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.
If You Want To Use Strength Training to Improve Your Pain or Hypermobility, You Should:
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.
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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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.
If You Want To Stop Making Low Energy Food Swaps, You Should:
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.
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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LTYB 352: Energy Flux and Fueling for Athletes with Jamie Scott
LTYB 353: Fueling Best Practices for Active People with Jamie Scott
LTYB 350: Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport
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.
If You Want To Have A More Body Neutral Approach to Movement, You Should:
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.
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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LTYB 334: How Strong Women Can Lift Eachother Up with Molly Galbraith
LTYB 262: How To See The Value Outside Your Body & Overcome Self-Doubt with Summer Innanen
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.
If You Are Ready To Start Moving More, You Should:
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.
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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24 Ways to Move More: Monthly Inspiration for Health and Movement by Nicole Tsong
3 Ways Movement Helps You Discover Your Calling Download
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LTYB 303: Stop Earning and Burning Your Food Through Movement (Intuitive Eating Principle 9)
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.
If You Want To Get More Restful Sleep, You Should:
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.
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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LTYB 342: Fitness Trackers and Listening to Your Body
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.
If You Want To Start Fueling For Your Activity Level, You Should:
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.
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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LTYB 352: Energy Flux and Fueling for Athletes with Jamie Scott
LTYB 350: Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport
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.
If You Are Ready To Fuel Your Body Properly, You Should:
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.
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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LTYB 350: Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport
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.
If you are ready to stop letting society tell you what activity is acceptable for women, you should:
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.
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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LTYB 331: Strength Training & Your Relationship To Exercise
LTYB 340: Are You Lifting Heavy Enough (and Other Common Strength Training Questions)
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.
If You Want To Make Sure You Are Eating Enough, You Should:
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.
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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Sports Science Is Changing How Female Athletes Train. It Could Help You, Too Article
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LTYB 348: Improve Your Fitness Over 40 with Robin Legat
LTYB 331: Strength Training & Your Relationship to Exercise
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.
Three Things To Watch Out For Nutrition Wise When You Are Training Hard Are:
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.
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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LTYB 282: Anti-Diet versus Functional Nutrition with Michelle Shapiro
LTYB 332: 3 Mistakes Keeping You From Getting Stronger In The Gym
LTYB 334: How Strong Women Can Lift Eachother Up with Molly Galbraith
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.
If You Are Ready to Explore Your Athletic Potential, You Should:
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.
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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Seasoned Athlete Live: Start Line Strong
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LTYB 319: Why Fitspo Needs To Die
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.
If You Want To Get Clear On Your Fitness Motivation, You Should:
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.
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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LTYB 239: Demystifying Menopause Fitness & Nutrition with Amanda Thebe
LTYB 331: Strength Training & Your Relationship with Exercise
LTYB 334: How Strong Women Can Lift Eachother Up with Molly Galbraith
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.
If You Are Ready To Take A New Approach To Diet and Exercise, You Should:
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.
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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LTYB 342: Fitness Trackers and Listening to Your Body
LTYB 219: How To Lead With Purpose & Positivity with Jill Coleman
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.
If You Want To Allow Yourself Radical Permission, You Should:
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.
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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LTYB 305: Using Body Language To Understand Yourself and Others Better with Tiff Lee
LTYB 298: How to Show Up More Authentically with Grace Edison
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.
If You Want To Live Your Fullest Life You Should:
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.
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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LTYB 335: Breaking the Body Stereotype with Amanda LaCount
LTYB 331: Strength Training & Your Relationship to Exercise
LTYB 302: Finding Joy & Acceptance in Fitness for Every Body with Kanoa Greene
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.
If You Want to Embrace Health at Every Size, You Should:
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.
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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The Anxious Entrepreneurs Podcast
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LTYB 335: Breaking the Body Stereotype with Amanda LaCount
LTYB 314: How To Set Health Goals Beyond the Scale with Steph Dodier
LTYB 273: Opting Out Of Diet Culture with Naomi Katz
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.
If You Are Considering Stopping, Or Starting, Using a Fitness Tracker, You Should:
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.
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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LTYB 336: Bathroom Scale Real Talk You Need To Hear
LTYB 333: Overcoming Fitness Comparison-itis with Craig Zielinski
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.
How to Work Through Negative Body Thoughts
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.
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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LTYB 332: Dealing with Negative Body Image w/ Beauty Redefined
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.
If You Want To Embrace The Benefits of Strength Training, You Should:
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.
“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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LTYB 332: 3 Mistakes Keeping You From Getting Stronger In The Gym
LTYB 331: Strength Training & Your Relationship with Exercise
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.
If You Want To Dig Deeper Into The Problem With ‘Getting in Shape’, You Should:
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.
“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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LTYB 335: Breaking the Body Stereotype with Amanda LaCount
LTYB 324: Is It Wrong To Want To Lose Weight?
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.
If You Want To Encourage Mobility, Representation, and Justice In The Fitness Space, You Should:
Taking Care Of Yourself as a Whole Person
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.
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.
“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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LTYB 327: Getting Back to Exercise Without Feeling Wrecked
LTYB 143: Inclusivity & Social Justice In Health & Fitness with Dr. Tee Williams
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.
If You Are Ready To Reexamine Your Relationship With Food and Your Body, You Should:
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.
“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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LTYB 275: The Anti-Diet Approach to Eating with Evelyn Tribole
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.
If You Are Ready To Get Real With Your Scale You Should:
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.
“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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LTYB 314: How To Set Health Goals Beyond the Scale with Steph Dodier
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.
If You Want To Break The Stereotype You Should:
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.
“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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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
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.
If You Want To Become A Strong Woman Who Lifts Up Other Strong Women, You Should:
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.
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.
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.
“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)
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