Feisty Women's Performance

In this candid conversation, Olympic medalist and author Clara Hughes reveals how the “push‑through” mindset that powered her six Olympic medals became a hidden coping mechanism that left her exhausted, burned out, and struggling through menopause.

Clara shares the pivotal moments—injury, perimenopause, and a forced break—that forced her to confront the limits of “movement as medicine” and discover a more compassionate, mindful approach to performance and well‑being.

Listeners will walk away with practical tools to recognize when their drive is serving them versus sabotaging them, and learn how to cultivate sustainable resilience in bo...

Colette Berry—ACSM‑CPT, RRCA‑certified coach, and doctoral researcher—debunks the myth that rigid periodization is essential for female endurance athletes. S

he shows how a simple, life‑driven approach to strength training can boost performance, prevent injury, and fit into a busy schedule.

Listeners will walk away with a clear, actionable framework for “good enough” strength work that actually moves the needle.

Key Takeaways

- Periodization isn’t required – Recent ACSM research shows no performance benefit over non‑periodized training; let life dictate your deload weeks.

- Lift “heavy enough”...

Dr. Erin Ayala sits down with community‑building champions Tiffany Hoffman, licensed professional counselor and co‑founder of Peace Runners 773, and Mary Arnold, sports‑industry veteran, founder of Active Brand Consulting, and co-leader of Run for All Women.

They reveal how a grassroots running program in Chicago’s West Side turned ordinary Saturday runs into a powerful mental‑health intervention, delivering measurable drops in PHQ‑9 depression scores, $2,000 annual healthcare savings per participant, and extra work hours.

Listeners will walk away with concrete strategies to embed community running into their own businesses and see immediate health and economic...

In this live panel from FeistyFest, four leading women—Marty Munson, Alison Freeman, Lyn Benoit, and Elizabeth Allen—unpack how stress from work, life, and training converges in the body and share practical ways to reclaim balance.

Listeners will learn why training calendars only tell part of the story, how to listen to their nervous system, and simple tools to prevent burnout without sacrificing performance. Tune in for actionable strategies that empower entrepreneurs and small‑business owners to thrive both personally and professionally.

Key Takeaways

- Training stress and life stress share the same p...

Dr. Esther Walker, PhD, shares the science behind why cycling boosts brain health and mental performance. She breaks down the short‑term neurochemical spikes and the long‑term structural changes that riding can trigger, while addressing common myths about “bike as therapy.” You'll gain practical guidance on how to harness cycling for focus, mood, and overall cognitive resilience.

Key Takeaways

- A 20‑minute ride can increase pre‑frontal cortex activity, improve attention, and release dopamine and serotonin.

- Consistent, moderate cycling builds hippocampal volume and reduces dementia risk more effectively than occasional high‑intensity sess...

In this episode, we sit down with Gabriela Hydle, a Mayan‑Guatemalan immigrant who discovered cycling at 41 and has since become a fierce advocate for equitable access to the outdoors.

Gabriela shares how language barriers, cultural expectations, and safety concerns keep many women of color from participating in outdoor sports—and what concrete steps organizers and athletes can take to change that.

You'll practical strategies to make their events more inclusive, plus inspiration to build community‑first outdoor experiences that drive real impact.

Key Takeaways

- Language matters: Provide all training materi...

Dr. Erin Ayala sits down with Dr. Tara‑Leigh McHugh, a Canada Research Chair in sport and physical activity at the University of Calgary.

They explore the hidden challenges faced by mother‑coaches in high‑performance sport, uncovering systemic barriers, the “mother penalty,” and why women’s expertise is often undervalued.

You'll hear concrete strategies for advocating for better policies and supporting women leaders in sport and business.

Key Takeaways:

- Mother‑coaches experience a “double penalty” of gender bias and motherhood expectations, leading to reduced pay, contract insecurity, and career stagnation.

...

Erin Ayala, PhD sits down with Dr. Gabe Mauren, PhD, LP, PMH‑C, a leading psychologist in reproductive mental health, to unpack the complexities of postpartum mental health. Listeners will learn why postpartum depression isn’t simply “hormonal,” discover practical strategies for navigating intrusive thoughts and OCD, and hear actionable advice for both new parents and seasoned caregivers.

You'll learn:

- Postpartum mood disorders are driven by a mix of psychological, social, and biological factors—not just hormones.

- Intrusive thoughts are common; recognizing them as symptoms rather than personal failures reduces shame and opens...

