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Armor Up with Lorayne Michaels
Welcome to Armor Up! This is a podcast dedicated to building a strong, resilient body from the inside out—physically, metabolically, and mentally.
Hosted by certified personal trainer and wellness coach Lorayne Michaels, this show dives into functional medicine, functional nutrition, strength training, and sustainable lifestyle practices that support real health—not quick fixes. Through solo episodes and expert interviews, Armor Up breaks down complex topics like hormones, metabolism, inflammation, gut health, muscle building, fat loss, nervous system regulation, and longevity into practical, evidence-based strategies you can actually apply to daily life.
This podcast is for women who are tired of extremes, overwhelmed by conflicting health advice, and ready to take ownership of their health with clarity and confidence. Expect honest conversations, science-backed education, and actionable tools that help you fuel your body properly, train with intention, and build habits that last.
Armor Up isn’t about perfection—it’s about preparation. Strength is built, health is learned, and resilience is trained. This is where you equip your body to do what it was designed to do: function well, adapt, and thrive.
Episodes
132 episodes
Mindset Over Mistakes
A single typo exposed a much bigger truth: your mindset decides what a mistake means. I’m Lorraine Michaels, a personal trainer and health coach, and I’m bringing you a story from the trenches of real life business building. After spending the ...
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Your Habits Are The Problem
Your calendar is packed, your business is demanding, and somehow your health keeps getting pushed to “later.” We’re not letting that slide. We go straight at the uncomfortable truth a lot of busy women avoid: if your workouts, nutrition, and re...
Medical Grade Peptides Versus The Gray Market
Peptides are suddenly the loudest word in wellness, and the internet is treating them like a shortcut you can order, mix, and inject at home. I’m not against peptides at all, but I am completely against the reckless way they’re being pushed. Th...
Are You Leading From Purpose Or Pressure?
Your leadership might not be failing because you need a better strategy. It might be failing because your nervous system is setting a culture of pressure, inconsistency, and reactivity. We get honest about what healthy leadership actually looks...
Inside A SPECT Scan: What Your Brain Reveals And How To Heal It
Ever wonder what your brain actually looks like when it won’t quiet down? I went to Amen Clinics for a SPECT scan to see blood flow and activity in real time—and to find out whether years of anxiety, trauma, and alcohol abuse left lasting marks...
Ms Health & Fitness 2026
The dream started on a magazine rack, but the real story is what it took to get here—and why the goal matters. Lorayne opens up about growing from a cheer-loving teen into a coach on a mission to help women claim strength, health, and purpose w...
Protein Pop-Tarts Won’t Save You
Forget the food rules that left you hungry, confused, and stuck. We pull back the curtain on nutrition and show how to build a plate that supports hormones, energy, and long-term health without counting every bite or chasing fad labels. The big...
Macros Made Simple: Why Numbers Matter For Real Body Change
Most people try to change their bodies without measuring what matters. We pull back the curtain on why tracking macros is the simplest way to see real progress, how protein anchors body recomposition, and where common “healthy” meals secretly f...
Cold, Heat, Repeat
Cold bites first, but mastery follows. Lorayne explores contrast therapy—alternating cold exposure and heat—to show how a simple routine can speed recovery, regulate your nervous system, and support hormones without adding more training stress....
Why Lifting Is Non‑Negotiable For Perimenopause And Menopause
Feeling unlike yourself as hormones change? Let’s get specific about what actually helps. We explore how strength training becomes a steady anchor during perimenopause and menopause—lifting mood, protecting metabolism, improving sleep, and rest...
Armor Up, For Real Health
You’ve got goals bigger than a quick fix, and we’ve got a roadmap that respects your body and your time. Armor Up is our fresh chapter dedicated to women who want real strength, steady energy, and health that lasts—without crash diets or punish...
My Spine Said “No Running” And My Brain Said “Watch Me”
What do you do when the experts say your best days are over? Our guest, Ian, heard that he would walk with devices and never run again after a rare neurosarcoidosis diagnosis led to a risky spinal biopsy and paralysis from the chest down. He ch...
How A Mobile Training Trailer Makes Health Accessible For Women And Kids
Imagine a fully equipped gym rolling up to your driveway, your school, or your neighborhood greenway—no memberships, no commute, no intimidation. That’s the heart of our latest project: a mobile training trailer designed to make fitness accessi...
Cardio Isn’t The Hero, Protein Is
We unpack why progress can stall for women over 35 even with consistent training, and how smart metrics reveal what the mirror misses. We share the five biggest mistakes, real numbers from our own scans, and the exact fixes that restore muscle,...
Escaping the Transactional Trap to Build Impact-Driven Success with Master Coach Angie Wisdom
Feeling accomplished but oddly empty? We sat down with master certified coach, author, and Fortune 500 speaker Angie Wisdom to unpack why high achievers slip into a transactional loop—and how to rebuild success around alignment, self-trust, and...
Hormones, Hype, and Your Training
We examine the claims of cycle syncing and compare them to current research, then share a simple way to train and eat based on symptoms rather than a rigid calendar. Evidence, nuance, and practical tactics help you stay consistent without obses...
Building Wealth: The Empire Engine Approach with Melissa Manning
Money shouldn’t sit in a penalty box while you wait for “someday.” We sit down with wealth strategy coach Melissa Manning to flip the script on traditional accumulation and walk through a clear path to building real cash flow, using smart lever...
Fail, Flail, Faith: Turns Out God Recycles Bad Decisions
What if the chapter you’re most afraid to share holds the key to your calling? We go straight at the hard stuff—shame, regret, betrayal, addiction, and the moments that feel beyond repair—and show how grace doesn’t erase the past, it redeems it...
Uncover, Uproot, Unleash! Amanda Soukoulis U3 approach
Tired of feeling “fine” when you know you’re capable of excellent? We welcome back functional medicine practitioner Amanda Soukoulis to chart a precise route from survival mode to a 10/10 life—using real data, smart structure, and targeted tool...
Muscle Myths Debunked: The Truth About Fat Loss
The ultimate showdown between cardio and weightlifting finally explained! After a recent podcast appearance with Angie Wisdom sparked numerous questions, I dive deep into what truly works for women's fitness, especially as we age.Let's ...
Remembering Charlie Kirk
September 10, 2025 marks another tragic day in our collective memory with the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a man remembered for speaking biblical truth with love and respect. This deeply personal reflection explores the weight of grief follow...
Finding Strength Beyond Addiction
Recovery isn't just a journey—it's a revolution of the heart, mind, and spirit. Having witnessed addiction devastate relationships and create cycles of pain, I've also seen the breathtaking transformation that occurs when people embrace the dif...
Health Before Hustle
What's the point of success if you're not healthy enough to enjoy it? This question frames our urgent conversation about the dangerous trade-off many high achievers make without even realizing it.Today I share the shocking story of entr...
Betting on Yourself Will Change Everything You Thought Was Possible
Ever felt that gentle whisper urging you toward something greater? That persistent feeling you're meant for more? What if those aren't random thoughts but divine signals guiding you toward your purpose?Fresh from Lindsay Marie's Powerho...
Refined by Fire: How Setbacks Become Your Greatest Opportunity
When life knocks us down, we face a pivotal choice – will we stay stuck in our pain, or use it as fuel to propel us forward? This raw and vulnerable conversation explores how our response to adversity shapes not just our recovery but our entire...