

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

Sep 22, 2021 • 53min
Wisdom From the Back of the Pack with Adina O’Neill (Episode 49)
Races are about more than winning. Competing is about more than podium spots or fastest times. Races are about personal bests and striving to be your best, whether that’s first place or 571st place. In fact, the person who comes in last may have overcome more, learned more, and grown more from the event than the one who came in first. This week’s guest Adina O’Neill, a self-described “back of the pack” athlete knows all about that. Adina didn’t finish her first triathlon until age 40. She went from not being able to run a mile to completing over 50 triathlons and endurance events including Ironman, a marathon, multiple 10K swims, and a double century on her bike. She has made it her mission to share how a “regular person” can learn and grow through the sport regardless of age or changes that occur during the menopausal years.
To help other athletes like herself, Adina works as an Ironman certified triathlon coach and founder of REAL Fitness and Team B*REAL, which is a multisport team for athletes of all ages, sizes, and abilities. You Learn more at AdinaOneill.com
**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/

Sep 15, 2021 • 1h 2min
Behind the ‘Gram with Nicole Sin Quee (Episode 48)
Following menopausal athletes on Instagram can be inspiring. But if we’re honest, it can also be deflating. You see the podium smiles and the highlights of their lives, which can leave you feeling alone in your own struggles. That’s why it’s so wonderful when one of these athletes like this week’s guest, multisport athlete Nicole Sin Quee pulls back the curtain and shares the real, more nuanced picture of their life.
Nicole is a math teacher and mother who lives in Bronx, NY. She is also an accomplished athlete, earning a podium spot in all six of her attempts at the National and World Championship triathlons and duathlons. She recently won the Off-Road Triathlon 50-54 age group title and finished third female overall. She also finished top 25 in her bike racing debut at SBT GRVL this year where she represented Ride For Racial Justice. But those highs have been interspersed with her share of lows. Nicole has worked through myriad struggles during her perimenopausal years, which required her to give herself grace and time and space to find her athletic self again--something we can all learn from. You can follow her at https://www.instagram.com/sinquee/
**Support the Podcast**
InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause
Previnex: use code hitplay for 15% off your first order at https://www.previnex.com/

Sep 8, 2021 • 1h 3min
Balancing Training with the Changes with Lenita Anthony (Episode 47)
Juggling training by itself is hard. Juggling training along with real life obligations is even harder. Add the physical and psychological changes that come with menopause and midlife? Oh boy. Better call Cirque du Soleil for some tips. Or you can call a lifelong athlete, veteran coach, and exercise physiologist like this week’s guest, Lenita Anthony, who provides sound, science- and life-based advice on planning your exercise sessions, balancing intensity with recovery (especially when it comes to high intensity intervals), and setting exciting new goals during this time of life.
Lenita is a longtime fitness industry presenter, author, and master educator for Stages Cycling. She is a National Board Certified Health Coach, and has over 25 years experience in clinical exercise physiology and fitness education. A former IDEA contributing editor board member, her expertise includes program design for special populations and sports performance. A lifelong athlete, Lenita raced triathlons of all distances, including the Ironman Hawaii World Championships in Kona. In more recent years, she has put her competitive focus into track cycling, where she has won National and World Championship titles, and set 4 age-group World Records in Individual Pursuit and Team Pursuit. Her passions include volunteering as a Ride Leader for the Challenged Athletes’ Foundation, strength training, and surfing with her sons near her home in San Diego, California.
**Support the Podcast**
InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause
Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code HITPLAY

Sep 1, 2021 • 1h 11min
When Cancer Enters the Equation with Dr. Corinne Menn (Episode 46)
Medical menopause can be intense. If you’re a cancer survivor, you may have multiple rounds with menopause. You may go through premature menopause or have menopause symptoms related to chemotherapy and/or other drug treatments and then go through it again either naturally or should you need surgery or other treatments later on. It can all be complicated, confusing, challenging, and scary. Being an active woman helps with symptom management, but there’s more you can do to get through and manage your symptoms (as well as future risk) to live your fullest life.
This week’s guest Dr. Corinne Menn is an expert in all of that, having been diagnosed with breast cancer when she was just 28 and in the middle of her OB/GYN residency. We talk about how to manage medical and/or surgical menopause, as well as genetic testing for breast cancer; finding active, supportive communities like the Young Survival Coalition; managing menopause when you’re at risk for breast cancer, and more. Now a 19 year survivor, Dr. Menn has dedicated her practice to gynecology only, with a focus on wellness and preventative care. You can learn more about her and her practice at drmenn.com and the Young Survival Coalition at ysctourdepink.org.
**Support the Podcast**
InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause
Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code HITPLAY
Velorosa Cycling: 15% off at https://velorosacycling.com with code HITPLAY

