How to Have a Strong Sexy Pregnancy with Desi Bartlett
In a captivating dialogue with Desi Bartlett, the hosts of Women Road Warriors delve into the transformative experience of pregnancy and its accompanying challenges. Desi, a renowned expert in fitness and wellness for women, has worked with major stars like Kate Hudson, Alicia Silverstone, and even the U.S. Navy. She is the author of Your Strong, Sexy Pregnancy and owner of DesiBodyMind. Desi says pregnancy should not merely be endured but celebrated as a powerful life phase. She empowers pregnant women. She discusses the multifaceted changes that occur during pregnancy, addressing the physical discomforts and emotional fluctuations that many women experience. Rather than succumbing to societal pressures to conform to outdated ideals of beauty, Desi encourages women to cultivate a sense of empowerment through physical activity and self-care practices tailored to their unique needs. By integrating techniques such as yoga and meditation, women can foster a positive relationship with their changing bodies and enhance their overall well-being. In addition to pregnancy, Desi highlights the importance of supporting women through other significant life transitions, such as perimenopause, affirming that every stage of womanhood deserves attention and care. This episode, hosted by Shelley Johnson and Kathy Tuccaro, offers a wealth of knowledge and encouragement, urging women to embrace their journeys with strength and grace.
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Transcript
This is Women Road warriors with Shelly Johnson and Kathy Tucaro.
Speaker A:From the corporate office to the cab of a truck, they're here to inspire and empower women in all professions.
Speaker A:So gear down, sit back and enjoy.
Speaker A:Welcome.
Speaker A:We're an award winning show dedicated to empowering women in every profession through inspiring stories and expert insights.
Speaker A:No topics off limits.
Speaker A:On our show, we power women on the road to success with expert and celebrity interviews and information you need.
Speaker A:I'm Shelley.
Speaker B:And I'm Kathy.
Speaker A:Pregnancy brings many changes.
Speaker A:Some can wreak havoc with a woman.
Speaker A:From crazy mood swings, hormone changes, fatigue, bladder control issues to body changes, women.
Speaker A:Or you feel like you're carrying around a boulder that kicks you while you're trying to sleep.
Speaker A:Sometimes it's hard to even feel attractive.
Speaker A:It doesn't have to be that way.
Speaker A:Desi Bartlett is the author of youf Strong Sexy Pregnancy.
Speaker A:She's the founder of Desy Body Mind.
Speaker A:She not only teaches women how to feel strong and sexy during this exciting time of their lives, but how to navigate all of the changes women go through throughout their lives.
Speaker A:She teaches how to use meditation to bond with your baby, how to navigate perimenopause, and offers tips for moms on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle along with work and family.
Speaker A:Desi is a global ambassador for Manduka Yoga.
Speaker A:She holds a master's degree in corporate fitness.
Speaker A:She works with women all over the world, including some prominent figures like Kate Hudson, Alicia Silverstone and Ashley Tisdale, as well as the US Navy.
Speaker A:Desi's been featured by major media outlets.
Speaker A:We have Desi with us on the show today so we can tap into some of her valuable insight.
Speaker A:Welcome, Desi.
Speaker A:Thank you for being on the show with us.
Speaker C:Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker C:I'm so happy to have this conversation.
Speaker C:I also come from a place of really truly wanting to empower women through information.
Speaker C:So I feel like we are absolutely in alignment.
Speaker A:Excellent.
Speaker A:We love this.
Speaker B:Yeah, this is great.
Speaker A:You know, Desi, before we pick your brain and get some of your terrific insights, I thought our listeners would like to get to know you.
Speaker A:What got you started?
Speaker C:So I'm originally from Chicago and I grew up with a mom who was a hippie and she was a disciple of a gentleman named Goswami Kriyananda at the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago.
Speaker C:So all of that is just to tell you that I received my first mantra at at the age of six.
Speaker C:And yoga has been something that's been present in my life every day.
Speaker C:And when I went to college, I thought that I was being a rebel by going down a different path.
Speaker C:And I went on to get my degree in kinesiology, which of course took me full circle right back to yoga, because it is all connected.
Speaker C:The ancient technology of yoga and movement alongside functional fitness and biomechanics.
Speaker C:So now I am just a complete nerd when it comes to Eastern and Western philosophy.
Speaker C:And I am just really, really passionate about always making sure that the tools that I offer people are the most up to date, but also weave in the ancient wisdom because I feel like that resonates with us and it's something that we've lost, especially as women.
Speaker C:And we are the ones who carry the wisdom.
Speaker C:So it's up to us to share that with each next generation.
Speaker A:That's powerful.
Speaker A:I love this.
Speaker A:And especially the insights you're giving to women when they're pregnant, that's a heck of a change.
Speaker A:And I think we've come a long way.
Speaker A: u think about it, back in the: Speaker A:Now women are proud of their baby bump.
Speaker A:That's good.
Speaker A:But there still seems to be maybe a stigma where women feel unattractive or undesirable when they're pregnant.
Speaker A:Do you think that's part of it?
Speaker C:I think that women are never more alive than when we're pregnant.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:We're quite literally creating or co creating life inside of our bodies and we carry more blood and more oxygen.
Speaker C:And a woman who is simply sitting in the room as a pregnant goddess, as I would call her, is working 10 times harder than the rest of us because she's making lungs in the brain and vital organs.
Speaker C:So to see the power and the miracle within her and how she is really, truly so alive, I think that that that's sexy as hell.
Speaker C:That's beautiful.
Speaker C:And so I think if we could kind of reframe what we see as power, then we have the opportunity to really look at pregnant women as quite literally the, the bearers of life.
Speaker C:And so for me, from, you know, from the aspect of yoga and fitness, we've had this sort of like, really interesting shift from women, you know, being told to like lay on the couch and put their feet up for nine months to women like going to CrossFit and doing all the things and throwing tires.
