51: How to Make Movement Fun Again: A Real Talk with Stacy Smith of Sascy Cycling

In this episode, I'm joined by the amazing Stacy Smith, founder of Sascy Cycling, who’s on a mission to help women reconnect with joyful movement—without the pressure of diets or unrealistic expectations. Stacy shares her personal story of how she went from rejecting exercise to discovering her love for biking, and how that transformation led her to help other women find their own fun, feel-good ways to move.

We talk about:

• Why movement should be about joy, not punishment
• How to get started when you don’t know what kind of exercise you enjoy
• What to consider if you're curious about cycling (including gear tips!)
• Why giving yourself permission to change your mind is powerful

Whether you're in a fitness rut or just want a refreshingly real convo about movement and motherhood, this one’s for you.

🎧 Press play and get inspired to move in a way that feels good again.

Connect with Stacy on IG: @sascycycling

Join Stacy's Facebook group: Lose Weight Biking

Download Stacy's Resource: Lose Weight Biking Quickstart Guide

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Work with me one-on-one in Super Mom
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Follow me on IG @wellness.with.vanda

Transcript

Hey hey, welcome back to the podcast! Today, I’m joined by Stacy Smith, the founder of Sascy Cycling. She teaches women how to lose weight by biking from a place of love and appreciation for what their bodies can do. Stacy encourages movement to feel good and build strength—not punishment or pressure. Her anti-diet approach is rooted in small, doable changes that lead to lasting results. She’s all about listening to hunger cues, fueling our bodies, and—most importantly—having fun.

When she’s not riding, Stacy’s teaching high school psychology or enjoying pizza nights with her husband and son. I’m so excited for this conversation because I feel like Stacy and I are totally aligned on the message we’re putting out into the world. Let’s dive in!

[Stacy’s Story + Finding Joy in Movement]
Stacy shared that her relationship with her body started as early as kindergarten when a boy on the bus teased her. That moment stuck with her and planted a seed of body awareness early on. Even though she was raised by supportive parents who told her she was amazing as she was, she faced ongoing comments about her body growing up.

She loved being active as a child, but as puberty hit and her body changed, movement started to feel harder—and she began pulling away from it. Exercise became something she associated with being “for athletic girls,” not for her.

As an adult, she still saw exercise mostly as a tool for weight loss. After becoming a mom and facing hormone shifts from pregnancy and breastfeeding, she found herself feeling more disconnected than ever. One day, standing in front of the mirror at her heaviest (not pregnant), she decided she needed something different: a way to feel better and stronger—not just smaller.

That year, she lost 50 pounds—not through dieting, but by finding a way to move that felt good: biking. The transformation wasn’t just physical—it was mental and emotional, too. Now, she teaches women to find their movement—the kind that feels fun, empowering, and sustainable.

[How to Get Started When You’re Stuck]
If you’re in that place of knowing you want to be healthier but you don’t know where to start, Stacy’s advice is simple: start with whatever feels most accessible to you right now.

That might be a five-minute walk. It could be trying something like Couch to 5K. Or maybe it’s cycling like her. You don’t have to love it right away—just be open to trying. Don’t feel pressure to join a gym or commit to something huge. Just get your body moving in a small, doable way.

For Stacy, cycling wasn’t love at first ride. In fact, she had a traumatic experience being hit by a truck at age 10 and didn’t enjoy biking as an adult. But her husband encouraged her to try again—and when she did, it opened up a whole new world. Now she rides both indoors and outdoors and finds so much joy and freedom in it.

[You’re Allowed to Change Your Mind]
I (Vanda) chimed in here with something really important: you’re allowed to change your mind.

Try new things, give them a real shot—but if it’s not the right fit, you can move on. Just because weightlifting is great for hormone health doesn’t mean you have to love it. I’ve tried it and don’t look forward to it at all. For me, that means I’m more likely to skip it altogether—so it’s better to find movement I actually want to do. Stacy shared a similar sentiment: she added strength training only after she had a consistent cycling routine because cycling felt natural and fun for her.

[Tips for Getting Started with Cycling]
If you’re curious about cycling, Stacy shared her top tips:

• Start with a bike that fits you. It doesn’t need to be expensive—it just needs to be your size. A poorly fitting bike can make the whole experience miserable.
• Try a second-hand bike (Facebook Marketplace is great!) or an indoor bike if you want to ride from home.
• You don’t need a Peloton bike to enjoy Peloton classes. You can use their app with any bike.
• Get padded bike shorts! No matter where or how you ride, they’ll save your bum.

Most importantly, just start. You can always upgrade later if you fall in love with it.

[Accountability + Connection]
Stacy also highlighted the importance of connection and accountability. Whether that’s working out with your partner, a friend, or an online community, knowing someone is cheering you on makes a difference. She’s met incredible women all over the world through her biking community, and it’s been so fulfilling to share this experience with others.

[Final Words + Free Resource]
If you’re interested in losing weight with cycling in a sustainable, feel-good way, Stacy offers a Quick Start Guide with three simple tips to help you get started. You can grab it at www.sascy.com (linked in the show notes). She’s also running her Fresh Start February initiative, so you’ll get some extra encouragement in your inbox when you sign up.