Is 'Health Maxxing' a New Religion? A Catholic Mom's Take

Annie Muller and Hailey Skinner tackle one of the loudest conversations in the cultural zeitgeist right now: health maxing, longevity obsession, and optimal health trends — and ask what a faithful Catholic response actually looks like. From sleep trackers to sourdough guilt, from perimenopause to postpartum, they explore how moms in every season of life can care for themselves without losing themselves in the process. Grounded in Scripture, St. Augustine, St. John Paul II, and hard-won personal experience, this episode is your permission slip to tune out the noise and tune in to what actually matters. What We Cover The "health maxxing" and longevity trend — where it comes from, what it gets right, and where it goes wrong St. John Paul II's concept of the "cult of the body" and why women are especially vulnerable to it The difference between selfishness and self-care — and why that distinction matters for moms Hailey's morning routine that changed everything (and how she got there) Why Annie became a certified health coach — and the statistic about healthy parents raising healthy kids The Church's feasting and fasting seasons as the antidote to both gluttony and restriction Why "guilty pleasures" is a phrase that needs to go — and what the Psalms say instead Timestamps 0:00 — Welcome & intro to the health maxing conversation 5:22 — Hailey's experience with social media comparison & why she deleted Instagram 10:00 — The cult of the body, fear of death, and the desire for control 15:11 — Reframing self-care as stewardship, not selfishness 17:00 — Hailey's morning routine: the one change that transformed her days 20:00 — Annie's health coach background & modeling health for your children 27:00 — Sleep: a hot commodity, a gift, and an offering 35:10 — Is there more to life than optimal health? Health as means, not end 41:00 — The Church's rhythm of feasting and fasting as a countercultural gift 42:01 — Hailey's theology of bread and wine (and the Eucharist) 45:00 — Self-knowledge, "guilty pleasures," and the goodness of creation 50:29 — Practical self-care: what Annie and Hailey actually do Mighty Is Her Call Prayer Requests Reach out to Annie - annie@mightyishercall.com Support our podcast!