Menopause Strength Training & Fitness | 40+ Fitness for Women

Epizódy

• #170: Is It Safe to Start Strength Training After 40? 02.06.2026 21min

  If the idea of strength training makes you nervous, bad knees, old injuries, being told you need to lift heavy, this episode is going to change how you think about it. I'm sharing some stories in this one. Mine, my dad's, and a few others that might surprise you. And I'm getting into the one thing about strength training that makes it fundamentally different from every other kind of exercise when it comes to safety. By the end you'll understand why this is actually one of the safest things yo...
• #169: Can You Build Muscle After Menopause? 26.05.2026 17min

  Can you actually build muscle after menopause? Or have you missed your window? This is one of the most common questions I get. And I think it comes from a myth a lot of women still believe: that strength training is for younger people, and maybe even dangerous once you're in midlife. After helping hundreds of women get started lifting, this is a myth I really want to talk about. In this episode I get into what the research really says about muscle and menopause, why so many women are doing th...
• #168: What Tracking Revealed to My Clients About Their Diets 19.05.2026 7min

  What if dieting was actually easier than you thought? When the women in my Summer Shape Up coaching group started tracking what they ate, every one of them spotted something they hadn't noticed before. One was already doing keto AND intermittent fasting, was already losing weight, and tracking STILL revealed something important about her diet she was missing. In this short episode I share their real discoveries and why tracking might be the most useful thing you've never tried. Enjoy the sh...
• #167: Why Your Workouts Aren't Working Anymore 12.05.2026 20min

  Are the workouts that used to work not working anymore? I've been there. At 49, my body changed. I didn't recognize myself anymore. My toned, lean, athletic physique suddenly turned blobby. And it was horrifying. I was not ready to give up though. I figured out how to turn things around. In this episode I'll explain how I changed my workouts and changed my body! Enjoy the show! Resources Mentioned: POD165 - The Truth About Cortisol Belly Fat (And How to Fix It) Adjustable Dumb...
• #166 | FAQs Nutrition & Weight Loss 05.05.2026 24min

  Spring is here, which means a lot of midlife women are thinking about losing a few pounds before bikini season. In this Q&A I answer four of the most common weight loss questions I get from midlife women: I've started eating more protein and lifting weights, but my weight is going UP. What's going on?I'm eating clean. Why am I not losing weight?How do I track meals like stews and soups when every serving has a different mix of ingredients?How do I choose a good protein powder, and h...
• #165: Cortisol Belly: What It Is & How to Fix It 28.04.2026 23min

  You've probably heard the term 'cortisol belly' thrown around on social media. And more than likely, they are trying to sell you a tea or a supplement to fix it. Here's the thing: cortisol belly is real. But no supplement or new ab exercise is going to fix it. In this episode I explain what cortisol belly is, and why this kind of belly fat is worth paying attention to - because it's more than just a cosmetic problem. You'll learn: Why you've grown a 'muffin top' (it's a combination of thing...
• #164: Will You Look Like Me If You Do My Program? 21.04.2026 17min

  Someone commented on my latest reel: "Show me your legs. I want to know if your program is going to get my legs in shape too." That one comment opened up something I've been wanting to talk about for a long time. Because fitness influencers everywhere are using their bodies as "proof" that their programs work. The implied promise is: 'Do this workout, look like me.' And most of them will never pull back the curtain on what's actually going on behind the scenes. In this episode, I'm getting co...
• #163: My Body Recomposition Journey - Unexpected Results at Age 55 14.04.2026 22min

  I got my body composition measured this week for the first time in way too long. Honestly? I walked in bracing for bad news. The scale is up, I've been eating out way more than I should, and I haven't been sleeping great. I figured I knew what I was going to hear. I was wrong. In this episode, I share my full body recomposition journey, from where I started to where I am now, including my latest InBody results. I also walk you through the different ways you can track body recomposition ...
• #162: Lose Weight, Not Muscle - Why It Matters 07.04.2026 16min

  As summer approaches, it's tempting to focus purely on the number on the scale. But losing weight and losing fat are not the same thing, and the difference matters. Whether you're using a GLP-1 or counting calories, if you're not paying attention to your muscles, you could be setting yourself up for serious problems down the road. In this episode, I share 5 reasons why muscle matters far beyond just looking toned, and why holding onto it as you diet might be the most important thing you do fo...
• #161: Build the Body You Want to Spend the Rest of Your Life In 31.03.2026 22min

  Three years ago I got my body back. And that changed everything. It was the spark that started this podcast in the first place. In this episode, I share the story of what drove me to transform my own body after menopause, and what I have learned about building a body that not only look and feel great now but will allow you to thrive in the decades ahead. Because here is the thing: we cannot stop the wrinkles or stop our skin from getting looser with age. But there is a LOT we can do to ...
• #160: Are Your Workouts Actually Strength Training? Try This and Find Out 24.03.2026 8min

