Fitness Freedom

Who gets to make the rules of podcasting?  We do! In this one of a kind episode, I’m sharing about my 10 year old baby Jayu (cancer sign!) & what his story & life has to do with freedom in your health. Listen to hear: -How Jayu got his name (& what it means) -Wild stories about cat escapes -Attachment theory & what it has to do with Nyangi (my other cat –I love you too, baby girl!)...

What if hating your body was never your fault, & our obsession with "fixing" our bodies was by design? In this episode, I sit down with psychotherapist, professor, & author Dr. Paula D. Atkinson to explore the deep roots of diet culture, fat phobia, & body hatred.  Paula shares her own journey, from being labeled "obese" as a teenager to nearly dying from anorexia a...

If you've started over with your health more times than you can count, this episode is for you... Find out the real reason diets & programs haven't stuck (it has nothing to do with your willpower, discipline, or intelligence). You'll learn what's actually missing,  what you need instead, & how the 4H Method was built to be the last thing you ever have to start for your...

Ramona Kossowan, Canada's first gentle trauma release practitioner & women's empowerment coach, shares how her journey evolved from holistic health & fitness coaching to deeper emotional healing work.  She discovered that trauma disconnects us from our bodies, & can manifest in destructive patterns around food & exercise. Instead of addressing just the surface symptoms, R...

In this episode, I vulnerably share my 10 stage journey of coming out, from suppression to pride —growing up in a religious environment that condemned homosexuality, to eventually being at home in who I am.  What makes this episode essential? It maps this coming out process directly to health & transformation. Key insights: -Why traditional fitness fails without addressing core beliefs about w...

Are you feeling stuck trying to move forward in taking care of your health? You might be holding on to one or more of these lies. Health doesn't have to be scary, & it can be a natural expression of who you are --not something to fight against or struggle through. Listen to this to liberate yourself to "get healthy" in your own unique way, so you get to enjoy the process & t...

Rarely does a single idea have the power to shift everything, but this episode builds its entire foundation on one powerfully transformative truth: you are already worthy & powerful. This is the foundation of hope in the 4h method –hope, happiness, habits, & health– that gives a paradoxical, healing framework in an overwhelming wellness world that says there’s always something to fix. The...

I was running through the streets of Woodstock, Illinois, pacing along with my Spotify liked songs playlist, the spring sun shining on me.  I thought of running advice I could give you here, based on what I’ve learned from experience. & then it popped into my head: I have sooo many friends who are, like, really good at this running thing, & I should ask them for their insight!  & so I...

What if unhelpful eating & exercise behaviors actually developed to protect you?  Lexi Bonilla, licensed clinical social worker & founder of Inner Bloom Counseling, offers this  refreshing perspective on eating disorder recovery you won’t want to miss… With the premise that "Your body is not a problem to fix, " Lexi shares: -How eating disorders are far more common & far more...

Does Health equal weight?  Is the body positivity movement right, or should we be fighting “the war against obesity”? The history in this episode alone is worth the listen, & will give you facts that will completely change the way you look at health, for the better… This episode covers: -Body liberation terms like HAES & Intuitive Eating -How the BMI was created & how diet culture ente...

Rarely does a conversation challenge everything you thought you knew about healing, but this one does exactly that... Sydney Zwicker, somatic bodywork practitioner, pussy witch, & founder of Zwicker Healing Arts, joins Fitness Freedom to explore what it truly means to live in your body rather than just think about it. Her path into this work began with her own healing journey from sexual assau...

What does it actually mean to feel safe in your own body?  & how do exercise & food play such a big role in our nervous system health?  Why does going to the gym & eating “right” feel so big & scary sometimes, or like something you NEED to do?  Why does it even matter at all for your health?  Listen to this episode to answer all those questions, & to understand what could be ha...

