The Mel Robbins Podcast
The Body Reset: How Women Should Eat & Exercise for Health, Fat Loss, & Energy
27 Mar 2025
Today's episode is a MUST listen. You will learn the surprising science of women’s exercise and nutrition, the mistakes you’re making, and the simple changes that lead to better health and longevity. For way too long, fitness and nutrition have been based on research done almost exclusively on men, and the women who have been following those strategies are left wondering why the fitness and nutrition guidelines don’t work for their bodies. That changes today. In this firecracker of an episode, Mel sits down with Dr. Stacy Sims, a world-renowned exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, to break down exactly how you, as a woman, should be eating, training, and recovering for your hormones, metabolism, and overall health.Dr. Sims reveals why traditional fitness advice is failing women. She talks about how intermittent fasting drains your energy and why your workouts leave you exhausted instead of strong. She explains why fasted workouts, calorie restriction, and extreme cardio can actually make it harder to lose weight and what you should be doing instead to build muscle, burn fat, and feel amazing at every stage of life.Ever wonder why men seem to drop weight faster than you? Or why your workouts feel great one week and awful the next? There’s a reason for that. Dr. Sims will tell you, it’s all in your hormones.Inside this episode, you’ll learn:-Why women should NEVER train like men (and what to do instead)-The #1 mistake you’re making in the gym—and how to fix it-The truth about fasted workouts (spoiler: they might be wrecking your metabolism)-Why eating too little could be making you gain fat—not lose it-How to work with your cycle for better energy, results, and recovery-What every woman needs to know about perimenopause and menopause trainingIf you’ve ever felt like your diet and workout plan isn’t working, this episode will change the way you approach fitness and nutrition forever.For more resources, click here for the podcast episode page. If you liked this episode, your next listen should be: Look, Feel, & Stay Young Forever: #1 Orthopedic Surgeon’s Proven ProtocolConnect with Mel: Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them TheoryWatch the episodes on YouTubeFollow Mel on Instagram The Mel Robbins Podcast InstagramMel's TikTok Sign up for Mel’s personal letter Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-freeDisclaimer
Full Episode
Hey, it's your friend Mel, and welcome to the Mel Robbins Podcast. Okay, I have a confession. I just learned, I'm almost embarrassed to tell you this, that for the last 40 years of my life, I've been exercising all wrong. And I bet you or someone that you love have too.
And I just want to break this down because the conversation that I just had with the expert that you're about to meet, who is on the faculty at Stanford, has a PhD, 107 peer-reviewed research studies, she is going to break down all of the mistakes that women are making when it comes to nutrition and exercise. I mean, this is going to blow your mind.
After learning everything that she's about to share with you based on all of her research, I, as a woman, I feel like I've been gaslit by bro science and the male fitness industry, for real. Like literally all of the things that I've been doing that work for guys don't work for women. And you need to understand this.
I mean, this is one of the most life-changing conversations I have had since I started this podcast over two years ago. Starting tomorrow, I am a different person because I understand why my husband can do certain things, and next thing you know, he looks great. I do him? Nope. And have you ever heard that saying, abs are made in the kitchen? That's not true if you're a woman.
So if you're wondering why all the cardio in the world isn't working, why the nonstop yoga and HIIT classes are just not hitting, it's because you're exercising like a dude. It's time that you wake up and realize, like our expert says, women are not small men. Women have fundamentally different biology. In fact, even our muscular structure is different.
And so she is gonna take you and me down the list of all the things that we have been told to do that are actually backfiring. That cold plunge, you and I are doing it wrong. The reps you're doing with all those weights, doing them wrong. Intermittent fasting, probably not for you. And if you, like me, have worked out on an empty stomach, you're never gonna do that again.
You're about to learn how to get better results in less time and less effort. Working with your female body, not against it. It's time for you and me and every single woman in your life to start exercising like a woman needs to. Hey, it's your friend Mel. Welcome to the Mel Robbins Podcast. I am absolutely thrilled that you're here. I feel so excited about what we're talking about today.
It is going to be liberating. It's such an honor to spend time with you, to be together with you, but especially when we're going to have a conversation that is going to light you on fire and make you feel both mad and empowered. Let's freaking go. And if you're a new listener, I want to take a moment and just welcome you. Welcome to the Mel Robbins Podcast family.
And boy, have you picked a winner of a conversation to listen to. Because you made the time to listen to this particular episode, here's what I already know about you. You're the type of person who values your health. You want the facts. You want the science. You want results. And that's what you deserve. And if someone sent this to you, That's really cool.
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