The Team LoCoFit Show: PCOS & Insulin Resistance

Ep 69: PCOS: Symptoms and diagnosis with Victoria Felkar

In this week’s episode of the Team LoCoFit round table, Laurin and Victoria Felkar talk about what PCOS is and what it is not, some of the common symptoms, the diagnostic criteria for PCOS and what the different types of PCOS mean for you. Make sure to leave us a review on iTunes! (10 stars only)

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N019DaQPbx0

Ep 70: Insulin resistance, Infertility and Dieting with PCOS

In this week’s episode of the Team LoCoFit round table, Laurin and Victoria Felkar answered your questions about PCOS and fertility. They go over managing the side effects of high testosterone, competing with PCOS, do you need to be low carb to manage the symptoms and much more.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcQGZHjbh3Y

For more information about coaching, visit www.teamlocofit.com

Level Up: Contraception, Women’s Health & Steroid Use:

Level Up With Sharelle and Dani

Today we had an extremely in depth conversation with Victoria Felkar who is a practitioner, consultant, author and educator.

She specialises in women’s health, hormones and steroid use in the female athlete. Which also includes hormonal contraception.

Victoria also has an incredible story behind her drive and passion for research and education, which really shines through in the episode.

There are two parts to this conversation.

1. Menstruation & contraception (0:00 - 60:07)

2. The health consequences of steriod use in bodybuilding (Start 60:07)

Enjoy this informative episode!

Please leave us a review to let us know what you think of our podcast 😊  xxx

Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1023776104

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ep-95-contraception-womens-health-steroid-use-with/id1490923468?i=1000536065246

Spotify: https://anchor.fm/luwsd/episodes/Ep-95--Contraception--Womens-Health--Steroid-Use-with-Victoria-Felkar-e17jsc7

https://www.instagram.com/levelup_podcast_/

https://www.instagram.com/daniantonellos/

https://www.instagram.com/sharellegrant/

The Bodcast Kenya - The Menstrual Cycle

On this episode of the Bodcast we are honoured to be joined by Victoria Felkar to discuss the menstrual cycle.

Victoria is an amazing educator and researcher, working across a multitude of fields from kinesiology to sport medicine and the humanities. She is currently working on her doctorate on Women’s health and female hormone manipulation within sport medicine.

Whilst we are in the 21st Century, it is mind blowing how little we still know about the menstrual cycle and that in many places it is a taboo topic. We have wanted to have a professional to discuss this topic for some time as we feel it is so important for men and women to know more.

Victoria takes us step by step through the menstrual cycle, talking through the hormones, what is healthy and what to look out for. We discuss whether it is useful to programme training according to cycle phase and touch briefly on birth control.

We HIGHLY recommend you download this and start tracking your cycle.

Men- download or send to the ladies in your life!

We really hope you enjoy this episode and find it useful and we would love to have Victoria back to talk more about steroid use (including birth control) for women.

Sound cloud:

https://soundcloud.com/thebodcastke/the-menstrual-cycle-with-victoria-felkar

The Abi Khan Show: Women's Health, Hormonal Contraceptives and more

Welcome to the show!!!

I am delighted to share my conversation with Victoria Felkar.

As an interdisciplinary researcher and instructor, Victoria works across the fields of kinesiology, medicine, critical studies and the humanities. She study health, hormones, and the body, and is currently pursuing a doctorate. Her research explores women's health and female hormone manipulation within sport and medicine.

For the past decade, she have also been a practitioner, consultant, author, and educator within the world of strength and fitness. Over the years, Victoria has worked with a wide range of individuals and organizations, including top-level athletes, special populations, health professionals, and strength coaches worldwide, and lectured at events worldwide. Her specialties include athlete-centered coaching methods, functional health and performance enhancement education.

We discuss all things Women’s health, what that means to Victoria and how you can ensure you have be healthy physically, mentally and socially.

