The EMPWR Podcast

You have filtered your water, swapped your cookware and cleaned up your skincare, and done nothing about the thing you take in most. Mike Feldstein, founder of Jaspr, explains what is floating in your bedroom, why modern homes cannot breathe, and why the candles and air fresheners you buy to make a room feel clean are doing the opposite.

We get into the stuffy feeling that is really CO2, what fragrance legally hides, the trick sellers use to mask mould when you view a house, microplastics in indoor air, and the sleep numbers from their own study. Plus how to build an air purifier yourself for under $200.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Trailer

1:12 - Intro, recording at Jaspr House in Austin

4:03 - This is part two, and what part one covered

7:04 - Why the air industry never learned about air quality

10:31 - The three passive basics: air, water and light

11:51 - Salt lamps, and why bright light at night is damaging

13:32 - Why homes built since the 70s cannot breathe

17:09 - CO2, and why a room starts to feel stuffy

19:56 - What is actually floating in your bedroom air

20:52 - The flashlight experiment you can do tonight

21:55 - How to build an air purifier for under $200

23:42 - What happens when she sprays hairspray at home

33:08 - OneSkin

34:40 - Ella Ola

36:27 - Chasing hurricanes, wildfires and floods for a living

38:16 - Fort McMurray, and the baby who ended up in hospital

41:23 - The moment he decided to build Jaspr

44:36 - Why dental offices have the worst air in America

47:11 - Clean air in schools, and the classroom problem

48:42 - The Finland study on air purifiers and absence rates

49:51 - PM2.5, and why that size is the dangerous one

50:19 - Air quality linked to fertility, dementia and sleep

51:47 - Fragrance in Ubers, Airbnbs and hotel rooms

52:49 - Avocado Mattress

53:57 - Lagoon Sleep

56:02 - Which candles are safe, and the wick problem

56:29 - The TJ Maxx candle that gave her a headache

58:15 - What the word fragrance legally hides

58:57 - Febreze and Glade do not clean the air

59:21 - The trick sellers use to hide mould in a house

1:00:33 - How blocked smell affects digestion

1:01:23 - Deodorant, antiperspirants and blocked sweat

1:03:45 - Why being neurotic about your health is unhealthy

1:07:08 - Testing hotel air, and the first Jaspr hotel

1:09:41 - You breathe a credit card of plastic every week

1:12:30 - The $200 candle that set off a Jaspr across the house

1:13:44 - 70% of your detox happens in your lungs

1:14:13 - Their sleep study: 25 minutes more, 18% deeper

1:15:13 - The Jaspr offer and where to find them

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JASPR: Industrial grade air scrubber for the home, with a lifetime warranty and filters twice a year. https://www.jaspr.co with code: EMPWR for $300 off for two weeks, then $200 off!

SAM'S LINKS:

ELEVATE App | 7 day free trial: https://www.elevatebysam.com/

Macro Guide: https://samanthachristine.co/nutrition-guides

Running Programs: https://samanthachristine.co/running-guides

#nontoxicliving #airquality #microplastics
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Collagen is sold to women for skin, hair and nails, and almost every study showing it works was paid for by the collagen industry. Angelo Keely, co-founder of Kion, explains why collagen is not a complete protein, what it is actually missing, and what to take instead if you want to hold onto muscle and skin elasticity in your 30s and 40s.

We cover why body recomposition gets harder after 30, how much protein you really need, complete vs incomplete protein, whey vs essential amino acids, what GLP-1s do to your protein intake and why Ozempic face happens, how perimenopause changes everything including your sleep, omega-3s, creatine, and what he feeds his own kids.

KION: Essential amino acids, creatine and omega-3s. ⁠https://www.getkion.com/samantha⁠ for 20% off!

