Fierce Mama Fitcast

Send us Fan Mail You're eating well, exercising regularly, and still not seeing results, and you can't figure out why. The answer might not be in your workout or your diet. It might be in your nervous system. In this episode, Mel Duettchen explains the science behind cortisol and chronic stress, why the "mom life" hormonal environment is uniquely challenging for fat loss, and t...

Send us Fan Mail Are you logging hours on the treadmill or in cardio classes without seeing the results you want?  This episode will change how you think about exercise forever. Mel Duettchen breaks down the science of why strength training, not cardio, is the most powerful tool for sustainable fat loss for moms over 35.  Learn why muscle is the key to a fast metabolism, how to get started with we...

Send us Fan Mail Do you ever look in the mirror and wonder where the woman you used to be went? You're not alone…  and you're not broken. In this episode of the Fierce Mama Fitcast, Mel Duettchen digs into the emotional and psychological journey of identity loss that comes with motherhood, a phenomenon researchers actually call "matrescence”, and why your desire to get fit is about...

Send us Fan Mail I thought I had it handled. Years without major symptoms… feeling strong, consistent, and in control. And then my body reminded me (real quick) that chronic illness doesn’t just disappear. In this episode, I’m sharing my recent flare-up with Ménière’s disease: how it started, what I ignored, what likely triggered it, and what I’m doing now to recover. But more importantly, we’re t...

Send us Fan Mail If it feels like your body changed overnight in your 40s… you’re not crazy. The weight feels stuck. Your energy is off. And suddenly nothing seems to work the way it used to. This is a short, punchy, motivational episode, the kind you can listen to on a walk or between school drop-offs, but it might just shift how you see everything. We’re breaking down what’s actually going on —...

Send us Fan Mail If the number on the scale can ruin your entire day… this episode is for you. Because here’s the truth: The scale is one of the worst ways to measure your progress Most fluctuations have NOTHING to do with fat gain And letting that number control your mood is actually slowing you down In this episode of the Fierce Mama Fitcast, Mel talks about:  Why the scale messes with your mind...

Send us Fan Mail Struggling to eat healthy when your family isn’t on the same page? In this episode of the Fierce Mama Fitcast, we’re breaking down why staying consistent with your nutrition feels so hard — and why it’s not a willpower problem, it’s your environment. From family dinners and kids’ snacks to “just have one” pressure, you’ll learn how to stay on track without feeling like the odd one...

Send us Fan Mail You’re eating healthy.  Cooking at home.  Buying organic. So why isn’t the scale moving? In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the biggest misconceptions I see with women trying to lose fat — the difference between healthy eating and fat-loss eating . Because here’s the truth:  You can eat very nutritious, whole foods… and still struggle to lose weight. I share a real client s...

Send us Fan Mail Some days it feels like the world is falling apart. Wars, political chaos, women’s rights being debated again… and an endless stream of bad news every time you open your phone. In this episode, Mel talks about why International Women’s Day still matters, why days that highlight marginalized groups are still important, and how to protect your mindset when the news cycle feels overw...

Send us Fan Mail Are carbs actually making you gain weight — or have we just been dieting like it’s 2004? In this episode of Fierce Mama Fitcast , I break down why low-carb diets became so popular (hello Atkins Diet), what really happens when you cut carbs, and why the scale jumps when you add them back in. We cover: Why low carb causes fast “weight loss” (hint: it’s mostly water) The truth about...

Send us Fan Mail Are you being told to “dirty fast,” skip meals, or even drink raw eggs to lose weight? In this episode of the Fierce Mama Fitcast , Mel breaks down one of the strangest pieces of fat loss advice circulating on TikTok — and uses it as a starting point to explain why calorie tracking isn’t the villain women over 35 think it is. If you’ve ever felt like: Tracking calories is obsessiv...

Send us Fan Mail If you’re eating “healthy” but not losing weight, this episode is for you. Most women over 35 think they’re getting enough protein — especially if breakfast includes eggs, avocado toast, or a smoothie. But when it comes to fat loss, muscle preservation, metabolism, and hormone changes in perimenopause, that breakfast may not be doing what you think it is. In this episode, I break...

