Podcasts about horse riding

What if the amount of exercise you actually need for long-term health is far less than you've been led to believe? In this episode, I'm breaking down some fascinating claims from longevity expert Dr. Amy Killen that completely challenge the "more is better" approach many women have been taught when it comes to fitness. One statistic in particular caught my attention: her claim that women may achieve most of the longevity benefits of resistance training with surprisingly little weekly volume. We'll dive into what the research actually says about strength training, longevity, and mortality risk, including why multiple studies seem to show that the biggest health benefits occur at relatively modest amounts of resistance training. I'll also share why, in my own experience and in working with clients, two to three strength-training sessions per week seems to be the sweet spot for recovery, consistency, and long-term results. We'll talk about the trap of comparing yourself to genetic outliers, influencers, and fitness competitors whose training volumes often aren't realistic or necessary for the average woman. I'll also unpack the recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week, why walking may be one of the most powerful longevity tools available, and my thoughts on where high-intensity exercise fits into the picture. Most importantly, I want to make the case that prioritizing health often leads to better physique outcomes over the long term than constantly chasing more workouts, more volume, and more intensity. We'll also discuss the real risks of overtraining, including hormone disruption, cycle irregularities, bone loss, and the cumulative stress excessive exercise can place on the body. If you've ever felt like you're falling behind because you're not doing enough, this episode might be the permission slip you need. Sometimes the path to better health, better recovery, and a better body isn't doing more. It's doing the right things consistently for years.   Time Stamps:   (3:02) Being Prepared For Baby Girl   (4:26) Women's Needs For Exercise   (8:22) Going Against The Stereotypical Advice   (12:37) Prioritizing Health Goals   (17:42) House Analogy   (20:07) HIIT Training --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Le bien-être des chevaux de sport est aujourd'hui au cœur des préoccupations du monde équestre et de la société. Qu'il s'agisse de champions olympiques ou de poneys de club, comprendre ce qui définit un « athlète heureux » est essentiel pour concilier éthique, respect de l'animal et pratique sportive. Cette approche repose sur des critères scientifiques précis, allant du respect des besoins fondamentaux du cheval à l'analyse minutieuse de ses émotions et de ses expressions faciales au quotidien ou en compétition. Dans ce podcast, Léa Lansade, chercheuse en éthologie équine et directrice de recherche à l'INRAE de Tours, propose un éclairage complet sur les résultats de l'étude innovante « Happy Athlète ». Elle aborde l'impact crucial des fameux « 3F » (Friends, Forage, Freedom) sur la santé mentale et physique des chevaux de très haut niveau et lève le voile sur l'utilisation des expressions faciales et de l'intelligence artificielle pour mesurer objectivement leur bien-être. Elle rappelle également le lien entre mental et performance, et souligne l'importance de la formation de tous les cavaliers, professionnels ou particuliers, pour que le haut-niveau serve d'exemple à l'ensemble de la filière.Pour aller plus loin :Fiche projet de recherche - Happy AthleteOuvrage - Le bien-être des équidés : de la science à la pratiqueTest à réaliser - Jeu crée par l'INRAE pour sensibiliser à reconnaître les expressions facialesSi vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur le sujet, rendez-vous sur notre site internet equipedia.ifce.fr où vous trouverez tous les travaux de nos experts. Vous pouvez aussi nous rejoindre sur notre groupe Facebook équipédia, sciences et innovations équines pour plus de contenus. Pour ne manquer aucun épisode, abonnez-vous, partagez, commentez et n'hésitez pas à laisser 5 étoiles sur Apple Podcasts et Spotify.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Child Psychotherapist Joanna Fortune joins Seán Moncrieff to answer your parenting questions…

Child Psychotherapist Joanna Fortune joins Seán Moncrieff to answer your parenting questions…

Most women who struggle with binge eating never talk about it. I'm changing that today. In this episode, I get personal about my own journey with binge eating, tracing it back to my early twenties and walking through the slow, nonlinear process of working through it over the past decade. This is not a quick fix episode. There is no finish line moment, no single breakthrough that made it all click. What there is, is an honest look at what actually moved the needle over time. I break down the three things that made the biggest difference in my healing: releasing the good food and bad food rules that were quietly running the show, going through a functional reverse diet to address what was happening on a physiological level, and reframing the stories I was telling myself after a binge episode. I also dig into something that does not get talked about enough, which is how your body's overall toxic load and sensitivity to certain foods can actually reinforce disordered eating patterns without you even realizing it. If you have ever felt completely out of control around food, finished a vacation feeling more guilt than joy, or wondered if you will ever stop the restrict and binge cycle, this episode is for you. You are not broken, and you are not alone.   Time Stamps:   (2:52) Visiting Mama Pozos At Hilton Head  (7:27) Defining Binge Eating  (12:22) Biggest Difference Makers With Controlling Binging  (14:14) Letting Go Of Food Rules  (16:50) Functional Reverse Dieting --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

What if burning more calories had less to do with punishing workouts and more to do with how you live your everyday life?  In this episode, we're breaking down 10 low-effort ways to support your metabolism without adding hours of cardio or exhausting yourself in the gym. Because the truth is, your metabolism is running 24/7 and small habits repeated consistently can have a much bigger impact than most people realize. We start with five hobbies that naturally increase calorie burn and improve metabolic health, including hiking, swimming, cycling, dancing, and even hobbies like knitting that help regulate stress and reduce mindless snacking. You'll learn why activities that support cortisol regulation, muscle activation, and nervous system balance can quietly improve fat loss and energy levels behind the scenes. Then we shift into five simple lifestyle strategies that can significantly change the way your body uses energy throughout the day. From walking after meals and increasing NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) to prioritizing sleep, hydration, and even small micro-movements, this episode explains how metabolism is influenced by far more than workouts alone. We also break down the science in a way that actually makes sense covering blood sugar regulation, insulin, cortisol, thermogenesis, and why sleep may be one of the most underrated fat-loss tools available. Most importantly, this conversation reframes the idea that improving your metabolism has to mean doing more. Sometimes it's about working with your body instead of constantly fighting it. If you've been feeling overwhelmed by all-or-nothing fitness advice, this episode will help you see that sustainable progress often comes from the simplest shifts. Your metabolism doesn't just respond to exercise. It responds to your environment, your habits, your stress levels, and the way you move through everyday life.   Time Stamps:   (3:17) #1: Hiking (5:09) #2: Knitting (6:53) #3: Swimming (9:06) #4: Cycling (10:46) #5: Dancing (13:20) #6: Walking After Meals (13:52) #7: Standing More (14:47) #8: Drinking Cold Water (15:32) #9: Fidgeting (17:07) #10: Prioritizing Quality Sleep (19:02) Functional Fat Loss Solutions Masterclass --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Les Haras nationaux occupent une place centrale dans l'histoire de la filière équine française. Créés sous Louis XIV afin d'améliorer l'élevage et de répondre aux besoins militaires du royaume, ils témoignent de plusieurs siècles d'intervention de l'État dans la gestion, la sélection et la préservation du cheval en France. De l'Ancien Régime aux transformations contemporaines de la filière équine, leurs missions ont continuellement évolué au rythme des mutations économiques, sociales et techniques.Dans ce podcast, Chloé Muzelet-Guédon, responsable des collections au sein de l'IFCE, revient sur l'histoire des Haras depuis les premières réflexions médiévales autour de l'élevage jusqu'à la création de l'Institut français du cheval et de l'équitation au début des années 2010. Elle aborde la naissance des Haras royaux sous l'impulsion de Colbert, les réorganisations successives des XIXe et XXe siècles, ainsi que l'évolution des missions de cette institution face à la mécanisation du travail, au développement des loisirs équestres et aux enjeux patrimoniaux contemporains. Ce podcast met également en lumière le rôle actuel de l'IFCE dans la conservation et la valorisation des patrimoines matériels et immatériels liés au cheval, hérités des Haras nationaux.Pour aller plus loin :Médiathèque en ligne de l'IFCE - https://mediatheque.ifce.fr/ Site internet - Haras Nationaux https://www.ifce.fr/haras-nationaux/Bibliothèque en ligne - Pour les sources historiques : Gallica, de la Bibliothèque nationale de France https://gallica.bnf.fr/ Référence bibliographique (non disponibles en ligne) - ROCHE Daniel, 2011, Histoire de la culture équestre, XVIe-XIXe siècle : La gloire et la puissance, tome 2, Paris : Fayard, 488 p.Référence bibliographique (non disponibles en ligne) - WETTSTEIN-DEYME Monique, 1978, Le Code des Haras, Paris : éditions Crépin-Leblond, 255 p.Si vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur le sujet, rendez-vous sur notre site internet equipedia.ifce.fr où vous trouverez tous les travaux de nos experts. Vous pouvez aussi nous rejoindre sur notre groupe Facebook équipédia, sciences et innovations équines pour plus de contenus. Pour ne manquer aucun épisode, abonnez-vous, partagez, commentez et n'hésitez pas à laisser 5 étoiles sur Apple Podcasts et Spotify.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

