What the research says about fasted training and heavy lifting.
In April 2025, Dr. Stacy Sims joined Mel Robbins on The Mel Robbins Podcast for an episode called “The Body Reset: How Women Should Eat & Exercise for Health, Fat Loss, & Energy” (Episode 275). It was an extremely popular conversation about women’s health and fitness, particularly targeting women approaching menopause.
In fact, it achieved “#1 Most Shared” on Apple Podcasts, reaching millions of people.
What Did Dr. Stacy Sims Say on the Mel Robbins Podcast?
There were a lot of topics discussed, but 2 of the biggest takeaways were:
Women HAVE to lift heavy in order for it to be effective, particularly as we age.
Fasted workouts don’t work for women. (Aka: You HAVE to eat breakfast before your workout for it to be beneficial)
Now picture this:
You have 2 kids and you work full time. Your alarm goes off at 6am and you head out to your garage to fit in a dumbbell workout before you have to get the kids up. You challenge yourself with your dumbbells, doing a variety of exercises that are taking you close to muscle failure in about 10 to 15 reps. You go inside, wake up your kids, get them ready and out the door for school. Now it’s 8am and you sit down for your breakfast and start your day.
I’ve talked to several women (some on IG and some in real life) who have similar routines to what I’ve just described. They have listened to the claims in this podcast and come to me worried.
“Am I doing something wrong?”
“Will this no longer work since I’m in perimenopause?”
“Am I doing more harm than good?”
Or even worse I’ve heard:
“I’ve stopped exercising because I don’t have time to eat breakfast and I don’t want to damage my hormones”
Or
“I’ve stopped exercising because I can’t lift super heavy without back pain, and light weights don’t work.”
Now hear me out: I think this podcast MEANS well. I really do.
I love the idea of women adequately fueling their workouts and not being scared to EAT. This is a huge reason I focus on being “anti-diet” in my messaging. I don’t want women to fear food. Food is important.
I also love the idea of women lifting heavy, and not believing the lie that it’ll make you “bulky.” In fact, one of the changes I made to Loa Movement’s programming this year was including more “high load, low rep” sets (aka: heavy), because it allowed for EVEN more efficient training. I’m not against heavy lifting AT ALL. I think it’s fantastic.
BUT, here’s where I think the podcast misses the mark:
By making these definitive, all-or-nothing statements, it actually DISCOURAGES women. It makes them question what they’re doing, and in some cases, stop all together.
The truth is: There isn’t ONE way to train effectively.
Are Fasted Workouts Bad for Women?
Some people will feel GREAT exercising before breakfast, and others will feel that they REQUIRE food before they train.
BOTH of these things work. Training in the fasted or fed state will drive results, so choose what works best for YOU!(PMID: 23723099, 25429252, 40335157)
As long as you’re getting adequate food throughout the day, you’re going to be fine!
Do Women Have to Lift Heavy Weights?
Same thing goes for strength training.
You can lift “heavy,” “moderate,” or “light.”
These are simply relative terms that just mean how many reps it took you to approach muscle failure.
For example, hitting failure in:
4 to 8 reps = Heavy
8 to 15 reps = Moderate
15 + reps = Light
Want to go deeper? Read Light vs. Heavy Weights: Which One Is Best? and Is Lifting Heavy Relative?
And GUESS WHAT!!! They can ALL increase strength, build muscle, and improve bone density!
What Does the Research Actually Say?
More and more research continues to come out supporting that nearly EVERYTHING works! (PMID: 33671664, 41474371, 40827709, 11079527)
The key here is approaching muscle failure, or in other words, working until the last few reps feel challenging. BUT you can get there in 5 reps or 25 reps! Both work!
So if you are someone who listened to this podcast, or saw clips circulating on social media, and it made you worry that your fitness routine wasn’t effective, PLEASE DON’T stop what you’re doing!!
If you’re regularly strength training, then you’re doing great!
Make sure to challenge yourself, but let it be a form of strength training that you ENJOY!
The more you enjoy it, the more consistent you’ll be!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Mel Robbins podcast episode featured Dr. Stacy Sims?
Dr. Stacy Sims was the guest on Episode 275 of The Mel Robbins Podcast, “The Body Reset: How Women Should Eat & Exercise for Health, Fat Loss, & Energy,” released in April 2025.
Do women need to lift heavy weights to build muscle?
No. Heavy, moderate, and light weights can all increase strength, build muscle, and improve bone density, as long as your sets take you close to muscle failure.
Is it bad for women to work out fasted?
No. Research shows that training in the fasted or fed state can both drive results. As long as you’re eating enough throughout the day, choose whichever feels best for you.
Should I stop exercising if I can’t lift heavy or eat before my workout?
Absolutely not! Consistent strength training that you enjoy is far better than stopping altogether. Challenge yourself, but choose an approach that fits your body and your schedule.
If you haven’t found an enjoyable way to strength train, I invite you to come move with me!!
As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I’ll take all the guesswork out of it for you.
Just show up, press play, and I’ll take it from there.
