Tag: Denise Thomas Page 1 of 2

[Most Played] Dr. Rhonda Patrick Shares The Science Behind Longevity

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On March 2, 2026

In The CrossFit Podcast

From now until the end of the 2026 CrossFit Open, presented by Air National Guard, we’re resharing the episodes you all loved the most. Catch a most-played episode every two weeks, right here in your podcast feed. 

Good luck in the Open, and we’ll see you on the leaderboard.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a leading researcher in nutrition, aging, and metabolic health. She’s known for translating complex science into practical tools for longevity and performance. Now, after a year of doing CrossFit, she has new insights to share. In this episode, Rhonda joins Denise to break down the cellular mechanisms behind high-intensity exercise, why lactate is more than a waste product, and how CrossFit helps train your brain, not just your body.

They cover topics like VO2 max, mitochondrial repair, post-meal inflammation, aging muscles, and the science behind “exercise snacks.” Rhonda also shares her personal transformation from intimidated beginner to committed athlete and why she believes CrossFit may be one of the most powerful tools for lifelong health.

Topics Included

  • Why Rhonda started CrossFit — and how her perspective shifted after a year of training
  • What lactate actually is and why it’s a powerful signal for brain and muscle health
  • How high-intensity exercise triggers mitochondrial repair and neurogenesis
  • The relationship between sedentary behavior, inflammation, and cancer risk
  • The research behind exercise “snacks” and how to use them throughout your day
  • The benefits of CrossFit for aging adults, and Rhonda’s vision for senior fitness

Resources Mentioned

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[Most Played] Female Physiology in CrossFit With Dr. Stacy Sims: What You Need to Know

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On February 16, 2026

In The CrossFit Podcast

From now until the end of the 2026 CrossFit Open, presented by Air National Guard, we’re resharing the episodes you all loved the most. Catch a most-played episode every two weeks, right here in your podcast feed. 

Good luck in the Open, and we’ll see you on the leaderboard. Sign up at games.crossfit.com.

Dr. Stacy Sims is an exercise physiologist, nutrition scientist, TEDx speaker, and the bestselling author behind the viral phrase “Women are not small men.” In this episode, she joins Denise Thomas to unpack what we really need to know about women’s physiology — and how most training and nutrition advice completely ignores it.

They get into the menstrual cycle, perimenopause, postmenopause, and how to train through it all. Stacy explains why women lose power during certain phases, how training affects the brain, and what female athletes should do differently when it comes to strength, conditioning, recovery, and stress. They also break down cold plunges, sauna use, and why CrossFit coaches and gym owners have an opportunity to lead the way in changing the narrative.

Topics Included

  • Biological differences in training, recovery, and metabolism
  • Power, hormone shifts, and the menstrual cycle
  • When and how to modify workouts
  • Why fasting and cold plunges don’t affect men and women the same way
  • How to feel and perform your best during perimenopause and postmenopause
  • Raising the next generation of girls to understand their physiology for performance

Resources Mentioned

  • Dr. Stacy Sims’ TEDx Talk: Women Are Not Small Men
  • Book: “Roar” by Stacy Sims
  • Book: “Next Level” by Stacy Sims
  • DrStacySims.com
  • Proov or Oova (hormone-tracking tools)
  • OsteoGains app

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Thumbnail image of host Denise Thomas with Text #49 The Viral Teacher Who Tried CrossFit and small screen in screen image of guest Dr. Fatty Acid completing a deadlift at her gym

[Most Played] Everyone’s Favorite Addition to the CrossFit Family: Meet Dr. Fatty Acid

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On February 2, 2026

In The CrossFit Podcast

From now until the end of the 2026 CrossFit Open, presented by Air National Guard, we’re resharing the episodes you all loved the most. Catch a most-played episode every two weeks, right here in your podcast feed. 

Good luck in the Open, and we’ll see you on the leaderboard. Sign up at games.crossfit.com. 

—-

Dr. Fatty Acid, the viral creator behind @When_Nerds_Teach, joins Denise Thomas for a refreshingly honest conversation about finding CrossFit, battling fatty liver disease, navigating Wegovy, and rediscovering strength. A lifelong teacher, she talks about humor, vulnerability, and learning to love movement for what it gives, not how it looks.

