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Fuel Your Strength

The Fuel Your Strength podcast is all about helping women who lift weights get stronger, fuel themselves (without counting every bite of food), perform better in and out of the gym, and take up space. Strength nutrition strategist and weight lifting coach Steph Gaudreau shares how lifting weights is a catalyst for a more expansive life and how to challenge the status quo around nutrition and fitness. This weekly show brings you discussion about building strength without obsessing about food and exercise, lifting weights, food psychology, and more. You'll learn how to eat, train, recover, listen to your body, and step into your strength.
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Now displaying: May, 2022
May 31, 2022

It is so easy to fall into common nutrition traps or trends that we think are serving us but that are really stopping us from reaching our fullest potential. Common diet and nutrition trends like intermittent fasting, keto, and low carb are not designed for everyone, especially women entering perimenopause or menopause that are athletic.

 

Key Takeaways

If You Are Ready to Adjust Your Nutrition in a Way That Will Actually Serve Your Body, You Should:

  1. Remember that women are not small men and the diet and nutrition trends out there are not for your female physiology
  2. Change your mindset around fueling and recovery practices that are tailored to your unique body
  3. Stop being afraid of carbohydrates and feed yourself with proper whole foods that are going to improve your training

Understanding the Science Behind our Bodies with Dr. Stacy Sims

In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Stacy Sims, she is breaking down the science behind why these common nutrition and diet trends are not working for your female physiology. Stacy T. Sims, Ph.D., is an applied researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur in human performance, specifically sex differences in training, nutrition, and environmental conditions. She is passionate about teaching the world why women are not just small men and empowering women to make choices that are supporting their bodies through every phase of life.

If You Aren’t Seeing Results, It’s Not Your Fault

If you have ever thought to yourself ‘why is this diet working for my male partner but not for me?’, you are not alone. The truth is most of the diets out there like intermittent fasting and keto do not take into account our unique female physiology. This is only amplified even more when our hormones start to change as we approach our 40’s and beyond. There is a reason that these common diet and nutrition trends are not working for you, and it is not your fault.

Embracing the Female Physiology

Females have a different threshold for calorie intake, oxidative stress, and countless other biological responses than men do. This is why we need to take a deep dive into what is going on with our bodies at every phase of our life so that we can mitigate the symptoms and see the results from our training that we are hoping for.

How are you fueling your body to ensure that you are supporting it in every way possible? Share your thoughts about this episode with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

  • Learn what the research says about intermittent fasting when it comes to women who exercise (5:25)
  • Why it is not your fault if you are not seeing the same results as a man using the same nutrition methods (10:51)
  • The problem with a keto diet as an active woman getting close to menopause (14:36)
  • What you should be putting on your plate if you are a woman who exercises in her 40’s (18:50)
  • How to stop focusing on the scale when you are not seeing the results you want to see (28:06)

Quotes

“If you look at the longevity data of exercise, it is more stimulating and more robust than intermittent fasting or time restricted eating.” (6:16)

“When we look at ketogenic and the lack of diversity and a huge overgrowth of the fila that promotes obesity, then it is definitely not a win for women, especially when we start hitting this change over of our hormones.” (16:25)

“If you don't have carbohydrates, you are not going to hit your training measures. You can't hit high intensity, you can't lift well, your body needs carbohydrates.” (20:11)

“I don't want people to think that I say all this stuff and I do it all the time and it is easy for me. Because it's not. It's hard for everyone, you just have to be very cognitive.” (27:05)

“The weight on the scale is not representative of what is actually happening. So we have to live through that little bit of transition and freak out in our minds that something negative is happening. But know that weight on the scale is not representative of what is happening inside the cell, what is happening with inflammation going down, or increasing the stuff that is in the muscle. So just be patient, just be patient, don't freak out.” (30:18)

Featured on the Show

Join the Strength Nutrition Unlocked Group Coaching Program Here

Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond with Dr. Stacy Sims

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

Support the Podcast

Get 20% off Legion Supplements with code STEPH

Related Episodes

FYS 375: Peri-Menopause, Fasting and Low Carb in Athletic Women

HTK 077: Women are Not Small Men with Dr. Stacy Sims

May 24, 2022

Many women dont realize that as we age, our training and fueling routines need to change with us. But how do we do this when there are so many nutrition trends out there that are so easy to get sucked into? The answer is in this 2 part episode where we dive into the research beyond how to fuel and move your body in peri-menopause, menopause, and beyond.

