Being Human with Leana Deeb

Latest Episodes:

How to Actually Fix your Morning and Night Routine Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

In this solo episode, Leana breaks down everything she has learned over five years of building a consistent morning and night routine — not the aesthetic influencer version, but the real, practical habits that actually changed how she shows up every single day. She opens up about who she used to be before any of this: a night owl, binge eating late, doom scrolling until she fell asleep, completely undisciplined. And she gets into exactly how she got out of it and why her faith is the foundation everything else is built around.This one is for every woman who keeps saying she wants a morning routine but cannot figure out why she still cannot make it happen.

Leana gets into:

→ Why your morning routine actually starts the night before — and what happens when you skip that step

→ The 10-3-2-1 rule for winding down and why it works

→ Why nothing good happens past 10pm — and how to actually believe that

→ How to lock your apps at night so your phone stops making the decision for you — Opal and Brick

→ Why picking up your phone first thing in the morning spikes your cortisol and sets your whole day back

→ The one hour morning rule — what to do instead of reaching for your phone

→ Why she does not start her day with caffeine and the 90 minute rule that changed her energy

→ Getting sunlight, reading one page of a book, and writing out what you are grateful for before the day starts → How her morning prayer anchors everything — and why without it the whole day feels off

→ Why she wakes up early to take Arabic and Spanish classes and how her night routine makes that possible

→ Skincare, hair care, dental hygiene, planning your outfit and prepping your meals as acts of self-care — not chores

→ Journaling at night — affirmations, what went well, how to improve, and a brain dump to clear your mind

→ What the Quran says about the night being made for rest and the day for work — and why that changed how she sleeps

→ Why consistency in your sleep and wake schedule matters more than the number of hours you get

→ A reminder that your routine will look different in different seasons — and why that is okay

"If you have time for yourself before the day starts, you can take on the world in any way." — Leana Deeb

TOPICS DISCUSSED

(00:00) Intro — Who Leana Used to Be Before Any of This

(02:17) Why Your Morning Routine Starts With Your Night Routine

(04:28) Finding Your Motivation — Why Prayer Changed Everything

(06:53) The 10-3-2-1 Rule — Journaling, Rituals & Locking Your Apps

(09:07) Building a Night Routine You Actually Love — Skincare, Affirmations & Brain Dumping

(11:30) What the Quran Says About Rest & Why God Made the Night for Sleeping

(13:46) Morning Habits — No Phone, Sunlight, Gratitude & Prayer as the Foundation

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:

Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast

TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod

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How to Become a Content Creator, Overcome Fear of Judgment & Find Your Purpose with Jun Yuh Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Leana sits down with Jun Yuh — creator, entrepreneur, and founder of Creator College, one of the most impactful content creation communities in the world. Jun built his entire following from a college dorm room in Philadelphia with no support system, a biomedical engineering degree, and a shattered iPhone 12. He was doubted by everyone around him, posted into the void for years, and still kept going. This conversation is part content masterclass, part deeply personal story — and it does not hold back.

This one is for anyone who has ever wanted to put themselves out there but talked themselves out of it before they even started.

Leana and Jun get into:

→ How he started posting fitness and fashion content in his parents' basement during quarantine — wearing his brother's clothes

→ The zoom call moment where his classmates posted his TikTok link to 300 people and made fun of him

→ Why being judged is a sign you are doing something right — and how he finally started to believe that

→ Six years of building in loneliness with no one in his corner who actually understood what he was doing

→ How an engineering mindset helped him reverse engineer content — studying formats, hooks, pacing and story arcs

→ Why your first 200 views matter more than you think and how one person in your DMs can change everything

→ The moment he discovered Creator College and why he almost did not do it

→ What it actually takes to build an audience — and why packaging what you already know is the whole strategy

→ The difference between chasing virality and building a community that lasts

→ His daily routine and why his entire life has become the business

→ The over-optimisation trap — sleep scores, routines, and why he thinks we are doing too much