Spotify:

https://anchor.fm/abi-khan/episodes/50-Victoria-Felkar---Womens-Health--Hormonal-Contraceptives-and-more-eeogg2

iTunes:

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/50-victoria-felkar-womens-health-hormonal-contraceptives/id1478553366?i=1000490860890

Connect with Abi here:

https://www.instagram.com/iamabikhan

https://www.facebook.com/abi.khan.754570

https://twitter.com/iamabikhan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abi-khan-a68747116/

https://vm.tiktok.com/uMwsjf/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpVWn95QCRsPjZUdfndRkpQ

Email: iamabikhan@gmail.com

LoCo Fit: Birth Control

I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to chat with my very good friend and colleague, the one and only Laurin Conlin - Owner of @teamlocofit, IFBB Bikini Pro, MS Exercise Science, and all around badass.

This video is the second in a two-episode video podcast on women’s health. Specifically, we discuss hormonal contraceptives - diving into different types of hormonal agents and their impact on female reproductive health and the body.

Birth control is a hot topic. In this video, me and Victoria cover a small fraction of the birth control topic. Like our menstrual cycle video, this is a ver...

Enjoy!

Learn more about Laurin and LoCo Fit
www.teamlocofit.com
YT: Laurin Conlin
IG: @laurinconlin
IG: @teamLoCoFit
FB: @laurinconlin

The Excellence Cartel: Diving into PCOS

The Excellence Cartel: Episode 31

I had the privilege of joining Jason Theobald, Jeffrey Su, and Jeff Black on The Excellence Cartel podcast to discuss all things polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) - or, as I prefer to call it, anovulatory androgen excess (AAE).

We went in depth on the drivers and root causes of this highly complex and dynamic reproductive metabolic disorder, including touching on genetics, epigenetics, lifestyle, and other contributing co-factors. Throughout the show, I provide some insight as to where to start in terms of finding the right treatment and care for each individual case.

I hope you enjoy the show!

PODCAST LINKS:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-31-diving-into-pcos-with-victoria-felkar/id1473504650?i=1000469476837

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9jYzZhMDc4L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz

Podparadise: https://www.podparadise.com/Podcast/1473504650

Radio Public: https://radiopublic.com/the-excellence-cartel-WwnnYZ

anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/theexcellencecartel

Learn more about The Excellence Cartel:

The Excellence Cartel IG: @the_excellence_cartel

Jason Theobald: @scoobyprep1_ifbbpro

Jeffrey Su: @firstcalloutfitness

Jeff Black: @jeffunbreakableblack

#theexcellencecartel

www.physiqueeducationcollective.com

LoCo Fit: Menstrual Cycle Health

I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to chat with my very good friend and colleague, the one and only Laurin Conlin - Owner of @teamlocofit, IFBB Bikini Pro, MS Exercise Science, and all around badass.

This video is the first in a two-episode video podcast on women’s health. Specifically, we discuss women's menstrual cycle health, regularities and irregularities and more.

Enjoy!

Audio version:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-36-menstrual-cycle-health-with-victoria-felkar/id1475160059?i=1000470187065

Learn more about Laurin and LoCo Fit
www.teamlocofit.com
YT: Laurin Conlin
IG: @laurinconlin
IG: @teamLoCoFit
FB: @laurinconlin

TRT Hormone Optimization: Women's HRT & Hormones Across the Lifespan

TRT Hormone Optimization

I was welcomed back onto the TRT Hormone Optimization Podcast, this time having a chance to chat with Angie Bossa about women’s hormone replacement therapy and hormones across the lifespan.

We covered a lot of ground, including:

• What is peri-menopause?

• Key phases in women’s reproduction lifespan - from puberty to menopause

• The importance of progesterone

• Testosterone replacement therapy for women

• Hormone testing & symptom tracking

• And more!

Check out the three part episode below!

Part 1: Peri-menopause - What & WHen?

