Fuel Your Strength Steph Gaudreau

If you are listening to this, there is a good chance you already know that strength is an important part of taking care of your body. So, when we see an App or YouTube-based workout plan that offers strength training, it can be easy to believe that this is the kind of content you should be following. But are you really getting a strength stimulus from your workout? Or is that just what is being marketed to you?
Key Takeaways If You Want To Get Serious About Your Programming, You Should:
Meet yourself where you are at without any shame or judgment
Work to understand the nuance of strength training programming and what it really means
Reach out to a coach who understands your goals and how you can reach them safely.
Going Behind the Scenes with Nikki Naab-Levy Nikki Naab-Levy is a strength and nutrition coach who has been involved in multiple arenas in the fitness industry for the last 17 years. She helps women move, build strength, improve mobility, move beyond injury, and find a sustainable approach to nutrition. She is passionate about having the unscripted and messy conversations necessary to help women get stronger and call attention to the problematic marketing in the world of fitness and beyond.
Understanding the Nuance When using your favorite fitness apps, how do you know that the workouts you are doing are actually focusing on strength? Or if they are the right movements to be doing for your lived experience and goals? 
The truth is, you don't. That's why you need to understand the nuance behind the programming so that you can go out into the world and be able to look at your apps from an informed place of strength development. Picking apart the way things are marketed can help you differentiate between what you are actually getting and can help you pick a program that is effective for your specific goals.
It's Not You, It's Your Workout Choosing workouts that are not right for you can make you feel chronically injured, sore, tired, or fed up with not seeing any improvements. This doesn't mean you aren't doing it right; it means the training you are doing isn't right for you. The difference between randomly working out and training means that you can acknowledge your weak factors, understand your lived experience, and engage with a program that gives you the runway for the best possible entry point to your goals. While it is not impossible to achieve these things with an app, it is increasingly risky and tricky to see long-term changes without a program built for you.
How do you interact with fitness apps on a regular basis? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.
In This Episode Understanding the difference between strength training programs and other types of workouts like circuit training (11:54) Analyzing the selection of programming available on many apps (31:22) How to create a long-term plan that goes beyond the short-term offers out there (43:45) The importance of repetition and practice when it comes to a successful training program (49:54) Why you can't put the cart before the horse when it comes to jumping into a program (1:04:12)

Quotes “We are not hating on the workouts. But we want you to be able to make an informed decision so that if those are your goals, you are able to pick an approach that actually is going to work for you and help you get the results you want without feeling frustrated or feeling like your joints always hurt.” (8:00)
“We know that if you don't feel awful all the time, and you are able to do high-quality work with appropriate weight and appropriate rest, you will be able to see the results that you want and not be super ridiculously sore.” (41:56)
“How we put things together makes a huge difference. In the short term, but particularly in the long term.” (42:50)
“Programming can be done in a very broad way, or can be made very specific to the individual, and their needs and their interests. But at th

