Finally Fearless with Dr. Mel

Ever worried about undoing all your hard work if you skip 1, 2, 20 workout sessions? In today's episode, we are talking all about how consistency and capacity play into your body's response to exercise (or lack thereof) and how to ensure you don't feel like you're "going backwards" ever again.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

I know you've heard of sciatica: whether you know someone who has gone through it or you have experienced it yourself, it can be scary and confusing. What should you be doing in regard to exercise & movement? What is the sciatic nerve, anyway? Does having sciatic nerve trouble mean you're destined for a life of surgery and injections? And why does it feel like you leaking got worse when that sciatic pain kicks in?

Today we are talking about all things sciatic nerve: what it is, where it lives, and what to do to not only calm down symptoms when you're in the moment, but how to prevent the likelihood of them occurring in the first place.*

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Ever feel like you've tried everything under the sun when it comes to "closing the gap" of your diastasis recti, reducing your leaking during workouts, or just getting stronger? Today we are talking about things to consider when we've tried so many things to help with our fitness/conditioning and not much to write home about.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

There's a myth going around that lifting weights is dangerous for your pelvic floor.

The truth is, you're essentially lifting every day of your life: your kids, your dog, your latest Costco haul.

And guess what? Your core and pelvic floor are absolutely involved in that conversation as they play essential roles in ANYTHING you lift: whether that be in the gym or in your life.

So why aren't we training those body parts to help us do these things?

In today's episode, we are talking all about how to appropriately challenge your body with weights, how it affects your core and pelvic floor performance (and vice versa), and what to be mindful of during any type of lifting so that you ensure your core and pelvic floor are strong and resilient AF throughout your lifespan.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

You've decided to stop shrinking your body and using this as the sole outcome measure of whether your exercise program is working for you. But now that you're not focusing on losing weight, how do you know whether you're doing the "right" kind of workout for your body? How do you know if it's effective? If it's helping you reach your strength, mobility, endurance, and performance goals? We're talking all about it on today's epsiode!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

I stepped out of my comfort zone last weekend and attended a workshop where we learned how to discover joy in our lives.

It's wild (and sad) to me that so many of us are walking around, going through the motions of our lives without actually realizing what joy means to us.

Today's conversation touches on different ways joy can show up in our lives: ways that we might not even realize.

But ways that might add some light and fire into your life.

Because we all could probably use a little more joy. We just don't know where to look...yet.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

A couple of weeks ago, we talked about the best piece of fitness advice I have for you: today we are talking about the best piece of pelvic floor advice I have for you when it comes to strengthening your pelvic floor.

And you'll be surprised at how closely the 2 are related!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

It's absolutely wild to me that people get offended when someone calls a penis or vagina by their "actual" anatomical names. Beyond the embarrassment that's apparent here, today we will dig a little deeper in realizing how the ways in which we talk about our bodies affect their performance: especially when it comes to the pelvic floor!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

"What should I be mindful of when recovering from ____?"

You can insert anything here: injury, surgery, giving birth...

...and this also applies to whether you're not really recovering from something other than what diet culture's telling you exercise "should" look like...

In today's episode, we are uncovering the main piece of advice I will give when it comes down to building your body's strength, endurance, flexibility, and mobility in the best, most effective ways possible!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Something that is (mind blowingly) common in my line of work is when MDs and healthcare providers tell people to "wait and see" whether their leaking or pelvic pain or prolapse get worse before agreeing to give them a referral to pelvic rehab.

I don't understand it, and I don't think I ever will.

Today we are talking about why the "wait and see" approach is utter trash, why just because your symptoms have resolved doesn't necessarily mean the source of the problem has been solved, and how you can approach this situation if you're ever faced with it.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

Have you ever pushed through pain or leaking or just not feeling "right" in your body during a workout?

Maybe you're not sure when to push through discomfort and when to stop and modify.

Maybe you're not sure of the difference between discomfort and pain.

Maybe you're worried that if you see someone like a physical therapist, they're gonna tell you to stop working with your personal trainer or Pilates instructor and you just don't want to do that.

