Armed to the Heart - Military Women, Work-life Balance, Female Veterans, Christian Moms, Pregnancy and Postpartum
Live out God’s calling in work & family life, within and beyond the uniform — Are you feeling alone as a woman of Christian faith in the military or another male-dominated environment? Are you driven to make a big impact, but wish you could be more present, and give more time to your family? Are you working to lead change, struggling to find your voice or courage as you swim against the current? Are you a high-achiever pouring yourself out for everyone else but burnt out, stressed, and struggling to find time for your own physical & mental health because there’s always so much that needs to be done? Does your harsh inner critic make you feel like no matter how much you do, it’s never enough? You know you’re called to be a leader and change-maker, but it’s hard to find others like you who also share your faith & values. Maybe you’re feeling forced to choose between. Every day is a battle, trying to give 100% in all the hats you wear. You’re performing well but your load is heavy, you’re weighed down by guilt, and exhausted from pushing through but never having a moment to rest. It’s hard to know what to say yes to, and scary considering a different course than the traditional path of success everyone is pushing you toward, or what you’ve always known. Maybe you’ve recently made the transition or are thinking about leaving the military. You don’t want your work to come at the expense of your family; they come first. Amidst it all, you just want to do God’s will. I see you sister. I’m on this journey with you. In this Podcast, you’ll find heart to heart conversations about motherhood and military life, work-life balance and leadership, all grounded in Biblical truths, my education & experience as a professionally-trained Catholic Mindset Coach, certified Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Coach, and lessons I’ve learned the hard way in the last 5 years of high level advocacy work fighting for mothers, families, and life in the military. I believe strongly that no one should have to choose between their family and their call to serve. That motherhood should never be the death of our dreams. That motherhood is not a limiting factor in what a woman can achieve, but lack of support can be. I started Armed to the Heart to be who I needed when I was in the trenches, overwhelmed by motherhood in the military, struggling in my mental health & postpartum recovery, drowning in my home, carrying so much guilt for the time I had to spend away from my baby, feeling so much pressure to prove myself in a combat arms unit and feeling like a failure in all of it. My family was getting the leftovers of me. I felt stifled in my faith. Trapped in the military. It felt impossible to actually live out my priorities. I felt so far from the superwoman others saw in me. As a dual military, active duty Army officer raising 2 sweet (and wild!) boys in the Catholic faith, a fierce advocate for my sisters in arms going through pregnancy & postpartum, a recovering perfectionist and people pleaser, & big dreamer with a heart to make a difference, I know the struggle that comes with wearing so many hats & trying to fulfill God’s call for us. Through so many answered prayers, the Lord has allowed me to be part of the change I want to see. To bridge the gaps I’ve experienced and seen in thousands of women’s experience in the military, through policy advocacy work, mentorship & coaching. To fight for motherhood, for life, and for freedom to live out our faith in the military. He taught me that our minds are the true spiritual battlegrounds, and that by learning to manage our mind, emotions, & time, we don’t have to be a victim to our circumstances. He showed me that by discerning His will in every season, it is possible to keep my faith and family first while making a meaningful impact. So if you’re ready to do the same, for the glory of God, this Podcast is for you! Lace up those boots sister, it’s time to jump in. We can do this together.
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Episodes
Friday Oct 07, 2022
Friday Oct 07, 2022
Hey mama! Are you pregnant and wondering how to exercise safely and maintain your fitness through pregnancy? If you’re a busy, active mom who hopes to stay healthy & fit through pregnancy, you’re in the right place!
Many of us end up googling things like,
What's pregnancy safe, what’s not, what can I keep doing, how much weight can I lift, how much can I push myself, how should I adjust my workouts as my pregnancy progresses, how can I get rid of this pelvic pain or stop peeing my pants while running?
If we’re in the military, or if fitness is an important part of our life, we can feel a lot of pressure to have strong, fit pregnancies. We have standards to meet & fitness tests to train for on set timelines, and it can be hard to see our bodies changing or scale back when we've worked so hard for the gains we've made. We need to successfully return to fitness & get back to performing at a high level after having a baby.
But unfortunately most of the info out there is still super outdated! I’m here to change that because you deserve better.
Together, let’s reduce the stress, anxiety, & overwhelm that can come from trying to navigate pregnancy & postpartum in an environment where there's not often a lot of other women - let alone moms - or quality guidance & support available.
You deserve to feel confident in how to strategically adjust your exercise, empowered to have a healthy pregnancy, and get back to everything you love and need to do after birth.
***Interested in becoming a certified Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Coach too so you can be who your community needs? Stay tuned for the enrollment opening soon at the sale price of $300 off!
