Hit Play Not Pause
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.
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
Nov 9, 2022 • 57min
Healthy, Pain-free Joints Through Menopause. How Regenerative Medicine Can Help (Episode 105)
Nothing stops you in your tracks like chronic pain and nagging, seemingly endless injuries, both of which can become more common during the menopause transition and beyond. The sports medicine world is brimming with cutting-edge, regenerative medicine treatments promising relief, but it can be hard to cut through the marketing jargon to figure out what really works. This week we sat down with sports medicine-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vonda Wright of the Hughston Clinic for detailed explanations of TenJet rehabilitation, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), stem cells, orthobiologic injections, and other regenerative medicine treatments, as well as the impact of diet and lifestyle on joint health. Dr. Wright is a double board-certified orthopedic surgeon, researcher, and team doctor. Her pioneering research in mobility and musculoskeletal aging is changing the way we view and treat the aging process, and her passion for advancing her field is evident in her expertise with cutting-edge orthobiologics techniques, including PRP for arthritis. She has experience caring for athletes and active people of all ages and skill levels, including the Division I Georgia State Panthers, Penguins Elite developmental hockey teams, University of Pittsburgh Division I athletes, World Rugby 7’s, Olympic track and field athletes, and the Atlanta Ballet. You can learn more about her and her work at https://www.surgeon.drvondawright.com/Support our Partners:Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% offHettas: 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/ Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Book Your Mallorca Cycling Trip with Feisty: https://feisty.co/events/mallorca-cycling-trip-with-the-cyclists-menu/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
Nov 2, 2022 • 45min
Surfing the Turbulent Waters of Midlife and Menopause with Lisa Alfano (Episode 104)
Body image issues. Wrecked sleep. Struggling with slowing down. Midlife and menopause can send us into some seriously turbulent waters. This week’s guest, Lisa Alfano, manages to keep from going under by riding the waves–literally. Lisa is a surfer and triathlete who has married her passions in her business Tri2Surf, a community for women ages 50+ who want to reset or discover their active selves and claim their power and passion.Lisa has battled body image issues her whole life. Menopause and midlife magnified them, and also ushered in poor sleep, anxiety, hot flashes, and a host of symptoms that were pulling her under and threatening to upend her sense of self. At age 50, she found salvation in triathlon, which gave her a sense of community and turned her life around. At age 57, she gave herself another midlife boost by taking up surfing, which she says brings her “joy and peace no matter what is happening.” We talk all about surfing, triathlon, and finding passion in menopause and beyond. You can learn more about Lisa and Tri2Surf at https://www.tri2surf.com/Support our Partners:Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% offHettas: 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/ Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Book Your Mallorca Cycling Trip with Feisty: https://feisty.co/events/mallorca-cycling-trip-with-the-cyclists-menu/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
Oct 26, 2022 • 1h 7min
Less Fuel, More Problems. Why Menopausal Athletes Need to Eat More with Heidi Skolnik (Episode 103)
Eat less. How many times have you seen and heard that message? As a generation that grew up steeped in diet culture, most of us have it deeply internalized…often to our detriment. Underfueling among active women is extremely common and puts us at risk for low energy availability (LEA), which can lead to relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S), a condition that not only hurts performance, but also can cause irreparable negative health consequences. LEA/RED-S can be especially difficult to spot in midlife women because the symptoms mirror those we experience during perimenopause. We dig into all of it this week to help you avoid LEA/RED-S and get the fuel you need to feel and perform your best with Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM of Nutrition Conditioning, LLC, and author of The Athlete Triad Playbook.Heidi is a sports nutritionist, exercise physiologist, and thought leader in her field. She has been part of The Women’s Sports Medicine Center at Hospital for Special Surgery for over 20 years and oversees the nutrition program at The Juilliard School and the School of American Ballet. Heidi has sat on the Board of The National Osteoporosis Foundation for ten years and currently sits on the Medical Advisory Committee of The National Menopause Foundation. She is also the co-author of the NYTimes Best Selling The Whole Body Reset (Simon & Schuster and AARP). You can learn more about her and her work at heidiskolnik.com Resources:https://athletetriadplaybook.com/https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.640621/fullSupport our Partners:Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% offHettas: 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/ Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Book Your Mallorca Cycling Trip with Feisty: https://feisty.co/events/mallorca-cycling-trip-with-the-cyclists-menu/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
