The Wellness Effect (A Lifestyle U Podcast)

Lacey Iskra
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Fitness
  • Updated Weekly

Are you sick of yo-yo dieting and the mind games that come along with it? If you are looking for something sustainable that you can maintain for the rest of the life you will find the answers within this podcast. My name is Lacey Iskra, host and CEO of the lifestyle coaching company Lifestyle U. Lifestyle U is known for helping women create a healthy and sustainable lifestyle that focuses on mental, physical and spiritual health. Our holistic approach is what sets us apart from others in the industry and I am excited to share what I have learned after transforming over 500 women's lives for the better The short weekly episodes will bring you information and insights on how to level up all pillars of your health.

  1. 16h ago

    Blood Sugar Basics: The Hormone, Energy & Weight Connection No One Explains (Ep. 84)

    Your blood sugar affects way more than your energy. It's quietly running your hormones, your period, your cravings, and even how you age. In this episode, Jensen and Lacey go back to basics on blood sugar: what glucose and insulin actually are, what a healthy blood sugar rhythm looks like, and how chronic spikes and crashes can quietly snowball into insulin resistance, PCOS, and metabolic dysfunction. They cover the signs your blood sugar might be off, how to build a blood-sugar-friendly plate, and the simple daily habits that make the biggest difference. Jensen also gets personal, sharing how her own PCOS journey and her dad's type 2 diabetes diagnosis shaped why this topic matters so much to her.   Key Takeaways Blood sugar isn't just about energy. It directly impacts your hormones, period, mood, cravings, sleep, and long-term aging. You don't need to fear carbs or keep your blood sugar perfectly flat. You just need insulin working effectively, which comes down to pairing carbs with protein, fat, and fiber. Small, consistent habits (a bigger high-protein breakfast, a walk after meals, not drinking coffee on an empty stomach) make an outsized difference in blood sugar balance over time.   Chapters 00:00 – Intro & why blood sugar matters 02:23 – Blood sugar basics: glucose, insulin & the key-and-lock analogy 04:18 – What a normal blood sugar rhythm looks like 06:40 – How insulin resistance develops over time 08:54 – Why balance matters: energy, mood, hormones, periods, sleep & aging 17:10 – Signs your blood sugar might be imbalanced 19:09 – Building a blood-sugar-friendly plate 20:54 – Order of eating & other practical food tips 22:57 – Meal timing, snacks & the power of a big breakfast 25:53 – Lifestyle habits: walks after meals, coffee timing & circadian rhythm 33:54 – Minerals, gut health & key takeaways 37:44 – Real talk: PCOS, family history & why this matters   Want to Work With Us? Join us in the Root Cause Reset Program: https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/wellness-effect-906145 and use code "Wellness Effect" for a FREE functional lab test when you join the program. Follow us on Instagram: The Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ Lacey Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/laceeiskk/ Jensen - https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswjensen/ Kira Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/wellbykira/ Lifestyle U have helped over 1,000+ women transform their mind and body and become the best version of themselves. Want to be next? Click Here to Apply! - https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/apply If you loved this episode and want to hear more, subscribe and leave a review! Share this episode with a friend who's ready to start their own wellness journey. Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ to stay up-to-date with the latest episodes and tips.

  2. Aug 12

    Birth Control at 14, Autoimmune at 24: Lacey's Health Journey (Ep. 83)

