Okay ladies + gents ... this episode is a BIG ONE. Not only do we have one but TWO guests, Danielle and Whitney of Sakara Life. They've known each other since they were twelve in Arizona, and moved to the Big Apple for their dreams of modeling and working on Wall Street. But as time passed, their struggles grew along with their go-go-go kind of lifestyle. Things basically got CRAY ... fast. Everything started to add up, from going-out, getting acne, drinking, eating out all of the time, working 80 hours/week, and not taking the time to take care of themselves. And this is how their new new lifestyle started.
They both had a lot of healing and needed to remind each other food is medicine. So from there they started being their own guinea pigs, and cooking their own meals and creating their own recipes. Eventually, they knew they were on to something, and they started delivering meals on their bikes around NYC to their clients.
In terms of the food science aspects of living the Sakara Life, here are some vital topics we touched on:
It's all about living a life of clarity, freedom, health, and nourishment. We hope you learn more than you can imagine from this episode!
OKAY THE BOYS ARE BACK EVERYONE ... well, just one. But he's the best. Actor, comedian, man of all things absolutely hilarrrrr, RYAN O'FLANAGAN is our special guest this week. Not only has he been on New Girl, Adam Devine's House Party, Comedy Central, Tosh.0, and American Dad, he graduated with Linds from Boston College in 20 fricken 10. WHA?! Basically, this episode is a force to be reckoned with.
After graduating college, he packed up his stuff, drove cross country to L.A., and never looked back. Ever since, he's been rising and grinding to be the most original comedian. Ryan talks about everything that's happened in between over the years, including ...
This ep is CRAY, RELAXED, + everything you need right now. Enjoy #almost30nation!
This week Krista + Linds chat with the infamous, celebrity nutritionist Maria Marlowe, a practicing health coach in NYC since 2013. Not only has she worked with celebrities, politicians, executives, working moms and other busy women on the run, her techniques and methods are unlike any other.
Whether you're working long hours, trying to eat healthier, or just find balance, Maria is all about helping women lose weight, clear up acne, and enhance their beauty by eating healthier, on a whole, unprocessed, mostly plant-based diet. So let's repeat that - weight loss, skin, healthy body, SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD TO US!
On the other hand, Maria just released a new book called The Real Food Grocery Guide, which is exactly what a busy working woman needs - someone to help them plan their week AND save some dollar bills. The do's, don'ts, and must-haves of walking down those grocery isles. It includes ALSO some of these hot topics and popular issues with grocery shopping:
Enjoy #Almost30Nation + let us know what you think!
BIET SIMKIN is probably the most interesting person in the world ... seriously, your mind is about to be BLOWN. The sh*t that she's been through and the person who she has become because of that is BEYOND all of our dreams of determination and strength. So Krista + Lindsey are peeling back the layers of the goddess Biet Simkin ...
For those of you who don't know who Miss Simkin is, she New York native, first-generation American and a leader in the world of meditation. Not only was her father a philosophical shaman and gave her the Book of the Dead at age nine, Biet was singer and fashion fiend who spent a big part of her life living the life of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. And not the glamorous, Hollywood kind.
After struggling with a drug and alcohol addiction, mourning her father's death, as well as her child's passing, Biet talks about her Ah-Ha moment of sobering up and changing her life for good. She knew it was time to find the person she was meant to be, which is what this episode is all about.
The journey to find your identity is hard for everyone, and Biet has developed a meditation technique not only to help you find it but to help you be the best person you can be. Her technique is like "watching a documentary on yourself" and observing your every move AKA "Divided Attention Mediation".
Another amazing point Biet stress' is how we are more than just our body and our minds. Everything from hallucinations, serendipity, and voices - those all mean more than we know. And Biet talks about how listening to these transcendental messages LITERALLY saved her LIFE and how her practice develops this kind of acknowledgment. It's a spirituality POW WOW worth taking a listen to #Almost30Nation!