Oct 19, 2022 • 1h 8min
Breast Health During Menopause with Amy Comander, MD (Episode 102)
October is breast cancer awareness month, an annual campaign to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer. That’s especially important for women in the menopause transition and beyond because the risk of breast cancer rises with age. Most breast cancers are found in women who are 55 and older. This week we sat down with marathon runner and breast oncologist Amy Comander, MD, at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center to discuss how we can manage our risks no matter our family history, genetic makeup, or time of life. Dr. Comander is Director of Breast Oncology and Cancer Survivorship at the Mass General Cancer Center in Waltham and at Newton Wellesley Hospital. She is Medical Director of the Mass General Cancer Center in Waltham and the Director of Lifestyle Medicine at the Mass General Cancer Center. She is an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She is board certified in Hematology and Medical Oncology, and she is also board certified in Lifestyle Medicine.ResourcesKatie Couric’s article on her breast cancer.Research on exercise and breast cancer survival. Breast cancer risk calculator Link to the PAVING workbookSupport our Partners:Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% offHettas: 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/ Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Book Your Mallorca Cycling Trip with Feisty: https://feisty.co/events/mallorca-cycling-trip-with-the-cyclists-menu/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
Oct 12, 2022 • 36min
The State of Menopause with Stephanie Faubion, MD, MBA, Medical Director of NAMS (Episode 101)
The good news: we are finally talking about menopause! The not so good news: we still have a long way to go, especially in the realm of research, says this week’s guest Dr. Stephanie Faubion, who is on the tip of the spear leading the way forward as the Medical Director of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). When it comes to dealing with menopause openly in our culture, especially in the workplace, Dr. Faubion believes we are where we were with pregnancy 30 years ago. And she has some ideas on how we can all help accelerate progress and bring our doctors and culture up to speed. Along with her role as Medical Director of NAMS, Dr. Faubion is Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and Director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Women’s Health. Her expertise is in women’s health, clinical research, education, and clinical practice. You can learn more about her and her work at mayo.edu.Support our Partners:Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% offHettas: 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/ Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Book Your Mallorca Cycling Trip with Feisty: https://feisty.co/events/mallorca-cycling-trip-with-the-cyclists-menu/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
Oct 5, 2022 • 1h 20min
The Power of You (Episode 100)
We are celebrating our 100th episode…and the fact that we have surpassed one million downloads in just two years’ time! Our community is growing by leaps and bounds and you’re the reason why. So this week, we are also celebrating YOU! Host Selene Yeager sits down with Hit Play Not Pause producer Carrie Barrett to share listener messages, talk about what we’ve learned, our hopes for the future, and to give you a little peek behind the curtain on how this show comes together week after week. We hope you enjoy it! Let’s shoot for another 100 and millions more!Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Book Your Mallorca Cycling Trip with Feisty: https://feisty.co/events/mallorca-cycling-trip-with-the-cyclists-menu/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:Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% offHettas: 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/
Sep 28, 2022 • 1h 2min
Acupuncture for Managing Menopausal Symptoms with Michelle Hay (Episode 99)
Bloating, hot flashes, night sweats, disrupted sleep, irritability, restlessness, brain fog…this week’s guest Michelle Hay treats them all, as well as the stress that can exacerbate them, with acupuncture. This week’s show is all about this Traditional Chinese Medicine practice, how it works, what to expect, and the specific benefits for menopausal women.Michelle P. Hay, is Co-Director of Acupuncture at Boston IVF in Waltham, MA. She has been working in women’s health since 2006 and is committed to helping women improve their quality of life by using Traditional Chinese Medicine. Her previous career as a respiratory therapist allows her to take an integrated approach to healthcare understanding both Eastern and Western Medicine. https://thehayclinic.com/Sources: BMJ study on the benefits of acupuncture for menopausal symptoms hereSupport our Partners:Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% offHettas: 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/ Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Book Your Mallorca Cycling Trip with Feisty: https://feisty.co/events/mallorca-cycling-trip-with-the-cyclists-menu/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
