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Running is a coping mechanism for many trauma survivors. You lace up and put one foot in front of the other for solace and escape. But what happens when you hit menopause and the demons start to catch up? This week’s guest, coach and endurance athlete Athena Farias talks about all that and more this week as she unpacks how the symptoms she’s facing during the menopause transition are magnified by the trauma of her past.Athena is an RRCA Level 2 Certified Running Coach, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, and a Masters in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. She’s an alumni of Dr. Stacy Sims’ Menopause for Athletes and Women Are Not Small Men courses. And she’s a badass athlete in her own right, completing 16 marathons, including 5 Boston qualifiers, 7 ultras, countless half marathons and numerous obstacle races, including many podium finishes. You can find her at MarathonTrainingAcademy.com. **Support the Podcast**InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistyNuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com  with the code HITPLAY Previnex: 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Bonafide: 20% off your first purchase when you subscribe to any product with code HITPLAY at https://hellobonafide.com/Nutrisense: Use code "HITPLAY" at nutrisense.io/hitplay for $30 off any subscription to the CGM programThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Menopause can be a wet blanket for competitive athletes. How do you keep showing up to start lines when you’re managing hot flashes, heat intolerance, poor sleep, and watching peers walk away from the sport? This week’s guest has some answers. A lifelong athlete and self proclaimed triathlon addict, Julie Dunkle, now in her mid 50s, has had to navigate a number of physical and emotional challenges related to menopause, but has found a way to maintain her love of the sport and keep her competitive fire burning hot. Julie is a 16x time Ironman finisher, with 7 Kona Qualifications and over 25 70.3 finishes. She is a USAT Triathlon coach, Newton Running Coach, USA Masters Swim Coach, and Training Peaks Level 2 coach. She is the Co-Founder of NYX Endurance, a Global Endurance Coaching Company that believes there is no progress without perseverance and no light without some darkness. You can follow NYX Endurance on Instagram and Facebook and check out their services at https://nyxendurance.com/**Support the Podcast**InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistyNuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com  with the code HITPLAY Previnex: 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Bonafide: 20% off your first purchase when you subscribe to any product with code HITPLAY at https://hellobonafide.com/Nutrisense: Use code "HITPLAY" at nutrisense.io/hitplay for $30 off any subscription to the CGM programThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Most of us–even the most active among us–are limited in how well we move. Sure we can run or ride a bike or lift heavy sh*t, but can we balance on a beam or jump over fallen logs? Can we move with strength and fluidity in every direction? Can we go over, under, and through obstacles with ease? Unless we practice, the answer is likely no. This week’s guest, Dr. Julie Angel, who has completed the world's first parkour themed Ph.D., is on a mission to change that. She focuses on helping midlife women break free from the negative cycle of extreme workouts, diets, anxiety, and injuries to find sustainable strength and balance in life. By making women 360 degrees strong, she helps them learn the art and methodology of overcoming obstacles–and not just the physical hurdle in front of you, but all the stuff that’s deep inside.Julie is a movement coach, artist, award winning filmmaker and author. She uses movement snacks, strong resting, positive aging, and tools from parkour, natural movement, animal flow, original strength, the oxygen advantage, and many more methodologies to help people connect to and create a strong body and strong mind. You can learn more about her at https://julieangel.com/ and get a free sample of her movement courses at https://www.courses.see-do.com/course/movemore/**Support the Podcast**InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistyNuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com  with the code HITPLAY Previnex: 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Bonafide: 20% off your first purchase when you subscribe to any product with code HITPLAY at https://hellobonafide.com/Nutrisense: Use code "HITPLAY" at https://www.nutrisense.io/hitplay for $30 off any subscription to the CGM programThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Your brain is your largest--and arguably your most important--sex organ. It’s also the most overlooked, especially during the menopausal transition when we spend a whole lot of time talking about our vaginas (which are important, too, of course!). This week’s guest Kelly Casperson, MD, talks about all of it in a show that drives home the mind-vagina connection during menopause and midlife. Dr. Casperson is a urologist interested in science and the power of the mind to change our views of sexuality. She has created online courses teaching women the fundamentals of their anatomy and physiology, discussing their limiting beliefs, and normalizing their truly normal female sexual function to empower them to live their best love lives. And she has her own podcast, You Are Not Broken, where she discusses all of this and more. She has a book of the same title coming out in 2022. You can learn more about her and her work at www.kellycaspersonmd.com **Support the Podcast** InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feisty Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code HITPLAY Previnex: 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Bonafide: 20% off your first purchase when you subscribe to any product with code HITPLAY at https://hellobonafide.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Hormone therapy for menopause is rife with confusion, fear, misunderstanding, and outright misinformation. Even doctors, who are often relying on long debunked research, can be at a loss to help women make educated choices for their health, well-being, and performance during this time. This week’s guests, Drs. Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris, authors of Estrogen Matters go to great lengths to describe the real risks (or lack thereof) and myriad benefits of hormone therapy for women in their menopausal years, as well as how to choose among the various formulations. Their goal: Arm every woman with all the information she needs to make an informed, educated decision for her personal menopausal needs. You can learn more about them and their work and buy their book at estrogenmatters.com. Avrum Bluming, MD, is a hematologist and medical oncologist, and a Master of the American College of Physicians, an award bestowed on fewer than 500 of the 100,000 board-certified internists in the United States. He is Emeritus Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Southern California and a former senior investigator for the National Cancer Institute. Carol Tavris, PhD, is a social psychologist who has written widely about psychological science. Her trade books include Anger; The Mismeasure of Woman; and, with Elliot Aronson, Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me). She has won numerous awards for her science writing and contributions to skepticism and gender equity. **Support the Podcast** InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feisty Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code HITPLAY Previnex: 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Bonafide: 20% off your first purchase when you subscribe to any product with code HITPLAY at https://hellobonafide.