Supplements get a bad rap. And to be fair, there is a lot of trash out there. But there are some treasures, too, especially for midlife and menopausal women who often can use some extra help building bone, recovering from injuries, and hitting it hard during training and events. This week we break down the best ergogenic aids for active women in and beyond the menopause transition with Kristen Arnold of Sports Nutrition for Women.

Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD is a board-certified sports dietitian, cycling coach, retired professional athlete, and team sport director for USA Cycling and professional cycling teams. Her private practice is centered around empowering women through evidence-based sports nutrition coaching and information, and she has done research on improving postmenopausal women's health through nutrition strategies and counseling. You can learn more about her and her work at sportsnutritionforwomen.com.

Resources

The JUMPFOOD study: additional effect of hydrolyzed collagen and vitamin C to exercise treatment for patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee) in athletes—study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled trial here

Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women—A Randomized Controlled Study here

How collagen could help heal your torn rotator cuff, Achilles tendon, meniscus and more here

The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on body composition, collagen synthesis, and recovery from joint injury and exercise: a systematic review here

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Feisty Media: @feisty_media

Selene: @fitchick3

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Join Level Up - Our Community for Active Women Navigating the Menopause Transition:

Join: https://www.feistymenopause.com/monthly-membership-1

Leave your questions for Selene:

https://www.speakpipe.com/hitplay

Get the Free Feisty Women's Guide to Lifting Heavy Sh*t:

https://www.feistymenopause.com/liftheavy

Support our Partners:

B-Untethered Train and Travel Trips: Sign up by July 8th to receive an early bird discount on the Mount Kilimanjaro trip. Learn more at https://b-untethered.com/b-train-and-travel-trips/

Hettas: Use code FEISTY20 for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Tifosi Optics: Use code FM20! for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

Menopause and age raise our cardiovascular disease risk. Athletes and highly active people also tend to have a higher prevalence of coronary artery calcium and atherosclerotic plaque (though it tends to be the benign kind). But what does that all mean? How can we know what’s really going on in those coronary arteries of ours? To find out, host Selene Yeager had a Cleerly-enabled coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), which uses AI-enabled software to help characterize coronary plaque composition and cardiovascular disease risk. This week, she sat down with Anita Vadria, MS, PA-C, who is the Director of Medical Science Liaisons and Clinical Education at Cleerly to go over her results, talk about plaque and heart disease risk, and how technology is helping advance our understanding of our personal risk.

Anita Vadria, MS, PA-C, is the Director of Medical Science Liaisons and Clinical Education at Cleerly. She is a Board Certified Physician Assistant with a focus in Cardiology. She received her undergraduate degree in Molecular and Cell Biology and received her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies from Western University of Health Sciences in Los Angeles, CA.

Resources

Impact of atherosclerosis imaging-quantitative computed tomography on diagnostic certainty, downstream testing, coronary revascularization, and medical therapy: the CERTAIN study, here

Atherosclerosis Imaging Quantitative Computed Tomography (AI‐QCT) to guide referral to invasive coronary angiography in the randomized controlled CONSERVE trial, here

Coronary Artery Calcification Among Endurance Athletes “Hearts of Stone”, here

Physical Activity and Progression of Coronary Artery Calcification in Men and Women, here

Most heart attack patients' cholesterol levels did not indicate cardiac risk, here

Lipid levels in patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease: an analysis of 136,905 hospitalizations in Get With The Guidelines, here

2010 ACCF/AHA Guideline for Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk in Asymptomatic Adults

A Report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines, here

Heart attacks with no obvious risk factors on the rise, here

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Feisty Media: @feisty_media

Selene: @fitchick3

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Join Level Up - Our Community for Active Women Navigating the Menopause Transition:

Join:...

This week we bring you a special live show from UNBOUND Gravel in Emporia, KS, where we sat down with two legends in the sport of gravel cycling, UNBOUND Gravel co-founder Kristi Mohn and seven time world champion Rebecca Rusch to have an open, honest conversation about midlife and menopause, how we view things today, and what we want for the future. Spoiler alert: We’re not hanging it up anytime soon.

Kristi Mohn is one of the founders of UNBOUND Gravel and is an integral member of the Life Time offroad team. She is also a Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame inductee, and is the cohost, along with Kathryn Taylor, of the Girls Gone Gravel podcast.

Rebecca Rusch is an adventure athlete, seven time World Champion, two time Hall of Fame inductee, keynote speaker, best-selling author of Rusch to Glory, founder of Rebecca’s Private Idaho, and an Emmy award winner for the film Blood Road.

Enter to win a Liv Devote - Be Good™ Edition gravel bike and an entry to Rebecca’s Private Idaho gravel event this summer! Head on over to feistygiveaway.com by June 16 for your chance to win. (You must be based in the U.S. to win.)

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Feisty Media: @feisty_media

Selene: @fitchick3

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Join Level Up - Our Community for Active Women Navigating the Menopause Transition:

Join: https://www.feistymenopause.com/monthly-membership-1

Leave your questions for Selene:

https://www.speakpipe.com/hitplay

Get the Free Feisty Women's Guide to Lifting Heavy Sh*t:

https://www.feistymenopause.com/liftheavy

Support our Partners:

B-Untethered Train and Travel Trips: Sign up by July 8th to receive an early bird discount on the Mount Kilimanjaro trip. Learn more at https://b-untethered.com/b-train-and-travel-trips/

Hettas: Use code FEISTY20 for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Tifosi Optics: Use code FM20! for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

As active menopausal women, we get outright bombarded with ads for nutritional supplements. But what do we really need? This week, we take it down to brass tacks and hit the basics with registered dietitian nutritionist Katie Linville. We break it down on what we should know about calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, iron, and the other vitamins and minerals we’re often told to take as a matter of course. While we’re at it, we also venture into cholesterol, blood sugar, and CGMs. You may be surprised to learn that there’s more to these metrics than what you eat.

Katie Linville is a registered dietitian with 11+ years of experience, who received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Florida State University. Katie specializes in nutrition for women’s health, and has experience supporting women in menopause to optimize mental health and their relationship with food and their bodies. Additionally, she holds a specialty certification in oncology nutrition (CSO) and has experience working with cancer survivors through treatment and for prevention. In her spare time, Katie enjoys running, hiking, and spending time at the beach with her family. You can learn more about her and her work at

www.gennev.com/providers/katie-linville

Resources:

https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-iron-vegans

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Feisty Media: @feisty_media

Selene: @fitchick3

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Join Level Up - Our Community for Active Women Navigating the Menopause Transition:

Join: https://www.feistymenopause.com/monthly-membership-1

Leave your questions for Selene:

https://www.speakpipe.com/hitplay

Get the Free Feisty Women's Guide to Lifting Heavy Sh*t:

https://www.feistymenopause.com/liftheavy

Support our Partners:

B-Untethered Train and Travel Trips: Sign up by July 8th to receive an early bird discount on the Mount Kilimanjaro trip. Learn more at https://b-untethered.com/b-train-and-travel-trips/

Hettas: Use code FEISTY20 for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Tifosi Optics: Use code FM20! for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

We talk a lot about the importance of lifting heavy for our muscle, bone, brain, and heart health. But that’s just the beginning! Being stronger makes us feel more capable and opens the door to all kinds of new adventures that we might not otherwise try because we have more confidence in what our bodies can do. Nobody knows that better than this week’s guest, BASE jumper and all-around active badass Shawn Brokemond, who not only lives her own adventurous life, but also trains other midlife women to get strong and do the same through her company Sports Adventure. This week we talk all about midlife adventures as well as Shawn’s 23-year struggle with menopause.

Shawn Brokemond’s life has always been a whirlwind of activity from swimming and gymnastics to mountain biking and BASE jumping. At 46, after 25 years as a kindergarten teacher, Shawn decided it was time for a change and put her passion for sports and fitness center stage and transitioned into personal training, with a focus on adventure. Now 56, having navigated the challenges of a midlife career shift firsthand, she’s proof that it's never too late to chase your dreams. You can learn more about her and her work at www.sportadven.com.

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Feisty Media: @feisty_media

Selene: @fitchick3

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Join Level Up - Our Community for Active Women Navigating the Menopause Transition:

Join: https://www.feistymenopause.com/monthly-membership-1

Leave your questions for Selene:

https://www.speakpipe.com/hitplay

Get the Free Feisty Women's Guide to Lifting Heavy Sh*t:

https://www.feistymenopause.com/liftheavy

Support our Partners:

B-Untethered Train and Travel Trips: Sign up by July 8th to receive an early bird discount on the Mount Kilimanjaro trip. Learn more at https://b-untethered.com/b-train-and-travel-trips/

Hettas: Use code FEISTY20 for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Tifosi Optics: Use code FM20! for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

Sally “Sal” Edwards, now 76, is a pioneer in women’s sports. She qualified for the first women's marathon Olympic Trials in 1983 and is one of the original founders of USA Triathlon. She also brought heart rate and zone training to the mainstream. For 22 years, Sal served as the national spokeswoman for the Danskin Women's Triathlon Series volunteering to finish last as a professional triathlete so that no other woman would have to. This week Sal reflects back on her past and shares her insights into where training technology is taking us in the future. We also talk about menopause, what it means to have a great life, and how we “shouldn’t let the old woman in.”