In this bonus episode from Feisty's sister podcast, Another Mother Runner, hosts Sara Bowen Shea and Amanda Loudin sit down with sport psychologists Dr. Tess Kilwein and Dr. Erin Ayala to unpack why self‑sabotage is a silent performance killer for women athletes—and how self‑compassion can become a powerful antidote.

Listeners will discover

Host Erin Ayala sits down with writer, speaker, and educator Chrissy King to unpack “body liberation” and how racism, diet culture, and the relentless “maxing” mindset intersect.

Chrissy shares personal stories from her journey—writing The Body Liberation Project, navigating publishing, and redefining success on her own terms.

Listeners will walk away with a fresh framework for reclaiming their bodies, boosting joy, and building collective freedom in their personal and professional lives.

Key Takeaways

Dr. Erin Ayala talks with Dr. Susan Kleiner, a pioneering high‑performance sports dietitian, to cut through the noise surrounding women’s sports supplements.

She debunks common myths about creatine, explains why under‑fueling is a hidden threat for female athletes, and shows how to spot fraudulent supplement brands. Listeners will leave with clear, science‑backed strategies to optimize performance and make smarter supplement choices.

Dr. Emily Matheson dives deep into the hidden “gender tax” that female athletes pay and why the sport system is unintentionally building their resilience.

She reveals how traditional resilience measures miss the relational strengths women bring to sport and shares actionable strategies for athletes, coaches, and entrepreneurs to foster genuine mental‑health support.

Listeners will walk away with fresh perspectives on measuring resilience, practical tools for building it, and a roadmap for creating more equitable athletic environments.

Dr. Erin Ayala sits down with sport psychologist Dr. Erin Haugen to explore strategies for managing pre‑race anxiety and building sustainable performance habits for female athletes.

Listeners will discover practical tools to calm nerves, balance training with life demands, and build resilience that translates to both sport and everyday challenges.

How do female ultra-endurance athletes experience, interpret, and cope with pain—and when does pushing through become too much?

Erin Ayala, PhD, speaks with sport psychology researcher Dr. Britta Maria Sorensen about the complex role pain plays in women’s ultra-endurance sport.

Dr. Sorensen explains why pain is more than a physical sensation. Biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors can all influence how athletes interpret discomfort, respond to it, and decide whether to continue or stop.

They also explore the relationship between endurance sport, emotional stress, and past trauma; the difference between harmonious and...

What does athlete safety look like beyond preventing physical injury?

In this episode, Erin Ayala, PhD, speaks with Dr. Gretchen Kerr, professor of kinesiology at the University of Toronto and an internationally recognized expert on psychological abuse, interpersonal violence, and maltreatment in sport.

They explore why psychological harm is the most common—and often the least recognized—form of abuse in athletics, how win-at-all-costs cultures can normalize harmful behavior, and why some safe-sport reporting processes may unintentionally re-traumatize athletes.

Dr. Kerr also shares evidence-based strategies for prevention, including shifting the definition of success towa...

In this episode, Dr. Erin Ayala sits down with Mireille Siné, MPH — a certified running coach, lupus endurance athlete, and advocate for athletes living with autoimmune and chronic conditions.

Mireille has lived with lupus for 13 years and now coaches athletes who are navigating autoimmune disease, chronic illness, flares, fatigue, and identity shifts — while doing endurance sports.

Together, Erin and Mireille discuss:

We're welcoming registered dietitian Alex Larson to help us dive deep into the critical (and less critical) nutrition trends of coming in 2026.

Alex and your host, Dr. Erin Ayala, discuss the realities of the supplement industry, bust myths surrounding women's sports nutrition, and explore evidence-based nutrition strategies to enhance your performance.

Key Takeaways

Annie Thorisdottir has stood on the CrossFit Games podium six times and built a career as one of the most recognizable and respected athletes in the world. But some of the most defining moments of her life happened far from the competition floor.

In this episode, Annie opens up about the raw and disorienting experience of seeing herself just days postpartum and not recognizing the woman in the mirror. That moment became part of a much bigger story — one not just about winning, but about identity, resilience, recovery, motherhood, and learning how to rebuild on the other si...

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani (“Dr. G”), a leading expert in medical complications of eating disorders and underfueling, joins us to explain what female athletes need to know about the many effects of fueling on your performance and health.

She explains how underfueling can significantly impact your bodies and mind — and what signs you should be aware that you might not even realize are actually related to your nutrition.