Check out the latest content with Dr. Fatty Acid here.

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Image of Jocelyn Rylee, Maggie Mullen, and Denise Thomas with text HOLIDAY SPECIAL and snowflakes in the background

Behind the Scenes of the CrossFit Podcast in 2025

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On December 22, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

The CrossFit Podcast team is pulling back the curtain for this special episode. Get a look behind the scenes at what it took to restart the CrossFit Podcast, what we learned the hard way, and the top moments of the show in 2025. 

Spend a little bit of your holiday season with us — Denise Thomas, Jocelyn Rylee, and Maggie Mullen. We hope this episode brings you some holiday cheer, ideas for what to binge next, and a bit of perspective on what matters most.

From all of us to you and your family — both CrossFit and nuclear — happy holidays, and please tell us how 12 Days of Christmas (or whatever WOD you’re hitting) goes. 

Topics Covered

  • Why CrossFit brought the podcast back and what changed in 2025.
  • The turning point episode: Has CrossFit Lost Its Soul With James Hobart.
  • Why we do this podcast – the most meaningful moments.
  • Top five episodes worth revisiting from 2025. 

Episodes Mentioned

Resources Mentioned

Community Highlight

CrossFit PolFed RAC exists because one officer, Pierre De Pelsemaeker-Godart, kept sharing something he cared about.

In 2010, when his team in the Brussels Federal Judicial Police moved into an unfinished government building, Pierre had just discovered CrossFit. With no gym, no equipment, and no dedicated space, he organized workouts wherever he could—outside in the park, inside the office, and eventually in an empty underground concrete room.

Pierre led his colleagues in building a training space from scratch using pallets, cardboard, and bodyweight movements. More officers joined because the workouts were simple, consistent, and open to anyone.

By 2014, a small sports room became their home base. They pooled money for second-hand equipment, competed in the CrossFit Open, and officially founded the nonprofit CrossFit PolFed RAC.

Years later, the affiliate is still active, serving dozens of members, because one person believed training together could change his workplace — and did the work to make it real.

Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com].

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How to Get Out of Your Own Way with Mark England

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On December 15, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

In this episode, Denise Thomas sits down with Mark England, co-founder of Enlifted Coaching, to unpack the real meaning of “mindset,” not as a buzzword, but as the story you tell yourself.

A former MMA fighter turned educator, Mark shares how injuries and failure led him to discover transformational wordsmithing: the process of changing your internal dialogue to change your life. He walks through practical tools that anyone, especially coaches and athletes, can use to rewrite limiting stories, calm their nervous system, and reclaim control through language and breath.

This one’s part conversation, part masterclass. Grab a pen.

TOPICS INCLUDED

  • The link between words, breath, and awareness
  • How victim mentality is formed and how to dismantle it
  • The “soft talk” words that cause indecision and stress
  • Real-time application: Denise and Mark’s live exercise on rewriting limiting beliefs

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Community Highlight

After two car accidents and a diagnosis of early-stage Parkinson’s, Becky Johnson refused to give up.

Just days after spine surgery, she walked into CrossFit Loco Ocho — neck brace and all — to do her version of Murph.

“Having a strong baseline of fitness prepares you for whatever life throws your way,” she says.

“This is the sickness-wellness-fitness continuum in action. I got a devastating diagnosis, but I already had the antidote.”

Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com].

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Sara Wilkinson: “Grief Is Love With Nowhere to Go” (EP. 051)

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On November 10, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

You’ve probably heard of the workout CHAD1000X (1,000 weighted step-ups for time) and The Step Up Foundation – the organization using fitness to raise awareness for mental health and veteran suicide prevention. 

In this episode, we get to know the selfless leader behind both: Sara Wilkinson. After losing her husband, Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson, to suicide in 2018, Sara turned grief into purpose, creating a global movement that’s brought thousands together each year to honor his legacy and support others who are struggling.

She opens up about what it means to carry grief, how community heals, and the importance of looking people in the eye and asking, “How are you, really?”

Topics Included

  • The story behind Chad1000X and its growth into a global movement
  • How Sara transformed grief into purpose through The Step Up Foundation
  • Compassion, resilience, and the power of community in healing
  • Suicide awareness, mental health, and the language we use around loss
  • The realities of military life, brain injury (CTE), and post-service transition
  • The importance of small acts of kindness and connection

Resources Mentioned

Community Highlight

Cory and Sara Fulana don’t just run two gyms — they run on purpose.

