June 3, 2025 • 51 mins
In a captivating dialogue with Desi Bartlett, the hosts of Women Road Warriors delve into the transformative experience of pregnancy and its accompanying challenges. Desi, a renowned expert in fitness and wellness for women, has worked with major stars like Kate Hudson, Alicia Silverstone, and even the U.S. Navy. She is the author of Your Strong, Sexy Pregnancy and owner of DesiBodyMind. Desi says pregnancy should not merely be endured but celebrated as a powerful life phase. She empowers pregnant women. She discusses the multifaceted changes that occur during pregnancy, addressing the physical discomforts and emotional fluctuations that many women experience. Rather than succumbing to societal pressures to conform to outdated ideals of beauty, Desi encourages women to cultivate a sense of empowerment through physical activity and self-care practices tailored to their unique needs. By integrating techniques such as yoga and meditation, women can foster a positive relationship with their changing bodies and enhance their overall well-being. In addition to pregnancy, Desi highlights the importance of supporting women through other significant life transitions, such as perimenopause, affirming that every stage of womanhood deserves attention and care. This episode, hosted by Shelley Johnson and Kathy Tuccaro, offers a wealth of knowledge and encouragement, urging women to embrace their journeys with strength and grace.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
This is Women Road warriorswith Shelly Johnson and Kathy Tucaro.
From the corporate office tothe cab of a truck, they're here
to inspire and empower womenin all professions.
So gear down, sit back and enjoy.
(00:23):
Welcome.
We're an award winning showdedicated to empowering women in
every profession throughinspiring stories and expert insights.
No topics off limits.
On our show, we power women onthe road to success with expert and
celebrity interviews andinformation you need.
I'm Shelley.
And I'm Kathy.
(00:44):
Pregnancy brings many changes.
Some can wreak havoc with a woman.
From crazy mood swings,hormone changes, fatigue, bladder
control issues to bodychanges, women.
Or you feel like you'recarrying around a boulder that kicks
you while you're trying to sleep.
Sometimes it's hard to evenfeel attractive.
It doesn't have to be that way.
Desi Bartlett is the author ofyouf Strong Sexy Pregnancy.
(01:07):
She's the founder of Desy Body Mind.
She not only teaches women howto feel strong and sexy during this
exciting time of their lives,but how to navigate all of the changes
women go through throughouttheir lives.
She teaches how to usemeditation to bond with your baby,
how to navigate perimenopause,and offers tips for moms on how to
maintain a healthy lifestylealong with work and family.
(01:30):
Desi is a global ambassadorfor Manduka Yoga.
She holds a master's degree incorporate fitness.
She works with women all overthe world, including some prominent
figures like Kate Hudson,Alicia Silverstone and Ashley Tisdale,
as well as the US Navy.
Desi's been featured by majormedia outlets.
We have Desi with us on theshow today so we can tap into some
(01:51):
of her valuable insight.
Welcome, Desi.
Thank you for being on theshow with us.
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm so happy to have this conversation.
I also come from a place ofreally truly wanting to empower women
through information.
So I feel like we areabsolutely in alignment.
Excellent.
(02:12):
We love this.
Yeah, this is great.
You know, Desi, before we pickyour brain and get some of your terrific
insights, I thought ourlisteners would like to get to know
you.
What got you started?
So I'm originally from Chicagoand I grew up with a mom who was
a hippie and she was adisciple of a gentleman named Goswami
(02:33):
Kriyananda at the Temple ofKriya Yoga in Chicago.
So all of that is just to tellyou that I received my first mantra
at at the age of six.
And yoga has been somethingthat's been present in my life every
day.
And when I went to college, Ithought that I was being a rebel
by going down a different path.
And I went on to get my degreein kinesiology, which of course took
(02:57):
me full circle right back toyoga, because it is all connected.
The ancient technology of yogaand movement alongside functional
fitness and biomechanics.
So now I am just a completenerd when it comes to Eastern and
Western philosophy.
And I am just really, reallypassionate about always making sure
(03:18):
that the tools that I offerpeople are the most up to date, but
also weave in the ancientwisdom because I feel like that resonates
with us and it's somethingthat we've lost, especially as women.
And we are the ones who carrythe wisdom.
So it's up to us to share thatwith each next generation.
(03:38):
That's powerful.
I love this.
And especially the insightsyou're giving to women when they're
pregnant, that's a heck of a change.
And I think we've come a long way.
I mean, when you think aboutit, back in the 1800s and even in
the 20th century, when womenwere in the, quote, family way, they
used to hide.
Now women are proud of theirbaby bump.
(03:59):
That's good.
But there still seems to bemaybe a stigma where women feel unattractive
or undesirable when they're pregnant.
Do you think that's part of it?
I think that women are nevermore alive than when we're pregnant.
Right.
We're quite literally creatingor co creating life inside of our
bodies and we carry more bloodand more oxygen.
(04:21):
And a woman who is simplysitting in the room as a pregnant
goddess, as I would call her,is working 10 times harder than the
rest of us because she'smaking lungs in the brain and vital
organs.
So to see the power and themiracle within her and how she is
(04:42):
really, truly so alive, Ithink that that that's sexy as hell.
That's beautiful.
And so I think if we couldkind of reframe what we see as power,
then we have the opportunityto really look at pregnant women
as quite literally the, thebearers of life.
And so for me, from, you know,from the aspect of yoga and fitness,
(05:06):
we've had this sort of like,really interesting shift from women,
you know, being told to likelay on the couch and put their feet
up for nine months to womenlike going to CrossFit and doing
all the things and throwing tires.
And so where I come from isreally like, let, let's find the
way for each individual womanso that she can feel empowered in
(05:30):
her own body and mind becausewe're all a little bit different,
but at the same time, let.
Let's celebrate you because,oh, my goodness, like, you're amazing.
I think so, you know, and Ithink that we're getting away from
the stigma.
It's progress there.
But do you run into women,though, that still feel like, gosh,
you know, I don't feel like I did.
(05:52):
I.
I don't like the way I'mlooking and I'm gaining too much
weight.
Oh, for sure.
Yes.
And I think on any given day,it can change, right?
So one day you can wake up andyou feel like, oh, my gosh, I'm.
I'm a goddess and my skin isglowing and my hair is thicker and,
like, all of the things.
And then on other days, youwake up like, oh, my gosh, I.
I feel fat and I've got a zit.
(06:13):
So, yeah, it runs the gamut.
But I really encourage womento, you know, kind of pause and meditate
and go within and connect withthe baby inside.
And I feel like when you startyour day that way, then you move
into the world with such asense of empowerment that, like,
really, you know, if you.
(06:34):
If you gain a few pounds.
Well, a.
You're supposed to, because,again, you know, you are.
You're building structureswithin you.
But I always try to reframe itfor women.
So I never say terrible thingslike, oh, you're getting so big.
I say, oh, wow, your baby is growing.
Good job, Mom.
So it really has to do withthe language that we approach pregnant
(06:56):
women with, in my opinion.
I gotta tell you, when I waspregnant with my daughter 31 years
ago, I never felt morebeautiful in my entire life.
And I modeled, you know, backin the day, and I still do modeling
now, but I never.
Does nothing come close as towhen I was pregnant.
I mean, I slept naked.
I mean, I loved it.
(07:17):
I felt like such a woman.
I'm like, yeah, look.
Yeah, it is a miracle when youthink about it.
I mean, nobody else can do it.
Women can, you know.
Oh, I loved it.
It's just.
I mean, sure.
I mean, there's also themorning sickness and whatever else
that comes with it, but, man,I had a Mars bar a day.
It was great.
(07:38):
But, Desi, would you say thatthere's still people that will walk
up to a pregnant woman andsay, well, how far along are you?
And, wow, you're getting big.
Which is not the appropriatething to say, or total strangers
will just touch a woman's belly?
Yes.
And I think that's so bizarre.
And why we think we have theright to just touch someone's body
(08:00):
at any point, at any time, Ihave no idea what I found.
It was really interesting.
So when I was pregnant thefirst time, I was living in Los Angeles
and I was working, working ata yoga studio and then also at Gold's
Gym, Venice.
And what I found was just thesweetest thing.
It was like the really bigbodybuilders that, you know, are
(08:22):
just huge, like 250 pound menthat, you know, get up on stage and
pose and all the things.
Those were the ones who wouldcome to me with so much humility
and say, you look reallypretty, can I touch your belly?
And I'm like, oh my gosh, yes,of course.
It was so touching and so endearing.
(08:43):
But then sometimes, and I lovewomen, this is nothing against women,
but sometimes women would wantto share their pregnancy stories
that were a little bit scaryand want to bond that way, you know,
like, oh my gosh, let me tellyou what happened to me when I was
pregnant.
And I'm like, no, that's okay.
(09:03):
Yeah, I think we just need to,you know, take a beat and be really
mindful about how we havethese conversations with other pregnant
women.
Especially because like atthis age, I'm 53, I have a 16 year
old and an 11 year old and Iwork with pregnant women every day
and I really, really want torespect that.
(09:24):
Each woman has her ownexperience and I never want to put
my experiences on her unlessshe asks, if she says, hey, you know,
my doctor says I need to beinduced, do you know about that?
Then I can pull from my ownexperience and share that.
But I'm not going to just pullout the stories to, to bond.
(09:44):
Well, when you think about it,some of those stories are just absolutely
like going to a horror film.
Who really wants to hear someof this?
It's like, oh my goodness,this is what I have to look forward
to.
Yeah, people don't use their heads.
And I'm finding the samething, honestly, Shelly and Kathy,
I'm finding the same thingwith like perimenopause and menopause.
(10:06):
So I love to work with womenthrough all impactful transitions,
whether that's pregnancy, newmotherhood, perimenopause, menop,
menopause and the things thatpeople say.
I'm just like, oh goodness,please take a moment and think before
you put your experience on a woman.
And so a lot of what I do inmy work is to listen and to create
(10:29):
safe space so that she cantruly tell me what her experience
is.
So if I.
If I work with her, then Iknow, hey, you know what?
What's the magic recipe today?
Do we need more weight training?
Do we need more meditation?
Do we need.
Do we just really need to havea conversation and go for a walk?
But I really want to honorwhere she is on any given day.
(10:50):
I love this.
That's so important.
Now, how does a woman feelstrong and sexy during pregnancy?
How do they accomplish that?
Because I'm sure, like yousaid, some days they feel terrific,
Other days they're like, oh, my.
I think a lot of it has to do with.
With strength.
And so some of that is goingto be strength training, because
(11:11):
in order to walk around andfeel empowered in that pregnancy
and carry the weight of thatbeautiful baby, if your back hurts
all the time because yourbelly's pulling forward and perhaps,
you know, you don't have a lotof core strength, that's really uncomfortable.
So it's my job to, you know,show her how can you work your core
(11:31):
safely at this time?
Obviously, she's not doingcrunches or anything like that, but
I can empower her withstabilization exercises and elongate
her lower back through thepractice of yoga so that she feels
really strong and can stand uptall like a queen instead of, you
know, dumping her bellyforward and standing like a pregnant
(11:52):
lady with a backache.
It's just kind of reframingall of these different ways that
we show up in the world.
And physical strength, in myopinion, is a.
A way to tap into bothemotional and mental strength as
well.
So if I can get her strongerand feeling a little bit better in
her body, then 99% of thetime, she's going to feel that in
(12:15):
her mind and her heart.
Absolutely.
That's not something doctorstell women either.
You are 100% correct.
Unfortunately, in thiscountry, we do not have enough time
with our ob gyn.
If that person has a fewminutes for us before they need to
run out, you know, for a laborand delivery or another appointment,
(12:37):
then we're lucky.
So if we get 10 minutes with adoctor, it's kind of like, oh, score.
But we don't have theopportunity to ask all of the questions,
nor do the doctors have thetime to share with us.
What does exercise look likeat this time?
We need that information.
(12:57):
And so for me, when I waspregnant, I.
I just really found, like,this huge vacuum that no one was
doing what I needed.
I needed somebody to show mehow I could move safely, how I could
exercise safely, and really,really Feel strong from the inside
out as a pregnant woman.
And what I found was I wouldgo to classes, and they were like,
(13:21):
let's go five more.
And I'm like, yeah, no, that'snot my vibe while I'm nine months
pregnant.
Or they'd invite me to laydown and, like, take a nap for an
hour.
And I.
I just needed to find balance,like, you know, like Goldilocks.
Like, this one's too hard.
This one's too easy.
And I.
I went inside in deepmeditation, and I asked the baby
(13:42):
inside of me.
I said, please guide me.
Please show me what feels goodto you and how I can move my body
so that you feel safe, too.
And so that's really importantto me.
Anytime I'm working with apregnant goddess, we are going to
say hello to that baby first,because that baby's present, you
know, and it's like your roommate.
(14:04):
So we want to be respectful ofwho you're sharing your body with.
I love that.
Yeah, me too.
That sounded good.
Yeah.
So is it kind of likeachieving harmony?
Yes, exactly.
Exactly.
And another word would be balance.
And so.
Or we can go with harmony.
Both of these words can beverbs, right?
(14:25):
You know, finding balance or harmonizing.
And it is a daily practice, sowe don't just wake up every day harmonized
or balanced.
We have to go within and wehave to find.
What is the practice for me today?
Is it journaling?
Is it going to the gym?
Is it going to the yoga studio?
Oh, my gosh.
Wait.
(14:46):
I don't have enough time to doall those things.
Can I do some of these thingsat home?
And that, again, is where Icome in.
And I've got books and videos,and I work with folks on Zoom.
I do all of the things so thatthat pregnant goddess feels like
she's got the tools at her fingertips.
She does not have to drive foran hour to a studio and then, you
(15:07):
know, leave her older childrenat home and spend $300 in the process.
We have ways to do this sothat it's.
It's available to everyone.
Stay tuned for more of WomenRoad warriors coming up.
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back to Women Road warriorswith Shelley Johnson and Kathy Tucaro.
(16:37):
If you're enjoying thisinformative episode of Women Road
Warriors, I wanted to mentionKathy and I explore all kinds of
topics that will power you onthe road to success.
We feature a lot of expertinterviews, plus we feature celebrities
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Please check out ourpodcast@womenroadwarriors.com and
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(16:57):
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(17:19):
We want to help as many womenas possible.
Desi Bartlett is on a missionto celebrate pregnancy.
Not just get through it, butactually celebrate it.
She's the author of yourStrong Sexy Pregnancy and the founder
of Desi Body Mind.
Her approach helping womenfeel strong, sexy and confident not
(17:39):
only during pregnancy, butthrough all the big transitions we
go through, from bonding withyour baby through meditation to navigating
perimenopause and balancingthe chaos of work, family and self
care.
Desi teaches women techniqueson how to be strong and stable during
their entire pregnancy and beyond.
Desi is no stranger to theglobal wellness scene.
(17:59):
She's a global ambassador forManduka Yoga, holds a Master's in
corporate Fitness, and hasworked with incredible women like
Kate Hudson, AliciaSilverstone, Ashley Tisdale, and
even the US Navy.
She's been featured by majormedia outlets and today she's here
on our show.
She's been giving Kathy and Isome incredible information.
Desi, what are some of thebiggest issues women bring to you
(18:21):
when they're pregnant?
Oh my goodness, there's somany and it really runs the gamut.
You know, it could be morningsickness, it could be not Feeling
sexy.
It can be just really, reallyconfused about, like, what's safe?
You know, is this exercise safe?
What about Pilates?
What about spinning?
(18:42):
What about all the things?
And so we, we have to realizethat, you know, in, in our society,
in, in my opinion, we live inthis world of like 60 to 90 second
sound bites and they can begreat and give you like a, a high
level opinion on something.
But we're all individuals.
(19:03):
And if you say, is Pilates safe?
Can I give you a blanket statement?
Yeah, of course.
But we need to make sure thatwe're working with an instructor
who understands prenatal modifications.
We need to know if thispregnant woman has anything going
on, like placenta previa oranything which is placental disruption,
(19:24):
anything that's going on inher body that requires exercise modification
and, or simply stepping away.
So it's really, really nuanced.
And so that was part of why Iwrote your strong, sexy pregnancy.
It's like a love letter topregnant goddesses so that they have
all of this information attheir fingertips and they can check
(19:46):
out like, hey, can I do this?
What, what can I eat?
How can I move?
And all of the things like jogging.
I'm sure that that comes up.
Can I jog while I'm pregnant?
Yeah.
Amen, sister.
Yes, it does.
And so the, the general ruleis if you are not doing it before
pregnancy, pregnancy is notthe time to begin.
(20:07):
But right.
If you were doing it beforepregnancy, generally speaking, you
can continue.
You just have to gauge how youfeel and we look at how you feel
afterwards.
So let's say you went for thatpower walk and then you needed a
three hour nap.
Yeah.
So you're giving women thetools they need.
(20:28):
And I would imagine they havebetter outcomes too.
They feel better through theentire nine months and maybe it even
makes for an easier delivery.
Is that a possibility?
Very much so.
I get love letters frommommies all the time thanking me
for helping them have a laborand delivery that was much, much
easier.
And then if you want to getinto research and data, because I
(20:50):
also teach other prenatalinstructors how to teach prenatal
yoga and fitness.
So I come with research anddata and I want them to know, like,
hey, why the heck do we do this?
It has been shown that babieshave higher APGAR scores.
APGAR score simply means theirability to adapt to the external
(21:10):
environment outside of the belly.
And they have higher APGARscores when they are born from a
woman who was active inexercise, whether that's weight training,
yoga, all the things.
So it helps mommy to feelbetter in labor and delivery.
It helps baby to adjust to theoutside world.
(21:32):
And then when we get into thatharmony of mommy and baby living
together in those first fewmonths, they both are set up for
success.
That's excellent.
You also cover how to usemeditation to bond with your baby.
That sounds really interesting.
How does that work?
I was just gonna say that so.
(21:52):
I'll share this because I'msure that there's more than a few
women out there who might havehad a similar experience.
I did not necessarily have thebest relationship with my mom.
It was very emotionally challenging.
And so when I look back and Ithink, like, wow, what.
What if we open the line ofcommunication so much younger and
(22:16):
so much earlier, so therewasn't so much stuff to work through.
And what if that line ofcommunication could be open when
the baby's still in utero?
And you can speak on a soullevel and you can ask that baby things
like, what's your name?
You know, what name do youwant to be given?
And how can I support you?
And I love you so much.
(22:38):
And then also, as mothersallowing ourselves to receive.
So I remind mommies all thetime in meditation, sit back and
feel the love that your babyhas for you.
Out of all of the millions ofpossibilities in the universe, you
and your baby came together.
And I believe in reincarnationand soul contracts and all of that
(23:00):
kind of philosophy.
So I believe that the babychose you for a reason.
So let's open the conversationand find out why.
Interesting.
You know, I agree with that 100%.
I know when I.
It was my only pregnancy withmy daughter, and my mom had said,
(23:20):
you know, if you connect thatbond immediately by constantly rubbing
your belly and talking to it,and you can.
You can pre ordain almost howthat baby will look, you can kind
of say, well, okay, I want.
I would like, love for you tohave, like, my lips or, you know,
or my eyes or, you know, mypersonality wise.
(23:41):
What you can.
What you kind of wish.
And so I did that.
And then I'd kind of look ather dad, and I'm like, what do I
want her to have from him?
And I'm like, okay, maybe his height.
But that's about it.
So.
But it turned out seven monthspregnant when I had the.
I had a whole bunch of issues,but through the.
One of the final ultrasounds,her face was right plastered against
(24:05):
my belly, and she lookedexactly like me.
And I'm like, oh, my God, it worked.
It worked.
Wow.
Yeah.
We have a really, really close bond.
But speaking of, you said soulcontracts and that when she was two,
she came up to me or two and ahalf and said that she remembered
being in this light before.
(24:27):
And she, before she came downand she remembered, she described
how I was in the bed and herdad, she saw the picture and she
said she made an agreementwith whoever.
And the minute she said, yes,I choose this family, she remembers
just falling from the lightand into me and that was it.
What two year old says that?
(24:49):
Wow, that is so beautiful, Kathy.
I've got my hand on my heartright now, just bowing my head.
That is so beautiful.
Thank you so much for sharingthat story.
And I think that there are somany parents who have had, you know,
similar conversations withtheir children where the, the child
speaks beyond their years.
And it just deserves so muchrespect and gratitude and oh my goodness,
(25:15):
I love that story.
Thank you.
That is powerful.
Yes.
Wow.
So, Desi, you work with womenon all kinds of different topics.
Like you were saying,navigating perimenopause, menopause,
and all of the differentchanges we go through.
I would imagine you tailoryour programs to each woman based
on their needs, right?
Yes.
(25:35):
Yes.
So my second book is calledTotal body Secrets to looking and
feeling your best after age 35.
And Kate Hudson wrote theforward for that, which is pretty
cool.
I'm very thankful.
Oh yeah.
I wrote that book with two coauthors, Nicole Stewart and Andrea
Orbeck.
And we wrote it during COVIDbecause we really wanted to share
(25:59):
all of our expertise.
So me coming more from yoga,Nicole more from Pilates, and then
Andrea more from functional fitness.
And we brought all of ourskills together so that women would
have an easier time of movingthrough the perimenopausal transition.
So menopause is one day intime, and it simply is a demarcation
(26:23):
of 12 months of not havingyour cycle.
Everything before that is premenopausal.
Everything after that is post menopausal.
Perimenopause is the timearound the transition.
And it can last eight to 10 years.
And there's a constellation ofup to 77 symptoms.
(26:44):
And so I'm right in the middleof my doctoral dissertation right
now about working with yoga asa way to mitigate the perimenopausal
transition.
See, I'm just a science nerd.
At the end of the day, I loveto gather all this information so
I can help, help everybodyfeel really, really good.
So how do women mitigate those symptoms?
(27:07):
And not all women have thesame symptoms?
Certainly.
Yes, for sure.
And so the most common symptomwould be hot flashes.
And that can affect up to 75%of women.
And for some women, HRThormonal replacement therapy is going
to be the right choice, andfor other women, it's not the right
(27:28):
choice because their bodycan't tolerate it.
And so we.
We need to have theconversation individually, both with
our doctors and honestly with ourselves.
How do I feel today?
You know, am I feeling moodyand bitchy and hot and sweaty, or
am I feeling pretty good andlike, oh, gosh, I'm not sure what
I did yesterday, but wow, Ifeel good today.
(27:49):
So really kind of looking backat the patterns and taking note,
you know, every day, maybejust on a scale of 1 to 10, you write
down how you felt that day,write down maybe a little bit of
what you ate and what youdrank so that you can start to see
what.
What set me up for success.
Was it because I went for thatwalk with my friend and I was able
(28:09):
to share my emotions?
Was it because I went to thegym and I'm strength training and
so I.
I'm preventing some of thatbone loss?
There's so many differentthings that go into it, but again,
because it's such a hugeconversation, I.
I wrote a whole book, and Imade sure that there's video programs
(28:29):
available as well.
You can find those on Daily Ohm.
So I've got all kinds ofprograms online because I want to
make sure, again, that everywoman has the tools that she needs
at any phase of life.
Because I felt like I didn't.
And so I.
I created it.
This is empowering.
(28:50):
That's awesome.
Yes, it is.
Terrific.
Well, and when you think aboutit, the change is what it used to
be called.
It seems to still be kind of ataboo subject.
People don't talk about it enough.
Doctors will just say, well, Ican put you on, you know, some hormones,
they don't really haveanswers, and the outcomes can be
different.
And I don't think women don'thave to fall apart.
(29:11):
I think that they think whenthey're going through this change
that everything's going south,you know?
Yes.
And sometimes when we go tothe doctor, you know, some of them
are absolutely fantastic.
And I don't want to slamdoctors in, like a blanket statement,
but others leave something tobe desired.
And I remember going to thedoctor and telling her, you know,
I feel like my cycle is soheavy, and I just don't know what
(29:35):
to do about it.
And she said, well, we can getyou an ablation And I'm like, well,
why would I want to have thismajor surgical intervention?
This was two years ago at 51,when the average age of menopause
in the United States is 51.
Why don't we just wait and isthere anything you can help me with,
like right now?
(29:57):
So you gotta do your homeworkand you have to learn what's out
there.
And really, really, Iencourage women to advocate for yourself
and get blood work and findthe right doctor because you deserve
it.
Very true.
Kathy, didn't you go throughan ablation?
I did, I did.
Mine was really, really,really bad.
(30:19):
Like, and for the last, itjust, it was just getting worse and
worse and worse.
And I had my ablation in 2020and I gotta say, best darn thing
I've ever done for myself.
Oh my God.
It, for me, it was exactly,exactly what I needed.
It was, yeah, it was a godsend.
It's, I've 100%, I can't evenbegin to tell you how happy I am.
(30:43):
That's the whole thing, Kathy.
Right?
Like, it's 100% right for youand it was 100% not right for me.
And because we have differentstages of our life, we need to know
where we are and we need to beable to speak up and say, yeah, give
me that.
I, you know, this is too muchand I've got more time here or no
thanks.
Yeah.
And I mean, I mean, I sit inequipment for, for 14 hours, 13 hours
(31:06):
a day.
There's no, no bathrooms.
It was just horrible.
Like, horrible, horrible.
It would last me for 14, 16days at a time.
And oh my God.
Anyway.
Yeah, but what I've donerecently, just because there's still
changes going on, like I'm,I'm going to be 56 this year, is
I started Arivida.
I went to see a practitionerand because I do yoga and it's kind
(31:30):
of like a mind, health andspirit, the whole thing.
And I have found that I'm all,I'm feeling a hundred percent better
than what I was six monthsago, just from slight changes and
different ways of eating,different ways of looking at my life
and what, what am I consuming,whether it's the things that I watch
on TV or music or.
(31:52):
It's all encompassing, right?
And incorporating herbs andincorporating diet changes like removing
the sugar and the caffeine andthe, you know, all the good stuff.
But I'm doing a hundred daytrial and I already feel better,
so.
Wow.
And that's, that's ayurvedic medicine.
Yeah.
Okay, yeah.
Yes.
And so what they're doing is they're.
(32:13):
They're looking at, are youKapha Pitta or Vata?
Vata.
I'm Vata Pitta.
Yes.
Yeah.
So most people are acombination of two.
So for those people who arelistening and wondering, like, what
the heck are they talking about?
From India, there's thisbeautiful practice, a tradition called
ayurvedic medicine.
(32:34):
And most people have heard of,like, Deepak Chopra, and he.
He helped to bring it over tothe US and we look at people and
we say, are you Vata, whichtends to be like that really, really
fast mind?
And are you Pitta, which tendsto be like, a little bit more muscular?
And those folks very oftenhave, like, a ruddy complexion, and
(32:55):
they're organizers and they'restrong, and they just, like, look
at a dumbbell and get stronger.
It's.
It's frustrating, and I'm jealous.
Like, I love them.
Then Kapha.
Kapha tends to be a little bitmore fleshy and.
And sensual, and they get thebest hugs.
But each one has.
Pardon me, each one has a.
(33:16):
A sensitivity point.
And so for Vata, for example,it's wind.
And, you know, having too muchwind can be balanced by things like
teas and things like rootvegetables can help to ground all
that wind so you don't feel spacey.
So again, I've.
I've studied from all of thesedifferent practices so that I can
(33:38):
bring in the perfect recipefor each woman.
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More of women road warriorscoming up.
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media.
Learnmore@truckingmovesamerica.com welcome
back to Women Road warriorswith Shelly Johnson and Kathy Tucaro.
If you're just tuning in,we've been chatting with the amazing,
(35:04):
amazing Desi Bartlett.
She's someone who's trulyredefining what it means to feel
empowered at every stage of womanhood.
That includes pregnancy.
Desi's the powerhouse authorbehind your strong, sexy pregnancy
and the founder of Desy Body Mind.
Her whole philosophy.
Women should feel strong, sexyand supported not just during pregnancy,
(35:26):
but through all of life's changes.
Whether it's learning toconnect with your baby through meditation
and managing the curveballs ofperimenopause, or finding balance
as a busy mom.
Desi's got real world tipsthat work.
She's a global ambassador forManduka Yoga, holds a master's in
corporate fitness, and hasworked with everyone from Kate Hudson
to the U.S.
navy.
(35:47):
Her reach is incredible.
Desi, you cover so muchinformation for women.
You also talk about hormonalpanels to help women with their health
and fitness goals.
What exactly is that?
Do you recommend those?
Yes, a hundred percent.
So one of my very best friendsis a naturopathic doctor.
We just led a 10 day, orpardon me, we just led a four day
(36:09):
retreat with 10 beautifulwomen in Playa del Carmen and Cancun.
And so each woman came withher blood panel results and Dr.
Nataya was able to look at,you know, estrogen, progesterone,
testosterone, and what's lowand what's high and what, what might
they need to find that senseof balance.
(36:31):
And so I just want to go backto something that Kathy said before
though.
So if you are still bleeding,if you are still having a cycle in
your 50s, which I, I'm rightthere with you.
Do, do you remember, Shelley,you mentioned change of life.
Do you remember the termchange of life?
(36:52):
Babies?
Yes, as a matter of fact, Iwas called that.
Mom called me the surprise.
Yes.
So surprise babies often comelate 40s, early 50s kind of thing,
because women, when we'rehaving that extra cycle or like a
lot of days to the cycle andthen maybe menstruating twice, you
(37:16):
ovulate more than once and soyou become, I call it fertile myrtle,
you become so fertile.
And doctors don't necessarilytell us this.
Interesting.
Yes.
If you go to the next path andyou find out, you know, how's my
estrogen looking?
Is it really, really high andam I really, really fertile?
This is all powerful information.
(37:38):
Or is it really, really low?
And are you feeling like, youknow, your skin doesn't have any
elasticity to it anymore or isyour testosterone low and you feel
like you don't have a sex drive?
These are all things that canbe helped like a lot with exercise.
With exercise, partially, yes,for sure.
We can increase yourtestosterone with weight training.
(38:00):
We can help to support theproduction of progesterone and estrogen
with yoga.
But very often we need tostart to look at things like what
are you eating, you know, andare you, are you having an estrogenic
effect from different thingsin the environment that don't necessarily
(38:20):
support you?
Things like plastic.
Do you need any specificsupplements that can help with the
healthy production of, ofestrogen and progesterone?
Progesterone is what helps tokind of slow everything down.
And so when I see women withreally, really low progesterone,
(38:41):
those are often the gals thatI need to like bring into a yin yoga
practice so I can help them toget out of fight or flight and just
like breathe.
So what supplements boostestrogen naturally.
So this is where I defer to doctors.
I'm very specific about, likeI, I stay in my lane and I do not
(39:04):
recommend specific vitamins,minerals, et cetera.
I send you to the naturopathand I invite you to work with one
that you respect who hasethically sourced supplements.
