The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

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   Number 1: What Women Need to Build Muscle & Lose Fat with Nutritionists Mikki Williden, PhD & Brandon DaCruz

   If you're a midlife woman trying to build muscle, lose stubborn fat, and finally get straight answers about protein, this episode of The Body Pod is required listening. Host Hailey Babcock sits down with nutrition scientist Mikki Williden, PhD, and nutrition coach Brandon DaCruz to tackle the online protein controversy head-on: is there really a "ceiling" of 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or does that number change entirely once a midlife woman is strength training and eating in a calorie deficit? Drawing on a 2025 meta-regression on protein dosing, Bill Campbell's body recomposition research, and decades of clinical experience, Brandon and Mikki break down exactly how much protein women over 40 need to protect muscle mass, support bone density, and build a body recomposition: losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time.The conversation goes far beyond protein numbers, digging into the fat loss strategies every midlife woman should understand before trying them. Brandon explains protein-sparing modified fasts and rapid fat loss protocols — including who they're genuinely appropriate for and why chronic dieters and lean women trying to get leaner should approach them with real caution — while Mikki offers a more sustainable alternative using calorie cycling and diet breaks to create a deficit without the burnout. The two also unpack the real science behind spot reduction, walking through the physiology of fat loss (lipolysis, transport, and oxidation) to explain whether targeting fat loss in the abs, arms, or glutes is actually possible.This episode also confronts the hidden hormonal risks of chronic dieting in midlife, including low energy availability, thyroid dysfunction, and declining bone mineral density, referencing the IOC's 2023 consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. Hailey, Mikki, and Brandon also touch on GLP-1 medications, muscle loss, and the pressure many women feel to be "rail thin," closing with Mikki's simple 3-day food journal exercise designed to reveal what's really stalling fat loss progress. Whether you're navigating perimenopause, menopause, or just tired of conflicting advice, this roundtable delivers the nuanced, evidence-based guidance midlife women need to build muscle, lose fat sustainably, and protect their long-term hormone health.If you love what you learned in this podcast, Mikki Wlliden is one of the featured experts in our Fat Loss Happens Education course starting September 8th. Join now for our 7-week science-backed education program that teaches midlife women how to lose fat, build strength, and keep results, without extreme diets or endless cardio.Be First in Line for Shred Happens: Our popular 6-week challenge for shredding fat and building muscle starts October 18. You get a personalized calorie/macro budget, live Q&A calls with experts, workouts for both gym and home, prize giveaways and an incredible community of women doing it along with you. Save Your Spot →Hailey Happens Fitness Membership is my full training system in your back pocket. Join with a Yearly Plan to design a training year that fits your midlife goals and body. Start training with a 10-day free trial →

   September 03, 2026·1h 2min
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   Number 2: Best of The Body Pod: Should We Be Taking Estrogen, Progesterone, AND Testosterone with Dr. Heather Hirsch

   As part of our Best of the Body Pod series, we're revisiting one of our favorite Body Pod conversations with one of our favorite guests. So many women think they have to wait until they've gone a full year without a period before hormone therapy is even on the table, but Dr. Heather Hirsch, founder of Join the Collaborative, says that's one of the most persistent myths in women's health. Her breakdown of the THRIVE Method and how to actually approach hormone decisions is just as useful now as it was the first time this episode aired.In this episode of The Body Pod, hosts Hailey and Laura sit down with Dr. Hirsch for a wide-ranging conversation on perimenopause and menopause care, digging into her THRIVE Method: a framework for approaching hormone decisions through tracking symptoms, reviewing health history, researching safety data, and investigating one hormone at a time.The discussion digs into testosterone therapy for women (still, as Dr. Hirsch puts it, a "data-free zone"), the safety and underuse of vaginal estrogen even in women already on systemic hormones, and the physiology behind genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). She also makes the case that bone health deserves the same proactive treatment women's health gives to conditions like pre-diabetes, and highlights the growing role of strength training in protecting bone density during midlife.For women who aren't ready for (or can't use) hormone therapy, Dr. Hirsch outlines a tiered approach starting with lifestyle changes and supplements before moving to non-hormonal medications or hormone therapy itself. She closes with a reassuring message: hormone therapy doesn't have to be all-or-nothing, and can be trialed short-term before making a longer-term decision. Listeners can find Dr. Hirsch at Join the Collaborative jointhecollaborative.com and on Instagram @HeatherHirschMD.Be First in Line for Shred Happens: Our popular 6-week challenge for shredding fat and building muscle starts October 18. You get a personalized calorie/macro budget, live Q&A calls with experts, workouts for both gym and home, prize giveaways and an incredible community of women doing it along with you. Save Your Spot →Hailey Happens Fitness Membership is my full training system in your back pocket. Join with a Yearly Plan to design a training year that fits your midlife goals and body. Start training with a 10-day free trial →

   August 06, 2026·45min
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   Number 3: Midlife Fitness, Fat Loss Myths & the Science of Training for Women with Alyssa Olenick, PhD

