Body Empowerment with Jody

This was me. 39 weeks pregnant...

I was carrying an extra 20kg, my pelvis was incredibly painful, I was swollen from head to toe, and the only time I felt comfortable was with my feet up.

After a 24-hour induced labour, I was being prepared for an emergency caesarean.

Instead, my little man arrived with the help of a vacuum and an episiotomy.

At the time, I was just grateful he was healthy.

What I didn’t realise was that birth can leave lasting impacts on a mother’s body too.

Years later, I learned that assisted vaginal births can increase the risk of pelvic floor injuries, pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.

Unfortunately, those became part of my story.

No one told me what to look out for.

No one suggested seeing a women’s health physiotherapist after birth to assess my recovery.

I simply thought what I was experiencing was normal.

Then my second baby arrived in an unexpected home birth, with my husband delivering our daughter before help arrived.

Again, we were just grateful she was safe.

We were offered counselling but because we thought we were okay, we declined.

Looking back, I can see that birth affected us both more than we realised.

That experience shaped our mental and emotional wellbeing and, over time, our marriage.

For years, I suffered in silence.

Today, that journey is one of the reasons I’m so passionate about supporting women.

Because postpartum care shouldn’t end when you leave the hospital, especially when 1 in 3 Australian women describe their birth as traumatic, and the impacts are often immense, long-lasting and widely felt.

Every woman deserves to understand her body, know what support is available, and feel empowered to ask for help.

No woman should have to suffer in silence. 🧡

I spend a lot of time listening to podcasts while I’m walking, driving or doing things around the house.

They’re one of my favourite ways to keep learning from experts and staying inspired.

Here are five that I come back to time and time again:

🎙️ The Body Pod

I’ve followed Hailey Babcock’s strength programs since returning to the gym almost two years ago when I recommitted to my own health journey.

The podcast shares practical, science-backed conversations around strength training, hormones, menopause and thriving through midlife.

🎙️ Stronger Bolder Wiser with Sarah Rusbatch.

Sarah has been a huge influence on my life over the past five years. I first discovered her through her alcohol-free challenges, and her work has helped me grow in so many ways. Her podcast covers everything from hormones and gut health to identity, menopause and alcohol-free living with honesty and compassion.

🎙️ The Mel Robbins Podcast

I’ve been following Mel since The 5 Second Rule, and I still learn something from every episode. Practical tools, mindset shifts and conversations that genuinely help you create positive change.

🎙️ Healing with Dr Helena

I discovered Dr Helena through Sarah’s programs and have been fascinated ever since. She shares an incredible wealth of knowledge about brain health, healing and healthy ageing, while challenging many of the beliefs we’ve accepted about disease and wellbeing.

🎙️ High Performance Health with Angela Foster

Angela’s story of rebuilding her life after burnout, postnatal depression and serious illness really resonated with me.

Her conversations with world-leading experts on nutrition, longevity, female health and performance are always insightful.

There are so many incredible podcasts available today, and these are just a few of my favourites.

Learning from experts has played a huge role in my own journey of rebuilding my health, strength and mindset—and I love sharing the resources that have helped me along the way.

✨ What podcast do you never miss? I’d love some new recommendations! 👇

There comes a point where you realise you’ve become so busy surviving that you’ve forgotten what you’re actually capable of creating.

That was me.

Many of you know me as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and Women’s Health Coach. Helping women build strength, confidence and better health has always been more than my career—it’s part of who I am.

Then life happened.
Divorce.
Single motherhood.
Financial pressure.
Burnout.

Like so many women, I put my dreams on hold because security had to come first.

Today I work in workplace rehabilitation, and I’m grateful for the people I help every day. But I’ve always known I was meant to build something of my own.

Over the past few years I’ve been searching for a way to create more freedom for my family without compromising my values.

Then someone I’ve admired for years reached out again.

And, as my children reached 11 and 14, I realised I don’t want to look back and wonder where those years went. I want the freedom to be more present while they’re still young enough to want me around.

It became clear.

I don’t want to spend the next decade waiting for “one day.”

I want more choices.
More time with my children.
More freedom to help women while creating a life that’s aligned with my values.

So today I’m excited to share that I’m beginning a brand-new chapter alongside my women’s health coaching with an incredible community of entrepreneurs and mentors.

Not because it’s easy. Because it’s worth building.

One of the biggest reasons I said yes?

The people.

I’m surrounded by mentors and a community who genuinely want to see others succeed. And if you choose to explore this journey, you’ll never be doing it alone.

✨If you’re a woman over 35 who’s craving better health, more freedom or simply more choice in your future, I’d love to share what I’ve found.

✨ If this resonates with you, DM me “WEBINAR” which breaks down everything.

