Wellness etc.

Portia Michau

Wellness etc. is a podcast about cutting through the noise of modern wellness culture. Hosted by holistic health coach and personal trainer Portia, this show explores women’s health, nutrition, nervous system regulation, body image, and the psychology behind our relationship with food and wellbeing. Expect honest conversations about wellness trends, diet culture, hormones, and the realities of building a truly healthy life.

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40 episodes
a few times a week
Avg 44 min
English

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S1 · E22
August 6 · 52 min
#22 | The Body Image Conversation I Needed Years Ago
This is the episode I wish had existed when I was in the thick of it. Body image is something almost every woman I know has struggled with at some point and yet the conversation we're having about it online is either toxic or so surface level that it doesn't actually help. So today we're going deeper. We're talking about where body image actually comes from, why bad body days are almost never actually about your body, and what it really means to feel safe and at home in yourself. We cover: The history of women's bodies Why body dissatisfaction is a belief system problem not a body problem The uncomfortable truth about fatphobia and where our beliefs actually come from What feeling safe in your body actually looks like Why the health system was never designed around what women actually need How to quietly fight back and start rewriting the narrative Find more of me: @wellwithportia Work with me: 1:1 Period Recovery Coaching
S1 · E21
July 27 · 30 min
#21 | Contraception, Alcohol In Recovery & Addressing Body Image Beliefs | Q&A Part 2
We're back with another round of your questions and this one gets into some really honest territory. From understanding why HA is fundamentally a nervous system problem, to navigating boredom when you pull back on exercise, to what to do when your body is changing but your period still hasn't shown up, we're covering all of it. You asked me about: Why HA is really a nervous system problem and what that means for recovery Walking during recovery How to keep going when you can see body changes but no period yet Dealing with boredom when exercise reduces Contraception after recovery Alcohol during HA recovery How to keep persevering when you feel completely stuck Finding balance after restriction without falling into orthorexia Find more of me @wellwithportia Work with Me
July 21 · 43 min
#20 | Hair Loss, Rest Guilt & Obsessive Exercise | Q&A Part 1
You sent in your questions and I'm getting into all of it. This one covers everything from navigating HA recovery without professional support, understanding whether your relationship with exercise has become obsessive, learning to separate your worth from food and movement and so much more. You asked me about: Whether it's possible to do HA recovery without professional help when money is a barrier How to know if your relationship with exercise has become obsessive How to separate your worth from food and exercise Navigating a cycle that just won't regulate after years of recovery Hair loss in recovery Tips for resting without guilt And my death row meal This is part 1, follow along for part 2! @wellwithportia Send In Your Questions: portia@momentum-studios.com.au
S1 · E19
July 11 · 40 min
#19 | The Reality Of Being Lean
Consider this your reality check. Recently I found myself falling down the social media rabbit hole of trying to be perfect - with my content, my life, my food, my training, everything. And I had to pull myself out of it. Because the truth is, social media has completely distorted our sense of what is normal, what is healthy, and what is actually going on behind the content we consume every single day. This one is a bit of a reality check, a bit of a love letter, and a lot of critical thinking. We cover: Why all social media is edited, even the "authentic" stuff How the algorithm creates a distorted sense of what's normal The reality of what being constantly lean actually costs most women Why most fitness influencers don't have their period and why that matters What you're not seeing behind the content How to use critical thinking when you're stuck in the comparison trap Find more of me: @wellwithportia Work with me here Join my Skool Community
S1 · E18
July 2 · 37 min
#18 | Are You Bingeing Or Have You Just Normalised Not Eating Enough?
