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Copyright © 2025 Fit Life with Carrie Holland, MD
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This podcast helps smart, busy women like you build a strong body AND a strong mind by leveraging the power of three essential habits: Eating, Moving, and most importantly, Thinking.
Join me. I'm Carrie Holland, a family physician, certified personal trainer, certified health coach, and certified life coach. Each week, I'll share tools and concepts to help you optimize both your habits and your mindset. My goal is to help you be strong – inside and out.
I take the science (which is plentiful and often confusing) and pare it down to give you what you need to know in order to build muscle, lose fat, exercise, eat healthy, and more. No big words or doctor-speak; I keep fitness simple.
Beyond that, we're going to uplevel your mindset so that changing your lifestyle is possible. Often, you know what you need to do, but you're not doing it – I've got you covered. While I want you to have a strong body, your mindset matters most. If obstacles like perfectionism, all-or-nothing thinking, lack of self-confidence, or being too busy are getting in the way of you taking action, let's fix that. Because when you take care of yourself – mentally and physically – everyone around you wins. Especially you.
Come hang out for the fitness advice. Stay for the guidance that will help you change the way you think.
Because strength starts from within. Welcome to the Strong Is a Mindset podcast.
Learn more at carriehollandmd.com.
Join me. I'm Carrie Holland, a family physician, certified personal trainer, certified health coach, and certified life coach. Each week, I'll share tools and concepts to help you optimize both your habits and your mindset. My goal is to help you be strong – inside and out.
I take the science (which is plentiful and often confusing) and pare it down to give you what you need to know in order to build muscle, lose fat, exercise, eat healthy, and more. No big words or doctor-speak; I keep fitness simple.
Beyond that, we're going to uplevel your mindset so that changing your lifestyle is possible. Often, you know what you need to do, but you're not doing it – I've got you covered. While I want you to have a strong body, your mindset matters most. If obstacles like perfectionism, all-or-nothing thinking, lack of self-confidence, or being too busy are getting in the way of you taking action, let's fix that. Because when you take care of yourself – mentally and physically – everyone around you wins. Especially you.
Come hang out for the fitness advice. Stay for the guidance that will help you change the way you think.
Because strength starts from within. Welcome to the Strong Is a Mindset podcast.
Learn more at carriehollandmd.com.
192 Episodes
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Have you ever found yourself thinking, "I just need a jumpstart," or "If the scale would move, I'd feel more motivated"? On the surface, that sounds completely reasonable. Of course you want to see that your effort is working. But most of the time, there's something deeper happening underneath that thought. In this episode, I unpack what "I just need to see results" usually really means in weight loss. I show you how to stay steady when things feel uncertain, and build something that actually holds up when real life shows up. Tune in this week to learn how to shift from chasing early wins to building real self-trust. I walk you through the difference between outcome-based motivation and follow-through-based confidence, why so many people abandon plans not because they failed, but because the reassurance faded, and how redefining what counts as progress can change your entire experience with weight loss. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/191 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Being hard on yourself probably worked at some point in your life. It helped you perform, push through, and get results. But if that same pressure now feels exhausting, heavy, or like it's quietly working against you, this episode is for you. In this episode, I unpack the quieter, socially rewarded version of being hard on yourself; the kind that looks like discipline, high standards, and responsibility. You'll hear why this approach works for a long time, why it starts to feel so heavy as life gets fuller, and why questioning it can feel unsettling. Tune in this week to hear why being hard on yourself isn't working anymore, and the fear so many high-achieving women experience around letting go of the pressure they're used to. You'll also learn what self-compassion actually looks like in real life, why it's not the opposite of discipline, and how it helps you stay engaged instead of burning out or shutting down. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/190 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Have you ever thought, "I know what to do… so why does this still feel hard?" In this episode, I'm talking about that uncomfortable middle space where progress feels slow, quiet, and honestly, a little underwhelming. The phase where nothing dramatic is happening, there's no clear payoff yet, and it's tempting to assume that what you're doing isn't really working. Instead of another episode about what to do or how to do it better, I slow things down and talk about what sits underneath real, lasting progress. Join me to learn why sustainable progress rarely comes from perfect plans or big overhauls, why the gap between knowing and doing is where so many people get stuck or start doubting themselves, and what it actually takes to keep going when there's no immediate feedback telling you that you're on the right track. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/189 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Have you ever started a clean eating plan that felt amazing at first, only to watch it completely unravel when life got stressful? For a lot of women, clean eating works… until it doesn't. And when it stops working, it usually has less to do with food than you think. In this episode, I break apart something that comes up constantly with clients and gets oversimplified in the nutrition world: the pattern of clean eating that starts out feeling stabilizing, then slowly becomes something fragile that takes a lot more effort to maintain. Tune in this week to learn how to recognize the clean eating cycle that keeps so many women stuck. You'll hear why food rules feel comforting when life is messy (and why that's a problem), and what sustainable eating actually looks like. If you've ever felt like clean eating started out supportive but ended up holding you down, this episode will help you understand why and what to do about it. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/188 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Have you ever noticed how some days, food just takes up way too much mental space? You're eating your meals, trying to make good choices, but your brain keeps coming back to food. You're bargaining with yourself, negotiating what you can have later, or replaying what you already ate. For most women, when food feels loud, the instinct is to clamp down harder, add more rules, or try to white-knuckle through with willpower. But that tightening and overcorrecting doesn't work. What actually quiets things down is steadiness. And one of the most effective, underutilized ways to create that day-to-day steadiness in your nutrition is protein. Join me this week to learn why eating feels harder than it should, and how one simple nutritional shift can create more steadiness in your eating. I'll also show you how to use protein as a support strategy instead of another rule to micromanage, and what it looks like when protein is actually working in your life. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/187 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
It's January, which means you're probably thinking about your diet. Maybe you've calculated your macros, set your eating window, or created a list of food rules to follow. But here's what happens every year: Work gets busy. Kids' sports ramp up. Life gets messy. And suddenly that "perfect" plan feels impossible to maintain. The truth is, you don't need a better nutrition plan. You just need one that works on your best days and your worst days. Join me this week as I break down why so many January diet attempts fail by February and offer a completely different approach to changing how you eat. You'll discover the three nutrition basics that create real stability, and how, once you nail these basics, consistency stops feeling like something you have to fight for every single day. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/186 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Most of us walk into January with big plans and even bigger expectations. But by the time real life kicks back in - the emails, the schedules, the kids' activities - those shiny new goals start feeling a lot less manageable than they did on January 1st. This week, we're talking about the only three things you actually need to change your life in 2026. Not 12 resolutions, not a complete life overhaul. Just three non-negotiables that will make this the year you actually follow through. Join me on this episode as I share a different approach to creating lasting change that doesn't rely on willpower or perfect circumstances. You'll discover why the January overhaul approach sets you up to fail, and how to create habits that work even when you're tired, stressed, or overwhelmed. You'll learn specific strategies for each non-negotiable that you can implement immediately, plus a simple follow-through system that keeps you consistent all year long. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/185 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
As another year comes to a close, it's easy to jump straight into planning what you'll do differently next time. But what about all the lessons you've already learned? What about the moments that shifted your thinking, the habits that actually stuck, and the mindset work that made a real difference in how you showed up for yourself? In this episode, I'm sharing a best-of collection from the Strong Is a Mindset podcast. I've pulled together the most powerful moments from this past year: the ones you shared, replayed, and messaged me about because they stuck with you. We've covered a lot of ground together this year, so let's look back at what is possible when you keep showing up for yourself, one thought, one choice, and one habit at a time. Listen in this week to hear nuggets of wisdom on everything from breaking habits to rethinking overachieving to keeping it all together when life gets messy. You'll be reminded of strategies for handling the little things that derail progress, why white-knuckling through challenges is actually a sign something's off, and how the work you do on your mind isn't separate from the work you do on your body. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/184 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Are you hiding in the bathroom right now, taking a break from the holiday chaos? If you are, I get it. This time of year has a way of turning even the most organized person into an overwhelmed, overfunctioning machine. You're trying to keep all the traditions alive, cook the perfect meals, buy thoughtful gifts for everyone, manage everyone's emotions, and somehow make it all look effortless. So, if the holidays feel more exhausting than they do magical, you're in the right place. Join me this week as I explore why we turn this season into a performance instead of a time to actually enjoy ourselves, and how to stop overcomplicating the holidays. You'll discover why doing more doesn't create more meaning, the deeper emotions that often hide underneath all the overdoing, and how to let the holidays be exactly what they are - nothing more, nothing less. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/183 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Have you ever given up on yourself before you even tried? That quiet moment where you think, "I already know how this is going to go"? Maybe it's about that workout you planned, the healthy lunch you packed, or the boundary you intended to set. The truth is, you're not failing in the moment. You're giving up before you even get there. I call this "pre-resignation," and once you see it, you can't unsee it. Tune in this week to discover why pre-resignation happens, and why it feels like truth instead of a choice. You'll learn why your protective self is faster than your growth-focused self, and how to recognize which version of you is making your decisions. Most importantly, you'll walk away with a simple but powerful way to interrupt this cycle and stop giving up before you even start. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/182 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
What if December overwhelm isn't about your lack of discipline, but about carrying too much? If you're feeling like time is speeding up while the pressure to do more keeps rising, you're not alone. In this episode, I'm addressing the reality of how heavy this season gets when you're taking your already busy life and adding all the holiday hoopla on top of it. Here's what I want you to hear loud and clear: there's nothing wrong with you if you feel strain at this time of year. Listen in this week to learn practical ways to pull yourself out of the holiday stress cycle without adding another project to your plate. You'll hear why that familiar frantic spinning happens every December, and how to recognize when you're hitting your limit before you reach the breaking point. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/181 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
The week after Thanksgiving can feel like a blur. You're still full from turkey and pie, your schedule feels off, and suddenly December is staring you in the face with its holiday parties, school concerts, and cookies everywhere you turn. This week, I'm addressing that familiar temptation to throw up your hands and decide to "just deal with it in January." If you, like so many other women, believe that December has to be a throwaway month where all your hard-earned habits go out the window, this episode is for you. Join me on this episode to discover why so many women slip into resignation mode when December rolls around, and how the real culprit isn't your busy schedule or endless food. You'll hear how to build small but significant practices that keep you grounded even when your routine looks different, and why who you choose to be in December shapes your experience and determines whether you end the year feeling steady or depleted. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/180 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Do you ever walk into a family gathering feeling confident and capable, only to find yourself 30 minutes later scrubbing dishes to avoid conversation or saying yes to things you don't want to do? In this episode, I'm addressing something that affects every single one of us during the holidays but that we usually don't name - the version of you that shows up when you're back in an old environment. You walk into your childhood home or your in-laws' house, and suddenly you're not the confident adult you've become. You're slipping back into old roles you thought you'd outgrown, whether that's the helper, the peacekeeper, or the one who cleans up to avoid vulnerable conversations. Join me this week to discover why your brain defaults to these old patterns, how your primitive brain's need for safety drives you back into outdated roles, and most importantly, how to bring the present version of yourself to the table. You'll learn practical tools for staying grounded when everything around you is pulling you back into who you used to be, so you can leave holiday gatherings feeling steady and proud instead of depleted. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/179 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
So you've done all the mindset work: read the books, listened to the podcasts, practiced the tools… only to find yourself slipping back into old patterns. Maybe it's a critical voice that resurfaces during stress, or that familiar spiral of negative thinking that you thought you'd conquered. If this sounds like you, I have good news: you're not failing when old thoughts show up. The truth is, progress in mindset work looks different than we expect. Tune in this week to learn why your old thought patterns keep showing up and what to do when they do. You'll hear why the goal isn't to eliminate all negative thoughts, why progress in mindset work is far more subtle than you might expect, and simple tools I use to catch myself before spiraling out. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/178 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Have you ever noticed how we willingly sign up for a very specific type of pain, when in general, pain is the very thing we spend our lives trying to avoid? We crawl out of warm beds to lift heavy things. We run until our lungs burn. We push ourselves to the point of exhaustion. And we do it on purpose. This willingness to choose pain on purpose is one of the greatest lessons that exercise can teach us, and it got me thinking about the profound lessons hidden in our choice to embrace physical discomfort. Listen in this week to hear how every rep, every mile, and every bead of sweat is teaching you something beyond fitness. You'll discover why willingly walking into discomfort changes your brain's relationship with pain, how physical challenges teach you to handle emotional challenges, and what your workout habits reveal about how you handle challenges everywhere else in your life. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/177 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