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Trailer

1:41 - Phones, presence and the note card experiment

3:10 - The moment her son called her out

7:00 - Who this episode is for: women in their 30s and 40s

8:59 - Why he never took outside investment

12:03 - Almost dying more than once, and what it taught him

13:05 - One page a day, and what 42 years taught him

16:01 - Why body recomposition is harder in your 30s

17:09 - Aging is a stress based physiology

18:17 - Avocado Green Mattress

19:20 - Remi

21:09 - His actual sleep protocol

23:06 - Sleep trackers and what the scores really mean

26:10 - Protein is your skin, hair, nails and half your bone

27:00 - Complete vs incomplete protein sources

29:00 - Is collagen overhyped

29:04 - The collagen research is funded by the collagen industry

30:00 - What collagen actually is

31:12 - Why collagen is not a protein replacement

33:09 - How protein synthesis actually works

35:03 - Bricks without workers: the collagen analogy

36:06 - Whey protein vs essential amino acids

38:05 - Why aminos absorb faster than whey

39:00 - For women who cannot eat another chicken breast

41:00 - Cash App

42:08 - Clearstem

46:00 - How a woman training 3 to 5 days a week should eat

49:02 - Fat loss is controlled by calories, not exercise

50:00 - What eating more protein signals to your body

51:01 - Why you need three times the aminos from whey

52:08 - GLP-1s and the protein problem

53:11 - Ozempic face, hair loss and muscle loss explained

54:09 - His calorie deficit targets

55:00 - GLP-1s are a drug and a hormone

59:05 - Using GLP-1s preventatively

1:00:04 - How aminos cut cravings and extend a fast

1:02:04 - Caraway

1:03:45 - Kane Footwear

1:05:04 - What changes with protein in perimenopause

1:06:04 - How perimenopause wrecks sleep and protein synthesis

1:07:02 - Brain fog and mental clarity as you age

1:09:02 - Omega-3s and why food alone isn't enough

1:10:09 - The different types of fat explained

1:12:03 - Butter, lean meat, and what he actually eats

1:13:07 - What omega-3s do to your blood cells

1:14:10 - The one supplement he'd keep above all others

1:15:04 - Creatine and the cognitive claims

1:16:00 - EPA vs DHA explained

1:18:08 - When it's worth paying premium

1:19:08 - What he gives his kids

1:22:01 - Protein before sugar in the morning

1:24:55 - Where to find Kion, and wrapping up

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SAM'S LINKS:

ELEVATE App: https://www.elevatebysam.com/

Macro Guide: https://samanthachristine.co/nutrition-guides

Running Programs: https://samanthachristine.co/running-guides

#collagen #proteinforwomen #bodyrecomposition

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My full fall edit: everything I do, and everything I've stopped doing, to look and feel my best at 36. Your skin changes in fall, your makeup should change with it, and the workouts that got you through summer probably aren't what you need now.

We cover my fall skincare routine and why I only book lasers this season, the warm toned makeup I've switched to, my signature perfume and how I layer scents, the fall fashion trends I'm actually wearing, my high protein chili and chia pudding recipes, training four days a week instead of six, and how I make the house feel cozy for the season.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro

1:25 - Happy spooky season, and why fall is my favorite

2:31 - Halloween without the kids this year

3:28 - Our matching family costumes

5:02 - What this episode is: my full fall edit

5:50 - Why I never spend more than 30 minutes cooking

6:08 - My high protein chili recipe

7:45 - The chia seed pudding I make every week

8:53 - How I build it, and the toppings that matter

9:31 - My go to yogurt bowl

10:17 - Why I sip bone broth in fall and winter

10:50 - My fall coffee and matcha order

12:05 - The Starbucks honey tip nobody tells you

13:01 - How I'm training this fall

13:19 - Four lifting days, and why less is more at 36

14:11 - Early morning workouts with the garage door open

15:10 - Circadian rhythm and going to bed earlier

15:31 - Letting myself sleep in on rest days

16:50 - Why rest isn't something you have to earn

17:06 - Beauty: how your skin changes in fall

17:52 - The toner I use every single morning

18:55 - The eye cream and moisturizer I can't live without

20:09 - Why fall is the only season I get lasers

21:05 - The hydrating mist I use over makeup

21:41 - My fall makeup routine

21:47 - Foundation and the tinted serum I wear daily

22:40 - The highlighter that doubles as blush and eyeshadow

24:11 - My lip colors, liner and gloss

25:03 - Why you should try brow mascara

25:15 - Warm tones over cool tones for fall

25:40 - Perfume, and why it finishes the outfit

26:42 - My signature scent and how I layer it

27:32 - The body splash I smelled on a stranger

28:12 - My date night perfume

29:49 - Fall fashion: the trends I'm wearing

30:37 - How I keep my wardrobe budget friendly

32:19 - Zebra print is having a moment

32:40 - Embossed leather and statement texture

33:12 - Oversized sunglasses are back

33:35 - Leather jackets, and wearing brown with black

34:12 - Dusters are back

34:34 - The cashmere sweater I wear every week

35:13 - My color palette, and the ChatGPT color analysis

36:21 - How I make the season feel special

36:52 - Booking everything in advance

37:11 - Why we do family photos every fall

37:53 - Making the house feel cozy

38:21 - Ambient lighting and my favorite clean candles

39:19 - The full cozy setup, start to finish

40:21 - Romanticizing your life

40:46 - Wrapping up

THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

My high protein chili recipe: https://samanthachristine.co/2026/10/27/the-chili-recipe-you-need/