FURTHER RESOURCES ON PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS:
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
BOOK A 1:1 COACHING CALL: Feel more confident in your training strategy, how to adjust given your specific goals & considerations, build a mindset to support you through the hardest parts like body image, or get you unstuck given any physical symptoms or challenges you're facing!
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth)
OTHER RESOURCES & SERVICES:
Overcome the Overwhelm (FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
Renew Group Coaching Program + Community (my signature coaching experience for dream-chasing women who want to balance family + career with Christ at the center, overcome burnout & exhaustion while making the impact they're called to, pursue integrated health & be supported by a likeminded, growth-oriented community of women)
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Instagram @armedtotheheart
armedtotheheart@gmail.com
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Hey friend, have you ever experienced an unexpected pregnancy?
Have you ever felt pressure to wait to have a baby until you achieve a certain level of career success, are more established in your job, farther along in your marriage, to time your pregnancies "perfectly" around your life & job, or try to figure out the most "ideal" time to start or grow your family?
Have you ever felt like it's hard to trust God in the unknown, in uncertainty, or understand why certain things happen in our lives that are SO different from our own plans?
In our society, the military, & many job environments there are so many stigmas against motherhood, situations, cultural realities, and even policies that make us sometimes feel forced to choose between our family and our career.
I know especially in the military and in other demanding jobs, it's easy to fear whether pregnancy will take away from our professional success, opportunities, time, marriage, fitness, bodies, or other freedoms. To be afraid of or feel guilt around what it might cost, judgment, or negative perceptions from others if we were to become pregnant -- regardless of whether it's hoped, prayed for or planned, or a huge shock & change of plans, like our son Matthew was too.
You are not alone in any of this, sister.
In this episode I get VERY vulnerable with you and share the range of emotions & fears I felt when I found out I was pregnant in the beginning of my Army career. My unexpected pregnancy seemed like THE worst possible timing because it meant I'd have to give up a global graduate scholarship I'd earned & worked so hard for, but our son ended up being THE greatest blessing we never knew we needed.
I pray my story gives you encouragement if you're feeling the urge to be open to starting or growing your family but also feel weighed down by fear. I pray it gives you renewed hope and faith in God's plans, which are always FAR greater than our own.
“'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. '” — Jeremiah 29:11
Birthday SALE through Oct 10th! Save $75 or over on my two signature programs below with the discount code BIRTHDAY27
RESOURCES:
Overcome the Overwhelm (FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
Renew Group Coaching Program + Community (my signature coaching experience for dream-chasing women who want to balance family + career with Christ at the center, overcome burnout & exhaustion while making the impact they're called to, pursue integrated health & be supported by a likeminded, growth-oriented community of women)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
BOOK A 1:1 COACHING CALL
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth)
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Instagram @armedtotheheart
armedtotheheart@gmail.com
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Many of us mamas find ourselves feeling lost or alone in the midst of our postpartum journey.
Especially for those of us who take a lot of pride in our fitness, or who have to return to military fitness demands, we need specific guidance on how to heal and get back to all we need to do. Yet there's a lot of confusing, conflicting messaging out there. And it can be lonely if we're not surrounded by a lot of others going through the same thing.
In this episode, we dive into Part 3 of the Postpartum Fitness series where I give you my Top 5 Tips when returning to fitness postpartum.
It’s gonna get REAL as I encourage you to shift your mindset from the toxic pressures our culture puts on us to “bounce back” after having a baby, to a mindset that will serve you better, even if you DO have to get back to fitness on a faster timeline because of your job, or because you're dying to feel normal again.
I’ll give you practical, actionable steps to build a solid, strong foundation that will carry you through the rest of your life. Because it’s great to have some big goals! It’s awesome to want to perform even better than we did before pregnancy! AND, it’s okay if you're not yet feeling comfortable or confident in your postpartum body. But we don’t want to stay there. Your worth does not lie in your outward appearance. You do not have to “fix” your body to be worthy.
You’ve done amazing things and your body has served you well. Let us reflect the love of Christ outwardly and be an example to those around us in our health & fitness, & relationships with our bodies, especially for our children.
By being intentional around these five areas of your journey, you’ll be on the right path to regaining your strength and succeeding in the goals you’ve set for yourself, without compromising what matters most.
Let's go!
