Broads: The Bold & Badass Fitness Podcast for Women

Episodi

• 143: Why Every Woman Needs a Goal That Makes Her Feel Alive Again 02.06.2026 29min

  Somewhere in your mid-30s, training can quietly stop feeling like something you choose and start feeling like something you owe. The workouts are still happening, the effort is still there, but the spark that used to make movement feel exciting has gone missing, and most women have no idea how to get it back. I dive deeper into this in this week's episode of Broads, where I take you behind the scenes of my journey in competing at APEX for the second time and what choosing a real performance goal did to my relationship with training. I also talked about what getting 4th place twice taught me more than a podium finish would have, the difference between training to control your body and training to trust it, and why pursuing strength in your late 30s is one of the most genuinely rebellious things you can do. What's Discussed: 02:07) The 150 meters from the finish line: what competing at APEX actually feels like. (05:54) Why my relationship with athletics got complicated and how APEX feels different. (08:14) The biggest thing missing for women in fitness right now. (09:31) Why pursuing strength in your late 30s is genuinely rebellious. (25:13) What getting 4th place twice actually taught me about progress. Find out more from Broads: Website: broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Check More Resources: Macronutrient Guide: Want a simple place to start fuelling for the body you're building? Grab Broad’s FREE Macronutrient Guide: The Balanced Plate Blueprint at broads.app/macronutrient-guide. Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara YouTube: @TaraLaferrara TikTok: @taralaferrara
• 142: How Active Women Are Accidentally Destroying Their Hair with Shandi Nichelle 26.05.2026 56min

  You have been treating your hair the same way diet culture taught you to treat your body. Something feels off, so you add another product, another step, or another routine you saw online. And just like with food and fitness, more is almost never the answer. Shandi Nichelle has been touching hair for 20 years and she has one question she asks every woman who sits in her chair. What are you using and who told you to buy it? Because almost every hair problem she sees comes back to the same thing: women are solving a problem they have not correctly diagnosed yet. Shandi Nichelle is a hairstylist, hair educator, and founder of FREEWELL, a clean hair care brand built around the idea that your hair needs less than you think. In this episode, Shandi breaks down the five types of hair damage most active women are dealing with without knowing it, why the habits that feel responsible are often the ones causing the most harm, and what it actually takes to get your hair healthy without overhauling your life. If you have ever felt like nothing you try is working, this episode is going to tell you exactly why. What's Discussed: (1:49) The biggest hair myth Shandi wants to kill for good (3:50) Why the slick back bun is quietly receding your hairline (7:09) What healthy hair actually means and why most products fake it (9:01) The five types of hair damage and the surprising new one on the rise (18:11) Why over-washing is the first thing Shandi identifies in every active woman (23:45) What dry shampoo is actually doing to your scalp (26:44) Why scalp health is simpler than the industry wants you to think (36:53) The protocol Shandi gives every woman before she buys another product (40:27) The one ingredient your hair needs more than any treatment you can buy (42:00) How Power Gloss was born out of training for a triathlon (48:18) How often you actually need to use it and where to keep it so you remember (49:52) Where to find Shandi and what is coming June 1st Find more from Broads: Website: broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara YouTube: @TaraLaferrara TikTok: @taralaferrara Check out more from Shandi Nichelle: Website: livefreewell.com  Facebook: FreewellInstagram: @livefreewell     
• 141: The Bikini Body Trap: Your Body Doesn't Have a Seasonal Deadline 19.05.2026 28min

  If you grew up in the Pinterest and early Facebook era, you probably learned early that summer meant one thing: getting your body ready for it. It all starts with restrictive diets in April, punishing workouts, and a whole lot of self-criticism in front of the mirror.  Most millennial women never questioned it. It was just the 'norm' or what we thought we should look like. The pressure to shrink, tone, and transform your body in 30 days for a vacation or a swimsuit is not a health goal but a trap that keeps you on a yearly hamster wheel. One that is costing you your hormones, your relationship with food, and your long-term progress every single time you fall into it. In this episode, I am breaking down why the summer body mentality keeps you stuck in a loop, what it is actually doing to your body biologically, and what to do instead if you want results that last longer than August. What's Discussed: (0:00) Why the bikini body cycle keeps repeating itself (1:04) Tara's personal history with chasing a summer look (3:17) What the bikini body mentality actually is and what it costs you (6:28) The hormone disruption nobody talks about: cortisol, leptin, and the binge-restrict cycle (8:09) The question to ask yourself before starting any summer challenge (9:53) Why real results take real time and what slow progress actually looks like (11:48) Three non-negotiables you can anchor into year round (14:37) What people think they need to do to lose weight fast and why it backfires (18:05) What actually works: strength, protein, sleep, and stress management (20:07) The abs myth: why crunches are not giving you what you think (24:10) Your body does not have a seasonal deadline Find out more from Broads: Website: broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app BroadsCOACH: Head to broads.app/broadscoach and apply for BroadsCOACH. Check More Resources: Nutrition Webinar: Check out the plate method at broads.app/nutritionwebinar Macronutrient Guide: Want a simple place to start fuelling for the body you're building? Grab Broad’s FREE Macronutrient Guide: The Balanced Plate Blueprint at broads.app/macronutrient-guide. Gym Starter Guide: Ready to stop waiting for "someday"? Download the free guide at broads.app/gym-starter-guide  Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara YouTube: @TaraLaferrara TikTok: @taralaferrara
• 140: Bouncing Back Myth, Invisible Grief & Identity Shift of Badass Moms with Jenna Kennedy 12.05.2026 58min