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Longevity in sport takes determination, curiosity, and the ability to adapt to what your mind and body needs as time goes on. That’s the embodiment of professional triathlete, mountain bike racer, coach, and 5x world champion Melanie McQuaid, who continues to kick ass through the menopause transition, placing 3rd at Ironman Chattanooga and 10th at Xterra World Championships in Maui this year.Melanie has raced as a pro athlete in four different sports and holds titles in a slew of disciplines including mountain bike endurance, mountain bike cross country and mountain bike short track; road racing; Olympic, Sprint and Half Ironman triathlon; and offroad XTERRA and ITU Cross Triathlon. Today she continues to compete at an elite level while focusing her energies on her coaching business, MelRad Coaching. You can learn more about her at https://www.melaniemcquaid.com/ and her coaching services at https://melrad.com/coach-mel/**Support the Podcast**InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistyNuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code HITPLAY Previnex: 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Bonafide: 20% off your first purchase when you subscribe to any product with code HITPLAY at https://hellobonafide.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

“Who am I now?” That’s an identity crisis many of us face during the menopausal transition, especially if we end up taking a step back from our primary sport or activity to figure out what we want from athletics in this next phase of life. This week’s guest, life and wellness coach Lisa Hesse, helps active and athletic women define themselves and find solid ground during the “lifequake” of menopause when the earth seems to be shifting under our feet every five seconds. Lisa is a Nationally Board-certified Health and Wellness Coach, an International Coaching Federation Professional Coach, a “neuroscience nerd,” and “a big believer in the idea that it’s never too late to change our narrative while honoring what we bring with us from the past.” You can learn more about her and her work at https://lisahesse.com/ **Support the Podcast** InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feisty Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code HITPLAY Previnex: 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Bonafide: 20% off your first purchase when you subscribe to any product with code HITPLAY at https://hellobonafide.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

“Menopause Is Hell. It Also Made Me a Better Climber.” That’s the title of a feature article written in Outside magazine by this week’s guest and legendary outdoor sport athlete Jeannie Wall. We dig into what that piece is all about and address topics of fear, anxiety, rage, hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, and the power, yes the power, of invisibility. Jeannie spent decades as a world class skier and an ultra runner. Currently, she is obsessed with climbing in all its forms. She's a rookie gardener who spent three years helping create and run a regional sustainable food cooperative in Idaho. In her early 50’s she realized some of her biggest dreams like climbing Monte Fitz Roy and the Nose on El Capitan with great women partners and she still loves to backcountry ski. She has 25 years of experience developing and designing climbing, skiing, and endurance apparel for the outdoor industry. She has recently launched a women’s website to embolden women through the sharing of outdoor adventure stories. You can learn more about that at broadbeta.com and @broad.beta on Instagram. You can read her feature on climbing and menopause at https://www.outsideonline.com/health/wellness/menopause-climbing-perimenopause/ **Support the Podcast** InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feisty Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code HITPLAY Previnex: 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Bonafide: 20% off your first purchase when you subscribe to any product with code HITPLAY at https://hellobonafide.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Joint pain, hot flashes, night sweats, crushing fatigue. Menopause can usher in a host of symptoms that make daily life challenging, let alone daily life on top of training and racing as a recreational athlete, being a mom, and managing a business. But with knowledge, practice, and patience, it can be done. This week’s guest, Registered Sports Nutritionist, ultra-runner, mom of four, and owner of Elev8nutrition is here to share how she stays on top of the symptoms as an athletic woman in perimenopause. Catriona is the founder of Elev8nutrition and Instagram account @elev8nutritionirl, a private practice and platform for active women seeking nutrition support for perimenopause/menopause, gut issues relating to exercise, everyday and event nutrition, and weight management with a mindful eating and non restrictive eating philosophy. You can learn more about her work at https://elev8nutrition.ie/ BLACK FRIDAY: InsideTracker Black Friday Sale from November 22nd-29th (insidetracker.com/feisty) Save $200 off the Ultimate Plan and a free InnerAge test or get 25% sitewide with code FEISTYGIFT **Support the Podcast** Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code HITPLAY Previnex: 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Bonafide: 20% off your first purchase when you subscribe to any product with code HITPLAY at https://hellobonafide.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Women make testosterone. It works in concert with estrogen and progesterone to maintain healthy muscles and bones and fires up your sex drive and helps protect your brain. Yet there are no FDA approved testosterone products for women and “T” is not included in standard menopausal hormone therapy. So women are left to their own devices, and reasonably have a lot of questions about when they might need it, how to get it, and what to expect from testosterone therapy. This week’s guest Carla DiGirolamo, M.D., is here to answer all those questions and more. Carla is a double Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist/Obstetrician Gynecologist working as a reproductive specialist at Boston IVF in Waltham, Massachusetts. She is ranked among the Top Doctors in the Boston Area, and is listed as a provider with the North American Menopause Society. She is also a Crossfit Level 1 trainer, Certified Nutrition Coach and Les Mills BodyCombat and BodyPump Instructor. She runs an online personal training and nutrition coaching business, FitforLifeMD, which you can check out at fitforlifemd.com, specializing in the care of women in all age groups, but with a special interest in the comprehensive care of peri/postmenopausal women. To access the free podcast guides go to: https://www.feistymenopause.com/podcastguide **Support the Podcast** InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code HITPLAY Previnex: 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/ Bonafide: 20% off your first purchase when you subscribe to any product with code HITPLAY at https://hellobonafide.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy