In today’s episode, we’re talking about prioritizing health and wellness as busy women who are juggling businesses, chasing kids, managing marriages, maintaining friendships, and nurturing faith. With so much on our plates, our health often takes a backseat.
Our guest today is Shaela Daugherty, host of the Simple Fitness Habits podcast. She’s a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach who believes that every woman can build a healthy, fit lifestyle—no matter what season of life they’re in.
In this episode, we discuss why the busiest time in your life is actually the best time to prioritize your health. She shares simple, practical ways to focus on wellness without overwhelming your schedule or mental energy. We cover topics like hitting protein goals, incorporating rhythms for health and fitness as a busy mom, and even reframing the idea of our bodies as temples through scripture.
I absolutely loved this conversation. After recording, I told Shaela how motivated I felt—I immediately got up, ate some protein, and went for a walk! I hope this conversation leaves you feeling just as inspired. And if you’re listening in early February, right after those ambitious New Year’s resolutions may have started to fizzle, consider this your reset. Let’s dive in!
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Who is Shaela Daugherty?
Shaela is the host of Simple Fitness Habits Podcast. She is a Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach who believes that every woman can build a healthy and fit lifestyle no matter what season of life they are in.
Over the past 10 years, Shaela has had the privilege and joy of helping work from home and stay at home moms find rhythms in their health and fitness journeys and make working out work for them. She truly believes the busiest time in your life, like building a business and raising children, is the best time of your life to get healthy and fit, and she built The Stronger Collective Fitness App to help women do that.
She lives with her husband, a Middle School Pastor, three (biasedly) beautiful children, and a sweet border collie named Norman in Florida.
What are some signs that listeners could be in a health-related burnout?
Burnout can sneak up on us—it’s gradual. One day, we’re just a little more tired than usual and think, Maybe I should take a nap today. Another day, we’re struggling to focus on work during the “nap time hustle” and wondering, Did I have too much caffeine? What is going on with my brain? Or maybe we catch ourselves snapping at a loved one.
On the professional side, burnout can look like working harder but not smarter—feeling stuck, like you’re spinning your wheels. A phrase I keep hearing in the business world is throwing spaghetti at the wall—that feeling of trying everything but never making real progress. But burnout doesn’t just affect business growth—it seeps into our relationships and our ability to enjoy the life we’re working so hard to build.
There are some very real physical signs of burnout. Chronic fatigue, trouble sleeping—even when there’s no big deadline—and then realizing a month later, you’re still not sleeping well. Frequent illness, catching every bug from your kids or getting sick out of nowhere. Unexplained aches and pains.
Mentally, burnout can show up as brain fog, difficulty focusing, irritability, and a lack of motivation—not just for work, but even for basic self-care.
Professionally, it can look like procrastination, overscheduling, or that hamster-wheel cycle of If I just finish everything on my to-do list, I’ll be fine. But what usually happens? We get about 70% of the way there, then hit a wall, overwhelmed and exhausted, realizing we need to take a step back.
And personally—this one is big—I’ve been there myself, and I’ve seen it with my clients. Burnout can make you feel emotionally unavailable for your family. As a mom entrepreneur, you start your business to be present with your family, but then you find yourself constantly impatient, skipping meals, working nights, and neglecting movement. You’re there physically but missing out emotionally.
The signs can be small—like poor sleep—or much bigger, like completely losing joy in your daily life. And while we often blame burnout on our business, more often than not, it’s rooted in our health and how we’re taking care of our bodies.
Read more: If Being a Mom and a Business Owner Feels Really Hard, Listen to This with Joy Michelle
Do you think there are any warning signs that we can watch for before we get to a place where we are completely burned out?
If you're skipping meals, staying up late, and then waking up early—especially if it's happening consistently—that's a big red flag. Another key sign is feeling resentful. And I think it’s important to be really honest with ourselves here, because none of us want to feel resentment as moms, business owners, or wives. But ask yourself:
- Do I feel like my responsibilities as a mom are taking away from my business?