  The identity shift that comes with motherhood is one of the least talked about transitions a woman will ever go through. Research shows it rivals puberty and menopause in the scale of psychological and neurological change it triggers in a woman's brain and body. For high-achieving women, that shift hits differently. The woman who built her entire sense of self around drive, accomplishment, and control suddenly finds none of that prepares her for the part where she has to let that version of herself go. Jenna Kennedy is an entrepreneur, podcaster, and mom of two who got pregnant twice unexpectedly and had to find her way through the identity loss, the invisible grief, and the slow surrender that nobody warned her was coming. If you have ever felt like motherhood asked you to give up the most hard-won version of yourself, this conversation will make you feel a lot less alone in it. What's Discussed: (1:33) The bounce back myth and what we are actually bouncing from (3:41) When motherhood arrives before you agreed to it (6:10) The grief nobody gives you permission to feel (8:27) What your most important role actually is right now (9:45) The identity death and rebirth of becoming a mom (21:15) Why anxiety is a signal not a problem to fix (32:20) How high achievers confuse accomplishment with happiness (41:10) What surrender actually looks like for a woman who always had a plan (48:15) The small habits that build genuine happiness over time Thank you to our sponsors! IM8: Use my code TARA at checkout to save 10% on your first order at im8health.com/ Find more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara Check out more from Jenna Kennedy: Instagram: @itsjennakennedy       Tiktok: @itsjennakennedy Podcast: Hope You’re Wellhttps://www.instagram.com/itsjennakennedy
• 139: Training Through Your Cycle: The Smart Way to Stay Consistent 05.05.2026 18min

  A 2025 study out of McMaster University found that your body builds muscle the same whether you're in your follicular phase or your luteal phase. Your muscles, it turns out, do not care what your cycle tracker says. So why are so many women losing their consistency, skipping workouts, and rebuilding their entire program every week around an app? Because cycle syncing culture sold us a system that sounds scientific but is actually costing us our progress. In this week's episode, I'm breaking down what's really happening across your cycle, why the cycle syncing approach is creating more anxiety than results, and how to make smart adjustments to your training and nutrition without overhauling a thing. What's Discussed: (0:35) What this episode is and what it is not (2:29) The four phases of your cycle and why certain weeks feel the way they do (4:05) Your power window: the phase most women hit their strongest sessions (4:30) What is actually happening in the luteal phase (and why it is not weakness) (5:19) The problem with cycle syncing culture and who it actually serves (6:22) What the research really says about performance across cycle phases (8:46) The smart adjustment framework: when to lean in, when to dial back (10:34) Why high-intensity cardio in late luteal is usually not worth it (11:19) How to fuel across your cycle without tracking every macro (13:03) The simplest way to track your cycle (no app required) (15:02) Why consistency will always beat perfect phase alignment (16:05) Your challenge for the week Find out more from Broads: Website: www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app BroadsCOACH: Head to www.broads.app/broadscoach and apply for BroadsCOACH. Check out previous podcast about listening to your body:  Episode 108: Dr. Alyssa Olenick: The Real Truth About Hybrid Training Resources Mentioned: Nutrition Webinar: Check out the plate method at www.broads.app/nutritionwebinar Macronutrient Guide: Want a simple place to start fuelling for the body you're building? Grab Broad’s FREE Macronutrient Guide: The Balanced Plate Blueprint at www.broads.app/macronutrient-guide. Gym Starter Guide: Ready to stop waiting for "someday"? Download the free guide at www.broads.app/gym-starter-guide  Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: www.taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara YouTube: @TaraLaferrara TikTok: @taralaferrara
• 138: Why Under-Eating Protein Is the Reason Your Body Isn't Changing with JJ Virgin 28.04.2026 1h 1min

