Pursuit of Wellness - Vaginal Cysts & Ozempic (Part 2 w/ Fi)

Episode Date: July 21, 2025

Ep. 194: Things get even juicier in part two of this girl chat with Fi. We’re talking everything from painful cysts to coconut lube regrets (yes, really), plus how Fi’s journey with semaglutide has evolved—from tough side effects to finding balance. We also unpack body image, food freedom, and the wild impact of “skinny” culture on social media. On a lighter note, Fi shares how real estate is actually lighting her up, and we reflect on what it means to build a fulfilling life in your thirties. Whether you’re navigating your own transformation or just here for the girl talk, this episode is for you. Leave Me a Message - click here! For Mari’s Instagram click here! For Pursuit of Wellness Podcast’s Instagram click here! For Mari’s Newsletter click here! For Fi’s Instagram click here! Sponsored By: Upgrade your kitchen with Caraway’s non-toxic cookware and get 10% off at carawayhome.com/WELLNESS10 with code WELLNESS10—risk-free trial included. Clear your skin from within with CLEARSTEM. Get 20% off your first order at clearstem.com/POW using code POW. Experience next-level comfort with SKIMS. Shop now at skims.com/pow & select “podcast” to support Pursuit of Wellness. Get 20% off your first order of Foria’s all-natural period relief at foriawellness.com/POW or use code POW at checkout. Clean, safe water starts at home. Take 20% off your first AquaTru purifier at AquaTru.com with code POW. Experience deeper, smarter sleep with Eight Sleep. Get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra at eightsleep.com/pow with code POW. The new normal in health starts here. Visit functionhealth.com/POW and use code POW for a $100 credit. Show Links: Girl Chat: Fi’s ER Trip & Her New Man! (Part 1) Solo: Navigating My First IVF Appointment & Fertility Challenges Boost focus and energy with Bloom Sparkling Energy—zero sugar, natural caffeine, and feel-good ingredients in a refreshing 10-calorie can. Topics Discussed 00:08 Introduction 00:44 The Bartholin cyst ordeal 11:59 Q&A 12:23 ACOTAR & fantasy book recs 14:09 Ozempic side effects & mindset shift 26:40 Body image & SkinnyTok 29:38 Wellness journeys & burnout cycles 35:19 Life updates in real estate 36:35 Helping Bloom staff relocate 38:33 Control vs. freedom in new seasons 39:36 European trip logistics chaos 40:30 Liver King’s arrest & POW throwback 42:13 Turning 30 & feeling good Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the Pursuit of Wellness podcast and I'm your host, Mari Llewellyn. Welcome back to part two of my girl chat with Fi. We pick right where we left off in part one with Fi's vaginal cyst that landed her in the ER. We're really feeling bad about that. So I would highly recommend you guys listen because it's actually a very interesting situation that I want you guys to avoid. And she gives us all the deets. We're also answering your questions from Fee's Ozempic journey and real estate career to honest thoughts on skinny talk and body image and wellness. If you haven't listened to part one yet, go check it out first to hear all the life updates and juicy stories. Let's jump right in. I've never heard of this in my life.

It was crazy. I, good. Apparently like 3% of women get them. So I'm obviously blessed. Or maybe it's 2%. This is very you coded. So spot on. Like so you always have these weird issues.

So me coded. Also this whole time I'm like telling my boyfriend, I'm like, yeah, like there's like something going on. I didn't want to be like, I'm in the ER, but he actually texted me that morning He's like hey like hope you have a great day, and I was like could be better I'm in the ER because of like my situation. He was like what he felt so bad. He was like it's all my fault I was like this was a group effort So I will take half the blame, but so the woman, she doesn't even make me sit

in the waiting room, she rushes me back to a bed. I'm laying there. They were all so sweet, everyone was so nice there. But also I'm sitting there and they're like, so what's the problem? And I'm like, my vagina is swollen and I can't walk in, it hurts so bad and I can't even pee and I can't do anything.

And it was this male doctor and I was like, oh God, this is just like so it's so intimate and like yeah oh like at least when you're like giving birth or the gyno you know like this guy's seen a million vaginas yeah like but he was super nice he's like okay like we have a private gynecological room we can put you in okay so they put me in this room but like I'm literally it's like a room probably this big. I'm just like laying in there by myself with like this little robe on for like an hour probably.

He comes and checks it out and he's like, that's infected. Like you have a bad infection. I'm like, great. And that's why the other one stopped. Yes, and he's like, and that's why it is so painful. And even the nurse that was with me, she was like, this, I've heard people say

this is worse than childbirth, like having these things go on. So yeah, they put some like numbing ointment on me and then, oh my God, you guys, I literally was like crying, screaming. Did they give you like sedatives? No, they didn't give me anything like that. They literally put like a gel, like one on

and then they did numbing shots right into it. And when I tell you guys, like imagine like novocaine getting like your teeth done, but like on steroids and into your vagina. No, no, no. Into your infective. No. It was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life.

