Comfortably Uncomfortable

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com Today we chat and whine a bit about periods... why so taboo?? When did you first get yours? How will you handle talking about this with your daughters? How about your sons? What do you share now when they are young? Why is it so confusing when you go into a store for the first time to buy pads or tampons. Have you ever tried a menstrual cup? What do different stages of your cycle mean and how do they influence your mood, attitude and perspective on the day? So may questions and we chat through it ALL and more today. Just having a little fun and getting to the bottom of another uncomfortable topic!! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com When it comes to health and wellness in particular, people tend to have an all or nothing mentality. 30 days, intense dieting, hard workouts, or completely falling off and leaving those things aside. Really, it all comes back to a middle ground and good habits. Alex's 12 minute Tabata is her way of finding a middle ground, you don't have to commit to hours of working out every week, finding a few minutes to fit something in is so much better than nothing. Sandy asks clients to take 5 minute actions - 5 minutes can keep you on the right track, help you with new habits, keep you moving forward. Learn more during the podcast this week and find us on Instagram and our websites to follow along! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com I don't like to give unsolicited advice for kids - will talk forever if someone asks but not my place otherwise. However, there are a couple exceptions when it comes to mother's health postpartum that I will happily - lactation consultant (one that believes fed is best and you don't have to kill yourself to breastfeed), physical therapy, exercise and/or recovery which provides alone time - all center around allowing mom space to recover mentally and physically and connect with herself again. mom deserves sanity, health and care Exercise - If you have babies or young kids, you are constantly picking them up But what happens when your big kid gets hurt and all of the sudden you can't pick him up off the ground? God forbid a kids falls asleep and you can't carefully carry them up the stairs and put them in bed - that's an easy way to blow out your low back A new one as I work with more clients… it's never too late, there is never a good time to give up on yourself, you're never too many years postpartum My baby is already 7 years old it's too late for me? Well, do you have back pain? Do you wish you had more core strength? Before kids, I never had the core strength I have now - it's never too late or too early! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Switching it up a bit today, Alex solo today. Keeping it light and practical with a few tips and exercises you can do at home or playground to make the most of your outdoor time! Playground/driveway/yard ideas~ Squats - many variations: add a lift to toes, jump, shuffle + squat and/or jump, on their own or in between swing pushes Walking lunges - with your kids Use a bench, bottom of a slide or random edge/log for step ups, bulgarian split squats (one foot back), parallel single leg squats/legs dip Crab or Bear Walks - have kids do it with you so you don't look totally crazy Arm rows pulling kid in swing Plank with forearms on swing Try out the equipment doing the monkey bars or pull ups A couple reps or minutes to help improve mood, get the blood flowing and show kids good habits. Just do whatever you can whenever you can - it all counts! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com A heavier one for us today as we reflect on losses - that can be real, tragic, unexpected loss like the death of a loved one or a miscarriage or something less obvious like the loss of your freedom after you have a child. They are all impactful but resonate personally and socially in much in different ways. They may hit you at different times as well. Sandy and I reflect on our own losses both "big T" and "little t" trauma and how we feel it's impacted us over the years. It took reflection and therapy and guidance to help each of us navigate these losses and we invite you into our intimate world for a listen today. If you or someone you know is dealing with trauma and needs support we encourage you to speak to someone that can help. This podcast is not medical advice, it is opinion only. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com Boundaries are tricky... it feels like we talk in circles this week about it because there is no clear definition of boundaries. It's so personal. But we do talk through a few situations we have encountered and our personal feelings on the matter. Coach and Trainer, Therapist and Client, friends, parents, partners and more. It's all here. Join us on instagram, online and each week on the Comfortably Uncomfortable Podcast for more. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com How many times have you committed to a habit (Hello, New Year's Resolutions) and then given up or not followed through? For Alex, Fall is more of a time to commit to new habits or resolutions versus New Year's – it's a fresh start and schedule with kids going back to school. So let's commit together to new habits. Neuroplasticity has come up in school for Dany recently - the science of rewiring your brain. We want to understand how to make this happen. Carolina Leaf - “Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess”. Her research says it takes 63 days to make any readjustment, to change your brain's wiring. Let's go through the Neural Cycle - how do you use this to create new habits or get through a hard time. Gather - you are probably feeling overwhelmed with the feelings, allow the emotions to go through you. If you try to hinder them you are not moving forward through the neural cycle. No judgement or expectations. Reflection - why are you sad, frustrated, angry about it. Don't go into problem solving yet. Write - physically write the reflection so you can see the words in front of you. Recheck - it's the beginning of digesting or realizing things are not as bad or big as you think they are. Create action items rather than letting it grow into a larger problem. Active Reach - what is going to help you move forward, talking to somebody, buffering more time into your day. Not necessarily solving the problem but something that is helping you move forward in a cycle - not forward and backwards. Learning it's a cycle not linear is important to recognize, you don't have to just be over it. You aren't relapsing or getting worse, it's a cycle. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit / @sweatandshineon This is not necessarily our expertise, nor our comfort zone but the money was one of the requested topics for the podcast so here we are! Sandy had a direct experience with this finding out that another trainer at the gym with less education was making more than her. Ability to talk about it is the first hurdle. Equal wage day was March 24, 2021 where women finally caught up to the amount of money that men made last year. Viewpoints and priorities about money are learned from your experience. This can be applied to your relationship with food and exercise and everything else. Does money define you or is it more a necessity? The psychology of money and communication styles of money differs so much from person to person. When you learn from your parents, do you hold on to their path, exactly how they did it, or do you try to do the opposite because you don't agree with what they have done? Consistency is the key. Just like diets, you don't have to be crazy about it but you need to be consistent. Warren Buffet's advice for financial success. 1. Invest in yourself 2. Honor your communication skills, measure your success by your inner scorecard 3. Your life's success should be defined by one four letter word – LOVE When is enough, enough? Finding joy in the place you are – meet yourself in the place you are at instead of living up to crazy expectations. The Minimalists on Instagram has a nice tagline – use things, love people. Dave Ramsey has baby steps that we love. Follow him for more advice on the 7 steps. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

afterbabyfit.com - @aj.afterbabyfit / sweatandshineon.com - @sweatandshineon #cupod #comfortablyuncomfortable Starting with Brene Brown's definition. Shame is a focus on self, guilt is a focus on behavior. Shame is “I am bad”, guilt is “I did something bad”. The word that comes to mind for me in mom life is mom guilt but we aren't sure that it's really all guilt, there is shame and possibly jealousy. Trying to identify what we are experiencing is so important. In our shame episode we talked a lot about naming the shame and shifting it and how to deal with it, refer back if you want to dig in! It's been eye opening to understand the difference between shame and guilt. When it comes to guilt – what happens when you are being you, not intending to hurt feelings but you do and you also don't want to change your behavior. As moms we try to compartmentalize our life but the reality is that it is so messy and intertwined. We idealize other people's lives and behavior and see through the “social media lens” comparing to get our measure of worth or success. Sometimes you may do something that unintentionally hurt feelings but also, you aren't going to change your behavior because it is best for your family or yourself. An example is divorce, shame of letting people down, but also needing to make the best choice for yourself. Both sides need the space to have their own feelings. We love the drawbridge example from Glennon Doyle's book “Untamed”. Sit with it, recognize it, and take the uncomfortable steps. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

