Are you prepping for a show or planning your comeback season? What if the difference between winning and wasting your time was strategy?

Michelle MacDonald welcomes elite coach and two-time world champion Jean Jacques (JJ) Barrett. Known for shaping champions across divisions and federations, JJ brings a wealth of experience in women’s health and fitness. The conversation dives deep into the most misunderstood phases of physique prep for women: choosing your show strategically, maximizing your improvement season, and avoiding peak week mistakes. JJ shares expert insights on how to build a competitive physique with a healthy and sustainable fitness mindset. Whether you’re stepping on stage soon or mapping out your next season, this episode delivers game-changing advice every female athlete should hear.

Favorite Moments

• 5:09 How to Strategically Choose the Right Competition for Your Physique
• 10:54 When to Postpone Your Show—and Why It Might Save Your Season
• 24:42 The Biggest Mistake Women Make During Improvement Season
• 1:11:20 Why Competing Is About More Than Just Winning a Trophy

"Create urgency in your improvement season because that's the work that actually builds your next stage body."– Jean Jacques Barrett

GUEST: JEAN JACQUES BARRETT, EXPERT COACH | ISSA STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SPECIALIST | 5X PRO FITNESS MODEL CHAMPION

Instagram | Talum Strength Club | Facebook | FMG Show Registration | Tickets to FMG Mexico

Full Guest Bio:
Jean Jacques Barrett is a top-tier physique coach, two-time world champion, and seven-time titleholder known for his precision-based coaching and transformative results. With over a decade of experience shaping elite-level athletes across divisions and federations, JJ specializes in strategic physique development with a deep understanding of female physiology. He co-leads Tulum Strength Club and is a key promoter with FMG Mexico, where he continues to elevate the standard for women’s health and fitness on and off the stage. JJ is respected for his disciplined approach, athlete-first mindset, and commitment to coaching with clarity, purpose, and impact.

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Full Michelle Bio:
Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW

What does it truly take to step on stage as a female bodybuilder? Hint: it’s not just muscle.

Michelle MacDonald sits down with Loz Vickers, a natural bodybuilding phenom and a grounded voice in the women's fitness space. Together, they unpack what it really means to train hard, build muscle, and create a healthy, resilient mindset as a woman in fitness. Loz shares her raw experiences with body image struggles, recovering from disordered eating, and transforming into a figure competitor who thrives in the off-season. They also explore the mental discipline required for long-term personal growth, the hidden truths of prep life, and how strength training empowers women at any age. Whether you're a seasoned competitor or a woman seeking to redefine strength in midlife, this episode offers real talk, tactical tips, and transformational takeaways. Favorite Moments:

Favorite Moments

• 1:57 When Are You Really Ready for a Bodybuilding Contest?
• 7:48 Why Mindset Outranks Genetics in Women’s Bodybuilding Success
• 20:54 How the Off-Season Builds Muscle and Mental Strength
• 43:21 Strength Training as a Tool for Self-Belief and Confidence

"The physique is just a physical representation of the mindset you've built." – Loz Vickers

GUEST: LOZ VICKERS, ONLINE COACH & NATURAL BODYBUILDER

LVFIT Website | 1-1 LVFIT Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | Podcast | Natural Bodybuilding Worldwide | TikTok

Full Guest Bio:
Loz Vickers is a natural bodybuilding athlete and coach dedicated to helping women find strength in every stage of life. As head coach of Team LVFit, she’s known for her down-to-earth, evidence-based approach that fuses performance training with mindset development.

Her own path from body-image struggles to competitive success shaped her belief that fitness is about far more than appearance—it’s about discipline, confidence, and respect for your body. Loz now channels that philosophy into coaching women to lift with purpose, build lasting resilience, and feel powerful inside and outside the gym.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

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Full Michelle Bio:
Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

Where to Watch/Listen:

• Website
• Appl

What if your sleepless nights weren’t just a part of aging but the silent accelerator of it?

Michelle MacDonald welcomes Dr. Woganee Filate, physician, sleep researcher, and women's health advocate, to tackle one of the most overlooked pillars in women’s health: sleep. Dr. Filate unpacks why women experience a unique midlife sleep crisis, what’s really behind it from biology to social dynamics and how to reclaim restorative rest. They discuss evidence-based strategies for improving sleep during menopause, how sleep impacts everything from metabolism to emotional regulation, and why a healthy sleep routine is foundational for personal growth, a healthy mindset, and long-term fitness. Whether you're in perimenopause or just struggling to rest, this episode is a must-listen.

