
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.
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Latest episodes

Mar 17, 2021 • 1h 7min
Ease Your Aches & Pains with The Ready State’s Dr. Kelly Starrett (Episode 23)
Tight hips, achy knees, weak glutes, grouchy back, stiff ankles...the list of aches, pains, and niggles that pop up seemingly out of nowhere can feel overwhelming, especially once we hit the menopausal transition and our hormones aren’t keeping our muscles and connective tissues as resilient and supple as they once were. This week’s guest, Dr. Kelly Starrett of The Ready State offers insights and advice for regaining (and retaining) the healthy, pain-free mobility your body was meant to have so you are ready for ache-free action.
Kelly is a coach, a doctor of physical therapy, a two-time New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and is the co-founder along with his wife Juliet of The Ready State, the world's most comprehensive collection of guided movement, mechanics, and mobility instructional videos. His clients include professional athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. He also works with Olympic gold-medalists, Tour de France cyclists, world and national record-holding Olympic lifting and power athletes, CrossFit Games medalists, ballet dancers, military personnel, and competitive age-division athletes. You can learn more about his work at TheReadyState.com.
**Support the Podcast**
InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause
Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.com with the code FeistyMenopauseThis 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

Mar 10, 2021 • 59min
Healing Moves with Yoga Therapist Carol Krucoff (Episode 22)
Yoga is more than something you do--that one or two classes a week where you attempt a full pigeon pose. It’s a way you live--a strengthening of the tether that connects your mind, body, and soul. Practiced daily, it can improve every aspect of your physical and mental well being, especially when you need that help most, like during menopausal and midlife years.
This week’s guest, Carol Krucoff, C-IAYT, E-RYT, shares how yoga quite literally saved her life and how she applies what she’s learned to help others. Krucoff works as a yoga therapist at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, North Carolina and has written numerous books, including Yoga Sparks: 108 Easy Practices for Stress Relief in a Minute or Less and Relax into Yoga for Chronic Pain. You can learn more about her work at https://healingmoves.com/
Learn more about the Feisty Womxn's Performance Summit at womxnsperformancesummit.com
**Support the Podcast**
InsideTracker: 25% off at insidetracker.com/feistymenopause
Nuun Hydration: 30% off at nuunlife.comThis 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

Mar 3, 2021 • 53min
Stoke Your Motivation with Dr. Lisa Lewis (Episode 21)
Dragging yourself through the motions more often than not these days? You’re not alone. The brain chemistry changes that occur during menopausal years can cause your mojo, motivation, and mental game to go MIA. But don’t despair. This week’s guest, psychologist Dr. Lisa Lewis is here to help you get your groove back. Spoiler alert: If you care that you’re not motivated, you’re actually motivated. You just need a little help accessing it from another angle. And she’s here to show you how.
Dr. Lewis has a background in sport and exercise psychology and is especially well versed in the topic of motivation and all the many forms it takes—yes there’s way more than one—and how athletes and active women can find the one that works for them at any given time. You can learn more about her work at https://drlewisconsulting.com/
Register for the Feisty Womxn's Performance Summit at womxnsperformancesummit.com
**Support the Podcast**
Use the code FeistyMenopause at nuunlife.com & nuuncanada.comThis 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

Feb 24, 2021 • 1h 15min
Save Your Sleep with Sleep Evangelist Dr. Sophie Bostock (Episode 20)
Menopause and midlife can send dueling wrecking balls straight into your sleep architecture, leaving you tossing and turning unable to get to sleep, waking up with racing thoughts at 3 a.m., and generally depriving you of the rest and regeneration you need. This week’s guest, Dr. Sophie Bostock, the sleep scientist—and self-proclaimed sleep evangelist—is here to help you pick up the pieces of your broken sleep and get a good night’s rest.
Dr. Bostock has recently spent 5 years working on Sleepio, an award-winning digital sleep improvement program. She also has published sleep research in collaboration with the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute in Oxford and other international researchers showing the impacts of better sleep on mental health and performance. She has developed a systematic approach to improving sleep hygiene and getting your circadian rhythms back in sync so you can enjoy sound, uninterrupted sleep. You can learn more about her work at:
https://www.thesleepscientist.com/aboutThis 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

Feb 17, 2021 • 1h
Become a Fat Burning Machine with Gale Bernhardt (Episode 19)
As active women, we use carbs to fuel our training and racing. But there’s a limit to how many are good for our health (as well as performance), especially as we hit menopause and become more insulin resistant. This week’s guest, coach Gale Bernhardt has been on a mission to help her athletes dial in their nutrition and training to be better fat burners while also having the metabolic flexibility to use those sugars when they need them. That plan includes eating a diet filled with whole food fats and carbohydrates, as well as a healthy dose of special sprint sessions she calls Miracle Intervals that every menopausal athlete should try.
Gale has been working with athletes since 1974 and is a two-time Olympic cycling and triathlon coach. She is the author of several training books, including Bicycling for Women and is the co-author of Become a Fat-Burning Machine. You can find out more about her work at https://galebernhardt.com/ and check out some Miracle Intervals at
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/all-out-miracle-intervals-to-improve-average-power-for-endurance-events/
**Support the Podcast**
Use the code FeistyMenopause at https://nuun.life/feisty-podcast for 30% off your entire orderThis 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

