Being Human with Leana Deeb

By Leana Deeb & Pursuit Network

Hi, my name is Leana Deeb, and this is the space I wish existed when I was growing up, finding myself, and figuring out who I truly wanted to be.

We all go through seasons of growth and realignment, ... more

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FAQs about Being Human with Leana Deeb:

How many episodes does Being Human with Leana Deeb have?

The podcast currently has 25 episodes available.

Being Human with Leana Deeb episodes:

September 17, 2026 Iskra Lawrence on Body Confidence, Rebuilding Herself, and Financial Freedom
In this episode, Leana sits down with Iskra Lawrence, model, mental health advocate, and founder of Saltair, one of the fastest-growing body care brands in the country.
Iskra takes it back to growing up in a small town in England, entering a modeling competition at 12, and being watched by agencies through puberty while her changing body was treated like a problem. She opens up about developing an eating disorder, being told she was too curvy for straight-size modeling and too small for plus-size modeling, and the breaking point when she realized she was never the problem. The industry was.
She shares how she rebuilt her sense of self through affirmations, began pitching herself directly to brands at 19, and eventually created a career on her own terms.
Iskra also gets candid about losing herself postpartum during the pandemic, unexpectedly losing her Aerie contract, and how a five-minute shower became the inspiration for Saltair. She breaks down why she still does not take a salary from the company, why she prioritizes long-term financial security over a luxurious lifestyle, and what it means to build generational wealth.
Leana and Iskra also talk about motherhood, ambition, being the breadwinner in a marriage, finding a partner without ego, and why having a successful career does not mean having everything perfectly together.
Leana and Iskra get into:
→ Entering the modeling industry at 12 years old
→ Being told she was too curvy, too commercial, and too womanly at 14
→ Developing an eating disorder while trying to control her body
→ Being rejected by plus-size agencies for being too small
→ Realizing she was never the problem, the industry was
→ Cattle calls, rejection, comparison, and body dysmorphia
→ Using mirror affirmations to rebuild her self-worth
→ Why women are taught to view attractiveness as currency
→ Pitching herself directly to brands at 19
→ Her dad eventually quitting his job to work alongside her
→ Loving pregnancy but completely losing herself postpartum
→ Losing her milk supply during the formula shortage
→ The five-minute shower that inspired Saltair
→ Losing her Aerie contract and feeling disposable again
→ Why owning her own company gave her control over her future
→ Faith, ambition, and her “why not me?” mindset
→ Why she does not take a salary from Saltair
→ Moving to New York with $15,000 and living with five models in a one-bedroom apartment
→ Choosing future financial security over luxury today
→ Why women need to talk more openly about money
→ Her goal of retiring her parents and creating generational wealth
→ Redefining what success actually looks like
→ Motherhood, dishes in the sink, missed workouts, and giving herself grace
→ Being the breadwinner in her marriage
→ Finding a partner without ego
→ Writing letters about things that felt too difficult to say out loud
“At that breaking point, I realized I was never the problem. The industry was the problem.” — Iskra Lawrence
TOPICS DISCUSSED
(00:00) Preview + Intro
(01:22) Starting Modeling at 12 Years Old
(03:20) Developing an Eating Disorder in the Modeling Industry
(08:02) Body Dysmorphia, Mental Health & Rebuilding Self-Worth
(12:33) Postpartum Identity Loss & Finding Herself Again
(14:32) How Saltair Was Born
(17:24) Moving to Austin & Stepping Away From Her Old Life
(18:56) Losing Her Aerie Contract & Feeling Disposable Again
(23:13) Faith, God & the “Why Not Me?” Mindset
(26:31) Building Saltair Without Taking a Founder Salary
(30:35) Money, Sacrifice & Building Long-Term Financial Security
(34:27) Redefining What Success Actually Means
(37:42) The Reality of “Doing It All” as a Working Mom
(41:31) Being the Breadwinner in Her Marriage
(43:43) Communication, Partnership & Writing Each Other Letters
(47:45) What Does It Mean to Be Human?
Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod
Stay connected with Iskra Lawrence:
Instagram: @iskra / @saltair
TikTok: @iskra / @saltairbody
Thank you to our sponsors!
Go to curehydration.com/Leana and get 20% off your first order with promo code LEANA.
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49min
September 11, 2026 The Truth On Modesty, Feminism, and Oppression
In this solo episode, Leana says the things she has been sitting on for a while. She opens up about the plastic surgery trend taking over social media, why she thinks it is dangerous for women to project it onto each other, and the moment she realized getting her lips done at 18 was never going to fill the gap she was trying to fill.
From there she gets into feminism and whether it actually makes room for every woman, what the conversation around Afghanistan gets wrong about Islam, and why she believes covering up gave her power back rather than taking it away. She talks openly about being a former hardcore feminist who thought the hijab was oppressive, and what changed.
She closes with the softer half of the conversation: why beauty is something God loves, and the everyday habits that make her feel most in tune with her feminine.
Leana gets into:
→ The plastic surgery trend on social media and why she felt she had to speak on it → Why this is not a jab at women who have had work done, but at women projecting it onto others → The money argument: what a surgery budget could do as an investment instead → God designing you uniquely and what it means to change that → Picking apart your face and body even when nothing is wrong with either → Getting her lips done at 18 and the cycle of wanting to keep going → Why you will never feel enough externally if you do not feel enough internally → What feminism actually fought for, and what subjective feminism has become → Whether feminism accepts every woman regardless of what she chooses for her body → Afghanistan, Iran and forced hijab, and why she does not stand with it → Covering the eyes is not in scripture, and extremist groups do not represent Islam → Education, business and why a woman's money is her money in Islam → Why showing your body to be accepted might be its own form of oppression → Knowing exactly what attention her old clothes were bringing her → How covering up felt like taking her power back → Head covering in Islam, Christianity and Judaism, and why modesty is not male centered → Mary, peace be upon her, and living in alignment with the women of that time → Studying the Quran, the Bible and the Old Testament side by side → Why every person practicing a faith believes theirs is the truth → Being okay with being disliked and living in your truth anyway → Letting go of attachment to this worldly life → Why beauty is loved by God and does not need to be hidden from yourself → Her full list of habits for feeling feminine: natural fibers, skincare, cleanliness, food, movement, and getting ready for no one but you
"If you don't feel enough inside, you're never going to feel enough externally, even if you get the work done." - Leana Deeb

