In this episode, we unpack one of the most frustrating experiences women face: going beyond conventional medicine, investing in functional medicine, and still feeling stuck. I introduce the two common paths women take: traditional healthcare and functional medicine and explain why both can fail in different ways. You’ll hear exactly why being told “everything is normal” leaves so many women without answers, and why even advanced testing and supplement protocols don’t always lead to real results.

I break down the critical difference between the idea of functional medicine and how it’s often delivered in practice. I explain how poor sequencing, incomplete strategies, and lack of real-time support can actually make symptoms worse even when you’re following the plan perfectly. If you’ve ever felt like your body just isn’t responding despite your effort, this conversation will hit home.

You’ll also learn why supplements alone are rarely the solution, and how missing foundational pieces like nutrition, lifestyle, and stress regulation can stall progress completely. I have a powerful “flower and soil” analogy to explain why your body needs the right environment before it can actually heal.

Most importantly, this episode reframes the narrative so many women internalize that they are the problem. If you’ve tried both conventional and functional approaches and still don’t feel like yourself, this isn’t a failure of your body. It’s a gap in the process.

By the end, you’ll understand exactly what’s been missing—and what a truly effective, personalized approach to healing actually requires.

Time Stamps:

(1:17) Two Types of Women Come To Us

(3:27) Recent Client Call

(8:57) The Premise and Execution of Functional Health

(9:34) Doctor Bob Example

(10:50) Recent Vital Spark Google Review

(12:09) Functional Health Dr. Joe

(14:42) The Sequencing Issue

(27:47) Working with Vital Spark

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Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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We break down what standard lab testing is actually designed to detect and why it frequently misses the deeper dysfunction driving symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, bloating, and brain fog. You’ll learn the critical difference between disease and dysfunction, and why you can feel terrible even when nothing shows up as “wrong” on paper. We also dive into the truth about reference ranges, and why “normal” often just means average, not optimal.

I'll walk through real examples, including how thyroid and hormone imbalances can exist within normal ranges yet still disrupt how you feel every day. We explore what standard testing doesn’t look at at all, from gut health to full hormone patterns, and why those gaps matter more than most people realize. This episode also highlights how cortisol, stress, and the nervous system play a role in keeping the body stuck, even when basic labs appear fine.

Most importantly, we talk about the emotional impact of being told you’re “fine” when you know you’re not, and how that message can slowly shift the way you see yourself. There’s a powerful validation that comes from finally understanding what your body has been trying to tell you all along. If you’ve ever felt like your body isn’t responding despite doing everything right, this conversation will give you clarity, language, and a completely new perspective.

You are not the problem and this episode will help you understand why.

Time Stamps:

(1:32) Sharing A Recent Message

(3:52) Why This Is Happening

(16:22) Reference Ranges

(21:17) Detoxication Pathways

(24:42) Gut Testing

(29:20) Key Things To Remember

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Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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Eating clean, working out consistently, tracking everything, taking all the supplements.

She'd been doing this for two years. And in those two years her weight had gone up, her energy had gotten worse, and she'd started waking up every morning with this low-grade dread about her body that she just couldn't shake. 

She went to her doctor. Labs came back normal. 

She went to a functional medicine doctor. Got a supplement list. Came back six months later feeling exactly the same. And at some point she started to quietly believe that maybe she was just the problem.

She wasn't. And if any part of that sounds familiar, stay with us because that's exactly what today's episode is about.

We are going to break down exactly why smart, disciplined women are doing everything right and getting worse results, why the medical system keeps missing it, and what's actually going on in the gut, hormones, and metabolism that standard testing never finds.

Time Stamps:

(1:22) A Story About A Women Doing “Everything” Right

(7:12) Does This Sound Like You?

(16:07) Everything Looks “Normal”

(19:47) Your Gut and Immune System

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Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

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Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

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Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

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---------------------

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In this episode, we break down the five simple but powerful habits that can dramatically improve your hormone health in as little as 90 days. These aren’t trendy hacks or complicated protocols. They’re foundational lifestyle shifts that most women overlook while chasing faster, flashier solutions.

We dive into how your morning routine, movement, and evening habits directly influence cortisol, energy, metabolism, and overall balance. You’ll learn why something as simple as morning light exposure can reset your internal clock and why daily movement doesn’t have to mean intense workouts to be effective.

We also unpack one of the most overlooked disruptors of hormone health: your nighttime routine. From screen exposure to late-night eating, these small habits may be quietly working against your body more than you realize.

This episode challenges the idea that you need to do more and instead shows you how to do what actually matters. Because when your lifestyle supports your body, everything starts to work with you instead of against you.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, exhausted, or like your body just isn’t responding the way it should, this conversation will give you a clear, practical path forward.

Start with one habit, stay consistent, and watch what changes.

Because your body isn’t broken. It’s just waiting for the right inputs.

Time Stamps:

(3:37) Changes In Hormone Health

(4:47) #1: Morning Light Exposure

(9:17) #2: 20 Minutes of Daily Exercise

(14:49) #3: Screens Off 60 Minutes Before Bed

(16:58) #4: A Calming Wind Down Routine

(20:02) #5: Eating Your Last Meal 4 Hours Before Bed

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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In this episode, I sit down with Vital Spark coach Lindsey Newman to unpack the story behind her journey from “doing everything right” to realizing her body was breaking down beneath the surface. Coach Lindsey shares what it looked like to chase the “fit mom” identity of training harder, eating less, and trying to prove something both to herself and to the world around her. Despite eating as little as 1200 calories, lifting six days a week, and adding in cardio, her body was gaining weight, her energy was crashing, and her hormones were spiraling.

What followed was a season of deep exhaustion, chronic pain, anxiety, and the terrifying feeling that her body was no longer her own. She opens up about the emotional toll of that time, the frustration of being told she was “fine,” and the moment she finally felt seen after receiving a PCOS diagnosis. But even then, she knew there had to be more to the story.

That search led her to functional health, where everything began to click.

Lindsey shares how uncovering deeper root causes like POTS, gut dysfunction, and thyroid issues completely changed the way she understood her body and ultimately how she healed it. We talk about why “calories in, calories out” isn’t the full picture, how systems in the body are deeply interconnected, and what most women are missing when they try to fix their health.

This conversation is for the woman who feels exhausted, frustrated, and stuck despite doing everything she’s been told should work.

Because your body isn’t broken and there is a way forward when you finally start looking at the full picture.

Time Stamps:

(1:22) Coach Lindsey

(3:27) Having Babies Early and Staying “Fit”

(9:54) The Calories In Calories Out Conversation

(13:02) Finding Functional Health

(17:20) Finding The True Answers

(23:09) POTS Syndrome

(30:14) Coaching Women Through Experience

(34:58) Where To Find Coach Lindsey

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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In this episode, I sit down with functional health coach Lacey Iskra in our new home and podcast studio (hehe) to unpack the powerful and complicated journey that led her from bodybuilding and extreme dieting to true root-cause healing. Lacey shares how years of intense training, restrictive nutrition, and pushing through stress eventually left her with hormonal dysfunction, autoimmune symptoms, and a body that felt completely out of balance. Like many women in the fitness space, she was doing everything “right” on paper but still watching her health decline.

Her story reveals how early gut health issues, birth control, chronic dieting, and years without a menstrual cycle quietly compounded into bigger problems later in life. After stepping away from bodybuilding, Lacey began searching for answers and eventually discovered the world of functional health and root-cause healing. Through gut testing, lifestyle changes, and deeper emotional and mindset work, she was able to completely reverse her psoriasis and rebuild her health from the inside out.

Throughout the conversation, Lacey and I break down the biggest mistakes women make when trying to fix their health and why fat loss alone is rarely the real solution. We also talk about the missing link most health protocols overlook: addressing the physical, mental, and emotional pieces together.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but your body still isn’t responding, this episode will help you understand why.

And more importantly, it will show you that healing is possible when you finally start addressing the real root of the problem.

Time Stamps:

(2:19) Who Is Lacey Iskra?

(5:39) Before Functional Health

(8:00) Birth Control

(10:04) Bodybuilding Prep

(14:52) Becoming an Online Coach

(18:04) Finding Functional Health

(34:35) There’s A Reason For Everything You’re Feeling

(35:16) Where To Find Lacey

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

 In this episode, I’m sharing a “half baked” pregnancy update and pulling back the curtain on what I’ve actually been doing to support my body while growing this baby. 

The reality is that most prenatal care is focused on monitoring the baby, not optimizing the mother’s health. And while that makes sense medically, it also leaves a huge gap in how women care for themselves during one of the most physically demanding seasons of life. 

Pregnancy is often treated like a time to pause your health goals, but I see it more like a sport that requires intentional preparation and support.

In this episode, I walk through the team I’ve built around me including a functional practitioner, doula, midwife, pelvic floor physical therapist, chiropractor, and massage therapist and why I chose to outsource as many decisions as possible during this season. 

I share what the first trimester actually looked like for me, from fatigue and nausea to the unexpected mental challenge of body image changes. 

We also talk about the simple systems I’m using moving into the second and third trimesters, including strength training, daily movement, blood sugar stability, and pelvic floor work. 

I explain how I’m thinking about nutrition not just for myself, but for my baby’s long-term health and taste development. We’ll also talk honestly about the physical discomforts of pregnancy and the moments that can make you question whether something is wrong. Finally, I share how researching birth options shifted my mindset from nervousness to genuine excitement, and why I ultimately decided on a home birth with a midwife and doula while still working with my OB for imaging. 

If you’re pregnant, planning to be, or just curious about a different approach to supporting your body through pregnancy, this episode offers a real, honest look behind the scenes.

Time Stamps:

(2:54) The Anatomy Scan

(11:02) What I’m Doing/Will Do During Pregnancy

(14:02) Midwife vs Traditional OBGYN Care

(19:43) Letting Experts Help Me

(28:24) Choosing A Home Birth

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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In this episode, I’m breaking down why most systems fall apart the moment life gets hard and how to rebuild yours so it actually works for a human nervous system. 

We’re taught to design routines assuming endless energy, focus, and motivation, but real life doesn’t operate that way. You have limited time, attention, and willpower, and your systems need to reflect that reality.

 I explain why the most effective systems are the ones that require the least amount of thinking and decision-making. When stress hits, you don’t rise to the occasion. You default to your systems. If your routine only works on your best days, it’s not a system, it’s a wish.

I walk you through how to design structures that hold you steady when you’re tired, overwhelmed, or distracted. We’ll talk about simplifying your priorities so consistency becomes automatic instead of exhausting. 

I introduce the Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C framework to help you escape the all-or-nothing cycle. Plan A is for high-energy days, Plan B supports you when things feel harder, and Plan C keeps you moving forward on your worst days. 

Success doesn’t need to look the same every day, especially in different seasons of life. This episode will help you build systems that meet you where you are, so you can stay consistent without burning yourself out.

