August 3, 2024 • 13 mins
Catch Jessica Jackson in this bite-sized episode as she unpacks the pressure to shrink your body for summer and the societal narratives around it. Through Jessica’s health journey, she highlights the lifestyle switches that boosted her health. Jessica and Ariele tackle the often overlooked topic of perimenopause to the influence of social media on our body image. Jessica touches on the role of social media and weighs in on some of the latest fitness trends like rebounders and vibration plates.
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Summer Body Pressure
02:19 Taking Care of Your Health
03:49 Navigating Perimenopause
07:57 Influence of Social Media and Fitness Trends
Stay Connected:
Instagram: @EmboldenedwithJessica
FaceBook @EmboldenedwithJessica
TikTok: @EmboldenedwithJessica
Youtube: @EmboldenedwithJessica
Credits:
Host: Jessica Jackson
Produced by: Ariele & Jessica Jackson
Edited by: Ariele
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:14):
to the show, we are going to be doing some fun mini episodes for the summer.
And Ariel treated my life today about my typical intro, so I'm trying to mix it up.
The other intro works, this one works.
You're smooth like butter.
(00:35):
You're out of control.
So we're doing these fun summer minis with Emboldened with Jessica.
And really, what does that mean?
Yeah, mini episodes mean that we're not going to get into all of the research, all of thetings.
We are just going to be doing a high level kind of discussion about some fun things.
(00:55):
If we're talking about some topics that really interestingly want us to dive a little bitdeeper, that's something we can bring in in the future, or maybe we can have a guest come
in and join us.
So just let us know what excites and delights you.
Yes, and I mean, summer kind of leaves it open for short attention spans.
(01:16):
That's another good reason for having a mini.
We want to just like a little tease.
I did that.
So to kick it off, we outside this summer.
Yes.
So with us being outside, we want to just talk about some things that have been flyingaround social media, popular culture right now.
(01:40):
And there has been a lot of talk about unbiggying your back.
What does that even mean?
Yeah.
So unbiggying one's back has been a phrase that
People have been using to mean that they want to be a little bit more healthy, a littlebit more fit.
They want to be a little bit thinner.
(02:01):
I saw a graphic of the penguin from Batman and they had a picture of his back.
They said, we want to unbig our back so it does not look like this.
That's a big back.
And it was.
And I said, wow.
So there's a little bit of body shame in there, but there's a little bit of fun, spirited.
in the sense that we all know our bodies and some of us desire for different reasons tohave different proportions, different shape, maybe we want a tone, lean up something.
(02:29):
And so everybody is a summer body and I feel that very strongly.
It's gonna get the body I got.
Pretty much and I mean summer is like key for having some really good summer food.
So if my back is big this summer, just know that I'm still really enjoying my summer.
I do love a good funnel cake.
(02:49):
about it.
Summer is also a time to indulge.
So if the big back stays, just cherish your body, the one that you have.
Because like you said, everybody is a summer body.
I feel that very strongly.
And so while we're talking about our bodies, a lot of times we're talking about ourbodies, we're also thinking about our overall health.
(03:12):
And I have a little bit of a health scare around January after all the holidays.
And I feel like I have high blood pressure.
So I said, let me go ahead and check this.
with the high blood pressure device I have at home and the instructions I had never reallyread.
And so I checked it and I said, my gosh, this said I had high blood pressure.
I was like, I'm gonna die.
(03:33):
Jesus, not now.
So I was really, really upset and I was like, I have to transform my life.
I have to be together.
So I made some lifestyle choices and they've actually been really, really good andhelpful.
And then I read.
that when you check your blood pressure, you're not supposed to have your feet up, andhave my feet up on the couch.
(03:55):
So I said, ooh, perhaps this is inaccurate.
So I took it again, and we were in the normal range.
But by then, the lifestyle change had already started, and I have been sticking to it.
And so I just feel like health is part of our wealth, health is something, especially ifyou're a millennial, okay?
I thought his changed a lot.
(04:16):
One of the things that helped
us to feel like our best selves, help us feel good, help us have the energy that we reallydeserve to have.
And so thinking about how can we get our lives in a way that is supportive to our mentalhealth, to our physical health, all of the things.
Yeah.
And I know you brought up the life transformation.
(04:38):
What did that include?
Was it exercise?
Was it changing how you what foods you're eating?
So I decided that I was going to
start incorporating more vegetables and fruits.
And so instead of after eating, you'd be like, what's my sweet thing I'm gonna have?