Speaker C:And so where I come from is really like, let, let's find the way for each individual woman so that she can feel empowered in her own body and mind because we're all a little bit different, but at the same time, let.
Speaker C:Let's celebrate you because, oh, my goodness, like, you're amazing.
Speaker A:I think so, you know, and I think that we're getting away from the stigma.
Speaker A:It's progress there.
Speaker A:But do you run into women, though, that still feel like, gosh, you know, I don't feel like I did.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:I don't like the way I'm looking and I'm gaining too much weight.
Speaker C:Oh, for sure.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:And I think on any given day, it can change, right?
Speaker C:So one day you can wake up and you feel like, oh, my gosh, I'm.
Speaker C:I'm a goddess and my skin is glowing and my hair is thicker and, like, all of the things.
Speaker C:And then on other days, you wake up like, oh, my gosh, I.
Speaker C:I feel fat and I've got a zit.
Speaker C:So, yeah, it runs the gamut.
Speaker C:But I really encourage women to, you know, kind of pause and meditate and go within and connect with the baby inside.
Speaker C:And I feel like when you start your day that way, then you move into the world with such a sense of empowerment that, like, really, you know, if you.
Speaker C:If you gain a few pounds.
Speaker C:Well, a.
Speaker C:You're supposed to, because, again, you know, you are.
Speaker C:You're building structures within you.
Speaker C:But I always try to reframe it for women.
Speaker C:So I never say terrible things like, oh, you're getting so big.
Speaker C:I say, oh, wow, your baby is growing.
Speaker C:Good job, Mom.
Speaker C:So it really has to do with the language that we approach pregnant women with, in my opinion.
Speaker B:I gotta tell you, when I was pregnant with my daughter 31 years ago, I never felt more beautiful in my entire life.
Speaker B:And I modeled, you know, back in the day, and I still do modeling now, but I never.
Speaker B:Does nothing come close as to when I was pregnant.
Speaker B:I mean, I slept naked.
Speaker B:I mean, I loved it.
Speaker B:I felt like such a woman.
Speaker B:I'm like, yeah, look.
Speaker A:Yeah, it is a miracle when you think about it.
Speaker A:I mean, nobody else can do it.
Speaker A:Women can, you know.
Speaker B:Oh, I loved it.
Speaker B:It's just.
Speaker B:I mean, sure.
Speaker B:I mean, there's also the morning sickness and whatever else that comes with it, but, man, I had a Mars bar a day.
Speaker B:It was great.
Speaker A:But, Desi, would you say that there's still people that will walk up to a pregnant woman and say, well, how far along are you?
Speaker A:And, wow, you're getting big.
Speaker A:Which is not the appropriate thing to say, or total strangers will just touch a woman's belly?
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:And I think that's so bizarre.
Speaker C:And why we think we have the right to just touch someone's body at any point, at any time, I have no idea what I found.
Speaker C:It was really interesting.
Speaker C:So when I was pregnant the first time, I was living in Los Angeles and I was working, working at a yoga studio and then also at Gold's Gym, Venice.
Speaker C:And what I found was just the sweetest thing.
Speaker C:It was like the really big bodybuilders that, you know, are just huge, like 250 pound men that, you know, get up on stage and pose and all the things.
Speaker C:Those were the ones who would come to me with so much humility and say, you look really pretty, can I touch your belly?
Speaker C:And I'm like, oh my gosh, yes, of course.
Speaker C:It was so touching and so endearing.
Speaker C:But then sometimes, and I love women, this is nothing against women, but sometimes women would want to share their pregnancy stories that were a little bit scary and want to bond that way, you know, like, oh my gosh, let me tell you what happened to me when I was pregnant.
Speaker C:And I'm like, no, that's okay.
Speaker C:Yeah, I think we just need to, you know, take a beat and be really mindful about how we have these conversations with other pregnant women.
Speaker C:Especially because like at this age, I'm 53, I have a 16 year old and an 11 year old and I work with pregnant women every day and I really, really want to respect that.
Speaker C:Each woman has her own experience and I never want to put my experiences on her unless she asks, if she says, hey, you know, my doctor says I need to be induced, do you know about that?
Speaker C:Then I can pull from my own experience and share that.
Speaker C:But I'm not going to just pull out the stories to, to bond.
Speaker A:Well, when you think about it, some of those stories are just absolutely like going to a horror film.
Speaker A:Who really wants to hear some of this?
Speaker A:It's like, oh my goodness, this is what I have to look forward to.
Speaker A:Yeah, people don't use their heads.
Speaker C:And I'm finding the same thing, honestly, Shelly and Kathy, I'm finding the same thing with like perimenopause and menopause.
Speaker C:So I love to work with women through all impactful transitions, whether that's pregnancy, new motherhood, perimenopause, menop, menopause and the things that people say.
Speaker C:I'm just like, oh goodness, please take a moment and think before you put your experience on a woman.
Speaker C:And so a lot of what I do in my work is to listen and to create safe space so that she can truly tell me what her experience is.
Speaker C:So if I.
Speaker C:If I work with her, then I know, hey, you know what?
Speaker C:What's the magic recipe today?
Speaker C:Do we need more weight training?
Speaker C:Do we need more meditation?
Speaker C:Do we need.
Speaker C:Do we just really need to have a conversation and go for a walk?
Speaker C:But I really want to honor where she is on any given day.
Speaker A:I love this.
Speaker A:That's so important.
Speaker A:Now, how does a woman feel strong and sexy during pregnancy?
Speaker A:How do they accomplish that?
Speaker A:Because I'm sure, like you said, some days they feel terrific, Other days they're like, oh, my.
Speaker C:I think a lot of it has to do with.