TOPICS DISCUSSED
(0:00) Intro and What We Are Covering Today
(0:38) The Plastic Surgery Trend That Inspired This Episode
(1:54) What That Money Could Do Instead
(2:32) Didn't God Design You Beautifully?
(3:29) Why It Is Never Enough
(4:07) Getting My Lips Done at 18
(4:45) Where Are the Feminists?
(5:42) Forced Hijab Is Not Islam
(6:20) Education, Business and a Woman's Money
(8:01) Is Showing Your Body to Be Accepted the Real Oppression?
(8:58) I Used to Be the Biggest Man Hater
(10:16) How Covering Up Gave Me My Power Back
(10:54) Head Covering in Islam, Christianity and Judaism
(11:13) Mary, Peace Be Upon Her, and the Veil
(12:48) Everyone Believes Their Faith Is the Truth
(14:04) It Is Okay to Be Disliked
(15:01) Not Being Attached to This Worldly Life
(15:58) God Created Beauty and God Loves Beauty
(16:36) Habits to Feel In Tune With Your Feminine
(22:37) Outro

Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod
Thank you to our sponsors!
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25min
September 03, 2026 Lean Beef Patty on Eating Disorder Recovery, Identity & the Reality of Social Media
In this episode, Leana sits down with Patty — known online as Lean Beef Patty — one of the most recognisable women in the fitness space. But this conversation goes far beyond fitness. Patty opens up about her journey through an eating disorder, losing her identity after quitting gymnastics, navigating social media without losing herself, and why she still drives the same Prius. She is funny, refreshingly self-aware, and genuinely one of a kind — and this episode captures all of it.
This one is for every woman who has ever felt like she lost herself and had to figure out who she was all over again.
Leana and Patty get into:
→ How Lean Beef Patty got her name — and why it was actually the runner-up option
→ Growing up doing gymnastics for 12 years and what that level of structure did to her identity
→ The period after quitting gymnastics where she felt completely lost and without purpose
→ Her experience with an eating disorder — what it felt like, how it started, and the long road to getting help
→ Why she tried to trick her therapists — and what finally made her decide she actually wanted to get better
→ How losing her gymnastics identity led to self-punishment and what eventually helped her let it go
→ Her psychology degree, why she did not need it — and why she is still glad she went to school
→ What it was like going to the gym for the first time and how her relationship with training has shifted now that it is her job
→ How she navigates mental health as a public figure — and why she rarely talks to friends about how she is feeling
→ Her morning habits, walking, and why keeping a routine is the foundation of her mental peace
→ Why she lives simply, still drives the same car, and genuinely does not care about material things
→ Her take on success — and why the answer is peace, not money or status
→ Baggy clothes, not wanting to be looked at, and the difference between self-validation and seeking outside validation
→ Boundaries, small friend groups, and how she learned to stop communicating with anger
→ Her thoughts on God, religion, guilt, and where she stands with faith right now
→ Her clothing brand Lean Beef Tees and the cow painting that started it all
→ What it means to be human — and why her answer is simply: raw
"To be human is to be raw. Just being yourself. Whatever that is." — Lean Beef Patty
TOPICS DISCUSSED
(00:00) Intro & How Lean Beef Patty Got Her Name
(01:43) Growing Up on a Farm, Gymnastics & Her Family
(08:39) Going to the Gym for the First Time & How Her Relationship with Training Has Changed
(12:58) Her Eating Disorder — What Happened & The Road to Getting Help
(18:47) Losing Her Identity After Gymnastics & Finding Herself Again
(22:35) Mental Health Practices, Meditation & Walking
(25:14) Faith, God & Her Relationship with Religion