You know, they say that's part of black culture.
So after we eat, we want something sweet.
(04:58):
So instead of doing a dessert, now I do fruit in the evening.
And I'm trying to do at least like 30 vegetables a week.
And I'm not saying I hit 30 vegetables a week, but I just incorporate a lot more veggiesinto my diet.
And then also more movement.
Luckily, I look next to a beautiful trail, so I like to go for walks on the trail.
(05:20):
I'm a person who, I don't like high intensity workouts, but I love going for a walk.
Walks are so good for our physical health because of the bilateral movement we're doingwith our eyes.
It allows us to hear the sounds in nature, which are also really relaxing for our nervoussystem.
So like hearing the birds chirp, feeling the breeze on our skin, and allows us to havesome moments of mindfulness.
(05:49):
That whole movement piece is really big.
I feel like maybe at the, sometime in the pandemic, but I think it got really big lastyear, the hot girl walks.
And that could be a big part of the movement because there's this piece of if you don'tuse it, you will lose it.
And you're thinking in your 20s, I'm all good.
(06:10):
You're thinking in your 30s, I'm still pretty good.
And then as we get older and older, if you aren't doing stuff, if you're just sticking tothis routine of your nine to five, and then you come home and sit down, go to sleep, and
then do it all over again, what are you really doing to nourish your body?
Just keep that in mind.
Well, and even like the spending time making my meals allows for more movement, right?
(06:36):
And so movement in general, the exercise, it helps to boost our mood, it helps to boostour energy.
improves our immune system, our digestive system, all of that.
So like even like movement after we finish eating helps us to eat and digestion and helpsus to feel better.
So while I'm not like putting, I'm not saying I'm not putting anything in the air fryer,okay?
The air fryer still gotta get used.
(06:57):
This is true.
Now that, the other big thing I did was decrease my alcohol consumption.
One of the really bad habits I developed during the pandemic was drinking like wine as Icooked.
And like drinking a lot.
It was the pandemic.
Yeah.
And so part of, you know, being more aware of my health was that I can't consume this muchalcohol and have that be good for me.
(07:22):
And so now I will, you know, still have fun when I'm cooking, right?
Because I like to have a production of it.
Sometimes I need a snack before I start cooking.
But now I could snack on like kale or some cherries or something yummy.
Until then, I listen to the So Fun We Use It, I listen to a really good podcast, and I'mstill having fun.
I don't need the glass of wine.
(07:43):
I might do like a poppy or an ollie pop.
If I'm feeling fancy, I put in a nice glass because I want to romanticize and have fun.
I love this idea of making it a production and romanticizing these...
Everyday things that we already have to do.
(08:05):
Yeah.
Add a little bit more ease and joy to it.
I mean, if I think about the chore of cooking and I'm going to be cooking for a son, I'mnot going to let it do it, right?
-huh.
I feel like, I just had a long day at work.
I deserve to go pick up this best food or I deserve to go call this door dash.
Well, no, I deserve to have the movement in my life.
I deserve to have foods that I know.
(08:27):
Everything that's in what I make because I made it I deserve to go have a good time at mykitchen with some fun music like hilarious podcasts and really on why like I deserve that
and so making that shift has made a world of difference in my health I do have moreenergy.
I have lost some weight.
My blood pressure is like excellent like so yeah I've been noticing differences with mysleep and health overall because you know what else has been kicking my behind?
(08:54):
What?
Perry!
Harry who?
Harry Metapos!
Y 'all!
If you don't know much about perimenopause, if you noticed earlier, I stopped at thethirties because isn't that kind of when it starts to creep up and have some life and
hormonal and bodily changes in women.
(09:17):
So you might want to look into some things if you're noticing just slight changes in yourbody or almost it's not just your body, just how you.
It's like a reactive thing too sometimes, or like, I used to be cold, now I'm like hot allthe time and I don't know what's up.
Or I'm waking up in the night and I'm used to sleeping through the night.
(09:39):
My body keeps itching and why is it itching?
Like, is there something wrong with the soap I'm using?
Is it something about this shirt?
You know, you start questioning things and thinking that you're losing your mind, only todiscover, wow, you're experiencing paramedic pause symptoms and paramedic...
can last for 15 years of your life and no one decided to talk to us about it.
(10:02):
Nobody talked about it.
Hello, so yes, so as I've been navigating that and figuring out what works for my body,having some of the things in check with my physical health has helped.
