Ascend Lifestyle Performance Podcast

Do you feel tired but wired? Have trouble sleeping? Brain fog? Trouble losing weight? It’s time to pay attention to two small endocrine glands that sit right on top of the kidneys, called your adrenals. The adrenals release several hormones, including cortisol. Cortisol’s main role is to prepare your body to interact with the external environment (such as to run from danger). And if cortisol levels are too high, or too low, it’s very likely you’ll have a hard time losing weight. When it comes to weight loss, we have been taught for years that to lose weight we must push harder: eat less, fast, go low carb, and do high intensity interval training. And while those tactics might work for some, they don’t work for many women, especially if you’re already leading a full life: work, family, caring for parents and a brain that doesn’t seem to turn off. I am delighted to chat with a fellow FDN, Hope Pedraza on the importance of supporting our adrenals so that we live a fit, vibrant and healthy life. In this interview

Maybe you want to eat better, drink less wine, go to bed by 10 or floss your teeth regularly. But.... "I do well for a while, and then life gets in the way and I slip back to old habits" "I can stick with it for a while, but then I just stop doing it!""I'm really good at starting, I just can't seem to keep going"  If so, you're in the right place. We THINK that creating a plan (even a realistic plan) is enough, but it's not. You must have a process to stay focused on your goals. Every. Single. Day.  In this podcast, I share a simple process to keep your goals in the forefront of your mind so that you no longer forget you had  a weight loss goal when work gets busy or there's donuts in the staff room.  I'm glad you're here because you deserve to feel good. -Tanja x When you’re ready to take the next step, here’s how I can help. ⭐️  FREE Quiz: Uncover Your Weight Loss Roadblock. Take this 2 minute quiz get your personalized 3 step plan to breakthrough what's keeping you stuck. www.fitvibrantquiz.com  ⭐️ Get

Fatigue? Sugar cravings? Midsection weight gain? Struggle losing weight? These are all signs of insulin resistance, and there’s at least a 1 out of 3 chance you have it (higher chance over 50). Insulin is a hormone, produced in the pancreas, that stimulates cells in the muscle, liver and fat tissue to store sugar.  Insulin resistance is simply having chronically elevated levels of insulin (also called hyperinsulinemia). Untreated, it can lead to type 2 diabetes. The problem isn’t insulin; it’s the body’s response to insulin. Cells in your muscles, body fat and liver stop responding to the signal that the hormone insulin is trying to send out - which is to take glucose out of the bloodstream and store it in cells. In this week's podcast I share: ✔︎ Why we get insulin resistance in the first place and why you should care ✔︎ How to tell if you are insulin resistant ✔︎ How to become more insulin sensitive and possibly reverse insulin resistance  I'm glad you're here, -Tanja x When you’re ready to take the next

So you've gained weight... now what? If you're like most women I work with (and like myself), your tendency is to either:   Get frustrated, and then 'get serious' by getting on a new diet, working out harder or being more restrictive OR Get frustrated and give up. Neither are the best choice if your goal is sustainable weight loss and freedom from the diet obsession. Join me in this week's podcast as I share a third (and better) option if you gained a few pounds. I'm glad that you're here, Tanja x When you’re ready to take the next step, here’s how I can help. ⭐️  FREE Quiz: Uncover Your Weight Loss Roadblock. Take this 2 minute quiz get your personalized 3 step plan to breakthrough what's keeping you stuck. www.fitvibrantquiz.com  ⭐️ Get the Wake Up Call: Inspiration and Motivation to become a fitter, healthier, more confident and happier version of yourself, every single day. www.fitvibrant50.com/thewakeupcall ⭐️ Join the Fit + Vibrant You Facebook Community! ⭐️ Subscribe to the Fit + Vibrant You Podcast

Do you feel like you're worthy of feeling good? Getting the life you want? Losing weight? Chances are, your first answer is YES.  But think about it for a moment... do you? Do you love and respect yourself? Are you on your own side? Do you speak kindly to yourself? Do you believe in yourself? I just received two emails this week from two clients about their journey to worthiness.  "I finally figured out I was worthy of love and started to love myself." "You and your program revealed to me the areas of my life that were preventing me from loving me and my worth and keeping me in an endless cycle of helplessness and hopelessness." I believe that you are worth it. I believe you deserve to feel good. And I'm glad that you're here. Press play and let's dive in! -Tanja x  Join my live training to Break Free from Self Sabotage.  It's FREE and it's happening this month!

In the past few weeks I have received many questions from podcast listeners about inner peace. More specifically, the question is "why can't I find inner peace?". Inner peace refers to a "deliberate state of either psychological or spiritual calmness despite the potential presence of stressors." Norman Vincent Peale says “the life of inner peace, being harmonious and without stress, is the easiest type of existence.”  It sounds nice... so how do we get there? That, my friend, is exactly what we're going to dive into in this podcast episode. Hit play and let's talk! I'm glad that you are here, Tanja x Remember to join my live training to Break Free from Self Sabotage. 

If you’re stuck in a pattern that you don’t like, this podcast is for YOU. Here’s the truth: you already know HOW TO break through it. The internet is full of HOW TO advice: ✔︎ 5 Steps to Overcome Emotional Eating ✔︎ 3 Ways to Stop Nighttime Eating ✔︎ 6 Secrets to Losing Weight After 50 But if you’re still stuck in a pattern that you don’t like, stop searching for more HOW TO information.  Instead, ask yourself:  “Do I WANT TO?” You might be thinking “of course I do!” And I believe you. But I also believe that your current pattern, the one you want so badly to overcome is also serving you. Friend, join me in the podcast for an honest conversation about your patterns, and the beliefs that are getting in your way.  I’m glad that you’re here, Tanja x  

I  LOVE this time of year. As we get set to welcome a New Year, it's the perfect time to pause, reflect and set inspired goals for 2023. Inspired goals are different from New Year's Resolutions or the more standard goals such as "lose weight, eat more veggies, start exercising and so on. It's a process I do every single year with my team, my family, my husband and myself. And this year, I invite you to do it with me. This podcast is a recording from a live workshop I hosted on this powerful process to reflect on 2022 and set inspiring, meaningful goals for 2023. I am so excited for 2023 because of this process, and I'm excited to share it with you. So, grab your journal and a pen, block off a bit of time, and let’s dive in! The best is yet to come. Love, Tanja x

Let's talk self sabotage and WHY you do it. You might think that if I WANT to lose weight, then why do I keep reverting to old habits? if you WANT it so badly, so why do I keep slipping off plan when you start to lose some weight? Or why do I start each day with great intentions but end up face first in the ice cream after dinner? Enter self sabotage (no applause required) Take a deep breath. It’s normal. You’re not broken. You’re human.  Friend, let’s have a chat about ending self sabotage so that you can finally have the body and life you want… and deserve.  In this podcast I break down the three layers of self sabotage so that you can stop getting in your own way. When you’re ready to take the next step, here’s how I can help. ⭐️  FREE Quiz: Uncover Your Weight Loss Roadblock. Take this 2 minute quiz get your personalized 3 step plan to breakthrough what's keeping you stuck. www.fitvibrantquiz.com  ⭐️ Get the Wake Up Call: Inspiration and Motivation to become a fitter, healthier, more confident and happier

Relationships are a big part of life, and this week I am thrilled to bring on Jennifer Hurvitz, relationship and dating expert to help us THRIVE in our relationships. Jennifer is known for her no-nonsense approach to all things relationships and is proud to say she's made quite the career out of disastrous circumstances...her divorce. She's a Relationship Expert, Dating Coach, best-selling author, and host of the award-winning Doing Relationships Right podcast. No matter where you are in your current relationship- newly divorced, never been married and still searching for the ‘perfect mate’, or 30 years into your marriage, you’re going to experience an ‘aha moment’ in this episode. Join us for some real talk as Jennifer calls out some of the most common relationship mistakes (and yes, I've definitely done them!), how to have a difficult conversation, as well as simple daily practices to strengthen your relationship. Connect with Jenn online: https://www.jenniferhurvitz.com/ https://www.instagram.com/doingrela