Speaker C:With strength.
Speaker C:And so some of that is going to be strength training, because in order to walk around and feel empowered in that pregnancy and carry the weight of that beautiful baby, if your back hurts all the time because your belly's pulling forward and perhaps, you know, you don't have a lot of core strength, that's really uncomfortable.
Speaker C:So it's my job to, you know, show her how can you work your core safely at this time?
Speaker C:Obviously, she's not doing crunches or anything like that, but I can empower her with stabilization exercises and elongate her lower back through the practice of yoga so that she feels really strong and can stand up tall like a queen instead of, you know, dumping her belly forward and standing like a pregnant lady with a backache.
Speaker C:It's just kind of reframing all of these different ways that we show up in the world.
Speaker C:And physical strength, in my opinion, is a.
Speaker C:A way to tap into both emotional and mental strength as well.
Speaker C:So if I can get her stronger and feeling a little bit better in her body, then 99% of the time, she's going to feel that in her mind and her heart.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:That's not something doctors tell women either.
Speaker C:You are 100% correct.
Speaker C:Unfortunately, in this country, we do not have enough time with our ob gyn.
Speaker C:If that person has a few minutes for us before they need to run out, you know, for a labor and delivery or another appointment, then we're lucky.
Speaker C:So if we get 10 minutes with a doctor, it's kind of like, oh, score.
Speaker C:But we don't have the opportunity to ask all of the questions, nor do the doctors have the time to share with us.
Speaker C:What does exercise look like at this time?
Speaker C:We need that information.
Speaker C:And so for me, when I was pregnant, I.
Speaker C:I just really found, like, this huge vacuum that no one was doing what I needed.
Speaker C:I needed somebody to show me how I could move safely, how I could exercise safely, and really, really Feel strong from the inside out as a pregnant woman.
Speaker C:And what I found was I would go to classes, and they were like, let's go five more.
Speaker C:And I'm like, yeah, no, that's not my vibe while I'm nine months pregnant.
Speaker C:Or they'd invite me to lay down and, like, take a nap for an hour.
Speaker C:And I.
Speaker C:I just needed to find balance, like, you know, like Goldilocks.
Speaker C:Like, this one's too hard.
Speaker C:This one's too easy.
Speaker C:And I.
Speaker C:I went inside in deep meditation, and I asked the baby inside of me.
Speaker C:I said, please guide me.
Speaker C:Please show me what feels good to you and how I can move my body so that you feel safe, too.
Speaker C:And so that's really important to me.
Speaker C:Anytime I'm working with a pregnant goddess, we are going to say hello to that baby first, because that baby's present, you know, and it's like your roommate.
Speaker C:So we want to be respectful of who you're sharing your body with.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker B:Yeah, me too.
Speaker B:That sounded good.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So is it kind of like achieving harmony?
Speaker C:Yes, exactly.
Speaker C:Exactly.
Speaker C:And another word would be balance.
Speaker C:And so.
Speaker C:Or we can go with harmony.
Speaker C:Both of these words can be verbs, right?
Speaker C:You know, finding balance or harmonizing.
Speaker C:And it is a daily practice, so we don't just wake up every day harmonized or balanced.
Speaker C:We have to go within and we have to find.
Speaker C:What is the practice for me today?
Speaker C:Is it journaling?
Speaker C:Is it going to the gym?
Speaker C:Is it going to the yoga studio?
Speaker C:Oh, my gosh.
Speaker C:Wait.
Speaker C:I don't have enough time to do all those things.
Speaker C:Can I do some of these things at home?
Speaker C:And that, again, is where I come in.
Speaker C:And I've got books and videos, and I work with folks on Zoom.
Speaker C:I do all of the things so that that pregnant goddess feels like she's got the tools at her fingertips.
Speaker C:She does not have to drive for an hour to a studio and then, you know, leave her older children at home and spend $300 in the process.
Speaker C:We have ways to do this so that it's.
Speaker C:It's available to everyone.
Speaker A:Stay tuned for more of Women Road warriors coming up.
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Speaker A:Desi Bartlett is on a mission to celebrate pregnancy.
Speaker A:Not just get through it, but actually celebrate it.
Speaker A:She's the author of your Strong Sexy Pregnancy and the founder of Desi Body Mind.
Speaker A:Her approach helping women feel strong, sexy and confident not only during pregnancy, but through all the big transitions we go through, from bonding with your baby through meditation to navigating perimenopause and balancing the chaos of work, family and self care.
Speaker A:Desi teaches women techniques on how to be strong and stable during their entire pregnancy and beyond.
Speaker A:Desi is no stranger to the global wellness scene.
Speaker A:She's a global ambassador for Manduka Yoga, holds a Master's in corporate Fitness, and has worked with incredible women like Kate Hudson, Alicia Silverstone, Ashley Tisdale, and even the US Navy.
Speaker A:She's been featured by major media outlets and today she's here on our show.
Speaker A:She's been giving Kathy and I some incredible information.
Speaker A:Desi, what are some of the biggest issues women bring to you when they're pregnant?
Speaker C:Oh my goodness, there's so many and it really runs the gamut.
Speaker C:You know, it could be morning sickness, it could be not Feeling sexy.
Speaker C:It can be just really, really confused about, like, what's safe?
Speaker C:You know, is this exercise safe?
Speaker C:What about Pilates?
Speaker C:What about spinning?
Speaker C:What about all the things?
Speaker C:And so we, we have to realize that, you know, in, in our society, in, in my opinion, we live in this world of like 60 to 90 second sound bites and they can be great and give you like a, a high level opinion on something.
Speaker C:But we're all individuals.
Speaker C:And if you say, is Pilates safe?
Speaker C:Can I give you a blanket statement?
Speaker C:Yeah, of course.
