In this episode of Earn Your Protocol, Kyle Holland and Dr. Michael Harrington tackle some of the most common questions around perimenopause, libido, hormone replacement, thyroid health, peptides, and GLP-1s. They explore why hormone changes can affect everything from sleep and mood to sexual health, why symptoms can be difficult to separate from the pressures of everyday life, and why more treatment isn’t always better. 

The conversation also looks at the growing hype around peptide therapy, the need for better human research, and the importance of finding the lowest effective approach. Throughout, Kyle and Michael return to a simple principle: understand what’s actually happening before deciding what to do about it.

Key Takeaways & Lessons:

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  Think perimenopause happens overnight? Learn to spot the subtle hormonal changes before they start affecting your energy, mood, libido, and sense of self.
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  Feeling like your hormones are all over the place? Understand why hormonal peaks and valleys can matter as much as the numbers themselves.
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  Think a “normal” thyroid panel means everything is fine? Learn why symptoms and the bigger picture matter beyond a single lab result.
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  Struggling with sleep or mood swings during perimenopause? Understand why progesterone can be an important part of the hormone conversation.
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  Lost your energy and libido? Explore where testosterone fits into a broader approach to women’s health during perimenopause.
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  Using a GLP-1 and worried about regaining weight? Learn why slower, individualized approaches can leave room to build sustainable habits.
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  Confused by the peptide hype? Understand why consumer enthusiasm has outpaced the research and why more human studies are needed.
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  Think overeating is simply a discipline problem? Explore how biology, appetite, and addictive eating patterns can complicate weight management.
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  Wondering what happens when you stop a medication? Learn why coming off can require as much thought as getting started.
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  Think food noise and other body signals are just embarrassing? Learn why they can provide useful clues about what’s happening inside your body.

Kyle Holland is the founder and Head Coach of HollyFit and a health and performance coach with years of experience in the telehealth and TRT space. As a director of peptides at one of the largest telehealth and TRT companies, he has traveled the world and trained celebrities, athletes, and movie stars. Today, Kyle brings that experience to HollyFit, where he combines coaching, nutrition, training, and data-driven health optimization to help people stop guessing and focus on building and sustaining a healthier life. 

Dr. Michael Harrington is a board-certified internal medicine physician and HollyFit’s medical director. He leads clinical evaluations, reviews patient labs and history, and makes prescribing decisions independently, with no quotas or rubber stamps. A physician who trains daily himself, Dr. Harrington brings a practical, firsthand understanding of health and performance to his work. At HollyFit, every treatment decision is based on the individual’s labs, history, and clinical evaluation, with no treatment or prescription guaranteed by membership. 

Episode Resources:

• 
  Kyle Holland on LinkedIn
• Dr. Michael Harrington on HollyFit
• HollyFit Website
• Earn Your Protocol on Apple Podcasts
• Earn Your Protocol on Spotify
• Earn Your Protocol on YouTube

Episode Highlights:

• [01:49] Perimenopause Doesn’t Happen Overnight. Here’s Why

Kyle and Dr. Michael explain why perimenopause can develop gradually, even when the symptoms seem to appear suddenly. Changes in hormones can build over months or years before becoming impossible to ignore. They discuss how shifts in energy, mood, libido, and sexual comfort can affect everyday life, and why paying attention to changes in how you feel matters.

• [12:17] Why Hormone Peaks and Valleys Can Change How You Feel

Kyle and Dr. Michael explore how fluctuating hormone levels can affect the way people feel, drawing parallels between perimenopause and testosterone replacement in men. They discuss the potential impact of large hormonal swings and why dosing frequency matters. Rather than focusing only on a single hormone number, the conversation looks at consistency, symptoms, bloodwork, and the individual response to treatment.

• [25:58] Where Does Testosterone Fit Into Women’s Health?

Kyle and Dr. Michael discuss testosterone as part of the conversation around women’s health during perimenopause. They explore how changes in testosterone may relate to energy, motivation, libido, and overall well-being, while emphasizing the importance of looking at the bigger picture. The discussion also highlights why hormone therapy should be individualized rather than treated as a standalone solution.

• [30:45] Thyroid Symptoms? Don’t Stop at One Number

Dr. Michael explains why thyroid health can be more complicated than simply looking at TSH. He discusses the role of other thyroid markers, common symptoms associated with thyroid dysfunction, and why treatment decisions need to consider the full clinical picture. Kyle also raises concerns about unnecessary thyroid prescribing, reinforcing the importance of using the lowest effective dose when treatment is appropriate.

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  [45:06] Peptide Hype Is Growing. So Where’s the Research?

Kyle and Dr. Michael examine the growing interest in peptides and the gap between consumer enthusiasm and available human research. They discuss BPC-157, the limited clinical data, and why real-world experiences cannot replace properly designed studies. The conversation ultimately comes back to a simple question: if people are using these compounds, shouldn’t we understand their safety and effectiveness better?

• [01:10:05] Losing Weight Is One Thing. Keeping It Off Is Another

Kyle and Dr. Michael discuss what happens when people using GLP-1 medications start thinking about reducing or stopping treatment. They explore the importance of gradual, individualized approaches, managing appetite as it returns, and using the period on medication to build sustainable eating and lifestyle habits. The goal, they explain, is to make progress that can continue beyond the medication itself.