Key Takeaways:

What does it really take to keep women athletes healthy, performing, and in sport for the long haul?

Dr. Erin Ayala sits down with Dr. Margo Mountjoy, one of the world’s leading voices in sports medicine, female athlete health, injury prevention, and athlete advocacy. Dr. Mountjoy has contributed to more than 20 International Olympic Committee consensus statements and recently served on the steering committee for the FAIR (Female Athlete Injury Prevention) consensus statement — a major global effort to close the research and implementation gaps in women’s sports.

She explains why the old “shrink it and pink...

What is weight-inclusive care? And why does it matter for *all* active women's health and performance?

Dr. Erin Ayala sits down with Dr. Heather Bergeson, a sports‑medicine physician and co‑director of the TRIA Women’s Sports Medicine program, to unpack five decades of fitness and diet fads. Past trends still shape today's wellness culture — and even if you think you're immune, you're not.

Key Takeaways

In this bonus episode, Hit Play Not Pause host, Selene Yeager welcomes longtime friend, cyclist, and women’s sports powerhouse Kate Veronneau to the show for a preview of the first-ever FeistyFest in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.

For Kate, the location is personal. The Valley Preferred Cycling Center is where she first fell in love with bike racing, found her cycling community, and eventually launched a career in the sport. She shares how a casual Friday night trip to watch track racing turned into an entry-level “try the track” class, a relocation to the Lehigh Valley, and years...

Ever compare yourself to others on Strava? Feel yourself pushed to do more to hit a "streak" or online badge? This episode's for you.

Sport psychology professor Dr. Hayley Russell dives into the upsides and pitfalls of fitness‑tracking apps like Strava.

She explores how self‑tracking can boost motivation, community, and self‑awareness — but can also fuel comparison, pressure, and body‑image concerns.

What can you do to make the most of your online fitness tracking?

Dr. Rebecka Peebles and registered dietitian Nathalia Trees dive into the booming world GLP-1 medications and the complex intersection of weight loss, body size, eating disorders, and marketing.

They unpack the rapid rise of these weight loss drugs, the scientific and ethical dilemmas for clinicians, and practical strategies for navigating weight loss treatments.

Whether you're on GLP-1s right now or considering the pros and cons of the medications, this episode will give you a clearer understanding of the risks, benefits, and long‑term considerations of these drugs.

Key Takeaways

What are the hidden costs of “toxic productivity?” And how does it sabotages women’s performance in their careers, relationships, and athletic endeavors?

Psychotherapist, digital wellness expert, and author Israa Nasir, MHC-LP shares practical strategies to spot burnout, set healthy boundaries, and reclaim balance without sacrificing ambition. You'll leave with a clear roadmap to shift from relentless hustle to sustainable success—and learn why embracing mediocrity can actually boost productivity.

You can get started by setting three concrete boundaries this week: time‑box high‑impact projects, schedule intentional rest, and say no to at least one non‑esse...

You probably *think* you're eating enough. But are you?

In today's episode, Dr. Erin Ayala talks with performance dietitian and eating‑disorder specialist Rebecca McConville about Low Energy Availability (LEA) and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED‑S) — and how even athletes (especially female athletes!) who think they're fueling enough might not be for the amount of activity they're doing.

Rebecca breaks down the science behind LEA/RED‑S, shares practical strategies for athletes and coaches to identify and prevent under‑fueling, and explains how to create sustainable, performance‑enhancing nutrition plans.

Key takeaways:<...

It's a taboo topic too often overlooked in women's cycling: saddle sores.

Dr. Melissa Mauskar, a dermatologist specializing in vulvar health, unpacks the medical science behind saddle sores, debunks common myths, and offers practical advice for prevention and treatment. If you've ever Googled "saddle sore remedies" at 2 a.m., this episode is a must-listen—your comfort on the bike depends on it!

Key Takeaways:

Eden Morris, a registered dietitian specializing in sports nutrition and intuitive eating counseling, is helping us dive into the culture of nutrition and fueling workouts — and how that can often lead to disordered eating.

What is intuitive eating? It's learning to trust your body's cues and adapting a healthier mindset for *your* nutrition needs instead of sticking to rigid rules.

Key Takeaways:

Dr. LaTisha Bader, an expert in sport psychology and addiction counseling, goes deep with us into the complexities of cannabis use and its effects on mental health and athletic performance. With the rise in legal marijuana use and a growing number of questions about its impacts on health, what do you need to know?

