Katy and Jeannette explore why proper recovery is just as important as your workouts. They explain how short-term recovery between repetitions or intervals restores homeostasis—the steady state of your cells—allowing you to continue a training session effectively. Over the longer term, recovery after vigorous activity supports tissue repair and adaptation, helping your muscles and connective tissues strengthen. Without sufficient recovery, training plateaus can occur, and your risk of illness may increase. Finally, they discuss rest as an essential part of recovery and share strategies such as cross-training, stretching, and massage to support the body’s repair and adaptation processes.

Katy talks with Jim Leuty of My Happy Feet Alignment Socks, a simple and effective recovery tool that gently stretches and realigns toes while you rest! Toe-spacers are part of the recovery routine for performers like Taylor Swift, who dance in high heels—but anyone who’s worn shoes can benefit. Jim also shares his newest products, including kid sizes and complete foot care gift kits.

Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript

CHAPTERS

1:34 — Introducing the Dynamic Collective Sponsors

3:14 — What Is Recovery? Short-Term vs. Long-Term
6:29 — Post-Workout Fatigue: Understanding What’s Still “Off” in Your Body

9:19 — Rest vs. Recovery: Why They’re Not the Same

13:12 — How Recovery After Vigorous Exercise Supports Adaptation and Strength

17:17 — Intensity, Training Plateaus, and the Importance of Variability

26:31 — Strategies to Boost Recovery: Sleep, Cross-Training, Massage, and Stretching

30:01 — Listener Question: How Does Altitude & Plane Travel Affect The Body?

39:44 — Introducing My Happy Feet Alignment Socks

41:03 — Socks vs. Toe Spacers: What’s the Difference?

46:19 — Real Results, Testimonials, and Taylor Swift’s High-Heel Recovery
49:09 — Gifting Foot Care Items and New Products

ITEMS & RESOURCES MENTIONED

My Happy Feet Alignment Socks

International orders My Happy Feet Global

Super Foot Care Kit

CONNECT, MOVE & LEARN

Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Follow Katy on Substack
Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!

MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:

Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10.
Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.
Smart Playrooms: Beautiful playroom design and movement-rich equipment—save 10% on monkey bars and rock-wall items with code DNA10.
Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT.
My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA.
Venn Design: Stylish ball-shaped Air Chairs that encourage dynamic sitting—enjoy 20% off Nov 17–26 with code MOVEMENTREVOLUTION.

Thoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.com
Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits

What does it mean to raise — or be — a “spicy one”? In this deeply honest and energizing conversation, Katy Bowman and author Mary Van Geffen unpack what it’s like to parent strong-willed, big-feeling kids (and stay sane while doing it). They discuss how movement can support self-regulation and co-regulation, helping both parent and child navigate intensity with compassion and humor. Together, they look at the role of movement before, during, and after heated moments — as well as the art of knowing when to walk away. This episode offers practical wisdom for growing your “calm muscle” and showing up as the safest person in the room.

Jeannette chats with inventor, designer, and athlete Tyler Benner of Venn Design — the creative mind behind movement-friendly furniture like the Air Chair and the revolutionary barefoot cycling shoe. They explore Tyler’s “genius energy” and how movement awareness informs everything he creates, from furniture to archery tools and innovative footwear.

Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

0:00 – Meet Mary Van Geffen – Parenting insights for “Spicy Ones”

0:05 – What is a “Spicy One”? – Understanding strong-willed, big-feeling kids

0:07 – Regulation & Co-Regulation – How parents and kids navigate intensity together

0:10 – Contagious Emotions & Training your ‘Calm’ Muscle– Mirror neurons in action

0:14 – Quick Regulation Tools – Breathing, sensing, and self-talk

0:19 – Move to Regulate – Using movement before, during, and after heated moments

0:37 – Massage & Connection – Diffusing tension with touch

0:52 – Mary’s Resources – Books, classes, and meditations

0:53 – Meet Tyler Benner & Venn Design – Movement-friendly furniture and innovative tools

0:54 – Dynamic Furniture – Air Chairs and floor cushions that encourage motion

0:57 – Genius Energy & Archery – Aligning bones for power and precision

1:04 – Tyler’s Shot Trainer – Archery form and physics made simple

1:07 – Barefoot Cycling Shoes – The first foot-shaped cycling shoes designed for comfort and performance

BOOKS & RESEARCH MENTIONED

Parenting A Spicy One: A comprehensive Guide for Raising a Deep-Feeling and Wonderfully Strong-Willed Kid by Mary Van Geffen
Move Your DNA by Katy Bowman
"Movement Hunger" Signals by Katy Bowman

CONNECT, MOVE & LEARN

Join Katy's Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Follow Katy on Substack
Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!
About Mary Van Geffen

OUR SPONSOR

Venn Design makes gorgeous, movement-friendly furniture that turns your home into a space that inspires you to move. Strong Feet Athletics’ barefoot cycling shoes give your feet freedom, comfort, and power—say goodbye to cramped toes!

Thoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.com
Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits

I don’t have time to exercise.” Sound familiar? In this episode, Katy Bowman talks with clinical psychologist and author Dr. Diana Hill about one of the most common barriers to movement—and why it’s really an issue of energy management and prioritization, not time. Drawing from her books Wise Effort and I Know I Should Exercise, But... Dr. Hill shares how recognizing “choice points” throughout your day can help you move past procrastination and toward the exercise you truly want to do.

Through practical psychology and real-life examples, Katy and Diana explore how to recognize your stalling loops, reduce transition friction, and align your daily movement habits with your values and genius energy. You’ll learn compassionate, doable strategies for getting unstuck—whether it’s setting your sport shoes out the night before, reframing movement as energy renewal, or aligning movement with your relationships. This episode offers fresh insight and motivation for anyone who wants to move more and make exercise feel possible again.

Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

07:40 – Wise Effort: Using your energy in alignment with your values

08:10 – Genius Energy: Recognizing your unique strengths
12:44 – Overcoming “I Don’t Have Time to Exercise” with wise effort
15:40 – Stalling Behavior: How to recognize and manage it
20:03 – Productive Procrastination: Turning stalling energy into productive movement
27:12 – Choice Point Tool: Decision moments to redirect energy toward exercise
32:47 – Supporting Your Future Self: Setting up routines and contexts that help you stay active
36:10 – Relationship Map: Aligning movement goals, energy, and relationships
45:38 – Movement, Community, and Celebrations: Engaging others in activity
49:58 – Energy Audit for Decision Making: Four questions to guide your choices
57:02 – Listener Question: Floor sleeping and neck tension

BOOKS & RESEARCH MENTIONED

I Know I Should Exercise But... 44 Reasons We Don’t Move and How to Get Over Them by Diana Hill & Katy Bowman
Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most by Diana Hill

CONNECT, MOVE & LEARN

Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!
About Dr Diana Hill

MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:

Ikaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10
Earth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10
Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20
Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10
Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office
Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT

Thoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.com
Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits

This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!

As we age, maintaining muscle power—not just strength—is key to staying independent, quick, and injury-free. In this episode, Katy and Jeannette explain the difference between strength and power, and why adding speed or intensity to the movements you're already doing—like walking, climbing stairs, or getting up from a chair—can make all the difference. From stair climbing to pickleball to plyometrics, learn practical ways to build power and maintain independence for years to come.

They share practical ways to train power with (or without) an overhaul to your routine, and Katy chats with masters athlete and Peluva co-founder Brad Kearns about maintaining explosive strength after 60. Hear how Brad shifted from endurance to high jump, why minimalist shoes can support aging feet, and how smarter movement helps you age better.

CHAPTERS
00:02:15 - Power - the definitions

00:06:10 - The Dynamic Collective

00:12:05 - Why Power is Important as You Get Older

00:21:15 - Listener Question about Plyometrics brought to you by Smart Playrooms

00:31:30 - Interview with power athlete Brad Kearns of Peluva Footwear

BOOKS & RESEARCH MENTIONED

My Perfect Movement Plan by Katy Bowman
Whole Body Barefoot by Katy Bowman
ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal Special Edition on Power

YOUR VOICE ON THE PODCAST

The closing of each episode features a listener reading the credits. We want your voice! Click here for the script and an easy one-click recording.

MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:

Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10
Ikaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10
Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office
Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20
Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT
Earth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10

This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses

Katy Bowman and Jeannette Loram dig into the science—and the hype—around so-called “exercise pills.” They unpack what these drugs do at the molecular level, what they can—and can’t—mimic about exercise, and who might benefit—from elite athletes to people with disabilities or chronic illness.

The conversation goes beyond physiology into questions of culture, psychology, and even the future of sport—where performance-enhancing technologies are blurring the lines between natural and engineered human potential.

CHAPTERS

0:03:12 The Dynamic Collective

0:04:28 – How Do Exercise Pills Work?

0:06:50 – Exercise Pills, Skeletal Muscle targets and ‘Enhanced’ Sport Performance

0:12:30 – Who Might Benefit from Exercise Pills?
0:14:08 – Why Pills Can’t Replace All The Effects of Exercise
0:24:26 – Can Exercise Pills Close the Health Gap? And Why Are We Failing To Exercise Enough?
0:34:26 – Beyond Blood Panels: What Pills Miss About Movement
0:36:56 – Listener Question brought to you by Venn Design

RESEARCH MENTIONED

Mimicking Exercise: What Matters Most and Where To Next? Hawley et al (2021)
Exercise pills for cardiometabolic health cannot mimic the exercise milieu Plaza-Florido et al (2025)

MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:

Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office
Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10
Earth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10
Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT
Ikaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10
Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20

This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses

Katy Bowman and Jeannette Loram explore skin strength, focusing on what a callus is, how calluses form on the hands and feet, and how it affects circulation. They also discuss the pros and cons of calluses, comparing them to a weight belt for your skin—reinforcing, protecting, and ultimately enabling your body to do more.

