Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: WVUA FM, Tuscaloosa.
Happy Sunday, y'all. You are listening to fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika.
I don't know why I'm saying that. So excited to leave. Probably because of the fact that, for one, we took a hiatus during the fall and we're back now. But two, I do have a new co host, Ms. Nika Morgan. Nika, hello. Hello.
[00:00:28] Speaker B: I am so excited to be here. Can I just tell you, I've been waiting to get here and take Whitney's spot, but I'm kind of sad about it because those are big shoes to feel. But I'm so excited that I've been asked to be the co host.
[00:00:43] Speaker A: I'm so, you know, I mean, honestly, you're an OG. You are a frequent guest, so it just seemed like a natural fit. And also, you're a bestie of both Whitney and myself, so it seemed to work out really, really well. And for those of you who are new to the show, I do want to let you know what fit to be tide is all about. So you may be doing your Sunday drive this afternoon, and you're like, hold up. I did not listen to fit to be tied in the fall. What is this all about? And so what we love to share is the fact that this is a show dedicated to health and wellness topics. We like to bring guests from different areas of campus. We like to bring folks from the Tuscaloosa community, our students, faculty, staff, and really talk about all of our dimensions of wellness. I know, Nika, as a certified health education specialist, you have a breadth of knowledge when it comes to health and wellness, as well as being a personal trainer and having that certification myself. I'm in the dietetics world, so I bring that nutrition piece. I feel like it's just very well rounded.
[00:01:46] Speaker B: Yes. I'm so excited. I'm a health nerd, and I love it and I love talking about it, and I love preventive health. And so I'm excited for this season and to help our listeners be their best healthy versions of themselves.
[00:02:02] Speaker A: Well, I will know. And it was funny because I was texting with Whitney before the show today. I was just giving her a heads up, like, hey, it's going to be my first recording with Nika. I'm so excited. But because of your background, Nika, you know how to really turn it on. As far as that professional voice, and you've been on the show before. Whitney and I are a little bit more rough around the edges, and so I'm very scared that a lot of my impromptu verbal diarrhea, for lack of better, just. I'm like, I really hope it marries well with Nika's professionalism, so I'm just.
[00:02:39] Speaker B: Going to go ahead. Very kind. Because I just said before we recorded that I have the accent of cornbread made with buttermilk, which all southerners know is most southern thing that you can have. My grandfather used to take his cornbread and put it down in a cup of buttermilk, and that was his snack before bed. And that's just north Alabama country right there. And that's my. Well, thank you for the professional.
[00:03:05] Speaker A: Despite being Filipino, I'm north Alabama country as well. We just learned that our producer, Ethan, is from the Huntsville area, so he knows what's up.
We'll give it a shout out as an aside, to our producer, Ethan, for just helping us with everything. But. No, but this semester is going to be really great. We're already in 2024. I feel very strange about that.
[00:03:29] Speaker B: We are entering our 7th month of January, because January feels like it has 210 days in it.
[00:03:37] Speaker A: Yes.
Usually during this portion of the show, when we kind of start things out before we get to business, we talk about really random things.
[00:03:47] Speaker B: Right.
[00:03:48] Speaker A: And so I am curious, do you follow football? Do you follow Taylor Swift? What are your thoughts on. Just. I have to ask you before I reveal any of my thoughts.
[00:04:00] Speaker B: I don't, but my daughter does, so I pick things up through what she tells. Okay, so Taylor was at the game.
[00:04:08] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:04:09] Speaker B: Taylor goes to the.
[00:04:10] Speaker A: Okay. Okay.
[00:04:12] Speaker B: She watches it in the background to get glimpses of Taylor.
[00:04:16] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:04:17] Speaker B: So I think for the first time ever in my life, I know who's playing football on any given Sunday.
[00:04:23] Speaker A: Well, I think that there's this whole conspiracy theory that the finalists for the Super bowl are already kind of like. It's already rigged.
[00:04:33] Speaker B: It's like a scripted.
I've heard that.
[00:04:36] Speaker A: Yeah. So I get into any conspiracy theory, whether it's that the Illuminati or anything else. Yes. So I know we've had our conversation about aliens and our listeners. I'm just sorry that we're going on this rabbit hole right now. But what I will say, though, is that I am not necessarily a swiftie. Although I have been very fascinated with her influence over the NFL season this year, it has been very interesting.