- Do I feel like my business is taking away from my role as a mother or wife?
These feelings are often the first subtle signs of burnout—both physically and mentally. Another big one is losing your sense of joy and purpose in your work.
For me personally, I can tell when I’ve neglected my prayer time or Bible study. I always say that God is the CEO of my business. At the end of the day, I want Him to lead, but if I’m not intentionally meeting with Him—both personally and professionally—I find myself in this cycle of overworking. I feel like I have to keep pushing forward, constantly doing more, because I’m not relying on the Lord.
So if you feel like you're stuck in that cycle spiritually, that’s another red flag. It’s a moment to pause, bring it to the Lord, and figure out what’s really going on.
You share about the importance of small workouts and the power of 15 minutes. Can you give some examples of small but powerful habits?
Yeah, absolutely! Like you said, I’m a huge fan of small but powerful changes. When I first read Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg, it just clicked—this concept makes so much sense for health and fitness. I think there’s even a version of the book focused on weight loss.
About 70% of what I talk about on my podcast and with my clients comes down to making smart, small choices. Tiny, intentional habits can create a huge impact over time.
Some of my go-to habits that I share with my clients include:
- Eating 100+ grams of protein per day – This starts with a mindset shift. Once you focus on it, it becomes easier to build into your routine.
- Drinking water with electrolytes – Most women are depleted in minerals because we’re constantly on the go. Adding electrolytes can make a big difference.
- Micro workouts – I love that you’re doing 15-minute workouts! In The Stronger Collective (the workout app I own), we have an entire program called Micro Workouts, and it’s the most popular one. These workouts range from just one minute (yes, one minute is enough when done intentionally!) to 15 minutes. The goal is to build the habit of moving your body—even if it’s just one minute at a time.
- Walking – Simply walking between meetings or errands can add up significantly over time.
These are four super simple habits that don’t require much effort or planning. Aside from maybe buying electrolytes, there’s nothing extra you need to do—just small tweaks like doubling up on protein at dinner. These little shifts can make a big difference!
What are your favorite protein sources to hit that 100g?
Yes! I love meat—so if you're vegan, I apologize in advance—but we’re really big on doubling our protein at dinner. Whenever we cook meals, we automatically double the meat. If a recipe calls for one pound, I use two, keeping everything else the same (except for maybe increasing the spices). For example, if we're making tacos, we just double the meat.
Some of my go-to protein sources are chicken, lean beef—really any type of quality meat.
For quick, grab-and-go protein, I’m a big fan of eggs. I know not everyone is, but they’re such an easy option. Fun fact: two eggs contain 14 grams of protein. But if you add just 1/4 cup of egg whites, you bump that up to 24 grams—a simple way to boost your protein intake first thing in the morning!
And then there’s yogurt—specifically high-protein Greek yogurt—which is a great option. Collagen, protein powders, and turkey are also excellent sources.
We do eat lunch meat, though I know some people avoid it. We try to find nitrate-free options to keep it as healthy as possible for both us and our kids. Of course, if you're pregnant, you have to be more mindful of lunch meat, but for everyday convenience, it works well.
One of my absolute favorites for quick meals is frozen, pre-cooked chicken—I always grab it from Target. It’s already cut up, so you just take out what you need, toss it on the stove, and in five minutes, lunch is ready!
Do you have an electrolyte brand you recommend?
Yeah! I love LMNT—it’s my favorite electrolyte brand. Spoiler alert: It actually made my list of Five Health & Fitness Must-Haves for Working Moms!
What sets LMNT apart is that their electrolyte formula is scientifically different from most others. They include magnesium, which many electrolyte blends lack, and I really appreciate that from a mineral and overall health perspective.
I personally use it before my workouts because it helps recharge me. While many people rely on a pre-workout supplement, I skip that and just use electrolytes instead—and it makes a huge difference!
You share that the busiest times of our lives are often the best times to get in shape. Why do you feel that way?
