Pieces of a Woman

Summary:

You were not designed to shrink. You were designed to get stronger. In this episode, we sit down with elite athlete, coach, and founder of The Golden Age, Heather Dees, a 6x IFBB Olympian who has spent two decades helping women understand that real transformation starts from the inside out. We talk about why strength training is the single most important thing women can do as they age, why the scale is lying to you, and why you are never too old, too out of shape, or too far gone to start. If you have been putting off getting back into your body because life keeps getting in the way (or because the gym feels intimidating, or because you think cardio is enough), this conversation is your sign to stop waiting and start building.

Learn More About Heather:

Heather Dees is not just a coach; she is living proof of the "Rebuild" philosophy. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Heather has spent over two decades mastering the intersection of external beauty and internal power. Her career began in 2003 as a Master Aesthetician and Cosmetologist. For 17+ years, she specialized in helping women feel beautiful in their own skin. But she knew that true radiance couldn't be achieved with skincare alone—it had to be built from the inside out. At age 24, Heather stepped onto the competitive stage, earning her Pro Card at the 2010 NPC Nationals. Her rise in the IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilding) was meteoric.

• 6x IFBB Olympian (Top 4 finisher in 2012 & 2013)

• 2x Arnold Classic Runner-Up (2013, 2014)

• California Governors Cup Champion (2012, 2013)

• Competed in over 40 Professional Shows

Her journey wasn't without setbacks. After a severe car accident threatened her career, Heather didn't just recover—she rebuilt. She returned to the highest level of competition, proving that the human body is capable of extraordinary resilience when given the right tools.

Today, Heather combines her elite athletic background with her deep knowledge of aesthetics and women's health. She founded The Golden Age to bridge the gap that the fitness industry ignored: the connection between metabolic health, nervous system regulation, and self-worth.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:00 Welcome and introducing Heather Dees, 6x IFBB Olympian, master aesthetician, coach, and founder of The Golden Age
• 03:37 How Heather went from running half marathons to stepping on a competitive bodybuilding stage, and what weight training taught her about mental and emotional discipline
• 08:55 How Heather's clientele has shifted toward women in their 40s to 60s, why the mental barrier is the biggest obstacle, and why one hour a week is still worth showing up for
• 16:11 Cristie opens up about her own fitness journey, shifting from chasing a stage goal to simply wanting to move without pain, and how hormones changed everything
• 21:06 The biggest misconception about weight training for women, and why you are not accidentally going to wake up bulky
• 23:07 What to do if you cannot afford a trainer, why Heather's app exists, and why strength training is literally cheaper than Botox
• 29:55 Heather at 16 weeks postpartum, practicing what she preaches, and what she would tell her 16-year-old self: everything is temporary, and you are going to make it through

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Heather's Instagram
• Heather's Website
• Customized Workout and Nutrition Monthly Plan
• #1 Surgeon's Advice to Look & Feel Younger (Dr. Vonda Wright at The Mel Robbins Podcast)
• Refinery Gym - Sandy, Utah
• Are video podcasts more your style? Subscribe to our YouTube channel!
• We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message on Instagram or Facebook.
• Do you want your next vacation to be in luxury? Book your exclusive retreat here.

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the Podcast:

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave Us an Apple Podcast Review:

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Summary:

Not all friendships end with a fight. Some just slowly… change.

In this episode, we’re talking about friendships that quietly fade – the ones where nothing

dramatic happened, but something is no longer the same, and the friendships that end with

a dramatic ending.

Sometimes it's not about something they did; sometimes you’ve changed. Sometimes a

friendship is for a season.