Starting with horses in Somerset, Rachael Kennard Wall never imagined her childhood passion would lead her to become a translator between mind & body. During her chiropractic practice, she noticed something curious: clients with chronic pain often improved –not through adjustments, but when life stressors resolved.  She then asked: what if our physical symptoms were actually messengers from ou...

Join me for a special taste of a really delicious somatic practice, based on the premise that your body already knows how to heal. Recently trained in more somatic experiencing, I walk us through something genuinely refreshing…  Imagine your body has been trying to tell you something for years & you just haven't learned its language yet? That is exactly what this episode explores, and it...

After being given 30 days to live, Kathlena The Allergy Chef transformed her life-long mystery illnesses into a mission of healing... With testing & food journaling, she discovered she had over 200 food allergies.  Since then, she’s effortlessly lost symptoms such as severe depression, migraines, & breathing difficulties by managing her own food allergies. She then used the knowledge she l...

The Official Fitness Freedom Podcast Returns Better Than Ever! I kick off season 4 with the first episode covering some stats, giving some previews of the upcoming season, & key life updates that can support you! Welcome to the adventure of 2026 with Fitness Freedom!  📧 Email me michelle@mlrosko.com. ➕ Follow me on Instagram: @michellelynnrosko 🤗 Come into my online home: mlrosko.com ⃝ Make...

In this episode, a repeat from last year’s popular episode, come on a journey with me through the most impactful books that shaped & expanded my life. We'll go through a range of receiving, imagining, rethinking, loving, & creating.  Whether you want some book inspiration or get the cliff's notes on a year of powerful books, listen to this episode! What books were most impactful...

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ― Howard Thurman Here’s what changes everything: treating your body as a wise ally, not a menacing adversary. & that sometimes requires rebelling against the status quo you’ve been taught your whole life in how you move, rest, & eat… By saying no to tox...

Shawn Richardson went from chasing an acting career to becoming an unconventional strength coach. He now has nearly two decades of experience, which led him to create the extremely functional BAMF fitness equipment designed to support real-life balance… Shawn challenges everything the fitness industry wants you to believe. He reveals a critical truth: the fitness industry profits from your insecur...

Bea Frischler, founder & CEO of Be Healthier, shares her health transformation, one that defies conventional wisdom... At 41, after decades of hustling as a Dominican immigrant —factory jobs, night school, stress, sleep deprivation, & snack food for meals —Bea suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm.  But instead of chasing appearance-based wellness, she approached recovery with gratitude for h...

After thirty years of emotional eating, Nan Seysana finally found peace with food, & today she’s a professional coach who helps women who lift stop the binge-eating cycle.  Despite achieving her dream life as an English teacher in Paris, she couldn't escape the binge eating cycle that had controlled her since age sixteen. Marathons didn't fix it. Restrictive diets made it worse. Her...

What would change if you viewed healthcare holistically… addressing not just symptoms…  but also your health care team, nervous system's alignment, & daily habits over time? This week's episode of Fitness Freedom answers those questions with Dr. Sherry McAllister, whose car accident redirected her entire career, as well as her philosophy on health. After traditional treatments failed...

In this powerful & honest episode, I sit down with Sara Chambers, CEO of Elly and Nora Creative, founder of Chicks Who Give a Hoot , & the author of Do It Fat , to talk about the intersection of body image, authenticity, & success. Sara shares her deeply personal journey toward body acceptance, including what she learned after losing a significant amount of weight, & why confidence...

In this episode I’m letting you in on my workouts & some of how I eat, without shame or anything to hide... I’ve come a long way to get to a point where pleasure & enjoyment are more important than numbers or goals, & I want to show you how that looks for me. You'll get a peek into creative compound movements, & how I focus on form & mind-body connection over heavy lifting...

What happens when a lifelong "hustle harder" mentality leads to a complete physical & mental breakdown?  In this deeply vulnerable episode, I share my transformative journey from decades of living in survival mode to discovering the radical power of ease & embodiment. Growing up in a fear-based religious culture & struggling with eating disorders, I was disconnected from my b...