Time Stamps:

(2:32) Moving Updates

(6:22) The Fresh Start Effect

(8:54) Different Levels To Our Goals

(14:29) Beware Of The Comparison Trap

(16:28) Vanessa’s Plan A

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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 Today, I’m sitting down with Soraya Rufener, one of our coaches at Vital Spark, to share the story behind the safety, trust, and results her clients feel from day one. 

Soraya isn’t just highly credentialed as a registered nurse and functional health coach. She’s lived through chronic dieting, body distrust, and the exhausting pressure to always “do more.” She started dieting at 13, spent years stuck in restriction cycles, and did everything diet culture promised would work. And yet, nothing was actually healing.

In this conversation, we unpack why willpower wasn’t the problem, how postpartum healing changed everything, and what rebuilding a body really requires physically, mentally, and emotionally. Soraya shares the moment she stopped punishing her body and learned how to support it instead. 

We talk about why healing is layered, why consistency matters more than intensity, and how nervous system safety changes outcomes. She also opens up about how her lived experience reshaped the way she coaches postpartum moms and high-achieving women today. Most importantly, we explore what she refuses to repeat from diet culture—and why coaching women differently matters. 

If you’re exhausted, frustrated, or quietly wondering why nothing seems to work anymore, this episode will remind you that you’re not broken.

You’re unsupported.

Time Stamps:

(1:17) Our Incredible Coach Soraya

(6:02) Early Teen Soraya

(9:17) Finding Bodybuilding

(15:02) The Food Noise

(17:09) Shifting To The Healing Phase

(19:55) The Mental Side of Healing

(22:47) 3 Kids In 4 Years and The Postpartum Journey

(31:23) Our Bodies Aren’t The Enemy

(34:15) Where To Find Soraya

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

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---------------------

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Justin Su'a is a mental performance coach for the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team and host of our daily favorite podcast, Increase Your Impact. He has worked with top NFL, PGA, MLB, and NCAA athletes, as well as top corporate leaders to improve their mental performance game. 

In this episode, we cover the importance of mental performance, the power of self-reflection, doing things by design instead of by default, how to figure out your WHY, and so much more!

Topics Covered:

- What Is Mental Performance and Why It Matters

- How to Train Your Mindset

- The Power of Self-Reflection

- How to Identify Your “Why”

- Doing Things by Design, Not by Default

- Using Your Mindset to Regulate Negative Thoughts and Achieve Goals

- Your Mind Has Limited Capacity: Why Negativity Crowds Out Growth

- The Hidden Habit of Elite Athletes and Top Organizations

- Getting Consistent With Nutrition and Trusting the Process

- Embracing the Boredom of Consistency

- The Law of the Bamboo Tree and Your Fitness Journey

- Stop Beating Yourself Up for Starting Late — Start Now

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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In this conversation, I explain why a chronically dysregulated nervous system can block healing, fat loss, and hormone balance no matter how perfect your protocols look on paper. 

Your body is always choosing survival first, and when it perceives constant stress, it will not prioritize digestion, repair, or metabolic efficiency. I walk you through how your brain interprets everyday stress the same way it would a life-or-death threat, keeping you stuck in fight or flight. 

This is why cortisol stays elevated, inflammation lingers, and progress feels frustratingly slow. I break down why this isn’t a mindset issue or a lack of discipline, but a physiological response rooted in your nervous system. 

We dive into the role of the vagus nerve and how it connects your brain, gut, hormones, and stress response. I explain what vagal tone is and why improving it creates the conditions your body needs to feel safe enough to heal. 

You’ll learn simple, practical vagus nerve–supporting practices you can use daily without adding more overwhelm. We also talk about why these tools are supportive, not magical fixes, and how they enhance everything you’re already doing. If you’re dealing with stubborn fat loss, gut issues, thyroid challenges, or chronic stress, this episode lays the foundation you may be missing. 

Nervous system regulation isn’t optional or fluffy. It’s essential. When your body feels safe, healing becomes possible.

Time Stamps:

(1:19) Lots of Things Going On

(4:54) Getting Out Of Survival Mode

(7:52) The Vagus Nerve

(13:55) Strategies For Improving Your Nervous System

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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In this episode, I share a real-time reflection on why motivation feels shaky during seasons of massive identity transition, especially when life, work, and motherhood are all evolving at once. When our identity is clear, action feels easy but when we’re questioning who we are becoming, everything can feel heavy and confusing. I break down why motivation is an unreliable driver and why waiting to “feel ready” keeps you stuck.

We dive into the three things that actually create follow-through: commitment, identity, and systems. I’ll challenge how you think about commitment (with a comparison that might sting a little), and explain why saying you’re committed isn’t the same as acting like it. 

We’ll talk about how anchoring your actions to who you want to be, not just what you want to achieve, changes everything. I’ll also walk through practical ways to reduce friction by building systems that support you on low-energy days.

If you’re in a season of transition, questioning your next chapter, or frustrated with your lack of consistency, this episode will help you reframe motivation and rebuild alignment. Stop waiting to feel motivated and start building something that works even when motivation is gone.

Time Stamps:

(2:02) Moving, Second Trimester, and The Swings of Motivation

(4:17) Forcing Myself To Show Up This Month

(8:17) Feel Motivated After The Action

(10:41) Commitment, Identity, and Systems

(10:52) What is Commitment?

(17:36) Identity and Who You’re Becoming

(23:52) Systems

(26:22) Tangible Steps You Can Take This Week

(29:57) Giving You What You Need

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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Krista joined our team in early 2025 with over a decade of coaching experience, but her journey goes far deeper than credentials. Before motherhood, she was a two-sport college athlete whose identity was built on discipline, performance, and mental toughness. Then she became a mom, and everything she thought she knew about herself began to shift.

Krista opens up about navigating early motherhood while caring for a medically complex baby, including her son’s heart surgery at just four months old. She shares the shame, fear, and invisible stress she carried, and how food became her unexpected escape during that season. 

As a former athlete who had never used food emotionally, this struggle left her feeling confused and lost inside her own body. We talk about the identity shock no one prepares women for, especially high-achieving moms who are used to holding it all together.

Krista takes us into the quiet breaking point that happened in her bathtub, where she realized no one was coming to rescue her. That moment wasn’t about weight loss, but about choosing herself again. We explore how healing her relationship with food and her body changed the way she showed up as a mom, partner, and woman. This conversation is for any woman who feels like she used to know who she was and is ready to find her way back.

Time Stamps:

(3:08) Before Motherhood and College Days

(6:54) Identity Shift to Motherhood

(18:32) Leadership In The Home

(23:22) Managing The Mind and Emotions

(33:02) Where Coach Krista Is In Her Journey Right Now

(37:10) You Are Not Broken

(40:02) Where To Find Coach Krista

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

High functioning burnout is the state where your nervous system stays on constant alert while your life keeps demanding more.

It shows up most often in high achievers like entrepreneurs, corporate women, and medical professionals who are praised for pushing through.

In this episode, I break down 18 subtle but powerful signs that your body is stuck between high cortisol and total collapse.

We’ll talk about why rest feels unsafe, stillness makes you anxious, and productivity comes in extreme waves instead of balance.

You’ll recognize the patterns of irritability, avoidance, overstimulation, and mental exhaustion that don’t look like classic burnout.

I explain what’s actually happening inside your nervous system when you feel wired but tired, motivated but flat, social yet depleted.

This isn’t a motivation problem or a discipline issue, it’s a regulation issue. You’ll learn why pushing harder only deepens the loop and what happens if these signals are ignored long term.

We’ll connect the dots between chronic stress, dopamine crashes, cortisol dysregulation, and hormonal fallout.

Most importantly, this episode will help you name what you’re experiencing so you can stop blaming yourself.

Burnout doesn’t always look like quitting or falling apart, sometimes it looks like functioning too well for too long. If you want your life to feel as good as it looks, this conversation is a wake up call.

Time Stamps:

(1:20) Both Looking Good Today

(2:22) Natalie Ellis Quote

(3:35) Between High and Low Cortisol

(5:18) 18 Signs You Are High Functioning Burnout

(25:52) What To Look For If This Resonates With You

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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After years of coaching women through fat loss, I’ve learned that success isn’t about magic foods or extreme plans. It’s about creating the right physiological and psychological environment with food.

In this episode, I break down a simple, repeatable food framework that makes fat loss easier to stick to and faster to achieve.

You’ll learn why hunger management is the real key to consistency and how the right food choices naturally keep calories lower without feeling restrictive.

I explain how micronutrient-dense foods support your thyroid, hormones, training performance, and energy so your body actually responds to a calorie deficit.

We’ll walk through the best carbohydrate sources for fat loss, including why potatoes, berries, oats, and non-starchy vegetables work so well.
 

I’ll cover the most effective lean protein options to stay full, preserve muscle, and keep your metabolism strong.

You’ll also learn how to use fats strategically without blowing your calorie target.

I share a full sample day of eating so you can see exactly how this framework looks in real life.

We’ll talk through easy swaps and shortcuts for busy schedules so this plan is realistic, not perfect.

This approach makes your diet simpler, more measurable, and far less stressful.

It keeps your body healthy, responsive, and primed for fat loss instead of fighting it.

If you want a meal plan that actually works with your body and your life, this episode is for you.

Time Stamps:

(2:06) How Should We Eat For Fat Loss?

(4:36) Keeping Hunger Manageable

(9:22) Remember SHREDS For Biofeedback

(12:13) Macro Sources

(14:42) Metabolic Flexibility

(17:52) Berries and Antioxidants

(23:42) Protein Sources

(29:10) Sample Meal Plan

(32:32) Making Fat Loss Easier

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If you have ever wondered why motivation fades, follow-through slips, and 2026 feels like it has to be different, this conversation is for you. We break down the hidden loop so many women live in: setting goals with hope, only to fall back into old habits and self-doubt. 

You will learn why this is not a discipline problem or a personal failure, but a very human pattern rooted in both nervous system protection and brain wiring. We explore the ancient concept of akrasia, the science of time inconsistency, and why resistance often shows up strongest when you want change the most. 

You will see how past experiences, especially control or criticism, can quietly fuel self-sabotage today. This episode walks you through clear signs you may be stuck in this cycle and why nothing is “wrong” with you. More importantly, we outline a new way forward that does not rely on willpower, pressure, or punishment. 

You will learn how to shift from control-based change to self-leadership rooted in care and alignment. We cover practical tools like reducing friction, designing your environment, and using implementation intentions so action becomes easier. This is about moving from self-sabotage into enkrateia — calm, grounded power over yourself. 

If you are ready for 2026 to be the year things finally stick, this episode is your turning point.

Time Stamps:

(2:00) Jumping Into 2026 With This Topic

(4:17) Omar and Doomscrolling

(7:37) Competing Motivations and Resistance

(10:33) How To Break The Cycle

(11:32) Notice The Awareness

(13:04) Acknowledge The Consequences

(17:02) Shifting From Control To Love

(20:16) Setting Our Environment Up For Success

(22:03) Reducing Friction

(24:22) Implementation Intentions

(28:02) Power Over Yourself Through Leadership

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

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This year brought us so much in terms of family, a new home, new coaches, and a baby girl (surprise!) on the way! I wanted to take this episode to review some of the hacks I had talked about at the beginning of the year, see what stuck, what I actually enjoyed and didn't, and what's going to make the cut in 2026.

