Kinesiology and Health Sciences
University of Waterloo
The number of women participating in resistance training is growing due to shifting societal perceptions, the normalization of women lifting weights on social media, and greater awareness of health benefits. Women are increasingly looking for strategies to enhance their adaptations to resistance training. This presentation will highlight current research on adequate protein intake and the potential benefits of creatine supplementation for improving muscle mass, strength, and recovery across different life stages. The presentation will also address common misconceptions and provide practical, evidence-based guidance for women aiming to maximize training outcomes.
Dr. Michaela Devries-Aboud is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo. Her research focuses on how biological sex influences metabolism at rest and during exercise and how this relates to differences in how males and females respond to lifestyle interventions, particularly exercise. Michaela’s recent work has focused on using electron microscopy to directly characterize sex differences in the subcellular localization and morphology of intramyocellular lipids and mitochondria in skeletal muscle. Overall, Michaela’s research program aims to improve our understanding of how females respond to exercise and nutrition interventions, addressing the historical underrepresentation of females in exercise physiology research.