Aug 25, 2021 • 1h 7min
Raise the Floor & Break the Ceiling with Tracey Jacobs (Episode 45)
As women we hear a lot about “breaking the ceiling,” whether it’s the glass one that has hovered over us for so long or the self imposed one that we sometimes put overhead, limiting our potential. Well if you want to crack that ceiling, it helps to raise the floor—elevate the platform from which you’re starting by taking the best care possible of your body where it is right now, something that is especially important during our menopausal years. That’s where this week’s guest Tracey Jacobs comes in. Tracey is an elite bike racer, a certified massage therapist at her company Pure Massage Boulder, a cycling coach, and a nutrition consultant.
Tracey, 54, has seen the top step of the podium, including winning the 2019 Masters Colorado State Championship Road Race and Criterium events and being awarded Best All Around Rider for Master’s 50+ in Colorado in 2019…all after breaking her neck in a fluke accident in 2018. She talks all about her journey and how she helps others reach their potential through bodywork, mindset, and finely tuned training. You can learn more about her at puremassageboulder.com
**Support the Podcast**
InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause
Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code HITPLAY
Velorosa Cycling: 15% off at https://velorosacycling.com with code HITPLAY

Aug 18, 2021 • 1h 12min
Weighty Matters with Diana Reid, MPH, RDN (Episode 44)
We often talk about menopause as puberty in reverse. Remember puberty? You sprouted breasts and grew hips and maybe got curvier all the way around. Nobody ever said to you, “What have you done?” You were obviously going through this very natural process. When those hormones reverse course, your body also starts changing. Only now, we beat ourselves up and feel like we’ve somehow failed if we have a belly when we didn’t before…even though maybe our body is adding that padding to help protect us. We go into all of that and much more with this week’s guest, Diana Reid of The Global Dietitian.
Diana is licensed as a dietitian in both the US and Luxembourg and works with clients who are seeking to improve their health and quality of life through balanced eating and a more peaceful relationship with food and their bodies. She is also 53, lifts weights, runs, rides bikes, and has written about her own journey with body changes and weight gain after going through early menopause at 42 due to surgery from PCOS and endometriosis. You can learn more about her and her work at theglobaldietitian.com.
**Support the Podcast**
InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause
Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code FeistyMenopause
Velorosa Cycling: 15% off at https://velorosacycling.com with code HITPLAY

Aug 11, 2021 • 56min
Calm Your Mind with Dr. Alisha Brosse (Episode 43)
Cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and other psychological practices come up a lot on this show as ways we can quell anxiety, manage menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, and get some quality sleep during this time of life. But what exactly is it? How do you do it? How does it work? We tackle all these questions and more with this week’s guest, Dr. Alisha Brosse.
Alisha Brosse, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and founding partner of the Boulder Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. She specializes in behavioral therapies for mood, anxiety, and sleep disorders. She is the co-author of End the Insomnia Struggle: A Step-By-Step Guide to Help You Get to Sleep and Stay Asleep. You can learn more about her and her work at www.bouldercbt.com
**Support the Podcast**
InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause
Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code FeistyMenopause
Velorosa Cycling: 15% off at https://velorosacycling.com with code HITPLAY

Aug 4, 2021 • 1h 8min
Let Your Lifestyle Be Your Medicine with Dr. Melissa Sundermann (Episode 42)
Let food be thy medicine, they say. But don’t stop there. Let exercise and stress management and sleep and friendships and your whole lifestyle be thy medicine, too. That’s the basic tenet of the type of Lifestyle Medicine this week’s guest, Dr. Melissa Sundermann practices. It’s grounded in research showing how we live our lives has a profound impact on our health, performance, well-being, and for the purposes of this discussion, our menopausal transition. At a time when everything can feel out of control, it helps to “control your controllables” as they say. Dr. Sundermann tells us how.
Dr. Sundermann is double-board certified in both Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine and currently practices with IHA in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she is helping to launch the IHA Lifestyle Medicine Institute. She enjoys running, biking, hiking, skiing and spending time outdoors with her husband, 2 college-age children and 2 dogs. She is a 9x Boston Marathon finisher, 3x Full Ironman Triathlon finisher and currently training to run her 10th Boston Marathon this October at the age of 51. You can learn more about her at IHAcares.com
**Support the Podcast**
InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause
Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code FeistyMenopause
Velorosa Cycling: 15% off at https://velorosacycling.com with code HITPLAY

Jul 28, 2021 • 1h 37min
Estrogen Matters with Avrum Bluming, MD & Carol Tavris, PhD (Episode 41)
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/feistymenopause
Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code FeistyMenopause
Velorosa Cycling: 15% off at https://velorosacycling.com with code HITPLAY

Jul 21, 2021 • 1h 2min
Trust the Process with Libbey Sheldon (Episode 40)
This show is all about working with your changing physiology to optimize performance. This week’s guest, Masters 50-54 Cyclocross World Champion and Masters 50-54 XC and Masters 50-54 Marathon Mountain Bike National Champion, Libbey Sheldon embodies that ethos as well as anyone we know. After struggling with mountain bike stage racing in 2013, Libbey went back and worked on her limiters to maximize her performance and nearly won the women’s elite overall at the Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic stage race at age 55 this year. And she feels like she’s just getting started. We talk about maintaining strength, managing symptoms, and how to make gains everywhere you can.
Libbey is an everyday athlete with a busy life. She’s a lawyer by profession and is a mom to four boys. Her positivity, determination, and work ethic are absolutely inspirational. You can follow her adventures at https://www.instagram.com/libbeysheldon/
**Support the Podcast**
InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause
Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code FeistyMenopause
Velorosa Cycling: 15% off at https://velorosacycling.com with code HITPLAY


