Strong & Nourished Momma | Postpartum Weight Loss, Postpartum Nutrition, Core & Pelvic Floor, Mom Energy & Fatigue, Postpartum Fitness

You've tried fasting. You've tried cutting carbs. You've tracked every bite and cut your calories way down. And the scale hasn't budged. In this episode, Val breaks down a piece of postpartum weight loss that almost nobody talks about: slow gut motility — and why it might be the real reason you're stuck, bloated, and exhausted, even when you're "doing everything right."
In This Episode:
Why "eat less, move more" isn't working — and why it's probably not a willpower problem
What slow gut motility actually does to your hormones, inflammation, and fat loss (explained with a trash-pickup analogy that makes it click)
Why "used up" hormones like estrogen get reabsorbed instead of cleared when things back up — and how that keeps you stuck
The sneaky symptoms of slow motility most moms never connect to their gut: bloating, skin flare-ups, afternoon energy crashes, bigger mood swings
A real client story — how we fixed what months of dieting couldn't
3 simple things you can start today to get things moving again (no supplements, no cleanses required)
Ready to Go Deeper?Start with the free Start Strong Workshop at wellnessbyval.com/workshop — it's on-demand, and it's also how you get on the waitlist for Val's next group coaching round opening in January (her current cohort already started).
If you want someone to actually look at what's going on in YOUR body, Val has a few private coaching spots open this fall. Book a free 15-minute call at wellnessbyval.com/call — let's figure out what you actually need.
Resources & Links
Book a free 15-minute consult call with Val: wellnessbyval.com/call
Leave a voice message: speakpipe.com/newsletter
Connect with Val: Instagram @wellnessbyval_
Website: wellnessbyval.com
Free Protein Guide: wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide
Core Comeback Challenge: wellnessbyval.com/core
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or nutrition advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about breastfeeding, postpartum nutrition, or your individual health needs.

Enrollment for the 8-Week Group Coaching Program for Moms is OPEN!! Save $100, get a FREE coaching call with me, plush a FREE 6-week strength program! Save your spot today - https://wellnessbyval.com/program
Eat less while breastfeeding. Do more cardio. Wait until you're "cleared" at six weeks. If the scale isn't moving, nothing's working. Momma, these myths are everywhere — and most of them are wrong. In this episode, Val busts five of the most common postpartum weight loss myths, including a real story about a client who nearly followed a TikTok fasting-and-cardio protocol that would have tanked her energy and milk supply.
In this episode:
A client's TikTok wake-up call — and what Val had her do instead
Myth: you have to eat less to lose weight while breastfeeding
Myth: cardio is the best way to lose the baby weight
Myth: you can't start until you're "cleared" at six weeks
Myth: if the scale isn't moving, nothing's working
Myth: you have to figure postpartum weight loss out alone
Plus two extra myths Val is sick of hearing and what to do instead
One simple mindset shift to try this week
After today, prices go up for Val's 8-week group coaching program, the Strong, Nourished & Energized Mom Method — enroll by tonight, 8/31 at midnight, to save $100 and receive bonuses! You can still enroll later this week, but prices go up. Contact Val at hello@wellnessbyval.com with any questions.
https://wellnessbyval.com/program
Resources & Links:
Send me a voice message! 🎙️Have a question or a topic you want me to cover on the podcast? Send me a voice message through SpeakPipe — link below in show notes!→ https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter
Connect with Val:
Instagram: @wellnessbyval_
Website: https://wellnessbyval.com/
Free Protein Guide: https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide
Core Comeback Challenge: wellnessbyval.com/core
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or nutrition advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about breastfeeding, postpartum nutrition, or your individual health needs.

Enrollment extended!! Sign up now before 9/8/26.
Enrollment for the Strong, Nourished & Energized Mom Method is officially open! In this bonus episode, Val walks you through exactly what 8 weeks together looks like — why she built this program, what happens week by week, real testimonials from moms who've been through it, and what it actually feels like to feel strong, nourished, and like yourself again.
Whether you're currently pregnant, six weeks postpartum, or years into motherhood, this episode breaks down everything you need to know before enrollment closes September 8th. 
In this episode:
Val's own postpartum story and why she built this program
A full week-by-week breakdown: core and pelvic floor healing, nutrition, energy-boosting habits, and more
What's included — the app, live group coaching calls, private community, and direct messaging support
Real testimonials from moms on pregnancy prep, pain relief, and reconnecting with their bodies
Pricing, bonuses, and why spots are limited for this round
Enrollment closes September 8th and the next round isn't until January 2027. Ready to feel like yourself again? Head to https://wellnessbyval.com/program to grab your spot!
 
Resources & Links:
Send me a voice message! 🎙️Have a question or a topic you want me to cover on the podcast? Send me a voice message through SpeakPipe — link below in show notes!→ https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter
Connect with Val:
Instagram: @wellnessbyval_
Website: https://wellnessbyval.com/
Free Protein Guide: https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide
Core Comeback Challenge: wellnessbyval.com/core
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or nutrition advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about breastfeeding, postpartum nutrition, or your individual health needs.

"I'll start when things calm down." "I'll start Monday." "I'll focus on myself once the kids are older." Sound familiar, momma? In this episode, Val breaks down why waiting feels safe — and why the "right time" is a moving target that never actually arrives. She shares her own realization going into postpartum that it would be easy to put herself last, plus real patterns she hears from clients over and over, to show exactly what changes when you stop waiting and start small, right where you are.
This episode also goes deep on Val's 8-week group coaching program — what's actually inside it, who it's for (spoiler: any stage of motherhood, including pregnancy), and why enrollment is opening soon with limited spots.
In this episode:
Why waiting feels safe, even though it quietly costs you time
Two relatable client patterns: "once summer's over" and "I'll do better Monday"
The difference between the mom who waits and the mom who starts small — and why it's about consistency, not time or motivation
One tiny action to interrupt the waiting pattern today
A full look inside Val's 8-week group coaching program: breath and connection, nutrition with real-time logging, movement that meets you where you are, and sustainable habit change
Why the program works at any stage — six weeks postpartum, six months, three years, even pregnancy
Enrollment details and why spots are limited
Ready to stop waiting, momma? Start with the free Start Strong Workshop at https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/workshop — your first step, no equipment, 25 minutes.
Resources & Links:
Send me a voice message! 🎙️Have a question or a topic you want me to cover on the podcast? Send me a voice message through SpeakPipe — link below in show notes!→ https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter
Connect with Val:
Instagram: @wellnessbyval_
Website: https://wellnessbyval.com/
Free Protein Guide: https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide
Core Comeback Challenge: wellnessbyval.com/core
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or nutrition advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about breastfeeding, postpartum nutrition, or your individual health needs.

If you've felt discouraged postpartum thinking strength is something that's going to take forever to get back — this episode is really good news. Val breaks down two very different timelines: full recovery (physically, nutritionally, mentally) really can take one to two years, but real, visible strength gains can start showing up much faster than that — especially once one key piece is in place.
Val shares her own postpartum strength journey month by month, defines what strength actually means in and out of the gym, and explains the neuromuscular connection almost nobody talks about — the missing piece that determines whether your progress stalls or takes off.
In this episode:
Why full recovery and building strength are two different timelines
What strength really means — in the gym and in everyday life
The neuromuscular connection: why things can feel disconnected even when you're "trying"
Progressive overload, explained simply
Val's own month-by-month postpartum strength progression
Why working with the right coach matters across different seasons of motherhood
One simple thing to do this week to recognize the strength you already have
Ready for real, sustainable support instead of guessing? Grab the free Start Strong Workshop at https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/workshop — 25 minutes, no equipment, just your starting point.
 
Resources & Links:
Send me a voice message! 🎙️Have a question or a topic you want me to cover on the podcast? Send me a voice message through SpeakPipe — link below in show notes!→ https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter
Connect with Val:
Instagram: @wellnessbyval_
Website: https://wellnessbyval.com/
Free Protein Guide: https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide
Core Comeback Challenge: wellnessbyval.com/core
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or nutrition advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about breastfeeding, postpartum nutrition, or your individual health needs.
 

