Sturdy Girl
Join Jess Heiss, body image and performance coach, for conversations around body image, self-confidence and resilience (both mental and physical). Learn how to stop letting your appearance hold you back from living the big, rad life that you deserve.
Episodes
70 episodes
69. Function > Form: Training Your Brain to Notice What Your Body Can Do
What if you stopped judging your body for how it looks — and started appreciating what it can do?This episode explores body functionality appreciation, a research-backed practice that shifts focus from aesthetics to abili...
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Season 6
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Episode 8
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16:00
68. What 'I Feel Fat' Really Means
Ever catch yourself saying “I just feel fat”? You’re not alone — and you’re also not actually describing your body.In this episode, Jess breaks down what that phrase really means, why our brains default to body-bashing language,...
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Season 6
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Episode 7
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16:27
67. Body Positive Cliches Vs Self-Compassion
Tired of being told to “just love your body”? In this episode, Jess unpacks why body-positive slogans often fall flat — and what the research actually says helps you build a more peaceful, realistic relationship with your body.Y...
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Season 6
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Episode 6
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21:04
66. Who’s Talking in There? The Science (and Practice) of Your Inner Voice
Ever catch yourself mid-lift arguing with… yourself? In this episode, Jess digs into the surprisingly powerful science of self-talk — why that inner voice exists, how it shapes your confidence and body image, and three evidence-backed ...
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Season 6
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Episode 5
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18:53
65. Stronger Than You Think: The Sturdy Science of Pregnancy & Postpartum Body Image
Pregnancy and postpartum body image are often framed through loss and “bounce-back” pressure — but the research tells a different story. In this episode of Sturdy Girl, Jess takes you inside the science and lived experience of pregnanc...
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Season 6
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Episode 4
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34:51
64. How to Stop Obsessing Over Your Body (+ Live a Big, Rad Life)
If you’ve ever felt like body thoughts take up way too much of your brain space, this episode is for you. Body image work isn’t about loving your reflection 24/7 — it’s about learning how to stop obsessing over your body so yo...
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Season 6
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Episode 3
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18:09
63. BMI is BS (+ Why Health is Way More Complex)
BMI has been used for decades as a quick way to measure “health” — but here’s the truth: it was never designed for individuals. Created in the 1800s by a mathematician and adopted by insurance companies in the 1970s, BMI ignores body compositio...
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Season 6
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Episode 2
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13:30
62. What It Really Means to be a Sturdy Human [Season 6!]
We’re back for Season 6 of Sturdy Girl! And we’re kicking things off with a big question: What does it really mean to be a sturdy human?Spoiler: sturdiness isn’t about having defined thigh muscles, perfect confidence, o...
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Season 6
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Episode 1
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16:14
61. [STURDY SHORT] The 3 Keys That Improved My Body Image
In this bite-sized Sturdy Short, Jess spills the tea on three surprisingly simple things that seriously improved her body image—starting with breaking fashion “rules,” turning down the mind chaos with mindfulness, and learning that sel...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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10:21
60. What Embodiment Really Means—and Why It Might Be the Missing Piece in Your Body Image Work
Do you ever feel like you’re doing all the right mindset work around body image, but something’s still…missing?This week, we’re exploring embodiment—not as a buzzword, but as a powerful, research-backed tool to help you...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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20:37
59. [STURDY SHORT] The One Thing Holding You Back From the Life You Want
In this episode of Sturdy Girl, the focus is on breaking free from the mindset of waiting for the 'perfect' moment to start living fully. It challenges listeners, especially women, to stop delaying their dreams until they feel better about thei...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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8:30
58. What *Actually* Helped Me Ditch the Body Image Struggle [Positive Body Image Vs. Body Image Flexibility]
In episode 58 of Sturdy Girl, host Jess delves into the concept of body image flexibility as an empowering alternative to positive body image. She critiques the limitations of the 'love yourself' mantra and emphasizes the importance of acceptin...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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16:50
57. [STURDY SHORT] Stop Pretending to Love Everything About Your Body
In episode 57 of Sturdy Girl, host Jess delves into the pressure of loving every aspect of our bodies and instead promotes the more attainable goal of body acceptance. Key points include the unrealistic standards set by social media, the harmfu...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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11:56
56. Unpacking Your Body Image Story: More Ways to Improve Body Image
In episode 56 of Sturdy Girl, Jess delves into understanding the difference between thoughts and beliefs and how they shape our body image. She introduces a game to identify these and explains the influence of media, personal experiences, and c...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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20:38
55. [STURDY SHORT] Your To-Do List Will Never Be Empty—So How Will You Spend Your Time?
