Feisty Women's Performance

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!
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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:
Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order
Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/
Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: Wahoo: Learn more at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr
Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

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
Follow the evolution of fitness and diet fads from the 1970s thin‑ideal to today’s protein-heavy, weighted‑vests—and understand how each era reinforces or challenges body‑image norms.
Why BMI is an unreliable health metric and how weight‑inclusive care improves patient outcomes and satisfaction.
Actionable steps for clinicians and coaches (e.g., avoid routine weighing, use neutral language, provide size‑accessible equipment)
And practical tips for listeners to break free from diet culture: ditch diet apps, focus on intuitive eating, prioritize sleep, and limit comparison‑driven fitness tracking.

Episode Resources:
TRIA Women’s Sports Medicine program: https://www.healthpartners.com/care/tria-orthopedics/services/womens-sports-medicine/
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:
Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order
Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/
Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: Wahoo: Learn more at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr
Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

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.

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 immersed in one of the most magical cycling communities around.
Selene and Kate talk about what makes the Lehigh Valley so special: quiet roads, covered bridges, gravel before gravel was “gravel,” beautiful trails, and a deep community of people who love to ride, run, explore, and support one another.
They also dig into what attendees can expect at FeistyFest: track riding, gravel, trail running, lifting, swimming, pickleball, community, laughter, and the kind of grown-up summer camp energy that reminds women how good it feels to try new things.
Kate also shares why women-only spaces can be so powerful, especially when women feel safe, supported, and encouraged to step outside their comfort zones. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or brand new to an activity, there is something magical that happens when women come together, lift each other up, and give each other permission to live a little bigger.
Learn more and register for FeistyFest

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?
Balance function over appearance: Use data to celebrate what your body can do, not how it looks.
Set intentional goals: Focus on consistency and health‑supporting habits rather than perfection or daily “streaks.”
Curate your feed: Mute or unfollow accounts that trigger negative social comparison; follow supportive communities instead.
Take digital breaks when needed: Recognize signs of obsessive tracking and give yourself permission to step away without guilt.
Leverage community features: Join or create niche groups (e.g., postpartum athletes, larger‑body runners) to find relatable peers and reduce isolation.
Protect privacy: Adjust route‑sharing settings to hide start/end points and consider the safety implications of public activity logs.

If you found this conversation valuable, hit Subscribe so you never miss an episode, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media for extra resources and behind‑the‑scenes content.
Watch the episode 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:
Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order
Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/
Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: Wahoo: Learn more at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr
Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

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
Prescriptions for GLP‑1 drugs have surged since 2023, especially for adolescents, but long‑term safety data at high doses remains limited.
Clinicians have to weigh metabolic benefits for diabetes against potential harm for patients with eating‑disorder histories.
Transparent communication about side‑effects—GI issues, rare ocular events, and possible mood changes—is critical.
Sustainable weight management, including the popular "microdosing" of GLP-1s, requires a holistic approach.

Dr. Rebecka Peebles – VP of Adolescent Medicine at Monte Nido, obesity‑medicine certified, expert in GLP‑1 therapy and its application to youth.
Nathalia Trees – Registered dietitian at Monte Nido, specialist in eating‑disorder treatment, weight‑inclusive care, and nutrition‑focused performance coaching.
Links & Resources
Guest email contacts: rpeebles@montenido.com | ntrees@montenido.com
FDA’s warning letter to Novo Nordisk
Journal of Fat Studies article exposing GLP‑1 trial data gaps

If you found this conversation insightful, hit Subscribe so you never miss an episode, leave a 5‑star review to help other professionals discover the show, and join the discussion on social media with Feisty Women’s Perofrmance.
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:
Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order
Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/
Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: Wahoo: Learn more at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr
Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/