Balance - 5 High-Achieving Women Explain What Actually Works | Proof of Practice

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Dr. Stacy Sims, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Gabby Reece, Amber Taylor, and Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan dismantled the myth of balance and replaced it with something more workable: synergy.

WHAT WE EXPLORE

* Why balance is a myth and synergy works better

* Stacy Sims on postpartum depression and recovery

* Building support systems that actually work

* The 15 minute rule for venting, then moving on

* Why self-care is nonnegotiable, not selfish

* Real friendship means honest feedback, not cheerleading

Timestamps

* 00:00 Balance Is the Wrong Goal

* 02:18 One Expert Isn’t Enough

* 07:06 The Glass Balls Prioritization Method

* 11:19 Stacy Sims on Postpartum Depression

* 16:36 Team Sports Build Resilience in Women

* 18:26 Social Media and the Pressure to Look Perfect

* 20:13 The 15 Minute Rule for Chaos

* 26:22 Morning Rituals and Gratitude Habits

* 28:53 Parenting Needs New Tools, Not Old Habits

* 35:16 Why Women Face a Different Standard

* 43:50 Self-Care Isn’t Selfish, It’s Nonnegotiable

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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. Gabrielle Lyon is the founder of muscle-centric medicine — a framework that positions skeletal muscle as the cornerstone of metabolic health, longevity, and disease prevention. She is the author of the bestselling book Forever Strong and one of the most sought-after voices in functional medicine and women’s performance.

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

🌐 http://drgabriellelyon.com

Dr. Stacy Sims, PhD

Exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims has spent her career closing the research gap on women in sport — making the case that women are not small men and should not be trained or fueled as such. She is the author of ROAR and Next Level, a two-time TEDx speaker, and the go-to expert on how hormones, training, and nutrition interact across the female lifespan, from athletic peak to perimenopause and beyond.

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

🌐 http://drstacysims.com

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