Sep 21, 2022 • 1h 9min
Less Pain, More Joy & Better Movement in Menopause with Petra Fisher (Episode 98)
Most of us, even if we’re very active, are not moving our bodies the way nature designed them to move. We exercise plenty. We also sit plenty. We wear shoes that don’t help keep our feet strong or our posture properly aligned. That can set the stage for aches, pains, and injuries, especially during this time of life when our joints are more vulnerable. This week we talk with movement coach Petra Fisher about the small daily adjustments we can make and exercises we can do to enhance mobility, decrease pain, and improve performance.Petra is a movement coach, body nerd and recovering lawyer. She is certified in Restorative Exercise, MovNat and Functional Range Conditioning. Petra’s mission in life is to help women reconnect with their bodies so they have less pain, more joy & get to do more of what they love for the rest of their lives. You can learn more about her and her work at www.PetraFisherMovement.comResources from this podcast: Free Your Feet - free foot program to get started restoring healthy foot function - hereStep-by-step guide on how to transition safely and well to barefoot-style footwear - hereJoints For Life 2.0 - foundational CARs joint mobility program - here Support our Partners:Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% offHettas: 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/ Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Book Your Mallorca Cycling Trip with Feisty: https://feisty.co/events/mallorca-cycling-trip-with-the-cyclists-menu/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
Sep 14, 2022 • 1h 4min
Crushing CrossFit During Menopause with Shawna Norton (Episode 97)
Heavy lifting, HIIT training, and explosive exercises like plyometrics do a menopausal body good. So, CrossFit can be the perfect workout for women in this stage of life…provided they scale it to their needs. That’s because CrossFit also has elements that may not work with our physiology and can leave us feeling tired and beat down instead of strong and built up. That’s why this week’s guest, CrossFit coach Shawna Norton of Competitive Female Training created “Level M” CrossFit programming for women peri and post-menopause. We talk all about the benefits of CrossFit, how to scale workouts to work with your physiology, and how to fuel it all for the best results. Shawna is an L1 Certified Nutrition Coach through Precision Nutrition, with a B.S in Kinesiology. She holds her L1 with Crossfit and actively coaches athletes through her women’s only coaching program–Competitive Female Training. She loves helping women fuel their training and focus on what their bodies can do! You can find more about her and her work at competitivefemaletraining.com/level-m/Support our Partners:Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% offHettas: 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/ Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Book Your Mallorca Cycling Trip with Feisty: https://feisty.co/events/mallorca-cycling-trip-with-the-cyclists-menu/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
Sep 7, 2022 • 47min
Harnessing the Masters Mindset with Ashling Smith (Episode 96)
What would happen if you tossed out all your premenopausal notions about how you are “supposed to” eat and train for your best performance and tried some new tricks to work with your changing physiology? If you’re like this week’s guest, you might just win a gold medal. Ashling Smith is a runner from Ireland who recently won a gold medal at the World Masters Athletics Championships in the 4 x 400 relay. She also ran to a career-high 4th place in the 1,500-meter race at the same event. She did both shortly after turning 50, recovering from Covid, and as she puts it being “smack bang in perimenopause”. How did she do it? Lifting, sprint training, plyometrics, and changing her relationship with food. We dive into all of that, her newfound love for being a menopausal woman, and more this week.Along with being a competitive elite runner, Ashling is a personal trainer, a Pilates instructor, and a deep tissue massage therapist. She helps women pursue sustainable fitness for life and have fun with their body at every age. You can follow her here. You can read all about her gold medal run at the Independent.ie. The research on iron supplementation we discuss can be found here. Support our Partners:Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% offHettas: 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/ Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/Book Your Mallorca Cycling Trip with Feisty: https://feisty.co/events/mallorca-cycling-trip-with-the-cyclists-menu/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
