​"How on earth could I ever love this C-section scar or these stretch marks or this baby pooch?!?"

If you have had a baby, you will forever be postpartum, which can be a frightening thought for many moms. "Postpartum" often makes us think of a body that’s broken...a body that’s been thrashed and far from lovely.

How can we love a body that feels weak, squishy, misshapen, and scarred? 

In this episode, I'm chatting with you about our perpetual quest for the body we once had...a body before all the scars. Much of what we hear with "postpartum fitness" is aimed at erasing all of the evidence that pregnancy ever happened. It's as if our bodies aren't valuable or lovely until we remove all the scars and signs of pregnancy. 

The holy grail is hearing someone else say, "Oh my word, you don't even look like you just had a baby!" 

We have much to learn.

​In this episode, together we're going to dig into postpartum body image and shed light on good and healthy postpartum fitness. 

• Why we didn't cease to be a "masterpiece" after we had babies (Ephesians 2:10)
• Why Jesus chose to keep his scars
• Adopting a new perspective and appreciation for our bodies 
• Face the facts and learn how to steward your now-postpartum better instead of doing teenager workouts and running your guts out.

I'm also going to share with you a bunch of the mistakes I made postpartum. 

At the end of the episode, I answer YOUR questions about food, fitness, and faith/lifestyle!
​
1. From Ally (27:30) – "I’m just now getting my menstrual cycle back after having my last baby, and I forgot how much it really effected my energy levels. Do you have any recommendations for organizing my workouts best around my cycle?"
​
2. From Jessica (31:00) - "I feel like my food cravings are all over the place throughout the month. How can I try to smooth it out so my months aren’t such a hormonal eating rollercoaster?" 

​Off the top of your head, how many "diets" would you say are on the market right now? Too many to count? And a little overwhelming, right? Yep, that's how I feel, too.
​
Oh "diet-shmiets". (heehee!)

When we diet, we have to follow rules...restrictions and limitations that tend to bind us up and strip away our freedom to make decisions on our own. Most of us crave freedom from a life of dieting...the on-again-off-again rollercoaster of eating perfectly one minute and completely haphazardly the next. The dieting culture has chewed us up and spit us out, leaving us confused, disoriented and frustrated with our bodies. 

In this episode, together we're going to dig beneath the surface of dieting and talk about why the dieting mindset can be so harmful for us. 

I will teach you about:

• The danger with the "all-or-nothing" mentality and perfectionism
• The obsession and demonization of foods
• How to become an intuitive eater
• Healthy eating without the obsession
• And examining our hearts to see how deeply dieting has truly effected us. 

We also will take a look at Psalm 139:23-24, where David cries out to God to examine his heart and show him the things that need healing and change. 

At the end of the episode, I answer YOUR questions about food, fitness, and faith/lifestyle!
​
1. Liz asks "Do you recommend any supplements?" ((29:45)
2. Sara asks "Is there an advantage to working out at a certain time of day?" (31:55)
3. Alyssa asks "What do you do when people comment on your eating choices in social situations?" (33:40) ​

"Just getting started is so overwhelming!"...

"I know I really should get my act together."...

"Every time I start something I end up giving up soon after!" 

If you've ever said any of these things, this episode is for you! I have spent years helping my clients get the ball rolling with a fitness and nutrition routine, so I know what works and what doesn't work when you're just beginning. 

You'll dive into these inspiring Bible verses with me that will give you strength and courage as you begin:

• 1 Chronicles 28:20
• 1 Corinthians 16:13 (also read in the MSG version)
• Hebrews 11 and 12

Also, learn the different stages of change that we go through as we create a new habit, and why so many of us get stuck thinking about it for too long. Megan and her co-host Scott will also chat about the idea of "change ONE thing" vs. "change all the things" and why that's so important for habit longevity and preventing overwhelm. 

On this first ever episode of the Strong Mommas Podcast, I'll be introducing myself and my co-host, my husband Scott! We're so excited to meet you! 
​
The Strong Mommas Podcast is all about practical fitness and healthy eating tips, motivational strategies, and Biblical inspiration to pursue a strong and healthy body for all the right reasons.  

"My hope with this podcast is for you to feel inspired and equipped to take care of your body the best that you can...and that you leave feeling like a stronger mom than when it started." 

Strong Mommas is a website, blog, online coaching program, and and now a podcast for Christian women that care more about their true health and physical fitness, rather than just about looks and vanity. I have spent years sharing my expertise in personal training, sports conditioning, nutrition, and mindset coaching with moms from all over the world.

As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach with a degree in Exercise Science and a Certified Nutrition Coach, I have a passion for delivering top-notch advice for working out, eating well, and getting in shape. But it doesn't end there. The fitness & nutrition industry is riddled with obsession, vanity, and the pursuit of the perfect body...all things that drive us further away from Christ and leave us with a hurting and empty soul. 
​
As I say near the end of this episode:
​
"Our hope with this podcast is for you to feel inspired and equipped to take care of your body the best that you can, that you’ll feel encouraged through all of it and NOT PRESSURED OR BURDENED, and for you to really feel understood…like there’s someone else out there, another mom, another family, that gets you…that knows your body struggles, your logistical struggles, and even your heart struggles.

We pray that with every episode of this show you leave feeling like a stronger mom than when you started."

-Megan 
​xoxo

​I'm Megan Dahlman, a trainer, nutrition coach, and a Christian mom.
​And I'm changing the conversation about fitness and nutrition.

​In a culture that's obsessed with "gym-selfies", this podcast will be a breath of fresh air!
​The Strong Mommas Podcast is for Christian moms that want to be equipped with practical ways to eat right and stay fit while still keeping your focus on Jesus. As I share my wisdom, you will learn, grow, and feel inspired to become a strong momma!  

If you have been impacted by my Coaching Program, blog posts, articles, training and nutrition style, and even my Christ-centered perspective, then you will love The Strong Mommas Podcast! 

Stay tuned for the grand debut!