Today's episode stems off an earlier one I did re: CPTs vs. PTs and expands into why firing the people who make you feel good while rehabbing an injury/ailment might not always be the best answer.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

"How can I make my sex life better?"

This is a question I get asked very often. And exactly what we are answering on today's episode!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

Thinking about joining a gym to gain more consistency with your workouts? Today we are talking about the points you may not have considered when it comes down to becoming a gym member, helping you to get some insight into better ways to think about working out and exercising for YOUR life.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

You're newly postpartum and you make the mistake of sneezing.

All of a sudden, you really wish you didn't decide that today was the day you went without a pad.

"Welcome to the mommy club, where peeing your pants is normal," is the echoed reaction from your mom, your best friend, and everyone in your local mom group.

I call bullshit.

I get that people who say this mean no harm. That there is a sense of comfort in community. That it feels good to know you're not the ONLY one experiencing this, even though you wish you never had to.

Today we are talking about how "jokes" like this which normalize pelvic health issues actually could be doing more harm than we realize, and how we can still remain light and hopeful about issues like incontinence without ALSO accepting that this is our new fate.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

A question I get very frequently is "when should I see a physical therapist vs. a personal trainer?"

For many of my clients, they work with both at the same time!

In today's episode, we uncover when a PT might benefit you over a CPT, what the main differences are between CPTs and PTs, and why good physical therapy sometimes looks insanely similar to what you would see inside a training program written by your personal trainer.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

This episode is seasoned with a lot of salt! Today, we are touching on the new social media pastime of accusing people of "not supporting women" any time someone calls out trash behavior exhibited by a woman, how I've been called out multiple times for "not supporting women" (LOL), and the time I was actually called a misogynist on reddit. Shit is wild out there!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

According to the CDC recommendation, we should be getting 150 min of "moderate intensity" exercise + 2 strength training sessions in each week in order to be fit & healthy. But what if you're just starting out? What if you're recovering from an injury? What if you're newly postpartum? What if you're leaking (especially if you're leaking with exercise)? What if you can't carve out 7 days a week of exercise?

This episode breaks these guidelines down into more manageable parts to offer some new ways to start approaching your body and your exercise routine, especially if just reading this guideline alone has you like "I can't fit that into my life, so what's the point??"

Cuz there is more nuance to exercise than we're ever taught: and neglecting to acknowledge this is partly why we equate working out with punishment...which can actually INCREASE your leaking, pain, and decrease your overall fitness levels.

There is a better way!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Jenna J Podcast Episode:

Toxic Positivity Video on YouTube:

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

Grifters are ALWAYS gonna grift. In today's (salty) episode, we are covering all the trash rhetoric surrounding (and preying on) people who have given birth. These range from, at best, things that waste your time, money, and energy and, at worst, compromise your health, both mentally AND physically.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

How many times do you feel like you're just coasting through your workouts or your life in general? We are oftentimes told what we "should" be doing, so we check out just to get the damn things done rather than check IN. In today's episode, we are talking all about how you can use your life experiences to check in with yourself to help improve your stress AND fitness levels: because your body and mind work together rather than independently of each other.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Pelvic organ prolapse happens in 35-50% of postpartum people, yet no one ever talks about it.

Even more mind blowing is people don't realize that it can also occur in those who've never been pregnant.

But it sounds scarier than it is! Today we are talking all things prolapse: what it is, what you can do about it (beyond surgery and wearing a pessary forever), and how you can prevent it in the first place!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

"Are you eating enough?"

This is a question I ask most private clients, regardless of the body standing in front of me. Oftentimes, our healthcare system/providers perpetuate this idea that larger bodies = eating more (or too many) calories. That is hardly ever the case in my experience.

In today's episode, we explore exactly WHY eating "enough" is imperative when you're looking to heal your body: and that goes for people of both smaller AND larger sizes. Without proper macro/micronutrients AND caloric intake, it'll be pretty difficult to overcome things like pain, incontinence, constipation, prolapse, etc if your body is not being fed the nutrients it needs.

