The Fitness Insider

Welcome to episode 56! Today’s episode is centered around something quite elusive to me right now— SLEEP. Naturopathic doctor Dr. Leigha Saunders joins me to share her knowledge and expertise on how to get a good night’s sleep and why it’s vital to our health and wellbeing. She shares all kinds of tips, and even has her own sleep course called the Sleep Fix, which you can take advantage of (special code!) if you love the episode and want to learn more. My husband and I welcomed our first baby just one month ago, and we’re so in love. With a newborn in our home comes very little and broken sleep, so this is a particularly ironic time to be releasing this episode about sleep. Will we ever sleep again? You tell me. :) Enjoy the episode!

In this episode, we talk about:

All about Dr. Leigha Saunders: Dr. Leigha Saunders is a naturopathic doctor obsessed with all things sleep. In her waking hours, you can find her on a mission to help other women gain energy, balance their mood, regulate hormones and sleep deep at night - particularly as they navigate hormone changes from PMS to menopause. Her goal is to help women reclaim their rest so they can do what sets their soul on fire during the day. Leigha’s ultimate mission is to help women chase their dreams, not exhaustion! Outside of work, you can find Leigha on her paddle board, under one of her mom’s homemade quilts with a coffee or tea (depending on the time of day, of course!), soaking in her hot tub or playing fire rescue with her son.

Where to find Dr. Leigha:

Today’s episode sponsors: Highland Park Housekeeping. https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/ code NATALIE15 for 15% off your service.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating.If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast oh and also here @thatfoodiegirl

Welcome to episode 55! This is our first episode with not one but TWO fun guests, Sarah Hackwith and Lara Days. We talk about diet culture and fat phobia in the fitness industry. Both Sarah and Lara are fitness professionals and health coaches, so they bring a great perspective on what the rhetoric is like inside the gyms and how we need to change it. This episode is real, entertaining and informative. It’s a great one for anyone who loves fitness classes, going to the gym, fitness trainers, studio owners and everyone in between.

In this episode, we talk about:

All about Sarah & Lara:

Sarah Hackwith has been a mover and a shaker since before she could walk! After majoring in Ballet & Modern Dance at TCU, she moved to New York City to become a professional dancer and shortly after, transitioned to working in fitness. Over the past 10 years in the industry, she's taught everything from indoor cycling to trampoline rebounding to strength classes and Reformer Pilates. Sarah is also a certified Health Coach through the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, and is passionate about helping women step into their personal power as they heal their relationship to food and their bodies. At the end of the day, Sarah is currently most excited to continue helping other fitness professional increase their awareness about creating inclusive, safe, educational spaces for all bodies and humans.

Lara Days is a certified nutrition coach, personal trainer, yoga instructor, and sports nutritionist who is on a mission to dismantle the diet industry and empower people to live their happiest, healthiest, most confident lives. Lara focuses on helping you improve your mindset, unlearn your past conditioning, and trust your body so that you can find food freedom, ditch diet culture, and step into your power.

Where to find Sarah & Lara:

Today’s episode sponsors: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order. Highland Park Housekeeping. https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/ code NATALIE15 for 15% off your service.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating.

If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast oh and also here @thatfoodiegirl

Have you ever wondered whether a juice or a smoothie is healthier for you? Same. Episode 54 is all about juice and smoothies and which one reigns supreme with holistic nutritionist Megan Lyons. She’s been on the podcast before (episode 36) and she’s extremely knowledgable about the ins and outs of nutrition and what smoothies and juices are doing for our health—the good and the not so great. Be sure to tune in to find out which one we both prefer!

In this episode, we talk about:

All about Megan:

Megan Lyons has shared her game-changing approach to wellness with thousands of people through personalized health coaching, corporate and group wellness programs, and motivational and educational speaking. As founder and owner of The Lyons Share Wellness, she’s deeply passionate about inspiring others to feel their healthiest and happiest.

Megan received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.  She is also a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, has a Masters in Holistic Nutrition from Hawthorn University, and is Board Certified as a Holistic Nutritionist. She lectures widely at hospitals, corporations, and organizations.  When she’s not health coaching, you can find her doing all types of workouts, cooking, reading, traveling, and cheering on the Dallas Mavericks.  She currently lives in Dallas with her husband, Kevin, and adorable dogs, Maverick and Riley.

Where to find Whitney:

Today’s episode sponsors: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order. Highland Park Housekeeping. https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/ code NATALIE15 for 15% off your service.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating.

If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast oh and also here @thatfoodiegirl

And we’re back with episode 53! This is a topic that is especially relevant for me— about to have a baby and enter the “4th trimester”, aka postpartum time. Today’s guest is a friend of mine, Whitney Rowell, founder of Miracle Milkookies, cookies that are designed to boost supplies for breastfeeding mamas. In this episode, Whitney talks all about postpartum: the good, the bad and the ugly. This is the perfect episode for expecting parents (moms AND dads), couples trying to conceive and even family members and friends who want to support the new moms in their lives a little better. Hope you enjoy!

In this episode, we talk about:

All about Whitney:

Whitney is a mother, wife, and passionate entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of Miracle Milkookies, a company designed to give mamas everywhere a little boost. She’s also the co-founder of Collective Thirty One, an invitation only platform that provides a source of community, inspiration, career intel, and support for local female entrepreneurs. During the beginning of the COVID lockdown, Whitney and two friends co-founded HerStory, a highly curated online marketplace and pop-up retail company designed to support female founded small-businesses around the globe. Whitney is also founder and host of the podcast, Message From Mom.

Where to find Whitney:

Today’s episode sponsors: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order. Highland Park Housekeeping. https://highlandparkhousekeeping.com/ code NATALIE15 for 15% off your service.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating.

If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast oh and also here @thatfoodiegirl

Hi friends! Welcome to episode 52. This episode centers around a subject that was requested—along with with a highly requested guest, Debi Lofstrand, a fitness trainer and health and lifestyle coach based in Dallas, TX. She couldn’t be a better person to talk about fitness as it changes through our lifespans, as she is fitness goals (about to turn 50) and her accent is also just so fun to listen to. :) She has lots of knowledge in fitness, nutrition, and her realistic approach is very reassuring. We can be strong at any age, no matter how our routines change and evolve.

In this episode, we talk about:

All about Debi:

Debi was born & raised in South Africa. She was always active in sports growing up but entered into group fitness classes in her high school years and has never looked back. Debi got married and had her 4 children in South Africa before moving to Dallas, TX after winning the online green card lottery in 2009. She’s been in Dallas for 12 years and loves Texas. Debi got into personal training in the US (studied through NASM) & during Covid she continued her studies to become a nutrition coach. All in all, Debi loves helping people live their best lives and she knows that starts with good habits that cover mind & body elements. She believes that delving deeper into what drives us and why we do things will help us to make more consistent & lasting lifestyle changes especially as we come through these past few trying years and learn to not be so hard on ourselves. Her motto for 2022 is ….Love harder & Be still.

Where to find Debi:

Today’s episode sponsor: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating.

If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast oh and also here @thatfoodiegirl

And we’re back with season 3! I’m so excited to be back on the mic, bringing some really fun guests and topics your way this year. I took a little hiatus after episode 50, but I’m so glad I did as I want to make this really well worth your time tuning in. This season is all about the topics. I’m bringing on experts on each topic so you’ll hear us dive into things like why care about a non-toxic lifestyle, juice vs. smoothies (which is better for you), fitness across your lifetime, postpartum life and so much more.

Episode 51, the first episode of season 3 is HERE, and we’re kicking things off with the topic of “why non-toxic?”. Why should we care? Allison Evans, the co-founder of Branch Basics comes on the show to talk us through they why behind tossing toxins.

