Stronger by Design for Women with Michelle MacDonald

69 Episodes

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Menopause Mental Health Gap with Dr. Bev Young

2026-10-1336:35

Menopause Mental Health Gap | Dr. Bev Young Menopause is finally getting the attention it deserves. But while conversations about hot flashes, hormone therapy, and physical symptoms are everywhere, one critical piece of women's health is still being overlooked: mental health. Why are so many women in midlife experiencing anxiety, depression, irritability, panic attacks, disrupted sleep, and emotional changes without understanding what is happening? And how do we know whether these symptoms ar...

Does Your Show Prep Coach Have a Plan? with Coach Jean Jacques Barrett

2026-09-2901:01:53

At seven weeks out from a bodybuilding show, the margin for error is getting smaller. You're leaner, more fatigued, more emotionally invested, and probably starting to wonder: Am I actually going to be ready? But there's another question every competitor should be asking: Does your coach actually have a plan? In Part 2 of their show prep series, Stronger By Design™ host Michelle MacDonald sits down again with top natural physique coach and FMG Mexico promoter Jean Jacques Barrett to break dow...

Recovery and Strength for Women Over 60 with Joan MacDonald & Susan Thiessen

2026-09-1547:09

Major surgery can temporarily change what your body can do. But being strong before surgery, physically and mentally, can change how you approach everything that comes next. In this episode of Stronger By Design, Michelle MacDonald sits down with two remarkable women who know that firsthand: Susan Thiessen, 67, and Joan MacDonald, 80. Susan has faced four hip operations in a little over a year, including an unexpected surgery following a serious infection that interrupted her return to bodybu...

Build Your Winning Show Prep Strategy with Coach Jean-Jacques Barrett

2026-09-0239:461

Two athletes can step onto the same stage with the same goal and need completely different strategies to get there. In this episode of Stronger By Design, Michelle MacDonald sits down with her Tulum Strength Club partner Jean-Jacques Barrett to break down what really goes into building a successful show prep strategy around the individual athlete. From starting physique and muscle maturity to division requirements, conditioning, training performance, recovery, adherence and mindset, Michelle ...

The Truth About Cortisol, Metabolism & Midlife Weight Loss with Dr. Allan Bacon

2026-08-1101:06:56

What if cortisol isn't the reason you can't lose weight — and your metabolism isn't broken either? Michelle MacDonald brings back nutrition scientist and coach Dr. Allan Bacon for a conversation that dismantles two of the most persistent myths circulating in women's fitness right now. Together they break down exactly what cortisol is actually doing in your body during exercise, why zone two cardio lowers cortisol for the rest of the day even though it raises it for two hours (and why no...

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Stronger by Design for Women with Michelle MacDonald