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Dr. Stacy Sims: Female-Specific Exercise & Nutrition for Health, Performance & Longevity

Huberman Lab

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Women and High Intensity Work for Body Composition Change

Modern fitness programs often mislead women regarding effective training for body composition change. Many women default to cardio workouts, believing they are the best way to lose body fat; however, this approach may not yield the desired results. Classes marketed towards women, like Orange Theory and F45, often promote a moderate intensity that can elevate cortisol levels without providing the necessary hormonal responses for positive body composition changes. Instead, true high-intensity exercise, defined as working at 80% or more effort for one to four minutes or performing sprint intervals at maximum intensity for 30 seconds, should be prioritized. Such training needs to be done a few times a week with adequate recovery to enable hormonal responses that lower cortisol and enhance fitness adaptations. Women, particularly those over 40, should focus on high-intensity work instead of moderate intensity, which can hinder their health and body composition goals.

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