I have been holding this one close for a long time.

You've been asking. Every week, in my DMs, in the comments, in voice memos from strangers who somehow feel like old friends, what's the story? How did you two actually meet?

Well…Today is the day.

This is Part 1 of how Ryan and I found each other, and I'll warn you, we don't even make it to the first date. Because when two people who have lived a lot of life try to trace it back to the beginning, you keep finding more beginning.

What I can tell you is this, he almost unfollowed me!!! I almost never replied!!! I thought he was a woman…lol… And somewhere in the middle of all of that, the universe had other plans. :)

We talk about:

• What it really feels like to go through separation and the first holidays alone
• What it means to be in a relationship where you feel so safeThe darkest stretch of Ryan's life
• The last-minute trip to Costa Rica that changed everything, and the DM sent from a dirt road in the middle of nowhere that started it all

There's also a lot of laughing. Ruby has a proposal for Ryan that left us both speechless. And Keira shows up at the end and says something so beautiful it might just break you open.

Grab your coffee. Get on the couch. Part 2 is coming soon.

Here are the key moments from the episode:

00:00 Why This Love Story Feels Different

03:57 The Relationship Shift That Made Heidi Feel Safe

09:20 The Hidden Cost of Fame and Starting Over

13:23 Separation, Divorce, and Why Timing Mattered

16:34 The Post About Divorce That Stopped Him Cold

22:22 The DM She Almost Missed and Why It Landed

25:25 Why Heidi Started the Podcast in the First Place

27:57 The Divorce Lesson That Only Pain Can Teach

32:07 How They Healed Each Other’s Trust Issues

35:10 The Upbringing That Shaped His View of Masculinity

39:16 The Question Every Woman Should Ask About a Man

45:31 Why He Never Unfollowed Her

47:24 The Costa Rica Trip That Happened During a Breaking Point

53:40 The First Real Texts That Changed Everything

59:35 When He Realized Heidi Was Different

01:01:01 The IUD Appointment Story She Never Posted

Connect with Heidi:

Website:⁠ https://heidipowell.net/⁠

Email: podcast@heidipowell.net

Instagram: @realheidipowell

Facebook: Heidi Powell

YouTube: @RealHeidiPowell

Train with Heidi on her Show Up App:⁠ https://www.showupfit.app/

This episode started as a simple Q&A, but it turned into something a little more real.

We talk about workouts, macros, and what actually works as our bodies change through different seasons of life, especially for women navigating their 40s, 50s, and beyond. But underneath all of that, this conversation is really about something else.

Momentum.

I share why so many of us feel stuck even when we know what to do, why motivation isn’t something you go out and find, and how the smallest actions are often the thing that changes everything.

We also get into how life gets busy, how we slowly stop showing up for ourselves, and why the seasons where you feel like you don’t have time are usually the ones where it matters most.

There’s some practicality here, workouts, splits, macros, all the things, but also a lot of real life. Because the truth is, this isn’t just about fitness. It’s about learning how to come back to yourself, again and again.

We talk about:

• Why motivation isn’t something you find and what actually works instead
• How to rebuild momentum when life feels overwhelming
• Realistic workout expectations as your body changes with age
• Simple workout structures for busy women
• The truth about calorie deficits, macros, and sustainable fat loss
• Why the scale doesn’t always tell the full story
• Learning to work with your body instead of against it

This one is part Q&A, part life check-in, and part reminder that you don’t need to overhaul your entire life to start feeling better again. You just need to start.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, inconsistent, or like you’ve lost your rhythm, this is for you.

And if you’re in a season where everything else feels more important than taking care of yourself, consider this your gentle nudge. You matter too.

Need help in perimenopause? Download my FREE “Fitness Longevity for Women” guide by clicking here. https://fit.heidipowell.net/fitness-longevity/

Want a community of women going through a similar phase as you? Join my FREE 5 Day Better Body Bootcamp here, or go to heidipowell.net/bootcamp

Here are the key moments from the episode:

00:00 Why This Q&A Hits a Different Nerve

03:08 The Motivation Lie That Keeps Women Stuck

06:11 How to Create Momentum When Life Feels Heavy

08:33 Why Heidi Is Bringing Back Her 60-Day Challenge

11:12 The Busy-Season Trap That Makes You Forget Yourself

14:10 Do You Really Need 60 Minutes in the Gym?

