Glow Up and Show Up

Welcome back, babygirl 💕

In today’s episode, I’m joined by journalist, educator, and author Mallary Tenore Tarpley, whose new memoir Slip: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery gave me literal chills.

We talk about what it means to live in the middle place, that messy, unpolished space where you’re not where you were, but not fully healed either. It’s not often talked about, but for many of us, it’s where life actually happens.

We unpack:

• Why “full recovery” doesn’t have to be the goal

• How to start before you feel ready

• Why slips are not failures

• Making peace with the gray area of healing

• How motherhood changed Mallary’s relationship with her body

• The quiet power of showing up while you’re still becoming

If you’ve ever felt like you should be further along by now, this one’s for you.

✨Glow Work This Week:

Speak your middle out loud. Tell someone where you’re really at without trying to shrink.

💌 Connect with Mallary:
Preorder her memoir SLIP: https://a.co/d/6RFvzTB

Instagram: @mallarytenoretarpley

🎙 Let’s Stay Connected:
Follow the pod on IG: @marylaceybanks
DM me your thoughts or tag the show when you’re listening!

📩 Sign up for the newsletter: https://mary-lacey-banks.kit.com/e45adf91f8

Welcome to the very first episode of Glow Up and Show Up—a podcast for the girlies who want to create a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.

In this debut episode, I’m sharing the full story behind the biggest glow up of my life, one I never saw coming.

Two years ago, I was broke, addicted, 40 pounds heavier, and living in my dad’s basement. And still, I started a personal development podcast.

That decision changed my life.

In this episode, I walk you through:
• How podcasting saved my life
• Why joy and grit matter in the healing journey
• The real meaning of a glow up (and why it’s never just about how you look)
• What to expect from Glow Up & Show Up going forward

✨ Glow Work this week:
What are you waiting to do until you “feel ready”? Do it anyway. This week, take 1 micro action towards the thing you've been waiting to do.

If this episode resonates with you, share it with a friend. Leave a review.

Welcome to the Glow Up Gang.

We’re just getting started, baby girl.

Rejection doesn’t just sting—it can wreck your confidence, cloud your judgment, and send you spiraling into self-doubt.
I know because I’ve been there.

This episode was inspired by a powerful listener question:
“Have you ever felt deeply let down by someone you admired?”

Whew. The moment I read it, I felt it in my gut.
So today, I’m sharing a story I’ve never told on the podcast before—and the exact mindset shift that helped me take my power back.

You’ll learn:

• Why rejection feels so personal (and what to do about it)

• The hidden reason we stay stuck in shame after a “no”

• The science behind why wallowing can feel good… and how to break the cycle

• My 4-step framework: MLB’s Rejection Survival Guide

• This week’s Glow Work to help you move forward now—not six months from now

Whether you’re healing from a breakup, a job rejection, or just feeling unseen by someone who should’ve known better—this episode is your invitation to make peace with the pain and reclaim your momentum.

🎧 Grab your journal. We’re getting real, and we’re getting free.

This episode is for the girl who’s wondering if it’s bad enough to quit. For the one who didn’t have a dramatic rock bottom… just a quiet knowing that something had to change.

In this raw solo episode, I take you back to the night I had my very last sip of alcohol — not in chaos or crisis, but in a cozy cabin in Wyoming, after a half marathon, while making friendship bracelets. It should have been a celebration… but that one sip brought back every painful memory, every close call, every ounce of dread I had tried to forget.

We talk:

• What it means to trust yourself in recovery

• Why I believe sobriety doesn’t have to start in rock bottom

• The moment I created my own God (shoutout to Dolly Parton + Gary Vee)

• And how we’ve been conditioned to think joy requires alcohol (spoiler: it doesn’t)

Plus, I share this week’s Glow Work — a joyful challenge to help you reconnect with your inner child and reclaim FUN without substances.

🎉 Let’s make having a damn good time without alcohol normal again.

✨ This Week’s Glow Work:
Do something fun in public — dance at Target, skip down the sidewalk, spin in the cereal aisle. Joy is your birthright. And I want to see it. 💃

Tag me on Instagram @marylaceybanks with what you did so I can cheer you on. 💕

If this episode moved you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or DM me what landed — it means the world.

Sending you the biggest thought hug ever,
MLB 🤍

Hello, hello friends and welcome back to another episode of The Mary Lacey Banks Show! Tis I, MLB—and today, you’re in for a powerful and deeply personal convo that I know so many of you will feel in your bones.

I’m joined by my new friend Julie Benson, who I literally felt spiritually assigned to meet in a yoga circle (yes, really). What started as a chance encounter turned into this rich, heartfelt conversation about sobriety, rock bottom, recovery glow-ups, and what it actually means to be “sober curious.”

