Muscle Science for Women

Who is the best and most well-rounded female athlete? What does it mean to be a well-rounded athlete anyway? Why are some "fitness" standards different for men and women (it must be the uterus...) Is cardio really "out" now, or are there types of cardio that can still be beneficial for building muscle and losing fat? Does exercise count as "therapy"? Ashleigh and Rachel discuss all these topics and more - plus, we have some more music playlist ideas for you. We hope you have as much fun listening to this episode as we did making it! Send your thought experiments, funny gym stories, questions, and feedback to musclescience4women@gmail.com. This episode is brought to you by Muscle Science for Women! Check out our programs below, and if you're a member of the military, first responder team, or medical industry, send us a message for a discount on our programs. MSW Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders  MSW Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  And our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com   

Today best-selling author and thyroid health expert Elle Russ joins Ashleigh to discuss the importance of your thyroid: what it does and supports in the body, tell-tale signs that your thyroid health is compromised; hormonal health, fertility, and how that connects with thyroid health; how to advocate for the support you need in the medical system; the connection between confidence and physical health, and so much more.   Interested in taking Elle's Ultimate Thyroid course? Click here: https://www.elleruss.com/a/2147520265/UHhNaaFq   Or learn more about her Ultimate Confidence course here: https://www.elleruss.com/a/2147520266/UHhNaaFq    Have comments, feedback, or questions for us? Email musclescience4women@gmail.com, and don't forget to leave a review, rating, or comment on our podcast whereever you listen!   This episode is brought to you by Kion, they offer creatine monohydrate, Essential Amino Acids, organic coffee, clean protein, and other high-quality products for the discerning health enthusiast. Get up to 20% off your order at getkion.com/musclescience  Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders  Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes   Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com  

In this episode Rachel and Ashleigh are asked by a special listener to design the "perfect human meal;" they talk about what to do if whey protein and whey products are causing skin issues; and they chat about folic acid supplementation for women who may look to become pregnant - can you get enough from your food? Should pregnant women really be eating liver? What's the difference between folic acid and folate?  If you have any comments, feedback or questions for the podcast, send them to musclescience4women@gmail.com For more information on the folic acid supplementation question, we recommend you give Lily Nichols, RDN a follow on social media and her website can be found here: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/?s=folic+acid Here's an article from her website on folate/folic acid: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/?s=folic+acid Shoutout to our show sponsor Active Stacks! They make high-quality collagen peptide powder and beef protein powder in two delicious flavors, chocolate and vanilla. They're made with cocoa and vanilla paste, not that unexplained "natural flavoring" you see listed everywhere, so it tastes better and mixes well into your protein shakes or baking. The chocolate flavor literally tastes like chocolate milk - it's a great way to get a collagen boost in your daily diet. Learn more at https://activestacks.com/discount/MSW10 or use the code MSW10 to save 10% on your purchase! Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders  Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes   Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com  

Today Ashleigh chats with personal trainer, nutritionist, best-selling author, and host of The Brian Keane Podcast about endurance racing as a bodybuilder; strength training for women; the biggest misconceptions about sustainable health; and much more. While we mostly talk to women, about women's issues, sometimes it's enlightening to learn about the similarities (and different perspectives) of coaches with different backgrounds than us, so we hope you find this one interesting! In addition to helping men and women achieve their fitness goals, Brian is a bodybuilder, a dad, and he trains for and has completed some of the world's most grueling endurance challenges, such as six back-to-back marathons through the Sahara desert, 230 km through the Arctic, and multiple ultra-marathons, including a 100-mile ultra-marathon in the desert in Nevada. Have comments, feedback, or questions for us? Email musclescience4women@gmail.com, and don't forget to leave a review, rating, or comment on our podcast whereever you listen!   This episode is brought to you by Kion, they offer creatine monohydrate, Essential Amino Acids, organic coffee, clean protein, and other high-quality products for the discerning health enthusiast. Get up to 20% off your order at getkion.com/musclescience Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders  Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes   Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com  

