In this episode 92 protocols
▶ 8:46 Eat with circadian rhythm during the day Behaviors “And then we have time-restricted eating, and that's the fancy way of saying normal eating, where you're having breakfast and then you stop eating after, or you don't have anything after dinner, right? So you're eating with your circadian rhythm during the day.” ▷ 9:01 Avoid intermittent fasting in active women Behaviors “If we look at intermittent fasting, where you're holding the fast up till noon or you're having days of really low-calorie restriction, we see in active women it's very detrimental, unless you have PCOS or you have some other subclinical issue.” ▷ 10:16 Avoid fasted workouts for women Behaviors “So when we're talking about fasting or fasted workouts, trying to improve that metabolic flexibility, it increases stress on the woman... So from an overall stress perspective, that fasted workout and holding that fast for a long period of time increases cortisol.” ▷ 14:04 Eat something small soon after waking Diet “Where if you have something really small where you're bringing blood sugar up, then it's signaling to the hypothalamus, hey, yeah, there's some nutrition on board, then we can start our day.” ▷ 17:58 Use reps in reserve for lifting intensity Behaviors “So if we're talking about reps in reserve, this is when you go in and if you say eight, it means you have two reps in reserve... we see it correlates with that eight with two reps in reserve.” ▷ 20:11 Train heavy with about 2 reps in reserve as you get older Behaviors “So this is where we really turn women on to, we want you to do something that is two reps in reserve... then it allows people to lift more on the day. So we can get women to get into that strength and power-based type training rather than going, let's lift to fatigue.” ▷ 22:24 Protein Powder Supplements “And then the protein powder for the protein... If I'm going to just go to the gym, then I'll probably just have the protein powder in the coffee.” ▷ 22:54 Pre-workout protein intake Diet “If you're going to do a true strength training session, you only need around 15 grams of protein before you go.” ▷ 23:16 Pre-workout carbohydrate for cardio Diet “If you're going to do any kind of cardiovascular type work up to an hour, then you're adding 30 grams of carb to that.” ▷ 23:25 Allow about 30 minutes after a pre-workout meal before training Behaviors “Other people are like, I'm starving right before I go training. Then yes, you can have your meal, giving yourself about half an hour before.” ▷ 23:47 Post-workout meal within 45 minutes Diet “And then you have your real food afterwards. You have your breakfast afterwards within 45 minutes.” ▷ 24:33 Avoid delaying food after exercise Behaviors “And the longer someone withholds food after exercise and the greater they stay in that catabolic or breakdown state, the more the brain perceives it as being in a low energy state. So the first thing to go is lean mass.” ▷ 27:27 Post-workout protein within 45 minutes Diet “So we know that women who are in their reproductive years need around 35 grams of good protein, high quality leucine-oriented protein within 45 minutes.” ▷ 29:13 Post-workout carbohydrate within 2 hours Diet “When we look at women, we want to get around 0.3 grams per kilo of carbohydrate within two hours of finishing.” ▷ 34:22 Do resistance training 3 to 4 times per week Behaviors “I'm a big believer in people, everybody getting ideally two or three resistance training sessions in per week.” ▷ 34:27 Do cardiovascular training about 3 times per week Behaviors “And maybe three cardiovascular training sessions per week. That would be ideal.” ▷ 40:08 Learn movement quality before loading Behaviors “A lot of times I really try to get them to focus on the whole movement aspect first. So we phase them in... learn how to move, learn complex movements.” ▷ 40:27 Train 45 to 60 minutes when going to failure in younger women Behaviors “If you're doing, going to failure... you're going to have to spend a little bit more time in the gym. So it might be 45 to 60 minutes.” ▷ 40:41 Add sprint interval training or HIIT 1 to 2 times per week Behaviors “When we're looking at doing that four times a week, you can add in a sprint interval training at the end of one of those to get that super high intensity.” ▷ 41:40 Use 6-week training blocks in your 30s Behaviors “We're really focusing on let's do some compound movements. Let's look at doing some heavier work. Let's look at how we are periodizing. So we're having six week blocks and we're building on those