How Women Should Train After 40 | Dr. Stacy Sims on Perimenopause, Recovery & Strength

Perimenopause doesn’t have to mean fatigue, stubborn belly fat and training that suddenly stops “working”. In this episode, Angela sits down with exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr Stacy Sims to unpack how women should really be training through their 40s, 50s and beyond - from sprint intervals and strength work to what actually happens to your muscles, joints and recovery as hormones shift.

They dive into why most “zone 2” and VO₂ max advice is based on male data, how to use sprint interval training for mitochondrial health and metabolic flexibility, and why perimenopause and the first 5 years after menopause need a very different training and recovery strategy. You’ll learn how to structure your week, how to periodise your year, and how to adapt popular classes like F45, CrossFit or OrangeTheory so they work for your physiology, not against it.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• How training needs to change in perimenopause, early post-menopause and late post-menopause

• The key differences between HIIT and sprint interval training - and how to do SIT safely

• Why most zone 2 research is based on men, and what women should focus on instead

• How to structure your week with sprints, lifting and just enough cardio

• Smart ways to modify group classes for female physiology

• How to tweak carbs and protein across your cycle and in the luteal phase for better recovery

• The most useful evidence-backed supplements for midlife women

• Why menopause hormone therapy is a supportive tool - but can’t replace lifting, protein and good training

Timestamps

00:00 New Science for Women’s Training

04:40 Training in Perimenopause While You Still Have a Menstrual Cycle

08:10 Recovery, Morning Workouts & Rethinking the Cardio Habit

10:04 Zone 2 Myths for Women

16:59 The Moderate-Intensity “Black Hole” & Soul-Food Cardio

21:57 Sprint Interval Training (SIT) & Mitochondrial Health for Women

25:59 HIIT, Orange Theory & Making Group Classes Work for Your Hormones

31:40 Ovulation, “Power Phases” & Why Every Woman Must Track Her Cycle

35:03 Fueling the Luteal Phase: Carbs, Protein & Training

36:32 How Much HIIT & SIT Women Need in Perimenopause and Postmenopause

40:55 Periodizing Your Year for Midlife Women

43:40 Resistance Training for Women’s Strength & Longevity

47:59 Supplements That Actually Support Women

53:34 Creatine, Whey Protein, Water Retention & Acne: What Women Need to Know

56:37 Menopause Hormone Therapy: A Helpful Tool But Not a Magic Body-Comp Fix

VALUABLE RESOURCES

A BIG thank you to our sponsors who make the show possible:

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ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr. Stacy Sims is an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist recognized for her groundbreaking work on sex differences in training, nutrition, and health. Author of ROAR and Next Level, and creator of Women Are Not Small Men®, she helps women optimize health and performance by aligning with their physiology.

Website & Newsletter: http://www.drstacysims.com/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/drstacysims

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drstacysims/