I’m Done Making Myself Smaller So Others Feel Comfortable

I’m Done Making Myself Smaller So Others Feel Comfortable

Some weeks don’t call for a bubble bath and a glass of wine, they call for a hard reset. I almost didn’t record, but what came out is one of the most honest conversations I’ve shared on Spandex and Wine: what happens when you realize you’ve been taking care of everyone else and putting yourself last, and how “playing it safe” quietly steals your voice over time.  I talk about the fear behind being careful with opinions, posts, and conversations, especially when you work in wellness and feel like you’re supposed to have everything figured out. After nearly 25 years in the wellness industry, I’ve made mistakes, changed my mind, and learned the hard way that growth requires truth. I’m not here to be reckless or pretend I know everything, but I am here to stop making myself smaller so other people stay comfortable. That mindset shift ties directly into healthy lifestyle habits, boundaries, burnout recovery, and real self-care that goes beyond food and fitness.  We also land on the line I can’t stop thinking about: you can be grateful for where you are while still wanting something different. You can love the life you’ve built and still have the courage to build the next chapter. If you’ve felt pressure to disappear as you get older, or to be a polished version of yourself to keep the peace, consider this your permission slip to want more, speak up, and take up space.  If this hits home, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next, share the episode with a friend, and leave a five-star review to help more women find the show. What’s one place you’re ready to stop playing it safe? Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/spandexandwine] Thanks so much for listening! Get all the info here: LinkTree [https://linktr.ee/spandexandwine] Instagram & Facebook: @spandexandwine Web Site: www.spandexandwine.com

If Your Skin Could Talk, What Would It Say

Your skin might be giving you data, not drama. We’re so used to treating every new rash, breakout, or dry patch like a product problem, but sometimes the real story is happening underneath the surface and your skin is simply the messenger. I walk through how the body’s systems connect in predictable patterns: chronic stress affects sleep, sleep affects food choices, nutrition affects inflammation, and everything downstream can show up on your skin. We dig into the liver’s outsized role in wellness and why issues like jaundice, persistent itching without a rash, spider angiomas, red palms, or easy bruising can be worth a thoughtful conversation with a healthcare provider. We also talk about alcohol in a Spandex and Wine kind of way: moderation matters because your liver matters. From there, we explore skin tags and the research link to insulin resistance, plus what blood sugar imbalance can look like on the skin, including slow wound healing, dryness, texture changes, infections, and dark velvety patches in folds like the neck or underarms. We round it out with the gut-skin axis, explaining why acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea are complex and why “it’s just your gut” is usually too simple. If you’ve been tempted to duct tape over the check engine light with another miracle serum, this conversation brings you back to curiosity, pattern spotting, and whole-body habits. Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share this with a friend who’s trying to make sense of what their skin is saying. Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/spandexandwine] Thanks so much for listening! Get all the info here: LinkTree [https://linktr.ee/spandexandwine] Instagram & Facebook: @spandexandwine Web Site: www.spandexandwine.com

Part 1 - Stop Treating The Sun Like A Villain

We’ve gotten loud, repeated messages about skin: avoid the sun, buy the product, fix the wrinkle. But when I started digging into the connection between sunburn risk, ultra-processed foods, and what we put on our bodies, I realized skin is not a side topic at all. Skin is an organ. It protects you, regulates temperature, keeps you hydrated, and it’s working for you every hour of the day. Once you see it that way, “healthy skin” stops being a vanity goal and starts becoming a whole-body conversation. We talk about sunlight with nuance: yes, UV exposure and sunburn carry real risks, and sunscreen matters. At the same time, your body is designed to respond to light. Morning sunlight supports circadian rhythm, which can influence sleep, hormones, and mood. We also walk through the fascinating biology of vitamin D production, including the often-misunderstood role cholesterol plays in starting that process in the skin before your liver and kidneys finish the job. It’s a great reminder that health is rarely as simple as good vs bad. Then we get practical about sunscreen ingredients and label reading. I break down mineral sunscreen (like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) versus chemical sunscreen, and why questions about absorption and endocrine disruptors have led many of us to look closer at what we’re rubbing on our largest organ. We finish by zooming out to the skin microbiome and the idea that your skin may be reflecting what’s happening inside your body, not just reacting to the outside world, with a preview of next week’s focus on gut, liver, blood sugar, and inflammation. If this sparks curiosity, share it with a friend, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, and leave a five-star review if you think it helps others find the show. Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/spandexandwine] Thanks so much for listening! Get all the info here: LinkTree [https://linktr.ee/spandexandwine] Instagram & Facebook: @spandexandwine Web Site: www.spandexandwine.com

Your Skin Might Be Telling You A Bigger Story

Skin seems simple until you start pulling the thread and suddenly you’re holding a whole library of questions. That’s exactly where we’re going next on Spandex and Wine: beyond “wear sunscreen” and into the surprising ways your skin may connect to what’s happening inside your body.  We’re kicking off a brand-new skin series sparked by a few eyebrow-raising ideas, like whether nutrition and ultra-processed foods might influence how easily you burn, and why a cholesterol-derived compound in your skin helps your body make vitamin D when sunlight hits it. From there, the curiosity grows fast: can your gut affect your skin, does the liver play a bigger role than we realize, and what about blood sugar, sleep, stress, sunlight, and supplements? I’m not here to sell a magic fix or claim every rash has one cause. I want to get curious with you, look at what research suggests, and notice where experts agree and disagree.  Before we get too serious, I share a classic teenage sunburn story featuring baby oil, a lake day, blistered skin, and a Band-Aid removal strategy that still makes me cringe. It’s a funny moment with a real takeaway: we’ve spent years treating skin as “outside only,” but it may be giving us clues about whole-body wellness.  If you’ve dealt with acne, eczema, rosacea, mystery rashes, dry itchy skin, age spots, or stubborn sun damage, come along for the ride. Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share this episode with a friend so we can learn together. Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/spandexandwine] Thanks so much for listening! Get all the info here: LinkTree [https://linktr.ee/spandexandwine] Instagram & Facebook: @spandexandwine Web Site: www.spandexandwine.com

Golden Retrievers, Bourbon Rules, And A Riverfront Rental

The bourbon trail taught me something I didn’t expect: the best “fun facts” stick when they come with a story and a simple way to remember them. After a quick Louisville getaway (yes, I’m learning to say it right), I’m sharing the riverfront house surprise, the porch coffee views with rowing teams and barges, and why Dave and I love traveling for the history behind what we’re tasting.  Then we get practical with a question that comes up all the time: what’s the difference between bourbon and whiskey? I break it down in plain English with an analogy you can repeat at your next happy hour. You’ll learn why every bourbon is whiskey but not every whiskey is bourbon, plus the key bourbon rules like made in the United States, at least 51% corn, and aging in new charred oak barrels with nothing added for flavor or color.  Finally, I’m kicking off a new wellness series that looks beneath the surface, literally. We’re talking skin health as a clue to what’s happening inside your body, including the connections between nutrition and inflammation, highly processed foods and seed oils, liver health, gut health, hormones, stress, sleep, hydration, skincare, and habits. Some of these topics are still being researched and a few may challenge what you’ve always believed, but we’re choosing curiosity over fear so you can make informed decisions that fit your life.  If you like real-life stories mixed with clear wellness takeaways, follow or subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, and if the show helps you, share it with a friend and leave a review. Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/spandexandwine] Thanks so much for listening! Get all the info here: LinkTree [https://linktr.ee/spandexandwine] Instagram & Facebook: @spandexandwine Web Site: www.spandexandwine.com