to set realistic weight loss goals, and why you should be listening to your body, plus so much more. Have you had to battle similar weight and health-related setbacks?

Share your story in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Giving yourself space and being honest with your intentions
Balancing self-care, when to ask for help and being a new mom
Curating your life to surround yourself with things that make you feel good about yourself
Why you should be listening to your body and not an app
How to have compassion for yourself at any size

Quotes

“It's a keto, paleo, AIP kind of mashup of all things that construe kind of the last four years of me troubleshooting and testing and tweaking my diet to figure out what I need to do to feel my best, and I kind of put it all in a book.” (5:52)

“I think you have to give yourself grace and know that when you mess up it's not like ‘ooh, burn to the ground I have to start from scratch’. Like just keep going, pick up from where you left off it's not like, you're not wrong, you didn't do anything wrong, you just stumbled. (13:19)

“Asking for help was huge, and learning to realize that hey, I can for help, it's okay, I deserve the help. It's not because I'm failing, it's not because I'm lazy, it's because I fucking need help and that's fine.” (30:42)

“When I committed to truly healing and did that emotional work, it became easier to stick to food choices and lifestyle choices that were truly going to benefit me, that weren't going to be shortcuts for weight loss.” (37:20)

“Yes I am for my women and for loving yourself, but I still carry my wounds and its okay if you are still hurting, you know. The same way that my health metamorphosis happened slowly, [emotional healing] happened even slower. (42:55)

“There's so much energy expended into not loving ourselves or thinking we are not good enough, and for what?” (48:44)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

The Castaway Kitchen

Made Whole Book

Follow The Castaway Kitchen on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Primalgirl

Beyond the Food

The Living Experiment

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Goodbye FOMO, Hello JOMO Oct 19, 2018

FOMO, the Fear of Missing Out, is stronger than ever these days thanks to social media and the ever-looming anxiety that there's more, better, different things we could be doing with our time. But the overwhelm from FOMO isn't doing us any favors. Thankfully, there's another way.

In this episode, I dive into the concept of JOMO, the JOY of Missing Out, and why it's just as viable as its evil older sibling FOMO. You'll learn about the connection between JOMO, values, self-care, boundaries, slow living, and presence. It ain't easy, but with a shift in mindset, you'll learn to relish the idea of JOMO.

Mentioned on this episode:

Ep 124 | Boundaries

Ep 86 | Self-Care with Sarah Fragoso

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Inclusivity & Social Justice in Health & Fitness w/ Dr. Tee Williams Oct 16, 2018

Dr. Tee Williams is an incredible influencer and wonderful teacher who has dedicated his life to bridging the huge gap between social justice education and coaching. Dr. Tee believes that 9 times out of 10, whatever you are coaching about is going to be embedded in some sort of experience your client has had in a social context. By increasing your self-awareness you can start to think about and understand your blind spots in social justice so that you can compensate for them.

About Dr. Tee Williams

Dr. Tee shares some of the tools to understand the difference between diversity, inclusion, and liberation of social justice, grasping how power and privilege are institutionalized, and discussing inequality. By becoming aware of metacognition, your internalized dominance, and subordination, you can learn active listening and perspective taking, which can lead to radical inclusivity.

It is incredibly important to learn how to negotiate our multiple identities and the intersection of those identities, and how those intersections create new and unique forms of oppression that are situated within our social context. By examining how this fits into socially constructed oppression, you can better construct your own worldview.

By spending the time to build your version of the world and the relationships that you need, you can enact liberation on a day to day basis in the way that you live your life. The way we enact liberation is in alignment with the vision of liberation that we create for ourselves and can help you to understand the past, present, and future for different groups of people.

Of course, our usual topics of fitness and diet are important, but you must understand the social context in which health and fitness exist in to best understand how to relate to your clients and help them improve. When the way you understand the world changes, the way you understand yourself and who you are in the world also changes.

What did you find most inspiring or challenging about today’s episode? Let us know in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

Looking at the fitness industry through a social justice lens
The essential communication in a coach-client relationship
Critical liberation theory and how you can build the world you want
Deconstructing your worldview and rechecking your actuality
Acknowledging your own blind spots in connection to social identity

Quotes

“Whether you are doing fitness and nutrition or life coaching or coaching of any kind, it is essential that you understand how both social identity, social context, power, and inequality, affect human beings. And therefore how they affect your clients.” (9:10)

“It is never as powerful to fight against something as it is to fight for something… when you are fighting for something and you are doing it with awareness right, with critical liberatory consciousness, it allows you to to be of the oppression and not in the oppression.” (27:29)

“Until you learn the skills that are necessary to interact with people who are different than you, in ways that do not damage them and do not play into this existing system, you are again operating within this huge blindspot.” (34:05)

“Here's what you need to know about the past and the present, and here's what a vision of the future looks like. Heres what I'm doing and here's what I'm learning and here are the resources and people that I am learning from” (40:04)

“I guarantee you that whatever you or your clients are dealing with when you begin to trace the roots of it and really dig deep to figure out what's going on, it will in some way be connected to one or more social identities. Period. (50:41)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

Dr. Tee’s Website

Follow Dr. Tee on Instagram

Foundations of Social Justice Course

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Diet Culture Oct 12, 2018

Ughhhh Diet Culture. My first thought is always, "Fuck that shit." And my second thought is that you need something more concrete so that you can begin unpacking the ways that Diet Culture has affected you. If you're constantly playing small in your life, obsessing over your body, and always starting your diet over again on Monday, you might be deeply affected.

In this episode, I'm talking about (from my perspective) what Diet Culture is (and isn't); how it operates to keep women small, distracted, and competing with each other; and some simple steps you can take today to begin opting out.

Mentioned on this episode:

120 | The Scale: Fierce Love Friday

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Rebuilding Your Relationship with Food w/ Alison Marras Oct 09, 2018

Too often in life, we tend to go toward the things we think we are good at and avoid the things we are not so good at, even though those are the things that could make a big difference in your life. Alison Marras wants you to expand your repertoire and your mind by fostering an exciting relationship with food and your body.

About Alison Marras

Based out of New York City, Alison is a nutritional therapist, coach and founder of the blog Food by Mars. She is a fellow side-hustle-to-full-time-gig success story and is passionate about building a tribe that fuels each other. After a frustrating health journey and eventual Hashimoto's autoimmune disease diagnosis, Alison took to her blog to find joy for herself while also educating others.

Today Alison is outlining a guide for those of you that are frustrated that you don't feel great in your body, and need a starting point. She is sharing her favorite tools that she herself has used when in a state of perplexment with your body, and what lead her to the AIP diet. By identifying your stressors, trusting your body and paying attention to your hunger cues, it’s possible to unlearn your diet habits and have a healthy relationship with your body.

Alison believes in figuring out what you can enjoy more of, instead of focusing on your restrictions. She is urging you to let go of the math and the calories and whatever prevents you from enjoying something, and instead get more in tune with what your body is trying to tell you.

Have you ever had to rebuild your relationship between food and your body? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Building a healthy relationship with your body and food
Going through the process of figuring out what makes you feel best and building on that
Signs that it is time to work with a professional to get your health on track
Simple steps that you can take to get started in the right direction

Quotes

“Finally I went back to school for nutrition and really realized, this is what I want my career and my life to be about. Helping others and helping people not go through some of the stuff I've had to go through with my health, and it really became more of a mission.” (10:07)

“That's kind of how I approach the blog, I don't want anyone to go through this negativity of feeling like they can't have anything, so I really wanted to build awesome recipes so people didn't feel very deprived.” (22:10)

“I didn't want to now demonize everything or demonize all these foods and be fearful every time I went out. I wanted to enjoy things again, so I really tried to loosen up” (29:19)

“This is a partnership. This is us putting our two heads together to figure out how they can find balance and how they can heal themselves and do all this stuff. Because no matter what, you are the expert on you. But it sometimes takes an outside opinion, just like anything else.” (49:02)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

5 Day Mindful Eating Challenge

Food By Mars Website

Follow Food By Mars on Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Intuitive Eating

The Slow Down Diet Book

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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The Big D (Divorce) Oct 05, 2018

Divorce is such a loaded subject, and for women especially, something that we get judged harshly for by society, friends, and family. For many years, I avoided admitting the truth about my own divorces for fear of judgment. (Sometimes, we're our own harshest critics.)