Key Takeaways

If You Are Looking to Change Your Training Routine as You Enter Your 40s, You Should:

  1. Remember that women are not small men and most guidelines out there need to be adjusted for your changing body
  2. Drop the moderate intensity crap and focus on high-intensity speed and power to see the results you want
  3. Take a step back to re-learn the difference between being tired from exercise or tired from stress

Women Are Not Small Men with Dr. Stacy Sims

Stacy T. Sims, Ph.D., is an applied researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur in human performance, specifically sex differences in training, nutrition, and environmental conditions. She is a regularly featured speaker at professional and academic conferences, including those hosted by US Olympic Committee, High-Performance Sport NZ, and USA Cycling, she is a Senior Research Associate at AUT University and resides at the beach in Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand with her husband and young daughter.

Listen To Your Body and the Research

When a woman enters her 40s, her body composition starts to change. Many people associate the symptoms of these changes with low sleep, high stress, and try to do more training to counter it. None of these are the appropriate types of stress that your body needs in order to mitigate these changes. Women need specific changes to their training routine, along with nutrition, to support their bodies throughout their 40s and beyond. Proper sleep, high-intensity workouts, and polarizing your training in order to recover are key.

Change Is a Good Thing

Often as women are approaching peri-menopause they are nervous about getting bulky or are told to switch to moderate intensity workouts. Dr. Stacy is here to say that is absolutely not the case. Physiologically women respond better to speed and power, and if anything we should be increasing the intensity of our workouts when we can, and bookending them with softer workouts for our recovery. This is just one example of the necessary ways you need to change your training routine in order to support your changing body and hormones.

Are you excited for Part 2 of Dr. Stacy Sims' knowledge and experience? Share which of her tips you loved most from this episode with me in the comments section of the episode page.

In This Episode

  • Why the phases of your menstrual cycle should impact how you train (11:35)
  • Some of the changes that you can expect to see when entering peri-menopause (14:49)
  • How to shift the way that you strength train as you enter your 40s and beyond (18:42)
  • Why the ‘moderate intensity’ for women in their 40’s is the exact opposite of what you should be doing (26:22)
  • Tips for changing up your training and eating routine in order to stress your body and see results (33:52)

Quotes

“They attribute it to life stress, but it's not. Well, some of it is life stress of course. But when we pull it back to physiology and we see this change over these ratios, and our bodies are also trying to adjust.” (16:26)

“What we are trying to do when we get into our 40s is look for an external stress that is going to help support what the hormones used to do, or augment what the hormones can do.” (19:55)

“You need to work with someone who knows how to do proper movement.” (23:26)

“We don't know what it is like to be uncomfortable. We have air-conditioned houses, we have heating in the winter, we go outside in the summer, and we don't know what it truly means to be uncomfortable, so our bodies never adapt.” (32:05)

“We are really trying to get people to understand what it feels like, and teach themselves because we have lost that. We have lost what it feels like to be tired from physical activity, versus being tired from stress. So we are trying to teach that.” (37:41)

Featured on the Show

Join the Strength Nutrition Unlocked Group Coaching Program Here

Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond with Dr. Stacy Sims

Women Are Not Small Men TED Talk

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

Support the Podcast

Get 20% off Legion Supplements with code STEPH

Follow Steph on Instagram

Rate and review on Apple Podcasts

Related Episodes

HTK 077: Women are Not Small Men with Dr. Stacy Sims

 

May 17, 2022

Key Takeaways

What Can Change by Applying the Program Information:
  1. More compliments from your partner
  2. Huge strides in your fitness goals 
  3. Feeling like a nicer person with more stable emotions

About Brittany Sterling

Brittany Sterling is a member of my community. I asked her to come on to talk about her experience with Strength Nutrition Unlocked and how she’s developed her fitness routine through strength training.

The Support of Community is Second to None

Strength training has always been a part of Brittany’s fitness routine, but she talks about how she hasn’t always been hitting her goals and often hit plateaus. One of the biggest things that Brittany can attribute her success to these days is the power of community. 

Community is the best support system when you’re serious about your fitness journey. It’s there for motivation and support when you’re feeling stuck or you’re injured. And each community member brings their own resources, perspectives, and experiences that can help fuel you forward.

Surprising Benefits of Strength Training

When Brittany started working with me in my training programs, she learned how to apply the knowledge she knew from books in a more practical setting. She started seeing the gains she always wanted to and felt supported in all aspects of her life.

One of the most surprising changes for her was that she started to feel happier and more joyful in her life - and her partner even said she was a nicer, more fun person to be around. When you’re balanced in your fitness routine, including eating enough calories, you’re going to notice those awesome differences!

Your fitness journey doesn’t have to be perfect. When you take that element out of it, ditch the all or none thinking, and start enjoying your body now!

Let me know in the comments of the episode page what you’re doing to overcome your plateaus and what role community plays for you.