    In this week's episode of The Wellness Effect, Jensen sits down with Lacey (Kira's off camping) to get into the parts of her story she doesn't usually tell. They trace her health journey all the way back to birth — a difficult delivery, years of chronic illness and unexplained symptoms as a kid, going on the pill before ever having a natural cycle, a wild university era of diet pills and toxic relationships, seven years of bodybuilding, and finally the autoimmune flare that led her to functional health. It's a raw, unfiltered look at how decades of "small" symptoms compound into bigger health issues — and how healing often starts with looking back, not just forward.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Health issues rarely appear out of nowhere — Lacey's autoimmune disease was the result of decades of compounding red flags that started in infancy. Starting birth control before ever having a full natural cycle can shape hormonal health for years to come — Lacey didn't have a regular period until age 29. Extreme diet and exercise control (like bodybuilding) can mask real health issues under a "healthy" facade, and often functions as a coping mechanism for a lack of control elsewhere in life.   CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro: Missing Kira & Setting the Stage 00:57 – Birth Story: A Traumatic Start 06:12 – Constant Sickness & the Antibiotic Cycle 08:01 – Family Dynamics & Suppressed Emotions 10:23 – Bedwetting & Nervous System Dysregulation 27:41 – Silent Until Three: A Hidden Identity 28:26 – First Period at 14 & Straight to the Pill 36:25 – Diet Pills & University Chaos 42:35 – Entering the Bodybuilding World 51:34 – COVID, Quitting Bodybuilding & Getting Her Period Back 58:05 – Raw Vegan Diet & Finding Functional Health 1:01:47 – Healing, Present Day & the Fertility Journey   Want to Work With Us? Join us in the Root Cause Reset Program: https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/wellness-effect-906145 and use code "Wellness Effect" for a FREE functional lab test when you join the program. Follow us on Instagram: The Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ Lacey Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/laceeiskk/ Jensen - https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswjensen/ Kira Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/wellbykira/ Lifestyle U have helped over 1,000+ women transform their mind and body and become the best version of themselves. Want to be next? Click Here to Apply! - https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/apply If you loved this episode and want to hear more, subscribe and leave a review! Share this episode with a friend who's ready to start their own wellness journey. Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ to stay up-to-date with the latest episodes and tips.

  3. Aug 5

    How Many Macros Do You Actually Need? (Protein, Carbs & Fat Explained) (Ep. 82)

    Think you're eating "clean" but still exhausted, bloated, and stuck? In this episode, we break down protein, carbs, and fat — and why getting your macros right (not just "eating less") might be the missing piece. We are going back to basics on macronutrients — what they are, why your body needs all three, and how each one shows up in your hormones, energy, digestion, and mood. Together, we share personal stories from our bodybuilding and "if it fits your macros" days, break down real starting-point numbers for protein, fat, and carbs, and explain why hitting your macro targets with ultra-processed food still isn't the full picture. Stay tuned for our simple, no-scale-required plate method you can start using today! Key Takeaways: Protein, carbs, and fat each have a non-negotiable job (hormones, nervous system fuel, and hormone-building materials, respectively) — under-eating any one shows up as symptoms like fatigue, hair loss, or a stuck scale. Rough daily starting points: 0.8–1g protein per pound of ideal body weight, a minimum of 50g fat/day, and carbs filling in the rest (often 40–50% of calories for active women). Hitting your macros perfectly doesn't guarantee health — food quality matters just as much, since ultra-processed "macro-friendly" foods can still leave you missing fiber, micronutrients, and gut support. Chapters: [00:00] - Intro & Why Macros Matter [02:42] - Macronutrients 101: Protein, Carbs & Fat Explained [05:03] - Protein & Hormone Production [09:21] - Complete vs. Incomplete Protein Sources [11:41] - Protein Timing Throughout the Day [15:03] - Debunking Carb Myths & Thyroid Function [26:37] - Why Dietary Fat Is Essential for Hormones [30:21] - Calories Per Gram: Protein, Carb & Fat [35:10] - How Much Protein, Fat & Carbs You Actually Need [47:59] - Blood Sugar Regulation & Balanced Meals [57:14] - Whole Foods vs. "If It Fits Your Macros" [1:05:02] - The 3-3-3 Plate Method (Actionable Takeaway) You Might Want to Listen: Why Your Thyroid Labs Look 'Normal' But You Still Feel Awful (Ep. 80) - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-your-thyroid-labs-look-normal-but-you-still-feel/id1561267131?i=1000777847653 Want to Work With Us? Join us in the Root Cause Reset Program: https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/wellness-effect-906145 and use code "Wellness Effect" for a FREE functional lab test when you join the program. Follow us on Instagram: The Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ Lacey Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/laceeiskk/ Jensen - https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswjensen/ Kira Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/wellbykira/ Lifestyle U have helped over 1,000+ women transform their mind and body and become the best version of themselves. Want to be next? Click Here to Apply! - https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/apply If you loved this episode and want to hear more, subscribe and leave a review! Share this episode with a friend who's ready to start their own wellness journey. Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ to stay up-to-date with the latest episodes and tips.