When we look at things likehrt, hormonal replacement therapy,
in the past it was derivedfrom horse urine from pregnant horses
(39:31):
and it was called Premarin.
Pretty pregnant mare horse.
It was derived from pregnant horses.
So we need to understand likewhat the heck are we taking?
What's going inside of our bodies?
Do we, do we want to go with anaturopath and a pellet?
Do we want to go with a doctorand a prescription?
Do we want to start toinvestigate things like chia seeds
(39:53):
which can, which are said tohelp boost estrogen?
There's so many different waysto go about it, but you gotta go
within and you have to askyour body every day, how do I feel?
And skip the fine answer andreally go deep and listen for the
answer.
(40:13):
A lot of thinking involved,but it makes sense.
We're listening to our bodies,which people don't do.
Our bodies talk to us everyday, very much so.
And during pregnancy, like ourbodies are not subtle, right?
I remember pulling over on, onthe side of the 405, like I think
I need a nap and I, I pulledoff onto a side street and I legit
(40:34):
took a 15 minute nap on theside of the street because my body
was screaming for rest.
Our bodies tell us all the Time.
But we.
We kind of tap it down, right?
So if we're tired, we're like,oh, that's okay.
There.
There's some caffeine rightover there at that place on the corner.
Or if we have a tummy ache,oh, that's okay.
(40:54):
You know, there.
There's a pharmacy around the corner.
I can grab like a.
A supplement for digestion.
Pause, like, for sure, takecare of yourself and do what you
need to do.
But ask yourself, like, wheredoes that come from?
And what is the root cause?
And how can I take better careof myself so that this doesn't happen
over and over?
That's great advice in termsof pausing.
(41:16):
People don't do that enough today.
They just keep plowing through it.
It's like, I'll be fine.
I'll be fine.
Gotta do it.
And sometimes you have nochoice but doing that all the time.
I would think that that wouldreally create a lot of hormone changes,
a lot of instability in thebody and stress hormones.
All of that's really unhealthy.
(41:37):
Yes.
And it leads to other problems.
Right.
So if you.
If you mask it with a.
With a temporary fix over andover and over, we can create a separate
set of issues.
And that.
That's why we want to get tothe root cause, to find out so that
we don't start to create awhole separate issue.
(41:58):
I'm just thinking about thingslike, let's go with caffeine, because
I love it.
Me too.
It's so good.
But I personally, I have towatch how much I have, because if
I have too much, then I noticeI get.
I've got that, like, cortisol spike.
And if I get the cortisolspike, then what happens?
Then my tummy starts to get alittle more bloated, and I start
(42:20):
to hold a little bit morebelly fat.
And as much as I am, like, Ireally want you to feel good from
the inside out, and I trulybelieve that I also want you to look
good, and that includes me.
And I'm a little bit vain.
And I do not want my tummy,like, bloating up for no reason.
So if I have too much coffee,then it bloats up.
(42:40):
So just kind of look at, youknow, not only how do you look, but
how do you feel inside of thisphysical body?
You know, do you walk in with confidence?
I am looking at a picture ofboth of you right now on my screen,
and I can see the confidence.
Kathy, you're, like, leaningback with a hat on, and you're like,
hey, I'm here.
And I love that.
(43:01):
It's a great picture.
Kathy actually laughing my assoff in that picture picture.
Because I realized in themiddle of the photo shoot that my
dress was inside out.
I'd done stuff like that.
Oh, my.
Oh, yeah.
And, Desi, you look fabulous.
Website.
Oh, my goodness.
(43:22):
And I would.
I'm just in awe.
It's like, we all want to looklike you.
How do we do that?
Well, that's very kind, and Iappreciate the compliment.
I have had this longrelationship with this body of, you
know, sometimes loving it andsometimes being like, wait, no, I.
Do you know how much I exercise?
Can't you just get along withthe program?
(43:42):
And so I've become so muchkinder to myself, and I think that
that really shows on my faceand in my body and how I show up
in the world.
I don't walk past every mirrorand say nasty things.
And there were years therewhere I did.
You know, especially in my20s, I walk by the mirror really,
(44:03):
really fast because I didn'twant to look at it.
Or if I did, I would.
I'd linger and just pullmyself apart.
And now I come from a place ofgratitude and, you know, if my tummy
has some extra skin.
Thank you for.
For giving me babies.
And that second baby was tenpounds, My goodness.
(44:23):
So.
Oh, my God.
Wow.
Yeah.
You offered the Desi Body mindworkout, or what is the body mind
workout?
Oh, I'm so happy that you asked.
So I really find that when wetalk about, you know, all of the
different components offitness, whether it's flexibility,
strength, cardiovascular,endurance, nutrition, power, agility,
(44:46):
the list goes on and on.
If I give my clients thatwhole list, it is overwhelming.
And so what I wanted to do wasreally take what I see folks have
the most success with, whichis resistance training, yoga, and
meditation.
And I've created 20 minuteworkouts that focus on integrating
(45:06):
these three ways of.
Of moving and being and setyou up for success based on how you
want to feel.
And so what I mean by that,Shelly, is that you.
You simply look at a list and.
And choose how you want tofeel that day.
Do you want to feel more clarity?
Do you want to feel more flexible?
Do you want to feel stronger?
(45:26):
And then you choose thatworkout based on that feeling that
you want to cultivate.
So there are a lot of topicsyou cover, and you can support women,
really, through any of thecycles of their life, when you think
about it.
And we are cyclical creatureswith starting with pubescence and
on down the road.
Yes.
And so I, I teach that at auniversity level as well.
(45:48):
I teach at USC for their yogateacher training program.
And I, I walk people through,you know, like, this is what it looks
like to, to be a woman in allof these phases.
And it has many different names.
Some people call it likeprincess, queen, and crone.
I prefer wise woman, by the way.
(46:09):
But there's these differenttransitions that are like the phases
of the moon, from the new moonto the full moon.
And wherever she is, it is myhonor and my joy to support her.
So people can work with you virtually.
You said you also do in person.
I do.
I still do a little bit of inperson work, and I live in Hawaii.
(46:31):
I'm in Los Angeles quite often.
And so I still work withclients in person occasionally.
I, I work a lot on Zoom.
And, you know, the pandemicwas really, really hard and challenging,
but I, I try to look at thesilver lining and what, what were
(46:51):
some of the good things tocome out of it.
And for me, it was the abilityto work virtually with people all
over the world.
So I had clients in Florida,California, Germany, you name it.
And it's really my joy to connect.
This kind of training, I wouldthink, would make a woman feel so
much better about herselfthroughout her life.
(47:12):
What you're teaching, yourknowledge is astounding.
Oh, my goodness.
Thank you so much.
I just love to learn.
And there's so muchinformation from so many different
cultures.
And if we can take the best ofeach and offer that to each woman,
then we really, we put her ina place of power so that she can
take control of her health.
(47:34):
And when she walks into thatdoctor's office, she can say, this
worked for my friend.
I want to know if it's rightfor me.
And if it's not, tell me, whynot, you know, really, really walk
in and.
And own, Own your health andown your experience.
That's so important because somany doctors don't always have the
best bedside manner.
And I think sometimes peopleget intimidated by that and they
(47:57):
don't stand up for themselvesand say, wait a minute.
No, no, yes, yes, very much so.
And when you find a great one,you know, tell all your friends.
We need to share our resources.
We are women.
We are powerful.
Hear us roar.
Absolutely, yes, yes.
We're free and we're strong,and we're powerful creators, and
(48:19):
we can do anything that we putour minds to.
When I work with people, Isimply want to remind them, like,
take care of your body as avessel for all of Your dreams.
It helps you to get to all ofthe places you want to go and to
do all of the things that youwant to do.
So show up with your full strength.
(48:40):
Great perspective, Desi.
Where do people find you?
So my website isdesibodymind.com and I will give
you a code so we can give allof your listeners one month free,
free on the platform if they'dlike to check out the workouts.
I'm also really, really activeon Instagram and my handle there
(49:02):
is Mothers Into Living Fit.
It's a long one and I've beentrying to change it for years, but
they won't let me change itbecause it's verified.
So I still love it and I'm onthere every day.
And if you want to see likeexercise and yoga and nutrition with
a lot of Hawaiian beach scenesintertwined, then that's the place.
(49:24):
Excellent.
Thank you for providing a codetoo, for our listeners.
We want to empower as manywomen as possible and you offer so
many things for women of all ages.
Thank you.
Yes, I wake up every day juston fire.
Like, let's go help everybodyin all the different ways, whether
it's through print or video orone on one or in classes.
(49:47):
Because again, I reallybelieve we all deserve it.
You bright light.
Desi, thank you.
This has been wonderfultalking to you.
Oh, likewise.
Thank you.
Both Shelly and Kathy, you'reindividually radiant and beautiful.
And Shelly, you've got thatradio voice that I someday hope to
(50:08):
cultivate.
Your voice is so clear and so bright.
And Kathy, my goodness, like,I feel like we've been friends for
years.
You're so fun.
So thank you bold for what you do.
Thank you so much.
Desi, Kathy and I bothappreciate that.
We hope you've enjoyed thislatest episode.
And if you want to hear moreepisodes of Women Road warriors or
(50:30):
learn more about our show, besure to check out womenroadwarriors.com
and please follow us on social media.
And don't forget to subscribeto our podcast on our website.
We also have a selection ofpodcasts just for women.
There are a series of podcastsfrom different podcasters, so if
you're in the mood for women'spodcasts, just click the Power network
(50:52):
tab on womenroadwarriors.comyoum'll have a variety of shows to
listen to anytime you want to.
Podcasts Made for Women WomenRoad warriors is on all the major
podcast channels like Apple,Spotify, Amazon, Audible, YouTube
and others.
Check us out and please followus wherever you listen to podcasts.
Thanks for listening.
(51:15):
You've been listening to WomenRoad warriors with Shelly Johnson
and Kathy Tucaro.
If you want to be a guest onthe show or have a topic or feedback,
email us@sjohnsonomenroadwarriors.com.
This is Women Road warriorswith Shelly Johnson and Kathy Tucaro.
From the corporate office tothe cab of a truck, they're here
to inspire and empower womenin all professions.
So gear down, sit back and enjoy.
(00:23):
Welcome.
We're an award winning showdedicated to empowering women in
every profession throughinspiring stories and expert insights.
No topics off limits.
On our show, we power women onthe road to success with expert and
celebrity interviews andinformation you need.
