What if the reason your body is changing has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with physiology, recovery and time?

In Part Two of this powerful conversation, Tom Nikkola returns to dismantle some of the most persistent myths around metabolism, weight, hormones and healthy ageing.

If you have ever wondered why your body responds differently as you get older, why shifting from high intensity to strength training feels confusing, or why “quick fixes” rarely work, you will find clarity here.

Tom explains why many people temporarily gain weight when transitioning away from high intensity exercise, how glycogen and calorie demand shift and why the body can take up to a year to settle into a new training style.

He also unpacks the complex hormonal changes women experience during perimenopause and menopause, the role of bioidentical hormones and why sustainable results require patience rather than urgency.

Other key topics include:

Why social media messaging about instant results harms real people

How to recognise the difference between outliers and realistic expectations

The interaction between MTHFR, detoxification and gut function

COMT, B12 metabolism and why some people become anxious on methylated B vitamins

The value of saliva-based genetic testing and why testing beyond MTHFR matters

Why nature time, sleep and strength training outperform almost every “biohack”

Tom also shares the “one thing” approach from the book The One Thing, which radically simplifies health into the most impactful daily actions: high protein intake, regular resistance training, quality sleep and time outside.

If you have not yet listened to Part One, go back and enjoy the full foundation before diving into the depth of this concluding episode.

About Tom

⁠Tom Nikkola⁠ is a seasoned strength and conditioning coach and nutrition strategist with over 23 years of experience in the fitness industry. After serving as Senior Director of Nutrition and Weight Management at a major fitness company, he left the corporate world to build something of his own.

Tom’s mission is to cut through health noise and bring sustainable, no-nonsense fitness and wellness solutions to people with busy lives. He emphasises strength training, good nutrition, recovery and realistic habits - helping clients build strength, resilience, clarity and vitality for the long haul.

About Alba Yoga Academy

⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more with Alba Yoga Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about our Yoga Teacher Training here.⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch our extensive library of YouTube videos.⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Hannah on Instagram.⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Celest on Instagram ⁠⁠

What if everything you thought was broken in your body could be rebuilt?

That is the lens through which strength coach and health educator Tom Nikkola lives his entire life.

In this episode of Love at First Science, Tom shares the story that shaped his philosophy: being diagnosed with childhood leukemia, undergoing years of invasive treatment and still walking away with optimism, curiosity and a fascination for how the body heals.

Tom explains how his early experiences fuelled a lifetime pursuit of understanding the human body, from pre-med studies to corporate roles in nutrition and metabolic testing, and eventually to his coaching platform Vigor Training. We explore the core principle that underpins his work: when you give the body the conditions it needs, it has an astonishing ability to repair, adapt and strengthen.

This conversation moves from Tom's personal story into practical science, including:

Why a flexible nervous system is one of the most powerful markers of resilience

How weight training helps you shift between sympathetic and parasympathetic states

The fundamentals of the MTHFR gene, methylation and why so many people feel unwell without knowing why

Why diet, stress management and sleep matter more than most people realise

Tom breaks down what MTHFR actually is, how it affects detoxification, mood and energy, and which nutritional and lifestyle strategies truly help. He explains why methylated B vitamins are essential for many people, where folate appears in food, and why leafy greens and high protein diets remain foundational. He also shares why overtraining, poor sleep and high stress often exacerbate symptoms.

Whether you are navigating your own health challenges, supporting clients or simply curious about how physiology shapes wellbeing, Part One offers grounded, compassionate science with immediately usable insights.

Stay tuned for Part Two where we continue the discussion and go deeper into hormones, metabolism, testing, detoxification and Tom’s signature philosophy for long term health.

About Tom

Tom Nikkola is a seasoned strength and conditioning coach and nutrition strategist with over 23 years of experience in the fitness industry. After serving as Senior Director of Nutrition and Weight Management at a major fitness company, he left the corporate world to build something of his own.

Tom’s mission is to cut through health noise and bring sustainable, no-nonsense fitness and wellness solutions to people with busy lives. He emphasises strength training, good nutrition, recovery and realistic habits - helping clients build strength, resilience, clarity and vitality for the long haul

About Alba Yoga Academy

⁠⁠⁠Learn more with Alba Yoga Academy⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Learn more about our Yoga Teacher Training here.⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Watch our extensive library of YouTube videos.⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Follow Hannah on Instagram.⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Follow Celest on Instagram ⁠⁠

If you have ever wondered whether you should plan every pose or trust your intuition, this episode will help you breathe again. In part two of our conversation, Sarah White returns to unpack how experienced teachers blend structure with creativity and why confidence grows from repetition, curiosity and courage.

In this second half, we explore:

How Sarah balances planning with intuition and why her peak flow is always the anchor

How to adapt the four part structure into mandala, ladder and infinity flows

Why reversing your sequences reveals whether you truly understand a movement pattern

Inspiring stories from her students and why permission and agency sit at the centre of her method

The truth about giving away sequences and why real education must build independence rather than dependency

The marketing lessons she wishes every yoga teacher knew and how she overcame her own fears around selling her work

Sarah’s experience with introversion, imposter syndrome and the mindset shifts that helped her grow a thriving global business

What she envisions for the future of creative sequencing and the values that keep her grounded as her community evolves

Sarah shares openly about discomfort, growth and the small brave steps that shape a teaching career. Her perspective is grounding and energising for anyone walking the teaching path.