Speaker C:But we need to make sure that we're working with an instructor who understands prenatal modifications.
Speaker C:We need to know if this pregnant woman has anything going on, like placenta previa or anything which is placental disruption, anything that's going on in her body that requires exercise modification and, or simply stepping away.
Speaker C:So it's really, really nuanced.
Speaker C:And so that was part of why I wrote your strong, sexy pregnancy.
Speaker C:It's like a love letter to pregnant goddesses so that they have all of this information at their fingertips and they can check out like, hey, can I do this?
Speaker C:What, what can I eat?
Speaker C:How can I move?
Speaker C:And all of the things like jogging.
Speaker B:I'm sure that that comes up.
Speaker B:Can I jog while I'm pregnant?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Amen, sister.
Speaker C:Yes, it does.
Speaker C:And so the, the general rule is if you are not doing it before pregnancy, pregnancy is not the time to begin.
Speaker C:But right.
Speaker C:If you were doing it before pregnancy, generally speaking, you can continue.
Speaker C:You just have to gauge how you feel and we look at how you feel afterwards.
Speaker C:So let's say you went for that power walk and then you needed a three hour nap.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:So you're giving women the tools they need.
Speaker A:And I would imagine they have better outcomes too.
Speaker A:They feel better through the entire nine months and maybe it even makes for an easier delivery.
Speaker A:Is that a possibility?
Speaker C:Very much so.
Speaker C:I get love letters from mommies all the time thanking me for helping them have a labor and delivery that was much, much easier.
Speaker C:And then if you want to get into research and data, because I also teach other prenatal instructors how to teach prenatal yoga and fitness.
Speaker C:So I come with research and data and I want them to know, like, hey, why the heck do we do this?
Speaker C:It has been shown that babies have higher APGAR scores.
Speaker C:APGAR score simply means their ability to adapt to the external environment outside of the belly.
Speaker C:And they have higher APGAR scores when they are born from a woman who was active in exercise, whether that's weight training, yoga, all the things.
Speaker C:So it helps mommy to feel better in labor and delivery.
Speaker C:It helps baby to adjust to the outside world.
Speaker C:And then when we get into that harmony of mommy and baby living together in those first few months, they both are set up for success.
Speaker A:That's excellent.
Speaker A:You also cover how to use meditation to bond with your baby.
Speaker A:That sounds really interesting.
Speaker A:How does that work?
Speaker B:I was just gonna say that so.
Speaker C:I'll share this because I'm sure that there's more than a few women out there who might have had a similar experience.
Speaker C:I did not necessarily have the best relationship with my mom.
Speaker C:It was very emotionally challenging.
Speaker C:And so when I look back and I think, like, wow, what.
Speaker C:What if we open the line of communication so much younger and so much earlier, so there wasn't so much stuff to work through.
Speaker C:And what if that line of communication could be open when the baby's still in utero?
Speaker C:And you can speak on a soul level and you can ask that baby things like, what's your name?
Speaker C:You know, what name do you want to be given?
Speaker C:And how can I support you?
Speaker C:And I love you so much.
Speaker C:And then also, as mothers allowing ourselves to receive.
Speaker C:So I remind mommies all the time in meditation, sit back and feel the love that your baby has for you.
Speaker C:Out of all of the millions of possibilities in the universe, you and your baby came together.
Speaker C:And I believe in reincarnation and soul contracts and all of that kind of philosophy.
Speaker C:So I believe that the baby chose you for a reason.
Speaker C:So let's open the conversation and find out why.
Speaker A:Interesting.
Speaker B:You know, I agree with that 100%.
Speaker B:I know when I.
Speaker B:It was my only pregnancy with my daughter, and my mom had said, you know, if you connect that bond immediately by constantly rubbing your belly and talking to it, and you can.
Speaker B:You can pre ordain almost how that baby will look, you can kind of say, well, okay, I want.
Speaker B:I would like, love for you to have, like, my lips or, you know, or my eyes or, you know, my personality wise.
Speaker B:What you can.
Speaker B:What you kind of wish.
Speaker B:And so I did that.
Speaker B:And then I'd kind of look at her dad, and I'm like, what do I want her to have from him?
Speaker B:And I'm like, okay, maybe his height.
Speaker C:But that's about it.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker B:But it turned out seven months pregnant when I had the.
Speaker B:I had a whole bunch of issues, but through the.
Speaker B:One of the final ultrasounds, her face was right plastered against my belly, and she looked exactly like me.
Speaker B:And I'm like, oh, my God, it worked.
Speaker C:It worked.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:We have a really, really close bond.
Speaker B:But speaking of, you said soul contracts and that when she was two, she came up to me or two and a half and said that she remembered being in this light before.
Speaker B:And she, before she came down and she remembered, she described how I was in the bed and her dad, she saw the picture and she said she made an agreement with whoever.
Speaker B:And the minute she said, yes, I choose this family, she remembers just falling from the light and into me and that was it.
Speaker B:What two year old says that?
Speaker C:Wow, that is so beautiful, Kathy.
Speaker C:I've got my hand on my heart right now, just bowing my head.
Speaker C:That is so beautiful.
Speaker C:Thank you so much for sharing that story.
Speaker C:And I think that there are so many parents who have had, you know, similar conversations with their children where the, the child speaks beyond their years.
Speaker C:And it just deserves so much respect and gratitude and oh my goodness, I love that story.
Speaker C:Thank you.
Speaker A:That is powerful.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:So, Desi, you work with women on all kinds of different topics.
Speaker A:Like you were saying, navigating perimenopause, menopause, and all of the different changes we go through.
Speaker A:I would imagine you tailor your programs to each woman based on their needs, right?
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:So my second book is called Total body Secrets to looking and feeling your best after age 35.
