Hosted by health coach and author Ashleigh VanHouten and nutritionist and strength and conditioning specialist Rachel Gregory - co-creators of the Muscle Science for Women training program - this podcast dives into all aspects of fitness including nutrition, training, recovery, fitness culture, and so much more, all with a focus on addressing women's unique goals and challenges. It's conversational, interactive, and will help listeners understand their bodies and how to achieve their goals.
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To learn more about The Flex Fam Group Coaching Membership, visit https://www.rgfit.com/theflexfam Join Rachel’s weekly newsletter: https://www.rgfit.com/newsletter Rachel Gregory is a Board-Certified Nutritionist, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Author, Podcaster, and founder of RG Fitness. Rachel received her Master’s Degree in Nutrition & Exercise Physiology from James Madison University and Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Miami. Rachel completed the first-eve ...
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Ep 83: PCOS and Pumpkin Spice
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In this episode, we discuss training and nutrition for women with PCOS, and also how to think about food cravings during your period; we discuss one of the biggest food-related challenges for women in losing fat that isn't talked about, and we give our unsolicited opinion this season's favorite flavor, pumpkin spice. Wanna tell us what you think ab…
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Ep 82: Does Your Uterus Get In the Way?
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Who is the best and most well-rounded female athlete? What does it mean to be a well-rounded athlete anyway? Why are some "fitness" standards different for men and women (it must be the uterus...) Is cardio really "out" now, or are there types of cardio that can still be beneficial for building muscle and losing fat? Does exercise count as "therapy…
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Ep 81: Understanding thyroid health with Elle Russ
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Today best-selling author and thyroid health expert Elle Russ joins Ashleigh to discuss the importance of your thyroid: what it does and supports in the body, tell-tale signs that your thyroid health is compromised; hormonal health, fertility, and how that connects with thyroid health; how to advocate for the support you need in the medical system;…
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Ep 80: We design the optimal human meal | Whey causing skin issues?
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In this episode Rachel and Ashleigh are asked by a special listener to design the "perfect human meal;" they talk about what to do if whey protein and whey products are causing skin issues; and they chat about folic acid supplementation for women who may look to become pregnant - can you get enough from your food? Should pregnant women really be ea…
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Ep 79: Lessons learned from a bodybuilder who races ultra-marathons
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Today Ashleigh chats with personal trainer, nutritionist, best-selling author, and host of The Brian Keane Podcast about endurance racing as a bodybuilder; strength training for women; the biggest misconceptions about sustainable health; and much more. While we mostly talk to women, about women's issues, sometimes it's enlightening to learn about t…
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Ep 78: When your family doesn't support your goals
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In this week's episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer listener questions about how to juggle, prioritize, and properly rank all the big healthy lifestyle factors, especially as your life and goals change - we talk about the "Healthy Decision Tree" and how to determine when your priorities should change or when you should make adjustments to your plan.…
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Ep 77: Creatine Cycling? | Big Life News | Coolest listener ever?
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In this episode Rachel shares some big life news, Ashleigh discusses recent conversations about health and fitness with family members, and they answer some fun questions from listeners, including questions about the pros and cons of creatine cycling, and how to know if your strength training and sports-specific training is well balanced. The ladie…
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Ep 76: Answering your growing and bulking questions
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Not everyone is trying to get leaner and smaller - lots of us want to get bigger and grow more size and muscle, and that can be just as difficult as leaning out. In this episode Ashleigh and Rachel answer listener questions about how to train and eat to GROW: training frequency and type, intensity, nutrition, and the tips you may be missing that co…
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Ep 75: Are your fitness goals unrealistic?
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In this episode Ashleigh and Rachel talk technology (including some new fitness-related tech Ashleigh is loving, and their thoughts on the health risks of EMF's) but the big conversation today is about goals and standards. They discuss how important it is to have quantifiable goals (vs vague or purely emotional ones); the difference between having …
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Ep 74: How do you know when it's time to eat more carbs?
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In this short episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer listener questions about how you know when it's time to eat more carbs, and offer some practical and tangible health tips for shift workers. A reminder that if you are a member of the military, medical, or first-responder community, we offer discounts for all of our programs. Emails us at musclescie…
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Ep 73: Why is it so much harder for women to lose fat?
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The Women of Muscle Science are back from their summer break! Get ready for fun life updates, some silliness, and as always, plenty of education mixed in. This week the ladies answer questions about how to stay consistent with your fitness when you travel a lot for work; how to improve your workouts in general; and the age-old question: is it reall…
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Ep 72: How to improve bone density | partial ROM reps for hypertrophy?
