Self Care Simplified

The bathroom scale. This is big conversation, which might seem trivial at first. But there are countless women that are weighing themselves daily and have been for years, and not just for an objective source of data. 

In this episode, we're discussing what the scale is meant for and what it does well. You'll learn the details of everything it's measuring and explore other methods of assessment and measurement. But we're not going to leave it at that. 

We're going to dig deep into our hearts as women to reveal what the this bathroom platform does to us, our identity, and our worthiness. If you find yourself stepping on the scale constantly, you NEED this episode! 

Resources from this episode:

• Chapters 4 and 5 of Galatians
• The Strong Mommas Coaching Program (registration opens 5/29!) 

Your Questions Answered!

1. From Megan (32:39) - Any advice for someone that swings between being really disciplined during the week to too much "freedom" on the weekends? 

2. From Jessica (36:00) - Can you spot train? I'm always seeing exercises that target the triceps, biceps, glutes, etc. Do these actually work? 

 

Are you a stressed out mom? If so, I bet you try to "power through", refusing to let stress hold you back. But pretty soon you're not sleeping well, your willpower is tapped out, you're eating horribly, and you're turning into a terrible parent and spouse. And where is all this extra weight coming from? 

We grossly underestimate the physical power of stress on our bodies. 

In this episode, we're talking:

• acute vs. chronic stress
• the impact that stress hormones have on your body
• why being on a diet or doing a hard training program could be the tipping point 
• tips for managing your stress better
• understanding my Stress & Self Care Activity Pyramid

If you desire to be strong, healthy, maintain a good body composition, and feel your absolute best, it's nearly impossible if you don't manage your stress well. Start here. 

Resources: 

• Full Body Stretching Routine for relaxation
• How to Foam Roll 
• Video on Stress and Hormones
• Summer Shape Up 6-Week Training Program (FINAL WEEK!) 

I'm chatting with Jocelyn Bohnet today, a women's health physical therapist that specializes in all things pelvic floor health: urinary and fecal incontinence, pain with intercourse, pelvic organ prolapse, tearing during delivery, and other pelvic issues. In this episode, we cover so much ground! We discuss:

• Pelvic floor muscles and general anatomy
• Bladder leakage
• Pain with intercourse
• How to do a proper kegel, how many, and when
• Abdominal pressure and posture
• When to see a pelvic PT
• Tearing, prolapse, "queefing"
• And so much more! 

Jocelyn says, "God made our bodies, God made our pelvic floor, and God made sex to be wonderful...And we need to not be afraid to talk about an issue in our pelvic floor region just like we're not afraid to talk about neck pain." 

Stick in your headphones for this one...we get personal! 

RESOURCES:

Women's Health in the American Physical Therapy Association: https://www.moveforwardpt.com/womenshealth 

Jocelyn Bohnet's clinic in Tigard, OR: https://www.intouchphysicaltherapy.com/

The Summer Shape Up training program: https://summershapeup.strong-mommas.com/ 

If you have had a baby, you will forever be postpartum, which can be a frightening thought for many moms. "Postpartum" often makes us think of a body that’s broken...a body that’s been thrashed and put through the ringer. When our bodies feel weak, squishy, misshapen, and mangled, how is it even possible to love it? 

In this episode, Megan Dahlman chats with you about our perpetual quest for the body we once had...a body before all the scars. Much of what we hear with "postpartum fitness" is aimed at erasing all of the evidence that pregnancy every happened. It's as if our bodies aren't valuable or lovely until we remove all the scars and signs of pregnancy. 

• Learn how we're God's masterpiece in Ephesians 2:10.
• Recognize that Jesus chose to hold on to His scars even after resurrection. 
• Face the facts and learn how to steward your now-postpartum better instead of doing teenager workouts and running your guts out. 

Your questions answered!

1. From Ally (27:30) – "I’m just now getting my menstrual cycle back after having my last baby, and I forgot how much it really effected my energy levels. Do you have any recommendations for organizing my workouts best around my cycle?"
2. From Jessica (31:00) - "I feel like my food cravings are all over the place throughout the month. How can I try to smooth it out so my months aren’t such a hormonal eating rollercoaster?"

 

MORE RESOURCES:

>>Summer Shape Up Program: Go to https://summershapeup.strong-mommas.com/ 

>>Strong Hips & Core Program: Go to http://stronghipsandcore.pagedemo.co/ 

>>Strong Mommas Coaching Program info: https://membership.strong-mommas.com/ 

 

Off the top of your head, how many "diets" would you say are on the market right now? Too many to count? And a little overwhelming, right? Yep, that's how I feel, too. Oh "diet-shmiets". 

When we diet, we have to follow rules...restrictions and limitations that tend to bind us up and strip away our freedom to make decisions on our own. Most of us crave freedom from a life of dieting...the on-again-off-again rollercoaster of eating perfectly one minute and completely haphazardly the next. The dieting culture has chewed us up and spit us out, leaving us confused, disoriented and frustrated with our bodies. 

In this episode, together we're going to dig beneath the surface of dieting and talk about why the dieting mindset can be so harmful for us. 