What if that moment your brain starts screaming "This is too hard" when you're trying to change a habit isn't failure? What if it's actually the exact moment where real change happens? Most people walk away at this point, convinced they need a better plan or more willpower, but they're missing the crucial piece that makes habit change actually stick. While everyone gets laser-focused on perfect macro splits, new tracking apps, and detailed meal prep systems, they're overlooking what really matters: how you think when things get uncomfortable. Tune in this week to learn why habit change requires both a solid strategy and the mindset to stick with it when your brain inevitably freaks out. You'll hear why your plan is useless if your brain isn't on board when discomfort hits, how the right thinking gives you staying power, and why you need willingness, not willpower. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/176 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
You start a new workout program with all the excitement in the world. The spreadsheet is color-coded, your meal prep containers are lined up perfectly, and you've got that brand new notebook with matching pens ready to track every detail. For those first few weeks, you're unstoppable. Checking boxes, hitting targets, feeling like you've finally cracked the code. Then something shifts. The salads taste boring, your fancy notebook sits unopened, and you're already negotiating with yourself about tomorrow's workout. This isn't a moral failing or a lack of willpower - it's your brain chemistry at work. Tune in this week to learn how dopamine affects your motivation and why it's working against you. I break down why your brain loves starting but hates maintaining, how to find satisfaction in the "boring" habits that actually change your life, and simple strategies to retrain your brain for long-term success. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/175 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Pushing harder isn't working. Despite your best efforts, you're still stuck in the same patterns: starting strong then quitting, living in extremes, or running yourself into the ground. If you've ever waited for the "perfect time" to start something, thrown in the towel after one slip-up, or pushed yourself to exhaustion because "that's just what it takes," this episode is for you. The belief that more effort equals better results keeps you trapped in cycles that leave you exhausted and frustrated. Most high achievers live by this belief, nodding knowingly when they hear it out loud, yet continuing to grind away hoping things will finally fall into place. Listen in this week to hear the three biggest traps that are currently keeping you stuck. You'll learn how each trap operates differently, and you'll gain practical tools to recognize these patterns and choose different ways of thinking that actually move you forward instead of keeping you spinning in the same exhausting loops. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/174 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
Most people carry around a mental scorecard of their failed attempts. Every diet that fell apart, every workout routine that fizzled out, every promise to stop snacking that ended with your hand in the chip bag - they all stack up as evidence that maybe you're just not cut out for lasting change. Your brain uses this track record like a crystal ball, predicting that your next attempt will end the same way. And when you're stuck in that loop of trying and failing, it becomes harder to trust yourself each time you want to try again. The real challenge with habit change isn't finding the perfect program or the right motivation. It's believing you can actually stick with it when your history says otherwise. Join me this week to discover how to stack small wins, expect discomfort, and keep moving forward even when belief feels far away. If you're tired of starting over and ready to build lasting habits (even if you don't fully believe you can yet), this episode is for you. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/173 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
When life gets overwhelming, there's a natural human tendency to look around and wait for someone to fix it. But that waiting becomes a trap - a comfortable but suffocating space where you convince yourself that your circumstances will magically improve. And while you wait, the years slip by and nothing changes. Join me this week as I share seven words from David Goggins' book Can't Hurt Me that completely shifted my perspective. You'll discover practical ways to stop making excuses, own your choices, and focus on solutions instead of living in your problems. Most importantly, you'll understand why taking control of your life - even when it's messy and imperfect - is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/172 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/carriehollandmd https://www.instagram.com/carriehollandmd/
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