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In this week's episode, Ashleigh and Rachel chat about how they manage their colds (including what they do to minimize sickness). They also answer questions from listeners about how to improve bone density: what exercises should we be doing? At what age is it too late? Why is bone density important? What foods help? Do partial range of motion reps …
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Ep 71: Did you ruin your metabolism by undereating?
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In this episode Rachel recaps a fun Vegas weekend, they talk about some of their favorite "on the go" snacks, and they answer a listener question about balancing strength training and marathon training. The girls also go through a case study from a listener who is also a VERY common client profile: a woman in her 50's who has spent decades undereat…
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Ep 70: How much muscle is enough - or too much?
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This week Ashleigh and Rachel recap Ashleigh's San Diego visit; they respond to a critical email about Botox; they answer a question about whether or not you should cut or bulk first, and a deeper conversation about how to know when you have "enough" muscle. What does enough muscle even mean? How do you know if you have enough to maintain health - …
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Ep 69: Are some people just not "built" for certain exercises? | How many meals per day is optimal?
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In today's episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer listener questions about whether or not three meals per day is optimal for protein/nutrient absorption; if some builds or anatomies just aren't cut out for certain exercises (and if so, how do we pick the best movements for our bodies?); Ashleigh rants about a particularly bad take on the carnivore die…
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Ep 68: Too much dietary protein causes cardiovascular disease (again)? Discussing the latest study
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In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer a listener's question about a recent study claiming that high leucine (and dietary protein) intake can cause atherosclerosis or cardiovascular disease. The links below provide more information on the study and their response. The ladies also chat about some recent injuries, Ashleigh's upcoming trip to San…
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Ep 67: Lessons on nutrition and muscle building from Stan Efferding
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Enjoy this re-release of one of our more popular episodes with Stan Efferding, an IFBB Professional bodybuilder and World Record Holding Powerlifter. He is one of only 10 men in the world to ever total over 2,300 pounds raw in competition. Stan holds the title as the World's Strongest Bodybuilder. Stan conducts seminars all over the country for var…
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Ep 66: How to Figure Out Maintenance Calories? | Herniated Disc Recovery
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In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer listener questions about how to transition from a cut to "maintenance" and all the mistakes and misconceptions that come from this process; they talk about training during recovery from a herniated disc; they discuss the concept that cold beverages may be inherently less good for you; and much more. If yo…
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Ep 65: Aging well doesn't happen by accident: how to enjoy the process
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The term "aging," to many, is a bad word, associated with negative changes and a general decline in health. But many of the negative aspects we associate with aging aren't inevitable. In this episode re-release, Ashleigh speaks with New York Times bestselling author, weight-loss and natural anti-aging expert Dr. Kellyann Petrucci.She is a concierge…
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Ep 64: Lowering LDL cholesterol on a high-protein diet | Are healthy desserts "orthorexic"?
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In this episode the ladies answer questions from listeners including one about how to lower LDL cholesterol on a high protein diet: what might be causing the high LDL reading; what other factors other than diet may be contributing; and their advice for some lifestyle factors and further research to address the potential issue. They also discuss how…
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Ep 63: Are BCAA's any good | Do you need a coffee detox?
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In this episode, Rachel and Ashleigh answer listener questions about the efficacy of BCAA's for muscle building and recovery, the concept of "macro thresholds" ie, how much wiggle room do you have with your macros if you're trying to lose fat, and whether or not you should really be doing a coffee detox. If you want more information on BCAA's and E…
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Ep 62: Vegan Protein | Nutritional deficiencies from a meat-based diet?
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In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel talk about how to enjoy vacation without guilt, vegan protein powders, and Ashleigh's nutritional deficiency test results. They discuss how to balance "vacation mentality" with enough discipline that provides a sense of control while still allowing you to enjoy time off, new experiences, and a break from your re…
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Ep 61: Are genetic "body types" a thing, and how do you train accordingly?