In this week's episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer listener questions about how to juggle, prioritize, and properly rank all the big healthy lifestyle factors, especially as your life and goals change - we talk about the "Healthy Decision Tree" and how to determine when your priorities should change or when you should make adjustments to your plan. We also discuss how to stick to your goals and healthy habits if you happen to live with people who are not supportive, and in some cases seem like they're actively trying to sabotage you!  All that and more - please rate, review, subscribe, leave a comment on the podcast if you're listening in Spotify, and send all your questions or comments to musclescience4women@gmail.com. Shoutout to our show sponsor Active Stacks! They make high-quality collagen peptide powder and beef protein powder in two delicious flavors, chocolate and vanilla. They're made with cocoa and vanilla paste, not that unexplained "natural flavoring" you see listed everywhere, so it tastes better and mixes well into your protein shakes or baking. The chocolate flavor literally tastes like chocolate milk - it's a great way to get a collagen boost in your daily diet. Learn more at https://activestacks.com/discount/MSW10 or use the code MSW10 to save 10% on your purchase! Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com   

In this episode Rachel shares some big life news, Ashleigh discusses recent conversations about health and fitness with family members, and they answer some fun questions from listeners, including questions about the pros and cons of creatine cycling, and how to know if your strength training and sports-specific training is well balanced. The ladies may have also found one of the coolest podcast listeners ever... Have questions, comments, feedback for us? Send it all to musclescience4women@gmail.com Shoutout to our show sponsor Active Stacks! They make high-quality collagen peptide powder and beef protein powder in two delicious flavors, chocolate and vanilla. They're made with cocoa and vanilla paste, not that unexplained "natural flavoring" you see listed everywhere, so it tastes better and mixes well into your protein shakes or baking. The chocolate flavor literally tastes like chocolate milk - it's a great way to get a collagen boost in your daily diet. Learn more at https://activestacks.com/discount/MSW10 or use the code MSW10 to save 10% on your purchase! Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com 

Not everyone is trying to get leaner and smaller - lots of us want to get bigger and grow more size and muscle, and that can be just as difficult as leaning out. In this episode Ashleigh and Rachel answer listener questions about how to train and eat to GROW: training frequency and type, intensity, nutrition, and the tips you may be missing that could be stalling your growth. We also talk about whether beef protein powder is a complete protein, and how you should be incorporating incomplete proteins into your overall meals and macros. A reminder that if you are a member of the military, medical, or first-responder community, we offer discounts for all of our programs. Emails us at musclescience4women@gmail.com for the discount, or to send us any questions, comments, or topic ideas! Shouout to our show sponsor Active Stacks! They make high-quality collagen peptide powder and beef protein powder in two delicious flavors, chocolate and vanilla. They're made with cocoa and vanilla paste, not that unexplained "natural flavoring" you see listed everywhere, so it tastes better and mixes well into your protein shakes or baking. The chocolate flavor literally tastes like chocolate milk - it's a great way to get a collagen boost in your daily diet. Learn more at https://activestacks.com/discount/MSW10 and use the code MSW10 to save 10% on your purchase! Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com 

In this episode Ashleigh and Rachel talk technology (including some new fitness-related tech Ashleigh is loving, and their thoughts on the health risks of EMF's) but the big conversation today is about goals and standards. They discuss how important it is to have quantifiable goals (vs vague or purely emotional ones); the difference between having high standards and unrealistic ones; and how to audit your life and your goals so they match - because the alternative is always feeling like you're failing, not good enough, or not successful. It turns out, your goal is just as important as the plan you make to get you there - make sure you have the right goal AND the right training. Questions, comments, or feedback? Send them to musclescience4women@gmail.com. This episode is also brought to you by Paleovalley. They make amazing healthy snacks, like 100% grassfed and fermented beef sticks and Superfood bars made with bone broth protein and packed with plant-based superfoods (while still managing to taste like a delicious treat). They also have a range of real-food supplements, like Fish Roe and an Organ Complex. They have a special Anniversary Sale offer from August 11-18 only: use this link for 35% off and get a free gift with purchase! https://paleovalley.com/anniversary-sale?oid=17&affid=2103 Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com 

