How Do You Feel?

Lea is a pelvic floor physiotherapist with a special interest in pregnancy and pediatrics. Lea has worked in a variety of pediatric settings including McMaster Children’s Hospital and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and was the recipient CanChild’s Pediatric Research Award in 2017.   Lea's training in pelvic floor dysfunction (in adults and pediatrics) has included urinary incontinence, complex pelvic pain, sexual pain, gastro-intestinal disorders, pelvic organ prolapse, and perinatal care. Most importantly, she is committed to empower her patients on their active recovery, to improve their health, well-being and quality of life. Lea's experience and training in a pelvic health, for both adults and paediatric clients, has only enhanced and strengthened her passion in pelvic health.

Follow Lea on Instagram: @leadphysio

Learn more about The WOMB: thewomb.ca

Jen Widerstrom began as a fitness model, and quickly made the transition into instructing group fitness. Jen has had a TV career that began on American Gladiator and culminated in three seasons as a trainer on The Biggest Loser. She has made appearances on Conan, Live with Kelley & Ryan, and Dr. Oz. Jen is currently the fitness director for SHAPE magazine.

As a coach, Jen believes that your beliefs shift your biology. Whatever you’re processing upstairs as your loudest voice will be physically processed through your bones to your skin. Real change begins when you recognize that YOU have the answers within you to change your life.

In this episode, Jen and I discuss:

- Leading to serve others

- Transformations that transcend physical changes

- Understanding your WHY

- Comparison in the fitness world

- Tipping points and the process it takes to get there

- The fact that there is no arrival point

- Continuous growth & learning

- Her experiences on TV

- Staying true to yourself and knowing who you are

- Facing your own problems and challenges

- My experience being in a magazine

- What Jen attributes her success to 

Learn more about Jen and her programs: widerstrong.com

Find Jen on Instagram: @jenwiderstrom

This week, in honor of pride month, I'm bringing back the episode where I interviewed my dad. In this episode, he tells his story about coming out after twenty years of marriage and three kids. This is a story about realizing and owning your true identity, and the subsequent power of being your truest self. It is raw, it is real, and it is relatable to anyone who has struggled with their identity for any reason.

In this episode, my dad and I discuss:

Ben McDonald is the Director of Education for DTS Fitness Education and has been in the fitness industry for 12+ years. He has an extensive and varied sporting background including various forms of Mixed Martial Arts. Ben’s career highlights include training a wide array of people from beginners up to premiership footballers, national champions in boxing, and elite level athletes. Ben has taught for the largest health and fitness training provider in Europe and has been published in multiple many UK based magazines. Ben has developed multiple qualifications, presented internationally, and is considered UK’s leading expert in PowerClub training. Awarded the 2013 recognition award for International Presenting and Work in the Health and Fitness Industry, it is evident that Ben’s passion and energy transfer directly to his students and his love for the industry is contagious. Ben’s core belief is that fitness should be inclusive not exclusive as there is no one way to do it.

In this episode, Ben and I discuss: 

Learn more about Ben and DTS Fitness Education: dtsfitnesseducation.com

Ezinwanne (Ezi) Odozor is a Nigerian-born writer, scholar, and student support specialist based in Toronto. Her work focuses on themes of identity, culture, gender, race, health, and intimacy. Ezi’s work has been featured in several journals, including Room Magazine, Arc Poetry Magazine, and Hypatia (upcoming). Her writing has also been showcased in several exhibits, most notably in Oluseye’s "A Room Full of Black Boys", which was featured on CBC. Ezi recently completed a Master of Education degree in global health at the University of Toronto, where she worked across the subjects of race, Black-feminisms, anti-colonialism, and global health. Her latest publication, Cartographies of Blackness & Black Indigeneities, was co-edited alongside Professor George Dei and Andrea Jimenez Vasquez. Ezi is currently working on a four-book series centered on Black Womanhood alongside Janelle Brady (PhD.c.) and Professor Njoki Wane.

Follow Ezi on Instagram: @echolibrary

Learn more about Ezi: www.eziodozor.com (re-launching soon)

This episode is a break from the fitness content you normally find on How Do You Feel to address the very important topic of racism, and the greater conversation happening about the nature of our society.

GO LISTEN TO ONE OF THESE PODCASTS THIS WEEK:

Brené Brown with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist

Pod Save the People with Deray McKesson on US Police Brutality 

Gettin' Grown on Racism, Rebellion, and Contributing to the Fight 

Code Switch on a Decade of Watching Black People Die 

Therapy for Black Girls on Talking to Kids About Race

Intermittent fasting is massively popular right now. In this episode, I discuss the considerations for why you might or might not want to try fasting. Do you know the upsides and downsides of it?

In this episode, I talk about: 

Follow me on Instagram @caseymzav

Sathish Muneeswaran is a trainer with FitSquad in Toronto, ON. He has been involved with sports and athletics for most of his life. His passion for fitness grew out of an interest in enhancing performance and preventing injuries. With a Bachelors of Honours in Kinesiology, he has a deep understanding of anatomy, biomechanics and exercise physiology. Sathish’s training approach is grounded in strength training but also incorporates structural balance, bodyweight training and metabolic conditioning. He firmly believes we should all strive to find our true potential and to become stronger than we were yesterday. He also believes that with a smart approach, along with some good old fashion grit and hard work, anyone can reach their goals.

In this episode, Sathish and I discuss: 

Find Sathish on Instagram: @sathish_fitsquad

Learn more about Sathish and FitSquad: fitsquad.ca

Dr. Amrita Ghai is a Registered Clinical Psychologist in Ontario with over 13 years of experience providing evidence-based intervention and assessment to adults. She has extensive experience working with a range of issues including anxiety (OCD, Panic Disorder, GAD, Social Anxiety, Phobias), stress, disordered eating/body image, perfectionism, relationships, depressed mood, sleep, and grief. Dr. Ghai works with clients in a collaborative, empathic, and non-judgmental manner. Trained as a Scientist-Practitioner, she employs evidence-based cognitive-behavioural and client- centered approaches within a sensitive and supportive environment in order to help clients achieve their therapy goals.

In this episode, Dr. Amrita and I discuss: 

- Eating disorders vs. disordered eating

- Disordered exercise

- Preoccupation & anxiety around food

- "Healthy" behaviors becoming disordered

- Body image & body dysmorphia

- Why you shouldn't comment on someone else's body

- Bodies responding differently to the same food & exercise

- Chasing a look vs. chasing a feeling

- The way we analyze ourselves in photos

- The impact of social media on body image

- How our upbringing affects our relationship with food

- Healing by focusing on behaviors

- Body neutrality 

- Talking to someone in your life you're worried about 

Learn more about Dr. Amrita and her practice: drghai.com

Find more information on eating disorders: nedic.ca