"Health" goes way beyond burning more calories than you take in, no matter what size/shape your body is in.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Who would've guessed that Rihanna's Super Bowl performance would have brought so many women's health issues to the forefront (and hence finally help me flesh out this topic of being "enough," something that's been brewing in my brain for almost 4 months now).

The constant go-go-go coupled with societal expectations placed on women may have us feeling like we are running around constantly with no rest in sight. But it doesn't have to be that way. Today we are talking about why it might feel like you're never "enough" and how to finally come to the realization that you're exactly where you should be.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

The Finally Floored Winter Cohort Is Here! https://finallyfloored.thinkific.com/courses/finally-floored-2023-winter-cohort

Ever wonder whether you "should" be doing planks or squats because you've heard they're bad for your pelvic floor? Today we are hashing out what exercises you might want to take caution with and how to work your way up to doing more difficult workouts while keeping your core and pelvic floor strong and resilient AF.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Ever feel like you're spinning your wheels when it comes to your workouts? Like, no matter how consistent you are, not matter how much you work, you just feel like you're never getting any stronger?

Back when I was a baby PT, if a new client came in and was a seasoned exerciser, I would want to poop myself because I thought that I couldn't teach them anything about exercise since they were already doing it. What I learned over the next 8 years, however, tells a different story.

Whether you're new to your exercise journey or have been working out for awhile, this episode is for you! We are talking all about the 4 reasons why you might be feeling less than "strong AF," despite your best workout efforts.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

If you've been on IG or TikTok over the past couple of months, you might have seen the hype videos circulating around a woman bodybuilder who was leaking on her lifts. Some used this asa way to normalize leaking with lifting, and other used it as a cautionary tale to infer that lifting "heavy" causes pelvic floor dysfunction.

Both are trash takes.

Today, we uncover why people are prone to leaks when navigating the weight room but ALSO why learning how to lift while keeping your core and pelvic floor in mind might actually help prevent pelvic floor dysfunction.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

I'm not really a resolution type of person; instead, I like to look back at thoughts and habits that didn't serve me very well in the current year and vow to work on leaving them behind as we head into the upcoming one. Then I started thinking: we can apply this to the pelvic floor too! There's no reason to continue to buy into BS, outdated rhetoric that isn't serving us. Join me in today's episode as we uncover the 5 thoughts to leave behind in 2022 in regard to our pelvic health!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

How long should an "effective" workout be? We are talking all about it on today's episode!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

You had a baby. Or tore your ACL. Or injured your back.

You still feel like a hot bag of garbage.

But your MD says all imaging and labs look great and you can just ease yourself back into your "normal" activities.

Except nothing about how you feel feel normal to you.

You ask if there's anything else that can help. "What about PT?" you say. "Nah, IDK what they would work on since it looks like you're healing fine, you're walking fine and you're not at risk of re-injuring yourself. Just take it slow."

If this sounds familiar, have I got the episode for you!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Sign up for the Finally Floored Waitlist Here! https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b1x9z9

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

Ever follow a health & wellness "guru" on social media, only to find out, down the line, that what they were saying holds no merit?

I say it often: social media is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it allows us to connect with professionals all over the world in so many ways; however, because there isn't really a way to regulate the content accounts post and sell (especially if they skirt around the legalese of it all), it's difficult to know who's legit and who's full of...you know where I'm going here.

Today we are talking all about the parameters I personally use when vetting health and wellness professionals I'm considering hiring for myself or recommending for clients to check out, or when someone new comes onto the scene and gets a ton of hype.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

I was scrolling through my IG wall the other day; the two things I post about most are the pelvic floor (cuz, duh!) and the absolute nonsense that is diet culture. I started thinking "here I am, a physical therapist, talking about the harms of diet culture; do people understand how closely this intertwines in traditional healthcare?" The answer is, I'm not really sure.

After working in traditional healthcare for 4 years, there was a lot of brokenness that needed to be fixed; I couldn't change the systems already in place, so I decided to build my own system. On the flip side, I've also escaped diet culture and feel like that move alone afforded me SO much more than I ever could dream: I'm finally a participant in my life and no longer use exercise as a form of punishment or to "undo" everything I eat. Both worlds collide SO often and there is so much bullshit in the health and wellness space that is engulfed in diet culture that I don't think most people recognize.