Sticking to a healthy eating plan and regular exercise routine can be a challenge any day of the year. During the holidays, however, festive feasts, willpower-impairing spirits, and tempting chocolate truffles team up to challenge even the most resolute health nut.  Unfortunately, the fear of putting on a few pounds, the stress of making too many ‘food choices’, or the feeling of guilt after indulging in too many shortbread cookies can overshadow holiday joy.  Stress and guilt around food choices is counterproductive to keeping healthy and enjoying the holidays. Fortunately, you CAN look and feel your best during the holidays! Follow these tips to thrive during the holidays: to fully enjoy the holiday season without ringing in the New Year feeling like the jolly man himself.  In this episode of the Fit and Vibrant You Podcast, I share one POWERFUL mindset shift and one powerful strategy to apply so that you can enjoy the holidays AND feel good in your body. Fit and vibrant women don’t choose between enjoying

Weight loss might be a high priority for you, but it's not for your body. Your body's first priority is survival. And if you are chronically stressed, your body will prioritize stress management (survival) over your metabolism.  But stress isn't just work deadlines, a tight budget and rush hour traffic. There are many other stressors that you might not even be aware of, and yet they are impacting how you feel (and yes, your ability to lose weight) every single day. Press play and join me for a bit of science, strategies and mindset shifts to manage stress and live a vibrant life.  -Tanja x When you’re ready to take the next step, here’s how I can help. ⭐️  FREE Quiz: Uncover Your Weight Loss Roadblock. Take this 2 minute quiz get your personalized 3 step plan to breakthrough what's keeping you stuck. www.fitvibrantquiz.com  ⭐️ Get the Wake Up Call: Inspiration and Motivation to become a fitter, healthier, more confident and happier version of yourself, every single day. www.fitvibrant50.com/thewakeupcall ⭐

The two questions I get asked the most often are: "How do I get motivated?" and  "How do I get more consistent?" If you're like most people, you feel inspired, motivated, and enthusiastic when you start a project or program. But over time, that motivation wanes.  You feel less excited to close the kitchen after dinner. You feel less enthusiastic about drinking sparkling water instead of wine.  You feel less motivated to get up before sunrise to go to the gym. In the past, you've given up. You slipped back into old habits and patterns.  This time, let's do something different. Take a listen to this episode for a new perspective on enthusiasm. -Tanja x When you’re ready to take the next step, here’s how I can help. ⭐️  FREE Quiz: Uncover Your Weight Loss Roadblock. Take this 2 minute quiz get your personalized 3 step plan to breakthrough what's keeping you stuck. www.fitvibrantquiz.com  ⭐️ Get the Wake Up Call: Inspiration and Motivation to become a fitter, healthier, more confident, and happier version of

Instead of learning tools and mindset strategies to overcome sugar cravings, wouldn't it be better if you didn't have them in  the first place? I USED to think overcoming sugar cravings was just about mindset; and while I still think mindset is important, it's not everything. There's a lot we can DO to minimize cravings, so that we don't need to practice our mindset ninjas skills every night when the oreos call. And that's exactly what we're going to do in this podcast. Grab your device, hit play and let's chat! -Tanja x When you’re ready to take the next step, here’s how I can help. ⭐️  FREE Quiz: Uncover Your Weight Loss Roadblock. Take this 2 minute quiz get your personalized 3 step plan to breakthrough what's keeping you stuck. www.fitvibrantquiz.com  ⭐️ Get the Wake Up Call: Inspiration and Motivation to become a fitter, healthier, more confident and happier version of yourself, every single day. www.fitvibrant50.com/thewakeupcall ⭐️ Join the Fit + Vibrant You Facebook Community! ⭐️ Subscribe to the

Friend, I don't know about you, but I often need to hear things more than once before they sink in. I need to REMIND myself of helpful tools and mindset shifts often. I can listen to a podcast or read a book and feel motivated and inspired, and then go take action. But then, as the days and weeks pass, I can find myself drifting into unhelpful thoughts and old patterns. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone

Chances are, if you're reading this or listening to this podcast, you want to lose weight without the diet obsession. You want to get to your happy, healthy weight and STAY there. You want to get consistent and stay consistent. You don't want to think about food all the time. I hear you. What you want IS possible, but the path to get there is not a straight line. It can be messy, it can feel uncomfortable, and some of the steps to get there might not lead to weight loss. In fact, some even might have you gaining some weight.  I recorded this podcast to remind you that we are playing the LONG game. I also share something that I've never shared on the podcast before.  I'm glad you're here. I'm on this journey with you.  Press play and let's really talk about what this journey actually looks like. -Tanja x When you’re ready to take the next step, here’s how I can help. ⭐️  Learn the 3 Critical Mistakes women 50+ make when trying to lose weight, and what to do instead at www.fitvibrantguide.com ⭐️ Get the Wa

Menopause is NOT just about your hormones. Yes, you read that right! While hormones might be the first thing you think of when you think of menopause, if you want to thrive in perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause, there are many other factors you must consider. If you want to feel good at this stage of your life (and I don't know who wouldn't!) you're going to love my interview with Jennifer Harrington. Jennifer (Jenn) Harrington is a Naturopath who specializes in naturally supporting women transitioning into menopause. She is the Clinical Director of Menopause Natural Solutions and author of "From Invisible to Invincible, the natural menopause revolution. We get a bit sciencey, but I firmly believe that the more you understand WHY the habits that Jenn recommends are important, you'll be more inclined to do them. I also believe that when you understand a bit about how your body works, you'll be able to ask better questions and have a more active role alongside your healthcare practitioner. Join our conv

Can food freedom and weight loss goals co-exist? Can you love your body and still want to lose weight? Can you have discipline without rigidity? In a world of polarized views, it's easy to fall into the trap of black and white thinking, and to end up confused and stuck in a pattern or all-or-nothing actions. If you want to find that middle ground of consistency and sustainability, WHILE getting results and loving the journey, you're going to want to listen to my conversation with Jess Brown. We cover:

"When you’re not used to being confident, confidence feels like arrogance. When you’re used to being passive, assertiveness feels like aggression. When you’re not used to getting your needs met, prioritizing yourself feels selfish. Your comfort zone is not a good benchmark." One of our members posted this quote from Dr. Vassilia (@junocounseling) to our members' Facebook group a while back. It's the kind of thing you see on social media and think 'so true'... and then move on to the next thing. Let's dive in to this a bit more. I think there's a lot that we can take from these words, and apply to our journey. Hit play on the podcast and let's go! -Tanja x When you’re ready to take the next step, here’s how I can help. ⭐️  Learn the 3 Critical Mistakes women 50+ make when trying to lose weight, and what to do instead at www.fitvibrantguide.com ⭐️ Get the Wake Up Call: Inspiration and Motivation to become a fitter, healthier, more confident and happier version of yourself, every single day. www.fitvibrant5

I said the D Word! Call it a diet, lifestyle, eating habits, I am simply referring to the food that you put into your mouth. Undoubtedly, what you put into your body impacts how your body looks, functions, and how you feel. There are plenty of eating styles and ‘diet plans’ to choose from: from Atkins to the Zone, vegan to paleo, low fat to high fat and everything in between. Proponents of each diet tout that their plan is better because of X, Y and Z, and each are backed up with plenty of before and after photos and success stories. Some even have legitimate scientific evidence to ‘prove’ that the plan works. However, you might try the latest and greatest diet and feel terrible... while your friend thrived on it. She might have lost weight while you had intense cravings and digestive issues.  There is no ‘best diet for all humans. We have different genetics, lifestyle preferences, and tastes. But there may be a ‘best diet’ or ‘best way of eating’ for you.  In this podcast I dive into a few of the key questi