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29. The Long Game: Five Fitness Essentials for Women Over 40 · Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40

• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: To start off today's episode, I want to invite you to imagine uh two different women, both in their early 70s, and both have been active most of their lives.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: But one gets up off the floor without using her hands, she walks confidently on uneven ground, she travels, she hikes, she keeps up with her grandchildren without paying for it for days afterwards.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: She moves throughout her life, feeling capable and at ease in her body.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: People tell her that she seems younger than she is, and she knows that it's not luck.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: It is the result of her choices that she made decades earlier.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: The other woman has been just as active.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: But when she wakes up in the morning, she feels super stiff.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: She has to grab the railing on the stairs without even thinking about it, just to kind of keep her balance.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: Things that used to feel easy to her now feel uncertain.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: And she's healthy, but she does not feel fully free in her body the way that she used to.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: And the difference is not how much they exercised.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's whether or not they took care of the whole picture.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: The second woman did everything she knew to do, but she just did not have all the information.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: She didn't know what she didn't know, and she didn't know what her body actually needed to feel good in the future.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: And that's exactly why we're having this conversation today.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: Because this hypothetical woman that we are imagining is the future you.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: And the choices that you make today in your 40s, 50s, 60s, are what build her reality.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: So today we're going to talk about the five fitness components that most programs completely overlook, especially for women in midlife.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: And when you add them to a strong foundation of strength training, you're setting yourself up for success.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: And not just about how you look, but about how you live, and not just for today, but for decades to come.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Midlife Glow Up Podcast, where we simplify fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits for women over 40.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Joan Dandano, your midlife health and wellness coach.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: And if you are ready to feel strong, confident, and consistent in this season of life, then you are in the right place, my friend.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: Before we dive in today, I want to just let you know that I'm in the middle of a three-part series.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: So last week in episode 28, we talked about why walking, yoga, and Pilates cannot be your whole fitness strategy in this stage of life, and how strength training is non-negotiable.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Your muscles need it, your bones need it, your metabolism needs it, your hormones need it.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: But today is the second episode in this three-part series on fitness.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: And what I want to say today is that the elements inside of yoga and walking and Pilates, like the flexibility, the balance, the core, all of those things absolutely do matter.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: We just need to put them in the right place, complementing your strength foundation, not replacing it.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: So think of strength training as the foundation of a house.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: What we're talking about today is what makes it a home that you actually want to live in.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: So if you haven't listened yet to episode 28, please go back and listen after this one because these two episodes are designed to work together and also lead into the third episode that will come next week.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: The reason most women skip the things we're going to talk about today is because they don't feel like real exercise.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: They're not sweaty or intense.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody is boasting about their foam rolling routine.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: And when you're already busy and overwhelmed and just trying to fit a workout in, it's easy to want to go straight for the hard thing, the strength work, the cardio, and that's where the stretching and the core work and the mobility gets thrown out the window.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I get it.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: I have been there, done that too.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: But here's the shift that I want you to try to make today.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: We are not training today to look a certain way.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: We're not chasing a PR anymore.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: We're actually training to become that woman in her 70s or 80s who gets up off the floor without using her hands, who travels and hikes and keeps up with her grandchildren, who moves through life feeling capable and free.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: And that woman just doesn't happen by accident.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: She is built intentionally by the choices that you make day in and day out.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: And the five components that we're going to talk about today are a big part of how she gets built.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: So if you have been skipping some of this stuff, today is the day you're going to potentially have a mindset shift around those things.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: So women tell me this all the time.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: They have worked with trainers throughout their lives, but those trainers were often in their 20s and in your 20s.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: Your body just handles things differently.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: You can skip the mobility work, you can push through without focusing on recovery and you can just bounce right back.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: And so what gets taught is that strength and cardio are the priorities.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: And those are so important, yes.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: But in midlife, the body has new rules that we have to play by.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: And the trainer who has never lived in a midlife body doesn't always know what those rules are.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm not knocking on anybody.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: I was a trainer in my 20s and I did my best, but I just didn't know what I didn't know.