If you're a high school senior who just committed to a college, or you've already graduated and you're heading to your freshman year, this one is for you. You did it. You got in. You made the call. And the next chapter is genuinely one of the wildest, most growth filled seasons of your entire life. New city, new people, new freedom, new version of you. It's exciting.

Here's what almost nobody is telling you. The academic prep, the dorm shopping, the roommate matching, all of that gets covered constantly. The part that actually trips most freshmen up has nothing to do with classes or grades. Nearly 30% of college freshmen do not return for their sophomore year. The reasons usually aren't grades. They aren't money. It's mental health. It's loneliness. It's feeling like they don't belong on that campus. And almost none of those students were less capable than anyone else. They were just unprepared for the LIFE part of college.

This episode is about the five pillars that change everything. The exact things that separate the freshmen who thrive from the ones who quietly struggle. You'll hear why those first six weeks set the entire tone, why the habits that worked in high school are about to stop working, and what you can actually build right now before you ever step on campus. If you're somewhere between "I cannot wait" and "I'm low key terrified," that's exactly where you're supposed to be. The goal is not to feel less of either of those. The goal is to walk in with the tools to handle both.

• Why being both excited and nervous about college is exactly where you should be
• What changes overnight the day your parents drive away from your dorm
• The real reason nearly 30% of freshmen don't return for sophomore year and how to not be one of them
• How to actually make real friends in college, because the lasting ones don't just happen
• Why sleep, active rest, and movement are the foundation that everything else gets built on
• How to fuel your brain in a dining hall full of midnight waffles and 2 PM pizza
• What to do at 2 AM when everything feels like too much and a deadline is looming
• The campus support and resources nobody is going to tell you about and why to use them early
• What life looks like in October when you've actually been preparing
• How to walk into your freshman year with clarity, confidence, and a real plan

Parents: This one is for you too. If you have a high school senior or recent grad heading to college, the gap between "academically ready" and "life ready" is the one most families don't see coming. You'll hear the patterns that lead nearly 30% of freshmen home before sophomore year, and what actually protects your student in their first six weeks on campus. Listen with them if you can. Then talk through which of the five pillars they feel most ready for and where they want more support before move in day.

Ready to give yourself or your student a real foundation for freshman year? The Freshman Formula is a five day video mini series built specifically for incoming college freshmen. Each day covers one of the five pillars with worksheets, checklists, and habit building tools you can start using before you ever set foot on campus. Plus a one on one coaching session built around your specific goals, your specific campus, and your specific stressors. Once you finish the five days, all the content stays accessible so you can come back to it during that first month when you'll need it most. Grab it at the introductory price below before it goes up.

Sign up for the Freshman Formula

Connect with Leslie:

Parents: Schedule a free Clarity Call with Leslie here to help your teen or young adult resolve weight and unhealthy eating habits, while improving body image and self-esteem.

Grab Leslie's free guide: The Ultimate College Move-In Checklist

• Website: leslierosecoaching.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/leslierosecoaching
• Facebook: facebook.com/leslierosecoaching

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Heads up, this episode talks openly about eating disorders, disordered eating, and diet culture. If any of that is hard for you right now, please take care of yourself and come back when you're ready.

If you're a teen who thinks losing weight is the goal, today's episode might change how you see food, your body, and what "healthy" actually means. Diet culture has been lying to every single one of us for a long time. The corset you didn't know you were wearing. The caloric deficit you've been taught to chase. The size you think will finally make you feel enough. None of it is what it told you it was.

Carrie Lupoli is a nutrition education expert, founder of Diet Disruptors, host of a top nutrition podcast, and co-creator of PFC Pals, a program that teaches young people how to fuel their bodies with protein, fat, and carbs for real energy, focus, and confidence. Carrie has been featured on Today, ABC, NBC, and CBS. She wrote the book From Corset to Crown for women of every age who are ready to stop shrinking, and she's raising two daughters while running a private practice called Disruptive Nutrition.

In this conversation you'll hear why "caloric deficit" is a dumb measurement that's quietly wrecking teen bodies, why carbs and fat are not the enemies you've been told they are, and why the number on the scale is the wrong thing to chase. You'll also hear Carrie's framework for figuring out who you really are before going after any goal (hint: it starts with four questions on a folded piece of paper) and why the friends you're trying so hard to impress are not the voices you should be asking up to.

• Why "health" and "weight loss" are two completely different things
• The truth about caloric deficit thinking and what it does to teen bodies over time
• What the PFC Pals (protein, fat, carbs) actually do for your energy, focus, and mood
• Why calories are a "dumb" measurement and what matters more
• How to figure out what you actually want and why you want it before chasing any goal
• Carrie's Do, Say, Think, Believe framework for becoming your healthiest self
• Why your friends are not the right people to ask about food, body, or confidence
• The "corset to crown" shift every teen girl deserves to know about
• How five minutes of morning reflection can change how you show up for your whole day
• Why self consciousness is a disease but self awareness is health

Parents: This one is for you too. Carrie shares her own story of recovering from an eating disorder while raising daughters, and the practical shifts that changed the conversation in her home. You'll also hear why the "she's so small, she's fine" mindset misses the real issue and what actually protects a teen's relationship with food, their body, and their sense of worth. If you've ever caught yourself passing down diet culture beliefs you didn't even realize you were holding, this episode is a gift.