18:02 Best Home Workout Options When You Only Have Dumbbells

21:15 The Calorie Deficit Explained Without the Confusion

24:56 How to Estimate Your Metabolism Before Counting Macros

27:06 The TDEE Shortcut Most Women Need to Understand

30:37 What Heidi Actually Eats in a Day Right Now

34:24 The Best Supplements for Muscle as Hormones Shift

37:21 Can You Fix a Slowed-Down Metabolism?

39:27 Where to Start When You Feel Overwhelmed by Everything

42:05 Heidi’s Final Reminder to Take Your Power Back

Connect with Heidi:

Website: https://heidipowell.net/

Email: podcast@heidipowell.net

Instagram: @realheidipowell

Facebook: Heidi Powell

YouTube: @RealHeidiPowell

Train with Heidi on her Show Up App: https://www.showupfit.app/

I am nervous posting this podcast…as this was not the episode I planned to release.

We spend our lives trying to stay put together and neat. Keeping our hurt hidden and our smiles big.

This podcast shows a very different side of me. A side of Heidi that has real insecurities that run deep. A side of Heidi that feels pain and actually does care what others think about her even when she says she doesn’t.

While the strong Heidi is me…this is also me, and it’s not easy to share.

Today, you are witnessing a real life hormonal meltdown. What was supposed to be an informational conversation turned into something very different...an unfiltered conversation I’m still shocked I’m allowing the world to see.

In this episode, I open up about the emotional toll of shifting hormones, irregular cycles, feeling overwhelmed by life, work, motherhood, pressure, aging, and the weight so many women silently carry. I also share why this episode was so hard for me to put out into the world...and why I decided to share it anyway.

The truth is, the episodes that feel the hardest to release are often the ones that make the biggest impact. So if you’ve been feeling messy, emotional, stretched thin, less like yourself, or just plain alone in this season...this one is for you.

And if you love someone who’s walking through hormonal changes, this episode might help you understand her a little better too.

You are not broken. You are not crazy. And you are definitely not alone.

We talk about:

• What it feels like to hit your emotional limit
• The pressure of being the one who always has the answers
• Hormones, perimenopause, and identity shifts no one prepares you for
• The grief of feeling like your best years are behind you
• Being judged as a woman and as a mother, no matter what you do
• The gap between how life looks and how it actually feels

This one is part life update, part emotional dump, part honest reminder that even the strong ones have days where they fall apart.

And maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Dealing with Perimenopause? For Heidi’s FREE Guide to Fitness Longevity for Women in Perimenopause, click HERE (https://fit.heidipowell.net/fitness-longevity/)

Want a community of women going through a similar phase as you? Join my FREE 5 Day Better Body Bootcamp here, or go to heidipowell.net/bootcamp

Here are the key moments from the episode:

00:00 This Episode Wasn’t Meant to Go Live

03:11 The Last Straw That Broke Me (It Wasn’t Just One Thing)

06:24 Why This Messy Episode Matters

10:07 Hormones, Missing Periods & Feeling Off in My Own Body

15:02 Mom Guilt, Doris, & Being Judged Online

17:28 Why Women Get Criticized No Matter What They Do

21:04 What Hate Comments Really Say About People

24:13 The Pressure of Running a Business No One Sees

26:07 Carrying Financial Responsibility & Providing for Everyone

30:18 Feeling Buried by Your Own Life (I’m Sick of Making Decisions)

34:58 Aging, Identity & What If This Makes Me Unlovable?

38:22 Wanting Back What You Once Hated (I Just Want a Normal Period)

41:40 Strong Most Days… But Today I Broke (I Don’t Even Feel Pretty)

44:01 The Moment I Wanted to Quit Everything

47:07 You’re Not Alone in This

Connect with Heidi:

Website: https://heidipowell.net/

Email: podcast@heidipowell.net

Instagram: @realheidipowell

Facebook: Heidi Powell

YouTube: @RealHeidiPowell

Train with Heidi on her Show Up App: https://www.showupfit.app/