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Episode Summary Dr Ruth White has been a physiotherapist for nearly 40 years. She went on to complete a Master's in pain and a PhD in behaviour change, and now applies both to bone health. Ruth shares the story behind her own osteoporosis and osteopenia diagnosis at 57, what she wishes she had known sooner about scans, protein and lifting, and how the COM-B model of behaviour change helps fitness professionals support women with low bone density. If you work with women in menopause or perimenopause, this one is packed with practical guidance you can use with clients this week. In This Episode Ruth's path from physio to pain clinic to behaviour change to bone health.The difference between osteopenia and osteoporosis, and why peak bone density in our 30s matters.When to have a DEXA scan. Ruth's personal view is that if you are old enough for a breast scan, you are old enough for a bone scan, and a family history or stress fracture is a good reason to get a baseline earlier.How DEXA, body composition scans (like Evolt) and ultrasound bone quality scans differ, and why a density number is useful but is not the whole picture.Why an active woman who trains and eats well can still end up with low bone density, including the roles of protein, calcium and diet culture.Why information alone does not change behaviour, and how Ruth uses the COM-B model (capability, opportunity, motivation, behaviour).Physical capability: starting with sit to stand, then progressing slowly, and the research showing two challenging half-hour sessions a week can build bone after menopause.Meet the three bone cells: Clive the Cleaver (osteoclast), Cilla (osteocyte) and Bella (osteoblast), and why Bella needs a genuinely challenging load before she shows up.Psychological capability: the fear of being fragile, and knowing when a client needs a psychologist or psychiatrist on her team.Opportunity: asking whether it is the right time for a woman to prioritise her bones, and how group training can widen access.Motivation: habit versus reflective motivation, and the question Ruth asks: are we going to do it today or tomorrow?Acceptability: is what you are offering acceptable to the person in front of you?Pelvic floor dysfunction and impact training: screen for it, and do it sensitively. Key Takeaways Get a baseline bone scan earlier than the routine schedule if you have risk factors.Bones respond to challenging load. Two good sessions a week can build bone even after menopause.Start where the client is. Sit to stand is a great first check for every client.Fear is a capability issue. Know your professional limits and refer on when needed.Meet clients where they are on motivation. You do not need to work harder than the person in front of you. Quote to Share "Information is to behaviour change as spaghetti is to a brick." Find Ruth Website: buildbehavioursbuildbones.com.auInstagram: @behaviourandbonesLinkedIn: Ruth is running a series on how bone type differs across the arms, lumbar spine, femur and femoral neck About Women's Fitness Education Want to work with women in exercise? Women's Fitness Education is different because women's health is built in. Every student receives my four women's health courses as part of the Certificate III and IV in Fitness.   Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

Chantal Brodrick has spent nearly two decades championing education and advocacy across the fitness industry, from her early days teaching body pump to becoming one of Australia's most recognised event MCs.  In this episode she shares how a curiosity about group fitness turned into an unexpected career, what she learned about fitness business before podcasts were even mainstream, and what she'd tell any woman thinking about stepping into this industry for the first time.    Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

Jen Collins has been in the fitness industry for more than 30 years — and she's done it all. PT, gym owner, and now Director of Coaching and Delivery at Fitness Profit, where she coaches fitness business owners to build profitable businesses with more freedom.  In this episode, Jen shares what those early days of gym ownership really felt like, the three biggest lessons she learned from building and selling her own gym, and why she believes the gap holding most fitness professionals back isn't knowledge — it's identity.  She also gets into pricing for profit, why systems are the only path to real freedom, and what she'd say to any woman thinking about turning her passion for fitness into a career. This one is packed with honesty, practical insight, and the kind of advice you wish someone had given you at the very beginning.  Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