→ Growing up watching his dad work construction with no choice in his sacrifices — and how that shaped everything

→ Becoming the financial provider for his family at 24 and the complicated emotions that come with it

→ How money changes relationships — and the ongoing tension between generosity and boundaries

→ Reconnecting with his mom after 14 years apart and what that taught him about assumptions and perspective

→ Why he believes life is not fair — and why he stopped resenting it

→ What it means to be human — and why his answer is empathy

"Perspective drives performance. The way that you view what you do affects how you do what you do." — Jun Yuh

TOPICS DISCUSSED

02:34 Joon’s Start in Content Creation
06:52 Overcoming the Fear of Judgment
10:27 Loneliness, Doubt & Finding Support
13:27 Sharing Your Struggles & Building Your Story
18:50 Believing in Yourself Before Anyone Else Does
20:32 Faith, God & Finding Contentment
25:57 Consistency, Systems & Using AI for Content
31:07 The “Younger You” Principle for Finding Your Niche
39:49 Money, Success & Choosing Impact Over Metrics
45:09 Finding Purpose, Phone Addiction & Burnout

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:

Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast

TikTok: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod

Stay connected with Jun Yuh:

Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @jun_yuh

Podcast: Creator Unplugged

Community: Creator College

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How to Stop Scrolling, Overcome Procrastination & Build Self-Discipline Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

In this solo episode, Leana takes the struggles you sent in through her Q&A box and works through them one by one. Scrolling, staying up late, music and binge eating all came up again and again, and she believes they share one root: a constant need for stimulation that leaves us feeling low, lost and without purpose.

She talks about it as someone still in it. She shares what changed her relationship with her phone, the 10-3-2-1 rule she uses to get to sleep earlier, why she still catches herself playing Drake in the car, and why quitting music cold turkey made her resent her faith. She gets candid about lust and self-control and why a relationship won't fix it. She also opens up, for the first time, about binge eating while living in New York.

Throughout, she brings it back to faith, science and self-compassion: God is loving, you can start again as many times as you need, and awareness is the first step.

Leana gets into:

→ The top struggles Gen Z shared, and the constant need for a dopamine high behind them

→ Why we scroll, and how locking your apps changed her relationship with her phone

→ Replacing your phone with a gratitude journal first thing in the morning

→ Gary Brecka's 10-3-2-1 rule for going to sleep earlier

→ Music, the hadith, and why quitting cold turkey made her resent her faith → Why fear mongering yourself into faith doesn't work

→ Why you should never beat yourself up when you fall back

→ Binge eating in New York, gut health, and the 80/20 vs. 90/10 rule

→ Journaling, gratitude and affirmations

"You can scroll your life away, and you'll look back five years from now and still be living the same life." - Leana Deeb

TOPICS DISCUSSED

(0:00) Intro: The Struggles of Gen Z

(1:21) Scrolling and Locking Your Apps

(6:57) Replacing Your Phone With a Gratitude Journal

(10:26) Gary Brecka's 10-3-2-1 Rule for Better Sleep

(13:27) Music, Faith and Self-Control

(21:31) Why You Shouldn't Go Cold Turkey

(25:16) Porn, Masturbation and Overcoming Lust

(33:01) Don't Beat Yourself Up When You Fall Back

(33:24) Binge Eating and the 80/20 vs. 90/10 Rule

(39:06) Journaling, Gratitude and Outro

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:

Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast

TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod

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Iskra Lawrence on Body Confidence, Rebuilding Herself, and Financial Freedom Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Leana sits down with Iskra Lawrence, model, mental health advocate, and founder of Saltair, one of the fastest-growing body care brands in the country.

Iskra takes it back to growing up in a small town in England, entering a modeling competition at 12, and being watched by agencies through puberty while her changing body was treated like a problem. She opens up about developing an eating disorder, being told she was too curvy for straight-size modeling and too small for plus-size modeling, and the breaking point when she realized she was never the problem. The industry was.