I'm Shelley.
And I'm Kathy.
(00:44):
Pregnancy brings many changes.
Some can wreak havoc with a woman.
From crazy mood swings,hormone changes, fatigue, bladder
control issues to bodychanges, women.
Or you feel like you'recarrying around a boulder that kicks
you while you're trying to sleep.
Sometimes it's hard to evenfeel attractive.
It doesn't have to be that way.
Desi Bartlett is the author ofyouf Strong Sexy Pregnancy.
(01:07):
She's the founder of Desy Body Mind.
She not only teaches women howto feel strong and sexy during this
exciting time of their lives,but how to navigate all of the changes
women go through throughouttheir lives.
She teaches how to usemeditation to bond with your baby,
how to navigate perimenopause,and offers tips for moms on how to
maintain a healthy lifestylealong with work and family.
(01:30):
Desi is a global ambassadorfor Manduka Yoga.
She holds a master's degree incorporate fitness.
She works with women all overthe world, including some prominent
figures like Kate Hudson,Alicia Silverstone and Ashley Tisdale,
as well as the US Navy.
Desi's been featured by majormedia outlets.
We have Desi with us on theshow today so we can tap into some
(01:51):
of her valuable insight.
Welcome, Desi.
Thank you for being on theshow with us.
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm so happy to have this conversation.
I also come from a place ofreally truly wanting to empower women
through information.
So I feel like we areabsolutely in alignment.
Excellent.
(02:12):
We love this.
Yeah, this is great.
You know, Desi, before we pickyour brain and get some of your terrific
insights, I thought ourlisteners would like to get to know
you.
What got you started?
So I'm originally from Chicagoand I grew up with a mom who was
a hippie and she was adisciple of a gentleman named Goswami
(02:33):
Kriyananda at the Temple ofKriya Yoga in Chicago.
So all of that is just to tellyou that I received my first mantra
at at the age of six.
And yoga has been somethingthat's been present in my life every
day.
And when I went to college, Ithought that I was being a rebel
by going down a different path.
And I went on to get my degreein kinesiology, which of course took
(02:57):
me full circle right back toyoga, because it is all connected.
The ancient technology of yogaand movement alongside functional
fitness and biomechanics.
So now I am just a completenerd when it comes to Eastern and
Western philosophy.
And I am just really, reallypassionate about always making sure
(03:18):
that the tools that I offerpeople are the most up to date, but
also weave in the ancientwisdom because I feel like that resonates
with us and it's somethingthat we've lost, especially as women.
And we are the ones who carrythe wisdom.
So it's up to us to share thatwith each next generation.
(03:38):
That's powerful.
I love this.
And especially the insightsyou're giving to women when they're
pregnant, that's a heck of a change.
And I think we've come a long way.
I mean, when you think aboutit, back in the 1800s and even in
the 20th century, when womenwere in the, quote, family way, they
used to hide.
Now women are proud of theirbaby bump.
(03:59):
That's good.
But there still seems to bemaybe a stigma where women feel unattractive
or undesirable when they're pregnant.
Do you think that's part of it?
I think that women are nevermore alive than when we're pregnant.
Right.
We're quite literally creatingor co creating life inside of our
bodies and we carry more bloodand more oxygen.
(04:21):
And a woman who is simplysitting in the room as a pregnant
goddess, as I would call her,is working 10 times harder than the
rest of us because she'smaking lungs in the brain and vital
organs.
So to see the power and themiracle within her and how she is
(04:42):
really, truly so alive, Ithink that that that's sexy as hell.
That's beautiful.
And so I think if we couldkind of reframe what we see as power,
then we have the opportunityto really look at pregnant women
as quite literally the, thebearers of life.
And so for me, from, you know,from the aspect of yoga and fitness,
(05:06):
we've had this sort of like,really interesting shift from women,
you know, being told to likelay on the couch and put their feet
up for nine months to womenlike going to CrossFit and doing
all the things and throwing tires.
And so where I come from isreally like, let, let's find the
way for each individual womanso that she can feel empowered in
(05:30):
her own body and mind becausewe're all a little bit different,
but at the same time, let.
Let's celebrate you because,oh, my goodness, like, you're amazing.
I think so, you know, and Ithink that we're getting away from
the stigma.
It's progress there.
But do you run into women,though, that still feel like, gosh,
you know, I don't feel like I did.
(05:52):
I.
I don't like the way I'mlooking and I'm gaining too much
weight.
Oh, for sure.
Yes.
And I think on any given day,it can change, right?
So one day you can wake up andyou feel like, oh, my gosh, I'm.
I'm a goddess and my skin isglowing and my hair is thicker and,
like, all of the things.
And then on other days, youwake up like, oh, my gosh, I.
I feel fat and I've got a zit.
(06:13):
So, yeah, it runs the gamut.
But I really encourage womento, you know, kind of pause and meditate
and go within and connect withthe baby inside.
And I feel like when you startyour day that way, then you move
into the world with such asense of empowerment that, like,
really, you know, if you.
(06:34):
If you gain a few pounds.
Well, a.
You're supposed to, because,again, you know, you are.
You're building structureswithin you.
But I always try to reframe itfor women.
So I never say terrible thingslike, oh, you're getting so big.
I say, oh, wow, your baby is growing.
Good job, Mom.
So it really has to do withthe language that we approach pregnant
(06:56):
women with, in my opinion.
I gotta tell you, when I waspregnant with my daughter 31 years
ago, I never felt morebeautiful in my entire life.
And I modeled, you know, backin the day, and I still do modeling
now, but I never.
Does nothing come close as towhen I was pregnant.
I mean, I slept naked.
I mean, I loved it.
(07:17):
I felt like such a woman.
I'm like, yeah, look.
Yeah, it is a miracle when youthink about it.
I mean, nobody else can do it.
Women can, you know.
Oh, I loved it.
It's just.
I mean, sure.
I mean, there's also themorning sickness and whatever else
that comes with it, but, man,I had a Mars bar a day.
It was great.
(07:38):
But, Desi, would you say thatthere's still people that will walk
up to a pregnant woman andsay, well, how far along are you?
And, wow, you're getting big.
Which is not the appropriatething to say, or total strangers
will just touch a woman's belly?
Yes.
And I think that's so bizarre.
And why we think we have theright to just touch someone's body
(08:00):
at any point, at any time, Ihave no idea what I found.
It was really interesting.
So when I was pregnant thefirst time, I was living in Los Angeles
and I was working, working ata yoga studio and then also at Gold's
Gym, Venice.
And what I found was just thesweetest thing.
It was like the really bigbodybuilders that, you know, are
(08:22):
just huge, like 250 pound menthat, you know, get up on stage and
pose and all the things.
Those were the ones who wouldcome to me with so much humility
and say, you look reallypretty, can I touch your belly?
And I'm like, oh my gosh, yes,of course.
It was so touching and so endearing.
(08:43):
But then sometimes, and I lovewomen, this is nothing against women,
but sometimes women would wantto share their pregnancy stories
that were a little bit scaryand want to bond that way, you know,
like, oh my gosh, let me tellyou what happened to me when I was
pregnant.
And I'm like, no, that's okay.
(09:03):
Yeah, I think we just need to,you know, take a beat and be really
mindful about how we havethese conversations with other pregnant
women.
Especially because like atthis age, I'm 53, I have a 16 year
old and an 11 year old and Iwork with pregnant women every day
and I really, really want torespect that.
(09:24):
Each woman has her ownexperience and I never want to put
my experiences on her unlessshe asks, if she says, hey, you know,
my doctor says I need to beinduced, do you know about that?
Then I can pull from my ownexperience and share that.
But I'm not going to just pullout the stories to, to bond.
(09:44):
Well, when you think about it,some of those stories are just absolutely
like going to a horror film.
Who really wants to hear someof this?
It's like, oh my goodness,this is what I have to look forward
to.
Yeah, people don't use their heads.
And I'm finding the samething, honestly, Shelly and Kathy,
I'm finding the same thingwith like perimenopause and menopause.
(10:06):
So I love to work with womenthrough all impactful transitions,
whether that's pregnancy, newmotherhood, perimenopause, menop,
menopause and the things thatpeople say.
I'm just like, oh goodness,please take a moment and think before
you put your experience on a woman.
And so a lot of what I do inmy work is to listen and to create
(10:29):
safe space so that she cantruly tell me what her experience
is.
So if I.
If I work with her, then Iknow, hey, you know what?
What's the magic recipe today?
Do we need more weight training?
Do we need more meditation?
Do we need.
Do we just really need to havea conversation and go for a walk?
But I really want to honorwhere she is on any given day.
(10:50):
I love this.
That's so important.
Now, how does a woman feelstrong and sexy during pregnancy?
How do they accomplish that?
Because I'm sure, like yousaid, some days they feel terrific,
Other days they're like, oh, my.
I think a lot of it has to do with.
With strength.
And so some of that is goingto be strength training, because
(11:11):
in order to walk around andfeel empowered in that pregnancy
and carry the weight of thatbeautiful baby, if your back hurts
all the time because yourbelly's pulling forward and perhaps,
you know, you don't have a lotof core strength, that's really uncomfortable.
So it's my job to, you know,show her how can you work your core
(11:31):
safely at this time?
Obviously, she's not doingcrunches or anything like that, but
I can empower her withstabilization exercises and elongate
her lower back through thepractice of yoga so that she feels
really strong and can stand uptall like a queen instead of, you
know, dumping her bellyforward and standing like a pregnant
(11:52):
lady with a backache.
It's just kind of reframingall of these different ways that
we show up in the world.
And physical strength, in myopinion, is a.
A way to tap into bothemotional and mental strength as
well.
So if I can get her strongerand feeling a little bit better in
her body, then 99% of thetime, she's going to feel that in
(12:15):
her mind and her heart.
Absolutely.
That's not something doctorstell women either.
You are 100% correct.
Unfortunately, in thiscountry, we do not have enough time
with our ob gyn.
If that person has a fewminutes for us before they need to
run out, you know, for a laborand delivery or another appointment,
(12:37):
then we're lucky.
So if we get 10 minutes with adoctor, it's kind of like, oh, score.
But we don't have theopportunity to ask all of the questions,
nor do the doctors have thetime to share with us.
What does exercise look likeat this time?
We need that information.
(12:57):
And so for me, when I waspregnant, I.
I just really found, like,this huge vacuum that no one was
doing what I needed.
