Welcome to the Strong Feels Good Podcast! This project has been something I’ve always wanted to do and I’m so excited to finally get started.

In episode 1, I’m going to dive into my story so you can learn a little more about me. From my childhood in New Jersey, where I was bullied in school for my muscle definition (they called me “Mangela”) and covered up my arms even when it was hot, to my career as a competitive gymnast and the gymnastics coach who believed in me and helped me emotionally handle my parents’ divorce and family struggles at home.

From there, I share my experience in college as a biochemistry major and a collegiate gymnast (and an embarrassing story of my first ever collegiate gymnastics meet), during which I experienced my first devastating injury: an ACL tear. After I graduated from college and retired from gymnastics, despite a long career as an athlete, I had NO IDEA what to do next or what to do in a gym. Suddenly I found my next athletic endeavor: profess...