Now, since this is a mini and we are still living our day -to -day lives and usually thatinvolves social media, we have to talk about what we've been getting influenced on.
(10:33):
What's been coming up in your feed?
yeah, so my main influencer is my sister and she has all of these things and she tells uswe need them.
Well, she doesn't tell us we need them.
She just tells us how wonderful they are for her.
So one of the things she's very into right now is the rebounder.
And she said, I need to get a rebounder.
And actually I like a rebounder for some reasons.
(10:55):
I like the fact that it allows movement.
So rebounder, for those that haven't been hearing about it, is like a trampoline.
They just have rebranded it as a rebounder.
And one of those mini trampolines, like when you were a child and you didn't have the bigone in your backyard, but you had the little small one.
It's one of those that usually like five -year -olds jump on, but now they have, like yousaid, rebranded it.
(11:18):
And now it's all about getting that movement, that jumping motion.
Yes, I remember Amanda Seals during the pandemic was like, I can't deal with all thisfoolishness.
I'm in my backyard on my trampoline.
And she was just having the time for life.
Now, even movements like rhythmic and repetitive are really great for a nervous system.
(11:39):
I've heard that the rebounder is also really good for draining the lymphatic system.
But all of us need different ways that we move our bodies in ways that we enjoy.
So I talked about how I don't like hardcore exercise, but I like walking.
I'm not gonna force myself to do something I don't wanna do, but for you, if like jumpingon a trampoline was a lot of fun, or you know, it is a form of standing.
(12:02):
For me, I really like the jump rope.
I like the repetitive motion of a jump rope.
And so finding movements that are fun.
The rebounder is one of the things that's been on my
that's popped up and the other thing has been that migration plate.
I don't know if you've seen it.
Yes, that has been in my feed where people are just standing on this thing and they'rejust constantly shaking and they try to do for like what, 10 minutes or more and you're
(12:27):
just shaking and people are, of course you have the angle of you're losing weight, butthen there's just so much that is happening with that motion, that movement, that constant
movement where it can probably flush out stuff and things like that.
I was on it and I thought it needed a little bit of a rush.
I kept thinking it had a little bit of a rush and I didn't.
Yeah, I thought it was interesting.
I tried it out because of course my sister has one.
(12:51):
And that rhythmic, repetitive movement, I could see that being pretty relaxing.
It kind of reminds me of that GIF of the girl from Bob's Burgers with the blue where she'sbacking it up.
Yeah, I guess.
Are you enjoying the show?
(13:12):
Subscribe and review to let us know what you think.
And share this episode with a friend in your favorite podcast app.
Thanks so much for listening to Emboldened with Jessica.
If you want to keep up with us, follow Emboldened with Jessica on Instagram or Facebook.
Until next time.
to the show, we are going to be doing some fun mini episodes for the summer.
And Ariel treated my life today about my typical intro, so I'm trying to mix it up.
The other intro works, this one works.
You're smooth like butter.
(00:35):
You're out of control.
So we're doing these fun summer minis with Emboldened with Jessica.
And really, what does that mean?
Yeah, mini episodes mean that we're not going to get into all of the research, all of thetings.
We are just going to be doing a high level kind of discussion about some fun things.
(00:55):
If we're talking about some topics that really interestingly want us to dive a little bitdeeper, that's something we can bring in in the future, or maybe we can have a guest come
in and join us.
So just let us know what excites and delights you.
Yes, and I mean, summer kind of leaves it open for short attention spans.
(01:16):
That's another good reason for having a mini.
We want to just like a little tease.
I did that.
So to kick it off, we outside this summer.
Yes.
So with us being outside, we want to just talk about some things that have been flyingaround social media, popular culture right now.
(01:40):
And there has been a lot of talk about unbiggying your back.
What does that even mean?
Yeah.
So unbiggying one's back has been a phrase that
People have been using to mean that they want to be a little bit more healthy, a littlebit more fit.
They want to be a little bit thinner.
(02:01):
I saw a graphic of the penguin from Batman and they had a picture of his back.
They said, we want to unbig our back so it does not look like this.
That's a big back.
And it was.
And I said, wow.
So there's a little bit of body shame in there, but there's a little bit of fun, spirited.
in the sense that we all know our bodies and some of us desire for different reasons tohave different proportions, different shape, maybe we want a tone, lean up something.
(02:29):
And so everybody is a summer body and I feel that very strongly.
It's gonna get the body I got.
Pretty much and I mean summer is like key for having some really good summer food.
