{"podcast":{"title":"Embrace Your Real","slug":"embrace-your-real-187700","podcast_index_feed_id":187700,"rss_url":"https://embraceyourreal.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"https://www.juliealedbetter.com","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/b/0/2/6/b026663fc442bdbed959afa2a1bf1c87/IMG_9460.png","author":"Julie Ledbetter","episode_count":649,"summary":"Welcome to Embrace Your Real with me, Julie Ledbetter, a podcast where I empower you to just be you. My hope for you is to stop hating your body, picking a part every flaw, questioning your worth, doubting your strength, making excuses, and constantly starting over. I get it, I've been there. I know it feels like an impossible cycle to break, but let me tell you: I've successfully broken the decade long struggle, and over the last 8 years I have helped thousands of other woman do the same. I know it's possible and that's why I am here to ensure you do, too! Every episode, I dish you a dose of real talk and actionable advice for building the body you want, creating unshakable confidence and embracing your authentic self. Each week I share my secrets on how to honor your body with movement, nourish your body with exactly what it needs, and give you transformative mental shifts that will help you show up for your life in a powerful way. Are you ready to embrace your real? Let's get it, let's go!","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/embrace-your-real-187700"},"episode":{"title":"What Is the Mind-Muscle Connection (And Why It Changes Everything About How You Train)","slug":"what-is-the-mind-muscle-connection-and-why-it-changes-everything-about-how-you-train","published_at":"2026-05-25T08:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/embrace-your-real-187700/what-is-the-mind-muscle-connection-and-why-it-changes-everything-about-how-you-train","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/embrace-your-real-187700","url":"https://embraceyourreal.libsyn.com/what-is-the-mind-muscle-connection-and-why-it-changes-everything-about-how-you-train","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/embraceyourreal/EYR_-_What_is_the_mind-muscle_connection_and_why_it_changes_everything_about_how_you_train.mp3?dest-id=1852595","summary":"Hey hey beautiful human! There is nothing more frustrating than doing the workout, checking off every set, and still wondering if the right muscles even got the message. You feel tired, you know you worked hard, but your glutes are quiet after glute day, your arms take over on back day, and suddenly the issue is not whether you are consistent. It is whether the effort you are putting in is actually going where you think it is. What most women do in that moment is assume they need to do more. More weight, more exercises, more intensity. But the missing piece is usually not more effort. It is where that effort is actually going. Not sure how to tell the difference between a workout that simply made you tired and a workout that actually trained the muscle you wanted to build? In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I'm breaking down what the mind-muscle connection is, why it changes the way your body responds to training, and the simple cues you can use in your next workout to finally feel the muscles you are trying to build. What's Discussed: Why moving the weight does not always mean you are training the muscle you think you are How your body finds the easiest way through a movement and lets stronger muscles take over Why glute exercises can turn into quad or lower-back work without you realizing it Why going heavier can sometimes make the connection worse, not better How slowing down each rep helps you keep tension where it belongs Why visualization, touch, and simple cues can help your brain find the target muscle If you loved this episode, you'll also love: 7 Reasons You've Stopped Seeing Results After Years of Training because it builds on this exact problem and helps you understand what else might be keeping your progress stuck even when you are doing the work. Ready…","meta_description":"Hey hey beautiful human! There is nothing more frustrating than doing the workout, checking off every set, and still wondering if the right muscles even g…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1450,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/embrace-your-real-187700/episodes/what-is-the-mind-muscle-connection-and-why-it-changes-everything-about-how-you-train/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/embrace-your-real-187700/what-is-the-mind-muscle-connection-and-why-it-changes-everything-about-how-you-train.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}