In this episode, I'm sharing my stories about divorce, why I was afraid to date my current husband, and why kindness and compassion about people on the other side of the relationship coin is vital.

Mentioned on this episode:

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Stop Letting Perfectionism Control Your Life w/ Aimee Suen Oct 02, 2018

Aimee Suen is a nutritional therapy practitioner, author of the small eats blog, and one my dearest personal friends. Aimee is passionate about helping people improve their health habits and lifestyle in an ultra approachable way. Today we are discussing perfectionism, taking care of yourself, and mindfulness, to make sure you are taking care of your body in every way possible.

About Aimee Suen

After a very real quarter-life crisis, Aimee decided to stop placing her value on the things that she did, and more on who she is. She brings this life-altering realization to all of her readers and is here to help you on your health journey. By taking lots of small steps, being kind and affectionate to yourself, and accepting life's inevitable mistakes, you can work to develop tools and skills to help guide you through any situation.

If you are ready to work out at the gym of your mind, then listen in now! What do you think about Aimee’s tips to help put yourself first? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

How to gain perspective when dealing with perfectionism
What is mindfulness cognitive behavioral therapy and why it can beneficial
Why you should have no shame in therapy
Embracing change as the only constant
Small steps you can take to be more kind to yourself

Quotes

“It became really clear to me that I had put myself last and I had put art and college and doing and achieving first. I’ve always been a really good doer and achiever, I haven't always been great at taking care of myself.” (13:09)

“It's really nerve-wracking. And I think what's so natural to happen is your identity, without you realizing it, gets super wrapped up in ‘this is who I am and this is the only thing I can be’. “ (22:24)

“Paying attention to my thoughts in a very non-judgemental way has been very helpful, but 1000% did not happen overnight.” (27:19)

“It's almost like a storm sometimes, these thoughts. These thoughts you get caught up in and then sometimes you realize a little too late like, oh no I'm still outside and it's raining.” (30:40)

“The idea of self-compassion is just turning all of that compassion and support that you know you can very easily give to someone else, and turning that on yourself. (37:48)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Join the Small Eats Circle on Facebook

Small Eats Website

Not At My Desk Lunch E-Book

Follow Small Eats on Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

She Thrives Radio with Taylor Gage

Epic Bar Meatcast

Self Compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff

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Self-Sabotage Sep 28, 2018

Self-sabotage is one of the toughest parts about making healthy lifestyle change stick, and if you experience it, you're not alone. In fact, mindset in general is one of those umbrella topics that influences our ability to make better choices. Yet unlike diet and exercise, mindset is a much more abstract thing. How, then, can you get a handle on mindset work?

In this episode, the last in my Core Four pillar of health series, I'm introducing you to different reasons you may be self-sabotaging and providing three starting points for exploring the impact of mindset in your own life.

Mentioned on this episode:

Harder to Kill Challenge Kicks off October 1

Get Your Mindset Right Pillar #4 Blog Post

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What Can Our Ancestors Teach Us About What We Should Be Eating? w/ Hilda Labrada Gore Sep 25, 2018

You've probably heard arguments incorporating evolutionary biology made to justify why we should be eating more of certain foods and less of others, but is that reasoning really legit in today's world? Hilda Labrada Gore has traveled the world researching various tribal diets and their wellbeing, and brings that knowledge to us today.

About Hilda Labrada Gore

After being inspired by Dr. Weston A. Price, Hilda followed in his footsteps and traveled to Kenya and Peru to work with native tribes and study their diets and wellbeing. Through this experience, she has found a passion for learning and spreading the news of traditional diets and the benefits of real food living.

A fellow podcaster, Hilda focuses on promoting new ways to connect with the people around us by paying attention and truly listening. She believes that everyone has something that you can learn from, and with a genuine curiosity about who people are, you will discover new things about yourself, and others, in the process.

By spending a little less time in the supermarket and a little more time in the farmers market, Hilda believes that we can cure our societies need for overeating, by eating nutrient-rich foods instead. By recognizing the power of real food and the importance of preserving the foods in which your ancestry came from, Hilda hopes to show others the power of exploring what other people around the world are eating.

Have you experimented with any traditional diets? What were the results? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Tips for successful communication for both the introvert and the extrovert
Tools and practices to listen more equally
How Hilda got started on her own podcasting journey
Getting back to a traditional diet even in our modern industrialized food supply chain
Embracing diversity in what a healthy diet looks like

Quotes

“Being present and listening is a skill I have kind of developed along the way, and its actually bringing me much more joy than kind of my frenetic way of being before.” (7:57)

“[Weston Price] found that the traditional peoples of the world were thriving on their real food diet, and when modernity crept in and some of their tribes started eating processed sugars and flour and refined oils and things like that, that literally, their health would start to deteriorate, their face shape would even change.” (19:52)

“Everyone's got something they are supposed to bring to the world. And I don't think they should get hung up on the little technicalities because somebody else will have that in their lane if you will and they will be able to bring that and come alongside them on that point.” (31:02)

“We are being bombarded by ‘eat this’ and ‘eat that’ and the pretty colorful packages in the supermarket. So find a way to shut that down. I feel like desire is created in us artificially by people who want us to become consumers only.” (39:19)

“The most happy, satisfied people I met were the people who had their own land and were growing their own food.” (46:56)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Nourishing Traditions Cookbook

Holistic Hilda Website

Follow Hilda on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Wise Traditions Podcast

Weston A. Price Website

FoodTalks DC

HTK 109: Adam & Vanessa Lambert of Bee the Wellness

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Why You're Tired Sep 21, 2018

Are you frickin' tired? Feeling like you're running on empty or that you can't get ahead with rest? You're not alone. Our modern lifestyle sets us up to be "on" all day with little chance for rest and renewal. And when we finally get to sleep at night, it's just not enough. My third pillar of health framework is Recharge Your Energy.

In this episode, I'm walking you through how to recharge your energy, both DAY and NIGHT, including strategies for more efficient workflow and sleep hygiene. Protecting your energy takes a 24-hour approach, and I'm sharing practical tips you can implement today.

Mentioned on this episode:

Harder to Kill Challenge Kicks off October 1

Recharge Your Energy Pillar #3 Blog Post

Episode 129 w/ Dr. Jen Esquer

Episode 115 w/ Mark Groves

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Find Your Happy w/ Lori Harder Sep 18, 2018

Do you struggle to focus on what actually makes you feel happy because you’re too busy with the other mundane tasks that seem to creep in and fill up our lives? Lori Harder wants to help you find the top contributors to happiness in your life, and figure out how you can get more of that.

About Lori Harder

Lori is the perfect example of someone living her truthfully every single day. Author of the new book A Tribe Called Bliss, Lori is sharing her message about finding your happiness in an authentic way and gloriously living by example.

By focusing on your relationships and what they reflect back into your life, Lori aims to show you the importance of human connection. Being face to face with other humans and having valuable human connection can increase your happiness and productivity. Lori preaches gratitude, setting boundaries and asking for what you need to live your best life.

I’d love to hear about your own journey to finding happiness - wherever you are in it - in the comments on the episode page.

