Blackbeltbeauty Radio

This week’s phenomenal guest is Dr. Sarah McKay. Sarah is an Oxford University-educated neuroscientist, educator, presenter, media commentator, director of The Neuroscience Academy, and author of The Women’s Brain Book: The neuroscience of health, hormones, and happiness. I had been a fan of Sarah’s work and her reading book was incredibly inspiring. I had to get her on the show to share her expansive knowledge with you as she breaks down life from the lens of neuroscience. In this conversation, we talk about: The power of thoughts + how to disrupt negative thoughts with new stimuli Processing- and the brain’s role as a predictive machine craving certainty. How to soothe the brain during times of high-stress  The female lifespan through neuroscience from puberty, adolescence, pregnancy, and menopause. The large influence of socialization on our mood (overpowering hormonal influence) Key components to prioritize to cultivate optimal health: sleep + socialization I’m honored to have Sarah on

This week’s badass guest is Jason Phillips. Jason is an impactful entrepreneur who has established immense reverence + authority in the health + fitness industry through his incredible knowledge in nutrition, fitness, as well as his experience in creating + up-leveling, health/fitness businesses into multi-million businesses.  Jason is the Founder + CEO of the Nutritional Coaching Institute, an institute that certifies health coaches + arms them with invaluable tools that help them to become leaders in the field + turn their business models into a 6-7 figure business.   Jason is largely contributing as one of the most profound thought leaders in the industry.  From coaching world-class athletes to contributing his high-level expertise to monster brands like GOOGLE to writing for major publications like Men’s Fitness & Entrepreneur Weekly, and writing his own books; he continues to lead from his heartbeat philosophy that is:  “Impact over everything.” In this inspiring conversatio

This new Solosode is coming in hot through “real, in the moment” inspiration.  I was sprinting a few weeks ago when I heard (and felt) a POP in my calf muscle and hit the ground.  The thoughts that fly through the mind at the onset of an injury are a lot of things all at once. It can be extremely overwhelming and emotionally overbearing— especially as an athlete who loves to love every single day. That said, this is not my first injury and if there is ONE great thing I’ve learned through my injuries it’s this: it’s time to CHILL OUT, LEAN IN to REST + allow mySELF to call in growth— there is ALWAYS growth in the face of adversity. It requires the release of control to discover the gain(s).  Life is about dancing the yin + yang dynamic. The harmony between masculine + feminine energy. Injury isn’t just about physical recovery, it’s the mental + emotional relationship you hold yourSELF. I view the lean into rest, the slow down + allowing more space for growth as an act of Feminine energy, leading

This week’s inspiring guest is Dana Claudat. Dana is what I like to call an “energy artist.”  A modern feng shui master who holds a degree in Art History from Stanford University,  Dana knows how to help her clients harmonize every dimension of their lives through the intentional elevation of their environmental spaces.  Dana has so many epic approaches to harmonizing your external environments that are effective and have a massive ripple effect on bringing more harmony into your entire life.  One thing I especially LOVE is her perspective of not just focusing on decluttering and eliminating your space but also focusing on enhancing and integrating more representations of what you love and want to feel in your life.   There’s no doubt the environment we embody is a direct extension of our energy field. It’s so vital we create homes we are absolutely obsessed with and feel at peace in. Owning our physical environments will truly empower every other area of our lives. In this episo

This week’s guest is Cynthia Monteleone. A Hawaiian resident, Cynthia is your modern-day superwoman. Mom of three, certified Metabolic Analytics Practitioner, a 400-meter competitor + champion (who just won 2 new gold medals this month), she knows the importance of fueling the body for optimal health, longevity, and performance.  Cynthia shares her incredible wealth of, high-quality, science-backed knowledge from accumulated research and her experience working with her clients-to perform life at optimal levels whether that be through weight loss, hormonal balance, or physical fitness.  She was mentored under one of the greatest strength coaches of our time, Charles Poliquin, and has an array of high-performing clients ranging from busy, entrepreneur mothers to world-class athletes + Olympians.  WE get down on SO many valuable topics addressing health + fitness  such as: Protein-centric diets that aid in vital nutrition and energy enhancement through powerful neurotransmitters like dopami

This week's guest is another round with my homegirl + badass business coach, Amina AlTai. This epic conversation is enriched with Amina’s nourishing brilliance in the game of mindset towards creating a business that FEELS just as good as the performance of it.  Being a powerful advocate for HARMONY, Amina understands the importance of feeling nourished in mind, body, and soul in order to show up as your best self in all important areas of life and to thrive as a result of it.  Having previously lived through “the race to burnout in the name of success”, Amina developed 2 autoimmune diseases as her body revolted in response to her lack of self-care.  That was the wake-up call that fueled her inspired mission to help others achieve their goals with joy and work in ways they love via dynamic self-assessment tools and intuitive coaching. In this episode, we dive into: How to slash overwhelm + fear to produce radical change The dual pain of “loss” that comes with growth + releasing resistance&nb

Got my girl, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon back on the show and could not be more excited to drop this new #BlackBeltBeautyRadio episode. Gabrielle is a renowned Integrative + Fellowship trained Physician.  She is a true and remarkable leader in living from an empowered mindset and adopting a lifestyle that optimizes your health, with a special focus on MUSCLE HEALTH--for GREAT reason which we deeply discuss throughout this talk. I admire my Gabrielle for too many reasons to share in this intro,  but I will highlight that I am so PROUD of the genuine devotion she has towards her work and overall integrity as a person. She is an absolute contributor.  Having received her doctorate in osteopathic medicine and an undergraduate degree in Human Nutrition, where she studied vitamin and mineral metabolism, chronic disease prevention + management, and the physiological effects of diet composition, Gabrielle brings an expansive amount of knowledge to the table. If you’ve ever found yourself at the mercy of the ove

This week’s episode is Chase Chewning. Chase is the host of EverForward Radio, founder of Operation Podcast- a podcast production and marketing company,  he is an ACE Certified Health Coach, and all-around badass advocate for mental and physical health + well-being. His energy is magnetic, perspective on living a life of health from within and out is so on point.  This episode is centered around taking inventory of ourSELVES.  Living through the traumas of losing his father at a young age to enlisting in the military and suffering a plethora of physical (and mental) injuries while in active duty; Chase shares the battles of what it took to confront + to heal himSELF.  One of my favorite aspects of our conversation is that we get deep in the areas of Self-Awareness + how to cultivate more of it. It’s one of my favorite subjects to explore and speak on.  SELF-awareness is often perceived as being this deep and hard to attain quality, which is far from the truth. Chase is living proof th

This week’s guest is one of my most favorite experts + innovators in health + fitness leading Sal Di Stefano. Sal is a co-host to the world’s top fitness podcast MInd Pump (with over 60 million downloads)- also one of my FAVORITE podcasts.  Sal's passion and personal story behind creating Mind Pump with his teammates Doug, Adam, and Justin, comes from the desire to shift the direction of the fitness industry from an aesthetic insecurity-base to a self-love and self-care health industry. He knew this could be accomplished with education through entertainment which is what Mind Pump is- it’s what I call INFOTAINMENT- I can’t even tell you how much I crack up BTS while watching their episodes- It’s so much fun! Sal is DEEP, he is a very introspective + curious individual these traits have led him to become the WEALTH of knowledge that he is, in all things related to wellness + really, human potential. One of one the MANY the things I LOVED talking about in this episode with Sal is this fact that w

Happy 2021 people! I’m so excited to kick off the new year with one of my very favorite persons to rap with on the podcast, my homegirl, Lisa Bilyeu. For those of you who are new to Lisa and her work, she is the co-founder of Impact Theory and Quest Nutrition, as well as the founder and host of Women of Impact. Her infectious presence exudes infinite amounts of authenticity, confidence, badassery, and strength. Which is exactly what we talk about in this episode. I honestly could not think of a more PERFECT person to launch the New Year on the podcast with because every single conversation I have with Lisa- be it publicly or privately, is legitimately High-level empowering, incredibly inspiring + SO MUCH FUN. In this epic talk, Lisa and I peel back the layers of developing discipline in order to achieve, the characteristics that define a “strong woman”, and the importance of cultivating emotional independence. Lisa shares that her journey was very much a series of conscious choices that came from de

