Hit Play Not Pause

Perimenopause and menopause hit active women differently. We have a different lifestyle and different goals. And we know our bodies. Whether you run and hike or do CrossFit and ski (or a little of everything!), you’ve had a way of eating and exercising that worked…until the menopause transition, when it all goes out the window as body composition changes, fatigue, body aches, sleepless nights, hot flashes, brain fog, mood swings, and low mojo blindside you out of the blue—despite doing everything right. Your doctor may (or may not) help with hormone replacement therapy. But what about all the active stuff you love? You’re already exercising and eating well. What you want is to feel and perform like you used to. That doesn’t mean fasting, swearing off carbs for life, or just slowing down. It means adjusting your nutrition, training, recovery, and mindset to work with your changing physiology as you hit this phase of life. And we’re here for it. At Hit Play Not Pause, we know the potential of women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond, because we talk to elite athletes and everyday active women who are still hitting personal bests along with world-renowned sports dietitians, researchers, medical and menopause specialists to help you understand what’s happening under the hood during the menopause transition and more importantly, what you can do about it—from hormone therapy to heavy lifting and everything in between—to feel and perform your best. Host Selene Yeager is a health and science journalist with 30 years’ experience and more than two dozen books to her name. She also lives an active life as a former Ironman triathlete and professional mountain bike racer who still rides, runs, paddles, hikes, lifts, and through her work at Feisty Menopause helps others do the same.

  1. 2 hr ago

    When BRCA1 Means Young, Surgical Menopause: Relief, Grief, and Starting Over with Sara Aranda (Episode 284)

    Trail runner, writer, and BRCA1 gene carrier Sara Aranda grew up watching breast and ovarian cancer devastate the women in her family and ultimately lose her mom while she was in college. This week, she brings us her story–what it was like choosing prophylactic mastectomy and bilateral salpingo‑oophorectomy in her mid‑30s, going from FKT‑strong to surgical menopause overnight, and the collision of relief and grief that follows. Sara shares how she used a massive “lowest to highest” FKT and a prayer run for missing and murdered Indigenous women as both metaphor and preparation, how she’s navigating hormone therapy, sleep, body composition, bone worries, and shin splints, and why she wants other medically and/or surgically menopausal athletes to know they are not alone. Sara Aranda is a creative writer, trail runner, and coach who is passionate about craft, community, and challenging perceived notions of language and body, notably what it now means for her to be an athlete in surgical menopause. From adventure storytelling to posting too much on Strava to sweeping run club runs to attempting FKTs, she is both young and menopausal, and still very much full of dreams. Past accomplishments include receiving a Notable Mention in the Best American Essays 2019 anthology, placing 1st Female at the Colossal Vail 50/50 55K, setting 22 FKTs, and receiving the Spirit of No Man's Land Award at No Man's Land Film Festival for her 2025 film, Ofrenda. Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/ Join the Feisty Strong STRONG Club: https://feisty.co/training/strong-club/ and use code:  HITPLAY15 to save 15% Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/ Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/ Follow Us on Instagram: Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099 Support our Partners: Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/ Previnex: Get 20% off your order with code FEISTYBRAIN 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

  2. 22 Jul

    Rethinking All the “Shoulds” of Menopause with Maria Luque, PhD (Episode 283)

    In this episode, we welcome back exercise scientist Maria Luque, PhD, to talk about her new book New Moves in Menopause: A Fearless Guide to a Stronger, Healthier, Saner Midlife and the mindset shift it asks of midlife women. Maria explains why she moved beyond traditional “fix your body” fitness narratives to focus on helping women feel better in their bodies through movement and create their own personalized “map” for midlife. She shares how becoming a mother to her daughter Charlie forced her to confront her own body image struggles and led to the “Charlie Test,” a practical filter women can use to reframe negative self-talk and diet culture messages. We explore how to untangle fitness from aesthetics, bring joy and play back into movement, and build a baseline of daily activity that supports real-life adventures, quality of life, and menopause-specific needs. Dr. Maria Luque is a fitness expert, menopause coach, Air Force veteran, former health science professor, and founder of Fitness in Menopause. With a PhD & MS in Health Sciences and over two decades of expertise, she's one of the most credentialed and trusted voices in women's midlife fitness—and the menopause coach to Halle Berry. Her book, New Moves in Menopause – A Fearless Guide to a Stronger, Healthier, & Saner Midlife, offers practical information as well as transformational explorations that help women understand what's happening in their bodies, build mental and physical strength and engage with midlife as a time of freedom, rather than a collection of symptoms. You can check out her new book at NewMovesInMenopause.com Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/ Join the Feisty Strong STRONG Club: https://feisty.co/training/strong-club/ and use code:  HITPLAY15 to save 15% Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/ Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/ Follow Us on Instagram: Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099 Support our Partners: Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/ Previnex: Get 20% off your order with code FEISTYBRAIN 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

  3. 15 Jul

    PCOS to PMOS: Metabolism, Menopause, and GLP‑1s in Active Midlife Women with Carla DiGirolamo, MD, PhD (Episode 282)