Since this is my first pregnancy, some things like cold plunging will have to go on the back burner but I'm excited to share what I'm excited about and what I will be taking with me into 2026. 

Some topics like private healthcare and peptides are topics I want to cover more extensively in later episodes but wanted to mention them in today's episode because I think they are two big topics. 

DM me and let me know if there's any health hacks that you are ditching or including in your 2026 and Happy New Year from all of us at Vital Spark!

Time Stamps:

(1:11) Surrounded By Boxes

(2:34) Gender Reveal

(4:57) What I’m Bringing Into 2026

(5:52) What I Covered Last Year

(19:02) Leaving Yoga Classes in 2025

(21:46) Caffeine Limits

(24:27) Cold Plunges

(26:42) Sober Periods

(29:42) Health Optimization

(31:37) Let Them Mentality

(34:56) Private Healthcare

(37:16) Peptides

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In this episode, we reframe awkwardness and self-consciousness as signals of alert, not evidence that something is wrong with you. If holiday parties, crowded rooms, or feeling “on” leave you tense and overthinking, this conversation will help you understand what is actually happening in your body. 

I walk you through seven gentle, practical tools designed to give your nervous system cues of safety so you can stay grounded and present. These are not mindset tricks or confidence hacks, they are body-based resets you can use in real time. You will learn how to quickly orient to the present moment, regulate your breath, and take micro breaks without disappearing. 

We talk about why food or drinks often become a coping tool in social settings and how to expand your options without judgment or restriction. You will also learn how to prepare simple connection cues so conversations feel less draining. 

This episode emphasizes choice, permission, and self-trust rather than forcing yourself to push through discomfort. Even using one of these tools can shift how safe your body feels. Confidence is not about being calm all the time, it is about knowing how to support yourself when you are activated. 

If you want to feel more at ease socially without changing who you are, this episode is for you.

Time Stamps:

(3:07) Social Anxiety and Awkwardness

(8:03) #1: The Name and Notice Reset

(9:03) #2: The Anger Breath

(9:55) #3: The Micro-Step Away

(10:48) #4: The Connection Cue

(13:30) #5: The Pocket Script

(15:51) #6: The Sensory Grounder

(19:58) #7: The Permission Slip

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

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We’ll  unpack how constant exposure to food content, fitness trends, and curated lifestyles subtly shapes the way we think about our bodies. I share what intrusive thoughts around appearance can sound like and why they tend to show up when life slows down or feels uncertain. 

We talk about the arrival fallacy and the belief that once our body looks a certain way, we’ll finally feel at peace and why that promise almost never delivers. I reflect on how comparison creeps in quietly and how it disconnects us from actually enjoying the lives we’re building. 

This episode isn’t about fixing your body; it’s about understanding the mental patterns that keep you feeling dissatisfied even when things are objectively good. I also share perspective shifts that have helped me soften my relationship with my body without forcing positivity. 

We explore what it looks like to hold ambition and self-acceptance at the same time. If you’ve ever thought, “I should feel happier than this,” you’re not alone. 

This conversation is an invitation to notice, not judge, the stories you’re telling yourself. Body image isn’t just about how you look. It’s about how present you’re able to be in your own life. And sometimes, the work isn’t changing anything externally, but learning to arrive where you already are.

Time Stamps:

(1:32) Instagram Food Algorithms

(7:26) The Intrusive Thoughts

(9:02) Binging Landman

(15:52) The Arrival Fallacy

(20:49) Arthur Brooks Quote

(23:12) Our New Home

 

(31:32) Let Us Know If You Enjoyed Today’s Episode

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In today’s episode, I break down what a GI Map actually is and why I use it as the starting point for almost every woman I work with. I explain the critical difference between what a traditional GI doctor looks for and what a GI Map is designed to uncover. 

While medical doctors are trained to find disease, this type of testing looks for dysfunction, the subtle imbalances that quietly sabotage your energy, hormones, digestion, and metabolism. I walk you through what the test measures, including bacteria, yeast, parasites, inflammation, leaky gut markers, and detox capacity. 

You’ll learn why so many women get “normal” test results at the doctor’s office but still feel anything but normal in their bodies. I share why skipping the gut and jumping straight into hormone work often leads to stalled progress and frustration. I also break down how we use GI Map results to create custom gut-healing protocols that go far beyond random supplements. 

We talk through the real-life signs that your gut might be your missing piece even if you don’t have obvious digestive issues. I explain why this test alone isn’t enough and how coaching and real-time adjustments are what make the process actually work. 

If you’ve been doing “all the right things” and still feel off, this episode will connect the dots for you. By the end, you’ll understand whether a GI Map might be the next step in your healing journey and why guessing is no longer necessary. If you’re ready for clarity instead of trial and error, this episode is for you.

Time Stamps:

(1:21) Home Ownership

(4:40) GI Map’s

(6:32) Disease vs Dysfunction

(9:50) What Is A GI Map?

(12:27) Where We Start Our Vital Spark Clients

(15:40) Your House Is On Fire

(20:07) Episode 206 and 207

(21:58) Would You Benefit From A GI Map?

(29:47) What Happens After The GI Map

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

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Today I’m walking you through the exact protocol I’d use to feel normal again fast. In this episode, I break down a simple A.M., P.M. routine designed to calm inflammation, support lymphatic flow, reset your circadian rhythm, and get your digestion back on track. 

We start with a morning lineup that helps your body de-bloat naturally: dandelion and peppermint tea, sunrise exposure, gentle lymphatic drainage, and a cold plunge or face dunk to clear the fog. I’ll share why “easy-to-digest” meals like eggs, fruit, ground turkey, and white rice speed up recovery after a heavier holiday meal. 

You’ll also learn how hydration, electrolytes, sauna sessions, and strategic walking across the day work together to flush excess water retention.

I walk you through small daytime habits that make a huge difference including stress management tools that actually matter when you’re feeling self-conscious or uncomfortable in your body. 

Then we close with a powerful P.M. routine designed to optimize digestion, calm cortisol, improve sleep quality, and support your lymphatic system while you rest. From early dinners to legs-up-the-wall breathing, these are the tools that help you feel lighter, clearer, and more grounded within 24–48 hours.

If you want a gentle, supportive, and science-backed plan to ditch bloat and puffiness quickly, without punishing yourself, this episode is your reset guide. Let’s get you feeling like you again.

Time Stamps:

(2:20) Gender Prediction

(5:22) Waking Up Feeling Thick

(8:37) The Big 6 For Lymphatic Drainage

(13:02) Meals Across The Day

(17:30) Sauna Usage

(22:12) Early Dinner

(25:06) Something Is Better Than Nothing

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In today’s episode, I’m breaking down something that feels confusing for so many women: hormones. 

Most of us only hear about hormones when something starts going wrong — our energy crashes, our cycles change, our thyroid acts up, or our weight stops responding the way it used to. And because it feels overwhelming, we try to fix the surface symptoms without ever understanding the deeper systems underneath. 

So today, I want to simplify things and give you a clear, foundational understanding of how your hormones actually work. I’m walking you through the four major hormone categories that control your metabolism, your mood, your energy, your cycle, and so much of how your body feels day-to-day. 

You’ll learn what each category does, how they interact, and why an imbalance in one usually creates a domino effect in the others. I’m also going to show you what it looks like when each system is out of sync, so you can start recognizing your body’s signals instead of feeling confused by them. 

Most importantly, I’ll give you practical places to start if you want to support your hormones in a realistic, sustainable way. No complicated protocols — just simple patterns that immediately reduce stress on your system. 

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand your hormones on a deeper level and feel more equipped to advocate for your own health. 

This is your crash course in hormone health.

Time Stamps:

(2:12) Gratitude

(4:42) Strong Foundation For Hormone Knowledge

(9:42) Disease vs Dysfunction with Labwork

(12:52) The 4 Categories of Hormones

(17:32) Sex Hormones

(22:52) Energy Hormones

(27:58) Stress Hormones

(31:32) How Hormone Systems Affect One Another

(39:02) Morning Sunlight

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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In this episode, I’m talking to the woman who has always been the go-hard achiever — the early workouts, the hustle, the I-don’t-need-rest mindset. 

But now your body feels like it’s pushing back, and slowing down feels uncomfortable or even scary. I’ve been there, and I want to help you make sense of what your body is trying to say. Instead of guessing or feeling guilty, 

I’m giving you a simple, practical five-question check-in to help you know whether your body needs rest or whether gentle movement will actually make you feel better. Because in a healing season, both rest and movement are powerful — it’s just about choosing the right one for the day you’re in. 

You’ll learn why the signals you’re feeling are a sign of recovery, not failure. I’ll walk you through what this looks like in different phases of healing — from burnout, to rebuilding, to thriving again. We’ll also talk about the mental side of this: letting go of the belief that discipline only counts when you push harder. 

Resting doesn’t make you weak. It makes you wiser. And the more you listen to your body, the faster your energy, hormones, and confidence return. 

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a tool you can use anytime you’re unsure of what your body needs. This is how you build trust with yourself again — one decision at a time. So take a breath, tune in, and let’s help your body feel safe and strong again.

Time Stamps:

(1:17) Mood Lighting

(2:02) Pulling Back From Exercise

(5:47) Movement and Discipline

(8:14) Your Hormones Are Recalibrating

(9:59) #1: How Did I Sleep Last Night?

(11:57) If You’re Averaging 5-6 Hours of Sleep A Night

(13:12) #2: My Stress Level From 1-10

(14:32) #3: How Does My Body Feel Physically?

(16:00) #4: What’s My Emotional State?

(17:41) #5: How Do I Think I’ll Feel After?

(21:56) Save This One For The Future

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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In today's episode, I’m sharing one of the most important lessons I’ve learned as both a coach and a client: you can’t build a strong, sustainable body without a strong foundation. 

I use the analogy of building a dream home because just like a house needs a solid foundation before the walls go up, your body needs metabolic stability and healthy habits before you layer on intense training or dieting. 

Most of us try to skip this part because we’re in a hurry to see results. 

I get it. I used to be the impatient one who wanted the plan, the strategy, and the visible progress right away. But rushing your transformation is the fastest way to end up starting over again and again. 

In this episode, I break down what the “foundation phase” actually looks like, including how we assess metabolism using SHREDS and why stabilizing sleep, hunger cues, digestion, energy, stress, and recovery is non-negotiable. 

I share why this phase can feel slow and why that slow work is what makes everything that comes after actually stick. I also walk through the three phases of a healthy nutrition journey and how to know which phase you’re truly ready for. 

This is about building a body that can handle real life. Vacations, busy seasons, holidays, stress, and everything in between. When your foundation is strong, you don’t fall apart when your routine changes. You adapt and you bounce back.

 If you’ve been feeling frustrated with slow progress, this episode may be the reframe you needed. Take a breath — you might just be pouring the concrete.