And I was literally holding this, bless her heart, this nurse and this doctor, man, I was holding her hand, like squeezing, crying, crying, crying. Also, I'm in the back room just like crying, like sobbing. I was embarrassed and I was in pain. And oh my God, like TMI, like my legs are like butterflied open

and they're shaking uncontrollably and the guy kept having to hold them. Cause I was like, I think I was having a panic attack slash in so much pain. Yeah. Damn, I feel like they should have put an IV in you. I'm like, I'll be by my fucking self too. I'm like, so they numb me, that helped immensely.

And then he just sliced him open and drained them. And yeah, that was not fun. Both of them. Both of them. What comes out? We don't want to know. I don't even want to. He was like, don't look down here.

You do not want to see what's coming out. Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. And he went through three packs of gauze and he kept telling the nurse he needed more gauze. It's giving the pit. Like how's our vagina girl in room seven? Literally, it was awful. But yeah, but so they do all this, right? The minute they're done, it was like I stood up and it was like nothing had ever happened. Like it was like immediate

relief. Did you have to take, oh you took antibiotics? I took, so he gave me another antibiotic, told me to finish the antibiotics that she gave me Start these new ones like three times for ten days and gave me a really strong. He didn't give me like Pain pills, but he gave me like a strong ibuprofen to take So yeah I started taking all that and they give me a little shot in my arm like a pain Shot to like some kind of steroid shot or something. Yeah, but like the inflammation Oh, so then my mom by the way, Kathy Cathy's freaking out because I'm going through all this.

She's like, I'm booking a flight, I'm coming. So Cathy gets in the next day to take care of me. It swells up again. No, no, no. Yes, it came, he did not get everything, so it got worse again. And it was so painful. And then the other side was really, really painful.

This is my worst nightmare. So then I had to go back to the gyno like three days later. No, not to the ER. I almost went back to the ER and then I was like, F it, I'm going to the gyno. So finally got an appointment, went back to the gyno, saw my original gyno, told her I was in the ER. She went in, numbed it again.

She did not numb it nearly as much as the ER did. And I felt everything. Shit. And it felt everything. Shit. And it was awful. God. And meanwhile, my little cute guy I know is like this little cute family friendly, like dead quiet, like the little lobby. There's like little kids playing and stuff.

And I'm in there like screaming the F word because this woman is slicing open my already sliced coochie. Oh no. Yeah. My mom, thank God my mom was there. But like I was also like, I was in so much pain, I was like laughing. Like I was like screaming and laughing.

That's so you coded, you always do that in the cold plunge. Yeah, I laugh. Yeah, when I'm like in pain and uncomfortable, I laugh. So yeah, but she did that, cleared everything up. Everything. Yeah, now we're good to go. What, like, are you good down there? I'm fine, yeah, Thank God. Thank God.

Did they say like, don't have sex for like a month or something? They didn't say anything like that, but they were just kind of like, give it some time. Yeah. Which luckily like- Like don't go in any hot tubs or anything. Yeah. No, no, no. I'm like, well, I'm supposed to still do like hot baths and stuff, but I'm not supposed to like, yeah, like I haven't gone to the pool or like anything like that. Oh my God. Not to get like so graphic, but like, so if these things keep coming back, they have all these other procedures they can do.

They can put a catheter in it. What? They put a little balloon where the cyst was and then a catheter out of it so it can continue draining. And apparently it's really painful. And I was like, I do not want a catheter down there. So luckily they were like, you don't need to do that this time,

but like maybe if it returns. Or some people get them entirely removed, which like if they keep coming back. The glands? were like you don't need to do that this time. Yeah. Maybe if it returns or some people get them entirely removed which like if I if they keep the glands yeah you can get them removed but I know I immediately was like does that like how does that work? Like are you never gonna be wet ever again? Yeah. She was like there's other things like the actual like inside of you has glands and you don't ever want to use lube again obviously. Well I will be using a water-based lube now. I feel like you shouldn't use it. I mean I probably

won't but like I well now I'm like all f'd up though because I'm like scared to like I'm scared to have sex ever again I will say. No. But it's okay I'm sure. I feel like you don't do well with any products like sunscreen. Yeah I'm so sensitive to stuff. It really could have been such a combination of things, but I do not wish that upon anyone. And I'm telling you again, I know childbirth is probably like awful, but like after that, I'm like, bring it on. Bring it on because that was awful.

If you get Bartholin cysts, you are not alone. Period. It's embarrassing though. It's like so- Awareness for Bartholomew. Yeah, like seriously. It's reminding me of when my eye almost burnt out when I got the UV flash burn.

And she said, people say it's worse than, it was the worst thing I've ever been through. But it's like these niche injuries that happen. Yeah. It's so, it's such a reality check. Cause you're like, wait, I was so normal before this. Oh, I was like, I will never take going on a walk with my dog for granted ever again. I'm curious how many girls will respond and say they've had it.

Yeah. I think they're more, this is the thing. I actually think they're more common than like 2%, but I think people are embarrassed about them. They won't talk about it. Or like I've seen girls be like, oh yeah, I get them all the time. I just like let it pop itself. And I'm like the fuck, but also also they can come and not get infected.

