Hit Play Not Pause

Perimenopause and menopause hit active women differently. We have a different lifestyle and different goals. And we know our bodies. Whether you run and hike or do CrossFit and ski (or a little of everything!), you’ve had a way of eating and exercising that worked…until the menopause transition, when it all goes out the window as body composition changes, fatigue, body aches, sleepless nights, hot flashes, brain fog, mood swings, and low mojo blindside you out of the blue—despite doing everything right. Your doctor may (or may not) help with hormone replacement therapy. But what about all the active stuff you love? You’re already exercising and eating well. What you want is to feel and perform like you used to. That doesn’t mean fasting, swearing off carbs for life, or just slowing down. It means adjusting your nutrition, training, recovery, and mindset to work with your changing physiology as you hit this phase of life. And we’re here for it.

At Hit Play Not Pause, we know the potential of women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond, because we talk to elite athletes and everyday active women who are still hitting personal bests along with world-renowned sports dietitians, researchers, medical and menopause specialists to help you understand what’s happening under the hood during the menopause transition and more importantly, what you can do about it—from hormone therapy to heavy lifting and everything in between—to feel and perform your best.

Host Selene Yeager is a health and science journalist with 30 years’ experience and more than two dozen books to her name. She also lives an active life as a former Ironman triathlete and professional mountain bike racer who still rides, runs, paddles, hikes, lifts, and through her work at Feisty Menopause helps others do the same.

Episodes

Mentioned books

Apr 19, 2023 • 1h 2min

Hormone Therapy: Where We Are & Where We’re Going with Carla DiGirolamo, MD, PhD (Episode 126)

Now that menopause is mainstream news, interest in hormone therapy is exploding. And so is the confusion and controversy surrounding it, as menopausal hormone therapy (aka hormone replacement therapy), which is undeniably a game changer for millions, has also become a massive business. Some practitioners are reportedly prescribing “megadoses” of estrogen–in some cases twice or even 3 or 4 times the maximum licensed dose, causing myriad medical societies to sound the alarm. Meanwhile, researchers are working overtime to catch up to provide clarity on what hormone therapy does, what it doesn’t do, who it benefits most, and for how long. This week we dig into it all with our favorite hormone doc, Dr. Carla DiGirolamo. Carla DiGirolamo, MD, PhD, is a Double Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and Obstetrician/Gynecologist specializing in infertility and menopausal medicine. She is also a Crossfit Level 1 trainer, Certified Nutrition Coach, and member of CrossFit Health. She is a MedFit Care provider and provides weekly workouts and medical updates at her Substack Athletic Aging. She has most recently become an Endocrine Consultant for Wild Health. Resources:The Daily Mail article on high doses of HRT here The Joint BMS, FSRH, RCGP, RCOG, SFE and RCN Safety Alert here Support our Partners: Eternal - Get 15% off their services with code FEISTY15 at https://eternal.coMidi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/ Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdrSign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/Follow Us on Instagram:Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopauseHit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Apr 12, 2023 • 1h 13min

Sports Nutrition & Supplements - What Menopausal Women Really Need with Abbie Smith-Ryan, PhD (Episode 122)

Whether we’re trying to make muscle, perform our best, or avoid the dreaded GI distress during long endurance events, women in and beyond the menopause transition have special needs. But the sports nutrition and supplement landscape is rife with conflicting and confusing information. This week we cut through the noise with scientist, exercise physiologist, and sports nutritionist Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan. We dive into protein, carbohydrates, essential amino acids, fasted training, macronutrient usage during phases of the menstrual cycle and during the menopause transition, creatine, sports supplements, and a whole lot more! Abbie Smith-Ryan, Ph.D., CSCS*D, FNSCA, FACSM, FISSN is Professor of Exercise Physiology, Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Director of the Applied Physiology Laboratory, and Co-Director of the Human Performance Center in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. You can learn more about her and her work at www.asmithryan.com Resources:Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan PerspectiveActive Women Across the Lifespan: Nutritional Ingredients to Support Health and WellnessSign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/Follow Us on Instagram:Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopauseHit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099Support our Partners: Eternal - Get 15% off their services with code FEISTY15 at https://eternal.coMidi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/ Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

Mar 15, 2023 • 57min

It’s Never Too Late to Get Back in the Game with Sarah-Jane Nichols (Episode 121)

Sarah-Jane Nichols is a BMX cycling legend. The Hall of Famer was a 7-time British Champion, 4-time European Champion, and a World Champion as a teen in 1986. Now, at age 52, 34 years after retiring from the sport, Nichols is back on her bike despite being in the throes of extremely challenging perimenopausal symptoms. In fact, Nichols is returning to the sport in part because of the physical and emotional challenges she’s experienced during the menopause transition. We talk all about her history with traditionally male sports, how menopause just about knocked her down for the count, and how she’s getting back on her feet to gun for another BMX British National Championship.Along with being an avid BMXer, Sarah-Jane Nichols is a black belt in Shotokan Karate. She played ice hockey for 35 years during which time she represented Great Britain and the England ladies, playing in Ukraine and France. Sarah-Jane also had a role in a TV Show called Ice Warriors, where she played Taaraz the Renegade. You can learn more about her at the British BMX Hall of Fame website and the BBC feature on her return to BMX.Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/Follow Us on Instagram:Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopauseHit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099Support our Partners: Eternal - Get 15% off their services with code FEISTY15 at https://eternal.coMidi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/ Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