In this deeply personal episode, I'm sharing the full arc of my health journey, from my days as a Division I equestrian athlete at UGA to the years of frustration, confusion, and rock bottom moments that ultimately led me to functional health.  I open up about how the pressure to maintain a certain body composition as a college athlete first pushed me toward disordered eating habits, setting the stage for years of weight loss resistance. After graduating and moving to Atlanta, I threw myself into CrossFit, convinced that more intensity was the answer, only to find myself getting puffier, more inflamed, and increasingly exhausted.  Despite working out harder than ever, I wasn't seeing results, and my body was sending signals I didn't yet know how to read. Chronic digestive issues, debilitating fatigue, brain fog, and social anxiety began compounding on top of each other, leaving me feeling like I might be making it all up.  A series of dismissive doctor's appointments left me feeling invalidated and completely stuck, including one where I was simply told to eat less and exercise more. Coming off birth control without proper hormonal support triggered a new wave of symptoms, including severe acne and irregular cycles, adding yet another layer to an already overwhelming season.  I describe the emotional toll of watching life move forward, friends getting married and starting families, while I felt too depleted and self-conscious to fully show up. It wasn't until I discovered functional health and began running comprehensive labs that I finally got the validation I had been desperate for.  Something was genuinely wrong, and it wasn't in my head.  I then invested deeply, financially and personally, in learning everything I could about the connection between hormones, gut health, metabolism, and the immune system. That journey ultimately led to a 40-pound transformation, not through restriction and overtraining, but by working out less, eating more, and addressing the true root causes.  Those hard-won lessons became the foundation for the one-stop functional health program I built for my clients. Now pregnant with my daughter, I reflect on how healing my own body is something I'll be able to pass on in ways I never imagined.  If any part of my story sounds familiar, I want you to know: you are not alone, and there is a path to the other side.   Time Stamps:   (5:32) Going Through Weight Loss Resistance (5:54) Georgia Bulldog (9:02) Taking Health More Seriously (14:22) The Crossfit Girl (22:04) Having The IUD Taken Out (28:52) Being Sick All The Time (29:34) Investing In Health Coaching (31:32) The Functional Health Space (35:50) Our Team Now (40:16) Reach Out To Us --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

The best athletes in the world aren't consistent because their lives are calm. They're consistent because they've learned how to get back on track, fast.  In this episode, we're breaking down the one trait that actually separates the ultra consistent from everyone else, and it has nothing to do with willpower or discipline. We're diving into the real reason you keep falling off your health routines, and why it might not be a character flaw at all.  If you've ever missed a workout, overeaten on the weekend, or abandoned a protocol early and then spiraled into shame, this episode is for you. We unpack the surprising research behind the famous marshmallow test and what it actually reveals about trust, environment, and follow-through.  You'll learn why your metabolism, hormones, and stress response may be working against your best intentions and what to do about it. We talk about what a real "way back" looks like when life gets busy, chaotic, or emotionally draining. Forget waiting until Monday; we're giving you practical resets you can use at your very next meal, workout, or hard moment.  We also tackle the fine line between releasing shame and staying accountable, because both matter. You'll walk away with a handful of powerful questions to ask yourself when things fall apart, so you can turn setbacks into information instead of evidence against yourself.  This episode will challenge the way you define consistency and replace perfection with something far more sustainable. If you're ready to stop starting over and start returning, this one's for you.   Time Stamps:   (3:29) Hustling Mom's and Busy Seasons    (4:47) Recent FLUSH Protocol    (5:47) Justin's Perspective on Consistency    (19:42) When You're Struggling With Execution --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

En juin 2025, le European Horse Network (EHN) a publié une étude prospective consacrée à l'avenir de la filière équine européenne à l'horizon 2040. Cette analyse a pour objectif d'anticiper les grandes évolutions susceptibles de transformer la filière dans les années à venir, dans un contexte marqué par de profondes mutations environnementales, sociétales et économiques.Pour répondre à ces enjeux, l'étude propose quatre scénarios d'évolution contrastés, élaborés afin d'explorer différentes trajectoires possibles : « le cheval est partout », « le cheval en danger », « le cheval oublié » et « le cheval est un luxe ». Ces scénarios permettent d'identifier, pour chacun d'eux, les principales menaces et opportunités susceptibles d'influencer les activités équines. L'étude se veut avant tout un outil d'anticipation et d'aide à la réflexion stratégique pour l'ensemble des acteurs de la filière équine européenne.Dans ce podcast, Amandine Julien, responsable du service des relations internationales à l'IFCE et secrétaire du European Horse Network (EHN), revient sur les objectifs de cette étude prospective et décrypte les grandes tendances qui pourraient façonner l'avenir de la filière équine à l'horizon 2040. Elle présente les quatre scénarios, leurs implications pour les acteurs du secteur ainsi que les principaux enjeux environnementaux, économiques et sociétaux auxquels la filière devra faire face dans les années à venir.Pour aller plus loin :Étude prospective - La filière équine européenne à horizon 2040Webconférence - Prospective : la filière équine européenne en 2040Fiche équipédia - Prospective : quel avenir pour la filière équine européenne d'ici 2040 ? Les scénariosFiche équipédia - Prospective : quel avenir pour la filière équine européenne d'ici 2040 ? Les tendancesSi vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur le sujet, rendez-vous sur notre site internet equipedia.ifce.fr où vous trouverez tous les travaux de nos experts. Vous pouvez aussi nous rejoindre sur notre groupe Facebook équipédia, sciences et innovations équines pour plus de contenus. Pour ne manquer aucun épisode, abonnez-vous, partagez, commentez et n'hésitez pas à laisser 5 étoiles sur Apple Podcasts et Spotify.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

What if the constant thoughts about food you deal with every day aren't a lack of discipline… but your body trying to tell you something important?  In this episode, we'll break down what “food noise” actually is and why it's become such a common struggle for women who feel like they're always thinking about their next meal. While the current conversation often points to quick fixes or appetite-suppressing solutions, we'll take a different approach. One rooted in understanding the body, not silencing it. Food noise isn't random, and it's not just mental. It's deeply connected to your metabolism, hormones, and nervous system. We'll walk through the three core drivers behind food noise: restriction, highly processed foods, and deeper biological dysregulation. From there, we'll zoom in on what's happening inside your body when those signals get louder covering blood sugar instability, chronic stress and cortisol, hormone imbalances, gut dysfunction, and inflammation. You'll start to see how things like cravings, urgency around food, and feeling out of control aren't personality flaws—they're physiological responses. We'll also explain why intuitive eating can feel impossible when your internal signals are dysregulated, and why simply “trying harder” often makes things worse. Most importantly, we give you practical, actionable ways to start calming the noise by supporting your body without extremes or all-or-nothing thinking. If you've ever felt like you're constantly negotiating with yourself around food, this conversation will connect the dots in a way that finally makes sense. Because the goal isn't to fight your body. It's to understand it. And when you do, the noise doesn't need to be forced quiet… it naturally starts to fade.   Time Stamps:   (1:15) Maturity Photos   (5:27) Food Noise   (9:12) Three Types of Food Noise   (13:02) The Body When Food Noise Is High   (17:40) Cortisol Dysregulation   (20:50) Hormone Imbalances   (22:07) Gut Dysfunction   (25:50) Inflammation   (29:20) Action Steps --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

What if all the “random” symptoms you've been dealing with… aren't random at all? In this episode, we unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of stubborn weight gain, hormone issues, and chronic inflammation: immune dysfunction. If you've ever felt like your body is working against you despite eating well, exercising, and doing everything “right”, this conversation will start connecting the dots. Because the truth is, your metabolism doesn't operate in isolation. It's deeply influenced by your gut, hormones, thyroid, nervous system, and especially your immune system. We walk through why so many women are given multiple diagnoses like Hashimoto's, IBS, or SIBO and told to treat them as separate issues, when in reality they may all stem from the same underlying pattern. When your immune system is constantly activated, your body shifts into survival mode, making fat loss, digestion, and hormone balance significantly harder. You'll also learn how chronic stress, whether from under-eating, overtraining, poor sleep, or emotional pressure, can keep your immune system stuck in overdrive. This isn't about “just reducing stress,” it's about understanding what's actually happening inside your body when it perceives threat. We also break down why quick fixes like medications or supplements often fall short when the root cause isn't addressed. While tools like Ozempic or antibiotics can have their place, they're not a substitute for true healing. Finally, we share the framework we use at Vital Spark Coaching to help women move from dysfunction to real results starting with foundations, then restoring the body, and only then focusing on fat loss and performance. The most important takeaway? Your body isn't broken. It's adapting. And when you understand what it's responding to, everything starts to change.   Time Stamps:   (1:47) Coming Back From Mexico   (6:17) An Overactive Immune System   (14:22) Resetting The System   (22:57) When Our Clients Start Flourishing   (24:32) Applying For Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Le transport des équidés est une activité encadrée par une réglementation précise visant à garantir le bien-être animal et la sécurité des personnes. Qu'il s'agisse de déplacements pour des compétitions, des ventes ou des soins, il est essentiel de connaître les obligations légales, tant pour les professionnels que pour les particuliers. Ces règles concernent notamment les conditions de transport, les documents obligatoires et les compétences requises pour les convoyeurs.Dans ce podcast, Fabien Larue, contrôleur et identificateur à l'IFCE Grand Est et correspondant transport des équidés pour l'IFCE, propose un éclairage complet sur la réglementation en vigueur. Il aborde les différents types de transport, les autorisations nécessaires, ainsi que les bonnes pratiques à adopter pour assurer le confort et la sécurité des chevaux. Il rappelle également les responsabilités des détenteurs et transporteurs, et souligne l'importance de se conformer à la réglementation afin d'éviter les sanctions et de garantir le respect du bien-être animal.Pour aller plus loin :• Formation IFCE - Formation au Certificat de compétence des conducteurs et des convoyeurs • Fiches équipédia – Transport • Formations - La Bergerie nationale de Rambouillet Si vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur le sujet, rendez-vous sur notre site internet equipedia.ifce.fr où vous trouverez tous les travaux de nos experts. Vous pouvez aussi nous rejoindre sur notre groupe Facebook équipédia, sciences et innovations équines pour plus de contenus. Pour ne manquer aucun épisode, abonnez-vous, partagez, commentez et n'hésitez pas à laisser 5 étoiles sur Apple Podcasts et Spotify.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Most women don't realize they're stuck until they've already tried everything that was "supposed" to fix them. In this episode, we unpack one of the most frustrating experiences women face: going beyond conventional medicine, investing in functional medicine, and still feeling stuck. I introduce the two common paths women take: traditional healthcare and functional medicine and explain why both can fail in different ways. You'll hear exactly why being told “everything is normal” leaves so many women without answers, and why even advanced testing and supplement protocols don't always lead to real results. I break down the critical difference between the idea of functional medicine and how it's often delivered in practice. I explain how poor sequencing, incomplete strategies, and lack of real-time support can actually make symptoms worse even when you're following the plan perfectly. If you've ever felt like your body just isn't responding despite your effort, this conversation will hit home. You'll also learn why supplements alone are rarely the solution, and how missing foundational pieces like nutrition, lifestyle, and stress regulation can stall progress completely. I have a powerful “flower and soil” analogy to explain why your body needs the right environment before it can actually heal. Most importantly, this episode reframes the narrative so many women internalize that they are the problem. If you've tried both conventional and functional approaches and still don't feel like yourself, this isn't a failure of your body. It's a gap in the process. By the end, you'll understand exactly what's been missing—and what a truly effective, personalized approach to healing actually requires.   Time Stamps:   (1:17) Two Types of Women Come To Us (3:27) Recent Client Call (8:57) The Premise and Execution of Functional Health (9:34) Doctor Bob Example (10:50) Recent Vital Spark Google Review (12:09) Functional Health Dr. Joe (14:42) The Sequencing Issue (27:47) Working with Vital Spark --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

The Work to Ride program basically started with an idea that I had about using horses and youth combining those two to make a difference in the lives of children.“骑马计划”项目基本上源于我一个想法，即把马匹和青少年结合起来，从而改变孩子们的生活。Our facility, Chamonix Equestrian Center, is located in Philadelphia. And it is bordered on two of the most crime-ridden neighborhoods here in Philadelphia.我们的设施查莫尼克斯马术中心位于费城。它毗邻费城两个犯罪率最高的社区。One is North Philadelphia and one is West Philadelphia. We have children that come from those neighborhoods.一个是北费城， 一个是西费城。参加这个项目的有来自这些社区的孩子。Being in the program has kept me away from a lot of stuff like getting involved in drugs and getting related things that usually happen in the street.参加这个项目让我远离了很多事情，比如吸毒和街头常见的那些相关活动。When I come to the barn, I'm always very happy. I'm usually excited, usually ready to ride.当我来到马厩时，我总是非常开心。我通常很兴奋，随时准备骑马。The horses that we use in the program are donated. The kids in the Work to Ride program are primarily responsible for taking care of horses.我们项目中使用的马匹都是捐赠的。参加“骑马计划”的孩子主要负责照看马匹。On any given day, they're responsible for chores, cleaning up the stables, taking care of any medical needs that any of the horses may have.每一天他们都要负责杂务、清理马厩、照顾马匹，满足它们可能会有的任何医疗需求。It's a big responsibility. It is a lot of work to do. But all the work like is contributing to the one important thing is taking care of the horse.这是一项重大的责任。有很多工作要做。但所有这些工作都有助于一件重要的事情，那就是照顾好马匹。And if take care of the horse, then we're able to ride and it all leads up to playing in the games and just good management.如果我们照顾好马，那么我们就能骑马，这一切最终都是为了参加比赛，同时进行良好的管理。I feel like I've built an individual bond with each and every horse we have at our barn. Being at the barn is very like homey. It's very comfortable and I feel safe.我觉得我和马厩里的每一匹马都建立了深厚的联系。待在马厩里很有家的感觉。这里非常舒适，让我感到安心。

What if the most frustrating message in your health journey isn't wrong… it's just incomplete? In this episode, we unpack the moment so many women know all too well. Finally getting the courage to ask for help, only to be told “everything looks normal.” I share why this experience is far more common than it should be, and why it often leaves women feeling more confused, dismissed, and alone than before. We break down what standard lab testing is actually designed to detect and why it frequently misses the deeper dysfunction driving symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, bloating, and brain fog. You'll learn the critical difference between disease and dysfunction, and why you can feel terrible even when nothing shows up as “wrong” on paper. We also dive into the truth about reference ranges, and why “normal” often just means average, not optimal. I'll walk through real examples, including how thyroid and hormone imbalances can exist within normal ranges yet still disrupt how you feel every day. We explore what standard testing doesn't look at at all, from gut health to full hormone patterns, and why those gaps matter more than most people realize. This episode also highlights how cortisol, stress, and the nervous system play a role in keeping the body stuck, even when basic labs appear fine. Most importantly, we talk about the emotional impact of being told you're “fine” when you know you're not, and how that message can slowly shift the way you see yourself. There's a powerful validation that comes from finally understanding what your body has been trying to tell you all along. If you've ever felt like your body isn't responding despite doing everything right, this conversation will give you clarity, language, and a completely new perspective. You are not the problem and this episode will help you understand why.   Time Stamps:   (1:32) Sharing A Recent Message (3:52) Why This Is Happening (16:22) Reference Ranges (21:17) Detoxication Pathways (24:42) Gut Testing (29:20) Key Things To Remember --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

