This is the first episode in a series dedicated to learning all about MACRONUTRIENTS! Let's look at protein first, since protein should be the foundation, the star, of every single meal we eat. On this episode, you'll learn: Why protein is such a big deal, How much protein we should be aiming for, The best protein sources (both plant & meat based), Tips for plant-based eaters, And even protein powder supplements. While I'm not a fan of tedious macro-counting, you'll see why I think it is hel...
Jun 02, 2020•44 min
We need to talk about depression and anxiety, whether it's postpartum or chronic. On this final episode in the Strong Mom Series, Scott and I are sharing our own personal struggles with mental illness. And boy, do we get vulnerable! We're sharing the true ugliness of how it manifests within us...from baby-shaking to 7 hour-long panic attacks. Also, on this episode I'm talking with Sara Sery, who has a Master's degree in counseling and leads the clients in her coaching program through transformin...
May 26, 2020•58 min
Let's talk all about nutrition during pregnancy and while you're breastfeeding! To continue our Strong Mom Series, today we're doing a deep-dive into how you should be eating during this intense season of your life. You're going to learn all about what to eat and not eat while pregnant/breastfeeding, but also how to handle: Nausea and morning sickness, Carb cravings, The "I'm pregnant, I can eat anything" attitude, The truth about losing weight while breastfeeding, and how to increase your milk ...
May 19, 2020•49 min
Our Strong Mom Series continues with a comprehensive look at fitness and exercise during pregnancy and postpartum. This is the only guide you'll need!! On this episode, we're looking at the exercise strategies that you should do and what you should avoid for a strong and healthy pregnancy experience. You're going to learn about: Core and pelvic floor strength How early you can return to specific exercises Exercises to avoid SI join pain, sciatica, diastasis recti, and kegels Having a proper mind...
May 12, 2020•1 hr
Let's kick off Season Two with a full series dedicated to mom-body specific issues! On this episode, let's scroll forward and take a closer look at what's going on in our bodies during (peri-)menopause. Not just for older women! Whether you're in your 20's, 30's, 40's or 50's, this information is extremely beneficial. The habits you create when you're younger greatly determine what your menopause experience will be like. I'll be explaining exactly what peri-menopause is, the hormonal changes, an...
May 05, 2020•45 min
It's the 50th episode!! And in honor of this milestone, I thought I'd get vulnerable and air my dirty laundry with you. Fitting, right? On this episode, I'm confessing all the imperfections in my own eating and exercise habits. I'm sharing all the splurges, all the skipped workouts, the struggles to stay motivated, and even the continuing battle with my own body image. I want you to see that even a fitness and nutrition professional doesn't do this perfectly. In fact, I don't even believe that "...
Apr 22, 2020•43 min
We're going to cover A LOT of ground on today's episode, because we're answering your questions!! Last week on my social feeds I asked if you had any questions you'd like me to answer, and you came through...big time! So let's talk all about: meal planning with kids that are picky and/or have food allergies, full fat vs. nonfat dairy products, why meal skipping is a bad idea (hint: it's NOT actually because of your metabolism!), why timing your carbs around your workouts is helpful, how progeste...
Apr 14, 2020•57 min
Stress eating. Comfort foods. Emotional mindless munching. When our stress levels rise, food quickly becomes our go-to coping mechanism. There are 3 types of stress eating problems: 1) Using food for comfort, 2) Mindlessly eating when you're stressed, 3) Not eating at all when you feel anxious and distracted. On this episode, we're chatting about each of these interrelated stress-eating problems, and how to practically handle them in the moment. We're talking about: Why processed foods are the b...
Apr 07, 2020•52 min
If you need inspiration and motivation right now, this is it! This episode is a good challenge for you to step it up and see what you're made of. The phrase "hold my beer" sounds a bit irreverent, but it's the attitude that it conveys that's absolutely necessary for accomplishing big things, especially during tough times. We need to talk about our tendency to be timid and shrink back, rather than being courageous and strong. And we also need to talk about our habit of playing the comparison game...
Mar 31, 2020•38 min
How can you keep your immune system operating at its absolute best? First, you have to understand that it's so much more than just taking Vitamin C! A healthy immune system actually requires a four pronged approach: managing stress, sleep, exercise, and nutrition. On this episode, we're looking at each of these four aspects and how they affect our immune system. With all four, it's truly a case of "goldi-locks and the three bears": not too much, not too little, but balanced just right. You'll al...