    Could you have PCOS and not know it? You sure can, says reproductive endocrinologist and menopause specialist Dr. Carla DiGirolamo, who is hopeful that the recent renaming of the condition from “polycystic ovary syndrome” (PCOS) to “polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome” (PMOS) will help raise awareness—and improve care. This episode breaks down what PMOS actually is, why the new name matters, and how this androgen‑driven metabolic condition shows up across the lifespan, from irregular cycles and fertility struggles to increased cardiometabolic risk, especially once you hit the menopause transition. We also cover treatment options including metformin, inositol, and compelling new research on GLP‑1 receptor agonists, plus what all of this means for active midlife women when it comes to fueling, Reds/LEA risk, resistance training, and long‑term glucose control. Carla DiGirolamo, MD, PhD, is a Double Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and Obstetrician/Gynecologist specializing in women’s performance and menopausal medicine. She is also a Crossfit Level 1 trainer, Certified Nutrition Coach, and member of CrossFit Medical Society. She is a MedFit Care provider and provides weekly workouts and medical updates at her Substack Athletic Aging. She is an Endocrine Consultant for Wild Health and Women’s Health Director at Eternal Health. Dr. DiGirolamo is now seeing patients for virtual consultations for menopausal care and performance optimization. Visit her website drcarlad.com to learn more about her services and schedule an appointment. Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/ Join the Feisty Strong STRONG Club: https://feisty.co/training/strong-club/ and use code:  HITPLAY15 to save 15% Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/ Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/ Follow Us on Instagram: Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099 Support our Partners: Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/ Previnex: Get 20% off your order with code FEISTYBRAIN 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

  4. 1 Jul

    Midlife Fueling 101: Essential Sports Nutrition Advice for Peri & Postmenopausal Women with Kristen Arnold, MS, RDN, CSSD (Replay)

    Muscle and bone loss. Inflammation. Bloating, diarrhea, and other GI issues. Peri and postmenopausal active women can face myriad training and performance challenges. But the good news is that a lot of them can be helped with proper nutrition practices. This week we dive into the basics on how to fuel your active midlife body, including what to know about carbohydrates, ultraprocessed foods, energy availability, protein, anti-inflammatory foods, supplements, and more with sports dietitian Kristen Arnold. 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 Black Cohosh review here Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/ Join the Feisty Strong STRONG Club: https://feisty.co/training/strong-club/ and use code:  HITPLAY15 to save 15% Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/ Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/ Follow Us on Instagram: Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099 Support our Partners: Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/ Previnex: Get 20% off your order with code FEISTYBRAIN 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

  5. 17 Jun

    The Brain on Pain: Why Women Hurt More—and What to Do About It with Rachel Zoffness, PhD (Episode 279)

    When you’re in pain, the first question someone asks is “Where does it hurt?” The answer—as anyone with phantom limb pain can tell you—is not always as straightforward as it seems. This week, pain psychologist and author Dr. Rachel Zoffness breaks down the “big fat lie” we’ve been sold about pain: it’s not just a signal from damaged tissue, it’s a brain-driven experience built from a mix of ingredients, including your nerves, thoughts, emotions, memories, and environment. She explains how the same brain regions that process emotions also construct pain, why that matters so much for women—who go through menstruation, childbirth, and menopause and are still disproportionately told their pain is “all in their heads”—and how understanding brain-based biology is the first step in changing how much you hurt. She also shares practical, evidence-backed strategies for active women to retrain their nervous systems, along with tools to help you advocate for care that goes beyond pills and procedures and actually reflects the modern science of hurt. Rachel Zoffness, PhD, is a pain psychologist and thought-leader revolutionizing the way we understand and treat pain. She's an assistant clinical professor at UCSF, lectures at Stanford, and consults on the development of pain management programs around the world. Dr. Zoffness’s new book, Tell Me Where It Hurts, is out now and is being translated to more than 25 languages. You can learn more about her work and find her book at www.zoffness.com Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/ Join the Feisty Strong STRONG Club: https://feisty.co/training/strong-club/ and use code:  HITPLAY15 to save 15% Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/ Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/ Follow Us on Instagram: Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099 Support our Partners: Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/ Previnex: Get 20% off your order with code FEISTYBRAIN 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

  6. 10 Jun

    I’m Doing Everything Right…So Why Are My Labs Worse? Heart Health and Menopause with Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDN (Episode 278)