I want to tell you about a woman who was doing everything right.  Eating clean, working out consistently, tracking everything, taking all the supplements. She'd been doing this for two years. And in those two years her weight had gone up, her energy had gotten worse, and she'd started waking up every morning with this low-grade dread about her body that she just couldn't shake.  She went to her doctor. Labs came back normal.  She went to a functional medicine doctor. Got a supplement list. Came back six months later feeling exactly the same. And at some point she started to quietly believe that maybe she was just the problem. She wasn't. And if any part of that sounds familiar, stay with us because that's exactly what today's episode is about. We are going to break down exactly why smart, disciplined women are doing everything right and getting worse results, why the medical system keeps missing it, and what's actually going on in the gut, hormones, and metabolism that standard testing never finds.   Time Stamps:   (1:22) A Story About A Women Doing “Everything” Right (7:12) Does This Sound Like You? (16:07) Everything Looks “Normal” (19:47) Your Gut and Immune System --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

When Jorge Hernandez took a trip to the liquor store in Bowling Green, Kentucky, cops pulled over him and the horse he rode in on. It was determined he was under the influence. (Jorge, not the horse) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the reason your hormones feel “off”… has nothing to do with supplements, diets, or doing more and everything to do with what you're not doing daily? In this episode, we break down the five simple but powerful habits that can dramatically improve your hormone health in as little as 90 days. These aren't trendy hacks or complicated protocols. They're foundational lifestyle shifts that most women overlook while chasing faster, flashier solutions. We dive into how your morning routine, movement, and evening habits directly influence cortisol, energy, metabolism, and overall balance. You'll learn why something as simple as morning light exposure can reset your internal clock and why daily movement doesn't have to mean intense workouts to be effective. We also unpack one of the most overlooked disruptors of hormone health: your nighttime routine. From screen exposure to late-night eating, these small habits may be quietly working against your body more than you realize. This episode challenges the idea that you need to do more and instead shows you how to do what actually matters. Because when your lifestyle supports your body, everything starts to work with you instead of against you. If you've been feeling stuck, exhausted, or like your body just isn't responding the way it should, this conversation will give you a clear, practical path forward. Start with one habit, stay consistent, and watch what changes. Because your body isn't broken. It's just waiting for the right inputs.   Time Stamps:   (3:37) Changes In Hormone Health (4:47) #1: Morning Light Exposure (9:17) #2: 20 Minutes of Daily Exercise (14:49) #3: Screens Off 60 Minutes Before Bed (16:58) #4: A Calming Wind Down Routine (20:02) #5: Eating Your Last Meal 4 Hours Before Bed --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

What if the reason your body isn't responding… isn't because you're doing something wrong? In this episode, I sit down with Vital Spark coach Lindsey Newman to unpack the story behind her journey from “doing everything right” to realizing her body was breaking down beneath the surface. Coach Lindsey shares what it looked like to chase the “fit mom” identity of training harder, eating less, and trying to prove something both to herself and to the world around her. Despite eating as little as 1200 calories, lifting six days a week, and adding in cardio, her body was gaining weight, her energy was crashing, and her hormones were spiraling. What followed was a season of deep exhaustion, chronic pain, anxiety, and the terrifying feeling that her body was no longer her own. She opens up about the emotional toll of that time, the frustration of being told she was “fine,” and the moment she finally felt seen after receiving a PCOS diagnosis. But even then, she knew there had to be more to the story. That search led her to functional health, where everything began to click. Lindsey shares how uncovering deeper root causes like POTS, gut dysfunction, and thyroid issues completely changed the way she understood her body and ultimately how she healed it. We talk about why “calories in, calories out” isn't the full picture, how systems in the body are deeply interconnected, and what most women are missing when they try to fix their health. This conversation is for the woman who feels exhausted, frustrated, and stuck despite doing everything she's been told should work. Because your body isn't broken and there is a way forward when you finally start looking at the full picture.   Time Stamps:   (1:22) Coach Lindsey (3:27) Having Babies Early and Staying “Fit” (9:54) The Calories In Calories Out Conversation (13:02) Finding Functional Health (17:20) Finding The True Answers (23:09) POTS Syndrome (30:14) Coaching Women Through Experience (34:58) Where To Find Coach Lindsey --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

What if the very habits you believe are making you healthier are actually breaking your body down? In this episode, I sit down with functional health coach Lacey Iskra in our new home and podcast studio (hehe) to unpack the powerful and complicated journey that led her from bodybuilding and extreme dieting to true root-cause healing. Lacey shares how years of intense training, restrictive nutrition, and pushing through stress eventually left her with hormonal dysfunction, autoimmune symptoms, and a body that felt completely out of balance. Like many women in the fitness space, she was doing everything “right” on paper but still watching her health decline. Her story reveals how early gut health issues, birth control, chronic dieting, and years without a menstrual cycle quietly compounded into bigger problems later in life. After stepping away from bodybuilding, Lacey began searching for answers and eventually discovered the world of functional health and root-cause healing. Through gut testing, lifestyle changes, and deeper emotional and mindset work, she was able to completely reverse her psoriasis and rebuild her health from the inside out. Throughout the conversation, Lacey and I break down the biggest mistakes women make when trying to fix their health and why fat loss alone is rarely the real solution. We also talk about the missing link most health protocols overlook: addressing the physical, mental, and emotional pieces together. If you've ever felt like you're doing everything right but your body still isn't responding, this episode will help you understand why. And more importantly, it will show you that healing is possible when you finally start addressing the real root of the problem.   Time Stamps:   (2:19) Who Is Lacey Iskra? (5:39) Before Functional Health (8:00) Birth Control (10:04) Bodybuilding Prep (14:52) Becoming an Online Coach (18:04) Finding Functional Health (34:35) There's A Reason For Everything You're Feeling (35:16) Where To Find Lacey --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Most women will research every stroller, bottle, and sleep schedule for their baby but spend almost no time thinking about how to support their own body during pregnancy.  In this episode, I'm sharing a “half baked” pregnancy update and pulling back the curtain on what I've actually been doing to support my body while growing this baby.  The reality is that most prenatal care is focused on monitoring the baby, not optimizing the mother's health. And while that makes sense medically, it also leaves a huge gap in how women care for themselves during one of the most physically demanding seasons of life.  Pregnancy is often treated like a time to pause your health goals, but I see it more like a sport that requires intentional preparation and support. In this episode, I walk through the team I've built around me including a functional practitioner, doula, midwife, pelvic floor physical therapist, chiropractor, and massage therapist and why I chose to outsource as many decisions as possible during this season.  I share what the first trimester actually looked like for me, from fatigue and nausea to the unexpected mental challenge of body image changes.  We also talk about the simple systems I'm using moving into the second and third trimesters, including strength training, daily movement, blood sugar stability, and pelvic floor work.  I explain how I'm thinking about nutrition not just for myself, but for my baby's long-term health and taste development. We'll also talk honestly about the physical discomforts of pregnancy and the moments that can make you question whether something is wrong. Finally, I share how researching birth options shifted my mindset from nervousness to genuine excitement, and why I ultimately decided on a home birth with a midwife and doula while still working with my OB for imaging.  If you're pregnant, planning to be, or just curious about a different approach to supporting your body through pregnancy, this episode offers a real, honest look behind the scenes.   Time Stamps:   (2:54) The Anatomy Scan (11:02) What I'm Doing/Will Do During Pregnancy (14:02) Midwife vs Traditional OBGYN Care (19:43) Letting Experts Help Me (28:24) Choosing A Home Birth --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

You are not failing because you lack discipline. You're struggling because you're trying to live like a machine.  In this episode, I'm breaking down why most systems fall apart the moment life gets hard and how to rebuild yours so it actually works for a human nervous system.  We're taught to design routines assuming endless energy, focus, and motivation, but real life doesn't operate that way. You have limited time, attention, and willpower, and your systems need to reflect that reality.  I explain why the most effective systems are the ones that require the least amount of thinking and decision-making. When stress hits, you don't rise to the occasion. You default to your systems. If your routine only works on your best days, it's not a system, it's a wish. I walk you through how to design structures that hold you steady when you're tired, overwhelmed, or distracted. We'll talk about simplifying your priorities so consistency becomes automatic instead of exhausting.  I introduce the Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C framework to help you escape the all-or-nothing cycle. Plan A is for high-energy days, Plan B supports you when things feel harder, and Plan C keeps you moving forward on your worst days.  Success doesn't need to look the same every day, especially in different seasons of life. This episode will help you build systems that meet you where you are, so you can stay consistent without burning yourself out.   Time Stamps:   (2:32) Moving Updates   (6:22) The Fresh Start Effect   (8:54) Different Levels To Our Goals   (14:29) Beware Of The Comparison Trap   (16:28) Vanessa's Plan A --------------------- Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching --------------------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation.  --------------------- Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program --------------------- Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life! --------------------- Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share! --------------------- Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here! --------------------- Check out our Youtube Channel! --------------------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Oliver's monologue on a Thursday.

