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Muscle Science for Women

Muscle Science for Women

By: Ashleigh VanHouten & Rachel Gregory | Fitness Strength Training Wellness
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Muscle Science for Women is a weekly podcast for women who want to build muscle, get stronger, improve their nutrition, and understand what their bodies actually need, especially in their 40s and beyond. Hosted by Rachel Gregory, MS, CNS, CSCS, and Ashleigh VanHouten, each episode takes a question women are asking and breaks down what the research says, what matters in real life, and what you can actually do with that information. Rachel is a nutritionist, strength and conditioning specialist, and the founder of RG Fitness. Ashleigh is an author, coach, and former nationally ranked natural figure competitor and powerlifter. Together, they bring science, coaching experience, personal stories, and plenty of honest conversation to topics that are often confusing, oversimplified, or buried under a mountain of internet bullshit. You'll hear conversations about strength training during perimenopause and menopause, hormone replacement therapy, bone density, body composition, and how to train now so you can still be strong at 80. Rachel and Ashleigh also dig into the fundamentals beneath it all, including protein, fat loss, maintenance phases, muscle growth, rep ranges, cardio, training zones, GLP-1s, fasting, gut health, pelvic floor health, emotional eating, and the habits that make progress sustainable. This is not about chasing perfection or following one rigid plan. It's about understanding the why behind training and nutrition so you can make better decisions for your body, your goals, and the season of life you're in. Have a question you want Rachel and Ashleigh to answer? Want to explore the Muscle Science for Women training programs? Visit https://musclescienceforwomen.comMuscle Science for Women © 2026 Exercise & Fitness Fitness, Diet & Nutrition Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • Ep 143: Fiber myths: how much do you actually need?

    Ep 143: Fiber myths: how much do you actually need?
    Sep 22 2026

    How much fiber do you actually need, and can you overdo it? Rachel and Ashleigh sort the fiber claims that hold up from the ones that don't: where the 30 gram number came from, what happens when you jump from 10 grams to 40, whether fiber does anything for your hormones, and what to do about constipation on a GLP-1.

    They also talk about fiber supplements, resistant starch from cooked and cooled rice and potatoes, whether you should eat fiber before training, and more.

    Head to truenutrition.com/MUSCLE and use the code MUSCLE for 20% off your custom mix! Choose a mix of protein bases, a range of delicious flavors and sweetness level, and boost your protein with adaptogens, collagen, immune support, electrolytes and much more. Ashleigh loves the chocolate fudge brownie with a grassfed New Zealand beef protein base, and Rachel is testing different protein base combos for the ultimate protein ice cream recipe. Save time, effort, and money by combining all your supplement needs into one delicious protein powder.

    02:06 Protein versus fiber, and internet rage bait

    03:04 Catch-up: Ashleigh's full blood panel

    12:41 Where the 30 gram number came from

    16:04 Digestion and regularity as feedback

    18:01 Claim: fiber fills you up so you eat less

    20:28 Fiber and the number on the scale

    22:34 Net carbs

    24:46 Claim: fiber supplements are a shortcut

    29:53 Claim: fiber balances your hormones

    32:02 Constipation on a GLP-1

    34:39 Fiber intake moves with calories

    36:15 Cooking and cooling rice and potatoes for resistant starch

    39:01 Fiber before training

    41:03 Whole versus ground flaxseed

    41:41 Fiber before bed, and where to send questions

    Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/I6eWkvmLDuQ

    Programs

    • Muscle Science For Women, 12-week strength program: https://rgfit.com/msw
    • Grow Your Glutes, 8 weeks: https://rgfit.com/glutes
    • Strong and Sculpted Shoulders, 8 weeks: https://rgfit.com/shoulders
    • Fit Pregnancy Program: https://rgfit.com/fit-pregnancy
    • Dopamine Reset Challenge, 10 days: https://rgfit.com/offers/BAQj63ya

    Newsletter: https://substack.com/@musclescienceforwomen

    Ashleigh VanHouten: https://ashleighvanhouten.com , Instagram @themusclemaven
    Rachel Gregory: https://rgfit.com , Instagram @rachelgregory.cns
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    48 mins
  • Ep 142: Emotional eating: the shame cycle and how to break it

