Stronger by Design for Women with Michelle MacDonald

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 are related to hormonal fluctuations, an underlying mental health condition, or the pressures of midlife itself?

In this episode of Stronger By Design™, host Michelle MacDonald sits down with psychiatrist Dr. Bev Young, co-founder of Bria, to explore the often-missed connection between perimenopause, menopause, and women's mental health.

With 25 years of experience in women's mental health, Dr. Young explains why menopause mental health care is still decades behind the progress made in recognizing postpartum depression, and why treating physical symptoms alone may leave women struggling unnecessarily.

Together, Michelle and Dr. Young explore:

• Menopause and mental health: Why anxiety, depression, irritability, and even "menopause rage" may appear before traditional physical symptoms.
• Hormonal sensitivity: How a history of PMS, PMDD, or postpartum depression may help identify women who are more vulnerable to mood changes during perimenopause.
• Hormone therapy isn't a cure-all: Why menopausal hormone therapy can be helpful but may not address every mental health concern.
• The midlife pressure cooker: How relationships, aging parents, children, work, and shifting identities can compound emotional challenges.
• Finding the right treatment: The roles of mental health assessments, antidepressants, cognitive behavioral therapy, lifestyle changes, and individualized care.
• Closing the care gap: How Bria and Bria Academy are educating healthcare professionals to better recognize and treat menopause-related mental health concerns.

Dr. Young also challenges the idea that suffering through menopause is simply something women should accept. Her message is clear: women deserve to be heard, properly assessed, and supported with evidence-based care.

And importantly, this conversation isn't just about what's going wrong. It's also about what's possible. With the right support, midlife can become a time of greater freedom, renewed confidence, and the opportunity to redefine what comes next.

Whether you're navigating perimenopause, supporting someone who is, or working with women in midlife, this episode offers a different perspective on menopause and the importance of caring for the whole person.

Favorite Moments

0:15 Why Menopause Mental Health Is Still So Stigmatized

3:19 The Menopause Symptoms Women Aren't Talking About

4:25 Menopause Rage, Anxiety & Depression: What's Normal and What's Not?

8:18 Can PMS and Postpartum Depression Predict Menopause Mental Health Struggles?

14:06 Why Hormonal Fluctuations Can Trigger Anxiety and Depression

15:32 Hormone Therapy Isn't a Cure-All for Mental Health

18:38 Waking Up With Dread: When Sleep Problems Signal Something Deeper

19:53 Beyond Medication: What Actually Helps Women's Mental Health?

22:04 Wine Is Not the New Yoga: Alcohol's Impact on Menopause

24:51 Why Dr. Young Had to Create Her Own Menopause Mental Health Training Program

28:56 The 25-Year Gap Between Postpartum and Menopause Mental Health Care

30:03 Stop Grinning and Bearing It: Why Women Need to Ask for Help

31:44 Menopause Can Be a Time of Freedom, Renewal & Reinvention

32:38 The Midlife Mindset Shift: Finally Putting Yourself First

34:04 How to Find a Menopause Mental Health-Certified Provider

GUEST: DR. BEV YOUNG

Dr. Bev Young is a psychiatrist with 25 years of experience in women's mental health and co-founder of Bria, a healthcare organization focused on providing comprehensive mental health and hormone health support across women's reproductive life stages.

Through Bria, Dr. Young and her colleagues bring together psychiatry, therapy, hormone health assessments, and other specialized services to address the unique challenges women experience during pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause.

She is also a founder of the Bria Academy, which developed the Menopause Mental Health Provider Certification program to help healthcare professionals better recognize and support women's mental health needs during midlife.

Resources:

Bria: https://bria.health

Bria Academy: https://briaacademy.com

Instagram: @bria.health

HOST: MICHELLE MACDONALD

Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known internationally for her evidence-based approach to women's fitness, Michelle has coached thousands of women since 2012 through strength training, nutrition, and mindset.

She is a Physique Champion, ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist, co-founder of Tulum Strength Club, and founder of The Wonder Women™ (TWW).

Michelle is also recognized for helping inspire the remarkable transformation of her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™), and continues to empower women to redefine aging through science-backed fitness education and coaching.