Julie opens up about hitting rock bottom at age 20, getting sober, living in a halfway house, rebuilding her life from scratch, and what she’s learned in her 13-year recovery journey. We also talk about:

• The difference between sobriety and quality sobriety

• Recovery outside of 12-step programs

• Why she doesn’t track her sober date anymore

• Living on borrowed time and why it’s a gift

• Creating a life you don’t want to numb from

• Switching addictions (yep, we go there)

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or like recovery has to look a certain way—this episode is for you.

💌 Let this be your permission slip to find your own path, trust your own pace, and take it one beautifully imperfect day at a time.

🛎 If you love the show, here’s how to support it (and me!):

1. Please leave a 5-star rating on Spotify 🙏

2. Drop a sweet review on Apple Podcasts 💌

3. Send this episode to a friend who might need to hear it 🫶

Your reviews help this little pod baby get into more ears, and it seriously means the world to me.

Love you so much. Holding you in the biggest thought hug ever.
MLB

Welcome to another episode of The Mary Lacey Banks Show! In this special episode, Mary reflects on her personal growth and transformation over the past two years, celebrating her second soberversary while also sharing exciting updates on the future of the podcast and the MLB brand.

🎉 Milestone Moment:
Mary discusses her journey through recovery—how it has shaped her life and how she’s moving forward with more clarity and strength. From struggling with addiction to finding freedom in sobriety, Mary opens up about what it means to create your own recovery path.

💡 The New Era of MLB:
The podcast is shifting focus, embracing the "Recovery Glow Up." Mary is determined to offer a fresh perspective on recovery, one that inspires women to build lives they don’t need to escape from. It's not just about staying sober; it's about creating a life that lights you up, filled with joy, excitement, and creativity.

🌟 What to Expect Going Forward:
Get ready for weekly Glow Work—actionable steps that you can apply to your own life. Mary introduces this exciting new concept to help you implement real change while having fun along the way. Forget about mindlessly consuming content—Glow Work is about transforming your life, one joyful step at a time.

👩‍🏫 The Power of Coaching:
Mary shares how meeting her friend and mentor, Kylie Lewis, helped her turn the knowledge she’d consumed into real, tangible action. Kylie’s influence inspired the new direction of MLB and is a big part of why Mary is so passionate about helping others move from consumption to implementation.

🌱 A Message of Empowerment:
Mary challenges you to step into your own personal growth journey and embrace the idea of being the person you want to be right now. There’s no need to wait for the “perfect moment” to live the life you deserve.

Takeaways from this Episode:

• Create your own path in recovery—it's about what works for you.

• Stop holding off on your happiness. Choose joy now.

• Start applying Glow Work to transform your life—small intentional steps, big impact.

✨ Clarity Assignment:
Mary encourages you to write your own clarity statement: What season are you stepping into and what are you leaving behind? Use this as a guiding question to reflect on where you are and where you’re headed.

🔮 Join the Glow Up Movement:
Ready to get started on your recovery glow up? Reach out to Mary via DM to work through your Glow Work assignments together! You’re not alone on this journey—let’s grow, glow, and live our best lives.

If you’re loving the show, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Spotify and Apple! Share this episode with a friend who could benefit from a little inspiration. 💕

“You don’t become who you’re meant to be. You be her now.”

Connect with Mary:

• Instagram: @marylaceybanks

• DM Mary for your Glow Work assignments!

This week’s episode is a full-blown celebration—balloons, crowns, confetti, and all! It’s not only my 31st birthday, but also the 2-year anniversary of The Mary Lacey Banks Show. And to celebrate? I’ve got two of my favorite people—Ashley Whitmore and Kylie Lewis—on the mic for a special “turn the tables” episode. That’s right: this time, they’reinterviewing me.

We get into it all:
✨ What 29-year-old Mary thought she needed
🎈 Why I started this podcast in my dad’s basement
💗 How podcasting changed my life, sobriety, confidence & purpose
🎤 The moment I finally got paid to speak on stage
🤡 The power of showing up—even when no one’s clapping
🥤 My questionable (but passionate) love for McDonald’s Diet Coke
👑 Why this show is truly my baby

This is one of my favorite episodes we’ve ever recorded—funny, honest, chaotic, and filled with heart. Whether you’re celebrating something big or quietly hoping for your own fresh start, this one’s for you.

🎁 What I'm claiming this year: more fun, more freedom, more women stepping into their power.

🧁 Grab your crown. Plug in. And let’s celebrate, baby.

