The Fit Physician

Exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce burnout, improve our health, and help us show up at our best. For many healthcare workers, the biggest barrier isn't motivation—it's access. In this episode, we explore why every hospital should have an on-site gym and how it could be a game-changer for physician wellness. Suzanne shares how access to a hospital gym has transformed her o...

Healthy habits aren't built through willpower, they're built through understanding how your brain works. In this episode, we sit down with behavior change expert Katie Faloon-Drew to explore the neuroscience behind lasting habit formation and why so many high-achieving women struggle to stay consistent, even when they know exactly what they "should" be doing. Together, we discuss why motivation is...

In this episode, Suzanne reflects on her recent experience completing a half marathon at nearly 50 years old—an accomplishment she never expected to pursue again after swearing off long-distance racing more than a decade ago. What began as a tribute to her late mother, an inspiring runner who completed marathons and half marathons well into her 80s, became a journey of self-discovery, gratitude, a...

In this episode of The Fit Physician Podcast, we answer some of the most common nutrition questions about challenges we hear from women physicians trying to improve their health, body composition, and relationship with food. We discuss how to enjoy summer vacations, social events, and travel without guilt, while continuing to make progress toward your goals. We also cover rising A1C levels, protei...

At 70 years old, Joan McDonald was facing high blood pressure, declining health, and the very real possibility of losing her independence. What started as a tough conversation with her daughter, fitness coach Michelle MacDonald, became the catalyst for a complete transformation. In this inspiring episode, Joan shares how she lost over 50 pounds, discovered strength she never knew she had, and buil...

In this week’s episode of The Fit Physician Podcast, we sit down with emergency physician and global health leader Dr. Michelle Niescierenko to discuss how she transformed her health and fitness while working in some of the most challenging and unpredictable environments in the world. From traveling to more than 75 countries to navigating airports, time zones, hotel rooms, and demanding work sched...

In this conversation, Jake Wright and Suzanne discuss the challenges of fat loss, the importance of preserving muscle mass, and the impact of menopause on body composition. They emphasize the need for sustainable approaches to fat loss and debunk the myth of inevitable weight regain. They also highlight the importance of strength training and adequate protein intake. The conversation concludes wit...

Have you ever felt like stress is just part of who you are now? Like life and responsibilities constantly pile up and there is no off switch? In this episode of The Fit Physician Podcast, we sit down with neuroscience-based wellness coach and bestselling author Catherine Roscoe Barr to explore the science of stress, cortisol, nervous system regulation, and recovery for busy high-achieving women. W...

In this week’s episode, we dive into a fascinating study exploring the connection between leg strength and brain health in women as they age. Researchers followed female twins over a 10-year period and found that women with greater leg power performed significantly better on memory and cognitive testing years later. We break down what the study actually means, why strength training may play a powe...

“Bioidentical.” “Compounded.” “Customized for you.” These terms are everywhere in menopause care but what do they actually mean? In this episode, we sit down with pharmacist, Dr. Hollie Wakelyn, PharmD, BCACP, MSCP, who shares her deep expertise in hormone therapy to separate fact from fiction. We dive into the real differences between approved hormones and compounded products, why so many women a...

For too long, women’s sexual health has been overlooked, misunderstood, or simply not talked about. In this eye-opening conversation, we sit down with world-renowned sexual health researcher Dr. Lori Brotto to unpack the science of desire, what really changes during menopause, and why so many women have been led to believe they’re “broken” when they’re not. We explore spontaneous vs. responsive de...

Pelvic floor health is one of the most overlooked and misunderstood pieces of women’s health and fitness. In this episode, we sit down with pelvic health physiotherapist Andrea Pickett to break down what’s actually going on when it comes to symptoms like leakage, urgency, pain, and pressure… and why so many women are told it’s “just part of aging” or something they have to live with. We dive into...