This is my favorite question! If you’ve heard me speak before, you’ve probably heard me say this a lot—I truly believe that the busiest season of your life is the best season to prioritize your health. And it’s not just something I’ve experienced personally—I’ve walked countless women through this process and seen the transformation happen.
As business owners, it’s so easy to fall into a place of apathy when it comes to our health. We tell ourselves, I could lose 10 pounds… I could get stronger… I could work out more… but I don’t necessarily need to right now. Or we think, My kids need me more or I’m homeschooling, so that’s my priority right now. Maybe we’re juggling work, ministry, church, and all the other responsibilities that come with our season of life.
So I get why it sounds counterintuitive when I say this is actually the best time to focus on your health. But when we’re intentional—even in small ways—those small wins feel huge. They boost our confidence and help us build rhythms that work within the busy and the messy, rather than waiting for some imaginary “perfect” season to start prioritizing ourselves.
One thing I’ve noticed in the health and fitness world is that it teaches us how to pause—but not how to sustain a healthy lifestyle in the middle of life’s chaos.
We’re constantly told to go all in and do things like:
- Meal prep everything
- Work out 4–5 times a week
- Eat 120 grams of protein daily
- Get your electrolytes in
- Walk 10,000 steps
- Take all the supplements
It’s a lot. And when life inevitably gets busy—whether it’s a sick kid, a work deadline, or another responsibility—we feel like we have to press pause. And here’s the thing: it’s not a bad thing to want to give our best effort. As moms, as business owners, as wives, we naturally want to show up fully. That’s a gift from the Lord.
But when we adopt the mindset of If I can’t do it all perfectly, I shouldn’t do it at all, that’s when we get stuck. That’s when we’ve unknowingly built a habit of pausing instead of learning how to adjust and keep moving forward.
The reality is, life is always going to be busy. It doesn’t slow down—it just changes. If you have little ones, it’s a physically demanding stage. When they get older, the demands shift to school schedules, extracurricular activities, and emotional support. There’s always something.
That’s why building small, sustainable habits is so powerful. When we give ourselves grace and accept that just focusing on one thing—like hitting 100 grams of protein a day—is enough, it builds confidence. And that confidence is what so many of us are missing—not because we aren’t capable, but because we’ve only ever been taught the all-or-nothing approach.
But what if we flipped that? What if we said, Right now, this is where the Lord has me, and He’s called me to be present in all these areas. Taking care of my body is part of that calling. And if that means starting with just one small habit, that’s okay.
That shift in mindset is everything. It’s what helps us actually sustain a healthy lifestyle long-term. And when we do that, we’re not just taking care of ourselves—we’re becoming the business owners who don’t burn out. We’re the ones who don’t quit. We’re the ones who don’t feel like we’re running on empty all the time.
When we embrace this, we’re changing the game—not just for our businesses, but for our personal lives, our families, our faith, and our future. We’re learning how to build resilience, adapt, and thrive in every season—without the pressure of having to do all the things at once.
Read more: Daily Business Routines & Habits That Help Me Manage My Business Well as a Busy Mom
I know you’ve also talked about how our health can be the “ceiling” of our business. Can you explain what you mean by that?
Yeah, so there are a lot of analogies we could use for our businesses, but if we think of our health as the foundation of a building, it makes a lot of sense. In the Bible, it talks about the man who built his house upon the rock.
When we build our house on a solid foundation, it stands strong. But if it's built on sand—something unstable—everything above it suffers. The same applies to our health.
For entrepreneurs and working moms, whether at home or outside the home, poor health can limit how much energy and focus we bring into our businesses. On the other hand, when we’re physically strong and well, we’re more creative, we’re more resilient, and we can show up consistently—and not just for everything, but for the small things that truly matter.
It’s about building a strong base for both business and life so that we can flourish personally and professionally.
But it’s really easy to slip into the mindset of:
"Once I build my six- or seven-figure business, then I’ll focus on my health."