This conversation with Thais Sky left Krista and Lindsey with their jaws on the floor. TRUTH TALK AT ITS REALEST. The girls welcome this "esteemed women's leadership expert, international speaker and mindfulness teacher whose empathetic approach to worthiness, confidence and emotions have taken her through the healing of her own childhood trauma into a healing career, as well as into the study of cognitive psychology, neurology, spirituality, sociology and spiritual psychology". THAIS IS NEXT LEVEL WOKE. Her emotional connection to helping women reclaim not only their feminine power, but their human worthiness is palpable when she speaks. Thais is a force to be felt and a voice to be heard. Washingtonian Magazine named her as one of the top “8 bloggers to know.” The Huffington Post calls her “an inspirational woman” and she was nominated for Forbes Magazine 30 under 30 award. .....AND THIS IS JUST BEGINNING. This conversation is the definition of FLOW, truly a dreamy inspirational conversation for the girls. They discuss:
+ so much more. You can connect with Thais at www.iamthaissky.com and @iamthaissky on social media.
We have proclaimed this week, KELLY WEEK, here at Almost 30! She just released her book Body Love and we just had her on this past Tuesday to chat all about it + answer YOUR questions! The girls decided that it was completely necessary to re-release Kelly's first sit-down. I mean, they STILL get e-mails about that episode! #ALMOST30NATION does not sleep! Just kidding, we do. 8 HOURS AT LEAST. Ok, ok. This one speaks for itself. You will want to give this your full attention. Your body will thank you! HAPPY KELLY WEEK, YA'LL!
Nutritional KA-WEEN to the stars, KELLY LEVEQUE (of Be Well By Kelly), is back and better than ever on the podcast. Not only is she STILL FREAKIN' FABULOUS and working with celebrity clients like Chelsea Handler, Jessica Alba, and Molly Sims, but she's releasing her new book Body Love today! And yes, we had a copy of the book with us in studio.
("Basically, like having the first copy of the Bible." - Krista)
Anywho, in this episode, we talk with her about the book, the process of actually writing getting a book published, Kelly answers real questions from listeners, and spills the deets on what she knows and does best, ALL THINGS NUTRITION. For example ...
+ SO MUCH MORE to get you up-to-date on all of your health needs!
Artist, designer, woman of change, and amazing light of creativity, CHELSEA LEIFKEN, joins Krista + Linds this week in the #Almost30Lounge, and it's as real as it gets, people. If you don't know who Chelsea is, YOU SHOULD/GET ON IT. Not only is she one of LA's coolest designers, but she's the creator of fabulous lines of leather goods, hand painted by her with love and the most inspirational messages. After studying at FIDM and working the 9-5 lifestyle in the tremulous fashion industry, Chelsea realized she was meant for something greater. That she had more to give to the world as an artist. Battling depression, anxiety, and the challenges of starting your own business, she's the badass we all need more of.
Talk about a motivational episode right? SIDE NOTE: There's A LOT of laughs in this one. Some hot points in this one include...
Ever heard of the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui?! It's not some crazy interior design technique people have used for centuries. It's a way of cleaning your space AND your life!
To dive further into what this technique and practice is all about, Krista and Linds sat down this week with Feng Shui expert and personal curator, DANA CLAUDAT. Dana studied Art History at Stanford University and then moved on to become a Pyramid School Feng Shui consultant. Krista and Linds literally asked her, "DANA TEACH US YOUR WAYS." Because it's about time we all learned about how bomb feng shui is ...
NOTEBOOKS OUT #ALMOST30NATION
Find yourself drifting off during your daily routine, thinking of big ideas, money, and a life you truly want? Stuck in your ways but distracted by your passions? Love health & wellness and don't know how to monetize it? THIS is your episode homies.
Angie Lee is a business coach to the best wellness coaches out there. She went from broke to six figures by finding a hole in the health market. And trust us, she tells us exactly how it is. One small idea she had in college grew to a multi-million dollar reality. She sits down with Linds + Krista to talk about her journey and everything in-between:
To say you need your notebook out for this one is an understatement.