  Your body will literally overeat to hunt for protein it is not getting. It is called the protein leverage hypothesis, and it means your hunger is not a willpower problem. It is a signal that something is missing. So no, you are not broken. You are not lazy. Your body is doing exactly what it is designed to do when it is not getting what it needs. And nobody has been louder about that than JJ Virgin. JJ Virgin is a four-time New York Times bestselling author and nutrition expert who has spent over 40 years helping women stop measuring success by the wrong metric. In this episode, JJ breaks down why most women are under-fuelling the one macronutrient their body cannot go a single day without, what that is quietly doing to their muscle, their metabolism, and their results, and what to do about it starting with your next meal. If you have had that quiet feeling that something is off with how you are eating, this episode is going to tell you exactly what it is. Let's dive into it. What's Discussed: (2:59) The non-negotiable JJ refuses to sacrifice no matter where she is in the world. (5:21) The most overrated nutrition advice women are still following. (6:22) When the protein trend went too far and created a junk food aisle. (9:36) What chronic under-eating of protein is actually doing to your body. (12:08) The biological reason you keep overeating and it is not discipline. (13:16) The simplest food audit that changes everything in two weeks. (14:45) The meal where most women are falling short and it is not dinner. (16:30) How one breakfast sets your hormones up to fail for the rest of the day. (18:26) Why JJ calls plant-based diets what she calls them. (20:31) Where supplements actually fit and the four most women are missing. (22:44) Why creatine belongs on your supplement list and it is not just for the gym. (23:04) The creatine myth that 81% of women experienced firsthand. (25:00) Why the common math on creatine dosing does not make sense. (31:08) How to structure nutrition around your training without overthinking it. (33:03) The first thing JJ looks at when body composition is not changing. (34:20) The real reason most women are not building muscle and it is not protein. (35:29) Why she stopped saying go heavy and what she says instead. (41:06) The scale has done more damage to women than any diet ever has. (42:28) The two things you must have before you ever touch a calorie deficit. (42:47) What toned actually means and why you cannot stretch your muscles longer. (43:37) 40 years and she has never seen a woman get big from lifting. (45:23) The identity shift that separates women who maintain results from women who restart. (56:33) What JJ would tell every woman between 35 and 50 right now. Check out Broads FREE nutrition resources: Macronutrient Guide: https://www.broads.app/macronutrient-guide  Nutrition Webinar: https://www.broads.app/nutritionwebinar  Find more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Head to www.broads.app/broadscoach and apply for BroadsCOACH. Check out more from Tara LaFerrara:Website: http://taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara YouTube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara Check out more from JJ Virgin: Website: https://jjvirgin.com/ Facebook: JJ Virgin Instagram: @jj.virgin       YouTube: @jjvirginvideos Tiktok: @reignitewellness Pinterest: @jjvirgin X: @jjvirgin Got Questions: delphi.ai/jj-virgin Podcast: https://jjvirgin.com/main-podcasts/  Speaking Engagements: https://jjvirgin.com/media-speaking-new/  JJ Virgin Programs:  The 90-Day Metabolism Makeover: https://discover.jjvirgin.com/metabolism-makeover-int-1  
• 137: Stop Training to Shrink, Start Training for the Woman You'll Be at 70 21.04.2026 22min

  Okay, real question: how do you want to feel at 70? Not look but feel. Because the second you start training through that lens, everything about fitness shifts, and suddenly the goal isn't a smaller body anymore. It's a body that actually works. Here's the thing nobody in the fitness industry wants to say out loud: you were sold the wrong goal. For years! And if you've been working your ass off and still feel like nothing is landing, it's not because your body stopped responding. It's because you were handed a game that was never built to serve the woman you're becoming. In this week podcast episode, I will talk to the 70-year old in you and share what longevity training actually means (and no, it's not cold plunges at 5am), why strength is hands-down your best insurance policy, and the non-negotiables if you want to still be strong, capable, and independent decades from now. This is your permission slip to change the goal. What's Discussed: (2:34) The question nobody in fitness is asking, and why it changes everything. (3:43) Why women are tired, and the shift that's already happening today. (5:40) The real number one predictor of quality of life as you age.  (6:20) What longevity training actually means and what’s not. (8:36) Why women get nearly three times the cardiovascular benefit from strength training than men do. (10:37) The silent thing happening to your bones after 30 that nobody warned you about. (12:15) Walking: the most underrated longevity tool, and why you're probably skipping it. (14:54) Why under-fuelling is quietly working against the women training the hardest. (17:21) The recovery signals you should never push through. (18:58) The one question to sit with this week that changes everything. Broads Giveaway: To celebrate hitting 1 million listens we are giving away two free Broads Club memberships. Head to the pinned post on @broads.podcast and @broads.app on Instagram, make sure you’re following both accounts and tag three friends in the comments with the episode you think they need to hear first. Find out more from Broads: Website: www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app BroadsCOACH: Head to www.broads.app/broadscoach and apply for BroadsCOACH. Resources Mentioned: Macronutrient Guide: Want a simple place to start fuelling for the body you're building? Grab Broad’s FREE Macronutrient Guide: The Balanced Plate Blueprint at https://www.broads.app/macronutrient-guide. Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: www.taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara YouTube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara
• 136: The Food-Emotion Connection & What Traps Set Us Up for Emotional Eating with Tricia Nelson 14.04.2026 54min

