Skin Deep with Jennifer Brennan

In the second part of this episode James answers all YOUR questions — some health and fitness related, and some not-so-much (he really likes to talk about pizza). Be sure to check out Part 1 first!

Here at last ... everything your trainer wants you to know, but may have not been able to tell you yet! In Episode 10, I interview Coach James, Regional Fitness Trainer, my Bossman, and most importantly, my friend. James is a subject-matter expert when it comes to fitness, and is also one of the kindest and most caring humans I've ever met. James has some things he wants you to know, so listen up! (Part 1 of 2)

A lighthearted holiday smorgasbord of random, freestyle topics for your listening pleasure! Friend of the podcast Dan joins me for a little bit of everything, kinda like a buffet for your ears. Some health and fitness talk, and also a lot of other random chat because it's been a long, tough year, and sometimes you just want to sit back under a cozy blanket with a jumbo Diet Coke and snort-laugh with an old friend. Join us, you're practically family now. xo

Please listen to Part 1 first! In this episode, Lexi, Sam and I continue our discussion of how exercise and physical activity can help us manage our mental health, and also what can happen when we push too hard. Enjoy our bonus rants on bullshit food rules and internalized capitalism! If you're struggling, please don't hesitate to seek help from a professional. We love you. xo

Podcast, meet Lexi: A mighty force who cannot be adequately labeled, but I'll give it a shot. Badass. Engineer. Cat parent. Powerlifter. Survivor. Outspoken mental health advocate. And they have a story of resilience you won't soon forget. In part 1, Lexi bravely shares their story and speaks candidly about their mental health challenges. We touch briefly on using fitness to manage mental health, but we'll dig into that much more deeply in Part 2. Thank you to Lexi for so bravely sharing your story with us, and thanks to Lexi's BFF Sam for joining us in this important conversation. Trigger Warning: This episode involves candid discussion on a variety of difficult subjects including physical abuse, rape, and suicidal attempts and ideation. Please keep yourself safe if you choose to listen to this episode, and please never hesitate to reach out to a professional if you are struggling.

The Challenge: Write down all of the automatic negative thoughts you have about yourself over the course of a day. In this episode, my friend Kim and I discuss our critical internal dialogue and how the way we speak to ourselves affects our lives. Where did this mean voice come from, and what can we do about it?

On comparison. Carl and I talk about all the ways we compare ourselves -- to other people, or to other, previous version of ourselves -- and how much this can negatively affect our mindset. Honest, vulnerable and definitely uncomfortable to talk about. Feel gross, need a shower.

An interview/discussion with my wife Kathy, who is brave enough (and freaking badass enough!) to share her story about alcohol addiction and recovery. We talk about stigma and shame, about our different types of addictions, and what recovery looks like and feels like. (Hint: It feels like A LOT). I also get a little ranty at the alcohol industry and I promise to try to be less ranty in the future.

Q&A Episode! Answering listener-submitted questions -- some perplexing and thought-provoking, and others kinda dumb, honestly. But I still love them, and you. Thank you for listening!

Sitting down with one of my BFFs and my FORMER FIANCE (yup!) Dan to talk about how romantic relationships can be affected when one or both people are on a weight-loss or fitness ~~journey~~. Join us as we survey the ruins of our relationship ... it's a long one, so grab a snack and maybe 1 or 23 slices of pizza (that will make more sense when you listen). Enchoi!!

First ep! My friend and running buddy Carl joins the conversation to ask me all the tough questions about my own weight-loss/fitness/getting-my-shit-together journey, and we spend a little time dreaming big about what this podcast might become. Sorry for the audio issues, we're still learning, kthx byeeeeeeee!

Hi friends, my name is Jennifer Brennan and this is the Skin Deep podcast. Or, I should say, this is the Skin Deep podcast trailer. This podcast is going to start with my story about drastic weight gain, drastic weight loss, and my journey from being almost completely sedentary to becoming acertified personal trainer and a fitness coach. We'll also chat about disordered eating, body image issues, relationship issues, mental health struggles other hard stuff, but REAL stuff. Even though the subjects are tough, I also want to laugh and have fun with this. If you're looking for an official, serious, scholarly fitness and health podcast, this probably isn't the podcast for you. I swear, a lot. Just putting it out there. I can't wait to get started.