In episode 55 of Sturdy Girl, host Jess guides listeners through a reflective journey, imagining themselves at age 96, contemplating life's meaningful moments rather than daily tasks and regrets. Key points include ...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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8:54
54. [STURDY SHORT] The Right Kind of Goals: How to Set Ones That Stick
In episode 54 of Sturdy Girl, host Jess emphasizes the importance of setting goals that are meaningful, personally tailored, and aligned with your core values. She guides listeners through performing a 'goal audit' to ensure their goals are int...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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9:05
53. Start Here: A Simple, Effective Guide to Improving Your Body Image & Mindset
This episode explores the concept of body image and provides research-backed keys to improve how we perceive our bodies. Key points include: Body image is more about our thoughts than our physical bodies. ...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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18:08
52. What is Real Self-Love? [Season 5 VDay Special!]
In this Valentine's Day special episode of Sturdy Girl, host Jess challenges the conventional notion that self-love should be the end goal in building a relationship with oneself. Jess discusses the idea of finding a middle ground, focusing on ...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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18:08
51. Exploring Embodiment: It Goes Beyond Just Body Image with Hannah Silva-Breen
Let’s welcome Hannah Silva Breen, a PhD candidate in sports exercise and performance psychology and a practitioner in clinical mental health counseling. Jess and Hannah discuss Hannah's educational and professional journey, her focus on embodim...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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56:47
50. Beyond the Mirror: Tackling Body Image and Building Confidence with Sabrina Del Duca
In this episode of Sturdy Girl, Jess welcomes Sabrina Del Duca, a confidence coach and dancer, to discuss body image, body dysmorphia, and mindset tools for building confidence. Sabrina shares her journey from a 10-year career in advertising to...
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Season 4
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Episode 11
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48:32
49. Unapologetic Eating and Body Liberation with Alissa Rumsey, Dietitian and Author
Join Jess as she chats with Alissa Rumsey, a registered dietitian, intuitive eating counselor, and author of 'Unapologetic Eating: Make Peace with Food and Transform Your Life'. Alyssa shares her journey into nutrition, starting from her high s...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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59:00
48. Building Confidence and Improving Mental Performance with Kristin Tullo
In this episode of Sturdy Girl, Jess interviews Kristen, a mental performance coach who works with athletes, coaches, and parents to improve confidence, focus, and motivation. Kristen shares her journey from being a strength and conditioning co...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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52:14
47. Bouncing Forward: Redefining Motherhood and Body Image with Claire, Mental Health Counselor
In this episode of Sturdy Girl, Jess welcomes Claire, a counselor and parent educator, to discuss the challenges and joys of early parenthood. Claire shares her mission to make early parenthood enjoyable and less overwhelming through her online...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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55:22
46. How Yoga Can Help Your Body Image and Confidence with Rachel Pradarelli, Coach and Nurse Practitioner
In this episode of Sturdy Girl, host Jess welcomes Rachel, a women's wellness coach and yoga/meditation teacher. Rachel shares her journey from experiencing burnout as a family nurse practitioner to finding new purpose in coaching women to appr...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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44:39
45. Embracing Food Freedom and Growth Mindset with Coach Kelsey Wiebe
In this episode of Sturdy Girl, the host introduces Kelsey Wiebe, a NASM certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, and holistic life coach. Kelsey shares her journey from personal struggles with disordered eating to becoming an empowering co...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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56:05