Linds + Krista get SO retrograde with Elizabeth Kott and Stephanie Simbari, AKA the firepower that is That's So Retrograde podcast. Talk about a MAJOR collaboration. They're some of LA's go-to wellness girls, all about living a balanced, healthy, and holistic life. But with a cool twist.
The four of them connect through their childhood days, whether it was growing up in Michigan or Pennsylvania, as well as their journeys that lead them to the west coast. But more importantly, their WELLNESS journeys! And we're not talking just eating health and working out, but getting in touch with yourself and manifesting your dream life. The ladies touch on:
COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM PALM SPRINGS!
Krista & Linds are soaking up the rays and hanging by the pool in sunny Southern California. This week, they bring back a #almost30nation fan favorite, 20s + 30s US!
*Que expensive "20s US VS 30s US" theme song*
They're talking MAJOR throwbacks like matching your eyeshadow and makeup with your outfits, Lisa Frank, Lindsey's old obsession with all of the #crimping techniques and experiments, and how opposite their beauty routines are today.
HOWEVER, the main topic Krista & Linds are discussing this week is FORGIVENESS. Everything forgiveness, the who, what, when, where, why, and how. They get DEEP during this conversation, especially with:
Once again, Linds and Krista bring on the best of the health, wellness, and body positivity industries. This week's guest is DANIKA BRYSHA, a curve model with IMG Models, the CEO of Model Meals, a leader in the health and wellness world, and an inspirational rockstar for everyone. Danika has been featured in InStyle, Shape, PopSugar, People, and many more publications. Her story has inspired thousands of women who are struggling with loving their body, their relationship with food and addiction, and transforming their lives.
Danika shares her story, which starts at a young age, battling drug usage, fad chronic dieting, and being "the chubby girl", using her food to process her emotions. But that didn't stop her from being one of the busiest, most successful curve models in the world, after being discovered in a Bank of America. Needless to say, she took her insecurities and built a life for herself off of them.
Some of the most useful food/body tips you'll ever hear from this episode are:
Pick a card, any card ... because on this week's episode we are joined by shamanic energy medicine practitioner, the official shaman for VOGUE Magazine, and founder of STYLE RITUALS, COLLEEN MCCANN.
If you're into crystals, tarot readings, spirituality, intuition, spirits, ghosts, EVERYTHING MAGIC, this episode is for YOU.
So for those of you who are new to the tarot card and crystal thing thing, it's basically a visual narrative of your past life, your current life, and your future life, as well as the emotions you are currently dealing with. Krista got a past life card, and she's pretty sure she's dealing with some karmic debt, while Lindsey got a Five of Cups card, meaning she's got plenty o' abundance.
On the other hand, shamans are conduits to things people can't see in the unseen world, and provide messages and healing to those who need it. Shamans can realize they have their gifts at any age, and Miss McCann realized her's in her late twenties. From hearing voices constantly, having premonition dreams, seeing ghosts, and having other healers tell her she had a gift, Colleen knew she had to listen to the voices and put her 15 plus year in the fashion industry to an end.
Although Krista, Linds, and Colleen go over a plethora of spirituality- related topics in this episode, the main takeaway is the importance of dabbling in various practices before you find the one you like. Or the one that "speaks" to you.
CALLING ALL WOMEN WHO FEEL THAT THEY ARE DESTINED FOR GREATNESS. Seriously, don't look around. That's YOU. Hi! You don't have to apologize for feeling that innate fire and pull toward something bigger. Give this episode your full attention--you'll be given permission to take ownership of your dreams. This week the girls are so excited to be sharing their interview with LORI HARDER. Lori is the host of the Earn Your Happy Podcast, founder of The Bliss Project, author, cover model, three-time fitness world champion, a "self-love junkie", and a woman at the forefront of the "women supporting women" movement. Her path to success has been a beautiful zigzag of highs and lows, revelations and resistance, self-love and overflowing generosity. As Janet Jackson says, "WE GO DEEP"...(love you Janet). Here's what we discuss:
This week's episode is based off of 2 words: HUMAN DESIGN.