Perimenopause when and what? Angie Bossa interviews Victoria Felkar on women's health, Perimenopause Symptoms, and Age. Victoria Felkar Web: www.victoriafelk...

Part 2: The Importance of Progesterone - Female Hormones Explained

Victoria Felkar explains 'The Band Theory' and the importance of Progesterone. Female Hormones Explained in an interview with Angie Bossa as the host! #trtan...

Part 3:Testosterone For Women, Testing and Knowing Your Body

Victoria Felkar talks about Testosterone For Women, Testing and Knowing Your Body. #trtandhormoneoptimization #trt #hormoneoptimization Victoria Felkar Web: ...

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Learn more about TRT and Hormone Optimization:

PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP: TRT and Hormone Optimization

YOUTUBE: TRT and Hormone Optimization

Full Stop Podcast Launch

I am so excited to announce the launch of Full Stop - my new podcast with Scott McNally focused on all things health, hormones & fitness.

Full Stop is a podcast in both video and audio formats, dedicated to exploring integrated health and performance, women’s health and hormones, performance enhancement, risk management and more. We talk about how the body functions, inside and out. Full Stop.

VIDEO:

Available through Think Big Bodybuilding Media on YouTube.

Audio:

Click here or on Podcast Apps, search ADVICES RADIO.

Want to ask a question or suggest topics for Full Stop & other podcasts at Think BIG and Advices Radio? Head over to the private Advices Radio facebook group, or direct message @advicesradionetwork on Instagram.

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Full stop is presented by

User code: ADVICES

Super Human Radio: Women and Anabolic Steroids (& Hormonal Contraceptives)

SHR#2427: Women and Anabolic Steroids: The Intersect Between Health & Performance

I was honored to have an opportunity to sit down with the godfather of fitness podcasting, Carl Lanore, to discuss all things women and steroids. Although the interview started off with more focus on women and anabolic androgenic steroids, we quickly shifted gears to also include the use of hormonal contraceptives.

Carl and I covered a lot of ground - health implications associated with use, management techniques, and even off-topic discussions about the hormonal impact of hysterectomies, myths about women’s health, and my views on post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy.

I was fired up and excited to share a lot of new material - helping to make this another one of my best podcasts to date. Enjoy!

ps. Remember, by sharing and reposting, you’re helping to spread critical knowledge on this highly misunderstood and under-discussed topic.

Check out the show summary below.

More and more women are driven to present shredded, muscular physiques. From Hollywood actresses preparing for a role in an action movie to athletes competing in sports. Everyday women are now adapting this look and as such are turning to performance and appearance enhancing drugs to get the job done. But do high levels of androgens posses a unique risk to women? And can that risk be mitigated by taking specific steps? This interview became so much more when the discussion about hormonal birth control pills entered the mix. So many women don't realize their birth control is doing many of the same things performance enhancing drugs are doing.

An unedited show transcript can be found here.

Podcast LINK:

https://superhumanradio.net/shr-2427-women-and-anabolic-steroids-the-intersect-between-health-performance

VIDEO LINK:

Watch the interview on Facebook.

Mp3 Direct Link:

https://superhumanradio.net/components/com_podcast/media/mp3s/SHR_Show_2427.mp3

Itunes Link:

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/women-anabolic-steroids-intersect-between-health-performance/id133505292?i=1000456533164

Learn more about Carl & Super Human Radio

WEB: https://superhumanradio.net/
IG: @carl.lanore
FB: @SuperHuamnRadioNetwork

Bodies, Barbells & Bagels: Part 2

Part 2: PED's, Steroids & the Female Body

After being away from the mic for 6 months, I’m back! And what a real treat it was to make my return as a guest on Bodies, Barbells & Bagels with Alice Round and Sean Mclaney. They let me dive deep into women’s health, menstruation, and steroids - so deep in fact that they turned the conversation into a two part podcast!

Thanks Alice and Sean for a wonderful show! It was a real honour to be a guest on your show.