This episode is one I've wanted to make for a long time because the confusion around hunger, fullness, and binge eating is real, and I think so many women are mislabelling their body's very normal responses to restriction as something being wrong with them. Spoiler: you are probably not out of control. You are probably just underfuelling. In this episode I'm breaking down everything nobody taught us about hunger and fullness, the hormones behind it, why your cues might have gone quiet, and what extreme hunger actually is and why it happens. We cover: What hunger actually is and the hormones driving it Why "I'm not hungry" isn't always a reliable signal Intuitive eating vs mechanical eating and when each actually makes sense Why fullness is not something to fear and how to reframe it Training your digestive system like a muscle The real difference between binge eating and just eating a normal amount of food Extreme hunger - what it is, how long it lasts, and how to get through it Why hunger and fullness are actually signs that your body is working Skool Community Work with Me
S1 · E17
June 25 · 1 hr 3 min
#17 | The Moment She Stopped Trying To Fix Herself - with Olivia Judd Smith
Olivia Judd Smith is a women's nutritionist, movement coach, and founder of The Nourished Woman. Olivia's journey is one that so many women will relate to. She spent years chasing the next fix, pushing through burnout, losing her period, and trying to optimise her way to health, until she realised that the thing she was actually missing had nothing to do with another diet or training program. In this episode she shares her personal story honestly, her philosophy on what true health actually looks like for women, and the one definition of health that genuinely stopped me in my tracks. We cover: Olivia's personal journey with food, her body, burnout and losing her period What finally shifted after years of trying everything What true health actually means Nourishing and moving like a woman The most common patterns she sees in the women she works with How to move from a place of rules and control into something that actually feels free What she wishes every woman knew about her health Find more of Liv: @oliviajuddsmith_ Find more of me: @wellwithportia Work With Me
S1 · E16
June 18 · 39 min
#16 | 12 Things Recovery Taught Me About Life
Recovery has a way of teaching you things that no school, no book, and no person ever could. This episode is my honest reflection on the lessons that came out of one of the hardest seasons of my life and how they changed not just my health, but the way I move through the world entirely. These aren't just lessons about food or bodies or periods. They're lessons about fear, identity, free will, and what it actually means to live a life that's yours. We cover: Why nobody is thinking about you as much as you think they are How your reality is entirely shaped by what you focus on Why self improvement means nothing without self acceptance The truth about fear, boundaries, and decisions Why your body is supposed to change and why that's a good thing What recovery gave me that I never expected to receive Find more of me @wellwithportia Work with me here xo
S1 · E15
June 4 · 56 min
#15 | Off Campus Debrief & Why Your Happiness Doesn't Need To Make Sense To Anyone Else
We start this episode with a full Off Campus debrief because if you know, you know and if you haven't watched it yet, consider this your sign. But then things get a little deeper. This episode is my honest take on hustle culture, why I'm so over the glorification of busy, and the epiphany I had recently that honestly changed the way I'm approaching my life and my work. I talk about burnout, chronic optimisation, the pressure to constantly be doing more and why I think the opposite of all of that is actually where the good stuff is. We cover: The Off Campus debrief you didn't know you needed Why "I'm so busy" has become a flex and why I kind of hate it The things hustle culture glorifies that I'm deinfluencing you on Why your career is not your personality Burnout is not normal and we need to stop treating it like it is The journal prompt I do with all my clients and why it actually changes everything Find more of me: @wellwithportia Work With Me <33
S1 · E14
May 28 · 46 min
14 - The Gut, Hormone & Fertility Conversation We All Need | with Monika Anna