Have you ever started working toward something new in your riding where you intially felt excited, motivated, and ready to do the work...  Only to realise halfway through that you might have bitten off more than you can chew?!  If so, welcome to the messy middle! In this episode, we're diving into the phase of growth that most riders experience, but many allow to keep them stuck - and even turn back!  It's the point where: Things feel worse before they feel better Your horse doesn't look as "pretty" as before Your aids feel awkward Communication gets a little jumbled You're tempted to go back to the way things were This is not failure; it's a sign that change is happening and this is the episode to encourage you to stick with it.  Connection Membership Join a growing community of riders from around the world who are building consistent progress in the saddle, often without riding more. Inside Connection, you'll get access to our fortnightly Review & Planning Calls, live virtual group lessons, Q&A sessions, and a full library of on-demand audio horse riding lessons. Start your two-week cycle with us today:

If you've ever felt like your body is fighting you no matter how “perfect” your nutrition or workouts are, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. Today, I'm sitting down with Soraya Rufener, one of our coaches at Vital Spark, to share the story behind the safety, trust, and results her clients feel from day one. Soraya isn't just highly credentialed as a registered nurse and functional health coach. She's lived through chronic dieting, body distrust, and the exhausting pressure to always “do more.” She started dieting at 13, spent years stuck in restriction cycles, and did everything diet culture promised would work. And yet, nothing was actually healing.In this conversation, we unpack why willpower wasn't the problem, how postpartum healing changed everything, and what rebuilding a body really requires physically, mentally, and emotionally. Soraya shares the moment she stopped punishing her body and learned how to support it instead. We talk about why healing is layered, why consistency matters more than intensity, and how nervous system safety changes outcomes. She also opens up about how her lived experience reshaped the way she coaches postpartum moms and high-achieving women today. Most importantly, we explore what she refuses to repeat from diet culture—and why coaching women differently matters. If you're exhausted, frustrated, or quietly wondering why nothing seems to work anymore, this episode will remind you that you're not broken.You're unsupported. Time Stamps: (1:17) Our Incredible Coach Soraya (6:02) Early Teen Soraya (9:17) Finding Bodybuilding (15:02) The Food Noise (17:09) Shifting To The Healing Phase (19:55) The Mental Side of Healing (22:47) 3 Kids In 4 Years and The Postpartum Journey (31:23) Our Bodies Aren't The Enemy (34:15) Where To Find Soraya---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

We wanted to bring back one of our favorite interview episodes this week! Justin Su'a is a mental performance coach for the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team and host of our daily favorite podcast, Increase Your Impact. He has worked with top NFL, PGA, MLB, and NCAA athletes, as well as top corporate leaders to improve their mental performance game.  In this episode, we cover the importance of mental performance, the power of self-reflection, doing things by design instead of by default, how to figure out your WHY, and so much more! Topics Covered: - What Is Mental Performance and Why It Matters- How to Train Your Mindset- The Power of Self-Reflection- How to Identify Your “Why”- Doing Things by Design, Not by Default- Using Your Mindset to Regulate Negative Thoughts and Achieve Goals- Your Mind Has Limited Capacity: Why Negativity Crowds Out Growth- The Hidden Habit of Elite Athletes and Top Organizations- Getting Consistent With Nutrition and Trusting the Process- Embracing the Boredom of Consistency- The Law of the Bamboo Tree and Your Fitness Journey- Stop Beating Yourself Up for Starting Late — Start Now---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If fat loss feels harder than it should and healing seems slow no matter what you try, the problem may not be your discipline. It may be your nervous system. In this conversation, I explain why a chronically dysregulated nervous system can block healing, fat loss, and hormone balance no matter how perfect your protocols look on paper.  Your body is always choosing survival first, and when it perceives constant stress, it will not prioritize digestion, repair, or metabolic efficiency. I walk you through how your brain interprets everyday stress the same way it would a life-or-death threat, keeping you stuck in fight or flight.  This is why cortisol stays elevated, inflammation lingers, and progress feels frustratingly slow. I break down why this isn't a mindset issue or a lack of discipline, but a physiological response rooted in your nervous system.  We dive into the role of the vagus nerve and how it connects your brain, gut, hormones, and stress response. I explain what vagal tone is and why improving it creates the conditions your body needs to feel safe enough to heal.  You'll learn simple, practical vagus nerve–supporting practices you can use daily without adding more overwhelm. We also talk about why these tools are supportive, not magical fixes, and how they enhance everything you're already doing. If you're dealing with stubborn fat loss, gut issues, thyroid challenges, or chronic stress, this episode lays the foundation you may be missing.  Nervous system regulation isn't optional or fluffy. It's essential. When your body feels safe, healing becomes possible. Time Stamps: (1:19) Lots of Things Going On(4:54) Getting Out Of Survival Mode(7:52) The Vagus Nerve(13:55) Strategies For Improving Your Nervous System---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Struggling with motivation lately? You're not broken and you're definitely not lazy.  In this episode, I share a real-time reflection on why motivation feels shaky during seasons of massive identity transition, especially when life, work, and motherhood are all evolving at once. When our identity is clear, action feels easy but when we're questioning who we are becoming, everything can feel heavy and confusing. I break down why motivation is an unreliable driver and why waiting to “feel ready” keeps you stuck. We dive into the three things that actually create follow-through: commitment, identity, and systems. I'll challenge how you think about commitment (with a comparison that might sting a little), and explain why saying you're committed isn't the same as acting like it.  We'll talk about how anchoring your actions to who you want to be, not just what you want to achieve, changes everything. I'll also walk through practical ways to reduce friction by building systems that support you on low-energy days. If you're in a season of transition, questioning your next chapter, or frustrated with your lack of consistency, this episode will help you reframe motivation and rebuild alignment. Stop waiting to feel motivated and start building something that works even when motivation is gone.  Time Stamps: (2:02) Moving, Second Trimester, and The Swings of Motivation(4:17) Forcing Myself To Show Up This Month(8:17) Feel Motivated After The Action(10:41) Commitment, Identity, and Systems(10:52) What is Commitment?(17:36) Identity and Who You're Becoming(23:52) Systems(26:22) Tangible Steps You Can Take This Week(29:57) Giving You What You Need---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In today's episode, I'm sitting down with Krista Moreland, one of our incredible functional health coaches here at Vital Spark, to share her story, her breaking point, and the moment that changed everything. Krista joined our team in early 2025 with over a decade of coaching experience, but her journey goes far deeper than credentials. Before motherhood, she was a two-sport college athlete whose identity was built on discipline, performance, and mental toughness. Then she became a mom, and everything she thought she knew about herself began to shift.Krista opens up about navigating early motherhood while caring for a medically complex baby, including her son's heart surgery at just four months old. She shares the shame, fear, and invisible stress she carried, and how food became her unexpected escape during that season. As a former athlete who had never used food emotionally, this struggle left her feeling confused and lost inside her own body. We talk about the identity shock no one prepares women for, especially high-achieving moms who are used to holding it all together.Krista takes us into the quiet breaking point that happened in her bathtub, where she realized no one was coming to rescue her. That moment wasn't about weight loss, but about choosing herself again. We explore how healing her relationship with food and her body changed the way she showed up as a mom, partner, and woman. This conversation is for any woman who feels like she used to know who she was and is ready to find her way back. Time Stamps: (3:08) Before Motherhood and College Days (6:54) Identity Shift to Motherhood (18:32) Leadership In The Home (23:22) Managing The Mind and Emotions (33:02) Where Coach Krista Is In Her Journey Right Now (37:10) You Are Not Broken (40:02) Where To Find Coach Krista---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If you're getting everything done on the outside but feel exhausted, foggy, and feel like giving up on the inside, this episode is for you.High functioning burnout is the state where your nervous system stays on constant alert while your life keeps demanding more.It shows up most often in high achievers like entrepreneurs, corporate women, and medical professionals who are praised for pushing through.In this episode, I break down 18 subtle but powerful signs that your body is stuck between high cortisol and total collapse.We'll talk about why rest feels unsafe, stillness makes you anxious, and productivity comes in extreme waves instead of balance.You'll recognize the patterns of irritability, avoidance, overstimulation, and mental exhaustion that don't look like classic burnout.I explain what's actually happening inside your nervous system when you feel wired but tired, motivated but flat, social yet depleted.This isn't a motivation problem or a discipline issue, it's a regulation issue. You'll learn why pushing harder only deepens the loop and what happens if these signals are ignored long term.We'll connect the dots between chronic stress, dopamine crashes, cortisol dysregulation, and hormonal fallout.Most importantly, this episode will help you name what you're experiencing so you can stop blaming yourself.Burnout doesn't always look like quitting or falling apart, sometimes it looks like functioning too well for too long. If you want your life to feel as good as it looks, this conversation is a wake up call. Time Stamps: (1:20) Both Looking Good Today(2:22) Natalie Ellis Quote(3:35) Between High and Low Cortisol(5:18) 18 Signs You Are High Functioning Burnout(25:52) What To Look For If This Resonates With You---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If fat loss has ever felt harder than it should, this episode will completely change how you think about dieting.After years of coaching women through fat loss, I've learned that success isn't about magic foods or extreme plans. It's about creating the right physiological and psychological environment with food.In this episode, I break down a simple, repeatable food framework that makes fat loss easier to stick to and faster to achieve.You'll learn why hunger management is the real key to consistency and how the right food choices naturally keep calories lower without feeling restrictive.I explain how micronutrient-dense foods support your thyroid, hormones, training performance, and energy so your body actually responds to a calorie deficit.We'll walk through the best carbohydrate sources for fat loss, including why potatoes, berries, oats, and non-starchy vegetables work so well. I'll cover the most effective lean protein options to stay full, preserve muscle, and keep your metabolism strong.You'll also learn how to use fats strategically without blowing your calorie target.I share a full sample day of eating so you can see exactly how this framework looks in real life.We'll talk through easy swaps and shortcuts for busy schedules so this plan is realistic, not perfect.This approach makes your diet simpler, more measurable, and far less stressful.It keeps your body healthy, responsive, and primed for fat loss instead of fighting it.If you want a meal plan that actually works with your body and your life, this episode is for you. Time Stamps: (2:06) How Should We Eat For Fat Loss? (4:36) Keeping Hunger Manageable (9:22) Remember SHREDS For Biofeedback (12:13) Macro Sources (14:42) Metabolic Flexibility (17:52) Berries and Antioxidants (23:42) Protein Sources (29:10) Sample Meal Plan (32:32) Making Fat Loss Easier---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

You want change more than anything, yet somehow you keep finding yourself back in the same frustrating patterns... and this episode explains why.  If you have ever wondered why motivation fades, follow-through slips, and 2026 feels like it has to be different, this conversation is for you. We break down the hidden loop so many women live in: setting goals with hope, only to fall back into old habits and self-doubt.  You will learn why this is not a discipline problem or a personal failure, but a very human pattern rooted in both nervous system protection and brain wiring. We explore the ancient concept of akrasia, the science of time inconsistency, and why resistance often shows up strongest when you want change the most.  You will see how past experiences, especially control or criticism, can quietly fuel self-sabotage today. This episode walks you through clear signs you may be stuck in this cycle and why nothing is “wrong” with you. More importantly, we outline a new way forward that does not rely on willpower, pressure, or punishment.  You will learn how to shift from control-based change to self-leadership rooted in care and alignment. We cover practical tools like reducing friction, designing your environment, and using implementation intentions so action becomes easier. This is about moving from self-sabotage into enkrateia — calm, grounded power over yourself.  If you are ready for 2026 to be the year things finally stick, this episode is your turning point. Time Stamps: (2:00) Jumping Into 2026 With This Topic (4:17) Omar and Doomscrolling (7:37) Competing Motivations and Resistance (10:33) How To Break The Cycle (11:32) Notice The Awareness (13:04) Acknowledge The Consequences (17:02) Shifting From Control To Love (20:16) Setting Our Environment Up For Success (22:03) Reducing Friction (24:22) Implementation Intentions (28:02) Power Over Yourself Through Leadership---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In Episode 205, I had some health hacks I was excited about and now it's time to review them... This year brought us so much in terms of family, a new home, new coaches, and a baby girl (surprise!) on the way! I wanted to take this episode to review some of the hacks I had talked about at the beginning of the year, see what stuck, what I actually enjoyed and didn't, and what's going to make the cut in 2026. Since this is my first pregnancy, some things like cold plunging will have to go on the back burner but I'm excited to share what I'm excited about and what I will be taking with me into 2026.  Some topics like private healthcare and peptides are topics I want to cover more extensively in later episodes but wanted to mention them in today's episode because I think they are two big topics.  DM me and let me know if there's any health hacks that you are ditching or including in your 2026 and Happy New Year from all of us at Vital Spark! Time Stamps: (1:11) Surrounded By Boxes (2:34) Gender Reveal (4:57) What I'm Bringing Into 2026 (5:52) What I Covered Last Year (19:02) Leaving Yoga Classes in 2025 (21:46) Caffeine Limits (24:27) Cold Plunges (26:42) Sober Periods (29:42) Health Optimization (31:37) Let Them Mentality (34:56) Private Healthcare (37:16) Peptides---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Social anxiety is not a personality flaw, it is your nervous system doing its job a little too loudly.  In this episode, we reframe awkwardness and self-consciousness as signals of alert, not evidence that something is wrong with you. If holiday parties, crowded rooms, or feeling “on” leave you tense and overthinking, this conversation will help you understand what is actually happening in your body.  I walk you through seven gentle, practical tools designed to give your nervous system cues of safety so you can stay grounded and present. These are not mindset tricks or confidence hacks, they are body-based resets you can use in real time. You will learn how to quickly orient to the present moment, regulate your breath, and take micro breaks without disappearing.  We talk about why food or drinks often become a coping tool in social settings and how to expand your options without judgment or restriction. You will also learn how to prepare simple connection cues so conversations feel less draining.  This episode emphasizes choice, permission, and self-trust rather than forcing yourself to push through discomfort. Even using one of these tools can shift how safe your body feels. Confidence is not about being calm all the time, it is about knowing how to support yourself when you are activated.  If you want to feel more at ease socially without changing who you are, this episode is for you. Time Stamps: (3:07) Social Anxiety and Awkwardness (8:03) #1: The Name and Notice Reset (9:03) #2: The Anger Breath (9:55) #3: The Micro-Step Away (10:48) #4: The Connection Cue (13:30) #5: The Pocket Script (15:51) #6: The Sensory Grounder (19:58) #7: The Permission Slip---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

The bestselling Irish author grew up on a farm set on “50 acres on the side of a hill”. Growing up, she witnessed a harsh, misogynistic country that convinced her she would never marry. Claire shares what she has learned about writing from a litter of newborn piglets.Her works Small Things Like These and Foster have both been made into movies.Claire's stories often take place in the landscape where she grew up — the farms and small towns of Wexford in Southeast Ireland.Claire was the youngest of six children, and when she was born their farmhouse had no running water and few books.Instead, Claire fell in love with horses.As a small child she would go to the wood with her brother, who was a lumberjack.Amongst the chainsaws and workmen, little Claire would drive a harnessed horse from behind, to the roadside, to help clear the heavy trees. And as she grew older, she developed a fierce determination to live life on her own terms.This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan. Conversations Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison. Presented by Sarah Kanowski.This episode of Conversations touches on marriage, Magdalene laundries, contraception, Ireland, Catholicism, big Irish families, horsemanship, starting brumbies, skewbald Connemara pony, New Orleans, writing, literary prizes, farms, personal stories, epic life stories, family dynamics, Cillian Murphy and modern history.Further informationListen to Sarah's interview with Queensland horseman, Ken Faulkner.