Check out their show summary below!

In this episode of BBB, we have part 2 of our interview with the female hormone expert- Victoria Felkar, where we discuss all things STEROID related, encompassing contraception, Performance Enhancing Drugs (PED's) and even some medications such as Corticosteroids and how they can affect women in both the short and the long term, including potential unwanted negative side effects. DISCLAIMER: We do not condone drug use as Anabolic Androgenic Steroid use is illegal in Australia

PODCAST LINK:

https://bodiesbarbellsbagels.libsyn.com/episode-26-peds-steroids-the-female-body-with-victoria-felkar-part-2

ITUNES:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-26-peds-steroids-female-body-victoria-felkar/id1346601256?i=1000443225383

Learn more about Alice & Sean:

Alice Round
WEB: http://aliceround.com/
IG: @aliround & @mclaneytrained
FB: @aliceroundnutritiontraining
YOUTUBE: Alice Round

Sean Mclaney
IG: @mclaneytrained
FB: Sean Mclaney

Bodies, Barbells & Bagels: Part 1

Part 1: Female Hormones, Menstrual Cycles & Fertility

After being away from the mic for 6 months, I’m back! And what a real treat it was to make my return as a guest on Bodies, Barbells & Bagels with Alice Round and Sean Mclaney. They let me dive deep into women’s health, menstruation, and steroids - so deep in fact that they turned the conversation into a two part podcast!

Thanks Alice and Sean for a wonderful show! It was a real honour to be a guest on your show.

Check out their show summary below!

In this episode of BBB, with the female hormone expert herself- Victoria Felkar, we discuss the variations in women's menstrual cycles. Is there such a thing as a "normal cycle"? We delve into the signs and symptoms of both a typical and atypical flow. From this episode, we want women listening to understand the WHY behind fertility and hormonal issues and offer potential practical strategies to improve their health and wellbeing.

PODCAST LINK:

https://bodiesbarbellsbagels.libsyn.com/episode-25-female-hormones-menstrual-cycles-fertility-with-victoria-felkar-part-1

ITUNES:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-25-female-hormones-menstrual-cycles-fertility/id1346601256?i=1000442834826

Learn more about Alice & Sean:

Alice Round
WEB: http://aliceround.com/
IG: @aliround & @mclaneytrained
FB: @aliceroundnutritiontraining
YOUTUBE: Alice Round

Sean Mclaney
IG: @mclaneytrained
FB: Sean Mclaney

TRT Revolution with Jay Campbell

How to Help Chemically Castrated Women Get Their Health Back

This podcast was everything! I had a fabulous time chatting with Mr. TOT himself, Jay Campbell of TOT Revolution. I met Jay at SWIS in October 2018, and loved the no b.s. energy and endless passion he brought to the conversation of hormone replacement therapy. His mission to provide the best education possible through partnering with the world’s best is also so near and dear to my own heart.

Thanks Jay for everything! Can’t wait for the next opportunity to talk shop with you!

Check out Jay’s amazing summary and show notes below.

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Women’s health has been neglected and filled with myths and ignorance since the beginning of endocrinology.

Why is progesterone one of the most underestimated and misunderstood hormones, and what are its uses?

How has birth control destroyed the health of both men and women?

How can we help chemically castrated women get access to lifesaving healthcare?

On this episode, I talk with health practitioner, consultant, author, and educator, Victoria Felkar about what’s getting in the way of the help women need and what can be done about it.

The more you screw with hormones earlier in life, the more you’re setting yourself up for difficulty later on— but the salvation is in lifestyle.

-Victoria Felkar



At the start of the show, we talked about why women’s endocrinology is handled so badly, and the double standards that cause this.

Next we talked about the connection between hormones and sport, and how the stigma was born. We discussed how hormones are used at the elite levels of sport and how birth control is destroying us.

We also talked about the alarming warning signs about menstrual cycles that we shouldn’t ignore.

