Move it Mama - The Sparkle Pod

Hello pals - full disclosure before we hit record this time around we were two little flat pancakes so it might sound as though it takes us a bit to get excited. Not that any excitement is really that necessary as, if you're a regular sparkle pod listener, you'll know the drill - we get what we get around here. BUT - it's Leece's bodysuit cutting the vag story from a few months back that kicks things off - and while that story could sound kinda funny it really does just sound very painful. We were inspired to talk to this off the back of the 'going out top' era that we're still riding. Are we all still here? Sneakers or heels? It's so hard to decide lol. We move from here to Leece's new walking habit, what she's learning along the way and how she's feeling, and on top of that, what inspires and motivates us to workout on any given day. We touch on vloggers and kids on social media, kids and Snapchat, some Move it Mama app-chat (ahead of Leece's upcoming trip to CHCH to celebrate all things Move it Mama and the future of the same), and of course we finish with some Taylor Swift. Thank you for being here.

Leece starts the show by having a laugh with Michael McIntyre and has put the call out for recommendations on funny comedians to watch. We want to add to the list of those we need to laugh with - any ideas? It is interesting isn't it, how we can be very similar as people but also just not find the same comedians funny!? We're all wired differently in this life and it's likely just as well. From there Leece takes a bit of a deep dive into relationships and what it takes to put in the work. She opens up quite a bit on this topic and it does feel as though some of you will relate. After spinning that more serious chat we take to the hello disc, the lemon, Emma Watson on Jay Shetty, kids and school holidays and the game, Rekindle. Thanks for your downloads, listens, likes, messages, DMs and so on. Your support is everything.

Hello! Our apologies for being a day late to the podcast this week. We share quite a lot on this podcast (as you're aware), but after a pre-listen yesterday we became a little reluctant to share what we had recorded. As Leece goes on to say, this podcast is a fine balance of sharing what we want to share (and believing in the value of doing so), while also being mindful of those close to us, who might be impacted and so on. Hence, here we are for our second recording of the week while yesterdays episode remains unpublished. Don't worry - today's chat is very much of a similar vein. So, today we address the unpublished episode, revisit the lemon, talk about teens, rules, boundaries and social media (phones), making the decision to be childless and also what we feel is a bit of movement towards NOT conforming to societal norms, Leece's Conrad/Belly/Jere story (major lol), marriage and putting in the work, and answering a few questions from Leece's new therapist-gifted game, Rekindle. Love you for being here; always grateful. X

Hello! We had a few questions come through on our social media channels this week, so a lot of todays chat centres on these. But first, a little bit of an intro into Leece's rogue 'lemon' share on Instagram stories last week (IYKYK) and why Jess is currently suffering a niggly trifecta. We move on to answering your questions all about: Leece's upcoming vericose vein surgery, book recommendations when it comes to raising boys (as well as general recs), sunscreen and bikini recommendations, "WTF is for dinner" (we think this segment has legs), Nina's recent operation (adenoids surgery seems topical for many), and Leece also answers some questions about feelings of isolation and loneliness throughout Dan's illness. Jam packed today and a mixture of lols to borderline tears. We hope you enjoy. Thanks for being here, as ever.

Hello! A few days late but better late than never huh! We're a little short on sleep today and subsequently lack a little pizazz, but it's good to be back. In todays episode we have a few things to chat through, including societal expectations, our Sydney weekend highs and lows - (including the difficulty of returning home after such events) - and discussing drugs with your kids (when asked). We know everyone is different in this world and will be playing their cards in their own way, too. In the end we know we're all just doing the best we can by our kids and by goodness that can be a hard task. A little lacklustre on the energy today but we're hoping you still relate to some of our chat. As promised, we hope to be back brighter and bushier next week.

This episode has been a long, long time in the making. Natalia joined the Move it Mama team delivering workouts in around October 2024. You guys have LOVED her - just as we do, and exactly as we knew you would. Natalia brings a warmth and an energy to her workouts like no other, and we are so stoked she's now part of our team. We think you will love this episode - Natalia tells a great story. From life growing up in Christchurch, to settling down with her partner Booker and how they came to meet, travelling the world together through their years in the army, as well as working in Amsterdam, the scoby that started their kombucha business, being a mother to three and joining the Move it Mama team. There are some great little tales in here - also diving into the topic of life on social media and life as an army medic. We loved this chat - we hope you enjoy listening to this and getting to know Natalia a little more. Ka kite xx

Just so many epiphanies! We felt a little ripped for time today with a tight turnaround to get the pod done. Lucky for us we're recording again with a special guest tomorrow so more chat can be had haha. The morning coffee antics of the mother in law to Jess's matcha epiphany, current thoughts around life and living with physical limitations, parenting kids; in particular parenting each child differently based on the fact they're all different! To Love is Blind, thoughts around The Biggest Loser and the world we live in, reading books in accents and more. Love you guys. Waffle city - expect nothing less.