Connect with Michelle:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellemacdonaldofficial/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.macdonald.yhhedonista

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michellemacdonaldofficial

🔗 Website: https://www.michellemacdonaldofficial.com/

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 down what a strategically coached contest prep should look like as an athlete moves closer to the stage.

This isn't just about macros and cardio. Michelle and Jean Jacques explain why your coach needs to understand your training performance, recovery, sleep, digestion, stress, menstrual cycle, travel, posing and other biofeedback, and why seemingly insignificant information can completely change a coaching decision. Jean Jacques makes the point that while the athlete may not be “driving the car,” she should understand the destination

They also turn the conversation around: what does your coach need from you?

From athletes quietly adding extra cardio or steps, to leaving out missed workouts, food struggles, poor sleep or upcoming travel, Michelle and Jean Jacques explain how incomplete information can lead even a good coach toward the wrong decision.

They also tackle one of the hardest questions in contest prep: when is feeling terrible simply part of getting stage lean, and when is it a warning sign that something needs to change? Jean Jacques shares his own experience with severe fatigue, swelling and other symptoms during prep, while Michelle explains why “push harder” isn't always the right answer when an athlete is already executing the plan.

You'll learn what a coach should be able to tell you about your current conditioning, division criteria and rate of progress, why posing videos provide valuable coaching data, how individualized a contest-prep diet really is, and why peak week should never be treated like a last-minute magic trick.

Michelle and Jean Jacques also identify red flags that may indicate your prep isn't being managed strategically and explain the questions athletes should be asking their coaches as the show gets closer.

Because at seven weeks out, you shouldn't just know what you're doing.

You should understand where you're going, what your coach is watching, and why.

Favorite Moments

• 1:00 Seven Weeks Out: Does Your Coach Actually Have a Plan?
• 2:29 Your Coach Isn't Driving Blind, But You Need to Know the Destination
• 5:29 Think You're Bugging Your Coach? Please Bug Them
• 11:40 Can Mental Toughness Actually Hurt Your Prep?
• 17:06 "Where Am I Right Now?" What Your Coach Should Be Able to Tell You
• 21:37 Are You Actually on Track for Your Division?
• 26:49 Stop Comparing Your Prep to Someone Else's
• 27:56 Peak Week Isn't the Time for Magic Tricks
• 33:24 When Should You Start Questioning Your Coach?
• 37:23 Sometimes the Right Answer Is a Total Rest Day
• 40:36 The Photoshoot Mistake That Made JJ a "Water Buffalo" on Stage
• 42:33 Normal Prep Discomfort vs. Signs You Actually Need to Intervene
• 45:02 When the Athlete Is the Problem: Stop Changing the Plan
• 47:14 The Scale Went Up. Don't Automatically Cut More
• 50:38 Five Questions You Should Be Asking Your Coach

GUEST: JEAN JACQUES BARRETT

Jean Jacques Barrett is the head of Tulum Strength Club, promoter of the FMG Mexico show, a two-time world champion and an experienced contest prep coach. He has coached world champions and professional titleholders across multiple federations, as well as amateur athletes pursuing their pro status and first-time competitors preparing to step on stage.

His approach combines the perspective of an elite competitor, coach and show promoter, with an emphasis on individualized preparation, athlete development, communication and the details required to compete at the highest levels.

CONNECT WITH JJ:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanjacquesbarrett/
🔗 Website: https://tulumstrengthclub.com/

Info on FMG Mexico 2026

Join Jean Jacques Barrett and the FMG community for the FMG Mexico PRO/AM, November 7, 2026 at Teatro De La Ciudad in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The show features amateur and professional categories and is a 2027 FMG World Championship Qualifier.

Show details, athlete registration & tickets:
FMG Mexico PRO/AM 2026 Official Event Page

Competitor registration:
Register for FMG Mexico 2026

HOST: MICHELLE MACDONALD

Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known internationally for her evidence-based approach to women's fitness, Michelle has coached thousands of women since 2012 through strength training, nutrition and mindset. She is a Physique Champion, ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist, co-founder of Tulum Strength Club, and founder of The Wonder Women™ (TWW).

Michelle is also recognized for helping inspire the remarkable transformation of her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™), and continues to empower women to redefine aging through science-backed fitness education and coaching.

