Perimenopause, Protein and Power with Dr Abby Smith-Ryan

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In this episode, I’m joined by exercise physiologist and nutrition researcher Dr Abby Smith-Ryan to unpack what really happens to women’s metabolism through perimenopause and beyond. Abby explains why a sufficiency-based approach to women’s health research matters, and why “the science is settled” is the wrong way to think about female physiology. We dig into metabolic changes in midlife, low energy availability, and why so many women are unintentionally under-fuelling while feeling “weight-loss resistant.” Abby shares her latest work on nutrient timing, fed vs fasted training, pre-exercise protein, and how progressive resistance training (with and without creatine) can rapidly improve muscle, fat mass, bone and confidence in midlife women. We also touch on GLP-1s, metabolic flexibility, CGMs, and daily urine hormone tracking as emerging tools for understanding this life stage.

Episode highlights

• Why women’s research needs a “sufficiency” rather than “scarcity” mindset
• How under-eating, stress and low energy availability drive metabolic slowdown in midlife
• Fed vs fasted training, pre-workout protein, and practical nutrient timing for women
• New data on resistance training, creatine, and rapid changes in muscle, fat and bone in perimenopause
• Using CGMs and daily urine hormone tracking to better understand symptoms and tailor training

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