Ever catch your reflection and feel like you're looking at a stranger? In this episode, Val shares a deeply personal story — the moment two months postpartum when a pair of her own jeans wouldn't zip, and the identity crisis that followed. She breaks down why this feeling isn't vanity, isn't your fault, and isn't something to push past — it's grief, it's an identity shift, and it's your body having done exactly what it was built to do.
Val also opens up about a fear she hears constantly from friends and clients: the fear of getting pregnant again because of how hard it was to watch their body change the first time. And she offers a powerful reframe — you're not stuck, momma. You're healing.
In this episode:
Val's personal story: the jeans that wouldn't zip and the identity crisis it triggered
Why "not recognizing your body" is grief, not vanity
The connection between this and last week's survival mode episode
The fear so many moms carry about their body changing again
A reframe: awe over what your body did, instead of shame over how it looks now
One simple thing to do this week to start reconnecting with your body
Feeling like you don't recognize yourself right now? Grab the free Start Strong Workshop at https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/workshop — it's 25 minutes, no equipment, no overhaul, just your starting point to feel like you again.
Resources & Links:
Send me a voice message! 🎙️Have a question or a topic you want me to cover on the podcast? Send me a voice message through SpeakPipe — link below in show notes!→ https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter
Connect with Val:
Instagram: @wellnessbyval_
Website: https://wellnessbyval.com/
Free Protein Guide: https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide 
Core Comeback Challenge: wellnessbyval.com/core
Functional Lab Review: https://wellnessbyval.com/labs
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or nutrition advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about breastfeeding, postpartum nutrition, or your individual health needs.

Feel like you're doing everything "right" and your body still won't cooperate? Flat energy, a stalled plateau, foggy afternoons, wired-but-tired nights? In this episode, Val breaks down survival mode — what it actually is, why postpartum (and just plain busy) life practically guarantees it, and why you can't out-discipline a nervous system that doesn't feel safe.
Val also shares a client story — a mom of three, part-time mechanical engineer, homeschooler, and half-marathon-in-training — to show exactly how "small normal stressors" quietly stack up until the body waves the white flag. Plus, the bathtub analogy that reframes how you think about stress, symptoms, and burnout for good.
In this episode:
What "survival mode" really means for your nervous system and metabolism
A real client story: blood sugar concerns, sleep disruption, and what was actually driving it
The bathtub analogy — why your symptoms are an overflow, not a malfunction
Why willpower and restriction backfire when your body is in protection mode
The signs you might be stuck in survival mode right now
One simple thing to try this week to start turning the tub down
Feeling stuck? Grab the free Start Strong Workshop at https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/workshop — it'll walk you through exactly how to get your energy and your core back.
Resources & Links:Send me a voice message! 🎙️Have a question or a topic you want me to cover on the podcast? Send me a voice message through SpeakPipe — link below in show notes!→ https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter
Connect with Val:
Instagram: @wellnessbyval_
Website: https://wellnessbyval.com/
Free Protein Guide: https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide 
Core Comeback Challenge: wellnessbyval.com/core
Functional Lab Review: https://wellnessbyval.com/labs
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or nutrition advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about breastfeeding, postpartum nutrition, or your individual health needs.

Motivation is not your problem. Your system is. In this episode Val breaks down the real reasons postpartum moms struggle to stay consistent — and it has nothing to do with willpower, discipline, or how badly you want it. If you have been starting and stopping, falling off track, or waiting to feel ready — this episode is going to change the way you think about consistency forever.
In this episode we cover:
Why motivation is an emotion that follows action — not the other way around
Why waiting to feel motivated is keeping you stuck
The four real reasons postpartum moms cannot stay consistent (and none of them are your fault)
How decision fatigue is silently killing your nutrition and workout consistency every single day
Why all or nothing thinking is the number one consistency killer for moms
Why your plan keeps failing — and it is not because you are lazy
The power of accountability and why doing it alone is so hard
A client story: 5 months postpartum with two littles, no routine, overwhelmed — and what actually changed everything
Val's real workout week — what it actually looked like and why flexibility is not failure
Five things consistency actually requires — practical and actionable
How to apply this to nutrition specifically so you stop making the same decisions every single day
Your five action steps to take starting today
Resources mentioned:
Start Strong Workshop — free, 25 minutes, on demand → https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/workshop
Core Comeback Challenge → wellnessbyval.com/core
Episode 106 – You Don’t Need More Willpower. You Need This Instead
Episode 104 — Stop Jumping Back Into Workouts Postpartum
Send me a voice message! 🎙️Have a question or a topic you want me to cover on the podcast? Send me a voice message through SpeakPipe — link below in show notes!→ https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter
Connect with Val:
Instagram: @wellnessbyval_
Website: https://wellnessbyval.com/
Free Protein Guide: https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide 
Core Comeback Challenge: wellnessbyval.com/core
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or nutrition advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about breastfeeding, postpartum nutrition, or your individual health needs.

