Fuel Your Strength

When it comes to fitness, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the checklist of things you feel like you are 'supposed' to do in order to take care of your body. Chances are, you already have a hectic schedule, and incorporating movement practices into that can sometimes feel like a chore. On today's episode my guests are here to show you an easy, simple, and effective way to incorporate the things you need to do to take care of your body, without all the hassle. If You Want to Move More, You Should: Don't get overwhelmed by feeling like you have to add movement onto your checklist Find simple ways to incorporate movement into your daily routine through the Build to Move tips Remember that consistency is key and embrace the mentality of 'Never Do Nothing' About The Ready State Meet Juliet and Kelly Starrett, founders of The Ready State and co-authors of their newest book, Built to Move. Juliet and Kelly are on a mission to help you live ready and have dedicated themselves to years of figuring out exactly how you can implement these practices within your already busy schedule. They have a human being approach to basic muscle maintenance and believe it is your right as a human being to be able to do what you love with no holding back. Become a Durable Person Have you ever heard the old saying, if you have cookies in the house, you are going to eat the cookies? Kelly and Juliet have taken that principle and applied it to their environment so that they can take every opportunity to move. These 'movement snacks' are one of the foundational principles they have created to alter habits and encourage movement. To Juliet and Kelly, becoming a 'Durable Person' means taking a systems approach to your health and well-being in order to increase your ability, strength, and longevity. Incorporating these micro-tasks into your daily habits is the first step. Never Do Nothing Juliet and Kelly's mantra is as simple as 'Never Do Nothing'. They believe that by making small changes in your existing schedule, such as walking instead of driving and moving instead of being still, you can start to see the results you are looking for while also increasing your longevity and overall life enjoyment. Having an immaculate training program does no good if you are not able to implement it. By getting in where you fit in, you can stop stressing about your fitness checklist and start stacking positive and helpful behaviors into your life. Are you ready to move more? Share your thoughts about this episode with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode Exploring how The Ready State has changed and grown over time (22:07) The ten key things that will help you focus on moving the needle the most (31:30) How to alter your movement habits in a way that will not impact your busyness schedule (38:21) Small habits that you can easily incorporate into your daily life to see real change (47:16) The best ways that you can start weaving in movement practices into your life simply without lots of time (55:32) Quotes "Somewhere in our lives, we both jointly got the message that people who are great at anything just do the same thing over and over and over. And it's not to say that they don't evolve and iterate; they do. But they are kind of doing the same thing over and over and over. And that's how you become great at something." (18:03) "You can feel better, and you have to take this system approach to begin to feel better. And it is actually your right and in your power to do so." (20:30) "People know they want and need to be healthy, whatever that means. They want to feel good. And they are struggling to feel like they can get solid, actionable advice." (30:46) "You actually think you are working really hard, but you can actually feel better and do even more." (45:29) "I live a busy life, and so does everybody else… [But] your body is so tolerant. If you just start to give it the right things, or different inputs or expanding your inputs, you will be shocked at what your body will do for you." (1:03:04) Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here The Ready State Built to Move by Kelly & Juliet Starrett Follow The Ready State on Instagram Find 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 Get 10% off GORUCK with code FYS10 Follow Steph on Instagram Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes HTK 055: How to Stand for Better Health with Kelly and Juliet Starrett

When I hear people struggling with a lack of progress in training, it immediately brings some other questions to my mind. Adding additional weight is not the only thing you need to be paying attention to in your workouts. Nutrition, recovery, mindset, and training program are all important factors in reaching your goals, and they cannot be ignored. If You Want to See the Most From Your Progressive Overload, You Should: Make sure that your program is designed with your specific goals in mind Check how the different phases of your program are being transitioned with your bigger picture in mind Pay attention to your nutrition, recovery, and mindset, as they are equally as important to your training program Stop the Comparison Sometimes, as we age through our 40s and beyond, we think that we should always be able to hit heavier and heavier and heavier weights. With the right program, recovery, nutrition, and mindset, you can continue to do hard shit, but you must be willing to adjust your expectations. Heavy 'now' and what your heavy was before don't need to be compared. It's all about hitting your goals and continuing to get stronger in a way that is sustainable, effective, and healthy. Finding What Works for You There are a lot of excellent programs and amazing coaches out there who can personalize a training plan with your unique goals in mind. Grabbing some random training plan off Google or YouTube is not going to assist you in helping you reach your goals and feel the best results. There is no one clean-cut answer to the way in which you are going to get the most out of your training. But, by presenting you with questions that will make you think and reassess how and why you train, you can get clearer on your goals and start implementing a program that is going to work for you in your here-and-now body. When was the last time you stopped to think about how your program, training, and recovery are working for you? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode Getting real about the fitness and nutrition information you see on the internet (2:49) Questions to ask yourself if you feel like progressive overload is not working for you anymore (4:42) The problem with programming for yourself even if you have been lifting for a long time (14:44) How your recovery, nutrition, and mindset are playing a role in your training results (17:10) Why you don't need to worry about comparison, especially to your past self (22:14) Quotes "Progressive overload doesn't only mean tweaking the weight; there are other variables you can change in your training." (8:18) "There is a lot that goes into planning and programming and periodizing a really great program." (13:27) "You don't build strength, you don't actually get stronger when you train. You get stronger, or you improve your fitness in whatever metric of fitness you are looking at when you recover from your training." (17:29) "We can still do hard shit. We just have to make sure the training plan is smart, we're fueling appropriately, and we are recovering well." (21:51) "Yes, we need to challenge ourselves. But we also do need those other elements." (28:51) Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Find 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 Get 10% off GORUCK with code FYS10 Follow Steph on Instagram Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes FYS 399: Are You Overtraining? FYS 392: Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure FYS 385: How To Build An Athlete Mindset Over 40

Today, we're celebrating a milestone together. This is episode 400! While this podcast has taken on several different forms over years, it has stayed true to its mission — how to help you get strong. So let's take a look back on where we've been, while also looking forward to what's to come. To improve the narrative around fitness we need to: Educate clients that fitness is not an aesthetic goal Acknowledge those who have been positive influences Understand that points of view can change Incorporate new research while acknowledging the existing gaps in knowledge Gauging Strength and Fitness Outside of Weight-Loss Longtime listeners know that I want to shift the conversation away from simply weight loss and towards other markers for fitness and health. Changing the culture around this is not a simple task. I still don't think I have the answer. However, I feel that if coaches focus on educating their clients on why this is important to expand the conversation, changes for the better will come. I also know it's tempting to speak the industry lingo. That's what many clients expect to hear. Yet, if we don't speak the truth about this, the culture and narrative will never change. Changing the Culture Moving Forward As you can see, there are some things that I really wish would change in the fitness industry. I'd like to see women included more in exercise science and sports research. And I have seen this shift lately. This is a good thing, but there are caveats. Since much of the research is still new, it's important to really understand the data and its limitations to make an informed decision. How can you help shift and improve the conversation around strength? What changes do you see happening in this industry? Leave a comment on the episode page! In This Episode Educating clients on the importance of different approaches to nutrition and strength [4:30] Some of the most influential women who have inspired me [18:40] Recognizing and embracing change [23:00] Looking ahead at the changing landscape of nutrition and strength [28:15] Quotes "We as coaches have to be willing to do the education piece and constantly talk about why we're not going to do things in this other way and why we're doing things in this different way." [4:50] "Fitness is not a specific look. Fitness is how well you can perform a task; how well-suited to the task are you." [12:08] "If you need to make adjustments to your training because you're not feeling it, that's okay. But a lot of the things that we hear people talking about are just not grounded in what the collective body of research says." [32:17] Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Find 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 Get 10% off GORUCK with code FYS10 Follow Steph on Instagram Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes FYS 399: Are You Overtraining? FYS 380: From Endurance To Lifting: Top Sports Nutrition & Training Lessons FYS 3771: Why The Fitness Industry Needs Quality Coaches

