Rapid weight loss in perimenopause is more complicated than the scale suggests. In this episode, we break down what the research says about GLP-1s, extreme dieting, lean mass loss, and weight cycling, and why protecting your muscle matters more after 35.

You’ll learn how to look past the number on the scale and what to ask your prescriber before making a decision. This is a non-diet episode that still respects your fat loss and physique goals.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why the scale can hide lean mass loss, and how DEXA, InBody, and bioelectrical impedance scales compare
• How GLP-1s and aggressive dieting create similar muscle risks, and where they differ, especially around appetite
• What the research says about weight cycling, and what it doesn’t yet prove
• The metabolic syndrome criteria for women and why perimenopause raises the risk
• Why resistance training and cardio both matter, and how to start with two strength sessions per week
• Which questions to bring to your prescriber about dosing and insurance

Important: This episode is for education and is not medical advice. Talk with your prescriber or healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication, including GLP-1s. The host is not a medical professional.

Ready to take the next step on your journey?
Get started no matter where you're at by going to thestrongherway.com/work-with-us

Feeling stuck? If you're one of the moms over 35 who is eating less, training more, and still not getting leaner, this episode explains why under-eating, not a lack of discipline, may be the real problem.

In this solo episode, Alisha Carlson breaks down what the research says about metabolic adaptation, low energy availability, and body recomposition (building muscle and losing fat at the same time). Then she walks you through a simple three-step plan: check whether you're under-fueled, get enough protein at every meal, and let strength training do the building. She also gives an honest look at reverse dieting and where the evidence is still thin.

If you're a busy mom, a mompreneur, or a woman in perimenopause who is tired of starting over every Monday, this one is for you. A note on the research: much of it comes from adults over 50 and from young, lean women, so Alisha flags where it fits you and where it doesn't.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

- Why eating too little for too long can make your body conserve, and how big that effect really is

- What body recomposition is, and who it works best for (beginners, people returning to lifting, and people with more body fat)

- How to tell if you might be under-fueled, including the signs worth talking to your doctor about

- How much protein to aim for at each meal for muscle, and why spreading it out matters

- Why more cardio can't fix an under-fueling problem, and why lifting should drive the change

- An honest look at reverse dieting: what one small study found and what it didn't

- The identity shift behind the "eat less, move more" trap, and how to stop blaming yourself

THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF...

- You're a mom over 35 who is eating less and exercising more, and your body isn't responding the way you expected

- You're stuck in the restrict, crash, restart cycle and want a sustainable, non-diet way out

- You lift (or want to start) and want to know how nutrition supports building muscle for moms

- You're in perimenopause and want to understand what the research does and doesn't tell us yet

- You're ready to stop assuming that your body, or your discipline, is the problem

If today's episode hit home and you're tired of assuming your body or your willpower is the problem, there's a different way to do this. The Strong(HER) Way isn't another restriction-first fitness program. It's a transformation from the inside out, built for women who are done dieting and ready for a sustainable, non-diet approach to food, training, and their bodies.

Ready to stop guessing? Start small with the $27 Fit and Fueled Foundation at thestrongherway.com/work-with-us, or book a free 1:1 consult here. You can also connect on Instagram @alishacarlson_.

If the scale stalls, how do you know your fitness routine is still working? In this episode, I show you how to track progress when the scale stalls by building a simple dashboard of 3 to 4 metrics that shows results sooner and tells you what to do next. Body metrics are always optional here.

You're working out. You're upgrading your nutrition. You're building a better sleep routine. So how do you know it's working?

Most of the women I work with reach for the scale, the mirror, or how their body feels day to day. Those are some of the slowest and noisiest things to change, so when they stall, it's easy to decide nothing is working. In this episode, we build a better progress dashboard together, one that shows you progress sooner, helps you decide what to do next, and keeps you motivated.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the scale and the mirror are often the last results to show up
• The three layers of measurement: process, performance and experience, and body and appearance
• A menu of ways to track fitness progress, including which ones are optional
• How to turn feelings like calm into something trackable with a 1-10 scale you define yourself
• Bounce-back time: how quickly you return to your routine after a slip
• How to know when to stay the course and when it's time to change your plan
• How to choose your 3 to 4 metrics
  
• What to do next:
  Grab the listener's guide here