GYM GIRLS LOCKER ROOM - Growing Through Change, Understanding PCOS Symptoms and Saying Goodbye

Episode Date: June 25, 2024

EP16 - It's not goodbye, it's see you later. 🥹👋 Syd closes out the last episode of season one on her own, reflecting on the journey of the Gym Girls Locker Room so far. She touches on the impact of speaking with guests, how she's personally changed since starting the podcast, why she's been burnt out, managing PCOS, and more. Thank you for making season one more than we could've imagined! WATCH the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OLcri_5AH-4 💘 join the GGLR community: INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/gymgirlslockerroom/ FACEBOOK COMMUNITY PAGE - https://bit.ly/3TqhxDG TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@gymgirlslockerroom/ 📲 find Syd on socials: INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/sydgrows/ TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@sydgrows/ Want to work with Gym Girls Locker Room? Email us: [e-mail] GYMSHARK - 10% off code: SYDNEY

Hello and welcome back to the Dreamgirls Locker Room Podcast, hosted by me, Sydney Cassidy. Guys, it's season finale time. Didn't know we were doing one, but here we are. First of all, how are you? I hope you're okay. First episode we're doing where I'm here by myself, which feels weird. I'm kind of nervous,'m not gonna lie this will be our 16th episode you know we never do things um as you typically would and end off on a round number but it just felt like the right time it's been going really well but I I feel like I kind of wanted to do an episode where it kind of felt like a bit more of just me chatting to you I know so many of you guys

listen literally when you're just out on a dog walk or at the gym and so think of this like an extended voice note so hopefully I can give you some company wherever you are whatever you're doing so yeah we have finished all of the episodes um for now I think the reason why I said like I was just going to continue going on and on and on um but I kind of made the decision recently to kind of go for this format where we do have seasons because specifically the podcast I want this to be something where it's offering so much good so much education and value for our community and for women that want to get into gym or into health and fitness and their own well-being and I think it's going to be a format that would work for us our

set is in Manchester and it's kind of hard I'm not gonna lie behind the scenes I don't really tell you guys what really goes on behind the scenes but a lot goes on behind the scenes and it's tough work I don't have like a huge team or like a management label or whatever like it takes a lot to do a podcast a lot which I did not even realize so I think I'm on like a pursuit to always deliver and sort of be able to offer the best content I can and I feel like the way we need to do that is to do seasons so um perhaps the way I see it going is that like we'll be able to get some really sick guests um we'll also be doing some like online ones some virtual ones which I was so worried about and that's why I haven't done it in this you know season if we

want to call it that because I was like oh god you know people will really see the difference but the funniest part is that like literally most of you guys listen on Spotify so in my mind I'm kind of thinking it won't actually matter yay goose is here I feel less alone now um so yeah for however hard however much like hard work it's been doing this podcast it's also been such a joy and you know even with the guests we've had so far um I've learned so much personally like I've literally if no other sort of value was provided it's helped me out a lot to be able to speak to such a broad range of guests and that's something I hope we can continue with going into like a second season like my vision for the podcast is for us to be able to have conversations

with not only personalities and like athletes but people that are really like inspiring and making a difference in the world and uh you know neuroscientists and educators and people that can really make a difference with their words I don't know just like providing a space to have these conversations that like perhaps aren't always given the space to do so so yeah I feel like so far it's been a real success should we spend a moment to reflect I think that might be nice because I don't know I feel like I've been reflecting the girls like talk about what's going on with you give the give her an update which I can do but I think I've definitely been in like a little reflective season of my life and I think it's really good to do that just to kind of assess where you're at with things and what's going on so yeah let's cast our minds back

obviously started the season with Ellis and I would love for Ellis to be in more going forward Ellis is my sister if you haven't listened to any of them um hello um this probably won't make any sense to you so do go back and listen to the previous episodes. But yeah, we started off with Ellis and she's my sister. And we get on so well. She also works for Gym Girls Locker Room. And so we kind of started out by doing very focused episodes on different topics, which was cool.