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth)
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
BOOK A 1:1 COACHING CALL
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
OTHER RESOURCES:
Overcome the Overwhelm (FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
Renew Group Coaching Program + Community (my signature coaching experience for women who want to balance family + career with Christ at the center, pursue integrated health & be supported by a likeminded community of women)
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Instagram @armedtotheheart
megan@armedtotheheart.com
Tuesday Sep 20, 2022
Tuesday Sep 20, 2022
In this Part 2 of the Postpartum Fitness series, I cover the rest of the recommended postpartum fitness timeline for what to expect & how to optimize your recovery, and how to navigate common roadblocks or feelings of discouragement or internal pressures to bounce back.
If you want to confidently return to running, lifting or CrossFit, training for the military fitness test, rucking, other tactical demands, or physically & mentally build up to performance & competitions like marathons or Ironmans, to know how & when to push yourself to get stronger postpartum, & to also be encouraged to give yourself more grace as you're adjusting to this new season of fitness & motherhood, this episode is for you.
I give 4 tips for what to do if you’re dealing with symptoms like leaking pee when running, jumping or lifting, or complications like a feeling of heaviness in your pelvic floor during exercise.
It’s not easy getting back to where we want to be Postpartum. But I believe our Athleticism, our fitness, our potential…doesn’t have to end when motherhood begins.
You deserve to get back to whatever you enjoy, or need to do, WITHOUT frustrating symptoms mama!
We can do this together.
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth)
BOOK A COACHING CALL
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
OTHER RESOURCES:
Overcome the Overwhelm (FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
Renew Group Coaching Program + Community (my signature coaching experience for women who want to balance family + career with Christ at the center, pursue integrated health & be supported by a likeminded community of women)
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Instagram @armedtotheheart
armedtotheheart@gmail.com
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
In this series, I guide you through a recommended postpartum recovery timeline & the most essential things you need to know to safely & successfully get back to exercise after having a baby.
In Part 1, I provide my top tips for physical recovery after birth, & how to ease back into exercise during the first 12 weeks postpartum.
I'm here to help you restore your core & pelvic floor, and rebuild a strong foundation for lifting, running, & more.
After we give birth, when it comes to getting back into shape, so many of us are thinking,
"I just had a baby, now what?"
"Where do I begin?"
We’re far from where we want to be, & where we once were. We just want to feel more like ourselves again.
So if you too are anxious to get back to your routine, & want to get stronger and feel more confident in your body again, if you’re ready to reclaim fitness for physical and mental health, I got you sister!
Let’s help you overcome any pressure, stress, confusion, or overwhelm in how to approach returning to exercise, and/or preparing for your military fitness test.
18 Week Postpartum Program (Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth, and learn to not just survive but THRIVE through postpartum!)
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
BOOK A 1:1 COACHING CALL
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
OTHER RESOURCES:
Overcome the Overwhelm (FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
Renew Group Coaching Program + Community (my signature coaching experience for women who want to balance family + career with Christ at the center, pursue integrated health & be supported by a likeminded community of women)
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Instagram @armedtotheheart
armedtotheheart@gmail.com
Sunday Sep 04, 2022
Sunday Sep 04, 2022
Sister, I see the burdens you’re carrying.
In this episode we discuss the challenges of trying to keep our family + faith first while serving in uniform. We dive deeply into mom guilt and the high expectations we feel in both work and at home, and our torn, conflicted hearts as working moms who desire to be the best we can be for our families, and also be the best we can be in military service or the impact we feel called to make...the fears of failing our families, falling short in our work, of letting others down, of not doing enough in either areas of our life, or living up to what God is calling us to do.
We take an honest look at how motherhood is not yet normalized in the military, and the pressures and realities of the job that cause many military women to leave the service because we feel forced to choose between our family, career, or health. We often don’t feel comfortable with the “cost” of success, and often feel like we’re losing ourselves & what matters most, or our children & marriages are bearing the cost of our service. We don’t want to sacrifice our presence with our family for the sake of our career, but also don’t know any other way, or feel we have a choice.
Join me on this journey sister, and take heart that you are not alone in the burdens you’re carrying. Together, with God’s grace, we can overcome these struggles.
RESOURCES:
Overcome the Overwhelm (FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
Renew Group Coaching Program + Community (my signature coaching experience for dream-chasing women who want to balance family + career with Christ at the center, overcome burnout & exhaustion while making the impact they're called to, pursue integrated health & be supported by a likeminded, growth-oriented community of women)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
BOOK A 1:1 COACHING CALL
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth)
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Instagram @armedtotheheart
megan@armedtotheheart.com
Friday Sep 02, 2022
Friday Sep 02, 2022
Hey friend! In balancing taking care of our children, performing & producing in our work, managing the home, nurturing our marriages, maintaining our own health & fitness, the juggle is real, am I right? And the struggle is REALLY real as mothers in uniform.
If you’re in the trenches navigating pregnancy, postpartum, big transitions, identity shifts, or are simply feeling stressed, torn, exhausted, pulled in a million directions, guilty, always pressured to prove yourself by doing it all and doing it all perfectly, or feel like you’ve lost yourself, your joy, or what matters most somewhere in the thick of trying to survive it all, I see you.
We are all giving & sacrificing so much of ourselves, carrying such an invisible load.
We’re pushing through, trying to keep it all together but it’s easy to feel like a failure and like we can’t give 100% at work or at home. It’s easy to feel like we’re forced to choose between being a great wife & mom or a great leader, or like we can’t be as present as we want to be in either.
It’s easy to feel isolated as a Christian woman in the military, or a mother who truly wants to put your faith and family first in an environment where that doesn’t feel truly valued.
In this episode, we dive into these shared struggles in building our family while building God’s kingdom through the military or other forms of service.
We cover why we often feel stuck, trapped, or lose our way, we debunk some myths & narratives society wants us to believe that make it much harder to find a sustainable balance, and discuss how God wants to lead us toward greater fulfillment in all He calls us to do.
RESOURCES:
Overcome the Overwhelm (FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
Renew Group Coaching Program + Community (my signature coaching experience for dream-chasing women who want to balance family + career with Christ at the center, overcome burnout & exhaustion while making the impact they're called to, pursue integrated health & be supported by a likeminded, growth-oriented community of women)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
BOOK A 1:1 COACHING CALL
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth)
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Instagram @armedtotheheart
megan@armedtotheheart.com
Thursday Sep 01, 2022
Thursday Sep 01, 2022
Are you tired of always feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, pulled in a million directions, or guilty juggling everything on your plate? Do you give your all to everything that you do, but wish you could have less stress and deeper joy, peace, and true rest in the day to day craziness of military life and mom life?
Take heart my friend. You are not alone.
Here at Armed to the Heart I believe life and motherhood is a gift. I believe each of us is born with a unique mission we are meant to fulfill. I believe babies and dreams can and DO go together. I believe it is possible to pursue the dreams in our hearts and also be a great mom at the same time, WITHOUT compromising our health (mental/emotional/spiritual or physical health) when we let God lead us.
But it looks a bit different than the world (and maybe our profession) tells us success looks like.
And that's why we're here.
In this space, we’re gonna dive into the real, raw challenges of being a woman in the military who wants to keep our family first, or balancing our calling to motherhood with any other work God is calling us toward in our jobs or communities.
I’ll share tips on health & fitness through pregnancy & postpartum, practical strategies and Christ-centered approaches to balancing motherhood & work, and I’ll give encouragement in living our faith in everyday life as busy women who carry a lot, and do hard things.
I am so grateful to be able to share this hard, but beautiful & rewarding journey of motherhood and military life together.
RESOURCES:
Overcome the Overwhelm (FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
Renew Group Coaching Program + Community (my signature coaching experience for dream-chasing women who want to balance family + career with Christ at the center, overcome burnout & exhaustion while making the impact they're called to, pursue integrated health & be supported by a likeminded, growth-oriented community of women)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
BOOK A 1:1 COACHING CALL
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth)
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Instagram @armedtotheheart
megan@armedtotheheart.com
Thursday Sep 01, 2022
Thursday Sep 01, 2022
If your load feels heavy in this season, I see you. Whether you're in the military or beyond, we’re all here as busy women who carry a lot, and do hard things.
We're pouring ourselves out without end, giving our best in everything we do for our family, work, fitness, & more. We’re pulled in a million directions, always on duty, fighting invisible battles, & trying to hold it all together the best we can. We push through, but amidst all the demands in our lives we’re often weighed down by stress & guilt. No matter what, it’s hard to feel like we’re ever enough.
We long for more time for what matters most, and for more balance, joy, & freedom in our lives.
Welcome to Armed to the Heart. I’m Megan Gephart.
Learn more about what I believe about balancing motherhood, military life, and our dreams in this quick trailer episode.
Can't wait to build this community and see how God works through it.
RESOURCES:
Overcome the Overwhelm (FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
Renew Group Coaching Program + Community (my signature coaching experience for dream-chasing women who want to balance family + career with Christ at the center, overcome burnout & exhaustion while making the impact they're called to, pursue integrated health & be supported by a likeminded, growth-oriented community of women)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
BOOK A 1:1 COACHING CALL
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth)
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Instagram @armedtotheheart
megan@armedtotheheart.com