Mar 24, 2020•47 min
Why do you workout? Why are you trying to eat healthy? What's motivating you to do these things? How you answer these questions greatly determines whether or not you can stay consistent and actually enjoy the process. I can't help but notice how deeply afraid many gym-goers and healthy-eaters are, even the extremely fit ones. They're scared to death of what their body would be without it all, they're petrified of failing, and they're paralyzed by the opinions of others. Their motivation source h...
Mar 17, 2020•34 min
Achy knees, a tight and painful back, abs that are missing in action, and hips that are all out of whack. While all these sound like very different issues and disconnected problems, you might be surprised to find that the solution is usually the same. Moms tend to "just live with" nagging aches and pains like these, not realizing that complete relief may be a mere two weeks away. The bottom line is that no matter what your specific situation or current circumstances, you'd benefit from a sound h...
Mar 10, 2020•43 min
This is the plight of every mom: trying to decide what to make for dinner (and other meals), feeling crunched for time, the mounting pressure from the kids, all while still wanting to make something healthy. Can you relate? On this episode, we're going to directly pinpoint the problems that we encounter at meal times, especially dinner, which include "decision fatigue", time constraints, picky kids, and even different nutritional needs among family members. I'll also be sharing the tricks I use ...
Mar 03, 2020•45 min
Weight loss has always been the gold standard for measuring progress. We use it to determine whether a workout program or set of eating habits are working or not. But, if we're holding out for that scale to budge, we're probably missing out on all the other changes that are happening. We find ourselves discouraged and frustrated, assuming that all of our hard work is in vain. You need to see that there are SO MANY other markers of progress, clues that changes are absolutely happening! And each o...
Feb 25, 2020•42 min
It's no secret that Intermittent Fasting is gaining in popularity these days. If you ask someone that has been IF for a while, they will sing its praises and say "it's the best thing they've ever done". The results and health benefits that people are experiencing are awfully convincing, but is it a great option for everyone? Scott and I wanted to see for ourselves. For two weeks, we followed a specific IF protocol, all while taking note of our mood, energy and hunger levels, the impact on our fa...
Feb 18, 2020•57 min
There's a general fear among women: lifting weights, especially heavy weights, could potentially turn them into the hulk, making them look bulky and thick and masculine. But is this actually true? Perhaps your own experience says, "Yes! This happens to me!" On this episode, we're talking all about the different body types and their potential to gain muscle mass, the different muscle fiber types, what's actually happening when you feel "swole" after a workout, and the real reason why you might fe...
Feb 04, 2020•47 min
When you "eat healthy", do you simply follow a checklist of rules and strategies and hope for the best? If being healthy is something that you want to be a lifestyle and last forever, then you need to become more intuitive. Intuitive Eating (and Training) means beginning with a set of healthy guidelines, but then using your own wisdom and discernment to ultimately guide your food and exercise choices. When you eat and train, ask yourself these questions: Does this meal/workout comply with the SM...
Jan 28, 2020•47 min
Mom-guilt is not healthy nor appropriate in any situation, yet we feel it all the time. We're constantly aware of a general sense that we're dropping the ball or we're not "good enough" at managing life. Whether we feel this pressure of inadequacy internally or from our social circles, we need to be aware of it and learn to let it go. The most obvious areas of mom-guilt are parenting choices, household duties, our professional careers, time spent in relationships, and even our own self-care with...
Jan 22, 2020•45 min
This is how we get confused and stuck with the all-or-nothing mindset: we have this impression that if we want to be fit and healthy, we're supposed to go "all-in" and become obsessive fitness fanatics. We think we're supposed to like it, to be passionate about it, and have a desire to workout all the time. But what if we don't even like it? Feel the pressure lift!! Being fit, active and sprinkled with chia seeds is not necessarily the ideal woman today. You have permission to be YOU, even if th...
Jan 14, 2020•31 min
When it comes to nutrition problems, most people confess that they probably eat too much. They'll admit that if they could just get their portions under control and stop overeating, then they'll experience the results that they're looking for. The most common and obvious methods of controlling portion sizes are: Calorie counting Macronutrient counting "Point" counting But each of these methods are tedious and life-draining, plus they perpetuate the diet-mentality. There's a much better way to ma...