In today's episode, I'm talking honestly about body image and not from a place of perfection, but from my real everyday experience.  We'll  unpack how constant exposure to food content, fitness trends, and curated lifestyles subtly shapes the way we think about our bodies. I share what intrusive thoughts around appearance can sound like and why they tend to show up when life slows down or feels uncertain.  We talk about the arrival fallacy and the belief that once our body looks a certain way, we'll finally feel at peace and why that promise almost never delivers. I reflect on how comparison creeps in quietly and how it disconnects us from actually enjoying the lives we're building.  This episode isn't about fixing your body; it's about understanding the mental patterns that keep you feeling dissatisfied even when things are objectively good. I also share perspective shifts that have helped me soften my relationship with my body without forcing positivity.  We explore what it looks like to hold ambition and self-acceptance at the same time. If you've ever thought, “I should feel happier than this,” you're not alone.  This conversation is an invitation to notice, not judge, the stories you're telling yourself. Body image isn't just about how you look. It's about how present you're able to be in your own life. And sometimes, the work isn't changing anything externally, but learning to arrive where you already are. Time Stamps: (1:32) Instagram Food Algorithms(7:26) The Intrusive Thoughts(9:02) Binging Landman(15:52) The Arrival Fallacy(20:49) Arthur Brooks Quote (23:12) Our New Home (31:32) Let Us Know If You Enjoyed Today's Episode---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If you've ever been told your gut is “fine” but you still feel bloated, inflamed, exhausted, or stuck, this episode will change the way you look at your health. In today's episode, I break down what a GI Map actually is and why I use it as the starting point for almost every woman I work with. I explain the critical difference between what a traditional GI doctor looks for and what a GI Map is designed to uncover.  While medical doctors are trained to find disease, this type of testing looks for dysfunction, the subtle imbalances that quietly sabotage your energy, hormones, digestion, and metabolism. I walk you through what the test measures, including bacteria, yeast, parasites, inflammation, leaky gut markers, and detox capacity.  You'll learn why so many women get “normal” test results at the doctor's office but still feel anything but normal in their bodies. I share why skipping the gut and jumping straight into hormone work often leads to stalled progress and frustration. I also break down how we use GI Map results to create custom gut-healing protocols that go far beyond random supplements.  We talk through the real-life signs that your gut might be your missing piece even if you don't have obvious digestive issues. I explain why this test alone isn't enough and how coaching and real-time adjustments are what make the process actually work.  If you've been doing “all the right things” and still feel off, this episode will connect the dots for you. By the end, you'll understand whether a GI Map might be the next step in your healing journey and why guessing is no longer necessary. If you're ready for clarity instead of trial and error, this episode is for you.  Time Stamps: (1:21) Home Ownership(4:40) GI Map's(6:32) Disease vs Dysfunction(9:50) What Is A GI Map?(12:27) Where We Start Our Vital Spark Clients(15:40) Your House Is On Fire(20:07) Episode 206 and 207(21:58) Would You Benefit From A GI Map?(29:47) What Happens After The GI Map---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Your suggestions for Woody's Christmas Card Phone Alone More thirst traps Lady Gaga Tix Dylan Alcott Age gaps - no worries See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you woke up extra puffy, bloated, or sluggish after Thanksgiving, you're not alone. Today I'm walking you through the exact protocol I'd use to feel normal again fast. In this episode, I break down a simple A.M., P.M. routine designed to calm inflammation, support lymphatic flow, reset your circadian rhythm, and get your digestion back on track.  We start with a morning lineup that helps your body de-bloat naturally: dandelion and peppermint tea, sunrise exposure, gentle lymphatic drainage, and a cold plunge or face dunk to clear the fog. I'll share why “easy-to-digest” meals like eggs, fruit, ground turkey, and white rice speed up recovery after a heavier holiday meal.  You'll also learn how hydration, electrolytes, sauna sessions, and strategic walking across the day work together to flush excess water retention. I walk you through small daytime habits that make a huge difference including stress management tools that actually matter when you're feeling self-conscious or uncomfortable in your body.  Then we close with a powerful P.M. routine designed to optimize digestion, calm cortisol, improve sleep quality, and support your lymphatic system while you rest. From early dinners to legs-up-the-wall breathing, these are the tools that help you feel lighter, clearer, and more grounded within 24–48 hours. If you want a gentle, supportive, and science-backed plan to ditch bloat and puffiness quickly, without punishing yourself, this episode is your reset guide. Let's get you feeling like you again. Time Stamps: (2:20) Gender Prediction (5:22) Waking Up Feeling Thick (8:37) The Big 6 For Lymphatic Drainage (13:02) Meals Across The Day (17:30) Sauna Usage (22:12) Early Dinner (25:06) Something Is Better Than Nothing---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If your energy, mood, weight, or cycle feels off, your hormones are already trying to tell you why. In today's episode, I'm breaking down something that feels confusing for so many women: hormones.  Most of us only hear about hormones when something starts going wrong — our energy crashes, our cycles change, our thyroid acts up, or our weight stops responding the way it used to. And because it feels overwhelming, we try to fix the surface symptoms without ever understanding the deeper systems underneath.  So today, I want to simplify things and give you a clear, foundational understanding of how your hormones actually work. I'm walking you through the four major hormone categories that control your metabolism, your mood, your energy, your cycle, and so much of how your body feels day-to-day.  You'll learn what each category does, how they interact, and why an imbalance in one usually creates a domino effect in the others. I'm also going to show you what it looks like when each system is out of sync, so you can start recognizing your body's signals instead of feeling confused by them.  Most importantly, I'll give you practical places to start if you want to support your hormones in a realistic, sustainable way. No complicated protocols — just simple patterns that immediately reduce stress on your system.  By the end of this episode, you'll understand your hormones on a deeper level and feel more equipped to advocate for your own health.  This is your crash course in hormone health. Time Stamps: (2:12) Gratitude(4:42) Strong Foundation For Hormone Knowledge(9:42) Disease vs Dysfunction with Labwork(12:52) The 4 Categories of Hormones(17:32) Sex Hormones(22:52) Energy Hormones(27:58) Stress Hormones(31:32) How Hormone Systems Affect One Another(39:02) Morning Sunlight---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In this episode, LZ engages in a heartfelt and comprehensive conversation with actress Beth Behrs. The podcast covers a range of topics including self-acceptance, beauty standards, and personal growth. Beth shares her journey from her early years in New York, her love for horses, and her experiences on popular shows like 'Two Broke Girls' and 'The Neighborhood.' They discuss the importance of creating authentic human connections amidst a technology-driven society and the value of giving back to the community. Beth also talks about her latest venture, Range Revolution, designing regenerative leather cowboy boots, and the joy of making people laugh. The discussion concludes with touching insights on what makes each feel beautiful and grounded.Menu:00:00 Welcome and Introduction00:53 Guest Introduction and Compliments01:15 Fashion and Beauty Insights02:34 Personal Stories and Reflections03:48 Community and Connection05:44 Technology and Human Interaction07:37 Acting and Career Beginnings10:02 Broadway and Musical Inspirations12:13 Horse Riding and Personal Passions19:36 Hollywood Stories and Friendships30:58 Discussing Talk Show Experiences34:01 Memorable Moments with Sally Field37:12 Reflecting on Long-Running Sitcoms39:51 Designing Regenerative Cowboy Boots49:33 Secret Celebrity Renovation51:13 Mahjong and Friendship53:11 Speed Round and Final Thoughts

If slowing down feels wrong but your body is begging for rest, this episode is for you. In this episode, I'm talking to the woman who has always been the go-hard achiever — the early workouts, the hustle, the I-don't-need-rest mindset.  But now your body feels like it's pushing back, and slowing down feels uncomfortable or even scary. I've been there, and I want to help you make sense of what your body is trying to say. Instead of guessing or feeling guilty,  I'm giving you a simple, practical five-question check-in to help you know whether your body needs rest or whether gentle movement will actually make you feel better. Because in a healing season, both rest and movement are powerful — it's just about choosing the right one for the day you're in.  You'll learn why the signals you're feeling are a sign of recovery, not failure. I'll walk you through what this looks like in different phases of healing — from burnout, to rebuilding, to thriving again. We'll also talk about the mental side of this: letting go of the belief that discipline only counts when you push harder.  Resting doesn't make you weak. It makes you wiser. And the more you listen to your body, the faster your energy, hormones, and confidence return.  By the end of this episode, you'll have a tool you can use anytime you're unsure of what your body needs. This is how you build trust with yourself again — one decision at a time. So take a breath, tune in, and let's help your body feel safe and strong again.  Time Stamps: (1:17) Mood Lighting(2:02) Pulling Back From Exercise(5:47) Movement and Discipline(8:14) Your Hormones Are Recalibrating(9:59) #1: How Did I Sleep Last Night?(11:57) If You're Averaging 5-6 Hours of Sleep A Night(13:12) #2: My Stress Level From 1-10(14:32) #3: How Does My Body Feel Physically?(16:00) #4: What's My Emotional State?(17:41) #5: How Do I Think I'll Feel After?(21:56) Save This One For The Future---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