Menopausal women are overloaded with information, but not all of it is accurate or safe. Social media is rife with misinformation, and unfortunately, the diet and fitness industry follows many unethical marketing practices. I’m joined by Amanda Thebe to discuss the realities of coaching menopausal women, how to choose ethical coaches, and why there is finally a spotlight on menopause.
Key Takeaways Find an Ethical Trainer by Checking Out:
Personal recommendations
Reviews and testimonials
Trusting your own industry knowledge
About Amanda Thebe Amanda Thebe is the co-founder and Chief Wellness and Branding Officer at Nyah Health and the author of the Amazon best-selling book Menopocalypse: How I Learned to Thrive During Menopause and How You Can Too! With nearly 30 years of experience in the fitness industry, her exercise workouts and health and fitness tips have been featured on Oprah, Shape, Prevention, Health Line, CBC Radio, Global News Canada, The Doctors, and many more. She is also an affiliated member of the Canadian and  North American Menopause Society.
Misinformation In Social Media Social media can seriously change our perception of menopause… and not always for the best. There is so much misinformation out there from uninformed coaches who recommend pseudoscience and diagnose without the proper qualifications. Only a doctor can diagnose that you are in menopause – a coach can help once you have a diagnosis.
There is a huge market for menopause products and services right now because women are finally open about their experiences. Coaches are finally becoming menopause informed. And overall, there is a huge improvement for women experiencing menopause.
Finding An Ethical Trainer But, as an industry, we need to do better. So many unethical marketing practices are in use, essentially selling women something that doesn’t exist. Menopausal women deserve better, and the diet and fitness industry can give it to them.
So, how do women find an ethical fitness plan and ethical trainer? It comes down to personal recommendations, reviews, testimonials, and having basic industry knowledge. If something sounds too good to be true, that’s because it probably is. Ladies, do your due diligence!
What has your experience been like finding a menopause-informed trainer? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.
In This Episode How social media can change our perception and understanding of menopause (9:30)
How coaches can help after diagnosis (16:00)
Why there is a larger market for menopause-related products now (17:30)
How more coaches are becoming menopause informed (29:00)
Why the diet and fitness industry often uses unethical marketing tactics (42:00)
How to help people find ethical fitness plans (46:00)
The comparison between a personal trainer and going to the gym on your own (50:00)
Quotes “Women with menopause are really seeking answers. They are really frustrated. They do not feel good on a day-to-day basis. They want to feel better.” (18:30)
“Listen, I can help you. But there isn’t a magic pill. And there isn’t anything dynamic we’re going to do. I’m going get you to nail the basics,  and I’m going to get you to understand.” (22:51)
“We can’t always help people fix those things. It is outside our scope. The diet industry of our time has gotten so bad. I feel like it’s particularly bad now for menopausal women because we have a pain point that they see.” (36:54)
“If you’re going to stop this from happening and you want to do better in this industry, then it’s on you to do better.” (40:48)
“I know that finances can be a barrier to this, but I feel very strongly that if someone is new to lifting weights, they’re going to get so much mileage out of working with a trustworthy trainer.” (48:18)
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When it comes to your training and your fueling, you need to think about the bigger picture. For sports such as Brazillian jiu-jitsu, which has a wide range of intensity demands, you need to switch your mindset and fuel your body for your practice. While being strong is a sort of ‘cheat code’ in Brazillian jiu-jitsu, it is nothing without the right fuel to back it up.
Key Takeaways If You Have Questions About Your Nutrition, You Should:
Remember that what you eat today is your fuel for tomorrow
Don't believe the hype around trends like fasting and no-carb
Work with a coach who understands your goals and can help you achieve them in a sustainable way
Nutritional Lessons with Alex Maclin
Alex Maclin is a fellow performance nutrition coach, strength training enthusiast, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu player. He is passionate about helping athletically minded folks fuel themselves with the proper nutrition so that they can get more out of their performance. Throughout his health journey, he has coached hundreds of athletes through online training programs for weightlifting, strength, and conditioning, and is here today to share his knowledge with you.

Your Training Goes Beyond the Gym
When it comes to your training, it does not just exist when you are on the mat or in the gym. What you do around your training, how you eat, recover, hydrate, and think about your training, can also have a huge impact on your ability to accomplish your goals. 
Even if you are not competing, if you want to train consistently and give it your all, you have to put some thought, strategy, and planning into what you are doing outside of the gym. This means thinking proactively about what you eat and remembering that what you eat today is fuel for tomorrow.  
Optimal Fueling = Optimal Results
Training, recovery, and nutrition practices work together as a system to help you achieve your best results. This can get tricky when we see the amount of misinformation and conditioning that we have been exposed to, especially as female athletes. 
Even if you are not into Brazillian jiu-jitsu, the fueling practices talked about in this episode will help guide your performance, nutrition, and your own athletic endeavors. When you can understand how to fuel yourself optimally, you can see your optimal performance a lot clearer.
What has your experience been with fueling for sports such as Brazillian jiu-jitsu? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.
In This Episode What makes Brazilian jiu-jitsu such a natural transition for many athletes (7:30) The biggest nutrition mistakes that every day people fall into in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world and beyond (19:58) Understanding the role of carbohydrates and protein in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, recovery, and strength training (31:47) Why fasting is challenging for athletic folks and how the timing of fueling can impact your performance (45:52) The importance of hydration in sports such as Brazillian jiu-jitsu, where sweat is flowing (1:05:07) Quotes
“[This isn't] just for competitive jiu-jitsu athletes. This is for the average everyday people like me who just want to train, and they love it, and they want to feel good on the mat.” (6:38)
“These foods that you are eating are foods that are going to help you feel better, help you perform better, and give you more energy. That is a really big mindset shift. Not looking at things as just having calories… but actually how this food is going to help you kick some more ass and recover.” (25:24)
“You can eat at levels that you need to eat without fasting; you just need to make sure that you are getting the proper amount of calories per day.” (48:56)
“What we eat today is for the next day.” (50:50)
“Learn concepts of jiu-jitsu rather than just learning all these moves. I think that was the most overwhelming part.” (1:15:57)
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Are you cardiovascular training confused? I don't blame you; there is a lot of information out there that can work counterintuitively, especially if you are just starting to incorporate cardiovascular training into your routine. While it is easy to just focus on the numbers, finding the balance between high-intensity and low-intensity is more nuanced than that. Luckily, I have my friend Jamie Scott, an accomplished sports nutritionist and endurance coach, with me today.