We also discussed:

• Why progesterone is a wonder hormone

• How hormones can be used as tools, not crutches

• The commonality of performance enhancement in sport

• The importance of tracking your hormonal bio-feedback

So many women are suffering because hormones like progesterone have been so maligned. At the same time, birth control pills have been misused and abused.

The truth is, the more you screw with hormones earlier on in life through birth control, fertility drugs, and other substances, the more intense the issues will be later on in life.

Lifestyle is actually a very important part of women’s reproductive health, not the manipulation of menstrual cycles we are seeing today.

If you have lower rates of stress, you’re going to improve your reproductive health. The woman’s body has its own built in clock, and it’s like a symphony that requires all the instruments.

If we start manipulating or removing some parts, there’s no telling how bad the impact will be, and we’re definitely starting to see the negative downstream effects now.

PODCAST LINK:

http://www.totrevolution.com/how-to-help-chemically-castrated-women-get-their-health-back-w-victoria-felkar/

ITUNES:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trt-revolution-podcast/id1097576864?mt=2

Learn more about Jay Campbell & The TOT Revolution
WEB: http://www.totrevolution.com
IG: @TOTrevolution
FB: @TRTexpert
YOUTUBE: TOT Revolution

The CK Podcast: The Oral Contraceptive Pill

Finishing up 2018 strong with yet another podcast!

I had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Knott about the Oral Contraceptive Pill. I am so grateful to Chris for having me on his show, and asking me some of the best questions I’ve had to date.

Check out his summary of the show below!

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“The stigma surrounding male anabolic steroid use is something well and truly still present in society. If a man were to experience unwanted side effects from AAS use he would be labelled as stupid for risking his hormonal health for aesthetic or performance reasons.

This being said, there is little to no difference in the way female contraception is administered to prevent pregnancies. Ovulation is inhibited by disruption of the regular hormonal cycle through the application of exogenous Estrogen and/or Progesterone.

This “can” lead to severe health issues if not treated responsibly through diligent lifestyle choices, I.e. being on top of nutrition, digestion, sleep and stress management.

Interested in learning more? Tune in to my latest podcast with Victoria Felkar for an absolute masterclass in everything you need to know about the oral contraceptive pill.”

PODCAST LINK:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/episodes/879236-the-oral-contraceptive-pill

ITUNES:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-chris-knott-podcast/id1337586535?mt=2

SPOTIFY:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2fngJKF6UUdFKfmRwJKuua

Learn more about The Chris Knott Podcast
IG: @chris_knott_
WEB: http://www.chrisknottpt.com/category/podcast/

Strength Chat by Kabuki Strength

It was absolutely amazing to chat with Chris Duffin, Rudy Kadlub & Brandon Senn of KABUKI STRENGTH. We covered a lot of ground with this podcast - touching on some everything from athlete health, performance inhibition, female strength athletes, and even how much my deadlift sucks!

I’m so grateful to Chris, Rudy and Brandon for having me on the show!

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“We are honored to have Victoria Felkar as today's guest on Strength Chat. She is an explorer, a renegade, and an advocate pushing the boundaries of performance and health through research, coaching, and teaching. 

Victoria is currently completing her doctoral studies at University of British Columbia, specializing in physical culture, medical and criminological knowledge, performance enhancement, and the muscular body. Her doctoral research explores women's health and female hormone manipulation within sport and medicine.

Tune in as the Mad Scientist, Dr. Rudolph, and the Wizard of Training discuss some of what Victoria has been working on lately. 

A great episode you won't want to miss! 

PODCAST LINK:

https://kabukistrengthchat.libsyn.com/strength-chat-75-victoria-felkar

ITUNES:

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/strength-chat-by-kabuki-strength/id1157215043?mt=2

Learn more about Kabuki Strength
https://kabukistrength.com/
IG: @mad_scientist_duffin
IG: @kabukistrengthlab
FB: @kabukistrength

EliteFTS: Female Athletes & Exogenous Substances

From your digestion to your sleep to your cognition, exogenous hormone use has dramatic effects on your entire body. However, there is a subconscious idea that when a drug is taken it, it's actions and influence will stay within a tidy little box of ‘intended’ outcomes. The reality is, pharmaceuticals influence nearly every system in your body.

