Your Glutes Are Sleeping: Trainer Sandy Brockman on Strength, Perimenopause, & What Nobody Told Us

Calmness Is Possible: Karena on Retreats, Signs From Above & Surviving a Bear

Welcome back to Tone It Down. Today, Karena sits down with Des fresh off a seven-day Panchakarma retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains and she’s ready to share everything, including the burnout that sent her there, an emotional sign she never expected, and a very close encounter with a bear named Blue Blue. Karena opens up about what it really takes to reset your nervous system, the moment a third-eye treatment gave her an unexpected connection to someone she lost, and how she found her way back to calm. Plus, she answers a listener's question about making the most of a solo retreat. This episode is a reminder that you don't have to wait for burnout to take care of yourself and that calm really is always within reach. HOW DO I FIND MY CALM AGAIN WHEN LIFE FEELS LIKE TOO MUCH? Rest isn't something you have to earn and even the smallest moments of stillness can change everything. Drop your own question at karenadawn.com/message [http://karenadawn.com/message] and you could be featured on the pod! (00:00) Coming Next (00:50) Intro (01:37) What Does It Mean to Lift Heavy? (02:55) The Burnout Before the Breakthrough * Even when life looks good from the outside, it's okay to admit you're overwhelmed and need a reset. * Asking for help and taking the time you need isn't selfish, it's necessary. * Trying something completely new, even when it's outside your comfort zone, can be the doorway to exactly what you need. (10:40) A Sign You Didn't Know You Needed * Slowing down and detoxing isn't just physical, it can open you up emotionally in ways you don't expect. * Grief and connection can show up in the most unexpected, beautiful forms when you make space for stillness. * You don't have to look for closure or connection, sometimes it finds you exactly when you're ready. (15:39) Calm is Closer Than You Think * You don't need a seven-day retreat to feel grounded, even ten minutes of intentional stillness counts. * Bringing a little structure into your day, like a morning routine, can help you feel less lost and more present. * Giving yourself permission to rest, without guilt, is one of the most powerful things you can do. (17:35) Facing Fear and Finding Your Strength * When you're faced with the unexpected, thinking clearly and staying calm can carry you through. * Every challenge you move through, even a scary one, is proof of how capable and resilient you are. * Sometimes the moments that scare us the most are the ones that remind us how strong we really are. (25:34) You Asked: How Do I Get the Most Out of a Solo Retreat? * A little bit of structure, like journaling or movement in the morning, can help you feel connected to your time instead of lost in it. * Give yourself permission to enjoy your time away without guilt, you deserve the space you're taking. * Allow yourself a few days to fully drop in, real rest takes a little time to settle into. Retreat Resources: * Want to experience SoHum for yourself? Use code KARENAPK for $500 off your stay atSoHum Healing Resort (https://www.sohumhealing.com [https://www.sohumhealing.com]) Let's Connect: * Karena Dawn (https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/ [https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/]) * Des (https://www.instagram.com/_deseray/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/_deseray/?hl=en]) * THE BIG SILENCE PODCAST (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-silence/id1607181597 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-silence/id1607181597]) * Join the #1 Fitness App for Women: Tone It Up App (https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-up-app [https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-up-app]) * Tone It Up YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@toneitup/featured [https://www.youtube.com/@toneitup/featured]) * Tone It Up Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/?hl=en])

Stop Letting the Scale Decide Your Day: TIU Celebrity Trainer Jenna Willis

Welcome to this special solo AMA episode of Tone It Down with trainer and TIU fan favorite Jenna Willis. Fresh off the exciting news that she's rejoining the TIU team, Jenna sits down for a candid, high-energy AMA session to answer your biggest questions about fitness, confidence, and what actually works for women's bodies. She opens up about two major moments in her life when she had to start over from scratch, how situational depression brought her back to the gym — and ultimately led her to become a trainer — and why so much of what women have been taught about their bodies is simply wrong. This episode is a straight-talking, deeply empowering reminder that you are not behind, the scale is not the boss of you, and strong is always the goal. This episode is for everyone who needs to stop spinning their wheels and finally feel strong in their body. (00:00) Coming Next (00:54) TIU updated and intro (06:00) Jenna's return to TIU * She shares how she and Karena first connected and why saying yes to TIU was a no-brainer from day one. * Her background in acting, reality TV, and on-camera fitness training is exactly what makes her workouts unlike anything else. (10:56) What starting over actually taught Jenna and what she'd tell you to do * Training for a sport is completely different from training for your everyday body, and most women are never taught the difference. * The single most important thing Jenna did when she hit rock bottom: she followed a plan, hired a trainer, and started strength training for the first time in her life. (15:49) The real answer to your best workout split * Women after 30 lose three to five percent of muscle mass every decade which means strength training is not optional, it is essential. * Three days a week is a solid maintenance baseline, but four days a week is where real, visible change happens. * The best workout split is the one you'll actually do consistently but a foundation of strength is non-negotiable for every woman.. (18:03) The truth about the scale that no one tells you * A scale measures one thing only: your gravitational pull to the earth. It has no idea how much of you is muscle, fat, or water. * Jenna has had clients lose two pounds and 20 inches and that story is why she often tells clients to get rid of their scale entirely. * What actually tells your story: body fat percentage, progress photos, how your clothes fit, and whether you're lifting heavier than you were six weeks ago. (22:56) The honest truth about Pilates, HIIT, and what's right for your body * Strength training is the non-negotiable foundation for every woman, full stop. Everything else builds from there. * HIIT is powerful but for women with PCOS, endometriosis, or perimenopausal symptoms, high-intensity work can spike cortisol and work against you. * Pilates is incredible for mobility, flexibility, and recovery but it is not a catch-all solution for fat loss or muscle building, no matter what the algorithm says. Connect with Jenna: * @msjennawillis on IG (https://www.instagram.com/jennawillis/https://www.instagram.com/msjennawillis/reels/ [https://www.instagram.com/jennawillis/https://www.instagram.com/msjennawillis/reels/]) Let's Connect: * Karena Dawn — @karenadawn on IG (https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/ [https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/]) * THE BIG SILENCE PODCAST (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-silence/id1607181597 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-silence/id1607181597]) * Join the #1 Fitness App for Women: Tone It Up App (https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-up-app [https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-up-app]) * Tone It Up YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@toneitup/featured [https://www.youtube.com/@toneitup/featured]) * Tone It Up Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/?hl=en])

Your Questions, Answered: Lifting Heavy, App Tips & What's Next for TIU

Karena is coming to you solo for a full AMA! She's answering YOUR voicemail and Instagram questions about lifting heavy, building muscle as we age, and how to get the most out of the TIU app. Whether you're brand new to fitness or a longtime TIU girl, this episode is your personal pep talk and practical guide all in one. You are so not alone in these questions and Karena has you covered.  Drop your own question at karenadawn.com/message [http://karenadawn.com/message] and you could be featured on the pod! [00:00] Coming Next [05:49] Karena responds to listener Brooke * Karena breaks down why earlier TIU videos used lighter weights and how her own lifting has evolved since then. * "Heavy" looks different for everyone. Whether you're excited about your first 10-pound dumbbells or pressing 25s, your capacity is valid and worth celebrating. * At 45, Karena is focused on muscle maintenance — curling at 15, rowing at 25, pressing at 15 — because after 40 we lose 1–2% of muscle mass per year. [08:45] Karena on the full picture of fitness * Lifting heavy is only part of the equation. Mobility in your hips and joints is just as critical, especially as we get older together. * Karena's honest reminder: she used to love triathlons. Running, biking, and swimming just aren't right for her anymore. Your fitness is allowed to evolve. * Do what feeds your body and your mind. You'll know the feeling. [10:35] Karena answers app questions from Instagram * Feeling overwhelmed? Every Sunday, TIU posts your full weekly workout schedule — no guesswork, just show up. * Use the workout library to filter by trainer, duration, intensity, and equipment. You can always go off-schedule and do exactly what feels right that day. * The app is for everyone, beginners and experienced athletes alike. You get to choose your own adventure. Let's Connect: * Karena Dawn — @karenadawn on IG (https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/ [https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/]) * THE BIG SILENCE PODCAST (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-silence/id1607181597 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-silence/id1607181597]) * Join the app to Radiate & Rise: Tone It Up App (https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-up-app [https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-up-app]) * Tone It Up YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@toneitup/featured [https://www.youtube.com/@toneitup/featured]) * Tone It Up Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/?hl=en])

Your Glutes Are Sleeping: Trainer Sandy Brockman on Strength, Perimenopause, & What Nobody Told Us