afterbabyfit.com - @aj.afterbabyfit / sweatandshineon.com - @sweatandshineon #cupod #comfortablyuncomfortable Vagina Farts aka downward dog dilemma or one legged down dog dilemma. What is a vagina fart? There are many things that can cause or create this. Generally speaking, it's air that gets trapped and released. It has a lot to do with the abdominal pressure regulation. It may be beneficial to do breathing counter to what you are being told – exhaling into the downward dog position for example so cue the pelvic floor contraction and lift (aka kegel) rather than an inhale and expansion. Other common reasons you experience the air release is prolapse (when the uterus is no longer in a typical upright position) or a tight pelvic floor. The pelvic floor gets stretched, allowing air in and then as you change positions or it contracts the air gets pushed out. that is getting stretched and air gets trapped. This can happen during sex as well and can be uncomfortable but different positions can reduce the occurrence. Hopefully if it does happen during intercourse you can laugh about it with your partner! If there is any pain, smell or discharge that comes along with this than you should seek medical attention. Otherwise it's a normal function of human anatomy. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. It is opinion only. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Want to get going with a strength training program? Find us at sweatandshineon.com or afterbabyfit.com to get started! What is strength training? Lifting light weights, heavy weights, toddlers, groceries. The weight is arbitrary, it has to bring you to fatigue. When the question of toning comes up, is it light weights and high reps or heavy weight and low rep. Both can be very effective. You need to find the weight and program that fits your style and personality. It's also going to depend on what you enjoy. You need to be aware of the best place to start to not compensating is so important to avoid injury. Weight loss is another major reason people workout and they tend to focus on cardio but strength training is so critical to that journey. There are two ways to burn fat – use it as your fuel to keep it going or increasing your lean body mass. Incorporating strength training into your exercise regimen can increase your metabolic speed. Strength training can help menopause symptoms, hormonal symptoms, helps you sleep better, bone density. It can increase your confidence, your athleticism – mom life, living pain free. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com #cupod #comfortablyuncomfortable What is the best diet? This may rock your world… whole foods, less processed, moderation. There is no perfect diet. We are all or nothing creatures, the idea of moderation is hard to wrap our heads around. There are so many diets around but most of them do have common elements of whole foods, less processed, moderation. So what's the perfect diet? It's what gets your body to proper wellness to optimally function not weight loss. If you dig into what all of these weight loss programs are promoting, it comes down to whole foods. If the issue is amount of time to cook or portion control, a lot of these food services are really nice but it's not a magic formula, it's just real food. How do we create and environment to maintain healthy lifestyles. In Sandy's research and Master's she researched why kids were gaining weight once they were school age – whether it was processed foods, less exercise, birthday parties or extra calories. Creating an environment is more important than being on a diet. Our culture is set up to over consume. Looking at triggers, psychological profile, emotional baggage and the way life supports or inhibits your ability to get healthy food. You don't have to be a certain size, you need wellness. Even if you see someone that may look like they have weight to lose, their body may actually be functioning at an optimal weight – good energy, good sleep, good organ function, good heart function – they don't have to be at “fighting weight” to be healthy. Having positive accountability and some plan to follow can be super helpful but lasting caloric deficits can be difficult. Set up your environment to be successful. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Follow along with us @aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com When you google mommy pooch you get a lot of garbage information, no wonder people are confused. Flat belly challenge, flat belly in 10 days, etc are not the real answer. What is a mommy pooch? How do you actually fix it? Most women think it is fat. It's the lower belly area, below the belly button, between the hip bones and above pubic bone. Below the skin you do have a layer of fat so there may be some of it. The biggest part is the stretching of the muscles, ligaments and skin. The linea alba runs down the middle of the body and when that is stretched it creates abdominal separation. This can contribute in addition to the stretching of the lower abdominals. On the flip side of the quick fix is the body positivity and giving women a hard time for wanting to have a flat belly again. It's not vain or impossible to strengthen and flatten the lower belly. You are allowed to want that and you don't have to just accept things about your body if you don't want to and it is within your power to change. It yet again feels like an all or nothing but it can be everything. Over time your body will be different but sometimes we idealize this pre-baby body and maybe it wasn't quite as perfect as we thought. We need to find the right balance. Mommy pooch is also a matter of function. When your muscles aren't functioning properly it can create pain in other areas like the lower back. An anterior pelvic tilt, common after pregnancy, can also make the lower belly area stick out more and a posture reset may be the solution for you. If you have loose skin, there isn't much that can be corrected. Posture and tissue aligned in its optimal length is key. There is a huge mental component, connecting your brain to the lower abdominals and engaging them properly by making that connection makes all the difference. Getting a list of 7 exercises without being trained properly can have drastically different results. If you are doing exercises not seeing any progress you may need a reset on how you trigger those muscles. Let's embrace body positivity by empower women with the knowledge and experience they need to make the right difference physically and mentally. *This is not intended to be medical advice it is only opinion. Please consult your doctor with any concerns or before beginning an exercise routine. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Support from Alex: afterbabyfit.com / @aj.afterbabyfit Support form Sandy: sweatandshineon.com / @sweatandshineon Resource to find a certified Doula: DONA International We introduce Marcela Rodriguez-Hill today, a doula along with friend and COO of Girl Scouts of Kansas City. What is a doula? A birth support person. Identifying the difference between a doula, midwife and doctor is also important. A doula does not have any medical responsibilities. A doula is there for physical and mental support. You engage a doula when you are pregnant if they are there for labor support and then there are also postpartum doulas that can help with mom and baby after delivery. Both roles provide the exact support that the mother needs for herself during the pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. There can be some stigma with being a doula, and it's assumed that you only need one if your desire is to give birth without medication. That is not the case, a doula can be helpful regardless or the type of delivery. Marcela has been a part of every type of birth – home birth, birth center, hospital, medicated, unmedicated, cesarean. It's not an additional medical, it's a knowledgeable advocate for the mom. Marcela became a doula because she was volunteering with a non-profit that worked with first time moms in under serviced communities. She was there until the baby was born for the mom and then someone would come help the baby. Marcela hired a doula for her delivery because she wanted to support and wanted her partner to have support and knowing when to jump in. She needed to be pushed into certain situations to progress labor along. How to approach a doctor about hiring a doula, especially if there are hesitancies. A good doula is silent when they need to be silent and vocal when they need to be vocal. They may be perceived by doctors as anti-medical but you need to find the right person. She helps to normalize someone's experience and has a handle for what the couple may be most nervous about during the day. There is no right or wrong way to have a baby and it's all about helping make it more comfortable and less stressful for the mom – physical and emotional support. Regarding the cost and experience of doulas – how do you decide? What are your needs? Maybe the first time it's during labor and the second time it's during the postpartum period because that is what is giving more stress. A lot of FSA accounts will reimburse you for the cost now. DONA International is the best place to find a certified doula. They have a questionnaire that you can use when interviewing a doula to find a good fit. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Today we are keeping it really simple, giving you our top tips for immediately after birth. Let's be open and honest about what happens in the few minutes and day or two after birth and how to help friends be more prepared for after birth. Sandy's must haves in your hospital bag to help make that overnight and first 24 hours better at the hospital. 1. Bring your own stool softener 2. Eye mask 3. Ear plugs Alex's must haves in the hospital bag for mom include 1. Perineal spray - Frida mom or Earth Mama baby bottom 2. Snacks 3. Breast pads for cooling Others: bring your own big underwear, make pad-cicles and freeze green cabbage leaves at home. Let's share the experience and help each other by making those first few hours and days a bit more comfortable. This is the time that peole don't talk about enough and we don't want to make it scary but we do want everyone to feel supported. Join Us every week for a new episode. Follow us on Instagram or email us: @aj.afterbabyfit / afterbabyfit.com @sweatandshineon / sweatandshineon.