Having a good training plan is key to helping you achieve your goals, but it's not everything. Overtraining can happen for a large number of reasons that have nothing to do with your training plan, which is why it is so important, especially for us athletes over 40. If you are concerned about overtraining but not sure if your training plan is to blame, this episode is for you. If You Want to Prevent Over Training, You Should: Make sure that you are fueling appropriately for the level of activity you are doing Learn how to fluctuate your intensity in your training to promote active recovery Dont forget the importance of viewing sleep as a non-negotiable The #1 Problem I See If you want to have a high energy output when it comes to your training, you need to have a high energy input; it is as simple as that. Not fueling properly for the activity level you are engaging in results in an energy mismatch that can have a serious effect on your results. Not eating enough is the biggest problem I see in my clients and community. Undereating for the level of activity you are doing will put you in a state of low energy availability, and it will be impossible or even dangerous for you to push to the level you want in your training. Finding a System That Works The good news is an athlete over 40, you don't need to do less of the things that you love; you just have to be clever about it. Allowing your body to properly and actively rest is another major key to gaining better adaptation through your training. Fluctuating your intensity to allow for proper rest is the only way that you are going to make progress in a sustainable way. By blending your active recovery with your intensity and learning to listen to what your body is telling you, you can avoid overtraining and get better at the things you love to do. Have you ever considered that your overtraining might have to do with something other than your movement program? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode Understanding my personal backstory when it comes to overtraining (3:12) The problem with making up your own programming when you don't have enough experience (10:33) One of the biggest issues I see out there in the world that may be impacting your training (15:00) The first thing that you need to do to prevent a state of overtraining (22:14) Why you need to be strict about your sleep and active recovery (29:09) Quotes "I have made all of these mistakes. I have taken the long ass way to figure them out. And luckily for you, I have been able to condense all of that learning, all of the education, from both formal education to the school of hard knocks, and put it in the resources, the podcast, the private podcast, the courses, the coaching that I do." (7:26) "I'm doing this episode for you because I want you to be able to look outside of just the training plan itself and figure out if you are really overtraining or if there are other things at play." (10:02) "Your eating has to support your training." (20:29) "You can do it! You can do it all! You just have got to fluctuate the intensity of those things." (24:17) "Yes, having a smart training plan matters. But being able to adjust the plan is just as important." (28:20) Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Find 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 Get 10% off GORUCK with code FYS10 Follow Steph on Instagram Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes FYS 394: Within-Day Energy Deficit FYS 392: Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure FYS 391: What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)?

Today we are capping off my series on protein by going into your questions surrounding protein and your training. We're going to dive into what the research says and some of the best practices you can implement when it comes to your protein intake around your training. If You Want to Improve Your Protein Game, You Should: Understand your total daily protein intake Work to distribute that protein intake across all of your meals Ensure you are getting high-quality protein Consider specific timing when it comes to your protein and your training Putting Knowledge Into Action Feeling strong is a catalyst for expansion in all areas of your life. In order to feel strong, you need to make sure that you are getting enough high-quality protein, spreading it throughout the day, and understanding how it is working with your training to get you the results you are looking for. Protein is essential to moving from muscle breakdown to muscle synthesis, so you must have the knowledge, guidance, and practical skills to implement this information into your routine. It's Up To You It doesn't matter if you consider yourself a recreational exerciser or an elite athlete; protein is really important for your training, recovery, and overall health and longevity. This is especially true for active women over 40, as we need to create and implement new habits that will support our body's needs as it changes. Nobody is going to come out of the shadows and start feeding you the right things. But it doesn't have to be scary. You must find a way to set aside time to make the big changes. By starting with just one meal a day and working your way up from there, you can make sure you are getting the high-quality protein that you need, spread out throughout the day and consumed in a way that will support your training and goals. Are you ready to improve your protein intake in a way that will deliver you undeniable results? Share your thoughts about protein with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode Why your protein intake timing around training is the final pillar of the protein puzzle (6:02) Understanding the protein window you need for your training (8:59) What you need