[00:05:04] Speaker B: We need to get her on board with health and wellness and make her a health and wellness influencer.
[00:05:08] Speaker A: I think that that's a really good idea.
[00:05:10] Speaker B: I think we could change the world through Taylor Swift's influence.
[00:05:14] Speaker A: I know. I'm like, if we're going to capitalize on anything, which actually, I am capitalizing on her a little bit during body appreciation week, as we get to that next month, I'm going to share my secrets with that. But before we go down any deeper rabbit holes, we need to take a break, guys.
[00:05:51] Speaker B: You are listening to fit to be tied on 90.7, the capstone with Sheena and Nika.
[00:05:56] Speaker A: Yes, you are. And so if you are just now joining us, you might be Nika. I know her as a guest, but she's co host, so. Yes, she is co host now. And I wanted to use this segment to really kind of dive into some questions. You've heard these questions from me before, Nico, when you've come as a guest, but if you don't mind sharing your professional and academic background with us, because our listeners, they're thinking, okay, I'm listening to a health and wellness show. This needs to be some evidence based information. There's too many influencers out there. So I need you to throw out your credentials, all right?
[00:06:31] Speaker B: So that you can feel good about who you're listening to. I'm not saying that you know anything fantastic, but I have put in a few years of work and a few tuition dollars to get to where I'm at. So my undergrad and my graduate degree are both from Alabama. Roll tide.
I got a degree in communications with a minor in nutrition, and I worked in corporate pr for approximately five years. And during that time, I just felt like, I don't know if this is really what I'm supposed to be doing. So I was kind of searching, trying to figure it out and got certified as an ace personal trainer and would train at the rec center and would teach some fitness classes just as a way to kind of fulfill that hobby in my life. Like, I loved being around people and kind of teaching and educating about health. And then I realized this is really what I should be doing. So five years out of undergrad, I quit and changed directions, did a 180 and started grad school and got my master's in health promotion. Health education.
[00:07:40] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:07:41] Speaker B: And I personal trained that entire time at the rec center. Loved it. Some of the best years of my life. Met lots of great friends. You were in Whitney and I's boot camp? Yes, Whitney and I's boot camp. And then I trained the Crimson cabaret, the dance team.
[00:07:57] Speaker A: For three years.
[00:07:58] Speaker B: I was their personal trainer. I loved those ladies. And then when I graduated, I started working for St. Vincent's health system in Birmingham, did health coaching and then also started taking the lead on their associate wellness program and did that for a few years and then ended up having my second child and was like, I just can't drive to Birmingham every day. It's hard with two kids. Yes, very hard. Love my job at St. Vincent's, but I decided I think I want to be back in the classroom. So I started teaching for the college of education's exercise science kinesiology department. Taught for them and was their advisor for their students or academic advisor. And then I also teach prenatal classes. I'm going on my 7th year at grandview. So infant CPR, AED, choking, and then also a little fun class called daddy boot camp. It's all the things mamas wish daddies knew about having a new baby. And then now I'm in. Actually, like, my dream job role, which is I am working for the same department that I got my master's in. So I am back home. Mama called.
[00:09:13] Speaker A: Yes. I feel like it's full circle.
[00:09:14] Speaker B: It's full circle. It's full circle. I love my department. I love my coworkers. I love my students. But I love that I'm actually getting to be passionate every day. I mean, I loved exercise science, but I'm not an exercise scientist. I mean, I was a personal trainer, but I don't have anywhere near the education and the training that they had. But this is my jam. This is my lane.
[00:09:35] Speaker A: Well, so I have so many questions just based on what you just shared. And it's funny because I know you.
We are friends. We go.
[00:09:43] Speaker B: We were in grad school together.
[00:09:45] Speaker A: Yes.
First off, thinking about your experience as a personal trainer, and you have really worked with such a diverse set of clients. I'm actually curious if during that time frame, there was a specific population that you enjoyed working with the most, one on one, whether it was the busy working woman or the college student or someone who is part of the geriatric population, or if you just loved it all. I'm just personally curious.
[00:10:14] Speaker B: Yeah, I loved pockets of every bit of the population. So there were certain things that I'm like. I love working with the working sector, the adults.
I liked working with the college students because I felt like they were hungry for more education. Like, tell me how to be more healthy. When you get into your adult life, you're kind of set in your ways, and it's a little bit harder to change habits.
I loved working with the older population, just hearing their stories and seeing how exercise was benefiting them. But if I had a very favorite one. It would probably be the college population, just because they have a lot of energy.
[00:10:59] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:10:59] Speaker B: And they make you young. They keep you young.
[00:11:02] Speaker A: They're not jaded yet.
They're excited.
[00:11:08] Speaker B: They come in and tell you about what they got going on for the weekend, whereas we're more like, say, you were cleaning the house again this weekend. Yes. Me too.
Kind of get to live a little vicariously listening to their stories and all their trips and their plans for spring break. But I think I liked it. Really, because they, like you said, we're not jaded yet. They wanted to know why we were doing certain things, and do I need to start doing this now? So that when I'm your age, they would tell me this would make my bones stronger or whatever. My metabolism would still be high or something. And so I liked that they were kind of moldable, if that's a word to use.
[00:11:51] Speaker A: I think so.
Well, and the fact that you mentioned specifically that you love working with college students, I think about the fact that you are an academic advisor, and it's funny, before I headed to the studio this afternoon, I was telling some of our student workers where I was headed, and one of our students actually has you as an advisor. And they were like, oh, my gosh, nika Morgan. Like, the Morgan.
[00:12:13] Speaker B: Like, she was like, far too kind.
[00:12:15] Speaker A: She will shoot it to you straight. She has kept me in line, and I have loved know, and I know you get that feedback from the students, but then sometimes we don't hear that. So I wanted to make sure that I share that with you, but I think in that role, do you like getting to interact with students in that way and having those one on one connections? I do.
[00:12:35] Speaker B: I will tell you, as I get older, my memory is a little bit more foggy.
I can't really remember exactly how I'm a parent, so sometimes I have to put myself like, oh, how did I feel when I was this age? But I can distinctly remember how I felt as a college student. I can remember gravitating towards those people that would help me figure out what class am I going to put in this hole in my schedule or help me know how to start a resume. And I can remember the fear I felt as a student of not really knowing where to go or how to get guidance. And so I pick up on that when I see it come to me. And I put myself in that position, I guess. And I don't know if I have some unresolved trauma.
[00:13:19] Speaker A: I don't know, but I try not.
[00:13:21] Speaker B: To let that continue on in someone else's life. So I'm like, hey, I remember distinctly sitting in your seat and I don't want you to feel that way.
[00:13:30] Speaker A: Yeah, well, and I know that you may have students that you work with that are listening to our show, whether through podcast or on air. So I'm trying to make sure that I don't say, tell me your craziest story because it could be somebody listening. Yes. And you are the utmost professional that is not going to just divulge all the things, even though I'm fleshly curious about all academic. Well, I guess just maybe like the most random things that students ask you about in an advising appointment that just the fact that you are in a mentor role to them, and especially if it's a student that's far from home and you don't have to divulge.
[00:14:12] Speaker B: I have them ask me a lot of questions, like, I would expect them.
[00:14:17] Speaker A: To ask their parents, which is okay.
[00:14:18] Speaker B: Because I feel like maybe they're running it by me as a test run before they'll ask me how to get legal advice, like they might have gotten in some trouble and they don't know where to turn or medical advice, like, hey, I've had some students that have divulged health issues to me and they want to know where do I go get help or who would I even go to? And I'm not quite sure I want to have this conversation with my parents yet. I don't want to freak them out.
[00:14:43] Speaker A: Right.
[00:14:44] Speaker B: I'd like to get a good basis on this. And so maybe one of the craziest things I've ever had is somebody had fleas infested in their apartment. And I thought they were just lying about it until they showed me their flea box.
[00:15:01] Speaker A: Oh, my.
[00:15:02] Speaker B: You know, somebody's thinking a dog know a roommate and the video of the fleece jumping on the bed.
And so I got to actually vouch for them and send out an email to the professors going, hey, they're telling the truth here. Yeah.
[00:15:17] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness. I guess that was off the wall without it being something like super, super scandalous. So on that note, with the fleas, while I go scratch myself really quick, we are going to take a break. And then when we get back from the break, nika, you're going to switch back into co host mode after I've just kind of grilled you as if you were a guest. But you guys, you're listening to fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7. The Capstone WVUA FM, Tuscaloosa.
Welcome back.