With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Bader shares her insights on how cannabis potency has evolved and the implications for athletes and active women. Get the information you need to make informed choices about cannabis use in your life.

Dr. Briana Botsford, a naturopathic doctor and advocate for women's health, helps us dive deep this week into the world of predatory health and fitness marketing.

How can you learn to recognize the misleading claims around proprietary blends in the supplement industry? How do you measure the evidence over the marketing hype?

Key Takeaways:

And know that sometimes prioritizing rest and foundational health practices...

Dr. Stephanie Mundt, a physical therapist and former collegiate runner, shares her expertise on bone health and the often-overlooked issue of bone stress injuries in female athletes.

From her personal experiences with injuries and recovery, she provides valuable insights into what truly makes bones healthy and why many athletes suffer from misdiagnoses.

Listeners will learn actionable strategies to enhance their bone health and understand the critical link between nutrition, training, and injury prevention.

Key Takeaways:

In this episode, Dr. Margie Davenport, a leading expert in exercise during pregnancy and postpartum, dismantles long-held myths about training before, during, and after pregnancy.

Dr. Davenport explains the significant physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and how they affect exercise safety and guidelines. And she dives into the evidence to support high-intensity training, and practical insights for both pregnant athletes and healthcare providers.

Key takeaways:

In this episode, we dive into the messy journey of transitioning away from a beloved sport with Dimity McDowell, an experienced athlete and author of The 27th Mile. How do you know when it's time to quit or move on?

Dimity shares her personal struggles and triumphs in navigating her retirement from running, shedding light on the complex relationship between athletic identity and self-worth.

And she leaves us with some actionable strategies for embracing change beyond the finish line.

Key takeaways:

In this episode, Dr. Kim Hollingdale, a renowned sport psychologist and owner of MOVEMENTAL, unpacks the damaging "no pain, no gain" mentality prevalent in sports culture.

How does this outdated rhetoric lead to burnout in athletes? Gain valuable insights into prioritizing emotional health as a foundation for peak performance.

Key takeaways:

In this episode, Erin sits down with strength coach and Iron Soul Gym co-owner Cassi Niemann to challenge outdated narratives about women and strength training.

Cassi shares her journey from elite gymnast to architect to strength coach, bringing a fresh perspective on how women can approach fitness without fear of "getting bulky" or feeling intimidated.

And she has practical advice for any woman getting started in the gym or building up their lifting.

Key Takeaways:

In this episode, Staci Mannella and Dr. Andrea Bundon dive deep into the nuanced world of Paralympic sports. With the Paralympics starting this Friday, what do you need to know to learn from and support these amazing athletes?

Manella and Dr. Bundon challenge common para-athlete misconceptions, discuss the vital guide-athlete relationship, and explore the structural barriers that still exist.

Key Takeaways:

80% of runners will deal with injuries at some point. So, what do you need to know about running injuries? And how can you nip those niggles in the butt?

Physical therapist Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards explores the factors that contribute to this injury rate and how you can shift your perspective on athletic identity and injury prevention.

Key Takeaways:

In this episode, we dive deep into the systemic barriers that women face (and still face!) in sports coaching with Dr. Nicole LaVoi, a leading expert in gender equity in sports.

Despite the surge in female athlete participation since Title IX, why have women's coaching numbers significantly declined? And Dr. LaVoi shares actionable strategies for women navigating male-dominated environments.

Key Takeaways

• Historical Context: When Title IX passed in 1972, over 90% of women's teams had female coaches, but that number has dropped to around 45% today.

• Dual Career Pathway: Men often have the advantage of c...

On today's episode, we sit down with Mel Sulaver, a registered dietitian specializing in women's health and sports nutrition, to talk about all aspects of a woman's cycle — what does and doesn't show up, and what women should know about all the stages of their active lives. Mel dives deep into the topic of menstrual health for female athletes, and how understanding your cycle can enhance performance and overall wellbeing.

Key Takeaways

In this conversation with Dr. Allison Brager, military sleep researcher and human performance expert, we explore the science of sleep optimization.

Dr. Brager debunks common sleep misconceptions, explains gender differences in sleep patterns, and shares practical strategies for maintaining sleep quality while traveling.

Whether you're a competitive athlete or someone looking to just get some good sleep (!), this episode offers evidence-based insights that can transform your approach to rest and recovery.

Key Takeaways