Interval Training, Mitochondria & Glucose Control: What the Science Says for Women’s Health - with Professor Jenna Gillen
🎓 Join the 9-Week Science of Thriving Course → https://scienceofthriving.com.au 📲 Follow us on Instagram → @tonyboutagyFasted vs fed training, glucose control, and interval training are hot topics in women’s fitness - but much of the advice online isn’t grounded in real-world research.In this conversation with Professor Jenna Gillen, I unpack the latest evidence on how women respond to different training states, why “exercise snacks” work, and how to adapt high-intensity training for different life stages.You’ll learn: • What mitochondria are and why they matter for health beyond sport • The truth about fibre type differences between men and women • How exercise impacts glucose control - during, after, and long term • Why frequent short bouts of movement (“exercise snacks”) are so effective • How low-volume sprint intervals compare to moderate continuous training • The 3 x 20-second sprint protocol for time-crunched women • What the research shows on fasted vs fed training for females • Interval training options for perimenopause and postmenopause • Key takeaways for sustainable cardio and strength programming
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Building Muscle in your 80s & 90s: What 40 Years of Resistance Training Research Reveals About Aging, Frailty & Function - with Professor Maria Fiatarone Singh
If you’ve ever wondered whether older adults can lift heavy or build muscle after 70, this conversation changes everything.Professor Maria Fiatarone Singh pioneered resistance training research in frail elderly populations when no one else believed it was possible. Her 1988 study showing 200% strength gains in nursing home residents aged 80-96 launched four decades of research proving that high-intensity resistance training is the most powerful intervention for healthy aging.In this episode, you'll discover:• How frail 90-year-olds can safely progress to 80% intensity in just four days • Why simple leg press and leg extension improved all activities of daily living • The nitrogen-retention benefits of resistance training (opposite of what most believe) • How weightlifting alone improves VO2 max by 10% without any aerobic training • Why resistance training is more feasible than walking for frail populations • The 13-intervention program that reduced post-hip fracture deaths by 85% • Brain changes from resistance training: growing empathy centers and protecting memory • Maria's personal training approach at age 71: "the heaviest weight I can actually lift"This conversation reveals why resistance training should be the foundation of exercise prescription for older adults and chronic disease management.🎓 Join the 9-Week Science of Thriving Course → https://scienceofthriving.com.au📲 Follow us on Instagram → @tonyboutagy
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Mobility, Injury & Mindset: How Women Stay Strong for Life – with Michelle MacDonald
🎓 Join the 9-Week Science of Thriving Course → https://scienceofthriving.com.au 📲 Follow us on Instagram → @tonyboutagy How do you keep training (and coaching) when real life gets complicated?In this episode, Michelle MacDonald shares the practical strategies she uses to coach women through inflammation, structural limitations, post-surgery recovery, and the emotional ups and downs of midlife training. From leveraging machine work to rewriting beliefs about cardio, Michelle’s approach blends deep physiological awareness with day-to-day adaptability.We also explore how she helped her 79-year-old mother go from inactive to lifting four days a week—and what it really means to build an “athlete mindset” later in life.You’ll learn:• How a yoga foundation shaped Michelle’s elite mind-muscle control• The difference between flexibility and mobility (and what women really lose)• Why women need more regressions, not more restrictions• What to do when inflammation flares or structural pain appears• How to coach via communication, not just programs• Why the anti-cardio trend is harming women—and how to reframe it• What Joan’s transformation teaches us about consistency, identity, and longevityThis episode is a masterclass in practical, intelligent coaching—built for women training through life.
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How Lifelong Exercise Changes Everything About Aging – with Professor Scott Trappe
🎓 Join the 9-Week Science of Thriving Course → https://scienceofthriving.com.au📲 Follow us on Instagram → @tonyboutagyIf you've seen those viral MRI images comparing active and sedentary 70-year-olds, you've witnessed one of the most compelling visual demonstrations of how exercise shapes the aging process - but the story behind them reveals even more.In this episode, Professor Scott Trappe - the researcher behind those images - explains what happens to muscle as we age and how exercise fundamentally alters this process. You'll discover:• What those MRI comparisons reveal about the aging trajectory• When muscle mass, strength, and power peak and how exercise affects this timeline• The reality of fast-twitch fibre changes with age and what training can reverse• Why males and females show remarkably similar responses to exercise across the lifespan• Scott's evidence-based approach that consistently outperforms complex programming• How muscle with different training histories responds to exercise stimuli• The finding that 90-year-old lifelong exercisers maintain muscle quality similar to 40-year-olds• Why consistency matters more than complexity in long-term outcomesThis conversation explores what decades of research reveal about muscle adaptation and the aging process.
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Women’s Nutrition After 40: How to Unlearn Diet Myths, Let Go of Guilt & Eat for Real Health – with Dr. Mikki Williden
🎓 Join the 9-Week Science of Thriving Course → https://scienceofthriving.com.au📲 Follow us on Instagram → @tonyboutagyAre you overwhelmed by nutrition rules, tired of feeling guilty about food, or just want to reclaim your energy and confidence after 40?This episode is all about unlearning decades of restrictive diet culture, breaking free from perfectionism, and rebuilding trust with your body and food. Dr. Mikki Williden and I cut through nutrition confusion, show you why common deficiencies and frustration are not your fault, and give you the tools to finally feel at home with your plate again.You’ll learn:How to spot and fix nutrient gaps (iron, B12, D, thyroid)Why most “healthy eating” advice leaves women stuck or burnt outHow to regulate blood sugar and energy, without food obsessionWhy high-protein meals, flexible carbs, and meal planning create freedomWhat “tuning in” really means (and how to stop second-guessing yourself)If you’re ready to let go of nutrition anxiety, this is the reset you need.
Join exercise scientist Dr Tony Boutagy as he interviews 11 leading experts in fitness and women's health. With 30+ years of experience and 70,000+ training programs written, Tony bridges rigorous science with practical application.
This podcast explores evidence-based approaches to strength training, metabolism, and nutrition—particularly for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.
Discover what research actually suggests about fitness, beyond trends and oversimplification, through conversations that acknowledge real-world complexities and individual differences.
Australia