If you have wondered whether you’re the problem or struggled to let go of a friendship that

no longer fits who you are, this conversation is for you. Because not every friendship is

meant to last forever, and that doesn’t make you a bad person.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:00 Welcome back and diving into one of the most relatable topics, friendship breakups, seasonal friendships, and the ones that quietly dissolve
• 01:43 How divorce can quietly wipe out an entire friend group, and why nobody warns you that when a marriage ends, friendships often do too
• 07:53 Cristie opens up about losing her entire core friend group after Taylor's passing, why it happened, and why she now sees it as perfectly aligned
• 14:23 Cristie shares the story of a friend who blocked her without explanation, and the humbling truth she learned 15 years later at Taylor's funeral
• 20:06 What healthy friendships look like in your 50s, protecting your energy, knowing your friendship pyramid, and letting go of the need to eliminate vs. simply reprioritize
• 23:00 How to handle a friendship that no longer fits, whether you're the one pulling away or the one being left behind

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Pieces of a Woman Podcast Website
• Pieces of a Woman Podcast YouTube
• Pieces of a Woman Podcast Instagram
• Pieces of a Woman Podcast Facebook
• The 6 Month Trip That Changed Who We Are
• How Girlfriends Save You
• Are video podcasts more your style? Subscribe to our YouTube channel!
• We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message on Instagram or Facebook.
• Do you want your next vacation to be in luxury? Book your exclusive retreat here.

About the Host:

• DeAnna Robbins | Elevated Edge Coaching
• Cristie North, Executive leader, Founder, and Speaker
• The Taylor Hagen Memorial Foundation

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the Podcast:

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave Us an Apple Podcast Review:

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Summary:

In this episode of Pieces of a Woman, DeAnna and Cristie sit down with their dear friend and powerhouse real estate agent, Alicia Holdaway, who did something most people only dream about: she left work, packed two suitcases, and traveled the world with her husband for nearly six months. But this conversation goes far deeper than travel tips. Alicia shares the raw story of how burnout, a son's mental health crisis, and years of achievement-based identity led her to plan this sabbatical, what it actually cost her financially and emotionally, how her marriage was tested, and who she became on the other side. From Norway's Lofoten Islands to a coffee shop in Finland where she cried for hours after devastating family news, this is an honest, inspiring, and deeply human story about choosing your life before it chooses for you.

Learn More About Alicia Holdaway:

You’ve heard the story before, right!? The grueling challenges of the Himalayan Mountains, consisting of years of preparation, physical beating and mental exhaustion one takes on to have the incredible honor of joining the small group of Humans to have ever made it to the peak of Mt. Everest. And although there may only be time for just a moment of absolute elation atop Mount Everest to celebrate, the truly life-changing sense of accomplishment one gains by making this climb can change the course of one’s entire life and legacy. None of which could ever be accomplished without the experienced guidance of a Sherpa. Sherpa’s are the quintessential necessity through this journey as they know the terrain, what pitfalls to watch out for and which routes to take.

To those going through the life-event of buying and/or selling a home, it may just feel like a climb up the Himalayan’s at times. While your body may not take the same beating, it certainly is no small feat and can absolutely change the trajectory of your legacy. There are often months of preparation that goes in to preparing your home for sale and financially preparing to purchase a home. This is where Alicia Holdaway, your very own “Sherpa Guide' comes in. Alicia is passionate about changing the real estate experience for her clients. Buying and selling your home is not merely a transaction of checklists to be completed, it is a life event and one that deserves to be handled with care. Just as you wouldn’t dream of climbing Mt. Everest without a Sherpa helping you prepare for and guiding you through your journey, she hopes you never take this real estate climb without her guidance and care.

Key Takeaways:

• Introduction to Alicia Holdaway, real estate agent, empty nester, and the woman who actually took the sabbatical most people only dream about
• How the idea was born, not from wanderlust but from burnout, a son's mental health crisis, and years of chasing external accolades while crumbling inside
• The years of preparation behind the dream, building a referral-based business with systems that could run without her, saving her husband's salary, and doing couples therapy before they ever left
• What the trip actually looked like: two suitcases, seven outfits, three pairs of shoes, and six countries, including Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Copenhagen
• When life interrupted, coming home early after a family member's terminal diagnosis, the relationship moments that surfaced without the distractions of daily life, and what it revealed about codependency and identity
• Who Alicia is now: a regulated nervous system, a life-first philosophy, a 33-hour work week, and her advice for anyone dreaming of doing something this bold

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Alicia Holdaway, Real Estate Agent
• Alicia Holdaway LinkedIn
• Are video podcasts more your style? Subscribe to our YouTube channel!
• We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message on Instagram or Facebook.
• Do you want your next vacation to be in luxury? Book your exclusive retreat here.