Welcome to episode twenty of Tone It Down. In this conversation, Karena sits down with her personal trainer and strength coach Sandy Brockman. She’s a Women's Health Magazine contributor and the woman behind the Booty by Brockman method. They share a refreshingly honest, laugh-out-loud conversation about how women have been getting fitness wrong for decades. Together, they cover why cardio alone will never be enough, how to finally wake up your glutes, why protein is the cheat code you've been sleeping on, and what strength training has to do with surviving perimenopause with your brain and body intact. Is there a smarter, more efficient way to get stronger and feel better — without working out more? (00:02) Sandy's unconventional path to strength training * At 15, Sandy walked into an all-male weight room with a copy of Muscle & Fitness and never looked back * While the world told women to be thin, Sandy wanted to be strong: powerlifting, gaining weight to compete, eating tuna in her car between sets * That background in male-dominated gyms gave her the knowledge she now uses to finally help women move the needle (06:36) Why strength is the foundation and cardio is overrated * Women are the hardest working people in the gym and often the most inefficient — more cardio is not the answer * You can maintain real strength in just two to three sessions a week, while getting the same cardiovascular benefits without the joint wear * Sandy's benchmark: 30 minutes of endurance, a strong mile, consistent strength work  (16:46) Your glutes are sleeping and it's affecting everything * Glutes are the biggest muscle in your lower body and are supposed to power most of your movement, but most women have switched them off * Dead butt syndrome is real: tight hips and a lifetime of skipping the weight room mean most women have never truly activated their glutes * When the big muscle groups go dormant, hormone levels and mood follow — building them back up changes everything (29:35) Protein, perimenopause & what nobody told us * The formula: 20-25 grams of protein every three hours, five times a day, at least one gram per pound of bodyweight — bodybuilders have known this for decades * Perimenopause can start at 35, and the anxiety, brain fog, and unexplained weight gain are real ( not a sign something is wrong with you) * Lean muscle mass supports hormone production and brain health during this season in ways cardio cannot; strength training is the foundation, and real hormonal support is finally here Connect with Sandy: * Instagram: @sandybrockmanfitness [https://www.instagram.com/sandybrockmanfitness/?hl=en] * Women's Health Six-Week Glute Challenge: womenshealth.com [https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a71050419/glutes-butt-six-week-workout-plan-pdf/] Let's Connect: * Karena Dawn — @karenadawn on IG [https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/] * THE BIG SILENCE PODCAST [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-silence/id1607181597] * Join the app to Radiate & Rise: Tone It Up App [https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-up-app] * Tone It Up YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@toneitup/featured] * Tone It Up Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/?hl=en]

Show Up & Shine: Karena & the TIU Trainers on Living Your Strongest Life

Welcome to a very special live episode of Tone It Down! Karena Dawn is joined by TIU trainers Stef, Chyna, and Jenna Willis, as well as panel members Hannah Aaron Brown and Emily Teachout, for a real, raw, and energizing IRL community workout event. This one is extra special because it's the first live Tone It Up event in nearly a decade and the event is packed with women who have been part of this community for years. From workout routines and protein goals to life mantras and the future of Tone It Up, this episode is a warm, honest, and uplifting reminder that we are always stronger together and that the best is always yet to come. What does it actually look like to show up for yourself — in fitness, in mindset, and in life? (02:01) How to find your personal fitness sweet spot * There is no one-size-fits-all answer, the goal is to tune into what your body is telling you each day and honor that. * Strength training is a game changer not just physically but mentally. It boosts creativity, motivation, and overall happiness. * The most powerful fitness tool you can develop is the ability to know the difference between needing rest and needing to show up. (08:19) Why recovery is just as important as the workout * Recovery is not a setback, it is a non-negotiable part of the process and just as effective as the workout itself. * Pushing your body just far enough to spark change, then giving it space to recover, is the formula for lasting results. * Permission granted! A rest day, a walk, or a gentle stretch is always a win worth celebrating. (16:34) The mantras these trainers actually live by * Start your morning with intention — "I am safe. I am grateful. I am loved. I am love." Set the tone before the day sets it for you. * Remind yourself daily that all things are working together for your good. This single belief can shift your entire perspective no matter what is happening around you. * Keep it simple and keep it powerful: "I am worthy" is enough. Say it, mean it, and let it carry you forward. (20:30) What is coming next for Tone It Up * More live community events are in the works and this is just the beginning! The TIU girls are coming to a city near you. * The full protein and nutrition line is being reworked and relaunched and yes, your favorite flavors are coming back. * As Karena says, "We just need each other and support and from there, life is amazing." Let's Connect: * Karena Dawn — @karenadawn on IG (https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/ [https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/]) * Stef — @stefcorgel on IG (https://www.instagram.com/stefcorgel/ [https://www.instagram.com/stefcorgel/]) * Chyna Rae — @chynaraeee on IG (https://www.instagram.com/chynaraeee/ [https://www.instagram.com/chynaraeee/]) * Jenna Willis — @msjennawillis on IG (https://www.instagram.com/msjennawillis/ [https://www.instagram.com/msjennawillis/]) * Hannah Aaron Brown — @hannahaaronbrown on IG (https://www.instagram.com/hannahaaronbrown/ [https://www.instagram.com/hannahaaronbrown/]) * Emily Teachout — @emilyteachout on IG (https://www.instagram.com/emilyteachout/ [https://www.instagram.com/emilyteachout/]) * THE BIG SILENCE PODCAST (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-silence/id1607181597 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-silence/id1607181597]) * Join the app to Radiate & Rise: Tone It Up App (https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-up-app [https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-up-app]) * Tone It Up YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@toneitup/featured [https://www.youtube.com/@toneitup/featured]) * Tone It Up Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/?hl=en])