Hit Play Not Pause

*This episode originally dropped on January 3, 2024*

As we roll into a brand new year filled with goals and aspirations, this week’s guest, fan-favorite Peloton Cycling instructor Christine D’Ercole would like to remind us that we are bigger than a smaller pair of pants, and the most powerful thing anyone can say to us is what we say to ourselves, and we have agency in that conversation. Now 52, Christine has started using her enormous platform to share her experiences with the menopause transition and to defy and rewrite the story that we’ve been told about what menopause means when it comes to what we’re capable of and how we see ourselves. When she’s not putting power into her pedals, she’s helping women empower themselves by changing their self talk and helps guide them with her signature mantra: I Am I Can I Will I Do. We cover Christine’s menopause experience, her body image battles, and how she uses self talk in her own life and you can too. You can learn more about her and her work at christinedercole.com.

Christine D’Ercole is a speaker, writer, decorated competitive cyclist, and original Peloton Cycling Instructor who inspires thousands daily with her work on and off the bike. She is also the founder of WORDSHOP: a workshop in self-talk that is a practical and profound tool for change, centered on the four prompts that make up the root of all our self-talk: I am... I can... I will... and I do. Over the past ten years she has provided wordshops for major corporations, youth organizations and Employee Resource Groups. When she is not writing or speaking, Christine is racing her bike at Velodromes across the country. She is a Masters World Champion, holds 15 National titles, and is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University.

Check out her CDE Menopause Playlist here on Spotify.

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Midlife and menopause can be the perfect time to try something new (like as we talk about this week, mountain biking!...but also surfing, skiing, you name it). It frees you from the endless self comparison that can come after years (even decades) in the same sport and infuses you with the confidence that comes with tackling new challenges. And it’s never too late and you are never too old. With skills training, you can learn from the ground up at whatever pace is comfortable for you. You also don’t have to be a newbie to benefit. Brushing up on the fundamentals of sports like mountain biking can help ease the anxiety that many of us experience as our hormones swing during this time of life. This week’s guest, mountain bike coach Karen Brooks knows all about all of it, as she helps women of all ages and abilities (as well as her perimenopausal self) learn, grow, and conquer physical as well as mental obstacles.

Karen Brooks has had a varied career in the bike world: mechanic and manager of bike shops, editor of Dirt Rag and Bicycle Times magazines, bike consultant for Carnegie Mellon University, and professional mountain bike skills coach. She has been helping people find confidence and have fun on two wheels for ten years with PMBIA Level 2 and BICP mountain bike certifications, and teaches street biking skills through the League of American Bicyclists. Karen is also on the board of Bike Pittsburgh and advocates for safer walking and biking conditions. Her bike racing history is not all that distinguished, but she did finish the Trans-Sylvania Epic mountain bike stage race on a singlespeed, didn’t hate it, and went back to do it again the next year. She currently coaches locally through Full Psych Adventure Team and nationally with Ladies AllRide and other organizations. You can learn more about her and her work at Full Psych Adventure Team. 

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Hettas: Shop Hettas at https://alnk.to/h6KsEBr

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Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

The conversation around hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms is pretty clear. Hormone therapy is the gold standard for treating hot flashes and night sweats and can help with many other common symptoms that come with the menopause transition. It’s very effective and broadly safe. But recently, the conversation has evolved past symptom management and into preventative health with many experts suggesting that hormone therapy may play a larger role in extending a woman’s healthspan, if not lifespan. That maybe we should all start taking hormones to protect our hearts and cognitive health. And there’s promising research in those areas. Yet none of the medical associations recommend hormones for those purposes. Why? That’s what we dig into this week with Professor Susan Davis, AO, who is a pioneer and leading expert in women's health as a clinical endocrinologist, researcher, and educator. She reflects on her decades of research on various forms of hormone therapy and shares what we know–and still don’t know–today regarding traditional hormone therapy as well as testosterone therapy for women’s health post menopause.

Professor Susan R Davis AO, MBBS, FRACP, PhD, FAHMS is a clinician researcher with expertise in the role of sex hormones in women across the lifespan. She is Head of the Monash University Women’s Health Research Program and holds a Level 3 NHMRC Investigator Grant. Susan is a Consultant Endocrinologist and Head of the Women’s Endocrine Clinic, Alfred Hospital Melbourne and a consultant at Cabrini Medical Centre. She is a Fellow and Council Member of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. She is a past President of the Australasian Menopause Society and the International Menopause Society. She has over 435 peer-reviewed publications and has received numerous national and international prestigious research awards. Susan was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for  distinguished service to medicine, to women's health as a clinical endocrinologist and researcher, and to medical education. You can learn more about her and her work at Monash University.