Hello! We have had many requests for team appearances on the podcast and tonight we deliver. Many of you will know Kirst and possibly workout with her every week. You may subsequently have watched from a distance as she and her family uplifted their lives in Auckland and relocated to Sydney earlier this year. You had questions (and so do we)! So in today's bonus episode, we sit down to talk to Kirst about all sorts - mostly about life in Australia and the details of the move, but also the usual waffle you've come to expect - initiating and lingerie, her running skills (that are super f**king annoying), with a recap of the half marathon she completed on Sunday, stories of Pippa the cat, struggles that come with kids and more. We've known Kirst for many years since she first moved from South Africa to NZ as a young girl and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. If you haven't worked out with Kirst yet, you'll find her on our LIVE timetable every week on a Wednesday (HIIT) and Saturday (Hybrid35). Love you KK Gordy.

Sorry, mum. Admittedly the first part of this is quite shambolic. We've figured it out though. Leece asks the questions that Jess doesn't reeeeally have the answers to, and so what then happens is you listen to inaccurate information (LOL). We do our best don't we and as we say, we play to our strengths. Chatting WAFFLE is one of them - perhaps less so is chatting actual FACTS. On conclusion of the episode we establish that our thoughts are not in fact, facts, and I mean, that certainly sums it up. From Sinagpore to Bali and some disgraceful geographical knowledge, to schooling woes, erotic literature, The Biggest Loser, Serena Williams and Ricky Gervais - we've hit the waffle train hard today and eventually conclude that collectively, we're one Big Giant Red Flag. Sorry about that - we hope you'll stick around.

Hello pals! A little here, there and everywhere today. To begin todays episode Leece reads out a DM about the podcast - honestly feedback just means so much to us (not just positive feedback either we promise lol). It's SO cool to hear from our listeners and know how much you enjoy tuning in each week, so thank you. As we discuss, the podcast has evolved somewhat in the last 18 months and although it's changed, you're still here and in fact more and more of you are here with every passing week. We're so grateful. Today we flit and float between phone addiction and phone habits, life being hard and how we cope, boyfriends past, a long-winded Disney on Ice tale, Taylor Swift mania and deep heat in the vaginal area. We hope you enjoy the catch up. Therepeutic for us - hoping not too dissimilar for you? All our love xo

Hello friends, your top 5, chart topping health and fitness podcast is back for another week (lol). The Sparkle Pod, a hugely informative resource across the essential and key current affairs, such as, the only (right) way to have your coffee. delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMs) and how to get your a into g when it comes to exercise (spoiler - there is no easy answer). Jokes aside, we received a lovely email from a long-standing member who isn't regularly exercising. The enquiry prompted us to open up the chat about getting started with regular exercise. We hope our answer - though direct and potentially hard to hear - could inspire you. We say it gently; you are worth looking after and regular exercise is pretty essential to your health. On this, you're welcome to DM us anytime if you think we can help you at all. What else do we talk about today? Sore muscles, breakfast and coffee etiquette, laser eye surgery, Tom Dick & Harry, and a few book/show recommendations. Time flies when you're having fun (and your lives are perfect).

Hello! We're trying something a little different today and in doing so, manifest a perfect life lol. We feel we've done nothing other than moan on here of late so made an off the cuff effort to flip the script - we think we did a pretty good job! In today's episode we mull over a bit of everything - for a start about our lives being *perfect*, then onto coffee and all its conundrums, until Jess poses a question on teacher etiquette. This leads into some more chat around our kids and current tribulations, perspective when it comes to finding life hard, Dans health and alcohol when it comes to our teens. We finish with some praise to the MIM team because #greatmems, and a little bit of book chat. Thanks so much for your DMs and messages, whether off the back of the podcast, workouts or whatever - we love it and value it so much. Thanks for being here.

A few mic issues at the start of this one, but don't let that put you off - it's just a few minutes of Leece sounding as though she's talking through a drain pipe, but it's short lived. In other news: DOESN'T TIME JUST GO SO FAST?! We know we bang on about it all the bloody time but seriously, as you get older, how quickly does life go?! Wild. We're otherwise straight into a big old debrief today - we start with how Leece has been feeling in which she opens up quite a bit - and gets quite vulnerable - on the assumption this is a safe space. Leading into her trip to NZ she wasn't feeling good at all, but over the last few days and since that trip, things are OK. Ultimately this episode is one big story about our time together in Christchurch - Leece and what she did, what we did together as a team and some funny little snippets along the way. Thanks for asking us questions and guiding us with this one and thank you for sharing in our ebbs and flows.

Welcome to the Move it Mama podcast, aka Our Therapy Pod. We very much look forward to our Monday debrief covering all things that spring to mind, and after the weeks that pass, we always feel in need of the solid vent. In today's episode, true to form, we're here there and everywhere. We talk about the weekend that was, therapy and having feelings validated (love this for us), two kids being a walk in the park (according to Lisa only) laser hair removal and thoughts on hair, a LONG AWAITED KEEP CUP UPDATE (lol), an impending trip to Christchurch AND MORE. Leece rattles off some decent book and recipe chat at the end there; you might want to make notes. We love you guys. Thanks for being here.