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: And this is why I want to make sure that you today have the full picture.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: So we're going to talk about the five components that deserve a place in your fitness routine.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: And the first one is balance.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: So balance is one of those things that we take completely for granted until we lose it.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: And the research is really sobering about this.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and loss of independence in women as we age.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: Hip fractures, head injuries, events that genuinely change the trajectory of someone's life.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: So your body has a system called proprioception, and that is your body's awareness of where it is in space.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Think of it like an internal GPS.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: It tells your body where your feet are, how level the ground is, how to make tiny adjustments to keep you upright.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: And just like every other system in your body, if you don't use it, it starts to decline.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: So training your balance keeps that system sharp and it reduces your risk of injury, not just from falls, but from the kind of stumbles and missteps that happen in everyday life.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: When we focus on balance, we're also building coordination, which creates a sense of confidence that you have in your body, where you don't have to hesitate on a hiking trail or step stepping off of a curb with uncertainty.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: And the good news is you don't need a special class or really extra time to work on your balance.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: I recommend practicing it in your everyday life.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: So while you're blow drying your hair, can you stand on one leg?
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: Can you balance on one foot while you're waiting in line at the grocery store?
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: These small, consistent moments add up and your body learns stability by practicing stability.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: So balance is super important.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: And again, it's not just about preventing the falls, it's about moving through life with this sense of confidence and coordination and the kind of body awareness that protects you in everyday life.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, the second component is core.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: So most women, when they hear core, they think crunches and ab exercises and I want a flat tummy.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: And while those things are true and they were really what we focused on in our 20s and 30s, I want you to reframe what you think about when you think of your core as we move into this next phase of life.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: So your core is your center and it is what keeps you stable.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: It includes all your deep stabilizing muscles.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: So your transverse abdominis, your multifidus, your diaphragm, and critically for midlife women is our pelvic floor.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: So these muscles all work together to protect your spine in every movement that you make.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: So it supports your posture and it keeps you functional in daily life.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: I'm guessing you have either had this experience or you know someone who has.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: That moment when you throw out your back just because you were reaching for something on the counter or you were twisting to grab your seatbelt and all of a sudden you're like, oh my God.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: The cause of that often is a core that was not prepared to stabilize the spine through that everyday movement.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: So a strong functional core is what protects you from those moments, the ones where you are sidelined for days or weeks because of something as simple as turning around to wipe your bottom.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: And then a huge part of our core is made up of our pelvic pelvic floor muscles.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: And it is one of the most underrated topics, I think, in women's fitness in general, but specifically in midlife, because as estrogen declines, the tissues of the pelvic floor can become less supple, less responsive.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: And this shows up in ways that many women experience but rarely talk about, like leaking when you sneeze or leaking urine when you laugh or jump, or the sense of like heaviness or pressure in your pelvis.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: When you have reduced core stability, or if you have a weak pelvic floor, you're going to feel discomfort during exercise and discomfort during sex.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: And these are all things that you don't just have to accept as part of aging.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: These are signals that your pelvic floor needs attention and support.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: And a strong functional core, including the pelvic floor, addresses all of this.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: And this has nothing to do with vanity.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: This is all about quality of life.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: And it's one of the most important things that you can invest in for your future self today.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: And to build a strong functional core, including your pelvic floor, requires some focus on exercises that specifically recruit those muscles and strengthen them.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: So a reminder that a strong core is not just about how your stomach looks in a bathing suit.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's about how safely and powerfully that you can move through life and how well your body supports you from the inside out.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, component number three is mobility.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: And this is one of my favorite topics to talk about.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: There's a lot of confusion between what is the difference between mobility and flexibility.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: So we're going to touch on that today.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: Mobility is your joints' ability to move through their full range of motion actively and under control.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: So it's different from flexibility.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: We'll get to that in a moment.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: But think about your hips, your thoracic spine, that middle section of your back.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: When these joints cannot move freely, like they cannot move through their full range of motion, your body begins to compensate, and your strength suffers, and your posture deteriorates, and pain begins to show up in places that seem unrelated.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: So knee pain that is actually a hip issue, or shoulder pain that's actually a thoracic spine issue.