Shop my fall outfits and beauty picks: https://shopmy.us/shop/samcfit

ELEVATE App: https://www.elevatebysam.com/

SAM'S LINKS:

Macro Guide: https://samanthachristine.co/nutrition-guides

Running Programs: https://samanthachristine.co/running-guides

#fallroutine #fallskincare #fallfashion2026
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The fitter you are, the easier conceiving should be. It doesn't always work that way. Dr. Sasha Hakman, a fertility specialist and three time IVF patient herself, breaks down what actually affects your chances in your 30s, what the numbers really look like, and why an hour of high intensity training every day can work against you.

We cover your real odds of conceiving in a given month, why you can't test egg quality, when to check your AMH and freeze your eggs, declining sperm counts and why he should be tested first, the MTHFR and folic acid myth, melatonin and CoQ10, how to track ovulation properly, the fertile six day window, and the rapid fire myths about conception you can stop believing.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Preview/Trailer

1:36 - Intro

7:20 - The fear women feel about conceiving in their 30s and 40s

8:40 - Being called geriatric at 35

9:07 - Why that term is really just insurance coding

9:22 - Advanced maternal age, and what is actually riskier

10:13 - When you are most fertile, and it isn't your teens

10:32 - Your real odds of conceiving in any given month

11:33 - The 12 month rule under 35, and 6 months over

12:00 - Why waiting costs you, and how long sperm takes to fix

12:36 - Conception rates from 35 to 39, and what happens at 40

13:05 - When you shouldn't wait six months at all

13:46 - Male infertility and the decline in sperm counts

14:37 - Why sperm is a window into a man's overall health

15:16 - The heart condition she caught through a semen analysis

15:49 - Why she tests from the start, not after a year

17:08 - Sam on Ian's vasectomy reversal

17:53 - Reversal success rates by how long it's been

18:26 - Pregnancy rates after a reversal at 35

20:08 - Her own IVF story at 32

22:25 - The adrenal condition behind her ovulation issues

24:12 - The embryo transfer, then conceiving naturally

25:28 - Going back for a second IVF round at 37

26:21 - 26 eggs, 15 mature, 6 embryos, 3 normal

28:29 - Should every woman get tested

28:54 - You cannot test egg quality, only quantity

29:37 - AMH, and why she looks for outliers and trends

30:35 - Why to check your egg quantity sooner than later

31:30 - Quantity vs quality, and the noise online

32:41 - When to freeze your eggs

34:27 - How to prep your body for conception

34:50 - High protein, high fiber, fewer ultra processed foods

35:15 - Exercise: resistance training plus cardio

35:44 - When your workouts start working against you

36:18 - Body fat, weight and miscarriage risk

37:27 - Stress, and which kind really interferes

37:54 - Sam on coming off Ironman training

38:52 - Supplements, and prenatals for both of you

39:18 - The MTHFR myth

42:30 - The patient who skipped folic acid

44:31 - CoQ10 and the supplements with real evidence

44:58 - Melatonin for egg quality

46:43 - Where to get your egg quantity checked

47:44 - Track your cycle and gather the data

48:17 - LH, FSH and what ovulation tests show

50:38 - What ovulation actually feels like

51:58 - Sam's gut protocol and getting rid of H pylori

52:49 - Testing your vaginal microbiome before trying

54:55 - The fertile six day window

55:30 - How long sperm really survives

55:56 - How often to have sex when you're trying

56:23 - Why frequent ejaculation improves sperm quality

57:25 - How long the egg survives after ovulation

58:22 - Does the Mucinex trick work

1:01:27 - The emotional toll of trying

1:01:56 - Why conceiving is a team sport

1:05:35 - Rapid fire: myth or fact

1:06:56 - Does an orgasm help conception

1:07:59 - Can you ovulate without a positive test

1:08:40 - What empowerment means to her

1:09:08 - Where to find her

THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

LAGOON SLEEP: Fully adjustable pillows matched to your body type and sleep position through a 60 second quiz. https://www.lagoonsleep.com/SAMCFIT with code: SAMCFIT for 15% off your first purchase, plus a 100 night trial!

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NUULY: Clothing rental, six styles a month for $98, hundreds of brands, inclusive sizing and no late fees. https://www.nuuly.com with code: SAMCFIT for $28 off your first month!

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REMI: Custom fit night guards made at home from your own impression kit. https://www.shopremi.com/SAMCFIT with code: SAMCFIT for 50% off a new night guard with Remi Club!