Time Stamps:

(2:57) Next Stage of Homeownership

(4:34) Building The Foundation

(7:27) When I First Started My Fitness Journey

(12:42) The Metabolic Assessment

(19:42) Building The Walls Next

(20:27) Vital Spark’s 3 Phases

(28:02) Please Share and Review

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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In today's special episode, we want to dive into our fertility story, how we planned for this season, and what shifted in our hearts and lives leading up to trying. 

I open up about my early fears around motherhood, how family jokes once shaped my identity, and the moment I knew Omar would be an incredible father. We talk about praying for guidance, timing, and acceptance — and how those prayers brought a deep sense of peace.

We also want to share the unexpected way this journey began: a planned fast interrupted by getting sick, a wedding we stayed home from, and Vanessa’s Oura Ring signaling that something was different. You’ll hear the story of the very early pregnancy test, how I surprised Omar at the airport, and his reaction when we took another test at home just to be sure.

From the beginning, we made the intentional choice to tell our community and loved ones right away, so we could walk through this experience with the people we care about, not in secrecy or fear. 

I want to talk through the supplements I'm taking, the changes in my energy, and what nutrition and movement look like right now, including six smaller meals, simple foods, ginger and peppermint tea and keeping 10k steps and workouts while paying close attention to my body’s signals. 

And yes… the Mexican flavor cravings are very real.

We’re honored to share this part of our story with you. If pregnancy, family planning, or listening to others’ journeys has ever brought up emotions for you — we see you, and this episode is shared with so much love and compassion.

Time Stamps:

(1:19) We Are Expecting!

(3:47) Some Beginning Context

(6:32) Health Issues In May

(7:44) My Faith and Motherhood

(15:36) Vanessa’s Health Tracking

(16:42) The Fertility Journey

(26:14) The First Pregnancy Test

(32:32) Prenatal Supplements

(36:22) Current Nutrition Protocol

(41:20) Craving Mexican Flavors

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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You’re not alone and you’re definitely not broken. 

In this episode, we’re unpacking the truth about “messing up” your diet and why those moments don’t actually undo your progress. You’ll learn why perfection isn’t the goal, how your body responds after overeating, and what it really takes to bounce back without guilt or restriction.

We will shares a personal story about one of her own “off” weekends and the mindset shift that changed everything. You’ll discover five powerful lessons about progress, sustainability, and why joy is a crucial part of health. 

From reframing “failure” as feedback to practicing the simple Two-Minute Rule for food guilt, this episode gives you practical tools to stop spiraling and start recovering with grace.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll just start over Monday,” this is your permission slip to stop that cycle for good. Because real consistency isn’t about never slipping up — it’s about what you do next.

So tune in, take a deep breath, and let’s rewrite what getting “back on track” really means.

✨ If this episode hits home, screenshot it, share your takeaways, and tag me on Instagram. And if you know someone who needs this reminder, send it her way — we could all use a little more grace on this journey.

Time Stamps:

(1:15) What Omar Is Looking Forward To

(3:02) Does This Sound Like You During The Weekend?

(5:22) Getting Back To Feeling Good Without The Guilt

(9:17) Wedding and Drinking Example

(12:42) The Biggest Differences

(13:12) 1) Your Body Is Not Broken

(15:32) 2) Progress Isn’t Erased Overnight

(18:22) 3) Food Is Apart of Joy

(21:52) 4) Sustainability Over Deadlines

(24:02) 5) The Comeback Matters More Than Mess Up

(28:22) Acknowledge and Address Your Feelings

(32:10) Please Share This Episode

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

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Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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In today's episode, we'll share my personal journey of years of bloating, fatigue, and restriction—before finally discovering how MRT testing offered real answers instead of endless guesswork. You’ll learn how popular IgG tests often mislead people into cutting out 20+ foods unnecessarily, and how MRT goes deeper by measuring your actual inflammatory response—not just antibody exposure.

We’ll break down what the results actually mean, why some “healthy” foods might be triggering your system, and how to use that information to heal, not just restrict. This episode also explores the root causes behind sensitivities—like low stomach acid, leaky gut, chronic stress, and dysbiosis—and how to rebuild tolerance instead of living in fear of food.

Through my own experience of reintroducing foods and repairing gut function, I show how MRT can shift you from feeling reactive and confused to calm and confident in your body again.

If you’ve tried every elimination diet, still feel inflamed, and are tired of playing food detective, this conversation will help you see sensitivities for what they really are: signals, not sentences.

By the end, you’ll understand why healing the terrain, not just removing the foods, is the key to lasting relief—and how using data the right way can bring back freedom, flexibility, and trust in your body.

Time Stamps:

(1:42) Country T-Swift Fan

(2:47) Being An Optimizer

(4:57) Food Sensitive/MRT

(9:27) Overactive Immune System

(11:57) Note on MRT Test

(16:52) What Foods To Eat When

(20:22) Lowering Inflammation

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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In this episode, we dive into the surprising truth about how eating more food, especially the right kinds in the right amounts, can actually reduce bloating, improve digestion, and help your body finally feel calm and regular again.

For many women, undereating or intermittent fasting seems to help at first. You feel “lighter” and less puffy. But over time, that same strategy can backfire, slowing digestion, stressing the gut, and throwing hormones completely out of rhythm. This conversation breaks down why that happens and what to do instead.

You’ll learn how adequate food intake reactivates your digestive fire, boosts stomach acid and enzyme production, and supports smoother motility. We also explore how eating enough improves bowel regularity, fuels gut repair, and even reduces bloating by calming inflammation and supporting the nervous system.

We unpack why skipping meals or surviving on “clean” salads can actually make things worse, and how building balanced meals with protein, carbs, and healthy fats can reset your digestion and hormones. Plus, we’ll talk about the hidden link between undereating and the binge-restrict cycle and why eating more consistently throughout the day helps you break free from it.

If you’ve been stuck in the loop of doing everything “right” but still feeling bloated, tired, or puffy, this episode will reframe everything you thought you knew about food and gut health.

By the end, you’ll understand how more food can mean less bloat, better energy, and a calmer, more predictable digestive system and why sometimes, healing starts with giving your body permission to eat.

Time Stamps:

(1:44) Dealing with COVID

(3:17) Reduce Bloating By Eating More?

(5:27) How Is This Possible?

(10:26) Eating More and Being Regular

(15:27) Saw This Recent Reel

(21:12) Omar’s Math and Weekly Calorie Intake

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Follow Annie on Instagram: @ohannieruth

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

That was Annie Kundis’s reality. A former bodybuilder and competitive powerlifter turned mom and influencer, Annie spent over a decade following every fitness rule in the book only to watch her energy crash, her digestion spiral, and her confidence disappear.

In this episode, Annie shares how DUTCH and GI-MAP testing completely changed her life after years of feeling dismissed by traditional doctors who told her to “just eat less and exercise more.” For the first time, real data revealed what was actually happening: low hormones, flipped cortisol, gut infections, and nutrient malabsorption.

With that clarity, Annie finally had a roadmap for healing, not more restriction. She opens up about pressing pause on hard training, cutting caffeine, and learning to rest without guilt, plus the simple protocols that led to her first regular digestion in over a decade.

We also dive into the emotional side: body dysmorphia, burnout, and rebuilding self-trust after years of fighting her body. Annie’s story is raw, hopeful, and deeply relatable, showing that healing isn’t about perfection, it’s about understanding your body and giving it what it truly needs.

If you’ve ever felt inflamed, exhausted, or unseen by the medical system, this episode will hit home. Tune in to hear how Annie went from survival mode to thriving and why she says today, “I don’t feel sick anymore. I finally feel free.”

Time Stamps:

(3:22) Annie’s Health Journey Before Vital Spark

(9:37) Navigating Depression

(12:52) GI Map and DUTCH Test Results

(16:22) Learning To Slow Down

(21:12) Trusting The Process

(32:59) Where To Find Annie

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Follow Annie on Instagram: @ohannieruth

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

That no matter what you did, your job, your family, or your schedule would always keep you stuck in survival mode? 

I’ve been there. For years, I told myself, “I’ll always be stressed,” and it left me trapped in a cycle of burnout, resentment, and health struggles. 

What I’ve learned is that real healing, whether it’s from weight loss resistance, hormone imbalances, gut issues, or autoimmune conditions, can’t happen until the nervous system feels safe.
 

In this episode, I’m sharing the three shifts that helped me move from constant overwhelm to a place of regulation and resilience: state, story, and strategy. First, I’ll break down how simple physical practices like eating outside in the sun, sipping chamomile tea, or walking between calls helped reset my nervous system. 

Then, I’ll explain how changing my story moved me out of victim mode and into empowerment, showing how the words we repeat to ourselves literally shape our stress hormones. Finally, I’ll share how strategy through boundaries, systems, and structure became the safety net that made everything else sustainable.

You’ll also hear a practical example of how a full-time working mom could apply these same shifts to create more peace, energy, and balance in her day-to-day life, without adding another overwhelming “to-do.”

Time Stamps:

(0:25) The Fall Season

(2:10) Work Schedule and The Negative Self-Narrative

(7:00) State/Story/Strategy Framework

(9:50) Supporting My Physiology

(14:10) Combating The All or Nothing Mentality

(16:25) The Story You’re Telling Yourself

(21:05) The Final Piece: Strategy

(25:45) Motion.AI

(37:10) Tag Us for Accountability

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Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In this interview, I sit down with Vital Spark functional health practitioner coach Elizabeth McMillin, whose story is as relatable as it is inspiring. 

Growing up in an Italian household where gluten and dairy were staples, Elizabeth struggled with constant bloating, GI distress, and the stigma of being labeled “big-boned.” As a teen athlete, she fell into the all-too-common restrict–inflame cycle, chasing results through unsustainable habits that left her more inflamed than ever.

Her turning point came when she discovered her true triggers and realized healing wasn’t about restriction, but nourishment. From the relatable Lenny & Larry’s cookie moment to creating her own product, HIIT Dough, Elizabeth turned her pain into purpose, proving it’s possible to enjoy food without gut backlash. 

In this episode, she shares how calming inflammation allowed her metabolism to finally rev back up, the underestimated role of stress and sleep in gut health, and why she’s currently planning deeper functional testing postpartum.

Elizabeth also opens up about life as a Special Forces wife, the resilience it demanded, and how that unique perspective now shapes the way she supports her clients. With advanced training under Dr. Carrie Jones’s curriculum and deep dives into autoimmunity and hormones, she brings both credibility and compassion to her work.

Most importantly, Elizabeth’s story mirrors the struggles of so many women and she believes true healing comes when empathy and protocols work hand-in-hand. Whether you’ve battled gut issues, restrictive diets, or hormonal chaos, you’ll walk away from this episode with hope, clarity, and the belief that you don’t have to live in survival mode anymore.

Tune in to hear how Elizabeth broke free from the restrict–inflame cycle, why she’s so passionate about helping women fuel their bodies, and what’s truly possible when you address the root cause.