  Did you know that emotional eating is one of the hardest types of addiction that’s difficult to overcome? Many women are unaware that they’re an emotional eater because we simply call it cravings or food noise when in reality, we are using food to numb the things out.   If food became a central part of your life to make you feel better but it is also starting to affect your health, derails your fitness goals, and makes you further beat yourself for “not getting it right”, the problem might be not your willpower but the structure around it.  We go deeper into this in the latest episode of Broads about emotional eating. We also discuss when to know if you are an emotional eater, why you tend to crave food and eat more at night, and why willpower, meal plans and another diet style is not the solution for an emotional problem. Tricia Nelson is an Emotional Eating Expert and founder of Heal Your Hunger programs designed for people who want to break free from the food that was once a source of their comfort but took over their lives.  After decades of battling her own emotional eating, binge eating shame, and deep isolation, Tricia has turned her healing journey into a roadmap for women who are ready to stop fighting food and start understanding it. What's Discussed: (5:06) The biggest misconception about emotional eating. (6:16) The #1 mistake women make when trying to stop binge eating. (8:31) True or false: If you just eat clean, emotional eating goes away. (9:29) The wellness trend that's actually a trap for emotional eaters. (11:03) How to slowly break free from scale dependency. (14:30) How to know if you're an emotional eater. (18:15) Why 75% of emotional eaters lose control at night. (22:24) The PEP Test: food as a Painkiller, Escape, and Punishment. (26:55) Three Meal Magic: The structure that helps you tell hunger from emotion. (32:20) Food noise: The three root causes driving the compulsion to eat. (35:11) The anatomy of the emotional eater and why people pleasing is the #1 trait. (40:30) The four things you actually need to heal from emotional eating. (49:37) What real healing from emotional eating looks like on the other side. Broads Giveaway: To celebrate hitting 1 million listens we are giving away two free Broads Club memberships. Head to the pinned post on @broads.podcast and @broads.app on Instagram, make sure you’re following both accounts and tag three friends in the comments with the episode you think they need to hear first. Thank you to our sponsors! Im8: Use my code TARA at checkout to save 10% on your first order at https://im8health.com/   Find more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast   @broads.app Head to https://www.broads.app/broadscoach and apply for BroadsCOACH.   Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: http://taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara Check out more from Tricia Nelson: Website: https://healyourhunger.com/ Facebook: Heal Your Hunger Instagram: @tricianelson_        TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVSe2vaxXXM Book: Heal Your Hunger: 7 Simple Steps to End Emotional Eating Now Confessions of a Binge Eater Podcast:  Spotify / Apple Heal your Hunger Quiz: https://healyourhunger.com/heal-your-hunger-quiz/
• 135. Why High-Performing Women Can't Stay Consistent with Their Fitness 07.04.2026 24min

  Your brain has two completely separate systems for knowing what to do and actually doing it, and no amount of motivation bridges that gap. The women who stay consistent aren't more disciplined than you. They just stopped relying on motivation and started building structure. If you've ever crushed it at work, managed a full household, and still couldn't figure out why your fitness keeps falling apart, it's not a YOU problem. It's a system problem. And that's exactly what this episode is about. Tune into this week's solo episode of Broads where we answer the real questions around consistency: the ones nobody has actually answered for you yet. What's Discussed: (3:52) Why knowing what to do and still not doing it is not a character flaw. (6:26) The Monday reset isn't a fresh start — it's the problem. (8:50) Why motivation was never supposed to be the engine. (11:07) What to do when life gets busy and your plan falls apart. (15:10) The difference between trying more programs and getting real support. (17:55) The neuroscience behind why you keep breaking promises to yourself. (20:52) How to know if you're actually ready for a coach. Find more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Head to https://www.broads.app/broadscoach and apply for BroadsCOACH. Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: http://taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara
• 134: Hate Yourself Skinny or Love Yourself Healthy? Why Only One Actually Works with Gen Coco 31.03.2026 1h 5min