I will teach you about:

• The danger with the "all-or-nothing" mentality and perfectionism
• The obsession and demonization of foods
• How to become an intuitive eater
• Healthy eating without the obsession
• And examining our hearts to see how deeply dieting has truly effected us. 

We also talked about Psalm 139:23-24. 

At the end of the episode, I answer YOUR questions about food, fitness, and faith/lifestyle!

1. Liz asks "Do you recommend any supplements?" ((29:45)

2. Sara asks "Is there an advantage to working out at a certain time of day?" (31:55)

3. Alyssa asks "What do you do when people comment on your eating choices in social situations?" (33:40) 

"Just getting started is so overwhelming!"..."I know I really should get my act together."..."Every time I start something I end up giving up soon after!" 

If you've ever said any of these things, this episode is for you! Megan Dahlman has spent years helping her clients get the ball rolling with a fitness and nutrition routine, so she knows what works and what doesn't work when you're just beginning. 

You'll dive into these inspiring Bible verses that will give you strength and courage as you begin:

• 1 Chronicles 28:20
• 1 Corinthians 16:13 (also read in the MSG version)
• Hebrews 11 and 12

Also, learn the different stages of change that we go through as we create a new habit, and why so many of us get stuck thinking about it for too long. Megan and her co-host Scott will also chat about the idea of "change ONE thing" vs. "change all the things" and why that's so important for habit longevity and preventing overwhelm. 

QUESTIONS! At the end of the episode Megan is answering YOUR questions!

• Fitness: "How can I improve my posture throughout the day?" (27:35)
• Food: "If I'm trying to see progress, should I be watching how much fruit I'm eating?" (30:40)
• Faith: "I've been emotionally and mentally overwhelmed lately, and have let my habits slide. How do I know if I need some grace or just a kick in the pants?" (33:02) 

 

 

Does exercising and eating stir up a well of deep feelings? You're not alone. Often, as soon as we start eating healthier and exercising more regularly we experience fear, doubt, trust issues, pride, jealousy, and a lack of motivation...just to name a few! 

On this 4th episode in the Strong Mommas Intro Series, Megan Dahlman will encourage you to keep your heart pointed in the right direction as you navigate your health journey.

Unfortunately, the fitness and nutrition industry is saturated with vanity. Most diet and exercise programs are geared toward just helping you look great and sexy, and so many of us, especially those of us that follow Jesus, are left confused. We want to be strong and healthy and good stewards of our bodies, but we're also feeling the tug of "looking great". How do we navigate this?

Bible verses from this episode:

• Ephesians 2:10
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
• Proverbs 31:17
• Luke 10:27

So what would it look like if we experienced our bodies the way God intended us to all along? 

Is eating healthy just about weight loss? Do you feel like food is your enemy, standing in the way between you and your ideal figure? And why on earth have we made nutrition so complicated?? 

In the 3rd episode of the Strong Mommas Intro Series, Megan talks about our damaged outlook on food that has been perpetuated by the "diet culture". Many of us feel like we've been tossed around from one diet to another, not knowing what healthy eating truly looks like anymore. Let's remove the burden of eating, and learn to enjoy food again!

This will be a broad overview for establishing good healthy eating habits, understanding whether or not you're a "beginner eater" or an "advanced eater", and how you can begin eating healthier today. 

xoxo

Do you love or loathe exercise? Do you know if your training methods are the best? And why should we even exercise?   In this second intro-episode to the Strong Mommas podcast, Megan Dahlman discusses her approach to exercise and her philosophy on training.   You'll learn more about the Proverbs 31 woman that was strong and not afraid of aging. And you'll also learn the 6 key components of fitness that every routine should have. You'll be inspired to train your body well and have a much clearer understanding of what you workout routine should look like.

Welcome to Strong Mommas! I'm your host Megan Dahlman, and on this first ever episode of the Strong Mommas Podcast, I'll be introducing myself and my co-host. We're so excited to meet you! 

The Strong Mommas Podcast is all about practical fitness and healthy eating tips, motivational strategies, and Biblical inspiration to pursue a strong and healthy body for all the right reasons.  

"My hope with this podcast is for you to feel inspired and equipped to take care of your body the best that you can...and that you leave feeling like a stronger mom than when it started." 

Strong Mommas is a website, blog, online coaching program, and and now a podcast for Christian women that care more about their true health and physical fitness, rather than just about looks and vanity. I have spent years sharing my expertise in personal training, sports conditioning, nutrition, and mindset coaching with moms from all over the world.

As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach with a degree in Exercise Science and a Certified Nutrition Coach, I have a passion for delivering top-notch advice for working out, eating well, and getting in shape. But it doesn't end there. The fitness & nutrition industry is riddled with obsession, vanity, and the pursuit of the perfect body...all things that drive us further away from Christ and leave us with a hurting and empty soul. 

As I say near the end of this episode, 

"Our hope with this podcast is for you to feel inspired and equipped to take care of your body the best that you can, that you’ll feel encouraged through all of it and NOT PRESSURED OR BURDENED, and for you to really feel understood…like there’s someone else out there, another mom, another family, that gets you…that knows your body struggles, your logistical struggles, and even your heart struggles.

We pray that with every episode of this show you leave feeling like a stronger mom than when you started."

 xoxo