For whatever reason, mine got infected. Probably the products. I don't know, but I do not wish that upon anyone. It was really awful. Yeah, well. But I'm good now. She's situated. She is situated and sewn together.

No, I asked the doctor, I was like, are you gonna sew things up? Yeah, was it like a hole? He was like, that area, he literally was like, it's a mucous membranes, like, or he was like, mucousy areas heal very quickly, which makes sense. Like, I mean, when you push a baby out, it's like you're, it's really miraculous what she can do. Okay, well, thanks for sharing.

Don't use coconut based lube. You guys know Greg and I love to cook at home. We cook dinner every single night and I'm obsessed with my caraway non-toxic products. Seriously, when you're cooking you want to be so careful with the pans you're using because those materials are leaking into your food which is something you really want to avoid. There could be things like PFAs, PTF's, lead, cadmium and other harmful chemicals, which is not in any of Caraway's products, which helps with guilt-free cooking. I'm also obsessed with their wood cutting boards, knowing that zero plastic is getting into my food. That is such a problem. They're finding plastic in so many people's bloodstreams and other places and it's having a really harmful

effect. Plus, Caraway's products are just so gorgeous. I love having my sage green pan out on the stove. It's such a vibe and makes me want to cook more. If you have been eyeing their internet famous 12-piece cookware set, now is the perfect time to buy. You can shop Caraway risk-free, enjoy fast, free shipping, easy returns, and a 30-day trial. Plus, if you visit carawayhome.com slash wellness10, you can take an additional 10% off your next purchase. This deal is exclusive for our listeners, so visit carawayhome.com slash wellness10, or use code wellness10 at checkout. Caraway Non-Toxic Cookware Made Modern. You guys have heard me talk about clear stem so many times. It is a staple in my skincare routine.

It's the first clinically effective skincare wellness routine formulated with zero pore clogging ingredients ever. If you've dealt with breakouts like me, I've had acne for over 10 years, you know that typical acne products dry and damage the skin while traditional anti-aging products can clog your pores. Clear Stem is an all-in-one approach, addressing both acne and aging without compromising your

holistic health. I personally love the cleanser. I use the Gentle Cleanser. I also love the Body Lotion and I use the Lips and Cutes Balm on my lips every single day. The founders, Danielle and Kaylee, both struggle with debilitating acne themselves, which means I trust the brand because honestly,

if I'm working with someone, I need to know that they've also had acne to really trust them and they just get it. They also believe that acne starts from the inside. They have a revolutionary acne lab test so you can receive individualized support from a nutritional therapy practitioner to analyze your blood work, identifying underlying acne triggers and implement personalized lifestyle centric solutions to clear your skin from within. Their products have been clinically shown in third party trials to effectively improve acne within four weeks.

Discover the ClearStem difference and experience experience clear healthy skin for life. Go to clear stem.com slash POW for 20% off your first order. That's C L E A R S T E M dot com slash POW. Let's pull up some questions. Okay. I feel like we're going to hit a lot of topics. Do you need a coffee break or anything? An energy drink break? And you're drinking juicy orange?

Yeah, I like juicy orange. Yeah, is that your new favorite? It is. We have some new fun flavors coming and soda comes out July 4th. Oh my God, day after my birthday. Wait, let me make sure you get your PR package. Yeah, my birthday.

I get balloon PR. I'm kind of a big deal. Period. What books are we reading nowadays? Oh, why do you look like that? I'm not reading. You're like... Also, I tried to do Akatars. I cannot believe you didn't make it through. I got through the first one. I was talking with a friend about this. Another girl that read the first one, she was like, it was good, but like, it wasn't like... I'm sorry. Anyone that thinks that's spicy. You didn't wait.

You didn't wait. You didn't wait. Other didn't wait. The other books are spicier. I just feel like it was so hyped up about like how like sexy it was. And I was like. By the end it's nasty. Like nasty, like seriously. Okay maybe I do. If anyone's read it and knows Nesta,

you know what I'm talking about, that girl's nasty. I'm reading Queen of Shadows series by Sarah J Maas. Similar vibe, but actually not similar. It's like way less. Is that the mirror one? There are so many. Yeah, I actually never know the title of the book I'm reading because I read on Kindle.

I just finished a book yesterday and I didn't even know I was close to the end. Now I'm on the Tower of Terror or something. I'm very confused by them all. Okay. There's like all, there's like, okay, there's Akatar. Akatar. There's fourth wing.

Game of Thrones. Well, yeah. Sorry, not Game of Thrones, what am I talking about? What's fourth wing? I meant fourth wing. Okay. Because it's about dragons. That's different.

