In this episode, Ashleigh breaks down the basics of what you need to know about iron and iron deficiency as a strength-training woman. She discusses why iron deficiency is so common in women—especially athletes—and how to recognize the signs before it impacts your training and daily life. This episode covers iron requirements across different life stages, the difference between low iron and anemia, and practical nutrition strategies to optimize your levels.

Topics Covered:

• What iron does in your body and why women need more

• Iron requirements during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause

• How to read your iron blood tests (ferritin, hemoglobin, TSAT)

• RDA vs optimal iron intake for active women

• Symptoms of low iron and anemia

• Nutrition strategies: heme vs non-heme iron, absorption boosters, and inhibitors

• When to consider supplementing and when not to

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Learn more about our programs here: https://musclescienceforwomen.com

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Have questions about iron or other training topics? Email us at musclescience4women@gmail.com or leave a comment on YouTube or wherever you listen—we read every message!

Welcome to 2026! In this episode, Rachel and Ashleigh catch up on their holiday breaks, share personal reflections on growth and alignment, and announce an exciting new product launching soon.

In This Episode:

• Rachel shares about her Costa Rica adventure (and travel mishaps)

• The power of journaling and self-reflection

• 2026 personal goals and intentions

• Announcing a new challenge launching soon

• Why low-effort rewards are harming our focus and progress

• Breaking phone addiction and being more present

• How to fall back in love with the process of building muscle

If you want to submit a question, offer feedback or just say hi, email musclescience4women@gmail.com.

Join our Substack here: https://substack.com/@musclescienceforwomen

Learn more about our programs here: https://musclescienceforwomen.com

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@musclescienceforwomen

Resources Mentioned:

• The Stutz documentary (Netflix)

• "The Tools" by Phil Stutz

• Whisper app (talk-to-text journaling)

In this episode of Muscle Science for Women, the hosts reflect on the challenging year of 2025 and share strategies to combat seasonal depression. They discuss their personal experiences and coping mechanisms, including the importance of exercise, proper sleep, vitamin D supplementation, and maintaining a healthy diet. Social connections and mindfulness practices such as meditation and journaling are also highlighted as essential tools for mental well-being. The episode wraps up with an emphasis on seeking professional help if needed, and the hosts express their gratitude to listeners, wishing everyone a better year ahead.

00:00 Introduction & 2025 Reflections

09:04 Light Therapy & SAD Lamps

12:26 Getting Outside & Fresh Air

13:40 Dressing for Cold Weather

14:44 Seasonal Foods & Nutrition

18:59 Vitamin D & Supplementation

21:29 Exercise & Movement

26:00 Sleep & Sleep Routines

35:32 Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Omega-3s

42:38 Stress Management & Mindfulness

45:55 Social Connection

48:09 Therapy & Medication

51:29 Final Thoughts & 2026 Outlook

If you liked this episode, please rate, review, subscribe, and share with someone who could benefit.

If you want to submit a question, offer feedback or just say hi, email musclescience4women@gmail.com.

Join our Substack here: https://substack.com/@musclescienceforwomen

Learn more about our programs here: https://musclescienceforwomen.com

In this episode with renowned thyroid expert Elle Russ, bestselling author of The Paleo Thyroid Solution, Ashleigh and Elle discuss:

-why it can be so difficult to get a proper diagnosis;

-symptoms to look out for, including less common symptoms;

-a detailed dive on the proper testing and how to advocate for these tests with your healthcare provider;

-lifestyle, nutrition, and environmental changes that can have a big impact on thyroid health;

-how thyroid issues intersect with fertility and peri- and menopausal changes;

-information about treatment of thyroid disfunction, including potential problems with conventional thyroid treatment;

-autoimmune disorders, and much more.

If you want to dive even deeper and take your health into your own hands, Elle's The Ultimate Thyroid Course is packed with over 20 hours of helpful content, including expert tutorials from Dr. Gary E. Foresman MD and other experts. Whether it's hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's, Reverse T3, post-thyroidectomy, or other thyroid issues, this course has you covered. It is the most comprehensive thyroid resource available, and it's a game-changer. Learn more and sign up here: https://www.elleruss.com/a/2147520265/FFeWmWGP

You can reach out to Elle or learn more about her work at elleruss.com.

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit. If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to musclescience4women@gmail.com.

Learn all about the Muscle Science For Women programs at https://musclescienceforwomen.com and reach out to us for a first responder/military discount.

In this episode Ashleigh and Rachel discuss the differences in body fat percentages between men and women, including what's healthy and sustainable, and how they will look different depending on a range of factors; they dive into the concept of "mental fitness" and how it applies to overall health and fitness; they discuss changes they're making to Muscle Science for Women in 2026, and Ashleigh chats about her newest personal venture: a coaching app!

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit. If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to musclescience4women@gmail.com.

If you want to learn more about or sign up for Ashleigh's new coaching app, click the link below and get 20% off your first month through November 28: studio.com/ashleigh/fitness-coaching

Learn all about the Muscle Science For Women programs at https://musclescienceforwomen.com and reach out to us for a first responder/military discount.

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

This week Rachel and Ashleigh answer questions from listeners including:

• Advice for vegetarians on how to optimize health and muscle
• How to train around your cycle when your birth control prevents you from having a cycle
• How long does it take to lose muscle (and gain it back) when you have to take a break due to injury or surgery
• Thoughts on THC as a replacement for alcohol, and any possible training benefits

All that and more! We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to musclescience4women@gmail.com.

Check out the BRAND NEW program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel have an impromptu mental health chat, talking about their own personal struggles and ways in which we can all face our challenges head on rather than looking for ways to numb or distract ourselves. Mental health is such a huge part of physical health (and vice versa) and it's helpful to take a step back from muscles and macros every now and then to talk about the bigger picture. After all, most of us are working on our health so we can enjoy life to the fullest.

And also, to lighten the mood, they talk Halloween costumes. This is a vulnerable one, and if you enjoyed it or found it resonates with you, we'd love for you to leave a comment in Spotify or share the episode on social media.

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to musclescience4women@gmail.com.

Check out the latest program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com

In this quickie episode, Ashleigh talks about five key ways to make fitness, strength, health, and body composition improvements even when you have no time - maybe you have young kids, a demanding job, or are just going through a period with very little time to meal prep, work out, or do the things you normally do to feel good. We have answers - because there are always choices to make, and the more informed you are about what factors actually move the needle, the better choices you can make with your limited time.

We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! If you have comments, feedback, or questions please send them to musclescience4women@gmail.com.

Check out the NEW program from Muscle Science for Women: The Fit Pregnancy Specialization program! The program offers a customizable training program that will adjust throughout your pregnancy, a full exercise video library, a downloadable resource document and a 90 minute lecture walking through details like safe exercise selection, likely fitness challenges during pregnancy, how to eat to support a healthy fit pregnancy, and so much more. Read more about our new program at this link, and reach out if you would like the military/first responders discount: https://www.rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy

You can also learn about the flagship strength program at https://www.musclescienceforwomen.com

Learn more about the hosts at rgfit.com and ashleighvanhouten.com