Resources

2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause here

Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Cardiovascular Disease: The Role of Formulation, Dose, and Route of Delivery here

Use of MHT in women with cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis here

Studying Studies: Part I – relative risk vs. absolute risk by Peter Attia, MD, here

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Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

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Support our Partners:

Hettas: Shop Hettas at https://alnk.to/h6KsEBr

Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

Boy, oh boy, we women can really struggle to find good medical care–especially when we hit the menopause transition. And this week’s guest Erin Ferguson has experienced that firsthand. Erin went through multiple gynecological complications, surgeries, and hormonally-driven symptoms, including panic attacks, anxiety, weight gain, painful periods, severely disrupted sleep, hot flashes, night sweats, and complete lack of mojo for months (and for some symptoms, years) before finally finding a doctor who helped her with hormone therapy. Her message for every woman: If you know something is wrong with you, don't stop looking for help until you find it. Keep searching for help, because there is someone who will help you.

Erin Ferguson is a competitive triathlete, who despite suffering through spells of really awful symptoms and some truly terrible medical care, has managed to succeed in her sport with multiple age group podiums and overall wins and has represented Team USA as a competitor six times in Long Course World Championships. Most recently she has earned a slot to compete in The World Triathlon Multisport World Championships, Long Course in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia this August. 

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Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

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Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Support our Partners:

Hettas: Shop Hettas at https://alnk.to/h6KsEBr

Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

Nearly every one of us will go through some mourning with the changes that come with menopause. Even if we go on hormone therapy, which can help a ton, there is some loss that comes at this time. A loss of our reproductive selves. A loss of speed in our sport. A loss of our ability to quickly bounce back after hard workouts. A loss of some aspect of our health, wellness, or appearance. Some are big. Some are small.  But they’re there and they’re real. And that means going through some stages of grief, which is always painful, but also opens us up to a process of discovery and adaptation and transformation, which can take us to some amazing places. This week we explore the process and discuss how to work around the psychological obstacles of menopause with Performance Psychology Consultant, Dr. Kathryn Wilder. 

Kathryn C. Wilder, PhD, is a lifelong Human Performance and Wellness Consultant whose work has been featured in Bicycling, Triathlon, USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, and hundreds of other morning shows, online articles, and podcasts. She has worked with more than 1000 elite athletes, including some of the most successful cyclists in U.S. history, including Laura Van Gilder and Mandy Marquardt. She herself is a collegiate All-American, former Professional Cyclist, ranked top 20 in the United States, and two-time U.S. National Champion.  She has had a thriving professional performance psychology practice since 1999. You can learn more about her and her work at her profile on LinkedIn. 

Resources

Dr. Kathryn Wilder’s ride through cancer, here

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Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Support our Partners:

Hettas: Shop Hettas at https://alnk.to/h6KsEBr

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Previnex: Get 15% off your order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

Gynecological surgeries are extremely common. More 600,000 women get a hysterectomy each year in the US alone, and more than one-third of women will have had one by age 60. And often a woman is told that she’s “good to go” after a few weeks, when in reality, when it comes to her sport, she’s anything but, and she can struggle for months–or longer–because no one properly helped her rehab to return to powerlifting, doing double-unders, running 13 miles, or many of the activities we take for granted as part of regular life. That’s where this week’s guest, Dr. Jocelyn Wallace comes in. Using her professional as well as personal experience, Jocelyn devotes her practice to helping women rebuild strength after surgery and bridge the gap back to their active and athletic lives without prolapse, pain, or peeing themselves. We talk all about her work there as well as dealing with common pelvic health concerns, especially pain and incontinence.

Jocelyn Wallace, PT, DPT, CF-L2 is a pelvic health physical therapist who helps women get back to the things they love after gynecological surgeries, specializing in hysterectomy, myomectomy, and excision surgery recovery. She has firsthand experience navigating recovery as an athlete, having her first open myomectomy a few weeks after her first powerlifting meet. After seeing how little support is given to women after major abdominal surgery, she vowed to fill that gap. Since then, she has had 2 more abdominal surgeries, with 54 fibroids removed, and is a Level 2 CrossFit Trainer, combining the skillsets of physio + fitness to help women fully return to their active lives. You can learn more about her and her work at drjocelynwallace.com.

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Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-40/

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Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Support our Partners:

Hettas: Shop Hettas at https://alnk.to/h6KsEBr

Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

Supplements get a bad rap. And to be fair, there is a lot of trash out there. But there are some treasures, too, especially for midlife and menopausal women who often can use some extra help building bone, recovering from injuries, and hitting it hard during training and events. This week we break down the best ergogenic aids for active women in and beyond the menopause transition with Kristen Arnold of Sports Nutrition for Women. 

Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD is a board-certified sports dietitian, cycling coach, retired professional athlete, and team sport director for USA Cycling and professional cycling teams. Her private practice is centered around empowering women through evidence-based sports nutrition coaching and information, and she has done research on improving postmenopausal women's health through nutrition strategies and counseling. You can learn more about her and her work at sportsnutritionforwomen.com.