Then Akatar. Different author. Different author, I read that too. What's the other one that everyone, there's like three or four. And then the Queen of Shadows is Sarah J Maas again. It's like this fantasy like genre, but they I really like them I mean I like you're a big Harry Potter Harry Potter like Twilight. That was my I did love Twilight

Yeah, I'm kind of a nerd like I'm back in my reading era and I'm obsessed. I fly through these books I wish I read more is Fiona gonna be called NTFI. Of course period. What else? Literally the kid's gonna think you're my sister probably. 100%. Is she still taking Ozempic? I am still taking it. Do you take Ozempic or something else? I take semaglutide, a compounded semaglutide. Okay. I think it's B12. Do you still take it every week? No. Okay. So I was gonna say, so I've've lowered my dose I now do half the dose that I was doing and I've been doing it every two weeks and it's like awesome like I honestly have no side effects anymore, yeah, and

It's just enough that I I feel like it still helps with my binging and stuff. Yeah, but I will say mmm there was and I'm sure a lot of people that go on it can say similarly, when I was in the thick of being on it and I was on the highest dose, I was not eating as much as I should have been. I was trying, but it is hard. You have to force yourself to eat. I definitely got to a point, it was kind of in the thick of when I was losing most of the weight.

Also, I was post breakup, like I was going through a lot. So I think it was a lot, like a lot of things combined during that time. There was kind of like end of summer fall last year. And I will say like I lost a lot of hair. It's funny. I'm like, I have all these baby hairs now. And at first I thought it was breakage, but I think it's a new hair. But I lost, like I was showering and losing clumps of hair. Terrifying. Was not eating enough. And yeah, like I definitely, I got to a point where I couldn't cycle anymore because I literally like it was exhausting.

Like I had, I hardly had enough energy to like walk. So don't do that. I think there are healthier ways to go about it. And like now, like I'm on a much smaller dose and I only do it every other week and I can work out normally. I, you know, I eat very normally now. I can eat pretty much anything I want basically, but like I can not overeat. It would be interesting to see how it is if I did just go cold turkey and go off of it and see if tendencies come back. But I also feel like I'm sure my stomach has shrunk

since before. So like I will eat less either way because my stomach is not as big as it was to eat more. But also when you have like a binge eating disorder and stuff, and again, I'm obviously not a professional, but a lot of it's the pattern and the cycle. I feel like now it's been a year that I've been on this. I've broken that cycle.

And so I don't have the thought pattern that I used to have about, oh, if I get a pint of ice cream, I need to eat it all so that I don't eat it tomorrow when it's Monday and I'm starting my new diet. Like my brain doesn't think that way anymore because there's no more like restrict, restrict or binge. It's just kind of like I let myself have it if I want it. Like the other day I bought a Trader Joe's, oh my God, these cookie ice cream sandwiches

from Trader Joe's, you guys, if you have had them, you know that what I'm talking about. And like, I remember I got those when I lived with my ex and him and I would like crush the box and there were four of them. We'd eat them two nights back to back because like they were in the house and I wanted to eat them. I've had like a pack in my fridge for like weeks.

Haven't had one. I had one yesterday and I ate half of it and I put the half down and I forgot about it and like it melted. What, like never in a million years would I have done that. But it's like, I finally can just have like a serving and feel like fulfilled. Which is like a lot of freedom in that.

Cause you're not like afraid of going to restaurants or like it adds freedom. Yeah. Which I do think, you know, GLP ones and people leaning on these things, I do think people that have dealt with binging tendencies and eating disorder tendencies, I think this is so... It gives you like a reset that I always felt like was... You get really hard on yourself because you think it's you not having self-control or that you're like weak and you give in to stuff and it like really fucks with your mindset.

And especially if you are you know a bit overweight and you like really want to you know get healthier and lose some weight but you just are in this awful pattern that like you literally feel like you cannot break. It's an addiction. I had a food addiction for sure, to some degree. Just like other people have addiction to substances. It is an addiction, and I think it's such a good tool for people dealing with that. So again, you can go overboard.

I think I did for a little bit, but yeah. Now I just, I would like I'm on a maintenance dose and I take it just enough to like still feel like I don't binge, but I can eat and yeah. I feel like the biggest problem I've noticed with people taking it is they take too much too frequently. And I have heard, I think Andrew Huberman spoke about it and he takes it once a month.

Oh wow. Like micro doses at once a month, like top health people are taking it at a very low dose and it's still having a good effect. I wonder if like the pharmaceutical industry like wanted us to believe that you have to take it every week because it makes them more money obviously. Probably.

But maybe it's not even designed that way. Well, it depends. Like he is probably not doing it for the weight loss obviously. But maybe it's not even designed that way. Well, it depends. He is probably not doing it for the weight loss aspect. He's probably doing it, I will say the inflammation that I've, there are so many other amazing, I know you've had Dr. Tina on and other experts that talk about all the other awesome effects from it. But yeah, I mean, I think the reason they do the once a week

is for people actively trying to lose weight. But if think the reason they do the once a week is like for people actively trying to lose weight. But like if you're taking a high dose once a week, like you're not eating. No, you're not eating. It is so strong. It changes people's personalities. Greg was telling me this, like he was working with someone who has lost like 30 or 40 pounds on it. And he was like, her whole personality changed. Yeah, it's crazy. Like it just, not in a, like that happens when you take too much, I think, but it makes you flat. You lose your drive.