The Diary, our favourite bits of the week on and off the air. Follow us on @kyleandjackieo for more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all want the dream body, but almost none of us want to slow down long enough to build the base it actually requires. In today's episode, I'm sharing one of the most important lessons I've learned as both a coach and a client: you can't build a strong, sustainable body without a strong foundation.  I use the analogy of building a dream home because just like a house needs a solid foundation before the walls go up, your body needs metabolic stability and healthy habits before you layer on intense training or dieting.  Most of us try to skip this part because we're in a hurry to see results.  I get it. I used to be the impatient one who wanted the plan, the strategy, and the visible progress right away. But rushing your transformation is the fastest way to end up starting over again and again.  In this episode, I break down what the “foundation phase” actually looks like, including how we assess metabolism using SHREDS and why stabilizing sleep, hunger cues, digestion, energy, stress, and recovery is non-negotiable.  I share why this phase can feel slow and why that slow work is what makes everything that comes after actually stick. I also walk through the three phases of a healthy nutrition journey and how to know which phase you're truly ready for.  This is about building a body that can handle real life. Vacations, busy seasons, holidays, stress, and everything in between. When your foundation is strong, you don't fall apart when your routine changes. You adapt and you bounce back.  If you've been feeling frustrated with slow progress, this episode may be the reframe you needed. Take a breath — you might just be pouring the concrete.  Time Stamps: (2:57) Next Stage of Homeownership (4:34) Building The Foundation (7:27) When I First Started My Fitness Journey (12:42) The Metabolic Assessment (19:42) Building The Walls Next (20:27) Vital Spark's 3 Phases (28:02) Please Share and Review---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

We are pregnant!  In today's special episode, we want to dive into our fertility story, how we planned for this season, and what shifted in our hearts and lives leading up to trying.  I open up about her early fears around motherhood, how family jokes once shaped her identity, and the moment she knew Omar would be an incredible father. We talk about praying for guidance, timing, and acceptance — and how those prayers brought a deep sense of peace. We also want to share the unexpected way this journey began: a planned fast interrupted by getting sick, a wedding we stayed home from, and Vanessa's Oura Ring signaling that something was different. You'll hear the story of the very earlypregnancy test, how she surprised Omar at the airport, and his reaction when we took another test at home just to be sure. From the beginning, we made the intentional choice to tell our community and loved ones right away, so we could walk through this experience with the people we care about, not in secrecy or fear.  I want to talk through the supplements I'm taking, the changes in my energy, and what nutrition and movement look like right now — including six smaller meals, simple foods, ginger and peppermint tea, and keeping 10k steps and workouts while paying close attention to my body's signals.  And yes… the Mexican flavor cravings are very real. We're honored to share this part of our story with you. If pregnancy, family planning, or listening to others' journeys has ever brought up emotions for you — we see you, and this episode is shared with so much love and compassion. Time Stamps: (1:19) We Are Expecting!(3:47) Some Beginning Context(6:32) Health Issues In May(7:44) My Faith and Motherhood(15:36) Vanessa's Health Tracking(16:42) The Fertility Journey(26:14) The First Pregnancy Test(32:32) Prenatal Supplements(36:22) Current Nutrition Protocol(41:20) Craving Mexican Flavors---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

For The Other Side NDE Videos Visit ️ youtube.com/@TheOtherSideNDEYT Purchase our book on Amazon The Other Side: Stories From the Afterlife https://a.co/d/23Bbbsa  Ellen's near-death experience began after a horse accident left her in a coma, during which she traveled through realms of light and music guided by Jesus and a young monk. Immersed in boundless love, she was shown the purpose of life, the creative power of thought, and the importance of gratitude. Choosing to return, she vowed to bring healing to others through music—a promise that later guided her to become a music therapist. Her experiences taught her that sound connects heaven and earth, and that joy and thankfulness are the purest forms of divine expression. Find more from Ellen here https://linktr.ee/EllenWhealton Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ever feel like you “blew” your diet after a weekend of pizza, dessert, or a few too many drinks?  You're not alone and you're definitely not broken.  In this episode, we're unpacking the truth about “messing up” your diet and why those moments don't actually undo your progress. You'll learn why perfection isn't the goal, how your body responds after overeating, and what it really takes to bounce back without guilt or restriction. We will shares a personal story about one of her own “off” weekends and the mindset shift that changed everything. You'll discover five powerful lessons about progress, sustainability, and why joy is a crucial part of health.  From reframing “failure” as feedback to practicing the simple Two-Minute Rule for food guilt, this episode gives you practical tools to stop spiraling and start recovering with grace. If you've ever thought, “I'll just start over Monday,” this is your permission slip to stop that cycle for good. Because real consistency isn't about never slipping up — it's about what you do next. So tune in, take a deep breath, and let's rewrite what getting “back on track” really means. ✨ If this episode hits home, screenshot it, share your takeaways, and tag me on Instagram. And if you know someone who needs this reminder, send it her way — we could all use a little more grace on this journey. Time Stamps: (1:15) What Omar Is Looking Forward To(3:02) Does This Sound Like You During The Weekend?(5:22) Getting Back To Feeling Good Without The Guilt(9:17) Wedding and Drinking Example(12:42) The Biggest Differences(13:12) 1) Your Body Is Not Broken(15:32) 2) Progress Isn't Erased Overnight(18:22) 3) Food Is Apart of Joy(21:52) 4) Sustainability Over Deadlines(24:02) 5) The Comeback Matters More Than Mess Up(28:22) Acknowledge and Address Your Feelings(32:10) Please Share This Episode---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

There's one question I get asked at least once a week, both from riders I coach in person and those I help online. Somehow, I've never answered it on the podcast until now! “Should I have lessons? And if so, what kind; private or group?” Some riders even ask if they can skip lessons altogether and just ride solo. In this episode, I'm breaking down the pros and cons of private lessons, group lessons, and going it alone, plus when each one makes the biggest difference in your riding journey.

What if your “food sensitivities” weren't really the problem—but just the message your body's been trying to send you? In this episode, we unpack what most food sensitivity tests get wrong and why the MRT (Mediator Release Test) is one of the few tools that can actually reveal what's really inflaming your body. In today's episode, we'll share my personal journey of years of bloating, fatigue, and restriction—before finally discovering how MRT testing offered real answers instead of endless guesswork. You'll learn how popular IgG tests often mislead people into cutting out 20+ foods unnecessarily, and how MRT goes deeper by measuring your actual inflammatory response—not just antibody exposure. We'll break down what the results actually mean, why some “healthy” foods might be triggering your system, and how to use that information to heal, not just restrict. This episode also explores the root causes behind sensitivities—like low stomach acid, leaky gut, chronic stress, and dysbiosis—and how to rebuild tolerance instead of living in fear of food. Through my own experience of reintroducing foods and repairing gut function, I show how MRT can shift you from feeling reactive and confused to calm and confident in your body again. If you've tried every elimination diet, still feel inflamed, and are tired of playing food detective, this conversation will help you see sensitivities for what they really are: signals, not sentences. By the end, you'll understand why healing the terrain, not just removing the foods, is the key to lasting relief—and how using data the right way can bring back freedom, flexibility, and trust in your body. Time Stamps: (1:42) Country T-Swift Fan (2:47) Being An Optimizer (4:57) Food Sensitive/MRT (9:27) Overactive Immune System (11:57) Note on MRT Test (16:52) What Foods To Eat When (20:22) Lowering Inflammation---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!