Do women really need a completely different approach to training and nutrition, or has the message that “women are not small men” gone too far? In this episode I am joined by Dr Lauren Colenso-Semple, an exercise scientist and researcher whose work focuses on female physiology, menstrual cycle adaptations and strength training across the lifespan. Together we unpack what the best available evidence actually shows, and where popular narratives have drifted away from the data.
Hormones, menstrual cycles, muscle fibre types and cortisol are often used to justify highly complex, sex specific programmes for women. While some of these ideas started from reasonable hypotheses and rodent data, the human outcome studies frequently tell a very different story. In this conversation, Lauren and I explore how women really adapt to training, which differences matter, which do not, and how to design simple, effective plans that work in the real world through perimenopause, menopause and beyond.
What We Cover
- Where the phrase women are not small men came from and how it is often misused
- Mechanistic ideas vs human outcome data and why rodent findings rarely translate cleanly
- The evidence on menstrual cycle training and why cycle syncing is not supported in women
- Fasted versus fed training and what happens to body composition when calories are matched
- Muscle fibre types, ageing and why strength and power work matter for long-term function
- Bone health in midlife and why load, reps and jumping remain areas of active research
- Protein requirements in older adults and why resistance training drives results more than very high protein targets
- Creatine, recovery supplements and why most products do not need to be sex specific
Women do not need an entirely different rulebook. By focusing on consistency, progressive overload, sufficient protein and forms of exercise you genuinely enjoy, you can train effectively through every life stage without being constrained by fear based or overly complicated sex specific advice.
If you want to hear more from Dr Lauren Colenso-Semple, you can explore her work on her website and connect with her on Instagram.
- Intro (00:00)
- Why Women Can’t Train Like Small Men (01:01)
- What Most Research Gets Wrong About Female Physiology (02:44)
- How Hormones Shape Training and Recovery (04:10)
- What the Data Really Says About Exercise for Women (06:00)
- Do Women Need Sex-Specific Training Plans? (10:26)
- Fasted vs Fed Workouts: Which Is Better for Women? (33:41)
- What Your Muscle Fibers Reveal About Performance (39:11)
- Can Strength Training Reverse Aging? (42:05)
- The Truth About Bone Density and Longevity (46:46)
- How Protein and Creatine Boost Results (01:05:05)
- The Most Effective Training Strategies for Women (01:15:15)
Resources and links:
- Impact of Overnight Fasted State Versus Fed State on Adaptations to Resistance Training: A Randomized Clinical Trial
- Interval training in the fed or fasted state improves body composition and muscle oxidative capacity in overweight women
- Body composition changes associated with fasted versus non-fasted aerobic exercise
- The effects of nutrient timing on training adaptations in resistance-trained females
- Sex-based comparisons of myofibrillar protein synthesis after resistance exercise in the fed state
- Postexercise myofibrillar protein synthesis rates do not differ following 1.5 g essential amino acids compared with 15 and 20 g of whey protein in young females
- Menstrual cycle phase does not influence muscle protein synthesis or whole-body myofibrillar proteolysis in response to resistance exercise
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More about Lauren Colenso-Semple
Dr Lauren Colenso-Semple, PhD is a science communicator with expertise in female physiology and exercise. She holds a Ph.D. in Integrative Physiology from McMaster University and a Master’s in Exercise Science from the University of South Florida. Through her research, teaching, public speaking, and online platforms, Lauren is known for making complex topics accessible – and for calling out the myths that hold women back from reaching their full potential. She is also a seasoned fitness professional with extensive hands-on coaching experience and a co-owner of the MASS Research Review, where she helps bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and practical fitness strategies.