  There are a lot of programs out there calling themselves strength training. If you're confused about what real strength training actually is, I'm not surprised - I was too. Sometimes the best way to truly understand something is to experience it. That's why I created Lift-IT! a 10-day introduction to proper strength training, and in honor of my 55th birthday, I'm giving it away for free! 🎈 Zero excuses, zero barrier. Just grab some dumbbells or a couple water bottles and come find out. Use co...
• #159: Do Women in Menopause Need Different Strength Training? 17.03.2026 20min

  If you're a woman in midlife and you’ve wondered whether you actually need a strength training program designed specifically for women in menopause this episode is for you. There’s a big debate online right now about this. Some people say that programs for midlife women are just marketing and that women in menopause should simply train the same way as everyone else. And after helping hundreds of women in midlife start strength training, and studying what actually works in this stage of life, ...
• #158: Strength Training After 40 What to Expect in Your First 90 Days 10.03.2026 19min

  How long does it actually take to see results when you start strength training after 40? In this episode, I walk through what I’ve seen happen over and over again after helping hundreds of women start lifting weights through my one-to-one coaching, group coaching, and my Learn to Lift program. We look at what the first 90 days of strength training typically look like for women who are just getting started, including the kinds of changes many women begin to notice during those first 10–12 week...
• #157: Why You Gain Belly Fat in Menopause & How to Reduce It 03.03.2026 21min

  If you’ve noticed your waistline changing in midlife and wondered whether this is “just menopause,” you’re not alone. Belly fat is one of the most common and frustrating changes women experience in perimenopause and menopause. In this episode, I break down some of the key factors contributing to this and what you can realistically do about it. We talk about: How changing estrogen levels affect fat distributionWhat’s really happening with your metabolismThe role of muscle lossWhy daily movem...
• #156: Strength Training Terms Explained: What Matters & What Doesn't 24.02.2026 25min

  If you’ve started strength training, you’ve probably seen terms like RPE, RIR, volume, frequency, training to failure, unilateral vs bilateral, lengthened position training, drop sets… and wondered: Do I actually need to care about this? In this episode, I walk you through the most common strength training terms you’ll see online and explain them in plain English. More importantly, I tell you which ones really matter if you're a woman in midlife whose goal is to build muscle, get strong...
• #155: Fitness Beliefs Keeping Women Over 40 Stuck 17.02.2026 11min

  If you’re working out but feeling softer and looking less toned than you used to, this might be why. In this episode, I unpack five widely held fitness beliefs that are keeping midlife women stuck. These are beliefs most women over 40 still live by. And it’s not your fault. It’s what the fitness industry has taught us. Up until a few years ago, I believed them too. The problem is this: When you believe these things, You choose workouts you think are effective but that don’t actually build str...
• #154: My Midlife Identity Crisis & Choosing to Age Powerfully, Not Fade Away 10.02.2026 12min

  Have you ever heard that menopause is like a second puberty? I think that idea goes beyond the hormonal changes and into something deeper: our identity. We’re no longer considered “young,” but identifying as “old” doesn’t sit right either. As women in midlife, many of us are coming into our power. After decades of raising kids, taking care of family, navigating marriage and career, we finally have time and energy to turn inward. And we’re not done living. In this episode, I share my own strug...
• #153: Why follow-along programs don't work for building muscle & strength 03.02.2026 14min

  There are a lot of follow-along exercise programs out there that claim to be "strength training". And while they are better than doing nothing (ie, sitting on the couch or doing cardio-only), they will never be as efficient or effective at building strength and muscle as proper strength training. You'll build strength & muscle more slowly and no matter how many hours you put in, you'll never reach the results you could be getting. In this episode, I break down why. Enjoy the...
• #152: What Lifting Heavy Means and Should You Be Doing It 27.01.2026 20min

  "You need to lift heavy weights." "Put down the pink dumbbells." "Three reps of three exercises, three times per week." Social media is filled with these messages for midlife women eager to keep their bodies strong and age well. But what does 'lifting heavy' mean? And is it right for you? In this episode, I break down the two meanings of the term 'lifting heavy' and which one you should be doing now. Enjoy the show! RESOURCES MENTIONED Episode 148 | How Quickly Should You Increa...
• #151: What’s The Least You Can Strength Train and Still Get Strong and Build Muscle? 20.01.2026 15min

  So, you want to start strength training because you want to stop getting weaker, build muscle, be healthier, and age well, but there's no way you're going to do it four days a week. But can training less frequently really be effective? YES! I believe that whether you like lifting or hate it, you need to be doing it. Like brushing your teeth. In this episode, I share the minimum you can do and still get the benefits of lifting. You'll hear: How to get started without ...