115: Beyond the Barbell: Overcoming Fear, Finding Confidence, and Feeling Strong

Ever wonder if you’re actually lifting heavy enough or just going through the motions? In this episode of BROADS, I’m joined by my girl Emily (aka ATX Cake Bae and the marketing + ops queen behind Broads) for a raw, unfiltered fitness Q&A. We’re tackling the real questions you send me every week: how to build mind–muscle connection, how to stop second-guessing your workouts, and how to finally feel strong and confident in your body. We talk about what it means to “train smarter, not harder”, how to push through gym anxiety, and why maintenance seasons are actually a sign of progress, not failure.  Emily opens up about her own health and hormone journey, and I share what it felt like stepping back into competition mode at APEX and finding that athlete fire again. If you’ve ever felt like a newbie in the gym, questioned your form mid-set, or battled imposter syndrome under the bar, this one’s for you. We Also Discuss: (00:06) Fitness Q&A with Emily: answering your most-asked training questions, no fluff. (04:40) How Emily’s adapting her training through hormone shifts and stress. (10:32) My APEX recap and the power of community in women’s strength. (15:28) What it actually means to “feel” the muscle you’re training. (19:47) How to plan your workouts, take up space, and move with purpose. (24:50) Progressive Lifting and Overcoming Fear: using RPE, testing your limits, and trusting your strength. (33:57) Embracing Growth and Overcoming Insecurities (41:34) Why showing up, not perfection, builds lasting strength. Thank You to Our Sponsors: Timeline: Get you free 3-day trial of Mitopure gummies. Head over to timeline.com/taragummies to claim yours. HUME: Go to humebody.com and use the code TARA at checkout for up to 50% off. Black Friday Deal on Broads: From November 24th through December 1st, if you apply, do your consult call, and join BroadsCOACH at https://www.broads.app/ you’ll get coaching completely free through the holidays. Your actual contract doesn’t begin until January 1st. Promo ends December 1st. Claim your spot now! Check out more from Broads: Website: https://www.broads.app/ Instagram: @broads.podcast @broads.app