Naomi combines playful, powerful movement practices with the science of habit change to make it easier for busy moms to get moving every day. She frequently writes about the intersection of mom life, feminism, diet culture, and the unrealistic standards we hold ourselves to as women. Naomi is passionate about helping moms move more freely in their bodies and feel more at home in their skin.
Movement Snacks: How do you even start strength training?
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Hey Reader, When I was brand new to strength training, I had no idea what I was doing.I was around a year postpartum with my first child.Yoga wasn't cutting it in my recovery after giving birth and I wanted to feel strong again, so I started taking HIIT classes online. I loved the HIIT classes and I'm forever grateful to that first teacher (Sarah Kusch) because she really did know her stuff and did a really good job giving basic tips for making smart choices in HIIT style classes. Still, I frequently got injured because I didn't really understand what weights I should be using or how I should progress. And being very type-A, I have a tendency to push myself harder than is sometimes a good idea. Since I was reliant on the classes provided. I didn't know how to work out on my own. Flash forward 11 years and I've learned a lot. While I am currently working with a coach (shout out to the phenomenal Alison Heilig of Miles to go Athletics), I have integrated strength training into my own classes, programs, and online studio because as I get older, getting stronger is my priority. If you want a taste of what that looks like, check out the latest class on my YouTube channel, which is a straightforward strength superset of squats and the overhead press. Still, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by strength training. How do you even know where to start or if you've already started, how do you make sure you're making good choices along the way? (This leads me to my Movement Snack this week) Movement Snack this week: There are a few things I wish I'd known when I started: what weights to start with, how many reps and sets you're aiming for, how to progressively load, and how many days per week you should be lifting. Those are the things I am sharing with you in my upcoming workshop called Strength Training Basics. This is a great workshop for you if you're newer to strength training or if you feel uncomfortable working out at a gym, but don't know what you need at home. This is also great for folks who have used videos or online classes for awhile but want to figure out how to do a little more on your own. I've priced this workshop crazy low -- almost ridiculously low. Definitely below value for my knowledge and time. And maybe that's a mistake. But I want to make this workshop accessible, particularly because sometimes starting a strength training practice can feel inaccessible. So you can join for as little as $3 or pay closer to the price of the workshop ($10) or even help support my work by paying a bit more than that. Either way, I'd love to see you on Friday, November 21st at 11am ET. It's a 30 minute workshop (unless there are lots of extra questions) and I'll record it for those who can't attend live. Save your spot here. Warmly, Naomi (Oh and if you're a MOVE member -- no need to sign up! This is part of your membership! You'll receive a reminder email the morning of the workshop. You can just show up!) SPECIAL ANNOUCEMENT: My annual Winter Retreat is open for registration! This retreat is the only in-person event I currently do and I love gathering at the beginning of the year to move, write, and connect with some amazing humans. The retreat will be held Friday January 16-18, 2026, just outside of Harper's Ferry, MD. I've taught this retreat for a decade and it's such an incredible gathering. Here's what participant says about attending year after year: "What I love most about Naomi’s retreats (I’ve been on 3), is the space she creates and holds for the participants to use as needed. I’ve used these weekends as a way to step peacefully away from my life and reevaluate my priorities. The classes, the meditations, and the journaling all help me sit with myself to consider what’s working and what’s not. I always return to my life with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose. Highly recommend. You won’t regret going." If you're interested and want more information, click here for details. If you know you want to attend and are ready to save your spot, click here. Want to stay in touch during the week? Here are a 2 easy ways: Follow me on Bluesky, where I try to share daily movement practices as acts of resistance, connection, and strength. Follow me on substack, where I write about the intersection of movement, motherhood, and the culture that we are all moving through. Or better yet, subscribe so you have immediate access to regular essays, including my most recent substack, about Erika Kirk and why I'm not surprised that the conservative party is turning on her so fast. You can read it here. There are many ways to support my writing on substack, which focuses on women's health and motherhood during perimenopause through an anti-diet and pro-science lens: 😍 Become a free subscriber And lastly, my latest article for Fit Bottomed Girls was published this week. It's all about protein and perimenopause and it might surprise you. |
Naomi Gottlieb-Miller
Naomi combines playful, powerful movement practices with the science of habit change to make it easier for busy moms to get moving every day. She frequently writes about the intersection of mom life, feminism, diet culture, and the unrealistic standards we hold ourselves to as women. Naomi is passionate about helping moms move more freely in their bodies and feel more at home in their skin.
Hey Reader, Just popping into your inbox with a quick reminder that the Strength Training Basics workshop I'm offering is happening tomorrow, Friday November 21st at 11am ET. If you're newer to strength training, starting can feel overwhelming and intimidating. What weights should you get? How many reps should you do and how many sets of an exercise should you do? And even if you've been strength training for awhile, there are other questions that come up that you might not have an easy...
Hey Reader, I love core work. I might be in the minority and believe me, I get it. Core work is not easy. But getting stronger is also not easy. And while core work won't help me build bone density or help me build the larger muscle groups of my body, doing core work helps in other ways: More trunk stability when I'm doing heavier lifts More support and stability through functional movement like walking, running, twisting, and picking up my kids Moving with more ease generally There are...
Hey Reader, This morning, I woke up early to move my body like I always do. I am a person who has a daily movement practice, which is a little bit abnormal. Apparently only around 20% of women (according to a 2024 study) have an intentional daily movement practice. I like moving my body. It's also my job to teach people how to do it. And lots of evidence points to the fact that a regular (if not daily) movement practice, including resistance training and cardio, is important for health,...