Speaker C:And Kate Hudson wrote the forward for that, which is pretty cool.
Speaker C:I'm very thankful.
Speaker A:Oh yeah.
Speaker C:I wrote that book with two co authors, Nicole Stewart and Andrea Orbeck.
Speaker C:And we wrote it during COVID because we really wanted to share all of our expertise.
Speaker C:So me coming more from yoga, Nicole more from Pilates, and then Andrea more from functional fitness.
Speaker C:And we brought all of our skills together so that women would have an easier time of moving through the perimenopausal transition.
Speaker C:So menopause is one day in time, and it simply is a demarcation of 12 months of not having your cycle.
Speaker C:Everything before that is premenopausal.
Speaker C:Everything after that is post menopausal.
Speaker C:Perimenopause is the time around the transition.
Speaker C:And it can last eight to 10 years.
Speaker C:And there's a constellation of up to 77 symptoms.
Speaker C:And so I'm right in the middle of my doctoral dissertation right now about working with yoga as a way to mitigate the perimenopausal transition.
Speaker C:See, I'm just a science nerd.
Speaker C:At the end of the day, I love to gather all this information so I can help, help everybody feel really, really good.
Speaker A:So how do women mitigate those symptoms?
Speaker A:And not all women have the same symptoms?
Speaker A:Certainly.
Speaker C:Yes, for sure.
Speaker C:And so the most common symptom would be hot flashes.
Speaker C:And that can affect up to 75% of women.
Speaker C:And for some women, HRT hormonal replacement therapy is going to be the right choice, and for other women, it's not the right choice because their body can't tolerate it.
Speaker C:And so we.
Speaker C:We need to have the conversation individually, both with our doctors and honestly with ourselves.
Speaker C:How do I feel today?
Speaker C:You know, am I feeling moody and bitchy and hot and sweaty, or am I feeling pretty good and like, oh, gosh, I'm not sure what I did yesterday, but wow, I feel good today.
Speaker C:So really kind of looking back at the patterns and taking note, you know, every day, maybe just on a scale of 1 to 10, you write down how you felt that day, write down maybe a little bit of what you ate and what you drank so that you can start to see what.
Speaker C:What set me up for success.
Speaker C:Was it because I went for that walk with my friend and I was able to share my emotions?
Speaker C:Was it because I went to the gym and I'm strength training and so I.
Speaker C:I'm preventing some of that bone loss?
Speaker C:There's so many different things that go into it, but again, because it's such a huge conversation, I.
Speaker C:I wrote a whole book, and I made sure that there's video programs available as well.
Speaker C:You can find those on Daily Ohm.
Speaker C:So I've got all kinds of programs online because I want to make sure, again, that every woman has the tools that she needs at any phase of life.
Speaker C:Because I felt like I didn't.
Speaker C:And so I.
Speaker C:I created it.
Speaker A:This is empowering.
Speaker C:That's awesome.
Speaker A:Yes, it is.
Speaker A:Terrific.
Speaker A:Well, and when you think about it, the change is what it used to be called.
Speaker A:It seems to still be kind of a taboo subject.
Speaker A:People don't talk about it enough.
Speaker A:Doctors will just say, well, I can put you on, you know, some hormones, they don't really have answers, and the outcomes can be different.
Speaker A:And I don't think women don't have to fall apart.
Speaker A:I think that they think when they're going through this change that everything's going south, you know?
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:And sometimes when we go to the doctor, you know, some of them are absolutely fantastic.
Speaker C:And I don't want to slam doctors in, like a blanket statement, but others leave something to be desired.
Speaker C:And I remember going to the doctor and telling her, you know, I feel like my cycle is so heavy, and I just don't know what to do about it.
Speaker C:And she said, well, we can get you an ablation And I'm like, well, why would I want to have this major surgical intervention?
Speaker C:This was two years ago at 51, when the average age of menopause in the United States is 51.
Speaker C:Why don't we just wait and is there anything you can help me with, like right now?
Speaker C:So you gotta do your homework and you have to learn what's out there.
Speaker C:And really, really, I encourage women to advocate for yourself and get blood work and find the right doctor because you deserve it.
Speaker A:Very true.
Speaker A:Kathy, didn't you go through an ablation?
Speaker B:I did, I did.
Speaker B:Mine was really, really, really bad.
Speaker B:Like, and for the last, it just, it was just getting worse and worse and worse.
Speaker B: And I had my ablation in: Speaker B:Oh my God.
Speaker B:It, for me, it was exactly, exactly what I needed.
Speaker B:It was, yeah, it was a godsend.
Speaker B:It's, I've 100%, I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am.
Speaker C:That's the whole thing, Kathy.
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker C:Like, it's 100% right for you and it was 100% not right for me.
Speaker C:And because we have different stages of our life, we need to know where we are and we need to be able to speak up and say, yeah, give me that.
Speaker C:I, you know, this is too much and I've got more time here or no thanks.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And I mean, I mean, I sit in equipment for, for 14 hours, 13 hours a day.
Speaker B:There's no, no bathrooms.
Speaker B:It was just horrible.
Speaker B:Like, horrible, horrible.
Speaker B:It would last me for 14, 16 days at a time.
Speaker B:And oh my God.
Speaker B:Anyway.
Speaker B:Yeah, but what I've done recently, just because there's still changes going on, like I'm, I'm going to be 56 this year, is I started Arivida.
Speaker B:I went to see a practitioner and because I do yoga and it's kind of like a mind, health and spirit, the whole thing.
Speaker B:And I have found that I'm all, I'm feeling a hundred percent better than what I was six months ago, just from slight changes and different ways of eating, different ways of looking at my life and what, what am I consuming, whether it's the things that I watch on TV or music or.
Speaker B:It's all encompassing, right?