[00:15:57] Speaker B: You are listening to fit to be tied on 90.7, the capstone with Sheena and Nika.
[00:16:03] Speaker A: Well, Nika, like I said, now that we're back for this segment, I know that I kind of grilled you in the previous segment as if you were a guest, but, dude, you're a co host now.
We do have our official guest with us today, so if you were wondering what our theme or topic of today's show was, we really wanted this to be new year, new goals, new show, new co host. And so when we started thinking about health goals, we have such a broad UA community, whether it is our students, which we tend to think about instantaneously, but we also have our faculty, staff, and then our families that are interrelated in all of that. But really today we want to talk about some of the programming that is available for our faculty and staff on campus. So we have the pleasure of having Ms. Miranda McKee, who is the coordinator for wellness and work life. So, Miranda, thank you for being with us.
[00:16:56] Speaker C: Yeah, thanks for having me.
[00:16:57] Speaker A: Absolutely. So, Miranda, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Would love to know your professional and academic background and kind of what led you to the role that you're in today. Absolutely.
[00:17:09] Speaker C: So I am born and raised in Tuscaloosa. I've been here whole life. So, of course, I went to the University of Alabama. I graduated in 2016 with a food nutrition degree.
[00:17:21] Speaker A: Very nice.
[00:17:21] Speaker C: I did not take the traditional route of becoming an RD. So once I graduated, I started out in food service management in a small hospital outside of Tuscaloosa. I was there for a few years and kind of took a little turn into more project coordinating and healthcare. And so that kind of led me to wellness at UA.
And I had been in this position for almost three years, which I was a little surprised I had to go and calculate because it doesn't feel that long.
[00:17:53] Speaker A: Yeah, I bet that just when you're having fun, like time flies, right? Yeah. So that's amazing. What are some of the favorite things.
[00:18:00] Speaker B: That you like about your job?
As a fellow wellness nerd? Myself, I interested to hear there's a lot.
[00:18:09] Speaker C: So we're always doing something different. It's not just the normal. You sit in your office, we get to plan, and you have the opportunity to help out other people, kind of giving them employees that bridge to some type of health journey, wellness journey that they're on. You get to kind of give them information and a lot of the preventative health outcomes that we can help.
[00:18:33] Speaker A: Well, I know, Marina, with your specific department. It is the office of Wellness and Work life. And so we always hear this term like work life balance. Do you feel like it really is this balance all the time? Because I think sometimes we go through seasons where something is going to be a little off balance, where we're in a season where we're having to prioritize more on our family versus our career or vice versa. I don't know if you guys get asked those kind of questions sometimes.
Yeah.
[00:19:03] Speaker C: So work life balance is really hard to kind of explain when people ask what is actually which. Our manager is Carolyn McBaker. Something she says a lot is that it's not about a balance. It's more of a harmony of how you can blend everything, blend it all together.
[00:19:22] Speaker A: I like that.
[00:19:22] Speaker C: Sometimes you need to be here more, there more, just like you described.
[00:19:27] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. Now, with the programming that you all are offering this spring, what are some of the things upcoming that you all are excited about? Yeah.
[00:19:36] Speaker C: So coming up on February 6, we're going to kick off our mental fitness program. That is a four week program, which is new. This will be our second time kicking this off. And so we have a clinical psychologist from UMC. He comes in and talks about how to understand stress, positive and negative sides of stress, which is strange to me because thinking about it, you think stress is bad, but stress can be good. So he talks about that, and we also talk about different tools and techniques. So some guided breathing. We have the labyrinth from health promotion and wellness. Nice.
[00:20:10] Speaker A: Yay.
[00:20:11] Speaker C: So that's one of our programs we have for mental health. We have crimson couch to five k training program that will start at the end of February, 6 week training plan to walk around our five k, and then we'll end that with our event on April the fifth. And that's for the whole community. The training plan is for faculty, staff, but anyone is welcome to the event. And then my personal favorite is better bites. And that will be in March for National Nutrition Month. And we have different registered dietitians across campus who lead those classes. Whether you want to learn about meal planning, we'll have cooking demonstrations and then mindful eating.
[00:20:48] Speaker B: I love how you are making sure that you're hitting all the dimensions.
I think people think, oh, work stress, home stress, and I need to lose weight. I feel like that's where people just kind of compartmentalize wellness. And I like that you guys are like, no, it's much more broad than that. And we got something for anybody and whatever your lane is now with the.