She shares how she rebuilt her sense of self through affirmations, began pitching herself directly to brands at 19, and eventually created a career on her own terms.

Iskra also gets candid about losing herself postpartum during the pandemic, unexpectedly losing her Aerie contract, and how a five-minute shower became the inspiration for Saltair. She breaks down why she still does not take a salary from the company, why she prioritizes long-term financial security over a luxurious lifestyle, and what it means to build generational wealth.

Leana and Iskra also talk about motherhood, ambition, being the breadwinner in a marriage, finding a partner without ego, and why having a successful career does not mean having everything perfectly together.

Leana and Iskra get into:

→ Entering the modeling industry at 12 years old
→ Being told she was too curvy, too commercial, and too womanly at 14
→ Developing an eating disorder while trying to control her body
→ Being rejected by plus-size agencies for being too small
→ Realizing she was never the problem, the industry was
→ Cattle calls, rejection, comparison, and body dysmorphia
→ Using mirror affirmations to rebuild her self-worth
→ Why women are taught to view attractiveness as currency
→ Pitching herself directly to brands at 19
→ Her dad eventually quitting his job to work alongside her
→ Loving pregnancy but completely losing herself postpartum
→ Losing her milk supply during the formula shortage
→ The five-minute shower that inspired Saltair
→ Losing her Aerie contract and feeling disposable again
→ Why owning her own company gave her control over her future
→ Faith, ambition, and her “why not me?” mindset
→ Why she does not take a salary from Saltair
→ Moving to New York with $15,000 and living with five models in a one-bedroom apartment
→ Choosing future financial security over luxury today
→ Why women need to talk more openly about money
→ Her goal of retiring her parents and creating generational wealth
→ Redefining what success actually looks like
→ Motherhood, dishes in the sink, missed workouts, and giving herself grace
→ Being the breadwinner in her marriage
→ Finding a partner without ego
→ Writing letters about things that felt too difficult to say out loud

“At that breaking point, I realized I was never the problem. The industry was the problem.” — Iskra Lawrence

TOPICS DISCUSSED

(00:00) Preview + Intro
(01:22) Starting Modeling at 12 Years Old
(03:20) Developing an Eating Disorder in the Modeling Industry
(08:02) Body Dysmorphia, Mental Health & Rebuilding Self-Worth
(12:33) Postpartum Identity Loss & Finding Herself Again
(14:32) How Saltair Was Born
(17:24) Moving to Austin & Stepping Away From Her Old Life
(18:56) Losing Her Aerie Contract & Feeling Disposable Again
(23:13) Faith, God & the “Why Not Me?” Mindset
(26:31) Building Saltair Without Taking a Founder Salary
(30:35) Money, Sacrifice & Building Long-Term Financial Security
(34:27) Redefining What Success Actually Means
(37:42) The Reality of “Doing It All” as a Working Mom
(41:31) Being the Breadwinner in Her Marriage
(43:43) Communication, Partnership & Writing Each Other Letters
(47:45) What Does It Mean to Be Human?

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod

Stay connected with Iskra Lawrence:
Instagram: @iskra / @saltair
TikTok: @iskra / @saltairbody

Thank you to our sponsors!

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The Truth On Modesty, Feminism, and Oppression Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

In this solo episode, Leana says the things she has been sitting on for a while. She opens up about the plastic surgery trend taking over social media, why she thinks it is dangerous for women to project it onto each other, and the moment she realized getting her lips done at 18 was never going to fill the gap she was trying to fill.

From there she gets into feminism and whether it actually makes room for every woman, what the conversation around Afghanistan gets wrong about Islam, and why she believes covering up gave her power back rather than taking it away. She talks openly about being a former hardcore feminist who thought the hijab was oppressive, and what changed.

She closes with the softer half of the conversation: why beauty is something God loves, and the everyday habits that make her feel most in tune with her feminine.