This episode talks all about how I approach work with my clients in ways that are SO incredibly different from what's offered in the traditional healthcare space, taking into account the harm that diet culture also provokes in these types of spaces. My goal with this episode is to get you to start thinking of how it might not be you that's the problem when it comes to your performance or pain, but maybe it's the system in which you're stuck.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Today, I'm challenging how you go about your workouts, especially if you're doing them in the gym. In this episode, I am reviewing 3 of the most common mistakes I see in the gym that I wish more people were aware of: because your body will thank you for it!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

This week, I ventured into one of the places I hate the most: the fitting room.

In the past, trips like these would send me into a spiral of striving to squeeze my body into the size I believed I "should" be, not being "successful" in doing so, then going down a spiral of self-loathing followed by shame followed by vowing to increase restriction in my diet and increase my workout efforts.

And guess what? It was anything but healthy.

Join me for story time today where we revisit what it's like shopping for a new holiday outfit when you're living a life ENTRENCHED in diet culture vs. what it's like to do so when you're healing yourself from that part of your life that just doesn't serve you, regardless of it being under the guise of "health." How can you get over those fitting room fiascos and instead use actual tools to assess your health and whether parts of it need to be addressed vs. just going on ANOTHER diet that has you striving to fit into a smaller size instead of actually improving your health?

Because I know how much life this thought process sucks out of you, especially around this time of year. And I want to ensure you never have to experience it again.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

"Once I lose 20 pounds, I'll go on that trip." How many of us create this compromise? That if we lose weight and reach a certain number on the scale, that THEN our life can really begin? How many times have we put off going on a life-changing trip, joining a gym, trying a new restaurant, buying a new outfit, all on this condition that IF we lose this arbitrary amount of pounds, that THAT will be when we can finally start living?

Sounds crazy, doesn't it? That we focus so much on some number we were told was this magical goal that will make all our dreams come true, so we basically put off our dreams in hopes of what? Fitting into a different size pant? See how awful this sounds?

What if we did things that weren't conditional on what the number on the scale reads? What if we gave ourselves permission to, GASP, live our damn lives and explore new things despite what we weigh? And, the hardest part, what if we actually realized we are still valuable human beings who deserve the best from life even if we NEVER lose those 20 pounds?

On today's episode, we are talking about all of this and more: so that you can finally stop living your life on the sidelines and actually start enjoying it. At any weight. At any size.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

You've skipped your workout for the 3rd time this week. Or you've eaten a slice of pizza instead of your usual kale salad for lunch. Does this make you "bad?"

Many of us "fall off the wagon" in regard to whatever plan we have for our eating and/or exercise and then go ahead and label ourselves "bad" for doing so. Did you know that doing so can actually make you less likely to follow through with health pursuits down the line? In today's episode, we dive into why slapping the "bad" label on to your approach to diet and exercise might actually be part of what derails you from your goals, and how we can approach this in a more efficient and helpful way so that you never feeling guilty for skipping another workout or eating another piece of candy.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Someone sent me a post from a very large social media account, spreading all kinds of misinformation about what pelvic rehab professionals do. No, we don't "finger" people. No, we don't have your legs up in the air. Not only was I upset that messaging like this deters new professionals from entering a field where we need more clinicians, but it also may be deterring people like YOU from seeking out help: because WTF actually goes on when you come to someone like me for issues like leaking, pain with sex, feeling like you have to pee all the time, prolapse, etc etc?