Connect with Michelle:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellemacdonaldofficial/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.macdonald.yhhedonista

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michellemacdonaldofficial

🔗 Website: https://www.michellemacdonaldofficial.com/

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 bodybuilding and the competitive stage. Joan recently underwent a full knee replacement after years of pain, following a reverse shoulder replacement the previous year. Both women entered these challenges with something incredibly valuable already in their corner: strength.

Together, Susan, Joan and Michelle have an open conversation about what recovery really looks like for women over 60. They discuss preparing your body before surgery, maintaining strength and movement as you age, following the recovery process without losing sight of who you are, and dealing with the frustration that comes when your body temporarily can't do what your mind wants it to do.

Susan shares how her identity as an athlete helped her through weeks in the hospital and how focusing on what she would be able to do, rather than what she couldn't do, gave her something to work toward. Joan discusses the mental challenge of accepting limitations, her determination to return to the gym after knee replacement, and how dramatically different this recovery has been from her first knee surgery more than a decade earlier.

They also explore the importance of accountability and community, listening to your medical team, knowing when not to push, nutrition and recovery habits, and why preparing for surgery can begin long before you enter the operating room.

Most importantly, this conversation isn't about pretending recovery is easy. It's about building a body and mindset capable of meeting difficult moments when they arrive.

Whether you're facing surgery, recovering from an injury, rebuilding after a setback, or simply want to stay strong and capable as you age, Susan and Joan offer living proof that getting older doesn't mean you stop moving forward.

Favorite Moments

0:00 How Much Does Strength Before Surgery Matter?
 Susan and Joan immediately establish the central idea of the episode: surgery is a major physical stress, and preparation matters.

3:11 Four Hip Operations at 67: How Strength Changed Susan's Recovery
 Just days after an unplanned surgery, Susan was already walking without a walker. She explains why she believes entering surgery in exceptional physical condition made such a difference.

7:27 When Recovery Challenges Your Identity as an Athlete
 Michelle and Susan discuss what happened when training, macros and normal check-ins had to give way to simply recovering.

9:57 Accountability Isn't Someone Judging You
 Michelle reframes accountability as having someone who knows what you're capable of and can remind you who you are when you're struggling.

12:00 Learning to Give Yourself Permission to Recover
 After three and a half weeks in the hospital, Susan describes something that's normally very difficult for her: slowing down.

14:13 The Hardest Part of Recovery: Accepting Your Limitations
 Joan talks about impatience, believing she should be healing faster and eventually recognizing how much progress she was actually making.

18:20 Two Knee Replacements, More Than a Decade Apart
 Michelle looks back at Joan's first knee replacement and contrasts who Joan was physically then with the dramatically stronger woman entering surgery this time.

23:27 "I'm Going to Be Able to Get All That Strength Back"
 Joan explains how surviving the harder recovery from her first knee replacement gave her confidence that she could rebuild again.

25:48 "Wow, I Can Actually Do It"
 Only weeks after surgery, Joan discovers what her new knee can already do, while also learning an important lesson about not pushing recovery too quickly.

29:47 When Physical Therapy Becomes Your Workout
 Unable to train normally, Susan turns her rehabilitation exercises into a structured daily training plan and keeps her athlete mindset alive.

33:23 "Even Your Warmups Are Heavy": What Happens When You Get Strong
 Michelle recalls Susan questioning her increasingly heavy deadlifts and the simple coaching statement that completely changed how she approached them.

34:10 What Can You Control When Everything Else Is Uncertain?
 With Susan still facing uncertainty about another surgery, Michelle talks about aging, change and controlling how we show up when circumstances are outside our hands.

35:05 Facing Surgery Later in Life? Get Strong First
 Joan's advice to other women is simple: don't wait passively for surgery. Prepare your body for what's coming.

36:17 Susan's Advice: Allow Yourself to Grieve the Setback
 Susan explains why anger, sadness and disappointment have a place in recovery, but why eventually you have to accept what's happened and move forward.

38:10 How to Prepare Your Body Before Surgery
 Michelle brings the lessons together with practical preparation around strength, nutrition, inflammation, habits, food planning and post-surgery support.

43:38 At 80: "I Can Do Most of the Things I've Always Wanted to Do"
 Joan puts the entire conversation into perspective by describing what being strong at 80 actually gives her: the ability to continue doing things, taking chances and accepting challenges.

