Meet Your Body with Jessica Valant, MSPT

Jessica would never have described herself as an anxious or stressed person growing up. Then, in her early 20's, she experienced firsthand the physical issues that can arise after living with chronic stress. In this Meet Your Body episode, Jessica tells her own story of what led to that life changing time and some of the strategies she learned in order to move forward. Jessica then talks about how...

One of the most common questions Jessica gets asked is "How do I know I'm ready to make my workout harder?"In this podcast episode, Jessica addresses this important question. She'll discuss how the fitness industry and social media has done us all a disservice by making us think exercise should look "pretty and perfect" all the time. She'll then cover the importance of knowing when you should not...

Jessica recently received a message commenting on her busy life and asking how she does it all. This led her to record this podcast explaining her secret - she doesn't do it all! In this episode of Meet Your Body, Jessica discusses how many of us were raised thinking we should be able to "do it all" and how that's led to us feeling shame and defeat when we actually can't do it all. She talks about...

Walking every day can have a powerful affect on your overall health! In today's episode, Jessica shares her personal journey with walking, including why she used to avoid it and how it's now become an integral part of her daily routine. She will then discuss what research tells us about walking, how it compares to running and how many steps you actually need a day to make a difference. After this...

The abs and the core are talked about a lot in the fitness and health care industries. But what are those two body parts? Why are they important? And how can you work those areas when crunches just don't feel good? In today's episode Jessica will answer all these questions and more! She'll discuss everything the health and wellness marketers have gotten wrong about the abs and the core, including...

Two weeks ago Jessica woke up with some fairly concerning symptoms. She saw her doctor who immediately ordered a brain MRI. The next two weeks were full of waiting, researching, advocating and sleepless nights. In today's episode, Jessica talks about the details around that health scare and the few important lessons she was reminded of during that time. If you have ever been through a health scare...

Daily movement is important for all of us. This can be challenging when you have various autoimmune disorders or diseases such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue that act like autoimmune diseases. In this episode of Meet Your Body, Jessica discusses the two unique needs of people with these issues: pain management and energy conversation. She will then go through eight important strategies to hel...

Jessica was diagnosed with endometriosis after her first laparoscopic surgery almost twenty years ago. Since then she's experienced two additional surgeries, a hysterectomy, IVF and a diagnosis of frozen pelvis. She has also committed herself to working with her body to manage her endometriosis symptoms and live a full and movement filled life. In today's episode of Meet Your Body, Jessica talks a...

As a physical therapist and movement professional, one of the most common questions Jessica gets asked is how to feel motivated to workout. In today's episode of Meet Your Body, she dives into the the topic of motivation and exercise! She discusses what's wrong with the current narrative around exercise motivation in the health and fitness industry and her eight specific tips to truly finding last...

We talk all the time about the importance of being an advocate for yourself and today we are diving into what that means and why it's so vital to your health journey! Jessica will discuss the definition of "advocate" and the six important mindset shifts you need to make in order to be a powerful advocate for yourself and others. She will then take you through practical steps you will need to follo...

We are excited to bring Rachel Piper to the Meet Your Body podcast! Rachel (NCPT) is a classically trained comprehensive Pilates teacher who believes that you should love your body for what it can do no matter your size, your age, or your current abilities. Rachel describes herself as a "Pilates obsessed human practicing and teaching in a bigger body". In today's episode, Jessica and Rachel discus...

Perimenopause is considered the "second puberty" for women, yet it's something that's rarely talked about! It can last anywhere from 5-12 years prior to menopause and can have a significant impact on a woman's life. In today's episode of Meet Your Body, Jessica tells you about her own current journey with perimenopause. She then discusses the definition of menopause, common symptoms associated wit...

Do you find yourself always looking for a bathroom? Do you do the "just in case" pee every time you leave the house? Do you wake up multiple times a night to urinate? This episode of Meet Your Body is for you! Today Jessica shares her own story with frequent urination and the three top tips you need in order to urinate less frequently throughout the day and night. Learn why the "just in case" pee...

