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Does Diary of a CEO’s discussion of hormonal birth control help women make informed choices—or give them more reasons to fear effective medications? We examine Steven Bartlett’s roundtable with Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Dr. Natalie Crawford, Dr. Vonda Wright, and Dr. Stacy Sims, comparing the panel’s claims with research and expert guidance. We unpack claims about ovulation, menstruation, cycle tracking, and the supposed need for a monthly pill break, explaining why medically suppressing menstruation differs from losing your period because of an underlying health problem. We also examine birth control described as a “crutch,” symptom relief dismissed because it isn’t a cure, and cold exposure proposed for endometriosis based on pilot data. Drawing on our interview with Dr. Kemi Doll and writing from Dr. Jen Gunter, we examine how alarming anecdotes, “natural” versus “synthetic” hormones, and benefits followed by a big BUT shape the message. We ask who benefits when legitimate failures in women’s healthcare become opportunities to build distrust, sell alternatives, and undermine informed reproductive choices. WATCH on YouTube Free Barbell Mini Course—SIGN UP FOLLOW @themovementlogic on Instagram Visit our WEBSITE www.themovementlogic.com RESOURCES The Diary of a CEO roundtable: Hormone & Fertility Experts: We’ve Been Lied To About Women’s Health! If This Happens, Call A Doctor Our interview with Dr. Kemi Doll: Birth Control, Hormones, and Menopause: When Medicine Fails and Wellness Cashes In The Vajenda by Dr. Jen Gunter Movement Logic ep 113: Debunking Menopause Grifters: Dr. Mary Claire Haver and Dr. Vonda Wright Movement Logic ep 111: Make Stacy Sims Make Sense Article: Study Suggests Increase in Deaths During or Within One Year of Pregnancy in States that Imposed Abortion Bans 2020 paper by Naj-mabadi et al Catholic church story - “The 7-day contraceptive hormone-free interval should be consigned to history” from 2018

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Kemi Doll, a double board-certified OB-GYN and gynecologic oncologist, about endometriosis, fibroids, uterine cancer, PMOS, and hormonal birth control. We examine how wellness influencers exploit real experiences of medical dismissal to promote fear, undermine trust in established treatments, and sell alternatives. We discuss what hormonal contraception offers beyond preventing pregnancy, why suppressing ovulation or menstruation isn’t automatically harmful, and how language like “hormone balancing” and “treating the root cause” can misrepresent effective medical care. Dr. Doll also explains the recent renaming of PCOS to PMOS and raises concerns about estrogen regimens that extend beyond what has been adequately studied. Drawing on her book, A Terrible Strength, Dr. Doll explains how women’s suffering, especially Black women’s suffering, becomes normalized and undertreated, and how gaps in research and diagnostic practices contribute to delayed care. She makes the case for better medical communication, meaningful informed choice, and taking women’s symptoms seriously without turning their health into a wellness trend. Free Barbell Mini Course—SIGN UP FOLLOW @themovementlogic on Instagram RESOURCES Dr. Kemi’s website |  Instagram | LinkedIn Dr. Kemi’s Book A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to Healing by Dr. Kemi Doll. The GRACE Center ACOG patient resources for gynecologic health information. ECANA for uterine cancer and abnormal bleeding information. UpToDate patient education for more detailed explanations of conditions, treatments, and evidence. The Menopause Society Dr. Kemi Doll’s Instagram Reel challenging birth control misinformation Dr. Jen Gunter’s conversation with Dr. Kemi Doll

In this episode, Sarah Court and Laurel Beversdorf investigate the bone supplement company AlgaeCal and ask whether its marketing claims are supported by good evidence. They unpack the company's promotion of algae-derived calcium, its use of strontium supplements to claim increases in bone density, and why improvements on a DEXA scan don't necessarily mean stronger bones. Along the way, they explain how appeals to nature, authority, and fear are used to sell expensive supplements to women worried about osteoporosis. The conversation also examines the growing "doctor-to-brand pipeline," using Dr. Vonda Wright as a case study in how medical authority can become intertwined with supplement marketing. Sarah and Laurel discuss why they declined an invitation to collaborate with AlgaeCal, why exercise remains the cornerstone of bone health, and how consumers can recognize misleading health claims before spending hundreds of dollars on products that may not deliver meaningful benefits. FREE Barbell Mini Course when you get on our mailing list FOLLOW Movement Logic on Instagram WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website Foldable Home Barbell Rack by Verse, coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout RESOURCES 92: Make Dr. Loren Fishman Make Sense 91: LIFTMOR, Not Less: An Interview with Belinda Beck 93: Should You Avoid Spinal Flexion with Osteoporosis? 113: Debunking Menopause Grifters: Mary Claire Haver and Vonda Wright Doctor vs Brand Instagram Post