  4. Jul 29

    She Tried 20 Things for Migraines Before Finding Relief | Zoe's Functional Health Journey (Ep. 81)

    Zoe has spent 13 years chasing down her migraines — trying 15 to 20 different approaches with zero relief before finally finding what's working.  In today's episode, Lifestyle U coach Zoe joins Lacey and Jensen to share her personal health journey — from childhood stress and lifelong constipation to debilitating migraines that started in high school and worsened dramatically in university. She walks through her path from Western medicine to functional health, the root-cause approaches she's tried (NUCCA chiropractic, fascia release, gut healing, candida protocols), and what she now tells clients about patience, nutrition, and getting to the root of chronic symptoms.   Key Takeaways: Chronic symptoms like constipation and migraines can be deeply tied to stress and emotional patterns, not just diet or genetics. Healing isn't linear — Zoe saw her gut health and skin improve quickly, while her migraines took years and multiple approaches (structural, hormonal, nutritional) before finding relief. Under-eating can stall healing and metabolism; properly fueling the body is often the real turning point, even if it means short-term weight gain.   Chapters: [00:00:00] - Welcome & Introducing Zoe [00:00:31] - How Zoe Became a Lifestyle U Coach [00:02:36] - Childhood Stress & Family Divorce [00:06:39] - First Symptom: Lifelong Constipation [00:10:26] - Migraines Begin in High School [00:14:50] - Getting Into Functional Health [00:19:59] - 15-20 Things Tried With Zero Migraine Relief [00:23:00] - NUCCA Chiropractic & Structural Root Causes [00:27:48] - Fascia Release Therapy Explained [00:36:19] - The Candida Diet & Breaking Sugar Addiction [00:44:52] - Gaining Weight While Healing (Under-Fueling) [00:53:06] - Advice for Anyone Struggling With Migraines   Want to Work With Us? Join us in the Root Cause Reset Program: https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/wellness-effect-906145 and use code "Wellness Effect" for a FREE functional lab test when you join the program. Follow us on Instagram: The Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ Lacey Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/laceeiskk/ Jensen - https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswjensen/ Kira Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/wellbykira/ Lifestyle U have helped over 1,000+ women transform their mind and body and become the best version of themselves. Want to be next? Click Here to Apply! - https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/apply If you loved this episode and want to hear more, subscribe and leave a review! Share this episode with a friend who's ready to start their own wellness journey. Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ to stay up-to-date with the latest episodes and tips.

  5. Jul 22

    Why Your Thyroid Labs Look 'Normal' But You Still Feel Awful (Ep. 80)

    20 million people have a thyroid condition and 60% don't even know it — because the labs your doctor runs are barely scratching the surface of what's actually going on. In today's episode of The Wellness Effect, Kira breaks down how the thyroid actually works — from the brain-driven HPT axis to the T4-to-T3 conversion process — and why "normal" TSH doesn't mean your thyroid is fine. The trio unpacks what really drives thyroid dysfunction (stress, gut health, liver congestion, blood sugar, minerals, toxins, and autoimmunity), plus which labs to actually ask for and what to do if your doctor won't run them. Key Takeaways TSH isn't a thyroid hormone — it's a signal from your brain, and a "normal" TSH can still hide real dysfunction in T3, reverse T3, or antibody levels. Most thyroid hormone conversion happens outside the thyroid — 60-70% in the liver, 20% in the gut — so liver and gut health are often the real root cause. Minerals (iodine, selenium, zinc, iron, magnesium) are required raw materials for thyroid hormone production and conversion, not optional extras. Chapters [00:00] - Intro: Why Thyroid Issues Are So Common [01:24] - What Your Thyroid Actually Does [04:50] - The HPT Axis: How Your Brain Controls Your Thyroid [07:50] - T4 vs T3: How Thyroid Hormone Is Made [13:57] - Reverse T3 Explained [19:19] - The Thyroid Labs You Should Ask For [24:46] - Hypothyroid vs Hyperthyroid Symptoms [30:21] - What's Really Driving Thyroid Dysfunction [35:46] - The Minerals Your Thyroid Needs [44:32] - Toxins, Autoimmunity & Hashimoto's [52:02] - What To Actually Do About It [57:18] - Why Working With a Practitioner Matters Resources & Mentions HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) testing GI Map testing Related episode: previous toxic/low-tox living episode hosted by Lacey (referenced re: environmental toxins) Want to Work With Us? Join us in the Root Cause Reset Program: https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/wellness-effect-906145 and use code "Wellness Effect" for a FREE functional lab test when you join the program. Follow us on Instagram: The Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ Lacey Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/laceeiskk/ Jensen - https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswjensen/ Kira Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/wellbykira/ Lifestyle U have helped over 1,000+ women transform their mind and body and become the best version of themselves. Want to be next? Click Here to Apply! - https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/apply If you loved this episode and want to hear more, subscribe and leave a review! Share this episode with a friend who's ready to start their own wellness journey. Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ to stay up-to-date with the latest episodes and tips.