In this episode, we talk about:

All about Allison:

In high school Allison was diagnosed with PCOS and suffered chronic, mysterious pain through college. After years of seeing medical specialists and a laundry list of drugs, Allison was desperate for relief and turned to her Aunt Marilee in the Texas Hill Country. After two months at Marilee’s, eating only real food, using safe products, and staying in a healthy home, her life was transformed. Allison was free of pain and got her life back. Eventually her ovarian cysts disappeared, and she was able to get pregnant naturally...three times! Most recently, Allison was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease and has again used a healthy lifestyle (and a move to the country!) to reverse almost all symptoms. She is passionate about educating others on how to create a healthy home in order to experience true healing.

Where to find Allison/Branch Basics:

Today’s episode sponsor: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating.

If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast oh and also here @thatfoodiegirl

I’m back with episode 50! 5-0!!! Thank you all for listening and keeping this podcast going. Today’s guest is Taylor Morgan, functional medicine physician associate, and she just so happens to be my husband and my personal practitioner. Taylor Morgan works with the Taylor Dukes Wellness practice and we get a little glimpse into how she got into this field, and all things gut health. Taylor’s approach is realistic, super educational and informative and it’s something we all need to learn and/or be reminded of.

In this episode, we talk about:

All about Taylor: link here

Where to find Taylor:

Today’s episode sponsor: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating.

If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast oh and also here @thatfoodiegirl

Hello and welcome to episode 49! Let’s just let that soak in. 49 episodes of The Fitness Insider. Wow. Thank you for coming along this journey with me! Today’s guest is Sonia Azad, a health and wellness reporter at WFAA in Dallas and a yoga and meditation instructor. Sonia chats about what she does in both roles, how she’s seen fitness change over the past 6 years, what it has been like reporting on wellness through Covid and more. She’s very inspiring and has a unique perspective being so woven into the fitness and wellness community of Dallas. Even if you’re not in Dallas, this will be a fun episode to listen to. And a reminder that reporters are just like us ;) The media gets a bad rap, but Sonia is a refreshing example of bringing the truth to light and getting all the goodness out to the people to encourage them to live their best lives.

In this episode, we talk about:

All about Sonia:

Through a combined love of health & journalism, Sonia has been fortunate enough to guide her life and career in a fulfilling direction. Sonia serves as WFAA’s Health & Wellness reporter. She is also a certified yoga & meditation instructor & leads local and international workshops and retreats for people curious about these ancient, healing & powerful practices.

Where to find Sonia:

A few things we mention:

Today’s episode sponsor: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating.

If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast oh and also here @thatfoodiegirl

We’re back with episode 48! This episode is a fun conversation with Georgia Thompson, of Goodness With G, a health coach and health and wellness blogger/influencer (and many other things). We talk about what a health coach really does, get off topic with added crap ingredients we get here in the US, stress management, meditation and morning routines. She’s also about to get married, so she talks about her perspective on “wedding prep” as far as diet and exercise goes. A little bit of everything! Hope you enjoy.

In this episode, we talk about:

All about Georgia:

Georgia Thompson is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, health and wellness blogger, Yoga Sculpt instructor, content creator, freelance writer and recipe developer dedicated to helping others create healthy, balanced lives.

Where to find Georgia:

A few things we mention:

Today’s episode sponsor: Blender Bombs. https://blenderbombs.com/ use code FITNESSINSIDER for 20% off your order.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating.

If you’d like to follow along updates with this podcast, be sure to follow me here: @thefitnessinsiderpodcast oh and also here @thatfoodiegirl

Welcome to episode 47! This is a short(er) and sweet one on 3 simple steps to eat cleaner. I walk you through 3 actionable steps on how to “clean up” your diet and include some healthy swaps/brands I love too. Hope you enjoy!

Where to find Natalie:

A few things I mention in this episode:

Don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll see each new episode as soon as it arrives every other Wednesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please head to Apple podcasts and leave a review and a rating.

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This episode was brought to you by Blender Bombs, my favorite nutrient-dense, superfood ball that you throw in your blender with your favorite smoothie ingredients to make your smoothie supercharged and very convenient. To get yours, go to www.blenderbombs.com and use code FITNESSINSIDER to get 20% off the entire website except subscriptions. My fave is the mint cacao. SO. Good.