Pelvic floor physical therapy is important specialized physical therapy that focuses on the pelvic floor - and that can sometimes be confusing! In today's episode, physical therapist Jessica Valant talks all about pelvic floor physical therapy. She'll discuss the definition of the pelvic floor, why it's important, symptoms that show you may have pelvic floor dysfunction and who is a candidate for...

Jessica recently had a revelation while standing in the kitchen - she may be experiencing what she calls a "midlife confusion". With the combination of turning 45 years old, experiencing a severe injury and walking her mother-in-law through the dying process, Jessica has been hit with some in depth questions and observations around life, aging and living. Listen in as she talks openly about the qu...

Ten years ago, Jessica started a YouTube channel as way to share a basic physical therapy workout program with a former client. The Jessica Valant Pilates channel grew and became the first point on the journey of the Jessica Valant Pilates online business! Recently hitting the 500,000 subscriber mark, Jessica wants to celebrate by giving you the full story of her online business, including how she...

Four years ago, Jessica and her husband were thrown into the world of elder care when they became the caretakers for her mother-in-law, who was in the beginning throws of Alzheimer's. They had to learn everything from scratch about elder care, including what documents are needed, how to get a power of attorney, finding a long term care facility, what insurance does and doesn't cover and how to be...

We are honored to bring you Dr. Jennifer Hutton (aka Dr. JPop) to the Meet Your Body podcast! Dr. Hutton is a pediatric physical therapist and has been treating kids with neurological and orthopedic diagnoses for more than 14 years. Working with children from marginalized communities allowed Dr. Hutton to see the health and healthcare access disparities that exist and sparked her desire to be an a...

The CDC recommends kids ages 6-17 get a minimum of one hour of moderate activity daily. How can we help our kids get that in an age of devices, online content and video games? In today's Meet Your Body episode, Jessica talks about specific tools, games and strategies for encouraging daily healthy movement in kids. She also addresses important tips for creating lifelong empowerment, joy and fun aro...

Hypermobility affects 30% of the population and can lead to joint and muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, anxiety, dizziness and more. Today we will discuss everything you should know about hypermobility, including surprising symptoms you may not know about, why using weight is so important and lifestyle management techniques to keep you feeling your best. Jessica will also share her own story with un...

Arthritis affects every one in four adults. While it can cause stiffness, pain and limited mobility, it doesn't have to stop you from the movement and exercise you love! In today's episode, Jessica discusses the different types of arthritis, various treatment options and the importance of exercise in those who have arthritis. You'll learn how to move safely and be given some great exercise options...

Today Jessica discusses her recent snowboarding injury and how she - as a physical therapist - is dealing with it! She talks about the moment it happened, the movement assessment she did on herself that day, how she checks on her healing and why she's seeing a physical therapist for treatment this week. This episode will give you a physical therapist's perspective on healing, pain, rest and moveme...

In the final episode in our exercise series, Jessica talks all about stretching and mobility! We'll discuss the difference between stretching and mobility exercises, why flexibility and strength are important and ways to incorporate them into your own life. You'll walk away with a better understanding of how to add this important fitness component to your own life in a simple way!  UNLIMITED onlin...

In the second episode of our exercise series, we are talking all about resistance training! Resistance training can include bands, weights, dumbbells, machines or even your bodyweight. We'll discuss why resistance training is necessary for everyone, how to incorporate it into your home exercise routine and where to start. If you want to help prevent injury, improve strength, burn calories, decreas...

We are starting our exercise series today! We will be devoting episodes to various movement modalities, and today we are starting with Pilates. I've been a Pilates teacher for over 20 years and I'll tell you how I got started and why it works so well with my skills as a physical therapist. We will dive into the benefits of Pilates, discuss the myths surrounding Pilates and talk about how to get st...