[00:21:15] Speaker A: Programs that you all offer, whether it's the ones in the spring or the fall. Are there some that you guys tend to be surprised that are popular for our faculty staff, where you're like, wow, I didn't realize there would be this much participation. Have you come across that at all? Or do you feel like every single program has been a winner and you haven't been shocked that people have wanted to sign up for it?
[00:21:39] Speaker C: I would have to say striper five is probably the most popular. It has our highest completion rate, and that's a good one. And that also touches on five different. You get to pick your own goal, so that's good. And then I feel like that one's also virtual, which also a lot of people can't make to in person classes, and that is mental fitness. And betterbytes are in person. I think those are the best. You kind of lose touch of if it's not in person, get the most out of the class, better experience. But strapper five is probably our highest attendance. Close to 300, 400 people that sign up for that one.
[00:22:17] Speaker A: Oh, wow, that's awesome.
[00:22:18] Speaker B: So if someone's new to the university and they want to get plugged in, what's their first step?
[00:22:24] Speaker C: I think their first step needs to be a, well, Bama health screening. That is our number one. So that is a health screening you can attend. We go to. We probably have 22 throughout the year, so each semester we try to have at least ten. We go to different locations to try to reach everyone.
It's a tiny finger stick, but you get to find out your hdl, ldl glucose. You meet with a health coach, and they kind of go over what your numbers are, where they fall on the health scale, and then, of course, you get your incentive, which would be your $50 gift card and a t shirt at the end and a piece of fruit.
[00:23:02] Speaker B: Always get an apple. I get my breakfast.
[00:23:04] Speaker A: Yes. No, the apple, which I'm always down for a free t shirt, but the apple. And then the $50 gift card. I mean, hello.
Sometimes I'm like, this is just a little happy.
[00:23:16] Speaker B: It is.
So they start there, and then once they're there, then they kind of get plugged in with more information and resources.
[00:23:24] Speaker C: Yes.
We also have wellness classes, so after their health screening, their health coach can go over kind of some upcoming classes, or maybe they see they do need to work on lowering their cholesterol. Their health coach can kind of tell them, hey, here's some wellness classes that are coming up that can help you work on that new habit or this nutrition that you want to work on and then programs as well.
[00:23:46] Speaker B: So as somebody who used to do the same thing at St. Vincent's, what would you like to tell the listeners that says you're going to use this information against me or someone that I, hr or my boss is going to know that I have high cholesterol?
What would you tell them that I know the answer to? But what do you say?
[00:24:08] Speaker A: Yeah, let's ease some fears.
[00:24:11] Speaker C: We do not share your information. We do follow the HIPAA guidelines.
[00:24:14] Speaker B: That's a law.
That's what I was saying. Hey, it's a law. I'm not going to jail just to tell your manager that your sugar was a little elevated today. Not happening.
[00:24:24] Speaker C: All that's confidential. We don't look at any of that information. We don't pass it along to anyone. So you don't have to worry about that.
[00:24:30] Speaker B: So it truly is just you and your numbers?
[00:24:33] Speaker A: Yeah. No, and that's great because I think that, again, even if someone doesn't feel like they have the time to get to their doctor to get some of that baseline information, that screening appointment is great just to raise some awareness.
[00:24:45] Speaker B: And how much is like a $300 test that you're getting for free? Right.
[00:24:51] Speaker A: Like if you were go to pay.
[00:24:52] Speaker B: Out of pocket and say, I want my biometric screening.
[00:24:55] Speaker C: Yeah, this is free.
[00:24:56] Speaker A: It's free. Yeah. No. Well, I know that we're running up on a break, but I will tell you, Miranda, when we go into our next segment, I do want to ask you a little bit about the well Bama ambassador program before we get into our conversation about New Year's goals. But with that, we will take a quick break. You guys grab a drink of water, do what you need to do.
[00:25:37] Speaker B: You are listening to fit to be tied on 90.7, the capstone with Sheena and Nika and our awesome guest Miranda McKee from Alabama's wellness and work life.