 

In This Episode

  • Why a support system or supportive environment is so beneficial [8:00]
  • How community can help get you through rough periods in your training [11:15]
  • Why it’s so crucial for you to fuel your body and eat more food when you’re working long, hard days [20:00]
  • What prompted Brittany to seek help with her fitness routine [24:15]
  • How calorie tracking might lead you into a scarcity mindset, leading to overeating [27:00]
  • What happens when you apply your book fitness knowledge to your fitness journey [29:00]
  • How following a balanced fitness plan with proper nutrition can help you lead a more balanced life [34:00]
  • How your fitness journey can inspire other women [39:00]
  • What happens when you remove the element of perfection from your fitness journey [41:30]

Quotes

“Having people that continue to support and push you, even when you feel down and out, you have people that you can learn from. You have people that have been there. That no what it’s like to slog through things. Maybe what you need to do today is not what you want it to look like. Maybe it’s just doing a little something. Anything’s better than nothing. Then you come out on the other side feeling so much more accomplished and better about yourself that you were able to overcome the emotional obstacle.” [9:06]

“In the last seven years, I’ve had multiple physical injuries, both work-related and gym-related, and it feels like starting from scratch all over again. You get very frustrated because you know where you were going, how well you were doing, and think ‘I know I’m capable, but I just can’t right now, so what’s the point?’ That’s where having that community come in really makes a difference. People who have been there, are there with you, can cry, suffer, hold your hand, cheer you on - it really makes a huge difference in your ability to keep pushing forward to the other side.” [13:17]

“Being well-fed makes me a nicer person!” [31:10]

“We get so hyperfocused on how we look. For women, it’s very much about appearances, skimpy bodysuits, and Lululemon head-to-toe. We do that to be noticed for how we look. How cool would it be to be noticed for what we can do? I don’t feel like we do that enough as women. Giving and getting feedback from other women is so cool.” [37:42]

“I don’t have to do cardio for an hour at one time in order to be effective and progress myself in my goals. As long as I’m moving. A little bit of jump roping or three sets of pull-ups on the squat bar in my backyard so I can do those things has really created this opportunity to not feel like I have to miss out on other things. I don’t have to sacrifice one thing for the other, I can do both, it just may not look like I want it to.” [40:51]

“We get into those weird mentalities and vicious loops where we say, ‘more is more, all or nothing, it has to be perfect.’ We put ourselves up for failure and fall into these weird, sneaky hate spirals. When you’re able to let those go and naturally allow yourself to find movement when you can, it makes it so much more enjoyable and so much less like a chore. When you’re able to find peace and enjoyment in that, other people notice and want to be part of it.”  [43:04]

Featured on the Show

May 10, 2022

Key Takeaways

If You Are Sick of Seeing Tiny Pink Dumbbells, You Should:
  1. Remember that just because you are a woman it does not mean you are not capable or are too fragile to be strong
  2. Stop worrying about getting bulky or comparing yourself to people on Instagram
  3. Find your weight sweet spot and focus on using an adequate amount of weight that is right for you

Calling Out Problematic Marketing with Nikki Naab-Levy

Nikki Naab-Levy is a strength and nutrition coach who has been involved in multiple arenas in the fitness industry for the last 17 years. She helps women move, build strength, improve mobility, move beyond injury, and find a sustainable approach to nutrition. She is passionate about having the unscripted and messy conversations necessary to help women get stronger and call attention to the problematic marketing in the world of fitness and beyond.

Pink Is Not the Problem

There is nothing wrong with expressing your femininity and working out in a way that suits you. However, you need to ask yourself if your tool fits the application. We all have the autonomy to decide how we want to lift weights or exercise; the problem comes when we allow marketers to lie to women about how they can achieve their goals using insufficient methods. Strength training, real strength training, is all about using smart programming and an appropriate amount of weight to get stronger over time, not ‘to get toned and flexible’ by using weights designed to keep women in a small mindset.

The Weaponization of Femininity

The marketing of tiny pink dumbbells says that women shouldn't get too bulky and that they need to lift petite things because they are fragile. This is simply not true, and this brainwashing keeps women from experiencing their full abilities and capacities for getting stronger. 

The weaponization of femininity has a range of negative implications that we are honestly just sick of. If your goal is to get progressively stronger over time, you need to take a step back and analyze the messages that are being directed toward you as a woman who lifts.