Speaker B:And incorporating herbs and incorporating diet changes like removing the sugar and the caffeine and the, you know, all the good stuff.
Speaker B:But I'm doing a hundred day trial and I already feel better, so.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:And that's, that's ayurvedic medicine.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Okay, yeah.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:And so what they're doing is they're.
Speaker C:They're looking at, are you Kapha Pitta or Vata?
Speaker B:Vata.
Speaker B:I'm Vata Pitta.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So most people are a combination of two.
Speaker C:So for those people who are listening and wondering, like, what the heck are they talking about?
Speaker C:From India, there's this beautiful practice, a tradition called ayurvedic medicine.
Speaker C:And most people have heard of, like, Deepak Chopra, and he.
Speaker C:He helped to bring it over to the US and we look at people and we say, are you Vata, which tends to be like that really, really fast mind?
Speaker C:And are you Pitta, which tends to be like, a little bit more muscular?
Speaker C:And those folks very often have, like, a ruddy complexion, and they're organizers and they're strong, and they just, like, look at a dumbbell and get stronger.
Speaker C:It's.
Speaker C:It's frustrating, and I'm jealous.
Speaker C:Like, I love them.
Speaker C:Then Kapha.
Speaker C:Kapha tends to be a little bit more fleshy and.
Speaker C:And sensual, and they get the best hugs.
Speaker C:But each one has.
Speaker C:Pardon me, each one has a.
Speaker C:A sensitivity point.
Speaker C:And so for Vata, for example, it's wind.
Speaker C:And, you know, having too much wind can be balanced by things like teas and things like root vegetables can help to ground all that wind so you don't feel spacey.
Speaker C:So again, I've.
Speaker C:I've studied from all of these different practices so that I can bring in the perfect recipe for each woman.
Speaker A:Stay tuned for more.
Speaker A:More of women road warriors coming up.
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Speaker A:Learn more@truckingmovesamerica.com welcome back to Women Road warriors with Shelly Johnson and Kathy Tucaro.
Speaker A:If you're just tuning in, we've been chatting with the amazing, amazing Desi Bartlett.
Speaker A:She's someone who's truly redefining what it means to feel empowered at every stage of womanhood.
Speaker A:That includes pregnancy.
Speaker A:Desi's the powerhouse author behind your strong, sexy pregnancy and the founder of Desy Body Mind.
Speaker A:Her whole philosophy.
Speaker A:Women should feel strong, sexy and supported not just during pregnancy, but through all of life's changes.
Speaker A:Whether it's learning to connect with your baby through meditation and managing the curveballs of perimenopause, or finding balance as a busy mom.
Speaker A:Desi's got real world tips that work.
Speaker A:She's a global ambassador for Manduka Yoga, holds a master's in corporate fitness, and has worked with everyone from Kate Hudson to the U.S.
Speaker A:navy.
Speaker A:Her reach is incredible.
Speaker A:Desi, you cover so much information for women.
Speaker A:You also talk about hormonal panels to help women with their health and fitness goals.
Speaker A:What exactly is that?
Speaker A:Do you recommend those?
Speaker C:Yes, a hundred percent.
Speaker C:So one of my very best friends is a naturopathic doctor.
Speaker C:We just led a 10 day, or pardon me, we just led a four day retreat with 10 beautiful women in Playa del Carmen and Cancun.
Speaker C:And so each woman came with her blood panel results and Dr.
Speaker C:Nataya was able to look at, you know, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and what's low and what's high and what, what might they need to find that sense of balance.
Speaker C:And so I just want to go back to something that Kathy said before though.
Speaker C:So if you are still bleeding, if you are still having a cycle in your 50s, which I, I'm right there with you.
Speaker C:Do, do you remember, Shelley, you mentioned change of life.
Speaker C:Do you remember the term change of life?
Speaker C:Babies?
Speaker A:Yes, as a matter of fact, I was called that.
Speaker A:Mom called me the surprise.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:So surprise babies often come late 40s, early 50s kind of thing, because women, when we're having that extra cycle or like a lot of days to the cycle and then maybe menstruating twice, you ovulate more than once and so you become, I call it fertile myrtle, you become so fertile.
Speaker C:And doctors don't necessarily tell us this.
Speaker A:Interesting.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:If you go to the next path and you find out, you know, how's my estrogen looking?
Speaker C:Is it really, really high and am I really, really fertile?
Speaker C:This is all powerful information.
Speaker C:Or is it really, really low?
Speaker C:And are you feeling like, you know, your skin doesn't have any elasticity to it anymore or is your testosterone low and you feel like you don't have a sex drive?
Speaker C:These are all things that can be helped like a lot with exercise.
Speaker C:With exercise, partially, yes, for sure.
Speaker C:We can increase your testosterone with weight training.
Speaker C:We can help to support the production of progesterone and estrogen with yoga.
Speaker C:But very often we need to start to look at things like what are you eating, you know, and are you, are you having an estrogenic effect from different things in the environment that don't necessarily support you?
Speaker C:Things like plastic.
Speaker C:Do you need any specific supplements that can help with the healthy production of, of estrogen and progesterone?
Speaker C:Progesterone is what helps to kind of slow everything down.
Speaker C:And so when I see women with really, really low progesterone, those are often the gals that I need to like bring into a yin yoga practice so I can help them to get out of fight or flight and just like breathe.
Speaker A:So what supplements boost estrogen naturally.
Speaker C:So this is where I defer to doctors.
Speaker C:I'm very specific about, like I, I stay in my lane and I do not recommend specific vitamins, minerals, et cetera.
Speaker C:I send you to the naturopath and I invite you to work with one that you respect who has ethically sourced supplements.
Speaker C:When we look at things like hrt, hormonal replacement therapy, in the past it was derived from horse urine from pregnant horses and it was called Premarin.