GUEST: JOAN MACDONALD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trainwithjoan
Website: https://www.trainwithjoanofficial.com/

Joan MacDonald, known to millions through Train With Joan™, is an 80-year-old fitness inspiration whose transformation has helped challenge conventional ideas about aging, strength and what's possible later in life.

In this episode, Joan shares her experience recovering from a full knee replacement following a reverse shoulder replacement the previous year. Her perspective is especially powerful because she can compare her current recovery as a strong, active 80-year-old with her experience undergoing knee replacement more than a decade earlier, before transforming her health and fitness.

GUEST: SUSAN THIESSEN

Susan Thiessen is a 67-year-old competitive bodybuilding athlete who has demonstrated extraordinary resilience through a series of major medical setbacks. After preparing for and recovering from a planned hip replacement, Susan experienced complications that ultimately led to multiple additional hip operations and an extended hospital stay.

Before her latest setback, Susan had returned to training, was hitting personal records and deadlifting more weight than ever as she prepared to return to the competitive stage. Today, she continues to approach rehabilitation with the same structure and determination she brings to bodybuilding, using physical therapy, training, nutrition and her athlete mindset to work toward getting strong again.

HOST: MICHELLE MACDONALD

Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known internationally for her evidence-based approach to women's fitness, Michelle has coached thousands of women since 2012 through strength training, nutrition and mindset. She is a Physique Champion, ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist, co-founder of Tulum Strength Club, and founder of The Wonder Women™ (TWW).

Michelle is also recognized for helping inspire the remarkable transformation of her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™), and continues to empower women to redefine aging through science-backed fitness education and coaching.

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 and Jean-Jacques explain why great contest prep is a constantly evolving process. The job of the coach isn't simply to push harder. It's knowing when to push, when to hold and when to pull back.

They explore the difference between simply getting stage ready and becoming truly competitive, why first-time amateurs require a different approach than seasoned champions, and how the margins become razor thin as athletes progress to higher levels of competition.

You'll also hear why giving yourself enough time can completely change a prep, how coaches evaluate progress beyond the scale, why communication and execution become increasingly important as show day approaches, and why peak-week strategy actually begins much earlier than most competitors realize.

Perhaps most importantly, Michelle and Jean-Jacques explain why athletes shouldn't copy someone else's prep and may not even want to repeat their own previous prep. Your physique, experience, conditioning, psychology and capabilities should evolve from one competition to the next.

Whether you're preparing for your first show, chasing a pro title, defending a championship or coaching athletes yourself, this conversation offers an inside look at the strategy, judgment and collaboration required to bring your best physique to the stage.

Favorite Moments

0:00 Stage Ready vs. Competitive: There's a Difference

2:39 Muscle Maturity: Why Training Age Changes Your Prep

4:54 The Show Date Doesn't Move: Why Your Prep Timeline Matters

7:09 Why Smart Coaches Give First-Time Athletes More Time

10:24 "I'm Tired" vs. "I Can't Perform": Knowing the Difference

11:47 13 Weeks Out: Why You Can't Afford to Lose Time

13:39 Stage Ready vs. Competitive: What Changes as You Advance?

18:12 A Game of Millimeters: What Separates Champions

19:44 Why You Shouldn't Make Emotional Prep Decisions for Yourself

22:08 Push, Hold or Pull Back: How Coaches Make the Call

27:17 Sometimes the Smartest Move Is NOT to Push Harder

29:51 Your Coach Can Only Fine-Tune What You're Actually Executing

32:44 Give Your Coach Everything They Need to Help You Win

34:23 Peak Week Starts Much Earlier Than You Think

36:30 Why You Can't Even Copy Your Own Previous Prep

36:56 Give Yourself Permission to Win

GUEST: JEAN-JACQUES BARRETT

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanjacquesbarrett/?hl=en
Website: https://tulumstrengthclub.com/

Jean-Jacques Barrett is the co-founder of Tulum Strength Club, promoter of the FMG Mexico show, a two-time world champion and an experienced contest prep coach. He has coached world champions and professional titleholders across multiple federations, as well as amateur athletes pursuing their pro status and first-time competitors preparing to step on stage. His approach combines the perspective of an elite competitor, coach and show promoter, with an emphasis on individualized preparation, athlete development and the details required to compete at the highest levels.

HOST: MICHELLE MACDONALD

Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known internationally for her evidence-based approach to women's fitness, Michelle has coached thousands of women since 2012 through strength training, nutrition and mindset. She is a Physique Champion, ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist, co-founder of Tulum Strength Club, and founder of The Wonder Women™ (TWW). Michelle is also recognized for helping inspire the remarkable transformation of her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™), and continues to empower women to redefine aging through science-backed fitness education and coaching.

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 one selling you a supplement is going to show you that part of the graph), and why elevated cortisol simply cannot prevent fat loss when you're in a calorie deficit: because there's nothing left to store. 

They also dig into the landmark Pontzer research tracking resting metabolic rate in thousands of men and women from ages 20 to 63, including through the menopause transition, and what it actually shows about metabolism, muscle loss, and the claims being made by wellness influencers selling mushroom tea. 

Then they get practical, covering calorie tracking errors, raw vs. cooked food measurements, pre-planning meals, and the three things Dr. Bacon tells every client who has been doing everything right and still isn't seeing results. This episode is for anyone who has been told their hormones are working against them and is starting to wonder if there's a simpler explanation.

Favorite Moments*

- 2:10 What Cortisol Is Actually Doing — and What It Isn't

- 3:27 Cortisol Spikes During Exercise Are a Feature, Not a Bug

- 4:46 Zone Two vs. HIIT: Why Both Get Fear-Mongered for the Same Hormone

- 5:57 Cortisol Is Both a Fat-Storing and a Fat-Burning Hormone (and Supplement Sellers Only Tell You Half the Story)

- 7:57 Zone Two Cardio Raises Cortisol for Two Hours — Then Lowers It Below Baseline for the Rest of the Day

- 21:19 "If You Really Want to Spike Your Cortisol, Worry About Cortisol"

- 24:45 The Pontzer Research: Resting Metabolic Rate Doesn't Change From Age 20 to 63

- 28:14 The Swan Study's "Double Muscle Loss" Claim — What the Actual Numbers Look Like

- 36:30 Calorie Tracking Errors: The Average Person Is Off by 500 Calories a Day

- 40:26 Raw vs. Cooked: The Measurement Mistake Almost Everyone Makes

- 52:18 The Three-Part Audit for Anyone Who Isn't Seeing Progress

- 56:00 Motivation Is the Result of Action, Not the Cause of It

- 58:54 Why Intensity Becomes the Name of the Game After Newbie Gains Are Gone

- 59:57 Stretching Reduces Injury Risk 0 to 4%. Strength Training: Up to 69%

"If you really want to spike your cortisol, worry about cortisol. If you want to not spike your cortisol, learn when it works for you, when it works against you, get rid of the extra stress, and start progressing."

— Dr. Allan Bacon

About Dr. Allan Bacon:

Nutrition & Fitness Coach | Researcher
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drallanbacon/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8vX4qjwi9WTr5sIqxKAXeA

Dr. Allan Bacon is a nutrition scientist, researcher, and coach known for cutting through fitness misinformation without stripping away the nuance. He has collaborated with some of the most respected names in exercise science and brings both the research depth and the real-world coaching experience to show clients not just what the data says — but what it actually means for their training, their diet, and their results. He and his wife coach together and are regular voices in the evidence-based fitness space.

About Michelle MacDonald:

Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

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If this conversation gave you something to think about, subscribe so you never miss an episode. New conversations drop regularly, all built around the same goal: giving you the tools to take your health and performance seriously, for the long term.

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Stronger by Design Podcast

🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7uljSBX7oSNQWhDVutk29m

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stronger-by-design-for-women-with-michelle-macdonald/id1677831398

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Connect with Michelle:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellemacdonaldofficial/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.macdonald.yhhedonista

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michellemacdonaldofficial

🔗 Website: https://www.michellemacdonaldofficial.com/

What builds muscle... and what have we been getting wrong?

In this episode of Stronger By Design, Michelle MacDonald sits down with exercise science researcher Max Coleman, MS, to separate evidence from internet fitness myths.

A respected researcher, coach, and educator, Max earned his master's degree under renowned hypertrophy researcher Dr. Brad Schoenfeld and is known for translating complex exercise science into practical, real-world advice. Through his social media channels, he makes the latest research accessible while helping lifters focus on what truly matters.