(29:35) Her Clothing Brand, Painting Cows & Tapping Into Her Inner Child
(40:35) Living Simply, The Same Prius & Why She Does Not Care About Materialism
(42:51) What Success & Peace Actually Mean to Her
(44:54) Social Media, Boundaries & Her Small Circle of Friends
(53:18) Baggy Clothes, Validation & Not Wanting to Be Looked At
(55:40) What It Means to Be Human
Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod
Stay connected with Lean Beef Patty:
Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @leanbeefpatty
Shop: leanbeeftees.com
Thank you to our sponsors!
use code LEANA for 15% off the Premium Starter Kit at https://BranchBasics.com
Go to https://curehydration.com/code and get 20% off your first order with promo code LEANA.
Head over to https://Superpower.com and use code LEANA for $20 off your $199 Superpower membership

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57min
August 27, 2026The Habits That Made Me More Disciplined
In this solo episode, Leana gets into one of the topics she lives by — discipline and how to actually stick to your word. Not the aesthetic version of discipline you see online, but the real, practical, day-by-day habits that have changed how she shows up in her work, her training, her relationships, and her relationship with herself. She shares the exact systems, mindset shifts, and daily habits that took her from someone who consistently fell off track to someone who genuinely commits to herself — and keeps that commitment.

This one is for every woman who knows what she needs to do but keeps getting in her own way.

Leana gets into:
Why committing to yourself changes everything — including your confidence and your aura

How to build a daily plan that actually works using Google Calendar and the five daily prayers as anchors

Why a consistent sleep and wake schedule is more important than how many hours you get

The night routine that tells your body it is time to rest — and why scrolling before bed is working against you

Why picking up your phone first thing in the morning spikes your cortisol and sets your whole day back

The apps she uses to lock her phone and protect her focus — Opal and Brick

How to set up your environment so that good habits are easier than bad ones

Eating as a non-negotiable — why your food directly affects your mood, your energy, and your habits

Work blocks, doing the hardest task first, and how to structure your day for real progress

How affirmations rebuilt her relationship with herself when she did not even like who she was

The 10 rapid-fire habits that will change your life

Why natural fiber clothing — linen, cotton, hemp, bamboo — actually affects how you feel in your body

Praying your prayers on time as the foundation everything else is built around

Why negotiating with yourself is the fastest way to lose respect for yourself

Learning the scripture of your faith and why it brings a different kind of peace and purpose to your days
"When I made the decision to commit to myself, everything started flowing. I started to feel less stressed, less overly anxious. All it took was a little bit of attention to where I'm going wrong." — Leana Deeb
TOPICS DISCUSSED
(00:00) Intro — What Discipline Actually Looks Like
(01:14) Starting With a Plan — Google Calendar, Prayer Times & Structuring Your Day
(04:00) Sleep Schedules, Night Routines & Why Scrolling Before Bed Is Hurting You
(06:30) Morning Routines & Why Your Phone Is the Worst Way to Start the Day
(08:30) Food, Energy & Why What You Eat Drives Everything Else
(10:30) Work Blocks, Doing the Hardest Task First & Finding Your Purpose
(13:00) Preparation & Systems — How to Actually Stay Consistent at the Gym
(14:30) Mindset, Affirmations & Building a Relationship With Yourself
(16:00) 10 Rapid-Fire Habits That Will Change Your Life
(18:00) Natural Fiber Clothing, Prayer on Time & Learning Your Scripture