[00:25:47] Speaker A: Yes. And so, Miranda, I know I teased before the break that I wanted to ask you a little bit about the, well Bama ambassador program. And I will say, as an aside, I selfishly want you to share details about it because my husband recently signed up to be one for UAPD. And it has been so fascinating to me because he recently went to the kickoff meeting for this semester and I just saw him cross paths with people that have been like my people and now they are becoming his people. So it's been really interesting. But I'd love to know a little bit about the program. How do people get involved with that and what kind of responsibilities they have? Okay. Yeah.
[00:26:27] Speaker C: So we currently have around 60 ambassadors. Okay. Which is a jump up from our last cohort. We've got 30 new ambassadors.
[00:26:36] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:26:37] Speaker C: So they serve a two year term, and then at the end, if you want to renew, you can. We try to get at least one in each department or a division, whoever you can volunteer.
So they're kind of stationed out all across campus to help promote different, whether it's health screenings or programs, classes. They're very vital because we don't see a lot of people on campus, because our campus is huge. Our office isn't even on campus. So it's really helpful to have someone out there that can kind of help us get information out to everyone. But as far as their responsibilities, we have two meetings a year. We do one in the spring, one in the fall, and we just kind of tell them what we've got coming up so they know ahead of time.
Aside from that, just promoting all of our events. We like them to all have a group and move spring so they can.
The movespring app. It's always helpful to have a group get started and get more people involved.
[00:27:42] Speaker A: Okay, nice. Okay.
[00:27:43] Speaker B: Put your feet on the ground.
[00:27:45] Speaker A: Yeah. Little liaison to everybody on campus. Well, I love that because I think we probably have some listeners here that are like, I am a champion of wellness in my department. How do I shout from the rooftops? Everything you're doing? And I feel like with this ambassador program, that's a very official way to be able to do that, right?
[00:28:04] Speaker B: Yes, absolutely.
[00:28:06] Speaker A: So switching gears now, ladies, I hope you all are okay with us just having a roundtable discussion to talk a little bit about New Year's resolutions, because now, today, if you're listening to the show, it is February, so it's kind of crazy to think that January has already passed, although I will say January felt very long.
[00:28:25] Speaker B: It was so long that I thought I was still in January.
It's been 84 years, right? That meme from the Titanic lady. Yeah. No, I'm still writing 2023 on things.
It's 2024 and actually the second month of it.
[00:28:45] Speaker A: Exactly. And so if you're listening and you're thinking, is it too late for me to set a new Year's resolution? Absolutely not. Or if you're in the camp of, well, I did set some, and I've already, quote unquote, broken them, like, am I a lost cause? And I think all three of us would say, no, you still have a ton of time.
[00:29:08] Speaker B: I think that's a great segue to talk about the difference between a lapse and a relapse.
[00:29:13] Speaker A: Oh, yes. So when we're thinking about just the fact that if somebody is in a habit or maybe it is a bad habit and they have a lapse or a relapse, quite honestly, especially, too, I hate to say, because you have been working with the topic of addictions and drug use academically. Nika, I kind of want to geek out and have you explain.
[00:29:38] Speaker B: Oh, you're so sweet. Okay. Lapses are normal. They are just setbacks. They are like, you know, that whole, I take one step forward, two steps back, we all lapse. So let's put it into real life terms. You've been on a diet, whatever that diet is. Like, you're like, no sugar, no sodas, and you go to a wedding or a birthday party, and you have one that's not a failure. That's just a lapse. You always hear, we have a lapse in judgment. Doesn't mean you're a bad person. You just had a brain fart. Whatever. Can I say that on 90.7? Can I say that I had verbal diarrhea earlier? Okay. All right.
But a relapse isn't a total abandonment. Like, you're like, no, forget this. Yeah, no. And that's what we don't want you to do if the goal is so important to you.
The research may be a little different now, but I do know at one point when I was teaching it that the average person who tries to quit smoking has around seven lapses before it actually sticks.
[00:30:42] Speaker A: I like those numbers. I mean, to me that's encouraging, because I think for someone who is experiencing that, they'll know that they're not this weird, isolated. Yes.
[00:30:51] Speaker B: And it's not about willpower. Willpower actually gets weaker the more that we exercise it, which is why we have to set up habits and discipline and just doing it every day. Every day until it becomes muscle memory.
[00:31:04] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:31:04] Speaker B: And we're going to have those lapses. And that's okay. So that goes back to the whole, should I abandon it?
[00:31:09] Speaker A: No. Right.
