Real Talk Fitness with ANPT

Ashleigh Cumins

Welcome to Real Talk Fitness with ANPT, your go-to podcast for honest and relatable conversations about fitness, nutrition, and finding balance in a busy life. Hosted by Ashleigh Cumins, owner of Ashleigh Newburn Personal Training (ANPT) and a busy mum of two energetic boys, this podcast is all about making fitness work for your life. With experience as a fitness model, CrossFit competitor, and powerlifter, Ashleigh brings a unique perspective to the table, sharing both the highs and challenges of her own fitness journey. She knows firsthand how personal fitness goals can be and understands the demands of juggling work, family, and self-care. Whether you’re striving to build strength, improve body composition, or simply feel better in your own skin, Ashleigh cuts through the noise to offer practical advice, motivation, and tools to help you succeed. Expect real talk about everything from workout tips and nutrition strategies to mindset, hormones, and even how to include your family in the process. If you’re ready to take the overwhelm out of fitness and create a healthier, stronger, and more balanced version of yourself, this podcast is for you. Tune in for actionable tips, expert insights, and a dose of inspiration to keep you moving forward—no matter where you are on your journey. Web: https://www.ashleighnewburnspt.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshnewburnPT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anpt_15/

  1. UNDERSTANDING YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE, HORMONES, RECOVERY, BODY WEIGHT & PERFORMANCE

    6d ago

    UNDERSTANDING YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE, HORMONES, RECOVERY, BODY WEIGHT & PERFORMANCE

    Have you ever felt like one week you're strong, confident, motivated and hitting PBs… then the next week you're exhausted, craving everything in sight, feeling bloated and questioning your entire progress? You're not crazy. You're not failing. You're not lacking discipline. You're experiencing something every woman experiences — hormonal fluctuations throughout your menstrual cycle. In this episode of Real Talk Fitness, we dive deep into the science of the menstrual cycle and how your hormones influence your recovery, performance, hunger, cravings, sleep, body image, Garmin metrics, body weight and overall wellbeing. We break down: ✔️ The Menstrual Phase (Day 1-5) ✔️ The Follicular Phase (Day 6-13) ✔️ Ovulation and the role of LH and Testosterone ✔️ The Luteal Phase (Day 15-28) ✔️ Why hunger, cravings and food noise increase ✔️ Why your scale weight can suddenly jump 1-3kg ✔️ Why your Garmin recovery, HRV and Body Battery change ✔️ The role of Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone and Cortisol ✔️ Why recovery feels different throughout the month ✔️ How to stop panicking when your body feels different ✔️ Why understanding your cycle can completely change your relationship with training and nutrition Most importantly, we discuss how to stop fighting your body and start working with it. Because you are not the same woman hormonally on Day 7 as you are on Day 21. Understanding your cycle gives you the ability to remove fear, build confidence, improve self-awareness and make better decisions around training, recovery and nutrition. Whether you're trying to lose body fat, build strength, improve performance, understand your Garmin data or simply feel more in control of your body, this episode is packed with practical information every woman should know.

    16 min
  2. The Leanest You Isn’t Always The Healthiest You

    May 20

    The Leanest You Isn’t Always The Healthiest You

    So many women have been taught that being smaller automatically means being healthier. Eat less. Train more. Shrink yourself. Take up less space. But what if the reason you feel exhausted, obsessed with food, stuck in your physique goals, constantly thinking about calories, struggling with your hormones, recovery, sleep, and energy… is because you’re actually under-eating? In this episode, I sit down with nutritionist and powerlifter Ella to unpack the mental and physical side of finally learning to fuel your body properly. We dive deep into: ✨ calorie surpluses ✨ under-eating in women ✨ body image ✨ social media pressure ✨ food noise ✨ hormones & recovery ✨ why so many women fear gaining weight ✨ and how eating MORE actually helped Ella become healthier, stronger, happier, and in the best shape of her life. This conversation goes far beyond aesthetics. We talk about the pressure women feel to constantly stay lean, the fear of judgment, the mental battle of seeing the scale go up, and why so many women are living in survival mode thinking it’s “healthy.” If you’ve ever: — feared eating more food — tied your worth to your weight — struggled with body image — constantly dieted — obsessed over calories — or felt trapped in the cycle of under-eating and over-training… This episode is for you. Because health isn’t about becoming the smallest version of yourself. It’s about becoming the strongest, happiest, healthiest, and most free version of yourself.

