Balanced Black Girl

Health & Fitness

balancedblackgirl
lesalfred
balancedles

Balanced Black Girl is a podcast dedicated to helping you feel your best. Tune in for approachable health, self-care, personal development, and well-being advice.

1 | Welcome to the Balanced Black Girl Podcast!

Welcome to the Balanced Black Girl Podcast - a show dedicated to reimagining health, wellness, and self-care for women of color.

In the very first episode, I (Les, your host) am introducing myself and am giving you the tea about the evolution from The Balanced Berry to Balanced Black Girl.

Thanks for listening!

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balanced

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2 | #WellnessSoWhite

In this episode, we discuss the online wellness space's diversity problem, why representation is important for everyone, and ways we can all make the wellness space more inclusive and representative for all.

Some Great Wellness WOC to Follow (not an exhaustive list! I'm sure I'm missing some great people)

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balanced

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

3 | How to Feel Confident At The Gym

Ever walk into the gym or a fitness studio and instantly feel overwhelmed? This episode will help you get past that feeling. Tune in for 8 simple, actionable tips to help you feel more confident working out in public no matter your fitness level.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balanced

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

4 | Taking Up Space with Chrissy King

Chrissy King is a Milwaukee-based ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, lifestyle coach, fitness blogger, and truth-teller. While on her own fitness journey, Chrissy was introduced to strength training and powerlifting, which helped her build confidence and inner strength. Chrissy shows her clients that fat loss and weight management don’t have to be cumbersome or restrictive. She also encourages women to love their body in every stage, regardless of size or body fat percentage.

In this episode, Chrissy and I discuss ways the wellness community can be more inclusive and representative for all, true self-care that doesn’t feel like a commodity, how to hold ourselves and each other accountable when we miss the mark with diversity and inclusivity, why it is important for women to feel comfortable taking up space, and so much more.

For more from Chrissy head to www.chrissyking.com, and follow her on Instagram (@iamchrissyking), Facebook (@chrissykingfitness), and Twitter (@iamchrissyking).

From Chrissy’s Blog:

“Is Fitness Only for Thin, White Women?”

“Words That Don’t Belong to Us: Why It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Using the World ‘Savage’”

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balanced

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

5 | Pretty, for A Black Girl

"You're pretty, for a black girl."

A back-handed compliment at best, these types of comments are often said to women of color. In this solo episode, Lestraundra is breaking down why this "compliment" is anything but, why our society's narrow definition of beauty needs to change, and ways we can all create inclusive definitions of beauty for ourselves. Whether you are a woman of color who is tired of being told you're pretty for a "____" (not true - you're just plain pretty), or you want to learn more about what women of color experience when it comes to beauty standards, you'll want to tune into this episode.

Connect with the Balanced Black Girl Podcast here:

Blog: https://www.balancedblackgirl.com

Instagram: @balancedles or @balancedblackgirlpodcast

Facebook Group: Confidence Over Comparison // BBG Podcast Community

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balanced

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

6 | Cultivating Self-Love Through Strength Training with Brittany Love

In this episode, Balanced Black Girl Founder Lestraundra Alfred sits down with Brittany Love, Seattle-based health coach, personal trainer, and cycling instructor. Brittany has had a wide range of experiences in the world of fitness. From discovering fitness in her early 20’s, to competing in bodybuilding competitions, to becoming a trainer and helping her clients build self-confidence and create balance, Brittany shares valuable insight on what it’s like to be a woman of color in the fitness industry. In this episode, they talk about how Brittany uses her platform to diversify the Seattle wellness scene, how she makes her classes and training sessions feel welcoming and inclusive for all, and how fitness can be used as a tool to build more confidence and self-love for all women. This episode will make you feel like you’re laughing with girlfriends - press play and join in the conversation!

Connect with Brittany on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curvycurl/

Workout with Brittany:

University Village Athleta: http://stores.athleta.net/store-4867/
CycleBar South Lake Union: https://southlakeunion.cyclebar.com/
Belltown Strength and Conditioning: http://www.belltownstrength.com/schedule

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balanced

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

7 | Igniting Intersectional Feminism with Allison Tenney

Today, we’re talking to fitness coach Allison Tenney.

Allison is known for her online fitness training programs and for founding the Ignited Womxn Summit, an annual wellness and leadership event that creates a space for learning through an inclusive lens.

Over the past two years, Allison has really dug into understanding the importance of diversity, inclusion, and intersectional feminism both within and beyond the fitness space. It all started after her first Ignited Womxn event that she held on the heels of the 2016 Presidential Election.

Currently, Allison is preparing for the 2019 Ignited Womxn Summit taking place in Seattle on February 9.

During this conversation, she gets incredibly candid discussing challenging topics, and we’re so grateful for her honesty and willingness to share.

In this episode, we talk about…

How the Ignited Womxn Summit came to be
Why diversity in the wellness space is so important
How those who are not a part of marginalized groups can be more supportive of those who are
What it means to do the work
Resources that can help individuals be better allies

If you haven’t already, make sure you get your ticket to the Ignited Womxn Summit! You can register HERE (make sure you register before December 10 for early bird pricing). Yours truly will be a speaker - hope to see you there!