Feb 10, 2021 • 1h 12min
Strong Starts in the Mind with Lisbeth Darsh (Episode 18)
What keeps you going when the curtains start to fall at mile 19 of a marathon? How do you get up and charge again 3 days into a 6 day stage race? What makes the difference between picking up a kettlebell or a bottle of wine at the end of a long, hard, tiring day? Mental strength. The muscle between your ears is what keeps you going when the going gets hard. The opposite is true, too. When life is kicking your ass, being physically strong helps you muster the mental strength you need to persevere.
This week’s guest Lisbeth Darsh, author of Strong Starts in the Mind talks all about mental strength, how to build it, and how to use it, especially when menopause knocks you back on your heels. Lisbeth is a former CrossFit executive and aircraft maintenance officer on fighter jets in the U.S. Air Force. Today, she is a proponent of Street Parking, a new workout system that makes CrossFit type training more accessible to people without access to a gym or a lot of equipment. You can learn more about her at https://wordswithlisbeth.com/ and more about Street Parking at https://streetparking.com/
Hit Play Not Pause is proud to be supported by Nuun Hydration in 2021! Show your support and use the code FeistyMenopause at nuunlife.com for 30% off all of Nuun's amazing products.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

Feb 3, 2021 • 1h
Going Big & Staying Balanced with Lynda Rowan (Episode 17)
Chasing big athletic goals can supercharge your life. But how do you chase and accomplish those goals without dropping the ball on everything else, especially as you’re also trying to navigate all the changes that menopause and midlife can bring? This week’s guest, long time endurance athlete and coach Lynda Rowan is here to help.
As a dual citizen of both Australia and the U.S., Lynda has competed in Sprint, Olympic, 70.3 and Ironman triathlons and has represented both countries at ITU World Age Group Championships. She has been coaching sport for 30 years and knows what it takes to get it all done. We talk about how to balance endurance and intensity; how to fit in strength training; how to properly rest and recover, and most importantly, how to do it all without coming undone.
Hit Play Not Pause is proud to be supported by Nuun Hydration in 2021! Show your support and use the code FeistyMenopause at nuunlife.com for 30% off all of Nuun's amazing products.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

Jan 27, 2021 • 57min
Sex Solutions with Dr. Lauren Streicher (Episode 16)
Time for “the talk.” Seriously, we get sex ed when we go through puberty to know what to expect. But then we hit the other end of the hormonal spectrum and...crickets. Loss of libido and painful sex are real issues during menopausal years and, all too often, women suffer in silence. Issues like vaginal dryness don’t just hurt your sex life (though that’s bad enough!), they also just plain hurt when you’re trying to live an active life. None of that is particularly conducive to feeling and performing your best.
This week’s guest Dr. Lauren Streicher, author of Sex Rx- Hormones Health and Your Best Sex Ever, is one of the top authorities on the topic of menopause and sexual health. Dr. Streicher is the founder and medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Menopause and the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Health, which includes programs on Sexual Medicine and Vulvar and Vaginal Health. She’s been featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, Nightline, 20/20, Today, and the Meredith Vieira Show, just to name a few. She dishes out straight talk on sex solutions to help improve your “SexAbility” through menopause and the rest of your life. You can learn more about her and check out her work at DrStreicher.comThis 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

Jan 20, 2021 • 1h 5min
Breaking Down Body Image & Eating Disorders with Dr. Christy Greenleaf (Episode 15)
The words we say to ourselves. The way we look at ourselves. The way we fuel, or often don’t fuel, ourselves. They’re a product of so many things--culture, society, ingrained images and messages. And too often they hurt our health, performance, and general well being. Exercising, playing sports, and being active can help, but they also can be the source of some of these issues, or make them worse. And when we hit our menopausal years and our bodies start taking on a life of their own, seemingly no matter what we do? We can go straight into a tailspin.
This week’s guest, Dr. Christy Greenleaf, of the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, is here to help. Christy’s research focuses on the psychosocial aspects of weight, physical activity, body image, and disordered eating. As a lifelong figure skater, she knows a thing or two about all these issues on a very personal, as well as professional, level. We dig in on strategies to break the cycle of body shame, disordered eating, and negative self talk for good. You can find out more about her at
https://uwm.edu/healthsciences/directory/greenleaf-christy/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

Jan 13, 2021 • 1h 4min
Overcoming the Mental Agony of Injury with Heidi Armstrong (Episode 14)
Injuries don’t just hurt physically. They can rock you emotionally, as they keep you away from the activity you love, isolate you from your training buddies, and do a number on your self image, especially as we get into our menopausal years and injuries can pop up with increasing frequency. Your doctor or PT help with the physical stuff. But what about the rest? That’s where this week’s guest Heidi Armstrong, founder of The Injured Athlete’s Toolbox comes in.
Heidi has more than 10 years of experience dealing with her own injuries following a devastating mountain bike crash, and has conducted hundreds of hours of research with athletes dealing with their own. She is also one of a few experts in the world who helps athletes—many of whom are perimenopausal or menopausal—overcome the mental fallout of injury, regain their confidence, and stop the emotional rollercoaster. You can find out more about her and her services at https://injuredathletestoolbox.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