If that wasn’t enough, the chaos effect of a drug must be compounded with other variables such as the fluidity of a women's hormonal life course (puberty, perimenopause), an extraordinarily stressful physiological event (ie. competing or acute illness), or the ongoing multiple small daily stressors, like training at a high capacity without adequate nutrition and sleep. Needless to say, there are so many factors that on their own or together with others, can manifest in immediate, ongoing, and future health consequences.

But, these risks don't just come from drugs used for enhancement purposes either. Although the 'finger' is pointed at anabolic-androgenic steroids for causing massive system-wide dysfunctions within the body, steroids like oral contraceptives - espescially when taken at the beginning of a female's reproductive period - have the capacity to result in lingering effects for health.

Breaking down myths, speaking to the knowledge gap, and critically thinking about the information you read and receive will go a long way in helping to improve the current state of women's health. Blissful, willful and reckless ignorance won’t help the situation, or the women affected by it. Get informed, get critical, and build knowledge by breaking down myths.

Read the full write-up from EliteFTS here.

Write here…

EliteFTS: www.elitefts.com
FB: @elitefts
IG: @elitefts
YT: Dave Tate

EMBODY RADIO: Women Health & Birth Control

It was AMAZING to be back on Embody Radio with the brilliant Emily Duncan. Em is good people, actually she’s the best kind of good people. Her passion and purpose make my heart smile, and I’m so proud of her and all the works she’s doing. Keep on blossoming, my friend. 

I’ll let her cover the summary of Part 1 of the show!

"You guys/gals are in for a treat today... @victoriafelkar was one of the first guests on the show (EP 5 & 6), and she’s back for two more EXCELLENT episodes! Victoria is an interdisciplinary researcher (her research is quite literally entitled “Women and Steroids”) and an all around incredible advocate for women’s health.

Today, part one of our interview does a deep dive on:

• hormone history and where the gendering of hormones began,

• the backstory of medicine, sport, sport medicine, endocrinology, and how it ties in to women’s health,

• just about all you could want to know about menstrual cycles,

• why menstruation AND ovulation are important to health,

• outcomes of hormonal contraceptive use,

• SOOOO much more!

She also provided us with a free and thorough menstrual cycle chart so you can start tracking your own cycle, learn whether/not and when you ovulate, and overall just become a better advocate for your own health.

Click the link in our bio to give this AMAZING episode a listen, and raise your hand 🙋🏻‍♀️ if you’d like to see Victoria as a regular guest on the show!”

ITUNES:

https://itunes.apple.com/…/podca…/embody-radio/id1245411599…

SOUNDCLOUD:

https://soundcloud.com/user-250742329

SPOTIFY:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4VuquAgPBNlAvS6dqedOdO?si=ddPjkdnCRvuQWjXnq1VEUQ

Learn more about Emily Duncan
www.emilyduncanfitness.com
IG: @em_dunc
FB: @emilyduncanfitness

OPD Podcast - Female Hyperandrogenism

OPD PODCAST #38

This week we were lucky enough to sit down with specialist Victoria Felkar to deep dive into multiple issues a woman may face in their health and physique development journey including birth control, hyperandrogenism and new research in female hormonal health.

