We often associate poor body image and body dissatisfaction with teens and adult women. But the reality that the roots of negative body image take hold much earlier than that.
In this week's episode, we dive deep into the science behind body image with Drs. Janet Boseovski and Ashleigh Gallagher, co-authors of Beyond Body Positive: A Mother’s Science-Based Guide for Helping Girls Build a Healthy Body Image. This conversation is a must-listen for moms, caregivers, and anyone looking to foster a healthier relationship with their body and break the cycle of toxic diet culture.
From early childhood messaging to the impact of media, peer groups, and parental influence, our guests provide powerful insights into how body image is shaped across a woman's lifetime. They shed light on why body dissatisfaction isn’t just something that appears in adulthood—it’s cultivated from childhood and continues to be reinforced through various societal pressures.
Janet and Ashleigh also explore the difference between “body positivity” as it’s commonly used today and what science actually tells us about fostering a positive body image. They challenge the mainstream conversation and offer practical, research-backed strategies for helping young girls (and their moms) develop a healthier, more resilient relationship with their bodies.
If you’ve ever struggled with body image or worried about the messages your child is receiving about their appearance, this episode is packed with actionable advice, insightful research, and hope for change. Let’s move beyond just “feeling good in our bodies” and work towards a culture where women and girls can focus on who they are, not just how they look.
✅ It’s not just another body image conversation—it’s science-backed and deeply insightful.
✅ The authors bust myths around body positivity and introduce a healthier, more effective approach.
✅ Real-life, practical tools to help moms and daughters shift their perspectives on food, fitness, and self-worth.
✅ A deep dive into the lifelong impact of body image—from childhood through adulthood.
✅ Encouragement for women to step into their agency and redefine how they engage with their bodies.
🚫 You’ve ever struggled with body image yourself and want to break the cycle for the next generation.
🚫 You’re a mom, aunt, teacher, or mentor who wants to help young girls develop a healthier self-concept.
🚫 You’re tired of diet culture and the constant emphasis on weight, beauty, and appearance.
🚫 You’ve wondered why body dissatisfaction is so persistent and what actually works to change it.
🚫 You want a fresh, empowering perspective on self-worth that isn’t about just looking in the mirror and “loving what you see.”
📖 The surprising science behind how body image develops from early childhood.
👩👧 How moms are the ultimate influencers of their daughters’ body image—for better or worse.
🔬 Why positive body image isn’t the same as body positivity—and why that distinction matters.
💡 The 3 biggest contributors to body dissatisfaction (and how to counteract them).
🍽️ The sneaky ways diet culture and fat talk show up in everyday parenting—and how to shift the narrative.
🏋️♀️ How physical literacy and movement impact body image (and why sports can be a double-edged sword).
💬 How to have real conversations with girls about body changes, confidence, and self-respect.
🚀 Practical, science-backed strategies for raising confident, resilient girls who see their bodies as powerful, not problems to fix.
Janet Boseovski, PhD is a professor and head of the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is Co-Director of the DUCK Lab, a child development lab at UNCG and she has studied social and cognitive development in early to late childhood for over 20 years. Janet serves on the Board of Directors of the Greensboro Science Center and the Jean Piaget Society for the Study of Knowledge and Development. She enjoys speaking to the public, and writing about, child development and well-being.
Ashleigh Gallagher, PhD is a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her research and teaching interests are in the areas of social cognition and gender, and she enjoys applying psychology beyond academic contexts. She enjoys applying psychology outside academia and has co-authored a book on the opportunities available to researchers who would like to do so as well (The Portable PhD: Taking Your Psychology Career Beyond Academia, American Psychological Association, 2020).
🔗 Resources & Links:
🎧 Beyond Body Positive - Grab your copy here (use code FLYER15 for 15% off) or here.
📖 Psychology Today Blog: Head Start for Healthy Body Image
📲 Follow Janet & Ashleigh on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn here and here
This episode was brought to you by Miles to Go Athletics. Take our app-based training community for a two-week no obligation test drive here.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to hit that Subscribe button so you never miss an episode filled with insightful conversations. And don’t forget to leave us a review—it helps more people discover the show! --Alison
Why is it so hard to change our habits—even when we know what to do? If you’ve ever struggled with sticking to your health goals, finding motivation, or breaking free from self-sabotage, you’re not alone. The real reason change feels impossible isn’t about willpower or discipline—it’s about your brain.
