Self Care Simplified

Latest Episodes:

305. What are EAA’s & BCAA’s and Should You Supplement as You Age? Nov 24, 2023

Show notes

The world of supplements can be wildly confusing. With fitness gurus touting the benefits of a seeming alphabet soup of powders, drinks, and shakes things can get overwhelming fast.

Take EAAs and BCAAs - what are they? Do I need them? Am I missing out if I don’t take them?

Listener Gay had this very question: “Closing in on age 60 and it’s becoming more difficult to maintain my muscle mass/fat ratio. Are Essential Amino Acids the pixie dust to increase muscle and faster metabolism? I’m just wondering if this is marketing hype, science, or is it just another quick fix in a powder?”

In this shortie episode, I dive into the science behind amino acids - what they are, which ones we need, and the best place to get them. If you’ve wondered about this particular supplement too, then you’ve come to the right place!

💥Taking listener questions!!! Do you have a question about your self-care that you need help with? Just head to www.vigeofit.com/ask to submit your question, and I’ll answer it for you on an upcoming Friday episode.

More Resources

Deeper Dive: Precision Nutrition Article - “What are BCAA’s and Are They Worth It?”

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304. Elastic Eating - What it is and Why You Need It (Especially During the Holidays) Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

Elastic eating. I bet you’ve NEVER heard of this. But this concept and mindset shift is exactly how you should eat to consistently stay healthy without getting obsessed about food or having it dominate your thoughts.

And with the holidays upon us, this is the perfect time to swap your “all or nothing” thinking for something more flexible.

Today, I am going to teach you all about how to become an “elastic eater”. This is so important if you feel like you’re always bouncing from strict, rigid habits (and white knuckling your way through them), to totally loose and haphazard eating… or what you probably refer to as “falling off the wagon”.

If nutrition is still a bit of a struggle for you, this episode is for you!

More Resources & Links

Holiday Splurging Blueprint - FREE Download!!

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303. Increasing Muscle Mass - How Much Weight Should You Lift? Nov 17, 2023

Show notes

Lots of great fitness programs - including mine - encourage women to lift heavy weights.

But have you ever been stumped by what exactly constitutes “heavy weights”? And how much weight it too much or not enough?

Listener Lisa had the same question: “I’m wondering what you consider ‘heavy weights’. I’ve noticed you mention that you lift heavy weights 2 times a week. How much do you lift?”

In this shortie episode, we dive into:

Debunking the myth that lifting heavy weights will make you “bulky”.
Why muscle mass gets even more important as we age
The ideal combination of weight and reps to build strong muscles

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302. Pain, Posture, and Your Fascia: What’s the REAL Connection? Nov 14, 2023

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Fascia. This buzzword has been making the rounds in the fitness industry, but it still seems to be a mystery. What is it? Where is it? How does it impact my health and fitness?

If you’re always dealing with pain, tension, body stress, maybe even headaches, learning more about your fascia might be a great place to start. And who better to help you out than the fascia queen!

This week on the podcast I talk to Jill Miller, C-IAYT, ERYT, YA-CEP fascia expert, with 30 years of corrective movement expertise that forges links between the worlds of yoga, massage, athletics, and pain management.

Jill is the former anatomy columnist for Yoga Journal, has been featured in New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Shape, Women’s Health, O, the Today Show, and is a contributing expert on the Oprah Winfrey Network. She is the author of several bestselling books, including her newly released Body by Breath: The Science and Practice of Physical and Emotional Resilience.

Jill and I sat down to talk all about pain, fascia, posture and even breathing.

What is fascia and self-myofascial release? What are the benefits?
Guided breathing exercises, and when and how to use them.
The one simple thought or tip that everyone should implement.

More Resources & Links

www.tuneupfitness.com

Jill’s massage balls: https://www.tuneupfitness.com/shop

Jill’s new book, Body By Breath: https://www.tuneupfitness.com/shop/books-accessories/body-by-breath-book-jill-miller

FREE 5-Day Core Tune Up - This 5-Day course will improves your core strength, creates better alignment, and relieves back and hip pain for good!

Megan’s revolutionary Back & Hip Fix 30-day program

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301. How to Lose the Last 10 Pounds Nov 10, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever looked in the mirror or pulled on a pair of jeans and felt good about your progress, only to have all that confidence evaporate when you step on the scale?

At what point do you become satisfied with how you feel instead of chasing a specific number on the scale?

Listener Kristi finds herself in this very spot: “I’ve been trying for some time now to get off 10-15 pounds, and it seems like, it’s just not happening. My body just does not want to release that weight. I have to admit that I would feel better if I weighed a certain amount, but I’m not necessarily overweight or unhealthy, I would just feel better looking at a different number on the scale. So at what point do you just say, okay, this is my new weight?”

Thanks for your honesty, Kristi - you’re not alone!

In this shortie episode, I’ll tackle:

The mindset fork in the road where Kristi, and lots of women, find themselves as they make progress.
“Vanity pounds” and what it REALLY takes to shed them.
A better way to measure where you are and where you want to be

More Resources

180. The REAL Secret to Losing Weight and Keeping it Off (backed by Harvard Medical)

216: The Best Ways to Measure Your Progress (Especially if Weight Loss is Your Goal)

228. The Shocking Truth About Weight Loss

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300. When Should You Expect Results? Progress Reality Check Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

It’s easy to jump into a new habit or lifestyle change with excitement and motivation. This is the time I’m going to stick with it and things are really going to change!