Today we’re celebrating 3 epic years of #BlackBeltBeauty. We’re here. Focused. Determined. And going forward stronger than ever. In this new episode, I bring on my BlackBeltBeauty wing-woman Margie Daley. Margie is my right hand in this incredible adventure that is building BlackBeltBeauty. She is devoted to this labor of love with me and is a total A player with her heart in the game every single day. She lives the brand and truly embodies what BlackBeltBeauty is all about.  This episode was so much fun as we reflected on the past 3 years in business, how we’ve grown together personally and professionally, and the massive vision we have for what’s next.  Teamwork most definitely makes the dream work. In this special anniversary episode, Margie & I talk about: Getting clear on what you want and releasing the resistance The 5 S formula + easing self-judgments HOLISTIC high-performance Showing up as your best self in all you do (the game of averages) The “why not me” mantra to propel you

This week’s amazing guest is Lisa Wimberger. Lisa is the founder of Neurosculpting and co-founder of NeuroPraxis….and her story behind her work is incredibly profound. On her 15th birthday, Lisa underwent a rare trauma experience of being struck by lightning directly on the base of her spine. With it being such a rarity, this trauma escaped the acknowledgment of reality for years...aside from ongoing seizures that occurred ever since. With each recurring episode worsening and intensifying over time, Lisa didn’t come to a full understanding of what was truly going on until her 30s, when she had a heartstopping moment (literally!) at a routine doctor’s exam. It was then that she launched herself into discovering the ways in which her body worked, the organs it comprised, and the responses it controlled so she could rewrite her script and conquer her condition. In this insightful and high-powered episode, Lisa and I get into…. What neuroplasticity is and why it’s so important for our path to self-optimization

Amanda Basham is a professional trail runner and endurance coach with a Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University. She’s coached endurance athletes for 10 years in everything from 5k - 200 miles. She discovered long-distance running in the midst of battling an eating disorder. She discovered that she had strong running skills and it would become the start of her recovery.  Fast forward to 2014 when she started running trails and decided to start competing as an elite trail runner. One year later she ran her first pro race, the USATF Trail Championships 50 miler, and won it.   Since then Amanda has developed a remarkable list of racing achievements, alongside recovering from her eating disorder, met her amazing partner Justin Grunewald, who is also a pro runner and is getting ready to bring her first child into the world in 2021.  In our conversation, we go through her amazing backstory and dig into her empowering frameworks such as  The skill transfers from running Ult

This week's Solosode is focused on the science-backed benefits of experiencing feelings of Gratitude. I also share some tactics to help you create a practice around Gratitude. The practice piece is huge. When we invest more REPS into the skill we aim to acquire, we develop the skill + the benefits of the skill. Additionally, I'll take this moment to express my deepest gratitude for all of you who continue to show up here and allow me to support your journey in developing + living your fullest potential in life. I adore you all and wish all of you here in the US the most beautiful, heartwarming, Thanksgiving. Appreciate yourSELF for how you continue to SHOW UP in your life. Even on the messy days… They teach us so much… Enjoy! xRx EPISODE MENTIONS: Andrew Huberman: @Hubermanlabs Instagram post on Gratitude: GRATITUDE• #gratitude is not just a social construct, it’s a real neurobiological phenomenon that is powerful for bringing a deepened sense of well-being, connectedness and enhancing our relationship to sel

This week's guest is Matt Anderson. Matt is an American Professional Volleyball player, he is one of the best outside hitters in the world, a 2x Olympian Bronze Medalist, who has played on numerous world clubs throughout his career and has a list of wins that is nothing short of remarkable.  Very few players are able to play multiple positions at the highest level in international volleyball but Matt Anderson is one of them. In 2014 while in the middle of a highly successful career, Matt decided to take a break from playing Volleyball to focus on the relationships with his loved ones and with himself.  He is a highly Self-Aware individual and passionate team player. He faced some noticings within himself during that period that were not in alignment with the person he wanted to be in his life. That break in playing was a powerful tool for his growth not just internally and in his relationships but equally on the court.  I love that part of this conversation so much because it really takes coura

