The Weekly Riff with Louise Green

Louise Green
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  • Fitness

The Weekly Riff cuts through fitness culture’s noise with real talk from Louise Green — award-winning coach, author, and size-inclusive fitness trailblazer redefining what strength looks like. In a world where most fitness spaces still exclude, this podcast offers something rare: a space that honours all bodies and holds the belief that your body is fully capable of strength, power, and performance — through every season of life, including midlife and menopause. Each 20-minute episode dives into strength training, body image, mindset, and the deeper layers of showing up for yourself — without the toxic pressure to shrink, conform, or apologize. Louise blends expert insight, lived experience, and raw honesty to explore how we can all train for strength and self-respect, not validation. Expect conversations that challenge stereotypes, dismantle diet culture, and invite you to rise — as you are, right now. 🎧 Tune in weekly for unfiltered, empowering riffs on what it really means to be strong — in body, mind, and culture.

  1. 20h ago

    Episode 29 - A Guideline for What to Eat for Optimal Exercise (especially in your 40's or 50's)

    Louise tackles a common question from her private community: what to eat before and after workouts, especially for women in their 40s and 50s. She frames the conversation carefully around scope of practice, using Canadian food guidance, published research, and her own lived experience to explain how to fuel for strength and recovery. Louise also shares practical, body-aware guidance on hunger cues, protein, carbohydrates, and why the answer changes with age, training load, and individual needs. Key topics Louise explains why this episode is about building a stronger body, not shrinking one, and why that distinction matters.She clarifies the limits of fitness professionals giving nutrition advice and points listeners toward official government food guidance and qualified dietitians.The Canadian food guide structure is highlighted: half vegetables or fruit, a quarter whole grains, and a quarter protein foods, with a preference for plant-based protein more often.Louise discusses how exercise fuel should not become an excuse to cut carbohydrates too low, since carbs provide glycogen for workout energy.She notes that many people, especially in North America, are under-eating protein for their body size, activity level, and age.In women in their 40s and 50s, she points to muscle loss acceleration, estrogen decline, and bone density risk as reasons protein and consistency matter more.She emphasizes that hunger cues are not always a rumbling stomach and may show up as agitation, impatience, or feeling “hangry.”She gives examples like rice cakes and peanut butter, tuna and rice cakes, toast and jam, and yogurt with fruit.After training, she usually returns to a normal balanced meal rather than relying on a giant protein shake.She encourages listeners to look for qualified menopause nutrition experts and mentions Dr. Jen Huber as an example of a registered dietitian with both credentials and lived experience.Useful points of conversation:  00:00 - Why this question keeps coming up in Louise’s community 02:21 - Using the Canadian food guide as the baseline reference 03:17 - Personal experience versus prescription in coaching 05:49 - The eat well plate model and how it maps to training fuel 06:36 - Why protein matters for recovery and muscular health 08:34 - Why aging athletes often need more protein 09:21 - Carbohydrates as glycogen and workout fuel 09:51 - Why many people do not need extra food for mild to moderate exercise 10:19 - How hunger cues can show up without stomach rumbling 13:59 - Louise’s post-lift cravings and what they might mean 15:02 - Protein intake research for postmenopausal women 16:55 - Higher protein ranges for female athletes under heavy training 17:32 - Why body awareness matters more than formulas alone 19:39 - Practical snack examples before training 20:37 - What she does after training and why balanced meals still matter 22:41 - Why she recommends Dr. Jen Huber for menopause nutrition guidance 25:03 - Her personal rule of thumb: snack 60 to 90 minutes before workouts Also, as promised in the episode, a direct link to the Riff on Protein.  Direct link to Dr. Jenn Huber, The Menopause Nutritionist  Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