On Today's Episode

The connection between your physical and spiritual self
How to focus on what actually makes you happy
Motivating yourself to build habits around what makes you feel good
Leaning into forgiveness and letting go
The difference between expectations and agreements
Recognizing when a relationship has run its course in your life

Quotes

“Life is just one massive story that we tell ourselves. Right down to our feelings, right down to our connections, right down to what we choose to even implement as our habits. Because there are a million different ways to get the same result and there’s a million different ways to look at things and choose the result that you want.” (8:36)

“Quite honestly there’s only a few things that humans need to be happy. And you have to figure out what those are for you and just focus on those one at a time.” (15:28)

“I literally believe that in order for us to feel happy or even just exist in a way that we feel is worthwhile, is gratitude. It’s an actual need.” (20:11)

“Food only fills a part of you. But you are still going to feel that insatiable hunger and you won’t know what it’s for and you will think its food or you will think it’s something else if you don’t look at everything that fills a human up.” (43:47)

“We desire connection. And connection means to actually be heard, and to hear someone else.” (46:15)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

A Tribe Called Bliss Book

Find Lori online

Follow Lori on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Earn your Happy Podcast

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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How to Build a Stronger Body Sep 14, 2018

Build a stronger body <--> build a stronger mind. Getting stronger and focusing on what my body could do rather than solely how it looked was absolutely instrumental in changing my life for the better. But when it comes to getting stronger, many women are still intimidated, confused, and even scared even though they're curious inside. And truthfully, strength isn't just about slanging barbells, though that can be lots of fun and really damn empowering.

In this episode, I'm introducing you to my 2nd Core Four pillar of health: Strengthen Your Body. What are the different facets of strength to consider? Is it just about lifting heavy? (Hint: no.) What about getting bulky? What about function vs aesthetics? And how should we take care of our meatsuits? Hear the answers and more on this episode.

Mentioned on this episode:

Strengthen Your Body Pillar #2 Blog Post

My Made Strong Program

Strength Training for Beginners

Ep 111 with Katy Bowman

Ep 107 with Darryl Edwards

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Are You Really Challenging Yourself? Here's Why You Should Be w/ Sonya Looney Sep 11, 2018

No matter who you are, I'm guessing you run into challenges of varying degrees on a weekly, if not daily basis. Often, what separates the true successes from the rest of the pack, however, is their ability to find motivation and purpose in those challenging situations, and come out stronger on the other side.

About Sonya Looney

The first word that comes to mind when I think about Sonya Looney is "badass". Sonya is one of the worlds best endurance mountain bikers, a motivational speaker, fellow podcast host and so much more. Sonya helps inspire people to tap into your own best self while conquering some of the most challenging terrain and longest distances in mountain bike racing.

Spurred by her curiosity and love of adventure, Sonya travels the globe tackling some of the world's top endurance mountain bike races, some of which she is the first woman to ever compete in. She believes that your driving factor needs to be more than winning, its a chance to better yourself and inspire others. By encouraging people to have the courage to show up in your life and go on an adventure, Sonya hopes to inspire you to be the best you you can be.

When was the last time you truly challenged yourself? Let me know your thoughts in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

Learning how to celebrate your own success
How to continue to replicate the feeling of being challenged
The story of Sonya’s most difficult race and overcoming your fears
Cultivating resilience and embracing grit
Sonya’s favorite aspect of podcasts and sharing her story

Quotes

“I think we get stuck in the ‘I’ll be happy when’ mentality, and its like we always want to do more and more, and then the more you do the more you realize you can do and then the more you want to do. So it’s hard to ever just feel good about what you’ve just accomplished because you are already moved onto whatever that next thing is.” (5:49)

“I had never gone mountain biking before, but because I was going to spin class at the gym I thought, ‘well, I might as well give this a try’. And I think that decision and that mindset is so important for being willing to explore things that you have never done before, even if you are not sure how they are going to turn out, because it could completely change the trajectory of your life.” (11:34)

“We get to choose what we want to do, we get to choose to try something or not, we get to choose how we show up in our lives. That has been the most powerful thing I can get out of my races. And if I can get that out of a weekend warrior race an hour away or if I have to travel across the world, I can get that from both places because it comes back down to how are you going to tell the story of what you experienced, and how are you going to translate that into a message that's going to resonate with everybody.” (18:50)

“I always ask myself, ‘how am I going to feel tomorrow if I quit this today?’ And if I can say tomorrow I know I’m going to have made the right decision, then that's the right decision. But it's really hard to make that decision.” (30:40)

“Don’t let your gender be in your way, I never think to myself ‘I'm a woman I can't do that.’” (40:57)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Sonya’s Website

The Sonya Looney Podcast

Sonya’s TED Talk

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The Best Diet Sep 07, 2018

Which diet is the best diet? Countless books, blogs, and experts devote their lives to trying to solve this riddle. But truly, there isn't a simple answer. And the hyper-focus put on WHAT we eat often leaves other low-hanging lifestyle change "fruit" on the branch...while we wring our hands about a the perfect number of carb grams and the like.

In this episode, I'm introducing you to the first of my Core Four pillars of health: Eat Nourishing Foods. I share the three things that you've got to consider when it comes to diet if you want to build a nourishing, sustainable way of eating that helps you feel better and comfortable in your body.

Histamine intolerance article

Mentioned on this episode:

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Why An Entrepreneurial Mindset Will Benefit All Areas Of Your Life w/ Kristen Roberts Sep 04, 2018

For a lot of us entrepreneurs, striking our own path towards success is overwhelming and full of doubts. We often feel that we have to be the expert in all things and do so much of it on our own. Kristen Roberts, my super great friend, amazing business women, and trailblazer is here to tell you why that’s bogus. Kristen has built her own law firm that helps small business owners succeed. In the process, she has learned how your mindset is the most important factor in getting your company off the ground.

About Kristen Roberts

I first met Kristen when I was a judge at a Crossfit competition and she was a competitor. Since then, we’ve been closely following each other’s journey. Kristen runs her San Diego law firm, Trestle Law, where she forms tight relationships with small business owners to help them navigate the numerous legal hurdles they might encounter. Having walked her own unconventional path, Kristen knows what it takes to help her clients succeed.

This is not your typical episode, but it is super relevant. We talk a lot about mindset today and how yours is crucial in all the things you do. We discuss why not to follow the prescribed path and how going your own way and doing what feels best for you can lead to the best type of success.

Kristen has so much wisdom to share and I loved our conversation. No matter your business, or if you don’t have one, this is an important episode for you.

What do you do to shape and maintain a mindset that helps you succeed at whatever you do? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today's Episode

The reasons why it’s important for entrepreneurs to use an attorney
Why knowing what you don’t want to do in business is as important as knowing what you do want to do
Dealing with the nagging doubts and fears in your mind that tell you not to take risks
Recognizing if you suffer from imposter syndrome and not letting it undercut your abilities
How having the right support from other people is the most important coping mechanism when running your own business
Restructuring your business as you prepare to have a family

Quotes

“I don’t want to be pigeon-holed. A lot of law firms, when you work at a firm, there’s this goal. The goal is to always become a partner, become a part owner. Well, how do you become a partner? Traditionally speaking, you bring in business and you build up a good business. That’s what makes you valuable to a company. I looked at that and I went, if I’m going to do that anyway, why don’t I just do it for myself? Then at least I get to call the shots and make the rules.” (10:40)

“My biggest piece of advice is always treat your business the way you want to see it in 5 years not the way it is now. So if you see yourself being a bigger company making X amount of money 5 years from now, you want to treat that first deal like you would treat that 40th deal. It’s going to have a ripple effect throughout your business as your business grows.” (18:33)

“There really isn’t a right path. Even if the path that you pick doesn’t lead you to where you ultimately want to be, at least it leads you to where you don’t want to be, so you figure that out early, and you can pivot and shift and do something else..” (29:21)

“I think having support is the number one coping mechanism. I don’t think it's just you. Don’t think that you’re just relying on yourself and you’re this person out on a limb by yourself. Recognize who's there for you and don’t be afraid to reach out to them.” (37:42)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Kristen Roberts at Trestle Law

Follow Kristen on Instagram

Gretchen Rubin - The Four Tendencies

Fed and Fit

Coconuts and Kettlebells

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Shift Aug 31, 2018

Shifting, moving to something new in life, can be one of those freaky-ass moments where you feel like the earth is going to fall out from beneath your feet. You may not want to stay, but going can seem just as scary. When you stay focused on the negative "what ifs", you close off other possibilities for growth and expansion.