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: So one thing that I want to specifically address is frozen shoulder, because it is far more common in women in midlife than most people realize, and it is directly related to neglected shoulder mobility.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: So frozen shoulder, or it's also called adhesive capsulitis, causes the shoulder joint to stiffen progressively and it becomes incredibly painful.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's hard to lift your arm straight up overhead.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: Perimenopause increases this risk because estrogen plays a big role in connective tissue health.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: And the good news is that consistent shoulder mobility work is one of the most effective ways to reduce that risk.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_00: One of my favorite tools for shoulder mobility specifically is a dowel, or it's also called a yoga stick.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: And it is a simple wooden rod and it allows you to work through the full range of motion of your shoulder joint safely and effectively.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: I have several videos on my Instagram showing exactly how I use it.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: So go check that out.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: I'm at Jones FitZone.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll also include a link in the show notes.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: So if you want to order a dowel for yourself, it's an inexpensive tool that can make a real difference, specifically in your shoulder mobility.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: I also use it to train core and balance and other things as well, but that one is what I would definitely recommend for shoulder mobility.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: Mobility also directly improves your strength training because when you have better hip mobility, it means you can come into a deeper, safer squat.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: And better shoulder mobility means stronger overhead pressing.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: Better thoracic mobility means your whole upper body moves more efficiently.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: And everything is so connected.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: So mobility is not just about feeling less stiff in your body, but it's also about keeping your joints healthy enough to do the things that you love now and for the rest of your life.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: And it is one of the best investments that you can make to prevent injury and chronic pain.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, part number four, component number four is flexibility.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: So flexibility is related to mobility, but is very different from it.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: So where mobility is about an active joint range of motion, flexibility is about the length and elasticity of your muscles.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_00: So your ability to lengthen your muscles without restriction.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: Again, estrogen plays a part in this.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: So as estrogen declines in midlife, your connective tissue becomes less supple.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: Your muscles get tighter and your fascia loses some of its elasticity.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're strength training without any flexibility work, you can actually create imbalances over time.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: So your muscles are strong but chronically shortened, which affects your posture and your movement patterns and how you feel day to day.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: Regular stretching can counteract this and improve your posture and reduce the aches and pains that make you feel older than you are.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: So flexibility supports recovery.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: And honestly, it just feels good.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_00: There's something so restorative about giving your body permission to lengthen and breathe and just take a moment and take your muscle and lengthen it to its full capacity and then just stick there for a minute and breathe through it.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: I have a couple of things that I do as part of my normal weekly routine that help me stretch my muscles without feeling like I'm adding a lot to my calendar.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: I often stretch in the shower.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_00: So the warm water helps my muscles relax and it doesn't take any extra time out of my day.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: So while I'm letting my conditioner sit, I might open up my shoulders and my chest and I might do a quad stretch, a hip flexor stretch just while I'm standing there in the shower.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_00: And then once a week, I go to hot yoga.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: And this is like therapy for me.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: The heat allows for a deeper stretch that I can't get otherwise.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: And it has genuinely become something I just look forward to as part of my week.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: I focus on flexibility.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's a mental reset.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: I leave my phone in a different room so I'm not like getting distractions every few minutes from my phone or my watch.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: And it really just is such a wonderful way for me to complement the strength training that I do.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: You do not have to do what I do, but please do not skip the flexibility work altogether.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: So find a version that works for your life, whether it's just stretching after a workout or attending a weekly yoga class.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: Flexibility is not optional.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_00: It is not the nice to have at the end of the workout that you skip when you're short on time.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_00: It is part of taking care of the body that takes care of you.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: And that leads me into component number five, which is a broad category, but it is recovery.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: Recovery is one of the most overlooked of all five categories, of all five components, especially for women in midlife.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: And it actually might be one of the most important.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: Here's something that might surprise you: you do not actually get stronger during your workouts.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_00: You get stronger during your recovery.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: The workout is the stimulus, but recovery is where that adaptation actually happens, where your muscles repair and your nervous system resets and your body becomes more capable than it was before.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: And for women over 40, specifically, with all the hormonal shifts that are affecting our sleep quality and our stress response, recovery is not a bonus, it is a requirement.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: So, what does recovery actually look like?