In today's episode, I'm diving deep into what my exams look like when we are trying to figure out how your pelvic floor is performing AND how it performs as you use the rest of your body. You'll see this is way different than what you get at the gyno: we literally look at your entire body, from head to toes, and try to piece together the puzzle that is pelvic floor conditioning. I go over how I work both virtually and in person, so that you know exactly what to expect and why I do things the way I do them.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

I'll often have someone reach out after following me for YEARS, finally asking whether working on their pelvic is "weird" because they're young or have never been pregnant. It's so dismissive that we've been led to believe that we are freaks for experiencing leaking, pain with penetration, pelvic pain, pressure in our pelvis, or back/hip pain that never goes away despite our imaging being "normal." The truth is, everyone who pees, poops, and farts has a pelvic floor, regardless of age or birth history (or lack thereof). Over time, our bodies learn ways to move and operate and once those patterns become familiar, even though they might not be the most efficient ways of working, it's difficult to come out of them on our own: and many times, these compensations affect your pelvic floor, causing it to not be as strong as you'd like it to be.

In this episode, we break down the trash belief that only pregnant and postpartum people would benefit from working their pelvic floor, and that you have to be a certain age or have a certain life experience in order to experience pelvic floor dysfunction.

Cuz that ain't how it works.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Have you ever felt guilty for calling in sick? Or forced yourself through a workout, despite not feeling your best? In today's episode, we are talking all about nervous system up-regulation, which is fancy talk for a body that constantly feels stressed out and doesn't know how to calm down. Remaining in this constant fight-or-flight state actually can keep us from getting over a sickness, and injury, and actually make us more susceptible to things like pain and leaking. Join me to learn more about what you can do as the ultimate form of self care for when life hits you hard + the main exercise I love to help down-regulate a nervous system (and body) that is stressed TF out. 

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

How many of us think of exercise as a way to get/stay "healthy," ie lose weight?

What if I told you we are going about it all wrong?

The reality is, if you're checking out and just going through the motions of a workout without actually paying attention to what's happening in your body, THIS is when we may start to see things like increased risk of leaking, prolapse, and overall injury. In today's episode, we are talking all about how our goal of getting smaller might actually be a hindering our ability to actually get healthy when it comes to exercise. How diet culture has conditioned us to believe that burning the most calories, sweating the most, and being the most sore is indicative of a "good" and worthwhile workout. And how we can better fuel our bodies with movement instead of forcing ourselves through something we view as a punishment.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Women are so afraid of lifting heavy shit for reasons that are all untrue, still feeding into the idea that...⁣

• You're gonna get bulky (you won't).⁣
• It's dangerous (it's not).⁣
• You don't have the strength to do it (you do).⁣
• And, my personal favorite myth (and the entire reason why I created 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝): lifting weights causes things like prolapse and leaking and :insert all pelvic floor stuff here:.⁣

Today's episode uncovers all the TRUTHS about how lifting heavier loads actually helps prevent things like back pain, leaking, and prolapse (among other things) and why it's being demonized in a variety of settings.

Whether you're brand new to lifting or have taken a few laps around the barbell block, 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 will teach you how to navigate heavier loads to create less stress and strain on your pelvic floor, building (literally) total body strength from the floor up.⁣ Cuz, whether you realize it or not, you're lifting every fucking day of your life (think about it).⁣ ⁣ If you've heard (and fed into) any of the myths above, I want to see you inside the fall cohort!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

I went on a trip recently and you know that whole spiel they do with the oxygen masks on a plane? The one where they tell you to put your child's mask on before your own? Well, that got me thinking: why are we always putting others' masks on before our own?

The truth is, if you're not filling your tank physically, mentally, and emotionally, burnout, stress, and injury risk go on the rise. Yet, we still continue these types of behaviors and wonder why we feel so damn unfulfilled. My recent 2-month hiatus from the podcast had me feeling all types of shame; I labeled myself "lazy," I told myself I was a terrible caregiver: and then I was like "how is this way of thinking helping anyone, let alone myself?"

Today's return to the podcast world talks all about what it's like to give yourself some grace, prioritize things in ways that fit into YOUR life (cuz we don't all have the same 24 hrs), and how to start thinking about constructive ways that being selfish actually pays off.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

When you hear the word "relationship," what do you think of?

In many cases, we automatically think of our significant others, our romantic partners: but is that all? Granted, these people are so prominent in our lives because, most likely, we share SO much of our life experiences with them. But what if we started thinking about other relationships that touch our lives and add quality and purpose to them? Relationships that may add more stresses than we can handle. That may take more energy than we anticipate. Relationships that we need to look at and think about how to set healthy boundaries around so that we can build the lives that we so deserve?