So if my back is big this summer, just know that I'm still really enjoying my summer.
I do love a good funnel cake.
(02:49):
about it.
Summer is also a time to indulge.
So if the big back stays, just cherish your body, the one that you have.
Because like you said, everybody is a summer body.
I feel that very strongly.
And so while we're talking about our bodies, a lot of times we're talking about ourbodies, we're also thinking about our overall health.
(03:12):
And I have a little bit of a health scare around January after all the holidays.
And I feel like I have high blood pressure.
So I said, let me go ahead and check this.
with the high blood pressure device I have at home and the instructions I had never reallyread.
And so I checked it and I said, my gosh, this said I had high blood pressure.
I was like, I'm gonna die.
(03:33):
Jesus, not now.
So I was really, really upset and I was like, I have to transform my life.
I have to be together.
So I made some lifestyle choices and they've actually been really, really good andhelpful.
And then I read.
that when you check your blood pressure, you're not supposed to have your feet up, andhave my feet up on the couch.
(03:55):
So I said, ooh, perhaps this is inaccurate.
So I took it again, and we were in the normal range.
But by then, the lifestyle change had already started, and I have been sticking to it.
And so I just feel like health is part of our wealth, health is something, especially ifyou're a millennial, okay?
I thought his changed a lot.
(04:16):
One of the things that helped
us to feel like our best selves, help us feel good, help us have the energy that we reallydeserve to have.
And so thinking about how can we get our lives in a way that is supportive to our mentalhealth, to our physical health, all of the things.
Yeah.
And I know you brought up the life transformation.
(04:38):
What did that include?
Was it exercise?
Was it changing how you what foods you're eating?
So I decided that I was going to
start incorporating more vegetables and fruits.
And so instead of after eating, you'd be like, what's my sweet thing I'm gonna have?
You know, they say that's part of black culture.
So after we eat, we want something sweet.
(04:58):
So instead of doing a dessert, now I do fruit in the evening.
And I'm trying to do at least like 30 vegetables a week.
And I'm not saying I hit 30 vegetables a week, but I just incorporate a lot more veggiesinto my diet.
And then also more movement.
Luckily, I look next to a beautiful trail, so I like to go for walks on the trail.
(05:20):
I'm a person who, I don't like high intensity workouts, but I love going for a walk.
Walks are so good for our physical health because of the bilateral movement we're doingwith our eyes.
It allows us to hear the sounds in nature, which are also really relaxing for our nervoussystem.
So like hearing the birds chirp, feeling the breeze on our skin, and allows us to havesome moments of mindfulness.
(05:49):
That whole movement piece is really big.
I feel like maybe at the, sometime in the pandemic, but I think it got really big lastyear, the hot girl walks.
And that could be a big part of the movement because there's this piece of if you don'tuse it, you will lose it.
And you're thinking in your 20s, I'm all good.
(06:10):
You're thinking in your 30s, I'm still pretty good.
And then as we get older and older, if you aren't doing stuff, if you're just sticking tothis routine of your nine to five, and then you come home and sit down, go to sleep, and
then do it all over again, what are you really doing to nourish your body?
Just keep that in mind.
Well, and even like the spending time making my meals allows for more movement, right?
(06:36):
And so movement in general, the exercise, it helps to boost our mood, it helps to boostour energy.
improves our immune system, our digestive system, all of that.
So like even like movement after we finish eating helps us to eat and digestion and helpsus to feel better.
So while I'm not like putting, I'm not saying I'm not putting anything in the air fryer,okay?
The air fryer still gotta get used.
(06:57):
This is true.
Now that, the other big thing I did was decrease my alcohol consumption.
One of the really bad habits I developed during the pandemic was drinking like wine as Icooked.
And like drinking a lot.
It was the pandemic.
Yeah.
And so part of, you know, being more aware of my health was that I can't consume this muchalcohol and have that be good for me.
(07:22):
And so now I will, you know, still have fun when I'm cooking, right?
Because I like to have a production of it.
Sometimes I need a snack before I start cooking.
But now I could snack on like kale or some cherries or something yummy.
Until then, I listen to the So Fun We Use It, I listen to a really good podcast, and I'mstill having fun.
I don't need the glass of wine.
(07:43):
I might do like a poppy or an ollie pop.
If I'm feeling fancy, I put in a nice glass because I want to romanticize and have fun.
I love this idea of making it a production and romanticizing these...
Everyday things that we already have to do.
(08:05):
Yeah.
Add a little bit more ease and joy to it.