Send us Fan Mail Weight fluctuations in perimenopause are normal — but rarely explained. In this episode, Mel breaks down how hormones, menstrual cycle phases, stress, and real life affect energy, mood, and the number on the scale.  You’ll learn why weight can fluctuate week to week, why the scale reacts more in perimenopause, and how to stay consistent without burning yourself out.  Short and swe...

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve been lifting, tracking, eating “on plan”… and still wondering if it’s even working — this episode is for you. So many women feel like they’re failing when, in reality, their body is just behaving like a body. In this episode, we talk about:  why your workouts don’t need to destroy you  why the scale fluctuates even when fat loss is happening  why carbs are not the enemy...

Send us Fan Mail Vibration plates. Red-light masks. Infrared everything. If you’re in perimenopause, you’ve probably seen these tools marketed as fat-loss hacks, hormone fixes, and anti-aging miracles — all without much effort. But what do they actually do? In this episode, I break down the science behind two of the most talked-about perimenopause trends and explain where they can be helpful… and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I share my full vertigo story — from my first unexplained attack to years of dizziness, vomiting, fear, and learning how to trust my body again. What started as a vacation story (yes, including the famous swimming pigs in the Bahamas) turned into a much deeper conversation about chronic vertigo, control, motherhood, nervous system health, and why healing matters m...

Send us Fan Mail Perimenopause doesn’t mean fitness stops working — it means the plan needs to change. In this episode, we break down the myths, the science, and the lifestyle shifts that actually matter so you can build strength, lose fat, and feel good without burning yourself out. • The lifestyle shifts that actually change results  • Why “trying harder” backfires in this season  • How to adapt...

Send us Fan Mail This episode picks up with my move to Canada, becoming a mom far from home, and the emotional and physical reality of postpartum life. I talk about isolation, finding community through mommy-baby classes, and the small moments that helped me survive a very hard season. I also share losing my father to alcoholism between my two pregnancies, returning to Germany to handle his affair...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m sharing the first part of my story — the part that quietly shaped everything that came after. I grew up in a tiny town in Germany, learned independence early, and navigated childhood with divorced parents and a mother living with severe mental illness. That path led me into a career in shipping, out of Germany, and eventually to the USA, Chile and... eventuall...

Send us Fan Mail Holiday eating doesn’t have to turn into a full-blown “I’ll start again in January” situation. This episode was inspired by a simple brunch date with my husband — and it perfectly explains why so many women feel hungry, out of control, and frustrated around food during the holidays. We’re talking about: Why starting meals with carbs leaves you chasing hunger all day The biggest ho...

Send us Fan Mail This episode was inspired by a VIP client who has been crushing her elevated push-ups. When I asked her to try one on her toes, her strength was there — but the range wasn’t. So we set a performance goal: 1–10 full push-ups in six months. And that opened the door to today’s topic: Why performance goals change everything. Inside the episode: How performance goals shift focus away f...

Send us Fan Mail This week’s episode is a personal one — and honestly, one I didn’t expect to record. A simple dinner out turned into a full-on reminder that people LOVE to comment on what other people eat… especially when your choices don’t match their idea of “normal.” From bread commentary to dessert shaming to unsolicited diagnoses (yes, really), I’m breaking down what happened, why it rattled...

Send us Fan Mail I had my first glass of wine since Iceland last weekend — actually only my third drink since summer — and even though I felt “fine-ish,” it hit me: alcohol just doesn’t feel the same anymore. So today we’re breaking down why one glass now feels like three and what you can do about it. In this Episode we cover: Why alcohol hits harder in your 40s How alcohol stalls fat loss (and dr...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode of the Fierce Mama Fitcast, we’re cutting through all the noise around creatine — the supplement that used to belong to gym bros but is now everywhere in women’s health conversations, especially for those navigating perimenopause. I break down why creatine is suddenly trending, what the research actually says about women 40+, and how it supports strength, muscle...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m calling out the “but first, coffee” culture and exposing why that morning cup might be the reason you feel exhausted, wired, and moody all day. We’ll fix your caffeine habits and get your energy back — without giving up coffee completely. Why drinking coffee on an empty stomach spikes cortisol and wrecks digestion The “one more coffee” loop keeping you exhaust...