Time Stamps:

(3:10) Early Gut Issues and Growing Up Italian

(7:20) Navigating Inflammation

(12:52) Deployment and Stress

(16:20) The Creation of HIIT Dough

(22:16) Pregnancy During COVID

(28:57) Recent Client Case Study

(35:42) What Drew Coach Elizabeth To Vital Spark

(40:55) We See You

(43:24) Where To Find Coach Elizabeth
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Follow Abbe on IG: @Blowoutsbyabbeandmore

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

I once had a conversation with a mentor around this topic about what to do when life is just heavy. 

Sometimes we’re weighed down because we aren’t managing our thoughts well. Sometimes it’s because we’re in environments that don’t serve us. 

But other times, life is just heavy and no amount of mindset work or environment shifts seem to fix it right away. In those moments, the best thing we can do is support ourselves until the heaviness passes.

In this episode, I share practical and compassionate ways to care for yourself when you feel overwhelmed. We’ll talk about why stepping away from social media protects your mental space, and how serving others whether with a simple text or through volunteering can actually ease your own burdens. 

You’ll hear about the power of healthy community and why it’s vital to resist the urge to isolate. I’ll also share ideas for lighthearted activities that bring a sense of play, and small but powerful actions you can take for your body, like cooking a nourishing meal or going on a walk.

We’ll close by exploring gratitude practices, future-focused dreaming, and the importance of remembering that emotional states are temporary. Life isn’t meant to feel easy all the time, but with the right tools, you can support yourself through the heavy seasons.

Time Stamps:

(2:02) Heavy Emotions This Week

(6:02) The Extreme Recent Examples

(9:11) Filling A Void Through Doom Scrolling

(10:32) Doing Something For Someone Else

(11:02) Get Around Community

(16:07) Finding Playful Activities

(23:42) Daydreaming About The Future
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Follow Abbe on IG: @Blowoutsbyabbeandmore

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

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Now if you’ve ever thought, ‘I’m active, I eat well, and I’m still not seeing it, especially as I’m getting older’ then this episode is going to be for you. 

Abbe is a client of ours at Vital Spark, a perimenopausal entrepreneur hairstylist who spends about 10 hours a day on her feet, came in already lifting weights, eating clean, eating 1400-1500 calories per day, taking thyroid meds and HRT, and yet she felt STUCK in her body. 

That was about 10 months ago, and today she is a different person. So I’m very excited to pick Abbe’s brain on what does it take to see sustainable changes in your 50’s all while navigating a demanding schedule.

In this episode, we discuss the challenges Abbe faced before joining Vital Spark, how she adapted to habit changes we implemented, how she navigated eating out, and so much more! We even answer some of your questions you submitted on Instagram!

Time Stamps:

(1:52) Abbe’s Story

(3:00) Struggles Before Vital Spark

(6:42) Navigating The Habit Changes

(10:02) Increasing Calories

(13:53) Shifting From Coffee to Tea

(15:14) Changes In Abbe’s Body

(19:22) Navigating Eating Out

(23:54) Noticing The First Shift

(27:04) Hardest Part of The Process

(30:12) What Should You Expect From A Coach?

(33:59) Advice To Other Women Struggling

(38:02) Where To Find Abbe
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Follow Abbe on IG: @Blowoutsbyabbeandmore

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Yo-yo dieting often starts with extreme calorie restriction, leading to rapid weight loss that looks successful on the surface. But beneath the scale, your body is losing muscle, becoming inflamed, and stressing your hormones. Inevitably, the restrictive approach becomes impossible to maintain, weight creeps back on (often as fat rather than muscle), and the cycle repeats, sometimes with even greater difficulty losing weight each time.

We’ll dive into the hidden consequences of yo-yo dieting, from slower metabolism and muscle loss to leptin resistance, where your hunger and fullness hormones stop working properly. This not only makes weight loss harder but also increases cravings, fat storage, and frustration while taking a serious toll on mental health.

But it’s not all bad news. Breaking free from yo-yo dieting is possible by shifting focus from quick fixes to long-term, sustainable habits. We’ll talk about the importance of fueling your body, rebuilding metabolic health, and supporting your hormones with balanced nutrition and consistency.

You’ll also hear about our client Kayla, who went from eating less than 1,300 calories per day without results, to eating hundreds more, feeling better than ever, and finally seeing her body respond. Her story proves that nourishment, not restriction, is the foundation for lasting health.

If you’re tired of the yo-yo rollercoaster, this episode will give you clarity, encouragement, and practical steps to move toward real, sustainable change.

Time Stamps:

(1:21) Omar’s Favorite Trait about Vanessa

(4:20) Yo-Yo Dieting

(5:56) Characteristics of Yo-Yo Dieting

(11:56) Weight Regain

(13:32) Cycle Repetition

(15:42) Why Yo-Yo Dieting Doesn’t Work

(21:44) Leptin Resistance

(31:28) Please Share This Episode
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Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In this episode, we dive into the everyday choices that make the biggest difference when it comes to feeling strong, energetic, and confident year-round.

We start by talking about why highly satiating foods are your best friend (especially during those times when hunger seems dialed up) and how minimizing calorie-dense “extras” can keep you feeling satisfied without the crash. From there, we break down the power of a “something over nothing” mentality when it comes to resistance training because it’s not about perfection, it’s about consistency.

You’ll also hear why making physical activity a lifestyle is key. Omar shares how Spartan races with his family keep him motivated, I talk about my time riding horses, and we both agree that nothing beats a simple walk. We also unpack the sneaky calories that come from what we drink, why sleep is the real performance enhancer, and how patience and consistency are often the missing ingredients in most fitness journeys.

Most importantly, we’ll remind you not to obsess over the scale or occasional feelings of heaviness. Progress is much deeper than a number. And when it comes to food, just because it’s free doesn’t mean you have to eat it. The goal is to choose intentionally, not impulsively.

If you’ve been searching for a realistic, non-extreme approach to staying lean, this episode will give you practical tools and a mindset shift that can last a lifetime.

Time Stamps:

(1:17) Omar’s High and Low This Week

(4:17) Ultramarathon Runner’s Perspective

(6:17) Fresh Spin On An Old Topic

(7:08) Small Habits For Staying Lean

(9:30) #1: Choose Highly Satiating Foods

(13:27) #2: Resistance Train: Something Over Nothing Mentality

(15:22) #3: Make Physical Activity A Lifestyle

(17:45) #4: Don’t Drink Our Calories

(19:44) #5: Prioritize Sleep

(20:28) #6: Practice Consistency and Patience

(21:27) #7: Don’t Obsess Over The Scale or Occasional Feelings of Heaviness

(23:04) #8: Free Doesn’t Mean You Need to Eat It
---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Instead of brushing it off as “just bad sleep,” we’ll break down what your wake-up times might be revealing about your hormones, gut, blood sugar, and more.

Think of your sleep like a night shift at a factory. Different departments run on different schedules. If one department has a problem, the alarm goes off at that time. By tracking your wake-up patterns, you can start to see the clues your body is leaving.

We’ll dive into the most common causes, from blood sugar dips and cortisol spikes, to low progesterone, high histamine, and even liver overload. You’ll hear simple analogies like your brain’s “glass of wine” being empty without progesterone, or your liver as the night shift cleaner making noise when it’s overloaded that make these complex concepts easy to understand.

We’ll also cover lifestyle factors like blue light, meal timing, hydration, and circadian rhythm, because sometimes the simplest tweaks make the biggest difference. 

By the end, you’ll know how to decode your body’s signals, track what’s really happening, and take small, sustainable steps toward better sleep.

Your body isn’t broken. It’s communicating. This episode will help you finally understand the messages and reclaim deep, restorative rest.

Time Stamps:

(1:25) Upcoming Retreat

(3:22) Why Do I Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night?

(5:50) Timing Of When You’re Waking Up At Night

(8:47) 1 to 3 AM and The Liver

(9:32) Dryer Lint Talk

(11:09) Common Causes of Waking Up

(15:17) Cortisol and Blood Sugar

(18:05) Low Progesterone

(23:54) Dehydration

(26:50) Gut Imbalances

(29:39) Lifestyle Factors

(32:41) First Steps
---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In this episode, we’re breaking down a simple but powerful process to take back your power without relying on willpower alone. You’ll learn how to pause in the moment, understand why the urge is there, and see it for what it really is (hint: you won’t explode if you don’t give in). 

I’ll walk you through how to write down the urge, your perceived reasons for acting on it, and then uncover the true cost of giving in. From there, we’ll make a decision from a slower, clearer place rather than from that instant “must do it now” energy.

I’ll also share a personal example of how I’ve experienced this urge loop in my work life, and how simply planning when I’ll handle something helps my brain relax. We’ll talk about why saying “no” often makes the urge stronger at first and how to ride it like a wave instead of letting it sweep you away. 

Think of it like handling an angry toddler’s tantrum: it feels intense, but it passes. 

By the end, you’ll have a repeatable framework for handling cravings, emotional eating triggers, or even those distracting work pings that derail your focus. This is your guide to breaking the cycle and building self-trust one urge at a time.

Time Stamps:

(2:20) Guilt and Cravings

(3:54) Imagine This Scenario

(6:30) Urge on Answering A Message Example

(11:50) Everything Is A Tradeoff

(15:10) Building The Self Trust Muscle
---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In part two of our Q&A series, we’re diving into your most-requested questions: going deep on women’s health, hormone balance, and big-picture life goals. I share my supplement thoughts post–birth control, why broad advice often backfires without proper bloodwork, and how our FLUSH protocol helps set a strong foundation for healing. 

We also discuss what most women get wrong before coming to Vital Spark and whether a DUTCH test is worth it while still on hormonal contraception.

From there, we get personal: what I would tell my past self, how we’re thinking about family 20 years down the line, and even some of my non-profit aspirations for the future. 

Finally, I break down the first steps to take when you’re bloated, fatigued, and don’t know where to start so you can stop spinning your wheels and start feeling like yourself again.

This one is packed with both strategy and soul. Whether you’re here for the hormone hacks, the mindset shifts, or just a little encouragement for your own journey, you’ll leave with clarity and practical next steps to move forward with confidence.

Time Stamps:

(1:32) Curly or Straight Hair?

(3:27) Top Supplements After Getting Off Birth Control

(11:22) Bloodwork Over Broad Recommendations

(12:50) FLUSH Protocol

(16:21) What Most Women Are Doing Wrong Before Coming to Vital Spark

(19:37) DUTCH Test on Birth Control?

(22:50) What Vanessa Would Tell Her Past Self

(26:28) 20 Years Later and Future Family

(30:02) Non-Profit Future Aspirations

(33:02) What To Prioritize When Bloating
---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

That’s normal. In this episode, we unpack the uncomfortable truth: healing and real transformation take time, often much longer than we want.

You’ll hear why quick fixes and crash diets set you up for disappointment, and why slow, steady progress is the only path to sustainable change. 

We’ll talk about prepping your body before weight loss even begins, what to expect when you start eating more, and why discomfort (yes, including hunger and resistance) is part of the journey.