And I think back to when Jenna Kutcher shared her story about this. She kept putting off her health, thinking she’d work on it later. She had a lot of health issues, and it wasn’t until she reached a certain point in her business that she finally decided to prioritize her health. And looking back, she wished she had done it sooner because it would have impacted her business in so many ways.
When we are healthy in our bodies, it has a huge impact on our business.
- Our energy levels directly affect our productivity.
- Poor health can limit focus, endurance, and creativity—not just in work, but in life.
- Having a strong, healthy foundation creates a ripple effect—leading to better decisions, stronger relationships, and more sustainable growth.
So often, we’re chasing after the next certification, business degree, or coaching program, thinking we need a higher ceiling for our business. But what we’re not doing is looking inward at our own bodies and asking:
"What does my body need in order to actually increase my capacity? What do I need to do to have the energy, focus, and endurance for my family, my business, and my life?"
Because when we start there—when we focus on building that strong foundation—we don’t just improve our health. We create the ability to show up fully, to grow sustainably, and to thrive in every area of life.
How can listeners identify rhythms for the health and fitness journeys in their own life?
Yeah, so I would say the first step is acknowledging your current season of life and understanding that your health doesn’t have to look like someone else’s. And we know that—we know comparison is a problem—but typically, when we start focusing on health and fitness, we’re already thinking about where we want to be rather than where we are right now.
And I think a lot of us have a hard time actually acknowledging where we are or even admitting how physically yucky we feel. It can be really hard to say out loud, Wow, yeah, I feel yucky, and I need to make a change—whether that’s to yourself, your spouse, or a close friend. It can feel like a failure if we’re not doing everything really well.
So acknowledging it is really the first step in figuring out those rhythms. And it’s actually a four-step process that I work through with my clients.
There’s something I use called Rhythm Dials, and I’ll explain how that works, but the first step is:
1. Acknowledge
Ask yourself:
- What does my day-to-day actually look like?
- Where am I right now?
- If I’m a time blocker, what pocket of time do I have?
- Is it 10 minutes a day? Five minutes?
- Where am I mentally? Spiritually? Stress-wise? Sleep-wise?
2. Commit
Now that we’ve acknowledged where we are, we commit to just one area and one small thing at a time—whether that’s movement, nutrition, sleep, or stress.
3. Rhythm Dials
This is where Rhythm Dials come in. The way I explain it to my clients is to imagine a big circle with a scale from 1 to 10:
- 1 is the very least you could do every single day for your health and fitness—your minimum.
- 10 is the ideal, if everything were perfect—if you had no kids in the house, were making six or seven figures, had a personal chef, and could do all the things. But nobody really lives at a 10, and we’re not meant to. It’s just there as a reference for what’s possible.
Let’s take movement as an example:
- A 1 might be simply taking a 10-minute walk daily or every other day—something small and manageable.
- A 2 might be increasing that to 15 minutes per day.
- A 3 could be adding in two strength-training workouts per week along with walks.
- As we move up the dial, we eventually reach a place where we want to be—maybe four to five workouts a week, hitting 10,000 steps, and doing activities like hiking.
There are two ways clients can use this:
- As a stepping stone—starting at 1 (the minimum) and slowly working up when it feels right.
- As a way to adjust during busy seasons—For example, if someone normally operates at a 4 or 5, but they have a really busy week, instead of quitting, they dial it back down to a 2—maybe just 15-minute walks instead of full workouts.
This gives them a visual representation of how their health and fitness can ebb and flow through seasons.
I have a different perspective from many people out there—I don’t believe we need balance in our health and fitness. Because if we had perfect balance, then who’s really in control? Are we creating that balance, or is the Lord guiding our steps?
Instead, I believe in rhythms—we go through different seasons of life. So rather than striving for balance, we learn how to adjust and adapt—dialing things up when life is good and everything is in place, and dialing things down when life gets chaotic, while still moving forward in some way.
4. Tweak and Maintain
This way, we’re not pressing pause—we’re not saying, Nope, I can’t do it, so I’m just not going to try. Instead, we’re saying, Okay, this week, a 10-minute walk is enough, and that’s great.