Meet Michelle, a rural family physician who spent nearly three decades caring for her community while her own health slowly took a back seat. Between long shifts, motherhood, and the loss of her fitness community during ...

Peptides are quickly moving from niche biohacking circles into the mainstream and with that comes a wave of concerns. We brought in Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple, PhD, to break down what peptides actually are, why they’re gaining...

Hot flashes, night sweats, and disrupted sleep are some of the most frustrating symptoms women face during menopause—but what if one of the most powerful solutions isn’t found in a prescription. In this Science Snack episode, we break down a randomized controlled trial exploring the impact of resistance training on menopausal symptoms. The results are surprising! We walk through the study design,...

In this episode, Coach Jake dives into some of the most important questions busy women physicians are asking right now—from where to start as a beginner, to how to stay consistent through travel, injuries, and unpredictable schedules. Drawing from years of coaching experience, he breaks down what actually drives results (and what doesn’t), including the importance of simple, structured strength tr...

For the woman physician who feels like she's constantly being pulled in a million different directions. In this episode, Suzanne gets real about what consistency actually looks like inside a physician's life, the mindset shifts that changed everything, how to ditch perfectionism, her approach to nutrition without spending Sunday doing full meal prep, and other tools that have helped hundreds of Fi...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jen Gunter — OBGYN, bestselling author of The Vagina Bible, The Menopause Manifesto, and Blood, and one of the most trusted voices in evidence-based women's health. We dive into the misinformation crisis that's reshaping how women navigate menopause, from hormone balancing and compounded hormones to estrogen on the face, testosterone hype, and the wild west of...

In this episode of the Fit Physician Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Mamta Gautam, psychiatrist, speaker, and founder of PeakMD, to explore the realities of physician burnout, moral injury, and the hidden cost of caregiving in medicine. With over 35 years of experience supporting doctors, Dr. Gautam shares why none of us are immune to the pressures of practicing medicine. From the “mental health con...

In Part 2 of this Fit Physician Podcast series, Suzanne and Jake continue their conversation with sleep coach and Sleep Is A Skill host Mollie Eastman, shifting from “why sleep matters” to what actually moves the needle—without making sleep feel overwhelming, expensive, or perfectionistic. Mollie breaks down the different “buckets” of sleep issues (optimization vs. insomnia/sleep anxiety), shares...

In Part 1 of this two-part Fit Physician Podcast series, Suzanne & Jake sit down with sleep coach and Sleep Is A Skill host Mollie Eastman to explore why sleep is often the missing pillar in health and performance — especially for busy, high-achieving women physicians. Mollie shares her personal journey through insomnia, the cultural normalization of burnout in medicine, and how sleep acts as...

In this episode of The Fit Physician Podcast, Jake sits down with Dr. Lynn C to share her transformation journey through strength training, empowered eating, and community support. From feeling completely stuck, low on energy, and frustrated by programs that didn’t fit her life as a busy physician and mom, Lynn walks listeners through how consistent three-day-per-week workouts, flexible coaching,...

In this episode, Suzanne shares a refreshingly realistic approach to travel, vacations, and staying grounded in your health without sacrificing joy. She breaks down how to approach fitness, nutrition, and mindset while traveling—whether for work or rest—through the lens of sustainability, self-compassion, and long-term consistency. She offers practical, physician-proof strategies for staying energ...

After 20+ years coaching busy women physicians, Jake pulls back the curtain on exercise programming and shares a no-BS breakdown of five popular exercises he’ll never use—and five he almost always programs for strength, longevity, and real-world confidence. In this episode, you’ll learn why some “hardcore” movements come with more risk than reward, how trendy exercises can quietly derail progress,...

Every year, we’re promised a new shortcut to health. A new supplement. A new rule. A new device that claims to change everything. And yet, most people feel more confused, more guilty, and further away from real results than ever. In this episode, Dr. Suzanne Rutherford and Jake Wright cut through the chaos of the modern wellness industry and explain why the obsession with optimisation is quietly s...