Is your body starting to feel like a stiff, achy "prison"? For many women in midlife, rolling out of bed in the morning has become a symphony of pops, cracks, and "grumpy" joints.

In this episode, Samantha sits down with mobility expert Vanja Moves to challenge the cultural lie that physical decline is an unavoidable part of the aging process. Vanja shares the striking inspiration behind her philosophy and explains why "decades of neglect" are often mistaken for "getting older".

This conversation is a deep dive into reclaiming your physical agency. Vanja reveals why your one-hour gym session might not be enough to save your joints if you’re sedentary for the other 23 hours, and she introduces the "Movement is Medicine" framework. This episode isn't just about fitness; it’s about building a body that allows you to remain independent, vibrant, and capable well into your 80s and 90s.

What You’ll Learn:

1. The Grandmother Test: The simple floor-movement metric that predicts your long-term physical independence.
2. The "Medicine" Dosage: Why your current injuries aren't a reason to stop moving, but a reason to change your "dosage" of movement.
3. Western vs. Eastern Mobility: The hidden reason why Eastern cultures don't suffer from the same "age-related" mobility issues we see in the West.
4. The Squat Myth: Why common gym advice about "protecting your knees" might actually be making your joints weaker and more prone to injury.
5. Movement Snacks: How to integrate "organic" human movement into your busiest days without ever stepping foot in a gym.
6. The Estrogen Connection: How building lean muscle mass can act as a powerful ally for your body when hormones begin to shift.
7. Mind-Muscle Literacy: The secret to "rewiring" your brain to control your body’s end-range of motion safely.
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About Our Guest Expert:

Vanja Moves is a movement and longevity expert who teaches a transformative approach to living in your body. Through her Movement is Medicine philosophy, she combines movement science, nervous-system literacy, strength training, and identity reprogramming into practical tools anyone can use to move better, feel stronger, and reclaim their physical life.

Vanja brings a unique perspective by treating movement as more than exercise—it’s a catalyst for mental clarity, stress relief, and personal growth. Her approach helps people reset, build discipline, expand capacity, and rewire their identity from the ground up.

Through Instagram, YouTube, and her podcast Making Moves, Vanja reaches millions with insights that cut through trends and misinformation, providing simple, actionable strategies that stick. She is a trusted guide for anyone looking to feel capable, grounded, and fully in charge of their body and life.

Connect with Vanja:

Instagram: vanja.moves

Website: