January often brings renewed focus on food and exercise — but for many women and mothers, these conversations quickly turn into pressure rather than support.
In this episode of the Bodyful Minds Podcast, I offer a different perspective on nutrition and movement — one rooted in body awareness, nervous system regulation, and metabolic health, not dieting, weight loss, or discipline.
Drawing on current scientific insights and my own lived experience as a former athlete and body-awareness coach, I explore:
Why the same food or exercise habits can either support or deplete your nervous system
How chronic under-eating and calorie restriction signal stress and scarcity to the body
The role of cortisol and visceral fat in women’s metabolic health
Why skipping breakfast and fasted exercise can backfire for many women
How blood sugar stability, protein intake, fibre, and food diversity support energy and resilience
Why “strong and supported” is a better health goal than “slim” — especially in midlife
This episode is not about rules or prescriptions. It’s about shifting from control to support, and learning how to work with your body rather than against it — particularly if you’re an ambitious mom carrying a high mental and emotional load.
If you’re looking for a calmer, more intelligent way to think about food and movement this January, this conversation offers orientation, context, and relief — not another to-do.
⚠️ Disclaimer
The content shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and reflects Katherina’s personal experience and perspective as a body-awareness coach and former athlete. It is not intended as medical or nutritional advice, and it should not replace guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.
Always consult with your physician, registered dietitian, or other qualified health provider before making changes to your diet, exercise routine, or health practices — especially if you have existing medical conditions or concerns.
ZOE App
I mention the ZOE app as a personal tool I use to better understand my own responses to food and support blood sugar stability, fibre intake, and overall metabolic health.
This is not a paid partnership or sponsorship — the recommendation is shared purely based on personal experience.
As the year comes to a close and the new one hasn’t quite begun, many mothers find themselves in an in-between space — still digesting the holidays while already feeling the pull to plan what’s next.
In this episode of the Bodyful Minds Podcast, I invite you to slow down and reflect on what it really means to create a vision for 2026 — not as a to-do list, but as a way of living, feeling, and being that is truly yours.
You’ll hear how creating space through small, intentional pauses can help you reconnect with yourself, especially when busyness has become a form of safety or identity. I explore why letting go can feel so hard for mothers, how presence can clarify what actually matters, and how a nervous-system-aware approach can support meaningful, sustainable change — even in a world and work culture that doesn’t always make that easy for women and mothers.
This episode gently invites you to:
Reflect on the vision you want to live in 2026
Understand why “doing more” often blocks clarity
Begin letting go in small, grounded ways that support your nervous system
If you’re ready to take a simple next step, I also share my 15-Minute Mental Load Declutter, designed to help you externalize what’s weighing on you and intentionally create space for what comes next.
A grounding, reflective episode for ambitious mothers who want to start the new year feeling more connected, more intentional, and more themselves.
You plan for work.
You plan for your kids.
You plan for everyone else.
But when was the last time you created a vision for how you want to live, feel, and be?
In this episode of the Bodyful Minds Podcast, Katherina invites ambitious moms to step away from rigid goals and New Year’s resolutions — and instead reconnect with themselves through a grounded, body-aware vision for the year ahead.
This conversation isn’t about doing more or manifesting a perfect life.
It’s about slowing down long enough to ask the deeper questions that often get lost in the mental load of motherhood and work.
In this episode, you’ll explore:
How to envision a year that feels supportive, not exhausting
Why focusing on how you want to feel creates more sustainable change than goals alone
How to translate your vision into small, realistic steps that fit real life
How to hold your own needs alongside those of your children and partner
How to stay flexible when life doesn’t go according to plan — without losing yourself
This episode is an invitation to come back to yourself, create space for your own needs, and step into the next year with more clarity, agency, and self-trust.
If you need more support go to www.bodyfulminds.com, follow along or DM on Instagram @bodyful_minds.
Motherhood often brings up feelings that seem contradictory — joy and grief, gratitude and longing, love and ambition.
In this reflective episode, I share a personal moment sparked by walking through fresh snow and how it became a powerful reminder that two opposing emotions can coexist without canceling each other out.
