Rooted in Resilience

Most conversations about menopause begin and end with one conclusion:

Low estrogen is the problem. And hormone replacement therapy is the solution.

But what if the story is more complicated than that?

In this episode, Ashley sits down with nutritionist and author Kate Deering to explore the bioenergetic perspective on estrogen, menopause, metabolism, and women’s health.

Together, they discuss why declining estrogen may not be the whole story, how stress physiology and energy production influence menopausal symptoms, what current research actually says about HRT, and why supporting metabolism may be one of the most overlooked pieces of the conversation.

This isn’t an anti-HRT discussion.

It’s a conversation about asking better questions, understanding the science, and exploring all of the options available to women.

In this episode we discuss:
• Why menopause symptoms are not the result of low estrogen
• Whether there is sufficient evidence to support long term HRT use
• The difference between observational studies and randomized clinical trials
• Healthy user bias in hormone replacement research• Estrogen, metabolism, thyroid function, metabolic health, and energy production
• The role of stress, sleep, nutrition, and lifestyle during menopause
• Practical ways to support your body naturally during perimenopause and menopause
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📖 Kate’s new book: Better Energy
(Now available as an audio book)

https://amzn.to/4fotLHy

https://www.katedeering.com
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Timestamps
00:00 - Why menopause symptoms may be more about stress than estrogen
01:03 - Welcome + introducing Kate Deering’s new book Better Energy
03:10 - Kate’s severe Botox reaction that changed her life
08:05 - Why we’re rethinking the mainstream view of estrogen
12:03 - What actually happens to estrogen during menopause
15:40 - Why HRT may improve symptoms, but does that mean estrogen is the answer?
20:54 - Estrogen is more than a blood test: tissue storage & total estrogen load
25:10 - HRT success stories, healthy user bias & what research really shows
32:20 -Why menopause isn’t “just getting older”
37:00 - Short-term benefits vs. long-term health outcomes
41:38 - The biggest takeaways from the current research
44:06 - Natural strategies to support menopause without relying solely on HRT
53:30 - Nutrition, metabolism & supporting healthy energy production
59:00 - Lifestyle habits that reduce menopausal symptoms
1:05:35 - Final advice: supporting your body before making long-term hormone decisions

_____________________________________________________________Subscribe To The Rooted In Resilience Podcast:⭐ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCSpofOL75STGMvUUlD5em7g ⭐ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NTIxm2iqgIdnqI2j2FICr?si=477cfb0440fe40ce⭐ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-resilience/id1663060063_____________________________________________________________Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup_____________________________________________________________Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system! 👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club: {The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Raw A2 dairy, Low PUFA eggs, chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}https://nourishfoodclub.com/ _____________________________________________________________Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077____________________________________________________

You worked hard to lose the fat. Now comes the part almost nobody prepares you for… Keeping it off.
In this episode, Ashley and Kathleen walk through exactly how they help clients transition out of a fat loss phase without immediately regaining weight. Ashley also shares about how she has maintained her 10+ lb fat loss from earlier this year, now 4 months later, using the Transform method.
You’ll learn why maintenance is actually harder than dieting, how to slowly increase calories without unnecessary fat gain, why your hunger hormones take months to normalize, what reverse dieting should actually look like, and why most people should spend far more time building maintenance calories than chasing another calorie deficit.
If you’ve ever finished a diet only to gain the weight back a few months later, this episode is for you!
In this episode we discuss:
• Why fat loss isn’t really “finished” when the diet ends
• The biggest mistake people make after losing weight
• How leptin, ghrelin, and hunger change after dieting
• Our week-by-week reverse diet strategy
• How to increase calories without panicking over the scale
• Why maintenance calories are a range, not a single number
• Water weight vs. fat gain
• Why maintenance should be your long-term goal
• Building muscle after fat loss
• When to start another fat loss phase (and when not to)
Time Stamps:
00:28 Intro: Fat loss isn’t the hard part
02:10 Why most people regain the weight
05:10 Fat loss isn’t over when the diet ends
07:29 Hormones and lab work after a calorie deficit
16:06 What transitioning back to maintenance actually means
18:50 Our week-by-week reverse diet strategy
24:47 Water weight vs. fat gain after dieting
28:55 Why maintenance is the hardest (and most important) phase
39:46 Why we increase calories slowly instead of all at once
51:22 What to monitor during maintenance
56:08 Why scale weight doesn’t tell the whole story
58:40 The psychology of maintaining weight loss
1:00:42 Choosing your next goal after fat loss
1:11:37 Why strength training matters more than endless cardio
1:30:42 How Transform guides clients through fat loss and maintenance to keep the weight off_____________________________________________________________Subscribe To The Rooted In Resilience Podcast:⭐ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCSpofOL75STGMvUUlD5em7g ⭐ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NTIxm2iqgIdnqI2j2FICr?si=477cfb0440fe40ce⭐ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-resilience/id1663060063_____________________________________________________________
Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup_____________________________________________________________
Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system! 👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club: {The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Low PUFA eggs, chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}https://nourishfoodclub.com/ _____________________________________________________________
Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077____________________________________________________⭐️ The Transform Fat Loss and Metabolic Restoration Program ⭐️Join 400+ people who’ve lost fat and kept it off, without giving up their favorite foods. This science-backed, metabolism-first program helps you rebuild your foundation, restore energy, and finally achieve fat loss results that last.Next group starts July 6th, learn more and join the Early Access List here:
https://www.armstrongsisters.com/transform

Most people don’t fail because they’re doing the wrong things, they fail because they don’t do the right things long enough. The physique they want often requires more time, consistency, and effort than they realize.
In this episode, Ashley, Tyler, Kathleen, and Sarah (Team Transform) have an honest conversation about the gap between expectations and reality when it comes to body composition change. They break down why the lean, healthy physique many people aspire to requires more consistency, more daily effort, and more time than social media often suggests. There are no quick fixes, and meaningful body recomposition rarely happens in a matter of weeks.
The team discusses the habits that tend to separate different levels of body composition, including daily movement, strength training, nutrition, sleep, and overall lifestyle consistency. They also explain why chasing the next diet, supplement, or fitness program often keeps people stuck, while the people who achieve lasting results learn to embrace the “boring basics” and repeat them for months and years.
If you’ve ever felt frustrated that your results aren’t happening fast enough, this episode will help you better understand what it truly takes to build and maintain a healthy, lean physique, and why it’s important to match your expectations to the effort you’re willing to put in.
You’ll learn:
• How to set realistic expectations for fat loss and muscle gain without falling into the trap of program hopping or supplement obsession
• The “boring basics” that drive long-term success: strength training, daily movement, adequate protein, quality sleep, and consistency
• Why leaner physiques often require more effort, structure, and intentionality than most people realize
• How to stop chasing shortcuts and focus on the habits that actually move the needle
• Why sustainable body composition changes are built over months and years, not days and weeks
This episode is perfect for anyone tired of chasing the next big hack and ready to focus on what actually works. _____________________________________________________________Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction: Why realistic expectations matter for body composition change
2:35 - Mindset required to achieve your desired results
3:51 - Unrealistic expectations of the time required
6:20 - Matching your expectations with the work you are willing to put in
7:40 - Why you shouldn't change your workouts every few weeks
8:10 - The boring habits you need to master to achieve your goal physique
19:45 - How Tyler is staying committed to his goals while traveling
25:58 - Ashley's update with her physique goals
39:35 - Kathleen's update with her physique goals
53:06 - Sarah life and goal update for her physique
54:00 - Why it's important to consistently weigh yourself
56:45 - How to stop tracking your food
1:01:00 - Changing your expectations and goals in different seasons in life
1:04:50 - Why Transform is not a cookie cutter approach
1:08:00 - Why strength training is a key piece to achieving your physique goals
1:10:00 - A missing piece in the pro-metabolic health space
1:12:50 - Consistency is about finding more ways to win_____________________________________________________________Follow Us On Social Media➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077____________________________________________________⭐️ The Transform Fat Loss and Metabolic Restoration Program ⭐️Join 350+ people who’ve lost fat and kept it off, without giving up their favorite foods. This science-backed, metabolism-first program helps you rebuild your foundation, restore energy, and finally achieve fat loss results that last.Next group starts July 6th, learn more and join the Early Access List here:
https://www.armstrongsisters.com/transform

In this episode of Rooted in Resilience, Ashley sits down with Dr. Alex Orton to challenge one of the most common beliefs in modern health: that getting sick is always a bad thing.

What if occasional illness is actually a sign of a resilient, functioning body?

Together, they explore how acute illness fits into the bigger picture of metabolic health, why suppressing symptoms may do more harm than good, and how your body’s ability to mount a response (like a fever) is directly tied to your energy production and vitality.

They also break down:
Why not getting sick for years might not be a flex
The connection between metabolism, body temperature, and immune function
How modern life suppresses the body’s natural healing processes
The role of rest, nourishment, and detox pathways during illness
Why true healing isn’t linear and requires patience

This episode will shift how you view sickness, symptoms, and what it actually means to be “healthy.”

TIMESTAMPS
00:43 – Why getting sick might actually be beneficial
02:20 – How often should you get sick? Is “never” a red flag?
05:00 – Acute vs chronic illness (and how suppression leads to deeper issues)
07:30 – Why energy & metabolism determine your ability to heal
12:20 – The long-term consequences of symptom suppression
18:20 – Fever explained: why higher body temperature is therapeutic
25:30 – Metabolism, body temperature & declining health in modern society
31:30 – “Healing isn’t linear”: understanding symptoms returning over time
46:50 – What to actually do when you’re sick (rest, food, detox, support)
1:07:30 – The real bottleneck in health: mastering the basics
1:30:00 – Why healing takes time (and why quick fixes don’t work)
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Link to previous podcast with Dr. Alex Orton, where we discuss the downfalls of modern functional medicine and the four pillars of true health.
'When Holistic Becomes Conventional: Rethinking Naturopathic Medicine with Dr. Alex Orton'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9TU9oL3ENU&t=2738s
_____________________________________________________________
Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup

Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system! 👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club: {The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Low PUFA, corn- and soy free eggs, chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}
https://nourishfoodclub.com/
_____________________________________________________________
✨Learn more and work with Dr. Alex Orton:
https://havenholistichealth.com
^ Schedule your free consult

Dr. Alex Orton on socials:
https://www.instagram.com/havenholistichealth/
https://www.instagram.com/alexorton.nd/
✨

Cheryl tried everything: keto, vegan, carnivore, general calorie restriction, and like so many women, she kept losing and regaining the same weight over and over again.
At nearly 70 years old and starting at 198 pounds, she decided to try something different.In this episode, Cheryl shares how she lost 52 pounds, improved her metabolism, and (most importantly) learned how to maintain her results for life.
We talk about:
- Why most fat loss approaches fail long-term
- The missing piece almost no one teaches: maintenance
- How her mindset, confidence, and identity completely shifted
- What she actually eats day-to-day (including carbs 👀)
- Why it’s never too late to take control of your health
This is more than a weight loss story: it’s a story about taking ownership of your health, rebuilding your metabolism, and showing up fully for your life.If you’ve ever felt stuck, like nothing works, or like it’s “too late”… this episode is for you.

Time Stamps
0:00 – Intro
1:38 - Meet Cheryl: background, life story & how she found Transform
7:36 - The Importance of Community
10:31 - Mindset Shifts and Lifestyle Changes
13:26 - Navigating Food Choices and Nutrition
16:28 - The Role of Family in Transform
19:40 - Overcoming Challenges and Building Confidence22:41 - The Impact of Aging on Health and Wellness
25:47 - Self Love and Personal Growth
28:22 - Cheryls Encouraging Message
41:00 - Full Day of Eating for Cheryl
53:00 - Navigating Career Choices and Family Life
59:00 - What Cheryl is Empowered to Work on In Life After Transform
1:01:54 - Importance of A System and Support
1:02 - Why We Don’t Use Meal Plans

Join Transform!
https://www.armstrongsisters.com/transform
_____________________________________________________________
Keep Up With Us!🖥️ Website: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/🗞️ Newsletter: https://www.armstrongsisters.com/newsletter-signup
_____________________________________________________________

Support Us & Our Mission to Change the food system!
Join Nourish Food Club
👩🏼‍🌾 Our Farm CoOp, Nourish Food Club:
{The highest quality food you can find, delivered directly to your door. Low PUFA chicken and pork, 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, traditional sourdough, raw dog food, & more}
https://nourishfoodclub.com/ _____________________________________________________________

Follow Us On Social Media
➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong.sistas/
➡️ X: https://twitter.com/strong_sistas
➡️TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@strong.sistas?_t=8oW270Feyz5&_r=1
➡️FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083808037077
____________________________________________________

⭐️ The Transform Fat Loss and Metabolic Restoration Program ⭐️
Join 350+ people who’ve lost fat and kept it off, without giving up their favorite foods. This science-backed, metabolism-first program helps you rebuild your foundation, restore energy, and finally achieve fat loss results that last.

Next group starts April 6th, learn more and join here:
https://www.armstrongsisters.com/transform