Speaker C:Pretty pregnant mare horse.
Speaker C:It was derived from pregnant horses.
Speaker C:So we need to understand like what the heck are we taking?
Speaker C:What's going inside of our bodies?
Speaker C:Do we, do we want to go with a naturopath and a pellet?
Speaker C:Do we want to go with a doctor and a prescription?
Speaker C:Do we want to start to investigate things like chia seeds which can, which are said to help boost estrogen?
Speaker C:There's so many different ways to go about it, but you gotta go within and you have to ask your body every day, how do I feel?
Speaker C:And skip the fine answer and really go deep and listen for the answer.
Speaker A:A lot of thinking involved, but it makes sense.
Speaker A:We're listening to our bodies, which people don't do.
Speaker A:Our bodies talk to us every day, very much so.
Speaker C:And during pregnancy, like our bodies are not subtle, right?
Speaker C:I remember pulling over on, on the side of the 405, like I think I need a nap and I, I pulled off onto a side street and I legit took a 15 minute nap on the side of the street because my body was screaming for rest.
Speaker C:Our bodies tell us all the Time.
Speaker C:But we.
Speaker C:We kind of tap it down, right?
Speaker C:So if we're tired, we're like, oh, that's okay.
Speaker C:There.
Speaker C:There's some caffeine right over there at that place on the corner.
Speaker C:Or if we have a tummy ache, oh, that's okay.
Speaker C:You know, there.
Speaker C:There's a pharmacy around the corner.
Speaker C:I can grab like a.
Speaker C:A supplement for digestion.
Speaker C:Pause, like, for sure, take care of yourself and do what you need to do.
Speaker C:But ask yourself, like, where does that come from?
Speaker C:And what is the root cause?
Speaker C:And how can I take better care of myself so that this doesn't happen over and over?
Speaker A:That's great advice in terms of pausing.
Speaker A:People don't do that enough today.
Speaker A:They just keep plowing through it.
Speaker A:It's like, I'll be fine.
Speaker A:I'll be fine.
Speaker A:Gotta do it.
Speaker A:And sometimes you have no choice but doing that all the time.
Speaker A:I would think that that would really create a lot of hormone changes, a lot of instability in the body and stress hormones.
Speaker A:All of that's really unhealthy.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:And it leads to other problems.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:So if you.
Speaker C:If you mask it with a.
Speaker C:With a temporary fix over and over and over, we can create a separate set of issues.
Speaker C:And that.
Speaker C:That's why we want to get to the root cause, to find out so that we don't start to create a whole separate issue.
Speaker C:I'm just thinking about things like, let's go with caffeine, because I love it.
Speaker C:Me too.
Speaker C:It's so good.
Speaker C:But I personally, I have to watch how much I have, because if I have too much, then I notice I get.
Speaker C:I've got that, like, cortisol spike.
Speaker C:And if I get the cortisol spike, then what happens?
Speaker C:Then my tummy starts to get a little more bloated, and I start to hold a little bit more belly fat.
Speaker C:And as much as I am, like, I really want you to feel good from the inside out, and I truly believe that I also want you to look good, and that includes me.
Speaker C:And I'm a little bit vain.
Speaker C:And I do not want my tummy, like, bloating up for no reason.
Speaker C:So if I have too much coffee, then it bloats up.
Speaker C:So just kind of look at, you know, not only how do you look, but how do you feel inside of this physical body?
Speaker C:You know, do you walk in with confidence?
Speaker C:I am looking at a picture of both of you right now on my screen, and I can see the confidence.
Speaker C:Kathy, you're, like, leaning back with a hat on, and you're like, hey, I'm here.
Speaker C:And I love that.
Speaker A:It's a great picture.
Speaker B:Kathy actually laughing my ass off in that picture picture.
Speaker B:Because I realized in the middle of the photo shoot that my dress was inside out.
Speaker A:I'd done stuff like that.
Speaker A:Oh, my.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah.
Speaker A:And, Desi, you look fabulous.
Speaker A:Website.
Speaker A:Oh, my goodness.
Speaker A:And I would.
Speaker A:I'm just in awe.
Speaker A:It's like, we all want to look like you.
Speaker A:How do we do that?
Speaker C:Well, that's very kind, and I appreciate the compliment.
Speaker C:I have had this long relationship with this body of, you know, sometimes loving it and sometimes being like, wait, no, I.
Speaker C:Do you know how much I exercise?
Speaker C:Can't you just get along with the program?
Speaker C:And so I've become so much kinder to myself, and I think that that really shows on my face and in my body and how I show up in the world.
Speaker C:I don't walk past every mirror and say nasty things.
Speaker C:And there were years there where I did.
Speaker C:You know, especially in my 20s, I walk by the mirror really, really fast because I didn't want to look at it.
Speaker C:Or if I did, I would.
Speaker C:I'd linger and just pull myself apart.
Speaker C:And now I come from a place of gratitude and, you know, if my tummy has some extra skin.
Speaker C:Thank you for.
Speaker C:For giving me babies.
Speaker C:And that second baby was ten pounds, My goodness.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker B:Oh, my God.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:You offered the Desi Body mind workout, or what is the body mind workout?
Speaker C:Oh, I'm so happy that you asked.
Speaker C:So I really find that when we talk about, you know, all of the different components of fitness, whether it's flexibility, strength, cardiovascular, endurance, nutrition, power, agility, the list goes on and on.
Speaker C:If I give my clients that whole list, it is overwhelming.
Speaker C:And so what I wanted to do was really take what I see folks have the most success with, which is resistance training, yoga, and meditation.
Speaker C:And I've created 20 minute workouts that focus on integrating these three ways of.
Speaker C:Of moving and being and set you up for success based on how you want to feel.
Speaker C:And so what I mean by that, Shelly, is that you.