And I enjoyed and I definitely learned a lot myself and then we kind of moved into guests which was really really exciting for me I will say that's where probably a lot of the stress comes from it's you just couldn't even imagine how many sort of moving pieces there are to get someone in person here but it was so worth it like I can't even tell you how much joy it brings to my day to see you guys reposting on stories and engaging with posts and giving us feedback. I feel like it was interesting for me because speaking with these different people brings out a different side to me or allows me to engage in conversation that like maybe I wouldn't think to um and yeah I just think that was really fantastic and then as we kind of finished with the season we started dipping our toes into like a girls chat episode or episodes um which we've done a couple of times now and that's with my friends that I've made like up in Manchester

who are all really into, they're all on the fitness scene in different sort of respects. But what's really nice is that I feel like we have a bit of a kind of 360 approach because they do different things to me. And so that's fun. So I feel like we really covered good ground in that first season. If I was going to say like some highlights of mine,

I feel like really the Lucy episode which I know a lot of you guys loved as well but I really feel like I gained a lot in that conversation personally and I feel like Lucy and I have a good chemistry so it was really lovely to chat and just explore the topics that we did so I really enjoyed that I also love the episodes with my sister um and I definitely will make an effort to bring her back and I know people have messaged saying that they love that too so I'll definitely do that the episodes with the girls are so fun I think the range is really nice and I remember quite early on we had the boys um James Beardwell and McKenna and I remember someone saying oh why have you had boys on the gym girls locker room podcast

and I kind of half expected that and it's funny because like that was always the vision the vision was always to have like men on you know this isn't what gyms girls locker room is about is about is not like anti-men it's just like pro women and I feel like there's definitely room as we move forward to have some really constructive conversations with men about being a male being female in the fitness space and yeah I don't know like even having Ben from runner on that was really interesting when he was talking about like women and their cycles and how that affects them and that sort of thing so it's been really fantastic um and I'm I'm really excited I feel like it's worth all the time and I'm excited to see the direction it goes in I want to be able to have conversations that we don't necessarily have or that we'd like

more of I'd like to be able to offer a sort of a safe space and a place where like many different people could come together and have these really powerful conversations I feel like we have achieved that and I don't know that's just that's very cool on the topic of reflections um yeah so I was just like reflecting on like a lot of just like how I've been feeling and like where I'm at with things and what I've got going on and am I feeling happy and satisfied with like the life I'm living and how I'm going about my daily tasks and that sort of thing and I feel like you know without going into too much detail it's taken a lot of like courage from me and a lot of energy um mentally but I do feel a lot better for it and you know it's so funny because I feel like when you

allow yourself to kind of clear some things whether it's physically or mentally or emotionally you kind of create all this space to let new things in and I would say that's certainly the case for me like I've had some like you know some challenges to like face and I feel like in doing so and in tackling those things I've really been able to like make some energetic space and had some really exciting things come through and I feel like I've got like a spring in my step back after honestly quite a while um feeling just like something was maybe missing or pushing myself into the ground I will definitely say like where I'm at you know as I reflect from maybe the place I was in when we started this podcast is like I'm so much better with rest now and like with like putting in boundaries in place

like personally and professionally I think I understand that like there's a lot more to life than just working yourself into the ground and yeah I don't know I guess I'm just in a season of change I'm house hunting I feel like I've mentioned this a couple of times I'm house hunting right now and I feel like I'm doing big girl adult stuff and it feels cool I think part of the reason why I was feeling like oh gosh so overwhelmed and burnt out and what we were discussing before is that we've got a lot of stuff coming for June Girls Aquarium and I have found it intense and overwhelming and all will become clear in this break um as we launch something a new endeavor that has honestly been a year in the making I think you guys will know what what it is um if you've seen because I have been teasing it a bit but that's due to launch as we have this break so it works out