Together, Max and Michelle unpack the three variables that drive muscle growth: effort, progression, and training volume, while explaining why concepts like training to failure, progressive overload, and optimal volume are so often misunderstood.

You'll learn:

• Does every set need to go to failure?
• How many sets are enough to build muscle?
• The biggest misconception about progressive overload.
• How to know if you're training hard enough.
• How little training is needed to maintain muscle.
• Why progress photos may be your best measurement tool.
• Practical strategies for building muscle when time is limited.
  
  

Favorite Moments

1:34 The 3 Things That Actually Build Muscle

3:30 Do You Really Need to Train to Failure?

8:17 How to Know If You're Actually Training Hard Enough

10:59 The Progressive Overload Mistake Almost Everyone Makes

14:16 Why Building Muscle Is Supposed to Feel Uncomfortable

20:25 Why Adding Weight Every Week Isn't Progress

21:31 Progress Photos Beat the Scale Every Time

24:25 How Many Sets Does It Actually Take to Build Muscle?

26:57 The Shocking Truth About Maintaining Muscle

29:30 Can You Really Maintain Muscle in Just 30 Minutes?

35:21 The Smarter Way to Bring Up Lagging Muscle Groups

39:43 The First 3 Things to Fix If You're Not Growing

41:18 Fitness Is Simple... But It's Not Easy

42:08 Why You Probably Are Making More Progress Than You Think 

Whether you're new to lifting or you've been training for years, this conversation will help you cut through the noise, train with confidence, and focus on the principles that actually produce results.

GUEST: MAX COLEMAN, MS

Max Coleman is an exercise science researcher, educator, and strength coach specializing in muscle hypertrophy and resistance training. He earned his M.S. in Exercise Science from Lehman College under the mentorship of renowned hypertrophy researcher Dr. Brad Schoenfeld and is pursuing doctoral studies in exercise science. Max is known for translating complex scientific literature into practical, evidence-based guidance through his popular social media content, helping lifters and coaches better understand what the research actually says about building muscle, training volume, effort, progression, and exercise selection.

Follow Max Coleman

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleman.et.al/

HOST: MICHELLE MACDONALD

Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known internationally for her evidence-based approach to women's fitness, Michelle has coached thousands of women since 2012 through strength training, nutrition, and mindset. She is a Physique Champion, ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist, co-founder of Tulum Strength Club, and founder of The Wonder Women (TWW). Michelle is also recognized for helping inspire the remarkable transformation of her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™), and continues to empower women to redefine aging through science-backed fitness education and coaching.

==========================================================

If this conversation gave you something to think about, subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

New conversations drop regularly, all built around the same goal: giving you the tools to take your health and performance seriously, for the long term.

==========================================================

Stronger by Design Podcast

🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7uljSBX7oSNQWhDVutk29m

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stronger-by-design-for-women-with-michelle-macdonald/id1677831398

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Connect with Michelle:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellemacdonaldofficial/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.macdonald.yhhedonista

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michellemacdonaldofficial

🔗 Website: https://www.michellemacdonaldofficial.com/

What if the menopause industry isn't failing women but instead  it's deliberately targeting them?

Michelle MacDonald sits down with scientist, physician, and Selfority founder Dr. Sarah Berg for a conversation that pulls back the curtain on how a $15 trillion industry is built on the gap between what women need and what medicine has historically given them. 

Together they unpack why midlife women have become the most targeted consumer demographic in wellness, how the "natural" hormone narrative that exploded after the 2002 WHI study opened the door for an entire compounding market, and why so many women are making major health decisions at 3am while sleep deprived and algorithmically cornered. 

They also dig into the science of the placebo effect including why supplement companies deliberately build their packaging around the same 4 to 8 week window that research shows produces maximum placebo response and what it means to advocate for yourself in a space designed to exploit your vulnerability. 

This is an episode for every woman who has ever wanted to optimize her health and found herself wondering whether she's being helped or just sold to.

