The Fitness Insider

Episode 56: Signs you’re not getting a good night’s sleep and how to improve it. Dr. Leigha Saunders, naturopathic doctor specializing in sleep & hormones

Welcome to episode 56! Today’s episode is centered around something quite elusive to me right now— SLEEP. Naturopathic doctor Dr. Leigha Saunders joins me to share her knowledge and expertise on how to get a good night’s sleep and why it’s vital to our health and wellbeing. She shares all kinds of tips, and even has her own sleep course called the Sleep Fix, which you can take advantage of (special code!) if you love the episode and want to learn more. My husband and I welcomed our first baby just one month ago, and we’re so in love. With a newborn in our home comes very little and broken sleep, so this is a particularly ironic time to be releasing this episode about sleep. Will we ever sleep again? You tell me. :) Enjoy the episode! In this episode, we talk about: * how Dr. Saunders became an ND and why she specializes in sleep * why sleep is important to our health + main stages of sleep * signs that we’re not getting the rest we need and common sleep hygiene concerns * how to fix sleep disturbances + what we can do during the day to improve sleep at night * the ideal sleep environment * & more All about Dr. Leigha Saunders: Dr. Leigha Saunders is a naturopathic doctor obsessed with all things sleep. In her waking hours, you can find her on a mission to help other women gain energy, balance their mood, regulate hormones and sleep deep at night - particularly as they navigate hormone changes from PMS to menopause. Her goal is to help women reclaim their rest so they can do what sets their soul on fire during the day. Leigha’s ultimate mission is to help women chase their dreams, not exhaustion! Outside of work, you can find Leigha on her paddle board, under one of her mom’s homemade quilts with a coffee or tea (depending on the time of day, of course!), soaking in her hot tub or playing fire rescue with her son. Where to find Dr. Leigha: https://www.instagram.com/drleighasaundersnd/ [https://www.instagram.com/drleighasaundersnd/]https://leighasaundersnd.com/ [https://leighasaundersnd.com/]https://thesleepfix.com/sleepnow [https://thesleepfix.com/sleepnow] (use code fitnessinsider for 10% off) Today’s episode sponsors: Highland Park Housekeeping. https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/ [https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/] code NATALIE15 for 15% off your service. Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fitness-insider/id1485908967#see-all/reviews].If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/thefitnessinsiderpodcast/] oh and also here @thatfoodiegir [https://www.instagram.com/thatfoodiegirl/]l --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefitnessinsider/support [https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefitnessinsider/support]

Episode 55: Diet Culture in The Fitness Industry. Sarah Hackwith & Lara Days, fitness pros and holistic health coaches

Welcome to episode 55! This is our first episode with not one but TWO fun guests, Sarah Hackwith and Lara Days. We talk about diet culture and fat phobia in the fitness industry. Both Sarah and Lara are fitness professionals and health coaches, so they bring a great perspective on what the rhetoric is like inside the gyms and how we need to change it. This episode is real, entertaining and informative. It’s a great one for anyone who loves fitness classes, going to the gym, fitness trainers, studio owners and everyone in between. In this episode, we talk about: * the diet culture rhetoric + their honest thoughts about it * how this “talk” can be hurting people * how trainers/owners can shift the conversation and make it more positive + healthy * whether it’s “ok” to work out for aesthetic reasons * & more All about Sarah & Lara: Sarah Hackwith has been a mover and a shaker since before she could walk! After majoring in Ballet & Modern Dance at TCU, she moved to New York City to become a professional dancer and shortly after, transitioned to working in fitness. Over the past 10 years in the industry, she's taught everything from indoor cycling to trampoline rebounding to strength classes and Reformer Pilates. Sarah is also a certified Health Coach through the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, and is passionate about helping women step into their personal power as they heal their relationship to food and their bodies. At the end of the day, Sarah is currently most excited to continue helping other fitness professional increase their awareness about creating inclusive, safe, educational spaces for all bodies and humans. Lara Days is a certified nutrition coach, personal trainer, yoga instructor, and sports nutritionist who is on a mission to dismantle the diet industry and empower people to live their happiest, healthiest, most confident lives. Lara focuses on helping you improve your mindset, unlearn your past conditioning, and trust your body so that you can find food freedom, ditch diet culture, and step into your power. Where to find Sarah & Lara: * https://www.instagram.com/sarahhacks/ [https://www.instagram.com/sarahhacks/] * https://www.sarahhackwith.com/ [https://www.sarahhackwith.com/] * https://www.instagram.com/lara.days/ [https://www.instagram.com/lara.days/] * https://www.laraelizabethcoaching.com/ [https://www.laraelizabethcoaching.com/] Today’s episode sponsors: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ [https://blenderbombs.com/] use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order. Highland Park Housekeeping. https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/ [https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/] code NATALIE15 for 15% off your service. Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fitness-insider/id1485908967#see-all/reviews]. If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/thefitnessinsiderpodcast/] oh and also here @thatfoodiegir [https://www.instagram.com/thatfoodiegirl/]l --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefitnessinsider/support [https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefitnessinsider/support]