    1h 1m
  3. What is Breathe Work

    May 17

    What is Breathe Work

    In this episode of Real Talk Fitness with ANPT we dive deep into the world of breathwork, nervous system regulation, and why breathing is one of the most underrated tools for performance, recovery, stress management, and emotional control. We break down: what breathwork actually iswhat pranayama meanshow the nervous system worksthe role of the vagus nervewhy modern life keeps so many people stuck in fight-or-flighthow different breathing techniques can calm, energise, or reset the bodyWe also unpack: box breathingalternate nostril breathingcontrolled exhale workKapalabatinervous system regulationwhy slowing down feels uncomfortable for so many peopleThis episode explains why breathwork classes are structured progressively — starting with awareness and control before moving into deeper regulation, activation, and recovery. Whether you’re: an athletebusy parentshift workersomeone struggling with stressor just wanting to feel more present and grounded…this episode will help you understand how your breathing patterns directly affect your mental, emotional, and physical state. Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do… is slow down long enough to breathe properly again.

    16 min
  4. STRONG, EMPOWERED & OWNING YOUR JOURNEY — with Maddi

    May 15

    STRONG, EMPOWERED & OWNING YOUR JOURNEY — with Maddi

    This episode goes far deeper than fitness. We spoke about what happens when you spend your life trying to be who everyone else expects you to be instead of who you truly are. The fear of judgement. The fear of failure. The fear of people talking about you. Seeking validation from others instead of backing yourself. Somewhere along the way, we stop taking risks. As kids, we would try things, fail, learn, grow, and build confidence through experience… but as adults, many people become so scared of judgement and vulnerability that they stay stuck living a life that doesn’t actually feel true to them. And slowly… that loss of risk-taking becomes low self-worth. We unpack: 🔥 Why growth only comes through discomfort 🔥 Why people stay stuck in identities that no longer align with them 🔥 Learning that you are NOT your job or the label you’ve given yourself 🔥 Why confidence is built through doing hard things 🔥 How social media and validation culture disconnect people from themselves 🔥 Why strength comes from being authentic and backing yourself 🔥 The importance of trying new things even when it’s uncomfortable 🔥 Maddi’s journey through ballet, bodybuilding, CrossFit, and all the changes in between 🔥 Learning to trust yourself instead of constantly needing approval from others One of the biggest questions from this episode: “If all these other people believe in you… why don’t you believe in yourself?” This conversation is about courage. About change. About becoming the version of yourself you actually want to be — not the version the world expects from you. And maybe… what if it actually works out 💛

    1h 17m
  5. Life feels heavy for a lot of people right now.

    May 13

    Life feels heavy for a lot of people right now.

    Life feels heavy for a lot of people right now. The pressure of finances. The constant stress. Trying to hold everything together while still showing up for work, family, relationships, training… and yourself. And somewhere along the way, people stopped living and started surviving. In this episode, we dive deep into why so many people feel overwhelmed, disconnected, emotionally exhausted, anxious, burnt out, and lost within their own lives. We unpack: how modern life keeps people stuck in survival modenervous system overload and emotional exhaustionwhy people don’t know who they are anymore outside productivity and responsibilitythe pressure of constantly performing, proving, and keeping it togetherhow people slowly disconnect from themselves through stress, people pleasing, and survivalwhy so many people feel empty even when life “looks good” on the outsideWe also speak about values — and how many people are building lives based on expectations instead of alignment. Because success without alignment still feels empty. This conversation goes deep into: self-worthself-trustemotional regulationhealingburnoutavoidanceboundariesshameidentityand learning to stop abandoning yourself.We touch on lessons from and discuss the idea that healing isn’t becoming a different person… It’s reconnecting with who you were before the pressure, fear, survival mode, and constant performance took over. This episode isn’t about toxic positivity or pretending life is easy. It’s about understanding: why your nervous system feels overwhelmedwhy motivation alone isn’t enoughwhy punishment doesn’t create peaceand why healing starts when your body finally feels safe.We also break down practical ways to take back control through: slowing downregulating your nervous systemrebuilding self-trustcreating structuresetting boundariesreconnecting with your valuesand letting go of the constant pressure to prove yourself.Because maybe peace isn’t found in becoming more. Maybe peace comes from stripping away everything that was never truly you to begin with. And finally building a life that actually feels like yours. If you’ve been feeling mentally exhausted, emotionally disconnected, overwhelmed, lost, or stuck in survival mode lately… this conversation is for you.