From chicken breast vs chicken thighs, the challenges of kids and life just all 'round being hard - we're back. It's a tough ass world out there at the minute - for a lot of people - and we're feeling it today. Despite the semi-negativity we might have projected in this episode, we're very excited to be back to our very therapeutic waffle of a podcast. Despite our moaning, please know we're so grateful to you, our community, for your DMs, silent (or loud) support, camaraderie and engagement (in case this isn't obvious). We're a little all over the shop today - what's new - but we're talking our recent challenges with the kids, the way they can change, the sometimes monotonous nature of life, comparison is the thief of joy and so on. A reminder that we never know what's going on and that's why we always bang on about kindness. Thank you for being here - it's great to be back after our unintentional pod hiatus.

Whenever or if ever Leece mentions being sober/giving up alcohol, she is sent a message of some sort. It's typically something like "gosh you're inspiring - the way you have done this - I'd love to", or "I'm what you call 'sober curious', but I don't know how to do it", and these messages often come with a variety of questions. Last week, Leece was sent one message in particular that held quite a few questions, and we decided it might be useful to approach it in its own podcast episode. So while Leece attempts to talk to these questions, you can choose whether to listen, and that is to say that this chat has the potential to be triggering to some, so please listen only if you're interested or intrigued. To begin the podcast, Leece gives a bit of context as to how this conversation has come about, some background into how she drank before, and then we roll into answering the questions. We talk about whether not drinking has influenced her relationships (and how), grieving the 'party girl', stopping 'forever' or rather with the approach of 'seeing how it goes', whether social occasions and events are less fun, and generally how she feels she is accepted socially, as a non-drinker. It's a huuuuuuge topic, and please know we're talking to this in a bid to answer many questions for those we know are interested - and without judgement. Thank you to this beautiful woman for her message that opened up this chat, and for her vulnerability in doing so. Love x

Hello! Kelly (Founder of Augustine by Kelly Coe) has been listening to the podcast and we decided she should join us for our weekly waffle pod Monday. We think she does what you guys do which is yell and curse and agree and disagree with us from your own abodes, so here she is to make us shook. FUN!! We offer basically zero business chat today - as perhaps you'd expect with our special guest - but instead we're covering off super important topics such as (but not limited to) - other podcast and book recommendations, LIVE music, sport, holidays and events, AI and so on. Leece talks a bit about Dan after an all round positive weekend in the Fong household, and off the back of that we ensue normal programming - AKA waffle. What fun to have Kelly join us on the mic - we hope you enjoy the chat xx (hat selfies coming in hot soon lol)

Everyone has a story - we hear this everywhere. We're reminded with emotional Instagram posts and the constant stream of such themes, really across all social media platforms. We're reminded not to judge, because everyone has a story. Although we're reminded every day it can sometimes be easy to fall into the trap of thinking other people lead perfect lives. Social media being one end of the spectrum of this and on the other hand, the made up stories and plots we read about in novels. Do we need to be more mindful about what we consume across the board? It feels that way. That being said, this is a reminder that all of us have our sh*t - however we present on the surface, there's always more to the story (all of this to preface another moaning rendition of the sparkle pod lol). From accepting ourselves as we age, insecurities, erotic fiction and some subsequent book recommendations, feeling like 'the only girl in the world' in the club (are we the only ones?), the Gold Coast weekend round up, kids, gifts, birthdays and so on. And if any of you have any life changing g string suggestions, you know where to find us.

Leece is short on sleep but we're both quite happy to be house bound to the microphones today, to debrief the weekends antics. Excuse the fact Jess's mic isn't on for the first little bit but we rectify that. From the prospect of burnout and how to avoid it (tips welcome) to kids sending us mad, the relentless of kids sport, full weekends and other such chat. Jess is tired of clumsy kids who bite their fingers and Leece is busy taking toasted sandwich orders and breaking up headlocks. We moan a lot while on this tangent but we're sure you're used to that. Jess went to Hayley Sproull who we can thank for a funny story share, and we finish with a sparkle spreader of course, for the most part dedicated to you, our amazing, beautiful community that we're so happy and grateful to have. Dan made Leece a coffee once we got off the pod FYI. Hero.

Here there and everywhere on this Kings Birthday Monday - welcome back to your sparkly (ish) poddy. Literally a second before we hit record we said, "have you got anything to talk about" - and while the collective answer was no, here we are hehe. Accents and names, ants in the house, the weekends events, Leece and her official love status on Marley (Nana's dog), ballet flats, overanalysing all conversations and naturally, a segment on kids. We also spend the back half reflecting on Dan a bit and talking about the current little wins. Also, on the topic of kids and struggling to fall asleep, we're open to strategies, so send them in. See you next week, xx