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This is a fun one! In today's episode, Rachel and Ashleigh discuss the concept of body types: (you've probably heard of these, ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph). They talk about: how these body types are characterized if there's real "truth" to these categorizations whether you can change your body composition dramatically outside of your body t…
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Ep 60: Talking to teens about fitness
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Ashleigh and Rachel are VERY excited to answer questions from some younger listeners! They answer questions from a high school listener about weight gain and birth control, training plans for weight loss, training around injury, and optimal nutrition for younger people. They also dive into pesticides in your coffee (and how to avoid them); why they…
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Ep 59: Essential Amino Acids: what exactly are they and why do we need them
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In this episode Ashleigh asks the CEO and co-founder of Kion, Angelo Keely, to do a deep dive on essential amino acids. As a life-long meat eater, Ashleigh is skeptical about EAA supplements, so they talk about: What essential amino acids are and why they're important The differences between BCAA's and EAA's How much you're actually getting from yo…
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Ep 58: Should Ashleigh give up working out? | Can stronger glutes fix low back pain?
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In this episode Ashleigh shares her struggles with burnout, comparing her current self to her former self, and struggling with balancing her current goals and responsibilities with her training plan. She and Rachel dive into concepts like identity and fitness, the importance of training in an organized and progressive way, and how to move past bore…
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Ep 57: How to "start over" in the gym | Rachel's new job
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In this episode of Muscle Science for Women, Ashleigh and Rachel dive into a case study of a woman looking to start over again in her fitness and strength journey, after kids and taking time away from the gym. They provide practical tips on how to overcome obstacles and mental hurdles, identify small wins and how they add up to big change over time…
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Ep 56: Not making progress in your fitness goals? Here's the missing piece
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In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel talk about some of the ways their beliefs and behaviors around fitness and nutrition have changed over the past ten years; they discuss what may be missing from your plan if you seem to be doing everything right but just aren't seeing progress; and what the margin of error is when trying to determine your optima…
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Ep 55: Can you REALLY grow your legs in a home gym? | Prepping for pregnancy
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In this episode Ashleigh and Rachel discuss whether or not you can effectively grow your legs and glutes with a limited home gym (and give plenty of advice on how you can maximize your workouts no matter where you are or what equipment you have). They both recently invested in some of the trendy new walking office treadmills and talk about whether …
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Ep 54: Maybe gluten and dairy aren't so bad | Our blood glucose experiment
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In this episode Ashleigh and Rachel dive into a variety of topics around nutrition, including understanding the difference between a food "sensitivity" and an actual allergy; they talk about whether foods that are widely touted as unhealthy (like gluten) should be avoided even if you don't seem to be sensitive to them; and they discuss their own re…
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Ep 53: Staying on track with your health while traveling
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In this episode Rachel and Ashleigh discuss mindset and the do's and don'ts of staying healthy while traveling. Rachel has just come back from an epic three-week trip to Thailand, and Ashleigh is about to embark on an all-inclusive family vacation, so they chat about stuff like: How to approach exercise while on vacation - how much should you prior…
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Ep: 52 - Do's and don'ts: creatine, therapy, competitive bodybuilding
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In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer listener questions about: Why creatine may be making you sick; The fun of coming up with new workout challenges; Resources for overcoming hypothalamic amenorrhea; Why most people shouldn't try competitive bodybuilding; New experiences with therapy and how it can improve overall health The ladies get perso…
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Ep 51: Parasite Cleanses | Gut Health during Travel
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In this episode, Ashleigh sits down with Halie Schoff, functional wellness and nutrition expert and coach who specializes in gut and hormonal health, to talk about how to best support digestive health during different phases of life. They also discuss certain controversial health practices (coffee enema, anyone?) and whether or not someone who prac…
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Ep 50: Training around injuries | What people get wrong about muscle building
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In the LAST episode of 2023, Ashleigh and Rachel talk about goals and answer listener questions about: Training around injuries: how to keep training, how to avoid making injuries worse, and how to know when it's time to back off or keep going Reverse dieting - what it means, how to do it, and why your diet may be holding you back from your goals R…
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Ep 49: Can we really change our mindset to improve our health?
