Why Rest Feels Hard: Midlife Training, Anxiety & Identity with Erin Ayala, PhD, LP, CMPC (Episode 259)

Hit Play Not Pause

Fitness, Health & Fitness, Medicine

4.9 • 769 Ratings

🗓️ 28 January 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Exercise is supposed to be healthy—but when does dedication cross into compulsion? In this episode, we sat down with sports psychologist and new host of the Feisty Women’s Performance Podcast, Dr. Erin Ayala to explore the murky, often misunderstood concept of exercise addiction. We unpack why it’s not an official diagnosis, how it overlaps with perfectionism, anxiety, body image, and control, and why endurance athletes—especially midlife women—can be uniquely vulnerable. We also dive into identity, boundaries, training culture, and how to tell whether exercise is supporting your life—or quietly running it.

Erin Ayala, PhD, LP, CMPC is a Licensed Psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) offering virtual mental health therapy for athletes aged 14 and above. She provides one-on-one performance coaching, CMPC mentorship, clinical supervision, and group workshops for teams and sport organizations. She supports athletes in injury recovery, managing performance anxiety, depression, pre-competition stress, confidence, and self-criticism. Located in Minnesota, she is licensed to work with athletes in 40 states. You can learn more about Dr. Ayala and her work at www.skadisportpsychology.com.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	If you're a cyclist, listen up. We are partnering with our friends at the cyclist's menu to offer a trip of a lifetime riding around the world-class cycling destination of Majorca.
0:12.0	This women's only adventure includes six days of riding and five nights of really fine dining on this truly magical Mediterranean island.
0:20.0	The trip is from May 17th through
0:22.1	this 22nd, which is the perfect time when it's sunny, warm, and really just pretty perfect.
0:27.7	I'll be there. My partner, Catherine Taylor, will be there, and so will the incredible cyclist
0:31.9	menu owners and operators, Heidi and Zander, who will be making sure every day is a perfect
0:36.7	day. We'll be staying in a spacious,
0:39.0	quiet farmhouse close to town, so when we're not riding, you can chill or shop or whatever you
0:43.9	want. There'll also be options to ride as much or as little as you like, so come join us for the
0:48.9	trip of a lifetime. We had the best time in Gerona last year and are guaranteed to have just as much fun this time around.
0:57.0	So click the link in the show notes to learn more and sign up and I will see you in Spain.
1:06.0	You are listening to Hit Play Not Pause, a feisty menopause podcast for active performance-minded women.
1:16.7	I am your host, Celine Yeager.
1:18.7	Each week, I bring you advice from athletes, scientists, researchers, and other experts to help you feel and perform your best no matter what your hormones are doing.
1:27.3	This show is a production of Feisty Media. to help you feel and perform your best no matter what your hormones are doing.
1:30.0	This show is a production of feisty media.
1:33.5	Hello, strong feisty women.
1:35.6	I hope you all are well.
1:40.8	So this week I have a topic that is by request, exercise addiction,
1:46.0	which I will say straight up, I most definitely have. The question always becomes,
1:51.4	is it a problem? And well, that's why I brought in our brand new host of the women's performance podcast, Dr. Aaron Ayala, who is a licensed psychologist and certified mental
1:57.6	performance consultant. And we talk all about when exercise, which is supposed to be
	...

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