[00:31:10] Speaker B: Get right back on that horse.
[00:31:11] Speaker A: And I think, too, maybe you realize that the goal that you came up with isn't necessarily realistic to your lifestyle. I think that we can become very gung ho about something. Maybe in a point of desperation, we choose something that, like, I'm going to.
[00:31:28] Speaker B: Lose 30 pounds by a week from now.
[00:31:31] Speaker A: Right.
I think then we have to kind of reevaluate. Was this realistic? What does this look like? And I feel like most experts say it actually is good to have checkpoints with yourself so that you can reevaluate it. Because I think as a culture, we just have this go big or go.
[00:31:51] Speaker B: Home mentality, no pain, no gain, and.
[00:31:54] Speaker A: So we can go really extreme. And I'm curious, Miranda, with the work that you do in your department, do you see those kind of attitudes when it comes to health and wellness goals? Like maybe even some of the nursing students that are the health coaches that say, oh my goodness, I just had a faculty member that mentioned this goal that seemed really lofty and you want to encourage them, but then also be realistic with them, too. I don't know if you've had any of those experiences.
[00:32:25] Speaker C: I don't have anything specific from health screenings, but we do a spotlight on wellness where if we see someone who is, if they are kind of going above and beyond in their wellness, their coworker can nominate them. And I see a lot of people who are like, they started small, which I think is really important. I think a lot of people start off, I'm going to work out seven days this week and they haven't worked out ever. So I feel like a lot of those stories I hear are where they started out small and they work towards.
[00:32:54] Speaker A: Those little goals, is what you're telling our listeners.
[00:32:58] Speaker B: Start out with those baby steps.
[00:33:00] Speaker A: Yes. And I don't know if you all have seen this, too. I might be the only one that has been googling stuff about New Year's resolutions lately, but I feel like I have seen a lot recently in articles where some of the New Year's resolutions out there are a little bit more outside of the box where they're not so focused on just nutrition and movement goals. But maybe it's keeping a gratitude journal or other forms of self care.
[00:33:28] Speaker B: Decluttering. Yes, I see a lot of those.
[00:33:30] Speaker A: So I did purchase a decluttering program from a social media influencer, and honestly, it has been helpful. I was really motivated in the beginning. Thankfully, they let you have access to the modules for a lifetime. How long it's going to take me to.
[00:33:51] Speaker B: Do you have a life? Did you have a lapse?
[00:33:52] Speaker A: I did have a lapse. Okay.
I did have a lapse, but I mean, this chick, she is hardcore. She talked about in her experience, she ended up purging about 70% of everything in her home. And honestly, I kind of need that.
[00:34:07] Speaker B: I think that it would really help.
[00:34:08] Speaker A: My marriage because there are a lot of contentious moments related to how much I hoard things. But when my husband does go to my parents house and he sees how many clothes my mom has, he's like, you get it honest.
He's like, I understand. He's like, is it okay? Not necessarily, but you get it honest. I like that.
[00:34:31] Speaker B: Because that helps us ask Miranda, what are some of the biggest pieces of advice that you give someone that wants to set a goal, especially when they're working with what they've always known to be like? This is the way I grew up, or this is the way I've always done it, but now I'm tired of it, and I want to change it. What's the biggest piece of advice you would give that person?
[00:34:49] Speaker C: I would say that you can't rely on motivation, that you have to have that discipline.
[00:34:54] Speaker A: I'm like, hand clapping right now. Yes.
[00:34:56] Speaker B: Willpower.
[00:34:57] Speaker A: No, it's not going to last.
[00:34:59] Speaker C: Motivation can get you started, but you've got to have that discipline of. I told myself I was going to do this. You just have to do it. You can't think about it. You can't let the mindset and can't let that get in the way.
[00:35:11] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:35:11] Speaker B: I love it.
[00:35:12] Speaker A: And we're all mamas. We know how to have those hard talks. So sometimes we have to have those hard talks with ourself of like, look, you made this adult decision right now that you're going to commit to just because the motivation isn't there. So I feel like that's perfect. So that's actually a great landing point for us to take a break.
[00:35:50] Speaker B: You are listening to fit to be tied on 90.7, the capstone with Sheena and Nika with our guest, Miranda McKee from UA's wellness and work life.