No, it's not an anatomy class or a biology lesson. It's all about YOU. Your body, your mind, but most importantly, your AURA and ASTROLOGICAL MAKE-UP.
Okay, still confused? Krista and Lindsey each receive a human design reading from an expert and spiritual goddess, JENNA ZOE. She spends this episode showing off her craft by helping the ladies make life decisions, control their minds, and get in touch with their bodies.
Human Design uses your birth time and place to calculate your personal Human Design chart. In this calculation, the positions of Sun, Moon, and planets at the time of your birth play an important role. Astrology also uses the birth time and place to generate your natal chart, but it interprets the data differently – and Human Design is not astrology. Time to get ANTHROPOMORPHIC (In the words of our lovely guest)!
Human Design calculates two moments in time. Our birth, which determines our conscious definition and a moment approximately 88 days before our birth (exactly 88 degrees of the sun before the moment of our birth), which determines our unconscious definition. The second; the pre-natal calculation is unique and crucial part of the Human Design revelation.
Miss Jenna Zoe also breaks down the 4 TYPES OF HUMAN BEINGS
Definitely a note-taking episode, but an insightful one at that!
Krista and Lindsey are joined this week by Courtney Violet Bentley, certified personal trainer behind the blog, "Fit, Fierce, and Fabulous", and Annie Spano, founder of Style Collective, an online community for fashion and lifestyle influencers. All four of the girls are dedicated to creating a culture where women welcome women and support one another. As Annie says, she's created a "sisterhood" vibe. LOVE THAT. But the girls talk honestly about how their relationships with other women haven't always been so AMAZING. *AHEM* #HIGHSCHOOL. This is such a good one. They unwrap some GOLD, like:
Who's the HEADMISTRESS OF PLEASURE? She studied sexuality at Stanford University AND in the jungles of Asia. Not only has she been featured in Women's Health, The Huffington Post, & Refinery29, but she's our guest on this week's episode of #Almost30!
Ladies & Gentlemen, we present to you sex and love guru LAYLA MARTIN!
Layla sits down with us to breakdown everything AND MORE when it comes to sex. LOVE, HEALTH, and HAPPINESS INCLUDED. So let's get to the good stuff:
So let's be honest ... finances can be a b*tch. Definitely a theme that appears when you're #Almost30, being an adult and supporting yo'self. Money is a tricky topic. Or in other words, a fear.
BUT DON'T FREAK OUT YET.
MONETARY MAIDEN HEIDI STEVENS comes to the rescue in this episode. Basically, Heidi is a coach for creative and professional entrepreneurs who want to be SELF-MADE and SELF-SUPPORTING. Everything a woman should be. Her ideas and programs are strategic, realistic, passionate, and accompanying of anyone's dreams. She's also a real estate sales boss babe, who slayed post-grad. FUN FACT: she has a Master's in Spiritual Psychology. Finance and spirituality? BOMB.COM ... let's get down to business, shall we?
Biggest messages from Heidi in this episode?
Feeling so connected to you #ALMOST30NATION! Your questions are so relevant and real, we couldn't help but dedicate a minisode to answering some of them. INBOX AND HEART FULL. Unwrapping these questions together, reminded us, yet again, that we are not alone. Knowing we don't have to just lean on ourselves feels SO DAMN GOOD. Lean on, friends.
OKAY, so in this mini we discuss:
Lil' nugget from the ep: Have you ever thought about making your passion part of your identity so that you are accountable and consistent? #FEELS. These answers are super raw and IN REAL TIME. We are going through many of these as we speak. We don't want to spoil anything, so jump into this episode...it is 'notebook nearby' worthy, FO SHO.
P.S. Keep those questions coming! >> www.almost30podcast.com
She's balanced, she's blonde, and she's a BALLER. And this week, she's our very special guest on #Almost30.