blocks.” ▷ 43:06 Use whatever training split works for your schedule Behaviors “What works for them? If you're looking for short amount of time in the gym because of busy lives and you can split it... then you can do total body with adequate rest.” ▷ 43:18 Train to failure when younger Behaviors “The key when you're younger is working to failure.” ▷ 44:16 Emphasize unilateral movements as you get older Behaviors “Even some interesting literature about emphasizing some unilateral movements as people get older, not just dual limb movements or dual limb simultaneous movements.” ▷ 46:19 Polarize training in women 40+ Behaviors “I really tried to get women to get into the heavy lifting and get into the patterns of polarizing their training, not putting an emphasis on zone two.” ▷ 50:04 Avoid moderate-intensity cardio as the main strategy in women 40+ Behaviors “Actually, they shouldn't do moderate intensity. They need to avoid that. Polarizing, absolutely. That's what we want.” ▷ 50:09 Do true high-intensity intervals a couple of times per week Behaviors “We want true high-intensity work, which is one to four minutes of 80% or more.” ▷ 50:16 Do sprint intervals of 30 seconds or less all-out Behaviors “Or if you're doing sprint interval, it's full gas for 30 seconds or less.” ▷ 51:15 Use zone 2 only for mental health or recovery, not as the main optimization strategy Behaviors “Zone two is that low conversation. And that's fine for mental health and being out in nature. But for optimal health and wellbeing, we don't want to do that.” ▷ 53:40 Start with bodyweight training at home Behaviors “I've gotten them started with just body weight stuff... so they feel comfortable in their own house.” ▷ 53:45 Load a backpack with cans for home resistance Tools “Or loading a backpack with cans to add a little bit of resistance so they feel comfortable in their own house.” ▷ 53:58 Use mobility work to identify sticking points Behaviors “I love Kelly Starrett's stuff with mobility. So show them, like, here's how we do some of the mobility to find where the sticking points are.” ▷ 54:57 Resistance training machines Tools “They can start resistance training on machines, which is another level up to learning compound movements.” ▷ 55:40 Adjust machine setup for your body Behaviors “To really spend the time adjusting the seat height, adjusting the various pins on the machine, not just the weight, in order to make sure that one gets the best range of motion.” ▷ 56:10 Kettlebells Tools “I'm also a fan of kettlebells in the garage... to get the momentum and movement feeling.” ▷ 56:10 Lighter dumbbells Tools “I'm also a fan of kettlebells in the garage or lighter dumbbells that you can do, like thrusters or hang cleans or something like that.” ▷ 56:10 Use lighter dumbbell movements to learn momentum and coordination Behaviors “Lighter dumbbells that you can do, like thrusters or hang cleans or something like that, to get the momentum and movement feeling.” ▷ 57:30 Use walking as low-intensity recovery Behaviors “So the walking is more of the recovery. So if you're going to go out and do something long, it has to be very, very easy.” ▷ 57:47 Assault Bike Tools “So what I have a lot of women do is a 20 minute lower body heavy set, and then they'll go on the assault bike and do as hard as they can for 30 minutes.” ▷ 57:47 Combine heavy lower-body lifting with sprint intervals Behaviors “So what I have a lot of women do is a 20 minute lower body heavy set, and then they'll go on the assault bike and do as hard as they can for 30 seconds... and then recover as much as they need to, to go then do another 30 seconds as hard as they can.” ▷ 1:00:34 Track your menstrual cycle Behaviors “We need women to track their own cycle and find their own patterns because we know that there are times where you feel like crap and you can't push intensity.” ▷ 1:01:13 Schedule PRs and harder training in the low-hormone phase Behaviors “If we're looking at doing heavier loads, we're looking at doing high intensity work, we're looking at motivation, then that low hormone phase is really optimal for trying to hit a PR or trying to hit a new speed.” ▷ 1:03:17 Increase protein intake in the luteal phase Diet “So yes, you need to eat more protein. You need to eat more carbohydrate... in about the week before your next period comes, you really need to be amping up carbohydrate and protein.” ▷ 1:03:30 Increase carbohydrate intake in the luteal phase Diet “In about the week before your next period comes, you really need to be amping up carbohydrate and protein because