  6. Jul 15

    PCOS, Acne & Irregular Cycles: How to Stop Chasing Symptoms and Start Healing (Ep. 79)

    Jensen spent years treating her acne, irregular cycles, and eating patterns as separate problems — until a PMOS (previously known as PCOS) diagnosis connected the dots. This episode breaks down how she stopped chasing symptoms and started actually healing. In this episode, Jensen walks through her full health journey — from childhood body image pressure and disordered eating, through years of unexplained acne and cycle irregularity, to finally getting a PMOS diagnosis and learning to treat the root cause instead of the symptoms. She shares what functional health coaching taught her about balance, hormone health, and healing without perfectionism.   Key Takeaways: PMOS (previously PCOS) symptoms like acne and irregular cycles are often treated as isolated issues — but they're usually connected to a bigger root cause. Restrictive eating patterns can quietly contribute to hormonal and metabolic dysfunction years down the line.  Real healing means shifting from symptom-chasing (spot treatments, quick fixes) to addressing root causes — and learning balance over perfection.   Chapters: 00:00 – Intro (the deer chase story) 06:00 – Childhood: Type A, "Glass Child Syndrome" & Control 11:42 – The Start of an Eating Disorder 15:09 – Binge Eating & Purging: What It Really Looked Like 18:14 – The Turning Point: Discovering Macros 20:27 – How Restriction Led to PCOS & Metabolic Damage 28:40 – The Acne Journey: From Age 13 to Present 33:37 – Getting the PCOS Diagnosis 45:09 – Cycle Syncing & Knowing Your Body 47:24 – Balance Over Perfection: The 80/20 Approach 53:08 – Bodybuilding, Burnout & Quitting Cold Turkey in Mexico   Want to Work With Us? Join us in the Root Cause Reset Program: https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/wellness-effect-906145 and use code "Wellness Effect" for a FREE functional lab test when you join the program. Follow us on Instagram: The Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ Lacey Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/laceeiskk/ Jensen - https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswjensen/ Kira Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/wellbykira/ Lifestyle U have helped over 1,000+ women transform their mind and body and become the best version of themselves. Want to be next? Click Here to Apply! - https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/apply If you loved this episode and want to hear more, subscribe and leave a review! Share this episode with a friend who's ready to start their own wellness journey. Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ to stay up-to-date with the latest episodes and tips.

  7. Jul 8

    How to Enjoy This Summer (Without Wrecking Your Hormones or Gut) (Ep. 78)

    Summer heat literally changes how your digestion works — and it's not the food, it's the environment. Jensen, Kira, and Lacey break down why your gut, hormones, and stress levels need a different approach once temperatures rise. This week, Jensen, Kira, and Lacey dive into how to actually enjoy summer without derailing your hormone or gut health progress. They cover why heat affects digestion, how cortisol quietly spikes during "relaxing" summer months, sunlight and circadian rhythm, hydration and electrolyte needs, navigating BBQs and social events, setting boundaries around alcohol, and their go-to "floor and ceiling" method for staying consistent without burning out.   Key Takeaways: Summer heat redirects blood flow away from digestion, so smaller meals and warm/room-temp foods help if you're prone to bloating. Cortisol often rises in summer from packed social schedules, so setting boundaries before events prevents the anxiety-and-overdoing-it cycle. The "floor and ceiling" method — defining your minimum and best-case effort for nutrition, movement, and nervous system care — keeps you consistent without all-or-nothing thinking.   Chapters: [00:00] - Intro [00:34] - Staying on Track This Summer [06:44] - Supporting Digestion in Summer Heat [11:37] - Cortisol, Stress & Hormones in Summer [14:52] - Setting Boundaries & Summer Intentions [18:42] - Sleep, Circadian Rhythm & Sunlight [23:27] - Sunscreen & Sun Exposure for Kids [29:25] - Hydration & Electrolytes [35:40] - Navigating Summer Events & BBQs [44:10] - Alcohol, Peer Pressure & Drinking Goals [48:02] - The Floor & Ceiling Method [58:02] - Getting Back on Track After a Slip   Resources & Mentions My Circadian app (free) — tracks sunlight/UV timing Relight electrolytes by Redmond Sea Salt (Amazon) Minerals and Chill electrolyte brand Aussie trace minerals (regular staple mentioned)   Want to Work With Us? Join us in the Root Cause Reset Program: https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/wellness-effect-906145 and use code "Wellness Effect" for a FREE functional lab test when you join the program. Follow us on Instagram: The Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ Lacey Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/laceeiskk/ Jensen - https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswjensen/ Kira Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/wellbykira/ Lifestyle U have helped over 1,000+ women transform their mind and body and become the best version of themselves. Want to be next? Click Here to Apply! - https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/apply If you loved this episode and want to hear more, subscribe and leave a review! Share this episode with a friend who's ready to start their own wellness journey. Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ to stay up-to-date with the latest episodes and tips.

