In this episode, I sit down with Caitlin — mom of two, librarian, strength trainee — to unpack a question SO many women have:

Do you actually need carbs to build muscle?

After starting a barbell lifting program, Caitlin followed common strength advice to increase carbs… and quickly gained 15–20 pounds, much of it around her belly.

So what happened?

We break down:

• 🍚 The truth about carbs and muscle building

• 🧠 What “metabolic flexibility” really means

• 🔥 Why most Americans are metabolically unhealthy

• 🏋🏼‍♀️ How lifting changes the glucose equation

• 🥩 Protein targets for women over 40

• ⚖️ When macros help — and when they confuse you

• 🧬 Keto, carnivore, and adaptation periods

• 🏃‍♀️ Why steady-state cardio can be catabolic

• 💪 Sprinting vs running for women in perimenopause

• 🩺 DEXA scans, visceral fat & skinny-fat misconceptions

• 🧘‍♀️ Why you must experiment with YOUR body

• 📱 And yes… we also talk about putting your phone down and doing the hard thing (like wallpapering your kitchen)

This episode is not about dogma.
It’s about metabolic health, strength, and learning how to trust your own body instead of Instagram trends.

If you’ve ever felt confused by conflicting nutrition advice — this one’s for you.

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