How do you believe the marketing of fitness impacts your decisions regarding your routine? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

  • What is really behind the marketing of tiny pink dumbbells (9:12)
  • Why we need to stop lying to women about how they can achieve their fitness desires (15:14)
  • How to address a lack of lifting results and find your weight sweet spot (20:41)
  • The difference between something that makes you stronger and strength training (27:23)
  • Unpack the implication behind the messaging of tiny pink dumbbells (39:25)

Quotes

“It is amazing that we live in a day and age where tiny pink dumbbells need an entire podcast conversation, but they do! Because they are so prevalent in marketing and the marketing in what they can and cannot do for you in no way matches the reality of what you would actually want to use them for.” (7:21)

“Strength is a continuum. There is a lot of confusion about what you are trying to achieve and what is the best use of the thing that you are doing.” (21:05)

“Scratch below the surface of why you are buying something or why you are following someone or why you are doing something, because there is underlying science and utility in each of the modalities, and if you are going to choose something, choose something that actually has an application.” (38:32)

“When we make choices for ourselves, we need to step back and be logical and look beyond the marketing, I think that is my whole thing. The tiny pink dumbbell is fine, it can have its utility, just stop calling it strength training and stop saying it will make you toned because it freakin won’t.” (39:15)

“I still have capabilities that go far beyond what I thought I could do when I was in the box of the tiny pink dumbbell when I was in the world of the tiny pink dumbbell.” (44:36)

Featured on the Show

May 3, 2022

It can be tricky to strike a balance between when our bodies are optimized to go hard and when we need to rest. This is why wearable trackers like my personal favorite, Whoop, are such amazing tools to help you understand the data and analytics behind your performance and recovery.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Use A Recovery Tracker to Improve Your Recovery, You Should:

  1. Find a tracker that provides you with science-based data and analytics unique to your body
  2. Don't forget about your menstrual cycle and the impact it can have on your training and recovery
  3. Remember that it is necessary to rest in order to see the gains that you want

Making Data-Driven Decisions with Emily Capodilupo

Emily Capodilupo is the Senior Vice President of Data Science & Research at Whoop. A Harvard-educated neurobiology expert, former gymnast, and current runner, Emily knows firsthand the importance of sleep and recovery when it comes to peak performance. She combines her skills, personal experience, and sleep and analytics knowledge to empower athletes to make intelligent, data-driven decisions about their bodies.

Recovery Is Non-negotiable

By now, we all know that rest is an important factor in recovery, but did you know it can also impact your athletic, cognitive, and emotional performance? The average person sleeps for ⅓ of their life, and yet the reason behind why sleep is a universal need is still yet to be fully understood. 

As Emily says, sometimes the best thing you can do for your body is rest. There is no point in training hard if you are not going to see the benefits, and you will not see the results you are hoping for without giving your body time to rest. By using a tracker like Whoop, you can better understand what is going on with your body and how to improve your metrics in order to meet your fitness goals.

Closing the Research Gender Gap

Another area that Emily is passionate about bringing attention to is the lack of female representation in academic research, especially when it comes to exercise physiology research. Historically women have been excluded from research studies, which does a horrible disservice to the females who want to train the right way. 

Whoop works to provide you with information about your recovery and sleep, and menstrual cycle so that you can work smarter, not harder. By understanding your menstrual cycle and how your body is operating, you can actually get fit more efficiently. Using technology to gain more information about ourselves, and learning how to apply this information in simple and straightforward ways, is truly the optimal way to perform in all of your athletic pursuits.

Are you ready to use science-backed guidance to improve your performance and recovery? Share your thoughts on data and science when it comes to your optimal health with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

  • How data collection and algorithms work hand in hand with human physiology (7:58)
  • What is taken into consideration when creating a recovery score with Whoop (17:25)
  • Why it is important to close the gender gap when it comes to exercise physiology research (29:22)
  • What Whoops current and future research tells us about our menstrual cycles (38:43)
  • How to adjust your training based on where you are at in your cycle, stage of life, and more (45:52)

Quotes

“It is a pretty powerful metric of how ready your body is to adapt to the varying stimuli you may be exposed to that day.” (19:21)

“The recovery score, because we are getting at these pretty basic physiological measurements of readiness and adaptation, it translates into all these different things. So both your ability to perform, as well as your risk of potentially getting injured.” (24:32)

“By neglecting research into how to comfortably and safely exercise as a person with a uterus, with these ovarian hormones, we are kind of setting these people up to opt out and therefore reduce their health later in life, shorten their lifespan, make them feel less good and less health, and I feel like that is a really big problem.” (36:54)

“We have collected data from thousands of perimenopausal and menopausal females, and we are going to be able to do research… to sort of understand what research in that population looks like in a way that academic research failed to comment on. We are excited to be a part of closing that gap.” (51:08)

“When we make stuff up, we are at such a high risk of getting it wrong and doing this huge disservice to a population who wants to do it right.” (53:37)

Featured on the Show

Join the Strength Nutrition Unlocked Group Coaching Program Here

Join Whoop Here

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