beautifully and we actually have something in talks I don't know if I'm gonna do it and I wish I could say but I don't want to say it in case it doesn't happen or it's not like the right situation for us but I feel like the universe always has a funny way of showing you, you know, what's meant for you or what's right for you. And with the podcast, I was like, oh, you know, I'm going to rap for the season. And I don't know where I stand with the second and all this sort of thing, because it is scary and it is a lot of like work. And I've definitely found it interesting because I find it a very different platform to all the other social media that I'm used to but we decided that we were going to take a break for the podcast we'd made that decision internally and then we get this email that

honestly guys if it actually comes to fruition is utterly bonkers and it's in like regards to the podcast um and it it just was so funny because I was just thinking like you just don't know what is around the corner I I do like to say this to people like don't give up on that thing like maybe maybe I'm also telling myself this because like just don't give up on that thing like maybe maybe I'm also telling myself this because like just don't give up on that thing like keep going and keep pushing through like those silly little videos you're posting or that silly little like thing you're working on that project that it feels like you're really you're really having to put the work in it feels like you're really having to like work hard at it and you're not sure if it's paying off and you're kind of doubting yourself you just don't know what's in the pipeline you don't know who's watching you don't know what's

being like said about you um and this was very much like the case for us with this thing. So sorry, I hate to be one of those people, but like this thing that we got messaged about for the podcast, that if it will happen, will be in August. So, you know, it could be a very good kickoff to season two or it will be an interesting story for episode one. And I'll just just I'll tell you what um it was meant to be but regardless I think it's just a testament to the fact that like you know the things are working themselves out things are in the pipeline things are

meant to be and will arrive when they need to um and in fact the other day here's another thing I mean okay I'm going a bit rogue with it but the other day I was like having a little bit of a um just a little stress cry I was having a little stress cry in my flat and I was just like getting a bit worked up and then I just went for a bike ride and I just saw a freaking I think I was getting flustered about rushing and like feeling rushed and feeling like stressed about being late and like everything to do with timing which is quite a big source of my anxiety and stress in life and like feeling guilt about it and I'm literally cycling I cycle out my flat the cars in front of me stop and I stop and I just slow down and I just wait as this mummy duck and like

honestly I could do not like nine or so ducklings tiny tiny ducklings were just crossing the road just like waddling along and I just thought that's the I feel like that's just the sign I needed to just slow the F down and like stop worrying you know so anyway we did actually ask you guys if you had any questions for me I thought it'd be a nice little one to put on the end I'm gonna answer some of your questions and then I also just wanted to put on the end of the episode a little roundup of some of our best bits from the first season um just you know I love a bit of nostalgia I love a little bit of a roundup and in the spirit of reflections I think that would be a lovely thing to do so the first question is do you plan on coming to Oz to do a tour I wish I wish I wish I wish I always see you guys comment and say like oh please

let the gglr like events come over to here they're bloody everywhere I would love and if there was a way I could get it to work yes so guys if you think of a way I can get that to happen then then yes I would absolutely love to but no there is no not one plan for now how do you manage your PCOS I find it hard eating right and going to the gym and just living um so for anyone that doesn't know, and I feel like, did I mention it? I don't know. Maybe you guys remember better than I did. PCOS. So honestly, the thing that worked for me, and, you know, I feel like you have to understand with polycystic ovarian syndrome, it's never going to be a cure.

There isn't one. It's like a chronic kind of condition that you can just like do things to minimize the symptoms or to like deal with the symptoms of PCOS. But you're never going to be able to like, quote unquote, cure it. So for me, I really, really saw a difference when I use spironolactone which is a antigen blocker I believe or a testosterone blocker either way yeah I think it's testosterone blocker um either way it basically eliminates that from happening in your body because with spots and acne which is what I suffered with you can basically get it through diet excess like sebum or like dirt or that sort of thing but you can also get it through like cortisol and the like male hormones and so when that was like eliminated

for me that actually stopped my acne because that's clearly the thing that was causing it for me they weren't certain of that my dermatologist wasn't certain of that before I went on it and she said like there could be a chance it doesn't work but um luckily for me it did I really would encourage you with your skin to just be like to go to the dermatologist if you can afford to it is quite a few hundred it's for me it hasn't been in the thousands but it's been a fair few hundred pounds but I will just say like the difference I've seen in my confidence is like pretty staggering and people say to me like oh you know you're glowing and you're you've got your spark back and like whatever and I do feel like I've done a lot of work on myself and I do feel like I've really

