Menopause Strength Training & Fitness | 40+ Fitness for Women

Did you know that a prevailing myth in fitness is that to get 'toned', you should work with low weights and high reps? That's just not true.  So how many reps should you be doing?  Well, it depends... In episode #74 of 40+ Fitness for Women, I discuss:  ✔️ The pros and cons of working in low vs. high rep ranges,  ✔️ The recommended rep ranges for women in perimenopause and post-meno...

Are you thinking of putting your fitness on pause for the summer? 👇 Vacation season is here, and the temptation to put your fitness goals on hold till fall is huge. 😎 But as women in perimenopause and post-menopause, getting back in shape in the fall is no longer a matter of couple weeks of discipline because our bodies don't respond the way they used to.  Taking the whole summer off from t...

We're not 20 anymore.  Our bodies have been through LIFE, and that means that most of us have some area of our bodies that don't work quite so perfectly anymore. 😬 Maybe it's a cranky knee.  😬 Maybe you have arthritis in your joints.  😬 Or maybe you've got a recent injury. Those do not need to stop you from lifting weights and keeping your body strong and fit.  In episode #7...

Weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are becoming mainstream in the USA. The shots are being offered not only to those who need to lose weight for health reasons but also to normal-weight people who are looking for an easy way to get skinny. Women especially are hopping on board the weight loss bus.  But as with any drug, there are downsides too.  In this episode of the podcast, I...

If you've noticed the loss of muscle tone that so many women in their 40s, 50s or 60s wake up to, and you are working out regularly, then this episode is for you.  One of the biggest misconceptions in the fitness industry is that any workout with weights will 'tone you up' (ie. build muscle) but that's just not true.  I used to believe that too, and I was devastated when despit...

Balancing your hormones is one of the latest buzzwords in fitness, but what does that mean? What hormones need "balancing", and how is it best to balance them? 🤔 In this episode, I take a look at some of the key hormones affecting 40+ women and share my thoughts and experiences on "balancing" them.  So, if you're looking for a decidedly low-hype discussion of the topic, t...

One of the most common fitness goals for women over 40 is to 'tone up'. But often achieving that goal eludes them.  Getting 'toned' requires two things: building muscle and losing fat. In episode #68, I share 8 of the most common mistakes I see women making that prevent them from achieving that 'toned' look they desire.  Enjoy the show! Send me your thoughts 😃 Suppor...

What is the best kind of cardio to be doing as a woman in perimenopause or post-menopause? Is it zone 2 cardio? HIIT sessions? Or should you be doing long steady-state sessions?  The answer may surprise you: the recommendation for women in perimenopause and menopause is to do maximal high-intensity cardio called Sprint Interval Training (SIT).  In this episode of 40+ Fitness for Women podcast, you...

Have you noticed changes in your body? Are your tried-and-tested diet and exercise routines not working anymore?  Welcome to menopause. Menopause is not just about not getting your period anymore and hot flushes. The changes in your female hormones affect all parts of your body.  It is a fundamental change. And it means that you need to change how you work with your new body.  Listen to this episo...

Have you heard that your metabolism slows down as you age, and that the extra weight is just something that you need to learn to live with? Well, that's just not true.  There ARE things you can do to keep your metabolism running high, and in episode #65 of the 40+ Fitness for Women podcast, I break it down for you.  x Lynn Certified Menopause Fitness Coach Send me your thoughts 😃 Support the...

Most people warm up for weight training with 15 minutes of cardio and walk out of the gym without any kind of cool-down.  There is a better way - and it will enable you to get more out of your session. Listen to this episode of the podcast to learn more. Resources mentioned in the episode: - Upper body warm-up before lifting weights (gentle mobility) >> - Lower body warm-up before lifting we...

Are you getting good sleep? Sleep is one of the cornerstones to thriving in midlife, and one of the biggest challenges for many women.😣 That's why I devoted episode #63 of the podcast to this topic.  In it, you'll learn:  ✅ What the 3 stages of sleep are and why each is important ✅ How to plan your training to support good sleep ✅ Tips on eating & drinking to sleep better ✅ Prep...

