Hormones and Body Composition (feat. Ashley Fillmore)

What do the stubborn body fat you can’t seem to lose, your hormones, and metabolic health all have in common? Well…a lot! If you’re nearing perimenopause or menopause, you can’t miss this conversation. 

In this episode, host Jenn Trepeck dives into a candid and clarifying conversation with leading health and wellness expert Ashley Fillmore. Ashley is the founder and president of Metabolic Fix and host of the Cheers to Your Success podcast. With nearly 20 years of experience, she helps women heal their metabolism, achieve hormone balance, and support lasting body composition changes. Together, they unpack why so many women still feel lost in the noise of wellness advice and how to make sense of what they’re experiencing day-to-day, at each phase of their cycle and even as their cycles change.. This episode is all about discovering your hormone balance, transforming your body composition, and redefining what true health looks and feels like.

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, who discusses wellness and weight loss for real life, clearing up the myths, misinformation, bad science & marketing surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• (05:36) Ashley Filmore explains how she made the health, hormone balance, and body composition space her life's work
• (09:01) Ashley shares her experience with unhealthy dieting and deprivation
• (14:28) The number on the scale versus body composition, muscle mass, body fat percentage, and lean muscle
• (18:39) How certain hormones and body fat distribution correlate, and the importance of tracking your cycle
• (28:55) Ashley discusses symptoms that may indicate hormone imbalance
• (35:56) Adjustments to fitness routines and nutrition during your cycle
• (43:39) Other reasons your hormones can be depleted

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• The scale doesn’t define health, but body composition does: A lower number on the scale doesn’t accurately reflect your physical or mental well-being. Proper health is better measured by the balance between lean muscle mass and body fat percentage, which is significantly influenced by hormones that also determine where fat is stored—for example, cortisol can be associated with belly fat, insulin has been linked to love handles, and estrogen is often associated with weight stored in the hips and the lower belly.
• Where fat accumulates on your body can reveal significant hormonal imbalances, guiding lifestyle and nutritional changes as well as potential hormonal imbalances. Plus, even with a calorie deficit and strength training, stubborn fat won’t budge unless you focus on nutrient-dense, whole foods—because it’s not just about calories, but the quality of what you eat.
• Using cycle-tracking apps or devices like the Oura Ring helps women understand their hormonal rhythms, especially as cycles become irregular during perimenopause. By listening to your body, tracking symptoms, and identifying hormonal imbalances, you can tailor your nutrition, exercise, and recovery strategies to align with your current hormonal state, optimizing energy, mood, metabolism, and overall health.
• Walking and strength training are effective, low-stress ways to support hormonal and metabolic health, especially during perimenopause and menopause. Walking is a free, accessible exercise that improves body composition, hormonal balance, and mental well-being, while intense workouts may be too stressful when hormone levels are low. Incorporating gentle movements, such as yoga, and traditional strength training with compound exercises 2–3 times per week can help maintain health without overexertion.

QUOTES: 

(25:34) “Get to know your body and your baseline, what's normal for you, as...