Episode Details

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Muscle isn’t about how you look. It determines how long you live and how good your sex life is.

Gabby Reece, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan, and Amber Taylor unpack why the muscle as an endocrine organ shapes mood and desire related to vaginal atrophy, pelvic floor therapy, and testosterone receptor density.

WHAT WE EXPLORE

* Why women get triple cardiovascular benefit from lifting

* Muscle as an endocrine organ for mood and brain health

* How to treat it vaginal atrophy

* Pelvic floor therapy links to orgasm

* Testosterone receptor density and lab numbers

* Relation of PCOS and muscle quality

Timestamps

* 00:00 Strength Training Lowers Heart Death Risk

* 02:32 Does Lifting Weights Make You Bulky?

* 08:44 Muscle as an Endocrine Organ

* 13:02 Muscle and Sex Drive Connection

* 17:36 Menopause and Vaginal Atrophy

* 21:22 Core Strength and Orgasms

* 27:59 Why Women Need Pelvic Floor Therapy

* 35:25 Nitric Oxide, Testosterone, and Desire

* 38:53 What PCOS Reveals About Muscle

* 52:25 Exercise Snacks for Busy Women

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ABOUT THE PROOF OF PRACTICE

The Proof of Practice: Where Science Meets Practice

Women have been understudied, undertreated, and given advice built for men. This show exists to change that.

Hosted by five of the most respected names in women’s health — Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan, Amber Taylor, Gabby Reece, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, and Dr. Stacy Sims — every episode brings evidence-based, experience-backed conversations on strength, metabolism, hormones, longevity, and performance. No trends. No shortcuts. Just the proof that practice works.

YOUR HOSTS

Gabby Reece

One of the most iconic athletes in American sports history, Gabby Reece is a former professional beach volleyball player, Nike’s first female spokesperson, New York Times bestselling author, and lifelong advocate for how women should train, eat, and live. She co-founded the Hamilton House Experience wellness program with her husband Laird Hamilton and hosts The Reecet women’s wellness retreat. Gabby brings decades of real-world performance experience to every conversation.

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/

🌐 http://gabbyreece.com

Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan, PhD, CSCS*D, FACSM, FNSCA

Professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Director of the Applied Physiology Laboratory, Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan has published over 190 peer-reviewed manuscripts and is one of the leading researchers in female physiology, metabolism, and sports nutrition. A three-time NSCA award winner — including Outstanding Sports Scientist of the Year (2022) — she translates cutting-edge lab science into practical strategies that actually work for women across every life stage.

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asmithryan/

🌐 http://asmithryan.com

Amber Taylor

Amber Taylor is a New Zealand–based digital health and product leader who builds evidence‑based fitness platforms designed to better support women’s physiology, safety, and long‑term wellbeing. Drawing on two decades in technology and digital roles at Amazon, Nike, and Les Mills, she uses AI, behavioral insights, and omnichannel delivery to create inclusive training experiences that help women move consistently, recover smarter, and integrate exercise into real life.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, DO

Board-certified in family medicine and fellowship-trained in nutritional science and geriatrics, Dr. Gabri