Recently, by somewhat unfortunate circumstances, I had the opportunity to do something I never thought I would get to do in my lifetime – to be roommates with my twin sister, Samantha Molenda, in our adult years. As I’ve been sharing more of the behind-the-scenes of our twin/sisterhood life, there’s been a lot of curiosity around our relationship, as well as the parallels and differences in our lives, such as Sam’s relationship with food versus mine. In this episode, we’re breaking it down for you! If you submitted a question in advance for this episode, tune in because we answered all of them!

In this episode we discuss:

• Our birth story (with a huge crazy twist!)
• What it’s been like living together as adults 
• How Sam is different from Rach
• Friends groups as twins: different or shared?
• Sam’s relationship with food and her growing up versus Rach’s
• How Sam responded to Rach’s eating disorder 
• Sam’s experience as the “thinner twin”
• Advice for parents of twins and what we [think] our parents wish they knew
• The time Rach threw water in Sam’s face 
• Sam’s “twin telepathy” moment when Rach’s house burnt down
• Sam’s experience of our parent’s divorce versus Rach’s
• Comparison syndrome as twins
• Navigating disagreements as twins and sisters
• What Duncan thinks of Sam

 

Resources:

• Fill Your Cup Podcast Episode 20: Trust and Surrender, The Good Divorce & Other Lessons From My Mama
• Sam’s Instagram: @wamwamwam

 

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Get one step closer to ending the war on food and your body for good with my FREE guide “Satisfying Food Cravings Without The Guilt: A Feel-Good Guide To Understanding and Managing Food Cravings”. Download your FREE copy here or visit rachelmmolenda.com/free-guide

Recently, by somewhat unfortunate circumstances, I had the opportunity to do something I never thought I would get to do in my lifetime – to be roommates with my twin sister, Samantha Molenda, in our adult years. As I’ve been sharing more of the behind-the-scenes of our twin/sisterhood life, there’s been a lot of curiosity around our relationship, as well as the parallels and differences in our lives, such as Sam’s relationship with food versus mine.

It’s not uncommon to hear of someone moan and groan about having to go to the gym or pursue movement in general – and while you might think otherwise, it’s not because people are “lazy”. The problem with how we’ve come to view exercise, fitness and movement as a whole is that we’ve put qualifications around it (i.e. “you need to sweat in order for it to qualify as a workout”). 

The other problem is that the mainstream forms of fitness do not address body diversity and are truly not inclusive for every body.

Shannon Hastings – movement educator, a yoga teacher, a creative entrepreneur + a photographer – is here to debunk those myths and share how we can explore intuitive movement to eventually find a form of movement that is sustainable, enjoyable and unique to you! Shannon is passionate about showing people that yoga, movement, meditation and breath work can be for anybody and ANY BODY in an inclusive and supportive safe space.

In this episode we discuss:

• Shannon’s journey to discovering intuitive movement
• Fitness competitions and how they can do more harm than good
• Holding space for others as a practitioner 
• How to seek held space for you
• Are you bringing diet culture into your fitness classes?
• Using your ears to listen vs. words to fix 
• The importance of breath work
• Shannon’s “Anti-yoga” approach and how it differs from conventional yoga
• Mobility and movement > “Yoga”
• How practitioners can make movement more accessible and how to seek out inclusive movement 
• The role of Crossfit in recovering from an eating disorder
• How to be inclusive and mindful of diverse bodies as a practitioner 
• Finding a sustainable form of movement that you love

Resources:

• Shannon Hastings Website
• Shannon Hastings Instagram
• The She Retreat
• The Intuitive Way For Eating

 

THANKS FOR LISTENING!To celebrate the launch of rachelmmolenda.com, enjoy $200 off of your registration fee for The Intuitive Way For Eating program using the coupon code “INTUITIVE200” at checkout.

Shannon Hastings – movement educator, a yoga teacher, a creative entrepreneur + a photographer – is here to debunk those myths and share how we can explore intuitive movement to eventually find a form of movement that is sustainable, enjoyable and unique to you! Shannon is passionate about showing people that yoga, movement, meditation and breath work can be for anybody and ANY BODY in an inclusive and supportive safe space.

If you’ve been following me on Instagram (@rachelmmolenda), you may already know that my partner and I very mutually and amicably recently parted ways after 6 beautiful years together. I’m sharing this personal experience, not to look for sympathy or pity, but to share the many lessons that have come out of this process, including what might be the most important lesson I ever needed to learn in trusting your gut and intuition. 

