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I'm going to discuss the importance of building muscle as we age and its relationship to fat loss, overall metabolic health, and longevity.

I've been a personal trainer for over 30 years, and back in the day, there wasn't much emphasis on women and building muscle. There were guidelines, but it wasn't until I became certified as a menopause fitness specialist and discovered the newer science for women in midlife and beyond that I understood how important, if not the most important, things we can be doing.

Importance of Muscle Building

What I'm learning about muscle is that it is our longevity organ. When we start focusing on building muscle rather than losing weight, fat loss will happen.

Notice I'm not saying weight loss because we lose part muscle and part fat when we lose weight. Diets that are quick fixes or calorie deficit cause massive muscle loss touted as weight loss, and that, my friend, for women...

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Let’s unlock the puzzle and confusion hormones can cause and dive into the actionable strategies you need after 50 to support your hormones, fuel your fat-burning journey, and navigate the twists of menopause. 

This isn't just about weight loss; it's a common-sense approach to living your best second half-life. 

The Hormonal Impact of White Sugar, White Flour, and Seed Oils: A Menopause Menace

It's not just about what you eat; it's about what you avoid. 

White sugar, white flour, and seed oils can wreak havoc on your hormones. They trigger weight gain, mess with cholesterol, and throw blood sugar off balance. Choose nutrient-dense Whole Foods, with lots of plant options. 

Prioritize gut health with prebiotics and probiotics, focusing on vegetables,...

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Hello friends, let's talk today about tips to stay motivated and on track in midlife. 

This is a hot topic in my Facebook communities and conversations with many women. 

Why is it so hard to stay motivated?

It's more than lacking self-discipline or laziness. In fact, the number one reason might be due to declining hormones. When you lose your estrogen, you often lose your get-up-and-go. You might also notice less energy in your mood and need more motivation. Lack of sleep might be slowing your energy level down, as well as a decrease in testosterone. Testosterone is your "get 'er done" hormone, while progesterone contributes to better mood and optimism, but when these hormones are low or non-existent, feeling motivated will be an issue.

Or perhaps you're just feeling discouraged because losing weight after 50 takes longer and is more challenging than you expected, even if...

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If you are in midlife, perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause, and you've said this to yourself, “I feel like I'm going crazy.”

You are not alone.

Let me tell you about a lady, just like you, I’ll call her Eleanor. 

Eleanor prided herself on her ability to handle life's ups and downs with grace. 

But as she entered her late forties, something inside began to shift. It started with subtle changes, forgetting where she placed her car keys, struggling to concentrate on reading a book, and things like that. 

However, over time, the lapses became more frequent.

One evening while she was cooking dinner, she couldn't remember the recipe for her signature pasta dish. The dish she’d made hundreds of times. Frustration boiled within her and tears rolled up unexpectedly. She felt like she was losing control. Her best friend, Tina, noticed the changes...

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Are you navigating the twists and turns of menopause symptoms while trying to stay on track with your weight loss journey? 

Believe me, you’re not alone. 

So many women, as they approach midlife, struggle with hormonal changes, which can make weight loss seem even more challenging. 

As a Trim Healthy Mama coach who focuses on helping women in menopause & perimenopause, I’m here to guide you through some tried-and-true techniques to face these challenges head-on.

Power of Your Mindset in Menopause

Remember the time when sticking to a health plan seemed effortless? And whatever you were doing, exercise or calorie counting, got you the results you were striving to get?

Times change, and so do our bodies and circumstances. 

The thought, "it's just too hard right now," creates feelings of defeat. 

But our mindset, and our thoughts, have...

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Hormones are chemical messengers in your body. They communicate and control most of the physiological things going on. They tell your body what to do and hormones work together like an orchestra. But, when they aren’t playing well together we start to see imbalance, and things get out of harmony.

These imbalances affect all other hormones. Cortisol is your main stress hormone and it gets pretty bossy when not kept in check by other hormones. Too much cortisol steals progesterone, drives up insulin and blood sugar levels and until you get it under control will cause issues with all of your other hormones. 

The Big Four Hormones and Why They Matter

There are 4 main hormones you need to focus on to find better balance and support in your weight loss journey. 

First is cortisol, this hormone when left to run rampant is great at packing on extra belly fat, giving...

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In midlife, you do not want to exercise in a fasted state. 

That is the bottom line. 

As a woman, especially in menopause, you want to reduce any type of stress that can cause a rise in cortisol, which in turn causes a rise in insulin, which is a fat-storage hormone. Exercise, especially exercise in a fasted state, can be somewhat stressful. We want to work with cortisol levels. We want to work with our menopausal body and not work against it.

TIMING AND TYPE OF EXERCISE

So one of the things you really want to focus on is pre-workout fueling. 

Overall, it is best to exercise intensely, and that would be either some type of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout or a workout where you're getting your heart...

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Is hormone replacement therapy for every woman? 

Aren't there more "natural" options? 

The answer is yes, and yes. 

Some women are not good candidates for hormone replacement therapy or aren't comfortable taking it; this might be due to a lack of education about the safety and protective benefits or availability.

But that doesn't mean you can't reduce or eliminate suffering from hormonal symptoms during menopause. You still have a lot to say about how you feel by implementing four ways to treat menopause. 

But you won't get the protective benefits when you're not using bioidentical hormone therapy. Bioidentical hormone therapy can help treat menopause symptoms, providing protective benefits to you. 

Menopause is a natural biological process. It marks...

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"I hate the belly fat that I have. I'm on bio-identical hormones and can't get rid of the tire. I don't want to go through surgery; I don't know what to do; please don't tell me to start running; I can't do it."

Does anyone else feel the same?

This question came from a member of my Peri/Menopause Trim Healthy Mama Community.

No, I'm not going to tell you to start running, and I'm not going to encourage you to exercise more. Or eat less. 

But there are multiple things that contribute to that spare tire/muffin top you are seeing. And a lot of it has to do with your age and your hormones. 

Extra fat is frustrating and a health risk for women, especially in midlife. 

The fat you see around your middle is most likely visceral...

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Is exercise in midlife really all that important?

Would you rather be doing just about anything other than exercising?

After all, the extra time and an open schedule can be challenging.

I get it.

The truth is, yes, exercise is important enough for you to prioritize. But not the exercise you are thinking of.

Getting older has loads of great benefits, but choosing not to include exercise and include daily movement in your schedule may set you up for health issues that are better avoided.

Exercise in midlife is necessary for longevity, health and will help you build strong muscles to maintain your independence as you age. 

And as added benefit doing the proper exercise gets your body in metabolism-boosting & fat-burning mode fast.

STRENGTH TRAINING FOR FAT LOSS

I have great news for you and some myths to bust. 

It's time to hang...