I also share what it took for me to transform over two years and why I still don’t believe in a “finish line.” 

If you’re frustrated with your progress or tempted to give up after a few weeks, this episode will reframe everything. Healing is possible. It just doesn’t happen overnight.

Time Stamps:

(1:17) A Little Sickness In The Pozos Household

(3:42) My Healing Journey

(5:20) Stock Market Analogy

(11:47) The Continuous Process

(16:17) Discomfort Is a Feeling

(19:22) So Much To Learn Still

(20:54) There’s No Finish Line
---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

We had over 40 questions submitted and thank you to everyone who sent one in! Today's episode, we will cover 10 questions that were asked frequently or we thought you'd benefit most from hearing about.

It's a great blend of health related questions, how we met as a couple, whether or not we've always lived a healthy lifestyle, and a few topics we haven't covered on the show!

While we haven't fully decided yet on how we will answer the remaining questions you submitted, rest assured we will and let us know if you enjoyed this style of episode!

Time Stamps:

(2:54) One Common Trait with Vital Spark Clients

(6:34) Bioidentical Progesterone

(10:03) How Vanessa and Omar Met

(13:45) Inexpensive Biohacks for Happy Hormones

(18:32) Build Muscle and Lose Fat While At Maintenance?

(21:17) Root Cause of Histamine Issues

(26:50) Belly Pooch Weight Gain

(29:39) Steady Weight Loss Without Losing Weight?

(32:11) Being A Healthy Couple

(37:17) GI Solutions
---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In today’s episode, I’m breaking down 10 reasons why gut health directly impacts your metabolism, hormones, and ability to lose fat and why testing with a GI MAP could be the game-changer you’ve been missing.

We’ll talk about how certain gut infections like H. pylori or parasites keep your body in survival mode, signaling it to hold on to fat. You’ll learn how your gut bacteria influence your cravings, blood sugar, and even your metabolism through short-chain fatty acids like butyrate.

 I’ll explain why hidden gut inflammation can block fat loss and how slow digestion (aka not pooping daily) recirculates estrogen and toxins, stalling your progress.

We’ll also dive into how bad bacteria can steal essential nutrients you need for fat-burning, how gut health affects your thyroid function, and why your gut impacts not just your body, but your brain chemistry and motivation too. 

Plus, I’ll explain why detoxing estrogen properly is key to shedding stubborn fat and how even the “perfect” diet won’t work if your gut can’t break down food and eliminate waste.

This episode will help you see why your gut is the foundation of sustainable weight loss and why it’s not just about willpower or cutting calories. 

If you’re feeling stuck, testing your gut might be the missing link to get your body working with you again.

Time Stamps:

(2:52) Talking Gut Health

(6:02) #1: You Can't Lose Weight in Survival Mode

(8:22) #2: Your Gut Bugs Influence Your Cravings

(13:08) #3: Gut Bacteria Talk to Your Metabolism

(14:52) #4: Hidden inflammation = Blocked Fat Loss

(17:12) #5: If You’re Not Pooping Daily, Weight Loss Will Stall

(19:47) #6: “Bad bugs” Steal Your Nutrients

(21:32) #7: Your Gut Affects Your Thyroid

(24:20) #8: Gut Health = Brain Chemistry = Motivation

(27:22) #9: Detox Matters Especially For Estrogen

(29:52) #10: Your Gut Makes or Breaks Your Ability to Respond to Nutrition

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In this episode, we’re breaking down four common mental blocks that keep your hormones out of balance… and simple mindset shifts that can help you finally feel more at home in your body.

We’ll talk about how perfectionist thinking can actually keep your nervous system on edge and how focusing on small daily habits (à la James Clear’s 1-degree plane shift) can create long-term change without burnout.

Next up: guilt and shame. I’ll share the stonecutter analogy that helps you swap shame for pride and consistency.

We’ll also explore how body frustration can morph into powerful gratitude when you zoom out including a powerful reframe I picked up from Alex Hormozi.

And if you’ve ever felt like a single slip-up ruins your progress, you’ll love the final mindset swap: learning to see those moments as tune-ups, not setbacks. Something I’ve had to lean into recently myself.

These mindset upgrades aren’t just motivational fluff. They lower stress, regulate your nervous system, and support better hormone balance over time.

Whether you’re deep in your healing journey or just getting started, these small mental shifts can make a big physical difference!

Time Stamps:

(1:22) Excited For Festive Food

(3:10) Stress Management and Healing Hormones

(5:16) Instant Gratification

(6:45) #1: Perfectionistic Tendencies

(10:52) #2: Guilt and Shame

(15:32) #3: Feeling Stress About Your Body

(21:47) #4: Seeing Slip-Ups As Setbacks

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If you’ve ever thought, “I eat clean. I work out. I track my food. And yet… nothing’s changing,” this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation, I open up about what I’ve learned after years of doing everything “right” and still feeling inflamed, exhausted, and stuck in a body that felt like it was working against me. We’ll unpack the real reasons your body may be resisting fat loss, healing, and energy.

To all the ill-informed men in my comments: It’s not just discipline or willpower or eating less and moving more.

You’ll learn why functional testing can reveal what basic labs miss, and how systems like your gut, thyroid, liver, and adrenals all communicate in a connected “group chat”, where one disruption creates a cascade. I’ll share the exact myths I had to break about weight loss, hormones, and healing and the turning point that finally helped me get real answers.

This episode is about reconnecting with your body, learning to read its signals, and understanding that your symptoms aren’t random, they’re messages. You’ll walk away with clarity, compassion for yourself, and hope that yes, this is fixable.

If your body feels broken… this is the permission slip and path forward you’ve been waiting for.

Time Stamps:

(1:37) Getting A Lot of Questions As We’ve Grown

(2:57) Doing All The Right Things And Still Stuck?

(3:47) I Was There Not Too Long Ago

(7:02) The Eat Less and Move More Belief

(12:16) Adrenals and Cortisol

(15:03) Liver and Detoxification

(22:52) Looking Holistically At The Body

(27:06) DUTCH Test and GI Map

(28:38) What The Healing Process Looks Like

(31:24) Our 1-1 Coaching

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In today’s episode, we dive deep into why intense workouts might be silently burning you out rather than building you up. If you’ve been feeling exhausted, foggy, or stuck despite training hard, this one’s for you.

We explore why cardio and high-intensity workouts only offer temporary relief from mental stress and how they can actually strain your nervous system when your cortisol is already tapped out.

I’ll share what’s really going on when your “post-workout high” feels amazing in the moment but leaves you drained long-term. 

More importantly, you’ll learn five powerful, science-backed stress management tools that rebuild your system instead of depleting it.

From daily walks to somatic resets and nervous system journaling, this episode is all about redefining strength. 

Because true power isn’t in pushing harder: it’s in knowing when to rest. If your body is in overdraft, it’s time to stop swiping the stress credit card and start healing for good.

Time Stamps:

(1:26) Family Birthday Bash

(3:42) Why Working Out Is A Terrible Way To Handle Stress

(7:37) Putting On Body Fat

(12:22) Cortisol and Energy Production

(21:16) Managing Stress Appropriately

(22:52) Daily Walks

(24:02) Nervous System Resets

(27:42) Somatic Exercises

(29:14) Journaling or Nervous System Mapping

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

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We’ll talk about why high-quality animal protein, especially grass-fed meat and pasture-raised eggs, should be a foundation for most women.

You’ll learn how veggies and digestion are closely linked, and why gas and bloating might be telling you something deeper about your gut health.

We’ll also cover the best ways to enjoy fruit without blood sugar crashes, how to optimize your omega-3 intake for hormone support, and why natural salt is not the enemy despite what old-school advice might say.

This is not a restrictive food list or trendy diet. It’s a framework to help you eat in a way that actually supports your body long-term. Whether your goals are weight loss, hormone balance, or simply feeling better day to day, this episode will give you clarity on how to fuel yourself properly.

Hit play and let’s simplify your nutrition for good!

DM me if you have questions or want help personalizing this for your season of life!

Time Stamps:

(2:16) Best Way To Eat In 2025

(6:28) Eating High Quality Meat

(8:42) Eat Your Eggs

(10:27) Eat Your Vegetables

(12:06) Eat Your Fruits

(13:51) Eat Your Omega 3’s

(15:22) Flavor With Salt

(17:57) Steps For Weight Loss

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In this episode, we unpack a surprising hormonal pattern hiding beneath the surface: your body might be actively shutting down the very system you rely on for energy and fat loss.

Through a powerful client case study, a runner, mom, and executive who couldn’t figure out why her fat loss stalled, we dive into the hidden role of cortisol and cortisone. Her labs revealed flatlined cortisol and elevated cortisone, a red flag of chronic stress adaptation. This wasn’t just mental overwhelm: her biology had hit the brakes.

We break down how this protective mechanism, like a hormonal dimmer switch, turns off your body’s ability to burn fat, regulate blood sugar, and respond to stress. When your system favors cortisone over cortisol, you enter a kind of metabolic “freeze,” where motivation, energy, and even hormones like estrogen and progesterone take a nosedive.

You’ll learn why this client’s symptoms such as stubborn belly fat, exhaustion, and poor recovery weren’t a matter of willpower, but survival. We share the exact next steps she took: from pulling back on cardio to rebuilding adrenal function and strength.

If you’re a high-achieving woman wondering why nothing seems to work anymore, this episode could be your lightbulb moment.

Time Stamps:

(1:38) First Time Apart In A Long Time

(4:17) Lesser Talked About Cortisone

(11:59) The Nigerian Prince Dreams

(14:50) What Low Cortisol Could Mean

(22:12) Prioritizing Self Care

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In the functional health world, we see skin issues not as isolated surface problems but as signs of deeper internal imbalances. I’ll walk you through the five core systems I assess when working with clients dealing with chronic acne. From gut health to hormones, blood sugar, liver detox, and nervous system regulation. 

You’ll learn how issues like leaky gut, hormonal imbalances, or poor liver detox can manifest as inflammation on your skin. I also dive into the role of insulin resistance, stress, and environmental toxins in making things worse.

Instead of quick-fix treatments, we focus on targeted strategies like comprehensive stool and hormone testing, food and supplement protocols, and lifestyle shifts that actually address the root cause. 

I’ll also share what I look for in test results, what symptoms matter most and what you can start doing now to support clearer skin from the inside out. 

Whether your breakouts are linked to PMS, stress, or digestive issues, you’ll leave this episode with clarity and next steps. Remember: your skin is a mirror of your internal health and healing is possible. 

Time Stamps:

(1:20) MURPH Hangover

(3:12) Fortunate Teenager Years

(9:32) #1: Your Gut Health

(13:57) Coming Off Unnecessary Medication

(14:46) #2: Hormonal Imbalances

(19:02) #3: Blood Sugar and Insulin

(22:06) #4: Inflammation and Liver Health

(27:07) #5: Stress and Nervous System

(29:32) Questions To Ask Yourself

(31:57) Reach Out If You Need Help

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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Inspired by Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz, I timed this fast with my Power Phase (Days 1–10 of my cycle) to align with rising estrogen and maximize the benefits. In this episode, I walk you through the “why” behind this advanced strategy—deep cellular cleanup, gut healing, immune support, and a major mental clarity reset.