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com Today we dive into Sandy's birth story. Starting with how Stella got conceived. They could not have a baby naturally so they used donor sperm. The journey of infertility is so unique and it was much different than she expected. She did an IUI and on the second or third try she got pregnant and then had a miscarriage. It's also hard to know what to share and tell people as well, especially on a journey of infertility and after getting pregnant with Stella she was hesitant to do her normal workouts and felt very protective until she was further along. When it came time to think about a birth plan she decided she did not want anesthesia because she had a very bad previous experience with it and dove into hypnobirthing. It was a lot about reframing words, mental emotional preparation. Using the word surge instead of contraction. She felt really good about the approach. When she went into the birthing center her contractions were really close together but she was not dilated so she had to start petocin and for about 24 hours she was on petocin and her body wanted to push but it wasn't working. They finally convinced her to try an epidural, which didn't take full effect but allowed her to relax a bit but Stella was still pretty content. She was sunny side up and so they tried to flip the baby to help things along and she went right back to her sunny side up position. Having a supportive doctor was incredibly important, willing to deliver the baby any way baby wanted to come out. After getting the epidural and big increases in the petocin it was about 45 minutes and 3 contractions of pushing to get her out. Stella's head was in the 98th percentile to add to the fun! Upcoming episodes we will chat pre-labor and after labor like perineal massage. Her experience was much different than she expected but recognizing that it's ok for it not all to go according to plan is the best gift you can give yourself. Any way that baby is delivered is the right way for the baby to enter the world. Not talking about infertility, miscarriage, c-section, pelvic floor work even after c-section, surprise twins – all things we want to keep sharing and normalize. Join us! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com Today is the day that Alex shares her birth story. The first of her three children was born in October 2015. During the entire pregnancy, Alex was doing Crossfit and was feeling very mentally and physically strong an decided not to do an epidural. When feeling all the feels during labor it forced her to start pushing earlier than she would have with an epidural (now having had a second birth to compare, this is her opinion). Her sons head ended up in the high 90th percentile and although who knows if she would have suffered the same pelvic floor trauma but that in combination with pushing a bit early feels to her like there may have been more damage done. Alex felt so prepared for the actual birth – physically and mentally but the after birth was the part that she felt really surprised by and rocked her world. Luckily the pregnancy and delivery were fairly textbook but the part that no one talks about, the after, was the part that was the most surprising. Second birth she had a surprise pregnancy and surprise twins, due October 2017. Turns out the first month you are off birth control you have a 50% higher chance of having twins (Book: Oh Shit I'm having Twins). This one her doctor really wanted her to have an epidural and she was totally fine with that – she had done it naturally, “checked that box” and was ready for the epidural. The entire twin experience is different during a vaginal delivery as well, you deliver in the operating room just in case something happens and an emergency c-section is required. Everything felt so, dare we say, pleasant at the hospital with the second pregnancy and delivery and couldn't have been more different than the first one. The day went along as planned and when she was 10 cm she moved to the OR and she thinks because her body was fully ready at 10 cm and she didn't have the other pain she was able to fully focus on the breath work to efficiently deliver both girls. Again, the aftermath was a whole different ball game but very thankfully the delivery was smooth. Special thanks to all the wonderful doctors and nurses at Northwestern Hospital. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Test your breathing this week, take a very deep breath and see if your shoulders rise and you fill your chest or whether you fill your belly and ribs. #cubreath #cupod @aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com A lot can change from just a breath. Fun fact: when babies take their first breath it closes a hole in their heart. Breathing is fundamental, natural, something we generally take for granted. Breathing is always the first session in our postpartum programs, resetting is and pushing it down into the belly and the ribs instead of allowing the breath to live in our neck and shoulders. When you are pregnant, your organs shift and the baby takes up space in your belly and ribs that you would normally use to breathe. It's a huge mental challenge to shift your breath and start to use your core muscles to breathe again. Breathing into your shoulders and chest is a stressful breath. Breathing into your belly and ribs is a full breathe, calming or meditative breathe that fills your body with oxygen. In order to correctly engage muscles we first need to work on the breathe and posture and then work from there. An entire niche of physical therapy is actually dedicated to the mechanics of breathing, to help with dysfunction in breathing. Breathing is really efficiency of gas exchange, and supporting the function of your organs. The chest breath or stress breath doesn't promote that exchange. You need big breaths to sleep to function throughout your day. Are you someone that takes short breaths and has high anxiety? If you aren't breathing well at night while you sleep you will wake up feeling tired and not rested. This applies to everyone not just postpartum. Breathing can relax your parasympathetic nervous system and calm you. The ribs can actually become really tight and rib mobility is important, actually putting your fingers in between the rib bones and breathing in to that space to release the tension. Set a timer for 5 minutes and see how wonderful your big breath feels after. Adding focused breathing to your exercises makes them more challenging and intense. For example, using a balloon can add intensity to an exercise. Holding our breath during movements is called the Valsalva maneuver. This increases your blood pressure very quickly. And many people do movements without realizing they are holding their breathe. Many times people hold their breathe during a plank, trying to brace their core. You need to be able to brace your core and still breathe through it. Practicing the inhale and exhale. Teaching a child to breathe when they are feeling stress or anxiety can help calm them. And holding them tight to feel the breath and mimic the breath can be such a powerful tool to reach calm. One breathe at a time. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit @sweatandshineon Share how you love to sweat! Tag us and us #cusweat #cupod Diving right in to stories all about sweat, it's an important part of your physiology. After baby, did you start sweating more in other places like your crotch? Sandy has always sweat a lot and at times has been self-conscious about it and has found she has been even sweatier in certain places after pregnancy. Exercise sweat vs stress sweat. Your genitals have more stress sweat glands than other places. Those places also attract more bacteria which contributes to the smell. The rest of the body holds more of the exercise sweating glands. One sweat that all postpartum women have in common are the night sweats, when you release an overwhelming amount of hormones from pregnancy. No one told us that was a thing. Your body is going through so much in that transition. But what about people that say they don't sweat? Sometimes there is a diagnosis that prevents sweat, in other situations, living in areas with high temperatures can get your body to a new homeostasis and you sweat less. Higher trained athletes actually sweat more and faster. Part of it is the intensity and the other part is the efficiency of your body regulating and bringing your body temp back down. Getting out of your comfort zone is important. What about wearing clothing that shows sweat? Do you have some insecurities about clothing and whether it shows sweat. Is there a shame or stigma with sweat? Well it does smell, clothes need to be washed immediately. Why do we think sweat is gross? How about natural deodorant? Do you find it works better in different situations? Beautycounter Natural Deodorant Let's be kind to those that sweat, because maybe they aren't excessive sweaters or in a condition like heat that make them sweat but they are uncomfortable or in a stressful situation. Taking it back to night sweats and why this might be happening – all about the hormones. Alcohol and caffeine can be big contributors. You can literally smell the alcohol through the sweat. It could also be a result of your cycle and different days, like when you ovulate, you might have hormone induced night sweats. Habits, tracking and understanding might help you connect the dots. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

#cusleep #cupodcast #comfortablyuncomfortablepodcast Do you get jealous or judgmental when someone says they got 8 or more hours of sleep at night? It's completely cultural, the feeling that someone isn't doing enough if they are adequately resting and sleep for 8 or more hours in a night. Are you being lazy getting sleep? What is quality sleep? Maybe not necessarily the amount of sleep, the quality of sleep. The routine of sleep. Falling asleep, light non REM sleep, deep REP sleep and REM sleep. Your brain needs recovery in REM sleep. How many hours of sleep is correct? Bringing it back to the Burnout book by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski, they indicate that 42% of your day should be spent resting, not necessarily sleeping. That is 10 hours during your day. If you are getting 9 hours of sleep each night but you are still feeling very tired, you should seek medical help. Sleep on its own, you need a certain amount of sleep to have body, brain and central nervous recovery. For every 2 hours of stimulating the central nervous system, it takes about an hour to recover and rebuild. When you think about how much sleep you get, it's not always when you “go to sleep” and “wake up”, you need to count the actual sleep. Disruptive sleep is not quality sleep. If you are sleep deprived, performing a function like driving is the equivalent of drunk driving. Your brain has no ability to recover. There are tools to help you keep track of sleep and other activities like the Aura Ring that has sensors. A Whoop or Apple Watch are similar. You should get 1.5 – 2 hours of REM sleep and things like alcohol and marijuana impact that sleep. One event like over drinking can impact your sleep for up to 5 days. When Sandy looked up gummies, it helps allow you to fall asleep faster but doesn't necessarily help you get REM sleep. Depends on the person and metabolism. What about melatonin? When we have screens, lights, etc, our rhythms get messed up at night. The melatonin as a supplement may be helpful. This can be applied to kids as well, if there are behavioral problems, it may be best to start at sleep first. Black out curtains, removing electronics, sounds machine, all really good for deep and REM sleep. Plus, sleep routines. This is not to be considered medical advice, only opinion. Consult a medical professional regarding alcohol, marijuana, sleep or other questions. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Challenge: share a picture and win a free copy or audible of the book! #Cubookclub #cupod Book Club for this quarter is Burnout, written by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski. Emily Nagoski is also the author of another book we discussed Come as You Are. Three components of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased sense of accomplishment. She also discusses human givers frequently, generally women, expected to give their time and attention to human beings, the givers give their humanity away to others. Completing the stress cycle is the first issue that is tackled in the book. Stress versus stressor, what are the stressors and what stress is activate from that stressor. The example of the lion chasing you and completing the stress cycle by killing the lion. When your body is being hit by stressors all day, modern day life, your body shuts down to allow you to run away from the lion or beat the stress. Your digestive system, reproductive system, all critical function is suspended. How to identify the stress cycle Completing the stress cycle: 1. the most efficient activity is physical activity 2. Breathing 3. Positive social interaction 4. Laughter 5. Affection 6. A big cry 7. creative expression. Wellness is not a state of being, it is a state of action. We think we are trying to reach this state of wellbeing but it's not an end goal, it's continued steps in the right direction. What little action or thing can you do, doesn't have to be perfect but it's a continuation in the right direction. The monitor is the next part of the book where she discusses the brain mechanism that signals your brain with a work to effort ratio. Whether the task at hand is meeting the expectation of how much effort should be given to the task. When expectations do not meet reality it can create stress and rage that builds. Oscillating between rage and helpless despair – and the ability to give up on something, the choice to give up on something puts you in the driver's seat. You can own the decision. Meaning and finding something larger in life is so important. Ambitious goals, service, loving relationships. This human giver syndrome can strip us of meaning and forces us to be attentive only to the needs of others. Symptoms include a moral obligation, you owe it to be pretty, happy, calm, generous and attentive to the needs of others. Failure to do that means you are a failure as a person. Human giver syndrome thrives when expectations are not met or when things don't go right. Judgement about how you look and the bias against those that look overweight. The stress of thinking your body is not conforming to the correct form can actually be worse for your health than the actual weight. Healing hurts, allow yourself to feel the injury and heal from it. The emotional injury is significant and real. Keep completing the cycle and We want to help women prevent burnout and find joy and clarity on their purpose. Joy is the internal clarity of purpose. Finding this will help you resolve the stress, understand it, and complete the cycle. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

#cumotivate #cupodcast This week, find a positive accountability partner! Or if you are looking for other ways to integrate positive accountability in your life, reach out and let us know! Social media @aj.afterbabyfit and @sweatandshineon or our websites with all our contact details afterbabyfit.com and sweatandshineon.com Motivation runs out. It doesn't just magically show up every day or week. Sandy studied the idea of motivation and behavior change during her masters. Motivation is felt as the positive and accountability is the negative. When we have one on ones with our clients we have such a positive view of accountability yet our clients may start this conversation with a feeling of defeat that they “need accountability” to make anything happen. Accountability is like outsourcing part of part of your life to keep you on track. Intrinsic motivation is great but it's not realistic to think you can keep them up. It is not a one size fits all, what works for you doesn't work for everyone else. Extrinsic motivation – motivated by rewards, consequences, or growth, power. If those things don't work than accountability comes in to play. Accountability and habits is what can build the feeling of motivation. Where did we learn that accountability was a negative thing? Is it through childhood or grading that makes us feel that way? Be the example for positive accountability and the practice makes progress mindset rather than the all or nothing. Coming back around the habits to make these healthy life improvements. If you want certain things to happen or grow, you need to practice, set those small goals, rather than feeling you didn't achieve. Instead of saying I'll wait until Monday to start, you can actually start today. Take a deep breath, and begin, now. Reasons you may lack motivation… LIFE. Stress, burnout, low self-esteem, poor sleep, anxiety, depression, the list goes on… these strip you of motivation. Everyday life can be what strips you of motivation. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com Pretending today is mostly in the context of I'm fine, it's fine, we are all fine and how especially women always say they are good when they are not. Pretending can be survival mode. It can be conscious or completely unconscious when you don't realize that you are taking on so much that you are ignoring the help. When you hit survival mode, continuing to keep going is how you keep going. Being overly independent is a sign of trauma, put up the walls, not be vulnerable. How about people pleasing and is it the same as pretending and where does it intersect? Sandy found an article from Psychology Today that describes people pleasers and the first sign is that you pretend to agree with everyone. 2. You feel responsible for how other people feel. 3. You apologize often. 4. You feel burdened by the things you have to do. 5. You can't say no. 6. You feel uncomfortable if someone is angry at you. 7. You act like the people around you. 8. You need praise to feel good. 9. You go to great lengths to avoid conflict. 10. You don't admit when your feelings are hurt. 10 Signs You are a People Pleaser Do we do this to avoid the conflict? Do we not know how to just be by ourselves anymore? With COVID it feels like it's becoming a little more commonplace to say we aren't ok all the time. It's the little stuff that has a lasting impact. People are there when you have the big T trauma events but it's the little stuff that can weigh so heavily. It doesn't feel like there is room to not be ok in the middle ground, you don't have to need help it's ok just to sit with the feelings but you also don't have to pretend to be ok. Social media you may see the extremes – the bad trauma and the extreme joy but living in the in between is so difficult. Would you ever actually think someone you love is ok if they were out in the cold, weren't eating, suffering? Why do you allow yourself to be in those same situations? The person we pretend the most with is ourselves. It might be easier to socially interact to just be on this superficial level. The person we pretend the most with is ourselves. It might be easier to socially interact to just be on this superficial level. Does it depend on whether you are comfortable with conflict? It's ok not to be ok. You don't have to be on this extreme end to finally admit that it is not ok. It's totally allowed to say it's not ok but it's also not the worst. And if you want to celebrate, then you should! Is pretending serving you? How and when you pretend may serve you, but don't let it overcome you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit - afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon - sweatandshineon.com We start with a question, have you ever faked an orgasm? We both have read a book by Emily Nagoski called Come as You Are” which helped inform this episode. How do you know if you've had an orgasm? For Alex it was all about the partner and recalling different experiences. Do you think that orgasm is over rated or under rated? It depends on the perspective of the person. And sex does not equal orgasm for more than 50% of women. Female pleasure is underrated. It's not talked about, or shared to find out what might or might not be “normal”. Anatomically, we all have the same parts. The head of the penis is the same as the female clitoris. Everyone has the same parts organized in different ways. Penetration is convenient for males and makes them orgasm but it is harder for women. Anatomically, women's most sensitive parts are outside the body. Addressing any of these issues with your partner is a very difficult. Sandy shares a deeply personal story about being raped as a teenager and how that has informed and triggered her ideas about sex the rest of her life. Context is huge, Sandy has had to regain control and get comfortable again. Expecting to have an orgasm with you have sex, the expectation was too much to handle. Alex has been on a journey of boldness and trying to empower women to build confidence. Life stressors and events can truly impact your intimacy. What your body carries with you. The narrowest definition of an orgasm is a contraction of the pelvic floor. However, generally it is a release of sexual tension and orgasms for even the same person can differ wildly depending on the circumstances. The postpartum work that we do with women is also meant to improve their intimacy and orgasms. The exercise and specifically breath work and core and pelvic floor strength drastically improved sexual pleasure and orgasms for Alex. The postpartum work we do creates confidence for a woman in their body, making the mind body connection. Understanding yourself and your own body and pleasure should be a priority, accepting yourself after traumatic events including childbirth. Arousal non-concordance is when your body is responding but your mind isn't wanting the intimacy or the other way around. Your brain doesn't match the physical response. Desire and arousal are different for men and women. Men experience desire and then immediate arousal whereas women need the arousal first to feel the desire. When you think that sex is bad it can stop someone from feeling pleasure. So what now? First, listen or read to Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski. The topics that resonate with you may be different. For Sandy, it was brakes versus accelerator and needing to release the brakes. For Alex it was increasing joy and pleasure for yourself and your confidence to maximize your pleasure. No shoulds or shame, bring tools to the party like lube and vibrators and find the pleasure that makes you feel your best. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit / afterbabyfit.com - @sweatandshineon / sweatandshineon.com No agenda today, just here to kind of bitch about our boobs. We give thanks for our bodies being able to do things like breastfeeding but all have gripes with how they have changed, especially after babies. During and after pregnancy – the number of bras and the types you need is crazy! You get in to interesting situations breastfeeding. There are times when it feels inappropriate to have boobs out but why? And is it still like that? We need to feed our babies but it feels over sexualized and you may be made to feel uncomfortable. 4th Trimester or breastfeeding time create a need for an entire new wardrobe, no shirt fits. It's something that no one really seems to prepare you for. And when breastfeeding with twins your body produces enough milk for two children which exacerbates that issue even more. Lactation consultants are amazing people and a recommendation we have for all new moms because they can provide amazing support. If you are struggling with breastfeeding – cracked nipples, bleeding, pain – you may need to give yourself a rest. Allow yourself the ability to heal. And buying a nursing bra can be a serious struggle – it is expensive and hard to find one that fits but so important. Whether you want to show them off or you are more comfortable keeping them concealed they are their own beast and there is so much damn emotion and reaction attached to them! We had fun with this one today, reach out and tell us why you love or hate your boobs! #cuboobs #cupod This podcast is for entertainment only and is not to be considered medical advice. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Challenge #cudata find data that serves your why and your purpose or let data go that isn't serving you. Or give yourself a break if the numbers aren't working for you. afterbabyfit.com / @aj.afterbabyfit sweatandshineon.com / @sweatandshineon Sandy had promised clients that she would track her weight every day for one month and we are going to chat about what she learned on that journey today. We attach ourselves to data, especially weight and concern ourselves with those numbers. When Sandy tells people their weight, they are always surprised and think it's heavier than she should be. Or has been considered overweight even though she has been incredibly active and healthy. So she put the scale away and decided to bring it out for this experiment. So what did Sandy think day 1 when she got on the scale. When she saw 164.6 on the scale she was shocked and it really hit her hard. Even though she has worked for years to eliminate the feelings that come with weighing yourself for clients, it was impactful. This is not something she will continue doing, the emotional toll is too much and she will no longer recommend it to clients either. Changing the practice in talking to clients. What tailored information do you want to know about yourself? Sandy is going to keep up with a poop journal and encourage her clients to do the same. That information was more valuable and she could learn from it rather than the number on the scale that could change by a few pounds for no specific reason. When Alex reached for a specific number postpartum, she got there but it was completely unsatisfying. When she started training and learning the movement changes she needed to make she lost inches and stayed the exact same weight. Her journey reminds people that someone else's transformation story should inspire but never be a goal, everyone has their own path to follow. You will get to a point where if you are successful in losing weight, they don't know how to use the scale. It's important to learn what data is serving you best as it relates to your goals. Data can then create labels and if one of your labels is not serving you, then you need to pivot and find something else. Pictures can serve a purpose maybe more than the scale, and it's amazing to see confidence in an after picture, not weight loss. The before and after of who you have become and loving yourself through the journey. What data serves you in this season of life? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Challenge: #cucardio What are you doing to body today or this week that makes you happy? Want a custom running program and an app to track your progress? Email alex@afterbabyfit.com to get started! Alex - afterbabyfit.com / Sandy - sweatandshineon.com When a client says she doesn't want to lift weights because she is afraid she is going to get too bulky, Sandy's response is, ok, well are you afraid you are going to become a NASCAR driver because you drive? We always think in the extreme, we think if we start lifting weights we are going to start looking like body builders but you won't – body building is a science. There is a time and a place for both cardio and weight lifting. It really matters what your intention and goals are and the best course of action is to integrate both in to your life. Cardio is the basis for heart health, and trains the heart to efficiently pump oxygen throughout the body. When it comes to a goal of weight loss, significant cardio is not necessarily the golden ticket. When adding weight training, maybe you will actually like it better, or it might suit your body better. Heavy weight training can be an amazing vehicle for losing weight. It can be an empowering feeling to pulling weight off the ground. Lowing weight vs fat. In weight training you are building muscle mass and may gain weight but your size is different. Moving away from the idea of losing weight and integrate new concepts in to your training to make yourself feel better and more confident. Recovery from these intense activities is an important piece to integrate in to your practice. Again, it's all about finding the balance in your training. Not to burn out by over training or doing nothing. What can you accomplish on your worst day? Find something that makes you happy and try new things. Cardio is amazing, should be part of everyone's protocol. Get out there run, walk, bike, swim, tennis, anything that will get your cardiovascular fitness. Don't live and die by it. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Challenge: instead of finding the quick fix or shortcut, look at how you can integrate things into your life so you can simplify and keep you moving forward for the long game. #cuhacks #cupod @aj.afterbabyfit / @sweatandshineon When you hear the word hack or life hack what is the first thing that comes to mind? Alex thinks of tricks and tools that you can integrate into your life, make your life a little bit easier. For Sandy, she thinks of short cuts, loop holes or quick fixes. The idea of the short game versus the long game. It doesn't have to be a shortcut, it can be to SIMPLIFY. The intention behind Alex's 12-minute Tabata is not what Sandy typically considers a hack, it's more like, ok you only have 10 minutes, give me those 10 minutes and do something for yourself. No false promises like a 6 pack in 10 minutes but Alex does promise you will feel more energized but it's a long game to integrate healthy habits. First simplify, hack, is breathing. Properly breathing in to your diaphragm, pelvic floor and core will naturally strengthen your entire core and it will feel like a shortcut because you are gaining muscle strength with every breathe. It's an integration, that long term creates the end goal or outcome. Rather than a shortcut to an evening routine like blue light glasses if you want to be on your phone or a screen, instead integrate a new routine or giving yourself 30 minutes without a screen right before bedtime. Let's talk about caffeine, is that a hack. Over consuming to get through the day is a short-term solution when needed. Integrating healthier habits and Meal Prep: for Sandy this is not a hack that works. On your worst day, you need to be able to accomplish these tasks. One simplified meal prep idea that works for Alex is large portions of broccoli, rice and chicken to have on hand and readily available all week. For Sandy, if she was already cooking, can she throw something else in at the same time to create a meal for the next day? Integrating in to what she was already doing. See what you are already doing and how you can simplify and integrate. Is this a shortcut? Or simplifying my morning: 3 bowls of cereal and 3 cups of milk in the fridge so they can make their own breakfast in the morning. A 5 minute daily action. Visit: TABATA's on YouTube Habits Episode 2 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