Like probably almost like taking Adderall. Kind of, yeah. I like, I honestly, I should probably do more research about it, cause like I take it obviously, but it is such an interesting drug to me that it has a physical effect, but like the physical effect really comes from the mental. I think it does something with your pituitary gland

or something. Well, it really helps people with addiction apparently. And also for anyone who thinks, I didn't take it during my, remember there was that whole video on TikTok, people thought I took it to lose 90 pounds? I did not, I absolutely did not. I lost weight naturally.

But I'm very interested in it, obviously because it's in my industry and people talk about it and I'm also not anti it. Maybe I would take it one day if I was struggling to lose baby weight, who knows? I love talking about it and hearing about it and I'm not judgmental of it at all. It is funny though when you follow someone

and all of a sudden they're super skinny and you're like, wait, what happened? Yeah, I mean, like we all know. We all know, we all know. But yeah, I think it's a great tool and I appreciate when people talk about it. That's why I've been so open to talk about it because- Yeah, I think it's awesome.

People are curious. Yeah, I think it's important. I've definitely had a lot of DMs recently of people being like, are you still on it? Like- I think a lot, a lot of people are on it. Like the more people I talk to, it's changing trends in the supplement industry.

Everyone wants protein now. It's like lowering the amount of food people are buying and ordering. Like it's crazy. It's like changing everything. I think they should give it to people at rehab. Yeah. It really helps with those tendencies.

Addiction. Yeah. And you know, obviously it's a medication, like you should speak to a doctor, it's not for everyone. Some people do have bad side effects from it, just like any medication could, but I don't know. I love it. Period. Ride or die.

Foria creates award-winning products to support intimate experiences across every stage of life from menstruation to menopause. They have a relief collection that features life-changing all-natural formulas designed to provide relief from menstrual symptoms and period discomfort. Whether you're looking to spice up your relationship, find all-natural period comfort, or give the gift of pleasure to a loved one, Foryo's unique formulas are for everybody. They have amazing relief melts

to provide natural internal menstrual support. They are quick, easy to insert, suppositories made with cacao butter and 100 milligrams of the highest quality CBD to relax tension and pelvic discomfort. The best time to use the relief melts is right before cramping starts. They recommend laying down and elevating hips before you insert,

so it can absorb more deeply and then help with that position to fully absorb. They also have a relief salve that's a game changer for taming tension and muscle soreness. It's made with full spectrum CBD for ultimate relief, plus organically grown Carver, Ginger, St. John's Wart and eucalyptus and other soothing botanicals. You can rub this on your abdomen or wherever else you're feeling sore. I can read insanely glowing reviews from Foria's website all day, but you really just have to try the formulas for yourself to understand. Whether you're looking for period relief or something to get you in the mood and enhance pleasure, I highly, highly recommend you check

out their all natural formulas. The good news is that Foria is offering a special deal for our listeners. Get 20% off your first order by visiting foriawellness.com slash pow, or use code pow, P-O-W at checkout. That's F-O-R-I-A wellness.com forward slash pow for 20% off your first order.

You will thank me later. Going through pregnancy and having my boobs grow more than I ever expected, I think bras have been such a pain point for me and thank goodness I have my skims. They are truly the only bras I reach for because they're so comfortable. I'm wearing a racerback triangle bra right now.

It's the best thing ever. I think it's so difficult to find bras that are comfortable, flattering, and look good under clothes and Skims does just that. Before Skims, underwear was always an afterthought for me. They have made it so much easier to feel comfortable and amazing in all my bras. I reach for my Fits Everybody crossover bra ever day and I can't go braless anymore while being pregnant. So it gives me support and it feels like a sports bra but still is so flattering. They've managed to create a bra

that's both supportive and comfortable. I highly recommend you guys check them out. They come in so many different shades. Shop my favorite bras and underwear at skims.com. After you place your order, be sure to let them know I sent you, select podcast in the survey and be sure to select my show in the

drop down menu that follows. If you're like me and you drink a lot of water and you're always looking to make drinking water easier, you will want to hear this from Aqua True. Having safe, clean water is the last thing you want to worry about, but unfortunately, according to extensive research by the environmental working group, three out of four homes in America have harmful contaminants in their tap water. I want my kids to grow up healthy and strong and I want Greg and I to have access to the best water and that's why we use Aqua True. It uses a four-stage reverse osmosis purification process and their countertop purifiers work with no installation or plumbing. It removes 15 times more contaminants than

ordinary pitcher filters that are designed to combat chemicals like PFAs in your water supply. PFAs are found in 45% of US tap water. I'm so grateful AquaTru is certified to remove these contaminants. Greg and I have the under the sink option, so we feel really good about what we give the dogs, what we give ourselves, but you can also get the installation free countertop purifier. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of PFAs can lead to adverse health effects like cancer and endocrine disruption and liver toxicity, which is why it's so important that Arquitru removes PFAs. I can truly taste the difference compared to my old water filter. If you have family

or pets, you'll want to be using the best water possible. It gets delivered straight to your home and it's so easy to set up. I was always hesitant about drinking tap water and now I don't have to worry. With AquaTru, I know it's purified. AquaTru comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, even makes a great gift. Today, my listeners receive 20% off any AquaTru water purifier. Just go to AquaTru.com. That's A-Q-U-A-T-R-U.com and enter code POW at checkout, P-O-W.

