In this episode Ashleigh and Rachel discuss the differences in body fat percentages between men and women, including what's healthy and sustainable, and how they will look different depending on a range of factors; they dive into the concept of "mental fitness" and how it applies to overall health and fitness; they discuss changes they're making to Muscle Science for Women in 2026, and Ashleigh chats about her newest personal venture: a coaching app!

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit. If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to [email protected].

If you want to learn more about or sign up for Ashleigh's new coaching app, click the link below and get 20% off your first month through November 28: studio.com/ashleigh/fitness-coaching

Learn all about the Muscle Science For Women programs at https://musclescienceforwomen.com and reach out to us for a first responder/military discount.

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

This week Rachel and Ashleigh answer questions from listeners including:

• Advice for vegetarians on how to optimize health and muscle
• How to train around your cycle when your birth control prevents you from having a cycle
• How long does it take to lose muscle (and gain it back) when you have to take a break due to injury or surgery
• Thoughts on THC as a replacement for alcohol, and any possible training benefits

All that and more! We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to [email protected].

Check out the BRAND NEW program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel have an impromptu mental health chat, talking about their own personal struggles and ways in which we can all face our challenges head on rather than looking for ways to numb or distract ourselves. Mental health is such a huge part of physical health (and vice versa) and it's helpful to take a step back from muscles and macros every now and then to talk about the bigger picture. After all, most of us are working on our health so we can enjoy life to the fullest.

And also, to lighten the mood, they talk Halloween costumes. This is a vulnerable one, and if you enjoyed it or found it resonates with you, we'd love for you to leave a comment in Spotify or share the episode on social media.

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to [email protected].

Check out the latest program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

In this quickie episode, Ashleigh talks about five key ways to make fitness, strength, health, and body composition improvements even when you have no time - maybe you have young kids, a demanding job, or are just going through a period with very little time to meal prep, work out, or do the things you normally do to feel good. We have answers - because there are always choices to make, and the more informed you are about what factors actually move the needle, the better choices you can make with your limited time.

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to [email protected].

Check out the NEW program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer user questions about whether or not powerlifting is bad for teenagers' growing bodies; talking about body image with your kids; can you build muscle with a back injury, and more. Plus they talk about some of the exercises they've been loving lately.

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to [email protected].

Check out the BRAND NEW program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

In this solo episode (a re-release of a popular episode from Rachel's other podcast, MetFlex and Chill) Rachel discusses what happens when your diet stops working for you, and how to fix the problem.

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to [email protected].

Check out the BRAND NEW program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

In this brand-new episode, Ashleigh and Rachel share big life and fitness updates; they give their unfiltered answer to a listener question who wonders if she's being insane about her body recomp goals; they share how to balance cardio and lifting to best support your goals, and more.

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to [email protected].

Check out the BRAND NEW program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

In this solo episode (a re-release of a popular episode from Rachel's other podcast, MetFlex and Chill) Rachel talks about the mistakes women make when trying to build muscle.

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to [email protected].

Check out the BRAND NEW program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

In this episode of the Healthy Aging Series, Ashleigh and Beth discuss mental health: how it impacts physical health and vice versa; how it changes through the decades; how our hormonal changes impact mental health; how to manage the mental health of loved ones, and so much more - see timestamps below. You can watch every episode of the Healthy Aging Series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@musclemaven

If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to [email protected] or leave them in the comments.

Learn more about the hosts at bethlipton.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

Check out the BRAND NEW program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture from your coaches. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Timestamps:

2:00: Making career changes as an older person

3:30: What impacts your mental health as you age? Hormones, life circumstances

7:00: How hormonal fluctutations impact women's mental health vs. men's 11:00: What the internet tells us to do to protect mental health

15:00: What is a midlife crisis? Why does this happen?

29:30: Which surprising age group is most likely to be depressed

36:00: What happens to mental health after retirement

42:40: Dealing with the mental health of loved ones

54:10: Body signals and biofeedback that provide clues to mental health

In this solo episode, Ashleigh weighs in on whether or not weighted vests are worth it; she talks about starting a CrossFit support group for folks trying to leave, and answers a question from the podcasts #5 male listener about supporting your partner through tough times.

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to [email protected].

Check out the BRAND NEW program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com