Resources

The JUMPFOOD study: additional effect of hydrolyzed collagen and vitamin C to exercise treatment for patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee) in athletes—study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled trial here

Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women—A Randomized Controlled Study here

How collagen could help heal your torn rotator cuff, Achilles tendon, meniscus and more here

The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on body composition, collagen synthesis, and recovery from joint injury and exercise: a systematic review here

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Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-40/

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Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Support our Partners:

Hettas: Shop Hettas at https://alnk.to/h6KsEBr

Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

Menopause and age raise our cardiovascular disease risk. Athletes and highly active people also tend to have a higher prevalence of coronary artery calcium and atherosclerotic plaque (though it tends to be the benign kind). But what does that all mean? How can we know what’s really going on in those coronary arteries of ours? To find out, host Selene Yeager had a Cleerly-enabled coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), which uses AI-enabled software to help characterize coronary plaque composition and cardiovascular disease risk. This week, she sat down with Anita Vadria, MS, PA-C, who is the Director of Medical Science Liaisons and Clinical Education at Cleerly to go over her results, talk about plaque and heart disease risk, and how technology is helping advance our understanding of our personal risk.  

Anita Vadria, MS, PA-C, is the Director of Medical Science Liaisons and Clinical Education at Cleerly. She is a Board Certified Physician Assistant with a focus in Cardiology. She received her undergraduate degree in Molecular and Cell Biology and received her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies from Western University of Health Sciences in Los Angeles, CA.

Resources

Impact of atherosclerosis imaging-quantitative computed tomography on diagnostic certainty, downstream testing, coronary revascularization, and medical therapy: the CERTAIN study, here

Atherosclerosis Imaging Quantitative Computed Tomography (AI‐QCT) to guide referral to invasive coronary angiography in the randomized controlled CONSERVE trial, here

Coronary Artery Calcification Among Endurance Athletes “Hearts of Stone”, here

Physical Activity and Progression of Coronary Artery Calcification in Men and Women, here

Most heart attack patients' cholesterol levels did not indicate cardiac risk, here 

Lipid levels in patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease: an analysis of 136,905 hospitalizations in Get With The Guidelines, here

2010 ACCF/AHA Guideline for Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk in Asymptomatic Adults

A Report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines, here

Heart attacks with no obvious risk factors on the rise, here

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Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

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Support our Partners:

Hettas: Shop Hettas at https://alnk.to/h6KsEBr

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Previnex: Get 15% off your order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

This week we bring you a special live show from UNBOUND Gravel in Emporia, KS, where we sat down with two legends in the sport of gravel cycling, UNBOUND Gravel co-founder Kristi Mohn and seven time world champion Rebecca Rusch to have an open, honest conversation about midlife and menopause, how we view things today, and what we want for the future. Spoiler alert: We’re not hanging it up anytime soon. 

Kristi Mohn is one of the founders of UNBOUND Gravel and is an integral member of the Life Time offroad team. She is also a Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame inductee, and is the cohost, along with Kathryn Taylor, of the Girls Gone Gravel podcast. 

Rebecca Rusch is an adventure athlete, seven time World Champion, two time Hall of Fame inductee, keynote speaker, best-selling author of Rusch to Glory, founder of Rebecca’s Private Idaho, and an Emmy award winner for the film Blood Road.

Enter to win a Liv Devote - Be Good™ Edition gravel bike and an entry to Rebecca’s Private Idaho gravel event this summer! Head on over to feistygiveaway.com by June 16 for your chance to win. (You must be based in the U.S. to win.)

https://livefeisty.com/training/

Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-40/

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Support our Partners:

Hettas: Shop Hettas at https://alnk.to/h6KsEBr

Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr

As active menopausal women, we get outright bombarded with ads for nutritional supplements. But what do we really need? This week, we take it down to brass tacks and hit the basics with registered dietitian nutritionist Katie Linville. We break it down on what we should know about calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, iron, and the other vitamins and minerals we’re often told to take as a matter of course. While we’re at it, we also venture into cholesterol, blood sugar, and CGMs. You may be surprised to learn that there’s more to these metrics than what you eat.

Katie Linville is a registered dietitian with 11+ years of experience, who received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Florida State University. Katie specializes in nutrition for women’s health, and has experience supporting women in menopause to optimize mental health and their relationship with food and their bodies. Additionally, she holds a specialty certification in oncology nutrition (CSO) and has experience working with cancer survivors through treatment and for prevention. In her spare time, Katie enjoys running, hiking, and spending time at the beach with her family. You can learn more about her and her work at 

www.gennev.com/providers/katie-linville

Resources:

https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-iron-vegans

https://livefeisty.com/training/

Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-40/

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Support our Partners:

Hettas: Shop Hettas at https://alnk.to/h6KsEBr

Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr