Welcome to More | Better

Let’s clean up some of the noise, shall we?

The fitness and wellness spaces are full of static.

Toxic influencers pushing supplements, side hustles, and personal agendas - trying to break out as the “girl boss/bro” that they’ve been sold they can be.

In the middle of the mock-pyramid-scheme of the fitness/wellness space are all the well intentioned people looking for reliable information: you!

Want to learn how to take care of yourself?
How to build a sustainable lifestyle that supports your wellbeing?
To troubleshoot when things get challenging?
And - want to do it without being manipulated into buying things you don’t need?

Whether you’ve found this substack as someone dipping their toe into the wellness world, you’ve been grinding the self-help book aisle since the 80s, or you’re a seasoned professional trying to find an ethical way to practice: I’m glad you’re here.

Grab a cookie and a comfy seat and let’s get to it.

What you’ll find here:

More | Better has two tiers

Free Supporters

You’ll find weekly posts with general information clearing up a wellness concept. These will always include specific practices to try and are aimed at a beginner. Along with those weekly posts will be that weeks episode of the Better Than Fine podcast for easy reference a deeper dives.

There will be occasional free workbooks, whitepapers, and general guides on how to self-navigate life.

Paid Supporters

For paid subscribers there will be workbooks, legacy (archive) or bonus episode of the Better Than Fine podcast, and the occasional community call or workshop recording.

More About Coach Darlene

Hi! I’m Darlene Marshall - a reluctant fitness and wellness professional. I came to the fitness world after a series of sports injuries revealed a genetic condition in my early 20s. From the beginning of my career as a personal trainer I was allergic to “sexy fitness” and understood the power of exercise exists not in the abs we build, but in what it teaches us about ourselves and empowers us to do.

In my first decade as a fitness professional I gained certifications in nutrition, sleep, yoga, meditation & mindfulness. I managed a training team and taught a bunch of new trainers how to navigate the business. Always from the lens that there’s a lot more to this equation than getting hot so other people will like you.

In 2020 I earned a Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

What’s Positive Psychology? The science of human well-being.

What I do now I help people navigate how to craft lifestyles of sustainable well-being; starting from three core ideas:

  • We’re all whole people (not separate minds & bodies)

  • The point of wellness is seeking wholeness and integration

  • When our foundational needs are met we’ll do better in our lives

Getting our foundational needs met in the modern world is challenging.
Fitness and wellness industry rhetoric makes it harder.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
That’s why I’m here, writing this to you.

Subscribe & Thrive:

Subscribe to More | Better

Making sense of wellness nonsense

People

Thriving at the nexus between fitness, wellness, and well-being. Coach, author, speaker. UPenn Master's in Positive Psychology, NASM Certified Wellness Coach and Personal Trainer, PN1 Certified Nutrition Coach. Host of Better Than Fine podcast.