Leana gets into:

→ The plastic surgery trend on social media and why she felt she had to speak on it → Why this is not a jab at women who have had work done, but at women projecting it onto others → The money argument: what a surgery budget could do as an investment instead → God designing you uniquely and what it means to change that → Picking apart your face and body even when nothing is wrong with either → Getting her lips done at 18 and the cycle of wanting to keep going → Why you will never feel enough externally if you do not feel enough internally → What feminism actually fought for, and what subjective feminism has become → Whether feminism accepts every woman regardless of what she chooses for her body → Afghanistan, Iran and forced hijab, and why she does not stand with it → Covering the eyes is not in scripture, and extremist groups do not represent Islam → Education, business and why a woman's money is her money in Islam → Why showing your body to be accepted might be its own form of oppression → Knowing exactly what attention her old clothes were bringing her → How covering up felt like taking her power back → Head covering in Islam, Christianity and Judaism, and why modesty is not male centered → Mary, peace be upon her, and living in alignment with the women of that time → Studying the Quran, the Bible and the Old Testament side by side → Why every person practicing a faith believes theirs is the truth → Being okay with being disliked and living in your truth anyway → Letting go of attachment to this worldly life → Why beauty is loved by God and does not need to be hidden from yourself → Her full list of habits for feeling feminine: natural fibers, skincare, cleanliness, food, movement, and getting ready for no one but you

"If you don't feel enough inside, you're never going to feel enough externally, even if you get the work done." - Leana Deeb

TOPICS DISCUSSED

(0:00) Intro and What We Are Covering Today

(0:38) The Plastic Surgery Trend That Inspired This Episode

(1:54) What That Money Could Do Instead

(2:32) Didn't God Design You Beautifully?

(3:29) Why It Is Never Enough

(4:07) Getting My Lips Done at 18

(4:45) Where Are the Feminists?

(5:42) Forced Hijab Is Not Islam

(6:20) Education, Business and a Woman's Money

(8:01) Is Showing Your Body to Be Accepted the Real Oppression?

(8:58) I Used to Be the Biggest Man Hater

(10:16) How Covering Up Gave Me My Power Back

(10:54) Head Covering in Islam, Christianity and Judaism

(11:13) Mary, Peace Be Upon Her, and the Veil

(12:48) Everyone Believes Their Faith Is the Truth

(14:04) It Is Okay to Be Disliked

(15:01) Not Being Attached to This Worldly Life

(15:58) God Created Beauty and God Loves Beauty

(16:36) Habits to Feel In Tune With Your Feminine

(22:37) Outro

Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod

Thank you to our sponsors!