Lynette Duncan is a Spiritual Strategist + Intuitive Guide, who uses the ancient tool of Astrology to reveal the sacred energy imprint of the Soul.  Lynette believes that all beings come into this life with a Purpose. That we all possess certain aptitudes for service and greater connection and that we are pulled into the experiences we are meant to share with others. She believes that in every human life is the possibility for greatness, and that greatness is a FELT experience. I strongly agree with that powerful idea. I first connected with Lynette by way of a gifted tarot reading from my best girl. I admit I was hesitant to do a tarot reading because my autonomy is so robust and wants to reign as the ultimate sayer who is creating my unique path of life. With that said, my curious mind does leave the door open for discovery in the new, and my primal intuition says YES on it, moves me to act on that curious idea.  I am SO happy I said yes and connected with this incredibly powerful and mystical wom

Rener Gracie is a JiuJitsu BlackBelt, an Entrepreneur, Inventor, and Chief Instructor at Gracie University- my jiujitsu academy. :) Rener is a third-generation Gracie, son of Rorian Gracie who is responsible for bringing the Self Defense Martial Art of JiuJitsu from Brasil to the states JiuJitsu is now one of the most popular martial arts disciplines being trained worldwide Rener is unarguably one of the greatest JiuJitsu Black Belts walking the planet and he is equally one of the greatest teachers of the martial art discipline. His love and passion for JiuJitsu are absolutely infectious as is his desire for the masses to learn JiuJitsu.  It was from his passion that Rener created the world's largest online platforms for learning Gracie JiuJitsu.  I believe Rener is truly an engineer at heart. His ingenuity is remarkable- he has a SOLUTION based mindset.  Not only is this easily seen through his incredible jiujitsu skills and all that he has created within his business, but it’s also what led h

Self-Confidence is one of my favorite subjects to speak on + to support the development of. In this new Solosode, I shared some of my personal tactics to flip Self-Doubt into more Self-Confidence, as well as some ways to keep fortifying your Self-Confidence. I also shared this recent Instagram post on confidence in this episode Confidence is one of THE most important tools for building a life you LOVE living. I hope this episode provides valuable support to keep your Self-Confidence levels KICKING ASS. Let me know on your IG stories if you vibe with this episode! Tag me at @roxylook + @blackbeltbeauty Enjoy! PS. If you’re ready to take your confidence to the NEXT LEVEL + you’re ready for some NEXT LEVEL support to get you there,

This week’s guest is my girl Ava Moreno. Ava is a yoga and fitness instructor, co-host of the podcast “Better is Better” and a meditation instructor and sound healer.  She is truly a movement and wellness artist.   Ava Moreno entered the yoga and fitness community through her first love: dance.  She began her dance training as a toddler, training in all forms of dance.  At 16 years old Ava found herself struggling with a severe eating disorder at the start of her professional dance career.  It was then that Ava found Colleen Quinn, an incredible mentor and inspiration to her who supported her recovery through the form of a personal trainer and physical therapist.  Although Ava had first been introduced to yoga at age 11 through dance, it was not until she entered recovery from her eating disorder that she began practicing regularly, discovering the peace, focus, and stability--both physically and mentally--it brought her.   Throughout the recovery of Ava’s eating d

Arianny Celeste is a self-made entrepreneur, an internationally recognized model, an established singer, and a popular television personality. She is widely known as the UFC’s Queen Ring girl and has been working with the organization for 14 years.  Arianny is highly passionate about fitness, health, beauty, and fashion. She’s been featured in countless publications such as Maxim, Sports Illustrated, and has even graced the cover of Playboy.   Arianny was born and raised in Las Vegas, Celeste began modeling at just four months old. After earning a degree in Fitness Management and Nutrition from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, she made her television debut as a UFC octagon girl and became one of the most consistent UFC personalities on television while traveling the world as a spokesperson for the brand. Today, she is the founder of a subscription gifting service aptly named “Girlfriend Box.” A concept that originated out of Celeste’s noticing that men really took to support in finding uniqu