In this episode, I share why I believe tracking what you eat can be extremely useful if you want to eat healthier and/or manage your weight.  Enjoy the show!   Send me your thoughts 😃 Support the show Join my strength training membership >  Learn to Lift with my 10-week program > Get my free guide: How to Start Strength Training After 40 >>   Lose fat faster with my Midlife Fat Loss F...

Resources mentioned in the episode:  Instagram reel of me carrying my tires > Strong for Summer 6-week group training program. Learn more > 1:1 coaching with me. Learn more > One of the biggest concerns women have about starting weight training is safety. Understandably, they don't want to get hurt when lifting heavy things.  In this episode, I discuss the things that you should keep...

Resources mentioned in the episode:  My Learn to Lift courses >>   Learn more about 1:1 coaching with me >> Episode #45: My 2-phased approach to getting in shape for summer Episode #16: My fat loss journey It's spring, and as our thoughts turn to summer, many women are thinking about how to look and feel their best in more revealing summer clothing. Many will start trying to burn...

Resources mentioned in the show: Interested in 1:1 coaching? More information here> About 5 years ago, a personal trainer who I was friends with asked me why I did not have a coach. At the time, I was very surprised by the question thinking why on earth would I need one? Fast forward 5 years, and I wish I had gotten one back then.  But not just any coach. I wish I had had a coach who understood...

Resources mentioned in the episode:  My Learn to Lift courses (for HOME or GYM) > Episode #42: 5 Ways to save time in your weight training sessions Episode #18: Progressive Overload So you've gotten yourself started weight training with a nice program that hits all your muscles and it's feeling good. But how long should you continue to follow that program?  Or maybe it's better t...

One of the biggest mistakes I made with my fitness in my 30s and 40s was believing that my gym's classes with weights would take care of my muscles.  Boy was I wrong! When menopause hit, I lost ALL my muscle tone and started just looking 'blobby' - and it seemed to happen overnight! If only I'd realized that not all workouts with weights are created equal.  In this episode of t...

As we go through menopause our bodies change in a significant way. That's why our favorite diet and exercise regimens stop working for us.  But there is too little information out there about what women should be doing INSTEAD of all the cardio that they've been told to do all their lives.  This episode discusses the 6 biggest mistakes women make with their fitness:  1️⃣ Allowing perfect...

Start your transformation:  My Strength training kick-starter programs (home & gym options) > Start 1:1 coaching with me > About this episode: I launched the podcast a year ago and never imagined it would be so well received. Clearly, there are a lot of women out there who are looking for answers to how to keep their bodies looking and feeling good in midlife and beyond.  Many women over...

I get so many messages from women thanking me for increasing their awareness of perimenopause and I realized I've never really done an episode specifically on perimenopause. So here it is. In this episode, I go through what every woman should know about perimenopause. I also share my own crazy journey, and how I survived it. I hope this episode reaches you before you need it.  x Lynn Send me...

One of the things that happens to a lot of us when we hit our 40s (and latest in our 50s) is that we start to realize that we're not going to be here forever, and we start to notice we are aging.  And it can feel really scary. 😬 I asked my followers what they fear most about aging, and here are some of the things they said:  😕 "Lack of mobility & being dependent" 😕 "Scar...

🏃‍♀️ You may have heard the expression that you can't outrun your fork.  It's true.  As I covered in the previous episode, burning calories to 'earn' your meals is not a strategy that works very well. 😬 I have a different approach - one which does NOT require you to exercise more to burn more calories.   In this episode, I explain how this approach to fat loss works.  I share...

If you've been counting the calories you burn in your exercise activities and giving yourself permission to eat more or less based on that, then this episode is for you! Because more than likely, that method is not serving you - if maintaining a healthy bodyweight or losing weight is your goal.  In this episode, Igo through the flaws of this type of strategy, and how harmful it can be to your...

A common concern I hear from Gen X women who are thinking about starting to lift weights is how to avoid getting bulky.  And all over social media, all you hear is that 'Lifting weights won't make you bulky'.  I disagree.  Maybe it's a generational thing, but as a Gen Xer, I am more interested in looking firm, toned, and athletic rather than like a gym rat.  No offense to those...