SIGN UP Lift for Longevity. Enrollment closes Sunday, September 20th. Classes begin September 28th.In this episode, we talk with Lift for Longevity participant Julie Wright about beginning strength training in her mid-sixties after an osteoporosis diagnosis. Julie had never touched a barbell before joining the course. After completing Lift for Longevity three times, she has progressed from deadlifting 28 pounds to 100 pounds for reps, increased her bench press from 20 to 53 pounds, built visible muscle, returned to jumping in ballet, and become more hopeful about aging, traveling, and continuing to dance. We also examine Julie’s follow-up DEXA, which initially appeared to show a dramatic improvement from osteoporosis to osteopenia at nearly every measured site. We explain why scans performed at different facilities can’t provide a clean comparison and how raw bone-mineral-density values, machine calibration, arthritis, and strontium complicated the results. Julie’s story shows why DEXA matters—but also why strength, muscle, power, confidence, and the ability to keep doing what you love might matter more. SIGN UP Lift for Longevity. Enrollment closes Sunday, September 20th. Classes begin September 28th. FOLLOW @TheMovementLogic on Instagram RESOURCES Lift for Longevity Julie's website Listen to Dr. Lora Giangregorio on the Movement Logic Podcast

In this episode, we look back at how our thinking about exercise has changed over the years, from our beginnings in yoga and physical therapy to strength training, bone density, power, fall prevention, and longevity. We talk about the ideas we stopped believing, the evidence that changed our minds, why “lift heavy shit” was an important corrective but ultimately an incomplete message, and how all of this has shaped the newest version of Lift for Longevity. We also get into what we’ve learned from teaching the course four times, why we’re removing exercises that create unnecessary friction, why AMRAPs are becoming a much bigger part of the program, and how we’re incorporating more power, balance challenges, and structured impact training. SIGN UP Free Strength Class on September 8th with replay! FOLLOW @TheMovementLogic on Instagram FOLDABLE HOME BARBELL RACK by Verse, use coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout RESOURCES 107: Does It Have To Be Heavy? 49: You Don’t Know How Strong You Are, Says Research 36: Somatic Dominance Loren Fishman et al.: Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss paper LIFTMOR Trial Kistler-Fischbacher Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis 91: LIFTMOR, Not Less: An Interview with Professor Belinda Beck Dr. Lora Giangregorio on the Movement Logic Podcast Dr. Stuart Phillips on the Movement Logic Podcast Stu Phillips post Korpelainen paper

In this episode, we talk with bone health researcher Dr. Lora Giangregorio about what the evidence really says about resistance training, impact exercise, menopause, fracture prevention, balance, and falls. We also get into claims from OsteoStrong, why not all published research deserves equal weight, and why confident claims about the “best” way to build bone often outrun the evidence. We discuss why bone loss around menopause can’t simply be blamed on inactivity, what we do and don’t know about heavy versus moderate versus light resistance training, why strength and impact are so difficult to separate in bone research, and why improving bone density is only one part of reducing fracture risk. Dr. Giangregorio also explains why getting better at standing on one leg isn’t necessarily the same thing as becoming less likely to fall, why yoga wouldn’t be her first choice for fall prevention, how to progress impact training without jumping straight into high-force exercises, and why real-world exercise programs need to adapt to the person rather than force everyone into the same supposedly “optimal” program. SIGN UP Free Strength Class on September 8th with replay! FOLLOW @TheMovementLogic on Instagram FOLDABLE HOME BARBELL RACK by Verse, use coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout RESOURCES Dr. Lora Giangregorio’s website and Instagram  Bones Lab YouTube channel Her approach to starting and progressing impact training Her summary of different aspects of balance Blog post on impact training