Parents, if you want a practical place to start, grab Leslie's free guide, 5 Ways to Help Your Teen Eat Better Without Making Things Worse, at cc.leslierosecoaching.com/eat-healthier-5-steps. Five steps you can use this week.

Connect with Carrie:

Websites:

https://www.carrielupoli.com/

https://www.disruptivenutrition.com/

Podcast - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarrieLupoliOfficial/podcasts

Pre-Order her book: https://www.carrielupoli.com/corsettocrown

Connect with Leslie:

Parents: Schedule a free Clarity Call with Leslie here to help your teen or young adult resolve weight and unhealthy eating habits, while improving body image and self-esteem.

Grab Leslie's free guide: 5 Ways to Help Your Teen Eat Better Without Making Things Worse

• Website: leslierosecoaching.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/leslierosecoaching
• Facebook: facebook.com/leslierosecoaching

Disclaimer

If staying focused, getting started on tasks, or managing everything on your plate feels impossible, you are not broken and you are not behind. In this episode, Leslie sits down with executive function coach Lauran Kerr-Heraly to break down what executive function skills actually are and why they are something every teen can learn regardless of where they are starting from.

From procrastination to planning to keeping your focus when your phone is right there calling your name, Lauran walks through practical, low-pressure strategies you can start using today. Whether you are neurodivergent, buried in college prep, or just trying to get through your week without burning out, this episode is full of tools that work with how teen brains are actually built right now.

Parents: Lauran also gets into the unique pressure teens are carrying and what you can do to support your teen without taking over. From asking for help the right way to rethinking the college prep grind, this is a conversation worth sharing.

• Why procrastination is not a character flaw and what is actually driving it for most teens
• What "low stakes experiments" are and how they help your brain build new habits without the pressure
• How body doubling and habit bundling make it easier to focus without making everything feel miserable
• What a helpful morning and evening routine actually looks like when you are overwhelmed and short on time
• Why junior year of high school is the hardest and how to protect your mental health while still showing up
• What one small habit you can start today to begin building your executive function from the ground up

Connect with Lauran:

Website: https://alteringcourse.com

Connect with Leslie:

Parents: Schedule a free Clarity Call with Leslie here to help your teen or young adult resolve weight and unhealthy eating habits, while improving body image and self-esteem.

Grab Leslie's free guide: 5 Ways to Help Your Teen Eat Better Without Making Things Worse

• Website: leslierosecoaching.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/leslierosecoaching
• Facebook: facebook.com/leslierosecoaching

Disclaimer

Have you ever wondered whether the person messaging you online is actually who they say they are? In this episode, Leslie sits down with Dr. Bronwen Carroll, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Boston Medical Center, to have the conversation that most adults are not having with teens but absolutely should be. Dr. Carroll breaks down the real risks of sexting, explains what sextortion is and how fast it can escalate, and walks through the exact grooming behaviors predators use both online and in person so you know what to watch for.

Whether you are active on social media, gaming platforms, or just starting to navigate online relationships, this episode gives you practical tools to recognize warning signs early, understand your rights, and know what to do if you ever find yourself in a situation that feels wrong. You are not alone, and you are not to blame. Knowledge is the most powerful protection you have.

Parents: Dr. Carroll also speaks directly to you in this episode about why these conversations need to happen earlier than most parents think, how to start them even when the topic feels awkward, and how building what she calls "conversational scaffolding" with your teen creates a safe opening for them to come to you when things get hard.

• What is sextortion and why is the FBI issuing increased warnings about it specifically targeting teens?
• What are the most predictable grooming behaviors predators use online and in person that teens should be able to recognize immediately?
• Why is sexting risky even when the person receiving the image feels completely trustworthy?
• What does "conversational scaffolding" mean and why does starting these talks early make all the difference?
• What are the warning signs of in-person grooming by someone a teen already knows and trusts?
• What should a teen do right now if they are being threatened or targeted online?

Connect with Bronwen:

Website: https://www.bronwencarrollmd.com/

Instagram at @bronwencarrollmd

Connect with Leslie:

Parents: Schedule a free Clarity Call with Leslie here to help your teen or young adult resolve weight and unhealthy eating habits, while improving body image and self-esteem.

Grab Leslie's free guide: 5 Ways to Help Your Teen Eat Better Without Making Things Worse

• Website: leslierosecoaching.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/leslierosecoaching
• Facebook: facebook.com/leslierosecoaching

Disclaimer

School teaches you a lot of things, but what about how to deal with stress, navigate awkward social moments, or feel like you actually belong? In this episode of Healthy Teen Life, Leslie sits down with Kevin Dahill-Fuchel, a licensed clinical social worker and executive director of Counseling in Schools in New York City, to talk about the emotional and social skills that matter just as much as your grades but that almost no one is teaching you.