um you know worked on things from within and I am really really happy but I will will say that like a huge part of it does come from having clearer skin like and it's something that I didn't even realize how much it was kind of beating me down so I would definitely say like whatever your symptoms are if you do feel like you're struggling like do get help with it did you imagine your life would be where it is now both personally and professionally um I don't know honestly because I'd be lying if I said like I didn't see this life for myself like but then at the same time I can't believe I'm here I don't know how to answer this honestly like okay so let me try and explain I always thought I could do well being like well known I don't know from when I was a girl like I always used to record YouTube videos I always used to like want to perform or be like a presenter or a host or like I think

I've told this story before but like when I was in year six like in primary school I was like the presenter for like the talent show and I always thought I'd be good at that and I always had quite a strong vision I know I've spoken about visualization but I always found found that maybe um escapism or maybe I actually believed it I don't know but I did see that for myself I don't know I always saw myself like even personally like being someone that like had friends and had like a partner and like just like had a really great life and then I think actually receiving that is probably where I'm like oh no I didn't expect that like and especially you know given the fact that I kind of got that so quickly after like leaving university and that sort of thing so it's almost hard for me to accept that like I have this life and like I have a dog and a flat and I live in the city and I've got a

boyfriend and like I've got a dream career and I've got so many friends. And I think the disbelief I feel is like, makes it hard for me to receive it and accept it. But I've come a really long way and I am really grateful. And I have to just remind myself, you're grateful, you express gratitude. I do feel like this was kind of like meant for me I feel so fulfilled in what I do and I feel like I facilitate and allow a lot of like good to come from you know what I try to do so I don't know I think it's like a personal thing everyone will go through you know like feeling guilt or feeling like imposter syndrome or not good enough whatever and uh it's something that

we can just work through so yeah I hope that answers that question but yeah do keep in touch with us whilst we're gone um know that we're coming back with something even better um better guests better conversations better topics and maybe we'll even have a rebrand maybe we will I don't know I've been kind of looking at the cover thinking I don't know I can do a little better I think so if you're an artist if you're an illustrator if you have any opinions dm us let us know at gym girls locker room um if you do want to stay tuned and you want to be up to date with all of our launches our events then do make sure to either follow us on gym girls locker room on instagram or you can actually fill in your email on www.gymgirlslockerroom.com and um you'll be the first to know whenever anything happens and you will

not miss out because we wouldn't want that but um yeah I just wanted to just say thank you so much for tuning in this has brought so much joy to me and I really like hope that you gained as much from it as like I did and I'm really excited for the future of the podcast I would love to hear your feedback so please feel free to send it over and we'll also if you are listening on Spotify have a drop down box where you can give any sort of feedback or comments that you have um likewise on YouTube then you are welcome to do the same but um yeah I thought it'd be a really lovely touch to cast our mind backs, love a bit of nostalgia and just do a recap of the season and

all of the best bits. So enjoy this and don't miss us too much. We will miss you, but we will be back sooner than, I was going to say sooner than something, but I don't even know what, but we will be back sooner than um I was gonna say sooner than something but I don't even know what but we will be back soon so um we will see in the next few months and take care of yourself train hard and I'm trying to think of a final note I've got nothing but yeah lots of love and enjoy hello and welcome to the first ever episode of Gym Girls Locker Room Podcast. We are sat in the most badass set. We got some lockers behind us. We're in a real life locker room.

