High Performance Health

Dr. Alyssa Olenick on why cardio doesn't cause belly fat, what fasted training really does for fat loss, and how women in midlife should balance lifting, cardio and carbs. Exercise physiologist and women's fitness researcher Dr. Alyssa Olenick breaks down the most common training myths aimed at women in midlife. She explains why the cortisol released during exercise is a fuel signal rather than a...

How much protein do you really need to build muscle — and do women in perimenopause or menopause need more? In this conversation, Eric Helms breaks down the evidence behind some of the most common protein recommendations, including the widely quoted 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight, when higher intakes may be useful, and why your starting point matters more than obsessing over a supposedly pe...

Dr. Kien Vuu and I talk about cellular energy, estrogen, NAD+ and spermidine in midlife, and how to build more energy today while staying strong and sharp at 80. Physician and Thrive State author Dr. Kien Vuu breaks down the three parts of one energy system behind midlife fatigue: mitochondria, insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility. He explains why falling estrogen hits mitochondrial effic...

If you’re a woman in midlife and short on time, HIIT may be one of the most efficient ways to improve metabolic fitness and target visceral fat. In this conversation, Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan breaks down the exact HIIT protocol her research group uses most often: one minute hard, one minute recovery, repeated for up to 10 rounds. KEY TAKEAWAYS The 1:1 HIIT Protocol — One minute hard followed by one mi...

Dr. Mariza Snyder and I talk HRV, HIIT, belly fat and testosterone in perimenopause, and how to keep performing without burning out. Why do high-performing women hit a wall in perimenopause? Dr. Mariza Snyder and I recorded this in person in London and swapped seats to interview each other. I share why HIIT can tank HRV and how I bring intensity back with short sprints and box breathing. Mariza ex...

At 59, Leslie Kenny says she has achieved a biological age of 21. In this episode, she takes us inside the simple daily habits she uses to support longevity, brain health, metabolic health and healthy ageing — starting with exactly what goes into her morning coffee. Leslie shares why she adds collagen, MCTs and raw cacao to her coffee, why she’s shifting towards a bigger lunch and lighter dinner f...

Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan explains how muscle quality changes in perimenopause and how HIIT, heavy lifting and protein timing help women over 40 train smarter. In perimenopause, muscle can shift from a lean "filet" toward a "rib eye," with more fat and connective tissue inside it, and a DEXA or InBody can't detect it. Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan explains why heavier, higher power training recruits the type 2...

Midlife belly fat is often blamed on high cortisol, but the picture may be more complicated. Long-term stress, insulin resistance, low energy availability, intense exercise, and poor recovery can all affect how the body responds to weight-loss efforts in your 40s. Pushing harder with HIIT, fasting, or calorie restriction may not always address the underlying issue. Could improving recovery and blo...

If you're over 40 and gaining weight around your middle despite doing everything right, cutting calories may be the wrong place to start. In this episode I break down why protein - not restriction - is the first thing I look at with almost every woman I work with. We cover what's actually happening to your metabolism in perimenopause, why low protein can quietly drive your cravings, how much you r...

In this episode, Angela speaks with Eric Helms about what the evidence actually says. Eric explains why progressive overload matters more than simply lifting the heaviest weight possible, how women can build muscle effectively across a wide range of rep ranges, and how to structure resistance training for both long-term health and body composition. They also unpack training frequency, sets per mus...

She more than doubled her HRV in under a decade, and the behaviour that moved it most was not training, supplements or sleep duration, but going to bed and waking at the same time. This week I sat down with Global Head of Human Performance at WHOOP and author of Aligned, Dr Kristen Holmes, to unpack why sleep-wake consistency is the foundation of a resilient nervous system in midlife. WHAT YOU WIL...

Your heart is ageing faster than you think. It stiffens between 35 and 50, and shrinks between 50 and 65. For years this was written off as an unavoidable part of getting older. It isn't. The right type of exercise has been shown to reverse almost 20 years of cardiac ageing, and it takes far less time than you've been told. If you're exercising more than ever but still feel exhausted, or pouring h...

Naturopathic doctor and author of The Cortisol Cure, Dr. Erin Kinney, explains why cortisol isn't the villain we think it is, but a "fix it" hormone you earn through rest and spend through everything else. She unpacks why decades of overspending leave midlife women with a depleted account, why that stubborn belly fat took years to build via insulin resistance, and why the instinct to push harder w...

