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Fitness Myths Busted: Fasted Training, Cortisol & Cycle Syncing with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple
In this can’t-miss FASTer Way podcast episode, CEO Amanda Tress sits down with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple—an exercise physiologist with a PhD in integrative physiology—to tackle some of the most viral and misleading fitness advice floating around social media. If you’ve ever found yourself questioning whether fasted workouts are "dangerous," or if you're overwhelmed by the rules of cortisol and cycle syncing, this episode is for you. Get ready to crush some major fitness myths!
Fasted Training: Friend or Foe?
Instagram reels would have you believe that fasted workouts are the biggest mistake women in perimenopause could make. But Dr. Lauren is here to set the record straight: there is zero human research that proves fasted training is harmful for women over 40.
Spoiler alert: the mouse studies don’t count.
If you love your early-morning workouts and they make you feel amazing (like so many of our FASTer Way clients), keep going! According to Dr. Lauren, cortisol spikes in the morning are normal—and fasted training isn’t the villain it’s made out to be. The real issue? Poor recovery and chronic stress… not your morning Tabata.
The Cortisol Controversy
Let’s talk cortisol. Yes, it rises in the morning. Yes, it increases when you exercise. No, that’s not a bad thing.
Dr. Lauren explains how cortisol works with your body—not against it. It’s self-regulating in healthy individuals and doesn’t require some magic “hormone-balancing breakfast” to bring it back down. She also breaks down what actually is problematic: chronic stress, under-fueling, poor sleep, and fear-based fitness rules that leave women more confused than empowered.
So next time you see a viral “cortisol cocktail” on your feed, feel free to swipe on by.
The Truth About Cycle Syncing
You've heard the trend: structure your workouts based on your menstrual cycle for better results. Sounds good in theory… but what does the research say?
Dr. Lauren unpacks what science actually supports—and what’s just another layer of unnecessary complexity. Her advice? Consistency over complexity. The best workout for your cycle is the one you can stick to. If you feel off a day or two before your period, adjust. If not, keep lifting. Listening to your body is an art—and it doesn’t require a color-coded chart to be effective.
Lifting Heavy vs. Lifting Smart
Another myth on blast: the idea that women in menopause must lift super heavy to build muscle.
Dr. Lauren and Amanda agree—muscle growth isn’t about maxing out. It’s about consistency and challenging your body at your level. Whether that’s 5 reps at 100 lbs or 12 reps at 60 lbs, it’s all effective. The key is progressive overload… and doing the work.
At the FASTer Way, that means switching up your rep ranges throughout our seasons, following the plan, and trusting the process.
Final Words of Wisdom
Dr. Lauren’s advice to women everywhere? “It’s never too late to lift. Start where you are, do what you can, and don’t get distracted by all the fear-based noise.”
We couldn’t agree more.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on the FASTer Way Podcast.
Listen to the full episode here on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or on your favorite platform—and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Related Resources:
- Belly Fat, Cortisol, HIIT for Women Over 40—What You Really Need to Know with Dr. Stephen Cabral
- Fasted Workouts in Perimenopause, Cycle-Syncing & Fitness Misinformation for Women Over 35
- What Actually Works: Breaking Through Fat Loss Resistance After 40
Subscribe to our blog
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.
Fitness Myths Busted: Fasted Training, Cortisol & Cycle Syncing with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple
.png)
Fitness Myths Busted: Fasted Training, Cortisol & Cycle Syncing with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple
In this can’t-miss FASTer Way podcast episode, CEO Amanda Tress sits down with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple—an exercise physiologist with a PhD in integrative physiology—to tackle some of the most viral and misleading fitness advice floating around social media. If you’ve ever found yourself questioning whether fasted workouts are "dangerous," or if you're overwhelmed by the rules of cortisol and cycle syncing, this episode is for you. Get ready to crush some major fitness myths!
Fasted Training: Friend or Foe?
Instagram reels would have you believe that fasted workouts are the biggest mistake women in perimenopause could make. But Dr. Lauren is here to set the record straight: there is zero human research that proves fasted training is harmful for women over 40.
Spoiler alert: the mouse studies don’t count.
If you love your early-morning workouts and they make you feel amazing (like so many of our FASTer Way clients), keep going! According to Dr. Lauren, cortisol spikes in the morning are normal—and fasted training isn’t the villain it’s made out to be. The real issue? Poor recovery and chronic stress… not your morning Tabata.
The Cortisol Controversy
Let’s talk cortisol. Yes, it rises in the morning. Yes, it increases when you exercise. No, that’s not a bad thing.
Dr. Lauren explains how cortisol works with your body—not against it. It’s self-regulating in healthy individuals and doesn’t require some magic “hormone-balancing breakfast” to bring it back down. She also breaks down what actually is problematic: chronic stress, under-fueling, poor sleep, and fear-based fitness rules that leave women more confused than empowered.
So next time you see a viral “cortisol cocktail” on your feed, feel free to swipe on by.
The Truth About Cycle Syncing
You've heard the trend: structure your workouts based on your menstrual cycle for better results. Sounds good in theory… but what does the research say?
Dr. Lauren unpacks what science actually supports—and what’s just another layer of unnecessary complexity. Her advice? Consistency over complexity. The best workout for your cycle is the one you can stick to. If you feel off a day or two before your period, adjust. If not, keep lifting. Listening to your body is an art—and it doesn’t require a color-coded chart to be effective.
Lifting Heavy vs. Lifting Smart
Another myth on blast: the idea that women in menopause must lift super heavy to build muscle.
Dr. Lauren and Amanda agree—muscle growth isn’t about maxing out. It’s about consistency and challenging your body at your level. Whether that’s 5 reps at 100 lbs or 12 reps at 60 lbs, it’s all effective. The key is progressive overload… and doing the work.
At the FASTer Way, that means switching up your rep ranges throughout our seasons, following the plan, and trusting the process.
Final Words of Wisdom
Dr. Lauren’s advice to women everywhere? “It’s never too late to lift. Start where you are, do what you can, and don’t get distracted by all the fear-based noise.”
We couldn’t agree more.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on the FASTer Way Podcast.
Listen to the full episode here on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or on your favorite platform—and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Related Resources:
- Belly Fat, Cortisol, HIIT for Women Over 40—What You Really Need to Know with Dr. Stephen Cabral
- Fasted Workouts in Perimenopause, Cycle-Syncing & Fitness Misinformation for Women Over 35
- What Actually Works: Breaking Through Fat Loss Resistance After 40
Subscribe to our blog
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.
Fitness Myths Busted: Fasted Training, Cortisol & Cycle Syncing with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple
Fitness Myths Busted: Fasted Training, Cortisol & Cycle Syncing with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple
In this can’t-miss FASTer Way podcast episode, CEO Amanda Tress sits down with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple—an exercise physiologist with a PhD in integrative physiology—to tackle some of the most viral and misleading fitness advice floating around social media. If you’ve ever found yourself questioning whether fasted workouts are "dangerous," or if you're overwhelmed by the rules of cortisol and cycle syncing, this episode is for you. Get ready to crush some major fitness myths!
Fasted Training: Friend or Foe?
Instagram reels would have you believe that fasted workouts are the biggest mistake women in perimenopause could make. But Dr. Lauren is here to set the record straight: there is zero human research that proves fasted training is harmful for women over 40.
Spoiler alert: the mouse studies don’t count.
If you love your early-morning workouts and they make you feel amazing (like so many of our FASTer Way clients), keep going! According to Dr. Lauren, cortisol spikes in the morning are normal—and fasted training isn’t the villain it’s made out to be. The real issue? Poor recovery and chronic stress… not your morning Tabata.
The Cortisol Controversy
Let’s talk cortisol. Yes, it rises in the morning. Yes, it increases when you exercise. No, that’s not a bad thing.
Dr. Lauren explains how cortisol works with your body—not against it. It’s self-regulating in healthy individuals and doesn’t require some magic “hormone-balancing breakfast” to bring it back down. She also breaks down what actually is problematic: chronic stress, under-fueling, poor sleep, and fear-based fitness rules that leave women more confused than empowered.
So next time you see a viral “cortisol cocktail” on your feed, feel free to swipe on by.
The Truth About Cycle Syncing
You've heard the trend: structure your workouts based on your menstrual cycle for better results. Sounds good in theory… but what does the research say?
Dr. Lauren unpacks what science actually supports—and what’s just another layer of unnecessary complexity. Her advice? Consistency over complexity. The best workout for your cycle is the one you can stick to. If you feel off a day or two before your period, adjust. If not, keep lifting. Listening to your body is an art—and it doesn’t require a color-coded chart to be effective.
Lifting Heavy vs. Lifting Smart
Another myth on blast: the idea that women in menopause must lift super heavy to build muscle.
Dr. Lauren and Amanda agree—muscle growth isn’t about maxing out. It’s about consistency and challenging your body at your level. Whether that’s 5 reps at 100 lbs or 12 reps at 60 lbs, it’s all effective. The key is progressive overload… and doing the work.
At the FASTer Way, that means switching up your rep ranges throughout our seasons, following the plan, and trusting the process.
Final Words of Wisdom
Dr. Lauren’s advice to women everywhere? “It’s never too late to lift. Start where you are, do what you can, and don’t get distracted by all the fear-based noise.”
We couldn’t agree more.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on the FASTer Way Podcast.
Listen to the full episode here on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or on your favorite platform—and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Related Resources:
- Belly Fat, Cortisol, HIIT for Women Over 40—What You Really Need to Know with Dr. Stephen Cabral
- Fasted Workouts in Perimenopause, Cycle-Syncing & Fitness Misinformation for Women Over 35
- What Actually Works: Breaking Through Fat Loss Resistance After 40
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Whether you’re training fasted or fueled, in your follicular phase or full-on midlife, we’ll teach you how to pair your workouts and macros for maximum results—without burnout, confusion, or restriction.
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