In this episode of The Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Podcast, Coach Joni and Coach Bela discuss the rapid rise of AI-generated social media accounts in the fitness space. They discuss how AI content is becoming difficult to detect and frequently targets midlife women with menopause/perimenopause weight-loss and muscle-gain claims, and how it can worsen comparison and body-image pressures. Listen in as they share practical cues for identifying AI accounts and the importance of doing due diligence, seeking real human connection and community, and remembering that sustainable fitness changes are habit-based and not "sexy" quick fixes.

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Today on the Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Podcast, we have a special crossover episode recorded with Ross Leppala on The Intentional Athlete. In this episode, Coach Pia is interviewed about how strength training and powerlifting transformed her life. Pia recounts starting as a journalist and aspiring war photographer, moving into banking for financial stability, and later becoming pre-diabetic after years of poor health habits. She describes leaving a high-level corporate role, opening Lift Coffee, buying Fiercely Fueled three years ago, and valuing the honesty of lifting over corporate politics. The conversation also explores quality of life, autonomy, boundaries, self-sabotage, awareness, priorities, and how strength training builds resilience and presence.

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In this episode of the Fiercely Field Nutrition Podcast, Coach Pia welcomes Winnie Abramson, a photographer and long-time powerlifter, to discuss her decade-plus in the sport, starting after CrossFit and competing in over 35 meets across federations including USAPL, USPA, and Powerlifting America, plus serving as a USAPL referee and making Masters national teams and Masters Worlds in 2022. Winnie describes balancing high-level lifting with extensive travel, her photography, and strenuous backpacking, and the importance of planning, adaptability, and defining consistency beyond perfect training. She also talks about her experience seeking performance nutrition coaching after menopause and strength struggles, and how she learned to prioritize fueling, pre/intra/post-workout nutrition, and accountability without obsessive tracking. Listen in as she shares advice for midlife lifters: best days may still be ahead, stay patient with repetitive work, and don't give up, and provides her Instagram and email for contact.

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Get ready for a special "side quest" episode of the Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Podcast, inspired by real conversations from team coaching calls. Clients often bring up powerlifting coaching concerns that go beyond nutrition, so Coaches Pia and Joni dive into the most common red flags they see in coaching relationships, especially in today's unregulated online coaching world. Listen in as they break down what quality coaching should look like and what to do if these elements are missing. This conversation is designed to empower you to understand the standards you deserve, ask better questions, and confidently step away from coaching relationships that aren't serving you.

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Links and Resources:

• Get our free pre & post-training meals guide https://guide.fiercelyfueled.com/podcast

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In this episode of the Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Podcast, Coaches Joni and Bella discuss how social media trends shape fitness and nutrition choices. Listen in as they myth-bust several trends such as "fiber maxing," "potassium maxing" for a more chiseled face, and overhydration risks. They also review beetroot concentrate, the viral post-workout Blizzard vs chicken-and-rice claim, not seasoning food, cooling/reheating rice or potatoes to alter glycemic response, pre-workout supplements, cardio and weight loss, and excessive protein intake.

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• Get our free pre & post-training meals guide https://guide.fiercelyfueled.com/podcast

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This episode of the Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Podcast takes a closer look at the culture of strength sports and the nutrition advice athletes are actually getting behind the scenes.

Coach Pia sits down with nutrition coach Shania Rudkay to talk about everything from coaching culture and social media trends to the realities of weight cuts. Together, they unpack how extreme advice spreads online, why "secret methods" are usually just good marketing, and how practices meant for elite competitors often trickle down to athletes who don't need them and may be harmed by them.

They also dive into the less-talked-about side of competing: how dieting can affect body image, relationships with food, and long-term health. From hidden disordered eating to the pressure to chase lighter weight classes, this conversation challenges some of the biggest assumptions in strength sports.

In this episode:

• Why weight cuts aren't as mysterious as they seem
• How social media shapes athlete nutrition choices
• Red flags to watch for in coaching and nutrition advice
• Why maintenance is often the most underrated strategy
• Misconceptions about heavier weight classes
• How athletes can stay competitive without constant dieting
• Warning signs your body isn't recovering well
• Why health markers should come before performance

If you compete, or plan to, this episode is a grounded reminder that the strongest athletes are the ones who can stay in the sport for the long run.

Connect with our guest:

• Follow Shania Radke on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaniaradke_/

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• Get our free pre & post-training meals guide https://guide.fiercelyfueled.com/podcast

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In this episode of the Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Podcast, Coach Joni and Coach Bela break down something many performance athletes overlook: how you fuel around your workouts can make or break your results.

They explain why most nutrition advice is built for general gym-goers (and often men), and why athletes need a more intentional approach. If you've ever felt nauseous, sluggish, or "off" before training, it may not be your workout but what (and when) you ate.

They walk through:

• Why fast-digesting carbs work best close to training

• When to choose balanced meals (and when not to)

• How digestion and blood flow shift during exercise

• Why combining glucose and fructose can help stabilize energy

• When liquid carbs or clear protein might be your best bet

You'll also get practical, real-life ideas (think cereal and protein, rice cakes, yogurt, white rice, potatoes, grab-and-go snacks) plus strategies that make consistency easier — because the best fueling plan is the one you can actually follow.

If you want to stop leaving performance on the table, this episode shows you how to fuel smarter, not just harder.

Links and Resources:

• Get our free pre & post-training meals guide https://guide.fiercelyfueled.com/podcast

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In this episode of the Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Podcast, Coach Pia interviews Jared Maynard, a physical therapist, strength coach, and powerlifter from Canada, who shares his harrowing journey of battling a life-threatening condition, HLH (Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis). Jared discusses how his lifelong commitment to strength training unexpectedly fortified him during his critical illness, and how he emerged from the experience with a renewed sense of purpose. The conversation covers Jared's early struggles with obesity and self-confidence, his evolution into strength sports, and the emotional and physical challenges he faced during and after his illness. Jared offers deep insights into identity, resilience, and the power of empathy in coaching, making this episode a powerful testament to the human spirit's capacity to overcome immense adversity.

Connect with Jared Maynard:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jared.unbreakable/

Links and Resources:

• Get our free pre & post-training meals guide https://guide.fiercelyfueled.com/podcast

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