@aj.afterbabyfit @sweatandshineon Rhya Pachin: @carolinafunctionalnutrition / www.carolinafunctionalnutrition.com Nutritionist & dietician from the Charlotte, NC area, Rhya. She starts explaining her journey to us, she followed her own passion after hitting brick walls, not getting help and not feeling like she was getting the right help with her own body. Wanted to pay it forward and help others. Masters in nutrition with undergrad in pre-med and biology. Licensed dietician and nutritionist vs. nutrition coach - the main difference is that she can give nutrition advice to someone with a diagnosed medical condition such as, crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, food allergies, hashimoto's (autoimmune hypothryroid) rather than general nutrition education. We wanted to chat a bit about elimination diets today and all the different diets out there. Rhya's family all has autoimmune disease and she has made the decision to have her kids gluten free to avoid these struggles. No shame in trying a gluten free diet to see if it helps resolve your issues but it's not a silver bullet. There are some real clinical applications for it though. The goal for Rhya is usually to add in as much as possible without provoking symptoms. Food sensitivity is not necessarily a lifetime issue it's typically a sign of a deeper gut issue. Are there ever concerns with adding something like gluten back in if they have been off of it for so long? More like your body has finally calmed down and you can now see how your body reacts. The source of food itself, is it good or bad? No, there isn't a specific food or item that is bad. Through labs you can find that people have different sensitivities - maybe it's the wheat not gluten or even the herbicides that are sprayed on the wheat if it's not organic. It may not only be the food, you can find out so much more about the labs. Sorting through layers of health issues can be much easier through testing. The most common is stool testing because you can directly see what's going on in the gut. Especially with autoimmune, and many other conditions, there is always a gut component. Autoimmune - what is it, what does that mean? Rhya uses a test that looks at inflammation, it can be more helpful than eliminating foods. Any symptoms of any kind are inflammation. Not always bad, it's how your body heals. Chronic inflammation is not good. What are the steps to take if you can't do the testing? Or you don't have a big budget. Just try taking one thing out for a couple weeks - like gluten or dairy and you can learn about the trigger. The amount of something is really what's going to matter. Alcohol and sugar come up the most as things clients don't want to get rid of and for the most part they don't have to unless there is a medical reason why it's really important to cut if out for a certain amount of time. In healthy adults it comes down to frequency & volume whether we are talking about food sensitivities or trigger for gut issues and prolonged healing. Steps for an elimination diet: 1. Know your why, help you figure out what is triggering or making you sensitive. 2. Usually best to pick one category to eliminate first, gather data. 3. Eat as many types of whole foods as you can without triggering your symptoms so you don't get anxiety and have a restrictive mentality Quality & moderation are really the takeaways for today. Gluten free shampoo? It is actually a thing - keratin is derived from wheat and can actually give someone a rash if they are highly sensitive to gluten. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Challenge: #cudetox #cupod The challenge this week is #cudetox let's think about all the things you can move toward or away from, it could be anything - sleep, drinking, eating, exercise, cosmetics, something else important in your life. @aj.afterbabyfit / afterbabyfit.com / @sweatandshineon / sweatandshineon.com Marketing of detox programs is what really gets Sandy, the idea that a tea or anything will fix bloating and make you lose weight and cleanse the toxins. What are toxins? What are the toxins you need to get rid of. When Alex said she was doing a detox, Sandy pushed her to explain and they both realized it had nothing to do with cleaning your gut but putting yourself back into good HABITS. When Sandy asks people their why, it comes out. The idea of doing better and going towards. It's not fighting the marketing, let's talk about a cleanse, detox and where it might backfire or might not work for you. Alex first talked to Sandy about doing a detox and realized that that isn't really what was told but that was the word she used to explain it because she is conditioned to use that word. The promise was not to get rid of toxins, you were creating or going back to good habits and well rounded nutrition to help your body fully function. Two weeks of greens, fiber, protein, fats, fruits, really well rounded meals and nutritional support for her body was exactly what she needed after too much drinking and bad eating habits in the fall & winter. Not an extreme juice cleanse that she had tried back in 2012 and completely backfired on her. Sandy is hypoglycemic and hypertensive so a lot of sugar actually makes her faint. If you jump on a cleanse or some huge change to your diet without understanding the full ramifications for your body and system it could be hugely detrimental. If you overwhelm your body with anything, it works hard to fight and may crash or get brain fog or some other results will emerge. If you notice that you are eating poorly, drinking a bit too much, not getting enough exercise, taking too much medication, not getting enough sleep. Each person is different and a health professional will want to speak to you directly and help your unique body find the right program. May use labs or other data points to find the best fit - much more than some ad on instagram. Just because some people cleanse, doesn't mean it's a good idea for you. You need to listen to your own body and seek the proper guidance, where you are being treated to someone. Number one reason people want to cleanse is weight loss. It's hard to lose actual fat in a few days, it's not sustainable. Alex's #cudetox is going to be around food and keeping up the greens and minimizing alcohol and caffeine. Sandy's is going to be more mental, not letting the marketing get to her about these programs, accept it, absorb it, let it go. Ads: Precision Nutrition programs through Sandy Beauty Counter cosmetics through Alex, beautycounter.com/alexmegan This podcast is not considered medical advice, it is opinion only. Please consult a medical professional for questions or concerns regarding your nutrition or exercise. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

#cusugar #cupod show us your sugar! own it, claim it, don't bring shame to it. @sweatandshineon @aj.afterbabyfit Is sugar good? Is sugar bad? We want to put it into categories of good or bad but it's a loaded question. We want to categorize it as bad or good and talking about sugar with our kids, they need to associate it but we also don't give them enough credit to understand what sugar is good and what sugar is bad. If you don't have glucose, your body doesn't work. Sugar in fruit is a hot topic - many diets will tell you that there is too much sugar in fruit and to avoid it. Alex's bad relationship with fruit sugars began when she wanted to lose her freshman 15 in college and did South Beach which eliminates fruit from your diet and got used to not eating it. The sugar in the fruit is not bad, it is critical to your health. In a recent metabolic reset she did, Alex had to eat a lot of fruit and was really uncomfortable with it. Take a look at your relationship with sugar and the emotional attachment. Your body is processing and using sugar. When you consume too much and don't use it, you have a problem. It's not that one is good and one is bad. In fruit there are vitamins and minerals, so much more than just sugar. Number one question when clients come to Sandy for nutrition advice is “are you going to take away my wine and chocolate” - hell no! Have it, enjoy it, but let's talk about your relationship with it. That's the most important thing, your relationship with it. When dealing with kids, moving them towards natural sugars that also provide the nutrients in whole foods found in nature, not just the processed sugar. We don't have to get away from sugar, we need to move towards whole foods. One strategy that works for Sandy with kids is to say, sure you can have the lollipop but let's eat the real food first. Saying yes, sure they can have it instead of “no it's bad for you” may actually end up limiting your intake better. It's not forbidden - that goes for adults too. Incremental wins and progress and finding what works for you on your worst day is what is going to work for you. You need to be able to keep it up, not be depleted and strict. If you would rather have a glass of wine at the end of the night and not the apple, let's talk about why and own it. Your body will intake those sugars the exact same way, you are just moving away from the nutrients that are in the food. An all or nothing approach is not going to get you where you want to go. The balancing act is so important, allowing it in to your life, moving towards your goals and habits. Own your why. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

#cupoop #cupod @aj.afterbabyfit @sweatandshineon Challenge: talk about your poop We start with digging into why this is such an uncomfortable topic, is it just ingrained in us at a young age that “girls don't poop”? Sandy tells a hilarious story about they guy she is dating and asking him if he was pooping and how he got so uncomfortable being asked. There is a double standard of this human thing that men can joke about and its unlady-like for girls and women to talk about it. As a health professional you need to talk about your poop as a part of your health. A lot of the time the belly pooch or not being able to get rid of the baby belly can be an issue of your gut, not just the muscles and fat. Talking about poop with the kids gets you a little more comfortable with the topic. It's so important to get to know your poop. Precision Nutrition is the curriculum that Sandy uses for Nutrition Counseling with her clients and they have a graphic showing the 7 types of poop. There are some real red flags that you can find if you see a change in your bowel. It can help with early intervention with serious illness. You want smoothe sausage shaped poop and not overly hard or runny. Some of the detoxes or cleanses may cause the watery poop which is so bad for you. Be aware of the crazy diets really impact you and can make things not work properly. Fiber is part of the equation, helping to go down your GI Tract. So is proper hydration and exercise. Drinking water, consuming my water rich foods like fruits and vegetables. Over working or being stagnant can have serious negative consequences. The other thing is that your poop should not smell terrible and it should not take forever to use the bathroom. If either of those things are happening you should see a nutritionist. Men seem to have gotten the green light to spend so long in the bathroom but being an efficient pooper means that everything is actually functioning properly. Stress and exercise can also have a huge impact. It's all one big system. Overtraining or undertraining can drastically affect your bowel and may change your gut health. There are a lot of irritants to be aware of and consider. Another poop that many women experience is the first one postpartum. Dehydration and pelvic floor trauma can make this one painful and take a long time but doctors want to make sure you have had a bowel movement before they release you home, it's a sign of health! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

