“Carbs are evil.” As we usher in 2026, and as endurance athletes around the globe are stuffing down as many carbohydrates per hour as humanly possible to supercharge their performance, this week’s guest, sports dietitian Kristen Arnold, still manages misconceptions, especially from her midlife clients, that carbohydrates are something to be cut from the diet. Nothing could be further from the truth. This week we kick off the new year with a show all about the life and performance-boosting benefits of carbs. We cover carbohydrate timing, processed carbs versus unprocessed carbs, carbohydrate’s impact on blood sugar, brain function, mood, inflammation, general health, and much, much more.

Kristen Arnold, MS, RDN, CSSD is a board-certified sports dietitian, cycling coach, and retired professional athlete with over 10 years of experience in sports dietetics. She has worked with a wide range of professional sports teams, athlete-centered healthcare initiatives, and Olympic organizations. Kristen owns a thriving private practice dedicated to empowering active women across the lifespan through evidence-based sports nutrition coaching and education. She is a first-author, peer-reviewed researcher on improving postmenopausal women’s health through targeted nutrition strategies and counseling, and she regularly speaks on podcasts and contributes to publications on sports nutrition topics. Learn more at sportsnutritionforwomen.com.

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This episode originally dropped on: March 19, 2025

Many of us have spent a lifetime trying to shrink ourselves. We grew up being told you could never be too thin. As athletes, especially in endurance sports, smaller, lighter, faster was the ethos of the day. That is changing as we see athletes, especially women, discover that being fueled and strong yields even better performance–and longevity. This week’s guest, trainer and nutrition coach Steph Gaudreau embodies that journey through both her personal and professional life. She shares how, for 40+ women especially, growing muscles is the key to better energy and performance in sport and life, and how strength training is the gateway to midlife self-acceptance.

Steph Gaudreau, CISSN, CPT, helps athletic women over 40 fuel themselves better, get stronger, increase their energy, and perform better in the gym. She’s a sports nutritionist and strength coach with multiple certifications including USA Weightlifting coach, Menopause Health & Fitness Specialist, Girls Gone Strong Women’s Coaching Specialist, and Intuitive Eating Counselor. She shares her advice on building strength, proper fueling, and much more as the host of the Fuel Your Strength Podcast. You can learn more about Steph and her work at www.stephgaudreau.com

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This episode originally dropped on: June 2, 2025

When some of the biggest names in menopause medicine want to learn to lift heavy, they turn to this week’s guest, Nike Master Trainer and midlife fitness advocate Holly Rilinger, founder of the LIFTED Method. Because Holly gets it. She’s been through her own journey with damaging diet culture, body image issues, and a challenging perimenopause that has left her navigating sheet soaking night sweats, brain fog, and fatigue. Through a midlife-specific training plan and tailored hormone therapy regimen (including testosterone), she’s been able to reclaim her energy and power and is devoted to helping others do the same. This week we dive into the science and strategy behind Holly’s Lifted Method and her Blueprint programs designed specifically for women in midlife, as well as for those using GLP-1 medications. This conversation is packed with insight, honesty, and a lot of muscle. You can learn more about Holly and her programs at www.theliftedmethodcoaching.com

Holly Rilinger is a Nike Master Trainer, author, and founder of the LIFTED Method: An in-person and virtual platform with the focus of empowering people at all levels to strength train. Holly is dedicated to delivering innovative, science-backed training methods in an environment that prioritizes growth, resilience, and a lifelong passion for fitness. Holly coaches in her East Hampton studio and on her virtual platform. She is also the founder of LIFTED Blueprint, formerly Menopause Bootcamp, a program designed specifically to help women in midlife get stronger, feel more energized, and gain confidence as they navigate this powerful phase of life. She is also the creator of LIFTED’s newest program for SLP-1 patients–GLP-1 Blueprint in partnership with Dr. Alexandra Sowa of So Well.

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