  The average woman in the United States attempts to lose weight at least five times per year. Most of those attempts follow the same pattern: cut calories as low as possible, add as much exercise as possible, push until burnout, and start over. The pattern does not fail because of a lack of willpower. It fails because the strategy itself is not designed to build women to success. We go deeper into this in the latest episode of Broads. We also discuss what the 80/20 rule of nutrition versus exercise actually means in practice, how the lifestyle gap affects fat storage more than most women account for, and why the first three months of a real fat loss journey often look like nothing is happening. Gen Coco is a Certified Nutrition Coach and founder of Gen's Gym. After a decade of cycling through every quick fix in the diet industry, she lost 50 pounds through walking and nutrition alone, no gym, no intense cardio, no restriction.  Her framework is built around what is actually sustainable, not what looks most impressive on a program. What she learned applies well beyond fat loss. It is a way of thinking about effort, consistency, and what it actually takes to change something by loving yourself more. What's Discussed: (01:17) Why keto, cheat meals, and extreme restriction fail most women (02:29) The all-or-nothing mindset and why high-achieving women are most vulnerable to it (08:57) Minimum baseline standards: how to set a floor instead of an impossible ceiling (09:03) The lifestyle gap: sleep, stress, and emotional health as fat loss variables (11:26) What learning to cook from scratch changed about her relationship with food (17:07) Meal prep, food tracking, and why portion education matters more than calorie restriction (20:28) How to navigate social eating, alcohol, and going out without derailing progress (30:38) The GLP-1 conversation: when peptides are appropriate (31:42) The difference between weight loss and fat loss (41:48) Why weight loss is a side effect of self-love, not the other way around (44:29) How to rebuild self-trust after years of broken promises to yourself Find more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app BroadsCOACH: Head to broads.com/join and apply for BroadsCOACH.   Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: http://taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara Check out more from Gen Coco: Instagram: @gensgym Facebook: Gen’s Gym Tiktok: @gensgym Website: https://www.gensgym.com/ Business Instagram: @happybodsquad
• 133. Q&A: Getting Strong in Your 40s With Protein Goals, Smarter Cardio, and Training Through Injury 24.03.2026 29min

  Struggling with motivation, confused about how much cardio you need, or wondering if lifting weights will make you bulky? A lot of women are told the answer is more cardio, stricter dieting, and more discipline, but those are often the exact things keeping them stuck. In this Broads episode, we talk about why motivation isn’t the thing that keeps you consistent, why protein is the nutrient most women are missing in their diet, and how much cardio you really need when it comes to building strength and improving body composition.  If you’re training hard but still feel unsure what actually works or worried you’re doing the wrong things in the gym, tune in. What's Discussed: (03:33) What to do when you get injured and how to keep training instead of quitting (08:35) How much cardio women actually need (09:26) Daily walking as one of the most underrated tools for fat loss and stress (11:30) Why low protein leads to cravings, fatigue, and muscle loss (15:06) Motivation vs self trust and what actually keeps you consistent (21:17) Why belly fat shows up in your 40s and the hormone shifts behind it (24:32) The truth about “toning” and why women don’t accidentally get bulky BroadsCOACH: Head to broads.com/join and apply for BroadsCOACH. Check out more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: http://taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara
• 132. Broads Coaches: Why Women Were Never Meant to Stay Small 17.03.2026 52min

  According to Journal of Clinical Medicine, roughly 62.3% of women report experiencing pain around the back or neck and limb areas.  Most of us have accepted the pain as a normal part of life that just happens in our thirties, what comes with having kids and part of aging. Broads coaches have observed that that happens when women have been conditioned to stay small, move less, and treat their bodies as something to shrink rather than something to build. The women who start strength training do not just get stronger. They get their energy back, their pain starts to ease, and have more confidence to move their bodies.  The goal is no longer to tone the muscles but to chase how to finally feel good with their bodies. We dive deeper into this in the latest episode of Broads with Taylor McGee and T-Ferg, two coaches in the Broads Coach Program who have spent years helping women unlearn the myths of the fitness industry and build something real instead. We also discuss why imperfect action breeds motivation and what actually gets women to show up consistently, why the perfect time to start does not exist and why messy is better than waiting. Taylor McGee is a Philadelphia-based certified coach with seven years in the fitness industry. T-Ferg is a Denver-based coach with over ten years in and around movement and strength. Together they bring a clear-eyed, no-nonsense perspective on what women actually need, not just in the gym, but in how they show up for themselves and for their clients every single day. What's Discussed: (03:20) Why pull-ups are one of the most powerful things a woman can build (08:45) How celebrating your wins without a "but" changes everything (12:10) Why confidence and ego are not the same thing & how women were conditioned to confuse them (18:30) The toning myth: why the word was designed to keep women small  (24:15) Why motivation is a myth and what actually gets you to show up consistently (31:40) How to start so small that showing up becomes inevitable (38:20) Why the perfect time to start is always right now especially when life is messy (44:10) What a coach actually does for you that a workout app never can (51:25) Why real results take five years and why that should excite you, not scare you (57:30) What taking up space actually means in the gym and in your life Thank You to Our Sponsors: BroadsCOACH: Head to broads.com/join and apply for BroadsCOACH. IM8: Use my code TARA at checkout to save 10% on your first order at https://im8health.com/   Find more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app   Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: http://taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara Check out more from Taylor McGee: Instagram: @taylormcgeefit Facebook: Taylor McGee Fitness Website: https://taylormcgeefit.com/online-coaching Broads app link: https://www.broads.app/coachtaylormcgee Check out more from Taylor Ferguson: Instagram: @your.wellness.barbie Tiktok: @taylor_melissa_ Broads app link: https://www.broads.app/coachtaylorferguson
• 131: Accessory Exercises That Fix Squat, Bench, and Deadlift Plateaus 10.03.2026 23min

  You’re stuck at the same weight on your squat or bench, so you assume the answer is more reps, more volume, more grind. But piling on more work without fixing the weak link is exactly how you stay stuck. In the latest episode of Broads, I break down why your core’s job isn’t crunches, why knees cave in your squat, and how Bulgarian split squats force your glutes to finally do their job. And when your hips shoot up in your deadlift, I unpack what that says about your hamstrings and how to fix it so your strength actually shows up at lockout. Fix the weak link, and the lift follows. What's Discussed: (03:22) Why doing more squats won’t fix a squat plateau (05:03) Bulgarian split squats fix knee cave and glute weakness (08:27) Paused bench press builds strength at your sticking point (11:52) RDLs fix weak deadlift lockout and hip hinge issues (12:26) Why squatting your deadlift limits hamstring strength (15:33) Press more than you pull and your shoulders pay (18:40) Your core’s job is resisting movement, not crunching (22:56) Accessory work fixes weak links and prevents injuries Check out more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Head to https://www.broads.app/broadscoach and apply for BroadsCOACH. Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: http://taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara
• 130: Build Strength Without Perfect Form or Fear of Getting Hurt - Dr. Susie Spirlock 03.03.2026 55min

  You’ve been told perfect form prevents injury and rounding your back will ruin your spine. But what if the real problem isn’t the movement? What if it’s fear, outdated advice, and expecting your body to heal like it’s Amazon Prime two-day shipping?  We dive deeper into this in the latest episode of the Broads Podcast with strength coach Dr. Susie Spirlock.  We also chat about why “perfect form” doesn’t exist, how to return to lifting after injury or chronic conditions like POTS and hypermobility, and why strength training is non-negotiable for women heading into perimenopause and beyond.  Dr. Susie Spirlock is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and strength coach with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. She is Barbell Rehab Method certified, Precision Nutrition Level 1 certified, and a Pain Free Performance Specialist. She provides online rehab and fitness coaching and serves as an instructor for the Barbell Rehab Method. What's Discussed: (08:44) Why “perfect form” doesn’t exist and how anatomy shapes technique (10:15) Gradual exposure to load and why rounding your back isn’t automatically bad (12:08) Fear of lifting heavy and how graded exposure reduces injury anxiety (14:00) Why fear predicts pain more than tissue damage after injury (18:25) Junk volume, overprogramming, and how smarter structure drives results (25:03) Why lifting advice from doctors lags 10-15 years behind research (32:26) Strength training, menopause, and what happens to bone density if you don’t lift (48:43) Clickbait rehab content and how to spot black-and-white misinformation Check out more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Head to https://www.broads.app/broadscoach and apply for BroadsCOACH. Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: http://taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara Check out more from Dr. Susie Spirlock: Instagram: @dr.susie.squats Tiktok: @dr.susie.squats Youtube: @dr.susie.squats Facebook: @dr.susie.squats
• 129. How Your Rest Periods Are Limiting Your Strength Gains 24.02.2026 24min