In this episode we discuss:

• How it all happened
• Why I don’t regret going to couples therapy
• Comparison syndrome to other people’s journeys and “life” moments
• Serendipity, and other signs that you’re on the right path
• Trusting and surrendering 
• Setting boundaries to protect your emotions and energy
• Projections of the difference between dating at 22 and 28
• How my relationship with food and alcohol has been impacted by all of this 
• The healing tools I turned to during the breakup 
• The “Build Rach Back Up List”
• Where I’m at today and how I’m feeling
• Trusting your gut and intuition to discover your most authentic, true self 

THANKS TO OUR SHOW SPONSOR, Made With Local

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Resources:

• Episode 7: We Went To Couples Therapy (The Fill Your Cup Podcast)
• The Birds Papaya Blog Post (Divorce, Remarriage, The Fear & Bits In Between)
• Book (Recommended by Couple’s Therapist): Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations For a Lifetime of Love by Dr. Sue Johnson

If you’ve been following me on Instagram (@rachelmmolenda), you may already know that my partner and I very mutually and amicably recently parted ways after 6 beautiful years together. I’m sharing this personal experience, not to look for sympathy or pity, but to share the many lessons that have come out of this process, including what might be the most important lesson I ever needed to learn in trusting your gut and intuition.

Whether you’re 28 or 68, receiving a cancer diagnosis is never easy. Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Ashleigh Norris, shares her personal comeback story of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 28 and the healing modalities she used to now be living 4+ years cancer-free. 

In this episode we discuss:

• How Ashleigh discovered she had thyroid cancer at age 28
• What happens after a cancer diagnosis
• The healing modalities Ashleigh pursued to support her healing
• The role of therapeutic diets in healing cancer
• Ashleigh’s unique course of cancer treatment and why she chose to opt-out of radiation
• Symptoms of an underactive thyroid
• Navigating the fear of cancer returning
• The power of positive beliefs, affirmations, and nature in healing
• Becoming a reiki practitioner 
• Finding a supportive community throughout cancer treatment and afterward 
• How to find peace with eventually moving on
• Spirituality; baby souls and old souls
• Taking a break from social media

 

Please note: The information shared in this episode is not to be taken as professional medical advice. You are advised to seek the support of your professional natural health care practitioner regarding you and your unique health-related needs.

THANKS TO OUR SHOW SPONSOR, Made With Local

 

Save 20% on your next Made With Local order of Real Food Bars, Loaded Oats or Bar Mix when you use “RACHEL20” at checkout over on madewithlocal.com

Overcoming Thyroid Cancer at Age 28 & The Role of Food, Plants, and Spirituality in Healing with Ashleigh NorrisWhether you’re 28 or 68, receiving a cancer diagnosis is never episode. Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Ashleigh Norris, shares her personal comeback story of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 28 and the healing modalities she used to now be living 4+ years cancer-free.

Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD is an award-winning registered dietitian and the co-author of the bestselling book (and the book that everyone needs to own), Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works, as well as her newest book, Intuitive Eating Workbook: Ten Principles for Nourishing a Healthy Relationship With Food.

While the growing popularity of Intuitive Eating is exciting, there is a growing confusion that has come along with it, including the misperception that it is the “eat whatever the heck you want” diet. Who better, than the Intuitive Eating co-founder herself, Evelyn Tribole.

And who better than the Intuitive Eating founder herself, Evelyn Tribole to come and clear up these misperceptions for us?

In this episode we discuss:

• Evelyn’s personal journey to becoming the leading voice of Intuitive Eating
• What Intuitive Eating is and what it’s not
• Why Intuitive Eating isn’t eating anything and everything in sight
• How nutrition is addressed in the Intuitive Eating philosophy
• Ensuring that we’re still maintaining health and preventing disease & illness while eating intuitively
• Eating intuitively while living with a chronic illness or condition
• The fear of gaining weight when eating intuitively
• What happens when we use weight as the ultimate measure of health 
• Intuitive Eating as the antidote to dieting
• How to differentiate diet culture from wellness

THANKS TO OUR SHOW SPONSOR, Sproos.

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While the growing popularity of Intuitive Eating is exciting, there is a growing confusion that has come along with it, including the misperception that it is the “eat whatever the heck you want” diet. Who better, than the Intuitive Eating co-founder herself, Evelyn Tribole

And who better than the Intuitive Eating founder herself, Evelyn Tribole to come and clear up these misperceptions for us?