Working Mom Guilt, Women in Medicine & Making Time for Your Health | Dr. Mimi Knoll

In this episode of the Women in Motion Nutrition Podcast, Gabby Barreto sits down with Dr. Mimi Knoll, a radiation oncologist, founder of JOWMA, the Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association, writer, researcher, speaker, wife, and mom. This conversation goes into working motherhood, career ambition, mom guilt, women in medicine, Orthodox Jewish community expectations, women supporting women, exercise, self-care, and why taking care of your health has to become part of your actual life, not something you wait to start later. Dr. Mimi shares her path through medical school, motherhood, residency, building a career, and founding JOWMA to support Orthodox Jewish women pursuing medicine and healthcare careers. She also talks about the reality of choosing a career while raising children, the pressure women receive from inside and outside their communities, and why support systems matter. Gabby and Dr. Mimi also break down mom guilt from a more honest angle. They talk about why both working moms and stay-at-home moms can feel guilty, how social media creates unrealistic expectations, and why guilt is often mixed with stress, FOMO, fear of failure, and comparison. Later in the episode, they talk about exercise, strength training, health habits, and why busy moms still need to make time for their bodies. Dr. Mimi shares how fitness started from a place of appearance for her, but became something deeper once she felt the difference in her body, energy, mood, and long-term health. This episode is for women who are building careers, raising families, trying to take care of themselves, and learning how to make choices without constantly measuring themselves against everyone else. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Meet Dr. Mimi Knoll 01:10 - Motherhood, medicine, and building a career 03:56 - Orthodox Jewish women, family, and career expectations 09:47 - Why Dr. Mimi founded JOWMA 13:44 - Women supporting women instead of competing 17:35 - Why there is never a perfect time to start 19:52 - What mom guilt really is 24:32 - Social media, comparison, and parenting expectations 27:12 - Building a career while being a present mom 32:38 - Why exercise and health became a priority 36:48 - From calorie restriction to strength training 39:08 - Why movement matters for long-term health 43:21 - Exercise snacking and making fitness realistic 47:43 - Healthcare misinformation and social media 52:04 - Where to find Dr. Mimi and JOWMA TOPICS COVERED Working mom guilt Women in medicine Orthodox Jewish women in healthcare JOWMA Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association Motherhood and career Women supporting women Self-care for moms Exercise for busy moms Strength training for women Healthcare misinformation Social media and mom guilt Functional nutrition Women’s health Career ambition and motherhood FOLLOW DR. MIMI KNOLL Instagram: @drmimiknoll X / Twitter: @_mimiknollmd FOLLOW JOWMA Instagram: @jowma_org Website: jowma.org DISCLAIMER This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical, nutrition, mental health, or individualized healthcare advice. Always work with your personal healthcare provider before making changes to your health, nutrition, exercise, medications, or treatment plan.