If you are a yoga teacher, thinking about becoming one or simply fascinated by the creative process behind powerful classes, this conversation will leave you inspired and expanded.

About Sarah

Sarah White is a UK-born, internationally recognised yoga educator and the creator of the signature training Creative Sequencing. With over seven years of full-time teaching experience, she has guided teachers across the globe to move beyond rigid sequencing rules and into a more embodied, intentional, and confident approach to their classes.

Having spent 12 years establishing her career in Dubai, Sarah recently relocated to Kentucky, where she continues to share her work with an international audience. Known for blending creativity with depth and practicality, she’s passionate about helping yoga teachers find their unique voice and bring it to life on the mat.

⁠Visit Sarah's website here⁠

⁠Follow Sarah on Instagram⁠

About Alba Yoga Academy

⁠⁠Learn more with Alba Yoga Academy⁠⁠

⁠⁠Learn more about our Yoga Teacher Training here.⁠⁠

⁠⁠Watch our extensive library of YouTube videos.⁠⁠

⁠⁠Follow Hannah on Instagram.⁠⁠

⁠⁠Follow Celest on Instagram ⁠⁠

What if the key to confident, authentic teaching is letting go of rigid rules and stepping into your own way of moving? In this episode, we sit down with Sarah White to explore how creative sequencing can shift not only your classes but your entire relationship with yoga.

Part one of this conversation dives into Sarah’s journey from Emirates cabin crew to internationally recognised yoga educator, and how she found her way to the intuitive, intention-led method she is now known for.

We talk about

The moment she realised yoga was her calling

How rigid sequencing left her burnt out and why simplicity became her anchor

Why creative sequencing is not about fancy transitions but about depth, agency and embodiment

The four part structure at the heart of her approach and why she reverse engineers every flow

The teachers who gave her permission to break the rules and trust her intuition

How nature, curiosity and small movements spark her creativity and shape the themes she teaches

Sarah opens up about the values that guide her work, the freedom she wants for every teacher and the moment she realised sequencing could feel alive rather than restrictive.

Part two continues the conversation and goes even deeper into intuition, planning and the realities of building a yoga business.

Listen now and get ready to rethink what a yoga class can be.

About Sarah

Sarah White is a UK-born, internationally recognised yoga educator and the creator of the signature training Creative Sequencing. With over seven years of full-time teaching experience, she has guided teachers across the globe to move beyond rigid sequencing rules and into a more embodied, intentional, and confident approach to their classes.

Having spent 12 years establishing her career in Dubai, Sarah recently relocated to Kentucky, where she continues to share her work with an international audience. Known for blending creativity with depth and practicality, she’s passionate about helping yoga teachers find their unique voice and bring it to life on the mat.

Visit Sarah's website here

Follow Sarah on Instagram

About Alba Yoga Academy

⁠Learn more with Alba Yoga Academy⁠

⁠Learn more about our Yoga Teacher Training here.⁠

⁠Watch our extensive library of YouTube videos.⁠

⁠Follow Hannah on Instagram.⁠

⁠Follow Celest on Instagram ⁠

In Part 2, the conversation dives deeper into the science of creativity and the heart of teaching. Adell opens up about weaving neurology into movement, how to use novelty to keep the brain engaged and why curiosity is her ultimate teaching philosophy.

You’ll discover:

How brain drills and small changes transform learning.

The role of the nervous system in creative sequencing.

Why repeating sequences isn’t lazy-it’s intelligent.

Adell’s top tips for new yoga teachers.

A powerful reminder that your voice is enough.

The episode closes with Adell’s message for every teacher: stay curious, stay authentic and never underestimate your you-ness.

About Adell

Adell Bridges is a yoga teacher, writer, and educator known for blending movement, neuroscience, and curiosity in her teaching. Originally from a small town in Mississippi, she found her true home in the UK, where her yoga journey began after discovering the practice on Instagram in 2015. What started as a fascination with handstands quickly evolved into a deep passion for understanding the mind–body connection.

After completing her 200-hour training in India, Adell spent years travelling the world teaching workshops, retreats, and trainings while cultivating a global online community through her platform Move With Adell. Her work now focuses on how the brain shapes movement, behaviour, and emotional wellbeing, empowering students to feel more connected, capable, and curious - both on and off the mat.

At the heart of everything Adell teaches is a simple message: the only guru you need is within yourself.

You can practice with Adell via her app, ⁠Move with Adell⁠, you can f⁠ollow Adell here ⁠and find out more at her ⁠website. ⁠

About Alba Yoga Academy

Learn more with Alba Yoga Academy

Learn more about our Yoga Teacher Training here.

⁠Watch our extensive library of YouTube videos.⁠

Follow Hannah on Instagram.

Follow Celest on Instagram

In this episode, Celest and Hannah sit down with internationally renowned yoga teacher, author and brain-nerd Adell Bridges to talk about the art of creative sequencing, staying curious and finding balance between innovation and accessibility.

Adell shares how she went from gymnast to yoga teacher to neuroscience enthusiast, and the exact method she uses to design her signature flows.

Together, they explore:

How to build creative yet grounded yoga sequences.

Why planning your classes creates more freedom, not less.

How to make every student feel included and empowered.

The connection between novelty, safety and the brain’s learning process.

If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to be “original” in your teaching, this one’s for you.

About Adell

Adell Bridges is a yoga teacher, writer, and educator known for blending movement, neuroscience, and curiosity in her teaching. Originally from a small town in Mississippi, she found her true home in the UK, where her yoga journey began after discovering the practice on Instagram in 2015. What started as a fascination with handstands quickly evolved into a deep passion for understanding the mind–body connection.

After completing her 200-hour training in India, Adell spent years travelling the world teaching workshops, retreats, and trainings while cultivating a global online community through her platform Move With Adell. Her work now focuses on how the brain shapes movement, behaviour, and emotional wellbeing, empowering students to feel more connected, capable, and curious - both on and off the mat.

At the heart of everything Adell teaches is a simple message: the only guru you need is within yourself.

You can practice with Adell via her app, Move with Adell, you can follow Adell here and find out more at her website.

About Alba Yoga Academy

Learn more with Alba Yoga Academy

Learn more about our Yoga Teacher Training here.

Watch our extensive library of YouTube videos.

Follow Hannah on Instagram.

Follow Celest on Instagram

In Part Two of this transformative conversation, Anjali Rao and Hannah go deeper into the lived practice of yoga; how to honour its complexity, language and lineage while teaching with integrity and inclusivity.

Anjali unpacks the layered meanings of dharma, reflects on how the concept of true self transcends gender and caste, and explains why Sanskrit is both a source of beauty and a symbol of privilege. She shares how teachers can create spaces of care, accountability and liberation by engaging with history rather than avoiding it.

In this episode:

• What dharma really means — and how to use it with integrity

• The idea of the true self beyond identity, caste, and gender

• Why Sanskrit can be both sacred and exclusionary

• How to strip away old hierarchies and make yoga spaces truly inclusive

• What liberation might look like in today’s yoga world

  
  

• This episode is an invitation to practise yoga as awareness in action; thoughtful, embodied and deeply human.

  
  

  About Anjali

  Anjali Rao is a yoga educator-practitioner whose work deconstructs the dynamics of power in yoga with a multidisciplinary approach integrating philosophy, art and history. She offers insight into the stories that have been obscured by heteropatriarchy, orthodoxy, and colonization.

  She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Philosophy and Religion at the California Institute of Integral Studies, exploring the formulation of movements of dissent and resistance in the religio-spiritual context. She is on the faculty of many yoga teacher training and continuing education programs. She is also the host of The Love of Yoga podcast, where she shares thought-provoking conversations with yoga scholars and activists on the frontlines of liberatory movements.

  
  

  ⁠Anjali's brand new book, Yoga as Embodied Resistance is now available to buy here. ⁠

  
  

  About Alba Yoga Academy

  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more with Alba Yoga Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about our Yoga Teacher Training here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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What if everything you thought you knew about yoga’s history was only part of the story?

In this powerful conversation, yoga educator and researcher Anjali Rao joins Hannah to explore the roots of yoga that are often left out of modern narratives. From her personal journey as a cancer survivor to her deep dive into philosophy, caste, and patriarchy, Anjali invites us to see yoga not as a single tradition, but as a tapestry shaped by countless voices, movements, and histories.

Together, they unpack common myths about yoga’s origins and discuss what it really means to practise with awareness of culture, context, and power.

In this episode:

Anjali’s story of rediscovering yoga after surviving breast cancer

Why yoga has never been a monolith

The myth of “yoga as union” and what the teachings really point to

How caste, gender, and power dynamics shape modern yoga spaces

Why it’s time to question what we’ve been taught about yoga’s origins

This episode will challenge what you think you know and open new ways of seeing yoga’s depth and diversity.

About Anjali

Anjali Rao is a yoga educator-practitioner whose work deconstructs the dynamics of power in yoga with a multidisciplinary approach integrating philosophy, art and history. She offers insight into the stories that have been obscured by heteropatriarchy, orthodoxy, and colonization.

She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Philosophy and Religion at the California Institute of Integral Studies, exploring the formulation of movements of dissent and resistance in the religio-spiritual context. She is on the faculty of many yoga teacher training and continuing education programs. She is also the host of The Love of Yoga podcast, where she shares thought-provoking conversations with yoga scholars and activists on the frontlines of liberatory movements.

Anjali's brand new book, Yoga as Embodied Resistance is now available to buy here.

About Alba Yoga Academy

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more with Alba Yoga Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about our Yoga Teacher Training here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch our extensive library of YouTube videos.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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