Cosmic Body Shenanigans Podcast

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith interviews Dr. Tiffany Johnson, a holistic chiropractor, mother, and former athlete. They discuss the intersection of parenting, leadership, and mental health in young athletes. Dr. Johnson shares her journey from a timid individual to a confident chiropractor, emphasizing the importance of understanding the nervous system and...

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith interviews Cathy Cury, a certified functional medicine health coach and self-taught chef. Cathy shares her journey from cooking on yachts to health coaching, focusing on nutrition and lifestyle changes for women in perimenopause and menopause. She emphasizes the importance of dietary choices, advocating for oneself, and managin...

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith interviews Leslie Kuny, a renowned dance educator and choreographer with nearly four decades of experience. They explore the intersection of athleticism and artistry in dance, discussing challenges such as body image issues and the impact of social media. Leslie emphasizes the importance of creating supportive, inclusive enviro...

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith talks with Sharon Donato, a former competitive gymnast who transitioned to certified athletic trainer and integrative nutrition health coaching. Sharon shares her journey, highlighting her struggles with food and trauma, and how these experiences shaped her career. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding nutri...

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith interviews Sarah Siertle, an inclusive strength and movement coach. Sarah shares her journey from swing dancing to strength training and her philosophy on making fitness accessible to everyone. They discuss the importance of personalized coaching tailored to individual body mechanics, effective warm-up techniques, and recovery...

In this episode of The Spirit of an Athlete , host Amanda Smith sits down with Alissa Alter, a pelvic health specialist, for an open and insightful conversation about the importance of pelvic floor health. Alissa shares her journey, from experiencing a back injury to navigating the challenges of childbirth, which sparked her passion for advocating pelvic health awareness. Alissa highlights the pel...

In this empowering episode of *Spirit of an Athlete*, host Amanda Smith and mental performance coach Kimberly Jarman discuss their experiences with long COVID and its impact on their athletic lives. They explore the physical and psychological toll of long COVID, emphasizing the importance of mindset, resilience, and community support. Kimberly also highlights her holistic coaching approach, and th...

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith interviews Kate Conwell, an NCAA Division I National Champion Pole Vaulter and two-time Olympic Trials entrant. Kate shares her journey from elite athletics to founding Journey Beyond Betrayal, her business helping women heal from marital infidelity. The discussion covers the mindset required for pole vaulting, the challenges o...

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith talks with Stasia Rivera from Vivi Athletics, about the mental fitness of Generation Z (Gen Z) and Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha) athletes. They explore the unique challenges these younger generations face, particularly due to technology's pervasive influence on their mental health and athletic performance. Stasia emphasizes...

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith interviews Danielle McDonough, a former Division One and NWHL hockey player turned mindset coach. Danielle shares her journey from playing on boys' teams in Southern California to her collegiate and professional hockey career. They discuss the challenges of the recruitment process, the importance of mental resilience in sp...

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," Amanda had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Angela Buckley, an engineer and athlete. Angela shares her inspiring journey through various sports and discusses her transition from playing soccer to swimming and water polo, eventually representing Team USA in triathlons. She highlights the physical and strategic challenges of each sport, the importa...

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith interviews Anjali Gudhka, a dedicated badminton player and coach with 26 years of experience. Anjali shares her journey in badminton, including her participation in the Commonwealth Games and her struggles with ACL injuries. The discussion highlights the physical and emotional challenges of recovery, the importance of structure...

The world of gymnastics is both a treasured and tainted sport. In this conversation with Lisa Richer, a member of Team USA back in the 80s and 90s, we cover how the sport has evolved since then. She shares her experience learning she is Neurodiverse and was in need of vision therapy as a gymnast! Now she helps others understand the world of Neurodivergence and the different therapies and ways to s...

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith interviews Danielle Reedy, an Olympian, coach, speaker, podcast host, and author. Danielle shares her journey as a synchronized swimmer, discussing her experiences at the 2006 Olympic Games and World Championships. She highlights the differences between synchronized swimming events and her transition from Canada to Australia to...

In this episode of the "Spirit of an Athlete" podcast, host Amanda Smith interviews Laarni Mulvey, a powerlifter and strongman competitor. They discuss their personal journeys in power sports, the transition from powerlifting to strongman, and the mental and physical strength required for these sports. Laarni shares her accidental entry into strongman competitions and the unique challeng...

In this episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete,' host Amanda Smith talks with Caroline Lee, a power lifter and CrossFitter who has battled brain cancer. They delve into how cancer has affected Caroline's vision and daily life, including her experiences in the gym and with driving. Caroline shares her journey toward reestablishing trust in her body through powerlifting and discusses how sh...

In this deeply moving episode of Spirit of an Athlete, host Amanda Smith interviews Tracy Frankland, a marathon runner and nurse who discovered she had breast cancer. Tracy shares her poignant journey from diagnosis to becoming a passionate advocate and coach for cancer survivors. Listen as she recounts the moment she found the lump, the decisions she made regarding her treatment, and the emotiona...

In this episode of Spirit of an Athlete, Amanda Smith interviews Kristen Swinehart, known as The Flying Medium. Kristen, a former lawyer turned psychic medium and flight attendant, discusses accessing her higher self and connecting with her deceased father through running. She shares her journey from struggling with running to completing marathons and how it aids her mediumship. Kristen talks abou...

In this episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete,' Amanda interviews 64-year-old Australian marathon runner, Gill Stapleton. Gill shares insights on how she began running marathons at 47, emphasizing a philosophy of taking life one step at a time. She discusses the motivation behind her running goals, including running five world major marathons, and the life-changing experience of witnessing th...

In this episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete,' host Amanda Smith chats with Louise Valentine, a renowned physiologist and women's integrative health practitioner. They delve into the intricacies of perimenopause, discussing its symptoms, individual differences, and effective holistic strategies for managing hormone health. Louise shares her personal health journey and professional insig...

In this episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete,' host Amanda Smith is joined by holistic nutritionist Lauren Bryson to discuss essential nutrition and hydration strategies for young athletes. The conversation delves into how to properly fuel the body for weekday games, weekend tournaments, and early morning workouts. Key topics include the importance of proper hydration, making a homemade Gato...

In this episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete,' host Amanda Smith interviews Jana Barrett, a strength and conditioning coach from New Zealand, on leveraging the female menstrual cycle and menopause for effective workouts. Jana, known for her expertise in mobility and unconventional training methods using mace and club bells, shares insights into creating strength and mobility routines suitabl...

In this episode of Spirit of an Athlete, host Amanda Smith shares her personal gut health journey. Amanda details the onset of her issues, which began with side aches during athletic activities, and her struggle with various symptoms such as rapid mood changes, exhaustion, and severe gut reactions. She discusses her experience with an Ayurvedic cleanse and the subsequent discovery of extensive foo...

In this episode of Spirit of an Athlete, host Amanda Smith interviews Zaara Abbas, the first Pakistani female rowing coach, international competitor, and world rowing official. Abbas shares her journey of overcoming societal pressures and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in a male-dominated sport. Facing challenges like body shaming and battling weight issues due to PCOS, Abbas discusses the impor...

This episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete' podcast, hosted by Amanda Smith, features an inspiring story of Angela Fuller, a fitness instructor and former athlete who overcame severe challenges such as a broken back and postpartum depression to achieve remarkable feats. Angela shares her journey from losing 50 pounds and battling her physical and mental health issues to competing in gymnastic...