So here are the four steps again:
- Acknowledge – Identify where you are.
- Commit – Pick one area to focus on.
- Rhythm Dials – Adjust based on your season of life.
- Tweak & Maintain – Find ways to build small habits into your day.
For example, if you already make coffee every morning, drink 8 ounces of water while it brews—that’s habit stacking.
For nutrition, their 1 on the dial might be taking daily supplements, while a 4 might be hitting 100 grams of protein every day.
So if they’re having a busy week and cooking high-protein meals feels overwhelming, they can dial it down—just take the supplements and keep moving forward.
We work through this process for movement, nutrition, sleep, and stress, so that no matter what season someone is in, they can still see:
- I’m moving toward my goals.
- I’m maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- I’m not stopping—I’m just adjusting.
This approach is especially important for my clients, who are all business owners in some capacity—because it helps them stay on track without feeling like they have to do everything perfectly or give up entirely.
Read more: 6 Habits That Have Transformed My Business
How can women stop viewing self-care as selfish?
So the very first thing I talk about is shifting your health and fitness from a have to into a get to.
A lot of us have negative associations with health and fitness because we’ve gone all in before—we’ve tried to do everything—and it became overwhelming. Even in my recent market research, one of the most common things I heard from women was:
"I know what to do… I just don’t want to have to do it all again."
Because just thinking about it makes them tired. They don’t want to deal with the fuss; they just want to get to the results. And that’s so reflective of our culture right now—we see the same thing in business.
We think, How can I just skip to the good part? How can I reach success in my business without having to go through all the hard things in between?
And that’s why the mindset shift is so important. How can we take health and fitness from something that feels like a burden into something we get to do? How can we create positive associations with working out and healthy eating that feel simple and doable?
It’s about easy wins—those small dopamine hits, like:
- Ooh, I ate extra protein today—win!
- I drank my water before coffee—win!
But so often, we feel guilty for prioritizing ourselves. Or we don’t even want to mess with it because we don’t want to feel like a failure—we don’t want to try to do all the things only to end up with no results.
The reality is: Caring for our bodies isn’t selfish. And it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
When we take care of our bodies, we’re better equipped to pour into our families, our clients, and our calling. Think about the simple analogy of an airplane: when there’s turbulence and the oxygen masks drop, they tell you to put your own mask on first. Because you can’t help anyone else if you’re incapacitated.
It’s the same in business and in our homes. We have to take the time—even though it may feel like a sacrifice—to care for ourselves. Because that sacrifice is a good thing. At the end of the day, what carries us through all the things we’re called to do? Our body.
And I just want to make this point real quick, Elizabeth—because I think this is so important, especially in Christian culture. For years—decades, even—we’ve heard the phrase “steward your body.” But when we look at scripture, it talks about stewarding our time, talents, and treasures.
Your body isn’t outside of you—it’s not a separate thing you manage like time or finances. Your body is you. We often reference 1 Corinthians 6:19—"Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit." But when we think of stewarding our body, we unintentionally create a mindset that our body is something external—something we just take care of rather than something that is part of us.
But the reality is—we are embodied beings. God created us as a body and soul together. Our spirit lives inside this body that He designed for us to use in our calling. So when we say, I get to take care of my body, we’re not just talking about an obligation—it’s who we are.
The Holy Spirit gave us this body so that we can live with purpose—in our homes, with our kids, in our businesses, in ministry, in our marriages, and in our communities.
So yes, we might sometimes feel guilty prioritizing our health. But when we shift our mindset in two ways:
- Recognizing that our body isn’t separate from us—we’re not just stewarding it, it is us.
- Creating positive associations—from “I have to” → “I get to.”
Then health and fitness becomes something joyful. And at that point, it can even become an act of worship—because we are treating our body well so that we can live out the calling God has for us.
And I know every woman listening—including you, Elizabeth—feels that sense of calling in her life. We all feel purpose in what we’re doing. And I firmly believe we should live that out.