Episode 54: Juice vs Smoothie: which one is better for you? Megan Lyons, holistic nutritionist

Have you ever wondered whether a juice or a smoothie is healthier for you? Same. Episode 54 is all about juice and smoothies and which one reigns supreme with holistic nutritionist Megan Lyons. She’s been on the podcast before (episode 36) [https://anchor.fm/thefitnessinsider/episodes/Episode-36-Megan-Lyons--board-certified-holistic-nutritionist--on-why-blood-sugar-levels-matter-ev9q5n] and she’s extremely knowledgable about the ins and outs of nutrition and what smoothies and juices are doing for our health—the good and the not so great. Be sure to tune in to find out which one we both prefer! In this episode, we talk about: * Megan Lyon’s background as a holistic nutritionist * pros and cons of juice (and why) * benefits and downfalls of a smoothie * the ideal formula for a smoothie and juice * juice v smoothie: which one wins? * & more All about Megan: Megan Lyons has shared her game-changing approach to wellness with thousands of people through personalized health coaching, corporate and group wellness programs, and motivational and educational speaking. As founder and owner of The Lyons Share Wellness, she’s deeply passionate about inspiring others to feel their healthiest and happiest. Megan received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.  She is also a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, has a Masters in Holistic Nutrition from Hawthorn University, and is Board Certified as a Holistic Nutritionist. She lectures widely at hospitals, corporations, and organizations.  When she’s not health coaching, you can find her doing all types of workouts, cooking, reading, traveling, and cheering on the Dallas Mavericks.  She currently lives in Dallas with her husband, Kevin, and adorable dogs, Maverick and Riley. Where to find Whitney: * www.instagram.com/thelyonsshare [http://www.instagram.com/thelyonsshare] * www.thelyonsshare.org [http://www.thelyonsshare.org/] * Magic smoothie formula: https://www.thelyonsshare.org/2018/03/26/healthy-smoothie-ingredients/ [https://www.thelyonsshare.org/2018/03/26/healthy-smoothie-ingredients/] * Wellness Your Way podcast: https://www.thelyonsshare.org/wellness-your-way-podcast/ [https://www.thelyonsshare.org/wellness-your-way-podcast/] Today’s episode sponsors: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ [https://blenderbombs.com/] use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order. Highland Park Housekeeping. https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/ [https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/] code NATALIE15 for 15% off your service. Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fitness-insider/id1485908967#see-all/reviews]. If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/thefitnessinsiderpodcast/] oh and also here @thatfoodiegir [https://www.instagram.com/thatfoodiegirl/]l --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefitnessinsider/support [https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefitnessinsider/support]

Episode 53: Postpartum: what it’s really like. Whitney Rowell, founder of Miracle Milkookies