Key Takeaways
If You Want to Incorporate More Low-Intensity Cardio Into Your Life, You Should:

Slowly build up your Zone 2 endurance over time Don't get too hung up on the numbers and data Take a holistic approach and find a balance that works for you
Finding Balance with Jamie Scott
Jamie Scott is a New Zealand Registered Nutritionist. He holds postgraduate qualifications in Nutrition Medicine and Sport and Exercise Medicine, undergraduate degrees in Nutrition Science and Physical Education, and is a Level-1 Mountain Bike Skills coach (PMBIA). Over the past 25 years, Jamie’s career has spanned several roles in the health and fitness industry. He is passionate about helping others learn how to fuel their bodies in a way that supports performance and total body health.

Give Precedence to the Feeling
I’m willing to bet there is a pretty good chance you have heard some rumors about cardiovascular health over 40 and the difference between lower-intensity and higher-intensity cardio. Many people struggle with lower-intensity cardio, or Zone 2 because they feel it is too boring, hard, or lazy. But when you can remain grounded in your ‘why’,’ you can stay focused on the practical things you can take away. You don't have to feel stressed or anxious about what your fitness technology is telling you. Remember to focus on the feeling an exercise gives you, not just the numbers on the screen.

Back to Basics
Often, we as a society are in a rush to look for what is new and shiny, so we need to remember the reliable basics. But they are there for a reason! Working both higher- and lower-intensity cardio into your weekly routine benefits your training and your lifestyle. 

The practical application of lower-intensity cardio, combined with the higher intensity and strength training you are already doing, is a crucial part of the puzzle regarding your overall health and longevity.

Are you ready to implement lower-intensity cardio into your training regime? Let me know your thoughts and experiences in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode
Breaking down the rumors around high-intensity training for women in peri and post-menopause (7:06) How to change the way you think about Zone 2 if you feel bored with it or are focused on only your heartrate (14:23) Why having a problem with slowing down may be related to your fitness ego (30:35) Tips for improving or getting started on your cardiovascular stamina in the pursuit of life (38:19) Understanding why, although this topic may not be click-bait worthy, it is crucial (53:38)
Quotes
“Overall, for those who are just after kind of the health and longevity and want to do it in a sustainable way that is not massively hard on the joints or is not a high skill requirement… that low-intensity mix seems to be better for those individuals.” (12:21)

“The endorphins, the huffy-puffy-ness, the sweatiness, the burn, all of those things we have been conditioned over years and years and years in the fitness industry as markers of some sort of ‘success.’ And we need to unlearn a lot of those things when it comes to doing this low-intensity, high-intensity split.” (31:57)

“It's getting people into that mindset of: you don't just go from 0, drop into almost a 50/50 split of low intensity and high intensity, and just slowly kind of stack things up over a long period of time. But you are not doing it in a 7-day cycle where you are just trying to sh