But if we’re not giving our bodies the attention they need, then one day, we’re physically not going to be able to live out that calling.
That’s what we want to avoid now—while we’re in the crazy, busy, messy seasons—so that we can create a sustainable lifestyle that allows us to continue being who God has called us to be.
Rapid Fire Questions with Shaela Daughtery
What are some common misconceptions about fitness and wellness that you think hold women back?
I think the first big misconception is:
- I have to do all the things.
- I have to spend an hour at the gym every day.
- I have to do cardio all the time.
So, that’s probably three right there!
And if you’re listening—please stop doing only cardio! I love cardio. We need it. But if that’s all you’re doing, it’s not helpful long-term. You need strength training, too. Lift some weights! That’s how I would combat that misconception.
Another one is the idea that fitness is expensive or that I can’t do it at home. Some people feel like they need to go to a class, or they need a gym community. But then that becomes a time commitment. And financially, it could be $149 or even $249 a month—which isn’t always realistic.
But the truth is, you can do it at home. It’s a priority and motivation thing. If you focus on small steps—like we talked about with the Rhythm Dials—you can make progress at home until you reach a place where you can afford a gym or find a community that truly supports your goals.
And lastly, we already talked about this one, but the misconception that prioritizing your health is selfish—that comes up a lot.
What's one practical strategy a busy woman listening could use today to improve her energy and avoid burnout?
You have to figure out what works for you.
Like I mentioned earlier, some great starting points are:
✔ Increasing your protein—aiming for 100 grams a day
✔ Drinking water—half your body weight in ounces, plus adding electrolytes
✔ Walking more—getting in extra steps
✔ Progressive overload in strength training
Progressive overload means that when you do your workouts, you repeat the same exercises week after week—but each time, you either increase the weight or increase the reps.
Even with short 10-minute or 15-minute micro workouts, you can build lean muscle if you stay consistent and progressively challenge your body. Ideally, you stick with the same exercises for at least four weeks before switching things up.
So, whether it’s hitting 100g of protein, drinking more water, getting extra steps, or progressively overloading your workouts—just pick one and focus on it today.
For example, if you have time to go for a walk with your kids, boom—that’s a win. Just take the walk!
For us, it’s a daily habit now. My kids expect it. Every time my son wakes up from his first nap and his second nap, we go for a walk. It’s just what we do.
And once that habit is in place, I can ask myself, Okay, when can I fit my strength training in?
One thing I didn’t mention earlier—a big misconception about workouts—is that we think we have to do them before the kids wake up or when they’re not around.
And yeah, if you work out while they’re awake, it will take longer—but letting them see you do it is important.
With my oldest, I started setting this example when he was a baby. Once a week, I would work out in front of him and train him to understand:
"Mommy is doing my workout right now. I can’t play."
I would redirect, redirect, redirect—and now, with my third baby, it’s just part of our life.
So every Wednesday, I still work out in the garage with all three kids awake. They see me. They can play outside. They can even join in. And you know what?
My 30-minute workout only takes about 35 minutes now—depending on the baby!
It’s all about training, consistency, and intentionality.
This process took five years for me, and that’s okay. It doesn’t have to happen overnight. My oldest figured it out faster, but the key was staying consistent in the little things over and over again.
And that’s what makes all the difference.
Connect with Shaela Daughtery
I have a freebie called Five Health and Fitness Must-Haves for Working Moms.
It’s basically a shortcut guide—my top five easy health and fitness tips that make a big impact. If you’re looking for one simple thing to start with, this guide will help you pick it.
You can find me on Instagram at @SDFitWell, but I’m most active through my podcast, Simple Fitness Habits.
That’s where my community is, and I always tell people—I am probably the most personal trainer out there! If you have questions, please DM me on Instagram or email me. I love answering them and do my best to respond as quickly as I can—with three kids, of course!
Thank you so much for having me on the podcast, this was so fun!
Links Mentioned:
Grab Shaela's FREE Five Health and Fitness Must-Haves For Working Moms
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