That's 20% off any Aquatree water purifier when you go to aquatree.com and use promo code POW, P-O-W, at checkout. This is kind of a good segue. What's y'all's honest opinion about creators like Liv Schmidt and Skinny Talk coming back? I've seen, I've heard about that. What is it? It's this one creator who's like whole kind of thing is like what I eat in a day to like stay skinny and like my nine to four, like my day before my

job like to stay thin. Is it like toxic stuff? I don't love it. When I see, on my free page the other day, I got served a girl doing a hot pilates class and she's drenched in sweat. It was some voiceover being like, yeah, I want to be skinny, blah, blah, blah, so I was going to be skinny. And I was like, not interested. I don't love that. I don't need that pushed in my face.

As someone who has gone through, oh my gosh, I was on the Tumblr like eating disorder. Yeah. Like end for one minute where I'm like looking at these girls that are like obviously very sick and like being like, I wanna look like that. To also I've been on the other end where I, I think, you know, when I was like at my heaviest, I was like the self love, my body's beautiful as it is,

I don't need to lose a single pound. Like I've been all over the place. At the end of the day, I just think it's like what makes you feel the best. And I'm not saying thin is better or thin makes you feel the best, but I just know like, it's to each person. You know what I mean?

But I don't know, I don't love that kind of content. I do think like young girls that see it, that their frontal lobes have not developed yet, and they see something like that, and they're like, I wanna look like that, so I'm gonna eat 12 almonds for a meal. That's not, I don't think that's great. Here's my take.

I think, I do not agree that people should be canceled for saying that they wanna be be to lose weight. 100%. I think you should be able to say, yeah, I want to lose a couple pounds and feel good about myself. I think that should be okay. Yeah. However, I think you have to be very aware that when you're posting on a large platform, 12 year olds are seeing it, 13 year olds, 15 year olds. And I feel, I'm not to like, I'm not tuning my own horn,

but from the beginning when I started posting about my journey and I obviously lost a lot of weight, I was very clear that I was a very unhappy, unhealthy person when I was overweight. Like I was at my lowest point in my life and I was posting about weightlifting, muscle, getting strong, getting enough protein. Like that was always was always the forefront.

But I feel like you never made it, you never did it from a point of like, I was unhappy because I was overweight. It wasn't about that. Like there was way more into it, you know what I mean? If you actually followed what I was doing, it was never about the way I looked, it was always about the way I felt.

And I still am like, also I never wanted to be thin. I was like, I wanna look like I work out. And you talking about like healthier options and alternatives to eat because you were like, because when I was eating this, that was full of sugar. It was making my mood swing and I felt awful mentally. I always think it's interesting. I feel like we've talked about this before.

When you see, I don't wanna say girl, but when you see someone going through their wellness journey and you've been where they have been already, not to say you're further on the journey, but seeing someone that's just getting started in the gym and I'm like, oh girl, you're gonna go through the- It's cute.

It is, but you're gonna go through the, I have my shaker bottle with my protein like it's just so funny to see and then like a gallon of water and then it's like maybe get a little too drastic and you're like oh oh now you're on the stair stepper for 45 minutes a day and you're weightlifting okay. Period. And they're like I feel amazing and then there's always like the burnout. The burnout yeah and the swing back and they're like yeah oh my god I was like killing. Like I know I said I was so healthy and felt great,

but I actually was killing myself and now I've 180. Like just the journey of everyone is so interesting. And it's so, you know, like for each person, it's gonna be so different. I look at my LA stuff and I'm like, oh my God, I was at the gym at six in the morning and I was shredded. And I was like, yeah, this is how I live my life. And now I could, I mean, I work out burgers on Tik TOK. Oh God. Like no carbs. You know, he got canceled for eating. Yeah.

I didn't cook my burger well enough and I took a bite and I didn't even see it. And I showed the camera and it was, that's rage bait. It was like what you, it was like her one, I eat a day with her lettuce bun burger and she bites into it and she's just enjoying it and you can see the burger and it's like, literally like raw meat. She's like, because I didn't cook it well enough. That was before my wedding. But you know people do that shit on purpose now

and they call it rage bait because if you do something like that, and remember I used to do that by accident? Yeah. And the comments would pop off. Yeah, I mean, yeah, people do. It's like so funny stuff you know. Fee looks so slim now. Aw thanks guys. But I feel good that's what matters. Yeah it's not just about how you look. Is she dating a baseball player? A coach. Sleep is such an important part of a wellness routine and Greg and I are both obsessed with

our 8 Sleep Pod and Autopilot. The pod is a high tech mattress cover that you can easily add to your existing mattress to help you sleep better. You do not need to change your mattress or bed frame to get the pod. It's a fitted sheet that can be added to any mattress. Throughout the night, the pod uses precision temperature control to regulate your body's sleep cycles automatically. It can cool down to 55 degrees Fahrenheit or warm up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. It does this separately for each side of the bed so Greg likes his really really cold when