In this episode, I'm sharing some personal details about why my business is shifting, why I've decided to rebrand, and some of the fears I've had to tackle as I approach this shift. Make no mistake, I'm excited, but I'm also human. You'll walk away with some food for your own journey through life.

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Mentioned on this episode:

Diet Labels Episode #116

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How Mobility Can Help You Unlock Your Inner Power w/ Dr. Jen Esquer Aug 28, 2018

Dr. Jen Esquer believes that by building strong bodies and resilient minds you can embrace and own your inner power, which is one of the key principles here at Harder to Kill Radio. Jen is better known as Doc Jen Fit, and with +475,000 followers on Instagram, she is a strong female voice and is using the social media platform as a chance to educate and inspire.

Jen took a leap of faith and created The Mobility Method to help her clients and customers around the world regain their mobility. She has been using the platform to help blur the lines of physical therapy and teaches her followers how you can transition into your own power. By treating a person as a whole individual, not just a diagnosis, Jen encourages her clients to learn about their own bodies so that they can create a plan that doesn’t rely on anyone but themselves.

Today we are tackling topics ranging from the difference between flexibility and mobility, how your breath can have a huge impact on your range of motion, and why consistency is key when stabilizing the body. Jen is a huge inspiration and wants to make sure you know that you are not alone in your fears. Did Jen’s message of self-compassion and finding freedom in your body resonate with you? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

In This Episode

How you can use social media to educate or learn a new skill
The scariest part of taking the leap and starting your own business
Blurring the lines of what physical therapy is and how you can transition into your own power
Why learning about your own body is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself
The basics of better guiding your breath into a relaxed state of being to improve your mobility
Having compassion for where your body is at and what it needs and wants

Quotes

“There is kind of a double standard I think with women in the health and fitness industry, because sometimes we have to fit a certain way of looking if we're going to be taken seriously but if we look too good or are too fit or whatever then people think oh you couldn't possibly have anything educated to say because you're just pretty or you try too hard.” (11:01)

“Four years ago if you would have asked me if I was going to be an entrepreneur I would have been like ‘Ha, funny!’. I always said you know business is over my head that's just not what I'm interested in. And I never really thought that I would do what I'm doing right now. But I really just followed my passion and my passion has kinda lead into what it is today.” (13:32)

“We have this perception that successful people haven't had to overcome obstacles, or that they are not currently overcoming obstacles in what they are doing. And I think that that is so valuable for people to feel like they are not alone in whatever it is they are afraid of, everybody's had to figure out the details.” (23:13)

“You know you are not your diagnosis. I understand that you have shoulder pain but is your back moving well? Are your hips moving well? Are your feet moving well? Could your shoulder be stuck because you are leaning to one side when you are walking? So just starting to understand that your body works as a whole and you need to assess what's happening throughout your entire body and being able to have a screening process that's self-screening that you can just dive into to and start to see what's not working very well on a "normal" basis. Then you can start to see how these things can play in together.” (33:33)

Links

Doc Jen Fit Website

Follow Doc Jen Fit on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Mobility Method

The Optimal Body

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

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Setbacks Aug 24, 2018

At some point in your health / wellness journey, shit's just gonna go wrong. Maybe it's a massive life change (good or not-so-good), you get injured, or something else unexpected pops up. How are you going to handle setbacks when they come your way? (Because they will.) The most resilient people are the ones who 1) feel their damn feelings and then 2) find opportunity in challenging circumstances.

In this episode, I've got a hefty dose of real talk for anyone who wants to throw a pity party for themselves when stuff goes sideways. The questions I ask may not be comfortable, but I believe that they're essential for untangling our societal need for productivity and accomplishment from our inherent worth and goodness.

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Why Kindness Should Be At The Core Of Your Wellness Practice w/ Lucia Hawley Aug 21, 2018

For a lot of us, the journey to improving ourselves, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually can end up actually making us feel worse about ourselves. There are endless comparisons to be made to others who it seems are doing better than we are. As Lucia Hawley explains, however, a key piece to improvement and growth is to be kind to ourselves and honor where we’re at now and our own limitations.

Lucia is a nutritional therapist and is here to make sure you know that you can still make progress and treat yourself very well and you don't have to completely hate the process.

She believes in taking the judgment out of the equation and looking at your relationship to health and wellness from a neutral perspective. By listening to what your body is trying to tell you, you can learn what you really want out of life and understand how your body reacts. Lucia believes in integrating happiness as a key component in your food and wellness journey so that you can fill your bucket and be present in your life.

If you are ready to empower yourself through the foundations of health, preach kindness and embrace the natural push and pull of life, Lucia’s kind and humbling words are here for you. How do you integrate kindness into your wellness approach? Let us know in the comments on the show notes page!

In This Episode

What nutritional therapy is and how it can be applied as a practice
Debunking ‘Capital D’ diet culture
Understanding the science behind your cravings
Addressing your right to your own autonomy
Chronic stress and the effects you often don't think of
Tricks to help your body focus, rest and digest

Quotes

“This is an amazing experiment. Reframing that monkey wrench and then being like ‘how did it go?’. Taking out the judgment and saying okay that felt like a bad day that felt like the wrong decision, cause you had aligned yourself with this, in this case, a nutrition challenge. But what if we actually step back and say, ‘okay so the foods that were off the challenge that came in, how did they make you feel’?” (11:57)

“Life is gonna happen. And are we as coaches and educators and practitioners, giving people the skills to like figure out how they navigate those grey spaces of life. Cause it ain't always going to be that you have the perfect circumstances.” (13:42)

“That's how I came to nutrition, I wasn't feeling well and I had to fix it because I felt like other people or the medical society or anything like that, wasn't really helping me in the way that I needed. So I love respecting that kind of fix-it mentality, but also kind of recognizing like when does that feeling or those set of actions, whatever it might be, when does it switch from being adaptive to maladaptive?” (21:30)

“I think it really comes back to being kind to your body and respecting that your body is always speaking to you, and if you just allow yourself to hear what it has to say, it might be so incredibly challenging and scary, but what could be a greater kindness to yourself, and from there a greater kindness to your society.” (54:20)

Links

Join the Harder To Kill Club, a community of like-minded, badass women like you!

Essential Omnivore

Essential Omnivore Podcast

Follow Essential Omnivore on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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The Leap Aug 17, 2018

On today's episode, I'm sharing the story of why I "threw away" a twelve year long teaching career and the "safety" of a regular paycheck for the wild ride of entrepreneurship. Taking that leap was one of the scariest things I've ever done, and I had to internalize some key concepts to pull it off.

Whether you're considering a career change, going back to school, ending or beginning a relationship, having kids, starting a new hobby, traveling the world or whatever it is that simultaneously freaks you out and excites you, tune into this episode. I may not have the answer for you, but I can guarantee I'll make you think.