And we’re back with episode 53! This is a topic that is especially relevant for me— about to have a baby and enter the “4th trimester”, aka postpartum time. Today’s guest is a friend of mine, Whitney Rowell, founder of Miracle Milkookies, cookies that are designed to boost supplies for breastfeeding mamas. In this episode, Whitney talks all about postpartum: the good, the bad and the ugly. This is the perfect episode for expecting parents (moms AND dads), couples trying to conceive and even family members and friends who want to support the new moms in their lives a little better. Hope you enjoy! In this episode, we talk about: * Miracle Milkookies & what it’s all about * postpartum life and how the attention/support is focused on prenatal, not really postpartum * how to better prepare for postpartum * exercise during postpartum * signs of PPD and PPA * awesome resources (products, books, etc) * & more All about Whitney: Whitney is a mother, wife, and passionate entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of Miracle Milkookies, a company designed to give mamas everywhere a little boost. She’s also the co-founder of Collective Thirty One, an invitation only platform that provides a source of community, inspiration, career intel, and support for local female entrepreneurs. During the beginning of the COVID lockdown, Whitney and two friends co-founded HerStory, a highly curated online marketplace and pop-up retail company designed to support female founded small-businesses around the globe. Whitney is also founder and host of the podcast, Message From Mom. Where to find Whitney: * https://www.instagram.com/whitneywrowell/ [https://www.instagram.com/whitneywrowell/] * https://www.instagram.com/miraclemilkookies/ [https://www.instagram.com/miraclemilkookies/] * Message From Mom pod: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/message-from-mom/id1459783431 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/message-from-mom/id1459783431] * https://miraclemilkookies.com/ [https://miraclemilkookies.com/] * postpartum resources: https://bymomformom.com/the-top-4th-trimester-products-resources-recommended-by-mom/ [https://bymomformom.com/the-top-4th-trimester-products-resources-recommended-by-mom/] Today’s episode sponsors: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ [https://blenderbombs.com/] use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order. Highland Park Housekeeping. https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/ [https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/] code NATALIE15 for 15% off your service. Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fitness-insider/id1485908967#see-all/reviews]. If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/thefitnessinsiderpodcast/] oh and also here @thatfoodiegir [https://www.instagram.com/thatfoodiegirl/]l --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefitnessinsider/support [https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefitnessinsider/support]

Episode 52: Fitness: how it looks in your 20s, 30s, 40s, etc. Debi Lofstrand, fitness trainer

Hi friends! Welcome to episode 52. This episode centers around a subject that was requested—along with with a highly requested guest, Debi Lofstrand, a fitness trainer and health and lifestyle coach based in Dallas, TX. She couldn’t be a better person to talk about fitness as it changes through our lifespans, as she is fitness goals (about to turn 50) and her accent is also just so fun to listen to. :) She has lots of knowledge in fitness, nutrition, and her realistic approach is very reassuring. We can be strong at any age, no matter how our routines change and evolve. In this episode, we talk about: * how your fitness routine may change over your lifespan * how to embrace your new goals & routine * how to know when it’s time to pivot (when your routine is too much or too little) * her favorite sustainable workouts and tips on how to keep moving * her thoughts on fitness trackers (apple watch, oura ring, etc) * & more All about Debi: Debi was born & raised in South Africa. She was always active in sports growing up but entered into group fitness classes in her high school years and has never looked back. Debi got married and had her 4 children in South Africa before moving to Dallas, TX after winning the online green card lottery in 2009. She’s been in Dallas for 12 years and loves Texas. Debi got into personal training in the US (studied through NASM) & during Covid she continued her studies to become a nutrition coach. All in all, Debi loves helping people live their best lives and she knows that starts with good habits that cover mind & body elements. She believes that delving deeper into what drives us and why we do things will help us to make more consistent & lasting lifestyle changes especially as we come through these past few trying years and learn to not be so hard on ourselves. Her motto for 2022 is ….Love harder & Be still. Where to find Debi: * https://www.instagram.com/debijanefit/ [https://www.instagram.com/debijanefit/] * https://www.facebook.com/debijanefit [https://www.facebook.com/debijanefit] * https://www.facebook.com/debi.lofstrand [https://www.facebook.com/debi.lofstrand] Today’s episode sponsor: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ [https://blenderbombs.com/] use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order. Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fitness-insider/id1485908967#see-all/reviews]. If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/thefitnessinsiderpodcast/] oh and also here @thatfoodiegir [https://www.instagram.com/thatfoodiegirl/]l --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefitnessinsider/support [https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefitnessinsider/support]