that's going to help you hit intensities.” ▷ 1:04:53 Use the 10-minute rule before abandoning a workout Behaviors “I always say it's the 10-minute rule. You wake up and you feel awful... Give yourself 10 minutes.” ▷ 1:09:20 Fuel appropriately around exercise Behaviors “It's the fueling in and around the stress. Meaning the exercise stress, it's really important.” ▷ 1:20:17 Copper or progestin IUD Tools “The copper IUD and the Mirena or, you know, your progestin-laced IUD, those are what a lot of my tactical athletes will use because it doesn't have a systemic effect on adaptation or inflammation, mood, any of those things.” ▷ 1:27:01 Iron Supplementation for Low Ferritin Supplements “So I tell women, if you are concerned with low ferritin, then we want you to take an iron supplement every other day, starting at the first day of your bleed for 10 days.” ▷ 1:28:28 Get bloodwork 5 to 7 days before the next period if only testing once Behaviors “If I'm limited to say that, then I would say five to seven days before her next period starts. So mid luteal.” ▷ 1:29:07 Get a second blood test on day 2 of bleeding if adding another cycle measurement Behaviors “Day two of the menstrual cycle, second day of bleeding to get a really good indication of what your true estrogen level is at baseline.” ▷ 1:33:15 Schisandra Supplements “Shashandra is another really well studied adaptogen... its main goal is to regulate dopamine serotonin and cortisol... I put in my morning coffee.” ▷ 1:35:37 Sauna Tools “I prefer heat for women... so sauna yep sauna yeah preferably a true finished sauna. Infrared doesn't it warms the skin but not the core.” ▷ 1:36:48 Use deliberate cold exposure Behaviors “Women do really well and get that whole dopamine response and everything if the water is around 16 degrees c which is 55 to 56 degrees fahrenheit.” ▷ 1:41:12 Avoid combining hyperventilation, breath holds, and water exposure Behaviors “Please please please do not combine cyclic hyperventilation or hyperventilation of any kind with breath holds and water exposure not even in the depth of a puddle.” ▷ 1:41:48 Use slow deep breaths during deliberate cold exposure Behaviors “If you're going to do deliberate cold exposure, limit your breathing to slow deep breaths.” ▷ 1:42:25 Avoid cold-water immersion after resistance training Behaviors “Doing deliberate cold exposure... in the four but probably the eight hours after resistance training... can inhibit some of the strength and hypertrophy gains that one would otherwise experience.” ▷ 1:43:13 Use heat exposure after training Behaviors “Heat exposure you want to do afterwards get the vasodilation... because it extends that training stimulus and also the passive dehydration from training will stimulate greater blood volume improvements.” ▷ 1:44:08 Water with a little salt before post-training sauna Diet “Somebody does their resistance training finishes up drinks eight or 16 ounces of water with a little salt in it maybe and then hops in the sauna yep.” ▷ 1:44:49 Modify sauna position and head coverage for comfort Behaviors “One can cover their head with a towel and actually feel more comfortable... and people will put a towel over so that they when they breathe it doesn't burn the inside of their nose and their mouth either.” ▷ 1:47:52 Track Stack Supplements “I'm a fan of what I call the track stack... taking 200 milligrams of caffeine low dose baby aspirin but then I add beta alanine... the track stack which has beta alanine and not ephedrine is really good at encouraging an extra top end effect.” ▷ 1:49:22 Do not stack two high-intensity days in a row Behaviors “Just making sure that you're not stacking two days in a row of high intensity work... because it is a significant stress on the body.” ▷ 1:50:09 Optimize sleep hygiene and room temperature Behaviors “You need to create an environment for you that is cool comfortable which is probably going to be different from your partner who might be sharing your bed.” ▷ 1:50:58 Apigenin Supplements “So looking at things like l-theanine and apigen and looking at your room temperature and the screens and all the things that you've talked about for the most part about sleep and sleep hygiene super important.” ▷ 1:50:58 L-Theanine Supplements “So looking at things like l-theanine and apigen and looking at your room temperature and the screens and all the things that you've talked about for the most part about sleep and sleep hygiene super important.” ▷ 1:51:38 Work with a sleep specialist for severe menopausal insomnia Behaviors “This is where working with