Favorite Moments

1:35 Why Women Over 50 Are a $15 Trillion Target

3:21 The Group Text Is the New MLM

7:41 How the 2002 Hormone Scare Built the Compounding Market

9:42 Bioidentical Hormones: What the Word Actually Means

13:34 The Placebo Study That Should Make You Rethink Every Supplement You've Bought

15:27 Why Supplement Packaging Says "Wait 4 to 8 Weeks" and It's Not an Accident

17:38 The 2002 Sham Knee Surgery That Proves the Brain Is the Most Powerful Drug We Have

24:44 The DUTCH Test: What It Is, What It Can't Do, and Why It Often Leads to a Supplement Stack

29:38 Drunk Buying at 3am: Sleep Deprivation, Algorithms, and the Menopause Marketing Machine

35:32 Why Your Jeans Stopped Fitting - The Estrogen & Visceral Fat Connection

41:36 Skinny Check vs. Frailty Check: The Reframe Women Actually Need

46:34 What's Coming: The $24 Billion Menopause Research Bill and Medical School Curriculum Change

"They're taking it because they're getting humbled relentlessly by the story that their bodies are broken. And so they're not even looking at the big levers." ~ Dr. Sarah Berg

GUEST: DR. SARAH BERG

Founder, Selfority | Principal Scientist, Unbiased Science
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selfority/
Website: https://www.selfority.com/

Dr. Sarah Berg is a physician-scientist and fierce advocate for evidence-based communication in women's health. As a Principal Scientist with the Unbiased Science team, she brings clinical expertise and a sharp eye for predatory marketing to one of the most underserved areas in medicine. Through Selfority - a name she built to say "self priority" out loud - she is on a mission to make sure women have the information they actually need to make informed decisions about their health, not just the information someone is trying to sell them.

About Michelle:

Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

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If this conversation gave you something to think about, subscribe so you never miss an episode. New conversations drop regularly, all built around the same goal: giving you the tools to take your health and performance seriously, for the long term.

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Stronger by Design Podcast

🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7uljSBX7oSNQWhDVutk29m

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stronger-by-design-for-women-with-michelle-macdonald/id1677831398

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Connect with Michelle:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellemacdonaldofficial/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.macdonald.yhhedonista

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michellemacdonaldofficial

🔗 Website: https://www.michellemacdonaldofficial.com/

What if the peptide your favorite influencer is swearing by has never once been tested in a human clinical trial?

Michelle MacDonald sits down with drug development scientist Leigh Baxt, PhD  for a conversation that cuts straight through the wellness peptide industry.

Together they break down how drugs actually make it from an idea to FDA approval, why 99% of them never do, and what it means that the peptides flooding your social media feed are, in most cases, sitting at the very earliest stage of that process with almost no human data behind them. 

This episode digs deep into BPC-157 specifically, examining why the science raises serious red flags, and what informed consent actually sounds like when a clinician is promoting something with this little evidence. 

This information is essential listening for women who want to take charge of their health, cut through the marketing noise and make truly informed decisions.

Favorite Moments

• 1:57 The Staggering Failure Rates Behind Every Drug You've Ever Taken
• 3:07 From Idea to FDA Approval: What the Process Actually Looks Like
• 5:28 BPC-157: Why the Red Flags Are Hard to Ignore
• 12:49 Stacking Peptides & the Drug Interaction Problem Nobody Talks About
• 16:30 When Clinicians Become Marketers
• 22:21 How to Use ClinicalTrials.gov to Check the Evidence Yourself
• 28:22 The Patent Myth That Peptide Promoters Keep Repeating

"I want people to be informed. I want them to understand what data does and doesn't exist. Most importantly, I want them to be able to differentiate data from marketing — because even the most seasoned scientists can get sucked in." 

— Leigh Baxt, PhD

GUEST: LEIGH BAXT, PhD - DRUG DEVELOPMENT SCIENTIST

Instagram | LinkedIn

Leigh works in early-stage preclinical drug development, the phase where 90% of ideas fail before they ever reach a human. Her work focuses on understanding whether promising biological mechanisms can actually be turned into safe, effective therapeutics. She volunteers her expertise with the Unbiased Science team to help the public understand how medicines are made, why the vetting process matters, and how to tell the difference between data and marketing.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | X

About Michelle:
Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

Where to Watch/Listen:

Website Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

Leave a rating for this podcast with one click.

Nothing in this video or podcast constitutes medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health or fitness routine.

What if the reason your lifts, runs, or rotational power feel off has nothing to do with motivation—and everything to do with pelvic floor coordination?