In today's episode, we are talking about how our relationships with friends, food, exercise, and ourselves are some of the most important ones to forge, but often go overlooked and their importance under-appreciated: yet they affect us (and, namely, our health) in SO many different ways.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Shoving your feelings down and "getting your therapy" by forcing yourself through a hard workout is the complete OPPOSITE of health. When trainers, physical therapists, etc are advising you to "get over it" for an hour so you can get your exercise session in, they are actually causing more harm than you (or even they) might realize.⁣
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Health and performance are multifaceted: your physical performance is SO closely tied to mental and emotional health. So if your nervous system is jacked up because the world has literally been on fire for the last 2 years and you feel like you can't catch a break, shoving your feelings down for an hour to get your workout on WILL NOT BENEFIT YOU. This is where potential injury, exacerbated pain, and leaking can all creep up.⁣
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And for a nervous system that can't calm down, this also increases your risk for stroke, high blood pressure, heart attack, etc.⁣
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Today we are talking all about how mental and emotional health play into your physical health, and why you should be paying attention to yourself as an entire damn human instead of just focusing on shoving your feeling down to get your workout in.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

Being a pelvic health specialist, I always ask my clients who is working on their care team; in many cases, they'll say they're working with a nutritionist which gets my brain wheels turning.

If you're dealing with stuff like chronic constipation, IBS, interstitial cystitis, leaking, Chron's Disease, etc, it's probably a good idea to check out whether any of your symptoms are diet-related: BUT, are you consulting the right person?

Literally anyone can call themselves a nutritionist and, in some states, you don't even need to have a background/education/training IN nutrition to do so. Insane, right?! But, there are ways to tell whether your nutrition consultant is actually qualified to help you with specific dietary guidelines that are individualized to YOUR needs: and we are uncovering what to look for today!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

It's so easy to say "you need to advocate for yourself" when speaking with someone who is navigating a health situation. Heck, I say this stuff all the time! But it wasn't until I recently went through a scary and trying time with MY health where I actually had to do it in a realm I knew nothing about. Gimme all the muscle, joint, ligament, and nerve stuff: I know how to handle all of that. But when it comes to dermatological ish, I was like a deer in headlights.

I had no idea what to do, who to see, or what questions to ask.

It feels isolating. Lonely. Confusing AF. And it doesn't matter whether you're going through something seemingly small or an issue that's more intricate: attempting to get answers you deserve that are actually helpful is HARD and can be incredibly frustrating.

Today's episode will help to give you a head start on things you can consider when combating any health issue: whether it's navigating a chronic pain or figuring out how to stop leaking or trying to easy constipation or overcoming something like melanoma (which was the journey that got me thinking about all of this), there are things you can do and tools you can employ to ensure you're getting the answers, the support, and the care you need from your healthcare team. And we uncover 6 of those right here!

Check out the link below to download your free self advocacy guide!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Have you ever started or done a workout program and had this out-of-body experience? Kinda like you blacked out during it but you're panting and sweaty and just standing there like "wtf just happened?"

A lot of us do exercise programs where we have similar experiences to this: we think we're getting in "the zone," yet all we are doing is going through the motions to just get through it and call it done. Which isn't necessarily bad: but it could be WAY better.

In today's episode, we are gonna look at the stories of 2 of my private clients who changed the way they approached exercise which wound up changing their life. Before working together, these women had no idea how to actually tell what was happening with their core and pelvic floor not only during exercise, but also when they were doing every day stuff like lifting their kids, climbing the stairs, and carrying laundry. Once they began learning more about how their bodies function and how to tell when they aren't functioning the most efficiently (aka compensating), they felt stronger and had less pain/leaks in a matter of 2-3 sessions. Am I the best pelvic floor physical therapist in the world? Hellllll NO! But I do know how to give people the tools they need to allow them to fix themselves instead of rely on me to do the fixing for them.