Here’s to choosing courage over comfort and creating freedom in every area of your life!

For years I’ve known I was meant to build something that gave me more freedom, more purpose and more choice.

Life had other plans for a while.

Divorce.
Single motherhood.
Financial pressure.
Burnout.
Learning how to rebuild from the ground up.

Those seasons taught me more than I ever expected, but they also reminded me of something I’d almost forgotten...

I wasn’t created to simply survive.

I’ve been working on something that feels deeply aligned with who I am and the future I want to create for my family and for women like me —and I finally get to share it this week.

I honestly can’t wait!

Stay tuned 🧡

When I stepped away from my business a couple of years ago, I was burnt out.

I was navigating perimenopause, relationship stresses and family pressures. I was exhausted and I honestly felt like I’d lost myself.

Like so many women, I thought the answer was to push harder.
Train harder.
Eat less.
Have more willpower.

But my body wasn’t asking me to do more.
It was asking me to do things differently.

So I stopped chasing skinny...
..and I started chasing strength.

I committed to strength training, nourishing my body with protein, fibre and whole foods, protecting my sleep, healing my nervous system, and moving every day in ways that made me feel good—not punished.

But the biggest change wasn’t my workouts or my nutrition.

It was learning to listen to my body instead of fighting it.

Some days it needs strength.
Some days it needs rest.
Some days it simply needs kindness.

I’m still learning. I don’t always get it right. But every time I choose to listen instead of push through, it gets a little easier.

If you’re a woman over 35 who’s exhausted from trying to do everything “right” but still doesn’t feel like yourself...

Maybe your body isn’t working against you.

Maybe it’s been trying to tell you what it needs all along. 🧡

✨ It’s time to reintroduce myself...

Hi, I’m Jody.
I’m a mum to two incredible humans who are my biggest reason for getting back up, even on the hardest days.

A few years ago, life looked very different.
After four incredibly difficult years, burnout, navigating perimenopause and feeling like my body was no longer responding the way it used to, I completely lost my spark.

I was exhausted.
Physically.
Emotionally.
Mentally.

So I made one of the hardest decisions of my life. I stepped away from the business I’d poured my heart into and chose to focus on healing myself and being present for my family.

During that time, I realised something so many women over 35 are discovering...

What worked in our 20s and 30s doesn’t always work anymore.

I had to stop fighting my body and start learning how to support it.

Slowly, I rebuilt my strength, my health and my confidence.

But I also realised something else...
Life isn’t just about surviving.

It’s about having the energy to laugh with your kids.
The confidence to back yourself.
The freedom to say yes to adventures.
The health to actually enjoy the life you’re working so hard to create.

That’s why I’m here.

Not to help women chase the body they had at 25.

But to help women over 35 build a body, and a life, that feels strong, energised and full of possibility.

If you’ve been putting yourself last...
If you’ve forgotten what it feels like to have energy...
If you’re ready to stop surviving and start living...
You’re in the right place.

I’m so grateful you’re here, and I can’t wait to walk this journey with you. 🧡

What’s the difference between a personal trainer, an exercise physiologist and a physiotherapist? Aren’t the all the same? 🤷‍♀️

Well, the short answer is NO!

As an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) certified by Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA), I'm here to provide personalised, safe, and effective exercise interventions & lifestyle coaching.

But you might be wondering, what exactly is an Exercise Physiologist?

According to ESSA, AEPs are highly qualified allied health professionals armed with the knowledge, skills, & competencies to design, deliver, and assess safe and effective exercise interventions. We specialise in assisting individuals with acute, sub-acute, or chronic medical conditions, injuries, or disabilities.

Our primary goal as AEPs is to leverage exercise as a powerful tool for preventing and managing chronic diseases, injuries, and disabilities.

BUT, how does an Accredited Exercise Physiologist differ from other professionals like physiotherapists or personal trainers?

👉 Physiotherapists: They're also university qualified & proficient in assessing, diagnosing, & managing a wide range of injuries, chronic conditions, & disabilities. While some physiotherapists may have exercise science knowledge, their primary focus isn't exercise prescription.

👉 Personal Trainers: Typically, personal trainers hold a Certificate III or Certificate IV in Fitness & primarily work with 'healthy individuals' looking to enhance their general health and fitness. They are not focused on clinical treatment for medical conditions or injuries.

When you engage with an Accredited Exercise Physiologist you can trust that your exercise program will be meticulously tailored to your fitness level, needs and ability.

And, when you work with a Women's Health Exercise Physiologist, who also has the skills and qualifications of a personal trainer, you will be expertly support you with an women's health injuries or conditions that you may have, while also reaping the benefits of a skilled exercise professional who will help you with your fitness and lifestyle goals. 💪