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Lean Beef Patty on Eating Disorder Recovery, Identity & the Reality of Social Media Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Leana sits down with Patty — known online as Lean Beef Patty — one of the most recognisable women in the fitness space. But this conversation goes far beyond fitness. Patty opens up about her journey through an eating disorder, losing her identity after quitting gymnastics, navigating social media without losing herself, and why she still drives the same Prius. She is funny, refreshingly self-aware, and genuinely one of a kind — and this episode captures all of it. This one is for every woman who has ever felt like she lost herself and had to figure out who she was all over again. Leana and Patty get into: → How Lean Beef Patty got her name — and why it was actually the runner-up option → Growing up doing gymnastics for 12 years and what that level of structure did to her identity → The period after quitting gymnastics where she felt completely lost and without purpose → Her experience with an eating disorder — what it felt like, how it started, and the long road to getting help → Why she tried to trick her therapists — and what finally made her decide she actually wanted to get better → How losing her gymnastics identity led to self-punishment and what eventually helped her let it go → Her psychology degree, why she did not need it — and why she is still glad she went to school → What it was like going to the gym for the first time and how her relationship with training has shifted now that it is her job → How she navigates mental health as a public figure — and why she rarely talks to friends about how she is feeling → Her morning habits, walking, and why keeping a routine is the foundation of her mental peace → Why she lives simply, still drives the same car, and genuinely does not care about material things → Her take on success — and why the answer is peace, not money or status → Baggy clothes, not wanting to be looked at, and the difference between self-validation and seeking outside validation → Boundaries, small friend groups, and how she learned to stop communicating with anger → Her thoughts on God, religion, guilt, and where she stands with faith right now → Her clothing brand Lean Beef Tees and the cow painting that started it all → What it means to be human — and why her answer is simply: raw "To be human is to be raw. Just being yourself. Whatever that is." — Lean Beef Patty TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro & How Lean Beef Patty Got Her Name
(01:43) Growing Up on a Farm, Gymnastics & Her Family
(08:39) Going to the Gym for the First Time & How Her Relationship with Training Has Changed
(12:58) Her Eating Disorder — What Happened & The Road to Getting Help
(18:47) Losing Her Identity After Gymnastics & Finding Herself Again
(22:35) Mental Health Practices, Meditation & Walking
(25:14) Faith, God & Her Relationship with Religion
(29:35) Her Clothing Brand, Painting Cows & Tapping Into Her Inner Child
(40:35) Living Simply, The Same Prius & Why She Does Not Care About Materialism
(42:51) What Success & Peace Actually Mean to Her
(44:54) Social Media, Boundaries & Her Small Circle of Friends
(53:18) Baggy Clothes, Validation & Not Wanting to Be Looked At
(55:40) What It Means to Be Human Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod Stay connected with Lean Beef Patty: Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @leanbeefpatty Shop: leanbeeftees.com Thank you to our sponsors! use code LEANA for 15% off the Premium Starter Kit at https://BranchBasics.com Go to https://curehydration.com/code and get 20% off your first order with promo code LEANA. Head over to https://Superpower.com and use code LEANA for $20 off your $199 Superpower membership

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The Habits That Made Me More Disciplined Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

In this solo episode, Leana gets into one of the topics she lives by — discipline and how to actually stick to your word. Not the aesthetic version of discipline you see online, but the real, practical, day-by-day habits that have changed how she shows up in her work, her training, her relationships, and her relationship with herself. She shares the exact systems, mindset shifts, and daily habits that took her from someone who consistently fell off track to someone who genuinely commits to herself — and keeps that commitment.

This one is for every woman who knows what she needs to do but keeps getting in her own way.

Leana gets into:

Why committing to yourself changes everything — including your confidence and your aura
How to build a daily plan that actually works using Google Calendar and the five daily prayers as anchors
Why a consistent sleep and wake schedule is more important than how many hours you get
The night routine that tells your body it is time to rest — and why scrolling before bed is working against you
Why picking up your phone first thing in the morning spikes your cortisol and sets your whole day back
The apps she uses to lock her phone and protect her focus — Opal and Brick
How to set up your environment so that good habits are easier than bad ones
Eating as a non-negotiable — why your food directly affects your mood, your energy, and your habits
Work blocks, doing the hardest task first, and how to structure your day for real progress
How affirmations rebuilt her relationship with herself when she did not even like who she was
The 10 rapid-fire habits that will change your life
Why natural fiber clothing — linen, cotton, hemp, bamboo — actually affects how you feel in your body
Praying your prayers on time as the foundation everything else is built around
Why negotiating with yourself is the fastest way to lose respect for yourself
Learning the scripture of your faith and why it brings a different kind of peace and purpose to your days

"When I made the decision to commit to myself, everything started flowing. I started to feel less stressed, less overly anxious. All it took was a little bit of attention to where I'm going wrong." — Leana Deeb