This episode is for ambitious mothers who love their children deeply and want to stay connected to who they are beyond motherhood. You’ll explore why wanting more doesn’t make you ungrateful, how cultural expectations create unnecessary guilt, and how allowing emotional complexity can bring clarity, calm, and self-trust.
If you’ve ever felt torn between being a devoted mother and being yourself — this conversation offers a gentle reframe and a grounded way forward.
Episode mentioned on Leading, Growing & Parenting When the World Feels Heavy.
For more resources go to www.bodyfulminds.com or follow on Instagram @bodyful_minds .
This short, soothing episode is your invitation to pause in the middle of a season that pulls you in every direction.
If you’re an ambitious mom navigating work, family, and holiday mental load, this guided moment helps you slow down, reconnect with your body, and breathe again. Just presence whenever or wherever you are and whatever you are doing.
Save or download this episode and return to it anytime you need a grounding reset and subscribe for more on motherhood, career and how body awareness is a game changer for both.
More resources at www.bodyfulminds.com, follow on Instagram @bodyful_minds or subscribe on YouTube @BodyfulMinds
In this episode of the Bodyful Minds Podcast, I sit down with Adele OuYang — somatic healing practitioner and conscious parenting coach — for a deep and honest conversation about what it really takes to grow, heal, and parent at the same time.
If you’ve ever felt torn between wanting to break generational patterns and keep up with the demands of motherhood and work, this episode will feel like a long exhale.
Adele shares:
her personal journey through motherhood and career transformation
how somatic healing and reparenting can shift long-held patterns
why nervous system awareness is the foundation for conscious parenting
what self-compassion looks like when you’re still learning and unlearning
how to stay present with your kids even when your own emotions are loud
This conversation is warm, grounding, and incredibly validating — especially for ambitious moms who want to lead, parent, and live with more intention and less internal pressure.
✨ If you crave a calmer inner world, a more connected relationship with your kids, and a way forward that doesn’t ask more of you — but brings you back to yourself — this one’s for you.
Resource mentioned:
Inner Critic Reframe Video: Learn how to shift your inner critic into a supportive part with a short teaching + guided parts work practice.
Grab it here → https://adeleouyang.myflodesk.com/innercritic
Newly Launched:
Somatic Conscious Healing Hub Membership: Monthly membership for somatic healing, nervous system education, inner child + parts work, supportive community, and live group coaching
Join here → https://www.skool.com/somatic-conscious-healing-hub-7582/about?ref=7131e0ee6119455088f3442decf57f34
About Adèle:
Adele OuYang is a trauma-informed Somatic Healing Practitioner, Conscious Parenting Coach, Yoga Teacher, and Nervous System Educator helping people heal trauma through the body, not just the mind. After overcoming her own emotional abuse, divorce, and identity loss, she helps others transform their lives. She guides others to regulate their nervous systems, reparent their inner child, and rebuild self-worth from the inside out.
Website: www.adele-ouyang.com
Instagram www.instagram.com/adeleouyang
Facebook: www.facebook.com/adeleouyang
For more resources on career and motherhood go to www.bodyfulminds.com or follow on Instagram @bodyful_minds or on YouTube @BodyfulMinds
The Holiday season has a way of making the invisible visible — especially the parts of the mental load that aren’t shared equally.
But while the long-term work of redistributing responsibilities takes time, you still deserve relief now.
In today’s reflective episode, Katherina explores why common advice like “Just don’t bake the cookies then” completely misses the point — and how moms can reclaim agency, energy, and groundedness even when the bigger dynamics haven’t changed yet.
You’ll learn:
Why the Holiday season magnifies unshared mental load
How “just don’t do it” advice shifts focus away from the real issue
The crucial difference between victim mode and empowered action
Why tomorrow isn’t guaranteed — and how that can be motivating rather than scary
How to choose what you actually want to engage with during the season
Why small, daily releases (like Reverse Advent) create meaningful space now
How to approach long-term mental load conversations with calm confidence
A short somatic check-in to help you reconnect with your body and clarity
If you ever feel torn between wanting to create a magical Holiday season and wanting to protect your own sanity and wellbeing, this episode is for you.
✨ Try the Reverse Advent practice:
Close one small door every day — a task, expectation, habit, or piece of perfectionism — and watch how small shifts create big relief.