  Rest periods are one of the most ignored parts of training, and they’re often the reason you’re exhausted but not actually getting stronger. This episode of Broads is about removing the guesswork. We break down what rest periods do, why more sweat doesn’t equal better results, and how mismatching your rest to your goal can stall progress without you realizing it. If your lifts feel inconsistent, your workouts feel randomly hard or way too easy, or you’re spending forever in the gym without seeing results, your rest between sets might be the missing piece. That’s what this episode is all about. What's Discussed: (00:48) Why rest periods are an overlooked driver of strength and muscle gains (03:25) ATP, creatine phosphate, and what actually recovers between sets (05:03) How rest determines strength, hypertrophy, or endurance outcomes (06:51) Why heavy lifts require three to five minutes of rest (07:46) Using shorter rest to create metabolic stress for muscle growth (09:13) How short rest trains fatigue tolerance and muscular endurance (10:52) What breaks when rest is too short or too long (15:41) Why timing rest separates training from random workouts Head to https://www.broads.app/broadscoach and apply for BroadsCOACH. Check out more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Website: http://taralaferrara.com  Instagram: @taralaferrara  @broads.podcast Youtube: https://youtube.com/@TaraLaferrara
• 128: Finley Amato Funsten: How Chronic Under Eating Shapes Women’s Metabolism and Energy Recovery 17.02.2026 56min

  A lot of women are stuck in a cycle of eating less, pushing harder, and starting over every Monday, only to feel more frustrated each time. The surprising part is that this isn’t a lack of discipline, but a predictable outcome of years of under-eating and following advice that was never built for women’s physiology. We dive deeper into this in the Broads podcast with Finley. We talk about why intermittent fasting often backfires for women, how sugar cravings are usually a fueling issue, what chronic under-eating does to your metabolism, and what sustainable nutrition actually looks like without diet culture noise. Finley Amato Funsten is a nutrition and strength coach, the founder of Unfuck Your Diet, and the owner of MADabolic Charlotte. Her work focuses on evidence-based nutrition, behavior change, and sustainable training practices. What's Discussed: (05:53) Diet Coke, aspartame safety, and why fear-based nutrition science still sticks (07:12) Why intermittent fasting often backfires for active women hormonally (09:04) How hunger hormones adapt when breakfast is skipped for years (11:04) Why named diets fail women by ignoring physiology and skill building (14:32) Skinny culture’s return and how wellness marketing keeps women shrinking (19:20) Sugar cravings explained through protein and fiber deficiencies (24:39) Why detoxes and cleanses don’t work the way people think (32:03) Chronic under eating signs including low energy, poor recovery, and cycle disruption Check out more from Broads:Website: www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Check out more from Tara LaFerrara:Website: http://taralaferrara.com   Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: https://youtube.com/@TaraLaferrara Check out more from Finley Amato Funsten: Website: https://unfuckyourdiet.co Instagram: @unfuckyourdiet   Check out some of Finley’s favorite accounts for nutrition, fitness, and real talk: Tara LaFerrara: https://instagram.com/taralaferrara Sheridan Skye, MSc: http://instagram.com/sheridanskyefit Beth Wilkas Feraco: http://instagram.com/bethferacofitness Amanda Howell, MPH: http://instagram.com/amandahowellhealth Jessica Knurick, PhD: http://instagram.com/drjessicaknurick Dr. Stacy T. Sims: http://instagram.com/drstacysims Kate Lyman, MPH: http://instagram.com/klnutrition Jordan Syatt: http://instagram.com/syattfitness Layne Norton, PhD: https://www.instagram.com/biolayne
• 127: Tempo Training for Women Who Want More Strength Without Longer Workouts 10.02.2026 21min

  Training harder and moving faster doesn’t automatically make you stronger, especially when your progress has stalled. For many women, the real issue is that reps are rushed, stimulus is cut short, and effort looks intense without actually driving adaptation. We dive deeper into this in the latest Broads Podcast solo episode. We also chat about why slowing down builds more strength, why rushing reps makes people feel weaker than they should, why you are actually stronger during the lowering phase of a lift, and how tempo training works best when used strategically instead of everywhere. If your workouts feel hard but your strength is not moving, or you keep chasing heavier weights without feeling more solid or confident, this episode will shift how you think about effort.  What's Discussed: (02:24) Why tempo training increases results without longer workouts (03:26) The four phases of every lift and why each phase matters (04:02) How to read tempo prescriptions like 3110 in real training (09:14) Where tempo fits best, accessories, deload weeks, and plateaus (15:18) Why tempo should be limited to one to three exercises per workout (15:55) Example lower body programming using tempo selectively (16:58) Example upper body programming with tempo for accessories only (17:49) Why using too much weight defeats the purpose of tempo training Check out more from Broads:Website: https://www.broads.app Check out more from Tara LaFerrara:Website: http://taralaferrara.com   Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: https://youtube.com/@TaraLaferrara  
• 126: How to Build Muscle Fear of Getting Bulky or Food Guilt - Jessica Burke 03.02.2026 55min