In this episode, we’re diving deep into the neuroscience of behavior change with Dr. Kyra Bobinet, a leading expert on habit formation. She breaks down how a tiny but powerful part of your brain—the habenula—can either fuel your motivation or shut it down completely. And, most importantly, she shares exactly how to work with your brain instead of against it to make lasting changes.
Forget the outdated advice that says you need more self-control or rigid discipline to succeed. Dr. Kyra introduces the iterative mindset method, a science-backed approach that helps you break free from failure cycles and finally create habits that stick—without shame, frustration, or burnout.
If you've ever found yourself falling into the know-do gap (where you know what you should be doing but just can't seem to do it), this episode is a must-listen. You’ll leave with a new perspective on motivation, habit-building, and why failure is actually an illusion.
Ready to rewire your brain for success? Let’s dive in.
✅ The brain mechanism that controls all your habits (and why you’ve never heard of it before)
✅ Why “more willpower” isn’t the answer to behavior change
✅ The biggest mistake people make when trying to create new habits
✅ How to break free from the know-do gap and take action effortlessly
✅ Why failure is an illusion—and how shifting your mindset can change everything
➡️ You struggle with motivation and consistency in your health or fitness goals
➡️ You’ve tried and failed at building new habits and feel stuck in an endless cycle
➡️ You believe you lack the discipline to make lasting changes
➡️ You feel frustrated every time you “mess up” and want to stop the self-sabotage
➡️ You want a science-backed approach to rewiring your brain for success
🎯 How the habenula controls motivation—and why it might be sabotaging you
🎯 The iterative mindset method and why it’s the real key to lasting habit change
🎯 Why most habit-forming strategies fail (and what actually works instead)
🎯 How to reframe setbacks so they don’t derail your progress
🎯 The truth about long-term behavior change—and why it takes longer than you think
🎯 How to work with your brain’s natural wiring to build habits that stick
Kyra Bobinet, MD, MPH, has passionately pursued and studied the truth about behavior change for nearly three decades as a physician, public health leader, healthcare executive, and behavioral expert. An award-winning health innovator and thought leader, Dr. Bobinet has an MD from UCSF School of Medicine and an MPH from Harvard University.
She belongs to the Stanford Medical School AIM lab, where she has taught on health behavior change, and is CEO/founder of Fresh Tri, a behavioral software company based on the latest neuroscience of habit formation and lasting change.
Her first bestselling book, Well Designed Life, is a collection of globally influential brain science and behavior change.
Dr. Bobinet is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota. She enjoys meditation, horsemanship, and herbalism and lives with her family and animal and plant teachers in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Kyra Bobinet on LinkedIn, Instagram, and her website
📖 Grab her book: The Unstoppable Brain: The New Neuroscience That Frees Us From Failure, Eases Our Stress, and Creates Lasting Change
📲 Download the FreshTri App (FREE, no ads, no data selling) for habit-building support
This episode was brought to you by Miles to Go Athletics. Take our app-based training community for a two-week no obligation test drive here.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to hit that Subscribe button so you never miss an episode filled with insightful conversations. And don’t forget to leave us a review—it helps more people discover the show! --Alison
What if the key to thriving in motherhood isn’t "bouncing back" to some old version of you—but moving forward into new postpartum potential and opportunities?
In this empowering episode, I sat down with coach and former elite CrossFit athlete Marlene Andersson to dive into the pressures women face around "snapping back" after pregnancy.
Together, we unpack the cultural myths that keep high-achieving women stuck in unrealistic expectations and explore a mindset shift that prioritizes self-compassion, growth, and sustainable health over outdated body ideals.
Marlene shares her deeply personal journey—from being an elite competitor at the top of her game to navigating the identity shift that comes with motherhood. With refreshing honesty, she describes the struggle of balancing a driven, perfectionist mindset with the unpredictable nature of raising a child.