he's falling asleep and then it warms up to wake him up. I like mine to just be cold 24-7 and I don't go as extreme as he does which is really nice that we can control separately. The pod uses AI and machine learning to learn your sleep patterns over time and use this data to automatically adjust the temperature of your bed throughout the night according to what your body needs, which is so cool. Instead of just giving you some stats, it understands them and does something about it. There's no other product like it on the market. Your bed gets smarter over time. This is possible

thanks to Autopilot, a set of proprietary algorithms trained on millions of hours of sleep that understand the ideal temperature changes required for each unique individual so they can have the best sleep possible. One of my favorite features is the smart alarms. They can turn on the smart alarm feature to wake up during the lightest sleep phase within 30 minutes of your set alarm time. Greg uses this and it's perfect because it doesn't wake me up, which we love. And there's so many amazing key in-app features. You can control your pod, give detailed sleep and health reports, autopilot adjust overview and smart alarms.

Head over to 8sleep.com slash pow and use code pow, P-O-W to get $350 off Pod4Ultra and start experiencing the benefits of autopilot today. You get 30 days to try it at home and return it if you don't like it, but I am confident you will keep it. That's eightsleep.com slash pow, P-O-W. I love Function because it's the only health platform that gives access to the kind of

data people never see and the insights to actually take action. Inside Function you can test over 160 biomarkers from heart and hormones to toxins, inflammation and stress. You can also access multi-region MRI and CT scans all tracked in one secure place over time. The new normal has changed. A normal skincare routine 20 years ago was a bar of soap, eight-packot scrub, now a five-step process of serums,

active, slugging red light masks. Over that time, taxis became rideshares, TVs became streaming. Normal has changed, and your normal annual labs are 20 basic markers. No hormones, no inflammation, no metabolic insight. And if those limited tests come back within rage, you're told you're fine.

Function is what happens when healthcare catches up. The first healthcare membership gives you 160 plus biomarkers across the whole body, hormones, metabolism, inflammation, heart, liver, et cetera. I think this is so important. I've personally been through acne journey, cetera. I think this is so important. I've personally been through acne journey, a fertility journey, and testing was so important for me,

and I highly recommend you guys do it too. It really is the best investment you can make. Welcome to the new normal in health, not the outdated version you grew up with, your baseline, your body on your terms. Learn more and join by using my link. The first 1,000 get an $100 credit towards their membership. Visit www.functionhealth.com slash pow

or use gift code pow at signup to own your health. How is Fi liking being in real estate? So happy for her. Aw, I'm really liking it. I was actually, I was like thinking about how I want to talk about it today. You know, when I first got into it, it was so intimidating just because it's obviously a very like, you know,

there are so many real estate agents like, and I don't know, it's just a totally new field and it's intimidating, just like everything you have to learn. But from what I've gathered, I mean, I joined an incredible team. I really love my team. We just went on a golf outing the other day and it was so much fun. And like, they're all just so kind and cool.

And not to hype up my own team, but like I just really appreciate, Michael's like our team lead. It's his, and we actually now are the riser team, which is Michael riser. I just love that he finds really kind of like cool unique people like no one is cookie cutter on the team like everyone's really interesting and like has cool passions outside of you know just you know work and I just think it's really cool but I've

been loving it. It's been a journey. I finally feel like I'm like getting in the swing of things. I have some tours later today. I've been helping a lot of people who are relocating to Austin. I've been helping a couple like Bloom employees who are moving here. Yeah, a lot of Bloom team members are moving to Austin. I don't know if I said

but we bought a building on the East side and that's our new HQ for Bloom. So they're all moving here from LA and Fia's helping them find houses. So I kind of chatted with Bloom HR and Greg and I was like, send them my way. So I've been helping a couple, which has been great. But I did want to add, I feel like when I first said

I wanted to get into it, like you, and everyone was like, you're gonna be so good at that. You're so nice and love people. But truly, I didn't realize how much I would really enjoy getting to know my clients and getting close with them and learning about them. And whether it's helping them find a lease or an actual home to buy,

it is such a personal, intimate thing. And I don't wanna name any names, some clients that I've been helping who are relocating from Houston. They're the sweetest, like young couple. He just graduated law school. He got a job at a firm here. So they're moving to Austin, she's pregnant.