In part two of their deep dive into Louisa Nicola's claims about Alzheimer's prevention, Sarah and Laurel continue examining the scientific evidence behind some of her most widely shared social media posts, podcast appearances, and paid programs. Building on the foundation laid in part one, they fact-check claims about menopause, hormone therapy, Zone 5 training, heavy resistance training, creatine, and other interventions that Nicola presents as essential for protecting the brain. Throughout the episode, they compare her messaging with the available research, including randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and major clinical guidelines, highlighting where mechanistic theories are presented as established clinical facts and where evidence is overstated or misrepresented. The conversation then shifts from individual scientific claims to the broader marketing strategy behind Nicola's business. Sarah and Laurel analyze her paid products, including Brain Code and the $5,000 Decode Panel, discussing how fear-based messaging, appeals to authority, and selective use of research can drive consumers toward expensive products and testing. They contrast these approaches with the evidence-based recommendations from organizations like The Lancet Commission and the Alzheimer's Association, emphasizing that meaningful risk reduction is built on well-established lifestyle factors rather than highly specific protocols or premium wellness services. They close by discussing why influencers like Nicola resonate with audiences, where they see similar patterns among other health personalities, and why careful interpretation of evidence matters when communicating about diseases as frightening as Alzheimer's. SIGN UP FOR THE INTEREST LIST for Lift for Longevity FREE Barbell Mini Course when you get on our mailing list FOLLOW Movement Logic on Instagram WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website Foldable Home Barbell Rack by Verse, coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout RESOURCES 134 Make Louisa Nicola Make Sense, Part 1 113 Debunking Menopause Grifters Mary Claire Haver and Vonda Wright 92 Make Dr. Loren Fishman Make Sense Alzheimer's Association 2025 factsheet The Lancet Commission Mosconi et al. (2021) Correction: In this episode, Laurel cites a study erroneously as being from the Lancet. It's not from the Lancet, it's the Generation 100 study. PMID: 34878637 Resistance training and brain aging study  Creatine Monohydrate Pilot in Alzheimer's The Menopause Society  Pauline Maki  Diary of a CEO episode with Louisa Nicola

In this episode, Sarah Court and Laurel Beversdorf begin a two-part investigation into Louisa Nicola and the rapidly growing industry built around Alzheimer's prevention, brain optimization, and women's brain health. They examine how legitimate scientific concerns about dementia become transformed into highly marketable narratives, and explain the difference between what current evidence supports and what many online health personalities confidently claim. Sarah and Laurel break down the strongest evidence on dementia prevention, including findings from the 2024 Lancet Commission, and discuss what is known about exercise, vascular health, hearing, vision, education, social connection, and other modifiable risk factors. They also introduce concepts they call mechanism theater, evidence cosplay, and the fear-to-action marketing pipeline, showing how preliminary research is often stretched into certainty to sell protocols, supplements, and personal brands. Along the way, they critically examine several of Nicola's most common claims—including that Alzheimer's starts in your 30s, that women face six times the risk, and that heavy resistance training is uniquely protective—and compare those claims with the available evidence. Part 2 of this series will continue the investigation into Louisa Nicola's recommendations, products, and marketing strategies. SIGN UP FOR THE INTEREST LIST for Lift for Longevity FREE Barbell Mini Course when you get on our mailing list FOLLOW Movement Logic on Instagram WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website Foldable Home Barbell Rack by Verse, coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout RESOURCES 113: Debunking Menopause Grifters: Dr Mary Claire Haver and Dr. Vonda Wright 111: Make Stacy Sims Make Sense Correction: In this episode, Laurel cites a study erroneously as being from the Lancet. It's not from the Lancet, it's the Generation 100 study. PMID: 34878637 The Lancet Commission: Dementia Prevention, Intervention, and Care: 2024 Report Alzheimer's Association 2025 Fact Sheet Neuro Athletics Narrative review on resistance training and Alzheimer's disease (co-authored by Louisa Nicola) Dr. Vonda Wright podcast featuring Louisa Nicola The Diary of a CEO podcast featuring Louisa Nicola APOE4 and Alzheimer's disease research New England Journal of Medicine (2024) biomarker study on preclinical Alzheimer's disease