If you want daily inspiration for the Reverse Advent follow on Instagram @Bodyful_Minds or on YouTube
Fo releasing more things faster, get my 15-Minute Mental Load Declutter.
Are you feeling a little more stretched, tense, or on edge this holiday season — even though you're doing your best to hold everything together?
You're not alone. And nothing is wrong with you.
In this episode, we explore what you can actually influence during this busy time of year so your body and nervous system feel more supported — even when everything around you feels fast, full, or unpredictable.
You’ll learn:
✨ The difference between what’s inside your control and what truly isn’t
✨ How to choose which events you actually attend
✨ How food, alcohol, and disrupted routines affect your regulation
✨ Practical ways to integrate movement without adding pressure
✨ Gentle scripts to respond to snarky or boundary-crossing comments
✨ How to honor what matters to your family (not everyone else’s expectations)
✨ A simple “emergency script” to use when irritation is already rising
This isn’t about perfection, productivity, or doing more.
It’s about giving yourself permission to support your body — so you can move through this season with more steadiness, clarity, and self-trust.
▶️ Want a calming reset?
Download the Holiday Calm Meditation — a 3-minute grounding tool you can use anytime.
▶️ Join the Reverse Advent for Ambitious Moms:
A daily practice of closing small doors to create more space, ease, and alignment this season. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.
Feeling more irritable, overwhelmed, or tense this December?
In this episode, we explore why “hot emotions” — irritation, anger, guilt — show up faster in the cold season, especially for ambitious moms carrying a heavy mental load.
You’ll learn:
✨ Why micro-stressors hit harder during the holidays
✨ How food, alcohol, disrupted routines, and poor sleep impact your emotional resilience
✨ What anger, irritation, and guilt really mean from a body-first perspective
✨ Why the Good-Mom Script is inhumane, inauthentic, and impossible to live up to
✨ How your kids sense authenticity — and why modeling humanity matters
✨ A simple 60-second practice to calm irritation before it becomes overwhelm
We’ll also connect this to the Reverse Advent for Ambitious Moms, a gentle daily practice of closing small doors so you can reclaim space, energy, and clarity this season.
If you’re snapping faster, feeling guilty more often, or struggling to stay grounded, this episode will help you understand what’s happening inside your body — and what to do about it.
👉 Holiday Calm Meditation: A 3-minute nervous-system reset
👉 Join the Reverse Advent: Follow on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube
Instagram: @Bodyful_Minds
YouTube: @BodyfulMinds
Do you ever freeze, over-explain, or shut down during holiday gatherings — or in high-stakes moments at work?
In this episode, we explore what’s actually happening in your body when stress rises, expectations pile up, and old family dynamics collide with an already overloaded nervous system.
You’ll learn why ambitious moms feel these reactions more intensely, how holiday expectations and forced gratitude can make things worse, and the simple body-first cues that help you interrupt the pattern.
Plus, a grounding micro-practice you can use in any conversation — during the holidays and far beyond.
For moms who want to stay regulated, present, and confident in moments that matter most.
Resource mentioned: https://bodyfulminds.com/holidaycalm/
For more resources go to www.bodyfulminds.com and for more bite-sized information follow on Instagram @bodyful_minds
Holiday stress, family expectations, and year-end work pressure collide this season — especially for ambitious moms. In this episode, discover why you freeze or over-explain during triggering moments, how your nervous system responds to perceived judgment, and what you can do to stay grounded and confident.
You’ll learn a 30-second somatic reset, three boundary scripts for holiday conversations, and how these same tools support performance reviews and negotiations at work.
Plus: Grab the 15-Minute Mental Load Declutter to lighten your load fast.
For more resources go to www.bodyfulminds.com or follow on Instagram @bodyful_minds
If the end of the year feels like it’s pulling you in every direction, this episode invites you to slow down, tune in, and reconnect with what truly matters. Instead of pushing through holiday overwhelm, we explore how coming back to yourself — your values, your limits, your lived reality — creates the clarity you’ve been craving.