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod

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22min
August 22, 2026George Heaton on Discipline, Doubt & the Real Cost of Success
In this episode, Leana sits down with George Heaton — founder of Represent, one of the leading luxury streetwear brands in the world, built from a bedroom operation printing t-shirts for friends into a 15-year global business. George opens up about losing himself in his early 20s, the trademark dispute that nearly took the brand down, going nearly two years without knowing if Represent would survive, and why he still lives with doubt every single day despite everything he's built.
This one is for anyone building something from nothing, anyone questioning whether discipline can really be taught, and anyone wondering what's actually on the other side of "overnight success."
George and Leana get into:
Looking in the mirror and not recognizing himself in his early 20s, and what pulled him back

Why he avoided being the face of his own brand for years, and what it took to build that confidence

Falling in love with art through his brother, and how a leadership video game unexpectedly shaped his approach to business

Printing his first t-shirts and never having a plan B

Building Represent with his brother for five years before it was even a real company

Writing the brand's mission statement around quality and family — and why "the best product" always came before margin

The trademark dispute that put the brand's entire future at risk, and living for two years not knowing if it would survive

Losing hope daily during that period, but never stopping training — and using it as fuel instead

His mother's influence and the quiet pressure of never wanting to let her down

Believing in himself over any higher power, and how that differs from Leana's own journey into faith

Their contrasting views on God, karma, the afterlife, and where meaning actually comes from

His actual daily routine — from 5:30am wake-ups in the UK to running a business across two time zones now

Why he dislikes the word "sacrifice" and prefers to think of it as leverage

Treating discipline like a muscle — hard to build, easy to maintain once it's there

Loneliness in the early years, and choosing to pour that energy into the brand instead of filling the void elsewhere

Cutting off friendships and relationships that didn't align with where he was going

How the 24/7 product line and Represent's activewear side actually started — almost by accident, during COVID

Redefining success beyond money — health, freedom, and being able to take care of the people around him

Living on minimum wage for the brand's first ten years, and staying at his parents' house until 27

Comparison, competition, and why he actively looks for someone "on his tail" to stay sharp

What it means to lead a creative team without controlling every decision

His closing answer to Leana's recurring question: what does it mean to be human?
"If you're at rock bottom and you don't know what to do with yourself, the first thing you can do is work on you." — George Heaton
TOPICS DISCUSSED
(00:00) — Intro: Meeting George Heaton & Represent
(01:39) — Building the Confidence to Be the Face of the Brand
(12:35) — Mass Appeal vs. Exclusivity & Protecting the Brand's Identity
(18:00) — Fitness, Resilience & Building a Culture Around Discipline
(25:14) — Faith, God, Karma & the Afterlife
(39:19) — Moving Countries, Chasing a Feeling & Building a Life Outside the UK
(42:13) — Legacy, Leadership & Staying Ahead of a Changing Industry
(53:24) — Ten Years on Minimum Wage & Redefining What Success Means
(58:24) — Creative Control, Team Culture & Trusting His People
(01:02:43) — Patience, Standards & the Rules That Run the Brand
Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod
Stay connected with George Heaton:
Instagram: @georgeheaton
Brand: @representclo

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1h 9min
August 13, 2026Self-Sabotage, Self-Forgiveness & Why the Way You Talk to Yourself Is Everything
In this solo episode, Leana gets into one of the most relatable struggles she has faced — self-sabotage. She opens up about how she used to let one mistake spiral into losing all her progress, dropping every habit, and going completely off track. This episode is her honest reflection on what it actually takes to break that cycle and why the way you speak to yourself when things go wrong is everything.
This one is for every woman who has ever let one bad day turn into a bad week, a bad month, or a reason to give up entirely.
Leana gets into:
What self-sabotage actually looks like and why it keeps so many of us stuck

Why it is okay to mess up — and why staying in that feeling is where the real problem begins

