As you guys know, I’m on a bit of a workout hiatus right now during my postpartum recovery. I absolutely miss my daily workouts and sweaty boot camp classes but taking things slow right now feels right and I’m enjoying the break. I also know from my experience with Chase that sometimes an extended period of time away from the gym makes me feel even MORE invigorated and excited about returning to my workouts when I’m ready.
I’m hoping to get my doctor’s approval to begin working out again within the next week (still nothing too intense!) but right now my physical activity is limited to walking outside. On the mornings when Chase is at summer camp, I try my best to get outside and walk with Ryder and Sadie and listen to a podcast or two. This little bit of exercise makes SUCH a difference in my attitude and energy going into the day and I also love taking some time to tune into podcasts that feel like an escape for me during a time when my thoughts are pretty much consumed by taking care of a baby and motherhood.
Though Ryder hates his car seat in the car, he’s been AMAZING in his car seat during our walks and almost always sleeps the entire time. I just try to make sure to nurse him and go for our walks after he’s had some play time so he’s sleepy. Since Ryder is content to sleep and Sadie isn’t exactly a riveting conversationalist, this leaves my walking time open for listening to my favorite podcasts.
I’ve had a few requests for a blog post featuring some of my current favorite podcasts so be sure to scroll on down to check them out if you’re looking for some new podcasts to try. I love a variety of podcasts but most of them tend to fall under the health and wellness, motherhood and self-improvement genres.
Aside from looking forward to listening to my favorite podcasts, one more thing that has helped motivate me to get outside and walk is some new workout gear that fits my body well during a time when I’m in between sizes. I recently had the opportunity to team up with Zappos and Brooks to try some of their latest apparel (I am wearing everything in a size up from my normal size) as well as Brooks’ new Levitate 2.
The Levitate 2 is the latest Levitate shoe from Brooks featuring a knit-style upper, a trend I’ve loved for a while in my sneakers because the knit fabric seems to prevent any uncomfortable rubbing along the top of my foot, heel and ankle. The shoe also includes a soft and stretchy foam heel tab to shield your heel from irritation which is key if you’re anything like me and prefer to wear low or no-show ankle socks.
The Levitate 2s feel supportive and springy on my morning walks and I love the way they feel much lighter than running shoes I’ve purchased in the past. Plus, I’m a sucker for the coral and sky blue color combination. (The shoes are also available in gray/black and coral/purple.)
And here’s a rundown of the apparel I was sent to review:
Brooks Array Shirt: This top is semi-fitted around the chest but forgiving in the belly area and incredibly comfortable. The DriLayer fabric is fantastic for wicking away sweat and the back has a flowy high slit for increased ventilation and cooling — essential in this summer heat!
Brooks Greenlight Capris: I was excited to try out these capris after reading about how much Janae (The Hungry Runner Girl) loves them and they did not disappoint. They have a wide elastic waistband and are form fitting but smoothing. They move with my body and stay in place during long walks… and also on days spent running around after a toddler and bouncing a newborn for hours on end. Because that’s what life looks like around here right now!
And now let’s dive into my favorite podcasts!!! Below you will find a short roundup of some of my current go-to podcasts that I enjoy listening to on my walks and also during nursing sessions, meal prep and more. I’m definitely on a huge podcast kick at the moment!
Favorite Podcasts
Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations: This podcast is amazing! There’s a reason people LOVE Oprah and while I never watched her show when it was on TV, I am ALL about her podcast. She interviews truly captivating people about topics that typically center around self-improvement, self-awareness, mindfulness, faith, happiness and living your best life. I highly recommend the episodes featuring interviews with Brene Brown, Shawn Achor, Joel Osteen and Gretchen Rubin.
Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me: I’ve mentioned this NPR news quiz podcast on the blog numerous times in the past because it is my all-time favorite! It’s a lighthearted take on current events featuring silly trivia questions and interesting and humorous interviews with various guests. The host and panelists on the show always crack me up and it’s always entertaining!
RISE: This podcast is hosted by Rachel Hollis, the author of the best-selling book Girl, Wash Your Face (I still need to read this book!) and quickly became a favorite of mine thanks to Rachel’s down-to-earth personality. The podcast is packed with great business tips for entrepreneurs as well as self-improvement takeaways. It’s always uplifting, informative and entertaining.
Happier: I discovered this podcast when I began walking in the morning after I had Chase and it was the perfect podcast to listen to after delivery because it helped me focus on my personal happiness during a time when I felt like all of my thoughts centered around our baby. I still enjoy listening to this one and almost always walk away with little tips and tricks for things I can do in my day to day life to improve my happiness.
The MindBodyGreen Podcast: On this podcast the founder and CEO of MindBodyGreen interviews people shaping the wellness world in a way that feels accessible, interesting and applicable to everyday life. It’s a great podcast that covers a variety of topics that center around mental and physical health and touches on nutrition, spirituality, self care, personal struggles, fitness and more.
The Healthy Moms Podcast: This podcast was created by Katie Wells of WellnessMama.com and touches on a wide variety of topics including motherhood, holistic health, natural living, and more. If you’re looking for a good episode to start with, I highly recommend Katie’s interview with Dr. Mark Hyman (episode #160), entitled “What The Heck Should I Eat?”
Healthy in Real Life: One of my closest blogging friends, Gina of The Fitnessista, started a podcast earlier this summer and it’s one I subscribed to immediately and listen to every single week. Gina is such a wonderful wealth of knowledge about all things health and fitness and her podcast is a great balance of entertaining and informative. I’ve listened to every episode (I loved the one about postpartum fitness) and find that the length is perfect (20-35 minutes) and it never feels like a huge commitment to listen to an episode since they’re all relatively short. If anything, I feel like the episodes always leave me wanting MORE which is a good thing since I’m never bored when listening to this podcast!
Babes and Babies: This podcast was started by two former Bachelor contestants and a Doula and the first time I listened to it, I admittedly had pretty low expectations but I ended up really loving it! Carly and Jade seem so normal and touch on a variety of women’s issues, motherhood and parenting topics ranging from postpartum struggles in the fourth trimester to breastfeeding, miscarriage and more. I think first-time moms in particular would love this one!
Additional Podcasts
For those interested in blogging and/or entrepreneurial podcasts, here are a few more favorites I listen to regularly that might be of interest:
Question of the Day
What are some of your go-to podcasts? What podcast genres typically appeal most to you?
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I love “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me”! If it ever comes to through your town, or if you are in Chicago, it is totally worth seeing live, too!
Thank you for this! I love Oprah’s SuperSoul but hadn’t heard of a few of these! Loved your blog for years now, I think YOU need a podcast 🙂
I just love “The American Life” and “WTF with Marc Maron”. They are amazing.
I’m loving Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard (Kristen Bell’s hubby). He has different celebrities on and they just talk but I look forward to it each week.
Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me is a great Podcast! It’s funny, creative, and fun 🙂 It was great to listen to on a cross-country road trip.
I prefer comedian podcasts. Bill Burr’s my favourite. Not everybody’s cup of tea, but he says it like it and he reads his reads or ads like no other. Other podcasts I skip the ads, not his! His wife, Nia often joins in and he often has guests, other comedians, actors or musicians. If I ever need a giggle or a pick me up mood, The Monday Morning Podcast’s my go to! .