  Training starts to feel heavy when the goal is shrinking instead of becoming capable. What began as a viral moment around a meatball sub exposed something deeper: how diet culture, fear of “bulking,” and quiet food rules slowly erode confidence and self-trust long before real change has a chance to stick. We dive deeper into this in the latest Broads Podcast with Jessica Burke. We also chat about why “toning” is misleading, the real difference between exercising and training with intention, what actually drives gym intimidation, and why taking up space changes far more than just the body. Jessica Burke holds a Master’s degree in Kinesiology and is CSCS certified. She is the host of The Strength Chick Podcast and works as a strength and conditioning coach. Her work centers on dismantling diet culture and encouraging women to take up space in the gym and in strength and conditioning. What's Discussed: (03:39) The meatball sub moment, diet culture, and the food guilt women live by(09:19) Why training to be smaller limits what women’s bodies can do(11:16) The truth behind “toning” and how language shapes fear around building muscle(13:34) Fear of bulking as a form of avoiding discomfort and justifying inaction(17:42) The male gaze, gym intimidation, and reclaiming the right to take up space(19:33) Why exercising feels productive but training creates lasting change(34:41) Redefining effort, intensity, and what “hard” actually means in the gym(52:00) Taking up space as an identity decision, not a confidence trait Check out more from Broads:Website: http://broads.appInstagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Check out more from Tara LaFerrara:Website: http://taralaferrara.com Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: @TaraLaferrara Tiktok: @taralaferrara Check out more from Jessica Burke, CSCS, M.S.: Instagram: @coachjburke Tiktok: @coachjburkeYoutube: @coachjburke
• 125: Q&A: Why HIIT Stops Working, Why It’s Harder to See Results After 30, Why You Need More Recovery & More 27.01.2026 16min

  You’re training hard and pushing through, yet your energy is crashing and your body feels more resistant than ever. The problem isn’t effort, it’s that your body has outgrown the strategy you’re using. In this Broads Q&A episode, I answer the questions you keep asking. We get into why HIIT is keeping you tired, sore, and wired, why training like you’re 25 while living like you’re 45 stops working, and why rest isn’t lazy. It’s how your hormones stabilize. If you feel exhausted, inconsistent, or like your drive disappeared, this episode connects recovery, nervous system regulation, and real strength so you can stop forcing progress and start adapting to the body you’re actually living in. What's Discussed: (03:28) Why energy crashes are not a motivation problem but a recovery issue (07:04) Why your body stopped responding to chaotic workouts after 30 (08:35) HIIT, cortisol, inflammation, and why always training hard keeps you tired and wired (09:42) Strength training as a higher return signal without frying your nervous system (10:01) Motivation explained through dopamine, blood sugar, sleep, and safety signals (12:20) Training like you’re 25 while living a 35 to 45 year old life (13:46) Why rest supports hormone regulation and nervous system downshifting (14:15) What real self-care looks like in midlife and why it is not selfish Check out more from Broads:Website: https://www.broads.appInstagram: http://instagram.com/broads.podcast http://instagram.com/broads.app Check out more from Tara LaFerrara:Website: http://taralaferrara.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/taralaferrara Youtube: http://youtube.com/@TaraLaferraraTiktok: http://tiktok.com/@taralaferrara
• 124: How to Shape Exercise Habits Without More Motivation - Kasey Jo Orvidas 20.01.2026 56min

  Consistency doesn’t fail because of bad programming or weak discipline. It breaks down when stress, fear of failure, and identity-level beliefs override decision-making before habits ever have a chance to form. We dive deeper into this in the latest Broads episode with Kasey Jo Orvidas. We also chat about why identity drives exercise habits more than motivation, how stress shuts down self-control at the brain level, and why “I’m too busy” is usually a signal problem, not a time problem. Kasey Jo Orvidas, PhD, holds a doctorate in Psychology and is a certified health and fitness coach. She has published extensively in peer-reviewed scientific journals on mindset and health behavior change. She is also the creator of The Health Mindset Coaching Certification. What's Discussed: (06:04) Fitness identity and why seeing yourself as “not an exerciser” keeps you stuck (10:28) Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation and why wanting results isn’t enough (18:12) The prefrontal cortex and how overload shuts down self-control (22:05) Why willpower fails under chronic stress and emotional fatigue (26:41) The real reason people ghost their coach and how shame kills consistency (31:54) Authority vs psychological safety in coaching relationships (36:48) Why “I’m too busy” is usually a signal problem, not a time problem (41:32) Reducing friction for habits that stick and increasing friction for the ones that don’t Check out more from Broads: Website: www.broads.app Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app Check out more from Tara LaFerrara: Instagram: @taralaferrara Youtube: @TaraLaferrara   Check out more from Kasey Jo Orvidas, Ph.D.: Website: www.kaseyorvidas.com Instagram: @coachkaseyjo Facebook: @coachkaseyjo