The 3 Best Supplements for Mitochondria, Energy & Longevity in Menopause Get my free Longevity Stack Masterclass and Supplement Guide for women to learn how to build a personalised supplement stack: https://academy.angelafosterperformance.com/free-longevity-stack-masterclass In this episode, Angela explains how mitochondria produce energy, why mitochondrial function can become less efficient...

ZOE nutritionist Dr. Federica Amati explains why basal metabolic rate barely changes in perimenopause, but postprandial metabolism does, glucose, fat, insulin, and inflammation stay elevated longer after meals, partly via gut microbiome shifts. She unpacks why "thin" can mask sarcopenic obesity, why calorie labels carry ~20% error, why a nutrient-dense breakfast curbs cravings, and why a 70,000-wo...

Get my free Longevity Stack Masterclass and Supplement Guide for women to learn how to build a personalised supplement stack: https://academy.angelafosterperformance.com/free-longevity-stack-masterclass If I were starting over at 40, five supplements would form my foundation: magnesium (and which forms support brain, sleep and heart), omega-3 dosed to an 8–12% index, vitamin D3 with K2 to steer ca...

If you're training hard, eating well, and still watching your waist thicken, I want you to hear this: you are not lazy, and your metabolism is not broken. Something else is going on, and once you see it, belly fat stops feeling like a mystery you can't crack. So I called in four people I trust most on this, Ben Azadi, Dr Sarah Berry, Cynthia Thurlow, and Mary Claire Haver. Together we get into why...

1 in 2 women over 50 will break a bone, and the scariest part is you won't feel it happening. Bone loss is silent, it speeds up in perimenopause and menopause, and by the time there's a warning sign, it's often a fracture. But weaker bones are NOT just an inevitable part of aging. In this video, Angela Foster breaks down the 3 pillars every woman needs to build stronger bones, protect against frac...

Somewhere in your late 30s and 40s, everything you used to do stops working. The energy drains, the middle thickens, the sleep gets lighter, and your sharpness goes fuzzy. Here is what almost no one tells you: this is not you failing at willpower. Most of the longevity advice you have been handed was built on male data and biohacker experiments, and it was never designed for a woman in midlife. In...

You already know your energy crashes in midlife, but did you know it's tied to your mitochondria and estrogen? In this clip, Liz Earle breaks down the surprising at-home and outdoor habits, including a totally free one, that support cellular energy and may help calm inflammation and cortisol. If you're constantly fatigued and looking for science-backed (not gimmicky) ways to support your hormones,...

Labs read "normal" but you're gaining midsection weight, foggy and running at 70%? Your thyroid - not just perimenopause - may be the missing variable. Dr. Amie Hornaman explains why TSH alone misses the picture, how elevated reverse T3 "pools" and blocks T3 at the cell even when free T3 looks optimal, and why roughly 98% of women don't thrive on T4-only. She links falling progesterone, rising thy...

For years, I did everything I was told would help me stay lean. I trained hard, ate well, and stayed consistent but after 50, my body stopped responding the way it used to. In this episode, I'm sharing the 7 changes that helped me get my flat stomach back at 50 and completely changed how I think about training, nutrition, recovery, and metabolism in midlife. I didn't find a magic supplement or a q...

Longevity expert Dr Florence Comite joins me to explain why testosterone, not estrogen, drives body composition and ageing in midlife women. Decline isn't inevitable, it's programmable. She unpacks why low testosterone is likely behind your belly fat, brain fog and low energy from your 30s on, why only a third of us should fast, and the five biomarkers your doctor probably isn't checking fasting g...

Lowering ApoB and non-HDL cholesterol starts with improving how your body clears cholesterol. Michelle recommends reducing saturated fat, replacing it with healthy unsaturated fats, gradually increasing soluble fibre, staying well hydrated, and supporting gut health. As oestrogen declines in perimenopause, maintaining nitric oxide production and healthy blood vessels also becomes increasingly impo...

Olympic medalist turned health-tech founder Andrew Steele says the problem isn't you: it's that "normal" and "optimal" are two different things. In this episode, he breaks down how DNA, microbiome, and blood testing expose what's really behind your fatigue, brain fog, and bloating. And why one test, one time, will never tell you the full story. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN -     &nbs...