Welcome to Earn Your Protocol, brought to you by HollyFit. Today, we’re joined by a very special guest, Jason Benguche, a friend of HollyFit, a premier coach on our team, and someone who has spent nearly two decades training athletes at the collegiate and NFL levels, including with the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals.

In this episode, we talk about what elite athletes can teach the rest of us about building confidence, moving well, and playing the long game when it comes to fitness.

We explore why the foundation matters more than the quick fix, how the principles of elite performance can apply at any age, why your coach and doctor should work as one team, and why sustainable progress means phasing in change rather than trying to change everything at once. 

Key Takeaways & Lessons:

• Think getting back in shape means climbing Everest? How about breaking it into small steps and starting to walk towards it one step at a time? Today.
• Think NFL training has nothing to teach you? Well, the principles of flexibility, agility, and conditioning apply at every age; only the intensity changes. 
• Feel like you’re losing your mobility as you age? Learn how to stay “bendy,” so you can keep doing the things that matter. Like bending and lifting your grandkid.
• Client vs. Asset Mentality: A client buys a service; an asset is something you protect and grow. Learn why your health protocol should feel like an asset protection strategy, not a gym membership.
• Trying to change everything at once while chasing results? Think in small steps. Tackle one issue at a time. Phase in changes instead of stacking them and burning out.
• Lost the weight earlier only to gain it back? Don't chase numbers; instead, learn how to live differently.

Guest and Host Bios:

Jason Benguche is a high-performance coach with more than 20 years of experience working with elite athletes across collegiate athletics, professional football, and private performance. During his time with the Carolina Panthers, he worked with athletes including Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, and Greg Olsen. Today, Jason brings his expertise in strength, conditioning, mobility, and performance to HollyFit, helping clients build confidence, develop sustainable habits, and improve their long-term health and performance through individualized coaching. 

Kyle Holland is the founder and Head Coach of HollyFit and a health and performance coach with years of experience in the telehealth and TRT space. As a director of peptides at one of the largest telehealth and TRT companies, he has traveled the world and trained celebrities, athletes, and movie stars. Today, Kyle brings that experience to HollyFit, where he combines coaching, nutrition, training, and data-driven health optimization to help people stop guessing and focus on building and sustaining a healthier life. 

• Dr Michael Harrington is also a co-host but did not join us for this session! 

Episode Resources:

• Jason Benguche on LinkedIn
• Kyle Holland on LinkedIn
• HollyFit Website
• Earn Your Protocol on Apple Podcasts
• Earn Your Protocol on Spotify
• Earn Your Protocol on YouTube

  #EarnYourProtocol #StrengthAndConditioning #Performance #HealthOptimization #HollyFit

The story at the center of this one: a 112-pound safety who showed up 40 minutes late to first block every day and never made an excuse, who asked for a ride somewhere different every night until his coach realized why. Sam and his wife Connie took him in. He never left. He went from academically ineligible to West Point, and Sam is about to become a grandfather.

Also in this episode:

Peptide basics, answered straight. What actually happens when a peptide is reconstituted, whether potency fades over time, what beyond-use dating means, and why physician-written protocols take the guesswork out of all of it.

Who do you trust? Sam asks the question most people won't say out loud: why would you take health advice from someone who doesn't live it? Kyle explains why he wouldn't start this company until he found a physician who practices what he prescribes.

Faith, tattoos, and foundations. Sam tells the story of the altar call that changed his life at 16, and why everything on his body points back to it. Kyle shares the story behind his own ink, including the piece he wears for his mother.

Showing up. Why Sam says the kid he helped gave him more than he ever gave the kid, and why Kyle's measure for this company has nothing to do with revenue.

ABOUT THE SHOW Earn Your Protocol. The podcast from HollyFit, hosted by Kyle Holland, also known as Coach Holly, with Dr. Michael Harrington. Coaching and physician oversight in one place, built around your data instead of a template.

DISCLAIMER This episode is general education, not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not create a doctor patient relationship. Peptide and hormone therapies are prescription treatments; whether any treatment is appropriate for you is a decision for you and a licensed clinician. Individual results vary.

Key Topics:

• Medical Risk Tolerance: A debate on whether prioritizing individual patient risk tolerance over institutional caution could accelerate medical advancement.
• Systemic Inefficiency: Addressing the "seven-minute doctor visit" and how the current medical system often prioritizes administrative goals over patient needs.
• The Problem with Reference Ranges: Why standard lab ranges may reflect "expected" values rather than "optimal" health, especially regarding hormones and longevity.
• FDA & Big Pharma: An analysis of the FDA's role in safety versus its limitations, including the high cost of drug approval and the influence of large pharmaceutical entities.
• Biohacking & Bodybuilding: How alternative communities often discover effective health protocols years before they reach the clinical mainstream.
• Holly Fit Launch: An announcement regarding the new Holly Fit protocol, offering comprehensive blood work, personalized coaching, and direct physician access.