Favorite Moments:

• 1:35 Why Sleep Is the Most Overlooked Pillar in Women’s Health
• 7:05 The Hidden Link Between Sleep Loss and Long-Term Health span
• 13:18 Why Sleep Problems in Women Are Dismissed and Misunderstood
• 29:38 One Year on CPAP: A Personal Sleep Apnea Recovery Story

“Sleep is the land of infinite second chances—if tonight was bad, tomorrow’s a fresh start.” — Dr. Woganee Filate

GUEST: DR. WOGANEE FILATE BHSC, MD, FRCP©, CO-FOUNDER LUME WOMEN + HEALTH

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Newsletter

Full Guest Bio:
Dr. Woganee Filate is a passionate and dedicated adult respirologist and sleep medicine physician committed to providing comprehensive, evidence-based and patient-centered care. She has a wealth of experience in diagnosing and managing respiratory and sleep disorders. Her interests include educating patients on the changes in sleep during the menopause transition and what can be done to optimize sleep during this key life stage. In addition to her medical degree, Dr. Filate holds a Master of Health Science, with a focus on Community Health & Epidemiology, from the University of Toronto.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

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Full Michelle Bio:
Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

Where to Watch/Listen:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

Leave a rating for this podcast with one click

What if your menstrual cycle, cholesterol, and even your VO₂ max could predict your future health? Most women aren’t tracking what really matters—until it’s too late.

Michelle MacDonald welcomes Dr. Amy Louis-Bayliss, a MD and women's preventive health expert, to uncover the six key metrics that can radically improve how women age.

With decades of experience in emergency medicine and specialized training in menopause, Dr. Amy breaks down complex topics like cholesterol, A1C, body composition, VO₂ max, blood pressure, and cycle health in a way that is both actionable and empowering.

She shares how understanding these markers, not just your weight, can shift you from reactive care to proactive, personalized health optimization.

Favorite Moments:

2:33 The Six Tests Every Woman Over 40 Needs to Take

11:27 Why Women Shouldn’t Fear Cholesterol Meds—Or Estrogen

21:50 Think You Feel Fine? Your Blood Pressure Might Say Otherwise

34:56 The Shocking Truth About Thin Women and Muscle Loss

"You can feel good, but that’s not the same as measuring." – Dr. Amy Louis-Bayliss

GUEST: DR. AMY LOUIS-BAYLISS BHSc, MD, FRCP©, CEO LUME WOMEN + HEALTH

Website | Contact | LinkedIn | Instagram | Newsletter

Full Guest Bio:
Dr. Amy Louis-Bayliss has been an MD for almost 20 years, spending most of her career as an emergency medicine specialist with two additional years of training as a menopause specialist in Hamilton and Oakville. Dr. Louis-Bayliss is an advocate for women’s healthy aging – her interest in menopause and healthy aging stems from years of treating and managing disease in the ER once it was already “too late”. Amy sits on the advisory board for the National Menopause Show. She is passionate about educating women to build self-agency when it comes to disease-prevention.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

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Full Michelle Bio:
Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

Where to Watch/Listen:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

Why do some clients suddenly disappear—even when they’re paying for coaching? The answer lies deeper than you think.

Michelle MacDonald sits down with Dr. Kasey Jo Orvidas, Ph.D. in Psychology and expert in behavior change, to uncover the real reasons why clients ghost their coaches. From mindset shifts and discomfort avoidance to better expectation-setting and behavior-based communication tools, this conversation dives into the psychology of coaching that actually creates long-term change. Whether you're a health coach, fitness trainer, or someone invested in Women’s Health and Fitness, this episode reveals essential strategies to foster accountability, build trust, and support sustainable personal growth. Get ready for real talk, practical tools, and inspiration to level up your coaching impact.

Favorite Moments:

• 5:27 "You're Paying Me Big Bucks—Get Your Piece of the Pie!"
• 10:39 The 10-Minute Call That Can Reignite Client Engagement
• 19:38 Why Knowledge Alone Doesn’t Change Behavior
• 46:12 You're Not Broken: Mindset Reframes for Women in Midlife

“You’re not broken—you’re just you now.”

GUEST: KASEY JO ORVIDAS

Website | Email | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook

Full Guest Bio:
Kasey holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and is a certified health and fitness coach. She has spent a good chunk of her life developing some serious expertise in mindset and health behavior change. She has racked up numerous publications in a variety of peer-reviewed scientific journals (aka you can Google scholar her name and even cite her research in APA format for your high school paper–wow!). Although Kasey is no longer tethered to the chains of an academic career (if you know, you know), she still can’t quite break free from the lure of p-values and scientific jargon. Knowing that most (normal) people aren’t obsessed enough to get a Ph.D. in this stuff, Kasey created The Health Mindset Coaching Certification.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

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Full Michelle Bio:
Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

Where to Watch/Listen:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

What if the key to your transformation wasn’t losing weight—but gaining strength?

