Self Care Simplified

Janelle, a mom of four, was miserable in her body. Her wedding ring didn’t fit, she didn’t recognize herself in pictures anymore and her back constantly hurt. Feeling fat and in chronic pain, she found herself overwhelmed by how and where to start. In this episode, you’re hearing Janelle’s real story, smack-dab from the messy middle. This is not a dramatic “before and after” tale, but rather a vul...

You know you should be eating more veggies, but for whatever reason, it’s a constant battle for you. You don’t particularly like vegetables and have a hard time making them a priority on a consistent basis. In this shortie episode, I provide tips on exactly how to: Eat the right amount of veggies every day Discover vegetables that you actually like (so it’s not such a dreadful chore!) Easily incor...

If you are a woman, bone health and osteoporosis should be on your radar! Just like muscle mass, bone mass is something you can lose dramatically as you age, severely impacting your quality of life for many years to come. The good news is that Osteoporosis, and its precursor Osteopenia, is NOT inevitable - and you’re NOT doomed if you’ve already been told that you have low bone density. There are...

If you’re trying to lose weight, boost your protein intake, or just dial in your nutrition, are food tracking apps the best method to help with that? Food tracking apps can help you measure calories, macronutrients and micronutrients. But they can also create a huge void in your healthy eating skills, and you may feel strapped to your app to always help keep you on track. On today’s Ask Megan epis...

Do you struggle to feel confident in your clothes and get frustrated every time you look in your closet? In this episode, former Hollywood stylist turned virtual stylist, Jammie Baker, shares her insights on how to dress for your body type with confidence. Jammie is sharing the connection between dressing well and self-care, and how your mindset plays a crucial role in feeling confident in your cl...

We’ve always been told that strength training is what you do when you want to tone and build muscle, while cardio is what you do when you want to lose weight, especially excess body fat. But is that actually true? In this quick “Ask Megan” episode, I’m breaking down what your routine should look like if you want to see weight loss, and how the cardio vs. strength training pieces all fit together....

Are you drinking your water WRONG? Of course you want to be healthy and feel your best, and drinking water is definitely part of that equation. But you’re probably making at least one of these 4 common mistakes when it comes to your hydration and drinking water!! In this episode, you’ll learn: What water does for your digestion, metabolism, cellular health, and more Why treating water as an aftert...

Can’t get your habits to sync up? For most women, focusing on good fitness habits means the nutrition habits take a back seat. And then as soon as you dial in your eating choices, you realize your exercise routine has fallen to the wayside. So frustrating! It’s like you’re bouncing back and forth and can’t make any progress. In this shortie episode, I provide tips on exactly how to dial in your fi...

Do you struggle with consistency and sticking to your routine? Most likely, you’ve got all the best intentions in the world and know what you SHOULD be doing - you just can’t stick with it! Don’t let yourself get too discouraged. Being consistent with a fitness and nutrition routine is one of the hardest things in the world to do. But we want to make it easier. In this episode, Liz Revilla joins m...

Headaches following a workout is unfortunately a fairly common thing. It’s often called an Exertion Headache or Exertional Headache, and can sometimes even trigger migraine symptoms. Podcast listener Marie reached out with this question: “Have you had anyone get migraines after exercise? I’m trying to figure out how to tweak workouts to not cause this, it’s super discouraging! I’m getting a migrai...

Why is your muscle mass so important and what can you do to prevent muscle loss if you’re over 40? It’s extremely common to lose muscle mass as you age, and in some cases you might even be diagnosed with something called sarcopenia - an age related, involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. It can begin as early as in your 40s and it’s one of the most important causes of functional de...

Summertime is here, and with it comes “Vacation Mode”! It’s so easy to accidently overindulge while you’re on vacation, whether it’s eating too much or drinking too much. Podcast listener Kathleen is traveling to a very hot part of the country and is anticipating a lot of food and beverages being consumed on her trip. She asks: “What advice do you have to stay on task and to just not go overboard?...

Prepare to have your mind blown. If you want to consistently have deep, restful sleep every night, listen to this now! Dr. Matthew Brock is one of the most reknowned doctors of Sleep Medicine in the U.S. today. He’s helping us with questions like: What to do when you can’t fall asleep and/or when you can’t STAY asleep (and why this happens)? Why do we sometimes wake up several times a night? How m...