Both strength training and cardiovascular fitness play an important role in your health and well-being. However, learning how to integrate both into your weekly training regime can be challenging. That's why I have brought my friend Jamie Scott on the show to give you some practical tips on implementing lower-intensity cardio into your routine.
Key Takeaways If You Are Interested in Practical Tips for Zone 2 Training, You Should:
Focus on the training-to-train approach, which will allow you to learn about your needs
Find a balance between high-intensity and low-intensity training 
Take your time and be patient knowing that you are providing your body with what it needs
Your Overall Fitness Plan with Jamie Scott Jamie Scott is a New Zealand Registered Nutritionist. He holds postgraduate qualifications in Nutrition Medicine and Sport and Exercise Medicine, undergraduate degrees in Nutrition Science and Physical Education, and is a Level-1 Mountain Bike Skills coach (PMBIA). Over the past 25 years, Jamie’s career has spanned several roles in the health and fitness industry. He is passionate about helping others learn how to fuel their bodies in a way that supports performance and total body health.
Polar Extremes When you think about your training, do you ever think of it in terms of polarization? The truth is it takes many different types and intensities of training to achieve the results you are looking for. While it can be challenging to weave together all the training you should be doing, when you can distribute your training loads between the polar extremes, you can unlock different variations of metabolic reactions and build a more holistic training practice.
It's Not One or the Other, It’s Both Jamie is a big believer in training within the ‘training to train’ category. This means taking the time to learn the art and science of training as it applies to you and only you. Great things take time, and by focusing on learning more about your body and what it needs, you can perfect the overlap between high-intensity and low-intensity.
If you want to improve your endurance, strength, and ultimately the totality of your health picture, the key is learning how to balance the low intensity and high intensity. The benefits might surprise you.
What are you excited to hear about in Part 2? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page.
In This Episode Why ‘Zone 2’ is having a moment in the spotlight despite not being a new topic (12:50) Learn what exactly ‘Zone 2’ training is and the alias terms it can also go by (19:57) The importance of going through the training-to-train phase (35:03) Specific and unique benefits of ‘Zone 2’ training and why, if you are endurance training, it is a necessary piece of the puzzle (39:47) Breaking down the reasons as to why the overlap between high intensity and low intensity gets lost (45:56)
Quotes “There is a real art to it. And that art is kind of a bit fuzzy. We deal with broad ranges rather than absolutes.” (28:57)
“The trends that I am seeing… and some of the top minds in the field… have come out and said the feeling of a particular intensity is actually probably more important than the number.” (30:40)
“There is a learning phase you have to go through. There are phases of training, and for as long as I can remember now, I have tried to teach people that you have to go through the training to train phase.” (35:25)
“You are learning the art and science of training as it pertains to you, your body, your life, your context, your sport.” (35:35)
“It's not one or the other, it's both.”  (46:02)
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Getting back into training after injury or pain can be scary. Whether your injury is past or present or an ongoing or onset pain, learning to move between physical therapy and getting back into the gym requires some nuance. This is why it is so important to have a team working to help you achieve your goals and get you back to the training and activities you love.

Key Takeaways
If You Want to Improve Your Overall Health Over 40, You Should:

Make sure to work with a trainer or team who is invested in your wellbeing Tweak your workout so that it feels good for your body right now, even if you need to do things a bit differently  Focus on the big picture of your health and your short and long-term goals
Exercise is Medicine with Dr. Leada Malek
Dr. Leada Malek is a licensed physical therapist and board-certified San Francisco Bay Area sports specialist. She is one of the 9% of US therapists who specialize in sports therapy. Dr. Malek uses a combined approach of manual therapy and specific therapeutic exercise to help her patients move better, perform better, and compete again. She believes that exercise is medicine. Whether you want to start moving more, move again, or improve, Dr. Malek is passionate about helping you get there.

How to Age Your Way
Dr. Malek knows that your scope of practice as a DPT, trainer, or other field in the industry requires cohesive training and a whole-person approach. This is why Dr. Malek focuses on client-centered care, especially for those of us who are over 40 and learning how to adapt our training to our bodies as we age. 

Aging is beautiful, but you need to know how to keep your body strong as it changes. Your body is adaptable, and while it won't happen overnight, staying strong, fit, and healthy past your 40s and beyond is totally possible with the right attitude, training, and recovery.

Getting Clear on Your Why
One of the first things you need to get clear on, whether you are returning to the gym after injury, working to prevent chronic or onset pain, or just want to start taking care of yourself better, is that you have to be clear on your goals. Ask yourself what you are training for and how your goals play into what you want to do. This can help you support your body and mind. Exercising for life is crucial to your physical longevity, mental health, emotional state, and ability to handle life's stressors. 

Dr. Malek is here to provide you with tools you can take with you throughout your life to ensure that you can do the things you want to do without the fear of injury. Are you ready to return to the gym after an injury or pain? Share your story, comments, and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode
How to take a step forward if you have been stuck dealing with injury or pain (9:44) What you need to be thinking about as a person wanting to keep your body as healthy as possible (15:47) Learn how the old notion of staying still when dealing with injury or pain is changing (27:32) Tips for teasing apart the strings that make up your total physical and mental well-being (34:57) Discover the inspiration behind Dr. Malek’s new book ‘The Science of Stretch’ (39:33)
Quotes
“Proper programming, proper instruction, and consistency do wonders.” (16:05)

“You can still get strong. The issue is I think we are made to believe that we are just supposed to get old and be old and feel old. And I think people need to understand that it is still possible and important. So no matter your fear, understand that this should be a priority.” (17:54)

“The only bad workouts are the ones you are unprepared for, under-fueled for, and pushed through. Those are the workouts you want to be mindful of.” (28:25)

“Everything is playing a role, and I think we just need to zoom out and recognize that we are working with a system and not just an injury.” (38:16)

“As you get older, the b