If you've ever walked out of a doctor's appointment feeling like your symptoms didn't land — like the story of what you're going through got lost somewhere between the waiting room and the ten-minute consult — this episode is for you. Dr Dee is a naturopathic doctor, the architect behind Shae's functional algorithms at Precision Health Alliance, and now the founder of The Perimenopause Lab. She's building Luna: an AI-powered companion that lets women track their symptoms by talking — not ticking boxes — and translates that data into a clinician-ready report that finally gives your story the weight it deserves in a medical appointment. Mish has been behind the scenes beta testing Luna, and this conversation goes deep into what makes it genuinely different, who it's for, and why the question isn't just "is it hormones?" — it's "what is your body actually telling you?" What We Cover What Luna is — and why "symptom tracker on steroids" barely scratches the surfaceWhy Dr Dee built it while going through perimenopause herselfThe design decision behind voice-based tracking (and why you can use it while doing the laundry or driving the car)How five sessions is enough to start seeing patterns — and what a clinician report looks likeThe difference between Shae/CLIA and what Luna is doing specifically for women's healthWhy MHT isn't always the answer — and how Luna helps decode what kind of hormonal (or non-hormonal) issue is at playHow fitness professionals and women's health practitioners can use Luna as a clinical tool with their clientsData security — what "closed circuit" means and who controls your health dataPricing: free to use, founding member rate of $75/year for premium (locked in, won't go up)Where to find it and how to join the communityKey Moments "My story matters now." Dr Dee on what the clinician report changes for women who've been told their labs are normal but their lived experience says otherwise. "Is it hormones or is it something else?" The question at the heart of everything Luna is built around — and why defaulting to MHT without asking it first means missing pieces of the picture. "Women are not a monolith." Mish on why precision, individual-led approaches matter so much in this space — and why that's the thread connecting Shae, Luna, and the Menopause Training Matrix. The iron moment. Dr Dee's own example of feeling off, grumpy, not herself — and Luna pointing to iron, not hormones. Two days of supplements. Back to normal. "I should know. I just forgot." Resources + Links The Perimenopause Lab: www.perimenopauselab.comLuna (free to use): Available via perimenopauselab.com — web app, no download requiredFounding member rate: $75/year for premium (unlimited clinical reports + priority feature rollouts) — locked in permanentlyFacebook community: Is It Hormones? — private group, personally managed by Dr DeeFind Dr Dee on LinkedIn: Search Daniella Remy, naturopathic doctor, TorontoPrecision Health Alliance: www.precisionhealthalliance.orgMish's Menopause Training Matrix: www.mishwright.comWomen's Fitness Education: www.womensfitnesseducation.com.auFor Fitness Professionals Listening Luna isn't just for women tracking their own symptoms — it's a tool fitness and health professionals can introduce to clients to fill the gap between what you observe in sessions and what's going on hormonally, cyclically, or systemically. A two-page point-form report compiled from a client's tracked data is, as Dr Dee puts it, "a piece of gold into this woman's life." You don't have to know everything. But having real data from your client's lived experience means your programming decisions are grounded in something more than a first-session intake form. Used alongside tools like the Menopause Training Matrix, it can help you move from generalised to genuinely individualised support. About Dr Daniella Remy Dr Daniella Remy is a Naturopathic Doctor and MSc (Honours) graduate in Family Relations and Human Development. She graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine as valedictorian. She has spent over a decade as VP of Research at Precision Health Alliance, developing and maintaining the functional algorithms behind Shae and CLIA. She is the founder of The Perimenopause Lab and the creator of Luna; an AI women's health companion built on women's and practitioners' feedback. She is based in Toronto, Canada. The Women's Fitness Podcast is hosted by Mish Wright, Director of Education at Women's Fitness Education — the only RTO delivering Certificate III and IV in Fitness with four women's health courses built in. Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

Tahnee Donkin is the National Fitness Manager at Genesis Health + Fitness, and her journey through the fitness industry is one worth hearing.  From a light bulb moment in a gym to leading fitness strategy across a national club network, Tahnee shares the real story behind 18 years in the industry.  She talks about what those early days as a female PT were actually like, the burnout that changed her career direction, what leadership taught her that the gym floor never could, and why every woman who is thinking about getting into fitness has more to offer than she realises.  A honest, inspiring conversation for anyone building a career in fitness or thinking about taking that first step.  Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

Facebook ads scary? You're not alone. In this episode I sit down with Bec Anderson, founder of The Growth Agency, to talk about everything Facebook ads for fitness professionals. Bec has 17 years in the industry and built her marketing expertise the hard way, buying a gym weeks before COVID hit and rebuilding it from the ground up using Facebook ads. She breaks down the two numbers every gym owner and PT needs to know before spending a dollar, what's actually working in ad creative right now, which metrics to watch, and the mistakes that cause most people to quit too soon. Whether you're thinking about running ads for the first time or you've tried and given up, this one's for you. Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/ Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