At Silk City CrossFit and CrossFit Hartford, service is part of the workout. Every month, they rally their community for something bigger — suicide awareness events with Uplift, women’s WODs supporting local female-owned businesses, Toys for Tots drives, marathon rows for the Boys and Girls Club, and Hero WODs that honor those who have served.

Their question is always the same: How can we give back?

Because for Cory and Sara, CrossFit isn’t just about fitness — it’s about using strength to serve others.

Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com] or complete our survey here.

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[LIVE] Understanding the Return to Forging Elite Fitness® (EP. 048)

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On November 7, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

“Forging Elite Fitness®” has been part of the CrossFit brand since 2003. And now, it’s representing CrossFit front and center once again after a few years of lurking behind the scenes. But what does it really mean? And what doesn’t it mean? And why are we bringing it back? 

In this show, Denise Thomas is joined by Nicole Carroll, Craig Howard, and Jocelyn Rylee to unpack the phrase that debuted its revival tour this week in our new “Forging Elite Fitness” video and accompanying article. They’ll talk about where the misunderstanding often lies: Is it only about Games athletes? Is “elite” too aggressive? Or does it perfectly capture what CrossFit does for anyone who walks through the door, from grandparents to Games competitors?

Let us know what you think –> podcasts@crossfit.com

Follow us on YouTube to join us every Thursday at 10 am PT.

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Thumbnail image of host Denise Thomas with Text #49 The Viral Teacher Who Tried CrossFit and small screen in screen image of guest Dr. Fatty Acid completing a deadlift at her gym

The Story Behind the Viral @When_Nerds_Teach – Meet Dr. Fatty Acid (EP. 049)

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On November 3, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

Dr. Fatty Acid, the viral creator behind @When_Nerds_Teach, joins Denise Thomas for a refreshingly honest conversation about finding CrossFit, battling fatty liver disease, navigating Wegovy, and rediscovering strength. A lifelong teacher, she talks about humor, vulnerability, and learning to love movement for what it gives, not how it looks.

Topics Included

  • Discovering CrossFit as a total beginner and overcoming intimidation
  • Balancing modern medicine (Wegovy) with lifestyle change
  • Teaching, burnout, and how CrossFit helps with decision fatigue
  • Managing body image, binge eating, and food anxiety

Resources Mentioned

Community Highlight

At just 16, Harrison Kennedy is already competing at the highest levels of CrossFit, but his story is about more than training.

After facing mental health struggles, Harrison found purpose again at CrossFit Delta Fox in northern England, a gym partnered with The 180 Project, which helps people rebuild their lives after prison, addiction, or trauma.

Now he’s giving back, coaching younger athletes and showing them the same thing CrossFit showed him: that community and hard work can change everything.

Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com] or complete our survey here.

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[LIVE] Every CrossFit Gym Should Do This (EP. 042)

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On October 15, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

What does the ideal CrossFit experience look like?

In this livestream, hosts James Hobart and Denise Thomas break down the non-negotiables of a great affiliate, as well as stylistic touches that make each gym unique. From the 60-minute class to the full journey, the conversation explores what members should expect, what owners and coaches must deliver, and how the best affiliates create environments where people thrive. Whether you’re a coach, owner, or member, this episode will leave you with a clear picture of what the “ideal member experience” really means in CrossFit.

Let us know what you think –> podcasts@crossfit.com

Follow us on YouTube to join future livestreams.

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[LIVE] Inside CrossFit Programming (EP. 040)

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On October 11, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

Programming is one of the most debated topics in CrossFit. On this livestream, James Hobart and Denise Thomas sit down with the guys behind both mainsite and CrossFit Affiliate Programming (CAP), Joe Alexander and Spencer Hendel. Together, they’ll dig into the philosophy and practice behind effective programming. 

They’ll cover the charter of CrossFit.com, how CAP supports affiliates, what makes programming successful (and what doesn’t), and how intensity, volume, and movement selection come into play. 

Let us know what you think –> podcasts@crossfit.com

Follow us on YouTube to join future livestreams.

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