Episode 26: Food Noise, Strength Training, and Using Peptides as a Tool in Midlife with Carrena Watts

Welcome back to Peptides for Women podcast!

In this episode, I sit down with Carrena Watts, strength coach, powerlifter, and women’s fitness mentor, to talk about midlife changes, food noise, confidence, and how peptides became a supportive tool in her journey. Carrena shares her personal experience as a lifelong lifter who hit a wall after turning 40, despite having her training, nutrition, and habits dialed in.

We talk honestly about the mental load of food noise, why it often ramps up in midlife, and how GLP-1/GIP peptides helped Carrena quiet that noise, reduce inflammation, and regain a sense of control around food, while continuing to lift heavy and prioritize muscle. This conversation is grounded, practical, and empowering, especially for women who feel frustrated when “doing all the right things” no longer works the same way.

In this episode, we cover:

• The experience of persistent food noise despite solid nutrition and training habits
• How GLP-1/GIP peptides helped quiet food noise within days
• Reductions in inflammation, puffiness, and brain fog after starting tirzepatide
• Why strength training, protein, hydration, sleep, and walking stayed non-negotiable
• Using body composition scans to track fat loss and muscle preservation
• Protein-forward, realistic meals for busy moms (protein coffee, taco bowls, simple snacks)
• Intuitive eating after years of tracking
• Fiber basics using whole foods and simple prep
• The Wolverine stack for recovery and soreness during powerlifting prep
• GHK-Cu for skin, hair, and tissue support
• Growth hormone secretagogues (CJC-1295/Ipamorelin) for recovery, sleep, and muscle support
• Why dosing, cycling, and guidance matter
• Letting go of shame around using peptides as a supportive tool
• Modeling strength, confidence, and self-care for the next generation

Connect with Carrena Watts!

• Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/momaf.fitness
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carrena_watts/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@momaf.fitness

Links & Resources:

• 🔗 Learn more at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠elliemd.com/JenniferWoodwardNutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• 🎯 Take my free peptide quiz and get a personalized, midlife-smart roadmap for the peptides that actually match your symptoms and goals: ⁠https://quiz.jenniferwoodwardnutrition.com/peptide-quiz
• 🎓 Enroll in the Peptides for Practitioners Certification Course and get $100 off for podcast subscribers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carrotsncake.com/offers/TrVo7mCz?coupon_code=PFPJENNIFER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• 🧬 Want to pair GLP-1s with functional lab testing? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learn.jenniferwoodwardnutrition.com/invitation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• 📩 Grab The Body Edit Guide here for full protocols, labs, and more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stan.store/jenniferwoodwardnutrition/p/get-the-body-edit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

‼️Disclaimer‼️

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice. Always speak with your licensed healthcare provider before starting or changing any medication or treatment plan.