WFE Podcast with Dr. Cam McDonald Book your spot (free webinar series): https://events.precisionhealthalliance.org/aiwebinars/?referral_source=mishwright Episode Overview This conversation breaks open a big shift happening in health and fitness: moving away from generic programming and into precision health. Mish sits down with Dr Cam McDonald to unpack why “one-size-fits-all” has always been flawed—and what actually sits underneath individual differences in body composition, behaviour, performance, and health outcomes. The core idea is simple, but uncomfortable for the industry: people don’t respond the same way because they’re not built the same way. Genetics, early development, environment, and hormonal profiles all shape how someone trains, eats, recovers, and even thinks. This episode pulls that apart and then connects it to what’s coming next—AI tools that can actually measure and apply those differences in real time. What You’ll Learn Why individuality isn’t just a buzzword Dr Cam explains how differences start at conception and are shaped further in early life. From there, biology influences everything—hormones, behaviour, preferences, and responses to stress, food, and exercise. The 6 Precision Health Types (and why they matter) A simplified framework used to group patterns in physiology and behaviour: Activator – high adrenaline, thrives on intensity, needs frequent fuel Diplomat – calm, structured, avoids stress spikes, prefers steady movement Crusader – goal-driven, endurance-focused, aligns with traditional “healthy” guidelines Guardian – community-focused, stress-responsive weight gain, strong and resilient Connector – thrives on social interaction, physiology improves with connection Sensor – highly sensitive nervous system, needs calm environments and gentle inputs The point isn’t labels—it’s recognising patterns. Different bodies need different strategies.  Why “the research says…” isn’t enough Most studies show averages. Individuals within those studies often respond wildly differently. This is where trainers get stuck: One client thrives Another plateaus Another regresses Same plan. Different outcomes. That’s not a compliance issue. It’s a mismatch. Where the fitness industry is getting it wrong Programming is still built around: Generic guidelines Standardised meal plans Uniform training approaches The problem: those models often favour one physiology (typically Crusader-type profiles), while others are left thinking they’re the issue. How AI changes the game (if used properly) This isn’t about ChatGPT writing programs. It’s about clinical intelligence tools that: Analyse individual biology Map symptoms and patterns Predict responses to training, food, and stress Used properly, it doesn’t replace coaches—it makes them more precise. The Webinar Series (What You’ll Get) Dr Cam is running a 4-part free series diving deeper into this work: AI in Health & Fitness What actually works vs what doesn’t (and why general AI tools fall short) Women’s Health Moving beyond dismissed symptoms into personalised strategies Chronic Disease & Neurodivergence Getting to root causes instead of managing symptoms Longevity & Performance Why biohacking isn’t one-size-fits-all Each session builds on the same idea: better data → better decisions → better outcomes. The Bigger Picture Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

In this episode, Mish speaks with Eve Jelovcan from the Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association, followed by a powerful conversation with Sam, who has lived with sarcoma for over 13 years. We start with the facts. Sarcoma is a rare cancer, making up around 1% of adult cancers, but it can develop anywhere in the body—often showing up as a lump, swelling, or ongoing pain that gets brushed off as a training injury.  For those working in fitness, that matters. You’re often the ones seeing bodies regularly, noticing changes, and having conversations that others don’t. We also unpack why awareness is low—limited funding, fewer treatment advances, and the reality that many cases are misdiagnosed early on.  This is where the Plankathon comes in. A community fitness event designed to raise awareness and funds for sarcoma research. It’s a team-based challenge—because that’s exactly how people navigate treatment: with support around them. Then we hear from Sam. Her story starts with a lump in her leg. It took persistence to get answers. Two weeks after surgery, she was told she had sarcoma.  Over the next 13 years, she went through multiple treatments, repeated surgeries, and eventually made the decision to have her leg amputated after running out of options.  She now lives with a prosthesis—and with phantom limb pain, where the brain still registers sensation (and pain) in a limb that’s no longer there. What stands out most is how her relationship with fitness has shifted. Movement is no longer about performance—it’s about function, independence, and managing the extra energy demands of everyday life. This episode is a reminder that: Not every lump or pain should be ignored Fitness professionals are often closer to early signs than they realise Strength looks very different depending on the body in front of you  Get Involved You can support sarcoma awareness by joining the Plankathon or donating to the cause. Details are in the link below. https://www.sarcomaplankathon.com/   Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

Episode Overview A solo episode from Mish on what to focus on when things feel unstable. This comes down to three things: managing your stress, strengthening your community, and adjusting your business before you’re forced to. What You’ll Take Away 1. Manage Your Stress (Daily, Not Occasionally) Find something simple and repeatable that shifts your state — not perfectly, just consistently. Mish shares her go-to: bike ride, time in nature, and breathwork (using the Other Ship app). Check in with your doom-scrolling - Mish shares a strategy on working out how long you can safely be on social media. 2. Build Real Community Community isn’t built on one-offs. It’s built through: Consistency Shared rituals Low-effort connection (walks, coffee, side-by-side chats) Action reduces stress. Isolation amplifies it. 3. Adjust Your Business Now Cost of living pressure is real. Clients will change behaviour. Ask yourself: Can clients stay connected if they train less? Are you offering flexibility? Are you selling workouts — or connection? What program / product do you have in the readyKey Shift You can’t control what’s happening globally. You can control what’s happening around you. What’s Next Mish runs an online version of the Menopause Training Matrix Workshop - if you are interested - sign up for the wait list here: Join Mish’s Monday Muse and Friday Musings here Contact and Feedback 📧 [email protected] Chapters 00:00 Navigating Stress in Uncertain Times 07:22 The Power of Community Connection 13:43 Managing Social Media and Personal Well-being 17:13 Safeguarding Your Business in Challenging Times Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