And so like, I'm helping them find a house that can have a nursery. And have a room for an office for him. And like, it's like, it like makes me so happy and it is very fulfilling for me in that way because I know I'm genuinely helping people find something they need. When I close the deal for them and get them the place that they really wanted over like,

I'm talking to an agent, an agent actually was just calling me while I was sitting here and I need to call her back after this. I'm hoping she has good news for me. But when they get the place that they wanted over over someone else's being like, it just makes me like, I'm so proud and I've learned a lot. And it's a really cool field. So cool. It is a little scary right now. The market is a little funny right now. I think people are definitely just like everything going on in the world and politics and everything happening. People are a little scared to like make such a commitment. But you know,

I think if you work with the right agent and the right team and you do it for the right reasons and you won't regret it. And it's kind of cool that you can do it anywhere. I mean, I know you have to get a license in different States, but pretty cool. Yeah. I honestly, that is a huge, like that was a big part to me. You know, I'm not, I loved working with Mari, but like we were hands on here in the office every day because I was like, you know, running a podcast and there was like so much to do hands on. So it is really nice to have a little more freedom

and like be able to kind of like schedule my day the way I need to. And I do think me being type A and like organized and stuff has been so helpful. Because I'm over here scheduling 10 home tours in one afternoon and I have to reach out to every agent, ask them what time I'm playing Tetris while also checking availability if there's a tenant living there or making sure it makes sense on a map

so I'm not taking my clients in circles and circles. You know what I mean? But I love it. Because that's very me. Like a map so I'm not taking my clients in circles in circles, you know what I mean? So yeah, but like I love it because that's very me like I like a task and I like like yeah, I love logistics like I really do unless they involve European travel that I fucking you would have hated me this week. I changed my whole trip. Mari, I saw that and I was like, I know poor Brooke. I was like, so I want to leave a day earlier. Mari's like, my Gemini ass, I made my whole trip move up a day earlier and I was like, poor Brooke. But to be fair, I sat on a call with her

and I did it with her. Okay, good. Because I'm good at the European stuff. You're so funny. Yeah. When I was working with Mari, you guys, they were going to like the south of France or somewhere. Yeah.

And for whatever reason, I just could not get my mind wrapped around the geography of the area. And one day I just looked at you and I was like, you don't know what's going on. And I was like, I'm going to be so for real. I have no idea. I couldn't pronounce anything. They were like Saint Tropez to Antibes. And then I was like, and then you're going to take a boat.

You're like, no, Fiona, there's no boat. There's no water in between those. I was like, I don't know what's happening. It's okay. It's okay. That was not mine. It's okay, it's fine. Yeah, not my thing. Everything in French is a little confusing.

Yeah. Well, I feel like we've reached our close. Oh wait, I wanna add one thing that I saw. What? The liver king getting arrested. Oh guys, I mean, if you're an OG power girl, you probably listened to my- The first guest you've ever had on.

My literal first guest was Liver King, which is crazy that I interviewed. It was right after his scandal, it was like in LA. That was crazy, we were so scared. So scared. You were so scared. I did not sleep the night before. You were so nervous. We got there early, Greg did the interview with me,

I was so scared. They made me eat raw liver and testicle and all that type guys go back in the archives of pow And listen to my episode with liver King. Anyway, he did just get arrested Yeah, apparently got arrested here in Austin because he was threatening Joe Rogan or something T T Did Joe Rogan called police? Apparently, I don't know. I don't know the whole Joe Rogan thing I just saw like Brian Johnson was arrested in Austin. I mean, I feel like he's losing his mind. Threatening something.

And I guys, I thought I saw Joe Rogan the other day, but apparently it wasn't Joe Rogan. So I saw someone driving a really nice Lamborghini with a Rogan license plate. I just feel like that's kind of- If you're not Joe Rogan and you're doing that, that's weird, baby. You're like a huge fan of his?

That's like giving- I feel like, oh my God, look at his mug shot. Wow, he looks sad. I would not wanna be in a cell with Liver King, I'll tell you that. No. Actually, he was a very nice man. He was nice.

Him and his wife, Liver Queen. He's probably just doing pushups in there. They were lovely, yeah. Yeah, he's probably giving them all a workout. I think maybe, and I don't wanna like trash, but I think he's like lost a little fame, and it is not as poppin' as he used to be, and he's like trying to- Yeah, probably going through it.

Yeah. Get some fame, you know? I don't know. Well, we love you, Liver King. Yeah, we love you, Liver King. I thought so, too. You really put us on the map. Actually, everyone was really mad at me

for doing that interview, I think. You win some, you lose some. Vy, thanks for coming on. Of course. Sorry that you've been through a lot lately. We're better now. It sounds like things are going really well. Yeah.

Other than the double infected cyst. Other than, yes. The Bartholomew cyst, whatever it is. The Bartholomew. Yeah, I'm about to be 30. I'm feeling good. Birthday next week. I have a cute man's.

I like my job. Things are great. Yeah. She's snatched. I'm snatched. Are we toxic? Love you. Love you.

Bye. Bye. Bye. button on your preferred podcast or video player. You can sign up for my newsletter to receive my favorites at marielawellen.com it will be linked in the show notes. This podcast is a Pursuit Network production brought to you by Michaela Phillips, Joel Contartese, Davielle Waldner and Mackenzie Meisel. You can also watch the full video of each episode on our YouTube channel at Pursuit of Wellness podcast. Love you, Power Girls and Power Boys. I will see you next time.

The content of this show is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual medical and mental health advice and does not constitute a provider-patient relationship. As always, talk to your doctor or health team.