    33 min
  6. From Survival to Strength – Re’s Story

    May 7

    From Survival to Strength – Re’s Story

    This episode is something different. We sat down with Re, and her story is one that will shift your perspective real quick. After losing her arm when her babies were still young, Re was thrown into a life she never planned for. A moment that could have stopped everything… but didn’t. Instead, she found herself chasing something deeper. At first, it came from a place a lot of people will relate to — 👉 feeling like she had something to prove 👉 wanting to show the world she was still capable 👉 pushing to be seen differently That drive led her into para swimming, where she competed at a high level… but what’s powerful is what came after that. Because this isn’t just a story about sport. It’s about identity. It’s about rebuilding yourself. It’s about learning that you don’t need to prove anything to anyone — but you do need to back yourself. Now, Re is taking on Hyrox, living life on her terms, and showing what resilience actually looks like in real life — not just on social media. We also dive into her “puzzle analogy” — one of the most powerful ways to look at life when things don’t go to plan. Because sometimes… 🧩 pieces go missing 🧩 things don’t fit the way you expected 🧩 and you’re forced to build something completely different But that doesn’t mean it’s broken. It just means you have to create a new picture. This episode is about: • Facing adversity when life changes overnight • The pressure to prove yourself (and letting that go) • Finding purpose through movement and challenge • Rebuilding confidence piece by piece • And what actually keeps you going when things get hard If you’ve ever felt like your life didn’t go the way you planned… or like you’ve had to start again… This one will hit. Because strength isn’t just what you lift. It’s how you rebuild.

    50 min
  7. Respect the Body – It Starts With You

    Apr 28

    Respect the Body – It Starts With You

    This episode is a real one. We sat down with Zac Anderson to dive into what Respect the Body actually means—and it goes far beyond training or how you look. It’s about standards. It’s about ownership. It’s about how you show up in your life every single day. We unpack where it all started, the reality of coming from a place where you’re not proud of your habits, and what it actually takes to turn things around. Because the truth is… No one is coming to save you. No perfect time. No magic plan. No one doing the work for you. At some point, you have to get honest with yourself. You have to get sick of your own patterns… your excuses… and the version of you that’s holding you back. This conversation is about taking responsibility, raising your standards, and backing yourself—even when it’s uncomfortable. If you’ve been feeling stuck, waiting for motivation, or telling yourself “one day”… this is your wake-up call. Your actions will always speak louder than your words. The question is—what are yours saying right now? 🎧 Recommendation: If this episode resonates, go and listen to Unearthed Soul. It’s a powerful reminder to look inward, take ownership, and do the work most people avoid.

    37 min
  8. Timing Your Nutrition For Performance (And Being Honest About Where You’re At)

    Apr 24

    Timing Your Nutrition For Performance (And Being Honest About Where You’re At)

    In this episode, we break down something most people get wrong when it comes to results — nutrition timing and eating for performance. We dive into the importance of being honest about where you’re currently at… not where you wish you were. Are you actually in a fat loss phase? Trying to improve performance? Or just working on building consistency? Because each phase requires a different approach — and this is where most people get stuck. We talk about how dieting, stress, and training all play a role, and why trying to do everything at once often leads to spinning your wheels. Instead of jumping between goals, we unpack why you need to pick a phase and actually support it with how you eat and train. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “all the right things” but not getting results — this episode will help you understand why. This is about aligning your food, your training, and your expectations… so your body can actually do what you’re asking of it.

    25 min
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Trailer

About

Welcome to Real Talk Fitness with ANPT, your go-to podcast for honest and relatable conversations about fitness, nutrition, and finding balance in a busy life. Hosted by Ashleigh Cumins, owner of Ashleigh Newburn Personal Training (ANPT) and a busy mum of two energetic boys, this podcast is all about making fitness work for your life. With experience as a fitness model, CrossFit competitor, and powerlifter, Ashleigh brings a unique perspective to the table, sharing both the highs and challenges of her own fitness journey. She knows firsthand how personal fitness goals can be and understands the demands of juggling work, family, and self-care. Whether you’re striving to build strength, improve body composition, or simply feel better in your own skin, Ashleigh cuts through the noise to offer practical advice, motivation, and tools to help you succeed. Expect real talk about everything from workout tips and nutrition strategies to mindset, hormones, and even how to include your family in the process. If you’re ready to take the overwhelm out of fitness and create a healthier, stronger, and more balanced version of yourself, this podcast is for you. Tune in for actionable tips, expert insights, and a dose of inspiration to keep you moving forward—no matter where you are on your journey. Web: https://www.ashleighnewburnspt.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshnewburnPT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anpt_15/

Information

  • Creator
    Ashleigh Cumins
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Real Talk Fitness with ANPT