The Science of Women's Exercise and Nutrition | Dr. Stacy Sims | The Proof Podcast EP 248

ALSO, CHECK OUT THIS EPISODE WITH DR. STACY SIMS:
Hydration for optimal health and performance | Stacy Sims, PhD | The Proof Podcast EP #259

In Episode #248, nutrition scientist and exercise physiologist Dr Stacy Sims joins me to examine the scientific literature on nutrition and exercise for women, providing tips for women across all stages of life.

👇Visit The Proof website for supporting studies and the full show notes 👇

There is a vast gap in the literature when it comes to studying the effects of exercise and nutrition for women. With scientific consensus and recommendations largely rooted in studies based on men, there is a long way to go in terms of both research and science communication on this topic. Dr Stacy Sims comes to this conversation with a wealth of knowledge, providing insight into why the literature is shaped this way and how women can eat and exercise for better outcomes.

Stacy T. Sims, MSc, PhD, is a forward-thinking international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who aims to revolutionise exercise nutrition and performance for women. She has directed research programs at Stanford, AUT University, and the University of Waikato, focusing on female athlete health and performance and pushing the dogma to improve research on all women. Dr Sims is internationally recognised as leader in on sex differences in training, exercise, and health, pioneering a larger shift in research on women.

This incredibly detailed conversation spans everything from the perception of women in research to case studies on hypothetical people. Dr Sims breaks down how the menstrual cycle and birth control affect training and other health factors, highlighting the benefits of cycle tracking. We discuss types of training, RED-S, supplementation, and body fat percentage. Dr Sims also provides useful tips for women at all stages of life, including pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.

Specifically, we discuss:

00:00 - Intro
02:00 - Dr. Stacy Sims' academic journey
05:38 - Female physiology
09:12 - Implications of applying results of male-centric studies to women
16:29 - Physiological makeup between genders & customizing training regimes
20:53 - Physiological disparities between genders
24:14 - Balanced diet and exercises tailored for menstrual cycle
34:43 - Ideal training programs tailored for menstrual cycle of a 30-year-old woman
1:06:11 - Safe pregnancy workouts
1:13:25 - Achieving balance through nutrition, diet, and supplementation in your 30s
1:27:55 - Female bodybuilding: androgenic compounds and hormones
1:32:06 - Contraception and exercise performance/training
1:38:04 - Optimizing exercise postmenopausal: strategies for a 60-year-old woman
1:51:44 - Training, nutrition, and supplementation beyond the age of 60
1:56:52 - Dietary fat intake in your 30s and 60s
1:59:52 - Outro

I’m grateful to have had Dr Sims on the show to shine a light on a topic that is not widely addressed. I hope this conversation helps you understand how you can work with your body to maximise your results, and if this episode doesn’t apply directly to you, serves as an important reminder that no two bodies are the same.

Connect with Dr Stacy Sims:

If you have any additional questions you would like answered in the future, let me know in the comments.

Enjoy, friends.

Simon

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[annefitzgerald]

This was an incredible breakdown on fitness through the lifespan. Your willingness to talk about periods, menopause, and pregnancy makes you a champion of women! ❤️ EVERY woman can benefit from listening to Dr Stacy Sims interview.

[SuzanneSilk-vq]

This was your best one ever. There is nothing out there for post-menopause women who want to exercise and stay healthy. More like this please and thank you - I learned so much.

[hannahcoale]

As a 73 year old woman I am absolutely delighted and grateful for this episode. It is certainly the most useful podcast I’ve listened to anywhere. Many many thanks!

[sailingcosmo]

Im a 60 year young woman. This podcast has set me up for success, oblitorated fear and massive confusion!!
So glad to have found you. Thankyou so much and keep up this high quality content ongoing 🙏💟

[jan-bean]

I’ve been tracking my cycles for a few years now and it’s crazy to see how much these hormonal changes really impact you!

The amount of strength, focus, high energy I have during my follicular/ovulation phases is much higher than during my luteal phase. For reference: I can easily do a 30 minute HIIT with no breaks during my follicular phase and feel AMAZING afterwards. During my late luteal phase I’ll be able to get through around 10 minutes and need several water breaks to get through the rest. And ill often feel much more fatigued & sore afterwards.

This translates to more than my exercise routine.. my work is the same both at home & my job. I'll get an insane amount of work done and get into a flow state for hours around ovulation.. but late luteal phase i start looking up the symptoms for adhd because I can't focus on a thing for over 5 minutes. Currently in luteal phase rn procastinating my workout watching this with a bunch of dirty dishes in my sink, lol

[zengirl]

Loving my 15-20 min workouts. No more guilt after listening to this. 60 and fit. I knew it was working for me, I had to tune out some long term cardio junkies.

[vanessac]

I literally almost lost my life due to the lack of research on women. I had a near fatal medication interaction due to information online relevant to men only about clearance that I thought applied to me. It was only after surviving it that I learned the research had only been done on men. It was the most traumatic experience of my life and took five years of therapy to recover from it. I'm lucky I'm alive. If I'd known about this absence of research on women, I would not have trusted the information and made a different decision. Thank Goddess for pioneers like Dr Sims.

[oolala]

I feel grateful that I got introduced to high weight/fewer reps. Sadly I didn’t take the hint and now I’m 70 still without a consistent plan. Let’s see if this gives me the kick I need.

[moniquemitchell]

I love this woman - where has she been all my Peri Menopausal years!
I thought I was going mad, I didnt recover from exercise like I used to, gained belly fat...
We need this knowledge in medical and physio centres and gyms.
Much appreciated your knowledge, respect and care for women at all stages 😊

[hermanarivera]

Im a 53 year old post menopausal woman who is struggling with belly fat and fatigue. Thank you so much for this

[carlaharmon]

I really appreciate that you include over 50 post-menopausal women in your discussions. This was really insightful AND counterintuitive. I'm doing the opposite. I'm 60, lifting 3 days a week 10-12 range and 3 days steady state. Could you please have Dr. Sims back? Thank you - thank for discussing the range in women's health.

[ilsagomez-curet]

Measuring hormonal levels during the menstrual cycle seems like a very hard task. I don’t see insurance companies approving these blood test unless you are screening for health reason like not been able to get pregnant, or having cycle issues. It would be fantastic if insurance companies would care about this.

[annarepetto]

This was great. 2nd time I've listened to it. I only wish equal time was spent on "Naomi". I also would like to hear more on the postmenopausal athletic woman suffering from aches and pains that don't always accommodate the compound movements conducive to recomp. Otherwise, great episode!

[ashniacharya]

Watching this during a PMDD episode where I just can't bring myself to workout. Feeling much better after hearing Dr. Sims' explanation of the "flat" feeling day during the late luteal phase.
It's incredible how much of our lives / moods that we don't understand comes from our bodies just doing what they know best.
Taking copious notes and learning to work with my body rather than despite her. Thank you Dr. Sims, Simon 🌻

[rendeeplus]

Simon, you keep asking what we want to know more about...and you beyond deliver! So grateful for the information you share...these guests are amazing! Your previous podcast with Professor Susan Davis, and this interview with Dr Stacy Sims, are incredibly empowering for women and so useful when we are trying to advocate for ourselves and our health. Thank you!

[evds]

I am a female of almost 52 years old. I wish I had known this about the menstrual cycle before. Never in my life I have tracked my cycle. It was always something that just happened. I will teach my daughter of now 14 years otherwise.

[hannahrl]

Oh my GOD this could not have come at a better time for me. Going to listen again and make notes, visit her resources and set up a totally different training plan for myself, and re-jig my healthy-vegan cooking and supplemental inputs very slightly on the basis of this. Holy crap, man. Everyone's listening to Peter Attia - women need to attend to THIS master.

[KickingwithKara]

Stacy is so on point. So happy her work and research is being put out there. 🙏🏻🙌🏻
I’m 50 and a competitive bodybuilder. Heavy lifts and really intense training. Still teaching high intensity classes with women half my age that have lots of jump squats and challenging work for cardio. Muscle 💪🏻 = longevity and critical to maintain quality of life. We must eat to support that training too. I’m able to get in 180 grams a day as a vegan too.

[sandybayes]

Most comprehensive for women across lifespan. Thank you so much for providing us with this much needed service for women. I'm 81 and still work at keeping my body in shape. Have been on a vegan diet for 7 years and never felt better. Also get more plant based protein than recommended by vegan doctors This helped by giving me a guide for daily protein amount and confirmed resistance training as a means to ward off osteopenia.

[charovargas]

One of your best podcasts. Thank You so much, it was informative and clear. I am 56, vegan & a triathlete. I appreciate so much the work that Dr Sims does and a big fan of hers and yours. Thank You Simon,