Mar 8, 2023 • 1h 11min

Why Equal Opportunity is No Longer Enough - An International Women's Day Discussion - Feisty Women's Performance

What does equity mean in sport? Yes, it's women being included, but it's also resources for racing moms, supporting the inclusion of Black folks in historically white sports, having size-inclusive athletic gear, and SO much more. Feisty Media welcomes a panel of women with intersectional identities to celebrate International Women's Day and discuss why equal opportunity is no longer enough. Hosted by Selene Yeager and Sara Gross, guests Khadijah Diggs, Marley Blonsky, and Alison Tetrick share the inequity they've faced in their athletic spaces, and what equity would truly look like for them individually. Follow Marley on Instagram @marleyblonsky Follow Khadijah on Instagram @khadijahtriathleteFollow Ali on Instagram @amtetrick

Mar 8, 2023 • 1h 6min

Is it Underfueling? Or is it Perimenopause? with Pat Spencer (Episode 120)

Pat Spencer couldn’t help but think she’d be faster if she were lighter. After all, that’s what everyone in endurance sports tells you. But instead of gaining speed, Pat went from being a competitive age group triathlete to not being able to do any endurance sports because of a profound case of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S) she suffered while training for her 4th Iron distance triathlon in 2016. She still suffers the consequences today, seven years after she found herself in that hole. We talk all about her journey and how it can be easy to confuse perimenopausal symptoms with low energy availability (LEA) because the two mimic one another, and how LEA can make perimenopause worse. Pat Spencer is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), a therapist with a private practice in central New Jersey, and founder of Getting Your Mind in Gear, a mental coaching company specializing in female and LGBTQIA+ cyclists and endurance athletes. She is a former long course triathlete, marathoner, and open water swimmer. Pat is also an avid gravel cyclist, loves resistance training, and has a passion for scuba. You can learn more about her and her work at gettingyourmindingear.comSign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/Follow Us on Instagram:Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopauseHit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099Support our Partners: Eternal - Get 15% off their services with code FEISTY15 at https://eternal.coMidi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/ Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

Mar 1, 2023 • 1h 11min

Your Best Days Are Ahead of You with Anabelle Broadbent (Episode 119)

Record-holding runner Anabelle Broadbent thought she’d blow right through menopause…until erratic, uber-heavy periods, body composition changes, anxiety, and a major drop in speed told her menopause had other ideas. As a scientist, she did what she knows best: research and problem-solving. And last year, at age 55, she was awarded the 2022 USATF GOLD Phidippides Award for Excellence in Long Distance Running. Though her body is different now in her mid-50s than it was in her mid-40s, her competitive drive still burns hot, as does her desire to help others, and she believes in many ways, her best days are still ahead of her. We talk all about that, her cultural experiences with menopause, her plant-based passion, and much more.Anabelle Broadbent is a NASA-trained pathogenic microbiologist and is CEO and founder of Verde Ops, a company that provides food science operational knowledge, execution, and support to plant-based food companies. She is also an accomplished runner, running coach, vegan athlete, commercial fashion model, creative artist, photographer, horsewoman, certified equine massage therapist, cyclist, skateboarder, and yogini. As a runner, she has represented Puerto Rico and the U.S. at international competitions and has amassed 15 Puerto Rico National Records as a masters runner in 4 different age groups in 7 different distances. In 2022, at age 55, she was awarded the USATF GOLD Phidippides Award for Excellence in Long Distance Running. You can learn more about her and her work at verdeops.comSign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/Follow Us on Instagram:Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopauseHit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099Support our Partners: Eternal - Get 15% off their services with code FEISTY15 at https://eternal.coMidi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/ Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

Feb 22, 2023 • 1h 14min

Dragons & Gems: Finding Inner Safety During Menopause with Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan (Episode 118)

Past trauma–big or small–and daily stress can take a toll on the nervous system, and many of us spend our days largely in a state of fight or flight. When we hit menopause, our nervous system becomes even more nervous, and life, along with everything that happened up until that point rises to the surface and demands to be dealt with. We can run, lift, or ride away from it all…to a point. But we often end up feeling tired but wired. That’s where this week’s guest Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan, author of Finding Inner Safety comes in. She explains how the real peace and renewed energy comes from allowing ourselves to be still and by building physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual recovery into the day to calm our nervous system, improve our energy, and help us sleep. We talk about all that and more this week.Nerina Ramlakhan, PhD, is a renowned physiologist and sleep expert with over 25 years of experience in helping people and organizations thrive by using her unique blend of physiology, psychology, philosophy, professional, and personal insights to create profound shifts in awareness and consciousness. She’s completed 7 marathons and over 40 triathlons, and is thriving despite a history of abuse, trauma, and breakdown. You can learn more about her and her work at drnerina.comResources:Dr. Nerina’s book: Finding Inner Safety: The key to healing, thriving and overcoming burnout. Support our Partners: Eternal - Get 15% off their services with code FEISTY15 at https://eternal.coMidi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/ Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdrSign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/Follow Us on Instagram:Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopauseHit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

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