In this episode of the Women’s Fitness Education Podcast, Dani chats with Steph Faux, co-founder and head coach of Juggernaut Fitness. Steph shares how her own challenging experience after competing in bodybuilding led her into the fitness industry and sparked a passion for supporting women in a deeper, more meaningful way. Together, Dani and Steph talk about building community, backing yourself, navigating challenges in business, and the powerful impact trainers can have on women’s lives. Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

In this episode of the Women’s Fitness Education Podcast, Dani sits down with WFE graduate Alana, who completed her Cert III & IV in Fitness while studying psychology at university. Now working at Fernwood and building her own online coaching business — and recently accepted into a Masters of Physiotherapy — Alana shares how she balanced study, built confidence, found her niche in women’s health, and turned qualifications into real-world impact. If you’ve ever wondered whether you can juggle study with other commitments, this episode is your sign. Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

In this episode of the Women’s Fitness Education Podcast, Dani sits down with Kristy, Personal Training Manager at Fitness Cartel Oxley, to unpack what it really looks like to work – and thrive – as a PT in a commercial gym. With nearly 30 years in the industry, Kristy shares openly about her day-to-day as a PT manager, the kind of trainers who do well in a big-box environment, and why attitude, professionalism and community matter more than “looking the part”. She explains how Fitness Cartel supports their trainers with mentoring, onboarding and business guidance (instead of just handing over a contract and saying “good luck”). If you’re studying your Cert III or IV, thinking about working in a commercial gym, or wondering how to stand out when you apply, this episode is packed with practical, real-world advice. 🎙 We chat about: What Kristy actually does as a PT Manager day-to-dayWhat type of trainer thrives in a commercial gymWhy community, crèche and member experience are so important at Fitness CartelThe support, mentoring and onboarding trainers receiveCommon mistakes new trainers make when approaching gymsHow to present yourself, network and set yourself up for a strong startA must-listen for WFE students and new grads who want to feel confident stepping into their first PT role.   Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

At just 24, coach and business owner Soph Karakato has already worked with over 300 clients and built her own successful online coaching brand — Soph Fit Coaching. But her journey didn’t begin with confidence, clarity or a perfectly mapped-out plan. It began with one simple decision:  ✨ To back herself. In this episode, Soph shares how she went from studying Cert III & IV in Fitness to building a thriving coaching business at a young age — and why she believes backing yourself is the difference between thinking about it and actually making it happen. We talk about: 💪 Starting out in the fitness industry (when you don’t feel ready)  ✨ Going “all in” vs overthinking the first step  🧠 The mindset, confidence and business lessons she learned early  ❤️ How real-impact coaching goes far beyond physical transformations  🌿 Why understanding clients as humans is every great PT’s superpower So if you’ve ever wondered, “Could I really do this?” — this is your episode.  Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

Dani chats with Cayde Dewberry, online coach and founder of Audacia Fit, about finding balance, authenticity, and purpose in fitness. From studying her Cert III & IV during lockdown to now coaching women across Australia, Cayde shares how she built a career that fits real life — and why doing what truly lights you up matters most. 💕 Main takeaways: Start small and stay consistentBe authentic — your people will find youSet boundaries earlyBalance fitness with real lifeKeep learning, even when progress feels slowCheck out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/

In this episode of the Women’s Fitness Education Podcast, Dani chats with WFE graduate and business owner Vanessa Azzapardi, founder of The P3 Movement — a fitness business dedicated to supporting prenatal and postpartum women. Vanessa shares how she turned her passion for women’s health into a meaningful career, why she chose to specialise in pregnancy and postpartum training, and how she built a community that goes far beyond “just a workout”. She opens up about starting a business from scratch, dealing with competition, navigating empty leads, creating connection, and learning to balance life, work, and passion. Her journey is real, relatable and full of lessons for anyone dreaming of starting their own fitness business — especially those who want to work with women. Check out our Personal Trainer Certification Courses https://womensfitnesseducation.com.au/