The difference between suppressing your emotions and actually sitting with them

Why God can forgive us but we struggle to forgive ourselves

How to talk to yourself after a mistake the way you would talk to someone you love

Journaling as a tool for self-awareness — and how to make it actually productive

The five daily practices that keep her grounded: journal, pray, eat clean, learn, and train

Why self-sabotage and consistency are so deeply connected

The power of envisioning who you are five years from now — and starting to act like her today

Why recognizing your worth changes everything about how you show up

Living with the awareness that God is watching — and how that makes discipline easier

A reminder that even in your lowest moments, you are making more progress than you think
"Deep down, you already are her. It's just maybe a little bit of work that is needed to get there — but I'm confident in the fact that you will get there." — Leana Deeb
TOPICS DISCUSSED
(00:00) Intro & What Self-Sabotage Really Is
(01:30) Why One Mistake Does Not Have to Ruin Your Progress
(03:00) Sitting With Your Feelings Instead of Suppressing Them
(04:30) Why We Can't Forgive Ourselves the Way God Forgives Us
(06:00) How to Speak to Yourself After a Mistake
(07:30) Journaling for Self-Awareness & Growth
(09:00) The Five Daily Practices: Journal, Pray, Eat Clean, Learn & Train
(10:30) Envisioning Your Future Self & Embodying Her Now
(12:00) Recognizing Your Worth & Rooting for Yourself

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod

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16min
August 06, 2026Sara Saffari on God, Grief & Finding Purpose
In this episode, Leana sits down with Sara Saffari — one of the biggest fitness creators in the space, known for her humor, her honesty, and her ability to stay completely true to herself on camera. Sarah opens up about the DM that changed everything, the eating disorder she struggled with at 21, losing her father at six years old, and why she's never once had a content plan in four-plus years of posting.
This one is for anyone building an audience without a strategy, anyone who's ever felt insecure while still showing up, and anyone quietly carrying grief they've never fully unpacked.
Sara and Leana get into:
The DM to Bradley Martyn that led to Zoo Culture, and how one invite changed the trajectory of her content

Why there has never been a plan behind any of her videos — no scripts, no strategy, just showing up

Consistency versus luck, and why she refuses to miss a week even when she doesn't love the video

Feeling insecure but never nervous — and where that distinction comes from

Why she's tried journaling over therapy, and has never quite committed to either

Her biggest fear as a creator: that the content itself makes it harder to find the right partner

Shifting toward solo content and what that's taught her about her own purpose

Having a 90% male audience despite wanting to motivate women, and finding the balance between the two

Her eating disorder at 21 — weighing 100 pounds, hiding her body, and what led her there

How fitness didn't just change her body, but rebuilt her mentally

Growing up in a small town in Kentucky, moving to LA, and staying connected to her Iranian culture

Why she doesn't drink — and how that's tied to her mom's faith, not necessarily her own

Growing up Muslim without religion being pushed on her, and still figuring out her own relationship with God

Grief — losing her father at six, suppressing the emotions, and never fully processing it

Her mom's sacrifices, from working two jobs to giving up the garage bedroom

Redefining success as being happy and surrounded by people who love her back — not the money

Her Gymshark origin story, from a $20-an-hour tutoring job to becoming an athlete

Her actual daily routine, filming process, and posting schedule

Advice for women dealing with judgment, insecurity, or online hate

What she'd want to do next — acting, but never a dating reality show

Her answer to Leana's recurring question: what does it mean to be human?
"I don't want the negative comments to break my day, and I don't want the positive ones to make my day." — Sara Saffari

TOPICS DISCUSSED
(00:00) — Cold Open: Fitness, Faith & Grief
(00:50) — Welcome & Introducing Sarah Safaree
(02:16) — How Sarah Started Creating Content
(06:57) — Consistency, Luck & Staying Authentic
(11:07) — Finding Her Purpose as a Creator
(12:58) — Her Eating Disorder & Fitness Journey
(16:19) — Kentucky Roots, Moving to LA & Iranian Culture
(19:15) — Faith, Sobriety & Her Relationship with Islam
(23:34) — Grief, Losing Her Dad & Family Sacrifice
(32:41) — Redefining Success, Handling Hate & What It Means to Be Human

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod
Stay connected with Sara Saffari
Instagram: @sarasaffari__