Sally “Sal” Edwards, MA, MBA, an American best-selling author, professional athlete, entrepreneur, teacher and coach is one of America's leading experts in business, exercise science, and lifestyle living. She is the author of 25 books on health, fitness, and weight loss. Her passion is to get America fit. Her company, Heart Zones® is a fitness and health technology and wearable devices company. Sally is the co-founder of Fleet Feet. She is the developer of the Heart Zones patented group technology used in over 2,500 schools in 10 countries plus health clubs and individual fitness enthusiasts around the world.

https://www.heartzones.com/schools/methodology/threshold-training/#1538596814280-1c88a01f-2303

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Feisty Media: @feisty_media

Selene: @fitchick3

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Join Level Up - Our Community for Active Women Navigating the Menopause Transition:

Join: https://www.feistymenopause.com/monthly-membership-1

Leave your questions for Selene:

https://www.speakpipe.com/hitplay

Get the Free Feisty Women's Guide to Lifting Heavy Sh*t:

https://www.feistymenopause.com/liftheavy

Support our Partners:

B-Untethered Train and Travel Trips: Sign up by July 8th to receive an early bird discount on the Mount Kilimanjaro trip. Learn more at https://b-untethered.com/b-train-and-travel-trips/

Hettas: Use code FEISTY20 for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Tifosi Optics: Use code FM20! for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

Be smaller. Be lighter. For our entire lives those messages have been drilled into us from every angle, including very often from those in our sports. We hear we need to be at “race weight.” We’re shown “idealized” images of what female athletes “should” look like. It’s all incredibly damaging, especially as we hit menopause and midlife and our bodies start to change. It’s also based on BS. Women with cellulite and extra body fat win races. Women who are well-fueled outperform those who are not. There is no one magic number on the scale or body fat percentage that makes us a success. All the destructive messages that make us hate our bodies feed the diet culture machine. This week we sat down with coach and sports dietitian Marni Sumbal to dismantle that machine and help us find body peace, so we don’t spend the next chapters of our lives in an endless war with ourselves.

Marni Sumbal MS, RD, CSSD, LD/N is the owner of Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition, a coaching and nutrition company based in Greenville, South Carolina, which she runs with her husband and RETUL bike fit expert, Karel Sumbal. Marni is a 3x author, board certified sports dietitian and holds a master of science in exercise physiology. She is a 19x Ironman finisher, 2x XTRI finisher, and 6x Ironman World Championship finisher. You can learn more about her and her services at trimarnicoach.com.

Resources:

Marni Sumbal’s latest book: Athlete to Triathlete: The Ultimate Triathlon Training Plan for Sprint and Olympic Races

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Feisty Media: @feisty_media

Selene: @fitchick3

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Join Level Up - Our Community for Active Women Navigating the Menopause Transition:

Join: https://www.feistymenopause.com/monthly-membership-1

Leave your questions for Selene:

https://www.speakpipe.com/hitplay

Get the Free Feisty Women's Guide to Lifting Heavy Sh*t:

https://www.feistymenopause.com/liftheavy

Support our Partners:

B-Untethered Train and Travel Trips: Sign up by July 8th to receive an early bird discount on the Mount Kilimanjaro trip. Learn more at https://b-untethered.com/b-train-and-travel-trips/

Hettas: Use code FEISTY20 for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Tifosi Optics: Use code FM20! for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

If there’s anything we’ve learned, it’s pelvic floor health is a whole lot more than doing Kegel exercises. In fact, sometimes Kegels are the last thing you need. This week we look at pelvic floor health through the lens of Postural Restoration with pelvic floor physical therapist and Postural Restoration Certified (PRC) practitioner Hayley Kava, who talks us through anatomical and structural issues that can contribute to leaking, aches and pains, and even propensity to injuries that become more common in the menopause transition.

Hayley Kava PT, MPT, PRC is a pelvic floor physical therapist and Postural Restoration® Certified (PRC) provider. A former collegiate athlete and sports medicine physical therapist, Hayley was shocked at the lack of integrative education, information and support for pelvic floor specific concerns when she became a mother in 2017. In 2018, Hayley started her pelvic floor education to complement her PRI training and in 2020, she started her own business working exclusively with people with pelvic floor disorders, taking an “outside in” approach to pelvic health. Her mission in this work is to ensure that no person feels alone in dealing with pelvic floor problems. You can learn more about her and her work at hayleykavapt.com

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Feisty Media: @feisty_media

Selene: @fitchick3

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Join Level Up - Our Community for Active Women Navigating the Menopause Transition:

Join: https://www.feistymenopause.com/monthly-membership-1

Leave your questions for Selene:

https://www.speakpipe.com/hitplay

Get the Free Feisty Women's Guide to Lifting Heavy Sh*t:

https://www.feistymenopause.com/liftheavy

Support our Partners:

B-Untethered Train and Travel Trips: Sign up by July 8th to receive an early bird discount on the Mount Kilimanjaro trip. Learn more at https://b-untethered.com/b-train-and-travel-trips/

Hettas: Use code FEISTY20 for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Tifosi Optics: Use code FM20! for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/