In this episode of the Lifting Lindsay podcast, guest Lauren Colnso-Semple discusses her research on how menstrual cycles and oral contraceptives affect women's muscle protein synthesis in response to resistance training. The conversation spans topics such as the effectiveness of programming workouts around menstrual cycles for optimizing muscle growth, strength, and fat loss, the impact of hormonal birth control on exercise adaptation, and the importance of individual variation in training volume and recovery needs. Lauren, holding a PhD from McMaster University and a Master's in exercise science, shares insights from her studies and experience, addressing misconceptions about training during different phases of the menstrual cycle and the overall impact of sex-based differences in training outcomes. Topics:00:08 Introducing Lauren Colnso-Semple01:11 What did you learn about oral contraceptives?07:24 How this affects perimenopause or premenopause11:29 When do women see a lowering of strength?19:01 How difficult is it to track and monitor hormonal changes in women?28:05 Learning to listen to experts32:45 What are your thoughts on volume for hypertrophy in women?41:57 How do rest times compare for men vs women?