Jan 07, 2020•42 min
We’re going to cover a lot of ground on today's episode, because we’re answering YOUR questions!! I'm going to answer listener questions about: goal setting in the new year, dialing in your nutrition for more results, staying motivated when you get discouraged, C-sections and the core aftermath, knee pain with lunges, what to eat when you’re breastfeeding, and then balancing all the things in life. Do you have a nutrition, fitness, or life/mindset question you'd like answered on an upcoming epis...
Dec 31, 2019•41 min
When you're feeling sick, should you "sweat it out", or completely rest? Will certain foods actually help you heal quicker and others won't? And what can you do the rest of the year to create an iron-clad immune system? As we're at the threshold of cold and flu season, these are the questions that you'll need answers for. So, whether you're currently battling a cold or not, you should have a good sick-day game plan! On this episode, my co-host Scott and I chat all about: Goal-switching when you ...
Dec 17, 2019•42 min
This episode is going to blow your mind. Well, it might blow up most of what you know about nutrition and bring intense clarity to where you're at, personally, and what nutrition things matter and what things don’t. I believe that our biggest failure with nutrition is failing to see that there are different skill levels with healthy eating. Some eating habits are ideal for someone that's just beginning to make healthy eating choices, whereas certain habits are far more advanced. Unfortunately, m...
Dec 11, 2019•59 min
How can you keep up with your workouts during the holiday season so you stay fit and strong? On this episode, Scott and I are chatting all about when you get thrown off your normal rhythm and can't seem to find the time to workout. We're going to discuss the most common fitness mistakes people make during the Christmas season, including putting it off until the new year, not utilizing "maintenance mode" tactics, determining what's non-negotiable for you, and not having an arsenal of quick, bodyw...
Dec 04, 2019•41 min
What if this holiday season was different? What if we made a handful of better decisions and purposefully avoided some common mistakes this season? What if we entered 2020 feeling content and at peace with our bodies, rather than feeling in need of a drastic health overhaul? On this episode, we're tackling 8 common nutrition and mindset mistakes we make during the holidays, from mindless overeating to not employing the "sample technique" or the "half your plate veggies" technique. I want us to r...
Nov 26, 2019•40 min
Not liking our bodies, or having a negative body image, is so common that we usually don't give it much thought. However, thinking negatively about your body can feel like it's rotting your soul, if left to its own devices. I know that one of your deepest desires is to get to a place where you don’t have anything negative to say about your body...where you can be wonderfully content, and grateful, and actually like your body. The good news is that it's possible, and you don't even have to wait u...
Nov 20, 2019•46 min
We all crave to be supported, especially by the ones we love the most. But we don't often get this luxury. Usually, we're trying to make healthy choices in an environment that may not be very conducive to our success. More often than not, our own home and family members can feel like the biggest obstacles standing between us and our goals. And not only that, but we truly desire for our family members to jump on board and make the same healthy changes with us! Isn't that ideal?? On this episode, ...
Nov 12, 2019•35 min
How does your menstrual cycle affect your eating habits, your hunger, and your cravings? How does it affect your ability to workout hard and get the most from your training sessions? And how does it affect your mood and enthusiasm? The truth is that your menstrual cycle can impact just about everything, so it's foolish to ignore it and not plan for it effectively. On this episode, we're going to chat all about the menstrual cycle. You'll learn that there are reasonable explanations and solutions...
Nov 06, 2019•50 min
Let's have an honest conversation about candy, sugar, and all sorts of sweet treats! As we come into the holidays, especially Halloween, sweets abound. It's helpful if we can enter this season with a good knowledge base to help influence our choices about treats. On this episode, Scott and I are going to discuss: The short- and long-term dangers of eating a diet high in sugar How much sugar is too much? Appropriately reading food labels Becoming more aware of the hidden sugars we eat every day W...
Oct 29, 2019•41 min
How can we become more consistent with our eating and exercise habits? Because clearly, consistency is crucial for achieving our goals. If we approach our "consistency" from the perspective of “faithfulness”, we can see that this is as much a quality and maturity of personal character as much as it is about habit choices. On this episode, we'll see that as we're being refined to look more like Christ, it includes the area of faithfulness...being true to our word and doing what we say we're going...
Oct 22, 2019•52 min