TOPICS DISCUSSED

(00:00) Intro — What Discipline Actually Looks Like
(01:14) Starting With a Plan — Google Calendar, Prayer Times & Structuring Your Day
(04:00) Sleep Schedules, Night Routines & Why Scrolling Before Bed Is Hurting You
(06:30) Morning Routines & Why Your Phone Is the Worst Way to Start the Day
(08:30) Food, Energy & Why What You Eat Drives Everything Else
(10:30) Work Blocks, Doing the Hardest Task First & Finding Your Purpose
(13:00) Preparation & Systems — How to Actually Stay Consistent at the Gym
(14:30) Mindset, Affirmations & Building a Relationship With Yourself
(16:00) 10 Rapid-Fire Habits That Will Change Your Life
(18:00) Natural Fiber Clothing, Prayer on Time & Learning Your Scripture

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:

Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast

TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George Heaton on Discipline, Doubt & the Real Cost of Success Aug 22, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Leana sits down with George Heaton — founder of Represent, one of the leading luxury streetwear brands in the world, built from a bedroom operation printing t-shirts for friends into a 15-year global business. George opens up about losing himself in his early 20s, the trademark dispute that nearly took the brand down, going nearly two years without knowing if Represent would survive, and why he still lives with doubt every single day despite everything he's built.

This one is for anyone building something from nothing, anyone questioning whether discipline can really be taught, and anyone wondering what's actually on the other side of "overnight success."

George and Leana get into:

Looking in the mirror and not recognizing himself in his early 20s, and what pulled him back
Why he avoided being the face of his own brand for years, and what it took to build that confidence
Falling in love with art through his brother, and how a leadership video game unexpectedly shaped his approach to business
Printing his first t-shirts and never having a plan B
Building Represent with his brother for five years before it was even a real company
Writing the brand's mission statement around quality and family — and why "the best product" always came before margin
The trademark dispute that put the brand's entire future at risk, and living for two years not knowing if it would survive
Losing hope daily during that period, but never stopping training — and using it as fuel instead
His mother's influence and the quiet pressure of never wanting to let her down
Believing in himself over any higher power, and how that differs from Leana's own journey into faith
Their contrasting views on God, karma, the afterlife, and where meaning actually comes from
His actual daily routine — from 5:30am wake-ups in the UK to running a business across two time zones now
Why he dislikes the word "sacrifice" and prefers to think of it as leverage
Treating discipline like a muscle — hard to build, easy to maintain once it's there
Loneliness in the early years, and choosing to pour that energy into the brand instead of filling the void elsewhere
Cutting off friendships and relationships that didn't align with where he was going
How the 24/7 product line and Represent's activewear side actually started — almost by accident, during COVID
Redefining success beyond money — health, freedom, and being able to take care of the people around him
Living on minimum wage for the brand's first ten years, and staying at his parents' house until 27
Comparison, competition, and why he actively looks for someone "on his tail" to stay sharp
What it means to lead a creative team without controlling every decision
His closing answer to Leana's recurring question: what does it mean to be human?

"If you're at rock bottom and you don't know what to do with yourself, the first thing you can do is work on you." — George Heaton

TOPICS DISCUSSED

(00:00) — Intro: Meeting George Heaton & Represent (01:39) — Building the Confidence to Be the Face of the Brand (12:35) — Mass Appeal vs. Exclusivity & Protecting the Brand's Identity (18:00) — Fitness, Resilience & Building a Culture Around Discipline (25:14) — Faith, God, Karma & the Afterlife (39:19) — Moving Countries, Chasing a Feeling & Building a Life Outside the UK (42:13) — Legacy, Leadership & Staying Ahead of a Changing Industry (53:24) — Ten Years on Minimum Wage & Redefining What Success Means (58:24) — Creative Control, Team Culture & Trusting His People (01:02:43) — Patience, Standards & the Rules That Run the Brand

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:

Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast

TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod

Stay connected with George Heaton:

Instagram: @georgeheaton

Brand: @representclo

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Self-Sabotage, Self-Forgiveness & Why the Way You Talk to Yourself Is Everything Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

In this solo episode, Leana gets into one of the most relatable struggles she has faced — self-sabotage. She opens up about how she used to let one mistake spiral into losing all her progress, dropping every habit, and going completely off track. This episode is her honest reflection on what it actually takes to break that cycle and why the way you speak to yourself when things go wrong is everything.

