She's So Lucky

In this bonus solo episode, Les is answering listener questions on everything from food, to fitness, to hair care, to racism in the wellness space. Questions include:   What have been your experiences as a Balanced Black Girl doing outdoor activities (hiking, skiing, etc.)? What are some of your favorite breakfast/lunch/dinner options? What does your wash and go hair routine look like? How did you become comfortable talking about difficult subjects?   and more!   If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook. Our Sponsors:* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balancedSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Pragati Gusmano, a Florida-based Functional Medicine Doctor and founder of Happy and Well, discusses her holistic approach to healthcare, emphasizing the importance of addressing root causes of illness rather than just symptoms. She shares insights on the unique health challenges faced by women of color, offering practical tips for prevention and lifestyle changes. The conversation also highlights the need for better representation in wellness, the role of nutrition in immune health, and navigating seasonal illnesses.

Today, we’re talking to Bri Braggs, the founder of Fertile Alchemy. Bri is a Certified Holistic Health Coach who is passionate about educating women on the importance of preconception health and create a new narrative around their fertility. Bri helps her clients take charge of their fertility and hormonal health, and helps women live more conscious, holistic lifestyles in an approachable, doable way. She has also developed her own Aromatic Oil (make sure you shoot Bri a DM @FertileAlchemy letting her know you tuned in - she’ll give you a special discount code). Currently, Bri is working on expanding her line of products and writing her first book. She is currently enrolled in yoga teacher training and considers herself a “professional” at gluten free and dairy free baking. We had an incredible conversation about fertility and reproductive health for women of color, particularly black women, and know that you are going to find so much value in this episode.   In this episode, we talk about… Common fertility and hormone-related issues for women of color. How to start tracking your cycle to better understand your reproductive health. The spiritual, mental, and emotional aspects of fertility. The disproportionate risk level of pregnancy and birth-related complications for black women, and how we can prevent putting ourselves at risk. Breaking generational patterns. Being a black woman in the wellness space (check out Bri’s Instagram post on the topic here).   RESOURCES: Fertile Alchemy Website: https://www.fertilealchemy.com/ Follow Bri on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fertilealchemy/ Follow Fertile Alchemy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fertilealchemy/ Follow Fertile Alchemy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FertileAlchemy Bri’s Aromatic Oil: https://www.fertilealchemy.com/aromaticoil/fertile-alchemy-aromatic-oil (Shoot her a DM letting her know you tuned into the show for a special discount code!)   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! Please take a moment to leave us a rating and review on iTunes.  Our Sponsors:* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balancedSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/balancedSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/balancedSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ashley McGirt, a licensed mental health therapist and founder of her own counseling services, dives into vital conversations around mental health for women of color. She emphasizes the importance of self-care and destigmatizing mental health discussions within these communities. Ashley shares insights on navigating racial trauma and the unique challenges faced by black women. She also discusses her journey to becoming a mental health advocate and offers practical mental health tips for travelers, encouraging everyone to prioritize their emotional well-being.

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/2PYAHAFOur Sponsors:* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balancedSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/balancedSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"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 CommunityOur Sponsors:* Check out Babbel: http://babbel.com/balancedSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/balancedSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.