to know about protein intake, especially at breakfast (14:40) Everything you need to know about the four pillars of protein intake series (19:07) Tips for implementing your protein knowledge and getting better results (21:54) Quotes "We can't keep doing the things we were doing when we were in our 20s. We need a different approach. And we have to understand what that approach is based on our changing physiology in our 40s and as we go through life." (5:04) "You feel so much better when you have a small snack on board if you are training first thing in the morning." (12:22) "You need to stop the process of muscle protein breakdown, and you need to get the process of muscle protein synthesis going! For repair and recovery and building and all of those wonderful things." (14:31) "Once we are over 40, time becomes more and more of the essence when we are talking about building muscle and adding strength and quality life and our energy levels; this stuff ramps up in terms of its importance." (20:59) "You've got to start with one meal, dial that in first, then go to the other meals in the day. Because if you are just trying to be perfect at everything all at once, it is not going to work." (25:45) Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Find 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 Get 10% off GORUCK with code FYS10 Follow Steph on Instagram Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes FYS 376: Peri-Menopause, Fasting, and Low Carb in Athletic Women with Dr. Stacy Sims FYS 395: How to Calculate Your Daily Protein Needs FYS 396: Should Protein Intake Be Spread Throughout the Day? FYS 397: What is High-Quality Protein?

In the next installment in our series on protein, we are tackling the topic I am most hesitant to tackle, and that is high-quality protein. When looking at protein from a purely nutritional standpoint, what makes something high-quality protein? And what's the difference between plant-based and animal-based protein when it comes to your daily energy intake? If You Are Concerned About Eating High-Quality Protein, You Should: Remember the two key components of high-quality protein Don't forget about the digestibility aspect of protein consumption Assess and apply this information as you can, given your accessibility What is High-Quality Protein? If you want to maximize muscle tissue and get the most out of your training, you need to get the best quality proteins while also prioritizing how those proteins are built and the digestibility of them. But what does eating high-quality protein really mean? Protein quality is more than just what it says on the label. High-quality protein is a complex topic, especially when it comes to the world of plant-based and animal-based proteins. However, if you can find the sweet spot of your energy balance consumption, optimizing your protein intake is possible. Plants Versus Animals… Kind Of For the most part, plant-based proteins are going to rank lower on their protein quality scale than animal-based proteins in terms of complete amino acid profiles and digestibility. While this doesn't mean you can't consume and enjoy the benefits of plant-based protein, you need to be creative about how you increase the amount of protein you are getting from plant-based servings. My goal is to provide you with scientific facts based on a purely nutritional standpoint so that you can understand what you are consuming and how it is impacting your body. What do you consider high-quality protein? How does the plant-based versus animal-based nutritional aspect play into your decision-making? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section of the episode page. In This Episode Recapping what we have discussed during this protein intake series (3:21) Defining protein quality from a nutritional point of view (5:36) Understanding the difference between plant-based and animal-based protein sources (10:24) Tips for achieving your optimal energy balance throughout the day (17:55) What you need to know when buying plant-based protein powder (22:35) Quotes "I am not going to be making moral, ethical, or sustainable arguments for one versus the other. I am simply trying to present you with the nutritional information that you need to be able to assess and then integrate into your own practice." (4:58) "We know as we are going through our 30s, we are starting to lose, year on year, a decade on decade, we are losing muscle mass, unless we do something to offset that. And those things to offset that are mechanical tension through resistance training and eating enough protein." (13:25) "Energy balance is, of course, one of the most important things we need to consider in terms of our fueling, getting enough energy to meet our needs, in terms of our activity and total energy expenditure." (18:14) "You may have to be a little bit clever about how you are going to introduce enough of those in our diet so that we don't tip too far over our energy balance." (21:44) "We are really looking at what protein quality means, and trying to get within our power and our availability and our accessibility and our purchasing power, the best quality proteins that we can." (27:04) Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Legion Workout Supplements - Use Code steph for 20% off your first order Find 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 Get 10% off GORUCK with code FYS10 Follow Steph on Instagram Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes FYS 395: How to Calculate Your Daily Protein Needs FYS 396: Should Protein Be Spread Throughout the Day?