#cupee #cupod @aj.afterbabyfit @sweatandshineon Alex Megan & Sandy Seitz Challenge: tag us and use #cupee with an activity you are doing, have done or want to do that could make you pee your pants! Motherfigure.com with code CU20 for 20% off Let's start by admitting we both have peed our pants as adult women. Today we are talking about incontinence and particularly about exercise. It is a common running joke in fitness classes when a teacher gives modifications so you don't pee your pants. Add it to the list of things that as a postpartum woman it's mentioned but not really talked about. Seems you are expected to live with it now. Exercise incontinence happens to athletes not just postpartum women. Analogy of a soda can, you have a top, bottom and around. When you pee it's because the pressure in the can is not optimal. The core is usually just considered the front abdominals or middle section but it's a balance between your breathing, core and pelvic floor that create proper pressure. When we hold our breath we are pushing our diaphragm down and pressure increases so if you hold your breath you are forcing all the pressure downwards and you experience leaking. Whether you are an athlete or not, you may hold your breath or breathe with a backwards pattern that causes unnecessary pressure. So important to go see a pelvic floor physical therapist to have the knowledge of your own pelvic floor. Not everyone should do what is generally recommended like trying to do a kegel when you pee. If you are still leaking it may not be just because of your pelvic. Just doing your kegels is not the answer. Pelvic Floor / Women's Health PT can be so impactful - knowledge is power. Each person is a bit different and doing one of our recovery programs may be good before, during or after PT. The beauty of an on demand program is that you can watch it in bits and go back to any part that you need. It's like any injury that needs recovery, but because it's a vagina it doesn't get treated the same. The pelvic floor muscles are lengthening during delivery and sometimes they go back on their own. If you over stretched any other muscle the same way, you would do rehab. Mind body connection can be missing, particularly after a c-section birth and it's important to acknowledge and rebuild that connection. With peeing and postpartum there can be so much shame so we want to put it out there and talk about it, building awareness! Alex shares some mommy hacks using the breathe to help avoid peeing your pants during a workout. For example, jumping or box jumps. Doing a forceful exhale (should hear the breathe) as you begin the jump will tense up your core and pelvic floor and protect you from leaking on impact. Exhale through the impact as well. For power lifters and heavy squatters, avoid the valsalva maneuver, don't let your abdominal muscles take over. If you need help, reach out to us and we can provide resources and guide you on the best path. Disclaimer: This podcast is opinion and should not be considered medical advice. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Dr Madeline William of Adapt Psychological Services (www.adaptpsych.com). Madeline's views are informed by her training as a psychologist. Please consult a personal counselor or therapist of your own for ongoing guidance and support related to mental health concerns. challenge: #cushame tag us and name your shame, shift your shame, and get support to rewrite your story. We are talking about shame today and we use Brene Brown's definition of Shame: “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging. Something we have failed to do makes us feel unworthy of connection.” Shame is a label, a hat you put on. No matter what other hats you try on, if you have shame, you can't cover it up. It is something you have told yourself or others have told you you are and have internalized. How does shame play in with clients, how do you address this? Something has made them feel uniquely flawed or bad. It feels there is little separation. Maddie addresses Guilt vs Shame - because guilt has everything to do with your behavior and shame has everything to do with who you are or your perception of who you inherently are. Example, if you forgot your friend's birthday, guilt looks like feeling bad about it and finding a way to make it up to them. Shame is thinking that because of this you are a terrible friend and person and it will tear you apart and you have to live with the feeling without option for reparation. Shame happens regardless of the type of person you are, you can't hide from it. We ask Maddie to tell us about her shame. Because she is a psychologist does that mean she can deal with any emotion her kids throw at her or that she is the most patient person in the world? Shame has come up in many life phases recently - pregnant, new mom, toddlers. Tying shame with her body feels most accessible to her at the moment. She didn't do much to repair after her first pregnancy, just got back into running and the activities she loved felt fairly straight forward. Running is an identity for her, she loves it, and it completely energizes her so she just kept it up. After her second it felt impossible to get back into high impact work. She believes it must be fairly common (it is) that women realize for the first time that they maybe don't know how to engage their core like they thought. Hips and glutes can go for days but if it's up to their pelvic floor and lower ab muscles to stop them from peeing themselves, it's not happening. Not feeling that she was the person she thought she was because she couldn't do those high intensity movements any more. She didn't feel like herself anymore. She didn't deserve to be considered a runner anymore. Type of therapy called commitment and action therapy. One concept is, self as content vs self as context. Putting yourself in a box is self as content “I am X”. Self as context is that fluid ability to be the slash, you don't have to be on either side. Think about what your values are and what brings you purpose in that context. So much shame in the process because she never thought she would be there and have to ask for support. Fixing the problem solves shame but if you are having trouble fixing it then taking these steps of naming it and converting and sharing with trusted people is important. 3 shame reducing tips: 1. Name it and speak it - “sitting on the floor of the shame shower” or tapping on your head. Open the door and pull away the power. It's not who you are it is what you are dealing with. 2. Shift it to guilt, a more manageable emotion. Focus on your behavior or the action. 3. Rewrite the story. It may turn into some grief. Extended Notes afterbabyfit.com/cupod/episode-5-the-one-with-dr-madeline-william --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

#cumindset #cubookclub Why, Habits, shoulds, intentions - all behavioral change. Today we review a book that brings this all together, Mindset by Carol Dwek. Starting with a quote: “Our studies show that teaching people to have a growth mindset which encourages a focus on effort rather than intelligence or talent, helps make them into high achievers in school and in life.”. This book discusses two different mindsets that people live in - growth and fixed. You can challenge yourself in different scenarios to have a different mindset. For example, you may have a fixed mindset as a parent and a growth mindset as a professional. How do you shift and change and do you want to shift and change. Alex asks how the areas of your life and different mindsets might intersect and play together. This mindset can play into why certain areas of your life are more stressful. Learning to apply the growth mindset is critically important, for example, applying growth strategies at work to your health and wellness, your habits, intentions, why's. In a fixed mindset: “intelligence is static. You were born as smart as you were ever going to be, leads to a desire to look smart and a tendency to avoid challenges, give up easily, see effort as fruitless or worse, ignore useful negative feedback, feel threatened by the success of others.” Does any of that resonate? Any of these can completely impact your ability to move forward positively. People pleasing is one of the fixed mindsets that Sandy struggles with but we have a why, so we are going to challenge each other to a growth mindset, not give up. A feeling of not being good enough. Alex stops herself from the growth to protect herself from the negative feedback. Growth mindset: “intelligence can be developed, leads you to a desire to learn, then you have a tendency to embrace challenges, persist or move through in the face of setback and see effort as the pathway to mastering or accomplishing. you learn from criticism and you learn and find inspiration from the success of others.” “I've seen so many people with this one consuming goal of proving themselves, in the classroom, in their careers, in their relationships. Every situation calls for confirmation of their intelligence, personality or character. Every situation is evaluated, will I succeed or fail, will I look smart or dumb, will I feel accepted or rejected, will I feel like a winner or a loser.” You only need yourself to grow and change. “People with a fixed mindset have read the books that say success is about being your best self, not about being better than others. Failure is an opportunity. Their basic mindset, their belief in fixed traits is telling them entirely different, that success is about being more gifted than others, that failure does measure you and that effort is for those who can't make it on talent.” Recognizing you have a fixed mindset and then not allowing that to dictate what you do next. Dig deep. Sandy has a physical copy and will send it to one special person, post with #cubookclub #cumindset something that resonates from our last few episodes - why, habits, shoulds, or a book you love. This podcast is opinion only and should not be taken as medical advice. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

