Women live longer than men. On paper, we “win” longevity. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: many women are living longer, but those years are impacted by cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, frailty, and loss of independence, especially after menopause. The real question becomes less ab...
Note: This is an anatomical and physiological review, not medical advice. Anyone with concerns should see their healthcare provider.
When you train consistently—whether it’s endurance training, speed work, or strength—your heart adapts. That adaptation, which is often referred to as “athlete’s ...
One of the questions I’m often asked is: How connected are building muscle and building strength?
The short answer: they’re related, but not the same. You can increase strength without dramatically increasing muscle, and you can increase muscle without seeing proportional gains in strength. Res...
As the calendar turns and we near the end of 2025, I wanted to take a moment to pause, reflect, and send a note of gratitude. I typically dedicate these newsletters to science-backed information for active women, but today I’ll break with the norm and share some of the highlights and challenges...
The holiday season can be a mixed bag: joyful, busy, fun, overwhelming, energizing, and exhausting—often all on the same day. If you’re an active woman trying to stay consistent with exercise while also juggling family, travel, social commitments, and extra mental load, you’re not alone. And yo...
Cold plunging has exploded in popularity, with everyone from elite athletes to wellness influencers posting their ice bath rituals. But long before it hit social media, cold-water immersion was a Nordic tradition—often paired with saunas—as a way to build resilience, reset the mind, and connect...
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Perimenopause vs. Postmenopause: What Active Women Need to Know
With World Menopause Day happening tomorrow, it feels like the right time to address some key questions I’m often asked about perimenopause and postmenopause. I know only too well that navigating these changes can feel confusing,...
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Why We’ve Moved on from “Train by Your Phase.”
For years, the conversation about women’s training centered on the menstrual cycle: do high-intensity work in the follicular phase, focus on endurance in the luteal phase, and rest during your period. (And for transparency here, I was one of the ...
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Racing Kona Taught Me More Than I Ever Expected
In October 2000, I stood on the start line of the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. I had no idea that day would shape the rest of my career—not just as an athlete, but as a scientist.
Kona is brutal. It’s long, hot, humid, wind...
With heat waves sweeping across parts of the U.S. and Europe, summer training just got a lot more intense. As an active woman, you might already feel the difference—more fatigue, maybe some gut issues, and a general sense that your usual hydration or fueling strategy just isn’t cutting it.
You’...
The new revised edition of ROAR is out! Here’s what’s new.
When I started working on ROAR nearly ten years ago, it was still considered fringe to say that women’s unique hormones and their menstrual cycles could impact everything from performance to injury risk to hydration and beyond. That was ...
Lifting weights is now recognized as good for more than “just” making muscle.
For decades, aerobic exercise was regarded as the primary form of exercise you should do for cardiovascular and other health benefits. Heck, that’s why endurance type exercise such as walking, biking, and running are c...
