Recently, I listened to an episode of the Organic Olivia podcast, where host Olivia Amitrano sat down with Lauren Papanos, a dietitian and hormone health expert. They covered a wide range of topics, red light therapy, thyroid health, dairy, and more, but the part that really stood out to me was their discussion around how women can optimize their workouts and nutrition for better metabolic and hormonal health. I wanted to share what I learned from that conversation because it opened my eyes to some important strategies, especially if you’re dealing with hormonal imbalances like PCOS or just looking to make your fitness routine more effective.

All of the information below is directly from Lauren and Olivia’s discussion on the podcast, and I’m excited to break down what I found most interesting!

PCOS, hormonal balance, and the importance of exercise for women

One of the biggest takeaways for me was the connection Lauren made between PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)and low thyroid function. If you have PCOS, you might already know that it’s more than just a reproductive condition, it impacts your metabolism and endocrine system. What Lauren pointed out is that many women with PCOS have high luteinizing hormone and elevated testosterone, which leads to low progesterone. This is important because progesterone is crucial for thyroid health, and when your thyroid is sluggish, it impacts your whole body’s ability to maintain a balanced hormone cycle.

Lauren highlighted how stress hormones, particularly testosterone and androgens, can worsen this imbalance. And interestingly, she noted that exercise itself is a stressor. When we work out, our body releases cortisol, a stress hormone, which is natural. But if we don’t manage how we come down from that cortisol spike, it can become harmful, especially if you’re already dealing with hormonal issues like PCOS.

Cortisol, stress, and working out smarter

One thing that really struck me from their conversation was Lauren’s point that not all exercise is created equal when it comes to supporting your hormone health. If you’re constantly doing intense cardio or back-to-back workouts, you could actually be spiking your cortisol levels too much, which can throw your hormones out of whack.

Instead, she recommended something called concurrent training, which involves alternating between cardio and resistance training on different days. This is what many athletes do because cardio and strength training use different energy systems. Doing them on separate days gives your body time to recover, avoiding overstressing your system.

For women trying to balance hormones, this is such a valuable tip. Too often, we think we need to do more, more cardio, more high-intensity interval training, but in reality, giving our body proper recovery and spacing things out can make a huge difference.

The ideal workout split for women

So, what does this ideal workout split look like? According to Lauren, you should aim for three full-body resistance training sessions per week, with at least 24 hours of recovery in between. This allows your muscles time to repair, which is crucial for building strength and improving metabolism. On your off days, you can do Zone 2 cardio, think walking, slow jogging, incline walking, biking, or even hiking. This type of cardio is great for improving heart health without putting too much stress on your body.

One thing I found interesting was the discussion around Pilates. While it’s fantastic for core strength and lengthening muscles, Lauren made it clear that Pilates alone doesn’t count as full-body resistance training. It can definitely be part of your routine, especially on cardio days, but it won’t give you the same metabolic benefits as weight training.

How to fuel your workouts: carbs, protein, and timing

Another key point that I found super helpful was around nutrition timing. If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard a lot of conflicting advice about what to eat before and after a workout. Lauren really broke it down simply:

• Pre-workout (30 minutes to 1 hour before): You want a mix of carbs and protein. Some great options are oatmeal with protein powder, sweet potatoes with a protein source, or eggs with fruit. Carbs help fuel your workout, and protein supports muscle repair. She also mentioned that taking collagen with vitamin C pre-workout can be helpful for those with joint or ligament pain.
• Post-workout: After your workout, you can have a similar meal as before, but with a little more fat to help with recovery. Interestingly, Lauren said it’s better to keep antioxidants lower right after a workout since your body needs a bit of inflammation to repair muscle tissues. That was new to me because we usually hear about antioxidants being a good thing, but it turns out timing is key.

Potassium, electrolytes, and lowering Cortisol

After a workout, it’s also important to help your body bring down those cortisol levels. Lauren recommends replenishing with carbs, electrolytes, and potassium. Potassium is especially important for balancing out sodium and managing blood pressure, and it’s something many of us don’t get enough of. The recommended daily intake is about 3000mg, and foods like avocado, potatoes and aloe vera are great sources.

If you’re someone who gets that “puffy” feeling after working out, this could be a sign that your body’s lymphatic system or blood flow needs attention. Make sure you’re getting enough potassium to help with that balance, and consider things like movement or massage to promote better circulation.

A quick recap

To sum it up, this episode with Lauren Papanos really helped me see that it’s not just what we do in terms of fitness, but how we structure it that makes all the difference, especially for women with hormonal issues or those looking to support their metabolism.

If you’re interested in learning more, the episode also covers other topics like red light therapy, thyroid health, and dairy, so I definitely recommend giving it a listen if any of that piques your interest!

But when it comes to working out for women, here are the key takeaways I loved:

• Focus on full-body resistance training for three days a week.
• Use Zone 2 cardio (walking, biking, etc.) on your off days to support heart health without over-stressing your body.
• Fuel your workouts with carbs and protein before and after for the best results.
• Make sure you’re getting enough potassium and electrolytes to keep cortisol levels in check and help with recovery.

If you’ve been struggling to find a workout routine that works for your hormones or are just trying to optimize your fitness, I hope these insights from Lauren and Olivia’s conversation help point you in the right direction!