In this episode of The Do Cool Shit Podcast, Meryl sits down with her longtime coach, friend, and registered dietitian, Hillary Ervin, to explore how our relationships with food, movement, and identity evolve through different seasons of life.
Hillary shares her journey from navigating celiac disease and rigid nutrition during her CrossFit days to building a more compassionate, flexible approach to health. Together, she and Meryl unpack what it really means to fuel like an athlete, live like a human, and give yourself permission to evolve.
They dive into topics like weight class culture, the pressure to be “perfect,” the mental and emotional work behind sustainable change, and how motherhood and an ADHD diagnosis reshaped Hillary’s self-compassion and strategies for daily life.
Key Takeaways
Perfection isn’t sustainable — rigidity around food and exercise often disconnects us from joy, recovery, and performance.
Flexibility and curiosity are essential tools for long-term success and self-awareness.
Identity and body image can be deeply intertwined in weight-class or aesthetic goals—but growth means learning that performance and worth aren’t defined by size.
Motherhood and ADHD can highlight the need for new systems, self-compassion, and asking for help.
Seasons change—what worked before might not work now, and that’s okay. Reassessing your strategies doesn’t mean failure—it means growth.
Doing cool shit isn’t just about physical strength—it’s about saying yes to fun, adventure, and the version of yourself that keeps showing up.
Connect with Hillary
Instagram: @dietitianwithat.hillaryWebsite: nutritionunbound.com
Connect with Meryl
Email: meryl@wickedironstrength.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/merylcbc & www.instagram.com/wickedironstrength
Email list: https://go.wickedironstrength.com/newsletter