RESOURCES:

Allison’s Website: https://allisontenneyfitness.com/

Ignited Womxn Summit: http://ignitedwomxnsummit.com/

Allison’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisontenney/

On Whiteness by Erin Brown: https://www.iamerinbrown.info/blog/2017/1/4/on-whiteness

Dr. Tee’s Foundations of Social Justice Course: https://imdrtee.com/foundationslivexxx/

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo: https://amzn.to/2PYAHAF

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balanced

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

8 | Taking Care of Our Mental Health with Ashley McGirt, MSW

Today, we’re talking to Ashley McGirt, MSW, Licensed Mental Health Therapist and founder of Ashley McGirt Counseling Services.

Ashley is an accomplished speaker, author, hospice therapist, and entrepreneur running her own private therapy practice.

Ashley specializes in helping individuals through racial trauma, grief and loss, and navigating anxiety and depression. In her practice, she uses a holistic and interactive- multicultural approach that focuses on the needs of people of color. Her interest in mental health began when she began going to therapy, but struggled to find a therapist of color she could relate to and wanted to offer the kind of help to others she wanted to receive.

She is also an avid traveler and wrote the book I Tried to Travel It Away: Mental Health Tips for Travelers to help folks create lives they don’t need a vacation from. We are so grateful for the opportunity to share her story and knowledge with the Balanced Black Girl community.

In this episode, we talk about…

How women of color can prioritize their mental health when facing racial and gender inequalities
How physical health ailments that often impact women of color can be avoided by prioritizing mental health
Ways we can destigmatize mental health
How women of color can release feelings of needing to be everything to everyone
Mental health tips for travelers

RESOURCES:

Ashley’s Website: https://www.ashleymcgirt.com/

Ashley’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapywithash/

Ashley’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McGirtCounselingServices/

Ashley’s Book “I Tried to Travel It Away”: https://www.ashleymcgirt.com/new-products/i-tried-to-travel-it-away-mental-health-tips-for-travelers

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom: https://amzn.to/2Kd3L1H

Letters to a Young Sister by Hill Harper: https://amzn.to/2S2oY0X

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balanced

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

9 | Liberation and Healing Through Yoga with Abiola Akanni

Today, we’re talking to Abiola Akanni, of Yoga by Biola.

Abiola is a wellness entrepreneur best known for the Divine Feminine Workshop, and her unique yoga format Trap Vinyasa: A Body Positive Yoga Experience.

Her yoga journey started 10 years ago after a bad drug habit and scoliosis diagnosis. Once she began applying yogic philosophy to her life she created a process of self-examination called the 5 self healing benefits of yoga in order to identify areas of growth.

Currently, Abiola is focused on getting more yoga teachers of color teaching in their communities through her upcoming Trap Vinyasa mentorship program where she will be training the next generation of teachers to share the Trap Vinyasa format.

In this episode, we talk about…

Her prior struggles with bullying and substance abuse
How yoga helped her heal through trauma and reshaped her life’s purpose
Making yoga more accessible for underrepresented communities
Her experiences as a Nigerian-American woman in the predominantly white US yoga industry
Ways to make yoga feel more inclusive and focused on body positivity

RESOURCES:

Abiola’s Website: https://www.yogabybiola.com/

Trap Vinyasa Website: https://www.trapvinyasa.com/

Abiola’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogabybiola/

Yoga by Biola on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yogabybiola/

Yoga by Biola on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yogabybiola

Subscribe to the Balanced Black Girl Newsletter: https://www.balancedblackgirl.com/subscribe

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balanced

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

10 | Creating Your Own Lane with Falesha Johnson

Today, we’re talking to Falesha Johnson. Falesha is a former professional track athlete turned empowerment speaker, speed and agility coach, and philanthropic adviser.

Inspired by her personal love of track and field, Falesha saw a need for young athletes in her area to focus on speed and agility training. She then built her athletic training company Felite Performance, to help fill this void. She strongly believes that track and field have embedded characteristics in her such as resilience, adaptability, and time management skills that she continues to use in all aspects of life.

Falesha is also a talented public speaker who leads inspiring talks on perseverance and creating a strong, authentic personal brand.

In this episode, we talk about…

Her background as a professional track and field athlete.
How she balances working full-time as a philanthropic adviser with running her own business.
The importance of representation when it comes to coaches (for youth and adults)
Setting and achieving audacious goals.
Self-care for side hustlers.

RESOURCES:

Falesha’s Website

Follow Falesha on Instagram

Follow Felite Performance on Instagram

Get your ticket to the Ignited Womxn Summit to hear Falesha and Les speak (register before December 10 for early bird pricing!).

Join the BBG Community:

Join the Balanced Black Girl Community on Facebook.

Subscribe to the Balanced Black Girl newsletter for diverse, curated content delivered to your inbox weekly.

Thanks for listening!

If you liked this episode, please take a moment to leave us a rating and review on iTunes.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balanced

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.