This one is for every woman who has ever let one bad day turn into a bad week, a bad month, or a reason to give up entirely.

Leana gets into:

What self-sabotage actually looks like and why it keeps so many of us stuck
Why it is okay to mess up — and why staying in that feeling is where the real problem begins
The difference between suppressing your emotions and actually sitting with them
Why God can forgive us but we struggle to forgive ourselves
How to talk to yourself after a mistake the way you would talk to someone you love
Journaling as a tool for self-awareness — and how to make it actually productive
The five daily practices that keep her grounded: journal, pray, eat clean, learn, and train
Why self-sabotage and consistency are so deeply connected
The power of envisioning who you are five years from now — and starting to act like her today
Why recognizing your worth changes everything about how you show up
Living with the awareness that God is watching — and how that makes discipline easier
A reminder that even in your lowest moments, you are making more progress than you think

"Deep down, you already are her. It's just maybe a little bit of work that is needed to get there — but I'm confident in the fact that you will get there." — Leana Deeb

TOPICS DISCUSSED

(00:00) Intro & What Self-Sabotage Really Is
(01:30) Why One Mistake Does Not Have to Ruin Your Progress
(03:00) Sitting With Your Feelings Instead of Suppressing Them
(04:30) Why We Can't Forgive Ourselves the Way God Forgives Us
(06:00) How to Speak to Yourself After a Mistake
(07:30) Journaling for Self-Awareness & Growth
(09:00) The Five Daily Practices: Journal, Pray, Eat Clean, Learn & Train
(10:30) Envisioning Your Future Self & Embodying Her Now
(12:00) Recognizing Your Worth & Rooting for Yourself

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara Saffari on God, Grief & Finding Purpose Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Leana sits down with Sara Saffari — one of the biggest fitness creators in the space, known for her humor, her honesty, and her ability to stay completely true to herself on camera. Sarah opens up about the DM that changed everything, the eating disorder she struggled with at 21, losing her father at six years old, and why she's never once had a content plan in four-plus years of posting.

This one is for anyone building an audience without a strategy, anyone who's ever felt insecure while still showing up, and anyone quietly carrying grief they've never fully unpacked.

Sara and Leana get into:

The DM to Bradley Martyn that led to Zoo Culture, and how one invite changed the trajectory of her content
Why there has never been a plan behind any of her videos — no scripts, no strategy, just showing up
Consistency versus luck, and why she refuses to miss a week even when she doesn't love the video
Feeling insecure but never nervous — and where that distinction comes from
Why she's tried journaling over therapy, and has never quite committed to either
Her biggest fear as a creator: that the content itself makes it harder to find the right partner
Shifting toward solo content and what that's taught her about her own purpose
Having a 90% male audience despite wanting to motivate women, and finding the balance between the two
Her eating disorder at 21 — weighing 100 pounds, hiding her body, and what led her there
How fitness didn't just change her body, but rebuilt her mentally
Growing up in a small town in Kentucky, moving to LA, and staying connected to her Iranian culture
Why she doesn't drink — and how that's tied to her mom's faith, not necessarily her own
Growing up Muslim without religion being pushed on her, and still figuring out her own relationship with God
Grief — losing her father at six, suppressing the emotions, and never fully processing it
Her mom's sacrifices, from working two jobs to giving up the garage bedroom
Redefining success as being happy and surrounded by people who love her back — not the money
Her Gymshark origin story, from a $20-an-hour tutoring job to becoming an athlete
Her actual daily routine, filming process, and posting schedule
Advice for women dealing with judgment, insecurity, or online hate
What she'd want to do next — acting, but never a dating reality show
Her answer to Leana's recurring question: what does it mean to be human?