Pilates Princesses lift heavy, too: Jasmine Sharp on Strength, hormones and starting over

This week Karena sits down with Pilates expert and Sharp Body Pilates owner Jasmine Sharp for a wide-ranging, honest conversation. Jasmine breaks down the real history of Pilates (yes, it started with hospital beds), debunks the "Pilates Princess" stereotype once and for all, and gets real about her own perimenopause journey,  including the hormone shifts nobody warned her about. They also dig into fascia, working through injury without giving up, and how she found community and connection as a single mom building a business.

[00:55] The Real History of Pilates

Jasmine shares how an injury from ballet led her to Pilates.

The surprising origin story: Joseph Pilates originally designed the reformer to help injured soldiers get moving again from hospital beds.

Classical, contemporary, and high-intensity Pilates are three distinct approaches, and Jasmine breaks down what separates them.

[04:25] Debunking the "Pilates Princess" Myth

Jasmine and Karena tackle the culture clash between the strength-training and Pilates communities.

Even male athletes are starting to see the value of Pilates as a complement to their training.

[09:01] Getting Honest About Perimenopause

Jasmine opens up about her perimenopause journey starting at 42 — the weight gain, the hormone shifts, and the mental toll of "loving yourself" one day and feeling betrayed by your body the next.

Why she believes women aren't taught to talk openly about these changes, even within their own families.

Her approach: staying transparent about trying different solutions, including a supportive, honest conversation about her experience with a peptide as one tool in a larger toolkit, not a stand-alone fix.