I mean, if I think about the chore of cooking and I'm going to be cooking for a son, I'mnot going to let it do it, right?
-huh.
I feel like, I just had a long day at work.
I deserve to go pick up this best food or I deserve to go call this door dash.
Well, no, I deserve to have the movement in my life.
I deserve to have foods that I know.
(08:27):
Everything that's in what I make because I made it I deserve to go have a good time at mykitchen with some fun music like hilarious podcasts and really on why like I deserve that
and so making that shift has made a world of difference in my health I do have moreenergy.
I have lost some weight.
My blood pressure is like excellent like so yeah I've been noticing differences with mysleep and health overall because you know what else has been kicking my behind?
(08:54):
What?
Perry!
Harry who?
Harry Metapos!
Y 'all!
If you don't know much about perimenopause, if you noticed earlier, I stopped at thethirties because isn't that kind of when it starts to creep up and have some life and
hormonal and bodily changes in women.
(09:17):
So you might want to look into some things if you're noticing just slight changes in yourbody or almost it's not just your body, just how you.
It's like a reactive thing too sometimes, or like, I used to be cold, now I'm like hot allthe time and I don't know what's up.
Or I'm waking up in the night and I'm used to sleeping through the night.
(09:39):
My body keeps itching and why is it itching?
Like, is there something wrong with the soap I'm using?
Is it something about this shirt?
You know, you start questioning things and thinking that you're losing your mind, only todiscover, wow, you're experiencing paramedic pause symptoms and paramedic...
can last for 15 years of your life and no one decided to talk to us about it.
(10:02):
Nobody talked about it.
Hello, so yes, so as I've been navigating that and figuring out what works for my body,having some of the things in check with my physical health has helped.
Now, since this is a mini and we are still living our day -to -day lives and usually thatinvolves social media, we have to talk about what we've been getting influenced on.
(10:33):
What's been coming up in your feed?
yeah, so my main influencer is my sister and she has all of these things and she tells uswe need them.
Well, she doesn't tell us we need them.
She just tells us how wonderful they are for her.
So one of the things she's very into right now is the rebounder.
And she said, I need to get a rebounder.
And actually I like a rebounder for some reasons.
(10:55):
I like the fact that it allows movement.
So rebounder, for those that haven't been hearing about it, is like a trampoline.
They just have rebranded it as a rebounder.
And one of those mini trampolines, like when you were a child and you didn't have the bigone in your backyard, but you had the little small one.
It's one of those that usually like five -year -olds jump on, but now they have, like yousaid, rebranded it.
(11:18):
And now it's all about getting that movement, that jumping motion.
Yes, I remember Amanda Seals during the pandemic was like, I can't deal with all thisfoolishness.
I'm in my backyard on my trampoline.
And she was just having the time for life.
Now, even movements like rhythmic and repetitive are really great for a nervous system.
(11:39):
I've heard that the rebounder is also really good for draining the lymphatic system.
But all of us need different ways that we move our bodies in ways that we enjoy.
So I talked about how I don't like hardcore exercise, but I like walking.
I'm not gonna force myself to do something I don't wanna do, but for you, if like jumpingon a trampoline was a lot of fun, or you know, it is a form of standing.
(12:02):
For me, I really like the jump rope.
I like the repetitive motion of a jump rope.
And so finding movements that are fun.
The rebounder is one of the things that's been on my
that's popped up and the other thing has been that migration plate.
I don't know if you've seen it.
Yes, that has been in my feed where people are just standing on this thing and they'rejust constantly shaking and they try to do for like what, 10 minutes or more and you're
(12:27):
just shaking and people are, of course you have the angle of you're losing weight, butthen there's just so much that is happening with that motion, that movement, that constant
movement where it can probably flush out stuff and things like that.
I was on it and I thought it needed a little bit of a rush.
I kept thinking it had a little bit of a rush and I didn't.
Yeah, I thought it was interesting.
I tried it out because of course my sister has one.
(12:51):
And that rhythmic, repetitive movement, I could see that being pretty relaxing.
It kind of reminds me of that GIF of the girl from Bob's Burgers with the blue where she'sbacking it up.
Yeah, I guess.
Are you enjoying the show?
(13:12):
Subscribe and review to let us know what you think.
And share this episode with a friend in your favorite podcast app.
Thanks so much for listening to Emboldened with Jessica.
If you want to keep up with us, follow Emboldened with Jessica on Instagram or Facebook.
Until next time.
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