They share personal stories—from rowing and kayaking to gardening—highlighting how it's often skin, not muscles, that limits activity. Katy also chats with Karri Bowen-Poole, founder of Smart Playrooms, about designing home spaces that promote hanging, build skin strength, and support kids’ physical and cognitive development. They cover equipment ideas, dynamic home design tips, and draw inspiration from Ninja Warrior athletes.

CHAPTERS

00:04:30 - The Dynamic Collective

00:08:20 - What is a Callus? And the Listener Question on calluses & circulation brought to you by Sweet Skins

00:22:30 - Updated insights about the Callus, skin strength and its relationship to whole-body movement

00:35:25 - Skin Tissue and Thoughtful Progression

00:42:00 - Interview with Karri Bowen-Poole, founder of Smart Playrooms

BOOKS & RESEARCH PAPERS

Move Your DNA by Katy Bowman
Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief by Katy Bowman
Callus Formation by Kim et al (2010)
Blood Flow In The Skin in relation to temperature and pressure by J Petrofsky (2012)
Foot Callus and Tactile Sensitivity by Holowka et al (2019) - Daniel Lieberman group

MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:

Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT
Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office
Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10
Earth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10
Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20
Ikaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10

This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses

In this episode, Katy Bowman and Jeannette Loram dive into the fascinating relationship between blood sugar, diet, and movement. They unpack how the body regulates blood sugar, what happens when this process breaks down in Type I and Type II diabetes, and why different kinds of activity play such a big role in prevention and management.

Katy and Jeannette explain how contracting muscles can pull glucose directly into working cells during exercise—a powerful but site-specific effect—and how long-term training reshapes muscle to take up glucose more efficiently.

They also compare the blood sugar benefits of endurance exercise, resistance training, HIIT, stretching, and even light daily movement. Along the way, they highlight two key scenarios: insulin resistance linked to excess weight and inflammation, versus insulin resistance driven by low muscle mass in people with normal weight. For the latter, they stress why resistance training—or “big body work”—is especially essential.

CHAPTERS

0:06:00 - Definitions

0:16:00 - The Dynamic Collective

0:17:00 - You Can’t Exercise Off Diabetes

0:20:00 - Muscle is the Key Tissue (and the Liver)

0:36:30 - Stretching & Light Activity

0:47:00 - Exercise Modality for Blood Sugar Regulation

0:54:25 - Listener Question on Lupus brought to you by Peluva

1:09:09 - Blood Sugar Spikes During Exercise

BOOKS & RESEARCH PAPERS

My Perfect Movement Plan by Katy Bowman
I know I should Exercise, But... by Diana Hill & Katy Bowman
Exercise and GLUT4 by Flores-Opazo et al (2020)

Mechanisms of endurance and resistance exercise in type 2 diabetes by Zhao et al (2025)
Sedentary behaviour as a mediator of type 2 diabetes by Hamilton et al (2015)

Impact of reduced sitting time or increasing sit-to-stand transitions on blood pressure and glucose regulation in Postmenopausal women by Hartman et al (2025)

The impact of standing desks on cardiometabolic and vascular health by Bodker et al (2021)

MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:

Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20
Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT
Ikaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10
Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office
Earth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10

Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10

This Episode's Show Notes
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses

In this episode, Katy Bowman and Jeannette Loram have a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation with neuro-optometrist Dr. Bryce Appelbaum.

Dr. Appelbaum breaks down the crucial difference between eyesight—what you can see—and vision—how your brain interprets what you see and turns it into action. Together, they explore the striking parallels between physical and visual health, highlighting how prolonged screen time and visual inactivity can stiffen our eye muscles just like sedentary habits stiffen our joints. Focusing on screens all day is like clenching your fist nonstop—leading to eye strain, headaches, and long-term issues like poor eye coordination, which can affect depth perception, balance, and even increase the risk of falls.

The conversation covers everything from visual tics and dry eyes to how vision is connected to musculoskeletal alignment and behavior—and even offers a glimpse into the future of eye health in our tech-heavy world. Dr. Appelbaum also shares how anyone can improve visual stamina and flexibility, and Katy and Jeannette reflect on their personal experience with his online program ScreenFit—a movement program for your eyes!

Dr Appelbaum is offering our listeners $200 off ScreenFit using code MOVEYOURDNA: https://bit.ly/moveyourdnaSF

CHAPTERS
00:03:10 - Introducing Dr. Appelbaum

00:09:30 - Impacts of Screens on Vision

00:25:30 - Unlocking Vision Potential Through Exercise - ScreenFit

00:41:00 - Listener Question on Dry Eyes brought to you by Earth Runners

00:50:40 - The Future of the Screen Time/Vision Connection

BOOKS MENTIONED

My Perfect Movement Plan by Katy Bowman

MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:

Earth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10

Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20
Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT
Ikaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10
Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the office
Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10