In this episode, Sarah Court and Laurel Beversdorf continue their conversation with Dr. Stu Phillips, one of the world's leading protein researchers. They dig into the latest ACSM Position Stand on Resistance Training, unpacking what it actually says about strength, hypertrophy, power, progressive overload, and why many of the debates happening online are driven more by certainty than by evidence. They also explore why protein has "jumped the shark," how marketing has outpaced the science, whether menopausal women really need dramatically more protein, and why consistency—not optimization—is still the most powerful exercise strategy. Throughout the conversation, Stu explains why scientific nuance often gets lost on social media and why changing your mind when new evidence emerges is a strength, not a weakness. FREE Barbell Mini Course when you get on our mailing list FOLLOW Movement Logic on IG WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website Foldable Home Barbell Rack by VerseCoupon code: MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout RESOURCES ACSM Position Stand on Resistance Training ACSM Health & Fitness Journal special issue on power training Stu Phillips — Protein Jumped the Shark (2025 article)

In this episode, Sarah and Laurel sit down with Dr. Stu Phillips, one of the world's most influential researchers in muscle physiology, protein metabolism, and resistance training. Together they discuss why Stu publicly challenged the idea that heavy lifting is required for bone density, what the evidence actually says about load and osteogenesis, and how newer research has changed the conversation around both muscle growth and bone health. Stu explains why many long-held training beliefs—including the need for heavy weights for hypertrophy—have not held up under scrutiny, why good scientists must be willing to change their minds, and how concepts like effort and "progressive stimulus" may matter more than specific loading prescriptions. The conversation also explores what researchers know (and still don't know) about bone adaptation, site-specific bone responses, impact training, mechanical loading, and the challenges of translating animal research into human recommendations. Finally, Stu shares his thoughts on protein obsession, exercise guidelines, weight loss stigma, and the importance of following the evidence wherever it leads. ABOUT Power Play FOLLOW @TheMovementLogic on Instagram WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website FOLDABLE HOME BARBELL RACK by Verse, use coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout Barbell Mini Course from Movement Logic RESOURCESKistler-Fischbacher et al. (2021) Exercise and Bone Density Watson et al (2018) LIFTMOR Trial Currier et al (2026) ACSM Position Stand on Resistance Training and Muscle Hypertrophy

What is balance, really? In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel and Sarah unpack why “balance” is much more than standing on one foot, not falling, or having a strong core. Using the motor control concept of postural control, they explore balance as a dynamic, emergent process shaped by sensory input, motor responses, cognition, confidence, fear, environment, prior experience, and social context. They discuss center of mass, base of support, stability, perturbations, sensory reweighting, and why balance is deeply context specific. You’ll learn why steady-state, reactive, and anticipatory balance are different biological problems, why yoga may train some balance skills better than others, why strength and power matter for fall recovery, and why no single “balance exercise” prepares you for every balance challenge life throws at you. SIGN UP Free Barbell Mini Course ABOUT Power Play FOLLOW @TheMovementLogic on Instagram WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website FOLDABLE HOME BARBELL RACK by Verse, use coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout RESOURCES BOOK: Motor Control: Translating Research into Clinical Practice by Anne Shumway-Cook and Marjorie Woollacott EPISODES 128: Does 'Balance Training' Prevent Falls, or Just Improve Balance? 129: Sarcopenia Redefined: Loss of Strength and Power Matter More Than Muscle Mass On motor learning - 29: The Cues We Use Pt. 1, 31: The Cues We Use Pt. 2, 34: The Cues We Use Pt. 3 Our interview on the Capable and Worthy Podcast

POWER PLAY is on sale now for $99. The price goes up after May 31st.  Sign up here - https://themovementlogic.com/power-play/ Power training is not just for athletes. It's also not just box jumps, Olympic lifts, or kettlebell swings. Power is for everyone and it shows up all day, everyday in our daily activities. It's the ability to produce force quickly. You use power when you stand up from a chair, climb stairs, get off the floor, or react fast enough to prevent a fall. This week on the Movement Logic podcast, Laurel and Sarah explain why they created their new course, Power Play. They discuss why power declines faster than strength as we age, why that matters for fall prevention and independence, and why so many people mistakenly conclude “my knees can’t handle that anymore” or “I’m too old for that” after being exposed to way too much impact or explosive movement too soon. They break down how power exercises can be scaled and progressed, why most group fitness classes fail to individualize this type of training, and how Power Play teaches people to start at the very beginning rather than assuming the hardest version is the entry point. They also discuss pelvic floor concerns, type 2 muscle fibers, balance, aging, reactive movement, and why just a few minutes of power training per week can make a meaningful difference in long-term physical function. ABOUT Power Play FOLLOW @MovementLogicTutorials on Instagram WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website FOLDABLE HOME BARBELL RACK by Verse, use coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout

A lot of people think sarcopenia means age-related loss of muscle mass. But this is not what it means! This week on the Movement Logic podcast, Laurel and Sarah unpack sarcopenia: what it actually is, why the definition has changed over time, and why losing strength and power matters more than losing muscle mass. They walk through the evolution from a tissue-focused understanding of sarcopenia to a function-focused one. Learn how the nervous system plays a major role in aging-related decline, and how this explains a far more rapid loss of strength and an even more rapid loss of power. They discuss why resistance training is essential if you want to maintain independence, reduce fall risk, and preserve the ability to do the things you love as you age. They also discuss why yoga, Pilates, walking, and cardio alone are not enough to prevent sarcopenia, and why training strength and power is non-negotiable for long-term physical function. ABOUT Power Play FOLLOW @MovementLogicTutorials on Instagram WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website FOLDABLE HOME BARBELL RACK by Verse, use coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout RESOURCES GUARDIAN ARTICLE - We were asked to weigh in about Stacy Sims advice EPISODE - Barbell Medicine on Sarcopenia 127: ASCM says K.I.S.S. 94: Capacities for Longevity - Power CLARK, 2008 - PMID: 18772470 CLARK, 2012 - PMID: 22469110 MITCHELL, 2012 - PMID: 22934016 REID, 2012 - PMID: 22016147 European Working Group position stand 2018 - PMID: 30312372 European Working Group position stand 2010 - PMID: 20392703 BHASIN, 2020 (SDOC Paper) - PMID: 32150289 TØIEN, 2023 - PMID: 37881849 WIEGMANN, 2021 - PMID: 33657752 TØIEN, 2023 - PMID: 36442699

In this episode, we break down what drives fall risk, and why the common advice to “just work on your balance” falls short. We explore how falls are measured, what balance tests really tell us (and what they don’t), and why improving a test score doesn’t automatically mean you’re less likely to fall in real life. We dig into the evidence on exercise and fall prevention, and explain why simpler, consistent exercise programs often outperform more complex approaches. We also look at surprising findings, like a randomized trial where a yoga group fell more than the control group, and what that reveals about confidence vs actual capacity. From there, we focus on what matters most: power, reaction time, and the ability to recover from instability. Most falls aren’t failures of static balance; they’re failures to respond quickly when something goes wrong. Finally, we cover what almost no one talks about: what happens after you fall. We discuss “long lies,” why getting up off the floor is a critical independence skill, and how a small amount of targeted practice can make a meaningful difference. Power Play Course available soon!  FREE Barbell Mini Course when you get on our mailing list FOLLOW Movement Logic on IG WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website Foldable Home Barbell Rack by Verse, coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout RESOURCES CDC data on falls in older adults 2024 Korean study on fear of falling 2024 JAMA / USPSTF systematic review 2025 SAGE RCT, Iyengar yoga and falls 2020 Sherrington et al. Cochrane      Review 2017 Sherrington et al. Cochrane      Review 2022 Simpkins et al. power vs strength 2025 Zhu et al. power and fall      prediction 2021 Okubo et al. stepping impairments      and fall risk 2022 Devasahayam et al. reactive      balance training Sheffield Long Lies Study Floor Rise Training Trial

In this episode, we break down the new 2026 American College of Sports Medicine position stand on resistance training—and why it’s not what the internet gurus were hoping for. Instead of doubling down on rigid rules, this update does the opposite: it expands the evidence base, loosens the prescriptions, and makes one thing very clear—there is no single “best” way to train. Most resistance training works. What matters more is consistency, effort, and aligning your training with your actual goals. We unpack what the ACSM looked at (including 137 systematic reviews and over 30,000 participants), what’s changed since 2009, and what the evidence actually says about strength, hypertrophy, power, endurance, and physical function. We also break down why “optimization” is often overhyped, why going from nothing to something is still the biggest win, and how power training may play a bigger role in real-life function than you think. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by conflicting fitness advice—or like you’re doing it “wrong”—this episode will simplify what actually matters and what you can safely ignore. FREE Barbell Mini Course when you sign up for our mailing list FOLLOW Movement Logic on IG WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website Foldable Home Barbell Rack by Verse, coupon code MovementLogic10%OFFat checkout Resources: ACSM 2026 Position Stand ACSM 2009 Position Stand POST about “strength span” from Stronger by Science (Nuzzo, 2024) PMID: 38781472