    Most of us have had that moment where we get our bloodwork back and shake our heads. We’re still our active, health‑minded selves and out of nowhere—rising LDL, ApoB, A1C, and maybe blood pressure and Lp(a), too. This week, preventive cardiology dietitian Michelle Routhenstein joins us to unpack the cardiometabolic chaos and what’s really driving it. She explains estrogen’s protective role in lipids and blood pressure, why standard risk calculators and even calcium scores can miss women’s disease, and which advanced labs are worth asking for. We also dig into how under‑fueling and low‑carb diets can worsen cardiometabolic health and plaque; why complex carbs, fiber, fermented foods, and gut health matter so much; and how to approach protein, red meat, electrolytes, nitric oxide, and statins in a personalized, empowering way—remembering that 80–90% of heart disease remains preventable when women get the right information and advocate for themselves. Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN is a preventive cardiology dietitian and founder of Entirely Nourished, a virtual practice focused on personalized, science-based nutrition for heart health. With over 14 years of experience, she helps people improve cardiometabolic risk and manage conditions like atherosclerosis, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation using a whole-person approach. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Clinical Nutrition from New York University, serves on the Forbes Health Advisory Board and the Medical Advisory Committee for the National Menopause Foundation, and is the author of The Truly Easy Heart-Healthy Cookbook and Simple Meal Solutions for High Blood Pressure. Her work has been featured in outlets including Forbes Health, Fox News, Prevention, Women’s Health, and Good Housekeeping, and she works with clients virtually from New York via www.entirelynourished.com Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/ Join the Feisty Strong STRONG Club: https://feisty.co/training/strong-club/ and use code:  HITPLAY15 to save 15% Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/ Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/ Follow Us on Instagram: Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099 Support our Partners: Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/ Previnex: Get 20% off your order with code FEISTYBRAIN 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

  7. 7 Jun ·  Bonus

    Take the Leap: Kate Veronneau on Adventure and Trying Something New at FeistyFest

    In this bonus episode, Selene welcomes longtime friend, cyclist, and women’s sports powerhouse Kate Veronneau to the show for a preview of the first-ever FeistyFest in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. For Kate, the location is personal. The Valley Preferred Cycling Center is where she first fell in love with bike racing, found her cycling community, and eventually launched a career in the sport. She shares how a casual Friday night trip to watch track racing turned into an entry-level “try the track” class, a relocation to the Lehigh Valley, and years immersed in one of the most magical cycling communities around. Selene and Kate talk about what makes the Lehigh Valley so special: quiet roads, covered bridges, gravel before gravel was “gravel,” beautiful trails, and a deep community of people who love to ride, run, explore, and support one another. They also dig into what attendees can expect at FeistyFest: track riding, gravel, trail running, lifting, swimming, pickleball, community, laughter, and the kind of grown-up summer camp energy that reminds women how good it feels to try new things. Kate also shares why women-only spaces can be so powerful, especially when women feel safe, supported, and encouraged to step outside their comfort zones. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or brand new to an activity, there is something magical that happens when women come together, lift each other up, and give each other permission to live a little bigger. Learn more and register for FeistyFest

  8. 3 Jun

    Nourishing Menopause: Food, Stress, Sleep, Supplements & More with Andrea Donsky, RHN

    There’s a lot of advice out there on how to fix, cure, hack, medicate, and manage menopause. Often, what we really need is nourishment, says this week’s guest Andrea Donsky, RHN, author of Nourishing Menopause: Powerful Nutrition and Lifestyle Strategies to Feel Your Best. Andrea’s 14‑year journey through perimenopause led her to blend naturopathic and conventional medicine into a complementary approach that focuses on gut health, nervous system regulation, blood sugar management, and other strategies that give your body, mind, and spirit what they need to thrive through and beyond the menopause transition. We dig into all of it—plus midlife identity, the power of community, and much more. Andrea Donsky is a menopause nutritionist, 7X published menopause researcher, certified perimenopause and menopause health coach, and author known as the “Menopause Researcher” to her 350,000+ TikTok followers. She founded Morphus, hosts the Menopause Reimagined podcast, and is the author of Nourishing Menopause: Powerful Nutrition and Lifestyle Strategies to Feel Your Best. You can learn more about her and her work, and find her book at andreadonsky.com Join us at Feisty Fest September 18-20, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/ Join the Feisty Strong STRONG Club: https://feisty.co/training/strong-club/ and use code:  HITPLAY15 to save 15% Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/ Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/ Follow Us on Instagram: Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099 Support our Partners: Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/ Previnex: Get 20% off your order with code FEISTYBRAIN 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

About

Perimenopause and menopause hit active women differently. We have a different lifestyle and different goals. And we know our bodies. Whether you run and hike or do CrossFit and ski (or a little of everything!), you’ve had a way of eating and exercising that worked…until the menopause transition, when it all goes out the window as body composition changes, fatigue, body aches, sleepless nights, hot flashes, brain fog, mood swings, and low mojo blindside you out of the blue—despite doing everything right. Your doctor may (or may not) help with hormone replacement therapy. But what about all the active stuff you love? You’re already exercising and eating well. What you want is to feel and perform like you used to. That doesn’t mean fasting, swearing off carbs for life, or just slowing down. It means adjusting your nutrition, training, recovery, and mindset to work with your changing physiology as you hit this phase of life. And we’re here for it. At Hit Play Not Pause, we know the potential of women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond, because we talk to elite athletes and everyday active women who are still hitting personal bests along with world-renowned sports dietitians, researchers, medical and menopause specialists to help you understand what’s happening under the hood during the menopause transition and more importantly, what you can do about it—from hormone therapy to heavy lifting and everything in between—to feel and perform your best. Host Selene Yeager is a health and science journalist with 30 years’ experience and more than two dozen books to her name. She also lives an active life as a former Ironman triathlete and professional mountain bike racer who still rides, runs, paddles, hikes, lifts, and through her work at Feisty Menopause helps others do the same.

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