Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan joins us to talk about fitness, body composition, and metabolism, with a focus on women's health. We discuss practical ways to apply the latest research to support your health and fitness.   Abbie Smith-Ryan, PhD is a professor of exercise physiology and sports nutrition at UNC Chapel Hill. She directs the Applied Physiology Lab and is a fellow of several professional organizations including the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA). Dr. Smith-Ryan has received numerous awards including Nutrition Researcher of the year and Young Investigator of the Year for the NCSA.   Her research focuses on exercise and nutrition interventions to modify body composition, cardiovascular health, and metabolic function. She is extremely passionate about women's health and has recently been studying the menopause transition.   In this episode, we discuss: Body composition: Why the number on the scale is not the best predictor of health; how body composition is affected by menopause and aging. Metabolism: What the term "metabolism really means, how it's measured, and how much we can, and cannot, control it. Muscle: Why women should prioritize muscle mass; why building and maintaining high quality muscle is so important, especially as we age. Fitness: Which types of exercise give you the most "bang for your buck" Connect with Dr. Smith-Ryan through her website, Twitter or Instagram: https://www.asmithryan.com/ https://twitter.com/asmithryan https://www.instagram.com/asmithryan/   Studies   Metabolic effects of menopause: a cross-sectional characterization of body composition and exercise metabolism (2022) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35231009/