#cushould #cupod Challenge: do this 10 minutes of yoga led by Sandy or do something to get to know YOU better this week. Chair version available. Sandy has an expression “stop shoulding yourself!”. When you stop and listen to how we talk to each other and ourselves... I should go to bed now, I should get the kids ready for school tomorrow, I should already have a successful career. It takes away this mindfulness and being present and all the research shows that the more mindful and present you can be the happier you are, the more joy you have, peace, less anxiety & depression. The biggest should- social media. How it pulls us away from our present and makes us think about what we think we should be or do. Having a kid made Sandy realize how un-present she can be. She and Stella go on run/scooter rides and Stella will stop to look at a squirrel or do something along the way. The immediate reaction tends to be, we should be getting somewhere, we should keep moving but instead let's realize when (it's not always an option) we could just sit and watch the squirrel. Alex struggles with that as well, as the kids get older they have additional awareness that you are on your phone and not paying attention to them. That has been a physical reminder to put it away, to be present. She tries to be intentional about her schedule and calendar to set up work and family blocks so that she can be very present. But you need to ACTUALLY be present and not run through the to do list of things she should be doing. Would myself in 5 years tell me wow, you really should have gotten that podcast launched 2 weeks earlier! No, it's not going to matter at all. We are doing it and enjoying it. There are so many external tools to help us be present and mindful of where we are today. Alex wanted to integrate two 5 minute meditations into her week. She can't just sit and breathe yet though, she needs to listen to someone tell her. It's also hard to dedicate time to these practices, like exercise, during the pandemic, 60 minutes probably isn't realistic, but getting 10 or 12 minutes could be doable. It's something you can give to yourself, be mindful and aware and re-energize. Sandy encourages you to think back to your favorite exercise class, cup of coffee, meal and why was that so significant - because you were THERE and nothing else mattered. When we should ourselves we take ourselves out of the ability to be present. Sandy likes to say ridiculous things while teaching a class to make people laugh, stop thinking about how many calories they have to burn, if they look silly, or what they have to do that day and just be there. I should be stronger by now, I should be more flexible by now. If you can reduce the number of times you “should” on yourself then you get more of the “yummy” stuff. It's not the yoga helping you be mindful, it's the mindful intention of being no where else. This can be a really uncomfortable feeling. Physically uncomfortable with a rise in cortisol levels, your sympathetic nervous system, heart racing, but you can practice this anywhere. This idea links to goals as well, should reach the lofty goal but not seeing the little habits that are going to get you there. On the flip side, if you aren't shoulding on yourself, maybe you aren't thinking about the next big milestone. Just acknowledge and be with the should, understand the insecurity or the real reason. We have both learned to be intentional, today is where you should be, and chip away at the goal. Practice and make it a habit, can I rescript the should and understand why one keeps coming up? Sandy led Alex in a 10 minute morning yoga practice for a moving meditation and be with yourself, link here to watch! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Challenge for the week: #cuhabits #cupod / @aj.afterbabyfit & @sweatandshineon Share a habit that helps you keep going or something you are incorporating to make your day better. Sandy has a trigger… goals. Goals are everywhere. In physical therapy school she is learning about how to make client goals and S.M.A.R.T. goals (if you haven't heard of these you might be living under a rock). In real life, goals tend to feel far away and unachievable. Clients come to her with goals and her response is, “that's great, but what's going to be your habit or practice". It's a new year and January = goal setting. This podcast included, we decided our goal was to make a podcast. Alex's approach was “our goal is to launch in January”. Sandy told Alex to get over it, not to be a downer, but own the fact that we have a ton going on and focus on how to chip away. They reflect on the fact that this podcast is a passion project and meant to be fun so let's not tie all these stressful goals to it. Adjust expectations to fit life right now. There are goals that are appropriate for different seasons. After her divorce and her brother's death Sandy's goals were simple – get out of bed, feed herself and make sure her child was cared for. She had nothing else to give, other goals weren't an option. When Alex first came to Sandy, she had hit her “goal weight” but it did not bring happiness and fulfillment. Getting uncomfortable admitting the vain thing you aren't “supposed to say” Alex admits she wanted to get rid of the belly pooch sticking our farther than her boobs. Habits were the way that Alex could reach her goal. Adjusting posture, the way her hips were stacked under her ribs, breathing into and engaging her core properly. The little things to incorporate into a day. Not hours in a gym, 60 seconds practicing in the line at Starbucks to engage the lower abdominals and flatten out the belly. The habits built in to reaching that goal. When a new client comes to Sandy with a goal, such as losing baby weight, she pushes them to think about how. It's what you do outside the 1 hr with her that moves the needle. Breaking it down to one habit, daily practice or action. If you can make habits, your goals just become something that is a result or outcome. A big goal like going back to school as a 33-year-old with all 20 somethings was a scary but Sandy broke it down in to achievable steps – 2 classes to complete to even apply, chipping away at the challenge. We want you to pick one habit, a tiny one, and if you do it over and over again, it's going to stick. It's so simple, it's not easy. It's repetition, building muscle memory. Whether it's physical like breathing and posture or mental, getting past the overwhelming list. And btw, muscles don't have memories, thank you Sandy ;). It becomes your subconscious. Example goal: 100oz of water a day is intimidating. Daily action, 8-16oz right after you brush your teeth in the morning. Habit stacking, finding the thing you are already doing and adding another good habit. Waking up happy or active isn't a great goal for us so Sandy's habit is to open the curtains. Alex puts her phone across the room. *Disclaimer: this podcast is opinion not medical advice. Shout out to The Goal Digger, a podcast we do love. Websites: sweatandshineon.com & afterbabyfit.com / YouTube for free 12 minute workouts: After Baby Fit --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Why are you here? Why do you want this? It's where it all begins. Challenge for the week: #CUwhy Send a picture, tag us, or just do you. Pick something out of your day, your life and own "why" you are there, why you are doing x, y & z We will share our why on @sweatandshineon and @aj.afterbabyfit Fairly recently Alex called up Sandy, asking her to indulge in a crazy idea to start a podcast. She knew this could be a good idea for business and personal growth but didn't want to do another project by herself nor did she have the courage to talk about these TMI topics alone the way she really wanted to. Enter Sandy who is much more comfortable talking about these topics. Alex came to Sandy as a client, mom of three, wanting to rid herself of the belly pooch after pregnancy. Alex was in and out of classes with Sandy for a few years and finally came to the realization that she could not do this on her own, she needed some support and guidance. Thinking you can bounce back by yourself and seeing that it's not working can be a harsh reality to face. In class, Sandy told a group of 50+ men and women to do a kegel by imagining they were sucking up a milkshake with their pelvic floor – quite the visual! She said the magic word, kegel, it's not a bad word but people hate to hear it. They trained together, Sandy peeled back the layers of Alex's discomfort and challenged her mentally and physically to find strength and confidence and reach her goals. It's a few simple cues but it's not easy, it's constant practicing but it can change your life. Alex needed more and could not sit with the knowledge that she could help so many other women. This is her why. Sandy wants you to trust the process and the journey, be uncomfortable not knowing what will happen. She lives in her comfort zone of people that know her and she can feel awkward, and doesn't like making strangers uncomfortable. That is where we grow as moms, women, individuals, humans – knowing, accepting, and pushing past this. This podcast made her think that no matter whether people like this it or not, there is so much bullshit out there for women and she wanted to share evidence and dig deeper in so many facets. She has had so many questions come to her from women over the years that she can address using this platform. She came from a very Catholic, Hispanic family where you do not talk about these things – sex, kegels, pooping, depression, all these things that she had to figure out on her own. She wants to help others figure it all out, that is her why. She hopes that women and men can listen, anyone with their significant other, and have a safe space for conversation. Start with us and keep it going, keep getting more people comfortably uncomfortable because that's how we are going to do better as people. 80% of people will stop their goal by February – Sandy is a believer it's because they don't have their true, gritty, uncomfortable why attached to it. Stella, Sandy's 5 year old tried to teach her that practice makes perfect. She tells her that practice actually makes progress. It's fascinating to think how she has been conditioned to think about perfect. Start using "practice makes progress" with yourself and your kids. *disclaimer: this is opinion not medical advice. People & Products we love: Graphic artist for cover: @alicexiaocreative SPRI Resistance band set, 20% off --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

Welcome, join us and get comfortably uncomfortable! Let's explore vulnerability, courage, health, motherhood, business and how to cut through the nonsense. Empowering women to choose courage over comfort by getting comfortably uncomfortable. No topic is TMI, let's laugh, sweat, cry and grow together. Short and sweet, every week with a new topic. #cupod Find us on Instagram: @sweatandshineon and @aj.afterbabyfit YouTube for free 12 minute workouts: After Baby Fit Websites: sweatandshineon.com & afterbabyfit.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support

--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comfortablyuncomfortable/support