In this short episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer listener questions about how you know when it's time to eat more carbs, and offer some practical and tangible health tips for shift workers.  A reminder that if you are a member of the military, medical, or first-responder community, we offer discounts for all of our programs. Emails us at musclescience4women@gmail.com for the discount, or to send us any questions, comments, or topic ideas! This episode is brought to you by Paleovalley. They make amazing healthy snacks, like 100% grassfed and fermented beef sticks and Superfood bars made with bone broth protein and packed with plant-based superfoods (while still managing to taste like a delicious treat). They also have a range of real-food supplements, like Fish Roe and an Organ Complex. This company doesn't cut corners, they combine the best that plants and animals have to offer for our health, and it shows - get 15% off your order at https://paleovalley.com/musclescience  And shoutout to our show sponsor Active Stacks! They make high-quality collagen peptide powder and beef protein powder in two delicious flavors, chocolate and vanilla. They're made with cocoa and vanilla paste, not that unexplained "natural flavoring" you see listed everywhere, so it tastes better and mixes well into your protein shakes or baking. The chocolate flavor literally tastes like chocolate milk - it's a great way to get a collagen boost in your daily diet. Learn more at https://activestacks.com/discount/MSW10 and use the code MSW10 to save 10% on your purchase! Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com   

The Women of Muscle Science are back from their summer break! Get ready for fun life updates, some silliness, and as always, plenty of education mixed in. This week the ladies answer questions about how to stay consistent with your fitness when you travel a lot for work; how to improve your workouts in general; and the age-old question: is it really harder for women to lose fat than men? And if so, WHY?! (and what can we do about it?) Don't miss it - and please email musclescience4women@gmail.com with any feedback, questions or comments. Here's the link to Ashleigh's blog post with three ways to improve your workouts now, without even changing your programming: https://ashleighvanhouten.com/blogs/news/three-ways-to-improve-your-workouts-today-without-changing-your-programming  We have an epic Amazon Prime deal from our show sponsor, Active Stacks - makers of high-quality collagen peptide powder and beef protein powder in two delicious flavors, chocolate and vanilla. Head to this link and use the claim code 05PRIMEMSW https://www.amazon.com/promocode/A2PBCGF48UL6FT This episode is also brought to you by Paleovalley. They make amazing healthy snacks, like 100% grassfed and fermented beef sticks and Superfood bars made with bone broth protein and packed with plant-based superfoods (while still managing to taste like a delicious treat). They also have a range of real-food supplements, like Fish Roe and an Organ Complex. This company doesn't cut corners, they combine the best that plants and animals have to offer for our health, and it shows - get 15% off your order at https://paleovalley.com/musclescience Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com   

In this week's episode, Ashleigh and Rachel chat about how they manage their colds (including what they do to minimize sickness). They also answer questions from listeners about how to improve bone density: what exercises should we be doing? At what age is it too late? Why is bone density important? What foods help? Do partial range of motion reps help hypertrophy even more than full range of motion? Prepare for a deep dive! And Ashleigh tells a Planet Fitness story Download Rachel's sick protocol: https://www.rgfit.com/blog/sick-protocol  All that and more - if you have questions, comments, or funny stories for the Muscle Science ladies, send them to musclescience4women@gmail.com. This episode is brought to you by Paleovalley. They make amazing healthy snacks, like 100% grassfed and fermented beef sticks and Superfood bars made with bone broth protein and packed with plant-based superfoods (while still managing to taste like a delicious treat). They also have a range of real-food supplements, like Fish Roe and an Organ Complex. This company doesn't cut corners, they combine the best that plants and animals have to offer for our health, and it shows - get 15% off your order at https://paleovalley.com/musclescience And shoutout to our show sponsor Active Stacks! They make high-quality collagen peptide powder and beef protein powder in two delicious flavors, chocolate and vanilla. They're made with cocoa and vanilla paste, not that unexplained "natural flavoring" you see listed everywhere, so it tastes better and mixes well into your protein shakes or baking. The chocolate flavor literally tastes like chocolate milk - it's a great way to get a collagen boost in your daily diet. Learn more at https://activestacks.com/discount/MSW10 and use the code MSW10 to save 10% on your purchase! Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com   