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_00: Recovery is active and it takes on lots of forms, and there's not one right or wrong way to do it.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_00: For me, I always take off at least one full day from exercise during my week, sometimes two days.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: The rest of it is incorporated into my lifestyle in a way that is enjoyable and realistic and sustainable.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: So, for example, foam rolling is something that I try to do several times a week.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: I keep my foam roller in my bedroom.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: So either before I go to bed or when I wake up, I just roll and get some pressure points on my back and on my hips and my glutes, and that is amazing.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, the other another thing that I do is at my desk here for work, I have a massage.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_00: I don't even know what to call it.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's this thing that goes on my neck and shoulders, and I push a button and it massages my back while I'm sitting here at my desk getting work done.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_00: Um, on my rest days, I often still walk and I just move gently.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not focusing on hitting a certain number of steps or getting my heart rate into a certain zone.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: I'm literally just walking outside, enjoying the fresh air, or here in Seattle, a lot of times the rain.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I think of recovery days as light housework, like gardening or, you know, laundry, going up and down the stairs, things like that.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: That counts as active recovery.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: One of my favorite things that I incorporate in once a month is a massage.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: So if that is something that's accessible to you, it is genuinely a wonderful way to take care of your body.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_00: And that is obviously a more passive form of recovery.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: Other passive forms of recovery are like a hot tub or a sauna or a steam room, just to help your muscles relax.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: They improve circulation and they signal to your nervous system that it is safe to rest and relax and recover.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then there's sleep.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: So sleep is the number one thing that we can do to help our body recover.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_00: When we have deep restorative sleep, that is when the majority of our muscle repair actually happens.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_00: And nutrition, no surprise here, is also a huge component of recovery.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: So getting enough protein, staying hydrated, eating enough calories to give you the energy that you need to get throughout your day.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: Those are all foundational to recovery for women.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_00: And most women underestimate the power of a lot of these things.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: Recovery is not just doing nothing, it's doing the right things and honoring the hard work that you're putting in in the gym to make sure that it actually sticks with you.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I do want to say something about the mindset of recovery days, because I think there are a lot of us who struggle with this idea of measuring our effort and closing our rings and earning our rest.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_00: And recovery can feel like falling behind.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_00: But I actually want you to shift that mindset that we need the recovery as part of our overall program in order to create that future version of ourselves.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: On my recovery days, I play a little game with myself.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes I leave my Apple Watch, my activity tracker just completely off my body.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: And other times I'll see how many steps I can just accumulate from going up and down my stairs and doing things around the house, living my life without formally working out, but just realizing, like, oh, the movement and the activity from just cooking and cleaning and laundry.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_00: And that takes the guilt out of resting.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_00: Like it makes me feel less lazy and it helps me think about intentionally embracing rest as part of my overall plan to take care of myself.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, before we move on, I want to recap the five components that we just covered.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: So one was balance, so training your proprioceptive system in your brain to help you reduce injury and keep you moving confidently through life.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_00: Number two is our core.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: So thinking about stabilizing your spine, protecting you from everyday injuries, supporting your pelvic floor health through the hormonal changes of midlife.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_00: Mobility, keeping your joints moving freely through their range of motion, reducing your risk of conditions like frozen shoulder, and making your strength training safer and more effective.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: Number four is flexibility.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_00: So maintaining the length and elasticity of your muscles, counteracting that tightening that comes with hormonal changes, and helping your body recover and feel good day to day.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: And then finally is recovery.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: So this is where the adaptation actually happens.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_00: So sleep, stretching, foam rolling, massage, rest days, all of this is part of the work, not a break from it.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_00: So these five things, built on top of a foundation of progressive strength training, are what take you from working out to training for the life that you actually want to live.