  2. Aug 17

    Episode 28: Advocating for Equitable Care in Health and Fitness

    What does health equity look like and how do we know we are getting it?  In this episode, Louise shares a story about a client who recently had an appointment to see a specialist due to knee pain. Her story of anxiety around doctor's blaming her weight is one we've heard, time and time again. In this episode we dig into something bigger: the difference between correlation and causation, and how mixing the two up drives real harm in both healthcare and fitness spaces. This episode covers research on weight bias among physicians and medical trainees, patient avoidance of care, and discrimination in gyms — alongside the more hopeful research on weight-neutral care, Health at Every Size programs, and how quickly trainable bias actually is with the right intervention. Louise also shares patterns she's seen again and again coaching women through both worlds. Fair and equitable care isn't a soft ask — it's what accurate diagnosis and good coaching actually require. 00:00 – the coaching call, and why my client was anxious about her knee appointment02:00 – what this episode covers and why it matters03:45 – how my client found a doctor who never once mentioned her weight07:00 – Correlation vs. causation: why weight gets blamed for things it may not have caused, and the "metabolically healthy obesity" research10:40 – The hard numbers: weight bias among physicians and medical trainees, patient avoidance of care, discrimination in gyms14:10 – Why this matters to me: patterns I've seen coaching women through healthcare and fitness spaces18:15 – The hopeful data: weight-neutral care outcomes, Health at Every Size research, and how trainable bias actually is20:45 – What fair and equitable care actually looks like in practice23:20 – Close Key Stats Mentioned ●      Nearly 40% of surveyed resident physicians agreed "fat people tend to be fat pretty much through their own fault"; about a third reported feeling more irritated treating patients with obesity.  ●      Across a six-country study, 56–61% of adults reported experiencing weight stigma, with 63–74% of those experiences coming from healthcare providers.  ●      84% of plus-size and underweight gym-goers reported experiencing negative weight-related judgment at the gym.  ●      Weight stigma itself — not body size — was linked to elevated cortisol and oxidative stress in one study, independent of participants' actual body composition.  ●      In a 2-year randomized trial, a weight-neutral approach produced sustained improvements in cholesterol, physical activity, self-esteem, and quality of life — without weight loss as the goal.  ●      A 2-hour weight-inclusive training for fitness professionals produced measurable, sustained improvements in attitudes three months later.  Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

  3. Aug 9

    Episode 27 - Inclusion Across the Atlantic: Same Industry, Different Accent

    What does a country’s fitness culture communicate about who belongs? After travelling through Spain and the UK, Louise Green reflects on the differences she noticed in fitness marketing, body ideals and the visibility of larger people. From transformation-focused messaging and before-and-after imagery to the groundbreaking This Girl Can campaign, she examines the tension between promoting fitness and making people feel that their bodies need to change first. Louise also shares why seeing larger-bodied people as coaches, athletes and leaders—not simply as the “before” picture—can profoundly change someone’s relationship with movement. This is a conversation about representation, belonging and what genuine size inclusion really looks like. Key Topics The differences Louise noticed between fitness culture in Spain and the UKHow aesthetics and transformation shape fitness marketingThe way before-and-after imagery creates a hierarchy of bodiesThe difference between general diversity and genuine size inclusionThe contradiction between inclusive public campaigns and commercial fitness cultureWhy larger-bodied coaches and fitness leaders matterKey Takeaways Fitness culture reflects broader beliefs about bodies, success and personal worth.Different countries may market fitness differently, but appearance and transformation remain powerful themes.Showing a larger body only as the “before” picture is not meaningful representation.Genuine inclusion means showing larger people as active, capable, knowledgeable and successful.Public campaigns like This Girl Can demonstrate how powerful it can be when people see bodies like their own participating in movement.Seeing a larger-bodied person in fitness leadership can create a life-changing sense of possibility and belonging.Chapters 00:00 — What Travel Revealed About Fitness Culture 01:19 — Spain: Aesthetics and the Ideal Fitness Body 02:10 — How North American Fitness Sells Transformation 03:25 — When Representation Still Leaves Larger Bodies Out 04:14 — What This Girl Can Got Right 05:10 — Why Larger-Bodied Fitness Leadership Matters Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

  4. Jul 26

    Episode 26 - Freedom: Why Autonomy Fuels Your Motivation

    The final episode in Louise Green's four-pillar series — Strength, Feminism, Disruption, and Freedom. After exploring physical power, challenging inherited norms, and redefining disruption as a way of life, Louise lands on Freedom: the autonomy to choose how you move, train, and show up for yourself — and why that choice drives real, lasting motivation. Key Topics The four pillars of Louise Green's brand: Strength, Feminism, Disruption, FreedomSafety, belonging, and intrinsic motivation in fitness spacesIdentity threat and negative experiences in sport and fitnessCreating freedom, autonomy, and choice for clientsVulnerability and relatability as the foundation of communityDisrupting objectification and promoting body positivityMaslow's hierarchy of needs as a motivation frameworkIntrinsic motivation and its role in long-term adherenceChapters 00:00 Introduction to the four pillars: Strength, Feminism, Disruption, Freedom 00:41 Overview of the pillars and how they connect 01:23 Finding community and belonging in wellness spaces 02:20 Intrinsic motivation and Maslow's hierarchy of needs 03:15 Creating safe, welcoming fitness environments 04:43 Overcoming identity threat and negative experiences 06:05 The importance of freedom and autonomy in fitness 07:02 The science behind autonomy and motivation 08:00 Flexible programs and movement choices 09:25 The power of language and goal setting 11:09 Community, vulnerability, and connection 12:57 Building relatability and depth in community 15:30 Feminism and objectification in fitness 16:52 Motivation archetypes and personalized approaches 17:37 Conclusion and series wrap-up Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

  5. Jul 12

    Episode 25 - Disruption: A Path to Freedom, in Fitness, Health and Life

    Louise Green explores disruption as a force in life, fitness, and feminism. Drawing on personal experience and the film Nomadland, she unpacks what it means to reject the scripts we're handed — nice, small, married, done by 40 — and build something more honest instead. Key Topics Disruption as a lens for life and fitness, not just rebellion for its own sakeChallenging societal and family expectationsFeminism as the throughline of personal empowermentRedefining fitness and body image at any sizeLiving authentically beyond prescribed timelinesDisruption as refusal, not rebellionOwning your story, your space, and your bodyMidlife as a pivotal point for reinventionTakeaways Disruption is refusal — choosing not to fit a mold that was never built for you, rather than rebelling against it for shock value.You don't need to meet traditional fitness standards to be strong.Living authentically means questioning the scripts you inherited, not just breaking rules.Midlife is a prime moment for redefining identity and goals — often because the old map runs out, not because you chose a blank slate.Disrupting norms publicly gives other women permission to do the same.Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the concept of disruption 02:02 Societal expectations and life trajectories 04:03 Changing careers and challenging family norms 05:51 Disruption in fitness culture and body image 08:46 Women living unconventionally and owning space 12:00 Disrupting health and aging myths 15:05 Living authentically beyond societal norms 18:00 Disruption as a pillar of feminism 20:57 Midlife as a pivotal point for reinvention 24:09 Personal stories of disruption and courage 27:03 A call to disrupt expectations and live fully Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

  6. Jul 5

    Episode 24 - Fitness is a Feminist Issue

    Fitness does not exist in a vacuum. Women arrive at movement carrying decades of messaging about beauty, body size, aging, worth, and what it means to take up space in the world. In this episode, Louise Green explores why fitness is a feminist issue, examining the historical, cultural, and economic forces that have shaped women's relationships with their bodies. From Victorian ideals of fragility to modern wellness culture, she unpacks how women have been encouraged to shrink, consume less, and view their bodies as lifelong improvement projects. Louise offers a different vision of fitness—one rooted in strength, autonomy, self-trust, and participation—while sharing practical ways to recognize these influences and build a relationship with movement that supports a bigger, fuller life. Key Topics Defining feminism beyond politics and common misconceptionsWhy fitness is a feminist issueThe historical regulation of women's bodiesFrom fragility to fitness culture: changing ideals of womanhoodThe influence of beauty standards, media, and marketingHow women continue to be valued differently than menThe economics of insecurity and the business of dissatisfactionReclaiming fitness as a tool for strength, confidence, and autonomyPractical ways to challenge inherited beliefs about bodies and worthBuilding a relationship with movement that expands life rather than narrows itLink to Jennifer Livingstone's Article (the news anchor bullied by a viewer).  Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