But we get a few weeks down the road, and all that enthusiasm starts to fade. I mean, making a lifestyle change is HARD.

And progress feels soooooo slooooooow.

So what’s the real and honest timeline for results and what are realistic expectations?

Today’s episode is a good reality check for when you’re not sure if what you’re doing is working. I’ll break down what I like to call the “Results Rule of 3’s” - what results you can expect to see at 3 weeks, 3 months, and 3 years of consistently showing up and doing the thing.

Change takes time - but knowing the results milestones to look for along can make all the difference!

More Resources & Links

FREE 5-Day Core Tune Up - This 5-Day course will improves your core strength, creates better alignment, and relieves back and hip pain for good!

Megan’s revolutionary Back & Hip Fix 30-day program

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299. Healthier Alternatives for Your Coffee Creamer Nov 03, 2023

Show notes

Did you know that 63% of Americans start their day off with coffee? And many of them enjoy their morning hit of caffeine light and sweet. But could that delicious coffee habit be derailing your healthy choices?

Listener Dondi asks: “I would like to know a good substitute for coffee creamer. I love my morning coffee, sweet and creamy, and I'm just looking for healthy alternatives and just curious what your thoughts are.”

Maybe you’ve wondered the same thing!

Grab your morning coffee and take a listen:

I’ll review our Basic Healthy Eating Habits - and where that sweet and creamy cup of coffee falls in the mix.
We’ll discuss WHY your coffee may or may not being impacting your overall healthy choices
And finally, I’ll give you some tips and coffee-creamer alternatives to consider

More Resources

Ask Megan your burning question here

FREE! - Download my free report on the Three Eating Dangers to Avoid to Reset Your Eating Habits

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298. Debunking Myths & Finding Relief from Sciatica, SI Joint and Chronic Pain Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

Too many women live with some form of chronic pain, and have just written it off as “normal”. They deal with it, work around it, try to medicate it, and ultimately believe that this is how their body is now.

But what if I told you it didn’t have to be this way?

This week I sit down with Dr. Jen Fraboni, an internationally-renown physical therapist who specializes in helping people overcome chronic pain and maximize physical performance. In 2019, Jen was named one of the top 50 most influential healthcare professionals and she currently co-hosts "The Optimal Body Podcast”, with her husband, who is also a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Listen in as we discuss:

The dangers of not dealing with your pain
Sciatica and SI joint pain - how are they different and how to deal with them
Something everyone should be doing to help reduce overall pain

If you or someone you love is dealing with chronic pain - especially sciatica or SI joint pain - then don’t miss this important episode. It just might provide the answers and relief you need.

More Resources & Links

Jen.health

Jen’s NEW Pelvic Floor Program: jen.health/pelvicfloor

Listen to Jen’s Optimal Body Podcast

Need help getting started with good, functional core training? Grab Megan’s FREE 5-Day Core Tune Up here!

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297. The Step by Step Strategy to Improve Your Balance Oct 27, 2023

Show notes

We often spend a lot of time building our strength or improving our cardiovascular health - but what about our balance?

Balance is one of the 6 important aspects of fitness, but it’s often completely overlooked and not intentionally trained, until you realize how bad it is!

Crystal trains with me, and asks: “I started Jumpstart30 at the beginning of the year, then Jumpstart60, and now I’m in GetStrongX. Despite doing this for awhile now (and loving it, btw!) I’m still super wobbly with any kind of single leg deadlift. I can’t do any version of them without holding onto something to keep from falling over. Any tips on how I can improve my ability to do this exercise?”

In this shortie episode, I’ll break down the two types of balance and how to start improving them both. Then we’ll walk through those pesky single leg deadlifts, and I’ll show you how to stay balanced while performing them - and how those balance strategies translate to other exercises as well!

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Ep. 294. Easy Ways to Improve Your BALANCE & Prevent Falls

FREE 5-Day Core Tune Up - A free mini-course to dramatically improve your functional core strength, create better alignment, and relieve back and hip pain for good!

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296. Decades-Long Pain - How this Schoolteacher Finally Got Relief Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

Life is a full-contact sport. And many professions can take an even greater physical toll on your entire body. Being a nurse, teacher, doctor, dental hygienist, holding a desk job, even being a mom can begin to cause chronic pain and affect your quality of life.

This week I’m sitting down with MaryEllen Kiser, a 49-year-old teacher and mother of two, who struggled with excruciating back and hip pain for years. Despite her own best efforts and the help of specialists, she couldn’t find relief for her pain. Her journey from suffering to healing is filled with twists and turns - determination, frustration, discouragement, and ultimately HOPE.

If you or someone you love are going through a season of physical pain and the idea of relief feels hopeless, listen to MaryEllen’s story. Her experience may just be the hope you need to discover healing for your own physical pain.

More Resources & Links

Click here to learn more about the Back and Hip Fix program

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