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47min
July 30, 2026Why God Makes Us Wait for Love
In this episode, Leana goes solo for a raw, personal reflection on wanting a partner and not yet finding the right one. She talks through the feelings that come with waiting — overthinking in quiet moments, watching friends and strangers online seem to have it figured out, feeling pressure from parents or society — and walks through what she's actually doing to work through it instead of just telling you to "trust God's timing" and leave it there.
This one is for anyone who feels like they're doing everything right and still waiting, anyone who's been made to feel ashamed of wanting intimacy or companionship, and anyone questioning whether the relationship they saw growing up is the one they actually want to repeat.
Leana gets into:
Wanting a partner but not finding the right one, and why that feeling is normal, not a flaw

Why God may be making you wait — building your character before you build a relationship

Looking honestly at her parents' marriage and deciding what she does and doesn't want to repeat

Why financial independence and "having something going for yourself" isn't about needing to prove anything to a man

Trusting fate (qadar) and why doubt in prayer can block what you're asking for

The power of tahajjud (the night prayer) and why she wants to start waking up earlier for it

Feeling worthy of what you want — tying confidence, fitness, journaling, clean eating, and prayer together

Actually putting yourself out there instead of waiting to be found from your bedroom

Self-care and presentation as part of the waiting season, not about becoming "perfect"

Wanting to trust men without losing herself in the process

Focusing on your relationship with God and yourself before your relationship with another person

A listener comment on the taboo around women talking about intimacy and desire in religious communities — and how to handle those feelings without shame

Why she doesn't believe in male friendships, and where she draws the line
"Love who you are, because at the end of the day, that is the most important relationship you're going to have — is with yourself." — Leana

TOPICS DISCUSSED
(00:00) — Cold Open: Wanting a Partner, Trusting the Wait
(01:08) — Wanting a Partner but Not Finding the Right One
(04:09) — Trusting God's Timing Over Rushing Into Marriage
(05:16) — Looking at Her Parents' Marriage & What She Doesn't Want to Repeat
(07:09) — Financial Independence & Having Something of Her Own
(08:17) — Fate (Qadar) & Praying Without Doubt
(09:25) — The Power of Tahajjud, the Night Prayer
(10:33) — Feeling Worthy: Confidence, Fitness, Journaling & Prayer
(12:03) — Putting Yourself Out There
(12:48) — Self-Care & Presentation While You Wait
(15:27) — On Trust, Men & Not Being a "Man Hater"
(16:12) — Relationship With God vs. Relationship With a Person
(17:42) — Listener Comment: The Taboo Around Women, Intimacy & Desire
(21:06) — Why She Doesn't Believe in Male Friendships
(22:59) — Closing Thoughts & Subscribe

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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24min
July 23, 2026The Truth About PCOS, Periods & Women’s Hormones with Dr. Hazel Wallace
In this episode, Leana sits down with Dr. Hazel Wallace — medical doctor, registered nutritionist, personal trainer, and founder of The Food Medic — for an honest, no-fluff conversation about the parts of women's health that rarely get explained properly. They get into what's actually happening in your body throughout your cycle, when period pain stops being "normal" and starts being a red flag, and why the supplement industry preys on exactly the confusion that leaves so many women without real answers.
This one is for anyone who has ever been told their pain, their fatigue, or their irregular cycle was "just stress," who has quietly wondered if what they're feeling is normal, or who wants to understand their body well enough to actually advocate for themselves in a doctor's office.
Note: this episode was recorded before the announcement of PCOS's new name. Throughout the conversation, the condition is referred to as PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) rather than its updated name, PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome).

Leana and Dr. Hazel get into:
What's actually happening hormonally in each phase of your menstrual cycle, and why most women were never taught this
How to tell the difference between normal period pain and a sign that something needs medical attention

Whether you should train through your period, and how to actually listen to your body instead of forcing a routine

Iron deficiency and anemia — who's at risk, the symptoms that get missed, and how to actually get tested

The wild-west world of women's health supplements, and how to tell if one is actually worth taking

Inositol for PCOS — what it is, how it works, and why it's becoming a first-line option before medication

The real difference between PCOS and endometriosis, and why both get so often missed or misdiagnosed

Hazel's own PCOS diagnosis story — the dismissive advice she got, and what actually helped her symptoms go into remission

Why cutting carbs isn't the answer for PCOS, and what to focus on instead

The 90-day window before trying to conceive, and what actually matters for fertility — for both partners