JORDAN YOUNGER, aka yoga instructor, fellow podcaster, author, health guru, "The Balanced Blonde", is an LA-based blogger, who's been featured in Health Magazine, Teen Vogue, The Today Show, Refinery 29, Elle Magazine, and so many more media and news publications. Needless to say, we SCORED with this wellness babe.
Let's breakdown the episode for you:
-how blogger's deliver their content through today's technology, like Snapchat Stories, Instagram Stories, Facebook, and the ancient art of YouTube
-the negative stigma behind being a "blogger" OR EVEN A VEGAN for a career
-the evolution of a blogger
-how writing is a key part of blogging and creating new and exciting content, IE. Jordan's collegiate background in creative writing
-everyone's methods when it comes to creating content, AKA getting in the FLOW
-what it's really like to teach a yoga class - the feeling post-class, and is it really worth all of the work?
-how much self-disclosure is too much self-disclosure when it comes to blogging?
-the importance of sharing your life and your soul, BUT NOT GIVING TOO MUCH
-and last but not least, her newest eBook, SOUL ON FIRE!
Ever heard of a Bridesmaid-For-Hire?!?!?! Neither have we, until NOW. Introducing former guest, author, go-getter, and professional bridesmaid, JEN GLANTZ + her BEAU, Adam. She's an OG Almost 30 homie, back and ready to make us all ball our eyes out with the most amazing stories.
If you weren't around when Jen's first episode came out (Episode 3 !!!), she's the original Katherine Heigl from 27 Dresses, people. She put out a Craigslist ad to be a bridesmaid, and now she's professionally a bridesmaid, living her best life, meeting new people and traveling all over.
But now she's ALSO and author! Jen's new book Always A Bridesmaid For Hire was released in February, where she discusses her love life, her passion for her job, marriage, weddings, and everything in between.
+ POWER COUPLE ALERT: Adam and Jen are as real as it gets when it comes to relationships. Linds and Krista ask them about how they push each other, why they "make each other better" despite the clichés, the healthy fights, and not changing who they are. We get into the all of the things that go into relationships and marriages, including the life changes, friends, family, and tradition versus unconventionality. TOO. MUCH. GOODNESS.
And THE BEST & THE WORST of wedding stories you can find in Jen's book! Not to mention, all of the determination, work, and listening to others it took for Jen to finish her book. So buy the book, listen to the podcast, and get fricken inspired #Almost30Nation
LINDS + KRISTA BACK IN ACTION from their weekend getaway in Palm Springs. Lot's of new stuff coming for you #almost30nation.
They're ridin' solo this week and bringing back the infamous 20's Us VS. 30's Us. The ladies talk about their "healthy" ways back in the day, including gliding on ellipticals, eating ranch salads, and rocking Hardtail pants and Nike running shorts like nobody's business. SO GOOD FOR YOU, PEOPLE. #lol And if you did't know, diet cokes were also key to a "healthy" diet ten years ago ...
And guess who's back?!?! Your favorite sound guy, STEVE. Now you HAVE to listen.
Halfway through the episode we have a brand new CALLER, Roxanne, DC lawyer and founder of the successful blog Glass Of Glam! The ladies chat about how your friends' egos can get in the way of your goals and dreams, and how their supportive (or unsupportive) attitudes are a reflection of what's going on with them.
Happy Listening #ALMOST30NATION :)
OKAY OKAY OKAY, juicing and nut-based milks may only seem like a bougie social trend. But listen up Almost 30 Nation, RENEW JUICERY is the REAL DEAL. If you didn't know, Renew Juicery was voted home to LA's best cleanses. Brooke Rewa, founder and creator of this amazing company, joins Krista and Lindsey this week to chit chat about her business, Renew's newest addition Cryotherapy, taking your passion seriously, and of course, health and wellness. Needless to say, Brooke and Renew do SO much more than juice.
CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO MEET BROOKE & LISTEN TO ALL HER GOODNESS!