Do you have a hip that pops, clicks or clunks when you move it? Especially when you’re on your back and your legs are up in the air? Often called “Snapping Hip Syndrome”, this hip issue can usually be completely fixable. This week, I’m answering listener Emily’s question: “Do you have any suggestions for tight hip flexors that click when I’m doing core work on my back, such as Pilates?” In this sh...

Walking is probably THE MOST COMMON form of exercise among women. But is it enough? Can having a consistent walking routine keep you feeling young and pain free? In this episode, you’ll learn the truth about walking - what it can do for your body and what it can’t do. You’ll walk away knowing EXACTLY where walking should fit into your fitness routine and how you can feel strong and healthy at any...

Can’t feel your abs firing and engaging when you do core exercises? This week’s question comes from listener Judy: “I can tell that my core is really weak, and I want to strengthen it because I know it’s causing a lot of issues for my back and for my hips. But it feels like whenever I do ab exercises, I just can’t feel those muscles firing. What am I doing wrong?” In this shortie episode, I’m brea...

Whether your core muscles are weak or you have excess fat in the belly region, it’s common to feel like your midsection is a constant source of frustration and insecurity. If you want to know how to build a stronger core and lose the belly fat, this episode is for you! We’re talking about what works, what doesn’t work, common myths about training your belly, and how to finally experience confidenc...

If you’ve been out of a fitness routine for while, it can be hard to know where and how exactly to start. How do you get some good, foundational exercises going again? What should you begin with? What should you NOT do? Listener Shawn sent this question in because it’s been a few years since she has exercised, and she wants to jump back in safely - setting herself up for long term success, not jus...

Gardening. Painting. Crafting. Music. Even horseback riding! Whatever your favorite hobby or activity, you want to be able to do it forever! It brings you so much joy and purpose, so it’s a devastating idea to think that you’d have to stop due to physical limitations. But your body aches, you can feel your posture falling apart, and you experience constant knots and kinks through your neck, should...

“I am struggling with sweet cravings, chocolate specifically. I was doing pretty well, but I’ve lost the motivation, I guess. I can’t seem to get enough sweets. Suggestions?” This question came from listener Barbara, and I bet she’s not alone. In this shortie episode, I’m giving you the tactic that works nearly every single time for curbing those sweet-tooth cravings. It’s a simple 3-step process...

What if you knew you were doing ALL the right things, but your body seemed to have a mind of its own? You suddenly have terrible brain fog, body fatigue, joint pain, and dramatic weight gain. What on earth is happening? Today, Dr. Emily Kiberd, the founder of Thyroid Strong, joins us on the show. She personally has Hashimoto’s (a thyroid autoimmune disease), and she helps ladies living with thyroi...

If you need advice or tips on how to reduce pain and preserve your knees for your favorite activities, this is it! Pippa from South Africa loves to hike, but at 56 years old, her knees are starting to become a problem, especially on the downhills. In this shortie episode, I provide tips on exactly how to build up your knee strength in your workout routine by focusing on very specific movements and...

Snacking on popcorn the evenings. Nighttime cravings for chocolate. Glasses of wine to wind down. That period between dinner and bedtime is frequently filled with poor food and beverage decisions. Decisions that you instantly regret and wish you had better control over. Today, Liz Revilla is joining me on the show - Registered Dietitian and the manager of our Self Care Simplified FB group. With ov...

Are you nowhere near where you want to be on your health journey right now? Is it discouraging to look back at where your body used to be, and then to look forward at how far you still have to go? In this shortie episode, I’m responding to listener Ashley’s feelings of frustration and discouragement: “Right now, I’m really fighting the mental battles of not being where I want to be in my health jo...

Do you LOVE the idea of having a good fitness and nutrition routine, but easily get thrown off when disruptions happen? Everyday disruptions can ruin your consistency and ultimately sabotage your progress. It can be so discouraging! In this episode, I’m sharing a paradigm shift that will help you continue to make forward progress with your health and fitness journey, even when life throws you curv...