By now, you have probably heard me talking about the importance of protein intake, especially for female athletes over 40. But it is much more nuanced than just hitting your protein numbers. Spreading your protein intake throughout the day will help you trigger protein synthesis and avoid operating in a state of protein breakdown. If You Want to Spread Your Protein Out Throughout the Day, You Should: Work with a coach who understands how much fuel you need to support your training and goals Understand how protein synthesis and protein breakdown work in the body Pay attention to your amount of protein throughout the day and properly fuel for your training Why Balanced Protein Intake Matters When it comes to triggering the process of muscle protein synthesis, ending with a positive muscle protein balance, or being in an anabolic building state, how you spread out your protein throughout the day does really matter. When there is not enough energy available to your body, the overall net balance of your system is shifted towards protein breakdown and puts you in a negative balance state. As female athletes over 40, we are already more susceptible to struggling with losing muscle mass over time, which is why it is key to align our fueling, nutrition, and training for optimal results. Putting Knowledge Into Action Understanding the science behind this matters, but it is also equally important to know how to navigate all of this information. I want to help you think about your own daily habits and patterns so that you can make the changes in real life, which is not always so easy to do. The point is not to be perfect or to be stressed out about every single gram of protein. I understand the technical pieces, performance nutrition pieces, and mindset pieces around eating more, fueling differently, and rethinking the way you view your training and nutrition. My goal is to equip you with the knowledge and know-how to implement these systems into your life and build habits and processes around them. Are you ready to rethink the way you view protein intake and include more opportunities in your daily life to get your muscle synthesis going? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode Learn about positive protein balance, and why it is a foundational understanding you need to have (6:05) The two main phases of building muscle that takes place in a trigger threshold system (11:05) Why you need to understand muscle protein synthesis to comprehend the importance of specific amino acids (14:08) What a skewed distribution of protein can look like, why it is not optimal, and how to do it better (21:50) Practical ways that you can implement your protein knowledge (28:34) Quotes "It is important that we understand, especially as women over 40, that we need to strength training, and we need to eat enough, particularly enough protein so that we keep ourselves in as much of a positive protein state or an anabolic state as possible." (9:12) "When it comes to the muscle protein synthesis process, we really need to think about getting enough of a very specific and very special amino acid." (13:40) "Protein distribution here is a close second to total protein in terms of how important it is when it comes to protein energy balance." (17:39) "This isn't just about vanity muscles yall. Okay, it's like cool to feel strong and badass and lift heavy shit and have muscles and flex your biceps, that's all great. But it's also about the quality of life, independence, longevity, metabolism, metabolic health; this is so so critical." (21:42) "The best time to make a change, if it wasn't 10 years ago, if it wasn't six months ago, the best time to make change is now." (33:08) Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here International Society of Sports Nutrition Find 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 Get 10% off GORUCK with code FYS10 Follow Steph on Instagram Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes FYS 375: Strength Training Changes for Peri-Menopause and Post-Menopause with Dr. Stacy Sims FYS 376: Post-Menopause, Fasting, and Low Carb in Athletic Women with Dr. Stacy Sims FYS 393: 3 Ways to Increase Your Metabolism as an Athlete FYS 394: Within-Day Energy Deficit FYS 395: How to Calculate Your Daily Protein Needs

Have you ever thought seriously about how much protein you need as a woman athlete? Based on my experience, the answer is probably more than you are currently getting. Your protein intake really does matter when it comes to building muscle and recovering better, and by understanding how much protein you should be shooting for throughout the day, you can easily turn your thoughts into habits. If You Are Looking to Increase Your Protein Intake, You Should: Put time into understanding the why behind your protein intake so that you can create sustainable habits Calculate your protein intake range based on your size, training, and goals Stay alert about what you need to do to support your body as a female athlete You Are Not Eating Enough Protein It is not uncommon for me to see female athletes getting only half or slightly more than half of the protein they actually need, based on their training. Cutting calories, limiting protein intake, and then training hard on top of that is a recipe for