Men in Women's Health Research & Specialist Coaches

The Embodiment Illusion

This week Michelle shares insights from a PhD viva she recently attended exploring body image in college athletes. One concept that sparked our interest was embodiment—the idea of feeling connected to, trusting, and experiencing your body rather than simply viewing it as something to be controlled or changed. What started as a discussion about research quickly turned into a wider conversation about the fitness industry and the messages we see online every day. We explore whether some of the people held up as examples of positive body image and embodiment are actually demonstrating the opposite. How often are coaches and trainers praised for their physiques while quietly engaging in restrictive eating, obsessive exercise, body surveillance, or unsustainable behaviours behind the scenes? We discuss the tension between appearance and experience, the difference between looking confident in your body and genuinely feeling at home in it, and whether social media has blurred the line between embodiment and aesthetics.

Why Exercise Isn't Medicine

This week we dive into a statement that sparked a surprisingly big discussion: "Exercise is medicine." Inspired by a paper Michelle came across, we explore whether this popular phrase is actually helpful or whether it oversimplifies something far more complex. We discuss why exercise can improve health outcomes across countless conditions, but also why comparing it to medicine might miss the social, psychological, cultural, and practical realities that influence movement and behaviour. As always, expect plenty of tangents, a few rants, some questionable humour, and honest conversation about what it really means to help people move more. Is exercise medicine? Is it something more? Or have we been framing the conversation all wrong? Tune in and let us know what you think.

Babies, Bladder Leaks in Sport & Mindful Dieting

We're back! This week on the pod we're talking about the research looking at women in sport and leaking, why people feel the need to ask when women are having children, and if it's ever possible to mindfully diet. PARTICIPATE IN CHLOE'S STUDIES Study information [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=2rIgA90iq02MIW5kS6FPE8-N49INzd5FnPEyR-izBBFUMkhQM0FRN0JWTlU3WVJSNFlTQ1IyVzBYTC4u&fbclid=PAdGRleARJ5kxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAadznEruVarttAVBQvq-VG46gyKH7BPdVtCXCPvlLs8x9YIi7k8dokel2ZH_Dg_aem_qkA_WDo7-D1jBlhUSIhUcg&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn9IRQ_JNCFLyb0pXBh_bqEiSDyhVjX5VkvmAi-6uMBbFQX-WfNT3txE-moes_aem_1mZEdVi2RmKasMOohBPKuw] FOLLOW US ON IG @chloelewisphysio [https://www.instagram.com/chloelewisphysio/] @michellecarroll1 [https://www.instagram.com/michellecarroll1/]

PMOS, Paid Features & the Women’s Health Industry

From the PCOS to PMOS name change to the reality of who coaching actually serves, this episode dives into the growing gap between online wellness culture and frontline healthcare. We talk about access, privilege, the demographics often excluded from the ‘optimised health’ conversation, being asked to pay thousands to write a so-called magazine feature, and the wider commercialisation of women’s health — with plenty of side rants along the way.

Rethinking Prolapse, Rehab and Return to Lifting with Marianna from MPowered Fitness

Marianna’s story is one so many women will recognise. After developing pelvic organ prolapse following the birth of her son in 2017, she found herself navigating not just symptoms, but fear, conflicting advice, and a lack of support to return to lifting and running. That experience led her to retrain as a PT and become the coach she needed. In this episode we challenge some uncomfortable truths. How much of the struggle with prolapse is the condition itself, and how much is the messaging around it? Are clinicians and coaches too risk-averse? Why does the system focus on rehab but fail to get women back to performance? And are women being unnecessarily held back from lifting heavy and running? We also discuss the perinatal industry, the rise of “specialists,” and what many coaches still get wrong when working with women in pregnancy and postpartum. Marianna now runs Mpowered Fitness, supporting women through motherhood and beyond, and was awarded the 2025 Active Pregnancy Foundation Pre & Postnatal Instructor of the Year. If you’ve ever been told to stop because of your pelvic floor, this episode is for you.