If you have ever felt overwhelmed, unsure of yourself, or like you are just trying to keep it all together, this episode is for you. Kevin shares real insight from decades of working inside schools with real students, including practical tools you can start using right now to build your confidence, strengthen your social connections, and feel more at home in your own life.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why it is completely normal to feel confused or overwhelmed as a teen and what to do with those feelings
• Why social skills are something you can actually practice and how to start
• How to rebuild social confidence if you feel rusty or awkward after COVID
• Why being smart or getting good grades is not enough on its own and what else actually matters
• What counseling really is and why it is not just for people with serious problems
• How to map out your support network so you always know who to turn to when things get hard

Connect with Kevin:

Website: https://www.counselinginschools.org/

Connect with Leslie:

Parents: Schedule a free Clarity Call with Leslie here to help your teen or young adult resolve weight and unhealthy eating habits, while improving body image and self-esteem.

Grab Leslie's free guide: 5 Ways to Help Your Teen Eat Better Without Making Things Worse

• Website: leslierosecoaching.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/leslierosecoaching
• Facebook: facebook.com/leslierosecoaching

Disclaimer

Have you ever caught yourself thinking I just want to stop eating this but I can't, or why did I eat that when I didn't even want it? You are not alone and it is not about willpower. In this episode of Healthy Teen Life, Leslie breaks down what is actually going on with your eating and introduces a different approach called mindful mindset eating that might finally make it all click.

This is not the slow down and smell your food version of mindful eating you have probably heard before. This is about reconnecting with your body, understanding what is actually driving your eating habits, and taking back control in a way that actually feels good and lasts.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why so many teens feel like their eating habits are just happening to them and what is actually going on underneath

• How the connection between your body and your eating gets scrambled and what that looks like in real life

• What mindful mindset eating actually is and how it is different from anything you have heard before

• Three simple steps you can start using right now to feel more in charge of your food choices

• Why listening to your body is more powerful than any diet and what happens when you actually do it

• Where to get more support if you are ready to take the next step

Connect with Leslie:

Parents: Schedule a free Clarity Call with Leslie here to help your teen or young adult resolve weight and unhealthy eating habits, while improving body image and self-esteem.

Grab Leslie's free guide: 5 Ways to Help Your Teen Eat Better Without Making Things Worse

• Website: leslierosecoaching.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/leslierosecoaching
• Facebook: facebook.com/leslierosecoaching

Disclaimer

Have you ever felt like your body is something you need to fix? In this episode of Healthy Teen Life, Leslie sits down with Dr. Joey Skelton, a pediatrician and author of Your Child Is Not Their Weight, to talk honestly about what your body size actually means, what it does not mean, and why the number on the scale tells you far less than our culture wants you to believe.

If you have ever felt judged for how your body looks, confused about BMI, or unsure how to talk about food and weight in a way that actually feels good, this episode will give you a completely new way to think about all of it. Dr. Skelton brings decades of experience working with teens and families to this conversation and his perspective is one you genuinely need to hear.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why up to 60% of your body size is determined by genetics and what that actually means for you
• What BMI really is, what it is not, and why it should never be used as the only measure of your health
• Why labeling foods as good or bad creates more harm than good and what to do instead
• How family meal time affects your health, happiness, and even your performance at school
• What parents should and should not say at the dinner table when they are concerned about their teen's weight
• How to start building a positive relationship with food that actually lasts

Connect with Dr. Joey Skelton:

Connect with Leslie:

Parents: Schedule a free Clarity Call with Leslie here to help your teen or young adult resolve weight and unhealthy eating habits, while improving body image and self-esteem.

Grab Leslie's free guide: 5 Ways to Help Your Teen Eat Better Without Making Things Worse

• Website: leslierosecoaching.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/leslierosecoaching
• Facebook: facebook.com/leslierosecoaching

Disclaimer

Are you fueling your body, moving enough, and getting the sleep you actually need to perform your best? In this episode of Healthy Teen Life, Leslie sits down with Dr. Chris Koutures, a pediatric and sports medicine physician at Active Kids MD, to talk about how teen athletes can build real sustainable habits around food, fitness, and recovery.

If you have ever wondered whether you are eating the right things at the right times, felt like exercise has started to feel more like an obsession than something you enjoy, or struggled to get enough sleep between school, practice, and everything else on your plate, this episode is packed with practical insight you can actually use starting today.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to find creative ways to get more movement into your day even without a formal workout
• Why food is fuel first and how to build a positive relationship with what you eat
• What you actually need to know about protein, supplements, and pre-workout products before you spend money on them
• How to know if your relationship with exercise is crossing into something unhealthy
• What GLP-1 medications are and what teens should understand before considering them
• Why sleep is the single best recovery tool you have and how to actually get more of it

Connect with Chris:

Website: https://activekidmd.com/

Connect with Leslie:

Parents: Schedule a free Clarity Call with Leslie here to help your teen or young adult resolve weight and unhealthy eating habits, while improving body image and self-esteem.

Grab Leslie's free guide: 5 Ways to Help Your Teen Eat Better Without Making Things Worse

• Website: leslierosecoaching.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/leslierosecoaching
• Facebook: facebook.com/leslierosecoaching

Disclaimer