Feisty Women's Performance

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:
Why autoimmune athletes carry a “double load”
How training stress can interact with immune dysregulation
How to distinguish overtraining from a possible flare
Why “push through it” can be harmful advice
The importance of symptom tracking and medical self-advocacy
What coaches should ask athletes with autoimmune conditions
How to build flexible training plans
Why performance is not just pace, PRs, and finish lines
How to stop chasing the athlete you used to be and build toward who you can still become

Mireille Siné is a USATF and 80/20 Endurance-certified run coach, 14-time marathoner, and ultramarathoner based in Los Angeles. She is the founder of Coached by Mireille LLC, a virtual coaching practice specializing in runners and endurance athletes managing autoimmune conditions and chronic illness. Mireille coaches with the philosophy "train with compassion" — building training plans that account for the full reality of her athletes' lives, not just their race goals. She has been featured in Runner's World and has spoken at the AIP Summit and Skadi Sports Psychology Athlete Summit. Living with lupus herself, Mireille brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work, helping athletes redefine what strength and performance can look like with a chronic illness diagnosis.
Follow Mireille on Instagram
Join us at Feisty Fest - September 18-20th, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/
Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:
https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/
Follow us on Instagram:
@feisty_womens_performance
Visit the Feisty website at https://feisty.co/ for info on all of our events and podcasts
Support our Partners:
Use code PERFORMANCE for 20% off at http://cozyearth.com
Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order
Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR
Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

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
What supplements should you really be taking? Learn how to evaluate supplements critically and determine which ones really matter.
Creatine benefits: The latest research on creatine, particularly its effects on female athletes and why it's worth considering.
How women can effectively implement high-carb fueling strategies for running, biking, and getting the most out of themselves.
GLP-1s: What should you know about the rise of GLP-1 weight loss medications and their implications for active women.
Fiber Maxing: Is this the craziest nutrition trend hitting the internet!

Alex Larson is a registered dietitian and founder of Alex Larson Nutrition. With a focus on practical nutrition strategies for athletes, Alex empowers her clients to achieve their goals while maintaining a balanced lifestyle.
Resources mentioned:
Alex Larson Nutrition: alexlarsonnutrition.com
Endurance Eats Podcast: Listen Here

If you found value in today’s episode, please subscribe and leave a review! Your feedback helps us reach more women who are eager to elevate their performance. Join our community and stay connected for more evidence-based nutrition conversations!
Join us at Feisty Fest - September 18-20th, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/
Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:
https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/
Follow us on Instagram:
@feisty_womens_performance
Visit the Feisty website at https://feisty.co/ for info on all of our events and podcasts
Support our Partners:
Use code PERFORMANCE for 20% off at http://cozyearth.com
Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order
Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR
Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

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 side of elite sports.
Annie shares:
why she waited years to write a book
what her sports psychologist taught her about the “neutral zone,”
why setbacks often became her most reliable path forward.
the cultural shift needed around postpartum recovery and how she is now channeling what she's learned into programming that helps women work with their bodies

Order Annie's memoir Iceland Annie
Join us at Feisty Fest - September 18-20th, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/
Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:
https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/
Follow us on Instagram:
@feisty_womens_performance
Visit the Feisty website at https://feisty.co/ for info on all of our events and podcasts
Support our Partners:
Use code PERFORMANCE for 20% off at http://cozyearth.com
Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order
Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR
Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

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:
The physiological signs of undernourishment and how they can affect athletic performance
Actionable strategies for athletes to fuel their bodies effectively
Misconceptions around eating disorders and athletes
How to navigate the complexities of nutrition in sports

Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani, “Dr. G”, is a renowned expert in medical science and physiology, specializing in the medical complications of eating disorders and underfueling. As the founder of the Gaudiani Clinic, she combines her extensive clinical experience with a compassionate approach to empower individuals on their health journeys.
Links and Resources:
Gaudiani Clinic
Dr. Gaudiani's book: Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders and Under Nutrition

If you found value in this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with your network. Engage with us on social media to continue the conversation and stay updated on future episodes!
Watch on YouTube
Join us at Feisty Fest - September 18-20th, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/
Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:
https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/
Follow us on Instagram:
@feisty_womens_performance
Visit the Feisty website at https://feisty.co/ for info on all of our events and podcasts
Support our Partners:
Use code PERFORMANCE for 20% off at http://cozyearth.com
Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order
Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR
Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

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 it” approach to female athlete science doesn't work and why injury prevention is about far more than doing a few extra exercises. It's about neuromuscular training, load management, REDs, recovery, menstrual cycle tracking, sociological barriers, pregnancy and postpartum athlete support, and the systemic-level changes needed to make sport safer for girls and women.
What you need to know as a female athlete:
Neuromuscular training for ACL injury prevention, balance, landing mechanics, and performance
Training load management and why rapid load changes increase injury risk
Periodization, recovery, and the importance of long-term athlete development
REDs, fueling, sleep, stress, and sustainable performance
Why menstrual cycle-based training should be individualized
Warning signs that an athlete may need more recovery
And the gap in research and implementation when it comes to women's sports

Plus, some practical guidance for recreational athletes, who may not think they're "serious enough" to need coaching, strength training, or nutrition support. If you have a goal, then you deserve the tools to pursue it well. We need more than scaled-down male science!
If you found this conversation valuable, hit subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave a review on your favorite platform. Have questions or topics you’d like us to explore? DM us on Instagram.
Watch on YouTube
Join us at Feisty Fest - September 18-20th, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/
Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:
https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/
Follow us on Instagram:
@feisty_womens_performance
Visit the Feisty website at https://feisty.co/ for info on all of our events and podcasts
Support our Partners:
Use code PERFORMANCE for 20% off at http://cozyearth.com
Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order
Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR
Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/