Episode 115 with Mark Groves

Mentioned in this show:

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What You Need To Know (But Probably Don't) About Birth Control w/ Dr. Jolene Brighten Aug 14, 2018

A topic that seems to be on everyone's mind lately is birth control and women's hormone health. A leading expert in post-birth control syndrome & hormonal birth control related problems, Dr. Jolene Brighten is making her HTK Radio encore today to help shed some light on her birth control protocols.

The choice to take birth control is different for every woman, and Dr. Brighten works with her clients to create individualized health plans based on symptom resolution and root cause medicine. Today she is explaining the purpose behind her work, how to live in resonance with what is serving you best, and how to stop being afraid and playing it safe by speaking your truth.

We are tackling everything from the power and disconnectivity around social media to embracing negative emotions and stepping into your power. Dr. Brighten wants to help you stop using birth control to mask your other symptoms by taking back your hormones and ending the fight with your body.

Share with us on social media what you loved about this episode and let us know what questions you have for the next time Dr. Brighten is on the show!

In This Episode

Balancing delivering what people want with staying in your truth
Factors when deciding if birth control is right for your body and how to get off the pill
Common side effects of hormonal birth control you may not be aware of
Thyroid hormones, liver function, and birth control
How to avoid potential hormone dysfunction down the road
Demanding better from your birth control and cultivating your intuition

Quotes

“I feel like the universe has taken me like a little rag doll and just shaken me like crazy a few times, and you know every time has been a call to wake up and to do that bigger work and to step out of fear. And you know that's where I think that that's part of why there are so many of us walking around feeling sick and feeling awful is because we operate out of that place of fear and we you know we aren't stepping up and living in our truth.” (8:05)

“I just want to encourage people who are listening like, step into your power, step into your truth, and be you, and don't apologize for who you are for a second. You will repel people, people will not like you, and that's okay. But you will find your tribe, and you know I think there are so many experts who speak to the fact that like when you find your purpose, I mean like health flows effortlessly when you find your purpose and you are living in your purpose.” (11:23)

“I think that for the most part medicine is trying to do what they feel is best. But a lot of what they are doing and what they feel is best is disempowering and interrupting what is natural and what our bodies are designed to do. So with that in mind, that's why I really come from a place of I’m not here to tell you what to do. How can I know how to live your life better than you? I can’t.“ (22:03)

“It's not something to be like oh whatever take the pill, don't take the pill, [because] it is a medication. And it does have side effects to it and there are also side effects to getting off it. So we just need to honor that woman and her journey and where she is at.” (38:21)

“When you think about how much we are all trying to avoid plastic and avoid all these environmental toxins and here there is so much where women are like I cleaned up my diet, I cleaned up my house, I cleaned up everything, I’m living a cleaner life, and then it's like so why am I popping this pill every day? And it’s so true. (44:22)

Links

Join the Harder To Kill Club, a community of like-minded, badass women like you!

Dr. Jolene Brighten’s Website

Follow Dr. Brighten on Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest

Astroturfing TED Talk

Birth Control Hormone Reset

PBCS Diet Download

HTK Radio: Episode 3

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Boundaries Aug 10, 2018

We are energetic beings who need to be recharged often. Sleep, while vital, is not enough. How we manage our energy during the day—physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually—has a huge impact on how we function and how we feel. Part of protecting that mental and emotional energy comes down to boundaries.

Do you suffer from chronic yes-itis? Symptoms include saying yes to everything that comes along, exhaustion, feeling lost, and being left with no energy for yourself. In this episode, I cover a few simple techniques to get you started with setting boundaries so you can live a less busy but more deeply meaningful life, no guilt included.

www.stupideasypaleo.com/category/podcast

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Why You Need To Own Your Weight To Live Your Healthiest Life w/ Well Fed Women Aug 07, 2018

Are you tired of constant calorie restriction and wagon mentality diets? Noelle Tarr and Stefani Ruper were too, so they created the Well Fed Women Podcast to spread the word about self-acceptance and bio-individuality. They promote a judgment-free zone that encourages you to stop getting hung up on the toxic numbers on the scale and instead check in with your own body to see what it needs most.

Support the podcast by clicking SUBSCRIBE on your podcast app and leaving a review. I love hearing from you, especially about how the show has impacted your life.

Join the Fierce Love Collective For Ongoing Support, Community, and Kick-Ass Content

About Well Fed Women

Noelle is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) and an NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer and Stefani is the founder of paleoforwomen.com and author of the book Sexy by Nature. Together they are debunking the ‘one size fits all’ approach to health, weight, and wellness.

Together we talk about moving away from typical meal plan restrictions and labels and encourage women to eat in a way that makes them feel good. When you stop restricting your food intake, release your mental stress and replace ‘maximum’ with ‘minimum’, Noelle and Stefani believe you can change the conversation about your weight, happiness, and relationship to food.

Yes, your weight will fluctuate over the course of your life, but your relationship with your body is the longest relationship you will ever have. If you are ready to take back control erase the restrictive mentality around food, this episode is for you. What is your relationship like with food and your weight? Let me know your thoughts on Noelle and Stefani’s body positive messages on the episode page!

On Today’s Episode

Taking back control and changing the conversation around food
Trusting your body and finding your natural set point
How eating more and working out less could actually make you feel better
Destroying the social stigma connecting low weight and self-worth
Customizing the fitness experience in a way that fits your lifestyle

Quotes

“Most women think they are doing good things. You know, this is what they need to be doing, this is what they, “should” be doing, and they spend the majority of their lives trying to accomplish this and feeling like a failure when they cannot maintain it. So we are just giving people the freedom to eat again, the freedom to eat in a way that is right for them” (7:28)

“Our society is so terrified of gaining weight that we would rather starve and starve and restrict and restrict ourselves and keep running, we’re like running from something we can’t escape. The more and more you try and lose weight, often the harder and harder it gets.” (14:42)

“If you pay attention to how you react to things and are really intentional in how you are responding to that, then you are working with your body, right, and you can experiment with different things and take care of symptoms as they come up and all of a sudden you realize that the things you thought you always had to live with you actually maybe don’t. You can maybe play with them a little bit and you can help them. And you also don’t have to live in this like psychological warfare mentality you have against your body because it really can be more like you are just friends in a field of daisies or something.” (34:52)

“You are not a bad person and you don't deserve to be punished and your world isn't going to end if you did something that you think puts you in caloric excess. You just have to keep focusing on what your goals are. And for us, goals mean physical and psychological health first and foremost.” (54:51)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Well Fed Women Podcast

Coconuts and Kettlebells Website

Coconuts and Kettlebells The Book

Paleo For Women

Strong From Home Workout Programme

Sexy by Nature Book

Follow Noelle on Instagram

Follow Stefani on Instagram

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Bitchy Aug 03, 2018

Why do so many women struggle with trusting other women? Why do we often resort to competition and tearing each other down, when what we really need to thrive is cooperation? Let's be honest, I can't answer this in a 23 minute podcast and I don't have all the answers, but hopefully I've given you some food for thought.

In this episode of Fierce Love Friday, I'm probing into a couple of key areas you can use for your own self-exploration and growth. Yes, there are powerful structures in place to keep us small, but change can come from within as well. In other words, if we want to see better things happen in the world, part of it starts with us and how we talk to ourselves and others.

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How To Reconnect With Nature, No Matter Where You Live (And Why It's Important) w/ Dr. Maya Shetreat Jul 31, 2018

It is no secret that many of us feel an increasing pull toward nature, and that we are missing our connection to the Earth. Our society has created a space between us and the natural world and as Dr. Maya Shetreat explains, it's up to each of us to close that gap, and reap the many benefits of being in closer contact with our natural surroundings.