—

If you loved this episode, please:
⭐️ Leave a 5-star rating on Spotify
📝 Write a quick review on Apple Podcasts
📲 Share it with a friend who needs a reminder: your joy is worth the work

I’m holding you so tight in the biggest thought hug of all time.
I believe in you. I’m rooting for you. I love you.
MUAH! 💋

Hosts: Mary Lacey Banks, Ashlee Whitmore, Kylie Lewis

Special Guest: Stella Valentina (Ashlee's Daughter)

Episode Summary:

Celebrate Mother's Day with Mary, Ashley, and Kylie! They share quick "hot takes" on motherhood, pregnancy, and being child-free. Hear heartwarming calls with their moms, Rhonda and Kelsey, revealing their favorite parts of being mothers. Ashley's daughter, Stella, joins for a fun "Mom Energy Madness" rapid-fire game covering mom crushes, "mom things," inner mom names, and hopes for their kids. Expect laughs, sweet moments, and honest reflections on motherhood.

Key Highlights:

• Hot Takes: Ashley on the joy of motherhood, Kylie on the overwhelming journey of pregnancy, and Mary on the loneliness of being child-free at 31.
• Mom Calls: Heartfelt conversations with Rhonda (Mary's mom) about indescribable love and Kelsey (Kylie's mom) on watching her daughters become mothers.
• Stella's Insights: Her favorite thing about Ashley and her future "mom rules" based on values.
• Mom Energy Madness: A rapid-fire game revealing mom crushes (Angie Green, Megan Fox), quintessential "mom things" (caretaking, being responsible), inner "mom names" (Moon Wind, Mama Rosie, Linda), and hopes for their children (inspiration, love, being present, trust).
• Central Theme: The episode beautifully circles back to the power and importance of love in motherhood.

Quotes:

• Ashley: "it's the best."
• Kylie: Pregnancy is an "overwhelming" time warp.
• Mary: Being child-free at 31 can be "lonely."
• Rhonda: Motherhood is an "indescribable feeling of love."
• Kelsey: The best part is seeing her daughters become mothers.
• Stella: Values like fun and going with the flow are important.
• Stella: "Everything circles back to love."

✨ Episode Summary:
In this candid and heartfelt episode of The Mary Lacey Banks Show, Mary reconnects with longtime acquaintance and fitness professional Jenna Huffine. What begins as a lighthearted conversation quickly turns into a powerful dialogue about recovery, identity, and the long road to rebuilding a healthy relationship with exercise and self-image.

Mary opens up about her past struggles with anorexia, exercise addiction, and the impact of those years on her current fitness journey. Jenna shares how she helps clients heal from toxic fitness mindsets and return to joyful, sustainable movement. Together, they reflect on growing up, gym memories, and finding the courage to show up—flawed and healing—in every season of life.

🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• 🏋️‍♀️ How Mary and Jenna originally met through group fitness classes

• 🌪️ Mary’s raw reflection on her past with eating disorders, Adderall, and alcohol

• 💔 The reality of being addicted to exercise and running 100 miles a week

• 🛠️ Jenna’s step-by-step process for helping clients rebuild a healthy relationship with fitness

• 🧠 Why your past relationship with exercise may still be affecting you today

• 🔄 How to start fresh with your fitness routine—no matter where you’ve been

💃 Vibe Check:
Girl talk meets gritty truth meets healing laughter.

🎉 Favorite Quote:
"We literally start from day one... like they’re a brand new person who’s never exercised before." – Jenna Ha'Fine

🔗 Connect with Jenna:
(Insert links to Jenna’s IG, training programs, or website if available)

🛎️ Don’t Forget:
If this episode resonated with you, leave a review, share with a friend, or tag us on IG @marylaceybanks with your biggest takeaway.

Let me know if you want this tailored more toward Shtsandwich* branding (a little messier, funnier, edgier) or if you'd like to add timestamps or resources.

Summary

In this episode of the Mary Lacey Bank Show, host Mary reconnects with her long-time friend Alex Zimmerman, who shares her transformative journey over the past year. From breaking off an engagement to traveling the world and exploring her identity, Alex emphasizes the importance of choosing oneself and embracing change. The conversation delves into the challenges of navigating relationships, the significance of self-discovery, and the empowerment that comes from trusting one's intuition. With humor and vulnerability, both women reflect on their pasts and the lessons learned along the way, encouraging listeners to take leaps of faith in their own lives.

Takeaways

• Trust your intuition; it's your best guide.
• Life is too short to stay in an unhappy situation.
• Self-discovery often comes from discomfort.
• Traveling alone can be empowering and transformative.
• It's okay to prioritize your own happiness first.
• Support from friends and family is crucial during tough times.
• You can redefine your life at any age.
• Embrace change as a part of growth.
• It's important to celebrate non-traditional life choices.
• You don't have to conform to societal expectations about relationships.