We’ll unpack the science of what happens at different fasting milestones and why this isn’t something I recommend as a starter strategy for clients. You’ll also learn how women should approach fasting differently than men, especially in relation to their cycles and hormone resilience.

I’ll share how I prepped, what I experienced physically and emotionally, and what this fast revealed about my relationship with hunger, discipline, and intuition. Spoiler: this wasn’t easy, but it was powerful.

Whether or not a long fast is right for you, my goal is to encourage deeper body awareness and smarter strategies; not extremes. Tune in to hear what surprised me most, how this ties into hormone health, and why syncing with your cycle might be the missing piece. 

If you’ve ever felt confused about fasting, this episode will help you reframe it entirely. DM me your questions or share this episode with a friend who needs a fresh take on fasting.

Time Stamps:

(1:12) All The Positive Emotions

(3:04) Defining The 72 Hour Fast

(7:30) Starting The Water Fast

(9:23) Favorite and Least Favorite Parts

(16:32) Why We Did This

(25:54) Feeling The Detox

(28:48) Using Black Coffee

(33:42) Let Us Know If You Have Questions

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

We start with meal hygiene: how you eat is just as important as what you eat. Digestion begins in the brain, and simple changes like slowing down, turning off distractions, and chewing thoroughly can kickstart your gut’s natural processes. You'll learn how stress and multitasking at meals divert blood flow away from the gut and how to set the stage for digestion by being present, cooking your own food, and even doing a quick breathing exercise.

Next, we cover meal timing, and how aligning your eating habits with your body’s natural rhythms can support the "housekeeping" system of your gut. You'll learn how a consistent eating schedule and small shifts like starting your day with warm lemon water can make a big impact.

We also tackle what to eat specifically for constipation and diarrhea. From fiber types and fluid intake to soothing herbal teas and smart food swaps, you’ll walk away with real strategies that work. Plus, we share our go-to cheat sheets for stool consistency and explain when it is time to use supplements or run labs.

Even if supplements become part of your long-term plan (like they are for some of our clients), these lifestyle shifts are the groundwork for sustainable gut health. 

Listen in and take the first step toward better digestion naturally.

Time Stamps:

(3:32) GI Issue Call Recently

(6:56) The Three Big Pillars of Gut Health

(7:19) How You Eat and Meal Hygiene

(13:47) Duration of Eating and Slowing Down

(16:52) Drinking Too Much Water During Meals?

(18:02) Deep Breaths Before Eating

(18:57) Lowering The Intensity of Exercise

(20:03) Meal Timing

(22:24) My Preferred Tea Blend

(24:57) What To Eat

(26:40) Working Through Constipation

(31:06) One Supplement We’ll Discuss

(37:57) Reach Out If You’re Interested In Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

By now, you've heard this advice at least a million times—from entrepreneurs, athletes, experts, coaches, and even humble newsletter writers.

And they're all absolutely right.

Consistency is the difference maker. The one common thread behind every major success story.

But here's the problem: No one ever tells you how to be consistent—and let’s be honest, it’s easier said than done.

Life gets chaotic. Motivation fades. Discipline wavers. Consistency breaks.

Fortunately, I've spent hundreds of hours thinking about this exact problem—and I've distilled that thinking into a short list of practical strategies to help anyone become more consistent.

In this episode, we are going to cover 7 practical strategies for staying consistent that aren't just a pass/fail perspective and actually make sense for pursuing the goals we want in our lives.

Time Stamps:

(1:18) Mama Pozos in Town

(2:38) Consistency and Shoutout to Sahil Bloom

(3:33) Main Points Of The Article

(5:52) #1: Every Day Is Easier Than Most Days

(8:02) #2: Fire In The Act, Grace In The Amount

(12:02) #3: Mornings Are Your Cheat Code

(14:47) #4: Harness The Power of Peer Accountability

(18:52) #5: Use Progressive Overload To Build The Muscle

(22:22) #6: Never Try To Make Up For A Miss

(25:34) #7: Focus On The Trend, Not The Position

(29:43) Managing Your Imperfections

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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The inevitable questions you might face if you don't order alcohol in a friend group or turn down a drink your friend really wants you to try… we've been there.

In today's episode, we're going to share 6 strategies that we actually got from Julie Helms, a communication and skills expert.

These are awesome strategies for someone like me, an enneagram 9, who doesn’t like to be direct and confrontational if I don’t have to be. Your choices are your own, and you don’t owe anyone an explanation. 

And while setting strong verbal boundaries (like “I’m not drinking tonight”) *IS* an option, these non verbal strategies might help you navigate situations with more comfort and grace, while inviting less follow-up questions.

From ordering a mocktail with confidence to "I'll start with water, thank you" and never ordering a drink to a drink getting mysteriously "lost", these ways have saved us in those times we were cutting back but didn't want to explain ourselves.

Time Stamps:

(1:32) Our Incredible Team

(3:09) Your Relationship With Alcohol

(4:51) Alcohol Can Be Adding Fuel To The Fire

(11:22) Drinking in Social Settings

(12:42) #1: Order A Mocktail With Confidence

(15:45) #2: You Can Have The Drink Poured But Not Drink It

(17:20) #3: I’ll Start With Water Thanks

(19:07) #4: Keep It Simple and Say No Thanks

(20:15) #5: The Toasting Trick

(22:57) #6: Drink Gets Lost Throughout The Night

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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Both Mindy Pelz and Alyssa Vitti emphasize that women aren’t small men — we operate on a ~28-day infradian rhythm (vs the male 24-hour circadian rhythm), which affects:

• Metabolism
   
• Energy
   
• Mood
   
• Stress response
   
• Nutrient needs
   
• Strength & recovery capacity
   

Syncing your habits with your hormonal shifts can help you: 

✔ Burn fat more efficiently

✔ Gain muscle with less burnout

✔ Prevent hormone imbalances

✔ Feel more energized, focused, and in flow

✔ Reduce symptoms like PMS, fatigue, anxiety, and cravings

In this episode, we're going to look at the relationship estrogen and progesterone have on stress, highlight each phase of the menstrual cycle with training and nutrition recommendations during each phase, discuss overall cycle syncing benefits, and more!

Time Stamps:

(2:44) The Circadian Rhythm

(3:32) The Lesser Known Infradian Rhythm

(6:42) Understanding Yourself First

(9:35) Estrogen and Progesterone

(13:02) Intermittent Fasting Example

(17:40) Progesterone and Stress

(22:15) What This Looks Like In Real Life

(26:12) The Follicular Phase

(36:22) Pulling Back on Training

(40:58) Send This To Your Husband

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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That title is called a hook. A hook is something that gets your attention because it opens a loop in your brain, and gets you to keep reading/watching/listening until that loop is closed. Why do certain reels on Instagram get you to pause and watch them through? Because there is text or video or something that hooks you in by opening that loop in your brain.

This little-known psychological phenomenon is called the Zeigarnik effect, coined by Dr. Bluma Zeigarnik. 

This is why every episode of a good show ends in a cliffhanger. (It’s why I’m really angry with the author of the Fourth Wing series… leaving every book with a cliffhanger.)

It's also the same reason why many high-performing women find themselves overwhelmed quickly when making changes in their health and fitness.

These women are giving their all in every area, but just like your computer only has so much RAM and you can only have so many tabs open before it slows down, you can only do so many things before your executive function (the “management system” of your brain) gets taxed. Add in stress, poor sleep, anxiety (all common symptoms of hormone imbalances) and your executive function is even more limited.

The Zeigarnik effect states ''Our minds quickly forget finished tasks. However, they are programmed to continually interrupt us with reminders of unfinished tasks.”

In other words, the Zeigarnik effect causes you to have lingering thoughts about the to-do’s you haven’t done, the deliverables you have yet to finish because your brain is looking for closure.

We can hack this effect (the same way I've hacked netflix by pausing episodes in the lull instead of finishing the episode) by reducing cognitive overload.

So how do we do that when we have a million priorities?

In this episode, I'm going to share with you 4 key ways and strategies to mitigate the Zeigarnik effect that is causing you a lot of overwhelm and stress when it comes to your health and fitness goals. Let us know your biggest takeaway from this episode!

Time Stamps:

(1:15) Intrigued By This Week’s Title?

(2:27) The Concept of Hooks

(7:32) Why This Effect Exists

(15:14) #1: Top 3 Priorities

(18:06) #2: Consistency

(28:35) #3: Chucking 2 Minute Tasks

(33:27) #4: Mind Management

(37:34) You Once Prayed For These Tasks

(42:55) The Power of Breath Work

(45:25) Please Share with A Friend

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

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---------------------

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I thought I needed to eat less, be stricter, exercise harder but none of it was working.

In fact, I found myself gaining weight, looking puffier, and feeling more exhausted the harder I tried. Does this sound familiar?

"You're just being lazy. It's all in your head" is what I kept telling myself and that only made things worse mentally.

It wasn't until I dug deeper into my hormone health and found the root cause I was able to start truly healing and getting back to myself.

In this episode, I'm going to explain the four key changes that I implemented that made all the difference for me.

We will cover why I backed off of my training, learned to nourish my adrenals with proper nutrition, cut back on caffeine which was incredibly hard at the time, and learned to rebalance my circadian rhythm.

Time Stamps:

(0:25) Team Coming Into Town

(1:32) The Adrenals

(3:05) My Hormone Healing Journey

(5:15) What To Look For With Adrenal Fatigue

(9:15) Pulling Back Intensity

(11:25) Nourishing Your Adrenals

(14:28) Magnesium Rich Foods

(16:18) Hydration and Electrolytes

(19:12) Proper Supplementation

(19:54) Cutting Back on Caffeine

(21:15) Prioritizing Sleep

(25:05) We Can’t Work With Everyone

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

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---------------------

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Jodi joined our team at the end of 2024, but she came to us with tremendous experience having been a nutrition coach since 2015, collecting multiple certifications across the years to grow her specialties, from CrossFit Level 1 & 2, Precision Nutrition, MMU Level 1, and even FDN-P- Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner. 

Her passion for helping women started with her own journey, growing up watching her parents experience multiple health challenges and seeing her mom in and out of doctors offices with a brain tumor... Ultimately Jodi knew she wanted to put herself on a different path of better health. 

She was always athletic, from competitive cheerleading to CrossFit, but eventually her body could no longer handle overtraining and undereating, and she developed Hashimotos, which is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid. This is what led her down the path of functional health and really diving into both how the body works on a scientific biological level as well as doing the deep work in mindset, realizing that so many women like herself need more than basic nutrition and fitness coaching. 

Now she has her Hashimotos in remission and loves to teach other women how to live a balanced life with holistic health habits and a good mind/body balance. Jodi lives in Utah with her husband and 5 & 7 year old boys. They are an active family who love skiing, surfing, hiking, and anything outdoors!

