Latest / Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40 / 28. Why Walking, Yoga, and Pilates Aren’t Enough in Midlife

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28. Why Walking, Yoga, and Pilates Aren’t Enough in Midlife · Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: I have a feeling I'm going to ruffle some feathers with today's topic.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: If you know me, you know that I would never want to intentionally hurt anyone's feelings, but you probably also know that I am a straight shooter.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I, if I believe in something that can genuinely help you, I'm going to say the hard thing.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: And today is one of those times.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: If your workout strategy today is a combination of walking andor yoga or Pilates, my friend, it's not enough.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Not for what your body actually needs in this season of life.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: I am not saying that those things don't have value because they absolutely do.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: And I will never tell you to stop doing them.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: But for women over 40, they are only part of the equation.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm saying this with so much respect for the effort that you are putting in.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: I'm saying this because I'm passionate about it, because nobody told my mom.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: And I watch her today deal with osteoporosis and the side effects that come along with that.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I just wonder, what if someone had educated her sooner?
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: What if she had known that instead of grabbing the three or five-pound dumbbells, if she had grabbed heavier, she could have prevented or at least slowed down the process of osteoporosis?
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: So today, that's what we're gonna do.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna talk about what your body is asking for and it might not be getting and why that matters more than you think.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: So please stay with me because this episode might change the way that you think about your overall fitness.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Midlife Glow Up Podcast, where we simplify fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits for women over 40.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Joan Dandano, your midlife health and wellness coach.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: And if you are ready to feel strong, consistent, and confident in this season of life, you are in the right place, my friend.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: Before we dive in today, I want to speak directly to someone who might already be feeling a little bit defensive by what I've already said.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're thinking, Joan, come on.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: I'm already exercising enough.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: I walk every day, I do Pilates three times a week.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not sitting on the couch eating bonbons.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I want you to know that I see you.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: I see that you're showing up.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm not discounting your efforts, but I am saying that you are missing a key part of the equation.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: And hopefully, after you hear what I have to say and the stories that I have to share, you might be open to adding in strength training, even just 20 minutes twice a week.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: I want to tell you today about two women.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to introduce them now and then I'll come back to their full stories at the end of the episode because I think that their results might stay with you long after you finish listening today.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: The first is Ceci.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: When she was 46, she was very active doing cardio regularly and lifting weights kind of here or there.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: By most standards, she was doing all the right things.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: And her bone density was still declining.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: And she got a DEXA scan that revealed something that stopped her in her tracks.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: And the second is Jan.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: She's in her mid-70s and she's always been active, but she didn't commit to lifting weights consistently until she started progressive overload strength training inside a fit zone during the pandemic.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: And what she was able to do in her mid-70s is a huge inspiration to me, and it should be to you as well, that it's never too late, and if she can do it, so can you.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: I will share their stories today because improving bone density in midlife and beyond is rare.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's hard to achieve, and both of them did it.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: And that's the power of giving your body what it actually needs.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: So keep them in mind today as we go through the episode because everything that we're going to talk about today is what made their results possible.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let's start today with going through what the benefits are of walking and yoga and Pilates, because there are multiple benefits of each of these.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: So walking is one of the most well-researched forms of movement that we have.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: It supports cardiovascular health, blood sugar regulation, your mental health.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: It makes you live a longer life.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: Women who walk consistently live longer and have lower rates of heart disease and depression.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: I personally love walking.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: I love getting outside.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: I love the fresh air.