Speaker C:You simply look at a list and.
Speaker C:And choose how you want to feel that day.
Speaker C:Do you want to feel more clarity?
Speaker C:Do you want to feel more flexible?
Speaker C:Do you want to feel stronger?
Speaker C:And then you choose that workout based on that feeling that you want to cultivate.
Speaker A:So there are a lot of topics you cover, and you can support women, really, through any of the cycles of their life, when you think about it.
Speaker A:And we are cyclical creatures with starting with pubescence and on down the road.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:And so I, I teach that at a university level as well.
Speaker C:I teach at USC for their yoga teacher training program.
Speaker C:And I, I walk people through, you know, like, this is what it looks like to, to be a woman in all of these phases.
Speaker C:And it has many different names.
Speaker C:Some people call it like princess, queen, and crone.
Speaker C:I prefer wise woman, by the way.
Speaker C:But there's these different transitions that are like the phases of the moon, from the new moon to the full moon.
Speaker C:And wherever she is, it is my honor and my joy to support her.
Speaker A:So people can work with you virtually.
Speaker A:You said you also do in person.
Speaker C:I do.
Speaker C:I still do a little bit of in person work, and I live in Hawaii.
Speaker C:I'm in Los Angeles quite often.
Speaker C:And so I still work with clients in person occasionally.
Speaker C:I, I work a lot on Zoom.
Speaker C:And, you know, the pandemic was really, really hard and challenging, but I, I try to look at the silver lining and what, what were some of the good things to come out of it.
Speaker C:And for me, it was the ability to work virtually with people all over the world.
Speaker C:So I had clients in Florida, California, Germany, you name it.
Speaker C:And it's really my joy to connect.
Speaker A:This kind of training, I would think, would make a woman feel so much better about herself throughout her life.
Speaker A:What you're teaching, your knowledge is astounding.
Speaker C:Oh, my goodness.
Speaker C:Thank you so much.
Speaker C:I just love to learn.
Speaker C:And there's so much information from so many different cultures.
Speaker C:And if we can take the best of each and offer that to each woman, then we really, we put her in a place of power so that she can take control of her health.
Speaker C:And when she walks into that doctor's office, she can say, this worked for my friend.
Speaker C:I want to know if it's right for me.
Speaker C:And if it's not, tell me, why not, you know, really, really walk in and.
Speaker C:And own, Own your health and own your experience.
Speaker A:That's so important because so many doctors don't always have the best bedside manner.
Speaker A:And I think sometimes people get intimidated by that and they don't stand up for themselves and say, wait a minute.
Speaker C:No, no, yes, yes, very much so.
Speaker C:And when you find a great one, you know, tell all your friends.
Speaker C:We need to share our resources.
Speaker A:We are women.
Speaker A:We are powerful.
Speaker A:Hear us roar.
Speaker C:Absolutely, yes, yes.
Speaker C:We're free and we're strong, and we're powerful creators, and we can do anything that we put our minds to.
Speaker C:When I work with people, I simply want to remind them, like, take care of your body as a vessel for all of Your dreams.
Speaker C:It helps you to get to all of the places you want to go and to do all of the things that you want to do.
Speaker C:So show up with your full strength.
Speaker A:Great perspective, Desi.
Speaker A:Where do people find you?
Speaker C:So my website is desibodymind.com and I will give you a code so we can give all of your listeners one month free, free on the platform if they'd like to check out the workouts.
Speaker C:I'm also really, really active on Instagram and my handle there is Mothers Into Living Fit.
Speaker C:It's a long one and I've been trying to change it for years, but they won't let me change it because it's verified.
Speaker C:So I still love it and I'm on there every day.
Speaker C:And if you want to see like exercise and yoga and nutrition with a lot of Hawaiian beach scenes intertwined, then that's the place.
Speaker A:Excellent.
Speaker A:Thank you for providing a code too, for our listeners.
Speaker A:We want to empower as many women as possible and you offer so many things for women of all ages.
Speaker C:Thank you.
Speaker C:Yes, I wake up every day just on fire.
Speaker C:Like, let's go help everybody in all the different ways, whether it's through print or video or one on one or in classes.
Speaker C:Because again, I really believe we all deserve it.
Speaker A:You bright light.
Speaker A:Desi, thank you.
Speaker A:This has been wonderful talking to you.
Speaker C:Oh, likewise.
Speaker C:Thank you.
Speaker C:Both Shelly and Kathy, you're individually radiant and beautiful.
Speaker C:And Shelly, you've got that radio voice that I someday hope to cultivate.
Speaker C:Your voice is so clear and so bright.
Speaker C:And Kathy, my goodness, like, I feel like we've been friends for years.
Speaker C:You're so fun.
Speaker C:So thank you bold for what you do.
Speaker A:Thank you so much.
Speaker A:Desi, Kathy and I both appreciate that.
Speaker A:We hope you've enjoyed this latest episode.
Speaker A:And if you want to hear more episodes of Women Road warriors or learn more about our show, be sure to check out womenroadwarriors.com and please follow us on social media.
Speaker A:And don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on our website.
Speaker A:We also have a selection of podcasts just for women.
Speaker A:There are a series of podcasts from different podcasters, so if you're in the mood for women's podcasts, just click the Power network tab on womenroadwarriors.com youm'll have a variety of shows to listen to anytime you want to.
Speaker A:Podcasts Made for Women Women Road warriors is on all the major podcast channels like Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Audible, YouTube and others.
Speaker A:Check us out and please follow us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Speaker A:Thanks for listening.
Speaker A:You've been listening to Women Road warriors with Shelly Johnson and Kathy Tucaro.
Speaker A:If you want to be a guest on the show or have a topic or feedback, email us@sjohnsonomenroadwarriors.com.
