What does your childhood have to do with the way you age today? More than you might think!
In this episode of Girls Talk Healthy Aging, Alli and Shawna take a break from interviewing experts and turn the microphones on themselves as they kick off a fun, personal two-part series about their healthy aging journeys.
We're going decade by decade—from childhood through our 60s—looking at the experiences, choices, challenges, relationships, and pivotal moments that have shaped who we are today.
And we're starting at the beginning: childhood, our teen years, and our 20s.
You may know Alli as a fitness professional and Shawna as a trainer, Olympic weightlifting competitor, and someone who has navigated her own journey through aging and hip replacements. But were we always this focused on fitness and healthy aging? Not necessarily!
In this episode, we share stories about our childhood interests, hobbies, sports and activities, the people who influenced us, and the experiences that helped shape our relationship with movement and health.
Then we move into our teen years and 20s—the decades when interests evolved, life started moving faster, and we began laying the foundation for the people we would eventually become.
We talk about:
- The hobbies and activities we loved as kids—and how they influenced our lives today
- Whether we were actually "fit" as children or if that story is more complicated
- The role models and experiences that encouraged us to stay active
- Challenges we faced when it came to movement and fitness
- How our interests and priorities changed during our teenage years
- The pivotal moments that shaped our attitudes toward fitness
- Graduation, first jobs, and other major life changes in our 20s
- The biggest challenges we faced during our 20s
- How our values began to develop and influence our choices
- What we wish we could tell women in their 20s today
But perhaps the best part of this conversation is that we learned things about each other, too!
Even after doing a podcast together for over 3 years, there were stories and details that Alli and Shawna hadn't heard from one another. So if you've ever wondered what shaped the women behind Girls Talk Healthy Aging, this is your chance to get to know us a little better.
And there's a bigger lesson here: healthy aging doesn't begin when you turn 40, 50, or 60. It's a lifelong journey.The habits we develop, the experiences we have, and the way we learn to care for ourselves evolve throughout every decade.
This is Part 1 of our Healthy Aging Journey series, covering childhood, the teen years, and our 20s.
In Part 2, we'll continue through our 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s—and trust us, there are plenty more stories to tell!
Listen in, laugh with us, and get to know Alli and Shawna beyond the microphones.
Because healthy aging isn't about suddenly becoming a different person. It's about understanding where you've been, learning from every decade, and deciding how you want to move forward.
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🌐 Website: GirlsTalkHealthyAging.com
📧 Email: sapodcast23@gmail.com
Follow & Message Shawna on Instagram: @shawnakaminski
Grab Shawna's book 'Lose Your Menopause Belly' and other freebies here: https://shawnakworkouts.com
Follow & Message Alli on Facebook & Instagram: Alli Kerr and @allikerrfitness (respectively).
Train with Alli at The Pink Physique in person in Macon, Georgia or Online here: https://www.thepinkphysique.com
