Menopause Strength Training & Fitness | 40+ Fitness for Women

Mentioned in this episode: Free training tracker: www.befitafter40.com/tracker episode #18: progressive overload episode #22: unilateral weight training There are a lot of equipment choices out there when it comes to building muscle. There are barbells, dumbbells, cables, various machines, and rubber bands (including "booty bands"). In addition, there are those who use mainly bodyweight...

Links & other episodes mentioned in this episode:  Join waitlist for my Jan 2024 group training program > Progressive overload - listen to episode # 18 to learn more about it. ✨In this week's episode, I get into a question that almost every person starting out weight training asks, and that is: how many exercises should I be doing? 🤔 😨The number of options out there seems endless, a...

Links mentioned in episode:  Join waitlist for Jan 2024 group training program > Online self-study course: Learn to Lift at the Gym > In this week's episode, I answer a question posed by one of the podcast listeners: How to correct muscle imbalances with unilateral training. We'll look at the many reasons why muscle imbalances may develop and how to avoid and correct them with unil...

Resources mentioned in the episode:  Link to my self-study course: Learn to Lift at the Gym >  Interested in a group program? Get on the waitlist here >   In this episode of 40+ Fitness for Women, I share how I - a 52-year-old post-menopause woman - managed a significant body recomposition in 9 months. My approach included 2 phases:  Weight training in maintenance Fat loss diet I share what...

So you know you want to start weight training to get stronger and prepare your body for the decades ahead, but what does that mean in practice? How many sessions will you need to schedule into your week, and is more better?  This short and sweet episode goes through what the minimum would be and what advantages there are to being able to train more often.  You'll get the answers to questions...

Building muscle is a slow process so it's not unusual for people to question whether they are actually getting anywhere as they continue to show up and lift.  In this episode, I go over 8 ways to track whether you are actually making progress:  1️⃣ Take progress pictures 2️⃣ Take measurements with a tape measure 3️⃣ Take body composition measurements 4️⃣ Track your training sessions' wei...

Progressive overload is one of the most important concepts in building strength and muscle. If you're not applying progressive overload, you are unlikely to see much progress. For that reason, I thought it important to devote a whole episode to reviewing what it is and how to apply it to your weight training.  It is really hard to ensure you're applying progressive overload if you are no...

I started weight training at age 50 when I noticed that my muscle tone had decreased radically. I've done weight training before - back in my 20s and 30s, and this was different. I wanted to share my journey in hopes that it will inspire women in midlife to put aside their concerns about weight training, and start lifting! In the episode, I describe: What finally got me to start again What I...

After over a year of training consistently in the weight room 4 times a week to build muscle, I'm ready to start revealing some of the fruits of my labor - ie. to lose some of the fat on my body so you can see the muscle underneath. I am 9 weeks into my 12-week fat loss journey, and wanted to share what I've been doing, how it's felt, and what kinds of results I've achieved so...

✨You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old! ✨ In this episode, I go over the SOOOO common misconceptions that perpetuate the fitness industry and which are really hindering 40+ women from keeping our bodies strong and young as we age.  I discuss 4 common myths (or maybe misinformation) that are still very much alive in the world of fitness and I suggest two mindset sh...

In this week's episode, I dive into what is going on with women's bodies in perimenopause and menopause and how strength training is really the key to keeping our bodies functioning properly and serving us well through the rest of our lives.  In menopause, our estrogen levels change dramatically. I review all the ways that loss of estrogen negatively impacts the condition of our bodies a...

You've probably seen before and after pictures online that show an incredible transformation, and are wondering whether you can get the same kinds of results from your weight training. The short answer is: 'It depends.' It depends on a LOT of factors - some which you can control and others which are more out of your control.  This week, we pick up where we left off last week - by lo...

You've probably seen before and after pictures online that show an incredible transformation, and are wondering whether you can get the same kinds of results from your weight training.  The short answer is: 'It depends.' It depends on a LOT of factors - some which you can control and others which are more out of your control.  In this week's episode I'll discuss:  Factors...

One of the top questions that people new to weight training struggle with is how much weight should they actually be lifting. In this episode, I go over how to choose your starting weight for a new exercise and when to progress to a higher weight. I am using rep ranges as a tool here as I feel it is the easiest to understand and follow for those who are starting out weight training.  In addition,...

In this episode I dive into the things you should know about protein to enable you to maintain and build muscle in middle age. I also discuss how to determine whether you are getting enough protein each day (I bet you're not), and go through how I've structured my meals to ensure I'm getting enough protein.  You'll get answers to these questions (and more): What are the benefit...

If you've been focusing on cardio or group fitness classes, weight training may feel like a whole new world for you.  In this episode, I discuss:  ✨ The main differences between cardio and weight training (the things that may feel really weird to you the first time in the weight room) ✨ The 3 stages of your weight training journey You'll get answers to questions like: 🤔 What is it lik...

One of the questions I get asked a lot is how I stay motivated to keep weight training. In this episode, I'll share some tips to help you stay committed and consistent with your weight training.  Do you struggle to stay committed to your weight training program? Do you find it difficult to find time for your workouts? Or do you want to put in place habits to help you to stay consistent in you...

You've maybe heard of the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) or related terms such as NEAT or BMR, but maybe you're not quite clear on what they are and why you should care. In this episode, I introduce you to the concept of TDEE, and its components, and share simple ways that you can make sustainable lifestyle changes to boost your TDEE. These strategies have health benefits too! You...

This episode is for anyone who is planning to go on a diet (ie. calorie deficit) to get ready for summer.  Many women use the strategy of cutting calories and increasing cardio to burn as many calories as possible. But, is this the best strategy? I don't think so.  in this short (but I think really important) episode: I challenge you to think about what your goal really is: is it weight loss...

In this episode, I go over five very important things you need to be doing to build muscle efficiently. If you're not seeing results with your weight training, then one of these is usually the culprit.  They are: Apply progressive overload Training close to failure (or to failure) Choosing exercises that actually stimulate muscle growth Getting enough recovery - since that's when muscle...

In this episode, I explain the basics of muscle biology that everyone should know - if you're interested in getting and staying fit and strong for life.  I discuss: the loss of muscle as we age, and how we can prevent it the role of estrogen in supporting muscle, and what that means for women in perimenopause and menopause the difference between type I and type II muscle fibers and why you sh...

In this episode, I discuss some of the things to keep in mind when starting to lift weights in midlife. These include:  Choosing a good program The importance of consistency Apply progressive overload Setting a realistic training schedule that you can adhere to The role of rest and recovery The importance of protein Are you in your 40s or 50s and thinking about starting weight training? Or are you...

Weight training after 40 is one of the best things you can do for your health and well-being both in the short term and long term. Lifting weight really is the fountain of youth!  In this episode, I go over just SOME of the benefits of weight training and how weight training actually triggers those benefits.  The benefits of weight training in middle age include: How weight training stops and can...

Welcome! In this episode, I introduce the motivation behind starting this podcast geared at helping women in perimenopause and menopause get fit now and prepare their bodies for the decades ahead of us.  I share my own fitness journey and about how in midlife I suddenly noticed that the things that had always worked for me were no longer working, and how I found a formula that works for me at this...