In this episode Rachel recaps a fun Vegas weekend, they talk about some of their favorite "on the go" snacks, and they answer a listener question about balancing strength training and marathon training. The girls also go through a case study from a listener who is also a VERY common client profile: a woman in her 50's who has spent decades undereating, being extremely rigid and strict with their diet, over training and under recovering, and practicing a negative and fear-based mindset around food and training. This client is now, in menopause, struggling with minor weight gain and wondering if decades of habits are impossible to fix or change. There's a lot to unpack here and we hope you find it helpful! This episode is brought to you by Paleovalley. They make amazing healthy snacks, like 100% grassfed and fermented beef sticks and Superfood bars made with bone broth protein and packed with plant-based superfoods (while still managing to taste like a delicious treat). They also have a range of real-food supplements, like Fish Roe and an Organ Complex. This company doesn't cut corners, they combine the best that plants and animals have to offer for our health, and it shows - get 15% off your order at https://paleovalley.com/musclescience Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com     

This week Ashleigh and Rachel recap Ashleigh's San Diego visit; they respond to a critical email about Botox; they answer a question about whether or not you should cut or bulk first, and a deeper conversation about how to know when you have "enough" muscle. What does enough muscle even mean? How do you know if you have enough to maintain health - and should we be at all worried about too much muscle - what are the potential downsides? This is a fun episode - if you have any feedback or topic ideas send them to musclescience4women@gmail.com. Sign up for our NEW workshop, Strong & Sculpted Shoulders: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders  Check out our specialized program, the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes More info on our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com And shoutout to our show sponsor Active Stacks! They make high-quality collagen peptide powder and beef protein powder in two delicious flavors, chocolate and vanilla. They're made with cocoa and vanilla paste, not that unexplained "natural flavoring" you see listed everywhere, so it tastes better and mixes well into your protein shakes or baking. The chocolate flavor literally tastes like chocolate milk - it's a great way to get a collagen boost in your daily diet. Learn more at https://activestacks.com/discount/MSW10 and use the code MSW10 to save 10% on your purchase!

In today's episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer listener questions about whether or not three meals per day is optimal for protein/nutrient absorption; if some builds or anatomies just aren't cut out for certain exercises (and if so, how do we pick the best movements for our bodies?); Ashleigh rants about a particularly bad take on the carnivore diet; and more. If you have questions, comments, feedback, or want to add a topic for "Ashleigh's Rant Corner," send it to musclescience4women@gmail.com. This episode is brought to you by Paleovalley. They make amazing healthy snacks, like 100% grassfed and fermented beef sticks and Superfood bars made with bone broth protein and packed with plant-based superfoods (while still managing to taste like a delicious treat). They also have a range of real-food supplements, like Fish Roe and an Organ Complex. This company doesn't cut corners, they combine the best that plants and animals have to offer for our health, and it shows - get 15% off your order at https://paleovalley.com/musclescience Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders Or check out the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Learn about our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com   

In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer a listener's question about a recent study claiming that high leucine (and dietary protein) intake can cause atherosclerosis or cardiovascular disease. The links below provide more information on the study and their response.  The ladies also chat about some recent injuries, Ashleigh's upcoming trip to San Diego, and more. If you have questions, comments, feedback, or want to add a topic for "Ashleigh's Rant Corner," send it to musclescience4women@gmail.com. This episode is brought to you by Paleovalley. They make amazing healthy snacks, like 100% grassfed and fermented beef sticks and Superfood bars made with bone broth protein and packed with plant-based superfoods (while still managing to taste like a delicious treat). They also have a range of real-food supplements, like Fish Roe and an Organ Complex. This company doesn't cut corners, they combine the best that plants and animals have to offer for our health, and it shows - get 15% off your order at https://paleovalley.com/musclescience Sign up for our new Strong & Sculpted Shoulders workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/shoulders Get fit with us in 2024 - sign up for the Grow Your Glutes Workshop: https://www.rgfit.com/glutes  Or our flagship strength training program, Muscle Science for Women: http://www.musclescienceforwomen.com  Link to the study discussed in this episode: 1. Zhang X, Kapoor D, Jeong SJ, et al. Identification of a leucine-mediated threshold effect governing macrophage mTOR signalling and cardiovascular risk. Nat Metab. 2024;6(2):359-377. Link to Dr. Peter Attia's response, also mentioned: https://peterattiamd.com/protein-and-ascvd/