Michelle MacDonald sits down with pelvic health and performance specialist Rachel Selman for a conversation that bridges the gap between rehab and real athletic training. Together, they explore how the pelvic floor functions in loaded movement, why Kegels alone are not enough, and how women…especially midlife female athletes, can progress from foundational control to strength, rotation, deceleration, and power. Rachel breaks down the role of breath, pressure, thoracic rotation, hip internal rotation, and movement coordination in a way that is practical, evidence-based, and immediately useful. This episode is especially valuable for women interested in Women’s Health and Fitness, a stronger Fitness Mindset, and long-term Personal Growth in how they train and move.

Favorite Moments

• 1:47 The Pelvic Floor Is a Dimmer Switch, Not an On/Off Button
• 6:00 "Strength Gives Permission to Soften"
• 19:57 The Four-Phase Progression: Control, Function, Strength, Power
• 36:13 Once a Month: The Pelvic Floor Check-In Protocol for Symptom-Free Athletes

"Strength gets permission to soften. If I strengthen a muscle that's overactive, what I actually notice is that it will follow by softening." – Dr. Rachel Selman

GUEST: DR. RACHEL SELMAN, PT, DPT, CERT-DN, CSCS, CPSS, TPI CERTIFIED

Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Synthesis App

Full Guest Bio:
Dr. Rachel Selman is a pelvic health and performance specialist who helps women connect pelvic floor function to strength, movement, and athletic performance. Her work focuses on practical, evidence-informed strategies that go beyond traditional pelvic floor training, helping women improve coordination, stability, and confidence in everything from lifting and running to everyday life. She is known for making complex pelvic health concepts accessible and relevant for active women, coaches, and athletes.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | X

Full Michelle Bio:
Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

Where to Watch/Listen:

Website Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

Leave a rating for this podcast with one click

Your shoulders are not invincible and waiting until something breaks is not a strategy !

Michelle MacDonald sits down with Dr. Patrick Denard, board-certified orthopedic surgeon and founder of the Oregon Shoulder Institute. This episode is for every woman who is serious about building strength and wants to keep training for life. Dr. Denard breaks down what damages women's shoulders, why 50% of people over 65 have a rotator cuff tear without knowing it, when physiotherapy is enough and when surgery is the smarter move, and the truth about PRP and stem cell therapies. You'll leave with the knowledge and permission to take radical ownership of your shoulder health before it's too late.

Favorite Moments

• 4:09 Why many women are arriving at their sixties with no muscle training history?
• 8:32 What training habits are silently destroying women's shoulders?
• 17:29 How do you catch shoulder warning signs before it's too late?
• 29:34  Dr. Denard explains what women must know about cortisone injections
• 40:11 Dr. Denard's top three must-dos for shoulder health over 40

"If you have the right mindset, good nutrition, and a good surgeon, your shoulders are going to be in a really good spot." - Dr. Patrick Denard

GUEST: DR. PATRICK DENARD, MD | BOARD-CERTIFIED ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON, SHOULDER SPECIALIST 

Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | X | YouTube 

Full Guest Bio:
Dr. Patrick Denard is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and founder of the Oregon Shoulder Institute, specializing exclusively in shoulder surgery and performing over 800 procedures a year. One of the highest-volume shoulder specialists in the country, he publishes extensively on rotator cuff repair and shoulder arthroplasty and lectures internationally on advanced techniques. He is the surgeon who performed Joan MacDonald's shoulder replacement, restoring her ability to train pain-free at nearly 80 — and he brings that same commitment to every active patient who refuses to let injury define the rest of their life. 

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE

Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | X

Full Michelle Bio:
Michelle MacDonald is the creator of the FITNESS MODEL BLUEPRINT™ and host of the Stronger By Design™ podcast. Known globally for her transformation programs, Michelle empowers women to redefine aging through evidence-based strength training, nutrition, and mindset practices. Since 2012, she has coached thousands of women online, leveraging her expertise as a Physique Champion and ISSA Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She co-founded Tulum Strength Club and established The Wonder Women (TWW), inspiring countless transformations including her mother, Joan MacDonald (Train With Joan™). Michelle continues to lead the charge in women's fitness, launching the Stronger by Design™ fitness app in fall 2024.

Where to Watch/Listen:

Website Apple Podcasts