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: I love the movement.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: I love the breeze.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: I love seeing nature.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: I love being with my dog.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: I love being with my friends.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's a huge part of my everyday routine.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yoga is another favorite of mine.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: I go religiously once a week.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: And some of the benefits of yoga are reduced cortisol, it supports your nervous system.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, it builds flexibility and it creates a real mind-body connection that you can experience on and off the mat.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: So for women in midlife who are navigating stress, which is most of us, sleep disruptions, which is most of us, and hormonal shifts, which I think is everyone, yoga is genuinely medicine for all of those things.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: And finally, Pilates builds core strength.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: It helps you to improve your posture.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: It creates a body awareness that carries into everything you do.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: I love Pilates because it's low impact and it does build a foundation of strength.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: I've been committed to going to Pilates once a week using the reformer.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I love the way I feel when I get off of it.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: These are not bad choices.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: They're genuinely good for you, but again, they're only part of the picture.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: So here is where the gaps are.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to be specific because I think specificity is actually going to help paint the picture here.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: Walking does not build significant muscle.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: The resistance is too low because all you're using is your body weight.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: And your body has adapted to walking a long time ago.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: So walking doesn't do anything for your upper body, your arms, your back, your shoulders.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: And while walking does put some load through your legs and your hips and your spine, it falls really short of the threshold that your bones need in order to remodel and get denser.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you're walking with a weighted vest, that is a different story.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Adding load does increase the mechanical stress on your bones, which is a meaningful upgrade over walking without a weighted vest.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: It is a step in the right direction and it still does not build significant muscle.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't address your upper body like your biceps, your shoulders.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: It does not provide the full body progressive resistance training that your body needs in midlife.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yoga and pot and Pilates have the same limitation.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: They are primarily body weight and the resistance is fixed.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: So your body adapts to it and then it just coasts.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: There's no mechanism to keep the challenge increasing over time.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Now, for those of you who are doing the reformer Pilates, I do want to acknowledge that the reformer is a genuine step up from bodyweight mat work.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: The spring resistance adds load that body weight alone can't provide.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, I've been in some classes where it is seriously challenging.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: And the resistance is still not enough to progressively load your skeleton the way that heavy resistance training with dumbbells or machines can.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: It also can't replicate the hormonal and metabolic response that comes from lifting significant weights.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: So again, it's still not the complete answer for women in midlife.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to just make one more note here about cardio.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: So aside from walking, you could be taking a spinning class, you could be doing the elliptical, you could be running.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: And these are great.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: These are great for your heart and for movement and for breath.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: But chronic steady state cardio, meaning you're just getting your heart rate up and keeping it there at a specific level, especially if you're not doing strength training as well, is actually going to elevate your cortisol.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: And chronically elevated cortisol makes your body catabolic, meaning it breaks down muscle tissue and it signals to your body to hold on to fat as a protective mechanism.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: So for women in midlife who are already managing stress from work and from family and from life, adding more cardio on top of that can actually make things worse.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: So that's why we often hear, gosh, I'm doing so much exercise, aka cardio, and maybe they're even eating well and doing everything right, but the body's not changing.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_00: Oftentimes, this is the reason.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: Cardio is a wonderful complement to strength training, but it cannot be the foundation.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Strength training needs to be the foundation.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so what is the answer then?
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: If walking and yoga and Pilates and cardio are only part of the picture, what is that missing piece?
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: Drum roll, please.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's progressive strength training.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: And it needs to be heavy enough to challenge your body.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: It needs to be consistent, and it needs to be intentional, where we're challenging ourselves increasingly over time.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to tell you why and why specifically in midlife this matters so much.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: It all boils down to our hormones.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Our hormonal environment has changed.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: Our estrogen is declining.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: And estrogen plays a huge role in muscle protein synthesis.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: It helps your body actually build and hold on to the muscle that you are working so hard to put on.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: When estrogen drops, that process becomes less efficient.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: So the same workout that built muscle in your 30s does not deliver the same results in your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: Your body needs more stimulus to keep adapting.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: Estrogen also directly supports bone density.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: So it helps to regulate the cells that build bone and the cells that break bone down.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: So when estrogen declines, that balance shifts, which is why staying active is not enough to protect your bones if the activity is not loading them with enough resistance.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: Your bones respond to load.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: Your bones get the signal to build and do what they call remodel when they're put under significant mechanical stress.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: So heavy resistance training sends a signal to your body to make more bone.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: But walking, yoga, Pilates, cardio, it doesn't send a strong enough signal, especially to your spine and to your upper body.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: So your muscle mass is also at stake.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: Starting in your 40s, women can lose 3 to 8% of their muscle mass per decade.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: And that rate goes way up after menopause.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, menopause is one single day on the calendar where you have gone a full calendar year without a period.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: If you are post-menopausal, meaning you have gone over a full year, then your muscle mass is declining even more rapidly at that point.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: And muscle is the magic.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: It is our metabolic engine.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: It's our energy.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's what keeps us strong enough to live our lives fully as we age.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: And the only thing that effectively slows down the loss of muscle and stimulates new muscle to grow is progressive resistance training.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: Strength training is what protects your muscle, it loads your bones, it supports your hormones, it keeps your metabolism working.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: Nothing else does all of those things at once.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why it's so important.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why I'm so passionate about it.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to address something else here because I hear this often.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: Women tell me that they don't want to lift heavy because they're afraid of bulking up.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I do understand that concern completely.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: But the truth is it is genuinely very difficult to build significant muscle, especially in midlife.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: I remember back in my bodybuilding days, like the amount of effort it took to put on any amount of muscle was significant.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I was trying really, really hard.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: So even your best efforts at lifting heavy physiology just will not support bulking up, especially at this stage of life.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: But what heavy lifting does do is build lean muscle and create functional strength in our bodies.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: And when you do that, you feel strong, you feel capable.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to be really clear that what this actually looks like, lifting heavy does not mean throwing around giant barbells with big heavy weights.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't mean doing anything extreme.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: Inside of FitZone, my online live workout membership, specifically designed for women in midlife, we use dumbbells and they range anywhere from five pounds to 25 pounds, and that's it.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: Super simple, heavy enough to where it's hard, but not too heavy to where you're going to injure yourself.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: That's the key.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: If you are someone who's just starting out or just starting back to lifting weights, you might begin with bodyweight movements and work your way up, starting with three pound weights to five-pound weights to eight-pound weights.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: And before you know it, I promise you, well, this will happen.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: You will be pressing overhead 10 to 15 pounds and feel stronger than you have in years.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: That progression happens really quickly.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: Our bodies are made to adapt and get better and get stronger.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_00: So it's really exciting when you start to see your body and your capability expand.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: You do not have to be an Olympic weightlifter or crossfitter to build bone density and increase your muscle mass.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: But you do need to use resistance and it should be challenging.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: So use this simple test.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: If you get to the end of a set and you could easily just keep on going, then it's not heavy enough.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're struggling through those last few reps and your whole focus is just finishing that lift, if you can't think about anything else in the moment, your to-do list goes out the window, then you're probably lifting heavy enough.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: And that's the stimulus that your body needs.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: And here's something else that I really want for you to think about.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Because I think this is one of the most compelling arguments for strength training that most people are not even thinking about.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: The movements that we do inside of FitZone are not just gym exercises, they are life exercises.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: They're designed to mimic the real demands of your actual life.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_00: So when you think about how do you want to live today, but also in 10, 15, 20 years from today.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to be mobile and strong, then we have to train the movements that you do in your everyday life to get better at them.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: So for example, getting up and down off the ground.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: Can you do that without your hands?
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: If not, it's time to start thinking about that and training specifically intentionally to be able to do that someday.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: When you think about how do you want to spend your time in your later years.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: I know I want to travel, I want to be hiking.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: That means I need to be able to climb stairs with confidence.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: I need to be able to step up onto a traveling bus.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: I need to be able to like make that big step up happen.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: When I want to lift my suitcase into the overhead bin without having to ask for help, I better start focusing on that, challenging myself, training for that today.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: I want to be able to pick up my grandkids.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: I want to be able to pick up the heavy grocery bag.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: I want to be able to put the dishes away from the dishwasher into my cabinet above my head.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: All of these things are life skills, and it's so important that we practice them by doing shoulder presses and squats and sit-ups and bent over rows.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: Because if we don't train for them today, we will be so sorry we didn't in the future.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yoga and Pilates and walking are wonderful, but they do not train these patterns.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: They don't prepare your body for the specific demands of real life, the way that squats and step ups and rows and presses do.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_00: Functional strength training is what keeps you independent and capable and confident in your body, not just in the gym, but in everything you do.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: Strength training also changes your baseline in ways that go way beyond the physical.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_00: So, like emotionally, mentally, you feel like, wow, I am capable.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: I just did something really, really hard.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: And there that builds just an inner confidence that you have.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I can do that, I can do anything my day throws my way.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_00: It also helps with sleep quality.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: It stabilizes your mood.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: If you are tired, if your mood is unpredictable, if you wake up unrefreshed, this might be the missing piece that you have not tried yet.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: Adding in strength training can have so many more benefits than just the physical body.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so I want to circle back to Cece and Jan because I think their stories are proof of everything that I have said.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: This is not just a theory, this is real, it's achievable, and it's absolutely available to you.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so Cece's full story is this.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_00: At 46, she was diagnosed with osteopenia.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: That means low bone density.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_00: And that was in her spine, her hips, and her neck.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: She was definitely not sedentary.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_00: She was super active, actually.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: She was always doing cardio.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_00: She did some light lifting, wasn't very consistent with it.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: But she definitely avoided the heavier weights because they felt intimidating and she wasn't quite sure what to do with them.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: She was doing what most people would consider enough.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: And still, her bone density declined.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: And the second exascan that she had revealed osteoporosis in her spine.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: And that was her wake-up call.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_00: Because at 46, that is really young to have osteoporosis.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: That is when Cece stopped just exercising and started training with purpose.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_00: She committed to progressive strength training inside of Fitzone.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_00: And for two years, she lifted heavy.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_00: She showed up five or to six days a week, and she supported her body through nutrition and recovery.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_00: She was focused on the real full picture.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: And after her next scan, it was incredible.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_00: Her spine bone density improved by 10 points, and her hip and neck bone density improved by 66 points.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_00: Not just held steady, not just stayed the same, but improved by a large margin.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_00: That is rare and it's remarkable.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: And it happened because she finally gave her body the stimulus that it had been asking for all along.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to read to you what Cece wrote to me directly.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: She said, Joan, joining your classes was a game changer.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_00: I went from avoiding weights to actually loving them.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_00: Your classes made weight-based workouts genuinely enjoyable and pers and your persistent nudges to increase my weights were the push that I desperately needed.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_00: I'm absolutely convinced that the improvement in my dexascan is thanks to the powerful combination of consistent, serious weightlifting and the support that I've given my body over the past couple of years.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: So Cece went from osteopenia to osteoporosis and then turned that around because she was able to change the stimulus that she was giving her body.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_00: And she finally gave her bones and her muscles what they needed.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_00: So incredible.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_00: It gives me goosebumps.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: And Jan, this is my client in her mid-70s.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_00: After consistent progressive strength training inside of Fit Zone, she also improved her bone density in her mid-70s.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I asked her if she would share the dumbbells that she uses with me.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_00: And she said she started out using three-pound dumbbells.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_00: So reminder, she was active all of her life, but did not consistently start strength training until the pandemic when she found me inside of my FitZone virtual membership.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_00: She started at three-pound dumbbells.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: She has worked her way up to 10-pound dumbbells and has been able to improve her bone density.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm not talking like crazy here.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_00: She is consistent and she is progressively overloading.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_00: So she started out body weight, went to three pounds, went to five pounds, went to eight pounds.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: Now she's up to 10 pounds and she feels incredible.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to really let that sink in that improving bone density in midlife, especially beyond midlife, is really rare.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's very hard to do it.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: But CeCe did it and Jan did it.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_00: And not because they have some special magic powers, but it's just because they showed up, they committed to the process and they stayed consistent.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_00: And this is available to you too.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: And this is why I coach the way that I do.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_00: One of the reasons why this is so personal to me, I remember learning about this stuff in college and in my various certifications.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, oh yeah, bone density, it's important.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: We got to think about it, learn about it.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_00: But I have been lifting weights since I was in high school.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: So strength training has always been part of my life, part of my identity.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm coming into midlife with a foundation of strength training.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_00: But my mom did not have that foundation.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: She was always fit, she was always active, she's always taking care of herself, but she never went above like five pounds when she was lifting, never picked up the heavy dumbbells.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody ever said or encouraged her to do that.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_00: And now she's managing osteoporosis.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I watch her navigate it and I think about why didn't a trainer or a doctor or a friend tell her, hey, you should probably pick up some heavy dumbbells.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_00: You might actually be able to reverse this.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: Your bones need it, your muscles need it.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's not optional.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_00: So this is why I would rather have an uncomfortable conversation with you today than watch you have to manage the consequences later.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_00: This is also why I put such a strong emphasis on lifting weights progressively with intention inside of my FitZone membership, built specifically for women over 40.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: Strength training is a non-negotiable.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't have to take up hours of your day, it does not have to be every day, but it does need to be at least twice a week.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: And doing those five movement patterns: the push, the pull, the squat, the hinge, and something for your core.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: And start out with body weight.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_00: Move from there like Jan did to the threes, to the fives, to the eights.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_00: Get heavy, get progressive, get consistent.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_00: Walking in yoga and Pilates are so good for you.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: Please keep doing them.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: And they're only part of the picture.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_00: Your body needs progressive strength training to protect your muscle mass.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: To load your bones and to work with your changing hormones and to keep your metabolism and your energy working for you.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_00: In episode 29, next week, we're going to talk about the fitness components that most programs completely skip: the balance, the core, the mobility, the flexibility, and the recovery, and why they're essential complements to the strength foundation.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: And then finally, in episode number 30, we're going to bring it all together with progressive overload, what that actually is and why it's the mechanism behind every real incredible fitness result and how to make it work for you as well.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_00: But I don't want you to wait three weeks to get started.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: Right now, I have a FitZone flash sale happening.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: And if you are inspired today by CeCe's story or Jan's story or if anything in this episode landed with you and you're like, gosh, I really should get started, I would encourage you to please check out FitZone.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's my online live fitness membership.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_00: And if you know that you need to be lifting, but you feel overwhelmed by it or intimidated by it, then FitZone was built specifically for you.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_00: If you've been doing cardio and wondering why nothing's changing, I promise strength training is the answer.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: Every workout is progressive strength training done for you, designed specifically for women in midlife.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_00: So you're not guessing what to do or wondering if it's working.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_00: You just show up and I coach you through it.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_00: Our live online classes meet you right where you are, whether you're just getting started or you're ready to level up, and they help you keep progressing with confidence.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_00: You can join from anywhere in the world.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_00: You can choose 30 to 45-minute workouts.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_00: You can join us live on Zoom or catch the recording in the on-demand library anytime that works for you.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_00: You'll also have access to stretching and mobility and balance work because, as we'll talk about next week, the Strength Foundation needs those complementary pieces to be the full picture.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_00: So the Fitzone Flash Sale is incredible.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_00: You get an entire month of unlimited access to live and on-demand classes for$27 for 30 days.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's a no-brainer.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: The FitZone Flash sale is on through April 24th.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: So head to the link in my show notes to grab your spot, or if you've got questions about today's episode or about the membership, please feel free to message me on Instagram.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_00: I'm at JonesFitZone.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, my friend.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, progress over perfection and consistency over intensity.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, keep growing, keep glowing, and bye for now.