Michelle MacDonald welcomes Lena Cheng, a physician-turned-entrepreneur and long-time TWW client, whose journey from hesitant lifter to competitive powerlifter redefines what it means to be strong.

What began as a goal to “lean out” quickly evolved into a full-on identity transformation. Lena opens up about the challenges of breaking cultural norms, navigating injury, setting values-based goals, and embracing her power—literally and figuratively.

This conversation dives deep into the intersection of Women’s Health and Fitness, cultivating a Healthy Mindset, and the kind of Personal Growth that comes from lifting heavy and living bold.

Favorite Moments Audio:

• 1:52 Why Barbells Changed Everything
• 5:49 “I can take up space”—Rejecting Cultural Norms
• 7:14 Discovering the Power of Core Values
• 21:06 The Deadlift Breakthrough That Changed It All

"I'm not training for the mirror—I'm training for me."

GUEST: LENA CHENG, MD

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | X

Full Guest Bio:
Lena Cheng, MD is a former board-certified physician turned serial entrepreneur, brand strategist, and powerlifting enthusiast. With over two decades of experience in health-tech and marketing, she brings a rare blend of medical expertise, executive leadership, and personal transformation. Lena is also a passionate advocate for women’s health, fitness mindset, and personal growth—using strength training as a vehicle for empowerment at any age. Whether she’s building businesses or lifting barbells, Lena leads with boldness, purpose, and unapologetic authenticity.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

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Full Michelle Bio:
Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

Where to Watch/Listen:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

Is menopause the end of your vitality—or the beginning of your most empowered chapter yet?

Michelle MacDonald sits down with Angela Macgregor, founder of the National Menopause Show, to discuss how personal pain can fuel a powerful movement. At age 57, Angela launched the first national event of its kind to combat stigma, educate women, and connect them with trusted, science-backed healthcare providers. From navigating her own perimenopause struggles to challenging a fragmented healthcare system, Angela shares how she transformed her frustration into a platform for personal growth, community, and lasting impact.

Favorite Moments Audio:

• 1:53 Launching a Movement at 57
• 4:06 The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything
• 9:13 The Treatment That Transformed Her Life
• 27:34 Building a Community That Heals

"We don't have to just sit and be silent anymore. It's not acceptable."

GUEST: ANGELA MACGREGOR

Website | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Full Guest Bio:
Angela Macgregor began her career managing major tradeshows and later led a North American registration company. After two decades in her family’s real estate business, she returned to events with a personal mission: addressing the lack of accessible menopause information. This led her and her husband Bob to create The National Menopause Show, blending expert-led education with a curated exhibit floor. The event empowers women with trusted knowledge, resources, and confidence to navigate their health journey.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

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Full Michelle Bio:
Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

Where to Watch/Listen:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

Leave a rating for this podcast with one click https://ratethispodcast.com/michellemacdonald

What’s the truth about protein, strength training, and women’s health past 40?

Michelle MacDonald is joined by world-renowned muscle metabolism expert, Dr. Stuart Phillips, a leading researcher from McMaster University. They dive deep into what women over 40 need to know about muscle loss, optimal protein intake, and the truth about strength training. Dr.Phillips shares the science behind aging and metabolism, dispels persistent fitness myths, and explains how to actually preserve muscle and stay powerful into your fifties and beyond. The duo share tips for anyone serious about cultivating a healthy mindset, building a fitness mindset, and pursuing sustainable personal growth through evidence-based training and nutrition.

Favorite Moments:
0:12 Why most women aren't lifting — and why that’s a bigger problem

6:43 The real recommended protein intake for women over 40

13:56 What the research actually says about 40g of protein post-workout

33:11 The quality of life case for building strength and power after 40

"I'm more afraid of women not lifting weights at all than I am of them lifting the wrong way."

GUEST: DR. STUART PHILLIPS

McMaster University | X | Linktree | Instagram

Dr. Stuart Phillips is a distinguished professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Skeletal Muscle Health at McMaster University. His research focuses on how nutrition and exercise impact skeletal muscle protein turnover, especially in the context of aging and sarcopenia. He is also the director of the Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE) and the McMaster Centre for Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Research.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | X

Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

Where to Watch/Listen:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

Leave a rating for this podcast with one click https://ratethispodcast.com/michellemacdonald