CONNECT WITH DR. SASHA HAKMAN:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tryingwithdrhakman/

Podcast | Trying with Dr. Sasha Hakman: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KbKJpOEUClmcaWB4xjh0D

Website: https://www.sashahakmanmd.com/

SAM'S LINKS:

ELEVATE App | free 7 day trial: https://www.elevatebysam.com/

Macro Guide: https://samanthachristine.co/nutrition-guides

Running Programs: https://samanthachristine.co/running-guides

#tryingtoconceive #fertilityafter35 #womenshealth
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If I had to lose fat, build muscle and start from zero again, these are the 10 things I'd do. I spent years yo-yo dieting, doing random workouts and weighing myself twice a day, and none of it worked until I changed the way I approached it. This is everything I wish I'd known at the start.

We cover why discipline beats motivation, prioritizing whole foods without being restrictive, strength training four days a week, progressive overload, tracking macros for the first three months, building a small deficit instead of slashing calories, keeping carbs in, throwing the scale away, changing your environment, and why six months is the number that actually matters.

Products I use that you will love: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Samcfit?tab=posts

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro

1:20 - The activewear brands I actually wear

2:42 - What I'd do if I had to start my fitness journey over

3:12 - The years I spent yo-yo dieting and never sticking to it

4:03 - Why results take longer than anyone tells you

4:28 - Everyone starts at a different point

5:44 - The 10 things I'd do to lose fat and build muscle from zero

6:41 - 1. Build the mindset before you build anything else

7:03 - Discipline vs motivation, and why motivation always runs out

8:27 - The days I still don't want to train

9:31 - Affirmations and feeding yourself positivity

10:18 - The first taste of change, and why it keeps you going

11:04 - Give any program three months before you judge it

12:24 - 2. Prioritize whole foods

12:50 - Why food quality matters more than perfect macros

13:25 - Why processed foods leave you hungry and over your calories

14:30 - Eating more volume and snacking less

15:01 - Protein sources, fiber and vegetables

15:34 - The carbs I actually eat

15:57 - My 90/10 lifestyle and why restriction never lasted

16:27 - The Happy Meal rule

17:08 - Meal prep and my 3-2 rule

17:54 - Using sauces so meal prep isn't boring

19:03 - 3. Strength train four days a week

19:35 - If you want to look toned, it is not through more cardio

20:18 - How to split your four days based on your goals

21:08 - Recovery, and the 24 to 48 hour rule

22:28 - Where cardio actually fits in

23:28 - 4. Focus on progressive overload

23:48 - Your body adapts to what you repeatedly ask it to do

24:15 - What progressive overload actually means

25:28 - The goblet squat example, week one to week five

26:43 - Why random workouts kept me stuck for years

27:30 - Nail your form before you add weight

29:20 - 5. Track your macros for the first three months

29:46 - Why the long term goal is intuitive eating

30:13 - What 30g of protein actually looks like

30:32 - How quickly fats add up

31:02 - How tracking showed me I was over and under eating

32:30 - 6. Create a small deficit, don't slash your calories

33:13 - Adjusting based on energy, hunger and recovery

34:15 - How to tell if you're at maintenance, deficit or surplus

34:56 - 7. Keep the carbs in

35:26 - The low carb years and how miserable I was

36:21 - Timing your carbs around your workout

37:08 - Do you need to eat before a 5am workout

38:35 - Blood sugar, and what to eat if you feel dizzy

39:09 - 8. Stop weighing yourself every day

39:34 - Weighing myself multiple times a day

40:37 - Everything that moves the number on the scale

41:19 - What to measure instead of body weight

42:09 - Throwing the scale away

42:44 - Why your own body is the best scale you have

44:42 - Take your before photos

45:36 - 9. Change your environment sooner

45:52 - What's quietly pulling you away from your goals

47:34 - Setting boundaries around your time and energy

49:54 - 10. Give yourself six months

50:48 - The biggest mistake I see women make

52:00 - The restart cycle that kept me stuck

52:33 - A true body recomposition took me a full year

53:24 - What changed beyond the physical transformation

56:05 - Write these down where you'll see them

57:58 - Wrapping up

THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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SAM'S LINKS:

ELEVATE App | progressive overload programs, free 7 day trial: https://www.elevatebysam.com/

Macro Guide: https://samanthachristine.co/nutrition-guides

Running Programs: https://samanthachristine.co/running-guides

https://samanthachristine.co/2025/09/03/my-3-2-rule-meal-prep-made-simple/
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