Strong & Simple Podcast

Hey Strong and Simple peeps! Bringing you an episode after this long hiatus that is actually a recording from Michelle for her Countdown to 2024 Challenge folks last weekend. Thought this could help all of you too, so wanted to share! If this episode is helpful to you, please share with your friends and family and on your social media!  We have some amazing episodes loading for 2024, so if you&#39...

Some days we just don't feel like exercising - this is totally normal! But how do we find that line between recognizing when we should be taking a rest day, when we should just do the thing and the days when we just check the box. Because we are surrounded by so much toxicity in the fitness world we can often feel guilt and shame when we take a day off - even when we're sick! In this episo...

MLMs are sneaky and it can be hard to tell you're about to get pitched before it happens. In this minisode, Marissa shares some things to look out for to hel you avoid that awkward moment when you have to tell someone you may or may not know that you're not interested.

Technology and having an event to train for can be so useful when helping us reach our fitness and wellness goals. But at some point, it can also become something we overly rely on and forget how to actually connect with our bodies. As someone who loves data, Michelle shares her experiences with leaving expectations and data at the door on some of her running sessions the past year and how this ha...

Michelle and Marissa are back after a longer than expected hiatus and are digging in deep with the ChiroThin diet; a diet that only licensed chiropractors are allowed to purchase form the company and then sell back to their patients. In this episode we explore: The components of the ChiroThin diet and why it's still just lipstick on a pig The importance of actually eating enough, calories and...

Part of healthy living is healthy and fulfilling relationships: friends, lovers, family, and life partners. In this episode of the Strong and Simple Podcast, Michelle dives into all things dating with love, sex and dating coach, Lisa Acker. Tune in for: What a match maker is and how this is different from a love, sex and dating  coach Why a laundry list of qualities in a partner is not strategy wh...

There's never a good time for an injury but it can be especially sucky when training for a special event. In this episode, Marissa shares her recent experience with hurting her back while training and how she is navigating not only the physical recovery but the mental and emotional piece of sustaining an injury. *Note - Michelle and Marissa are not doctors or physical therapists and nothing in...

Hey friends! It's been a bit of a busy week for both Michelle and Marissa this week but we'll be back with 2 amazing guest episodes the next two Fridays! Stay Tuned!

After four decades of providing over priced and under nourishing diet meals to those seeking weight loss, Jenny Craig is shuttering it's doors - making this a perfect time for Michelle and Marissa to dig in for a #DietDeepDive. Tune in for: A brief history of the Jenny Craig diet What made the plan so desirable and marketable for dieters The similarities and differences between the Jenny Craig...

Strength Workouts help us to grow muscle, gain strength and maintain bone density among many other benefits! When planning strength workouts, it's important to think about movements that work our bodies unilaterally, or one side/limb at a time in a addition to bilateral as often seen with barbell deadlifts, squats, and benchpresses. In this episode, Michelle discusses: What is a unilateral exe...

In this episode Michelle and Marissa chat with their special guest, James Norris, the CEO of Handicapable Fitness and author of Feeling Left Out. In this episode they chat about The power of visibility and representation of folks with all bodies and abilities in fitness spaces: in person and online How Hands-Capable Fitness supports folks of all abilities live active lives Inclusion is not just a...

Marissa delves into some of the great things and drawbacks about group fitness classes and what you should know when choosing between personal training and these classes. Progress typically is limited with group fitness classes because your workout cannot be progressed in a way that continually challenges your body and its adaptations. You may not get as much out of the exercises in a fitness clas...

The spring time can be a tough time to protect our peace and navigate all of the summer diet culture marketing that we are bombarded with, especially on social media. In this week's episode, Michelle shares a story of how old feelings about her body bubbled up while doing a morning a scroll through social media and how she processed and pivoted to avoid falling back into a pattern of dieting....

When you hire a trainer/coach, you are entering a relationship. And like any relationship, it should feel good! You should be able to trust them, feel comfortable and feel supported. And because not all trainers are the same and not all folks who hir trainers are the same, it can take some time and patience to find the right fit - but it's worth it! Most coaches and gyms offer complimentary se...

If you have been anywhere on the internet, then you have probably received numerous ads for items that are marketed as ways to up level your gym game. Some are legit and some are a bunch of B.S. In this episode, Michelle and Marissa chat about their 6 favorite gym products/accessorries that LEGIT make a difference to their gym and fitness game and hope they can be of help for you too! Do you have...

After getting all her poop euphemisms out of her system, Marissa digs into the latest data about probiotic supplements, which shows they are not only unhelpful, but possibly harmful as well. Many Americans take probiotic supplements believing they will improve their digestion, relieve various conditions, and create a healthier gut. However, the preponderance of scientific data shows that for the v...

It's the second biggest season for fitness and wellness (after the New Year rush) and if you are thinking about starting a new or updated fitness routine, you might be feeling overwhelmed with the options and phrases that trainers and coaches use to describe their methods and programs. The best program and training design/package is ultimately going to be the one that keeps you engaged and on...

In this super quick minisode, Marissa gives you the quick and dirty on what you need to know about fiber! The overwhelming majority of Americans don't eat enough fiber The average American only hits half of the daily recommendation for fiber intake Fiber plays a number of important roles in our body Be careful when you start increasing that fiber intake!

Are you experiencing fatigue that doesn't seem to alleviate with rest and sleep? Are finding yourself overwhelmed, forgetful or uninspired by tasks that typically bring you joy ad satisfaction? You might be experiencing burnout. In this episode Michelle chats about her own experience with burnout and some tips to recognize and shift your energy to help prevent it. Disclaimer: Michelle is NOT a...

Michelle and Marissa explore Red Light Therapy and Near Infrared Therapy, Muscle Testing or Applied Kinesiology, and cold showers sharing their thoughts on each and having some laughs along the way. They're not here to yuck someone else's yum, but they do want to offer some considerations before diving into each of these, the biggest of which perhaps being whether you have the basics of he...

Marissa has been doing some thinking about the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations on children with BMIs in the overweight and ob*se range and it's made her want to share some thoughts about the recommendations around weight loss surgery in particular. In this minisode, she resurrects an episode from an old podcast discussing an article on bariatric surgery for teens to illustr...

If you are working on reframing your relationship with fitness from one that kept you chasing weight loss and burned calories you might find that those old thoughts and habits die hard. This is super normal - and workable! In fact, this mindset reframe is more like a light dimmer than light switch - it's near impossible to simply switch a switch and go from a negative, unhealthy relationship w...

In this episode we continue to explore our theme of the past few episodes of having a beginner's mindset and discovering how much we can enjoy something new if we allow ourselves to be stretched outside our comfort zones. Michelle discussions with us her life long experiences with fitness and the pivotal moment that her relationship and attitude towards lifting "heavy" shifted - and...

Michelle and Marissa welcome back Coach Tina Tang for this episode and dig into MANY fitness and nutrition topics that so many women can connect too! The social impact and aspect of fitness Navigating fitness marketing and lingo The impact of hormones on building muscle The role of the patriarchy and diet culture on how we feel about our bodies and what we think/feel we should look like Protective...

In this minisode, Marissa shares her story of how she got started with weight lifting in her mid-30s - a continuation of the theme of this month's episodes of getting into fitness modalities later in life. She talks about overcoming your fears and anxieties around judgment and gymtimidation. And shares the lessons she's learned along the way in the hopes that it's helpful to anyone lis...