Monika Anna is a clinical nutritionist specialising in gut health, hormones, fertility, and preconception to postpartum nutrition and this conversation is one I have been wanting to have on the podcast for a long time. We get into the connection between gut health and hormonal health, what a truly healthy cycle actually looks like from a practitioner's perspective, and what Monika looks for in her clients that most people (including GPs) tend to miss. Whether you're thinking about fertility now or just want to understand your cycle and hormones better, this one is for you. We cover: The connection between gut health and hormonal health that most women don't know about What a healthy cycle actually looks like and the signs something might be off Nutrition and lifestyle foundations for hormonal and cycle health Fertility and preconception - what to address before you even start trying What the wellness industry gets most wrong about hormonal health Find more of Monika: @monika_anna_nutritionist Find more of me: @wellwithportia Work with Me momentum-studios.com.au
S1 · E13
May 21 · 50 min
13 - Body Image, Calorie Tracking & The Honest Answers You Actually Need | Q&A
This week it's just me, answering your questions and honestly this might be one of my favourite episode formats because your questions are so good and so real. From navigating bad body image days to the all-in approach in recovery, learning to trust yourself around food, and what to do when people are stressing you out. We're getting into all of it. You asked me about: Bad body image days and eating when full in recovery Movement, steps, and heart rate during period recovery Breaking free from calorie tracking when it feels like the only thing keeping you safe Sleep struggles, nourishing breakfasts and yes - sleeping masks When to see a GP or gynaecologist if you've tried everything My biggest advice for intuitive eating You can find more of me: instagram.com/wellwithportia momentum-studios.com.au
S1 · E12
May 14 · 42 min
12 - The Workout Habit That Might Be Holding You Back
This episode is not anti-exercise. Not even close. But it is an honest conversation about the relationship so many of us have built with movement and whether it's actually serving us. This week I'm breaking down why exercise is a stressor, what it means when it becomes your primary coping mechanism, and how to start moving with genuine intention rather than obligation, guilt, or anxiety. We cover: Why exercise is a stressor and why that actually matters The difference between movement that supports you and movement that's just a distraction How to understand the intention behind your training Signs you might be overtraining How to set yourself up for success - fuelling, rest, recovery and training smarter Why strength training is the greatest thing you can do for your body long term Find more of me: instagram.com/wellwithportia momentum-studios.com.au
S1 · E11
May 7 · 56 min
11 - She Lost Her Period Twice ... Here's What Finally Worked | with Lucy Klemt
Lucy Klemt is a dietitian and strength coach who has dedicated her career to helping women build a sustainable relationship with food and their bodies. But before all of that, she lost her period ... twice. In this episode Lucy shares her personal journey through two separate period recoveries, why the first one didn't stick, and what she did differently the second time around. We also chat about her postpartum experience as a brand new mum to a seven week old, and why asking for help is one of the most powerful things you can do in recovery. This is one of those conversations that feels like sitting down with someone who just gets it. We cover: Lucy's personal journey with losing her period and what drove it Why her first recovery didn't stick and what changed the second time Practical advice for women in period recovery Why asking for help is not weakness, it's the whole point Find more of Lucy - instagram.com/lucyklemt Find more of me - instagram.com/wellwithportia Work with me - momentum-studios.com.au
S1 · E10
April 30 · 1 hr 19 min
10 - The HA Series Pt. 2: How I Got My Period Back After 8 Years
I lost my period at the end of 2017. I got it back in October 2025. This episode is the full story of everything in between - the doctors who told me to go on the pill, the years of half-committing to recovery, the moment I decided to say a quiet but firm no to the medical system and back myself completely. I'm covering exactly what my recovery looked like. The nutrition, the training, the lifestyle changes, and honestly the hardest part of all of it, the mental load. Because nobody talks about that part enough. This one is long, it's personal, and it's everything I wish someone had told me when I was in the thick of it. We cover: How and why I lost my period in the first place Years of mismanagement, misdiagnosis and being told to just go on the pill The moment I decided to fully commit to natural recovery What I actually changed (food, movement, sleep, lifestyle and mindset) The mental and emotional reality of recovery that nobody warns you about The night I got my period back and what it meant Find more of me: instagram.com/wellwithportia
S1 · E9
April 23 · 49 min
9 - The HA Series Pt. 1: What Even Is Hypothalamic Amenorrhea?