   In this episode of The Body Pod, Hailey sits down with Dr. Alyssa Olenick - exercise physiologist, researcher, endurance athlete, and one a trusted voice in women's fitness science. Alyssa holds a PhD in exercise physiology with an emphasis in women's fitness and has dedicated her career to translating complex science into real, actionable guidance for everyday women. Hailey and Alyssa dig into the strength training conversation that midlife women actually need, cutting through the conflicting online noise to talk about what a smart training year really looks like, why training multiple characteristics (strength, power, and cardio) across a year produces far better results than doing the same thing indefinitely, and why power training and plyometrics are the most overlooked piece of the puzzle for women over 40. They also break down the cardio and heart rate zone conversation with refreshing honesty, explaining when zones actually matter, how to build an aerobic base, and why most women are overthinking it entirely.The episode closes on the topic every midlife woman is asking about: metabolism, body composition, and the real story behind the changes happening in perimenopause and beyond. Alyssa unpacks what the research actually says about metabolic rate, fat redistribution, muscle loss, and why so many women feel like everything changed even when nothing in their routine did. She leaves listeners with a simple, grounded framework to stop spinning their wheels and start building a body (and a relationship with fitness) that actually works for this season of life. Find more of her work at doclyssfit.com.Be First in Line for Shred Happens: Our popular 6-week challenge for shredding fat and building muscle starts October 18. You get a personalized calorie/macro budget, live Q&A calls with experts, workouts for both gym and home, prize giveaways and an incredible community of women doing it along with you. Save Your Spot →Hailey Happens Fitness Membership is my full training system in your back pocket. Join with a Yearly Plan to design a training year that fits your midlife goals and body. Start training with a 10-day free trial →

   September 17, 2026·1h 23min
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   Number 4: Plyometrics for Women: The Missing Link for Bone Health, Power & Longevity with Matt McInnes Watson

   If you're a woman in perimenopause, menopause, or beyond and you've heard that strength training is important but aren't sure where power training, jumping, and plyometrics fit in, this episode is a must-listen. We sit down with plyometrics expert and PhD researcher Matt McInnes Watson to explore why midlife women need more than just lifting weights to support bone density, balance, mobility, fall prevention, healthy aging, and long-term independence. Matt breaks down the science behind plyometric training, tendon health, force production, reaction time, and how explosive movement can help women stay strong, capable, and athletic for decades to come.In this fascinating conversation, Matt explains why power is one of the first physical qualities we lose with age, how plyometrics improve bone health, muscle function, coordination, cognitive performance, and injury resilience, and why traditional exercise programs often miss this critical piece of the longevity puzzle. You'll learn the difference between strength and power, why learning new movement skills is so important for brain health, and how simple activities like skipping, hopping, bounding, and multidirectional movement can improve everything from athletic performance to everyday confidence.Whether you're looking to build stronger bones during menopause, improve balance and stability, prevent falls, increase athleticism, boost cycling or running performance, or simply move through life with more energy and confidence, this episode provides practical, evidence-based strategies you can start using today. Matt shares beginner-friendly approaches to plyometric training, how to safely build tissue capacity, and why adding speed, power, and reactive movement to your fitness routine may be one of the most powerful investments you can make for healthy aging, longevity, osteoporosis prevention, and lifelong strength.Be First in Line for Shred Happens: Our popular 6-week challenge for shredding fat and building muscle starts October 18. You get a personalized calorie/macro budget, live Q&A calls with experts, workouts for both gym and home, prize giveaways and an incredible community of women doing it along with you. Save Your Spot →Hailey Happens Fitness Membership is my full training system in your back pocket. Join with a Yearly Plan to design a training year that fits your midlife goals and body. Start training with a 10-day free trial →

   September 10, 2026·1h
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   Number 5: Best of The Body Pod: Why Foot Strength Is Key to Balance, Power & Aging Well for Women with Dr. Courtney Conley

   We're revisiting one of our favorite Body Pod conversations as part of our Best of the Body Pod series. Dr. Courtney Conley makes the case that most women's balance, hip, and knee issues actually start at the feet, not the joint that hurts. Her breakdown of why weak feet and years of restrictive footwear throw off everything up the chain, from pelvic stability to how your brain reads the ground under you, is worth another listen.Many women deal with chronic pain, plantar fasciitis, poor squat mechanics, and a higher fall risk without ever realizing their feet are the root cause.We break down how modern footwear, weak feet, loss of sensory input, and overreliance on orthotics can disrupt movement patterns, pelvic stability, hormone regulation, and nervous system function. Dr. Conley explains the powerful connection between the feet, pelvis, core, and brain, and why rebuilding foot strength is essential for aging well, preventing injuries, and maintaining confidence in movement.This conversation delivers practical, realistic strategies for improving foot strength and mobility, including footwear choices, toe strength exercises, calf training, balance work, and safe transitions away from orthotics. Whether you're dealing with foot pain, instability, or want to build a stronger body from the ground up, this episode offers actionable insights to help women move better and stay resilient for decades.Be First in Line for Shred Happens: Our popular 6-week challenge for shredding fat and building muscle starts October 18. You get a personalized calorie/macro budget, live Q&A calls with experts, workouts for both gym and home, prize giveaways and an incredible community of women doing it along with you. Save Your Spot →Hailey Happens Fitness Membership is my full training system in your back pocket. Join with a Yearly Plan to design a training year that fits your midlife goals and body. Start training with a 10-day free trial →

   July 30, 2026·1h 1min
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