Inside this episode, you’ll be guided to:
Pause long enough to hear what your body and nervous system are already telling you
Notice the comparison traps that make you feel “behind”
Step out of chasing what others seem to do or have
Reconnect with the version of you who knows what actually matters
See more clearly what you can release, postpone, or simply not take on
Create mental space by slowing down on purpose, not by doing more
Disclaimer: I briefly mention my own resource — the 15-Minute Mental Load Declutter. It’s a shortcut that supports this process, but only if you’re ready to actually use it, not let it sit on your computer as another task.
A grounding episode for ambitious, thoughtful moms who want the holiday season to feel calmer, more intentional, and more aligned with themselves.
Resource mentioned: The 15-Minute Mental Load Declutter
For more resources go to www.bodyfulminds.com or follow on Instagram @bodyful_minds
This episode explores the uncomfortable side of mental load that often keeps ambitious moms feeling stuck — the internal, emotional layer we rarely talk about. It’s not about blame, and it’s not about fixing anything quickly. It’s about noticing what this conversation brings up in you and sitting with it long enough to understand why letting go of mental load can feel so hard, even when the systems around you start to shift. If this episode stirs frustration, resistance, or resonance, that’s your cue to pause and listen inwardly.
For more resources go to www.bodyfulminds.com or follow along on Instagram for more bite sized input @bodyful_minds
For our 50th episode, I’m joined by Kaeppler Rissmann — a mother, community leader, and real-estate professional whose career journey embodies what it means to redefine ambition on your own terms.
From serving in the U.S. Air Force to building a successful finance career, and later reinventing herself in real estate, Kaeppler’s path is one of resilience, flexibility, and purpose. Today, she works not only with clients buying, selling, and renting homes, but also collaborates with developers on property renovations — expanding her impact and expertise in the industry.
We talk about:
How being laid off after becoming a mother became the catalyst for reinvention
Why flexibility doesn’t mean working less — but working in a way that truly fits your life
The fulfillment that comes from doing work aligned with your values
Balancing professional drive with being present for your kids
Building community through leadership — from the PA at Global School Brooklyn to supporting food drives with CHiPS
Kaeppler shares her hard-earned wisdom, grounded optimism, and practical advice for mothers navigating ambition and family. This milestone episode is a celebration of reinvention, authenticity, and showing up for others — in work and in life.
💚 Support CHiPS — a Brooklyn-based nonprofit providing meals and essential services to families in need:
https://www.chipsonline.org/donate
Connect with Kaeppler:
Why do so many mothers still feel like the default parent — even when their partners genuinely step up?
In this episode, I explore the invisible double standard that shapes the mental load at home — from how society praises dads for doing the bare minimum to why moms feel the pressure to manage quality control.
You’ll hear how I and my husband recalibrated our own mental load after major life changes, what she learned about trust, nervous-system safety, and timing, and why empathy and body awareness are key to real change.
This conversation is for every high-achieving mom who’s tired of “doing it all” and ready to share the load without losing herself.
Listen to learn:
🌿 Why sharing the mental load isn’t just about organization
💭 How cultural conditioning fuels the double standard
✨ What body awareness can teach you about letting go of control
🤝 How empathy and connection can transform how couples work together
Resources mentioned:
– Join the newsletter for reflections & resources: https://bodyfulminds.activehosted.com/f/1
– Follow me on Instagram: @bodyful_minds
In this episode of the Bodyful Minds Podcast, Katherina talks with Rachel Fitzpatrick — a mom, project executive, and yoga teacher — about the messy, beautiful process of redefining success after motherhood.
Rachel shares how her journey from waitress to executive taught her that real confidence doesn’t come from ticking boxes but from tuning in. She reveals how yoga helped her integrate body awareness into leadership and daily life — building a career that feels authentic and sustainable.
Today, Rachel helps others do the same — guiding ambitious women to find self-worth, balance, and clarity by reconnecting with their bodies.
Tune in for a grounded conversation on career confidence, motherhood, and how small shifts in awareness can change the way we work, parent, and lead.
Resource mentioned: https://fitzenyoga.com/fitzen-to-prioritize/
Get in touch with Rachel:
https://fitzenyoga.com/
Instagram: @thefitzenproject
More from Bodyful Minds at www.bodyfulminds.com or on Instagram @bodyful_minds.
Why does the mental load of motherhood feel so heavy — and so personal? In this episode, I unpack the emotional roots of mental load and why simple delegation doesn’t fix it. You’ll learn how generational silence, modern life complexities and perfectionism, as well as invisible expectations leave many mothers feeling unseen and exhausted — and how body awareness can help you reclaim clarity and calm.
I walk you through a practical five-step process to externalize, evaluate, and gradually share the load without resentment or guilt.
Expect a grounded, compassionate conversation that helps you release pressure and move toward shared ownership at home.
For more resources go to www.bodyfulminds.com or follow on Instagram @bodyful_minds
In this solo episode, I explore why setting boundaries isn’t selfish — it’s an act of quiet rebellion.
I challenge the idea that self-care or body awareness work for moms is just another way to monetize exhaustion, and instead shows how tuning into your body, limits, and values becomes a catalyst for lasting change.
This conversation is not about self-optimization or fixing yourself — it’s about empowerment.
You’ll learn how nervous system regulation and body awareness help high-achieving moms move from overextension to grounded confidence, and how boundaries rooted in your own values redefine what leadership and ambition look like.
Because awareness is not the problem — disconnection is.
And when mothers thrive and lead, systems have to adapt.
For more resources go to www.bodyfulminds.com or follow on Instagram @bodyful_minds
When your body says pause but your schedule says go, that’s where boundaries start to blur.
In this episode, I explore how body awareness helps ambitious moms create boundaries that actually hold — not from guilt, but from grounded self-leadership.
You’ll learn how interoception — your body’s internal sense — can guide you to protect your energy, realign your priorities, and lead with more clarity and less overwhelm.
1️⃣ Recognize – The “anxious-freeze” pattern that signals you’re overloaded.
2️⃣ Understand – What boundaries really are: not rigid walls, but fluid, body-based limits that protect your integrity.
3️⃣ Empower – Why personal awareness isn’t the problem — even in a system that exhausts mothers — and how body awareness equips you to thrive despite it.
4️⃣ Reset – A 30-minute “3 Quick Wins” practice to move from anxious to active in small, body-led steps.
5️⃣ Realign – How to reconnect with your career priorities and energy before saying yes.
6️⃣ Listen – The often-ignored boundary of pain: how to work with your body’s signals instead of overriding them.
7️⃣ Repair – A simple “Shame vs Signal” check for moments when you over-extend.
8️⃣ Bridge – How boundaries protect you from burnout and lead directly into next week’s topic: The Mental Load Audit.
Boundaries aren’t walls; they’re attunement — clarity that adapts with your energy, your cycle, your season of life.
They start in the body and extend into how you live, work, and lead.
If you’d like to translate these ideas into your professional life, the Realignment Starter Kit helps you set clearer boundaries at work — for more fulfillment in your career and less spill-over of stress into home life.
It walks you through mapping your role, identifying energy leaks, and communicating boundaries that hold.
(Mentioned here as a related resource; not part of the episode content.)
For more, follow on Instagram: @bodyful_minds or subscribe to the Newsletter: More You, Not More To Do.
This episode marks the start of a new chapter on the Bodyful Minds Podcast — a series of inspiring interviews with mothers and experts whose work connects with mine in meaningful ways.
Some of my guests will be ambitious moms sharing their personal journeys, others will offer professional insights to help you navigate motherhood and career with more ease — and some, like today’s guest, are both.
Ginny is an artist, geologist, and parent in a neurodiverse family. She’s always been driven by curiosity, wanting to understand how the world works and to express what she discovers through creativity. When her oldest was born, Ginny shifted her geology career to part-time, making space for family life and, eventually, a new creative direction.Like many parents, the chaos of the Covid lockdowns pushed her to find new ways to care for herself. She began reshaping her art practice into a small daily refuge to find peace and grounding amid the chaos.
Today, Ginny is growing an art business that helps other exhausted moms discover how even tiny moments of creativity can nurture calm and wellbeing.
🎨 Connect with Ginny
💡 Related resource:
If Ginny’s story resonates and you’ve been wondering whether a shift to part-time could help you thrive too — without losing career momentum — explore the Part-Time Power Plan.
It’s a step-by-step guide to redesign your role so you can keep growing in your career while creating more space for the rest of your life.
More you, not more to-do.
For even more resources go to www.bodyfulminds.com or follow on Instagram @bodyful_minds