If your period has gone missing, or has never been quite right, this episode is the starting point. Hypothalamic Amenorrhea is one of the most common and most misunderstood causes of missing periods in women, and most of us have never even heard of it. In Part 1 of the HA Series I'm breaking down what HA actually is, what's happening in your body when it occurs, and what recovery looks like, from the inside out. No medical jargon, just real information that I wish someone had given me a long time ago. We cover: What hypothalamic amenorrhea actually is and how it works The three main drivers and why they rarely exist in isolation What's happening hormonally when your period disappears Who gets HA (and why it's not always who you'd expect) How to reverse it and what recovery looks like internally and externally What else you need to know, including common misdiagnoses and why the pill isn't a fix For support about your missing period, you can find me at: instagram.com/wellwithportia email me portia@momentum-studios.com.au
S1 · E9
April 16 · 1 hr 4 min
8 - What Nobody Tells You About Leaving Diet Culture | with Jye Austin
Jye Austin is a Women's Strength & Health Coach, Co-founder of Rep Republic and Social Frequency, and Performance Coach at Saint Haven. But before all of that, she went through her own journey with her health — from an eating disorder at 13, through the world of bodybuilding, and eventually into a completely different relationship with her body and herself. In this episode she shares that journey honestly, and what she found when she finally stopped performing and started actually living. We cover: How her eating disorder began and where it led The reality of bodybuilding The moment during COVID when everything shifted Gaining weight and choosing health over performance Finding holistic health Where she is now — longevity, strength, and just being a good human Find more of Jye at instagram.com/jyeaustinpt instagram.com/wellwithportia momentum-studios.com.au
S1 · E7
April 9 · 53 min
7 - Q&A With My Boyfriend: Wellness, Navigating Fertility & Behind The Scenes
In this episode, I’m joined by my boyfriend, Max, for a Q&A all about our relationship, women’s health, and what it’s actually like dating someone in the wellness space. We talk about how we met, what it was like navigating my disordered eating and period recovery, and the things he’s learnt about women’s health along the way. We also get into the realities of supporting a partner through a healing journey, the habits we’ve influenced in each other, and what we think makes our relationship work. Plus, a few “wellness girl” moments and some fun quick-fire questions. A mix of honest, insightful, and light-hearted, this one feels like a chat with us. Find more of me: instagram.com/wellwithportia momentum-studios.com.au
S1 · E6
April 2 · 43 min
6 - Your Cycle Is Trying To Tell You Something
Most of us were taught that our period is just something that happens once a month - something to manage, put up with, or push through. But your hormonal cycle is so much more than that. It's one of the most powerful indicators of how your body is actually doing, and most of us were never taught how to read it. In this episode I'm sharing everything I wish I'd known; from what a healthy cycle actually looks like, to the signs your body might be struggling, and how to start supporting your hormones through the way you live day to day. We cover: Why I call it a hormonal cycle (not a menstrual cycle) and why that reframe matters Your cycle as a vital sign — what it's actually telling you about your health What a healthy cycle really looks like Signs your cycle might be out of balance How to support your hormones through food, movement and stress When to ask for help and who to see Find more of me: instagram.com/wellwithportia momentum-studios.com.au
S1 · E5
March 26 · 46 min
5 - Gaining Weight Was The Healthiest Thing I Ever Did
If the idea of gaining weight makes your stomach drop, this episode is for you. I'm sharing my personal journey with weight, from restriction and over-exercising to genuinely nourishing my body and gaining weight over the past year. This episode is me talking honestly about that, and everything I've learned along the way. We will cover: Why weight gain feels so wrong and who actually benefits from you feeling that way The biological case for being nourished — hormones, metabolism, and beyond The mental load of letting go of a lean identity What your body is actually telling you when you think you want to lose weight What healthy really looks like for women How to cope with weight gain in your healing journey and where to start Find more of me: instagram.com/wellwithportia momentum-studios.com.au
S1 · E4
March 20 · 44 min
4 - Smash or Pass: The Wellness Edition
In this episode of Smash or Pass: The Wellness Edition, I’m giving my honest takes on the biggest trends in wellness; the hits, the misses, and the overhyped rituals we all see online. From protein obsession to Pilates, saunas to step counts, and all the “wellness girl” classics in between, I break down what actually supports your body and what’s just noise, all through my lens as a period recovery coach, personal trainer, and functional nutritionist. ✨ Weekly recommendation: Farmer's Pick Groceries GET $10 OFF YOUR ORDER 💧 Sodii Hydration: Use my code PORTIA
S1 · E3
March 12 · 42 min
3 - The Skinny Pandemic, Ozempic & The Return of Thin
It feels like everywhere you look right now, thinness is trending again. From influencers and celebrities rapidly losing weight to the explosion of medications like Ozempic, there’s a noticeable shift happening in the way bodies are being portrayed online. In this episode we unpack the “skinny pandemic”. Why ultra-thin body ideals seem to be making a comeback and what that might mean for health, culture, and the next generation. We’ll talk about: • the rise of weight-loss medications and the conversation around them • how social media algorithms amplify body trends • who actually benefits from body insecurity • why body ideals change over time • and what this could mean for long-term health and wellbeing This episode isn’t about shaming individuals or medications, it’s about zooming out and asking bigger questions about the culture shaping the way we see our bodies. Find more of me: instagram.com/wellwithportia momentum-studios.com.au Work with me: https://sikx4huyd81.typeform.com/to/lWmeHQ97

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