  7. Jun 28

    Episode 23 - Strength is Political: Why Women's Strength Matters More than Ever

    For decades, women have been encouraged to become smaller, quieter, lighter, and less demanding. We have been sold exercise programs designed to burn calories, shrink our bodies, and keep us focused on appearance rather than capability. But what if strength is about far more than fitness? In this episode, Louise Green explores strength as a political act and argues that women's physical strength has implications far beyond the gym. From the rise of aerobics culture to today's obsession with thinness, she examines how generations of women have been conditioned to pursue less of themselves rather than more. Louise discusses why strength training is one of the most powerful tools women have for reclaiming agency, confidence, and autonomy in midlife and beyond. She explores the connection between physical strength, self-efficacy, leadership, boundary setting, resilience, and longevity, while challenging the cultural narratives that have encouraged women to stay small. This conversation dives into the science, history, and social implications of strength, revealing why lifting weights may be one of the most radical investments women can make in themselves. In this episode: • Why strength is the foundation upon which confidence, courage, and empowerment are built • How women have historically been conditioned toward thinness rather than capability • The fitness industry's role in reinforcing body ideals and disconnection from strength • The relationship between resistance training, self-efficacy, and decision-making • Why stronger women often report greater confidence, clearer boundaries, and increased agency • The evidence linking strength training to improved healthspan, independence, and longevity • Why building strength in midlife is an act of resistance against ageism and diet culture Key Takeaways Strength is not vanity. It is capacity. Strength is not simply about muscle. It is about freedom, resilience, autonomy, and possibility. You cannot outsource strength, borrow it, or fake it. You earn it through repetition, discomfort, and persistence. The strongest investment a woman can make may not be in becoming smaller, but in becoming more capable. Memorable Quotes "Strength is the foundation of everything else." "Women have spent generations learning how to take up less space. Strength teaches us how to take up more." "Stronger women make different decisions because they trust themselves differently." "Strength is not just physical. It changes how you move through the world." Chapters 00:00 – Why Strength Is Political 02:25 – The Cultural Conditioning of Women to Stay Small 09:06 – The History of Women's Fitness and Strength Training 16:23 – Diet Culture's Impact on Women's Relationship With Strength 21:57 – Strength, Healthspan, and Longevity 24:48 – Building Strength as an Act of Self-Investment and Resistance Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

  8. Jun 21

    Episode 22: The Identities We Outgrow: Who Are You Becoming?

    Who you are today is not who you'll be a year from now. We are always evolving.  In this week's Riff, Louise explores one of the most powerful, and often uncomfortable, parts of personal growth: identity change. Inspired by the ideas in Atomic Habits by James Clear and her own experiences navigating major life transitions, Louise examines what happens when the identities we've carried no longer fit the lives we're trying to build. Many of us become attached to old stories about who we are: the athlete, the people-pleaser, the caretaker, the "big person," the successful professional, the parent with a busy household. But life moves in seasons. Relationships change. Bodies change. Priorities shift. And sometimes growth requires us to release identities that once served us so we can step into new ones. In this episode, Louise explores why lasting change isn't about setting better goals, it's about becoming the kind of person who naturally lives those behaviours. She discusses how habits reinforce identity, why confidence follows action, and how small daily choices become evidence for the person you're becoming. Whether you're rebuilding after loss, navigating midlife, changing careers, strengthening your relationship with movement, or simply feeling the pull toward something new, this conversation is an invitation to stop asking, "Who am I?" and start asking, "Who am I becoming?" In this episode:  Why identity is the foundation of lasting behavior change  How habits provide evidence for who we believe ourselves to be  The identities we inherit versus the identities we intentionally choose  Why growth often requires grieving former versions of ourselves  How fear keeps us attached to familiar identities  The connection between action, confidence, and self-belief  Practical ways to begin building the identity you want to embodyLouise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

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The Weekly Riff cuts through fitness culture’s noise with real talk from Louise Green — award-winning coach, author, and size-inclusive fitness trailblazer redefining what strength looks like. In a world where most fitness spaces still exclude, this podcast offers something rare: a space that honours all bodies and holds the belief that your body is fully capable of strength, power, and performance — through every season of life, including midlife and menopause. Each 20-minute episode dives into strength training, body image, mindset, and the deeper layers of showing up for yourself — without the toxic pressure to shrink, conform, or apologize. Louise blends expert insight, lived experience, and raw honesty to explore how we can all train for strength and self-respect, not validation. Expect conversations that challenge stereotypes, dismantle diet culture, and invite you to rise — as you are, right now. 🎧 Tune in weekly for unfiltered, empowering riffs on what it really means to be strong — in body, mind, and culture.

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