  8. Jul 1

    20 Years on Birth Control, 3 Pregnancy Losses, and the Birth Story That Changed Everything (Ep. 77)

    Kira takes us back to the very beginning — from undiagnosed childhood anxiety and a decade of binge drinking to the fertility journey that included an ectopic pregnancy, two miscarriages, and two wildly different birth experiences. In this episode of The Wellness Effect, Lacey and Kira sits down for full-circle look at Kira's health journey — from her childhood as the eldest daughter, through birth control and untreated anxiety, into the wellness challenge that changed everything, and finally through her fertility struggles, an ectopic pregnancy, multiple losses, and the births of Ellie and Jake.   Key Takeaways: Undiagnosed childhood anxiety and nervous system dysregulation often show up decades later as coping patterns like binge drinking — and healing means going back to understand where it started. Mineral depletion from years of hormonal birth control and lack of preconception replenishment can carry real consequences into pregnancy and postpartum — but it's never too late to start repleting. Trusting your intuition and asking questions (even when providers push back) can change the entire trajectory of a birth and postpartum experience.   Chapters: [00:00:00] - Intro  [00:01:06] - Childhood, Eldest Daughter Syndrome & Family Dynamics [00:04:49] - Undiagnosed Anxiety & Nervous System Dysregulation as a Kid [00:06:33] - Late Puberty, Birth Control & Teenage Acne [00:09:29] - Binge Drinking Years & Coping Through Her 20s [00:10:32] - Meeting Brett & the Wellness Challenge That Changed Everything [00:13:43] - Coming Off Birth Control & the Copper IUD Mistake [00:15:15] - Trying to Conceive & a Rough First Pregnancy with Ellie [00:20:35] - Ellie's Traumatic Hospital Birth Story [00:33:56] - COVID Vaccine, Trying for "Two Under Two" & the Ectopic Pregnancy [00:42:35] - Miscarriages & the Long Road Back to Pregnancy [00:47:06] - Jake's Healed Home Birth, Postpartum & Trusting Intuition Over Western Medicine   You Might Want to Listen: S2E47 - Kira's Birth Story: 6 Hour Labor & Home Birth   Want to Work With Us? Join us in the Root Cause Reset Program: https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/wellness-effect-906145 and use code "Wellness Effect" for a FREE functional lab test when you join the program. Follow us on Instagram: The Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ Lacey Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/laceeiskk/ Jensen - https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswjensen/ Kira Iskra - https://www.instagram.com/wellbykira/ Lifestyle U have helped over 1,000+ women transform their mind and body and become the best version of themselves. Want to be next? Click Here to Apply! - https://www.lifestyleucoaching.ca/apply If you loved this episode and want to hear more, subscribe and leave a review! Share this episode with a friend who's ready to start their own wellness journey. Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thewellnesseffectpod/ to stay up-to-date with the latest episodes and tips.

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About

Are you sick of yo-yo dieting and the mind games that come along with it? If you are looking for something sustainable that you can maintain for the rest of the life you will find the answers within this podcast. My name is Lacey Iskra, host and CEO of the lifestyle coaching company Lifestyle U. Lifestyle U is known for helping women create a healthy and sustainable lifestyle that focuses on mental, physical and spiritual health. Our holistic approach is what sets us apart from others in the industry and I am excited to share what I have learned after transforming over 500 women's lives for the better The short weekly episodes will bring you information and insights on how to level up all pillars of your health.

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