Creatine is everywhere right now, and for good reason. It's one of the most researched supplements in the world, it's cheap, and it isn't just for bodybuilders. But I still get the same questions from my clients every week: Will it make me bulky? Will I bloat? Is it safe?

I've coached women since 2016, and creatine is one of the very few supplements I actually recommend. Here's what you need to know.

What is creatine?

Creatine is a compound your body already makes, and you get small amounts from foods like red meat and fish. It's stored in your muscles and helps them make quick energy for short, hard efforts, like your last two reps of a squat or a sprint up the stairs.

Women tend to have lower creatine stores than men, and we often eat less red meat. So we may notice the benefits even more when we supplement.

5 benefits of creatine for women

1. More strength in the gym

Creatine helps you squeeze out an extra rep or two and recover a little faster between sets. Over weeks and mo...

More women than ever are using GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound. I'm not here to judge anyone's choice. That's between you and your doctor. But as a coach, there's one thing I want every woman on these medications to know:

The number on the scale isn't the whole story. What you lose matters.

Why muscle loss is a real concern on GLP-1s

These medications turn down your appetite, which is a big part of why they work. But when you're eating much less, especially less protein, and not strength training, your body can lose muscle along with fat. Studies have found that a meaningful share of the weight lost on these medications can come from lean mass.

Why does that matter? Muscle keeps your metabolism up, protects your joints and bones, and keeps you strong as you age. Lose too much of it and you may end up smaller but weaker, more tired, and more likely to regain fat if you ever come off the medication.

The good news: you have a lot of control here.

5 ways...

A lot of women think that if walking is good, running must be better. More sweat, more calories, faster results, right?

Not always. For a lot of women, especially if you are already strength training, walking can actually get you better results. Here is why.

Running burns more calories per minute

That part is true. Running burns roughly twice the calories of walking in the same amount of time. If you only have 20 minutes and you love running, it is a great option.

But walking is easier to do every day

Fat loss comes from what you do consistently, week after week. Most people can walk every single day without getting hurt or worn down. Running every day is a lot harder on your joints, and for many women it leads to injuries or burnout.

Walking doesn't spike your hunger the same way

A lot of women notice that hard cardio makes them starving, and they end up eating back everything they burned. Walking burns energy without the big hunger spike, which makes it easier to stay on t...

Every year it is the same story. Halloween candy shows up in October, Thanksgiving hits, the office treats never stop, and by New Year's you feel like you have to start all over again.

I'm going to be real with you: one big holiday dinner is not the problem. One meal will not undo your progress. What adds up is the eight weeks of "it's the holidays" where workouts slide, sleep gets messy and every day turns into a little bit of a treat day.

The good news is you don't have to choose between enjoying the holidays and feeling good in your body. Here is what actually works.

1. Keep your routine on the normal days

There are maybe 5 to 8 real "holiday" days between now and January. The rest are regular Tuesdays. Eat your normal meals, get your workouts in and save the extras for the days that actually matter to you.

2. Eat protein first

At parties and family dinners, fill your plate with protein first: turkey, ham, chicken, shrimp, whatever is there. Protein keeps you full, so you na...

If you are over 40 and feel like you are doing everything right but your body is not changing the way it used to, there is a good chance you are not eating enough protein.

This is the number one thing I fix with new clients. Most women I work with are eating somewhere around 50 to 70 grams a day, and they need a lot more than that.

Why protein matters more after 40

Starting in our 30s, we naturally start losing muscle every year, and that speeds up around perimenopause and menopause as estrogen drops. Less muscle means a slower metabolism, less strength and an easier time gaining fat, especially around the midsection.

Protein, along with strength training, is how you hold onto and build that muscle. It also keeps you full, which makes fat loss so much easier.

So how much do you need?

A simple target for most active women over 40 is 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal body weight.

• Goal weight of 140 lbs: about 100 to 140 grams a day
• Goal weight of 160 lbs: about
...

How Many Steps a Day Do You Really Need to Lose Weight?

"Do I really need 10,000 steps?" is one of the most common questions I get. The honest answer: you don't need a magic number to see results, but daily walking is one of the most powerful (and most ignored) tools for weight loss, energy and mood.

Where did 10,000 steps come from?

The 10,000 number actually started as a marketing slogan in the 1960s, not a medical rule. But here's the thing: it turned out to be a pretty good target. Research consistently shows that people who walk more each day tend to have better heart health, more energy and an easier time managing their weight, with benefits starting well below 10,000 and continuing to climb as you add more.

So how many steps should you aim for?

• Under 5,000 a day: start by adding 1,000 to 2,000 steps. Small wins add up.
• 5,000 to 8,000 a day: you're in a great range for health. Push toward 8,000 to 10,000 for more fat loss support.
• 10,000+ a day: great for energy, recover
...

Perimenopause Weight Gain: 5 Things That Actually Work

If you're in your late 30s or 40s and the scale is creeping up even though you're eating the same and working out the same, you're not imagining it, and you're not failing. You're likely in perimenopause, the years leading up to menopause when your hormones start to shift.

I've coached women through this stage since 2016, and here's the good news: your body isn't broken. It just needs a different plan than the one that worked at 25.

Why perimenopause makes weight gain easier

During perimenopause, estrogen and progesterone start to rise and fall unpredictably. That can affect where your body stores fat (often more around the belly), how well you sleep, how hungry you feel and how quickly you recover from workouts. On top of that, we naturally lose muscle as we age unless we actively work to keep it, and less muscle means your body burns fewer calories at rest.

So the "eat less and do more cardio" approach many of us grew up wit...

Lift Heavy, Live Long — Strength Training & Women's Longevity

When combining menstruation with fitness, just being a woman navigating our bodies during our cycle is extremely difficult. The scale, the bloat, the low energy, the emotions..

So let's talk about it. 

I think we have all been here, our cycle is coming, we are feeling all the negative feelings. We are feeling crappy, crabby, and just overall exhausted. And you would think after years of this same cycle we would fully understand what's going on with our bodies and expect it. But yet each month our same symptoms can almost come as a surprise. 

The difference in our bodies during the luteal phase (photo 1) and follicular phase (photo 2) can be very visible and quite uncomfortable due to bloating and water retention. 

Even as a fitness professional who knows damn well right before a menstrual cycle these things WILL happen…

1. The scale is going to jump up 
2. You will experience uncomfortable bloating
3. Crazy wild chocolate cravings (or just cravings for unhealthy food)
4. Weight is going ...