In this episode, we dive into Jodi's background and why she went the functional route after her second child, finding balance with Crossfit, why she finds so much joy in 1-1 coaching, and more!

Time Stamps:

(1:12) Introducing Assistant Coach Jodi

(9:12) Choosing The Functional Route After 2nd Child

(12:32) Finding Balance with Crossfit

(17:14) The Joy of 1-1 Coaching

(19:32) Integrating A Holistic Approach

(23:38) How To Do It All As A Mom

(26:22) You Are Not Broken

(27:48) Where To Find Jodi

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Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Even with all the biohacking tricks in the world and dialed in morning routines, you are still human and you won't feel 100% every single day. 

This is the 50/50 of life I like to refer to. We can't have good days without the bad and in this episode, I want to share what I do on my off or "bad" days so it doesn't spiral into several days or even weeks.

One of my favorite things to do is look at my feelings wheel and gain some awareness on exactly what I'm feeling at that moment. Awareness is absolutely key here.

Then I download those thoughts onto paper, get them out, and visit some new thoughts and/or mantras that I have collected and integrated into my life over the past few years.

Then I ask myself how I can get out of my own head and into my body by changing my physical state. This works like a charm. Then I remind myself that the work just needs doing and to take action anyway.

Listen in as I dive deeper into these thoughts and let us know if this perspective shift helps you on your off days!

Time Stamps:

(1:37) Feeling Off The Past Two Weeks

(3:49) How I Got To This Point

(6:03) The Feelings Wheel

(10:32) The Reality of Owning a Business

(18:47) You Aren’t Alone

(22:52) Remembering Your Priorities

(27:12) Important Affirmations

(31:57) Going Forward After This

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Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Whether you think you need you need certain lab tests drawn based on the symptoms you are experiencing or if you are just curious and thinking about your future health, we'll cover some of the most popular tests today and answer some specific questions around them.

Some questions include:

I can only invest in one right now… DUTCH test or GI Map?

When do I take a DUTCH test if I don’t have a regular cycle?

What labs can I do while on birth control?

If I’m trying to get pregnant, is a DUTCH test a good idea?

Can I do a DUTCH test while postmenopausal and on HRT?

AND

What labs should I ask my doctor for?

If you have questions beyond this episode, please DM us and let us know! 

Time Stamps:

(2:58) Investing In One Lab Test: GI Map or Dutch Test?

(8:02) Giving Clients Insight Inside of Vital Spark

(8:27) Dutch Test With An Irregular Cycle

(12:16) Finding Your Ovulation Window

(14:14) Labs On Birth Control

(17:57) Dutch Test and Pregnancy

(20:30) Dutch Test, Postmenopausal, and on HRT

(22:19) What Labs Should You Ask Your Doctor For?

(23:55) CMP Test

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

I’ve had clients who I give the same protocol to and one person says “this is too restrictive” and another person says “this is great”

One thing I’ve really learned over the years is that restriction is a feeling, not a fact.

And it comes down to our own thought patterns, which can be influenced by our beliefs and past experiences.

There are things I used to find restrictive- like not drinking alcohol, limiting caffeine- that are just part of what I do now and don’t feel restrictive at all.

This is where individualization comes in, and is a big reason why we don’t just give cookie cutter plans to people.

We often make RECOMMENDATIONS based on people’s health history, symptoms, goals, etc. and then further tailor those recommendations based on labs, but the recommendations are a starting point… some people will come back and say “is there more we can do, I want to tackle this as fast as possible and as effectively as possible, so if there’s anything else you think would help, I’m ready to do anything” in which case we might make the plan even more detailed or “intense”

For others, they might say “this feels really restrictive, I don’t know how I can do this, I’m freaking out”, in which case we simplify the plan.

Plans are never black and white, they are a spectrum of grey, and we need to find each person’s ideal spot of grey where they are able to move the needle and follow the plan.

At the end of the day, restriction is a feeling, and it is one that we can approach like any other feeling that comes up.

In this episode, we'll tackle the concept of restriction and hopefully give you a different lens to view it in route to your health and nutrition goals.

Time Stamps:

(1:26) Feeling Restrictive

(5:27) Changing The Plan or How We Think About It

(11:02) The Personalized Process

(13:47) Asking Yourself Questions Around Restriction

(17:32) Verbal Abuse Example

(21:17) How To Challenge Your Thoughts

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Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

A lot of tears, frustrations, and other emotions throughout that morning and a lot of my thoughts came back to the expectations or misexpectations we put on life circumstances.

Although Stella was older, we always forgot just how old she was because of how young and spry she always SEEMED. And in comparison, the other family dog, Levi—who is 2 years older than her— APPEARED old in every way. We have been expecting his “time” to come for about 2 years now… preparing mentally for it to happen at a moments’ notice.

For Stella, none of us were expecting she would go first, and none of us were expecting her to go like this. Playful and energetic right until the very end. If anyone had any concerns about it, some of my siblings and I would’ve made more of an effort to be with her in the last week. 

One sibling beating herself up over the fact that this dog was originally hers as a puppy, and she ALMOST came home to my parent's house last night, but had a change of plans, and for that reason didn’t get to see her one more time or be there when it happened.

How often do we have strong emotions come up in day to day life that wouldn’t be as strong if our expectations had just been aligned with the reality?

If we had expected to lose a dog in her older age today, after living a beautiful life, we probably would feel peaceful instead of distraught.

A tangible example for day to day life… how often do you go into the week thinking “I’m going to eat healthy, hit my macros, and go to the gym X times” but then work gets busy, you forget to track, you miss a workout, and then you think “this sucks” and feel upset? What if you spent some time going into the week planning as best you can for what you KNOW is on your plate— or even just being real with yourself if you have a career that can ramp up or down in busyness in a moment’s notice— and set really realistic expectations for the week, even if it’s not what you WANT the week to look like? 

Would you feel a lot better if you missed the gym? Probably. And just feeling slightly better can be the difference between you adjusting the plan and continuing to move forward vs. giving up on the plan and “starting over next week.”

I even felt this with a vacation recently… where I had labeled it as a “vacation” because we were going to Cancun, Mexico, and I had expectations of coming home feeling refreshed and relaxed because that’s what usually happens on beach vacations. But the reality is that this was not a vacation, but a time spent working remotely while also being with friends in Mexico outside of working. 

This led to resentment and frustration when working, feeling more physically run down because I wasn’t resting, and coming home with thoughts like “maybe I just shouldn’t have even gone”… yet if I had gone in with the right expectations, I still might’ve felt tired coming home, but I would’ve had thoughts like “it’s worth it because that was so fun, and how cool that I have a job where I can work remotely in beautiful places?!”

At the end of the day, if you’re not happy with the reality… it didn’t/isn’t matching your expectations… then you can either change your expectations or change your reality. But don’t sit between the middle indulging in really negative emotions when you are in control of the way you think about your situation. I’m not saying to just NOT feel negative emotions (trust me, I’m feeling them today), but I do think we can also choose to look at the “bright side.”

Listen in as we talk through this thought process together and RIP Stella. While I wish I could’ve hugged you one more time, I’m happy to know that it was quick, that a family member was home, and that you did live such a great life right up to the end.

Time Stamps:

(3:32) Losing A Family Pet

(6:52) Expectations and Our Feelings

(8:29) Your Expectations and Your Fitness Goals

(12:02) Managing Expectations and Reality

(19:42) The Power of Awareness

(23:22) Our Team at Vital Spark

(26:29) Working On Your Expectations

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

It can be extremely overwhelming in today's society with ads and content everywhere talking about what you should be worried about when it comes to your health and fitness and we know that pain too.

As a health and nutrition company ourselves, we understand it can be a lot so in today's episode, I want to focus on three fitness truths that I believe every woman needs to hear.

These truths contradict a lot of what you'll conventionally hear and we think that's a good thing. We'll cover why you don't need to spend as much time in the gym as you think you do, why building bigger muscles is the goal and not getting "toned",  and why effective isn't the same as intense.

Let us know which one surprised you the most and if this was helpful!

Time Stamps:

(1:22) Coming Back From Travel

(1:52) Recent Viral Post

(8:02) #1: You Don’t Need To Spend A Ton of Time In The Gym

(14:02) #2: Building Bigger Muscles

(19:20) #3: Effective Is Not The Same As Intense

(27:57) Please Rate and Review

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Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Coach Whitney joined our team last summer and she came to us with a ton of experience as a coach with 2 years of online coaching and 4 years of in-person training experience. 

She’s helped hundreds of women transform their bodies. As a pre and postnatal specialist and women's coaching specialist, along with experience working with a lot of perimenopausal clients, she has an impressive resume.⁣

⁣But she isn’t just a powerhouse coach, she has been in the shoes of so many of you!⁣ After sadly losing her mom to breast cancer at a young age, Whit turned her pain into purpose and fell in love with understanding women’s health holistically.⁣ Then once she found herself postpartum and with a hypothyroidism diagnosis, she found herself diving even deeper into her own health to prove first-hand that no diagnosis or circumstance has to hold you back from reaching your goals! ⁣

She lost 20lbs and regained her energy, and is now thriving as a mom to 2-year-old Emma and baby Brooklyn, living with her husband and dogs outside of Asheville, NC.⁣

I’m so excited to finally have Whit joining us on the podcast so you all can hear a bit about her story, learn from her experiences, and see why she is such an impressive and loved coach here at Vital Spark. 

I personally think that Whit is simultaneously one of the sweetest and mentally toughest people I know. In the time that I’ve known her I’ve watched her overcome hardships personally, and always doing so with a smile on her face, ready to share what she is grateful for and still show up and give her clients her all.

Time Stamps:

(1:13) Welcome Coach Whitney!

(3:58) Body Image Issues in High School

(7:20) Testing TSH Levels and Coming Back “Normal”

(14:07) Imposter Syndrome

(16:36) The Postpartum Journey

(20:12) Full Blown Panic Mode With Second Pregnancy

(27:37) Facing Adversity

(32:31) Ideal Takeaway For You

(33:52) Where To Find Coach Whit

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Why is it not more normal to talk about how our day to day cravings could relate back to hormonal changes?

You know those times where you are craving those salty pretzels or something savory and you're not really sure why?

In this episode we’re going to cover some of the most common cravings we experience, and how they could actually be your body communicating with you about your hormones or nutrient status.

Many of these explanations are not reasons for us to justify having the thing, but for us to be kinder to ourselves when we struggle with wanting these things or overconsuming these things.

Rather than treating the craving by giving the body what it’s craving, let’s understand WHY we’re craving it, and address the root issue.

We will cover 5 of the most prominent cravings including salt, sugar and carb, fat, caffeine, and chocolate cravings and why they might be coming up for you. 

Time Stamps:

(2:05) Increased Cravings This Cycle

(4:52) Specific Cravings

(7:37) #1: Salt Cravings

(15:24) #2: Sugar and Carb Cravings

(22:12) #3: Fat Cravings

(24:52) #4: Caffeine Cravings

(27:54) Insulin Resistance

(28:37) #5: Chocolate Cravings

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!