About this episode

Dr. Sasha Hakman and Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple discuss the science behind cycle syncing, fasted training, and muscle building for women over 40, debunking common myths in the fitness industry.

Most women have been told at some point that their menstrual cycle should dictate how they train, that fasted workouts are wrecking their hormones, or that muscle-building becomes nearly impossible after 40. In this episode, Dr. Sasha Hakman sits down with researcher and women's health expert Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple to separate what the science actually shows from what the fitness industry is selling. They break down why cycle syncing isn't backed by the data, whether fasted training really matters, how much protein your body can actually use at once, and what's really true (and not true) about building muscle in perimenopause and menopause. If you've ever felt confused, discouraged, or like you needed to buy one more program to finally "get it right," this episode is for you. In this episode, we cover: Why the fitness industry profits from confusion — and how "cycle syncing" programs oversell the effect of hormones on your training Fasted vs. fed training: does it affect fat loss, muscle growth, or strength adaptations? (Spoiler: no) Low energy availability explained — who's actually at risk, and why it's different from simply training fasted The truth about the "anabolic…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Sasha Hakman

Guest: Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple

Topics covered

• cycle syncing
• fasted training
• muscle building after 40
• women's health
• fitness industry myths

Keywords

• menstrual cycle
• hormones
• protein timing
• anabolic window
• low energy availability

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