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About Dr. Maya Shetreat

Dr. Maya Shetreat is a neurologist, herbalist, and author of The Dirt Cure: Healthy Food, Healthy Gut, Happy Child. She is known as ‘The Dirt Doctor’ and helps her clients connect to the Earth from not only a health perspective but also a physical connection perspective. Dr. Shetreat is based out of New York City and is proof that you don't have to live next to an abundance of nature to bring the outdoors into your daily life.

There are massive health benefits to spending more time outdoors, including better sleep, being calmer, happier, more creative, and a boosted immune system. Being in spiritual and physical contact with the Earth can help restore your electrons and have an incredible boost on your mood and overall wellbeing. Today, Dr. Shetreat gives us heaps of suggestions on how to make your life feel more like an outdoor experience. She argues that you don’t have to change everything in your life to be on a health seeking journey, and by making compromises in your own way you can find ways to connect that make sense for you and experience the transformative powers of nature.

What do you do to get yourself outdoors and reconnect with nature? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!

On Today’s Episode

How to bring the outdoors into your living space
Small ways to find day to day connections with nature
The value of putting more of your physical self into contact with the Earth
How the Earth works as a natural anti-inflammatory
Why you should make sitting on the floor part of your daily life
Giving yourself permission to dive inwards

Quotes

“I do think from a practical standpoint that it is very possible to take small steps to become more connected to nature. And you know every time you take that one step and become more connected, you know kinda the natural world will take one, two or three steps towards you.” (9:12)

“People really think dirt is like a bad thing and I feel like we have done so much damage to ourselves in a sense with this whole idea of like hygiene and being sanitary and it kind of translates also into this idea of sitting on the ground and being connected in that way.” (15:26)

“Whereas we used to have this innate connection to the Earth that was like the source of everything for us, so there was this whole relationship that we had. Now we have sort of shifted our belief into science and it's almost like religious in a way. There is this sort of dogmatic way of saying like you know, does science show it? And it's sort of like… we’re talking about walking outside...” (20:32)

“For me, because all of these processes are so individual for each person, I think its really really important to understand that you give yourself permission.” (30:41)

“Flowers change the way we feel, they transform us. So that is one very simple way to experience that healing energy and feel kind of joy and comfort through all our senses.” (45:28)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Dirt Cure Website

The Dirt Cure: Healthy Food, Healthy Gut, Happy Child Book

Follow Dr. Maya Shetreat on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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The Scale Jul 27, 2018

Why does the scale have the power to make or ruin your day? Why do we, as a society, keep using the scale as a measurement of health (it's really not) and more importantly, a way to measure self-worth? If you know the scale isn't serving you, what's holding you back from dumping it in the trash right now?

In this episode of Fierce Love Friday, I'm tearing into this topic and asking questions that prompt you to go deeper when examining your relationship with the scale. If hopping on the scale is no longer serving you, it dictates the tone of your day, or you're afraid to stop weighing yourself, this is a Fierce Love episode you must hear!

https://www.stephgaudreau.com/category/podcast/

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Is Your Gut Health In Check? Here's What To Look For w/ Dr. Michael Ruscio Jul 24, 2018

Have you been taking steps to better your health and are still not feeling quite right? There is a good chance that gut imbalance may be the culprit. After dealing with his own health struggles and finding relief once he finally checked his gut, Dr. Michael Ruscio saw a lack of knowledge surrounding gut health. His no-nonsense views on healing chronic illness have helped his patients get their health back and their lives on track.

Support the podcast by clicking SUBSCRIBE on your podcast app and leaving a review. I love hearing from you, especially about how the show has impacted your life.

Healthy Gut Healthy You Book

About Dr. Michael Ruscio

Dr. Rusico has dedicated his life to sharing his knowledge of functional medicine and ‘starting with the gut’, and gives us a full breakdown of how all of our insides function, all of the variables that can impact your gut health, as well as your gut’s relationship to your mouth health, thyroid and autoimmunity.

Listen to all of Dr. Ruscio’s tips, tricks, symptoms and warning signs in today’s episode. Do you struggle with gut imbalance? Let us know your thoughts on Dr. Ruscio’s functional medicine in the comments on the show notes page.

On Today’s Episode

The difference between functional and conventional medicine
A breakdown of how we digest food and how to improve your digestive systems
The profound effect your mouth health can have on your gut
Ways your lifestyle may be contributing to gut imbalance
How your social interactions could also be playing a role in your guts health
Why improving your gut health can sometimes mean taking less medication

Quotes

“It wasn't until I treated the underlying problem in the gut that I improved. So I decided to follow the footsteps of the doctor who treated me. And I went into this realm of alternative medicine, and that's where I am now and it's a terrific field to be in.” (9:01)

“Certain [gut] probiotics can aid in depression and anxiety, we see a correlation between different digestive conditions and high cholesterol, high blood sugar and weight gain. And better yet still, the treatment of those gut imbalances showing the ability to improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels, we see a connection to dermatitis or skin that's prone to breakouts and rosacea. We see a connection to rheumatoid arthritis and dietary changes and also bacterial overgrowth. So there is a lot we are learning there” (13:17)

“If you have taken a couple steps to improve your diet and lifestyle and you are not feeling fully well, the next step should be investigating and optimizing your gut health.” (15:56)

“The unfortunate reality is that some providers are really trying to force a dietary solution to something that's really not a dietary problem.” (34:47)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Dr. Michael Ruscio

Dr. Ruscio Radio

Follow Dr. Ruscio on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Cheat Days Jul 20, 2018

The concept of cheat days is still super popular in the nutrition realm, and I'm here to share 5 unpopular truths about why implementing cheat days could be holding you back. You don't have to eat perfectly to see results either, so how can you navigate the language and concepts around eating to still reach your goals while not making yourself crazy in the process?

If you've been struggling to find balance with your diet / way of eating, and you think that cheat days will help you get "control" over yourself, please take a listen to this edition of Fierce Love Friday before you go any further. Often, cheat days have the exact opposite effect, leaving you feeling disempowered.

As always, YMMV and this way of approaching food may work for you, but for the vast majority of people I've worked with, it's a recipe for disappointment.

www.stupideasypaleo.com/category/podcast

Resources Mentioned In This Show

5 Reasons to Ditch Cheat Days

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How To Live Your Fullest, Truest Life w/ Elizabeth DiAlto Jul 17, 2018

So often, it can feel like we’re doing everything “right” and yet still feel unhappy with our lives. As today’s guest Elizabeth DiAlto shares, even if you’re meeting all of the conventional goals our society places on us, you may not be doing service to the truest expression of yourself, and that can cause serious problems. Today she’s helping us tune into our own needs and desires to express ourselves fully.

Support the podcast by clicking SUBSCRIBE on your podcast app and leaving a review. I love hearing from you, especially about how the show has impacted your life.

www.stupideasypaleo.com/category/podcast

About Elizabeth DiAlto

Elizabeth is an embodiment coach who created Wild Soul Movement, a women’s movement, and a movement practice, to help her clients live their lives to their highest expressions of self through inward discovery and self-mastery. She works with clients to “redefine the rules, expectations, culture, and conditioning that have separated you from your womanhood and your body”. She believes in living life in a way that is evolved beyond our societal conditioning. Focusing on energy work, spirituality, femininity and womanhood, The Wild Soul Movement is for those who feel a burning desire inside of themselves to continuously evolve and live their truest life.

By untaming yourself, stripping away everything that makes you feel less than, not good enough or too much, Elizabeth encourages taking a look at who stands between you and who you really are. It's time to throw out ideas that stand in the way of accepting yourself exactly the way you are, no matter where you are in the timeline of your life.

How do you feel most comfortable expressing yourself? Under what conditions do you feel it hard to express your true nature? Please let me know in the comments on the show notes page!

On Today’s Episode

Seeking freedom and untaming yourself
The power of switching ‘I am afraid of…’ to ‘I am curious about…’
How to honor the truest version of yourself
Harmonizing masculine and feminine energy
How to attract people that are aligned with your truth and the difference they can make in your life

Quotes

“Once I created and put Wild Soul Movement out in the world the plan became trust myself, be myself, constantly in pursuit of the fullest, cleanest expression of who I really am, and what are my values and priorities, and I plan around that, rather than formulas and frameworks” (9:48)

“Not that we need to be defined by these boxes, but just to get the gist of how they were built so when it's time to make decisions and make choices we can make them in a way that works for us rather than by following everyone else's advice. I'm all about really cultivating the internal authority because we are way too cultured towards external authority” (22:55)

“I find that women in their 30s, 40s, and early 50s are more and more finding themselves in these positions where they are like ‘Oh my God, I have been working my whole life towards this thing, I have it, my life is great on paper, why am I unhappy? Why do I feel empty? Why am I bored?’ And it’s because again they have just been living according to someone else’s blueprint.” (23:22)

“I love to bring women's awareness to these things, and also men’s. To men, women must seem so inconsistent, so erratic and so all over the place sometimes, it's such an enigma. And to women, we really shame ourselves for that. And we try to like get in line and be more linear and fit inside the box, but for so many people that really goes against our truest nature. And it's just painful, this is why some people get sick, this is why some people are so unhappy because they are just denying their true nature.” (29:12)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Wild Soul Movement Website

Truth Telling Podcast

Follow Elizabeth on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

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Diet Labels: Good, Bad & Ugly Jul 13, 2018

Diet labels are, on one hand, helpful. They can help you understand and navigate a seemingly complex world of food options and help you find a community of people to align to, helping you feel less alone in the world.

Yet on the other hand, diet labels may be holding you back from finding your best, personalized nutrition plan. It could be preventing you from exploring other options or worse, become such a huge part of your identity that moving on or letting go can cause a personal crisis.

In this episode, I'm exploring the pros and cons – the good, bad, and ugly – about diet labels to provide you with some food for thought on your own journey.

www.stupideasypaleo.com/category/podcast

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The No BS Relationship Advice You Need To Hear w/ Mark Groves Jul 10, 2018

There is a line between self-love and being selfish, and today’s guest, Mark Groves believes that by transitioning your mindset from ‘I have to fit in’ to ‘I am me’, you can start to make the world react to you, instead of you reacting to it. Stressing the importance of communicating your truth, celebrating who you are, and not letting others dictate if your emotions are valid, Mark’s methodology is inspirational and refreshing.

Support the podcast by clicking SUBSCRIBE on your podcast app and leaving a review. I love hearing from you, especially about how the show has impacted your life.

www.stupideasypaleo.com/category/podcast

About Mark Groves

Mark is a Human Connection Specialist, and no question is off limits today as we dive deep into interpersonal relationships. Mark delivers no BS relationship advice and helps his clients understand the relationships in their lives through a deeper understanding of themselves. Mark holds nothing back as we discuss everything from ways you are subconsciously putting yourself last, how we can find ourselves become interdependent, and learning to communicate more considerately.

Are you ready to wake up and take your self-worth back into your own hands? By renegotiating the relationships in our lives, we can begin to be motivated by our own ability to understand. Let us know your thoughts on Mark’s tough love and empowerment in the comments on the show notes page!

On Today’s Episode

How to find balance between opening up to others and self-love
The connection between your relationships to people, stress and food
Being more mindful of how you interact with your phone and social media
Exploring how your decisions elicit reactions from others
The unspoken agreements in every relationship you need to be aware of

Quotes

“There is a line there where you can be so independent that you are not available to love. And the dance really of life is figuring out how to do you both be committed to or integrated in a relationship with another and maintain who you are.” (9:44)

“You have to lose yourself to find yourself, you have to experience what is not you to know what is you. And in the human experience that is such a beautiful adventure and you sort of wake up to the juiciness of life, the extremes of feelings.” (13:14)

“It's a delicate dance of negotiation and communication, and i think the real key to it is, invite the people to join you, but don't abandon yourself to meet them. Don't shrink yourself to be with someone else… instead say ‘I will continue to rise and be my best self, will you join me?’” (39:40)

“There are no negative feelings, they are just feelings! And they are information. And information provides you with opportunity. And if you're not fucking listening you’re going to hurt. And then you are going to take a pill to numb the hurt or eat a lot of sugar or be sedentary or stay in shitty relationships or fuck around in jobs you hate, because that will be the familiar and growth is always scary. Just like losing people is scary, just like not knowing what the fuck is going to happen is scary. But sometimes knowing what's going to happen really hurts too.” (57:41)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Mark Groves

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Alcohol + Social Pressure Jul 06, 2018

Some of the most regrettable decisions of my life happened while I was drinking. And while alcohol (and the decision to use it) is totally personal, I can firmly say that my life is better without it in so many ways. It's been over 2 years since I've been alcohol free, and today I'm sharing what led to my decision.

But the choice to not drink can be totally fucking socially awkward for a lot of people. Maybe your PITA friends are pressuring you or you just don't want to appear rude. Sometimes it seems easier to go along with it rather than to stand out.

If you're trying to navigate social drinking as a grown-ass adult but you need some tips—or you're on the cusp of going alcohol-free for a while but you need a nudge—this show is for you. Because lawd knows, nobody's drinking wine for the antioxidants ;)

www.stupideasypaleo.com/category/podcast

Resources Mentioned In This Show

5 Ways to Fall Asleep Faster

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Become The CEO of Your Own Health w/ Dr. Mariza Snyder Jul 03, 2018

Dr. Mariza Snyder is one big ball of energy, and today she brings her expertise on women’s hormones to Harder to Kill Radio. Many of us, especially the females in the house, feel a certain type of guilt about putting ourselves first, so we overcompensate by prioritizing everyone else’s needs above our own. Dr. Mariza is here to stop the guilt train help all women take an introspective look at themselves to become the CEO of your own health.

Support the podcast by clicking SUBSCRIBE on your podcast app and leaving a review. I love hearing from you, especially about how the show has impacted your life.

www.stupideasypaleo.com/category/podcast

About Dr. Mariza Snyder

Dr. Mariza believes she was put on this earth to serve women, but you can’t successfully fulfill your purpose if you aren’t taking care of yourself first. By recognizing stress, being okay with saying no, and figuring out what you have space for in your life, you can start to prioritize yourself and stand up for your right to an energetic and fulfilling life. Dr. Mariza shares her tips on how to decide what is important in your life so you can get the most out of it. Do you feel like you need an energy shift? Listen to today's episode to get started on your journey of rediscovery to a happier and healthier you.

What are your biggest takeaways from Dr. Mariza? Let me know in the comments on the show notes page!

On Today’s Episode

Dr. Mariza’s views on why self-care is a necessity
Why your mindset is the biggest factor in taking care of yourself
Prioritizing your own happiness and personal needs
Signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance and what to do about it
The importance of getting an objective opinion on your health
Dr. Mariza’s morning and evening rituals

Quotes

“I realized I was holding on to this really strong deep seeded belief that as a woman my worth was defined by how busy I was, how much I gave to everyone else and how little I prioritized myself” (19:49)

“In order for me to show up and serve and do the life’s work that I was meant to do, I have to take care of myself throughout the day.” (22:26)

“I felt like women kept asking permission, and I always say, ‘Who’s permission are you waiting for? Whose permission are we waiting for?’, why did I always think I needed someone else’s permission to map out the life that I wanted? (38:00)

“At the end of the day it really is your body and nobody knows your body better than you.” (50:14)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Dr. Mariza’s Website

Subscribe To The Essentially You Podcast

Follow Dr. Mariza on

Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | Twitter

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

The Comparison Trap Jun 29, 2018

Fact: Humans are social creatures. Also fact: Comparing your life to someone else's is a waste of time and energy. But it's not always easy to keep your eyes on your own green grass. Social media and technology have made it easier than ever to compare yourself to everyone else...and feel really shitty about it.

In this Fierce Love edition of Harder to Kill Radio, I'm doling out some tough love about the comparison trap...and how to avoid it in the first place. You'll walk away with tips to get clearer about what really matters to you and how to define your own success.

Support the podcast by clicking SUBSCRIBE on your podcast app and leaving a review. I love hearing from you, especially about how the show has impacted your life.

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How To Integrate Movement Into Your Life - And Enjoy It w/ Katy Bowman Jun 26, 2018

Walking into Katy Bowman’s house you won’t find a couch in her living room, and she's got good reason. One of the guests for whom I receive the most requests to have on the show, Katy is the creator of Nutritious Movement, an author, and hosts an award-winning podcast. Katy works to help people create a more balanced and healthy movement diet. This means rethinking the frequency and enjoyment you find in moving your body.

Walking into Katy Bowman’s house you won’t find a couch in her living room. One of the guests for whom I receive the most requests to have on the show, Katy is the creator of Nutritious Movement, an author, and hosts an award-winning podcast. Nutritious Movement works to help people create a more balanced and healthy movement diet. This means rethinking the frequency and enjoyment you find when you move your body.

Katy’s goal is to help people start moving more, exercising more, and enjoying their movement. By creating a system of low intensity but constant movement you will be able to enhance what your body is able to do. Our society has built up a negative connotation around constantly moving, and Katy is here to change that perception. Start enjoying your body again and join the movement revolution with today’s episode.

Support the podcast by clicking SUBSCRIBE on your podcast app and leaving a review. I love hearing from you, especially about how the show has impacted your life.

www.stupideasypaleo.com/category/podcast

About Katy Bowman

With a background in biomechanics, Katy looks at the body the way an engineer would. Long ago, she realized that there was something wrong with the way our bodies are reacting to constantly sitting all the time. She challenges our permission-based culture and helps people all over the world to fall back in love with the power of the human body.

How do you creatively incorporate movement into your daily life? Let us know in the comments so we can try it out as well!

On Today’s Episode

Simple ways to help ease more movement into your day
The effects our often sedentary lifestyles have on our bodies
Why you might want to rethink the way you sit
How to change the geometry of your household
Removing the shame from movement

Quotes

“I’ve always preferred to train in extremes, if that makes sense. I would not choose to lay around outside on a 110-degree day but I wouldn’t mind going for a hike or a walk, because once I get moving I find that cooling.” (8:57)

“If you have a floor you have a built-in training program to maintain the capacity and the function of your knees, hips, ankles, and spines, it’s just that we never take it all the way.” (16:35)

“It's not an aversion to comfort, it's simply trying to change the geometry of my household, it's really that simple. I want the places for my butt to rest to be different than the places that my butt has been resting for the past 40 years.” (34:07)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Nutritious Movement Website

Follow Katy on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Move Your DNA Podcast

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Breaking Up With Sugar Jun 22, 2018

When sugar rules your life, it can feel fucking miserable. I know because I've been there. Energy crashes, insatiable cravings, and late-night binge sessions gone awry were my normal. I couldn't wake up in the morning and needed a ton of sugar and caffeine to get through the day.

But it's easy to get confused. Do you have to go keto? Eat zero carb? Never eat dessert again? How can you break up with sugar when it's in everything?

In this Fierce Love edition of Harder to Kill Radio, I'm sharing my own personal story of how I slayed my sugar cravings, including tips you can implement today. Perfection isn't the answer. It does take resolve and discipline. But with the right approach, you'll make progress.

Support the podcast by clicking SUBSCRIBE on your podcast app and leaving a review. I love hearing from you, especially about how the show has impacted your life.

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

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Finding Adventure & Balance In Your Wellness Journey w/ Adam & Vanessa Lambert of Bee The Wellness Jun 19, 2018

Adam and Vanessa Lambert have been living a badass life blending adventure travel, spirituality and wellness for years. Along the way, they started Bee The Wellness to share their passion for living your best life with people around the world. Inspired by their love of movement and desire to help people achieve ultimate health, Bee the Wellness to help clients seamlessly integrate Paleo (and the benefits of adventure) into their life.

Instead of stressing about diet and wellness, Adam and Vanessa want to help people realize what works best for them personally on their wellness journey in a way that fits into their lives. Incorporating their own love of travel, the Lamberts routinely organize retreats in far off places, and create lasting bonds over the Paleo revolution. By thinking of your health as an adventure, not a chore, Adam and Vanessa have helped countless people get on their path to becoming the best versions of themselves through Paleo.

Support the podcast by clicking SUBSCRIBE on your podcast app and leaving a review. I love hearing from you, especially about how the show has impacted your life.

www.stupideasypaleo.com/category/podcast

About Adam and Vanessa

Adam and Vanessa Lambert have been living and working in the Paleo world for nearly 10 years. Adam is a Battalion Chief for the third largest fire department in the United States and the author of popular fitness blog Fit For Duty. Vanessa is a lifelong a health and fitness enthusiast, avid sports player, gymnast, and personal trainer. Together they co-created Bee the Wellness to help their clients achieve optimal health through individualized, innovative personal coaching. They focus on exercise that you enjoy, and eating foods that make you happy while also giving your body what it needs to perform at its highest level.

Have you found a way to integrate a wellness practice into your life that doesn’t feel like a chore? What are your techniques and mindsets? Let us know in the comments on the show notes page!

On Today’s Episode

How to find your balance through movement and diet
What you need to do to tap into achieving your bodies optimal power
How to maintain a healthy (and specifically paleo) diet while travelling
Why the Paleo diet is transforming lives, and how to get started yourself
Tips to avoid being ‘spread too thin’
Why pushing your limits and getting out of your comfort zone can be just what you need to make changes in your normal daily life

Quotes

“The thing that we have found is that the more restrictive things are, the harder and more limiting it starts to feel. Even if people are good to go with eating a fairly limited diet, there is something that happens in their mindset around things that they can’t do.” (20:07)

“We should work hard on ourselves, we should take good care of ourselves, and then we should let the wonderful experience of love and life happen and know that this is actually part of taking care of ourselves.” (25:41)

“The piece that we love watching and being a catalyst for is people coming into these adventures and experiences as one person and leaving as another. The sense of accomplishment and possibility they have for themselves after completing an adventure is just so beautiful.” (45:39)

Resources Mentioned In This Show

Bee The Wellness

Follow Bee The Wellness on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Find the Bee The Wellness Podcast on iTunes (my episode is #129!)

Check out their upcoming retreats and adventures!

Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Cellulite + Confidence Jun 15, 2018

Cellulite isn't unnatural, gross, ugly, or bad...we've just been convinced it is by marketers with something to sell. And summer's here...the time of year when women all over the world are staying covered up because they're afraid of making others uncomfortable with their cellulite, stretch marks, and size of their thighs. When is this madness going to stop?

Whether you feel like you can't take your tank top off and work out in a sports bra, you're wearing long pants at the gym, or are afraid to wear a two piece bathing suit, body shame hits an all-time high as soon as the thermometer does, too.

In this first-ever solo Fierce Love edition of Harder to Kill Radio, Steph breaks down why it's not your job to make others comfortable with your body by covering up. She also talks about the biggest confidence lie you keep getting hooked into, and how to feel more confident today.

Support the podcast by clicking SUBSCRIBE on your podcast app and leaving a review. I love hearing from you, especially about how the show has impacted your life.