Hazel's personal experience freezing her eggs, and what she wishes she'd known going in

What IVF actually involves, and why it's often one of several options rather than the first step

Perimenopause and menopause — when it really starts, how it's diagnosed, and why it can happen earlier than people think

Nutrition for pregnancy and breastfeeding, and the nutrients that matter most

Hazel's go-to diet recommendation, and the simple, unglamorous habits she says actually move the needle
"If you are unable to manage your period because of pain or leaking or flow, then that's too much for you. And that's when you should seek help." — Dr. Hazel Wallace

(00:00) — Cold Open: "Women Are Fat and Hairy If They've Got PCOS"
(00:53) — Welcome to Being Human with Dr. Hazel Wallace
(01:45) — The Four Phases of the Menstrual Cycle, Explained
(09:30) — Normal vs. Red-Flag Periods: When to Seek Help
(13:00) — Iron Deficiency, Anemia & the Truth About Supplements
(20:16) — PCOS vs. Endometriosis: Diagnosis Criteria & Medical Bias
(23:03) — Insulin Resistance, Genetics & Living with PCOS Long-Term
(27:50) — Hazel's Own PCOS Diagnosis Story
(30:36) — Training with PCOS, Perimenopause, Menopause & Freezing Her Eggs
(38:00) — Fertility Nutrition, Pregnancy, Stress Management & Closing Thoughts

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod
Stay connected with Dr. Hazel Wallace:
Instagram: @drhazelwallace
TikTok: @drhazelwallace

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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52min
July 16, 2026Everything I Wish Someone Told Me Going Into My 20s
In this episode, Leana sits down with you, her audience, for a raw, unscripted Q&A. No prep, no filter: she reads every question cold and answers exactly as she would if you were sitting across from her. The conversation moves from stress eating and gym consistency into deeper territory — hijab, Islamophobia, self-worth, marriage, purpose, and what it actually means to build your character before you build anything else.
This one is for anyone who has ever felt stuck in an unhealthy habit, unsure of their purpose, or like they need to prove themselves to people who were never going to understand them anyway.
Leana gets into:
Why stress eating usually isn't about willpower, and what actually fixes it

Staying consistent with training by removing decisions before they become excuses

Choosing discipline over motivation, and why chasing "motivation" will always let you down

Reframing fitness as an act of worship instead of a punishment for your body

Where to actually find modest, natural fiber clothing (and why it's harder than it should be)

What kept her showing up even when she didn't feel motivated or happy

How Islam reshaped her relationship with physical strength and health

Living with anxiety about Islamophobia as a revert, and separating your worth from other people's stares

Working through the hardest, most misunderstood parts of her faith instead of walking away from them

What hijab really means to her — and why it was never about a man

Building a daily structure around prayer instead of an overpacked routine

What to do when prayer feels numb and disconnected

Finding your purpose by fixing your habits first

Being scared of change, adulthood, and responsibility — and finding the growth in the discomfort

Why she refuses to build her life around getting married

Building any platform — fitness or faith-based — from intention instead of chasing views
"You have to consistently work on your character in order to attract the man that you also want in your life, because you can't be picky... but we also don't always have the character to match it." — Leana
TOPICS DISCUSSED
(00:00) – Intro (motivation, hijab preview, welcome to the Q&A)
(01:05) – "How can you stop stress eating?"
(05:45) – "How do you stay consistent when it comes to training?"
(11:15) – "Where do you get your modest natural fiber fits?"
(15:50) – "How do you motivate yourself?" (asked again)
(17:35) – "How has Islam changed your perspective on physical strength and taking care of your body?"
(18:15) – "Your take on Islamophobia"
(31:00) – "What does hijab mean to you?"
(34:33) – "How to stay focused without getting overwhelmed with my daily routine"
(35:45) – "How can I stay consistent with my salah?"
(39:15) – "What to do when you feel like you don't have your life figured out yet"
(41:50) – "What to do when you're scared of change and becoming an adult"
(44:05) – Rapid-fire
(47:30) – "Your roots?"
(48:00) – "Advice for building a fitness-based platform while honoring God"

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:
Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast
TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
go to curehydration.com/LEANA, and get 20% off with code LEANA.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
...more
55min

FAQs about Being Human with Leana Deeb:

How many episodes does Being Human with Leana Deeb have?

The podcast currently has 25 episodes available.