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the Podcast:

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave Us an Apple Podcast Review:

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Summary:

In this episode of Pieces of a Woman, Cristie and DeAnna get honest about the things they are officially over in 2026. From doomscrolling, political overload, and nonstop phone distraction to the overuse of words like "trauma" and "trigger," this conversation explores what it means to protect your peace, think critically, and be more intentional with your energy. They also talk about aging, beauty choices, the frustration of giving up heels, and why staying open and curious matters more than ever. This is a real, thoughtful conversation about boundaries, perspective, and what they’re choosing to leave behind this year.

Key Takeaways:

1. 00:00 Welcome back, and the question of what Cristie and DeAnna are officially over in 2026
2. 01:20 Doom scrolling, political overload, and how social media can quietly shape emotions and beliefs
3. 03:10 Why it feels harder than ever to trust what we see online, and the need to fact-check media, AI, and social content
4. 06:40 Aging, Botox, and beauty choices, plus the reality of changing how they feel in their own bodies
5. 08:20 Why giving up heels feels surprisingly personal, and what it means to let go of things that once felt like part of your identity
6. 10:00 Phones at the table, constant distraction, and how technology keeps getting in the way of real connection
7. 12:00 A thoughtful conversation about the overuse of words like trauma and trigger, and why that matters
8. 14:10 What they want more of in 2026, including curiosity, openness, better boundaries, and protecting their peace

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

1. The Pause We Didn’t Plan and the Growth We Needed
2. Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar
3. Mel Robbins Podcast
4. Are video podcasts more your style? Subscribe to our YouTube channel!
5. We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message on Instagram or Facebook.
6. Do you want your next vacation to be in luxury? Book your exclusive retreat here.

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the Podcast:

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave Us an Apple Podcast Review:

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Summary:

After more than six months away, DeAnna and Cristie are back behind the mic. In this return episode, they share what life looked like during the break, from caregiving, grief, and family changes to career growth, creativity, and writing a book. They talk honestly about what it means to navigate loss, step into a new season in midlife, and intentionally rebuild a life that feels aligned. They also share what’s ahead for Pieces of a Woman, including more video, more guests, and more conversations around leadership, reinvention, and real life.

Our next episode will be out in two weeks, and moving forward, Pieces of a Woman will be a biweekly podcast.

Key Takeaways:

1. 00:00 Welcome back after more than six months away, and the decision to bring the podcast back with video and more consistency
2. 02:27 DeAnna shares why she stepped down from her brokerage role, how caregiving shaped the last two years, and what it was like to walk her mom through the final chapter of life
3. 07:05 DeAnna opens up about the emotional toll of aging parents, her daughter’s traumatic separation, and why 2026 feels like a fresh start and a new design season
4. 09:23 A conversation about being in your 50s, living intentionally, staying open to life, and not saying no too quickly in this “go-go years” season
5. 11:47 Cristie shares how an intense leadership role, family life, travel, and even Lego became part of her coping, growth, and creative outlet over the last two years
6. 14:09 Cristie reveals she is writing a book about her childhood, leadership journey, motherhood, and loss, and explains why it feels like legacy work
7. 16:29 DeAnna and Cristie talk about reconnecting, returning with a new studio setup, and what listeners can expect next, including leadership topics and local guests

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

1. Garbage Bag Girl: Finding Hope and Healing After Trauma with Celeste Edmunds
2. Garbage Bag Girl by Celeste Edmunds and Richard Paul Evans
3. Caring for Aging Parents and Navigating the Unknown
4. Youth of Our Senior Years
5. The Past That Shapes You – Cristie North
6. DeAnna Robbins | Elevated Edge Coaching
7. Are video podcasts more your style? Subscribe to our YouTube channel!
8. We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message on Instagram or Facebook.
9. Do you want your next vacation to be in luxury? Book your exclusive retreat here.

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the Podcast:

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

Leave Us an Apple Podcast Review:

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.