a specific sleep specialist might come into play.” ▷ 1:51:44 Rhodiola Supplements “We can also look at using some adaptogens the rhodiola stacked with theanine.” ▷ 1:51:50 Use NSDR or yoga nidra for sleep support Behaviors “Getting people to use the non-sleep deep rest or yoga nidra or some other kind of meditative property that they can then access when they're in bed.” ▷ 1:53:43 Creatine Monohydrate Supplements “The number one is creatine... so five grams of creatine monohydrate per day sort of typical three to five yep.” ▷ 1:54:28 Vitamin D3 Supplements “And then vitamin d3 really important... basic is two to five thousand great.” ▷ 1:57:53 Ashwagandha Supplements “Looking at the different adaptogens ashiganda is a good one... some need to be cycled on, some need to be cycled off.” ▷ 1:57:57 Holy Basil (Tulsi) Supplements “Holy basil or tulsi is another one.” ▷ 1:57:57 Reishi Supplements “And then getting into some of your medicinal mushrooms lion's mane reishi those are the two big ones that i look to.” ▷ 1:57:57 Lion's Mane Supplements “And then getting into some of your medicinal mushrooms lion's mane reishi those are the two big ones that i look to.” ▷ 1:59:03 Time adaptogens based on desired effect Behaviors “If we're looking at having issues with sleeping... let it peak in the morning after you're waking up and look late afternoon, like four o'clock when it starts to dip to take your adaptogens then.” ▷ 2:00:59 Stay active during pregnancy Behaviors “So they're not telling women to be as active as they can be without creating injury and without trying to make gains.” ▷ 2:02:29 Avoid very stressful activities in the first 12 to 20 weeks of pregnancy Behaviors “We see for miscarriage that anything that they do that's incredibly stressful for the first 12 to 20 weeks will put them at a higher risk for it.” ▷ 2:02:50 Use caution with hot yoga during pregnancy Behaviors “Doing something like hot yoga when you're pregnant is not, there is research, so it's not detrimental... And in that situation, if you're feeling too hot, you leave, you lie down on the floor, don't try to stay for the whole class.” ▷ 2:07:16 Do jump training for bone health in women 50+ Behaviors “So this is where we look at 10 minutes, three times a week, jump training. So this isn't your landing softly in our knees. This is like impact in the skeletal system.” ▷ 2:08:25 Use heavy resistance training and sprint intervals as key pillars in women 50+ Behaviors “So jump training, heavy resistance training, and spray interval training. Those are the three key things.” ▷ 2:08:36 Consume 1 to 1.1 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day Diet “When you start telling women they need to look at around 1 to 1.1 grams per pound, which is around that 2 to 2.3 grams per kilo per day.” ▷ 2:10:54 Change up resistance training regularly Behaviors “But we want to make sure that you're changing it up all the time to keep things moving and shaking with regards to strength and hypertrophy.” ▷ 2:11:10 Do high-intensity work to produce lactate for brain health Behaviors “We need to have some lactate production... The younger we are and the more that we can keep our glycolytic fibers going by doing high intensity work, the more we're exposing our brain to lactate.” ▷ 2:13:41 Use EMOM circuits for gym-based HIIT Behaviors “If we're looking at a gym situation, I like to look at something like every minute on the minute.” ▷ 2:15:27 Rower Tools “On the rower, on the airdyne bike.” ▷ 2:15:27 Airdyne bike Tools “On the rower, on the airdyne bike.” ▷ 2:15:32 SkiErg Tools “The skier, the, yeah.” ▷ 2:15:33 Battle ropes Tools “Battle ropes. Battle ropes are big.” ▷ 2:19:45 Eat fruit, vegetables, and fiber Diet “Are you a fan of fruit? Yeah.” ▷ 2:20:17 Prefer whole-food carbohydrate sources Diet “But I prefer rice and oatmeal and I like a really good sourdough bread with butter or olive oil.” ▷ 2:20:56 Stay away from ultra-processed foods Diet “It's just staying away from the ultra processed.” ▷ 2:21:02 Increase dietary diversity for gut microbiome health Diet “When we look at women, it's really important to have a very significant diversity in the gut microbiome.” ▷ 2:21:20 Follow an 80/20 nutrition rule Behaviors “So as much fiber, colorful fruit and veg as you can, but also it's the 80-20 rule, right? 80% of the time you're spot on, 20% is life.” ▷ 2:22:11 Get most fats from whole-food sources Diet “I prefer women to have most their fats from plant-based stuff... you want most of them to come from whole food plant-based, not from ultra-processed.”