These super basic principles of core and pelvic floor engagement are what I cover inside the Finally Floored Foundations: Beyond Kegels workshop which is happening Sunday 3/13 at 10am EST! Signup information is in the show notes. We then take those basic fundamentals a step further inside the Finally Floored program, a 12-week total body conditioning workout program that starts with the core and pelvic floor and builds outward to get your body working as a complete power house instead of in bits and pieces that don't fit together! The waitlist for that is open now: check the show notes to grab your spot for that as well!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

"Just do your kegels." Sounds simple enough, right?

And everyone loves simple solutions to complex problems. "Just do kegels" has been pushed as the "fix" for every pelvic floor woe: leaking or peeing yourself? Just do your kegels! Feel like your organs are falling out of your body? Just do your kegels! Sex isn't up to snuff? Just do your damn kegels!

Everyone, including your MD and OBGYN, are throwing this blanket anecdote at everyone and, while I do not think they have any ill-intent in doing so, I do think that they are doing a massive disservice to vagina owners everywhere in that not only are kegels NOT appropriate for everyone, but blanket statements like this dumb down the complexity and intricacy of conditioning the pelvic floor.

9 times out of 10, if someone is leaking or feels like they have to pee all the time, they'll tell me with the utmost confidence that they're doing their kegels and can't understand why it hasn’t been working.⁣

⁣And, 9x out of 10, those same people are either:⁣

• compensating out the wazoo, making kegels a total waste of their time and energy…

…OR...⁣

• are in the camp where kegels are actually making things worse.⁣

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This is why it grinds my gears when people are telling you to "just do your kegels" and your life will be sunshine and rainbows.⁣

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Sure, kegels have a time and place: BUT do you actually know when that time and where that place are? Do you know how to tell if kegels are appropriate for you? Do you know what other factors to consider 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒊𝒄 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒓 that are ALSO involved in the conversation?

⁣

"Just do your kegels" sounds so easy, but it only covers one part of a 1M piece puzzle.⁣

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𝑷𝒍𝒖𝒔, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒍 𝒐𝒍𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑳𝑳 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈.⁣

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If you've been led to believe that kegeling your way through life will spare your pelvic floor, I want to see you inside the 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬 workshop. Together, we will uncover the super basics of how your pelvic floor works AND how to start working it other than lying around, kegeling til the cows come home (which is a huge SNOOZE FEST). More info plus a $10 discount will be offered to the waitlist next week, so make sure you're on there! Link in bio.

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

You may have heard that high intensity/high impact exercise and heavy weight lifting lead to pelvic floor issues like prolapse, pain, and peeing yourself.⁣
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It ain't true.⁣

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔? Our bodies are super smart and love predictability. Once they pick up on a pattern that works, that's their go-to: even if it's not the most efficient way of doing things.⁣
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Let's take weight lifting for example. You're probably measuring your progress by how much weight you can put up (even if you're not a competitive body builder), right? In order to get that weight up there, if your deep core (abs, pelvic floor, lower back, and diaphragm) is not performing "optimally," you're probably gonna hold your breath to move that load. Over time, your body learns this pattern and further reduces the use of what SHOULD be kicking in (aka deep core). This compensatory pattern is what could potentially lead to pelvic floor issues, not the actual act of lifting weight.⁣
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𝐓𝐋;𝐃𝐑: 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝.⁣

Take that one step further: even if you are currently suffering from pelvic floor issues, it does not mean that you have to stop doing the exercises you love forever. Pelvic floor dysfunction is not a life sentence.
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Whether you're trying to prevent pelvic floor issues in the first place or overcome issues you're experiencing now, we need to think of better investigative questions when thinking about how we are gonna get you back to living your damn life. Questions like:

• WHY is your pelvic floor/deep core performing the way it is?
• HOW is it compensating? 
• HOW does it coordinate with your other body parts in a variety of positions and activities?
  

Stop allowing people who have no education or background in exercise programming scare you out of exercise programming that gives you life.

You’re not broken or lost.

You just need a better road map.

And we are exploring how to get our hands on that map in today's episode!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

The other day, I was talking with a new pelvic floor PT who wants to open her own practice.