    Ep 142: Emotional eating: the shame cycle and how to break it
    Sep 15 2026
    In this episode, Rachel and Ashleigh talk about recent struggles with comfort eating, sharing the reality that nearly EVERYONE has experienced at least once: eating in secret, or feeling shame and guilt over their food choices, and eating in a way that doesn't support your goals even when you know you don't really want to. Why do we sometimes eat compulsively even when we tell ourselves we shouldn't, or don't want to? Why do we feel so much shame around "guilty pleasure" eating? Rachel also shares where she has been over the past few months, including another heartbreak/grief cycle, a period of depression, starting a low dose antidepressant, and the body image feelings that come with regaining weight. In addition to sharing some very personal stories, they also offer a range of strategies and tactics for breaking habits that aren't serving you: things like urge surfing, planning, mindfulness and other therapies that can have a big impact. Some big lessons come out of this episode, including the fact that you are not alone in your struggles; externalizing your fears can make them less scary; and there is always work to be done (and why this is a good thing!) Thank you to our sponsor, True Nutrition, where you can customize your own protein! Choose a mix of protein bases, a range of delicious flavors and sweetness level, and boost your protein with adaptogens, collagen, immune support, electrolytes and much more. Ashleigh loves the chocolate fudge brownie with a grassfed New Zealand beef protein base, and Rachel is testing different protein base combos for the ultimate protein ice cream recipe. Save time, effort, and money by combining all your supplement needs into one delicious protein powder. Head to truenutrition.com/MUSCLE and use the code MUSCLE for 20% off your custom mix! Chapters 00:13 What this episode covers instead of fiber 03:44 Listener feedback on the Strong and Sculpted Shoulders program 05:48 Using food to take the edge off 08:36 Why the brain defaults to food under stress 10:16 Shame, guilt, and eating in secret 11:43 Meeting the pattern with compassion instead of shame 15:13 Getting back on track faster instead of never messing up 16:04 Urge surfing and pausing before you react 19:30 Interrupting the pattern and building new pathways 21:16 Setting up your environment and taking a portion instead of the whole bar 24:43 Working with a coach, structure, and tracking as data 26:11 Change takes time, Ashleigh on eating two dinners 28:25 Rachel on the past few months 30:18 Getting lean while depressed 32:41 Starting an antidepressant and what changed 36:27 Body image, postpartum, and pressure in the fitness industry 39:29 Externalizing it and asking for help 41:27 Stigma around antidepressants and weight loss drugs 45:43 What this podcast is for 47:00 The work is not done 48:55 Sponsor break, True Nutrition 51:42 Sign off Takeaways Both hosts say they eat to cope with stress, and both say that knowing the mechanism does not stop them doing it.Rachel frames the goal as getting back faster rather than never slipping, and says that interrupting the pattern even once starts building new pathways you can prove to yourself.Ashleigh's tool is putting time between the urge and the reaction, five or ten minutes, then deciding, so the choice is a made one either way.Rachel's portion approach for clients: take a serving instead of the whole bar, eat it somewhere else, pay attention to it, then step away and pick a different way to cope if the feeling is still there.Rachel says a low dose antidepressant has helped alongside therapy and her own work, and she is careful to say the medication did not cause the weight gain. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vehl-lpMXM8 Programs Muscle Science For Women, 12-week strength program: https://rgfit.com/mswGrow Your Glutes, 8 weeks: https://rgfit.com/glutesStrong and Sculpted Shoulders, 8 weeks: https://rgfit.com/shouldersFit Pregnancy Program: https://rgfit.com/fit-pregnancyDopamine Reset Challenge, 10 days: https://rgfit.com/offers/BAQj63ya Newsletter: https://substack.com/@musclescienceforwomen Ashleigh VanHouten: https://ashleighvanhouten.com , Instagram @themusclemaven Rachel Gregory: https://rgfit.com , Instagram @rachelgregory.cns
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    53 mins
  • Ep 141: What you need to know about pelvic floor health and strength training

    Ep 141: What you need to know about pelvic floor health and strength training
    Sep 1 2026

    If you've been wanting a masterclass on pelvic floor health, look no further. Ashleigh interviews Dr. Caroline Packard, DPT, a pelvic floor physical therapist, lifelong athlete, and mother of three who is changing the way women think about their bodies, their strength, and what's actually possible after pregnancy, injury, or years of being told their symptoms are just "something to manage."

    They discuss:

    • What coaches and active women get wrong when they separate "core training" from pelvic floor function
    • Symptoms women normalize that are actually pelvic floor dysfunction
    • How to tell whether the issue is strength, tension, coordination, timing or pressure management
    • What breath and bracing should look like during strength training to protect pelvic floor function
    • How to modify without fear-mongering or telling women to stop lifting
    • How to progress back to heavier training, impact or intensity in a way the body can actually support

    All that and more - if you have any questions or want us to continue to cover this topic, reach out at musclescience4women@gmail.com.

    Dr. Packard has created the Connect app, featuring an extensive program grounded in pelvic floor physical therapy principles and built around five progressive training phases: Prep, Reset, Integrate, Strength Fundamentals, and Elevated Strength. Members begin by learning how the diaphragm, deep core, posture, and pelvic floor function together to manage pressure and stabilize the body, then systematically apply that foundation to increasingly challenging strength work. Ashleigh has been using the app herself for months and calls it the most comprehensive guide to understanding and improving pelvic floor function that she's ever seen.

    Muscle Science for Women listeners can 20% off an annual subscription using the code MUSCLESCIENCE. Click here to learn more and sign up.

    Join the conversation - leave a comment on the podcast, share the episode on social media, or leave a comment, topic idea, or question on the website: https://musclescienceforwomen.com/contact

    Check out the MSW Substack here: https://musclescienceforwomen.substack.com

    Learn about all of the MSW training programs here: https://musclescienceforwomen.com/programs

    Subscribe to the new YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@musclescienceforwomen

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    59 mins
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