In the world of advertising, language and how it makes you feel and want to feel, is everything.  And the diet and wellness industry has really honed in on this to entice you into purchasing products and programs that may be legit or may be snake oil.  So how can you determine if what you reading on a website or in an email is the real deal?

In this episode, Michelle and Marissa break down some of the common language red flags of wellness marketing so that you can be a super sleuth in determining if a product or program is for you or for the garbage can.

You can also view this episode on our You Tube channel (there may or may not be some bloopers left in!)

Strong And Simple YouTube!

Have any good samples of emails or DMs that you would love for us to break down in an episode?  Send them our way at [email protected]!

This week's minisode focuses on those days when you feel like you just can't eat enough. What are some of the things that could be causing us to feel this hungry? Hormones? Stress? Physical activity? And, maybe most importantly, what should you do when you feel this way?

This week's episode comes from a listener request: what to do when you want to support your friend but they are on a diet you know to be super restrictive, unhealthy, and unsustainable? This can be a tricky situation but Michelle and Marissa share some helpful tips on how you can be supportive of your friend without supporting the diet and be there for them when/if it doesn't work out.

Raise your hand if you have heard the almost cult like saying that 10,000 steps a day = optimal health!

"We need 10,000 steps a day for optimal health!" 

But what does this really mean?

Where did this 10,000 step magic number come from?

In this episode Michelle discusses where the idea of 10,000 steps comes from, ways to incorporate more movement into our lives and how to set challenging but manageable goals in our "stretch" zone when it comes to both non exercise based movement and exercise activity.

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Research Article Referenced in Episode from Amanda E. Paluch, PhD1; Kelley Pettee Gabriel, PhD2; Janet E. Fulton, PhD3; et alCora E. Lewis, MD2; Pamela J. Schreiner, PhD4; Barbara Sternfeld, PhD5; Stephen Sidney, MD5; Juned Siddique, PhD6; Kara M. Whitaker, PhD7; Mercedes R. Carnethon, PhD6: "Adults taking at least 7000 steps/d, compared with those taking fewer than 7000 steps/d, had approximately 50% to 70% lower risk of mortality. Taking more than 10 000 steps/d was not associated with further reduction in mortality risk. This work extends previous research on the association between steps and mortality in a prospective study of middle-aged Black and White adults"

Michelle and Marissa talk about 2 situations that can be frustrating in your fitness undertakings: performance plateaus and rough days. They discuss the different reasons why your workout might not feel as good one day as it did before and how to address those different factors. They also chat about performance plateaus, getting "stuck" in your progress, and what some of those contributing factors may be as well as how to counter them. They cover nutrition, recovery, progressive overload, stress, and more.

It's back to school time and that has many parents and caregivers unfortunately stressing out about school lunches - whether they're packing them or their child is getting their lunch from the school. In this minisode, Marissa discusses the unrealistic standards and expectations caregivers have for themselves and others around this topic, quells common concerns about the nutritiousness of school lunches, shares key components to include in a school lunch to nourish and satisfy your child, and shares some quick tips on school lunch packing. 

CW: Discussion of calorie counting, weigh ins, and examples of calorie ranges and food "values"

If you haven't done Weight Watchers, chances are you know someone who has. It's been around for over 50 years and may be described by some as iconic of the diet industry. In this episode, Marissa and Michelle dig into the history of this company, break down its diet plans, share their own personal experience with the program, and give you their professional perspective on its strengths and shortcomings. 

We all have seasons in our lives when we are busier than other times.  As we transition from Summer into Fall, Michelle is also transitioning back to teaching full time, which means being MUCH busier than she has bene the past 8 weeks or so.  If you are a teacher or someone who has had relaxed hours during the summer you could be in a similar transition right now.

In this mini-sode, Michelle shares her "big rocks" for fitness and nutrition based self care during the transition back to the school year as examples of how we should not be trying to do it all when we are in a busy season.  Toss aside those super long to-do lists as they are most likely just going to overwhelm you and lead to a perpetuation of an "all or nothing" mindset.  Instead, try to focus in on your own 2-3 big rocks that can make the biggest impact for you reaching your goals.

Not sure how to determine your big rocks or struggling to figure out how to stay consistent with your fitness/nutrition goals in a busy season?  Michelle offers 30 minute consults for just this reason! Reach out at [email protected] or [email protected] to set your consult appointment!

Wanjira Njenga (she/her) is a menopause coach, yoga teacher, movement educator, and personal trainer who specializes in taking care of menopausal people with strength training, nutrition, yoga and movement.  Wanjira is passionate about encouraging women to move more, strength train, move away from restrictive diets and extreme workouts and supporting them to thrive in menopause.  She supports folks in menopause via her signature Pelvic Floor and Core Restore program as well as her movement membership.

In this episode we discuss and learn:

What perimenopause and menopause are and the signs that this transition is occurring

How society perceives, views and values aging women

How small changes can make a big impact on the lives of menopausal folks

The impact of sugar in our diets during menopause as well as digestion disruptions and nutrition's impact on our wellness

How pelvic floor health impacts our quality of life through the menopause transition and beyond.

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Connect with Wanjira!

www.wanjira.com 

The gram @studiowanjira

It's our 50th episode and we're celebrating with the one and only Coach Jessie Rard!

Jessie (he/they) is the owner of Twisted Fox Training and creator of Lifting for Length, a weightlifting program designed for circus artists and hyper-mobile individuals to gain strength and flexibility. Jessie started coaching in 2016, took a break from teaching to pursue training at the San Diego Circus Center, and opened Twisted Fox Training in 2020. He is dedicated to helping artists and athletes build strong foundations for success in their chosen apparatus or discipline.  Jessie also coaches for MyFlex, Positive Spin Pole Dance, and Straight up Strong

Jessie currently lives in Seattle, Washington. Obsessed with all things foraging, gardening, and cooking, there will always be delicious food in his Instagram stories.

In this episode we chat about:

Where you can find and connect with Coach Jessie:

Instagram: @twistedfoxtraining (IG)

Website:www.twistedfoxtraining.com

Email: [email protected]