This has been a really, really long time coming. I just cannot believe, like, we're actually here right now. Anna Archer? Hello. She's here. I thought I'd be more loved if I was smaller. That was it. Crazy, right? I I thought I'd be more loved if I was smaller that was it right I literally thought I'd be more loved one of the things that my therapist really taught me was when you're down you're in a unregulated space she made me physically write out a list

of things that made me feel good and to get into that space is where you're in more touch with yourself you can understand what's going on you can look at things better I feel like growing up I didn't have many like role models by way of like being strong lifting so I can't even imagine what it was like I mean did you have any no not really you had to I had to kind of become the woman that I wish was there when I was younger do you know what I mean I love that there were so many times that I wish was there when I was younger. Do you know what I mean? Oh, I love that. There were so many times that I was the only one there and sometimes I still am. Flipping my mindset to thinking that to be a limiting factor and something that would make me feel insecure and like I stick out like a sore thumb to something that's empowering.

And like a statement to say that I am a Muslim woman, I do wear the hijab and I'm in the gym. Because obviously the fitness industry is so much about results. And then to not do any of that and like not show your skin in a place where majority of people show their skin it's quite daunting i was about to say happy to be in the gym girls locker room but that's i can't say that oh no five seconds in and we're already cancelled i have to talk about the bromance oh i don't even like the gym anymore okay wait wait what's going on there okay you're gonna have to break that down oh my god how long we got well it's a podcast so quite a while for me like my kind of goal ever since

leaving university was kind of get into fitness initially personal trainer qualified as a running coach Ironman coach and gradually like spun more and more towards the running side of things and the thing that for me excites me was always running in the park with someone week in week out and seeing them get fitter get healthier get happier and then we went on to launch this business which meant we could do that for many many more people but it also then like very much changed my relationship with seeing that progress. I used to really struggle with anxiety as in crippling last year, the start of the year, not getting out of bed, just really horrendous. And I look at myself now, I'm thinking I'm probably not burning out as much because there's no pressure on me.

Like I'm just happy. I could maybe do more and hustle that you know that real intense hustle culture like wake up at five go to bed at ten I don't do that and maybe it would push me one step further where I need to be but what's the rush I do a lot but I'm at a stage where I'm not pushing it to physical burnout with social media what people need to remember you go through different stages of personal growth and you change and you involve all the time you might have followed people a year ago whose content you can't absorb anymore which is so fine you can literally just unfollow people

and I say this to everyone I'm like if you can't absorb my content right now please please unfollow me or mute me or maybe don't block me. Like I really had to do something rude to be blocked. But Instagram are clever where you can just mute people's accounts and it means their stories don't pop up or their feed posts don't pop up and you're not doing anything bad by that.

You're just putting yourself first on social media because it's a very wild and savage place sometimes and I've always been on the thicker side you know it got to put where I was like only wearing like dark colors because I was like oh you know dark colors make you look like slimmer you know I wasn't really confident and I said to myself you know what okay now we need to make a change because obviously you don't want to be that girl that just doesn't want to do anything because she feels like insecure about her body so I used to go on YouTube type in like 15 minute ab workouts because I didn't know what I was doing and then yeah it just kind of got from there because I was really at the place where I was like bro I feel really

insecure and I'm actually a confident person and for me to feel like insecure I was just like yeah this is like you know you look good you feel good that's like how I was imagining it and yeah just literally started doing that getting into the gym I know you've like opened up recently about your eating disorder would you say that was a direct consequence of kind of growing up in that dance world obviously when you're little and you look around and you're kind of maybe a bit bigger than the other girls you you start to think oh you know I'm I'm not winning maybe it's because of that so I think even from a young age I had these thoughts in my head are the only big titty committee in the room no I'd say I'm since then I could go either way

boys on TikTok that need a sports bar more than me honestly like right so we really can't trust anything then if you try hard enough pretty much any study or whatever you do you can spin to make the fact that you're trying to get across yeah make it supported yeah everyone believes what you say on tiktok yeah i used to be like okay but i don't look like that gym girl all the time i'm like well because she doesn't look like that either and that's not being like nasty to ourselves or nasty to other people but like in a picture you look way different to like when you're moving around the gym if I said to you like toxic body positivity what would your sort of thoughts and response be to that people doing it because they've seen a video do well online they then

recreate it not from a place of passion or of caring but because they want views that that can upset me sometimes I feel like we need to go straight in with this burnout situation yeah okay fine guys I'm burnt out let's address the elephant in the room