disaster and will result in you not experiencing the results you want to see from your training but also resulting in potential harm to your body. Using a straight-up percentage does not account for the necessary amount of protein you need if you are training hard and trying to get stronger, which is why it is crucial to understand your unique protein intake range. Protein is the Macro-Molecule of Building Your protein intake is a truly important part of muscle-building activity, recovery, nutrition, and longevity. By taking small steps over time, you can create systems, structures, and habits so that you can slowly nudge yourself in a way that is sustainable. Protein is the macro-molecule of building, and it is only by eating enough protein on a regular basis that you can keep the process of muscle synthesis going. When you start taking your protein intake throughout the day seriously, you will see the results you are looking for and start to feel more confident in applying what you are learning to your routine. Are you ready to start taking your daily protein intake seriously? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode Why you need to understand the rationale behind protein intake to apply what you learn (4:08) The three main areas of struggle I see in my clients and community when it comes to their nutrition (6:40) How to know if you are eating enough overall total protein (12:05) Explore some of the research behind why you need to pay attention to your protein intake (18:37) What you need to know and consider about sports nutrition specifically as a female athlete (22:39) Quotes "If there was something I could talk about all day long within the realm of sports and performance nutrition, it is why protein is so damn important and how to work on increasing your protein intake." (1:57) "It does take time to learn how to translate quantities into real-life habits." (7:15) "It is not uncommon for female athletes who are trying to build strength and muscle to be eating less than half or a little bit more than half of the recommended amount of protein that you need each day." (12:35) "You are athletic, you are active, you are not sedentary, you need more energy!" (16:01) "The worst thing you can do is cut your calories drastically, keep your protein low, and fail to strength train. We do not want you to do that." (20:40) Featured on the Show Join Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Find 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 FYS 394: Within-Day Energy Deficit

Nutrition is complicated, even for athletic women over 40. You need to find the sweet spot for your body and the amount of training when it comes to fueling yourself properly. Despite what you may have been told in the past, going for long stretches of time living in a within-day energy deficit can have a massive impact on your training. The good news is that by reframing how you fuel throughout the day, you can avoid these mistakes and take your training and nutrition to the next level. If You Want to Avoid Within-Day Energy Deficits, You Should: Remember that how you spread out the energy you consume throughout the day does matter Be diligent about the 'last meal effect' and eating low-energy foods Go into your workouts with some fuel on board and refuel within a timely manner afterward Understanding Within-Day Energy Deficiency Avoiding long stretches of time where your body goes without food, especially when it is in a prime state to recover, is a mistake that could be impacting your progress, metabolism, training, energy, and so much more. Adequate energy intake is necessary, especially as a female athlete over 40 who is training hard. While the last thing you need to do is obsess over being perfect, understanding why, how, and when you fuel is a key ingredient in building strength and longevity. Finding The Sweet Spot For You Even if you feel like you 'eat a lot', it is a complex nuance of timing, types of calories, training, and more that can impact your likelihood of existing in a within-day energy deficit. Experimenting by listening to your body, going into your training with fuel, and refueling in a timely manner afterward will help you avoid a state of low energy availability. Eating regularly throughout the day to support your training and recovery is a necessary key to your training and recovery. Implementing the principles I discuss on today's show will help you move forward with the confidence to do so. Are you ready to fuel, train and recover smarter so that you can use your strength as a catalyst for more? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode An unofficial welcome to a new season of the Fuel Your Strength Podcast (1:35) Why you should know about within-day energy deficits if you are an athletic woman (3:15) Exploring the difference between the different types and quantities of calories (9:27) The problem with fasting and staying in a breakdown state when doing hard shit with your body (18:44) What the research says about the effects of within-day energy deficits (20:32) Things you should remember even if you feel like you are 'eating a lot' (29:26) Quotes "When it comes to the nuance and the context, those things need to be teased apart. And that's really what we do here on the podcast, to give you the rationale to go into depth, to explain why this stuff matters for us." (4:24) "Many athletic women just don't have a good enough concept of what 'enough' energy is." (9:44) "If you are doing intense training and not refueling until hours afterward, you are continuing to stay in a breakdown state, I don't know how else to tell you that!" (18:38) "I used to do this. I get it. I get the whole situation. This is why I am kind of nudging you to reconsider. Because I know what it is like, and I know how much better things are on the other side." (26:38) "You are going to train so much better when you are properly fueled and doing it in a timely fashion." (32:23) Featured on the Show Join Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Read The Blog Here Within-Day Energy Balance in Mexican Female Soccer (Football) Players Research Article Within-Day Energy Deficiency and Reproductive Function in Female Endurance Athletes Research Article NEDA Website Find 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 FYS 391: What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)? FYS 392: Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure FYS 376: Peri-Menopause, Fasting and Low Carb in Athletic Women with Dr. Stacy Sims

One thing I hear women athletes over 40 complaining about a lot is their metabolism. I promise you that your metabolism is not broken; it may just be adapting in a downward direction based on the inputs you are putting in. While metabolism is complex, there are some simple and practical things you can start to implement today that will help you improve your metabolism as an athletic woman over 40. If You Want to Increase Your Metabolism as an Athlete, You Should: Start with eating more energy, specifically protein intake Make muscle building a top priority by focusing on strength training Look for opportunities and strategies to build more non-exercise activity into your day The Success Trifecta The amount of energy going into your system versus what is going out, or your energy flux, is something we have discussed a lot on this podcast. Maintaining a higher energy flux is a key factor in the successful trifecta of training hard, having enough energy, and providing your body with what it needs to succeed. Understanding how to get more adaptations out of your training by increasing your energy flux is the best way to see the positive impacts of your training that you are looking for. It doesn't take anything complicated or extreme, just a simple set of behaviors and habits that you can actually implement. Three Simple Habits for an Imposter Metabolism If you are tired from your training, bunking your workouts, or don't feel like training for weeks and weeks at a time, it is going to be hard to have the consistency that you need to have positive outcomes in your training. Increasing your energy flux over time will help you spend more energy through movement, exercise better, and improve your digestion, all while simultaneously building muscle. I wish that I knew these three positive habits that can have a huge benefit on your metabolism and so much more. The positive impacts you will see from eating more protein energy, prioritizing muscle building, and incorporating more non-exercise activity into your day, will get you back into good standing with your metabolism. How has your metabolism changed over time? Share your thoughts on my easy-to-implement metabolism habits with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode Weaving together the threads of the last few episodes and painting a full picture of energy (2:51) Understanding energy flux and why slashing your energy intake is not going to give you the results you may think (5:54) How to minimize compensations while trying to nourish your body, maintain your energy levels, and train hard (10:22) Three practical things that you can focus on as an athletic woman in her 40s and beyond (17:01) Why you need to build more non-exercise activity into your daily routine (22:18) Quotes "I hear so often from athletic women over 40 who are very concerned about metabolism." (3:20) "We never want to lose muscle mass. Muscle mass is so incredibly important, and we know that muscle is an organ of longevity." (9:21) "What are the benefits of increasing your energy flux? What that really means is slowly over time increasing the amount that you are eating, and of course, being able to expend then slightly more energy through your training." (16:02) "These are really filed under the idea of lifestyle, nutrition and training, and things that we can do to improve our health and wellbeing and focusing on the behaviors themselves. That's what we are really trying to move the needle on here." (18:04) "Think about how to actually put some metabolism friendly into play in your life so that you are not stressing about the metabolism, but rather you are thinking about the positive, health-promoting changes that you can make." (25:48) Featured on the Show Join Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Find 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 FYS 352: Energy Flux and Fueling for Athletes with Jamie Scott FYS 353: Fueling Best Practices for Active People with Jamie Scott FYS 388: Why You're Struggling with Motivation to Workout