I needed somebody to show mehow I could move safely, how I could
exercise safely, and really,really Feel strong from the inside
out as a pregnant woman.
And what I found was I wouldgo to classes, and they were like,
(13:21):
let's go five more.
And I'm like, yeah, no, that'snot my vibe while I'm nine months
pregnant.
Or they'd invite me to laydown and, like, take a nap for an
hour.
And I.
I just needed to find balance,like, you know, like Goldilocks.
Like, this one's too hard.
This one's too easy.
And I.
I went inside in deepmeditation, and I asked the baby
(13:42):
inside of me.
I said, please guide me.
Please show me what feels goodto you and how I can move my body
so that you feel safe, too.
And so that's really importantto me.
Anytime I'm working with apregnant goddess, we are going to
say hello to that baby first,because that baby's present, you
know, and it's like your roommate.
(14:04):
So we want to be respectful ofwho you're sharing your body with.
I love that.
Yeah, me too.
That sounded good.
Yeah.
So is it kind of likeachieving harmony?
Yes, exactly.
Exactly.
And another word would be balance.
And so.
Or we can go with harmony.
Both of these words can beverbs, right?
(14:25):
You know, finding balance or harmonizing.
And it is a daily practice, sowe don't just wake up every day harmonized
or balanced.
We have to go within and wehave to find.
What is the practice for me today?
Is it journaling?
Is it going to the gym?
Is it going to the yoga studio?
Oh, my gosh.
Wait.
(14:46):
I don't have enough time to doall those things.
Can I do some of these thingsat home?
And that, again, is where Icome in.
And I've got books and videos,and I work with folks on Zoom.
I do all of the things so thatthat pregnant goddess feels like
she's got the tools at her fingertips.
She does not have to drive foran hour to a studio and then, you
(15:07):
know, leave her older childrenat home and spend $300 in the process.
We have ways to do this sothat it's.
It's available to everyone.
Stay tuned for more of WomenRoad warriors coming up.
(15:28):
Dean Michael, the tax doctor here.
I have one question for you.
Do you want to stop worryingabout the irs?
If the answer is yes, thenlook no further.
I've been around for years.
I've helped countless peopleacross the country, and my success
rate spread speaks for itself.
So now you know where to findgood, honest help with your tax problems.
What are you waiting for?
If you owe more than $10,000to the IRS or haven't filed in years.
(15:50):
Call me now at 888-557-4020 orgo to mytaxhelpmd.com for a free
consultation and get your life back.
Industry Movement TruckingMoves America Forward is telling
the story of the industry.
Our safety champions, thewomen of trucking, independent contractors,
the next generation oftruckers, and more.
(16:11):
Help us promote the best ofour industry.
Share your story and what youlove about trucking, Share images
of a moment you're proud ofand join us on social media.
Learnmore@truckingmovesamerica.com welcome
back to Women Road warriorswith Shelley Johnson and Kathy Tucaro.
(16:37):
If you're enjoying thisinformative episode of Women Road
Warriors, I wanted to mentionKathy and I explore all kinds of
topics that will power you onthe road to success.
We feature a lot of expertinterviews, plus we feature celebrities
and women who've been trailblazers.
Please check out ourpodcast@womenroadwarriors.com and
click on our Episodes page.
(16:57):
We're also available whereveryou listen to podcasts on all the
major podcast channels likeSpotify, Apple, YouTube, Amazon Music,
Audible, you name it.
Check us out and bookmark our podcast.
Also, don't forget to followus on social media.
We're on Twitter, Facebook,Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube
and other sites and tellothers about us.
(17:19):
We want to help as many womenas possible.
Desi Bartlett is on a missionto celebrate pregnancy.
Not just get through it, butactually celebrate it.
She's the author of yourStrong Sexy Pregnancy and the founder
of Desi Body Mind.
Her approach helping womenfeel strong, sexy and confident not
(17:39):
only during pregnancy, butthrough all the big transitions we
go through, from bonding withyour baby through meditation to navigating
perimenopause and balancingthe chaos of work, family and self
care.
Desi teaches women techniqueson how to be strong and stable during
their entire pregnancy and beyond.
Desi is no stranger to theglobal wellness scene.
(17:59):
She's a global ambassador forManduka Yoga, holds a Master's in
corporate Fitness, and hasworked with incredible women like
Kate Hudson, AliciaSilverstone, Ashley Tisdale, and
even the US Navy.
She's been featured by majormedia outlets and today she's here
on our show.
She's been giving Kathy and Isome incredible information.
Desi, what are some of thebiggest issues women bring to you
(18:21):
when they're pregnant?
Oh my goodness, there's somany and it really runs the gamut.
You know, it could be morningsickness, it could be not Feeling
sexy.
It can be just really, reallyconfused about, like, what's safe?
You know, is this exercise safe?
What about Pilates?
What about spinning?
(18:42):
What about all the things?
And so we, we have to realizethat, you know, in, in our society,
in, in my opinion, we live inthis world of like 60 to 90 second
sound bites and they can begreat and give you like a, a high
level opinion on something.
But we're all individuals.
(19:03):
And if you say, is Pilates safe?
Can I give you a blanket statement?
Yeah, of course.
But we need to make sure thatwe're working with an instructor
who understands prenatal modifications.
We need to know if thispregnant woman has anything going
on, like placenta previa oranything which is placental disruption,
(19:24):
anything that's going on inher body that requires exercise modification
and, or simply stepping away.
So it's really, really nuanced.
And so that was part of why Iwrote your strong, sexy pregnancy.
It's like a love letter topregnant goddesses so that they have
all of this information attheir fingertips and they can check
(19:46):
out like, hey, can I do this?
What, what can I eat?
How can I move?
And all of the things like jogging.
I'm sure that that comes up.
Can I jog while I'm pregnant?
Yeah.
Amen, sister.
Yes, it does.
And so the, the general ruleis if you are not doing it before
pregnancy, pregnancy is notthe time to begin.
(20:07):
But right.
If you were doing it beforepregnancy, generally speaking, you
can continue.
You just have to gauge how youfeel and we look at how you feel
afterwards.
So let's say you went for thatpower walk and then you needed a
three hour nap.
Yeah.
So you're giving women thetools they need.
(20:28):
And I would imagine they havebetter outcomes too.
They feel better through theentire nine months and maybe it even
makes for an easier delivery.
Is that a possibility?
Very much so.
I get love letters frommommies all the time thanking me
for helping them have a laborand delivery that was much, much
easier.
And then if you want to getinto research and data, because I
(20:50):
also teach other prenatalinstructors how to teach prenatal
yoga and fitness.
So I come with research anddata and I want them to know, like,
hey, why the heck do we do this?
It has been shown that babieshave higher APGAR scores.
APGAR score simply means theirability to adapt to the external
(21:10):
environment outside of the belly.
And they have higher APGARscores when they are born from a
woman who was active inexercise, whether that's weight training,
yoga, all the things.
So it helps mommy to feelbetter in labor and delivery.
It helps baby to adjust to theoutside world.
(21:32):
And then when we get into thatharmony of mommy and baby living
together in those first fewmonths, they both are set up for
success.
That's excellent.
You also cover how to usemeditation to bond with your baby.
That sounds really interesting.
How does that work?
I was just gonna say that so.
(21:52):
I'll share this because I'msure that there's more than a few
women out there who might havehad a similar experience.
I did not necessarily have thebest relationship with my mom.
It was very emotionally challenging.
And so when I look back and Ithink, like, wow, what.
What if we open the line ofcommunication so much younger and
(22:16):
so much earlier, so therewasn't so much stuff to work through.
And what if that line ofcommunication could be open when
the baby's still in utero?
And you can speak on a soullevel and you can ask that baby things
like, what's your name?
You know, what name do youwant to be given?
And how can I support you?
And I love you so much.
(22:38):
And then also, as mothersallowing ourselves to receive.
So I remind mommies all thetime in meditation, sit back and
feel the love that your babyhas for you.
Out of all of the millions ofpossibilities in the universe, you
and your baby came together.
And I believe in reincarnationand soul contracts and all of that
(23:00):
kind of philosophy.
So I believe that the babychose you for a reason.
So let's open the conversationand find out why.
Interesting.
You know, I agree with that 100%.
I know when I.
It was my only pregnancy withmy daughter, and my mom had said,
(23:20):
you know, if you connect thatbond immediately by constantly rubbing
your belly and talking to it,and you can.
You can pre ordain almost howthat baby will look, you can kind
of say, well, okay, I want.
I would like, love for you tohave, like, my lips or, you know,
or my eyes or, you know, mypersonality wise.
(23:41):
What you can.
What you kind of wish.
And so I did that.
And then I'd kind of look ather dad, and I'm like, what do I
want her to have from him?
And I'm like, okay, maybe his height.
But that's about it.
So.
But it turned out seven monthspregnant when I had the.
I had a whole bunch of issues,but through the.
One of the final ultrasounds,her face was right plastered against
(24:05):
my belly, and she lookedexactly like me.
And I'm like, oh, my God, it worked.
It worked.
Wow.
Yeah.
We have a really, really close bond.
But speaking of, you said soulcontracts and that when she was two,
she came up to me or two and ahalf and said that she remembered
being in this light before.
(24:27):
And she, before she came downand she remembered, she described
how I was in the bed and herdad, she saw the picture and she
said she made an agreementwith whoever.
And the minute she said, yes,I choose this family, she remembers
just falling from the lightand into me and that was it.
What two year old says that?
(24:49):
Wow, that is so beautiful, Kathy.
I've got my hand on my heartright now, just bowing my head.
That is so beautiful.
Thank you so much for sharingthat story.
And I think that there are somany parents who have had, you know,
similar conversations withtheir children where the, the child
speaks beyond their years.
And it just deserves so muchrespect and gratitude and oh my goodness,
(25:15):
I love that story.
Thank you.
That is powerful.
Yes.
Wow.
So, Desi, you work with womenon all kinds of different topics.
Like you were saying,navigating perimenopause, menopause,
and all of the differentchanges we go through.
I would imagine you tailoryour programs to each woman based
on their needs, right?
Yes.
(25:35):
Yes.
So my second book is calledTotal body Secrets to looking and
feeling your best after age 35.
And Kate Hudson wrote theforward for that, which is pretty
cool.
I'm very thankful.
Oh yeah.
I wrote that book with two coauthors, Nicole Stewart and Andrea
Orbeck.
And we wrote it during COVIDbecause we really wanted to share
(25:59):
all of our expertise.
So me coming more from yoga,Nicole more from Pilates, and then
Andrea more from functional fitness.
And we brought all of ourskills together so that women would
have an easier time of movingthrough the perimenopausal transition.
So menopause is one day intime, and it simply is a demarcation
(26:23):
of 12 months of not havingyour cycle.
Everything before that is premenopausal.
Everything after that is post menopausal.
Perimenopause is the timearound the transition.
And it can last eight to 10 years.
And there's a constellation ofup to 77 symptoms.
(26:44):
And so I'm right in the middleof my doctoral dissertation right
now about working with yoga asa way to mitigate the perimenopausal
transition.
See, I'm just a science nerd.
At the end of the day, I loveto gather all this information so
I can help, help everybodyfeel really, really good.
So how do women mitigate those symptoms?
(27:07):
And not all women have thesame symptoms?
Certainly.
Yes, for sure.
And so the most common symptomwould be hot flashes.
And that can affect up to 75%of women.
And for some women, HRThormonal replacement therapy is going
to be the right choice, andfor other women, it's not the right
(27:28):
choice because their bodycan't tolerate it.
And so we.
We need to have theconversation individually, both with
our doctors and honestly with ourselves.
How do I feel today?
You know, am I feeling moodyand bitchy and hot and sweaty, or
am I feeling pretty good andlike, oh, gosh, I'm not sure what
I did yesterday, but wow, Ifeel good today.
(27:49):
So really kind of looking backat the patterns and taking note,
you know, every day, maybejust on a scale of 1 to 10, you write
down how you felt that day,write down maybe a little bit of
what you ate and what youdrank so that you can start to see
what.
What set me up for success.
Was it because I went for thatwalk with my friend and I was able
(28:09):
to share my emotions?
Was it because I went to thegym and I'm strength training and
so I.
I'm preventing some of thatbone loss?
There's so many differentthings that go into it, but again,
because it's such a hugeconversation, I.
I wrote a whole book, and Imade sure that there's video programs
(28:29):
available as well.
You can find those on Daily Ohm.
So I've got all kinds ofprograms online because I want to
make sure, again, that everywoman has the tools that she needs
at any phase of life.
Because I felt like I didn't.
And so I.
I created it.
This is empowering.
(28:50):
That's awesome.
Yes, it is.
Terrific.
Well, and when you think aboutit, the change is what it used to
be called.
It seems to still be kind of ataboo subject.
People don't talk about it enough.
Doctors will just say, well, Ican put you on, you know, some hormones,
they don't really haveanswers, and the outcomes can be
different.
And I don't think women don'thave to fall apart.
(29:11):
I think that they think whenthey're going through this change
that everything's going south,you know?
Yes.
And sometimes when we go tothe doctor, you know, some of them
are absolutely fantastic.
And I don't want to slamdoctors in, like a blanket statement,
but others leave something tobe desired.
And I remember going to thedoctor and telling her, you know,
I feel like my cycle is soheavy, and I just don't know what
(29:35):
to do about it.
And she said, well, we can getyou an ablation And I'm like, well,
why would I want to have thismajor surgical intervention?
This was two years ago at 51,when the average age of menopause
in the United States is 51.
Why don't we just wait and isthere anything you can help me with,
like right now?
(29:57):
So you gotta do your homeworkand you have to learn what's out
there.
And really, really, Iencourage women to advocate for yourself
and get blood work and findthe right doctor because you deserve
it.
Very true.
Kathy, didn't you go throughan ablation?
I did, I did.
Mine was really, really,really bad.
(30:19):
Like, and for the last, itjust, it was just getting worse and
worse and worse.
And I had my ablation in 2020and I gotta say, best darn thing
I've ever done for myself.
Oh my God.
It, for me, it was exactly,exactly what I needed.
It was, yeah, it was a godsend.
It's, I've 100%, I can't evenbegin to tell you how happy I am.
(30:43):
That's the whole thing, Kathy.
Right?
Like, it's 100% right for youand it was 100% not right for me.
And because we have differentstages of our life, we need to know
where we are and we need to beable to speak up and say, yeah, give
me that.
I, you know, this is too muchand I've got more time here or no
thanks.
Yeah.
And I mean, I mean, I sit inequipment for, for 14 hours, 13 hours
(31:06):
a day.
There's no, no bathrooms.
It was just horrible.
Like, horrible, horrible.
It would last me for 14, 16days at a time.
And oh my God.
Anyway.
Yeah, but what I've donerecently, just because there's still
changes going on, like I'm,I'm going to be 56 this year, is
I started Arivida.
I went to see a practitionerand because I do yoga and it's kind
(31:30):
of like a mind, health andspirit, the whole thing.
And I have found that I'm all,I'm feeling a hundred percent better
than what I was six monthsago, just from slight changes and
different ways of eating,different ways of looking at my life
and what, what am I consuming,whether it's the things that I watch
on TV or music or.
(31:52):
It's all encompassing, right?
And incorporating herbs andincorporating diet changes like removing
the sugar and the caffeine andthe, you know, all the good stuff.
But I'm doing a hundred daytrial and I already feel better,
so.
Wow.
And that's, that's ayurvedic medicine.
Yeah.
Okay, yeah.
Yes.
And so what they're doing is they're.
(32:13):
They're looking at, are youKapha Pitta or Vata?
Vata.
I'm Vata Pitta.
Yes.
Yeah.
So most people are acombination of two.
So for those people who arelistening and wondering, like, what
the heck are they talking about?
From India, there's thisbeautiful practice, a tradition called
ayurvedic medicine.
(32:34):
And most people have heard of,like, Deepak Chopra, and he.
He helped to bring it over tothe US and we look at people and
we say, are you Vata, whichtends to be like that really, really
fast mind?
And are you Pitta, which tendsto be like, a little bit more muscular?
And those folks very oftenhave, like, a ruddy complexion, and
(32:55):
they're organizers and they'restrong, and they just, like, look
at a dumbbell and get stronger.
It's.
It's frustrating, and I'm jealous.
Like, I love them.
Then Kapha.
Kapha tends to be a little bitmore fleshy and.
And sensual, and they get thebest hugs.
But each one has.
Pardon me, each one has a.
(33:16):
A sensitivity point.
And so for Vata, for example,it's wind.
And, you know, having too muchwind can be balanced by things like
teas and things like rootvegetables can help to ground all
that wind so you don't feel spacey.
So again, I've.
I've studied from all of thesedifferent practices so that I can
(33:38):
bring in the perfect recipefor each woman.
Stay tuned for more.
More of women road warriorscoming up.
Dean Michael, the tax doctor here.
I have one question for you.
Do you want to stop worryingabout the irs?
If the answer is yes, thenlook no further.
(34:00):
I've been around for years.
I've helped countless peopleacross the country, and my success
rate speaks for itself.
So now you know where to findgood, honest help with your tax problems.
What are you waiting for?
If you owe more than $10,000to the IRS or haven't filed in years,
call me now at 888-557-4020 orgo to mytaxhelpmd.com for a free
consultation and get your life back.
(34:23):
Industry movement.
Trucking moves America Forwardis telling the story of the industry.
Our safety champions, thewomen of trucking, independent contractors,
the next generation oftruckers, and more.
Help us promote the best ofour industry.
Share your story and what youlove about trucking.
Share images of a momentyou're proud of and join us on social
(34:44):
media.
Learnmore@truckingmovesamerica.com welcome
back to Women Road warriorswith Shelly Johnson and Kathy Tucaro.
If you're just tuning in,we've been chatting with the amazing,
(35:04):
amazing Desi Bartlett.
She's someone who's trulyredefining what it means to feel
empowered at every stage of womanhood.
That includes pregnancy.
Desi's the powerhouse authorbehind your strong, sexy pregnancy
and the founder of Desy Body Mind.
Her whole philosophy.
Women should feel strong, sexyand supported not just during pregnancy,
(35:26):
but through all of life's changes.
Whether it's learning toconnect with your baby through meditation
and managing the curveballs ofperimenopause, or finding balance
as a busy mom.
Desi's got real world tipsthat work.
She's a global ambassador forManduka Yoga, holds a master's in
corporate fitness, and hasworked with everyone from Kate Hudson
to the U.S.
navy.
(35:47):
Her reach is incredible.
Desi, you cover so muchinformation for women.
You also talk about hormonalpanels to help women with their health
and fitness goals.
What exactly is that?
Do you recommend those?
Yes, a hundred percent.
So one of my very best friendsis a naturopathic doctor.
We just led a 10 day, orpardon me, we just led a four day
(36:09):
retreat with 10 beautifulwomen in Playa del Carmen and Cancun.
And so each woman came withher blood panel results and Dr.
Nataya was able to look at,you know, estrogen, progesterone,
testosterone, and what's lowand what's high and what, what might
they need to find that senseof balance.
(36:31):
And so I just want to go backto something that Kathy said before
though.
So if you are still bleeding,if you are still having a cycle in
your 50s, which I, I'm rightthere with you.
Do, do you remember, Shelley,you mentioned change of life.
Do you remember the termchange of life?
(36:52):
Babies?
Yes, as a matter of fact, Iwas called that.
Mom called me the surprise.
Yes.
So surprise babies often comelate 40s, early 50s kind of thing,
because women, when we'rehaving that extra cycle or like a
lot of days to the cycle andthen maybe menstruating twice, you
(37:16):
ovulate more than once and soyou become, I call it fertile myrtle,
you become so fertile.
And doctors don't necessarilytell us this.
Interesting.
Yes.
If you go to the next path andyou find out, you know, how's my
estrogen looking?
Is it really, really high andam I really, really fertile?
This is all powerful information.
(37:38):
Or is it really, really low?
And are you feeling like, youknow, your skin doesn't have any
elasticity to it anymore or isyour testosterone low and you feel
like you don't have a sex drive?
These are all things that canbe helped like a lot with exercise.
With exercise, partially, yes,for sure.
We can increase yourtestosterone with weight training.
(38:00):
We can help to support theproduction of progesterone and estrogen
with yoga.
But very often we need tostart to look at things like what
are you eating, you know, andare you, are you having an estrogenic
effect from different thingsin the environment that don't necessarily
(38:20):
support you?
Things like plastic.
Do you need any specificsupplements that can help with the
healthy production of, ofestrogen and progesterone?
Progesterone is what helps tokind of slow everything down.
