It was in an airport gate, waiting for my next layover, where I discovered and listened to a podcast episode that truly changed my life. Titled The Body Reset by Mel Robbins, this episode opened my eyes to the misinformation that had occurred in my life and the females around me when it came to science about our health and female bodies. The Podcast consists of a conversation between host Mel Robbins and Dr. Stacy Sims, a world-renowned exercise physiologics and nutrition scientist. Throughout the conversation, they rewrite the narrative around women’s health and correct the skewed data that had been taken for truth for generations.
One of the first analogies the women speak about in the episode is an idea called “shrink it pink.” In the medical field, it’s common for researchers to apply male data to women by simply scaling it down—as if women were just smaller versions of men. But as Dr. Stacy Sims powerfully states, “Women are not small men.” With that, she calls on the scientific and medical communities to recognize and respect the distinct anatomy, physiology, and needs of women. Here’s an example of the “shrink it pink” phenomenon. Many mountain bike manufacturers design “women’s bikes” by simply shrinking the dimensions of male-oriented models and adding decorative elements—often defaulting to colors like pink. But this approach doesn’t account for the unique proportions and needs of women’s bodies.
The lack of data for women’s bodies and health doesn’t end with the sports world. The podcast addresses a recent trend in the fitness world called “Intermittent Fasting” usually practiced as not eating anything till midday then breaking your fast at noon. This idea is hailed as a miracle solution for weight loss– the exception being that the data was only tested on men. Ironically, it’s women who are adopting this trend in large numbers. Dr. Sims explains how intermittent fasting has opposite results for women as it does for men, as it only increases stress, hormones, and negatively impacts our overall health.
Listening to this podcast episode I realized the idea of “Bro Science” falsely represents the biological and physiological differences that exist between male and females. The truth is, most fitness routines, meal plans, and fasting protocols that leave women feeling frustrated or depleted were designed with men in mind—not women. It’s long overdue for the scientific community to recognize and prioritize the unique physiology of women and provide research-backed guidance tailored specifically to our bodies.
Loading Comments