"People keep saying I need 5 years of mentorship. That I should work for someone for 10 years first. That you need a lot of capital to start."

The list of shoulds and have tos went on.

"How many of these people actually own their own practice and do what you want to do?" I asked her.

The answer: ZERO.

One of the biggest mindfucks I had to get over as a new business owner was people telling me I can't:

• That I can't do mobile and virtual: people want to go to an office.
• That I can't do private pay: people want to use their insurance.
• That I can't wear workout clothes to work: people want you to look professional.
• That I can't curse in my messaging: people won't take you seriously.
• That I can't see people once a week (or less): they're going to expect you to see them more often
• That I can't only treat vagina owners: you're discriminating against people with penises.

Friends, I actually took some of these to heart; in the beginning months of starting my practice, I was so all over the place because I was trying to be and do what everyone around me told me I should be doing. Not that it was right, but that it was comfortable...FOR THEM.

But it wasn't FOR ME.

So, I said funk dis: and did what I wanted to do.

And this year, as New Quest hits its 2 year anniversary, I have a schedule that is filled to the brim with private 1:1 clients that I now have to build a waitlist 🥳

Listen, I am not saying this to blow smoke up my own ass: what I want you to take away from this conversation is, is there something you want to do in your life that people/people's comments are keeping you from doing? Stuff that they are telling you you can't do, you have to do it this way, your way will never work?

And it doesn't have to be something like starting a business. It could be starting a lifting program when you've never lifted weights before. It could be never peeing your pants even though you've had 4 kids and are over the age of 20. It could be never having your back scream in pain even though you have "arthritis everywhere." It could be learning how to play the piano even though you label yourself uncoordinated AF.

The point is, no one is you. Stop taking advice from people who are scared and locked into their own insecurities, because they will try to pass that shit onto you. Every good idea stems from some sort of nuance; your personality, values, lifestyle factors, and life experience all play a part in making that idea come to life.

Stop letting other people hold your map when they have no idea where you're going 💜

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Do you know how your insurance plan works? Like really know how it works??

Lemme tell you: as a healthcare professional, even I get confused about this stuff! Copays, co-insurances, out of pocket maxes, deductibles, premiums: it's enough to make anyone's head spin!

Today we are going over the VERY basics on what to be aware of when using your insurance, especially as it pertains to your physical therapy care: what to look for, what to ask, and what goes on behind the scenes. While this may not be the most riveting topic I've done, it's one of the most important. You absolutely need to be involved in the conversation when it comes to your health and healthcare, otherwise you will be spending valuable time and money chasing outcomes that will never materialize because you didn't know what to look for. This episode is NOT me convincing you to pay out of pocket for PT: it is me educating you on what you need to know before signing with someone who "takes your insurance," because it may be costing more than you think!

The more you know and the more you involve yourself in the conversation, the quicker you will be to getting your damn life back! 

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.

Join the Finally Floored Waitlist: https://bit.ly/FF_Spring_2022

Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt

Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com

Have you ever had an injury sideline you from doing the things you love? What about pain in general?

If you've ever had knee (or hip or back or any kind of pain), you know how much it sucks to have it interfere with your life. It sucks even more when you go to your doctor (or even your physical therapist) and are basically told that it is what it is, just deal with it.

Maybe it's your age?

Maybe you have high expectations?

Maybe your body is just not up to par?

Maybe the advice you've been given is shit and you were never actually given the chance to see what your knee (and your body as a whole) are capable of.

Maybe you can climb that mountain or hike 10 miles or go backpacking again.

Maybe you can get some sleep the night before a big adventure instead of losing it over whether you'll be crawling back to your car.

Maybe you were just never given the answers you deserve!

In this episode, I am chatting with Dr. Michael Stranges, a physical therapist who knows all too well the garbage advice people like you have been given and refuses to let you settle for a less-than life. Dr. Mike's passion is keeping clients on the trails worry and pain-free, which is why he created his Tenacious Knee program. Join us as we talk about better exercises, better training, and better ways to handle your knee pain so that you can continue experiencing amazing adventures well into your later years!

Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us.