EPISODE LINK:

https://www.jjphysique.com/podcast/2018/9/23/female-hyperandrogenism-ft-victoria-felkar

Podcasts App: Optimal Physique Development

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwDgypolfVG3nCfZf_N3XIg

ITUNES:

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/optimal-physique-development/id1265819314?mt=2

PLAYER FM:

https://player.fm/series/optimal-physique-development

Learn more about Optimal Physique Development Podcast
https://www.jjphysique.com/podcast/

Joe Jeffery
IG: @joejefferyuk
Email: joejefferyuk@gmail.com
www.jjphysique.com

Austin Stout
IG: @austinst8 
Email: datas4@aol.com
www.integratedmandh.com

Dean St Mart
IG: @deanstm 
https://www.youtube.com/user/Deanstm
www.trainedbyjp.com

To the Women of Fitness

When I first started training, the gym floor looked like a men's locker room. Women just didn't lift in the co-ed area, that’s if they even worked out at all. Back then you couldn't compete in bikini because it wasn't a category, and #fitchicks didn’t exist because social media wasn't a thing yet. Before there were selfies, online fit challenges, food prep companies, and the only color leggings came in were black, my fitness journey started.

I've been at this game for awhile now, 14 years to be exact. It's been an incredible adventure to where I am today. Being able to travel the world and educate people at all levels about women's health, hormones and performance is something I will always be grateful for. Witnessing the growth of women in all areas of fitness has been absolutely amazing.

At the same time, I can't deny my fears for the current generation of iron sisters. It’s a wild world out there, filled with sex, drugs and reckless ignorance. Before more lives are negatively affected, relationships shattered, bodies devastated, minds broken, and futures altered, I truly wish more women would start to realize that -

You don't need to step on stage to gain muscle. 
You don't need to compete to harness strength. 
You don't need to starve yourself to lose body fat.
You don't need to spend your life savings on a coach.
You don't need to contest prep to make better lifestyle choices.
You don't need to blame prep either for your bad lifestyle choices.
You don't need to sexualize yourself to be seen or heard.
You don't need to wear your insecurities to gain confidence. 
You don't need to compare the 'old' you to prove change.
You don't need to have a perfect physique to be in the industry.
You don't need to pick the gym over family, friends and fun.
You don't need to sacrifice your health to transform your body.
You don't need to build anything but yourself.

Building a body requires you to build ALL of you, from cellular to social -and not just your booty. Focus on building your passion, purpose, future, and health. Build your love for the iron, respect for your body, and I promise you the rest will come.

 

EliteFTS: Menstrual Cycle Myths

Menstrual myth busting with the help of @elitefts. I’m so grateful to @underthebar and EliteFTS for providing me with a platform to talk about one of the biggest barriers to women’s health.

It’s easy to blame “stupid” coaches for manipulating women’s hormones, or point the finger at #fitchicks for perpetuating nothing more than rubbish rumours about periods and PCOS. Getting to the root of the problem is the hard part.

Overtime numerous myths and misconceptions have shaped our knowledge and understanding about women – their health, hormones and lives. Today, these myths continue to linger within most aspects of society, including medicine, science, and fitness. Although I'd like to believe that the cute infographics posted by the #fitfam are done with good intentions, the truth is, often these do more harm by continuing to produce, reproduce, and magnify not just bad - but wrong information, about women's health.

For the last two decades, there has been an epidemic of hormonal disturbances within women’s life cycles. Oral contraceptives use, enivornmental toxins, eating or training too much or too little, layering stress on more stress, and A LOT of other variables and triggers are contributing to this. My goal is never to simplify the situation or reduce it to any one factor. The body is really, really complicated and there are no easy or unified solutions. It always must come down to the individual in question. It should always be about her. Her body, her health, her life in context today, years past and those still to come.

With that being said, we must start recognizing that when it comes to women's hormones and menstrual cycles, there is a lot that we think we know, don't know and may never know.

Breaking down myths, speaking to the knowledge gap, and critically thinking about the information you read and receive will go a long way in helping to improve the current state of women's health. Blissful, willful and reckless ignorance won’t help the situation, or the women affected by it. Get informed, get critical, and let's start building knowledge by breaking myths.

Check out the write up: https://www.elitefts.com/educa…/watch-menstrual-cycle-myths/

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