She also walks us through her Mighty Mom Blueprint, a four-step strategy designed to help mothers build strength—mentally and physically—without burning out or sacrificing precious time with their families.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the pressure to “get your body back” or struggled to balance your ambitions with the realities of motherhood, this episode will shift your perspective in powerful ways. Get ready to rethink what it means to be strong, healthy, and successful as a mother—and as a woman.
🔥 Marlene’s raw and honest take on why bouncing back is a myth that sets women up for failure.
💪 A relatable, no-nonsense discussion about why women are expected to evolve in every area—except when it comes to their bodies.
🧠 The deep dive into how high-achievers struggle with perfectionism and adjusting expectations in the postpartum period.
✅ You’ve ever felt pressure to “get your pre-baby body back” (and maybe even guilt that you haven’t).
✅ You’re a high-achieving woman struggling to adjust to the unpredictability of motherhood.
✅ You find yourself overwhelmed by the expectations of doing it all—parenting, fitness, work, and more.
✅ You want practical, sustainable strategies for staying healthy and strong without punishing yourself.
✅ You’ve ever battled perfectionism and the fear of “not doing enough.”
As a former CrossFit Games athlete and busy toddler mom, Marlene brings the lessons from her athletic career into her postpartum coaching. Inspired by her own challenges balancing self-care, family, and career, she developed the Mighty Mom Blueprint—a 4-step strategy that blends the athlete's mindset with the realities of motherhood, helping moms move beyond the pressure to 'bounce back' and embrace their strongest, healthiest selves.
This episode was brought to you by Miles to Go Athletics. Take our app-based training community for a two-week no obligation test drive here.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to hit that Subscribe button so you never miss an episode filled with insightful conversations. And don’t forget to leave us a review—it helps more people discover the show! --Alison
Retirement planning isn’t just about financial planning—it’s about creating a life you love in your later years.
In this episode, we sit down with Suzanne Campi, a coach specializing in life transitions, to talk about all the non-financial investments you can make now to ensure a fulfilling retirement.
From relationships and adventure to purpose and health, Suzanne shares powerful insights on how to cultivate a meaningful, vibrant future beyond just saving money.
🔥 Retirement is more than a 401k – Most of us have been told our whole lives to save for retirement, but nobody talks about what we’ll actually do when we get there.
💡 The “Retirement Wheel” – Suzanne breaks down eight key areas to focus on beyond finances, like relationships, fun, and personal growth.
👀 Real talk about health & longevity – Your physical fitness is just as important as your financial savings when it comes to enjoying retirement.
👣 Small changes now = big impact later – Whether it’s rekindling old friendships, picking up a new hobby, or prioritizing strength training, the little things add up to a better future.
✅ You’re planning for retirement but feel like there’s something missing.
✅ You’re curious about how to make your later years as fulfilling as possible.
✅ You worry about losing purpose, connection, or adventure once you stop working.
✅ You want to create a legacy that goes beyond just financial wealth.
🔹 Why so many people feel lost after retirement—even if they’re financially secure.
🔹 The importance of who you want to be in retirement, not just what you want to do.
🔹 The eight essential areas of Suzanne’s Retirement Wheel to focus on:
🔹 Why movement and fitness are the long-term insurance plan for a quality retirement.
🔹 How to embrace uncertainty and adventure rather than sticking to a rigid comfort zone.
🔹 Practical ways to start making non-financial investments in your future today.
As a certified coach, Suzanne is committed to helping individuals thrive, especially during the exciting transition into retirement. While many focus primarily on financial preparation, she emphasizes the equally important psychosocial aspects—such as Purpose, Growth, Health, Relationships, Play, Spirituality, Adventure, and Legacy, that make this life phase truly fulfilling. With a background in psychology and a career in real estate, gym ownership, and high-tech recruiting, Suzanne brings a deep understanding and strong advocacy for those navigating life transitions.
🌐 Connect with Suzanne:
Website: suzannecampi.com
LinkedIn: Suzanne Campi
This episode was brought to you by Miles to Go Athletics. Take our app-based training community for a two-week no obligation test drive here.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to hit that Subscribe button so you never miss an episode filled with insightful conversations. And don’t forget to leave us a review—it helps more people discover the show!