[00:35:59] Speaker A: Yes. And so if you are new to the show, I need to let you know that during this last five minute segment, we tend to go a little rogue. Or at least I tend to go a little bit rogue. My previous co host has experienced that. And now Nico will. She'll probably rein me in throughout this semester. So I don't do this to our guest, but I was warning Miranda during the break that I would ask her something random. So, Miranda, I really need to know.
[00:36:29] Speaker B: We gotta know this. Okay?
[00:36:31] Speaker A: Yes. Who is your celebrity crush and why?
[00:36:34] Speaker C: Celebrity crush?
[00:36:36] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:36:36] Speaker C: Oh, man.
[00:36:37] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:36:38] Speaker C: Gosh, I don't really get much into the celebrity.
[00:36:41] Speaker A: Okay. Okay. And it could even be, like, who you had a crush on as a little girl, like, teenager. Doesn't necessarily have to be a current. Just I'm trying to figure out what.
[00:36:50] Speaker B: Your vibe, your marriage. So it doesn't have to be a current one. It can be before.
[00:36:58] Speaker A: Okay, which member?
[00:37:00] Speaker C: Classic.
Actually, Lance was probably my favorite.
[00:37:03] Speaker A: I don't know, the blonde, spiky southern boy. Yes, me too. Yes. Yeah. Mississippi boy. Something about that. I agree with that now. Okay, Nika, how about for you? Who is your celebrity crush? Whether now or back in the day?
[00:37:20] Speaker B: I do love me some Paul Rudd.
[00:37:23] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:37:23] Speaker B: It started with clueless. Yes. And it's just grown ever since.
[00:37:28] Speaker A: And we talked about those parodies with Jimmy Fallon recreating the music videos.
[00:37:33] Speaker B: I mean, he's just so.
Yeah, I will. What about you, Sheena?
[00:37:42] Speaker A: Well, as I divulged to you in your office, the other.
So I tend to be attracted to people who look like they have a good credit score.
I like the older gentleman's, not necessarily.
[00:37:55] Speaker B: Like your Sean Connery type, but isn't he gone?
[00:38:01] Speaker A: So you're Pierce Brosnan in his prime now.
[00:38:03] Speaker B: I do love some Pierce Brosnan. Like that also, too, if you like the bonds.
[00:38:09] Speaker A: Yes.
And then also that movie while you were sleeping with Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman. Something about him just being the solid brother that looked like he would be good husband. I don't need a beefcake.
[00:38:25] Speaker B: You just need a good credit score.
[00:38:26] Speaker A: Yeah, I need a good credit score. Good dad material.
[00:38:29] Speaker B: Mama's got a minivan today.
[00:38:31] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:38:31] Speaker B: And I do have a minivan.
[00:38:35] Speaker A: Know, I don't know if this is the question that we will be asking all of our future guests, but I just felt like, miranda, I had to ask you that because I felt like you would be a good sport about, you know, I think that we've had a great show this afternoon. We have so many different guests that are coming up this semester, some different topics. And also, too, one of the things that I will commit to, actually, both of us, Nika, we can commit to for a New Year's resolution as it relates to the show, is actually being active with our social media for the show.
[00:39:09] Speaker B: We have an account.
[00:39:10] Speaker A: We're going to make sure that we actually utilize it. We don't always do that, but I feel like this is the year. It is the year.
[00:39:18] Speaker B: And I have people ask me all the time, do you do a blog? Do you write just something? Because I think, like you said, there's so many influencers out there that are giving false information, and they're leading you down the wrong pathway.
Not that we have all the answers, but we do know how to find some peer reviewed research.
[00:39:39] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:39:40] Speaker B: And we don't want to perpetuate a fad that's not real.
[00:39:45] Speaker A: Yeah, I know.
[00:39:46] Speaker B: So I would love to put some stuff out there that's legitimate, and it's really going to help you hit your goals.
[00:39:53] Speaker A: Yeah. I mean, we may not be doing the fancy.
[00:39:56] Speaker B: Oh, no. There will be none of, I mean.
[00:40:00] Speaker A: I would not say. I can feel like. So we have a lot of our, our producer, Ethan, is like, oh, my Lanta. These girls are jumping the shark right now. Like, what is happening? So I think before we get more in the weeds, we just want to say we hope you all have the best week, the most fabulous week, the healthiest week ever. And you have been listening to fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the sound, WVUA FM, Tuscaloosa.