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: Taking care of these five components is not an extra.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's not indulgent.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's not something that you do when you have time left over.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: It is what a woman who respects her body actually makes time for.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: We live in a culture that glorifies intensity, more reps and more weight and more sweat and more days and push harder and do more.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: And while I'm absolutely an advocate for challenging yourself, because you are capable of so much more than you think, but caring for your body is not a weakness.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_00: It's actually part of the process.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_00: Your future self, the woman in her 60s, 70s, 80s, is being built right now by the choices that you make today.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: And she deserves a body that works, a body that can move freely and stand tall and keep up with her life and do the things that matter most to her.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_00: Here's what I want you to take away from today.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: Strength training is the non-negotiable.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_00: We established that last week, and I will keep saying it, but strength training alone, without balance, core, mobility, flexibility, and recovery builds a body that is strong in the gym but is limited in real life.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_00: But when you put it all together, this is functional fitness.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_00: The ability to function in your body, in your life, on your terms.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: Getting up and down off the floor, carrying heavy grocery bags, moving without bracing, without fear.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Moving without pain, playing with your kids or your grandkids and not paying for it for days later.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_00: Hiking, traveling, dancing.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_00: This is what we're training for.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: Not a number on the scale, but longevity and quality of life.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_00: The freedom to live fully in your body for decades to come.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_00: These five things don't replace strength training, but they do complete it.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: They are what take you from fit to thriving, from working out to actually training for the life that you want to live.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: So next week in episode 30, we are bringing it all together with progressive overload, the mechanism that makes strength training actually work.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: What is it, why most women are not doing it, and how it changes everything.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: So you do not want to miss that one.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_00: If everything we talked about today has you feeling a little overwhelmed, like Joan, how am I supposed to fit five more things into my routine when I can barely even make time for strength training to begin with?
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to take a deep breath because I've got you.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_00: This is exactly why I created Fitzone, my online live workout membership designed specifically for the women in midlife, where all these components are already built in for you.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_00: This progressive strength training, the balance work, the mobility, flexibility, the recovery, it's all there.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to figure it out on your own.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to piece together from one random YouTube video to another because I've already done it all for you.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_00: You just show up and I take care of the rest.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now during the FitZone Flash sale, you can access FitZone for only$27 for an entire month of unlimited access to live classes.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_00: I have six per week, as well as all of my on-demand library.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_00: And I have over 600 videos there.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_00: This is it.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_00: This is the answer.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_00: There's no guesswork, there's no overwhelm.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's just a plan that works, that's built for your body and for this season of life by someone who is living it right along with you and who has coached hundreds of women through it.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: So if this sounds like something that you would be interested in, I would absolutely love to invite you to take a look.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: The link is in my show notes to grab your spot.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_00: The pricing for the Fitzone Flash sale for$27 will not last long.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_00: You have until April 24th to take advantage of this.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_00: This is what taking care of yourself actually looks like.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_00: And right now you can get it all for less than the amount that you would blow at Target without even thinking about it.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_00: You have spent enough time trying to piece this together.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_00: So let's do it.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: Let's do it together and let me help you.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: That woman in her 70s and 80s who moves freely and lives fully, she starts here.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: So let's start building her today.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_00: She's waiting for you to show up.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: So let's get started.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, my friend.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, progress over perfection and consistency over intensity.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, keep growing, keep glowing, and bye for now.