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In this episode, Ashleigh speaks with Erin Power, the coaching and curriculum director at the Primal Health Coach Institute about the complex and layered relationship between a health/fitness/nutrition coach and their client. They dive into topics like: How to get the most out of your coach (and pick the right one) Goal-setting: when it's useful, w…
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Ep 48: How sore is too sore? | More glute-building tips
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In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer more listener questions, like: What to do when your training goals conflict with your work requirements How to optimize training around high-stress jobs and shift work How to know when you're too sore to work out How to continue to traing your glutes even if they're already "too big".... And much more! Re…
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Ep 47: Optimizing hormonal health throughout your life with menopause expert Esther Blum
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Today Ashleigh dives into your most frequently asked hormone questions with Esther Blum, an Integrative Dietitian and Menopause Expert. In the past 27 years she has helped thousands of women master menopause through nutrition, hormones and self-advocacy. Esther is the bestselling author of See ya later, Ovulator and Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat, among o…
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Ep 46: Ranting about lazy journalism | mainstream nutritionists | Instant gratification
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In this episode Ashleigh and Rachel catch up on their lives, answer listener questions, and get pretty fired up over: Lazy journalism around diet and nutrition Major misconceptions about "super foods" and ideal diets that mainstream nutritionists are still teaching The biggest challenges they see in their coaching practices that hamper client progr…
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Ep 45: Fitness in your 40's and beyond | Dr. Stephanie Estima
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In this week's episode, Ashleigh speaks with Dr. Stephanie Estima, a doctor of chiropractic and a health expert focusing on improving lifespan, health span, body composition, and optimal performance. They dive into topics like: Optimizing diet and training for longevity and health Optimizing hormones throughout the lifespan The benefits of HRT for …
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Ep 44: Is body positivity a good thing? | Are you eating more than you think?
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In this Q&A episode, Rachel and Ashleigh answer questions about: How to hydrate properly, and how alcohol factors in What to do when you've hit a body composition plateau How to determine if you're actually eating as much (or more, or less) than you think you are - spoiler alert, most of us are not good at accuracy with this! Ashleigh talks about h…
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Ep 43: Are weight "set points" real? | How to eat out on a diet
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In this episode, Ashleigh talks about the stress of sending her toddler to pre-school and her fitness plans for the rest of 2023; Rachel gives an update on her "mini cut" and they answer questions about how to eat out while on a diet. They also dive into the concept of a "weight set point": what it is, can you change it, and how your understanding …
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Ep 42: Dr. Bill Schindler - What does it mean to eat like a human?
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In this episode, Ashleigh speaks with Dr. Bill Schindler, an archaeologist, primitive technologist, chef, and author of the book, Eat Like a Human. They cover: His journey from having an unhealthy approach to food and body image in his younger years, to learning how to enjoy a more nourishing and less punishing relationship with food; The ONE food …
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Ep 41: Rachel's "mini cut" | Girl dinner takedown
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In this episode Rachel tells us about her "mini cut" for an upcoming vacation, which leads to a discussion on pool party fashion; Ashleigh has a wellness industry rant about "girl dinner;" they talk about their favorite (and most embarrassing) music to listen to while working out, and they get into the business and branding side of Muscle Science f…
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Ep 40: TMI Time! All about periods
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Ashleigh and Rachel get real womanly in this episode, covering everything about periods including: the period products we like and use; how to avoid premenstrual headaches, a case study about how to get your period back if you've lost it; and why having a period is "a luxury." We also talk more about skincare and have a surprise special guest! If y…
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Ep 39: Best hormonal testing | Unilateral training | American Gladiators
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In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel chat about the new American Gladiators documentary, what type of testing is best to determine hormone levels and overall health, and how to optimize unilateral --single limb--training: why it's important, what exercises are most impactful, and how to rest properly for maximum output. If you have topic ideas or q…
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#225: How To Choose The Best Protein Sources: Top 6 Questions To Ask Yourself
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Where to find Rachel: To learn more and apply to work one-on-one with Rachel, visit her website: https://www.rgfit.com/apply Join Rachel’s weekly newsletter: https://www.rgfit.com/newsletter/ Check out Rachel’s NEW podcasts below MINIFLEX on Spotify or Apple Podcast MUSCLE SCIENCE FOR WOMEN on Spotify or Apple Podcast Connect with Rachel on social …
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#224: How to Improve your Gut Health and Reduce Bloating with Alison Marras
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Where to find Rachel: To learn more and apply to work one-on-one with Rachel, visit her website: https://www.rgfit.com/apply Join Rachel’s weekly newsletter: https://www.rgfit.com/newsletter/ Check out Rachel’s NEW podcasts below MINIFLEX on Spotify or Apple Podcast MUSCLE SCIENCE FOR WOMEN on Spotify or Apple Podcast Connect with Rachel on social …
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Ep 38: Thoughts on 75 Hard | Safe Tanning | Caffeine
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In this Q&A episode, Ashleigh and Rachel dive into the 75 hard challenge, they talk about safe sun exposure, caffeine consumption, and they revisit their old debate on using wrist straps when lifting...this is a fun one, don't miss it! If you have topic ideas or questions for the hosts, send them to musclescience4women@gmail.com. More info on our f…
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