And so when I see women withreally, really low progesterone,
(38:41):
those are often the gals thatI need to like bring into a yin yoga
practice so I can help them toget out of fight or flight and just
like breathe.
So what supplements boostestrogen naturally.
So this is where I defer to doctors.
I'm very specific about, likeI, I stay in my lane and I do not
(39:04):
recommend specific vitamins,minerals, et cetera.
I send you to the naturopathand I invite you to work with one
that you respect who hasethically sourced supplements.
When we look at things likehrt, hormonal replacement therapy,
in the past it was derivedfrom horse urine from pregnant horses
(39:31):
and it was called Premarin.
Pretty pregnant mare horse.
It was derived from pregnant horses.
So we need to understand likewhat the heck are we taking?
What's going inside of our bodies?
Do we, do we want to go with anaturopath and a pellet?
Do we want to go with a doctorand a prescription?
Do we want to start toinvestigate things like chia seeds
(39:53):
which can, which are said tohelp boost estrogen?
There's so many different waysto go about it, but you gotta go
within and you have to askyour body every day, how do I feel?
And skip the fine answer andreally go deep and listen for the
answer.
(40:13):
A lot of thinking involved,but it makes sense.
We're listening to our bodies,which people don't do.
Our bodies talk to us everyday, very much so.
And during pregnancy, like ourbodies are not subtle, right?
I remember pulling over on, onthe side of the 405, like I think
I need a nap and I, I pulledoff onto a side street and I legit
(40:34):
took a 15 minute nap on theside of the street because my body
was screaming for rest.
Our bodies tell us all the Time.
But we.
We kind of tap it down, right?
So if we're tired, we're like,oh, that's okay.
There.
There's some caffeine rightover there at that place on the corner.
Or if we have a tummy ache,oh, that's okay.
(40:54):
You know, there.
There's a pharmacy around the corner.
I can grab like a.
A supplement for digestion.
Pause, like, for sure, takecare of yourself and do what you
need to do.
But ask yourself, like, wheredoes that come from?
And what is the root cause?
And how can I take better careof myself so that this doesn't happen
over and over?
That's great advice in termsof pausing.
(41:16):
People don't do that enough today.
They just keep plowing through it.
It's like, I'll be fine.
I'll be fine.
Gotta do it.
And sometimes you have nochoice but doing that all the time.
I would think that that wouldreally create a lot of hormone changes,
a lot of instability in thebody and stress hormones.
All of that's really unhealthy.
(41:37):
Yes.
And it leads to other problems.
Right.
So if you.
If you mask it with a.
With a temporary fix over andover and over, we can create a separate
set of issues.
And that.
That's why we want to get tothe root cause, to find out so that
we don't start to create awhole separate issue.
(41:58):
I'm just thinking about thingslike, let's go with caffeine, because
I love it.
Me too.
It's so good.
But I personally, I have towatch how much I have, because if
I have too much, then I noticeI get.
I've got that, like, cortisol spike.
And if I get the cortisolspike, then what happens?
Then my tummy starts to get alittle more bloated, and I start
(42:20):
to hold a little bit morebelly fat.
And as much as I am, like, Ireally want you to feel good from
the inside out, and I trulybelieve that I also want you to look
good, and that includes me.
And I'm a little bit vain.
And I do not want my tummy,like, bloating up for no reason.
So if I have too much coffee,then it bloats up.
(42:40):
So just kind of look at, youknow, not only how do you look, but
how do you feel inside of thisphysical body?
You know, do you walk in with confidence?
I am looking at a picture ofboth of you right now on my screen,
and I can see the confidence.
Kathy, you're, like, leaningback with a hat on, and you're like,
hey, I'm here.
And I love that.
(43:01):
It's a great picture.
Kathy actually laughing my assoff in that picture picture.
Because I realized in themiddle of the photo shoot that my
dress was inside out.
I'd done stuff like that.
Oh, my.
Oh, yeah.
And, Desi, you look fabulous.
Website.
Oh, my goodness.
(43:22):
And I would.
I'm just in awe.
It's like, we all want to looklike you.
How do we do that?
Well, that's very kind, and Iappreciate the compliment.
I have had this longrelationship with this body of, you
know, sometimes loving it andsometimes being like, wait, no, I.
Do you know how much I exercise?
Can't you just get along withthe program?
(43:42):
And so I've become so muchkinder to myself, and I think that
that really shows on my faceand in my body and how I show up
in the world.
I don't walk past every mirrorand say nasty things.
And there were years therewhere I did.
You know, especially in my20s, I walk by the mirror really,
(44:03):
really fast because I didn'twant to look at it.
Or if I did, I would.
I'd linger and just pullmyself apart.
And now I come from a place ofgratitude and, you know, if my tummy
has some extra skin.
Thank you for.
For giving me babies.
And that second baby was tenpounds, My goodness.
(44:23):
So.
Oh, my God.
Wow.
Yeah.
You offered the Desi Body mindworkout, or what is the body mind
workout?
Oh, I'm so happy that you asked.
So I really find that when wetalk about, you know, all of the
different components offitness, whether it's flexibility,
strength, cardiovascular,endurance, nutrition, power, agility,
(44:46):
the list goes on and on.
If I give my clients thatwhole list, it is overwhelming.
And so what I wanted to do wasreally take what I see folks have
the most success with, whichis resistance training, yoga, and
meditation.
And I've created 20 minuteworkouts that focus on integrating
(45:06):
these three ways of.
Of moving and being and setyou up for success based on how you
want to feel.
And so what I mean by that,Shelly, is that you.
You simply look at a list and.
And choose how you want tofeel that day.
Do you want to feel more clarity?
Do you want to feel more flexible?
Do you want to feel stronger?
(45:26):
And then you choose thatworkout based on that feeling that
you want to cultivate.
So there are a lot of topicsyou cover, and you can support women,
really, through any of thecycles of their life, when you think
about it.
And we are cyclical creatureswith starting with pubescence and
on down the road.
Yes.
And so I, I teach that at auniversity level as well.
(45:48):
I teach at USC for their yogateacher training program.
And I, I walk people through,you know, like, this is what it looks
like to, to be a woman in allof these phases.
And it has many different names.
Some people call it likeprincess, queen, and crone.
I prefer wise woman, by the way.
(46:09):
But there's these differenttransitions that are like the phases
of the moon, from the new moonto the full moon.
And wherever she is, it is myhonor and my joy to support her.
So people can work with you virtually.
You said you also do in person.
I do.
I still do a little bit of inperson work, and I live in Hawaii.
(46:31):
I'm in Los Angeles quite often.
And so I still work withclients in person occasionally.
I, I work a lot on Zoom.
And, you know, the pandemicwas really, really hard and challenging,
but I, I try to look at thesilver lining and what, what were
(46:51):
some of the good things tocome out of it.
And for me, it was the abilityto work virtually with people all
over the world.
So I had clients in Florida,California, Germany, you name it.
And it's really my joy to connect.
This kind of training, I wouldthink, would make a woman feel so
much better about herselfthroughout her life.
(47:12):
What you're teaching, yourknowledge is astounding.
Oh, my goodness.
Thank you so much.
I just love to learn.
And there's so muchinformation from so many different
cultures.
And if we can take the best ofeach and offer that to each woman,
then we really, we put her ina place of power so that she can
take control of her health.
(47:34):
And when she walks into thatdoctor's office, she can say, this
worked for my friend.
I want to know if it's rightfor me.
And if it's not, tell me, whynot, you know, really, really walk
in and.
And own, Own your health andown your experience.
That's so important because somany doctors don't always have the
best bedside manner.
And I think sometimes peopleget intimidated by that and they
(47:57):
don't stand up for themselvesand say, wait a minute.
No, no, yes, yes, very much so.
And when you find a great one,you know, tell all your friends.
We need to share our resources.
We are women.
We are powerful.
Hear us roar.
Absolutely, yes, yes.
We're free and we're strong,and we're powerful creators, and
(48:19):
we can do anything that we putour minds to.
When I work with people, Isimply want to remind them, like,
take care of your body as avessel for all of Your dreams.
It helps you to get to all ofthe places you want to go and to
do all of the things that youwant to do.
So show up with your full strength.
(48:40):
Great perspective, Desi.
Where do people find you?
So my website isdesibodymind.com and I will give
you a code so we can give allof your listeners one month free,
free on the platform if they'dlike to check out the workouts.
I'm also really, really activeon Instagram and my handle there
(49:02):
is Mothers Into Living Fit.
It's a long one and I've beentrying to change it for years, but
they won't let me change itbecause it's verified.
So I still love it and I'm onthere every day.
And if you want to see likeexercise and yoga and nutrition with
a lot of Hawaiian beach scenesintertwined, then that's the place.
(49:24):
Excellent.
Thank you for providing a codetoo, for our listeners.
We want to empower as manywomen as possible and you offer so
many things for women of all ages.
Thank you.
Yes, I wake up every day juston fire.
Like, let's go help everybodyin all the different ways, whether
it's through print or video orone on one or in classes.
(49:47):
Because again, I reallybelieve we all deserve it.
You bright light.
Desi, thank you.
This has been wonderfultalking to you.
Oh, likewise.
Thank you.
Both Shelly and Kathy, you'reindividually radiant and beautiful.
And Shelly, you've got thatradio voice that I someday hope to
(50:08):
cultivate.
Your voice is so clear and so bright.
And Kathy, my goodness, like,I feel like we've been friends for
years.
You're so fun.
So thank you bold for what you do.
Thank you so much.
Desi, Kathy and I bothappreciate that.
We hope you've enjoyed thislatest episode.
And if you want to hear moreepisodes of Women Road warriors or
(50:30):
learn more about our show, besure to check out womenroadwarriors.com
and please follow us on social media.
And don't forget to subscribeto our podcast on our website.
We also have a selection ofpodcasts just for women.
There are a series of podcastsfrom different podcasters, so if
you're in the mood for women'spodcasts, just click the Power network
(50:52):
tab on womenroadwarriors.comyoum'll have a variety of shows to
listen to anytime you want to.
Podcasts Made for Women WomenRoad warriors is on all the major
podcast channels like Apple,Spotify, Amazon, Audible, YouTube
and others.
Check us out and please followus wherever you listen to podcasts.
Thanks for listening.
(51:15):
You've been listening to WomenRoad warriors with Shelly Johnson
and Kathy Tucaro.
If you want to be a guest onthe show or have a topic or feedback,
email us@sjohnsonomenroadwarriors.com.
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