You are breastfeeding, you are starving, and you are scared that if you eat more you will gain weight — but if you eat less your supply will tank. Sound familiar? In this episode Val breaks down exactly how to fuel your body while breastfeeding, why cookie cutter calorie advice does not work for nursing moms, and what eating enough actually looks like in real life — with specific food examples for three different stages of breastfeeding.
In this episode we cover:
Why breastfeeding nutrition is highly individual — and why one size fits all advice fails most moms
What actually happens to your body when you do not eat enough while breastfeeding
The truth about lactation cookies, oats, and brewer's yeast — what the science actually says
The four things every breastfeeding mom needs to focus on: protein, carbs, healthy fats, fiber and hydration
Three real mom scenarios with actual food examples:
4 weeks PP exclusively breastfeeding
10 months PP breastfeeding plus baby eating real food
12+ months PP breastfeeding less frequently
Whether you can lose weight while breastfeeding — and how to do it without tanking your supply
Val's personal story: breastfeeding exclusively for 13 months, second breakfast every day, and why she did not own a scale during that time
A client story: 3.5 months PP, supply dipped when she went back to work, and the simple changes that turned it around
Resources mentioned:
Free Protein Guide → https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide
Core Comeback Challenge → wellnessbyval.com/core
Episode 87 — The Truth About Breastfeeding Nutrition and Postpartum Weight Loss with Brooke Miller
Episode 96 — Gut Health and the Momma Microbiome 
Episode 93 — Fertility, Pregnancy and Postpartum Nutrition with Lily Nichols 
Episode 95 — The 4 Nutrient Deficiencies Stealing Your Energy as a Momma 
Episode 104 — Stop Jumping Back Into Workouts Postpartum — Do This First
Episode 108 | Losing Weight But Still Feel Soft? Here's What's Actually Happening in Your Body
Send me a voice message! 🎙️Have a question or a topic you want me to cover on the podcast? Send me a voice message through SpeakPipe — link below in show notes!→ https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter
Connect with Val:
Instagram: @wellnessbyval_
Website: https://wellnessbyval.com/
Free Protein Guide: https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide 
Core Comeback Challenge: wellnessbyval.com/core
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or nutrition advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about breastfeeding, postpartum nutrition, or your individual health needs.

The scale is moving but you still feel soft, undefined, and not like yourself. Sound familiar? In this episode Val breaks down exactly why this happens — and it is not a willpower problem. It is a physiology problem. If you have been eating less, doing more cardio, and still not seeing the results you want, this episode is going to connect a lot of dots for you.
In this episode we cover:
Why weight loss and fat loss are NOT the same thing
The eating pattern Val sees constantly in postpartum moms that stalls results (it is not what you think)
Why the weekday vs weekend eating swing is keeping your body stuck
How cortisol is actively breaking down your muscle and storing fat — especially around your midsection
Why cardio is not the answer and what to do instead
What body recomposition actually requires — protein, progressive strength training, and nervous system support
Why postpartum moms are starting from a different baseline and why that matters
Val's personal story — from pancake butt postpartum to stronger glutes at 3 years PP than before baby
How Val felt soft again in January 2026 and exactly what she did to fix it — labs, logging, stress, and sleep
Resources mentioned:
Core Comeback Challenge — 4 week progressive postpartum core program → https://my.playbookapp.io/wellnessbyval/programs/core-comeback-challenge-4-week-program/45013
Free Protein Guide → https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide
Episode 104 — Stop Jumping Back Into Workouts Postpartum — Do This First 
Episode 100 — Sleep, Cortisol & Fat Loss: Why Postpartum Moms Can't Out-Train a Stressed Nervous System 
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💬 Got a question for the show?! Leave me a voice message here: SpeakPipe voice note at https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter for a chance to have your question featured and answered on an episode of the Strong & Nourished Momma Podcast.
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical, nutrition, or pelvic floor physical therapy advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new exercise or nutrition program postpartum.